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Yagi bolted awake from his dreams, the nightmare of All for One still lingering in the forefront of his mind. He cannot escape his grasp, even while he is locked away. His breathing is erratic; ‘remember the room around him’ he thinks, and not the horror of his dreams; the bed is a pool of his own sickly sweat, he needs a shower, The silver bowl that’s not so silver anymore, his red phone that lays on the nightstand, the pain from his wound skyrockets as he tries to take a deep breath. His ventilator, where did his ventilator go? He reaches out blindly, for his mechanical ventilator, as it had gotten tangled and removed in his sleep. With shaking hands he manages to find it lying next to the silver bowl. He grasps it and places the much-needed oxygen on his face. He gasps in the fresh air and the pain in his chest is much more tolerable. Was he holding his breath? He wonders. He drags a hand up to his ribcage and then down to the wound that began the end of his Hero career, feeling every ridge crack and indentation caused by All for One. He is unsure what he feels about it, on one hand, he had saved many people, But for every person he saved, what about the others? What was he doing laying around he needed to get to work, he needed to save people he needed to be a hero!-But the room began to fade back to the fateful battle, to which he came out on top, he can smell the destruction and burning people he failed to save. The blood smell in his nose won’t ever leave. The fear of death, destruction of the world they know it, that damn smile, the bodies. He hates it. HE HATES IT HE HATES IT- He cuts off that train of thought before it gets worse by moving to get his sweaty hair out of his eyes. He should really take a shower and get on with his miserable day he thinks. But then came his least favorite part; Getting up and out of bed. There is so much pain when he sits up, the agony of disturbing the wound after letting it rest in the same position for hours.
Honestly, he’s surprised he even bothers. Who would miss this bag of bones? Who would miss this washed up retired hero on death's door? Izuku’s face flashes in his head just before the rest of 1-A. He sighs softly; he would keep going for his protégé, for the next in line of One for All. The Fate of the Quirk he no longer had. It was beyond him now, he was no longer needed. The world was in the hands of Izuku and other aspiring heroes. He would see until Izuku Class 1-A became heroes, and he would be so proud of them. Then he would fade away like yesterday’s news like he so desires. A hero of the past, honestly that thought doesn’t bother him as much as it should. He’s so freaking tired. He wants nothing more than to lay here until sleep comes for him once again. At least then people would stop asking so many questions on the way to work- ah work. That was another reason he had to get up in the morning. Was he late? He reaches for his red phone and checks the time. He wasn’t, he had about 10 minutes until his alarm. Should he call in sick? No Nezu would have his hide. Oh well. Best get going. At least Nezu was nice enough to let him live on campus to be closer to Recovery-Girl, he doesn’t deserve her, and to prevent him from being late to teaching. Sometimes Nezu can be sweet, and sometimes his dreams portray him being an uncle. Though he would never admit he craves a normal family.
Yagi sits up and feels sick to his nonexistent stomach. Uh-oh. He pulls off the ventilator and spews blood into the bowl next to him, before sliding out of bed and pulling the covers off. He needs to do laundry when he gets off of work today. He makes a mental reminder. He leaves the sweaty blankets on the ground, before stumbling to the bathroom to take his daily medication. As he stares at all the pills a thought enters his mind; he should take up all the pills and eat them as fast as possible it would hurt but would it hurt more than the pain he’s already in-he drops that thought and thinks of his heir, Izuku. The boy would be sad to see him go. But would he really miss him? Or would he miss what he used to be? Yagi decided to let that thought go unanswered and take the normal amount of medication. Today is not the day he decides, maybe tomorrow? After stripping down to his birthday suit he climbs into a warm shower and lets the water wash over him, cleaning him of the sweat from the routine nightmare. With only the sound of the water to keep him company, his thoughts go into overdrive and he chokes out a sob. Why does it hurt so much? Blood drips down his chin and he spits it out into the drain, it’s now a mixture of his blood, sweat, and tears. Perhaps he should call in? What kind of hero, cries at a dream? P A T H E T I C. he winces, it’s been a while since the voices have come back, guess that means it’s time to get out. After washing his hair clean he turns off the shower and steps out, getting his robe on to cover his old wound and heads to get a pair of fresh clothing from his dresser. Once changed he winces with every step, to the kitchen to drink his nutrients needed to keep him going.
His kitchen is clean; he doesn’t need to use the pots and pans, after all, he bets those cabinets are dusty. His fridge has photos of his coworkers; Eraser Head with Nezu, Present Mic, Cementoss, Midnight, Snipe Ectoplasm, Power Loader, and Vlad King, a group photo of 1-A, Gran Torino and Naomasa, He looks at their photos and thinks If I won’t live for myself, I’ll live for everyone else. He opens his fridge and looks at all the nutrient packs that he has. He can’t let them go to waste right? So he takes one pack out and sits down at his table and sips slowly. He eyes over his keys and work case, thinking about the paperwork and meetings he has to go do and frowns. It is getting hard to focus on writing and filling paperwork these days, but he needs to do something, being inactive makes his skin crawl, it makes the shadows dance of his failures. He notices that he finished the whole container, which is surprising since blood usually interrupts his morning meal. He stumbles to the fridge and packs his meal for lunch in his work case. He heads back into this bedroom, stepping over the pile of blankets on the floor. He turns on his phone, and it proceeds to show all the group messages from the teachers. He softly smiles. Everyone is so nice, he’s glad to be a part of the group. Oh? Young Izuku added him to a group chat, suppose he should check what it is. The chat is called “Class 1(a)ll Gay” Uh... He isn’t into men? it’s not like he’s dated anyone anyway. Perhaps it was a mistake on Izuku’s part?
Class 1(a)ll Gay
I-AM-HERE, bone-hurt-juice, Explodokills, Sanic, and 7 others are online.
I-AM-HERE: HELLO CLASS 1-A, ARE YOU READY FOR A DAY OF LEARNING?
Froppy: Since when was All-Might added to the group chat? Good morning All-Might-Sensei!
I-AM-HERE: GOOD MORNING TSUYU.
Bone-hurt-juice: oh oops! Sorry All-Might-Sensei I must have added you on accident! Sorry about that!
Explodokills: Of course you did Deku.
Sanic: of Course we are ready for a day of learning! As I am already in the class room!
IcyHot: Class doesn’t start for another 45 minutes?
Bone-hurt-juice: it was an accident Kaachan!
I-AM-HERE: NO WORRIES YOUNG IZUKU! I SHALL SEE ALL OF YOU LATER!
Ah! There was the "leave" button! A Message pops up “I-AM HERE has left Class 1(A)ll Gay”. Whew, He finally figured out part of this group chat app without asking for help! He puffs his chest, he is somehow proud of himself and he basks in the sudden emotion swing that’s for once positive. He pops over to the teacher group chat to check to see what they are discussing;
Grumpy-Hobo, Cryptid, Nurse-chan, Loud-Bird, Knockout, I-AM-HERE and 1 other are online.
Grumpy-Hobo: why are we betting which students like who?
Loud-Bird: whattttT?? Come onnnnn Shota!!!! Its funnnn!
Knockout: ITS gotta be Izuku and Shoto!
Oohhh Woah Woah, he doesn’t need to know what Izuku doesn’t want to tell him.
Knockout: Good morning @I-AM-HERE give us the scoooop!!!!
Loud-Bird: HEEEEEEEEEEEEEY
I-AM-HERE: GOOD MORNING TEACHERS! ARE WE READY FOR A PRODUCTIVE DAY?
Grumpy-Hobo: Damn how are you so energetic in the morning?
He flinches at that remark; he’s very good at faking till he makes it. He absently touches his old wound and it sends a spike of pain down his side, causing him to drop his phone. When he looks back up at it he reads the updated chat.
I-AM-HERE: SERGFNQJOLFBN
Loud-Bird: Did All-Might just face smash his keyboard?
Knockout: LOL
His face goes bright red in embarrassment, he knows they are just jesting, they don’t mean to pull at his insecurities. Technology has never been his strong suit, he’s never had the time to really sit down and figure out all the new things they are coming out with.
I-AM-HERE: I SHALL SEE ALL OF YOU LATER! HAVE A SAFE TRIP.
He closes the app before he can read any of the replies. He doesn’t need any more failure on his mind; he pockets his red phone and heads to the front door. He slips on his warm coat grabs his suitcase and checks the time. Yagi is going to be a few minutes early, but he doesn’t mind. Slipping on his shoes He grabs his keys turns off the lights and heads out, ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest. If it doesn’t get better, he decides; he will go home early and rest, he doesn’t want to bother Recovery-girl any more than he already had to. He will be fine on his own. He doesn’t need anyone. Smile to let them know that you are here. He puts up the fakest happiest smile that he can as he exits the small teacher dorms and heads to the main campus. The pain increases on his way over, causing him to have to pause every so often and wait for it to die down. Was it swelling? That makes him only 5 minutes late to work. He can hear the voices in his head screaming at him.
“You are a failure of a mentor how dare you take breaks when there are children to teach?”
He thinks that as he logs into his computer for the day. He has to keep busy, he must keep working. He notices that Shota and Hizashi left papers for him. The pain in his side is a major distraction. He feels dizzy, he can feel the sweating run down his sides and over his old wound. He can no longer hear the sounds of the computers in the desk room. All he can hear is his rapid heartbeat and the smell of his blood in the air. The room was getting dark, the sky was red with flames, all he could hear was the sound of the flames rising higher and higher as he stood in front of All for ONE. His smile, that DAMN SMILE-
“GOOOOOOOD MORNING TEAchers!! Shota!! That’s mean!!” Hizashi exclaimed cutting Yagi out of the nightmare that was creeping into his vision. He twists his head to the left and spits up chunky red blood into the bag lined trashcan.
“Well when you stop using your quirk to scream at us ill stop being ‘mean’” Shota replied, he sounded like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
“Sorry for scaring you All-Might.” Hizashi squirms as he apologizes clearly not wanting to give the later hero uncomfort.
“It’s okay Present Mic. You only startled me!” Yagi exclaims.
He’s grateful glad for Hizashi’s interruption however his chest hurt now more than ever. Apparently, it’s time for Heroics already. Getting out of his head he stands to prepare himself for a long day with the new heroes of tomorrow. But the pain hasn’t left hopefully a good walk will get the cobwebs out of his joints and loosen the pain in his chest and it feels a bit puffy, but he's all healed up from that fight many years ago. So he pushes his worries to the side.
After all, He’s surrounded by heroes, what’s the worst thing that could happen?