Toga. . .
A chill swept over Izuku as the name registered, his head shoved down by Bakugo as a blast went off.
Toga hummed from where she'd jumped away. "You two looked pretty cozy." She tucked her chin with a lopsided grin, pulling another knife from her belt. "Sorry to interrupt!"
Bakugo knocked away the knife and hauled Izuku up. He ducked as Bakugo let off another blast and fumbled for his phone to call for help. Just as he got it unlocked, it went flying from his hands.
"Can't let you do that, kid," a man said. "Stay still!"
Izuku's stomach plummeted as he barely dodged razor-sharp measuring tapes. He forced himself to take a breath and calm down before pushing his quirk out.
"Damn it!" Bakugo yelled, stumbling back from Toga. He turned to Izuku, eyes wide with fear. "Run, Deku!"
Izuku stiffened, eyes burning as he dug into the minds of the two villains.
"Deku, don't! Just get out of here!" Bakugo nearly screamed as Toga's advance slowed. "Damn it, Deku! Run! Fuck—" He jumped back as the hold broke and Toga struck at him.
Izuku gritted his teeth in annoyance and dug in deeper. He stepped back, glancing at the ground around him for where his phone had been knocked to, but it was useless in the low light. He turned his attention back to Toga and the other man.
Fight me.
He took a step back as Toga turned her attention to him. She licked her lips and charged. Izuku
dodged her advances, focusing in on her movements. Carefully, he led her away from Bakugo. "Why are you here?" he asked her, leaning out of the way of a jab with a needle.
Her grin stretched wider. "For you silly!"
Tell me more.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you," she purred, making a strike for Izuku's arm. "I just want another taste."
"Deku!"
He looked over Toga's shoulder to Bakugo who stood a little ways down the street with the other man laying on the ground.
Izuku swallowed hard as their situation settled in. Multiple villains and no gear. He blocked Toga's attack, struggling to get a hold strong enough to make her stop.
"I'm alright, Kacchan!" Izuku called back, grabbing Toga's wrist and narrowly avoiding the knife in her hand's edge.
Toga glowered at her blade and shifted her gaze to Izuku. "I hate cocky ones."
Izuku arched away from the knee she drove into his stomach, softening the blow, but he still lurched. A strangled cough ripped out of him as Toga landed a kick to his side. Izuku rolled out of the way of her needle, which clipped off the concrete.
She straightened, breathing hard. "You're slippery," she mused with a slight hum.
Izuku got to his feet and raised his fists. He didn't give Toga the chance to attack first. The punch to her cheek landed with a pop and she stumbled back, blood seeping from her lip. She seethed, backing up further as Izuku threw punches and kicks.
Another needle shot by his side, barely missing as it caught on his shirt and ripped a hole.
Izuku jumped back, shifting through her jabs
Stop.
Toga flinched, her swing stalling for a split second before the needle came down with more force than before. "He said you would try and get in our heads," she said, slashing at him again.
Izuku pressed a hand over the gash on his chest, blood soaking into the torn fabric of his shirt. Toga licked her lips.
"You're gonna have to try hard than that to stop me, pretty boy!"
Izuku caught her wrist and knocked the blade from her hand, barely missing the counter strike with the needle. He dove to grab the dagger and roll out of the fall. With the spare second that it took for Toga to turn on him, Izuku glanced at Bakugo, caught between the other guy and a lizard man. The smoke was heavy from his explosions and quickly filling the street with a haze.
He dug through his memory as he blocked Toga and tried to make time, praying that the commotion would cause someone to call for help. Toga could transform into another person when she ingested their blood and given how she was trying to stab Izuku with the needle, he assumed that was her plan. To look like him for some reason.
Izuku glanced over at Kacchan, his mouth growing dry. Use his likeness to hurt Bakugo? It was possible.
"You know it was really lucky that you two broke off from your group," she said, grinning wildly as she pushed back against Izuku's block, the cold barrel of the needle pressing against his skin.
Izuku scowled at her, hating that implication that they were being watched the whole night and he didn't notice. "What do you want?" he asked, shoving her off.
She swung back with a kick aimed at his head, driving Izuku back a few steps. "And ruin the
surprise?" She laughed, whipping one of her knives at him.
Izuku ducked under the blade, dust falling into his hair. He glanced up at the gash in the concrete with a shutter.
Her movements became clipped and hesitant as Izuku wove thoughts through her head, trying to confuse her and jumble her actions. He let out a breath as it seemed to be working and he was able to avoid her attacks easier.
"Kacchan!" Izuku yelled, voice straining from exertion.
Bakugo whipped his head over after setting off a blast. A look of relief passed over his face when he locked eyes with Izuku. "Keep your ass alive, Deku!"
"I will," he muttered under his breath, a promise to himself.
Toga blinked at him; her mouth slightly ajar. "You're trying to confuse me." She cocked her head,
hand tightening around the wire that swung a blade. "I can feel it. You. You're in my head." Izuku lowered his head, lip curling back in a snarl. "You thought I wouldn't put up a fight?" She grinned to the point it looked like it hurt. "Oh no, we wouldn't dream of that."
The knife flew past Izuku's shoulder, fear shuddering through him as his sleeve tore.
"In fact, we were hoping you'd struggle." She licked her lips, blade swinging by her side. "Make's it more fun. So, come on, Deku, show us what you've got!"
Izuku blocked her kick and knocked her off. The wire wrapped around his arm. He hissed in pain as it cut through his sleeve into his skin and drew blood. Toga's face flushed at the sight of it and yanked him closer.
Izuku grimaced as her tongue slid across his arm and licked the blood off before jumping away.
She hummed, delighted as she wiped her lip off with her thumb. "Tasty."
Izuku gritted his teeth, breath seething through. He dug into her mind, shifting her thoughts away. Trying to. He leaned out of the way of the needle as the hold slipped. He glared around at the dark street. There was nothing to distract her with. He growled in annoyance as the distance between him and Bakugo grew.
He knew that this was her plan. To separate them. But if he was close to Bakugo then he wouldn't be able to use the full force of his blasts. The other two villains circled Bakugo, smoke curling around them.
"Worried about your boyfriend?" Toda asked, jabbing the needle at Izuku's side. "You should really be more worried about yourself!"
Izuku backed up further as she switched out the needle for another dagger and flung herself towards him. He narrowed his eyes as her strikes forced him to dodge and his commands swept off of her like fleeting thoughts. Her entire focus was on him.
He dove to the side for a trash can lid, slipping into the dark cast by the tall buildings framing the alley. He pushed out with his quirk, zeroing in on Toga's location and coaxing her into keeping that attention. Thinking loud and hard about how much she wanted his blood. He shivered, but it
was working.
"You think the dark can hide you?" she asked, looking in his general direction.
Izuku hit her before she could get the chance to think rationally. The blood on his knuckles smeared across her shirt and she laughed in delight.
"Look at you just gushing!"
The two daggers bit into the tin of the trashcan with a sharp metallic scrape. Izuku jumped back and pulled at the cut on his face, reopening the wound. More blood rolled down his cheek and he coated his hands.
"You want my blood so can transform into me, right?" he asked, blocking against her arm.
She leaned forward, a crazed grin on her face. Maybe in the low light, she could see the blood on his face, dripping off his chin. "You're perceptive at least."
Izuku slammed the makeshift shield across her face, most of the force caught on her shoulder, but she still stumbled back with a yelp.
"Kacchan!" he screamed, watching yellow light flicker across the concrete at the alley entrance. The explosions rattled the windows, breaking some of them.
Help should've arrived a long time ago. Izuku glanced up at the rooftops on either side of him with unease. No one was coming. That's what he was picking up from Toga, but he couldn't figure out why. He didn't have the time to sort through her memories and thoughts while fighting off her attacks.
He let out a frustrated yell as he shoved her back, taking the few seconds to breathe and get more blood on his knuckles.
"DEKU!"
"Kacchan," he muttered, drowned out by the explosion that followed. Dread filed Izuku at the distance. Just as Toga was driving him away, they were doing the same with Bakugo. Izuku drew his hands in fists, determined to get away from Toga and find him.
He caught a knife on the trashcan lid and forced Toga's arm away. She countered on the right, the needle coming in an upward sweep towards his side. Izuku speared a thought through her mind, wincing at the strain, but her aim veered right and missed him.
"Kacchan? Is that what you call him?"
Izuku twisted out of the way of a slice from the dagger.
Toga turned with him. "That's so adorable. Can't wait to hear you scream for him!"
She landed a kick to his stomach. Izuku wheeze, a choked sound catching in his throat as he landed on the ground, head knocking against the concrete. He jerked as she stabbed the needle into his arm and used the other hand to put her mask in place. After a few seconds, the tubes filled with his blood.
Izuku's vision swam as he tried to focus on her. His side ached where her foot had landed. He was sure his ribs were at least bruised if not broken. Toga grinned above him as he struggled, slurping
sounds echoing in the dark.
Izuku managed to get a hold as her mind swam with lustful delight as his blood filled her mouth. "Get off of me," he ordered, the words hissing through his teeth.
Toga complied. She had what she needed.
The ache in his ribs blossomed as he rolled onto his side. He whimpered, struggling to his hands and knees. He took as deep of a breath as he could manage and looked back at Toga. She still stood a few feet away with a dazed expression, swaying slightly. Izuku wove a command through her head to stay there and savor the feeling. He grimaced as her joy brushed against him.
Izuku got to his feet, stumbling as his head spun.
Kacchan.
He looked around the alley, settling on the way that they'd come from. A defeated whine escaped him when flashes from explosions didn't light the street. Somewhere in the distance, Izuku could hear the muffled blasts.
So far.
"Not giving up now, are you?"
Izuku froze as a ridged chill shot through him. He dared to look over his shoulder at the voice. The shadows shifted, catching his breath. He stared wide-eyed, waiting, dreading, praying that he was wrong.
Blue flames flickered, lighting the alley as they lined the buildings.
"Dabi," Izuku hissed terrified, heart pounding in his ears.
He cocked his head to the side. "You sound surprised."
Izuku forced his quirk out, another disjointed sound breaking past his lips when he found a mind. One he recognized. This Dabi was real. Horribly real.
His eyes scanned Dabi, snagging on the gun in his right hand, heart stammering at the sight of it.
Dabi followed his gaze. He lifted the weapon to inspect it, blue glinting off the metal. "We need to have a little chat, Deku."
Izuku forced into Dabi's mind as the gun was raised, planning to stop him. Somehow. Someway. But something else caught his attention.
Let's see how good you are without your quirk.
A breath rushed into Izuku's lungs as Dabi wrapped a finger around the trigger and he dug into Dabi's thoughts, holding his attention tight. Izuku threw himself back and to the right while twisting Dabi's memories, making him believe that he'd hit his mark. The bullet veered away from Izuku, but he grasped his arm and dug his finger into the hole from the needle. Blood poured from the wound, soaking the sleeve of this jacket in hot crimson.
Dabi stepped closer, the gun still held in his hand. He inclined his head towards Toga. "Start phase two."
The order snapped her out of whatever daze lingered from Izuku's commands and she nodded before sprinting off into the dark.
"Get up," Dabi ordered, leveling the gun at Izuku again.
Izuku watched the action wearily as he pushed himself to his feet, wincing when he put too much weight on this arm. "Where are you taking me?" He stiffened, fear curling in his gut as the barrel of the gun pressed into the back of his head.
"Move," Dabi ground out, shoving Izuku forward with the gun. "Or I'll put another in you."
Izuku swallowed hard and started walking. He focused on the sound of his footsteps. The crunch of concrete and dirt. Each step aching with anticipation as he glanced around the alleys they walked through.
There were rumbles far away. He hoped that it was Bakugo. If he was still fighting that meant he was fine, but there was something even more distant in the other direction. He frowned. It sounded like sirens, but they weren't coming any closer.
He glanced to the side catching Dabi's shadow behind him as they passed through a lighter spot before reentering darkness.
They wouldn't attack without a well thought out plan. His arm throbbed with a dull pain. A reminder that Dabi had a gun full of quirk erasing bullets. Izuku was able to gather that the effects wouldn't last for more than a few hours, but it was still unnerving to know how close he was to being helpless.
And that the threat was still there.
Dabi knocked the gun against his right shoulder signaling a turn.
Izuku scanned the dead-end alleyway. The back wall was too tall to scale and attempt an escape. The smell of garbage hung in the air, wafting over from the dumpster on the left. The space was open with just enough light to see from the lamp hanging over a shop door.
"Sit," Dabi said, dragging a beaten-up chair over from the wall to the center of the alley.
Izuku did as told, the warped metal creaking under his weight. He strained to listen for explosions, but if there were any, they were just as distant as the sirens, and it was impossible to tell.
They both looked up as a helicopter flew overhead towards whatever was happening on the other side of the city.
Dabi smirked as it passed out of sight. His gaze dropped back down to Izuku. "Are you wondering why help hasn't come?"
Izuku gulped and dared a nod, his stomach feeling like an endless pit.
"We've been watching you for a while," Dabi said, amusement in his voice. "Just waiting for the perfect time to strike." He stopped a few feet away from Izuku and stared down at him. "No one is coming to save you, Izuku Midoriya."
Izuku bit down on his lip, fighting off a tremble. "Why not?" he pushed, determined to get a better sense of the situation. "What have you done?"
"Just a distraction," Dabi drawled, smirking. "Half a dozen Nomu's on the other side of town will keep the Pro's busy for a while." He glanced towards the sky. "You can hear it, can't you? No one's even thinking about you."
Izuku glared at him, biting back his words. Kirishima and the others couldn't have gotten far. But if the League had been watching them surely they had to know that. Maybe they'd heard the explosions from Bakugo, but if that was the case, they should've gotten to them by now.
Izuku gritted his teeth as he searched Dabi's face and sorted through his present thoughts. He didn't want to bring his friends up, but maybe he could coax the answer out of him.
"How long have you been planning this?" Izuku asked, determined to keep him talking. More information would help in the long run, and it would keep Dabi distracted.
"A while," Dabi answered. His smirk shifted to an angry sneer. "Took some time to get my head back in order."
Izuku flinched as a wave of rage hit him, but he pushed through.
"Since the fire then?" Izuku asked, tensing up as the anger brushed up against him. "You've been planning this since the fire? The bullets, tonight, all of it?" He promptly shut his mouth as Dabi pressed the gun to his forehead, teeth bared in a snarl.
Be brave. Feel the fear and let it go.
Izuku let out a shaky breath and stared back at Dabi, coaxing him to pull the gun back. "Too easy," he growled, stepping away. "I'm going to rip you apart."
"Here?" Izuku asked, glancing around at the dark alley.
Dabi opened his mouth to reply but was caught off.
"Boss," someone called as they turned the corner. "You got him? Twice is standin' guard."
Dabi soured at the person as they stepped into the dim light. "Of course, I did. Tie him up, Spinner."
Izuku watched as the person came closer, pulling a short length of role from his utility belt. The lizard-like man was familiar. Izuku had seen his face pop up a few times in relation to the League. A weapons specialist. He left the knots loose as Izuku pulled at his thoughts. Izuku tugged on the restraints sure that he could get out later if he needed to.
"We gonna do it here?" he asked Dabi as he stepped away from Izuku, glaring at the dumpster with distaste.
Dabi continued to stare at Izuku as he answered, "The city is crawling with Heroes right now. We'll stay put for the moment."
Spinner nodded, but still looked apprehensive as he glanced back at Izuku. "You're sure you got him?" he asked, eyeing Izuku's bloody arm.
"You think I'd miss?" Dabi snapped, gun shifting in his hand.
Spinner shrugged, arms crossing over his chest. "He can alter thought's, right? That's what our intel said." He leaned closer to Izuku, inspecting the wound with narrowed eyes. "How can we be
sure?"
Izuku felt the suspicion roll off of Dabi.
It looks just like a bullet hole, Izuku wove through Spinner's mind, heart beating frantic in his chest.
Spinner grabbed his arm causing Izuku to yelp in pain as he studied the wound. Izuku bit down on his lip and held on tight to his thoughts. After a few moments of inspection, Spinner stepped away. He looked back at Dabi with a slight nod. "Looks real to me."
Dabi relaxed, gun dropping to his side.
They all looked up when an explosion went off. Izuku sagged as it came from the direction of the sirens.
"Sounds like the Nomu's are making a mess," Spinner said with pride. "Wonder how the two nearby are doing."
Izuku stiffened at that.
"The Nomu's are doing what they're supposed to do," Dabi bit out. He shifted his eyes back to Izuku. "Wouldn't want those friends of yours getting too close, now would we?"
"Why don't we just kill him now?" Spinner asked, clearly impatient. He whipped out a knife and held it to Izuku's throat.
Izuku bit back a shout as the blade's edge threatened to cut into his skin and he held his breath. Spinner grinned at the fear in Izuku's eyes. "Come on, boss. I'll soften him up for you."
"He's mine, Spinner, back off," Dabi said.
Izuku sucked in a deep breath when Spinner pulled the knife away.
"You made those bullets for me, right?" Izuku asked, pointedly looking at the gun.
Dabi lifted the gun, marveling at it. "Oh, you think you're special?" He laughed, Spinner joining him.
"Heroes," he scoffed.
"We've been working on these for years," Dabi continued. "Would've had them finished sooner if it weren't for that snooping scientist."
"Yuri's father," Izuku said, bitterness lacing his voice.
Dabi raised a brow. "Is that her name? Yuri?" His expression turned cold as he said, "How sweet that you remember."
"Why did you kill him?"
Dabi took a step forward and Izuku soothed out his agitation. "Saw more than he should have." He shrugged. "It's his own fault for digging."
"You didn't have to burn him alive in front of his daughter," Izuku ground out, pulling at the rope
binding his wrists.
Dabi smirked. "You know how that feels, don't you?"
Izuku shrunk back as flames ignited in his other hand, panic stinging over his skin as he instinctively leaned away.
"You know, I was sure you were dead," he said, lip curling back as the flames sparked larger. "I remembered how you were lying face down and unmoving, burnt." A distant look came to his eyes as he spoke. "Do you remember it?"
The words rang in Izuku's ears, a bead of sweat trailing down the side of his face from his temple.
"The way I burned you?"
Izuku shifted his eyes back to Dabi's. They were cold, lacking emotion. Like ice.
"It must've hurt," Dabi said, extending his fire engulfed hand towards Izuku. The heat brushed against his skin. "Imagine my shock when you walked out alive."
Izuku leaned away from the fire. "I couldn't let you hurt her."
Spinner sneered, scaled lips pulling back. "You Hero's always think you're so high and mighty. Took us weeks to fix whatever you did to his mind." He sent a reserved glance to Dabi. "To get him to stop screaming at least."
Izuku's stomach soured, bile building up in his throat. "I'm sorry," he rushed out, shaking his head. "I didn't mean to do whatever it was I did to you. I—" The words caught in his throat. He swallowed and started again. "I was scared."
Dabi was silent for a moment before taking another step forward, brow pinched. "You don't remember,"—his eyes scanned Izuku's face—"do you?"
"No," Izuku forced himself to say, "just bits and pieces. I just wanted to save her."
Dabi's eyes narrowed. He leaned closer. "I can't remember either," he snapped. "Years of my life. Gone. Memories left in shreds."
Izuku's lungs wheezed for air.
"That's what you do, right? Fuck with people's memories?"
Izuku followed his eyes as he stood. He stiffened but his head still whipped to the side as Dabi punched him. Blood dripped off Izuku's lip as he looked back. "I thought you were going to kill me," Izuku winced.
Dabi's hand snapped forward and grabbed his throat, squeezing hard enough to block airflow. "I should have," Dabi snarled, hand growing hot against Izuku's skin.
Izuku struggled, gasping for breath. "Maybe. . .I can help," he choked out, tears in his eyes. "Fix it." He coughed as Dabi removed his hand and pulled at the ropes, instinctively wanting to clutch his throat. "I. . .I can try."
He whimpered when Dabi grabbed his face and forced him to look up. "I think I'd rather watch you die a slow and painful death like I have been for the last three months."
"I'm sorry!" Izuku cried, his vision blurring. He didn't see the backhand coming. His head snapped to the side, a breath spitting out of him as the knife cut on his cheek reopened for a second time. "I can fix it."
Dabi tucked the barrel of the pistol under Izuku's chin, forcing his head back. "I want nothing more than to remember completely, but it seems we're in the same boat." The cold metal bit into Izuku's skin. "How are you going to fix my memories when you can't even fix yourself?"
"It's different," Izuku urged, straining his neck to lean away from the gun. "I can't use my quirk on myself. I-I can't fix myself."
"Pity." The gun fell away, but Dabi stayed where he was. "Maybe that brain of yours will be in better use somewhere else."
Izuku's blood ran cold.
A smile curled on Dabi's lips and Spinner snickered off to the side. "The Doc would have fun with him," Spinner taunted from where he was leaned up against the wall.
Izuku's eyes flickered between Dabi and Spinner, his gut churning at what they were implying.
Dabi turned back to Izuku with a grin, flames curling around his fingers. "Doc won't need your body!"
Izuku threw himself to the left, a cry breaking out of him as his injured arm took the brunt of the fall. He rolled onto his knees, trembling.
"Fight all you want," Dabi said, walking towards Izuku, "I'm still going to kill you." Izuku pressed into his mind and Spinner's pulling on their want to enjoy his death slowly.
Spinner drew out a knife and spun it in his fingers. "How about we cut him up first. I can make him bleed without killing him."
Izuku felt Dabi considering that and brought the thought forward. He scooted back and rested against the wall. They were blocking the only way out. Stealth was an option. He could manage a distraction for a few seconds to run. Then he could go find Bakugo.
Izuku worked the rope off as he stood, using the wall to balance. Dabi watched him for a few seconds before flicking his wrist. Spinner jumped as fire erupted around them.
"Not thinking of running, are you?" Dabi asked. He cocked his head to the side. "You're welcome to try."
"Your brother is in my class," Izuku said, lacing his fingers behind his back as he rested against the wall. "Shoto."
The grin fell from Dabi's face and Spinner tensed.
"He wanted me to stop you if I ever saw you again." Izuku grimaced as his arm ached. "Any way I could."
"What will you do now without a quirk?" Dabi mused, the flames around them flickering with agitation.
Izuku lifted his chin, pressing into their minds. "I'm going to keep my promise," he said, digging
into their memories of that night. A throb pulsed through his head as he pulled on them searching for him and his friend to the forefront of their minds.
The flames slowly died down. They didn't extinguish completely, but they were low enough that Izuku could step over. He stumbled forward, clutching his arm with one hand as he walked between Spinner and Dabi, shifting the focus elsewhere for a few moments.
Izuku screwed his eyes shut as another pain shot through his head. He looked back at Dabi and the furious expression on his face as he fought against Izuku's control. The rage filtered over the connection, flooding through Izuku's already heated blood. Izuku felt the anger and torment from his tattered memories. The frustration of not knowing that mirrored his own.
He sucked in a deep breath, ignoring the way his ribs ached, and screamed as loud and guttural as he could, letting the anger escape. The flames grew taller, spiking out wildly. Izuku stumbled back and gently touched his throat.
Dabi seethed, body twitching as he fought for control over his thoughts. He took a staggered step towards Izuku. "I'm going to kill you."
Izuku sucked in another breath, the pressure of a scream building as Dabi's wrist flicked and a fireball launched his way. Izuku raised his arms to cover his face, praying that Bakugo would shake him awake at any moment.
The fireball lit up the surrounding structure in an eerie blue hue and the heat from the flames stung across Izuku's skin in warning. He screamed as something rammed into his side and threw him to the ground. Spots flickered through Izuku's vision as his head swam from the impact and his arm stung with pain.
Izuku looked back at what had happened only to find Kirishima taking the blast against his hardened skin.
"Sorry it took so long," he ground out, hardening reducing as the fireball sputtered out. Kiri's shirt hung in burnt tatters across his chest.
Izuku realized he was just staring and hurried to his feet. Kiri grabbed Izuku and threw him behind him as Dabi and Spinner started moving again. "There was another standing guard," Izuku told him, looking around panicked. He backed up in step with Kirishima till they were at the entrance of the dead end.
"Shinsou took care of Twice." Kiri spared a glance over his shoulder at Izuku. "You ok? We heard you scream."
Izuku set a hand on his shoulder, eyes focused on Dabi and Spinner as he slowed their movements. "I'm fine. We need to find Kacchan." Kirishima tensed under him. "We got separated at the beginning of the fight. I can't hear his explosions anymore." He withdrew his hand as Kirishima hardened his skin further.
"Izuku!"
He looked to the right, squinting as the shifting shadows took form. Mina was the first through, sliding barefoot on her acid. Shinsou followed behind, stopping behind Kirishima and beside Izuku.
"Where's Kaminari?" Izuku asked, stomach dropping when he didn't take up the rear. He winced as Dabi fought him and manage to veer the fireball left, forcing Spinner to jump back and bark out
an insult.
Shinsou wrapped a hand around Izuku's forearm as he stared wide-eyed at Dabi. "We sent him to go get help. There's something going on across town and we couldn't get through to Aizawa or anyone."
"Mina," Kiri said, "go find Bakugo. Midoriya said they were separated."
She nodded, taking Izuku's direction as he pointed to the way Bakugo's blast had trailed off.
"We should run," Shinsou said, his grip on Izuku tightening. "Even if Denki sends out a signal soon, it'll take too long for any Pro's to get here."
Kirishima tensed and moved a half-step back. "We don't have any of our gear. Midoriya's the only thing keeping those two at bay. We got lucky with Twice, these two know how your quirk works. Not to mention Dabi's quirk. You and Midoriya could get hurt."
"You should both go," Izuku said. "They have quirk erasing bullets. I'll be fine." Kirishima snorted. "Just keep that head of yours safe, Midoriya. I'll be your shield."
The struggle paused as an arc of electricity shot across the sky, crackling with thundering energy. The dim light in the alley flickered as the power surged.
"Guess that's the signal," Shinsou muttered in mute awe.
Izuku looked back down when blue flickered in his vision. Dabi's flames shot out from his hands and lined the alley.
"I will burn this city to the ground," he seethed, "if that means killing you."
Can you get him to answer me?
Izuku glanced at Shinsou. I'll need time and I can't do it while holding Spinner, too.
Shinsou's lips pressed into a thin, frustrated line but he nodded. Kiri and I will get you time. He reached forward and touched Kiri's arm before whispering the plan to him.
"You're sure?" Kiri asked Izuku. "I'm sure. I can do this."
Kirishima steeled himself for a moment before charging forward. Dabi managed to dodge the punch and a blast of fire curled off of Kiri's hardened flesh.
Izuku focused his attention on Dabi as Kiri and Shinsou worked on backing Spinner into a corner. He eyed the gun still in Dabi's hand warily.
"You think your friends will save you?" he taunted, walking towards Izuku. "If anything, coming to your rescue will get them killed."
Izuku shouted in horror as a swift raise of his hand sent flames barreling towards Shinsou. Kiri stepped in front of them, blocking the brunt of the fire. Dabi smirked at the action.
"Let's see how much this friend of yours can take."
"Stop!" Izuku shouted, body moving forward before he registered what was about to happen. Kiri hardened completely, body crunching and creaking. "Bring it on!"
Izuku sprinted as flames left Dabi's palm, the gun raising to point at him. He stared at the barrel as he forced his way into Dabi's thoughts. "I said stop!"
His movements stalled for a split second, enough for Izuku to get in close and shift his quirk to Dabi's movements. Izuku ducked under the swing from Dabi's gun free hand and landed a punch to his cheek. He looked over at Shinsou as Dabi stumbled back clutching his face. Now.
"Why are you doing this?" Shinsou asked, moving behind Kiri for safety.
Izuku brought the answer to the front of Dabi's mind, willing him to speak. "To kill—"
Shinsou smirked as Dabi's face blanked out. "Got ya."
Izuku bent over on his knees as he dropped the control, whimpering as his head pounded.
"Hey, are you ok?"
Izuku looked up at Shinsou and forced a nod. "I'll be fine. We just need to find Kacchan and get out of here."
"How are you with your quirk?" Shinsou frowned as he searched Izuku's face. "You look like you're in pain." His eyes lingered on the gash on Izuku's cheek.
Izuku brushed his fingers over the wound. "Toga got me. I'll be ok," he promised. "I'll do whatever I have to so that you guys are safe."
Shinsou shook his head, a look of fondness on his face. "Bakugo's right about you."
They ducted instinctively as an explosion went off, the light from the blast illuminating the nearby buildings.
"Kacchan," Izuku gasped in relief.
"Move!" Kiri yelled, grabbing them by the arms, dragging them to their feet and out of the alley.
Izuku caught a glimpse of Spinner slapping Dabi to break Shinsou's hold. They ducked into a smaller alley and hid behind a few garbage cans.
"That was Kacchan," Izuku said through labored breath. He peeked around the can and scanned the darkness but found it empty. His eyes drifted up, knowing that Spinner could climb walls. "We need to regroup with Kacchan and Mina."
Kiri nodded in agreement.
There was another explosion much closer.
"We can't let them face Dabi and Spinner alone," Izuku said, getting to his feet. He looked back when Shinsou grabbed his arm. "I'll be ok."
"You can't promise that," Shinsou bit out, his grip tightening.
Izuku let out a breath through his nose. "Maybe I can't," Izuku admitted, "but we can't hide here
and do nothing either." Kiri nodded. "Let's go."
They edged around the corner, scanning the darkness for enemies. Fire erupted around them, corralling them as Dabi approached.
Izuku pushed into his mind, grasping at the fragmented memories felt behind. He ignored the way this head pounded as he caught glimpses of a dojo and fire, the smell of vomit, overexertion. Fragments. But they were still there.
The fire dimmed as Dabi's scowl fell away to a daze.
"Let. . .Let me fix it!" Izuku called to him desperately. "Let me try!"
Dabi raised the gun, fire crackling in his other hand as he fought Izuku. "I'd rather watch you die!"
Izuku reeled back in pain as the hold was ripped from him and the gun went off. The bang echoed off the building but the feeling of being hit never came.
"Fuck!" Kiri cursed.
Izuku tried to look around but black-spotted his vision and nausea surged through him, spilling his guts onto the concrete.
"Shinsou!"
Shinsou. . .
After taking a second to get his bearings, Izuku looked back to his friends finding Kiri crouched down where Shinsou was laying. Izuku crawled over to him, trembling as more bullets ricocheted off Kiri's skin.
"Shinsou," Izuku muttered, his heart hammering in his chest as he watched blood seep through Shinsou's fingers clutching his side. "Why would you do that?" Izuku hissed as he shrugged off his jacket and pressed it to the wound, tears running rivers down his cheeks.
Before Shinsou could answer, Izuku felt electricity spark through the air making the hair on his arms stand on end.
"I finally got through to Aizawa!" Kaminari shouted.
Izuku bent over Shinsou as Spinner was thrown into a wall, smoking from the electrocution. He slumped to the ground incapacitated for the time being.
"Kiri!" Izuku pleaded, grabbing his arm. "You have to get Shinsou out of here." Kiri looked between Izuku and Shinsou with hesitance.
"He'll bleed out, Kiri!" Izuku nearly screamed at him, tears blinding him. "Kaminari can't carry him. Kiri, you have to!"
"Ok," Kiri said, his voice strained as he bent down to pick Shinsou up.
Izuku forced himself into Dabi's head giving Kaminari a chance to retreat back to them. He slowed his steps when he saw Shinsou in Kiri's arms.
"What happened?" he breathed, skin paling. "Why is he bleeding?"
"He was shot," Kiri said, shifting Shinsou gently. "I'm gonna get him somewhere safe. Stay with Midoriya."
Izuku pulled Kaminari away, focusing his attention on keeping Dabi's mind busy as Kiri moved past him.
"So, what's the plan, bro," Kaminari asked, trying to inject his usual charisma into his voice but it fell flat and hollow.
"Mina went to find Kacchan," Izuku said slowly, monitoring Dabi closely and the flames still flickering around them.
Sparks danced along Kaminari's body as he dropped into a defensive stance. "You think you can hold him long enough for me to get a hand on him?"
Izuku narrowed his eyes as something else caught attention. He curled a hand into Kaminari's jacket and yanked him out of the way of Toga's dagger.
"Shit!" Kaminari cursed, staggering back as she swiped again.
Izuku landed a kick at her ribs that sent her crumbling to the ground, but the flames grew taller as his control slipped. He put up his fists, vision doubling as he stared at Dabi. Toga stayed on the ground as Izuku brought the pain in her ribs forward till it was the only thing she could think about. Her pain reminded him of the dull ache in his side.
Relief flooded through him as he heard an explosion and Bakugo dropped down between him and Dabi. Smoke curled off his body. Izuku noticed the deep gash on his left arm that had blood dripping off his fingers.
"Kacchan," Izuku chocked out. Hurt but alive.
"Damn it, Deku," Bakugo said, his shoulders rising and falling with heavy, strained breath. "Why didn't you run when I told you?"
The relief turned to annoyance. "I'm not leaving you!" Bakugo gritted his teeth in response.
"Ever!" Izuku shouted at him, standing up straighter and diving deeper into Dabi's mind. He was determined to find a way to stop him until Aizawa and the other Heroes could arrive.
The flames raged in response, but Izuku held tight.
"If I want to keep Dabi from burning us all alive, I can't deal with Toga or Spinner," Izuku told them, eyes screwed shut as he concentrated, praying that they couldn't see the tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Don't worry," Kaminari said from somewhere to his left, "we'll deal with them."
Izuku flinched back from the force of a blast that hit him. He felt Dabi's thoughts shift, and his eyes sprang open catching sight of Dabi as he turned to run. Izuku sprinted after him, ignoring the shouts from Bakugo.
Spinner was up and so was Toga. He thought he saw a glimpse of Mina. She could help them.
Izuku followed Dabi as he made a turn, finding him waiting. He skidded to a stop, blink at Dabi in the low light as he waited for him to make a move.
"Why are you a hero?" he asked.
"I-I wanted to save people," Izuku answered hesitantly, eyeing Dabi with suspicion. Dabi smirked. "That's not why you became a hero."
"How would you know?" Izuku stiffened as he laughed.
As his laugh trailed off, Dabi leveled his gaze at Izuku. "Did a lot of digging on you. Learned a lot, too," he said. "Like how you killed your father when your quirk manifested." He smirked when Izuku's face fell. "But that's not what the paperwork says, does it? Figured it out on my own. I have some. . .experience with faulty records."
"It was an accident," Izuku said, wishing his voice sounded stronger.
Dabi cocked his head curiously. "Does that really change anything? Did you think becoming a Hero would somehow make that right?"
Izuku blinked back the tears forming in his eyes. "No," he said. "I don't expect you to understand." He stepped forward as fire circled them, growing hotter by the second. Dabi continued to stare as the heat became nearly unbearable and Izuku couldn't see past the flames. "I won't let you hurt my friends."
His eyes fell to the scars on Izuku's arms, the blue light of the flames glinting off the warped skin. "Those are better than the old ones, wouldn't you say?"
Sweat rolled down Izuku's back as he pushed into Dabi's mind, coaxing him to keep talking. "I guess that depends on how you look at it," Izuku told him. "You almost killed me. So that wasn't great." He sucked in a thin breath of hot air. "I'll always have these scars. A reminder of what happened with you. And I haven't forgotten either. The feeling of burning. It hurt. Really bad."
"I need to kill you," Dabi said, his voice casual as he raised a hand, flames sparking at his fingertips.
Izuku raised his fists. "I won't go down without a fight," he said, pushing further into Dabi's mind.
"I'm going to burn you," Dabi said, eyes narrowing. "And you're going to remember every second of it!"
Izuku braced for an attack, heart rate spiking as the flames fanned closer and his throat burned. "Come on!"
"DEKU!"
Izuku only caught a glimpse of Bakugo as he tore through the wall of flames surrounding him and Dabi before he was kicking Dabi in the chest. "KACCHAN!"
Bakugo whipped around to look at Izuku. "Move your ass, Deku!" He wrapped his bloodied arm around Izuku and used an explosion to hurl them through the dwindling fire. "Get up," Bakugo ordered, fear thick in his voice. Izuku stared at him as he stumbled to his feet. There were tears in his eyes. "Run, Deku."
"Not without you," Izuku snapped back, grabbing his hand. "He's getting up, we need to move." "Shit," Bakugo cursed as the flames flared up again. "Go, Deku!"
Izuku ran further back, keeping his eyes locked on Bakugo as the flames flared out of the alley like a raging inferno. His heart hammered with Dabi out of sight. "Kacchan, I can't stop him from here!"
Bakugo turned his head just slightly with a nod. He took one step back and then another. He jumped away when the flames exploded outward, hot and angry. Izuku stared up at the fire in mute horror, watching as embers filtered into the sky.
He looked back down as a flicker of movement caught his eyes. Izuku shot his quirk out catching thoughts as a wall of fire left Dabi's hand. Izuku shifted his gaze to Bakugo, eyes flooding as his form was blacked out by the blue light of the flames.
Bakugo raised both of his arms, the left sagging.
The blue fire was countered by the orange sparks of an oncoming explosion.
Izuku was thrown back as the blast went off. The two forces met each other, a plume of smoke and fire shooting upwards, mixing with the dust of the crumbling building. Izuku sat up coughing and his ears ringing. He winced at the chunk on concrete that'd landed on his thigh and shoved it off.
"Kacchan?" he called weakly, his voice sounding muffled to his ears. A chunk of one of the buildings was missing, taken off in the explosion. Small fires burned around the rubble. He looked over his shoulder in the direction Mina and Kaminari had stayed to fight hoping that they were ok. "Kacchan?"
Izuku pushed himself to his feet, tears streaming down his cheeks as he searched the rubble for Bakugo. It was dark, the little fires not providing much light, so he pushed out with his quirk searching out for that distinctively Bakugo thought pattern.
He stopped searching when he caught Dabi's thoughts and turned to look at him. A moment later, Izuku was thrown up against a wall. Smoke curled under his nose as Dabi's hands burned through his shirt.
A flash of yellow amongst the gray caught in his eyes. Kacchan. . .
Lying in the rubble, almost fully covered and not moving. "You just won't die!" Dabi spat.
Izuku shifted his eyes to Dabi and pressed in, searching for a specific memory. He found it and pulled it forward. "You got me," Izuku whispered, breathless and tired. "I'm dead. Now step away."
Slowly, Dabi's fingers uncurled from the charred remains of his shirt. Izuku bent down and picked up a chunk of concrete and lobbed it at his head. Dabi wobbled for a second before he collapsed.
A breath released from Izuku when he didn't try to get up and was able to drop the control. He stumbled over to Bakugo and hauled the largest chunk of concrete off of him. "Kacchan?" he murmured, voice wavering as he brushed the dust and smaller bits of concrete off his body. He
gasped as his fingers came back with fresh blood. "Kacchan!"
"Fuck," he coughed out, wheezing in pain.
Izuku gingerly touched the wound and the two pieces of rebar protruding from Bakugo's stomach. "D-Don't move." He blinked back tears as he looked down at Bakugo, meeting his eyes. "Hey," he said cupping Bakugo's face in his hands, "let me help you."
Bakugo winced in pain. "Get out of here, Deku. They're after you—"
"You're so stubborn!" Izuku hissed, pressing their foreheads together. "I got him. Let me help you. I can make the pain easier."
"Easier," Bakugo breathed, barely a whisper.
"No, no, you can't fall asleep. Look at me!"
Bakugo's eyes widened deliriously. "Deku. . . "
Izuku pushed into his mind gently, testing the boundaries and watching Bakugo's face closely. "Even now you're worried about me," he grumbled. "I need you to think of something happy."
"Happy," he murmured, a faint smile on his bloodied lips as Izuku pulled the memory forward.
"There," Izuku sighed as the memory flooded over and the dull ache in his side eased away. He closed his eyes, breathing in slow and deep. "That's better."
Bakugo hummed, his eyes unfocused and dazed.
Izuku smiled as he saw himself from Bakugo's point of view. Lying in bed, still asleep. It must've been early morning since it wasn't completely dark.
"Oh, that's right," Izuku mused, "you think I'm cute before I wake up."
"Shut up, nerd," Bakugo retorted, the corner of his mouth tipping up. "Fuck, Deku."
Izuku gently turned his face back when he tried to look around. "It's ok. Dabi's down. Just stay still till help comes."
"Mina. . .Kami and Kiri?" he wheezed.
"I don't know. I haven't seen them since we separated," Izuku said with a small shake of his head. He squinted as his head throbbed.
"Deku," Bakugo sighed, "I spent so long hating you." His eyes trailed down Izuku's face till he settled on his lips. "When you're all I've ever wanted."
Izuku drew in a shaky breath. "You can tell me later. When you don't have rebar in your stomach."
Bakugo placed a hand over top of Izuku's and leaned into the touch. Izuku felt his thoughts shift and tugged on the new memory, unable to help the blush that fanned over his cheeks. A warmth pressed in around him as Izuku felt the feeling of his body tucked in close to Bakugo.
"H-Help will come soon," he said, hanging on to what Kaminari had said. "You're blushing," Bakugo pointed out, eyes flitting over Izuku's rosy cheek.
Izuku pulled away at a flash of blue, heart jumping to his throat, but he relaxed when he recognized the sound of sirens. He looked down at Bakugo. "You're gonna be ok, Kacchan. I'm sorry I couldn't have saved you."
"You're saying stupid shit again," Bakugo said, glaring up at him.
Izuku looked up when he heard footsteps approaching. He tried to see who it was, but the flashing lights forced his eyes closed.
"Izuku," Aizawa said gently, his hands coming to Izuku's face, "is everyone ok?"
"Kacchan's hurt bad," he said, opening his eyes enough to see police storm past. "So was Shinsou."
Aizawa stiffed at that. "Where is he?"
"Kiri took him to get help," Izuku rushed out, the adrenaline falling off leaving him trembling with panic and shock.
"Hey, look at me."
Izuku met his eyes and took a deep breath as ordered. They moved away from Bakugo so that the paramedics could help him.
"Now tell me what happened."