Aero (a BNHA OC story)

Chapter 57

***

After a while, the hospital room door creaked open, and Shin stepped inside, carrying a bundle of clothes. Kenzo welcomed the distraction, offering a weary smile as his friend approached.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty," Shin greeted with a playful smirk, setting the clothes down on a nearby chair.

Kenzo chuckled softly, feeling some of the tension ease from his shoulders at Shin's familiar banter. "More like Sleeping Disaster," he retorted, gesturing to his dishevelled state.

Raising an eyebrow, Shin quipped, "Well, you're still here, alive and kicking. Can't say the same for some of those villains."

Kenzo nodded, a moment of solemnity crossing his face as he recalled the fallen heroes. "True, but at what cost?" he murmured, the weight of his failure pressing on his mind.

Sensing his friend's sombre mood, Shin reached out, giving Kenzo's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, none of that. You did your best out there. And moping won't change a thing."

Grateful for Shin's support, Kenzo nodded. "Thanks, Shin. I don't know what I would do without you."

Shin smiled gently. "You'd be drowning in self-pity and regret," he teased lightly. "But seriously, anytime you need me, I'm here. Anyway, I've got my car parked outside. Recovery Girl said you're good to go, so I can drive you home whenever you're ready."

Kenzo paused, considering the offer, but then shook his head. "Thanks, man, but I think I'll pass for now. I just want to go and check in on the other heroes first, see how they're holding up."

"Fair enough," Shin replied, nodding in agreement. "I'll stick around then. Just let me know when you're ready to head out."

With a nod of gratitude, Kenzo swung his legs over the edge of the bed, preparing to leave the hospital room.

"You want to join me?" Kenzo inquired, motioning towards the door. "We can go check on the others together."

Eagerly, Shin nodded, trailing behind Kenzo as they peeked into the adjacent room. Inside, they found Aizawa seated on the bed, deeply immersed in a book.

Shin nudged Kenzo with a grin. "Look who it is, the legendary badass," he whispered, his admiration palpable.

Suppressing a chuckle, Kenzo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's go give him a hard time," he whispered back.

They stepped into the room, drawing Aizawa's attention. The hero glanced up from his book, raising an eyebrow at their arrival.

"Hey, Aizawa," Kenzo greeted, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "How's the leg holding up?"

Aizawa's expression remained impassive, though a faint hint of amusement gleamed in his gaze. "Gone."

Beside Kenzo, Shin disguised a laugh with a cough, causing Kenzo's eyes to twitch uncontrollably, fighting back his own amusement.

"Well, that's one way to lighten the load," he quipped, earning a raised eyebrow from the hero.

Shin joined in, unable to contain his amusement. "Yeah, less weight to carry around, right?"

Aizawa sighed, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Very funny, you two."

Kenzo's lips quivered into a grin, unable to contain his comments. "Well, at least you won't need to worry about skipping leg day anymore, right?"