Chapter Text
Shota took one last look at his student’s faces, those that were left anyways. He never expected to outlive some of his students. But, this class was filled with trouble magnets. Shota gazed over to Midoriya, who had tears streaming down his face. Carefully he lifted a bloodied hand to the boy who grasped it with his own, mangled beyond usability, hand a shard of glass hit his hand, and the fresh pain focused him enough that he could speak, to say some last words with his students. “You,” he coughed, trying to drag in a breath, “You did good, you’ll be a wonderful hero.”
Midoriya just cried harder, “T-thank you s-sensei.”
He smiled his eyes meeting the rest of the kids, Bakugo, Asui, Uraraka, Tokoyami Yaoyorozu… so few of them were left… but thanks to Midoriya they had won, even if the cost had been big. Too big.
Shota wished that there wasn’t such a big toll. That he could have done something to protect them, to save his other students from everything. These kids of his hadn’t even graduated yet, they were in their third year, but all of them had experienced so much loss.
He wanted to save them all.
His student lowered his hand to his chest, but kept it in grasp. Their blood pooled together, and Shota wanted to cry, because he knew… he knew … that Midoriya wouldn’t make it but another couple hours. The wounds were too grievous.
Despite all logic telling him Midoriya wouldn’t make it, he wanted his student to live. To bring the world back to what it once was. To ignite laughter and smiles in everyone. To be the symbol of hope they needed.
Midoriya deserves to live .
His eyes were closing now, he didn’t have the energy to keep them open. But… he had to say one last thing to his students, had to let them know just how proud of them he was. They had withstood so many trials. These are my kids. ‘“All... all of you, I'm so-" he paused, hacking out the blood that filled his mouth, “so proud of...”
His voice cut off, and he couldn’t speak, couldn’t finish his words, couldn’t tell them how much he loved them. He could hear the sobs of Uraraka and Yaoyorozu. And all at once his students were talking, telling him everything that they would never get the chance to say again. That they loved him, that he was the best teacher they could have.
And all the while he could feel Midoriya’s hand gripping his. With the last remaining energy he had he gave Midoriya’s hand a squeeze. They don’t deserve this.
Everything faded out and he could no longer hear the words spoken. Could no longer feel the pressure from Midoriya’s hand. He felt like he was floating, that there was nothing grounding him to his body. No pain. No fear. Nothing.
I don’t want to leave them .