*Deku's POV*
"Quite laughing," Kacchan snapped. Mina giggled again.
"But it's so cute!" She squealed quietly, "Midoriya wants to save Ochaco! How romantic!"
"So you're saying," Todoroki muttered, "that Midoriya and Kirishima wanting to save Kacchan a couple of months ago was romantic?"
"Pftttt," Mina snorted, "No. That was because they were like, 'Oh no, our friend has been taken because we weren't good enough! Let's save him!'"
I rolled my eyes and Kirishima sighed in exaggeration.
"Shut it, Pink Face," Kacchan retorted.
"I mean," Mina went on, ignoring Kacchan, "the Bakugo drama was cool, but next to this, it's down right boring."
"Hey!" Kacchan protested. I glared at them.
"Quiet! We're going to be heard!" I hissed. They immediately shut their mouths.
"Okay," I whispered, "I'm going now. Don't come in until Ochaco is safely out."
They nodded quietly.
***
When I go to the front entrance, I powered One For All and kicked the door down with a shout. I made myself release all the fired up anger that I felt.
"DAMN VILLAINS!" I screamed, "GIVE BACK OCHACO! I'LL KILL YOU!"
A clatter came from down the hall and Shigaraki slowly walked out of the shadows. I clenched my teeth and launched forward recklessly.
"GIVE HER BACK YOU-"
Shigaraki raised his hand, probably to use his quirk, but I'd counted on him doing that. I twisted to the side, using the wall to stop myself.
"Now, why would we give the girl back?" Shigaraki hissed, quietly. I growled.
"BECAUSE YOU'LL GO TO HELL IF YOU DON'T!"
Shigaraki chuckled.
"Alright then," he whispered, calmly, "come at me."
I lunged forward, powering One For All at 2%. I reached forward, seeming to want to grab his face. Shigaraki steeped to the side and my legs collided with the opposite wall. Twirling quickly, I attempted it again.
As I was getting closer, a purple shadow materialised in front of me. Anticipating the move, I directed myself to the ground, landing in a roll and avoiding the warp gate.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed my neck and smashed me to the floor. Yes. The plan was working.
"GET THE HELL OFF!" I hollered, pretending to thrash and struggle, "I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Really," Shigaraki sighed, "we just need you. So stop struggling and come quietly."
So I was right. They wanted me. While I wasn't sure why, I knew I could batter with them.
"I'll go with you," I growled, "if you let Ochaco go."
"Oh, you don't have a choice to come with us. You're not in a position to make deals."
I hissed.
"Is that what you think?" I snapped, "Fine."
Powering One For All to 15%, I thrashed, twisting to face the person holding me. The villian's eyes widened, and I grinned viciously and punched him in the face. He stumbled back, grabbing his nose.
I lept to my feet and turned to face Shigaraki. The villian seemed to have been caught off guard.
"You've gotten stronger," he mumbled, "That's UA for you, I suppose."
"SHIGARAKI," I yelled, "give her back, and I'll go with you. Otherwise, I'll be forced to kill you all."
The villians hesitated.
"Fine. Bring the girl out."
The warp narrowed his glowing eyes at me. I stared back with firm resolve.
"Deku!"
I turned at the sound of my name. Ochaco was half running, half stumbling up the hallway. I rushed forward and caught her as she started to fall forwards.
"Ochaco!" I whispered, "are you okay?"
"Y-yes."
I hugged her close. Damn it, this was all my fault.
"Oh brother," one of Villians growled.
I glared at him and leaned down to whisper in Ochaco's ear. I made it look like I was hugging her tighter.
"Get out of here," I murmured, frantically, "Mina, Kirishima, Todoroki and Kacchan will meet you outside."
She gasped quietly.
"I'm not leaving you!"
"Don't worry," I replied, "the others will save me. For now, get out of here!"
Ochaco looked up at me, tears in her eyes. I nodded. She hugged me one last time.
"Come back to me, okay?"
"I promise."
Ochaco stumbled out of my arms and toward the door.
"Now," Shigaraki said, "You have to come with us."
I nodded, walking forward and holding my arms out as they snapped wrist cuffs on me.
***
*Uraraka's POV*
"Ochaco!"
I saw Mina's pink skin as she caught me.
"Are you okay?" She asked, obviously concerned.
"Y-yeah," I gasped, "But Deku is still in there! Mina! We have to-"
"Already on it," Mina said, gesturing to the building. I craned my neck to see.
Bakugo, Kirishima and Todoroki were speeding toward the Villain hideout. Todoroki was sliding on his ice, determination set in his face. Bakugo was flying through the air, explosions echoing behind him, looking as angry as ever. Kirishima was sprinting after them, his hardened form only a little behind his friends.
"Mina," I crocked, "You need to get out there too. Deku needs all the help he can get."
Mina shook her head.
"Those three are perfectly capable heroes," she pointed out, "and I need to stay with you. I can't leave you alone."
I snorted.
"I'm fine," I protested, "I-"
"No."
I stared at Mina in surprise. She'd never flat out refused like that before. She sighed.
"I don't want you to get hurt or kidnapped," She explained, "add Midoriya would like you to have someone to protect you."
"Since when does Deku people around?"
"Only when," Mina stared into my eyes, "only when the people he loves are in danger."
I gasped. No, no, Mina as just making assumptions. Deku hadn't ectually admitted he loved me.
As though she read my thoughts, Mina said, softly,
"He was a so upset and angry when he heard that you were gone. He admitted later that he liked you."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean he loves me," I said, sadly.
Mina shook her head.
"What kind of guy bursts into a hideout infested with villains, exchanges himself so they'll let you go, and then claims he doesn't love you? Ochaco, that guy is head over heels in love with you," Mina explained, watching me. I looked down at my hands. Why was that so hard to believe? Probably because I'd always thought no one would ever love me. I mean, I wasn't particularly pretty, or talented, or even very capable in battle. I was just.....me. Ordinary. Plain. Boring.
"Mina," I whispered, "What if we-"
I heard yell. Not a Bakugo yelled, but rather a......Deku yell.
"Deku!" I screamed. What was going on?!
Mina scramble to her feet.
"Somethings wrong," she murmured, "that wasn't how-"
That's when a massive explosion went off. It was so big, that the building erupted. Mina and I were thrown back by the force of it. I hit my head and cried out in agony.
"DEKU!"
I was still screaming his name. I as so frightened, so panicked, so worried, I didn't know what else to do.
"Ashido!"
Mina whipped around. Kirishima was coming toward us, clutching his side. I struggled to my feet and hurried over.
"Kirishima!" I cried in a panic, "what happened!"
Kirishima fell to the ground. Mina jumped down beside him and tried to remove his hand from his side. She wrenched it off, and we found that his hand, and side, were covered in crimson blood. He coughed.
"They have him! They have Midoriya!" He exclaimed, trying to sit up. Mina shoved him back towards the ground.
"Mina!" He yelled, close to tears, "I need to go save him!"
"Eijirou!" Mina hollered back in response, "Stop being stupid! We need to get you to a hospital! Fast!"
"But, Midoriya-" Kirishima faltered. Mina shook her head, a sad smile on her face.
"I know. But there's nothing we can do. For now," Mina concluded. Kirishima laid his head back and sighed in anguish.
"OI!"
We turned to see Kacchan and Todoroki coming towards us. Todoroki had his arm around Kacchan in support, and Kacchan was holding his leg and trying not to look like he was in pain. His hands were badly burnt.
Todoroki didn't look any better. Scorch marks freckled his body, and half his hero suit was ripped off, revealing his abs and chest. His head was bleeding.
"They took Izuku," Todoroki burst out when he approached us, "we barely made it out alive."
"We need to go find him!" Kacchan yelled, "we-"
"NO!"
Everyone went silent. Mina was fuming, looking close to tears.
"WE. CAN'T. DO. ANYTHING. AT. THE. MOMENT!" She screamed, "He's gone, and you're all majorly injured. We need to get to a hospital! Please!"
Kacchan, Todoroki and Kirishima stared at their wounds, agonised expressions on their face.
"I know you want Midoriya back," she said. The group nodded, bitterly.
I stared down at my hands, tears pressing the back of my eyes. Deku. He'd risked his life for me, and now he was gone. I didn't know where he was, if he was okay, or......
The tears slipped down my cheeks. I wanted Deku back. I could have saved him. But I didn't. I sat, there while his life was in danger. And it was all for me.
I started sobbing uncontrollably.
"Ochaco?" Mina whispered. The tears kept coming, no matter how hard I tried to stop them.
"Today," I murmured, "we failed."