Todoroki thinks that maybe they shouldn't have stepped in to hold off the villains until the pros arrive. He'd thought it was a great idea, but in fact it's probably the worst one he's had yet.

It turns out that these villains aren't just petty criminals like they'd thought before they'd stepped in. They're not the League of Villains bad, but they're still pretty bad. Though, as Todoroki has realized, they're not quite evenly matched - it's four villains against five heroes in training, so the odds are in the teenagers' favor.

However, the villains are much tougher than the five UA students had been expecting them to be and things quickly become difficult. They're holding up well, but the villains are still quite strong. Todoroki, Midoriya and Iida each are taking on their own villains, while Uraraka and Asui take down the fourth one together, combining their skills and using their quirks the best they can.

And it all started because the five of them just wanted to have fun and hang out together on their free day off of school. And then on their way back to the dorms, they encountered some villains who thought they could get away with terrorizing civilians by destroying their homes, threatening to kill them or worse, and, well, everything else that comes in a villain's threat. And it didn't matter if these threats were just bluffs, they had to take it seriously, didn't they?

Iida wanted them to wait for the pros after he'd quickly contacted Aizawa, even though they're allowed to fight since they have their hero licenses, but even so- Midoriya sprang into action without a second thought and Todoroki followed behind with Uraraka. Asui and Iida joined them with a bit of reluctance after that, and soon they were all fighting, keeping the villains at bay and saving the bystanders the best they could.

Todoroki now dodges an attack while keeping an eye on his classmates to send some ice their way as a shield if needed. The villain he's fighting isn't particularly strong though and his quirk is more of an appearance thing, so Todoroki easily captures him in an ice prison after a short amount of time spent fighting him.

Frost is creeping up his arm, so Todoroki takes a moment to warm himself up before coming over to help Iida, who seems to be having a hard time with his villain.

Todoroki sends an ice attack to freeze the villain's legs to the ground, giving Iida just enough time to dash forward and land a devastating kick to the villain's head and shoulder area, effectively knocking him out. With another villain down, Iida stops on one knee for a moment to catch his breath.

"You help Uraraka and Asui," Todoroki begins, clasping Iida's shoulder and helping him to his feet. "I'm gonna go give Midoriya a hand."

Iida responds with a quick nod and heads over to where the girls are fighting. Todoroki's eyes dart over to where Midoriya seems to be holding off the ringleader of this group of villains. A few of his hits miss his target, but he's still doing quite well anyway.

Todoroki runs over, ready to jump into the fight despite feeling exhausted from the constant use of his quirk. He reaches Midoriya, who's breathing heavily and wiping blood away from his mouth, and stops beside him, staring up at the villain.

The villain comes at them and it takes Todoroki only a couple seconds to figure out the guy's quirk- he can protrude blades from his skin and even throw them, which makes him quite dangerous. One of them is thrown at him so quickly that he doesn't even have a single second to react before it's buried in his skin, protruding from his stomach. Damn.

He doesn't have time to dwell on the pain, but he knows his wound won't be fatal so he ignores it for now, simply pulling the blade out and dropping it to the ground. He knows it's probably not the best idea, but he figures that at least the blade can't be forced further into him to do more damage.

The villain keeps the blades coming, so Todoroki creates a wall of ice to protect himself and Midoriya from them, but without warning, the villain breaks through the wall somehow, shattering it. Todoroki and Midoriya are knocked back until they're sitting on the ground, the villain charging at them.

"Todoroki, watch out!" Midoriya exclaims worriedly, and the other boy doesn't have enough time to react until it's too late and the villain is upon them. Todoroki closes his eyes and braces himself for the pain- yet it never comes.

Instead there's an impact and a warm weight on top of him, and Todoroki opens eyes to find Midoriya there, shielding the other's body with his own.

Midoriya also opens his eyes and he smiles a little, though that's before blood starts gushing from his lips and he coughs it up all over himself and his friend. Todoroki's eyes widen at the sight, horrified, and he creates an ice wall to protect them for just a moment.

This isn't good.

Todoroki's hand searches for a good spot to grab on Midoriya's waist in order to move him to see what's wrong, but his cold fingers come into contact with a blade that juts out from right underneath the green haired boy's ribs, close to the front of his body, and Todoroki gasps quietly, feeling panicked.

He quickly places one hand at the base of Midoriya's skull and another on his waist before he pushes himself upward and quickly but gently lays Midoriya down on the ground so that he can look him over.

There's blood everywhere, all over the two of them, and Todoroki doesn't know what to do besides just… he doesn't know- maybe take out the blade because it's buried too deeply in him and then just put pressure on the wound? Though he doesn't want Midoriya to bleed out.

The villain is attacking again though and Todoroki doesn't have time to keep thinking like this, so without thinking at all, he yanks out the blade and covers the wound, just hoping someone will come and help. The villain shatters the ice after just a few hits so Todoroki has to build another wall to shield them. Just a bit longer.

He calls out for Iida, for Uraraka or Asui. He calls for help over and over for what feels like forever but is probably only a couple of minutes, but nobody comes until the other villain his friends are fighting is defeated. Todoroki is beyond exhausted from using his quirk too much, getting slower and slower every time he has to rebuild his wall of ice. Plus all the blood he's been slowly losing adds to his lightheadedness. Maybe he shouldn't have taken that blade out like a damn idiot.

Maybe he should've left Midoriya's in too, he realizes as he looks at his blood soaked hands. Midoriya could die because of his idiocy, because of his mistake. He knew he should've left it in and yet he didn't trust himself, didn't think before he acted.

Finally Iida is coming over to help, and he's asking Todoroki what happened and if Midoriya is okay, but Todoroki can barely hear him over the sound of his own heart pounding in his ears so loudly from the worry and panic he's feeling. He can't stop thinking that Midoriya will die and it'll be his fault if he does, all because the other boy protected him, just like a real hero would. And also because his stupid ass pulled out the blade like a total moron- not like a hero at all.

"Iida," Todoroki finally says, his voice a little shaky as he looks to his friend for help. "What do I do? The blood just… there's too much of it- he's losing too much blood, and I… I can't let him die. Please, just... tell me what to do!"

Todoroki knows that Iida has never seen him like this before and wonders if that makes this situation much scarier somehow for his friend. After a moment, Iida takes a deep breath just as Uraraka and Asui approach them carefully, just as Todoroki rebuilds his ice wall again because of the villain.

"Stay back," Iida tells the girls, most likely not wanting them to have to see their friends like this and worry about them more, which could cost them all the fight. "Please hold off the other villain while I help Todoroki, and then I'll be with you shortly."

"Is everything okay?" Uraraka asks, her eyes wide and getting watery. Iida replies with a nod and tells the two once more to go. They do so, but they clearly don't want to.

Iida crouches besides his friends, pushing his glasses back into place as he checks Midoriya's pulse.

"We need to stop the bleeding," he states, eyes flickering over and settling on Todoroki's hands on Midoriya's body, the blood seeping through the two-toned boy's fingers and staining his pale hands in crimson. It's a sight he probably wishes he didn't have to see, but… Iida breathes in sharply before he seems to get an idea. "Todoroki."

Todoroki looks over- he knows his hair an unusual mess and his expression is probably almost too intense for Iida to handle based on the way he's being looked at. His heterochromatic eyes search Iida's face for answers, but he doesn't find any. Iida looks away from his friend's face and reaches his hand out, his fingers curling around Todoroki's left wrist.

"You have to use your flames," Iida murmurs, nodding towards where Todoroki's hands come into contact with Midoriya. "You have to cauterize the wound to stop the bleeding, before he loses too much blood... and dies."

Todoroki finds himself surprised. "Cauterization?" he echoes, looking from Iida to his own hands, blinking dumbly. His eyes close tightly and he shakes his head. "But… I can't do that, Iida… I- I don't want to hurt him."

"You have to," Iida says, his hand instead grabbing Todoroki's shoulder. "It's the only way he's going to be able to stay alive until the pros get here, Todoroki. He'll be okay, but you have to use your flames and save him."

Todoroki takes a shuddering breath before he nods, giving in.

"Alright," he whispers, finally thinking about this rationally. He just hopes that Midoriya won't mind the new scar too much.

Todoroki moves his hands quickly to lift Midoriya's shirt out of the way and then returns his hands, though he then moves the right so that he can cover the wound completely with his left. He grits his teeth and focuses on using his quirk just in his palm- not so hot that he actually bursts into flames, but… enough to burn.

Midoriya's unconscious cries of pain are enough to make Todoroki's heart ache painfully in his chest- he snaps his eyes shut, but doesn't let up on the heat. He hates that he has to hurt his friend to save his life- it hurts him, too, but since it's the only way to keep Midoriya alive, Todoroki endures it.

When the wound is scorched shut, Todoroki removes his hand to reveal a nasty burn mark. He finds himself scowling as his worry is replaced by anger, his hands balling into tight fists. But before he can stand up to leave and take his anger out on the villain and get revenge on him for Midoriya, Iida grabs his wrist again, this time rougher than the first.

"Don't."

Todoroki snatches his wrist back and stands up anyway, but before he can get anywhere, he collapses. Iida only then notices the deep wound on Todoroki's own stomach and the blood slowly gushing from it (which wouldn't be happening if Todoroki wasn't such an idiot today).

"You're hurt," he whispers, but Todoroki stops Iida before he can help him.

"I'll be fine until the pros arrive." Todoroki quickly takes off the jacket he had on and covers his own wound with it, mostly to reassure his friend, but at the same time it wouldn't be super nice if he died right now.

Iida sighs at that. "Well, then just stay here and look after him," the blue haired boy orders as he nods towards Midoriya, giving his friend a firm look that lets Todoroki know he's not taking 'no' for an answer. Iida stands then, looking over toward where Uraraka and Asui are fighting. "I know you've overused your quirk, and plus you're injured, so you shouldn't recklessly throw yourself into all the action. Now, I'm going to help them take care of the villain while you make sure Midoriya is alright. Don't worry, Todoroki- the pros will be here soon."

And with that he's gone, leaving Todoroki and Midoriya both behind. Todoroki's gaze falls onto Midoriya's face after a while as the boy rests, and the former finds that he can't help himself- he gently lifts Midoriya just enough so that the upper half of him is supported by Todoroki and he's not completely lying on the cold, hard, bloodstained ground anymore.

Todoroki's fingers lightly caress his friend's freckled cheek before he brushes some of the other boy's hair off of his face. Midoriya looks so small here, lying in his arms, looks so weak even though Todoroki knows he is so, so strong. In more ways than one. He is so great, and so bright and so damn strong and kind and deserves everything.

Todoroki briefly, in his lightheaded, foggy-minded state, wishes he could give Midoriya everything.

And the taller boy is so glad that his friend's going to be alright, but he hates that Midoriya even had to get hurt in the first place. Todoroki knows he should've been faster, should've been more careful- Midoriya shouldn't have had to protect him and get hurt because of him. Now they're both hurt, instead of just Todoroki.

He lets out a deep sigh, beyond exhausted, and it's finally catching up to him. Iida was right in keeping him out of the fight- if he would've tried to keep going, he probably would've collapsed again and ended up getting himself killed. He's too lightheaded from the blood loss and his body is just so tired.

Just as he finds his own eyes slipping shut, he hears shouts and footsteps approaching. He lifts his head to find a blurry Aizawa, as well as his father, Endeavor, and a few other smaller heroes from his father's agency coming towards them. Endeavor heads into the fight with the others without even glancing Todoroki's way while Aizawa comes straight towards him and Midoriya.

The dark haired man crouches beside them when he reaches them, looking them over with a mix of worry and concern in his expression. Todoroki can't say he's ever seen Aizawa look at anyone like this before and it makes him feel uneasy. He knows that the man cares, but it's weird to see it on his face so openly.

"What happened?" the older man questions, obviously referring to Midoriya. He inspects the burn mark before he looks Todoroki over to make sure he's not hurt as well.

"He saved my life," Todoroki murmurs, his voice quiet as Aizawa checks the wound on his head that he didn't realize he had. "That damn villain… his blades come from his skin. He threw one at me that I couldn't dodge and Midoriya shielded me with his own body. He lost a lot of blood, but I… Iida told me that cauterizing his wound would save him, so I did it, and it seems to have worked."

Todoroki's tired mismatched eyes flicker over to Midoriya's face and he finds himself smiling just a little despite the situation. Aizawa sighs and sits back, pinching the bridge of his nose before he looks at Todoroki again.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asks, but just as he does, Todoroki moves until his teacher can see the wound on his own stomach. He doesn't think he's ever seen the man look so pale.

Todoroki can't burn himself with his flames, so the only way to keep the blood from gushing out too much besides leaving in the blade was to use a cloth, and that ended up being his nice jacket. He doesn't care about the item though- he's just glad that neither him nor Midoriya have died- yet.

"We brought an ambulance," Aizawa finally says, his voice a lot softer than before, one of his hands on Todoroki's shoulder. "Can you walk?"

"T- Truthfully? Um… no, sir, I don't think so."

"Very well."

The other pros return with the other teenagers once the villain is taken care of - there's no way the blade guy stood any kind of a chance against the new number one hero. Or any pro hero. Well, actually, if they had been more careful, the teenagers could have even taken him down themselves.

Although Todoroki is pretty opposed to it, he lets his father carry him to the ambulance when the man insists because "Shouto is my son; I can handle him myself!". Aizawa takes care of Midoriya, and some of the smaller pros help out Asui, Uraraka and Iida, who all had gotten hurt just a little bit but are still able to walk, while the rest of the smaller pros stay with the villains until the police arrive.

The next few hours pass by in a blur. Todoroki and his friends are rushed to the hospital, having to listen to Aizawa chew them out on the way.

("Just because you have your licenses, that doesn't mean you have to go and get yourself hurt fighting tough villains. You should've just protected the bystanders and fled with them when you realized how strong they were, or at least been more careful- some of you could've died. You got very lucky, but luck won't always be on your side. Remember that.")

Todoroki goes in and out of consciousness for a while in between the ride to the hospital and lying in a bed there, wrapped in bandages and hooked up to machines, but eventually someone - he thinks it's Iida, but he's not sure - tells him that Midoriya is fine, is doing better and had actually woken up for a bit a little while ago. Relieved, Todoroki is able to rest easier.

When he eventually wakes again, there's someone holding his left hand. Todoroki opens his eyes to find Midoriya sitting in a chair beside his bed, smiling at him.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he says softly, giving Todoroki's hand a squeeze as he chuckles a little. Todoroki must look confused, because then Midoriya says, "You've been sleeping for a while; we've been here at the hospital for three days. You must've been really tired, huh?"

Todoroki runs his right hand through his hair, pushing the two-toned locks out of his eyes, blinking up at the ceiling. Three days. Wow. Midoriya must only be able to move because of Recovery Girl.

"Is everyone okay?" Todoroki asks, his memory kind of fuzzy. Truthfully, he doesn't even remember too much of what happened after Aizawa showed up, and what he does remember is just bits and pieces now.

Midoriya nods. "Yeah, everyone is okay, you're okay," he murmurs, his smile getting bigger somehow. "And thanks to you, 'everyone' includes me. Iida told me what happened after I blacked out- he told me that you saved my life even though it was really hard for you, so… thank you, Todoroki."

"It would've been harder if I lost you because of my foolishness and because of my hesitation," Todoroki replies, glancing over at his friend for a brief moment before he returns his gaze to the ceiling. "If that would've happened, I don't think I could live with myself."

Midoriya is quiet for a long time, but then he finally speaks.

"But it's okay now. I'm okay now, because of you, Todoroki. You saved me, just like a hero."

Todoroki meets Midoriya's eyes, and instead of continuing to feel bad about letting him get hurt in the first place, Todoroki allows himself to feel happy that he was able to act and save Midoriya's life in time. Just like a hero.

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