Of Love

Of Love

Summary: Traitor!Mic tries to convince Aizawa to change sides. It goes as badly as everyone knew it would. Very self-indulgent.

Relationships: Erasermic however way you want to see it

—

Hizashi doesn’t regret what he did, but he sure as hell wished he hadn’t had to do it.

Aizawa sat in front of him, caged and shackled, while Hizashi stood before him, a free man.

That is, a free man under perhaps the cruelest ruler of Japan.

“Why didn’t you just listen to me?” Hizashi asked. Aizawa hasn’t spared him a single glance since he entered. No remorse. No horror. No anger. Nothing. Hizashi guessed that was what he deserved considering it was his actions that put Aizawa in that position in the first place.

When the silence dragged on for too long, Hizashi finally spoke again. “I had to do it. You were going to start a war you couldn’t win and you were going to get everyone else killed with you. I couldn’t watch you and the others drag those kids through a war and let them get killed. I had to do something.”

“Hm. So you sold them out to the one person who wants to destroy the world they want to protect?” Aizawa’s voice was still as dead and ruthless as ever.

“At least my way they’ll be able to live in that world.” Hizash answered back without hesitation. “He’s not going to hurt them. That was the deal. They’re going to have a life, Aizawa.”

“And what kind of life would that be, Yamada? He will never let them out of his sight and you know that. If any of them make one wrong move against, they’re dead. And you and I both know those kids will.” Aizawa said, finally glancing up at Hizashi with those dark piercing eyes.

If he imagined hard enough, Hizashi could almost make himself believe that it was just another normal Monday at the office and Aizawa was mad at him for playing his music too loud. That those eyes digging into his soul was because of affection, not this...not hatred. The hardest part of this whole traitor business wasn’t working for a madman. No.

It was being hated by the one person who knew him the most.

“Aizawa, that is why you need to come to this side,” Hizashi urged. “Those kids trust you. Whatever choice you make, they won’t be far behind. If you denounce the whole hero system now, then you live and they’ll follow you and they’ll live. Some other heroes have already done it. It’s better than being dead.”

Aizawa scoffed. “Was that your logic when you chose to betray us all?”

“I did it to save you, Aizawa.”

“And look where that’s gotten me.”

Hizashi doesn’t have time to respond before several men are rushing in. At the helm of all this was the man himself.

“All For One,” Aizawa growled, swiftly focusing all his attention on the evilest lord of all time, aka Hizashi’s new boss. “What have you done with the kids?”

“I’ve kept my word with your friend here. They’re alive and safe, rest assured,” All For One grinned and places a possessive hand on Hizashi’a shoulder. He doesn’t like it there. “I see your friend has still not taken your offer of freedom.”

Hizashi opened his mouth to speak, but Aizawa bested him to it. “No I have not. Next time don’t send a lackey to do your job.” The insult felt like salt on an open wound.

“Well,” All For One turned to Hizashi. “I told you he wouldn’t take the offer, and after everything you sacrificed to give it to him. What a waste.”

Aizawa looked up skeptically between the two of them, finally choosing to address Hizashi. “Yamada what is he talking about? What did you sacrifice?” The way he asked that, Hizashi had almost mistaken for concern, like he had been worried about Hizashi. But no. That couldn’t be. Not after everything.

“He didn’t tell you, Eraserhead? He’s given me his voice quirk in exchange for a chance to get you to change sides.” All For One laughed loudly and Hizashi was nearly sure he was using the stolen quirk for that. “You see, heroes that oppose me don’t get chances like this. They’re executed in front of a crowd, but Yamada has been so helpful that I allowed him this. And even if things didn’t go as planned, I promised him I would allow you the dignity of a non-public death.”

Aizawa’s eyes widened at the revelation. Whether it was because of Hizashi’s quirk being taken or the realization that many of their friends are dead, Hizashi didn’t really know. At the moment, he couldn’t even gather the courage to look directly at his friend anymore.

“I’m sorry, Yamada, but this is the end of the line for Eraserhead. You can say your finally goodbyes if you wish.” All For One encouraged, but doesn’t give them any privacy.

Hizashi racks his brain for any words. What was he supposed to say now? After everything, after years of friendship, after years of love, after committing the worst crime Hizashi has and will likely ever commit against the person he loved most, what can he say?

“I’ll take care of the kids, Aizawa. They won’t be hurt as long as I’m around.” It’s all Hizashi could think to say. It’s likely what Aizawa would want to hear in his last moments; that someone was going to watch out for his kids.

Aizawa doesn’t say a word and Hizashi can’t bring himself to even look at the man anymore. It hurt too much.

All For One pushes him aside, whatever quirk he was readying for the execution quickly coming to life at his finger tips. Hizashi doesn’t want to be here when it happens, but there’s no way he can leave. He won’t leave Aizawa. Not until the very end.

“Any last requests, Eraserhead?” All For One asks, arm raised and ready to fire.

“You,” Aizawa choked out, a sob barely hidden behind the voice. “You.”

What?

Why would he want All For One?

Curiosity gets the better of Hizashi and he finally looks up at his life long partner for what is perhaps the last time. It surprises him when he realizes, Shouta is looking at him.

“You.” He speaks again.

Oh.

Shouta wants...

He wants...

“You, Hizashi. I just want you.” He repeats with fondness and heartbreak and brokenness and a tear-stained face and that almost smile that makes Hizashi feel like he’s coming home. “I love you. I love you, Hizashi.”

The words don’t quite register completely. He knows, he knows Shouta loves him. And that’s all he can think about right now; the years of laughter, of training together, of patrol, of losses, of triumphs, of disasters, of surprise late night radio call-ins, of gifted sleeping bags, of jelly pouches, of cat videos, of...of...

Of love.

Shouta keeps his eyes on Hizashi and time slows. Shouta’s mouth turns into a melancholy smile. It doesn’t fit, not with the Shouta that Hizashi knows. It’s still the same face, still the same eye abs and dead eyes and stubble. But he’s accepted death, accepted that this is the end.

The last thing Shouta wanted him to know, wanted the world to know, was that he loved Hizashi.

And the next thing Hizashi knows, he’s taking that hit for Shouta before he can think better of it.