Swallowed By Darkness

Chapter 15

The news broadcast Quickly became popular and highly talked about, by the end of the day not a single person hadn't heard the news about the unknown boy and All Might's collapse. Rumors quickly spread faster then wildfire consuming every conversation in its path. Many people where eagerly anticipating the official statement that would be released in the morning. As for the ones directly related to the incident they could feel a heavy burden weighting on them.

Inko dropped the spoon she was holding and nearly burned herself while she was watching the news footage. Her son was gone. He had been missing but now he was gone. She had known him, raised him, loved him, and now she was crying for him. He became out of reach when he moved into the dorms, but now he was nowhere in sight. She could feel her heart squeeze at the thought of her son being lost. In reality she was the one who did not know where to look.

She dropped to the floor overwhelmed by tears. Inko grabbed her chest as it tightened and became harder and harder to breathe. The room started spinning as everything around her was caving in to bury her. A foul smell and foggy smoke lifted into the air. She mechanically turned off the burning heat and left the blackening food on the other side of the stove. Her sluggish movements drew her to sit down on a nearby chair and attempt to breathe in between sobs. She was his mother and she didn't even know where her son was. All Might had promised he would take care of him. He had promised.

She knew it was irrational to blame All Might but who else could she put the blame on? The Villains, the heroes, the school, the police, her son? There was not good place she could put her frustration so it evaporated into sorrow. Inko couldn't hold her son, talk to him, or see him. He was missing and now she was all alone. Every emotion blurred together in a furry of fear and sorrow. The only thoughts that she could manage to pray that didn't feel dark were hopes that Izuku would be okay and that he would return home safe. But as she continued to cry those thoughts started to disappear as she sunk deeper into the darkness of despair.

When Inko was sure that she was going to disappear from these feelings she could feel gentle arms embrace her. Inko looked up to see her close friend Mitsuki Bakugo.

"Looks like I made it just in time." Mitsuki said. That line was one Inko had spoken many times in the past. It was a line she spoke when she caught Mitsuki before she did something bad. Eventually it became their moto. In time it turned into code for I made it to you before trouble did. Inko let everything out while her friend comfort her in silence. There was nothing either one could do or say to change what had happened. They didn't know how much time had passed and they didn't care.

****

Tsukauchi knew exactly how much time had passed as he sat outside the doctor's office. He came in with the ambulance and had stayed there waiting on the edge of his seat for hours on end. The doctors didn't want to let anyone see All Might yet. All they would say was that he was stable. Unconscious but stable. That was not enough for Tsukauchi. He needed to see that All Might was okay with his own eyes. At this time out of the corner of his eye he could see the T.V in the waiting room beginning to report the incident. Tsukauchi had already seen what happened with his own eyes and had already filed case report. The Case went to another officer from his station because he himself couldn't take it otherwise there would be a conflict of interest.

He bounced his knee up and down taking multiple glances at the clock. He sighed he had already let his wife know that he would be home late or maybe not at all that night. Even though he couldn't tell his wife any details gently reassured him that it was alright. She soothed him, calming his panicked tone and telling him not to worry. She didn't know what had happened, but she could still tell that Tsukauchi was panicked. She teased him that long as she didn't go into labor he didn't need to be with her before hanging up. This was a small comfort to him but not enough. His foot started to bang the floor with a quick tap, tap, tap. He's hands where webbed together on the bouncing knee. The image reminded him of a bug caught in a spider's web. He was the desperate bug and the Web was that of worry.

"Mr.Tsukauchi" The doctor called.

He nearly knocked the chair over when he sprang to his feet. "Yes!" He said louder then he meant to. He muttered a quiet apology while briskly walking towards the doctor.

The doctor gently smiled, "He's fine." She assured before continuing, "Sorry for keeping you so long. We had to get his records from U.A high because we didn't have them. Once we got them we worked on him." The doctor emphasize 'him' to indicate that it was still secret that All Might was here.

Tsukauchi quickly picked up the subtle hint and nodded, "Thank you." He breathed he could feel his shoulders drop and relax, "He's like a brother to me."

"Would you like to see him."

"Please."

"Right his way then." She gestured while leading him down a winding hall way. About half way through the doctor's pager went off and she had a nurse guide him the rest of the way. The nurse led him to the door and warned Tsukauchi the All Might wasn't awake and to be patient.

He walked in tears in his eyes. The door silently closed behind him. All Might looked fragile, and pale. Not the usual design when he was in his non-hero form. This time his bones shook from the oxygen tank. The IV drip looked like it could rip his skin of not handled carefully. His golden hair was a dull grease that collected sweat. His pale skin which was usually white was now a faint greenish-yellow. Tsukauchi pulled up a chair to rest beside All Might. "Wake up soon, old friend," Tsukauchi urged as he sat down to wait.

Himiko brings stay cats into the hideout multiple times and Dabi will often help her find a home for them. Shigaraki is okay with it as long as they didn't ruin anything.

One time she brought a stray cat inside the hideout because it was raining. The cat stayed and regularly comes back to the hideout. So they basically/unofficial adopted her. When Noir joined he filed all the paperwork and vet visits to make it official. He even brought her a collar and paid for her shots.

Shigariki loves her a lot because the cat isn't afraid of him. Her name is Pancake. They still let her come and go as she pleases. Sometimes she'll bring friends over too

(Any questions for next time?)

Also my one shots from the first draft are now moved to a separate book so feel free to check it out