After the long trip to the hospital, Aizawa Shota was nowhere near restless, far from it actually, but he had all rights to be. The raven haired man kept pacing in the waiting room and his best friend from high school, Yamada hizashi was none the less worried as he bounced his leg while sitting on one of the chairs in the room. "Sho?" he was worried, for his friend and for his son, so what kind of friend would he be if he wasn't there for him.

When he picked up the phone nearly an hour ago, he wasn't expecting it to be Shota calling, he wasn't expecting him to ask him to meet in the hospital and the news came crushing in like a race car in a smooth straight track. He had never changed out of his clothes and drove that fast before. The call itself gave him flashbacks of when he heard of Inko's death. "Sho!"

He was a bit conflicted though, Shota finally has his son back, he had never met the boy before but he did see him, or rather old pictures of him. He'd leaned in every time Inko sent her husband a new picture or a video. He was happy for him to finally see his only child, but did it have to be this way? "Shota!"

The man finally snapped out of it and reluctantly walked his way to the seat next to the blond. "It's been too long." It was barely a whisper but he caught it.

"It's been less than an hour." He sighed at his friend who took out his phone to check the time before dropping his head in his hands. "I know you're worried but digging a path in the waiting room won't help, how about you try to get some shut eye and I'll wake you as soon as the doctor comes."

It was a bit of a comfort to know he's not alone in this, the other could be a little too loud to bear, a little too lively and enthusiastic with a flair for the dramatics, but Shota can't help at times but be thankful for their friendship. Ever since he met the guy in high school, he stuck to him like that annoying chewed gum that you have no idea how it got stuck on your favorite shirt. Hizashi at first was just that, an annoyingly sweet gum, but underneath that Shota saw a caring person, not that it was hard to see, but he knew when the raven needed space and when to nudge him out and change the mood. He'll never say it, don't think it's needed to be said, but Hizashi holds a special place in his heart. Yes people, Aizawa Shota do have a heart.

So he let out a sigh along with a head shake, ran his hand through his hair and just sat there waiting, counting the seconds turned minutes turned hours until the first light of the next morning and until the doctors could finally tell them they could see him.

***

He'll admit that he never wants to do this again, can't promise because as much as he would rather it he's not dead.

The moment he woke he was greeted by pale blue walls and the hushed unfamiliar voices of the silhouettes at his side, it was a bit foggy, and it felt for a second there like he was underwater. The pain and the buzzing was still there, more bearable and fainter than before but still there. He tried to sit up but he got light headed within the instant, he felt like throwing up but kept it in. His vision cleared up enough for him to see two figures, wearing a long white dress, both were in the height of a normal adult and it soon clicked, they were doctors.

Flashes of a chair with straps and trays with medical scissors, bandages, disinfectant bottles and syringes. His arms felt numb and he could hear screaming and crying, faint but there. He doesn't know when did his sight got surrounded by black, the room got dimmer and a shiver was sent down his spine, the black soon started to spread till his head hit the pillow again. Last thing he remembers is a calm voice telling him to rest.

The next time he woke up, he felt just a little bit better. Upon looking at his left, he saw a window. He peaked up to his right and saw a small closet next to a door, nothing too peachy about it. Just a normal hospital room... hum?

Wait hospital? He sat up and looked out of the window in hopes to find an escape route but the sight before him successfully left him in tears as he opened it up. Nothing but a small parking lot, pouring into a side road where cars went by, an occasional honk sent out every now and then, people walking around idly, he could even hear the chirping of birds in the trees lined up parallel to the road. He was out, he was free.

But what about Eri? All that happiness seemed to drain out of him at that thought. Is she around? Is she alright? Wonder what she's doing right now, there is no chance she's still with Overhaul, right? They stopped him right? He wasn't well aware of it but in the middle of his panicking a nurse walked in.

"Dear? You might want to close the window, it's a little bit too cold don't you think?" her voice was so calming it didn't scare him how close she was to him, her presence was actually very relaxing. He nodded his head before glancing outside one more time and closing the window. "How are you feeling?"

"Umm... I-uh... f-fine? I g-guess?" why does he have to stutter all the time. He pulled himself to the far corner of the bed, balling up on himself. He opened and closed his mouth multiple times, thinking of better ways to word it, it felt like ages for him to finally speak up. "I uhh... was wondering if... is it okay if... there was this little girl, sh-she was... stuck with me in Overhaul's base... is- is she okay? They got her away from them , right? She's not..."

"You mean Eri-chan?"The nurse was nothing but calm, encouraging and patient. "She's still in the hospital. She's been asking about you from the moment she stepped foot in here, would you like to see her?"

He didn't hesitate with nodding his head yes, trusting his movement rather than his voice. And as he watched her smile at him as she asked next "would you like anything? Water? If you're feeling hungry I could-" a knock on the door got both of their attention, interrupting the nurse mid-sentence, "come in".

Another woman peaked out of the door and she walked in, dismissing the other out of the room, she introduced herself before coming anywhere near the trembling child, "hello, my name is Kuroko Iso and I'm here to help you get better and make sure you're fine, so don't hesitate in asking if anything bothers you, okay?"

Her voice was calm as well, but unlike the nurse, it was firm, a certain tone that wouldn't leave any place for negotiations. And even if he didn't, or rather couldn't find it in himself to believe her, he still nodded. He can't shake the fear that's settling in his core, he doesn't feel at ease knowing he's at a hospital. If anything it gives him the urge to up and leave, uncaring about the hows and whys, the place was bringing him bad memories and he's holding every piece of him from falling into that deep pit. He keeps reminding himself that it'll be fine, he's gonna be fine, they're gonna be fine.

"I have some news to tell you." She took a deep breath in, and when she exhaled a little piece of him slipped past the ropes he used to keep himself together. "Well first of all, your medical condition is complicated; your body doesn't respond to a lot of medicine, we'll have to check that, we'll have to run out some tests but don't worry about it, it's all for your own good. We won't run them now, right now you have a visitor"

Complicated? Well... it-it doesn't really matter; he took the risk back there. This surely is some sort of backlash. So he focused on the important matter. "Mom?"

She shook her head no, and another just slipped out and fell into the pit.

He doesn't know the world hates him.

"I'm sorry to tell you, but your mother can't... make it here, I assume she had told you very little about your father correct?" she asked, he nodded. The motion felt robotic. "And she had told you that he traveled away for work? That's a common lie parents make when their partner is a pro hero"

Hold on... a lie?... pro hero?

And the world doesn't hate him.

"You see, your father is a pro hero and due to his work line being dangerous, most people would part ways. I don't know the full detail, but your father is here, he's been coming here from day one. Would you like to see him?" with her voice the only anchor keeping him in here, he could feel himself slipping deep down, drowning in that pit. He wants to ask, wants to cry and deny it, but the phrasing is there. Something happened to mom, she's not here. She should be, she must've heard, if his so called father is here then she knows right?... right?

But sometimes, in order to get what you want you have to pay for them.

He teared his eyes from the doctor and stared at the sheets, he gave a small nod to her. Can't make it here? Maybe... maybe she's caught up with work? No she'd take a notice to come and see him. Maybe sick? He remembers her keeping away from him when she got sick, she was obsessed with cleaning and always warned him to stay away from his classmates if they were sick... but she'd be here none the less. After so many years of trying to find him, maybe... maybe she doesn't want him, maybe she moved on from hi- click.

Sometimes the price is low, a toy or some sleepless nights, but sometimes they coast you so much they'd make you question was it worth it?

He looked up and saw a man mid thirties with raven hair that's tied in a low bun. As he came closer, he noted a small scare just bellow his right eye, but other than that there was nothing specific, nothing that screams pro hero. But since when did he wait for the scream, he knows who this man is; rather he knows which hero he is. Because you see, overhaul trained him to have a vigilant eye, as much as he hates him, the man made sure that Izuku wasn't your normal hero fanboy.

So he did the only thing his mind and body agreed to do, he held eye contact and asked the only and new question on his mind "where's mom?" and boy did that get him a negative respond.

In the end, you decide if it's worth it or not. In the end, the deed is done and there's no reversing time.

Aizawa couldn't hold himself from flinching, yes he's an adult, but every grownup has questions they wish would never be forced to answer. The help from the doctor was appreciated; he would never want to creep up his kid on their first time meeting, heck he would have rather it be someplace else than a hospital or through a villain fight. So he had to move on from that, he let out a small sigh before replying "she... Izuku, I'm sorry but your mom is... dead"

It was his turn to flinch, like he has touched fire he jerked up, searching in those red eyes anything that could indicate a trace of a lie, but found nothing but pain. His eyes teared up and he shook his head, she can't be dead, she... just no, who... whenever he was hurt, so close to giving up he always thought of her and how she'd fret over him, he'd remember her and keep on going just because of her, only to see her. He'd say it won't last and before he knows it, he'll be home at their apartment cuddling to her side on the couch while watching some silly shows.

So she can't be gone, he tightened his grip on the sheets. Why would she leave? She was fine last he saw her; it's not the yakuza right? They didn't kill her so he didn't have anywhere to run to right? He felt some weight on the side of the bed before he was pulled into a hug. A warm hug that made him feel safe, safe and warm and it reminded him so much of the hugs his mom gave him after a bad day at school. it's been a long time since he felt safe so long that he couldn't hold himself anymore and the waterworks had exploded.

He couldn't hold himself as he held his kid in his arms; a crying mess, a tangled up and broken kid, HIS kid and they'll pay for it. Some tears slipped down his eyes but he didn't care, he just hugged him while he shook, sobbed and hiccupped, he just rubbed circles on his back until it was all reduced to sniffling from time to time and the occasional threats of the waterworks breaking again but to no avail.

Even after they figured that the sun has long since gone to sleep, they still refused to do the same. Izuku didn't let go of his shirt, his fist balling on the material in a death grip and quiet honestly he's glad that he's not letting go, he was getting back pains from not moving up from his position still he doesn't want to break from the hug. He sat his head atop the green curls while occasionally ruffling his hair or slipping a small kiss on his forehead. They simply just sat there neither wanting to part ways and neither making any movement to do so.

Because in the end you work with what you get, you keep going. And maybe you'll keep in mind that whoever you lost are looking after you even when you're worlds apart.