My Lover Academia: MHA x Reader [Requests OPEN!]

🌟💌 Noticed (Izuku x Male!Reader)

*♡request for musicgirl988♡*

You've always been the type to put others first. Whether it's helping a friend understand a complicated lecture, offering to take on more of the group project work, or simply being there when someone needs a listening ear, you're always the one to lend a hand. It's just how you've always been-doing whatever you can to ensure everyone else is okay, even if it means ignoring your own needs.

You've never minded much. After all, someone has to be the dependable one. Someone has to hold things together when others are struggling. If that someone happens to be you, so be it. You don't expect praise or even acknowledgment. You just want to help. That's all.

But tonight, as you sit alone on the balcony of your college apartment, staring out at the city lights below, you feel it. The exhaustion. Your muscles ache in places you didn't know could hurt. Your mind is a haze of unfinished tasks and forgotten moments. Your eyelids feel heavy, and your heart-well, it's tired. You haven't been taking care of yourself, not really.

The others haven't noticed. They don't see the late nights spent doing their work, the extra hours you've put in to make sure everything is done perfectly. They don't know how much you've been giving, running on fumes to keep up with it all.

It doesn't matter. You never really expected them to.

Then, the door to the balcony opens, and you don't need to turn around to know who it is. You've always been able to tell.

"I thought I'd find you out here."

It's Izuku, of course. He always knows.

You don't answer at first, just letting the cool night air settle around you, your eyes still fixed on the distant horizon. You're not hiding anything, but right now, you can't find the energy to speak.

He doesn't press you. Instead, you hear him step closer, the rustle of his jacket as he sits next to you, close but not too close. There's a silence between you, not uncomfortable, just... peaceful. But there's a weight there too, something you can't quite shake.

After a few moments, he speaks again, his voice quieter this time. "You're always helping everyone, but when was the last time you took care of yourself?"

You turn your head slightly, offering him a tired smile that doesn't quite reach your eyes. "I'm fine, Izuku. Just... stressed. It's a lot, but it'll pass."

He doesn't seem convinced, and you can hear the concern in his tone. "You don't look fine. You look like you're about to collapse. Seriously, when's the last time you slept, or even ate properly?"

You shrug, feeling the weight of his words but not knowing how to respond. It's easier to pretend you're okay than admit that you've been running on empty for weeks now. It's easier to stay busy, to push yourself, to keep up the act that everything is fine.

Izuku, however, isn't fooled. You hear him shift beside you, his presence solid and comforting. And then, his hand gently lands on your shoulder, a quiet gesture that says more than words could.

"You don't have to do it all alone, you know. It's okay to rest, to take a break."

For a moment, you feel a lump in your throat. You've never let anyone see how hard it is, how much you've been carrying. But Izuku-he's always been different. He sees you, really sees you, even when you try to hide everything behind a smile.

"You're not alone, okay?" he adds softly. "We're in this together."

You inhale deeply, the weight in your chest easing just a little bit. Maybe you've been too focused on everyone else. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to let someone else carry a little of the load.

You lean back against the railing, letting yourself relax just a bit. "Thanks, Izuku," you whisper, your voice barely audible over the hum of the city.

He doesn't say anything more, just sits there beside you, quietly offering his support. And for the first time in what feels like forever, you let yourself breathe, knowing that it's okay to take a step back, to care for yourself, and that, maybe, it's okay to let someone else care for you too.

Word Count: 717