The first thing Katsuki did after all the fighting, was breathe. Taking in the deepest breath he ever had in his life, not even caring in the slightest that the air was thick with smoke and soot. Undoubtedly unhealthy for him.

It felt fantastic to get a proper amount of oxygen into his body, his chest still feeling tight as if he was suffocating. But less so every passing minute.

He took a second to just relax, softening all of his muscles as he let the ground carry his weight.

He stared upwards at the sky, at the smoke filtering upwards. He could hear people- heroes and cops. Sirens. They were helping the injured, because there were a lot of those.

He was just glad he was alive to see it.

Finally after his moment of respite he stood up, bones aching with every movement. But he persevered regardless, stretching his arms out a little as he surveyed the area.

Most people were already being tended to, so he decided to just. Walk. Stop to help if someone needed it, but he was still a kid.

A student.

He didn’t need to burden himself with all the pain and death- though death he already had suffered from. The beating of his heart feeling irregular everytime he gave it more than a passing thought.

He recognized some faces, Ochaco, Tenya, Deku. All of them with wary smiles on their faces. They checksd each other over, eyes saddening noticing the amount of injuries the others had sustained. Other faces like Hawks, Aizawa, Mic. They were all working hard to help those in need.

Organizing the help, carrying people to ambulances or dressing minor wounds.

He probably needed tended to as well, but he couldn’t be damned.

Because the only thing on his mind right now was making sure everyone he cared about (which he still would never admit out loud) was okay. And they all seemed to be.

Except one.

“Oi! Sensei!” his gravely voice rang out, catching his attention. “Where are they?”

The way his teacher’s face dropped made his entire body lurch in fear.