39: The Path We Walk

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"Are you actually going to leave your room to eat or just starve to death up here?". 

"Good afternoon to you too.". 

Mr. Aizawa did not seem amused by the kid's attitude, but he didn't say anything. He was just trying to make a bad situation better. So he tried to rephrase it. "Your doctor wants you to be trying to incorporate new foods, have you done any of that yet? Do you want to try something new for lunch?". 

Taiya didn't seem sold on the idea. "Not sure there's many foods I haven't tried before.". 

"There's always a million things you haven't tried." Aizawa insisted. "Do you just want something familiar? What do you actually enjoy eating?". 

He had to think about that for a second. He didn't enjoy eating anything. Well, he enjoyed the taste, the sugar, what came along with eating things. But he didn't enjoy eating it, he hated that he ate crap like that. 

"Why are you even here?". It was a legitimate question. Taiya hadn't been expecting a visit from his teacher at noon on a random Saturday. He was still in his pajamas for fucks sake. 

Mr. Aizawa sighed. "Because I'm not just your teacher, I'm your acting guardian." He explained. Taiya seemed to grimace at the reminder. "Kid, I'm just trying to help.". 

"Don't need any. Thanks for dropping by, never come back again." Taiya said, slamming his door shut. 

Aizawa was one step ahead of him, putting his foot in the doorway to stop it from closing and locking. 

Taiya had half a mind to pull the door back and slam it into the man's foot, but when he realized he was just in slippers and not his normal combat boots, he felt kind of bad. He could have fucking broken something, why would Mr. Aizawa even put his foot in the door in the first place?! 

"I'm busy." The boy insisted, half pouting at this point. No matter how much shit he went through, he still didn't like not getting his own way. "I've got remedial hero license shit to do.". 

"You do not." Aizawa said. Although he wasn't rolling his eyes, it was audible in his tone that he wanted to. "And watch your language.". 

Taiya glared at his teacher. "Mr. Aizawa, with all due respect you're not my fucking dad or something so leave me alone. I'm old enough to take care of myself. Why don't you go bother someone else?". 

"I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself, and I'm not trying to be your dad." The man sighed. Taiya moved the door back, secretly hoping Aizawa would remove his foot and he could slam it again without a problem. He didn't move his foot though, probably saw right through that bullshit. "I'm just trying to be a good guardian. And that means helping with your recovery and taking care of you. I'm not all of 1-A's guardian, I'm just yours, so it doesn't apply to 'someone else'.". 

Ah, Taiya's greatest weakness. Infallible logic. 

He used to be good at talking in circles, of confusing people and getting them to agree with him. Now he just wanted to shout 'fuck you' and hole up in his room forever. 

"I don't think you'd know this, since apparently you haven't eaten all day, but the menu today is entirely vegan.". He just casually said it, knowing damn well the reaction he would be getting. Taiya tried his best to hide his immediate distaste, but it was impossible. 

"Come on." The man called back suddenly a step back from where he had been before. "Get dressed and meet me in the parking lot.". 

Taiya thinned his lips into a line and didn't say anything, slowly closing the door. 

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'Crafty fucking old man' Taiya thought to himself as he stared out the window. The city passed them by easily, houses becoming smaller, fewer and farther between until it was practically just power lines and trees. 

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