Nonchalant

Chapter 31

Have this third chapter too >:D

Dw I'm perfectly fine. It was really fun to write this so I dove right in.  

He could hear conversation. He could hear fragments.

Then he heard his name. 

No. They knew who he was. Eraser Head knew. He wasn't safe. 

I have to hide. He knows. 

He knows.

He had nowhere to go. The windows were locked. There were no other doors. He was tired and weak from his injuries.

Maybe he could break the windows. But that would attract attention. There would be cameras, too.

He couldn't do this. 

Izuku felt trapped. He drew his knees to his chest and resisted the urge to cry.

Stop crying, idiot!

Stop crying.

His mind drifted to his thoughts. What would Eraser Head do? Turn him in to the police? Stare at him in disgust? Kill him once and for all? 

Izuku gripped the blanket around him, vaguely noticing that he was now in a hospital gown. It hung off him loosely, given his small stature and thin body. His hands were now around his arms, hugging himself tightly. He gripped so hard his nails drew blood, though he didn't bother.

He knows you're not worth it. He'll dump you back with Mom and it would be like nothing changed. None of this would have matter. You're not worth it.

You're not worth it.

You're not worth it. 

"Midoriya!"

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There he was, curled into a ball as he murmured to himself. Aizawa saw the blood that ran from his fingers, revealing crescent cut whenever he shifted his hands. His head was held low as he dug deeper into his arms.

Aizawa quickly pulled his hands away from himself and was met with those same eyes, brimming with tears.

Why did they always seem empty no matter the situation? 

Midoriya stared at him in disbelief, quiet and tense. The bags under his eyes were dark and contrasted against his skin. 

This really was the same kid from four years ago.

"Remember me?"

He had meant to say it in a non-threatening tone, but Midoriya must've taken it as a threat. His head lowered again and he bit his lip.

Aizawa lowered Midoriya's hands and began treating the cuts on his arms. Recovery Girl had left to give them privacy, which he greatly appreciated. His head was down as he disinfected his cuts, not showing any signs of discomfort as the alcohol-soaked pad touched his skin.

Then he felt something drip on his hand. Midoriya was crying. 

He was always quiet when he cried, apart from the occasional sniff. The tears flowed in big droplets in an almost comical way. 

"I'm sorry." his voice rang out, soft and cracked. Aizawa finished the last bandage and stared at his green eyes, which were cast downwards.

"Don't be."

"You're tired."

"So are you.

"You have a lot of questions."

"I do."

"What will you do now?"

"I don't know."

"Do you hate me?"

Aizawa paused, then shook his head. "No."

"Well, why not?" Midoriya asked, still in his usual monotone voice. 

He shrugged in response. "I won't hate you because you're quirkless. I've established that since I met you.

Midoriya seemed to contemplate that response. 

"You're tired. Let's talk about this in the morning, alright?"

All he got was a nod, but it was more than enough.

Midoriya was alive. Alive but not well. Alive but hurt.

Aizawa checked on him one last time before closing the curtains.

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Oh, no. 

It wasn't a dream. 

Izuku woke up at seven a.m., having slept fitfully but better than normal. The bed was soft and clean, the blankets were warm and smooth, and the pillow was fluffy and light.

He glanced at his hands, then grabbed the sheets again.

He really wasn't dreaming.

Izuku would've gone into another panic attack before someone pulled the curtain open. An old woman, who he recognized as Recovery Girl, held a tray of food for him. 

"Good morning, dear. How did you sleep?"

Izuku didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet. She set the tray over his lap. On it, there was a bowl of rice, a small cut of grilled salmon, miso soup, and a cup of tea. On the side, there was a plate of fruits and vegetables and a handful of gummy bears.

This was too much to accept. He shook his head.

"You don't have to eat all of it, but finish the candy. I won't take no for an answer, you need the food."

Izuku stared at the cutlery she'd placed in his hands. 

"Itadakimasu." He murmured under his breath. Recovery Girl smiled and went to her desk.

The food was amazing. It was so much better than ramen and cheap frozen meals he could barely afford. He wondered who had prepared it so early in the morning.

He left a large portion of rice and half of the salmon but finished the gummies as she said. Izuku placed the tray onto the table next to him, which got Recovery Girl's attention. She picked it up and deposited it into a hatch, which probably sent it off into the kitchen. 

A knock at the door startled him. She opened it to reveal Eraser Head, looking refreshed but agitated.

He kept his eyes on his hands, twiddling his thumbs as the pro sat next to him. 

"How are you doing?" Eraser Head started off, staring at him with a gentle look.

"You want answers, right?" Izuku replied, not responding to his question. Eraser Head shook his head. 

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Sorry, Eraser Head."

"Aizawa. Eraser Head is quite a mouthful."

Izuku bit his lip again. "Sorry, Aizawa-san."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Midoriya."

The silence that followed was suffocating, until Aizawa spoke. "I know you probably don't want to, but you have a visitor."

Izuku's eyes shot to the door, waiting for the mystery person to walk in.

Oh, fuck.

Who else would step in but Nezu, principal of UA himself.

When it comes to my story, it depends on what part of it I have to write about. I wanted to speed things up but I think I sped it up too fast. Sorry :,)

Sorry about the two-month-plus-some delay. I'll try to upload more frequently now <3