"I'm running on caffeine and pure hatred." Erasermight prompt? >:D
Sorry this is kinda sorta terrible I haven’t written anything in like weeks since Life Is A Constant Pain so lol I hope it’s enjoyable despite that however!! Thanks for sending me a prompt :D
Toshinori waved at the students he passed by on his way to the teacher’s lounge. With his blindingly-white grin, he was pleased to see most eyes on his pleasant expression rather than his emaciated form.
It had been weeks since his true form had been reveled to the public. The world hadn’t ended, and although his own little world had shrunk, Toshinori didn’t find him as terrified for the future as he thought.
Things still remained worrisome, with crime on the rise and braver villains sneaking into the light. Yet, the new crop of heroes remained bright-eyed, even as they gossiped in the hallways and joked at lunch. For them, the world remained turning.
Taking a second to admire the warm sun shining in the sky through the wide windows of UA, Toshinori disappeared into the teacher’s lounge. He had forgotten a few things yesterday and simply needed to fetch them before his meeting with Nezu.
Poking his head through the door, Toshinori scanned the lounge for any other signs of life. Nothing but an empty room stared back at him, however. With a small shrug, Toshinori stepped into the room and proceeded to cross the room where he remembered leaving his things.
As Toshinori rounded the couch sitting in the middle of the room, his long foot hit a warm and soft... thing on the ground. A small surprised noise left him while at the same time, the thing on the ground yelped in surprise.
Catching himself on the back of the couch before falling on his face, Toshinori gasped in embarrassment.
“Aizawa! I didn’t see you there, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
Toshinori cursed himself for not recognizing Aizawa’s sleeping bag as the perpetually tired professor sat up. Rather than lash out at him, however, Aizawa shot him a burning glare.
“You almost broke my mug,” he said. His scowl deepened at Toshinori’s confused expression.
“Your mug...?” Glancing just to the side of Aizawa, Toshinori noticed a small black mug in the shape of a cat sitting next to his head on its side. “Oh! I’m sorry.” Reaching down, Toshinori picked it up and set it on its base. “There. It’s fine, not even cracked.”
Aizawa snorted. “What are you doing here so late?”
Toshinori blinked in confusion. “Late? It’s almost eight....”
Aizawa’s eyes widened and for the first time, Toshinori detected fear. “What? No it’s not.” Even as those words slipped from him, Aizawa took out his phone to check the time. “Fuck.”
Toshinori winced. “Have you been sleeping here all night?” He offered his hands to Aizawa to help him up, but Aizawa ignored him as he kicked himself out of his sleeping bag and jumped up to his feet.
For a second, Toshinori didn’t think Aizawa would answer. Finally, as his dark eyes slid over him, Aizawa gave him a curt nod.
Toshinori shook his head. “And you slept on the floor too... Aizawa, why didn’t you go home?” He couldn’t stop the worry seeping into his voice. Although he and Aizawa had their differences, and at times even butted heads, that didn’t mean he didn’t care for the other professor.
The strength of his emotion and worry over Aizawa’s sleeping schedule shocked Toshinori himself. It nearly made him flush, but he kept all those strange thoughts locked away. For now.
“Why do you care?” Aizawa bit out at him as he picked his mug up. “It’s not your business.”
Toshinori knew Aizawa was correct--it certainly wasn’t. But his worry still penetrated him. Unable to find a quick-witted response, he merely shrugged. “I’m just worried,” he said lamely.
Toshinori cursed himself. When it came to Aizawa, why did he always get so tongue-tied?
“I don’t need your worry,” Aizawa said as he proceeded to go and fill his mug up with more old black coffee from the pot on the counter.
“But-- but you’ve been sleeping on the ground in the teacher’s lounge all night and class starts soon. Shouldn’t you--”
“I should be getting to class.” Aizawa gulped down half his coffee in his mug. As his dark eyes met Toshinori’s sunken ones across the room, Aizawa’s eyes softened ever so slightly. He sighed into his mug and drew it back from his lips.
“I’m fine. I’m running on caffeine and pure hatred, and have been for years. And don’t you have a meeting to go to?”
Toshinori startled at that. He whipped around to check the time.
He was already late.
“Dammit,” Toshinori hissed. He turned to give Aizawa another look as he gathered his things. Before he left, however, Toshinori stepped closer to Aizawa. “Here, if you’re going to be living off coffee, you may as well brew another pot.” Dumping the old filter out in the nearby bin, Toshinori took a second to start another pot.
“There. That should be stronger than what you’re drinking now, at least.”
Aizawa cocked a brow at him. He didn’t utter a thanks, but Toshinori didn’t need one.
Flashing one last grin to Aizawa, Toshinori wished him good luck for his classes and to have a good day before ducking from the room.
Although he knew he should be more worried about his meeting with Nezu, which he was now late to, all of Toshinori’s worries revolved around Aizawa.
How strange.