---In the Hospital of Suna---
Shota Aizawa lay like a king on a throne made of pillows. A long straw poked from his mouth, sucking warm milk from a carton.
Outside the window, fluffy clouds drifted across a sky so blue it hurt to look at. Down below, the village of Suna baked in the afternoon sun.
"Ahh, this is peace," Shota mumbled, wiggling his toes under the blanket. The hospital bed was heaven. Soft, bouncy, with just the right amount of squish.
"I'm stealing this bed. No, I'm buying this bed. Well. At least I know where I would be spending my mission money. Who needs a house when you can sleep on a cloud?"
He grinned, then burst into his favourite song, the Lazy Song by Bruno Mars.
"Today I don't feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my beeeed
Don't feel like picking up my phooone
So leave a message at the tooone
'Cause today, I swear, I'm not doing anything, uh!"
He kicked his feet like a toddler. The milk sloshed. A nurse passing by peeked in, shook her head, and kept walking.
"I'm gonna kick my feet up, then stare at the faaan
Turn the TV on, throw my hand in my pa—"
The door slammed open. Shota stopped singing as soon as he saw who was at the door.
An old woman in her seventies stood there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like a hawk spotting a mouse. Her grey hair was tied in a bun with sharp eyes with a frown on her face. This was the Matron of the Suna Orphanage, legendary for her rice balls and terrifying for her wooden spoon.
Shota froze mid-lyric, straw still in mouth, milk dripping down his chin.
The Matron glared at the lazy lump in bed. Then her eyes softened at the bandages, wrapped around his ribs, left arm, and one cheek.
"I heard," she said, voice sweet but dangerous, "that you asked the nurse to feed you. With a spoon. Even though your right hand works just fine."
Shota sat up so fast the milk carton flew. "N-No, Matron! I was just… conserving energy! For healing! Doctor's orders!"
"Doctor's orders?" She raised an eyebrow. "The doctor said, and I quote, 'This child is perfectly capable of feeding himself but prefers to be babied like a toddler.'"
Shota gulped. "I-I'm a growing boy! I need… pampering!"
The Matron stepped closer. "You know who looks up to you? Little Hana. She's six. Yesterday she told me, 'If Shota-nii can lie in bed all day, I don't have to do chores!' And don't get me started on little Shizu."
Shota's face went pale. "I'll do her chores! I'll do everyone's chores! Just don't spank me! My butt still remembers the Great Spoon Incident of last year!"
The Matron's lips twitched. She pulled out a small wooden box. "Brought you something."
Shota's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Sweet rice balls? With the special red bean and honey filling?"
She opened the lid. The smell hit like a genjutsu. It was warm, sticky, divine.
Shota reached with grabby hands. "Gimme gimme gimme—"
The Matron pulled the box back. "After medicine."
She pointed to a bowl on the bedside table. It was huge. Green. Bubbling. Smelled like boiled socks to Shota.
Shota screamed. "NO! That's not medicine, that's poison! They gave me a spoonful last time! This is a bowl! Who even gives a bowl of medicine? I just saved the village! I deserve rice balls, not swamp water!"
The Matron smiled like a cat with a mouse. "Drink."
Shota stared at the rice balls. Then at the bowl. Then at the rice balls again.
He grabbed the bowl with both hands, pinched his nose, and chugged.
*GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG—*
His face turned green. His eyes watered. He slammed the empty bowl down like a war hero.
"BLECH!"
The Matron handed him the rice balls. "There. Was that so hard?"
Shota stuffed one in his mouth whole. Cheeks puffed like a chipmunk. "Mmmph! Worth it!"
The Matron patted his head. "No more skipping medicine. Or I'll have to come back here and You won't like it."
Shota shuddered. "Yes, ma'am."
She left, chuckling. The door clicked shut.
Shota flopped back, rice ball crumbs on his chest. "Peace restored—"
The door opened again.
Sōshi Kuromiri walked in, arms crossed, a smirk on his face. He eyed the rice ball box Shota immediately hid it behind his back, not willing to share.
"Relax, kid. I'm not here to steal your food."
Shota peeked out. "You sure? These are limited edition riceballs. Matron only makes them when I'm half-dead."
Sōshi pulled up a chair. "Yes and I have good news for you. The Kazekage is giving every survivor of the mission pay equal to an S-rank. Families of the fallen get the same."
Shota's eyes widened. "S-rank money? I can buy so may of these cloud beds with them!"
"And," Sōshi leaned in, "Iwa asked for a ceasefire. Negotiations start next week in the Land of Fangs. Lady Pakura and Elder Natsume are leading our team."
Shota exhaled, tension leaving his shoulders. "So… no more war with Iwa. That's good. But you did not need to come here to tell me all this."
"For now," Sōshi said. "I came here to tell you this to make sure you are at peace."
Shota smiled weakly.
Sōshi's grin turned mischievous. "I also came to see your face when you realize your lazy days are over."
Shota blinked. "Huh?"
Sōshi pulled out a booklet from his vest.
"Kid," Sōshi said, flipping pages, "you've got a bounty. And well, as you'd call it, a troublesome one."
-------Author Notes---------
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