PLEASE READ: If you could be triggered by violence, do not read Chapters 2 and 3. I'll put trigger warnings at the top of each chapter to warn people, but Chapter 4+ will probably just deal with the aftermath of what goes down in 2-3.

HOWEVER: You can still read this story and know what's going on even if you skip Chapter 2-3 since what goes down in those sections will be mentioned throughout the story. Just make sure you read the warnings and be safe.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia.

WARNINGS: This chapter doesn't have any notable warnings I don't think. If you think there should be let me know and I'll alter the A/N.

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What Heroes Would Choose

Chapter 1

Todoroki was the first to wake up; the first to realize that he was in very deep trouble. His head ached with a throbbing pain he'd rarely experienced even after years of violent training with his father.

The last thing he remembered was chaos. Someone, a group probably, had broken into the dorms at UA and were attacking. As he'd hurried out of his room to assist in the fight, something had hit him in the neck, making his movements sluggish, his quirk nonexistent… then everything had gone dark.

He had to grit his teeth when he finally managed to open his still heavy eyelids, even the dim light he was in stung as he glanced around. From the initial sweep, he noticed he was in a medium-sized warehouse, flat on his stomach with his hands tied behind his back, ankles bound as well. Then there were other bodies near him, and it was all he could do not to moan in relief when he saw their steady breathing.

"Bakugo, Izuku, and… I'm pretty sure that's it… I don't see anyone else." he registered, debating squirming over to them. The room was completely silent, so he could alert someone to his consciousness if he made too much noise wriggling across the floor like a worm.

Still, the thought of not being near them if someone were to come in made his skin prickle with discomfort. Even if he still couldn't use his quirk, he'd be damned if he let anyone hurt his comrades, friends… crush.

As silently as he could, he made his way over to Midoriya first, taking a calming breath before using his head and nose to nudge the slumbering teen, fighting the urge to blush at being so close. "Wake. Up." He whispered, giving the boys shoulder an increasingly rough bite until he finally stirred, hissing at the pain.

"Shhh, Izuku… You've got to stay quiet okay?" Todoroki explained, nodding when realization finally bled into the teens initially hazy eyes. "You stay here, I'll handle trying to wake up Bakugo."

Midoriya nodded and flipped over to his stomach, repressing a groan at the wave of pain and nausea that followed.

It took all of two seconds being awake for Bakugo to almost blow his top and subsequently their advantage of waking up alone. It was only due to the boy's considerable reflexes that he snapped his mouth shut against the knee-jerk reaction to start shouting out colorful insults at the empty room.

They managed to fumble into a little circle, each stretched out on their stomachs and panting as they tried to keep their heads up; whatever they'd been dosed with wasn't entirely out of their system yet it seemed. In fact, it only amplified the hopelessness of the situation they'd found themselves in.

"None of us can use our quirks?" Todoroki questioned, his lips thinning slightly when he received head shakes.

"And our bonds are metal, so we can't undo them…" Midoriya added, glancing back over his shoulder to look at his bound hands.

Bakugo spoke next, straining to keep his usually loud, harsh voice quiet. "Obviously this situation is shitty. So, what the fuck are we going to do about it?"

"It was the League of Villains that attacked… I saw that patchwork guy and the girl with the blood fetish that took you captive last time, Kacchan. It's possible they just want to recruit us, but I don't think so…" Midoriya mumbled, rubbing his forehead against the concrete.

A door creaked open in the distance, and in waltzed the two they had been talking about plus Kurogiri, led by their ever insane leader, Shigaraki. They expected that much after Deku's input, but what they weren't expecting, was who trailed behind, his face confident and smug.

"Kaminari? You fucking little rat; It was you this whole fucking time?" Bakugo growled.

The notion of a mole didn't come as a shock. The attack at the USJ, the mall, the training camp—hell, even going to save Bakugo only to have an epic showdown between All For One and All Might like the mastermind had been prepared for it screamed an inside leak. But, no one in the class had ever stood out as a potential traitor, so they'd pushed it to the back of their minds, hoping that it was all coincidence or that the villain group was just extremely skilled at intel gathering.

"Heh! You have no idea how long I've been dying to see you face down in the dirt, Bakugo. Still feel like you're better than me and everyone else after getting caught twice?" Kaminari taunted, looking far too pleased with himself.

Todoroki glanced over to his fellow captives. Bakugo was livid, his teeth grinding in anger. The other, however, just seemed hurt by the revelation. Midoriya made it his mission to be friends with everyone and was probably taking the betrayal personally.

As the person with the coolest head and least emotional response to Kaminari's appearance, it was his job to do the talking. "What do you want with us?" he asked smoothly, his face and voice remaining neutral.

Shigaraki chuckled lightly, the sound ominous and unhinged. "Oh, we are going to have so much fun with all of you! Especially you, Midoriya" he stated, pointing a pale finger at the still reeling teen. "You've been such a pest… always barging in and messing up my plans. Master always told me it was my right to destroy things I don't like, and I think I'll start with you!"

Kurogiri used his warp gate quirk to whisk the mossy-haired teen away, not even hesitating at the panicked shouts from his friends.

Shoto saw red, but he bit back his anger. Blowing his top like Bakugo was wouldn't help the situation right now. They needed calm, analyzed thinking to get out of this mess, even if he had to squeeze the palms of his hands until they bled.

"Hmmm… which one, which one…" Shigaraki hummed, using one of his hands to cover his eyes and then pointing with the other. He twirled it his arm around a few times and then opened his eyes, the red irises almost disappearing as his pupils dilated in delight.

"Dabi, hold this one up for me, he seems to be more willing to listen! And Kaminari… put something in Bakugo's mouth. He's still far too loud." he ordered, practically bouncing like a child on Christmas morning.

The villain did as he was asked, picking up Todoroki by his hair and getting him to his feet before steadying him with his crushing grip. Toga giggled and clapped her hands together, rambling some about wanting to see his blood.

"Well, aren't you the stoic one" Tomura stated, looking over the teen's continued dead-pan expression. "Watching you break will be perfect for our little game. So, here's what you're going to d-"

"I have no intention of doing anything that you say." Todoroki interrupted blandly, his heterochromatic eyes unwavering in their staredown.

"Hehehehe… You really think so?" Toga chimed, her cheeks flushing with some twisted emotion.

"Kaminari, gag him too so that I can monologue in peace. I mean geez. Hero's these days just try to suck the fun out of everything." Tomura ranted, seeming almost dejected.

When a leather strap was firmly between Todoroki's pearly teeth, Shigaraki continued, his mood turning up again as he spoke. "Master said it was my right to destroy things I don't like. But, I always thought that meant killing, you know? Turning it to dust in my hands. But now I see! I don't have to kill something to destroy it… are you catching my drift?"

Again, Shoto kept his composure, noting that Bakugo's muffled cursing was becoming quieter with the eerie question.

"So, here's what you're going to do for me. You two are both going to use various forms of torture on that little nuisance! Hehehe!"

Silence filled the room then, there wasn't even a breath coming from behind Bakugo's gagged mouth. Shoto himself was left utterly speechless, unable to stop the shocked-horror that undoubtedly poured onto his face.

Toga burst out laughing hysterically, gripping at Denki's arm like a maniac. Todoroki's mind was in a haze. He could hear the girl cackling, could see Kaminari staring at his 'boss' in disbelief, but all he could do was shake his head slowly.

"It's a good deal…" Tomura continued, unphased by their resistance, "do this, and I let all of you go. Refuse and I'll get angry. I'll make you watch as I torture and kill him, letting all of my followers do what they want until his body gives out. Then, after having almost as much fun with you all, I'll let you go, just you two though, obviously."

Todoroki could feel himself almost hyperventilating, vaguely registering that he was being dropped back to the hard concrete and given a ten minute decision period. His eyes were wide against the floor, his body slack.

"-hot… Come on fucking scar-face! Snap out of it! Todoroki!" Bakugo shouted, the teen's voice finally making it past the underwater sensation that had trapped his brain. He turned his head to the other, fighting himself internally on whether to panic or not. It really seemed like a good idea to just lose his shit for a minute.

"You aren't seriously fucking considering it are you?" Bakugo growled, his red eyes piercing into Todoroki.

"What else are we going to do? Either we do this to him, or they do. At least with us, we can hold back and all three of us come out alive… You heard what he said would happen to him if we refused..." Todoroki answered, his voice starting to waver as fear and dread overtook him.

All the fight seemed to leave Bakugo at that moment too, and he 'tsked' half-heartedly.

"Fucking fine. I guess because it's fucking Deku we can do it." Bakugo hissed, the statement earning him a death glare from Todoroki.

The dual user was pretty well at his limit right then and hearing Katsuki start up with his old bullshit about how Midoriya deserved it was quickly pushing him over the line. He was about to begin screaming himself when the blonde continued. "If anyone can handle it, it's Izuku. As much as I hate to fucking admit it, it's the damn truth. Kid can take a beating. Besides, he… he always forgives people when they hurt him…"

The last bit came out more hushed, almost self-reflective. It wasn't lost on the other that Bakugo had bullied Midoriya in the past, but they'd made great strides since All Might's retirement, their bond reforming slowly.

Todoroki nodded absently, his own mind thinking what Bakugo voiced next, making him almost shudder.

"Can you fucking do it though? I mean, I'll have to help kick his ass, but what else is new? You've actually treated him well since you met so it's a whole different shit storm for you."

Shoto didn't make a move to answer, his mouth too dry to even attempt it at first. He knew their time limit would be up soon, so he had to make a decision now and stick with it. "I… I honestly don't know… hurting him just… do you think I can?"

Bakugo snorted, understanding that if they were going to go through with this nightmare, Todoroki would rightfully need some help steeling his nerves. "If it meant saving that little shit-nerd, yeah… I think you could..."

Bakugo and Todoroki were hoisted up and dragged through the twisting hallways of the warehouse, each making mental notes that it was underground by the dank smell and flickering lights. Shigaraki was giving them more instructions as they were carried, his voice as creepily animated as always.

"…Also, he won't be able to see you. We've given him a medication that temporarily blinds him… and you aren't allowed to give him any indication that it's you all. Understand? Here… you'll each have an earpiece so that I can talk to you and make… suggestions… for you to follow. If I see either of you holding back, you'll regret it." He explained, stuffing the little tech in their ears roughly.

Dabi undid their chains right after, shoving them into the room before they could protest. They gave one last look to each other before settling their eyes on the only other figure in the room. Midoriya was hunched in a crouching position, with his hands still bound but ankles free. He'd apparently managed to get onto his feet, even though he wasn't standing.

They could see his head tilting slightly, ears obviously straining to pick up any new sounds after hearing the door creak open. Upon closer inspection, his nose had been broken, the blood still drying on his slightly parted lips.

"W-who's t-there…" he finally stuttered, his breathing beginning to pick up with fear.

"You'll notice there's plenty of toys on the wall for you to choose from. Get started."

Bakugo suppressed a grunt of hatred and pulled Todoroki along behind him, examining the walls. He picked up a pair of brass knuckles and slipped them on, pounding them together ominously despite how he heard Izuku gulp quietly in the background.

Todoroki went to turn around and say something comforting on instinct but was stopped, Bakugo's glare making him remember what they were there for. He saw beads of sweat beginning to slip down the boy's temple, wanting to gulp himself; Katsuki was struggling too and they hadn't even started yet.

Let's get this over with… fuck…' he mouthed soundlessly, giving himself one more pause to clear his mind before turning around.

Todoroki bit back the tears that threatened to start building in his eyes and picked up a small leather whip, following Bakugo as his sense of helplessness grew. As bad as he felt, he knew it would be nothing compared to what Midoriya was about to experience.