Waking up is difficult. His entire body is nothing but one large fire ball of pain. It's all consuming. His everything hurts.
The sun in this chest is small, wavering, more a dying white dwarf than his usual red giant.
He stares at the ceiling for a long while, trying to gather the bits and pieces of himself back together. He's still inside the USJ, still somewhere in the plaza. He keeps his breaths short and shallow, trying his best to minimize the pain. His ears ring loudly, eyes blurred, but he can still hear and see bits and pieces of the battle still going on from where he is.
Midoriya Izuku has done what he didn't want to do. He's become a liability.
He has to get up, he has to help, has to do something.
Pushing himself up hurts beyond measure, more so than he thought it would. His vision goes dark, cutting in and out. It brings tears to his eyes unbidden, streaming down his cheeks and further obscuring his view of the battlefield.
He needs to help.
He keeps his breathing slow, hissing out air through his teeth. He wants to lay back down, wants to give up. Instead he staggers forward.
He can't fight, but... His vision clears enough to catch sight of Eraserhead's broken body sprawled across the ground. "Aizawa," the name comes out with a croak.
He needs to get the man out.
He's much farther from the hero than he had originally been. He's covered in dust and blood trickles from somewhere on his forehead, mingling with his sweat and tears. The walk over is agonizingly slow, but no one makes to stop him. Shouts and explosions ring in his ears, just loud enough for him to hear over the blood rushing through them. His hand hovers above his injured side as he stumbles his way over, the world around him wavering in and out, sending bouts of nausea rolling through him.
The boy makes to step over an unconscious villain in the way, but trips over him instead. He falls to his hands and knees, the impact sending an impossible amount of pain flaring through his side as he feels his ribs shift . Acid burns its way up his throat and he scrambles to tear the mask off his
face before he throws up what little food remains from last night's dinner.
A nearby voice booms throughout the building, making the splitting headache that's started up ten times worse. But, the voice is one he recognizes and–
"All Might! Behind you!"
He looks up, watching the vicious battle taking place near the plaza's center. Yes that's right. He'd recognize that familiar silhouette anywhere. All Might's here, everything would be fine now.
The vigilante lurches back up, legs weak and pain painting the edges of his vision a perpetual black. He wipes the sick from his mouth as he slips his mask back on. He just needs to help Aizawa and then he can leave. He can go home and get better and apologize to Reo for breaking the new grappling hook.
His vision clears just long enough for Izuku to see it, All Might's trademarked smile turned down in a grimace. A lodestar in the lives of so many stands before him, fighting for him against the monster that had taken Midoriya out with a single blow. The boy can't help but stare at the man, in awe of the hero's raw power as he matches the monster that had broken him blow for blow.
͎͔̌͒ ̖ ̓̈ R̶̀̕ u̴͙̯͆n̸̫̜͙̦
He turns away from the fighting, staggering his way back towards Aizawa. The pool of blood around the hero's head is larger now, darker. Both arms are mangled and what little of his face Midoriya can see from this position makes him sick, more acid threatening to work its way up his throat. He turns his head for a moment, eyes closed and teeth grit as he tries desperately to recompose himself.
It takes a gust of wind from one of All Might's punches for him to turn back towards his teacher and roll him over where he can get a hand under his knees and one behind his back. It hurts like hell, worse than when he tripped, worse than when he'd died. The boy lets out an agonised cry as he stands, lifting the man up in his arms. More fat tears spring to his eyes, further blurring his vision, and leaving trails through the dust on his face.
̃ ̄̑ ̈̎ ́́̀̀ ̔͆͂̄ ̉ ̈̍̓̄ ́́
̍̏̀ ͆͆̂̀ ̆̂͊̽̌ ͗ ̏̓͗̓̉ ͌̐ ̃́ ̇ ̽̈̾͊́ ̒ ͊̾͊ ̃̎ ̃̾͆͆̍
̰͎̅̓̽ ̢̫̭̒́́̕ ̛̅̉ ̗̱ ̈́ ̗̰̅̈́͝͝ ͊ ͂̀ ̔͂ ̡̢̨͇̜͔̩̊̏̀ ̧͎ ̃̍ ̼͙͊͒ ̾̋ ̧͓͖̾̽ ̈́́͝ ̧̞̘̍͘ ͈̤̃̀ T̶h͂ e̴̔͘d̷a̵ǹ̵̍ g̴ḙ̵ rs̵ȏ̪fḧ̷ ẻ̵̡̤r̴ȯ̦ wo̶r͎͛ ̶k...̴̮͘a̐ r̸̼ẽ̡ ș̶i͌͘m̷̞ply̴͌͝tò̸͔o̷ḫ̵ ĩ̶g̡̛̀ h̶.̛̒
̞͔ ͎͙̪̯̬ ̀ ̲͙̗̯̥͔ ̜͎͕̣ ̫̯̩̳̮ ̗̠̦̝͎ ̧͓̙̼̠̗
̭͇ ͎̙͓̰ ͎ ̟
̤̠̟̗ ̼̥̩̜̪ ̩͓̳
͚̞̹
̤
̠͉̻
̦
̯̖͎ ̨̣͇ ́̚ ̰̭̭̖̹̗ ̫̘̲̜
͔͕͎̟̹ ̭̥ ̯̥ ̦̣͙̟̹ ̟̩ ̮
"Shut up," he grits out, shifting his hold on the hero.
The pain is excruciating, his vision tunneling when he takes his first step towards the stairs.
̃ ̌̉͐̐ ̓͌
"Shut up."
͑̋ ͑̇̓ ͂ ̈̄̍̌̀͗̽ ̃̈̐́́ ̾͒̊̀ ̃̍͛̑̍ ͂͐̆ ̓ ̌ ̿ ͂͆͑̀ ̂̊̋ ̎͐̾̅ ̆̾͐̀ ͆̈̑́ ̑̆͆́ ͋͑́ ̍̇̂́͆̈̇̀̀̚ ̛ ̃̒̾ ͛͑̓ ̃͐͋ ̑ ̈́̀͝ ̐̓ ͛̀ ̐̾̈ ̇ ͋̄ ͑̒̿ ͂͌͗ ͛̾̀ ̚ ͌͆̇ ̈̄́́͐͗ ͐̽ ͑ ̆̽͗
̛̊ ͠ ̮̈́ ̐ ̒ ͋͠ ̿̅̕ ͆ ̡̧̨̰̬̜̜̀ ͎͖̒̊ ̇ ͗ ̛̓ ̔ ̧̜͔̊ ̥͓͋ ̡͙̭͎̪͒̏͂̓͜͜ ̛́̀̏̾̕͝ ̹̪̔͆̃͝ ̌̈ ̅̊͘ ͛͗̕ ͉̼̍̓ W̷̨̜é̴̡̘enco̴͝ủ̸̲̓ra̶g̴̶͆̃ͅͅȇ̸̤͘ỹo̵ͅͅut̶ơ̩ap̸̰p̵l̷̬y̴̺͊f̶o̴͂r̓ o̸n̵͝ē̷o̵̚f̶̩tĥ̵ę̸̸̬ȏ̧͕tȟ̴̲ë̸̘͜r̸͔co̵̢ṳ̶̀͝r̋ş̴è̵̏͝ṣ̴ẗ̴̜h̷̜a̷͓t̴̡̆͝we̶ọf̷̧̪f̵ȩ̵r̶͝.
̃͐ ̡͓̓ ̌ ͒͠ ̥̣̇́͘ ̛ ̢̨̙̬͋ ͆̀
̰͙̼͇̳ ̟͍̙̼́ ͙̗̫
͇ ̱̱̳̞̙ ̠̞̮͙̱ ͉̘̝͖ ̖̖ ̫ ̫͎̮͈̘
͙̭̲̅ ̝̠ ͉̺͍̠ ͓͖̩͈ ͎̱ ̺͎̹̯̟ ̬͕̠̺͕ ̫̙̬̺ ͓̱̯ ̮̟͈̹ ̬̣̙̰ ͙̬ ̠͔̤̥͇ ̱̲ ̢̩̰͇͖͜ ͚̬ ̨̥̳̝͕̟ ̹̣͕̼͙
̻̜
͈̳͓̬̤̮ ̭͍̙͍
͍̖̻͖̰
͕̣̦ ̥̠
̲ ͚̬
̥
̙̗
̞͓
̯͙̤̘̲
̥̘͇̙̮
̓͋̉̀ ͆̽̉̉
̿̐
͐̍̓̆ ̎̊̂̍ ̅̒̾̍͑ ̎̊̂̍ ̔͐͛̾ ̽̉ ̈͆̓
̨̺͖̾ ́ ̧͚͕͐̓ ̡͙̩̊̏ ̧͚͕͐̓ ̧͔͉͂̔̔ ̭ ̋͒ ͝ ͋̍͐ Ḭ̴ m̶̳̌͘ͅso̴͌s̵̡̛ͅo̴r͌ ̷ry̶̡I̴̝z̸̨ǘ̶̢͙ku̷̗!
̧̫̣̩ ̼̜̘ ̫̖͉̼̝̺̅ ̼̜̘ ͇͕̫̯ ̩̳̬ ̞ ̗̹̱̥͔̺̬̱̘
"Mom..." The boy bares his teeth, continuing his slow march towards the stairs. He doesn't know how he'll get up them in this state, but he has to. For Aizawa's sake, for his mother's sake, he has to get up them.
He takes it one step at a time, the wind pressure from the battle behind him pushing him on. Bakugou's continuing explosions and the growing nip in the air let him know that both Todoroki and Katsuki are still up and kicking. He can barely see, most of his vision blackened or sparkling with stars. He's made it part of the way up the stairs when he feels the earth quake beneath him and turns to look over his shoulder. Through his tunneling vision he can see the monster embedded in the concrete, rubble and dust fogging the area. All Might strikes the ground beside it, sending up another cloud of dust, his clothes torn to hell, but feet planted firmly.
"Go beyond! Plus Ultra!"
It takes only a second before the beast is airborne again, propelled by All Might's punch. Its body collides with the ceiling, tearing a hole through the roof. The impact sends a rumbling shock wave through the building, threatening to unbalance him.
While he's looking away, a swirl of black mist disappears from the entrance.
̏͌ ̷̮̳̆̎̾ͅ ̀͋̄̓̂̈ ͛̌
̏̎͗ ̀̀ ̦̩̲̼̫ ̿̍̄̍ ͑͗̄̈ ́ ͒͋ ͎̖̣͓̔̽̾̍ ͆̐͘̚
k̷͖̄ȩ̵͠ ̨̳̣̼̜̦̂ ep̵̮̮̠̞͉̞̈ ̴ǵ̱̮̝ ̨̭̺ ̸ơ̯̯̖̜̯̩̏ ing̢ ̸͎̥ ̫͎̟͙ ̖ ͔̝͎̖̝
For once Midoriya listens to the voice, following it's instructions and continuing his way up the steps. He forces his breathing to match his pace as he forces his way up the stairs. His sun wavers, shuddering in his chest.
He's a little less than halfway to the top when they appear, shining more brilliantly than All Might himself. He almost collapses then and there, legs ready to give out long before he'd made it this far. Exhaustion and pain make it hard for him to think clearly anymore.
"Sorry we're late!"
Midoriya takes another desperate step forward as Present Mic looks down at him with a smile as bright as the one he'd offered Midoriya's class on their first day.
Yamada is the first to spot the kid, ready to unleash his quirk on any remaining villains in his path before he sees him. He's beat to hell, clinging to the bloodied form of Aizawa between his arms like he'd been assigned the task by God.
Hizashi has to resist the urge to immediately run down to retrieve the man.
The kid is young, probably the same age as one of UA's students if he were to guess. He doesn't recognize the boy as anyone from Shouta's class, but he does recognize him. Pied Piper. The young vigilante Aizawa has mentioned from time to time after coming home from patrol.
There are fat tears rolling down his cheeks, and pain paints agony across his eyes. There's a thin stream of blood trailing from his brow and dust mottles what he can see of his face and clothes.
Yamada approaches the boy slowly, arms extended in a sign of peace. When he doesn't show any fear or resistance Mic takes another step forward. It's slow going, and he can feel the stares of the others on his back as some of them rush around the scene towards the few remaining villains below.
Despite the chaos the boy still hasn't moved from his spot.
He sees the kid sway on his feet and hurries the rest of the way down the steps, gently taking Shouta from the boy's arms. Mic's brows twist inward with a look of horror when he sees the man's face, but his expression is nothing compared to the grief the kid's wearing. Hizashi watches the boy's chest convulse once before his legs fold in on themselves and he lets out the most gut wrenching sob the hero's ever heard in his life.
Mic quickly glances over his shoulder, catching Snipe's gaze. He seems to understand the silent message as he jogs down to meet them.
(This will be the boy's last act of heroism for a long while.)
Nezu contemplates the situation at hand, eyeing Snipe as he scoops the crying boy up into his arms. He doesn't fight it, but he can hear the boy's sobs collapsing into a series of pained wheezes as the hero follows Yamada outside towards the paramedics. The vigilante's signature staff is missing, but Nedzu recognizes the apparel from the news he's seen about him.
He watches as the rest of the UA staff spread out within the building, taking care of any remaining villains. Most are already unconscious, others just beginning to come back around as heroes flood the area. A hoard of officers storm in behind them, rounding up criminals that have already been subdued.
Outside, several ambulances have arrived, Hizashi rushing Shouta to the nearest one as a paramedic hurries towards the teen-like figure in Snipe's care.
"Bring him to the truck," she instructs, the hero gently setting Piper down where she directs. She pulls out a small flashlight from her pocket, flashing it in the kid's eyes.
"Can you tell me what your name is?"
Snipe watches as the vigilante gently shakes his head, tears slipping down his cheeks. "Can you tell me where you are?"
"USJ," he croaks. His voice is pained, both his words and his labored breathing distorted by his mask.
Another paramedic joins her soon after. "It's possible he could've sustained internal injuries we'll need to get him back asap."
The woman nods, grabbing a few of the supplies they'll need.
Snipe steps out of the ambulance. "He's a vigilante so make sure you use proper precautions when possible," the hero tells them, nodding as he walks off, leaving the boy in their care.
"Grab the quirk suppressants then." "Already on it."
There's a small pop that goes off behind the hero and he turns to find thick smoke flooding out the back of the ambulance. The paramedics shout and a pained cry goes out as Piper hauls himself to his feet unseen. Snipe spins on his heel, preparing himself for a villain attack. But, it's only the paramedics that stumble out of the green cloud, coughing on the smoke.
The display draws everyone's eyes, but he and Yamada are the only heroes outside, all other police and hero personnel busy rounding up the remaining villains.
Snipe eases the medics towards the approaching Yamada as he steps cautiously into the smoke, making his way towards the back of the ambulance where he'd left the boy.
"We got the quirk suppressants in him, but I think he must've used some sort of smoke bomb," one of the medics coughs from behind him. "He seems to be in a bad condition, please be careful with him if you can!"
When he makes it to the ambulance the vigilante is already gone.
Everything hurts, but Midoriya pushes on. He can't be caught here, this can't be how he's found. He still has to see Eri safe and Overhaul paying for his crimes. He has more people to save.
He stumbles his way through the forest, headed towards none other than UA itself. He slips his phone out of his pocket, dialing Reo's number with clumsy hands.
The sound of the school's alarm whines through the speaker the moment his friend answers the call. "Izuku? Wh–"
"Is the school being evacuated right now?" the vigilante gasps, leaning against a tree for momentary support, black threatening the edges of his vision.
"Is this anything to do with you? What happened?"
"I need a UA uniform," the boy breathes, ignoring the questions. "I don't care if its a gym one. I don't care whose." He pushes away from the tree, staggering forward. "It doesn't matter if it doesn't fit right. I just need you to meet me out front at the left edge of the forest."
There's a loud rustling noise that crackles through the speaker before Reo's voice cuts through. "Are you being followed?" He asks in a hushed whisper.
"Probably," Izuku pants. "Normally I'd make a run for it, but I've taken a bit of a beating." He hisses out a pained breath.
"Is it a hospital level beating?"
"Well, I'm still standing."
Aizawa's not.
His chest shudders, and he forces himself to blink away the vision of death. He could already be dead.
"He's not."
"Izuku? That doesn't reassure me. I've got my gym uniform though. I'll be there soon. Be careful."
"Hey," Midoriya cuts in quickly before Reo can hang up, "Bring some scissors or something. I..." he takes a moment to reign in his breathing, "I don't know if I'll be able to just pull this hoodie off."
His friend is quiet for a long moment. "Got it."
Reo hadn't been expecting Midoriya to be in any sort of good condition. But the pallor of his friend's face immediately sets him on edge. "Izuku," he breathes, staring at the younger teen helplessly.
Midoriya offers him a wavering grin with eyes that have seen far too much.
The boy is covered in blood and dust and sweat and wounds. Bruises and scrapes and burns. He watches his friend's eyes flutter shut tiredly, unsteady on his feet.
Midoriya lets him inspect the melted fabric on his neck, and he grimaces. It smells horrible, the phantom sizzle of skin ringing in his ears when he looks at it.
"I'm definitely going to have to cut you out of it," Reo says quietly, studying the damage with a dark look in his eyes. "You can't just peel stuff like this off."
"Do it quick then. There's a chance they'll send Hound Dog after me and I'll be easy to track down if I don't get into the city soon."
Reo nods grimly, taking the scissors he'd nabbed from the support department to the back of the hoodie. He cuts gingerly around the melted part of the fabric, leaving it attached to the back of the teen's neck. "There." Upon Midoriya's request he cuts a long line through the entire back of the hoodie, gently peeling it off the boy like a jacket.
Izuku carefully slips Reo's gym uniform on over his bulletproof vest as his friend stuffs the remains of Piper's hoodie into his backpack. He turns his back to the boy and Midoriya swallows back the urge to throw up. Another violent bout of nausea rolls through him as he shifts his body in
ways that it's no longer willing to shift to. He blinks away his blackening vision, forcing himself to focus on the present as he zips the front of the shirt up. The school's alarm bells mix with the whine of police sirens and the phantom sound of yelling in his head.
His hands shake, but he's quick to busy himself by removing his gloves and mask and undoing his belt. He needs to focus on something other than the images floating through his head.
Reo looks up at him, eyeing his shaking hands with rising concern. "You okay?"
Those words are all it takes for the vigilante to crumble. "No," Midoriya gasps out, the constrictive feeling in his chest finally overwhelming him, voices winning out. He bows his head, teeth biting painfully into his lip. Blood coats the back of his eyelids.
I failed.
He chokes back a sob, trying to steady himself when the pain in his side gets worse. "Eraserhead's hurt... the kind of hurt that kills people."
Reo goes still, gym pants clenched tightly between his hands. "That... That thing broke him so easily."
"Izuku," Reo whispers, his name is quiet but firm on the boy's lips. He glances into the woods, scanning the empty spaces between trees. "We need to get you out of here. That has to come first right now."
Midoriya stares down at his feet with blurring vision, tears colliding with the tops of his boots.
"We need to go. You said it yourself." Reo holds the pants out to him. Midoriya accepts them gingerly before Reo stuffs the rest of Midoriya's gear into his backpack. "I'm sorry. But, It's dangerous to stay here for much longer."
Izuku can only nod quietly, slipping off his boots and stepping into the gym pants as best as he can. It agitates his side further, but he bears with it as Reo helps him pull on an extra pair of gym shoes that he ties for the younger teen.
Midoriya's thankful. He doubts he would've been able to tie them himself.
After that it's easy enough to disappear into the crowd of students being ushered out the gates by teachers. "My mom keeps our first aid kit well stocked," Izuku mutters as they board the first train back towards their apartments.
Reo nods silently as his friend leans against him for support.
Midoriya can tell the adrenaline that'd kept him moving up until now has worn off. Nightmares haunt him every time he so much as blinks, crushed bones and blood splatters flickering back to life. He keeps his breathing shallow, but it's quick to make him light headed. Goose flesh rises along his arms and legs and he prays that no one looks too closely and notices the blood and burn and bruises and dust and— The train glides to a halt, Reo steadying him as he sways on his feet. He can feel a fever seeing in.
"Come on," he murmurs. "Let's get you patched up."
In the center of the plaza Piper's staff lays bent and bloodied, covered in dust. Nezu eyes it from the top of the stairs, watching as the last of the villains are rounded up, his eyesight better than that of his human counterparts. Snipe keeps a watchful eye beside him.
"So he got away?" Nezu asks.
"For now. He's heavily injured though. I wouldn't be surprised if we find him unconscious in some alley within the next few hours. He won't make it too far alone."
"Who says he'll be alone?" The principal folds his paws neatly behind his back. "I doubt such a young child would be without some sort of confidante in his situation, someone he trusts. If Piper comes back from this then I believe that much will be obvious," Nezu explains. "Heroism inflicts more than just physical damage. I doubt he would've lasted this long without someone he could talk with."
Snipe remains quiet for a moment, but doesn't offer his input into the topic, choosing instead to move on. "The main culprits of all this also escaped," he tells him, "You don't think the two are related do you?"
"It's certainly possible. From what Aizawa has discussed with me before he at least attempted to apply for UA before being rejected. It could be a sort of revenge. But, looking at the evidence before us I believe it's highly unlikely. I assume you're thinking the same?"
Snipe hums his confirmation.
Nezu watches as the last of 1-A's students are ushered up the final stretch of stairs. There's a dark look in both their eyes.
Snipe breaks away to escort them the rest of the way out to the waiting paramedics.
"We'll need to look into fortifying our security measures," Nezu murmurs to himself, turning to follow them out. "It appears I've been neglecting it for too long."
Midoriya points tiredly to where his spare apartment key is so Reo can grab it as he rests against the wall. He feels nauseous again, feet unsteady beneath him.
Trust means everything between friends. That's the only reason Midoriya and Reo have been able to become so close.
They trusted each other to keep their secrets.
Tsukauchi glances at him as he unlocks the door. "Is your neck the worst of it?"
Izuku croaks out a quiet, "Yeah," as he slips out of his shoes at the door. He stumbles a little, catching himself on the wall. Pain flares through him, vision darkening.
He covers his mouth with a hand, staggering towards the bathroom and leaving Reo to hurry after him.
He throws up in the sink, tears blurring his eyes as his stomach revolts. His side is on fire, each shuddering breath and wracking cough fanning the infernal flames. Even dying hadn't hurt this much. His mind is coated in Eraserhead's blood. His body knows nothing but pain.
Reo rests a reassuring hand on his back, whispering words of assurance over the hissing voices in
his head.
He's dead. He's dead. He's dead.
"You're okay. It's over."
He's dead. He's dead. He's dead.
"He'll be fine. They'll take care of him."
He's dead. He's dead. He's dead.
"You did what you could."
It wasn't enough.
"You'll be okay."
I'll die like this.
Midoriya sits himself gingerly down on his bed as Reo hands him several pain pills. He's managed to calm back down, but he feels absolutely exhausted now. "Take these. I think we have something stronger at my place, but I'll have to check later."
"Thank you," Izuku mutters quietly, greedily swallowing them along with the entire glass of water he's given.
Midoriya works so control his pained expression as Reo helps him out of the top half of the gym uniform. "Do you want to take your vest off?"
"No," he murmurs hoarsely. He can't let Reo see the extent of the damage he's taken. He can't tell the boy about the fire in his ribs. He can't tell him about just how much it hurts to move, to breathe, to lie to him .
He'll drag me to the hospital if he finds out. If I go to the hospital I'll be caught. Even if I managed to survive the Detective's questioning, if I end up in the hospital with the same wounds Piper sustained... I just need to last a few days.
"I just... I wanna keep it on for a little while longer," Izuku whispers. "It won't get in the way, will it?"
Reo studies his friend's back with growing worry. He's never known the boy to fear something so greatly that his gear becomes a safety blanket. Whatever you did hurt you again, more than just physically. "It won't." I told you not to get in over your head. I told you to let someone else handle it if it's too much. "Just try not to fall asleep in it, it'll be bad if your mom finds you in it." Reo's fists clench in his lap. Everything's far from good. "I'll get started then."
"Thank you," Izuku murmurs.
Reo has always thought he knows too much. For once he doesn't know enough.
(This is the beginning of the death of trust and faith.)