Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting
Also have a tumble where I post crappy art and do occasional fic giveaways.
A quick one-shot because I was bored. Uhhhh, please excuse the many mistakes I'm sure there are, I was super tired when I wrote this and didn't sleep the night before. So...yeah, there are bound to be a few that were missed due to the sheer number that there was. Thankfully I have a beta, but like I said...there was a lot of typos.
Anyway, hope you enjoy, and I plan on doing more of these, ones that are much better written. XD
He couldn't believe they let the guy get so far away already; how the hell had they allowed that to happen? They had him, they were so damn close, and yet, somehow, he managed to slip out of their hands. Aizawa let a swear slip out from under his breath as his foot snapped another twig in half. The hero weaved from side to side, doing his best to evade the various branches that stuck out in his way. He was sure he could still hear the enemy somewhere up ahead. Either it was him, or he and Hizashi were close to crossing paths.
The moment the enemy had broken away and made a run towards the woods, they had a silent agreement that he would chase after the guy, and Hizashi was to try and cut him off. So far though, he hadn't caught sight of either of them. The foliage was too thick and overgrown this time of year. Still, he pushed forward, determination being his main source of motivation as he picked up his speed.
He had to be close now, there was no way this guy could get so far away in such a short amount of time, it was just so highly unlikely. They already knew he didn't have any sort of speed enhancing quirk.
"Sonuva…" he muttered between clenched teeth and ducked underneath another protruding obstacle. One thing was for sure, this villain was no fool, he knew just how to make a fool out of them. Hell, he was probably sitting somewhere high up, just watching them run around like idiots looking for him. That, more than anything else, pissed him off. Eraser's fists tightened at his sides, and for the first time since taking off after their target, he slowed to a stop, needing to catch his breath and take a moment to just listen.
So far, it was only dead silence, the previous sounds he heard just within earshot now faded back into nothingness. Nothing other than the natural sounds of the local wildlife, that was. Shota held his breath for a few seconds and closed his eyes, trying to focus as much as he could. And, just as he was about to give up and begin searching again, he heard it. It was faint, and for a moment he wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not, but he was certain he picked up on steps. They were either far off, or he was trying to be quiet. It mattered not though, he found what he was looking for.
In a fraction of a second, he no longer cared how much noise he was making, he had a general idea now, he was running. His heart thrummed against his ribs almost painfully, and his breaths came out in quickened pants as he carried himself forward. He was getting closer, the steps were growing louder. But, he still saw nothing.
By now, his body was moving on its own, the hero no longer had to think about it and no longer bothered to watch where he was going as his adrenaline overtook everything else: his logic, his consciousness, everything was enveloped in his instincts to drive himself onward. His pulse was ringing in his ears, blaring louder with every footfall and crunch of the leaves. One step in front of the other, there was no way this guy was going to get awa-
He heard it more than felt it, his mind a buzz of energy, blocking out the initial sensation. But the sound, the clamping and echoing sound accompanied with the tug on his left leg the yanked him back and prevented him from moving forward was enough to make his heart sink down into his guts with weighty dread. For what seemed like minutes, he merely stood there, his breath caught and stinging in his throat as he dared not to look down. However, ever so slowly and tediously, his burst of numbing fear was waning, making room for the agony that soon throbbed up his limb in waves.
Next thing he was away of, he was on his knees, his legs no longer able to hold him up and tremors traveled up and down his arms as his eyes automatically snapped to the offending object. His gaze widened in both terror and agony; his hands moved to hover near the metal contraption, shaking and not knowing what to do. Shota had to bite into his lower lip to stop from crying out but that didn't stop a desperate and choked whimper from escaping.
The first thing that popped up into his hazed mind was, he had to get out of here; he couldn't stay here...no one knew where he was aside from Hizashi...but this was a rather sizable forest. Even if he knew where he was, there was no telling how long it would take to find him. Not to mention...that guy was still out there.
Letting out a low, tight and frustrated growl, his left hand gripped just below his knee, just above where the metallic teeth bared into his flesh. One sporadic tremor was all it took to send new currents of torture up his leg. And, this time, there was no stifling his tormented scream from ripping out of his throat. Now, both hands were clutching at the appendage, trying as the might to lessen the pain. Of course, it did little to no good.
He wasn't aware of it for a while, but his breaths were coming out far too fast, causing his head to swim. Combined with the blood he was sure he was flowing freely, it was only a matter of time before he passed out from all of it. He had to calm down; it was damn near impossible, but he wasn't left with any other choices. Closing his eyes, he tried to block it all out and concentrated on taking slow and steady breaths. This wasn't that bad…he could get out of this. Or, that's what he kept telling himself, kept trying to convince his brain.
Slowly blowing out, he carefully opened his eyes, waiting as the splashes of color to ebb away before he even thought about moving another inch. And, it took a good deal of time, but eventually his vision cleared and he assumed he was in the clear for the moment. He just prayed that moment would last long enough though.
Through wavering and bleary eyes, Shota cut his attention back to the matter at hand and willed himself not to instantly look away at the crimson painting the shards that protruded from his leg. Without really looking at it, he could already tell it wasn't pretty. But, he painfully swallowed his apprehension and, with extreme caution and care, turned himself around to get a better view and reach of the wound. His teeth bared down on his bottom lip to the point of drawing blood. Eraser ignored the tinge of copper that teased his tongue and finally got himself sitting back. With a tad more effort, and more self-inflicted suffering, he backed himself up far enough to get himself propped up against a tree.
That alone had him out of breath again, heavy beads of sweat slithered down either side of his face, and it was taking all of his self-control not to go back to nearly hyperventilating. Another few minutes dragged by before he deemed himself fine enough to continue forward with his tasks. Inhaling deeply and shakily, he held it as he repositioned himself to lean forward, both hands were again inching their way down his leg, slowly making their way closer to the contraption.
Just a little bit farther and his mouth dried when his fingers finally squelched against the fabric of his pants, warm liquid seeped through and almost immediately coated his hands. They were numb, quivering as he forced them to venture farther and nearer to the source of his agony.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit," he muttered between clamped teeth, his gaze now squeezed shut against his internal demands. He was thinking about it too much, the more he allowed the scenarios and let the images of it flash through his head, the more he hesitated and the longer this was drawn out. The best way was to just hurry up and get it over with. That was easier said than done though when his touch finally came across the trap; the metal cold and sticky with his own blood. Shota had to swallow the thick lump in his throat to keep from choking on it.
"Come on," he murmured to himself, voice hoarse and barely audible. He could barely make it out passed the pounding of his heart in his ears. Then, quickly before he could reconsider what he was about to do, he jammed his fingers through where he could, not caring how much noise he was making anymore; he just wanted the damn thing off already. Cut-off and pitched cries and whimpers flowed freely from his form as he now worked his other hand into place.
He tried to pry the jaws of the artificial beast from his leg, but his arms were shaking too much and the torment that seized his body prevented him from using all his strength; all of it was quickly being stolen away. Before he could get the teeth more than an inch away, the slickness caused it to slip from his grasp and bite right back to where it was originally. Just like that, he was back at square one, but now his head swam with fresh dizziness.
Nausea was now taunting him and gripping the pit of his stomach. Shota leaned his head back, unable to steady his own breaths anymore. Each exhale was carried out by a shuddering and involuntary whine. There was no way, there was just no damn way he was getting out of this on his own.
He cleared his throat and closed his eyes, the warping and blurring views only making him feel sicker by the second. His ears still clouded by pain, he wasn't sure if he was really hearing what he was hearing, or if it was just his deformed imagination messing with him. He didn't know if those were steps or his heart echoing off the inside of his aching skull. But, there was one thing that shook him from his bleary reverie...they were far too slow to be his pulse, and they were getting louder.
He cracked an eye open and glanced to the side, where he thought them to be coming from. And, there it was: a misshapened and blurry silhouette of someone walking closer to him. They were too far for him to make out their features, and his vision was only going downhill from there.
"...Mic?" he questioned, pretty sure his voice didn't carry far enough for him to be heard, but he wasn't up to giving it another go. Besides, they were already coming his way, if he hadn't been noticed yet, then he would soon enough. He merely tilted his head back to where it was and waited and prayed as he did his best to ride out the waves that continued to hit him in droves.
"My, oh my," came a gravelly voice, instantly causing the hero's eyes to snap open, lucidity reclaiming him the moment his body sensed the potential threat in the unfamiliarity of the presence. "Looks like you got yourself quite in the predicament, huh?" he asked, a small and amused chuckle following soon after his relaxed observation.
Shota drew in a sharp breath, and without thinking, tried to get to his feet, only to cry out and stumble back to the ground a second later. It was him...the one they were after. He really was waiting then. In fact, he was willing to bet anything that he was the one to set these traps, planning ahead and making sure he'd have a chance of getting away. Then, despite his own situation, his mind jumped to Hizashi. There was no telling how many of these traps were out here, the other man could have been in the same trouble, and he'd have no idea.
The villain must have noticed the concerned mask the downed man wore because the corner of his mouth tugged upward and he stepped a couple feet closer. "If you're concerned about your little friend...don't be. There's only a few, and they're all in this area. To be completely honest with you, I'm rather surprised it took you this long to run into one," he muttered, seemingly disinterested.
"But…" he added, a hint of mischief to his tone now, "You were making quite a bit of noise. So, I wouldn't be surprised if he heard you too and and decided to come on over," he shrugged, now only a foot from Shota, who did what he could to back up the few inches he managed to cover in the short amount of time.
Eraser never had the chance to reply, or do anything for the matter, before a blinding and overwhelming misery sailed up his leg as the man's foot bore down on the appendage. There was no stifling the pure and primal scream that tore out this time; it was enough to run his throat raw with the one cry as flickering stars invaded what was left of his sight. The pressure remained where it was, slowly intensifying as the guy put more of his weight into it. The stars that danced and swam across his sight soon expanded until all he saw was white. It wasn't long after that before that, too, began to fade and dim into blackness. It started with the edges, and slowly, it crept closer and closer to the center of his gaze until it was blocked completely.
Hizashi froze mid step...he could hardly understand what it was he heard. All he knew was that it was a voice, and it was quite a ways off. Under normal circumstances, it would have been something he could have easily ignored, but there was a part of him, a deep and nagging portion of his subconscious that prodded him until he gave in to his curiosity and suspicion. He shoved down his unwarranted nerves and took a few cautious steps in the direction it came from.
His pace started off slow, but eventually picked up as time went on. He had no idea how long he was running for, but it was enough to cause even him to run short on breath. After a while, perhaps a few more minutes, he heard it again, that scream, only this time it was louder, and it was drenched with unadulterated torment. That wasn't the part that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end; it was the fact that he recognized it, knew it all too well.
"S-Shota?" he stammered, unintentionally coming to a sudden stop due to his crushing dread at the sound of that voice that was so desperate. "Dammit," he muttered, eyes widened and his feet caring him twice as fast as they were previously. The blond didn't know he could move at this speed, but his body was moving on its own at this point.
He only slowed down when his ears picked up on a voice once more, but it was different, one that didn't strike him as familiar right away. But, he could see the source of it, just barely within view. His brows rose as it finally dawned on him...it was their target, the villain they chased out here. Keeping himself low, the hero crept closer to the others, his eyes never leaving the villains form. But, as he got just a tad bit nearer, his attention darted to another form...one unmoving on the ground which the enemy towered over.
It didn't take much longer for him to know it was Shota...lying there without a sign of life as far as he could tell. His voice was caught in his chest and it constricted as he couldn't tear his attention away. Of course, that being said, the moment he caught a glimpse of the blood wasn't long after that, and his core chilled completely through as it clicked.
It was with that that he was aware of the fact that he couldn't wait for an opportunity like he had originally planned. He wasn't sure he could afford the luxury of taking his time. It was now or never, or that's what his hazy and over-active mind was telling him, and it was damn convincing. His hands were balled into fists at his sides as he drew in a long and deep breath. He held it for only a fraction of a second before releasing a deafening yell on the next exhale. The only thing going through his head at that point was him hoping with all he had that Shota wasn't getting the brunt of it as well.
But, there was nothing else he could think to do at that moment, not when the man's life was threatened as it were. If there was a smarter and easier solution to this, it was effectively shadowed by his obvious and unmistakable concern for his friend. As his voice died down, the last of it echoed off the trees around him and he finally deemed it safe enough to come out from his cover and made his way over. Luckily, the guy was nearly stunned, his hands over his ears as he groaned in displeasure.
Hizashi didn't give the man the chance to recover or regain his composure before he acted again. He swung out with his right leg, knocking him off balance and making sure to place both his feet on both of his wrists to make sure there was no more of his tricks this time. The villain was still dazed and barely put up a fight as the blond positioned himself to pin him to the ground.
Without turning away from the guy, Mic reached over with a muttered apology to the other hero as he gently unwound his capturing weapon from around his neck. A shudder was held back at Eraser's lack of reaction to the touch. Bowing his head, his eyes shielded from view, the hero had to fight the urge to strangle this bastard as he quickly and tightly bound his arms at his sides, tying the material as tightly as he could without slicing the man in half like he wished to.
As soon as he was sure it was secure enough, he then tied what was left to the closest tree, one he was sure couldn't be ripped down from strength alone. This would hold him until others could come and retrieve him. But, just to be sure, without holding back, he slammed the side of his fist as hard as he was able right into his temple. That was all it took for him to slump against his bindings. Hizashi shook his hand as it stung from the force of the punch, but damn was it beyond satisfying.
He was next to Shota's side in an instant, his unsteady hands cupping the pale man's face and he turned his head to face him. "Hey...you with me?" he asked, giving his cheek a couple of light pats as he dropped to his knees in front of him.
To his surprise and relief, Eraser began to stir, a low groan of discomfort rolled from his raspy throat the instant before his face contorted in plain torture. His eyes were screwed shut before he could even get a good look at Hizashi.
"Hey, I'm here, alright," the blond tried to console, but it was as if he wasn't hearing any of it. His body quivered and his hands gripped and crunched the leaves around him as his fingers curled against his palms. "Shota," he tried again, giving his face another couple of friendly taps. "Come on, just look at me, alright?" he encouraged, this time earning himself a couple of fogged and pained orbs to peek at him through heavy lids.
Hizashi didn't allow himself to be thankful just yet, the worst of the issue hadn't been addressed yet. His own attention flicked to the man's leg and the trap that had the limb in it's maw. He swallowed down his accumulating nausea at the sight...it was utterly horrifying. Blood soaked through the material, and it was clear to see just how deep the metal teeth had embedded themselves. He could tell just by looking, there was no possible way he was going to get that off by himself. It'd take both hands just to pry it open.
"Hey, I need you to stay away, ok? Can you do that?" he asked, forcing the dark-haired man to look at him. Slowly, he got a ghost of a nod; it wasn't a strong one, but at least he was able to hear and understand him well enough. "Look, I know it hurts, and this isn't going to be pleasant (for either of us), but I'm going to need your help with this. I hate to ask that, but it needs to be done. Do you understand?" he asked once more, just to be sure the man was still with him.
Again, a sluggish and barely aware notion of understanding. That was enough for him, and it was probably the best he was going to receive from the looks of things. "Alright, ok, I'm going to make this as quick as I can so you have to be ready when I say. Oh boy...uh, where do I start?" he rambled nervously to himself, his mind was running a million miles an hour as he tried to organize his thoughts. 'Deep breath,' he told himself. 'He's counting on you, you can't be freaking out now, not at a time like this.'
Making up his mind, Hizashi moved himself closer to the other hero's ailing limb and mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do; he knew all too well the amount of hurt he was about to cause the man, but he just kept telling himself that it had to be done. "You ready?" he questioned. Deep down, a part of him hoped and prayed he'd say no. But, alas, it was a nod of affirmation in which he received.
"O-Ok, on the count of three, I'm going to open it. And, when I say go, I want you to pull yourself out. Alright?" he instructed, hating the way his voice wavered with his uncertainty. He couldn't be like this. Shota needed him to be the strong one in this situation, not the one that was second guessing everything he did.
Shota hummed aloud, the noise small and so unlike him, but it was all the blond needed in return to go through with it. "Here we go then," he sighed. "One," he called out, hands now hovering over the wound, his eyes darting from the other's face to the metal that held him hostage. "Two," he said, hands now glancing over the coolness of the surface. The minor touch alone already had the man squirming and hissing. "O-One," he stuttered, hands grasping the trap on either side as he started pulling. He didn't even think about it anymore, and he pushed out all his regret and guilt that sprouted into his overwhelmed mind with every whimper and strangled cry the man let out.
'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he repeated over and over again in his head, hating himself on so many levels for causing such agony. But, it would be over soon, he almost had it. He just had to get it a few more inches, and they would be in the clear. Shota would be out of this thing, and he could get the both of them out of this Hell. But, as he pulled on either side, he could feel the subtle and weak tugs against it. Shota, in impulsive desperation, was twitching against the metal, his body trying to get away without his permission.
"Shota, you have to stay still," Hizashi tried to explain, but it was no use, he wasn't listening anymore, he couldn't comprehend what he was saying. He continued to utter words of encouragement, although he had a feeling they were all falling on deaf ears at this point. "It's alright, it won't be too much longer, just bear with me here." He continued his silent chanting as his hands shook more, and a nervous sweat accumulated on his brow.
He let out a few subtle and soft swears under his breath as he pulled the teeth out by another few millimeters. Then, his heart stopped; the metal slipped from his grasp in his left hand. It all happened too fast, too quick to do anything about it. And, the next thing he knew, Shota was gasping and whimpering in new agony.
"Shit!" the blond bit out, both his hands now a good foot away from the contraption, afraid to lay another finger on it.
"...st...go…" Hizashi snapped his head towards the other as he heard a few incoherent words slip out. He had an idea of what the man said, but he didn't want to believe it.
He leaned in closer, his own exhales heavy with apprehension. "What was that?" he asked, praying to himself that he had heard wrong, but he knew full well that he hadn't. The blond held his breath, wanting to be absolutely sure he heard him as clearly as possible.
"Just...go," Shota repeated, voice weak and strained.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Hizashi shot back without a second to spare. "Do you honestly think I can just leave you here? You're out of your damn mind!" he practically yelled, offended that the man would even suggest something so preposterous. "No, I'm getting this thing off, and we're heading back to get you medical attention," he declared, unwilling to take anything else for an answer.
Eraser merely shook his head as a humorless chuckle rattled in his chest. "No...listen. You need...to get him back," he said, barely nodding his head in the direction of the villain. "Then...come back with...help," he elaborated, taking deep and shaky breaths between each word.
This was better than just flatout leaving him there, but he still wasn't on board with it. "What?! Are you insane? No. I'll dig the thing up if I have to, but I'm not leaving you here by yourself, not in the middle of the woods with God knows what out here." His eyes darted back down to his leg, and he couldn't help but wonder just how many animals could smell the blood by now, how many were already on there way over here to seek out their next meal. He had to shake the thoughts from his head before they got too far.
"I promise...I'll be fine," Shota whispered, straightening up as much as he could in an attempt to prove his point. "Just...get him into custody," he said. Surprisingly, his voice was a lot more steady than it had been, but Hizashi could see it in his eyes: the exhaustion and the pain...they were fogged over, barely focused on him as it were. He wouldn't be able to hold up this little facade for long…
The blond let out a slow and calming breath, he allowed himself to settle down and think about this for a moment...a moment they didn't have, that was. "You sure?" he asked, looking the other dead in the eyes, daring him to lie to him. "If you have even the slightest doubt, or if I think you aren't being truthful, I swear, Shota…" he muttered, speaking low to keep his voice from cracking and letting his worry shine through the fractures.
Clearing his throat, Shota set his expression into a sturdy mask of determination. "I said I'll be fine, didn't I? Now...hurry up, will ya?" he asked, but, underneath his snippy demand were layers of agony and fear, emotions that he could never truly hide no matter how much he wanted to.
Hizashi just nodded. Of course, he didn't believe a word of it, believed wholeheartedly that all of that was just for show. But, he'd still do it, he would still do what his friend asked of him. Because, despite being worried out of his mind, he still trusted him to keep his word. If he said he'd be fine...then he would hold him to that.
"Alright," he muttered, swiftly getting to his feet in the next moment. He stared down at the other hero for some time, silently warning him if anything were to happen to him… Shota simply just looked away after a couple seconds of this, not possessing the energy to hold that contact for a long period of time. Hizashi didn't waste anymore time, he had to be quick about this; they only had a couple more hours before the day would be ending. The moment he had some sort of cell service, he was calling someone, he'd call everyone in his contacts just to be sure someone got here quickly.
Gathering up his cargo, tossing the man over his shoulder, he cast one last glance behind him. The two of them shared one final look before the blond forced himself to finally look away. If it were up to him, and if he didn't go while he could, he knew he'd be there all night. That wouldn't have been of any benefit to either of them. 'Don't worry, I promise you won't have to stay here for very long,' he assured in his head, just hoping that he was right about that.
Eraser sat there, his forced burst of enthusiasm depleting almost instantaneously now that he was left alone and the last of the crunches of the leaves were fading away. That was it...he was utterly left to himself now. There was no longer a need to keep the act up, and his eyes screwed shut as both his hands were back on his leg, gripping the fabric of his pants in a tight hold. A whine seethed from between his and his entire form trembled with the waves of fire-hot torture.
Deep down, he was just thankful Hizashi no longer had to see him like this, he couldn't imagine what that must have been like for him. He closed his eyes and tried his best to get comfortable, but that was proved impossible when every minor movement jarred his bad leg. His brows furrowed as parts of it were beginning to numb. He wasn't sure if it was from blood loss or his tiring mind, but it was deeply concerning, and his hands began rubbing small circles against the limb, trying to get more feeling into it.
He hated just sitting there doing nothing...he wasn't even trying to get out. Then again, if Hizashi couldn't help him, then there really was no hope for him to do it himself. Besides, that had already failed miserably. And, at the time, he had a lot more energy. Now...he could hardly move without the aches washing over his weakened body.
There was no telling how long he had been sitting there; it could have been just a few minutes as far as he knew. But who knew, it could have been much longer, at least he would have easily believed it if it had been. He took a deep breath, hating how just that simple action took so much effort and concentration. By this point, he kept his eyes closed. Every time he opened his eyes, the world swam around him, stirring up his nausea to the point where he was on the verge of losing it a couple of times. He knew it was due to the lack of blood, the chill in his limbs could have told him that though.
Every minute was like an hour, every hour like a day, and so on. Every now and then, he feared he really was going to die here. Maybe Hizashi got lost, maybe something happened. What if the villain woke up and was giving him a hard time. Then his eyes snapped open as new terror tore its way into his mind. Or...possibly...he fell into another trap. 'I'm rather surprised it took you this long to run into one.' Those words trailed through his head. That was right, there were multiple around here, it wouldn't have been that farfetched. Then again, seeing what had happened to him, surely the man would have been more careful about where his own feet were placed. Wouldn't he?
He swallowed thickly...what was he supposed to do. Of course, he was supposed to stay here, what else was there for him to do. It wasn't like he had any other choice...he was stuck...trapped like a wild animal. He chewed on his bottom lip. He was fine, if Hizashi trusted him enough to leave him here, then he had to trust the other enough to get out of here in one piece and get the help like he had promised. But, he felt as though this was taking longer than it should have. Either that or his warped sense of time was throwing him off more than he thought.
More time ticked by, and it was growing more and more challenging to stay away by the second. His eyes fluttered as he took another glance around, probably for the millionth time within the last thirty minutes, praying that he'd catch sight of someone. But, it was exactly the same as all there others...there was no one. It was just him. He let out a long and drawn out breath, trying to shift to one side. As he did so, the teeth shifted in his flesh, and he was very aware that it ripped the wounds even wider with the action.
His teeth burrowed into his bottom lip, right into the same spot as earlier and reopened the gash. It didn't compare to the rampage of stings and throbs his leg was throwing his way though; he didn't even feel it. A barrage of colors assaulted his eyes, and he swiftly lost track of which way he was facing, if he was still upright or not, everything was tossed and into a void of disorientation. His breaths were drawn in through heaves, but he was convinced his lungs were getting none of the precious oxygen.
He was hollow, he was sure of it, nothing more than a husk just sitting there waiting for darkness to claim him. Shota waited and waited for it, longed for it now, but it never came to claim him, not when he was expecting it.
Involuntarily, he sucked in a sharp breath, something jolted his leg, something that wasn't him. He cracked open his right eye, only catching a blur of something hunching over him, fiddling with his appendage and causing a great deal of discomfort to him. What the hell was that. He groaned in an attempt to speak and tried to shake the touch away, but it was too insistent with its task.
Then there was a voice...no, there were two of them, one deeper than the other. It was strange, he couldn't place them, but at the same time, the didn't cause him any alarm or panic...they were comforting. Then, a face, moved to hover in front of his, and he had to squint through the fog just to tell it was a woman...and he wasn't sure why, but he was sure he knew just who it was.
"N-Nemu…" he tried, but his mouth was too dry, his throat too gravely to form any sort of words. He blinked heavily, the face slowly became cleared, but nowhere near what it should have been. But, it was enough to tell it was really her...she was really there, and he was pretty sure he wasn't dreaming.
She shushed him, the sound of it warped as it traveled through his throbbing skull. It was almost surreal, but he found himself honing in on it and leaning closer into it. There were hands on his face, keeping his head still as more hands continued to fiddle with his leg, and the rattling of a chain and creaking of metal resounded back to him. It was odd, this time, there was barely any pain...but that didn't last. As soon as the pressure was off his leg, feeling swarmed back into his nerves, enough to give him a bout of wakefulness.
He gasped against it, and he must have been fighting against the sensation because Nemuri was quick to pull him in close, doing her best to reassure him that it was over with and that he needed to calm down before he made things worse from thrashing about as he was.
Midnight cut her eyes over to All Might, who by now had tossed the broken trap to the side and out of the way and out of sight. Neither of them could stand to lay their eyes on it anymore, especially with it being stained with their comrade's blood. "How is he?" the blond asked, moving in closer, his gaze surprisingly soft as he nudged next to the woman.
"Hard to say," she muttered, one of her hands cupping the side of Shota's face as her thumb brushed small circles over his left cheek, trying to rouse the man. It did little good though, all that she could get out of him was a few soft whimpers and a twitch here and there. "He's awake, but I don't think he's lucid enough to know what's going on," she explained, casting Toshinori a concerned glance. "We need to get him out of here," she said, stating the obvious.
The other simply nodded. Now that the teeth were free of his leg, the blood flowed more freely, coming out faster and easier than it had been. Before they did anything, they had to staunch the flow. If not, he was at risk of bleeding out before they even had a glimmer of a hope of getting him out of here.
"I'm going to need you to keep pressure on that wound while I carry him," he instructed, the seriousness of his tone cued her to the severity of the request. "Whatever you do, don't release your hold. It's going to hurt, but you're just going to have to ignore it, alright?" he said, giving her a fair warning before they started.
Nemuri nodded, and the moment the other hero was in place, they shared a nod, and her hands instantly covered the mangled limb. The strangled cry was almost instant, no hesitation before he let the both of them know of the discomfort they were causing him. It tore at both of them, of course, but they shoved the guilt aside...this was for his own good. It was cause him momentary pain, or watch him slowly fade from them. There was no question in which they would choose.
Every step, every second the covered, their hearts plummeted farther into the pits of their stomachs as each one brought forth more whimpers from their charge. Nemuri found herself cringing in sympathy as every movement caused more of the crimson substance to seep through her fingers. The flow was slowing, but she didn't know if it was because she was pressing down on it, or if it was because he had already lost so much. She could only hope and pray that it was the former.
"We're almost out," she promised, knowing it couldn't have been too much longer now. It didn't take them a terribly long time to find him. But, a quick glance at his face, and her face paled. He had passed out at some point, she didn't know when, but the lack of color in his features was enough to be quite worrisome.
Catching a glimpse of her ghostly appearance, Toshinori offered her a small and reassuring smile. "It's alright, his pulse is still steady enough," he muttered. Though, that wasn't completely the truth. It wasn't quite at the stage to be too troublesome, but it was approaching the point at a rather quick pace. Without a word, and as subtly as he could so as not to cause too much concern, he quickened his pace. Little by little, he sped up until he could finally spot the edge of the trees.
They were right there, they actually made it. Now, both of them were speeding up, hope literally a few yards away from them. "You're about to get the help you need," All Might promised, confident in his words now. "You'll be just fine." He repeated that last statement over and over again in his head, telling himself that over and over to make sure it was really clicking in his own head.
As soon as he was through, everything happened so fast, paramedics rushed over to him, none of them saying a single syllable as the man he carried was whisked away from his hold. He didn't know what was going on, so much was happening at once, and all he was able to do was step back and watch in stunned and awed silence. Out of the corner of his eye, he picked up on the hint of blond that signaled Hizashi's presence, and he could still remember the panic in that man's tone when he called him. He didn't think he could remember a time he had sounded that alarmed. It was damn near enough to chill him to the core. He suppressed a shudder just thinking about it.
But, he let out a heavy sigh, as did the others; they could finally relax, it was out of their hands. They did all they could, that got him out of there and got him to the ones that could really help. The rest was up to them.
For nearly twenty-four hours, Hizashi had not moved from the spot, and he dared anyone to tell him he had to move. It was clear from the moment he entered that room, that he wasn't going anywhere. Anyone that so much as suggested it got quite an earful. He sat in the chair next to Shota's bead, hunched over with his arms crossed over the bed and his head resting upon them.
Every breath, and every twitch the blond so much as picked up on, his head was up and his eyes staring at the other, searching him for any signs of actually waking up. This went on for hours, but he refused to sleep or rest until he was able to see the other lucid and looking at him. Hell, at this point, he'd settle for just opening his eyes, anything was better than him being like this all the time. He thought even he would be sick of sleeping by now, but here he was, forever challenging that.
But, as the second morning slowly reared its head, the man barely able to keep his eyes open anymore, he saw it, the first real movement the man had. Not just a twitch, or a slight shift, actual movement as he let out a low and discombobulated groan.
"Shota?" he questioned, leaning closer, almost too close for comfort. Under normal circumstances, he most likely would have been shoved away with a few choice words. But alas, the man was still too out of it to do anything of the sort. "Hey, you there?" he asked, lifting a hand to tap it lightly against his face. This time he managed to get a slight whine of annoyance as he turned his head away.
"St-p," he muttered, trying to raise a hand to slap the intruding touch away, but there was something blocking his way. Letting out a begrudging sigh, he cracked one eye open enough to see a white sheet in the way. Deciding it wasn't worth the trouble, he instantly gave up and let his hand fall back against the bed.
The other man let out a small breath of his own before slowly relaxing back into his seat. At least it was nice to see he was still his usual self, albeit not back at a hundred percent, but close enough for the time being. "How're ya feeling?" he asked, mentally slapping himself the moment he asked. The guy nearly had his leg clamped off and then nearly bled to death, of course that didn't leave much up to the imagination. Still, he had to hear him speak, hear it with his own voice.
"Peachy," Shota groggily and sarcastically replied, closing his eyes back and turning his attention even farther away. But, once the events began to catch back up with him and all the memories and the slight ache in his leg returned, he slowly turned back, a bit more awake than he had been. At first, he could only stare at the drawn features of the other, and for a moment, he wondered if they weren't in the wrong spots. "What time is it?" he asked, confusion laced in his words as he glanced around for a clock. Not that it mattered, even if he had seen one, he doubted he would have been able to read it through the haze.
Hizashi knitted his brows, unsure himself and had to check his own phone. Time hadn't exactly been something he cared to keep track of. "Uh...almost five in the morning," he replied, voice hoarse from lack of sleep. "On Sunday," he clarified, instantly noticing the slight widening of the other's eyes at that news. "Yeah...you were asleep for a while. Which was impressive, even by your standards," he half joked, trying to lighten the mood what little he could.
"And...the guy?" he asked, cutting right to the chase. But, Hizashi couldn't say he was surprised in the slightest. The man almost loses his life and this is what he's concerned with...typical.
"Yeah, don't worry, he's locked up," he promised, leaning back in his chair as he crossed his legs. He let out a weary breath as he relaxed against the cushions. "Seriously though, do you have any idea how worried we all were? Dammit, will you just take a moment to breathe without worrying over stuff like that? Everything's taken care of, alright? So, just take it easy for once." His words weren't hostile, but collected and genuinely burdened with the other's well-being.
For a moment, the dark-haired hero was silent as he allowed the statements to sink in and take root. He couldn't help it though. He hated having that sort of attention on him, and if asking these things averted the conversation from himself, then that was just a plus as far as he could tell. But, he supposed this time, at least, he'd give the others what the wanted. Mainly because he was still too damn tired to try anymore.
He settled back down and refrained himself from asking anymore questions. There would be plenty of time for that later...especially since, with the extent of the injury, it was bound to be quite some time before he would be back to normal. And, all that time, he had no doubt that the three of them, if not others, would be hovering him and nagging him the whole time. Just the idea of what was to come was enough to cause dread to settle in the back of his mind. Although, he couldn't say he wasn't thankful for it...even if it did grate on his nerves.
Shota slowly released a breath and cracked one eye back open to gaze at the blond. "By the way…" he muttered, "I never got to...thank you," he said, instantly closing his eye back before Hizashi had the chance to really catch on to what he said. The blond took a breath to reply, but it was cut short, the words never made it passed a single thought as he glanced over to see the steady rise and fall of the other's chest. 'Oh well,' he thought, knowing that for once, he really needed the sleep. For now, talking could wait. Besides, it was an example to be followed as the tugs of sleep made themselves know once more as they pulled at the edges of his conscious.