The Showstopper [Sett x My Hero Academia]

4: The First Friend

Midoriya heard footsteps approaching. After he had blown Bakugo sky high, he was too worried to actually go fight. Even while trading blows with Kacchan, he could hear the other battle from upstairs. Now, he stood, arm limp and useless, bruised and shattered. His real costume was in tatters, but he held his ground. He knew that Kuzuri was coming.

The fur-coat wearing boy hopped down and landed on his feet. Not elegantly but not clumsily either. Just a simple hop with no energy wasted.

Sett: Those guys gave me a rough time.

His fur coat was singed from Bakugo's attacks. Small wisps of smoke floated up towards the ceiling. Even in his eyes, Midoriya could see that he was exhausted. His body was glowing slightly from the energy that remained inside of him, ready to be fired. But that too would be gone in a matter of seconds.

Midoriya: You should go to the infirmary. They'll take care of you there.

Sett wanted to snarl, to ask broccoli-hair if he was calling him weak. But he stopped himself. The look in Midoriya's eyes was genuine. There was no sign of pity, of superiority. So, Sett changed course.

Sett: I'll be fine. I don't need a damn doctor. I just want to get out of here and take a short break. I still have a lot more fights to be in. The only thing stopping me from getting that break, is you.

He glanced at Midoriya's ripped sleeve and violet arm. His eyebrows narrowed.

Sett: You broke your arm in that fight. Quirk too much for you to handle?

Midoriya: That doesn't matter.

Sweat formed on his forehead. Although Kuzuri was covered in injuries, nothing seemed to bother him too much. He had a small limp, but it wasn't a major wound, judging from the confidence and lack of pain on his face.

Sett: Look, Midoriya, right? I don't want to hurt you, so if you just walk away, we can both get what we want.

Midoriya: What I want is to be a hero. And a hero wouldn't back away when people are in danger!

Kuzuri grit his teeth. A gold wisp of flame flashed from his fist, the last remnant of energy stored in his body. He was completely empty now, and he wasn't sure if he could keep himself upright long enough to beat out Midoriya.

But another fire stirred in Sett, the memory of his father, his damned father, flashed before him. He remembered those words that had seemed so amazing to him as a child, and so worthless to him now.

"A hero does what the people need."

Sett scoffed.

Sett: A hero would do this, a hero would do that, yadda yadda yadda. In my experience with heroes...

The memory of his father's mask, brittle and chipped when it had been given to them, flashed brilliantly in his mind, reinforcing his hatred.

Sett: They will always let you down in the end.

And that's when the buzzer sounded. Uraraka had managed to crawl to the weapon, despite her injuries, before collapsing from pain and exhaustion.

Sett raised an eyebrow.

Sett: Good talk, Midoriya. I like you, even if you want to be a hero.

But Midoriya wasn't paying attention to Sett's farewell. He was more focused on the look that his classmate had given him when he talked about heroes. Somehow, a hero had hurt Kuzuri.

For Sett, the rest of the day sucked. No matter how exhausted he was, he had to keep fighting until the end of the class. By the end of the day, he joined Midoriya in the infirmary, cut, bruised, and exhausted.