Aesthete

Chapter 43 - Izuku 5

That's what I dreaded telling her when she woke. I didn't want to have to break her heart again the way I already let her down today, I wasn't there for her, I couldn't save Sir Nighteye, I saved Eri, but she would have to relearn how to live life again, one that wouldn't bring her pain.

I finally collapsed on the cushioned seat in front of her room, running my hands through my hair as I noticed the lowering sun that was still pretty high up in the sky.

The battle ended at nine-thirty in the morning, it was short-lived, but the aftermath of the battle would be lifelong.

I tried calming myself, reassuring my mind that Florence would be okay, that we would soon return to spending our evenings together lazily sprawled all over the other as she would kiss me all over, sending me compliments here and there while I acted like a mere worshiper and praised her like she was the goddess of Earth itself, and to me, she was.

I smiled slightly, remembering how she looked drenched in ocean water with the sunset casting glows on her brown skin, making her look like a princess from a foreign world. I felt an ounce of jealousy when the word angelic came to mind upon seeing her, I knew that Kaminari would call her that often to praise her for the true angel she is. I was still beyond lucky though once I realized that she had ran to the ocean because she was jealous of the girl that flirted with me at the All Might merchandise store. If only Florence knew that I was already wrapped around her little finger so the idea of another girl could never appeal to me, she was all I could see, in every moment of everyday. She was in the most beautiful moments of life and in the worst, she was so well-rounded that I knew I could spend the rest of my life with her because we accepted each other through it all, no dishonesty or facades were made between my girl and I.

Thinking of her and the moments we spent together kept me calm, it helped me regulate my breathing as I let her flood every crevice of my soul and mind, she was in the air I breathed, in the particles of cushioning I felt beneath me, in the Bonsai tree that grew outside of the hospital we were in, she was everywhere and everything. My flower, no amount of storms could wither her into roots, she was the definition of resilience.

A nurse opened the door to her room, "Come in." She must've figured how long I had been waiting to see my girlfriend. I sprinted through the room, eyes settling on her figure as she stared out the hospital window, a slight pout on her face. I scaled all over her body, seeing the bandages that were fresh and clean, her body held no traces of dirt or blood or stained clothing, Reyna donned a simple hospital gown. She had trimmed her brown hair recently, I realized that she did it because I accidentally commented once on how she could maneuver around battles if her ever-growing hair was short. Now the waves only hung a centimeter below her shoulders, she liked to let it loose often now to try and cover the scar on her neck, but I would kiss it often, reassuring her that her beauty could never fade no matter what she looked like.

She sniffled, and that's when I saw the tears that dripped off her eyelashes.

The nurse walked to me, giving my shoulder a small pat. "I helped her bathe, but I think she senses the death of that pro-hero, Sir Nighteye. I'm sorry for your loss, I hope you can help comfort her."

I nodded, thanking her as I waited for her to leave the hospital room. She closed the door and I turned back to see Florence's milky brown hues on mine. She held out her arms, expectant.

Florence isn't disgusted by me? She's not disappointed?

I must've taken a second too long, because she was beginning to lower her hands. "Baby." I breathed out in relief, running to her bed as I slipped one arm behind her back and one hand to her head, pulling her to me as I kissed her slowly. Her lips were still soft and full, she still tasted like mint and cherries. She returned it, looping her arms around my neck as she hummed.