Chapter Text
1-The Rescue
“Good night, Jess" you call out waving goodbye to the last tech on her way out. Heading into the back of the clinic you stop to grab yourself a cup of coffee, knowing you'll need the caffeine as you ready yourself for a long night. You set yourself down on a pile of old dog beds beside Goose. You had performed the emergency surgery just a few hours ago on the lab and while everything went well, he was still too weak to leave on his own.
He had gotten in a fight at the dog park that afternoon and the poor thing had clearly lost. The poor owner was distraught when she brought him in and you had promised her to treat him like your own dog to put her more at ease. You had to stitch several lacerations including repairing a destroyed ear. But, the most worrying injury was the bite to his neck. It had punctured through several areas in his esophagus damaging his eating and breathing abilities. His recovery wasn't really likely unless he woke up some point in the night. So, you planned to stay up with him to better his chances.
Smiling at the young pup you settled into the nest you had created for yourself out of dog beds and pulled up your book to read while your ears listened to every sound the instruments made. It was just a few minutes into this when you heard the sound of paws along the floor followed by a large dog pushing the door open. “Hey Blu,” you greeted your dog. “Sorry bud, looks like I'll be staying down here tonight. This guy here isn't feeling well and needs my attention. Why don't you head on up to bed.” The large mixed breed responded as you knew he would, by curling up beside you. Smiling at his loyalty you moved over to create more room on the bed for him.
You had met Blu just a few years after you had graduated from vet school and around the time you had opened your own practice. As an animal rescuer right down to your core you often volunteer your time and medical knowledge with several rescue organizations. Blu had been part of a huge group of dogs just brought in after a dog fighting ring had been busted. Many had already been euthanized due to either severe injury or aggression that would not be fixed. You hadn't been having a good day as a result. The state some of the poor creatures were in just had you in tears, despite your being used to this sort of thing. After the tenth euthanasia you had to step out and give yourself a minute. You had found a small corner out of the way to just cry it out.
You had been so distraught that at first you hadn't noticed the little creature that had approached you. Soundlessly he had crawled into your lap and started licking your arm. You had snatched up the little puppy, cuddled him to your chest and crying into his fur. You calmed down after a little while of holding his fluffy little body to you. Looking him over you saw that he was young, just barely old enough to survive without his mom and extremely malnourished. This little puppy, who most likely was to be used as bait had clearly been battered around and abused multiple times. And yet when he heard you crying came to comfort you. You were so moved by this. It hadn't taken you very long to realize, you weren't going home without him. His recovery had been a long road. He was so malnourished that when offered food he didn't even seem to recognize it. And he'd been skittish. Despite his approaching you in the beginning, he hadn't immediately trusted you. It had taken time for him to understand that when a human around him moved, it wasn't to strike him. But, he was young. So, healed pretty quickly physically and emotionally. Now at 3 years old he was healthy, well behaved and fit right in with you and with your clinic.
Your clinic was small, but you loved it. You had the waiting room made up warm and welcoming to put everyone at ease as you knew vet visits were often terrifying for the pets and owners. Blu now wandered freely throughout the waiting area and your office. Greeting clients and occasionally comforting a scared fur baby. You were the only veterinarian on staff and you employed 3 full time technicians to assist you. You were well know and liked as the neighborhood veterinarian. The apartment upstairs was an excellent find as well. San Francisco wasn't the worst city in the world as far as crime. But, with your schedule you often ended work after dark and while Blu was great for protection, you enjoyed the safety of not walking home at night. Especially as there had been a rise in villain activity throughout all the western states recently. So much so that many foreign Heroes had been coming to temporarily provide assistance to our local overwhelmed Heroes.
You quickly came back to the present when you heard Goose begin to stir. Glancing over you discovered him sleepily blinking at you. Smiling you greeted him. “Hey buddy, looks like your going to be fine.” Quickly you began unplugging and removing unnecessary equipment and readying him to spend the rest of the night alone. “Come on Blu, he’ll be ok now,” you called him getting ready to head upstairs. But Blu had other ideas. After getting up from the nest of beds he trotted up to the front door and turned back to look at you. “Really, you have to pee now?” you ask him exhausted. In response he gave you a little whine. “Alright. Alright,” you respond heading for the door. Not bothering with a leash because you were too tired and you knew he would behave himself.
However, the moment the door was open he took off down the street. Panic hit you hard, immediately waking you as you dash out after your dog. Memories are suddenly popping into your head of runaway dogs you've seen after the fact. Dogs hit by cars or found days later injured and hungry. You call to him to come back. But, he ignores you and continues to run. Aware of the fact that he could run much faster then you, your expectation of bringing him back unharmed began to dwindle. However, as you ran it became obvious he didn't seem to want to loose you. Every once in awhile he would stop to turn and bark at you as you ran to catch up. Only to start running before you could grab him.
At this point your so angry at Blu. Your tired from staying up half the night with Goose and know you have a full schedule tomorrow. And your dog now seems to be playing keep away with you. Frustrated you shout out to Blu again to stop playing and come back. Only to be ignored once again. Suddenly you begin to hear a faint sound, one you knew very well. Your anger immediately diminished when you realized this was probably what had gotten your dog in such a state. The unmistakable sound of a dog's panicked and pain filled cry filled the air. You ran with new energy after your dog. Scenarios of what you might find already entering your mind.
You saw Blu suddenly dart into an alleyway. Quickly catching up you ran to the mouth of the alley and took in the scene. Blu was standing near you hackles raised and growling straight ahead. Confused as to why he would be growling at the injured animal he ran all this way for, you glance further into the alley. There you see two older teenage boys who were clearly drunk laughing while pouring beer over a battered and abused little dog. Your heart went out to the small, confused, terrified and obviously in pain creature. But, you realize this isn't a safe situation to barge yourself into. As much as you care for animals in need, you never put yourself in harms way by just charging in places like this. Pulling out your phone you get ready to dial 911 from a safe distance.
Thankfully, drunk as they were, that hadn't noticed you or Blu yet. Begging him to listen now that he’s led you here, you quietly call Blu back. He's a good boy and he does respond, momentarily stopping his growling to look back at you confused. “That's it boy. Come here. It'll be ok,” you told. He huffed before turning from you and charging at the boys. Cringing from panic, you hide yourself against the wall, refusing to leave Blu and desperately trying to figure a way out of this. They finally notice him and start screaming out in surprise and fear suddenly being face to face with a giant angry dog. Relief runs through you. Blu will scare them off you realize. They'll come running out any minute now and you can help that poor little dog. Smiling, expecting to see any minute now those bullies to come running out with their tail between their legs.
Suddenly you hear the shattering of glass, followed immediately by a pained scream from Blu and chuckles from the boys. Walking slightly out of your hiding spot you turn to see the teens standing over a bloody glass shard covered Blu crying in pain. You see one boy lift his leg to kick at him and you act without considering the consequences. Sobbing you dart out of hiding and raced toward the crying Blu. Your stopped by large strong hands lifting you off your feet. “No,” you shout struggling and shouting Blu's name only getting a pained whine in response. You scream for help at the top of your lungs before suddenly a green mist surrounds your body and suddenly you can't move or speak. The boy holding you turns to face his companion.
“Looks like we got another plaything,” he shouts with a chuckle. His friend responds with a laugh as you are thrown to the ground between them. You hit the ground hard, everything suddenly going fuzzy as your head connects. Immediately you feel foreign hands all over you, followed by your jacket being ripped from your body. Still unable to move or scream due to the first boy's quirk, you try to shut it out knowing you can do nothing to stop them. You feel your shirt roughly being shoved up your body when suddenly the hands were just gone. You hear wrestling and arguing behind you followed by the release of your paralysis. You turn your head in the direction you had heard them but, the only ones in the alley are you and the two dogs.
You slowly sit up careful of your injured head and crawl your way to Blu who was unconscious by this point and you begin to examine his condition. The majority of his injuries were on his face and his neck. You began to cry seeing a shard had embedded itself in his right eye. Sobbing you carefully cradle your best friend’s injured head in your lap. Glancing back you see the little dog Blu had come for cowering under some trash, whimpering. You talk to it trying to do what little you can to comfort. Just as your trying to come up with a plan as to how you are going to get both dogs and yourself back home and everyone's injuries treated, a very large man entered the alley.
Terrified and expecting the worst you scream out begging for help curling yourself around Blu's injured head. Slowly you begin to recognize the sound of a soft soothing voice. Confused as to why the teens are acting this way you allow yourself to glance up slightly. First thing you notice is that the man hadn't gotten any closer to you then he originally was. Then you begin to notice his clothing. It looked like a green Hero costume. When that thought registered you began to relax, hoping your right. Slowly you look up to a face you immediately recognize. Deku, the current number 1 Hero and the second All Might some said. He had stopped his progression toward you at seeing your initial reaction, clearly not wanting to startle you further. “Your safe now ma'am. I’m the pro-hero, Deku. Those two thugs have been dealt with. Are you injured?” he asked. “I'd like to see you to medical help, if you'll let me.”
“I know who you are Deku and thank you,” you respond relived to be safe. He relaxes after that and approaches you. Smiling at you now he asks if he can help you get to the ER to be checked out. “Yeah,” you tell him. “It would probably be best to get my head checked out. I hit it pretty hard. But, I can't just leave these two here.”
“My priority is getting you taken care of,” he told her concerned. But, when that’s done I'll come back here to make sure they're taken care of, I promise. Will that work?”
“No,” you say again clutching at your head as your loud shout causes more pain. “I won't leave Blu like this.” You can see him open his mouth to protest but you cut him off. “Andy,” you suddenly shout. “Andy, I'll call Andy.” You quickly pull out your phone to call your friend from school.
Andy immediately agrees to come care for the two dogs once you quickly brief him on the situation. “He'll be here really soon. He just lives a few blocks away. I'm going to stay here until he arrives,” you tell Deku while reaching over to stroke Blu's fur.
“I already figured,” he responded. “Are they your dogs?” he asked. You then explained to him how you had gotten into the situation you were in now. “Ok,” he said at the end of you explanation. “And this friend of yours, Andy, he's a vet as well?”
“Yeah, he'll be able to care for these guys.” Looking up at Deku's smiling face it occurred to you that you were needlessly holding him up. There were a lot of things that probably need the Hero’s attention more then babysitting you. And you were keeping him longer then necessary with your stubbornness. Even knowing this you still couldn't just leave Blu here like this. Glancing back up at Deku, you decided to give him an out. “I really appreciate you helping me out with those guys. But, you don't have to stick around anymore. I'm sure there are bigger things then me that need your help. The police are here now. I'll be ok.”
“Oh,” he said startled before rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Well, if that's what you would prefer, that should be ok,” he replied glancing behind at the newly arrived police cars. “I'll just go grab an officer to look after you and be on my way.” Wanting to thank him one last time, you smiled at him while leaning forward, reaching out to touch his arm planning on doing just that. But, the moment your hand touched his bare bicep a shock rippled through your entire body. His head snapped back to you to shockingly stare right back into your equally startled eyes, both knowing exactly what had just happened.
Soulmates were a rare thing. Maybe 1 in 1000 chance of one having this perfect mate. Even less chance of even finding them. There was no way to tell if you were part of a Soulmate group until it happened. Many believed that it only happened in those with the purest of kind hearts. It had never even entered your mind that you were one of the few. But, you were. As much as you couldn't believe, in this moment you knew. That you were the other half of this man's soul. This amazing man, the number 1 Hero, Deku.