(Reader's POV)

"What did he tell you?" I asked, a little eager to hear what he had to say.

Aizawa paused before sighing.

"It's confidential." he answered.

I sat up on my elbow now, becoming a little concerned.

"By that, do you mean he didn't tell you?" I asked.

Aizawa shook his head. My eyes widened as I felt the pit of my stomach sink.

"It's bad, isn't it?" I asked, my heart starting to race slightly, "Just at least tell me it's not bad."

Aizawa rubbed his eyes in frustration with his free hand. My inner panic was starting to grow into something almost unmanageable as he continued to dodge giving me an answer.

"I said it's confidential and that's all I'm saying for now. There's no need to get yourself worked up about this." he said as he looked at me.

"It's a little late for that." I said sitting up from the couch, "You can't even tell me it's not bad."

"If I give you an inch, you'll ask for a mile." he said, sitting up as well.

"Asking about my potential fate is asking for a mile?" I asked, insulted. I stood up and began to walk away from him, until I felt him tug at the capture weapon on my wrist.

"No, but asking me to break an agreement is." he said sternly as he stood, "I don't like having to keep information from you, but I agreed to keep the discussion between Nezu and me. If you had asked me to do so, I would've respected your wishes. I'm only asking that you respect his."

"If it involves me, I deserve to know!" I said, my frustration turning into defeat.

"I know you do," he said, "but I can't go back on that agreement. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter," I muttered, "I saw the look on his face when he mumbled about it in the faculty lounge." My voice began to shake, "And now you've been told to keep a tight lip. This isn't good. I know it isn't."

I heard him sigh as I turned around. I held myself, trying to feel some security in a moment where I felt like I had little to none. I needed reassurance, and I couldn't even have that from someone who I thought would give it, gladly.

"For all you know, it could be good news." he said.

I scoffed.

"Like what?" I asked, calling his bluff. I had a feeling he was trying to throw me off in an effort to stop me from feeling upset. But a part of me hoped he was being truthful.

"Well...maybe...he figured out how you could stay." he somewhat stuttered out.

I blinked in surprise and turned to look at him. His eyes were facing downward, his hands in his pockets, as his foot tracing a small circling the floor. I've never seen him act this...awkward. I couldn't tell if he was joking or being honest.

"Are you serious?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know if he was being earnest.

He looked up at me and then back down to the floor.

"Maybe." he said.

A little smile started to grow until my cynicism reared its ugly face again, making it disappear almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"If that's the case, why did Nezu react the way he did at the faculty lounge?" I asked, trying to poke holes into his statement.

"Maybe it was because he was unsure if that was something you even wanted." he said, still looking down.

My hope started to peek out from the clouds of doubt and dread, and my fear started to subside. What also started to poke out was my curiosity.

"Is that something you want?" I asked, taking a step closer to him.

His eyes met mine again, only this time, they stayed there. I swore I could see a tiny smile appear on his face, though with his scarf around him, it was pretty much impossible to tell.

"Maybe." he replied, his eyes still on mine.

I took another step closer.

"Maybe? You know, it's a simple yes or no question." I teased with a smirk.

He hummed, standing firmly despite the baby steps I took towards him.

I took one last step, standing only a few feet away from him.

"What do you want?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know if this tension I felt was going anywhere, or if I was just imagining it.

After a pause or two, a part of me thought what I felt was just wishful thinking, until I saw him tug his capture weapon harsh enough for me to be flung towards him, closing the gap between us as he caught me. With one hand, he held my waist, the other came to meet my chin as he gently tilted it upward.

My heart began to sputter like crazy as my knees felt weak. Our faces were so close as I felt my breath caught in my throat.

He looked at me intently before he finally spoke.

"What I want is for you to get some sleep." he said quietly.

The breath that felt trapped before now released into a soft chuckle.

"You're such a tease." I said, almost in a whisper as I continued to smile, despite feeling a tiny bit disappointed.

"Am I?" he asked, smirking, "Remember, I said: No shenanigans."

He playfully tapped the top of my nose before releasing me and laying back down on the couch, and patting the space next to him for me to join him.

I let out a sigh before obliging and laid next to him, snuggling a bit closer than I had before.

"Buzzkill." I mumbled.

"I heard that." he replied.

***

(Aizawa's POV)

"What did he tell you?" she asked. I could tell she was waiting for my response.

I was so worried she'd ask about this when I knew I couldn't tell her. Even if I wasn't sworn to secrecy, I didn't have the heart to tell her.

"It's confidential." I said blankly. I hoped that she would leave it at that, but I knew it was a long shot.

I saw her sit up a little more now, looking more worried than before.

"By that, do you mean he didn't tell you?" she asked.

I shook my head.

'Please, Doe. Leave it alone.' I mentally begged her.

"It's bad, isn't it?" she asked, "Just at least tell me it's not bad."

I rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out how I could get her to stop digging. I knew it was unlikely that I was going to be able to change the subject now. Knowing her, she wasn't go to let this go.

"I said it's confidential and that's all I'm saying for now. There's no need to get yourself worked up about this." I said, looking at her

"It's a little late for that." she said, sitting up from the couch, "You can't even tell me it's not bad."

"If I give you an inch, you'll ask for a mile." I said, copying her and sitting up.

"Asking about my potential fate is asking for a mile?" she asked as she stood up and began to walk away. Before she could go any further, I tugged at the capture weapon on her wrist. No way she was walking away angry.

"No, but asking me to break an agreement is." I said sternly as I stood, "I don't like having to keep information from you, but I agreed to keep the discussion between Nezu and me. If you had asked me to do so, I would've respected your wishes. I'm only asking that you respect his."

"If it involves me, I deserve to know!" she said, her voice filled with hurt and confusion.

"I know you do," I said in earnest, "but I can't go back on that agreement. I'm sorry."

'I wish I could tell you.' I thought, 'But if I did, you'd run away or become afraid of me.'

"It doesn't matter," I heard her muttered. Her voice shaking slightly, "I saw the look on his face when he mumbled about it in the faculty lounge. And now you've been told to keep a tight lip. This isn't good. I know it isn't."

I let out a sigh as she turned away from me. I felt completely stuck as far as what to do. I hated keeping secrets, and I especially hated doing so to her.

"For all you know, it could be good news." I said, trying to come up with something to ease her fears.

'Careful, Aizawa.' I thought.

She scoffed.

"Like what?" she asked.

'Don't.' I thought.

"Well...maybe..."

'Don't say it!' my brain screamed at me.

"...he figured out how you could stay." I somehow managed to say.

I looked down at the floor before she turned to look at me.

'Fuck.' I thought.

I fumbled with the capture weapon in my hand that was in my pocket as my foot slowly traced a circle on the ground. I tried to keep myself physically calm, despite feeling myself mentally panic.

'Why the fuck did you say that?! Why? Now you just lied to her! Shit. What do I do? I can't just tell her I was making it up. She's already upset. God, this is serious hole I've dug for myself.'

"Are you serious?" I heard her ask.

I looked up at her but then back down to the floor. I couldn't look at her in the face and lie.

"Maybe." I said.

'Smooth.' I sarcastically thought.

"If that's the case, why did Nezu react the way he did at the faculty lounge?" she asked, trying to call my bluff. Smart girl.

"Maybe it was because he was unsure if that was something you even wanted." I said, still looking down.

'Or maybe it's because you're lying and you told her something that you wanted.' I thought, continuing to scold myself.

"Is that something you want?" she asked, taking a step closer to me.

My eyes met hers again.

'Yes.' I thought as I felt a smile appear on my face. Thank goodness she couldn't see it with my capture weapon in front of it.

"Maybe." I replied, my eyes still on hers.

She took another step closer.

"Maybe? You know, it's a simple yes or no question." she mused with that intoxicating smirk of hers.

I hummed, standing my ground as she took smaller steps closer.

"What do you want?" she asked me with curiosity.

I paused, a little hesitant about whether or not to make a move. If I had no reservations, I would, but given the circumstances, I didn't know if it would be appropriate.

Still...

I gave a good tug on my capture weapon, sending her flying towards me before I grabbed her from losing her balance. With one hand, I held her waist, the other to gently tilt her chin it up so her face was close to mine. The tension between us was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. The rosy blush on her cheeks made it even more difficult not to succumb to my desires.

'I want nothing more than to kiss you right now.' I thought, my heart soaring as I tried to keep my composure.

"What I want is for you to get some sleep." I said quietly to her.

She let out a soft chuckle.

"You're such a tease." I heard her whisper.

'I know.' I thought.

"Am I?" I asked, smirking, "Remember, I said: No shenanigans."

I lightly tapped the top of her nose before letting her go and laying back down on the couch, and patting the space next to me, inviting her to join.

She let out a sigh before snuggling a bit closer to me than before. I didn't mind that one bit.

"Buzzkill." she mumbled.

"I heard that." I replied.