Chapter Text
He was on patrol when he got the call.
It was three o’clock in the morning, and Shouta was thrilled that he didn’t have classes the next day, seeing as how he’d expelled his entire class that year. He would have to take Izuku to school that morning (Somei Academy was further away from Aldera Middle School, but ever since Nezu had taken down the corrupt facility, all of the students had to find other resources for learning), but other than that, he was free to sleep in to his heart’s content. In fact, he might be able to wrangle Hizashi into driving Izuku to school, which would mean that he could get to bed even sooner than 7am…
And then his phone started ringing. With a heavy sigh- because his patrol was almost over, why did someone have to be calling him now- he looked at the caller ID. Frowning when he didn’t recognize the number, he hit the answer button and gruffly spat out, “Aizawa.”
“This is Mr. Aizawa Shouta?”
Shouta fought back the urge to say, “That’s what I just said,” and instead replied, “Yes.”
“I’m calling from Tokyo Hero Medical Facilities. Is this a good time?”
And immediately, Shouta’s heart dropped into his stomach. Hands shaking, he sat down on the rooftop he was previously perched on the ledge off, making sure he was a good distance away from said ledge just in case…
He didn’t want to think about “just in case”.
Because the only reason anyone would be calling him from Tokyo Pro Med was if Keigo…
“Is this about my son?” Shouta forced his voice not to crack, wincing when he fell just a fraction short.
“I’m afraid so, Mr. Aizawa. Keigo Yamazawa was admitted to the Emergency Room a few hours ago.”
“A few hours?” Shouta snapped. “Why was I not informed earlier?”
“I’m afraid his Pro Hero partners just awoke from their own injuries and insisted we call you, Mr. Aizawa. They told us you would be awake at this time, so we didn’t-”
“What happened?” Shouta cut to the chase.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Aizawa, but I’m not allowed to give any details over the phone. All I can confirm is that you need to come down to the hospital.”
“So you can’t even tell me if my son is dead or alive?” Shouta insisted.
“He’s alive, Mr. Aizawa, but… I’m sorry, I can’t give details via phone. If you could-”
“I’ll be there as soon as possible,” Shouta grumped back, hanging up before the secretary could get another word in. He knew, rationally, that she was just doing her job, but all rationality seemed to fly out of Shouta’s mind when one of his boys was hurt. Just like when Izuku had broken his ankle when practicing with Tenya’s Quirk, and just like when Hizashi had been stabbed by some idiot villain with a katana Quirk… And just like Keigo now, in the hospital, in an unknown condition…
Of course, Overhaul must have had something to do with it. He was the big bad of the season that had called out Keigo, along with several other young heroes- with Mirko and Ignite amongst them- but Keigo had seemingly taken the job more personally than the others. Shouta had no idea why, though. The details were all confidential, and since Eraserhead wasn’t on the mission team to take down the Shie Hassaikai, he was left clueless in the dust.
As he ran across rooftops, sending a quite message to his agency that his patrol was ending early due to a family emergency, Shouta couldn’t help but think about the possibilities. His mind was alight with event after injury after every traumatic possibility.
His son was in the hospital, alive, but in an unknown condition. “Alive” could mean anything. He could be currently dying, or in a coma, or so horribly mangled that he lost a limb-
Shouta choked on the thought, pausing on the roof to their apartment to take a deep, shuddering breath.
And then he entered through the master bedroom window of the corner apartment, ignoring the mewls of his surprised cats. Looming over his husband’s slumbering figure, Shouta quickly turned on a light to try and wake Hizashi calmly, even as he himself felt like a billowing storm cloud. The man went about changing out of his hero uniform as quickly as he could, keeping an eye on his husband as the blonde slowly blinked awake.
Turning to the clock, and then to his husband, Hizashi signed out a confused, “Babe? What’s going on? You’re home early-”
“Red Baby is in the hospital,” Shouta signed back. Any sign of sleepiness that lingered with Hizashi was suddenly gone, and the blonde was up and getting dressed, putting on his hearing aids as he told his husband aloud, “Go get Bean up and ready. I’ll get the car going.”
Shouta nodded, already on his way to Izuku’s bedroom. He wasn’t quiet in opening the door, and the young teen startled awake upon his father’s entrance.
“D-Dad?” Izuku stammered, rubbing at bleary eyes. “What’s g-going on?”
“Keigo’s in the hospital, Sprout. We’re driving to Tokyo now.”
“W-What?!” Izuku blustered, immediately rushing out of bed to get dressed. “Is he okay? What h-happened? Was it- was it O-Overhaul?!”
Shouta sighed, placing a hand on his youngest’s shoulder as he tried to soothe the boy. “I’m not sure, kiddo. They wouldn’t give me details over the phone. You know everything I know.”
Tears welled in Izuku’s eyes, and Shouta spoke in a hushed voice, “Oh, Sprout. C’mere.”
Hugging his son tightly- how long has it been since he’s given Keigo a hug like this?- Shouta kissed the crown of Izuku’s head before turning to lead the boy out of the room.
True to his statement, Hizashi had already gotten the car running by the time they got their shoes on and made it into the parking garage. The blonde peeled out of their apartment complex at a speed that had Shouta concerned, but he couldn’t protest much. Hizashi was a good driver, even when speeding, and they had a five-hour drive ahead of themselves.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, Shouta saw that Izuku was texting on his phone. Probably talking to Shoto, seeing as how it appeared that Ignite was also in the hospital (or Shouta could only assume, considering the miniscule amount of information he had).
Hizashi’s grip was white-knuckled on the steering wheel, and not even the pop music playing softly through the car seeming to calm him. Shouta snaked a hand over to his husband’s knee, squeezing lightly and whispering so that Izuku couldn’t hear, “He’ll be okay, Zashi.”
“How do you know that, Sho?” Hizashi hissed back, glancing backwards to make sure Izuku really wasn’t listening. “How do you know-”
“Because he’s Kei, Zashi. He’s a strong, stubborn kid. He’ll be alright.” Shouta felt like he was trying to convince himself at the same time as his husband, and Hizashi seemed to realize this too, because he whispered back, “I know. I know…”
The drive was quiet after that.
…
Hizashi was trying to stay calm.
But, even though Keigo was now an adult- a whole twenty-three years old and the Top 5 Pro Hero with his own damn agency- he would always be Hizashi’s child. His Goldie and his Birdie and his KeiKei.
But Izuku was there. Izuku was there and was already shutting down, face slack and eyes distant as he already slipped into a dissociative state. Shouta was turned fully in the front seat, seatbelt undone (to which Hizashi wanted to scream at him for- there was already one of them in the fucking hospital, Shouta!!), with a hand on Izuku’s knee, holding tightly as he whispered quietly to the boy in an attempt to ground him. Izuku seemed to barely be holding on, his breath coming in hitches, wings wrapped tightly around himself, as his eyes tried to focus on his Dad.
So Hizashi would stay calm. For Izuku, for Shouta, (for Keigo), he would stay calm.
Just. Stay. Calm.
By the time they came to a screeching halt in the parking lot, Shouta had mostly dragged Izuku back to the present. The teenager was clutching his phone like a lifeline, once more texting who Hizashi could only assume was one- or perhaps all- of his friends.
“Let’s go in, yeah?” Hizashi forced himself not to croak. “Zuzu, you go with Dad to sit in the waiting room. I’ll figure out where Kei is, okay?”
Shouta frowned at his husband, opening his mouth to object, but then Izuku was clinging to him. And the man couldn’t say no with his youngest attached to his side like a particularly stubborn barnacle.
“Be safe,” Shouta signed to his husband, who kissed him chastely on the lips before whispering, “You too, Sho.”
They parted ways, Hizashi going to the front desk while Shouta took Izuku to find a seat. Hizashi leaned against the desk, half for support and half to try and come off as casual when he was feeling anything but, and smiled at the secretary as he pulled out his Pro Hero ID.
“My name is Hizashi Yamada. I’m Keigo Yamazawa’s- Hawks’- father.”
The woman peered at the ID, nodding before going back to her computer. She clacked on the keys for a minute before glaring at the bright screen, addressing Hizashi when she said: “He’s still in surgery, but you can-”
“Surgery?” Hizashi croaked in response. “I thought he was admitted hours ago?” The thought that Keigo- his child- had been in surgery for hours didn’t sit right in Hizashi’s mouth. It was sour and bitter and altogether more than unpleasant.
“He was,” the nurse nodded. “At approximately midnight, it would seem.”
It was almost nine in the morning, now. Hizashi and Shouta had already called UA and Somei Academy, explaining theirs and Izuku’s absences from classes that day.
It had been nine fucking hours, and Keigo was still in surgery?!
“I’ll page a nurse for you,” the secretary said, sensing Hizashi’s growing anxiety. “They’ll be able to tell you more.”
Waiting by the front desk, waiting for the nurse, was agonizing. Hizashi’s foot was tapping, his nails were between his teeth, and he wanted to tug out all of his hair. It was only the sudden presence of his husband behind him, placing a hand gently on his lower back, that dragged the blonde from his stupor. Whirling around, Hizashi exclaimed sharply, "Where is Izuku?!”
“Calm down, Zashi,” Shouta murmured, inclining his head back towards the waiting room. “He’s playing a game on his phone. He’s fine.”
“But Shouta-” Hizashi blustered, “-he can’t be alone right now! He’s not- he’s- he needs- he needs us-”
“He’s fourteen, Zashi,” Shouta murmured to his husband, massaging Hizashi’s tense hand between the both of his. “He’ll be okay for a minute… but will you?”
“I-” Hizashi started, only to be interrupted by a person in scrubs coming to stand in front of them. They had purple hair and yellow eyes, their hands and cheekbones covered in dark scales. They smiled gently at Hizashi and Shouta, then introduced themselves.
“I’m Nurse Chiasa. I’m told that you two are here for Hawks?”
“Yes,” Hizashi spoke emphatically. “Please, is he- is he going to be-…”
“We believe Hawks will pull through surgery, yes,” Chiasa said. “Did you want to follow me to a separate room and I can give you a rundown of his injuries? I’m sure the doctor will want to talk aftercare after the surgery.”
It was something they both needed to hear, but they were loathe to bring Izuku with them into that conversation. Then again, they were both hesitant to leave him by himself, as well.
“Does he have his headphones?” Hizashi asked Shouta, knowing his husband would understand.
“Earbuds, but they’ll work just as well,” Shouta replied. “I’ll go get him.”
When they finally got into the private conference room, Shouta sat Izuku down and made sure the boy had his earbuds turned up, their noise-cancelling function on. They didn’t want Izuku to hear about all of Keigo’s injuries, despite the fact that the boy wanted to be a hero himself. He wasn’t a hero yet, and Keigo would absolutely verbally slaughter his fathers for letting Izuku hear about his gruesome injuries from a nurse. It was something that had never changed, even in all the years they’d been with Shouta and Hizashi- Keigo was still, and would always be, fiercely protective of his baby brother.
“Alright,” Shouta turned to the nurse. “Tell us.”
Chiasa looked slightly nervous at Shouta’s tone but continued on at Hizashi’s encouraging (if not strained) smile. “Well, Hawks was brought in by his hero partners: Ignite and Mirko. I don’t know the details of their mission, but I know they all sustained heavy injuries. Hawks’ were the worst of the three. His body suffered from multiple spiral-shaped lacerations- likely the work of the villain’s Quirk- and the worst of which was on his lower right side. His kidney and liver both required emergency surgery-”
“They said he was still in surgery,” Hizashi worried aloud. “Were there complications?”
Chiasa winced. “We’re not sure all of the details of the Quirk that he was assaulted with, but Ignite managed to give us a basic rundown of the villain. Apparently, his Quirk is called Overhaul-” Hizashi and Shouta shared a nervous glance. “-and it can… unwind things.”
“Unwind?” Hizashi inquired at the same moment that Shouta snapped, “Elaborate.”
“It sounds just like it is,” Chiasa told them. “The Quirk can undo things to their very basic matter, then piece them back together.”
With every word from the nurse, Hizashi felt his gut churning more and more. He felt like he was going to be sick.
“It appears that this Quirk was the reason for Hawks’ injuries,” Chiasa continued, “but… as for his wings…”
It surprised everyone when Izuku piped up, voice crackling, “What h-happened to Kei’s w-w-wings?”
Hizashi shot Shouta a glare and hissed, “I thought you said he had his earbuds in!”
“He did,” Shouta insisted, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Kiddo,” he addressed Izuku. “I told you to-”
“What happened to Kei’s wings?” Izuku demanded this time, dark feathers bristling on his back as he shocked everyone in the room. But Hizashi could see it- that determined fire in his youngest son’s eyes. That same fire that Izuku had told them he wanted to be a hero with; that same fire that had been in his eyes the first time he met Hitoshi; that same fire that told Hizashi something bad is about to happen.
“His wings were unwound,” the nurse spoke gravely into the silence. “His back and spine are requiring emergency surgery because they were unwound, as well. We don’t know if his wings will grow back the same… or at all.”
The silence was deafening, and Hizashi had the urge to turn off his hearing aids, run to the bathroom, and throw up the full contents of his stomach. “Thank you, Nurse Chiasa,” Hizashi croaked, wincing at the sound of his own voice. “When will he be out of surgery? Can we see him then?”
“Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see him directly out of surgery. I’m afraid this is a very complicated procedure, as they’re having to graft skin and recreate parts of his spinal column with one of our doctor’s Quirks: Growing Pains. It’s a Quirk that can duplicate bone marrow and shape it into another bone.”
Hizashi knew that Izuku usually would have been geeking out at hearing about such a powerful healing Quirk, but the boy was utterly silent. It probably had something to do with hearing that his brother was having to regrow his fucking spine.
Nurse Chiasa continued, “But the Pro Hero Ignite is awake. He said he wanted to see you when you arrived, if you would like to…?”
“Yes,” Izuku chirped immediately, always eager to see Touya. It was likely that Shoto was there, too, which would have been another benefit of seeing his brother’s partner.
“Alright,” Chiasa smiled softly. “If you’ll follow me this way-”
And with that, they found themselves in front of Touya’s room. There were two security guards standing in front of the door who eyed them, but upon seeing their Pro Hero ID’s, allowed them through.
When they opened the door, they were greeted by a welcoming sight.
Rei was sitting next to Touya’s right, holding her son’s hand as she spoke quietly with Fuyumi, who was standing beside her. Touya himself was wrapped head to toe in bandages but seemed lucid enough to be speaking to his brother Natsuo on the opposite side of the bed. And finally, Shoto was at the foot of the bed, his back to the door, though the teen turned as soon as he heard the doorknob click.
“Izuku,” Shoto said monotonously, although his eyes betrayed his relief. “You’re here.”
Izuku shot forward, hugging his friend something fierce as Shoto returned the hug just as strong. “I’m here, Shoto,” Izuku said, and it sounded something like a promise. “I’m here.”
“Hey, kiddo, it’s been a while.” Natsuo grinned as he leaned over to ruffle Izuku’s hair. “Have you gotten taller?” The boy, who typically would have preened under Natsuo’s praise, merely shrugged and turned to Touya.
“What happened?” Izuku all but demanded, and Hizashi and Shouta shot forward.
“Izuku, kiddo,” Shouta started, and Hizashi finished for him, “At least greet everyone else first, bud. And give Touya a minute to breathe, alright-”
“It’s fine,” Touya said- croaked- as he waved a hand in the air. “C’mere, kid,” he rasped, holding a hand out to Izuku. Slowly, the boy walked alongside the bed, one hand entrapped in Shoto’s as he reached for Touya with the other. “Kid,” Touya said, his light blue eyes shining like diamonds in the lighting- and through his tears. Clearing his throat, Touya ended up in a coughing fit. Rei rubbed his shoulder through it, her own eyes also filling with tears at her eldest son’s state.
Finally, Touya was able to breathe again, and he said, “Izuku. Your big brother… he’s an idiot.”
Natsuo and Shouta both snorted while Rei and Fuyumi exclaimed admonishments towards Touya. But Izuku could only smirk damply, the tears that Hizashi hadn’t noticed welling in his eyes finally falling forward.
“He’s an idiot,” Touya continued, “but a strong idiot. He got me, Rumi, and the kid out of there before Overhaul could kill us. He saved us. So have a little faith in him when it comes to saving himself, yeah?”
“Y-Y-Yeah,” Izuku spoke wetly, stifling sobs as he rubbed at his eyes. “T-Thanks, T-Touya…”
Touya smirked, ruffling the boy’s hair. “No prob, kiddo.”
“You said you, Rumi, and the kid,” Shouta spoke next. “What do you mean the kid?”
Touya’s eyes darkened, his hand clenching the sheets atop his legs. Rei brushed her son’s white hair back, kissing his forehead and whispering, “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to, Touya. We know everything is confidential.”
Hizashi piped up, “What she said, Touya.”
Touya shook his head, stilling when it seemed to hurt. “No. You’ll- you’ll all find out about it soon enough.” And then, taking a deep breath, he explained.
…
Overhaul had kidnapped a child. A child. And had been torturing her. For years.
Fucking. Years.
To say Shouta was pissed would be an understatement. He was so mad, in fact, that his Quirk set off and his husband sent him out to the cafeteria to calm down. Natsuo trailed after him, claiming that Shouta would need help carrying enough food for all of them back to the room. Shouta didn’t even bother to mention that they could have the food delivered to the room- he knew Natsuo was just trying to look out for him. Similar to how Shouta had been looking out for all of the Todoroki children for several years, now.
Ever since Keigo’s and Touya’s years at UA, Shouta and Hizashi had known Endeavor was abusive. They found out shortly after Keigo and Touya entered their second year just how far the lengths of his abuse went, and Shouta immediately made it his mission to get Rei out of the hospital and to get the kids out of Endeavor’s fiery clutches. And he succeeded. Rei, who had finished her treatment but was still being kept in the hospital due to Endeavor’s wallet, was released upon Nezu going feral on the Pro Hero and his agency. Trying to keep everything hush-hush, Endeavor conceded with Shouta’s plan for the kids to move away from their home and move into an apartment- the location unknown to Endeavor- with their mother. Of course, the Number Two Pro Hero still had visitation rights after Rei divorced him (and Shouta was loathe to admit that it seemed like the man was actually trying to get better), but even Shoto was old enough now to decide if he wanted to see his father or not.
And so, Shouta became the Todoroki family’s hero. And, beyond that, he became a pseudo-father to the whole Todoroki brood. It didn’t make matters any better when Shoto and Izuku became friends- and things got even worse when Touya and Keigo started dating- but Shouta really wouldn’t have it any other way.
As Natsuo picked up a tray laden with snacks, Shouta took up several bottles of water in his own arms. Side-eyeing the teen (because Natsuo may have graduated from UA’s support course that previous year, but he was still in his “teens” as far as Shouta was concerned), Shouta cleared his throat. “How’re you holding up?”
“How are you holding up?” Natsuo shot back, and even for the teen’s cocky countenance, Shouta could see how his hands were white-knuckled along the cafeteria tray’s edges. “We know Touya’s gonna be fine, but-” And then he stopped himself, quickly changing gears. “-I mean, Kei’s gonna be fine, too, I know, but- but he’s not- and he’s-”
“Hey, breathe, Natsuo,” Shouta quickly stopped the teen. “Take a breath. Like you said, Keigo’s gonna be fine.” He has to be fine, or I’ll… I don’t know what I’ll do.
Natsuo took a deep breath, releasing it slowly and turning to smirk at Shouta. “Thanks, Dadzawa.”
“I told you to stop calling me that.”
“Sho-Dad?”
“No.”
“Father Zawa?”
“What am I, a priest?”
“Daddy Ai-”
“Absolutely not, Natsuo.”
Natsuo dissolved into a fit of laughter as Shouta shouldered past the guards and shoved the door to Touya’s room open. Immediately, the man noticed the lack of two certain troublemaking preteens in the room.
“Where are Izuku and Shoto?” he asked his husband, although it was Rei who answered.
“Shoto asked if he and Izuku could go for a walk.”
Shouta tensed up, and Hizashi placed a hand on his husband’s arm. “It’s only for a few minutes, babe,” he told the other man. “The Green Bean was getting a little overwhelmed when Touya was talking about their mission… Apparently Overhaul got away.”
“He what?” Shouta demanded, growing even more agitated. And then, whirling to Touya, he snapped, “What details did you give Izuku?”
Touya frowned pointedly. “They’re gonna be fine just going for a walk, Sho. Why’re you-”
“Because my youngest son is the biggest Problem Child I know,” Shouta seethed back, “and if you gave him a location and told him Overhaul got away-”
Rei gasped, a hand shooting up to her mouth. “He wouldn’t. Izuku- he wouldn’t!”
Hizashi was wide-eyed as he croaked, “He would.”
Touya looked sick to his stomach. “And Shoto went with him… oh, fuck, I fucked up-”
“Tell me everything you told Izuku,” Shouta demanded, already planning on ripping his son a new one when he found him and got him back to safety. “Now.”
…