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Izuku came off the heals of his panic attack on the floor. His vision was blurred from tears, his hand clutching a soft one on his chest. An oxygen mask lulling him back to consciousness, grounding him in the chill that ran through his throat and bathed his lungs in the reality of losing himself. The white light reflecting off the hospital floor was almost blinding.
“There you are,” the voice was muffled. “Breathe with me,” it was Aizawa Sensi. His black hair was pinned back and eyes red signaling the activation of his quark.
Blinking away tears he began to push himself off the floor, noticing a hand around his waist which helped guide him. As he looked up, he saw a familiar smile, Yamada Sensi. “I’ve got you.” Izuku moved his hand to the mask on his face, “ah, not yet. It’s not just oxygen, take in a deep breath for me.”
Izuku complied, feeling the familial rush of cool enter his lungs.
“There is a sedative to calm you. Are you ready to listen?” Izuku nodded. “We’re going to leave in just a moment,” Izuku moved towards All Might’s final resting place. “No, he’ll be cared for by Dave and his daughter. I need your compliance; can you give me that?”
Izuku didn’t move for a moment, tears welled up in his eyes again.
“Hitoshi,” Aizawa said in a low voice, “give him a moment.”
The hand on his chest moved slowly in a circular motion. A soft reminder in his ear to take a deep breath as a nurse kneeled in front of him, taking his pulse and oxygen level as his body completely relaxed. Which felt odd. There was such tension in his gut, such a gaping hole that existed in his reality as his entire body relaxed into his English teacher.
“Okay,” Yamada started again. “We are going to take you out the way we came.” Izuku nodded. “Good. Bakugo is waiting with your classmates. We will tell them what happened, and work on the next steps, okay?”
Izuku nodded. His eyes focused on Aizawa Sensi, watching them change from red to deep brown. Aizawa Sensi let out a breath and rubbed his face.
“We’ll get some food in you when you get back. How does that sound?”
Izuku nodded, following Aizawa Sensei’s eyes to the nurse who kneeled in front of him again. She gently pulled the strap from over his head with one hand and cupped his chin with the other.
She spoke in a soft tone, “take in a slow and deep breath after I remove this okay,” he nodded and complied. The hospital air was a lot staler than what he’d been breathing in seconds ago. “When you’re ready, slowly stand. I’ll be right over here.” The air had a faint smell of bleach and rubbing alcohol.
After his eyes began to clear Yamada Sensi guided Izuku to his feet, “can I just see him. One more time?” His teachers exchanged a look that was troubling. “Please. He’s all I’ve got.”
Yamada Sensi bit his lip, “only a moment.”
They walked down the hall to the only room with a door opened. Dave was standing at the now closed curtains talking in a hushed tone on the phone. His daughter on the other side of the room on her own call.
In Izuku’s eyes, All Might looked at peace. He swallowed hard as he stepped closer to the man he once knew. His eyes were as sunken has they had been before, lips chapped from lack of liquid, and body becoming stiff. Taking his chilling hand, Izuku placed his forehead against his mentor's and whispered, “I’m going to make you so proud. Okay? Just wait.” He sat a few moments longer as the room fell silent.
A soft hand rubbed his back, “it’s time to go,” Yamada Sensi said in a gentle voice, guiding the boy away, down the hallway and into a waiting vehicle.