Mortem ad Wrens

Chapter 6: We're All Gonna Be Safe, and We're All Gonna Have a Great Time

tw: Iv's, medical trauma, flashback, anxiety attack, panic attack, child abuse mention, attack based on identity mention, harm done by public figure

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Akira slowly became aware of beeping and the sound of an IV drip. Schooling their expression, they cracked their eyes and felt a flash of relief at seeing Recovery Girl's office instead of a hospital. Their head thick with fog, Akira spotted a head of blonde hair to their left as Yamada slept over a heavily bandaged Aizawa.

"Oh good, you're awake, deary," Recovery Girl said softly. Akira still flinched at her presence, hating that they didn't notice her approach. "You slept through most of Saturday. How are you feeling?"

Pushing through the odd delay of numbness, Akira signed. 'Lower pain meds. Can't feel anything, need to be aware.' Akira tried to ground themself in their senses, but panic continued to rise as they mostly just felt numb and disconnected.

"Alright, can I touch you? I need you to calm down a little before I adjust anything."

Akira rapidly shook their head, trying to get control of their breathing. Recovery Girl just looked at them sadly and moved to wake up Yamada while keeping an eye on Akira.

Akira distantly heard her say, "Hizashi, the poor kid has medical anxiety. I'm afraid you might be more help to them right now."

Come on, you don't need a limelight. Just fucking breathe, damn it! Akira curled their knees to their chest as a strange weight settled on it, and suddenly they were on the ground being crushed by the Nomu again. Time slowed as pain erupted in their chest and the rancid smell of the Nomu's breath filled their nose.

Distantly, Akira felt something soft underneath their left hand and it felt like someone talking but blood was rushing in their ears. They frowned, that wasn't right. Breath hitching, they gradually came back to awareness with the realization Yamada had their hand on his chest to follow his breathing. Jerking back, Akira stared with wide eyes as he let go and gently smiled.

"It's alright, little listener. I know you didn't want to be touched, but you were going to faint if you kept hyperventilating. I know Shou- Aizawa finds matching my breathing helpful when he has anxiety attacks." He just kept up a soft but steady stream of words as Akira started to feel their senses return.

A little discomfort in their chest and burning in their left arm and neck were well worth presence of mind, and Akira held up a hand once they were grounded. 'What I needed was to feel something, not to have my boundaries ignored. Instead of assuming, next time do what I ask,' Akira signed harshly, lip curling and glaring at Yamada.

Flinching almost immediately, Akira took a shaky breath and schooled their expression into neutrality. They bit their lip and signed 'how' before cutting themself off, eyes downcast as they tensely waited for the limelight's reaction.

"Aizawa is doing as well as he can be right now," Yamada said after a moment, voice still soft. "It could've been a lot worse if you hadn't stepped in as you did, so thank you." He bowed, startling Akira.

They shook their head, eyes wide but shining with suspicion at his lack of reaction. 'Anyone would've done it. I'll do better.'

Yamada and Recovery Girl exchanged a worried look. She said, "Now, don't you go looking for trouble, deary. What you did was reckless, and you could have been killed even with medical attention. That creature-"

'Nomu,' Akira finger spelled, shuddering. 'They called it a Nomu.'

"Broke your sternum and four ribs, bruising more. Any of those could've punctured a lung, and you warping could've jostled them out of place. The gash almost hit an artery, and if Aizawa hadn't canceled that disintegration quirk, you'd be dead. You got lucky, and I better not see you back here for being that reckless again," she rebuked.