A Hero and a Villain

Scene 12: Importance

[Andeddo]

Andeddo awoke to a warm, heavy weight on his legs. He groaned and forced his eyes to open, trying to sit up. He froze when he realized it was Hitoshi laying on his lap, sound asleep with one hand gripping his. A small blanket was draped over his shoulders, but had slid partially off, as if he had shifted after it was put on.

Hitoshi stirred and murmured in his sleep, but thankfully didn't show any signs of waking up. Andeddo sighed in relief, blushing. Hitoshi looked so gosh darn adorable with his eyes closed, his face calm and relaxed. As Andeddo looked around ever so carefully, he realized that he was lying in a hospital bed, an IV drip in his arm.

Now, as sad as it was, it took all of his willpower not to rip it out and run screeching out of the room like a banshee. This was because he had a deathly dislike of needles. Dislike—not fear, mind you. It was caused by a childhood memory, when the tip of a large syringe broke off in his vein and was ripped out of his neck by an MRI machine. For the last twenty years or so, he refused to even go near any sort of needle.

But Hitoshi looked so comfortable laying there on his lap, he didn't dare move a muscle. However, he leaned over just far enough to see the bandages layered around his chest and back, and he remembered what happened.

He had just barely gotten to the subway in time to shield Hitoshi from the bullet, but it pierced him instead. He was talking to Hitoshi when he blacked out.....

Andeddo shook his head, and motioned to wake up Hitoshi, when the Hero suddenly shot up in a cold sweat. Andeddo stared at Hitoshi as he blinked and rubbed the sleep from his eyelids. He locked eyed with Andeddo, "Heishi! You're awake!" He threw his arms around Andeddo's neck, hugging him tight, "Don't you ever pull something like that again, idiot! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Andeddo tentatively patted his back, "Hey Shinso. What's with the freaking out? I'm fine, really. Why exactly am I in a hospital, again?" Hitoshi gave him a hard slap on the back of the head, "You nearly died from blood loss, genius! You're damn lucky that bullet didn't hit any of your major organs, or you'd be dead by now!"

Andeddo chuckled, "Well, it may not look like it, but I was careful about where it would hit. I'm still alive and kicking, aren't I?" Hitoshi gripped his hand so hard he was almost crushing it, "Stop joking around! I'm being serious here!" He glared daggers at Andeddo, "What the hell were you even thinking?! You charged straight into the line of fire of a loaded gun with no quirk to protect you! You could have really died back there!"

Andeddo gently relaxed his hand, "Look, Shinso. Call it being cocky or whatever, but my quirk may as well be luck with a capital L U C K. I've been doing stuff like this since the first day I learned how to fight, and I'm still alive to tell the tale. One little gunshot isn't going to convince me to kick the bucket."

Hitoshi leaned back, "You make it sound like this isn't the first time this has happened." Andeddo smirked, "Hah, with MY level of stupidity? Of course this isn't the first time I've been shot!" Hitoshi flinched, and fear shone in his eyes, but he buried whatever he was thinking.

"Andeddo Heishi....." Andeddo straightened at the mention of his full name. "You've made me come to realize something....." Hitoshi looked up with dull, teary eyes, "Just how much you mean to me. You've become too important for me to lose. Not to some stupid accident like this. I can't take it."

Andeddo was quiet, contemplating what Hitoshi was trying to say.

After a moment of thought, he smiled softly, placing a hand on Hitoshi's, "Hey.....it's okay. I get it. I'll try not to do it again." He gently kissed Hitoshi's forehead—which made him flinch—and then winked, "But I can't make any promises."

Hitoshi was blushing furiously, "J-Just be quiet already."

After a few minutes, a doctor came in to check on him. The doctor glanced at their clipboard, "Well, good news. It looks like you'll make a full recovery within a month at best. You know, you're quite lucky that that bullet didn't damage any of your major organs." Andeddo smiled, "So I've been told, Doc."

The doctor nodded, "Considering there is no further bleeding or immediate threats, you may go home. But you must keep a constant watch on the injury in case it reopens." Andeddo swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "Thank you doctor. But, I have a question. Could I possibly request the bullet to be sent to my office? I'd like to have it analyzed if possible."

The doctor pursed their lips, "Well.....I'm not sure. In all honesty, it would probably be better to let the police handle it." Andeddo narrowed his eyes, "I understand that. It's just that, I have a bit more information on the situation than the police would. Though, I hope you wouldn't tell them that." The doctor looked back down at their clipboard, seemingly nervous, "I-I'll see what I can do, Sir."

Andeddo thanked them, and let Hitoshi lead him out of the hospital and into his car. About halfway, Andeddo called his driver to come pick him up. He wasn't ready to let Hitoshi see his apartment yet. There were too many things that could give him away.....

When he got back to his apartment, he changed into a T-shirt and pants, sinking into his couch. His butler/partner walked up beside him, a calm but questioning look in his blood red eyes, "Is there anything you would like me to do, Master?"

Andeddo glanced back at him, "Yes, Marco, indeed there is." His face darkened, "Erase all medical files pertaining to my information from the [whatever the hospital name was] 's database. And make sure that bullet gets delivered. I'm going to track down the son of a gun that tried to hurt MY Hitoshi, and when I do, I want them drowned in seven gallons worth of Nickelodeon slime. That cucker. Must. DIE." Marco bowed, his dark brown hair falling in front of his eyes, and turned to walk away, "Consider it done, Master."

Andeddo placed his head in his hands, thinking about all that had happened. "What am I going to do this time? I can't kill myself to get out of this one....."