must’ve been obvious to his mentor that he’s staring at his scarred palms with a slight distaste in his gaze , the usual shine in them dead and gone ( he could’ve acted sooner , could’ve controlled it better , he could’ve done everything in his power to prevent it from spiraling out of control during the spar / but he couldn’t ; he’s weak , he’s not ready yet , he’s just back to square one ). the gruff tone snaps him out of his daze and though they feel heavy with exhaustion and dark thoughts , his eyes drift upwards to look into the concerned yet hallowed gaze of the elder’s. those words pierce through his deflating heart but it makes him feel like he’s sinking into the earth / deeper and deeper still. “ but i – ” swallows thickly , tears threatening to burst through , his voice thick with emotion / all might staring him with such worry and concern only making the tears want to spill past even more. “ i c - could’ve controlled it – i almost hurt everyone around me because i was – ” voice cuts off , choked now. he was weak , and even with all the training he had powered through , he still couldn’t keep it under control. now , he feels the heated tears slide down his freckled cheeks , back hunching as he practically trembles / memories and visions of the blackness that spurted through his palms in place of the emerald - colored electricity vivid behind shut lids. he remembers how much it had hurt for him to be there ( to be alive , to be hoisted in mid - air with this unknown power surging within him ) , remembers how ochako had held onto his body to get him to stop but it was impossible , it was foreign to his own body / it was breaking him down from the inside , bit by bit , tearing through his vessle. izuku inhales , exhales soon after ; rubs at the hot tears with the back of his trembling hands. no , all might’s right. i should – i should just breathe. “ s - sorry , all might, ” he mumbles , keeping his sullen gaze on his knees. “ you’re right. ”