Next To Me

Chapter 4: Carry Me Home

Updated: 03/11/2023

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When [Y/n] woke up, she heard voices around her before she saw anything. Everything was still black, but she could slowly begin to hear the various sounds of her environment. People talking and firetruck sirens. Slowly, [Y/n] could feel her limbs and body once again, but this time, it felt like she weighed a thousand pounds. She was still too weak to even think about moving but tried nonetheless by flexing her fingers. She heard voices around her hush and someone said "Hey, she's waking up". Her vision slowly came into focus as she opened her (e/c) eyes.

The first thing [Y/n] saw was the glaring, dirty face of Katsuki Bakugou. His crimson eyes stared into her face and his blond hair was in disarray. Although he was glaring, his expression seemed....softer, maybe even a little concerned. 

"FINALLY YOU'RE AWAKE YOU DAMN EXTRA," He yelled in her face. [Y/n] winced at his loud voice, her head sore from waking up.

No rest for the wicked, Jesus, Katsuki...

[Y/n] was lying on a stretcher on the pavement. Paramedics stood and crouched next to her as they examined her waking condition. Her back ached from the uncomfortable position of lying on the hard pavement. [Y/n] noticed she was still in the destroyed shopping district, only meters away from where she tried fighting the villain in the middle of the street. However, the fires had been put out and the villain was nowhere to be seen. Pro heroes were talking with cameramen and journalists off to a distance.

"Please, son, she just woke up! I advise you not to yell." A male paramedic sternly said to Katsuki, who just sneered in response.

[Y/n] felt so relieved to see Katsuki okay. She remembered how scared she felt, how she thought he was going to die right in front of her. She remembered how her legs moved on their own when she saw him. And how Izuku ran in...

Izuku...

As if reading her thoughts, a female paramedic crouching beside [Y/n]'s head said "Your green-haired friend is fine, we sent him home a couple of minutes ago. After giving him a good scolding for running into danger as he did, of course." She smiled. [Y/n] just nodded, confused as to why they scolded him for actually doing something, as risky as it was.

"Speaking of scolding," a stern voice bellowed from beside [Y/n]. A thick male paramedic emerged from the crowd and stood in front of her. "You shouldn't have run in either, missy! Your healing quirk is not really suited for villain combat. You're lucky you only sustained minimal injuries related to overusing your quirk. I'd say, for your own safety, you should think about joining a profession in healthcare or support services and leave the fighting villains to the professionals. Your quirk would be best utilized there."

[Y/n] felt her heartache at his words. Why was this such a normal narrative in her life? Why did no one have faith in her? Why was it so hard to believe that she could be a hero? In this society, those with healing quirks usually worked as nurses or doctors or sidekicks at best, but hers was different. She didn't have a typical healing quirk, and she didn't want to be treated as if it was. Were all of her efforts for nothing against the villain? Had she not hurt him in her last seconds of consciousness?

[Y/n] looked back at Katsuki and noticed he was staring off down the road. He leaned his chin in his hand, his head facing away from the girl. She secretly wanted him to say something but she knew he wouldn't. He didn't believe she could be a hero either.

Staring at the back of his head, [Y/n] realized she hadn't yet thanked him. He saved her life from that villain by taking her place after all. Even when he knew it meant his life would be in danger. He saved her. But before she could even think of the right words to say, her attention was caught off guard by a different voice.