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The door shook on its hinges as it shut loudly, alerting the house he was home.
“Izuku? Honey?” His mother’s gentle voice came from the kitchen. His shoulders hitched at the sound.
“‘m home.“ He dropped his bag on the ground, rubbing at his eyes in frustration and exhaustion.
“I’m so glad you came home this weekend! You’re working yourself far too hard at that fancy school of yours.” Her voice got closer, he was walking towards the kitchen subconsciously and she was walking towards him.
“Yeah, hard to take a break I guess.” Exhaustion filled his body, made his bones ache and filled his stomach. No matter how tired, his brain continued a constant list. What he needed to do, to fix, to repeat, every move in his latest spar with Kacchan that led to failure. Every mistake from his latest battle repeating itself in the back of his mind, encroaching on every silent moment and making his stomach spin in nauseous circles.
“I know, but you really need to sometimes. You do far too much. I swear, everytime i call you, it goes straight to voicemail and then I get a message later saying ‘sorry mom, sparring again.’ It’s honestly ridiculous.” He fought to not roll his eyes, guilt twinging in his gut remembering that he muted her contact a couple weeks ago. She called at least every night and it was far too much for him.
“It’s really not as bad as you think.” He mumbled, looking at the countertop beneath his fingers.
A moment of silence fell between them.
“Are you alright honey?”
The exhaustion consumed him, tears filling his eyes as his knees buckled.
He felt his mother’s arms wrap around him and bring him to the couch before he could respond, the tears falling at his mother’s comforting touch.
“It’s just so much.” He mumbled against her as she rubbed his back.
“I know, I know.” She comforted.
“And I’m always going and always studying and I can’t relax because I have to catch up with everyone and they all seem to know about every opportunity like there’s some handbook and nobody gave me the guidelines.” His sobs continued, his thumb dug into his middle finger, picking at the flesh and the nail until it bled, an unfortunate habit he had developed again recently.
“You know you don’t have to do it, right? You can always come home, go back to public school. You’d make such a good teacher honey.” He jerked back from her embrace.
“No I can’t. I have to be a hero.”
“I know you think that honey, and you work so hard for it. But it’s not bad to be something else, and then you could come back to living with me! I miss you, all the time. The house is so empty without you baby.”
More tears sprung to his eyeline at her words, She had always encouraged him in definition but never in spirit. She always seemed like she’d rather he chose something simpler.
“I know but I’m gonna be a hero. It’s what I’m meant to do. It’s just hard sometimes.”
“It’s not supposed to be that hard though honey, it’s okay for it to be too much for you. It’s okay if you don’t feel like you can do it anymore.”
Izuku sprung to his feet, “what are you talking about mom? I’m going to be a hero.”
“I’m just saying, it’s okay if you want to give up on this. Just because you wanted it at 5, doesn’t mean you still want it now.” She folded her hands in her lap.
“I still want it. I can be overwhelmed and still want it. I want it so bad, you have no idea but I am so behind so i have a right to be upset. It doesn’t change the fact that I won’t stop fighting!” His voice raised, guilt twinging in his gut again at the volume.
“You don’t have to make this a big thing Izuku! I’m just saying, no one’s gonna judge you if you’re done.” Exasperation filled her voice and Izuku looked back at her with betrayal seeping into his body.
“It is a big thing.” The floorboards creaked loudly beneath his feet and he stomped back to the front door, slipping his shoes back and grabbing his backpack.
“Izuku-!” The door slammed behind him as tears sprung to his eyes again. He took off down the street before he could think.
His knuckles collided with the door in front of him, suddenly very aware of where he was.
“What-?” Kacchan cut himself off, clearly startled by the disheveled Izuku in front of him.
He fought tears. Kacchan opened his arms, the only thing he knew how to do.
Izuku fell into them, sobbing against Kacchan’s chest as his body shook against him. Every emotion possible flooding his system. He was utterly exhausted.
“Katsuki? Are you alright?” He heard Mitsuki in the background, clearly seeing Kacchan’s shaking form.
“Fine. It’s just Zuku.” He pulls Izuku tighter against him, pulling him up the stairs to his bedroom.
His shoulders shook harder at the sound of Kacchan’s old nickname for him.
The door closed behind them, Izuku felt himself be pushed to sit down on the bed.
Kacchan sat down next to him, putting a bit of space between them.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have just shown up here, this is so messed up. I’m so sorry Kacchan.” He hiccuped wetly between words, anxious and upset.
“It’s okay Zuku, you can be here. You can always come here.”
Izuku leaned in towards him, the tears coming back as he was wrapped in a tight hug.
“Please. It’s just too much, please.” He begged against Kacchan’s chest.
“What’s too much Zu?”
“Everything, all of it. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Yes you can Zuku. I know you can.”
“But what if i fuck it up and I let everyone down.”
Kacchan’s breath hitched at the curse word coming from Izuku’s mouth, a light chuckle coming from his in response.
“You won’t. Izuku.” He grasped Izuku’s face lightly in his hands and pulled him away from his chest to look at him.
“I know you won’t let me down. You couldn’t.”
Izuku blinked up at him, his eyes shining with fresh tears. A smile that showed he was fighting tears grew on his face, his heart warmed by Kacchan’s words.
“I won’t”