Shota sat at his desk, staring at the papers in front of him. He sighed, brows furrowed and gaze serious. Calculated.
Grading. The bane of his existence.
Mina, acid does not just automatically burn through things, it has to wear down the material it's against. It has to burn through it slowly if it's not as strong and it goes through layer by layer. Stronger acids are definitely dangerous, yes, but it's not going to just immediately decompose a wall.
The man sighed again, rubbing his eyes and setting down his pen. He hadn't been allowed a nap today, even with the absence of his class.
It was a 'moody Monday' and his class would be away on actual patrols and missions for the other heroes. They needed experience, so Nezu had drafted them out and told him that they needed more time to get acquainted with villains (which was utter bullshit in Shota's opinion. These kids were too young).
He couldn't shake a feeling out of his head. His stomach was in twists, making him nauseous, drunk and sick on doubt. And concern. Just what was making him feel like this?
His eyes traveled to a picture frame on the edge of his desk. In it, he stood, an arm wrapped around Hizashi's shoulders as the blonde pressed his head into his cheek. Shota hadn't been able to keep a smile from his face and it slipped, the photographer taking full advantage of the moment. And as a result, a picture with him smiling came out. The loud cockatoo had been all too happy to frame it and copy the picture several times in case he had attempted to destroy the image.
Such a beautiful background edged the two. Shota had decided to dress nicely for once, wearing a loose dress shirt and a black striped tie, black suit pants accompanying the fresh look. The scar on his cheek made him look a little more noticeable. A little less artificial and unreal.
Hizashi wore a white collared shirt, the first two buttons at the top unbuttoned, creating an image that wasn't perfect, but they weren't going for perfection. In their eyes, they looked exactly how they wanted the other to look, so it fit them. The pictures were well-represented for them.
And yet only two of the photos included the raven-haired man smiling. In the other, he'd knelt down and petted a stray cat, scratching beneath its chin. The sense of calm that had washed over him caused him to not even register the fact that he'd had his picture taken at that very moment.
Pisshat would have loved the stray.
The thing was, the cat he had almost taken home ran off, and when they were walking home, they found it dead at the side of the road, tire tracks prominent in its fur. Its musty pelt was matted with blood and dirt, no signs of breathing shown. Shota had scooped it up and brought it home, giving it a burial beneath a clutter of tree roots.
The only hint that Pisshat had known the cat was around, was the smell of it. Perhaps that's why he was so keen on rubbing his face against the two when they returned.
The phone in his pocket vibrated. He scooped it out, narrowing his eyes on the caller ID. Uraraka Ochako. What did she need?
"Sensei!"
Panicked. She sounded panicked. She usually kept her cool rather well. What was happening?
"Uraraka, what's happening?"
"There was a big villain attack downtown and we rushed over. We aren't sure if everyone got out. We need help with getting the villains accounted for and incapacitated. Are you available?"
"Of course. Just give me a few minutes."
His apartment wasn't too far from the area she was describing. An underground hero didn't stray to the middle of cities, where they could be seen and tracked with ease. What kind of idiot would? Some hyperfan could spot them and record their appearance to find out who they are in an instant.
"I'm going to hang up, will you be okay?" He said into the phone, wrapping his capture weapon around his neck loosely.
"Yes. The quicker you get here, though, the easier the process will be. Keep on your toes, Aizawa-Sensei!"
Don't die, problem children.
--
Izuku blinked as his phone pinged with a message. He had just finished dropping a criminal off at the police station and it seemed he was needed by one of his classmates. He read the name as he opened the messaging app.
Deku, there's a really big villain attack happening in the downtown area and we need backup right away! Could you get here ASAP?
He took a deep breath, knowing that Uraraka didn't kid around with this sort of stuff. If she said it was big, then he believes it's certainly something to be worried about. He texts her back, a quick response to say that he'll be there. No casual emojis. This was serious.
He sprinted down the street before leaping off the ground, flying through the air and rolling onto a building's roof. He let his legs widen their strides, feeling the adrenaline grow. Running felt good. Being able to push himself felt good. Pushing himself past his limit was even better, though a certain someone got irritated when he didn't listen to him about taking it easy. How could he though? He had lost fifteen years to use (his) All Might's quirk compared to others who'd occupied a quirk their whole life.
Izuku narrowed his eyes at the smoke arising in the distance. Worrisome. Very worrisome. How many had they lost so far? How many casualties?
He pushed himself harder.
He leapt off of the building he'd been running across when he spotted a worried brunette who had been stopped by a blockade of fire. Her gaze locked on his when he skidded in front of her.
"The situation?" He breathed, eyes wide at the calamity.
A stretch of building were on fire, screams echoing (as he tried to ignore the ones that cut short.) Kids were wailing for their parents, flinching when heroes got close. A few villains had been caught, though there were a few pros who were rushing back with an injured coworker and an unconscious foe. This was serious.
"A mother said her kids are in there, though a villain kept her from reaching them!" Uraraka yelled over the chaos. "We can't run through a collapsed entrance due to it being enveloped in fire, and destroying part of it could risk a building collapse, so if they are on the bottom floor, that could end in catastrophe for them! We've had no luck with finding another route in!"
"Have the rest gotten out?" He called over his shoulder, inspecting the flaming entrance.
"Yes! We've counted everyone who had attendance in the building and asked each of them if they had a guest before the attack. All except the two kids are out!"
He eyed the roof of the building, where smoke was pluming out. There was not a chimney for it, and as far as he was concerned, the cracks that were shuttered by doors didn't allow as much smoke as there was now. There had to be a hole up there for him to get through.
"Do you have a gas mask?" He whirled around to meet her panicked gaze.
"One! In case of emergency."
"It seems this is an emergency then," he held out his hand, an obvious sign that he needed it. Fear flashed through her eyes, but she handed it over.
"Deku-Kun, wait!" She held fast to his arm when he was about to grab the mask and run. "Be safe."
His breath hitched but he put the mask on, hiding his gaze. "...I cannot promise this, but I can try."
And then he yanked himself from her grip before she could tighten it, leaping into the air and onto the rooftop, eyeing a gaping hole where smoke billowed out.
The building had four floors. It wasn't exactly an apartment building, but served more as an inn of a sort. It even had a daycare on the bottom floor. Which was probably why the mother hadn't been able to retrieve her kids. They were most likely on the bottom floor, if the thought that they had been in daycare was correct. He had to hurry though. They could be suffocating.
He jumped into the hole, his eyes narrowed on his feet as they disappeared in the smokescreen. He would make it out alive.
Don't die, kids.
--
Shota had not been expecting such mass destruction as he stood at the edge of one of the not-smoldering buildings. What exactly had happened in such a small amount of time?
Uraraka, I apologize but I think there are a few villains I need to handle before I can get to you, he grimaced, I won't baby you, since you're well-trained in close combat through your intern. I trust you also know how to evacuate civilians sensibly, so please, stay safe and get backup when needed. Classmates or pros, it will be needed eventually.
And perhaps this was where he went wrong first.
He pushed himself from the edge, descending quickly on a villain that had occupied a hero from their rescue work. The man sent out his capture weapon and wrapped it around a fist that nearly collided with the hero's chest. The villain recoiled in surprise as he came down on them, slamming a foot into their head, effectively knocking them down. He checked their pulse, making sure it was slow enough for them to be unconscious before turning on the other pro who looked at him gratefully before running back to a flaming building.
A lot could happen in just ten seconds. Just eight as well. He had gotten on his class for how long it had taken, and it seemed they hadn't caught on. It wasn't just discipline. It was learning to survive before learning to live, because to live only a minimal amount of time was a life too short. A longer life would be guaranteed if they knew that anything could happen in just a few seconds. For example, Oboro.
They couldn't end up like him. He wouldn't allow it.
Only teenagers, frightened even if they don't allow others to see them as such. Bakugo is fearful yet churns it into anger. Midoriya is fearful but he fuels it into hope for others. Kirishima, Uraraka, everyone. I can't--I won't allow them to die. And I will force that fact into every single villain I come across.
Shota bound the villain's wrists and ankles together tightly, binding them to a pole before sprinting across to a building that happened to have a lot of screaming. It echoed through his ears, making him think of strewn bodies, sewn lips and missing eyes. Why? He could not recall. Perhaps it was the thought of Shinso and Hizashi's quirks being cut off as well as his own. Because Hizashi would 'break someone's eardrums.' Shinso would 'brainwash anyone and everyone to reach the peak of his own villainy.' And Shota would fare well without his eyes. No one would ever have their quirk locked away from their grasp ever again. It's best to shut down the possible route of evil by incapacitating the younger ones, yes?
His mind was bitter. These were not the sort of thoughts he should be having. He should be focusing on the fight, not his emotions. Feelings came after safety.
Don't die, everyone.
--
Mina was worried. This wasn't working. Ochako was crying, in hysterics by now.
No sign of Midoriya. Ten minutes. Usually he was quick, calculated, efficient. What was happening?
The pink-skinned girl held the brunette close, narrowing her eyes on the flames that were growing in size. Growing in capacity. If he didn't come back soon, the gas mask would most likely fail him with the amount of smoke and fire currently engulfing the establishment.
His new quirk, Black Whip, suddenly ripped through the top of the building, clearing a path for a certain greenette to burst out, two kids clutched close. The hero-in-training did not have the gas mask on. The youngest child did.
Midoriya plummeted down towards them, Mina and Ochako sprinting forward to meet him.
One of his arms was broken.
"Deku-Kun, what happened?!" Ochako sobbed out, shakingly taking the older child while Mina scooped up the youngest.
"I don't have time!" He insisted quickly, his eyes darting back to the building. "Make sure they're breathing alright!"
"Deku, wait!" Mina shouted, not bothering to stop herself. She reached forward, her fingers brushing the singed, burnt fabric that was his costume as he coughed. He stepped back, wincing but letting power flow through his legs.
"DEKU-KUN!" Ochako screamed, bursting forward as the child in her arms wailed and buried their head between her shoulder and neck. Mina watched, horrified as the teen launched himself back into the fray. Into the building.
Mina clamped a hand over her mouth, stopping the sobs that wanted to wrench free. Ochako was screaming, on her knees.
Midoriya would come back, right? He never gave up, so he had to.
She was mortified. He had decided to leap into a building of blue flames. He knew what he was getting into.
Don't die, Midoriya.
--
Sorry Uraraka-San, Izuku thought, guilt streaming through his head as he descended back through the closing hole in the roof. Someone needs help.
He landed on the dirtied floor with unsteady feet as he turned around, trying to locate where he'd seen him.
Where, where, where, where?
He ran into a room on his left which had once held a door, but now only brandished metal hinges and dusty edges. Cracks of wood were scattered across the floor, in pieces. He was only interested in one thing though. One person, who was huddled at the back of the room, a hand at his side. He held a bloodied wound and could not stand, so Izuku would be the one to help him. It did not matter if he was a villain or a hero, civilian or riot.
Dabi was human. And he was injured. Fatal, if he did not receive help.
"Are you going to kill me now or what?" He rasped out, gaze sharp and deceivingly amused. Manic, yet passive.
"You're not dying on me, alright?" Izuku responded, though it felt like less of a question as he speed-walked over.
"Might as well if I'm going to jail anyways," Dabi sneered, the tone of his voice cutting through the air. "What if I burn you, hero twerp? What then? You've been taught not to play with fire, even in heroics."
"If I get burned, I'll heal."
Izuku now stood in front of the young man, a dark shadow cast on him from the bright, billowing flames. The villain male grunted, avoiding his gaze.
"You could get some serious scars, kid," he growled, eyes flicking up to the determined expression set above him.
"Scars do not define us, nor does the story behind them. We wear them with pride, because they signify that we survived."
He became silent at this, eyeing his own purple scars on his arms.
"...I'm not stupid, so I'll let you help me."
A satisfied noise came from above as surprisingly strong hands hoisted him to his feet, supporting him when he gasped and nearly fell.
"We are not friends, though, got it?" He snapped.
Izuku gave him the smallest of smiles. "You bet."
He helped the man stay on his feet, leading him around heavy pieces of debris that littered the floor. Tiles were upturned and chipped, revealing dirty concrete and maybe a few splats of blood. They would get out. Izuku was sure of it.
"So, do you go around helping your enemies on the daily or what?" Dabi's voice pushed his thoughts away as they reached the point where the hole in the roof was. But something wasn't right. If they tried to get out now, the roof would collapse before they could, and the chance that debris that could fall and hit one of them was too great. If it got one of them in the leg or head, they would have no chance of survival.
"We need to get to the stairs, now!" Izuku shouted, leading him back to the steps to the third floor. The walls of the fourth were shaking and unsteady. They had to get to the first floor. Some sort of window.
They rushed down uneven stairs, Dabi inhaling sharply at the pain in his core whilst muttering about leaving him behind. Izuku didn't even want to consider leaving him to die this way. It wasn't fair for him. He deserved to live.
They rushed down another flight went obnoxious, screeching sounds of metal tearing and crashing reached their ears. His eyes widened as he shielded himself in front of the man, directing himself in the path of whatever disaster would occur next.
And then the wall caved in.
--
Don't die, Dabi.
--
Ochako screamed, her hands flying to her mouth as she watched part of a building crash into the side of the establishment Deku-Kun was in. Was he safe? Why did he run back in?!
She wanted to slap him, tell him off for running back into an unstable building that could collapse at anytime.
The kids he saved were gone, retrieved by a mother who wept and thanked and prayed at their knees, too grateful for the help that had vanished once again. But with their survival, Deku-Kun had risked his own.
Ochako was frustrated. Despaired. Why did he have to be so selfless?! It made her want to scream! And she already was.
Aizawa-Sensei, please... where are you...?
Don't die, Deku-Kun.
--
He was going to die.
Don't die yet, hero.
--
Uraraka was crying. Mina was clinging to her like her life depended on it. Heroes from other resolved areas were gathering. Shota was becoming increasingly worried. Who was in there?
"Uraraka!" A familiar voice shouted, pushing through the crowd as the man shoveled his way over, not caring if he pushed a colleague over.
What is happening?
"I got your text, where is he?!" Todoroki grabbed her shoulders tightly, his gaze a blaze of hot emotions.
"I'm sorry I could not get here sooner, what's the situation?" Shota quickly cut in, not allowing a single slip of panic to enter his gaze as the rest of his class arrived, all yelling different things. One peer was not with the group.
Dread pooled in his stomach. This couldn't be happening.
"Deku-Kun's trapped in the collapsing building," Uraraka nearly whispered.
His heart dropped in his chest as every single scream of his instincts telling him to hide his emotions fell away. He allowed his eyes to stay wide, focused on the destroyed mass of concrete and titanium.
He ignored Bakugo, Iida, Todoroki, and Kirishima. He ignored Shinso. He stepped forward, and without registering what his body was doing, he leapt towards the chaos to find his way to his problem child.
Don't you dare fucking die, problem child.
--
The first thing Izuku noticed was the pain. The unrelenting pressure on his legs that wouldn't lift. An agonized cry of pain was choked down, coming out as broken sobs. He looked up, eyes blurry as he spotted the man he attempted to save. He was alive, but he could no longer help him. Not like this.
He coughed on the ever-thickening smoke, his chest hurting too much for him to breathe as he should've. It hurt. It hurt beyond what words could comprehend.
"D-Dabi...," he struggled to say, the black-haired man's head snapping up at his name.
"You're alive?!" Dabi exclaimed, shock riveting through his features. Then he coughed, blood coming out of his mouth.
"Dabi, I'm s-sorry..."
"Why the hell are you apologizing?"
"I couldn't... I couldn't get you out..."
"No. That's not your fault. Don't apologize for that. You got us this far and that's an accomplishment on its own."
"How are my legs...?" Izuku stretched a small, pained smile over his face.
Dabi let out a shaky laugh that caused harsh coughing to ensue. "I'd say pretty damn good, if you ask me."
"You flatter me."
The man fell silent, his hand lightly covering the dark stain in his jacket. Unsteady breaths reached the boy's ears, and he couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. A life coming to an end too short, if no one could reach them in time.
"At least you've made this end a little less unbearable," the (villain) human said.
"How so?" Izuku lifted his blurry gaze to peer at the blob of black, gray, and purple where a now-ashen skin tone blended with the mix.
"I can think of my scars not as a burden, but as a symbolization. I wonder how Endeavor will feel, suddenly finding that his eldest child didn't actually die until today. That big oaf. Why did I ever wish to prove myself to a big narcissist with no concept of the human heart?"
"Are you... Toya Todoroki...?"
Dabi breathing hitched a little. Just a small amount. "I don't like that name anymore. Could we stick to Dabi?"
"Of course."
Izuku coughed harshly, blood gurgling up his throat and flying out of his mouth. His brows furrowed, eyes becoming more unfocused. The pain was... fading...
"I don't think..."
Dabi looked up, and the boy could tell he knew what he was going to say next, so he shut his mouth and let himself breathe deeply of what he could, one. Last. Time.
"I know, kid, I know...," he whispered, closing his eyes.
Izuku's head became too heavy, so he set it on the ground, his eyelids drooping. He really was a failure. He failed Dabi. He could not save the man of ripped skin and staples. He could do no more. He was tired. Oh so tired.
So he closed his eyes.
Remember me before you go, Dabi. Please. I never wanted to die alone.
--
Inko did not know what she had been thinking before, when she gave in to her son Izuku. She let him dream of becoming a hero, and never had she thought that her only boy would sacrifice himself for a villain. She knew he had been too kind for the shattered world and reality around him, but she could never come to regret this more than she did now, not teaching him of all the dangers the hero world provided.
Why had she let him dream so big? Why had she allowed All Might to inspire him so much? If he just didn't become so invested in heroes, he would be alive. He would be with her.
But... I'd rather his life end short with friends he loves and a life committed to others rather than a long life of sorrow and broken dreams. I cannot hold onto him for my own desires, and he saved one more life that day. Dabi... he told me that you were such a good kid, Izuku. He said that he would rather die than you because of the sorrows he held onto and carried through his life. He requested only to see me when you died, because he knew I'd need it. That I'd need a reminder of how your flaring passion was enough. You were my world, as all else collapsed.
--
Part not with regret, problem child, for you have saved many lives in the one we could not preserve. Eri and Kota... they could not bear the news. They were broken and shattered, clinging to one another when they did not know a thing except one about the other. They both knew that the other was a remnant of you. They both knew that to carry on, they needed you. So, they took and grasped at the pieces of you they could find, and they found one another. The inspiration you fueled, smiles you enchanted, and scars you carried. They were all for us, and we could not thank you enough for the joy you gave us all. I say this as a teacher, a friend, and a once-possible parental figure. It was too much for many when you parted, and I could only wish you stayed longer. I wish you a lovely break from the burdens of this broken world. You were the only one I would ever admit to loving as a father, and it's a shame that Hizashi will never have the chance to tease me for it. A lifetime of teases and jabs are better than this, but you deserve a rest, for all the things you kept and wept over. Goodbye, Izuku.