...
The metallic taste of blood hit him as he coughed painfully. He was painfully walking down the street using the buildings as a crutch. Every step was excruciating and nearly sent him tumbling into the concrete. It was difficult for him to tell where he was headed through the fog of pain. His vision swam every passing moment.
In front of his face the air condensed into a white cloud. The cold was seeping into his very bones and Izuku wasn't sure if he would make it to a hiding spot. Dizziness overtook him and he had to lean fully against the fall. Only seconds later he slid all the way to the ground.
There he tried and failed to catch his breath. No matter how much air he took in it never felt like it was enough. Was this where he was going to die? What a disgrace of a vigilante he was. Dying at the hands of a civilian because he couldn't fight back.
"Hey kid," came a gruff familiar voice, "You okay? You shouldn't be out here. It's getting dark."
Izuku slowly looked up to find Eraserhead walking towards him. There was some concern in the dark eyes as they looked him over. Concern became clearer when he saw the injuries.
Eraserhead rushed to him and dropped to his knees before Izuku. He pulled away the remnants of Izuku's shirt away from his skin. This caused him to hiss as it pulled at some of the scabs that began to form.
"Who did this to you?"
Izuku didn't meet the hero's eye as he bit his lip. If he answered honestly there was no chance that he would be believed. So he kept silent.
When he was silent for too long Eraserhead sighed, "Kid there's only so much I can do without you talking to me. Let me help you. Who did this to you?"
Izuku shook his head and flinched when Eraserhead reached for him. The flinch gave the hero pause. Then he brought a hand up to press a finger into his comms.
Eraserhead ordered into the comms, "I need an ambulance to my location immediately. Injured juvenile, possible villain attack. Juvenile is between 11 and 14. Large laceration from shoulder to hip. Appears to be made by some kind of claw. Possible asphalt burn as well."
Izuku grabbed the hero's sleeve weakly, "No hospitals."
Eraserhead looked at him with a sharp look as he declared, "This is not up for debate kid. You will die without a hospital."
"I'm fine," responded Izuku tersely.
"I don't think so," drily replied Eraserhead, "You aren't going anywhere as long as I have anything to say about it. Now sit still they will be here soon."
...
Shouta stood outside of the hospital room guarding the kid as he waited on Tsukauchi. He had been inside with him since arriving at the hospital. The kid, Midoriya, refused to say a word to Shouta as soon as they entered the hospital. He wouldn't even look at him. The only reason Shouta learned his name was because one of the doctors recognized him. Apparently his mother worked as a nurse at the hospital.
That put Shouta's teeth on edge for reasons he couldn't explain. There was something not right about this but the kid would not give him any information. Upon getting the kid to the exam rooms the first thing they had done was get the blood cleaned up and thus revealing soulmarks.
To say Shouta was surprised was an understatement. Across the kid's neck was his own mark a black cat with black eyes and a capture scarf. It was a huge soulparent mark and not the only one. There was a second soulparent mark on his left forearm. While not as big it was still a significant size. He has never seen a mark that big before and it made him worry for Midoriya's safety.
With his injuries treated, the doctors had taken note of his soulmarks. This had them ushering Shouta outside without an explanation. All they asked for was a detective to be called while they went to call someone else.
It was half an hour after Shouta called him that Naomasa came down the hallway. His eyes flickered over to the door then back to him.
"What's going on, Aizawa? I was helping Sansa pull security tapes to figure out where the kid came from."
Shouta looked for the doctor but found no one as he answered, "I'm not exactly sure. The kid is in that room and the doctor pulled me out and said to call you. He had someone else to call."
Tsukauchi frowned and asked, "What the hell? They don't normally do things like that unless it's an abusive home situation and they are looking for soulparents and soulmates."
"Well this is an odd group," came a drawling voice from down the hallway, "Eraserhead, it's been awhile."
Shouta's frown mirrored Tsukauchi's as they saw the Number Four Hero coming down the hall. He was in his hero uniform and there was a weariness about him. He must have just come off his patrols.
What a sight they made. An Underground Hero, a Detective, and a Daylight Hero. It was like the beginning of a bad joke. Just as he was about to respond the doctor came down the hallway. Upon seeing the three of them he loved a little faster. In his hands were a set of papers that if Shouta wasn't mistaken were from the Hero Soulmark registry.
He greeted, "Gentlemen my apologies for keeping you waiting. Eraserhead I had to confirm my suspicions about the marks."
"Child?" Questioned both Jeanist and Tsukauchi.
Shouta replied with a jerk of his chin towards the room, "He's in there. Why did you want all three of us here, Doctor?"
He looked between them for a moment before handing them an each a paper asking, "Can you each confirm these marks are yours?"
The one in Shouta's hands were definitely his and confirmed as much. After a moment Tsukauchi and Jeanist did the same. The doctor looked at the doorway Shouta had himself in. There was something akin to regret in his eyes. What was going on?