Ticked Off [Boku No Hero Academia]

15: CAPTURED

Izuku was furious. He knew about Compress' Quirk to trap people inside marbles, and he took subtle precautions against it, but his friends had still been captured, just a little later down the path. Uraraka and Tsu worked together to fling Shouji, Shouto, and Izuku through the air, soaring over the treetops and crashing into the villain, bringing all four of them to the ground in a small clearing. Toga looked utterly delighted, bringing her fists up to her flushed cheeks as she bared her fangs in a smitten smile.

Izuku raised his head, grabbing his friends and darting to the side to avoid a sudden flood of bright azure flames. He glared at Dabi, only taking his gaze away when Twice leapt at Todoroki and Toga jumped towards him.

"I'm Toga, Izuku-kun!" She squealed, sprinting forwards with malicious intent in her yellow eyes.

The girl was fast, but he was faster, hopping to one side and twisting to avoid a knife as it slashed towards him. Even if he didn't already know of her infatuation with him due to his injuries, it would've been easy to guess as she happily gushed over the blood spilling down his face. He pushed down his inhibitions and knocked her to the ground, pinning her and leaning down, arranging his face into something he hoped seemed flirtatious rather than disgusted.

"You're super cute, Toga-chan," he whispered to her lowly.

"You'd be cooler if you bled more," she responded in a rapid, hushed tone, a manic note woven into her voice, trying to get her hands free to hurt him.

"We can't waste all my blood on the first date, can we? That's no fun," he practically purred, pressing a foot down harder on her wrist. "How about next time? I need to save my friends first."

There was a puff of smoke from a crater as Compress reappeared. He moved over to Dabi and rummaged in his pockets, only for Shouji to triumphantly reveal the marbles he'd stolen. Izuku froze up, remembering the trick that was pulled last time and was already back on his feet to sprint towards the entertainer. He whipped around with a kick, successfully knocking off the ceramic mask and causing him to spit out the real marbles.

The boy reached out a hand, but his arm was batted off course, causing him to hit one of the turquoise pearls away from them. Compress slammed his cane into Izuku's ribs, causing him to double over with a wheeze of pain. A scorch of heat passed over his bent back, forcing him to lower himself even further.

Purple portals of swirling mist opened up and a Noumu lumbered into the clearing. The villains stepped inside one by one, waving their taunting goodbyes. Compress clicked his fingers, revealing the ice shards that were inside the fake marbles and freeing Tokoyami, who was curled on the ground near Shouji and Shouto, and Bakugou, who was already getting half-swallowed by the portal with Dabi's hand clasped around his throat.

Izuku choked out a cry, forcing himself to straighten up against the agony lancing through his chest and launch himself forwards in a flash of green. He reached out a hand, not entirely sure what he was going to do, fingertips inches from Dabi's chest-