Flea

Chapter Twenty One

Todoroki didn't expect 'hastening the blossoms' to be an aesthetic event. He'd had unwanted images of Maeve tearing across Musutafu in a mobility scooter screaming at random trees to 'hurry the fuck up and flower already.' It turned out to be quite the opposite, almost spiritual.

There was a lane running through the largest park in the city only accessible by foot. It was famous for the rows and rows of cherry blossoms that erupted during spring to form a delicate arch well over 20 feet tall. Todoroki vaguely remembered that he'd been there with his mother when he was small; the boy had never considered who was responsible for the living art display.

Well, now he did.

Maeve had dressed simply in a white button-down shirt hanging open over her bodysuit and grey linen pants. Shoto wondered how many people each month asked her why she never showed any skin. What excuse did she use, did she even bother to answer? The funny thing was, she somehow made it all work even when needing to cover every bare inch. Todoroki prefered the way she dressed to other girls, though he hadn't paid special attention. Probably because she wore gender-neutral clothes, he couldn't imagine her in a skirt. It was somehow professional and quirky at the same time. Custom Eraser Head socks covered in signature yellow goggles peeked out from below her trousers every now and then.

She'd improved a lot since brinner, the fresh air seemed to help her refocus. At least Maeve now had the energy to move by herself. They didn't talk much walking to the park. When she was away from her father, Maeve's playful attitude was replaced with something more sombre. Todoroki could tell she was still nervous around him.

"Right, just be careful of falling branches. We don't want more red on your scalp than there is already," Maeve said wryly, before pressing her exposed palm to the first cherry tree. The effect was instantaneous, it exploded with growth and vibrancy. Delicate flowers unfurled before their very eyes, turning towards the sky as if in celebration. Maeve encouraged the branches to intertwine skyward far over their heads, creating a complicated tapestry through the air. Without pausing, Maeve wandered to the tree opposite and did the same.

Hundreds of branches, still barren from winter, were kickstarted into a frenzy of energy as Maeve made her way down the lane. A few people gathered around to watch, mostly joggers, and cheered whenever a new tree was 'hastened.' Todoroki had trouble keeping his frosty countenance and kept reminding himself not to smile. When they reached the end of what had to be about 50 trees, he raised an eyebrow questioningly at Maeve. What now? She winked at him and unscrewed a compartment in her bodysuit. Tipping it over an open palm, 20 seeds toppled out. Maeve measured the distance between trees with her eyes, found a spot, and dropped one into the ground.

Todoroki had seen a lot in his 15 years. Too much. That didn't stop what happened next causing him to leap back in shock. A tree was growing and maturing in fast forward. In what felt like about 10 seconds, there was a fully developed cherry blossom standing on a previously bare patch of ground. Without even thinking, Shoto stepped to Maeve's side and steadied her, gripping her thin shoulders.

"Um, thanks," she said, chuckling. He looked down at her and realised the girl was fine.

"I assumed growing an entire tree would take more energy than you have at the moment," Todoroki explained.

"Mmm, fair. But for various reasons, plants have always come to me very easily. They're far more... Simple. In a good way. Because their way of moving is through growth, we help each other out," Maeve replied.

Todoroki let go of her and she paused, looking up at her latest organic masterpiece. Maeve pressed her exposed palm against its trunk and stood for a moment completely still, completely silent. Their onlookers, like Shoto, clearly didn't know what was going on, but all waited respectfully.