The Atomic Hero || BNHA x Reader/OC ||

In the Alley

The smell of burning fire and melting ice is a familiar one to Todoroki. He keeps pushing back, keeps dodging, keeps fighting the Hero Killer who moves erratically and fanatically fast. No matter how much Todoroki sweeps ice this way, fire the next, it takes only one mistake to be vulnerable, to be paralyzed—

To be dead.

Stain knows that Todoroki is trying to keep him at a distance, and he's using it to his advantage. He's throwing blades, slicing at ice, never once missing a moment to find an opening to advance. Closer, closer, too close!

Midoriya sweeps his leg up and kicks Stain away. Iida and the other pro are still unmoving on the ground, making Todoroki and Midoriya the first and only line of defense against the mania of the villain they're facing.

I've faced villains before, he tells himself, and he thinks of the Nomu he swore he wasn't scared of, though he still has nightmares about its limbs being severed and growing back in grotesque ways. Steam billows out from the corners of his mouth. Midoriya lights up the alleyway with green fissures of electricity. They streak off him as he flies through the air, engaging with Stain as best he can without getting sliced up by a blade or shot off-course by Todoroki's offensive and defensive ice spikes. Iida keeps yelling. Todoroki tells him to shut up and let his friends save him.

Blood streaks down his cheek and collects on his jawline. Todoroki can barely feel his arm where he ripped out two of Stain's throwing knives. His heart is racing, but he can't think about what will happen if they lose, if he lets Stain get past him, if Iida and the pro bleed out from their injuries. He won't think about it. All that exists is the fight. All that matters is the victory.

A flash of fire erupts from Todoroki's side, but Stain uses it to his advantage and sweeps in as a blind spot. Todoroki cries out as more pain steeples in the new slash on his side. Midoriya lets out a yell and manages to kick the sword from Stain before his long tongue can lick up the red shining against the metal.

Midoriya makes himself vulnerable, though, and yet another blade finds its way across his leg. Todoroki blasts Stain back, hoping that the heat will burn away any fresh blood, but it's too late. Midoriya cries out and freezes against an alley wall glistening with melted ice. The air turns humid, turns dry, then humid again—

Todoroki's shouting at Iida to get up, to prove that he's worthy to carry Ingenium's name, but his whole life is inches from being extinguished as each syllable passes his lips.

Midoriya's scream rises above the din of chaos. "TODOROKI WATCH OUT!"

Stain pounces off the side of the wall, angling just so he can get behind Todoroki and into one of his weaker spots. A sword points directly at his side. Todoroki sweeps an injured arm out, fire erupting on his skin. It blackens more of the fresh blood flowing out from his wounds. The injury makes his reaction time too slow, however, and Stain avoids the direction of the flame. His tongue lolls out, eyes gleeful with the thought of finally impaling Todoroki on his blade.

His breath catches, and all he can do is watch the sword come straight for him.

Iida wails his name—and Todoroki is sorry—

There is a noise. It starts small, like a drop of water in a lake...but then it grows and grows, becoming the lake itself, becoming more, becoming the air, rippling through the alleyway and shaking its foundation.

A familiar brown hand lashes out from the very strands of reality itself and grips the sword. Blood sprays from the skin the blade cuts. It hangs suspended in the air like crystalized crimson.

The noise is a thunderous scream, Todoroki realizes. A scream that belongs to his classmate.

He would have smiled if he had not been so utterly stunned.