Not Yet

r i a p s e D : XXIV

Aizawa sat staring at the endless tubes. The ones going to support the weakened lungs, the ones attached to the digestive system keeping the body fed, the ones attached to an urine bag keeping the residues out.

He kept recalling what Dr. Matsuda said; an overall organ failure.

Apparently, the body's cells were already falling apart slowly, but after getting restored by Eri's quirk, they couldn't keep up with the rapid change and failed simultaneously.

The 'original' state the cells got rewinded to, were not as ideal as expected.

The only thing keeping the body alive were the machines.

And the mind?

Well, it's not even clear if that was still functioning.

Shouta's gaze travelled guiltily down to his now bandages-free hands.

Never before in his life did he feel so powerless, so hopeless, or so useless, as he was at that moment.

An idea did cross his mind, when he had a prolonged discussion with Eri about her quirk the other day. Her quirk was powerful and full of potential, but it was very dangerous, untrained and unpredictable at the same time. Not to forget that it was one of the reasons for the quickened deterioration. He, of course, didn't say that to the little girl, but he had to keep that fact in mind.

So for the first time, he is totally out of solutions.

There is nothing he can do, nothing he can attempt to try, nothing he can even think of.

While sinking in his depressing thoughts, he failed to realize Yamada who entered the room, looking at his distressed friend in sorrow, not able to help him.

Only when his hand was on Aizawa's shoulder, in an attempt for consolation, did he make his presence known for the desperate hero.

Shouta turned his head back slowly. When the dull, despairing, deep black eyes met the other yellowish-green pair, Mic could only feel how his heart clenched, never could he imagine heartache was one of the feelings his lifelong friend could give him.

"Hizashi..." His cracked voice didn't make it any better.

Aizawa was not a man who showed weakness ever. Not even when Oboro....

Never did he see the seemingly careless man cry or break down, but he feared that was exactly what he was about to witness.

"Shouta. You... you should eat something" he knew his friend hasn't put a single bite in his mouth for the last three days.

He wanted to help, he needed to help, he had to help, but he didn't know how....

A single broken look was the answer he got.

Mic was not helping. He knew that, but...

He glanced at the shredded, torn and vulnerable figure in the bed. Is he alive? Is that even considered living?

He couldn't help him either.

"Nee..." He started, to try to get the man's attention.

He didn't feel very confident when he was met with Shouta's sorrowful eyes though. Should he really be saying this?

But he continued anyway.

"Do you want him to live like that?"

He waited a few seconds for his words to sink properly. But Aizawa's confused looks told that they were not on the same track.

"What do you mean?" Eraser's whole body was now facing his friend's, as he got his full attentiveness.

"The boy isn't..." He felt even less confident when he felt Shouta's body stiffen and his palms getting balled into tight fists.