The agency door slammed with a loud bang as Bakugou barged out of the main meeting hall. One of the sidekicks followed him out, trying to calm him.
"Bakugou, please understand-"
"I thought this was the #1 hero's agency! It's been a month and no progress! You're all useless!"
"It'll take time to find Midoriya. We hadn't been able to find the league of villains before. It's unreasonable to expect us to find the league just because they have a hostage now."
"It only took 3 days to find them when they had ME! What's different now?!"
"It makes sense they are taking extra precautions after they were found last time. You know, if they didn't kill him on the spot, then he should still be alive," The sidekick tried to give a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but Bakugou pushed him away.
"Shut up, Extra! While you are all taking a shit, what do you think is happening to Deku?!"
"Bakugou," Endeavor entered the hall with a stern look. "You'll never be able to become a true hero if you don't get a hold on your emotions." Unable to argue with Endeavor, Bakugou gripped his fist and clenched his jaw. "Take the day off, Bakugou."
"Screw you-" Sparks flew from his palms, as he glared up at the intimidating hero. "I'll save Deku on my own!" Bakugou burst out of the hallway window and disappeared into the city.
"Should I follow him, sir?" asked the sidekick.
"Don't bother. We need to focus on more important things."
Endeavor re-entered the meeting room. Todoroki looked over from the window. His frustration had been building as much as Bakugou's, but he was also feeling faint of heart. Endeavor had a hard time seeing this, but their relationship was too strained to be able to give any sense of reassurance. All he could do was put all he could manage into finding the league.
"Prepare to go on patrol, Shoto."
"Right." Todoroki followed his father out of the agency. His mind was becoming weak to the idea that Midoriya was lost forever. The thought that it could be too late, numbed him. Losing friends was normal in hero work. Could he have done anything to have stopped Midoriya's kidnapping? Should he have been out like Bakugou, searching on his own? Did he have any power to help? Was it his fault?
Like every other day that past month, the patrol led to many emergencies needing to be handled, but none hinted at Midoriya... until a hero approached Endeavor.
"Endeavor, we believe we've found the league of villains hideout."
Todoroki jumped forward, eyes wide and shouting, "Where is it?!"
Endeavor held back Todoroki, and he calmly explained, "Hold on, Shoto. We can't barge in unprepared."
Todoroki glared up at his father, "I won't let him suffer alone anymore!"
><><><><><
Unchanging paths and alleyways passed by Bakugou's vision as he explored the city for the umpteenth time. He slowed down, knowing they weren't nearby, but he refused to give up.
Should I leave the city? It'd make sense they'd leave the city limits, but there's less camouflage of people the further out you go. Where are you, Deku? ...I was too focused on outdoing Deku and IcyHot... and now that idiot... has been alone with villains for a month now...
In the distance he caught sight of Todoroki and Endeavor rushing away. Not too out of the ordinary until he saw Todoroki's expression: desperation. They found Deku! Explosions trailed behind Bakugou as he accelerated towards the heroes heading to where he assumed Deku was.
Approaching the group, Bakugou noticed a large factory not far outside the city coming into view that appeared to have been out of commission for years. He grunted, thinking he knew he should have explored outside the city.
Before they could reach the perimeter of the lot, a gas line ruptured, creating escalating explosions throughout the property. Through the flames, the group could see a lone figure. No one could make out who it was through the waves of heat and flames. Shigaraki steps forward with the other villains appearing through the flames behind him.
"Argh! It's so hot! I hate sweating!" whines Toga, wiping her temple with her sleeve.
As he sighs, Dabi looks over at Toga. "Shut it."
"You can blame our uninvited guests for your discomfort, Toga," hissed Shigaraki.
"Hey! Stop your quarreling and tell us where the young hero you kidnapped is!" ordered Endeavor.
"Kidnapped? Haha! Don't worry. He's here."
A timid boy with fluffy green hair walked out from behind Dabi, not wanting to look up at the heroes. His costume was replaced with a dark green hoodie and ripped, black jeans; his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. Dark circles adorned his face. He wasn't restrained and seemed somewhat compliant.
Todoroki moved forward cautiously as he spoke, "Midoriya... Are you okay?"
Midoriya finally looked up to see Todoroki's concerned face. Confusion rose in his heart once again as he nodded and timidly answered, "I'm fine." Todoroki sighed with relief until Midoriya spoke up again, "Why are you here?"
"We're here to get you back, Midoriya."
"I don't want to go back."
"What-"
"YOU STUPID NERD!" Bakugo explodes onto the scene. "What the hell is wrong with you?! I came to save you, and that's what you have to say?!"
"Kacchan." Deku smiles, a certain twistedness being displayed. "You never change."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You're the true villain here."
"You're asking for a beating, Deku!" Bakugo blasts over to grab Midoriya, only to be deterred by Dabi's flames, effortlessly pushing Bakugou back.
Shigaraki calls out, "You heard it from the boy himself. It's time you all leave him alone. He's sick of the way you do things. So, we'll be leaving-"
Spears of ice erupt from the ground, separating the group of villains as Todoroki exclaims, "I don't think so!"
"You're too weak, Shoto Todoroki." A wide smile reaches across Dabi's face as he looks down at Todoroki from atop the largest spear. "In this heat, you can't expect to defeat us with ice." Midoriya was resting in Dabi's arms. Todoroki and Bakugou both felt their blood boiling as Endeavor instructed his sidekicks to surround the building to block the villains' path.
Toga calls up to the boys from behind the ice, "Let's go Izuku~"
"Uh- Right."
Midoriya tried to climb out of Dabi's arms to follow Toga but was jerked back into his arms when Bakugo and Todoroki jumped towards them. Instinctively, Midoriya raised his hands towards his classmates. With his fingers alone he shoots a gust of air pressure to stop the two from reaching him and Dabi. Midoriya felt a striking pain throughout his body as he gasped. In an instant, Endeavor had the boys over his shoulders.
"Put me down, you bastard!" Bakugou struggled until his feet reached the ground.
Todoroki, on the other hand, was too shocked that Midoriya attacked them to register anything else. The look in Midoriya's eyes told him everything. Midoriya despised them. He looked up at Midoriya as Dabi let him down.
As the villain group gathers and starts to make their way further into the flames, several heroes jump in from all sides. Each hero was struck with black whip, spun in the air, and slammed to the ground. Midoriya immediately doubled over as blood spilled from his mouth.
"MIDORIYA/DEKU!!!" screamed Todoroki and Bakugou as they tried to push forward.
Midoriya snapped his head towards the boys, "I won't let you hurt them!"
Dabi extended his flames towards the boys, pushing them back before he picked Midoriya back up. They turned around, and disappeared through the flames, so hot that even Endeavor could not follow.
The heroes tried to regroup after the villains vanished. No traces were left behind after the fire. Those who were still conscious could not find even an escape route. The rest of the sidekicks were being treated for burns and the physical damage caused from the impact of Midoriya's Blackwhip. Todoroki and Bakugou remained in place, not hearing or seeing anything. The past half hour kept replaying in their heads.
Only managing a whisper, Todoroki mumbles, "What just happened?"
This snapped Bakugou out of his trance. He punched a wall with one of his explosions, sending debris everywhere. A sidekick reprimanded him, saying he could have caused more fires. Bakugo didn't say a word. Deku never complained about how he spoke to him before. The only time Deku ever fought against him was after the provisional exam. He was always there from the time they were kids. Deku accepted him for how he was, temper and all, but today Deku showed how much he truly hated Bakugou.
"DEKU!!!"