Just an A/N! Happy pride month! You're beautiful just the way you are! Anyways, enjoy! <3
Aizawa quietly closed the door.
Shouto had passed out 2 minutes ago. Aizawa was tapped out; It had been 47 hours since he slept and he was exhausted.
Exhausted couldn't even begin to describe how tired Aizawa was. Any longer and he would be sprawled across the floor, sleeping. He forced himself awake, 'Now is not the time'. It had been a day since Shouto attempted. Aizawa's honestly surprised he even woke up today. Now for the hard part...
Telling the problem children.
He had thought long and hard about this decision, deciding that just coming out with it would be easiest. It had been a complete violation of Shouto's privacy, although he probably won't be getting any privacy as soon as he's released from the hospital. With his worried classmates and the media that's bound to catch on eventually, not to mention suicide watch, he'll be on watch almost 24/7. He felt a pang of sympathy for the kid.
As stupid as the problem children could be, they were quite sharp. They would figure it out eventually, and it's better to hear it from him than the media. He shuddered at the thought.
'I hate the media.'
Before telling his class, he had to make a call first.
It rang twice before the other line picked up.
"Detective Tsukauchi speaking."
"Detective. I have a report to make."
"Eraser. Didn't expect you to be calling me. What is it?"
"I had a student...attempt to jump off the roof of the school building. He revealed some pretty unnerving stuff." He knew it was blunt, but he dreaded this phone call before it even started.
"I see. May I ask who?"
Aizawa sighed. He knew this would be a pain.
"Yes, but I need you to keep this under wraps. He informed me about...his situation. It's a pro's kid."
He could feel the tension from the other side of the phone call.
"Todoroki Shouto. Son of Endeavor." Aizawa spat venom when he used that disgrace of a man's hero name. He would make sure that his hero status is stripped from him.
"I wish I was surprised. I'll make sure to keep the media away for as long as I can. You want to start an investigation I'm assuming, correct?"
"Yes."
"No problem. I'll support you fully in the search."
"Thank you."
The call ended quickly, Aizawa breathing a breath of relief. Now he had to take care of the problem children.
He groaned.
They lowered his lifespan, but he would never admit how much he cared for them. He would put his life on the line for them if the scar underneath his eye wasn't an indication already.
The drive back to the dorms was silent. Aizawa thinking about their reactions. He was quite worried about the #1 problem child. How would he react? Seeming as though he and Shouto were closest.
Not long later, he started making his way inside the dorms.
'I just wanna sleep.'
『✰❦✰』
"Everyone shut up."
Immediately the room was quiet. Not a single sound could be heard, until...
"Aizawa-Sensei, what's going on? Does it have something to do with Todoroki-kun not being in class today?" Midoriya asked, already starting to worry.
Aizawa was surprised at how quickly he figured it out.
"Yes. Is everyone here?"
Quickly some students went to retrieve their missing classmates.
As soon as everyone was there Aizawa started,
"Yesterday, Todoroki was found..." Aizawa cleared his throat, bracing himself for the reactions, "attempting suicide." Aizawa hated this. The kid should be able to tell them this himself, but he won't have time to do that. He's emotionally unstable and the recovery will be a long one, he probably won't be able to return to school in a while.
The room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. No one says anything; Trying to absorb the information. They might not be saying anything but Aizawa can practically see the guilt washing over them.
"Before any of you say anything or blame yourself," He said, staring at Midoriya, "he wrote a note." He had already read the note, but he thinks it would be a good idea to read it to them.
Everyone's attention was once again on him. And so, Aizawa read...
_______________
I'm sorry. It wasn't anyone's fault.
I simply had 2 choices,
Destroy others
or
Destroy me
I chose myself
-Shoto Todoroki
_______________
When he looked up, most of the class were either shocked or crying. Yaoyorozu was sobbing into Jirou's shirt, Kirishima was trying to comfort anyone he could, Shinsou sat still with guilt clear on his face, Midoriya was the worst of them. His face was covered in tears, eyes puffy red, and his posture was slumped.
Aizawa had never seen the boy in a worse state. It hurt that he couldn't do anything to help them. Because frankly, saying that Shouto was okay would've been a lie. Sure, physically he's fine, other than the cuts on his wrists, those will probably scar. But mentally...
That's a different story.
Aizawa can only imagine the number of times that boy was suffering and hid it behind sleeves, makeup, and a big lie that's shaped into the words of "I'm fine".
He can practically hear the self-deprecating thoughts going on in his student's minds,
'Why didn't I realize?'
"Before any of you ask, yes, he's physically fine. I stopped him from trying to jump off of the UA building."
Horror flashed across each of the Class 1-A students. Midoriya cried even harder (if that's possible).
"Do you know why...why he tried?"
Aizawa knew this question was coming, which was why he was ready to answer.
"Yes. But I assume you will most likely hear it on the news soon, so there's no need to say."
This was one thing that Aizawa was not going to discuss. He's already overstepping his boundaries telling Shouto's classmates about this when it's obvious he didn't want to. They'll find out soon enough.
"Can we see him?" Midoriya, surprisingly, stopped sobbing, but his face was tear-stained and his eyes were bloodshot.
"Unfortunately, not yet." He attempted not to grimace at the disappointed faces the students now wore, "He's not quite mentally ready for visitors other than family, and me. He'll be discharged from the hospital in a week, and staying at my place for the time being."
Students mumbled disagreeing words. Aizawa wasn't surprised; They probably wanted to check on their dual-wielder friend. Unfortunately, Shouto wasn't ready.
He pictured the eyes filled with sadness before Shouto tried to jump off the roof. Then the eyes when Shouto sat on the hospital cot looking straight to Aizawa. He looked miserable. Tired. It broke Aizawa's heart.
Shortly after, he had sent the students to sleep. It has been 12:30 AM, they were supposed to be in their dorms 30 minutes ago, although he had made an exception given the news that he shoved onto them.
He just wondered how Shouto was doing.
『✰❦✰』
As soon as Aizawa dismissed them, and sent them to their rooms, Midoriya slammed the door shut and started sobbing.
'It's my fault.'
'How did I not realize?'
'I should have known!'
How could he be a hero, if he couldn't even save his best friend? It was so obvious now that he thinks about it.
He refused to eat, wouldn't hang out with the class, always looks exhausted.
"Oh my god. I'm so stupid. I-I didn't even r-realize! H-how d-did I n-not realize?"
Midoriya's sobs turned into wails. He wanted to scream out all of his frustration. He wanted to see him. He wanted to save him.
"Deku-kun? Are you okay?"
Oh. Uraraka.
He sat on the floor immobilized. His room wasn't locked, a rule Aizawa-Sensei made to make sure they were able to escape easily if attacked by villains. To make sure they were safe.
'But Todoroki wasn't safe. He was a danger to himself.'
The thought made Midoriya sob his heart out. He hadn't realized when the door opened, and there was a brown-haired girl kneeling next to him, rubbing circles on his back.
It reminded him of his mother.
"Deku. You need to breathe, you're okay."
"It's m-my fault! I couldn't-... I couldn't save him."
"It's not your fault. You didn't realize; None of us did either."
Midoriya could tell that Uraraka had been crying. Her face was stained with tears, and her eyes were red. But, she was trying to stay strong for him, and he appreciated it.
They stayed in silence for a while, Midoriya enjoying the comfort of the other.
"Uraraka."
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Uraraka smiled a bit, at least as much as she could given the situation. She stood, gave a small wave, and left the room.
Midoriya stayed there for a while before deciding to try and sleep.
He didn't.
And the next day, he could tell by the dark circles under the other's eyes, no one else did either.
But nobody mentioned anything.
『✰❦✰』
Aizawa walked into the apartment, completely drained. He had informed his husband of Shouto's attempt and why he'd be home late.
As soon as he walked in, he collapsed onto the couch. Hizashi came shortly after and wrapped his arms around him. He enjoyed his husband's presence.
"I don't know what to do." Aizawa started.
"Hm." Hizashi nudged for Aizawa to continue.
"He was hiding it all along. Goddammit, Hizashi he cut his wrists over and over again, and I didn't even realize. Nobody did."
"Did he tell you why?"
"His father. That bastard has been abusing him and called it training. I didn't have time to ask him when it started, but he made it seem like it had been going on forever."
"He looked so tired Hizashi. I can't believe-... I can't believe he managed to hide it for this long."
"It's okay, Sho. You saved him. He's safe because of you."
"But he almost died! He's been hurting himself over and over again under MY protection, and I didn't even notice!" Aizawa was furious at himself.
He let Endeavor hurt a student under his care and call it "training". He got away with it under the name of "training". He scarred the kid so bad he can't even be touched without flinching violently and has it beat into him to apologize for every little thing he does. It would take years for Shouto to fully understand what his father did was wrong, and that he was now safe. But, Aizawa would be with him every step of the way.
"You're going to save him now, Sho. You will be the one to help him recover. Maybe you didn't notice before, but now you know. And I know you'll be damned before you let Endeavor lay another hand on him." There wasn't a hint of hesitation in Hizashi's voice.
It was moments like these he thinks about how lucky he was to end up with Hizashi.
"I love you."
"Love you too."
『✰❦✰』
Shouto woke up to the window displaying a beautiful sunrise outside. He looked around, remembering what happened yesterday.
If he was being honest, he's scared.
Scared he'll have to go back to his father. Scared they'll think he doesn't deserve to be in the hero course. Scared they'll give up on him.
They know. Aizawa-Sensei knows.
Shouto suddenly feels the weight that's been pushing him down all his life, lift. Someone actually believed him.
Shouto didn't have to lie anymore. He was relieved. Frankly, he didn't know if he could say "I'm fine" one more time. The lie tasted so bitter in his mouth. He hated it.
The doorknob started turning. Even though he knew it wasn't his father, he could still feel himself stiffen and his mind mentally prepared to feel pain. When the same nurse from yesterday poked her head through, relief washed over him.
"You have visitors!"
Shouto raised an eyebrow.
The nurse ducked her head back outside, and a familiar color of white hair with red spots peeked through. Quickly followed by a full head of white hair.
"Sho!" Fuyumi rushed over to her brother's bed, scanning him to make sure he was real.
"Hey, little bro!" Natsuo's cheerful voice filled the room.
Although Shouto would probably deny it,
his lips twitched upwards at the sight of his siblings.
Words: 2075
The title is based on "What About Us" by P!nk.
Tbh, this chapter is a little rushed. Sorry, ab that!
Next chapter we have some sibling bonding! <3
Have an amazing Morning/Afternoon/Night!
✰__startover✰