In a Hero's Arms {Completed} | Deku x Ochaco

Chapter 13

My heart gave a agonising, painful wrench.

Deku, despite being fatally wounded, put a hand on the ground in front of him in determination, and tried to rise. Shigaraki lifted his foot and brutally stomped on Deku's back, sending him crashing back into the rock underneath with a sickening crack.

I let out a whimper. I could barely watch this, it caused me physical pain.

A couple of the heroes started forward, but Shigaraki simply bent down and moved an outstretched hand toward Deku's head.

"I'll do it!" He called, "if any of you a**holes even thinks to come a step closer! He'll be dead in a heartbeat!"

The heroes stopped dead in their tracks. It was hard to tell, but their expressions looked conflicted.

"Now, I propose a challenge!" Shigaraki yelled, pointing to the heroes.

"What do you want?" One of them growled back. Shigaraki chuckled and took a knife out of his pants, casually twirling it in his fingers like some sort of overly sharp fidget spinner.

"Something simple!" He replied, "A match. Between my strongest villians, and your strongest heroes- but!"

The heroes were starting to arrange who to fight him, but stopped when Shigaraki announced an exception.

"-but! There's one condition. One of your heroes has to be this wannabe hero-" Shigaraki kicked Deku forward, who let out a groan of pain, "- to be one of your heroes facing me. If you win, he can go back with you. If you lose, I'll kill you all. Deal?"

There really as no other way to do it. The villians had now gathered menacingly around the heroes, poised and ready to strick if any one of them should move. If the heroes didn't agree, they'd all die anyway. Their only option was to except.

"Fine!" One of the heroes yelled, "we except, and we choose-"

"ME!"

Everyone on the battlefield turned to my thunderous shout. I had darted from the trees before Above or Thirteen could catch me.

Ignoring the heroes cries if protest behind me, I stomped onto the rocky ruins of the villian hideout, set my foot firmly on a raised area, hefted myself up to face Shigaraki, glared daggers at him and hissed,

"Me. I will face whatever demon you throw my way. I'll slaughter them. How dare you hurt him!"

Shigaraki actually looked a surprised, and maybe a little scared, but he recovered quickly by kicking Deku toward me.

I scrambled forward, heart pounding in my ears. I caught Deku in my arms, brushing the blood-soaked hair away from his face. Bright emerald eyes stared up at me.

"Ochaco?" He croaked. I nodded vigorously and took one of his hands.

"Deku," I whispered, "I'm going to save you. But, first, I need you to stand up."

Deku nodded, and I part lifted him to his feet and put a supporting arm around him. Blood dripped from his head as he glared at Shigaraki.

"I'll beat you," he growled, dangerously, "I'll beat your a**!"

Shigaraki sneered and turned to call one of his villains.

I noticed something happen to Deku. He was lighting up with his usual green lightning, and he suddenly seemed more energised.

"We can do this," he said, still staring after Shigaraki, "Let's beat them, Ochaco."

He called me Ochaco. I don't know why it surprised me, but it did. I never expected him to do so. I don't know what changed, but something definitely had.