Broken Pieces - Bnha OC x Shoto Todoroki (Multiple Personality Disorder/DID)

20 Unseen Embers

Aki woke up feeling heavy, her body sinking into the mattress as if weighed down by something invisible. Her mind was clouded, distant, as if she were floating somewhere between being awake and still trapped in a dream. The voices murmured at the edges of her thoughts, not loud or cruel, but ever-present, threading through her consciousness like an unavoidable current.

She didn't want to move. She wasn't sure if she even could.

Beside her, Eri was still sleeping, curled up under her blankets, her breathing slow and even. Aki watched her for a moment, listening to the steady rhythm of it. Peaceful. Untouched by the same heaviness that pinned Aki in place.

Maybe she could just stay here. If she stayed still long enough, maybe the day would just pass without her.

A knock on the door made her flinch. Eri stirred beside her, mumbling something incoherent before shifting under the covers. The door opened slightly, and Aizawa's voice broke the silence.

"Time to get up."

Eri stretched and blinked sleepily before suddenly remembering what day it was. Her eyes lit up, and in an instant, she was sitting up, throwing the blankets aside.

"Oh! School!"

Aki barely reacted as Eri scrambled out of bed, her excitement filling the room.

Eri didn't attend school the way the other students did. She had private lessons set up within U.A., where different teachers helped her catch up on subjects at her own pace. It was structured just for her, a way to ensure she was learning what she needed without overwhelming her. She seemed to enjoy it, always eager to go and learn something new.

Aki envied that.

Aizawa glanced at her again. He wasn't here to force her into anything—just to check in.

"You can stay in if you need to," he said, his tone neutral. "But try to at least eat something."

The words should have been reassuring, but instead, they coiled inside her, twisting into something that felt like failure.

She should go. She should try. But the thought of facing people, of pretending everything was fine when nothing inside of her was, was unbearable.

She said nothing.

Aizawa didn't push. He simply nodded.

"I'll check on you later."

The door closed behind him, and the silence settled again.

For a long time, Aki didn't move.

Her mind drifted, and for a moment, she felt as if she weren't even there. The hours could pass, and she wouldn't notice. Maybe they already had.

But eventually, she forced herself to sit up, the movement slow and unwilling.

It took effort just to drag herself toward the dresser. Everything felt distant, as if her body were moving on its own, detached from whatever part of her still existed within it.

She pulled out a black long-sleeved shirt, a hoodie, and a pair of loose gray sweatpants. Something safe. Something to hide in.

Changing was mechanical. She went through the motions, but the second the fabric pressed against her skin, a deep unease settled in.

Too tight.

Wrong.

The weight of the clothing against her arms, the way it clung in places she didn't want it to—it made her want to tear it off. She tugged at the sleeves, adjusting them, pulling at the fabric to make it feel looser, but it wasn't enough.