Chapter 44

As much as he didn't want to, Izuku had to flee and lead the others to safety.

Heartbeats were thundering against their ribcage, adrenaline pumping through their veins. Izuku held the other two boys tightly, securing them so they wouldn't fall with his eyes wide with panic. Katsuki was breathing heavily in his grasp, hissing when he tried to close his hands or stretch his fingers. Todoroki had blood oozing from a wound in his forehead, making it trail down the side of his face. He felt lightheaded, head spinning as he willed himself not to lose consciousness.

"Shotoooo!!" A shout from somewhere near him caught their attention. A human version of a literal fireball approached them at incredible speed, making Izuku's eyes widen in surprise and relief. Endeavor stopped right in front of them, using his fire to support him in the air.

"Endeavor!" Izuku exclaimed, letting out a breath as Enji approached his son.

"Are you all okay? Where is that bastard?!" The redhead asked in a sneered, taking Todoroki in his arms, making Izuku untangle him from his quirk.

"We're okay," Todoroki grumbled, feeling uncomfortable in the man's embrace. Other than being sore and slightly dizzy, he was alright. He just wanted to reach safe grounds and compose himself. All for One did a number on him, that's for sure.

Danger Sense went off, alerting Izuku and moving his gaze to the ground. His eyes widened, Dabi holding his hands in their direction and rapidly activating his quirk. Endeavor noticed Izuku's frantic look and followed his line of sight, watching blue flames head towards them. He secured his son in his arms, Izuki doing the same with Katsuki as they immediately flew out of the way.

"You finally arrive, Endeavor!" Dabi exclaimed, a crazed grin adorning his scarred face. "Or should I say, Enji?"

The flaming redhead narrowed his eyes at the mention of his first name. It sent a chill down his spine, something oddly familiar in the sound of it.

"Midoriya, go find a pro. They'll handle the situation. I'll deal with Dabi. Take Shoto with you," Endeavor instructed, making Izuku bite the inside of his cheeks. He knew that Hisashi was going to find them soon enough, and they had to recover. So, reluctantly, the greenette nodded, encaging Todoroki in dark tendrils.

"No," a growl interrupted them, eyes snapping to the explosive blond who had been eerily quiet until then. "I ain't fucking standing back and watch the pros risk their lives. I'm fucking fighting."

"You've fought enough," Endeavor frowned, turning his attention back to the male looking up at them patiently.

"I'll stay," the heterochromatic suddenly spoke, making the redhead look at him. "It's best if I stay in case other members decide to show up. Better safe than sorry."

"I'm getting bored down here!"

Enji seemed to ponder for a moment before giving in. He knew that even if he said no, the heterochromatic wouldn't listen anyway. So he nodded in agreement, although hesitantly.

"Go," he ordered one last time, glaring down at Dabi. Todoroki made a slide with his ice, getting out of his father's grip and heading to the ground, determined to fight Dabi.

Katsuki was about to protest until Izuku hurried away, making him squirm. "Are you fucking serious?! Let me go, ima beat that motherfucker!"

"No!" Izuku hissed, tightening his hold. "You're in no shape to fight!"

"I'm fucking fine!" Katsuki argued, although his palms pounded in objection. Truth be told—which he was painfully aware of—his hands wouldn't be able to hold much longer. But he wouldn't let that stop him, not a chance in hell. It would be equivalent to giving up, and that was something that the blond simply didn't have in him.

"You're not!" The greenette scowled, a sharp throb in his head making him turn around hastily. He was ready to avoid whatever was headed his way, but Danger Sense went off three times more, all in different directions, making him unable to dodge in time.

Something sharp pierced his wounded leg, eliciting a scream from Izuku as his hold on Katsuki faltered. The blond's eyes widened, head snapping to the source of the tendril that had punctured the greenette's leg. "Fuck!"

Hisashi stood on the ground just below them, the remnants of a misty portal vanishing into thin air. "And here I thought you had gotten farther away.  Pathetic."

Katsuki growled, eyes narrowing into slits as he glared at Hisashi. The man removed the sharp tendril from Izuku's leg, making him let out a painful grunt as his focus on his floating quirk faltered. They began falling, catching Katsuki by surprise as he forced explosions out of his palms to give them a hasty landing. It hurt like a fucking bitch, his explosions not nearly as powerful as they regularly were.

Blood ran down Izuku's leg, their not so graceful landing causing him to put weight on it, making him fall. He gritted his teeth, watching as Katsuki hurriedly tore a piece of fabric from his tattered uniform. He made a rushed tourniquet, making the greenette wince as he glared at Hisashi.

"Your attempt at escaping was so useless. It shouldn't be a surprise coming from you, of course," the male taunted, sneering down at Izuku. Katsuki scoffed, standing straight and squaring his shoulders, standing defensively in front of his boyfriend.

He knew that his attacks wouldn't be efficient, but even so, he charged forward. Izuku was right behind him, ignoring the throbbing pain in his leg. They moved in synch, one's movements complimenting the other's as they raised their fists. Hisashi prepared for the forthcoming assault, raising both arms, but the two teens knew what they had to do.

As long as they avoided his arms, they had a high chance of succeeding.

It was as if their minds were connected by an invisible link, both seeming to know what the other was thinking. As Hisashi's air cannons were loaded, the boys suddenly shifted their positions. Katsuki jumped in the air while Izuku slid on the floor, leg swinging as he aimed them to the back of Hisashi's ankles. Katsuki immediately kicked one of his arms up, triggering his quirk and making him fire the air cannon towards the air.

Hisashi lost his footing, Izuku succeeding in his task. Pissed, he aimed his other arm to Katsuki as he fell on the ground. The blond managed to dodge, the powerful gust of wind only knocking him sideways. Izuku prepared for another attack, having loaded up Fa Jin in one of his hands. He jumped over All for One, who was standing up, and raised his fist.

But a burning pain shot from his side, faltering his movements. It scorched through his system like crippling fire. It cause a silent scream to leave his mouth, body tensing up.

"Izuku!"

Hisashi smirked, bringing a powerful hand to the greenette's throat and wrapping his fingers tightly around it.

Katsuki lunged at him, a deep scowl on his face as he blindly attacked. He directed an explosion to his face, Hisashi oh so easily detecting it and oh so really repelling it, blasting Katsuki off to the side.

"I should've done this a long time ago," the male sneered, squeezing Izuku's throat, watching in satisfaction as the greenette's eyes widened as he struggled to breathe.

His throat burned, and his side and leg throbbed painfully. He brought his hand up as a weak attempt to pry Hisashi's hand off. It brought back painful memories from his childhood, oxygen barely reaching his lungs and brain.

Just a he was on the brink of unconsciousness, the hand around his throat was harshly removed, his body falling on the ground as he violently coughed. Katsuki was fuming, rage he had never felt before clouding his judgment. Even if his quirk was no good, he threw continuous punches to Hisashi's frame. His muscles ached, his entire body protesting, but he didn't care. He wouldn't let this man lay another hand on his boyfriend. Even if it costs him his own life.

"Don't you lay another finger on him," Katsuki growled. Izuku was gasping, eyesight blurry as they focused. Hisashi scoffed, black and red lightning surrounding his body as he prepared his quirk. Multiple sharp tendrils shot from his back, approaching Katsuki at lighting speed.

The blond did his best to dodge them, but some were able to pierce and graze his body, causing yelps to leave his mouth. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his face that he noticed how close Hisashi actually was. His breath hitched, eyes widening as a horrible sense of déjà vu flooded him.

"Kacchan!" The greenette shouted, already on his feet and barely avoiding attacks directed at him thanks to his danger sense, but even so, it was proving to be extremely difficult.

Hisashi smirked down at Katsuki, enjoying the look of pure terror the blond had. "I should've taken that quirk of yours when I had the chance. But it feels so much better looking your expression now that you know that you lost." He taunted, somehow managing to expertly attack Izuku while slowly activating his main quirk.

Katsuki screamed as a scorching pain burned through his entire system. It felt like if his entire soul was being sucked out of his body, and he couldn't do anything but bare with the pain. It had tears stinging in his eyes, threatening to fall as his voice became hoarse. He had never felt such pain before.

"NO! Don't fucking touch—argh!" He suddenly yelled out, one of the tendrils succeeding in piercing his already over abused leg in his brief moment of distraction. It made him dizzy, the pain excruciating. His knees gave out from under him, failing to support any more of his weight. Everything was blurry, his brain unable to process what happened next.

Katsuki's body fell to the ground, not taking in the sudden turn of events as he focused on Izuku's scream. He turned his head to where Izuku was, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of his boyfriend

"Izuku!!" He screamed, heart pumping wildly in his chest as he forced himself to stand up. He didn't have time to dwell on the fact that his quirk had just been stolen. He could only rush over to Izuku as he noticed him collapse, using whatever energy he had left. But what had him moving wasn't the fact watching him collapse, but rather the multiple tendrils Hisashi directed towards him, his killing intent noticeable in his expression.

Adrenaline rushed through his veins, legs aching but running the fastest possible, jumping in front of Izuku...

"Kacchan!!"

The tendrils pierced Katsuki's torso, going through his body as they impaled him. Katsuki couldn't scream, the pain so unbearable that his voice caught up in his throat. Blood stained the fabric that barely covered his upper body, blood trailing down the sides of Katsuki's mouth.

"NO!" Izuku screamed, eyes wide with terror, taking in the sight before him. A low, squelching sound could be heard as Hisashi slowly retracted the tendrils, a sinister smile on his face. He hadn't expected Katsuki to be fast enough to receive the hit, but oh, was he pleased. One less peasant to deal with.

"Heroes. Useless wannabes who would risk their lives for people. So pointless. When will they learn that it is all in vain?"

Izuku caught Katsuki's body as it fell, breathing erratic as panic flooded his system. He desperately cradled the blond's body close to him, hand going up to his blood-stained cheek. Katsuki coughed, blood spurting out of his mouth and trailing down his chin. His head was spinning, and his eyelids battled to stay open, barely focusing on Izuku.

"Those who die protecting people that don't even care for them are weak, using the hero title to gain a public standing; to be recognized. Those with that power are more corrupt than a villain could ever be."

The sounds around him were muffled, a constant ringing in his ears as he could barely make out the words spoken to him.

"Katsuki!"

"So absurd. Willing to die, only for them to criticize you for not saving enough."

"Stay with me!"

"Not being enough."

"Kacchan!"

"When you could simply take lives and live eternally. You could get all that you want and gain the fame without all the saving hassle. You could be free."

"Don't close your eyes, focus on me! Look at me!"

"Or do you enjoy the tears people shed and the mourning you receive for doing such things?"

"No! Kacchan! No!"

"So tell me, Katsuki, how do you feel now that you're dying? How does it feel to lose?"

"Shit! Kacchan! I need you to accept it. Take it! Please, you can't leave me! Say yes and take it!" Izuku sobbed caressing Katsuki's bloody cheek with his thumbs.

"How does it feel knowing that Izuku will die because you couldn't protect him? All because you chose to risk your life and leave him vulnerable."

With whatever little energy he still had, he managed to focus on Izuku. The blood loss was starting to affect his brain, and his heartbeat became slow and steady. Even so, he willed himself to stay awake although he felt very tired.

"That's it, focus on me!" Izuku whispered brokenly through sobs. "You can't leave me. Not now, now ever!"

"Izu..." Katsuki croaked out, slowly reaching to one of the hands that held his face with such tenderness it made him give a small smile.

"I need you," Izuku whispered, connecting his forehead with Katsuki's. "Who else is going to be there to catch me if I fall?"

"I'm just...tired," Katsuki reassured, squeezing Izuku's hand weakly.

"I know, but I need you to fight with me. Take it, accept it, please. Stay with me," Izuku sobbed. Hisashi watched the scene in front of him, disgust evidently showing on his face as he processed what was going on.

Katsuki, not understanding what the greenette meant, gave a small nod. Izuku let out a content sigh, a smile overtaking his features despite his stubby nose and puffed eyes. He would do anything to save his boyfriend.

Even if it meant giving up his quirk.

Not caring that Hisashi was watching, Izuku held Katsuki's face firmly and pressed their lips together. The coppery taste of Katsuki's blood invaded his tastebuds, salty tears mixing with the strange combination as he shared a deep kiss with Katsuki.

The blond, despite his groggy mind, kissed back at the best of his ability. He didn't mind the mix of tears and blood, eyes shutting close as he enjoyed the passionate moment. The world around them didn't matter. Not even the powerful attack headed their way.

All that mattered was their persistent souls and the surge of power that now coursed through Katsuki's veins.