The Aizawa Effect - (Aizawa X OC)

Back to the Basics

My stomach growled loudly, causing us to look down at it and then back at each other.

"You were saying?" Jay folded his arms

With a sigh, I relented, "Fine. I can do pasta with chicken or shrimp."

He grinned and stood up to get ready to leave. "Okay, I'll get some pasta from that Italian place you like near the agency. Oh, and Rae?"

As he stretched his muscular arms above his head, my gaze naturally focused on his chiseled chest and biceps, then moved to his eyes. Even in that thick hero suit, how are his muscles always so visible?

"Uh, yeah?" I asked, a bit hesitant.

He picked up his car keys from the side table and checked the pocket of his outfit for his wallet.

The corners of his lips curled into a slight chuckle. "Remember, you don't have your quirk right now. So your actions and reactions are happening in real-time and not in the smaller increments of time you're used to."

I glanced at him, puzzled, as I tried to understand what he meant. My confusion deepened when he left and shut the door, but it suddenly dawned on me.

He noticed me staring at him? No, I barely watched him for half a second. Wait, was it half of a second or a tenth of a second? Can I even differentiate between the two without my quirk?

Behind the closed door, footsteps and random chatter echoed through the hallway. There were times when I enjoyed having the door open. Watching people flow from room to room with such ease was fascinating. Turning my gaze upward, I noticed the pink and orange hues staining the skies and highlighting the fluffy clouds. I couldn't recall the last time I stopped to watch the sunset; life was always so busy. Without my quirk, things moved fast when I wanted time to savor it. Holy shit, this is going to be harder than I thought.

A soft knock at the door drew me out of my thoughts, and Mom and Mr. Gonzales entered the room. I was happy to see them, though it was a bit later than usual.

"What are you guys doing here? It's getting close to your bedtime," I teased.

Mom laughed while Mr. Gonzales huffed dramatically at me.

"You think that you and Jayce are the only ones who can be out late? Your mom and I just retired a few years ago, kiddo," he jokingly replied.

Mom turned and walked to me after putting her purse down, "Plus, we were both single parents while being busy pro heroes. Do you know how many times I've been working all day with Javier and then had to come home and stay up late with you to help with school projects?"

I sighed and raised my head toward the ceiling. "Congratulations, Mom. Now you two can finally sleep, and let us keep you safe."

Mr. Gonzales shook his head and sat in the chair next to the bed. "Mija, you need to rest. Let us old pros do the work while you recover. You're our top priority."

To hide my slight frustration, I turned my face toward the window. Although I knew they meant well, having to depend on others so heavily was exactly what I was trying to avoid.

I wanted to stand out on my own as a Pro Hero, but now I was indefinitely sidelined until I had a proper treatment plan to deal with this second quirk. Still, I had to remember that Mom, Mr. Gonzales, Jayce, and Mia were all trying to help me as best they could, given the circumstances. Despite this challenging adjustment, I couldn't make it harder on those around me who were just trying to provide me with support and love.

"I understand guys. Seriously, I really don't think all of this is necessary. I'm alive and almost well. I still appreciate you."

As Mr. G went to speak, the door opened, and my face lit up. Jay walked in with a brown paper bag. He looked surprised to see his dad and my mom but kept his cool.