#kgjdhslkjfdg here it is!

[forgedobsidian]

Aphelion

A MHA fanfiction. Chapter 15 of 20.

Chapter 1     Chapter 2     Chapter 3    Chapter 4    Chapter 5     Chapter 6

Chapter 7     Chapter 8     Chapter 9     Chapter 10     Chapter 11

Chapter 12   Chapter 13   Chapter 14

AO3

Summary: Izuku has been kidnapped by All For One, for reasons the young boy doesn’t understand. He is forced to stay at a rundown facility, surrounded by villains and, for all he knows, completely without help. In-between his attempts to escape or learn why he has been stolen, the young boy spends his time with a near-comatose man who seems strangely familiar.

Trigger Warnings for: kidnapping, body horror, medical torture, needles, and pain

Especially medical stuff in this chapter.

Inko nearly fell through the doors of the hospital, Hisashi right behind her. Her coat was haphazardly thrown over her shoulders, and one of her shoes wasn’t on all the way. The minute she’d been contacted by Detective Tsukauchi both she and her husband had bolted out of the door. The ride to the hospital had been tense and quiet, Inko’s grip on her phone nearly cracking the case. She’d bolted from the taxi before it had pulled to a complete stop, her heart pounding and skittery in her chest.

Then, for the first time in six weeks, she saw her son.

“Izuku!”

Her son turned, his face twisting when he saw his mother. He ran to her and Inko knelt down, pulling him into her arms. Something warm shifted in her heart, and the world felt right.

“Mom,” Izuku whispered, hands fisting the coat around her shoulders.

“My Izuku,” Inko said, feeling a fresh well of tears build in her eyes. Her son felt skinnier than he’d been before, and he shook in her arms. “My little Izuku. Mom’s here.”

“Mo-om,” Izuku sobbed. Inko felt a wet spot start to grow on her shoulder, and held him tighter even as tears built in her own eyes.

A shadow blocked out the hospital lights. “We should move to an examination room, Mrs. Midoriya.”

She looked up to see Officer Kuznetsov peering down at the both of them with a gentle expression.

“Okay,” Inko said, standing. She didn’t let go of Izuku, instead keeping him balanced on her hip like she used to when he was young. Izuku just tightened his grip around her neck and threw his legs around her waist as they walked down the hallway and into an empty room.

Inko sat down on the waiting examination table, Izuku shifting to sit next to her without releasing his grip. Hisashi settled in a out-of-the-way chair, fingers tying themselves into knots between his knees.

“A nurse will be by to give him a quick checkup.” Kuznetsov crossed her arms and shifted her weight. “The detective will be here soon. He’ll want to see you, but we’ll give everyone a bit before we start asking questions.”

“Alright. Thank you, officer.” Hisashi stood up and bowed.

She held up her hand. “No thanks necessary, Mr. Midoriya. We’re just happy to see you all together.” She gave a warm grin and backed out into the hallway. “I’m just outside the door if you need anything.”

The door closed with a click, and Izuku shivered and huddled closer to Inko. She held his shoulders and rubbed his back as he buried his face in her arm. He hadn’t even seemed to notice Hisashi. “It’s okay, Izuku. I’m here. Nothing’s going to hurt you.”

Hisashi slipped back into his chair, opening his mouth to say something. Inko shot him a look. His face twisted and he settled his gaze back on the floor without saying anything.

Inko held her son close, her eyes slipping closed, feeling him breathe next to her. She rested her cheek on the top of his head and pressed a kiss to his temple.

My baby boy. I have my baby back in my arms.

Inko heard a knock at the door and opened her eyes as it swung open. Detective Tsukauchi and a nurse moved into the room, the detective sporting a slightly frazzled appearance and the nurse with a stainless steel tray clutched in her hands.

“Hello, detective,” Inko said, keeping a firm hold on Izuku.

He nodded in greeting. “Mrs. Midoriya.” He knelt down in front of the examination table, hands clasped on his knees as he looked up at the pair. “And Izuku. I’m happy to finally meet you. My name is Naomasa Tsukauchi, and I’m the detective who’s been looking for you. It’s good to see you safe.”

Izuku shifted and gave a slow nod. “Hello.” His voice was quiet, and something in Inko’s chest squeezed.

Tsukauchi smiled. “Nurse Umō is going to take care of you for now, okay? Depending on what she says, you might have to stay the night in the hospital. Is that alright?”

Izuku hesitated and looked up at Inko. She nodded and rubbed small circles into his shoulder.

“I . . . okay. That’s okay.” Izuku sniffed and sagged against Inko’s side.

Tsukauchi nodded and stood up. “Hopefully you’ll be home soon, okay? I’ll need to talk to you about what happened, but unless there’s something really important you think I should know right now, we’ll wait until you’re rested.”

“I -” Izuku sighed. “Not really, but . . . be careful. They’re dangerous.” He whimpered and pressed his head against Inko. “My head hurts.”

Inko kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

The detective shifted on his feet. “Who’s dangerous, Izuku?”

He clenched his eyes shut, his voice a rough whisper. “The villains.”

“Were they keeping you captive?”

Izuku nodded, his face going pale. Inko hummed in the back of her throat and shot a worried look at the detective.

Tsukauchi got the hint. “There’s no need to talk about it just yet.” He rested his hand on the doorknob. “Just remember that you’re safe now.”

Izuku’s voice was muffled by Inko’s sweater. “‘M’kay.”

The detective looked at Inko. “Kuznetsov and Ricci will be staying here, just to keep an eye on things.”

Inko nodded. “That’s wonderful. Thank you, detective.”

He gave a tired smile and closed the door behind him. The nurse stepped around the room, placing the tray on a nearby countertop and fiddling with some of the instruments she’d carried in with her.

“Alright, Izuku. I’m going to give you a checkup. Just to make sure you’re okay. Do you feel up to standing on a scale?”  Nurse Umō’s voice was gentle, and her face was soft. Instead of hair, she had purple plumed feathers resting flush against her head and the back of her neck. She smiled as she turned to look at the pair on the table.

Izuku gripped Inko’s sweater. “N-not really. I feel kinda sick.”

Inko squeezed his shoulder and pressed another kiss to the top of his head.

The nurse nodded in understanding. “That’s okay. We don’t need to get everything done right away. Is it alright if I look at your eyes and ears?”

He sniffed and nodded, and Inko felt her heart break a little more when she saw the dark shadows under her son’s eyes.

The room was quiet as Umō looked over Izuku’s eyes and ears, and she gently tipped his head one way then the other, asking if it hurt. Both the nurse and Inko eyed the bandage over Izuku’s brow when he winced, and Umō was gentle as she settled her hands on the edge of the table.

“Can you tell me what happened to your head, Izuku? Does anywhere hurt?”

Izuku gripped Inko’s shirt. “I fell. And . . .” He temporarily let go of Inko, tugging his sleeves down over his hands.

Inko looked at him, trying to hide the worry in her voice. “Izuku? Honey?”

“Sweetheart, can I see your arms?” The nurse held out her hand, her face carefully neutral.

Izuku shuddered and held his left wrist. The nurse gently held his hand and pushed his sleeve back. Inko choked back a gasp at the uniform red marks that dotted Izuku’s skin. The needle points were bruised around with purple and brown, and Izuku winced when the nurse gently ran her finger along his arm.

“Did they give you anything, Izuku?” The nurse was looking at her son’s face, compassion thick in her eyes.

Her son nodded, and Inko felt something impossibly angry bloom in her chest. She whimpered and clenched her eyes shut, holding Izuku tight against her.

The nurse sighed. “I’m sorry, honey. I’m going to have to draw some blood, okay? We need to make sure you didn’t get anything that’ll hurt you.”

Izuku went ridgid in Inko’s arms.

“Izuku?” She opened her eyes and leaned down, resting her head next to his ear. “I know it’s scary, but we need to know that you’re not going to be s-sick. I’m right here. Nothing’s going to hurt you.”

The nurse shot her a grateful look and started to prep a syringe. “I’ll be quick, okay? I promise.”

Izuku was shivering. Inko held him close, turning his head into her shoulder and pressing her mouth to the top of his head. The nurse moved quickly, holding a cotton ball and a bandaid over the leftover mark. Inko didn’t watch -- her entire focus was on her son. She whispered in his ear, holding him close as the nurse finished.

“Alright, all done.”

Izuku flinched when the nurse spoke. Inko and Umō exchanged looks of concern, which Izuku missed as he gingerly lifted his head from Inko’s shoulder.

Umō gestured to her forehead. “This happened when you fell, right?”

Izuku nodded, one hand reaching up to trace the edge of the bandage.

“Can I take a quick look?”

He nodded again.

The nurse gently peeled the bandaid free, her eyes closely looking at the damage.

Inko peered at her son’s forehead, hands still clasped around his shoulders. There was a bit of swelling, though the bruising had gone down to faded purples and yellow. There was a small scab across the arch of his brow, cutting through his eyebrow.

“Well, that’s healing nicely. We’re going to let it get some air, okay?” Umō grinned.

Izuku gave her a hesitant smile in return.

The nurse stood up and started to write things down on a pad she pulled from her pocket. “We’re going to keep you in the hospital for a day or two, okay? Just to make sure you’re okay and safe.”

Izuku tensed and leaned buried his head into Inko’s shoulder. His voice was a trembling whisper as he said, “I want to go home.”

Inko felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. “I know, honey.” She rubbed soothing circles into his shoulder blades. “I’ll be here the whole time. You won’t be alone.”

Her son shivered, and Umō pushed a blanket from the nearby cupboard around his shoulders. “It’s very temporary, kiddo, I promise. You’ll be safe and with your family. We’ll all take care of you, okay?” She gave a gentle smile as she patted the blanket around his back.

Izuku tucked his chin under the edge of the blanket. “. . . ‘kay.” His eyes narrowed, surprisingly sharp for all the exhaustion in his face. “Um, miss nurse?”

“Yes?”

Izuku fiddled with the bottom of Inko’s shirt. “. . . Mr. Yagi.”

Umō’s eyes softened. “The man you were brought in with?”

Izuku gave a shaky nod. “I . . . is he, um.”

The nurse smiled. “I’ll go and check with Dr. Mori and see how he’s doing.”

Izuku sighed and nuzzled his head under his mother’s chin. “Thank you.”

Umō gave a nod and left the room, leaving Inko with her son. Izuku put his arms back around her chest and curled close to her body. Hisashi was still in his seat, staring at the floor. Inko noticed the faint stubble on his jaw, and the shadows under his eyes.

“I love you so much, Izuku,” Inko whispered, feeling her son sag into her side. “I-I’m here. It’s okay.” She brushed back his hair, some part of her mind noticing that he’d need a haircut. “How do you feel, sweetheart?”

“Tired.”

Inko started to rock slowly back and forth on the examination table. “You can rest now, honey. A bit in the hospital to make sure you’re okay, then we can go home. How does that sound?”

Izuku nodded and yawned. “‘N we gotta make sure Mr. Yagi’s okay. ‘S a friend.”

“I - of course.” Inko felt Izuku start to sag against her belly, sleep finally tugging down his tired eyelids.

She didn’t think about whoever this Mr. Yagi was, or what they might find in Izuku’s blood. She didn’t think about the bruising, or the needle marks, or the thinness of her son as he pressed against her. She just rocked back and forth, gently combing through his hair with her fingers, feeling him breathe against her.

My baby boy is home.

“Toshinori Yagi, age unknown,” the aid said as they ran alongside Eiko. “Suspected drug withdrawal, malnourishment, and shock.”

“Right,” she said, and kept her hand splayed across Yagi’s quivering shoulder, holding him tight to the gurney. “Prep a blood panel. We’ll keep him on saline, but I don’t want to give him anything until we know what he has in his system.”

“And the implants?”

“We’ll deal with those when he’s calmed down.” A violent tremor had Yagi arching his back against the hands of the other aids, and a muscle in his jaw was spasming. “I don’t want tools around him like this.”

The aid nodded and sprinted down the hallway, skidding around a turn towards the trauma unit. Eiko continued alongside the gurney, helping the others push it along the hallway. Yagi had stilled somewhat, the massive tremors giving way to weak shivering. Mori didn’t like the way he was losing energy, and his bare skin was coated in a layer of sweat and dust.

Then her eyes fell to the tips of his fingers. At first she took the purple discoloration for bruising, but then she noticed the fast heart rate she could feel in Yagi’s wrist, and the straggling wheeze in his chest.

“He’s going hypoxic,” she said, her voice jumping to make herself heard. She activated her quirk, her vision slipping past his skin and muscle, and peered into his chest. Nausea jumped up her throat, but she swallowed it back down. “Change of plans. We’re going directly to surgery.”

“Ma’am?”

“He’s drowning.” She shook her head. “He doesn’t have his left lung, and the right looks like it’s had a segment resection. He’s developing a pulmonary edema.”

“Right.” All the aids worked together to push the gurney around the corner, opposite from the trauma center.

Eiko moved quickly, allowing the aids to prep Yagi for surgery as she washed her hands and slipped into an operation gown. When she walked into the theater, the grimy pants Yagi had been wearing had been cut away and an aid was starting to clean down the right edge of her patient’s chest with orange antibacterial wash. A nurse quickly took a sample of blood and slipped out of the theater, taking the vial with him to do a blood panel.

Eiko stepped forward after a protective sheet had been put down around Yagi’s chest, and she held a scalpel along the right-sided curve of his ribcage. She spared a glance for her patient, taking in the unnaturally pale skin and the jutting bones. They’d used as little anesthesia as possible, and had already started a fluid line in the corner of his left elbow. An oxygen mask covered his face, and there were small puffs of fog as he breathed.

Eiko gave Yagi’s shoulder a comforting pat and started to cut.

She’d been working in the medical field for eight years, mostly as an emergency responder and surgeon. Her quirk, “Wavelength”, let her see in a variety of light spectrums, from x-ray to infrared. Her eyes were small black holes, not giving away any light, and appeared completely black. She’d worked at aftermaths of natural disasters, from fires and hurricanes to mudslides. She’d been a first responder to accidents, from automobile collisions to bridge and building collapses. She’d been a the sides of civilians after villain attacks, and had treated more injuries than she could remember.

While putting a shunt into a chest cavity wasn’t a particularly difficult surgery in itself, Yagi’s shuddering breaths made her cautious about where she was cutting, and that he had so little lung left to lose made her sweat.

She forced herself to focus on the problem in front of her, unwilling to look at the portions of his body that didn’t pertain to his chest. She tried not to think about the stark signs of abuse and neglect, the needle marks up and down his arms, the disturbing ports in his arms and chest and back, or the faint bruises that dotted his body from where his skeleton pushed up against his painfully thin muscle and skin. The scars on his torso, the sickening injury on his left side that was twisted and wrinkled further by ports, was resolutely pushed to the back of her mind.

Then he woke up.

His eyes opened and went wide as he jack-knifed up off the table, pulling the oxygen dispenser with him. Eiko jerked her arms away, avoiding skewing her patient with a narrow scalpel.

Yagi was delirious, sweat coating his forehead and his eyes hazed over. He tried to pull at his IV’s, and the incision Eiko had already made was torn further and started to bleed out of control. She and the aids all grabbed at his arms and legs, trying to keep him from hurting himself any more than he already had.

“N-no, ngh,” he said, his voice rough and garbled. Then he looked down and saw the bleeding incision in his side. Yagi froze, limbs locking in place, and something felt very, very wrong as he whispered, “Please, no.”

“Mr. Yagi,” Eiko said, trying to get his attention. “Calm down. You’re in surgery.”

His blurred eyes skipped right over her. Eiko moved closer. “You’re safe. We’ll take care of you, okay?”

He looked confused, then exhausted, then his eyes rolled in his skull. He went completely limp, and Eiko had to grab his head to keep him from knocking it back against the operating table. He’d blacked out, she was sure. The anesthesia hadn’t done anything.

Eiko didn’t allow herself to think long on the fear in his eyes, or the drained resignation she’d seen before he went unconscious.

“He must have a built immunity to anesthesia,” Eiko said as she wiped at her forehead with her shoulder and bent back over her patient. “Keep an eye on him, but don’t give him anything more. Not until we know what all is in his system.”

It was going to be a long night.

Naomasa smiled and shook his head as he closed the door behind him, leaving the Midoriyas in the care of the nurse.

“Maybe this is a little sappy, but I really love that part of my job,” he said, scratching the back of his neck and looking at the floor. He didn’t catch the glance Dana and Marco shared between the two of them.

“Me too, sir,” Dana said, turning to walk back down the hallway alongside her partner.

Naomasa pinched his chin with his fingers. “An abandoned quarry, you said?”

Marco nodded. “Along with an old railway, fairly close to the bar that you got a tip about. We would have looked around more, but we had to focus on getting back to the hospital.”

Dana crossed her arms, eyes following the reflected lights on the floor. “We contacted the chief, and he’s sending out a patrol to search the area. They should be on their way now.”

“Good. I’ll head out, then, and meet them there. Apparently it’s a villain nest. They’ll need all the help they can get. That being said,” he turned to the pair, “I want you two to stay with the Midoriya’s. They’ll appreciate the extra security.”

“About that,” Dana rubbed the back of her thick neck, “you might want to stay here too, actually, detective.”

Naomasa quirked a brow. “Why?”

“It’s something the kid said. It was pretty surprising.”

Naomasa rested his weight on one leg. “And?”

“It was about the man he was found with. The one they’re working on right now.” Dana’s eyes skittered along the floor. “Apparently he and Midoriya escaped together. The kid said they were friends.”

“He said this guy,” Marco took a breath and gestured back towards the emergency center, “was named Toshinori Yagi.”

For a moment the world seemed to freeze. Naomasa turned slowly, something old and wounded clawing its way free in his chest. “He said what?”

Author’s Note:  I’M SUPER SORRY FOR HOW LATE THIS CHAPTER IS GETTING POSTED! I know I said in the last author’s note that it would be about two weeks, but time did that thing that time does i.e. it didn’t stop. Also this chapter needed more cleaning up than I was expecting. Thank you all for your patience ^^

It was super heartwarming to see how many people were looking forward to this fic being updated. Thank you!!! <333 Also everyone being slightly wary bc there’s only a couple of chapters left made me laugh. No worries - I have long term plans for this fic :)

Mori is a character I’ve had in mind for a while. Shoutout to my old astronomy textbook for helping me figure out the workings of her quirk!! Also, I generally try to be fairly accurate with medical stuff, but there’s always a chance I’ll get something wrong. 

Thanks for reading!!

#toshinori yagi #izuku midoriya #all might #inko midoriya #naomasa tsukauchi #mha #bnha #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #aphelion #kgjdhslkjfdg here it is! #forged fanfiction