Atrocious

- Chapter 15 -

Anna's POV

I was armed with flowers and chocolate. Even though I didn't know if he would eat it, it was standard practice when visiting someone.
In the school's infirmary, I registered with Recovery Girl and got the number.
Conveniently, the room was only a few meters away and I knocked.
No answer.
He was probably asleep or hadn't heard, so I decided to knock again with the door open.
I quietly pushed the door handle down and looked inside.
The room was cold and the furniture in it didn't make the atmosphere any better. Aizawa was asleep in bed, right next to the open window, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.
I slowly crept across the room, carefully placed the chocolate on his bed so that I had a free hand and quietly closed the window.
I turned the heating to the highest setting and turned around to take the chocolate and place it on the table, along with the flowers. Aizawa already had them in his hand and was examining the wrapper:
"I don't like chocolate"
"Hello sleepyhead - it's noted," I laughed and looked for a chair to sit by his bed.
His skin was paler than usual, his hair straw-like and his eyes full of worry.
Nevertheless, he tried to smile as I placed and draped the bouquet of flowers on the small table next to him.
"You weren't there, were you?"
"No. I was told to keep my distance because I wasn't ready yet," I plucked at the little buds, "and then I found out about a serious enemy that you managed to put to flight just before it happened."
He started to speak, but I raised my finger threateningly: "And then I find out that you blindly stood in front of the class and almost died?"
Yes, I was disappointed and angry. And incredibly proud at the same time. But he didn't need to know that.

I puffed out my cheeks.
He looked thoughtfully at the flowers and then at me.
"How are the students?"
"How do you think? They're all doing well. And thanks to you," I sighed.
He was the type who didn't let compliments get to him.
"You look terrible," I continued, scrutinizing him.
The last few weeks had been stressful, but we had always made time to talk about lessons or private matters.
Shota was keeping his distance at the moment and Sekijiro was on field duty and wouldn't be back for a few days.
I didn't know if the evening in the bar was to blame for the distance.
I didn't know if I had behaved wrongly or if it was just everyday flies.
I didn't know...and I didn't even have the courage to ask.

Work was now part of everyday life. And I had to live with that.

Shota tried to sit up. His arms lay powerless in his lap and his breathing was heavy.
I could roughly guess where he was bandaged and it broke my heart to see him like this.
He looked right through me: "Nomus is their name".
"I've heard of them..." and I started to worry too.
They looked horrible, like monsters that were something else before. People, it was assumed, and the thought was incredibly repulsive.
Especially when you thought about who the humans used to be. They all had a life, a family, hobbies ... .
And then maybe she was actually transformed into something so hideous.
Nomus.

All Might had cleaned up, even if he had reached his physical limits.
'The creatures must be incredibly strong'.
'Security has been heightened, we are all on alert and hope that was it.'
The 'rogue league' or whatever they were called are unknown and I sincerely hope it stays that way. The less attention, the better."
He nodded.
"We have to put a stop to this ... and the students must reach their limits with their training ... Just like you."

I knew I had to train to keep up.
But the fear of failing or dying was there.

'I don't know where to start,' I said quietly, opening my hands and looking at my palms.
'Is my specialty of any value at all? Can I make a difference with it? How strong am I and how strong can I become?' I thought to myself and realized far too late that Shota had reached out to me with his healthy arm and taken my hand in his. He turned it a little so that he could massage the palm of my hand with his thumb.
A pleasant pressure spread through my lower abdomen and I couldn't help but look at him questioningly.
He wasn't fazed:
"We're at the U. We'll get this done," he whispered, squeezing gently.
We kept eye contact and I had to admit that I really liked the way he massaged my hand, the way his tired eyes rested on me as if everything was going to be okay and the little smile that few ever get to see.

It was beautiful and a feeling of security.

The door to the hospital room opened and a nurse entered.
"We need to change the bandages once and also bandage her face so that the wounds heal best and we can discharge her," she said coolly and Shota nodded.
She gave us a window of five minutes, then she would come in and I would have to leave.
We were still holding hands and neither of us wanted to let go.
It felt good and I thought we both needed that closeness.
We talked for a few more minutes about the students, Hizashi and All Might, then the nurse appeared and I said goodbye to him.
He was now bandaged up for four weeks and could only move around a little.
'I hope he doesn't put himself in such danger again'.

But what else would await the U.A.?