Puppet Master

A New Chapter

His chest hurt but it was dull and tingly. His head felt light and fuzzy. His eyes felt deep and heavy.

Eijiro blinked slowly, staring at the ceiling of wherever he was. His throat was so dry, as well as his skin.

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'It's a shame,' Stain sighed. 'I didn't want to kill you, kid.'

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Eijiro shot up in a cold sweat before gasping out as pain wracked through his entire body and flopping back down.

The door to the room opened, the redhead's head immediately turning to it with wide, scared eyes. There was the *clatter* of a food tray falling before a familiar green-haired boy bolted to his side.

"Eijiro, breathe," the redhead's breath hitched by the startling levelness of his brother's voice.

Breathe? I am breathing. I am!

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Eijiro stared up at the night sky as he felt his senses dull, the world around him fading to darkness, and his body numb with a strange cold.

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He hadn't had a panic attack in so long that he almost forgot what they felt like. They were painful! And whatever was causing his chest and stomach to hurt like this-

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A blade dug itself into Eijiro's right hip and was dragged diagonally up his abdomen and chest, pulling away just above the right peck.

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- made the rapid falling and rising of his chest hurt only that much more!

But he held firmly to the grip on his hand as Izu guided him out of it with scary ease, as if the boy knew just what to say and what pace to set for a panic attack for someone injured. Eijiro finally, gratefully, took in a deep breath. One wide enough to clear his mind and ease his tightening chest. Eijiro leaned fully back into the large fluffy pillow behind him that was larger than his entire torso and head put together. He looked around, just recognizing the room as one similar to that of which Izuku was held in when he lost his arm. He was in one of the rooms in the UA nurse's ward. He realized that it wasn't only him and Izuku in the room, either. It was him, Izuku, Shinsou, Todoroki, Mina, and, strangely enough, Uraraka, though Eijiro had the feeling that the brunette and the bicolored male had been tagging along mostly with Izu. Uraraka had taken to cleaning the food tray Izuku had dropped.

"Iz- *COUGH COUGH COUGH*" Eijiro winced, hand to his parched throat.

Izuku went to get a glass of water but Shinsou had already gotten one from the sink in the room. Eijiro sighed in relief as he drank it fully. "Man!" he finally said loudly causing Izuku, Shinsou, and Todoroki to jump. "Who knew water was so refreshing?!" he joked.

Mina narrowed her eyes. "Why are you laughing?! You scared us so much!" Eijiro lowered his head. "I know... I'm sorry." He glanced up at the pink girl, faltering a bit at the tears in her eyes that had yet to fall.

Izuku took the cup from him. "H- how are ya f- feelin'?" Izuku asked hesitantly.

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He recognized that face. The hero, with blood pooling beneath them, eyes open and staring blankly before them, a small drip of blood flowing from their mouth

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Eijiro averted his eyes. "I- I'm fine!" he lied.

It didn't go unnoticed. Izuku's grip on his hand tightened. "Don't lie ta m- me." Eijiro flinched slightly and sighed. "I am..." he said again, softer. "Just a bit shaken up, you know?" Izuku nodded sadly. Eijiro's eyes widened and his head snapped up. "Where's Iida?" he asked. He very much did not enjoy the simultaneous flinch of everyone in the room. Eijiro turned Izuku, looking his brother in the eyes. "Where is Iida, Izu?" he repeated.