Chapter Text
Affectionate Love or philia is the second type of love according to the ancient greeks. It was valued far above eros because it was considered a love between equals. It often involves the feelings of loyalty among friends, camaraderie among team mates, and the sense of sacrifice for your pack.
Please, please, please!
Your nails were buried deep in the palm of your hands, creating moon shapes. Your fists tighten, shivers running through your spine and your arms shaking uncontrollably. Right by your side Midoriya wore a suit and was just as nervous as you, leaning against the wall.
You could feel the power of All Might’s archenemy, a few meters away from you and your friends, like he was just by your side. His hands smashing your body, pushing you to the ground. Just standing there was hard, and all your mind could do was repeat the same phrase again and again, almost like an ode.
Please let Bakugou be safe! Please let Bakugou be safe! Please let Bakugou be safe!
“We ought to be able to get away and rescue Kacchan at the same time! There is a way!” Your vision shed light with Midoriya’s voice. You heard Torodoki whisper him to go on. “Although… It also depends on what Kacchan will do… Kirishima and [Name], you’re the keys to raising our chances of success.”
Your heart rate accelerated, Midoriya had a plan and he needed you. But all you could think was how useless you probably were in a situation like this. Why would he need you? In a few minutes he told everyone his plan and you held your breath once again. It was risky and depended mostly on Kirishima’s and your relation with Bakugou.
You observed your fingers. They were the same as when you had stretched them towards Bakugou, seconds before he was taken by the villains during the training camp. You could still see his red eyes being engulfed, you could hear your voice echoing his name, the pain you felt once you reached the floor alone. And the darkness.
I’m sorry. You told everyone during the visit to Midoriya’s hospital room, your eyes glued to the tip of your fingers. If I was faster, if I was stronger, if I had reached him… I’m so sorry.
I can reach him now.
“Let’s do it.”
“First, we build forward momentum through my full cowl, Iida’s recipro and [Name]’s light quirk. The second we open the way I want you to freeze us a path, Todoroki. Then Kirishima’ll use hardening to break through the wall, make the ice so we can fly as high as possible so we’ll rocket across the battlefield at a height they can’t reach us!”
You thought about Midoriya’s play while standing on your knees using Kirishima’s back as support, holding his jacket so you wouldn’t fall. You were really away from Bakugou and the villains, but your heart raced like you were the one in the middle of the battlefield.
“When we reach the highest point, [Name] will create a sign with her quirk, a light ball to show Bakugou we are here for him. And then…”
“Bakugou!” You screamed from the top of your lungs, while creating a huge sphere of light right above of your heads. You heard Kirishima’s voice immediately after yours. “Take my hand!”
“It can’t be me.” Midoriya had told you and Kirishima. “It can’t be Todoroki, Iida or Yaoyorozu, either. Ever since we entered U.A you two built a relationship with him as equals. If the one who calls out to him is a friend, then…!”
“You idiots!” You heard his voice, saw him taking Kirishima’s hand and for a second you were sure everything would be okay. This time, you would go home together. You saw Mt. Lady and Gran Torino holding part of the villains while you escaped. Kirishima told Bakugou to create an explosion so all of you could go further. It took a few minutes to create a safe distance and then Midoriya called for you.
“Understood! I need for all of you to be touching me so I can create the strongest shield I can!” Iida and Midoriya immediately clang to your back, a little above the waist. You were holding Kirishima for support, so you only needed to touch Bakugou. You looked at him and extended one of your hands towards him, a soft smile. “Bakugou, let’s go back safely!”
“Asshole, like you need to tell me twice!” He cringed and intertwined your hands. It was so strange. Even with all the excitement and the fear, your hands were cold like ice; his were warm and sweaty, like you always imagined.
Midoriya called your name. You were falling.
You closed your eyes and concentrated your energy all over your body. Soon there was an yellow sphere surrounding all of you, thick enough to muffle the fall directly onto the concret. You had to use all your power to keep it intact while it slipped through the cement, and you heard Midoriya and Kirishima let go of their breaths, that they were probably holding for being nervous.
It stopped suddenly and completely exhausted you undid the sphere, making everyone fall in the floor in tangled mess. You quickly left Kirishima’s back, but while trying to get on your feet just ended up falling on your knees on the floor.
“[Name]! Are you okay?” Kirishima soon came to your side, calling everyone’s attention to you. You felt your eyelids heavy and your body craving for a moment of relaxation.
“I’m sorry, I just need a second to recompose myse-“ You stopped abruptly to have a heavy cough crisis, leaving you breathless and everyone around worried. But the worst was when you opened your eyes and saw all the blood covering your hand. Your lungs were collapsing as a consequence of using your quirk too much.
“Shit, you are coughing blood! Shit, shit! What do we do?” Kirishima started panicking and swinging his hands around, Midoriya soon doing the same. Iida was looking around desperately yelling for a first-aid kit.
“Don’t worry, I’m okay.” You smiled and laughed lightly trying to make everyone calm. “This is normal. When I use my quirk too much and don’t get enough rest my internal organs start to collapse. I’ll be fine as long as I don’t use it anymore.”
“How the fuck can you say something like that with a shitty smile on your face?” Bakugou got on his knees and looked at you absolutely furiously. “You are basically telling us that you are dying slowly, you fucking dumbass! How the hell did you let her come with you?”
“It wasn’t their fault!” You told him before he could beat the shit out of Midoriya. “Sorry, I kind of lied that I was healed from the training camp so I could come with them.” Iida looked at you with a really disappointed face.
“Why the hell did you do something like this?” Bakugou screamed at you again. “You could have killed yourself, you shitty head!”
“It was worth it.” You cleaned your hands and mouth with a cloth that Midoriya had offered you, and looked at Bakugou with a soft smile. This time your hands had reached him, and even if he was pissed at you, at least he was by your side. “Because you are with us again.”
For a second he was speechless, and you could swear he had a hint of a smile escaping his lips. He punched your head lightly and turned your back to you, indicating that he would give you a piggyback ride.
“You better not get fucking used to it.” You felt his hands on your thighs and you rested your hands on his shoulder, eyelids almost closed. You laughed along Kirishima. “And you own me lunch for it.”
He was warm, and his voice sounded like a lullaby. You smiled knowing you weren’t alone anymore. This time the darkness was welcoming.
Philia is a type of love that is felt among friends who’ve endured hard times together.