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Shouto’s voice crackled over the communicator. His breeathing was heavy and labored, and the sound of ice exploding into existence was heard even through the device. “Reinforcements needed at sector six, unit one. The villain appears to make explosions out of heat from around him. Don’t bring anyone with a fire quirk.”
”Understood.” Izuku said, nodding even though he knew that Shouto wouldn’t be able to see it. “Be there in five.” He lowered his hand from the communication device, effectively ending the message. Before he knew it, energy was coursing through his veins and green lightning was shooting off of his skin as he raced down the city streets towards Shouto.
When he arrived at the scene, he instantly felt the tempature drop. His breath quickly turned to vapor when he exhaled, and a sparkling layer of ice coated any and all nearby builidngs, turning the shopping plaza into a small alcove of winter. A number of the stores had smashed walls, presumably from the villain’s explosions, surrounded by debris that glittered with frost. Izuku nearly tripped when he stepped onto the ice, but years of working with Shouto had taught him how to slide on ice properly.
He began searching for any signs of life. The deserted plaza had swiftly been evacuated when the villain appeared, but that didn’t explain why the villain themself was absent along with Shouto.
Making all this ice without any fire to combat it couldn’t have been good for Shouto... Midoriya thought silently to himself.
A moment later, a strained wheeze sounded from gaping hole in the wall of the grocery store to his left. He darted towards it, seeing a flash of navy blue cloth among the rubble as he did so. Soon, a shivering body came into view. Atop it’s head lay a ruffled pile of hair, half of it red, and half of it white.
”Shouto? Shouto!”
“Shouto? Can you hear me?!” A high, thin sound wore at Shouto’s ears as he drifted among an endless black. A tap of metal. “I’m going to need an ambulance. Sector six, unit one, hero Endure appears to have hypothermia, but I see no further serious damage. Perpetrator is no wheremin sight.”
He tried to move. He really did, but the darkness was just so warm...
”Shouto! Wake up!” The whine came back again, one again yanking him out of the comforting darkness. It was vaguely familiar, but Shouto couldn’t place his finger on why.
Begrudgingly, his heavy lids slid open.
It was bright. Too bright. The sunlight bounced off each and every surface, burning into Shouto’s eyes. He squinted against the harshness, but it didn’t do much.
And he was cold. Very cold. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed earlier because it didn’t feel he was cold. It felt like he was burning. Burning from the inside out as the frost crept up his skin. His hands felt like heavy bricks that he couldn’t quite figure out how to move, and he was vibrating. Shivering hard enough that his teeth chattered.
At least the voice seemed happier now.
”Shouto! You’re awake!”
As Shouto’s vision came into focus, a green blur appeared at the edge of his sight. It was radiating warmth in a way that Shouto knew only one person could.
“I-Izuku?” He mumbled, wisps of vapor escaping his lungs.
His emerald green eyes lit up. “Y-yeah. It’s me.”
”Mmm...” Shouto hummed, his head lolling to the side as his eyelids began to droop.
”No! Wait! You can’t fall asleep yet! I need you to do something.” Izuku yelped, gently shaking it hur Shouto’s shoulder.
Shouto flinched, a lightning bolt of burning pain shooting off where Izuku’s warm hand touched him. He swatted weakly at it in an attempt to get it off, but somehow couldn’t quite seem to touch it. “Why can’ I sleep...?” He slurred.
”I just need to to do something for me.” Izuku replied. “I need you to make some flames, can you do that?”
“Flames?” Shouto mumbled, squinted confusedly for few seconds before shakimg his head slowly. “But the villain-“
“The villain isn’t here. He’s gone, Shouto.” Izuku interupted.
“I let h-him get away?” He asked, his voice holding a sad disappointment.
Izuku sighed. “It’s probably good that they ran away. You’re in no condition to fight.” He chided. “Just make some flames.”
After a long moment of hesitation, Shouto mumbled, “A’right.” He reached for what little heat he had left and channeled it into his hand, as he had done a thousand times before. Within seconds, scarlet flames leapt into existence on his fingertips, melting the frost that had gathered in them. The instant it appeared, burning pain shot through Shouto’s body. His teeth gritted together in pain, and he immediately closed his hand, putting out the flame. Even as the flame went out, the pain stayed. He felt paper thin, and every small bit of heat was cracking him.
”No, no, no! Shouto, you need to keep the flame!” Izuku pleaded.
Quickly, the cold began to set in again, biting at Shouto’s bones until his teeth resumed their chattering. “Can’t.” He panted. “Hurts.”
”I know it hurts, but you need to-“
Izuku was cut off by blaring sirens. The ambulance must have been growing closer the enitre time, but Shouto’s ears had been to frozen to hear, or perhaps it was just that his mind was too addled by the hypothermia. Bright red, flashing lights temporarily blinded him as a paramedic darted out of the van. Before he knew it, he was getting bundled in blankets, and the paramedic was taking his pulse by jabbing his finger into his neck.
He was quickly loaded into the truck, which had the added benefit of being heated. As warmth spread through his body, pain reared it’s head. Icicle sharp pains stabbed into his side, and his fingers felt so brittle that it almost seemed like they would snap off. His shivering was doing nothing to help matters, since every time he moved, he was zapped with more shocks of pain, but he couldn’t stop the tremors that racked his body.
At some point, he wasn’t quite sure when, Shouto drifted back into the darkness that he first arose from. He didn’t know how long he was out either, only that when he did wake up he was in a hospital, and also very sore.