Ice Cold

Class 1A

The silence had never made the room heavier than it was in that moment, with the entirety of Class 1A staring at one they once called their own.

"I got the gist." Detective Tsukauchi said. "He gave the boy a quirk and took control of the family."

Principal Nezu turned to the rest of you with pity in his eyes. "Can I ask you to leave the room?"

"No, you may not." Shouto answered bluntly.

You stepped forward past the pleading classmates, brushing your hand on the detective's shoulder before kneeling down in front of Aoyama and his family.

His parents' eyes softened when they saw a hero so closely affiliated with All For One kneel before them, but Aoyama refused to look at you, the guilt apparent in his eyes.

You tried using the calmest voice you could, trying to make it seem less like an interrogation.

"Is there anything you can tell us about my father?"

Aoyama's father's voice trembled as he spoke. "We know nothing. He makes requests and we obey... that's all. Should we fail? He'll kill us. If we lie to him... we're dead."

You heard the detective begin to speak but you held up your hand. "They're telling the truth. He does it to everyone that works for or under him. I'm under the assumption that he stopped after gaining a failure clause that he could put in other people."

You cleared your throat, trying to return to the calm tone you had.

"Did you know that this would happen?"

"No! Of course not! We're the ones to blame for our son's agony! He had no way of knowing what would happen and we didn't think of the risks!"

You then went to their son. "Aoyama?"

"Your deaths.... could very well have been on my head, yet I found myself smiling alongside you all as if we were truly friends."

Your lips parted, but you allowed him to speak.

A part of you knew that Aoyama truly did want to be friends with this class - even you did. It was such a genuine atmosphere, with all kinds of people, yet they coexist like a perfect puzzle, each completing one another.

Nowadays, it's not very common.

Aoyama's fist clenched as he spoke, saying, "I, Yuga Aoyama, am a villain through and through."

"Oh yeah?!" Midoriya suddenly jumped in. "Then why did you try to save Kacchan and Tokoyami back in the forest? And the cheese you left me that night... Did All For One order you to do that too?

"Of course not! I'm kicking myself for not realizing that it was your S.O.S. to me! And the reason you're crying now clearly isn't because you failed All For One!

"Doing wrong doesn't make you a villain for the rest of your life!"

Midoriya held out his hand. "Take my hand Aoyama. You can still be a hero!"

You put your hand on Midoriya's shoulder and nodded, saying he did good despite the officers taking measures to make sure Aoyama cannot add to the further conversation.

"While the sentiment is nice, I assume that it won't be enough to let Aoyama off." You said. "However, it seems as though Aoyama is genuinely apologetic for conspiring with my father. In that sense, detective, would it be possible for him to be useful?"

"Well, we'll first have to see if he's booby-trapped like Nagant-"

"It'll take too long for a hospital to check him out." You thought for a moment. "I can ask Justin."