Shouta Aizawa
Utter exhaustion clung to Aizawa's very bones once he managed to trudge back to his apartment with Yamada. He wanted to collapse to the floor and sleep, but with leaden eyes and a dwindling consciousness, Aizawa teetered onto a chair at the dining table.
"All right, when's the last time you slept?" Yamada sighed while approaching Aizawa with a bowl of instant noodles.
Aizawa understood Yamada's question, and yet, he found himself failing to find the words to answer it. "Last night," he finally replied as he absent-mindedly slurped up some of the noodles in front of him.
Yamada sat beside Aizawa. "You really need to take better care of yourself. Like, your class is crazy strong, but you're crazy tired all the time."
I guess I did this to myself, Aizawa realized. He's right. I've been prioritizing my students over my well-being, but I have to be aware of where I draw the line. Heroes are always taught to help those that can't defend themselves, and those that need help in general, but Heroes need to be saved as well. No matter how much you hide a deep wound, it will bleed, and potentially, it will be your ultimate downfall.
"It's difficult to sleep when the list of questions and concerns I have regarding Todoroki and Bakugou only grows on the daily," Aizawa murmured. "Despite how much information I've gathered, I know so little. But…" He forced his eyes open again and glanced up at the ceiling lights. "I saw something interesting today: Todoroki seemed like he wanted to help Bakugou, and Bakugou didn't veto this immediately."
Yamada nodded. "You're helping them more than you think! Having a positive influence looking over them is always a good thing." His smile was perhaps as bright as his blinding yellow hair. "But you won't be getting very much out of this if you don't start looking after yourself. So, off to bed with you!"
A faint smile crept onto Aizawa's countenance. "Thanks." He closed his eyes and utilized the wall to his advantage in order to navigate to his room.
Dragging himself into bed, Aizawa pondered, What goes on in their heads? What are they hiding from each other? From everyone? From themselves? He expelled a long sigh and nestled himself under his blanket. I don't know. Their relationship is complicated. But I suppose I can't expect to have all the answers, regardless of how much information I can collect. And it's not my job to find the answers. With that final thought, Aizawa drifted off to sleep.
The next day, or rather, at three in the morning of that same night, Aizawa opened his eyes. His mind was a hazy blur, and yet, stains of clarity gradually spilled into his eyes and dampened the overall smog razing his head. He sighed; he had no desire to be awake at such ungodly hours.
So, for the next few hours, Aizawa attempted to force himself to sleep, but all he had accomplished was insidiously growing more tired as his alarm fast approached him. Before he knew it, reality began to fulminate in his ears in the form of his alarm going off. Irked, Aizawa shut off his alarm and exhaled slowly.
I wonder if Bakugou slept last night, Aizawa wondered while rubbing his eyes and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. I left their apartment before I got to make sure they both ate, but I have a feeling that Todoroki chose not to. I don't know if he has an eating disorder or other mental health issues that are causing him to not want to eat, but I can't ignore how much weight he's lost. I know his other classmates have asked him about his weight loss, but his responses haven't been incredibly clear.
After preparing for the day, making breakfast with Yamada, grading papers, and shopping for groceries, Aizawa found himself at the apartment of Todoroki and Bakugou again. Upon entering the apartment from Bakugou's aid, he immediately noticed how Bakugou seemed to be half-asleep.
"Did you not sleep well?" queried Aizawa as he headed over to the living room area.
Bakugou sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Didn't sleep at all." He winced and groggily blinked.
"Try and get some rest tonight," Aizawa replied. "Are you feeling all right?"
Bakugou nodded. "Hella tired. Also, Icyhot left at some point late last night. He came back about an hour ago. Dunno where he went and haven't seen him since dinner." He shrugged and plopped down onto the sofa, rubbing his head and grimacing in the process.
He left? Where could he have gone, and why did he leave? I'm certain he has his reasons, but the fact that he left late at night concerns me. Did he leave his dorm late at night?
"Speaking of dinner… You both ate, right?"
"Yeah." Bakugou paused, and he seemed to vacillate between proceeding with his sentence and backing out. "Icyhot ate in front of me, and…" His voice was sanded down to a whisper. "It didn't end well." He cracked his knuckles.
"Is he ill?" Aizawa promptly asked.
Bakugou vacantly stared at the floor. "Yeah, in the head."
That's awfully vague. What are you trying to say? I have an idea, but is it right?
"Does he not like eating?"
"Beyond that."
I see. I had a feeling. What troublesome kids… But they're both going through a lot.
"Do you know how long this has been going on?"
"No. I knew something was up when I heard him." It was then that an astonished, eerily distant look washed over Bakugou's vermillion eyes like a tidal wave.
You heard him? I see.
As the sound of Bakugou cracking his knuckles suffused the room, Aizawa sighed, "All right. And Bakugou? Is there a reason why you frequently crack your knuckles?" He tilted his head a bit while locking eyes with Bakugou.
"No," Bakugou swiftly muttered. "Guess it's just a random habit. But why do you keep poking and prodding with all these questions? You weren't so damn invasive before."
Aizawa maintained his neutral gaze. "I have more concerns about your behavior and Todoroki's behavior as of late."
"I'm better than ever, so leave me out of it," spat Bakugou. "That damn Icyhot's the one you should be interrogating."
You're better than ever? I don't believe that, Bakugou. Not when I have evidence to prove you're doing much worse than before. You're constantly exhausted, you're frequently unable to focus, your grades and scores are dropping, your reaction time is slower, and the list grows every day.
"And why is that?" Aizawa figured he'd ask.
Bakugou furrowed his brows. "I don't need to answer that. Ask him yourself. Tch. Doubt he'd say anything useful in the slightest, though." Then, Bakugou espied the hallway where Todoroki languidly began to approach the two from. "Well, well, well. About fucking ti… What the fuck happened to you?"