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“Prepare yourselves. Get a good nights rest. We leave early.”
The students stand there quietly as their teachers walk out, only one staying behind. Aizawa Shota. Their silence said everything, not even their breathing could be heard. Aizawa looks down in shame that they have to involve these young heroes in training. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They should be in the front line.
But he can’t stop the decision made, even if he and Rock Lock objected to it.
“We should have a big lunch and dinner together,” Kaminari speaks up, all eyes turning to him.
Kaminari’s hands were shaking, truly if one looked closely, they could see his whole body was. He had tears welling up even through his big smile plastered on his face. He lets out a shaky breath, wiping away the tears and clears his throat.
“After all, who knows what may happen.”
“Denki,” Sero whispers and places a hand on his shoulder.
“I know. I know we knew about this in advance, but,” Kaminari clenches his shaky hands, “It came too fast. Too fast for me to process it all.”
Sero hugs the shaky young teen, everyone else staying silent still. They didn’t even shuffle much from their position, feeling the temperature drop due to Todoroki.
“He’s right,” Midoriya speaks up, holding back his own tears, “We should have lunch and dinner together. One night together, no fights or yelling.”
Eyes turn to Bakugo, who just scoffs and shrugs. His silence amazed many, but they didn’t have time to worry about Bakugo.
A war was coming. This may be their last night together.
“I can have Lunch Rush make us some food for both lunch and dinner,” Aizawa speaks up, looking at his students, “You guys just spend time together. I’ll be back with the food later.”
They hear him walk away without another word, no one else moving. The girls were comforting each other, the boys looking down or being close to someone they trust. Midoriya looks at Todoroki as he holds onto his wrist. Midoriya knew this was Todoroki’s way of grounding himself, needing to hold onto someone’s wrist. It was a reminder that he was on solid ground and not in some faraway land.
“How about a movie night?” Momo suggests, looking up from Uraraka’s hug, “A whole marathon of movies.”
“That sounds great,” Sato nods and clears his throat, “I can make us sweet pastries. I’ll even make sweet popcorn.”
“Thank you, Sato,” Sero whispers, rubbing Kaminari’s back as he cried on his shoulder.
Midoriya looks down at his feet, breathing in and breathing out deep breaths. A war would happen tomorrow and they would be there. At the ripe age of sixteen, they would be facing their first war. Funny, history has always proven that the young fight the wars of older generations. It made him want to laugh.
“You know,” Jiro wipes her eyes and smiles, “I’m happy that I was part of this class.”
“Jiro,” Kirishima looks at her heartbroken, “No one will die.”
“We don’t know that, Kirishima,” Jiro shrugs and looks at him, “We may or may not die. I just know that we will come out of this injured or the brink of death, one way or another.”
That statement felt like ice water being poured down on them. Of course they would come out of this injured. They may not be physically at the moment, but psychologically, they’re all dealing with PTSD their own way.
“I’ll set up the tv,” Tokoyami walks away, Shoji and Koda following behind him.
“I’ll start the pastries,” Sato walks into the kitchen, Tooru and Mina behind him.
“Blankets. We need many blankets,” Uraraka cracks out, speed walking away with Tsu and Ojiro.
“And pillows. Bakugo?” Kirishima looks at his friend, walking off.
“Sero, take Kaminari to the living room. You two should be comfortable,” Momo tells him, nodding as Sero led Kaminari away.
Midoriya looks at Iida as he says he’ll go help out Aizawa with bring their food, not stopping him from leaving. Momo went off with Aoyama to prepare the living room for all of them. They’re all taking the news differently. Some were in shock, others accepting it, and a few slowly absorbing the reality of this.
“Todoroki,” Midoriya looks at who he considers a friend, “Come on. Let’s help Kirishima and Kacchan with the pillows.”
“Yeah,” Todoroki nods, still holding onto his wrist and walks with Midoriya.
All the students take their time with preparing. They ended up deciding to have a sleepover together in the living room, none liking the idea of being alone right now. This would also be one way to comfort each other throughout the night.
Lunch came around one, everyone getting what they usually get for lunch. They thank the hero and as everyone leaves, Midoriya sees Aizawa staring at the living room.
“We’re having a sleepover.”
“I see.”
“It’s our final night together as normal teenagers,” Midoriya looks at his classmates.
Kaminari had calmed down enough to eat, joking around with his friends and smiling. Even with that smile, his eyes held fear. Sero was good at concealing his emotions, but Midoriya could tell he was panicking inside. Tokoyami was quiet as always, but it was hard to conceal shaky hands. Uraraka also had a bright smile and laughs with the girls, but it wasn’t her usual laugh. This laugh was lacking emotion.
They were all deeply terrified.
“I’m sorry,” Aizawa breathes out, “I objected to you kids being in this war. Rock Lock did as well. Even Fatgum wasn’t comfortable with the idea. How did we get here?”
Midoriya hums in reply and looks at his takeout container of food. That was an amazing question. How the hell did they get here? He looks up at his teacher, someone he looks up to as a hero and mentor.
“If only there was an answer to that, sensei,” Midoriya replies and takes a few steps towards his classmates, “You know, I hope we all come out unscathed. Again, hope. I know it may seem irrational to hope that-“
“No. It isn’t. I hope the same, Midoriya. Yet, we both know the answer to that.”
“Hope can be suffocating,” Midoriya sighs softly, “But it can also be of guidance. Sensei, if I die-“
“You won’t.”
“If I do, please let my mom know how much I love her. And thank her. I never do thank her for everything she’s done for me,” Midoriya chuckles at that, his own tears welling up, “Thank her and tell her she was the best mom I could have ever had. Please?”
“I will.”
“Promise?”
“I promise,” Aizawa clears his own throat, swallowing the knot he had.
“Thank you, Sensei.”
Midoriya walks back to his friends and smiles at them, opening up his food. They watch movies the rest of the day and night, playing a few card games and laugh. They all wanted one last good memory together. They even got Bakugo, Todoroki, Tokoyami and Shoji to laugh. That was a sight to see and they all took pictures. Thanks to a camera and tripod Momo had, they were all able to take a couple of picture together.
Class pictures together. Final ones for if they were to not survive.
“Plus Ultra!” They shout as the camera flashes, bright smiles on their face.
They soon sleep away the night, either alone or holding onto someone or being held. They don’t make a noise, instead do their best to sleep. When morning came, they would have their hero face on.
For they are now part of saving their country.
For when the war came and left, they had the pictures and videos as comfort.
When the students who watched their teacher die, held her hand as she did, they look back at pictures they had with her. If their injured classmates were to wake up terrified and screaming, they all get together to comfort them. For when their injured teacher sat in bed crying at the loss of his best friend, he could look back at the good memories.
For when their star classmate left behind notes of farewells and explanations, they had pictures and videos to remember him by.
The world caved in for these students, and all they had left were memories.
For that is all that can comfort them in these dark times.