Chapter 15

The plush cushions of the luxury apartment's couch swallowed me whole, but the tension clinging to my shoulders kept me from relaxing. Katsume, brow furrowed as he started the ball rolling, his brown hair with a blonde fade almost vibrating with concern.

"It's Katsuki," he said, his voice low and frustrated. "He's… he's got no control. He lets his anger run him, and I'm worried it's going to destroy him."

I knew what he meant. I'd seen the raw fury in Katsuki's eyes, a volatile storm ready to erupt. It was like watching a train barreling down the tracks, a crash waiting to happen.

Diamond, perched on the edge of the sofa, nodded in agreement. Her black hair, usually sleek and vibrant, seemed dull tonight, the blue lightning bolt streak in it less bright. "Denki's the same, in a way. His grades are tanking. He's distracted, like he's trying to run away from something."

Next was Alex, his dark eyes troubled. "Sero... he's acting strange. Distant. I think he might be messing around with… substances." The unspoken word hung heavy in the air.

Anix, with his kind green eyes, spoke softly, "Tsuyu… she's still processing everything from the last year. She barely talks about the trauma. She's bottling it all in."

Marcus, with his usually jovial pink hair now slightly wilted, voiced his frustration about Mina's lack of focus, her head always in the clouds. "I am worried she is focusing on other things you know.."

Eliza's gaze, typically sharp and confident, held a flicker of unease. "Ejiro is… too trusting. He sees the good in everyone, but it makes him vulnerable. And his grades aren't great; he's spending too much time training."

Hannah, with her signature blonde hair streaked with purple, sighed heavily. Her purple and teal eyes were fixated on the elegant Persian rug. "Hitoshi… he's just shut down. He refuses to talk to anyone, even me. He's so isolated."

Then, the twins. Riley, her face a mask of ice, spoke first, her voice sharp and cold like the frost she wielded. "Shoto. He's distant, stubborn. Refuses to embrace his fire side." Ryan, with his troubled gaze echoed her concerns, "He's still so affected by his father's actions. It feels like a chasm between us." The truth of their relation to him, a burden they'd carried for years, made their concern all the more poignant. I'd known their secret for a while now, the family drama that'd thrown them into the storm before they were old enough to swim.

They fell silent, a heavy pall hanging over us. I knew the secrets they carried weren't shared with anyone, those details stayed within our circle, within us. It was finally my turn, my own anxiety itching under my skin.

"It's Izuku," I said, my voice softer than I intended. "He's… too comfortable. He overthinks everything. I want him to be independent, to stand on his own two feet, but… I'm terrified he'll push himself too far, destroy himself in the process." The words spilled out, raw and honest. It felt good to finally say it.

We all fell silent once more, the weight of our collective worries settling over us like a shroud. It was a depressing, but very real, echo of all we had to think about.

Hannah, the ever-practical one, made a sound, a small hum of decision. "Tea and cookies," she announced, standing up and heading for the kitchen. "We need a break. A little fuel to keep us going."

We all sighed, the stark reality of our situation settling deep. This was our life, day in and day out, a constant battle against anxiety and worry for those we loved. We weren't even out of our young adult age, yet we had so much to think about. What do we do? How do we help them? It felt like a dark abyss with no solution.

While Hannah busied herself in the kitchen, we returned to our books. Focusing on the words was difficult, but we were used to pushing through the dark thoughts, and soon we lost track of time. Hours flowed by, and soon the smell of sweet vanilla filled the air. I was too distracted in my book to notice that Hannah had passed out the plates and tea. She placed a hot cup of tea and a plate of cookies in front of me, I thanked her and began consuming the tasty treats. Time went by so quickly and soon it was 10pm. 

I said my goodbyes, hugged everyone one, and headed for home. The familiar scent of home filled my senses the moment the door was open, I walked into the kitchen to see leftovers sitting on the stovetop. Dad sat at the kitchen table with papers piled around him and leftovers on his plate. It seemed we both had long days. I sat next to him and started to eat, he smiled and asked how my day was, I sighed and couldn't even begin to describe it.

He chuckled understanding what that look meant and I moved on to asking about his day, he said it was long patrol and so much paperwork. We ate in silence, both to tired to continue conversation. Once we finished, I cleaned the dishes, washed up, and headed for bed. My body was achy and my mind was foggy, I hoped that it would get better soon, I could only hope. 

The exhaustion was a thick blanket, pulling me towards sleep when my phone buzzed, startling me awake. It was Peter, or as the world knew him, Spiderman. He sounded panicked. "Anos, dude, you gotta help," he stammered. "Everyone bailed. I'm about to get married and I have no witnesses." I groaned, running a hand through my white hair, the freckles on my cheek seeming to darken with irritation. "Give me an hour, web-head," I sighed, ending the call. I needed sleep, but Peter was my friend, even if his timing was atrocious. As I set my phone down, a text popped up. It was Momo saying hey and how I was doing, and I couldn't help a small smile appearing on my lips.