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Tenya sat in his room; the doors felt particularly big that night, though he couldn’t quite tell why. Maybe it was the spacing? His nightstand was two inches from his bed, five feet from the parallel wall, about seven feet from his desk and- he paused his train of thought, a new one taking over, he should not be worrying about such trivial things. Especially not after all he and his classmates had been through. Standing from his desk, he took a few quick steps to his bed and flopped down. Strange. He would have never flopped down a few months ago! Especially not in his day clothes! Despite the atrocities, he couldn’t seem to care. He turned and swept the blanket around himself. It felt too bare, just like his room felt too big. With so much room and so little warmth, it would be impossible to get the proper amount of sleep like this. The fact that he didn't have anything to sleep for the next day wasn't helping; Aizawa had given them a few free days to rest and recover.
The thought baffled Tenya. Not sleeping???? But sleep was incredibly important. He had a schedule to follow, a pattern to uphold! If he decided to willingly undersleep that night, there was no telling how it could mess up his sleep in the future! Again, his train of thought was rudely interrupted by another.
“I don’t have to sleep, I could stay up and keep myself busy.”
How… utterly stupid!! He wasn’t meant to think that way! After all his parents had done for him and all the work he had done for himself, how dare he indulge in a line of thinking so clearly associated with failure? And what would he even do with all that time? It’s not like he was behind on any schoolwork!
No, he had decided he was going to sleep. He had already snuck out once on a highly forbidden mission, and though he would do it again if he had the ability to go back, he still felt it was all too much.
The only problem was that he couldn’t sleep; no matter how hard to tried, he just kept tossing. (Bros a salad) Tenya glanced at his alarm clock. One in the morning, exactly. He couldn’t do this, he couldn’t lie here and do nothing for hours on end. He stood in one swift motion and headed for his door. Maybe he just needed a walk or something to eat. He tucked his hands into his khaki short pockets and, while staring at his feet, he walked in the direction of the kitchen. He thought, as he watched his shoes fall on the soft carpet, that it was sad how little attention he paid to them. He was always running or walking with his back and neck straight up as if he were a soldier running drills. He wondered, as well, how his feet could land so gently on this floor, but when fighting or running, the ground trembled beneath him. Sure, there was logic and physics and common sense, but it still baffled him to see duality in something as simple as a footstep.
There was an impact on his shoulder and a small thud behind him; he turned quickly to see Momo Yaoyarozu bending to pick up a dropped mug of tea. Tenya paused, then, realizing what might have happened, stood rigid. He waved his hands wildly while whisper-yelling apologies and kneeled next to the dark-haired girl. She waved him off with her free hand.
“Oh, Iida, don't apologize so much. It was my fault, honestly. I should have been watching my step better!” she gave a small smile, turning to face the spilled tea.
“Not at all! It's my duty to make sure that situations like this don't happen! At least let me help you clean this up!” Tenya’s face was lit brighter than a firework, embarrassment getting the better of him. He couldn't believe that he had run into someone else out of his own absentmindedness!
“I don't think I'll need much help…” yaoyarozu turned her free palm up, materializing a large rag from the center. “Buuuut if you really wanna!” she handed him the rag and made another one for herself, wiping off the mug and setting it to the side. They both got to work, wiping away any remnants of the accident. It was quick work for the two of them, and soon, it was as if nothing had happened.
“Would you like another cup?” Tenya questioned her, motioning to the mug.
“I don't know, seems like too much work at this point…” she sighed, standing and taking the mug in her hands once again. They both paused to think a bit.
“I'll get you another. It would be shameful to bump into you and not correct my fault.” Iida scooped the mug out of her hands and swiftly walked back down the hall.
While he walked, a list of revelations truly hit him, he had zoned out, he had run into another person without noticing, and he had completely forgotten to walk to the kitchen in the first place. He was out of it, completely out of it. Everything from the past few months had weighed on him, everything building up and crushing him. Not enough time had passed to make him stop thinking of everyone’s disappointed faces. Not only had the very illegal mission he had tagged along on, but every time, he had failed to save his classmates. Their frowns, their tears.
He looked up, his train of thought interrupted, and he set the mug on the counter. He stared at the soft grey countertops and ran his fingers along the granite. He poured the hot water, dunked in the tea bag, and waited. The waiting period wasn't too long, but Tenya couldn't stand another bout of thoughts; he stood straight and shook his hands out, taking in a huge gulp of air and slowly letting it out. He grabbed the mug and took off to Yaoyarozu’s room. The journey was much faster this time around; he cut off any semblance of thought and focused again on his footsteps. He counted each one until he stood before the plain green door belonging to class 1-A’s favorite creator. Lifting his hand, he landed a few curt knocks on her door. It opened slowly, momo standing in the crack.
“Here is your tea, and I'm deeply sorry for making you wait to enjoy it.” He held out the mug to her. She took it and nodded her head gratefully, but her face didn't reflect anything close. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I just…” she sighed. I don't know, really; just a lot has been going on, I guess.” Momo stepped into the doorframe, leaning on the metal.
“Yes, I-” Tenya’s usually monotone voice gave way to a softer tone. “It seems like something goes wrong every few months. I'm getting tired of it as well.” momo’s eyes lit up.
“You feel the same? I know it's like going to be our whole job to deal with disasters constantly, but I feel just so overwhelmed with everything. It's like everything we try to do has some sort of insane catch to it! I really just want a few months to go by without some mass villain attack.” her eyes widened. “But don't get me wrong, I wouldn't ever give up fighting! And I don't think of protecting everyone as a burden! I just, I'm getting like-” Tenya put a hand up to stop her.
“I understand. Protecting civilians, friends, and ourselves gets tiring, especially since we're only in school; I feel the same way. It's constant, and I find myself sometimes wishing the villains would take a break from causing chaos.” he frowned. “it's foolish, but I can't help from hoping.” yaoyarozu nodded, and they sat in a few seconds of silence.
“You wanna help me with something real quick?”
—------------------------------------------------
Iida sat cris-crossed on the floor, holding a length of thick white fabric in his hands, yaoyarozu pulling at the other end of it.
“I haven't really been sleeping lately, so I thought picking up a hobby might help me either fill the time or get tired enough to actually get some rest.” the girl giggled at herself “It might seem counterintuitive, but it's been helping me fill the time!”
“No, it seems very productive; hobbies are proven to help with focus and drive, after all.” Tenya, despite being a bit confused, still wanted to be supportive of Yaoyarozu’s newfound love for sewing. They stayed like this for a while, Tenya taking the time to look around his friend’s room. She had changed the layout since their original dorm tours. The oversized furniture was replaced with an appropriately sized bed, desk, and dresser. Everything still had her gilded elegant style, though, and all of it looked expensive. Tenya knew his family was rich, but even his family paled in comparison to hers. He glanced at Momo’s creation and if he was being honest, it didn't look like much. Curiosity got the better of him after a few more seconds of silence, and he gave in.
“Could I ask why you would choose to sew when you can make whatever you need? I understand not relying so much on your quirk to get tasks done, but I have trouble seeing the benefits of this. Unless it's just for the time, but even then, there are different hobbies you could take up that your quirk couldn't do for you.”
“Oh, you know, I just feel like, when I can make whatever comes to mind as long as I have enough food in my system, I kinda forget how hard it is to make things. I appreciate the work that goes into the creations that I can materialize within seconds, but I take it for granted a lot of the time. I think it's good to sit down and work on something! Don't you ever think about your quirk like that?”
“My quirk?” Tenya cocked his head; what could he possibly take for granted with his quirk? He knew plenty of people who could match his speed.
“Well, think about it. You can go how fast?”
“My speed averages at around 325 km/ph right now.”
“Exactly, you can run so fast, so consistently, and I'm sure you don't notice it! And maybe some of the kids here can keep up with you, I know Todoroki can slide fast enough to match you! But how often do you think about the fact that there are millions of people out there who just can't do that? Millions iida!” she waved her hands frantically, a needle pinched between two fingers. “We’re some of the best, but that doesn't always mean we realize it. Don't you ever think while you're walking, taking every step one at a time, that you’re happy you were born with the quirk you have?”
He did think, he thought a lot. He thought about how he should have been faster, should have taken bigger strides. “I-” He should have been faster, his legs should have been stronger. “Well-” he should have been faster, his engines should have pushed him further. His eyes welled up. It had never occurred to him to be grateful he could even run as fast as he could. He could only think of being better. The most he had ever thought about it was to observe the difference in his speed, to observe what he could do, not to revel in the fact that he could do it.
“Ah… I didn't mean.” Momo reached her free hand out but pulled it back into her chest. “I'm sorry; that wasn't meant to be rude!”
His head dropped, and he stared at his hands as they began to shake, clutching the fabric harder.
“Hey…” Momo gently placed a hand on his “I'm sorry, I really didn't mean any harm. Are you alright? I know it's really late so if you’re tired, you don’t have to sta-”
“No, I'm okay.” His grip loosened on the fabric, and he took her hand with both of his. “I had never thought of it like that,” he paused. “I wonder why, since we grew up in the same style, we think so differently. Yaoyarozu, you are the smartest student in this school, and I have no doubt you will continue to be the smartest person everywhere you go. I only wish I could share a portion of that.”
“I’m not all that iida. I know I get some of the best scores, but really, you and the others are just as smart!” She waved off the compliment. It felt wrong to be told she was any better than them, even if the proof could be shown clearly on a chart and even if it was quite obvious when looking at certain classmates.
“No, you are the smartest girl I've ever met.” he stared straight, her eyes level with his. “The way you carry yourself around chaos with a critical mind-” his eyes welled up, “the way you can just remember every fact or every answer to every question-” a tear fell. “Momo yaoyarozu I firmly believe you'll be one of the best pro heroes of our generation.” momo stared back at him as tears gushed from his eyes, and for a few moments, he stood completely still. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulled him into a tight embrace.
“Iida, stop it! You're the greatest leader I've ever had the chance to be friends with!” Tears began flowing freely down her own cheeks. “I can't bear the thought that you'd think me better than you in any w- way!” she sobbed.
“But you shouldn't be ashamed of your status! You should be proud to be the best!” his chest heaved, and he had the vague idea that when they pulled away, they might find each other's backs to be more tearstained than their faces. Neither of them moved, though; both locked onto each other as they let out months of bottled-up feelings.
It felt so nice to be sitting like this. Tenya ran his hand across Momo’s back, folding her deeper into his arms. It felt like maybe something had clicked for him; he was so caught up in the web of danger this path had taken him down that he had not looked up. He could have stared at his feet with an uneasy feeling churning in his stomach for years, and he wouldn't have come to the conclusion Momo seemed to draw effortlessly. He wondered if she was thinking something similar, maybe something about how, sure, she could draw connections with the blink of an eye, but still, she couldn't command a crowd of people in panic, or maybe that her body could only push so far without slowing down, without becoming sluggish. What a humbling conversation to have.
Three knocks came from Momo’s door. She gasped, realizing that maybe they shouldn't have been so loud. Not only because they could be caught awake after everyone was meant to be asleep, but also, iida. Boys were absolutely NOT allowed to be in the girl’s quarters after curfew. She cringed, leaving Tenya to quickly clean the snot and tears from his face. Momo reached out for the doorknob and turned, wanting to get the confrontation over with quickly.
She swung the door open quickly, already forming an explanation and apology. She opened her mouth to give her quickly scripted “sorry” but stopped short. On the other side was not a teacher or any staff member, just Asui. Momo sighed in relief; she wouldn't be in any trouble tonight!
“Are you guys doing alright?” Asui whispered in her croaky voice.
“Asui! Yes! I'm so sorry if we woke you. We really didn't mean to be loud!” Momo motioned to Tsuyu’s pajamas.
“You’re just lucky Uraraka sleeps like a rock; her room is right under you! But are you sure you’re ok? There seemed to be a lot of crying…” She ended her sentence with a small ribbit and cocked her head up to make eye contact with Momo.
Momo looked back at Tenya, who had his back to them, still sniffling a bit as he wiped his face with the ends of his shirt. “Yeah, just a lot of overwhelming stuff has been happening y’know. We were just talking.”
Asui nodded, understanding the sensitivity of the subject. “Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me!” she smiled, and with another ribbit, she turned on her slippered feet and headed back to her room. Momo shut her door quietly, looking back at Tenya. He had turned to her, his posture returned to its former stiffness. She felt a sort of melancholy looking at him. He had such a rigid structure; normally, he was very well put together, but tonight, his face was red and puffy, his shirt crumpled and stained, and his shoulders drooping ever so slightly. She was sure her image wasn't much better; she might have even looked worse. She stole a quick look at herself in her dresser’s mirror behind Iida, and yeah, she looked just as well off.
“Well…” she clasped her hands together, suddenly feeling the effect of the late-night hit her.
“I think I should be going. I don't want you to suffer the consequences of my presence.” he cracked a small smile.
“Well, do you think you could, uh?” she cleared her throat. “Could you stay?”
“Huh” (like the meme, imagine like the meme HUH)
“I like being alone sometimes, but I think, well, I would feel better if I could have someone with me sometimes.” The dark-haired girl fidgeted with her hands. Her request embarrassed her. She hated sleeping alone. Ever since she was a kid, it was always the same thing: a big room with only one person to fill it. It's why she never turned down a sleepover with the girls and why she frequently asked to host them.
“If having me here would aid you in any way, then I will stay!” Tenya jumped to the answer, his quick buffer gone in an instant.
“Alright! Uh, thank you! Thanks a lot!” Momo hurried to her closet, grabbing a set of spare blankets from a shelf; she made sure to have extras in case one of the girls ever forgot to bring a blanket. More like if Mina forgot to bring her blanket. Momo giggled a bit, thinking about how Mina never seemed to remember anything but the snacks and movies; it was fine with her though; she never cared about having extras around. That did, however, mean that Tenya was given a bright pink blanket and matching pillow. “I'm sorry, I don't really have any other colors…”
“It’s really not that bad,” Tenya commented. He had no problem as long as the fabric was soft and the pillow was comfortable, a blanket was a blanket. He set the bedding down to help Momo as she cleaned her sewing up off the floor, scooping the fabric up while she stuck her loose pins and needles back into their cushion. She instructed him, telling him to just put the roll into her bottom dresser drawer. They finished tidying and set up a spot for Iida to sleep next to the bed. Momo crawled up underneath her covers, looking over the edge of the bed to see Tenya lying face up, completely rigid.
“That can't be comfortable!” she exclaimed, “How are you meant to sleep like that?”
“I'll admit this is much more comfortable when I'm in my bed.” He shifted his legs uncomfortably, the engines catching on the rough carpet and digging into his skin. I'll be fine down here.” Momo giggled a bit at his tone. He was obviously trying to make her feel better about the situation.
“Get up here!” she laughed, “and bring your blanket; I don't want to share mine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, just come on, I can't let you sleep down there.”
Flabbergasted, Tenya hopped up, taking the blanket with him and wrapping himself up next to Yaoyorozu.
“I think I misjudged how big the bed is…” she laughed again, softer this time. “It's okay, though. Don't worry. I think there's just enough space for you to do your whole ‘lying flat on your back’ thing.”
“Thank you.” Tenya whispered from beside her, snuggling down into his ‘lying flat on his back’ position. Momo hummed in reply, her eyes closed and her breath slowing. He smiled a small, sweet smile and closed his eyes. He had no clue how he would get out of her room in the morning without being caught, nor did he care all that much. He, Tenya Iida, did not care about rules or the consequences of breaking them. What a thought.