Aesthete

Chapter 31.

We were in Recovery Girl's building. The sun greeted the evening and the light of the moon shone through the window of the hospital room. The quartet hadn't left my side since they found me, and neither had Aizawa. My mom only left momentarily to collect clothes for me to bathe and get dressed in the new showers of the nursing station. I spent my time partaking in CAT scans and MRIs so our school's nurse can note whether the Earth truly allowed my body to recover.

Jirou insisted that it would be better if I had a moment alone to recollect myself and get ready before seeing the rest of class 1-A tomorrow morning. Izuku and Denki took it upon themselves to catch me up on every single detail since I vanished. I listened intently, laughing and continuing the conversation when Izuku mentioned how Kirishima lost a bet to Sero and had to run through the hallways of the dorms, scaring my mother to the point where she nearly threw a pan at him. I noticed the way Bakugo frowned at Kirishima's name, toying with my wrist as he complained about how Todoroki wouldn't "shut up" about me.

"I can't wait to see Shoto, he's probably got lots to tell me." I mused to myself, stretching out my legs while Recovery Girl took notes on my health.

I paused when I heard no responses, lifting my eyes to see that all of them were glaring at me. What the hell did I do? "What's wrong?" I asked, looking at Aizawa to see him watching us in amusement.

"You didn't say you couldn't wait to see me." Izuku mumbled out, crossing his arms and looking away with a reddened face. Bakugo scoffed, "Forget you, Deku. Why aren't you jumping for joy like a shitty girl to be back in my presence?"

I bit my cheek to keep from laughing, I noticed that all of my best friends became clingier and blunt in the few hours since I awoke. None of them held back on showing affection or saying words of endearment, Bakugo was the exception. He refused to let go of his grip on my arm when we walked through the forest and into U.A, but he finally released me when we entered the building, throwing a hissy fit and insisting that we would talk privately when I finished getting settled back here. I relaxed into the typical groove of their behavior, but I couldn't shrug off the constant cloud of paranoia.

"Florence, your body healed completely, except there's a strain on the abdominal muscles of your stomach." I looked to Recovery Girl in surprise, "Really? Is it severe?" I was beginning to get worried, Aizawa stood next to me, as if he could shield me from anything Recovery Girl would say.

"Yes, if you get injured in that area again like last time, I'm afraid you'll never recover. If you continue being in the hero course, focus the attacks away from your core, the scars won't leave but your bones and muscles seem fine, anymore harsh strain on those too and you'll also be unable to fight for good." She signaled for Aizawa to follow her out the room, it seemed that they needed to discuss something privately. I watched the two, feeling my lips turn down slightly at the news. It seemed I would have to be extra careful with my body, but that didn't sway me from deciding to stay in Japan and in this high school. I stood, walking to the mirror to stare at the scar that dug along my neck. I traced over it, recalling the specific dagger that Toga used to create it.

I don't think I'll ever be able to forget the way it felt, my skin slicing open and the warm waterfall of blood dripping along my collarbones. I couldn't interpret the sensation in that moment because I was forced to look at the screen for so long, but now every cruel detail of those hours stayed imprinted in my mind.

The door to the nursing room slammed, I spun my head, jumping at the noise and feeling my two arms harden with layers of stone. It was Bakugo leaving. Why'd he go? I showed my confusion, looking to Izuku but I saw the way his eyes were glued to my arms. He approached me carefully, lifting both my limbs as he whispered, "We'll get through this, together, okay?" He must've understood what I was thinking of when I studied my scar. I sighed, giving him a smile as I ran my hand through his curls quickly. "That's why you're my best friend, Deku." He blushed, pouting before pulling a strand of my bangs. Our moment was interrupted with my mother walking in, eyes flitting between Izuku and I as she narrowed them. She's probably going to force a discussion about this and Bakugo and I hugging earlier.