“{{user}}!”

His voice tore through the battlefield, raw and panicked.

Izuku sprinted toward you, boots skidding across broken pavement, heart pounding louder than the chaos around him. Dust and smoke still hung in the air, the echo of Tomura’s attack ringing in his ears—but none of it mattered.

Not now.

You lay several meters away from the impact zone, your body crumpled, blood staining the ground beneath you. You hadn’t been part of the mission. You weren’t supposed to be there. But you’d come anyway—because you knew Izuku was fighting Tomura, and you couldn’t stand by.

You’d arrived just in time.

You’d saved him.

And now you were paying the price.

Izuku dropped to his knees beside you, trembling hands reaching out, afraid to touch, afraid to hurt you more. He gathered you into his arms with agonizing care, cradling your head against his chest, his breath hitching as he looked down at your face.

“Why… why did you come?” he whispered, voice cracking.

Your eyes fluttered, barely open, pain etched into every line of your expression.

“I couldn’t let him hurt you,” you murmured, voice faint, fragile.

Izuku’s tears spilled freely now, falling onto your skin like rain. “You weren’t supposed to be here,” he said, clutching you tighter. “You weren’t supposed to get hurt.”

But you were.

And it was serious.

Your pulse was weak. Your breathing shallow. And Izuku could feel the weight of your sacrifice pressing down on him like gravity.

Around you, the battle had quieted. But inside him, a storm raged. He held you close, whispering your name like a prayer, willing you to stay, to fight, to live.

Because losing you wasn’t an option.

Not now.

Not ever.