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You were in pain. Not the type of pain that normally comes with your training but the deep rooted kind that seemed to appear more and more frequently as the years went on.
That time of the school year when everything was coming down to a few exams and your options were to pass or screw up your entire future. On top of that, there was an expectation for your grades to be perfect, get a job, oh and also why don’t you have a boyfriend yet?
It was all too much and you could swear your hair was starting to turn grey from the stress of it all. Aizawa had assigned another assignment this afternoon, much to everyone’s dismay. You knew it was his job but you can’t help but feel like he didn’t care about his students and their mental health.
Maybe it was just the popular kids he cared about? He was always bending the rules for Midoriya and Bakugou, even their friends too! Perhaps it was you, it was all in your head and your own damn fault for feeling so broken.
“Hey little listener, you alive in there? It’s your turn to read from the English text.” Present Mic Sensei is calling you in class and you realize that you haven’t been paying attention this entire class.
You turn to your teacher, eyes kind of glazed, and mutter the only thing you can think of, “I don't care.”
What? Why would you say that? You did care, you spent all night pouring over this text because you care too much. Why do you have to be like this? You just want to feel better.
“A student should not use such dismissive language to their sensei! Care more about your studies!”
“It’s okay Iida, and I’m sorry you feel like that little listener. May I suggest tutoring to get yourself to care?”
Great now you’ve pissed off your teacher and your crush. Another two people to add to the list of the people who hate you. Maybe Aizawa-Sensei and them can start a “We hate you group”. It’ll be festive, you could be an honorary member.
A deep sigh escapes you as you get a couple of disapproving stares from your classmates. The only thing you can think to do is lay your head against the desk. Eventually your late nights of studying, trying to ‘get yourself to care’ catch up with you and you fall asleep.
Minutes later you’re dreaming, more specifically, a nightmare. You feel the walls closing in on you as people watch from afar. Aizawa and Present Mic Sensei look on with disdain as you’re screaming for help. “Too pathetic to do anything right.”, they say in perfect unison.
It chills you to your core.
You turn around with tears in your eyes, unable to look at them. That’s when you come face to face with Iida.
You had had been crushing on him for so long. He was responsible and caring, everything you wanted in a partner. Not to mention he was built like a tank, which wasn’t that important, but it was important.
Iida looks at you with murder in his eyes, “How could I ever be interested in someone so useless? Just give up, you think the Ingenium family would ever accept someone like you?”
You can’t escape it, everywhere you look. It’s the people you care about the most hating every single thing you do. You can never live up to their expectations.
It’s wrong, all wrong- you’re wrong. Broken.
Suddenly you jolt awake. Everyone in class is staring at you as you gasp for breath. Right above you is Present Mic and Iida, looking very worried.
“Hey little listener, you were screaming are you okay? I’m a little concerned, you don’t look so good. Why don’t you go down to the Recovery Girl’s office so she can check up on you?” Present Mic says.
Great, you’re getting kicked out of class. At least you don’t have to deal with the pity stares anymore.
“As class president, I volunteer to walk my classmate to the nurse’s officeQ” Iida chops his hands and yells as always.
Okay, so you weren’t escaping the pity stares. Double great.
You're told by Recovery Girl to lay down and rest for a while. Iida refuses to leave after hearing that. Some part of you flutters with hope after hearing that but it’ss just how Iida is, so you try not to think too much into it. No matter how much you want to.
“I’m very disappointed in you, I expect all of the students of Class 1A to keep themselves in good condition if they want to pursue their dreams of being heroes.” Iida says.
“Well, maybe I can’t live up to everyone’s fucking expectations. It’s too hard and I feel like shit all the time, so maybe I should give up and save everyone the pain of watching their failure of a student. I mean what exactly do I have going for me, huh?”
You’re sobbing and you can’t stop. It’s humiliating for the guy you’re interested in to see you like this but you’re body decides that you have no choice in the matter.
“Wait stop, please you need to breathe. In and out with me, c’mon princess. Oh screw it-”
Iida kisses you. It was awkward and clumsy, you’re pretty sure you have snot running down your face but it doesn’t matter. To you, it’s perfect.
“I don’t know Hizashi, I think they’re doing well.” You hear Mr. Aizawa’s voice from the doorway.
“A-Aizawa Sensei, Present Mic Sensei, I was only trying to help calm down my-”
“Princess?” Present Mic answers for Iida, he’s grinning teasingly and it makes you laugh a little.
Until you remember how you left things with your teachers. They must be here to kick you out of the hero program, or tell you that you aren’t worth all this trouble-
You start to hyperventilate again but Iida quickly sits next to you as his strong arms wrap around your waist.
Aizawa gets down on one knee so he’s at eye-level with you. “Hey kiddo, Present Mic says that you started freaking out in class. Is there something going on at home?”
“At home, at school,” you give a mirthless laugh, “it’s everywhere. I can’t escape it Aizawa Sensei. Why do you even care?”
“What do you mean? Little listener, you’re starting to scare me.” Present Mic chimes in.
“I-I can’t do anything right anymore. Everyday, I feel like crap and I don’t know how to make it feel better. I don’t have the motivation to do anything anymore, but at the same time I need to do everything or I’m going fail. I have to be better, I have to be better.”
“Hold on, hold on. This sounds a lot like burn out, kid. How long have you been feeling like this?” Aizawa says.
“I don’t know, on and off for a couple years now. I’m trying to brush it off but it isn’t working like last time…”
“Oh little listener, I wish you had come to us sooner. You don’t need to go through stuff like this alone.”
“... I didn’t think anyone cared enough about me.”
“Oh princess, I had no idea you were feeling like this. I should’ve noticed that you weren’t doing well. Especially considering how much I care about you.” He whispers that last part into your neck. As if it’s still only the two of you in the room.
“Iida is right, kid. I’m sorry you felt that you couldn't come to me or Mic, it wasn’t personal. If I knew you were feeling like this, I never would have pushed so hard. Even heroes need some mental health support sometimes.”
… and he stayed true to his word. For the next couple weeks, with the help of Present Mic, Hound Dog, and Iida, help you start to recover. They remain aware of your boundaries and even help you crack a smile more often.
So when two months later, you finally start going out with a certain class president, you’re smiling bright.