Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Miss (y/n),” Principal Nezu sat at his desk, smiling warmly, “Please, have a seat.”

You did as he asked silently. Aizawa stood at the door as if that gave you some sort of privacy, but you knew he wouldn’t leave.

“I’m sure you’ve realized by now that the board has made a decision,” Nezu was chipper despite the subject at hand, which annoyed you, but you didn’t let it show. “There are conditions, of course, but I think you’ll find them manageable. I’m here to go over them with you before you start.”

You nodded in understanding. Principal Nezu had met with you enough times by now to realize that you weren’t much of a talker, so he kept on going.

“Right. Miss (y/n), you have been accepted into UA High School.”

At this, you snapped your eyes up to meet his, surprise written evidently on his face. You were expecting them to have gotten you a lesser sentence, maybe even house arrest, but this? Your heart was thundering, and you weren’t sure if you were happy with this news or not.”

Nezu continued. “You will be in class 1A, Hero Course.”

Your eyes widened even further, and you finally spoke. “Whoa, hold on-I didn’t even take an exam! And aren’t you guys already a week into school? People will ask questions!”

“They probably will,” Nezu nodded. “But whether you answer them is your prerogative. We will keep all information regarding your past and the complications of your quirk confidential.”

You slowly sat back in your seat, which the principal took as a sign to elaborate. “There are two reasons for this placement,” He explained. “The first one is that class 1A is most suited to handle a quirk like yours and help you grow in your control and mastery of it. The second one is that the homeroom teacher is Aizawa.”

You groaned internally. “I’m still stuck with him?” You whined.

“For the time being.” Nezu smiled. “In fact, you’ll be living right next door to Aizawa. We’ve rented it out for you. The two apartments are connected, so if you are in any danger or losing control of your quirk outside of school, he’ll likely be nearby.”

You raised an eyebrow. “So, does that mean I’m not allowed to go outside and do normal things? Is he my chaperone?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Aizawa spoke up from across the room, scoffing. “The two places you’ll be the most are here and at home. We’re making those two places close to me in case you need my help. That’s all.”

“Am I going to have to tell you whenever I go anywhere?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Aizawa snapped. “There are plenty of Pro Heroes in this city who are capable of handling you, and they all have me on speed dial if things get out of hand.”

You looked at Principal Nezu for confirmation, and he nodded. You felt an unfamiliar twinge of excitement in your chest. 

FREEDOM.

“There will be conditions,” Nezu reminded you. “First of all, you must never reveal your name or use your signature abilities.”

You frowned. “Do you really think my classmates are going to recognize me? I thought information about me was classified.”

“It is.” Nezu assured you. “But we can’t keep information trapped within the school. Whatever happens here, you need to assume it will leak. You aren’t to bring up or display that part of your past for your own safety, and by extension the safety of the school and its students. We don’t want people to find out you’re alive and come for you.”

You felt yourself pale as you nodded. “Right.” You managed to keep your voice from shaking. It was such an obvious reason, and it was stupid of you not to think of it immediately.

“You can use your real name, but you must pick out a new alias and create a new fighting style.” Nezu continued. “I’m sure Aizawa and your other teachers will be more than happy to help you with those things.”

You glanced over at Aizawa, who’s expression was almost as dark as his eyebags. ‘More than happy’ didn’t match his vibe. 

You turned back toward Nezu. “Is the apartment next to Aizawa close to here?”

“It’s right down the street, actually.” Nezu smiled. “Aizawa isn’t one for fancy things, and being close to the school means he can sleep in as late as possible. Right, Aizawa?”

“I’m not even going to ask how you know that.”

“Yes, yes,” Nezu moved on without another thought, “Back to the conditions. You will also be required to see our school counselor, Ryo, once a week. You can choose when, as long as it suits his schedule. Your first meeting will be scheduled for you during the school day, and you two can figure it out after that.”

That seemed reasonable. You didn’t want to have a therapist, but it was better than prison, so you shut your mouth and nodded. If you were being honest with yourself, you definitely needed therapy, but you were content to ignore that fact for now.

“Your freedoms are granted to you, but they can be taken away.” Nezu broke into your thoughts with a warning tone. “If any issues from your past are coming up and you don’t alert myself or one of your teachers about it, that will result in suspension and house arrest. If you begin lying to us, or do things illegal or with ill intent, that will also lead suspension and house arrest. If you miss a therapy session without a verifiable excuse, you will-”

“Be suspended and put under house arrest, yeah, I get it.” You interrupted crossly.

Nezu smiled apologetically. “I know they are loosely defined rules, but that means there will be discretion from myself and your teachers on how and when they are applied.”

You nodded, folding your arms across your chest. Your logic was telling you that this was a MUCH better deal than anything you had predicted, but you were still longing for the last few steps of freedom that were still out of your reach.

“Patience, Miss (y/n ).” Nezu interrupted your thoughts as if he read your mind. “This is the beginning of an upward journey for you. Do not be discouraged at where you are, or where you have been. Focus on these opportunities you have to improve yourself, and use them to get to where you want to be.”

Your chest and throat tightened at the encouraging words, but you waved him off. “Yeah, yeah.” You scoffed. “I know.”

“Now…” Nezu sat back in his seat, looking pleased and completely unphased by your attitude. “Aizawa will take you to the uniform office. There is one waiting for you there. After you change, you and Aizawa will go to class. You’ll be a little late, but you are expected to participate normally in class activities unless instructed otherwise.”

You frowned. “If I’m going to be late to class, doesn’t that mean Aizawa will be late, too?”

Nezu’s chuckled. “Yes, indeed it does.”

“But…but he’s the teacher!”

“Well, then, I suggest you hurry!” Nezu hopped off of his chair and walked over to a more comfortable chair in his study, clearly done with this meeting. “Have a good first day!”

“Ugh.” You huffed, walking past Aizawa into the hallway and waiting impatiently for him to follow. “I don’t know where this place is!” You hissed at him. “Can you hurry? Aren’t you worried about what your class will do without you there?”

“Not really.”

“So you trust them that much already?”

“Oh, no. I don’t trust them one bit.” Aizawa gestured for you to follow him, and he kept at his normal walking pace, much to your frustration. “But they need to learn.”

- - -

“Aizawa is fourteen minutes late!” Kaminari proclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. “We’re so close!”

Uraraka shook her head, looking at her phone. “Your watch is fast, Kaminari. It’s been eleven minutes.”

“Still only four minutes to go!” Kaminari held out his hand for a fistbump, which Kirishima returned enthusiastically. 

“Stop it!” Iida snapped. “I’m quite positive that this rule you’re talking about is fake.”

“Oh, come on, Iida, everyone knows the rule!” Mina claimed, grinning from ear to ear. “If the teacher is fifteen minutes late, then you’re free to lea-”

“That’s not a rule!” Iida insisted, interrupting her and causing her to frown.

“It’s always been a thing!” Kirishima insisted. “Even Bakugo knows about it!”

“I don’t give a shit about your damn rule! Shut up, you’re all so fucking loud!”

Todoroki frowned. “Why are you mad at us for being loud? You’re the one that’s shouting.”

Bakugo turned to him, red eyes blazing. “Say that again, you half and half freak!” His voice rose even more.

“See?” Mina sighed, checking her phone. “Todoroki is right, Bakugo. You do scream a lot.”

“DID I ASK FOR YOUR OPINION, RACCOON EYES?”

“...As you can see, they’re getting along famously.”

Everyone whirled around at the sound of Aizawa’s voice, and the room began to buzz with surprise and excitement at the sight of you.

“Dammit, we were only two minutes away!” A blond boy toward the front complained, only to be smacked in the head by his classmate with red hair. The guy that smacked him nodded his head toward you, and the blond finally noticed you. “Holy shit!” He blurted out. “A new girl!”

At this, everyone burst into questions. 

“What’s your name?”

“What’s your quirk?”

“Why haven’t you been here?”

“What’s your phone number?”

“Kaminari, you can’t just ask that, you don’t even know her name yet-”

“Alright!” Aizawa barked, and the uproar died almost immediately. “You’ll have a chance to ask plenty of questions later. Right now, I’m changing the seating chart.”

Another curveball. 

“Yaoyorozu and Midoriya, move back a seat. (Y/n) will sit in Midoriya’s old chair.” Aizawa looked pointedly between Midoriya, the broccoli haired boy, and the scowling blond in front of him. “I think it’s wise to separate you two. (Y/n, go find your seat. The rest of you turn to the chapter you were supposed to read.” The class groaned as Yaoyorozu and Midoriya finished moving. “I’m going to go around the class and we’re going to summarize the chapter for (y/n). Stop complaining.”

You walked to your assigned seat, earning curious looks from everyone you passed. You brushed them off and settled behind the boy with straw blonde, spiky hair, who’s angry eyes had been the only unfriendly gaze following you across the room. As you sat, you saw a few of your classmates physically wince. You weren’t sure what that was about, but you didn’t care much either, so you pulled the textbook you had just gotten from Aizawa out of your bag.

“Alright, let’s start with Aoyama.” Aizawa pointed to the first desk. The boy gasped dramatically. “How does the chapter start?”

“I-well, um, let me just-” The kid, Aoyama, fumbled for his book, but Aizawa cut him off. 

“I didn’t ask you to read it. I asked you to tell me how it starts.”

“Oh! Sorry, haha, well…”

As the boy’s overdramatic false confidence took over, you tapped the shoulder of the guy in front of you. “Excuse me,” you whispered, “What page are we-”

Before you could finish, your hand was slapped forcefully back toward you, and the boy whirled around. His eyes were a startling red, and they met your (e/c) ones defiantly. “Don’t fucking touch me, you damn extra.” He snarled. Loudly.

The whole class stopped to stare. You could see many sympathetic looks, as if this was expected. Your temper flared, and before you could fully process what was happening, you snapped back at an equal volume, “Get your panties out of your ass, it’s just a damn question!”

The red eyes narrowed even further, but this time, his voice was low. “What the fuck did you just say?” He gritted his teeth.

You opened your mouth to respond, just as the red haired boy a few seats away said loudly- “Haha, nice joke! Anywho, what were you saying? Aoyama?”

“I asked what page we’re on.” You repeated slowly, ignoring the obvious plea for the two of you to de-escalate. 

The spiky haired boy stood up, slamming his hands down on the desk and towering over you with a wild look in his eyes. “You wanna die?

You shrugged. “I don’t much care. You’re the one overreacting.”

Sparks popped from his hands, which he now held in front of him as if about to grab your face. You raised your eyebrows. “Ooh, fireworks?” You noted. “I love that!”

This seemed to send him over the edge. “YOU-” He seethed, raising his smoking hand to strike you, but before he could deliver a blow his limbs were caught by familiar white cloth. He struggled for a few moments.

“Sit down, Bakugo.” Aizawa’s voice was loud and commanding. You looked at Bakugo as he slowly stopped struggling, the hatred in his eyes remaining intense. 

“Just you wait,” He fumed. “I’ll make you eat your words. “I’ll fucking kill you. You’ll have to drop out because your nothing but a fucking extra who-”

“Bakugo!” Aizawa was losing his patience. “Sit down now!”

You were surprised when he listened, albeit slowly and with a murderous expression.

You received a tap on your shoulder, and you reacted like a normal person as you turned around to the broccoli boy, Midoriya. He smiled at you. “Page 174.” He supplied, and you gave him a very rare smile.

“Thanks.”

- - -

When class was over, you left before the crazy guy in front of you could start screaming again. You hurried out of the classroom and only realized once you had walked down a few hallways that you had no idea where you were supposed to be going, or where you were at all. 

“Great.” You sighed to yourself. “Great. This is great.”

“No…effing…way…(Y/N)?”

You turned at the familiar voice and felt your own jaw drop. “Mei?”

She bounded toward you and threw her arms around you, which caught you off guard. You put your hands on her shoulders uncomfortably, not used to the affection, but before you could say anything she began rambling.

“Omg, (y/n), I haven’t seen you in YEARS!” She pulled away, looking at your face and beaming. “It’s so good to see you!” Her face fell. “I heard what happened to your parents. I’m so sorry, (y/n), I wish I could have been there for you.” She brightened again. “But here you are! Holy shit! Who would have thought?”

A swirl of emotions that were too potent were swirling inside of you, making you nauseous, and you simply nodded.

“What class are you in?” She asked curiously. 

“1A.” You manage to swallow your nausea. 

“No. WAY!” Mei clapped her hands excitedly. “I’m a support student! I can, like, TOTALLY be your engineer!”

“You promise me that if you become a hero with your quirk, you’ll come to me for your support gear!”

That gave you pause. “That would be really helpful, actually.” You said in full honesty. “I’ve never had gear, and my quirk is kind of unruly. I’m supposed to turn in a design for what I want my suit to be like but I have no idea what kind of equipment I want or need.”

Mei beamed. “Well, I’m your gal!” She jabbed her thumb into her chest. “I’m the best in my class!”

“I’m the best lego builder in the whole class!”

Your teacher sighed in resignation. “Alright, Mei,” he obliged, “But you’re going to be six years old soon. You’re going to have to learn how to play with more big-kid things, okay? School won’t always have legos.”

Mei puffed out her chest. “I know, and that’s okay because (y/n) and I are going to make superhero robots! Right, (y/n)?”

“Yeah!” You said with equal passion. “My mom even said Mei and me can use her workshop sometimes!”

“But only if we ask.” Mei reminded you.

“Right, yeah. Only if we ask.”

Your teacher shook his head, smiling. “That’s great girls. But, (y/n), don’t you have a quirk?”

“(Y/n)! Mei!”

“It looks like your mom is here!” The teacher said to you. You turned and beamed at your mother, who grinned right back. Her work outfit was always a pair of jean overalls, and you never saw her wear anything else except on weekends, and after school it was always dirty. Some days, like today, even her hands and face were still dirty. 

“See, Sensei? My mama works in a workshop!” You pointed excitedly. Your mother laughed heartily, kneeling next to you.

“I’m here to take you and Mei home, kiddo.” She kissed the top of your head. “You two have a playdate, remember!”

“Yes!” You two said in unison, making her and the teacher chuckle. 

It was a different day. A different place. You sat at the table with your family, and Mei was there too, and her family. A cake with the number ‘10’ written in icing was lit up with sparkling candles. “Blow them out, (y/n)!” Mei shouted, and you did so with a big huff of air, blowing all ten candles out at once. 

Another whirl of color. A different place. A different day. It was Mei’s bedroom, littered with spare parts of all sorts and a wide variety of tools, and posters of some of the most high-tech support gear. You and Mei were in your pajamas, but she was still wearing her party hat. It had been her twelfth birthday that day.

“Now, you pinky-promise me right now.” Mei held up her pinky seriously. “You promise me that if you become a hero with your quirk, you’ll come to me for your support gear.”

“Of course I’ll come to you, Mei!” You scoffed. “You’re my best friend! Don’t be stupid!”

“It’s not about that!” Mei reached over to her desk and grabbed a magazine. “I read about it in the Heroes Business magazine! Your agency might try and force you to use a certain engineer!”

Your mouth fell open. “Why would they do that?” You grabbed the magazine for yourself, trying to find the article. “No, they can’t do that!”

“That’s why we gotta promise!” Mei explained urgently. 

You met her determination with a fierce look of your own. “Of course, Mei!” You locked your pinky with hers and you two shook on it. “You’ll always be my engineer!”

“(Y/n)? Hello? Earth to (y/n)!”

Mei’s floating voice brought you back into the present, where she had her hands on your shoulders. “You okay?” She asked. “You kinda got lost there for a second.”

Tears were beginning to well up, and you hated it. “Mei…” you whispered. 

Her smile fell. “Oh, (y/n), I’m so sorry,” She began wringing her hands. “I totally was insensitive, seeing me probably brings up a lot of memories, doesn’t it? I heard what happened, and I never heard from you again, and it was so awful, and I couldn’t be there for you-”

Surprising yourself, you envelope her in a hug. “No, Mei,” you laughed weakly. “You reminded me of some wonderful memories that I had forgotten.” You pulled away, a long-forgotten feeling of warmth spreading through your chest. “It’s a good thing I ended up here, too, otherwise it would have been hard to find my engineer.” You joked.

Mei looked surprised at first, but then she burst into the widest grin you had ever seen. “Yes!” She squealed. “You remember! Hell yeah! Oh, I missed you, (y/n)! Here,” She linked her arm through yours, which you still found awkward now that the shock of somehow finding your childhood best friend was subsiding. “It’s lunchtime! Why don’t we catch up?”

- - -

Bakugo fumed as you walked into the room. His temper was flattened slightly in surprise at the girl linked through your arm. She was the opposite of you--bubbly, peppy, and covered in tech. You walked stiffly, smiling as the other girl spoke and occasionally responding. Of course you had annoying extras as friends already.

“Who is that other girl?” Mina frowned, shamelessly staring at the two. 

Kirishima shrugged, biting into his sandwich. “Looks like a support tech student to me!” He said after a large swallow. “They look like they know each other.”

“Why do you guys care?” Bakugo growled, stabbing at his food aggressively. His friends turned to stare at him. “They’re just some fucking extras.”

Kaminari snorted. “You’re just pissed because she totally roasted you in cla…” He trailed off as he met Bakugo’s smoldering eyes. 

“Yeah, what did she say?” Mina continued, undeterred. “‘Get your panties out of your ass’ or something?”

Bakugo could feel the sweat on his hands starting to spark. “I’ll kill you, you bubblegum bitch!” He seethed, only for Mina to laugh and get up to throw away her trash.

“I’m excited to see her quirk in class later.” She added as she stood. “Who knows? Maybe she’ll even give you a run for your money, Blasty.”

Bakugo scoffed, leaning back in his seat. “No fucking way. That bitch won’t even land a hit on me and you know it.”

- - -

“So, what’s been going on with you?” Mei asked the dreaded question as you sat down with your lunches. 

Your chest began to tighten with anxiety before you remembered. This was Mei . Principal Nezu’s words echoed in your head.

“Whether you answer them is your prerogative. We will keep all information regarding your past and the complications of your quirk confidential.”

As long as you didn’t bring up your name, and your fighting style…it should be safe, right?

No, you would still have to leave things out. A LOT of things out. But you needed this. You needed to talk to someone other than the supposed counselor. 

“Do you know what happened to my family?” You asked tentatively.

Mei’s face fell. “Yeah.” She blinked her own tears away. Your families had been incredibly close. “A car accident.”

“No.” 

She looked up and froze in confusion, a bite halfway in her mouth. She took it out. “What?”

You braced yourself emotionally, lowering your voice so others in the cafeteria couldn’t overhear. “They were killed, Mei.”

The blood drained from her face. “W-what are you talking about?” She stuttered. “Everyone said-”

“It’s a secret.” You clarified. “The attack was targeted, and it was a villain organization. They didn’t want families freaking out. I was there, Mei--they killed both of my parents, and…” you stuttered as your brothers’ faces swam into your memory. “And Kaden and Haru. And then they took me and Gemma.”

Your sister’s name tasted like blood in your mouth.

“They?” Mei asked quietly, scared. “Was…was it really your mom’s cousin’s from America?”

“No.” You shook your head. “The villains. They took us. That’s why you never saw us. I’m not sure why the actual incident was covered up, that’s still being investigated.”

“Fucking hell.” Mei’s eyes began to well up again. “(Y/n), that’s devastating, how did-”

“I managed to escape.” You chose your words carefully. “They think I’m dead. I can’t tell you much, it’ll put you in danger, but…” You took a shaky breath. “Mei, I had to do things. They forced me to do…terrible, awful things. I’m surprised law enforcement and the school board allowed me to be outside a prison cell.”

“Well, you just said you were forced.” Mei protested, defending you. “You deserve a second chance!”

You didn’t reply.

“What…what about Gemma?”

You must choose your words carefully. “I don’t know what happened to her.”

“Jeez, (y/n)...” Mei put her head in her hands. “I can’t even wrap my brain around this. So, you’re in class 1A?”

“Yeah.” You felt your walls coming down more quickly than you ever thought possible with Mei, and it made you simultaniously panic and feel relieved. “I don’t have complete control over my quirk, and it’s pretty dangerous, and as an ex-villain they wanted me to be with Aizawa.” You managed to chuckle. “They’re even paying for my apartment, it’s right next to his.”

“They’re making you live next to your teacher?” Mei scrunched up her nose. “Talk about weird!”

“It’s leagues better than prison.” You pointed out. 

“Fair.”

“Hey, (y/n)!” 

You and Mei looked over at Midoriya, who was waving at you. “Come on,” he called, “We have to leave early! Our next class is with All Might and we have to change.”

You stood to follow your class, and Mei stood with you. “I thought you said you didn’t have a hero costume?”

“I don’t.” You muttered, gathering your things. “But I can’t afford to fuck up my first day. One wrong move and they’ll put me on house arrest.”

“Fucking hell.”

“Yeah.” You sighed, staring down at your lunch. You had only taken a few bites. “I’m sure I can just ask for some spare clothes, though.”

Mei turned to you, grabbing your arm. The touch still sent a wave of panic through you, but you were able to shake it off quickly. “Do you wanna meet after school?” She asked. “We can go over your hero costume and stuff.” 

You blinked. “Uh, sure.” Mei pulled out her phone and held it out to you, the contacts screen open. You put in your phone number and your name, handing it back to her. “Just text me where you want to meet. And try to make it obvious, since I don’t really know my way around.”

“Sounds good.” She smiled warmly at you, uncharacteristic sadness in her gaze. “You seem much more wary of things than when we were kids…” She sighed, and you felt internally relieved she had seen through your attempts to hide your discomfort. “But you’ve been through so much. I’m just glad you opened up to me. I’ll relearn things--I’ll get to know you again. I promise.” She held out her arms. “Can I have a hug?”

You laughed at her awkwardness, since she clearly wasn’t used to asking. “A short one.” You relented, and she hopped with excitement, pulling you in. She did it quietly, but you managed to hear her count to three under her breath before pulling away, beaming.
“Have fun in All Might’s class!” She waved. “I’ll take care of your lunch, don’t worry about it! Catch up with everyone!”

“Thanks, Mei.” You smiled at her. No, really. Thank you, Mei.

“Try and make new friends, too.” 

That caught you off guard. “What?”

“New friends.” Mei repeated. “I don’t know, maybe you aren’t ready for that yet, but I know the only reason you spoke to me at all, much less opened up to me, is because we were literally inseparable as kids. Even after everything you must’ve gone through, we still have a bond. But you won’t see me nearly as much as your classmates.” She nodded her head after them. “You should try to make some new friends.”

You clenched your jaw. “I…”

“It’s okay if it’s too soon!” She added hastily. “It’s just something to keep in mind for when you’re ready. I want you to have the support and love you deserve, (y/n).”

Support.

Love.

Appreciation.

Understanding.

It was all so foreign.

You cleared your throat. “Thanks, Mei. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’ll see you after school!”

“Yeah, see you then.”

And with that you hastened after Midoriya, who was still lingering by the edge of the cafeteria, waiting for you to catch up.

Chapter Text

“Nice costume, (y/n)!”

You had barely finished changing and made your way outside with the rest of the class when someone spoke to you. You turned to see a bright, bubbly girl with her hand sticking out. “I’m Uraraka!” She introduced herself.

You reluctantly shook her hand. “...I’m (y/n), and these are just spare gym clothes.”

“Oh!” Uraraka smacked her head. “Obviously! I’m so dense sometimes!”

You didn’t know how to reply to this. Were you supposed to agree? But before you could say anything, All Might’s voice boomed over the chatter. “Now that you’re ready, it’s time for combat training!”

All Might was strange. You knew the history behind Toshinori--or, at least, you were privy to his true form. It was All Might who put his career on the line to save you--and, in the process, revealed his secret to you. He pushed for you to be given a chance… after he was the first Pro Hero to finally beat you.

You grimaced, remembering all the nights spent running in the shadows, stripped of your quirk and desperate to get away. Eraserhead almost caught you dozens of times, but you had been ruthlessly trained in many areas. Even full teams of Pro Heroes had a hard time following you when you wanted to disappear in the shadows.

You found it ironic, considering your quirk. 

“We’ve made you the perfect weapon, (Y/n). Your quirk is devastating, and we’ve trained you to be the perfect spy. They’ll be so busy looking for your quirk that they’ll never catch you slipping away in the shadows. You were a good investment.”

Still, seeing Toshinori pushing through his All Might form, that creepy smile plastered on his face…it was unnerving. Years of instincts itched at the back of your mind, there was a hero, so you had to choose: run or fight.

You left that behind, you remind yourself. 

You shook yourself out of your stupor, realizing you had just missed something one of your classmates had said.

“Think about it,” All Might was saying, “Backroom deals, home invasions, secret underground lairs…truly intelligent criminals stay hidden in the shadows.”

You shifted uncomfortably.

“For this training exercise,” he continued, “you’ll be split into teams of good guys and bad guys and fight two-on-two indoor battles.”

He proceeded to give some advice and answer questions, but your brain was swimming too much to process. Once he started giving details about the exercise, you forced yourself to listen.

It was elementary in concept. The villains protected the bomb, the heroes had to catch the villains or get the bomb.

You were paired with a girl named Yaoyorozu, who introduced herself confidently. “You can call me Momo.” She said, “You’re (y/n), right?”

“Yeah.” You replied simply.

You felt a sense of panic as you learned you and Momo were playing the villains. Pull yourself together. You scolded yourself. It’s just a game.

You had opened up too much with Mei and now your emotions were spilling out. You needed to get a handle on that before something bad happened. You felt trapped inside your own body as you silently followed whatever the rest of your class was doing, not really absorbing anything that was going on.

You were watching the first fight. The broccoli haired boy, who you couldn’t help being fond of after how kind he was, faced off against Bakugo. You felt bad for him.

“Aizawa had to stop Bakugo from attacking Midoriya on our first day.”

You turned to Momo, whose eyes were fixed on the screen. Was she talking to you? Yes, of course she was, you were the only one who was there. “I think that’s why he sat you between them. Bakugo seems to hate Midoriya more than everyone else.”

You thought back to the hatred burning behind those red eyes. He hated the kind, freckled boy more?

You watched as they fought, curious as Midoriya fended off Bakugo without his quirk. The more he didn’t use it, the more she wondered about it. He anticipated Bakugo’s attack, leaving the blonde even more furious. 

What you didn’t expect was for Bakugo to adapt. He adjusted his fighting style, throwing Midoriya off guard and gaining the upper hand. So he’s more than just brawn. 

The fight began to escalate. You heard your classmates begin to mutter, panicked, some beginning to talk to All Might. All Might was saying something to the boys, but you weren’t focused on that.

There was such unbridled passion behind their eyes, both Midoriya and Bakugo. They must have some sort of history. Nothing else explained the intensity of the battle between them, which was clearly not simulated.

Your mouth was dry as you watched Midoriya take the full force of Bakugo’s hit, but use his apparent super strength to blast a hole through the entire building. It was enough to let Uraraka get past the tall glasses boy and touch the bomb, leaving the heroes with a victory. 

You were still focused on Midoriya, though, and his swollen, purple arm. You felt a sick sense of relief. You weren’t the only one struggling to control your quirk.

You spent the rest of the time thinking about how you were going to use your quirk in this scenario. The last thing you wanted was for your classmates to think you were incapable, because you definitely weren’t. Years of brutal training ensured that you were a problem without your quirk, much less with it.

But this was the first time you were using your quirk since…since you fought All Might. And lost. The first time in five years you were using your quirk for something other than violence and villainy. 

You and Momo were inside the building with the bomb before you realized it. The other matches had gone so fast as you panicked. You were the villain.

“My quirk let’s me create things.” 

You focused on Momo. “Sorry, what?”

“If I know the components and makeup of an object, I can create it.” She explained. You blinked as she reached into her body and pulled out a pencil. “The more complicated it is, the longer it takes.”

You nodded. That made sense.

“What’s your quirk?”

You winced. “I, uh…don’t exactly know what it is…”

Momo frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I know how to use it!” You assured her quickly. “I just don’t know what it is. No one does.”

“Okay…” Momo paused. “So, what does it do, then?”

Before you could answer, the simulation began.

“Okay, we have no time to waste.” Momo stood with her hands on her hips. “I suggest you  leave this room and patrol. I’ll use my quirk to blockade the doors.”

It was a decent idea. “Okay.”

- - -

Bakugo growled. This was so fucking boring.

“Momo is definitely utilizing her quirk.” Iida noted.

“(Y/n) is just walking around.” Todoroki observed. “She must be patrolling.”

“Do we even know what her quirk is?” Mina asked.

All Might chuckled. “You’ll have to see.”

Bakugo straightened slightly at his teacher’s remark, his interest finally piqued.. All Might had been mostly quiet during the fights, leaving the rest of the students to talk through what they were seeing by themselves. So, All Might knew what your quirk was. It made him chuckle. What did that mean? Why was All Might chuckling at your quirk?

His fingers twitched. It better be a good quirk. He was itching for a fight.

Jiro motioned to Kaminari that (y/n) was around the corner, and he nodded, grinning as he summoned some electricity in his palm.

“(Y/n) is so clueless…” Mina sighed, “She won’t even know what hit-”

As Kaminari turned the corner, preparing to strike, (y/n) lunged to the side. The electricity flickered and died in the corner you had just been standing in. Bakugo blinked. You had anticipated his attack. You hadn’t shown any signs of knowing they were there at all.

Before anyone could say anything, you had thrown your hand up toward the ceiling. Bakugo felt a small shiver run through him at the dead look on your face, which was lit up by the beam that shot out of your hand.

Who WAS this girl?

It was like light, just slightly purple, like a laser, shot at the single industrial light on the ceiling. The room went pitch black.

“They’re in an inside hallway,” Kirishima realized as they all stared at the dark screen. “It doesn’t have windows.”

Bakugo stared intently into the screen. …six seconds…seven seconds…ei-

“Where is Momo going?” Uraraka asked with a frown. He glanced over at the other monitor at Momo, who had moved her blockade and was leaving the room. They all turned to All Might, who was listening to their intercoms.

“It seems that (y/n) has captured the heroes.” All Might relayed, causing Bakugo to scoff. In less than ten seconds?

“Captured them?” Iida asked in surprise. “But only the heroes have capturing tape. The villains are supposed to win by waiting out the timer.”

Momo ran down the hallway, pulling a flashlight out of her side and opening a door. The dark screen (y/n) had disappeared and finally lit up with the spotlight, and Bakugo simply stared as the class began to murmur.

Kaminari and Jiro were both sitting, completely tied with their own capture tape. They weren’t moving, other than the slight rise and fall to their chests. They didn’t seem to be injured. Momo shone the light on (y/n), who said something to her before looking straight into the camera. The class went quiet.

Bakugo would be lying to himself if he said you didn’t pique his interest…so lie to himself he did.

“Get your panties out of your ass!”

“Oooh, fireworks? I love that!”

You used your quirk for a split second before using the cover of darkness to incapacitate two hero students. You joined the class a week late. Why?

You said something to the camera, and All Might said into his microphone. “Thank you, (y/n).” He turned to the rest of the class. “Villain team wins!”

His booming voice was met with silence from the rest of the room.

“...What did she do to them?” Uraraka whispered.

“Don’t worry!” All Might turned to the class. “(Y/n) informed me that she simply knocked them out.”

Kirishima nodded. “So that’s what she said to the camera?”

Todoroki frowned. “I’m surprised she knew the camera was there.”

Bakugo was positive that you didn’t take the entrance exam. The only reason you would be let into the best class of UA a week late was if your family was loaded. And here you were, thinking you were better than everyone else, barely using your quirk to finish the exercise in mere minutes. Bakugo’s mind flashed back to his own fight with Deku earlier in the class, and how Deku had barely used his quirk, too.

Deku had a quirk.

You were just like Deku--a dishonest liar who used that dishonesty to get where you were. Both of you thought you were better than everyone else, that you didn’t even have to use your quirks to win.

Bakugo’s head was spinning. “Wait, so you’re just going to let them win?” He snapped. “I thought the villains won by running out the clock!” No, no, no, you couldn’t win, too--not you AND Deku, you couldn’t BOTH win--

“Yes, young Bakugo!” All Might said with his usual smile, “But since (y/n) has effectively incapacitated the heroes, there is no need to wait.”

Bakugo wanted to kill someone.

“It was over so fast!” Sero whistled. “I wonder what her quirk is.”

Iida nodded. “It looks as if it has something to do with light.”

“And she still managed to knock them both out that quickly without using her quirk!” Mina sighed dreamily. “She must be one hell of a fighter!” She looked teasingly at Bakugo, who glared at her as wiped his hands on his pants, trying to stop them from smoking. 

“We barely saw her quirk.” He snarled. “It doesn’t take any skill to hit people in the head while they can’t see you.”

Mina giggled as the rest of the class exchanged unsurprised looks. “Whatever you say, Blasty!”

- - -

UNKNOWN NUMBER

heyyy! if u stay in ur room a little bit after class I’ll come pick u up and we can go to ur place! that way I can show u around the school a little so ur not so lost lmaooo

You smiled to yourself, putting Mei in your contacts. You had gone straight from the training exercise to change, since you had to return the gym uniform before class ended. You were kinda bummed about missing the last fight, but you were mostly relieved that the class was over. That they day was almost over.

Everyone else was back in homeroom to end the day, and it looked like you were the last one there.

“(Y/N)!”

You tensed, looking up quickly at the squeal. The pink girl with big eyes was running up to you, beaming. “You were SO badass! What’s your quirk?”

“You took out Kaminari and Jiro in, like, two seconds!” Kirishima grinned, walking up as well. “It was super awesome, dude!”

You shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, um…”

“Yeah, what is your quirk?” Kaminari asked, the slightest hint of bitterness in his tone.

“I already asked that.”

Iida pitched in. “It seems to be some sort of light quirk.”

“No…”

Everyone quieted as you finally spoke. You cleared your throat, repeating, “N-no, it’s not light.”

“Oh!” Iida was surprised. “What is it, then?”

You winced. “...I don’t know.”

You HATED having this conversation.

“How did some extra who doesn’t even know her own quirk make it into the hero course?”

You grit your teeth. “I know how to USE it,” you spat the words at the blond across the room, who glared at you in return. “I just don’t exactly know what it is. ”

“Who cares? I want to see more of it!” Midoriya ran up to you with his arm in a sling. “Can we talk about it some time? Maybe tomorrow, at lunch?”

Talk about your quirk? “Uh…”

You never did answer. Aizawa walked in and started class before he even reached the front of the room, leaving the rest of you to scramble back to your desks. You tried to ignore the menacing death stare Bakugo gave you as you rushed past him to your seat.

Bakugo tried to ignore the breeze that wooshed by gently as you passed him. You smelled like vanilla. Who cares? He scowled forward at Aizawa, who was writing on the board. 

The class was short. The bell rang and everyone stood up immediately, glad to be heading home, chattering much too loudly about the day. Bakugo was in a bad mood. An even more bad mood than usual.

“Bakugo,” Aizawa called as everyone gathered their things. “Come here for a second.”

Bakugo resisted the urge to say something snarky in return and walked up to his desk. “You’re a smart fighter,” Aizawa said simply, and Bakugo nodded. Obviously . “You’re powerful. You’re strong. But you need to control your anger.”

Bakugo couldn’t help the growl that forced its way out of his throat. “I’m fine.”

“First you tried to attack Midoriya,” Aizawa counted off on his fingers, “Then you almost attacked (y/n), and then you went completely overboard in your hero training today in All Might’s class.”

Bakugo’s fists clenched at his sides. “So, All Might sent you to talk to me like some shrink?”

Aizawa stared back at his burning red eyes with his own tired ones. “No,” he answered blandly, “I was watching, and I’m starting to see a pattern.”

“Why were you watching?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Bakugo’s jaw was clenched so hard it hurt. Aizawa sighed. “Look, kid…don’t waste your potential on fights that aren’t worth your time, alright?”

“I don’t!” Bakugo barked, turning back to pack up his own things. The room was now empty. “I know how to pick my fucking battles!”

“Alright.” Aizawa relented, making his leave. “See you in class tomorrow.”

Bakugo didn’t answer.

“I’ll see you later, (y/n).”

“Mhm.”

Bakugo stiffened, his bag zipped halfway. You had been listening. He finished it violently and threw it over his shoulder, whirling around. 

There you were. You were standing in the doorway. You had been there the whole time.

“Why the fuck were you eavesdropping you fucking extra?” He snarled, stomping forward. You looked up from your phone in surprise, an expression so innocent that it reminded him of Deku, fucking DEKU, you two were both the same--

“What?” You asked.

“What the fuck were you listening for?” Bakugo demanded. Do you think you’re better than me?

You rolled your eyes. “I wasn’t listening.”

Bullshit. “Why the fuck are you standing here then?”

You blinked, somehow still taken aback by his rudeness. “It’s none of your business.” You replied slowly. 

Bakugo stepped up to you menacingly. “Says the bitch eavesdropping on me and the teacher!”

Your head began to buzz. “Are you fucking deaf? I told you I wasn’t eavesdropping!”

“Then go home like everyone else!”

You scowled. “I-”

“What’s your excuse going to be now?” Bakugo hissed, the words hurled at you like they were bombs. You didn’t realize that in reality, they were pouring out of his mouth like vomit. “Are you so weak that you have to have someone walk you home? Can you not protect yourself? Or are you avoiding going home? Are mommy and daddy fighting? Or do they just treat you like the piece of shit that you are, so you don’t want to go back?”

The buzzing was insistent, vibrating your core, like your very heart and lungs were trembling.

“You’re not fucking special.” Bakugo sneered, watching your face contort into a cacophony of anger, fear, and sadness. “You’re just another extra that lied and cheated your way into this course. It’s not my problem that you’re scared to go home and disappoint your shitty family. Don’t listen to my conversations, touch me, or get in my way, or I’ll fucking kill you.”

He brushed past you as you stood, stunned and unmoving. But he only got a few steps away before he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. “I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCKING TOUCH M-”

SLAP

Bakugo stumbled back a few feet, caught off guard and taken out of his rage just long enough to see you in front of him, your hand still outstretched. The sparks on his hands spluttered when he registered you.

You were glowing. Faintly--just faintly--but he could see it, and your eyes seemed to be backlit by some flickering light. Your pupils couldn’t decide whether or not they were black or brilliant white, with a tinge of purple. As he looked harder, he couldn’t tell if you were glowing, or if you were just… moving . It was like you were vibrating so fast that it left a pale hue of an afterimage around you. Bakugo despised the ripple of fear that coursed through him at the display of power, mixed with your expression.

He had fucked up. 

When you opened your mouth to speak, the same light glowed from within there as well. “You don’t know anything.” You seethed, your voice distorted by the dense vibrations. “Speak that way about my family again and I WILL kill you.” You lowered your hand, but your murderous eyes were still fixed on his face. His wide eyes were locked onto yours in shock, and if you had stopped to think about it, you would have caught a glimpse of curiosity. “And just to be clear, that’s not a false threat coming from an overinflated ego. That’s a fucking promise.”

Bakugo’s cheek stung. He felt too many things at once.

You threatened him…SLAPPED him…he was gonna kill you.

He could feel the vibrations humming from you, like the power was taunting him. Fuck, he wanted to fight you.

Your murderous eyes were glowing with power, with RAGE--you looked ethereal. Fuck, he wanted to--

“Holy shit, (y/n)!” 

He was snapped out of his stupor by a shrill voice, footsteps breaking into a run toward you. The pink-haired girl with goggles plastered on her forehead skidded to a halt next to you, barely catching you as you collapsed to your knees. Bakugo peered at your face. The murderous look was gone…you were a blank slate now. A blank slate overflowing with a mysterious power. His curiosity grew, and along with it a new, uncomfortable, unfamiliar feeling…concern.

“(Y/n)!” The extra, your friend, was shaking your shoulders, seemingly unafraid and unaffected by your quirk. “Hey, snap out of it!”

“What the fuck is wrong with her?” Bakugo demanded, resisting the urge to put a hand to his stinging cheek. He didn’t like how many feelings he was feeling right now.

The girl looked at him furiously. “What did you do?” She asked accusingly.

“..awa…”

They both stopped as they heard a murmur from your expressionless lips. “What?” Your friend asked. 

“...Aizawa…”

The girl looked up at Bakugo. “Isn’t that your teacher?”

“What about him?” Bakugo snapped, an unfamiliar anxiety brimming as the glow--the vibrations --seemed to grow, becoming audible. Light spilled from your eyes and mouth as if someone was shining a flashlight from within your skull. Bakugo sure as hell didn’t know what was happening, but it didn’t take a quirk expert to know that it was NOT good.

Your friend held you closer, seemingly unafraid of your rampaging quirk. “How the hell am I supposed to know what about him? She’s saying his name!”

“Get away from her!”

A familiar, booming voice caused the two of you to whirl around, seeing All Might sprinting down the hallway at full speed. “Young lady! Bakugo! Leave her at once! Bakugo, go and get Aizawa!”

Your friend laid you down on the floor gently before running off. Bakugo looked down at you, hating his hesitancy to leave. “What the hell is going on?” He demanded, having to raise his voice to be heard over your vibrating body.

“Run and find Aizawa!” All Might almost sounded desperate. Bakugo’s feet began to move. “Now!”

Suddenly, everything stopped. Bakugo stumbled slightly, as if the sudden absence of your quirk had pulled a rug from underneath him. He looked back at your unconscious form, completely still and unglowing. He could still feel the phantom vibrations in his own body.

“I’m here.” Aizawa’s eyes were wide as he walked down the hallway, sighing. “I hadn’t gotten far.”

All Might reached them. “Well, in that case, I need to go!” Bakugo blinked in confusion as the hero gave his signature smile and thumbs up. He almost sounded desperate. “See you later!”

“Uh huh.” Aizawa didn’t seem fazed by All Might’s odd behavior, and remained expressionless as the other Pro began running the other way. Bakugo thought he was running awfully slow, but it wasn’t even close to the important things on his mind. 

“Okay, what the hell was that?” Bakugo snapped, pointing down at you. “What just happened?”

“Well, from what I heard, you did the opposite of what I suggested and let the anger get the best of you, provoked her, and she lost control of her quirk.”

Bakugo bared his teeth, his fingernails digging into the palms of his hands. “So this is MY fault?” 

Aizawa sighed, finally blinking. Thankfully, you stayed dull and motionless on the floor. He bent over to pick you up. “It would seem that-”

“OMG.”

Bakugo and Aizawa both turned to look at your friend, who was running back down the hallway. “Shit, is she okay? What happened?”

Aizawa stared at her blankly. “Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry!” She smiled sheepishly. “I’m Hatsume Mei, a support student! I’m (y/n)’s childhood best friend, and we just reconnected today. She was going to wait for me in her classroom after school so I could show her around a bit, then we would go back to her place and I would help her figure out her…”

She trailed off at the looks on Bakugo and Aizawa’s faces. “Sorry!” She said again, smiling broadly. “Too much information! Anyways, we should get her to Recovery Girl, right? Can I come with you?”

“Yes.” Aizawa answered shortly after a moment. He turned to Bakugo. “You. Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bakugo nodded silently, gripping the shoulders of his bag as Aizawa began carrying you to Recovery Girl, Mei following close behind, yapping.

His brain hurt. 

“You provoked her.”

“She was going to wait for me in her classroom after school.”

It was raining as he walked home.

He felt angry. Angry at you, and angry at the other emotions you had the audacity to make him feel.

Confused.  

Bakugo was never confused. He was smart, he was strong, and he was always at the top. Bakugo didn’t do confused.

Shaken. 

Bakugo wasn’t surprised by anything. He was smart, he saw things coming, he was always prepared. He wasn’t scared of anything, and nothing caught him by surprise. NOTHING.

Concerned.

Bakugo didn’t worry about other people because they weren’t his problem. He ESPECIALLY didn’t worry about extras like you, who clearly couldn’t even control your own quirk. That wasn’t his problem.

Guilty.

Bakugo didn’t blame himself for things that weren’t his fault. It wasn’t HIS fault that you didn’t know how to control your quirk. It wasn’t HIS fault that you got in his way, that you overheard him being scolded by Aizawa. It wasn’t HIS fault you were so fucking sensitive.

He stomped into his house soaking wet.

He wondered if you were okay--

He decided to ignore his thoughts for the rest of the night.

Chapter Text

“So, this is it, huh?”

Aizawa stood with you, fresh from your checkup with Recovery Girl, and your friend at your apartment door. “Yep.” He said blandly, handing you a card. “Here’s the key. Take the day off tomorrow.”

You frowned, arm still slung across Mei’s shoulders for support. “What? Why?”

“Because I said so.” Aizawa replied simply. 

You scoffed, legs trembling. “I’ll be fine by tomorrow morning!”

“I thought Nezu went over this stuff.” Aizawa huffed. “If you have an episode, you have to have at LEAST one day of remediation and recovery before you can come back. It’s part of the court order.”

You frowned. “I don’t remember anything about that.”

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose. “You know what--I’ll print the official court order for you to have. In the meantime…” He gestured to your door. “Your things are already inside, and the apartment is furnished. I made sure to stock it with food yesterday.”

You blinked. “Oh. Um, thanks.”

Without another word, Aizawa swiped his own keycard and entered the apartment next door. You held up your card to the swiper, but your hand was shaking as much as your legs were. 

“Here.” Mei took the card from you and swiped it.

The apartment was small, but cozy. It had a tiny kitchen and a table with four chairs when you walked in, and everything was a muted, minimalist color. You could see past the kitchen to the living room, where there was a couch, a loveseat, a coffee table, and a flatscreen TV. Sensing that you wanted to look around, Mei helped you go down the little hallway. There were three doors. One on the left, one on the right, and one at the end of the hall. 

“Do you want to look in each of the rooms?” Mei asked. You were already reaching for the first door on the left.

It was the bedroom. It was cozy--a bed, a closet, and a desk. It looked like a college dorm room. You would have to liven the place up a bit, but you felt tears prick at your eyes looking at the bed.

You hadn’t had your own bed in years.

“I bet this is the bathroom-” Mei opened the door across from the bedroom. “Yup.” You peaked inside. It was the most average bathroom you had ever seen. 

“What’s this, then?” You muttered, Mei helping you hobble to the door at the end of the hallway. “A storage closet?”

You opened the door and were greeted by…a kitchen? You frowned. This place looked like a completely different apartment. You scanned the room, eyes eventually locking with a pair of familiar tired ones.

“Oh!” You blushed. “God, Aizawa, I’m so sorry, I forgot our apartments were connected.”

He stared at her, unimpressed. “I can tell.”

You laughed nervously. “Okay, well, sorry about that! Bye!” You hastily shut the door behind you. You could feel Mei giggling at your side. “Are you laughing at my humiliation?”

“Obviously.”

After Mei settled you on the couch, she plopped on the other one and dug through her school bag, pulling out a pencil and paper. “What are you doing?” You frowned. 

“We’re going to work on your costume, remember?” Mei clucked her tongue, muttering “obviously…” before beginning to sketch a rough outline of a person.

You blinked. You had completely forgotten about that. “Oh…right. So…where do we start?”

“Well…” Mei stuck out her tongue slightly as she focused, and a wave of familiarity rolled over you. “Do you want it to be baggy? Or skintight?”

“Skintight.” You replied immediately, thinking back to when you had destroyed your own oversized sweatshirt. “Covering everything.”

Mei nodded, beginning to sketch out your vision. “Any supports in mind?”

You sighed, putting your head in your hands. “I don’t even know. My control over my quirk is like night and day--I can channel it, but not control it. The… people who made me work for them…they always pushed me to be as destructive with my power as possible. I was never really taught how to control it. It’s not like they cared about collateral damage.”

“And you didn’t get the mandatory quirk therapy through those years, either…” Mei sighed, poking the eraser of her pencil into her cheek as she thought. “What if…hm…”

You raised your eyebrow. “What’s your idea?”

Mei pursed her lips, thinking for a second before she responded. “If we can figure out a way to restrain your quirk…” She said slowly, “maybe we could give you some support gear to help channel it for you.”

Your eyes widened. “That…is actually a really good idea.”

Mei looked at you as if she was about to burst, and you leaned back slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Okay, don’t think I’m weird or anything,” Mei began, pulling out her phone, “But I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you left, and I’ve been trying to solve the mystery of your quirk even though you were gone. I have a whole notes document with my theories.”

You stared at her in disbelief for a few moments before bursting into laughter. Mei looked up at you, startled. “What?” She asked innocently.

“That’s just so you!” You giggled. 

You hadn’t laughed like this in years.

Some sort of divine interference had brought Mei back into your life, because after the years of trauma and torture you went through, you never thought you would be able to relax around someone enough to laugh again. It had only been one day.

She was a remnant of a better time in your life.

“Are you listening?”

You blinked. “Sorry, what?”

Mei rolled her eyes. “I said, I think it’s some sort of energy. It creates such a powerful force within you that you vibrate. It glows. I’ve seen it burn through things like a lightsaber, but you were also able to create little platforms for us to walk on when we were young, remember? It’s not JUST destructive.”

You thought for a moment. She was right. “I never understood the inconsistency in my abilities.” you frowned. “One day, my blasts would burn a hole straight through a concrete wall…and the next day it would slam into it with the force of a wrecking ball, tearing it apart. It never made sense.”

“Okay, so, hear me out,” Mei sat up straighter, resituating herself. “I think your ability might have something to do with friction or vibration of really small particles, like molecules or atoms. The friction creates light, and the faster you vibrate them, the more heat they produce, so they would slice through things instead of hitting them with blunt force. That would explain why you vibrate so much, and why your voice sounded so weird. If you vibrate things at a condensed speed, that would create the illusion of solidness, because they’re vibrating so close together. Like the platforms we could step on as kids.”

You listened to Mei’s rambles with your heartbeat rushing through your ears. Everything was locking into place. I didn’t understand the basics of my power…of COURSE I can’t control it yet.

“If this is true,” Mei hadn’t stopped scratching away at her sketch of your costume. “We could theoretically make shoes…even gloves…that help regulate your power.”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

Mei pursed her lips. “Well, imagine it like this…if we make your entire suit out of something light but strong, like carbon fiber, it would be able to withstand a higher force of your power. It might even help restrict it, since it seems to have a direct connection to your body. If my theory is correct, and your power has to be connected to you somehow, then you might be losing some power out of your body as if it was leaking whenever you use it. With a full body suit that can help contain that ability, you can channel it into spaces without the suit. We could have breathable fabric near the soles of your feet for you to create platforms to run on, and we could make similar gloves if you wanted. Can you form your abilities into specific shapes?”

You hadn’t considered that before. You hadn’t considered ANY of this before “I’m not sure how I would do that…?”

“Imagine a space where you want the vibrations to happen.” Mei suggested. “Carve it out in your mind’s eye.”

You closed your eyes, holding up your closed fist and thinking. It seemed simple enough.

“OMG!”

You opened your eyes, jumping at the sight of your success. “Holy shit, Mei, I did it!”

She grinned. “You made yourself wolverine claws!”

You did the same thing for your other hand, which took a second, but then worked. “I have to focus to figure out where I want the vibrations to be…” You noted out loud, “But once it starts, I don’t have to focus much at all.”

“You’ll have to practice!” Mei clapped her hands with glee. “So, do you want gloves for hand protection that can still move your powers through it? Or no gloves?”

“No, I want gloves.” You affirmed, shaking your hands as if the glowing wolverine claws would fall off. “Ugh, these things won’t go away!”

Mei giggled. “Have you tried…stopping the vibrations?”

You paused, focusing your energy. You tried turning it off like a switch, which did nothing. Frowning, you tried slowing the vibrations down, and the power faded from view. You stared in shock. “Mei, you’re incredible! You should be a quirk specialist!”

Mei waved you off. “Oh, stop.” She resumed her sketch of your costume. “So, a form-fitting, full body suit that contains any out-of-control vibrations, shoes and gloves that allow your power to work through them but still provide protection…do you want some sort of eye protection? Or a mask? Or even a helmet?”

You rubbed your hands together in thought. “A mask and hood.” You suggested. “I want my eyes to be out, though.”

Mei nodded, her tongue sticking back out of her mouth as she scribbled this all down. “Does your power make you super hot, by any chance?” She asked.

You raised your eyebrows. “It does sometimes. Why?”

“I’ll just add some thermo-regulation. It might help you control your powers if your body is more regulated.”

You stared at Mei. “You’re a miracle sent by God.”

Mei snorted, shoving you playfully, which made you chuckle. “I’m serious!” You insisted. “This is incredible! Do you know how many adults couldn’t figure out my quirk?”

“It’s not like I did it on the spot,” Mei defended, “I had five years to mull it over!”

“You aren’t an adult!”

Mei rolled her eyes, still smiling. “What colors would you like it to be?”

You flapped your hand at her lazily. “I’m no good with that shit.” You yawned, feeling the exhaustion of the last day. “You pick. I trust you.”

“Do you want any other support items?”

“None I can think of at the moment.”

Mei nodded, standing up. “I’ll get started working on this tonight when I get home. I’ll make you some dinner, make sure you get into bed okay , and then is it okay if I leave?”

You felt an unfamiliar ache in your chest. Such unfamiliar compassion. Care. It was like a dream. “You don’t have to do that, Mei. I can make something.” You moved to stand up, but your knees wobbled and you had to grab the couch to support yourself. Mei stared at you, unimpressed. 

“Yeah, no.” Mei walked over to the kitchen, opening the pantry. “Ooh! There’s mac-n-cheese in here! The kind your mom used to make! I’m making this, we’ll eat it, and then once you’re in bed I’ll leave.” She grabbed a pot from the counter and began filling it with water.

You smiled at her. “You’re a good babysitter, Mei.”

She set the pot with water on the stove. “I know!” She said cheerfully.

You sat down heavily, heart pounding in your chest.

TW - ptsd, flashbacks, verbal and physical abuse

“Stop crying, kid! Your mom ain’t comin’ back, and if you want your sister to get any food t’night, you’ll stop cryin’ for her!”

“Ah, yes…you’ve managed to remember. Today marks one year since we took you in, correct?” the eerie voice chuckled. “It was a good thing we found you when we did…your parents had no way to protect you. They were unworthy. Remember how easily they fell to pieces?”

“(Y/n), when was Mommy’s birthday?”

“September 16th. Why?”

“I just realized that I didn’t wish her a happy birthday last year and I didn’t wanna forget this time.”

“Mom is dead, Gemma.”

“But she still has a birthday, right? We have to say happy birthday!”

“If Dabi hears you, he’ll tell Shigaraki we’re talking about Mom again. Just drop it and eat your soup.”

“I don’t like this soup. I liked Mommy’s soup better.”

“It doesn’t matter. We have to eat what they give us, or we won’t have any food.”

“But-”

“ENOUGH, Gemma!”

“If you complete this mission without any issues, I will let you see Gemma. It’s been almost nine months since you last saw her…I’m sure it will motivate you.”

“Yes, Shigaraki.”

“Can you even picture her face clearly after so long?”

“Come now…Dabi…don’t be so cruel…”

“I’m just curious! I mean, she’s GOTTA have forgotten her parents’ faces by now, right? It’s been over three years!”

“You’ve stopped fighting back, (y/n). I don’t know whether to be sad or happy about it. You’re such a perfect little tool now, but you’re no fun. Your parents fought back, you know. They were pathetic and weak, but they tried. Your mother spat at me and told me that you would never give in. How does it feel, knowing you’ve disappointed her?”

“She’s dead.”

“You’ve been so beautifully broken, (y/n).”

“I’ll get started working on this tonight when I get home. I’ll make you some dinner, make sure you get into bed okay , and then is it okay if I leave?”

There’s mac-n-cheese in here! The kind your mom used to make!”

“(Y/n)!”

You gasped, feeling as if you were being yanked out of freezing water. You blinked, trying to focus your blurry vision on Mei’s worried gaze. “There you go, deep breaths,” She helped you inhale…then exhale…

“Sorry.” You finally mumbled after a few minutes. Mei still had her hands on yours, eyebrows furrowed.

“Don’t be sorry.” She insisted. “You don’t need to apologize for anything.”

“I just had flashbacks because you said something nice to me.” You laughed bitterly. After your quirk meltdown earlier today, and now this, your body was beyond exhausted. “I’m so broken, Mei. I thought I’d never open up to anyone again, but the second you came back into my life I fell open like a book. You say nice things to me and I have a mental breakdown because it’s so unfamiliar.”

Mei glanced at the boiling water on the stove, running over to drop the noodles in it before jogging back, kneeling in front of you. “(Y/n),” she began, her voice and eyes heartbroken for you. “I’m glad I’m a person who makes you feel safe, and I hope that never changes. You never have to apologize for the repercussions you suffer from because of those shitty people. I might not know everything, but I know enough, and I’m going to be here for you while you learn to live a new normal. A better normal. Okay?”

You could feel the lump in your throat growing by the second, so you just nodded. Mei pulled you into a hug, which you awkwardly returned, not used to the gesture. After a few seconds, though, you found yourself pushing your face further into her shoulder, tears threatening to break forward. Your shoulders quaked with restrained sobs.

“Just let it out, (y/n).”

So you did, weeping into your best friend’s shoulder, grasping onto her like she was a liferaft in a raging storm. She just rubbed your back, whispering unheard, kind words to you as you wailed, wetting her shirt with your tears. You hadn’t cried in years. Your exhausted body trembled from the effort it took to heave out every sob.

Maybe it was a good thing you were staying home tomorrow.

- - -

You weren’t at school the next morning.

Bakugo didn’t care, of course, but the rest of the class was buzzing about it once she had missed one whole class period.

“She was here for one day and then disappeared?” Mina swung her legs back and forth as she sat on her desk. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

Midoriya hummed to himself in thought. “She seemed pretty normal when the day ended yesterday.”

“I thought so, too…” Momo stood with her hands on her hips, eyebrows furrowed. “She’s so mysterious. I wonder if something bad happened?”

Midoriya shook his head, noticing Bakugo side-eying their conversation. “What do you think, Bakugo?”

“I think you lot should mind your fucking business for once.” He snapped. 

“(Y/n) isn’t feeling well and will be taking the day off.” Aizawa’s voice droned from the front of the room. Everyone turned and looked at him, embarrassed they had been gossiping so openly in front of him. “And as much as I hate to admit it, Bakugo is right. It’s none of your business.”

He went back to his book, and the class slowly went back to their usual chatter before the bell rang. Bakugo huffed, laying his head down on the desk.

Why didn’t he just tell them the truth? You lost control of your quirk like a child and knocked yourself out. Bakugo shook his head. He wasn’t protecting you--he WASN’T! He was just being smart. If he told everyone what happened, they wouldn’t leave him alone for the rest of the day. He was keeping your secret safe for HIS benefit. 

The rest of the day wasn’t eventful, and for once Bakugo was grateful for the lack of excitement. When the bell rang at the end of the day he already had his things packed and was heading out the door when-

“Bakugo.”

He stilled. What the fuck did he want now.

“Come here for a second.”

Bakugo turned stiffly and walked back to Aizawa’s desk. “What?” He barely bit back a snarl.

Aizawa rummaged around in his desk before handing Bakugo a large folder full of papers. “The fuck is this?” 

“Language, Bakugo.” Aizawa sighed. “I personally don’t care, but this IS a school.”

Bakugo bit his tongue. “What is this?” He asked in a low tongue.

Aizawa began putting things away, gathering his stuff to leave. “It’s the work (Y/n) missed,” He droned, “Along with some other things. She hasn’t had the best educational background and is pretty behind in all subjects, and as the top student in all classes, I’m assigning you to tutor her after school. Consider it your way of atoning for being a complete idiot.” Aizawa gathered his things, standing. “I’ve emailed the address to your phone. I suggest you head there now.”

Bakugo’s head was swimming. This had to be some sort of sick joke. “You’re kidding.” He told Aizawa.

“No, I’m not.” His teacher replied simply. “It will count toward your community service hours for next year. If it doesn’t work out for you to be her tutor, I’ll go to Todoroki or Midoriya next. I thought you would jump at the opportunity to get ahead.”

Bakugo fumed. Aizawa was right--he would rather waste his time tutoring you than pick up garbage with a bunch of extras in some park. It would give him time to do his own homework, too. But… damn it! The idea of Icy-Hot or Deku getting ahead of him made him even more furious than you did.

“Fine.” Bakugo snapped. “But don’t complain if she comes to you crying because she can’t handle my teaching.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” Aizawa nodded. “If I hear anything about you antagonizing her, all bets are off. You either see this through until the end of the semester or none of the community service hours are counted. If you scare her off, you’ll have wasted your time. If you have any issues with her, come to me first. Don’t try and solve it by blowing things up.”

Bakugo didn’t have to look--he could feel his hands sparking. Damn Aizawa had thought of everything. “What if she says no?”

“Tell her to text me.” Aizawa said simply. “I’ll explain. Now hurry up and get to your first study session.”

Bakugo ripped the folder out of Aizawa’s hands and tore out of the room, fuming. He pulled up his emails and opened the one from Aizawa, clicking on the address and opening it in his maps app. She lived in an apartment? It was less than a mile away, too. He would be there in five minutes.

“Fucking Aizawa,” He muttered to himself bitterly, trudging through the rain. Sometimes, it took tough sacrifices to be number one. He ignored how his heart rate mysteriously began to increase.

Chapter Text

Bakugo got to your apartment after with a huff. Double-checking the address, he growled in frustration under his breath before knocking on the door heavily. He didn’t hear anything inside, and all the window blinds were closed. You better not get him sick.

Bakugo heard the door unlock and open, and he opened his mouth to begin explaining how much he didn’t want to be there, but stopped when he saw you.

Dressed in some athletic shorts and a tank top, you were still drying your hair with a towel like you were fresh out of the shower. Your (e/c) eyes bore into him, demanding an explanation. His heart pounded unnecessarily hard, and he told himself it was due to anger, because he obviously didn’t want to be here with you . 

“What do you want?” You snapped, pulling Bakugo out of his stupor. He mentally slapped himself. 

“Aizawa is forcing me to tutor you after school.” Bakugo pushed past you, ignoring the strong vanilla smell. It must be your shampoo.

“I don’t remember inviting you inside.” You shut the door forcefully behind him, locking the handle, the deadbolt, and the chain. Bakugo raised his eyebrows at the paranoia.

“Yeah, well, I don’t have a choice,” Bakugo aggressively dropped his backpack down on a chair at the small table in her kitchen. He inconspicuously looked around as he pulled out the folder Aizawa had given him. It was a quaint place. It looked like you had just moved in. He could see some boxes peeking around the corner in the hallway. “Aizawa said you should text him. Apparently you don’t get a choice either.”

You snatched the folder out of his hands. It was bursting with papers, and you could see why as you opened it. The right pocket was filled with your school work, and the left pocket was a packet of the court order. Aizawa had just HANDED this to Bakugo? You fumed silently, pulling out the packet (hiding it behind the folder) and flipping through it, finding the section about your educational requirements.

Educational Expectations: If (y/n) is behind in any subjects, as is expected due to her lack of education, she will be--

“What are you looking at, Glowstick?” He hissed, folding his arms impatiently. “I don’t have all day.”

“Well, too fucking bad. Give me a fucking second.” You fumed. Glowstick ? What was Aizawa THINKING sending this asshole to your home? You resumed reading the paper.

--tutored and expected to pass her classes. Failure of any courses without an excuse from the course teacher will result in temporary suspension and house arrest until her grades are satisfactory.

“What’s taking you so long?” Bakugo tried to grab the folder and the packet out of your hands, but you snatched them out of the way just in time, walking down the hallway to put your towel away. 

“None of your damn business.” You yelled back, grabbing a dry towel before taking a detour into your room. You quietly put the court order in your nightstand drawer before walking back out to the kitchen, where Bakugo was waiting impatiently.

He didn’t like how his gut felt when you snapped back at him with no hesitation. He didn’t like the way his eyes were drawn to you, wanting to study the obviously hidden story behind your eyes.

“It is my damn business, you dumbass!” He snapped. “It’s homework I’m being forced to help you with!”

“Here you go, then!” You shoved the dry towel and folder into his arms, which he took with surprise, expecting you to push back again.

“What’s the towel for?”

“To dry off? What kind of stupid fucking question is that?”

Bakugo felt his face growing hot at your patronizing tone. There it was again--the feeling in his gut. He needed to smash it, but he didn’t know how, so he settled for slamming the folder down on the table loudly. He began to dry himself off. He would never admit it, but he was grateful…he had begun to shiver from the cold. He wondered if you had noticed. Pushing the thought aside, he placed his wet shoes by the door and finished drying off his clothes somewhat, drying off his hair roughly before wrapping the towel around him and sitting heavily in the chair next to his backpack. He eyed the homework folder.

“What did you do?”

You were getting some water in the kitchen. “Huh?”

“The folder. It’s thinner. What did you take out of it?”

You scowled, facing the other direction. Your hands clenched around the two cups as you tried to regulate your breathing. After a few moments you turned around, walking back to the table and setting the two glasses down. “Nothing that concerns you. It’s just details about my transfer to UA, that’s all.”

Bakugo looked at the cup of water you had gotten him as if it were poison. You groaned in frustration, taking a sip from both glasses before setting it down, proving it was safe. He reluctantly picked it up and had a few swallows.

Picking up the folder again, you began looking through the homework. The English homework was the least intimidating…your mom’s family was from America, and you grew up hearing the language. You also needed to speak it on missions when working as a villainous pawn.

The other work, however, looked daunting. You gulped.

“Are you ready to get started?” Bakugo snipped as he pulled out his own work, digging a pencil out of his pencil pouch. 

You focused on your breathing. Keep the vibrations slow. Don’t lose control. “I’m looking over everything, you impatient little weasel.” You finally said in a strangely calm tone. “Give me a fucking second.”

Bakugo’s flaming eyes twitched. “What did you just call me?” He was clearly working very hard to contain his own anger. 

“I called you an impatient little weasel.” You repeated, meeting his eyes defiantly. “It’s a juvenile insult, I’m surprised you’re sensitive enough to let it bother y-”

“It doesn’t bother me.” Bakugo cut you off, seething. “You’re just taking fucking forever and this is the last place I want to be.”

“It’s not like I invited you here.” You turned back to the homework. “You may not have come here willingly, but you still showed up to my home unannounced and waltzed in without asking like you fucking owned the place. Don’t start demanding things of me in my own fucking house.”

Bakugo fumed, but stayed silent, hating the way you spoke to him like he was nothing. This was torture and he would rather be anywhere else right now. But Aizawa--damn that man--he knew how to push Bakugo’s buttons. This would set him far ahead of the rest of his class in community service requirements…and the idea of that half-and-half bastard, or much worse, fucking DEKU getting that extra boost instead of him made him want to pull his hair out.

DEKU.

You and that quirkless… formerly quirkless bastard, you and that LIAR, you two were the only ones who didn’t see Bakugo as a threat. He didn’t know how to handle it. He NEEDED to be EVERYONE’S biggest obstacle to reaching the top. It HAD to be that way.

You watched as Bakugo seemed to wrestle with himself for a few moments, but to your surprise, stayed silent. The thought made you want to gag, but you had to admit it; watching him boil in anger, his signature dark scowl on his face, while he was wrapped  in a towel like a small child after bathtime was almost…cute. You resisted the urge to smack your cheeks a few times, snapping yourself out of it as you looked back at the homework. 

The math homework looked like a completely foreign language, and unlike Aizawa and All Might, you hadn’t spoken with Ectoplasm one-on-one since returning from your life of villainy. Like all faculty, he knew of your situation, but you had gotten into more than a few spats with him over the last few years. Sitting in his classroom as if nothing had happened was…distracting.

You were excited for modern literature, but your ability to read was subpar. You were never sent on missions requiring you to read, and Shigaraki was firm in his belief that reading would corrupt you. After nearly five years without reading apart from the occasional signs out on a mission, reading took time and effort, and your comprehension was low. Even reading the short excerpt of the court order had taken a while, with you having to pause and reread bits you didn’t initially understand. It made you feel like a complete idiot. Cementoss was very understanding, but you had a feeling Bakugo wouldn’t be the same.

You could already tell that Heroics with All Might was going to be an emotional nightmare. The fact that you had homework for that class was an abomination. You moved on, pretending it didn’t exist.

Your eyes lit up when you saw your modern hero art homework.. You liked Midnight a lot, and she had pulled you aside in class while everyone was talking about their assignments to tell you that she held no hard feelings, and she was interested in learning more about you. This wasn’t surprising, since for some reason, her power never affected you while you encased yourself in your mysterious energy. Your vibrations .

And finally, the work for Aizawa’s class. It didn’t have a name other than homeroom, and apparently morning homeroom was the time where everyone learned about the logistics of being a pro-hero. It made sense, at least. Your homeroom teacher would eventually help with internships and stuff--they were your mentor as you transitioned into being a pro-hero. But you wished they didn’t call it homeroom when it was really a class. It was false advertising. At least they had a real, study-hall type homeroom period after heroics in the afternoon.

Behind all of that homework was a reading assignment to prepare for rescue training, and finally, a form to fill out. You read the top.

“Preliminary Counseling Survey -- Required”

You internally groaned. Of course you hadn’t seen this until now. How were you going to hide this in your room without Bakugo getting even more suspicious?

“Are you done?” Bakugo snapped, grabbing your attention. “You’re taking FOREVER.”

You closed the folder, thinking quickly. “Umm…yeah, sorry. Let me go grab a pencil.” Taking the folder with you to your room, you made sure to grab a mechanical pencil from your desk after hiding the counseling survey with the court order. You walked back to a suspicious glare.

“Why are you being all sneaky and suspicious?” Bakugo demanded, ripping the folder out of your hands. You didn’t fight back, since there was nothing bad in there anymore. “What did you take out this time?”

“I told you,” You said through clenched teeth. “Personal stuff. About my transfer to UA.”

“Whatever, just sit the fuck down so we can get this over with and I can go home.” Bakugo was losing his patience, and so were you. This was going to be exhausting.

You made a mental note to rip into Aizawa next time you saw him.

“Alright,” Bakugo pulled out his own work. “The comprehension assignment for modern literature is due tomorrow, so let’s start that. It’s short anyways.”

You pulled the packet out numbly. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

Bakugo put his name at the top of the first page. “I’ll give you a few minutes to read it, and then we’ll do the questions.”

You stared down at the packet. There were four questions, two on the front and two on the back on the first page, to prepare for tomorrow’s discussion. The other five pages were front-to-back photocopies of a book.

“Um, okay.” You flipped to the first page, feeling nauseous.

Bakugo looked up, hearing the hesitancy in your tone. “What’s your problem?”

You resisted the urge to shuffle uncomfortably. Toughen up, (y/n). He’s going to find out one way or the other. If they’re going to force him to be your tutor, he’s going to learn a lot of things. Just rip it off like a bandaid.

“It’s going to take me longer than that.”

“To do what?”

“To read it.”

Bakugo stared at you blankly. “Why? It’s easy.”

You steeled yourself. “I haven’t been in school since the fifth grade,” You chose your words carefully, “and it’s been five years since I sat down to read anything. So, it’s going to take me a bit. I can’t read fast and it takes me longer to understand.”

Bakugo raised his eyebrows. “What the fuck are you on about? How the fuck have you not read anything in five years ? What do you mean you haven’t been in school? Where have you been?”

“Away.” You replied simply.

Bakugo threw up his hands in exasperation. “Where are your fucking parents? You don’t even live with them?”

The topic caused a ball of fury to ignite in your chest, and you clenched your fists. “They’re dead you fucking moron.” You hissed through your teeth. “Did you not get that from yesterday? When you talked shit about my family?”

Of course Bakugo remembered. He felt the echo of being slapped in the face at your words. “Wait, what do you mean, they’re dead?” He blurted. “How the fuck did you get into our class on such short notice, then?”

You felt the anger rising into your throat like bile, and you tried to force it down, repeating slow vibrations in your mind like a mantra. “What would my parents have to do with that anyway?”

Bakugo threw down his pencil. “I don’t know, I figured they were powerful somehow and bribed you into the school! How else would you get in without doing the exams like everyone else? It’s not like you have some AMAZING quirk! And even if you did, you can’t control it, so you wouldn’t have made it into the top class! You can’t blame me for thinking it’s fishy!”

“It’s none of your fucking business, you fucking prick!” You slammed the folder onto the table with a loud slap. You could feel yourself beginning to buzz, and you took a moment to focus on slow vibrations, almost surprised when you felt the sensation calm slightly.

Bakugo shoved his chair away from the table with such force that he almost knocked it over as he stood, beginning to pace the room. “It’s none of my business?” He seethed. “You show up out of butt-fuck nowhere and join our class a week into school. You’ve never taken the UA exams, no one has ever heard of you, and no one questions shit. And then you somehow impress everyone in heroics class despite barely using your quirk, disappear for the rest of class and show up halfway through study hall, and hear me being scolded like a fucking child by damn Aizawa. Then you light up like a fucking flashlight when I hurt your feelings and somehow scare fucking All Might, who reacted like you were going to effectively nuke the entire school. And then some random ass girl comes and acts like she’s known you her whole life and demands answers from me AS IF I KNOW and then today everyone can’t stop talking about you. Another fucking extra with nothing special about you, somehow grabbing everyone’s attention. Both of you somehow managed to make yourself special on short notice. You’re both so great at being popular for no damn reason.” You had no idea who else he was talking about, but you were too preoccupied by his insensitive ravings to care. “And then,” He continued, still pacing, “as icing on the fucking cake, Aizawa tells me today that I have an opportunity to get ahead in my service hours, but only by tutoring your miserable ass EVERY DAY for the rest of the semester, and if I say no he’ll give the chance to fucking Icy-Hot or Deku. And I don’t want them to get ahead of me, so I have no choice, so I come here and you’re still a pain in the ass and now I find out you CAN’T EVEN READ? Aizawa sent me to tutor an extra who is FIVE YEARS BEHIND in school and I get no fucking explanation as to why?”

He finally stopped, chest heaving, eyes boring into your soul. Explosions crackled in his hands, and the veins on his forehead jutted out with how hard he clenched his jaw shut.

“You don’t know shit.”

You were numb. Your mouth seemed to move on its own, and the voice didn’t register as your own for a few seconds. It didn’t seem right to Bakugo, either, who felt that ripple of fear again at your tone. He refused to acknowledge it and barely moved. “What?” He glowered.

“You don’t know shit.” You repeated in that dull voice, seeming to stare straight through him. Bakugo could tell from your eyes that you were somewhere else. Shit. He had done it again. “You don’t know me. You don’t know my life, my situation, my past. You didn’t even bother to ask before you went and dragged my family through the mud. You assumed the worst of me, the worst of them, based on nothing. It’s fucking childish and pathetic.”

Bakugo wasn’t sure what to say. He hated being speechless, so he grasped for anything within reach. “If you think I’m so misinformed, then why don’t you enlighten me?”

“You’re not misinformed,” You felt that rage in your stomach begin to fester again, eyebrows furrowing. “You just aren’t informed at all. You didn’t even care to ask. I don’t have to tell you shit, Bakugo. You aren’t entitled to any answers from me.”

“Fine.” Bakugo hissed. “What happened to your parents, then?”

“You also are apparently incapable of listening to a single damn word I say.” Your voice began to rise. What was WITH him? “I just said that you aren’t entitled to any answers from me. I’ll break that down for you; that means I’m not telling you JACK. SHIT. What makes you think I’ll tell you after you’ve treated me like some waste you stepped in?” You sneered coldly. “They’re dead. That’s all you need to know. My life has been complicated, and I’m not going to share the details with you because you don’t fucking deserve it. You don’t fucking care.” Not to mention the fact that you weren’t allowed to tell him half of the truth about your past in the first place. But that wasn’t your focus. All you cared about at the moment was making sure that every word you spoke cut into Bakugo like a knife. ”You say you’re smart but still jump to conclusions when you don’t have any information. You claim to be the strongest, but you act like an insecure little bitch.” You realized how much your quirk had begun to act up again, seeing the glow of your power out of your eyes reflected in Bakugo’s red ones. 

He was shaking in fury, but something was holding him back. Not even he knew what it was. No one was allowed to talk to him like that, but for some reason, he couldn’t quite bring himself to strike back at you. He just didn’t want to lose the community service hours. Yeah. That’s what it was.

You decided to push the knife in a little deeper before letting it go. “I can’t believe you seriously think you’ll be number one,” you shook your head. “You, a top Pro Hero? Please—your ego is too much of a liability. Villains will manipulate you easily. You’ll become a liability to whatever agency is unlucky enough to get stuck with you.”

“JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

You almost jumped at his sudden bark. If Bakugo noticed the reaction, he didn’t show it.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP, STOP TALKING, JUST READ THE DAMN ASSIGNMENT AND TELL ME WHEN YOU’RE DONE!” Bakugo slammed his sparking hands down on the table. Your wild emotions did a complete 180, and suddenly you were shrinking back under his fury. “You’re such a fucking PAIN IN THE ASS! I’m doing this to get ahead in the rankings, but if you keep going like this, I WILL fucking kill you!”

TW -- ptsd, flashbacks, physical and emotional abuse

“I SHOULD FUCKING KILL YOU!” Shigaraki slammed his fist down on the table. “YOU HAD ONE FUCKING JOB!” He stepped forward and slapped you across the face, leaving blood behind. His fingertips were often covered in blood at times like this from how much he scratched open his own skin. 

You didn’t react to the blow, keeping your eyes averted. You knew better than to meet his eyes when he got like this.

Shigaraki stood back, giggling under his breath in fury. “You…you’re going to train.”

Unable to control your reaction, you looked up at him with wide eyes. “Please…no--I’ll try again, I’ll do it right this time-”

“YOU DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, OR YOU’LL TRAIN AND GET BETTER, YOU USELESS PIECE OF SHIT!” He seethed, still laughing underneath his words. He stopped suddenly, straightening up. “You know that it is…ESSENTIAL…that you are not linked back to any of the rest of us.” He smiled eerily. “You KNOW that it is imperative that the heroes think you WORK. ALONE. You almost led them RIGHT to us.”

“It won’t happen again.” You said softly. This is what you got for trying to save yourself and Gemma. This is what happened every time you tried to reach the heroes.

“I asked you to kill Endeavor. Was that so hard for you?”

You could have told him that other heroes showed up. You could have explained that you weren’t fireproof, and once Eraserhead showed up, you had no choice but to run and shake them off. Your suit was stuck to the burn on your side, and the lack of treatment was causing you to be nauseous. You would no doubt be punished for ruining another suit, and they would only treat you enough for you to recover. The pain was for you to handle. The burn was for you to bear.

Pushing back was futile. You had learned that by now.

Shigaraki’s clammy fist collided with your jaw, snapping your head to the side. The pain from your burns combined with the blow came to a head and you threw up the little food you had in your stomach onto the floor next to you. 

The truth was, your quirk was flashy, so any chance you had of surprise had to come from a sneak attack. But you had watched Endeavor leaving his agency with another man, who asked him, “how are your kids?” and you just couldn’t do it. How could you tear apart another family, like what had been done to you? 

The blood. The screams. The pain. The panic. 

“All you’re good for is destroying.” Shigaraki roughly pulled you out of your chair, yanking you down a narrow hallway to your tiny, cellblock room. “You’ll train without complaining, and then you’ll prove that you’re useful, or I’ll make sure you never see your precious little sister again.”

- - -

Bakugo was at a loss. One second he wanted to rip your throat out, and the next you were curled in a ball on the floor, sobbing your eyes out and scooting away from him like he was serious about killing you.

Of course he wasn’t serious. Did you actually take him seriously? What the fuck was wrong with you? The curiosity bubbled in the pit of his stomach. He pretended it wasn’t there.

It unsettled him, the look in your eyes before you had fallen to the floor. It was like Bakugo had suddenly become the most terrifying thing in your life. It was a look of terror that Bakugo had only seen around villain attacks.

Why did you look at HIM that way?

Bakugo didn’t know how to comfort people, and whenever he even reached for you, you reacted like he was going to hurt you, so he stopped trying that. He stood, trying to wait and see if you would calm down on your own, but after about a minute, he became desperate. 

Heroes shouldn’t scare people this much.

“(y/n).” Bakugo knelt in front of you, holding his hands out for a moment before bringing them back in. “Oi, I wasn’t serious about that, okay? I just say that. I don’t mean it. You don’t have to keep crying, you can stop now. We have a lot of homework to do…” Bakugo didn’t know how to do this. He didn’t know what to do. How did you comfort someone? “I’ll make you food while you read the assignment, now stop crying!”

“Wow, you are really bad at this.”

Bakugo stood up quickly, whirling around to face his teacher. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I live next door.” Aizawa set down his things. “I didn’t expect you to already have made a mess of things. I left less than five minutes after you.”

Bakugo frowned. “Why do you live next door?”

“In case she needs help controlling her quirk, like yesterday.” Aizawa answered simply. “I thought you’d connect those dots on your own. I also thought I’d give you a chance to make things right, but clearly you’re not capable of doing this. Head home. I’ll handle this.”

Bakugo stilled. What? Just like that, it was over? “You can’t just…” he spluttered.

Aizawa raised his eyebrows. “What reason do I have to let you continue? I chose you initially because you’re incredibly smart and it would give you an opportunity to grow as a person and redeem yourself. She’s already having a flashback. Have you even been here five minutes?”

Bakugo didn’t even know. “I don’t know why she’s like this!” He protested. No, no, no, you couldn’t be tutored by anyone else, no one else could get ahead of him--

Aizawa sat next to you on the floor, not making any moves to touch you. “What was the last thing that happened before this started?”

“She said some out of pocket shit to me, so I told her to shut up.” Aizawa stared at him, so Bakugo reluctantly added, “...and I said I’d kill her. You know, not seriously. I do it all the time.”

“Yeah, it’s a really bad habit of yours.” Aizawa sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “So, instead of recognizing that you antagonized her first, now she’s lashing back, and maybe you should try to make things right, you decided to threaten her?”

“I wasn’t being serious!” Bakugo defended.

“How was she supposed to know that?”

“I’m in the fucking HERO course!” He wanted to blow up your entire apartment. “I want to be a HERO? Why would I ACTUALLY kill her?”

“You never spare a single thought about how your words might affect people?” Aizawa scowled. “About what people may have gone through?” He shook his head. “You can think about it another time. I’ll ask Midoriya to work with her tomorrow.” Bakugo felt like he was falling. No, no, NO, not DEKU-- “He needs to work on his confidence, and tutoring should help him do that. A nice upside is that I know he won’t cause this to happen.” He gestured over at you. Bakugo noted that you were finally beginning to calm down.

“I didn’t even get a chance to try!”

“Yes, you did. And this is what happened.”

Bakugo couldn’t believe it. He had already blown it. His chance to get ahead was gone. And now that chance was going to go to Deku, of all people. He felt numb with anger and other unnamed emotions that he wanted to go away. “How am I supposed to avoid making her upset if I don’t know anything about her?” He snapped desperately. “She told me she hasn’t read, or been in school at all, for FIVE YEARS! But she won’t tell me why!”

Aizawa shrugged. “It’s not your business if she doesn’t want to tell you.”

“I’m the one who has to tutor her!”

“Not anymore.” Aizawa pointed out. “And you don’t need to know her past to help her learn.”

Bakugo felt a pinching feeling in his chest that made him want to run away, and he hated it. “Just let me try one more time.” He hated begging.

“No.”

“Please.” HE HATED BEGGING.

“I’ll ask (y/n),” Aizawa looked up at Bakugo, eyes stern. “But if she says no, you need to drop this. If you keep losing your temper with her and causing her life to be even harder, there will be consequences. You can’t expect to be a successful pro hero if you can’t control your own temper or see beyond yourself.”

Bakugo packed up his things numbly and made to leave. On his way out, he looked over one last time at you huddled in the kitchen, where you had calmed down to the point of the occasional hiccuping breath, your arms still wrapped around your knees, but your face was finally facing up.

Your eyes met briefly. Though the look of horror in your face was gone, your eyes seemed hollow, and you didn’t seem mad at him…you looked exhausted. You looked broken. The image was seared into Bakugo’s mind as he opened the door, and another, similar emotion rippled through him. He didn’t even know what it was.

“See you at school tomorrow, Bakugo.” Aizawa said from his seat next to you on the floor.

Bakugo just shut the door behind him, stepping into the rain and letting it wash over his face. 

He wished it would wash everything away.

Chapter Text

You didn’t acknowledge Bakugo after that.

He should have been grateful for the space. But he couldn’t be.

Every second you spent with that stupid Deku was another second he could have used to get ahead. Now, that loser was using you to get ahead. He didn’t deserve to be here in the first place.

He heard rumors that you practiced with your quirk after school with Aizawa, but he hadn’t seen anything. Not that he had checked. He didn’t give a shit. 

Bakugo avoided you like the plague, because everywhere he saw you, DEKU was there. Like two insufferable peas in a fucking pod. Deku was stuck to your side like glue wherever Bakugo looked.

Deku helping you with your homework.

Deku making you smile.

Deku listening to you talk and scribbling in that stupid little notebook of his.

Deku saving a seat for you at lunch.

Fucking DEKU.

He didn’t see the faint purple glow of your quirk again until nearly a week after the whole tutoring fiasco. They were doing a training exercise with Aizawa, one-on-one sparring, and they each were going to spar twice. They drew each other’s names out of a hat and Bakugo felt his palms spark as he read who he had drawn.

“(Y/n)”

They were already outside, so his quirk didn’t light up the room like it usually did indoors, but the popping noise still drew the attention of the peers closest to him.

“Hey, man, what’s going on?” Kirishima glanced down at the paper, reading your name upside-down. He grimaced for a moment. “Well, you were going to have to face her at some point.”

Bakugo’s anger flared. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Shitty Hair?”

“I mean,” Kirishima shrugged. “You couldn’t just avoid her forever.”

“I don’t want to waste my time fighting someone who can’t even control their quirk.” Bakugo snapped back, adjusting his gauntlets. Kirishima raised his eyebrows. 

“Are you sure you’re not just feeling guilty?”

Bakugo could almost feel the steam blowing out of his ears, and even Kirishima wilted under his glare. “What?” He snarled.

Kirishima sighed. “Nothing…I just don’t want you to underestimate her, is all. Mina DID say she’s been training with Aizawa.”

“Like hell she is.” Bakugo muttered. “Even if she was, who cares? I’ll still win.”

Kirishima didn’t respond.

“All right,” Aizawa instructed, holding out a clipboard. “Everyone write whoever’s name you drew next to your name on this sheet. Then we’ll begin sparring in the order on the paper.”

No one was surprised when Iida raised his hand. “Yes?” Aizawa groaned.

“Are the fights in any particular order, sir?” Iida barked.

“No,” Aizawa replied, “I randomized them on purpose. Now, hurry up.”

Bakugo was one of the first people to get the clipboard. He didn’t know how to feel when he saw that his name was first. He scribbled your name down next to his with unnecessary force and passed it to Kirishima.

He was gonna show you why he was at the top. He was going to DEMOLISH you. Bakugo remembered the aura of power that surrounded you after school that day, and he was itching to feel it again. To defeat it, he convinced himself.

The clipboard made its way back to Aizawa, who scanned it, his expression unreadable. “Alright, first up is Bakugo versus (y/n). The rest of you make your way to the stands. Bring your backpacks and take notes on the strengths and weaknesses of each classmate, and how they could improve.”

Everyone stood awkwardly, staring between you and Bakugo. Even though everyone (other than Kirishima) had no idea what had happened between you two, it didn’t take a genius to tell that SOMETHING had happened. Aizawa glared at them pointedly, and they all hurried off toward the stands. Only you and Bakugo stayed on the field, and Aizawa approached you both.

“I want this to be a clean fight,” He looked at both of them pointedly. “Part of being a hero is being able to set your personal feelings aside. Is that clear?”

You both nodded. With that, Aizawa walked back to the stands, and you and Bakugo made your way to opposite ends of the field. Once you were both in place, Aizawa’s bored voice called, “Begin.”

You had been training for this. Training with Aizawa, using Izuku and Mei’s suggestions. You had been a sizable threat as a villain, but you wanted to be a dangerous hero.

Bakugo was the perfect test subject for your latest progress.

He stared at you for a few moments before blasting toward you at top speed. You had seen him use his gauntlets, but luckily, this was a battle without costumes. According to Mei, yours wasn’t quite ready to debut yet.

Most people would be intimidated at the speed in which Bakugo was hurtling toward you, but you had faced faster heroes under much more harrowing circumstances. Still, you had seen Bakugo fight. He wasn’t just a fighter. He was smart, and quick on his feet. You would have to be multiple steps ahead in order to outmaneuver him.

As he got within a few meters, you flung out your arm and shot a beam at him. As expected, he dodged this by blasting himself to the side, using another blast to force his momentum toward you again. You brought your forearm up in front of your face as if to shield it, and you could see the triumph glittering in his eyes. 

You resisted the urge to grin. Gotcha.

The second you saw the light blast from Bakugo’s palm, you pictured what you wanted and watched in triumph as a large, bright shield bloomed out of your forearm.

Bless Mei and her brilliant mind, because she had been right. As long as it was connected to your body and you could imagine it, you could form your friction into whatever shape you wanted.

The shield expanded, encasing you in a glowing, egg-shaped force field. You grinned as Bakugo blew himself right into your shield.

You weren’t a monster, so you hadn’t made the friction fast enough to burn him.

You dropped the shield to see where he was, ready to bring it back up in a millisecond, but Bakugo was meters away. He had caught himself and managed to land on his feet, but he was definitely flustered, and his eyes held a familiar anger. You barely held back another beaming smile. Take that, you arrogant bastard!

He blasted toward you again, but this time, you didn’t wait for him to reach you. A long, ropelike shape shot from your outstretched hand and as he began to blast this way and that, trying to maneuver away, it kept following him. He shot a blast directly at it, which just exploded in his face, and as he was coughing, caught off guard, you had the rope split into multiple pieces and wrap around him tightly. You raised your hand, lifting him high in the air, and as your fist came crashing down, so did he. You left him sprawled in a Bakugo-sized dent in the field, spluttering, already ready to get up.

You ran at him, creating platforms under your bare feet, so that when you reached him, you were meters above him. You launched yourself up into the air and dove back downward, forming your friction into a club that you swung and hit Bakugo in the back as he was hunched over, getting to his feet. He fell to the ground once more, and you landed beside him, breathing heavily. His shirt was blackened. Okay, maybe you had let that club get too hot. But you were too preoccupied with your victory to care.

You held out your hand again, this time creating a dome around Bakugo on the ground. You couldn’t see him through the light, but you could hear him banging on it after a few seconds. You looked up at Aizawa, who nodded. 

“(Y/n) wins.”

You reluctantly dropped the trap, stepping backward as Bakugo leapt to his feet and ran at you. “You insufferable little-” he seethed, but before he could reach you, Aizawa’s wrappings had snagged his limbs, halting him in his tracks.

“You lost, Bakugo.” Aizawa had to yell over the cheers of the rest of the class. “Your next fight isn’t until closer to the end. Unless you need to see Recovery Girl, go sit with everyone else and get ready for the next fight.

He let Bakugo go. The boy simply stared at Aizawa in shock before his gaze moved to you, turning into rage.

You felt the adrenaline pumping in your system, knowing that you only had a few fights between this one and the second. “I’m going to beat your best friend, too.” You told him breathlessly, not really thinking. You had to hide your triumphant smile as you turned to walk back to the stands.

---

Bakugo’s back hurt.

It was all a blur. He knew you couldn’t control your quirk well, so he had run in with no hesitation.

Now, his back hurt.

He knew it was mostly a bruise, and his skin was barely burned (if at all), but it served as a reminder:

He had LOST.

He lost to Deku during the battle simulation. Now he lost to you. And just thinking of that sick, triumphant smirk on your face made his blood boil. How dare you smile at him like that?

He sat up in the stands next to Kirishima, who was wisely leaving him alone. You sat next to Deku, grinning as the idiot nerd fangirled over your quirk. Why the fuck were you smiling at him like that? 

He thought back to his first strike, where he had been so sure of himself. He dodged your first attack easily, and when he saw you hold up your arm to shield your face, he knew he had cornered you. Except he hadn’t.

You had pranked him like a fucking clown. 

You had thrown a cheap shot at him and lulled him into a false sense of security, luring him into your trap where you proceeded to humiliate him. His entire body ached. His shoulder and hip bore the brunt of when he had blasted forward, only a few feet between you two, and been met with what felt like a concrete wall. His back hurt from when you had grabbed him with that stupid ass quirk and beat him into the ground like he was a ragdoll. His neck and shoulders hurt from when you had slammed your power down onto his upper back as he was standing, beating him down like a whack-a-mole. His knees ached from when they buckled at the force, causing him to fall face-first into the dirt.

He had been thoroughly humiliated. 

I just don’t want you to underestimate her. That’s what Kirishima had said. Damn Shitty Hair was right.

Bakugo didn’t care about the other fights. Todoroki beat Hagakure easily, and Momo had no problem beating Koda before he could even open his mouth. Tokoyami beat Sato before he could even pull out a snack.

Bakugo didn’t care about the other fights until Aizawa said the next combatants:

“(Y/n) versus Kirishima.”

He felt Kirishima stand next to him, and his rage began to boil over again. So you hadn’t been bluffing. You were planning on beating Shitty Hair. He began to walk away, but Bakugo grabbed his arm before he could pass.

“Beat the shit out of her.” He snarled, staring directly into Kirishima’s eyes, which widened.

“Uh, I’m not going to go that far…” Kirishima pulled himself out of Bakugo’s grip, “But I’ll definitely try my best to beat her, Bakubro!”

He simply nodded in return, watching you walk to one side of the field. What was it about you? Why did so many feelings come out when you were around? Why did Bakugo have to get stuck with you in his life? What were you hiding?

Bakugo couldn’t tear his eyes away.

---

Your fight with Kirishima began normally.

You hadn’t interacted with him much, but from what you witnessed and heard, he was a nice guy. Why he hung off of Bakugo like a leach was a mystery.

His quirk was hardening. He didn’t look it, but he was smart. At least, smarter than Bakugo had been. He stayed back, waiting for you to attack him. He had already punched your shield so hard that it rippled, almost disappearing. Your regular friction attacks would hit him, but do little to no damage, and increasing the friction risked burning him severely. You didn’t know what burning his hardened state would do, and you didn’t want to find out.

You began to feel a terrifyingly familiar, frantic fear welling up in your chest. A hero was coming. You were cornered, you had to think fast. What were your options? It was daytime outside, and there weren’t any places you could easily hide and use the cover of darkness to escape. Your only choice was to fight.

You and Kirishima traded blows and your brain went a million miles a minute. He was staying on the move, making you come to him. He was using the opportunity of you being offensive to try and poke holes in your defense. The fight was going fast, it was a blur, and you began to panic as you forgot your objective. What had he sent you to do? You could feel yourself shutting down. You HAD to win this fight or you will die. They will kill you.

You launched toward Kirishima in midair, letting your power rush through you as your eyes locked onto his.

Wait… Kirishima?

You fell to the ground, powerless. You looked up in shock at Aizawa on the sidelines, his hair floating and eyes wide and red. You stared down at your hands for a moment before searching for the hero…no, the student , your fellow classmate, Kirishima. He seemed unharmed, standing off to the side and staring at you in shock. The students in the stands were whispering scandalously to one another, and Aizawa made his way toward her.
“Didja get lost in your own head, kiddo?” He asked with a resigned sigh, offering you a hand to stand. 

You took it gratefully, nodding. “I…I think so.”

Aizawa glanced back at the rest of the class. “You were beginning to encase your body in your power. I had to stop you before someone recognized you.”

Your cheeks burned. A few minutes ago, you had been high as a kite off of your win against Bakugo, smug that you had control of your quirk in a way you never had before. Now, look at you: barely able to hold onto reality, and compromising yourself in the process. 

“Relax, I’ll just call it a win for Kirishima and you can head home. I’m sure Midoriya can catch you up on what you miss in math. Okay?”

You nodded.
“Don’t forget you have your first counseling session tomorrow at lunch”

You nodded again.

“Good. Go clean up and head home. I’ll take care of everything else.”

---

Bakugo watched you walk away with peaked curiosity and annoyance.

Why had Aizawa stopped you? You had been fighting well, as much as he hated to admit it. You had started to let your power encase you like a full body suit, but it hadn’t even formed past your waist before Aizawa had cut you off.

Familiarity itched at the back of his mind, but he brushed it off.

You were just a giant, unbearable mystery. A mystery who was clearly holding back your quirk. Bakugo ground his teeth together. He didn’t need your pity.

He was so distracted by you walking back toward the school that he barely registered his name being called for the next match. “Midoriya versus Bakugo.”

He bristled. Of course. Of. COURSE.

---

He and Deku had ended in a draw (which was bullshit. Aizawa had called the fight too early, saying something stupid about ‘giving everyone else time to spar.’ 

Bakugo had sat, stewing, during the entirety of homeroom, only seeing a folder on Aizawa’s desk at the very end as they were waiting for the bell to ring. It was the homework folder he had brought to you on the day he had failed as a tutor. This time, Aizawa must have left it out for Deku.

He would show you.

Bakugo impulsively unzipped his backpack and grabbed a sheet of notebook paper, scribbling on it. Checking to make sure Midoriya wasn’t looking, he stuffed it in the back of the folder and huffed toward the door.

Hopefully you would get his message, because Bakugo was tired of this bullshit.

---

“--regardless of whatever happened in your second match, both of your fights were awesome!” Izuku grinned at you, handing over your homework folder. “Your control of your quirk is really improving!”

“You look like you got the shit beaten out of you.” You noted, looking over him. You could see past Recovery Girl’s handiwork to the swollen remains of a black eye, and his arm was still in a sling, probably from a bad break.

Izuku ribbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Yeah…Kacchan got me pretty good. It was good, though! I thought I did an okay job.”

Of course it had been Bakugo.

You flipped through your homework, noting which things you wanted Izuku’s help with today…and frowning at the crumpled piece of paper in the back. A brief message was scribbled across it.

We need to talk. Meet in the field behind UA campus at 9pm.

The scrawl was messy and rushed, but the lead was still dark. The paper was strained around the words, like whoever had written it had been on the verge of breaking the lead completely. There was no signature.

“Izuku…” You began hesitantly. He looked up from the sink, where he was getting a glass of water. “Tell me about Bakugo.”

Izuku blinked. “Kacchan? Why?” Recognition fell across his face. “Something happened between you two, right? Do you want to talk about it?”

You sighed, closing the folder and sitting down at the table. He sat across from you, listening intently. “After school on my first day, he kinda blew up at me and said some stuff that was really shitty.” You began, “I slapped him, and then lost control of my quirk.”

Izuku’s eyes bugged out of his head. “You SLAPPED Kacchan?”

If the memory hadn’t been so vivid, you would have found the expression funny. “Yeah. I stayed home the next day to recover from losing control, and Aizawa sent him here with my work. He was supposed to be my tutor.”

Izuku sat back in his chair, stunned. “Wait, so… Kacchan was your tutor before I was?”

“Barely.” You scoffed, folding your arms across your chest. “He was here for five minutes before he fucked things up again. Triggered a flashback for me. Aizawa had to come and send him home, told him he couldn’t be my tutor anymore.”

Izuku nodded. You had told him that you had a traumatic past, and that was why you were so behind in school and didn’t have good control of your quirk, but he didn’t push you for details, and you were grateful. “Why was he your tutor in the first place?” Izuku wondered. “He just doesn’t seem like the most…obvious choice.”

“Aizawa said it was a chance for him to redeem himself.” You shrugged. “Make amends with me, I guess. Grow as a person. Become less of an asshole. Bakugo really didn’t want to do it, but he also felt like he had to because of how it let him get ahead in service hours.” You shrugged again. “I dunno. Aizawa kicked him out and we hadn’t interacted again before today.”

“He totally underestimated you during class.” Izuku shook his head. “It was so unlike Kacchan. I’ve never seen him be so…well…dumb, in a fight.”

You fidgeted with your hands under the table. “Is he really as terrible as he makes himself sound?”

Izuku winced, as if your question stung. “Well…his words hurt. A lot. And he has a huge ego. But…even if it’s for more selfish reasons, he still wants to be a hero. I’ve never seen him actually hurt someone. I’ve seen him bully people, push them around and stuff, but he’s never actually hurt someone physically outside of sparring matches and stuff. He loses his temper really easily, but that’s because he’s really sensitive about certain things.” Izuku’s eyes widened, and he quickly added. “NEVER tell him I said that, or he’ll kill me.”

You raised your eyebrows, and Izuku clarified. “Not actually . But he’ll confront me about it, and it won’t be fun.”

You sat and thought for a few moments. “I hate it, but for some reason I feel the need to prove myself to him.”

Izuku chuckled. “Yeah, Kacchan tends to have that effect on people.”

You looked up at Izuku, studying him. “Look,” you said finally, “I don’t know what history you have with Bakugo, but it’s obviously complicated. I’m not going to ask. It’s not my business. But I do need you to be honest with me about one thing.”

Izuku seemed taken aback, blinking at you for a few moments. “O-okay…”

“What does it take to earn Bakugo’s respect?”

“Strength.” Izuku replied immediately. “Power.”

“Strength and power.” You murmured, looking at the folder as if you could see inside it to the scrawled note. This was stupid. You didn’t even know it was Bakugo. What if it was a trap?

But who else could it be? There’s no way a villain could get inside UA and stuff a note in your folder, right? And Bakugo knew what the folder looked like. It HAD to be him.

Izuku opened his mouth as if to say something else, but decided against it, thinking for another moment before asking, “What do you want to work on today?”

“Math.” You answered without hesitation. “Definitely math.”

Izuku smiled, and you tried to ignore how it looked a little strained. “Okay!”

---

Bakugo paced the field. You should be here. You should be coming. He told you to come here at 9pm. It was 9:07. You were late.

He had realized after Deku took the folder that he didn’t write his name, but it should be obvious. You should figure it out. You shouldn’t be so much of a coward as to ignore him.

“What do you want.”

Bakugo turned, shoving down the sick sense of relief that swelled in his chest. You stood a few meters away, somehow approaching silently without him noticing, and your arms were crossed over your chest. The wind blew your hair across your face, which was cold and emotionless.

After a moment, Bakugo pulled himself together enough to answer. “We need to talk.”
“You said that in your message.” You snapped. “What. Do. You. Want?”

“You’re hiding something.” Bakugo shot back. “I want to know what it is.”

“Well, that’s too damn bad, because I only tell my personal information to my friends .”

This was quite a great way to start. Did he make you come all the way out here just to continue the same pointless argument you two always had when you spoke?

“Just fight me!” He snapped, bouncing lightly on his feet. “Come on!”

You raised your eyebrows. “Was fighting once today not enough!”

“I clearly underestimated you!” Bakugo retorted, and you blinked in surprise. You weren’t expecting an admission so easily. “I want a rematch!”

“We can have a rematch at school!” You threw your hands up. “What is the big deal?”

“I know you were still holding back in class.” He accused. You hated that he was right, but it wasn’t your fault. “Fight me like you fucking mean it!”

You needed to divert this, and fast, before he pushed you to reveal too much. “Why does it have to happen NOW?”

“Are you scared?” He taunted, holding his hands up, palms sparking. You felt your anger rising.

“Poor (y/n). Are you scared? You are, aren’t you? It’s delicious.”
“No.” You gritted through your teeth. 

“Then fight me!” He demanded. “Prove it!”

“Prove you aren’t worthless, and we won’t kill your sister.”

You furiously sent a wave of power forward, forcing Bakugo to jump out of its way. He sped toward you, grinning and blasting this way and that so you had a hard time following him. He had learned from your earlier fight.

Before you could think of something to imagine, he had thrown a blast at you at point-blank range, knocking you several meters back and singing your shirt. You coughed, staggering back to your feet.

“Come on!” Bakugo yelled, leaping toward you again.

You formed your power into wolverine claws, taking advantage of the smoke caused by Bakugo’s explosions to disappear quietly into the tall grass. He stopped once he realized you weren’t there anymore, and once his back was to you, you lunged toward him, slashing his shirt open and dragging the claws across his back. 

He howled, unable to bury the pain. You had made sure to create intense enough friction to burn through him. The added pain was satisfying in a twisted sort of way, but it was mostly so that the wound was automatically cauterized. Now that you knew how to control that aspect of your power better, you wanted to make sure you didn’t inflict more damage than necessary.

Bakugo heaved a few breaths before shooting you a murderous glare. He rotated his shoulders, grimacing at the pain, before shooting back toward you with a screamed “DIE!”

You encased your fist with a large, exaggerated outline of a fist, nearly the size of your entire body. You punched Bakugo as he launched toward you, but he realigned himself in midair, shooting an explosion into your side. The searing heat burned across your side.

Endeavor’s flames were hot, and they had burned your suit into your skin. Still, you forced yourself to run soundlessly in the shadows of the city buildings, careful not to use your quirk. You could still hear the heroes in the distance trying to find you, but they were growing more and more distant. You were almost to the meeting place now, where you would be sedated to be brought back to base…wherever that was. You weren’t allowed to know.

Your breathing was ragged. You HAD to make it back, or they would hurt Gemma. They had done it before, when you had failed to come back. They had begun slicing tally marks into her back. She was only seven.

You were beginning to hobble and see stars. The pain was nauseating. You were almost there.

You weren’t there anymore. Bakugo’s second explosion hit you in the back, as he once again screamed “DIE,” pulling you out of your memories. You were blasted forward, landing harshly and rolling multiple times, coughing. 

You forced yourself to your feet, doing whatever you could to stay in the moment and avoid sinking back into the void of pain in your past. You’re fighting Bakugo. You’re fighting Bakugo. You’re fighting Bakugo.  

You heard him blast toward you before you saw him. You were wobbling to your feet, and you felt a surge of anger.

“What the fuck did I ever to do you?” You screamed over his battle cry, and with a shove of your hand, you sent a blinding beam of power straight into him.

He had tried to dodge out of the way, but the beam was much, MUCH larger than he anticipated, and it still hit him in the side, making him lose balance in the air and fall to the ground. He managed to land on his feet, his clothes smoking from the impact. You had managed to keep the friction from burning through him.

You hit Mount Lady in the shin with a well-aimed blast, tripping her and causing her to fall. She caught herself in an awkward position, careful not to crush any buildings or civilians. You wanted to sob with relief that she had caught herself in time, but you had to keep running.

Bakugo didn’t answer you. Instead, he raced toward you again, and your instincts kicked into full drive. 

Fuck. This.

You put up a shield as he threw an explosion at you, but not before taking careful note of how far away he was. You couldn’t see through your shields, so you would have to rely on what you could hear. And careful timing.

Bakugo was smart. He had seen Kirishima almost take down your shield. There was no doubt he would try it. At the last second, he blasted himself forward, and right as you heard the explosion you dropped the shield, stepping back.

He barely caught himself as he raced past you, eyes widening. He turned quickly, trying to blast back toward you at point blank range (probably to tackle you to the ground), but you had already moved. He propelled himself straight into your arm, clotheslining himself. He fell to the ground, coughing, only to get up in less than a second and throw a sparking punch at you.

Endeavor’s fist was encased in flame, and he punched, launching a column of fire toward you that you barely dodged. You had to let him escape, but make it look like you had tried to kill him. You had to fight back. The number two hero launched toward you, fist ready to plough through you.

You grabbed Bakugo’s wrist, yanking him the rest of the way and kneeing him in the stomach. He wheezed, but didn’t pull away, instead setting off an explosion in the hand you were gripping tightly. It blasted both of you several feet, and while you landed on your back, Bakugo landed on his feet.

“DIE!” He screamed again, leaping in the air. Didn’t he say anything else during a fight? As he was coming down to strike at you, still lying on the ground, you rolled out of the way and blasted him back into the air. He barely had time to get his bearings before you ran up to meet him, several meters off the ground, leaping from platform to platform. 

It had been a good idea to leave your shoes behind.

He saw you coming for only a split second, and instead of dodging, he blasted toward you, taking a well-aimed punch to the jaw but tackling you in the process. You both fell to the ground, landing on your backs, getting the wind knocked out of you.

Shigaraki kicked you in the stomach and the chair you were tied to skidded back multiple feet before falling backward, slamming your head onto the concrete.

His laugh echoed in your ears, making your heart pound.

You and Bakugo staggered to your feet. Your heart was beating wildly, and you could feel yourself losing control. You could feel the panic taking hold. Years of instinct were taking over--you were surprised you had been able to stay in control of yourself this long.

“What do you want from me?” You rasped, still recovering from getting your breath knocked out of you. Bakugo scowled, holding his hands up, still ready to fight.

“I have to beat you,” he replied in a raw voice. “Because I’m at the top, I’m always at the top, and some lying, conceited extra like you isn’t good enough to beat me!”

You should have replied with the truth. You had already beaten him. You weren’t conceited. You weren’t lying.

“You’re…you’re assuming things again…” you whispered, but he heard you, and his clenched fists began to spark.

“I’m assuming things?” He snarled. “Really? Because you haven’t given me a reason to believe any differently! You’re clearly hiding things from everyone, so why would I believe you?”

Your head was spinning, and you stumbled slightly, suddenly short of breath. “I’m trying…I can’t…you don’t…” You didn’t even know what you were trying to say. Everything sounded like it was underwater. 

“See? You can’t even deny it!”

“You can’t deny it, (y/n). You’re a killer now.” 

You were only thirteen.

Bakugo’s words echoed in your whirling mind. “Some lying, conceited extra like you isn’t good enough to beat me!”

“If you aren’t good enough, we’ll kill your precious little sister.”

You hadn’t been there any more than six months, so you hadn’t learned to keep your mouth shut yet. “But she’s only six!”

A cold, clammy hand rested on your own, and you screamed in pain as you felt your skin begin to break apart. You watched as it flaked away in horror. “Now, now, now, (y/n), you think we care how old she is?” Shigaraki clucked his tongue, giggling under his breath. “Look at you. You’re twelve years old. But that doesn’t matter, does it? Your quirk is what matters. Use it for us, and you’ll survive. If you aren’t good enough, you’ll both die.”

The burn on your side was nauseating. Your hand was screaming with pain, even after it had stopped cracking apart. You couldn’t see the injuries but you felt them, the grass tickled your face as you fell to your knees numbly, Bakugo’s voice kept ringing in your head. “You’re clearly hiding things from everyone, so why would I believe you?”

“You think you can escape, but you can’t.” Kurogiri’s voice echoed in the dark confines of your cell. He often came to visit you, acting like some sort of twisted mentor. He sat outside your cell not bothering to look at you. “Even if you did manage to get out of our grasp and reach the authorities, who would believe you? According to everyone in Japan, you’re living in America now. You have no idea where any of our locations are. All they know about you is what you’ve done, and you have no proof that links you back to us. You’ll never be able to escape with your sister, and if you tried to go to the authorities, Shigaraki would do worse than killing her. Face the facts, (y/n). No one will believe you. No one will rescue you. This is your home now. Accept it, and things will be easier.”

You faintly heard Bakugo screaming as he slammed into you, throwing you onto your back. He landed on top of you, reeling back a smoking fist, ready to strike. You closed your eyes.

“You’ve been doing our bidding for nearly four years now.” Kurogiri noted, sliding your food under the cell door. “You’ve been getting sloppy lately. Be careful. You’ve done unforgivable things, and no matter what happens, no one will forgive you because you don’t deserve it. That’s part of what being a villain is. Being irredeemable. You will never be able to bring back the people you’ve killed, fix what you’ve broken, or take back how your missions have led to misery. All you can do now is embrace who you’ve become.”

The blow never came.

“What the hell are you doing?” You faintly felt Bakugo shaking you by the shoulders, but his voice still sounded far away.  “Fight BACK!”

“She doesn’t even fight back anymore. It’s boring.”

“That’s what happens when you drain the life out of someone, Shigaraki. They lose their will to live.”

“Why?”

Your question came out as a croak, and it seemed to give Bakugo pause. He clambered off of you, sitting next to you in the charred grass, still breathing heavily from your fight. “What do you mean, why?” He snapped after a few seconds. “I’m attacking you! Fight back!”

“Why?”

“I’m attacking you because you need to see, I--you need to know that you’re not better than me! So you can’t give up, you dumbass! I have to beat you fair and square! Get your ass up!”

“Why?”

“I just told you why!”

“No.” Your voice was fading to a whisper. “Why?”

You could feel Bakugo’s eyes on you, but he didn’t respond for a while. “Why what?” He finally asked.

“W-why…fight…back?”

Bakugo didn’t answer after that. Your ears were ringing. Your entire body hurt, your eyes burned, and you could faintly feel hot tears running down your face. It smelled like burnt grass, grass that tickled your body, it brushed gently against your skin and it was painful. Everything hurt. Bakugo said something, but you couldn’t hear what it was. Everything was so muffled. Everything was so blurry.

“(y/n),” Gemma asked, running her hand over one of your new scars. This one was on your back, across your left shoulder blade. It had been crudely stitched back up, and only recently were the stitches taken out. The cut was still red and inflamed, and an unhealthy-colored scab covered it. “What gave you this one?”

“A knife.” You answered simply, continuing to scrub yourself with the sponge and the bucket of water they gave you. After every successful mission, they let you see Gemma. Only then were either of you allowed to bathe. The last time you had visited was three weeks ago, and at that point you hadn’t succeeded in a mission for two months. When you saw Gemma, her tiny, malnourished eight-year-old frame was covered in angry rashes, she had lice, and the dirt had caused her to become so itchy she was scratching herself raw in some places. You had made sure to gently scrub her clean, pick away every louse, scrub all of the blood from under her fingernails, and untangle all the knots in her hair. She insisted you bathe before you braid her hair, so you were now scrubbing yourself clean of the dirt and blood caked across your body. You hated to make her do this, but you wouldn’t be able to do your job effectively if your cut got infected, and you couldn’t properly reach it, so you handed the soapy sponge to your little sister and she gently scrubbed the angry gash, blinking away tears as you visibly winced. You had been trying not to, but the stinging was more than you had anticipated.

“Who did it this time?” Gemma asked, scrubbing along her shoulders and back. You wanted to tell her it was okay, you could do the rest, but you knew Gemma needed to feel helpful, so you let her do it. “Who had the knife? Was it…one of them? Or was it a hero?”

“Neither.” You replied simply. “I ran across another villain with swords and knives. He was hard to fight. He surprised me by cutting me on the back like this, and he thought he had taken me out, but I surprised him and fought back. I didn’t let him get me again. I scared him away.”

“You didn’t get him back?” Gemma asked, handing you back the sponge.

“No,” You smiled slightly. “He ran away.”

You faintly heard Bakugo talking. You felt the ground fall away, and pressure under your neck and knees told you someone was carrying you. You were being held to a strong chest, and you were too weak to cling to it. Too weak to be anything but dead weight.

“(y/n),” Gemma said after you had finished the first braid. She hadn’t spoken since you had finished your bath, and you were beginning to wonder what she was stewing over. “You’ll never give up, right?”

The question caught you off guard, and you paused as you began the next braid. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you won’t give up, right?” Gemma repeated. “If a hero gets you, or one of…someone here, or another villain, or whatever…even if someone gets you, you won’t give up. Right?”

You were glad she was facing away from you so she couldn’t see your expression. You kept your hands moving in her hair so she didn’t suspect anything. “Why would I?”

“Well, I know they make you do bad things.” Gemma’s voice grew quiet. “And…and it’s terrible here. I know sometimes I wish I could give up. But you can’t give up yet! You’re going to be a hero one day, and you only have two more years before you’re sixteen!”

You felt yourself smile, which felt so foreign. “Gemma,” You teased, “I’ve told you hundreds of times, nothing magical happens on your sixteenth birthday. It’s just another birthday.”

“But you still gotta celebrate it!” Gemma insisted. “It’s the most important birthday!”

You weren’t going to win this battle. “Alright,” you relented. “I promise I won’t give up before my sixteenth birthday.”

“NO,” Gemma hissed, uncharacteristically serious. “You have to promise you won’t ever stop fighting, no matter what!

You chuckled, swallowing the urge to cry. “Okay Gemma. I promise I’ll never stop fighting.”

You couldn’t keep your eyes open. You were being swallowed by the darkness.

“S-sorry…Gemma…”

Chapter Text

Bakugo was on a high.

You were still holding back. He fought harder. You met him blow for blow.

Every hit he landed on you was returned in kind.

His back burned and stung with every movement, but Bakugo didn’t care. The adrenaline rush was addicting. Every time he got close to you, he could feel your power humming. Your power was like a song with heavy bass, played at full blast, and Bakugo was getting lost in it.

Bakugo was supposed to be ANGRY. “DIE!” He screamed, lunging at you, but you swung your fist and before he had time to fully dodge, a giant, glowing fist had punched him out of the air. He readjusted, only needing a millisecond to aim at you before firing another explosion. It hit you in the side and you stumbled. Bakugo landed on his feet, not taking his eyes off of you. With a blast and another “DIE!” he shot back towards you, but this time you didn’t react at all. You didn’t turn around.

Anticipating some sort of trick, Bakugo sent an explosion toward you at the last second, stopping his momentum and blasting you square in the back. Your body was tossed limply to the ground.

He grit his teeth. What were you doing ? Why hadn’t you dodged that? He watched you get up, an unrecognizable, pained expression on your face. Before Bakugo had time to mull this over, he had boosted himself back toward you again.

Your eyes met his, unexpectedly defiant “What the fuck did I ever do to you?” Your voice was raw, and you flung your hand out toward him. Bakugo reacted quickly, blasting to the side, but it wasn’t fast enough. The beam of power you shot at him was ten times bigger than he had expected.

It hit Bakugo in the side, bruising and burning, and he grunted with pain as he began spiraling through the air. A stupid grin had crawled its way back onto his face. YES. You were fighting back! He only just managed to catch himself on his feet, barely keeping his balance. He looked up at you, and the absent look in your eyes kicked his fury into gear. No…you still weren’t taking him seriously.

You were toying with him.

With a growl, Bakugo took off toward you, noting how you brought up the full-body shield you had used during the sparring match earlier that day. He thought about how Kirishima had managed to almost knock that shield down with a strong punch. Bakugo’s punches were stronger. He brought back his sparking fist, ready to let loose the moment he hit the shield, and used his other hand to blast himself forward the remaining few yards.

Just as Bakugo swung his arm, ready to let the explosion go, the shield disappeared. His eyes widened as he flew past, and he turned quickly, blasting back toward you. His fist was still outstretched, but any semblance of timing for an explosion was gone. He didn’t even register where you were before his blast sent him straight into your outstretched arm, hitting his neck and causing his feet to go out from under him.

Bakugo could feel his face burning as he spluttered, stumbling to his feet. You were toying with him. The burned gashes on his back throbbed from being slammed on the ground, and his ears were ringing, but he didn’t let that stop him. He brought up his fist, letting his rage pop off in sparks as he lunged toward you. He barely felt you grab his wrist, pulling him further into you, but he definitely felt your knee in his stomach. He coughed as the air got knocked out of him. You were toying with him. Unwilling to yield, he opened the fist you were gripping and blasted into the ground, sending both of you flying. He landed on his feet, watching you land squarely on your back. 

“DIE!” He leapt into the air, ready to land a finishing blow, but you surprised him with  a blast that threw him away from you and further into the air. Bakugo spun wildly at the impact, barely getting his bearings before seeing you sprinting toward him in the air.

He hated how much he needed you to go all out. He hated how he was internally begging you, please throw everything at me. Don’t hold back. Give me your all.

Bakugo managed to blast himself toward you. He had to win, no matter the cost, so he didn’t even try to block the expert punch to his jaw, choosing instead to wrap his arms around your waist and catch you off guard. The punch left his ears ringing, and he had bitten his cheek so hard he tasted blood, and he loved it. YES! Fight me with everything you’ve got! You were tackled off the platforms you had been standing on and both of you fell to the ground with dull thuds.

Bakugo was starting to feel sick at the pain in his back, but quitting didn’t even cross his mind. He made eye contact with you from a few meters away, wondering why your eyes seemed so frantic. The emotion was beginning to bleed into your facial expression.

“What do you want from me?” Your voice was hoarse. Bakugo held his hands up, ready to fend off whatever you threw at him. He wasn’t going to fall for any distractions. He needed you to fight him.

“I have to beat you.” Bakugo didn’t know why he still answered. “Because I’m at the top, I’m always at the top, and some lying, conceited extra like you isn’t good enough to beat me!”

The words felt good, but your reaction didn’t. Instead of renewed vigor, anger, or even annoyance, you just looked sad. You weren’t supposed to look SAD.

“You’re…” Bakugo strained to hear your words, since you were so quiet. He didn’t dare come any closer, lest this be a ruse. “…you’re assuming things again…”

Assuming things? Bakugo almost wanted to laugh, but his quirk simply crackled around his fists instead. “I’m assuming things? Really? Because you haven’t given me a reason to believe any differently!”

You and Deku were the same, both holding back as if Bakugo was weak. Bakugo WASN’T WEAK.

“You’re clearly hiding things from everyone,” He accused you, feeling satisfied as the words made you wince slightly. “So why would I believe you?”

His excitement dulled as you stumbled slightly, and your eyes began to unfocus. “I’m trying…I can’t…you don’t…”

Was this all it took to bring down your great facade? Because that had to be what was happening. You were being faced with the truth, and you couldn’t handle it. Bakugo didn’t even force himself to believe it before running with that narrative “See?” He gestured toward you as you wobbled on your feet. “You can’t even deny it!”

You finally looked up at him, and Bakugo brought his hands back up, grinning and ready for a fight-- finally, you weren’t going to hold back --but he was met with a blank stare. Your eyes seemed to gaze through him. It was unnerving. You fell to your knees. 

No…no, no, NO, you HAD to fight him! You couldn’t just give up! Bakugo felt his own breathing becoming uneven. You couldn’t just hand him this. He didn’t need your pity. He didn’t want--

With a roar, Bakugo ran toward you, desperate to make you SEE HIM. You didn’t even blink as he slammed into you, landing on top of you in the tall grass. One hand on your shoulder, the other held up high in a sparking fist, ready to land the blow and end it.

Bakugo watched as your eyes finally focused on his face, looking weakly from him to his fist before fluttering closed.

NO.

He waited for you to launch a surprise attack, to have some trick up your sleeve, but nothing came. He stayed frozen there until he grabbed you by the shoulders, shaking you like a ragdoll. “What the hell are you doing?” He demanded, ignoring the way his voice cracked. You didn’t resist him at all. “Fight BACK!”

His eyes were watering. It must be the smell--burnt grass and singed clothing.

“Why?”

Bakugo hadn’t expected you to reply, and after a moment he got up off of you, fists clenched at his sides. His mind raced. “What do you mean, why?” Bakugo didn’t like being confused. “I’m attacking you! Fight back!”

You had opened your eyes now, but they just stared up at the night sky, and Bakugo felt his hands sparking. He wasn’t even worth looking at. “Why?” You asked again, and he wanted to explode.

What were you expecting him to explain? “I’m attacking you because you need to see, I--” Bakugo dug his fingernails into his palms. “--YOU need to know that you’re not better than me! So you can’t give up, dumbass! I have to beat you fair and square! Get your ass up!”

That seemed straightforward enough. He waited expectantly for a few moments, watching for when you would move to get up and finish your brawl, but instead you just asked again, “Why?”

It took everything within Bakugo not to shoot an explosion at you from point-blank range. “I just told you why!”

“No.” Your voice was growing weaker. Bakugo felt an itching behind his anger, a different emotion. It was the unwelcome one you had brought with you when you first walked into his life. CONCERN . Your eyes were beginning to flutter shut. “Why?” 

He stared at you, his anger slowly draining away. Bakugo wasn’t stupid. He could be dense, he could get caught up in the fight, he could jump to conclusions, but he wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t keep looking at you like this and think you were avoiding a fight because of your arrogance, or out of some twisted sense of pity. For the first time, another explanation rose to the surface of his mind.

What if Bakugo had nothing to do with how you’ve been acting?

There it was. The feelings. Concern. Curiosity.

“Why what?” He finally asked.

He had to bend over to hear you, and even still he could barely make out your words.

“W-why…fight…back?”

Bakugo was at a loss. Your eyes were closed, but your breathing was still hard and fast, and your eyebrows were furrowing. “Why wouldn’t you fight back?” He asked, astounded. The question was met with quick, shaky breaths. 

“...oi.” Bakugo didn’t like this. “What’s up with you? Did I hit you too hard in the head or something?” 

You didn’t reply. Bakugo hadn’t known you for very long, but long enough to know it was very out of character for you not to reply. You always seemed to have a witty comeback. You weren’t unconscious--your breathing was still labored, your face contorted into a twisted mix of emotions Bakugo didn’t even want to know about, and your body was tense. Your hands were in fists. He was kneeling next to you, torn on what to do next when you muttered something.

“Cut-t me…on…th’ back…”

Bakugo was at a complete loss. Cut you on the back? You hadn’t been cut by anything. Bakugo didn’t fight with blades. You were clearly having some sort of episode (of what kind, he had no idea), and he knew what he had to do. He hated it, too.

He grabbed under your knees and around your shoulders, hoisting you up. The slashes across his back screamed in agony, and the rest of his body throbbed with protest, but he held onto you tightly. 

I’ll get her to Aizawa, then go home. He thought to himself, beginning to walk toward your apartment building, which was visible in the distance. If I leave her out here, I’ll definitely get kicked out of UA. 

He looked down at you in his arms, your eyebrows creased, your lips moving slightly as if muttering in your sleep, your entire body tense. Your eyes kept fluttering as if you were trying to open them, but couldn’t. I’m just doing this because I have to.

Your mutterings got louder, and you barely managed to whisper, “S-sorry…Gemma…” before going completely slack in his arms. He looked at your face, now seeming so peaceful. He didn’t have a choice.

---

Your head hurt.

Everything hurt.

You groaned, trying to sit up and opening your eyes. Squinting at the sudden brightness, you blinked the blurriness away. Your apartment? You were on the couch. How did you get here? The last time you remembered, you were…you were…

“Bakugo?” You croaked looking around and pulling yourself up into a sitting position. 

“Relax.”

You grew even more confused as Aizawa came out of the hallway, a damp washcloth in his hand. “Bakugo just left a little bit ago.” He told you, handing you the washcloth. “Hold this to your head.”

You obliged, closing your eyes at the relief the cool cloth gave your throbbing head.

“Bakugo told me about your fight.” Aizawa sat down next to you. “I had to call Recovery Girl to come pick him up and deal with that back of his. You got him real good.”

You paled. “Is he okay?”

“He’ll be fine.” Aizawa sighed, leaning back. “Recovery Girl just called back to let me know she dropped him off at his house. She said he’s good as new. Apparently the wound was already cauterized, so there’s some faint scarring, but there was very little blood loss, and it hadn’t been long enough to create an infection.”

“Oh.” You gulped. “Uh, that’s good I guess.”

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose. “You two are impossible.”

“What?”

“He’s completely confused as to what to do with you.”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He doesn’t know what he’s feeling.”

“And you do?”

“I think I do.” Aizawa shrugged. “It seems pretty obvious that he’s worried about you.”

You snorted, wincing as it caused your head to throb painfully. “W- worried about me? Bakugo ? He couldn’t give two shits about me!”

Aizawa massaged his temples. “I’m sure he wishes it was that way, but I’ve been watching him in class. He keeps a close eye on you. You’ve had panic attacks and flashbacks in front of him multiple times. He was a pain about it, but he didn’t leave until I assured him you would be alright.”

Your mind felt like scrambled eggs. Bakugo? Worried about YOU? “He probably just didn’t want to get in trouble for hurting me.”

“That was probably part of it,” Aizawa agreed, “But some of his questions suggest other motivations, as well.”

You narrowed your eyes. “What kind of questions?”

“Well, he asked what he could do to stop you from breaking down around him, so I told him to be less of an asshole.”

You couldn’t resist giggling at that. “I’m sure that will work. Anything else?”

“He also carried you all the way back here.”

Heat crawled its way up your face. “W-what?”

Aizawa smirked. “Bridal style.”

“SHUT UP!”

Aizawa chuckled before turning a bit more serious again. “(Y/n), you’ve made a lot of progress in the last week. Our training sessions have been going well, and your control over your quirk has improved drastically. Just this once, I’m not going to suspend you or Bakugo for this.”

You raised your eyebrows. “Why?”

“Well, first of all, because Rescue Disaster training is tomorrow, and it’s an important lesson,” Aizawa noted, “But also because I think you two could learn a lot from each other. Bakugo has a rough exterior--”

“That’s putting it lightly.” You muttered.

“--But he’s not actually a bad person. I think you could teach him empathy, and he could teach you mental toughness.” Aizawa sighed. “You just have to get past the whole ‘we hate each other’ thing.”

“Yes, just that little roadblock.” You replied sarcastically.

Aizawa stared at you pointedly. “You’re the one that chose to fight him. You told me two weeks ago you never wanted to fight again. Are you telling me that change had nothing to do with Bakugo?”

“I don’t see how that’s positive!” You scoffed. “Besides, why do I need Bakugo to help me? I already have counseling with Ryo. The first session was a few days ago and it was fine.”

“I was just hoping that…” Aizawa trailed off, sighing before getting up. “It doesn’t matter. You’re coming to school tomorrow. I’m not reporting this incident, I’ve convinced Recovery Girl to let it slide, as well. Get some sleep and you should be fine, maybe a little sore in the morning but no real injuries. From what Bakugo told me, you had a bad flashback, but no major wounds.”

You shivered. “Y-yeah.” You blinked as he began to walk away. “Wait, you’re just going to leave ?”

“Yeah.”

“You can’t just tell me all that shit about Bakugo and then leave!”

Aizawa turned down the hallway. “Get some sleep,” He called back to you, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

That asshole.

You lay back on the couch, groaning and pulling the cool washcloth over your eyes. Your mind was swirling. 

You faintly remembered being lifted off the ground, held closely to a hard chest. It smelled like burnt caramel. His chest was vibrating, and you forced yourself to sink into the memory, trying to decipher what he had been saying.

“...having a good fight and you have to go and pass out. How come you always pass out when I’m around? Something is definitely wrong. You should get checked out for a brain bleed or something. It would suck if you died. I mean, I gotta beat you fair and square first.”

Bakugo thinks it would suck if you died? The admission surprised you, but you also knew that he probably didn’t think you could hear him, so the likelihood of him ever saying such a thing to your face was slim to none.

Another faint memory itched at your brain, and you remembered waking up briefly, too exhausted to move or talk, while Bakugo and Aizawa were both in your apartment.

“What happened to her?” Bakugo’s voice was asking. “I mean, something obviously happened.”

“That’s not my business to tell you.” Aizawa replied.

“But you DO know.”

“Yes.”

“She keeps passing out around me. I think I should know at least something.”

“Have you asked her?”

“Yes, she refuses to tell me!”

“Well, maybe you should work on gaining her trust.”

“How…how do I do that? How do I stop making her so upset?”

“Be less of an asshole.”

“That’s so unspecific!”

“It’s the best advice I’ve got. Besides, do you want to know for your own sake, or for hers?”

“Mine, of course! Why would I…” Bakugo trailed off. “I…I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“It’s okay to care about people, you know.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s completely normal.”

“I said SHUT UP.”

You scoffed. Bakugo? Caring about YOU? No way. Aizawa was out of his mind. You needed a distraction.

You switched on the TV, flipping through the channel until you found some cartoons. At some point you drifted off to sleep.

You dreamed of Gemma.

---

Bakugo went straight to his room and stripped off his burnt, bloody, and torn clothing, collapsing into his bed. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling.

“S-sorry…Gemma…”

He groaned, rolling over and shoving his face into his pillow.

“What the fuck did I ever do to you?”

You were holding back, Bakugo reasoned with himself. You were holding back and underestimating him. Your face swam in his vision, a taunting afterimage.

If you were underestimating him, why were you crying?

Bakugo clenched his fists as his palms began to spark, not wanting to burn his sheets. 

Your eyes had looked so distant, as if you weren’t even there.

FUCK ! He pounded his fist into the pillow. He didn’t need to think about your shit. Your problems were your problems. Why the hell should he care about you?

“You’re lucky,” Recovery Girl mused from the driver’s seat as Bakugo lay, eyes drooping, in the passenger’s seat. “(Y/n) is capable of making her power blunt and normal temperature, and searing hot. With the amount of times she hit you, she was mostly using the blunt side of her abilities, but she chose to burn your back as she cut it to cauterize the gashes. You could have lost a lot of blood if not for that.”

“I don’t need her pity.” He muttered bitterly, fighting to keep his eyes open. Recovery Girl spared him a glance, one eyebrow raised.

“Why do you think every act of kindness is out of pity?” She scolded. “Have you ever considered that maybe she didn’t want to hurt you that badly because she cared? She probably would have done the same against All Might himself!”

Bakugo hated that she was right.

“I’ll tell you this, Bakugo.” The older woman said sternly. “You’re going to keep messing up with (Y/n) because you think her actions revolve around you. It’s selfish and egotistical. That girl is focused on survival. Think about how she reacts to things, take a second to wonder why that might be. Use your brain for something other than schoolwork and fighting.”

Something had happened to you. That much was very clear. Whatever it was, it had taken you out of school for five whole years. It caused you intense trauma. Why you were even allowed in the hero course with issues like that was beyond Bakugo.

He would admit you were a good fighter. He hadn’t felt a thrill like the fight you had tonight in a while. If only you just let loose and enjoyed it.

Enjoyed it.

Bakugo clenched at his sheets, picturing you fighting, glowing, the air around you buzzing, with a shit-eating grin on your face. He cursed the feeling in his stomach that radiated up into his chest.

“S-sorry…Gemma…”

Bakugo rolled over violently, closing his eyes and waiting to drift off to sleep.

Your sad eyes loomed in his mind instead.

Chapter Text

“Hello, everyone! I’ve been waiting for you!”

You heard the students around you begin to chatter with excitement, but you were still checking out your new costume. Mei had finished it the day prior and today was your first day wearing it.

She had made it dark purple, the simple design covering your entire body. After how fast you had learned to control your quirk, you and Mei had decided to make your entire suit of a special material that your power could filter through without damaging your costume. The form-fitting suit covered everything, the sleeves ending in fingerless gloves and white knee-high boots. Your suit traveled up your neck, framing your head in a snug hood that came in front of your face slightly, and a white mask covered your nose and mouth. You could feel the thermo-regulation of the suit keeping you cool, and the material was flexible and breathable. Relying on Mei instead of outsourcing to a typical costuming company had been the right choice.

You had gotten lots of comments on the costume on the bus ride to the off-campus facility.

“(Y/n), your outfit is so cool!” Izuku had exclaimed brightly.

Kirishima had leaned forward so he could see over the people between you. “It’s super sleek!” He agreed.

“Not showing any skin, but somehow still sexy…” Kaminari mused. “Impressi--” He yelped as he was hit over the back of the head by Momo, who glared at him pointedly before shooting you a beaming smile.

“I think he means that you look wonderful, (y/n).”

“I love these!” Uraraka held up your hand, eyes sparkling at the fingerless gloves.

“You look like a purple ninja.”

Everyone turned to Bakugo, who had scoffed at his comment. Sero frowned. “What kind of ninja wears purple and white.”

“A bad one.” Bakugo replied. “That’s the point.”

You wanted to feel angry, but you were resisting the urge to laugh. Was he teasing you? “Says the guy who looks like an angry pomeranian.” You decided to tease back, grinning under your mask. Bakugo’s eyes bulged out of his skull.

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?”

The bus roared with laughter, and he continued, “What kind of dog has grenades on their wrists?”

You giggled. “A pomeranian!”

Thirteen’s voice tore you out of your thoughts, and you realized you had been absentmindedly following the class into the building without listening to a word anyone said.

“I’m sure you’re aware that I have a powerful quirk,” Thirteen was saying, “It’s called Black Hole. I can use it to suck up anything and turn it to dust.”

You could practically hear Izuku’s excitement from the back of the group. “Yeah, you’ve used Black Hole to save people from all kinds of disasters before, haven’t you?”

“That’s true.” Thirteen nodded. “But my quirk could also very easily be used to kill.”

Gasps rang through the class, and you wanted to roll your eyes. Some of your peers were so naïve.

“Some of you also have powers that can be dangerous.” Thirteen continued, and you tried to brush off your discomfort. “In our superhuman society, all quirks are certified and stringently regulated, so we often overlook how unsafe they can actually be. Please don’t forget that if you lose focus or make the wrong move, your powers can be deadly.”

You knew that all too well.

“Even if you’re trying to do something virtuous like rescue someone, thanks to Aizawa’s fitness tests, you have a solid idea of your quirk’s potential.” You wanted to scoff as Thirteen kept lecturing. “And because of All Might’s combat training, you likely experienced how dangerous your powers can be when used against other people. Carry those lessons over to this class. Today, you’re going to learn how to use your quirks to save people’s lives. You won’t be using your powers to attack enemies or each other, only to help. After all, that’s what being a hero is all about--ensuring the safety of others!”

“Thirteen is so cool!” You chuckled at Izuku’s fangirling.

“That’s all I have to say,” Thirteen finished up. “Thank you so much for listening.”

The students cheered, and you clapped along with them hesitantly. Wasn’t all that fairly obvious?

“All right then,” Aizawa said as the cheers died down. “First--”

A wave of electricity rippled across the building, causing some of the lights to go out. Everyone began to murmur, looking around and whispering to each other. You looked at Aizawa with wide eyes, but he was calm, watching the students. You felt a familiar pull in the air, causing your breath to hitch. You looked around wildly, eyes landing in front of a sputtering water fountain, where the air rippled. Your stomach churned. No, no, no…

Aizawa seemed to sense it, and he turned around as the portal expanded. You instinctively backed away from it, bumping into someone’s chest. “Oi, watch where you’re going, Glowsti--” Bakugo cut off as he saw your face. He could feel your body trembling, and he followed your wide eyes to the portal, where figures were beginning to emerge.

“Gather together!” You vaguely heard Aizawa command. “Don’t move! Thirteen--protect the students!”

No, no, no, no, no…

Your classmates were talking. You saw a few of them begin to move toward the emerging villains, but Aizawa snapped, “Don’t move!” You could see him putting on his goggles out of the corner of your eyes, but your gaze was fixed on a singular villain down in the plaza. “Those are villains.” Aizawa told the class, earning gasps.

You felt hands grab your shoulders, causing you to tense and begin breathing faster. “Oi, Glowstick,” Your eyes focused on Bakugo, who was studying your face in what looked suspiciously like concern. “Snap out of it, come on!” His voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

You could hear the students around you talking, but you were focused on Bakugo. He kept his hands on your shoulders. “Just breathe, okay?” He told you, looking over at the villains. You turned to look at them too, but he turned you so that your back faced them. “No, don’t look at them. That obviously freaks you out.”

“They’re h-here…” You stammered, fists clenched at your sides. You could feel your quirk starting to act up, see the glow on Bakugo’s face. “H-here…”

“Who?” Bakugo looked over your head at the villains. “The villains? Yeah, but it’s okay, we’ll fight them and we’ll win.”

“F-found me…”

Bakugo’s eyes narrowed. “Found you? What do you mean? Do you know these people?”
You felt the air around you begin to tighten again, and you pulled yourself out of his grasp, whirling around. “No!”

Kurogiri materialized in front of the class. In the back of your mind, you recognized that Aizawa had gone down to the plaza to fight the villains, but you were frozen, staring at Kurogiri. The whole class stared. 

“Nice to meet you,” He said. You absentmindedly clutched at Bakugo’s chest. “We are the League of Villains. It may be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves into the home of heroes, UA High School, in order to have All Might, the Symbol of Peace, take his last breath.”

You felt relief and dread soak through you at the same time. They weren’t here for you, they were here for All Might. They still thought you were dead. The idea of them killing All Might…you wanted to throw up.

“I believe All Might should have been here. Has there been some sort of change?”

Bakugo pried your hands off of him. “Oi,” he whispered, almost inaudible. “Snap out of it!”

You didn’t register what he said. You were too focused on Kurogiri. The longer you listened to his voice, the more you cursed Kurogiri for his perpetual ability to sound calm and collected. The hours he spent outside of your cell, somehow comforting you and stripping you of your will to resist at the same time, those hours were not forgotten. 

“Well,” Kurogiri said simply, “That is neither here nor there.” He spread his shadow, and your heart began thumping faster. “This is the part I am to play.”

Thirteen held out her uncapped finger, but before she could do anything, two people raced past her. Bakugo and Kirishima leaped at Kurogiri, and your heart stopped. The explosion rocked the ground, and you barely stayed on your trembling feet.

“Did you consider that you’d get beaten by us before you did it?” You heard Kirishima boast from within the smoke, and you felt the tears begin to stream down your face. They were so stupid.

The smoke was beginning to clear. “Oh dear,” Kurogiri chuckled, “That’s dangerous. That’s right--even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs.”

“No--” Thirteen gasped from behind the two boys. “Move away, you two!”

“My job is to scatter you all…” Kurogiri said simply, his power spreading and reaching over everyone, “And torture you to death!”

Everyone was encased in Kurogiri’s portal, and your lungs squeezed. Fuck, no, no, no…

You were spit out into a crooked building on the verge of collapse, and you stumbled but managed to stay on your feet. You heard shuffling behind you and whirled around. 

“(Y/n)!” Kirishima ran toward you. Bakugo was behind him, scowling. “Are you--”

A villain peaked out from a wall behind Bakugo, and you instinctively shot a beam at it, blasting it backward off of the building completely. Kirishima jumped slightly, and Bakugo whirled around. “Shit,” Bakugo cursed. “Villains are here!”

The boys wasted no time.

Bakugo shouted “DIE” and let off explosion after explosion. Kirishima ran around confidently and took out anyone Bakugo hadn’t gotten yet. You stood between them, frozen.

These people work for him. Like I do.

No--like I DID.

“Is this all of them?” Bakugo scoffed. “They’re so weak!”

“All right!” Kirishima ignored Bakugo’s question, turning to him with a grim expression. “Let’s hurry up and go save the others! If we’re here, then everyone else should be inside USJ too! I’m worried about the guys with less offensive ability. Besides…” He closed his eyes, grimacing. “Because we ran off ahead, we slowed Thirteen down. If Thirteen had been able to suck up that fog, then this wouldn’t have happened!”

Bakugo turned toward his friend as Kirishima continued. “As men, we have to take responsibility for what we did!”

“If you want to go, then go by yourself.” Bakugo said harshly. “I’m gonna kill that warp gate.”

Stupid Bakugo.

“What?” Kirishima voiced your shock as well. “You’re going to act childish at a time like this? Besides, that guy’s attacks are--”

“SHUT UP!” Bakugo interrupted, and you winced. The boys were focused on each other and didn’t notice. That gate bastard is the enemy’s way in and out. I’m gonna cut off their getaway route for when the time comes. It’s not like we don’t have a way to fight the fog.”

A scuffle from the side drew your attention, and a rustling noise. “Stop your chit-chatting!” A voice cackled. “Since you’ve let your guard down--”

Invisible. You thought, and without thinking you held out your hand, blasting the air right next to Bakugo. A yelp , and a chameleon-looking person lost their invisibility as they were slammed into the wall, falling to the ground, their clothes smoking.

They turned to you as if they forgot you were there. “(y/n),” Kirishima said with surprise. “Uh, what do you think we should do?”

Run. Run. Run. “I t-think you’re b-both right,” You said, hating how small your voice sounded. 

Kirishima seemed to think for a moment. “You know what, Bakubro, I like how you’re believing in our friends to take care of themselves! I’ll follow you!”

You did, too. Blindly. Numbly.

“(Y/n),” Kirishima fell behind Bakugo to walk next to you. “are you okay? You’ve been acting super weird. Do you know who those villains are?”

If only he knew. You couldn’t think of a response, and before Kirishima could press you further, Bakugo interrupted. “There he is,” he hissed as they reached the edge of the pavilion, “that smokey bastard.”

You nearly threw up. 

There he was, each of those disgusting hands clasped onto his body, and Kurogiri next to him. That giant monster, which you had only seen a few times, had trapped All Might, its fingers digging into his side.

NO, not All Might--

Bakugo was a blur as he raced forward.

NO--

“MOVE! YOU’RE IN THE WAY, DEKU!”

You watched in horror and awe as Bakugo slammed into Kurogiri, sending an explosion into his metal suit and grabbing it, tackling him to the ground. Ice spread across the ground, covering the Nomu, allowing All Might to get free. 

You looked around wildly, and your heart jolted as you saw Asui, Mineta, and a few others carrying Aizawa up the stairs. Your eyes widened. 

One of his arms was crumbling. The other was broken. His face was bleeding, his head lolling, unconscious, blood dripping a trail behind them as they raced to get him to the entrance.

“That was better.” Aizawa noted as you landed on your feet, the platforms you had been running on disappearing. “You’ve made incredible progress in the last few days. You were smart to ask to train after school.”

“Thanks!” You panted, smiling. Aizawa studied you, and you hated the fact that he could tell it was a strained smile. 

“(Y/n),” Aizawa sighed, sitting down on the bleachers next to the field. He patted the seat next to him. “Sit.”

“But--”

“Sit.”

You reluctantly obliged. 

“You are growing.” He said simply, staring out into the practice field. “You’re a hero in training.”

You shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah? So?”

“You’re no longer a child being forced to do terrible things,” He said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. “You’re a young adult who is actually trying to be better.”

You looked away from him. “I’ll never be able to undo what I did.”

“No,” Aizawa agreed, “But the responsibility for those actions lies with those who were manipulating and threatening you. You were just a child.”

“I was old enough to know it was wrong.”

“You were tortured.” Aizawa reminded you bluntly. Your vision blurred, and you wiped your eyes quickly. “They hurt your sister when you didn’t comply with their missions. No one should have to have that responsibility, much less a child.” He leaned forward on his knees. “That’s why the court decided to give you a second chance. Even though you did terrible things, you took every opportunity you could to not kill and not hurt. You did as much good as you could without endangering your sister’s life.”

“It wasn’t good,” you replied bitterly. “It was just less bad.”

Aizawa was silent for a minute or two. You were still turned away from him. “(Y/n),” He said finally, “There are a lot of people who want to see you succeed. Including me. Trust me when I say this, because I mean it: you are capable of becoming one of the best heroes the world has ever known. You could grow to save fifty times the amount of people you’ve hurt and inspire others to do good.”

You felt his hand on your shoulder, and you turned to meet his eyes hesitantly.

“You aren’t alone anymore.” 

You trembled violently. 

They hurt Aizawa.

They wanted to kill All Might.

Gemma--

“(Y/n)?” Izuku asked in a high pitched voice, and you barely registered how your quirk was beginning to lose control. “Are you okay?”

The Nomu’s arms regenerated, and you felt both sick and furious at Shigaraki’s voice. “We need our gate back. Nomu?”

Your eyes found Kurogiri, still held to the ground by Bakugo.

“BAKUGO!”

You didn’t realize you had screamed it, but as the Nomu took off at lightning speed toward him, you acted on instinct. You flung up your hands before you had time to think and sent a giant blast toward the Nomu, shooting it backward into a wall. It fell to the ground, a hole burned through its chest. 

Everyone turned to look at you--glowing, vibrating, eyes shining. You could see All Might’s face fall as he realized what you had done. 

Kurogiri used Bakugo’s shock to escape, moving behind Shigaraki.

Shigaraki…Shigaraki was staring at you, muttering under his breath.

Panic began to set in, and you took a step backward, eyes widening. Shigaraki was saying something to Kurogiri, who replied in a hushed tone.

“(Y/n)…” Shigaraki giggled, pointing at you lazily. “You’re a clever one, aren’t you! You…you really had us fooled, you little bitch!”

Bakugo ran back to the group of students, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. “Glowstick?” He hissed. “What is he talking about?”

You couldn’t reply. You couldn’t breathe. You couldn’t move.

“You’ve given yourself away, (Y/n).” Kurogiri chided. You stood still except for the violent shaking. “That was careless. We would have been none the wiser if you would have just stayed out of this.”

“(Y/n)?” Izuku asked. “What is he talking about?”

“Oh…” Shigaraki wrung his hands. “They…they don’t know, do they? You precious new friends have no idea!”

“No idea about what?” Kirishima sounded nervous.

“Would they feel safe around you, knowing who you really are…” Shigaraki continued, laughing breathlessly. “... Enigma? ”

The gasps around you were the last straw. Your breathing, already in short gasps, became tiny, desperate gulps, and your knees gave out. You heard people talking around you.

“Enigma? Like, THE Enigma? He’s got to be joking!”

“If she covered her whole body in her power, she would look exactly like Enigma.”

“No way, (y/n) isn’t a villain!”

“Enigma’s been around for years! It can’t be her!”

“Oi! Glowstick! Don’t pass out on me again, ya hear me? It’s becoming a pain in the ass!”

“Look, All Might is fighting the Nomu!”

“Shit, what’s wrong with (y/n)?”

“She’s having a panic attack. Or a flashback. I dunno, the hell if I know the difference.”

“Can she hear us?”

“Fuck if I know.”

“Is it safe for us to be around her?”

“Don’t be fucking stupid, you half and half bastard, she’s obviously in no condition to be dangerous. Oi, Glowstick,” You numbly felt someone lightly slap your cheek. “Stay awake.”

“I’m s-sorry…” You whispered, teeth chattering. Your heart was beating too fast. “R-run…leave me h-here…”
“She’s talking nonsense.” Bakugo’s voice was fading. “Shitty hair, help me get her off of my legs so I can get up.”

“O-okay!”

“Here, I’ll carry her up with everyone else!”

“You’ll just drop her, Deku. Here, give her back to me.”

“I can carry her, Bakugo.”

“Just give her back to me, okay? I’ve seen her do this before, I know what to do.” An explosion was heard in the distance. “Holy shit, was that…”

Sound faded away completely, giving way to the ringing in your ears and the thundering of your heart. 

“You’ve given yourself away, (y/n). That was careless.”

“They don’t know, do they? Your precious little friends have no idea!”

“Would they feel safe around you, knowing who you really are…ENIGMA?”

You could feel the blood on your hands as the world faded to black.

Enigma.

Chapter Text

“Let’s go over the details.”

You sat stiff as a board. It was late, your head throbbed from passing out earlier in the day, and you wanted to go home and recover from the villain attack like the rest of your classmates. But you weren’t like the rest of your classmates.

An emergency meeting had been called to discuss what to do with you. You sat slumped on a couch in the principal’s office between Midnight and Toshinori, and across from you were Detective Tsukauchhi and Principal Nezu. Since Aizawa was out of commission for the time being, Midnight was taking his place as your primary caretaker. Apparently she had volunteered.

Tsukauchi was recapping the situation you found yourself in (as if you weren’t already painfully aware). “(Y/n)’s villain identity has been revealed to her classmates, and her being alive and her location has been revealed to the League of Villains. The League of Villains proved itself capable of infiltrating a UA facility. This newfound knowledge puts (y/n)’s classmates at risk, and she puts the whole school at risk by being here, since she is now a known target.” He looked at you pointedly. “You said yourself during the court hearing that Shigaraki was obsessed with keeping you away from heroes and law enforcement. From what you described, he’s obviously unhinged. They threatened you explicitly at USJ. Is it not fair to expect them to come for you?”

You nodded miserably, unable to muster the will to reply.

“So, what are you suggesting we do?” Principal Nezu asked calmly, his hands folded neatly in his lap.

Tsukauchi sighed, sitting back into the couch and rubbing his temples as if he was the victim here. “We need to get her away from the school, put her in a safe house. We’ll assign a team of heroes to rotate and guard her at all times.”

“So, house arrest.” Midnight’s voice was clipped.

“Ultimately.” The detective nodded. “It’s the best way to protect her and everyone else.”

“Bullshit.” You looked at Midnight in surprise, confused at the angry expression on her face. “The League broke into USJ specifically to kill All Might, but you’re not pulling him away from the school to protect the students, are you? And what makes you think a safe house with a few second-rate heroes protecting it will be safer than the best hero school in the country, with some of the best pros as faculty?” She scoffed.

“She has a good point.” Toshinori agreed from the other side of you, and your head did a 180. You gaped at him. “We need to increase security, but UA is still the safest place for her. The entire reason her identity was kept from the other students was to prevent information leaking to the League of Villains as to her still being alive, and her location. Now that they know that already, the students being aware of her past doesn’t present that threat.”

Tsukauchi wasn’t convinced. “What about after school hours? Living next to Aizawa can’t be considered a good enough safety measure anymore, can it?”

“I’ll move in next door, as well.” Toshinori offered. You glared at him. The man was going to work himself to death.

“I’ll have Midnight move next door. You can move next to Midnight if you so choose, Toshinori.” Nezu’s voice didn’t leave room for argument. 

You supposed that wasn’t the worst outcome. You liked Midnight.

Tsukauchi looked back and forth between the teachers before sighing, putting his head in his hands. “Damn it… fine .” He relented. “But if they come after her, we need to take more drastic measures!”

Everyone nodded.

“Does this mean she can participate in the sports festival?” Midnight asked. “Aizawa seemed excited at the idea of her participating.

You blinked. Aizawa? EXCITED? Midnight must be joking. Sports festival? You played volleyball in elementary school, but you hadn’t played any sports since you were a kid. You wouldn’t be much help in whatever this festival was.

Tsukauchi looked hesitant, but still relented. “I don’t see why not…” He groaned, “It’s not like it will give away information the League doesn’t already know. As long as she doesn’t reveal herself as Enigma, it should be fine.”

“I’ve seen her train after school hours with Shouto,” Midnight looked over at you proudly. “She’s developed wonderful new fighting techniques other than that power suit she used as Enigma, so her old fighting style isn’t even necessary anymore.”

You felt Principal Nezu’s eyes on you, and you shifted uncomfortably. “I think it’s about time we let (y/n) go home and have some rest,” The principal’s tone left no room for argument. “I think we’ve reached an agreement?”

There were no arguments, so that was that. The meeting was adjourned, and you began trudging home next to Midnight. Apparently she was going to stay at Aizawa’s place until he came back home.

You fiddled with your hands. “Um…thanks for…sticking up for me…back there…I--”

“No need to thank me, kid.” Midnight interrupted, brushing you off. “Just doing my job.”

You huffed. “I’m pretty sure this level of involvement in your student’s lives is not a part of your job description.”

“Not the teacher job,” Midnight corrected. “The hero one.”

The two of you didn’t speak until you got to the apartments, saying a simple “Good night” before entering your homes. You locked all of the locks and then just stood in the entryway, staring at your apartment.

They had found you .

It almost felt surreal. You didn’t remember anything after you passed out, and the next thing you knew you were waking up in Recovery Girl’s office. Your classmates had gone home. Tsukauchi was there to remind you of the horror that had just occurred. 

You numbly made your way into the kitchen, grabbing a granola bar and heading to the couch. Realizing you never took off your shoes, you kicked them back toward the kitchen haphazardly before collapsing on the sofa, reaching blindly for the remote.

Distraction, distraction, distraction --

You switched on the TV, horrified as it opened to a news broadcast, the reporter standing outside of UA despite it being 10pm. “There is still no word from UA officials about the villain attack today at their USJ off-campus facility. Law enforcement has been tight-lipped--” Change the channel, change the channel--no, that was the volume, now it was just really loud, where was the button to change the channel-- ”--say they will give a statement tomorrow morning. The lack of response is leading some to wonder if the authorities are taking this serio--”

You finally hit the right button, flipping to… another news channel. “I mean, I’m simply appalled!” A middle-aged woman was saying animatedly into the microphone. “Thankfully my son is in the support class, so he will never go to that facility, but to think he goes to the same school that allows this to happen…his father and I will be reviewing his attendance at UA!”

You changed the channel again. Seriously, didn’t you turn the TV off on a cartoon channel? Your panic was returning, and you were too exhausted to fight it. Your hands shook violently and you had to hold the remote with both of them to avoid dropping it. 

You had switched to another news channel. With a sob, you stood up, letting the remote fall out of your hands. YOU HAD TO GET OUT OF HERE.

“Witnesses say that a strange creature, often described as ‘monstrous’ and ‘frightening,’ came bursting out of the USJ facility late this morning at alarming speeds, rocketing into the sky.” You tugged on your shoes. You had to get away from this. “Anonymous sources from various federal agencies have confirmed that the mysterious villain has been retrieved and is in custody, but the remainder of the situation and details about the villain remains unknown. A press conference is scheduled for--”

You burst out the door.

Run, run, run, rUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN--

So you ran. You ran so fast that the tears streaming down your cheeks disappeared in the wind. It was windy. It was a windy night. The moon wasn’t quite full, but close. There were barely any clouds in the sky. You sprinted, panting, away from the city. You ran in the grass alongside the road, only the occasional streetlight brightening your path.

You just kept running. Your breathing became ragged, and the streets you turned down became lined with large, multi floored houses. The bustling of the city was absent here. You were left to the sounds of nighttime, the pounding of your tennis shoes into the pavement, and the very thoughts you were trying to run away from.

TW--self harm

“Look, (y/n), look, see?” Shigaraki pointed gleefully at the television, where the news was covering the assassination of an executive from the hero commission. Helicopters circled the large home, which was obviously wrecked, holes blasted through the brick and plaster, small fires still burning in various places. Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances crowded the street. “Look! You did it! Your first mission! Aren’t you proud?”

You heaved into the trash can again, but your stomach was painfully empty. You had already thrown up what was left in it when you got back. You had taken it out by now, but the earpiece you had worn during the mission was like an echo on your skin, and you could still hear Kurogiri’s calm voice in your ear as you stood outside the man’s house. “Remember, (y/n),” he had said in that infuriatingly calm voice, “If you don’t complete this mission properly, your little sister will pay the price.”

Your body trembled. The sight of the man’s body with a hole burnt through it was seared into your memory. You hadn’t meant to do it that way--you had just wanted to knock him down--but you didn’t know how to control your power. Shigaraki liked how you could make it cover your whole body, and he instructed that when you were seen by people, that was what you should do. The man’s wife had walked in at the commotion, seen her husband's dead body, then turned to you, a glowing outline of a human, and screamed, falling to her knees and begging for mercy. She had offered you money, her body, anything in order to spare her, and you wished you could comfort her but all you could do was run. 

“All your training paid off, (y/n)!” Shigaraki was overjoyed at your success, eyes glued to the news. “Isn’t this the best birthday ever? Welcome to your teenage years, (y/n)! What an unforgettable thirteenth birthday!”

After Shigaraki was done celebrating and you were carted back to your cell, you managed to croak out one question: “You said…you said I could see Gemma…”

Shigaraki paused, looking back at you. “Oh, right!” He laughed. “In a little bit! Wait here!”

The cell gate locked behind him, and you almost wanted to scoff. As if you could wait anywhere else.

The memories of the mission flooded your vision. You sat in the center of your tiny concrete room, wishing there was something sharp, because it wasn’t fair that you were unscathed after killing a man--

Oh god, you had KILLED SOMEONE.

You dry heaved again, spit rolling down your chin. The last nine months of training had been for this, to be Shigaraki’s personal killing machine, but it hadn’t settled in. Now it was embedded so far into you that you couldn’t breathe. 

You were a killing machine.

You were a killer.

You KILLED SOMEONE.

You closed your eyes, not even having the energy to cry anymore.

You collapsed on the pavement in the middle of the road, heaving breaths, sweating through your clothing and into your eyes. Your entire body buzzed. You could feel the echo of the pavement slapping the bottoms of your feet. Your vision swirled, and you were dizzy. You came to your senses enough to realize you were lost. Shit. You had freaked out and booked it, and now you were lost. You left your phone behind, no one knew where you were, on the very day the League of Villains found out you actually hadn’t been killed by All Might. Fantastic.

You heard a car rumble down the street, and you tried to struggle to your feet. You fell back on your ass when the world seemed to flip upside down. The car stopped in front of you, and you began to panic. What if it was someone from the--

“Hello?”

An unfamiliar voice cut through your thoughts, and you looked up enough to see a middle-aged man adjusting his glasses, standing outside his car with the door open. “Miss?” He called over to you from a few meters away. “Are you alright?”

You tried to answer, but all that came out was a whine, your teeth chattering. You tried again to stand up on your own, but fell again. Your clothes, soaked with sweat, were starting to feel cold on your skin, and the wind felt bitter. You didn’t know this person, but you didn’t want to get to know them--you just wanted to find a payphone and call Aizawa. Thank god he made you memorize his phone--

Aizawa was in the hospital. You closed your eyes, a few tears rolling down your cheeks. God, you were so stupid.

“Oh dear, you’re in a sorry state!” The man came close enough to offer you his hand. “Here, I live just around the corner. Let’s get you cleaned up and you can call someone to come pick you up.”

You looked up at him. He looked innocent enough, but if he thought you were just going to go with him, he was naïve. You were still a seventeen year old girl. You weren’t just going to walk off with an older guy, no matter what state you were in.

He seemed to read your hesitation on your face and nodded in understanding. “You’re right,” He pulled out his phone, “You have no reason to trust me. I must seem suspicious. Here, I’ll call my wife.”

The phone barely rang before you heard someone shouting on the other side. “Yes, dear,” The man said pleasantly despite the yelling he was receiving. “There’s a girl out on the road, she clearly needs help, but she doesn’t trust me.” More yelling. “Yes, I know I seem like a creep, that’s why I’m calling you. Could you come outside? We’re just around the corner. Maybe bring a blanket or two.” Some quieter shouting. “All right. Thanks, darling.” He hung up, turning back to you. “She’s coming. I should warn you, she has quite a strong personality--”

“Fuckin’ hell!” A feminine voice called from behind you, and you turned to see a woman tearing down the street with a blanket bundled in her arms. She slowed to a stop next to you. “Oi, kiddo, you look like a fuckin mess! Here, stand up--grab my hand…there, that’s it…stand up on three. One, two, three!”

With the woman’s help you were heaved to your feet, though your legs wobbled and you would have fallen if she hadn’t put her arm around you. She used her other hand to wrap the blanket around you. “Jeez, you smell like puke--you're a fuckin mess” She fussed. “Come on, you need something warm to drink and fresh to wear. You’re covered in sweat. Are you sick?”

Something was familiar about her, and you weren't sure what. Whatever it was, it was making you relax against your will, and you felt yourself being pulled down the street by her.

You shook your head at her question, vaguely remembering puking along the side of the road a few times as you ran. “Had a bad day.” You managed to say, clutching the blanket. You let her lead you toward one of the many big houses along the street. Alarm bells were going off in the back of your brain, saying "strange couple is kidnapping you! run away!" But you didn't have the energy.  

“One hell of a bad day.” The woman noted, helping you up the steps to one of the fancy houses. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you all fixed up.” She opened the door, bringing you in and throwing her shoes into the side of the hallway. You took your own off unsteadily, placing them neatly by the door. “Come and sit at the table, kid,” The woman gestured, pulling out a chair for you at the kitchen table. You sat numbly. “You like soup? Most kids like soup.”

You nodded wordlessly, and she started banging cabinet doors, muttering to herself. “Where is that damn pot…”

She was incredibly familiar, but you just couldn’t seem to put your finger on it. She didn’t seem to know you, either.

Her husband came in a short while later, after parking the car. “Let’s get you some fresh clothes,” he decided, putting the keys down on the counter. “You’re covered in puke and sweat. Do you want a shower?”

You stammered. “M-maybe?" NO, your common sense shouted, but your discomfort was too great and the strangely disarming effect of the brash woman was too strong. "I don’t want to be a bother--”

“Don’t be a dumbass,” The woman waved you off. “We’re just bein’ decent people. Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Mitsuki, and this is my husband, Masaru.”

“I-I’m (y/n),” you offered. At least you knew their names now. “Thank you for, um…”

“Don’t mention it, kid.” Mitsuki insisted. “We have a son around your age. We'd be shitty parents if we saw another kid struggling and didn’t treat them as our own. Speaking of the little brat…” She turned to Masaru. “Where is he?”

“Going on his evening run.” Masaru sighed, sitting down across from you. “I tried to stop him, after the day he had, but he insisted. You know how he is.”

Mitsuki rolled her eyes, plunking a spoon into the steaming bowl of soup and bringing it over to you. “Here ya go, (y/n), was it? Masaru will get you some water. I’ll go start the bath and get some extra towels for you. You can just use my shampoo and body wash--you’ll be able to tell which ones are mine--and I’ll grab you some clean clothes. Ah, shit.”

“What’s wrong?” You asked, paranoia pricking the edges of your voice. You distracted yourself by taking a bite of WOW THIS SOUP WAS GOOD. You took another bite, letting it warm you from the inside out.

“All my clothes are in the laundry.” Mitsuki sighed, “Shit. I have some fresh underwear that should fit you, but no regular clothes that aren’t too revealing. Would you mind wearing some of my son’s clothes? I can just grab a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. They should fit you just fine, maybe a little big, but they’ll work.”

You didn’t know what to do with so many kind things. “If it’s too much of a bother, I don’t need to shower at all-” You began to suggest, but Masaru cut you off, handing you a glass of water.

“Nonsense! Mitsuki will get things around for you while you finish eating.” The corners of his eyes creased with laugh lines. “Focus on warming up for now!”

So, you did.

After you gulped down the soup you let Mitsuki take you upstairs to the bathroom, the shower already steaming. “Just come downstairs when you’re done! Throw the towels wherever when you're done, I don't give a fuck, I'll get them later.” She closed the door behind her without so much as another word.

You locked the door behind yourself hesitantly, standing frozen for a moment before beginning to peel your disgusting clothes off of your skin. The warm steam was making you sleepy. You stepped into the shower, standing in the warm water and letting it hit your face. It was therapudic.

You exited the shower a while later, the clothing baggy on you but comfortable. You hung the towels up to dry and brought your dirty clothes downstairs with you awkwardly. 

“There you are!” Mitsuki gushed, running around the kitchen table to look at you. You wanted to blush, but you just looked away. “You look MUCH better. Puke and sweat really fucks with how cute you look, I mean, you're like a different person now! Don’t you feel better? Here, let me throw these in the wash--”

She had snatched your old clothes away before you could argue. Masaru chuckled as you stared after her retreating back. “Feel free to call someone or rest on the couch,” He gestured toward the living room. “Our son should be home any time, and it will likely get much louder, but I assure you it is a normal occurrence in our house. Nothing to be worried about.”

You wanted to tell him that you were more fazed by their kindness than any yelling that might happen, but before you could say anything, the front door opened. You and Masaru turned to look as someone walked in, kicking off their shoes violently. 

“Oi! Whose shoes are these? I told Mom that--”

You felt your blood run cold as his eyes met yours. Suddenly the familiarity you felt around Mitsuki made sense (though the comfort you felt was still a mystery).

“Glowstick?” Bakugo gaped at you for a few moments. “What the fuck are you doing here…why are you wearing my clothes? What did the old hag make you do this time?”

“Quit your howling, you little brat, you’re going to scare her!” Mitsuki yelled back down the stairs a few seconds before descending them, hands on her hips. Her demeanor, her bluntness…how had you not seen it earlier?

“Katsuki!” Masaru greeted him warmly. “We found (y/n) here on the road around the corner. She was a bit of a mess, so we got her some soup and let her clean up. Your mom gave her some of your clothes since all of hers were in the wash. I’m sure you can live without them for a little bit.”

Bakugo continued to stare at you. Mitsuki began fussing over you again. “Did you call someone? We can take you wherever you need to go.”

“I…” You looked away, tears pricking at your eyes. Why did you feel even s afer knowing this was Bakugo’s family? “I don’t have anyone to call.” 

Mitsuki clucked her tongue. “Just let us know,” She told you for the millionth time, heading back toward the kitchen. “You can spend as much time on our couch as you need.”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Bakugo seemed to find his voice again, and this time his parents seemed to hear what he said.

“Do you know her, Katsuki?” Masaru asked pleasantly at the same time as Mitsuki shouted, "Don't curse at the fucking guests!"

“She’s in my fucking class.” Bakugo still stood in the doorway. “What are you doing here? Did you walk all the way here?”

“I ran.” You replied quietly, not meeting his eyes.

“This is a good thirty five minutes of a run away from where you live! What the hell are you doing? And after today--” Bakugo started to scold you, but he was cut off.

“Don’t start lecturing her as if you didn’t go for a run too, you brat!” Mitsuki was by his side in an instant, hitting him over the back of the head. He glared at her, but stayed silent, and you were surprised he didn’t start spewing the new secrets he learned about you that day.

Enigma.

“You.” Bakugo pointed at you. “My room. Now.”

He stomped up the stairs, and you began to trail after him. Mitsuki grabbed your arm. “You can come back down whenever you want to,” She assured you in a quieter voice. “Don’t let him intimidate you. He can be an asshole, but he's got good in him."

“Don’t worry,” You smiled, feeling a bit more like yourself around Mitsuki. “I’ve kicked his ass more than once. He doesn't scare me."

Mitsuki’s face split into a grin. “I knew I liked you!”

You found which room was Bakugo’s easily. You could tell because of the "EVERYONE STAY OUT--ESPECIALLY YOU, YOU OLD HAG" written in large, bold letters on a piece of paper taped to the door. You entered, surprised but not surprised at how clean it was. It was simple. The bed was made, the shelves were tidy and mostly full of books, and a small All Might figurine caught your eye. Cute.

“What are you doing running around by yourself, you asshat?”

You jumped at Bakugo’s voice from behind you. He had apparently changed in the bathroom out of his running clothes and had followed you into his room, closing the door behind him. He scowled as he threw his dirty clothes into the nearby basket. “After what happened today? Do you WANT to get killed or something?”

You looked away, a flush rising in your face. Your heart was pounding in your ears, but you didn’t feel as sick as you expected to be. “I freaked out.”

He scoffed. “As usual.”

“Shut up.” You snapped, sitting on the floor in front of his bed. “I tried to watch some TV but all the channels were news about the attack. It made me freak out again, and I just needed to leave and…I don’t know, I just collapsed in the road and your dad found me.”

Bakugo sat across from you, a few feet away, glaring at you as if you had offended him. “Yeah, and you should be fucking grateful!” He hissed. “Imagine what would have happened if it weren’t my parents?”

“Why do you care?”

The question flew out of your mouth before you could stop it, and you instantly regretted it. You didn’t want to start an argument. Not here, not now.

“It’s not like that.” Bakugo huffed, and you blinked. He hadn’t said no. “You’re just confusing as fuck.”

“You’re the one that keeps trying to understand me.” You pointed out.

He folded his arms defensively. “Well, do you just NOT want to be understood or something?”

You looked at your hands, which were fidgeting in your lap. “I don’t think you want to understand.”

“You don’t get to tell me what I do and don’t want, Glowstick.” Bakugo’s tone left no room for argument. Silence followed, and you wanted to crawl under the bed. Why couldn’t it have been anyone else? Like Izuku, why couldn’t this have happened with Izuku? He's not intimidating...

You didn't want to admit it, but the thing that was making you the most uncomfortable was that at least if you felt comfortable around Izuku, it would make sense. Why did you feel safe around Bakugo? WHY?

“I did some research.”

You looked up at Bakugo, who was looking away from you pointedly. “Huh?” You asked, feeling stupid.

“When I got home,” He repeated, “I did some research on you. On Enigma.”

Enigma. A wave of nausea rolled over you.

“That villain has been killing people in the hero industry for five years,” Bakugo scoffed. “There’s no way that was you. Plus, she was killed by All Might. It was a huge story. She was crushed under a building during the battle and they couldn’t identify her with DNA or dental records. She was just a Jane Doe.”

“It was a coverup, you dumbass.” You laughed, choking up toward the end of your sentence. He finally looked back at you, but didn’t turn to face you. His eyes just swiveled to watch your face struggle between forced humor and complete brokenness. “All Might…he saved me. They faked my death so the League wouldn’t come for me.”

Bakugo seemed slightly surprised, but not convinced. “So, who was Enigma before you?” He asked.

“No one.”

“That’s impossible, (y/n), there’s no way--”

“They started sending me out on missions when I was twelve,” You interrupted, the words flowing before you could think to stop them. “I did my first hit when I was thirteen. It was me the whole time.”

This time, Bakugo turned to face you, eyes wide. He stared for a few seconds. “You…”

“Yup.” You chuckled miserably, pulling your knees up to your chest. “I was their little child soldier, the perfect assassin. Funny, isn’t it?”

Bakugo looked back out his window, not replying. You didn’t blame him. What was there to say? He just found out one of his classmates was actually a prolific hero assassin. She was surprised he wasn’t trying to force her out of his house.

“Who is Gemma?”

Your eyes snapped to his face, your entire body tensing suddenly. “What?”

“Gemma.” Bakugo met your eyes with uncharacteristic hesitancy. “You mentioned her when you passed out, after our fight yesterday. Who is she?”

You felt compelled to tell him. Why, why did you feel compelled to tell this egotistical asshole? He was just going to use it against you! He was lulling you into a fake sense of security, that was the only reason you felt so secure, so safe-- “She’s my little sister. She was taken with me, by the League, but she was only kept alive so that they could blackmail me.” Your hands were shaking, and you faintly felt tears running down your neck, but you didn’t move. “If I didn’t carry out a mission, they would kill her. If I did it wrong, they wouldn’t let me see her. If I didn’t behave, they wouldn’t feed her. If I failed to show up to the meeting place on time after a mission, they would cut tally marks on her back every hour I was late. She and I were only allowed to bathe after I successfully completed a mission. She--” You broke off, realizing you were rambling, putting your head on your arms. Bakugo just stared at you, curled up at the foot of his bed in the fetal position, rocking slightly, shaking, breathing rapidly.

“Where is she?”

You looked up at him slowly. He was somber, serious--almost disturbingly so. You clenched your hand around your elbows, debating how you should answer. “I don’t know.” You finally said, your voice weak.

The two of you sat in silence. Minutes stretched on, and you were thankful to the simple clock on Bakugo’s wall so that you could count the seconds. Five minutes passed. Then ten. You managed to slow your breathing, focusing on the ticking second hand. Bakugo’s voice made you jump slightly.

“I get it now.”

You looked over at him quizzically. He was looking at the clock, as well, avoiding your eyes. ‘I mean, I don’t get it, but I do.” He continued, confusing you even more. “I thought you weren’t fighting me all out because you thought I was weak, but that wasn’t it. You weren’t worried about killing me because I was weak. You were worried about killing me because you had been forced to kill heroes so much.”

The brutal honesty of it stabbed you through the chest, and you winced visibly, pulling further into a ball.

“They aren’t going to get you.” 

You blinked. “W-what?” You asked, voice wobbly. 

“The League,” He finally met your eyes. “They won’t get you.”

They almost did today. They did all those years ago. “What makes you say that?”

“You’re surrounded by heroes now,” Bakugo huffed as if it were obvious. “Some of the best in the whole country. Our whole class will back you up. We won’t let them take you.”

You couldn’t help but laugh coldly. “That’s assuming the rest of the class will be as understanding as you.”

He shot you a stinking glare. “Most of our class is WAY more into mushy feelings 'n shit than I am, so they’ll be even MORE understanding than me!” You almost wanted to laugh in his face at how defensive he was getting over a compliment. “You’re not special! I’m just being a decent human being!”

“Right, right,” You nodded, finally wiping the tears off your cheeks. “Sorry, I forgot you were cold-hearted Bakugo Katsuki. My bad.”

“Tch.” He looked away from you again, seeming to mull over what to say for a while. “Are you gonna call someone?”

“The only person I have to call is Aizawa, and he’s in the hospital.” You sighed, rubbing your temples. “I don’t know anyone else, and I don’t know how to get home.”

“Dumbass.” He muttered, standing up. “Come on, I’ll take you back.”

You blinked. “Huh?”

“I’ll take you back to your apartment. You can give me my clothes back at school on Monday, I’ll bring you yours. It’s fine.”

You studied his face, which made him look away, scowling. “Are you getting up or what, Glowstick?”

“Fine, fine!” You held your hands up in surrender, standing on shaky legs. “Lead the way.”

You checked in with Mitsuki and Masaru on the way out, being fussed over for a few minutes and assuring them multiple times that you were okay before waving goodbye and following Bakugo out the door back into the chilly night air. Mitsuki's voice called after them, "Be a fucking gentleman, you brat! I raised you right!"

You stifled a giggle, looking over at Bakugo, who had brought along the book you were reading for modern literature. He held it up, walking on the sidewalk while scanning the page quickly. You looked away, clenching your fists. Right. You still had homework. And he was already done talking to you. Good things never lasted.

It was strange listening to her classmates complain about homework. It was like they had never faced real hardships. While they were doing homework, you had been…

“Oi,” Bakugo hit you in the arm with his book, startling you out of your thoughts. You had begun to hyperventilate. “I leave you alone for two minutes and you’re already psyching yourself out? This is why you have those freak-outs all the time.” He went back one page in the book, shoving it into your hands. “Here. Read. It’s the assigned chapter for Monday.”

You stared at the book blankly. “You…want me? To read it?” You asked, not quite understanding. “Are you sure? I thought I told you about how--"

“I don’t care how slow you are.” Bakugo interrupted, rolling his eyes. “Your legs are weak and shit, so we’re walking slowly. This walk is going to take at least forty-five minutes. You can take as long as you’d like to read the damn thing, if it keeps you distracted from that trauma shit in your head, it’s good.”

You stared at him with wide eyes. Was…was he trying to help you?

“Plus, this way we both read it.” He paused, adding, “And, uh, my arms won’t get tired from holding up the book 'n shit. Plus, you need to practice. And I'm definitely a better tutor than fucking Deku, by the way."

You wanted to call him out on his bullshit, since he carried around grenade gauntlets on his wrists without tiring, and he had never had the opportunity to tutor you in the first place...but you decided to let him have his pathetic excuses. They were amusing. Finding the first sentence in the chapter, you began to read. 

“The foun…the foundations of modern lirat-no…literature, are often viewed as ex…exclusive, to the classics. In reality, literat…no, wait, lit-er-a-ry…literary. Okay. In reality, literary elements can be found in all gen…genres, from all time periods. It is inpor…important to explore how…”

Bakugo shoved his hands in his pockets, trudging along next to you on the sidewalk. The street lights lit up the page in the dark night.

You struggled through it all, word by word, all the way home, with Bakugo at your side.

Chapter Text

Bakugo wasn’t even listening to you read from the stupid book. He was antsy--he didn’t want to make you walk any faster, since your legs were still shaking, but he was impatient. And the idea of carrying you while you were awake made his face burn, which was basically an allergic reaction.

Being outside during the night was for running. He had already gone on his nightly run, but another one felt very tempting. His dad tried to stop him the first time, but he needed to pound the pavement. He needed to sweat.

He remembered turning the corner at the far end of his street, passing the fountain on the edge of the small neighborhood park and being plunged into a memory of earlier in the day.

You backed straight into his chest, and Bakugo scowled. Why did it always have to be you? “Oi,” He snapped, “Watch where you’re going, Glowsti--”

He cut himself off when you didn’t move away, and he could feel you trembling against him. Looking down at your face, a chill washed over him, making his hair stand on end. It was that look in your eyes again. The look of pure fear as if you were about to be killed by the most terrifying monster. He felt those feelings again, and he pushed them down aggressively. Seriously, what was up with you? One minute you were the most badass fighter in class (other than Bakugo, of course), and the next minute you were terrified of your own shadow. It was making his head hurt.

Your eyes were fixated on the plaza in the center of the facility, and Bakugo followed your terrified gaze to the fountain, which was now obstructed by a large portal.

He blinked, stunned as villain after villain sauntered through the portal. “Gather together!” Aizawa shouted, and Bakugo absentmindedly held onto your shaking shoulder. “Don’t move! Thirteen, protect the students!”

You were starting to hyperventilate. Bakugo had watched you do this too many times, and a villain attack was the worst place to pass out. He grabbed you by both shoulders, forcing you to face him. “Oi, Glowstick!” Bakugo ignored the relief he felt as your eyes focused on him. Good, he was finally being helpful for once. Not that he cared, of course. “Snap out of it, come on!” He tried his hardest not to yell, remember what Aizawa had said about accidentally triggering you. He didn’t know what the fuck set you off, so he had to walk on eggshells if he wanted to help you.

You were focused on him, but your breathing was still getting increasingly erratic. “Just breathe, okay?” Bakugo didn’t know what to say in these situations. He peered at the villains still emerging from the foggy portal. You turned to look at them, too, but he grabbed you before they were in your line of sight. “No, don’t look at them.” He had to keep you from being triggered even more. “That obviously freaks you out.”

Your teeth were chattering, not from cold, but from how violently you were shaking. “They’re h-here…” 

“Who? The villains?” Bakugo looked away from the villains and back at you, groaning. Your eyes were backlit. You weren’t shaking with power yet, and it wasn’t pouring out of your mouth, but your eyes were bright enough that it hurt to look at. 

Bakugo realized the night before how destructive your quirk could be…understanding you could slice through him like a lightsaber was infuriatingly sobering. But he had a better idea now of why All Might had seemed so scared that first day when you had lost control of your quirk. It had the potential to create a massacre.

He had to reassure you somehow. “Yeah, but it’s okay, we’ll fight them and we’ll win.” It was true. Did any of them really stand a chance against the most powerful in their class? And two pro heroes, no less?

“F-found me…”

Your voice brought his eyes back to you. “Found you?” Bakugo could feel his mind whirling. “What do you mean? Do you know these people?”

Bakugo gritted his teeth, remembering how he had run faster past the playground, where a few older kids were still out playing despite the evening hours. He had ignored their shouts and laughter. Now, even remembering them made Bakugo feel on edge. Fuck those kids. They were naïve.

You HAD known those people. Bakugo wanted to curse himself for not making the connection sooner, realizing that the villains were obviously the reason you were so traumatized, but he mentally slapped himself across the face. No, you didn’t tell him anything. It wasn’t his problem to know. He didn’t need to try and connect the dots about your issues.

But damn , he should have.

He should have known.

Bakugo had a shit-eating grin plastered across his face as he held a sparking hand to the foggy portal bastard, pinning him to the ground. The adrenaline created an instinctive reaction, and the smile didn’t leave his face even though his mind was racing, surveying the scene.

That bulky beaked bastard with its brains sticking out was fucking strong. It had hurt All Might, of all people. But it was All Might, so he would be okay. Still…that thing was regenerating entire LIMBS and taking All Might’s punches like it was nothing. It was terrifying. 

He vaguely heard the head honcho, a skinny, blue haired guy covered in dismembered hands, say something before referring to the giant, berserking beast. “Nomu?”

Bakugo didn’t register that the Nomu had moved until it was halfway to him. He didn’t even have time to blink. Why was it coming after him?

Shit--he was holding their escape route. But that monster was already three-quarters of the way to him, it would reach him before he even got his hand off of the foggy bastard. 

Holy shit. He was going to fucking die.

“BAKUGO!”

Bakugo recognized that scream. It had plagued his dreams last night.

‘What the fuck did I ever do to you?’

A blinding blast hit the Nomu only a millisecond before it reached him, a few feet away, blasting it backward and slamming it into the wall. The beam held it there for a moment before disappearing, and Bakugo simply gaped.

You had left a large, charred hole in the torso of the monster. Bakugo was fixated as the Nomu began to regenerate, and before he could remember what he was supposed to be doing, that portal bastard had slipped out from under his grasp. He looked back at you, staring at you like everyone else was. He should have been afraid of the sight of you vibrating with power, glowing, but he just wanted to move closer.

Bakugo expected you to step up to the blue-haired leader and kick his ass, but instead you backed up slightly, trembling even more. He scrambled to his feet, running over besides Kirishima, who was watching the insane leader mutter to himself, then exchange some words with the foggy portal guy.

“(Y/n)...”

Ice settled in the pit of Bakugo’s stomach.

The villain…the villain knew your name?

“You’re a clever one, aren’t you?” He pointed at you in an almost gleeful manner, giggling like a schoolgirl. “You really had us fooled, you little bitch!”

Bakugo felt a strange heat flare in his chest, and he clenched his fists, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. Shit. You were stumbling backward, your glow was fading, you were absolutely terrified. “Glowstick!” He whispered loudly, since you were a few meters away. “What is he talking about?”

You didn’t reply, and Bakugo hadn’t really expected you to. 

“You’ve given yourself away, (Y/n).” The foggy man spoke in a chiding tone that made Bakugo want to immediately bury him alive. “That was careless.” The prick was so fucking patronizing. “We would have been none the wiser if you would have just stayed out of this.”

None the wiser to what? Bakugo grit his teeth, resisting the urge to ask. Instead, Deku did. 

“(Y/n)?” He looked at you with big, innocent eyes, the way that Bakugo hated. “What is he talking about?”

This caused the leader to chuckle madly. “Oh…they…they don’t know, do they?” He cackled. “Your precious new friends have no idea!”

“No idea about what?” Kirishima spoke from beside Bakugo, tense.

His question was ignored, and the insane man continued to talk to you directly. “Would they feel safe around you, knowing who you really are…Enigma?”

Everyone around Bakugo gasped, but he just watched in shock as you collapsed, barely breathing but in desperate gasps, curling in on yourself. He was by your side before he could register what he was doing.

“Enigma?” Kirishima hadn’t moved, and his voice was dripping with disbelief. “Like, THE Enigma? He has to be joking.”

Deku walked over to you as Bakugo knelt, pulling you up so that you leaned against him, your head resting on his chest. The shitty nerd was just wringing his hands, looking down at you anxiously. “...if she covered her whole body in her power, she would look exactly like Enigma.”

Bakugo faintly remembered the villain they were talking about, hearing news coverage of the prolific killer and seeing pictures of the blindingly bright body of light. “No way,” He snapped, adjusting how he was holding you so that your head didn’t lull back awkwardly. “(y/n) isn’t a villain!”

“Enigma’s been around for years!” Kirishima agreed, finally making his way over. “It can’t be her!”

Bakugo was focused on you, still hyperventilating, your eyes fluttering. “Oi, Glowstick!” He slapped your cheek lightly. “Don’t pass out on me again, ya hear me? It’s becoming a pain in the ass!”

He faintly recognized that a fight had restarted over by the villains, but they had moved farther away from the students. “Look, All Might is fighting the Nomu!” Deku said with awe. Bakugo grimaced. The hero was fighting that creature while distracting the other villains from the clump of students. 

“Shit,” Kirishima glanced down at you, as if he hadn’t noticed your condition. “What’s wrong with (y/n)?”

“She’s having a panic attack.” Bakugo replied bluntly. “Or a flashback. I dunno, the hell if I know the difference.” In his eyes, they were both terrible.

“Can she hear us?”

Bakugo shrugged, still not looking away from you to acknowledge his best friend. “Fuck if I know.”

“Is it safe for us to be around her?”

Todoroki’s voice drilled into Bakugo, and he absentmindedly tightened his hold on you, gritting his teeth and forcing his voice to stay neutral. “Don’t be fucking stupid, you half and half bastard,” He finally snapped, watching your fluttering eyes begin to rest closed. “She’s obviously in no condition to be dangerous. Oi,” He slapped your cheek a few times. “Glowstick, stay awake.”

“I’m s-sorry…” Bakugo had to lean down to hear your breathy whisper over the sounds of fighting and the clattering of your chattering teeth. “R-run…leave me h-here…”

Bakugo wanted to make something explode. 

Like HELL he was going to run. 

Like HELL he was going to leave you here.

“She’s talking nonsense,” He finally brushed it off, shifting you in his lap. “Shitty hair, help me get her off of my legs so I can get up.”

Kirishima blinked. “O-okay!” He grabbed you under the arms and hoisted you up a big so that Bakugo could stand up and take you back.

“Here,” Deku appeared from behind Kirishima, holding out his arms. “I’ll carry her up with everyone else!”

The image of Deku carrying you anywhere flashed across Bakugo’s mind. “You’ll just drop her, Deku.” He spat the name, grabbing you from Kirishima. “Here, give her back to me.” He held you in his arms the same way he had the night before.

Deku frowned, and Kirishima glanced between the two of them, his hands still on your arms as if he was going to take you away. “I can carry her, Bakugo.”

“Just give her back to me, okay?” Bakugo tugged you out of Kirishima’s grip, and his friend let go without a fight. “I’ve seen her do this before.” Bakugo snapped defensively. “I know what to do.”

And with that, All Might punched the Nomu through the roof of the facility.

FUCK. 

You were like poison, you LINGERED in Bakugo’s brain and made him feel funny. It was bullshit. He just wanted a distraction. He couldn’t get rid of you ever since he left the school, and even going on a run hadn’t worked. And, just his luck, his thoughts had somehow made you materialize in the middle of his kitchen. 

“Glowstick?” He asked, his breath hitching at the end of the question. 

You were WEARING HIS CLOTHES.

It was a pair of athletic shorts he slept in, and one of his many black shirts with a simple skull on it. They draped over you, and your hair was still damp, the ends wet enough to be dripping onto the neck of the shirt. His heart began thundering in his ears and a weird warmth spread from his chest all the way out, radiating through his body, lingering in his gut and making him instantly feel sweaty again. He was suddenly very aware of his underwear. Were they too tight? Maybe he needed to get new ones.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Bakugo finally asked in a much harsher tone than he intended. “Why are you wearing my clothes?” His heart was still pounding and his head raced. “What did the old hag make you do this time?”

Yelling. Talking. All Bakugo registered was the story his father had told, and he snapped at you to follow him, grabbing clean clothes and going into the bathroom to change.

He tried to ignore the fact that the mirror was still foggy and the air was still thick. Had you just showered in here? Before putting on HIS clothes?

Bakugo stripped out of his sweaty clothes, grabbing a washcloth out of the cabinet and getting wet before wiping himself down. He didn’t have time to shower. He threw cold water on his face before yanking on the clean clothes, about to open the door but pausing and opting to put on some deodorant.

It was just basic hygiene.

“Yo.”

Bakugo felt the book slap him in the arm and he jerked out of his memories, looking over at you with a scowl. “What?”

“Jeez, you weren’t listening at all.” You rolled your eyes at him, and Bakugo could only manage a small “tch” before looking away. You were so annoying. He only felt happy because it was better than you freaking out all the time. “Look, what is this word? I can’t figure out how to say it, and I’m pretty sure I won’t know what it means.”

Bakugo let you hold the book up in front of him, pointing to a word in the middle of the page. “Anachronism.” He read dully.

You waited expectantly, but he just looked away again. “And?” You pressed. “The fuck does that mean?”

“It’s like…” Bakugo thought for a moment. “When the timeline doesn’t make sense.”

You stared at him blankly, and this time it was his turn to roll his eyes. “What, do I need to break it down even further?”

“Obviously!” You snorted. “Seriously, you claim to be a better tutor than Izuku, but you didn’t even give me an example. That’s a basic aspect of teaching someone.”

Bakugo scowled. “I know that!” He hissed, looking away again as you threw your head back, laughing at him. Fuck. He couldn’t even look at you. You were just so fucking annoying. “It’s like when an aspect of a story comes from a different time period. Like…like a caveman with a smartphone. Or a democracy with a monarchy.”

You smirked. “Are you calling out the British right now?”

Bakugo made sure to hide the smile threatening to betray him. “Obviously.”

“Okay, that makes sense…” You furrowed your eyebrows, finding your place on the page again. “Okay…here I was. Anachronism is an example of a liter…literary device that ev…evolves with time. What is constid…no, considered. What is considered the past is con-stant-ly changing, so things that may seem out of place will continue to…var-eye?”

“Va-ree.” Bakugo corrected without looking. “Vary. Like the word ‘variety.’”

You opened your mouth in a silent ‘o’ and nodded. “Right, right…okay, only one more page before the end of the chapter!”

Bakugo’s face was hot again. God fucking damn it.

You gave the book back to him as the two of you trudged up the steps to your apartment, and Bakugo raised his eyebrows at the front door, which was still open a few inches.

You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly. “At least I’m not locked out!”

“Lemme make sure there’s not a serial killer in here.” Bakugo grumbled, pushing his way in before you could protest.

You followed him inside, closing the door behind you. “I can take care of myself.” You grumbled.

“Never said you couldn’t,” He snooped around the corners, peering into your bedroom (which made you blush for some reason) before yelling into the living room, “I’m gonna take a piss.”

“O-okay!” You called back, sitting on the couch awkwardly. You tried not to think of the last time Bakugo had been in your house. At least, as much as you remembered. 

You heard a flush and a frustrated groan, and you braced yourself for whatever was making Bakugo stomp out of your bathroom. SHIT. Had you forgotten to put extra toilet paper in there? Wait…did guys even NEED toilet paper when they pissed? How did dicks work?

You were so preoccupied with overthinking that you didn’t see Bakugo’s phone to his ear, waiting for someone to pick up. When they did, his yell made you start. “What the hell are you on about, you crazy old hag?” He snapped. He must be talking with his mother. “What are you--” He cut off, and you could hear Mitsuki’s equally aggressive shouting over the phone, though you couldn’t quite make out what she said. “Hah?” Bakugo narrowed his eyes, listening for a few more seconds before interrupting her, “And you think I’M going to help with that? Have you met me?”

More yelling blared out of the phone, and you had to stifle a giggle. Bakugo still noticed, and he shot you a seething glare. You didn’t try to hide your smile. “I’m not doing that shit,” Bakugo insisted, “I’d rather spend the night on the side of the road--”

This time you thought you could make out a few words Mitsuki said, though not the whole screamed phrase. You picked out “brat” and “son,” and once Bakugo was done sighing you managed to hear “decent” and “hero.” 

“Holy shit, FINE, just leave me the fuck alone! And I’m never doing this again!” Bakugo hung up aggressively, and you looked away, picking up your own phone which you had left on the coffee table.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: hey 🥰 it’s Midnight 

UNKNOWN NUMBER: just got an update about Aizawa

UNKNOWN NUMBER: he’s in stable condition 😊

UNKNOWN NUMBER: he’ll probably still spend the weekend in the hospital

UNKNOWN NUMBER:  but I thought you’d want to know how he was doing 💕

UNKNOWN NUMBER: that’s all! get some sleep, girlie 😘 I’m right next door if you need anything!

You smiled down at your phone. You loved Midnight.

Bakugo sat down on the other loveseat with a huff, eyeing you suspiciously. “What are you grinning like that for?” He snapped. “You got a boyfriend or something?”

“What if I had a girlfriend?” You shot back, unable to contain your sass. Seriously, what was it about Bakugo that brought out this side of you?

“I wouldn’t care!” 

“...but you’d care if I had a boyfriend?”

“No, dumbass!”

“Mhm…” You nodded slowly, clearly teasing him. “Well, don’t worry. I haven’t exactly had time to date…” You shrugged.

Bakugo looked away from you. “Tch. I don’t care.”

“Okay!” You shrugged again, looking back down at your phone and opening Clash of Clans. Mei had introduced you to the game, and you had to admit, it was a fun and brainless activity. “Leave whenever you’d like!”

“Can’t.”

You glanced up at him, frowning. “What do you mean, you can’t?”

“The old hag is being a pain in the ass.” He kept his eyes glued to your wall, which was completely blank. “She remembered you didn’t have anyone to call, asked me if you lived alone, and when I said yes she basically decided to force me to spend the night like a fucking babysitter.”

“That’s silly.” You chided, as if Mitsuki could hear you. “I’m sure it’s her idea of human decency, or chivalry, or something, but I don’t need protection.”

Bakugo was quiet for a moment. “Yeah, I know.”

Silence fell over the room. You tapped your screen quietly, wanting to turn up the volume on the game but not wanting to make the situation more awkward. Instead you focused on how annoyed you were. You were annoyed because you weren’t annoyed. It sounded silly, but it was true. You SHOULD be agitated at Bakugo staying the night at your house. He was probably going to yell and curse the entire night, waking you up before you could ever fall completely asleep.

But you weren’t upset about it at all. If anything, you were less tense.

You had to have hit your head during the villain attack or something. This was crazy.

“Well…” You cleared your throat. “I’m assuming she won’t take no for an answer?”

Bakugo grimaced. “You met my mom, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” You already loved the woman. “Now you make sense.”

“Hah? What is that supposed to mean, you little shit?”

You spent the next hour bickering. About EVERYTHING.

Who got to pick the TV channel, how loud the volume was, which one of you should get the bigger pillow, who should get to hold the remote…it was endless.

You hadn’t felt so peaceful since…since…

Fuck.

You reached to find your phone, but you didn’t feel it. Frowning, you felt in the cracks of the couch cushions. Still nothing. You felt behind the couch cushion, and--aha! There it was. You could touch it with your fingertips. You twisted around to grab it, barely getting your hand on it when your side erupted in pain. 

Your eyes squeezed shut and you involuntarily held your breath, keeling over. You brought your phone to your chest as you grit your teeth. Fuck .

Bakugo eyed you suspiciously. “What’s your deal?”

“Nothing,” You grunted through your clenched jaw.

“I’m not fucking dumb.”

“I’m fine.”

Bakugo scowled, standing up and walking a few steps over to you. “I took you to Recovery Girl. Why are you in pain?”

You blinked a few times. “What do you mean, you took me to Recovery Girl?”

“You passed out, dumbass!” He snapped. “I carried you there.”

“Oh.” The pain in your side dulled slightly at the flush in your cheeks. “Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing and just show me what’s wrong.” Bakugo moved forward, causing you to flinch away. Every instinct you had screamed at you to push him away or leave, but your fear had you frozen as he pushed your arms away from your side and lifted up your shirt with surprising gentleness, careful to keep your modesty as much as possible. His eyes widened ever so slightly. “Holy shit,” He whispered, letting the shirt fall back down. “That looks…”

“Fucked?” You grumbled, settling back into the couch with a strange fluttering in your chest. Your heart was in your throat. The burn scar was throbbing, as it often did when you were under a lot of stress. It was nothing you couldn’t handle…you were used to this by now.

Bakugo sat down beside you, purposefully leaving about a foot of space between you. “I was going to say it looks old.” He muttered, avoiding your eyes. “What is that from?”

“Years ago.” You replied with a slight shrug. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Why does it hurt now?”

“I’m just stressed, alright?” You couldn’t help how snappy you sounded. “Get off my back. 

Bakugo pursed his lips but said nothing, and the two of you sat in awkward silence, staring up at the HGTV channel. It was playing its overly-repetitive commercials.

After another episode of Fixer Upper in which Bakugo snapped at the screen every two seconds with “you should have picked the second house, you dumbasses!” and “who the hell puts those colors together?” and “that shit looks ugly from the street, is she fucking blind?” you finally stood up and stretched, wincing at the fiery pain in your side flaring again. 

Bakugo looked away from you quickly, having made the mistake of looking at you as you stretched. He was suddenly very aware of the fact that you were not wearing a bra. 

You were wearing his shirt. But no bra.

“Bro, are you good?” You peered over, trying to see his face.

Bakugo was still trying to hide his flushed cheeks. “I’m not your ‘bro,’ and I’m fine. I’m just pissed I have to sleep here.”

You wilted slightly, and Bakugo didn’t like it. “Yeah, well, sorry. It’s not like I asked you to stay.” Bakugo didn’t like that either. “I’m going to sleep. There are spare pillows and blankets in the closet in the bathroom. Grab a few and crash on the couch when you want to sleep.”

You started to walk away, and Bakugo awkwardly stood up as you walked by. “Oi, Glowstick.”

You groaned, turning around reluctantly. “What?”

“I know you’re afraid of hurting me,” Bakugo folded his arms across his chest, glaring at you, but his eyes didn’t hold their usual malice. “But you don’t need to hold back. I can handle it. You’re not going to learn your limits or how to control your power unless you use it to its full potential.” 

You avoided his intense gaze, staring at the kitchen sink intensely. “Yeah, whatever.” You dismissed, continuing toward your room. “Wake me up if you need anything.”

“I don’t need anything.”

“Uh huh.” You rolled your eyes, opening your door. “Enjoy the couch.”

Before Bakugo could retort, you shut the door behind you, resisting the urge to smile.

Chapter Text

You tossed and turned.

And tossed.

And turned.

“Dammit.” You muttered, throwing the covers off of you.  It was 1:49 AM. The nightmares made it hard to sleep…it was terrifying to even close your eyes. Knowing the League had found you made it terrifying to simply be still. You had to be alert at all times--you had to be ready.

Nighttime was the only time where you would rather do homework.

You glanced at the desk in your room, grimacing. It was still covered in boxes you hadn’t unpacked, and you were hungry. After weighing your options, you crept out into the kitchen, sneaking a glance over at the couch.

Bakugo slept like a corpse. He was on his back, hands resting on his chest, which rose and fell slowly. You resisted the urge to snort in a laugh, creeping over to the counter.

You grabbed a banana and a bottle of water before going back to sit at the table, quietly unzipping your backpack and pulling out your homework folder. Ectoplasm had been giving you more simple work to catch up, but even the simpler work was making your brain twist itself into knots. Izuku had been trying--the two of you spent every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (except yesterday, for obvious reasons) in the afternoon at your house and he helped you with your work. But the poor boy seemed at a loss on how to help you half of the time.

You stared down at the packet of problems. It was ten pages, front and back, but in your eyes it seemed like a book. Ectoplasm was clearly going out of his way to get this simpler, extra work for you, and he exempted you from the typical class assignments in favor of your easier homework, of which you were beyond grateful--but you couldn’t help still feeling overwhelmed. You swallowed heavily and focused on the first problem:

2 ( x + 5 ) - 7 = 3 ( x - 2 )

You stared at it. And stared.

And stared.

“Are you going to actually DO the equation or not?”

You jumped out of your seat, quirk flaring instinctively, but it was just Bakugo hovering behind you. He rolled his eyes. “Relax, Glowstick, I just had to take a piss and saw you slouched over here all depressed. I wanted to see what you were whining about before I went back to sleep.” He pointed at the paper. “This is your special homework for Ectoplasm, right? Didn’t you get it last week?”

You glared at him. “I’m not whining!”

“Your body language is whining!” He snapped back. “Now answer my question about this big ass packet!”

“Yes, and it’s due Monday.” You groaned, your heart beginning to slow down. You had almost forgotten what Bakugo was REALLY like since he had looked so peaceful (and corpselike) on the couch. “I’ve been putting it off.”

“Dumbass.”

“These equations confuse the shit out of me!”

“Why?”

“They’re so fucking long! And confusing!”

“It’s simple if you follow the rules.” Bakugo snorted.

You glared at him. “What rules?”

“About the order of the steps you do in an equation!” Bakugo scoffed, sitting down next to you.

You raised your eyebrows. “I have never heard of anything like that.”

“I thought you had a tutor.”

“I thought you didn’t care.”

“Maybe you just have a shit memory.”

“Maybe the equation rules you’re talking about aren’t worth learning!”

Bakugo scowled in response, grabbing a piece of blank notebook paper out of your folder and snatching your pencil out of your hand before you could protest. You were about to try and grab it back, but you paused as he began scribbling on the paper, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. When he was done, he shoved the paper across the kitchen table for you to look at.

PEMDAS

“What the fuck is a pemdas?” You asked, scowling. “You’re fucking with me, you little shit. Just let me struggle in peace.”

“No, you dumbass,” Bakugo growled, grabbing the pencil and paper back from you. “It’s how you do the equation!”

You stared at him incredulously. “Huh?”

“How was this not the first thing you were taught?” Bakugo groaned, writing furiously on the paper. It was as if he was angry his hand didn’t keep up with his thoughts. “Parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.” He pushed the paper back to you, and you scanned it. “It’s literally basic algebra.”

“Izuku DID mention that everything was in a certain order, but I never remembered what that was…I’m learning so much recently it’s like my brain can’t keep up.” You drank in the knowledge eagerly. 

“Get a bigger brain, then.”

“Get a bigger dick, you asshat!”

You ignored Bakugo as he slammed his hands on the table and stood up, yelling in your ear. You were too busy looking over this new mathematical revelation. PEMDAS. You interrupted his tirade of insults (that you weren’t even listening to) to say, “This is actually kinda helpful, Bakugo, thanks!”

He stopped abruptly, staring at you for a few moments before looking away from you, huffing. “Whatever.”

Humming, you looked back down at the equation.

2 ( x + 5 ) - 7 = 3 ( x - 2 )

Apparently PEMDAS didn’t make the equations any less scary. You looked over at Bakugo hesitantly. “...Bakugo?”

“Hah?”

“How do I add x to five? Does that become 5x?”

“What? No.” Bakugo scoffed. “No, that’s multiplication. If you see a number and x together, it’s multiplication. It’s the same for stuff in parenthesis.” He glared at you for a moment, almost looking offended, before finally deciding to sit back down in the chair. He scooted around to be closer to you, pointing at the beginning of the equation. “Lemme just show your pea-brain. See, this 2 ( x + 5 ) bit? The 2 is right next to the parenthesis, so that means it’s being multiplied by ALL the stuff in the parenthesis.”

“ALL the stuff in the parenthesis is times 2?” You pointed at it with your pencil to verify.

“That’s what I said, dipshit.”

“Okay…” You chewed on the eraser of your pencil. This was like a different language, but for the first time you could almost decipher what was going on. Almost . “But how do I do that if I don’t know what x plus 5 is?”

Bakugo yanked your pencil out of your mouth. “Stop that, it’s gross.” He demanded before looking back down at the equation. “You would multiply them separately, as if the addition sign didn’t exist. So, you would multiply 2 times x and 2 times 5, then add them together.”

You stared at the page blankly, and Bakugo sighed. “Do I have to do everything for you?” He grumbled, snatching another piece of notebook paper. Before you could retort, he was scribbling on the page and explaining, “Let’s say that x is three.” 

You looked at what he wrote on the paper.

2 ( 3 + 5 )

“So, do it.”

You looked up at him blankly. “Do what?”

Bakugo looked like he was going to explode. “Do the fucking problem, you dunce! Use the rules I told you, figure out what you would do first, and get it done!”

“You could have just said that the first time.” You grumbled, looking down at the PEMDAS paper. “...I would add the parentheses first, right?”

Bakugo nodded begrudgingly. “So, that equals eight.” He wrote it out.

2 ( 8 )

“And things right next to each other like that means multiplication,” You remembered, “So that’s…that’s…” you had worked hard on memorizing your multiplication tables last week. “Sixteen?”

Bakugo nodded. “Now, if you multiply them separately instead, what happens?” He showed you on the paper, handing you the pencil.

2 x 3 + 2 x 5

“Well, two times three is six…plus two is--”

“No!”

You glared at Bakugo who had grabbed the pencil back before it could touch the paper. “What do you mean, no?”

“Follow the fucking rules!” Bakugo snapped. “You can’t just do the math left to right like you’re reading, you have to do it in order!”

Your eyebrows furrowed in concentration, looking between the PEMDAS paper and the problem. Bakugo tried to look away from your expression but couldn’t. It was all scrunched up and serious. It made his face get hot and it was stupid. The gears in your head seemed to click into place, and you answered hesitantly, “I would do two times three, which equals six…then two times five, which equals ten.”

“Fucking finally.” Bakugo cleared his throat, writing down that step. 

6 + 10

“Now, I hope you can figure this one out because if you can’t then you’re hopeless.”

It only took you a moment. “Sixteen.” Your mind was blown. “Holy shit, that makes sense. So, since I don’t know what 5x would be, I can just leave it as 5x, but do everything else separately.”

“Congratulations, you’ve understood basic math.”

You ignored his snide quip, snatching your pencil away before he could protest and getting to work. Five minutes later, you had written out all the steps.

2 ( x + 5 ) - 7 = 3 ( x - 2 )

2 x + 10 - 7 = 3 x - 6

Bakugo then had to explain negative numbers to you.

“Two positives just makes a positive.” He rolled his eyes as if it were obvious. “And if there’s a negative and a positive number, you just find the difference. And two negatives will be negative. Easy.”

You blinked, completely lost. “What?”

Bakugo wanted to rip his hair out, pulling the paper back toward him. “Okay, so…” He stole your pencil again. “If you had three minus nine, you could switch it to look like this instead.”

3 - 9          <-------->          - 9 + 3

You frowned. “But which number is minus nine? And where did the plus come from?”

Bakugo took a deep, calming breath. “Each number is either positive or negative, even if it’s not written,” he said slowly. “If there’s nothing there, that means it’s positive.”

“Oh.” You nodded. “So, in the first one, the three is positive.”

“That’s what I said.” Bakugo rolled his eyes. “So, it could look like this, too--but no one would actually write it like this because that would be stupid.”

+ 3 - 9          <-------->          - 9 + 3

“So…plus and minus are basically just the negative and positive signs?”

“Obviously.”

“You literally never said that!”

“Why should I say it if it’s obvious?”

You huffed, pulling your pencil away from him. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, so two negative numbers would equal a negative number. But what about multiplication?”

“Easy.” Bakugo puffed out his chest slightly. “Two positives equals a positive. Two negatives equals a positive. One negative and one positive equals a negative.”

You frowned. “That makes no actual sense.”

“Yes it does, you’re just stupid.”

“The first one makes sense, but the second two are weird!” You snapped, chewing on your eraser again. Bakugo grabbed it aggressively. “Prove it! Give me an example!” You demanded. 

Bakugo glared at you. “If you sold oranges--”

“Seriously!”

“Let me finish my sentence, woman!” He shouted, and you rolled your eyes, gesturing for him to finish. “If you sold oranges, and there was someone who bought three oranges every day of the week, how many oranges would she take from you in a week?”

You raised your eyebrow. “You’re asking me what three times seven is? Twenty-one.”

“Yeah, but you’re LOSING those oranges. So, every week, you have negative twenty-one oranges.”

Understanding dawned on you, but you tried not to let it show. Bakugo didn’t need the satisfaction. “I suppose that’s fair.” You settled with, barrelling forward. “But you’re fucking with me about two negatives equaling a positive, that’s just stupi--”

“Let’s say you owe me two dollars.” Bakugo interrupted you. “Don’t you dare interrupt me, Glowstick, or I’ll give you all the wrong answers.” You had already opened your mouth, so you shut it, wilting slightly. “Let’s say you owe me, Dunce Face, and Shitty Hair two dollars each.”

You raised your eyebrows. “Kirishima? But who the fuck is Dunce Face?”

“Yeah. Shitty Hair. Dunce Face is obviously Kaminari.”

“You suck at nicknames.” You noted, restraining a giggle.

Bakugo’s eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw. “Well YOU’RE bad at math!”

You folded your arms, pretending to look away in distaste. “At least I have a good reason.”

“Stop making excuses.” Bakugo snapped, resuming his story before you could interrupt again. “You owe all three of us two dollars, so you have negative six dollars. You keeping up?” You nodded, so he barrelled on. “You give me and Shitty Hair our money back. So, negative two times negative two. It would become plus four dollars to you, because you would go from negative six dollars to only negative two.”

Your head spun, envisioning the exchange in your mind. You hated how it made sense. “Whoever made math is stupid.”

“Math makes sense, you’re the one who’s stupid.”

It continued on like this until the problem was complete, the steps lined up neatly underneath each other. 

2 x + 3  = 3 x - 6

- x + 3 = - 6

- x = - 9

x = 9

You stared at the paper in disbelief. “I…I did it.”

“Yeah,” Bakugo rolled his eyes. “It’s easy. It only took you twenty fucking minutes .”

“It’s called learning you shit-stick.” You snapped. Surprisingly, your good mood was not stamped on by Bakugo’s shenanigans (if anything, your good mood was BECAUSE of Bakugo’s shenanigans). “Some people take a little bit to understand things.”

Bakugo huffed. “It’s not that hard.”

“Ectoplasm gave me a new paper because I accidentally burned the old one with my quirk. I’m pretty sure the answer I got the first time was 37.”

Bakugo barked out a laugh, which didn’t seem to hold all that much humor. “Deku must be a shitty tutor.” He looked to you in confirmation, eyebrows raised.
The way Bakugo’s mouth quirked at the corners almost looked like a smirk, and it made you flush. “He’s a fine tutor!” You said defensively. “He just…he’s just a bit too nice, that’s all. The way he explains things can be confusing, and sometimes he’s not clear about what I did wrong because he doesn’t want to be mean. He just needs practice.”

“A tutor shouldn’t need practice. They’re supposed to help you.” Bakugo got up, rolling his eyes as he opened the fridge. “He’s just shitty Deku, anyway, so I’m not surprised.”

You frowned. “I enjoy being--”

“I’m getting some string cheese and going back to bed.” Bakugo interrupted you loudly, slamming the refrigerator door closed behind him, a few cheese sticks in his hand. He didn’t even look at you as he walked by. “Have fun failing at math without my help.”

You stared after him, slightly confused. “Thanks, I won’t.”

“You won’t what?” Bakugo ripped open the first cheese stick with his teeth. “Fail or need my help?”

You glared at him as he refused to look at you. “I’m not sure yet.” You admitted angrily, before turning backward. “Enjoy choking on your cheese.”

Bakugo snorted, throwing the cheese wrapper in the trash. You blinked.

Bakugo had just laughed at your joke.

This was a fever dream.

“Seriously, thank you, though.” You said more quietly, almost hoping he wouldn’t hear (You may have been an assassin, but your parents had still raised you with manners beforehand). “This makes a lot more sense now.”

“Stop being all weird and mushy.” He snapped with his mouth full of cheese. He didn’t even pull it off into strings, he just bit into the entire stick like a barbarian. “And don’t bother me. If you have any more problems, google it.”

“Good to know.” You stared at the next problem. 

- 3 x - 4 ( 4 x - 8 ) = 3 (- 8 x - 1 )

You gulped, chewing on your eraser again.

PEMDAS.

You took a deep breath and put your pencil to the paper, determined.

It was 2:34 AM. 

Bakugo was laying on the couch, staring straight up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the scratching of your pencil against the paper.

He could hear you muttering to yourself. It almost reminded him of Deku, but for some reason he just couldn’t complete the comparison. He didn’t feel the urge to punch something when you muttered under your breath, whereas when Deku did it he wanted to explode him into space.

It was probably just because you were a lot less like Deku than Bakugo had originally assumed. The last 24 hours had made that very clear, and Bakugo was not happy with how he was forced to self-reflect on his assumptions.

Deku was a liar who suddenly revealed a powerful quirk, thinking he was going to beat Bakugo and become number one. He thought he was better than Bakugo but he wasn’t. You, on the other hand…you had assassinated dozens of pro-heroes, even some high-ranking officials surrounded by pro-hero bodyguards. You didn’t want to become number one, you just didn’t want to hurt people like you did before.

And he had forced you to fight him in the middle of a field. And you had done it. 

You had fought him and completely lost yourself in the trauma because you weren’t holding back because of him in the first place. 

It hadn’t ever been about him.

He hated self reflection.

His mind began to wander, clearly attempting to avoid the abysmal task of thinking too much about his actions. It wandered to the fact that you were still in his clothes.

You had been sleeping in his clothes

Without a bra on.

He felt his face flush again and wanted to curse at the tightening of his pants. They must be too small, too.

A clattering caused Bakugo to leap from the couch straight up onto his feet, hands sparking and knees bent, ready. He scanned the room quickly but saw nothing amiss…only a pencil on the floor, rolling slowly.

“Oi-” Bakugo cut off, about to lecture you about paying attention, but he noticed your forehead was on the table and you were breathing softly.

He approached you slowly, bending down slightly to try and see your face.

It was so…calm.

Your hair had fallen into your face, and Bakugo barely stopped himself from reaching over and pushing it back. It was just annoying, that’s all. He picked up the pencil, staring at it for a moment before looking over at the papers scattered across your desk. You were going to wake up with a crick in your neck if you didn’t lay down. 

But that wasn’t Bakugo’s problem.

“Would they feel safe around you, knowing who you really are…Enigma?”

You jolted awake with a gasp, immediately wincing at the crick in your neck. Your heart was pounding in your throat and you had to swallow it back down as you looked around frantically, still finding your bearings. Once up was up and down was down again, you were able to clearly see it was just your apartment--dark, silent, and still.

You moved your arms, which were spread across the table, and a bunch of papers began to shift under you. The sound caused you to jolt and you felt your quirk flare up before you realized it was just your homework.

Shit. You had fallen asleep doing fucking algebra. Your face began to flush…

BAKUGO

You froze, suddenly very aware of your entire body and surroundings. He had been sleeping on the couch behind you. Had he taken pictures of you snoring on the table? This was so mortifying. He probably thought you were so pathetic, waking up like you were being killed, terrified like that. 

You turned around, stretching, to look over at the couch, but no one was there. You frowned, scanning the apartment. You listened for noises down the hallway in the bathroom. 

No one was there. 

You sighed, moving to clean up the mess of papers you had spread across the counter, when an unfamiliar piece of notebook paper gave you pause.

I left early in the morning because I’m done babysitting your ass. You snore.

You groaned. He had definitely taken a video.

I was bored as fuck and couldn’t sleep on your shitty couch so I graded your homework. You keep fucking up how to deal with the negative numbers. You can ask shitty Deku about it, I’m not your fucking tutor so this is the last time you get my help for free.

Don’t do anything stupid. I won’t always be there to save your ass.

You faintly realized that your mouth was hanging open and shut it quickly. What the fuck? Your eyes fell upon your homework, which was marked up with a red pen.

Holy shit. He had actually graded your homework.

He had scribbled out your mistakes and done it correctly so that you could see, putting very aggressive looking arrows toward important steps and writing things like “CANCEL OUT” or “DON’T BE STUPID” in what was practically chicken scratch off to the side. You flipped the paper over gingerly as if it could break, looking at the rest of his notes. Fuck. As much as you wanted to ignore his help, this actually made sense. 

You grabbed a piece of notebook paper and began writing his critiques. When you were done, you put it in your folder for safekeeping, as well as your homework.

Your phone rang.

You jumped a mile. “FUCK ME!” You yelped, taking a moment to calm yourself before picking it up.

Incoming Call From…          |   IZUKU   |

“Oh!” You quickly answered. “Hey, Izuku! What’s up?”

“Hey…” You could practically hear him fiddling with his hands. “Um…I was wondering if you wanted me to come over today? We missed our tutoring session yesterday after school, because…well, yeah. We don’t have to do it today, of course! Or at all! It’s been wild, and I get if you just want to rest! I’m just offering. I can do tomorrow, too, if that works better for you! Or we don’t have to do it at all! I just wanted to make sure you knew I was--”

“Just come over, ‘Zuku,” You sighed, slumping back into the chair. “I need company before I lose my mind.”

There was only silence for a few moments before Izuku replied, “Uh, okay! I’ll be there soon!”

“Okay, bye.” You hung up, immediately feeling more on-edge at the silence in your apartment.

You should have told him to hurry.

Chapter Text

Bakugo had his hands shoved deeply in his pockets as he stomped down the sidewalk. He had walked all the way into town, wandered aimlessly, bought a large cinnamon tea, sat and drank it all, walked a few more blocks, bought some breakfast, sat and ate that too, stopped at the bookstore, grabbed some books that looked interesting, snagged the latest issues of his favorite comics, and was now walking back from where he came. He was finally heading back toward his own house (and technically your apartment, but he was pretending as if that didn’t exist). He just needed to think. Or he needed to stop thinking. He didn’t fucking know.

He didn’t get to take his clothes with him, which was annoying. You were still wearing them when he had left at an early 6:03 AM. Bakugo just didn’t want to wake you up to ask to take them off because he didn’t want to hear your whining.

His phone vibrated AGAIN in his pocket, as it had been doing for the past five minutes, and Bakugo finally relented, yanking it out and opening the messages.

8:21 AM

old hag: Tell me how (y/n) is doing

old hag: you better not be ignoring me you fuckin brat

old hag: Katsuki fucking Bakugo, text me back right now or I will take those All Might figurines you like so much

old hag: the ones behind your clothes in the closet

old hag: of course I know about those, I’m your fucking mom

old hag: I went through 26 hours of labor to bring you into this world and you won’t even answer my damn texts

old hag: I’ll take your All Might comics next

old hag: don’t fucking test me, Katsuki.

Bakugo scowled, typing furiously.

Bakugo: I’m fucking fine, you old hag. So is (y/n). Now stop blowing up my fucking phone and don’t touch my shit or I’ll turn around right now and not come home.

old hag: go back to her, for all I care! maybe she’ll knock some sense into your dumbass!

Bakugo shoved the phone back in his pocket forcefully. She was going to give him an ulcer one of these days.

“...Kacchan?

Bakugo didn’t have to turn to see who had run up beside him, and he clenched his fists at his sides, growling through his teeth. “... DEKU… ”

“What are you doing here so early in the morning?” Deku prodded.

“None of your fucking business.”

“Right.” Deku fell into step with him, which made Bakugo want to blast him into yesterday. “So…where are you going?”

“I just said it’s none of your fucking business.”

“Right.” Deku definitely had noticed the emblem on the bag Bakugo was carrying, which happened to be the bookstore he also frequented. “You got some books? What did you--”

Bakugo almost dropped the bag, barely stopping his palms from popping angrily. He swiveled his head to glare at Deku, who looked up at him with innocent eyes. “WHAT PART OF ‘IT’S NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS’ DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND, DEKU?”

“Right…” Deku cleared his throat. “Sorry about that.” An awkward silence followed that Bakugo refused to break. It didn’t take Deku long to smash through it, though. “Well, I’m heading to (y/n)’s. Our tutoring sessions are usually after school on Fridays, but we obviously couldn’t do that yesterday, so I’m…”

Deku’s voice seemed to muffle, and Bakugo’s ears were ringing in an incessant whine. 

“KACCHAN!”

Bakugo whirled around to scream at Deku, but noticed where the smaller boy was pointing, following his gaze to his own hands. They had been sparking, explosions popping in his palms, and the plastic bag’s handles were beginning to melt. “Are you okay?” Deku asked with wide eyes.

Bakugo felt his entire body grow hot as he trembled, every muscle clenching. He pulled the bag up to carry it from the bottom. “WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GET THE FUCKING HINT, SHITTY DEKU? I DON’T WANT TO FUCKING TALK TO YOU! I DON’T WANT TO BE WITHIN TWO METERS OF YOU! GO MAKE OUT WITH GLOWSTICK AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!”

Deku’s eyes widened and he began to say something, but nothing made it out of his mouth before Bakugo was off, power-walking down the street in the most calm way he could manage (everyone avoided him like the plague, he looked like he was going to explode).

Bakugo’s own words echoed through his head.

Go make out with Glowstick and leave me the fuck alone!

Bakugo’s feet slapped against the pavement as he started running, the bag of books held securely in one arm and clutched tightly to his chest.

Go make out with Glowstick!

He flipped off a car that beeped at him as he ran across the street. 

GO MAKE OUT WITH--

“FUCK!” Bakugo slammed his free fist into a tree trunk, splitting the bark and causing bits of it to fly away. He had reached the road into his neighborhood now, managing to pass by your apartment building without looking.

DEKU WAS IN THERE WITH YOU .

Bakugo wanted to fucking kill him.

He was just embarrassed that you were wearing his clothes. Deku didn’t need to see you in his clothes and assume weird shit that didn’t happen. Deku was fucking stupid, so there was a chance he wouldn’t notice, but it was also Deku, and he seemed to notice everything, so nothing was ever safe. You were a blabbermouth and were probably going to tell the shitty nerd he spent the night there, too, which was fucking embarrassing.

Bakugo stomped on down the road, two sides of him wrestling like it was a championship match.

Why the fuck do you need DEKU’s help? Bakugo had already helped you, for fucks sake. 

Bakugo just had to step in because you have a shitty tutor. It only took Bakugo less than half an hour to explain to you a concept Deku couldn’t explain in a whole week. If Bakugo was still your tutor, you wouldn’t be struggling. An image of you trembling, curled up on the floor, scooting away from him while crying flashed across his mind. You wouldn’t be struggling if Bakugo was your tutor.

Bakugo seethed. Deku always made him irrationally angry, but right now, his mind was centered around you.

Did that mean he hated you? It must mean he hated you. Why else would he feel such fury when he thought about you?

That’s the only thing that made sense. Bakugo hated you. That’s why he couldn’t stop thinking about your laugh (it was annoying), or the way you looked so peaceful when you were asleep (you looked stupid), or how you were somehow so fragile and so terrifying at the same time (you needed to make up your mind), or how you looked in his clothes (you were distracting), or how you…

Bakugo’s fists were smoking as he stomped up the steps to his front door, fumbling with the key in his wallet, jamming it into the lock, and ripping the door open.

“Took you long enough!” His mother immediately hollered from the kitchen, causing Bakugo to almost turn around and leave again. “Did you have a good time?”

“No.” Bakugo snapped, continuing to stomp as he went upstairs to his room. “I’m doing homework so don’t fucking bother me.”

“Watch your mouth when you talk to me, you little shit!”

“I’ll do what I want, you fucking hypocrite!” Bakugo screamed behind him before slamming the door behind him.

He didn’t have any homework to do.

Izuku almost choked on his water. “K-KACCHAN?”

You nodded. The awkwardness between you and Izuku was palpable. Bakugo had treated you so normally you had almost forgotten your classmates found out you were a famous hero killer.

Used to be. You used to be a famous hero killer.

You would always be a famous hero killer.

Izuku was clearly trying to be a good friend. You could see him restraining himself from asking you a million questions, curiosity lit behind his eyes but anxiety stopping him from voicing any of it. The fact that he was still willing to be around you was a huge relief, but you wanted to ease the tension so badly, so you showed Izuku your math homework. The aggressive writing in red pen (and incredible progress in your mathematical capabilities) raised some understandable questions, and it was safe to say that Izuku was NOT ready for the answers.

“Yeah, his mom made him stay here to make sure I was okay.” You shrugged, trying to play it off. A flush played across your cheeks as you realized that this might come across wrong.

Izuku’s mouth was still hanging open. “You know Mrs. Bakugo?”

“I only met her last night,” You explained quickly, “It was an accident, purely a coincidence, actually--his parents found me outside in the street and brought me in to help take care of me, let me shower and gave me clean clothes, and then Bakugo came home and we were both like ‘what the fuck,’ you know?”

Izuku clearly didn’t know, but he nodded anyway. “Why were you all the way up in those neighborhoods?” He asked, unable to hold back. “Why did you need their help, or a shower?”

“Uh…” You shifted in your seat uncomfortably, fiddling with the zipper on your pencil pouch. “I was just…panicking. About the attack. I broke down and started running as fast as I could, I don’t know why, I just was so scared and felt the need to escape. I ran so hard without stopping for so long that by the time I collapsed in the middle of the road, I was covered in sweat and vomit and could barely stand by myself. I was so exhausted.”

Izuku looked absolutely devastated. “…Vomit?” He asked meekly.

“Yeah, I was panicking enough, hyperventilating, and pushing my body so hard that I puked along the side of the road a few times.” You admitted, smiling awkwardly. “I’m not sick or anything, I promise. And I usually don’t puke on myself.”

“Oh, I don’t--I uh, I wasn’t trying to be mean or anything,” Izuku waved his hands in front of him frantically. “I was just confused. But yeah, I mean, I don’t know anything about it and you obviously don’t have to share because it’s your life and you’re under no obligation to tell me anything, but what happened yesterday was crazy. After finding out about your…your past, I can see how being alone here would be so scary. I mean, those villains thought you were dead, right? So you’re scared of them coming after you, and it was really terrifying to have them attack us at school and almost kill us, and obviously you’re not a bad person so your history as Enigma is probably really traumatic…”  Izuku trailed off, turning beet red. Your heart was thumping loudly as he brought up your past. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

“No, it’s okay,” You assured him, trying to hide the shakiness in your voice. “You’re right, that’s why I was upset. I didn’t tell Bakugo’s parents about anything, they were just really helpful, and--”

“Is that Kacchan’s shirt?”

You looked down at your outfit, wanting to slap yourself. You had let Bakugo leave without giving his clothes back. Nice movie, (y/n). “Oh, yeah, his mom took my clothes to wash them and gave me these to change into. My clothes are still at his house, we’ll swap back on Monday. How did you know it was his.”

“He’s had it since middle school.” All of this seemed to fascinate Izuku. “So, Kacchan let you wear them?”

“I mean, I was already wearing them by the time he showed up, so he didn’t have too much of a choice…”

“And he helped you with homework?”

You glanced at the math paper. “Yeah, so? He wasn’t nice about it by any means, but in the end it did help, so I guess I can’t complain.” You tried to ignore the flush creeping up to your cheeks as you remembered how much you had to hide your smiles and restrain your laughs. “He was unbearable, as always. Why, is something wrong?”

You could see the gears in Izuku’s head turning, but all he said was, “No, it’s nothing,” before frowning, another thought crossing his mind. “I know you live super close to UA, so this a pretty safe location, but is it really okay for you to be living on your own--”

Since you’re a murderous villain who deserves to spend the rest of your life behind bars--

“--now that those villains know you’re alive?”

You blinked as he finished. “Oh, um, no, I mean, it’s okay, Aizawa lives next door. Usually. Midnight is there right now since Aizawa is in the hospital.”

Izuku’s eyes were wide with worry. “But what if they kidnapped you during the night or something?”

“It would be pretty hard,” You assured him. “It may not be within UA grounds, but this building is owned by the school and has incredibly high levels of security. Every inch of the outside is covered by at least one camera, and there are infra-red cameras keeping track of what people do inside the homes. If people tried to sneak in, the cameras would catch them, even if they teleported in. There’s multiple security guards on duty keeping an eye out for any anomalies at all times, so pros would be notified the second something was wrong, and I live next door to a pro in case I need help.” Or in case I lose control.

“Wow, you really know this stuff.” Izuku seemed to relax slightly, but only slightly. 

“Yeah, well, I made the mistake of asking Principal Nezu why they chose for me to live here, so I got a pretty extensive explanation.”

Izuku laughed, and a knot in your gut loosened. “He’s like me!” He joked, and you couldn’t help but giggle too. After you both stopped, Izuku’s face flushed, and he cleared his throat before forcing himself into a more serious expression. “I’m serious though, (y/n). If you ever need to talk, or want to vent or share what happened to you, or need support, I’m here. I obviously want to know what happened to you but it’s not my business and I know you’ll tell me when you’re ready. I just want you to know that I’m here for you. I’m not scared of you.” He smiled, softly this time, his eyes still serious and sincere. “I’ve spent enough time with you to know you aren’t a villain.”

You aggressively blinked back tears, your heart clenching painfully, torn between relief and gratitude toward Izuku and the persistent reminders of the horrible things you had done. He doesn’t know everything you’ve done. Once he finds out, he’ll leave you. He WILL be scared of you. He won’t be able to look at you anymore because all he’ll see is a villain.

“Thank you, Izuku.” You offered him a sincere, but broken, smile, sniffling. “It means a lot to me. It really does. I’ll tell you everything one day, but I don’t want to talk about it right now, if that’s okay.”

“Of course!” Izuku assured you. “We can just do homework like normal. Want to start with the reading assignment?”

“Sure.” You pulled out your copy of the book. “I actually read the chapter out-loud with Bakugo while we walked back to my apartment, so he helped me understand everything. He also made me read it outloud, which was nice practice.” You brushed past the surprised look on Izuku’s face. “Point is, I feel confident in my understanding of this chapter, it’s just the questions on the reading guide that are confusing me. I’m not sure what the second and third questions are even asking.”

“Alright,” Izuku clearly wanted to ask questions, but resolved to his tutorly role, flipping over a page in his own reading guide. “What about the second question confused you?”

“Everything.”

You woke up.

Rolling over, you grabbed your phone and looked at the time. It was 2:38 AM. You didn’t have to pee, you weren’t hungry, hot, or cold, and you had been comfortable.

Uneasiness settled in the pit of your stomach.

You were probably just nervous about going to school again in the morning. After Izuku had left on Saturday, you had watched cartoons and taught yourself how to use the oven to make frozen pizza. It was crazy how many things you didn’t know how to do. Izuku came by for a few hours again on Sunday morning, and Midnight came over to teach you how to make pasta on the stove for dinner. Then you watched cartoons.

And now you were awake and unsettled. You turned the doorknob to your bedroom door and opened it, grateful for the conjoining door down the hallway between yours and Aizawa’s apartments. Midnight was only one door away. She would help put you at ease. You felt guilty about waking her up, since she had school tomorrow, too, but she was there for you , right?

After you closed the door behind you and turned toward the other apartment, you gasped loudly, fear plunging through you like a knife and causing spots to dance across your vision. You dropped your phone on the ground, stumbling backward and barely catching yourself from falling. You managed to stay on your feet, trembling and already beginning to glow. You were frozen.

Dabi chuckled at your terror, stepping forward leisurely. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, brightness?” He smirked as you raised shakey fists, glowing brighter. “Are you going to fight me, like old times?”

You couldn’t answer. Behind the fear, you were grateful it was only Dabi. Fighting Dabi was nothing new. You used to do it for hours, and you had the scars to prove it. And you knew that, in his own twisted way, Dabi was fond of you. 

But it was still Dabi--the Dabi that beat your burnt,bloody body to unconsciousness after you had failed to kill Endeavor, tracing an ugly brand across your back. The same Dabi that could pummel you into the ground without even using his quirk, until only a year and a half ago, when you had gained more control of your power. This was the man who laughed in your face when you couldn’t bring yourself to use your quirk on him because you were so scared to kill him, even though he hurt you so much. He would taunt you about how you could kill innocent heroes but couldn’t kill a torturous villain in self defense.

But you couldn’t kill him. It was DABI. He gave you the smallest scars, except for the brand across your back. He was the same Dabi that gave you a piece of chalk to draw with on the walls and floor of your cell so that you wouldn’t fall asleep on a concussion (that’s what he said, anyway). The Dabi that would verbally rip you to shreds and physically obliterate you, but stop Shigaraki from turning your throat to dust out of a blind rage. He would beat you to unconsciousness during training sessions and when you woke up, he would be patching up your wounds and telling you to stop being a fucking baby when he cleaned them. If you lasted a whole sparring session without getting beaten unconscious, he would ruffle your hair--almost affectionately. If you would successfully hold back your tears when he disinfected your wounds and stitched them roughly, he would ruffle your hair again. From the outside, they weren’t redeeming memories--he was just a manipulative, vicious man who took care of you so that the league could use you. 

He had left the most scars on your body, but he had also been the closest thing you had to a friend.

“I d-don’t want to f-f-f-fight you…” You stammered, cursing your jaw for how much it chattered. You could see the glow of your powers lighting up the hallway, shining out of your body, your mouth and eyes like flashlights.

“Unfortunately, I’m not here to fight you.” Dabi yawned, stretching. “It’s been boring without you around, you know. It was rude of you to fake your own death.”

You stayed silent.
“Our intel said you were coming out of your shell, that you had… friends …” a shiver went down your spine at his suddenly cold tone, but it switched back immediately. “…but here you are, all curled up and scared like a baby.” He cooed. You swallowed heavily. Intel . How long had they been watching you? ALL weekend? Since the attack? They had seen your friends--they had seen Izuku and Bakugo? Were they safe? Dabi didn’t let you stay in your thoughts for long. “I’m glad to see you’re still the same Enigma. I kinda like you, ya know.”

“Why…” You whispered shakily, “W-why are you h-h-here?”

“To give you a little warning…” Dabi winked as he leaned forward, whispering dramatically as if it was a secret. “We’ve got eyes on you…so remember that, no matter where you go, one wrong step…” Dabi clapped his hands loudly, cutting off his own sentence and causing you to jump. He grinned. “...and, well…you know what happens…”

“Why n-not just kill m-me n-now?” You were surprised at your own courage, but at the same time, you weren’t. If Shigaraki wanted you dead, there was no way he would have sent Dabi--he liked to talk, and he was fond of you. They especially wouldn’t have sent a man, since they were especially susceptible to Midnight’s quirk. If they were watching you, they were bound to know she was there, too.

If they REALLY wanted to kill you, they would have sent Toga. The thought of her sent chills up and down your spine.

But why HADN’T they?

“What, do you WANT me to kill you, brightness?” Dabi chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets casually as he got closer to you. 

“I’m just…” You were still frozen. “I’m j-just confused.”

Dabi laughed. “You should know by now, everything you do is okayed by Shigaraki. After he was done going on a furious rampage about your faked death, he decided you were exactly where he wanted you to be. Isn’t that nice of him?” Dabi stepped even closer. “I think that’s pretty nice of him.”

You nodded, instinctively agreeing.

“Well, I should get going now…” Dabi sighed. “Wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome. I’m sure I’ll see you soon, brightness. Try not to miss me too much--we’ll be back to sparring before you know it.” He brushed past you, ruffling your hair as he went. “Now go to sleep, you have school in the morning.”

You stood frozen, your glow lighting up the hallway. You could feel the ghost of Dabi’s hand in your hair, an all-too-familiar display of affection that left you both relieved and paralyzed. You couldn’t hear him leave. It felt like hours before you had the courage to turn around and glance across your apartment for any signs of him.

You seemed to be alone again.

You slumped against the wall and down to the ground numbly. You stared at nothing blankly, tears leaking down your cheeks. Your glow seemed to lessen with every tear, and eventually the hallway was dark again, and you finally moved to grab your phone from the floor. 

It was 3:09 AM.

It had felt like an eternity.

The logical part of your brain was whirring. They wouldn’t have risked exposure by doing this unless they knew they wouldn’t have been caught. That means someone was in the security room to erase the footage. It could have been the one guy who was never allowed around you…Two, was it? No, Twice. He could make clones of people. He was also forbidden to be in your presence because Shigaraki thought he was too nice. Perhaps Toga had taken the place of one of the poor guards…

You were exhausted, but you made sure to stay awake in case something happened. You didn’t trust your shaky legs to hold you upright yet, so you couldn’t go talk to Midnight…and when you had opened your phone to call her, you couldn’t bring yourself to, anyway. What was the point of worrying her? You could tell her in the morning and let her sleep now. You were probably going to be fine. You just had to be vigilant for the rest of the night.

You fought to keep your eyes open. You weren’t sure if it was the shock of Dabi’s presence and message that had caused the exhaustion to hit you full force, or the relief once he had left. But old habits died hard, and you found yourself fighting sleep despite being scared out of your mind. It had taken you years to learn how to sleep when terrified, but you had learned how, and it was going to be a hard habit to break…for your own safety.

You felt yourself nodding off, fighting it less and less each time. Your own safety ? You were scared shitless of the League of Villains, but you weren’t scared of death itself. You had killed dozens of innocent people, GOOD people. You probably deserved it. But the League of Villains was another beast entirely--being capture by them again would mean a lifetime of torture before a painful demise.

Before you finally drifted off into sleep, you made a vow to yourself:

The day they tried to drag you back there would be the day they buried your body.

Chapter Text

You stared blankly in front of you as people slowly made their way into the room for the meeting that was urgently called earlier that morning. To your right was what looked like a mummy wearing Aizawa’s clothes, but it was just Aizawa. You would have found it funny on any other day. On your left was Midnight, who sat up straight with a grim expression.

Also at the table was Akihiro Miyamoto, also known as Seeker, another UA graduate who had already retired from hero work to become a lawyer. The profession suited her quirk, Compel, much better, as she could force people to tell the truth just by looking at them. She was assigned to specialty cases like yours that involved villains to make the process easier. Her quirk was involuntary, so she couldn’t look at people without invoking it onto them. It had felt a bit violating at first, but after a while you had found her to be an extremely understanding woman with an extraordinary amount of patience. Despite having the ability to pull answers out of you against your will, she still allowed you to go at your own pace when recounting your horrid experiences, allowing you to avoid being plunged into constant flashbacks and panic attacks.

Next was Principal Nezu. He looked much too content considering the situation at hand, but you had a feeling it was just his default setting.

All Might was there, too, looking at you every once and a while with eyes tinged with worry. You noted how stretched his skin looked across his bones. The legend wasn’t doing very well.

Finally, Detective Tsukauchi walked in, closing the door behind him. “Sorry I’m late,” He bowed slightly as he slid into his seat. “Is this everyone?”

Nezu looked around the table. “I believe so.”

“Alright.” Tsukauchi opened a laptop and began typing before looking at you expectantly. You felt your heartbeat begin to quicken. “(Y/n), can you tell me what you told Midnight?”

“I’ll tell you.” Midnight interjected, causing you to visibly relax. “She’s been psyching herself out in anticipation for this meeting, let me start with what I know before she starts answering questions.”

Tsukauchi looked like he was about to argue, but after looking at your pale face he nodded. “Okay, then. Go on.”

Midnight gently rested her hand on your tense arm. “I slept at Aizawa’s apartment overnight while he was in the hospital in order to be there for (Y/n). The next morning, when I went to get her so we could walk to the school together, she wouldn’t answer the door, and I found her passed out in the hallway.”

“Unconscious, or sleeping?” Tsukauchi asked, typing.

“Sleeping, but deep enough she might as well have been unconscious.” Midnight clarified before continuing. “When I asked her what she was doing in the hallway, she explained to me that she had been visited by Dabi, a member of the League of Villains, during the night.”

“For what reason?”

“As a warning.” Midnight replied. “He stated that the leader of the group, Shigaraki, was pleased with (y/n)’s position inside UA and that she was to stay put for now, but if she tried to double cross them she would regret it.”

Seeker spoke up. “Given (y/n)’s history of torture and abuse at the hands of the League, particularly Shigaraki, that isn’t an empty threat. They clearly were able to get to her without raising any alarm and could have easily taken her.”

Principal Nezu nodded. “Detective, do we have any leads on how they were able to get in and evade security?”

“We have a grim answer to that, I’m afraid,” Tsukauchi grimaced. “The security footage was wiped out for the entire day, all the way up until we got there and were able to fix the system this morning. One of the guards who had reported for last night’s shift was found in his apartment this morning brutally stabbed to death. The problem is that he’s been dead for almost a full day.”

“Toga.” You whispered, and everyone turned to look at you.

“What?” Tsukauchi hovered his hands over his keyboard, ready to type. 

“It was Toga,” You repeated with a blank look. “She can turn into people by drinking their blood.”

“That’s a possibility, but we can’t be sure.” Tsukauchi pursed his lips.

You closed your eyes. “She loves knives. She likes stabbing people. It was her.”

Tsukauchi opened his mouth to remind you that your word wasn’t admissible evidence, but Midnight motioned for him to stop.

All Might let out a disgusted huff. “She must have sabotaged the recording software and disabled the heat sensors. That would have prevented the security system from alerting Midnight or the authorities.”

“I should have checked on you…” Midnight shook her head, fists clenched on the table. “I should have--”

“What’s done is done.” Aizawa droned. “The point is, (y/n) can’t stay there anymore. Where is she going to go?”

“The safest place for her is here at UA,” All Might suggested. “She’ll be surrounded by pro heroes all the time. I’m sure we can convince some heroes to stay here with her. We can convert some of the unused classrooms on the seventh floor into makeshift rooms.”

“But Dabi said that keeping her at UA is precisely what the League wants her to do.” Seeker folded her arms. “We don’t know why that is. Should we really entertain that possibility?”

“If our priority is her safety, where else will ensure the same level of protection?” Midnight shrugged. “I agree with Toshi.”

“What about the sports festival?” Aizawa asked. “I’ll be informing the rest of the class about it right after this meeting. Previously, we said (y/n) would be able to participate, but is that still appropriate?”

“I don’t see why not.” Principal Nezu shrugged. “If she is right where the League of Villains wants her to be, then they must be expecting her to be there. Going along with their plan might help lure them out so we can take them down.”

“It also brings unnecessary risk to (y/n) and the other students.” Tsukauchi cautioned. “This isn’t chess--we’re not talking about using a pawn as bait. We’re talking about living, breathing people.”

“I’m not suggesting that we abandon all caution,” Nezu assured him. “I’m simply suggesting that we let them think whatever they’re planning is working. If (y/n) is a part of that plan, then pulling her even further out of reach could cause them to act even more brashly. That would be just as much of a risk.”

Midnight sat back in her chair, grimacing. “That’s a good point.”

“It’s settled then,” Nezu nodded. “We’ll clear out the unused classrooms on the top floor and get some beds in there for sleeping. I also know someone who might be able to make the rooms more… home-like . Obviously (y/n) will be in one room, we’ll have Aizawa use another one, and…Midnight, would you mind?”

“It would be my pleasure.” Midnight replied immediately, smiling at you warmly. 

You felt so small.

“Alright,” Tsukauchi finished typing. “(Y/n), would you stay back for a moment? I need to ask you a few more questions.”

You nodded numbly as everyone else stood up. “Come back to the classroom when you’re ready.” Aizawa instructed you before turning to leave, but he stopped as he saw your head whip to look at him, eyes wide. His eyes softened behind the mask of wrappings. “You’re going to have to face everyone at some point, (y/n). You might as well rip the bandaid off now. I’ll be there to help you.”

Tears welled up in your eyes as your heart climbed into your throat, racing, but you just nodded, trying to force it back down.

“Good. I’ll see you in a little bit, kiddo.” Aizawa left and Midnight was close behind, ruffling your hair gently before disappearing through the doorway. Nezu left, as well, (he had a school to run), and All Might slumped out behind him, pausing just before the doorway to look back at you.

“Let me know if you need anything, okay?” He looked at you pointedly. “You know enough about my quirk to know I’ve been targeted, too. I’m here if you want to talk.”

You just nodded once, and he did the same before leaving, letting the door shut behind him. 

It was just you, your attorney, and the detective. It was very reminiscent of when you had first been rescued. 

“I understand that you’re worried about All Might.” The detective sat down at the table in front of you with a large folder, his voice friendly. “He wanted me to tell you that he’s doing alright, you shouldn’t worry, and that he’ll visit you soon.”

You looked up, eyebrows furrowed. “Why…why would he want to visit me?”

“He wants to explain what you saw.” The detective simply left it at that, because you understood what he meant. The skinny, shrunken, hollow husk of All Might swam in your vision, with his voice telling you clearly to not tell anyone about this. You hadn’t. 

All Might had saved you. You would do anything to help him.

“Now, (Y/n),” the detective opened the folder. “I’m Detective Tsukauchi. I assume you’ve gone over things with your attorney?”

You nodded, glancing over at Seeker, who gave you the slightest hint of a reassuring smile. 

“Alright.” Detective Tsukauchi looked over some papers. “You’ve said you want to take a plea deal in hopes of reducing or not having jail time. Is that still the case?” You nodded again. “Okay. Let's get started.”

“Okay,” Detective Tsukauchi cleared his throat. “Let’s get started. (Y/n), to start off, are you comfortable staying at the school for the time being?” A nod. “What are your thoughts on the sports festival?” You shrugged. “Are you anxious at the idea of displaying your quirk in front of the world?”

“Obviously.” You muttered.

“Do you agree with Nezu? Will you be safer if you participate in the festival, according to the League’s wishes?”

You groaned, and Seeker looked at you warily, choosing to stay silent. You felt the effects of her quirk and didn’t fight it. “Yes, that’s probably safest.”

Tsukauchi wrote some things down before looking at you for a moment, eyes serious. “Are you able to fight effectively without using your glowing suit of power?”

“Yes, thankfully.”

“I’m sorry to ask you this…” Tsukauchi grimaced, “Did Dabi threaten you personally, or did he just relay Shigaraki’s message?”

“He just relayed the message.” You felt like you were lying, but you felt Seeker’s eyes on you. But Dabi saying he was going to fight you in the future wasn’t a threat…it was just true. If anything, it was affection.

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” Tsukauchi looked at you pointedly despite you staring down at the table, shaking your head. “Alright.” Tsukauchi sighed with a short nod. “I guess you can head to class, then. If you have any questions, let Seeker know. You have her phone number, right?”

“Yeah.” 

Tsukauchi began gathering his things to leave, and Seeker did the same, pausing to put her hand on your shoulder. “Text or call me if you need anything, okay? Head to class. I let Aizawa know you’re on your way.”

There went any idea of skipping class. “Okay, yeah. Thanks.”

The two watched with expectant eyes as you trudged out of the room, trying to ignore your thundering heart as you gathered the courage to take each step closer to your classroom.

Bakugo’s jaw hurt from how hard he was grinding his teeth together. Everyone was asking so many damn questions about you, and you weren’t even there. Aizawa’s bland answers were infuriating. It was annoying to listen to, back and forth, back and forth--

“So, she was really the villain, then?”

“Yes, she was Enigma.”

“But she was being forced by the League of Villains?”

“Yes.”

“Why isn’t she in trouble?”

“She was. She already went through the legal process. She’s attending here on mandated court order.”

“How do you know she’s not a spy?”

“There are people who work in this department that have quirks used to verify that sort of thing. We’re sure.”

“So, (y/n) could kill us, easily?”

“Not necessarily. She doesn’t have the element of surprise here, and now that she’s broken free from the League, it’s clear that they relied on her uncontrolled outbursts of power. She’s dangerous, and skilled in many ways other than her quirk, but she’s also a victim who is recovering.”

“Where is she staying?”

“That is currently being changed to a more secure location.”

“Who is in charge of her?”

“A team of people that includes me.”

“How did you guys figure out she wasn’t really a villain and rescue her?”

“All Might did that on his own.”

“Is she going to stay in our class after what happened?”

“Yes.”

“Are we allowed to talk to her about it?”

“Yes, but I would suggest refraining, or doing so very carefully. She’s been traumatized, after all.”

“What does--”

Bakugo growled in frustration. He couldn’t take this jabbering anymore. “Where is she, anyway?” He barked. “It’s been twenty minutes!”

Everyone turned to stare at him in surprise. Everyone had expected an outburst after hearing his quiet snarl, but they were shocked to hear something other than ‘shut up! I’ll kill you!’

As if on cue, the door opened, and you barely stopped yourself from physically shrinking back at the intensity of stares you received upon entry. Everyone’s head swiveled toward you. There was an uncomfortable pause, and you could already feel yourself shaking. You wanted to run away. “Welcome, (y/n),” Aizawa gestured to your seat, his voice calm but firm. “We were just about to start class. Have a seat.”

You had expected them to whisper about you, but the class was eerily silent as you followed the instructions, keeping your head down. Aizawa was already addressing the class before you even got to your seat.

Bakugo tried to ignore you as you brushed past, the breeze shoving your annoyingly pleasant smell into his face. You sat down quickly, hands trembling. Everything sounded like it was underwater. You tried to listen to what Aizawa was saying, but even if you could understand him, you probably wouldn’t have actually digested any of the words anyway. You clasped your hands together in your lap, staring down at your desk with intensity. 

You jumped as you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder, barely holding back your quirk. It was just Izuku. He smiled softly and handed you a folded up note, which was a bit bulgy for some reason. You took it hesitantly, trying to return the smile but unsure if you succeeded. You had to hold the paper with both hands to avoid dropping it and you winced at the noise it made as your shuddering hands unfolded it.

A piece of gum fell out onto the desk. 

Sometimes it helps me to chew gum when I’m anxious. I don’t know if it’ll help you, but I thought it would be worth a try :) We’re here for you!

You blinked rapidly, setting down the note so you could unwrap the gum. You felt a strange tug in your chest as the silver wrapper peeled off, revealing the pink stick underneath, and you stuck it in your mouth without hesitation. The bubblegum flavor took over your mouth and you wanted to cry.

“Stop crying, Gemma,” You groaned, tugging her hand down the sidewalk. Your sister trailed behind you stubbornly, pulled along by her arm like a leash. “It’s just a lollipop! You can get another one!”

“B-but Damian-san gave it to me!” She wailed. “It’s a special candy! From M-merica!”

“Yes, we know, you have a friend from America.” You grumbled, exhausted from this conversation. “You can ask him for another lollipop tomorrow.”

Gemma wailed and you wanted to slam your head against a wall. Why were YOU the one that had to walk back to the elementary school to pick her up? Haru and Kaden were both in high school. Why couldn’t THEY do it? They met you and Gemma for the last half of the walk, so it wasn’t AS bad, but for the first half you had to deal with it by yourself! It was so unfair!

“Oi, Gemma!”

You looked up in relief, immediately finding your two older brothers up ahead on the sidewalk. Kaden was waving to the two of you while Haru took off his headphones, only just noticing you. 

“Why are you crying?” Kaden chided as you stopped in front of them, promptly dropping Gemma’s hand. “Stop it, you’ll get dehydrated.” He ruffled Gemma’s hair ruffly but still affectionately, winking at you as you rolled your eyes.

“I don’t think that’s an effective way of pacifying her.” Haru knelt in front of Gemma while glaring at Kaden, who just shrugged. He turned his attention to your younger sister. “What’s wrong Gemma?”

She hiccupped a few times before taking a deep breath. “I-I- DR--”

“She dropped her special lollipop from her friend Damian, the one from America, and she’s sad because it was a special candy from America and I wouldn’t let her eat it after it fell in the dirt.” You supplied before she started wailing again, desperate to save your own sanity. Gemma nodded, sniffling.

Haru smiled softly at her. “I know you’re sad, Gemma. But (Y/n) is right. Eating candy with dirt on it could make you sick. Do you want to get sick?”

Gemma thought for a moment, her tearful pout just as big as her eyes as she shook her head. “B-but…” She squeezed out some more fat tears. “He gave it to me for special! It was SPECIAL candy from ‘MERICA!”

“(Y/n) just wants you to be okay.” Haru reasoned.

“But M-MERICA!” Gemma escalated to wailing again and you clasped your hands over your ears, looking at Kaden desperately. He just looked amused, but relented, putting a hand on Haru’s shoulder.

“I don’t think reasoning with a five year old is gonna work, buddy.” He fished around in his pockets, kneeling down next to Haru and pulling Gemma by the shoulders to look at him. “Hey, Gemma--look at this!”

She rubbed her eyes, quieting down and squinting at what Kaden was holding up. You brought your hands away from your ears, peaking around to see what it was…a piece of gum?

“What’s that?” Gemma mumbled, hiccupping.

“It’s bubblegum!” Kaden said proudly, puffing out his chest dramatically. “From AMERICA!”

Gemma’s eyes lit up. “From ‘MERICA?”

“Yeah! Do you want it?”

Gemma didn’t answer and simply snatched it away from him, her little fingers pulling the wrapper off with difficulty.

The rest of the way home was quiet, with Gemma chomping on her “yummy gummy” and holding Haru’s hand. You and Kaden trailed behind them.

“My marketing teacher keeps a shit ton of them on her desk,” Kaden explained, pausing to look at you out of the corner of his eyes. “Don’t tell mom I say these words around you.”

“Yeah, yeah, you remind me of that every time.”

Kaden popped his own bubblegum (he had tried to teach you, but you hadn’t succeeded yet). This gum was made for blowing bubbles, unlike the minty kind that your parents had at home, but it apparently took practice. “I always take a handful at the end of the day. It helps me think, and it tastes good, ya know?”

“Yeah.” You chewed on it happily, your mood significantly improved. You had initially been surprised at the stash Kaden had hidden away in the side pocket of his backpack, but when you remembered who you were talking to, it wasn’t shocking in the slightest. “You do it every day?”

“Pretty much. Why?”

“Can I have some?”

Kaden side-eyed you. “Every day?”

“Just one, after school?” You pleaded. “On the walk home?”

Kaden squinted his eyes at you suspiciously and you did your best to stare back at him with the biggest puppy-dog-eyes you could muster. “...fine,” He relented, “but if you start nagging me about getting extras, I’ll stop giving you any, you got that?”

You couldn’t help but jump excitedly. “Loud and clear!” You replied cheerfully.

Kaden huffed, rolling his eyes and blowing another bubble to hide his smile. You attempted to blow a bubble and succeeded in creating a small one before it popped over your lips.

You and Kaden had bubble-blowing contests every day after school for the next two years.

You still had gum in your mouth the day you were taken, the day you watched Kaden get murdered by--

“Oi, Glowstick!” A harsh whisper broke you out of your thoughts and you blinked rapidly. Bakugo was looking back at you with furrowed eyebrows. “Get out of your own head, I can hear your weird breathing and I know what that means by now.”

You wiped your eyes quickly. “Sorry.” You mumbled, looking away.

“Don’t apologize,” Bakugo muttered back, “just…just think of something else. Or something. And breathe, for fuck’s sake.”

As he turned back around, you realized that your surroundings were much louder than they had been a few minutes ago. The two of you were the only ones not leaning across the isles and whispering with excitement as Aizawa droned on about some sort of sports festival.

Bakugo refused to look back at you again, trying to focus on Aizawa’s speech, but his mind stubbornly wandered. When would you be okay enough to fight him again? He wanted to fight you for real--no holding back, but no freak outs, either. He wanted to see YOU. The few times He caught a glimpse of you really fighting, you enjoyed it. You were smart, you were skilled, and you were powerful. It sucked him in no matter how hard he fought. Whatever the League had done to you to make such a powerful person so scared made his stomach churn.

Bakugo didn’t even notice when class ended for lunch. People leapt up from their seats to gather their things, chattering to each other about the sports festival (and about you, but they tried to hide it).

“Hey, (y/n)! Is everything okay?” Deku’s voice grated on Bakugo’s nerves, causing him to shove his notebook into his bag much more aggressively than necessary. He heard a soft “mhm” from you in reply. “Listen, I have a coupon that expires today for ice cream. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get some later? It could be after tutoring, or before. I usually go home before coming back to your place, so I can always just grab it on the way back--”

“I’m moving.”

Bakugo halted abruptly as he took the first step to walk away. Moving ?

“Moving?” Deku’s voice sharpened in concern, echoing Bakugo’s own thoughts. “When? Why?”

“I’ll be living here.”

“Hah?” Bakugo interrupted, turning to face you and Deku with a snarl across his face. Deku looked over at him in surprise. “HERE? As in, the school?”

You didn’t react, you didn’t even look up at him, you just shrugged slightly. “Yeah.”

Bakugo wanted to punch something. Probably Deku. “Why?” The two boys said at the same time, causing Bakugo to fume even more.

“It’s fine.” You muttered, grabbing your bag and standing abruptly. You refused to look at them as you slung it across your shoulder and began walking away. “It’s nothing, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Like hell!” Bakugo snapped, but before he could step forward, Deku had leapt in front of him. 

“So, where should we have our tutoring session?”

Bakugo wanted to rip Deku’s head off. WHO CARES ABOUT FUCKING TUTORING?

“I’ll text you what room I’m staying in.” You droned as they left the room and headed toward the cafeteria. Bakugo fumed as he walked behind the two of you, barely restraining the sparks threatening to fly from his palms. 

“Okay.” Deku fiddled with his hands. “You really do look exhausted, though, are you sure that--”

“I just had a rough night, okay?” You snapped uncharacteristically. Deku frowned, but dropped it. 

As you and Deku entered the cafeteria, Bakugo reached into his pocket for his phone. He needed to blast some music and drown out the world. But…he couldn’t find his phone. He checked all of his pockets, then in his bag…nothing. A vision of it sitting on the corner of his desk swam into view. “Dammit!” He snarled, turning on his heel to march back toward the classroom. You distracted him AGAIN.

As he approached the door, Bakugo heard voices inside of it and immediately grew wary. You, him, and Deku had been the last ones out of the room, leaving Aizawa by himself. Who had come back to talk with Eraserhead?

“...shut down completely,” a feminine voice was saying in a slightly hushed tone. Bakugo didn’t have to listen too hard to recognize it as Midnight. “Tsukauchi asked if he threatened her personally, and she denied it.”

Aizawa’s bored drawl came next. “It’s unlike you to listen through walls, Nemuri.”

“Well, I should have been.” Bakugo was surprised at the level of venom in Midnight’s voice. “To think I was right there, and I didn’t do anything…”

“What’s done is done.” Aizawa sighed. “We have to move on and focus on protecting (y/n) from here on out.”

Bakugo’s head was swimming. Did something happen? It certainly sounded that way…

“I can’t just move on, Aizawa. Did you hear what Seeker said during the debrief, when she was telling us everything about him that (y/n) had disclosed?” Bakugo clenched his fists --who was “he?” --and continued to listen intently. “Her relationship with this guy isn’t healthy at all. The leader of the League of Villains sent him purposefully because their relationship is so complicated.”

Bakugo felt his body go numb and he felt like he was suddenly floating, watching himself stand, frozen, outside the door frame. A relationship? A COMPLICATED relationship? With who? Who was this guy? Bakugo tried to think of who they could be talking about. Shigaraki? No…Midnight said the League of Villains ‘sent him in’ and Shigaraki was their leader. That didn’t make sense. Bakugo didn’t know any other guy that would make Midnight react with such vitriol. Then again, his brain didn’t seem to be working properly, either--it was stuttering like a rusty engine. What does it mean to have a complicated relationship?

Bakugo suddenly felt a very strong itch, an itch to go find you. Your blank expression swam in his vision as you avoided question after question. 

Midnight was still talking when Bakugo came back to reality. “--take shifts staying up during the night with her. We don’t know what will happen if he visits her again.”

Bakugo’s ears rang.

Visits her AGAIN?

He swept into the room without much thought, startling the teachers as they cut off their conversation abruptly. “Forgot my phone.” Bakugo snapped as he snatched it off the desk, “Bye.” He stomped out of the room, head whirling as he made his way toward the cafeteria again.

Who had visited you?

The rest of the afternoon was a blur. You never came back to class, so Bakugo couldn’t get any answers. His head felt like it was going to explode and he felt sick. When the bell rang for the end of the school day he gathered his things and sat on a bench in the lobby of the school, feeling on edge. He had no reason to stay, but the idea of leaving made him angry. He hated being confused like this. What the fuck was wrong with him? Half an hour went by and he just sat there, music blasting in his ears. Just go home, you damn idiot, he willed himself. It’s not that hard.

He couldn’t do it.

“All you all right, Kacchan?”

Bakugo wanted to explode. “What the fuck do you want, Deku?”

The smaller boy shrugged. “You just looked really upset.”

“I’m fucking fine.” Bakugo snarled. “What are you doing here after school, anyway?”

Deku turned to look behind him at the stairwell. “I was visiting (Y/n). She’s unpacking in her new room.”

Despite trying his best not to, Bakugo visibly perked up. “Where?”

“..The top floor…”

“Which room number?”

“You can’t get in, Kacchan.”

Bakugo stepped into Deku’s personal space, fuming. “The fuck do you mean?”

He put his hands up “They’ve surrounded the entire floor with cement and put new doors with security clearance, you have to scan your ID. I only got in because I texted her and she opened the door for me.”

Bakugo glanced at the phone in Deku’s hand, fighting the urge to snatch it away and hurl it against the wall. “Why is it surrounded like that?”

What had happened? Who was this guy, and why were they buckling down on your security?

“She said they wanted to give her more security.” Deku shrugged. He suddenly brightened. “But they did all of this in a single morning! They even got one of her friends, who’s a top support course student, to hook up some kitchen appliances to the gas, electrical, and water so she has a functional kitchen! There’s a bed in there and everything! She was excused from classes, so she’s been unpacking all afternoon--”

Bakugo’s head swam. 

His back hurt. You had slammed a club of your glowing power down onto it, and later that night slashed burning gashes across his shoulderblades. 

You were POWERFUL. What the hell was after you that made them put you behind U.A. security? And even after that security, add MORE security? From what Deku had said, Cementoss brought up new walls…but he had said it was the entire floor. Had they covered the windows , too?

“...clearly was a classroom before, but they took out the chalkboard and the desks. The only thing left is the counter along the wall with all the cupboards, and that’s a nice thing to keep since she’s using it for storage.” Deku had continued rambling, unfazed. “She has a lot more stuff than I thought she would--apparently Midnight took her shopping for stuff the first week she came to school. That was really nice of her. She got (Y/n) all sorts of kitchenware, decorations, lamps, bedding, that sort of stuff. The room is actually starting to feel kinda home--”

Bakugo wanted to shake him because WHO FUCKING CARES . “Shut the fuck up.” he interrupted, turning away and grabbing his backpack off of the bench, slinging it over his shoulder. “Gimme her number.”

Deku faltered. “W-what?”

“Her phone number, dumbass. Give it to me.”

Holding his phone to his chest as if to protect it, Deku took a step back. “I don’t have her permission to do that, though…maybe you can ask her tomorrow?”

Bakugo cursed under his breath, palms popping. He didn’t have time for this. “Then tell her that I’m coming up and she needs to open the door for me.”

Deku’s eyes widened. “What? But--”

“Just do it, okay?” Bakugo shoved past him, disappearing up the stairs, going three at a time before Deku could protest.

Shitty Deku.

Bakugo made it up to the top floor in no time, barely panting. Sure enough, there was a large concrete wall with a single door in the middle. He tried scanning his school ID, but like Deku had said, it was denied, so he stood back and waited for you impatiently.

You never came.

Bakugo ignored you for the rest of the week.

You got back into classes slowly, showing up little by little until you were back in the swing of things. You trained with everyone and performed at a mediocre level in class, but trained after school, in the evenings, and in the mornings with different mentors.

You woke up at 5am to train with Midnight. It was more like therapy, really. You met with Hound Dog on Monday evening but it all felt too official. You went on runs with Midnight while the sun was still peaking over the horizon, the two of you thinking of various ways to utilize your quirk in practical ways. When you got back to the training facilities, you put your theories to the test. 

You trained after school with Aizawa. He quickly learned that you were incredibly good at melee combat, especially once you learned to create small knives out of your power. “How long did you train with knives?” He asked you later on the first day.”

“For the last two years.” You had droned, making sure to keep your words separate from what your mind was thinking of. “Dabi got bored with hand-to-hand.”

Aizawa knew about your court confessional, where you admitted to have killed over twenty unknown people without your quirk--just with your knives. “I didn’t know who they were,” You had admitted. “Shigaraki wanted my flashy powers to assassinate important people, but once they felt I was in their complete control they started sending me to do stealth hits as well. Those people weren’t important to them, so I only knew their faces and their locations.” You had gone through a large list of unsolved murders, trying to identify any of the victims, but there had been no luck.

Aizawa caught you before you fell into any sort of flashback. “These aren’t knives,” He reminded you, “these are vestiges of your power. No one can force you to make them--you are in complete control of them. You control their very existence.”

You trained with various weapons and fighting tools, learning what was the easiest to create by directing and visualizing the vibrations.

In the evenings you trained with Toshinori on controlling your quirk. You would show him what you learned earlier in the day and he would watch you demonstrate, and you two would experiment with the limits of your quirk. You quickly discovered that your internal glow wasn’t just a side effect of losing control of your emotions--it happened whenever you reached a certain threshold of power in your quirk. The more powerfully you used it, the more you glowed, until the power covered your entire body like the signature suit of light you wore as Enigma.

“You shouldn’t be afraid to use your power if you’re able to control it and use it with caution.” Toshinori insisted. “I’ll talk to your friend, the one making your suit. We’ll figure out a way to eliminate the glow so that you don’t have to worry about public recognition.”

Within only a few days, fighting with your mentors left you feeling high. Dabi would have so much fun fighting you now. The rest of the League might scare you, but the idea of fighting with Dabi was almost exciting for the first time.

To the rest of the world, though, you were duller than gray. You held back your power to avoid reminding your classmates about your past--it was the best way to avoid questions. You HAD managed to have some conversations with your curious classmates about your past without having a complete mental breakdown, but you wouldn’t exactly call it a pleasant experience. You only had a few days to settle into your new ‘home’ before the sports festival began.

To an outsider it might have seemed as if you were doing okay, but you were just numb. For some reason, even though your class was by your side, trying to cheer you up and often pretending like nothing happened, you felt as if you had betrayed them. Lied to them. HURT them.

Izuku was constantly by your side, trying to cheer you up, and sometimes he earned a chuckle out of you but nothing more. Sometimes you felt Bakugo’s heated stare on the back of your head.

Before you knew it, class 1-A was sitting in their waiting room before the preliminaries of the sports festival. Everyone was chattering with excitement and you looked around the room lazily, pausing at the blackboard in the back of the room where the order of events was listed. There was a box of chalk on the desk nearby.

You tried to read the schedule but your vision was growing blurry. Your heart thundered in your ears.

“You can’t fall asleep on a concussion.” Dabi tsked, tossing something through the bars of your cell. You failed to catch it and it hit your face, causing you to splutter in surprise. “Everyone knows that.

You picked up the object, squinting through your pain in the darkness to see what it was. “...Chalk?” You asked hesitantly.

“Yeah.” Dabi waved his hand at you lazily. “Draw with it or whatever. Just don’t fall asleep. We have to keep you in working condition.” He leaned back in the chair against the wall, pulling out his phone. It lit up his face in the dim hallway. You could faintly see a small box on the floor next to the chair.

More chalk.

You smiled to yourself, scooting over to the wall. “Thanks, Dabi.” You whispered.

“If you wanna thank me, then try landing a hit on me during your training.” You could practically hear him rolling his eyes behind you. “It’s getting boring.”

You began drawing with the chalk, the brand-new piece sliding smoothly over the concrete. “I’ll do my best, I promise!”

Every day that you landed a hit on Dabi during training, he gave you another piece of chalk. The first time you made him bleed he gave you two. “Don’t ask for more,” he would say every time he handed it to you, your eyes shining with excitement, “or I’ll take them all away and break your fingers for good measure. You can’t hold chalk without fingers.”

“Thanks Dabi!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Someone snapped right in front of your face, pulling you abruptly back to reality. Bakugo was standing above you, scowling. You looked up at him in surprise. He hadn’t acknowledged your existence since Monday. “Don’t start freaking out now,” He lectured, his voice lower than you expected so that the rest of the class couldn’t hear. “I want to see you in the finals.”

You sighed. Of course he wanted to fight you again. You had to get him away from you. “Whatever.”

“You better do your best.” He jabbed his finger toward your chest. “I know you go easy on us in class. I don't wanna see that bullshit. ”

“Okay.” You said calmly, looking the other direction. You could still see Bakugo glaring at you.

“I know you've been training ever spare moment you've got, Glowstick.” He snapped, and your eyes widened slightly. You tried not to convey any other emotions but you couldn't help being surprised. He was actually paying attention to you?  "I don't want to see any of that half-assed bullshit. I know you’re scared of the League, but this is your opportunity to make them scared of you. Don't fucking waste it."

He folded his arms across his chest, turning to walk away from you but pausing halfway, turning back to look at you with an unnervingly serious look on his face. "Show them how much more dangerous you are now that you're free."

Chapter Text

An obstacle course.

You had barely paid attention most of the time, but right before the induction ceremony Mei had rushed down to the 1-A meeting room, huffing with a bag under her arm. “Mei!” You had said with surprise. The rest of your class quieted slightly, turning to look at you. You had been whispering or, at best, droning in a dull, low tone since the beginning of the week, but you sounded normal. 

The League had watched your funeral in order to know who your friends were. At the beginning of your time with them, they had threatened to kill her multiple times if you didn’t cooperate. Mei spent all of her time holed up in her workshop in the basement of the school. She had started sleeping in your room with you, being the first to get security clearance. She was covered by the same layers of security as you.

They already knew Mei was your friend. You couldn’t change that, so you didn’t try to. “What’s wrong?” You asked, eyeing the bag she was clutching tightly.

“I finished your suit!” Mei unzipped the bag quickly and pulled out a large white suit, shoving it into your hands. Your heart stumbled as you took it. Your suit? “Hurry, go put it on!”

You felt much more alert now, but you barely made it to the field in time for the induction, and you weren’t able to pay attention. You were too busy admiring your suit.

It was brilliant white lined with purple, a hood that came down over your eyebrows and a cowl to pull up over your nose. Mei had rattled off all of the perks of your suit as you changed, and you wanted to test some of them, but it would be a distraction. All of the cloth was breathable and you could project your vibrations out of any area without damaging the fabric. The suit was designed to help regulate your temperature and you could already tell--despite focusing your vibrations directly in front of you, feeling it in your core as well, you weren’t sweating bullets. The fabric was tight but flexible, and there were no extra parts that got in the way. At the joints of your knees and elbows Mei had put a harder substance, held there firmly through winding thin, hard lining through the rest of your arms and legs. It wasn’t long enough that it jutted into you, but it would make kneeing and elbowing people much more effective. 

You just followed the crowd until you were at the starting line of the first round, a daunting race ahead of you with countless threats. You could hear Bakugo gloating despite not having won yet, and Izuku stood next to you, bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Are you ready?” He asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” You shrugged, pulling up your cowl.

“Good luck, then!” Izuku smiled at you brightly, and you managed to return a small smile of your own.

“You too.”

The lights counted down, and you heard Midnight’s voice echo through the stadium. 

“START!”

You started running, but you quickly were overcome by a stampede. It’s not that you were slow, it’s that they were crushing anyone in their path. You immediately felt like you were suffocating. 

“Remember,” Aizawa had told you, “You can use your quirk. Don’t be afraid to do so. I’ll be able to see you and erase your power if need be, but I think you’re ready. You’ve figured out lots of new ways to use this power now that you understand it--put it to the test. Show people what you can do.

“It’s a competition, and you can fight for your own sake, this time.”

Your quirk flared brightly and the people around you flinched away with yells. You boosted forward, people making way for your blinding light. I’m fighting for myself, Aizawa, you thought. You no longer encased yourself in power, but you caused the air just in front of your chest to vibrate so intensely that it was like a miniature sun. You could feel the heat across your skin.

“Aaaand (Y/n) is taking off, using her quirk to blind people into moving out of her way!” You faintly heard Present Mic booming in the background. “Shoto and Bakugo are…”

You drowned him out, focusing on what was in front of you. ICE.

You ran on platforms from your feet in midair, easily creating them through the breathable fabric of your suit. Todoroki slid faster than you, but you weren’t deterred by his ice like everyone else. Except…

Bakugo went shooting by you. “Go faster!” He screamed at you before turning his attention to Todoroki. You rolled your eyes, but agreed. It was time to pick up the pace.

Bakugo was glad the race had started. Now he could focus on beating Icy-Hot rather than looking at you in your suit.

He hadn’t recognized you at first because your stance was so much more confident. He couldn’t deny that he already knew you had a nice body, but damn that suit was form fitting. He had to get angry at something to pretend he wasn’t blushing.

Once you pulled the cowl over your face, hood up, only your eyes visible, he was done.

You looked so fucking cool.

But he was neck and neck with Icy-Hot, now. They had crossed that baby-mode “The Fall”, which had the dumbest name, and he had caught up and made sure that bastard knew that he shouldn’t be worried about Deku. He should be worried about BAKUGO KATSUKI . 

The land-mines were exploding sporadically, and Bakugo could hear people catching up with him. He scowled, about to set off another round of blasts to propel himself forward when--

The entire minefield exploded.

He was thrown back, and he heard Icy-Hot grunt from nearby. He heard Deku yell from far behind him and other familiar voices like the class president, Glasses, were reeling, as well. Bakugo managed to right himself in midair, landing on his feet on the unstable ground. He lost his footing for a second, but no mines went off. 

He looked around wildly. The entire minefield was a mess of craters and unstable earth, dirt falling from the sky where it had been blown up only seconds before. A purple glowing blur caught his eye, and he knew immediately, a grin bursting across his face as he took off after you.

You had landed on the ground before the minefield in order to spread your vibrating glow in a barely-visible layer over the top of the dirt, pushing it all down at the same  time and increasing the friction so that the heat sent the explosions blasting. You barely got yourself in the air on time, but now you were multiple meters ahead, running on your quirked platforms above everyone else. Bakugo could see the purple lining of your suit glowing brightly, and even though you were facing away from him, he could tell your eyes were bursting with light, as well.

He remembered the videos of Enigma he had been watching during his free time, the bad cellphone videos and street-cam footage was always of a small person completely coated in glowing light. Bakugo knew that part of the reason that happened was because you hadn’t known how to control your power, but it also seemed to be something that happened the more you were using it. He had watched your training after school as Aizawa had you form your power into different shapes and weapons, fighting with you until you exerted more and more power, using your quirk in newer and better ways. As you started using more of your true potential, your entire body would slowly start to glow from the inside out. 

He had wondered how you were going to hide who you really were during the sports festival, where the whole world was watching. He should have known they would hide it inside your damn suit somehow.

He felt a wave of cold as ice swept the ground a few meters underneath him, Todoroki speeding by. Bakugo gritted his teeth and blasted off again. The three of you were neck-and-neck, and--

Izuku landed with a flailing stumble in front of all of you, much to your surprise. A sheet of metal from one of the giant robots clattered to the ground behind him. Given their reactions, you knew Todoroki and Bakugo were just as confused as you were.

“Aaaaand MIDORIYA takes the lead!” Present Mic continued his commentary dramatically. “(Y/n) took out much of the competition with her move to detonate all of the mines at once, but Midoriya braced for the impact and was blasted into the air with his metal shield! Its flat surface must have helped him gain direction in the air by leaning his body, because he managed to keep up with these top three until he landed, and now he’s beating them all by just a few meters!”

You heard Bakugo curse underneath you, and you grinned despite yourself underneath your cowl. You go, Izuku!

You were forced to get lower as the four of you entered the tunnel. It was hard to avoid Bakugo shooting wildly in the air, but you grew to realize that you didn’t have to move because he was in control of his trajectory. He wouldn’t hit you.

You pushed yourself to run faster, trying to catch up to Izuku, but the other two boys were taking over the tunnel, causing you to fall back. You could see the entrance into the stadium approaching quickly, and in a last ditch effort to get ahead, you lashed out your power and grabbed Todoroki and Bakugo around the waist, stopping them with a jarring jolt.

“Have you ever thought about creating a whip?” Midnight suggested, pulling out her own and cracking it in the air. “Your visual control over your abilities would give you incredible accuracy. You’ve become adept at controlling when your vibrations are solid and when they burn, right?” You nodded, and Midnight grinned. “Then you could even use it as a rope!”

You formed the tool in your hand, the glowing chord extending a few meters on the ground. Turning to the side, you lashed it toward one of the targets and it followed the path you plotted in your mind’s eye exactly, coiling itself around it like a snake so that you could yank it, pulling the target over with a grunt.

Midnight clapped excitedly. “See!” She beamed, giving you a giant thumbs up. “Now that you can control your vibrations and ensure when they’re solid and harmless, you can use them as tools! You could even create combos with other heroes and tools like gurneys to help with civilian rescue!” She picked your rope up from on the ground, tugging at it playfully. “Think of the possibilities, (Y/n)!”

Long ropes of your vibrating power shot out of both hands, coiling around the boys tightly and stopping them in their tracks. They got the wind knocked out of them, choking as you yanked them backward, using their momentum and leverage to propel you forward. For an extra boost you had the ropes shorten, acting like an elastic band that shot you between the boys like a slingshot. You hurtled past them head-first, landing in the grassy arena with a smooth roll, rising to your feet. Midoriya was already there, looking at you in excitement. “YOU DID IT, (Y/N)!” He shouted breathlessly, running over to give you a high-five.

Alarm bells rang in your ears.

YOU CAN’T ACKNOWLEDGE HIM.

You turned away from his excited gesture, watching Todoroki and Bakugo enter the stadium with furious expressions. You looked away, feeling bad, and they both made their way toward you, Bakugo stomping aggressively.

“That was a dirty move!” He shouted, pointing at you aggressively. 

Todoroki rolled his eyes. “It was a good move, (Y/n).” He told you calmly. “Congratulations.”

Your face flushed under your cowl and you looked away. “Oh, uh, thanks.”

“I didn’t say it was a bad move, you half-and-half bastard, I said it was dirty!” Bakugo seethed at Todoroki, and you raised your eyebrows. “You always are nagging me about how mean I am to people, and when I compliment someone you still aren’t satisfied! You piece of shit!”

You bit your lip between your teeth. ‘Dirty move’ was a compliment, huh? You were going to have to remember that.

The rest of the competitors were filing into the stadium, and you were happy to see many of your classmates finishing in the top 50 (though you tried your best not to show it).

“Oi, Glowstick.”

You glanced at Bakugo out of the corner of your eye. Dabi’s words rolled over in your head.

“Our intel said you were coming out of your shell, that you had… friends …”

You ignored him. Bakugo clearly didn’t take the hint and walked right up until he was directly in front of you. As you turned away, he followed you. “Oi!” He snapped. “What the fuck is your problem, hah?”

“Nothing.” You muttered.

Bakugo stomped after you. “Clearly, you have a problem!”

“Drop it, Bakugo.”

His eyes widened slightly at the finality of your tone and he stopped. You tried to keep going, but it was as if you were attached to him by a string. You stopped, too, refusing to look back at him. “I was just gonna say that you did a good job.” He said gruffly. A pang went through your chest at the clear vulnerability in his voice, which he tried to hide, but was evident in the way he had lowered it so no one else could hear. “These other extras aren’t shit.”

Your heart squeezed, but you ignored it, forcing your jaw to stay shut and swallowing all of the words you wished you could say as you simply nodded and continued to walk away.

He didn’t follow you.

Midnight announced the cavalry battle, and Bakugo listened to the rules intently…except a small, teeny-tiny portion of his mind was stuck on you. He could see you, dressed in all white, standing off to the side of the group.

It was hard to tell before, when Bakugo had been avoiding you , but there was no question about it now--you were avoiding him.

But not JUST him.

Bakugo thought it was strange how much you were pushing Deku away in the days leading up to the sports festival, but he tried not to think too much of it. Who would want to hang out with Deku, anyway? He didn’t blame you. But once he couldn’t help but talk to you again as the festival started…

You were DEFINITELY pushing him away.

He didn’t care, of course. Why would he care? It didn’t matter. You had no reason to talk to him. Any interaction the two of you had in the past was either by force or by pure coincidence. Or because Bakugo wanted to fight you. It was completely understandable that you didn’t want to talk to him, and that was fine because he didn’t want to talk to you, either.

He didn’t really know why he waited outside the door to the seventh floor for half an hour, waiting for you to let him in. That was just a fluke.

But something was nagging at him, something…something was wrong. It was something about the way you stopped walking when he did, the way your fists were clenched at your sides and your shoulders were scrunched up to your ears. Bakugo told you that you did a good job because it was an objective fact, and it was no big deal, but instead of continuing to ignore him and walk away like you had been, you just stood there. You stood, unmoving, for almost five seconds after he spoke until you finally gave a slight nod, continuing to walk away.

Bakugo remembered the first time meeting you, when you had tapped him on the shoulder and he snapped at you, and you had shot back, without a moment's hesitation, “Get your panties out of your ass, it’s just a question!”

As he watched your back retreat into the crowd of students, his chest felt tight and his fists clenched. He had seen you break down so many times, he knew you had been through so much, but when you weren’t breaking down, you had a smart mouth and quick wit.

Where had THAT (Y/n) gone?

Bakugo snapped back to reality as Midnight revealed that Deku had TEN MILLION FUCKING POINTS. It was honestly a fucking joke. When it was time to pick teams, he didn’t even look in your direction.

You wouldn’t say yes to him, anyway.

He pushed past how hard it was to walk away from you and went to gather his team.

You wandered, trying to find a team. Someone tapped on your shoulder. “(Y/n)?”

“Yeah?” You turned around.

You were falling.

You heard a grunt as you slammed into someone’s chest, their arms wrapping around you tightly as they skidded back.

Your head was spinning. It was loud. It was bright. Your body hurt--your side hurt, it burned so badly it knocked the wind out of you even further. You opened your eyes carefully and stared up into the face of the person who caught you. “...Izuku?”

He was staring down at you, wide eyed and breathless. “(Y/n),” He panted, “What were you doi-”

“(Y/N)!”

Midnight came running up to the two of you, and Izuku moved to set you down, but your knees immediately buckled and you collapsed. Midnight barely caught you before you hit the ground. “What happened?” She demanded.

“What…” Your voice was beginning to slur. You didn’t understand what was happening. “What’s going on?”

“You don’t know?” You heard Ururaka ask from somewhere nearby. Your side burned.

“We were…” You fought with your eyes closing. “picking teams…”

“She doesn’t remember any of it.” Midnight said from above you, picking you up.

Your eyes shut completely, your hearing being dunked underwater. You barely heard an unrecognizable voice, seeming frantic, yelling “I’m so sorry!”

Everything went dark.

Bakugo sat on top of his teammate’s shoulders, surveying his opponents. He frowned as his eyes fell on you underneath some guy he had never seen, standing next to the tail guy from class. He shrugged it off. You weren’t important right now.

The battle became a blur.

He was so preoccupied that until his horses stopped underneath him, he didn’t realize why the entire stadium had gasped, the battle for points stopping.

You were shooting into the air, your bright power bursting from the bottoms of your feet all the way to the ground, pushing you higher and higher. Todoroki barely got his bearings before you stopped in midair, letting the two of you freefall.

“What is she doing?” Bakugo heard Mina gasp from underneath him, and he nudged at them.

“Go.” he said more quietly than normal, his volume raising when they didn’t immediately listen. “GO!”

They took off toward where the two of you were tumbling through the sky.

Bakugo kept his eyes on you. Without your suit on, you would have been recognized as Enigma immediately--your eyes were glowing so much it was almost uncomfortable to look at, and you weren’t facing Bakugo at all. The purple lining on your suit was lit up brightly. Todoroki kept shooting ice at you, trying to grab you and cover your body with ice or even throw a punch at you, but it was no use. You grappled with him through the air like it was nothing, two sharp, glowing knives in your fists. Squinting, Todoroki only barely managed to dodge one of the bright blades slashing across his face. It cut across his palm instead, burning through the skin and cauterizing the wound immediately, just like you had done with Bakugo’s back.

But this didn’t seem purposeful.

“She’s attacking him!” Kirishima cried. 

“Get closer!” Bakugo snapped as he felt them beginning to slow.

Just as you were about to reel back and stab Todoroki again, a burst of fire from the edge of the stadium hit you, causing you to go tumbling through the air. Bakugo paled as you flailed, unmoving, through the air. Instead of slamming into the ground, you slammed into Deku’s arms, and Bakugo almost wasn’t mad about it. Todoroki managed to create a slide of ice to slow his fall, coming to a stop at the ground.

It had all happened so fast, Midnight was only just now approaching you, seemingly unconscious in Deku’s arms. No, you were awake--Deku’s face was etched with concern as he tried to put you down but you collapsed immediately, barely being caught by their teacher. 

Without thinking, Bakugo jumped down from his perch. As he landed someone ran by him, cursing, “Shit, shit, shit, shit--” Bakugo watched as the guy, who he recognized as having been riding on your shoulders at the beginning of the match, sprinted over to where you had clearly passed out in Midnight’s arms. Bakugo followed him quickly, ignoring the calls of his teammates. “I’m so sorry!” The guy was apologizing to Midnight, getting down on his knees into a bow. “I only wanted her to create a distraction, I didn’t think she would--”

“What do you mean?” Midnight asked quickly as Bakugo caught up, standing next to them and staring at you in horror. Your side was burned--badly on your arm, and he could tell you had a burn underneath your charred shirt, as well. An image popped into his mind-- him gently lifting up your shirt to see a large, painful-looking burn scar. It was on the same side.

The guy scrambled to explain, and Bakugo tore his eyes off of you to look at him. “My quirk, I was using it,” he explained, his forehead pressed to the pavement, “I wanted her to cause a distraction. My command was to ‘cause a distraction by attacking Todoroki.’ I didn’t think she would try and KILL him--I was just trying to get to Midoriya for the ten million points, I didn’t even realize what was happening until I heard the explosion--”

The image of you getting hit by a ball of fire was seared into Bakugo’s brain. He didn’t quite realize what he was doing until the guy's face was right in front of his, Bakugu’s fist curled into the front of his shirt. He snarled, “What the fuck is your quirk?”

The guy’s eyes were wide. “Brainwashing.” He replied miserably.

Bakugo wanted to snap him like a twig.

“You BRAINWASHED her?” He roared, shoving the guy back. He remembered his name from the scoreboard now-- Shinso . “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Bakugo felt his palms popping as he stepped into Shinso’s face, causing him to back up. “She could have killed him!”

“I didn’t mean for her to attack him that seriously!” Shinso snapped. “I just told you, I only wanted a distraction!”

“You motherf-” Bakugo lunged forward but was caught by the shoulder. 

“Kacchan!” Deku pleaded from his side. “Don’t, you’ll get in trouble! You’ll get disqualified!”

“GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME DEKU!”

“That’s enough, Bakugo.” Midnight’s stern voice said from behind him, and Bakugo considered stopping before he saw Todoroki to the side, multiple cauterized slashes on different parts of his body.

This bastard almost made you kill someone again.

He ripped out of Deku’s grasp, but before he could reach Shinso a pink gas erupted around them. They all crumpled to the floor.

When you woke up, the festival was over.

“Bakugo won.” Mei informed you, holding your hand as she sat on the edge of the bed. You were still in Recovery Girl’s medical ward. “He was pretty pissed that Todoroki wouldn’t fight him all-out, but it was still a pretty impressive feat. There were a lot of good fights.”

You nodded miserably. 

“You saw the video. Bakugo got really mad about it.”

You had seen the video, and it didn’t make sense. Bakugo had no reason to defend you. For some reason that made you feel even more miserable and Mei looked at you with concern. “(Y/n), Todoroki is fine , I promise. He said he’ll come visit you later.”

“He doesn’t have to do that.” You whispered. Mei’s phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out, scowling. 

“Dammit,” She hissed, shoving it back in her pocket and grabbing her bag. “I’m so sorry, I have to go. I’ll visit you later, okay?”

You shrugged and she kissed the top of your head. “Love you!” She rushed out of the room, and you were left alone. 

Recovery Girl would be there soon to go over your injuries.

Until then, you looked down at your phone, where the video of the cavalry battle played. The camera zoomed in on you struggling in midair, trying to murder Todoroki.

You wanted to thank Endeavor for shooting you out of the air. You didn’t blame him--you were attacking his son, after all. It wasn’t the first time he had burned you, anyway.

You thought back to Aizawa’s words about you being in control of these knives because they were vestiges of your own power, that you could control what you did. He hadn’t meant to, but he had lied.

Bakugo walked up to Recovery Girl’s open doorway, pausing before he turned inside. Why was he here? He had no real reason to talk to you. He might as well go home and celebrate his stupid-ass win with his parents. 

No, he needed to stop running away from this like a baby. You were avoiding him, and Bakugo overheard their teachers talking about something. You didn’t know what he overheard, and not only did Bakugo want answers, but you deserved to be aware of what he knew.

…But it was easier to deny all of that. It was easier to not care about you at all.

“...over multiple existing burn scars, is that correct?”

Bakugo leaned against the wall, heart pounding as he scolded himself. Why the fuck was he eavesdropping? But this was easier than going inside, and he couldn’t pull himself away. “Yes.” Your answering voice was so small, it made his chest hurt.

“They were pretty severe. The medical notes taken during your confession state that one is from Endeavor, right?”

Bakugo frowned. Endeavor had burned her while she was Enigma? He wondered how you felt about being burned by him again. “Yes,” You answered simply.

“And the second one is from a member from the League of Villains.”

“Yes.” You whispered. “Dabi.”

You said his voice so softly that Bakugo’s stomach clenched.

“He’s the one that visited you last weekend, correct?”

Bakugo felt as if he got whiplash. Dabi visited you last weekend. He was the one that visited you, the reason you moved into U.A..

“How do you know about that?” You asked.

“All of the faculty were informed.” Recovery Girl sighed. “In order to keep a lookout. Well? Was it the same person?”

You were silent for a minute before replying. “Yeah.”

“It’s quite a nasty burn,” She noted. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” You replied, “He didn’t usually do that.”

Bakugo clenched his fists. ‘He didn’t usually do that?’ 

“Yes, well,” The older woman’s voice grew fainter, and Bakugo realized she was walking to the other side of her bay. “He still did it, didn’t he?”

You didn’t reply.

“Stay here overnight,” She noted. “I sleep in this room over here, so just let me know if you need anything. Call loudly, I’m a rather hard sleeper. Get some rest.”

You didn’t respond. Bakugo heard a door close.

He clenched and unclenched his fists.

He heard you sniffle.

FUCK .

He turned and stormed into the medical bay without thinking, startling you. He stopped a few feet from your bed, unable to look away from your wide, red eyes. “B-bakugo?” You hiccuped. “What are you doing here?”

Bakugo didn’t have an answer ready, so he didn’t respond. But he was in too deep to back out now, so he slid onto the seat next to your bed, looking away from you with a scowl. Neither of you spoke for a while, but he could feel you staring at him apprehensively. “...Bakugo?” You asked again, voice small.

He HATED when your voice was small.

“Just go to sleep.” Bakugo snapped at you, much to your further confusion.

He would talk to you about it in the morning.

You looked around to see if anyone else had entered the room without your knowledge. He was alone? This was so strange. “Why? What are you here for?”

“It doesn’t matter.” He finally looked at you, and you could tell by the hardness of his expression that you weren’t going to change his mind. “I’ll stay up and make sure no one comes, okay? Get some rest.”

You knew, logically, that he didn’t know about Dabi. You hadn’t told any of the students, and only the faculty were informed. But it was like he knew that you weren’t going to sleep, terrified someone from the League of Villains would show up in the middle of the night.

But what if they were watching you? Bakugo would become a target if they thought you two were close. You couldn’t put him in that position.

“I’ll be fine.” You insisted.

“Just go to bed, for fuck’s sake.”

You tried hard to stay awake, not wanting to bother Bakugo any more, but you slowly drifted off to sleep. Despite being on his phone, Bakugo could tell you had finally drifted off by the rhythm of your breathing. He finally looked up at you.

You looked so peaceful. Anger swirled in his gut as his eyes moved over the bandages covering your arm and torso.

Whoever “Dabi” was, he had hurt you. He had been one of the people that tortured you. Bakugo (definitely) didn’t care what kind of relationship you had with him--he wasn’t going to let that motherfucker come near you again.

Not until you had recovered enough to kick his ass yourself.

Chapter Text

“-- KNOW WHAT YOU DID?”

You opened your eyes groggily, a whirlwind of muffled sounds overwhelming you all at once. You moved to hold your head in your hands and hissed at the painful tension in your skin.

That’s right. You had burns. You had been burned by Endeavor when you…

Your vision had barely adjusted to the light streaming through the windows when it started to blur, and you lost track of whether you were breathing in or out.

You had tried to kill someone again.

“KACCHAN, STOP!” Izuku’s voice pulled you out of whatever hole you were spiraling down and you suddenly could breathe again, looking wildly around the room. What you saw was enough to overwhelm you again.

Your eyes immediately snapped to Bakugo, who was lunging, desperately trying to rip himself out of Izuku’s grasp. The smaller boy had his arms wrapped around Bakugo’s shoulders and was keeping him back with all his might. “YOU PIECE OF SHIT!” Bakugo was seething. You looked where his rage was being spat and frowned, heart thundering as your eyes landed on Todoroki, covered in bandages and standing defensively a few meters away. What…

It was only then that you noticed someone on the ground behind Todoroki, holding their face in their hands. “Bakugo, STOP.” Todoroki said firmly. “You already hit him once and that’s enough to get you in trouble. Recovery Girl should be back soo--”

“I don’t give a damn, Icy Hot!” Bakugo snapped, trying to forcibly pry Izuku’s hands off of him. “Let GO of me, Deku!”

Izuku looked at the back of his head with determination as if Bakugo could see the steel in his gaze. “No!” He declared. “You’ll get in trouble if you hurt him any more, and it’s not right! He was coming to apologize!”

Everything was going so fast. Apologize? Who was…

Your eyes found their way back to the person sitting on the ground and you felt yourself gasp, stretching the burnt skin on your arm to put your hands in front of your mouth.

It was HIM.

He was getting to his feet, and you could see him clearly now--the one who caused you to hurt Todoroki. He was slender with wild, purple hair, and you distinctly remember him from the YouTube clip you had watched of the incident last night.

You had watched it over,

And over,

And over,

And over,

And over,

And--

His eyes met yours and immediately widened. “(L/n),” He said without thinking, but no one seemed to hear him but you. The scuffling and arguing between the other boys was too loud. Shinsou, you remembered his name, kept looking at you with a strange look on his face--a cross between pity and guilt. Face flushed and chest tight, you looked down at your bed sheets, clenching them in your hands.

“What on earth is going on in here?” Recovery Girl’s stern voice wafted into the room, and you had never been more relieved to see the old woman. She took in the situation before her and sighed. “Bakugo, did you harm Shinsou?”

“YES.” Bakugo snarled. You cringed.

“He only came here to apologize to (y/n) before the meeting!” Izuku defended.

Meeting?

“She just woke up.”  Todoroki nodded to you.

“Oh, poor girl,” She rushed over to you. “I’m so sorry I left, I had no idea they would disturb you like this--”

“It’s okay.” You murmured, your voice hoarse. The room had become very quiet as Bakugo froze, looking over at you with an unsettling expression.

Recovery Girl peeled back one of the bandages on your abdomen and looked at the burn, nodding to herself before putting it back. “I’ll leave this alone so you can attend the meeting, and afterwards I’ll heal you again so you can sleep and recover.”

You cleared your throat slightly. “What…what meeting?”

“About what happened.” Todoroki stepped in. “We can take you there, it’s not far. Can you walk?”

“Yes.” You replied immediately, scooting off the bed and setting your feet on the ground. You were immediately unsteady, so Bakugo and Izuku both stepped forward to help you, the two of them bumping shoulders. The subsequent glare Bakugo gave Izuku was enough to make you pause nervously, but Recovery Girl rested a hand on your uninjured arm comfortingly. 

“Why don’t you two help her get there.” She agreed with Todoroki, leading you forward until he could grab your uninjured arm with his own. You worked up the courage to look at him and immediately regretted it--his other hand was wrapped in a bandage, just like his shoulder, and you could see more bandages peeking out from under his shirt above his waistline. You blanched, looking away quickly. On the other side of Todoroki, Shinsou looked away from you, a similar look on his face.

Todoroki had a firm grip on your forearm, providing balance as your legs wobbled. You were strong enough to stand but every step felt like the ground was swaying. Your burns made you light-headed.

“Do you need a wheelchair?” Recovery Girl asked gently, but you replied quickly.

“No. I’m fine.”

“He’s going to fucking drop her,” You heard Bakugo hiss from behind you with an unnecessary amount of venom. “He’s still recovering, too!”

“I’m fine.” Todoroki replied coolly, and you hung your head in shame.

How could he stand looking at you after what you did? Much less TOUCH you? Much less HELP you?

“If you’re so worried,” Recovery Girl’s voice was clipped, “I suppose Shinsou could help her--”

“Hell no!” Bakugo snarled before she could finish, and you didn’t have to look to know Izuku was moving to intervene.

“Kacchan,” He pleaded. “It’s not your decision. Let it go.”

“I’ll fucking take her there myself--”

“We’ve been over this, Bakugo.” Recovery Girl was more stern than you had ever heard her. “You cannot go to this meeting. Your parents have been waiting for you in the lobby for hours. It’s time for you to go.”

Your head swirled.

They’d been waiting for HOURS?

“(Y/n) will be okay, Kacchan.” Izuku said gently.

Silence.

“...I don’t give a shit.” Bakugo growled after an uncomfortably long pause. You barely registered his footsteps moving toward you and you tried to move out of the way, creating a path between you and your bed, but Todoroki stood firmly and didn’t seem to get the memo. You held your breath and braced yourself for impact, expecting him to check your shoulder as he passed and cause a wave of pain to roll through your body, but nothing came. Bakugo didn’t slow down, but he slipped between you and the bed in a way that was almost cautious. You watched as his back retreated, shoulders hunched, but he stopped at the door and threw a murderous glare over his shoulder to Shinsou, who shrinked back under the weight of his stare. “Fuck you.” Bakugo snarled.

Then he was gone.

Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief while Recovery Girl started switching out the sheets on your bed, not bothering to look over as she said, “You three should get going, you’ll be late at this rate.”

You felt Todoroki nod beside you and gently tug on your arm. You let yourself get dragged along, trying your best to not rely on him too much. He shouldn’t be helping you at all. You didn’t deserve it.

“Hey, (y/n),” You pushed through the tightness in your chest to look up at Izuku, who had walked up next to you after they left the room. “I can’t be in the meeting, but I’m still here for you, okay?” He offered you one of those genuine smiles that made you want to smile back…until you remembered.

THEY’RE ALWAYS WATCHING .

“Thanks.” You said quietly, keeping your eyes forward and face neutral. “I’ll be fine. See you on Monday.”

Your heart twisted at the way his face fell, clearly worried, but there was nothing he could do now.

You had to keep him safe.

You already had been stupid enough, WEAK enough, to let Bakugo (seemingly) watch over you as you slept. You were so angry at yourself that the strangeness of the gesture barely registered.

The U.A. hallways were quiet, and as Izuku bid the three of you goodbye, turning toward the lobby, Todoroki continued to lead you the other direction toward the offices.

It was silent except for the shuffling of footsteps. The awkwardness was so thick it was nauseating.

“Um…(y/n)...”

You looked up instinctively, glancing across Todoroki to see Shinsou looking at you wearily, that same strange look in his eyes. “I, uh…” He cleared his throat, looking back down at his feet. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. It was really shitty of me to use you and others for that game. Even if it hadn’t turned out badly, I shouldn’t have done it. My recklessness and selfishness caused you to do something you didn’t want to and hurt someone, and I’m…” He took a deep breath to smooth out his voice, which had begun to shake slightly. “I’m REALLY sorry.”

You felt for him. You could tell he had practiced the apology, but it didn’t feel fake. It felt like an apology from someone who was so anxious to give it, they practiced it a hundred times.

“It’s okay.” You replied quietly, trying to make your voice as upbeat as possible. “Most people wouldn’t have reacted that way to your quirk, so it’s not exactly your fault.”

They walked quietly for a few moments, and Todoroki broke the silence by addressing you quietly. “Principal Nezu and Aizawa told him about you.”

You would have stopped in your tracks if it weren’t for Todoroki’s grip keeping you going. “...What?” You whispered.

“They had to,” Todoroki explained, his voice still monotone but softened, as if he knew the news would hit you like a slap to the face. “They told Shinsou and my father, since they were involved in the situation.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I promise!” Shinsou said quickly, and it’s not that you didn’t believe him, it’s that you were beginning to understand that your past was NEVER going to go away. It was suffocating.
“It’s okay, (y/n). We’re here.” Todoroki turned and stopped at a doorway, reaching to open it. You instinctively pulled back, causing him to pause, and you could feel his eyes turn and zone in on your face as you kept your vision glued to your shoes. “What’s wrong?”

You fought back your tears but lost almost immediately, feeling the first traitorous drop slide down your cheek. “Todoroki, I…” You stopped, struggling to get air back in your lungs as the world closed in around you. “I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it.” Todoroki’s voice was insistent, and the bluntness of it seemed to pull you back to reality, if only slightly. It reminded you of something. You pulled your arm away from him to wipe your eyes, sniffing and blinking quickly. “I’m not upset. It wasn’t your fault.” He continued, gently grabbing your arm again. “I only need one more session with Recovery Girl and my wounds will be completely healed. It’s not a big deal.”

It IS, though.

You tried to KILL him.

You had been seconds away from—

The door in front of you opened and the three of you looked up, both you and Shinsou trying to compose yourselves quickly. Midnight gasped and rushed forward, carefully taking you from Todoroki and bringing you into the room.

“Oh honey, it’s okay,” She murmured in your ear as she led you forward. You didn’t have to look up from the floor to recognize Principal Nezu’s office—the signature smell of tea and freshly cut paper alerting you immediately. “We’re all here for you. We’ve got your back. No more beating yourself up, okay?”

You resisted the urge to let out a small sob and simply nodded, hoping the small motion would placate her before she said something that would make you completely weep. She sat you down in a chair before settling in her own next to you, and on your other side, a different feminine hand reached out to rest comfortingly (but firmly) on your uninjured arm. Seeker.

“Is this everyone?” Principal Nezu asked in his usual cheery tone, which grated on your nerves.

“I believe so.” Aizawa replied from somewhere on the other side of Midnight.

“Excellent.” You heard Nezu sit down before continuing. “As I’m sure you all know, we’re here to discuss a few specific topics. The first of which being Shinsou and (y/n)’s attendance in this institution and possible consequences from yesterday’s incident. Afterwards, we must address how we will approach the media regarding the unfortunate situation and the aftermath.” Nezu sighed. “Due to the sensitive nature of (y/n)‘s past and for the safety of the students, it is best that we avoid mentioning it completely.”

Media. How could you forget? The festival was on NATIONAL TELEVISION.

The entire world saw you.

“We are grateful that the Todoroki family will not be pressing charges against (y/n) or Shinsou,” the Principal continued, “And that both Shinsou and the Todoroki’s seem to understand (y/n)’s situation and have agreed to help keep it under wraps. Let’s discuss how to proceed.”

You felt Seeker nod beside you before taking over the conversation. “I take it that you two boys know about my quirk, correct?” She asked Todoroki and Shinsou, who hummed in agreement. “Good. I’m going to ask you a few questions. Firstly, do you feel unsafe or at all uncomfortable in (y/n)’s presence after the incident?”

“No.” Shinsou replied.

“No.” Todoroki said simply.

You bit the inside of your cheek. Seeker was looking at them, so it wasn’t a lie. But it was still wrong.

They were wrong.

“Do you have any animosity toward (y/n)?”

“No.”

“No.”

This continued for a few minutes, each question pounding a painful nail further into your skull. “Will you feel unsafe if (y/n) continues her schooling here? Are there any accommodations you would like to request as a result of this incident? Have you been coerced into your words and actions in the aforementioned incident up until the present moment? Are you satisfied with how U.A. officials have handled the aftermath of this incident? Do you feel that this incident could have been prevented with better oversight from staff? Do you want to continue your education at U.A., and if so, do you want to do so in the same class as (y/n)? How--”

You put your hands over your ears, squeezing your eyes shut.

It was too much.

You felt Midnight’s hand on your back, and you could feel her talking next to you.

The questions were over.

“--already established that U.A. is the safest place for (y/n), so I am firmly against her leaving.” Midnight was saying without any room for argument.

“I understand that.” Tsukauchi’s voice floated from someone on the other side of the room. “But you must understand that there have to be consequences. Even if they can’t know the complete truth, the public needs to know that Shinsou and (y/n) received proper punishment.”

You had raised your eyes slightly to look over at the detective, who was sitting next to Toshinori, and a few seats over sat Shinsou with a raised hand. “You can speak freely, Shinsou,” Toshinori reminded him gently. “This isn’t a classroom.”

Shinsou blinked. “Right. Well,” He grasped his hands in front of him on the table, squeezing them together as if to force all of his emotion into one part of his body. The rest of him, including his expression and his voice, were calm. “I don’t think (y/n) should face any of these consequences. Her past experiences clearly aren’t her fault, and she wasn’t in control of herself. It’s ridiculous to punish her for something she never chose or wanted to do. I’m the one who made that decision and I’m the one who should pay for it.”

You shook your head softly, which was noticed by Seeker. “(Y/n)? Do you disagree?” She asked, and you felt the second your eyes locked on to you. Her quirk activated.

“Yes.” Your voice was hoarse from lack of use and you cleared your throat. You didn’t have to reply any further--she had asked a yes-or-no question.

“Please tell us why.”

Damn it.

“For any other student in a hero course, being given instructions to ‘attack someone in order to distract people’ would be interpreted as non-lethal.” The words were ripped out of your mouth and you hated it. You were grateful for Seeker’s quirk and how it gave you legal protection in situations like this, but you also hated it sometimes. “Shinsou had no way to know I would react like that. I’m the one that hurt Todoroki. I’ll face the consequences.”

“But what happened to you wasn’t your fault, (y/n).” Todoroki spoke up, and you gripped the edge of the table. “The command meant something different to you, but that wasn’t your fault. You need time to adjust and revert your instincts back to what they used to be, if that’s even possible.”

Before you could reply of your own volition to remind Todoroki that you had tried to kill him , Nezu spoke up. “All three of you spoke kernels of truth, which is why I believe the best decision is to have Shinsou and (y/n) share a punishment.”

You looked up at the principal, and you saw Shinsou do the same. “But--” You began.

“That’s not--” Shinsou leaned forward, but you were both cut off.

“I understand your convictions, but please listen to my reasoning.” Nezu said patiently. “The public won’t be satisfied unless a certain level of punishment is dished out. They witnessed a student brainwash another student into accidentally trying to murder a third student. Even if it was a giant accident, they want accountability. Unfortunately, unless you or Shinsou are willing to enter the foster-care system, you can’t leave U.A., and you’re legally required to attend school. Because the school acts as guardian for both of you, it is our responsibility to see that you are okay.”

You glanced over at Shinsou in surprise. U.A. was his guardian, too? You brushed the thought into the back of your mind before you could wonder too much about it, focusing again.

“I have a proposal.” Aizawa drawled, and Nezu nodded for him to continue. “Clearly, we can write this off as both of you not having proper control of your quirks. It’s easier for Shinsou, but we’ll figure out a way to do it for (y/n). It’s a stretch, but it’s slightly true that she is still learning how to control the damage and intensity of her quirk. We can claim that the lethal nature of the attacks was just due to her lack of innate control, and that if she had better control it would have just been a flurry of punches.” He looked at you out of the corner of his eyes, still wrapped head-to-toe in bandages. “Thankfully, you used daggers, and your movements were similar enough to simple hand-to-hand combat that it will pass. Your eyes and power were glowing bright enough to obscure any details.”

“It’s a lie though.” You whispered.

“Technically, it’s not.” Seeker assured you. “You ARE still learning to control the damage and intensity of your quirk. If we state that, and then state in a separate sentence that your actions were due to a lack of control, it’s not lying. The lack of control comment is just in reference to the brainwashing, disguised as being in reference to your quirk. It would pass the media truth-seekers.”

Truth-seekers. People in the media with similar quirks to Seeker who used their quirks to verify public statements and information from interviewees. Of course they would be there.

“Okay, so, (y/n) and I both need to be punished in order to stay at the school.” Shinsou clarified, unconvinced.

Midnight nodded from beside you. “If all of the punishment fell onto one of you, it would be more severe. This way it can be less intense, and Eraserhead had an idea.”

“Yes, I did,” Aizawa continued, only slightly annoyed at the interruption. “(Y/n) already does this to a certain extent, but we could make it a priority for both of you to meet with me daily for extra training. It would be beneficial for both of you--(y/n), since you are genuinely learning to better master your quirk, and Shinsou, since you want to be transferred to the hero course. We’d advertise the punishment as a productive detention of sorts, forcing you to spend more time here, in school, training to prevent further incidents.”

“It would show that we’re being proactive in trying to prevent similar incidents in the future, as well as keeping an eye on the two of you. There are also many people who are sympathetic to both of you, since the understanding of Shinsou’s quirk is known and it’s clear to most people that it was an accident. Providing a punishment that is productive for the two of you will help the public response, as well.”

Tsukauchi sighed heavily. “There will be accusations of the school being too lenient, as well,” He reminded everyone, “ESPECIALLY if U.A. 's guardianship of the two of you gets leaked. Do we have a plan to address that?”

“There’s everything we said before, about the punishment being proactive and productive, but a public statement from the Todoroki’s would help.” Toshinori said from beside him, looking up and across the table. “What do you think, Enji?”

Your blood ran cold.

…Enji?

“You want me to make a statement?” Endeavor’s voice was low and you could feel yourself tensing more and more with each second. “To say what, exactly?”

You hadn’t seen him yet.

“That you understand the situation was an accident and know that neither student is a true threat,” Midnight suggested, “Shoto could speak on it, as well, mentioning that he has no animosity.”

You couldn’t face him. Not after what you did--after everything you’d done--

“Forgive me, but I’m already a bit mortified that I wasn’t notified about (y/n)’s attendance at U.A.” Endeavor replied, and unlike everyone else, there was nothing but coldness in his voice . Your breathing became more and more uneven. “As someone involved in her case, I’m disappointed I did not receive a complete copy of her verdict and court order, and as a parent I am unnerved that such a dangerous person was put in the same class as my son.”

“Involved in her case?” You heard Todoroki say from across the table. “What are you talking about?”

Endeavor ignored his son and kept talking. “I understand (y/n)’s situation, both then and now, but her intentions aren’t what makes her a threat. Her quirk and skills are. The fact that I was not notified--”

“You were in no place to have details on (y/n)’s care plan.” Seeker interrupted coldly, and you wanted to shrink into a tiny ball. Seeker rarely let her voice be anything but calm. “You may have been a key witness and character in (y/n)’s testimony, but you weren’t selected to be a part of her care committee. The details of her life going forward were up to our discretion and we agreed, as did the court, that it was best for as little people to know as possible. That decision was for the sake of (y/n)’s safety and the safety of the rest of the student body, including your son.”

“Dad,” Todoroki said more urgently. “How were you involved in this case?”

No, no, no, no, no--

“(Y/n) tried to kill me while under the control of the villains.” Endeavor said coldly, and it hit you like an ice shower. You choked on nothing and crumbled in on yourself, struggling to breathe. “She failed.”

You vaguely felt Midnight shift beside you. “ Please , have some tact--she’s right here!”

His voice drove you to spiral deeper . “I’m simply stating the truth.”

“As she stated in her testimony, Endeavor, under the influence of MY quirk, she purposefully let you live.” You had never heard Seeker’s voice with this much venom. Something was wrong. You felt sick. “She had to make it look like she tried as hard as she could to kill you in order to survive, but she still prioritized keeping you alive. As a result, she was badly burned by you, then by a member of the League, beaten by their leader, withheld proper treatment for her injuries and nearly fell into a coma as a result. Her younger sister, who they used to blackmail her, was purposefully injured in order to encourage (y/n) to be successful next time.”

You heard Shinsou whisper a curse, but Todoroki just stared at you. You tried to curl further into a ball in your chair, hyperventilating. Midnight’s hand carefully rested on your back, and after seeing that you didn’t react negatively to the touch she began rubbing your back comfortingly. You could feel her looming over you, but it didn’t feel intimidating. It was as if she was trying to shield you from the words.

“I understand that.” Endeavor gritted his teeth. “But she is still a threat!"

“I will give the statement by myself, then.”

Your wheezing breath got caught in your throat, eyes opening. Your head swiveled along with everyone else’s to look at Todoroki, who was glaring at his father. “He shouldn’t talk to the media if he’s going to be like this.” He continued.

Your head was swirling.

What was WRONG with him? Endeavor was right, OF COURSE he was right--why couldn’t Todoroki see that? He was the one still covered in bandages!

There was a tense silence before Endeavor broke it. “Shoto--” He seemed to be grimacing, but you couldn’t bear to look up and check.

“Where else is she going to go?” Todoroki interrupted him. “Are you going to create more distrust from civilians and play right into the League’s hands? You’re not going to let her try and change?”

Endeavor was silent. 

“I will talk to Endeavor individually,” Nezu suggested. “I think we have our answers. Meeting dismissed. If someone could make sure (y/n) gets back to Recovery Girl, that would be much appreciated.

“Come on, (y/n),” Midnight whispered, helping you up gently. You were even less stable than before, not even able to stand on sturdy legs. “Let’s get you back to the med bay.”

You numbly let her lead you into the hallway, still panting. “Do you need water?” Midnight asked, and you nodded slightly. “Okay, sit here.” She settled you onto a nearby bench. “I’ll go grab some from the teacher’s lounge.”

You nodded again despite the fact that she had already turned her back, rushing off.

It was all your fault.

“--don’t understand why you’re suddenly pretending to care.”

Todoroki’s voice trailed out of Nezu’s office, and as much as you tried to shut it out, you couldn’t. Endeavor’s voice made you flinch.

“I’m not pretending. I do care about you.”

“You care about me carrying on your legacy. You don’t care about me as a person.”

“Shoto--”

“I’m coming here to try and become my own person, apart from you. (Y/n) is trying to reinvent herself, too. I know she’s dangerous, but I’m willing to risk that. Being a hero is dangerous.”

You’re the reason it’s dangerous.

“You aren’t a hero yet, Shoto.”

“Keeping her here will help keep her safe. Isn’t saving people what makes a hero?”

Stop.

STOP.

You forced yourself to stand up. You had to get away. You held your hand up against the wall for support, stumbling and nearly tripping over yourself. Your burns screamed.

You couldn’t bear to hear him defend you any longer.

You eventually turned a corner, trudging down a new hallway. You couldn’t see properly, and you couldn’t feel yourself breathing. Were you breathing?

You faintly felt pain in your limbs. You must have collapsed.

You didn’t fight it.

Your head throbbed as your vision faded.

You didn’t want to think anymore.

Bakugo paced back and forth in the U.A. lobby. After much yelling, his parents had finally agreed to go home without him, but Mitsuki had made it very clear that he wasn’t going to get a ride from them.

Whatever.

He forced himself to sit down on a bench. If he didn’t park himself somewhere he was going to wander toward Nezu’s office, and he didn’t need that. All he wanted was to know if that creepy purple-haired bastard got expelled.

That’s all.

His phone rang in his pocket and he fished it out angrily. What did the old hag want now? He answered and barked, “What?”

“Kacchan, it’s Izuku. Are you still here? It’s important.”

“I’m not doing you any favors.” Bakugo snarled, pulling away to hang up.

“It’s about (y/n)!”

Bakugo froze. “...what?”

“I just found her passed out in the hallway across from Present Mic’s room. She hit her head and she’s bleeding, and she won’t wake up. I’ve tried to--”

Bakugo didn’t continue listening. He didn’t even hang up. He just bolted from his seat straight into a sprint, getting there in less than 30 seconds.

Sure enough, there you were, laying in a small pool of blood on the floor. Deku’s arms were under your shoulders as if he was about to lift you up. “STOP!” Bakugo roared as he skidded to a stop next to them, already on his knees. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Y-you’re supposed to elevate the head when--”

“Not in THIS situation, stupid fucking Deku!” Bakugo reached over top of you and shoved Deku backward. Bakugo scampered around to sit at your head, kneeling and holding the sides of your head with both hands. “She’s bleeding AND unconscious, we have to make sure her head and neck are stabilized.”

“R-Right-” Deku paled. “If someone is unconscious and bleeding, you need to treat it like you would a possible spinal injury.”

“Yeah, yeah, recite your notes later!” Bakugo hissed. “Go find someone!”

Deku took a few seconds too long to move, and Bakugo glanced up at him with bared teeth. “GO!”

Deku scampered off without another word, and Bakugo turned his attention back to you. He couldn’t tap your cheek or brush your hair away from the wound on your temple, but blood still trickled down from the wound over his hand. “Fuck,” He muttered, “Glowstick, can you hear me?”

You didn’t respond, of course. Bakugo grit his teeth and glanced down at the blood on the floor. The wound wasn’t severe compared to other things hero students typically had to endure--Recovery Girl would be able to patch you up quickly and easily.

For some reason that wasn’t making Bakugo feel any better.

“(Y/n)!” Midnight’s familiar voice echoed along with her footsteps down the hallway. Bakugo could hear Deku following behind her. She reached you quickly, kneeling on the ground next to Bakugo, who pretended not to notice her curse under her breath. “I only left to get her a glass of water,” Midnight reached up to her earpiece and turned on her voice channel. “I need Recovery Girl in Hall F immediately. (Y/n) has fallen and hit her head. She’s bleeding from the temple and is unconscious.”

Bakugo stared down at you as if you could see his glare. “She ran off while you were trying to get her some water?”

“Yeah.” Midnight sighed, checking your pulse. “She must be pretty overwhelmed from the meeting. I shouldn’t have left her alone.”

“I was talking to Todoroki before I found her laying here,” Deku’s voice was small. “He was pretty upset. From what he said, it seems like Endeavor is pretty mad at (Y/n).”

Bakugo’s stomach turned. 

The meeting had gone badly, then.

“What’s going to happen to her?” He asked without thinking.

“Hm?” Midnight took a second to register his question. “Oh, (Y/n)? She’ll be fine. She definitely didn’t need another injury on top of everything else, but it’s nothing Recovery Girl can’t fix.”

Bakugo clenched his jaw.

That’s not what I meant.

Footsteps came running around the corner. “Get the gurney ready.” Recovery Girl ordered. “You can let go, now.”

Bakugo continued staring off into space, gritting his teeth, until a firm but gentle hand rested on his shoulder. “Young Bakugo,” All Might said kindly, “It’s time for you to let go. You’ve done a great job. Recovery Girl and the other staff can take it from here.”

Bakugo let Midnight take over his position holding your head steady. She, All Might, Present Mic, and Hound Dog lifted you onto the gurney, securing your head before pushing you away. All Might stayed behind with the two boys and the three of them watched you turn the corner and out of sight.

“Is something on your mind?” All Might asked, and Bakugo pulled himself back into reality. “You seem unlike yourself.”

“I’m fine.” Bakugo muttered, folding his arms. “I spent the night here after the sports festival and haven’t gone home yet, so I’m just tired, that’s all.”

All Might nodded. Bakugo was turned away from him so he didn’t see the twinkle in the hero’s eyes. “Why don’t you head home and get some rest, then.”

“My mom is coming to pick me up,” Deku mentioned tentatively. “We can give you a ride home.”

“I don’t need your fucking charity.” Bakugo snapped, with less venom than normal. He turned around to walk away, but he couldn’t take a step. “...Where will (Y/n) go now?” He asked. The question was like an incessant itch at the back of his mind.

“She won’t be going anywhere.” All Might sighed. “She’ll be staying upstairs, like she was before.”

A weight lifted from Bakugo’s chest. Good.

Not that he cared that much, but he was still a decent person, so it was natural to feel relieved that you weren’t going to prison. You had already gone through so much, after all.

“Go home, Young Bakugo.” All Might repeated gently. “You’ll need to be here bright and early tomorrow morning.”

Bakugo nodded and turned around, trudging away. He trudged for nearly an hour all the way home.

It wasn’t until his mother demanded to know what happened that Bakugo realized his hand was still covered with your blood.

Chapter Text

“She’ll be back tomorrow.”

Bakugo gritted his teeth. What a load of bullshit.

It had been a week since the sports festival, and you hadn’t shown your face ONCE.

Not that he cared.

Other people did, though. “Excuse me, sensei?” Deku had asked, raising his hand politely. “Do you know how (y/n) is doing? She hasn’t been responding to me, and she was supposed to return last we-” 

“She is physically recovering very well.” Aizawa cut him off, looking through some papers. “But she is resisting coming back to class. The school staff are dealing with it. You don’t need to get involved unless we ask otherwise.”

Bakugo scowled as he practically felt Deku perk up behind him. “So, can we maybe go see her?” The school day had barely begun and the nerd was already getting on his damn nerves. 

“We will come to you if you can help.” Aizawa repeated impatiently. “Can I start class now?”

“Yes, sir.” Deku replied sheepishly, earning a few chuckles from around the classroom.

“Alright,” Aizawa stood up straight, turning on the projector to show his powerpoint. “Today we’re going to be talking about hostage situations and negotiations.”

The class passed in a blur, and the bell rang for lunch just as Aizawa finished his powerpoint. As the class began bustling around getting ready to leave, Aizawa called over, “Bakugo, can I see you for a moment?”

Bakugo threw his bag over his shoulder and walked over to the teacher’s desk reluctantly. “What?”

Aizawa handed him a folder. “I need you to deliver this to (y/n) after school today. It’s her homework for this weekend. Hopefully seeing a friendly face who doesn’t tiptoe around her like she’s made of glass will help shake her out of the funk she’s in, and she’ll do the work and be in class on Monday.”

“Why don’t you get Deku to do it?” He muttered, taking the folder anyway.

“He is.” Aizawa replied simply. “He was the one who suggested I give something to you, too.”

Bakugo fought the urge to throw the folder back at his teacher because he didn’t want Deku’s charity. “She doesn’t want to see me.”

“You don’t know that until you try.” Aizawa slung his bag over his shoulder. “She needs those papers by tonight so she has the weekend to look them over. Your school ID has been given clearance to enter the top floor.”

With that, Aizawa walked away, checking that Bakugo hadn’t followed him out of the room before pulling out his phone.

AIZAWA: Midoriya Izuku seemed to agree with you, so I gave Bakugo some papers to give to (y/n). I’m blaming you if things go badly.

NEMURI: Don’t worry, he’ll shake her out of her funk in no time!

AIZAWA: I think we may be speaking about different students.

Bakugo grumbled, shoving the folder in his backpack and trudging out of the room.

The day ended, and Bakugo made sure the hallways were empty before making his way up the stairs, all the way to the secure floor. He scanned his ID, and the soundless sensor blinked a green light to signify the door had unlocked. He opened it, huffing as he was about to turn the corner down the hallway, but stopped short when he heard voices.

“...know you can always talk to me, right? You don’t need to worry about my reaction, I promise I’ll be here for you!”

Bakugo’s entire body tensed as if he were turned to stone, frozen. The voices were a bit distant, so they were probably a few doors down in the hallway, but the door was open and the eerily silent building made voices carry.

“I know that, Izuku.” Your monotone voice was much quieter. Bakugo had to strain to hear it. “And thank you. I just need some space right now, okay?”

Bakugo rolled his eyes as he practically heard Deku deflating. “...Right.” The nerd mumbled. “Well, if you change your mind, you have my number. Oh, and Kacchan should be dropping some stuff off for you, too!”

Bakguo’s face burned.

 “I don’t want to be a bother to him or you.” Your voice was still disconcertingly dull. “I’ve been a pain in Bakugo’s ass, I doubt he’ll agree to bring me things.”

Bakugo’s breath froze. What? Well, she was RIGHT, but…well…something was still wrong about that statement, something that made Bakugo want to punch a hole in the wall. He spun on his heel and walked away, blocking out how Deku jumped to his defense because HE DIDN’T NEED ANY GODDAMN HELP .

You clearly didn’t want to see him, so he’d do you a favor and stay away.

He let the secure doors slam behind him, not caring if the two of you heard.

---

Monday was hard.

“There you are.” Aizawa raised his eyebrows as you trudged into the training room after school. You may have skipped your classes, but you weren’t going to skip this. It was the only semblance of punishment you had for nearly killing someone and you didn’t want to create any more problems by skipping it. “I was wondering where you were today. You didn’t answer my texts. Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine.” You lied, shuffling your feet. You were nauseous and wanted to go back to sleep forever. “Just tired.”

“Well, Shinsou has been here for a few minutes now, so why don’t you join him with warm ups?” Aizawa gestured to the purple-haired boy, who was avoiding your eyes guiltily as he continued running laps around the room.

Your voice felt thick. “Okay.”

Tuesday was exhausting.

“I understand you are under a great deal of pressure, young (y/n),” Toshinori said, his skeletal frame hunched next to her on a bench. “It’s understandable to want to avoid people, especially your peers. But you can’t let this drown you. You are stronger than this.”

You scoffed quietly, turning away. Toshinori still caught the sound and looked at you sadly. “(Y/n),” He said hesitantly, “Please, just ...try coming to class again. People miss you, and it would do you good.”

Lies, lies, LIES.

Wednesday made you want to curl up in a ball.

“(Y/n).” Midnight said softly, watching you practice turning your power into a whip and wrapping it around nearby objects. “You can’t just avoid school. This is where you live, and if you stop going to classes, U.A. might lose it’s legal right to guardianship of you”

That made you stop in your tracks, the whip in your hands disappearing along with your focus. “W-What?”

“The school is your guardian because you are a student here. You need to actively go to school in order to be a student. Under normal circumstances, this would probably be able to pass under the radar, but you’re fully aware of the people who have positioned themselves as your enemy. Some of those people are in the justice system, and they’re breathing down our necks. You need to get back to school before they start asking questions we can’t answer. That would look even more suspicious.”

Midnight was right, but DAMN IT…you needed to STAY AWAY from them. You couldn’t avoid your private lessons, you knew that much, but you thought you could skirt by avoiding school. Being with Shinsou was hard enough, knowing that your presence put him in danger. Being with the entire class of 1-A would be terrifying.

“...I just need some time.” You replied weakly.

Thursday was a bitch.

“You’re still hesitating.” Aizawa released you and you gasped, finally able to breathe properly. That capture weapon was like steel. “I’ve seen you practicing with Midnight and All Might. Your control and precision is nearly impeccable. Stop doubting yourself.”

You gritted your teeth. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“I understand your fear and why you associate it with the amount of effort you put into your quirk.” Aizawa sighed, sitting down next to you on the training room floor. The two of you watched Shinsou practice with his new capture weapon. “But that was before you had any control over your quirk. As long as you maintain control of your quirk, you don’t need to worry. Accidents will happen, of course, but no more than with any other hero student. You’re still learning. But in order to learn control of your full capabilities, you need to give it your all.”

You sat in silence, tossing a glowing ball between your two hands. There was no weight to it because you controlled where it was--you understood your quirk much better now, understood how to shape it. It was as if you carved space in the air to be filled with your power, and you could manipulate that space at will. It could become a whip, a knife, a staircase, a rope, even a  cute little butterfly. The simpler shapes, like spheres, were already becoming second nature.

Aizawa sighed, standing. “Come on. Let’s go again.”

Friday was terrifying.

“I’ll get the assignments you missed sent to your room by the end of today,”Aizawa sighed. “Try and do as much as you can before you come to class on Monday.”

His words echoed in your mind, taunting you. You could see yourself sitting in class, trying desperately to avoid your classmates but they were too fucking nice, figures from your nightmares lurking in the shadows, eyes everywhere--”

You managed to take the papers from Izuku and send him away despite how it made your heart wrench. He was so pure. Even if your presence didn’t endanger him, your guilty conscience would still eat you away. Someone like you would somehow corrupt him, someone who was so impossibly good.

“Kacchan should be dropping some stuff off for you, too!”

Bakugo’s face swam in your vision. The lines of worry etched on his face looked foreign as he hovered above you, his words drowned out by the blood rushing in your ears.

He threw himself at Shinsou, furious for you.

He helped you.

He thinks you’re annoying. He just feels obligated out of pity.

He just wants to get extra credit from being your tutor.

He stood outside the security doors for half an hour waiting for you to let him inside.

He just wants to beat you to keep his place at the top.

He’s not afraid of you.

Slamming your hands down on the table, you swiped the folder and stomped over to your desk, taking a few deep breaths before settling into the chair. You took out the first packet and groaned.

Maybe you should skip JUST math class.

You reluctantly rummaged around in your backpack, pulling out a familiar, folded paper with worn-out creases. You opened it and set it next to your homework. You ignored the fact that Bakugo’s chicken-scratch was oddly comforting.

You steeled yourself and began the first problem.

By the eleventh problem, you were asleep with your face smooshed against the desktop.

“Well, isn’t this cute?”

Dread had already settled in your stomach by the time you opened your eyes, jumping out of your chair and whirling around to see the intruder.

“Hey, brightness.”

---

Bakugo stomped down the sidewalk, the folder with your stupid-ass homework bent in his hand due to his tight grip. It wasn’t until 11pm, which was two hours after Bakugo’s typical bedtime (which he set for himself, obviously), that he realized he had a guilty conscience. It was foreign and disgusting.

You couldn’t prepare for class on Monday unless you had your homework.

Bakugo couldn’t sleep until he gave you that homework.

So, that’s how he had thrown on some clothes and ran all the way to UA at midnight.

It had taken a while to get inside. The security guard knew that you were staying on campus, but refused to let Bakugo in. He was about to blow a fuse when All Might showed up.

“You’re here to see (y/n)?” All Might’s smile somehow got even bigger, as if this was the best news in the world. “Of course you are allowed entry! Your ID should have security clearance onto that floor. If you encounter any problems, Eraserhead should be in his room on the same floor!”

Bakugo didn’t bother looking at the security guard, who was visibly confused, even from Bakugo’s periphery. “Okay. Thanks.”

“Have a good visit!’

Bakugo made his way inside the silent school building. His ID opened the front doors and he stomped up the stairs, and the green sensor blinked as his ID let him into the seventh secure floor. 

Fully aware that you might be sleeping, Bakugo marched down the hallway to the door with your name plastered on it, raising his fist to knock before pausing at an unfamiliar voice.

“...fun watching you try and avoid them,” The unknown man was saying, his voice muffled by the door. “Especially the little green-haired one. He’s persistent.”

“Please…” Bakugo tensed at your trembling voice. “Just leave me alone. Why are you guys watching me? HOW are you watching me?”

“We can’t tell you all of our secrets, can we?” The man’s voice was amused, and Bakugo wanted to burst in and strangle him. “But you’ll know soon enough. Meanwhile, I’m here to just be a little…reminder.”

“I’ll scream.” You threatened, voice slightly bolder. Bakugo felt himself nodding as if you could feel his encouragement. “All Might lives on this floor, and Midnight and Eraserhead. They’ll come.”

“You think we hadn’t thought of that? They’ve all been called out as emergency help. Shigaraki pulled some strings…and let’s just say that crime is…EXTRA dangerous in the city tonight.”

A pause. “Why?” You asked quietly.

“Well, I may or may not have begged him for the last week about letting me spar with you. For old times sake.”

“We didn’t spar. We fought.”

“Oh, is the little princess starting to fight back?”

“Dabi. Please just go.”

Bakugo’s head was whirling.

Someone from the League of Villains was here. DABI. The name clattered in his mind as he remembered that Dabi was the one who burned you. Dabi tortured you. Dabi visited you and forced you to move here, and now he’s here tormenting you again.

He wanted to fight you.

Bakugo quietly tried the handle, but it was locked. Growling in frustration, he threw the folder aside and kicked the door in.

Both of you turned to look at him in surprise. Bakugo blinked at the sight of the man, who was covered in strangely shaped burn scars. His black, spiky hair made his eyes stand out, the blueness of them piercing Bakugo as the man--Dabi--grinned. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

Bakugo glanced over at you and fought against the urge to wince. Your expression was haunting. He hated when you looked at him with fear in your eyes, but this time it was different.

You weren’t afraid OF him, you were afraid FOR him.

Typically, Bakugo would be furious at the slightest hint of pity because he could take care of himself, but he had learned that it wasn’t the same with you. Your fear wasn’t based on Bakugo’s capabilities, it was based on your past experiences. The horror etched in every line of your face added to the urge to blow Dabi’s face off.

“It’s the blasty one.” Dabi held out his hand lazily, blue flames licking up his skin. “Have you come to be (y/n)’s hero? That’s adorable.” 

“Shut the fuck up you pervert!” Bakugo snapped, causing Dabi to laugh.

“Pervert?” Dabi shook his head. “You misunderstand. (Y/n) here is like a sister to me…I am simply her mentor. I care for her very much.”

“The hell you do!”

“Bakugo,” You warned shakily, causing Bakugo’s anger to spike. “Stop it. Please.”

Dabi grinned. “Listen to (y/n), Bakugo-chan.” Bakugo bristled at the honorific. “You wouldn’t want to anger me, now, would you?” He held his hand toward Bakugo as the latter stepped into the room, crouched and ready for a fight. “This will be fun.”

Bakugo prepared to dodge, but out of the corner of his eye he saw your face change as if someone had flipped a switch. There was suddenly a wall of your brilliant power between the incoming blue flames and Bakugo, who had to hold up his hands to shield his eyes from the light. “Leave him out of this.” You snarled, and Bakugo resisted the urge to grin. YES. Get angry. Don’t give into fear.

Dabi’s laugh echoed as the glowing wall fell away. He threw his hand forward, a wall of flames rushing toward Bakugo, who blasted himself out of the way. He redirected with another explosion in midair, streaking through the flames toward Dabi. You got there before Bakugo did, however, and he barely avoided blasting YOU instead of Dabi.

You slammed a glowing fist into Dabi, sending him flying into the wall.

“I could have blasted you!” Bakugo yelled after he landed, moving to stand next to you.

“I can withstand his flames,” You insisted, defending your recklessness. “You can’t. Let me--”

Dabi rushed toward you and the two of you dodged. Bakugo blasted Dabi in the back, causing him to fall to his knees, but instead of collapsing in pain Dabi just turned to look at Bakugo with a crazed grin.

“That tickles.” Dabi winked before throwing himself back on the floor, kicking his legs up wildly as if breakdancing and whirling fire all around him. The wave of heat threw Bakugo back and his back hit the corner of the bed, jutting into his rib and causing pain to shoot through his entire torso. The blow forced a strangled yelp out of his throat.

“Stop!” You shrieked, and the sound made Bakugo’s stomach lurch. He watched, eyes blurry with pain, as the two of you exchanged blows at an unreasonably fast pace. 

“You’ve gotten so much better!” Dabi laughed wildly. “I always told Shigaraki that his approach was holding you back--”

“STOP!” You panted, the faint purple glow spilling from your mouth. “The pros are coming, you’ll be caught!”

Bakugo hated the hint of genuine concern in your threat.

Dabi managed to lock your arm behind your back and you yelped in pain, forced to the ground. “I’m not worried.” Dabi cooed. “ HE wants them to see, anyway.”

A small whine escaped your throat in the pain, but you covered it up by shouting back at Dabi, “Why are you really here? There’s no way they just sent you to fight me.”

“Of course not, brightness.” Dabi smirked, the flames around them swirling faster and hotter. You winced away from them. “I’m here to deliver a message…my payment is that I get to fight you.” He twisted your arm again and you grunted in pain, kicking back at his legs and miraculously hitting his shin, catching him off balance. He stumbled slightly, cackling. “It’s a good bargain!”

Bakugo snarled, shoving the pain aside and throwing himself at Dabi. His ribs protested as he reached forward with both hands at close range, shoving the heel of his palms into Dabi’s ribs blasting him completely through the wall. You flinched away, but the close contact prevented the explosion from hurting you.

Bakugo helped you up, gritting away the sharp pain in his ribs. “Are you okay? Did that fucker touch you before I got here?” He asked roughly.

“No.” You grimaced. “But you need to run--go get help. He won’t chase after you. I can distract him.”

“There’s no way I’m leaving you alone right now, you dumbass!” Bakugo was offended at the idea of running away. “I heard what you said about the teachers--they should be back soon. We’ll hold him off together.”

You looked like you were about to respond, but before you could get any words out your eyes widened and you lept in front of Bakugo, barely intercepting Dabi as he blasted back into the room through the gaping hole. “You two are adorable!” Dabi was grinning from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to attend the wedding!”

Bakugo tried to step forward and help you but the heat of Dabi’s flames held him back. He forced his eyes to stay open and search for you through the flames and smoke, heart pounding because you were right in the middle of it, but all he saw was a sickeningly familiar glowing suit.

Enigma.

His flames still seemed to hurt you, but the suit of power offered a lot of protection. Bakugo tried to blast himself over the flaming blue storm that Dabi kept whirling around them, but every time the heat blasted him back. He growled in frustration, clenching and unclenching his hands.

You bobbed and weaved too quickly for him to get a good shot with his explosions, and he didn’t want to risk hurting you or breaking your concentration. 

“Ha! I’ve missed this!” Dabi’s eyes were wild and his grin was unnervingly big.

“I haven’t!” You shouted back, and Bakugo tried blasting back into the fight but had to retreat again because of the heat. 

“Don’t lie, brightness!” Dabi smirked, barely dodging your fist only to send a kick to the back of your leg. It forced you down on one knee, but you managed to keep the other leg planted, lashing a whip around Dabi’s ankle and tripping him. It allowed you time to get up, and Dabi just chuckled, brushing himself off. “I know you missed me, too.”

Bakugo growled again, loud enough to hurt his throat. He couldn’t look at you, much less see your face, through the brilliant and shining suit…but he could tell you were exhausted. It made your ability to keep up with Dabi’s ever-growing excitement all the more impressive. “I didn’t miss fighting you, Dabi,” You insisted, “I miss when you cared about me. Or at least you pretended to.” You managed to land a hit on Dabi’s jaw. “How can you claim to see me as a little sister when you only treat me like a toy to play with? Would you have taken care of me if Shigaraki hadn’t ordered you to?”

The strain in your voice made Bakugo’s chest feel wrong. This motherfucker took care of you? No wonder you were so traumatized.

Dabi intercepted your path with a wall of flames, causing you to instinctively stop. He quickly took you to the ground, pinning you with your arms behind your back. “You’re getting emotional.” He scolded. “It’s impeding your ability to fight.”

The glowing suit surrounded you heated up and Dabi was forced to jump off of you, but before you could get back on your feet he blasted you with a jet of flames. You gasped in pain.

FUCK THIS.

Bakugo blasted himself through the flames, hissing as his skin burned, and managed to  leap between the two of you, landing a hit on Dabi. He stumbled back, holding his shoulder. 

Dabi suddenly whipped around, blasting fire toward Bakugo again, and he jumped out of the way to avoid…nothing. You had wrapped a rope of light around his neck and yanked him toward you in less than a split second, but he used the momentum to punch you in the stomach. You stumbled, unable to dodge the next strike that would’ve slammed into your jaw if it weren’t for Bakugo interfering.

The three of you danced in the flames. Bakugo ignored the pain, ignored how faint he felt, and focused on covering your weak points. He shot off explosions and noted where Dabi was wounded, even if it was only minor. The left shoulder. The lower back. The right shin. The right side of his chest.

You kept the glowing suit around you, also finding Dabi’s weak points and staying out of Bakugo’s field of vision.

You were making sure your quirk didn’t blind him.

“You want to know how I feel? Well, I can’t help but be fond of you, (y/n)!” Dabi shouted over the sounds of fire and explosions. He had picked up the pace, using more of his superheated fire to push Bakugo away. His eyes watered, his throat, lungs, and skin burned, and his ribs were screaming but he still forced himself to stand and blink away the tears to see Dabi, managing to land a blast on his side that threw him away from you. He ran forward to finish the job, but when Dabi looked up at him all of the humor was gone from his eyes. 

“I’m trying to have a private conversation.” He said coldly, sending a column of fire toward Bakugo. You screamed as Bakugo barely dodged, but had to return to your fight with Dabi almost immediately. “As I was saying,” Dabi continued, kneeing you in the ribs and speaking as if you were having a casual conversation over lunch. “I’m rather fond of you! I’m a big brother, you know.” You elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to wheeze slightly and pause his monologuing. He replied by blasting fire at your back, forcing you to stumble away from him and give him leverage to sweep your legs out from under you. He kept talking as he loomed over you. “But my younger siblings are a disappointment. You, however--you’re fascinating!” He pulled you up and right as you were about to blast him with your quirk, he punched you square in your diaphragm. Stars swam in your vision as you struggled to breathe. “There’s so much potential in you! You’re still a disappointment at times, but damn, are you entertaining!”

Entertaining?

 “FUCK YOU!” Bakugo roared, slamming his fist into Dabi’s back. The subsequent blast sent him flying into the corner of the room, denting the wall, and when Dabi shook it off and rushed toward you again, he whirled his fire around him tightly. He wasn’t expecting Bakugo to burst through the wall of flames, charring his own skin, and intercept him with a kick to the ribs.

You managed to climb back to your feet, wheezing, standing next to Bakugo in a shaking fighting stance. Even through the glow, Bakugo could see that you were still trembling.

The shadows whirled behind Dabi and a figure stepped out of a dark purple portal, barely visible in the darkness. “That’s enough, Dabi.”

You tensed. “Kurogiri.” You stepped back subconsciously, and Bakugo stepped closer to you, baring his teeth at the villains. 

Next to the shadowy figure, Dabi stood, chuckling to himself. “Well, this was definitely fun.” He said lightheartedly, dusting off his charred and tattered clothing. “I look forward to sparring again with you another time, brightness. Until then…I must take my leave before the pros arrive.” He winked, giving you a thumbs up before reaching into his pocket, pulling out a badly-folded note. He dropped it onto the floor carelessly. “Keep up the good work!”

And with that, he melted into a swirl of darkness in the shadows, faintly purple in the dim light. The suit of light around you faded, but the glow from within you was still strong as you collapsed. Bakugo barely caught you, his knees buckling at the strain it put on his broken ribs. You collapsed on the ground together right as footsteps thundered into the destroyed room.

“Are you okay?” Bakugo asked weakly, barely audible over the shouting from the pros. He struggled to move you so that you weren’t leaning on his ribs. Instead, the two of you lay side-by-side.

You squeezed your glowing eyes shut, tears trickling down your cheeks. “No.” You whispered.

Bakugo’s heart clenched and he managed to rest his hand on your shoulder. “Well, you were a badass.” He said gruffly. “You fought back, Glowstick.”

The two of you lay next to each other, your hand laying on top of his on the ground. He didn’t hold your hand, nor did you hold his--you merely rested there with the reminder that the other was alright.

You faintly heard Toshinori’s panicked voice hovering over you. “...thought you were still here!” He was saying.

“And I thought YOU were still here.” Aizawa’s voice was pinched. “Someone must have gotten access to secure HPSC communications and tricked us all into leaving so that (y/n) was alone.”

Midnight cursed, falling to her knees next to you. “(Y/n)! Bakugo! Can you hear me!”

“‘M gonna pass out.” Bakugo grunted, and you felt his hand twitch in pain. The comment felt more directed at you than Midnight.

“Yeah.” Your vision swam and your stomach followed suit. “Me too.”

“Don’t freak out, Glowstick.” His voice was fading.

Everything faded away into nothingness.

---

“...with her at all times.”

Your head was fuzzy.

“She deserves some semblance of privacy, Aizawa.”

Your body hurt.

“Whenever we let her out of our sight, they somehow get to her. It’s the best way to keep her safe.”

Your head was pounding.

“Her power completely wrecked that room. Burns from Dabi aside, her beams shot clean through the walls.”

It hurt to breathe.

“She must have been holding back. She could have killed him easily.”

You forced your eyes open, wincing at the bright lights above you. You could tell by the voices that Midnight, Aizawa, and Toshinori were there, but the first person you saw was Recovery Girl. She smiled slightly when your eyes met. “It’s good to see you’re awake, (y/n).” She said gently, causing the pros behind her to fall silent. They crowded around your bed, looking down at you in concern. “You took quite the beating, but you should be fine after a few days of soreness. I’ll get you some pain medication.” She waddled away, leaving you in the presence of your mentors.

It was silent for a few awkward moments before Toshinori cleared his throat. “You kept control of your quirk,” He noted. “Well done, (y/n). That must have been very difficult.”

“Where’s Bakugo?” Your voice was hoarse and shaky. You clutched the bedsheets anxiously.

“I’m over here, dumbass.”

You turned, wincing at the pain in your head but visibly relaxing at the sight of Bakugo sitting in a nearby bed. He set the papers he was holding in his lap as you locked eyes. “You’re okay.” You breathed, relief washing over you in waves. 

“Of course I’m okay.” Bakugo scoffed, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. He winced at the movement but stubbornly kept doing it. “It’s going to take a lot more than that to take me out.”

You couldn’t resist a small smile, but it immediately turned into a frown. “I was trying to stay away from everyone for a reason.” You fiddled with your hands in your lap. “I don’t know how, but they’re watching me. They’ll use you guys to get to me. I don’t want to endanger anyone.”

“This is the safest place any of you could be.” Principal Nezu said matter-of-factly as he entered the room. “Midnight, Eraserhead--could you take Bakugo downstairs to his parents? And All Might, you’re needed in your office. I need to talk with Miss (y/n) alone.”

Everyone exchanged confused glances but Nezu rarely spoke with such finality. Not even Bakugo argued, though it looked like he really wanted to. Before he left, though, he wrenched his arm out of Aizawa’s grasp and walked over to you. 

Guilt bubbled in your chest as you saw the bandage wrapped around his torso. He was only wearing an undershirt and it was easy to see through. You mentally slapped yourself as you blushed because this was not the time.

“Here.” Bakugo said gruffly, shoving a handful of papers at you. Blinking at him for a few moments, you slowly took the papers, looking at them in surprise. They were covered in a familiar scrawl. “The papers I brought you for class on Monday got burnt, so I got my notes out of my locker. You can have them.”

You pulled away from him slightly. “You…you don’t have to. I mean, thank you, really--but these are yours, and I don’t want to take them if you need--”

“I don’t need them.” Bakugo interrupted harshly. Seeing you flinch, he immediately clenched his jaw and said in a calmer tone, “I don’t need the notes. I already memorized everything. Just take it”

You gaped at him as he turned and walked away, trying to ignore the ache in his side. “...Thank you, Bakugo.” You said genuinely, holding the papers close to you as if they were a prized possession.

He stopped in the doorway. Aizawa and Midnight were already waiting for him in the hallway, so he didn’t turn around, but he did turn his head slightly. “You owe me.”

With that, he left.

You were now alone with Nezu, and you gripped the papers tightly as if they would comfort you because what did he need to talk to you about? “You don’t need to look so worried, (y/n),” Nezu chuckled. “We’re just waiting on a few people so that we can talk. You’re not in trouble.”

You looked down at him skeptically. He was rather short and sitting at the foot of your bed, so you had to crane your neck to see him. “What are we going to talk about?”

Nezu sighed wearily. “After your fight, a message was left behind by the League of Villains. It confirmed some of our suspicions as to why they’re still pursuing you, and in order to keep you safe and aware of your own situation, we need to inform you on some things.” Nezu leaned forward slightly. “But these are extremely sensitive matters. You should not speak about them to anyone, the only exception being those in this room.”

Movement in the corner of your vision made you look up, and you realized Recovery Girl was still there. It made sense--it was HER medical wing--but you still looked down at Nezu with uncertainty. He answered your unsaid question. “Recovery Girl IS one of those people.”

You frowned. “So…who are we waiting fo--”

“Sorry we’re late!”

You turned to look at the door, where Toshinori was rushing in, now in his skinny, lanky form. You winced because he looked so exhausted . “We had to make sure the others had left first!” He continued awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “Are we ready to start?”

“(Y/n)!”

You tensed as the familiar voice pitched higher in concern, rushing toward you with wide eyes. “Kacchan told me what happened! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Izuku.” You assured him, heart pounding. Why was he here?

Didn’t they know that you would corrupt him? You would ruin him.

Izuku held your hand tightly, turning to look at the three adults. He narrowed his eyes and his demeanor changed. “What’s going on?” He asked suspiciously.

Toshinori sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “(Y/n)...there are some things you need to know about why the League is still chasing you. But first, we want you to know that we are supporting you to our fullest extent, and that you are not alone. Young Midoriya here is in a similar situation.”

You looked over at Izuku sharply, watching the color leave his face. “What do you mean?” He asked, glancing at you. “Wait, what are you going to tell her? You don’t mean--”

“(Y/n),” Toshinori cut him off gently, focusing on you as you felt your body vibrate. You could see the glow from your quirk shining from your eyes and mouth onto the white sheets. “It’s going to be okay. Keep holding Midoriya’s hand and let us know if you need a break.”

“I’m fine.” Your voice was distorted due to the vibrations, but you had much better control over your quirk than you used to. “Just tell me.”

Toshinori looked over at Nezu, who nodded, before beginning. “The person leading the League of Villains is a villain named All For One. He is the reason you were kidnapped many years ago, why you were kept by the League, and why they continue to pursue you now.”

Dread began to pool in your stomach. You felt Izuku hold your hand even tighter, and at some point you had begun to squeeze his hand back.

“His quirk allows him to steal other people’s quirks and make them his own, or distribute them to others.”

You couldn’t swallow. Your tongue was dry.

“He is the one that gave me this injury, and he is why I am left in this weakened state.”

Your heart was pounding in your ears.

“The one who attacked you, Dabi, left a message for us before he left confirming that All For One is after your quirk.”

Your chest was tight. It was hard to breathe.

“He would usually just take your quirk as soon as he could, so the fact that he’s let you keep it and simply used you instead for this long is concerning. We don’t know what he’s planning.”

Everything sounded like it was underwater. 

“But we’re almost certain we know why he’s after your quirk specifically…”

You couldn’t breathe.

“He thinks it is the key to defeating my quirk, One For All.”

Chapter Text

All you could do was stare.

You stared ahead of you blankly, seeing nothing, Toshinori’s--no-- ALL MIGHT’S words whirling untamed in your mind.

“You know that I was injured, and I keep this form hidden from the public so that the people would keep faith. But the truth is, I am losing my power. My quirk is passed on to chosen successors, and I am its eighth user. It accumulates power over time. Young Midoriya has inherited my power and is learning to use it. My powers are quickly waning and I will soon be quirkless.”

All Might would soon be quirkless.

“At some point, All For One is bound to learn that Midoriya has inherited this quirk. Once he does, they will pursue him relentlessly.”

“Yeah, (y/n)! You’re not alone. We’ll fight them together.”

No. No, no, no, no, no--

“I’m supposed to be the only one.” You muttered. 

You faintly felt Izuku’s hand on your arm. “What?” He asked gently.

“They aren’t supposed to hurt you,” Trembling, you wanted to pull away from him but you didn’t. “I tried--I pushed you away so that they wouldn’t hurt you, you’re supposed to be safe, you’re supposed to--”

“(Y/n),” Nezu said gently, “Midoriya would be targeted regardless of your involvement. This isn’t your fault.”

Tears pricked at your eyes. “But…” You choked up, “Bakugo, he got hurt because of--”

“It wasn’t because of you.” Toshinori interrupted. “Bakugo came in the middle of the night, and we were manipulated into leaving you alone. He chose to stay and fight with you instead of running to get help. That wasn’t your fault.”

You wanted to crumple in on yourself. “I told him…” You put your head in your hands, “I told him to run…”

“Aizawa tried to lecture him about getting help next time, but he wasn’t hearing any of it.” Izuku seemed delighted with what he was telling you. “He said he wouldn’t have abandoned you even if he was ordered to!”

You avoided Izuku’s gaze. He really did look happy. But…were you happy? Hearing Bakugo’s conviction made your chest feel tight, and it wasn’t a bad feeling. “I’m very grateful,” You decided, “but I don’t want him to get hurt…”

“You need not worry about others so much, (y/n).” Nezu shook his head. “Worry about protecting yourself. All For One is afraid of you because your quirk is immensly powerful. He wants to take it at all costs. But, as you well know, it is a difficult quirk to control and is very hard on the body. I believe he wants to use you as a pawn and avoid taking your quirk until the last moment because his body is still weak. But after that, if you do not comply, he will come for you and kill you after taking your quirk. In order to protect the people you love, you need to train alongside them. They will help you become stronger.”

Principal Nezu’s words felt like a slap to the face. Be with people? To protect them?

Being with people puts them in danger. You had always known that.

But Nezu was right…Mei had helped you figure out your quirk. Without her understanding of it, you would never have improved so rapidly.

Izuku was relentlessly kind. You knew you could rely on him for anything. It was unnatural for such an unwaveringly good person to see you as good, too, and he made you want to live up to his expectations. 

Bakugo was an asshole, but he genuinely wanted you to become the most powerful version of yourself, and he pushed you to do so. Even if it was out of spite, you were motivated to improve to show Bakugo you weren’t holding back. You knew that, if push came to shove, you could rely on him to back you up.

They DID make you stronger.

“But…” You protested weakly, “They’ll be in danger…”

“They’re going to target this place regardless, (y/n).” Toshinori cut in. “I’m here. Midoriya’s here. If you leave, they’ll probably attack here to draw you out of hiding. Your classmates are probably safer with you nearby. You underestimate how powerful your quirk is.”

Nezu nodded. “Your mind holds you back more than anything else, (y/n).”

“The only people on par with your quirk are All For One, Star and Stripe, Shigaraki, and possibly me once I reach the height of my power.” Izuku mused. “And you obviously can fall prone to Shinso’s quirk, as well. Everyone else, though…” He shrugged. “You out-power them easily.”

“You’re afraid of hurting people, (y/n),” Toshinori said gently. “You had no choice but to unleash your power as Enigma, but now you’re trying to avoid that fate at all costs. Don’t forget that with control, you’ll be able to use your full power without endangering innocent people. Working through that mental block will help you reach your potential. You could have easily beaten and restrained Dabi until we arrived, but you didn’t. That’s understandable, and it’s impressive you stood your ground after what the League did to you.”

“All Might is right.” Nezu nodded. “You have made incredible progress. Continue to do so. Go back to your classes, participate to the fullest extent. Remember that you’re getting stronger to protect everyone.”

You felt hollow. Izuku grabbed your hand. “We’ll do it together, okay?”

You swallowed dryly. “...Okay.”

---

Bakugo paced back and forth in his room. It was Sunday night, less than a day away from you coming back to classes, the third night of lying awake with too many thoughts and fucking feelings.

Were you still going to avoid him tomorrow? Will the rest of the class know what happened? What did Nezu have to talk to you about? Where are you going to stay next?

Bakugo clenched his fists. Why did he care? He didn’t care about you.

He didn’t…

“It’s the blasty one. Have you come to be (y/n)’s hero? That’s adorable.”

His hands sparked and a growl resonated in his chest. He could tell that you held yourself back in that fight, too. Anyone else would have thought you were fighting for your life because Dabi’s pace was superhuman, but Bakugo knew better. He knew how you fought. You were smart and evasive. You didn’t use your intelligence or your new quirk control skills during that fight, you only did what had become second nature. 

“I may or may not have begged him for the last week about letting me spar with you. For old times sake.”

“My payment is that I get to fight you.”

“Ha! I’ve missed this!”

Bakugo stopped walking, running his fingers through his hair. He needed to come back to his senses and think about this logically.

Tomorrow you were picking names in class and preparing for field training. Would you be okay?

He yanked on his hair aggressively because he needed to STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU, DAMN IT.

Bakugo was restless, but he collapsed into his bed anyway, hoping to fall asleep eventually. He just had to stop thinking about you, that’s all.

Easy. Just block you out of his mind and count sheep or some shit.

Bakugo saw your face whenever he closed his eyes.

---

“Where have you been staying?”

“...with Toshi—I mean, All Might—and Aizawa. One of the top agencies is lending us a safehouse nearby.”

Bakugo grit his teeth as the class pestered you with questions.

“Are your burns okay?” Mina fussed.

“Have you been drinking enough water?” Tsuyu piped up.

“Are you sleeping?” Momo added.

You laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, I’m fine…Recovery Girl is a miracle worker.”

“I can’t believe the League attacked you at the school!” Kaminari shook his head in disbelief. “You should have just blasted them into outer space!”

Your voice was strained. “Well-”

“Will you asshats just leave her alone?” Bakugo finally snapped, whirling around in his chair. “This isn’t a fucking interrogation!”

Everyone looked at him in surprise. Kaminari grumbled, “Just put in your earbuds if it bothers you that much…”

Bakugo glanced at you briefly before turning away. You knew him well enough to see the concern behind his eyes, and you heard Izuku chuckle behind you. You remembered the end of your conversation a few days earlier…

“...I understand why we can’t tell everyone…” You began, fidgeting with your hands nervously.

“I sense a ‘but’ approaching.” Toshinori smiled gently, trying to lighten the mood.

You almost laughed. “...but what about Bakugo?”

Toshinori and Izuku looked at one another before looking back at you. “What about him?” Izuku asked carefully.

“I got him dragged into this.” Tears pricked your eyes. “They’ve been watching me. I’ve even been to his house!”

His eyes widened. “What-?” Toshinori began.

“It was an accident. I didn’t mean to. It’s…it’s a long story.” You put your head in your hands. “I just…I feel really bad that he’s in the middle of all of this now. Can’t we tell him the truth, too? I don’t think he’d tell anyone.”

Izuku and Toshinori exchanged a concerned glance. “(Y/n)...” Toshinori began, “The more people know the truth, the more danger they will be in.”

“That doesn’t make sense!” You snapped. “Wouldn’t Bakugo be safer if he knew what to expect?”

“He has a tendency to be overly confident.” Izuku said cautiously. “There’s a high chance of him getting hurt doing something reckless.”

“You’re one to talk.” You snapped.

Toshinori pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “I understand that you are close with young Bakugo,” he said calmly, “but I strongly oppose telling him the truth.”

You paused. “Close…?” You murmured, blinking. Close with Bakugo?

Were you close with Bakugo?

“I’m going to tell him.” You said quietly, pushing the question to the back of your mind. “He’s reckless, but he’s not stupid. He deserves to know what the danger is.”

Toshinori grimaced, but lowered his head. “It’s your truth, (y/n). It’s ultimately your choice.”

You stared at the whiteboard in your hands. It was growing more and more difficult to concentrate. 

A hero name? You had never considered a possible hero name.

You couldn’t use Enigma. You didn’t WANT to use Enigma. But what else could you be?

Glowstick?

You failed to smother a snort, and Bakugo turned around to look at you, eyebrows raised. The corners of his mouth twitched and his expression was hard, but his eyes were soft. He studied your face for a few seconds before turning back around.

He’s relieved you’re smiling.

No, that’s ridiculous. You chided yourself for being an idiot and resumed staring at your blank whiteboard.

Midnight started going around the room, and everyone had such good hero names. Your name was blank.

A pro-hero name?

You had been a VILLAIN. A FAMOUS one.

Now you were supposed to be a pro-hero? The kind where your hero name was shouted in the streets as you raced by to stop villains, when YOU used to be the villain? Was this even allowed?

“Oi!”

You blinked as Bakugo slapped his hand on your desk, albeit rather gently. “It’s your turn!”

“Oh.” You looked down at your empty whiteboard. “Um…” The class was silent and expecting. “I…I can’t think of one.”

Midnight smiled at you gently. “Do you want us to come back to you?” She asked.

“I don’t think I’ll have an answer today…” You replied quietly.

“We can help you think of one!” Mina piped up, and the rest of the class joined her in a chorus.

“We’ll help!”

“That’s right, we’re pretty good at this!”

“I named my sister’s hamster once!”

“Yeah, don’t worry, (y/n)!”

“(Y/n) isn’t a hamster. That’s rude.”

Your eyes raked over your excited classmates, open wide and tearing up. You blinked quickly, wiping them. “T-Thank you, guys…” You couldn’t help but smile, looking away from the classroom of eager peers. Your eyes met Bakugo’s, and he was smirking at you. You could hear him scolding you in the back of your mind as the two of you sat on the floor in his room.

“Most of our class is WAY more into mushy feelings shit than I am, so they’ll be even MORE understanding than me! You’re not special! I’m just being a decent human being!”

You rolled your eyes at him, turning his smirk into a grin. He was right. AGAIN.

Names came pouring out.

Starlight. Bright Knight. Stargirl. Night Light. K night Light. The Beam. Vibrant Lady.

None of them clicked with you. The class kept shouting them out, and Izuku’s next  suggestion hit you square in the chest.

“What about Brightness?

You froze.

“I like it! It sounds like she’s royalty!”

“And she’s BRIGHT, like, she GLOWS-”

“NO.”

You jumped slightly at the firm, booming voice. You turned to look at Bakugo with wide eyes. His hands were on his desk as if he were about to stand, sparking and smoking. His entire body was tense. “No.” He repeated. He looked down at his hands and pulled them away from the table, which was slightly charred.

Mina scoffed. “Let her speak for herself! What do you think, (y/n)?”

Bakugo looked over at you, concern clear in his eyes. That’s right …he heard Dabi call you Brightness a few nights ago. Poor Izuku had no idea the history behind that nickname, but Bakugo had SOME idea. You shook your head at him, and he glared up at Mina. “SEE? She shook her head. She doesn’t like it.”

“Fine.” Mine huffed, slumping back into her chair. “You don’t have to be so angry just ‘cuz it’s Midoriya’s idea.”

Bakugo opened his mouth for a moment, eyebrows furrowed, but closed it after a few moments. “Whatever.” He snapped.

“Well, do YOU have a better idea?” Todoroki spoke up, clearly annoyed.

Bakugo tensed again as the entire class looked at him expectantly. Midnight and Aizawa exchanged a glance. “Uh…”

Bakugo looked over at you, and the two of you maintained silent eye contact for an unusually long amount of time before Bakugo cleared his throat. “I don’t know, I don’t really care about shit like this--”

“Language, Bakugo.” Aizawa groaned.

“--but I guess, I mean, if I had to think of something on the spot…” Bakugo looked away from you purposefully. “...Radiant.”

The room was silent, and the name tumbled around in your head.

Radiant.

It was too good of a name for you. Someone better deserved that name, someone GOOD who hadn’t done such horrible things. The class was still silent because they knew that, too, but they were too nice to say so out loud--

“I LOVE IT!” Mina squealed, causing you to jump. “Omg, who knew you had it in you, Blasty?”

Bakugo’s ears were red and he looked out the window, scowling. “Shut up.”

“It’s perfect!”

“It fits so well!”

“How did Bakugo think of the best one?”

“She should snatch that name up while it’s still available!”

Your mouth fell open slightly. They…they liked it.

They thought YOU should have that name.

Midnight spoke over the class, causing everyone to quiet down. “Do YOU like it, (y/n)?” She asked. Everyone turned to look at you apprehensively, and you could see Bakugo staring out of the corner of his eye, trying to be inconspicuous.

You looked at Bakugo for a moment. You had been sure he was going to say Glowstick, but instead, he thought of a real name. A GOOD name. A name you didn’t deserve, but a name the whole class thought you should have. You felt selfish, but you didn’t have the strength to turn it away. “Yes,” You tried to hide the waver in your voice. “Yes, I like it a lot.”

“Alright, Radiant!” Midnight beamed, jotting down your new hero name. “Let’s move on to Bakugo.”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Lord Explosion Murder.”

It was promptly rejected.

Your brain still tumbled in circles.

Radiant.

---

Bakugo avoided you all the way until he left for Best Jeanist’s Hero Agency.

RADIANT? Seriously? Bakugo was losing his mind.

Glowstick was a perfectly good name. Why didn’t he just say that? Why did he have to think of something so…

So…

He growled under his breath, huffing and puffing his way into the agency. At least he wouldn’t have to see you for a while. Finally, a chance to clear his head and get back in the game.

He didn’t feel happy in the slightest.

---

It had simultaneously felt like two hours and two years, but it had only been about a day and a half.

You and Izuku trained with Gran Torino for hours, and spent the rest of your waking time training. If you were resting your bodies, the two of you were brainstorming. It had only been a day and a half but somehow you felt like you had done weeks worth of growth.

You had already been pessimistic about this whole ‘internship’ idea, but when you arrived at the house of a seemingly senile man in a mustard-themed costume, you were about to throw in the towel. Needless to say, it threw you for a bit of a loop when he started jumping around and calling the two of you zygotes.

All Might’s teacher, indeed. You had a nasty bruise on your shoulder from where the old man’s foot had stomped, sending you careening into the wall, knocking down pictures. He made us clean up everything after he wrecked the room, too.

Gran Torino had finally quit training for the second day and decided it was time to catch villains instead. The idea made your stomach churn, but it was nice to have a break from being beaten up by the old man in his living room. It was embarrassing that he could take on you and Izuku at once.

But then you had to go on the bullet train.

Damn it. You hated the bullet train.

Izuku wouldn’t stop talking to Gran Torino, and you didn’t want to stop him, but it was exhausting to sit between them. You decided that sitting next to a stranger was better than this and switched with your classmate.

You drowned out the sound of them talking across the aisle and closed your eyes, listening to the sound of the rushing train. The person next to you had earbuds in, but you could faintly hear their music. It sounded like R&B. 

“Passengers, please hold onto your seats.”

You wanted to know what song they were listening to.

You were thrown to the side with a crash, flying across the aisle and slamming into Izuku. You could suddenly hear the air whooshing outside.

You groaned, sitting up and squinting through the dust toward the gaping hole in the side of the train. You focused on the pro hero struggling to stand, hovering apprehensively next to Izuku, who was already up and focused on the emerging threat. His eyes were wide and his voice shook. “Nomu!” He cried, and your heart thundered in realization that it WAS a Nomu. A Nomu was crawling into the train, it had beaten a pro hero— it was different than before—

“Sit down, kids!” Gran Torino ordered before blasting off, kicking the Nomu off of the hero before rearing back and tackling it off of the train. 

You gasped, running over to the giant hole. “Gran Torino!” Izuku called after him, close behind you. The two of you stood at the edge of the hole, looking at where Gran Torino and the Nomu had crashed into a distant building.

“What is he doing?” Izuku muttered anxiously. “Should we go after him? Will we get in trouble?”

“Izuku.” Your voice trembled as you pointed toward the city center.

It was burning.

TW // suicidal thoughts/ideations

Your quirk had been hot this time. It had burned straight through the building and caused the entire side to crumble, sending the upper floors crashing through the floors, some even spilling into the street. The flames spread quickly, and you stayed in them much too long because it would be so easy. It would be so easy to stay and burn and it would just be an accident, it would look like an accident—

You had to get back to Gemma.

You thanked fate that your quirk had sabotaged your hit. Your lack of control had saved another hero’s life. You crept away from the scene in the shadows, doing your best to blend in with the growing crowd before melting back into a dark alleyway. You tried to send a telepathic message to the unconscious hero you could see being carried out on a stretcher that you were sorry and please, keep saving people.

“This happens because she can’t control her power, Shigaraki.” Dabi snapped, tapping the arm of his chair harshly. “It’s not her fault, it’s yours.”

“You’re starting to piss me off.” Shigaraki replied lightly, not bothering to look over at Dabi. You sat between them on a rickety wooden stool with fresh wounds and a dry tongue, silent tears streaming down your cheeks. “Since when did you care about people?”

“I like efficiency.” Dabi rolled his eyes. “This happened because (y/n) can’t regulate the temperature of her quirk properly, but you refuse to let her do quirk training. All you do is encourage her to release as much power as possible.”

“Yeah, because that’s what she should do.” Shigaraki interrupted stubbornly.

“Well, that’s why this hit failed.” Dabi shot back, shrugging.

You didn’t have to look at Shigaraki to sense his rising anger. “So you want me to put her quirk in a box? Everyone should just shut up about controlling their quirks and just let loose. It’s more fun that way. I’m a good mentor to her, so I’m not going to do to her what I despised people doing to me.”

A good mentor. You clenched your fists.

“So you agree that she shouldn’t be punished when she lets loose, then?”

“You’re defending her again.”

“I’m just being logical.”

You trembled.

“Well, the mission was a failure, so you won’t get to see that whiny little sister of yours.” Shigaraki mused, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head. “But the giant fire was amusing, so I won’t punish you this time.”

You wanted to feel relieved, but…all you heard was “this time.”

“(Y/n)!”

You startled back to your senses as Izuku shook your shoulders slightly. You could see the fading glow from your eyes on his face. Thank god your suit covered everything else. “The train is stopped,” He said once you had gathered yourself. “I’m going to go help, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

You hesitated, looking back at the distant fires. You could hear screaming.

I must atone for what I’ve done.

“No, I’m coming with you.” You said firmly, shaking your limbs and bouncing on the balls of your feet. You had to hype yourself up for this. “I have to do this.”

Izuku nodded, and the two of you wasted no time in jumping out of the train, much to the horror of the emergency workers.

“I can’t believe there’s another Nomu…” Izuku grit his teeth as the two of you ran, jumping onto the nearest rooftop.

“Did it come after us specifically?” The thought gripped at your gut uncomfortably, but you managed to stay calm. 

Izuku shook his head. “We have no way of knowing that yet. Our main problem is how strong it is…the one we met during rescue training was strong enough to become a serious problem if got let loose in the middle of a city.”

Izuku was right. You clenched your jaw and ran on little glowing platforms after him as he jumped to the next rooftop. You could practically hear Izuku’s brain whirring. “What are you thinking?” You called as you jumped down to the ground. The commotion was getting closer

“Iida is doing his internship here.” Izuku yelled, and the two of you began to run again, approaching the disaster. “I’m just wondering where we should—”

“TENYA!”

Izuku stopped in his tracks, and you skidded to a halt behind him.

“TENYA!”

The two of you whirled around and started sprinting toward the voice.

Explosions.

NOMU.

The two of you stood and gaped at the destruction before you. Heroes were desperately trying to contain the disfigured monsters.

“That’s Normal Hero…” Izuku said faintly. “That’s where Iida went for his internship.

“DAMMIT!” Another hero raced by them, glancing behind him apprehensively. “Why did you choose a time like this to go off somewhere, Tenya!”

You paled.

“I was worried about this…” Izuku began to back up. “We need to find him, (y/n). I think he went after the Hero Killer.”

The name made your heart thunder. That was your name once. “Where are we supposed to look?”

“Follow me,” Izuku began running, and you were close on his heels. “I saw on the news that he always attacks heroes in secluded areas,” He explained without turning around. “We should check all of the alleyways.”

“Got it.” You caught up to him and the two of you set off at lightning speed, eyes hardened.

It was an unfamiliar feeling. A whirlwind of panic and misplaced guilt, but also a twisted sense of happiness because finally, you were on your way to save someone.

---

Bakugo’s eyes were glued to the TV screen, helicopters hovering over the burning city.

Did he know anybody interning in Hosu? He didn’t remember. You and Izuku were together like dumbass BFFs (you deserved each other, in his opinion, so it didn’t bother him at all), and you weren’t in Hosu. You were with some no-name hero. Shitty Hair was with Fourth Kind, who wasn’t in Hosu, either.

That made him feel better, at least. Not that he cared, of course.

The camera zoomed in on the city, and something caught his eye that made his heart stop.

No…he was seeing things.

He saw it again.

He walked closer to the screen.

Little dots of glowing light with a purplish hue, appearing then disappearing in less than a second, moving forward in a line, almost like FOOTSTEPS—

They were small enough on the screen to be the tip of a pencil. Was he crazy? 

They disappeared. Bakugo ran his hand down his face with a groan. “Fuck me.” He muttered. He was supposed to NOT think about you. Now he was even SEEING things. You were like the damn plague.

“Woah, did you guys see that?”

“Yeah, what was that? It’s away from all the fighting. Did some of the villains try to run away?”

Bakugo looked back up at the screen. He didn’t see anything. What were they—

A bright flash of glowing light with a purplish hue lit up a sidestreet, small and distant in the cameras. “It looks like some of the fighting is breaking off into other parts of the city…” The reporter was saying, but Bakugo wasn’t listening.

That was you.

…THAT WAS YOU.

He turned on his heel and started marching toward the door, grabbing his gear on the way. A very long arm blocked his way. “Where do you think you’re going?” Best Jeanist asked, eyebrows raised. 

“I need to go help.” Bakugo snapped, moving to go around, but his mentor stopped him again.

“I don’t recall giving you permission to do that.”

“That’s because I didn’t ask.” Bakugo hissed, shoulders tensing. “There isn’t time —my friends are out there fighting!”

Best Jeanist raised his eyebrows. “You’re finally admitting you have friends.”

“Just let me go!”

Best Jeanist did no such thing, looking over at the news broadcast. Bakugo followed his gaze and flinched as the same side street lit up with your signature glowing light. Even while wearing your suit, the glowing light of your quirk was blinding. “I have to go.” He tried to push Best Jeanist’s arm out of the way, but the man stayed firm.

“WE will go.” Best Jeanist replied seriously. “You’re wanting to save (y/n), right?”

Bakugo felt his face heat up. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Language.”

“Language my ass! You’re making stuff up right now!”

“It’s written all over your face. There’s no need to get defensive. Caring about people is a good thing, especially in this line of work. Besides…” Best Jeanist glanced at the TV again, pulling out his phone and sending a message. “Our interests align. They’re getting the helicopter ready, so get dressed. I’ll gather a few more sidekicks.”

Before Bakugo could ask any questions, Best Jeanist had walked over to talk to the other sidekicks. Cursing, Bakugo grabbed his gear and ran toward the changing rooms. 

“Our interests align?” What the fuck did that mean?

Did Best Jeanist know you?

It didn’t matter. Bakugo was going to be the number one hero, and to do that, he had to save people. That’s just how it worked.

“Caring about people is a good thing.”

The League of Villains was definitely behind this attack, and you were in danger. Bakugo couldn’t let a dumbass like Deku be the only one watching your back.

He just needed to show Aizawa that he deserved those volunteer credit hours.

“Caring about people is a good thing.”

He ran faster. 

Chapter Text

Izuku had reacted faster than you could. He was jumping between walls in side streets as you ran on quirked platforms in the air above, and you had barely registered that there were people in the alley when Izuku smashed into the man hovering over Iida, sending him tumbling backwards. Gasping quietly, you ran down toward them and bent down to check on Iida. 

“Midoriya…?” Iida groaned, seemingly unable to move. “(Y/n)? Why…?”

Izuku stood in front of you defensively as you checked Iida for wounds. “Can you move?” You asked him. “We should try getting to a bigger street to get help from the pros.”

“No…” Iida grimaced. “I can’t…move my body…ever since he cut me. I think it’s his quirk…”

Your blood went cold and you slowly stood up, heart thundering in your ears. The villain lurking in the shadows down the alleyway looked unfamiliar, but this feeling…this quirk …

“That’s what the commentators on TV guessed!” Izuku’s eyes widened. “So, he activates his quirk by cutting?”

A dash of color against the concrete gray street caught your eye and you swore under your breath. “There’s someone else here.”

Izuku followed your gaze and grimaced, and you knew he was thinking the same thing as you. It was going to be hard to save BOTH of them.

Iida spoke up desperately from the ground. “Don’t get involved! This has nothing to do with you guys!”

Izuku stared at him for a moment. “What are you saying?”

“Yeah, your friend came to save you.”

Your heart thundered. That voice.

“That’s a great line, isn’t it?” The villain stepped forward, causing both you and Izuku to tense. “But I have a duty to kill him.”

Those WORDS.

“If we clash, of course, the weaker will be culled.” The killer’s eyes seemed to freeze Izuku in place.

“I told you, didn’t I?” Iida shouted desperately. “It has nothing to do with you!”

Izuku clenched his fists. “If you say that, then heroes can’t do anything!”

“Yeah,” You tried to keep the trembling out of your voice as you lowered into a fighting stance. “Are you asking us to be shitty heroes, Tenya? What kind of heroes would we be if we walked away right now?”

It was quiet for a moment. “There are a lot of things I’d like to say, but I’ll say them later.” Izuku said quietly. “It’s like what All Might said: Meddling when you don’t need to—”

“—is the essence of being a hero.” You finished for him, watching the surprise on the villain’s face turn into delight. Just as he and Izuku were about to charge, you mustered all your courage and a quiet voice finally came out. “Stendhal.”

They both stopped, looking at you. The killer cocked his head. “That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time…don’t you know they gave me a new name now?”

“Please leave Iida alone and let us leave.” You pleaded. “We’re just students, we’re still learning how to—”

“No, I think I should nip this one in the bud.” He interrupted, launching himself at Izuku, who barely dodged between his legs. You quickly moved Iida over to the side of the alley before turning to join the fight, right as Izuku smashed the killer into the pavement and landed in front of you. “I got him!” Izuku called to you, but dread filled your stomach. That was too easy.

The villain rose out of the dust and grinned, holding his blade up to his mouth. Your heart stopped and you desperately lashed out with your quirk, grabbing Midoriya with quirk ropes and yanking him back towards you and causing him to collapse roughly next to Iida. He couldn’t get back up, since the Hero Killer had licked his blade and paralyzed him.

“I’m sorry, Izuku!” You winced, powering up your quirk so that your whole body thrummed. “Just wait a little bit, okay?”

“He did a good job, maneuvering into my blind spot.” The Hero Killer mused loud enough for Izuku to hear. “He’s worth letting live. YOU, however…we’ll see about that. How do you know me, anyway?”

You didn’t answer, charging at him before leaping up on a quirk foot platform on the last second, causing his swiping blade to miss and allowing you to soar around him, slashing your own knives toward his back. He dodged, nearly catching you mid-air with his blades, but you pushed off of a platform fast enough for it to miss by a hair.

Strike, dodge. Slash. Parry, duck, stab. Retreat. REPEAT.

The two of you danced for a few seconds before he caught you off-guard, and you blocked his blade with your forearm.

The fabric of your suit tore as he slashed the jagged blade away, revealing the layer of glowing skin underneath. You grit your teeth as the alleyway lit up with your quirk’s light. You were finally able to create a thin layer of you quirk over your skin—so thin, it didn’t shine through your clothes like it would for Enigma. Tireless practice with Aizawa had made it so that you could maintain this protective layer while also creating quirk weapons and tools…but you couldn’t do too much at once.

Thankfully, this protective layer had prevented your arm being sliced, thus being paralyzed by the Hero Killer’s quirk…but the exposure of your protective quirk skin was going to cause it’s own problems.

The hero killer stopped for a moment, looking at the light. “Ah, so it’s you.” He smirked. “Long time no see, Enigma. I heard you died, but it looks like you managed to escape. Did you save your sister?”

You wanted to throw up, ripping off what remained of your sleeve. “No.” Your exposed forearm was like a beacon in the dark alley, and you prayed it attracted help and not more villains.

The Hero Killer studied your face as if he could see your expression through your mask. “And now you’re trying to be a hero?” He mused. “That’s commendable, I’ll give you that. You've gotten a hell of a lot better, too. I might let you live for old times’ sake.”

“Gee, thanks.” You replied sarcastically. Did he hear your voice shaking? “Do you mind letting my friends come with me?”

The Hero Killer laughed. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. Why don’t you just think of it as repaying me for all the favors I did for you?”

You brought your hands up in front of you, grimacing. “Damn it, Stendhal!”

You send a giant blast toward him, smashing him into the wall. He got up too quickly and you raced to meet one another again. He kneed you in the stomach, knocking the wind out of you, and your impenetrable layer of quirk skin wavered as a blade swung toward you.

Oh shit.

— — —

Bakugo’s legs were both bouncing erratically as he stared out the window of the helicopter, scanning the city below. “This is taking too long.” He snapped, clenching his fists tightly. “Can’t they fly any faster?”

“There’s no need,” Best Jeanist stood up and opened the helicopter door. “We’re here.”

Bakugo whirled around and looked out the other side of the helicopter, immediately seeing the illuminated alleyway in the near distance. The wind whipped his hair as he approached the open door, ready to jump, but Best Jeanist stopped him with an outstretched arm.

“MOVE.” Bakugo snarled.

Best Jeanist didn’t even flinch. “Don’t be reckless.” He glanced toward the center of the city, where the fires were. “I’ve been called toward the city center, so I can’t come help you, but I’ll send any sidekicks I see. Just hold fast until they get there.”

“Alright, now fucking move!” Bakugo shoved past him and jumped out of the helicopter without a moment of hesitation. He pinned his arms against his body as he dove headfirst toward the rooftops, stubbornly keeping his eyes open against the wind. They watered, but he didn’t blink until he held out his hands and let out an explosion, slowing his fall considerably and letting him straighten back up.

He let out explosions to slow his decent until he landed on the nearest roof, barely touching down before blasting off again and propelling himself forward. The alleyway was right there —he leaped toward it and landed against the wall, his hand digging into the brick and slowing him as he slid downward. His boots scraped against the bricks until he reached the concrete, letting go of the wall and jumping onto the ground.

You weren’t hard to find…you were glowing, brilliant and blinding, but Bakugo could squint and see the rest of you, and his stomach churned. 

You were glowing from various cuts in your hero costume—an entire chunk of your forearm had been ripped off, and you had large slashes in your thigh and waist. Your shoulder had also been torn. The suit was in tatters.

What made Bakugo’s blood boil was the slash across your mask, leaving the two uneven halves hanging on either side of your face beside your fallen hood. Blood was trickling down your forehead and your eyes were frantic.

Bakugo only needed one glance at your foe to know that it was the Hero Killer. Familiar forms were heaped, unmoving, against the wall nearby, but Bakugo didn’t think much about them.

You barely caught one of the Hero Killer’s blades with your hand, and it cut through your suit to reveal more glowing skin. Gritting your teeth, you lashed out with your other hand and wrapped a quirk rope around his ankle, yanking him off balance. He let himself fall to the ground and slashed at your calf on the way, tearing MORE of your hero suit and causing you to stumble back, releasing his ankle.

You were bleeding, he was bleeding, and you were getting dizzy with exhaustion. Most of his attacks didn’t cut your body, since you had managed to keep up your quirk layer of skin, but your concentration was beginning to waver as you tired and he had managed to cut you up in a few places. When he had slashed you in the face, you were so startled that your concentration faltered and he managed to cut a gash into your forehead. Blood dripped down your face and you kept having to wipe it out of your eyes, but at least you could still see. If you had dropped the quirk skin a millisecond earlier, he would have sliced your eye.

You repositioned himself between the Hero Killer and your friends, holding up your twin daggers and breathing heavily.

Your foe grinned at you, unhinged, clearly staring at the blood on your forehead. “Don’t make me kill you, Enigma,” He warned. “I meant it when I said I’d let you live, but only if you let me do my job.”

Your hands trembled. “Fuck your job.” You hissed. “Leave them alone and kill me instead!’

A blast caused both of you to turn, but you barely saw the familiar figure before the Hero Killer was blasted backward, tumbling against the ground and skidding to a halt down the alleyway. As he lay recovering on the ground, you turned your attention to your ally. “Bakugo? What are you—”

“I’m here to help, you fucking nutcase!” He snapped, stomping toward you. “What was that bullshit about letting him kill you, HAH? I came all the way here to help you and you were going to give up? What the fuck is wrong with you!”

You avoided his intense glare, furrowing your eyebrows in confusion and watching the Hero Killer get up. “Why are you so mad?”

“Why am I—” Bakugo cut himself off, pulling at his hair with both hands and staring at you with   wide eyes. He muttered curses under his breath for a few seconds, seeming to have an internal battle with a whirlwind of thoughts. “WHY? Because you’re INSANE and say shit about letting yourself die! You aren’t allowed to do that?” He wiped some blood from your forehead, which somehow made you feel more lightheaded.

“Okay, whatever.” Your heart was beating too fast (from the fight) so you backed out of his reach, nodding toward the Hero Killer. “We can talk about it after we take him down.”

“Take me down, huh?” The villain chuckled, smiling widely. “You seem much more confident now that your boyfriend is here, huh, Enigma?”

You winced as Bakugo growled, palms sparking. 

He must hate being called your boyfriend.

“She’s not Enigma anymore, you fuckwad.” Bakugo snapped.

“How do you know?” The Hero Killer smirked. “Did YOU know her back then? As someone who DID know Enigma, everything seems the same to me. If the shoe fits, wear it.”

Bakugo’s lips curled into a snarl, but before either of you could do anything, a streak of green zipped between you and smashed into the villain. He slammed against the wall and slumped to the ground, unmoving.

Izuku turned back toward you sheepishly. “Sorry that took so long,” He smiled awkwardly. “I was the last one to get paralyzed, but I was the first to be able to move, so I think it has something to do with blood type? Or maybe the amount of blood ingested…”

“Will you shut up?” Bakugo snapped, running his hands through his hair. “You should’ve stayed there and let us handle it. We didn’t need your help!”

“I know that, but I thought I’d take advantage of how he was distracted.” Izuku shrugged. “It was faster that way.”

The three of you turned to look at Iida as he groaned, pulling himself up. “I have never felt so useless and humiliated in my entire life.” He groaned, reaching down and helping the pro-hero up as well. “Thanks Izuku, (y/n). And…Bakugo too, I guess.” He eyed the blonde with apprehension before wiping sweat and blood from his forehead.

“We should restrain him before he wakes up.” Izuku walked over to the Hero Killer. “Can someone go get—”

“Hey kids, what’s going on here?” A clattering of sidekicks came around the corner, causing the students to turn and look at them with relief. One of the sidekicks gasped. “Is that…”

“This is the hero killer.” Izuku nodded. “Please help us restrain him.”

“No problem!” The heroes rushed forward. “Stay here until…”

Their voices became intelligible. Your vision blurred. Your body trembled so much that it felt like the very air around you was wobbling. A wave of nausea and exhaustion rolled through your body and up to your head, causing your vision to spin.

Someone was saying something. “...back with me.” Was that Bakugo? “Glowstick?” Everything was so blurry, but that straw-blonde blob could only be one person. “(Y/n)?” Someone grabbed your shoulders, causing your body to jolt. Had you been falling? “(Y/n)! Stay with me!”

You tried to focus, but it was no use. Your vision melted as you barely made out Bakugo’s desperate voice, “Stay with me, (y/n)! I promise that…”

It all faded away.

— — —

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of suicide & suicidal thoughts, mentions/depictions of verbal, physical, and emotional abuse, general traumatic past sort of shit

The building was on fire again. Shigaraki liked it when you burnt down the whole building. It reduced the changes of him beating you by tenfold.

You wanted to be buried inside the ashes of this chaos you caused. You wanted to save Gemma. You wanted to escape and live. You wanted to give up and die.

“What are you doing?”

You whirled around and saw a masked man standing in the doorway. He cocked his head. “You’re the one who did that, right?” He nodded to the ground in front of you, where a Pro Hero lay unconscious. “And you pulled the fire alarm so that everyone else would leave safely, too I can’t figure you out. What are you up to?”

Your stomach lurched and your power was surging. “What do you want?” You asked in a low voice, hoping he didn’t hear how it was trembling.

“I was curious,” The man sounded amused, but you couldn’t see his expression due to the mask. “They call you Enigma, right? The Hero Assassin. You cause incredible destruction and kill heroes, or maim them at the very least. The news loves you.” He stalked toward you and you stepped back. “Why are you just standing there and not finishing the job?”

You stood still and silent, and the man chuckled. “Do you want me to do it for you?”

You stood up a little straighter, and before you could even think of how to respond, the Pro Hero on the ground had a clean slice through the neck. The man sheathed his blade behind you and you whirled around, heart pounding. “You’re just a kid, aren’t you?” He asked, squinting at you as if he could see you through your glowing frame. “Drop the glow suit and show me your face.”

You stepped back. “...I can’t do that.”

“Then tell me how old you are.”

“Sixteen.”

“Liar. You sound like a kindergartener.”

“...Thirteen.”

“That sounds about right.” He sighed. “I won’t ask any more questions because you obviously aren’t doing this because you want to, but I also won’t save you. I’ll make you a deal. Whenever you are ordered to kill a Pro Hero by whoever is ordering you around, light the building up like this. Stall for a bit and I’ll come and kill them off for you. I don’t want to get caught up with the authorities, and this way, you won’t be the ones to kill the Pros. Is that a deal?”

You clenched your fists. “...why do you have to kill them?”

“Most heroes are pieces of shit anyway,” He shrugged, “But I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to kill them if it weren’t to help out a little kid like you.”

“Then why don’t you…” You trailed off, stopping yourself before you revealed any more information. Shigaraki would KILL you if he found out that you leaked—

“Because I don’t want people to know me.” He replied simply. “In order to do what I want to do, I need to stay away from the Pros, the police, and the villains. I don’t want any strings or tails dragging me down. This is the most I’ll do to help you. Will you take my offer or not?”

The room was still, save for the crackling flames that were beginning to engulf the walls. 

“...Why help me at all?” You asked suspiciously.

The man shrugged. “You’re interesting. I want to see what will happen to you.”

You scoffed bitterly. “So, you’re another person who wants to watch me struggle to survive like it’s a reality TV show? I should have known. I’m not interested.”

“I want to see whether or not you still care to pull the fire alarm to save all the civilians in a year or two,” The man corrected, causing you to pause as you were about to turn away. “Or if your spirit will have broken enough that you no longer care about saving people.”

“...You’re a sick son of a bitch.” You spat.

“You have quite a mouth on you for a thirteen year old.” He chuckled, but he quickly became more serious and asked, “Who are these people holding hostage that makes you willing to do these things?”

You debated answering, but he already knew too much anyways, so what did it matter if you FINALLY told someone. “My little sister.”

The man looked at you in silence for a few moments. “The media may call you the hero assassin, but you’ve only killed a few heroes and you usually maim them, forcing them to retire. That’s on purpose, isn’t it? To make it seem like you fail.”

You shifted uncomfortably. “What’s your point?”

“You’re a good sister, and you want to save people, but you are willing to do bad things in order to protect one person.” He mused. “You have potential, but it is yet to be seen whether you will end up having the potential to be a true hero. The goodness in you might rot away eventually.”

“Well, I hope it’s entertaining to watch.” You snapped sarcastically, turning away.

“You can call me Stendhal.” He said behind you. “Do we have a deal?”

You paused, the flames engulfing the room starting to spread across the floor. Your body was safe, encased in a glowing suit, but the man was moving away from the fire. It was time to go. You were grappling with yourself internally, but there was no time. There needed to be an answer now. “...I’ll stall for you, but not for long.”

You could practically feel his grin from under his mask. “See you later, Enigma.

— — —

Bakugo was trapped in an intense debate with himself as he sat as far away from Deku as possible on the bench outside of your hospital room. You were still unconscious and the doctor told the two boys to give her space, but Bakugo didn’t want to. He had so many questions, but at the same time, he didn’t want to make you upset. Just because you were annoying when you cried. And he hated feeling guilty when he was just trying to help for once. Yeah…and he also wanted to scold you about how stupid you acted! Not that he really cared that much, but…

Bakugo glared at Deku out of the corner of his eye, who was chewing his thumbnail with a furrowed brow, deep in concentration. Bakugo hated to admit it, but that idiot knew you just as well, maybe even better than he did. Maybe he would know…

“Hey, Deku.”

Deku snapped out of his thought storm and turned to Bakugo in surprise. “Me? I mean, yes?”

Bakugo suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and willed himself to stay calm. This was for you .

Wait, what? No, he just wanted answers, that was all. It wasn’t for you. It wasn't…for…

Bakugo forced himself forward. “Did you understand what the hero killer said at the end, after he saved you and (y/n) from that Nomu?”

Deku thought back, and the scene replayed again in Bakugo’s head. Bakugo had pushed you into Deku’s hands as the Nomu dove toward them, getting ready to fight the villain, but the Hero Killer broke out of his bonds and killed the Nomu before it could reach them. He had looked over at you with a smirk.

“I’m always doing you favors, huh, Enigma?”

Bakugo’s embarrassment at everyone’s inability to move at the Hero Killer’s proceeding speech was potent, but his worry for you was stronger.

“Damn it.” Bakugo hissed, and he looked up at Deku, who was still confused as to why Bakugo called his name. “Deku. Do you know how (y/n) knew the Hero Killer?”

Deku shook his head. “I have no idea.”

“Then what the hell are you guys always giggling about together?” Bakugo snapped.

Deku cocked his head. “Why would we…be giggling about the Hero Killer?”

“No, I mean—” Bakugo growled, putting his head in his hands. “I mean, what the hell are you two always on about, giggling and shit?”

“Oh…” Deku blinked, then shrugged. “Normal stuff, I guess. We don’t talk about her past much. We talk about quirks sometimes, but we also are both really nerdy about support gear and she likes the same comics—”

“I didn’t say I wanted a fucking list of your conversation topics!” Bakugo huffed, turning away to look at the curtain obscuring your hospital room from view.

Deku looked at the back of his head and smirked. “You did ask me what we talked about, though.”

Bakugo whirled back around, teeth bared. “What’s with the attitude, HAH?”

“Nothing!” Deku held up his hands, trying and failing to wipe the smirk off his face.

“What’s so fucking funny?”

“It’s nothing!”

“Like hell!” Bakugo grabbed Deku by the front of his suit. “What kind of devious little plan are you—”

“I swear, Kacchan, it’s nothing!” Deku was openly smiling now. “It’s just nice to watch other people care about (y/n), that’s all.”

Bakugo released him and sat back with a huff, rolling his eyes. “What the hell are you on about?”

“Don’t lie to yourself, Kacchan.” Deku sighed, leaning back on the bench and staring up at the ceiling. “It’s okay to care about people.”

Bakugo grit his teeth. First it was Best Jeanist, and now Deku? Why was everyone preaching to him about this?

“Listen, I don’t need you to tell me how I feel about—” Bakugo stopped abruptly as he heard the curtain open, and the two boys turned quickly to look at you standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame for support.

Your eyes were panicked, but as soon as they landed on Bakugo and Izuku, all of the tensed muscles in your body relaxed. You started sliding toward the floor, and Bakugo barely jumped up in time to grab you. “Hey hey hey, Glowstick,” He held you as you were half-standing, half-slumped toward the ground. “What’s going on?”

“You’re okay….” You mumbled, a tear trickling down your cheek. Izuku stood next to you, unsure how to help, and Bakugo grit his teeth.

“I’m taking you back to bed, okay?” He hoisted you up into his arms and carried you back into the room. “How many times are you going to make me carry you like this, hah? You’re taking advantage of me!”

You chuckled weakly as he settled you gently back into the bed, and you rubbed your temples. Your head was bandaged where Stendhal—no, the Hero KIller had left a gash. You opened your eyes and blinked away the blurriness as Bakugo pulled up a chair next to you.

“How long was I out?” You asked, feeling around the bandage on your head carefully.

“Only a few hours,” Bakugo sighed scratching the back of his head. “The doctor said you have cuts on your torso and arm, and a pretty bad gash on your forehead, but the rest is just physical and mental exhaustion. Your wounds aren’t severe enough for them to use healing quirks on you yet because they’re all busy with Nomu victims.”

“Why aren’t you two helping with the Nomus?” You asked as Izuku pulled up a chair on your other side.

“All Might called and wanted the two of us to stay here.” Izuku explained, giving you a knowing look. “Bakugo wanted to stay with you, and All Might thought it would be a good idea to have someone else with us, so we’ve been waiting outside. The doctor didn’t want us in here until you were awake.”

“Is All Might out there fighting?” You asked concernedly, but Izuku shook his head. “Thank god.”

“The hell do you mean, ‘thank god’?” Bakugo looked at you as if you were crazy. “We need him right now! People are pissed as hell that he’s not showing up, and for good reason!”

You looked at Izuku apprehensively, and he held up his hands. “All Might and I have told you our opinions, but it’s ultimately your choice. He gave you permission. If you disagree, you can do whatever you want.”

Bakugo looked back and forth between you and Izuku. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Izuku watched you apprehensively, frustration clearly written across his face. You clenched your jaw, which hurt the throbbing in your head and stretched the gash in your forehead, but you couldn’t help it. “Do you really think it’s a bad idea?”

“Yes.” Izuku replied simply. “But All Might gave his permission, and it’s your choice. Do what you think is right. I’ll support you.”

You looked over at Bakugo, who was glaring at Izuku fervently. “Bakugo,” You said quietly, and he dropped the glare as he turned to you. “...What I’m about to tell you, you can’t tell anyone. The only people who know are Nezu, All Might, Izuku, and I.”

“What, is this some secret conspiracy club?” Bakugo snorted.

“I’m serious, Bakugo.”

His face fell as he heard the tension in your voice. “You just heard that All Might and Izuku didn’t want me to tell anyone else, and they thought you would act too rashly if I told you, but I’m going to tell you anyways.”

“Why?” He asked, forcing himself to look away from you because the eye contact was too intense . “Why tell me, then?”

“Because I trust you,” You replied simply. “You’re my friend. We work well together, and I feel bad keeping you in the dark when you keep getting dragged into this.”

Bakugo had no response to that.

You trusted him?

You considered him a friend?

The two of you DID work well together, but…

You CARED about him?

The thing that caught Bakugo the most off-guard is why did he feel so…relieved? Happy?

Bakugo felt his heart thundering in his chest, and he gripped his shirt tightly.

She trusts me. We’re friends. She cares about me too.

SHE CARES ABOUT ME TOO.

“Fuck.” Bakugo hissed, sitting back in his chair and running his hands through his hair. He was sweating more than usual, and he couldn’t bring himself to snap at you and Deku for staring at him strangely.

He couldn’t deny it anymore. The signs were all there, and everyone knew it.

I care about this dumbass Glowstick. Bakugo closed his eyes, squeezing his shirt in his fist so hard that his hand hurt. I care about her so fucking much.”

“Bakugo?”

He pulled himself back into reality, letting go of his shirt and shaking out his throbbing hand. “Sorry, I just…” He trailed off, unsure of what to say, but you waved your hand.

“Don’t worry about it.” You assured him. “If you don’t want to get bothered with this shit, I don’t have to tell you—”

“No,” Bakugo interrupted. “Tell me.”

You and Izuku shared a glance before you turned back to Bakugo, who was staring at your face steadily and expectantly. How was he going to react?

“Bakugo…have you ever heard of All For One?”

Chapter Text

You managed to get through the basics before Bakugo's parents showed up.

“Hey, kiddo!” Mitsuki shot you a grin.

“It’s a relief all of you are safe.” Masaru looked at the three of you with a small smile. “We came to get you, Katsuki. You really do need to come with us this time…Principal Nezu has ordered all students involved in the incident to return to their guardians temporarily.”

Bakugo tensed, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. You pursed your lips for a moment before putting on your best reassuring smile. “I know we can’t text about everything ,” you began, hoping he caught your drift, “but we can still keep in touch for the next week until we’re back at school. Don’t worry!”

He stared at you for another second before standing up begrudgingly, pushing the chair back to where it had been. “I need some time for my brain to catch up with everything, anyways.” He muttered, pushing past Izuku and walking toward the exit. He barely passed his parents before he stopped, turning around slightly but refusing to look at your face. “Don’t do anything stupid again.” He scolded, his tone lacking any of its usual roughness.

The corners of your mouth curled up slightly. “Right back atcha, Lord Explosion Murder.”

You would have bet money that you saw a hint of a smile before he turned back away from you.

Bakugo left with his parents without another word, and Izuku waited for them to be out of earshot before leaning forward to talk to you in an excitedly hushed voice. “Are you guys flirting?”

“What the hell?” You looked at him incredulously. “What are you talking about?”

“Mina said—”

“Ignore what Mina said about it! She just likes drama so she reads too much into everything!”

“But Uraraka also—”

“STOP LISTENING TO THEM!”

All Might listened to your lighthearted bickering from the hallway, smiling in relief.

— — —

“Katsuki?” Masaru glanced at his son in the rearview mirror, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Are you alright? You seem a bit on edge.”

“I’m just tired.”

Bakugo wasn’t tired at all. His mind was whirling with too much information—no, just a few pieces of information that had shaken him to his core.

Focus on the most important stuff, he told himself.

All Might’s quirk was fading. It was fading because he passed the quirk to Deku, of all people. Deku never lied about being quirkless. Looming over everything, a new terrifying, loathsome villain. No, not a new villain…an old villain so terrible he was kept a secret from almost everyone, even other pro heroes.

Even though he was struggling to wrap his head around such a quirk, such a dangerous villain, such massive secrets, his thoughts still ultimately wandered back to you.

You said that Deku and All Might didn’t want to tell him the truth, but you still told him anyways…because you trusted him. Because you were friends.

Bakugo hated the part of himself that felt happy about that in the face of everything you had told him.

This “All For One” wanted to keep you under his thumb because he was after your quirk. That was the theory, anyway. How could any part of him have the audacity to feel happy when, according to Izuku’s theory, this motherfucker was just waiting for a stronger body in order to steal your quirk and KILL YOU.

He didn’t get a chance to ask how you knew Stain, the hero killer. He didn’t get the chance to ask how he could help you. Bakugo wasn’t going to sit around and wait for you to tell him, though, so he was wracking his brain for ideas—but what would he think of that the Pros hadn’t already considered? He rubbed his temples, going as far as to consider helping Deku, too, at this point—anything to help keep that dangerous villain away from you .

Bakugo wrestled with these uncomfortable feelings, trying to push them down but only succeeding in making himself think about them even more.

Anything to keep that dangerous villain away from YOU, huh?

Bakugo didn’t really comprehend that they had reached home until he had already taken off his shoes and sat down on the couch, staring blankly into space. He snapped out of his whirling thoughts when his mom sat down beside him, slapping his knee (albeit gently). 

“You’ve had a crazy night, kid,” She ruffled his hair affectionately, chuckling when he swatted her hand away. “Go shower and relax.”

“That’s what I was going to do anyway, you old hag.” Bakugo had no bite in his voice, standing and walking toward the stairs.

“Just throw your suit in the hallway, I’ll wash it.”

Bakugo grit his teeth. “Yeah.”

Mitsuki smiled at his back disappearing up the stairs. “You’re welcome.” She replied.

— — —

You stood in the cramped locker room shower, forgetting about Midnight’s presence in the changing area on the other side of the wall. You simply stared at the bland tile a foot away from your face. The uncomfortably harsh jets of water drilled into your scalp, causing an unfamiliar but soothing type of vibration to numb your head.

“Take as long as you want,” Midnight had assured you before plopping on a bench a few meters away from the showers. “The school has enough budget to cover the water bills of all of Musutafu, I promise you.”

You felt guilty about it at first, but you found yourself succumbing to your teacher’s advice as you stood in the dense steam, feeling like you were floating but at the same time your feet were planted firmly on the tile floor. You closed your eyes and clenched your jaw as Bakugo’s expression stained the blackness of your vision. 

“So, if he’s waiting to have a stronger body in order to steal your quirk, what would theoretically happen to you if he succeeded?” Bakugo had asked as he drilled a hole in the opposite wall. His elbows had been propped up on your hospital bed and his hands had subconsciously gripped the sheets he had just tucked you under minutes before.

You had glanced at Izuku for a moment, his grimace verifying your answer. “The act of stealing my quirk would just leave me quirkless, but it’s extremely unlikely that they would leave me alive.”

You had felt the sheets pull even further toward Bakugo as he had clenched them harder, which you now recognized was his attempt to repress his quirk sparking. Your stomach had turned at the knot in his temple and his jaw had clenched so hard you wondered if he could see stars. His eyes had still been staring across you at the wall, but the irises jerked back and forth slightly as if he was making complex calculations in his head.

The expression swam in your vision as you absentmindedly washed your body, the freshly closed cuts across your body stinging slightly. The hospital healers weren’t as good as Recovery Girl. It didn’t bother you, though, and it was almost enough to distract you from your worries, but it fell short.

Sure, Bakugo had looked serious (and somewhat annoyed) when Izuku explained One-For-All, and that had mixed with disturbed and angry expressions as he learned about All-For-One, but his expression became… unsettling when you told him the threat the villain posed to your life. His jaw stayed clenched, his entire face tense and taut, but somehow his eyes looked…nah, you were reading into it too much.

Were you?

Midnight had filled you in on some details about the night’s disaster as she drove you back home to the school after you were discharged from the hospital. Important details like what would happen to Stendhal—no, Stain—failed to cement in your mind, but one thing had stuck with you.

“Since you and the other students involved had internships in the area, you won’t be penalized for interfering without a hero license.” Midnight had reassured you before pausing in thought. “Well, except for Bakugo. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with him, since his internship wasn’t here.”

You had looked over at Midnight concernedly. “What do you mean? What would happen to him?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest.” She had shrugged. “It might be Best Jeanist who gets in trouble and not him. It might be that, since it was such a disaster, they’ll both get let off with a warning. We’ll have to wait and see.”

“But there were other Pros there who didn’t bring their interns, why did Best Jeanist bring Bakugo?” You had asked.

Midnight had chuckled. “From what I heard, Bakugo didn’t give him much of a choice. He saw the glow of your quirk on the news and was apparently about to leave on his own, regardless of permission.”

You had gaped. “...You’re shitting—uh, I mean, kidding me.”

“Nope,” Midnight had glanced at you in what seemed like amusement. “Nope. Best Jeanist told me himself that Bakugo was prepared to leave without him and gave him quite a bit of attitude until Best Jeanist let him come along.”

You felt just as shocked now as you had then. 

Were you reading into his expressions too much? Were you reading too far into his actions?

Why was it hitting you so hard, that he was acting like your friend, coming to help you when you were in trouble? Izuku would do the same thing, and the idea of THAT didn’t make your stomach do flips.

Maybe it was because Izuku wore his feelings on his sleeve, often having concern, anxiety, or anger painted clearly across his features. You had expected Bakugo to be angry, but…was it your imagination, or had he seemed distraught at the idea of All-For-One killing you? Were you just seeing what you wanted to see reflected in his eyes?

Why was that what you wanted to see?

Some shampoo suds began to slide down your forehead, and as you wiped them away, you were reminded of when Bakugo showed up during your fight with the Hero Killer, scolding you for your recklessness and wiping blood off of your forehead. Your fingers lingered where he had touched, remembering how you had felt surprised at the gentleness of his gesture.

You felt heat rising in your face, which you took as a sign to get out of the steaming shower.

You wondered how Bakugo was doing now. Was he thinking about you, too?

You grimaced as you wrapped a towel around your hair. What was with all these meaningless thoughts? It was about time to think about something else.

Meaningless? You pulled on your clothes and grabbed your stuff.

You wondered what you meant to him.

— — —

Bakugo lay sprawled on his bed, hair still dripping from his shower, knowing he should dry it off but not interested in getting back up again. He stared up at the ceiling with a clenched jaw.

“My quirk is really hard on my body,” You had said while smiling softly like a fucking idiot, “I vibrate molecules at various speeds, and even though I can control the shape of my vibrations, they always have to be connected to my body because my body is the origin of the vibration. I never noticed because I’m so used to it, but I’ve been doing tests with Mei and it seems like my body has built up a resistance to the vibrations over time by learning to adapt my body temperature and heart rate slightly. Still, if my quirk gets too out of control, I still pass out—”

“Yeah, no shit, princess.” Bakugo had muttered, not having the humor in him to snort.

You had screwed up your face and muttered “I prefer Glowstick,” before continuing your lecture. “Look, my point is that All For One’s shitty body can’t handle my quirk right now, but it’s apparently powerful enough that he really wants it, so he’s made Shigaraki parade me around like a puppet until he’s ready to steal my quirk.”

“So, if he’s waiting to have a stronger body in order to steal your quirk, what would theoretically happen to you if he succeeded?” Bakugo had asked.

“The act of stealing my quirk would just leave me quirkless,” You had shrugged in the most infuriatingly nonchalant way possible, “But it’s extremely unlikely that they would leave me alive.”

Bakugo brushed his wet hair away from his ears and shoved in his earbuds, putting on his comfort episode—“Interview with All Might!” from the Hero Studies podcast. It picked up where he had left off before, at 11 minutes and 33 seconds.

|So, All Might—you’re always talking about what it means to be a hero. Can you tell us about that?|

|Of course! It’s the job of a Hero to protect and serve civilians. To make them feel safe by keeping them safe.|

|What about Heroes like Endeavor, who are highly successful Heroes but have disproportionately low ratings among civilians due to what is often attributed to his personality?|

|Well, I’m not interested in criticizing Endeavor, who is a wonderful Hero. I can address what I think you’re trying to get at, through. Sometimes, keeping people safe isn’t enough to make them feel safe and secure. People want to feel that you care about them and protect them because you value their lives, not just because it’s your job.|

|I guess Endeavor does come across as a bit cold sometimes.|

|I’m sure it’s just his way of maintaining an even temperature.|

Bakugo huffed out of his nose as the podcast hosts laughed. All Might was too damn nice.

|But, All Might…there are some people who say Heroes who care too much are weak and prone to manipulation by Villains. What are your thoughts on that?|

|I think it’s ridiculous. Everyone has something that they care about, so Villains always have something they could use against you, whether it’s loved ones, money, reputation, or cherished possessions. If you cherish people, then you are motivated to protect people.|

|What about Heroes with spouses and families? There are some people advocating for laws against Heroes being able to marry and have children while active because of concerns for hostage situations.|

|Do Heroes not deserve love? Do we not deserve happiness? I have a hard time believing that civilians truly want to be protected by unhappy Heroes. The concern is understandable and valid, but there are measures in place to prevent such occurrences, and if it were to still happen there are protocols in place to keep everybody safe and deal with the situation. There is no reason to deny Heroes the love and relationships that anyone else can have. If anything, I think it makes a Hero stronger.|

|Stronger? How does it make a hero stronger?|

|When you have people that you love more than your entire life, you begin to see them in others and empathize with civilians in a different way. It can help you focus and feel a deeper sense of urgency.|

|Do you have an example for yourself? Do you have a special someone?|

|So, you feel like you became a better Hero once you found love?|

|That’s one way to put it, yes.|

Bakugo turned off the podcast.

For some reason, his comfort episode wasn’t feeling as comfortable today.

— — —

“They’ve exempted you from the practical exam???” Mina folded her arms and pouted. “I mean, it makes sense, but still!”

You laughed as everyone chattered about the results of the written exam. “Yeah, well…I’ll be watching in the teacher’s observation room to cheer you all on!”

And you meant it. It had been a few weeks since the mass Nomu attack in Hosu—since you helped apprehend the Hero Killer, Stain, who used to be Stendhal— since you told Bakugo the truth —

He had been avoiding you ever since. You tried not to let it bother you, but you would be lying if you said it didn’t sting. Izuku and Mei had been trying to cheer you up, and sometimes you had to physically prevent Mei from stomping across the cafeteria to give Bakugo a piece of her mind. Izuku seemed uncharacteristically unworried about the sudden rift that had grown between the two of you, which confused you, but whenever you asked him about it he simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “I’m sure he’ll come around,” with a shadow of a smile. It was starting to get on your nerves.

In the meantime, you had started to hang out with Bakugo’s group of friends (minus Bakugo, who just sat there with his earbuds in ignoring the rest of you). They were actually a lot more fun than you had realized. They were a bit overwhelming at times, and some of them didn’t know when to stop, but they were a great distraction and were genuinely good people.

Right now, though, news of your exemption from the practical exam was drawing others to the typical “Bakusquad” hang-out space in the back of the classroom (that name was NOT your idea and you did NOT identify with that label).

“Do you know how they’re going to grade you?” Momo asked curiously. “Are they just going to take your written exam score for your entire final exam? Or are they going to give you an ‘A’ in the practical exam by default?”

You thought for a moment. “I’m…I’m not sure, actually. I’ll have to ask Aizawa about that.”

Sero grinned from his perch on his desk near yours. “Don’t judge us too much while you watch, though.”

You raised your eyebrows. “Are you planning to embarrass yourself?”

“Nah, he’s just flirting with you.” Kirishima smirked, and Sero elbowed him in the abs (which did nothing). The group (minus Bakugo) all laughed.

You had also learned through hanging out with this shameless group of friends that, apparently, you were super pretty or something? You couldn’t see it, but people in class wouldn’t shut up about it once they realized you thought you looked like a potato. You couldn’t tell if they were just being kind or genuinely flirting, but either way, it was strange, awkward, somewhat funny at times and VERY foreign.

Mina flicked Sero square between his eyes. “(Y/n) can’t hear you because she’s so far out of your league!”

“DAYUM!” Sero rubbed the red spot on his forehead. “And what exactly did I do to deserve—”

Kaminari pushed past him with a huff, cutting him off. “I reeeaaaaally wanted to be partners with you for the practical exam!” He whined, throwing himself on your desk dramatically. You pulled your arms back, a bit uncomfortable with the closeness but still genuinely giggling at his antics.

He stopped throwing his fit and simply lay wilted across your desk, pouting up at you. “(Y/n),” He asked pathetically, “You would choose me as a partner instead of Sero, right?”

Was this flirting again? No, it couldn’t be…Kaminari was like this with everyone, and flirting is something you do with someone you like.   “Haha…” You scratched your head awkwardly, “I don’t know, I mean…”

Kaminari gasped in dramatic indignance. He put his hand on your arm and looked a you with puppy eyes. “But you HAVE to admit that I’m—”

His last-ditch appeal to be your hypothetical chosen partner was interrupted as his arm was suddenly yanked off you with such force that he fell off your desk. Since he had been laying flirtatiously across it, his upper body would have crashed to the ground if not for Bakugo’s iron grip on his wrist.

The room went quiet, eyes fixed on your explosive classmate as he glowered at Kaminari and the rest of your friends. “Would you people shut the fuck up?” He snarled. “Can’t you see she’s fucking uncomfortable?”

“We’re just joking aro—” Kaminari wrenched his arm out of Bakugo’s grip but, after making eye contact with you, fell silent. “You didn’t have to throw me off of her.”

“You shouldn’t have been ON her in the first place, you fucking—”

You reached out and grabbed his wrist, causing him to tense up but fall silent. “They didn’t mean to make me uncomfortable,” You defended them. Your face heated as you felt all the eyes in the room flip back and forth between you and Bakugo. “They just—”

“Stand up yourself, then!” He snapped, pulling out of your grasp gently. “I know you know how, so do it! Be a sarcastic smartass and put people in their place and make sure people know your limits! Why am I the only one who—”

Bakugo stopped suddenly, aware of the silent classroom of eyes glued to the two of you. He scowled. “I’m going to practice for the practical exam.” He muttered, pushing past you lightly but shoulder-checking everybody else on the way out of the room. The bell rang for the end of the day just as the door closed behind him.

“Yeah,” You heard Mina whispering to Kirishima as people began to speak again, “He definitely likes her.”

Your face burned.

— — —

“They have a point.” Mei mused, sitting on the counter of the ex-classroom that was now your room. “He’s the notoriously emotionally constipated blasty boy, so of course he’d avoid you if he likes you.”

“All of you have lost it.” You muttered, pulling on your hero suit leggings and zipping up the sides. “Every single one of you have lost your minds.”

“Explain to me how I’m wrong!” Mei scoffed. “Tell me!”

“If you like someone, you want to be around them more!” You put your arms in the sleeves of the shirt and pulled it over your head, zipping up the front and then zipping the bottom of it to the top of your leggings. “That’s common sense!”

Mei rolled her eyes. “Did you just conveniently forget about the whole thing I said about him being an emotionally constipated blasty— ”

You pulled up your hood, whirling around to face your friend. “How can you draw that conclusion between his… issues …and the fact that he’s been avoiding me for two and a half weeks?”

“Because nothing else makes sense!” Me rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “Midoriya and I were talking about this earlier—”

“Without me?” You frowned with a huff while you pulled on your hood, zipping it around your neck to your suit.

“Yes, without you!” Mei huffed. “And he agreed—Midoriya, who has known him for his WHOLE LIFE, agreed with me that he is avoiding you because he is avoiding his feelings!”

“So I’m supposed to trust YOUR feeling about HIS feelings?” You scoffed, twisting the various zippers on your suit to lock them in place.

“It’s not a feeling! I swear, we’re definitely right!” Mei insisted as you exited your makeshift dressing room (Mei had picked out the mismatching room-dividers herself).

You held out your hand as if waiting for her to drop something in your palm. “Based on what evidence?”

Mei mimed putting glasses on her nose, suddenly laser-focused on you with a grin. “If he was really avoiding you, if he really didn’t like you—if he really didn’t care, why did he intervene today with that annoying electricity boy?”

You flushed. “You mean Kaminari? I don’t know, I mean, he’s easily annoyed—”

“You’re SO in denial.”

“Why do you call Kaminari an ‘annoying electricity boy’?”

“See? You know I’m right, so you’re trying to change the subj—”

You both jumped as someone started banging on the door. “(Y/N)!” Bakugo’s voice was uncharacteristically strained. “Open up, will you?”

Mei gave you an infuriating ‘ I-told-you-so’ look before getting off of the counter and stretching. “I guess that’s my cue!”

Bakugo continued to slam his fist into the door impatiently. “I know you’re in there!”

“I’m changing!” You hollered back, adjusting your already-on hero costume. You grabbed Mei as she tried to walk by.  “Don’t leave me alone right now!” You hissed urgently, but Mei grinned mischievously and shook your hand off.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Mei winked, “Blasty boy is right outside!”

Well, no shit. He was banging on the door in a steady rhythm, and you could tell he wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

You skirted into your room-divider-cubby and looked at the full-length mirror against the (actual) wall, doing a quick once-over to make sure your costume was on right. For the first time since you got it you felt a bit insecure and wondered is this too tight on me? — but brushed it off and realized too late that Mei was two feet away from the door. You bounded toward her, hissing illegibly and hoping she would understand your pleas to NOT OPEN THAT DAMN DOOR, but it was too late.

“Hi, Explodo-Boy!” She said cheerfully as she swung open the door and was almost conked like a wack-a-mole by Bakugo’s fist. He stopped himself in time and stared at her in confusion for a moment before scowling.

“Where is she?” Bakugo pushed past Mei into the room and almost walked right past you, since you had pressed yourself against the wall a few feet away from the door. He stopped a few feet in front of you and raised his eyebrows. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Hiding.” You replied.

“Anyway, I gotta run!” Mei grinned as she waved.

“Wait, Mei—” You stepped forward, but Mei was faster.

“Toodeloo!” She slammed the door shut behind her and you pulled your hand back, cursing under your breath.

A heavy FWOMP caused you to turn around and see Bakugo sprawled across your couch, arm resting over his eyes with his fist still clenched. “This is now the second time you’ve invited yourself in my home.” You muttered halfheartedly, pulling down your hood.

“I didn’t have a choice the first time, you heathen.” Bakugo snapped with a noticeable lack of vigor.

“What’s up with you?” You asked, sitting on the loveseat across from the couch. “I’ve never seen you be this dramatic.”

“Shut the fuck up!” He growled but didn’t move.

“Why are you here? I have to go train with Shinso and Aizawa soon.”

That caused Bakugo to sit up and glare at you. “What, is Shinso your bestie now?”

“No?” You folded your arms. “I don’t have a choice, you asshole.”

Bakugo stood up and began pacing, pulling on his hair aggressively. You could hear him muttering under his breath. “...fucking damnit…good person…my head… came here …”

“Did you come here to talk or to have a mental breakdown by yourself?” You asked, the words somehow coming out of your mouth in a more gentle way than you intended.

“The…” Bakugo stopped pacing and rubbed his temples. “The fucking list came out. The partners for the practical exam.”

You raised an eyebrow, trying not to show the surprise on your face that he actually was talking to you. “And?”

“My partner is fucking Deku.”

You nodded in understanding as he looked at you pointedly. “I know you aren’t very fond of him, but—”

“That’s—” Bakugo barked a humorless laugh. “That’s not even it, though. I mean, it was, but…I don’t know, I THOUGHT it was, but…and, you know, everything that happened when we were kids…”

“No, I don’t know.”

Bakugo looked up at you in genuine surprise, which was a new expression for you to see. “What?”

You shrugged. “I know you guys grew up together, but that’s all I know. I don’t know what the fuck happened between you.”

Bakugo stared at you for a moment before sitting back on the couch, running his hands through his hair. “I thought Deku would have told you,” he sneered, “since you two are so close.”

“He just said ‘it was all in the past’ and moved on,” You replied, feeling slightly hurt for some reason. “I didn’t push him about it because it’s not my business. Besides…” You looked away. “He hasn’t prodded about my past, so it would feel shitty.”

Bakugo sat there for a moment, processing something before his leg started bouncing at a furious pace.. “I can’t do it, (Y/N), I can’t be his partner, I know the fucking teachers probably paired us up so that we can put the past behind us and learn to get along or some shit but I’m not ready for that. I wish…” He pinched the bridge of his nose so hard his knuckles turned white. “Nevermind.”

Curious, but not going to push, you opened your mouth to ask a question but quickly forgot as your phone buzzed. You unzipped your pant pocket to pull it out. Bakugo looked up to locate the noise and, once he did, quickly blushed and looked away. You didn’t notice.

__________

AIZAWA (to you and 1 other)

I got called in to help with a villain, so training is canceled for tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.

You sighed, and Bakugo glanced down at your phone. “What?” He asked harshly, though you didn’t take it personally for some reason.

“Aizawa canceled training with Shinzo and I,” You put your phone down on the coffee table between the two of you before kicking your feet up on it and leaning back into the loveseat, stretching. “Something about helping out with a villain. I don’t know. I’m just annoyed that I changed into my suit for nothing.”

“So change out of it, you moron.” He scoffed.

You blushed, but suddenly felt competitive(?) It felt like a challenge somehow, and mama didn’t raise no bitch so you bounded up out of your seat and grabbed your designated ‘comfy clothes’, ducking behind the room dividers in the opposite corner of the room.

“What the hell are you doing?” Bakugo’s voice rose in slight alarm.

“Changing.”

“GO TO THE BATHROOM!”

“They closed down the bathrooms on this floor to try and avoid disasters with possible water quirks.” You replied, taking off your hood and tossing it over one of the room dividers toward your clothes basket (who knows if it landed). “Ya know, since we don’t really know who’s working with the League of Villains at this point, and water-based quirks are decently common.” You began unzipping the multitude of zippers across your costume before pulling of the top, it after your hood. “I have to wake Midnight up next door and ask her to accompany me all the way across the school just to take a piss during the night. It’s pretty embarrassing.”

You pulled off your boots and placed them under the mirror on the wall, then took off your leggings. You threw them over your head and over the room dividers toward the rest of your clothes. “So, Mei got me these room dividers. We put a full length mirror on the wall, so it’s like a dressing room. I thought it was a great idea. That’s Mei for…” You heard the door click shut. “...you…”

This motherfucker had left the room.

That made you angry for some reason and you fumed as you pulled on your comfy clothes.

No, you knew the reason. Bakugo Katsuki acted SO brave, but the moment HE suggested something and YOU obliged by being brave and vulnerable, HE ran away? That was some BULLSHIT.

You stomped across the room and yanked open the door, glaring down toward the security doors. “I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE A FUCKING PUSSY!” You bellowed, which echoed in the empty hallway.

“What the fuck are you doing, you psycho?” Bakugo asked incredulously from behind you, and you whirled around to glare at him (hiding your surprise that he was still there). He was leaning on the wall a few feet away from the door and was currently looking at you like you had grown a second head.

“I’m calling you a pussy!”

“Don’t people say that’s sexist nowadays?”

You fumed as Bakugo smirked at you, proud of his comeback. You scowled. “Get back in here,” You demanded, holding the door open and waiting in expectation.

Bakugo rolled his eyes but listened more obediently than expected. “I was just giving you some privacy,” He claimed casually, contrasting with his bright-red ears. “Sue me, I guess.”

“I have room dividers for privacy. You couldn’t see anything unless you were a creep and tried to peep on purpose .”

“I would never do that!” He replied defensively, sitting back on the couch, and you shrugged.

“Why’d you run away, then?” You mused, anger fading as you continued to banter, sitting back down in the loveseat.

Bakugo looked away, ears turning an even brighter red. “It’s just the polite thing to to!” He insisted.

You resisted the urge to snort, shifting to sit sideways and swinging your legs over the arm of the seat. “Whatever.” You decided to spare him any more embarrassment, changing the subject back to the lingering curiosity in your mind. “So,” You asked, “Why’d you come to talk to me?”

Though you had meant to give him a break, Bakugo’s ears remained beet-red at your question. “I don’t fucking know,” He groaned, running his hands through his hair repeatedly as it always stuck back up into its usual spikes. “I just saw the list and came straight here for some reason.”

“Well, you sounded pretty upset about it, so you probably just wanted to vent.” You shrugged, pulling at a loose threat at the hem of your tank-top. “Makes sense.”

“That doesn’t make sense at all!” Bakugo insisted. “I don’t DO that shit! I’m fucking leaving—” He barely began to stand up before you shot back.

“You don’t do WHAT shit,” You scoffed, “have friends? This is one of the most basic aspects of a friendship.”

Bakugo clenched his fists and sat back down, scowling. “I know that.” He snapped. “I fucking have friends.”

“You literally just said that you ‘don’t do that shit’, though.” You argued, using air quotes to make your point. “So, I’m not sure what—”

“Just because I DON’T doesn’t mean I CAN’T!” Bakugo barked. “Fuck off, will you!”

You studied him for a few moments and felt your mood settle, saying, “Look—you don’t have to tell me shit. I’m not gonna push you.” What would Mei say? What would Midoriya say? “I’m your friend, so I’ll always be here for you if you ever wanna talk.”

Bakugo wrinkled his nose, giving you the side-eye. “I didn’t realize being friends with you would be so mushy-gushy.”

You felt your face flush slightly but you still rolled your eyes. “This shit isn’t ‘mushy-gushy’, it’s supportive . You’re the weird one for thinking this is mushy-gushy. It’s not like I’m all over you trying to give you comforting cuddles or something.”

An awkward silence followed, and you continued, standing up and clearing your throat and desperately willing your face to un-flush (and you weren’t the only one). “I don’t care if you hang out here, just get out by eleven.”

As you began to walk toward your desk to pretend to do something, Bakugo sighed in exasperation. “I’ll tell you.”

You turned around, frowning. “I just told you that I don’t want you to feel—”

“I WANT TO, OKAY?” The heat from his ears was spreading to his cheeks now as he sat as far away from you on the couch as possible, looking in the opposite direction. “You’re not forcing me, I WANT to, so sit down.”

You raised your eyebrows but obliged, sitting sideways in the chair and looking at him curiously.

Bakugo crossed his arms and glared at the wall. You resisted the urge to giggle at how adorable it was. 

Wait, adorable?

What?

BAKUGO?

Before you had time to think any further, Bakugo began speaking. “So, you can’t tell anyone,” He demanded harshly, “Not a single living soul, okay? You can’t even tell Deku I told you!”

You nodded. “Alright, sounds good.”

“And don’t pity me or give me advice like some shrink!” He added.

“I would never.” You assured him.

“And…” He trailed off, gritting his teeth. “Don’t…don’t fucking say anything. Even when you get disappointed and and angry at me, just shut up or I’m leaving and I’m never doing this dumb friendship bullshit ever again.”

Disappointed? Angry? You studied his face, fighting against your eyebrows as they wanted to furrow. A pang of guilt shot through your chest and shoved down the elation you felt that Bakugo—THE Bakugo Katsuki—was being vulnerable with you .

He met your eyes for a moment before scowling and looking away. “Why am I fucking doing this,” He muttered, running his hands through his hair a few times before leaning forward, staring down at the ground. He looked back up at you and pointed accusingly, “Don’t you dare tell a single soul, or laugh, or say that—”

“I get it, man!” You whined. “Please move on!”

You waited impatiently for a few moments before Bakugo took a deep breath.

“I’ve always been an All Might fanboy.”

Chapter Text

Bakugo blasted across one of the training gyms with much more force than was necessary. He practiced maneuvering through the air, bursting around obstacles and practice dummies—dodging, feinting, attacking, WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH HIM—

He crashed to the ground in a clumsy roll, stomping a few more meters to slam his fist into the wall. The quirk-resistant wall didn’t so much as flinch and two of Bakugo’s knuckles immediately split. He growled as his phone started to vibrate on a nearby bench and he stomped toward it, answering the call. “What the fuck do you want, Shitty Hair?” He snapped.

“Check your email, bro,” Kirishima replied urgently. “The exam pairings were sent out!”

Bakugo immediately put his phone on speaker and went to his email, pacing aimlessly as he clicked on the one Aizawa had sent minutes prior. 

FROM: Aizawa Shota
TO: Bakugo Katsuki, Aoyama Yugi, Ashido Mina, Asui Tsuyu, and 16 others

Here are your pairings for the practical exam. 

Sato Rikido & Kirishima Eijiro
Asui Tsuyu & Tokoyami Fumikage
Todoroki Shoto & Yaoyorozu Momo
Uraraka Ochako & Aoyama Yugi
Ashido Mina & Kaminari Denki
Koda Koji & Jiro Kyoka
Hagakure Toru & Shoji Mezo
Sero Hanta, Iida Tenya & Ojiro Mashirao
Bakugo Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku

We will go over the rules and set-up for the practical exam on Monday before we begin. There is one group of three, whose exam will be adjusted in difficulty to make it fair for the other students. The training gyms will be open like normal, after school until 10pm and on weekends from 9am to 10pm. I strongly encourage you to practice with your partner(s) so that you are ready for whatever we may throw at you on Monday.

If anyone has any questions or concerns about the practical exam or the pairings, talk to me about it instead of guessing the answers or whining incessantly to your friends.

Don’t be late on Monday or I’ll dock points from your practical exam.

Aizawa

Bakugo stared at his phone screen.

“Did you read it yet?” Kirishima asked, “I just thought that maybe—”

Bakugo hung up the phone wordlessly and put it down before he had the chance to fling it across the room. His vision was darkening at the edges as his fists clenched hard enough for his trimmed nails to still dig crimson crescents into his palms.

He grabbed his bag. He definitely didn’t misread it. He read it multiple times. It DEFINITELY said that. Everything was a blur.

He yanked the shower curtain shut behind him and immediately turned the water on to the hottest setting. That couldn’t have been a typo. He reached out of the curtain and fumbled in his bag, grabbing his shampoo and body wash. He didn’t wait for the water to warm up. If it were a typo, there would be mismatched or duplicated names elsewhere on the list. There weren’t.

Bakugo dried his hair furiously before hurling the towel into the locker-room laundry basket, causing it to rock against the wall. He began yanking on his clothes. Those motherfucking teachers did this on purpose. They paired him up with DEKU and it was all a part of their little TEST.

He yanked his shirt over his head and briefly spotted himself in the mirror and thought, for just a moment, that this was the shirt that you had worn that one time, the black t-shirt with a skull on it— but his thoughts quickly moved on because it didn’t smell like you anymore (not that he sniffed it or anything) and his mind immediately returned to the pressing matter at hand.

They were trying to fuck him over on the practical exam. There was no other explanation. Bakugo snatched up his bag and flung the door to the locker room open way too hard, stomping down the hallway. Only the emergency lights were on, since school hours were over, but his vision was darkened further as he continued to seethe.

Everything was so quiet. He could only hear his frantic heartbeat and shallow panting as he started up the staircase. What possible reason did they have to pair him up with Deku? They were just trying to fuck with him, right? But why? He felt light on his feet—TOO light on his feet.

He turned the corner to go up the next flight of stairs. No—he may not be a model student with an amazing growth mindset and angelic attitude, but he did well in all of his classes and took hero work seriously.

He forgot how many flights of stairs this had been.

Why were they doing this to him? Yeah, Bakugo had an attitude, but he didn’t deserve a fucking handicap for such an important exam. 

Did they think this was going to HELP him somehow? All the teachers knew that he and Deku didn’t get along. Was this supposed to be some sort of twisted get-along-shirt type of bullshit?

How was he supposed to work with him? DEKU, who LIED, who…who…

His head was spinning, but somehow, he didn’t feel dizzy at all—he just felt like he was going to detach from his body. He was just angry.

He started banging on the door. “[Y/N]! Open up, will you!” Bakugo demanded before he paused for a second, finally questioning what the hell he was doing.

Why was he on your floor? Yeah, they had given his ID clearance to enter the floor, but why did he come here? Why was he knocking? What was he—

Bakugo steeled himself and resumed banging on the door with a steady rhythm. He hadn’t sat down at a drumset in a while, but he still instinctively held a steady pulse.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to say when you opened the door but it was too late now. Mama didn’t raise no bitch, so he just kept on slamming his fist into the door. The strange sensation of detaching from his body began to settle down a bit as he faintly heard some muttering behind the door. “I know you’re in there!” He added, settling into character.

He couldn’t let on that he had no idea what he was doing here.

Bakugo leaned on the door with his elbow and continued slamming his fist into it. He took a breath, getting ready to call for you again, when the door opened and he barely caught himself from falling forward and slamming his fist on top of a pair of goggles…that were on someone’s head.

“Hi, Explodo-Boy!” The girl waved, and Bakugo barely remembered who this annoyingly cheerful girl was.

Once he remembered that she was your childhood friend or whatever, he merely walked past her and scanned the room. “Where is she?” He stopped in his tracks when he saw you standing right beside the door in your hero costume, flat against the wall with your eyes screwed shut.

Bakugo couldn’t see the rest of your face, but he would have bet money you were blushing. Does she think I won’t see her if she closes her eyes? He mused, that’s cute—

He shoved that thought as FAR into the depths of his soul as it could go and continued as if nothing happened. “What the fuck are you doing?” He asked.

“Hiding.” You answered without opening your eyes. Bakugo kept any unwanted thoughts deeply sealed within his being.

“Anyway, I gotta run!” Your friend waggled her fingers, and your eyes snapped open as you reached out as if to grab her.

“Wait, Mei—” You called.

Mei slipped through the door with a “Toodeloo!” before shutting it behind her with a slam. Bakugo ignored you as you stood for a few moments, staring at the door with pleading eyes as if to summon your annoying friend back. He walked right past you and collapsed on the couch, taking up as much space as possible.

Bakugo covered his eyes with his arm, fist absentmindedly clenched, as you muttered, “This is now the second time you’ve invited yourself in my home.”

Bakugo heard a zipper and peaked past his arm to see you taking down your hood. Your hair was in two braids and you had a halo of frizz from the hood, which was illuminated by the light behind you. You really DID look Radiant.

NOPE. Bakugo took whatever those feelings were and shoved them into the abyss, remembering that he needed to reply. “I didn’t have a choice the first time, you heathen.”

He heard cushions groaning as you settled into the seat across from him. He peaked at you again. “What’s up with you? I’ve never seen you be this dramatic.” The arch in your eyebrows and slight twinkle of amusement in your eyes seemed to add that ‘that was saying something.’

“Shut the fuck up.” He snapped at your expression, putting his arm back over his eyes.

“Why are you here?” You asked.

I wish I knew, Bakugo thought with an inaudible huff.

You continued, “I have to go train with Shinso and Aizawa soon.”

Images of that purple-haired freak flashed across Bakugo’s mind, igniting something that spread across his body and made his blood boil. Tension was etched in every fiber of his body as he sat up and asked, “What, is Shinso your bestie now?” with a level of sarcasm that didn’t match the anger behind his eyes. 

He watched as you folded your arms and scowled at him, which made his hands clench even harder until they were about to cramp. “No? I don’t have a choice, you asshole.”

Right. He was an asshole. That’s what he always was—an asshole. Bakugo stood up absentmindedly so that he could pace, forcing his hands unclench only to begin pulling on his hair instead. But he was an asshole to everyone, so why did it matter that he was an asshole to you? WHY? Why did he care? Why does he suddenly not want to be an asshole?

Bakugo completely forgot about your eyes as they followed him pacing back and forth. “God fucking damnit,” he whispered to himself, curling his fingers even farther into his hair to yank on it even harder. “Who fucking cares whether or not she thinks I’m a good person? Something is wrong with my head, I don’t understand what the hell is happening, I don’t understand why the fuck I even came here in the first place, why am I getting so worked up over some stupid goddamn—”

“Did you come here to talk or to have a mental breakdown by yourself?” You asked, your voice anchoring Bakugo back into reality. Your tone was uncharacteristically gentle, and that would typically make Bakugo angry because he didn’t need any fucking pity or babying, but it seemed to dampen the whirlwind in his head instead, and he didn’t even think to be mad about it.

Instead, he wondered, DID he come here to talk?

Well, if that’s what you had assumed, he might as well go with it. Not that he wanted to talk to you or anything like that.

“The…” Bakugo trailed off as he massaged his temples, trying to think of what to say. What was there to talk about?

The list. Right. “The fucking list came out.” he finally continued, “The partners for the practical exam.”

There was a brief pause where he didn’t look at you because he didn’t want to see your expression…whatever it might be. “And?” You prodded him to continue.

Bakugo felt anger bubbling back up in his chest and he clenched his jaw, images of you and that shitty nerd huddled together and laughing all the time flashing through his head. He looked at you, knowing that you already knew the implications. “My partner is fucking Deku.”

You nodded. “I know you aren’t very fond of him, but—”

“That’s—” Bakugo had to laugh at the gross simplification. “That’s not even it, though.” What else was it, then? “I mean, it was, but…I don’t know, I THOUGHT it was, but…” It had been like this for years. “And, you know, everything that happened when we were kids…”

“No, I don’t know.”

Bakugo immediately searched your face for some sign of a joke, but there was none. “What?”

“I know you guys grew up together,” You shrugged, “but that’s all I know. I don’t know what the fuck happened between you two.”

You…don’t know? Bakugo stood frozen in disbelief for a few moments before sitting back on the couch. “I thought Deku would have told you, since you two are so close.” He hoped he didn’t sound as bitter as he felt.

There was a slight pause before you replied. “He just said ‘it was all in the past’ and moved on. I didn’t push him about it because it’s not my business. Besides…he hasn’t prodded about my past, so it would feel shitty.”

Bakugo’s head began to whirl faster and faster. Deku didn’t tell you? And you didn’t tell Deku…which meant…

Did Bakugo know more about you than Deku?

Bakugo had always assumed that, since you were around the shitty nerd all the time, he would know the most about you. But was there really a chance that HE knew more about you than Deku?

A feeling disturbingly similar to pride began to swell in his chest, but before it could fully process it, he remembered what they were talking about. The swelling in his chest popped like a balloon, leaving him aching and gritting his teeth, absentmindedly bouncing his leg.

“I can’t do it, (Y/n),” Bakugo tried to explain. How did he explain this? He didn’t talk about this shit with people. Hell, why was he talking about this with YOU? You weren’t some kind of shrink. Bakugo didn’t need a shrink. But his mouth kept moving. “I can’t be his partner. I know the teachers probably paired us up so that we can put the past behind us and learn to get along or some shit but I’m not ready for that.”

Bakugo’s head hurt. It was whirling too damn fast and he hated himself for acting like a whiny baby in front of you but he couldn’t stop verbal vomiting like that FUCKING NERD . He couldn’t even bring himself to be mad because his heart was beating so fast and it took all of his effort just to make sure he seemed calm and collected. “I wish…” He pinched the bridge of his nose as if that would slow down his brain and stop the dull pounding. “Nevermind.”

You didn’t reply for a few seconds, and then your phone vibrated, and he looked over when he heard you unzipping something. It turned out just to be your pants pocket, and he could feel himself blush as you pulled out your phone. Trying to force the blush to go away only made it worse.

You sighed, which made Bakugo tense. “What?” He asked.

“Aizawa canceled training with Shinzo and I, something about helping out with a villain.” You stretched out and put your feet up on the coffee table. “I don’t know. I’m just annoyed that I changed into my suit for nothing.”

“So change out of it, you moron.” Bakugo huffed, not feeling his words because he liked seeing you in your suit. Because it was a cool suit. With a nice design. Not for any other reason.

He was expecting a witty comeback, so when you shot out of your seat and whisked some clothes off of the counter, he was surprised you listened to him. His heart began thundering with alarm bells when you began walking away from the door, though, going behind some room dividers.

There was no way you were going to change right there, with him IN THE ROOM, right?

“What the hell are you doing?” Bakugo asked, just to be safe.

“Changing.” You replied simply. Bakugo felt like an old-school cartoon character who’d had an anvil dropped on their head, and it took him a moment to shake off his stupor.

“GO TO THE BATHROOM!” He demanded, horrified, eyes glued to the cubby of room dividers you had disappeared into.

“They closed down the bathrooms on this floor to try and avoid disasters with possible water quirks. Ya know, since we don’t really know who’s working with the League of Villains at this point, and water-based quirks are decently common.” You chatted away without a care in the world.

Bakugo began pulling on his hair as you started tossing your clothes out of the dividers. He could HEAR the shuffling of fabric, the zipping and unzipping, you were changing your clothes mere METERS away from him and as his boxers grew tight, he whirled around and made his way toward the door.

You kept babbling away. “I thought it was a great idea.” Bakugo opened the door. “That’s Mei for…”

Once the door closed behind him, Bakugo let out a rather manic burst of disbelieving laughter. What the FUCK just happened?

Whatever it was, he was going to pretend it never happened, and that started with getting rid of the tent in his pants. Music. Fuck, he didn’t have his headphones. He leaned against the wall next to the door and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

He conjured up some lyrics to recite, which happened to be in English, since all he ever listened to these days were American rock bands. He even liked them enough to look up the lyrics—he was usually pretty good at English, but the words were impossible to understand otherwise.

Bakugo had memorized his favorite songs, though, and he couldn’t help but chuckle at the first one that came to mind. Don't wanna be an American idiot, don't want a nation under the new media, and can you hear the sound of hysteria? The subliminal mindfuck America—

Bakugo’s peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by the door next to him flinging open and you stomped out, glaring down the opposite side of the hallway.

He thanked Billie Joe Armstrong for the disappearance of the treacherous tent in his pants.

“I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE A FUCKING PUSSY!” You roared down the hallway.

Not knowing whether to laugh or be concerned, Bakugo stared at the back of your head in disbelief. “What the fuck are you doing, you psycho?”

You turned quickly, trying to pretend not to be surprised (you failed). Bakugo leaned his shoulder against the wall and looked at you pointedly.

“I’m calling you a pussy!” You repeated, avoiding his eyes. He smirked at the pink blushing across your cheeks as you made a face that was almost a pout. An unfamiliar feeling flitted in Bakugo’s chest before he squashed it, making his own witty comeback.

“Don’t people say that’s sexist nowadays?”

You scowled at him, and he had the resist the urge to grin back. “Get back in here!” You demanded, opening the door and holding it, waiting impatiently.

Right. Back in your room. Bakugo felt his ears grow hot remembering why he had left in the first place. “I was just giving you some privacy, sue me I guess.” He walked by you casually. 

“I have room dividers for privacy.” You followed him into the room and he wished you would just drop the subject. “You couldn’t see anything unless you were a creep and tried to peep on purpose.”

He sat down, offended. “I would never do that!”

“Why’d you run away, then?” You shrugged infuriatingly as you sat back in your seat.

Bakugo bit back the urge to argue that he did NOT run away. Why he held back was beyond him, but he didn’t have the time to dwell on it right now. He had to barrel forward before you noticed how red his ears were. “It’s just the polite thing to do!”

He bristled at the amused twinkle in your eyes but couldn’t bring himself to snap at you. Seriously, what was WRONG with him today? This stupid Deku thing had him acting weird as hell.

You swung your legs over the arm of the loveseat. “Whatever. So, why’d you come to talk with me?”

GOD FUCKING DAMN IT.

Bakugo’s ears betrayed the confusing warmth that spread through his body at the question. He groaned, leaning his head against the back of the couch. What was he even supposed to say? The TRUTH?

Fuck it. Might as well.

“I don’t fucking know.” Bakugo ran his hands through his hair continuously. “I just saw the list and came straight here for some reason.”

You shrugged, picking at something on your tank-top. “Well, you sounded pretty upset about it, so you probably just wanted to vent. Makes sense.”

Bakugo clenched his fists at the onslaught of unfamiliar, unwelcome words. “That doesn’t make sense at all! I don’t DO that shit!” Why the hell would he want to vent ? He began to stand. “I’m fucking leaving—”

“You don’t do WHAT shit, have friends?” You scoffed, stopping him in his tracks. “This is one of the most basic aspects of a friendship.”

Bakugo grit his teeth. RIGHT. You considered him a FRIEND. You two were friends. An infuriating fluttering in his stomach contrasted with the way his fists clenched. “I know that. I fucking have friends.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You literally just said you ‘don’t do that shit’, though.” You made air quotes, and Bakugo wondered if you somehow knew that was a pet peeve of his, because you seemed to love pushing his damn buttons. You loved pushing his buttons, and somehow, his patience with you only seemed to increase. You were an infuriating anomaly. “So, I’m not sure what—”

“Just because I DON’T doesn’t mean I CAN’T!” Bakugo barked back, settling back into the couch reluctantly. “Fuck off, will you!”

You stared at him, expression unreadable for a few unbearable seconds before sighing. “Look—you don’t have to tell me shit. I’m not gonna push you. I’m your friend, so I’ll always be here for you if you ever wanna talk.”

Typically, someone saying that to him would make Bakugo want to scream in their face. But for some reason, when it was you, it wasn’t so bad. He was more than a little miffed, but for once, it wasn’t something he wanted to fight. He settled for a look of mild disgust. “I didn’t realize being friends with you would be so mushy-gushy.”

His heart stuttered idiotically as you blushed, rolling your eyes all the same. “This shit isn’t ‘mushy-gushy’, it’s supportive .” You corrected. “You’re the weird one for thinking this is mushy-gushy. It’s not like I’m all over you trying to give you cuddles or something.”

The image of you all over him, trying to give him cuddles OR SOMETHING threatened to make the tent reemerge in Bakugo’s pants, and he flushed as the silence quickly grew awkward. Don't wanna be an American idiot, don't want a nation—

You stood up, clearing your throat, and Bakugo saw out of the corner of his eye that (to his relief) he wasn’t the only one flushed bright red. “I don’t care if you hang out here, just get out by eleven.”

You began to walk toward your desk, and Bakugo felt himself begin to panic slightly. Were you just going to LEAVE him here? What was he supposed to do?

The idea of you ignoring him was royally pissing him off. He told his parents he’d be training until 10pm, so they weren’t going to pick him up for a few more hours. He could always walk home, but something held him back. He didn’t like this feeling—like he was disappointed, like he WANTED you to keep infuriating him. He WANTED you to keep talking to him.

What did friends talk about?

“You probably just wanted to vent.”

“This is one of the most basic aspects of a friendship.”

Bakugo groaned internally, but he steeled himself, facing the challenge head-on. He wasn’t about to leave here with you thinking he was too scared to ‘talk about his feelings’ or whatever, so he was left with no other choice. “I’ll tell you.”

He could see you out of the corner of his eye as you stopped in your tracks, turning to look at him. “I just told you that I don’t want you to feel—”

“I WANT TO, OKAY?” Damn it, this was already worse than he expected. Bakugo looked away from you, glaring a hole into the wall. “You’re not forcing me, I WANT to, so sit down.”

Bakugo was slightly surprised when you listened wordlessly, sitting in the loveseat just in the corner of his vision, and he could vaguely see that you were staring at him curiously, a small smile on your face. What were you so damn happy about?

He barreled forward before he lost his courage. “So, you can’t tell anyone. Not a single living soul, okay? You can’t even tell Deku I told you!”

“Alright,” You nodded, “Sounds good.”

“And don’t pity me or give me advice like some shrink!”

“I would never.”

“And…don’t…” Bakugo grit his teeth, the reality of what he was about to do finally sinking in. He couldn’t back out now, damn it. “Don’t fucking say anything. Even when you get disappointed and angry at me, just shut up or I’m leaving and I’m never doing this dumb friendship bullshit ever again.”

A few seconds of silence went by and Bakugo looked over at you, meeting your earnest eyes briefly before looking away again. “Why am I fucking doing this…” he muttered to himself, wishing that an answer would magically appear as he stared at the ground between his feet. He still felt antsy. “Don’t you dare tell a single soul, or laugh, or say that—”

“I get it, man! Please move on!” You gestured for him to continue.

No more procrastinating.

Bakugo took a deep breath. “I’ve always been an All Might fanboy. I keep it on the downlow nowadays because I’m not one of those cringy fans, but I’ve always collected merchandise and shit like that. Deku and I…” He grimaced. “We’ve known each other since we were real small. We were both obsessed with All Might. We’d pretend to be heroes, ya know, stupid stuff you do with kids from the neighborhood. But then my quirk manifested, and his didn’t, and he was still…ya know, he was still fucking DEKU.”

You stayed true to your word and just listened silently, and Bakugo felt like a stranger in his own body, his mouth moving against every instinct but unable to falter under your gaze. Just tell her you used to bully Deku. That’s all. 

But he found himself backpedaling, giving detail that wasn’t necessary as if he was defending himself in front of a jury. He opened his mouth without knowing where the sentence would end up, and he had never felt so pathetic in his entire life.

Bakugo knew that backing out now would only be more pathetic, so he grit his teeth and pushed forward. “Everyone thought that quirkless dumbass would be a better hero, all because of his annoying-ass personality. I was RIGHT THERE, working my ass off since PRE-SCHOOL. Training my quirk. Training my body. Training my mind. I didn’t rely on having a heroic personality or some shit—I took action .”

He looked up at you for a moment, as if to verify that you were still there. And there you were, just looking at him with a blank face. Doing exactly what he had demanded of you, and he hated it. “Deku just fangirled about heroes and studied quirks as if that would make him a hero—he never wrapped it around his dumbass head that he wouldn’t be . He was fucking quirkless.”

Bakugo was waiting for you to react the wrong way so that he could get angry, but you continued to sit and listen stoically. He rubbed a hand down his face, “He just wanted to pretend like everything between us was fine, like we were still toddlers, but that was over. He couldn’t be a hero—no matter how much people said he would be a good one, it was never going to happen. His obsession about it was so fucking annoying.”

Bakugo stopped rambling, gritting his teeth. “Would you fucking say something?” He snapped.

You raised an eyebrow. “You told me not to say anything.” You pointed out.

“Well, that was before I realized how fucking weird this is!”

You sighed leaning back in the chair and pursing your lips. “So, what I’m hearing is that you were jealous that people thought he would make a good hero and they didn’t say the same about you, even though you had a quirk and he didn’t.”

Bakugo clenched his fists, resisting the urge to stand up. “HAH? Jealous? Jealous of WHAT? His nerdy-ass personality? The fact that he’s quirkless? Don’t make me laugh!”

“Use your ears, you dumbass,” You rolled your eyes. “I said you were jealous of what other people thought of him.”

Bakugo finally felt the familiar spark of anger. “I wasn’t fucking jealous!”

You stared at him in exasperation. “What’s so wrong with being jealous?”

Bakugo sat still for a moment. “I don’t need to be jealous.” He replied slowly. “I’m Bakugo fucking Katsuki.”

“...But that’s exactly why you’re jealous, isn’t it?” You pressed. “Because you’re Bakugo fucking Katsuki.”

Bakugo opened his mouth to retort angrily, but was caught off guard by the wrong feeling rising in his chest. The expected anger was overtaken by pride at your affirmation that yeah, he was Bakugo fucking Katsuki. Bakugo’s mouth felt dry and he felt even more stupid. Yeah, no shit—who else would he be?

“What the fuck does that mean?” He snapped hollowly, trying to drag his anger back up to the surface.

You shrugged. “You’re jealous and angry that other people seemed to ignore you and pay attention to Izuku instead.” You said as if it were obvious. “Why else were you angry? Were you angry at him for being quirkless, like it was his fault? Did you wake up one day and decide that you hated your friend and found him annoying?” Bakugo opened his mouth to defend himself because you were making him sound stupid , but you barrelled on. “— OR did his personality begin to frustrate you because you hated that other people would see his personality and think ‘he would make a great hero’ and ignore you?”

You were asking too many questions. Was he supposed to answer all of them? It didn’t matter, because they were all stupid. This was stupid. Bakugo clenched his jaw. “Whatever.” He shifted in his seat, still avoiding your direct gaze and pushing down the dread rising in his chest.

Everyone knew he had problems with Deku, so it was the slightest bit easier to explain their past. It was still uncomfortable, because god knows Bakugo avoided talking about shit like that, but it was manageable.

THIS, though…THIS was the part that could change everything. But Bakugo didn’t half-ass anything—if he was going to tell you the past, he was going to tell it to you straight. His heart was thundering in his chest, sending blood rushing through his head as he anticipated your inevitable reply. He pushed past the unknown barrier that caused him to talk in circles around the point.

Here we go. “The point is, I became a jackass. You’re probably going to want to rethink your whole ‘friendship’ with me because I bullied the hell out of him. I had a whole posse of friends and everything. I gave him hell for being quirkless. But that damn nerd never seemed to care and it pissed me the fuck off. And then we get into UA and I find out that suddenly he has a quirk, and I thought he had been lying the whole fucking time, and the only reason I could think of was that he was lying because of me.”

You continued to listen intently, and Bakugo hated feeling like he was talking to himself. Or, worse, in a fucking confessional booth or something.

Bakugo groaned, putting his head in his hands. Just wrap it up and leave, god damnit . “He never seemed to hate me, no matter what I did, and you know how he is. Self-sacrificing and all that. I thought that he noticed how pissed I was—ya know, that people wouldn’t shut up about him—so when his quirk manifested a little late, he just hid it so he wouldn’t upstage me. You know the Shitty Nerd—that’s totally something his dumbass would do.”

You nodded. “Yeah, he totally would.”

“And I didn’t want his fucking pity and it pissed me off—the idea that he would feel bad for me despite me bullying the hell out of him.” Bakugo barrelled forward because it was almost over. “But then you told me about One For All, and yeah, I guess that shit makes sense, but fucking hell, now my favorite hero—OUR favorite hero—chose him to be his successor over me. Again. Everyone fucking does. In the end, he became a hero and is competing with ME, who has trained my whole life—all because of his goddamn heroic personality . I’m so fucking…I’m so sick of it.”

He waited for you to say something, growing increasingly impatient until he opened his mouth, ready to demand a response. That’s when you finally spoke. “Can I ask you a question?”

Bakugo shrugged, wondering if he’d regret his answer. “No one is stopping you.”

You thought for a moment. “Why don’t you let yourself feel emotions other than anger?”

Bakugo began to regret ever entertaining this conversation at all. “What the fuck are you on about?”

“You’re talking about your past like all you felt—like all you feel —is angry,” You explained, “But you clearly weren’t just angry, you were jealous. And hurt. You were angry, yes, but you were feeling other things too. You were scared that Izuku would continue to outshine you, despite being quirkless, so you bullied him. People around you were more complimentary toward him, and that hurt your—”

“I told you not to analyze me like some fucking shrink.” Bakugo hissed, his palms popping. 

“You also told me to respond,” You glared back. “What, do you want me to lie to you about my thoughts?”

“I want you to stop talking out of your ass!” He barked, standing up. “I should have never done this. There’s a reason I don’t talk about the past, I don’t talk about feelings or shit like that. Fucking hell.”

“But what is that reason?” You pushed, watching him pace from the loveseat. “There’s nothing wrong with feeling those emotions. They’re normal. ”

“I’m not fucking normal, (Y/n)!” Bakugo clenched his sparking fists. “I’m Bakugo fucking Katsuki! I’m going to be the number one hero!”

“HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO THAT IF YOU DON’T FEEL YOUR EMOTIONS, YOU FUCKING MORON!”

Bakugo blinked at you as you sprung to your feet, fury flickering with your quirk behind your eyes.

“Heroes NEED to feel things in order to be good at their job!” You hissed. “You have to FEEL FEAR  in order to have courage. You have to FEEL GUILT in order to learn from your mistakes. You have to FEEL UPSET in order to recognize and understand that there is a problem.”

You began stepping toward him, and he instinctively stepped back, his hands still fisted at his sides. “You have to FEEL JEALOUS in order to remember to be grateful. You have to FEEL INSIGNIFICANT in order to see the world as bigger than yourself. You have to FEEL HOPELESS in order to understand the power that hope has. You have to FEEL ANGRY in order to care enough to change something for the better.”

You were close enough for him to see the details of your irises, your quirk flaring behind them. He felt hypnotized as his back hit the counter. “You HAVE to FEEL things, BAKUGO FUCKING KATSUKI !”

Chapter Text

“You HAVE to FEEL things, BAKUGO FUCKING KATSUKI! ”

Bakugo stood with his back against the counter as you lectured, each sentence like a blow to his flittering gut. “Stop pretending you know shit about me when you don’t.” He replied through his teeth, palms heating up.

You stopped in front of him, less than a foot away, before the light flickered out behind your eyes and you took a deep breath, backing up a step. “What the hell is stopping you from even admitting you have feelings?” You asked, almost sounding pained.

Bakugo looked away from your sharp, inquisitive gaze, which was somehow piercing straight through his carefully constructed defenses. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “What’s the point? It’s not going to help with anything.”

You scoffed, crossing your arms. “It might make you feel better. Will that not help?”

“Feel better about what?”

“I dunno, being around Izuku?” You rolled your eyes. “I mean, do you even know why being partners for the practical exam is so upsetting?”

“I just explained it to you!” Bakugo snapped. “I just gave a whole-ass exposition!”

“You explained why you used to be upset with Izuku,” You clarified, and Bakugo grit his teeth.

He should just leave.

“Why are you upset with him now ?”

Your question bounced around in his head as if there was nothing there, and Bakugo bristled. “Because he’s an annoying little nerd who thinks—”

You cut him off. “Are you saying that he annoys you so much that you get THIS upset? There are WAY more annoying people in our class. Sorry, Bakugo, but I’m not buying it.”

Bakugo glowered. “I don’t give a shit if you buy it or not.”

You looked at him for a few seconds in silence before moving on as if he hadn’t said anything. “Do you feel guilty?”

“GUILTY?” Bakugo scoffed loudly. “Don’t make me laugh.”

“I’m serious.”

“What reason do I have to feel guilty?” He snapped, avoiding your gaze.

You looked at him incredulously. “You literally said you bullied him. That’s a pretty good reason to feel guilty.”

“But what difference would it make?” Bakugo threw up his hands, exasperated. “Even if I DO feel guilty, it doesn’t change the situation I’m in right now.”

“Of course it does.” You huffed. “You have control over this. You can apologize .”

Bakugo immediately tensed, but the swelling fury he expected to burst never came. He craved for his anger to explode like it always did because THIS—whatever THIS was—he didn’t like it at all. He hated it. He hated sitting here and letting you dissect him. But that anger he could always rely on seemed to simply swirl in his gut, pushed back by a strange lump in his throat and lightness in his chest.

Maybe he was getting sick.

Bakugo grit his teeth, pushing away from the counter on the wall. “I can’t apologize. That’s fucking stupid—THIS is stupid. I don’t even know why I came here. I don’t know why I’m talking about this with you after I told you to stop acting like a fucking therapist.” He began walking toward the door, trying to pick up his feet as they stubbornly dragged.

“What the fuck do you mean, you can’t apologize?”

Bakugo stopped at the sudden edge to your voice, tensing for a completely different reason. He turned around to face you, still not meeting your eyes. “...What’s the point of an apology?” He shrugged nonchalantly. “It doesn’t take anything back. I still bullied him. That will never go away.” He laughed humorlessly. “The stupid nerd doesn’t even act like he needs one. I don’t know why people think saying sorry will magically fix all these problems.”

“It’s not about fixing your past actions,” You walked around him, moving into his line of sight so he was forced to look you in the face. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to look back at you and stubbornly holding eye contact despite wanting to inch away from the intensity of your stare. “It’s to give the two of you closure. Even if he’s already moved on, even if he’s already forgiven you, it can still mean the world to someone to know that you regret your actions and value them enough to apolo—”

“Get out of here with that mushy shit,” Bakugo turned away from you again, which meant he inevitably walked back to the counter and away from the door. “This is exactly why I don’t talk about FEELINGS . It’s all about love and forgiveness and saying sorry and telling people that they hurt you and hugs and it’s just…that’s not for me.”

“So…you’re not going to apologize to him because it’s too mushy ?” You crossed your arms, walking toward where he had cornered himself back by your makeshift dressing room. “Even if it makes you feel better?”

Bakugo scoffed. “How would that make me feel better?”

“I dunno, maybe you wouldn’t freak out about being partners with Izuku?” You didn’t even try to sound patient at this point. “What if you fail because of your stubbornness? You might regret not apologizing to him.”

“Bullshit.” Bakugo sat on the counter. “Even if you’re right—which you’re not—I’m sure as hell not going to go up to him after years of treating him like shit and just apologize. He would think I’m sick or something.”

You stared at him incredulously. “So your solution is to just wait? Until what?”

“Beats me.”

You clenched your fists, standing a few feet in front of him and radiating pure frustration.

And there goes our ‘friendship’, Bakugo thought to himself, grimacing as his stomach twisted. Whatever. I expected this, and it doesn’t mat—

“You never know what could happen, you know?”

Your response caught him off guard and he looked up at you, searching your face for an explanation. “What…”

“All For One is after Izuku’s quirk,” You sat next to him on the counter tentatively. “You’ve already gotten caught up in my mess with the League of Villains. We could be killed, Bakugo. Izuku, you, me—we could die before we even graduate, at this rate.”

It was like ice seeped through his veins. “...that…that just comes with the job.”

“This is different, and you know it.”

It was different.

And Bakugo knew it.

He ran his fingers through his hair pointlessly. “So, you’re basically saying I should apologize to him because if I wait, he might die before I get the chance?”

“Yes,” You replied bluntly, swinging your feet lightly from your perch next to him. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Bakugo scowled, opening his mouth to argue, but you cut him off with an unexpectedly gentle tone that made him stop in his tracks.

“I know I’ve told you about my younger sister, Gemma,” You began, and Bakugo became rigidly still. “But I had two brothers, too. Kaden and Haru. Haru was three years older than me, and Kaden was five years older—but you would never guess it, since Haru acted so much more mature.”

You had such a pained, wistful smile as you stared down at your fidgeting hands, and Bakugo all but waited for your breathing to start coming in gasps. He had never witnessed such vulnerability from you in a completely calm state, and it was almost unnerving. “I loved them, but we fought all the time. Especially me and Kaden. But that’s just how it is with siblings, you know?” You looked up at him, pursing your lips for a moment before looking back down. “Well, I guess you wouldn’t know.”

Bakugo just stayed quiet as you continued.

“They were really protective of me and Gemma,” You mused. “And it pissed me off a lot of the time. Haru would try and reason with me with logic, but Kaden and I would just start screaming at each other. You kinda remind me of Kaden at times.”

Unsure about how to feel about that comparison, Bakugo pulled his legs up onto the counter awkwardly, sitting criss-cross next to you.

“Kaden and I got into this huge fight the day that…” You trailed off, and Bakugo was fixated on your breathing during the pause. “... that day . I don’t want to get into it much, but basically, we had a huge screaming match. I said a lot of stuff that I didn’t mean.”

You went quiet and sat still, your breathing becoming shallower. Bakugo just sat there with you for a minute, only breaking the silence when he heard your breath begin to hiccup softly. “Well, uh, that’s…that sucks…” Bakugo said lamely, cringing at his attempt to find words to snap you out it.

You looked up in surprise, as if you forgot he was still there. “Uh, yeah…” You rotated on the counter so that you sat facing him. “Yeah, it does.”

There were a few more moments of tense silence as Bakugo stubbornly remained facing forward, refusing to look at you. He eventually broke the silence, trying to sound chill. “I don’t exactly know what you want me to say, Glowstick, I mean, I’m honored that you told—”

“I want you to say sorry to Izuku.”

Bakugo froze, hand still stuck in his spiky locks. “Hah?”

He could see your intense stare out of the corner of his eyes, unable to turn and meet your gaze. “I want you to say sorry to Izuku.” You repeated.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Bakugo spluttered. You scooted as close to him as possible in order to try and look into his face, cross-legged, with your knees jabbing right into his leg and hip. It didn’t even hurt, but he still had to will himself not to scamper away at the sudden contact. “I thought we were talking about your brother?” He prompted, staring straight ahead to avoid looking at you.

“I was.” You propped your elbow up on your thigh and rested your head in your hand, sighing. “I’m trying to draw a comparison.”

“A comparison?” Bakugo scoffed. “For what? To force me to apologize?”

“I’m not going to force you to do anything,” You huffed, “I’m sharing with you my regrets.”

He finally looked you in the face, scoffing incredulously. “What the fuck are you on about now?”

You massaged your temples. “You are so fucking stubborn,” You said lowly, “and you’re going to regret it someday.”

“Is that a threat?” Bakugo sneered.

“No, dipshit, it’s a concern !” You snapped. “I had four hours to apologize to Kaden for our argument. FOUR WHOLE HOURS. And nothing my parents or Haru said convinced my stubborn ass to come out of my room and say sorry. I didn’t even see him until…” You trailed off as your throat closed up.

Bakugo’s heart sank as he finally connected the dots. “I…I’m s—”

“I know it seems like I’m forcing my own shit onto you,” You interrupted, barreling on. “And honestly? Yeah, maybe I am. No, I definitely am. But I’m doing it because it would be better for everyone. Better for you, better for Izuku, better for me. ”

Bakugo frowned. “How would it be better for y-yAH!”

He yelped as you leaned forward, bumping your head against his shoulder and resting it there. He stared at the top of your head in confusion (NOT fear). “Because I don’t like seeing two of my best friends constantly fighting, you dumbass.” You muttered. He could faintly feel your breath against his skin where his t-shirt sleeve ended, and it gave him goosebumps.

The urge to push you away, or even shrug you off, was suspiciously resistable.

“...So, you want me to apologize because it will make you feel better?”

You sat up straight and smacked him upside the head, causing him to swallow another yelp and swivel to face you, glaring. “Oi, what the hell was that for?”

“You’re so infuriating.”

The corners of Bakugo’s mouth curved upwards. “You’re finally accepting the truth, huh, Glowstick?”

“Don’t ‘Glowstick’ me right now, you asshole.” You groaned, wiping away tears that he hadn’t noticed before. “You’re so fucking dense sometimes. I give up.”

“Yeah, yeah, you liar.” Bakugo snorted, brushing back your hair so that he could wipe away a tear that you had missed with his thumb. “We both know that you’ll keep nagging me until…”

He trailed off as your eyes widened. Frozen for a moment, his hand still cupping the side of your face, both of your faces began to flush and he pulled away from you with a jerk. “I was just—there was a tear and y-you, I—YOU FORGOT ONE!” He defended, much louder than necessary.

You stared at him for a few terrifying moments before bursting into laughter, doubling over so that you were leaning over his lap.

Bakugo hadn’t even noticed that, after you smacked him, he had swiveled to face you too. Now, your knees were touching each other and your head inches away from his chest.

Willing his heart to slow down, Bakugo remained stiff with his hands up in the air, but all words had died in his mouth as he looked down at you giggling. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He asked, apprehensively lowering his hands to hover over your shaking shoulders. “...Is this a nervous breakdown?”

You sat back up from your hunched position, wiping more tears from your eyes as you gasped for breath. “Gaah, I can’t fucking BREATHE—” You broke into laughter again, buckling over so far that your forehead bumped into his chest for a moment.

“You’ve lost your fucking mind.” Bakugo determined, ignoring the radiating warmth in his chest as you continued to wheeze.

You sat back up, and Bakugo quickly pulled his hands back so that he didn’t actually touch your shoulders. You were still flushed, but a wide smile split your face, and it made Bakugo’s chest and stomach feel strange. Maybe he ate something bad.

“Oh, shit!” You wiped your eyes again, which were watering as you tried to catch your breath. “I haven’t laughed that hard in years!”

“Yeah, what was so funny?” Bakugo demanded, crossing his arms.

You looked at him for a few moments, clearly holding back more laughter. “Your…your face…you were so shocked, and your ears were so re—”

“Okay, that’s enough of your bullshitting.” He swatted your hand away as you pointed, starting to laugh again. He willed himself to be more annoyed and less flushed. “You’re the one who invaded my personal space first!”

You stopped laughing, sitting up straighter. “Do you want me to scoot back?” You asked, suddenly serious and catching Bakugo off-guard. “Sorry, I just assumed that if you didn’t like it, you would have moved away—”

“What?” He frowned. “Stop overthinking it. I was just joking, I’m not that much of a wimp.”

You eyed him carefully. “So…it’s okay?”

Bakugo bristled. WAS it okay? “...I, uh…” He willed himself to stop stuttering. “I mean, I guess? But you know I’m not a fan of that mushy shit.”

You nodded as you chuckled, swiveling to face forward again. “Yeah, I guess you’re not.”

Bakugo pushed away a confusing sense of disappointment because he didn't say you had to MOVE, but there was no reason to complain, either, so he did the same and dangled his legs off of the ledge. A silence that was half comfortable and half awkward filled the room for a minute before he betrayed himself. “...So, do some teachers still live on this floor?”

“Yeah,” You leaned your head back against the wall, reminding Bakugo of how you had leaned your head on him just minutes prior. Bakugo felt a strange twinge of annoyance at the wall that he decided to ignore. “A bunch of them do. All Might, Midnight, Eraserhead, Cementoss, Ectoplasm, and Present Mic have all been moved up here.”

“Damn. That’s, like, every teacher.”

“Yeah, and it’s THE WORST.” You groaned, closing your eyes. “There’s no escape.”

Bakugo snorted. “At least you don’t need a tutor.”

“Oh, I still need a tutor.” You scoffed, furrowing your brow with your eyes still closed. “Math is still kicking my ass.”

“Is Deku still attempting to help you?”

“Yeah, but nothing seems to get through to me. It all sounds like gibberish.”

Bakugo rolled his eyes. “That’s because Deku is too rambly. See, this is why I should have been your tutor—you’d actually learn something.”

“To be fair,” You cracked your eyes open and peaked at him with a small smile. “You were given a few chances at that.”

Bakugo sat up straighter defensively. “Hey, I was—

“I know.” You said before he even got the chance to finish, “I’m just teasing you.”

Warmth spread through Bakugo’s chest. “I figured you’d still be mad about it.” He grumbled.

“Well, you were a total dick,” You mused, fiddling with the hem of your shirt. “And you jumped to conclusions—”

“HAH? My conclusions were perfectly reasonable with the information I had—”

“—And took your personal issues out on me—”

“WHAT PERSONAL ISSUES?”

“—BUT,” You met his eyes as a laugh bubbled out of your chest, “You’re an emotionally constipated pomeranian, so I forgive you.”

Bakugo's stomach twisted unfamiliarly as you smirked at him, and he fought to keep a smile off of his own face. “Oi, who asked you to forgive me, Glowstick? AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING A POMERANIAN?”

You shrugged playfully, turning away with a snort. “It’s so easy to get a rise out of you—be careful, or I might start doing it for fun.”

Bakugo did his best to glare at you. “For fun, huh? Are you threatening me right now?”

“Do you feel threatened by playful banter?”

“It’s not playful when you’re procrastinating doing your math homework. I can see it out on your desk—you’ve barely started. You’re just stalling. ”

You huffed, but Bakugo could see a humorous glimmer in your eye as you leaned back against the wall again. “Maybe I’m stalling by engaging in playful banter. Who knew? Maybe it was my fault the whole time and Izuku is actually the best math tutor ever.”

It was Bakugo's turn to snort. “Nah, Deku is one-hundred percent the worst math tutor. He might be half-decent at English or Literature or Hero Studies, but that nerd is WAY too nice to be good at teaching math.”

“So why don’t you do it.”

Bakugo’s heart and brain stuttered. He turned to look at you. “...Hah?”

You turned to meet his incredulous gaze with your own steadfast gaze. “So why don’t you teach me math, instead?”

Bakugo blinked, feeling stupid. “Deku is your tutor.”

“He is. But you’re right, he kinda sucks at teaching me math, and I’m falling behind. You actually helped a lot that one time you helped me with my math homework, so I thought I'd ask.” You shrugged, looking away. “If you want to, of course.”

Of course he wanted to . “That’s not a bad idea." Bakugo swelled with pride. "I’ll definitely do a better job than Deku.”

You grinned, picking at your cuticles. “I’ll tell Aizawa. I’m sure he’ll be fine with it.”

Bakugo scoffed. “Of course he’ll be fine with it. As long as you get results, right? That’s what matters to them.”

“Yeah,” You chuckled, standing up from your perch beside him on the counter. He sat there, staring after you as you walked away, still slightly in shock. He fought to keep a maniacal grin off of his face as he grappled with the fact that YOU brought this up. YOU wanted Bakugo's help. YOU asked HIM.

“And don’t worry, I’ll make sure to mention you getting those volunteer credits or whatever.” You continued, grabbing your waterbottle from across the room

Bakugo resisted the urge to flinch, the swirling warmth in his chest suddenly twisting into a cold wave that radiated over his body. The whiplash left him staring at empty air, blinking.

Right.

Volunteer credits.

That was the whole reason he wanted to tutor you in the first place.

That was the whole reason he was mad about Deku tutoring you. Because Deku was getting the opportunity to get ahead in next year’s curriculum.

You were going to bring it up to Aizawa and make sure Bakugo got his fair share of volunteer credits, too. As he should.

Yeah…as he should.

Bakugo clenched his fists, breathing shallowly as if that would offset the increasing tightness in his chest. Yeah.

You had finished stretching and grabbing your waterbottle, and were now back in front of him, bending down slightly to peer into his face. “Bakugo?” You asked, waving in front of his face. “Hey, are you good? You’re glaring holes into the sofa.”

Bakugo stood up quickly, causing you to step back.

He wanted to look at you. He refused to look at you. “Yeah, I’m just tired. It’s late.”

“Oh, okay.” You stepped back even further, suddenly seeming much more meek and awkward. “Well, thank you for coming over.”

“There’s no need to be polite about it,” Bakugo muttered as he grabbed his stuff from the floor next to the couch. “I just burst in here uninvited. No need to thank me. Sorry for ruining your night with my tragic backstory or whatever.”

“What?” He could hear the frown in your voice. He could imagine it on your face, detailed and vivid. “You don’t need to apologize—what the fuck is going on? Why are you suddenly so pissed off?”

Bakugo’s chest felt tight and he began walking toward the door, trying not to not bothering to look at you. “I’m not,” He was, though . “I’m just tired.”

“Bakugo!” You grabbed his arm and Bakugo’s entire body tensed.

He couldn’t bring himself to tear his arm out of your grasp, but he couldn’t meet your eyes, either, so he settled with saying, “What?”

You grit your teeth. “What’s wrong?” Your voice sounded wet.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Bakugo lied replied.

“Bullshit!” You let go of his arm, but he couldn’t didn’t relax. “You’re acting like—”

“Stop psychoanalyzing me like some shrink and do your fucking math homework, okay?” Bakugo snapped, voice rising slightly. His blunt nails were digging crescents into his palms. “I’ll check it on Monday.” He added more gently begrudgingly.

“...What happened?” You asked hesitantly, and Bakugo hated the hollowness to your voice, like you were swallowing a lump in your throat. “Did I…did I do something wrong?”

I don’t know. “No,” I’m confused. “I’m just tired.” 

A heavy silence followed. “...Okay.” You finally replied in a horribly resigned voice that Bakugo HATED, he hated it so much. “I’ll, uh, see you on Monday, then.”

“Yeah.” Bakugo walked to the door stiffly and turned the handle, barely opening it an inch before freezing as you spoke again.

“Thank you for coming over, though.” You stood next to the door, leaning against the wall slightly. You were avoiding his eyes, now, just like he was avoiding yours. “I had a good time.”

Then ask me to stay. “Yeah.”

“It was nice to talk. Thanks for trusting me.”

Maybe you shouldn’t. “Yeah.”

Bakugo’s chest felt heavy and light at the same time as he opened the door the rest of the way and stepped out into the hallway. You held the door open with your foot and stood in the doorway for one more moment. “Goodnight, Bakugo.” You said genuinely. “Get home safe.”

Bakugo barely stopped, barely glanced behind him to meet your eyes, which looked so sad. He didn’t think about how they had looked so happy only minutes prior. He just nodded. “Yeah, I will.”

— — —

“See you tomorrow!” You waved as you closed the door behind Mei, sighing heavily. You eyed your math homework, still untouched on your desk, and groaned.

It was Sunday night, and you didn’t know what to do. What to feel . You trained with Midnight and Toshinori on Saturday, which kept your mind off of things, and Mei had come over for most of today, but now you were left to your own devices…and your own thoughts.

You figured, when Mei came over, you would just ask her. What had happened? Mei was smarter about social stuff than you were. She might be able to pinpoint why Bakugo had suddenly acted so cold toward you that night.

But, for some reason, you just couldn’t bring yourself to mention it.

You had tried to bring it up a few times, but each time you opened your mouth, your words got caught in the back of your throat.

But why the hesitancy? You trusted Mei. You had even considered calling Izuku about it—he knew Bakugo best, after all—but you had just hovered your thumb over the call button before exiting the app.

It just didn’t feel…right, to tell anyone. There was no other way to describe it. You collapsed on your bed and stared at the ceiling.

When Mei had asked you about what had happened, you had brushed her off. “So…” She had said while wiggling her eyebrows at you. “What happened with Mister Blasty McBomby-Boy the other night, hmm?”

You had felt the blush before she even finished the stupid sentence. “He was just complaining about stuff…” You had replied dismissively. “You know how he is.”

“No, I don’t.” Mei had leaned forward with a shit-eating grin. “Why don’t YOU tell me how he is?”

At that point, you had flicked her in the forehead, which seemed to give her enough of a hint that she didn’t bring it up again. Though, she did keep smirking in your direction for the next ten minutes.

Now that you were alone, you couldn’t help thinking about the question truthfully. What was your time with Bakugo like? Fun? No, not exactly…was it serious? No, it hadn’t really been entirely serious, either…

The words that felt the most accurate were also the words that you rejected thinking about any further.

Special. Intimate. Close. Safe.

In retrospect, you could see why Bakugo kept complaining about your conversation being “mushy and shit.”

Intimate. You scoffed, rolling over in your bed so that you faced the wall. Special. What a joke. As if. What kind of intimate or special bonding moment ended like THAT? With Bakugo just…leaving, without explanation or further word—just suddenly and dismissively exiting the situation like he expected you to forget he was ever there. It was like he shut down and escaped as soon as possible. That wasn’t the Bakugo you knew. 

…How well DID you know Bakugo, though?

You groaned and shifted to lay on your other side, as if facing the other direction would change the thoughts swirling in your mind. But you still lay there with a furrowed brow, watching Bakugo walk out the door in your mind’s eye. The sudden absence of his presence had left a gaping hole in your room, a cold whisper of the conversation that SHOULD have continued, but was cut off because…why? You didn’t know. Bakugo didn’t—he WOULDN’T—tell you.

You growled loudly in frustration, throwing the covers off of yourself and marching over to your desk. You sat down so forcefully that everything rattled.

You’ll check my homework on Monday, huh? You thought fervently, scratching your name into the top of the paper. Fine. FINE.

You glared at the first problem, pissed that you cared so much about something so stupid. Pissed that you still letting Bakugo get to you over such small, trivial things. Pissed that you had to do math homework. It’s not like you had class tomorrow, anyway! It was the practical exam! You were just going to sit all day and watch your classmates, just like Ectoplasm was, so why couldn’t you wait and turn it in on Tuesday? Why did you have to drop it by his office TOMORROW?

You started the first problem, looking over at the notes Bakugo had written for you weeks prior with a heated flare in your gut. You wondered how Bakugo was going to handle himself tomorrow. Would Izuku be okay? Would BOTH of them be okay? You resisted the urge to crumple the paper under your fist, hissing out a long, deep breath.

It was going to be a long night.

— — —

It was going to be a long day.

The sun was beating down as everyone gathered in the center plaza, shifting apprehensively as Aizawa began explaining the practical exam.

“...Of course, it is possible to fail this exam,” He was saying, as monotone as ever. “If you want to go to the training camp, then don’t make any stupid mistakes.”

Lingering toward the back of the crowd, you raised an eyebrow, your gaze sweeping over your classmates. Stupid mistakes, huh? Avoiding those was… not a strength of this class. You thought this with nothing but affection, of course.

Aizawa mentioning the training camp did pique your interest, though, since they had talked about a lot of the initial information after the sports festival when you were avoiding absent from class. You didn’t know how to feel about it. Midnight assured you that it would be safe, but the idea of going to a camp with your classmates felt taboo…like, a luxury that a normal, not-former-hero-killer would get to enjoy, not…YOU. But here you were, and you were already on the roster to go to the training camp. It was real, and you were both nervously excited and scared for everyone’s safety.

“There are a lot of teachers…” Jiro interrupted your thoughts, pulling you back into the present.

“I expect that you all have gathered information ahead of time and have some idea of what you will be doing,” Aizawa continued, “So I hope you made sure to train this weekend.” He added pointedly. You couldn’t help but glance over at Bakugo, who was standing as far away from you and Izuku as possible. His shoulders were tight, his jaw was clenched, and his eyes flashed with annoyance as Kaminari spoke up.

“We’re fighting robot warriors like we did at the entrance exam, right?” The blond said excitedly.

“Fireworks!” Mina added, pumping her fists enthusiastically. “Curry! Test of Courage!”

“TOO BAD!”

You groaned as the Principal popped out of Aizawa’s costume, already tired of Nezu’s theatrics. Regardless, you were stuck listening to him. “For various reasons, the exam will be different starting this time!” He said happily. Of course it was.

You zoned out immediately as they began explaining. Teachers versus students…an interesting decision. It would definitely push your peers. You appreciated that your mentors had the forethought to exempt you, though. You had encountered all of these teachers—some of them often—as Enigma, and fighting them would be a literal nightmare.

The objective of the exam was explained and then the pairings were listed off, paired up with a teacher to fight against. It seemed like some of your classmates thought this was alone was quite enough of a nightmare for them. Momo paled as Aizawa announced himself as her and Todoroki’s rival. 

Izuku gasped as All Might landed in front of the group, and you saw the two childhood friends make brief eye contact in disbelief. “Work together to defeat me, you two!”

You watched as Izuku and Bakugo exchanged another hesitant look, and your stomach twisted. You hadn’t had enough time to talk to Izuku at all, and Bakugo…well, you hadn’t talked to Bakugo since that night. And Toshinori was pushing through his hero form with that creepy-ass smile, just to push the two boys to work together. You grimaced.

Hopefully it would work. Who knows? Maybe…maybe Bakugo had thought things over. You didn’t need to assume the worst.

Not yet, at least.

Regardless of how things had been left between the two of you, Bakugo was your friend. You were going to support him. You just hoped he had come to terms with everything over the weekend.

— — —

Bakugo had spent the weekend overthinking everything.

He left your room on Friday night and walked all the way home, growing more and more agitated with each step, conflicted about how to feel about what had just happened.

He had told you about his past. He had been vulnerable. You shouldn’t have gotten under his skin like that. He was getting too complacent.

But everyone kept saying it was okay to care, right? And you were friends, so it was normal…

But Bakugo didn’t DO normal. Bakugo was extraordinary. He didn’t need to talk through his feelings.

But it hadn’t felt bad…even though you kept acting like an annoying shrink, it had been pretty cathartic in the moment.

No, but that comfort would breed complacency if Bakugo became too familiar with it. This is why he kept people—why he kept YOU—at arm’s length. He had to eliminate all liabilities in order to reach the top.

His mind bungeed back and forth, swirling and whirling around questions he didn’t even want to think about, much less answer. Thoughts and memories floated to the surface without his permission and he had to shove them far away before he had the chance to overthink those, too. But they kept swimming out of the whirlpool of his mind, somehow escaping the messy vortex and drawing all of his attention for the split second before he forced them down.

The way you looked at him when you smirked.

Your LAUGH.

The fire in your eyes when you were passionate.

How close you had been to him—your knees touching his own, your forehead against his chest, how your face had felt under his fingers as he wiped away that tear.

The tears in your eyes.

Your voice when you teased him, scolded him, were vulnerable with him.

Fuck, you TRUSTED him.

Bakugo slammed the front door when he arrived, kicking off his shoes.

“OI!” His mom shouted from the kitchen. “What’s the matter with you, showing up late and then slamming the door when you finally drag your ass back here, hah? Did we raise you with no manners?”

“Maybe you didn’t!” He snapped.

“Katsuki, please, reign in your temper.” His father sighed from the dinner table as Bakugo stormed through the kitchen, grabbing at least seven granola bars to take up to his room. “You know that we’re always here for you if you need to talk. If something is bothering you.”

“I don’t have anything I need to talk about.” Bakugo denied fervently, turning around to grab a banana at the last minute. 

“You could just say ‘no thanks’ instead of lying, you know.” His mom admonished. “Stop taking your constipated emotions out on us, will ya?”

“I’m not lying!” Bakugo snapped. “And I ain’t taking shit out on anybody, either!” He added as he stomped up the stairs to his room.

He heard his father sigh again heavily as he slammed the door behind him, tossing his stuff on his desk chair and curling up on the ground at the foot of his bed, groaning.

Fuck. You trusted him. Bakugo couldn’t decide if that was a great decision, since he was clearly a smart and capable person, or if you were making a huge mistake.

Amidst all of his other internal conflicts, that was the one that stood out. The one he couldn’t push away.

Because when had Bakugo ever doubted himself like this? He wanted to push forward and say of course, of COURSE you trusted him, because Bakugo was trustworthy. He was going to be the #1 pro-hero.

But there was a part of him, just big enough to hold him back, that questioned whether he was worthy of that sort of trust. Trusting Bakugo to win against a villain is different from trusting Bakugo to be a good friend.

Bakugo had never cared about being a good friend before. Why did he care so much?

He was just tired of you freaking out all the time, that’s all. He just wants you to stop being so high-maintenance around him, with all your problems.

But part of Bakugo bristled at that assertion. He couldn’t help but imagine your face if you were told that...if you were told that Bakugo earning your trust was just a means to achieve convenience, so that he wouldn’t be as bothered by you and your problems. The betrayal, the rejection, and the pain that would flicker across your face, even if it was only for the slightest moment before turning to anger—it made his stomach churn.

Imagining your expression like that, all because of HIM, it made him feel disgusting.

But since when had he cared? What good would come from caring about you?

Bakugo continued to wrestle with himself during his shower, throughout dinner (thankfully, his parents didn’t pry), and all the way up until he collapsed in his bed for the night with an audible groan of frustration. He grabbed his hair in both hands, pulling at it as if he could rip the thoughts out by force.

His phone buzzed from in his pocket and he fished it out, unlocking it and squinting at the message.

|shitty deku|

Hey, I assume you’ve seen Aizawa’s email by now, and I was wondering if you wanted to meet up sometime this weekend to train? Aizawa suggested that we should, but we don’t have to. I just thought I’d ask :)

Bakugo snorted humorlessly, practically smelling Deku’s nervousness through the screen. He tapped out a quick response and then put his phone on the charger, flopping back to the other side of his bed.

i’m not worried ab it. train on ur own. don’t be late on monday

And then Bakugo spent the entirety of his weekend worrying about it. Overthinking the exam with Deku, overthinking his interactions with you, and training until he was dizzy with exhaustion. It wasn’t necessarily the smartest thing to do right before the exam, but he needed to do something. Something to distract himself.

What if the teachers DID set him up with Deku on purpose? Was it really that big of a deal that he and Deku didn’t get along? Were they just trying to fuck with him to make the exam harder?

Why had he stormed out on you after you said something so obvious about tutoring? Was he expecting you to say something stupid? Like, that you wanted Bakugo to tutor you because you liked him better than Deku, or something?

What were things between Bakugo and Deku now, anyways? They had been cordial during their last few interactions, but all of those had been interactions involving YOU. Without you there as a middle ground, could the two of them be productive?

Was Bakugo going to try to improve his relationship with Deku for the exam—or in general? Why would he? Because it would help him be a better hero, like you had mentioned, or because you had asked him to?

AVOID.

AVOID.

AVOID.

AVOID.

Bakugo continued to avoid all of it, all the way up until he was standing in the center plaza, staring disbelievingly at the pro-hero in front of him.

“Work together to defeat me, you two!” All Might boomed, and Bakugo instinctively met Deku’s eyes from across the group. He caught a glimpse of your hesitant gaze from next to the green-haired nerd, as well, and the reality of the present moment settled in the pit of his stomach.

There wasn’t any way to avoid this anymore.

So Bakugo steeled himself, clenching his fists and his jaw in determination. Then he was going to face it head-on.

That’s what Bakugo Katsuki always did, and Bakugo Katsuki always won.

He pushed your face—your fights —out of his mind.

Yeah…always.

Chapter Text

You sped ahead of your classmates to reach the observation room first, irrationally nervous at the prospect of providing feedback to your peers alongside your teachers. The chatter of your classmates faded as the exit doors closed behind you, and you blindly entered the observation room. Immediately, you ignored Recovery Girl standing in the back of the room and zeroed in on the clipboards and pens at the front of the room, as well as the stacks of papers with sticky notes on them. You approached apprehensively, quickly picking out the stack with your name on it and picking it up.

“I’m curious to see what your insights are, (Y/n).” Recovery Girl said as she waddled up beside you. “I think your insights will be very valuable.”

Your face heated up and you scoffed lightly, grabbing a clipboard and pen from the front of the room. “Ah, I doubt that…”

“No, she’s right, (Y/n).” Aizawa’s familiar voice drawled from behind you. You could hear your classmates approaching from the distance. “You have unique experience that your classmates don’t, and that’s valuable.”

You couldn’t meet his eyes. “I doubt I’ll be able to provide any unique feedback that isn’t already provided by the teachers, but I’ll do my best.”

Aizawa sighed heavily and walked up so that he stood next to you, staring ahead at the screens where Kirishima and Sato were stretching and warming up. “I’m going to level with you, (Y/n),” he said more quietly. “I know that thinking about your experience with the League is hard. I will never understand how hard it is, and expecting you to face that trauma too quickly is unfair—which is why you are exempt from this practical exam. That does not, however, mean that you are exempt from your own, individual challenge.”

You nodded. “That’s fair.”

“So, this is your test.” Aizawa continued. “Draw on your experience with the League. Use your experiences to provide a perspective that no one else in this room has. Do you hear me? No one else, not even the Pros, have the perspective that you do. Regardless of how traumatizing your past is, it is still extremely valuable as a resource in this situation.”

He finally turned and looked at you, his tired eyes meeting yours unwaveringly. “Is it fair of us to ask you to draw on that trauma in order to help your classmates? Maybe not. But you, as well as your classmates, are training to put your lives on the line for others. This practical exam is meant to give your classmates a taste of what real combat is like, in all its unfairness and danger. Your supplemental exam is meant to show you that, not only can your experiences be used to help yourself and others, but that this line of work is going to require you to face those experiences whether you want to or not.”

You nodded again numbly. “...Yeah.”

Aizawa put his hand on your shoulder, which grounded you out of whatever numb state you had been floating in. “(Y/n)...the feedback you give to your peers today has the potential to save their life in the future.” He looked at you pointedly. “Remember that.”

You didn’t really register him walking away, so caught up in your own thoughts.

The potential to save their life, huh?

You wanted to protest, because YOU had been the threat to Pro Hero’s lives, what could you possibly…

But that was exactly what Aizawa didn’t want you to do, wasn’t it? He was asking you to view Enigma like a wealth of valuable experience to share. It felt wrong. But…

“This line of work is going to require you to face those experiences whether you want to or not.”

You settled down in your chair. “Fuck me, I guess.” You grumbled.

A voice perked up from a few meters away. “I meaaannn if that’s what you wa—OW! Mina! What was that for?”

You rolled your eyes, listening to Uraraka, Yaoyorozu, and Mina berate Kaminari while you tried to keep a straight face.

You had long since learned by now that Kaminari flirted with anything that breathed.

“What did you make of Young Bakugo’s statement?” Toshinori—All Might—startled you, and you glared at him good-naturedly for a moment before replying.

“About you guys underestimating the students by letting them fight while you’re handicapped or whatever?” You scoffed. “I think it’s ignorant. Overconfident, narrow minded, and the like. But, with the way his mind works, I get where he’s coming from.”

Toshinori chuckled. “I’m curious to fight him and Young Midoriya. The two of them have a lot of tension.”

“Yeah, well, there’s some history there.” You said offhandedly, looking through your papers. “And pairing them up is just a big ‘get-along’ shirt, isn’t it?” You noted.

“Yeah,” Toshinori scratched the back of his giant neck with his big hand (you were NOT used to his All Might form). “I…can’t deny that.”

You snorted, starting to write people’s names down on their observation sheets ahead of time.

Toshinori’s smile became grim. “I personally think that Bakugo could benefit from the strategic thinking of Young Midoriya. He tends to be very…emotionally-led.” He shook his head. “His passion to become the top hero…it’s not my favorite approach to hero work.”

You felt yourself tense up. “You’re not giving him enough credit.” You said more harshly than intended. “Bakugo has his issues, but he’s smart, and he’s got a good heart, he just hates admitting it. He’s nothing like Endeavor.”

Toshinori winced. “Ah, I mean, I didn’t mean to say—well, Enji isn’t—”

“This isn’t really an appropriate discussion to have with students, is it, All Might?” Aizawa piped up from behind the two of you. Toshinori cleared his throat.

“Er…yes, I suppose you’re right.” He glanced at you regretfully. “I’m sorry, Young (Y/N). That was inappropriate of me.”

You waved him off, switching between Kirishima and Sato’s papers. “Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Just remember what I said.”

“I always do.” He smiled back (not that it his expression changed much when in his All Might form) and walked to the other side of the room pointedly. You locked eyes with Aizawa for a brief moment, who simply looked back at you with unreadable, tired eyes before turning away.

“Did you see that Bakugo melted his waterbottle?” Your ears perked up at Kaminari’s attempt at a whisper.

“Yeah,” Sero whistled lowly. “That’s, like, the third one he’s warped already.”

“We should keep a count!” Mina pulled out her phone excitedly, and you rolled your eyes, smiling slightly, but eyebrows furrowing as concern tugged at your mind.

“Where is he, anyway?” Kaminari huffed. “There’s no one here to be grumpy right now! It feels so imbalanced!”

“He’s probably wanting to practice or whatever,” Sero sighed. “You know how he is…I swear, Bakugo Katsuki will only idle around once he’s dead.”

“He’s going to tire himself out before the exam even begins.” Mina sighed. “And then he’ll be even more grumpy…poor Blasty.”

No, You thought, standing up and grabbing your own empty bottle. DUMB Blasty.

You ran to the bathroom, ignoring the strange looks you got on the way out.

— — —

Bakugo chucked what remained of his water bottle into the trash, fuming. His palms had gotten too hot and he had warped the plastic—AGAIN.

In his defense, the look you gave him after he claimed the teachers were underestimating them was infuriating. Your expression had almost been…pained with disagreement. As if you thought that his confidence was unfounded.

And Bakugo couldn’t even force himself to be mad at you. He TRIED.

So instead, he was mad at himself. For not being mad at you. Or something.

The chattering of his classmates faded away as they headed into the observation room, but Bakugo scoffed, walking back toward the exit doors. He didn’t need to watch those extras—he was going to stretch and warm up outside the gate.

He stopped at the vending machine, punching in the code for water and patting his pockets for his wallet, but it wasn’t there…because he had left it in the locker room. Cursing, he kicked the bottom of the vending machine and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Someone cleared their throat from down the hallway, and he turned around just in time to catch the large purple waterbottle arcing through the air toward him. He glared at you questioningly and you shrugged.

“You kinda destroyed the other one,” You explained, “Figured you needed some fuel. Ya know, to sweat.”

“Of course I know.” Bakugo grunted as he turned the bottle over in his hands. “You were gulping this thing dry out there, though.”

You waved him off. “I’m sure I’ll survive sitting in the observation room. Besides, I refilled it already, so it’s fine.”

“I’ll have to dump it all out and refill it anyway, cuz I don’t drink that over-filtered frozen shit that y’all do, I—”

“—Only drink lukewarm tap water—yeah, yeah, everyone knows you’re a psychopath.” You interrupted, rolling your eyes. Bakugo caught the corners of your mouth threatening to curl upwards. “Don’t worry, I made sure to fill it up with your shitty chemical water.”

A strangely warm, fluttering feeling was spreading throughout Bakugo’s chest and making him very uncomfortable. “Yeah, well…thanks, or whatever.”

“Yeah.” You replied, and as you both awkwardly turned to walk away, you called after him. “Good luck. Don’t lead with your ego.”

Bakugo whirled around, anger flaring. “HAH? What’s THAT supposed to mean?”

You sighed, and Bakugo was about ready to snap at you again when you replied. “Just…take it from someone who’s fought Pros. Fought All Might.” You turned away, fists clenching. “You’re a smart guy when you use your head, so use it.”

“I always do!” He snapped.

“Sure, yeah,” You reasoned, “But you also tend to move independently. You take risks when you fight—and that’s necessary against All Might—but those risks don’t have to be on you, alone.”

Bakugo scowled, cursing his anger for simmering down to embers. “You tryin’ to make me and Deku get along again? With a magical apology or something?”

“I’m just talking about the test, you dumbass, this advice would be the same no matter who your partner was.” You glared at him with a fond exasperation that made him, strangely, very proud. “...But it is especially applicable advice to this situation, since it is Izuku.”

Bakugo felt a short twinge of annoyance at Deku’s name. “Who asked you for advice?” 

“Other than the fact that observing you is my entire exam,” You answered smart-assedly, “No one. But I’m still giving it to you, since I’m your friend.”

Bakugo groaned. “There you go again about friendship—friendship this, friendship that, blah blah blah—”

“The point is,” You talked over him loudly, “That you have to be smart about what risks you take against All Might—especially what risks you take by yourself. Otherwise you’ll wear yourself down to bone, no matter how smart or powerful you are.”

“Tch,” Bakugo waved you off. “Worry about yourself, Glowstick.”

You huffed out a laugh. “Uh huh. Well, I’ll make sure not to go easy on you in my observation notes, mkay?”

Bakugo smirked, pointing at you challengingly. “You better not.”

You grinned at him, something strangely hesitant behind your eyes before waving once, turning, and walking away.

Ignoring the nagging questions about the weariness of your smile, Bakugo turned back toward the exit and stalked outside.

“Hey, Bakubro!” Kirishima trotted up to him, a nervous grin on his face. “Sato and I start in ten minutes! Are you not gonna watch in the observation room?”

“Nah, I’m gonna warm up for my own exam.” Bakugo set your waterbottle down before his hands warped IT, too.

Kirishima deflated slightly, but still smiled back. “Using your time wisely! Super manly, bro!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Hey, I didn’t know you had a backup waterbottle!” Kirishima nodded toward where Bakugo had placed it on the ground. “Smart, seeing how your orange one bit the dust so easily.”

Bakugo huffed, dropping his gauntlets on the ground so he could properly stretch. ”S’not mine. Glowstick’s.”

Kirishima’s head snapped up, eyes sparkling. “She gave it to you?”

Bakugo sensed blood in the water. “What? No!” He snapped. “She just said I could borrow it since she’s just gonna be sitting in the observation room! S’no big deal, anyone would do it.” He cursed his ears for growing hot and thanked any and all higher powers that Mina wasn’t there.

“Uh huh.” Kirishima replied, clearly amused but seemingly willing to let it go. Bakugo resisted the urge to blast him toward the gate and wipe that shit-eating grin off his stupid face. “Well, I’m gonna go talk with Sato. Have fun warming up!”

“Yeah, whatever.” Bakugo grumbled. “Don’t get your ass kicked.”

“Awww, bro!” Kirishima put his hands over his heart. “Thanks for the good luck!”

“DID THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD LUCK TO YOU?” Bakugo stood up aggressively, hands sparking, but Kirishima was already walking away and (wisely) didn’t answer.

Bakugo sat back down harshly on the ground with a growled sigh, beginning to stretch.

“You’re a smart guy when you use your head, so use it.”

Bakugo rolled his eyes, because that was obvious, and he would have done that anyway. He closed his eyes as he pulled his arm across his body, envisioning All Might standing before him in all his glory.

Deku wasn’t the only one who could strategize. There were eight fights until it was time to face off against the number one hero…and Bakugo planned to WIN this exam.

— — —

You walked back into the observation room awkwardly as other classmates trickled in, excited to watch their peers. It felt odd to have a clipboard and observation papers, like all the teachers, but this was how you were supplementing your practical exam grade, so you diligently wrote your name at the top of each one nonetheless.

“Here, (Y/N)!” Uraraka said from behind you, and you turned around to see her holding a plastic water bottle out to you, smiling brightly so that her cheeks bunched up under her eyes. “I noticed you didn’t have any water. I know you aren’t doing a practical, but you  should still stay hydrated!”

You blinked for a second before taking the water. “Thanks, Uraraka.” You said genuinely.

“No problem!” She waved and bounced back over to Izuku, who was talking with Todoroki. The two of them were getting even closer lately, and you were relieved Izuku was growing closer with others and not just stuck with you.

He had invited you to sit with them at lunch, but groups of people were still kind of intimidating. Plus, something about Todoroki…put you off. You couldn’t quite put your finger on it—at first you thought it was because he reminded you of Endeavor, but you quickly ruled that out. But that itch of familiarity remained, and it was unsettling.

Needless to say, you were content to sit with Mei.

People quieted down when the first exam began, and it quickly became apparent to you how right Aizawa had been. Your classmates were nowhere near ready for actual combat. At least, not against any adept villains.

You had felt bad writing so much about Kirishima and Sato, but at least it would be…a learning experience for both of them. You felt akin to a scolding teacher or mother as you jotted down your observations, but Aizawa had made your assignment clear, so you didn’t hold anything back.

Tokoyami and Asui were much better, but still too reliant on Dark Shadow. You anxiously scribbled your concerns about if their enemy were fighting to the death, or even if there were just multiple enemies. What they would have done if Dark Shadow would run out of energy or be overpowered?

Todoroki and Yaoyorozu seemed to make progress during their exam, which was good, but they were lucky that they were only facing Eraserhead. Aizawa was a powerhouse on his own, and his quirk definitely challenged the two students, but they would have been completely knocked out if Aizawa had any sort of backup with him. You wrote down a few suggestions for both of them and waited for the next pair.

Uraraka and Aoyama were a bit of a mess, and if you didn’t know any better, you would say that their “strategy” of falling toward Thirteen’s black hole was just an accident. It was also yet another example of them taking advantage of their enemy not intending to kill them, which was a concerning trend. You listed some possibilities for their quirks and provided even more warnings.

Mina and Kaminari got a full page of notes, mostly about their lack of thought regarding much of anything. It was rather frustrating to watch. No wonder they were paired against Principal Nezu. Your pen pulled at the paper with how hard you were scratching your frustrated remarks, unable to fit them all on the sheet of paper. With such powerful and versatile quirks, your mind was whirling with ideas and annoyance at their lack of innovation. They would get themselves killed at this rate, and as obnoxious as they were at times, you were rather fond of them. They were two of the most enthusiastically friendly people in the class, after all.

Jiro and Koda clearly got held up by Koda’s reluctance to use the full extent of his quirk, but once he got over that, their creepy-crawly solution worked. You agreed with Recovery Girl that, in many situations, seasoned Pros or villains wouldn’t fall for such a thing, and Present Mic’s defeat was largely due to his own oversight. Both Jiro and Koda relied on each other too much and would have failed if they were separated or alone, and the weaknesses they showed were obvious and easily exploitable—especially Jiro’s. You made sure to fit some suggestions onto the bottom of the paper before the next exam began.

Shoji and Hagakure had a decent strategy, but it was yet another example of your classmates relying on their opponents not actually wanting to hurt them. If Snipe had been a villain willing to shoot them directly, the fight—and possibly their lives—would have been lost quickly. You expanded on some of the strategy they had shown and provided some of your own suggestions before adding more cautionary feedback.

The group of three—Iida, Ojiro, and Sero—had an interesting exam. They realized their weaknesses right away and opted to escape, but realized that relying solely on Iida was unrealistic. Sero didn’t have much to grab with his tape, so getting off the ground would be difficult. The strategy they ended up using—alternating Ojiro between Iida’s speed and Sero flinging them forward with his tape—was effective, since it pulled Power Loader’s attention between multiple people in different areas. They all escaped, and you were pleased with their strategy and execution—though, you still had some ideas on how they could utilize their quirks in a way that was less exhausting for Sero and more utilizing of Ojiro’s strength. And, as always, you wrote down warnings about how more dangerous villains could have taken advantage of them.

Writing feedback for three different people instead of two took it’s toll on your hand, which you shook out with a hiss. You had even gotten a paper cut, flipping so quickly between papers, but a quick smooch from Recovery Girl had taken care of that in mere seconds. Needless to say, you were grateful for a breather.

As people began chattering during the break between exams, you put down your clipboard and glanced around the room, barely catching Izuku’s green hero costume out of the corner of your eye before it disappeared out the door. You scurried after him.

“Wait, Izuku!” You caught up to him and he turned to you, a hesitant smile on his face. You smiled back. “I just wanted to wish you good luck. You’re smart—you’ve got this.”

“Yeah, I know, I…” Izuku wrung his hands, looking down at the floor. “I’m just nervous about Kacchan, you know? He’s so stubborn. He’s going to try and fight, and I just don’t think that’s going to work.”

You shook your head. “Trying to win through fighting definitely won’t work—take it from someone who’s fought All Might in a real setting.”

“This kind of stuff always brings out the harsher side of him.” Izuku sighed, taking a drink from his waterbottle. “Competition sparks something in him that he just can’t let go, and I’m…I’m not sure I’ll be able to get through to him.”

You patted his shoulder. “You’ve got this, and so does he. You know he’s smart—I mean, Bakugo’s dumb, but he’s not stupid. He should come around and work with you eventually…at least, on some level.” You grimaced. “I’m much less worried about his ability to strategize and much more worried about his ability to work with others—especially you. I already told him not to let his ego get in the way.”

Izuku’s eyes widened before he smiled, more genuinely this time. “You know, (Y/N), you’re the only one who can get away with saying stuff like that.”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

“If other people said stuff like that, he would get really mad..”

“He did get mad, though.”

“Lemme guess…he snapped at you and then brushed it off?” Izuku chuckled, pulling on his gloves.

You squinted. “Yeah?”

“So he didn’t yell DIE or shoot any explosions?” Izuku grinned up at you before saluting cheekily, knowing that nothing more needed to be said. You struggled to find a response before he moved on, leaving you to sit with that conclusion. “Thanks for the confidence boost, by the way. I needed it. Write a lot on my observation paper, please!”

You waved him off with a smile of your own. “Will do, Deku. Go be a hero.”

You slipped back into the observation room right after you heard the exit doors closing behind Izuku.

— — —

Bakugo heard Deku approaching and purposefully did NOT turn around.

The nerd walked up beside him and Bakugo could see him glancing over nervously out of the corner of his eye, but Bakugo kept his gaze fixed firmly on the giant gates to the exam arena.

Deku’s fidgeting was annoying as hell, though. If he had something to say, he should just say it, for fucks sake.

The doors creaked open and they both walked in wordlessly, standing a few meters apart as the gate shut behind them ominously.

“I think we should run.” Deku finally said, turning and looking at Bakugo with a determined glimmer in his eyes. “Escape. It’s our only chance of passing.”

Bakugo growled under his breath because of course he thought that. “They wouldn’t have paired us up with All Might if it was that simple, stupid Deku. We can’t avoid fighting him. We gotta face him head on if we want to have a chance of winning.”

“We do have a chance,” Deku nodded, “Of passing the exam, and that’s to escape.”

“Winning, passing, whatever the fuck you wanna call it. What, are you that afraid to fight him?” Bakugo clenched his fists. “Where’s all that heroic bravery everyone gushes about, hah? Where did it go?”

Deku frowned. “I’m just being realistic, Kacchan!” He argued. “Even (Y/N) agrees with me!”

This ripped a growl out of Bakugo’s chest. “Glowstick is a fucking pessimist.”

“She’s more experienced than you in this situation, and you know it.”

Bakugo whirled around and stalked toward Deku, finger jabbing into his chest. Deku stood his ground, which made Bakugo’s palms threaten to spark. “Well, (Y/n) isn’t here right now, is she? It’s just the two of us, so what’s it gonna be? Huh, Deku? Are you gonna fight with me, or are you gonna run like a fucking coward and get caught in the end anyway? There’s no way to pass this exam if we don’t fight, Deku. Don’t be stupid.”

Deku glared at him for a moment before replying calmly. “The entire point of this exercise is to be able to discern when it’s smart to fight, and when it’s smarter to run. In this situation, it’s smarter to run.”

Bakugo walked away, tiny, angry blasts tickling his hands and irritating him even more. “You’re not the only one who’s smart, Deku. Even Glowstick said that I’m smart. She believes I’ll win.”

“No, she believes that we can pass.” Deku followed him, exasperated.

“SAME SHIT, DUMBASS.”

“I was talking with her right before I came out here, and she said we wouldn’t win if we fought.”

Bakugo huffed humorlessly. “What, is she the arbitrator of future outcomes, now? Are you gonna cite her in your next Hero Studies paper or some shit?”

“No,” Deku caught up with him, staring up into his face intensely. “But I AM going to believe her, because she’s my FRIEND.”

“Friend this, friend that…” Bakugo muttered under his breath, shoving Deku away more harshly than necessary. He stumbled, but kept his footing. “So damn annoying. Complicated. So what? Why—”

“You know, she had faith in you.” Deku broke into Bakugo’s grumbling thoughts. “She believed you would come around, that you wouldn’t let your competitiveness get in the way of logic. She said that you’re dumb, but you’re not stupid.” He shook his head with a resigned sigh.

“WHO FUCKING CARES WHAT SHE THINKS?” Bakugo roared, rounding on Deku again. “I’M NOT (Y/N)! I’M BAKUGO FUCKING KATSUKI! I CAN PASS THIS EXAM HOWEVER I DECIDE, AND—”

“STOP YELLING!” Deku shouted back, and Bakugo blinked, not used to the nerd raising his voice back. “THAT’S WHY WE CAN NEVER HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION!”

And then an shockwave blasted them off their feet.

— — —

You actually snapped your pen in half while watching the beginning of Bakugo and Izuku’s exam. Aizawa had just raised his eyebrows, passing you a new one while Mina and Uraraka fussed with paper towels over the ink that had spilled on your hand. You numbly let them clean you up, instinctively muttering gratitudes and apologies. Your eyes remained stuck to the screen as two of your three closest friends wasted precious time.

Aizawa handed you new observation papers, taking your ink-covered ones, and you thanked Mina and Uraraka one last time before wiping the leftover water off of your now-stained hand, attaching the new paper to the clipboard, and wincing as Bakugo shoved Izuku away. You could see Izuku’s fists trembling slightly like they did when he was upset, but he didn’t back down, and you could see Bakugo’s palms sparking as he began pacing. Your anger flared when he jabbed his finger into Izuku’s chest, and you began writing on Bakugo’s page, only to angrily scribble at the top when the new pen’s ink wasn’t coming out. Once you got it working, you furiously began writing, ignoring the protests of  your aching hand.

“Oh dear…” Recovery Girl tutted, furrowing her brow. “Their teamwork is nonexistent. Do they realize who they’re up against?”

You scoffed under your breath, glancing back up at the screen to see them still bickering. Your heart pounded, irrational anxiety flitting between your chest and stomach. It wasn’t the end of the world if they didn’t pass. All Might wasn’t going to kill them, or hurt them badly. Worst case scenario, they get some bruises and fail the exam. It would all be fine.

But it didn’t FEEL fine. Your leg bounced under you, making it difficult to write, and you jumped slightly as something brushed past your arm.

“Sorry,” Todoroki said quietly, continuing to pull up a wooden panel. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just was pulling down the desk attachment for you to write.”

“Oh.” Momentarily distracted, you looked over the mechanism. The wooden surface, now placed in front of you, had been unfolded from the arm of the chair. You hadn’t even noticed it was there, but it was obvious in hindsight. You placed the clipboard and pen down, letting out a shaky breath. “Yeah, no problem. Uh, thanks.”

“Of course.” Todoroki nodded, rather stoic (as usual), but an additional wave of anxiety washed over you as you looked at the faint scar on his arm. He was completely healed, but…

“It makes me look cool, right?” Todoroki noticed you staring and held it up for you to see more clearly. You blinked, processing his words slowly. “Maybe I’ll catch up to Midoriya at some point and look like a seasoned Pro Hero.”

His words were awkwardly pointed, and you studied his face suspiciously. “Was that scripted or something?”

Todoroki put his arm down, raising the other hand to scratch the back of his head. His expression remained mostly unchanged, put he avoided your eyes. “Well, I didn’t want things to be awkward, so I asked Midoriya what I should say next time you look like you feel guilty. He told me to try and make a joke about it to lighten the mood, but I’m not used to doing that, so Iida and I thought of that one together a few days ago.” He frowned slightly. “I guess it wasn’t that funny.”

Someone snorted from your other side, and you didn’t have to turn around to tell it was Mina. “Damn, no wonder it was so bad,” She giggled. “That was SO Todoroki-and-Iida coded.”

“Hey, give them a break,” Kirishima elbowed her. “It was sweet of them! Super manly!”

People broke out in chatters, all discussing their opinions about Todoroki’s attempted joke, but it was drowned out by your whirling mind. Amidst it all, you couldn’t help but notice Todoroki seeming to feel cornered by the conversation, so you managed a brief smile at him. “Thanks, Todoroki. I appreciate it, really.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Of course, (Y/n).” He nodded. “If you ever want a training partner, feel free to ask.”

Your thundering heart immediately filtered that offer into the HELL NO category, though you couldn’t quite put your finger on why. You simply gave him a polite nod. “I’ll keep that in mind!”

“What is this, recess?” Aizawa snapped from the corner of the room. “Your classmates are taking an exam right now—one of them being in the room. Leave (Y/N) alone so she can focus on observing the last practical exam—which, I shouldn’t have to remind you, is what YOU should be doing in here, too.”

Mumbled apologies and agreement fell into silence, and you picked your pen back up, the reality of your friends’ exam rushing back. No sooner had you looked back at the screen, placing your pen back on the paper to write, did a shockwave blast through the arena so strongly that the observation room rumbled.

You grimaced, leg beginning to bounce in earnest.

It had started.

— — —

“I know why you’re angry.”

Bakugo hunched over, heaving and wiping sweat and bile off of his chin. Resentment coiled in his gut at the words of his childhood hero.

No, you fucking don’t, he thought venomously.

“It’s because of Young Midoriya’s sudden improvement, right?”

Was it? Bakugo glared forward, panting, to where Deku was struggling underneath the metal bars pinning him to the ground.

Deku, who was chosen by All Might to receive his quirk.

Deku.

DEKU.

“But you know,” All Might continued, “There’s no way level one power and level fifty power can improve at the same rate.”

Bakugo wanted to laugh, but he certainly didn’t find anything funny. What sort of assurance was that? That Deku, who got fucking handed a quirk less than a year ago, who was evolving at an infuriatingly fast pace, whose power was clearly largely untapped and he already was one of the top fighters in their class, that HE was only at level one? Was that supposed to make Bakugo feel better?

“There’s so much wasted potential in you. Do you understand?”

…Wasted?

“You do, right?”

Bakugo had mostly caught his breath by now, but he remained hunched over, staring at the rubble below him with wide eyes and a clenched jaw. Understand? No, he didn’t understand. Bakugo had spent every day of his life preparing to become a hero. He had trained mercilessly. What wasted potential was All Might referring to? Was it the same bullshit potential that he saw in Deku?

“You still have so much room to grow!” Bakugo didn’t even have to look at All Might to know that he still had that wide smile plastered on his face. It had always been so inspiring growing up, but now, it seemed like a patronizing grimace. “But I’m not talking about power—”

“Shut up, All Might.” Bakugo finally grit through his teeth. “You don’t understand. If I have to rely on HIM, of all people, to win…I’d rather lose.”

The battlefield fell eerily silent for a moment.

“I see.” All Might replied simply, and Bakugo’s fists clenched at the resignation in his voice. “Don’t regret this.”

Bakugo saw him drawing back his fist, and he drew in some breath, preparing to try and dodge, but knowing that no matter how quickly he reacted, he wouldn’t be fast enough. “Damn it—”

And sure enough, a fist slammed into Bakugo’s cheek—but out of the corner of his eye, he could see a blurry, infuriating body of green.

“Don’t you DARE say you’d rather lose!” Deku screamed as if he had been personally betrayed.

Bakugo’s vision spun for a few moments, and he focused on not throwing up again. His head was still whirling by the time he reevaluated his surroundings, and he realized that Deku was carrying him.

“Bastard,” He started struggling in Deku’s grasp. “Put me down!”

“It’s fine.” The shitty bastard himself had the audacity to reply.

“I SAID PUT ME DOWN!”

Once they were far enough into an alleyway, Deku finally let him down, and Bakugo shoved him away roughly. Both of them were panting, looking at each other apprehensively. “Kacchan,” Deku began, “I really can’t think of a way to beat All Might or make a clean escape.”

“Hah?”

“But before you give up, at least try using me!” Deku was blazing, staring right into Bakugo’s eyes with the same passion he always had. “Don’t say that you’re okay losing! You’re you because you never give up on winning, right?”

Bakugo avoided Deku’s gaze, gritting his teeth so hard he was sure it was audible.

“‘The most amazing hero always wins in the end.’”

Shut up, Deku.

“You’ve been saying that since we were KIDS.”

Bakugo knew that. Bakugo FUCKING knew that.

“How can you give up?”

Bakugo was drowning in how much he wanted Deku to stop looking at him like that, with all of the disgusting admiration he always had, as if they were somehow still four years old and nothing had changed.

“It’s not about fixing your past actions,” You walked around him, moving into his line of sight so he was forced to look you in the face. “It’s to give the two of you closure.”

Before he had time to think, Bakugo had cried out and swung his fist toward the wall next to Deku, an explosion cracking the concrete. He stood there, heaving, hovering over Deku’s tense form.

“Kacchan…?” Deku asked tentatively.

“I won’t say it again, you damn nerd,” Bakugo snarled, “Against that crazy speed, no matter how you run and hide, you won’t be able to avoid fighting.”

“But we don’t have a chance in a fight!” Deku argued. “Not against All Might!”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU DAMN NERD!” Breathing was difficult, it was getting caught in Bakugo’s throat where a lump was forming because this was too fucking much, it was too much and he just needed to finish this damn test and LEAVE. “He won’t even budge with half-assed power. I figured that out earlier with those consecutive hits. So, this is what we’re going to do. If you wanna work together, this is the plan, got it?”

Deku’s eyes widened before hardening with determination and he nodded.

“Good.” Bakugo backed away from him, still breathing heavily. “Here’s what’s going to happen…”

— — —

You were lucky that you filled up most of your observation papers early-on in the fight, because once Izuku and Bakugo seemed to get more of their shit together, you were all but pacing the back of the room, eyes glued to the screen.

They were doing a lot better, now, but their strategies were still half-baked and self-sacrificial. Your chest was tight and you had to blink away tears multiple times as you watched your two friends get pummeled by the number one hero. The only distraction was writing shaky feedback in the empty spaces left on their papers.

“(Y/N),” Aizawa said quietly from behind you, and you jumped slightly. You turned to see him staring at you unblinkingly. “Do you need to leave and calm down? You were starting to glow just now.”

You glanced back at the screen, where All Might was still holding Bakugo down. “I can’t miss it,” You whispered around the lump in your throat. “I can’t…”

Aizawa sighed settling down in a chair behind you. “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

You nodded, smiling shakily at him with a murmured thank you before turning back to the screen. You held your breath as Izuku slammed a fist into All Might’s face, grabbing Bakugo. Your mouth fell open in horror as you saw that Izuku had to support all of Bakugo’s unconscious weight.

But relief still washed over you when Izuku finally dragged them through the gate, and you hadn’t even noticed Recovery Girl leaving so that she could meet them there.

To your dismay, you were ordered to stay in the observation room with everyone else as the two boys were treated. You organized your observation papers restlessly as the rest of your classmates chattered amongst themselves, and after a little while, Aizawa returned and assured everyone that they were going to be fine.

You were halfway to leaving the room when Aizawa held up his hand, further ordering class to change out of their costumes. You hissed through gritted teeth as you slapped your stack of papers next to the others and rushed to the locker rooms with everyone else.

“Did you see how All Might slammed Bakugo into the ground?” Uraraka said in a hushed tone as the girls began changing.

“Which time?” Momo asked with a grimace.

Mina, who looked paler than usual, shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve never seen Bakugo get beaten that badly.”

“Well, it is All Might.” Asui noted. “And it’s not like Midoriya got away unscathed, either.”

“True,” Mina nodded, “But All Might wasn’t playing, man…I wonder how long it’ll take him to recover?”

The locker room was silent in response, save for the shuffling of clothes.

“Well,” Momo broke the silence, looking at the clock. “We need to be back in class in five minutes to go over our observation notes, so we should hurry back.”

“Right.” Uraraka nodded, finishing putting on her shoes. “I’m actually most excited to read your observations, (Y/N).”

You looked over at her in surprise, still putting your suit away in your locker. “What? Why? I mean, thanks, but why?”

She shrugged, grabbing her bag. “I dunno, I guess getting feedback from a classmate feels more special than getting feedback from a bunch of teachers.”

A small smile pulled at your lips. “...Yeah, I suppose that makes sense. I hope it lives up to your expectations.” You added with an awkward chuckle.

“Yeah,” Uraraka grinned back at you as they turned into the classroom. “Well, I think you should have more confidence in yourself. You’re one smart cookie!”

You thanked her sheepishly and walked back to your seat, unsure of how to respond further to such praise. The chatter died down as Aizawa began to pass out everyone’s observation papers. You looked at the small, paperclipped stacks that everyone received, nervously knowing that yours was among the teacher’s feedback.

As your classmates began looking over their feedback (with a wide variety of expressions), the door opened. Your gaze snapped to where Izuku walked in, but the door shut behind him, and no one else followed. Izuku thanked Aizawa quietly as he took his papers and walked past you to his seat, smiling weakly.

He was still bruised as hell, but you were relieved he was walking.

You turned around as he was sitting down. “Are you okay? How are you up so quickly?” You whispered as quietly as possible. Izuku glanced up from his papers, which he had already started reading.

“I’ll be pretty sore for a while, but Recovery Girl was able to fix me up for the most part.” He replied, shrugging and then wincing at the motion. His face became more solemn and he looked off to the side, eyebrows furrowed. “I apparently had a decent amount of stamina left, believe it or not. I’m not that surprised, to be honest. I was injured, but I didn’t exert myself as much as I typically do. Kacchan took the brunt of the fighting.”

You nodded. “I’m glad you guys worked it out in the end.”

Izuku scoffed, smiling painfully. “Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t know why he’s so angry with me.”

You bit your lip, thinking back on your conversation. Was it your fault? Had you pushed him too hard?

“...to run.”

You blinked. “What? Sorry, I spaced out.”

“Kacchan,” Izuku repeated, “He told me to run, at the end. To get through the gate. He knew it was a losing fight, he KNEW it, but he fought All Might until he PASSED OUT.” Izuku shook his head. “Did he really think I would just leave him there and save myself?”

Before you had a chance to respond, the bell rang, and the two of you exchanged a knowing glance before grabbing your bags. Izuku took care to put his observation papers in there without getting them crumpled. 

As everyone walked toward the main exit, Izuku asked, “Are you going to see Kacchan?”

You glanced over at him with a frown. “Of course.” You replied. “He’s still—”

“Still what?”

You both snapped your heads up to see Bakugo in the hallway across the lobby, leaning (very gently) on the wall. You resisted the urge to grin with relief, rolling your eyes as you approached. You heard murmurs of your classmates as they saw him, but everyone was ready to head home, so they kept walking.

Bakugo…had looked better, to say the least. His face, arms, and torso were bruised, and he was limping badly. Tears pricked at your eyes as you remembered how All Might beat him down into the dirt until he fell still.

Bakugo grunted at you in greeting. “So, didja have fun starin’ at a screen the whole—”

He cut off abruptly as you impulsively threw your arms around him, careful to be as gentle as possible on his wounds. “O-Oi!” Bakugo tensed up, and you jerked away.

“Sorry!” You wiped your eyes quickly as you stepped back. “I’m sorry, I’m just…I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Bakugo’s heart was beating too fast all of a sudden. His face was too hot. “Of course I’m okay, you dumbass, why wouldn’t I be?”

You laughed a little, and Bakugo almost didn’t notice Izuku grimace from behind you. “It was just hard to watch, I guess.”  You admitted. “He went really hard on you guys, and it wasn’t exactly fun to see you get beaten like that.”

Bakugo stiffened. “He didn’t win—we did.” He snapped. “We escaped.”

“I didn’t mean he beat you and won,” You clarified, rolling your eyes at the typical Bakugo-ness. “I’m saying he beat you unconscious. Still—I’m glad you two pulled it off in the end.”

“Of course we did.” Bakugo scoffed, beginning to walk with you and Izuku toward the exit.

“I’m not surprised, I’m just glad.” You thought for a moment. “I dunno. I was just worried about the two of you working together, I guess.”

Bakugo grit his teeth passively, probably because of the pain, and huffed at your words. “Have a little faith, Glowstick, will ya?” 

“Oh, I had plenty of faith in you,” You stated confidently. “But I wasn’t sure you two were going to put faith in each other.” 

“You know, she had faith in you.” Deku broke into Bakugo’s grumbling thoughts. “She believed you would come around, that you wouldn’t let your competitiveness get in the way of logic. She said that you’re dumb, but you’re not stupid.”

“That sounds cheesy as hell, but you get my point.” You rolled your eyes at yourself.

“Maybe.” Bakugo’s head felt strange—probably because of the injuries. Everything sounded like it was underwater, and his own voice was too loud.

“Still, you two did a great job!” You smiled as you all reached the exit doors along with your chattering classmates. “I’m sure I looked ridiculous in the observation room when you chucked Izuku toward the exit—I lost my shit for a second! It was risky, but I don’t blame you for taking the opportunity.”

“Just…take it from someone who’s fought Pros. Fought All Might.” You turned away, fists clenching. “You’re a smart guy when you use your head, so use it.”

“I always do!” He snapped.

“Sure, yeah,” You reasoned, “But you also tend to move independently. You take risks when you fight—and that’s necessary against All Might—but those risks don’t have to be on you, alone.”

“You guys wouldn’t have been able to pass without those risks…but I still think you were a bit reckless.”

“Tch…” Bakugo remembered to reply, ignoring the strange looks he was receiving from Deku. “Whatever.”

“The gauntlets were so I could use maximum firepower with no risk…I was so stupid.” Bakugo cursed himself as he launched after All Might, trying his best to ignore Deku crumpled on the ground ahead of him. Trying his best to ignore the pain throbbing through his arms, radiating back into his torso. “Damn Glowstick was right…there’s no way I could beat you without taking any risks!”

As he shot off the large explosions toward All Might, he couldn’t help but recoil as his arms screamed, and he resisted the urge to curl into a ball in midair as if that would help him escape the pain. “Go!” Bakugo scraped together the wherewithal to force the air out of his lungs. “Deku, hurry!”

“But when you jumped in All Might’s way, ready to sacrifice yourself for Izuku to escape?” You continued, putting a hand over your heart performatively. “I mean, Bakugo—for all of the drawbacks of your personality, you really are still a hero at heart!” You grinned at him teasingly, but you stopped when you saw his gaze fixed straight ahead, jaw clenched tightly.

“Go to sleep, Young Bakugo.” All Might’s voice was distant as Bakugo’s head spun, ears ringing, and the pressure on his neck was suffocating. “Sorry, but as a teacher, I’m a little traumatized when you destroy your own body to fight.”

Bakugo felt around blindly—because the pressure on his neck was coming from somewhere—and found All Might’s arm. He cursed the weak explosion from his hand, which only caused All Might to blink in surprise. “Hurry up…” He tried to yell, but the world was spinning so much that he couldn’t tell if he got the words out properly at all. “Go…damn nerd…”

“I will say, Young Bakugo,” All Might continued. “I was surprised that (Y/N) was drawn to someone with your personality, but I’m beginning to see why. With all of your stubbornness and anger, you are still a hero at heart.” He pressed down on Bakugo a bit harder. “But all heroes have limits.”

“...Bakugo?” You asked as they exited the school into the bright afternoon sun. He squinted, still lost in his hazy thoughts.

Bakugo continued to let off his quirk against All Might’s arm, as if one of the tiny explosions might do something other than puff into smoke. “No…” He wheezed, trying to focus on All Might’s face hovering above him blurrily. “I break…and break myself…”

Your face seemed to swim across his vision.

Exhausted. Confident.

Petrified. Powerful.

BEAUTIFUL.

“Even if it means twisting myself,” Bakugo forgot whether he was talking to you or All Might as he fought to get air back in his lungs. “I’ll win the way I choose…I won’t accept that I can’t even beat you like that…no way!” As his throbbing arms refused to release his quirk any more, he bit down on All Might’s hand as hard as he could muster, unsure of he was even breaking skin and fighting against unconsciousness.

As his vision faded, All Might’s voice filtered through the blood rushing in his head. “I should have heeded (Y/N)’s words, Young Bakugo. You are much more well-rounded than I gave you credit for. Rest, now.”

“Hey!”

Bakugo blinked as you waved a hand in front of his face, speaking louder. “I was just kidding around,” You tried to reassure him, but Bakugo didn’t want to be reassured, why were you always treating him like this, no one else treated him like this—“I didn’t actually mean that—“

“Did you talk to All Might about me?” He interrupted.

You tensed, and he cursed his heart for plummeting during the time it took for you to reply. “A little, before the exams began. It wasn’t much.”

Bakugo had stopped walking at the top of the U.A. stairs, beginning to fully recognize what he hadn’t been able to process at the time. “…He said that you told him to give me more credit.” He spoke to the ground, wishing his hands arms were recovered enough for him to clench his fists. “What did he say?”

You approached him slowly, as if he was a bomb, and his palms began to itch. His heart ached. Deku stayed behind, eyes glancing between the two of you in concern. “…He just was worried about how you two were going to get along.” You tried to placate him, but Bakugo wasn’t the type to be placated.

“Cut the bullshit,” He snarled, causing some of your classmates in the near distance to turn around. You still approached until you were a few feet away, hands held up loosely by your shoulders as if in surrender. “He didn’t say he didn’t give US enough credit, he said he didn’t give ME enough credit. Tell me the fucking truth.”

“Bakugo…” You glanced down at where his hands were beginning to char his bandages. “Can we talk about this later?”

“Fuck no!” He barked. “What, are you feeling guilty or something?”

“What? No!” You lowered your arms as you scowled. “I just—”

“Is that why you came and talked to me before the exams?” Bakugo interrupted, growling at the ground. His skin prickled as his mind whirled with too much, too much— “Because All Might had said something?”

You folded your arms across your chest. “No!” You said, exasperated. “I gave you the waterbottle, you dumbass! What’s your problem?”

The air smelled burnt. “If that’s true,” He asked lowly, “Then why did you talk to that STUPID Deku about me too, hah?”

“BECAUSE HE’S MY FRIEND, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!” You snapped. Your classmates were beginning to fall back toward the school, tentatively approaching the scene as it unfolded. “I talked to BOTH of you about the exam BOTH of you were taking together, because you’re BOTH my friends!”

That didn’t settle right with Bakugo for some reason. His fists clenched involuntarily, and it hurt like a bitch. That didn’t settle right with him at all. “Well, it’s a good thing that Deku will just follow your instructions blindly, then,” The uncharacteristic pettiness tasted sour on his tongue. “Since I’m sure it was disappointing to watch me fight instead of run like a damn coward!”

You recoiled. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? That’s not what I said to you! OR to Izuku!”

“Oh, really?” Bakugo turned on his heel, taking a few steps in the other direction because he needed movement, he needed to get rid of this itch, this suffocation. “Because Deku made it sound like you expected us to run, as if you had no faith in my ability to fight!”

“YOU KNEW THAT, TOO!” You gestured at him. “Izuku didn’t mean it like that, anyway, and you know—”

The bitterness was like bile, spewing uncontrollably. "Oh, so you and that shitty nerd can read each other’s minds, now?” Bakugo looked everywhere but at you. “You KNOW what he means, HAH?”

“Kacchan!” Deku moved forward, but a painful spark in Bakugo’s palm popped loudly as he interrupted.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Bakugo snarled. The rest of 1A, along with other students, were beginning to mutter in concern. You threw your arm in front of Deku, shaking your head before moving into into Bakugo's line of vision with a set jaw and blazing eyes.

“What the fuck is your problem?” You demanded, stepping into his space so that he was forced to look at you, less than a meter away.

For the first time since he saw you in the lobby, Bakugo looked at you.

He saw your face. Your eyes—the anger in them, the concern, the passion, the softness—he saw the bags under your eyes and the frizz in your hair, the faint scars on your skin and the harsh line of your clenched jaw as you glared at him unmovingly.

And Bakugo felt his anger lose its stride.

And he panicked.

“My problem?” He huffed out a manic, humorless laugh, tearing his eyes away from your searching gaze. “My PROBLEM is that everyone seems to take your word as fucking law—even the number one hero! My childhood hero, telling me he should have listened to you. Shitty Deku saying we needed to listen to you.”

He grew louder, fighting to keep the panic out of his voice. “And why should we listen to YOU of all people, HAH? Because you ran away from All Might in the past? OH, okay, I didn’t realize that NEVER WINNING AGAINST ALL MIGHT made you an EXPERT. I didn’t realize that EVERYONE had to use YOUR strategies.”

Bakugo continued to work himself up further, grasping onto the anger—the familiarity. “But APPARENTLY the person who NEVER EVEN TRIED TO FIGHT HIM, apparently YOU are the EXPERT! And it never crossed ANYONE’S minds—it never crossed YOUR mind—that MAYBE, MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE CAN FIGHT HIM. Just because YOU never tried to fight him, DOESN’T MEAN IT’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE ELSE! So don’t talk about me like you KNOW ME! Why don’t you give advice to someone who ACTUALLY GIVES A FUCK and do something other than RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YOUR FUCKING LIFE! Because you do everything, EVERYTHING, out of fucking FEAR, and I’m not going to sit here and take some BULLSHIT ADVICE from someone who is ALWAYS AFRAID.” Bakugo whirled around, pointing in your direction and barreling forward with wild momentum. “Because I’m BAKUGO FUCKING KATSUKI, AND I DON’T GIVE INTO FEAR!”

The silence around them was blaring as Bakugo stopped to catch his breath. His finger was still pointed at your chest accusingly, but his angry gaze was fixed over your head. He took a deep breath, still whirling in a storm of emotions. A shaky chuckle broke through the rush of blood in his ears, and he blinked, glancing down at your face.

The burning rage seeped out of him so quickly that his veins seemed to flood with ice, and he took a shaky breath at the shift. He brought his pointing hand down quickly, heart thundering as he stared into your welling eyes.

“Well,” You said tightly, fighting back tears even as they were beginning to fall. “I guess you’ve made that rather clear, then.”

Wait—

“Though, I never would have thought that YOU, of all people…” You stopped as a sob forced its way out of your throat, and Bakugo stepped forward, hand outstretched in a very different gesture than before. The way your voice cracked when you referred to him was horrifying.

No, no—no no no no, wait—

“...You, of all people,” You continued, breath beginning to come in short gasps. Bakugo’s stomach twisted as you backed away from him, shaking your head, your signature purple glow beginning to backlight your eyes and mouth. “I never thought that Y-YOU would say something like—like that—” Deku put his hand on your arm gently, and after jerking away slightly, you let him begin to guide you away, but you fought to face Bakugo just a moment longer to finish telling him, “I trust—I TRUSTED y-you! I…”

Bakugo felt as if he was sinking as you dissolved into hiccupping sobs, fully hyperventilating, the vibrations making the air hum. The light was so bright it hurt to look at you, but he looked.

DAMN IT, he looked so hard and it hurt, but he refused to look away.

He took a few steps toward you. “(Y/N),” Bakugo began, without much of a plan, but he was interrupted by Deku’s fierce gaze blocking his view.

“It’s time for you to go home, Kacchan.” Deku said firmly, and Bakugo wanted to scream.

“No, wait,” He stepped forward again, but a pool of acid splattered in front of him, barely missing his shoes.

“You’ve done enough.” Mina had never spoken so harshly to him before.

Before he could open his mouth to protest further, Iida spoke up. “This has been entirely unacceptable, Bakugo.” He scolded in an uncharacteristically low tone.

Bakugo glanced between them. “She needs Aizawa,” He tried to explain, because they didn’t understand that HE KNEW YOU THE BEST, right? He had always been there for you, he knew what to do, he could HELP.

...Right?

“Uraraka-chan went to find him a few minutes ago,” Asui interrupted flatly.

“I can—”

“There’s nothing for you to do but leave, Bakugo.” Todoroki interrupted, and Bakugo didn’t even feel angry.

He only felt panicked.

He grit his teeth. “No, no, you don't understand, I have to—”

A hand landed gently, but firmly, on his shoulder, and he turned sharply to see Kirishima’s grim face.

“It’s time for you to go, man.”

Somehow, Bakugo felt like the last of his air had left him, but he still turned back toward you. Too many people obstructed his vision now, and his panic spiked again when he couldn’t see you. He started forward, ready to push through his peers, but tape wrapped around his uninjured limbs and held him in place. “Let me GO, Sero!” He demanded, pulling at the restraints. The command lacked any of its usual authority, his usual coarse voice layered with reedy desperation.

Kirishima walked in front of him, blocking his path to you. “You need to leave.” He said in a firm voice that didn’t match the disappointment in his eyes.

As his panic surged again, painful sparks popped inside Bakugo’s bandaged hands. His classmates tensed at the sound and sight of smoke, and Bakugo tried to look around Kirishima to see you, but all he could see was a distant glow, obscured by your classmates.

“Bakugo.” Kirishima warned, eyeing his smoking hands warily and beginning to harden his skin.

Bakugo blinked, looking around at his…his friends.

His friends were glaring at him, quirks at the ready—ready to fight him. They were preparing for him to lash out and attack like some sort of animal, gathering between him and your obscured glow.

A memory tickled the back of his mind, unwelcome and unbidden.

It unsettled him, the look in your eyes before you had fallen to the floor. It was like Bakugo had suddenly become the most terrifying thing in your life. It was a look of terror that Bakugo had only seen around villain attacks.

Why did you look at HIM that way?

What had Aizawa said when he entered the scene, not an ounce of surprise in his eyes?

"Wow, you are really bad at this."

Bakugo shook his head at the memory, as if he could dislodge it from his mind. 

Your eyes seemed hollow, and you didn’t seem mad at him…you looked exhausted. You looked broken.

“Fuck,” He cursed, backing away, mind reeling. “FUCK.”

As fast as his injuries would allow, Bakugo turned and ran. He pushed through the pain and went faster, gritting his teeth, the cool air stinging his eyes as he stubbornly faced forward. He pushed INTO the pain, because it seemed fitting for him to feel as much of it as possible.

Bakugo ran until he didn’t have to resist the urge to turn around anymore…because you were too far away to see. As he reached his house, heaving, nausea roiling, his impulse control broke and he finally turned to look toward the school, and even though he knew, he knew that he wouldn’t see that purple glow, an embarrassingly fragile sob broke out of his throat at the dark sky.

That’s good, he thought rationally. Aizawa found her. She’s okay.

Bakugo stumbled inside, cursing the part of himself that felt abandoned by the darkness he had plunged himself into.