Tomura had been peacefully feeding the animals when Stain came in, albeit quietly, instead of the way he used to burst in before. He was glad for that, but if the man attempted a conversation—

"I see that you are taking good care of them," he remarked cheerfully.

Tomura grit his teeth.

"What the hell do I look like, a poacher or something?"

"No?"

"Then kindly fuck off."

With that, Tomura turned right back to the animals. Stain sighed and went away. When he was sure that the man was out of the room, he let his shoulders relax and utter a string of curses under his breath, before taking the empty food bowls away. He was used to taking care of animals, he used to own a dog for fuck's sake, but if people didn't stop commenting on it, he was gonna decay their face off.

"Yo, Shigaraki, have a Snickers, you look mighty pissed."

An actual packet of Snickers was thrown in his direction and he groaned.

"The fuck do you want, Dabi?"

"To annoy the hell out of you?"

"Do you really fucking wanna see what happens when you annoy me too much?"

"Yes."

Tomura gave up with a hacking laugh.

"Good Lord, you are insufferable."

"I am well aware of that."

Tomura holds up the Snickers.

"You got a candy just for a meme."

"I am well aware of that too, your majesty."

Tomura observes him for a good second before realisation strikes him.

"Good Lord, this ain't a Scandal In Bohemia—"

"Butttt, the thing's kinda the same, doncha think? Shoto would still have to start a fire to make the men run off to reveal her hiding spot, the logic is pretty much the same."

Tomura gave him a look and swallowed the Snickers.

Dabi looked at him with wide eyes.

"Man."

"So, basically, the lot of you have a super-traumatic backstory which made you turn into villains and also you have somehow managed to make the Hero Killer cool down????????"

Aizawa was sure that today was the day his entire world was gonna turn right upside down. It had done once before when Oboro died and now the reveals of Izuku Midoriya made it turn again.

"Yup," Izuku said, wiping at his face, "Basically it was Shoto-kun yelling his head off after he ran off trying to kill a hero, and then freezing him to the spot as he lectured on for hours on end. Bet Stain got intimidated by that and decided to make up by killing less."

"Wow."

Izuku laughed.

Aizawa joined in, though it was more out of an overwhelming disbelief than anything. Endeavor used to always rub him off the wrong way and now it felt like the pieces were clicking into place. Rationally.

"Listen, I could probably arrange for your rehabilitation, and—"

"Don't."

Izuku's voice had the same tired quality again which caused Aizawa to frown.

"All For One might be in Tartarus but he isn't dead. Neither is the Doctor. So if you attempt to rehabilitate us, especially Tomura and me, it will be asking for a disaster at your doors. Do whatever the fuck you want to do with me after All For One is dead along with that Doctor. Just don't fucking try to harm any of them. I can kill three pro heroes before your capture scarf gets me."

Aizawa sighed. Izuku had gotten defensive again. It wasn't that he hadn't been before, with the way he told his story and that of his friends, throwing every single word like a weapon and peacefully pointing out how useless the heroes were. Izuku seemed to not care much about himself, but he cared a lot for his friends. Technically, that would be a leverage considering the situation and a good way to start therapy if they thought of it—

"Don't think of using them as leverage either unless you sincerely want your neck slit here and now."

"That wouldn't be a rational decision on either of our parts. There are many pro heroes you could go to, but you came to me, specifically. Why is that?"

"Because you like cats."

Aizawa opened his mouth before shutting it again. His expression must have been comical for Izuku began giggling.

"Because you are a useful pro hero who uses his brains instead of his brawn and knows how to do undercover work, unlike the flashy stars of glory."

Aizawa nodded.

"Not a huge fan of All Might, I take it?"

Izuku looked away.

"It's complicated. So, do you agree to help us?"

Aizawa took a moment to consider the situation. There were millions of ways this could go wrong, especially if he was found consorting with high profile villains. He could refuse but he suspected that he would have the entire League on his back for that. Or not, because Izuku genuinely sounded like he was giving him a choice.

Izuku was observing him closely as he thought.

"Another thing. I have withheld this information until now, but I suspect that hearing that would make your decision easier."

Aizawa frowned at him, wondering what he was on about. However Izuku's next words made him feel as if the bottom had dropped out of his world.

"What would you say if I told you that we had a chance to recover your old friend, Oboro Shirakumo, aka Loud Cloud?"

"What?"

His voice was shaken, and he resolutely focused all his attention on Izuku.

"It's a complicated affair, but we might be able to make him recall his memories. He might not be as dead as previously assumed."

"......what?" he asked hoarsely.

Izuku sighed and called.

"Yo, Kurogiri, what's the name of that first cat that you rescued? Mind telling us how you rescued him?"

"Sushi, and she was left in box in the heavy rain, with an umbrella over her, why?"

Aizawa sprung a good distance back when Kurogiri came into view.

"What's the meaning of all this?" he asked, going to grip his capture weapon.

"That, my dear Watson, is what we have to unearth."

Kurogiri gave everyone an indifferent look, as if he was totally used to this kind of odd happenings, as if talking civilly with pro heroes was something Izuku did regularly.

"I am literally older than you—," he began, not keeping his eyes off Kurogiri.

Izuku cut him off.

"Make your decision now, Eraserhead-san."

Aizawa swallowed. He was going to regret his next words.

"I agree."

Izuku's face lit up in an unholy smile, which no teen should have.

He could only hope that the team-up was rational.