Heeeyyyy, hope you guys are liking this so far! Also, I wanted to let you all know that I'm only going to be able to update once next week 'cause of a bunch of homework and tests I've got coming up. You know how it is. :-)

ENJOY CHAPTER 3!

CHAPTER 3:

Izuku was so tired, he felt the urge to cry. He just wanted to sleep.

After yet another restless night - even though he'd taken Recovery Girl's medicine - he felt about ready to curl up and die, giving up on any remaining hope for sleep. If nothing had helped him at this point, what were the chances something ever would? He was at loss to know what was causing all this. Was it something he was doing? Was it something else? Was he sick? Cursed? Just going insane…?

This had to be the worst day so far.

One all-nighter, he could handle. Everybody could. Two was manageable, for the most part… it was for the overachievers. You were going to be a little brain dead after staying up so long, but by the third night, everyone knew it was time to call it quits and finally get some rest.

Three entire nights without sleep, however… that was just unbearable. He felt like he was in some sort of twisted dream, slightly distorted from reality. During that third night awake, he thought might've hallucinated once or twice, paranoid at every shadow and soft creak in the walls. A few times he was certain Canamist had tracked him down, at last coming to kill him in his weakened state. Others he completely forgot about the villain and wondered why he felt so anxious until he finally remembered. His brain was all too quickly losing touch with the world.

Once again, Uraraka found an exhausted Izuku downstairs bright and early. This time, he was lying on the couch near the TV, one forearm covering his eyes. It almost appeared like he was sleeping, but an occasional shift or sigh proved otherwise.

"Were you able to sleep last night?" she said hopefully, sitting down in a chair next to him upon announcing her entrance.

Strangely, Izuku didn't move to acknowledge her like he usually did. He just groaned. "I don't know… maybe… it's hard to remember if I dozed off or not…"

She frowned. "I'll take that as a no, then." After a pause, she waited for him to say something more.

Izuku finally took his arm off his face, looking up at her through slightly blurred vision. He sat up, gritting his teeth through the painful action. "Yeah, probably not…"

"Deku, you really shouldn't go to class today," she said. "Mr. Aizawa and the others will understand. You're exhausted."

"Of all things, he's an expert on sleep deprivation," Izuku agreed.

"You could skip classes today and spend the extra time trying to sleep - or with Recovery Girl. She told you to come back if the medicine didn't work."

"But we've got a test coming up and I have to do my best… I can manage till lunch. I'll see her then. I know my health is important, but I don't think it's necessary to miss class. After all, I bet tons of other people have stayed up later than me and still went to school." He wasn't sure if that was true, but it made sense to his half-functioning brain.

Uraraka bit her lip. "Have you called All Might yet and told him about what's going on? Not only the sleep problems, but Canamist, too?"

"No, I didn't think he needed to know just yet… He's in America right now visiting some old college friends," Izuku explained. "He told me that the school board wanted him to take a break after all the work he'd been putting in lately. You know... ever since his secret was revealed, he felt like he had to prove himself extra."

"Oh, so that's why he suddenly left last week… Aizawa's a great replacement teacher for him, but I kind of miss All Might's class, even if he did read off his own notecards," she laughed. "I'm sure he'd like to know about what's going on, though. You guys seem really close - like a father/son hero team or something!"

Izuku looked embarrassed. "Y-yeah, he's kind of taken over as my mentor, I guess…" He rubbed the back of his head. "I might let him know about all this later, but I'm not sure he can help… I don't want to worry him when he's trying to relax. Especially since he can't fight villains anymore; knowing one is after me might make him upset. It wouldn't be right to put that on him." He slowly pulled himself off the couch. "I better go shower before class…"

"Huh? But, you're already wearing your day clothes."

"What?" He looked down and realized Uraraka was right. That was weird. He hadn't remembered putting them on. "O-oh… right… I'll just use my spare set after, then…"

Uraraka watched him race to the elevator, a clear look of dismay in her eyes as it was becoming more and more apparent that something wasn't quite right with her friend.

The morning classes passed slowly. Way too slowly for Izuku. Fortunately, home room was short, as usual, but English with Present Mic was awful. He didn't understand a word of what his teacher said, sitting there with a blank expression as his classmates nodded along, taking diligent notes. And every time Present Mic yelled, he cringed, covering his ears. Sound really bothered him for some reason.

After two more long periods, it was finally time for lunch. He drooped over his desk, not wanting to move. Maybe if he just sat there for a while, he'd be able to fall asleep…

"Deku?"

Uraraka's voice came from close to his seat.

"You're really pale… I'm getting scared. Can Iida and I take you to Recovery Girl now?"

It had taken a little while, but bags were beginning to become more and more prominent beneath his eyes and snowy white skin replaced a normally rosy face. Izuku knew deep within him that something was wrong and he should get some help, but it had taken him a stupidly long time to realize it. I'm getting too sleep-deprived for my own good.

He was quiet for a moment, then murmured, "Okay." He couldn't be an idiot, even if he was tired. Not being able to think shouldn't have excused his overall welfare.

Getting up from his chair was agonizing. Each small task seeming ten times harder, things that had never bothered him before made his head throb.

Ouch... I really need some sleep.

Uraraka and Iida once again walked him to Recovery Girl's office, but this time he managed to convince them to leave him and go to lunch. He wasn't even sure if he'd make it to afternoon classes.

"I don't want to leave you alone, though," Uraraka said. "With how exhausted you are, you could collapse again! Not to mention Canamist still out there…"

Izuku tried a wonky smile. "If I collapse, I'll finally be able to sleep, right? Okay, bad joke… And I doubt a villain's getting in here. This is one of the safest places in Japan after all those security breaches. All U.A. staff knows about him now, including Recovery Girl, so I have a team of aware pro heroes at my side." All the reasons laid out, he found no valid reason to worry. "I'll be completely fine."

"Midoriya speaks the truth," Iida sighed. "It does make sense, no matter how concerned we may be. Very well, we will leave you with Recovery Girl, but remember to call one of us if you require any assistance."

"Sure."

It wasn't long before he'd reached the nurse's office and was promptly being examined by Recovery Girl.

"The medicine didn't work for you last night?" she said in disdain as she took his blood pressure.

He shook his head tiredly. "No…"

"Not sleeping for three days isn't in anyways good, Izuku," she chided. "If this goes on any further, you're going to be heading into serious danger. After four days without sleep, people begin to show maniacal tendencies."

"You - you think I'm going to go insane?"

"...I never said that," she said after a concerning pause. "However, sleep deprivation isn't something to be messed around with."

So, he was going to go crazy, then, like some character in a sci-fi novel. He felt his chest fill with dread and hopelessness. He'd known that not sleeping was bad for a person... but not to the point of insanity.

"Alright! All done…" She took the pad from his arm. "Your blood pressure is abnormally high. That may be a factor in your insomnia, but I doubt it would keep you awake for so long."

"Can you just give me something to wake me up a little?" he asked. "For my afternoon classes. I'll do the medicine again tonight."

"You still plan on going to class? Tsk tsk… I don't think that's such a good idea with the way you're looking, Izuku."

She took his his figure; slumped, pale, and fatigued he didn't look like he could walk down the hall, let alone go through hero training.

"Maybe you're right," he conceded. "I guess I just head back to Heights Alliance. And if I don't sleep tonight… I won't go to class tomorrow." He rubbed his eyes for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. "So… should I drink more coffee? Get myself on a sugar rush?" He gave a breathy laugh, feeling more than a little delirious.

"I doubt that would help much at this time."

"I have to function somehow… and it's not like I need to calm down before bed…" He swallowed. Plus, there's keeping my brain alert because of Canamist. He's still out there - the heroes haven't gotten him yet or I would've been contacted. A frown pulled at his lips. I wonder why the heroes haven't been able to find him yet... and why he's going through all this trouble to get me when he could've easily picked me off in that store…

In addition, if the gas was some sort of tracker, it would explain Canamist being able to find his prey… but why wouldn't the victim fight back when he finally came for them? It wasn't like they were taken by surprise… right? There was something about this whole thing that didn't make sense.

He realized Recovery Girl had started talking again. I've really got to stop zoning out.

"I suppose that is true. I'll see what I can do for you for now…"

Izuku crashed in Height's Alliance living room as soon as he got back from Recovery Girl's. He was too tired to go upstairs and didn't want to be alone in his dorm, anyways. There was no way he'd be able to go to classes tomorrow - it was a miracle he'd survived as long as he did. He was terrified at the thought of not being able to sleep again tonight.

Because, surely, it wasn't possible for his body to allow him without any rest for four days… 96 hours… right?

"Deku, I'm getting really worried about you," Uraraka said, brow creased in concern. She and the others had just gotten back from afternoon classes. They were both resting on the couch to talk a little. The others were either talking in the kitchen, doing homework in their dorms, or outside training. Though they confirm so, Izuku could tell they were all still keeping a silent eye out for Canamist for him - as well as pretty much the entire school. He'd been so wrapped up in his own world, he hadn't had the chance to thank them.

"Deku? You with me?"

His head swiveled. "Y-yes. I am… with you."

Pursing her lips, Uraraka gave a disapproving look. "You've gone three nights without sleep… Deku, I've tried to let you make your own decisions until now, but this is where I have to draw the line if I'm going to be a good friend. You can't go on like this any longer. You need to go to the hospital."

"I'll go... soon, if this doesn't clear up. I promise. It's just that nothing has helped me so far, so... will the hospital be able... to help... help..." He stopped short, mind already drifting away from the conversation.

"Deku?"

He looked up, squinting. Stupid brain... why can't I do something as easy as think? "Yeah?"

"...you haven't slept since the store attack."

Oh. He guessed that was true. It felt like ages ago, though…

"Are you… maybe too anxious to sleep? I mean, I know I might be if I was targeted by some villain… I'd want to keep a look out and make sure that I was safe and-"

"No, it's not that!" Izuku said, embarrassed. He wasn't forcing himself to stay up. "I feel fine overall, I guess. It's like, my body's perfectly healthy... but I just can't sleep, even though I'm really tired. My body's up for it… but my brain's just not in sync."

Uraraka tilted her head. "Well, if it's not you… then what?"

"If I knew that, I'd already be…" He suddenly paused. "Wait - wait a second." Though his brain was foggy, an idea filtered through. "You're right, Uraraka. I haven't slept since Canamist held up that store…"

"Um... yeah…?"

"...since I breathed in that gas."

"I guess s- hold on. Deku... you think that it…" Confusion contorted her face as she began to understand what he was getting at. "...But the doctors said that it wasn't poisonous, right?"

"Yeah, and maybe it's not - not in a toxic way, at least. Maybe… maybe it's meant to be used for something else." His head began to whirl with possibilities his tired self had trouble keeping up with.

"Like…? You think the gas causes - what, insomnia?"

"Something like that. It's just… the lady on the phone said Canamist was hunting me down and would try to kill me within the week - four more days, then." He grimaced. "This whole time, I've been wondering how he'd be able to find me, you know? And why wouldn't the people marked fight back when he eventually came for them? Something just didn't add up. Now, I think it all fits together…"

Uraraka frowned. "You're not making any sense, Deku. What are you thinking?"

"I think… the gas is used as a tracker, like we've thought about before," he replied, focusing as hard as he could to try to be clearer. "But that's not its only ability. I think that it somehow weakens the victim so that the attacker is able to overtake them more easily. Maybe it's different for each person… but this gas inside of me is keeping me awake, somehow. It's weakening me by exhaustion so that I can't fight when Canamist finally strikes. It's making me immobile so I'll be helpless by the time he comes."

"What? That's - that's crazy… I…" She swallowed, but seemed to growing on his idea. It did make some sort of twisted sense. "Wouldn't the hospital have picked up on those effects? And if they knew Canamist would come back, wouldn't they know what his quirk did to the people he killed?"

"I don't think the tests are meant to pick up on these kinds of things. They're designed to find poison, not stuff like this. And if the victim didn't even realize what was going on till it was too late, then there's a chance no one's realized the quirk's real purpose until now." He suddenly stood from the couch in a vivid epiphany. "Everyone thinks that his quirk is a tracker, but it's not! It's used to disable you, like… like a slow-moving poison! A paralyzer… a venom!"

Uraraka followed him to her feet. "Deku… if this is true, then we have to tell somebody right away! By the time he tries to get to you, you'll be too weak to defend yourself!"

Izuku wasn't dumb enough to deny it. He was exhausted already, and if he had to stay awake for four entire more days… he sagged at the crippling thought, wanting to cry. He'd be in no shape at all to fight. He needed physical protection, whether by heroes or his friends.

"We'll go to the hospital," he said seriously, "and let them know what's going on. Maybe they can get me some sort of protection, too - bodyguards or whatever. With each day, I'm less and less safe..."

Uraraka nodded. "I'll go with you. I don't think it's safe right now to be alone."

Izuku felt his heart drop not for the first time that day. She was right. It wasn't safe to go anywhere outside U.A. alone anymore. Canamist might've been watching him right then… preparing for the perfect opportunity to attack.

I have to keep up my guard even if my body won't cooperate, he told himself as he and Uraraka hurried from Heights Alliance to head to the train station. I can't take any chances with this. The moment I'm too weak to fight, I'll be taken out… It was a blood-chilling thought. And if the heroes do find Canamist… can I even survive without sleep until then? With already three days of being awake, I'm just barely making it. How much longer can I go?

At first, he only had finding Canamist to worry about. Now, he had another threat looming in the near distance. The heroes who were searching for the villain didn't have much longer. If they were unable find the villain soon, they'd lose Izuku. Not to a criminal, but to a human unable to function awake any longer.

Time was running out.

"You think Canamist's quirk is what?!"

Dr. Ohno stared at Izuku and Uraraka with an incredulous disbelief.

"Insomnia - or some sort of weakening power," Izuku repeated tiredly. "I haven't slept in three days… at first I thought my brain was just hyperactive or something, but… but, well…" For the life of him, he just couldn't finish his ending.

"...it makes sense that the gas would've been behind it somehow." Uraraka thankfully stepped in for him.

Dr. Ohno looked doubtful, but a little thoughtful. "I'm not sure. This entire situation is unlike anything I've ever witnessed, which is saying something. Izuku, we'll try and help you with your insomnia, but we can't be completely sure it's linked to the gas. We're going to have to run many more tests to be certain."

"You guys didn't find anything before," Uraraka said. "So, why do you think you will now? Deku's exhausted… this has to be something the gas did! He literally can't sleep!"

The doctor pursed her lips. "Even if we did know it was the gas behind your sleeping problems, we would still have a bad situation on our hands. The heroes haven't been able to find Canamist yet, which leaves us possibly unable to fix your insomnia without knowing what's going on in your body. We've got two huge problems in the air right now."

"Yeah, either we don't find Canamist and I die from lack of sleep, or he hunts me down and kills me himself." He knew he sounded pessimistic, but it was a pretty bleak situation, to be fair. Things didn't look good for him no matter how he looked at it.

"You're not going to die, Izuku. We'll get you get some sleep," Dr. Ohno promised. "Don't worry. I'll have the team who contacts the heroes add much more backup and let them know that they need to hurry. I'm not certain about your theory, but I won't take risks with anyone's life."

Izuku's tense shoulders slumped with relief. He trusted the pros. They'd find Canamist, for sure. And in the meantime, the hospital might be able to give him some medicine to help him fall asleep. Things might be turning around a little.

"Thank you so much," he said gratefully.

"Of course. Now, with Canamist out there - especially with your insomnia as a factor in the present danger - I'd recommend close protection until we can sort this out. I'm going contact a few pros and have them at your school to act as bodyguards by morning."

"That's great," Izuku said, relieved. "My teacher, Mr. Aizawa, lives close by, so I think he'll be okay to watch out for me tonight. He already does look out for us as it is - I'll be safe at Height's Alliance. Um... could I have the sleeping medicine to take back with me for tonight?" It was only evening, but he was more than ready to lapse into unconsciousness for a long, long time.

Dr. Ohno gave a short nod. "I'll get some ready for you right now and you can take it before you go to bed."

"Sounds great," he smiled. Finally, there was something good that might be happening…

Izuku and Uraraka were sent back to Heights Alliance hours later with heavy sleeping pills in hand. The whole train ride back, Izuku shut his eyes tight, more than ready for this nightmare to end. Doctor Ohno had said the pills were sure to knock him out and that he should plan to miss classes tomorrow. He didn't mind. He knew that his health was more important than school and that his teachers would understand if he took a few days off.

He could feel Uraraka's eyes on him as they trudged back to school. They hadn't spoken much since they left, he avoiding the conversation. He couldn't keep his mind focused long enough to talk, anyways.

"There you guys are!" Ashido shouted when the pair entered. She and the rest of the class were all downstairs, heads turned to look at their friends as they entered. "We were getting really worried."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I texted you where we were," Uraraka said.

"Yeah, but still! It's getting late and with that scary villain out there, I get freaked out!"

Izuku sighed, head slumped. There was no energy left remaining in him. "Yeah… about Canamist… Uraraka and I made a… discovery about him…"

"Discovery?" Todoroki repeated.

"WAIT JUST A MINUTE! You two never should've left school grounds without an adult when a villain is hunting you!" Iida chided. His brow was deeply creased and he looked about ready to start on a lecture. "Who knows what could've happened!"

"Just let them explain, Emergency Exit," Kirishima said and Iida blinked at the old nickname.

"Do you want to tell them? Or do you want me to?" Uraraka asked Izuku.

"You can… I'm…" He yawned. "I'm… really tired… I don't think I talk… for long… I'm gonna head to bed… now that I have the medicine, I can sleep."

Ah. Sleep. This felt like a fairytale. After this whole mess was over, he was never going to take it for granted again.

Uraraka smiled at him. "Of course! Go on, I don't want to keep you up."

"Thanks… I'll see you guys tomorrow afternoon," he joked, heading to the elevators with his pharmacy bag. He could barely keep his eyes open by then, rubbing at them persistently.

As he entered the elevator, he could hear Uraraka begin to explain their epiphany about Canamist's gas and how it was connected to his sudden insomnia. Hopefully, the mist wouldn't be strong enough to suppress heavy duty sleeping pills.

No. Of course not. Nothing could do that. He was going to get some sleep and be fine by tomorrow…

After slowly getting ready for bed, he entered his room and took two of the pills the doctor had told him to take. They were supposed to be effective within a few minutes. He certainly felt its effects working, so tired now he could barely think straight. He let his body relax in a spread eagle position on his bed.

I don't know what I'd do if these didn't work, he thought dreamily, feeling like he was already drifting off. Four days without sleep? That's something I don't think anyone should ever try… so tired… I hope these things kick in soon…

A few minutes seemed to pass, but he still laid there, wide awake. Huh… I wonder why these haven't worked yet… maybe I should check the bottle again to make sure about the timing thing. Could it have been hours and not minutes…?

As he padded across the floor to his desk, his head spun, pounding with discomfort. Weird. Where'd that headache come from? He hadn't noticed it until now, but it reminded him of the one he'd had the other day in the hall in front of Uraraka and Iida.

On the pill bottle, the words remained the same as before: two pills for people aged 12, works within five minutes.

He went to check the time, knowing he'd headed for bed around eight o'clock. It'd probably been about twenty minutes since he'd taken his dose. Maybe he needed a little more time than others to absorb it after being up so long.

12:24 AM.

He nearly dropped his phone. I've been laying there awake for four hours?! And… I've felt nothing

Izuku felt nausea stir as a ripple of horror washed over him. The medicine didn't work. The best medicine the doctor could've prescribed for me… failed. He put a clammy hand to his face. Canamist's powers… are way stronger than I first thought.

His heart faltered with defeat as a realization sunk in.

If I can't sleep… after all we've tried… after everything we've done… I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

Die. He'd never imagined such a previously unknown cause as sleep-deprivation being the thing to take him in the end. Now, it was all he could think about.

Canamist... won. There was never any need to hunt me down. He just had to do this to me.

The villain didn't even have to be in the same room as him. In his own, cruel, twisted way… he was killing Izuku after all.

Izuku didn't want to wake anybody, but he was too afflicted with his growing delirium to think rationally. He stumbled out of his room and headed blurrily to Iida's dorm with only one thought in mind.

Help. I need help.

He tapped his hand on the door with a trembling hand, but it was too light... far too light... His distress grew as he realized Iida probably wouldn't hear him. He should try again, he knew, but he suddenly found he had no strength left in him.

Defeated, he hunched over and sank to the floor. Soon, he was completely down on the ground, too exhausted and upset to move another inch. Who cared about dignity at a time like this? He didn't have enough energy to expend. He just couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't.

But it wasn't but a few more moments (or was it?) before something creaked close by to him - and then came a set of quiet footsteps. Izuku heard a sudden intake of breath and wanted to cry in relief when he realized Iida had appeared. He'd heard him after all...

"Midoriya? Midoriya!"

"Iida," he rasped, eyes locking on his friend's with a final, pleading desperation. "Help me."