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Stain rolled his eyes as he heard Endeavor shout for him to stop. As if he'd actually listen to that fake. Instead he continued hopping roofs, ignoring the frustrated pro on the ground.
He had just made a leap onto another building when a blast of fire can hurling towards him, quickly he ducked and rolled, keeping his momentum to run faster towards an apartment complex.
Another stray fireball almost got him but he was faster, quicker than the eye could see he began scaling the taller building. What he wasn't anticipating though was for Endeavor to send a GIGANTIC fireball burning towards him.
He cursed as he saw it coming closer, hurling climbing the fireescape the last bit up to the roof. He was only barely on top of the building when it shook, he looked over the edge carefully and saw the building on fire with a massive whole where he was seconds ago.
The Apartment alarms began blearing, the dark of night lighting up as the fire quickly spread. The ringing of alarms was quickly accompanied by the yells of residents.
He ran towards the other side of the roof and saw Endeavor searching for him around nearby alleyways, not even bothering to look up at the apartment complex he'd set on fire.
It was quickly becoming apparent that the building would revive no help, so as fast as he could he broke the lock on the door to the stairs and made his way down.
The 5th floor was empty, devoid of people, perhaps they already got down, Stain didn't have time to ponder as the screaming got louder.
He followed the source down a flight of stairs to see the fire, the whole hall was smoking and he could tell majority of it had been coming from one of the apartments, conveniently where he had heard the screams.
He quickly broke down the door, using his scarf as a makeshift mask as he followed the sound. It was becoming more and more clear that the cry's were coming from a child.
"MOMMY! MOMMY!" The child sobbed, "pleas get up." The dark haired child had tears streaming down his face as he shook the woman, laying dead on the floor, pinned from fallen ceiling debris.
He'd been hearing ominous creak and it was very likely that the ceiling would collapse. The walls had cracks and the deep rumbling of the building was making him more concerned.
He mentally cursed Endeavor as he walked up to the child.
"Hey," he said cautiously, "we need to get you out of here."
The little boy's head spun around, "no, we can't. Mommy has to wake up."
Stain looked at the boy pitifully, kneeling beside the woman and checking her pulse. Just as he thought the mother was dead. "Child, she's gone." He told him bluntly.
The kid blinked, "gone?" He asked with a sniffle.
There was a loud crash followed by crackles of fire as more of the ceiling collapsed. Stain lifted the child, cradling him against his cheats. "Yeah kid, she's dead. Alright, let's get out of here so we don't die too," he told him.
The boy sniffled, "okay." He said softly, resting his head against his chest.
Stain walked around, looking for an exit. Unfortunately, the way he came in through was blocked. He hurried towards the living room where the wall was missing.
The edges were still burning but so was the whole room, Stain had a sinking feeling the ceiling is about to come down soon. There was so much fallen debris scattered around the house.
Stain readjusted his grip on the child, it's a good thing he's so small. "I'm going to jump over to that roof and when I say go, you're going to close your eyes. Okay?"
The child nodded, obviously not noticing the danger he was in, "okay." He agreed softly.
Stain backed up, one hand coming up to press the child's head against him while the other held him up. He prepared himself as he heard another crash, this time closer.
"Now!" He said, running forwards and jumping out of the burning building. He landed harshly on the roof across from the building, his knees buckling to keep him steady.
"You good?" He asked quietly, moving his hand off the child head and back to his side.
The boy peaked one eye open, "mhmm."
Sighing in relief he turned towards the building's roof access and climbed down the latter. It was easier than he thought it would be considering he was holding a child with one hand. It probably helped that the child was clinging to him like a koala.
After he touched the ground he walked around the side of the building. Suddenly there was a loud rumble and then a booming crash.
He watched at the 5th floor crashed onto the 4th, their combined weights sending them both onto the 3rd floor. The ground shook on impact, a wave of dust and debris flinging outwards, but the building didn't collapse any further.
There was a moment of deafening silence before people began to question what to do.
Some were crying, others screaming. There were families lining the streets, people who just lost their home, some who lost their loved ones.
He heard the tell tale sound of a helicopter, it was soon followed by sirens. Not long after there were ambulances and police cars, firefighters and rescue hero's arriving on scene.
"Let's get you over there." He told the child, making way to the back of one of the ambulances.
"No! Please don't leave me." The boy said, sniffling as more tears somehow escaping.
Stain sighed but stoped walking, "you have to. Don't you have people to go back to? A dad? grandparents? aunts? uncles?"
"No, just mommy, but mommy's gone now." The child told him sadly, a few tears escaping his doe eyes. "I wanna go with you." He said softly.
Stain sighed, "I can't keep you."
The boy began crying again, "please! I'll be good, please! I don't wanna be alone!" The boy yelled, streaks of tears creating clean lines on his dirty face.
Stain closed his eyes. There was no way he was about to do this. He took a deep breath and cursed himself. Was he really about to do this? He paused and thought for a moment before mentally nodding.Yes. Yes, he was. "Fine, but you got to promise me you'll go with the hero's if they ask. Okay?"
The little boy nodded vigorously, "okay! I promise." Then he paused and tilted his head. "Wait, why would the heros want me?"
Stain hummed, "lets just say they don't like me very much much."
Izuku gasped, "why not? You saved me!"
Stain chuckled dryly, "somehow i doubt they're going to see it that way."
"Then why would i go with them?" Izuku asked, his brows furrowing.
"Because it'll keep you safe." Stain said, stepping away from the building.
“But then you not safe.” Izuku whispered.
Stain blinked at the response. “What do you mean?”
“They’ll get you. Then I can’t help you. I wanna be a hero and help people. I wanna save people.. like you.” He whispered, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
Stain’s expression softened, “oh child, I don’t need you to protect me. It’s not the child’s job to protect others. Parents are supposed to keep you safe.”
“Like mommy?” Izuku whispered looking at him with big teary eyes.
Stain couldn’t find it in himself to say no. “Sure- like your mom. I’m sure she tried to keep you safe from the fire.”
Izuku nodded. “Fire burns, Kachan’s hurt, but this one liked me.”
“What?” Stain asked confused.
“It liked me. It listened when I asked if to stop hurting mommy.” Izuku said, his eyes shining brightly, the reflection of fire catching Stain’s attention.
“Does- does all fire listen to you?” He asked carefully. Maybe the kid had some kind or fire manipulation quirk. Probably a late bloomer if the child was reacting with such awe.
“I dunno.” The kid said with a shrug, “can I try?” He asked, pointing to the still burning building.
Stain weighed the pros and cons before nodding, stealthily walking closer to the building to wear the fire was being treated. “Try pushing the fire back to the building.” He said, calmly.
The child nodded with a look of determination and his eyes began glowing red and orange like the fire in front of them. He didn’t need to look back at the building to know the fire was receding, he could hear the crowd cheering as it receded.
Then the boy sighed and his eyes turned back green. He yawned and leaned his head against stain before falling asleep from quirky exhaustion.
Now, stain was left with two choices, he could leave the boy here and hope the horror find him or…
he could take the boy with him.