Izuku Midoriya had faced villains, survived grueling training, and learned to wield the power of One for All without exploding. But nothing quite compared to the panic he felt when his boyfriend sneezed.

It started with a sniffle. Then a cough. Then a sleepy, “I think I’m coming down with something,” as his boyfriend curled deeper into his dorm bed, cheeks flushed—not in the usual flustered, cute way, but with a growing fever.

Izuku stood at the edge of the bed like a soldier awaiting orders, clutching a notebook (one of the non-hero ones) and a pen. His freckled face was creased with worry, green eyes wide behind his bangs.

He’s sick. This is serious. What if it gets worse? What if he needs to go to Recovery Girl? No—no, calm down, Izuku. You’ve got this. You just need a plan. Heroes always need a plan.

“Okay,” he whispered to himself, backing out of the room after tucking the blankets tighter around his boyfriend. “I can do this.”

The first step: calling the expert.

“M-Mom? How do I take care of someone when they’re sick?”

Inko Midoriya had been delighted by the call, even more delighted that Izuku had someone he wanted to take care of. She gave him a list: fluids, rest, soft foods, a cool compress if the fever got high, and—most importantly—gentleness. Patience. Love.

So Izuku made tea. He fumbled with honey and lemon, nearly dropped the mug on the way back, and watched with wide eyes as his boyfriend tried to sit up to sip it.

“Wait, wait! I’ve got you,” Izuku whispered, slipping an arm behind his boyfriend’s back and supporting him gently.

“You didn’t have to go through all this, ‘Zuku,” the other boy croaked, offering a weak smile.

“Yes, I did,” Izuku said, his voice firm and his cheeks pink. “I-I mean, I wanted to. Because you mean a lot to me. And I want you to get better. I hate seeing you like this.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, brushing hair back from his boyfriend’s damp forehead. Izuku’s fingers trembled slightly, but he smiled, his freckles standing out against the blush creeping over his cheeks.

“You’re always strong and cool and amazing,” Izuku continued, softly. “And now you’re like… a fever blanket. Eh, I mean—in a fever blanket. And I just… I love you so super much, and I want to do everything I can.” His boyfriend blinked at him, half-lidded eyes shining, and whispered, “You’re amazing, Izuku.”

Izuku nearly combusted on the spot. The rest of the day, he stayed close, taking notes between checking his temperature, making sure he drank enough water, and rubbing gentle circles into his boyfriend’s back when he coughed. He even sat beside him, quietly reading hero analysis notes aloud, hoping the sound of his voice might be soothing.