Chapter Text
Izuku questions the noises. Sirens. People. He thinks he's going crazy, really. There are no people down here. Only psychotic toys and doctors that should've died a long time ago.
Speaking of should've died a long time ago, why is he alive? The prototype killed him, he knows. He felt himself bleeding out even as the creature dumped him into a vat of mystery goo. So, Why is he alive?
He's been asking that since he was in the factory. A given, since he'd suffered falls, multiple wounds, and several fights that left him limping without the luxury of food or water. Surely he should've died by now.
Suddenly he finds that he can open his eyes, though it's blurry. White and red blurs, along with what looks like people but can't possibly be people doing whatever they are doing. He tries to speak, nothing.
He could barely move. One of his fingers twitched, and he could blink, but that was all, the only thing.
Before he could figure out what the hell was happening a sudden sprout of exhaustion hit him, consuming his consciousness before he could attempt to fight it.
`
It had to have been a dream. A fluke. Something. Aizawa wasn't expecting a call from the hospital that Saturday night. Upon seeing it, all he thought was that maybe one of his problem children had gotten in trouble and called him instead of their parents so he could get them out of trouble (you have no idea how many times this has happened). But it wasn't, instead it opened a rabbit hole he stopped digging a year ago.
"Sir, I'm calling on behalf of a tenn called Izuku Midoriya. You're his only alive contact, so we ask you come to --- hospital immediately."
They hung up before he could ask questions. And yet, he rushed to pick up his keys and put on clothes, startling his husband, who didn't have a clue why he was rushing and panicked. He didn't explain, he couldn't.
And even as he rushed into the emergency room, he still couldn't believe it.
The bright lights made his dry eyes water but he didn't care, it wasn't worth it to care. He came for one thing. To see if it was true. That his number one problem child, the one who went missing a year ago under "mysterious circumstances" was still alive and they had found him.
Much to his annoyance though, before he could dare walk into the room to see for himself, a nurse pulled him to the side, straight faced like this wasn't a missing child she was dealing with. "Hello, sir. You're here for Midoriya, Izuku?" Aizawa nods, still frustrated she didn't let him walk in the room.
"Well, he's.. it's a weird situation. He has multiple broken bones, a few concussions, many scars and some have infections, a stab wound that breached both sides of his body and even some sprained limbs and cracked bones. It's bad. However, he is also covered in a strange goo that, is for some reason, replenishing his energy among other things. He's not tired, nor does he feel much pain but he's supposed to be dead right now if you count all of his injuries.." Aizawa's face turned into more of a frown as she continued. He didn't know what to say. What did Izuku go through? Where even was he?
"I need to see him." Were the only words that exited his mouth. The nurse protested, but he only pushed past her and opened the room door.
Izuku looked like hell, or like he had been through it, at the very least. His hair was longer, yes. As was his face slightly aged. But there were multiple scars, and even.. bloody bandages over his entire torso, but he wouldn't ask about that yet.
Instead he moved inside the room, just to see the kid up close, clarify that he was actually real. His hand reached out to touch him, but as his hand brushed skin, Izuku's hand shot out, grabbed his instead. His vitals became high, the beeping of the screen speeding, showing that Izuku was panicked, scared even.
Shota, by instinct almost, started to calm him. "Izuku, calm down, you're safe. It's just me, your teacher." He watched as Izuku's eyes, diluted and shaky, moved to his face. They widened once Izuku processed that it was actually Aizawa. This only prompted Izuku to look around more, eyes widening more and more as he realized where he was.
And Shota could only wonder where Izuku had been prior.
`
"WOOHOO, WE MADE IT!" Denki screamed, cheered on by some of his other chaotic classmates. It was the first day of their third year, and while great, bittersweet.
There were many losses and wins alike. One of their most beloved classmates disappeared at the blink of an eye, just after they basically won the war. It was confusing, most of them didn't know how to handle it. Even the villains didn't know where he was.
But they trudged through their second year after that and somehow, a year later, ended up safe and sound in their UA dorms and classroom.
Now, despite the absence of a classmate, it was time to celebrate what they've become and how close they are to being professional heroes.
The classroom wasn't in complete chaos. Only greetings from each other and the Bakusquads expected energy. Yet, none of them had seen their teacher yet. Momo was first to point it out. "Guys? Where's Mr. Aizawa?"
"Now that I think about it, he is very late for class time. That's unlike him." Iida remarks, remarkably 😁.
All of a sudden their chimera of a principal is jumping out from the vents and dusting his suit off. "You are correct!" They all just look at him, they're used to this. "Your teacher has come across.. some technical difficulties, so I will be your homeroom instructor today!"
Half of the class groans, knowing this won't end well. And Mina, being her nosey self, raises her hand -- but doesn't wait for him to say anything. "And, what technical difficulties?" He only smiles. "Why, I barely even know! But considering what I do know, you all will definitely know soon enough!"
Nezu is being honest, even if the class is looking at him with that look people give when they think you're lying. The only message he got from Aizawa was, and I quote, 'Izuku is alive.' That's it. Nezu won't question further until Aizawa says something about it.
Mina is not satisfied with his answer though, but she knows that she will get nothing more from him so she nods.
"Now! Who will take the pleasure in carrying me all day? Hum.. how about you, Katsuki?" The blonde huffs but walks up to the front kneeling so the tiny principal can climb onto him. "Hurry up, rat, I ain't got all day."
`
It's easier to ignore the pain than to remember where it came from. It's nicer to forget you're even injured in the first place.
Izuku learned that during the war. It saved him in the factory. If you forget it's there, you can act like you're in peak condition.
He can't forget it here. Obviously not, it's a hospital. Not to mention, his teacher is here making sure he gets all the care in the world. He takes a 'I don't feel anything' and acts like it's a scream of pain. Even when Izuku is dead serious, he can't feel much.
He's not even sure why that is.
Maybe it's because of the nerves he damaged, maybe it's even because of that goo the prototype threw him in. He's not sure. It doesn't matter, though.
What does matter is that he's back home. He cried when he realized it was actually Aizawa in front of him. Like, actually sobbed. It was great to see someone familiar, and better yet, an actual human. Oh, and a lit up room that wasn't abandoned years ago. Better yet, it's just great to not be anywhere near that factory.
He constantly watched in awe as these people, actual people, walked in and out of the room. He didn't even know how long he had been in that factory. He didn't want to know. But eventually he'd have to, wouldn't he?
"..Zawa Sensei?" The man looked at him expectedly and curious. ".. What's today?"
"Monday.." Oh, two days, that's not.. horrible. "3rd of April... 20XX.." A YEAR? Izuku suddenly feels like puking. He retches a few times, and Aizawa, like a fucking angel, immediately brings the trashcan to him.
He pukes up nothing but bile and that fucking goo. His teacher watches, worried, like this'll kill him. But if all of those toys didn't, nothing will for a very long time.
Even when he'd stopped, the trashcan was still left next to his bed, just in case. "..a year?"
Aizawa sighed, knowing what he was being asked, and nodded, "A year." That felt impossible, to Izuku at least. He couldn't have been in there for more than 3 days, couldn't have. That was too long. It had to be a lie.
"But-" He felt more bile coming up his throat, picking up the trashcan so he could once again puke his insides out. It didn't feel great, considering he hadn't ate much. It felt like his stomach was turning itself inside out, like he was trying to pull food out that wasn't there. The taste was horrible in his mouth. It almost made him throw up more.
Izuku got the hint that talking about it more would make him throw up his large intestine next, so he stayed quiet after he put the trashcan on the floor and curled up into the hospital bed, trying not to think about it.
It only worked until he fell asleep, of course. His mind only likes to torture him more when he's unconscious.
"HUGGY LEAVE ME ALONE-" His yells land on deaf ears.. or maybe none because Huggy Wuggy ignores it, still assaulting the elevator to grab him. The thing is falling apart at this point. Of course it is.
The long arms of the toy continue pushing through panels and lights, trying to grab him like this is a claw machine and Izuku is the toy. As he scrambles out of the way, he hits a wall, a bit harder than he wished he would have, because his arm throws a sharp pain his way that makes him hiss.
"Fuck," this same thing continues until Izuku hears a sound that makes him freeze, a cable snapping, and huggy, of course, screaming. He curses under his breath again, and when he sees there's a possible way out; another floor, he tries to head for it.
Huggy moves first, though. The Grabpack he has on is grabbed, much to his annoyance and dismay, and gets pulled. Izuku attempts to pull it away, keep it, but when the elevator finally collapses, the Grabpack is stolen and as a horrible last feeling, when Izuku braces himself for the fall, he feels a sickening crack. His foot shoots pain up his leg before he falls and passes out as the impact hits.
Izuku wakes up surrounded by nurses. All of which are panicked but he's confused as to why. Well, until one looks at him and with a relieved voice goes, "He's awake!"
His brows furrow and he looks at them all confused. "What's going on..?" They all sigh. One of them moves close to him with a mini flashlight, waving it in his eyes. "Nothing, keep your eyes open really quick." He complies, but is still questioning the situation.
`
Class 3A could only be confused.
Tuesday also didn't include their beloved homeroom teacher. It was instead Nezu making them play chess with each other.
Hopefully, though, Wednesday, he'd come, right?
He did. But everyone noticed one thing, he was off. Just sitting at his desk, staring at his coffee rather than drinking it. His eyebags were bigger than usual, too.
It was all so bizarre.
So, of course, 3A must investigate.
"..Sensei?" Uraraka spoke up, making the dark haired male look her way and huff as a 'go ahead' to ask her question. "Are you okay? You missed a couple of days and now you're not saying anything to us."
Aizawa sighed, he knew it was coming. ".. I'm better than ever." He said, sarcastically. Everyone caught the sarcasm. "What's wrong? I'm very sure we could all help!" Mina stands with her hands on her hips.
"I doubt it." He grumbles, making majority of the class frown. "Hey, old man- if we can survive a war there ain't jackshit we can't help with." You already know who that was.
Aizawa looks at his students. God, he hates that he loves these kids. "You will find out soon enough, for now just do whatever, I guess."
The students were not happy but Aizawa couldn't care less.