Aizawa's Cat (Old)

Chapter 19

Shouta picked the small boy up, walking down the stairs and sitting him on the sofa as he crouched in front of him.
"I need to know what's happening, I can't help if I don't know."

Izuku had calmed a little, hiccuping wiping his face as he pulled himself back together.
"B-Batsu a-and S-Shin were arguing, I-it was so loud a-and I t-thought my h-head was gonna pop." His eyes were wide and watery as he explained, staring at his teachers chest. He felt horrible, like someone had stomped on his head and pulled his emotions out, mixing them up into a big ball before placing them back haphazardly, nothing he felt made sense.

He flinched when a hand gently ruffled his hair, drawing his eyes up to his gently smiling teacher.
"Thank you for telling me, you did good kid. Let me patch you up."
Green eyes widened at the praise, staring into space as Aizawa stood. He was back quickly, kneeling down and checking his arms.
"Those look infected," the man informed grimly as he pointed to the reopened cuts, "I'll put some antiseptic cream on and wrap them but if it gets worse, we'll have to visit Recovery Girl."

A glum nod was all he recieved so he went to work, gently smearing the cream and wrapping his arm up. The boy's silence worried him,
"Wanna stay down here and watch a movie?"
Another glum nod.
'Come on kid, give me something to work with.'

"Any preference?" The question seemed to do something, green eyes flit up, the dull gleam brightening some,
"C-can we watch the n-new AllMight m-movie?" Shouta nodded, grabbing a discarded jumper that laid on the back of the sofa and handing it to Izuku before falling next to him.

"Sure, it's just come out on HeroBox, give me a sec."

***

Not even twenty minutes later, Izuku was asleep with his head on Shouta's lap. The man sighed, his head tilting back as his hand carded through soft green locks.
'He needs more help. I can't keep him locked up to keep an eye on him and it isn't fair to pull more students in on this.'
His brow furrowed, thoughts racing, 'but who? It needs to be someone he trusts, someone who would understand what he's going through.' He hummed softly and raised his head back up.

"HEEEYyy, I'm home." The aborted shout from the door made Shouta flinch, his eyes flying to the boy in his lap only to relax as he only shifted before falling back to sleep.
"'Zashi, what did I say about shouting in the house?" His irritated whisper made the taller man hunch sheepishly,
"Not...to, but how was I supposed to know? How's the little listener?"

Rolling his tired eyes, Aizawa's eyes glared tiredly,
"The rule is there for a reason, Hizashi."
Flinching at his name, the blonde closed the door and made his way towards the two, taking in Izuku's tear stained face.
"What happened?" The underground Hero shifted positions carefully,

'Should I tell him? He knows about his mum but Problem Child asked me to not tell anyone. Should I break his trust? He needs help from more people but does that really excuse ignoring his wishes?

"'Zashi, I can't tell you. You can ask him yourself, but remember, it's his choice whether he tells you or not." His husband nodded in understanding, moving to sit at Aizawa's unoccupied side where he curled up.
"Fair enough, I'll ask him tomorrow."
The black haired man smiled, wrapping his arm around Hizashi where they both slowly fell asleep.

***

Green eyes cracked open, a pale hand raising to rub the crusty sleep that glued his eyes together.
"Morning, problem child." Groggily, Izuku turned his head, his teachers face looming above his. In his sleepy state he thought nothing of it, burrowing his face into his Sensei's abdomen with a childish whine. A hand carded through his hair, making a shiver wrack his body before he relaxed further.

"C'mon kid, I haven't had my coffee yet and my legs are dead." The boy pouted and reluctantly clambered into a sitting position, the lack of warmth waking him up a little. He blinked the haze from his eyes as Aizawa walked around, stretching his arms above his head and flinching when pain rocketed through his arms.

'Why do my arms hurt?'
Memories of the day previous flooded his brain and made him slump,
'Oh, yeah. That happened. I ran away again, trapped myself in my own head and then couldn't cope when I finally came back.'

He felt useless and pathetic, tears pricking at his eyes again.
'It's all on my own head for christ sake! I should be able to deal with it on my own! Stop crying!'
His head was blissfully silent but that made him nervous.
'What if I was just in a slump and made it up? I'm probably just attention seeking, nothing is wrong with me is there.'

His fists pressed into his eyes as he tried to stop the tears.
"Kid?"
Izuku jumped, gulping as he turned to face the coffee drinking man, "Everything ok? Could hear your brain over working from the kitchen." Chuckling wetly, the greenette stood and smiled,
"Eh, could be better but yeah."

Shouta nodded, watching the boy come closer, raising his hand to gently flick the boys forehead,
"How's it going in there?"
Shrugging, Izuku frowned,
"It's quiet for once. Makes me feel like I'm making it all up." Instantly his face flushed red,

'I didn't mean to say that!'

The man sighed and slurped his steaming coffee,
"I expected that." He smirked at the shocked boy, "Most people who have your condition think that but the people who have seen it, Bakugou, Todoroki, Kirishima and I, we know it is very real," he stared imploringly into the boys green eyes, trying to get him to understand, "We know it's real and we will help you."

Moving away and breaking the moment, Aizawa sighed,
"Truth be told kid, you need more help. From an adult that knows what they're talking about, maybe see a councillor?"

A frown pulled at green brows, his teachers words bouncing around inside his skull.
'Do I really need someone else knowing? I should be able to deal with this myself, it's my own brain after all.' He hummed thoughtfully,
"No thank you, I'll be fine."

He didn't know who he was trying to kid, Aizawa, or himself.