The Hero and the Damsel

Bad News

            I suppose I fell unconscious because when the cold and dark feeling I had subsided, I could hear again and I heard the sound of beeping nearby. I opened my eyes looking towards the sound of the noise to see my hulking boyfriend in a much too small for him hospital chair and a heart monitor. Toshinori's head was in his hands, his hair a bit disheveled and I could barely make out some cuts and abrasions on him. He looked a right mess.

I wiggled my fingers in a weak attempt to reach my hand up and caress his cheek. "Toshi...?" came out of my mouth with some rasping behind it. I sounded terrible.

However, Toshinori jolted upright and quickly grabbed my hand with more force and strength than was necessary. "Ayano! Sweetheart, you're awake!"

His voice was always so loud and his ability to project was ever apparent as I groaned, but he said something that caught my interest. "Awake? What do you mean awake? Why am I in the hospital Toshi, we were just at home talking about finally sharing a bed."

There was hesitation behind those eyes, and I felt that hesitation as he held my hand up to his face, kissing it gently. "You passed out this morning...You've been asleep almost the whole day." Again. There was a strange pause as he simply held my small hand in his large one. "Sweetheart...that kiss this morning, you...have you been coughing blood?"

I jolted and nearly yanked my hand away in a panic as I shook my head and immediately started coughing. The heart monitor started to accelerate. "No!" was all I could get out in between my coughing fit. Once I had my coughing and breathing under control I settled back down, the accelerated sound of my heart also settling. "T-That's beside the point Toshi! If it's been a whole day then you –"

Before I could finish my statement, he shook his head and put that massive hand over mine once more, just holding it. "I...went to work. All Might saved people." He shook his head, most likely realizing I was avoiding his question about blood. Truth was, I actually hadn't been, just really bad coughing fits. However, if he was bringing this up along with the kiss this morning. Something had to be off. Toshinori didn't bring it up though, simply moving on with the conversation I had presented. "You...would have raised Hell if I didn't save people." He gave that hero smile again.

That smile. No matter how obnoxious I found it, the appearance of the one he was giving me now was worse. Don't look so pained Toshinori...please. As I watched him, I bit the inside of my lip. "Toshinori...I..." I relaxed, if he wasn't going to bring up something I didn't want to talk about, perhaps I shouldn't bring up the pained look in those sad blue eyes. "Yeah...I would have raised Hell." This was dark; he was in a saddened state. How to bring him out of it? How? Make light of my falling unconscious perhaps? Toshinori always followed my banter and my prodding of him. "So...the hero overreacted to my passing out and brought me to the hospital?"

Negative. That just made matters worse! So much sadness was dwelling behind those blue pools as he gazed into my own green eyes. "Ayano...the...t-the doctors aren't entirely sure why you fell unconscious. They r-ran a few t-tests while you w-were sleeping and n-now w-we're just...w-waiting on the results."

I gave his hand a gentle squeeze as he was still holding it. "Hey, don't get all sad and depressed. I thought you smiled and laughed through turmoil Toshi. You're All Might after all." I couldn't betray my nature to make light of the situation in hopes that it would lighten his mood. His eyes were so...painful to watch. The expression on his face was agonizing for me.

Toshinori still was not changing that expression, nor was he taking my light-hearted manner of the situation. The depression and sadness within him at this moment only seemed to deepen. He was gripping my hand tighter to the point that it actually started to hurt. "Yes...All Might can smile and laugh when the villain is physical and the fight is real. Me...as the weak man I am inside...I can't smile or laugh because I know I can't fight this...not with all the strength I have."