Aizawa paced back and forth across his apartment. He hadn't even realized he was doing it. He was busy thinking. It had been 10 years. So many things could have happened in that time.

So many things did happen in that time.

You had done bad things.

You had broken the law, but despite knowing that he couldn't see you as anything else than what he remembered so well.

"I can't believe this..." Aizawa muttered, almost annoyed by how antsy he was. "It's her own fault she's in this situation."

He tried to go about is usual routine. He showered, put his hair up, and proceeded to stay up way too late doing work. And when it was finally time to sleep, he still couldn't because he was perplexed by who you had become and why it contrasted so much with who you were before.

- - -

"Morning Eraserhead!" Tsukauchi grinned as the hero entered the station.

"Morning..." Aizawa grumbled back lowly.

"You seem extra tired today? Hard time sleeping?"

"Not in the slightest."

Aizawa was lying through his teeth. Most of the night had been spent tossing and turning. Yesterday, he had only told the parts of the past that were relevant to the investigation. It was at night, when he was alone, that Aizawa truly went back and retraced the events in his mind.

With everything fresh now, he couldn't seem to just leave it alone.

"So, what are you doing back here?" Tsukauchi questioned. "The police are handling the rest of the girl's investigation."

"I know." Aizawa groggily sighed, running his fingers through the front of his hair. "There are just a few things that aren't sitting right with me. Could I speak with her again?"

"You can try, but I doubt she'll reveal anything else."

"She trusted me once. If anyone is going to get anything out of her, it's going to be me."

Tsukauchi studied the man for a moment before releasing a small huff. He reached across his desk and picked up the landline.

"I can get you clearance. Please don't rile her up too much."

- - -

"Can I fucking help you?"

You attempted to make the question come off volatile. But the second Aizawa showed up at your cell door, your brain converted into useless putty. You couldn't help but sound more and more unsure with every word that left your tongue.

"From here, it seems like you're the one that could use a little help (y/n)." He crossed his arms. There was a bit of humor in the way he said it. The remark came off more friendly than snarky.

"Shut up..." You grumbled, pulling your knees against your chest. You looked back at the wall. Maintaining eye contact with the man only made you more anxious.

Part of you was feeling pretty pathetic. The cell was stark besides the bed you sat on. It hung down from the wall, nothing more than a thin cushion attached to a metal frame.

After a moment of not speaking, Aizawa shoved his hands into his pockets and let out a sigh.

"Listen... I know this is the last place you want to be-"

"I said shut up!" You reiterated, more sternly this time. He complied and grew silent. "I know that you're about to tell me that if I cooperate, I'll get a lighter sentence and better treatment. I know that you'll use my past trust in you to pander your words to my needs. Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. And above all else, don't talk to me like I'm the same pathetic girl I used to be. I don't want your pity."

"You're mistaken." He huffed.

You whipped your head around, reconnecting the prior eye contact. Your eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe I am."

"Your quirk isn't all-knowing. Perhaps you know the words I would have said. But you can't predict the motivation behind them." Aizawa argued.

"Why don't you enlighten me on your motivation then?" You scoffed.

"Who knows... Maybe you're right. Maybe I do just want you to talk. Maybe I'm doing this out of a feeling of self-righteousness. Or maybe I still feel responsible after letting you go that day." He calmly said. "My reasons are my own. But you have a right to think for yourself."

"Funny how you talk about my rights when I'm behind bars."

"Do you not think you deserve to be behind them? You broke the law, right?"

"Your bullshit laws don't support the people who actually need help-!"

You caught yourself quickly, but not quickly enough. Aizawa raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Dammit... I fucked up. I need to keep it together.

You pressed your lips together and averted your gaze down at the cement floor.

"Hey," Aizawa called over to the guard. "Could you open the door?"

Your eyes widened. The guard appeared startled as well.

"But sir, she might attack you." He insisted.

"She won't." Aizawa rebuttaled. 

The guard didn't fully believe the hero, but eventually resigned himself to his authority. Shuffling over with his keycard in hand, the guard waved it across the door's scanner.

Your hands tightly grasped the sheets as you heard footsteps nearing you. But still, you refused to look up and meet his gaze.

"I'm assuming you're not attempting to escape because you saw what happened if you were to try?" Aizawa asked.

It was true. Your chances of escape were bleak. Even if you had moved fast enough while the door was open, it would have been near impossible to overcome the police forces occupying the station.

But you opted to keep that information to yourself.

"I'm not talking no matter what you do to me..." Your voice was shaky. Aizawa could tell that even your shoulders were trembling slightly.

"The one thing I will assure you of is that I won't ever lay a hand on you. No one here will."

Your heart rate returned to normal. Despite the situation, you wanted to believe him.

"You can never be so sure..." You muttered, still refusing to look up at him.

"(Y/n), listen..." Aizawa kneeled down in front of you, seeking to look into your eyes through the hair that shielded your face from him. But even with his attempts to reach out, you wouldn't comply.

"You should go Aizawa." You plainly said. "And you shouldn't come back."

It was that same feeling he had felt when he met you before.

Lifeless.

He didn't have to stare directly into them to know all the light had drained from your eyes.

"You really grew up (y/n)."

The acknowledgment felt out of place, but it was effective in shocking you back to reality.

"Why are you ignoring what I say?" You asked meekly. 

"I'm not. I heard you. I'm just choosing not to listen."

"Really now..." You huffed in frustration, eyes finally lifting to meet his. "Aizawa you-"

"You finally looked at me."

He was a lot closer than you had anticipated. Instinctively, you jumped slightly and leaned away. 

I feel so pathetic... Why did it have to be him of all people?

Your eyebrows scrunched together.

"Chasing after the villain was my own doing. You were the one who tried to stop me. I didn't listen." You admitted. "So you don't need to feel responsible for me."

It was definitely a half-assed attempt to provide him some peace of mind. When he got that, you assumed he wouldn't feel the need to stick around anymore.

That was what you wanted.

"After that day... what happened to you?" He continued to question. Once more, he had thrown you for a loop.

"Leave." You commanded sternly. "There's nothing left for me to say."

Aizawa searched your expression for any implication of wavering. He found nothing. You had clearly grown cold and frustrated with the situation.

"All right." He finally agreed, standing from his spot on the floor.

Thank god...

"I'll see you tomorrow." He continued.

What?!

"H-Hey!" You yelled. "Don't you dare fucking come back!"

"Don't tell me what to do." He groaned as he headed back out the cell door. The guard quickly closed it behind him.

"Aizawa..." You were about to complain further but he clearly wasn't going to give you the time of day. Almost as quickly as he had come, Aizawa disappeared down the hall whence he came.

- - -

"How'd it go in there?" Tsukauchi questioned the hero as he emerged from the ward. "Any progress?"

"Surprisingly yes." Aizawa smirked.

Tsukauchi quickly grabbed a pen and ripped out the file he had on you.

"Anything useful?" The cop eagerly asked, ready to jot anything and everything down.

"The most important bit of information I could possibly divulge." He confidently replied.

"I realize now that she hasn't truly changed at all."