Bruised And Broken

Waiting

A/N: Please don't judge my medical knowledge- it's very limited. Also, I 100% reccomending to sad songs while reading this; some of the ones I listened to while writing this are Where's my Love? /Just come home by SYML and This is Home by Cavetown. Please enjoy!

"His blood pressure's too low!" said the paramedic.

"Can you do something about it?!" Aizawa demanded, his protective nature bristling further.

"Yes-" Her reply was interrupted by a small, odd gasp for air. Everyone's attention was immediately glued back on Shoto; the teen was struggling to breathe. Hizashi helplessly ran a hand through his messy, rain-soaked hair. The damp locks sprawled down his trembling back. Aizawa placed a calming hand on his thigh, but the ravenette himself was struggling to maintain composure.

The paramedic gently yet quickly tilted Shoto's head back and opened his mouth. She deftly slid a breathing tube down his throat. There was an IV in each of his arms, pumping fluids into his body to combat the blood loss. 

Hizashi gripped Aizawa's hand tightly as they continued to swerve along the roads. 

"How long till we're there?" The paramedic called to her partner.

"10 minutes!" He called back.

"We don't have that long! Can you go any faster?"

"I can try."

Shoto's heart beat was slowing more and more on the monitor. The paramedic's, which Aizawa discovered was called Grace according to her name tag, eyebrows were furrowed in worry and stress. 

Aizawa grit his teeth, gave Hizashi's hand a comforting squeeze, and prayed; although he's not religious, he still found himself praying in times of crisis. His heart, contrary to Shoto's, was pounding rapidly and strongly as he struggled to not break down. This was his son. Maybe not son by legal papers (yet), but son by love, emotions and pain. His son was dying. And he could only sit back and watch.

Hizashi was not faring much better. Despite his somewhat artificial, bright personality while teaching or taking a shift at his hero agency, he is a real person with real, deep-felt emotions. And similar to his husband, he saw Shoto as a son. And losing a loved one has got to be one of the most painful feelings on this cruel, cold planet. Shoto's not dead, Hizashi scolded himself, trying to knock himself out of his sentimental musings. Now was not the time to be absorbed in emotional turmoil; he needed to be their for his husband and son. 

The opening of the ambulance doors alerted them to the fact that they had arrived at the hospital. As Shoto was rushed inside, Aizawa and Hizashi, still clutching each other's hands, followed quickly. Shoto disappeared amongst a crowd of doctors and nurses, and the two adults retreated to the waiting room. Aizawa sat down heavily, resting his head in his hands. Hizashi shakily sat down next to him. 

~  20 minutes later~

A young nurse came into the waiting room, scanning the room until he spotted Aizawa and Hizashi.

"You came in with Shoto Todoroki, right?" He asked gently. Aizawa nodded wearily and Hizashi sat up in engagement. 

"He's in surgery- he'll be in there for a while. The doctor said there's only a 10% chance he'll make it... I'm so sorry." The nurse informed them sombrely. Aizawa muffled a 'cough' which sounded suspiciously like a sob. A lone, heart-felt tear trailed down Hizashi's face. 

~10 minutes later~

"He'll probably die." Hizashi said mournfully, voice thick with suppressed tears.

"Will you stop saying that?" Aizawa snapped. He had taken to sitting in silence, praying to whoever is above to save his son. 

"But he has a 90% chance of dying."

"Shoto's been through so much. He's strong."

"But he's lost so much blood!" 

"He's survived this long. He won't go down like this."

"But-"

"STOP IT!" Aizawa demanded, his voice growing louder. Hizashi looked at his spouse in shock; they hadn't shouted at each other in years, excluding when Hizashi jump-scared Aizawa a few months back- but that hadn't be fuelled by anger, stress or hatred. 

Silenced washed over the pair like a freezing-cold wave. 

"Sorry." Aizawa apologised softly. He got up, indicated he was going outside for fresh air, and left through the front doors. Leaning against the outside wall, he let his head rest against the cool brick. It was a cold night; Aizawa could see the vestiges of his breathe in the air. The stars speckled the large blanket of night sky. 

Aizawa returned to the waiting room five minutes later, and his husband instantly perked up at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry." Aizawa said quietly. 

"I'm sorry too." 

~3 hours later~

The pair had fallen asleep; Aizawa's head rested on Hizashi's shoulder, and Hizashi's head rested on Aizawa's head. 

"Sirs?" The same nurse from earlier had returned and was tapping Aizawa on the shoulder. As the pro hero woke up, so did he blonde spouse.

"Did something happen?" Aizawa questioned quickly. Any trace of weariness was erased from his eyes as they became flooded with concern. Hizashi took a few seconds to fully blink away the lethargic vestiges of sleep left in his heavy eyes.

"Shoto's out of surgery; it was successful!" The nurse's kind face split into a beaming grin. Hizashi's face lit up, and a small smile graced Aizawa's lips.

"So he's okay? Can we see him? Is he awake?" Hizashi babbled excitedly. 

"Of course. Room 1101." The nurse's smile suddenly faded from his face. "Be gentle with him, okay? He's been through a lot."

"Of course." Aizawa nodded, grabbing Hizashi's hand and dragging him through countless sterile, brightly-lit corridors. 

"Should I be concerned that you know your way around the hospital?" Hizashi asked suddenly, as they arrived in front of 1101. 

"I looked at a map." Aizawa replied quietly. The door to Shoto's room was painted a light white, and had a small window it it. The room inside seemed to be dimmer compared to the outside corridor; the lights had been dimmed to allow Shoto to sleep. With a deep breath, Aizawa pushed open the door.

His eyes were instantly drawn to the hospital bed situated in the middle of the room. Light blue blankets draped Shoto's legs, but his chest was on full display. And although the hospital gown hid most of the injuries, Aizawa could see stark-white bandages wrapped around Shoto's bare arms. Another bandage was wrapped around his head, his crimson and white hair spilling over the material carelessly. His pale face was patched up with a half a dozen small plasters, each covering small cuts or scratches; while these wouldn't scar, Aizawa couldn't help but wince at the sight of them. The teenager was attached to a ventilator, and Aizawa deduced Shoto's lungs had taken some damage, or he still had major blood loss- although a blood bag was attached to his IV stand.  Shoto's neck was also wrapped in bandages, presumably from Endeavor choking and burning him, Aizawa thought bitterly.

Rage coiled in his stomach as he looked at his son. Hizashi was trembling with anger next to him and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Shoto doesn't deserve this." The blond whispered.

"He didn't deserve any of it." Aizawa moved forward, pulling a blue plastic chair up to Shoto's bedside. He grasped one of the teen's bandaged hands; only the tips of his fingers could be seen through the white wrappings. Hizashi mirrored his spouse's actions, taking Shoto's left hand. Shoto's chest stuttered with weak, but consistent breaths, and the men took that as a win. 

"I'm going to kill Endeavor." Hizashi announced after a minute of silence.

"I think you'll have to fight Dabi for that honour." Aizawa smirked slightly.

"Yeah... why on earth did Dabi save Shoto anyway? It's not that I'm not glad he did, but it seems weird for a villain to save a hero student." Hizashi remarked.

The ventilator's steady beeping filled the tense silence.

"I think they're brothers."