[Third Person Pov]
"Ugh… that was so unmanly," Tony muttered with a deep grimace, turning his head away as if the very air might judge him. He scrubbed at his face in irritation. "Great. Just great. My carefully crafted image as an Alpha male is completely and utterly ruined."
"I honestly think it's much more manly that you're able to express yourself like that," Momo replied gently. Her voice was soft, warm, and sincere, and she offered him a tender smile that carried no trace of mockery. "It just shows how deeply you care. There's strength in that."
"Shut up," Tony grumbled, though there was no real bite behind the words. He wiped at his cheek again, refusing to meet her eyes. "You don't mean that. You totally think less of me now."
Momo's lips twitched, her expression shifting into one of mild indignation as she crossed her arms. Before she could respond, Maria spoke up.
"You normally aren't a crier, you know," Maria said thoughtfully, her tone casual but observant. "This is actually a very rare sight. You didn't even cry much as a baby. The only time you really cried was over—" She stopped herself mid-sentence, her words trailing off as her expression softened. She shook her head and let out a quiet, melancholic exhale. "Forget it. Anyway, no one here is suddenly going to think less of you, Tony. Stop being so dramatic… and a little rude."
Tony whipped his head away just as Maria reached out, dabbing at the lingering tears near his eyes with her thumb.
"Mom! Come on!" he protested loudly. "You're embarrassing me in front of our guests!"
"Oh, shush and stand still," Maria shot back, clearly enjoying herself far too much to stop now. Her grin was playful and unapologetic, and a few people around them let out light chuckles at Tony's expense.
Then, Maria turned. "Come here," she said, reaching over toward Melissa before the girl could react.
"W–Wait—!" Melissa barely got the word out before Maria was gently wiping at her face too. Her cheeks flushed instantly, a deep red spreading across her face as she froze in place, utterly flustered.
For someone who had grown up without a mother, the attention made Melissa's chest feel warm and fuzzy in a way she wasn't used to. Being fussed over like this—treated so naturally, so easily, like someone's daughter—stirred something soft and vulnerable inside her. Of course, she would never admit that out loud. She quickly told herself the warmth was probably just the blood rushing to her face from embarrassment… probably.
Once Maria was finally satisfied and the spectacle had run its course, she returned to her seat beside Howard, her playful demeanor settling as she resumed her discussion with Aizawa.
"If it's alright with you both," Aizawa said in his usual flat, monotone voice, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the part about them traveling to another universe."
"Yeah…" Howard replied after a brief pause, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's probably for the best."
"Instead," Aizawa continued smoothly, transitioning without missing a beat, "I'll talk about what U.A. is doing to ensure an incident like this doesn't happen again." He folded his arms slightly. "U.A. is currently in the process of building dormitories for all its students—"
As Aizawa spoke, Tony's attention drifted, his thoughts spiraling despite himself. 'Woah… is it really time for the dorms already? Wasn't that, like, the beginning of season four? Has that much time honestly passed…?'
His stomach sank.
'Oh fuck.'
As his thoughts raced through everything he knew—everything that was coming—a chilling realization wrapped its icy fingers around his chest.
'Eri…'
'Jesus… what am I going to do about her?'
Tony found himself drifting in and out of focus as Aizawa continued outlining the various safety precautions U.A. was now implementing. Surveillance upgrades, reinforced evacuation procedures, stricter patrol rotations—each point blended into the next in Tony's ears. Anyone watching closely could tell that Aizawa was doing everything in his power to sound composed, but beneath that calm exterior was a quiet desperation.
It was painfully obvious to everyone in the room that he was trying—earnestly, desperately—to convince Tony's parents to reconsider their decision to withdraw him.
And it was just as obvious that it wasn't working.
No matter how thorough his explanations were or how carefully he chose his words, Howard and Maria's expressions never changed. Their resolve remained firm, unmoving.
"Please," Aizawa said at last, his voice steady but heavy, his hands resting neatly on his lap as he bowed his head. "Please give U.A. another chance to prove itself competent enough to protect and ensure the safety of your son."
Howard and Maria exchanged a look. It was brief, silent, and full of understanding. They both sighed.
"Please lift your head," Maria said calmly, her tone gentle but firm.
Aizawa complied.
"First," Maria continued, straightening slightly in her seat, "I want to thank you. Truly. Your dedication to your job, to your students—and most importantly, to my son—has not gone unnoticed. It's very clear to me that you are a capable and competent instructor."
For a brief moment, Aizawa allowed himself a flicker of hope.
"However," Maria said, her expression hardening as her posture became more rigid, "I must decline your request."
The hope vanished.
"You have to understand," she went on, her voice unwavering, "that what you're asking of me is incredibly selfish—whether you intend it to be or not. You're asking a mother to gamble the life of her child. A child she almost lost not long ago."
Her hands clenched lightly in her lap.
"You're asking me to trust a promise. Reassurances. Words that say you'll keep him safe. But right now, those words are empty. They hold no weight. They do not reassure me in the slightest." She shook her head slowly. "I don't believe I need to explain why I'm refusing."
Aizawa's shoulders sagged as he released a long, disappointed sigh. The weight of the decision settled heavily on him.
"As things stand," Maria finished, her voice final, "I have no faith in U.A. High. I will not send my son back to a school where he nearly lost his life."
That was it. The matter was sealed.
"I understand," Aizawa said quietly after a moment. He bowed his head again, this time deeper. "I apologize if I've overstepped any boundaries."
…
Later, Aizawa walked alone toward his rented car, parked some distance away. His footsteps felt heavier than usual, each one dragging against the pavement. His expression was solemn, tired—not just physically, but emotionally.
"Aizawa-sensei."
Three distinct voices called out behind him.
He stopped.
Turning around, he saw Tony, Melissa, and Momo walking toward him together.
Melissa and Momo both had tears gathered at the corners of their eyes, barely being held back. Even Tony, who prided himself on keeping his emotions in check, felt a tight knot forming in his throat.
Without another word, the three of them bowed deeply.
"Thank you for everything," they said together, voices trembling with heavy emotions. "Thank you for being our sensei."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Aizawa's lips.
"Lift your heads," he said softly.
When they did, and he saw the raw emotion written across their faces, he stepped forward without hesitation and pulled all three of them into a hug.
Momo and Melissa immediately broke down, their quiet tears turning into sobs as they clung to him. Aizawa rested a hand on each of their backs, his voice low and steady.
"I know this much," he said gently. "No matter where the three of you end up, you'll become amazing pro heroes."
He paused, his own throat constructing, "This isn't goodbye forever. One day, when you're all pros… maybe we'll meet again on a mission."
That was all it took.
Momo and Melissa cried harder, holding onto him as if letting go would make the moment end too soon. Even Tony felt his eyes sting now, his vision blurring as he swallowed thickly.
Not far away, Maria was crying quietly in Howard's arms, tears streaking down her face as she clutched onto him.
"Do you think…" she whispered shakily, "do you think we're doing the right thing?"
Howard pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, holding her close.
"There's no better—or more worthy—right," he said softly, "than a parent doing what they can to protect their child."
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