The weight of the world pressed down on me like a lead blanket. It wasn't a new feeling, more like a familiar ache that had been steadily growing these last few weeks. Between the hero training at U.A., the pressure of maintaining my grades, and the constant worry bubbling in the back of my mind about Izuku… it was all becoming a bit much. So, tonight, I'd sought refuge at Diamond's place.
My family, God bless them, were a handful on a good day. But with Grandma in town, the house had become a chaotic vortex of clashing personalities and passive-aggressive potshots. I loved them, I really did, but I needed a quiet corner to just… exist. Poor Izuku was stuck in the middle of it all, bless his heart. He had the patience of a saint, or maybe it was just the sheer amount of energy he had to deal with his own problems that made him too busy to care about the family drama.
I finally finished my last calculus assignment, the numbers swimming a bit in my vision from sheer exhaustion. I tossed the paper onto the side table, the sound of it rustling against the wood feeling oddly loud in the quiet room. Diamond had gone to raid the kitchen for snacks, a promise she'd made with a mischievous grin plastered on her face. I leaned back on the couch, trying to clear my head, when my phone buzzed. Peter's name flashed across the screen.
"Hey, Pete," I answered, my voice a little rough.
"Yo, Anos," he said, his usual upbeat tone a little subdued. "I was thinking about what you said earlier, you know, about being stressed out?"
I'd mentioned something in passing the other day, about feeling like I was juggling a dozen flaming swords. It wasn't something I usually talked about, but Peter had a way of making me feel like I wasn't just screaming into the void.
"Yeah?" I replied, a knot forming in my stomach. What was this about?
"Well," he continued, "I was thinking that maybe you should… try getting a vent journal."
I blinked. "A what now?"
"A vent journal," he repeated, the amusement evident in his voice, even over the phone. "You know, like, a journal where you write down all your feelings and stuff."
I stared at my reflection in the dark screen of my phone, processing what he was saying. My jaw went slack. "Why the hell would I need a journal?"
There was a brief silence then a slightly nervous laugh. "Look, it sounds silly, I know. But… I have one, okay? And it's actually helped me. A lot."
My eyes widened. Peter, the wisecracking, web-slinging Spider-Man, had a journal? "You? You have a journal?"
"Yeah," he admitted, sounding sheepish. "I had a therapist help me when dealing with most of my childhood trauma. It's helped me deal with the normal and the… well the… you know, Spider-Man stuff."
I was speechless. Here I thought I was the only one dealing with hidden turmoil. I had been a superhero before, a literal god, and even then I never considered that i would need help or could even get help. "A therapist? The last thing i would have thought of."
He sighed, knowing how much I usually overthink things. "They are therapist trained for situations like that, Anos... they are trained for people like us." He then started giving me the numbers to a clinic along with a name of the therapist that's good with… us. "Look, if you can't do the therapist thing, then try writing first, you know? Just to get it out." he continued. "If it gets worse, call the place. They have a 24/7 service. Just try it, please?"
I hummed in agreement, a small sound that held a confusing mix of disbelief and a strange sense of hope.
"Alright," I mumbled, the word feeling foreign on my tongue. "Thanks, Pete."
"Anytime, bro. Call if you need something, okay?" He hung up and i put my phone on the coffee table and just stared at the ceiling.
The sound of giggling pulled me out of my thoughts. Diamond and Denki had returned, arms laden with junk food and drinks. Diamond's black hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, a mischievous glint in her blue eyes, while Denki bounced around her, his yellow lightning bolt of hair almost crackling with excitement.
"Movie time!" Denki shouted, plopping onto the floor and scattering popcorn everywhere.
Diamond settled next to me on the couch, placing a mountain of snacks between us. "Alright, what cinematic masterpiece are we going to watch?" she asked, her usual sarcastic tone present in her voice.
"Sonic Adventure 3!" Denki yelled at the top of his lungs, his eyes lit with excitement.
I let out a small chuckle, a mix of amusement and something akin to gratitude bubbling in my chest. I had friends, real friends, who were willing to drag me into their world, even when I felt like I was drowning in my own.
As we sat in silence, I found myself thinking about the numbers Peter had given me. A therapist, huh? A strange idea, but maybe... just maybe... it was something I needed to consider. For now, I pushed the thought aside, reaching for a handful of popcorn and diving into the chaotic, colorful world of Sonic.