The Other Side - Katsuki Bakugou x OC

Chapter 46

Ok, last chapter for today. See you on Tuesday!

~

"It's all come to this. There's no way All For One is going to miss such an opportunity. We'll have to face him." The entire time I had told All Might's story - with help from Mido - my eyes were glued to his frail form, to the gentle rise and fall of his chest. But now, I finally looked up at the people around me. "He can't do it by himself like this. And it doesn't have to fall to Midoriya alone. It shouldn't have to. We all need to be their back-up. We need to help in any way we can."

"Exactly. We can't let All Might do this alone. And... I don't want to have to do it alone either." Stirring interrupted us. My hand ran through my uncle's blonde locks, shushing him gently. It only took a few seconds for his eyes to open, a dull and dirty ocean blue compared to his usual bright cerulean. He sat up with a start.

"Little one?" His voice was cracked and hoarse.

"Shh. I'm here, Uncle Toshi. You're with 1-A. You're safe."

"Midoriya?"

"Y-yes. I'm here too, All Might." He dragged his gaze across the class, checking us over for any visual injuries or distress. Once he was convinced that nobody was hurt, he leant into my chest, allowing himself to be put to ease by my hands, still running through his hair comfortingly.

"What happened, Uncle?"

"We escaped. But we couldn't take anyone with us. It was all I could do to bring Shujenzji with me-" He was cut off by heavy coughs that wracked his entire body.

"Who was with you?" Sero leant forward slightly.

"Everyone. All the heroes in one place."

"Why were you the only one that escaped?"

"Quirk repressants." A murmur spread throughout the class. "Handcuffs. I had a file on me." He dug a small metal file out of his pocket with shaking hands. "I always bring one with me. Just in case."

"Sugoi, All Might!" Mido gently took the file, examining the marks on it. "It must have taken so much time to saw through the handcuffs. Especially if you had to keep it subtle." Toshi closed his eyes and leant into me a little more, a chuckle on his ashen lips.

"If I can count on one thing in life, it's young Midoriya's 'sugoi's. You make an old man feel a little pride again." Mido's face quickly turned red as he stuttered about nothing.

"Yeah, yeah. The nerd's in love with you or whatever. Carry on with the escape." Kat slapped Midoriya on the back of the head before taking his place next to me on the ground. Toshi simply smiled.

"Ah. Yet another of life's few certainties."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Hizashi, Shouta and Enji were in the room with me and Shujenzji. The three were alive when I left them. They were in bad shape. But they were alive. I got myself out and ripped off Shu's handcuffs. But an alarm started blaring and the others told me to go. So-" He was coughing again. I patiently dabbed at his pointed chin with a rag, keeping my expression neutral. "So I left. I didn't want to leave them behind. But I knew that we'd be more helpful if we could get to you all so that I could recover before going back to rescue them."

"What, you were just going to crash here as if the League weren't going to be after you? And then fuck off to rescue every other hero in Japan by yourself?"

"Kacchan!"

"Shut up, shitty Deku! Let me talk!"

"But he's recovering! You shouldn't talk to him like that!"