The Subtle Smell Of Fish (D. Kaminari X Reader)

66 - Rescue Exercise

"Welcome to the second and last stage of your provisional hero licensing exam," Mera began once more, as soon as everyone was assembled in a separate room. "This part will focus on rescue and how effectively you can perform rescue operations, both alone and in groups. For this we have professionally trained actors who will be grading your performance. These HUC members are scattered around the battlefield, it's up to you to find them and get them out safely. Your exam will begin in ten minutes, as soon as the HUC is ready. Good luck!"

The crowd was quick to disperse, chatter filling the room as groups of different combinations interacted with each other. Though you only had one target in mind.

"Kaminari-kun," you hissed, grabbing the blonde's shoulder and dragging him to a quiet corner before he could run away. "We need to talk."

"I don't see what there is to talk about Y/N, you like Bakugo and kissing you was a mistake," he shrugged. "I only wish you'd told me sooner so that I didn't waste my time."

"I thought I told you I liked Kirishima?" You questioned.

"I've seen the way you interact with Kacchan, and you guys have great chemistry. You always had. I don't know why I bothered, no one can compete against him," Kaminari laughed ruefully.

You opened your mouth briefly to say something, though no words came out. You wanted to wrap your arms around him, let him cry, tell him you would be there until time ended. You wanted to tell him how you would've kissed back if it weren't for your best friend's love life. You wanted to apologise for pushing him away and not speaking to him.

But you couldn't.

You squeezed your eyes shut and breathed out, mumbling a quick apology before leaving him to himself.

"Tenya?" You called, attempting to locate your muscular friend.

"Y/N, I'm glad to see you here!" Iida grinned, though his tone changed instantly as he saw you on the verge of tears. "He isn't worth crying over, I promise."

"I hope for your sake that you're right," you sniffled, leaning into him, as he gently wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

"I'll kick him for you," Iida grinned, which in itself was enough to get you to laugh.

"You should smile more, you look pretty when you do," you commented.

"Midoriya-San told me the same, I've tried improving on it," he admitted. "I believe it would also make me more approachable as a hero."

"Your face is fully covered anyways, it would be weird if metal suddenly smiled one day," you reminded, to which he smiled bashfully.

Though the two of you didn't get to finish your conversation, because the HUC was ready all too soon. The box you were in collapsed, showing the disaster zone you would be working with, only for you to notice one striking detail.

"Kamino Ward," you whispered. "It's modelled off Kamino...."

You shook off any thoughts that plagued your mind from the incident and jumped in, heading to an unstable building. That was where your quirk would be most practical, since your shields could protect with ease.

"Hello? Anyone here?" You called. "I'm a hero, Firefly!"

You heard quiet sobbing, and headed in the direction, making sure to not move too quickly as the building was unstable. There, you found a mother, crushed under rubble as her daughter lay unmoving a few feet away.

"Ma'am, the heroes are here, we'll get you and the kid out," you reassured, moving the larger stones off her legs.

Her legs were shattered, so naturally she couldn't walk. Instead you called a dragon to your side and gently lifted her onto it while she asked you questions.

"Will she make it?" The mother asked.

"I don't know ma'am, we'll get both of you to the hospital and get a thorough examination done," you explained. "After that, everything is in the doctor's hands."

You lifted the girl up, and carried her to the exit, where your eyes suddenly widened as you noticed something. You ducked, lifting an arm up to create a shield around all of you to protect yourselves from falling rubble.

"Alright, we're staying under my shield," you glared. "The dragon can match my pace, but please tell me if it gets uncomfortable or too bumpy, your legs won't heal properly then."

"I will, thank you eh..." the lady faltered.

"Firefly," you smiled.

"Thank you, Firefly," she nodded, as the three of you raced out, the girl in your arms still unconscious.

You were quick to board your own dragon as soon as the shield was no longer necessary, floating your way back to the camp, where first aid stations had been set up.

"I've got a conscious and severely injured and an unconscious one here!" You called out, as two students from Ketsubutsu came to take them off your hands.

"It's Lady L/N," a few students whispered.

"Yeah, what about it?" You spat back, scanning the crowd. "Where's Shindo?"

"Out helping U.A with their rescue operations, the green one. Said something about more injured people at Ground Zero the last time he arrived," one of the girls explained. "Shiketsu is on recon, helping with the rescue, and most of U.A is fighting them."

"Shit," you mumbled. "Thanks for the information, I trust you with the victims."

She nodded, and with that, you jumped off. The sight around you wasn't pretty. It was like a warzone, houses were caving in on themselves, dust was scattered everywhere, and most of the HUC victims were either pretending to be dead or dying.

You passed by a particularly unstable house on the way to Ground Zero, with an immobilized boy in it, his wheelchair lying shattered next to him and his cane being too far away.

The house collapsed a second later, the movement of the boy having been too much for it to handle.

"No!" You yelled, flinging a shield at where the boy was, hoping he was still safe.

Once the dust had cleared, you noticed that the boy was not only crying buckets now, the base of the house was also balanced on that one shield. You entered the shield yourself, handing him the cane.

"Hey, I'm a hero," you smiled gently. "Do you know if anyone lives upstairs?"

The boy shook his head, sniffing.

"Ok, that's fine. What's your name, do you know where your parents are?" You asked.

"Takeru," the boy whimpered. "My mom and dad weren't at home today, I wanna see them!"

"Alright Takeru, I'll tell you what. I'll get you out of here and we'll go to the hospital, I'll call your mama and papa there, ok?" You offered, to which he nodded.

Though before you got him out, you checked the apartment with your heat visor one last time, only to find something more shocking.

There was a grandpa in the top floor.

A/N: two updates in one day? Am I ok? No. I'm stress writing. How are you guys?

QOTD: thoughts on the Iida interaction?

Have a great day/night!