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He could hear explosions ringing in his ears, the feel of them popping over his skin, the taste of the sulfur on the back of his tongue. He tried to breathe through the feeling of a noose tightening around his neck and pressure on his chest, the aching feel of it getting tighter and tighter yet. His breath came shorter and more desperate as he ached to get air; why couldn't he breathe? Everyone else is fine, why was it just him that couldn't breathe?
It's always him.
God why couldn't he be normal?
Stupid, stupid Deku , just breathe .
Why can't you do anything right ?
No, he's fine. They're not here. He's okay. Breathe. Air is the most important thing right now. In for four, hold for six, out for four. Repeat. In for four, hold for six, out for four. Okay, it's fine, he's fine. Everything's fine.
Acid was rising in his throat, but he's fine. His breath was too short and there wasn't enough air he couldn't breathe- No. He's fine. Better than fine even! Nothing is wrong.
Where was he again? The common room? God everyone is gonna think he's a freak again and he just got friends whyishesuchacreepgodhecouldn'tevenbenormalinfrontofhisclassmatesstupiddeku- He's fine , just breathe.
As his brain slowly came back into focus he could feel someone rubbing circles into the backs of his hands, a soothing rumble of words rushing over him in smooth waves, and the- the smell of hot cocoa?
"-and Mic screamed and jumped up on the coffee table. It wasn't that high up, I'm not sure what he was trying to accomplish. Anyway, he's screaming with his quirk on ,atop my coffee table, he's scared the cats. Which is an offense on its own by the way. And he's still screaming so I canceled his quirk and smacked him across the head, lightly that is. Turns out, it was a spider; not even the size of my fingernail. An itty bitty spider, the cops were called, our neighbors thought we were being murdered. "
"A-Aizawa Sen-Sensei?"
"You back with us, problem child?" He asked softly. Izuku didn't think he'd ever heard his voice that gentle before. It was startling to think that a teacher could be so nice, and to him too!
"Would you like a cup? I brought over two just to be safe." He offered as he gestured with his head towards the side table where two coffee cups sat, lightly steaming with hot chocolate in them. "It's perfectly understandable if you don't, but I figured you might like something comforting to drink."
"Y-Yes please?"
"Alright, here you go then."
As he sat there cradling his cup of miniaturized heaven next to his (not that he'd ever tell anyone, it would be way too embarrassing.) favorite teacher, he relaxed. He wasn't being pressed for answers, there were no stupid questions (are you okay comes to mind but he resolutely pushed that thought away.) he was… content with where he was.
Sure there would be questions eventually about why this happened, but he expected that . All of his bones were intact, Kacchan wasn't in the room,(actually no one was in the room except him and Aizawa-Sensei, what was up with that?) All Might wasn't there to patronize him, ( "You must stop the childish fits of yours, it's unheroic to show such immaturity.") Nothing bad was happening. Especially to him.
As he felt slow tears fall down his face, an arms lid around his shoulder to keep him upright. As he leaned against his sensei drifting to the first peaceful sleep he's had in a long while, his last thought before losing consciousness was as follows.
"Maybe, maybe I can be okay…"