Swan Dive

Chapter 10: Pain

Izuku saw Shouta give him a resolute nod—he was trying to tell Izuku to agree. To torture Shouta instead of him. But Izuku couldn't. He would never be able to live with himself if he did such a thing. Instead, he glared at Hisashi, and spoke in the boldest voice he could manage.

"I would never want him in that chair. Y-you can tor-torture me, but don't you dare touch my dad!" It came out much more aggressive than he thought he was capable of, and he saw Shouta pale in horror at his words.

A moment later, a sharp pain had his head whipped to the side. Hisashi had slapped him.

"Very well. Then let's add a condition to this torture, shall we?" The man gave Izuku a twisted smile. "If you scream, even once... even a half-scream... You sacrifice him to the chair instead."

Izuku felt his heart drop before a well of determination burned inside of him, hotter than the flames of hell. "I won't scream." He stated, pushing as much of his determination into his voice as he could.

Shouta looked like he was ready to have a panic attack (or maybe he was already having one) as Hisashi roughly restrained a struggling Izuku into the metal chair.

"We'll just see about that."

Izuku felt the dried blood on the inside of the cuffs flake off as they were tightened down on him. This is where mom died. He realized abruptly. This view of these weapons and this monster's twisted face made up the last moments of his mother's life. That understanding made him want to cry. But he couldn't afford that, now. Not when he had to be brave. He couldn't scream. He had to do this.

Today, he would be Shouta's hero.

Hisashi grinned as he inserted a needle into Izuku's skin. "My special Serum. I used too much yesterday, and your dear mother's heart gave out—I'd forgotten about her... weakened physical health. Don't worry. I've lessened the dosage this time. You should survive."

The pain wasn't slow. It didn't build. It started with a fierce burn that ran up his arm and overtook his entire body in seconds. He couldn't feel anything but the pain. His vision cracked and it took every ounce of self-control to keep his vocal cords quiet.

He thrashed, not even feeling the harsh metal of the cuffs cutting into his wrists and ankles. He didn't feel the way his back arced as liquid fire burned through his veins. He would later be grateful for the cushioned headrest of the chair that prevented him from adding a concussion to the list of injuries he was receiving. The concussion might've loosened his tongue.

Time melted away, stopping in the face of his agony. Izuku had never felt pain like this before. It was indescribable, ten times worse that that stupid Third Year's Quirk, and he forced himself not to give into it.

Don't scream. A flash of Shouta's petrified face, pale and shaking. Don't scream. Hizashi's bright smile as he gave Shouta a welcome home kiss... the thought of how devastated he'd be if Shouta never came home. Don't scream. The image of Shouta laying in a hospital bed after a rough night on patrol, a worried Hizashi, Nemuri, and Inko trading off as they kept him company around the clock. Don't scream. Images of happy times with his family flashed through his mind. Don't scream. He couldn't break that. He couldn't kill Shouta. Don't scream...

After an indiscernible amount of time, Izuku felt the pain start to ebb away. His vision changed from white to color as shapes started becoming recognizable again. Muffled sounds filtered through his ears, but he couldn't make sense of it. Don't scream. His brain felt like mush and his body was numb, and tingly, and cold and it ached. Every muscle spasm felt like a thousand tiny needles prickling his skin. Don't scream. He couldn't form coherent thoughts, and his jaw ached from clenching his mouth shut so tightly for so long. He probably had a chipped tooth, too. Don't scream.

He locked eyes with familiar black—Shouta. The hero's eyes were dilated in fear. He was pale and shaking and there were honest-to-god tears running down his face. He looked so desperate. Don't scream.

He felt a fist grip his hair as the shackles were removed from his bloody wrists and ankles. The hand in his hair was too hot, like there was lava burning beneath the skin, and the sudden movement made his body seize in agony. Don't scream. Hisashi had an intrigued expression on his face, and Izuku couldn't for the life of him understand what he said. Don't scream. The only words that held meaning anymore. His mantra. Nothing else mattered. Don't scream. Protect Dad. Don't scream.

He felt shackles tighten around his wrists again, and a sharp panic overtook him. Don't scream!

Then, gentle arms wrapped around him. He looked up into Shouta's tearstained face. The darkness wrapped around them like a blanket, telling Izuku that Hisashi was gone.

He opened his mouth, whispering fearfully. "D-did I scream?" His throat hurt, like talking was physically difficult. Perhaps it was.

Shouta gave him a watery smile. "No. You didn't scream, Zuzu." He cradled Izuku in those warm, safe arms.

"I'm glad... Dad... W-was I your hero today?" The hero choked back a sob, burying his face in Izuku's hair as he quietly cried.

"Y-yes. My Little Hero."

Izuku finally let himself succumb to the darkness, a soft smile on his face. I didn't scream.