Toshinowa

17

I didn't want to die. Not now. Not like this.

"No!" I stopped falling. Something was around my waist. I followed it up to the person holding it. "It's ok. I've got you." But I could see that the rock underneath him was starting to crack.

"It can't hold both of us forever."

"It doesn't need to. It just needs to hold us until-"

"I got help!" I couldn't turn my head enough to see who he had brought, but a few moments later, we were on solid ground. And I was suddenly in another person's arms.

"You're safe." I knew that voice. I blushed

"Yeah, I'm safe. Can we go now?"

"Of course." He released me. The building around is shook and cracked. Just then, I noticed how close to falling it was. "Alright. Let's get out of here before-" Pieces of the roof fell in. Todoroki held me under him until it stopped.

"Eraser Head!" It was Shinsou. He must have been the one who pulled us out. And the horror on the ground next to him.

Dad was laying on the ground, a huge piece of concrete on his leg.

"No!" I ran to him, trying with all my might to push it off. The others tried to help, but it was no use.

"Dabi, Shinsou." Todoroki had taken charge. "Go find Midoriya. He'll be at the meeting point by now. He can break this up so we can get him out." They both ran.

"It's ok. We're going to get you out of here."

"No."

"W-what do you mean 'no?'"

"I mean you're not going to risk your lives to save me."

"But-"

"Todoroki. You made me a promise. Remember?" He nodded. "Now I trust you to keep that promise." He sighed.

"I understand." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me up.

"No! W-what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry." And he took off, leaving my father behind.

"Stop!" I screamed, over and over again. But he didn't. Before we knew it, we were at what I assumed to be the meeting point. The whole building crumbled.

I couldn't stop the screams or tears. And when the dust settled, I couldn't stop myself from running toward the rubble.

"No!" I started throwing pieces of cement. "No! we have to get him out! Help me!"

Silence.

"Help me, damnit!"

"Ki-"

"NO!" I spun around to face him. "You left him to die."

"I'm sorry. I made a promise to him. I couldn't break it."

"That's bullshit and you know it. Some promises are meant to be broken."

"Not this one." I rolled my eyes and turned back to the rubble. Someone placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Ki. We should go."

"Leave me alone, Bakugou." I heard him sigh, then felt his arms wrap around me.

"I know it sucks. We're all hurt to lose him. But you have to let us and the pros do our jobs." I closed my eyes as my body shook with sobs.

"You don't get it."

"I do. I know you're hurting a million times worse than we are. But please, you have to let us do this." I nodded, giving in. As he walked me out of the circle, I noticed Shinsou sitting on the ground at the edge. I approached him.

"He mentored you." He nodded. I held my hand out to him. "Let's go home"

(-)

I couldn't eat. Couldn't sleep. Couldn't get those images out of my head. All I could do was draw. Every few hours, someone would knock on my door. Every time someone knocked, I told them to go away. Finally, someone ignored me.

"Look I get that you hate me right now, but we found these in the rubble. Shinsou wanted you to have them." He laid something on my desk. He paused as he was about to leave. "Please, eat something." After he shut the door, I got up to see what he left on the desk.

It was his goggles.

(-)

"Go away," I shouted toward the door. The person on the other side didn't listen. "What is it with you and Todoroki ignoring my wishes?"

"Come on. You haven't eaten in days."

"I don't see why that's your problem." Bakugou started to say something but stopped.

"Look, I just wanted to tell you that a search is out for Mr. Aizawa."

"You mean for his crumpled, dead body?" I meant all the venom behind those words.

"No. That search was conducted. We dug for hours in the spot he was left in. We found his goggles and some blood but nothing else." I stopped drawing. "We don't know how, but he's out there. Somewhere." He turned to leave.

"Wait." He stopped. "First, where's Dabi? He wasn't with the others when we came out."

"Dabi's in hiding right now. From the police and the few stragglers of Marcus's gang." I nodded.

"Ok." I took a deep breath. "Is it possible for me to join the search?" He looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry. Only student with provisional licenses can help." Damnit. I wasn't allowed to take that test because of witness protection. "I actually wasn't even supposed to tell you, but I thought you should know." He set something on the desk. "Now please. Eat."

With my newfound hope, I couldn't argue. I ate all the food he brought me, but couldn't help but finish my drawing.