BNHA AU Little Bedtime Stories

Stay Alive (Reprise) (All Might & Inko & Midoriya)

Trigger Warning: Blood and Death. Cause I need to be more careful with triggers.

He runs as fast as he can. The ringing in his ears never stops. He shakes his head, to keep it clear and to get rid of the ringing. It doesn't work. A nurse mumbles him not to run, at least that's as much as he can hear. He can't. Young Midoriya is in a hospital bed. Nothing new here, but he got hurt. Really bad. Toshinori knows he promised Young Midoriya not to worry about him. How could he when he knows the hero's job is the worst one any child could pick, especially all the worrying it could do for one's family? He shakes his head again. He's not Young Midoriya's father. This kid is nothing but a worry trigger.

He finds the room and pants behind the door. He catches his breath and barges into the room.

"Where's my boy?" he pleads. He notices Recovery Girl, already working her magic on him.

"All Might," she breathes as she sees him, the ringing getting louder, "come in, they brought him in half an hour ago."

Her voice sounds sad, almost hopeless. Toshinori can't live with that. He shakes his head to get rid of the ringing. It doesn't work. She clears her throat.

"He lost a lot of blood on the way over -"

Toshinori can't take it anymore.

"Is he alive?" his voice breaks. It's been a while since he showed that much emotion to another person.

"Yes," she pauses, "but you have to understand the bullet entered just above his hip and lodged in his right arm."

Toshinori holds her shoulders in his hands.

"Can I see him, please?"

He could just cringe at his vulnerability. Young Midoriya is a pro-hero now. He knows what he's doing. But Toshinori just can't help but worry for his student. For what he called his successor.

"I'm doing everything I can," she replies in a stern voice, "but the wound was already infected when he arrived."

She gets out of the way and packs her things. Toshinori almost stubbles on his feet as he approaches Young Midoriya's bedside.

"Midoriya..." he whimpers. He hates the way his worry and his emotional side show up without his consent.

Young Midoriya's eyes open and glance around him. When his green and almost dull eyes land on Toshinori, he chuckles and smiles.

"All Might!" he chokes. He closes his eyes for a second, tears pouring out. "I did exactly as you said, All Might. I held my head up high."

He looks at the ceiling. Toshinori can't take it anymore. The ringing dims down.

"I know, I know, shh," he reassures because he doesn't know what to say.

"High..." Young Midoriya mumbles.

Toshinori tries to crack a smile. A very fake smile.

"I know, I know, shh...," he repeats, stroking Young Midoriya's hand. "I know, you did everything just right."

Young Midoriya coughs. Blood is splattered on his clothes and on the sheets. The tears are wetting his cheeks. Toshinori can't help but tighten his grip on Young Midoriya's hand.

"Even before we got to ten..." his rough voice whispers.

"Shh..." is all that Toshinori can say.

"I was aiming for the sky," Young Midoriya stares at Toshinori. Into his eyes, Toshinori will never know. He can only see the helplessness in those sobbing eyes.

"I know, I know, shh..."

He feels like he's reassuring a young child, telling them everything will be alright. But in this case... Toshinori shakes his head. It won't happen.

"I was aiming for the sky..." repeats Young Midoriya, softer this time.

Young Midoriya begins to close his eyes, more tears pouring out. Toshinori squeezes the boy's hand. No response. He bites his lower lip.

"I know," he chokes. He clears his throat. "Save your strength and stay alive!"

A loud banging noise makes Toshinori look behind him. There is standing Inko Midoriya, her small figure all coiled around herself.

"No!" she screams.

Recovery Girl glares at her, but not for long. Toshinori is tripping on his words. The scream and the bang made him lose the ability to think. The ringing is now louder.

"Inko!" his mouth makes out comprehensively.

"Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?" Inko frantically walks through the room, trying to hold her balance and rushing her words. "Who did this, All Might, did you know?" Her voice cracks through her tears and her anger.

"Mom, I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me," Midoriya's voice is barely above a whisper. His eyes are open, but the tears haven't stopped.

"My son!" She hugs him tightly. The only thing Toshinori can do is to stand there, hopeless and useless.

Young Midoriya coughs on her pink cardigan. She shushes him as she strokes his hair.

"We played piano..." he croaks, trying to smile at her only to end up tasting his tears.

"I taught you piano," Inko gently places her hands on his cheeks, looking into him. The ringing gets louder. Toshinori winces and shakes his head to dim it. It doesn't work.

"You would put your hands on mine," Young Midoriya whispers, placing his hand on hers.

"You changed the melody every time."

Inko smiles and rubs her nose against his, sighing softly. Midoriya's hold slips.

"I would always change the line," he chokes, his arm tightening around his abdomen, small tears running down on his cheeks.

"Shh, I know, I know..."

"I would always change the line..." he whimpers, slipping away from his mother's hold. He closes his eyes and winces, curling into himself.

Toshinori hears Inko sobs. He puts a hand on her shoulder, but she shakes it off. Toshinori goes back to where he was, useless. Recovery Girl pats him on the back and offers him candy. He declines politely. He looks back to the mother and son. Inko is now holding her son's hand, her shoulders shaking as if the room is subjected to an earthquake.

"I know, I know," she whispers, kissing his hand. She looks at him, stroking his forehead, keeping his hair out of his eyes. "Ready?"

Young Midoriya nods, whipping his tears, and they both take a deep breath.

"Un-deux-trois-quatre-cinq-six-sept-huit-neuf," starts Inko, dancing her finger to count the syllables.

"Un-deux-trois-quatre-cinq-six-sept-huit-neuf," repeats Young Midoriya, weaker.

"Good." She squeezes his hand. "Un-deux-trois-quatre-cinq-six-sept-huit-neuf."

"Un-deux-trois..."

The room freezes. Toshinori stumbles on his feet and ends up at Young Midoriya's bedside. His eyes are closed. Inko is shaking. The ringing... the ringing has turned into his heartbeat.

"Sept-huit-neuf," pleads Inko, her sobbing echoing. "Sept-huit..."

She presses her son's hand on her forehead and breathes heavily.

Silence.

Toshinori has never heard anyone scream like that. Not in his hero years. He never let anyone scream like that. But hearing Inko screams as loud as she could, it feels like the world has shattered. Her world has shattered. Forever.

What can I say? This song was speaking to me and I wrote something about it. It was super fun to write though. I just like the raw emotions of human beings. It was mostly inspired by the recent chapters of the manga, but no spoilers. This animation was made by Mushie R. and was posted on Mush Archives.

Next up, Bakugo is an icon.

~E