Failure

Todoroki relied on the wall next to him as he limped through the burning city in search of Midoriya, who'd suddenly disappeared from his side in their last battle.

Around him the skyscrapers drowned with dancing fire, partially his own doing and partially because of the villains. The League of Villains had unearthed again, this time wreaking so much havoc that citizens had to be evacuated. Last he remembered, Midoriya was battling at his side when Todoroki suddenly turned and the green-headed hero was gone.

The shooting pain needling against Todoroki's torso finally caused his trembling knees to falter to the ground splattered in ashes. A harsh gasp escaped his lips as he pressed his palm firmly against his open wound. He couldn't recall who'd punctured through his side, but the stabbing pain had yet to cease with the long trail of blood that followed behind him. Even now as he removed his hand to gaze at the blood staining his palm, the pulsing stab caused him to cringe with every heart beat as if his own heart was drying of blood.

A mushroom cloud of fire suddenly burst from an explosion a few blocks down. Weary eyes of grey and crystal blue turned to the thunderous sound and he swallowed with apprehension. Midoriya could have been there. Midoriya could have been anywhere. He wondered if the rest of his friends held themselves better than he.

Todoroki couldn't just sit there and wonder. Gagging on his breath and sheer pain, he clenched his shirt tight against his crimson wound and forced his knees from the ashes and his puddling blood, helplessly groaning in agony. Legs numb with weakness, they trembled beneath him but managed to finally rise as Todoroki scraped his shoulder against the concrete building for support and gasped for breath, his lungs constricting with defeat. Such little effort winded him. Damn it.

Head throbbing and muscles aching, Todoroki forced one foot forward again. He couldn't give up on Midoriya. That little hero would never give up on anyone, so neither could Todoroki. Midoriya had saved Todoroki, after all. Midoriya made Todoroki who he was today; a hero of ice and fire. Fire, the region of his quirk he sore to never use. And yet Midoriya awakened him, made him stronger. Who knows how his own life would have crumbled had he never accepted himself?

Without warning, the buildings in the distance began to blur. Todoroki's vision was fading him and so was his cognition. He could practically hear his own rapid gasps in his ears as his gaze swayed like an ocean wave from one building to the streetlight to the fire hydrant to his bloodied hand on the wall.

The daze was overcoming him. No, not yet, Todoroki thought in panic, squeezing his eyes closed only to open them again. But fate wasn't with him. Todoroki collapsed again within the blink of his eyes, this time not only falling to his knees but his fragile skull slammed against the sidewalk.

His aching head was spinning him to sleep, yet the merciless gnawing at his side that throbbed with every beat of his failing heart kept him awake. He coughed in utter pain and his hand retracted to his side again. The warm crimson began to pool at his open wound once more, staining his soaked hero's uniform in his own blood.

Todoroki's bangs grazed against the sidewalk, unable to lift his head. The concrete felt hot against his face, but he was too weak to cool himself down. The young hero's vision faded from clear to a deep blur and he struggled to keep his eyes open. Another thunderous explosion burst somewhere in the distance.

This wasn't what Todoroki wanted. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. Just the other day he and the other students sat in their classroom with innocent, unknowing smiles. Midoriya's kind laughter rang in Todoroki's ears. A surge of melancholy overwhelmed his chest and the lump in his throat that began to swell at the thought of Midoriya. They were supposed to watch over each other in this battle. It was Todoroki's duty to protect him, and now he couldn't even lift himself from the ground to search for his friend. Pathetic.

Todoroki was hardly strong enough to curl his fingers into his palm with the clench of his fist. He wanted to scream, but only a defeated whimper escaped his chest and tight throat, his body finally giving up on him. Even as the gritting pain in his torso began to boil into the sweet numbing sensation that would steal away his consciousness, the young hero couldn't help but think of Midoriya. His heart fluttered yet ached. He failed his friend. He only begged destiny that Midoriya was safe, that someone found him and he was away from all this mess.

Todoroki's gasps fell to breathless whispers and he struggled to force his eyelids open. Darkness began to creep over his glazed vision. He couldn't hold on. Despite the heat of the burning city, a chill unfamiliar to his quirk ran down his spine and began to consume his body starting from the pit of the puncture wound draining his own blood like a running sink. He felt heavy against the ground, his body sinking into the dirt. Troubled eyelids finally resting and strands of hair falling from his forehead, Todoroki fell into the darkness.

"There he is! Todoroki!"

Sheer terror escaped Midoriya's lips having followed the trail of blood around the corner. Uraraka and Iida could barely keep up with Midoriya's rushing legs fueled by the power of All for One. The young hero's heart pounded within his rib cage as his frantic eyes traced the fires reflecting within the trails of blood left behind by Todoroki to the sight of his beloved friend unmoving on the ground several feet ahead.

Midoriya could barely swallow, he was so anxious. Just what had he gotten into?

Dirt scraped the ground as Midoriya finally skid to a stop above his fallen friend and fell to his knees, and he flinched at the splash from Todoroki's blood. His hands trembled, examining all the wounds marked on Todoroki's body; but the one that surely crippled the fire-iced hero was the glaring wound against his side pouring with blood. Lying within the crimson puddle next to that wound was Todoroki's pale, limp hand.

Midoriya felt a cold sweat run over him. Was he too late?

"Todoroki, I'm sorry," Midoriya cried between the lump in his throat, flipping the limp body onto his back.

Todoroki. Midoriya's heart sank. Todoroki's eyes weren't shut in agony or pain. No, they were peacefully resting. And his lips were slightly parted. And his skin was ghostly pale despite the ashes and scars of battle clinging to his cheek. A sharp gasp stung Midoriya's throat. No, no, this was all wrong. Frantically, he lifted Todoroki from the ground and pulled the feeble body to his chest and pressed one hand on Todoroki's wound. As if he could stop the blood flow. As if stopping it would even help.

Iida and Uraraka had finally skid to a stop at the scene, out of breath and out of time. They were almost too traumatized to speak at the sight of the bloody trail leading to a crimson pool engulfing the ground Midoriya sat in, who clung desperately to Todoroki's limp body.

"Oh no," Uraraka uttered, her eyes immediately swelling with tears and her hands retracting to her quivering lips. She didn't have to ask to simply know.

"Todoroki…" Iida baffled, fighting back tears.

Midoriya clutched Todoroki to his chest, bangs falling over his puffy eyes and sniveling face. "Todo… Todoroki, this is my fault. We got separated and I… I tried to find you." His cracking voice fell into breathy sobs as tears streamed from his cheeks and splattered on Todoroki's resting eyelids. Midoriya shattered, unable to compose himself the longer he gazed against Todoroki's pale demise. What a lonely death he must've faced.

Midoriya's fingers gripped the blood-soaked cotton on Todoroki's back and he brought his friend's pale face to his own, touching their dirtied foreheads together as if the apology would reach him. "I'm sorry!" He now shrieked, his voice collapsing with every word. "Why couldn't it have been me?! I failed you!"

Uraraka whimpered. She jolted from her spot and fell to Midoriya's side, throwing her arms around him and slumbering Todoroki. Another clashing explosion burst beyond the heavens but their cries couldn't compete with its sounds of roaring thunder.

Iida clenched his fists. He couldn't watch any longer. "Recovery Girl… She-she has to be around somewhere!" His feet stumbled backwards, his eyes still locked on his fallen comrade. He almost didn't want to walk away, as if Todoroki would sit up and open his eyes. Todoroki is only unconscious, he had to tell himself, sliding another foot back. Gritting his teeth, Iida spun around on his heel and sped forward, the engines in his calves burning in fear of the worst, but immediately he bumped into a towering figure.

All Might gazed down at the eager student, whose chest dropped in both relief and fear. Quietly, he stepped aside and let the hero pass.

All Might held his breath, his shoes wet with one of his precious student's blood. Silent, despondent, All Might kneeled down before young Midoriya and Uraraka, spirits crumbled, and young Todoroki, life withered.

Uraraka lifted her head, unable to control herself in All Might's company. Sniveling and whimpering, Uraraka removed herself from Midoriya to give them space.

Midoriya hadn't even noticed the presence kneeling before him. A sudden heavy hand relaxed on his shoulder and caused him to flinch. Midoriya hesitated, his forehead still pressed against his friend's with guilty tears of bitter parting the ash from his cheeks and chin and neck. Slowly, Midoriya lifted his glossy, puffy eyes to meet with All Might; his dark gaze masked with tragedy. Likewise, All Might – the glorious Symbol of Peace whose encouraging smile brought hope to all – was broken with loss, as well.

Silently, the hero of justice held out his arms, coaxing Midoriya to let go of the lifeless Todoroki. Midoriya's eyes flickered. He gazed once to All Might who couldn't force a smile if peace willed it, and then he gazed to Todoroki's sleeping face. Midoriya grit his teeth but he couldn't fight back his tears. His eyes squeezed shut and drained with bitter sorrow as All Might carefully pulled the limp body from his arms. Like one would with a slumbering child, All Might held Todoroki close to his chest and rose to a stand with the fires of the skyscrapers burning at his backside.

Uraraka and Iida stared helplessly at the pro-hero. Even if the Symbol of Peace was hopeless, his students still looked to him for hope. All Might looked to Midoriya on the ground who wept into his hands and a wave of regret came over him. He should have been there to defend them.

"Come, young Midoriya." All Might's usually solid voice now softly wavered. He hoped to sound as strong as he appeared. "We can't stay here." His heart ached with the hopeless rise of Midoriya, who moved like an empty puppet with staggering limbs.

All Might pressed his lips firmly together. He said not another word but instead began into a run with the students following close behind, the sounds of their sniffles drowning in another roaring explosion. Todoroki felt limp and cold against his chest; another lifeless body that All Might had held over and over again. Every body he held was different, but this one he knew and deeply admired.

And for that reason he was broken.

Happy first chapter! Hope I did okay. Feel free to leave critiques or comments! I always appreciate them!