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{Mother}
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Word Count; 5,939
There are a series of rhythmic brain patterns that occur in the human mind once a person "dies". When the heart stops beating, the brain is still active and experiences a sensation called, "life recall"- when a person experiences their life flashing before their eyes, just before the brain falls silent.
But in Costa's brain, she didn't see her life flash before her eyes. No. When that chemical reaction occurred, as soon as her heart stopped beating, she was sucked down, down, down into a core memory.
In a flash, she was thrown into a memory created not long ago.
It was the summer before her first-year of high school- specifically, the night before her first day enrolled at Shiketsu. She was sitting at the dining room table with her mother, with her father away on recovery, and the two of them were eating two bowls of macaroni and cheese.
Costa had requested it and given her mother had wanted to provide her with anything she wanted in praise of her getting into a prestigious hero academy program, she'd allowed it. They planned for a nice dinner but right as their butts hit the seats, the power had shut off and they'd been forced to open all the windows in the house and hover over a single candle on the table. They were dressed in their tank tops and shorts, sweating all over, and yet they were still laughing freely as if they weren't uncomfortable at all.
It was raining that night, Costa could smell it in the air.
"And what about boys, hm?" Sofia asked, her wildly long curls twisted up into a mom-clip. She sat with one of her feet propped up on the chair and she was fanning herself with the opposite hand she was eating with. Costa blew on her bite of Mac and cheese, scrunching up her little nose, "Ew, why would you ask that?"
"What?! You're a big girl now. What's wrong with boys?" Her mother smirked at her teasingly, just as Hana would have. They really were sisters. Costa wasn't much younger than she was now, but her hair was a little shorter, her eyes a tad less jaded as they glare at her mother. "No way," She scoffed dismissively.
"Hm, so no marriage then?"
"I didn't say that." Costa stabbed at her noodles, causing Sofia to snort in amusement. "I just think they're gross and annoying..."
Sofia smiled knowingly, reaching forward to pat her daughter on the arm. "One day you'll realize you want one, but you just gotta wait until the right one comes along. Until then, you just keep doing your thing, Okay?"
Costa nodded. Til the right one comes along...
Costa remembered how she almost asked "like you and daddy?" and she couldn't correctly form the words inside her mouth- they tasted wrong, like battery acid. She'd already known at that point that her mom deserved someone better than her father. So, she bit her tongue like usual.
Costa quickly changed the subject, piping up cheerfully.
"Do you think I'll be a hero just like you?" Costa asked her mom with genuine curiosity. Sofia glanced down at her daughter and immediately her eyes softened around at the edges. She chuckled softly, suppressing a grin as she reached forward to ruffle Costa's hair. Costa ducked and shrieked but Sofia only leaned all the way over the table, almost burning her own hair over the heat of the candle to place a kiss on her daughter's forehead and whisper, "I think you'll be even better than I am."
"How?" Costa asked, puzzled, as Sofia slumped back in her seat.
"Because you got a good head on your shoulders and I've raised you to be ambitious." Sofia shrugged, winking at Costa fondly. "Plus you're my daughter, therefore you'll automatically be kick-ass."
"Mom, please don't ever say the words 'kickass' again. It's called being a 'badass'."
"Oh my god," Sofia began to laugh at Costa's criticism, "How about you add smartass to the list?"
Costa tried not to laugh but she did anyway. She saw herself as she was back then- innocent, giggling over Mac and cheese in the middle of a rainstorm, talking to her mother who was already in her last few months of living, she just hadn't known it. And it was all over a cute, little candlelit celebratory dinner.
And although she was stuck inside a memory, the punch to her heart hit hard and Costa had started to cry.
Tears escaped her eyes and fell down her cheeks, landing salty in her Mac-and-cheese bowl. She wept and sniffled, wiping younger, more innocent eyes. She cried and mourned the memory she'd slipped into, the memory of the life she once had- the one she could never look at the same, now knowing the truth.
She expected to continue on with the memory, but something unexpected began to occur.
Costa felt two hands land on top of her shoulders, squeezing her tightly with affection. This wasn't how the memory played out- Costa had really gone to bed happy that night. But the memory seemed to halt in time, in space. Everything paused as she was pulled into a familiar, motherly embrace.
"Shh, I know." Her mother's voice coaxed her inside her ear, and her heart split at the seams. Her mother was right there, in the flesh, and she was holding her. Costa began to brake down, grabbing at her, reaching for her, crying hysterically as she repeated over and over, "Mom, mom, mom..."
She'd prayed to be held by her mother just once more. Just one more time.
Her grief and desperation broke free like a dam that'd been pressing to crack for years. She needed her mom now, more than she ever had. She'd spent months wishing she could really hold her, so she could stroke her hair, and tell her everything was going to be...
"It's alright, Costa. Look at me."
Costa stopped crying as she was taken out of the memory and placed into a room. She was suddenly standing in a completely white room- the opposite of the abyss, which surrounded her with darkness on all sides. This room was bright and completely pristine- like a box made of china. She breathed easier here, felt lighter here, as if the pressure of her life had been lifted.
She looked down at her hands, which appeared unharmed in front of her. This wasn't right, it couldn't be real. She'd just received many injuries from-
"Look at me."
Costa's eyes diverted as the voice stopped her right in her tracks.
Although she knew it wasn't, it all felt so real. The crisp air. The figure standing in white, standing a mere few feet away from her. Costa inhaled sharply, her eyes stinging with tears as she looked back at the most beautiful face in the world. Costa's eyes crinkled as she rose a hand up to cover her mouth.
Her mother was smiling down at her with tears in her own eyes. She stood there, as if this were real, as if this were actually happening. Was it?
"Mom." Costa choked out, the months of missing her pouring out all at once. She didn't waste a second before she stumbled forward and threw her arms around her mother, who immediately embraced her fully. The two of them hugged tightly, as if they'd never let go, overcome with the distance between them.
"Is it really you?" Costa croaked, hoping and wishing that this wasn't just a figment of her imagination. Her mother nodded against her forehead, pulling back to wipe the tears off Costa's cheeks with soft fingertips. Her face was smooth and sharp in different places, with vibrant mischievous eyes lined in little crow-feet wrinkles.
She pushed Costa's hair back behind her ears and Costa closed her eyes at the gentle maternal touch, one that she'd nearly forgotten.
"It's me, Cos." Her mother looked conflicted, as if she were both joyful to see Costa and worried at the same time. "But you can't stay here, baby..."
"Why not?" Costa gripped onto her, afraid she'd slip through her fingers and disappear at any moment. "You don't understand, I can't do this any more... not without you. Not after... dad, he-"
Sofia's expression hardened and she blew out a short breath, disappointed. She closed her eyes. "You know, then."
"It's true, then?" Costa's face crumpled up, examining her mother's own reserved reaction. "How am I supposed to live with that?"
"You just do. Because you're strong and resilient and worth so much more than what we gave you." Sofia shook her head, pulling Costa back into an embrace. She had tears lining her own eyes, held back by the defensive protective demeanor of a mother who always tried to hide her own pain from her burdened daughter. "I've failed you and I- I'm so sorry Costa... I'm so sorry."
Costa only hugged her back, as tightly as she could. The person... she smelt like her mother, she felt like her mother, she sounded like her mother- she was real. Costa shuddered, in disbelief that this was actually happening. How was this happening?
"You can't let go. You can't give up. I refuse to let you." Sofia pulled back again, sniffing quietly. She gave Costa a stern yet loving look, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. "You need to go, kiddo."
"No-" Costa shook her head, begging, "No I can't-"
"Costa, you have so much to live for. There's so much left for you to do-" Sofia cupped her face, stroking her thumbs across her face. She smiled down at her, pressing her forehead against hers. "I am to blame for the battles you have endured. I release you from all of your responsibilities and blame caused by this family. I only want you to be free, Costa. I need you to move on."
"I can't." Costa couldn't help the tears from falling as her heart grieved for her mother, the one she couldn't save. "How am I supposed to forgive myself for what happened to you?"
"It is not you who needs to be forgiven. You are not the one to blame." Sofia shook her head, cutting Costa's thought off. "We were. I am partially to blame for not taking you far far away from that man a long time ago. But you... Costa, you never deserved any of it. It's my fault. It was never ever yours, you were just the kid."
Costa held her closer, her tears soaking into the white blouse she wore. Her clothes smelt like fresh linen and her soft hair brushed Costa's skin like feathers. Costa whispered, "I don't have anything left."
"You have your dream. You have those in your life that love you. You still have family. You have me." Sofia then pulled back so she could stick her finger into Costa's chest. She then smiled softly, "Right here. I am with you, always."
"I love you." Costa sobbed and Sofia smiled down at her lovingly.
"I am beyond proud of the young woman you have become, mi amor." She stroked her cheeks, wiping away any signs of tears. Then she held her close for a few more seconds, savoring the feeling of being together again. Once more. "I'll love you for forever, having you is my proudest accomplishment- beyond all the awards and praise, it's raising you that made me who I am."
Costa scooped her mother's hand in hers, squeezing it a few times. "But I've missed you so much, it's so painful sometimes."
"And you will endure it." She squeezed her hand back. "With the love of those that are still in your life. So live, mi amor, live."
"Charge... and clear!"
Costa jolted, inhaling sharply as she felt a tug in the opposite direction. She reached for her mother who only shook her head no, "Go. We'll see each other again someday. But live out your life first, Costa."
"Mom-"
"1...2...3... clear!"
She was suddenly yanked backwards, a hand still extended to her mother, who only stuffed her own hands into her pockets. She gave her one last small smile. "Remember," She whispered softly and her words repeated over and over in Costa's mind as she mother placed a hand over her heart.
"Always."
"Last one- Ready....and clear!"
A switch was flipped and everything turned upside down. It was the feeling when you broke through freezing cold water into an atmosphere of warm air. It was like falling through the sky, when you weren't sure what was up or what what was down or sideways- She was falling again, through time and space, through life and death until...
Costa gasped as her eyes snapped open. It was blurry and bright and she was jostling about, as if she were in a moving vehicle. Figures hovered over her, wearing thick jackets with medical crosses strapped to their forearms. Then a loud, slow beeping sound filled her ears just as she took her first real breath-
She was breathing again. She heard her own pulse in her ears. She felt her body beneath her, as well as the air on her skin.
What the hell happened?
Breathing burned her lungs. Someone suddenly shouted, "We got a pulse!"
Suddenly, they were putting a mask over her face that was forcing oxygen up her nose and mouth. She bobbed her head to the right, blinking slowly at an EMT staring down at her in relief as he told her, "Welcome back."
Everything was fuzzy and blurry and her whole body ached. She felt cold and barely awake as a warm hand settled on her left forearm. Then a familiar voice had broken through the chaos that was this ambulance truck.
"Oh my god..." That raspy voice croaked as callused fingers began brushing her hair back from her face. She groaned at the pounding in her skull. Then there was a sharp pain in her arm and she flinched. She glanced down and- there was a needle in her arm, connecting to a tube-
Those callused fingers began to brush her skin soothingly, causing her to relax slightly. "Hey, relax- they're helping you, Cos. Look at me... look at me."
Costa finally turned her head to the left, eyes blinking slowly with exhaustion and whatever they'd drugged her with to null the pain. But those crimson eyes were vibrant as they came into Costa's view. Bloodshot, glassy, and filled with worry, they caused Costa's brows to furrow in confusion. "Don't cry..."
"Shut up, idiot. I'm not crying." He growled out, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "Don't speak, just save your strength, okay?"
Costa didn't respond, mostly because the drugs were really starting to kick in and she was growing tired and loopy, fazing in and out of consciousness. But her hand had quickly found his, fingers instinctively lacing through his as she muttered, "Okay," and slipped into unconsciousness.
The first thing Costa comprehended after phasing in and out of sickening nightmares was the light.
It was cold and although Costa's eyes were closed, she could see the bright lights shining through her thin lids. Her fingers twitched, her body a weight that sunk into the bed beneath her. But her abdomen groaned in pain, her limbs resembling the consistency of jello. She couldn't quite move, as if her body was still caught up in her previous state of deep sleep.
Once her eyelids started to peel open, she winced at the brightness in the room. It took her a whole minute of peeking until she was fully able to open her eyes, breaking through the crusty goop on her lashes.
She was in a hospital room, a rather large one at that. The TV propped up on the opposite wall was on but muted, playing some cooking show Costa recognized. Bouquets of flowers sat on the table next to her bed and when Costa turned her head the opposite direction...
Hana was passed out in the large, olive-green sitting chair beside her bed. Costa's mouth opened and she tried to form words, "Ha..." but her throat felt like sandpaper, causing her to grimace in discomfort. Instead of attempting to speak a second time, she began to move her arms, propping herself up an inch of two. She hissed at the slicing pain in her abdomen, causing Hana scrunch up her nose and stir.
Once her brown eyes cracked open and she noticed Costa in a sitting position, her entire body jerked awake. Costa looked back at her sheepishly as Hana threw a hand over her mouth, her entire face crumpling up with emotion, "Oh thank god- you're awake."
Hana slapped the button to call a nurse immediately, moving to sit at Costa's bedside. She was wearing a brown turtleneck with low-waisted jeans, and her straight blonde hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. Costa noticed she had some pretty dark circles lining her under-eyes as she examined Costa's own face, hands resting on her forearm, "Hey... how are you feeling?"
Costa reached up to her throat, grimacing with discomfort, "Wa...ter."
"Water? Water! Yes!" Hana panicked, hurriedly getting up and crossing the room to grab one of the water bottles out of the mini fridge. She waltzed back over, uncapping the bottle and gently raising it to Costa's lips. Costa sent her a glare, stubbornly using her own hands to clasp the bottle, taking baby sips.
Hana didn't say anything, she only watched Costa as if she were a ticking time bomb ready to implode, at least until she'd drained the bottle. Hana threw it into the recycling bin before returning to Costa's side. That was when Costa's nurse had finally arrived to ask her questions and give her a post-op check up. When the nurse asked if she were in any pain and she'd nodded furiously, the nurse continued to give her another dose of morphine before excusing herself to allow Costa and Hana some privacy to talk.
Hana helped Costa up into a sitting position, beginning to debrief her on what's happened in the past twenty four hours, starting with her resuscitation in the ambulance after being pronounced dead for over a minute long. Costa marveled at that. "Precisely one minute and forty-two seconds," Hana had told her. They'd immediately rushed her into surgery the second she arrived at the hospital, breathing again, and she'd been asleep ever since.
Hana also explained that the press had managed to get a hold of everything that happened, due to Gael's arrest, as well as his lawyer's big mouth. Therefore, Costa's name was basically plastered across every news station and paper. They were exploiting her story, her entire damn story, for the sake of some extra cash- spreading her dirty laundry across Japan for everyone to ogle.
And they were calling her the, "broken home hero" too. It made her gut coil with discomfort. How could everything go to hell so quickly?
"How long will it take to heal?" Costa asked quietly, staring at a spot on the wall like a stone statue. Hana glanced at her in concern, for her cheeks were hollowed out, her eyes lacking their normal golden hue. She looked the most exhausted Hana had ever seen her, and that was saying something. It broke her heart a bit.
"A few days, maybe a week. Luckily they have some of the best healers here." Hana tried to explain, clearing her throat as she picked at the linens. Costa nodded and it was too quiet in the room, for a long moment. Hana inhaled sharply, trying not to dwell on the defeated energy that radiated off Costa in waves.
It took a few more seconds of suffering silence before Hana broke like a dam, "Costa I... I'm so sorry for not believing you." Costa slowly closed her eyes, breathing oh-so-softly. She felt so quiet on the inside, as if there wasn't any energy left to think or feel or speak...
"You told me Sofia never would've... and I didn't believe you. I'm sorry." Hana shook her head, shameful tears pricking at her eyes. She couldn't stand the fact that Costa not only had to witness her own mother's death but also be the first to hear exactly how it happened from the man who did it himself- from her own father. "But Gael's been arrested. They're saying he'll be locked up for life. He'll never hurt another soul ever again."
Good, Costa thought but she only continued to stare blankly at the wall.
Hana stared at her. Costa could imagine what she was thinking- that Costa was broken for real this time. That she'd have to spend much longer working to come back from this than she did the last time. But she didn't care anymore. Everybody knew now. Why waste time and energy pretending she wasn't broken?
"I can't even come close to understanding what you're feeling right now, Costa. But I can try, I will try." Hana clasped Costa's hand in her own, letting out a long, tired sigh. "But we'll get through it, together. The both of us. Us against the world right?"
Costa finally turned her head to face at Hana, who still looked so hopeful. She looked so bright, so ready to face the world again. Costa wasn't sure she wanted any more of facing the world, but still, she said, "Yeah," and let Hana pull her into a hug.
They embraced for a few seconds, and the whole time Costa stared at the window with tired eyes. She closed them after the first three seconds. When Hana had slowly pulled back to look at Costa, she'd clasped the front piece of her hair with two fingers, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Why is the front of your hair black?"
A stroke of panic raced through her like lightning as she realized- that damn parasite was still inside of her. "Hana-" She found herself sitting up straighter, her eyes turning sterner, "Before I speak to anyone about what happened, I really need to speak to Mr.Aizawa..."
"Okay..." Hana nodded, despite her confusion, before a reassuring smile graced her lips. "How about I give him a call and then we even out this haircut of yours... geez, why'd they have to cut off the front? You had such pretty, long hair..."
"Fine," Costa shrugged a shoulder, indifferent to how her hair looked at that very moment.
Hana did just as she said she would, stepping out to call Aizawa while Costa simply laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling numbly. Her head had miraculously gone quiet, and somehow, she didn't find it to be a good thing. She found herself unable to fully settle into her own body after it nearly slipped away from her grasp.
When Hana came back in, she brought a pair of shears with her and tossed a towel over Costa's shoulders. Toga had slit her hair with that kitchen knife, causing the whole front section of her hair to be cut off just past her collarbones. Hana cut the rest of her hair to be cropped as so, leaving Costa staring at herself in the mirror- completely unrecognizable.
Not only was it cut to be less than half of her previous length, but two long strips of black hair now lined her face. She looked paler, a bit thinner, and there was a dullness in her eyes that left her feeling uneasy. She tried to smile at herself, but her lips only pulled into a grimace and she turned away in frustration.
"You look fine," Hana nagged at her, pulling her away from the mirror. "It'll just be an adjustment. Nothing you can't get used to."
"Yeah."
Hana had left around six to pick up Costa's favorite takeout food when she'd decided she wanted to use the bathroom. Hana had helped her to walk around the room a little bit earlier but she'd found it embarrassing having to stumble around in front of people. It made her look weak and pathetic. Costa grunted as she rose from the bed, gripping the metal pole connected to her IV. She'd made it in and out of the bathroom, and was well on her way to the bed when there was a harsh knock at the door.
She flinched, whipping her head around as the doorknob turned. She panicked, hunching over like a little old lady, in nothing but her hospital gown that thankfully she'd managed to tie in the back earlier.
Light streamed in as the door creaked open and Costa held her breath.
Quickly, she'd released the breath she took when she blinked back at a wide-eyed Katsuki, who was gaping at her like she'd just risen from the dead. Well, she kind of had risen from the dead.
His crimson eyes flickered all over her face for a long moment, his expression pulled back into one of both relief and desperation.
"Hi," was the only thing Costa could manage to croak out before he was striding across the room.
He'd never scooped her into an embrace so gently, treating her body as if it'd break at the slightest touch. Costa could feel his shoulders sag, a relieved breath of air leaving his lungs, fanning her skin. Then he was sticking his face into the crook of her neck, holding her close to his chest. Costa weakly rose her arms to wrap around his waist, wincing at the twisting position she was putting herself in.
He stood there like that for a long few seconds, just breathing her in- feeling her warmth. He was making sure it was real, her standing there, alive. Costa began to tighten her hold around his waist, letting out a breath of relief herself. After everything, she really did just need to be held and Katsuki always gave the bests hugs. It was one of her favorite things about him.
After what felt like a lifetime, he pulled back and cupped her face with both of his hands. His brows were furrowed deeply, his face contorted into one of frustration and concentration. "You have no idea how it feels to see you standing right now."
"I can imagine." Costa half-chuckled but nothing on his face was joking or lighthearted. She saw the raw fear and devastation in his eyes. She had last remembered collapsing into his arms, she wondered if she'd flatlined in his arms as well. Her hand clasped around his forearm and she tightened her fingers over his skin. "I'm sorry. I know I scared you, and I'm sorry."
"God-" He closed his eyes and shook his head, clicking his tongue at her. "It's not even your fucking fault, don't apologize to me."
"But I was... I was gonna..." She choked on her words, closing her eyes to try and calm herself. "I fell asleep." He was surprised she even remembered he'd asking her not to do so, she was already half-gone at that point. "But I'm here, I lived. I survived. I didn't leave you."
Katsuki's eyes glassed over, his lower lip trembling as she lifted her hands to touch his face. She stroked her fingers along his cheekbones and jaw, looking him deeply in the eyes as she whispered, "I'm here. I'm right here."
"You better never leave me like that, okay?" He pressed his forehead against hers, shutting his eyes. "It would ruin my life, I think."
Costa swallowed the lump in her throat, leaning forward to kiss him instead of replying. Their lips met and everything fell back into place. Costa's eyes stung with tears as she pulled him closer, soaking up the feeling his kiss gave her. It made her feel alive again, safe and wanted. He always managed to make her feel that way, and she needed that more than she ever had before.
His fingers dove into her hair and he pulled her face closer to his. He said breathlessly against her lips, "I love you too, Cos. I love you too..." and she held him closer, pressing her lips into his harder, in gratitude of his response to her pre-flatlining confession.
They kissed slowly, only pulling away once Costa couldn't stay standing in that position anymore. She winced, hand flying to her abdomen as she said, "Let's sit."
He immediately guided her over to the bed, helping her in and under the blankets. He tucked her in so gently that she began to blush at him. It felt good to have warmth in her cheeks again, despite the dull ache still inside of her. When she was settled, she glanced up at him and noticed that he was staring at her- seriously, with his eyebrows furrowed. She let out a shudder and asked, "What?"
"What did they do to you?" He blurted out, worry flaring in the way his gaze hardened. He hesitated before explaining slowly, in a confused tone, "When I found you... you were attacking him, Cos. But you weren't you, your eyes were all black and you were basically releasing a bunch of fucking shadows or some shit... they were like, swarming you. I could barely see past them to make sure you were alright."
She'd been swarmed in shadows? That must've been when It had taken over her consciousness. But that, she did not know had happened.
Costa swallowed once, then twice. Her fingers picked at the bedding and she suddenly couldn't meet his eyes, dread sinking into her stomach like an anchor at sea. It was too soon. She didn't wanna talk about it. She didn't wanna acknowledge it. She just couldn't...
"Cos." He called to her after seeing the storm raging in her expression. She gripped the sheets, closing her eyes as she inhaled sharply.
Then he was shifting closer, placing a hand on her knee, the other coming up to brush her hair behind her ears. His eyes were serious but encouraging as he made her look him directly in them. Costa lasted a mere few seconds before she broke and her eyes squeezed shut. "You don't wanna know."
"I'll kill them." His expression was immediately sharp, tense, murderous. "Did they touch yo-"
"No. But they did violate me, in a way..." Costa sniffed, mentally preparing herself for the words that were about to come out.
How does a liar fully resolve her habit of lying all the time? Well, she would have to acquire a Katsuki, who wouldn't ever allow that kind of distance to get between them. She looked at him nervously, picking at her fingernails to ease the stress. He rubbed his thumb over her knee lovingly, waiting patiently for her to speak. "They injected me with a parasitic quirk."
"A what?!" His eyebrows furrowed deeply, shoulders tensing. "A parasite?"
"But it's not just a parasite. It's now a full-fledged quirk. But the thing is-" Costa shuddered just thinking about it. "It feeds off negative memories and pain. It makes me... relive everything I do not want to relive ever again. It's basically a torture weapon disguised as a quirk."
"Does it physically hurt you too?" He was staring at her in pure concern, the hand he had over her knee now gripping the blanket harshly. She'd hesitantly nodded before he sharply asked, "How do you get rid of it??"
"That's what I need to talk to Aizawa about."
"Is that why the front part of your hair is black?" He asked, eyes flickered to the hair in the front of her head. She'd immediately blushed, looking away in embarrassment, having forgotten about the change. Her fingers flew up to the shorter ends of her hair and she cleared her throat, pushing it back behind her ears. "Yeah. It's kinda weird, right?"
"No," He clasped a piece of the black hair between his fingers. He smiled slightly, his head tilting to the side boyishly. It made her blush even more. "I think it's kinda cool. Pretty badass."
Costa laughed and winced right afterwards, "Badass?? You're such an idiot."
He clicked his tongue at her. "I take it back, you look terrible."
"Oh shut it. I'm injured, gimme a break." Their banter made her feel normal again, back to herself again.
"When are you speaking to Aizawa?" Katsuki abruptly asked her, scooting closer just to nudge at her to move. She snickered and scooted to the left, giving him room to fully lay beside her on the bed. He brought his arm up to tuck behind her head as his fingers began lightly toying with strands of her hair. She felt warm inside as she cuddled up next to him, tucked into his arm and chest.
"Hana said he'd arrive within the hour, and that All Might might be coming too." Costa pinched the bridge of her nose, already stressing over it. It was as if her body had been in a constant state of anxiety and alertness over the past week and she was too drained to manage it any longer. "Before I talk to the police, I need to figure out what to say to them about... it."
"It??"
"The quirk. Parasite." Costa breathed out, "It's like another... thing is inside of me."
He was quiet for a long second, unsure of what to say. Costa didn't expect a reply, simply laying her head against his chest to help soothe her own worries. But then he'd randomly asked her, out of no where, "What can I do?" and she'd glanced back up at him in confusion.
"What?"
"How do I help you??" He asked, in distress for being unable to immediately find a solution to her problem. Costa's eyes softened, her worry already fading away at his expression. His worry poured out over her, a sign of how much he cared for her. It made her feel not so bad inside. He grimaced at himself, "What the hell can I do about this? So useless..."
"Just- stay." Costa pulled her body closer to his, breathing out a long sigh of relief when she felt him snuggle against her. "Just hold me and stay with me for as long as you can."
He tilted her chin up so that he could clasp her lips with his own. For a long while, they kissed innocently, slowly, but with such gentleness that it thawed something deep inside Costa. She grasped for him desperately, afraid that if she were to somehow ever lose him, there'd be nothing left to pull her back from the brink. Her life would be ruined too.
She whispered on his lips, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Saving my life." Costa looked up into his eyes, hers full of meaning. "Both times."
"Both?-"
The door swung open and Hana's voice startled the hell out of Costa. "Oi! We got fried chicken, green bea-"
Her excited voice dropped as soon as she took in the more-than-comfortable position Katsuki and Costa were in, caught up in each other's tangled embrace. They scrambled away as soon as she burst though the door, Costa shoving Katsuki off the side of the bed, trying not to laugh.
Then, Hana had glanced between the two of them in silence for ten, very long seconds. No one spoke, everyone held their breath. Hana let out a long sigh on the tenth second and shrugged her shoulders dramatically.
"Well, I'm glad you still got something in you at least." Hana snorted, winking at Costa before she threw the takeout bag onto the side table. Then she glanced up expectantly at Katsuki. "You're lucky I had a feeling you were coming around and got an extra main dish to share...Dig in, kid."
Katsuki blushed furiously, looking away in embarrassment as Hana continued on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. But Costa had a feeling Hana wasn't gonna give her a hard time about the awkward interaction, but only because she was concerned about her.
Costa was grateful for the dismissal anyway, thanking her as she took a plate. Hana tossed the extra one to Katsuki, who twisted his lips to the side and nodded in response.
Costa and Katsuki's eyes met and a small smile graced their lips as Hana clasped her hands together and snapped at them to pray before they start eating.
And Costa was able to eat a hot meal for the first time in days.