滞在 | "There's a woman banging in my window every night." Midoriya says, ruffling his forest green hair with eyes nervously darting across the room.
"Problem Child, from the footage we've seen so far there's no one outside your dorm's balcony in the...
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| Class 1A Classroom |
ALL MIGHT stood at the front of the classroom, his typical proud expression softened by concern. "Due to some worrying circumstances, I will be your homeroom teacher for today, Class 1A."
"Where's Aizawa-sensei?" Piped a curious Mina.
The blonde hero hesitated to reply at first, but answered, "He's busy with... Young Midoriya."
When the students understood what was going on, the room fell silent. They exchanged serious glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in. The atmosphere was dense with unspoken anxiety as each student felt the weight of Izuku's problems.
"Whatever shall we do..." Momo thought, almost desperate.
‹ • ›
| UA Faculty |
Initially, Shota called Izuku into the UA Faculty, but considering the amount of teachers and even students bursting in and out of the room, he considered to have him join inside the private room instead.
"What's going on?" Vlad King had just arrived inside the Faculty Room. He gazed as Shota pushed a 1A student into the room.
Midnight sighed, "There was a suicide attempt by a student in the dorms last night. Luckily, it was prevented but..."
"Wait, wait," The Blood Hero interrupted, "Who?! Attempted what?! From Aizawa's Class?"
The teachers exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to say. Many had noticed the issue but opted to overlook or downplay it, only for it to escalate into a huge deal in the end.
"Midoriya." Present Mic answered, almost frowning.
Vlad King couldn't utter a word. That was the least person he'd expect to do such a stunt. "Did it have something to do with that whip-like quirk that just appeared last training?"
Either way, the chatter between each professor was filled with confusion and worry, but it was all muffled by the glass between them and Izuku.
The young hero walked in slowly, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast.
"Midoriya, please sit down," Shota said gently. "I'd like to talk to you."
Izuku sank heavily into his seat, his eyes glued to the floor. Eraserhead observed him closely, noting how he avoided making eye contact at all. He didn't even try to speak on their way here.
Was it shame? Or was it pain? Maybe something was echoing in his mind that even his voice seemed muted?
"Honestly, I'm not a very good therapist. But, it doesn't stop me from being your teacher. Midoriya," Aizawa began, his voice calm yet firm. "I know this is incredibly difficult, I know you're in a lot of pain right now, and it feels like everything is falling apart."
Izuku slightly flinched from the word, but he kept looking at the floor. Shota knew how his mind worked. After a year of being with this problem child, he has this uncanny ability to read his thoughts, particularly when it involves issues.
"Losing your mom, feeling like a burden, and what happened with Iida... it's overwhelming. That's what you're thinking right? That's what your mind wants to remind you, right? Midoriya, I need you to understand something important," Shota continued, "You are not alone in this."
"Maybe I am alone. Maybe I'm not," Izuku shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "But it doesn't change the fact that I am a terrible friend to Iida and Todoroki... and an even more terrible son to my mom."
Shota knelt down to Izuku's level, that's when he finally sees Izuku's teary green eyes. With this, his voice was steady and gentle. "Midoriya, you're not a terrible friend or son. You're grieving and hurting, and that's clouding how you see yourself right now. Iida and Todoroki care about you deeply, and they'd never think you're a terrible friend. And your mom loved you more than anything. She wouldn't want you to carry this burden of guilt."
"But I don't deserve to be forgiven by them, and I wasn't even there for my mom," The young student whispered brokenly. "I've caused so much trouble for everyone. I'm not worth their worry."
Shota's gaze softened. "You are worth it, Midoriya. You're a hero, and heroes need help too."
Watching Izuku cry quietly, Aizawa wished he could do more. He knew he needed time and the support of those who cared about him to heal from his grief. But that takes time.
‹ • ›
| UA Heights |
News of Izuku's attempt had spread like wildfire, leaving a heavy cloud of anxiety and concern over them all. They gathered in the common area, exchanging worried glances as they discussed what had happened.
"He's with Aizawa-sensei by now," Ochaco said quietly, her voice trembling with worry. "We have to talk to him once he gets back!"
"Indeed, we can't just leave him alone like this," Tenya agreed, his usual authoritative tone softened by concern. "He needs us now more than ever."
Katsuki, standing off to the side with a scowl, remained silent, but Eijiro nudged him. "Hey, Bakugo, aren't you going to say something? You can't tell me you don't care."
The blonde grunted, his arms crossed. "It's not about caring, dumbass. It's about not knowing what the hell to say."
Tsuyu spoke softly, "I'm all for everyone helping Midoriya-chan, but I'm worried crowding him might have the opposite effect of what we intend, ribbit."
"Tsuyu-chan's right. That might be too much," Momo agreed, recognizing how difficult it must be for someone who hasn't had time to grieve properly.
As everyone tried to discuss ways to help their friend, Shoto stood there in silence. He was still certain he wasn't doing enough, and he felt a sense of worthlessness gnawing at him.
They all tossed around ideas one by one, Shoto quietly slipped out of the room. It wasn't the first time he had done so, which might explain why he often went unnoticed when he was absent.
‹ • ›
| UA Heights Rooftop |
Shoto approached the staircase leading to the rooftop. In light of the incident, the elevator had temporarily halted access to the rooftop. Without hesitation, he used his quirk to create a key, swiftly unlocking the door from the staircase.
The evening's chilly air provided a moment's relief from the oppressive climate below. Standing at the edge, he could see the distant twinkling city lights. So this was Izuku's view when he jumped?
"What's wrong with me?" Shoto muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the gentle breeze.
Leaning against the railing, he went over the day's events in his head. After just one week, he already felt completely worthless.
He clenched his fists, "I should have done more," he thought, his gaze fixed on the horizon, "I was there... for myself. I wasn't there for Izuku. I shouldn't be such a useless friend..."
The sound of footsteps interrupted his reverie. Tenya appeared beside him.
"Todoroki-kun," he said firmly, "You're not alone in feeling this way. We all want to help Izuku, but we can't blame ourselves for his pain."
| Loading Next Chapter | Chapter Written On - July 04 to 06, 2024 | Chapter Published On - July 06, 2024
