Be Careful What You Wish For

Freezing

The second death was Todoroki Shouto.

Izuku's eyes blinked open to the space hero, Number Thirteen, finishing his speech. Fear seized his heart in realization that there was nothing he could do to warn them of the incoming villain attack without attracting unwanted questions. Even if there was some way for him to convince everyone that they had to leave now, there wouldn't be enough time. That only left him with one option: survive.

When the swirling villain of purple mist so dark it almost looked black warped them, Izuku had already changed his initial position. His intent was to evade the warp entirely, but seeing as he failed that, he ended up transported to the same district as the ice and fire user.

If Izuku hadn't been there, Todoroki would have frozen every villain as soon as his feet touched the ground. But with the other boy there and in danger of being caught in the attack, he was a lot more constricted in how freely he could use his quirk.

In the end, as they were both overwhelmed by villains from all angles, Todoroki's left side erupted in a roaring inferno as a last, desperate attempt to defend himself. So shocked the elemental user was, that he did not even notice the villain sneaking up behind him.

By the time Izuku's warning shout left his lips, it was already too late.

Todoroki's heterochromatic eyes were open wide with shock, staring without words at the sharpened pole that entered through his back, pierced his heart and thrust through his chest. He grasped the bloody end jutting out from between his ribs, just holding it, looking confused and unsure of what to do next.

His eyes met Izuku's, mouth open in a silent plea. Tears slowly begun prickling the corners of his eyes as his dazed expression bled over into panic and dawning realization. The image of a fatally injured Todoroki falling bonelessly to his knees grew blurry as Izuku's own salty tears mixed with the other's.

I'm sorry, he mouthed, not daring to say it out loud and breaking the deafening silence. I'm sorry.

He knew what he had to do. Furiously, he wiped his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his beating heart, pounding so hard he thought he heard his ribs creaking. He glared up at the grinning villains through watery eyes and did his best to choke down his sobs and sniffles, threatening to break him.

He didn't have to do much after that. He lacked the courage to take action into his own hands, but fortunately, he didn't need to. Before the next minute was up, it was over.

Izuku's body joined Todoroki's on the ground. His head landed somewhere else.

Hopefully on a villain, he thought, spitefully. That brought a faint smile to his face, so the first thing he did after resetting was to bellow out a hearty laugh. It gained him a few curious stares and a scowl from Kacchan, but at that point, Izuku couldn't care less about something so trivial.