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Shouto is no stranger to waking up confused. Being a pro hero means there have been many hospital stays. But he isnt quite used to waking up with someone by his side yet. Well, someones. Multiple. He had never thought anyone would care about him enough to be there when he woke up and yet here they are. Both of them here. For him.
As soon as his consciousness begins to come back to him, so does the pain. He can feel it even through the copious amount of pain meds he has to be on. He slowly peels his eyes open. Not quite willing to move his body yet. He can feel them even before he sees them. Izuku with his hand gripped tightly in Shoutos. And Katsuki with his slightly more reserved public displays of affection, resting his hand over Shoutos other.
Katsuki senses it first. Can feel it, almost like a sixth sense. Shouto slowly returning to the land of the living. Katsuki looks up immediately and Shouto can see the worry hidden in his eyes. Well attempting to be hidden. Katsuki doesnt want to show people his weaknesses so open and easily. He tries to hide, to maintain the persona of ‘Strong Pro Hero’. As if he thinks showing he cares will make him any less.
“Hey Princess. How are you feeling?” Shouto tries to respond. But its made difficult with both the oxygen mask in the way and how dry his throat is.
Izuku immediately grabs for a glass of water sitting on the bedside table. He carefully moves the mask aside and holds a straw to Shoutos lips at the same time Katsuki raises the bed just slightly so Shouto doesn’t choke on water. It feels far better to be sitting and not prone. Easier to see them.
After a few sips of water Shouto tries again. “Hurts,” is all he manages. Katsuki nods and presses the nurse call button. Izuku has already returned the glass to its resting place, moved the mask back in place, and is taking Shoutos hand again. A bit more gentle this time when he gives a squeeze.
“You had the nerd scared out of his mind you know. Hasn’t stopped crying for five damn days.” If Shouto had the energy hes sure his jaw would drop at that. Five days. —Five days—. He cant remember the last time he was out of commission for more than two.
A nurse with a soft smile and offensively bright pink scrubs enters the room. Shouto can hear her speaking with Katsuki but he doesn’t quite listen to what is said. He can see the nurse move quietly and quickly out of the room, reappearing with. With something. Shouto is having a bit of a problem focusing. She is beside the bed, expertly adding medication to Shoutos IV. If he had to bet he would say it was more pain meds.
He has his answer pretty soon. He feels less in pain and achey, but also ten times more tired than he was. He feels himself taking long slow blinks that are getting longer and longer. Izuku gives a small giggle at Shoutos attempts to avoid sleeping again.
“Don’t fight it Icyhot. Just let the meds do their thing. We’ll be here.” Shouto thinks thats all Katsuki says to him. But he was halfway passed out in his drug induced sleep after he said not to fight it. He doesnt even feel the two soft kisses, one after the other, that are placed to his forehead.
——————————
When Shouto wakes again, just like he said, Katsuki and Izuku are both still there. Although Izuku is just as deep asleep as Shouto had been, on a cot one of the nurses must have brought up for them. Katsuki though, is still sitting next to the bed. He’s scrolling silently on his phone, hand in Shoutos this time. Shouto gives a small squeeze and Katsuki has all his attention on Shouto in an instant.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Shouto rasps back. Still having oxygen mask interference. Not quite as thirsty as he was last time.
“You were only out for a coupl’a hours this time,” Katsuki must have seen the question on Shoutos face. Shouto must also make a displeased face because Katsuki is leaning in to place a kiss to his forehead. “Don’t worry. Doctors said we can bust you outta this place as soon as you were conscious and they checkup on ya. Make sure you’re good to go. Wouldn’t want the princess to faint on the way back home.”
Shouto is relieved. He hates being in the hospital. Would rather be at home, relaxing in his own bed. And Katsuki knows it. Probably why he was so quick to tell Shouto they were leaving soon.
Shouto doesn’t know how much time passes when a nurse, not the same nurse from before. This one in a much softer set of blue scrubs. Comes to check on everything and leaves to get Shoutos doctor to begin discharge procedure.
“Hello Todoroki-kun. We are glad to see that you are awake. I just want to go over a few things with you before you’re free to leave,” Shouto thinks hes able to nod at that. “You gave everyone quite the scare but you should heal up just fine. You had three broken ribs on your right side, fractured right wrist and broken right femur. We hear you took one hell of a fall. Along with numerous other small cuts. All the minor cuts and scrapes were able to be healed but you’ll have to let your bones heal on their own.”
Shouto knows that if Recovery Girl had been here he wouldn’t be walking out with quite this many broken bones. Well he definitely wont be walking anywhere anytime soon. Shouto looks over to see Izuku lifting himself up to sit, already listening intently to what the doctor is saying. Like he had been part of the conversation from the beginning instead of napping away on a cot.
The doctor continues, “Its very important that you rest during this time. It should take about 6 months for everything to heal and then we will be able to bring you in to start physical therapy.” Shouto zones out after that. After hearing that it would be six months for him to be on his feet again. He knows the doctor is going over more recovery information. Is giving detailed instructions to both Izuku and Katsuki who are listening intently. But Shouto can’t find the energy to care about recovery instructions.
“Is that okay Todoroki-kun?” Shouto hears his name and falls back into the conversation. He didn’t even hear the question, just nods his head. He knows Izuku and Katsuki will take care of it. Will take care of him. They always do. Just like he would always be there to take care of them. Not that he’ll be taking care of much for at least a few months.
Shouto continues letting everyone work around him without paying much attention. He feels when the nurse comes in and removes his IV and the oxygen mask. Definitely feel it when they remove the catheter. Wincing with him in solidarity. He feels as Izuku and Katsuki help him to the edge of the bed and manage to pull comfortable sleep pants and a soft t-shirt on him. They help him into a waiting wheelchair. Whispering small “Im so sorry” and “Thats what you get for falling from 30 fucking feet”.
Shouto remembers it. Falling. Remembers fighting a villain, though he cant remember their name. Remembers trying to make a maneuver and being smacked out of the air. Of falling from very high and catching himself last second. Not enough of a catch if he still ended up with so many broken bones. He almost feels like Izuku right about now.
Izuku and Katsuki sign off on his discharge paperwork and make sure they have all the medications Shouto will be needing. And then they push him outside. Outside to a waiting car. He knows that none of them even own a car but here one is. Sitting ready for him. Probably rented. They help him get awkwardly settled into the backseat, Izuku crawling in with him to sit.
Shouto is tall. Which only makes it all that more difficult. He has to sit sideways at an angle to fit his leg as straight as he can manage. Izuku behind him, pressed firmly against the door. But he doesn’t seem to mind. Just wraps his arms around Shouto and holds him. Gently. Minding the broken ribs. Breathing was a whole lot easier when he was moving less though.
Katsuki drives them home. Carefully. Not risking jostling Shouto unnecessarily. Shouto doesn’t think he’s ever seen Katsuki do anything that carefully. Well, maybe one other thing.
Shouto must have nodded off, because the next thing he knows he opens his eyes to the front door closing. They don’t have a wheelchair at home so Izuku and Katsuki help him out and help him hobble/hop his way to the front of their home.
They had splurged a little when Izuku had finally made it to top ten with them. They bought a cozy little house that was close to the agency. Something to call their own.
Katsuki opens the door to the house and they shuffle inside. Shouto is deposited on their couch in the living room, with his leg carefully propped up. He tries not to move much after that but nothing is helping. Just existing hurts right now. He knows the medication from the hospital must be starting to wear off. Izuku just has to see the look on Shoutos face before he is getting a pain pill and a glass of water for Shouto. Shouto takes it gratefully, “Thank you Izu.”
Izuku smiles and sits with him on the couch. Shouto can hear Katsuki in the kitchen. Can hear pans clanging softly against each other. Hes sure Katsuki must be making something. Katsuki had already been complaining about the hospital food in the car ride home. Shouto closes his eyes and rests his head on Izukus shoulder. Izuku just turns to hold him.
“Oi. Don’t sleep until you eat something Icyhot. I know they weren’t feeding you well in that damn hospital.” Shouto gives a small smile. Knowing that Katsuki’s biggest love language is acts of service. Especially cooking. Katsuki doesn’t even let Shouto take the bowl of soup. Just sits himself on Shoutos other side and brings the first spoonful to his mouth.
“You don’t have to feed me. I could do it myself”
“The hell you could! Damn broken wrist can’t hold shit.”
“Just let us take care of you Sho. We’ve got you.” Shouto acquiesces at that. He lets Katsuki bring spoonful after spoonful to him until the bowl is empty. When he’s done the bowl is set to the side on one of the end tables. Katsuki never leaves dishes lying around. He —always— takes them to the sink and even washes them. But today he just leaves it.
“I think it’s time for this pretty bastard to go to bed,” Katsuki says as hes already standing and moving to support Shouto.
“You called me pretty,” Shouto actually giggles. Pain meds already making him loopy.
“Because you are Sho,” Izuku says against the side of his head. They make another shuffle dance to their bedroom. Where Shouto is gently lowered to the bed. And they help him lay down and get somewhat to the center of the bed.
Shouto is tired. Ready to sleep. Already halfway there. When they both climb in on either side of him. Katsuki on his left and Izuku on his right. Their preferred of his sides.
“You’re staying?” Shouto asks.
“Of course we are. We know you dont want to be alone. You never do after getting out of the hospital.” And it’s true. He hates being alone any time. But when he gets out of the hospital and he hurts. He just wants them around. He gives a last smile as they both carefully cuddle up to him. Izuku extremely careful of his broken right side. Both of them press a short kiss to his lips, that he tries to reciprocate but doesn’t have much control over it.
Shouto sleeps. Knowing that they will be there. Will always be there. Knows that the future is going to be difficult. But still loves every moment he has with them.