WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO LOVE — Jacob couldn't sleep. It wasn't anything new but for once it wasn't because of a specific nightmare or thought. Tonight he couldn't smell Pincher. It was silly but he'd grown used to staying with three other people during his time in Typhoon and he wasn't having an easy time adjusting, especially since he'd moved into a rather large cabin and he and Harrison didn't even share a room anymore. He'd rolled around all night before pushing himself to his paws and making his way to the small chest that Pincher had given him some time ago. He glanced back at Rosie, who was still curled up on the bed he'd made for the two of them. He opened it up and got one sweater out. He hadn't washed it yet from his time in Typhoon, seeing as they'd only just gotten to the new territory, and it still smelled of cigarette smoke and the sea. He slipped off the one he was wearing and put on the new (old?) one, making his way out into the night. His breathing was shaky and he took in gulps of the fresh air that mingled with the smoke, which overpowered the sort that floated in his mind at all times.

After a few moments, he went back in the house and pulled out some of the cookies he'd made from the day before. He wasn't even sure how many he'd made but he needed some kind of snack. He then ventured back outside, opening the bag and pulling out a peanut butter cookie. Brief guilt flashed in his mind. He shouldn't be eating so late and he shouldn't be eating so much sugar. He stuck it in his mouth and looked up at the sky with a soft sigh. Cigarette smoke wasn't good either. Second hand smoking was bad. He took a deep breath of the fabric again. He could still remember that first night when Pincher hadn't been afraid and hadn't turned him away. He'd seen his scars, he'd seen him while he shook and sobbed and rambled senselessly and the doberman had still helped. Then, more recently, he knew that Jacob had been more than a little overwhelmed and kept having nightmares and he kept him apart from the other Snowbounders so he wouldn't have to face them in the mornings. He was his best friend. Jacob would tell him anything. He still would, even with the threat from Archie. He knew Deniz wasn't tricking him. He couldn't be. Not after all of this. The more his mind lingered on it, though, the more he doubted it. This was too much thinking for right now. He should be trying to focus on sleeping. But how could he sleep when he knew someone was trying to kill him or Harrison or steal his pasta? That last one might be a little ridiculous but he was barely lucid, he was entitled to his horrible pasta nightmares. —A GREAT HONOR TO HOLD YOU UP

"SPEECH"

Though it didn't quite seem like it, Aizawa knew what it was like to be unable to sleep. Maybe not when he was a human, but now that everything had happened, some nights he would be kept awake with memories and other treacherous thoughts. His life had never been the most satisfying or exciting, but the shadows that once consumed each corner seemed to only grow more and more. Where they would only stay in their place, they now threatened to grow out of proportion, to swallow him whole. He couldn't tell anyone.

He wasn't sure when he had decided to take a walk in the middle of the night. He had just wanted to clear his mind by doing some reading in the dimly lit living room, and now he found himself out in the cold, scarf tucked tightly around his neck. He was sick and knew he had to be resting, but he couldn't just sit around and let these thoughts keep him up, even if he was bed-ridden during the day. Damn Izuku and his worrying.

When he finds Jacob, he isn't sure whether he should bother him or not. The lion contemplates simply turning around, but then finds himself walking forward nevertheless. Too late to turn back now. "Jacob," he speaks, breaking the silence that reigned over the night. "What are you doing up?"

"SPEECH"

WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO LOVE — Jacob's eyes were only drawn from the stars when he heard Aizawa's voice and he just shook his head. "I dunno'. Can't sleep, I guess," he answered before letting out a soft sigh and adding, "I jus' miss 'em. All ah' 'em. The cabin is so big n' it's jus' me n' Harrison n' I ain't ever been any good at bein' alone. I guess stayin' with Goldie n' Harry n' Pincher all in tha' li'l sub was jus'... it was nice. It was like havin' a family again, ya' know. When I would 'ave Ma n' Pa n' Jersey all over at once n' Jersey would get in a fight with my Pa but we were all still there. Or when... I dunno'... when I wasn' alone. He wasn't even completely aware of what he was saying as he said it and he just looked at the stars for a moment after that. How long had it been since he slept? He knew it hadn't been much since getting the note from Archie or really even after he'd left Pincher and Goldie. After a moment, he seemed to realize what he'd just said and glanced to Aizawa, his eyes widening and taking a deep breath before moving the cookies over. "Ya' wanna' cookie? They're peanut butter. My Ma's recipe so they're pretty much the best," he said with a light smile. Maybe if he just pretended like he never talked about his strong desire for family connections and horribly, crippling fear of loneliness. Instead, he was just going to reach into his bag of cookies and inhale another one. Cookies might not solve his problems or make him feel any better about himself but they did taste good.  —A GREAT HONOR TO HOLD YOU UP

"SPEECH"

Aizawa can somewhat understand how he feels. There were many people he missed, too. But, in his case, it was for the better that they weren't there with him. He'd rather them stay where they were than come to where he was. Shaking his head at the offer of cookies, he glances over at Atbash's arrival before taking a seat where he stood, eyes trailing up to the sky.

"She's right, you can always visit them. Or you can confide in your clan-mates," he says, turning back to the husky. Then he looks over to Natasha, quirking a brow at her comment.

"SPEECH"