The common room of Heights Alliance was packed with an uncertain atmosphere.
Ever since the the battle at what the media where now referring to as Ground Zero in Tokyo two hours ago as well as the consecutive string of breakouts across Japan, U.A had been placed under indefinite lockdown by orders of the Principal himself.
With classes cancelled and no other recreational activity allowed beyond the walls of their dorm, the result was that each student of Class 1A had devolved to different activities to divert their attention after countless discussions. Then failing at all of them simultaneously.
Sato was on his third attempt at learning how to make tea from Yaoyorozu and had somehow produced something that smelled aggressively wrong.
Kaminari was horizontal on the couch, phone on his face, scrolling through news coverage of events he had personally witnessed hours ago on live TV. Uraraka sat at the table with a textbook open and had not turned a page in forty minutes. Jiro had her headphone jacks in the wall socket, ostensibly listening to music, actually staring at the middle distance. Eventually,
"—confirming once again that Akutami Yuta, previously listed among the Yamanote Line victims, arrived at UA High School approximately two hours ago in the company of Pro Hero Eraserhead. UA Principal Nezu released a brief statement confirming the student's survival and requesting that media personnel respect the school's security perimeter during—"
The giant monitor in the lounge cycled over through the footage of the UA gates. On screen, a video of Aizawa's capture scarf lashing out at the press outside the U.A barrier. The brief, clear shot of a red-haired figure beside him before the personnel door closed. The news report acted like a magnet, pulling the scattered students away from their failed distractions and toward the center of the common room. "Hey guys! Yuta's back. The news said he's on campus,"
Kirishima yelled. "He's back?" Kaminari raised his head. The rhythmic tapping of Jiro's jacks against the wall stopped as well. One by one, everyone left whatever activity they had picked up and arrived in the lounge area.
"He looks well." Mezo uttered only to be pushed out of the way by an floating pair of clothes. "Hey, outta the way. Let me see."
Hagakure pressed her invisible head close to the TV. "Yeah, it is him."
Kirishima smiled. "So? What are we waiting for? Let's go see him."
"Yeah, I'll say. To think he was alive after all of this."
"Oh no you don't!" A voice interrupted before the class could go anywhere. Everyone turned to see Iida standing perfectly straight, the physical manifestation of following rules under duress.
"Have you forgotten a very crucial fact? We're in lockdown. The school's directive was explicit. All students are to remain in the dormitory until further notice." The excitement cooled off.
"Right. Yeah." Kaminari lowered his phone. "So are we just. Sitting here."
"The Principal's announcement was very clear." Iida chopped the air frantically. "The security level is at Maximum. We are to remain in the dormitories until a faculty member gives us the all-clear."
"I know what the directive was," Kaminari said.
"Then you understand why we're sitting here."
"I understand it. Doesn't mean I like it."
"Neither do I, but to wander the campus now would be breaking the rules and may incur all sorts of consequences ..." Iida stopped. "Uraraka-san, what are you doing?"
Everyone turned to see Uraraka was already halfway to the entrance, tugging her sneakers on with a quiet, fierce determination. "I'm going," she said, her small face uncharacteristically serious. "He was gone for weeks, Iida. We had a funeral. We were all sad and cried. If he's finally back, I'm not waiting for an 'all-clear' to see if he's okay."
"Uraraka-san! This is highly irregular!" Iida's arm-chopping reached a fever pitch. "Think of the safety risks! The whole country is a mess right now and there's press outside."
"I'm with her," Kirishima cut in, standing up and cracking his knuckles. "Sitting here watching him on a screen feels wrong. It's not manly to ignore a friend who just came back from the dead."
"I agree."
Hagakure jumped up. "I'm gonna go see that meanie myself. Who's with me."
"Me. He's literally in the same building," Mina said. "Or like, adjacent buildings. Same campus. Same air right?"
Momo placed her hands together looking quite meekly troubled. "Perhaps ... Perhaps it would be best we listen to instructions. We can always see him again later after all now that he's back."
"I think we should go. It's just in campus. If we go as a group, then we'll be less likely to face punishment if the teachers know our reason. Ribbit." Tsuyu added, though she looked hesitant.
Iida stood mouth open as public opinion was being swayed against him. "You guys ... Midoriya, won't you say anything?"
He turned to Midoriya only to see him silent for a while. "I'm not really sure."
"I am." Sero cut in.
The class began to dissolve into a heated debate. Half of them reaching for their shoes and the other half trying to maintain order.
CLACK. CLACK.
The sound of boots hitting the hardwood cut through the argument. Bakugo was out of his room, fully dressed, jacket zipped to his chin and was already at the genkan, shoving his feet into his sneakers without even bothering to undo the laces.
"Kaachan? Where are you going?" Midoriya asked.
"Where does it look like I'm going, Deku? To buy a grocery store?" Bakugo scowled, his face a mask of concentrated irritation. "You extras talk too much,"
"Bakugo-kun! You especially must remain!" Iida shouted.
"Shut up, Four-Eyes! You wimps can stay here and wait for permission to breathe for all I care," Bakugo spat, his hand gripping the door handle.
"I've got a score to settle with that bastard now that he's back from the dead. No way he thinks he can just die and come back without a scratch? I'm gonna see it with my own eyes, and then I'm gonna blast him for making us look like idiots."
He snarled, clearly more irritable than usual, grabbed the handle and yanked the heavy door open. "Move it or—"
Bakugo froze.
Standing on the porch, hand raised as if about to knock, was Aizawa. His hair was a mess, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like he hadn't slept since the Quirk War began. Well, he hadn't.
Next to him stood a boy in an oversized black hoodie. His red hair was matted with dust, and a small, white-haired girl was currently clinging to his neck like a baby koala.
"You—" Bakugo started.
FWHIP!
Before Bakugo could finish the word, the grey capture scarf snaked around his neck and torso, tightening instantly. Aizawa didn't even change his expression. His eyes glowed a faint, menacing red.
"What was that you were saying about disobeying direct orders, Bakugo?"
"Gkh—! Let... go... you hobo!" Bakugo thrashed, but he was effectively a human burrito.
"Sensei!" The rest of the class erupted, surging toward the doorstep in a wave of gasping and shouting.
They stopped three feet away, a collective wall of shock. Their eyes traveled from the "burritoed" Bakugo to the tired teacher, and finally settled on the boy holding the girl.
Yuta shifted Eri's weight as he stepped into the common room from the stairs. Aizawa followed behind him, dragging a mummified Bakugo who was still thrashing.
For a moment, nobody said a word. Finally, "Hey," Yuta said, his voice scratchy. He gave a weak, awkward wave with his free hand. "Sorry for the scare."
The silence lasted exactly one more second before the room exploded.
"YUTA!"
"HE'S REALLY HERE!" Ashido and Hagakure led the charge, but Aizawa stepped between them and Yuta instantly. "Back off. Five feet," he commanded. The class skidded to a halt. "He's been through enough tonight. If any of you crowd him, you're in detention until graduation."
His frown eased as he released Bakugo from the capture scarf's hold. "We were on our way to recovery girl's office and decided to stop by, just in case to any of you had any thoughts on breaking the rules by doing what you were about to do just now." His voice dropped a few degrees. Most of the boys gulped audibly.
"Luckily, a lot's happened last night and I'm too tired to make a big deal out of it, so we'll let this slide."
Mineta moved closer to Yuta, ultimately poking him with his finger. "It's unfortunately real." The next second, he was wrapped by Aizawa's capture scarf.
"Wait, sensei! Who's the kid?!" Kaminari blurted out, pointing at the tiny figure buried in Yuta's hoodie. "Is she... yours? Did you find a daughter while you were dead?"
"Don't be an idiot," Jiro snapped, though her own eyes were wide with curiosity.
Everyone's focus converged on the little bundle in Yuta's arms. With so much attention, little Eri shrunk even more. Yuta shifted Eri slightly, rubbing her back in small, soothing circles as she peeked out with one wary red eye.
"This is Eri," Yuta said softly. "She's... family. And she's had a really long week, so please, keep the volume down?"
The transition was instant. The chaotic energy of Class 1-A—usually loud enough to shake the foundations—dropped to a series of hushed, high-pitched whispers. Ashido and Hagakure looked like they were going to vibrate out of their skins from the sheer cuteness.
"She looks like a little snowball," Uraraka whispered, her hands over her heart.
"She's cute!" Toru's invisible hands clapped together as her clothes made all sorts of movements.
He looked her in the eyes. "Eri, these are my classmates I told you about. Sorry if they're a little loud. You wanna say hello?"
"... Uh ... Um hello."
"AHHHH! SO CUTE!" Squeals erupted, causing everyone else to wince. In an instant, Yuta was surrounded from all sides by five girls despite Aizawa's warning.
"No way." Mineta said through the capture scarf. "So that's his plan huh? Using a cute little girl to sneak his way into their hearts ...."
"Quiet." The scarf tightened, nearly choking the air out of him.
"This is so double standard."
"It's great that you're back." Kirishima uttered, fist pumped up. "You had no idea how bummed out we were when we heard the news back then. Right guys?"
"Indeed." Iida adjusted his glasses. "It was quite difficult to maintain a sense of class unity without our full roster," Iida added, his voice thick with uncharacteristic emotion. "Though I must formally reprimand you for the extreme stress your absence caused the Class Representative!"
"Yeah, yeah, get in line, Four-Eyes," Bakugo grumbled, rubbing his neck where the scarf had burned. He stepped up, looming over Yuta with a scowl that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You look like garbage, Akutami. What happened? You just disappeared in an accident for two weeks, then show up in the biggest battle in the country beside All Might."
"Yeah." Uraraka paused. "Last we heard, you were in the train attacked by the league of villains. How did you escape? Were you really dropped in the ocean like the reports say?"
"That's a long story. It's been quite the night." Yuta said, patting Eri's head. "Good to see you too Bakugo. Miss me?"
Bakugo's face darkened. "You're kidding right?"
Momo in front alongside the other girls seemed thoughtful. "I see. That call last week really must have been from you, wasn't it?"
"Hmm?" Yuta looked over. Her words drew everyone's attention.
"That's correct." Midoriya interjected, eyes widening. "I see it now. The reason why Mr. Aizawa and All Might weren't in school these past few days was to go find you right?"
"Oh, by the way ... How is All Might doing?"
Multiple questions arose. Before Yuta could say anything, "Most of that information is currently classified." Aizawa interrupted. "And for those of you asking about All Might. He is currently under the best medical care available. Beyond that, don't ask."
The room dipped into a momentary, somber silence. The mention of All Might was a reminder that while their friend was standing in front of them, the world outside was still reeling.
"Classified or not," Kirishima said, breaking the quiet with a grin, "you're here. That's the only win I care about today."
"I second that!" Kaminari cheered, though he kept his voice down as requested.
"Enough. We're already twenty minutes behind schedule. Akutami needs to be at the infirmary to make sure nothing's wrong with him."
"But he's just sitting there! He can talk while he sits!" Hagakure protested, her invisible form leaning in close to catch a better look at Yuta's eyes.
"No," Aizawa said, his tone final. "He's been standing on a battlefield or a plane for the better part of the last six hours. Move."
He turned to Yuta. "Her?"
"If I'm going to Recovery Girl, she's probably going to have to come with me." The girl hadn't left him since he got back.
Aizawa let out a long, weary sigh. "Fine. But the rest of you—" He turned his gaze on the class, specifically targeting the ones already reaching for their jackets again. "This is not an invitation to follow. Anyone caught outside this building without a pass will be cleaning the campus grounds until the next school year. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Sensei..." the class chorused.
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