🖤💙𝕊𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕠𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕💙🖤

Foreign Language

POV AIZAWA

Recovery Girl tells me she's right out front, and Ob- Kurogiri helps me to my feet. I still can't look him in the eyes; I'm afraid of the tint of blue I saw earlier, afraid of what it could mean or who it might be.

Recovery Girl is almost 70 years old, but her age doesn't show as she hurries toward me, her cane clacking against the cracked sidewalk. Usually, she'd stop to make a comment about how dirty and rundown this area is, or maybe scold me for being out in the cold without a jacket. This time, she doesn't say anything. She yanks me down to her level and enwraps me in her short, brittle arms. Her white, trademark coat smells like cleaning supplies, and as I drop my head on her shoulder, the familiar scent of cinnamon coaxes me into relaxation.

Recovery Girl rubs my back, then kisses my forehead. I don't feel any more tired, so I know she didn't use her quirk. I suppose she just wanted to remind me that she can heal more than just physical injuries.

Because I do feel better, even if it's just a small bit.

"Come, problem child," the woman says. "You shouldn't be out here in the cold with just one layer."

I snort a laugh and rub my face with my palms in an attempt to hide the streaks left by my childish tears. "I'm not a child anymore, Ms. Chiyo," I remind her. Recovery Girl just ignores me, marching forward into the LOV's base. Kurogiri and I follow her lead.

"Goodness me," Recovery Girl chuckles, wobbling over to Dabi. She pinches his cheek and pulls a bit, then adjusts a few staples under his eye, all while Dabi grumbles and groans. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Dabi? I'm surprised you're still in one piece."

"Hard to fall apart with Keigo on my ass every second of every day," Dabi grunts, though everyone is aware of the humor in his tone. Hawks offers a small smile, and Recovery Girl returns it. Really, Hawks has given her quite a run for her money, even before all this mess. His fear of hospitals has always brought him to UA's doorstep when he's injured, and if Recovery Girl didn't love him so much, she probably would've kicked him out.

Recovery Girl gives Hawks and Dabi each a little smooch, using her quirk to patch up their smaller injuries. A few of Hawks' feathers stiffen and strengthen while the steam coming off of Dabi subsides into a cooler temperature. The woman turns her attention to Twice next, and before she can even open her arms all the way, Twice has her stubby body in a hug.

"Hello Ms. Chiyo," he says. "How come you gave Dabs a kiss and not me? Pretentious bitch!"

"It's nice to see you, too, Twice," Chiyo says. I don't ever remember introducing the two of them, but I guess Chiyo made a few stops here every now and then. I faintly remember getting a text from her saying she visited Twice to help him with his worsening mental disorder, under a request from Dabi a year or so ago. "How have you been holding up, darling?" she asks.

Twice shifts, and I'm curious as to what expression he has on under his mask. I assume it's something like a grimace, like he's earning back memories that he'd rather not remember. "I'm not sure," Twice answers after a few bests of silence. "I don't know," he agrees with himself in that separate, darker tone.

Recovery Girl frowns, gently squeezing his hand. "Oh honey, you poor thing..." she whispers, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. "We'll talk later, okay?"

Twice nods absentmindedly, turning his attention back at the colorful cards in his hands.

Chiyo's gaze finds Uraraka, and I see the shock written over her face. "Uraraka, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" she asks, almost frantically. "You should be back at the dorms—"