Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya hates Endeavor.
No. That's not quite right. Izuku Midoriya doesn’t hate anyone. Some quiet, quirkless kid doesn’t have the guts to openly oppose the number two hero. Izuku Midoriya blended into the shadows; seamlessly filling the role of a boring, ordinary high-school student. He stayed out of trouble. He didn’t talk or think badly about others. He was a good kid. An unremarkable, average kid. Inko had raised him right, teaching him the importance of respect and humility. He would never go and pick fights with some oversized, flaming bully.
It’s Rabbit who hates Endeavor.
Even then, hate is a strong word. The vigilante dislikes the hero’s attitude. He despises the way the man treats minor criminals, leaving them with burns and scars far more severe than their crimes. Sure, he loathes the days when Endeavor is on patrol: mostly because it means he has to save the civilians, villains, and surroundings from a certain someone’s fiery wrath. And yeah, he detests how Endeavor acts around his fans, all high and mighty, not even willing to give autographs or entertain simple conversations.
Oh, and there's also the fact that he beats children. His own children.
So, Rabbit hates Endeavor. And he is not afraid to show it.
It started small, accidental even. Rabbit got into a battle with a mutant-type villain, some tall, blue thug with a strength enhancement quirk, and ended up carving a hole in one of Endeavors’ billboards. With his own body. Coincidentally, right where the pro hero's face was located.
To Rabbit, it was an honest mistake. Though, in his humble opinion, it was a nice improvement to the billboard's aesthetic qualities. Very much worth the following two weeks of bruised ribs and a painfully twisted shoulder blade.
Apparently, though, Endeavor doesn’t understand the concept of an accident as he proceeded to call out Rabbit publicly for purposeful desecration of private property. Midoriya couldn’t turn on any news channels for about a week as every possible media platform blasted Endeavor's comments about his ‘recklessness’ and how he was a ‘menace to hero society’. The whole thing annoyed him, but he could let it go. The villain was caught in the end and there was minimal damage overall. All's well that ends well, right?
It wasn’t until Rabbit was trying to enjoy his favorite radio show that he got really, really pissed. Hands Up Radio was sacred to Izuku in every conceivable way. He loved Present Mic, his hero persona reminding him so much of All Might, always upbeat for the sake of others. Listening to his show had been routine for years. He had made a pattern of listening to the man talk after patrol, sitting on rooftops and enjoying the snacks he stole from whatever unguarded vending machine was nearby. It was usually a comfort to him and an easy way to keep track of the latest hero news.
Or at least it was a comfort until Izuku was forced to listen to the clip of Endeavor bashing him for like, the ten grillionth time.
‘Foolish child’
‘Going to get somebody killed’
‘Criminal vigilante’
‘Clear threat to civilian safety’
‘Uncivilized Cretan’
‘Practically a villain’
And as if listening to the speech wasn’t enough, Rabbit had to sit through all of Present Mic’s commentary. (He couldn’t just turn Hands Up Radio off, it was tradition to listen to the whole thing, every Friday, and at this point, it would hurt Izukus' soul to silence it)
The voice hero was, unsurprisingly, nice. He gave Rabbit the benefit of the doubt for most of his argument, pointing out all the good he did for the general public. But still, he denounced the act of vigilantism altogether, dubbing it dangerous and illegal and irresponsible . All things he had to say as a pro hero in the public eye.
Still, Rabbits blood boiled. It wasn’t enough that Endeavor tanked his PR, now he was going to taint this too? Izuku had been stuck saving kittens from trees and helping grandmas cross the street for weeks just to get his reputation back to where it used to be! (Not that he minded doing those things, he would probably do them regardless of the state of his publicity, but still, it was the principle)
Now Endeavor had also gone and tarnished his favorite radio host's opinion of him? And ruined his Friday night tradition?
Nope. That was not going to slide.
And so, that's how Rabbit declared war on the number two pro hero.
___>^^<___
It only took about two weeks for Endeavor to realize Rabbit was purposefully targeting him. After roughly seven vandalized billboards, several intercepted villain captures and a handful of packages that exploded green glitter sent directly to the flaming hero's agency (you would think they would have a better screening process), Endeavor finally understood that Rabbit was indeed out for blood.
In reality, Izuku was out for chaos and probably arson, but the hero didn’t know that.
All Endeavor knew was that the little bunny who was previously a splinter in his abnormally large pinky finger, was now a growing thorn in his side.
It enraged him to no end and in Izukus' opinion, was absolutely delightful.
Dodging Endeavor sidekicks had become a daily routine- the flaming hero sending as many as he could spare after the rogue vigilante, not that it helped much. Rabbit, true to his name, was quick on his feet and even quicker to break down the sidekick's quirks, making escape all too easy. It had honestly become a fun game to play; how many Endeavor cronies can he outrun today?
So far, his highest record is 14, but who’s counting?
There was one downside to all this though; with an increase in Endeavor's attention also came an increase in press attention. Meaning Rabbit was becoming more popular, and more wanted.
Izuku knew several more pros had begun to pick up on his scent, trailing him on his nighttime patrol routes ( cough cough, Eraserhead, cough cough ) and making more grabs for him during the day. Even the police had become more wary of him, trying to snag him whenever he dropped off a petty criminal at the station.
Honestly, it was all really uncool . Here he was, trying to have fun, albeit illegally, and getting into even more trouble than before. He wasn’t even doing that much more vigilante stuff! Just normal teenage shenanigans: like spray painting and parkour and minor assault. Regardless though , the authorities were closing in, beginning to treat him like a real criminal rather than your friendly neighborhood vigilante. Even Tsukauchi had become more serious about turning him in.
In response, Rabbit knew he had to be more careful. As much as he loathed to admit it, his gallivanting had become an issue. The media had picked up on his trend of defacing Endeavor billboards and begun sticking up cameras to catch the vigilante in the act. A fact Izuku had to learn the hard way.
One particular video got posted on the internet and caused quite a stir. Rabbit's face was recorded from a distance that was closer than comfortable. Despite the mask, colored contacts, and hood disguising his identity, it caused Izuku to panic. He disappeared from his patrols for a few days while he waited for the heat to die down.
In the meantime, he tracked the video across the web, trying to see just how many people would view it and if it was really something he needed to worry about. He didn’t want anyone speculating about who he was. There were already plenty of theories out there on him and his quirk. Luckily, none seemed to even come close. Most suggested abilities along the lines of jump boost, increased speed, or heightened senses. Nobody had ever suspected he had no power at all.
What he wasn’t expecting was the barrage of shockingly supportive and hilarious comments left on the video by random accounts. Of course, there were those that criticized him, but most were bewilderingly reassuring. Some of them even made Izuku laugh out loud, leaning back in his desk chair to die in fits of giggles.
Most of those bashed Endeavor, calling the flame hero out and encouraging the vigilante's hate crimes. Some were just snarky remarks about Rabbit's agility and how he was running circles around dozens of pro heroes. More so jabs at subpar pros than at him.
Other comments gave suggestions of new ways Rabbit could fuck with Endeavor. Many involved giving his hero agency a paint job, embarrassing the man's sidekicks, and utilizing mass amounts of glitter for god knows what.
But one- one comment in particular caught his eye.
@shit_stirrer2100
Isnt Rabbit around the same age as Endeavors son? They should just start dating. Now that would piss Endeavor off.
And that’s how Todoroki Shouto got dragged into Rabbit's schemes.
___>^^<___
It wasn’t hard for Rabbit to recognize his newest target.
Years of religiously watching the UA sports festival was actually paying off. Shouto had placed top two every single year he competed, his only real competition being Katsuki (yikes) and that one emo bird kid (Izuku liked his vibe.) Shouto's record was quite impressive, and his quirk was one of the most powerful Izuku had ever seen.
His split hair dye made him easy to spot, especially when patrolling out in the streets of Musutafu. Not to mention that he wasn’t exactly bad-looking . He caught Rabbit's eye rather easily, even when surrounded by crowds.
It also helped that Shouto had a bad habit of wandering too far from his father during their rounds. Rabbit liked to assume it was purposeful. He wouldn't want to be stuck playing escort to that flaming pile of garbage either. He hoped Shouto also had a vendetta against his dad, it would only give them more in common.
It was during one such lonely meander that Shouto had the honor of running into Rabbit for the first time.
The rookie hero had just cornered two thugs in some back alley. The duo had gotten in trouble for something minor: petty theft that evolved into evading arrest that then evolved into assault. So, these guys had fucked up and then made their fuck up even worse by running.
Rabbit was perched high on the emergency fire escape, observing Shouto as the hero student placed his palm on the wall, causing spurs of ice to come alive and encase the two men. The thugs had no time to react, merely yelping at their capture. The attack came with brutal efficiency, leaving Izuku a little amazed at the raw power of the boy's quirk. He could feel the chill of the ice even from his distance and gaped as little flurries sprung up around him.
He reached out to touch one such flurry, watching it disappear the instant it grazed his finger. The ice in the surrounding area began to melt, detaching from the alley walls and leaving no residual damage. Steam rose, and only some of the ice still maintained its shape as it was used to hold the criminals in.
“Wow.” He commented, mostly to himself, trying to keep quiet and simply watch the performance below him. However, he was apparently loud enough that the hero heard him regardless.
Shouto immediately braced for another attack. His head snapped upward to face the foreign figure, hands splayed at his sides, prepared to use his quirk.
The second Todoroki saw him, his eyebrows furrowed. Iris’s flickered between the dangly bunny ears attached to his hood and his bright red, steel-toed combat boots. Recognition flashed in his eyes.
“You’re Rabbit.” He said neutrally.
“That's me,” Izuku confirmed, hovering in his spot. He was sorta waiting for some ice blocks, or raging fire to be thrown his way, and was deeply confused when the boy simply stood there, unmoving.
Shouto stared at him for a few long moments, chilling him with his cold gaze. Then, his posture relaxed and he turned his back on the vigilante to make a call on his cell phone.
If Izuku wasn’t wearing a mask, you would have been able to see his mouth drop open. It was an obvious dismissal. A clear cut, you’re not a threat to me . And honestly? It ticked Izuku off the same amount that it shocked him. Rabbit was plenty dangerous, and plenty wanted. Shouto should be leaping at the opportunity to capture him, not ignoring his presence!
Rabbit grumbled to himself and shifted, causing the grate below him to creak. He assumed that Shouto thought himself too good to fight Rabbit, and a small part of Izuku silently agreed. The hero student would probably crush him in an instant, but still, surely he was still worth the battle? If not for bragging rights then anything else? (Although, if Izuku was being fair, Shouto certainly didn’t seem the type to warrant bragging or any other form of egotistical self-praise.)
But just imagine how upset Endeavor would be that his child was able to capture Rabbit before he could. A hero student taking down the vigilante that has been running circles around the pros and police for months? It would be a national embarrassment!
Then again, maybe that's why Shouto dismissed him. Perhaps he didn’t want to tarnish his father’s reputation. Maybe he genuinely liked the man after all.
Izuku internally pouted at the thought. Here he was, thinking he and Endeavor's son were going to bond over their shared hate for the pro hero. In reality, the boy was probably just another suck-up: one more sidekick crony that Izuku would have to avoid.
Rabbit clicked his tongue in disapproval and rose out of his crouch, prepared to jump away, his mission failed. That was until he heard Todoroki snap shut his phone, ending his call and redirecting his attention to Izuku.
“Why do you hate my dad?” He asked, voice void of all emotion, betraying none of his true motives.
Rabbit contemplated the random question for a moment, debating even answering. Any other person would have given a denial or a heavily sugar-coated answer. It was an unusual question to ask, after all. Especially to a complete stranger who also happened to be a wanted vigilante.
But Rabbit was never one to dance around the truth or blatantly lie to people (except when it came to his secret identity, but his opinion on Endeavor had nothing to do with that so-)
“He’s a fiery asshole.” Rabbit stated with a nod.
Shouto's eyes remained blank for a few seconds, processing. After a bit, the boy huffed a laugh, a small smirk flashing on his lips before quickly disappearing.
And god, did that smirk scream rebellion and defiance and humor. That split second enraptured the vigilante, causing him to grin (and honestly making him swoon a bit. After all, how often do you find a cute guy who also hates your mortal enemy?)
Rabbit was about to say something else. Maybe some flirty comment or bashful compliment, but he was interrupted before he could.
“SHOUTO! ” An agitating voice yelled, the name echoing through the alleyway. It was deep, booming, and far too familiar. Endeavor was here, which meant the media was probably not far behind.
Rabbit took that as his cue to leave, not wanting to get mixed up in whatever family drama was about to go down. The news was probably gonna film a rundown anyway that he could watch later. Plus, despite the fact he had outrun plenty of hero sidekicks, something told him that outrunning an angry Endeavors flames was not going to work out for him.
He really didn’t want to get barbecued in front of this super cute, sort of confusing (but in like- a hot mysterious way) hero trainee. Rabbit was supposed to be a talented vigilante. Besides, burns weren’t a good look for Izuku, they clashed with his hair.
With no witty, goodbye remarks coming to mind, Rabbit settled on giving Shouto an exaggerated, parting wink and matching head tilt before bounding away and disappearing across the rooftops.
Next time. The vigilante told himself . Next time.
___>^^<___
It turns out, next time , featured a sudden villain attack just outside of Cozy Bean Cafe . One of Izuku's favorite, and most frequented, 24-hour establishments.
Rabbit originally wasn’t part of the fray. He had just finished patrolling for the night (early morning at that point) when his stomach started growling. He decided to grab a quick bite and, of course, carrying no money on him, settled with dumpster diving in the alley of said cafe. He had done this before and knew that the owners typically threw everything away at the end of the night, wanting to start fresh in the morning. It wasn’t that gross, really. Most of the food was fine as long as it didn’t touch the dumpster floor.
All he wanted was to watch the sunrise from the rooftops while eating his slightly stale, chocolate croissant. However, fate seemed to have different, less cream-filled plans in store.
The main plan being Rabbit almost getting impaled by a giant ice spike while trying to enjoy his snack. The vigilante had to jump away from where he was sitting so quickly that he dropped his breakfast. He could only watch with barely contained grief as his pastry dove over the edge of the building, free-falling to the concrete below.
“What the fuck .” He mumbled under his breath, devastated at the loss of his meal and irritated that this was how he was gonna start his day.
A yell sounded from the road below.
Rabbit was geared up in seconds at the sound of screams. His mask was pulled back on, any momentary distraught shaken off. He felt his gut coil as his feet moved faster than he could think. He reacted purely out of instinct, muscle memory kicking in. The rush of battle kicking in.
It was a feeling of elation, of freedom and revolt and relief. It was almost ecstasy levels of addicting (not that Izuku would know what ecstasy was like, because that was illegal, and Izuku would never do illegal things.) There was a reason Rabbit existed, and it was because of this. The feeling Izuku got whenever he put on his costume and sprung into action. God, he hoped this never faded, the stark passion that fueled his every move.
He leaped down to the concrete floor, bouncing off window ledges to ease his fall. Somehow, a layer of dust had kicked up, clouding his view of the surroundings. However, he didn’t need to see to recognize the chill down his spine, the small flurries invading his peripheral. He couldn’t spot the hero trainee yet, but he knew he was there.
Shouto. Rabbit thought to himself. What have you gotten into today?
Izuku didn’t doubt the boy's ability. Endeavor's son would probably have no problem without him interfering, but Rabbit wasn’t going to sacrifice an opportunity to show off in front of his complicated, mysterious, semi-fake hero crush. It would make for good internet memes if nothing else.
Besides, he didn’t even know what they were dealing with yet. He only knew it had to be somewhat big for an ice spike of that size to be shooting upwards in a pedestrian area. Shouto was smart, he wouldn’t use such an uncalculated move unless it was necessary.
His vision was still cloudy, but he could distinctly hear the grunts of hand-to-hand combat, along with distant, but growing, police sirens. So, Rabbit had no idea what was happening, couldn’t see, and was now on a time limit. Great. Lucky him.
He trailed through the smog cautiously, following the distinct smacks and growls that came with the average brawl. His hands hovered above the weapons strapped for his belt: an electric baton, combat knives, throwing stars, and a few smoke grenades in case he needed a flashy escape (green, of course.) He zeroed in on the shouting as he saw the dust screen shift, disturbed by the clamor of battle.
The instant he saw a flash of white and red, he was running. He was feet from Shouto's side, analyzing the fight and attacker.
Shouto was pinned down by red tendrils. They wrapped around his arms and neck, beginning to cut off air supply. The hero student clawed and yanked at them. Izuku glanced over his fingers, no trace of flames or ice attempting to free himself. For whatever reason, he wasn’t using his quirk.
Regardless, Rabbit was quick to act. He pulled out his knives and chucked them at the red ropes, effectively slicing them away. He slid up next to Shouto as the boy rolled over, clutching his throat and gasping for air.
They made eye contact, green meeting heterochromatic colors.
Rabbit gave him a lopsided grin. “Need a hand? Or a knife, I guess?”
Smooth Casanova. Real smooth.
Shouto merely wheezed, either out of amusement or lack of oxygen, Izuku couldn’t really tell.
Before he could get the chance to ask the boy if he was alright, he felt something wrap around his ankle. He looked down to see a red, glowing cable encasing most of his calf.
“Well, shit,” was all he could say before he was violently whipped backward.
He was airborne for several moments, launched across the street and into a brick wall. His head slammed against the stone as he heard the distinct crack of something inside him breaking. He slid down to the concrete with an ungraceful thump.
He felt heat travel down his face and lifted a hand experimentally to his forehead. Fingers caressed his hairline and pulled away, covered in thick, dark blood. His day really was just getting better and better, wasn’t it?
Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, a figure emerged from the dusty fog, walking straight towards him.
The man was rather plain-looking, wearing pedestrian clothes and sporting a blond buzz cut. His most defining features were the giant red tendrils growing out of his back. From this angle, they almost looked more like claws. Weird, red, spider claws.
The man was also wearing a heavy-duty gas mask. Huh, strange. Maybe this cloud of dust wasn’t just dust, after all.
Rabbit didn’t have time to dwell on the idea as the tendrils dove towards him. He narrowly dodged, forcing his weight forward to roll out of the way. He could feel the throb of his ribs as he did so, causing him to wince. He grabbed his side and kneeled on the sidewalk.
Now would be a good time for some adrenaline to kick in.
He jumped to the side as another tendril struck towards him, piercing the asphalt where he previously sat. The solid ground cracked with ease.
He let his gaze linger on the splintered stone for only a second. Izuku released the grip on his ribs, using both hands to draw matching blades from the sides of his boots. He clenched the weapons in his hand and grit his teeth, fighting through the pain, ready for the next attack to come his way.
The villain stared down Rabbit with ease, eyes glowing the same shade of red as his extra limbs. The man had a smug smirk on his lips, hands tucked casually into his pockets.
Rabbit couldn’t help snarling, his eyes narrowed in agitation at the villain's nonchalance. What a prick.
Red cables snapped towards him again. This time, Izuku was more prepared. He sliced at the limbs as they got close, cutting off the tail ends of two. Instead of falling to the ground, the chopped bits evaporated into thin air, not even leaving a trail of blood.
Not a mutant type then, got it. Rabbit figured the tendrils must be willingly summoned, not a permanent fixture of the man's quirk.
The gas was still a mystery. The villain was clearly prepared for it, meaning it was either another aspect of his quirk or he was working with someone else. Izuku assumed the latter, after all, back tendrils and potentially poisonous gas? Doesn’t really go together.
Ok, so. There were at least two- potentially more- villains attacking for seemingly no reason in the middle of a pedestrian center. Also, Shouto is somewhere in the mist, not using his quirk. Awesome. Just how Izuku wanted to spend his Saturday.
It seemed Izuku got a little too caught up in his own thoughts as he failed to chop off the next tendril. It clipped the back of his quad, slicing through his pants and skin. He hissed and reeled back a few steps.
“What's wrong, little rabbit? Feeling a bit powerless? ” Red spider-guy said, accenting his last word with a light chuckle.
Rabbit felt his eyebrows crease. Powerless. Did this random villain know he was quirkless? How did he find out? Did Rabbit give himself away somehow?
He continued to dodge and cut away limbs as the man kept targeting him.
No. Todoroki, remember? Rabbit's head snapped up in realization. Shouto wasn’t using his power earlier. He could have easily freed himself from the tendril's grasp with some fire- they weren’t that durable. No. Shouto wasn’t using his quirk, not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn't.
Quirk cancelling gas?
Yeah, well, thats effective. Izuku thought sarcastically to himself. At least now he knew what he was dealing with, somewhat.
Rabbit geared back up, ready to rush in close to the villain. His best idea to take him out was to go straight for his head. A concussion would require a hard hit but would be the fastest way to knock this guy out. Rabbit wasn’t sure if he could handle all half dozen tendrils at once, meaning he would have to use his speed to his advantage.
He stanced up, preparing to launch himself forward, but before he got a chance a wall of ice sprouted from the ground in front of him, effectively blocking his path and knocking him backward.
“Rabbit!” Shouto shouted, using his ice to glide up to the vigilante's side. Izuku was confused for a moment, unsure of how the boy could use his quirk in the smog, thinking his analysis was incorrect.
A second glance told him the boy was wearing a white cloth wrapped around the bottom of his face, shielding him from the smoke. Definitely quirk gas, then.
“I’ll take this guy from here. Is your mask gas-proof? If not, you need to get out of here, this fog is quirk canceling.” The hero said, positioning himself between vigilante and villain as his ice wall began to crumble.
The tendrils were tearing away at the ice, cracking the makeshift shield into pieces. They would only have seconds before it was down completely.
Rabbit shook his head, reorienting himself and rising to his feet. His blades still held firm in his hands. “Doesn’t matter.” He mumbled under his breath.
He didn’t miss the way Shouto's head turned, eyes narrowed and scrutinizing. It was only for a moment, though, as the boy took a few steps back and flung more ice at his barrier, attempting to buy more time.
He was standing next to Rabbit, now. Both were prepared for battle. There were small wisps of flame dancing around Todoroki's hand, frost encasing the opposite side of his skin. Izuku repositioned his knives, ready to strike.
When the ice wall fell with a resounding crack, hero and vigilante jumped into action.
___>^^<___
Apparently, Shouto and Rabbit made a very effective crime-fighting duo.
They had worked together to take down tendril man. Rabbit had weaved seamlessly through Todorokis waves of fire and ice, getting in for close-range attacks while the hero trainee provided distant support. After the villain had been knocked out by Izuku's gnarly left hook, Shouto left to track down his accomplice. The hero student had been able to find the fog-making villain lurking on a nearby rooftop and took him out with ease.
Rabbit barely had time to finish tying creepy tendril man when Shouto threw the second villain to the ground next to him, hands entombed in ice.
“Nice one.” Rabbit said, looking up at the hero with a grin, still squatting next to the tied-up tendril guy.
Shouto looked at him, eyebrows creased with a facial expression Izuku couldn’t quite place. The hero trainee knelt beside Rabbit and slowly, carefully raised a hand towards his face.
Izuku resisted the urge to flinch back as cold fingers ghosted across his temple. He thought for a moment that the hero may try to pull his hood down, but Shouto simply drew his hand back, perhaps noticing the vigilante's unease.
The hero trainee looked down at his fingers, causing Izuku to do the same. Shouto's usually pasty skin was stained red.
“You bleeding,” Shouto stated simply.
“Oh.” That was all the vigilante could say. He forgot about that cut. Now that he actually thought about it, he could feel the sting near his hairline, blood trickling down the side of his face.
Heat rose in his cheeks, a mixture of embarrassment and something else growing in his chest. Shouto gave him a long, pensive look that made Rabbit shift uncomfortably.
Both their heads snapped up as the sounds of police sirens amplified, quickly followed by slamming doors and shuffling feet. Officers were beginning to close off the area.
“Oh, shit. I should um- I need to go.” Rabbit stumbled over his words, tripping over his feet as he stood. If he wasn’t blushing before, his cheeks were on fire now. He made a dash for the nearest alleyway, grabbing the bottom of a pipeline to begin to haul himself up.
Before he began his ascension, he glanced back at Shouto, who was still looking at him. The same, weird, intense emotion still planted on his face.
“Uh, bye?”
___>^^<___
Apparently, the media had shown up shortly after the smog had cleared, but before the police had properly roped off the area. This means there was a lot of footage from the end of the villain battle. Including the smackdown of tendril man, the capture of gas guy, and whatever interaction Shouto and Rabbit had afterward.
The videos of the hero trainee and vigilante were practically going viral. Evidently, taking down two high-ranked villains dosed up on trigger made for very noteworthy press. It didn’t help that said do-gooders are a vigilante who is known for hating Endeavor, and Endeavor's son.
People across the internet were making comments on the duo. Many had picked up on how easily they fought by each other’s side, causing speculation that this was not the first time the two had paired up. Professional analysts were even getting in on the action, breaking down every swing and quirk blast to see if step pattern familiarity played a role. (It didn’t, the two of them were just that good)
There was one specific video that had been making rounds on social media like nobodies business. It wasn’t the epic battle scene. Not the fight that illustrated hero and vigilantes skills on the battlefield. Nor was its Rabbits mad escape before the police shut down. No. It was a short, twenty-second clip of Shouto caressing Rabbit's hairline, in an almost domestic fashion. The hero's face pinched in what Izuku now recognized as concern and Rabbit blushing so hard you could see it past his mask.
It was going absolutely viral. Dozens of reposts on blogs, profiles, and some speculative articles published about it.Headlines were written in the news, and even Present Mic was covering it. That was a fun Friday night podcast.
In summary, the media was going feral.
And Rabbit was eating it up.
This was by far the best kind of publicity he had seen lately. His approval ratings were recovering after Endeavor had trashed them. He was becoming known for something other than defacing billboards and glitter-bombing heroes who pissed him off. Now, he was a vandal, and Shouto Todorokis secret, vigilante lover. Or at least, that's what people were deluding themselves into thinking based on one blurry video and the overexcited imaginations of hero junkies.
This definitely wasn’t the outcome Rabbit was expecting. Teaming up with Shouto was just supposed to be an easy way to tick off Endeavor, just to give the pro a few headaches. And yeah, maybe Rabbit would have time to make a few flirtatious comments here and there or be able to catch more than a passing glance at the boy's muscles. But this? The media obsessing over secret star-crossed lovers? This was better.
A small part of Rabbit did feel bad for Shouto. He honestly wasn’t sure just how angry Endeavor would be. Rabbit could only hope that said anger was directed at the vigilante or the fake news. Either one would work, as long as Shouto was left out of the fray. After all, the hero student didn’t really do anything wrong.
He was just checking on a civilian's (Rabbits) injuries like any good person would. Like any good hero would. And yeah, he let the vigilante escape when he theoretically could have captured him, but they had just worked together to take down those villains. Not capturing Rabbit after the vigilante had saved Shouto from being strangled? Completely understandable. It was like a ‘pay it forward’ kinda thing.
Still, Rabbit was worried about Shouto's well being. It wasn’t even just Endeavor's backlash he was afraid of. What if Shouto was insulted, being shipped with the vigilante? What if he was disgusted with the very idea? He didn’t seem to mind the vigilante's presence at the moment, but the hero trainee always had an aura of indifference. What if he changed his mind?
Perhaps Rabbit needed to make it up to the rookie hero. Get Shouto something thoughtful that apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the media, while reinforcing the idea that Rabbit wasn’t upset.
He just hoped that Endeavors agency was still accepting packages.
___>^^<___
“Did you get my gift?” Rabbit asked, diving to the side as a knife was flung towards him. It nicked the tip of his bunny hood.
“I did,” Shouto responded, tossing flames back at the criminal in front of them.
This fight had begun barely thirty seconds ago. Just a few cornered muggers that the vigilante had confronted. There were three in total, none with any obviously helpful quirks. Rabbit was prepared to do this fight on his own, and went in swinging. It was a mere matter of moments before flames were licking the wall beside him. Shouto had come to help him for the first time.
Rabbit's initial reaction was to beam and let out a snarky comment. Something referencing the media attention, or the box he dropped off at Endeavors agency the other day. He decided against it, however, after seeing Shouto's narrowed eyes and tightened jaw, flames burning extra hot.
He wondered if Shouto wasn’t particularly happy at the present he left him. Or if the media attention really had pissed him off. Maybe he was actually angry and now hunting Rabbit for real this time.
The vigilante grunted as he rolled left, grabbing a ninja star from a hidden pocket and tossing it at one of the muggers. The man toppled back, his shirt sleeve pinned to the wall.
“And? Did you- oof!” Rabbit was cut off as one of the remaining villains managed to land a punch on his face. It was weak, clearly not very calculated, and only worked to Izukus's advantage as he spun around and used the momentum to pin the man to the floor.
He laughed to himself, pleased at his victory before a familiar crackle sounded in his ears. He whipped his head towards Shouto as the hero trainee iced on the remaining criminal, effectively trapping him.
Shouto looked down at where the vigilante had thug #2 pinned. His eyes traveled up to Izukus's face until they were making eye contact.
“I wasn’t upset about the video,” Shouto stated simply, rolling back his shoulders before reaching across his belt and tossing Rabbit an extra set of handcuffs.
Rabbit caught them midair with his off-hand, quickly using them to trap the mugger's hands behind his back. The vigilante huffed and nodded his head, relief causing his shoulders to slump.
The package he had dropped off at Endeavors agency wasn’t all that special. It wasn’t set to detonate green glitter or contain any illegal paraphernalia. Unfortunately. It was a relatively normal gift.
A small, red spider stuffed animal and a personalized note written by Rabbit himself. Part of it apologizing for the internet speculations, the other part thanking him for the help. (And a third comment that discreetly insulted Endeavor if you read between the lines enough.) He even signed the bottom and drew a small bunny next to it. All addressed to the one and only Shouto Todoroki. (He wrote the hero student's name all over the outside of the box, just to make sure the secretary knew who it was for.)
“Yeah, yeah. Of course. I was just, uh, making sure. Ya’ know? No biggie.” The vigilante mumbled, standing up and brushing his pants off gingerly. He touched his cheek, right where he had been punched. He hissed as fingers rubbed the shallow cut across his cheekbone.
Rabbit startled backward a step when Shouto basically teleported in front of him. The rookie moved so fast and silent that Izuku hadn’t even registered his travel closer.
Now the hero was right there, staring down at him. He was standing so near that Rabbit could smell the smoke that wafted off him. It was actually quite pleasant, comforting even. It wasn’t the kind of ‘burn your house down with your family inside’ scent Endeavor reeked of. It reminded Izuku more of a cozy, starry night campfire in the mountains. Ashy, but from burnt marshmallows instead of human flesh.
Rabbit tilted his head down, opting to look at the hero student's hands rather than his face. He could feel the nervous swell in his stomach and shifted uneasily.
“Here,” Shouto said, holding out a medium-sized bandaid to the vigilante. Izuku stared at his hand and blinked in confusion several times.
“Huh?” He asked quietly, like an idiot.
“Your cheek,” Shouto said, pressing the bandaid forward for Rabbit to take. He obviously wanted the vigilante to patch up his injury. “I stocked up after our last encounter.” He offered an easy explanation as the vigilante remained stunned.
When Rabbit made no move towards the bandage Shouto sighed and took it back. Izuku was sure the hero was going to put it away, but instead watched as he pulled it open, stashing the extra packaging in his back pocket and ripping off the plastic back to reveal the adhesive.
Rabbit remained completely still when the hero student leaned in, bending forward slightly to gently place the bandaid over the vigilante's scrape.
“I liked the gift. It was funny.” Shouto paved his way through the silence. His fingers pressed lightly on the bandage, making sure it was secure. His lips curved upwards slightly. “My father hated it.” Ah, so Todoroki could read between the lines, good.
“Hah.” Rabbit laughed lightly, remembering his subtle Endeavor roasts. The vigilante shrugged, still staring at Shouto's hands. He wasn’t sure he could keep a blush from forming if he glanced any higher. “That was the secondary goal. Glad it hit.”
Shouto hummed in response, letting his hands fall to his side as he stepped back. The hero student turned away.
“I need to get these guys to the station.”
“Uh, yeah. Sure. That- that's a good idea.” Rabbit stumbled through his words, rubbing at his bandaged cheek. “Yeah, and uh. Thanks. By the way. For the- for the help.”
“Sure,” Shouto stated plainly, hauling two of the criminals up.
Rabbit nodded to himself, wiping his hands on his pants and stuffing them in his pockets, kicking at the stone floor. He wanted to ask why Shouto had shown up in the first place.
He appreciated the hero apprentice's help but didn’t really understand where he had come from. Was he looking for Rabbit? That's probably the only way he could have interfered so quickly. It was only a matter of seconds after the fight began that Shouto interfered. This meant the hero student had to have been close, watching and waiting perhaps?
It was kind of creepy for Rabbit to think about. The idea that Endeavor's son was lurking right under his nose and Rabbit hadn’t even sensed him. The hero student was light-footed, nearly silent most of the time so it really shouldn’t have been so surprising. But Izuku was used to having people trail him and liked to think he had gotten pretty good at detecting any unwanted stalkers.
The real question though was why Todoroki was here in the first place. Typically, it was Rabbit hunting down Shouto, not the other way around. It was definitely a turn of events, though not entirely unpleasant. The attention was a little validating for the vigilante.
“What did yo-" Rabbit's head whipped up when Shouto began speaking, his movement so fast that it caused Todoroki to freeze.
The two blinked at each other for a moment.
“..nevermind,” Shouto said, turning his head away in an almost meek manner.
Rabbit raised one eyebrow, about to open his mouth and speak, but his attention was snapped away when a low groan signaled one of the criminals gaining consciousness.
Rabbit took that as a sign to get going, his curiosity left unsatiated. He turned away to scamper up the brick wall, ready to move on with his night.
“Rabbit.”
The vigilante paused and pivoted to look at Shouto. The hero student's lips were pressed together in a thin line, his eyebrows creased and unsure.
The two sat and stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.
“Stay safe.”
Rabbit's eyes widened a bit and godammit , he could feel himself blushing. His mouth felt dry and his chest spun in a flurry of emotions.
He suddenly realized exactly why Shouto had tracked him down. The concern, the bandages, the worry. Shouto was making sure Rabbit was alright. He wasn’t trying to capture the vigilante or tell him off, he just wanted Izuku to be safe.
And damn, that did things to Rabbit he didn’t even know could happen.
The vigilante shoved down his swirling thoughts and the swell of emotions. He swallowed hard and nodded. “You too.”
___>^^<___
Rabbit seemed to bump into Shouto constantly after that, which was absolutely coincidental.
It had nothing to do with the vigilante taking more day shifts and actually working on his sleep schedule. Or him shifting his patrol routes to be closer to Endeavors agency. Or him meticulously scanning the news for any UA activity that the hero student could be a part of. It was just all just happenstance. A right place, right time kind of deal.
He ran into the hero student everywhere. Fighting a petty thief in a back alley? Shouto's there to haul the criminal away. Helping a kid find their mom? Shouto's running laps around street corners, looking for potential parents. Scampering away from the sound of police sirens? Shouto's giving Rabbit silent nods to signal whether the cops are actually there. Parkouring across rooftops? Shouto's scanning the skyline from the streets below, trying to keep his eyes on the vigilante.
The media was beginning to pick up on their rather frequent, ‘accidental’ encounters. They only fueled the rumors of Rabbit and Shouto's love affairs, stirring up even more drama in the news. So much so that Endeavor himself had to comment on it, denying the speculation on his son’s behalf. (That was an entertaining Yotube video to watch, the comments had him rolling. Most of them making fun of Endeavor's obvious denial of the truth)
Honestly, though? Rabbit wasn’t mad at it. I mean- the media wasn't exactly wrong. Some of the clips people were capturing of him and Shouto were rather suggestive. Like the one of the vigilante nearly falling off a roof after being knocked sideways by some mutant-type criminal, only to be grabbed around the waist by Shouto. Rabbit definitely felt a certain way after that save. He could still feel the ghost of muscular arms wrapped around his middle, warm and strong.
Most of the videos, though, were just of the two casually hanging out; eating snacks outside a convenience store, chatting on the top of fire escapes (Rabbit did most of the talking, Shouto was rather quiet), beating up villains together. Normal teenage stuff.
It was nice to finally have a friend his age. Or at least Rabbit assumed they were friends at this point. After all, friends save each other from falling off roofs, right? And share snacks? And teach the other how to cheat vending machines to get free bottles of soda? It didn’t seem like a crazy idea to glean after all the time they had spent together.
Typically, the only people who wanted to be near Rabbit were the pro heroes trying to capture him. Now that he thought about it though, the more he had been seen with Shouto, the fewer heroes were coming after him.
Rabbit thought that with the switch of his schedule to daytime patrols, more heroes would come after him than ever before. Surprisingly though, most of the spotlight heroes left him alone. He had run into several over the past few months and was pleasantly surprised by the amount that turned a blind eye to his presence. Even the police had begun to just… let him be.
So yeah, being shipped with Shouto Todoroki really rocked. He was enjoying his newfound immunity. The only heroes that hadn’t seemed to lay off were Endeavor, of course, and Eraserhead. The latter of which was probably just protective over his student, or just figured that he had been chasing Rabbit this long, why give up? Either way, he was hardly a problem now that Rabbit dropped his night gigs.
Anyways, Izukus patrol was almost done for the day. The sun was nearly done setting, a vibrant display of peachy colors turning into a blueish haze.
He was squatted on the rooftop of some random office building, scrolling through social media and looking at tags of him and Shouto. One of the photos made him snort. Rabbit was pulled close to Todorokis's chest, both their right hands clasped in the others. It was captured at just the right moment to make the two seem closer than they actually were. In reality, Shouto was just helping the vigilante up off the ground.
He made sure to like the picture anyway.
He stood and stretched, just about ready to call it a day and head home. He had stayed up a little too late the previous night working on some new support equipment and was ready to catch up on the lost sleep.
Key word being was. His plans were quickly foiled by a loud explosion going off in the distance. The building under Izuku shook and the teen startled back a few paces, head snapping in the direction of the noise.
Even from several blocks away, Rabbit could see smoke billowing into the sky. It created a cloud of gray over the early night azure. Despite the distance, Rabbit could see red fire gleaming at the base of the building.
“Shit.” He whispered to himself, sliding his phone away and making sure his mask was secure before taking off.
He launched himself across rooftops, glancing at the fiery disaster every few moments. His chest was heaving and his legs were burning. He had already been patrolling for several hours. This wasn’t exactly how he expected to end the day.
The accident was at least two miles away, maybe a bit more. The building faced the river, surrounded by much shorter shops and apartments. That was good, the smaller buildings would be easier to evacuate and less likely to collapse. The fire would spread slower.
As he grew closer, sirens wailed in his ears. He didn’t bother to look down and check whether they were ambulances or police, he had a feeling there would be a plethora of both.
Rabbit ducked down on the building across from the fire. He could hear staticky police chatter down below, along with yells of citizens. The thick smoke stung his eyes, forcing him to squint.
With a more direct line of sight, he could see the flames engulfing the base of the apartment building and quickly working their way up. They were consuming the brick and wood, red working its way up to the top apartments.
There were a few small-time heroes scattered on the street below. The most notable of which was Death Arms, who was helping the cops block off the area and waving in ambulances.
Rabbit scanned the road, searching for pros whose quirks would actually be useful. Where was Backdraft when you needed him? Some water would be quite helpful right about now, especially in the absence of any fire engines.
Between the roar of the flames, pedestrians yelling from the street, and cops shouting directions, it was hard to know what was actually going on. It didn’t appear to be a villain attack. None of the heroes were fighting, nor was there any visible road damage. The police weren’t standing off either.
Just some kind of freak accident then. Maybe a faulty boiler exploded? Someone left the oven on? Possibly a case of arson? (Unlikely since Rabbit was the only well-known arsonist in the area) He supposed it didn’t really matter how the fire started. It was here, and it was burning. Fast.
Screams shook him out of his stupor. There was shrieking coming from inside the apartment. The heroes below seemed to hear it too, yet nobody was rushing to the windows or doors. No. Instead, they all stood a safe distance away from the feeding flames.
Rabbit felt his scowl, teeth bared. Of fucking course. Simply waiting around for someone with a better quirk to show up. How typically heroic .
Izuku came to the quick realization that none of the heroes were about to rush into this. None were diving in to save the people still trapped. It was probably a wise decision, honestly. The bottom half of the building was billowing fire, meaning the rest of the infrastructure would be coming down soon enough. The exits had all been blocked by falling debris or walls of flame. Anyone with a shred of self-preservation wouldn’t go in. It was unlikely they would come back out.
That realization tamed his inner rage a bit. After all, only a fool would risk almost certain death on the off chance of saving others. Waiting was safe. It minimized injuries and casualties.
Unfortunately, Rabbit was a self-sacrificial idiot who wasn’t even thinking that far ahead. He just moved.
___>^^<___
Rabbit collapsed in a heap, coughing up smoke as he released the woman in his grip, allowing her to fall to the ground. She was similarly struggling to breathe, clutching at her throat with ashy fingers.
That made five. Five people he was able to get out of the building. (Plus one cat that didn’t appreciate being carried. It had scratched his arms up pretty well and was now sitting on the back of its heaving owner, flicking its tail in displeasure. You’re welcome. )
Everyone he saved was in a similar state of disarray. They were all sitting and lying on the rooftop of a lower structure adjacent to the apartment. A convenience store, if Rabbit remembered correctly.
Shakily, Rabbit rose to his feet, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. The smoke was really starting to get to him, the fire picking up pace. The edges of his sleeves were burned and torn. His shoes were now a merlot color, ash clinging to the red fabric. One of the ears on his hood was falling off.
His lungs ached from smoke inhalation and his was mouth dry. His mask was doing little to help filter the toxic fumes. He debated going back in again as he caught his breath. Most of the windows of the building were smoldering, thick blackfog leaking from nearly every entrance. The fire had quickly worked its way up, now consuming more than half the apartments. Rabbit wasn’t sure if he could get back in, even if he wanted to.
Besides, fire engines were now starting to swarm the streets below. The area was securely blocked off and many citizens were being dragged off in ambulances for medical attention.
Rabbit turned to face the civilians he had saved and frowned. None of them looked great, they would all probably need to be checked for at least smoke inhalation. A few had some bad burns on their arms and legs. He needed to get them down to first responders.
He crouched down next to the lady he had just released, about to sling her arm over his shoulder to help her walk when he heard a frightened, high-pitched scream.
It sounded like something out of a horror movie. Rabbit's head immediately snapped towards the flaming building. He stood, waiting to hear the noise again. When he did, it was raw, more guttural. It rang in his ears, the sound searing itself into his memory. Someone was in pain. Trapped, hurt, afraid.
Rabbit clenched and unclenched his fist a few times, taking steadying breaths. The yell seemed to come from the upper left side of the building, where flames were swiftly converging on all available windows. He needed to get in fast before all the entrances sealed themselves off.
Rabbit didn't hesitate for another second. He launched himself across the rooftop, making a beeline for the smoldering apartment. He could see various windows open a few floors up. A few levels above he spotted one window with minimal fire spewing out from it. Just a lot of smoke. He could make that work.
He grasped at window ledges and the pipes that trailed the walls, pulling himself upward. The spikes attached to the bottom of his shoes helped him scale the heating stone. His gloves were actually doing their job, protecting his fingers as he gripped the rough material.
He swung himself over the windowsill and into the building with little grace, immediately dropping low to avoid the smoke.
“Hello?” He yelled over the flames, hoping the distressor could hear him. He waded through, his vision impeded by the ashy cloud engulfing the air above him. He resisted the urge to cough as he struggled to inhale.
There was no immediate furniture in the room, and judging by its long shape, it had to be a hallway. It was dim, even without the smoke blocking his vision. That was probably a good thing. A swell of light could mean the fire was creeping in faster.
“Help!” A voice sounded. It was muffled, barely audible. Rabbits' senses were being overwhelmed. He couldn’t smell anything but ash, his eyes watered from the smoke and now his hearing was dampened. He briefly thought that he might have bit off more than he could chew this time. Muggings and robberies were usually the vigilante's style. Burning buildings? Not so much.
He didn’t have a quirk to help him here. No super strength, or agility, or intelligence. It was just plain old Izuku, which usually wouldn’t be a problem if he was in his element. His skills were mainly combat-based; he wasn’t exactly trained for these kinds of rescues.
He pushed forward anyway, following the direction he thought the noise had come from. When he found himself in front of a locked door, he put his elementary fire emergency skills to use, feeling the doorknob for heat.
It was indeed very hot, the vigilante feeling the temperature through his padded glove. He was about to move on and try another door when the yelling continued. He could hear someone screaming out just on the other side. A high, young voice.
His blood roared in his ears. He stood and grabbed the top of the doorframe. He reeled back and swung his feet forward, using his momentum to splinter the door and knock it down.
Fire licked at his legs the minute he stepped into the room. He madly dashed his way through, using one arm to cover his face as he waded past the flames. He could feel the fire trying to catch on his pants, heat stinging his skin.
“Hello?!” He called out again.
“I'm here!”
Rabbit followed the cries, squinting to see through the harsh smog. He made his way through another open doorway and into what appeared to be a kid's bedroom. He clutched the edge of the doorframe, feeling the oxygen leaving his lungs. The soot blocked much of his upper vision, creating a blackened mess that he could barely see through.
A muted movement caught his eye. He lowered himself to the floor and half crawled to the far side of the room, trying to avoid the smoke. That's where he heard the source of the noise. There, cowering in the corner, a small figure was huddled.
The girl was shaking, covering her head with her arms, tears racing down her face. She had a layer of black soot covering much of her skin. Her hair was a dark color Rabbit couldn’t quite make out. Her entire body quivered, she yelped when there was a loud boom from above, bits of debris falling around her.
Her eyes were closed tightly, her arms blocking much of her face. It was almost as if she was trying to hide from the fire. Like if she didn’t acknowledge it, then it didn’t exist. A typical reaction one would expect from a scared child. Rabbit knew avoidance well, he avoided people and situations all the time, but there was no avoiding the growing flames in the room, or the risk of the ceiling completely collapsing. It was going to happen no matter what, hopefully later rather than sooner.
“Hello?” Izuku sounded again, unsure of how else to get the girl's attention.
Her head immediately snapped up, her senses sharp. When she saw Rabbit her eyes widened. She looked him up and down, analyzing his mask and hood. She looked scared for a moment before her silver eyes gleamed with something akin to relief.
Rabbit reached out a hand, preparing to drag her forward and scoop her up, but before he could the girl leaped forward, planting herself firmly in his grip. He stumbled backward, falling out of his crouch and onto his butt. She wrapped her hands tightly around his shoulders and buried her face in the crook of his neck.
“Please help me, hero.” She whispered in a shaky, muffled voice. Rabbit's fingers grasped at her back, returning the firm hug. He placed one hand in her hair, rubbing it soothingly.
This girl thought he was a hero. Like, an actual, legal hero. With a license and an agency and government backing. It caused a part of Izukus's heart to swell with pride, while another part of it shuddered. He couldn’t imagine the disappointment she was going to feel when she found out he was just a vigilante. A wanted criminal.
“We’re going to get out of here. Don't worry.” He said firmly. He may not be a real hero, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t act like one.
He stood, adjusted his grip on the girl, and bolted back the way he came. If he was swift enough, they would be able toescape out the window he entered. There wasn’t much fire in the hall he came in through and he could drop back to the other rooftop with relative ease.
He exited the bedroom, ready to make a mad dash for the doorway when the ground beneath him shook. He widened his stance as the building rattled. Dust and bits of ceiling fell from above. He clutched the girl closer to his chest as she whimpered.
Then, there was a horrible, screeching crack. It rang in his ears. The sound of wood splintering, metal busting, and drywall collapsing.
He was barely able to jump backward in time as the ceiling above him caved in. The wooden beams holding up the roof crumpled to the ground in front of him, effectively blocking the way he came in.
The rubble fueled the fire in the room. Red flames burned hot, crawling towards the pair at a rapid pace. Rabbit was quick to redirect, vaulting himself in a different direction. He hurried towards a new room across the way.
The master bedroom wasn’t in much better shape than the rest of the apartment. The fire was consuming its inner walls. Flames were embedded into the carpet, shooting upwards like dangerous weeds.
Rabbit could feel the intensity of the heat through the soles of his shoes, the fabric and rubber being burned away slowly. He ignored the warmth and bolted towards the large, glass doors that led to the outside. He splashed in puddles of fire that nicked the hems of his clothes. His pants were most definitely goners after this.
He nearly shattered the doors as he swung them open. He quickly shut them behind himself to smother the flames and hopefully slow them down. He took deep breaths of semi-fresh air as he glanced over the railing.
That's when he realized he was completely and utterly fucked.
There was absolutely nowhere to go from there.
The balconies below him were smoldering, meaning he couldn’t jump down them to escape. He wouldn’t be able to scale down using the windowsills either, not with the little girl that was wrapped around him. There were no accompanying rooftops to leap to either.
The apartment balcony faced the river because of course it did. Having an adjacent building to flee to would be too convenient. There was a small sliver of street before the waterline started. That was it. They were several stories up and it was maybe a two-hundred-foot free fall.
Rabbit's mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan. He had no gear on him that would be helpful in this situation and judging by how shaky the ground under him was, there wasn’t long until the building collapsed completely.
He scanned everywhere. No light posts or electric towers to leap towards. No helicopters hovering to come to rescue them. The smoke was heavy, and the night was now completely dark. Even if there were people in the air, he doubted they would be able to spot him.
There were a few people down below. He recognized a handful of heroes who were sweeping the streets for civilians and carefully scrutinizing the burning building.
He debated trying to yell out for help, but from this distance, he doubted anyone would hear. Never mind the roaring fire.
Rabbit stumbled forward when the platform under him cracked. He leaned back to prevent himself from tumbling off the balcony. The plaster was breaking away from the building, unable to withstand the heat.
Rabbit saw several other balconies that had already collapsed and fallen, leaving nothing but beams of charcoaled wood jutting out the side of the building. He had no doubt that where he was standing would soon be next.
Desperation was creeping in, clawing at the edge of his mind, contaminating his thoughts. Leave her, save yourself. Nobody would know.
He stomped out the ideas as soon as they intruded, screaming at himself internally. He clutched the girl tighter and shoved his survival instincts to the side. He wouldn’t leave her to die. It was either her, or neither of them. He wasn’t going to run away when someone needed him. Not now, not ever.
His grip on the little girl shifted. He gently tilted her head up to look at her face. “What's your name?” He asked her raggedly.
“H-Hana.” She squeaked, squealing when the balcony shuddered beneath them.
“Hana, I'm Rabbit. I think-“ he leaned over the edge, grimacing at the distance to the ground, “I think we are gonna have to take a little fall, okay?”
Rabbit knew, logically, there was little chance they were both going to survive this. Even jumping into the river wouldn’t really cushion the fall. From here, the force of the water would be the same as falling onto concrete. Plus, then they would have a high likelihood of drowning even if they did survive.
But maybe- maybe if he placed himself beneath her- if he took the brunt of the impact, maybe Hana would live.
He saw no other options. He placed a foot on the edge of the railing, preparing for the jump down. “Hold onto my chest, okay Hana? I'm gonna fall on my back, you need to make sure your arms aren’t in the way.”
The girl paled considerably but meekly nodded her head and adjusted her hand placement.
Rabbit stood on the edge of the balcony. He faced the solid ground below him, furrowing his brows. He took deep breaths, trying to slow his racing heart.
This isn’t such a bad way to go. It will be fast. Painless.
His thoughts did nothing to ease his stress. He could feel a blockage in his throat, almost like he was choking. Something swelled in his gut, surging through his veins. It felt like panic. His legs were shaking. He held on to Hana perhaps a bit too tightly. His eyes were watery.
Damn. He really didn’t want to die.
He knew what the emotion he felt was. Fear. Rabbit was supposed to be brave and carefree. Rabbit faced danger without hesitation. Rabbit was never afraid. He was fearless. Always fearless. (Or maybe he was always afraid and just avoided it, like Hana hiding from fire)
Yet now, standing there, facing certain doom, he couldn’t help it. He desperately blinked, trying to keep tears from falling. He swallowed several times, just trying to work up the courage to go.
Another booming crack let him know that his time was up, that it was now or never. He balanced on the edge of the railing for several moments as the metal shook.
He breathed in, savoring what may be his last lungful of air. He felt pressure build in his legs, warmth growing in his muscles. His toes curled in his shoes. His chest spasmed.
He breathed out, and he jumped.
He leaped outwards, creating enough distance to get away from the building, yet not as far as to dive into the river. He felt the wind rush past his ears. His hood fell easily, scratching the back of his neck. His hair waved wildly, green curls flapping in the wind, encompassing his peripheral vision.
He twisted his body, positioning his back to the ground, head upward. As he turned, he thought he saw a glimpse of red and white. Perhaps bits of flame and debris fell with him. He couldn’t see the rapidly approaching concrete or the heroes stationed at the bottom. It might have been better that way honestly. Seeing his demise coming might have made him freak. He wasn’t about to die screaming. (Plus, he didn’t really want Death Arms to be the last face he saw.)
He closed his eyes, using his precious last moments to absorb Hanas body heat. He knew she was probably the last person he would ever hug. It was a tragic, yet comforting thought.
Shouto was always warm. His mind shifted to thoughts of the hero student. Shouto radiated heat, most likely a part of his quirk. He wondered what it would be like to hug him for real. Their brief embraces were always based on their fights. Casually helping each other up, or quickly stepping in to pull the other out of danger. He imagined that a genuine hug would be cozy, and comforting. Those strong arms would ground him, make him feel like nothing could touch him. His campfire scent would be soothing.
Izuku wonders if Shouto will miss him. They hadn’t been friends for very long, but still. They had spent a good amount of time together. If Shotuo had died tragically, Izuku would mourn him. He wondered if it was true the other way around. Would Shouto care? Izuku was pretty much alone. Shouto was his only friend. Really, he was the only person Rabbit had made a connection with in years. To Rabbit, Shouto was pretty much all he had, so of course he would mourn the boy.
But Shouto had other friends and family, so Izuku was unsure if he really would be mourned. Perhaps Rabbit was always meant to be another passing face — a blip in Todorokis expansive life. Someone easily forgotten. Nobody important.
Izuku didn’t really feel it when he hit the ground. It was cold, yet softer than he expected. It all had happened too fast. He didn’t have time to reflect on his life. He was anticipating visions of his past to flood through him: Memories of his mom, times in middle school with Kacchan, the patrols spent running from Aizawa and Tsukauchi. He expected Shouto's face to streak through his mind, but it didn’t. He guessed the whole ‘life flashing before your eyes’ thing wasn’t true after all.
He heard yelling and screaming. Sirens blared, yet for once, Izuku didn’t have the strength to get up and run. Footsteps rumbled. There was crying. He felt Hanas weight being dragged off him.
When Izuku cracked open his eyes, all he saw was the night sky. His vision was getting more and more blurry. Heat encompassed his head and neck. White stars mysteriously danced above him.
Almost like flurries.
Izuku laughed to himself, letting a small smile creep onto his face.
And that's how Rabbit died.