A Hero For All (OFA!Male Reader x OPM)

Chapter 1: A Hero Rises

"I am currently live on the scene of a massive battle between S-Class Terrible Tornado and a massive humanoid monster! The titan has already destroyed a large portion of City Z, but it seems Tornado has come to end its terror!-"

Y/n sighed as he watched the report. So many people were getting hurt, but he couldn't do anything to help them. He was glad that Tornado had arrived to defeat the monster, but he was slightly annoyed that she seemed to only focus on fighting instead of saving.
He had already seen multiple people almost crushed by debris in the background of the shot, and nobody seemed to even care. Don't get him wrong, he loved heroes, and he was grateful for all that they do, but there's more to being a hero than just fighting monsters.
He stood up from his seat on the couch. He felt some small hunger pangs, so he entered the kitchen to whip up a quick sandwich. He grabbed all the necessary ingredients from his small pantry and began to assemble his snack.
He sat back down on the couch and ate his fresh bologna and cheese sandwich. He watched as the news showed the conclusion of the event. The monster had been defeated, and Tornado left before the press even got a chance to interview her, as usual. However, they reported that 70 people were gravely injured, and 30 had died. Y/n immediately felt soul-crushing regret.
'I wasn't there to help them... Even if I was, I'm completely powerless against monsters like that, so I couldn't have done anything...'
Y/n was snapped out of his thoughts and decided he needed a breath of fresh air. Walking around the city usually helps clear his mind. He switched the tv off, got up, and started dressing himself.
He chose to wear a dark grey T-shirt and some blue jeans. Before he walked out the door, he grabbed his signature jacket. He always wore this whenever he went out. Anyone could've sworn he never took the thing off. It meant a lot to him because it belonged to his dad. Part of why he admires heroes so much is because his dad used to be one. He remembered how his dad would always tell him stories as a kid, about how he fought giant monsters and won epic battles. He had the coolest dad in the world, until the day his dad fought a fight he wouldn't live to tell the story of.
Y/n shook away the thoughts and grabbed his keys as he walked out the door, locking it behind him. He walked down the stairs of his apartment, waving to the man behind the desk on his way out. He stepped into the busy streets of City A, his beloved home. It was a warm afternoon with a gentle breeze and a couple of clouds in the sky. He broke into a run along the sidewalk, breathing the fresh air and taking in the sight and sounds of the bustling city. Cars driving by, people walking the sidewalks and chatting, walking their dogs, or sitting in the restaurants and shops that lined the road.
As he ran, he noticed Mr. Garrand, a gentle elderly man with a large bald spot on top of his head, a thick white mustache along his upper lip, and small glasses resting atop his nose, was struggling to carry some boxes to his tailor shop. Y/n immediately rushed over to help. "Hey Mr. Garrand, need a hand?" He asked. Mr. Garrand chuckled and put down the box he was currently carrying. "I've told you to call me Nick, Y/n. And, if you could spare some time, I could use a bit of help." He said kindly. Y/n smiled and picked up the box Mr. Garrand had set down.
"Hey, Mr. Garrand, what's in these boxes anyway, if you don't mind me asking?" Y/n asked. "Just some supplies, nothing much." Mr. Garrand replied. Y/n nodded in acknowledgment and continued to carry the box.
Y/n used his leg to gently push open the door and held it open for Mr. Garrand. "Where would you like these?" He asked. "You can just put them in the corner over there, next to the closet." Mr. Garrand replied, pointing a frail finger to the closest corner with a bluish-green door. Y/n nodded with a smile and placed the box down in the corner.
For about an hour, Y/n helped Mr. Garrand move boxes into his shop, and once they were finally done, Mr. Garrand offered Y/n some money as a way of repaying him, but Y/n politely declined. He was confused as Mr. Garrand then reached into his back pocket and pulled something out.
    He cupped it in both hands as if trying to hide it from view. "Well, how about I give you this instead?" He opened his hands to reveal a small sewn patch. It was a small black circle with a silver lining the edges, and on top of it, the outlines of a medieval shield in blue, and then a white four-pointed star in the middle.
    "You've helped out so many people in this place, Y/n, I made this just for you as a small way of saying thank you for all you've done."
Y/n was shocked, to say the least. He didn't expect to be given any reward for just being a good person. Either way, he gratefully accepted the gift and waved goodbye to Mr. Garrand as he walked out of the shop.
    After that, Y/n continued on his way along the sidewalk. He found himself at the entrance of the park, a place filled with lush trees and bushes, lined with pathways and benches lit with overhead lamps. There were streams along the rocks that lead to the large lake in the center, where there were docks and a couple of fishing boats out on the waters.
Y/n walked along one of the pathways that ran through the dense forest part of the park. He could hear birds chirping and pecking, the rustling of leaves as squirrels ran up and down the branches, and the breeze blowing through the vegetation as it whistled with the wind. It was peaceful to Y/n, and he felt like he could stay there forever.
He didn't visit the park often. Mostly because he never had the time to. He was often running errands for shops or trying not to be late to a meet-up. But now he could take the time to take it all in and enjoy the beauty of it. It was honestly hard to believe that it was in the middle of a loud and busy city. It almost seemed like he'd just stepped into a whole other world.
However, the peace was disturbed as he heard a faint crying in the distance, as well as what sounded like someone trying to calm down whoever was crying. He went into a jog and quickly made his way towards the sounds. He left the path and weaved between trees, following the sounds of wailing until he found the source.
There was a young boy crying as his mom was trying to calm him down. He approached them and tapped the mother's shoulder to get her attention. "Ma'am, may I ask what the matter is?" He asked. The woman looked surprised but answered "My son's balloon just got caught in a tree is all. Although, no matter how much I tell him I can just get him a new one, he seems quite attached to this specific one."
Y/n looked around above him and spotted a bright green balloon, with a face crudely drawn on with sharpy, stuck on one of the tallest trees in the area. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the string had gotten hooked on a branch near the top of the tree.
"I think I might be able to help ma'am. The string is just hooked on a branch, and I can just climb the tree and get it." The woman followed his gaze to the branch the balloon was stuck on, and immediately noticed the height of said branch.
"A-are you sure? That's a pretty high climb.." she asked nervously. Y/n was slightly touched that she was concerned about him, but he reassured her that he'd be fine. "It's alright ma'am, I used to climb things all the time as a kid." She still looked skeptical but nodded to him anyways.
Y/n kneeled spawn to the boys and pat his head, causing him to pause his crying and look at Y/n. "Hey, what's your name?" "O-Oscar." he said shakily. "Don't worry Oscar, I'm gonna get your balloon down safe and sound, okay?" Y/n said with a smile. The boy looked surprised, but then wiped his tears and looked at Y/n "Really?" He said hopefully. Y/n patted his head again. "Really." He said.
Y/n then stood back up and made his way over to the tree with both Oscar's and his mom's eyes glued to him. Y/n searched for a good place to grip the trunk, and start climbing.
He noticed a small outcrop in the bark, and after testing it with a couple of tugs, concluded it was sturdy enough to climb on. He placed his foot on the outcrop and his hand on the tree to stabilize himself as he hoisted himself up onto the tree.
He looked around and spotted a low-hanging branch with a thick base and single leaf extending from it. He reached forward and grabbed the middle of it with his left hand, while his right hand remained against the trunk.
He stepped off the outcrop and swung on the branch, letting his momentum carry him as he planted his feet against the trunk to steady himself as he pulled himself up onto the branch, eventually standing on top of it.
    He noticed a small dip in the surface of the bark that would make a good grip hold. He slowly stretched his hand out and grabbed it.
However, he lost his footing on the branch and slipped off of it, leaving him dangling from the tree by one arm. Oscar and his mom gasped in horror, but Y/n manage to get both his feet back on the branch and continued climbing.
After weaving through branches and leaves, grabbing branches and pieces of bark, Y/n finally made it to the top of the tree.
He grabbed the string of the balloon and unhooked it from the branch. Oscar jumped in excitement. However, now Y/n needed a way back down. He couldn't climb back down while holding the balloon, since some places he needed to hold on with both hands.
He looked over the side of the branch. It was quite a way down. Suddenly, there was a loud snapping sound from behind him. He whipped around and saw that the branch he was standing in was starting to crack under his weight. He needed to get down, and fast.
He looked around for any ways to escape, but saw none. He looked up and saw some branches not too far overhead. If he could hang from those, it could get him more time to think of a way down.
He reached up to grab the lowest one, but just as his finger made contact, the branch beneath him gave out, and he plummeted through the air towards the ground.
    He hit the ground with a large thud. Oscar and his mom immediately ran over to him to check on him. He groaned and rubbed his head. He sat up and saw Oscar nearly in tears and his mom with her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with worry.
    He held up the balloon in his hand and Oscar gently took it. "Told you I'd get your balloon." Y/n said with a smile. Oscar's mom helped him up, and once he was on his feet, he brushed himself off.
    "Are you okay!?" She exclaimed worriedly. Y/n gave her a smile. "I'm alright ma'am, but thanks for asking." She seemed to calm down a little.
    "I can't thank you enough for helping us..." she said. She suddenly perked up. "Here, I've got some money I can repay you with!" Y/n frantically waved his hands around. "No no, really, it's okay! You don't need to pay me!"
    She seemed shocked that Y/n had turned down a reward. She then gave a bright smile. "I wish the world had more people like you. Willing to help out even at their own risk, and not even wanting a reward for it." She kneeled and picked up Oscar, who was happily hugging his balloon.
    She then looked at him again. "You're a real hero, you know that? Oh, and by the way, you can stop calling me ma'am. My name is Lily." She said with a soft smile.
    Y/n was surprised. He loved helping people, but he never expected to outright be called a hero. Still, it felt nice.
    "Thank you ma- Lily. I really appreciate it." He said with a smile. Lily giggled "I should be telling you that." She said. "Maybe not exactly that. I'm not a ma'am" Y/n joked, causing Lily to laugh.
    Y/n felt a buzz from his pocket and reached into it to pull out his phone. He opened it up and saw he got a text from his friend Nadia asking to meet up.
    Nadia is the caretaker of the small orphanage, and Y/n often comes by to visit the kids as well as her. They've grown close over his many visits, and they often met up outside of the orphanage.
    He looked back to Lily. "Ah! I've got to go. It was nice meeting you, and I'm glad I could help!" He ran off before he could hear her response.
    As Y/n excited the park, he was met with the distant sound of screaming and explosions. Without hesitation, he broke into a run towards the sound.
    There's people in trouble! I have to help!
He thought. He continued to run towards the commotion, and eventually saw what was happening.
    Buildings were collapsed, people were running away, things were smoking and on fire, and in the center of it all, was a lizard-like monster covered in sharp spikes and blades.
    It let out a massive roar that shook the earth, and then proceeded to fire a red beam of fiery energy from its mouth. Y/n was frozen in shock. This thing could kill an A-Class or B-Class in mere seconds, and even an S-Class might have a tough time with it.
    He was snapped out of it by a shout for help. He looked around for where it could have come from, and he finally found the person in danger.
    There was a young schoolgirl who looked to be around 13 years old. She had long amber hair and small round glasses.
    Her leg was pinned beneath a piece of rubble from a building that the monster destroyed. Y/n then noticed that he wasn't the only one who heard her cries.
    Her shouts had grabbed the monster's attention, and it was now slowly approaching her, as if stalking prey. Realizing the situation, Y/n forgot all his fear from before, and immediately made a mad dash towards the girl.
    He was getting closer and closer, until he saw a shadow looming over him. He looked up and saw the monster bringing its tail down, trying to crush him.
    He ran even faster and jumped at the last minute, barely avoiding the impact. He didn't let it distract him though, and eventually reached the girl.
    She looked shocked that someone had actually come back for her. Y/n grabbed the edges of the debris and lifted with all his strength. By the time he managed to move it a mere foot, he was already out of breath.
    But he didn't give up. He lifted again, and he finally pulled it off of her leg. He looked at it and saw that her leg had been crushed and mangle, pieces of bone protruding from her skin.
    Y/n realized that she wouldn't be able to run away like this, so he picked her up bridal style, being careful of her injured leg, and ran as fast as he could away from the danger zone.
    As he was running, the girl looked at him with an astonished expression. They suddenly felt a large gust of wind, and at first Y/n thought the monster had caught up to them, but then he saw what looked like a person launching towards the beast at ridiculously high speeds.
    It wasn't any hero he recognized, but either way, it was clear that they meant to defeat the monster. Y/n kept running, and eventually got to an evacuation center* where everyone else had sheltered. He brought the girl to one of the medics tending to the people.
    Y/n listened to the crowd and he heard some of them say that they had been separated from their friends or family as they were running away, and that some were even still missing.
    That hit something in Y/n. There are people still out there and in danger! I have to help them!
    Y/n ran as fast as he could out of the evacuation center and back to where the hero was busy fighting the lizard monster. Y/n took a second to observe the fight, and was slightly surprised to see the hero holding his own quite well. But Y/n didn't have time to think about that right now, there were people who needed his help.
    He looked around for anyone, and spotted a car trapped in the rubble quite a distance away. He looked closer and saw silhouettes of two people through the windshield. There were people trapped inside!
   He ran towards the car as fast as he could, stumbling on a piece of debris along the way, but quickly catching himself.
    He eventually arrived at the front of the vehicle and looked inside to see a man and a woman, clearly a couple, who looked to be in their late 40s, hugging each other, and there were two young kids in the back seat, all huddled together and crying in fear.
    Y/n knocked on the driver's side window, which got the man's attention. He gestured at the window, signaling to the man to roll it down. The man complied, pressing the small button on the door making the window slowly slide down into the confines of the door, making a sickly creaking sound as it did.
    "Are you able to open the door?" Y/n immediately asked. The man shook his head. "A piece of rubble slammed into the door and jammed it shut, and the other side is completely blocked in. We're trapped." He said panicked.
    The woman next to him looked at Y/n with scared and teary eyes. "Please help us, I don't want my kids to die..."
    Y/n nodded in acknowledgment with a determined smile and looked around for something to get the door open. If he could find something similar to a crow bar, he could pry it open and the family could crawl out. However, there was nothing.
    Y/n then noticed something that gave him an idea. The car was a four-door, and the back door on the exposed side of the vehicle looked to be completely unharmed, meaning it could be opened.
    However, there were several large boulders of rubble in the way, meaning he'd have removed them somehow.
    Think Y/n, think! How can I move heavy boulders just enough to get the door open?!