Work Text:
28: Denial
CCTV | Exposure | “They caught me red-handed”
Aizawa Shouta has spent his entire evening marking papers. Locked away in his office, day had given way to night. His eyes were tired and trying to decipher Kaminari’s train of thought was giving him a headache. Shouta knew he needed to talk to the kid and Hounddog about some sort of plan because this was just ridiculous.
Shouta looked towards his laptop. He hummed, a small break to check in on his students wouldn’t be a bad idea. They were a bunch of trouble makers that required constant observation. Especially now that they were all trapped in the dorms together and common sense seemed to be launched right out the fucking window.
Shouta pulled the device closer, opening the program to access the camera feed he began his search.
The dorm had its normal amount of activity. Bakugo cooking, turning to yell at the classmates who sat at the island. They laughed up a storm as an angry Bakugo waves a spatula in their faces. In the common area, some students gathered around the tv. Another small group sat at a table studying.
Shouta had noticed 1A had a tendency to gather together, especially after all that had happened. They treated each other like one big family. Sibling squabbles and all. So it was strange to see that Midoriya wasn’t among them. Usually he would bounce between groups, or just sit by himself and observe. Shouta couldn’t help but wonder where the kid had gone.
Sighing, Shouta flipped to another camera. This one of gym gamma.
It took his mind too long to process what he was watching.
The camera had a wide view of the gym. In the center was Midoriya, body trembling from effort, barbell across his shoulders. The bar bowed slightly across his body from the weights. Green lightning crackled around his small frame.
Toshinori stood in front of him. The look on the man's face wasn’t right. Brows pulled into a scowl. Mouth turned down in a frown, almost sneering at the kid. Arms crossed and fingers tapping and irritated pattern.
The cameras didn’t have any sound, it was something Shouta would push to be upgraded after this. Toshinori started to yell something at the boy. Obviously angry about something which Shouta didn’t understand, the kid was pushing himself to his breaking point. Why wasn’t Toshinori stopping him? Midoriya was seconds away from injuring himself. Training too much would always do more harm than good. Why couldn’t the man see that?
Heart hammered in his chest, he sucked in a breath and watched as Midoriya collapse. The bar slammed into his shoulder as he went down. The boy didn’t move. Not a twitch or a single effort to shove the heavy bar off. The light show stopped, all visible signs of his quirk disappeared. Shouta fought the urge to jump up and run to his students. He desperately wanted to run to his students. To make sure he was still fucking breathing. The kid was too still laying on the ground. Shouta would go to the kid, he just needed to see what Toshinori would do first.
Shouta watched as Toshinori buried his fingers in green curls, pulling Midoriya’s head up. The bar still pressed down on his shoulder. The man yelled, tugging harshly on his hair before throwing him to the mat.
Toshinori had changed after Kamino. With the loss of his power, his hero status, the man had become withdrawn. He kept his distance from the others, kept a closer eye on the students. Now, Shouta realized he was watching Midoriya. The way Toshinori acted around the boy had changed. No longer a doting hero, now strict and harsh in his observation of the teen.
How could he have missed this?
Shouta watched as lightning crackled again. The green sparks filled the air around the boy. Then, black whip filled the space near him. For a moment the quirk was uncontrolled, striking out at anything around him. Still that fucking bar remained on his shoulders. Then Midoriya gathered the quirk, wrapping it around his limbs. Inky black lines tracing along his veins and muscles under his skin. Midoriya wrapped his hands back around the bar. With great effort the kid shoved the bar off himself.
He wanted to be relieved. The oppressive weight was gone. The kid would stop. Would get proper help.
But he didn't.
Midoriya forced himself to his feet. The movement alone was horrifying to watch. The black lines thickened along his muscles, pulsing as he stood. The lines on his arms grew, shifting under his skin as Midoriya leaned forward to pick the bar back up. Shouta felt bile creep up his throat as he watched the kid puppeteer his own body. This wasn’t fucking right.
Shouta stood then. “Mic!” He yelled, slamming open his office door as he moved. He quickly made his way to their front door.
He heard a crash in their kitchen, followed by cursing, then he met a panicked Hizashi by the door.
“Sho? What’s-” Hizashi met his gaze. Maybe his husband could see fury or fear, something in his eyes. It was something that caused him to shut up and move. Following close behind him as they left their shared flat on campus.
They raced across campus grounds. Their feet hammering in time with heartbeats as they ran for gym gamma.
Shouta pleaded that Midoriya would hang on just a little longer. Shouta felt stupid for waiting so long. God, he should have just ran the second he saw what was happening. Midoriya was going too far. Toshinori was pushing him too much. Shouta knew the kid's hero worship ran deep in his blood. Midoriya would do anything to earn the approval of his hero. He was sad to learn that destroying himself was something he was willing to do.
Hizashi slammed the door open to the gym. In the entrance the two men stood, frozen by the sight before them. From where they stood they could see Midoriya’s face. His eyes were cloudy, hazy from pain and not all present. Shouta wouldn’t be surprised if the kid has started to disassociate. Only allowing himself to think of the man’s orders and blindly following them. The kids frame trembling under the weight still pressing against his shoulders. Bruises lining any visible skin.
What had the man done? How badly had Toshinori ruined this kid?
Toshinori turned to face them. His scowl and rage morphing quickly into something smoother. His face eased into indifference. The frown into a small smile.
Hizashi moved towards the gaunt man. Shouta went towards the kid as Toshinori began to speak.
“Ah Aizawa! Yamada! To what-” Hizashi fist slammed into his face.
“You fucking bastard!” Present Mic screamed. His voice rattled the walls around the gym.
“Midoriya you need to stop.” Aizawa crouched in front of the kid. He wouldn’t touch him, not after seeing all the bruises. He couldn’t stop his mind from jumping to conclusions. Things he hoped weren’t true no matter how clear the evidence was.
The kid shook his head. “All Might-”
“Midoriya you’re hurting yourself. This isn’t training. You need to stop.” Midoriya’s teary eyes met his.
“Sensei-”
“Please kid. It’ll be okay.” He whispered. Shouta let his concern, his worry, seep onto his face. He wouldn’t hide his emotions right now.
Slowly the kid nodded. He let the bar roll backwards, down his spine. The weights slammed into the mat with a loud thud. Midoriya drew in quick breaths, short and shallow.
“I’m right here kid. It will all be okay.” Shouta slowly raised his hands, letting the kid watch his movements. His hand hovered in the air just before Midorya, palms up, an offering and a plea.
For a moment Shouta worried the kid wouldn’t take the offer. That his reassurance fell on deaf ears but slowly, oh so slowly, the lightning faded. The sharp crackles around them faded into little snaps. The black lines under his skin thinned before vanishing. Then Midoriya fell forward, collapsing into Shouta with a pitiful whine.
Shouta landed on his ass as he pulled the kid into his arms. He adjusted the kid, so his side leaned against his own chest. Midoriya’s head on his shoulder.
“I’ll take you to Recovery Girl.” A quiet sob came from the kid. “Midoriya?” Shouta questioned. Afraid the kid was hurt far worse then he was letting on.
“It hurts Sensei.” He whispered. That small confession caused Shouta’s heart to kick up into a frantic pace. Midoriya was never one to admit to pain. The kid has a freakishly high pain tolerance, and used it as a shield to keep others away so they only saw his smile.
“I’m sorry kid. This never should have happened.”
“I- he said… he said I wasn’t good enough.” Another sob broke from the boy, tears gathered in his eyes. They slowly traced down his cheek to collect on Shouta's shirt. “Why am I never enough?” Shouta wanted to hold the kid tightly but knew it would only cause more pain. He rested a hand in the boy's hair. A feather light touch amongst all the pain.
“You are brilliant Midoriya. You are brave and have the heart of a hero. The kindness you spread, the joy and hope. You are more than enough Midoriya. Think of all the people you saved, you protected. You're already a hero Midoriya, don't push yourself so hard. Don’t burn out here.” The kid cried harder into his shoulder.
Shouta would make sure this kid got the proper care needed. He would offer every reassurance he could to Midoriya. Proper training would follow too. He would make sure the kid bounced back from this. He would make sure Midoriya wouldn’t doubt his worth, no matter how long and bumpy that journey would be. Shouta would support these kids.