Izuku had always admired his boyfriend’s strength—not just his Quirk, which was powerful in its own right, but the way he faced the world. The way he pushed forward, even when his own mind tried to work against him.

They were sitting together in the dorm common area, the soft hum of a distant conversation from the other students filling the silence between them. Izuku noticed the way his boyfriend’s fingers tapped rhythmically against his thigh—four taps, a pause, then four more. It was subtle, something most people wouldn’t notice, but Izuku did. He always did.

“Hey,” Izuku said softly, leaning in just enough that their shoulders brushed. “Everything okay?”

His boyfriend let out a quiet breath, eyes flicking to the coffee table in front of them. The remote control was slightly off-center, not aligned with the edge of the table, and Izuku immediately understood.

“Just... need a second,” his boyfriend murmured, his jaw tightening slightly. He didn’t move the remote yet, like he was trying to fight the urge. Izuku could see the tension in his muscles, the battle between logic and the overwhelming need for things to be right.

Izuku reached out—not to move the remote, but to place his hand over his boyfriend’s, grounding him. “Take your time,” he said, voice gentle. He didn’t try to fix it for him. He’d learned that sometimes, it wasn’t about making the world adjust; it was about being there while he found his own way through it.

After a few moments, his boyfriend let out a slow exhale and adjusted the remote, aligning it perfectly. Izuku didn’t say anything, just squeezed his hand lightly in silent support.

His boyfriend looked at him then, eyes full of something soft and unspoken. “Thanks,” he said quietly.

Izuku just smiled. “Always.”

They sat there for a while, hands loosely linked, the warmth between them enough to make everything else fade into the background.