Archive of Our Own ^beta

Katsuki turned around to face Izuku, “You know if you really want to be a hero that badly there actually might be another way just pray you’ll be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof of the building.”

Izuku looked back at him, anger oozing off of him, but one look from Kacchan had all the fight leaving his body. Maybe Kacchan was right, there really was nothing left for him. His dreams were nothing more than a fantasy that Kacchan burned to a crisp and threw out the window. All he can do is hope his mother will be able to recover from his death. There really was no one else who truly cared about him and the only friend he’d ever had was now his bully.

Izuku sighed and started in the direction of the exit. As he left the building he looked over to where the remains of his burnt notebook were. Heading over he paused in front of the fountain before picking up the notebook. As he flipped through the pages, Izuku couldn’t help but let the tears fall. There really was nothing holding him down to this life. Everything he wanted to ever do or be was impossible and there was only one person in his life who actually cared and it was his mom. Glancing back at the school, Izuku broke into a sprint. Maybe Kacchan was right, he could just be born with a quirk in his next life! That sounded like more of a plan than his current one which was non-existent. As he rounded the corner he ran past Kacchan who was getting a drink from the vending machines with his friends; if you could even call them that.

Grinning maniacally, Izuku shouted as he ran by, “Thanks, Kacchan!” Pure glee filled his eyes knowing what would come in the next couple minutes.

Katsuki looked back at him, shock briefly overcoming his features before returning to his typical resting glare and turning back to the conversation he was having. Whatever Deku had planned it was none of his business. But a nagging feeling had overcome any semblance of passiveness he originally felt. What the hell could Deku be thanking him for, he’d just told him to jump off the roof for crying out loud! All the color drained from Katsuki’s face as he realized that crazy asshole might be thinking of doing it.

“Dude are you ok? You look like shit.” One of the extra’s sniggered.

“Hopefully Midoriya’s going to jump, he did just thank our Katsuki over here,” the other extra said with a laugh.

These two weren’t even worth a damn to Katsuki so he just glared at them and started stalking in the direction Deku had been sprinting. If he started out right running now it’d be suspicious; isn’t he not supposed to care about the nerd?

“I left something upstairs, don’t wait up,” he called back.

As soon as Katsuki was out of sight of the extras and broke into a sprint. There’s no way Deku is going to be the reason he can’t be a hero. If Deku dies he can’t be a hero. Even if Deku doesn’t mention him in a suiside note Katsuki can’t be a hero if he dies. There’s no universe in which a hero is the cause of someone killing themselves; even Katsuki can’t justify it. Katsuki knows he was being selfish, he doesn’t want Deku with his indomitable heroic spirit to stand in his way because Katsuki knows he’d be left behind. Deku has always left him behind in this manner and no amount of fighting will change this. Plus he doesn’t have a quirk! There’s no way that guy wouldn’t have been injured during the entrance exam for UA! What was he even thinking?!

Katsuki slams the door to the roof open just to see Deku’s green hair pass the ledge.

“FUCK!”

He can’t be a hero if Deku dies, he wouldn’t have the right. Vaugley, he wonders what it’d have been like to be heroes together too. Katsuki’s obviously way stronger than Deku, but wouldn’t it have been fun to push each other in what the other lacked? In Deku’s case raw power and for Katsuki’s, the need to save? Katsuki couldn’t even imagine trying to be a hero without Deku there as well which is silly because how could Deku be a hero in the first place? He doesn’t have a quirk. Oh god he doesn’t have a quirk and he’s falling fast!

Katsuki blasts himself forwards to where he saw Deku disappear from, then lets out one of the largest explosions he’s ever made up till now straight downwards. Deku can’t die, there is no Kacchan without Deku, Katsuki can’t be a hero without Izuku there. There’d be no point.

Katsuki reaches out desperately trying to grasp for Deku’s shirt or something but he’s met with empty air. His trajectory was perfectly aimed to give himself enough time to reset his balance against gravity, and Katsuki would be a goner or at least very injured if he went further. At that moment Katsuki saw nothing but green. He aimed his arm back and let out another large explosion hoping, praying to the gods he doesn’t believe in to let him reach Deku before they hit the ground. And he feels it for a moment. For a brief second Katsuki had Deku within his grasp and everything was right with the world. He’d done it! Katsuki had saved Deku, nothing else mattered, they'd both be fine and be heroes just like they’d wanted to when they were kids. Katsuki reflects back on the memory of them getting matching All Might cards and smiles fondly. In that brief moment Katsuki pulls Deku tight against him, readying himself to aim another large blast against the ground to cushion their fall. But he was too late. In a last ditch effort he twisted trying to angle himself to cushion Deku’s fall at least but it was for naught.

“I’m sorry, Izuku.”

“..Kacchan?”

Thud