Chapter 3

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Bold- Author's note

Italic- Thoughts/emphasis

*~/0\~* - Time skip/ break

*~/0\~*

Midoriya had been at Todoroki's bedside for the week since he found him and brought him to the hospital. His whole being ached to just talk to him, for everything to go back to how it was before he went missing. He was diagnosed with an extensive array of broken bones, wounds, internal damage and malnourishment and the doctors had put him under to take the strain off his body to allow him to recover. It hurt Midoriya to see most inches of flesh covered by bandages and casts, monitors and wires a mess all over and an oxygen mask covering half of the face he just wanted to cradle.

"Midoriya?"

The green-haired spun in his chair to look over at the speaker, a young woman with red streaks in shoulder-length white hair. "A-ah, Fuyumi, good morning," He cracked a small smile.

"I'm not surprised to see you glued to his side as soon as visiting hours started." She chuckled softly and gave him a soft smile, rubbing his shoulder.

"I still can't quite believe he's here, I lost him for months, went to his funeral, and suddenly here he is.. I couldn't be happier. I just can't help feel I'll only lose him again," Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck and wiped away stray tears.

"If its any constellation I spoke to the doctors before I got here, they only had good things to say about his improvement."

"That's.. good, really good," A slight smile shone through his tears and he turned back to Todoroki to stroke his forehead.

"He might wake up too, they're slowly taking away artificial support so he can do it himself," Fuyumi dragged a chair up to the bedside and sat down.

"Then he can come back to school, continue training to be a hero," With me. The words went unspoken but lingered in his mind. "Do you think your father will ever come and see him? He's been here a week and he hasn't shown his face since he was first brought in."

A frown turned Fuyumi's features downwards. "He has been busying himself with work recently, he doesn't get home until late at night. I know they've had a.. rocky relationship, but I would have hoped he would have tried to come."

An unamused snort sounded from the boy. "I know what went on with Shoto and your father, he told me," His jawline hardened as he clenched his teeth thinking of his partner's previous child abuse.

Fuyumi's words died on her tongue ashamed. "I should have protected him better, I already know that."

Midoriya turned away not wanting the conversation to continue.

"It doesn't matter about him right now, do you want a coffee?" Fuyumi got up again quietly, taking some change out her purse.

He answered with a shake of the head and his eyes remained fixed on Todoroki.

"Natsuo said he was going to try head down today at some point, keep an eye out," She gave a strained smile and went off to go get coffee.

*~/0\~*

If I never got knocked unconscious again it would be too soon. I'm starting to get real tired of this. Todoroki's eyes fluttered slightly under their lids as if trying to break free from the darkness. His eyelids felt as if they'd been glued shut and a sense of sound was slowly seeping into his consciousness through what felt like gallons of water. He could eventually make out soft muttering which felt close by but miles away at the same time. The voice was soft but broken, full of pain and void of passion. A sharp pang laced his chest at the familiar voice.

Izuku.

His mind was screaming at him to reach the voice but the darkness rendered him obsolete. It felt like layers over him, crushing him, making it impossible to move.

So weak. Get up and fight. The painstakingly well-known voice of his father filled the space. You're being pathetic Shoto. How can you beat All Might if you can't even get back up and fight back?

Oh how he wished he could punch that arrogant face in. Wading through the blackness Todoroki struggled to surface from the unconsciousness holding him down. His face twisted in frustration and a pained whine escaped his lips as he broke free from the suffocating darkness and bleary eyes met a bright white ceiling.

A chair clattered to the floor and green hair immediately filled his field of view as the distraught face of his partner stood up to see him. Distraught melted into tears as his body racked with sobs and crumbled over Shoto.

"You're awake, oh my god you're awake," A smile came through all the tears as his eyes remained fixated on Todoroki. "I can't believe you're here," His scarred hand came up to meet his chin and a crooked thumb brushed over the prominent cheekbones.

Shoto's eyes searched Izuku's desperately having lived through this dream too many times, only to be thrown back into that small cell alone.

Izuku cradled his face between his hands with lips trembling. "I lost you, I believed you were dead for so long.."

The heart monitor began to rise as panic filled Todoroki's eyes as he weakly struggled against him.

"H-hey, Shou calm down baby, it's okay I've got you," His voice cracked in pain as he watched the other fight against him terrified.

It didn't take long for doctors to arrive and force the two apart in an attempt to settle the boy while doing their various check overs.

All Midoriya could do was watch while clutching his aching chest.

*~/0\~*

"He doesn't seem to be stable right now, whatever happened to him while he was gone is still impacting him mentally. By the way he is struggling and the injuries I would say he was kidnapped. He doesn't grasp the concept of being free from there, in his mind, he's still captured."

From his seat down the hallway, Midoriya could overhear the conversation the doctor was having with Endeavour.

"When will he be.. normal again?" The blunt ignorant answer from the pro hero caused a flinch in the younger hero.

"There is no telling when or if that'll be-"

"If?" Enji's voice boomed through the hallways interrupting him. "You're a doctor so fix it, what use is he to me broken?"

"S-Sir there is no easy fix to the effect of trauma on a child. Your son has evidently been tortured and held captive for more than a month."

"He is my masterpiece."

"He is a child." The doctor retaliated through his teeth. "The healing progress is delicate and slow, especially in such a serious case. Whoever did this inflicted deep wounds, broke bones and left him to starve. It's doubtful he'll ever be right again."

A snarl tore from the fire user as he pushed the man aside. "You're all useless."

Midoriya had heard stories from Todoroki about his father but to see his actions himself was spine chilling. To see he be so insensitive and uncaring about his son's state angered him immensely. And this man is our number one hero.

*~/0\~*

Not being able to see Shoto was difficult. His room was made off-limits to anyone but hospital staff after his freak out with Midoriya when he woke up. All he wanted to do was hold him tight and say everything would be okay, he just wanted to be with him after being separated. He continued to show up every day after school until visiting hours ended, before going back home and repeating the same routine daily.
It was about ten days later when the doctor acknowledged his presence and came out to him.

"Izuku Midoriya, yes?" His mouth was set in a fine line as he studied him head to toe.

"Yes..?"

"Young Todoroki is asking for you."

Midoriya was out of his seat in a heartbeat, green light crackling around his legs.

"You must be calm and not do or say anything to trigger a panic attack. Understood?"

"Yes sir, just please let me see him," He wrung his hands nervously anxious to see him.

The doctor let out a sigh and brought him into the room then left them to some privacy.

Todoroki was propped up slightly by his bed looking pale and frail as ever. His eyes drifted up to the green-haired boy and sniffed back tears. "You're here."

"I never left, I've been here all this time for you-"

"You abandoned me." The accusation was outright and his betrayed filled eyes bore deep into Izuku's sole.

"Abandoned? I'd never abandon you Shoto, none of us did."

"Then why was I left there for so long? I was in so much pain! I was alone and being tortured!"

"We never stopped looking for you Shou, all the teachers and our friends never gave up... we never did until we found a body that looked like you," Memories came flooding back to Izuku and he couldn't stop the tears now free-flowing.

"Body?" Todoroki suddenly remembered the stranger using his blood. The body that looked exactly like him. "They sent that body to you..?"

"Do you think we'd just give up on you? What else were we supposed to think when I found your dead body in the courtyard!" He cried.

Todoroki flinched violently but had no answer.

"I went to your funeral Shoto, I stood there as they buried you six feet under. I cried, I held your friends and siblings as they cried. What hope was there when your grave stood as a stark reminder you were gone and that it was our fault." Tears were streaming down Midoriya's face.

Todoroki swallowed back the lump in his throat and slowly pushed the covers aside and placed his two bare feet gingerly on the floor to stand. The hospital gown drooped down around him loosely and his boney legs trembled under his weight and its healing bones.

"Hey, no no don't get up," Midoriya gently took his weight and sat him back down in bed. His throat continued to burn with shed tears as he took in the scarily small stature of his partner. "We're going to be fine."

Todoroki looked down in a daze attempting to pinch his skin. "It hurts, you're.. really here?" His hand moved up to hold Izuku's head as his face cleared and his mind came to.

"Of course I'm here Shoto."

"I'm free? I'm not trapped there anymore?" His fingers moved up to ghost over his unbound wrists.

"You're free and safe back with me again. No one's going to touch you again, I'll make sure of that," Midoriya was careful in how he grasped Shoto's hands gently but reassuringly.

The half and half boy's bottom lip began to tremble before breaking down into tears into Midoriya's shoulder.

He held him gently in his lap and ran his crooked fingers through the long unkempt hair and hushed soft words in his ears to soothe him.

Tiredness eventually caught up to Shoto as the tears started to run dry and eyes drooped down asleep peacefully shrouded in Izuku's warmth.

*~/0\~*

"I want to go in now." Endeavour's loud voice was back again and stirred Midoriya from his nap cuddled around Todoroki. His arms and legs had wound themselves around him protectively and Shoto's head had nuzzled into his neck under his chin. He realised moving could wake the boy so he decided against it to give him precious rest.
By the sound of what Izuku could hear it sounded as if Enji was trying to get in to see his son but the doctors argued against it because of his.. demeanour.

Izuku was just about to settle back down and carry on his nap when the door slid open and crashed against the metal frame, making both kids jump and look over at the disturbance.

"What are you doing," The pro-hero growled as more of a statement than a question. "You're taking advantage of my son? Get out of the bed with him, who do you think you are?"

Flustered heat settled on Izuku's cheeks as he stuttered for an answer.

"Izuku Midoriya, my boyfriend," The bleary-eyed son stared over at his father challengingly but was trembling under the sheets.

"Your boyfriend. I knew you were being pathetic but I didn't know you were completely broken." Flames rose higher and licked angrily at the white tiles of the ceiling.

"Sir you can't be like this in here, his recovery is a sensitive process. You're going to have to leave-"

"Don't even dare stop me," The flames reached out towards the doctor and moved him back as he advanced on the two kids in bed.

Midoriya's adrenaline was now pumping through him as he shielded Todoroki with his body. "Don't come near him, you're not ruining this-"

"Out of my way pest," Enji cut him off with a solid back-hand to smack him down out the way and picked up Shoto by a clump of gown and wires in his large hand. "I have no need for you anymore, all those precious years of training down the drain." He grasped one of his arms, fingers completely closing around it and held just too firmly.

Shoto's face contorted in pain as he struggled from his father until there was a crunching feeling in his bicep under Enji's iron grip bringing forth a scream.

"There's nothing left anymore but a broken toy." Shoto was discarded to the floor and Enji looked at him like the scum beneath his shoe before leaving.

TBC