Wonderland: 19

Aizawa barely slept.

He woke, groggy and with a horrible dull headache that even coffee and a shower couldn't break. His phone buzzed with a text as he was sucking disheartened on an energy drink pouch, tying his hair back as he got ready to pick Elly up for the somber drive to the airport.

Nemuri: It's for the best, you know. It will be all right, you'll see!

Aizawa snarled at the glowing screen and blocked her from texting him. He would have to unblock her later - school policy said teachers had to be accessible to each other -- but damned if he was going to answer that or put up with that shit today.

Everything seemed to happen quickly, fast but not enough to lessen the pain.

Yagi came by in the school limousine and they both picked her up from the hotel. They drove on in complete silence, Elly clinging to her boyfriend and shivering with repressed emotions. She had to try and control herself but it was going to be one of the hardest things she ever had to do. The exhausted homeroom teacher sat with his arms wrapped around her, his face buried in her hair. Each had barely slept the night before and again, their eyes were matched in flecks of red and dark shadows.

When the car stopped he sighed deeply and gently pried her off him. "Time to go, Ches."

"I know." She slid her backpack over one shoulder.

"That's really all you had?" Yagi looked astonished.

"Yep. I would have bought more if I stayed." Elly stepped out and waited for them to catch up.

"Over here?" Aizawa checked her ticket and nodded. "You'll have to go through customs. We have to leave you before that."

"Um. I think that this is the closest we can come." The skeletal man beside them pointed.

"Okay. Then I guess this is it." Her ears drooped.

"I very much wanted you to stay, Ms. Cheshire," he said, clasping his hands together. "Most of us were sorry to hear the news. Please do not think badly of us."

She smiled, then spoke quietly in English to avoid passersby hearing. "I know, All Might. I appreciate your support - everyone's, really. It means a lot to me."

He smiled sadly and stepped back.

Aizawa had been holding her hand since they got out of the car. He moved it now to cradle against his chest. His other reached into a pocket of his slacks and pulled out a small strip of familiar, silvery cloth. As he placed it in her hand it automatically wound itself about her wrist, squeezing gently. It took the place of his hand when he let go.

"Here," he whispered brokenly. "It's a piece of an older capture weapon I kept. Though separate, it's part of the whole and I can still control it. They'll allow it through because it's small. If you wear it, whenever I get the chance, I'll literally be in touch."

Elly stared at it for a moment, biting her lip harder than before. Then she slowly smiled through her tears. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He hugged her a final time, his heart breaking when he heard her breathing deeply to take in his scent. "I'll keep trying to work things out, Ches. If nothing else, I've never taken a vacation and I have a lot of time saved up."

"Thank you." She kissed him softly on the cheek, but he turned so their mouths met.

Yagi was holding a sodden tissue to his eyes as they parted. "Aizawa, I'm sorry. I had hoped ..."

"Yes." He watched her duck through the first set of gates and mingle into the crowd to disappear in the sea of humanity bustling about. "So had I."

They stayed for a few minutes, ostensibly for a bathroom break but really to give Aizawa time to pull himself together. In a very short time he was back, nodding to his colleague that he was ready.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes." His voice hardened. "I'm anxious to be back at school so I might chat with our esteemed principal."

"Aizawa -"

He turned to face the tall man, staring up with such a look on his face he immediately shut up.

As soon as they got back he stormed off, purposefully choosing the back halls so fewer students would see him. Those that were unlucky enough to meet him got out of his way as he moved grimly through the halls, his baleful red eyes flashing and his jaw set. He stormed into the principal's office, his hair waving as if in a breeze but not flying completely up as it did when he used his power.

"I'm going to need time off."

Nezu's nose tested the air, wriggling slightly. "Aizawa. You have never taken time off in all the years I've known you." He spun around in his chair. "Why now?"

"Does it matter? I doubt it does at this point. The facts are, I need the time and I'm entitled to it." His mouth settled into a thin, grim line when he wasn't speaking.

The principal sighed. "Look, you're welcome to take as much as is allowed at once. Don't do anything hastily, though. It may work out in the end."

"Oh? Is there some way the board will allow a talented, unique hero they should have hired yet were prejudiced against to come back? Maybe as a janitor?"

"Go home," his boss suggested mildly. "Take the rest of the day off and try to calm down. Keep your phone on you, though - we may need to get in contact."

"Fine. Yes." Aizawa grunted, biting back what he really wanted to say. He nodded curtly before leaving.

Nezu wiped his brow. "Phew. I never thought ... hm." He frowned at the PA system and flicked the switch for the English classroom. "Mr. Yamada, could you come in here a moment?"

"Sir? Yes. Be there in a minute!"