Chapter Text
Aizawa grips his arm, his fingernails digging in, like he could rip out his dysfunctional nerves and stop the lightning bolts of pain dancing along them.
The pain radiated from his elbow, always his damned elbow, traveling down to the very tips of his fingers. It was punishing, unrelenting, and made his whole body tense with the effort of staying on his feet.
Panting silently, he tries to stay quiet in the empty classroom, his head hung low over his sweat covered face. It had been awhile since he had such an intense flare up, at school no less. Thankfully it was lunch time, so he'd have some time to compose himself undisturbed. He didn't think he'd be able to hide it during homeroom otherwise.
Again, another pang of pain makes him choke back gasp. Tilting his head back, he rests his head against the wall, closing his eyes and trying to steady his breathing.
“Aizawa-sensei? Are you ok?"
Aizawa snaps his eyes open, whipping his gaze to the doorway. There stood Asui, a concerned look on her face. He releases his iron grip on his arm instantly; the dull ache of it making it feel heavy.
“Tsuyu.” Aizawa grunts, his voice coming out rougher than he intended. He pushes off from where he was leaning against the wall. “Did you need something?”
“I needed to get something from my desk,” She points across the room, but her gaze stays on Aizawa. “You look pale, Sensei. Are you in pain? Would you like me to call Recovery Girl?"
At most times, Aizawa appreciated Tsuyu’s straight-to-the-point way of speaking. She didn't pull punches and she spoke her mind; She was a lot like him in that regard.
But in this instance, her blunt and direct way of approaching things was the last thing he needed.
“I’m fine." He shakes his head. "Go ahead and gather your things.” He tries to wave her off, but the tremor in his arm prevents it from looking anything, but casual. He knows she's perceptive enough to pick up on it as well.
Tsuyu walks forward, but not towards her desk. Looking up at her teacher, her steady eyes look even more disarming up close.
“You’re sweating and shaking. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Seeing that she wasn’t going to just walk away from him (not that he really expected so), he relents.
“I'm fine, really.” He says, but this time with sincerity. “I have chronic pain. This is normal for me.”
“So you feel like this everyday, Aizawa-sensei?
Aizawa nods. “Usually it's not this severe, but yes.” he admits, forcing himself not to look down.
Chronic pain was nothing to be ashamed about, and wasn't uncommon for those in the the hero industry, but he still felt uncomfortable revealing such a fact.
There's a beat of silence. Tsuyu puts a finger to her mouth. “I see. I hope you feel better soon Sensei, or that the pain dies down a bit.”
And with that, Tsuyu bows before going to her desk, gathering what she needed, and leaving.
Aizawa waits until a few seconds after Tsuyu closes the doors to slump against the wall again, sighing again.
-
On days he feels like the pain is a bit too much, where he can’t seem to keep his poker face as good as he usually does, he thinks he sees Tsuyu look at him with those perceptive eyes of hers.
He thinks he sees her lean towards the others and say something out of the corner of his eye. And suddenly, his class is just a bit quieter, a bit easier to handle.
And It’s those days that he feels just a bit warmer inside.