"Hm, I guess the cat's out of the bag now," you said, glancing at Deku.
In that moment, memories of a day you wished you could forget flooded back. You could hear the screams again, the day you lost someone who meant everything to you. As the students around you buzzed with excitement about your heroics, you fell silent, the weight of that memory pulling you away from the present.
"Cratos?" A voice broke through your thoughts. You blinked several times, returning to reality, and found yourself looking at the boy with the tail.
"Yes?" you replied, your voice steady again.
"If you don't mind, can you tell us the story of how you rescued those people from the burning building?" he asked, eyes filled with curiosity. A few other students joined in, their faces equally eager.
'Of course, they'd ask about that,' you thought, sighing inwardly as the painful day you'd long buried resurfaced.
"The day started with me leaving my apartment in the morning... with my mother," you began, leaning back against the podium. You took a deep breath and began to recount the story.
Flashback – Y/N
"Come on, honey, we have to go," your mother called, standing at the door holding your jacket as you struggled to finish tying your shoelaces.
"Alright, I'm done," you replied, hopping up from the floor and walking over to her. You grabbed the jacket she held out and slipped it on.
"Ready to go?" she smiled down at you, and you nodded. She ruffled your hair before turning to open the door.
The two of you stepped out into the hallway, closing the apartment door behind you. You walked side by side toward the elevator at the end of the hall, the morning routine feeling so normal, so safe.
DING.
The elevator doors slid open, and out stepped a man—a towering figure with bulging muscles. There was something off about him. His grin was cold, unsettling, and when his eyes locked onto your mother's, your stomach dropped.
His hand began to glow.
Before you could even react, your mother shoved you behind her, and you tumbled to the ground as a wall of flames erupted toward you both.
The heat was intense, but oddly, the flames didn't touch you. You looked up, wide-eyed, to see your mother standing tall, arms raised in front of her, creating a protective shield around you.
"Y/N," she spoke, her voice calm but firm, "listen to me."
You were frozen in place, your heart pounding in your chest, but you hung on her every word.
"As soon as I make an opening in the back of this shield, I need you to run. Run down the stairs and get help. Do you understand?"
You shook your head, tears already spilling down your cheeks. "But, Mom—"
"Y/N, PLEASE!" she snapped, her voice for the first time breaking with desperation. "Do what I say! Get help!"
Swallowing your fear, you crawled to the edge of the protective bubble, waiting for her signal.
With the villain's relentless attacks continuing to crash against her shield, your mother called to you one last time, her voice softer now. "Be strong, my angel."
The shield opened just enough for you to slip out, and you sprinted toward the stairwell door.
When you pushed it open, the sight that greeted you nearly stopped you in your tracks. The stairs were engulfed in flames. Everything was scorched and collapsing. You wanted to turn back, to return to the safety of your mother's shield, but you remembered her words. You had to call for help.
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WINGS | BNHA x MALE reader | ホープフロー
FanfictionY/N is the youngest hero in H/T (= hometown), known for his bravery and quick rise to fame. His journey as a hero began tragically when, at a young age, he saved multiple people from a burning building. Despite his heroic efforts, his mother was amo...
