Second Chance

Part 1

The blood coating his arms and chest had lost its warmth, drying into the burned remains of his hero outfit and despite all the rubble that still rained down, despite the smoke clouding in the air, all Bakugo could smell was blood. It wasn't his own though. No, his injures were pitiful compared to everyone else's—just a few light burns and cuts. They were nothing, absolutely nothing compared to his comrade lying before him, a great big steel rod going right through his slim body.
It's strange, the things you suddenly notice when the whole world slows down, when the mind is so overwhelmed by the chaos descending around you that all it can do is focus on a single thing. He never realised how much smaller Midoryia was until his body was shielding his own.
That moment was replaying over and over in his head; the desperate warning cry from Midoryia, the flash of green lightening and then the sound of him being impaled, the blood that had splattered everywhere. Midoryia had tittered for a second, shock written all over his dirty face and then he smiled at Bakugo. 'I made it. Good...'
Whatever strength he had been clinging onto vanished, Bakugo instinctively caught him before anymore damage could be done to his ruined body and lowered them to the ground. But Bakugos mind was already gone. It had cracked and shattered at the sight of that relieved smile.
He had no idea how much time had passed since then, time had become a non-existent thing to him, all he knew was that Midoryia has sacrificed himself for him. And that he wasn't breathing.
What was that saying? You never realise what you had until it was gone? As Bakugos dim eyes stared at the body before him, still feeling the comfortable weight and size of it his arms—he couldn't help but think that that saying was true. All he had ever done was torment and bully Midoryia and he had still died to save Bakugo.
'This was not meant to be.'
The voice that echoed around him was old, old and powerful but Bakugo couldn't muster the will to care or yell at them.
'Do you wish to change it?'
At that question Bakugo pulled his attention from Midoryias body. There was no one around though, no one conscious anyway. Had he lost his mind? It wouldn't be all that surprising if he had...
'Do you wish to change it?' They asked again.
'He's dead,' his raw throat croaked out. 'Can't bring back the dead. So just leave me the hell alone.'
'The dead cannot he brought back, true. But time can be reversed. Do you wish to change what has happened?'
For the first time in his life tears spilled down his face. How could he look at anyone in the eye after this? How was he going to break the news that the comrade and friend everyone loved so much had sacrificed himself for the jerk who had bullied him his whole life? How was he supposed to apologise to Midoryias mother that her only child was never coming back home? How was he supposed to live with this crippling guilt and regret in his heart? And the soul-wrenching truth he had been blind to until he caught Midoryia?
He couldn't. Bakugo knew he would never be able to get over this. What was the point in getting up every morning if he wasn't alive in the world?
Did he wish to change it? '...yes. I do.'
'There will be a price,' the voice warned.
'Is it my life?' he asked numbly. 'A life for a life, that sort of thing?' Fair enough. Sorry, Mom and Dad...but I figure you would rather this type of death than me killing myself when the dust has settled...if I can bring Midoryia back then it'll be worth it.
'No, young hero. You will remember. You will remember everything.'
Something like dread tried to creep into his shattered heart, tired to warn him. But he couldn't feel anything except Midoryias dried blood and a hollowness in his soul. Fine, let his memories be his punishment then, if he and Midoryia could be alive at the same time again, he'd risk anything. But first, a question, now that he had regained some form of rational thought. 'Why?' Why are you offering something like this?'
'It was not that young hero's time to die, he has much more to achieve. It does not happen often, but this is not the first time I have had to step in because ones fate was unexpectedly altered.'
'Fine, whatever. Do it.'
'Good luck, young hero.'