Work Text:
Everyone is gathered around the living room with solemn look upon their faces. They felt miserable as their bodies ache at every move they make from the fight they just had with the villains.
The dorm was quiet and none had spoken a word since they had gotten back. It was nearly midnight and no one was planning to go to their rooms any time soon.
Their eyes were wide awake and their minds a blank. They refuse to think of anything, whether it be good or bad. They let themselves be swallowed by the sensation of numbness to ease their pain.
Ashido and Uraraka were leaning against each other, along with the other girls sitting on the couch.
The boys were either standing up or sitting on the floor, including Bakugou who was only leaning against a wall with Kirishima and the rest sitting on the floor beside him.
Amongst the silence, one decided to speak up.
“Shouldn’t you guys be sleeping now?” The green haired teen asked, a frown forming on his lips as he peer on his friends’ well-being.
No one answered.
He sighed, shaking his head as he takes a step close to them. “You guys should sleep already, its unhealthy.” He scolded, pouting his lips ever so slightly.
No one answered, again.
Izuku pursed his lips, unsure of what to do in this situation. He was in the same position as them. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more but to rest.
However, he can’t leave his friends in a state like this. He wants them to do the same; to sleep and put their minds at ease for what’s to come.
Izuku walked up to them and came close to Koji’s direction. If he’s not being heard by his class as a whole, he’ll just persuade them one by one.
“Koji-san,” he called out to the silent teen on the floor.
The teen looked up to him, his eyes drowsy from staying awake for so long, in which Izuku took pity.
Izuku smiled, reaching his hand out for Koji to hold. “It’s time to sleep, don’t you think?” he asked, hoping for the teen to hold his hand and let him guide him to his room.
Koji was hesitant at first, fearing that he wouldn’t feel anything upon grabbing his hand. He was silent and yet his eyes spoke loudly to the green haired teen in front his sight.
He was scared, he’s exhausted and can barely keep up with the bottled up emotions he was keeping. Still, Izuku knew.
Izuku’s face softened, kneeling in front of Koji as he held his hands in comfort, “I’m here, don’t worry.” He assured, standing up ever so slightly as the teen does the same.
With that, the both of them walked away into Koji’s room to let him rest.
Their steps were quiet. The only noise they can hear were the creaks on the floor, the ticking of the clock, and his own silent sobs.
When they entered Koji’s room, Koji hesitated to let go of Izuku’s hand. He focused on it, making sure that what he’s holding on was real and true.
To confirm, he grabbed Izuku’s wrist, only for Izuku to smile faintly.
“Koji-san, you need to rest. We fought really hard today!” Izuku babbled, gently removing Koji’s grip on him as he leads him to his bed.
The silent teen laid down, the thought of sleep consuming both his mind and body as Midoriya covers him in a blanket. All the stress, anxiety, and exhaustion were finally too much for Koji to handle.
He finally closed his eyes, letting the darkness consume him as everything starts to blur.
“You’re a great hero, Koji-san.” He heard Midoriya muttered.
Koji wanted to thank him for believing in him, for becoming his friend and being the one he could rely on. The one he could be with when no one else was by his side, except he couldn’t.
It was too late when the darkness finally consumed him whole; numbing him from all the pain he felt, and turning his mind into a blank.
“Good night, Koji-san.” Izuku muttered, a strange smile on his lips, as if the farewell from a friend has finally come to an end.
The teen was already asleep. He didn’t hear him; the sound of neither his voice nor the pain behind those words holds.
One by one, Izuku did the same to the rest of his class. He each guided them to their rooms, comforting them with tenderness of his voice and reassuring them that everything will be alright.
Their pains, exhaustion, guilt, as well as their fears were washed away as they cry on Izuku’s arms. They were clenching their teeth, gasping for air as they do their best to remain strong, to be optimistic of the situation.
But they couldn’t.
They were children; they had hopes and dreams of becoming a hero. They needed guidance, a hand to hold on, and friends they could rely on. So, that’s what Izuku did. He stayed up with them until they could finally rest.
Izuku came back to the living room, gently picking up the girl he loves from the couch like a fragile porcelain doll, "I'll bring you to your room, alright?" he whispered fondly, kissing her forehead in attempt to ease the pain she's feeling.
“Izuku... I don’t want to sleep yet,” Ochako mumbled, clutching on his shirt as he carries her on his arms.
The green teen smiled, opening her room and laying her gently on the bed to finally rest.
He caressed her cheeks, holding her like she’s the most beautiful gem in the world. “You have to sleep,” he whispered, “You did a great job today.” He muttered, wiping off the tears that hid the beauty of her rosy pink cheeks.
Ochako smiled weakly, holding his hand as her eyes closes in comfort. “Thank you, Izuku…” she whispered, unable to see the tears streaming down his face.
Izuku wished he could thank her back, he wished that he could apologize for not being by her side soon enough. He wished that he could have confessed to her, the love and tenderness he felt for her. The way he wanted to protect her, the way he could have hold her, the way he could’ve comforted her sooner, but he couldn’t. He could only wish.
A lump formed on his throat, he was drowning in his emotions for the pain and suffering that everyone had felt. His cheeks were burning, his tears weren’t stopping, he was choking in his own breath, and yet he found comfort in his moment of torment.
“Izuku,” a familiar voice called out.
“You have to sleep, too.” Another one added.
Izuku wiped his tears quickly, tugging his lips into a smile for his friends that remained. He mustered all of his strength and stood up, letting go of the cheeks of the person he adore the most.
He smiled faintly, finally gaining up the courage to look at the two he considered he helped the most. Katsuki scowled and Shoto only smiled in return.
Words weren’t needed; their presence was enough to comfort one another. The three of them were brave, passionate, strong, and fearless of what they do.
But they were still children. They could only be strong for so long.
Midnight wrapped her arms around them, none of them saying a word.
“It’s late now, you guys have to sleep too,” The pro hero muttered, ruffling their hair like little kids. “All of you did great, it was spectacular…” she continued, comforting the teens with their shoulders shaking and their hands clenched.
The mask they wore to hide their fears, guilt, and sufferings finally broke. Once their tear fell, the rest shortly followed. They sobbed, holding onto Midnight like little kids do.
Bakugou’s throat held back something between a sob and a shout. He wanted to grit his teeth and do something about the pain he felt. The guilt he hid from all these years and the fears he had forgotten was all too much. He was a kid.
He loathed himself for acting like this, he felt weak in the arms of the hero. He felt breathless as he gasps for air, trying his best calm his nerves and to stop his tears from falling.
He couldn’t. He was human.
Todoroki covered his mouth in attempt to muffle his own sobs. He was apathetic; he was cold and could care any less about anything but to beat his father. He was that, but he met his friends along the way. He changed.
He felt he could’ve done something more, he wished he could’ve just done that. He wished he could’ve been with his family as a whole, he wished that they were just happy. He wished he could’ve bragged his father onto the world and tell the world how beautiful his mother was. He wished he could’ve played with his siblings, he wished he could’ve met his older brother in another way than the fight.
He was a child.
“You protected the innocent and saved a lot of people, you even beat the villains along with the others,” she added, smiling softly and each kissing their foreheads in comfort. “So please, rest.”
Izuku’s eyelids were dropping involuntarily, he finally reached his limits. The sound of his friends’ agony was too much. He wanted to rest, just like them. He wanted to do so much more, help more people and become a hero they would remember.
But he could only do so much. They were children.
The three children that remained finally fell asleep in the arms of the hero, tears traced on their cheeks but a sense of peace was finally seen amongst their faces.
They were free.
Maybe in their dream they could meet again.
Midnight smiled, holding on to the children as if they were her own.
“Good night, everyone,” A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she closes her eyes into a deep sleep.
Unknown to them, they were already remembered by many, more than just their friends and family. They were heroes, heroes that would be remembered for more generations to come.
The next day, Aizawa opened their dorms.
Everyone was seated on the living room with smiles on their faces.
Mina took notice of his presence and grinned at his way, “Ah! Aizawa-sensei! Good morning!” she greeted, the rest following her cue.
“Aizawa-sensei, did you sleep well?” Momo.
“Good morning, Aizawa-sensei! You look like you haven’t slept in a while!” Sero.
“You look very manly in the fight yesterday, sensei!” Kirishima.
“Are you alright, sensei?” Ochako.
“We hope you’re alright, kero.” Tsuyu.
“Sensei! Did you see what I did yesterday? I was so cool while doing that!” Denki.
“I helped a lot of people yesterday! I feel great!” Hagakure.
“Denki, you’re boasting too much.” Kyoka.
“I believe we all did a great job.” Tokoyami.
“I agree…” Koji.
“Huh?! Shut the hell up, extras! I was the BEST yesterday!” Bakugou.
“You’re too loud.” Shoto.
“Agreed.” Sero.
“I agree with Tokoyami, we all did great job.” Ojiro.
“We were all dazzling in victory!” Aoyama.
“What he said.” Sato.
“I looked cool too!” Mineta.
“Everyone calm down! We’ll stress sensei even further!” Iida.
“Ahh! Kacchan, you’ll hurt Denki if you keep shaking him like that!” Izuku.
Aizawa didn’t know what he was expecting, but it was absolutely not this scene. It was tugging his heart strings, hurting each time the scene play on his strings.
He smiled, looking up as he closes his eyes. “Brats, you’re all still troublesome.” He muttered to himself, opening his eyes once again, only to see the living room empty in a void of silence.
His eyes stung so much more compared to when he used his quirk. His vision became a blur as tears threaten to fall down his face. He gritted his teeth as if he was swallowing the guilt that built up on his throat.
He hated himself for allowing himself to go back here. The students- no, his children already left.
The heroes, his students whom he cared and loved for had died that day one by one
while the rest of the world was sleeping.