Chapter Text
By the time Aizawa got to Izuku’s school it was practically empty. All the students and staff had left except the few who stayed for after-school activities. That’s when the worry started to settle in; Izuku wasn’t at school, so where was he?
At that moment, a group of boys looking around Izuku’s age were walking out of the gate, talking and laughing about something Aizawa couldn't care less about. He walked up to them as a last attempt to ask if Izuku was still in school.
“Heh, that nerd?” the blond boy scoffed as the others laughed, “Deku left the minute the bell rang. The idiot practically bolted out of class.”
Aizawa’s eyes narrowed at the way the boy spoke about Izuku, realizing that the blond was probably one of the people who tormented him. Despite wanting to teach the boy a lesson, he had more important things to do. He gritted his teeth and thanked the boy before walking away to search for Izuku.
He didn't know where to find him. He looked everywhere: parks, cafes, some of Izuku’s favourite shops, but he couldn't find him. A good bit of time had passed, and the lack of Izuku was making him sick. Hizashi had called for any updates, saying that the boy was yet to come home. Aizawa’s brain was going a mile a minute trying to figure out where else the kid could possibly be, until it hit him. A roof. Izuku always ends up on a roof when he needs to think. And knowing that he wasn't at home, the only other roof Izuku would go to is the one they met on.
Aizawa’s heart pounded as he ran to the building. He pleaded to every god he could think of that he’d find Izuku there. Anxiety and fear ate away at his body, the pit in his stomach growing deeper as he neared the building. He could see the top of it now; he just needed to go a little further and climb to the roof. Izuku had to be there. Just one more corner and-
“IZUKU!!!”
Aizawa’s eyes widened when he heard the name being screamed.
“WAKE UP!!”
Aizawa turned the corner and froze.
“WAKE UP DAMMIT!!!”
He saw the blond boy from earlier kneeling on the ground, shaking a body that was surrounded by blood.
“I’M SORRY!!”
Green. The hair on the body was green.
No no no no no no no-
It can't be…that body can be-
“DON'T DIE ON ME, IZUKU!!!”
But it was. It was Izuku’s body.
The scene was burned into his brain. Every cell in his body was burning. His legs weakened, and he collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe. The anxiety churned his stomach, trying to force up the nonexistent contents. His thoughts screamed at him.
It was his kid's body. It was his kid’s dead body.
Dead.
Dead.
De ad.
Dead.
Dead.
Dead .
Izuku was dead. His kid was dead.
“I didn’t know what to do that day. Everything after seeing you laying there was just a blur. I don’t remember what happened after that, but I know Hizashi got there soon after. I assume I called him, or maybe he got tired of waiting and started to look for you himself. We don't like to talk about that day, so I never asked him.” Aizawa spoke to the stone, “I don't blame you for what happened that day. I just wish I could stop blaming myself for letting it happen.”
He let out a shaky breath, raising his head to look at the sky, “I wasn’t prepared to miss you, kid”.
By now, it was getting close to the time his patrol was supposed to start. He sighed, wiping the stray tears that had fallen.
“I'll see you next time, kid, I’ll try to bring Hizashi with me when I come again,” he said as he walked away.
Thankfully, nothing eventful happened for his entire patrol. He had a shorter shift today, so he was making his way back home right before the sun started to set. Normally, he would take the long way instead of the route that led him to that rooftop, but today he felt like he had to go. Some unseen force was guiding him to the rooftop where he had met Izuku.
He jumped across the buildings, glancing around for any potential villain attacks as he made his way home. As he neared the building, the sun descended. Purple and pink hues filled the sky, meshing with a bit of orange. Stars scattered the parts that had already darkened like freckles. The scene just looked ethereal; it reminded him of sunset when he first met Izuku. He had to pause and take in the sight. Was this a sign from the kid? Was he drawn to this rooftop just to see this sunset?
“Look for you in the purple sunsets, huh, kid?” Aizawa smiled to himself, a pang of warmth and melancholy filling his heart. He really missed Izuku.
He took in the sight for a bit before he noticed movement on the rooftop. His eyes darted down and slowly widened as he saw a purple-haired boy standing on the rooftop alone. That same dreaded feeling from that day filled his body, and the anxiety caused him to shake.
“Please…not again…” he murmured to the wind as he leapt towards the boy.