The pain in your shoulders was excruciating, like hot coals were burning from the inside next to your bones. As grateful as you were to Izuku who was trying to help you, his weight pulling you down was only making the pain worse.

The figures below grew smaller and smaller. You knew that no one, not even Endeavor, would launch a big attack while you and Izuku were flying with the Nomu.

Just when you thought you might lose your arms completely, you saw another flying character coming to the rescue.

"Begone, buzzard!" Monarch dove at the Nomu. As the monster was torn away from you, its talons dragged through your clothes and skin.

"Hang on!" Izuku, who still grasped your legs, heard your screams in pain. You didn't even care - or notice - when you were both free falling into one of the building.

Izuku pulled you into his arms and wrapped his body around yours protectively. You felt your bodies slow at the sound of shattering glass. Izuku cried out and the two of you tumbled and rolled into the empty dark office building.

Smooth rescue, Monarch...

It was difficult to move your arms. They felt like heavy pieces of led having an affair with gravity. Your head also hurt something terrible. It felt like you were on fire from the inside.

You groaned, "Deku..? Are you okay?"

The arms that held you were limp. You couldn't even hear him breathing.

"Deku?" You felt panic rising in your chest, "Oh, gods - Deku!"

You were sloppy with your maneuver but you tried to remove yourself as quickly as possible, in case you were suffocating him. His eyes were closed and his mouth ajar. He gave no sign of consciousness...

"No, no, no, no, no...." you put your ear down to his lips, "Fuck!"

He wasn't breathing. It hurt like hell, but you pressed on his chest with your hands, "Come on!" You begged, "please breathe, please..."

You put your mouth on his and forced air into his lungs. Were you making it worse? You quickly pulled away. Just touching you... I could kill you...

You cried in frustration. Hot tears brimmed in your eyes. You could feel how much energy you had. If only you could give instead of take...

I can't help you... You glared down at your hands as if they were the cruelest of abominations. You'll die here, because I'm useless!

"Please, just take it all..." you whispered to no one. Take all the energy I have! Please, Deku...

"You deserve to be the next best hero, more than me," you continued to press on his chest, "I can't be the one who makes it out of this. You have to be the one! I'm not a hero, Deku..."

You caved and sunk your face into his chest. Your sobs were wild and unceasing. The heat you felt from early was still ever present inside your head, like a pulsating fever.

I don't want it, you commanded whatever force that drove quirks in the first place, give it to him! Help him live!

"I'm so sorry, Deku..." you clenched the fabric of his clothes.

"Well, that is unfortunate."

In the darkness emerged a shadowy figure with unkept blue hair. His face hidden behind a severed hand. You didn't even have the mind to be angry or retaliate. You ignored Tomura, and stayed at Izuku's side.

"Anticlimactic really," He said in a casual tone, "I thought he was going to play a much bigger role in my whole world-domination story arc."

You lifted your head slightly, "Fuck off."

He cackled, "Someone's angry! That's okay, I like that. We need that..."

Why is he here? You looked helplessly down at Izuku. He was so young, so hopeful... He would've made a great hero. If only help could get here in time...

"How did you even get here so fast?" you asked with little interest.

"We have our ways, my team and I," Tomura held out his hands, "I'm sure you'll get familiar with them in time."

"What are you on about," you scoffed. Just leave us alone...

"I've been wanting to extend an invitation for a while now! We just never seem to get the timing right. And now we get to discuss it over you're dead friend..."

"Shut up!" You winced, "He isn't dead..."

"If you say so."

"And I'm not joining your stupid league. What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Of course, you'd say that! You've only known one path in life," Tomura kept making his way towards you and Deku. His sneakers hardly made a sound on the carpeted floor. You only looked up when you heard his foot breaking the shattered glass, "But I know you're conflicted. You feel it - the doubt growing in the back of your mind. You're not sure if you trust these heroes. Hell, you're not even sure they trust you."

"Don't act like you know anything about me," you said.

"But I do! It's so hard for people like us to be seen as heroic. With quirks like ours? I wouldn't trust me either."

"What will they say when they hear that the boy died for you?" He pressed, "It's not your fault, of course, I know that. I understand that. But you know how the media is... one wrong move and they'll make it into whatever hellfest they want. One minute he's seen as your lover and the next they'll say you had him killed. Crime of passion, maybe!"

You felt Izuku's cold cheek with your trembling thumb. Tomura wasn't wrong. He wasn't right either, but it was hard to hear all the same.

Tomura's voice was close now, "He'll be seen as the shiny white-knight, All Might's pupil, and you..."

You cringed when you felt something touch your shoulder. He crouched down next to you, his chin resting by your neck. He wasn't phased at all by your blood soaked clothing.

His arms wrapped across your body, but he made sure to keep his fingers to himself, "Why not come with me and see what I have to offer? You won't ever have to hold back or be ashamed of what you are. You can do whatever you want. Being a villain... sin is expected of us. No one will crucify you for who you're with... or how many," he chuckled, "They'll be too afraid. You're a beautiful and terrible force of nature, (Y/N)..."

"Come with me. We'll destroy this corrupted society and mold it into our new world. But I need you. I want you more than these stupid heroes ever will!"

Silent tears continued to slide down your cheeks, "Why are you any better? You just want to use me. If anything, you're worse."

"What's worse? Having people tiptoe around and pretend they aren't afraid of you, when you know they'd come down on you first sign of you slipping up? Or, the freedom to do as you please with your powers, while I might have suggestions, I'd never come between you and your potential..."

"Tell me then," you grit your teeth, "Do you plan on letting my choose freely, or am I your hostage?"

"Hostage is such a strong word. You'll be my guest! I just don't expect your heart to change overnight. But maybe with some time..."

His hold tightened just as you attempted to push him off. Your shoulders were still heavily damaged, but still, you should've been able to get away. You stole plenty of energy from Stain.

"Come on, you're already injured. Don't make this harder. We can be out of here soon and you can relax," Tomura said.

Why am I so weak?!

He brought you to your feet, tearing you away from Izuku. You were flipped around so you had to face Tomura's horrible red eye.

Even standing took effort. Your knees buckled, but he held you up by your lower back. It was awkward having the leader of the League of Villains holding you like this... It felt too affectionate for someone like him.

"My Nomu carved you up a bit," he noted, "Kurogiri, let's get out of here."

Kurogiri? You gulped. Not the warp villain! Of course, that's how Tomura could get places so quickly...

A black wall of fog appeared beside you. You pulled away, instinctively. Going through that portal meant no one would know where you were. You couldn't get stuck with the League!

"Not now, (Y/N)," Tomura warned, "You can exhaust your tantrum later..."

"Get. Away. From. Her."

A soft voice interrupted the tension. You looked around wildly, but your eyes stopped on Izuku on the floor.

His skin was glowing red. Just as yours had earlier. He coughed as he tried taking in as much air as possible.

"Deku?" You smiled.

"Ugh... seriously!" Tomura groaned, "So annoying. I guess I have to get rid of you, anyway."

"Surrender, villain!" Another voice shook the entire room. It sounded like Jurassic park when the giant T-Rex chased the Jeep. The stomps were getting closer but not from inside the building.

Endeavor crashed through the already broken window with his giant body. How the hell he got up here was beyond you. Your "godfather" swooped in next with a murderous expression.

"Ah..." Tomura was shaking and clinching his fists, "Endeavor and Monarch. What excellent fucking timing."

"You're outnumbered, Shigaraki," Endeavor said, "And your creatures have been vanquished."

"My Nomu..." he sighed, and turned to you, "I guess there's no smooth exit for us."

He readied his hands to use as weapons, maybe even to threaten you. You were still too close to him and the portal. No energy meant it was time to get desperate.

You dropped to the ground like dead weight, earning a searing pain throughout your arm. It startled Tomura and he staggered around your legs. Now, at least Endeavor or someone had a clear shot.

Flames roared above you. You forced your face into the carpet and protected your hair with your arms. "Dammit!" you heard Endeavor curse.

When it was clear, you looked up but saw nothing. No Tomura and no portal. You hoped Endeavors flames obliterated them but that was wishful thinking...

"I'm going to look around the building just in case. I trust you can handle the children." Endeavor left through the window - again, you had no idea how he was scaling walls.

Monarch hovered his way towards you and Izuku, looking like pathetic weaklings on the ground. When you looked up at the man's face, he had blood streaked across his nose and forehead.

"Hey," you gave him a nervous grin.

"Let's not," Monarch held you a hand, "Are either of you dying?"

You sat up and turned to Izuku, "I thought you were for a second. What happened?"

Izuku was still glowing, but not as bright as before, "I don't know," he said, "I just woke up after feeling a shot of adrenaline. Then I saw you with Shigaraki and..."

"Adrenaline?" Monarch examined the scene, "Do you normally glow with your quirk, dear?"

"Sometimes, I think, sir," Izuku said, "but normally it's not red like... like your quirk, (Y/N)."

You looked down at your hands and then back at your friend. Come to think of it, your blistering fever was gone. Was it possible? Did you actually...

"I think..." you grinned, "I was able to give you my strength."

Both he and Monarch tilted their heads.

"Is that possible?" He asked, "like a healing quirk?"

"Well, you're still injured, so I don't know if it worked the same way..." you said.

Monarch tapped his chin, "Huh. This is an interesting development. However, let's get the two of you to the hospital first. We can worry about this later. We have... other pressing matters."

His tone and expression fell. You worried what that meant. But you caught the hero killer and stopped Tomura's Nomu - wasn't that something to celebrate?

What could be wrong now?