MHA One-Shots

Burrito Breakdowns - Denki Kaminari

Summary: Denki has been feeling down about himself. Aizawa finds him on the couch of the dorms at 2 in the morning.
AU: Normal
Notes: ⚠️Negative self-talk, breakdown.⚠️

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Kaminari knew he wasn't the smartest bolt in the cloud. He knew since he started school. He couldn't read properly, words were fumbled like a bowl of cereal. And it was hard. Everyone laughed at him for that.

"HA! Everyone looks at Kaminari! He can't even read this, and it made for itty bitty first-graders," A little boy laughed out loud, to which others followed.

"You're in the third-grade Kaminari, and yet you can't read or do anything. You're so stupid!" Another boy muttered. Everyone laughed again and pointed at him. They called him names, names that tattooed themselves onto his body.

He felt enclosed, he felt worthless, he felt nothing. They were right, he was stupid.

Little Kaminari cried into his hands and ran off, spending the rest of the day under the tree, holding his All Might plush close.

All that was experienced when he was eight years old.

He sat there, trying to brush the painful memories away. It was nearly two in the morning, and he was curled up in a blanket like a burrito in the Class-A dorm building common room. Why did he have to be so dumb? 

He sniffled, as tears started rolling down his face. He'd been trying to study hard and change for the greater good. He was distant from his friends and was constantly doing work, even during breaks and lunches. The whole of Class-A was worried, and a certain red-haired rock boy decided to confront his teacher.

Aizawa had indeed noticed and planned on talking to Kaminari, but there was no time.

Tonight, well, he got his chance.

As Kaminari curled more on himself, cries getting heavier, the Heights Alliance (the dorms) doors opened. Kaminari heard it but didn't move. He continued to cry. He didn't give a crap now. Footsteps made their way towards him and he felt the presence stand over him.

A soft hand was placed on his knee, "Kaminari?"

Kaminari gasped and looked at the figure. It was none other than his homeroom teacher, Mr. Aizawa. His eyes were soft and started back into his watery gold eyes. Kaminari wiggled one of his hands-free from the burrito and furiously wiped his eyes.

Aizawa just stared at him with concern and worry. He had just come back from his patrol. It was some hour in the early morning, who cares though. He had been exhausted and wanted to sleep for the next few hours, but light sobbing caught his hearing.

He had walked over to the common room couches, where the sound was coming from and his heart tugged at the site. One of his happiest students was curled up on the couch, heart-wrenching sobs escaping his mouth. Study notebooks were displayed on the table and the couch. 

Aizawa sighed and he walked over to his student and crouched in front of him. He placed a gentle hand on his knee and Kaminari gasped at that, looking at him. Aizawa tensed slightly and gently rubbed the boy's knee. 

And that's where the situation was now. Kaminari looked at Aizawa again, tears gathering in his eyes again. He tried to hold them back but they fell down his face regardless. 

"Kid, what's wrong?" Aizawa asked gently. He was still crouched in front of the kid and made no intention to move. Kaminari sniffled and sent a watery smile to the man.

"I-its nothing. I'm just being stupid," the blond muttered. Aizawa squeezed his knee and stood up, sitting next to the kid.

"Can I hug you?" Aizawa asked for permission, opening his arms. Kaminari simply let his burrito from flop to his teacher's side and curled up. Rough but comforting hands came to rub his covered back. He stuffed his face in his teacher's side and silently cried.

Aizawa hummed under his breath and rested his chin on the electric boy's head.

"Kaminari, you're not stupid. What makes you say so?" He gently coaxed, still rubbing the boy's back.

"I am stupid Mr. Aizawa! I have trouble with my studies I'm so stupid and I'm at the bottom of the class. Everyone in the past made fun of me for that!" He blurted out. Aizawa continued to rub his back. Kaminari got out of his burrito casing, still in the blanket, and pulled his hair.

"A-and some people in the class make fun of me, but I know they don't mean it, but it still hurts. I'm just a stupid boy. I short-circuit and people laugh. I can't help it. I hate me so much," The boy wheezed. Aizawa sighed, holding the boy closer to him. 

"Kid, I understand but know that you're never going to be stupid for that. I'm sorry you're feeling this," Aizawa whispered. He held the kid tighter against his chest and Kaminari sucked in the affection.

"Denki," Aizawa said, voice turning a bit stern. Kaminari froze at the first name but sniffled, gazing at his teacher, meeting his eyes. Aizawa stared back comfortingly.

"If you never need help with studying, you can always send me a message if you're in the dorms. You can always ask for help in class, you can come to me during breaks and lunches for help. I'm your teacher. I'm here to help you."

Kaminari let out a sob. Support, someone was here to support him. He clenched his teacher's torso hard and sobbed. He sobbed it all out. Aizawa rubbed his back.

The kid had gone through so much in his life and had little support. Aizawa wanted to commit murder to those who had treated the boy wrong. 

"I'm gonna be here when you short circuit, I'll be here to help you study, I'm here to support you Denki," Aizawa muttered out his final reassurances for the night. Kaminari looked up at his teacher and sniffled, tears flowing down his face freely.

"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa, thank you," he whispered with the crying. Aizawa hummed and cradled the kid's head to his chest. Kaminari sucked in a deep breath, catching a whiff of his teacher's scent; coffee and papers. He smiled. It was comforting.

When the crying was calmed down, he rubbed his face on his teacher's hero costume, wiping the snot and tears on it, and pulled away from the embrace. Aizawa scoffed at the wiping.

"Seriously kid?" he murmured in a sarcastic tone, to show the kid he was kidding. Kaminari simply giggled and looked his teacher in the eye.

"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa," he said with a kind tone. Aizawa pushed his hair back and Kaminari leaned into the touch.

"Of course kid," Aizawa replied to his previous statement. Kaminari yawned and shuffled to get the blanket on top of him rather than in a burrito. He leaned in and silently took Aizawa's arm and held it close to himself. Aizawa said nothing and let the kid lean against him.

Aizawa moved to grab the TV remote. He settles back on the couch, close to the kid who is still hugging his arm, and turns it to a random show on animals. He lowers the volume. He glances at his watch; 2:34 am.

Kaminari stared at the TV blankly. Sleep was starting to make its presence aware to him. He yawned and let his eyes fall shut. A good rest was deserved at this point. He shifted, leaning closer to this teacher and curling up on himself, still hugging Aizawa's arm, and let sleep devour him like the greedy monster it was.

Aizawa felt the boy's breath even out and smiled softly that he was finally getting rest. He shut the TV off and pried the boy off of him carefully. He lowered him on the couch and adjusted the blanket over him.

He then moved to gather the stationery that was scattered everywhere. He picked everything up; the pencils and textbooks, and stacked them in a neat pile on the floor next to Kaminari's school bag. Aizawa sighed and took a moment to look at the kid again. He ran his hand over the boy's hair and moved to make his way back to his dorm room. What a night.

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A/N: This one was for my friends. I loved making this one.