Not Yet

yad a tahW : XVII

Something was wrong.

From what they had already discovered, it's not impossible. But it was beyond his wildest imagination.

This file was seriously the last thing he needed to top his problems with.

Dr. Matsuda needed time to comprehend everything that happened recently. It was too much, let's start from the beginning.

One, his young patient had immortal cells, making him immortal. But his life was in danger too? How could these two facts exist simultaneously?

Something must be contracting the cells mitosis for sure, it could be one of the many drugs injected by the villains? If they figured it out, they would surly be able to help the boy.

Two, these hospitals are awfully slow in their response! Hasn't he made it clear that it is an outmost emergency?! Have doctors these days none concerns for the lives of other human beings?!

Three, the anno- the concerned guardian (who is not the legal guardian, Matsuda came to realize a tad too late) is making a fuss in the hospital and no one is capable of containing him. Should they just kick him out? No, no, he can't do that, he has to be wise and dampen the shock the pro hero must be going through.

He did hear that the hero witnessed how the boy's heart stopped in the ambulance and came miraculously back shortly after, but Matsuda could only brush it off as an exaggeration of the inexperienced eye.

Four, and the most horrifying matter in hand; the file he was reading now.

This morning a patient that had undergone a transplant of kidneys came for an ordinary checkup routine. He did not have the surgery here at this hospital, but it doesn't make the disgusting truth less disgusting.

These kidneys had the same properties as the immortal cells.

These kidneys belonged to the kid...

****

He felt so awkward being held by his mother like that. He didn't know what to do with his hands that hung limply by his sides. Should he like, encircle her waist? Or hold them up to her back and shoulders?

He needed to practice this more.

"I'm so happy you came, Shoto" she said gratfully. Shoto felt her words slowly sinking, a warm feeling washing through his chest, and he suddenly didn't feel so lost anymore, and his hands knew their way instinctively, while burying his face in her shoulder.

Her gentle fragrance didn't change after all this time...

*****

The conversation with his mother went much better than he expected, the heavy mood he was so used to at home nowhere to be seen.

He was not the chatty kind, but he found himself talking about his life while Rei did the listening. He did leave out the less appealing details of their homelife, but in general, it a was a pleasing talk.

"How have you been, mother?" He decided it was time for him to stop his twaddle (that was not really a twaddle, but well, what to say? Todoroki standards 🙃) and let the poor woman in into the conversation.

"I'm fine, everyone is kind here" she said faintly, as if her small voice would never bear getting louder than that, while tucking a stray tress of her white long hair behind her ear.

"I even made a friend!" She mentioned cheerfully, seemingly remembering that one detail in a rush. "Come, I'll introduce you to each other" his mother was clearly too excited, a bit too much to what Shoto was comfortable with. And meeting a stranger? His introverted senses screemed in disapproval.

But he really didn't have the heart to refuse. It was his first time since forever that he got to see her happy, guess he will have to swallow down his insecurities and play along.

And, he would not admit it, but it felt nice holding his mother's hand too.

But oh boy, did he not realize he would get himself into a big mess...

****

"This is my son, Shoto!" Rei exclaimed. The other lady with the spiky blond hair and the tired scarlett eyes nodded in acknowledgment.

Her room was not very different from his mother's, plain and simple, not uncomfortable, but not feeling too homey either.

The woman was tucked in bed, a pink cotton coat sitting loosely on her shoulders. She didn't seem very healthy, judging from the small visible parts of her body. She was underweighted and skinny, her bones popping out from underneath the thinn layer of skin that looked to be ready to repture at any given moment.

"And this is Mitsuki" that name sounded familiar, but where could he..

The woman stared at him, looking a bit distant and unfocused.

"Mitsuki is not much of a talker" his mother whispered in his ear.

He got struck by a feeling that this was unexpected for some reason, something like déjà vu or whatever, but how could he have expectations when he doesn't even know the woman to begin with?!

There was a long silence, his mother tried to start a conversation, but the women stayed unresponsive. So his mother gave up and turned her chatter to him.

"..and that's when h-"

"You remind me of him" Rei couldn't finish her story before getting interrupted by a timid voice from the staring woman.

Shoto's head shot to face her, suspecting that she may be talking to him.

"Ma'am?" He tilted his head slightly. What was she talking about?

"Ah...ah...." She stretched her arms at him, leaning dangerously close to the edge of her bed, as tears welled in her squinted sorrowful eyes that drowned in despair.

What..? Is she like... asking for a hug?

Her whimpers continued as she kept trying to reach for him, his mother moved quickly to steady the woman before she falls off, a single fall like that would surely cause a serious amount of damage considering her health situation.

His mother took a swift glance at her son, as if she wanted to ask him for something, but felt in no place to do so.

What a sticky situation, but there was really one thing to do. Giving the poor woman the affection she wanted.

He let his arms hover over the woman, not daring to touch her quite yet. But she didn't hesitate hugging back, clenching the back of his shirt as a lifeline. He felt his shirt getting drenched in tears as Mitsuki's head couldn't even reach his shoulders in her sitting position.

He looked desperately at his mother, asking for guidance, why was all of this happening to him today?!

His mother looked on the brink of tears herself as she looked at him reassuringly and nodded.

He sure as hell deserves an explanation after all this shit, he needs to know why Mrs. Mitsuki seemed so familiar to-

Wait.

Mitsuki is the name on that name tag.

She is Bakug-

"What are you doing?!!"

And not a moment too late, a shocked and enraged Katsuki was standing right at their door, a bouquet of red roses dropped right beside his feet.

Oh shi-

Game over.....