Chapter Text
I wonder...what makes a dream a dream?
Still in pajamas, sweatpants, slippers, night shirts, the students of class 2-A huddle in a misshapen semi-circle around the couches and tv. Some of his classmates are dripping wet with an odd combination of clothes, as if chosen by random or in a hurry. The noise from the rooms beside and under his own drew him to the lower level in pursuit of the commotion. Izuku turns to Iida, hair still damp from his shower the night before, and asks in lieu of What’s for breakfast? or Sleep well? a different question: “What’s going on?”
The question doesn’t throw Iida off guard (despite the open ended nature of the question), but Izuku senses his reluctance before he answers. Iida straightens, adopts a serious frown, before answering. “I’m not sure. Uraraka-kun informed me there was a message on the television this morning, but it appears to be out of service. The message, to my understanding, was an urgent warning.” He pauses. “And the windows and doors of the exterior appear to be...malfunctioning.”
Izuku yawns and forcibly rubs the sleep clinging to his eyelids with his fist. “Well. That’s ominous. The tv could just be broken, though. It does that a lot. Kaminari-kun shorted it out ages ago and it hasn’t been the same since.”
“No.” Iida agrees, solemn. “But we are, for better or worse, unable to leave the building. We have not received contact from any of our teachers, either.”
Yaoyorozu parts through the crowd, heading for the two of them with an intense look of concentration. She pulls Iida aside, lowering her voice as she walks with him to the other corner of the room. “I checked the perimeter of the building. All the exits are sealed. From what I can tell, the school is under lockdown. I texted...” From a distance, her voice is as indecipherable as the low chatter of the other students on the couches.
Uraraka slides up behind him, poking his shoulder to regain his attention. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Izuku returns in the same tone, and ignores the quell of soft revolt in his stomach at the sight of her gentle smile. Her hair is pulled up into a ponytail, but the two longer strands beside her bangs are free. One of them is very curly; the other is pin straight.
Uraraka interrupts his train of thought with another poke. “You look like you just woke up.”
“Oh, what gave it away?” He swats away her third attempt to poke him.
“Your hair is really messy.” Uraraka grins. “And you haven’t stopped yawning since you walked in.” Izuku catches himself mid-yawn before he replies. Uraraka laughs. “Such a strange way to start the day! Our teachers will sort it out eventually. We just have to hang out here until they get to us.”
“Sure,” Izuku says. He rubs the inside of his palm; a nervous gesture. The tense expression on his face mirrors the faces of his peers -- even Uraraka, despite her best efforts. Maybe it is his bone-deep exhaustion from a rough week of training. Maybe it is the unusual set of circumstances that gathered them all here on a day they would otherwise dedicate to rest. Maybe it is the general uneasiness he’s felt since he woke, for reasons he can’t even articulate yet to himself.
“I haven’t seen Todoroki-kun this morning.” Izuku is grateful for the change in topic, and even more grateful that Uraraka senses his discomfort. Focusing on other things helps, lets him put his anxious energy in pursuit of a task. “You think he’s still asleep?”
“Probably.” Izuku says, and releases the weight on his chest. “Who else are we missing? We should probably do a trip around the dorms and make sure everyone’s here.”
“You are correct!” Iida interrupts from behind. “I will accompany you. Yaoyorozu-kun and I enacted the ‘buddy system’ policy as a necessary precaution given our, ah, situation.”
Yaoyorozu nods, offering her arm to Uraraka. “We can take the girls side. I believe the only student we’re missing is Ashido.”
Uraraka snorts, accepting Yaoyorozu’s arm with a dramatic wave as she turns. “She was probably playing video games all night with Kirishima-kun and --”
“Oh, I forgot Hagakure!” Yaoyorozu exclaims, shaking her head. “How terrible of me! I wonder why she’s sleeping in so late, it’s well after nine. Maybe she’s --”
Iida pulls him towards the boys side of the dorm, taking Izuku’s concentration with him. “If I counted correctly, Todoroki-kun and Tokoyami-kun are missing. Which isn’t unusual for either of them, I suppose.” On their days off from class and when he doesn’t have plans to see his mother, Todoroki usually strolls out of his room well past noon. Tokoyami has a different reason for keeping to his room until late in the afternoon, but that’s because he prefers quiet solitude. (And where he can write depressing poetry with the lights dimmed in his room. There’s no polite way to tell someone their writing makes you want to cry for no reason.)
They take the stairs. Iida forgoes the elevator altogether with the explanation “if the building security is malfunctioning, I would prefer not to be trapped in a steel box for hours” and Izuku wholeheartedly agrees. Before Iida knocks on Tokoyami’s door, Izuku catches his arm. “Did you or Yaoyorozu-san find anything?”
Iida shakes his head, and Izuku drops his hand. “With Jirou-kun’s aid, we concluded there is nothing happening outside the building. I believe we are safe for now. As for the rest of the school, however…”
“The other dorms are probably the same.”
“Yes, Yaoyorozu-kun reached out to Kendou-kun and determined their building is in the same state. We will have to assume they are doing what they can for now.” Spoken with firm and confident insistence, Iida leaves no room for objection. Not that Izuku has any to voice. “In the meantime, we will act accordingly to the Emergency Procedures as described in our Student Handbook and adapt if needed.” He smiles at Izuku, a gesture Izuku finds comfort in despite his sixth sense for probable danger, and knocks on Tokoyami’s door.
Tokoyami is clearly Not Pleased at the disturbance, but he follows them to the stairs and up to the last floor. Tokoyami waits by the elevator while Iida marches up to Todoroki’s door and knocks with Izuku at his side.
Todoroki cracks the door open after Iida knocks a second time. His hair is pulled over his face, the two colors in his hair mixing in the middle. “What, Iida.” Todoroki’s seriousness is undercut by an enormous yawn.
“We’re meeting as a class on the lower level. The building entered a lockdown, and we believe there may be a potentially dangerous situation elsewhere on campus.”
Todoroki blinks at him. “The teachers will handle it.” He moves to close the door, likely to return to his bed.
Iida sticks his foot in the crack of the door before Todoroki closes it all the way. The grimace on his face suggests he regrets that decision. “For the safety of everyone during this unexpected lockdown, we’re staying in the common room as a class and awaiting instructions from our teachers. Please come with us.”
“Come on, you can nap on the couch!” Izuku offers.
Todoroki jerks the door back open so he doesn’t completely crush Iida’s foot and looks at Izuku. “You said the couch was a death trap.” Accusatory. Definitely not a morning person.
“Well, yeah.” Izuku answers. “For me. But half the time you sleep on the floor, so I don’t think it matters. To you, anyway. You kind of, ah, sleep wherever you want.” It occurs to him he should make a point at the end of his rambling. “Oh, and we have breakfast ready downstairs.”
“I’m coming.” Todoroki decides, sweeping one hand over his hair to put it back into place. “Lead the way, Midoriya.”
Iida frowns at the swift attitude change. “Why are you always so --?” Izuku laughs, and Todoroki smiles. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless.
Their return to the common room is greeted with chaos. One of the couches is melted into a puddle of orange and yellow goo. Glass on the floor. One of the light fixtures is completely missing. Bakugou is screaming (actually, that’s not really out of the ordinary), Ashido is building a tower of plastic cups while Kaminari attempts to kick it over, and Yaoyorozu sends them a helpless look across the room.
“Honestly,” Iida sighs. “Teenagers.” Izuku and Todoroki look at him, then each other, and share another smile.
Iida and Yaoyorozu wrangle the remaining rowdy members of their class together together. “I know nobody is thrilled about being stuck in here for the day,” Iida begins. “But it is for our own safety.”
“Who says they don’t need help outside?” Satou counters. “If the campus is under attack, then…”
“That beautifully built baking man is correct! We are heroes in training, we do not shy away from danger!” Aoyama chimes in. Satou blinks, mouths the words “beautifully built baking man” to himself, and frowns in apparent bewilderment.
Iida attempts to regain control over the conversations. “Yes, well, however --”
“I say we get out of here!” Ashido cries. “I vote for outside!”
“While ordinarily I am all for democratic practice, this situation isn’t really --”
“Outside!” Hagakure joins in.
“We could all be in danger!” Izuku isn’t sure which side of the room that voice comes from, as it is swept up in the outcries of the other students.
Uraraka snorts beside Izuku, leaning in to whisper by his ear. “Poor Iida-kun. Everyone’s tired of being cooped up after five minutes. It’s like one big crazy family at holiday dinner, except all the time.”
Izuku grins and turns to face her. “And all of us are sitting at the kids table with absolutely no adult supervision.” She nods.
“We can vote on it!” Yaoyorozu decides diplomatically. “Raise one hand if you vote we should stay inside.”
Kouda raises his hand, but he is alone. Iida sighs. “And, I suppose, raise a hand if you vote in favor of leaving.” Predictably, everyone else does raise their hands (besides Iida, Yaoyorozu, and Kouda) and determines the vote right there.
The issue then becomes the matter of leaving. The windows are power sealed; U.A. has some hefty security measures in place, and opening the windows without breaking them is out of the question. From there it becomes a hunt for a weak opening. Vents are pried open, doors are kicked, secret exits are scoped out.
Against Iida’s (better) judgement, Iida and Izuku are elected to open the doors on the first level. “It’ll be awesome!” Kaminari cheers. “Quick kick, POW! Super kick, KABOOM! We’re free. It’s a perfect escape plan. Then we can jump in and help our teachers kick ass!”
“I suppose it’s not as destructive as breaking one of the windows open.” Iida laments. “Midoriya-kun, on my count.”
Izuku waits for the familiar whir of Iida’s engines activating Recipro Burst, and activates Full Cowl. “Now!” Iida launches forward, Izuku on his left, all while bracing for impact. Their hit lands, and Izuku hops back while rubbing his aching toes. Maybe he should’ve put on his armored guards before kicking a steel door at full strength.
The door, understandably, doesn’t hold up to the combined force of two powerful kicks. Frame cracking around the hinges, the sheets fly right off the entranceway and down the steps. A dark figure hops out of the way at the bottom of the stairs, and a second later Aizawa is standing in the entranceway with an expression of Incredibly Unamused Displeasure. That’s worse than his usual Incredibly Unamused one.
“What,” Aizawa barks. The room goes silent, and every student freezes. His hair rises on end -- literally, because his hair is prone to moments of eerie floating, like it’s completely sentient. But only when he’s pissed. Izuku has an entire chapter in his notebook dedicated to theories around why that is. “Was the reason this time for breaking school property?”
“Uh...” Izuku starts, without any idea of how to finish his sentence. Iida seems to be at a similar loss for words. “...emergency escape training?”
While the rest of the class rushes to defend them, Iida shakes his head. “No,” he says, cowed. “We didn’t know what as going on outside -- or the cause of the lockdown -- so we decided to take a look for ourselves. ”
Aizawa’s eye twitches. “There was a bird stuck in one of the ventilation shafts. It triggered one of the security alarms by accident.”
“...A bird.” Yaoyorozu repeats, in a quiet voice. Louder, she asks, “Why couldn’t we contact any of the teachers? What was the weird message on the tv?”
“We were a little preoccupied, as you can imagine, with all the security alarms going off all over the place. And I don’t know, probably part of a tv show.” Aizawa answers curtly. “Now. Since we’re all aware there’s no danger...can somebody explain to me why breaking down the doors to this very safe, well secured student building was a necessary action to take in the face of any kind of present danger?”
Nobody bites on that question, rather predictably. Also rather predictably, Aizawa makes them run laps around the perimeter of the campus as punishment for breaking down the door without permission. The class is assigned three laps. Iida and Izuku are assigned 20 each.
“Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck,” Izuku pants, flopping down on the ground near the end of his 17th lap. “That’s it. I give up.” He covers his eyes with his forearm, closes his eyes, and tries to remember how to breathe. “Sensei can feed me to the evil sea monster in the basement. I can’t move.”
“Don’t give up now!” Iida huffs, slowing to a light jog and coming to a stop where Izuku lays on the grass. “Come on, you’re almost finished. Just three more.”
“I kinda busted my leg when I kicked the door.” Izuku breathes through his nose and tries to ignore the incredible burning in his foot, lungs, and kidneys. He thinks it’s his kidneys. Whatever it is, it hurts. A lot. He can’t even think of an appropriate curse to describe how Completely Awful And Terrible he feels about it.
He feels Iida...hovering. Which is what Iida does when he’s concerned and hasn’t found the right words yet to resolve the situation. Usually, that’s great problem-resolution in action, but Izuku would prefer trading one of his limbs over finishing this lap. He’s sacrificed more for less.
Izuku breathes in slowly; takes in the sound of Iida’s shoes shifting in the dirt beside him, and lets Iida’s hand push his arm out of the way. Izuku keeps his eyes closed. Iida pokes his scalp. His voice parts the silence with a wave of enthusiasm that Izuku isn’t feeling. “Get up. We’re almost finished. I am not leaving you here.”
Izuku looks up and tries not to blind himself from the sun glare right behind Iida’s head. He offers Iida a glare of his own. “I told you, I’m done. I’ll go write sensei an apology essay about...whatever.” Wordlessly, Iida offers his hand. Izuku grumbles and takes it, staggering as he stands. “Great, yeah. I’ll die over here, you can go on without me.”
“I told you,” Iida smiles, despite the fact he’s soaked in sweat and just as out of breath as Izuku. “I’m not leaving you here. I can carry you the rest of the way.”
“You -- you can carry -- WHAT?” Voice pitching at the end of the question, Izuku lets out an incredibly undignified shriek when Iida unexpectedly scoops him up and carries him. One arm tucked under Izuku’s back, the other supporting his legs. Humiliating.
“Stoooooooooooop,” Izuku moans. “Put me down! Iida-kun!” Iida ignores him and starts a comfortable jog.
“This is a perfectly efficient solution to --” Izuku wiggles his arms to free himself, but Iida clamps his arms tighter and locks his knees in place. His jog takes on an odd strafing pattern due to Izuku’s interference, but he otherwise continues on without any major hindrance. “-- stop that. We’ll finish much faster this way, Midoriya-kun.”
Iida wins, in the end. Izuku is too tired to battle him over his pride. Uraraka takes photos (of course!) when Iida carries him up the steps into the entrance. Izuku forces Iida to drop him in the gathering room, and stuffs his head into one of the couch cushions with so much force he goes lightheaded.
“Can you breathe in there?” Uraraka asks, concerned.
Izuku’s reply of No, go away is muffled into the cushion. Asui, beside him, pats his shoulder sympathetically.
“I think the punishment Aizawa-sensei gave you was too harsh,” she croaks. “You should rest in your room.”
Uraraka agrees, too chipper for Izuku to deal in the miserable state he’s in. “Yeah, you look terrible, Deku-kun. No offense.”
Izuku lifts his head off of the cushion. He thinks he should be offended at that comment, but he doesn’t have the ability to say much besides “Ngghhnn.”
Iida isn’t doing much better. Laying on the other side of the couch, he’s asleep on his back with his jaw wide open as he snores. One of the other students took off his glasses while Izuku wasn’t paying attention. The frames are folded up and balanced on the table next to the seat so he can find them later without issue.
He turns his attention back to Uraraka and Asui, who are watching him carefully in case he suddenly falls into a coma like Iida. Asui blinks at him, and turns to Uraraka for further instruction. Uraraka nods, as if confirming something to herself. “Which is why...” Uraraka rolls up her sleeves to the joint of her shoulder and cuffs the rolls. “...I will carry you now!”
That wipes his exhaustion away in an instant. “No! You will NOT --!” Izuku knows she’s probably strong enough to lift him without any help from her quirk, but he’s not about to be embarrassed twice in the same day if he has anything to do about it. He drags his legs off the couch and sprints for the stairs.
Uraraka chases after him with laughter in her voice. “Come back here! You shouldn’t be running up the stairs!”
Izuku makes it to his room before his legs give out on him. He hops to his bed with an awkward side-shuffle and faceplants on the wrong end, but he’s too tired to rearrange himself or slide under the covers. He barely has time to think, Good enough, and he’s out.
He wakes up tucked under the covers and with two notes from Iida & Uraraka on the table beside him. Each note reminds him to do a good morning stretch and to drink lots of water to rehydrate after yesterday’s punishing race. There’s also a note under that from Recovery Girl informing him he’s required to take a rest from any “extreme” physical activity during practice on Monday. Iida likely arranged that as well. Or maybe Aizawa felt bad about coming down so hard on him and Iida about breaking the door. He’s sure Iida will know the answer, either way.
He pulls Iida’s note free from the stack and examines the bottom. It almost looks like a drawing -- or a hastily drawn doodle -- of a box-shaped face with square frames and a big smile. The text bubble beside the face says “TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!” in Iida’s bold print and Izuku smiles at the kind gesture. Uraraka’s has a drawing too, but her drawing is far more detailed. Two round faces, one with two large circles on either cheek, and the other with a scattering of dots he recognizes as freckles.
“YOUR FRIENDS CARE ABOUT YOU A LOT!” Drawing-Uraraka says. Drawing-Izuku is beaming, one hand tossed up in a peace sign. Izuku tucks the notes into his journal, pressing a hand to his warm cheeks and at the corner of the smile he can’t keep down.
Then comes the issue of leaving his bed, and his foot makes it very well known that it does not appreciate being kicked into a plate of solid steel. He limps his way to the elevator and skips using the stairs for today.
Uraraka asks him if he got the notes when he arrives (very late) to lunch. Despite sleeping over 14 hours, he yawns before sitting down. He shouldn’t feel exhausted after sleeping so long. He knows it should fade once he’s moving around more. “Of course I did,” Izuku answers. “They were hard to miss. I liked them, thanks.”
“Good.” Uraraka’s face is a little pink, and she turns away. Izuku, too, turns away and grabs Kirishima’s attention from the other side of the table. Kirishima’s right hand is holding his plate, while the other is holding open his textbook. He looks unenthusiastic about the set-up, and he’s holding a Chemistry worksheet that only has his name at the top and nothing else on the paper.
“How’s studying going?” Izuku asks cheerfully, pushing the remnants of sleep away from the front of his mind.
“Hgnnn.” Kirishima groans in reply. “Hey, Midoriya, you got some time? This chemistry homework is killing me.”
He offers it to Izuku. Although upside down, Izuku recognizes the formulas without reading the rest of the page. “That was due on Friday.” Izuku smiles at Kirishima’s frustrated sigh. “You won’t get any points handing it in late.”
“Yeah? And? I still need to know it for the midterm. Help me.” He isn’t sure if the expression on Kirishima’s face is relief or dread when Izuku slaps his chemistry notebook on the table between them. They make it halfway through the periodic table before Iida notices their books and scolds them for breaking the ‘No Homework at Lunch’ rule (established only because food fights were not uncommon and homework notes were irreplaceable).
“We can use my room,” Kirishima offers. “If you’re cool with that.”
“Yeah! Of course.” He follows Kirishima back to the dorms, letting Kirishima fill the silence as they march up the four floors to Kirishima’s room in (relatively) uninterrupted conversation. Kirishima pushes his door open with his hip, tossing Izuku a grin over his shoulder and chasing down another chair for his desk.
Izuku takes the chair and stares at the two flags hanging from Kirishima’s wall, pausing. He recognizes the rainbow stripes from the first year, but the new one is striped in shades of pastel and…
“Like the flags?” Kirishima asks, interrupting to squeeze one of the folding chairs from the storage rooms and opening it beside the one at his workspace. “I got that new one last week! Took forever to come in, I swear.”
“Yeah,” Izuku says, after too long of a pause between the question and the time he sits down. Kirishima doesn’t look bothered by Izuku’s soft reply, but maybe he’s too focused on Chemistry to notice. “I like them.”
Kirishima isn’t as bad at Chemistry as he made himself out to be. Izuku only fixes a few of the formulas from his homework, and Kirishima cracks open his textbook to look up the equation for the written questions.
He passes the textbook to Midoriya for one of the questions at the bottom, pointing at the chart. “Alright, I give up on this one.”
It takes a moment for Izuku to make out which of the diagrams he’s pointing at because of the awkward angle, but he recognizes it without too much thought. “That’s the chemical formula for nitroglycerin.” Izuku points at the array of squares with the chemicals labelled inside. He traces the nitrogen and oxygen symbols with the tip of his finger and withdraws his hand.
“Like the stuff Bakugou’s quirk makes.” Kirishima hums. “But I don’t think they’ll accept me writing ‘Bakugou’ as an example of it’s practical uses.”
Izuku picks up his notebook and stares at his notes to chase away his other thoughts. “It’s used for big explosives. Uh, most notably for dynamite.”
“That stuff’s in dynamite?”
“Well, yeah. Dynamite isn’t technically a chemical, it’s a compound of nitroglycerin and sorbents along with --”
A hand wave interrupts the rest of his explanation. “I got that part, dude. I just didn’t realize those two were connected.” He perks up. “It’d make a pretty cool hero name, though!”
Izuku doesn’t say anything. Kirishima takes his silence as a sign that their study session is over. At the door, Kirishima stops him and says, “You okay, man?”
“Yeah?” Not confident enough to be convincing. “I mean, why wouldn’t I be?”
Kirishima huffs. “You’ve got that big thinking face on. Just asking if you needed to talk. Or something. You look like you…” Whatever the end of that thought is, Kirishima doesn’t find the words to say aloud.
“I’m okay for now. Thanks.” He turns the offer over in his mind that night, turning from one side of his bed to the other. Considers the consequences of saying no. Or worse, the consequences of saying yes. Considers the consequences of saying the words aloud. Sleep traces the edge of his mind, never quite slipping in comfortably all the way.
2A CLASS GROUP CHAT
(20 MEMBERS)
- TODAY -
tape expert
Anybody seen my notebook?
17:58
(right behind you)
I have it
18:05
frog
??
i heard a scream?
????
18:13
(right behind you)
Serokun was surprised when I handed him his notebook. Thats all!!
18:16
tape expert
You mean when you appeared out of fcking nowhere and yelled ‘SURPRISE!’ ?????
18:20
(right behind you)
(◡ω◡✿)
18:22
- NEW MESSAGES -
Toxic Femininity
Alright who the FUCK set off the fire alarm this time
20:32
sparkle
je suis innocente. C:
20:35
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
Um. well….about that.
20:35
Toxic Femininity
〴⋋_⋌〵
20:36
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
@sparkle OK well ur a liar bcuz this is 50% ur fault too
20:36
sparkle
>:0!
20:38
gay and red
@sparkle @fuck school! fuck all the bullshit! set it off by accident
20:39
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
I DIDNT EVEN DO ANYTHINNGGGGG
this fucking building is trying to kill me i swear
all the electric currents in the wall are designed to make my life
litrerally FUCKING miserable
hate it here <3
20:39
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
i watched it happen it was beautiful
there was an outlet involved
the meeting room now has a crater the shape and size of kaminaris body in the wall
hes fine tho but aoyamas hair is the only victim here
maybe we should tell sensei they need to fix uas stupid wiring problems cus this is ridiculous
lmao
20:39
Sir Kangaroo
Does anyone know when we can go back inside?
20:43
Mr. President, Sir
There wasn’t much damage. and I’m sure we will be let back in shortly!
20:45
Sir Kangaroo
Hey mr president we love you
20:46
Mr. President, Sir
I love you all too!
20:46
gay and red
Mr president do you really love all of us
?
20:48
Mr. President, Sir
Of course! I consider you all very close to me
20:49
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
Then if you love me will you please buy me the next gen console
20:49
Mr. President, Sir
Absolutely not
20:49
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
:(
20:50
i dont have a lawyer
iida will you buy me a gaming console
20:52
Mr. President, Sir
Sure, which one do you want?
20:55
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
H. Hey what the fuck
What the FUCK
FAVORITISM?
CLASS PRESIDENT’S FAVORITE IS MR SILENT AND GRUMPY?
THIS IS INJUSTICE
20:56
gravity can’t hold me down
Mr president will you also buy me a gaming console
20:56
Mr. President, Sir
Of course. Pick one out
20:57
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
Am i the only one seeing this right now???
IS THIS ALLOWED?
20:58
Mr. President, Sir
Of course it is. Otherwise the class president wouldn’t allow it.
:-)
21:00
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit
1093r2349wtoigj;rklgkrtop092p923rejkfeljsdur34t5r
21:02
Beautiful Baking Man
[Image attached: Whatishappening.jpeg]
21:02
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
i think you broke him
21:02
Vine (not the app)
We can go back inside now
21:10
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
thank fuck
21:10
gravity can’t hold me down
Yay!
21:14
helpdeskdeku
Hey we’re back
What did i miss
??
Fire ???
21:29
Sir Kangaroo
Oh you know. The usual..
21:31
helpdeskdeku
I see…
21:33
Vine (not the app)
Did you get the stuff?
21:34
helpdeskdeku
HELL yeah i did
shouji-kun has the other bags
[Image attached: PHOTO_029292.JPEG]
21:36
Vine (not the app)
Did you get fudge brownie again?
And that’s NOT lactose free???
21:37
helpdeskdeku
HAHA I dont know what youre talking about
:^)
Anyway good night everyone!
21:44
Vine (not the app)
!!!!!!!
Where’s my ice cream
!???
21:45
gravity can’t hold me down
@helpdeskdeku NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
GET YOUR LACTOSE INTOLERATE BUTT DOWN HERE
21:49
Toxic Femininity
Intolerate
21:49
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
Intolerate
21:50
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
Intolerate
21:51
Sir Kangaroo
Intolerate
21:52
Beautiful Baking Man
Intolerate
21:54
gravity can’t hold me down
None of you will get any ice cream now if i have anything to say about it
21:57
Toxic Femininity
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (●︿●)
22:00
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
miss uravity pls release the forbidden frozen snacks B(
22:03
gravity can’t hold me down
Only if you say please :^)
Update: ice cream disaster averted, deku-kun is not going to recovery girl tonight, and the tasty goods are safe!
22:14
helpdeskdeku
:-/
22:18
gravity can’t hold me down
Im keeping you ALIVE and you better be grateful!!
22:19
(right behind you)
:D
22:20
gravity can’t hold me down
???????????
Im
WHAT???????????
HOW DID YOU DO THAT???
22:24
(right behind you)
>:D
22:24
helpdeskdeku
NO NOT AGAIN
22:26
Vine (not the app)
>:(
22:26
tape expert
Invisible Girl stealth strikes yet again.
[Image attached: Soldier_Dude_Saluting.png]
22:27
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
[Image attached: Soldier_Dude_Saluting.png]
22:27
Toxic Femininity
[Image attached: Soldier_Dude_Saluting.png]
22:29
Lord Captain Queen
So ice cream party isn’t happening tonight I guess
22:31
gay and red
Aw damn
[Image attached: This_is_so_sad_can_we_shit.jpeg]
22:35
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
[Image attached: Eff_you.png]
22:41
gay and red
:(
22:48
tape expert
Next time we can go pick an ice cream place instead of bringing it back to the dorms
22:50
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
i like the way you think
22:50
Sometime between the hours of two and three in the morning, the fire alarm goes off for the second night in a row. Unfortunately, Izuku happens to be sleeping (actually sleeping!) when the sirens and Iida’s frantic knocking tear him away from blessed unconsciousness. “Again?” Izuku whines through a yawn. Iida ushers him down the stairs.
“A few of our classmates were making a late night snack,” Iida explains. “The stove caught fire, although the details on that are hazy. The damage is minimal, but we are required to evacuate the building as part of the school’s emergency procedures. But -- I am told they salvaged the food, and there’s enough to share for the entire class!”
“Hooray for us.”
Izuku, although exhausted, is actually grateful for the interruption. His dreams were a little...weird. Weirder than his normal weird. His Weird Dreams usually include All Might’s voice coming out of food screaming “Young Midoriya, why are you eating meeeee!?!?” and then Midoriya wakes up in tears. He only had one dream like that, but the next morning he felt unexpectedly guilty and nervous -- like he did something wrong, but he didn’t know exactly what. He made sure All Might was safely in the teacher’s lounge before he ventured out for lunch. Even then he made sure to take slow, hesitant bites, just in case All Might unexpectedly turned into the bowl of katsudon.
The Extra Weird Dreams he was having before the fire alarm were not his standard Weird Dream. Even standing outside, arms crossed over his chest, he isn’t able to recall the exact details from his fuzzy consciousness. He knew it was an odd dream. Foreboding, if that word could encompass the weight of it. Out of the ordinary; enough to unsettle his stomach despite lack of recall. It must be the added stress from exhausting himself all week, and he only managed to catch up on sleep before it was cruelly interrupted.
His expression is more transparent than he realized, since his classmates pick up on his uneasiness. “Midoriya-chan sure looks grumpy this evening, ribbit.” Asui croaks beside him.
“I’m pretty sure it’s morning at this point.” Ojirou corrects. “But she’s right. Something bothering you, Midoriya-kun?”
Izuku doesn’t want to uncross his arms -- feeling oddly exposed after being woken so abruptly -- so he gestures to the smoke pouring out of the windows from the first floor with his chin. “Anybody else seeing the fire?”
“He kinda looks like Todoroki-kun with that big frown.” Ashido muses. “I’ve never seen you so serious, Midoriya-kun!”
Izuku will blame the sleep deprivation later, but he replies with a sour “Fuck off” and hunts down Iida so he can use him as a comfortable sleeping support until they’re allowed back in their rooms. He’s sure Iida won’t mind.
Ashido cackles with glee behind him. “It’s Grumpy-doriya! He’s almost as grumpy as Bakugou!” Bakugou hears his name, and although he missed the context, he yells at Ashido for bringing him up in any context of Deku.
“Midoriya-kun doesn’t look like he wants to be bothered right now.” Yaoyorozu interrupts. “He’s probably tired. I think we’re all a little tired, don’t you think?”
Izuku is too far away to hear the rest of their conversation by the time he reaches Iida. Sero and Iida, from context, appear to be discussing the potential reactions from their teachers once they learn of the incident. Izuku doesn’t care because he knows the punishment won’t be on his head this time. He gratefully slumps against Iida’s side and wraps his arms around Iida’s waist so he can use Iida’s back as a pillow. Iida makes a noise of surprise, but Izuku ignores him and closes his eyes.
Iida shakes him after the doors reopen, and half-carries him back to Izuku’s room. If he were more awake, maybe he wouldn’t cling so tightly to Iida’s arm. Maybe he wouldn’t smile, thankfully, tossing a sleepy grin in Iida’s direction after Iida bids him goodnight. Maybe he wouldn’t say, “Thanks, Iida,” with a softness in his voice he doesn’t even recognize as his own. Maybe he wouldn’t wake up with the memory of Iida’s warm arms around his own, and wonder at his own reflection.
YEAR 2 CLASS CHAT
(40 MEMBERS)
- TODAY -
Mr. President, Sir
@everyone Remember there is no training today!
Morning classes are cancelled per a security audit.
If you sleep in, remember to set an alarm!
08:32
Yknow, like, hands?
Thank you for the reminder @Mr. President, Sir !
08:35
Lord Captain Queen
@i dont have a lawyer
08:38
i dont have a lawyer
what
08:39
Lord Captain Queen
That message is especially for you.
08:39
Toxic Femininity
OoooOOOOOOoooohhhhhh
Called out!!
08:40
Mr. President, Sir
It is alright, we have plans to visit some shops today. I will wake him later
08:41
gay and steel
Haha
also , Ive gotta ask, what’s with that username?
08:41
Toxic Femininity
Which one?
08:42
gay and steel
@ i dont have a lawyer
08:43
Toxic Femininity
Ive got the lore for that since you asked so nicely
[Image attached: SCREENSHOT90123.jpeg]
08:44
gay and steel
Oh haha !
08:45
tape expert
@Quoth The Raven you too
8:45
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
@fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
08:46
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
@yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist WHAT???
08:49
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
nothing just felt like it
08:51
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
I was SLEEPING
08:52
FUSION!!!
[Image attached: Whuht.jpeg]
08:52
Toxic Femininity
Awwww what a cute straight couple :)) <3
08:55
It’s Mushroom Time!
(⊙︿⊙)
08:59
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
[Image attached: Die.png]
09:02
Toxic Femininity
(=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ
09:04
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
a cute couple of idiots, maybe
:) <3
09:04
tape expert
a self roast in order to take down another…
i honor your brave sacrifice sir
09:09
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
@tape expert @fuck school! fuck all the bullshit! hey check your phones
09:12
tape expert
Why
NOOOOOOOOO
09:13
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
AAHG9132r9u43wogihj;l23trfp03w8yerhjg3;wresljdh;k4hgrkjlkio43
HOW DID YOU FIND THAT
09:16
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
B))))))))
09:22
Lord Captain Queen
Im...Confused...As to what just happened here
09:37
Sir Kangaroo
sometimes, it is better not to know.
09:40
gay and steel
This class never fails to entertain Ill say
09:40
zoom.
Yea
class 2A knows how to have a good time
09:41
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
We sure do!
09:41
sparkle
[Image attached: LilOlMe.png]
09:42
everyone DNI [DND]
who @ me
09:49
gay and red
it was for everyone!
09:50
everyone DNI [DND]
Dont fucking do it again.
09:50
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
the elusive bakugou appears…
09:54
Sir Kangaroo
...and he’s gone
10:05
zoom.
Its like seeing a comet. Appears once every 250 years
10:06
Toxic Femininity
There are 4 rare species in this chat
- todoroki (very rare, but arrives when summoned)
- tokoyami (super rare, only posts after midnight)
- bakugou (extremely rare)
- kouda (ULTRA rare)
10:08
Sir Kangaroo
Yeah basically
10:08
Kouda time!!!
Hi im here! (•‿•)/
10:16
Toxic Femininity
There they are!!!
LOVE U
10:18
It’s Mushroom Time!
:D!
10:25
- NEW MESSAGES -
gravity can’t hold me down
Anybody tall here wanna help me and tsu move the equipment in the new gym into the work out room?
We cant reach the stuff on the top shelves
Extra credit points were promised by Midnight!!!!!!
12:39
helpdeskdeku
Omw!
12:44
gravity can’t hold me down
I said TALL people
12:44
helpdeskdeku
[Image attached: how_rude.jpeg]
12:45
Mr. President, Sir
She’s not wrong. You wouldn’t be able to reach those shelves either
12:49
helpdeskdeku
I cant believe I have no friends here
12:53
Lord Captain Queen
Todoroki-kun & I are coming down!
Iida-kun said he is coming as well!
12:59
gravity can’t hold me down
Finally
some tall people
13:05
helpdeskdeku
ಠ╭╮ಠ
13:05
[ONLY A MATTER OF TIME]
What is this? Tension in class 2A? Perhaps the rift has opened...at last...Class 2B will rise!
13:08
Yknow, like, hands?
Dude.
13:11
sleep mode activated
Why are there so many messages
13:15
gay and steel
Its ROWDY hours!!
13:15
gay and red
Its ALWAYS rowdy hours !!!!
13:16
gay and steel
ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ
13:18
gay and red
ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ
13:18
It’s Mushroom Time!
Wholesome..
13:23
Choosing a partner in class is one of the most daunting and recurring issues for every class, as the class activities range from building towers out of popsicle sticks to emulate large collapsing structures (in which case the best partner is Sero) to activities that are far more life threatening. For example: taking on one of their teachers two-on-one.
“We’re doing what.” Izuku says, since he zoned out during the first part of the instructions and relied on Iida to recite them back to him once they broke to find partners. Zoning out during class is one of the most recent and problematic symptoms of his situation. The current Bad Sleep Situation includes: staying up late some nights, trying and failing to actually sleep, and then passing out in the middle of the day. He can’t chase away the feeling of unease he wakes with, even if he finds a way to squeeze in some time for Actual Sleep. Maybe his anxiety medication isn’t working anymore, which is just what he needs right now. His mood, too, is suffering from the combination of those factors; leaving him irritable and snappish, even with Iida and Uraraka.
In short: not like himself.
“It’s preparation for midterms.” Iida repeats, one brow quirked. He raises his voice. “I’ll be partnering with Todoroki-kun --” There is an outcry from the other students, and at least one complaint ‘Unfair!’ among the gathering. “-- so you’ll need to find yourself a partner to participate.”
“I’ve got Deku-kun!” Uraraka wraps an arm around his shoulder, jostling his neck at an angle that his spine does not appreciate. “Not that I’m complaining, Iida-kun, but I guess it is pretty obvious you would choose Todoroki-kun.”
“Obvious?” Iida demands, only for his question to go unanswered. Uraraka pulls Izuku away to strategize in the corner of the room. He appreciates the distance from the amount of noise they generate, even as they try to whisper among themselves and plan without sharing their plans with their opponent. In their case, Aizawa.
“You okay?” Uraraka asks, once the other students are out of earshot. Her voice is softer, concerned. “I know you’ve been having trouble sleeping. Have you tried talking to someone about it?” He knows she’s asking, beneath the other concerns, will you be able to pull it together for this?
Izuku shrugs. He’s not sure himself, but he’s got to try. When he’s a hero -- although it seems farther away than it is -- he knows there will be times he will need to give it his all even when he doesn’t feel like he can. “It’ll pass.”
“Can you promise me you’ll talk to someone if it doesn’t, though?” Uraraka takes his hand and folds it into a fist. “If I’m going to compete with you at the Sports Festival, I want to face you at your best!”
Izuku does smile, finally, and breaks his thoughts away from his exhaustion. Go beyond, he reminds himself. “I will. Now, let’s win this!”
“There he is!” Izuku yelps at the surprisingly strong hug Uraraka lifts him with. “You’ve been so quiet. I was so worried about you!”
“I’m okay!” He wiggles to get free of her grip, but Uraraka squeezes him tighter. “Uraraka-san, please put me down. We still need to plan!”
“I’m sure you already have one in mind.” Uraraka releases him. Her smile is sharper -- the competitive, challenging smile that comes out when she’s focused. “I have a few ideas too, but if we work together we can win together!”
They lose. It’s not a clean loss, either. It’s brutal, efficient, and embarassing. Not a single group passes the exercise. Nobody could get close enough to Aizawa to land a solid attack. Which was all part of the lesson of the day, according to Aizawa.
“Sometimes,” Aizawa begins, and stops. It’s hard to read his expression with most of his face covered by the mask and capture weapon around his neck but Izuku senses he’s not displeased, but he’s not happy either. He’s not unsurprised at their failure. “Sometimes…”
Izuku twists his hands, stretching the soreness from his locked fingers. Aizawa regains his train of thought. “Sometimes you will lose.” Aizaway says, and he says it with a solemn certainty that comes with hard-earned experience. “And it will likely have nothing to do with you, or your abilities, or your lack of abilities. Sometimes...you will lose and it won’t have anything to do with you at all. Heroes don’t win every fight. That is the reality you all must come to terms with.”
“How cheerful.” Shiozaki mumbles, quiet enough that only Izuku and the other students catch it.
Aizawa looks at them, sore and dirty and weary, and sighs. “I hope the takeaway from today is that you all still have a long way to go. You’re not heroes yet.”
“That sucked.” Izuku summarizes, after Aizawa lets them break to change out of their ruined uniforms and stretch out their bruised and sore limbs.
“Agreed.” Iida sighs. “My legs are still frozen.” Izuku supposes he should be grateful Todoroki wasn’t his partner for the activity -- Todoroki accidentally trapped Iida in a wave of ice meant for Aizawa, but the delay between Iida activating his quirk and Aizawa cancelling it out let to an unpredictable and unfortunate turn of events. Iida didn’t even take the worst of it, since Aizawa used Iida as a boomerang and threw him, full bodied, into Todoroki. Todoroki went down quickly after that.
Uraraka folds herself in half at the waist and stretches for her toes. While upside down, she directs her question to Iida. “I assume that wasn’t part of your plan?”
Iida straightens. “Of course it wasn’t!”
Uraraka snaps back up. “I’m teasing, Iida-kun. You two made an adorable team, despite losing so badly!” Iida makes a strangled choking noise in response to her declaration. Uraraka doesn’t seem to notice (or care) how flustered Iida’s face is, and she continues, “Todoroki-kun is cute, I suppose. But I think everyone else is getting jealous that both of the class pretty boys are spending so much time together.” She meets Izuku’s gaze and grins, like Izuku is in The Know on a secret that Izuku doesn’t actually know.
Iida and Uraraka are looking at him like they’re expecting him to say something, and he clearly missed some of the unspoken exchange between them while he fixed his shoes. Izuku tentatively adds, “I think everyone was used to Todoroki-kun spending a lot of time to himself. But now you invite him out all the time. You pick him for a partner most times in class, too.”
“You do!” Uraraka nods. “You used to team up with Deku-kun and I, but this semester the only partner you’ve had is Todoroki-kun.” She giggles. “I don’t think he’s noticed yet, but it’s hard to tell with him.”
Iida, bizarrely, sighs at her explanation. “Do I really show my favoritism that much?”
“Yes!” Izuku and Uraraka chime together. Uraraka’s response is far more exasperated than Izuku’s.
Iida grumbles something too low for Izuku to catch, but whatever it is sends Uraraka into a fit of giggles. She tucks her arms into her stomach and shakes, clutching her sides like she’s ready to split apart. Izuku watches the corners of her mouth and realizes the left side of her mouth doesn’t lift as high as the other. He doesn’t notice she’s floating a foot off the ground until Iida says, “Uraraka-kun, you’re going to float off into space.”
Uraraka releases herself, still giggling. Izuku turns to Iida with a question on his lips, but he forgets it before he finds the words to ask it. Iida is watching him, carefully, and he assesses Izuku with a fast once-over before his eyes return to Uraraka. Izuku wonders if Iida was watching him zone out while staring like a lovestruck fool at Uraraka’s smile.
He knows he should hide his feelings better, but it’s hard to remind himself of that when he sees her smile like that. It brings back the warmth he misses, pushes all the other distractions away for a moment. Lets him breathe and think like himself again. He’s always been the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve, anyway. No use trying to pretend otherwise.
Once Uraraka is calm enough to form sentences again, she picks herself up and gestures back to the building. “We should head back. I could use a shower.” Uraraka wrinkles her nose. “So could you two.”
Iida opens his mouth, thinks for a moment, and agrees. “You’re right. I will see you both at dinner.” Most people would leave that as a question, but Iida says it like See you both at dinner has a definitive quality.
Izuku parts ways with the two of them at the locker rooms. He heads up to his own room and showers in the private bathroom on his floor. After dinner, Iida returns to his room to finish reading a novel his brother gave him. Retreating to his room for a nap lasts as long as Izuku’s attention span allows -- which is only about an hour. He leaves and seeks company; not just any company. He needs a specific kind of company for tonight if he’s going to pull himself together.
On days like this, he is grateful he went to Kirishima when the offer was presented. Grateful there’s someone else who understands, that he has a chance where he can let the wall drop. A stolen moment in time to relax, to stop worrying about whether or not his voice is cracking more than usual. Where he doesn’t have to hold up the wall between himself and everyone else. The invisible, intangible barrier between himself and the rest of the class. A wall only visible to himself, but real nonetheless. A wall that Kirishima, too, recognizes. A wall that does not exist between them.
“Hey man, you feeling okay?” Kirishima asks, the moment Izuku walks into the common area.
Izuku replies by faceplanting headfirst over the side of the couch. “Hnnnhg,” Izuku complains into the cushion. “Not good.”
Kirishima leans over and pats his shoulder. “What kind of not good?”
Izuku turns his head so he can look at Kirishima and give him a meaningful look. “It’s been…” What words are there to explain just how unraveled he feels? Are there words? If there are, he doesn’t know them yet. “...a day.” Izuku finishes.
Kirishima nods sympathetically. He has an ugly bruise on his chin from where Bakugou’s attack failed to make contact with it’s intended target and Kirishima failed to dodge in time. Kirishima doesn’t seem to notice it. His quirk likely took the brunt of the force. “You wanna watch something? Whenever I’m feeling down, I put on a cooking show. Chills me right out. But then I get really hungry, so maybe you don’t want to watch that...”
“I’d rather play a video game,” Izuku mumbles.
A laugh from Kirishima encourages him to lift his head. “So you can kick my ass at every level of Dart Kart? If you’re looking to game, I’ll get Mina.” At Izuku’s look of discomfort, he lowers his voice. “Mina’s good about this kinda stuff, I swear. She used to do my hair for me sometimes, or teach me origami.”
Izuku isn’t very good at origami. Ashido shows him the crane, boat, and the lotus flower before she gives up and calls him a lost cause. Neither of them are up for video games, so he sits between Ashido and Kirishima and lets their voices wash over him in a trance-like manner. He is grateful for the distraction, however small, and Ashido gives him a tight hug before she heads to bed.
“You heading up?” Kirishima asks. Izuku shakes his head, and hopes his smile doesn’t look as forced as it feels. Kirishima pats his shoulder and heads to bed once quiet hours are announced.
Aoyama joins him on the couch after midnight. “Good evening, my friend. May I ask why you look so troubled?”
Izuku forces a smile, but it’s not as forced as the one he gave before. “I don’t even really know.” Aoyama remains until it is clear he cannot keep his eyes open, and returns to his room. He pats Izuku’s shoulder, a little awkwardly, before he leaves. Izuku slips into his own room after one and stares at the empty wall by his bed where he used to hang an enormous All Might poster. He doesn’t know if he manages sleep, but he must because he wakes up with the sense of disorientation that comes with passing out unexpectedly. And he’s still exhausted.
Alright, Izuku thinks. This is ridiculous. He opens his notebook -- the one beside his bed, all filled with personal thoughts spanning the last few weeks. He thumbs through the list of self care tips he’s compiled to combat the ups and downs that comes with having a brain that decides to give up performing its job whenever it doesn’t feel like it.
Ice cream. Check. Movie marathon. Check. Work out until exhaustion forces body to rest. Check, double checked, circled, highlighted, underlined. Talk to someone. Unchecked.
He circles option three again. Time to mix up his routine. He takes Iida’s advice from breakfast: “How do you deal with stress?” Izuku asked.
“It depends on the issue, but most times I take a run.” Iida replied, with the same seriousness he replied with every problem. “I run until I forget about whatever it is that’s bothering me.” He smiled, exposing his teeth a little at the top, and Izuku excused himself to use the bathroom after their meal. He pressed his hand to his warm cheek and masked it with a faceful of ice cold water from the tap. Uraraka didn’t even come up in conversation, how could it be his cheeks were burning so fiercely?
Even that memory makes his face flush. Iida didn’t do anything wrong, so why did it make him so embarrassed?
A run it is, Izuku decides.
He needs a break from the campus. There’s too many overwhelming familiar sensory details that he needs to escape from. Convincing Aizawa to let him leave campus, however, is one of the many hurdles in the way of accomplishing that desire. Aizawa doesn’t seem to care that Izuku wants to take the scenic route, and rejects his request on the principle that he can’t leave campus alone.
Izuku isn’t deterred by that response either. “Pleeeease, Aizawa-sensei, just for an hour?” Aizawa’s wordless unimpressed irritation indicates Izuku isn’t getting his way no matter how many times he asks. “I’ll stick close to campus, and I’ll have my phone with me. I just need -- I just need a chance to clear my head.”
“And you are welcome to clear your head,” Aizawa replies. “As long as it’s inside the campus grounds.”
“Aizawa-sensei --”
“Kid,” Aizawa leans into his left hand and looks up from the paper he’s reading. Homework, Izuku guesses, as the page is covered in red marks and corrections from top to bottom. “The answer’s no. Go get some rest, you’ve got training tomorrow.”
“I --”
Izuku startles at the second voice that interrupts behind him. “Aizawa-sensei,” Iida clears his throat before continuing. “I am sorry for eavesdropping, I was looking to speak with you. But if I may offer a solution?”
Aizawa raises his brow. “And?”
“I will accompany him, to ensure he returns on time. As promised.” Iida offers. “You know I take the campus ‘buddy system’ rule very seriously.” Izuku shoots him a quick smile in thanks, although part of him simmers with barely controlled frustration. He needs some time alone. No conversation with anyone for a while. Not even with Iida.
Izuku turns back to Aizawa. Their teacher is a well-composed, neutral figure most of the time. Aizawa’s trust in Iida is clearly stronger than his trust in Izuku, because Aizawa relents. “Fine. One hour. If you’re even a minute late, you’re both getting detention.” He lifts his head and looks at Iida. “Don’t let him do any wandering off.”
Iida bows, and after a disapproving poke from Iida in his side, Izuku bows too. “Thank you, sensei.”
“Don’t make me regret it.” Aizawa grumbles, returning to his stack of papers.
Iida follows him back the dorms to change and helps him hunt down a pair of working earbuds. They leave the campus together, shoulder to shoulder for the length of time it takes to reach the first row of open streets into the city. He doesn’t know how Iida replies to his request for space because he doesn’t give Iida time to respond. If Iida follows him, he’s either very stealthy about it or he’s too far behind. Or he took Izuku’s request seriously and respected his need to be alone. Izuku thinks the last is the most likely, because Iida’s never denied him a request like that before. Iida is a good friend like that. Izuku feels a little bad ditching him at the corner, but --
He needs to stop thinking about Iida. He needs to stop thinking altogether.
Izuku turns the corner, pushing through the burn in his lungs and his legs and imagines how Iida feels on runs like these. His quirk is suited for running, but Izuku rarely sees him truly winded. Does Iida run until the fire chasing him catches up, or does he outrun that too? Of course, Iida has the genetic advantage of longer legs, a quirk suited for speed, and -- no, think about something else.
Uraraka isn’t a runner like Iida, but she’s proving to be a fast and ever improving competitor for -- no, no. Is it so hard to clear his head? Can he truly not even find peace in his own --
Izuku’s shoulder hits something hard, and the next moment he’s suspended in the air after catching on something solid. His legs fly out from underneath him because the speed of his jog counteracts the speed at which it stops. Then he falls.
He doesn’t fall alone, which is a small consolation. The other body hits the ground at the same time, and pops up with a groan a second after Izuku raises his head.
“Hey, watch where you’re --!” the other guy starts, and stops. He sighs, shakes his head and the hair out of his eyes, and Izuku thinks, oh, wow. He’s gorgeous. Dark hair, stopping right at his neck. Bangs that fall right above his eyes. Soft dark eyes. And Izuku is looking at him through his own big eyes like a damn idiot while he completely misses whatever comes out of his mouth next.
“Hey,” Izuku says instead, softly, catching his breath and what the fuck what is wrong with him he must’ve hit his head because he’s going absolutely --
“Hey yourself,” the other guy repeats, quirking his lips like Izuku said something funny. Izuku looks at him blankly while his mind performs a series of very complicated maneuvers as he tries to logically fanangle his own brain out of this situation. The boy -- he has to be a boy, no older than Izuku -- offers his hand and untangles their legs. “Sorry about hitting you. I’m not sure if you heard me, but -- are you okay? You look a little dazed.”
Izuku takes his hand. It’s warm and his hands are smooth and uncalloused, unlike Izuku’s rough ones. “O-oh. Um. Yeah. I’m good.” His last statement comes out like more a question.
“Okay, well.” The other guy pauses, and shakes his head. “I’ve -- I’ve gotta head home, but you have a good night. Try not to run into anybody else.”
“Yeah. I’ll do that.” It occurs to him a moment later how that sounds, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. The other boy laughs, splitting his face with a bright grin. Izuku’s entire face burns like he’s leaning over an open fire. “I mean -- I mean, I won’t run into anyone else!” If he’s lucky, he’ll be hit by a car instead and be put out of his misery.
“Stay safe, man.” Izuku swallows his reply to keep himself from embarrassing himself further and heads back to the street he abandoned Iida. Iida is waiting for him at the corner, frowning, but he doesn’t say anything until they are back on campus.
“You can’t run off like that.” Iida tells him. He stops Izuku with his arm before he can walk inside his room. Izuku has a moment of wow, he’s got a really nice arm, before he remembers where he is and forces that thought deep down into a corner of his mind that will never be explored.
Izuku doesn’t have an answer for him. Or an apology. He needs to think, by himself, and wait out whatever it is he’s going through. Iida isn’t expecting a response either, it seems. He leaves Izuku at his door and heads for the stairwell.
“Thank you, Iida.” Izuku says, and Iida must hear it because he turns back when he reaches the door and smiles. It’s not a happy smile, but it’s a smile of understanding.
2A CLASS GROUP CHAT
(20 MEMBERS)
-TODAY -
Toxic Femininity
Sports festival date was changed again
\ᇂ_ᇂ\
14:58
gay and red
AGAIN?
fuck. man
15:01
Toxic Femininity
Is there even going to be a sports festival this year
Like at this point
???
15:06
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
i think we should elect our own sports festival winner this is a democratic event now
15:09
sparkle
A shame..
15:10
Toxic Femininity
we shall elect based on a scale of 1-10 Class pretty girl/boy contest
15:11
Lord Captain Queen
Haha, no.
15:11
Toxic Femininity
(￣□￣)
15:12
gravity can’t hold me down
So who wins that?
15:13
tape expert
The president and vice president
15:13
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
ill second that movement
15:13
(right behind you)
Thirded!!
15:13
Lord Captain Queen
I thought perhaps you might say todoroki-kun, but interesting
15:16
tape expert
I mean i GUESS..
Sorry todoroki :-/
But our class president?? Get it
15:20
i dont have a lawyer
you’re right and you should say it
15:20
Toxic Femininity
LOL
That was IMMEDIATE
15:21
Toxic Femininity changed Mr. President, Sir’s nickname to Class Pretty Boy Confirmed
i dont have a lawyer
correct
15:22
Beautiful Baking Man
Got stuff in the oven right now!
Done in about 15
15:46
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
fuck yes mr sugarman will you marry me and be my trophy chef husband
15:47
Beautiful Baking Man
What do i get from this marriage
15:47
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
is my presence not enough for you?
B-/
15:48
Beautiful Baking Man
Fair enough!
14:49
frog
Has anyone heard from midoriya-chan today
?
15:50
Vine (not the app)
I saw him with All Might at lunch
15:51
frog
Me too but he hasn’t come back to the dorms
15:51
sparkle
I will check his room!
No sign of him, sadly
15:55
(right behind you)
He’s been kinda quiet this week. Hope hes doing okay
15:57
gravity can’t hold me down
I havent found him yet but I know hes on campus!
15:58
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
Checked the library?
15:58
gravity can’t hold me down
Yes..
No sign of him :(
15:59
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
Damn there goes my guess
16:00
Lord Captain Queen
I texted Iida-kun and he said not to worry! Midoriya-kun is napping
16:02
gay and red
thats good!
16:06
Class Pretty Boy Confirmed
Yes, he’s taking a well deserved nap.
Todoroki-kun and I carried him up to my room because we found him sleeping by the gym. He is in good hands
16:07
gravity can’t hold me down
Thanks !
<3
16:09
Class Pretty Boy Confirmed
Who did this to my username
16:17
fuck school! fuck all the bullshit!
LMAO, that is too funny
It’s right tho
16:18
yes i’m a lesbian, yes i’m goth. we exist
yeah we know ur gay shut up
16:22
Class Pretty Boy Confirmed
Change it
16:23
Toxic Femininity changed Class Pretty Boy Confirmed’s nickname to Mr. Pretty Boy, Sir
Mr. Pretty Boy, Sir
Ah.
16:28
Mr. Pretty Boy, Sir changed Toxic Femininity’s nickname to A Nuisance
A Nuisance
RUDE
16:29
Mr. Pretty Boy, Sir
:-)
16:30
i dont have a lawyer
he laughed really hard when he changed it
thought you should know
16:31
A Nuisance
Honestly what would we be without todoroki exposing class prez behind the scenes
16:34
If only Iida weren’t so tall. If only Iida hadn’t hit his second growth spurt and added even more completely unnecessary inches to his figure. There’s enough of a difference that his pants land at an odd height above his ankles.
It’s not like he doesn’t have nice ankles or anything. Or that Izuku particularly cares about Iida’s ankles. But they look a little cold, all exposed and...fuck, he’s back to the pants. The pants that, maybe, Izuku’s been fixated on since third period. So maybe he’s a little gay now. That’s fine! He’s coasting through this like a pro. He spent a weekend doing calming breathing exercises in his room and meditating as he came to terms with this new identity shift.
Iida wouldn’t let him mope all by himself, so he forced Izuku to spend some of his meditation in Iida’s room. Which didn’t really help Izuku’s Yeah, So I’m Kinda Gay Now I Guess situation because Iida, is, well...
“Are you mad at Iida?” Todoroki asks near his elbow, and Izuku startles so badly he spills his juice all over his food. “You’re staring at him...a lot.”
“Nope!” Izuku flounders for a second and focuses on not saying the words ‘Iida is kinda handsome, don’t you think? I mean, if I were into guys, which I’m not saying I am, but he’s pretty attractive and broad and he has nice legs and his arms are so nice and I want him to hug me with them and whatthefuckamIdoing’ before landing on an even worse response that his brain didn’t even consider: “His pants have been driving me crazy all day.”
Todoroki’s expression doesn’t change, but his eyebrow twitches -- the way it does when he’s surprised. Or maybe that’s his concerned eyebrow twitch because Izuku is clearly losing his fucking mind and overthinking every possible angle, corner, degree, and perspective on this situation.
“I...see.” Todoroki says, in a way that says he Does Not See, At All. Izuku puts his head in his hands and hopes some random villain falls out of the sky lands in the middle of the cafeteria so he can escape this horrid conversation. Better yet, if the League of Villains all showed up right this second to annihilate him.
“Yep. Well.” Izuku stands and almost upends his tray onto Todoroki’s lap, which only adds to his pile of embarrassment. “So. He just needs new pants. They’re too short.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” Todoroki comments. His expression is, as usual, unreadable at best and that neutrality is only betrayed by another eyebrow twitch. Izuku thinks Todoroki might be amused, if he were to make assumptions. “I guess it’s unfortunate he has to order new uniforms in the middle of the year.”
“Yeah. Very, uh, unfortunate.” He needs to leave. Immediately. Maybe a nap will reset his brain, although that would require actually tricking his mind into shutting off and letting him sleep. “I’m gonna, well, uh, study. For that, um, big secret test. The secret one nobody else knows about. Bye!”
Todoroki does not appear convinced by Izuku’s frantic scrambling, but he goes back to his lunch like nothing happened. Izuku desperately envies his unruffled exterior. He’s sure if Todoroki were in his situation, Todoroki wouldn’t be making a complete fool of himself. Todoroki is well-tempered. Todoroki doesn’t lose his cool. Todoroki wouldn’t act like an absolute --
“Midoriya-kun!” Izuku walks a little faster. If Iida opens a conversation with him right now, Izuku has no control over what will come pouring out of his stupid mouth. He’s got to deal with this and get over it. Iida calls his name again, but Izuku loses him in the crowd of students spilling out of the lunch hall.
He hopes Iida doesn’t chase him all the way back to his room, and he is both relieved and disappointed when Iida’s figure doesn’t appear again. Maybe he’s distanced himself too much from his friends. Maybe he’s making the wrong choice. Maybe it’s the cowardly decision to make.
He’s handled his own problems before. He can do it again. Stepping into his room, he drops his bag at his desk and lands on his bed, wrapping his arms around his pillow and frowning at the water stains by his window. It’s better to keep it to himself. Like All Might, he’s going to stand as a lone figure against the tides of the world. He needs to be strong enough to bear the weight of an entire future on his shoulders without the support of anyone else. He’s got to, he was chosen to become part of that future.
The thought is meant to comfort himself, but Izuku thinks: what a lonely thought that is to have.
