You bet it was the effect of college

[Author's Note: This chapter has mentions of suicide. Be warned]

Midoriya Inko was fixing dinner out of nowhere, the doorbell suddenly rang.

"Wait for a second!" She quickly rinsed her hand which was currently drenched in vegetable juice and headed towards the door. "Oh, Izuku-chan! Welcome back!"

"I'm back," Izuku said, wearily.

Inko wrapped her arms around her son in a tight embrace. "I thought you wouldn't be home not until the day after tomorrow? Did something happen?"

"I just wanted to get home as soon as possible," Deku chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

Inko frowned but didn't say anything. "If you say so," She shrugged. "I'm making dinner, can you help me set up the table?"

Deku nodded earnestly.

"Why are your eyes red?" Inko looked increasingly suspicious of what's going on.

"Allergies," Deku scratched the back of his ears again. "You know, it is pollen season."

Inko eyed him in silence. "You can take a rest in your room if you'd like? Good thing I just changed your bed sheets--"

"I insist," Izuku said, walking his way towards the kitchen-slash-dining room.

"You really are such a good son," Inko smiled. "Do you want me to prepare the bathtub?"

"Cold water please," Deku said as he easily fished out the eating utensils from the cupboard.

"What?" Inko looked at him in puzzlement.

"I prefer a cold splash of water tonight," He flashed a serene smile at him.

Inko felt his motherly instincts going haywire but decided against it. Maybe this was the effect of college on her son.

You bet it was the effect of college.

***

After setting up the table, Deku immediately went to the bathroom and has been inside there for quite some time now. She wouldn't be surprised if he accidentally falls asleep in there, but good thing the water was cold so she didn't have to worry that Izuku might die because of a heat stroke.

"Dinner's ready!" Inko shouted.

But there was no reply.

The Midoriya matriarch noted that her son must be really tired and most probably fell asleep in the bathtub because he has always been a very responsive child (unless he's asleep). She decided to wash the cooking utensils first before checking up on him to let him have his extra dose of zzz's.

She was almost completely done washing them when Inko realized that the kitchen knife was missing. Forest green eyes dilated in horror, finally connecting the dots.

Sweet Izuku wouldn't do such a thing, right?

Right?

She hurriedly went to the bathroom, intensely knocking on the door.

"Izuku, my baby, are you okay?"

There was no response. She tried turning the knob but it was locked. Inko hurriedly went to get the master key of the apartment just so she could open it. And she did. She succeeded. But Inko almost fainted upon seeing the horrendous condition of her son.

Izuku lay on the bathtub, with slashes across all of his pulse points, swimming in the pool of his own blood.