Just A Myth | Shota Aizawa

Chapter 35

Third person pov

The Sports Festival came to a close without much of a hitch. The only thing that could be labeled as concerning was the heavy downpour that briefly appeared and drenched the crowd out of seemingly nowhere. The forecast had declared it would be sunny and bright all day long! People were disgruntled, but no one had gotten hurt in any way. Just a tad wet, which was a small price to pay for the function of Izuku Midoriya's hand. The scarring wasn't something Atlantis could so easily get rid of, but it would otherwise recover fully and without issue. Recovery Girl seemed both relieved and slightly astonished by this despite the impossible feat she'd seen him perform on Toshinori. 

 Atlantis wasn't sure how these festivals worked. Even after it was over he couldn't stop thinking about it. The fiery blonde boy had won first place in the end, which was commendable, certainly! But... they had chained him up on the podium. Why would they do that? If he didn't want the shiny necklace they were presenting him, was it such a bad thing that he not have to take it? So many people had flooded in, black boxes pointed right at him. Hitoshi had explained that they were cameras. They broadcasted sort of like a radio, but in both sound and picture. That meant lots of people everywhere could watch what was happening. 

If that was the case, then it seemed especially wrong to force the exploding boy against his will. Atlantis felt uneasy. It just... it wasn't right. The child quite obviously was uncomfortable. Rightfully enraged, thrashing in restraints that should've been reserved for criminals. Atlantis couldn't get it out of his head. Humans were truly heinous creatures sometimes. As beautiful as the surface could be, it seemed overly cruel too.

"You... You had some questions?" Toshinori asked unsurely, drawing Atlantis from his darkening train of thought. Atlantis blinked a few times, murmuring a small thanks to Shota when the man came and set down a couple of mugs of hot chocolate and coffee. Hitoshi immediately lunged for one of the caffeinated beverages, purple eyes earning a small glow as he did so. Toshinori shifted slightly at the feral action, looking to Shota with question as the tired man sat down. All Aizawa could do was shrug.

Toshinori looked amazing compared to the last time Atlantis had seen him. He would've been happier if not for the weighty conversation they were about to have. The blonde man looked brighter, hair fuller and healthier than when they'd first met. Atlantis felt a little lighter seeing the fruits of his healing labors. The blonde man continued when Atlantis didn't say anything, "Thank you for taking the time to meet me today. I haven't had a chance to properly thank you yet." 

"O-Oh, no, that's okay!" Atlantis exclaimed, grasping Shota's hand tight in his own. He reached forward and tentatively slid a cup of hot chocolate off the coffee table, gripping the handle hard. "We should be thanking you. You must be very busy." 

"Eating hamburgers and fries maybe." Shota grumbled to himself. Atlantis gave him a mildly-amused glance for his troubles. It was well known amongst the UA staff that Toshinori had been gorging himself with American foods lately. It was only those who were there for the healing that really knew why. Hitoshi barked out a shameless laugh that made the Number One pro flush with embarrassment. 

"A-Ah, yes. I can safely say I've been enjoying my unrestricted diet thanks to you." Toshinori laughed sheepishly. He glanced unsurely at Hitoshi, as though the kid didn't already know who he was. The siren didn't deem a reaction necessary, staring blandly and sipping his coffee. He was sleeping better now that his tail was back but insomnia didn't vanish overnight. "So... what you wanted to talk about..."

Shota felt his chest tighten as Atlantis' emotions turned tumultuous. The mer shared a look with his younger cousin, squeezing Aizawa's hand as though it were the only way to brace for the upcoming conversation. Toshinori-- as thickheaded as he happened to be-- actually seemed to notice the tension for once. His expression lost a bit of its shine, his brow earning a furrow. Shota took a deep breath.