The sky fades into deep blue and purple as Aizawa trudges through UA’s empty halls, exhaustion settling in. As he nears the rooftop, a familiar presence tugs at his awareness—his student.

Pushing open the heavy door, he stops.

You sit at the edge, legs dangling, wind playing with your hair. You don’t move at his arrival, just watching the world below.

Aizawa exhales slowly, his boots barely making a sound as he steps forward.

“Thought you’d be smarter than this,” he says, voice rough but lacking its usual bite.

You don’t look at him, only tilting your head slightly. “I’m not gonna jump, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Aizawa steps closer, lowering himself beside you. The city sprawls before you both, golden lights flickering like distant stars.

“Even if you did, I’d catch you,” Aizawa mutters, barely above a whisper.

Silence stretched between you. The birds danced higher in the sky, and for a moment, it seemed like the quieter one might fall behind.

“You remind me of that one,” you murmured, nodding toward the bird flying ahead. “Always moving forward. Always strong.”

Aizawa exhaled through his nose. “And you think you’re the other one?”

Silence. You don’t need to answer.

He watches the second bird falter, then surge forward, aligning with its partner.

“Birds don’t always fly at the same pace,” he says. “Sometimes, one just needs to rest before catching up.”

His gaze softens. “You’ll get there.”