Iida P.O.V
The days and weeks fly by. I no longer need the I.V and Recovery Girl says I should be able to come off of the feeding tube soon. I'm eating solid meals now, but they're small, and mostly bland to keep from upsetting my stomach. I still haven't seen the class since it happened, and the trial is tomorrow.
"I know you're anxious and scared, man, but you gotta try to keep your meal goals." Bakugo has been my rock. He's always gently encouraging me to get better and keep going. I don't know what I'd do without him at this point.
"I know.. I'm just.. What will they say? What's going to happen when I see them again? Will they try something?" I start voicing the questions that have been clogging my brain all week.
"I'd like to see them try anything. You've got Aizawa and Mic by your side, Pros. And you've got me. I got permission to attend the trial as your emotional and medical support." I look up at him, I had no clue he was even planning on trying to attend.
"You're coming with?" I've gotten used to my more casual speech, and I'm loving my new style. I don't wear the glasses anymore, but instead contacts, and my hair is swept to the side, though it's gotten long, I haven't had a hair cut.
"Of course, dumbass. I'm not going to leave you to face those monsters alone." I smile at him. There's a knock at the door, and Bakugo goes to answer it, I continue to pick at my mashed potatoes half heartedly.
"Hey, kiddo, how you holding up?" It's Mic I hear, and I know Aizawa must be with him.
"I'm scared. I don't want to face them again." I confess, hanging my head, tears filling my eyes. I feel a pair of arms wrap around me. At first I assumed it was Mic, he's a hugger I've noticed, but the arms are too short, too muscular, and I smell firewood. It's Bakugo, he's holding me. I feel a blush rise to my face, I've been doing that every time he gets close to me lately, not really sure why.
"It'll be alright, kiddo. You'll have us, and Bakugo, not to mention since this is a criminal trial, there's going to be officers everywhere to protect you." Mic rubs my back reassuringly, and Bakugo continues to hug me. I nod in response, showing I understand. Over these past few weeks, Bakugo has showed me that when I'm overwhelmed, or scared, it's okay to not speak, it's okay to find another way to communicate. He's been teaching me sign language. It turns out he's loosing his hearing, thanks to his Quirk, as is Mic. I guess loud Quirks like that have some major long-term drawbacks.
Bakugo remains hugging me for a while after Aizawa and Mic leave, just comforting me.
"Thank you, Bakugo." I sound breathless, but in actuality, I just don't want to disrupt the tranquility of the moment.
"Katsuki."
"What?" I turn towards him, no doubt with a very confused look.
"Katsuki, I want you to call me Katsuki." He smiles. It's a soft, sweet smile.
"Alright, Katsuki," the name feels funny, I'm so used to calling him by his surname, "then I want you to call me Tenya." I return his smile, and he chuckles.
"Deal." We shake on it, and fall into giggles, like little kids.
"I think I'm ready to face the class, if you'll help me down there. I want to tell them the truth." Katsuki looks at me with a bit of shock. It's been weeks since I fainted in class and had to be rushed to Recovery Girl. Weeks since Katsuki volunteered to care for me.
"Alright, just remember, I've always got your back."
It's a bit of a long journey down to the common room of our dorm building. I'm still rebuilding my strength, and often have to rest when my new smart watch yells at me that my heart rate is over 130. Finally the elevator doors open, revealing the class I've not seen in so long. Everyone is lounging around the couches, talking and laughing. It's Kaminari that notices us first, jumping to his feet.
"Iida! Oh my gods!" The entire class turns to look at Katsuki and I. My watch starts making a high pitched tone, alerting me my heart rate is now way over the warning limit I had set. Katsuki helps me over to an open arm chair, and he perches on the arm, staying close.
"I want to tell you all the truth of what happened, and why I'm like this now." I'm met with puzzled looks, all but Todoroki look bewildered.
"Whaddya mean, man? I thought you were just pushing yourself way too hard?" It was Kirishima that spoke up, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Not entirely." I sigh, taking a deep breath to prepare myself. To tell my class that I'm not the pillar they've always seen me as. That I've been lying to them for as long as I've known them. "Tomorrow, Katsuki and I will be going to court, to testify against my parents. They've been," I struggle to say the word 'abusive', "less than kind to me, since I was 10. The bruise on my face wasn't from losing control of my Quirk and crashing, it was from my father. I'm healing, and most of the bruises are gone now, but I'm covered in scars." I keep my gaze on the floor, not wanting to see their faces. My watch buzzes at me, telling me that my heart rate is high. Katsuki rests a reassuring hand on my shoulder, giving me a light squeeze. "I almost died, that day. Thanks to malnutrition, stress, and the physical damage to my body, I've developed a heart condition. I'm on medication to attempt to keep it under control, Katsuki has been taking great care of me. I don't need continuous feeds from my tube now, and I might be off of it within the next few weeks." I finally look up, and I lock eyes with Midoriya. He's crying, glancing around the room, the only one not crying is Todoroki. Mina stands up, walking towards me.
"Iida, can I hug you?" Her question shocks me a bit, but I guess it's understandable, having just learned that the person you relied on for order and consistency has been going through hell. I simply nod in response. I feel her hug me, it's genuine and gentle. I hug her back, and she rubs my shoulder gently. "I'm so sorry this happened to you," She steps back and glances at the class, "but we're all here for you. We've all got your back, always." She gives her signature bright smile, and the rest of the class agrees, rather loudly. I smile at my class, grateful for them, now more than ever.
"I told you so." Katsuki whispers, only loud enough for me to hear. It causes shivers down my spine, but not the ones I'm used to , these are the good kind.
YOU ARE READING
Sweet
FanfictionTenya Iida, class rep, strict, some would even call him a kill-joy. He seems so well put together, so organized, so dependable. He's there when anyone, in his class or another, needs a shoulder to cry on. But who fixes the broken? Who heals the heal...
