Heartbeat - Boku No Hero Academia Fanfiction

Breathe, Nerd!

Katsuki barely had time to register what had happened, but he caught Midoriya's body as he collapsed, eyes closed, looking almost peaceful if not for the fact that Katsuki knew this was something much worse. Not the peace of sleep, but of death. 

He fell to his knees, lying Midoriya flat on the ground. The villain took this opportunity to dart past him and run. Katsuki was already pressing compressions into Midoriya's chest, his training kicking in, but he growled though gritted teeth:

"After her! Get her to open her fucking hands, and don't let her touch you! Hurry!" 

"On it!" Shouto and Iida both began to run after her, Iida not going his full speed in order to not get separated from Shouto. 

"But Midoriya-" Denki was cut off as Bakugou almost screamed. 

"His heart can't fucking beat and he can't breathe until you stop her! Hurry the fuck up! I'll be his heart for him until then, but you had better make it fast!" He didn't even look at Kaminari as he heard him run off to join the others in the chase, not stopping his compressions. He didn't see the sad knowing look that crossed Denki's face at the words "I'll be his heart." 

Now alone with Midoriya, Bakugou let his expression crumble. It had all happened so fast. This was just supposed to be a standard patrol, and yet here he was with his oldest friend, his closest friend, dying or dead under his hands. Before he even realized it, tears were falling, splashing against his fingers and Midoriya's chest. 

Reaching thirty compressions, he tilted Midoriya's head back, dimly realizing that since he had been unable to breathe even before he collapsed, maybe Katsuki should have done this earlier. He didn't have time to think about it. He took in a deep breath, sealing Izuku's nose and breathing air down his throat. He felt resistance, realizing that if Midoriya's diaphragm was paralyzed he would have to force air in despite the fact his chest stubbornly didn't want to expand. Taking another deeper breath than the first, he blew forcefully into Midoriya's mouth until, to his grim satisfaction he detected a slight rise in Midoriya's chest. It wasn't enough, wasn't nearly enough, but he didn't have time. He had to go back to being an artificial heart for Midoriya. 

"Stay with me, Deku. Izuku. You're supposed to be the number one hero. You're supposed to be All Might's successor. You can't die this easily." The words caught in his throat as he blinked more tears from his eyes. "You're supposed to get stronger so you can fight me again and maybe even win. Not that I'd let you, but..." 

Katsuki trailed off, deciding he needed to focus all of his energy on making sure Deku was still getting oxygen through his body despite his lack of pulse. Already his arms were shaking, and he couldn't tell if it was fear, emotion, adrenaline, or exhaustion. He couldn't afford to stop. He frowned as he felt small burst of air get forced from Midoriya's lungs with each harsh press of his hands, but he had to keep going. 

29... 30... 

Katsuki quickly shifted back to bring his lips to Izuku's forcing as much air as he could into the paralyzed lungs. After repeating the motion twice, he resumed the compressions. 

"What is taking them so long..." Bakugou muttered, anger now eclipsed by growing desperation. He knew at this point he wasn't working to get Midoriya to breathe on his own, to get his heart to restart. He knew that Izuku physically couldn't until that bitch was defeated. He had to just keep Midoriya alive until then. He would. He pushed away the intrusive thoughts that technically Midoriya was already dead. 

The third time Bakugou forced his lips against Midoriya's, he couldn't stop the tears that fell from his own cheeks onto the pale freckled ones beneath him. This situation was bringing up emotions he had tried for so long to deny, masking them with anger, because that was easier for him. If Bakugou was angry, no one would get too close. He wouldn't get too close.