Chapter Text
“Guys stop. I see something.”
Izuku halted his full cowling. The others all stopped behind Iida, who was looking down from their place on the rooftop. Normally, they don’t stop moving during patrol unless something goes wrong.
Aizawa sent Izuku, Iida, Uraraka, Todoroki, and Asui on patrol frequently together. Izuku figured this was because they all get along well, and therefore work well as a team.
But normally, things don’t go wrong.
That’s why when Iida said this, the group listened eagerly.
“What is it?” Asui asked.
Iida held his hand up, then swung it down towards the direction he was looking at.
“I swear I saw a little girl. She looked like she needed help!” He said in his usual matter-of-fact tone.
That was enough information for Izuku to be on board. If anyone needed help, he would 100% be there. “Where is she?”
“She just rounded that corner, come on.”
And so they moved to the ground, rounding the corner that Iida indicated. Just as they did, Izuku saw a glimpse of clothing whip around another corner ahead.
Frustrated, Izuku and Iida used their powers simultaneously to catch up.
Then Izuku froze.
There was indeed a little girl, no more than 3 years old, and she was being held by the throat by none other than Shigaraki. He held all but one finger to her skin threateningly, casting a devilish smile in the direction of the heroes.
Izuku heard Iida gasp next to him.
“Guys, wait!” Uraraka’s voice came from around the corner, but Izuku didn’t have time to tell them to stop before it was too late. The rest of the group filed in, each stopping in their tracks with shocked looks on their faces.
They all recognized Shigaraki as a member of the League of Villains. Izuku, specifically, after their little “meeting” in the mall. Now he stood in this dark alley, a dark hood covering his head with a few pieces of blue hair sticking out.
“Do not call for backup, little heroes, or this girl will no longer have her neck.” Shigaraki threatened, tightening his grip on her. A sob escaped from the girl, which crushed the insides of Izuku’s soul. He would save her. He had to.
“I want all of you to put your hands up, no funny business or quirks.”
Seeing no other choice, they complied. As he did, Izuku analyzed every possible plan. Shigaraki seemed to be alone, but there was still a possibility that another villain could be watching closeby. Assuming no one else was here, all they would have to do is get Shigaraki’s hand off the girl, and then the fight would be easy, 5 against 1. Izuku had been practicing his full cowl speed lately, and he was certain that he would be able to reach Shigaraki before he could even realize. All he would need is for Iida to be a distraction with his quirk.
“Good, Good.” Shigaraki said slowly, pleased with their compliance. “Now--”
Shigaraki pulled a gun from his back and shot Izuku before he could even blink. During that moment, he heard Uraraka and Iida scream his name.
“Izuku!”
Letting out a grunt of pain, Izuku staggered, clutching his side where he got hit. Already, blood protruded fast and his strength was rapidly declining.
“DON’T YOU FUCKING MOVE.”
Izuku’s vision was unfocused, but he could tell that his classmates tried to reach him before he fell. They stopped in place.
“Leave him be. You move. She dies.”
“Why did you shoot him? We were listening to you!” Todoroki accused, his voice containing a trace of worry that was unlike his usual monotone.
Shigaraki laughed. A loud, shrill laugh that grew into a hysterical fit.
“Because I know how he works. He plans, he analyzes, and he’ll always put himself in harm's way to save others.” Shigaraki paused, looking down at Izuku on the ground before continuing. “In fact, I could see him already planning behind those disgusting little eyes. Better to put him out of commission early.”
Izuku fumed. Was he really that easy to read? Or was it just Shigaraki’s weird obsession with him?
“What -- what do you want?” Izuku hissed, pushing down against his wound with his hand to try and slow the bleeding.
“You, actually.” Shigaraki said simply, speaking in a cheerful tone that one would speak to their friend with. “You’re always held up in that stupid school, behind my reach. Under the eyes of powerful heroes. But now, you’re all alone--”
“He’s not alone!” Uraraka protested, “He’s with us!”
“Ah. He’s with you.” Shigaraki mocked, waiving the gun in their direction aimlessly. “I’m so scared.”
All of them (besides Izuku) still had their hands up, scared that Shigaraki would hurt the little girl.
Izuku saw Uraraka shoot a worried look at him. He returned it with the best I am okay face he could manage. Then he faced Shigaraki.
“If I c-come with you,” Izuku stated, “Do you promise to let go of the girl?”
“Yes, I will let her go...” Shigaraki paused, eyeing the group, “if you come with me and none of your friends follow or get in my way.”
“Fine.” Izuku agreed before his friends could protest.
“No! Deku you can’t--”
BANG!
Izuku frantically looked at each of his friends to see who got shot, but when he turned back to Shigaraki he found that the gun was shot in the air. As a warning.
“Yes, Midoriya CAN. He already agreed to my terms.” Shigaraki said, smiling. “Unless, of course, you’d rather her die?”
The little girl whimpered. Shigaraki’s 5th finger hung dangerously close to her skin.
The UA students hesitated. None wanted the girl to die, but they couldn’t lose izuku, either.
“Guys... please. Just, l-let me g-go.” Izuku spoke, pain starting to shoot through his limbs. He couldn’t believe that his friends would hesitate when there was a way to save the girl. It didn’t matter that Izuku would have to leave. Izuku had trust that he would be found.
Izuku picked his head up and looked back at his friends. Hands still up, they all looked more stressed than Izuku had ever seen them before. Slowly, each of them looked to Iida, who nodded ever so slightly.
“Great. Now that that’s decided--” Shigaraki dug in his pocket and pulled out quirk suppressing cuffs. “You. With the red hair. Come get these from me and put them on Midoriya.”
Uraraka looked as though that was the last thing she wanted to do. She slowly walked to Shigaraki, walking past Izuku as she went. Shigaraki handed the cuffs to her without moving his other hand from the girl.
When she walked back, her eyes widened at the amount of blood that izuku lost. It spilled onto the concrete, staining it red in a circle around him.
“He’s- he’s losing too much blood!” Uraraka pointed out. “Don’t you want him alive?”
Shigaraki hesitated.
“Let me cauterize it.”
Izuku spun his head around. Todoroki took a couple of tentative steps toward him.
“WAIT!” Shigaraki interjected, “Let her put the cuffs on first, then you can do your thing. After all, you’re right. It is in my best interest to keep him…. Alive.”
They all shuddered at these words. Izuku was really struggling to pay attention now. Black cornered his vision and he shivered violently.
He felt Uraraka kneel right in front of him, her eyes sad. She reached for the hand that wasn’t holding the bullet wound and tightened the cuff around his wrist. Immediately, Izuku could no longer feel the subtle presence of One For All that was normally there 24/7.
“I’m sorry.” Uraraka’s voice wavered, she pulled Izuku’s other hand off the wound. He let out a cry. She pulled his hand close to the other one and began to put it on--
“ Behind his back, please. And take his phone out of his pocket, while you’re at it.”
Uraraka gave Shigaraki the nastiest look she could muster, then crouched behind Izuku, pulling his other hand with her. She cuffed the other hand in place. Then she felt his pants until she found his cell and took it from him.
“Now step away, hands up again.”
She lingered just for a moment, tapping Izuku’s shoulder in a supportive way, then she did as she was told.
Without his hands, Izuku could no longer sit up. He lay on his side, facing Shigaraki. The blood poured faster than ever.
“Now do it.”
Todoroki ran to Izuku, dropping on his knees behind him. He pulled Izuku onto his back.
“This is going to hurt.” Todoroki said quietly. His face showed calm, but Izuku could see a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead.
“T-that’s o-okay…” Izuku replied, closing his eyes tight in preparation.
He heard Todoroki ignite his quirk. He heard the others gasp in anticipation. He heard Shigaraki voice his approval.
Then he felt an agonizing pain in his side. He jolted, letting out hisses and moans out of his control. His vision and hearing blurred until he was in total darkness.
* * * * *
Iida watched in horror as Todoroki burned Midoriya’s side shut. He twitched and jolted, then suddenly he didn’t move at all.
Todoroki stopped. He nugged Izuku a bit, but he didn’t answer.
“Step away now.”
Iida felt helpless as Todoroki walked away, leaving Midoriya in his unconscious state. He looked dead. His pale skin stuck out against the red of blood on the ground. Due to his position, his green, fluffy hair became matted in red.
“He needs to wake up.” Shigaraki sounded annoyed that Midoriya had the audacity to pass out.
“He just got cauterized, give him a second to recover from the pain.” Iida pleaded, eyeing the poor boy who laid on the ground. His face was still scrunched.
“What do you want with him?” Todoroki asked. Iida picked up on Todoroki’s idea. It was one of the first lessons taught at UA. Ask questions. Stall until help arrives.
“I’ve had my eye on him for a while. I just want to…. get a closer look.” Shigaraki took a couple of steps forward, hand still on the little girl.
“Why Midoriya?” Iida added.
“The little bastard has done enough harm against the League. While they may not know what I’m doing right now, I doubt they’d be upset to see the most promising UA student go missing.”
That was vital information. Shigaraki was working alone.
“But-”
Iida was cut off by a moan. Midoriya was awake again, trying to shift his weight on the ground.
“Perfect! That wasn’t too long, wasn’t it? Izuku, stand up and walk to me.”
Iida thought it was crazy that Shigaraki wanted him to STAND after what he just went through. He wasn’t sure if Midoriya would even be able to walk at the moment. Nevertheless, he watched as Midoriya struggled to stand. With his hands cuffed behind him, he needed to roll over first, then use his knees to sit up. As he got to his feet, he swayed a bit. But his face showed determination. Slowly, he limped toward Shigaraki.
When he was about 5 feet away, he stopped.
“Let her go.” Iida could tell that Midoriya tried to sound intimidating, but his voice came out weak.
Abruptly, Shigaraki casted the girl aside and lunged for Midoriya. Without his powers, Izuku couldn’t dodge or move. Shigaraki’s hand closed around his throat, replacing the girl as his hostage for Izuku.
The girl landed on her knees in the dirt, sobbing.
“Don’t follow, or little green turd here gets it. Got it?”
They all nodded. Iida was worried for his friend. He wasn’t sure how he would get him out of this. But he would try, and he would not stop until he was safe.
Shigaraki started to walk backwards, taking Midoriya with him. Not once did they break eye contact.
Just before they rounded the corner, Midoriya spoke.
“It’ll be okay.”
Then they were gone.
The moment they were gone, the heroes went into action. Iida and Todoroki used their powers to seize the place where they had gone. Uraraka and Asui ran to the girl, checking her for injuries and comforting her. She sobbed in their arms, asking for her mother.
“They’ve dissapeared!” Iida exclaimed after checking the alleyway they escaped from and a few others nearby.
Todoroki used his ice to survey the surroundings fast, but came back empty as well.
“We need to get this girl to the police, and we need to report Midoriya’s kidnapping immediately.” Asui said. She picked the girl up in her arms.
Together, the group ran out of the alley.
“I’ll use my quirk to get there faster and notify the police!”
Iida burst off, leaving the others in the dust. He would not lose Midoriya.