You know the drill, lads: drink, snack, break, sleep, and enjoy these 10k words!
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~
Tenya got right back down to business once everyone had finished eating, too tense to take a proper break, which Izuku could sympathise with. "It looks like the enemy has changed from shutting us in, to trying to capture us," he muttered upon sighting the small robots, staring through the glass window into the laboratory, a subtle green light from the eerie tubing within casting across his features.
"I bet I could shock 'em," Kaminari said with a wide grin, throwing out his hands with sparks fizzing over his fingers.
Izuku shook his head, squinting into the dark room for a moment before turning back to face his friends. "They've probably been created with very few weaknesses, since this place is super secure with advanced technology. I don't think you'd be able to short-circuit them, and it's safer if we don't try, because if you hit your limit then you'll vulnerable, which is something we don't need right now."
"Oh, you're right," he muttered, briefly looking dejected before perking up. "So, we brute-force our way through, then-" He blinked, confused. "...then what?"
"We continue climbing to higher floors," Jirou told him with a roll of her eyes.
"Ah, man, seriously? Alright..."
They all shared a final glance before bursting through the doors. Yaoyorozu made smoke bombs with particulates that jammed the robots' signals, handing them out to the girls who flung them across the walkway until the entire area was dimmed with glittering smoke. Izuku summoned 30% of his Quirk, sprinting forwards then twisting to throw a heavy punch, utilising the wind pressure more than anything else to fling the robots off the platform. Tenya dashed up behind him, slipping by with ease and swinging a leg out in a powerful kick that sent another wave of the enemies flying. Kacchan blasted a handful away, although Izuku noticed that he was keeping his explosions smaller than usual, presumably to lessen the strain on his arms. Jirou stuck an earphone jack into the floor to work out where the robots were coming from, letting Shouto fling up a barricade of ice to prevent any more from approaching whilst the he teens to hurried in the other direction to safely escape the room.
A server room was present on the hundred-and-thirty-eighth floor, which they were quick to head through. Izuku slowed down as he noticed the doors on the other side of the room, causing his friends to automatically follow his lead. Kacchan glared at him questioningly, only to whip around to look at the doors as they parted, revealing a terrifying horde of robots waiting to attack.
"Alright, let's break them!" Kirishima exclaimed, sharp teeth bared in a grin as he slammed his Quirked fists together.
"Wait!" Melissa said suddenly, blue eyes wide and worried. "If the servers here are damaged, it might affect the security system, too!"
Yaoyorozu gained a stern look of determination. "We'll stop the security machines here."
Tenya stepped forward, getting into a fighting stance. "Izuku-kun, take Melissa-san and find a different route!"
"Okay," Izuku agreed, despite his reluctance. "Kacchan, Shouto-kun, and Uraraka-san – come with us, please!"
He removed the belt from his waist, moving over to clip it around Yaoyorozu's abdomen whilst she busied herself making some weapons for Kaminari and Kirishima. She momentarily tensed under his touch, dark gaze flitting to him in alarm before she nodded and gave a thankful smile which he returned brightly. Shouto crouched down to cautiously ice up his friend's calves in hopes of helping him out, just like he'd done when they faced Stain. Tenya's engines burst into life and he shot forward, taking out the first line of robots. Kirishima was quick to dart in after him, Quirk activated as he carefully flung the robots back where they came from. While Shouto was instant in going to Izuku's side, Uraraka deliberated for a moment, clearly conflicted, and Kacchan looked entirely unwilling to follow his rival's orders, but it was clear by his sour expression that he realised his Quirk was too destructive to use in such a delicate room.
Izuku led the way back out of the room, sprinting down the corridor with his friends in pursuit. Kacchan got frustrated with their pace and dashed on ahead, disappearing from view as he rounded a corner, only to be seen waiting grumpily next to a door. They broke it down and headed outside onto the roof, faced with a sudden rush of cool night air. Massive fans spun languidly in rows, stretching far above them around a pillar.
"The wind power generator system," Melissa commented in hushed tones.
"Why here?" Uraraka inquired, looking around curiously.
"If we go up through the tower, the security machines are probably going to ambush us, so we'll go to the top from here," she explained, striding forwards. "If we can just get to that emergency exit..."
Kacchan sneered and threw down his palms, shooting up like a rocket and landing a little clumsily up on the balcony beneath the exit. "Stop wasting time!" He yelled down.
Shouto looked to Izuku, who was peering up at the fans. There wasn't any easy way to dart up between the sections with his Quirk unless he wanted to repeatedly bash his head or accidentally end up cut in half by the fan blades, neither of which was an optimal situation to be in.
"Ochako-san, could you use your Quirk to send us up there?" Melissa asked hopefully, trembling hand clenched over her heart.
"Right. Leave it to me!" She said with a determined expression.
"Shouto-kun can use his ice to lift both of you up after," Izuku suggested, gaining a placid nod in response from his friend.
Melissa hopped onto Izuku's back, and once Uraraka's Quirk was in effect, he crouched down and carefully leapt upwards, slowly floating towards the sky. The brown-haired girl gave a panicked mutter, causing both of them to look down and see more robots flooding out towards her and Shouto, who threw a hasty wall of ice up to try and block them. Despite the power, the robots were learning, piling up on the other side until they could climb over the top and slide down towards their targets. He hesitated before flinging out his other hand to send out a rush of flames, only for the robots to continue rolling without being fazed. One of them spat out a thin wire that wrapped around his arm, immobilising it.
There was a sudden explosion and a scorch of heat as Kacchan shot into the fray, teeth bared in a snarl as he obliterated several bots, throwing them off the edge. Shouto slammed down a foot and caught many more robots in a deluge of ice, then froze the restricting wire to snap it off and destroy the robot.
"Go on then, damn nerd! Stop fucking staring and go and fix this bullshit!" Kacchan growled as he exploded another collection of enemies.
"Thanks, everyo-"
A flood of air caught them off-guard, pushing them off course. Melissa held on tighter, hands clenching into his shirt and face pressing into the back of his head as he let her legs loose to balance himself. They were floating so high above the island that the ground looked like a reflection of the starry sky above them. Izuku was used to training in zero gravity with Ochako in the future, so the sensation wasn't too unnerving, but... wow, that was a really long way down...
Kacchan exploded the metal supports on one of the giant fans, bending it at a different angle. Shouto threw off his jacket and ignited his fire Quirk, sending an empyrean plume towards the slowly spinning blades to create a blast of hot air that guided them back over the building. They flipped upside-down in the current, his skin tingling at the sudden temperature change. He glanced over his shoulder at Melissa's panicked cry, realising that they were careening towards a wall at high speeds. Although he had been hoping to save all three chances with the Full Gauntlet, there wasn't enough time to steady his control, or even know if a 40% punch would be able to break through the wall.
He tugged up his sleeve and pressed the button, watching as the Full Gauntlet glowed then folded out over his right forearm. Izuku twisted in the air to right them, reaching back with one hand to attempt to secure Melissa. One for All coursed through his veins and green lightning glittered over his form as he drew back a fist, then threw it forward in a punch at the perfect moment.
An explosion of dust and debris had him closing his eyes and shielding his face with an arm, flying blind and hoping nothing would go wrong as his heart pounded in his ears. The weightlessness suddenly lifted, and they were plummeting back down to the floor. Izuku squinted through the grit and fumbled to grab Melissa, activating his Quirk in hopes of lessening the impact. He landed clumsily on his feet, knees bending to absorb some of the momentum and wobbling without the use of his arms since he was focusing on keeping Melissa off the ground. After a few moments of gasping for breath and trying to catch up with the fact that they weren't dead, the two of them relaxed a little more, and he gently put Melissa back on her feet in front of him.
"Are you alright, Melissa-san?" He asked instantly, gaze trailing over her form.
She raised her arm to inspect it before smiling. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just some scratches. What about y-"
Izuku leapt forward and grabbed her, sending them both rolling across the ground whilst a blade clinked on the concrete where they had been standing moments before. He let go of her and braced himself on one knee, automatically raising his arm to block the sword Quirk with his Full Gauntlet.
"You revolting kids-!" The villain with pink hair – Swordokil - snarled, raising his other arm and transforming it into another glimmering blade. "Don't pretend to be heroes!"
Izuku ducked under a hit, dropping into a roll and deliberately drawing the enemy away from where Melissa lay, still stunned. He activated One for All and narrowly avoided a slash to the face, twisting his hips and kicking the villain in the side, causing him to stumble and draw a blade across the boy's leg as he tried to steady himself. Both were quick to recover, glaring each other down. Izuku knew he was at a dangerous disadvantage while his back was still to the hole in the wall, and he used the villain's lunging attack to sidestep closer to safety. Swordokil snarled, turning around and dashing forwards. He brought down a blade on the red metal of the Gauntlet with a clang, not letting up on the strength and forcing Izuku to shift back towards the open air in order to parry the next hit from the second sword. All the weight suddenly vanished and caused the boy to stumble, immediately going to dodge aside a kick but still getting a boot to the ribs that sent him tumbling off the edge.
His fingers clamped down on a small ledge, shoulder wrenching at the sudden stop. He couldn't afford to pause, automatically swinging up his other arm to grab onto the edge and planting his soles on the wall. Melissa's bare feet were pattering along the ground towards the villain. Izuku activated his Quirk and tensed his stomach before kicking off and sending his body arcing upwards, letting go at the last second to flip back through the hole and send Swordokil flying with a well-placed punch. The villain slammed into the staircase, shattering the concrete and sending cracks webbing out, but thankfully not moving.
Melissa was kneeling on the ground, palm clasped over her forearm and a shocked expression on her face. Izuku dashed over to her, dropping down to her height and examining the wound, relieved to see it was only a shallow cut. He pulled a white handkerchief from the back pocket of his trousers, gently wrapping it around her forearm and tightening it to keep it from bleeding too much.
"Thank you for distracting him," he said softly, green gaze filled with affection.
She gave a quiet laugh, taking back her arm. "Well, I've always wanted to help heroes." Melissa glanced down at his leg, noticing the long slice along the front of his trousers, over his shin. "He got you."
He looked down, blinking in confusion for a moment at the lack of pain before chuckling and pulling aside the garish fabric to reveal the armour from his hero gear that had deflected the blow. She stared at it curiously, clearly noticing the green cloth of his costume as she looked between his rolled-up sleeve and his leg.
Before she had the chance to ask anything, he grinned slyly, getting back to his feet and offering her a hand. "Let's go and save everyone!"
At floor two hundred, Izuku motioned for Melissa to stay where she was. He darted around the corner with 15% of One for All, doing a delicate dance to dodge bullets and springing off a wall to punch both of the armed villains to the ground. The teens went right back to sprinting along, relieved when they reached the top floor and there were no more stairs to run up. She guided him through the corridors until they reached the control room, where they paused and peered around a corner.
It had a circular vault door that was swung out the way, giving them a clear view inside the room. The walls were covered in illuminated boxes, each of which likely contained some sort of forbidden invention, if the revelations of the next few minutes were anything to go by. Two regrettably familiar people stood in front of the screen that controlled the main security system, the one in the white suit typing away as he watched the contents of the monitor speed by.
"Papa?" Melissa whispered as she recognised the man.
"Maybe the villains brought him here to force him to do something," Izuku suggested lowly, even though he knew better after what happened last time.
"We have to save him!" She insisted nervously, getting a nod of agreement before they both started crawling closer.
They crept into the circular room, completely silent as they watched and listened to the events unfold. Izuku gently linked their arms together, squeezing slightly and giving her a supportive smile, tinged with sadness.
"Everything's going according to plan, isn't it?" Dave's assistant, Sam, commented cheerfully, the case with the invention in his grasp. "It looks like the villains are doing well, too."
"Thank you. It's all because you arranged everything for me, Sam," Dave responded, dashing up the staircase to his assistant.
"...Papa..." Melissa breathed, voice trembling as she took a shaky step forward on scuffed feet.
Dave whipped around, pausing in the middle of the stairs and staring in horror. "Mel... Melissa..."
"Miss, what are you doing here?" Sam added, nervously clutching the case tighter to his chest.
She slipped her arm free of the boy's grasp, taking slow, dazed steps forward. "What do you mean, 'arranged?'" Her voice was soft and brokenly disbelieving, every move faltering. "Papa, don't tell me you're the one behind this incident? In order to get that device...?" She came to a halt, shoulders slumped and tone gaining a note of desperation, despite the guilty silence. "Is that true, Papa?"
Dave squeezed his eyes shut, looking down, ashamed. "It is."
"What? Why?!"
Izuku stayed back, lingering near the door, half his body turned to keep an eye on things. Sam did most of the explaining about the invention that mechanically amplified Quirks, telling them what happened when it got confiscated. He could sympathise with the frustration of being told an achievement had to be taken away, but... staging a villain attack to get it back was too drastic.
"No..." Melissa whispered, looking shellshocked. "This is a lie, isn't it, Papa?" She stepped forward, arms spreading pleadingly. "Tell me this is a lie!"
"It's not a lie," Dave responded hoarsely, not lifting his head or moving a muscle.
"The Papa I knew would never do anything like that! So why...? Why?!" Her voice was strained with the weight of betrayal, hands clenched into fists at her side as she glared up at her father.
"It's for All Might," he admitted, averting his eyes. "You two probably don't know, but his Quirk is disappearing. However, if he uses my device, then it can go back to normal." He squared his shoulders, staring at them with intensity in his pale blue eyes. "It can even give him more abilities than he started with. The Number One Hero... The Symbol of Peace... can get his light back again... and save many people once more!" He was smiling by the end of it, leaning forwards with hope printed on his face, gaze shining with conviction at the thought of his paradise.
"He can't," Izuku said softly, blinking away before staring back at him, hating having to be the one to shatter his dream.
"What... What do you mean?" Dave asked, drawing back as if he'd been physically struck, joy draining from his expression.
"All Might... he can't go on forever, Dave-san. No-one can. Believe me, I'd like things to stay the same forever, because Toshi-san is always so happy to help people, and people are always so happy to be helped by him, but-" His fond smile transitioned from something sad to something steely and stern, not to be argued with. "But, all eras end. New heroes always rise up in place of the old ones, becoming stronger and better, and... it's true that no-one will ever be able to replace All Might. He's brilliant, and inspiring, and so special to so many people... but even he can't achieve the impossible of continuing for eternity."
Dave tensed up, then dashed up to grab the case from Sam, holding it in front of him frantically. "Please. Please let me hand this device over to All Might. Let me try. After he gets it, I don't care what kind of punishment I receive. I've prepared myself, and I-"
"They risked their lives!" Melissa cried out, tugging the makeshift tourniquet off her arm to display her wound. "What do you think Deku-kun and his classmates went through to save the hostages?"
"What's the meaning of this?" The man muttered, low and confused, his eyes wide as he seemingly noticed the ruffled condition of both kids for the first time. "The villains were fake... It should've all been an act..."
Izuku tensed up at the sound of footsteps behind him, spinning around and backing up at the sight of two villains standing in the doorway. One was bigger and bulkier under a heavy white coat, wild auburn hair flaring out from behind the twisted metal mask that covered most of his face except his eyes and grinning mouth. The other villain was smaller, arms wrapped around their torso and fluffy white hair covering half of their face, showing their robotic right eye. Izuku flared up his Quirk, fists clenching as he launched himself towards the villains. Metal twisted from the floors and shot towards him as the main villain used his Quirk. The boy dodged the first few attempts, a few centimetres away from landing a hit before his ankle was wrenched back, surprising him enough for him to get tangled up in solid strips that slammed him back into a wall, keeping him pinned with his mouth covered.
"Deku-kun!" Melissa exclaimed, spinning and dashing towards him.
"Of course it was an act," the big one, Wolfram, stated darkly, smirking. "An act pretending to be a fake villain." He strode further into the room, exuding smug confidence, sparing a taunting glance at Izuku. "There's no use playing hero, kid. You're way out of your depth. Sam, where's the device?"
Sam froze up before snatching the case from the other man's lax hands, hurrying down the steps. "H-here!"
"Sam...?" Dave's expression morphed into horrified realisation. "Don't tell me... you were planning on giving the device to the villains all along?!"
"Y-you're the one who tricked me!" The assistant snapped defiantly, although his hunched posture contradicted his fury with an air of guilty regret. "I served you for so long, but you let your research be frozen so easily, and the honour and renown we were supposed to get all went away..." He looked back over his shoulder, eyes glistening with tears. "If I didn't at least get some money, then it was a waste of my time."
Izuku clearly remembered how the next scene played out: it was seared into his memory. He strained against the bonds without his Quirk, searching for the weak points that could be exploited so he could break out quickly and take the villains by surprise.
Wolfram raised the gun. "Here's the reward I promised you."
A shot rang out, and Sam collapsed, dropping the case as he clutched at the patch of blood blooming on his shoulder. Izuku pushed harder, feeling metal dig into his ribs painfully, gritting his teeth behind the bars over his mouth. The barrel of the gun was still pointed at the downed assistant, who could only stare in horror. One second, Dave was frozen, and the next he was sprinting down the steps. Melissa gasped, and Izuku exploded in a flash of green.
Metal clattered to the ground in his wake as he darted across the room, lips pulled back in a grin. Wolfram slowly turned, his target shifting as he moved the gun towards the young hero who was approaching like a bullet himself. Izuku raised his arm to deflect the shot, ducking down and dropping into a roll around the side of the villain to keep his focus away from the others and give Dave a chance to move Sam.
The villain glared, dropping a hand to the ground and fling up a massive wall to block the boy. Izuku skidded to a halt before he could hit it, instead crouching and launching himself over the top. His stomach plummeted as he soared above, seeing Dave stubbornly standing in from of his assistant, the gun now aimed at him. One for All flaring green over his body, Izuku shot down to ground level, slamming his boots into the ground so hard it cracked in sync with the bang of a bullet being fired. He dashed forwards with 40% to shove Dave aside, both of them hitting the ground.
"Papa! Deku-kun!" Melissa cried, rushing towards them.
Wolfram twisted and hit her cheek with the butt of his gun, sending her tumbling backwards. Izuku picked himself up, panic jolting briefly in his chest as he saw blood smeared over his pale shirt, only to look down and see red blooming across the shoulder of Dave's white jacket. The boy followed his instincts, hopping aside and jumping towards his enemy again, hands clenching into the man's coat as he threw him to the ground with a heavy thud. Wolfram growled and slammed his palm down, more iron tendrils tearing from surfaces and chasing after Izuku, even as he flipped and twisted and dodged as best he could in his younger body. It wasn't enough, and he was flung backwards once more, sent careening into a wall.
His breath was knocked out of him and his vision swam. Wolfram stepped on Dave's wound, gloating, before hauling him up and knocking him out. Melissa spoke up, fingers digging into the floor as she glared at the villain, who raised the gun once more with a smirk. Izuku's body moved before his mind could clear, sending him rocketing across the room with a powerful punch readied to hit the villain, only for another thick wall to rise up just before his knuckles connected.
He gritted his teeth in a smile, glancing over his shoulder. "Melissa-san... I'll save the professor and Sam. Save everyone else!"
Despite the terrified tears in her eyes, Melissa nodded, stumbling to her feet and clumsily sprinting to the open door. Izuku turned to tail her and stop the villain from following, but solid barricades kept rising up in his path, forcing him to leap up and spring from wall to wall before dropping down in front of the exit, expression nothing short of murderous.
"I won't let you past me," he stated, teeth bared in a frightening Deku grin that had the villain faltering.
"Don't get carried away!" Wolfram snarled, and a second later concrete poles came shooting towards the doorway, arching down and slamming into Izuku's crossed arms.
He dug his boots into the floor, holding his ground even as the force bearing down on him multiplied. Green sparked angrily around his small form, protecting him from the worst of the pain and bolstering his muscles with enough strength to prevent himself from getting crushed. With every new pillar that bore down on his location, the ground shook and a cloud of dust rose up, making every strained breath even more difficult. The bones in his arms ached and his shoulders were burning with the pressure of holding back the floodgates, his mind unhelpfully relating the terrifying experience with almost dying at the hands of Muscular.
Izuku sent out a pulse of energy, and the concrete shattered. He tumbled free, gasping for breath and gritting his teeth against the pain twinging through his muscles, but there was no time to recover. Blood splatters, bold crimson on the light flooring, were his guide out of the room and through the twisting corridors, coaxing him into a run in the hopes of catching up to Wolfram so he could help Dave. All of the shutters had been raised, reigniting the determination within his chest at the knowledge that Melissa had safely countered the security systems, meaning All Might was finally free. As much as he would like to be able to fight Wolfram alone to stop his mentor from injuring himself, he had to begrudgingly admit that while he was still stuck in his teenage body and forced to limit his powers, there was no way he'd could manage it by himself.
He turned a corner, reaching up and pulling off his black bow tie, letting out a heavy breath of relief. His fingers nimbly undid the buttons on his yellow shirt as he ran, tearing it off and flinging it behind him to reveal his hero costume underneath. There was no time to pause and hop out of his trousers, so he just used his Quirk to tear them off like a stripper – or Mirio. The usual red boots were already on his feet since he was never seen without them, loyally softening every pounding footstep and helping him sprint through the corridors.
Cool night air urged him onwards, and he leapt through the open door, out onto the roof. Wolfram was trudging towards a waiting helicopter with Dave slung over his shoulder, bound with metal and unmoving. Izuku raised his Quirk to 30%, practically gliding over the ground, radioactive gaze locked onto the professor with the sole goal of saving him. The wind rushed in his ears, and he was right behind the villain, hand reaching out, and-
A wall sprung up in front of him. Panic sparked through his mind but his muscle memory saved him, lifting up his legs to plant his feet on the wall and do a backflip, not wasting a second the moment his toes touched the ground before he sprang back up and over the top. Wolfram was running now, and the helicopter rotors were starting to spin. He dumped the professor and the metal case in the back of the vehicle, turning around furiously.
"Give the professor back!" Izuku yelled, dropping to the ground in a roll and instantly continuing to run. "Or I'll make you."
"You'll make me?" Wolfram sneered, hand remaining firmly pressed to the ground to build more walls and snaking pillars. "Those are bold words for a kid! Why would you risk so much to save a criminal?"
The boy narrowly dodged a twisted metal pole as it sliced past him, close enough to graze his cheek. "You don't know anything about him, Wolfram. You don't know anything about me, either! I'm- I'm going to be a hero, and that means saving people who are in trouble!"
Wolfram stood up, aiming his gun back at the hostage. "How?" He grinned as Izuku came to a halt, dropping back to the ground amidst the debris. "You put on a costume, pretend to play the hero... I didn't do much, but you already can't move. Isn't that inconvenient?"
"Don't worry about me," Dave rasped, raising his head and wincing. "Get away."
"Ha, you hear that, kid?" The villain crowed, throwing forwards another pillar with such haste it slammed into the boy, flinging him away. "He doesn't even want to be saved by a wannabe like you!"
Izuku rolled off the momentum and picked himself up, inhaling sharply at the pain that came with movement. He stood up as straight as he could, ignoring the ringing in his ears and the burning in his bones, taking a strong step forward with his Quirk running electric through his veins and his scraped hands fisted by his side.
"My name is Deku," Izuku said with a wide grin, pausing to flash between more manipulated metal as it crashed around him, never once losing his intimidating smile as he gradually hopped closer to the villain. "And I'm going to take you down."
Wolfram gritted his teeth, increasing the pace of his attacks and growing increasingly more frustrated as the boy practically danced between them. "You're decent for a kid, Deku, I'll give you that."
"Thanks!" He chirped, hoping he sounded less breathless than he felt as he planted down his palms and gracefully flipped over another attack. "Can I have the professor back, now?"
"You seriously can't expect me to do that." He sent out another pillar, clipping the boy's side, then landing a full hit that crushed him into the ground.
Izuku let out a choked cry as his back crashed against the concrete. Stars exploded across his vision and every breath irritated his aching ribs. For a moment he remained still, staring dazedly at the universe sprawling far above and summoning the energy to move.
"It was worth a try," he muttered weakly to himself, squeezing his eyes shut and heaving himself back up, only to immediately have to start dodging again.
Two more poles rose up, rushing to meet him where he leapt into the air. They clamped down on either side of him, squeezing him, a burning pain spreading across his entire body like a wildfire. A third metal bar arced up to meet him, slamming down onto his shoulders and sending him crashing back down to earth.
The thrumming of helicopter blades wavered in and out of his hearing. His face was buried in the dust, every breath shuddering into his lungs. He raised his head from his arms, peering up at the rising vehicle and plastering back on a smile as he shakily got back to his feet, pushing past his limits where most people would've given up – but most people weren't Midoriya Izuku, and nothing would stand in his way of saving someone.
Izuku hopped onto the collapsed remnants of a pillar, reaching down to steady himself with his hands for a moment before starting to sprint up it like a runway. He raised One for All to 30%, then 40%, footsteps pounding in tandem with his heart, eyes alight and grin dangerous, focus entirely centred on the helicopter as it lifted up into the starry sky. The end of his path drew close, cutting off abruptly, but he merely crouched down and launched himself towards his target, daring to raise his Quirk to 50%. It rattled through his delicate bones in a way that made him wince.
Air rushing past his face made his eyes water and tore through his green curls. He raised his arms as he shot within reach, fingers clamping down around the icy metal bar and locking him in place around the tyre, even as his impact swayed and tipped the helicopter precariously. Izuku heaved himself up a little, forearms pressing down on the floor as he beamed at Dave through the pain and panic, brightening a bleak situation with his smile alone. The man was lying on his side in a pool of his own blood, whole shoulder stained red and face pale. His wrists were bound in front of his chest with a twist of manipulated metal.
"Hi, professor," Izuku said through gritted teeth, his light tone betrayed by the strain in his words caused by the fact that he was literally dangling off a helicopter.
"Stop it..." Dave whispered, his voice breaking and his hazy blue eyes wide in horror behind his glasses. "Midoriya-kun, get away."
"Melissa is waiting for you," he responded softly, only just loud enough to be heard over the rotors and the wind, digging his fingers into the metal floor for some traction as he twisted his body around to plant his feet on the raised tyre to his left. "You can't give up, professor."
"You certainly are a hero," Wolfram commented disdainfully from the front of the vehicle, crouching down in front of the hostage and grinning maliciously as he pointed the gun at the boy. "But, you're an idiot."
Izuku's arm snapped up to block his face with the Full Gauntlet, other hand slipping. He panicked for a moment, swiping out and managing to snag the tyre to catch himself, quickly holding on with both hands and swinging himself around so he was hidden away underneath the belly of the helicopter. The villain growled, leaning out with one hand around the thin wall as he tried to get a better vantage point, but the boy stayed firmly concealed behind the rubber, clinging on for dear life as his chest heaved. It would really suck if he ended up falling and dying and completely wasting his time-travel twist of fate: that'd be a disappointing end to Deku.
He stayed there for a few more moments to recover from the hot-cold flood of adrenaline, twisting to watch as the building got further away and the city merely became a pin-prick tapestry of lights that sprawled out across the landscape. Despite the beauty, there was no time to waste. Izuku spun and hooked his legs over the metal pole, cautiously hanging upside-down for a moment as he peered up at the helicopter, relieved to note that Wolfram had lost interest and moved away from the side. The boy tensed his core and shifted into a sitting position, one knee still loosely bent over the bar whilst the other one hung in the air as he pressed his arms onto the floor again, flashing a cheeky smile at Dave's stunned expression.
"Come on, professor," he whispered, turning his hand to offer it with a gentle smile.
Dave hesitated, gaze flitting to the villain's back before he dared shuffle closer, wincing with every move. Izuku reached out a little further than was safe, clenching his hand down around the metal restraints to shatter them and free his wrists. It wasn't quite quiet enough to be covered by the rotors, causing Wolfram to tense before turning around, teeth baring in a snarl as he saw the scene. The villain whipped out his gun, aim flickering between the two. Izuku took the moment of hesitation to grab the professor's hand, tugging him closer and swallowing down the guilt at the cry of pain he got in response. He swiftly pulled him over to his left side, throwing him over his shoulder in a reckless fireman's carry, desperately reaching out his right hand to try and steal the case before the situation could worsen. Wolfram aimed and fired, forcing the boy to raise his arm and protect his face.
The bullet ricocheted off and Izuku fell backwards. His grip automatically tightened on the professor, even as they swung down, all of his weight painfully pressing down on the back of his knee that was still secured around the bar. He shot an anxious look back up at the cabin, letting out an unintentional panicked squeak as Wolfram pulled the trigger again. Izuku hoisted up his other leg, planting his foot on the tyre and kicking off, dropping them both into a frightening free-fall through the air.
He wrapped both his arms around Dave in a hug as both of them spun wildly. Izuku twisted and smoothed out their rapid descent, getting in a hasty glance at the quickly nearing rooftop before flipping them around and raising his Quirk to 40% in the hopes of-
Izuku slammed into the ground. For a moment, everything was calm – then the agony hit, barely lessoned by One for All and adrenaline. He kept his eyes closed, sinking back into the debris surrounding him and letting his death-grip on the professor relax now that they were both safely back on the ground. Every single vertebrate in his back ached and his chest burned.
The helicopter grew quieter as it continued on its journey. Stumbling footsteps pattered closer, accompanied by Melissa's panicked scream. Dave shifted with a dazed groan, laying heavily on top of the boy.
"Papa! Deku-kun!" She exclaimed frantically, followed by a thud as she dropped to her knees next to them.
"I'm... I'm okay," Dave responded in a strained voice, hissing in pain as he moved aside, placing a worried palm on the boy's chest to lightly jostle him. "Midoriya-kun?"
"Not dead yet," Izuku mumbled, reluctantly reminding himself that the fight wasn't over yet and tiredly blinking open his eyes.
"You saved me," the man whispered, awed.
"I'm glad," he muttered with a ghost of a smile and a sigh.
"You did well, young Izuku!" The deep voice and a whoosh of air announced the arrival of All Might, bringing relieved grins to the trio's faces.
"Thanks, dad," Izuku called, raising a trembling hand in a teasing wave and feeling rejuvenated by the flustered coughing he got in answer before All Might shot overhead.
Dave and Melissa blinked at the boy with similar startled looks, but Izuku busied himself with sitting up, pretending to be oblivious. Their attention was regained as the helicopter exploded above them in hot hues, stark against the inky sky, crashing to the ground a safe distance away in a burning wreckage. In contrast, All Might landed lightly next to them, kneeling down to examine his friend and his student with a concerned expression, large hands reaching out and breaking the other restraints around Dave's ankles.
A second later, they were gone. Izuku blinked. There was a metal pillar stretching across in front of them. It had bashed the two old friends aside.
Right. He'd forgotten about that.
"Time for round two," he muttered, digging his fingers into the floor and pulling himself to his feet.
Tendrils of metal snaked through the ground, shattering concrete like roots and wrapping around the limp form of Dave. Rising embers backed by illuminated smoke painted the sky an ominous red. From the wreckage of the helicopter rose a hulking creation, warped metal twisting around and locking together in a massive cocoon, harsh black against the glowing amber fires. The professor was swallowed up in the centre, concealed from view by ribbed tubing that linked together with chunks of the building, squirming like the tentacles of a giant beast. Wolfram stood atop his creation, the white bands of Dave's invention wrapped around his head, enhancing his Quirk.
"You don't know when to give up, huh?!" All Might yelled, voice hoarse and movements rushed in a way that betrayed his time limit.
Izuku whipped around to see his mentor dash forwards. "Toshi-san, wait!"
All Might's powerful punch slammed into a thick wall of metal that sprung up out of nowhere, barely making a dent in the material. The halted impact sent an explosion of air out that had Melissa covering her face with an arm to try and block the ashes that swirled around them. Izuku buried his nose in the crook of his elbow to take a deep breath, then gently grabbed Melissa and carried her further away from the carnage, hopping across loose tiles and carefully depositing her by the doorway which led down into the tower. Wolfram raised a hand and pillars launched forwards, too fast for even the Number One Hero to dodge.
"Stay here, okay?" Izuku said in hushed, frantic tones, but his voice didn't shake and his determination didn't waver. "I think my friends will be here soon. Hide if you need to. Be safe, Melissa-san."
She had barely nodded before the boy was gone in a flash, bouncing over debris as it was ripped from the ground, floating towards the monstrous construction that was enlarging with every passing second. All Might was forced to dart around on the precarious floor as an endless deluge of pillars rained down upon wherever he dared set foot. He had his forearms crossed protectively across his chest, muscles straining to hold back the oppressive force bearing down on him. Izuku sprinted in closer, legs working faster than his brain to scale the moving landscape. Every inhale of the acrid air burned in his lungs as One for All glittered over his form until he was nothing more than a shooting star across the battlefield.
Ice froze over half a dozen pillars in place, and Izuku skidded to a halt next to his mentor, hiding in the shadows and using Kacchan's massive explosion as a distraction. He reached up and helped push against the oppressive pillar to provide his mentor with some relief.
"I told you to be careful," he commented fondly, tilting his head to the side with a smile on his scraped face.
"I didn't realise you were alluding to something on this scale, my boy," All Might responded, coughing viscous blood onto the ground and relaxing slightly, clearly exhausted. "Are you certain it's not possible for you to reveal attacks before they happen to let the rest of us prepare, too?"
"Not risking it," Izuku denied, bright eyes cautiously flicking back up to the villain before locking back onto his mentor, expression suddenly serious. "With Dave-san's invention, Wolfram is too strong for you to handle on your own. Be careful getting close, because All for One gave him a muscle augmentation Quirk, too. We need to overpower him or break the headgear – and since it's unlikely he'll let us get near him without him countering us, we probably have to overpower him."
"All for One?" His voice trembled, but he gritted his teeth and refocused himself. "Right," All Might muttered, gaze concerned. "Dave is stuck in there. I'd feel better about attacking if he was safe. Would you be able to sneak in and save him?"
"I'll try my best," he promised. "If you could keep Wolfram distracted, I'll attempt to slip through his defences."
"I can do that," the man agreed, moving just enough to place a large palm on the boy's shoulder and squeeze gently. "Don't risk yourself, though, young Izuku."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Toshi-san," Izuku said with a sly wink, flashing away before there was an argument.
He kept low, trying to conceal his sparkly self behind debris while All Might obliterated the metal heading for him. While the man leapt up, crashing through blocks like sand and generally making himself as big a target as possible, the other herolets worked on the smaller, lower targets, and Izuku crept around to the base of the looming structure. He cautiously jumped up onto the metal wiring, wary of jolting it too much in case it functioned like a spiderweb and wound up alerting the villain. Purple lights glowed on the circuitry and sparks fizzed off grinding panels as they shifted into place. It was almost unbearably hot and the energy in the air made his hair stand on end, tingling unpleasantly across his entire body like the insects Kouda so abhorred.
Izuku shivered, pausing and placing a steadying palm on one of the writhing tubes before continuing on inside the belly of the beast. Occasional chinks in the ever-moving plating gave him a peek both inside and out, letting him keep tabs on the fight in an attempt to quell his anxiety. One movement gave him a brief glimpse of white within a sea of darkness, and he barely restrained himself from shooting straight towards it, instead delicately picking along at an agonisingly slow pace until he could finally see auburn hair. He stepped over a snaking wire and leaned closer, trying to get a better look at the bound professor in an attempt to assess the situation, and calm his fears about being too late, because Dave was scarily still and quiet and pale, and there was a lot of blood staining his jacket and the wires around his body were extremely tight...
Izuku leaned forwards, hand sparkling with his Quirk as he reached out to pull away some of the restraints. The moment his fingers brushed over the cocoon, the wires twitched and suddenly the excess space started closing as more pipes wormed in around him, clearly identifying him as some sort of intruder as they wrapped around him, squeezing like a boa constrictor. He let out a choked breath, trying to tug his arms away from where they were locked by his sides, One for All glittering more violently as he struggled and squirmed, desperation and panic countering his calm logic because he could barely breathe.
Wolfram's augmented laugh rumbled through the metal, creating a haunting symphony that caused the boy to still. "Ah, now I see why you were being so reckless, All Might. Trying to protect one of your students?" Another ominous chuckle echoed down the wires. "It was a good try, Deku. I almost missed you."
Izuku tensed up as the metal tightened around him for a moment before the pieces of the wall started to pull away, unfolding and letting him be shoved through, back outside to be displayed like a prize. He schooled his expression into a childish pout, as if his situation didn't perturb him in the slightest to put his friends at ease, trying to turn around and glare behind at Wolfram as the boy was raised up into the air. The alarmed exclamations from his classmates barely reached him over the rush of blood in his ears and the creaking of moving metal.
"You're quite hard to kill, but I suppose most heroes tend to be," Wolfram commented, using the metal like an extra arm to bring the captive closer for examination, a triumphant sneer on his lips.
All Might gritted his teeth, bounding off the side of a moving pillar and launching himself towards the main hub where the villain stood, a protective fury twisting his features into more of a scowl. Metal wires sprung up and snapped around his wrists and ankles, forcefully halting his momentum and trapping him in place, chest pushed forwards and shoulders wrenched back. One cable broke as he continued straining, blazing blue gaze flitting between the villain in front of him and the boy a few metres away to his side.
"Is this all you've got-?" His words ended in a choking noise as Wolfram's hand clamped around the hero's throat.
"You've finally stopped smiling, huh? It must be so upsetting-" Wolfram clenched a fist and the wires around Izuku pressed closer, tighter, harder, causing his facade to falter as he winced before his defiant grin was plastered back in place. "-to see a kid suffer and be unable to do anything about it."
"Leave... him... alone..." All Might spluttered out, words shaking with rage and biceps bulging as he tried to get off a smash.
Wolfram merely grinned wider, showing too many teeth as his muscles gained a pink hue and expanded, his fingers digging deeper into the man's jugular. "I was ready to just kill both of you, but I think it would be so much more satisfying to break the spirit of the Symbol of Peace before breaking his body. This invention makes it all so much easier. I could just-" He flexed his hand, another pulse of bone-shattering pressure through the boy, who abruptly paled, smile growing shaky and sick. "-crush him whenever I felt like it. Wouldn't it be tragic if one of his stupid little friends tried to be a hero, only to get him killed?"
"It- It's not very nice t-to threaten people, y-you know," Izuku said with a hateful grin, eyes narrowed and glowing dangerously.
The villain's mouth twitched, displeasure expressed via another wire compression. "You're still smiling?"
He tried his best to shrug, subtly testing for weak spots in what felt like an impenetrable defence. "Yeah, I-I've been through worse."
"Heroism isn't good for you," Wolfram quipped, gaze returning to the struggling hero. "Isn't that right, All Might?"
He moved his other hand, consequently letting go of his Quirk in favour of clamping his fingers around All Might's left side with the combined force of his strength augmentation Quirk and the enhancing invention. All Might let out a strangled scream of agony, and something in Izuku snapped.
One for All flared green across his body, building and building until he was a supernova, too bright to look at, power scorching in his veins and humming electric in harmony with his fury, hissing and fizzing over his skin and down the wires and illuminating his eyes a toxic emerald, seeing nothing but the bastard who dared hurt All Might and have the audacity to look smug about it, thinking that he'd won – Izuku would make him pay.
Wolfram abruptly let go of the hero to use his Quirk. He attracted clumps of metal, building up massive blocks within a second, but it was too late; Izuku had already shattered through his restraints like they were made of glass, kicking off a floating tile and grabbing onto one set of cables, which he crushed within a glowing fist. All Might immediately drew back his freed arm, punching forwards with the force of a hurricane. Wolfram was thrown back into a cushion of cords whilst the hero was launched towards the ground, flimsy wires trailing weakly in his wake. Izuku plummeted back to the rooftop, landing like a meteor, a pulse of green sparks emanating from the epicentre as his boots made contact.
He slowly stood up straight, whole body thrumming with energy inside and out, glaring up at where the villain was hidden behind a piece of debris up on his prideful podium, before deeming him irrelevant and hastily spinning around to bounce over to check on his mentor. All Might picked himself up, shaking off the dust and rubbing at his arms, but his gaze locked onto the rapidly approaching boy.
"Young Izuku," he began, large hands reaching out to ghost over small shoulders as the teen came to a stop, still vibrating with anger. "You... Thank you for saving me. I don't think I've ever seen you so furious. You were very reckless."
"He hurt you, Toshi-san," Izuku responded, hands clenched into fists by his sides and eyes blazing emerald. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner."
"Nonsense," the man commented exasperatedly, one hand moving up to lightly ruffle through green curls. "It should be me apologising to you for being unable to do anything. Are you hurt?"
He blinked, relaxing under the soothing touch and briefly glancing away to examine himself. His costume was ripped and torn in several places, not yet strong enough to withstand such taxing attacks. Shallow slashes covered most of his arms where the squirming wires had cut into him, grazes and scrapes littered the rest of his visible skin, and red marks heralded the start of bruises, but that seemed to be the worst of the injuries on the surface. A faint ache burned through his bones and it felt like he'd pulled every single muscle, indicating that he'd definitely gone far too overboard with that last move; however, he couldn't find it in himself to regret it.
"Not enough to stop me from fighting," he answered finally, tone and countenance a lot calmer as he cautiously skimmed over his mentor. "And you?"
All Might rubbed at his throat briefly then hovered a hand over his side, expression setting into one of hard determination. "Let's fight together, my boy."
"It's not safe to get Dave-san out anymore. I think if I tried, I'd just get crushed straight away," Izuku explained regretfully, twisting around to blink over at the technological nightmare.
"That's alright. The sooner we defeat this villain – Wolfram, was it? - the sooner we can help Dave," he stated, a certainty in his voice that had the boy smiling warmly again. "Ready, young Izuku?"
"Always, Toshi-san," Izuku responded with a Deku grin, bright and inspiring and unstoppable.
Both of them shot off, dust billowing in their wake, green lightning fizzing through the air. Smoke cleared to reveal the glowing form of Wolfram, slumped over thick cables at the top of his tower.
"Worthless little brat!" He snarled, voice warped and mangled and amplified through his creation as metal shards started to levitate once more under the influence of his Quirk. "You're nothing better than trash! You don't know when to give up!"
Scrap pounded together into messy cubes, outlined with a faint purple aura. They hovered like meteors over the battlefield for a moment before crashing down. All Might looked ready to shatter them before he caught sight of Izuku's smug smile, thankfully trusting the boy's intuition and merely continuing to run.
"You're the one who doesn't!" Kacchan yelled from somewhere behind them, a rush of heat flowing over the battlefield as an explosion sounded.
Izuku and All Might sprinted side by side with twin grins, nimbly sidestepping smoking debris as it rained down around them. Footsteps pounded on unsteady ground, never once faltering. He could feel his heart beating against his ribcage, fast with the thrill of battle and the terror of failure.
"I won't let you!" Shouto exclaimed, a frigid breeze coursing over the landscape, followed by a loud crash.
Ice crystals twinkled through the suddenly frosty air, indicating he had used his Quirk to stop another attack. All Might leapt up towards the metal monstrosity, triggering another wave of attacks as Wolfram grew panicked. Poles slammed down around the central hub like stakes, cracking the concrete. Izuku shifted to the left, splitting up and flashing over turbulent flooring, his gaze drawn by the molten colours of his mentor obliterating a massive iron cube with a single punch.
He focused back on his own route, jumping up and twisting in the air to crash through a pillar feet-first, shattering it with ease and grace.
Wind rushed past his ears and made his eyes water as he dared to speed up, letting out an exhilarated laugh while dropping down onto one of the massive metal stakes to rocket along it and catch up with his mentor.
Wolfram snarled and raised his bulky arms, causing huge chunks of the wreckage to lift towards the sky. All Might launched off the end of the pillar, hopping up onto a piece of rising debris to change trajectory and spring towards the villain. Izuku slammed down his hands and flipped off the end, arcing over a twist of metal and planting his feet on another torn tile to shoot upwards in his mentor's wake.
Floating rubble outnumbered the stars and blocked out the moon. A gargantuan cube of scrap clunked together above the tower, Quirked aura tinting the inky sky purple. Violet light glinted beneath it like a beacon in the shadows.
"I'll crush you and the tower!" Wolfram screamed, and the cube was flung towards them in a pulse of air.
Student and mentor bore mirrored poses, stretching forwards in a lunge through the night, hands reaching towards the enemy with glowing fists drawn back between them, burning with the joint power from ancient times. Energy crackled around them as they shot towards the huge cube without a trace of fear. They punched forward in unison, and the world shook.
A blast blanked Izuku's hearing. He squeezed his eyes shut against the dust. Blinding light still shone through his eyelids. Power rumbled through his bones as the cube was torn apart around him. He blinked, twisting in the air and centring his power in his arm once more for the finishing blow. All Might flew beside him, gaze alight and smile never faltering as he placed his fists on his hips. Both of them rocketed towards the villain, One for All emanating brightly from the two heroes until they were little more than a star launching across the battlefield.
Izuku drew back his armoured arm in tandem with his mentor, throwing it forwards with the force of a planet. The metal bent and warped under the impact of his padded knuckles. His sleeve ripped and shredded in the face of such power. All Might was right by his side, giving it his all, inspiring the boy to do the same and go beyond.
There was a blinding flash of ignited power, and the metal construction shattered.
Creaking and splintering deafened Izuku. Friction heat tingled across his exposed skin as they careened through the heart of the creation. Wires and scrap were shoved aside, glowing white hot if they got too close to the intense warmth emanating from the heroes. A pulse of sheer power rocked through the land, vibrating in Izuku's chest like too-loud music as he exploded out the other side, grinning triumphantly with blood splattered across his body and One for All glittering green across his skin, whole being thrumming with relief and pride and life under the unveiled light of the moon.
The building shuddered as supportive tubing crumbled to the ground. Rocks poured from the black sky, clattering on the broken concrete. Dust and smoke merged into a thick cloud that encompassed the entire rooftop.
Izuku landed clumsily, knees giving in and sending him collapsing into the rubble. Debris rattled down on top of him as he lay in a stunned sort of daze. Pattering footsteps and the cry of his name brought him back to reality, and he picked himself back up with a smile shot at Melissa. He opened his trembling arms for a hug and she didn't hesitate to throw herself at him, letting out a relieved laugh that bordered on a sob as she squeezed him tightly.
"You did it," she whispered breathlessly, pulling back to gaze at him, awe glowing in her blue eyes.
"Thanks to you giving me this," he responded, raising his arm to show off the scuffed Full Gauntlet, not quite broken just yet.
"I'm glad," she said softly, clasping her hands lightly over it for a moment before spinning around and peering down the side of the rubble mountain, her whole face lighting up as she raised her hand excitedly. "Papa!"
Izuku beamed, stepping over to stare down as well, waving gleefully at the two. "Toshi-san!"
"I'm so glad... I really am..." Melissa commented, tone vulnerable and quiet. "Thank you. Thanks to all of you, we were able to save everyone."
Izuku turned at the sound of their names being called, seeing his friends far across the ocean of rubble. He grinned, glancing at the girl for permission before lifting her up and flashing over the battlefield, then placing her gently down next to Uraraka. Everyone shared relieved smiles as they realised everyone was alright. Shouto blinked at the boy, his lips quirked up and his expression faintly amazed. They shared a few more moments together before Izuku hopped back the way he came, almost stumbling over his own feet in his haste to go check on his mentor and the professor.
Dave was standing in front of a chunk of rubble, shoulder messily wrapped with a piece of white fabric. His expression was tired but content, although it quickly shifted into panic as he saw the boy barrelling down the hillside at top speed. Izuku tripped at the last second, yelping as he slammed into the ground and rolled the last few feet before sliding to a halt in an embarrassing heap next to the two. He let out a groan muffled by the dirt, going to sit up before giving up and remaining in place until a large hand pinched the back of his costume and raised him from the dust.
Izuku rubbed as much mess of his face as he could, settling in a sprawled kneel, his cheeks warm with a blush. "Thanks, Toshi-san. It would've been pretty stupid to badly injure myself after the big boss battle, huh?"
Toshinori chuckled, raising a skinny arm to pat him on the back with a consoling grin as he stood up. "I'm glad you're alright, my boy."
"You too," he said in a small voice, shoulders slumped and fingers childishly fiddling with the hem of his ripped sleeve for a moment before he lifted his gaze once more. "You okay, Dave-san?"
"Yeah, thank you," Dave responded with a smile. "You... You were both amazing."
"We were pretty cool," Izuku agreed, gaining a cocky grin to lighten the mood, only to wrinkle his nose and shrink down as Toshinori swiped a finger across his freckled cheek, the pad coming away caked in dust. "Oh, yuck! That's on my face?"
"That's what happens when you rush, young Izuku," the man commented bemusedly, wiping the dirt away on his baggy costume.
Izuku huffed, hands automatically going to his belt for some tissues, only to remember he left it with Yaoyorozu. He pouted, settling for using his ruined sleeve as he tugged it over his hand and rolled onto his tip-toes, only just managing to reach his mentor's face. Toshinori obligingly leaned down a little, letting the boy wipe away the worst of the blood on his skin, making Izuku beam at the blatant display of trust.
"Well, that's enough excitement for one day," he stated brightly, sinking back down to his usual height and putting his hands on his hips as he surveyed the beaten adults, the tense shaking in his hands easing up as he allowed himself to relax. "We can leave the villains for the police to handle; I doubt they're going anywhere any time soon, and I think it's about time we all went home. Or, well, anywhere with a shower and a bed - I'm tired and sticky."
Dave let out an abrupt huff of laughter, the brilliant kind that surprises the person who wasn't expecting to laugh. Izuku snickered a little at his sheepish face, cautiously stepping over rubble to move between both men, making sure he was on both their uninjured sides before gently wrapping his arms around them. Toshinori automatically lay his skinny arm across the boy's shoulders, leaning some weight onto him with a faint sigh of relief. There was a pause as Dave stared at the two of them, expression something indecipherable before he cracked a small, fond grin and did the same as his friend. The warm light of dawn spilled over the landscape, soothing any remaining fears with the caramel hues stretching across the horizon.
"Yeah, let's go home," the professor said softly.
~
Have some doodles of our boy snapping bc it was fun
Anyway uhhh hope you enjoyed, idk when the next chapter will be because I've yet to write it– but hopefully in September sometime maybe, since I'm trying to update once a month?
Bye ily you're doing amazing and I'm proud of you