Over the next few days, Izuku fell into a new routine. Wake up at five, eat breakfast, two-mile jog to UA, train with All Might or Aizawa, lunch, another run, weights, dinner, shower, bed. He thought he'd hate it, but for the first time in a while, his mind wasn't buzzing.

Running was better than he ever thought it would be and he found himself going for longer and extra runs whenever he got the chance. With music in his ears and moving by people too fast for their thoughts to reach him, it was the closest he'd felt to peace in a long time. It also gave him reason to excuse himself from his hosts.

Despite what Shinsou had said, even knowing that no one there had a negative reaction to him, Izuku couldn't get rid of the fear that it would change, and they'd want him to leave. To avoid becoming a nuisance, he stayed out of the house as much as he could, intruding as little as possible.

Break would be over in two weeks. It felt like such a long time, especially when he was sleeping in the living room. Every morning he made sure to roll up the bed and place it in the corner out of the way along with his backpack, but still, he wondered what they really thought of him.

Every time he brought up leaving when Hatsume returned from America with her parents, Aizawa stubbornly brushed him off saying it was the same as he was doing now. Except it wasn't, but Izuku wouldn't explain why because then Aizawa definitely wouldn't let him leave.

Izuku slowed to a walk as he came to the gates of UA. Swiping his student ID and then scanning his fingerprints he entered the campus picking up his jog the rest of the way to the gym.

All Might was already there setting things up. Weight training by the looks of it.

"Good morning, Midoriya," the retired hero greeted.

Izuku pulled out his earbuds and slipped his phone into his bag. Weights were good too.

At the end of the workout, Izuku slumped against the wall chugging his water and accepting the bento from All Might that held his lunch. He frowned down at the high protein meal wondering how much his extra meals were costing Aizawa and Mic. A new spurt of guilt soiled his appetite.

"Something wrong, Midoriya?" All Might asked, standing a few feet away, concern creasing his forehead.

Izuku rested his head against the concrete wall. "I just can't understand why everyone is putting in this much effort for me."

All Might frowned harder. "As teachers, it's our job to look out for our students."

"I know," Izuku said giving his mentor an incredulous look. "But this is going way beyond that."

"You're right," All Might sighed, sitting down in front of him. "Our jobs as teachers at UA is a little different. We're not only responsible for teaching you but guiding you into your full potential. That's what we're trying to do here, young Midoriya, help you reach your full potential." He looked away then, considering something. "That day I met you, those many years ago, I said

something to you that I regret."

Izuku's gaze fell to his empty bento. "It happens—"

"No, it wasn't ok, Midoriya," All Might cut off. "I told you, you couldn't be a hero. . .and then I left you on that roof."

"It's ok," Izuku muttered, not knowing what else to say. If he told him the truth. . .he couldn't do that. "I realized you were right, so I applied for the Support Course instead and I really love it."

All Might's blue eyes searched his face before giving him a tentative nod. "Still, I am sorry for that." His mentor stood, taking the empty bento from Izuku. "Have you finished the design for your costume?"

Izuku dug through his bag and pulled out the folder, handing it to All Might. "It'll be done by the exam?"

"Yes, probably a few days before actually, so you'll get to try it on."

"Awesome," Izuku gushed. He couldn't believe his sketch was going to become real. Just thinking about it sent a chill across his skin.

All Might smiled. "You can go home early today. You've been doing really well."

Izuku snagged on home. He gulped and nodded forcing down his unease. Just two more weeks and he'd be back in his dorm, all of this a distant memory. He stood, slinging his bag onto his shoulder bidding All Might goodbye.

He didn't go back to Aizawa's house. Instead, he went for a jog around the city planning to spend the extra three hours in that blissful peace. Uphills, across bridges, down endless streets till he found himself outside of the house All Might called his home.

Home.

How he wanted one, yearned for one. Maybe in the future.

He pushed open the front door, greeted by Eri wrapping her arms around his legs. "Daddy said you were going to be home early today!" she pouted, lower lip jutted out.

Izuku felt his heart stop, dread filling him. The door was still open, his shoes still on, he could— "Don't even think about it," Aizawa warned.

Izuku chuckled nervously. "I wasn't thinking anything," he lied, clearing his throat. "I, uh, decided to go on another run." He flinched when Aizawa's eyes narrowed.

"Why didn't the number UA has listed work?"

The number—Right, the fake one he made up.

Izuku pulled at the collar of his dry-fit shirt. "I, uh, don't actually have a phone."

"Then what are you always listening to music on?" Aizawa asked, exasperated hand tangling in his loose hair.

Izuku pulled out his 'phone'. "Hatsume made me this. Call and text only work on wifi, though."

He frowned down at it realizing that he should've given the number to at least Aizawa. "I wrote that number down before she made it." He rubbed the back of his head looking down at his feet. "Sorry."

"I picked out a movie for us to watch," Eri said accusingly. "Now we can't!"

Izuku panicked. "I'm so sorry, Eri, we can watch later tonight!"

"Ok!" she grinned, letting his legs go and running back into the living room.

"Number. Now," Aizawa ordered, holding his phone out to Izuku. He typed it in and handed the phone back to Aizawa. "You know, you can spend more time here than just sleeping."

Izuku flushed and looked away. "I—Uhm."

"If you don't want to, that's fine too. You're welcome here, Midoriya."

Izuku nodded. "I didn't—I mean it's not that I—I guess—What I mean is. . ." He took a breath to steady himself. "I didn't mean to be rude."

Aizawa was quiet for a minute and then said, "Help me with dinner."

Izuku toed out of his shoes and followed him into the kitchen. He let himself get lost in the methodical nature of mincing vegetables, but one thought kept bugging him. "What if I don't fit into your class?"

"Is this about Bakugo?" Aizawa asked, sipping the broth from a spoon.

"No, I'm not really worried about him," Izuku admitted. Sure, Bakugo could be loud and obnoxious but he knew how to handle him. "They've been together for two full years. I've seen how they work as a team." He set down the knife not trusting himself to cut straight. "What if I don't fit in?"

"Let me deal with that, Midoriya. You should focus on your training." Izuku went back to mincing carrots, muttering, "Easier said than done."

Beside him, Aizawa sighed. "Well, there's nothing you can do till class starts and you start working with them, so stop worrying about something you can't deal with."

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek annoyed at himself, knowing that Aizawa was right.

Izuku knew he was an easy crier. It'd never really bothered him even if others considered him weak for it. But this was ridiculous. Even as he wiped furiously at his face with his sleeves he couldn't keep up.

The miscellaneous-filled spare room had been cleared out, making room for a twin-size bed. The sticker-covered computer still sat on the desk in the corner clear of drawings and capless markers. The punching back still rested against the wall, too, Aizawa saying something about him probably wanting it.

"Why are you doing this?" Izuku asked through sobs. He was going back to the dorms in a few weeks. Was there really a point in clearing out the room just for him? He felt terrible.

"You can't sleep in a park, Midoriya," Aizawa answered bitterly.

"You didn't have to do this," he whimpered, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes till he saw stars. "I can't accept this. I can't repay you. Everything is too much!"

There were light steps, but Izuku didn't look up. "Midoriya," Aizawa said gently, closer now. "This room is yours. You can stay here when UA is on break."

Another sob worked its way up Izuku's throat, choking him. "Why?" Hands gently pulled his arms from his face and he didn't fight them.

"Because we want to, Midoriya." He sighed, letting go of Izuku. "I had Principal Nezu make me and Mic your guardians, so if you need anything, call us."

Izuku sniffed, not sure if he was hearing correctly. "But—"

"No but's," Aizawa cut off. "And no 'paying us back' either. This is your family too if you want it."

Izuku sucked in a sharp, deep breath fighting back a fresh wave of tears. "But you barely know me."

"If that's what you're worried about, then come home during your free time."

Home.

That word again. Izuku wanted it so bad, but it was surrounded by red flags and warning signs. Not home, he decided, just a safe place to sleep. He dried the last of his tears and nodded. "Ok." "Another thing. Don't tell anyone about this or about Shinsou. Understand?"

Izuku nodded. Hero work was dangerous after all. "I understand."

"Good. Dinner's ready."

Izuku followed him out, stopping by the bathroom to wash his face. There was nothing he could do about his red, puffy eyes. Eri was bound to ask. He rubbed his temples feeling a headache forming.

A bed? A room that was his? It still didn't feel real.

When he stepped into the living room an arm was thrown around his shoulders guiding him to the kitchen. "So, how do you like the room? Be honest!"

Izuku smiled up at Mic. It was hard to recognize him with his hair not standing on end and a speaker not hanging around his neck. "It's nice, thank you."

"Let me know if you want to change the color. I'm a wiz with a paintbrush!" he grinned, spinning on his foot.

A snort came from the kitchen. "You are not."

Mic glared back at Aizawa. "Ignore Shouta, he doesn't know what he's talking about."

Izuku took a seat at the table next to Eri and across from Shinsou. The same seat he took at every meal. Sort of like it was his.

His.

Izuku jogged through the UA campus, passing the gym he and All Might typically used for training, following the map Aizawa had given him that morning.

Taking the stairs two at a time he entered the general studies building. The halls were dark and quiet, strange without the students that usually crowded it. Izuku knocked on the door to the counselor's office. A light was on inside, the only sign that the building wasn't completely abandoned during break.

A nice-looking lady opened the door ushering him in. "Hello, Midoriya," she said, welcoming him into the office. "I'm Mrs. Ito. Would you like some tea?"

"Yeah, tea would be great." Izuku took a seat in the room she led him to. A plush, comfortable chair sat in front of the desk, but there were other places to sit as well. A candle burned in the corner filling the dim office with warm light. Surprisingly cozy. "Sorry about this," Izuku said, taking the cup of tea she offered him. "I know it's break for teachers, too."

"Nonsense." She waved him off, her manicured nails flying across the keyboard at her desk. "Now then, this will be a short meeting just to get to know each other. Mr. Aizawa said that you're having trouble controlling your quirk and are being transferred to the Hero Course. That correct?"

He nodded, sipping the tea to soothe his nerves.

"What do you usually do to control your quirk?" she asked, hands lacing together on the desk. "Ignore it," Izuku answered truthfully. "Drown it out of music or some other background noise." Mrs. Ito nodded, typing something into her computer. "What do you mean by 'it'?"

"Well, my quirk lets me hear other people's thoughts." Izuku looked down at his hands. "Trying to keep them out is like struggling to keep a door without a lock closed while on the other side something is trying to force its way it."

Mrs. Ito's fingers paused midair as a frown creased her forehead. "I see. So, you can't turn your quirk off?"

Izuku sunk into himself still looking at his hands in his lap. "No." At least she didn't sound disgusted or alarmed. "I just try to manage it."

She hummed and the clack of the keyboard started up again. "How do you manage your quirk?" "Music mostly or I turn on my TV. Lately, I've been running."

"And if you don't have access to those?"

Izuku hesitated. "I can get overwhelmed," he admitted, wringing his hands. "Um, but usually it's not a problem because people are talking during class, so—" he swallowed thickly. "It's usually not a problem," he repeated quieter, unconvincingly.

Across from him, Mrs. Ito let out a gentle sigh. "Midoriya, I want to help you, but that starts with being honest with yourself. I've helped all kinds of students learn to manage their quirks. Let me help you."

Izuku hesitantly looked up at her, meeting her brown eyes and warm smile. It softened something inside him. "Ok, I'll try."

"Good." She smiled, but it shifted to something sad, almost remorseful. "Let's talk about when your quirk manifested. Is everything Mr. Aizawa told me accurate?"

Izuku shook off the chill that crossed his body and forced a nod. "We'll start there. Do you remember it well?"

"No, not really. Just bits and pieces."

More clacking. "It's not uncommon for children's quirks to manifest in a traumatic way," she started slowly. "It often affects them deeply for a long time." Izuku just nodded, sipping his tea diligently. "Do you experience flashbacks, moments of panic when you think about it, or anything else concerning?"

"Y-Yes," Izuku murmured, his knuckles white around the cup. "Sometimes I see flashes of it happening again. Nothing long or detailed." He hated how small his voice was like he was just a scared child again.

"Did you have any counseling after the event?" Her voice sounded far away, but still so kind and warm.

Izuku shook his head grasping at words. "N-No, um, soon after my mom surrendered me, and I got moved around a lot for a couple of years afterward."

"I see." More clacking, loud and solid. Mrs. Ito took a deep breath through her nose, sharp. The clock on the wall ticked steadily. The candle crackled. Solid. Real. "Midoriya?"

Izuku looked up.

"Breathe, Midoriya, you're ok."

Breathe. In. Out.

The pain in his chest faded to a dull throb. "Will it ever stop?"

"With time," she said, leaning to the side to pull something from her desk. "That's what we'll work on here. Your relationship with your quirk is damaged, so for your homework"—she set down a small notebook on the desk and pushed it towards him— "I want you to think about the things that trigger you and write down your reactions. Try to understand why you react that way. Write whatever you need to."

Izuku picked up the notebook considering it for a second before putting it into his bag.

"Don't overwork yourself," Mrs. Ito warned. "We'll be meeting twice a week for the foreseeable future."

Izuku stood, setting the empty cup on her desk and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Thank you, Mrs. Ito." He turned to leave, pausing in the doorway when she called his name.

"Be kind to yourself."

Izuku nodded not sure if he could be.

He sprinted out of the building not stopping till his lungs and legs were begging him to stop. Panting, he sat on a park bench.

Birds chirped around him. A child laughed somewhere far off. In the distance, horns honked.

Slowly, his body relaxed, unwinding till he felt vaguely numb and exhausted. He was supposed to be eating lunch but couldn't find the energy to get the bento out of his bag. Groaning he sat up and surveyed the park he ended up at. Nothing looked familiar leaving his brows drawn in annoyance.

"Idiot," he grumbled to himself, head cradled in his hands. His watch also told him he only had about thirty minutes before he was supposed to be back at UA to train with Aizawa and Shinsou. "Dammit."

"Deku?" a voice scoffed making Izuku freeze. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Izuku looked over at Bakugo standing a few feet away also dressed in workout clothes. "Just on a run," he said, picking up his bag. If he was late, Aizawa would do worse than Bakugo.

Bakugo didn't say anything as Izuku passed, but his glare followed. "You joined the Hero Course, right nerd?"

Izuku paused and looked back at Bakugo. "Yeah, I did."

"Good."

Izuku quirked a brow in question.

Bakugo sneered, lip curling. "You're gonna get strong and then I'm gonna kick your ass. You got that, Deku?"

"Yeah, Kacchan," Izuku smiled sweetly. "Looking forward to it." "What the hell did you call me?"

"If you're gonna call me 'Deku', I'm gonna call you 'Kacchan'," he shrugged, watching Bakugo storm forward. Izuku backstepped out of his grasp. "See you when classes start." He half expected Bakugo to chase after him, but he stayed in the park glaring.

Bakugo. . .

They were friends once, or at least Izuku considered they were. Sort of. Bakugo at least tolerated him.

After his mother abandoning him and then shifting between foster homes for a few years, the prospect of returning to another new school had been terrifying. What if he hurt someone again? What if he was forced out like all the other homes? Shunned?

And the first day of school had been terrifying. Unable to control his quirk, the thoughts of those around him bombarded his mind pushing him to tears in the corner of the classroom.

But then Bakugo was loud and demanding. A little scary even at first. He relished in attention, making sure everyone knew he was the best. Bakugo drowned out the noise. He always said what he was thinking so Izuku never had to worry about separating vocal conversations from the thoughts he overheard.

He felt normal around Bakugo.

Then they got a little older and Bakugo began pushing him away till it was full-blown bullying. But it never made sense. He always pushed harder whenever Izuku brought up wanting to be a

hero.

Izuku stopped outside of UA's gates, looking up at the insignia.

He'd thought he'd left Bakugo in the past. Getting into UA was a dream come true even if it wasn't what he originally wanted. Seeing Bakugo in the halls—rare as it may have been—and having no interaction with him was also a dream come true. Ignored was better than hated, and despite everything, Izuku still cared about Bakugo. His first friend whether Bakugo liked it or not.

Swiping his ID card and scanning his hand, Izuku walked up to the gym. The side door was propped open with a bucket. Inside, Shinsou and Aizawa were stretching, Eri doing her best to mimic them.

"You're late," Aizawa said.

Izuku frowned, looking down at his watch. "I'm five minutes early."

"Yeah, but we're finished stretching and you just got here," Shinsou pointed out, arms reaching towards his toes.

Izuku's mouth screwed over to the left. "Right. Won't happen again."

"I'll explain what we're going to do today while you catch up," Aizawa said. While Izuku dropped to the floor, Aizawa took the clipboard from Eri. "Shinsou has agreed to let you use your quirk on him."

Izuku looked over at the other boy, brows raised. "You're sure?"

"I don't have anything to hide." He grew pink around the ears, looking off to the side. "At least not anymore."

Aizawa looked suspicious but didn't ask. "Today, I want to measure your quirk on a single person. We'll work up from there." He waited till the two nodded before continuing. "To start, Shinsou and I discussed some information before you got here. Try to figure it out."

"Ok." Izuku gave a determined nod and turned to Shinsou who said he was ready. He reached out, brushing up against Shinsou's mind and then sinking in. The room, then further, just a little deeper. Izuku frowned, piecing together the thoughts. "We're having. . ." His eyes flew open, not even sure when he closed them. He looked up to Aizawa. "We're having katsudon for dinner?"

"Good job. Keep going."

"But that's not in the approved meals from All Might."

Aizawa narrowed his eyes, the dark circles becoming more pronounced. "I'm aware. Consider it a reward for training hard."

"O-Ok." He turned back to Shinsou. It'd only been a few weeks. He didn't really feel like he deserved katsudon. He'd just do some extra workouts to make up for it. That sorted, he reached back into Shinsou's mind. "Eri asked if we could go home early so she can watch the new episode of Glitter Star Battle Force Galactica: Into the Beyond. . . You told her it'll be recorded."

Eri pouted, cheeks puffed out, scuffing her shoe against the floor.

"After this, Shinsou gets to practice." Izuku looked up to Aizawa pretty sure there was nothing

else.

"Good. It took you just under two minutes." Aizawa reset the stopwatch. "Now, let's do a few more exercises."

Two hours later, Izuku sprawled on the ground, arm thrown over his eyes to ease his dull headache. Aizawa made them spar till he and Shinsou were near exhausted, tripping over their own feet. It wasn't as bad as the final, so Izuku decided to be thankful Aizawa didn't push them further. Shinsou held out a water bottle to him which he took sitting up.

"Thanks."

Shinsou gave a grunt of acknowledgment and sat down beside him. Eri was in the corner twisting with a hula hoop she'd brought, frowning harder each time it fell to her feet. Izuku stood, ignoring his sore muscles, and pulled the hoop over his head. "Like this," he said, rocking around to keep the hoop around his hips. "Try it."

Eri took the hula hoop back. She lit up when she managed to keep it up for a few seconds letting out an excited gasp. "I did it!"

"You did! That was awesome. Try it again." He'd never get tired of her smile.

"Time to go," Aizawa said. "Mic should have dinner ready."

Izuku scooped up Eri, setting the squealing girl on his shoulders. Shinsou carried the hula hoop.

"Next time I get to use my support equipment, so don't expect to win," Shinsou grumbled beside him.

Izuku smiled at the challenge. "So confident," he teased, earning snickers from Eri. Shinsou glared up at her, muttering, "Traitor."

Izuku perched on Hatsume's windowsill watching as she unpacked her luggage and souvenirs. All Might had let him out of training an hour early which gave him time to stop by and see his friend. As she babbled on and on about the new tech showcased at the conference, Izuku realized just how much he missed her.

But there was something off.

"Why aren't you asking me about where I stayed?" Izuku asked suspiciously. Hatsume was rarely gone during breaks, but the few times she was she compiled a list of safe sleeping options and usually tried to sneak money into his backpack. Both of which were true this time, but she always asked where he had stayed so she could update the list (something about statistics). Every time he mentioned break, she'd shove a new sketch for a baby in his face instead.

Hatsume froze in her rambling, pupils dilating as she focused on him. The silence that stretched between them was so unlike her. "You needed more sensors," she finally said, rushing the words together. "I know you said you would be ok, but there was a 99% probability that sneaking onto campus would not work," she added as his jaw dropped.

Izuku swung his legs into her room gaping at her. "You told Aizawa?" He felt a range of emotions in the short span of a few seconds. Anger, confusion, gratitude, and a weird sense of why-didn't-I- figure-this-out-sooner. "I can't believe you!"

She shrugged looking over one of her many prototype piles in her room. "You'll thank me in approximately two days."

"Whatever," Izuku huffed, ignoring the sour taste in his mouth. "What are you doing for the rest of break?"

"Working on my babies, of course."

"Right. That was a dumb question." He checked his watch and let out a groan. "I've got to go."

Hatsume nodded, head in a different helmet. "Bye!"

Izuku hesitated on the windowsill, looking out at the street and skyline beyond. "My schedule is pretty busy, so I might not see you for a few days."

She perked up pulling the helmet off. "Oh, that's ok. Text me when you're free and I'll meet you at our usual spot."

Izuku nodded, smiling wide. "Ok. Good luck with your babies."

He waved from the alley as she shut her window. Izuku ran back to the house to pick up Eri. He'd promised to take her to the park and teach her how to fly a kite. She probably already had her shoes on waiting by the door. He picked up the pace.

Panting, he pulled open the door and called out to her. Sure enough, he heard a chair get pushed back, and then Eri appeared in the hallway wearing her new light-up sneakers and hair in pigtails. "Toshi's coming too!"

"Great! You've got your kite, right?"

"Yep!" She nodded, holding up the one they purchased the other night as proof. Shinsou ruffled her hair. "We can't be gone too long. Dinner will be ready soon." "Then let's go now," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door. Izuku held it open as she dragged him out. "Be back in a bit!" he called into the house. A muffled, "Be safe!" answered.

The park wasn't far which gave them about an hour to let Eri play around with the kite. It was perfect out. Warm and sunny with a good breeze. Izuku laid in the grass watching the little red kite flying high above them, dipping and spinning as the string was pulled. Shinsou sat nearby picking at weeds and watching her, calling out if she strayed too far.

"So, what's your class like?" Izuku asked, shifting to rest his head on his arm.

A look of dread crossed Shinsou's face. "Insistent," he grumbled. "Whatever you do, don't tell them you don't want to make friends."

"But I want friends."

"Then you're in for a treat." Izuku smiled. "So, they're nice?"

"Yeah, except for Bakugo, but you know that." His purple eyes shifted from where Eri was sitting in the grass next to him. "What's the story with you two anyway?"

"We knew each other most of elementary and middle school," Izuku explained. They both turned when Eri yelped, but the kite had just taken a nosedive. It fluttered back up steadily.

"What happened?"

Izuku shrugged, staring at the puffy clouds passing above them. A storm was probably coming. "I'm not really sure. The older we got, the more he pushed me away. The final was the first time I'd spoken to him in a couple years, actually."

"Huh," Shinsou said like he expected more. "At least the first day will be interesting." Izuku scowled at him. "Why is my misfortune you're entertainment?"

"Call me curious." Shinsou stood and held out a hand to him. "I will say, Bakugo is different from when I first met him." Shinsou shrugged when Izuku gave him an unconvinced look. "From the outside, he still looked like the same asshole, but he's not as much of an asshole."

"What's an 'asshole'?" Eri asked.

The two boys panicked lives flashing before their eyes.

"H-He said apple! Apple, Eri!" Izuku tried to amend.

"Apple?" Her nose scrunched up. "How can someone be an apple?"

Shinsou let out a stiff breath. "Because he's rotten."

"Oh," she said like it made perfect sense.

Off in the distance, thunder rumbled. They made it home just as it began to sprinkle. "Papa!" Eri called, running into the kitchen. "My kite went so high I could barely see it!"

Izuku took the shoes she'd thrown off and put them away. In the kitchen, Eri was in Mic's arms gushing about how Shinsou taught her to make the kite do loops and how it almost crashed because she pulled too hard.

He was going to sit on the couch, but Aizawa dropped a stack of papers in his hands. "What is this?" he dared ask.

"You're not getting the same hands-on training that the other students got for their provisional license test," Aizawa explained. "Read over this and we'll discuss it tomorrow."

Izuku nodded and took the stack to his room. Sitting down at his desk he flipped through the first few pages. Detailed diagrams and directions for first aid. He knew most of it from his classes. Another chunk was dedicated to how to talk to a civilian during a trauma situation.

Highlighters and sticky notes at the ready, Izuku started reading. He ended up just using a notebook to write his questions.

He'd just gotten to the section on earthquakes and tsunamis when Shinou told him dinner was ready. Izuku sat through the meal thinking of ways he could use his quirk in a disaster situation.

"Midoriya, you're muttering," Aizawa chastised. Izuku blushed. "Sorry."

"I think you could use your quirk to make people calm down," Shinsou agreed. "That's what I did with my quirk."

Izuku poked at his dinner with his chopsticks. It was cold and he couldn't remember when he'd stopped eating. He forced himself to finish it

There was a week left till classes. A week and a half till the exam. At least he'd get some group training. The test would probably be hard alone. He'd have to be fast about it.

"Midoriya?"

Izuku looked up, surprised to find the table empty and cleared. Aizawa stood next to him, reaching forward to pick up his empty plate. "I can get it!" He fumbled to pick up his dishes and scoot the chair back.

"Midoriya," Aizawa said again, coming to stand by him at the sink. "What is it?"

"I just—um—I. . ." He forced himself to take a breath and turn the faucet off. "You didn't run into me by accident, did you?"

Aizawa sighed, leaning against the counter. "Your friend Hatsume said you might be outside UA."

Izuku soured wondering if Hatsume put a tracker on him. He wouldn't put it past her. "I'm also worried about the exam."

"You worry too much, Midoriya," Aizawa said, pushing off the counter. "I know saying that won't stop you, but I know you'll pass."

"How?" Izuku asked before thinking. He took a half step back, panic seizing his throat. "I-I just mean, you sound so sure."

"I've taught a lot of students, Midoriya." He walked away hands shoved in his pockets, content to let Izuku stew on that, but paused in the living room. "I know a hero when I see one," he added, back still turned.

Izuku looked at the ground, eyes wide and burning as Aizawa's footsteps faded down the hall. Alone, he let out a stifled gasp, the tears welling on his eyelashes threatening to fall. He pressed his sleeves to his eyes to dry them, holding them there for a moment.

Rain thrashed outside his window as he sunk into bed.

Lying in the darkness, he wondered what Hatsume and Aizawa saw in him that he couldn't. This hero they kept pushing him to become. They didn't understand. They couldn't because he wouldn't tell them. He wouldn't show them. But if they knew, would they stop pushing? Would Aizawa convince the faculty to let him return to the Support Course?

His stomach twisted.

No, he didn't want that. He didn't want to love the Hero Course, it would make the eventual disappointment easier, but here he was. Falling harder than he ever expected. So hard.

It was going to hurt.

Yet, that didn't stop the flutter in his heart he got every time he thought of the final, or every time he beat Shinsou, or when he met another training goal, or, or, or. . .

Izuku scowled at the rain still pouring the next morning. He considered still going for a run, but he couldn't afford to get sick so close to the first day of classes and the exam. Groaning, he shut the front door and took off his shoes.

The house was dark and quiet. Mind buzzing and unsure of what to do with his two hours of free time, Izuku stood awkwardly in the kitchen. Something. Something to distract him.

Turning the TV on wasn't an option. He didn't want to wake anyone, and music wasn't working. He dragged a stiff hand through his green curls, letting out a tense breath. He checked his watch.

5:22 A.M.

He hurried back to his bedroom and dropped to the floor. Push-ups till his muscles began to ache. Still, not enough, he curled the weights sitting by his bed. Then he went through the packet of papers Aizawa gave him brushing up on his notes and questions, writing new ones.

Finally, the rain turned to a drizzle and the sun began to peek through, but it was too late for even a short run. He also remembered he had another meeting with Mrs. Ito. Wearily he looked over at the notebook she'd given him. He'd filled the first few pages with descriptions of his panic attacks and what he thinks caused them. He even went as far as to text Hatsume for her thoughts.

The red exercise band was tucked under the mattress. He felt ridiculous for hiding it away, but he couldn't bring himself to hang it back up either.

Then there were the times he flinched when people touched him. He hated the looks on their faces. Izuku had also noticed that Aizawa, Shinsou, and even Mic had started calling his name before touching him or coming near, especially when they were out of his direct line of sight. They didn't ask why he flinched which Izuku guessed he should be thankful for, but it still bothered him that he couldn't stop himself.

Izuku stood with a stretch. He'd be able to catch breakfast for once. Shinsou was sitting at the table eating Eri's cereal, poorly shaped unicorn marshmallows and all. Shinsou looked between him and the rain still hitting the window then nodded, piecing it together. Izuku opened the fridge but found nothing he could just grab and eat.

"Dad will be up soon. Usually, make eggs," Shinsou said, shoving another spoon full of pink milk and unicorns into his mouth.

Izuku furrowed his brow, closing the fridge. He never knew who Shinsou was talking about when he said 'Dad'. At least Eri switched it up between the two.

"'Kay," Izuku sighed, taking a seat at the table, head resting in his hand. "Who knew missing a run would make you so miserable."

Izuku glared at Shinsou who pointedly ignored him, scrolling on his phone. "I'm just used to the routine." It also just felt weird to be present for breakfast, like he was intruding again. Over the three weeks, he'd been staying there, Izuku hadn't once eaten breakfast with them. Such a little thing, but the first meal was important, right? And they all ate together. He was already intruding on dinner.

He glared at the rain, hating it even more.

"Zuzu!" Eri said with an excited gasp. "You're here for breakfast!" She ran across the room and clambered into the chair beside him.

"Yeah, it was raining so I couldn't go for my run," he explained, stifling a smile when Shinsou hurriedly took his bowl of stolen cereal to the sink before Eri saw the thievery.

Eri's eyes were wide and considering for a moment then she looked over to the hall where footsteps sounded. This time 'Dad' was Aizawa, looking exhausted as usual even though he'd just woken up.

He grumbled a good morning as he went about making breakfast. Izuku accepted the plate of eggs, determined to eat quickly and go.

Beside him, Eri smiled brightly. "I hope it rains again tomorrow." Izuku decided he could eat a little slower.