Leinei takes a soft breath as she studies herself in the mirror of the hospital room's bathroom, seeing miniscule scars here and there, a faint bruise on her ribs in the shape of Dabi's heel. The most notable scar is the place he had burned her, the handprint across her neck, the skin still red and angry with sensitive tissue where the blisters were. She feels like someone is leering over her shoulder, her arms coming up to fold over her naked chest and cover some part of herself up.

Through the locked door leading to the hospital room, she could hear bits and pieces of the hushed conversation Reina and Keigo were having. Not enough to piece anything together, but she could feel their hesitation and worry, the tense anticipation to see if she'd ever go back to her normal again. After she had woken up yesterday morning, she had gone back to sleep and was plagued with more nightmares, more images of Dabi's twisted smile and glowing eyes, more ways Bakugo could have died, the cruel words Reina uttered becoming more twisted with each horrid loop.

She takes another breath, closing her eyes as she holds it until the count of four and exhaling until the count of eight. She does this two more times, rubbing her biceps before getting dressed in the nondescript grey sweatpants and purple t-shirt Reina had dug out of the overnight bag. She unlocks the bathroom door with her dirty hospital gown folded over her arm, opening it and stepping out. Immediately the siblings stop their conversation, Keigo smiling gently seeing her with some more color in her face.

"Hey, Lei Bay," he greets, shifting in his spot on the couch in the hospital room and leaning back with his right arm on the back of it as Reina gets up and takes the clothes from her. "Did you have a nice shower?"

"Yeah..I'm still really sore though."

"The doctor did say you would be," Reina reminds her, getting her to sit back in the hospital bed. "Recovery Girl fixed you up best she could after the surgeons, but your body still needs time to catch up and heal in other ways. I'd honestly be concerned if you weren't sore."

"That's right. You just need to take it easy."

"When can we go home..?"

"As soon as the doctor says you can. It'll probably be tomorrow, since your body seems to be functioning normally."

"..is Katsu still here?"

The older siblings share a hesitant look, one that makes her stomach drop. She thinks of the worst case scenarios, that there was some kind of complication and he got hurt, or he just plain didn't want to see her. 'Stay away from me, you freak!' echoes in her ears, her head feeling heavy and fuzzy.

"Katsuki was released last night," Reina says softly. "Um, the police said it might be best for you two to stay away from each other for the time being, just for your own respective safeties."

"Oh." She sounds a lot more disappointed than she thought she felt, looking down at her lap as she messes with the hem of her shirt. Reina purses her lips to the side, before sighing and pulling her phone out. "What-?"

"Shut up, I'm doing something," she mutters, scrolling through her phone for a second before clicking a number. She holds it up to her ear, gesturing for Keigo to get up. She smiles after about two rings. "Hey, Mitsuki! Um, yeah, Lei was just wanting to know how Katsuki was doing. I thought y'know it might be okay for them to talk over the phone like this for a few minutes, because I know your son is worried about her too. Okay, awesome." Reina holds the phone to Leinei, who stares at it wide eyed before taking it. "Keigo, let's go get some food that isn't in the hospital?"

"Hell yeah!" Keigo cheers, getting up and stretching his arms over his head. "We'll bring you back some soba, Lei Bay. Be good! Love youuu!"

"Love you too," she replies, dumbstruck as her siblings leave the room. She holds the phone up to her ear and feels tears well in her eyes as she hears Bakugo yelling in the background. She uncrosses her legs and pulls one of her knees up to her chest, trying to push down the relief and gratitude she feels welling in her heart.

"Who is it?" Balkugo growls into the speaker of his mom's phone.

"Well that's some way to greet your friend, Katsu," she says breathlessly, trying not to cry and laugh at the same time. Bakugo curses, only to be scolded by his mom and for him to yell at her to shut up.

"Are you-holy hell, they wouldn't tell me anything about you," he tells her. "How-are you okay? They-the villains told me you were going to die."

"Heh, unless I'm a poltergeist, I don't think I'm dead," she jokes, resting her forehead against her knee. She can hear him rolling his eyes at her remark. "Are you okay?"

"Well I'm sick of everyone pissing themselves every time I go outside to get the mail or some fresh air," he replies, genuinely irritated. "Like I can't handle myself, or some shit. The only reason I was caught is because that dumbass villain with the mask got the drop on me. I would have been fine otherwise."

"I'm glad to know you're doing good…"

"...are you okay?" he asks her softly. "I-I know that's pretty subjective and broad, but, I was really-just…be honest."

"Um…" She closes her eyes and picks at her pant leg as she debates what to say next. She wanted to tell him the truth, but…if he knew the truth, the nightmares playing on repeat every time she fell asleep, the guilt eating away at her insides, what if he asks about the Shiketsu Incident? What if he asks and then leaves?

'Stay away from me, you freak!'

"What's your favorite color?" she asks instead, changing the subject. She can hear him sigh heavily on the other side of the phone, almost frustrated.

""What does that have to do-" he sighs again, a small growl punctuating it as she giggles. "Don't fucking laugh at me! I'm trying to be a good friend and make sure you're okay, and you're making that difficult!"

"I-I'm sorry," she giggles still, shaking her head. "I'm just trying to-"

"Avoid how you feel about what happened?" His voice is soft, the background noise on his end having disappeared. "I get it. I..I do. But, you were…you were really cool."

"I wouldn't describe what happened as cool, Katsu."

"That-that's not what I mean. I mean, you-you just, you made a split second plan and decision in your head, and you stuck to it. You kept us both mostly safe until help could get there. I-I couldn't even keep my head around what was happening, especially after I saw you unconscious."

"So the great Katsuki is admitting he has faults."

"Yes, to you only, and if this ever gets out, I'm denying all of it and then I'll come kick your ass into the next year."

"You can try, Katsu. I'm pretty sure we're tied for who's won more of our spars."

"And I have a medal saying I can kick your ass no matter what."

"I do one nice thing for you and I can never live it down huh?"

"Maybe."

She didn't even realize how big she was smiling, her cheeks hurting as she talked to him. She could hear the laughter he was trying so hard to keep down in his words, or maybe that was her projecting what she wanted to be normal for them. She couldn't tell, her head slightly fuzzy. Bakugo starts laughing, a sound that warms her heart.

"It's nice to see you aren't too fucked up from that whole thing," he admits after he calms himself down. "I wanted to see you before my mom and I left, but…you were asleep, and your sister said that you weren't sleepin' the best, so we thought it would be best to leave you be, plus police orders and shit."

"No, I get it. I wanted to see you too, but I was really tired…"

"Maybe once this whole thing blows over we can hang out again."

"Yeah, Ei and Denks will want to see us-"

"I was thinking…just the two of us hanging out. And we can continue the conversation we had in the forest before this all went down?"

"Oh." Her eyes are wide, trying to process what he's saying. Her heart is racing and her face is burning. "O-okay, yeah that sounds great. We can do that! I do have one request."

"Oh god."

"Can we watch Lilo and Stitch?"

Reina rubs the back of her head as she looks at some of the flowers Keigo was looking through. He had insisted they stop into this flower shop, getting a small bouquet for Leinei. And now, ever the diva, he couldn't decide what flowers to get her.

"She likes orchids doesn't she?" he asks Reina, looking at his sister as he stands up and pulls his face mask back over his mouth and nose. "What the hell do we even get someone in the hospital?"

"That's a good question," she mumbles, closing her eyes and trying to remember. "There's different meanings to them so maybe we should look them up and see what we can work with?"

"That's true!" Keigo pulls his phone out, going to his search engine and typing in something along the lines of flower meanings. It takes a few minutes, Reina fidgeting uncomfortably and feeling watched the entire time. She glances over her shoulder and swears she can see someone resembling Toda outside the shop. She feels sick, looking back at Keigo as he grins wide.

"I got it!" he announces happily, his wings stretching slightly from the excitement. He looks up, noticing the color leaving her face. "Reina, you good? Don't tell me you're getting sick now too."

"No, I guess just second hand paranoia," she dismisses, shaking her head. "I thought I saw Toda outside."

"I would have noticed," he assures her, nudging her with his elbow. "And I left a feather with Lei in case something happened. All our bases are covered, just relax."

"Yeah easy for you to say," she mutters, rolling her eyes as she looks at some startling red lycoris, reaching out to pick one up. "I always forget how pretty these are."

"Yeah well we aren't getting Lei those," Keigo says adamantly, shaking his head. "We are getting her red and yellow chrysanthemum, red peonies, and yellow pansies."

"Of course you get them in your colors."

"Both of our colors, dumbass."

"She only wants you anyway. She doesn't want shit to do with me."

"You're really acting this way now? You've been doing so well with her, and she's agreed to start working on your guys' relationship."

"It's not that," she grumbles as Keigo picks out the flowers and a vase with a string of red ribbon and a string of yellow. She gently slides the lycoris back into it's display vase, following him up to the counter. "You know they thought I was the reason she-they got…well, you know."

"Oh trust me, I know," he replies, smiling at the cashier as she puts the bouquet together for them. "I was called with the opportunity to be on the recovery team in Kamino."

"Are you fucking-"

"Thank you," he tells the lady, paying for them and leaving a generous tip as they walk out. He holds the vase in both hands, smiling at the flowers. "They sent me the files before I told them I didn't think it was wise for me to be on the team due to the family ties to Leinei, and my inability to be impartial to the mother fuckers that kidnapped my baby sister. They agreed and asked me if I had any ideas on who would be likely to sell her and that boy out like that."

"You.." The realization dawns on her, her eyes widening as she processes what Keigo is telling her. He glances at her out of the corner of his eye, an eyebrow perked. "You..you gave them my name?"

"Not yours specifically," he assures, shrugging as they walk towards the place they ordered take out from. "I said your agency. They did the rest and assumed you."

"You son of a bitch!"

"I'm sorry, don't bring my mom into this," he starts off, sidestepping someone walking past them with their nose to their phone. "And once again, I never said you, but you have to admit. It didn't look good either. They keep the location of the camp secret and the moment you get told, villains attack and kidnap my sister."

"She's my sister. She's my fucking blood. If you had never been in her life, you wouldn't care!"

"I care because she's exactly the way I used to be. I care because I don't want her to go down the same path you and I have. I care because everything I do, every fucking arrest I make, all of that I do is for her. So she can have a better world to become a hero, and so that you and I don't have to worry every time she walks out of those doors wearing a goddamned hero suit!"

"Fuck you, Keigo."

"From what I hear you say that a lot to Endeavor," he scoffs, her blood running cold as she looks away. "Oh so you have been fucking him. Why am I not surprised?"

"You can't tell anyone else. I already broke it off."

"Was that before or after our sister was kidnapped? Because if it was before, please enlighten me to the reason our baby sister was home alone most nights after she was attacked by the fucking Hero Killer!"

"It was after.."

"This. This is why I wanted her to live with me." Each word from his mouth is scathing, poisonous and cruel. Reina opens her mouth to protest and argue, but the sharp look from Keigo shuts her up. She hangs her head in shame as they walk. "You can't fucking sleep with a married man, and think it's going to end well for anyone involved! What if his fucking kids found out, or god forbid his wife? Don't you think people were going to go after Leinei even harder? No, because all you think about is yourself. You aren't fit to be her guardian at fucking all."

"Fuck you Keigo."

"I have too much self respect for that for starters. And even if I wanted to, I don't fuck around with people who go after married men."

"I'm trying to fucking change! I'm trying to be better, and you're just throwing everything in my face-"

"Because. Because you are only changing because you got your shit fucked. You're not changing for our sister, or because it's the right thing to do. You're doing it because you fucked up so many times, the only road left to take is the one least traveled. Don't fucking say it's for Leinei, or for me, or for your agency. Because you fucked up."

"But I am changing for Leinei-"

"No. You're changing because you have no choice but to do so. Because you fucked yourself out of all other options. Don't-do not say it's for Lei. Because when you fall on your face, and I know you will because you trip more times than a fucking three legged horse with vertigo, you're gonna blame her. That's all you ever do, is blame her for your mistakes, when she has nothing to do with the choices you make."

He takes a breath, attempting to calm himself down from his worked up state as Reina stands there next to him trying to blink the frustrated tears from her eyes. He shifts the weight of the vase to hold it with one hand, using the other to push his knotted and unbrushed hair from his face. The toll of the last few days was evident by the bags under his topaz eyes and the lines at the corners of them. He was twenty two going on forty it seemed. After a moment, he speaks again.

"I say this, because I love both of you. I don't know what I would be without either of you, because you both keep me sane. However, if I had to choose who I'd quicker save than let die, it would be Leinei every single time, because you just keep messing her up. It's my fault too that she is the way she is, but the difference between you and me-I actually give a fuck."

They get back to the hospital a little while, Reina still sullen and quiet as Keigo and her walk into Leinei's hospital room. They don't bother knocking or announcing themselves, simply walking in and seeing her gone. An ungodly noise leaves Reina's throat as Keigo sets the flowers down on the girl's bedside table.

"Lei Bay?" he calls, turning around as the girl walks out of the bathroom. He smiles at her as she walks towards him and gives him a side hug. "Hey, everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I got off the phone with Katsu a few minutes ago and had to pee."

"Oh goody, that means you have room for lunch then!" he laughs as she sits down on the bed. Reina comes over and sets the bag of food down by Leinei before picking her phone up. "Reina?"

"I just..I just need a minute before we eat," she mumbles, shaking her head before dismissing herself to stand in the hall. Keigo rolls his eyes and starts to take the take out boxes out of the bag. He starts small talk with Leinei, who glances towards the door before taking her box.

"Is everything okay between you and Reina?"

"Oh yeah, everything's peachy keen!" he assures her, tousling her hair with a bright smile. She nods, smiling at him. "We got you spicy soba and your beloved cold soba! I still can't understand how you eat cold soba."

"It's good!"

"Yeah if you have no taste buds."

"Says the guy obsessed with chicken. Isn't that cannibalism?"

"I'm a hawk technically, so no. No cannibalism on my part. Now stop being a brat and eat your food."

"I'm not being a brat, you were mean first insulting my food."

"Alright, alright, you win. As a reward, you get to eat your food that I so kindly paid for with minimal complaints on my end."

"I would have paid for it but no money."

"I know, Lei Bay. Eat your food so that we can get you home quicker."

"Okay!"

He smiles as she starts eating, happily talking about all of the things she talked to Bakugo about. He nods enthusiastically at each point, laughing at one of the shitty jokes she cracks. He sips on one of the coffees he had gotten on the way back, commenting on something else they had discussed.

Reina hears all of this outside the room, still angry with the conversation she and him had before getting their food. She runs her hands over her face, shaking her head as she tries to figure out what to do. Keigo has a point, but…she does want to be better. She wants to do better. I want to be a good sister…I just hope it's not too late.

Her phone starts vibrating in her hand, the Commission president's number and picture popping up on the screen. She sighs softly to calm her nerves, answering the phone and forcing a cheery greeting and smile.

"Madam President!" she says, cringing at the faux happiness in her voice. Her voice cracks on the final syllable. "How are you today? Why are you calling?"

"Oh, Elementia, I was just calling to check on how my favorite hero was doing. I heard all about the summer camp incident and that Leinei was recovered." Reina nods, hearing the president tapping her fingers on her desk. "How is she holding up?"

"She was trapped there for a few days. She hasn't spoken to the police yet, the doctors wanted her to wait in case it messed with her healing. But they said she should be able to go home tomorrow or the day after, so long as she continues to recover properly. After that, the police will come get her statement, and it should go back to business as normal."

"That's good. How's her mental state?"

"Well she's had some nightmares, waking up screaming and begging us not to leave her. The doctor had a psychologist come in and tell us earlier, that it's completely normal following a traumatic experience, but she hasn't really been sleeping the best either."

"Of course. She went through an ordeal most heroes don't even go through. It's amazing she survived at all. Should I send Dr. Gorlov to your apartment to assess her properly? Since he is her primary therapist and all."

"That would actually be really good. I was going to call you to get his information."

"Wonderful! I'll send him an email right away. How is her progress at school prior to this incident?"

"She has excellent control and usage of her quirk, and has even demonstrated tracking capabilities with it. She's even made a good amount of friends and has shown a lot of improvement at UA. This school was definitely the best move for her-"

"I'm glad you think that," the president says duly, cutting Reina off. "However, Leinei will be pulled from the school at the end of her first year to continue her training here at the Commission so we can have her on the right track."

"Madam President, all due respect, I don't think that's the best thing to do for her," Reina replies, folding her free arm under her chest as she walks a little ways away from the door so Leinei and Keigo wouldn't hear. "I think Leinei seeing through her high school career at UA is the best track for her. Besides, UA has the best track record with pumping out high ranking heroes. Look at All Might, our symbol of pe-"

"All Might retired, Elementia. And UA's reputation is on the line. They have been attacked twice by villains, and both times the villains responsible for the entire plan have escaped."

"My sister was tortured by those villains. And the first thing she wanted was to see Katsuki to make sure he was okay. UA is the right choice, ma'am."

"This isn't up for discussion, Elementia. You'll do well to remember that my name is on her adoption papers, and you employed the person who fed information to the villains that did that to her, so if you try to fight me on this, you will not win. My decision is made."

"Ye-yes ma'am…"

"That's what I thought. Dr. Gorlov will be at your apartment in two days. Oh, and be a dear, don't mention any of this to Hawks or Leinei."

"Yes ma'am…"

"This is why you're my favorite, Elementia. You're always such a good girl."


Meanings of the flowers mentioned in the chapter:

Lycoris: lily signifying death
Red chrysanthemum: love and deep passion
Yellow chrysanthemum: neglected love, sorrow
Red Peonies: love, passion, respect
Yellow Pansies: given to someone in recovery or going through a rough patch, joy, positive energy, and happiness
Sorry I really like my symbolism. I hope you enjoyed! Leave a review if you can! Reading them makes my heart happy!