Sweet

Chapter 3

Bakugo P.O.V

I got to class early, I needed to talk to teach about an upcoming project that I wanted to do alone. We were working on a bit of a plan to bring up to All Might when the door slid open, it was four-eyes. I look of concern crossed the teach's face so I looked at him too. He didn't greet us, he didn't say good morning, he didn't even scold me for sitting on a desk. That's when I see it, the massive bruise covering the right side of his face. He's not wearing glasses either, which is unlike him. I've learned just from listening to classroom conversations that he's almost legally blind without them. Aizawa and I exchange glances before I calmly make my way to the large boy, he has a far off look in his eyes, like he's here, but his mind is elsewhere. I call out to him, and reach for his shoulder, but he flinches. The fuck? Iida doesn't flinch, ever. I hear the door open again, and the rest of the morons file in. That damn Deku walks up to see what's going on, nosey bastard.

"Iida, man, I need you to look at me." The far away look in his eyes shifts to fear, pure, raw, fear. I can see his eyes quickly moving between me, Aizawa, and Deku. His breathing becomes ragged, strained, and he starts to wobble. "He's gonna pass the fuck out!" Deku and I quickly move to his side catching him. Deku, with his quirk has no issue holding the large boy up, but I find myself slightly struggling. He's got a lot of muscle, okay? Deku takes him from me and we quickly take him to Recovery Girl's office, the class yelling after us, wondering what the hell just happened.

Iida P.O.V

I wake up in what I recognize as Recovery Girl's office. I can feel an I.V in my arm, and I feel something on my face. My throat feels raw as I look around the room. I see Mr. Aizawa outside the door, it looks like he's talking to someone, but I can't see them. I look to my left and see Bakugo asleep in the chair, and it's dark outside. I panic, looking for my bag, and I quickly sit up, gasping in pain. Bakugo's eyes shoot open and he quickly moves towards me.

"Hey, dumbass, lay back down, you'll hurt yourself." I puts a gentle pressure on my right shoulder, the mostly uninjured one.

"I need to get my phone, I need to call Mother and Father, they're going to be so angry with me." I can't breathe right, and talking feels so weird.

"Your parents have already been called, Iida. Please, calm down." I hear Mr. Aizawa's voice to my right, and I slowly turn to look at him, and Bakugo takes this opportunity to make me lay back. Flanking Mr. Aizawa are two officers, and behind them, a detective.

"Son, we need to know who hurt you this badly, and why you're so malnourished." The detective moves slowly, sitting in the chair to my right, Bakugo's hand rests on my left forearm, rather gently. I can feel his calloused palms, and it's oddly reassuring, as he gives a light squeeze. I shake my head, all words evading me.

"Four-eyes, they gotta know what happened." I hear Bakugo's rough voice, it's calm, soft, almost like he's scared I'll shatter if he speaks too loudly.

"I..." I can't seem to form words, and start shaking. If they found out I told anyone, or that I showed such weakness in front of others, a Pro Hero no less, they'd be furious. "My..." Bakugo's hand gently squeezes me again, and I start to register more around me. I have bandages covering my torso and cheek, and I now know that it's a feeding tube taped to my face. "My parents.." I whisper, it's all I can manage. It's as though if I say it too loudly they'll hear me.

"Your parents did this to you, Iida?" The detective looks concerned, leaning closer, prompting me to lean away, towards Bakugo. I manage a weak nod, which pulls at the tube on my face. I'm shaking harder, not sure what the school told my parents when they called.

"What did you tell them, when you called?" I look up at Mr. Aizawa, I can see the worry in his eyes, but he keeps his distance.

"I told them you were injured in combat training with Bakugo and needed time to recover here with Recovery Girl, as you were unconscious. I had a feeling, even if they hadn't done it themselves, they had an idea of who did this. So, I admit, I lied." I nod, appreciative of the intuition of the Pro.

"Thank you. Yes, this time it was Father, sometimes it's Mother, she's more verbal, though. I got off lucky this weekend, in all honesty. I guess stress just caught up to me this time." I'm able to speak with a bit more clarity this time, feeling reassured by Bakugo and Mr. Aizawa.

"Thank you for telling us, son. Are there any surveillance cameras where this took place?" I nod, knowing there are security cameras all over the house, even in the bedrooms. The detectiv e thanks me, has me sign my statement, and leaves. Mr. Aizawa takes his seat, cautiously, like I'm a frightened rabbit. Bakugo's hand never left my arm through any of this.

"Where am I going to stay, Mr. Aizawa? I don't have any other family in the area." I hang my head in shame at my weakness.

"We'll figure it out, kid. For now you need to focus on rest, recovery, and healing. You're badly malnourished, and had some pretty bad injuries. You can participate in academics when you feel up to it, but you won't be training until Recovery Girl gives you the all clear. We just finished the dorms, so you'll be there during the week, we may have you there during the weekend as well, but I'll need to talk it over with Nezu." I nod, showing I understand what he's saying. Recovery girl walks over to one of the many machines hooked into my body, and I turn to her.

"How long will I have these tubes?" She gives me a sad look in response.

"I can't say just yet, dear. You badly need nutrition, but I can't run your feeds very high, or you'll just throw it up, and you're dehydrated, so you'll have your I.V for a day or two longer." She clicks a couple of buttons. "I unfortunately don't have enough beds to keep you in here longer than tonight. I'll need to train you, and someone else, how to manage your medical equipment until you don't need it anymore. Lets try to get you standing, dear." Bakugo moves to stand and holds his hands out to help me. As I stand, the heart monitor starts to alarm, telling us that my heart rate is entirely too high. I look over at it, it reads 174 beats per minute. Bakugo quickly helps me sit back down and the heart rate starts to lower to an acceptable rate.

"Huh, how odd. I know that must have been uncomfortable, but I need you to stand up again, I need to check something." I nod in agreeance, taking Bakugo's hands again, he braces me and helps me stand. The monitor, again starts screaming. "Keep him standing best you can, Katsuki." Bakugo nods in response, seeming like he's done this before. I start to feel dizzy, and hold a little tighter to his forearms, starting to wobble. Bakugo carefully moves forward, using his body to support me rather than just his arms. Recovery girl stoops down and presses a finger on my shin, making a sound of confusion and disappointment. "Okay, dear, lets sit him down before he passes out." I'm carefully lowered back onto the cot, and I'm out of breath, dizzy, and nauseous. "Pots." A simple word that makes absolutely no sense to me in a medical setting.

"Dear, have you been feeling dizzy when you stand?" I nod in response, afraid if I open my mouth, I might vomit. "Any loss of conciousness from standing too long or too quickly?" I nod again, starting to feel better. "Feel like your heart is beating too fast and too hard, maybe even feeling like it's skipping beats?" I nod again, placing a hand over my chest as the hard beating feeling starts. "I believe you have Pots, dear. It's most likely brought on by the dehydration, malnutrition, and stress in your life. It's not technically a heart condition, but it effects the heart and blood pressure the most. Your veins and arteries can't fight gravity, causing a drop in blood pressure, and a spike in heart rate, and loss of conciousness. Pots stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome." I blink slowly, taking in this new information.

"Can it go away?" It was my question, but not me that spoke it, but Bakugo.

"You know the answer to that, dear." I look up at him in confusion, and his face falls, a look of disappointment and sadness overcoming his features. I'm even more confused now, and it apparently shows on my face, because Recovery Girl addresses it. "Katsuki here has been helping me out around the office, I'm rather short staffed, with it only being little old me!" She laughs at that remark, and I look back up at Bakugo, who has a light blush adorning his cheeks now.

"I see." Is the only reply I can manage.

"I'll do it." Is all Bakugo says. I snap my eyes back to his face, making a sound of confusion.

"You'll do what, dear?" Recovery Girl hangs another bag of something on my pole and looks at him expectantly.

"I already know how to use his equipment, I just need to know the settings and rates, and which feed he uses and I can help." My eyes widen in surprise.