Soft hues of light flit through the curtains of Izuku's hospital room. A cacophony of gold, bright red amidst blue and yellow rays. It was nearly six-thirty in the morning and the young hero was finally getting out of there.
Two weeks had passed since he was admitted to the hospital.
The nurse had just finished removing the cast from his arm and the bandages around his scarred shoulder. Apparently, his exposure to a constant flow of electrical current had given him slight cardiac arrhythmia. The doctor cleared him for release on strict instructions to take it easy and avoid any strenuous activities for a while.
He was finally allowed to go back home.
Although, new home would be a better word for it. Aizawa having already explained to him that UA adopted a dorm system. Most likely as a precaution against any future kidnapping mishaps.
He was currently packing the last of his things into his backpack.
Izuku wanted nothing more than to go back to his routine. See his classmates, attend his classes. Just… Just go back to being normal.
He tried to ignore the harsh whisper in his mind.
You'll never be normal again.
That sound is nothing more than a mere hiss in the midst of his thoughts. A small reminder at the core of his mind. However, despite the thought barely flashing in his mind. It still had an impact. Like a pebble being dropped in the water, it generated ripples. Ripples that spread outwards until they enveloped the whole space.
It still made his breath stutter and his heart thunder against his rib-cage.
He couldn't help it though…The anxiety that rose up inside him every time he thought about it. The dread that filled his guts every time he thought about the looks his friends were surely going to give him.
Ever since he was rescued, every single person who visited him had one thing in common. All the nurses, the doctors, even some of his friends. They would all have this special look in their eyes.
They'd even trade these anxious looks when they thought he wasn't looking.
He feared the mere thought of getting these looks from his classmates. People that were supposed to accept him no matter what. He never wanted his friends to direct these looks towards him. Gazes that spoke of pity and sadness. Pity for a boy too broken and too damaged to ever be the same again.
He never wanted anyone to look at him that way.
Never wanted anyone to look at him and see right through the metaphorical duct tape he had wrapped himself in all his life. The invisible barrier he'd put up, the walls he'd built to keep himself safe. To protect his fragile and far too broken heart. To keep himself sane. To survive.
Yet, all it took was to be back with his mother for these walls to shatter. To crumble at his feet like the ashes of a fire. The day he'd been taken, broke whatever shield he's put up against the darkness and the fear in his mind. It destroyed his defenses and let the doubts, the terror slither through the cracks.
He didn't know if he could take seeing these looks from the very people that he'd come to love and trust so much.
"Are you ready?" Aizawa asked softly from his position by the door. The man haven't left his side during his entire stay. A strong, unyielding pillar.
His sheer presence reassured Izuku that he was safe. The boy knew he could always fall back on Shouta. Rely on him to always be there when he needed him. The longest they've been apart consisted of the few times the man had gone home to get cleaned up and maybe bring Izuku a few things he needed.
However, the man wasn't infallible. The hospital stay exhausted him too. His teacher was tired beyond his usual limits. The proof evident for everyone to see on the man's features. The prominent bags under his eyes, purple and bluish looking almost like bruises, were a great contrast to the pallor of his guardian's skin.
Making sure he had everything packed, he nodded towards the older man. Silently following him to the car parked outside. However, he did make sure to pull up his hoodie over his hair. Covering the most prominent proof of how truly damaged he was.
To Izuku's surprise and slight apprehension, inside the dark-tinted vehicle, sat a rather enthusiastic Present Mic.
The man was here to get them to UA's campus. Height alliance has finally opened its doors. The dorms were finally able to welcome the students into its quarters.
"Hey there little listener! I see you're looking better!" The voice hero exclaimed rather loudly as he looked him over. "Are you excited to see your friends!" A one-thousand-watt smile adorned the hero's features as he asked the question.
Izuku couldn't help the slight flinch that overtook him at the man's questioning.
Present Mic must have caught onto his actions, if the way his smile wavered and his eyes flashed was of any indication. He and Aizawa shared a knowing look and to Izuku's relief the hero changed the subject. Directing the rest of the conversation towards Aizawa.
The latter, although not the talkative type, took the small talk with stride. A gesture that didn't escape Izuku's attention.
Izuku couldn't help but feel thankful to have such understanding adults taking care of him.
Anxiety pooled in his stomach as Height Alliance finally came in sight. The dorm building was huge, built in a similar U-shaped form as Yueii.
The car pulled up by the entrance. Right next to the group of 19 teenagers who were waiting impatiently by the doors.
Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He finally gathered up enough nerve to step out of the car.
As soon as his feet hit the concrete. The previously loud chatter heard from his classmates was snuffed out completely.
A deafening silence overtaking the area as nineteen pairs of eyes whipped towards him. He watched as his classmate's eyes widened in recognition and surprise.
"H-hi guys" Izuku spoke quietly, giving them the brightest smile, he could muster at the moment. Which wasn't a smile at all. However, given the way some of them relaxed instantly, the smile had its desired effect.
As if a button was clicked, the world around him erupted in a mess of greetings and worried exclamations. Ranging from wishing him well to exclaiming their excitement at seeing him.
"Oh my god! Midori! You're okay!"
"Bro! you're back!"
"Deku!"
Voices overlapped each other, making his heartbeat slightly faster at being overwhelmed.
However, he couldn't help the warmness that washed over him as he looked at each one of his classmates.
"Alright brats. Give Midoriya some space. You can talk to him later" His guardian shimmed in casually as he made his way into the building.
His classmates waved at him one last time before turning and following their teacher inside.
Making a mental note to thank Aizawa later, Izuku slowly made his way towards the front doors.
Aizawa explained the dorm's schematics, making sure everyone knew the location of their room and the rules of the place.
Nedzu had taken his time planning the layout of the rooms. Making sure that everything was perfect for when the kids got there.
However, as soon he looked over at Izuku. He knew that a mistake was made.
What mistake, he knew not. However, there stood Izuku, the boy frozen in place, a shocked expression adorning his features. Yet, on a closer inspection, he noticed the raw fear that resided in his ward's wide eyes. A look that screams terror to anyone who knew him well enough.
What made him so scared? Did they overlook something?
He looked back at the pan-flip he'd handed to the students.
Nedzu placed Izuku on the second floor. The floor consisted of four rooms and a common bathroom at the end of the hallway.
Izuku shared the floor with none other than Todoroki, Kirishima, and Kaminari. The last room having been kept empty. Knowing that soon, they'd have an addition to the class.
Midoriya, is a friend to these kids, they were close… What made him so scared?
It was then that it hit him. The realization slamming into him like a ton of bricks, effectively knocking the air out of his lungs.
How could they have overlooked something so important ? So obvious and clear.
Nedzu should have known better. Hell, Aizawa himself should have double-checked the layout and made sure a mistake like this wasn't made.
The boy standing in front of him had suffered through unspeakable things. Trauma and torture that would make anyone crack.
This boy, this kid had been tortured for days! He'd been the victim of unimaginable horror. And yet, here they were, making it harder for him to recover.
The doctor had made it clear that day in the emergency room. Even if Izuku didn't talk about it yet. The doctor told them about the extensive electrical exposure that Midoriya's body had gone through.
The kid had been tortured by electrocution. He'd been shocked repeatedly and for long periods.
Nevertheless, here they were, placing his room right next to Kaminari, of all people. A classmate whose quirk was electrification.
The horror present in the kid's eyes wasn't so surprising it seemed.
He had to do something about this and he had to do it now.
Looking at the group of excited and rambling kids surrounding the frozen boy. He cleared his throat, an action that obtained the other's attention instantly.
"One more thing though" He paused making sure that everyone was listening. "There's been a mistake on the layout in the second floor. I'm afraid one of you will have to switch with the other." The three in question raised their heads slightly "Kaminari, you'll be switching with Sero." The relief that flooded through the kid's body was noticeable as his shoulders slumped forward, losing some of the tension in them.
He finally seemed to be breathing again.
An understanding looks flashed over some of the student's faces. Specifically, the ones that were present when the doctor was giving them his diagnostic. However, they made no reaction beyond a couple of meaningful looks that were exchanged between them.
The others took the changes in stride. Not even questioning the sudden alteration.
He'd have to talk to them later about some of the things they had to look out for. Maybe get Midoriya to tell them some of the things that he was comfortable with. They had to watch out for triggers and make sure a mistake like this wasn't made again.
Midoriya should be recovering and the ignorance of his own classmates wasn't going to help him.
Later that afternoon, most of the class were hauled up in their rooms. Either finishing up on decorating their rooms or just getting some rest after the work they did.
The only kids outside their rooms were a familiar set of students. The group having spent a lot of time together lately appeared closer to each other than before.
Todoroki, Kirishima and Iida sat next to each other on the common room couch. In front of them, sat Uraraka and Yaoyorozu. Even Shinsou was here. Given that his dorm was on the other side of the campus, he was last to arrive.
The purple-haired boy stood to the far side of the room, leaning against the wall, one of his feet propped up behind him.
"Why are we here again?" Shinsou was the first to speak up. Voicing the question that was currently on everyone's mind.
"We don't know. Aizawa just asked me to tell you guys to come down here once we were done unpacking." Iida answered almost immediately, as if he was expecting Shinsou to ask this. Maybe because he had been asked this by all four of the room's occupants.
"It's about Midoriya. It has to be." Todoroki, having kept quiet until now, voiced out. "What happened earlier…?"
"Earlier?" The confusion and worry in Shinsou's tone betrayed his bored expression.
"When Aizawa was assigning our rooms. He placed Kaminari's room right next to Izuku's" Uraraka was the one to ease his inquiry.
"Kaminari? What does that have-"His eyes widened in horror as the weight of the situation set in. "Oh." He uttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah, oh. How could the school make such a horrible mistake?" Yaoyorozu exclaimed in a strange display of anger.
"It was a mistake, and it won't happen again." A voice replied before any of them could. "I'll make sure it doesn't." Aizawa continued as he stepped into the room. "That's why I called you all out here. I'm going to need your help."
Absolute quiet met his request. The students knowing completely well the seriousness of the situation. Therefore giving their full attention to their homeroom teacher. Or in Shinsou's case- future Homeroom teacher.
Satisfied with this, Aizawa proceeded with his request.
"I realize that some of you may have questions. What you saw… What you witnessed back in Kamino had to have been hard for you." He paused for a moment "However, only Izuku can answer them. I, nor anyone else have the right to take this away from him. His past. His story isn't a happy one. His scars run deep and heavy. It's our job to lighten the load."
"But Sensei, how are we supposed to help him if we don't know what happened?" Kirishima asked, the desperation to help clear in his voice.
"I don't know the full extent of the event that transpired during his capture. Izuku hasn't spoken about it. Even the detective doesn't have his testimony yet. Your classmate has been through a lot. I'm sure I don't need to explain it to you. Since you were there too when the doctor spoke to me. However, our job isn't to interrogate him. It's not to push him away further by making him talk about things he isn't ready to talk about yet. It's up to us to make him feel safe. To make him feel comfortable and loved. So that hopefully, he will come to us on his own when he's ready. Can I count on all of you to be there for him? I'm his guardian, I have a responsibility to uphold. A role to fill in." This was the first time they saw so much emotion in their teacher's eyes. "Izuku may not trust adults anymore. He's been hurt by too many of them before. He won't open up to me alone. Maybe, just maybe, he'll open up with the help of his friends."
By now, most of them had tears in their eyes. Specifically, Uraraka, Yaoyorozu and a certain red-headed teen. Although, all of them had a look on their face. A look that screamed determination and resolve.
"You didn't even have to ask Sensei. We were going to do it either way." Multiple voices resounded through the room as all of them nodded their agreement.
They would be there for their friend. They would help him get through this.