dryeyes | VILLAINS open post

[It's amazing he has lips to smack like that. Still, Aizawa doesn't care for manners. Whether there are napkins in the back or not he wipes his lips on his sleeve.]

[His words are irritating, though. Whether they'd made it easier or not they certainly hadn't made the students any safer. Their failure was ringing in his own ears. He knew the strange adrenaline of being captured was going to keep him afloat for a while. He could hold on a while. He had to learn something here.]

We were built on Plus Ultra. It's in our nature. [Even him, despite his cold and logical exterior.]

Besides, if they get a provisional license they'll be able to respond to your attacks, even without my authorization. [Not that they couldn't before. They'd just be safer, protected from the legal red tape of doing so, able to try and save their own lives.]

Are you going to try to stop them? [from getting that tool?]

That's right. You've got that annoying little phrase.

[They're like two peas in a pod because Shigaraki also uses his sleeves as napkins. Not just the back of the sleeve but the whole damn sleeve.]

No. I won't stop them. [He sets the trash from his meal down on the floor. Shigaraki might not have any manners, or the ability to take care of himself, but he doesn't live in a mess.]

It'll just mean bigger headlines when I take them down again. Young heroes, crushed in their prime by villains. How can we trust them if the heroes of tomorrow can't stand up to the villains of today?

[Well, it just wasn't logical to live in a mess. There were things that worked and things that didn't. He doesn't consider it a similarity, though. It would take much more time than he'd care to spend to see similarities between them.]

... if I can speak bluntly, [which, what a funny statement for the two of them right here right now. He really shouldn't speak bluntly. Still, he was asking permission without waiting for it to be granted. It was just in his nature to speak bluntly. It was in his nature to examine a plan carefully and consider those flaws, even if it belonged to his enemies.]

Just targeting the children won't send a message. It just shows you're merciless. [Shigaraki has enough tools at his disposal to prove he was merciless whenever he wanted. People would be scared. They wouldn't change. They'd either accept the inevitability of villains or search for another hero.]

If you were to do something like that, you'd want to point the blame at institutions. Either the hero prep courses for sending kids out too early or the government for allowing them to get licensed in the first place.

[... it was also technically in his own interest, to imply that students wouldn't need to be sought out, crippled, traumatized, or killed.]

That's just what I think. [And back to eating his fries, glancing at the ticker scrolling by on the bottom of the monitor screen.]

I can do both. [Shigaraki has already proven how merciless he is. The public might not have known the full details of the USJ incident but those involved, those who knew about All Might's situation? They knew just how much worse Shigaraki's Nomu made it. The public at Hosu already experienced a taste of his reign of horror with the three Nomus he used to cause chaos. People would always remember the chilling incident of Stain thanks to the news outlets. But those that were in Hosu, personally would remember the fear they felt as horrifying brain-mutants attacked and trashed the city. The full on attack against students in the forest also proved just how terrifying he could be with his tools.

If Shigaraki wanted to do something, or prove his point in something. He had the means to do so and has already done so time and time again.]

I can't go easy on the children, Aizawa. I've only promised you the safety of one. [He understands Aizawa's interests. He's no fool.] The public always mourns the loss of kids, of futures lost before they even make a name for themselves.

But you know what would be even more fun? Removing that thorn from society for good, the one you call the symbol of peace? [He hums thoughtfully.] Now. That would surely get people upset.

[His teeth grits slightly at the commentary. He couldn't guarantee the safety of those other children. Not from where he was. He'd have to get out of this situation in order to ensure their safety. The League of Villains would need to be systematically destroyed.]

[Maybe, even with where they were at now, those ripples would still keep going even with the League gone.]

[After all, their symbol of peace wouldn't last much longer.]

That would certainly upset people. [It's a stiff reply. He could cooperate with the League, he could act as a villain, he could give a dude a handjob. He wasn't going to say anything one way or the other about All Might. He's started out with a solid distaste for All Might. He still respected him, though. The fact he may eventually be gone is still deeply unsettling.]

Anyways, am I sleeping here or what? [he tries to change the subject.]

Oh, right. [He points to a small bag in the corner. It's a rolled up sleeping bag.] You'll be sleeping here.

[At least Aizawa will be pleased to know Shigaraki isn't taking this 'pet' business to the fullest extent. So far he's kept his word about treating Aizawa as an equal. Then again Aizawa has been cooperating. Shigaraki would only extend his kindness if Aizawa continued to play into his whims and desires.

His attention briefly turns back to the TV screen, tired red eyes reading the ticker screen. Authorities have no leads to the whereabouts of the Villainous League. That's good. Rescuers are still trying to put on the widespread fires in the forest. There's a few other things that scroll across the screen like what time the press conference would start and other news reports. Seems like the incident Shigaraki's group is the biggest talk on the news though.]

We're going to watch that press conference tomorrow. Together, as a group.

[No way is he sleeping in the same room as this man.]

[... is what he thinks. He knows better than to say anything in response to that. He'd take up the space provided and wait. There would be opportunities to close his eyes and catch a few moments of sleep. Shigaraki would have some business to attend to and he could have an isolated environment to close his eyes in. It's just for now. It won't last long.]

Understood. [He's not excited to interact with the other members of the League. At least he could try and get some more details on them to turn over to the authorities.]

My student, as well? [It would be a relief to get an opportunity to see Bakugou, even if he couldn't speak with him. There was no way to explain the extent of what was happening. Not with all the other villains present.]

Of course, we can't forget the star of the show!

[Of course if Aizawa tried speaking to Bakugou or did anything that Shigaraki wasn't cool with, there'd be consequences. He couldn't have a pro hero trying to tell a student to run or use his quirk to stop them from keeping Bakugou here. He'd be outnumbered anyways.]

I think with you there, being so complicit with what we're doing will really help set the tone too. He was being really- [he makes a vague gesture.] flighty with us earlier.

[Bakugou was smart. Aizawa was sure his appearance of cooperation wouldn't actually make the kid think he'd turned. He'd know it was a ruse. Hopefully he'd know to not ruin it.]

Depending on what the U.A. staff say, he may get aggravated again. Are you keeping his hands tied? [As much as covering his eyes cripples him, keeping Bakugou's hands contained stopped him. It was certainly easier than trying to stop the boy from sweating at all. If that was at leats taken care of, he wouldn't even have to act against Bakugou.]

Since he knows how my erasure works, I shouldn't be relied on as the only counter-measure.

He's restrained and cuffed. I took a page out of your school's books. I'm sure you remember the sports festival? [Though he'd also had his own first-hand experience with Bakugou's quirk at the USJ attack. But using cues from U.A. helped him ensure they had the proper restraints.]

Oh you aren't the counter-measure for him. That's not why we brought you here. [Their numbers alone should be counter measure enough.] But students usually follow what their teachers are doing, don't they?

[Dabi and Mr. Compress told him about the efforts of the other students trying to stop their plans. If Mr. Compress hadn't been so keen to show off then perhaps they could have ended up with two students, a teacher, and a Wild Wild Pussycat member. Still... what they got was just as good.]

That's why so many of your students tried to fight valiantly for their friend, right?

If it were up to me, I would have told them to just stay away from the fight. [That was his role as a teacher.]

[It was more like Shigaraki said, though. The students had seen him at USJ, the person who threw himself into a fight he'd inevitably lose. He doesn't want to admit that influence. He'd rather assume he had none, that he was unimportant, and any sway he'd have over Bakugou would be as an authority figure alone.]

Even if they had succeeded, their actions would have been rash and out of line. [And exactly what he would have done in that situation.]

[Still, he starts rolling out the sleeping bag. He has no intention of sleeping but it seemed the safest way to move the conversation along. It was far too hopeful to think he might overhear something while pretending to sleep. He just needed to wait, be patient, and keep his student safe.]

[He watches with feigned curiosity as Aizawa unrolls the sleeping bag. Shigaraki slowly brings a hand to the skin underneath his ear and starts to scratch mindlessly as he listens on.]

It wouldn't be the first time they've been out of line. [He's referring to USJ of course. How many times were the students told to retreat and yet they kept interfering with his plan on killing All Might. Even with the unforeseen changes in the schedule, if those students weren't so annoying and persistently strong then Shigaraki would have had his day.]

You have told them that there are consequences to their violence, right?

[He's aware of how reckless his class is. He's dealt with reckless classes before. He's usually expelled the lot of them before their recklessness can catch up with them. It's better for them to be civilians than die as reckless, hopeless heroes.]

[But now the threat of death had expanded to even while they were students. How cruel.]

I have. [Still, they'd endured. They'd endured without ever doing something so grievous that he'd expelled them. It was partially Shigaraki's own fault. He justified their retaliation. Self-defense was remarkably hard to expel.]

I can try to impart it on Bakugou again, though.

No need. I don't think he'll be much of an issue after I talk to him again.

[He has high hopes for tomorrows chat with the young hero wannabe. Talking with Aizawa and watching the news has inspired him for how he wants to broach the topic of Bakugou joining the League. Coaxing him shouldn't be too much of a problem if the U.A. press talk goes how he thinks it'll go and with Aizawa there, hopefully it'll drive home the message.

If it doesn't... well.

Shigaraki stretches, yawning as he scooted back over to the many monitors on his computer.]

I don't want you talking and trying to speak in some coded message anyways.

[There's the tiniest bit of tension at Shigaraki's words. He needed to make sure Bakugou remained safe. If he responded too negatively to whatever Shigaraki suggested...]

[No. Hopefully he was too valuable a piece. Aizawa himself could be expendable. Bakugou could be kept, molded if need be. He relaxes his shoulders a bit as Shigaraki turns back to the monitors. He shuffles with the sleeping bag again.]

Am I not allowed to speak with him at all, then? [That seems very inconvenient. He would definitely be trying to slip some sort of reassuring message in there, though. He's not wrong in his assumption. Still, not talking at all would be difficult.]

[The sound of mechanical keys being pecked at fills the air and for a moment it looks like Shigaraki isn't going to deign Aizawa an answer. But after a few more letters (it sounds like he's only using one finger to type, impressive given the speed), the typing stops and Shigaraki turns to look back at Aizawa.]

What is it you would say?

[His tone implies that Aizawa should consider his words carefully. Whatever he decides to say now is the script he'll have to stick to tomorrow. No matter the outcome.]]

Definitely not a coded message.

[Okay, perhaps that response is a little cheeky. He deigns back to a more obedient tone, hoping it can be overlooked as he explains the real reasoning behind it.]

It just seems more unnatural for me to not say anything to him. If he accepts your invitation, we'll be working together anyhow. [Bakugou would never accept the invitation. All this would be was continuing to buy time. He just wanted to say something. Logically, though, Bakugou would gain as much information from his silence as his words.]

... it doesn't really matter to me either way.

[The cheeky response earns Aizawa a tired look. Really? You're going to go that route? Shigaraki almost decides to turn around and refuse to give him an answer when Aizawa continued to speak.]

I don't think it's unnatural for you not to speak. You have nothing to say to him if he doesn't accept. You've left the hero world, remember? [Aizawa's silence meant acceptance of the League and maybe a bit of humiliation on the teacher's part that a hero was so easily swayed.] And if he does accept? Well... of course you'd be allowed to speak to each other. We're all equals here in the League.

[Because in theory- they both would have already pledged loyalty to Shigaraki and the League. What purpose would they have to plot sabotage? Shigaraki isn't a fool of course and would never let the two work together until he could fully trust that they weren't just planning to take the League out from the inside.]

You haven't really convinced me and if it doesn't matter to you, I guess you can remain quiet.

Edited 2018-09-04 17:02 (UTC)

[So, he couldn't say anything unless Bakugou agreed to cooperate. Between those two options, it was certainly better to say nothing and let his student avoid his same fate. He could keep his mouth shut. He just has to hope that Bakugou knows what even a fake pledge of allegiance could do to his reputation.]

[Then again, even Endeavor made it to the #2 spot. Still, this stain against him wouldn't be his fault. Aizawa was taking the risk understanding damn well that he may die or be stripped of his ability to do hero work entirely.]

Alright. [he doesn't argue the verdict, he just turns back to readying the sleeping bag. If there was nothing else for him to do, he'd zip himself up and stare at the wall. Like hell he felt safe sleeping here.]

[Luckily for Aizawa, Shigaraki had no intentions of sleeping. His persistent insomnia was rooted in the fact that he was constantly scheming new plans and monitoring the nomu factories. Not to mention it had developed like this because of bad habits. Namely video gaming until fuck-o-clock in the morning and an untreated case of anxiety and a host of other problems.

So while Aizawa stared at the wall, Shigaraki typed away diligently without a sign of slowing down. Pulling up news records, muttering to himself as he scratched away at his neck. It's only when he's satisfied with the work he's gotten done does he shut off the computer and look over at the sleeping bag bundle of Aizawa with a tired glare before pushing himself up from the desk and stumbling over to the mattress.

He lays awake for a bit, watching Aizawa a couple of times before letting himself succumb to sleep.

But not for long. Almost right on the dot, Shigaraki awakens three hours later at five in the morning, grumbling incomprehensibly as he sits up in a daze.]

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