My Hero Academia: Aspirations

Chapter 9

Aspirations
Chapter 9

"You know I could help you right?" You blurted out in front of the room of teachers.

Everyone handling the first year's hero coarse students had gathered like good teachers were prone to do. Which meant that you were with them. The group of heroes, most dressed up in their elaborate costumes, were sitting around an oval table in an otherwise plain room. They had gathered to discuss the progress of the students' ultimate moves. A topic that you had, more or less, you zoning out. When you realized that you decided to poke through the booklet that Principal Nezu had given you on the students again. Which was what sparked your word vomit.

"You're on standby. The students haven't gotten injured yet," Aizawa was the first voice of reason.

You fidgeted slightly. "I wasn't talking about the students. I was meaning for you guys.."

"We are aware of your abilities and will not hesitate to request your help at the appropriate time."

That time it was Principal Nezu. Which made you feel like shit to be honest. As though you were a student again getting talked down to after interrupting an important class. You slouched over in your seat and couldn't help but wish that you hadn't bought anything up. At the same time you had a feeling that your point had been muddled - you hadn't gotten to explain what you meant.

It wasn't until after the teacher pow-wow that you tried to get your point across once more. Only this time you decided to be more direct. You rounded on the man who had once been the symbol of peace. You never noticed that Aizawa had lingered back when he realized that unlike the others you weren't moving out of the room.

"I meant I could help you," you told Toshinori directly. "I could heal you...it'd take time but—"

"I appreciate the offer," Toshinori cut you off with a grateful yet sad smile as he started towards the door. "But Recovery Girl already—"

Since he had no problem cutting you off you decided that it was fair play. "I'm not my aunt. My powers work differently."

The tall, thin man stopped as he reached the door. He looked over his shoulder with an almost fearful, maybe timid expression. You tried your best reassuring face but it probably looked more determined or stubborn that anything else.

"Kid... my days as a hero are over."

"Your days as a human aren't," you responded back. "My powers don't rely on your stamina all by itself. I'm not saying that I can make you the Symbol of Peace. All I'm saying is that with time I can help you get healthy again."

The look on his face was frightening actually. It was the look of hope and despair somehow at the same time. Like he wanted what you said to be true but also was confronting the idea that you could be wrong. You felt numb as you stared at him. The iconic hero seemed so fragile and afraid as he stood in the doorway that it felt like a crushing weight was being added onto your soul. Fixing up the Symbol of Peace, even if he'd stepped down from the title, was no small order. You'd helped in times of crisis before but if you couldn't deliver, you weren't sure you'd be able to live with yourself.

Why'd you offer again?

Oh...right...you wanted to help...

"When do we start?"

You sat down in the closest chair as the gravity of what you'd chosen to offer settled in. "I have to do a bit of research...and find a lot of supplements...but soon. Tomorrow?"

Toshinori nodded. He passed a sollumn Aizawa as he walked out. It took you a couple more minutes to battle with your own fear before you were ready to move. When you were officially out of the room, the darkly dressed man pushed himself away from the wall with his foot. You noticed that at no point had he removed his hands from his pockets. Why did it seem like his hands were always in his pockets?

"Are you going to the dorms or Gym Gamma?"

You stopped for a moment as you gave him your full attention. It took you a second to remember why you couldn't answer with either of those options.

"I have a session scheduled in an hour and a half."

"With a student?"

You shook your head and gave a light shrug. "No. None of the students have actually asked. I suppose I could make a sign up sheet or something to help but I'll have to do that later. I actually have a newer client coming by the office."

"New client?"

You nodded as you started to leisurely walk beside the tired looking man. Though you weren't technically a doctor, nor a nurse like your great aunt, you still felt like it was your duty to protect everyone's privacy. Especially as you worked with heroes of all ages. You didn't want anyone to be seen as "weak" because they came to you for support. Which was why you didn't just come right out and tell Aizawa that Endeavour had booked a recurring appointment roughly the same time every week.

"You're putting yourself at risk accepting new clients now that you're part of U.A," Aizawa said in a steady tone.

You smiled and gently pushed his shoulder with your own during a step. "Stop worrying so much. It would be a lot of work impersonating this guy just to get a massage. His quirk is kind of hard to mistake."

Apparently you'd said something interesting with the way Aizawa muttered: "Oh?"

"Besides even though I don't have all that hero training like you, once I have my hands on someone it's pretty easy to shut them down. Just ask Angry Boy. And if I do get hurt, I can always heal myself up when I get away from them."

"If you can use your quirk."

You teased him, "Did you join the League or something? Because you're the only one I know that can cancel out quirks."

As you and he got to the stairs, he remarked, "There could be others out there."

"So is that you admitting to having been too free of a spirit when you were a teenager?" You smiled and suppressed a laugh. "Good to know."

Once Aizawa digested that comment (he was surprisingly quick on the uptake) you felt the glare on the back of your neck. He had paused as you'd started down the stairs after all. And you heard him as he picked back up pace down the steps.

"Stop fooling around. I was being serious."

"I know. You always are," you said easily.

"You take your own safety and the security of the school too slightly," he reprimanded.

"I don't want to live in fear," was your response. "I'll do my part to keep safe but I want to keep my business running. Accepting new clients is one way to do that. If it makes you feel better I'll keep you and Principal Nezu informed on my scheduled session from now on."

Aizawa kept quiet which you took to be acceptance. The rest of the walk out of the building was rather quiet. Though that wasn't necessarily a bad thing; it was better than arguing for sure.

"And just because I don't feel like getting chased down if I miss curfew," you said as you turned around to face him, hands behind your back, "I'm going out for a movie after work.I'll be hitting up a library too. So I'll probably grab dinner out too. Anything happens that anyone needs me for, give me a ring and I'll head back."

The critical look he gave was lost on you as you'd turned back around at that point and started off on your own.