Taking Care of Yourself is Part of Being a Hero (MHA - Midoriya)

[Akahana]

Hope you all enjoy another installment of my UA College AU ❤️  I have art of the college Dekusquad here if you're interested: https://sfanimeakahana.tumblr.com/post/649409487314337792/i-hope-this-isnt-annoying-would-you-be-ok-with

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“Thank you all for coming. I know I called for this class meeting without warning, but I think you all know what I’m here to talk about.” Tenya addressed the class as they all gather in the common room- well, all except one. It is a weekday and he’s aware they should all be doing their homework, but the event they witnessed in training today really needs to be discussed.

 

“You mean Midoryia, right?” Todoroki’s asks in his usual monotone voice, and a low concerned murmur passes between his classmates. Midoriya had seemed a little more distracted during the day and he had sneezed once or twice during lunch, but they hadn’t thought much of it. That is until he pushed himself too hard during their capture the flag game and passed out in the middle of the field. It was very alarming, and Mr. Aizawa had later told them that Midoriya had a cold and a fever and would be let out of Recovery Girl’s office after he woke up.

 

“Yes I mean Midoriya. He’s going to be released to rest in his dorm soon and I think it would be a good idea for us to help him recover. And perhaps make sure he doesn’t make any… unnecessary decisions that could put more strain on his health.”

 

“So you want us to play fucking baby sitter for a grown ass man?” Bakugo speaks up and crosses his arms, looking annoyed at the mere mention of Midoriya’s name. Though he hasn’t gotten up to leave yet, so that’s a pretty good indication that the explosive blonde is just as worried as the rest of them. “If that damn nerd wants to be fucking stupid and train while sick that’s his problem. Why should we put ourselves out when it comes back to bite him?”

 

“Bakugo you do know it was Midoriya who suggested we made sure you and your friends had everything you needed when you were sick, right?” Yayarozu says, crossing her arms and sighing at their hot headed classmate. Bakugo and Midoriya’s odd relationship does get tiresome to navigate sometimes, though Iida can sympathize with Bakugo’s feelings this time. The angry blonde clicks his tongue in annoyance and rolls his eyes, but he still doesn’t leave.

 

“I think Bakugo kinda has a point this time. I want to help make sure Midoriya’s ok, but we really need to talk to him about his weird refusal to take care of himself. It’s getting concerning.” Asui voices Iida’s exact sentiments, and it makes him realize in the back of his mind that his friends and him are on more of the same wavelength than he originally assumed.

 

“Well we can all talk about that later I think, what do you think we should do Iida?” Kirishima asks with his disarming smile and the rest of the class seems to agree. Time to go then, they’re going to have to work efficiently since they don’t know when Midoriya will be back.

 

“Ok, there’s what we all need to do-”

 

 

Izuku blinks his eyes open to an unfortunately familiar sight and groans. The infirmary. He must have knocked himself out with his own quirk, how dumb. And that means he missed the rest of training, god he’s already so behind everyone else in controlling his quirk he can’t afford this. He looks over to the window painted in pink and orange and sighs. It’s already the end of the day. He supposes he should be thankful training is always the last class of the day, and wonders not for the first time if Principle Nezu did that on purpose just for students like him. The sound of metal sliding and fabric whooshing pulls him out of his thoughts.

 

“So you’re finally awake Mr. Midoriya. You’re lucky you didn’t come in with any injuries this time or I really would have had your head.” Recovery Girl leans into his field of vision from over his bed with an unimpressed look, and Izuku offers her a small smile.

 

“I’m sorry for always causing you so m-much trouhh...trouble- hah! ha’TchHIew!!” Izuku cuts himself off and sneezes wetly into his elbow. Right, the whole reason he’s here in the first place. All at once he registers his symptoms; achy body, headache, heavy sinuses and slight dizziness as the sneeze throws his head forward. It takes him a second to see the tissues Recovery Girl is offering him, and he blushes at the mess he’s made.

 

“Save your apologies Mr. Midoriya, I will only accept them when you actually start to mean them.” She says as she types away at her computer, and Izuku immediately feels guilty. Of course he knows he shouldn’t train with a fever, and even though he didn’t feel as bad this morning he should have told All Might as soon as he started to feel bad. He caused trouble for everyone and worried his teachers again, he has to be better next time.

 

“Sorry...” Izuku mutters and Recovery Girls sighs tiredly. She gives him a look he can only describe as motherly and hands him a bottle and a mask. He looks at the label but he’s still a little dizzy and can’t really read it.

 

“It’s a fever reducer. I’m going to call Aizawa to escort you back to the dorms, and I want you to eat something light to take that with before you go back to bed and rest. You just have a cold right now, but if you push it you could get much worse. You are not to go back to class until that fever is gone, do you hear me young man? If I have to, I will make Aizawa take your temperature before he lets you into class. Can I trust you Mr. Midoriya?” Recovery Girl’s gaze is as serious as he’s ever seen her and it makes Izuku sweat. Maybe he’s pushed her a little too far, he really needs to be more careful.

 

“Y-yes mahh- hAT’Chiew!! ugh...snf! Yes ma’am.”

 

The door to the infirmary opens as he’s putting on the mask and Mr. Aizawa steps in; Izuku assumes he was waiting outside for Recovery Girl to say her piece.

 

“Can you stand, Midoriya?” Mr. Aizawa asks in his usual tired tone, and reaches his hand out to help when Izuku stumbles a little getting out of bed. His teacher escorts him out of the building towards the dorms with a hand on his upper back. About half way back Mr. Aizawa speaks, and Izuku startles out of the walking doze he was trying to resist.

 

“I assume you’ve gotten a good enough scolding from Recovery Girl. You don’t need one from me too do you?” Izuku shakes his head no, and Mr. Aizawa moves his hand from his back to his shoulder when the action makes him tip a little. The older man sighs.

 

“Good, I won’t then. You’re going to get a good talking to from your classmates anyway, I assume. You really have them worried you know.” This time Izuku sighs, that’s right. Everyone had watched him go down during training, and though he doesn’t remember much he does distinctly remember a distressed “Deku!!” though he doesn’t remember who yelled it. He’ll have to apologize to them all. Speaking of his friends, as they step through the dorm building and past the dorm attendant they are immediately approached my Iida.

 

“Mr. Aizawa! Thank you for escorting Midoriya safely to the dorms, I will take him from here.” He says, moving to replace their teachers supporting hand with his own strong one. Iida’s so big, and Izuku feels like the other takes on half his weight without even trying. It makes him feel safe and like he could fall asleep right here. He misses some of the words passed between Iida and Mr. Aizawa, but soon he’s being lead to the kitchen and sat down in front of a steaming bowl of rice porridge. He looks up in surprise to see basically the whole class hanging around and he blushes.

 

“How are you feeling Midoriya?” Todoroki asks from his right, and though neither his tone nor facial expressions are any different from normal, he’s playing with his fingers in the way he does when he’s worried. It makes the reflexive “I’m fine” die in his throat and he feels compelled to tell the truth.

 

“I’ve...been better. Recovery Girl says I have a fever and I’m a little dizzy.” He admits guiltily, though the others seem relieved at his words. He needs to work on not downplaying his problems so much, people are starting to not believe him anymore. Just another thing to work on. As he looks around he notices that the only person not here is Kacchan and sighs. Guess he should expect that by now, though he thought their relationship was started to get better. Uraraka must notice him looking, because a grin crosses her lips as she speaks up.

 

“Bakugo helped me make the porridge. He said your mom makes it in a specific way and we’d mess it up without him.” The way she says it with mischief in her eyes tells Izuku he wasn’t supposed to know that, and it makes him chuckle as tension he didn’t know he was holding melts away.

 

“Yeah, that s...sounds l-like...hah-haH! hA’CHIEW!! hah- aT’Chiew! ugh...snf! Sounds like him...snf! Sorry.” He sneezes into his elbow out of reflex, even with the mask on. Jeeze gross, he’s a mess and his face flushes with that realization. He hears a few chuckles at his high pitched sneezes and a box of tissues are placed on the table in front of him.

 

“Bless you Midoriya.” Kirishima says with a kind smile, but he still looks kinda worried. Izuku nods as he turns in his seat to clean up and blow his nose, though Iida stops him as he goes to pull him mask up.

 

“Midoriya we have something we want to discuss with you, please just eat and listen while we talk.” Izuku nods and dutifully takes a bite of the porridge. It’s delicious and tastes just like his mom’s recipe; it kinda makes him want to cry and he can’t help tearing up a bit. No one points it out but Iida’s expression softens a little.

 

“Midoriya you really can’t keep doing this to yourself, it’s upsetting to watch. We know you feel the need to be constantly improving, we feel that way too! But doing it at the expense of your well being is not what it means to be a hero.” Izuku opens his mouth to interject but Iida puts up his hand to stop him, and Izuku sighs before continuing to eat. It’s warm and soothing and makes him kinda sleepy, but he needs to hear his friends out. Instead of Iida continuing Tsu speaks up.

 

 

“We’re worried about you Midoriya, you know you can come to any of us when you need help right?” The implication that they don’t think he trusts them hurts and he quickly nods his head again, even when it just makes him dizzier. He does know his friends would be there for him, he just gets caught up in his own head and lets his worries get in the way of his better judgment.

 

“Of course I know that! I’m so sorry for making you guys worry like that, I really thought I’d be fine. I promise I won’t do that again, and I’ll say something if I’m feeling bad. Recovery Girl is already willing to make Mr. Aizawa keep and extra eye on me if I keep making decisions like I did.” His classmates relax at that, and he once again feels guilt surge through him. He really made them worry. They start to file out as they seem satisfied with his promise, and wish his well as they leave him to eat in peace. Kaminari even hands him a card with get well wishes and doodles littering the inside from his friends, and that time he a few tears actually slip out. It makes Kaminari laugh and Kirishima coos at his as he gives him a friendly side hug before they leave. Shoji pats him on the head and Tokoyami squeezes his shoulder and then it’s just him and his closest friends. He feels loved and cared for and his checks are wet when he looks at them.

 

“Thanks guys, this really means a lot to me. I really do promise, I’ll do b-better from...now ohh! haHh! AT’Chiew! H’ATChhiew!! ugh...” His friends chuckle as he reaches for another tissue. Must they always sneak up on him like that?

 

“Bless you Deku! Come on, finish the porridge I slaved over under Bakugo’s yelling so you can take your medicine. You look like you could use a nap.” Uraraka teases and Todoroki elbows her lightly, making her laugh. Izuku can’t help but smile at how much his friends, and the whole class, care about him. He’ll pay them back for their kindness, even if that means he has to actually take days off when he’s sick.