Leave Your Mark | Various!BNHA x Reader

63: A Historical Day

"Ow, ow, ow... it hurts."

Shouto grits his teeth as he winces, all but crumpling onto the infirmary bed. Inasa is lying in the bed adjacent to him, still unconscious from their battle. He took a decent amount of damage from that final attack, but he probably fainted from pressure and shock, rather than actual pain.

On the other hand, Shouto is pressing a palm flat against his chest, fingers trembling uncontrollably as he struggles to take a proper breath. It feels like his heart is on the verge of exploding. Granted, it was the very first time he'd ever tried his own variation of Endeavor's Flashfire Fist. He probably should have expected that his body wouldn't adjust right away.

"That's why it's important to know your limits," Recovery Girl tuts disapprovingly. "If you go overboard, without knowing what your body can handle, then of course you'll feel the repercussions of it. I can only imagine how much strain your poor heart is under. Even with a Quirk like yours, forcibly exposing yourself to such extreme temperatures all of a sudden isn't safe."

"I'm... dying," Shouto gasps, and he flattens his head against the pillow with an exaggerated thud.

Recovery Girl barely resists the urge to roll her eyes. "No, you're not. What are you being dramatic for? I swear that friend of yours is rubbing off on you. Anyway, just stop squirming. You'll feel better soon."

She puckers her lips together, and as always, they stretch out to an abnormal length as her Quirk takes effect. Shouto feels a featherlight touch upon his skin, and just like that, the pain in his chest disappears almost entirely.

He's left feeling even more exhausted, however. To the point that he can hardly keep his eyes open. Also, he can't stop himself from heaving a long, heavy sigh.

"This isn't the kiss I was hoping for," he mutters, disappointment clear as day.

Unlike before, Recovery Girl makes no attempt to keep from rolling her eyes.

"Right, right," she then muses, a hint of a smile creeping onto her lips. "I'm sorry you had to be kissed by a granny like me. I'm sure you were hoping it'd be [Name] instead."

Within less than a second, Shouto's face has turned violently red, and he all but leaps off the bed in a hurry.

"Oh, look at that," Recovery Girl hums. "I thought you'd be out of energy, but it seems like you've still got stamina in spades. Or maybe the embarrassment just gave you a little boost."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Shouto stammers.

"Well, you practically admitted it yourself just now. You need to be more careful with what you say around others, young man. You're not a very good liar."

Shouto considers protesting again, but he quickly realizes it's futile, and hangs his head in defeat.

"Everyone always says that," he mumbles. "Am I really that bad of a liar?"

"Yes, you're probably the worst liar I've ever met."

"The worst??"

"Don't get too upset over it," Recovery Girl dismisses. "It means you're honest to a fault, and that's a good quality to have. It's better to be pure of heart and wear your intentions on your sleeve instead of going around trying to deceive others."

Shouto nods, a touch uncertainly, but he can't stop himself from asking, "Do you think other people have realized it too? That I like [Name] as more than a friend? Bakugou found out by mistake, but other than him, I don't think I've-"

"I'll be honest with you. I think most people have already put the pieces together, other than [Name] herself."

Shouto falls deathly silent. So silent, in fact, that Recovery Girl clears her throat, attempting to diffuse the awkwardness.