Izuku Midoriya noticed the signs before it fully happened. He always did. The way his boyfriend's breathing grew uneven, how his hands trembled slightly before clenching into fists, the way his eyes darted around like the world was closing in.

They had been studying in the common room of the dorms when it started. It wasn’t anything big—just a few too many voices talking at once, the scratch of a pencil against paper, the faint hum of the vending machine, and the way the overhead lights flickered just enough to be noticeable. Small things to most people, but to him, they weren’t small at all. They piled up, layer after layer, until Izuku saw the moment it became too much.

His boyfriend sucked in a sharp breath, hands pressing against his ears as he hunched forward. Izuku immediately pushed aside his notes.

"Hey, hey, it’s okay," he said softly, but he knew words alone wouldn’t help. He reached out slowly, pausing just before touching him. "Can I…?"

A jerky nod. That was all he needed.

Izuku shifted closer, gently placing his hand on his boyfriend’s back, rubbing slow, grounding circles. His breathing was fast—too fast—but Izuku kept his own steady, hoping it would help. "You’re safe," he murmured. "I’ve got you."

The other students in the room started noticing, but before anyone could ask questions, Iida caught on and quickly ushered them out, giving them space. Izuku made a mental note to thank him later. Right now, all that mattered was him.

After a few moments, his boyfriend started rocking slightly, still overwhelmed but trying to self-soothe. Izuku didn’t stop him—he knew better than to force stillness. Instead, he matched the motion just a little, keeping close but not suffocating.

“Do you want your headphones?” he asked. Another nod. Izuku grabbed them from his boyfriend’s bag and carefully helped him put them on. The tension in his shoulders eased just a little as the world became a little quieter.