𝙵𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 - 𝙷. 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚘𝚞 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Thirty Two

After tossing a few bills at the cab driver, Kazumi hurried through the unfortunately familiar hospital and ran to room 108. She pushed the door open and when she saw Shinsou laying in that hospital bed underneath crisp white sheets, a cast over one arm and a large bruise covering his left cheek, she collapsed into a heap in the last empty chair next to his bed a sobbing mess. Eri ran to her side and rubbed her back as Kazumi cried into her palms.

"We finally got to speak to a doctor," Aizawa informed as he squeezed his husband's hand, watching the woman fall apart just at the sight of a few scrapes and bruises on Shinsou. "He has a concussion and a broken arm with a few minor lacerations and contusions."

Kazumi let her hands fall away from her face and wiped her eyes on her sleeve but didn't dare to make eye contact with anyone as she tried to compose herself. "He's going to be okay?"

What she didn't realize was that when she began to sob, Shinsou woke up from his slumber, the pain meds were beginning to wear off, and his eyes fluttered open. He studied her with his affectionate gaze as she cried and then tried to clean herself up. It wasn't until she spoke that he decided to as well.

"I'll survive," the sound of Shinsou's deep voice made her eyes widen and when she saw him smiling softly at her with sleepy eyes, she leaned down and swatted his foot. "Why did you scare me like this, you idiot!"

Hizashi let out a slight chuckle, earning a raised eyebrow from Aizawa beside him but he shrugged with a smile and nodded over to the two young people who reminded him of his husband and himself.

Shinsou sighed and reached his right hand across his chest to touch Kazumi's hand and like magnets his lavender eyes locked onto her brown ones. "I could never leave you, Zu."

Tears continued to fall without her consent like drops of water from a leaky faucet. Her brow furrowed and she squeezed his hand tightly, "Promise?"

"Of course, I promise," he confirmed with a softened expression, moving his thumb slowly across the top of her hand. "Hitoshi, I..." she began but then remembered they were with other people and she let out a long breath. "I should let everyone else see you..."

Shinsou squeezed her hand when she tried to pull it away, making her keep it within his grasp as he turned his attention to his mentor. Aizawa met his gaze, "It's a good thing that cast is on your left arm and not your right because I'm putting you on desk duty until it's healed."

Shinsou smirked, "That's fair."

Aizawa's eyes gaze shifted to Kazumi, "You're both back at work Monday morning."

She nodded quickly, "We'll be there."

Beside them both, Eri groaned. "Toto practically dies and all we're talking about is work?"

Shinsou's lips pulled up into a smirk as his amused eyes land on Eri. "Aww, did ya miss me?"

"No," she deadpanned for a long moment before she broke her calm façade. "Of COURSE I missed you, idiot!" She angrily flicked Shinsou's foot. "You're not allowed to die!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," he smiled gently and retracted his hand from Kazumi's to ruffle her periwinkle hair.

When Shinsou had taken his hand away from her, she quickly repositioned both of her hands to rest upon the fingers poking out of his cast. It was an action that reaffirmed Aizawa that she felt strongly, showing him that she didn't want another moment to pass where they weren't touching. And it was true.

Kazumi instantly felt cold when his hand had left hers and though she understood that he wanted to show affection to his sister, she needed contact with him. The thought of losing Shinsou, the man who has been by her side unconditionally for the past few months, was heartbreaking. Now that she knew he was going to live, she needed to live without regrets and if she was close enough to touch him, she was going to.