He's fucking dead.

Izuku hates that fucking beeping. It rattles in his skull and it hurts . He can't open his eyes, but he can hear, he can smell and he can feel. He can feel the hand petting through his fur, feel the tube in his throat. He backpedals, confused. Fur? That can't be right, he should have shifted back by now, he did last time. Maybe he can't. He feels like he shouldn't, his snout feels wrong, like they've not even attempted to fix it. He hears his dad, speaking softly, Izuku thinks it's him that's petting his fur.

"Izuku? Can you hear me?"

Izuku is so tired, so so tired. He can't talk like this, but he can communicate, even if it's just barely.

Thump.

He can hear his dad huff a soft laugh, it's wet and sickly, like he's been crying, but he seems relieved. "Hi kid. They're going to remove the tube. They can't heal you like this, they've tried all day and I can't get a hold of Recovery girl. they need you to shift back kiddo, they said their quirks dont work when you're like this. Can you shift back?"

Thump.

He isn't actually sure if he can, but his dad asked him to, and no matter what, Izuku trusts his dad.

Izuku learns a little about how his quirk works. He can feel his bones shift and snap in a second, where usually smooth and painless, his face burns and he yowls, which falters into a scream in less than a second. Apparently he's taken more of a beating than he believed, his screams cutting off into cries as he feels his face try to snap into the right position, his ribs settling awkwardly, his shoulders snapping into the wrong place. He cries for his dad as he feels the blood drip down his face. He's undeniably got a massive cut across his face, mostly his own doing by crashing his muzzled snout into the floor, then snapping the muzzle off by force. But it hurts and Izuku can do nothing but reach blindly for his dad in the sea of darkness and pain. He wants to be good, wants to sit still and let the doctors treat him, wants to stop thrashing around for a pack he can't even see, but he can't, he's terrified and he wants his dad. He wants his whole pack, but he knows why papa isn't here. Izuku had been fast, but not fast enough. Maybe he's even scared of Izuku now. He keeps thrashing, and it takes a double dose of sedatives to knock him out cold as his dad clutches his hand tightly and pets his curls.

He wants to see his dad.

When he wakes, he assumes he's on a very strong pain killer, because his face doesn't hurt half as much as it had. He still can't see, and before he can panic, he feels two people grab his hands, one on each side.

"Zuzu. It's okay. Relax." Izuku grips Hitoshi's hand, whimpering softly. It's a few seconds before Izuku can see, and he discovers his face had been bound in bandages, probably to keep it in place, but he wants to see. He needs to. His dad and Toshi hover over him, smiling down at him to help him relax. It works, but they both look like shit. He tries to tell them as much, but he can't open his jaw. He panics, but of course, dad understands. His dad always understands.

"It's okay Izuku. It's just until recovery girl gets here later. She's on her way now. You're okay kid."

So Izuku makes himself calm down, breathes through his nose and watches his dad and Toshi. They sit where he can see them, talking softly to him, holding his hands. They don't talk about All Might, they don't talk about papa. They do talk about the sports festival, talking about how to train and what they'll do for both Izuku and Hitoshi. They talk about increasing Izuku's muscle mass, talk about improving Hitoshi's body strength and stamina. Izuku listens, but stays silent. Increasing muscle mass means eating more, and Izuku already isn't eating enough. His metabolism burns through his food fast, too fast, and he refuses to tell his dads how much he really needs to eat.

Of course, that flies out the window the second the doctor tells his dad that he's still dramatically underweight. His dad doesn't understand until the doctor smiles sadly at him.

"You took Midoriya in, yes Mr. Aizawa?"

His dad frowns and nods. "So?"

"So I suspect Midoriya is afraid you'll see how much his quirk requires. He simply isn't eating enough. He's likely barely eating enough to sustain the lifestyle he maintains. If he doesn't start bulking his food intake, I'm worried it may have permanent side effects."

Shouta stares at the doctor. He's clearly a quirk doctor, what he's saying is clearly true, but Shouta can't believe he hadn't seen it. Izuku's coat as a wolf had been filling out and getting thicker, covering up where Izuku's boney figure had once been visible. The kids' clothes are all oversized, and sure, Shouta noticed how they hung off the kid, but the clothes are massive, borrowing from him and Zashi until they had an opportunity to go shopping for him. Shouta realises that that had been today's plan, to go shopping, get Izuku his hero merch and all the clothes he wanted. To get him comfortable.

Instead Izuku is lying in hospital, and Hizashi is laying in their bed at home, alone, because he didn't want to drag Shouta through this again when Izuku was going to likely experience it for the first time. His train of thought is cut off by the door opening, Recovery girl stepping into the room, small frown on her face as she ignores him in favour of stepping up to Izuku. She speaks softly to him, smiling down at him before she plants a kiss on his forehead. His son is asleep almost instantly, but not without the small whisper of " thank you. "

-

When Izuku wakes again, he's not covered in bandages. He sits straight up, aware the pain feels more like he's fallen down the stairs rather than been beaten to a pulp by Japan's number one hero. He locks eyes with his dad, and now that his jaw isn't wired shut, he can ask what he needs to. "Where's papa? Is he okay? Did I get him to you in time? What happened to that bas-"

"Izuku. Slow down. Hizashi is fine. He just doesn't do so well with reliving something he swore to never lay eyes on. He's real sorry he can't be here kid."

Izuku takes note of the fact he doesn't mention All Might.

It's bad then.

He's allowed to leave the hospital by the end of the day because he lives with pro heroes. He promises to rest, take his pain killers when necessary, and promises to go easy on his training for a week.

When he walks through the doors to go home, he's got one hand in his dads, the other intertwined with Hitoshi's. He knows he's well past the age where kids want to hold their parents hands, but Izuku likes to have the contact. He likes to know they're there.

Izuku is met by soft sobs when he enters the apartment. He hadn't been fast enough, but he'd try to fix it. He hadn't looked at himself in the mirror yet for this specific reason. Judging by the look on his dads and Toshi's face, he'd say he didn't get off kindly. So he walks through the apartment, leaving Toshi and his dad in the hallway, heading straight to his parents bedroom. He steps inside quietly, met with his papa's back, curled in the bed with the blankets around him.

"Papa?"

The sobs get louder. Izuku clambers awkwardly onto the bed, touching his papa's side gently. "Papa. I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough."

Hizashi cries. He cries harder than he ever had over being muzzled himself, because Izuku was here, after being hospitalised, apologising to him. He rolls over, face red and wet from crying, and he sees his worst nightmare before him. Even in the darkness of the room, he can see the damage to his son's face. The scar is raised and ragged, running across his cheekbones and his nose, disappearing up into his hair and down below his jaw. He bets if Izuku lifts his head, the scar will be perfectly connected. So Hizashi sits up, one hand touching the tiny slice over the bridge of his nose. He sits, and he looks at Izuku. His son. "I'm not upset about how fast you were baby. I'm upset that that monster put a muzzle on you at all."

Izuku blinks. He doesn't understand. He only has a scar, a few bruises. "But the muzzle. He-"

"Izuku baby. Yes, the muzzle isn't a good memory for me at all. But the thought of you being as afraid of them as I am, because we couldn't possibly predict All Might would stoop to such levels. But don't you ever believe I'd be mad at you for something like this. Okay? You're my boy. Mine and Shouta's. We're supposed to make sure you're safe. We're supposed to protect you. "

Izuku's crying now too, hands pulling at his hair. He's frustrated, frustrated he couldn't stop All Might, couldn't prevent his papa's pain. But papa takes his hands, puts one on his face, and the other on his own. Izuku can feel it. It's shaped slightly differently, it's faint, but it's there. His papa's scar, the one from his childhood, the one caused by his muzzle. He can feel his own, and he wants to see. "Will you look at it with me papa?"

"Of course baby. Of course I will."

It's.. worse than Izuku is expecting. It's ugly and raised, and Izuku hates it. He's not sure how his pack can even look at him.

"Can I be alone for a second papa?"

"Of course Izuku."

Papa ruffles his hair sadly, fixing how it sits behind his ears before he leaves, leaving the door open behind him. Izuku stares at himself in the mirror, he feels sick, disgusting, like he should throw in the towel now. No one wants to be saved by a hero who is a monster. He touches his face, digging his nails in and dragging, a last ditch hope to get rid of it. Of course, it doesn't work.

"Beautiful."

Izuku freezes, eyes flicking to the person standing in the doorway. His eyes lock with lilac ones, ones surrounded by eyebags that tells him Hitoshi probably hasn't slept the whole time he was in the hospital.

"What?"

Hitoshi smiles at him. It's small and nervous, but it's a smile. "You're beautiful. With the scar, without it, with the new ones you'll gain."

Izuku stares at the sink. He wipes the tear that's running down his face away with the back of his hand, shaking his head. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Hitoshi approaches from behind him, slow, but determined. "No. I'm saying it because it's true. You showed up in the shape of a wolf, and you stayed in the shape of a boy, a beautiful one, who has my fucking heart. I was going to tell you before- before he got you, but I'm telling you now."

"Why? We both know I'm broken beyond repair."

"Because you're broken beyond repair."

Izuku turns around, leaning against the sink and staring at Hitoshi like he'd made a bad joke.

"And because you keep going anyway. You feel responsible for your pack, you fight to be a hero. You do it all, but how much of it do you really do for yourself? Sure, you want to be a hero, but you aren't doing it for fame or money, you're doing it to save others. That's why. You've been battered and broken by life, and you just keep going."

Izuku lets his head fall forward as he nods. He steps up to Hitoshi, pausing before wrapping his arms around him. "Please can we go to bed?" He's not sure if he's asking for his benefit or for Hitoshi's, but he's so relieved when Hitoshi laughs and agrees, leading him to his bedroom. They lay down together, and both of them are out in a matter of minutes, curled around each other.

Shouta stares at the Tv. They're confirming All Might's status in hospital, reporting his injuries after a villain attack. Shouta stares with his teeth grit together. He can't stand it. But he has to know.

"And we've officially confirmed that Japan's top hero is back on his feet! He's taken quite the beating to his side and arm, his shoulder and around his chest, but apparently he's up and ready to go, gearing for a press conference to discuss his injuries and the villain that attacked him!"

Shouta sighs. " Fuck. "

He gives it to the next morning. Izuku has been through enough already, and Shouta isn't exactly excited to put him through more. He's made calls to Nezu, who's promised to be at the press conference. He told Shouta to get Izuku in his uniform and to shave and wear a suit, so he shaves, pulling on a suit he hasn't had reason for in a long time, and he heads to Izuku's room. He swings the door open, pausing when he sees Hitoshi awake with Izuku curled around him, as he just pets his hair. He rolls his eyes, raising his brow. "Finally grow a pair and confess huh?"

"Finally giving up your mistaken for a homeless man tally?"

"…fair enough kid. Get him up and in uniform. All Might's trying to ruin his life again."

"Fuck. I got him old man."

Shouta stares at Hitoshi. The kid doesn't mean just right now. He means it all. He nods, his worry for today soothed by the knowledge that Hitoshi will be by his son's side. "Thanks Hitoshi." He closes the door on his way out, throwing out some food for them. He puts triple in Izuku's bowl, and he waits.

Izuku wakes to Hitoshi gently shaking him. "Zuzu. You have to get ready. All Might is starting shit again." He sighs softly, nodding his head and heaving himself out of his comfortable spot on the bed.

-

Izuku stands in the doorway of the press conference, hand in hand with Hitoshi, his side practically pressed to his dads, a hand curled in the fabric of his suit. He knows it's childish, but he's so tired, and he just wants some peace to be allowed to go to school and spend time with his pack.

They watch Nezu take his seat, and everyone excitedly waits for All Might to step into the room. Hitoshi squeezes his hand and his dad rubs his back. He knows papa is watching at home too.

All Might looks.. awful. He's missing chunks of skin, his face is scarred and it runs down his throat and under his shirt. His arm is in a sling and he's limping. Izuku has absolutely maimed him. He's proud of himself, no matter the outcome, because he did it to protect his papa. They watch him hobble in front of the cameras, up towards the stage.

He raises his foot, misses the step, and trips.

His head hits the ground, and Izuku hears his heart stop.

"No fucking way ."

The reporters are going wild, and Izuku is staring at the dead hero at the front of the room. "There's no way."

His dad speaks first. "Izuku is he-"

Hitoshi laughs softly. "He's fucking dead."

Izuku nods. "He's fucking dead."

His dad's phone starts ringing, and Izuku unashamedly listens in.

"Sho? What the fuck happened? The cameras cut out and-"

"Looks like Izuku isn't gonna be dragged away anymore, Yagi hit the floor. Izu says he's dead."

"Holy fuck? Shouta. You can't have kids in there when the number one hero is dead, Izuku just declared him dead. Jesus Sho."

Izuku shrugs, watching Nezu, who seems to be setting something else up. He steps onto the table, grinning down at Izuku. It's wild and feral, and it makes Izuku grin back.

"Attention all! Yes I know you're all in a bit of shock, but! I have something to share with you all, and a very special guest on four legs!" Izuku sighs and steps away from his family as he shifts, trotting up to sit beside Nezu. "Now! I'd like you to turn your attention to the screen, where I will show you who All Might really was."

Nezu presses play, and Izuku watches Japan fall apart.

The first video is All Might threatening Toshi in the USJ. Even watching it makes Izuku give off a low growl, and it's only soothed by Hitoshi sitting on his paws, leaning back against his legs as he mindlessly scratches Izuku's chest.

The second video is All Might admitting to telling Izuku he couldn't be a hero, paired with the video of Izuku telling Aizawa. They cut out the part where Aizawa broke his nose though.

The third is multiple clips meshed together to make one. It starts in the teachers lounge, Izuku sitting with his tail wagging as his dad's pet and coo over him. It cuts to him sleeping on his own, tail tucked over his face when someone grabs him by the scruff. He hears what All Might was saying for the first time, and he hates it.

"Fucking mongrel. You're no better than that villain boyfriend of yours, both of you are setting two decent heroes up to fall. You're corrupting then you mutt!"

All Might is cut off by Izuku yowling and snapping his teeth, trying to dig his claws in. It cuts away again, this time the screen shows Izuku being backhanded across the gym. Shows the muzzle being strapped around his snout. Izuku knows he's got a bald patch in his fur where his scar is, knows that people are staring at him, but he can't help the low whine that escapes him, even as his dad and Toshi try to comfort him. He only gets louder as it shows All Might muzzling his papa. He watches himself beat his head into the ground, and then he watches the shift in his own body. His hackles raise, his body is coiled tight, blood flowing from his face as he snarls and snaps.

He lunges, and he sees that he hadn't torn down All Might with no excuse, because after the warning snap Izuku can't even remember giving, All Might swings. And Izuku catches the arm and tears.

When the press conference is over, All Mights name holds no meaning as a hero over Japan, and Izuku, his name has been cleared, he's no longer that villain that murdered a Nomu, just a boy who protected his pack.

-

Izuku sits at the table, stuffing his mouth as he eats. His dads have been making him massive portions, for the last day, and his dad even told him he could use the hot water. He felt a little guilty, but he figured if he was quick, then it'd be okay.

"Hey Toshi?"

"Yeah Zuzu?"

Izuku smiles from the couch in his spot between his dads. "Thank you. Thank you all." He's met with soft smiles and even his dad messing his curls.

Izuku sleeps well that night, curled in his dog bed with Hitoshi curled up, leaning on him, Izuku's tail covering him up. Izuku thinks he'll be okay now, as long as his pack is by his side.