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Shota was no stranger to being tired, it had been his base state since he could remember, but the weeks since the USJ had been a whole new level of hell. Rest evaded him constantly. Every time he closed his eyes, the terrified faces of his students flashed in his mind. It had been several weeks, and he knew his husband was getting worried more each day.
It was already the early hours of the morning, and once again Shota had not been able to sleep. He glanced to his left to see Hizashi, his blonde hair creating a halo on the pillow. Guilt curled up in his stomach, he didn't deserve this. He couldn't even protect his students properly, what good was he as a hero at that point.
Getting dressed quickly, he headed out and decided to go for a run. An attempt to clear his mind he'd tried several times in the past few weeks, but the effect was always short-lived. He did sometimes wonder if life would at least be more peaceful if he could just run forever. Eventually, though, he did have to head inside to change for his class.
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Hizashi could tell his husband was spiralling. He felt every time Shota left bed before the sun had even risen, and heard when he returned, several hours later, to shower and get ready for classes. The blonde knew he was going to have to confront his husband eventually, as much as he loved the man, he was very aware of his habit of closing himself off whenever he was going through something. As his husband, Hizashi had promised them both he would make sure this didn't happen and he'd be damned if he broke that promise. So, that morning, when Shota got back from his run, the table was prepared with an assortment of fruits and breakfast foods, and of course, a black coffee just cool enough to be ready to drink.
He'd managed to convince his husband to eat with him, even after he'd tried to argue he didn't have time right now. Hizashi simply reminded the man gently that it was the weekend and there were no classes, something his husband apparently hadn't even realised in his sleep-deprived state. After they were both seated, they ate in comfortable silence for a while, before the blonde cleared his throat slightly, steeling his nerves about how exactly Shota would react to his news.
"I booked us in with Dr Suzuki this afternoon, It is up to you if you'd like it to be a shared or private session," He said firmly. Hizashi had never been very good and being firm with the man before him, but when it was for his own good, he'd do whatever it took.
"I don't want to go, it's a waste of money right now, and I've been doing fine," his husband replied, but there was no real fight to it, even if it was how he really felt, the man clearly didn't even have the energy to express it with any real effort.
"Sho, you're closing off, my love. You remember the promise we made to make sure things never get too bad again, right?" The man nodded along, so the blonde continued, "I'm sure you've got all of your students booked in a slot with Hound Dog already, haven't you?" Another nod. "So we have to make sure we look after you too, okay?"
"Can it be a shared session then? I don't want to do it alone."
Hizashi agreed and offered his husband another pancake. He couldn't decide if how quickly Shota had agreed had been a good sign for him finally recognising when he needs help, or a sign that things were far worse than Hizashi had realised, and the man just really had no fight in him. Either way, he concluded, at least he would be getting help, and that was a great step in the right direction at least.
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Shota had been seeing Dr Suzuki again for a few months, weekly appointments, sometimes shared with his blonde, sometimes solo. Sleep was finally beginning to greet him again, and it felt more like rest than an inescapable curse haunting his days and nights.
He'd made sure to add a module into the heroics course too about the importance of looking out for the mental health of not only yourself, but also those around you. Those classes were heavy, covering the topic of loss and guilt, something that almost every hero would have to carry with them, but how it was not something they should attempt to carry alone.
Shota loved his husband more than he'd ever be able to express to anyone. In fact, he wasn't sure even he understood just how deep that well went. The man was there for him always. Good or bad times.
He walked back into their apartment after finishing his marking, and looked at the blonde man sprawled out on the sofa, snoring softly. Shota was glad for what he had, it was nice to be happy.