Chapter 73
After lunch the four of them left the cafeteria together, with Mirio and Nejire talking non-stop. While that happened, Cid and Tamaki being the two quieter members of the group, walked leisurely behind them only speaking when necessary. Which led to a strange form of comradery between the two.
They had just stepped outside and Cid was about to break away from the group when Mirio stopped mid-sentence.
"Oh crap— I almost forgot, Cid I have a letter for you." He dug into his bag and pulled out a sealed envelope. "Sir wanted me to give this to you. Would've been bad if I walked off without it, huh?" he said sheepishly scratching the back of his head.
Cid took it and looked it over. The envelope was plain except for his name written neatly on the front. Cid decided to go ahead and open it now. Not seeing a reason to wait.
The first thing he saw Inside was a work-study agreement form, already stamped and signed on Nighteye's side. All that was left was Cid's signature and information. There was also a small note folded along with it, which he quickly started to read.
Cid,
I could have called, but I thought it was better if Mirio gave this to you in person, due to the contents of this note. I have a few leads on Claire that I believe you can help with, and didn't want to risk anyone intercepting a phone call or a message. If you accept, I would like to see you at the agency on the first day of work-studies.
Also While you would technically be working under me, I intend to treat you more as an equal, I will be teaching certain techniques I have cultivated to, rather than a student. Please, consider the offer and have a good day.
Cid stopped walking and stared at the page, lost deep in thought. His fingers tightened slightly on the paper creasing it.
'Should I really agree to this? He's already helping with Claire… but working under him again after what happened is different…'
The others noticed he had fallen behind. Mirio turned, still smiling, then the smile faded a little when he saw Cid's expression.
"Everything okay?"
Cid didn't answer right away. He kept looking at the form, the frown still on his face.
A few more seconds passed before Cid let out a slow breath through his nose. He folded the letter and the form together and slipped them into his pocket.
"Yeah, everything's fine, just a little surprised is all." He said causally to reassure Mirio
'I told him I'd give him a chance. And he's been helping with this whole Claire without asking for anything. The least I can do is keep my word.'
"It's a work-study form, Nighteye's asking me to come back to work at the agency again and learn from him directly this time."
Mirio's face lit up immediately. "Seriously? That's great! We're gonna be working together again!"
Cid said his goodbyes to Mirio and the others, then started back toward the dorms. He only made it about half way back before he was interrupted by someone calling his name.
"Cid, wait up!"
He turned to see Izuku jogging toward him with one arm raised in the air waving to get his attention. Cid stopped and waited, watching as Izuku closed the gap.
"How many more interruptions am I going to get, I just wanna go back to my room and go take a nap…" he grumbled to him self
Izuku reached him and bent over panting with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Cid raised an eyebrow.
"You must've been running all over the place to be that winded."
Izuku nodded quickly. "Yeah… I've been looking for you all over the place. I tried to ask my previous mentor, Gran Torino, if I could intern under him again, but he said he's too busy right now. He said I should ask Sir Nighteye instead since he was All Might's sidekick. He might be able to help with…. you know and knows about it's secret. I knew you had worked under him before, so I was wondering…"
He straightened up and bowed deeply.
"Will you please ask him if he'll accept me for the work-study program?"
Cid blinked, then scratched the back of his head.
"Uh, no need to bow. And yeah… I can, no promises if he'll accept you or not. I need to call him anyway and accept the offer he just sent me."
Izuku's head shot up and smiled brightly. He bowed again, just as deep as the first time.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Cid pointed toward a pair of benches nearby.
"Let's go take a seat. While I call him, yeah?"
They walked over to the benches and took a seat. Cid pulled out his phone and dialed Nighteye while Izuku waited beside him, fingers tapping against his knee.
It rang a few times before Nighteye answered.
"…Cid? I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. I take it Mirio delivered the letter."
"Yeah, he did," Cid said. "I accept the offer. I'll have the form filled out and turned in to Aizawa by tomorrow."
He glanced at Izuku, who had gone still, shifting nervously beside him.
"There's one more thing. My classmate, Izuku Midoriya, wants to do his work-study at your agency. He said Gran Torino recommended you, so he asked if I could get him an interview with you."
There was a short pause on the other end.
"Hmmm …I'll meet him, but that doesn't mean I'm guaranteeing I'll take him." he said after a few seconds of thinking.
"That's fine," Cid replied. "I'm only getting him in contact with you. The rest is up to you and him."
"Good. Tell him to come by my office tomorrow at four and not to be late. I'll be waiting."
With that done he ended the call. Cid lowered the phone and looked at Izuku.
"He'll meet you tomorrow at four. Don't be late or he definitely won't accept you ."
Izuku's face lit up. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Cid!"
"Yeah, yeah. No problem. I'm heading back to the dorms. See you." Cid waved it off as he stood and started walking.
"Oh and good luck izuku, you'll need it, sir is a…. Eccentric person to work with."
Three days later, Cid and Izuku stood outside the Nighteye Agency.
Izuku was practically vibrating in place. His hands kept clenching and unclenching at his sides, and he kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other, clearly nervous about his first day here. Cid stood a step behind him, hands in his pockets, looking at the building for a moment longer than necessary.
He exhaled through his nose, then stepped forward and pulled the door open. Izuku hurried in after him.
The interior was exactly as Cid remembered. Same clean and quiet, almost clinical atmosphere. A few seconds after they entered, Bubble Girl came around the corner from the back hallway. She looked up, already smiling as she started to greet them.
"Welcome back, Cid. It's good to—"
She froze mid sentence as she got a good look at him. The way he held himself, just slightly off from how he used to. She had been told he was injured severely, but seeing it in person was different.
Her hand came up to cover her mouth in shock.
"…Cid. Are you… are you doing okay?" she said worriedly. She took a half-step and reached out closer before catching herself.
Cid met her gaze and gave a small shrug with his remaining shoulder.
"Yeah. I'm doing fine. It's an adjustment, but I'm managing."
He glanced back at Izuku, who was still standing a little stiffly behind him.
"This is Izuku Midoriya. He's going to be a work-study student, you probably already know that though."
Bubble Girl blinked, then quickly straightened and gave Izuku a polite nod.
"Midoriya. It's nice to meet you. I'm Bubble Girl. I'll be working with both of you while you're here."
"I-It's nice to meet you too!" Izuku said, bowing slightly. "Thank you for having me!"
"I shouldn't keep you. Sir is waiting in his office with Mirio. Both of you can head straight back."
Cid nodded.
"Thanks."
They turned and headed towards Sir Nighteye's office to find out what they would be doing.