Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 18 ~ Part 3||

The remaining stymphalian scattered with Overhaul's defeat. It was a victory for Aizawa and the orphanage, but it came with a heavy cost. The house was completely destroyed, walls crumbled and supplies meant for winter were damaged. And the number of deaths had increased. Fukukado lost another eight men in the attack, and many of her remaining pirates were seriously injured.

As Eri was still unconscious, Aizawa couldn't make any more healing potions. So Aizawa and Yaoyorozu had cleared out the foyer, which was the only room not completely destroyed, for the critically injured patients. The remaining injured were taken to the courtyard, where they were treated in turns by Shouto, Tokoyami, and Asui.

The demi-gods, Mirio and Tamaki, along with the Aurai, Hadao, had been put in charge of removing the dead and cleaning the debris. But Mirio kept trying to sing and at some point, was sent away by Aizawa to collect more medicine and food from the mainland.

Shouto sat by the makeshift bedside of Haimawari. The magicked fog of earlier had evaporated in the evening leaving a warm, cloudless night sky filled with the chirping sounds of cicadas and crickets.

Shouto dipped a spoon into a shallow dish of watered-down tomato soup and held it up. Haimawari sighed, then leaned forward and carefully slurped from the spoon. He cringed in pain as he struggled to swallow.

The smoke and heat had left third-degree burns on his hands and scorched his throat, making it hard for him or Rin to eat, not that the orphanage had much way besides watered-down soup.

Haimawari winced, swallowing the last bite. Then he looked at Shouto and gave him a lopsided smile. "If you had told me two weeks ago that I'd be lying in bed, taken care of by the great Spartan, Shouto Todoroki, I would have laughed," Haimawari chuckled hoarsely before cutting off as a fit of coughing overtook him.

Shouto reached out and lightly rubbed his back as the pirate dragged in a few ragged breaths. Haimawari waved Shouto's hand away. "Maybe this is actually your calling?"

Shouto snorted. "Feeding you?"

Haimawari smirked. "Always wondered what it would be like to be served. Pretty nice, if I do say so myself. I might open up a position for caretaker, and you're always welcome to apply."

Shouto snorted. "Do you need my left hand too?"

Haimawari laughed before starting to cough again.

Shouto watched him until the coughing subsided. Then he looked down at the bowl in his hands; his fingers twitched against the wood. "I'm actually going back to Sparta," he said slowly.

"Already?" Rin asked. "I thought you were going to stay here?"

Shouto shook his head. "I've already spoken to Emi and Aizawa. I'll be riding with you to the nearest port, and then I'll head back by land. It will be safer for everyone if I leave soon."

"What do you mean?" Haimawari asked. "Overhaul didn't attack because of you."

"Yeah. That's not your fault."

Shouto's lips twisted. "Perhaps, but now that both Dabi and Overhaul may be seeking vengeance, it will be better if I leave. Aizawa already has enough to worry about with rebuilding the orphanage. Besides, I have people waiting for me back in Sparta."

"Well, it makes sense. It will be good traveling with you," Haimawari said, smiling.

Shouto stared at him.

Haimawari raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Shouto opened his mouth and hesitated before asking a question.