The Kids from Yesterday 

Chapter 2: We don't care about the message or the rules

The first thing Kirishima noticed during the entrance exam for UA High School was this blonde guy in a black tank top absolutely destroying every robot in the area with powerful explosions. He used them to jump high and move, making use of both the ground and the sky to get more points, managing to hit targets with surgical precision. He admired him for a bit, kind of envious of that flashy and strong quirk, but then the smirk on that face while taking down yet another robot gave him a spark to start moving. He started throwing punches on his own, with arms like granite, and took his time to help other participants who were stuck or in need of help.

After removing his arm from the inside of a robot, now destroyed by his fist, the redhead looked around while catching his breath and noticed a pair of carmine eyes set on him. The explosive guy seemed to have witnessed his last attack and was now sporting a little smirk with an amused expression. He replied to the smirk with a smile on his own, slamming one fist against the other, in a pose that he hoped could be interpreted as “let’s do our best.” The other guy, caught off guard from the answer, flipped him off, a frown appeared on his face. Eijirou shook his head, chuckling lightly.

That was the moment he decided that, if he ever would pass the exam, he would befriend this blasty guy.

Turned out that Kirishima passed the exam, and with a remarkably high score too. The first day at UA he discovered that the impressive Bakugou Katsuki who placed first in the ranking, was indeed the angry blonde guy he had slightly interacted with during the test. He also learned quite fast that, not only did Bakugou have  solid control over his quirk, but also his attitude was strong and explosive, and over the course of a single day his thoughts about him turned from admiration to disapproval. He didn’t like how the guy had fought against that Midoriya kid, aiming to hurt him. The fact that Bakugou didn’t like his middle school classmate was obvious, and it had been evident during All Might’s lesson, when he had tried to injure him purposely.

Kirishima headed home glad to have completed his first day of high school at the prestigious UA. He had already found a friend from middle school and managed to get to know some cool guys in his class, but he was also upset over Bakugou. He had been more than excited to be in his same class, but the disappointment he felt now about him overwhelmed the enthusiasm.

Raising his head, he looked at the road in front of him. The street had a public park on its right and the sidewalk was pleasantly shaded by sakura  trees. In the distance, he recognized his angry classmate walking ahead, with shoulders raised and hands in his pockets, a pace slow and uncertain. The redhead quickened his pace, just a tiny bit curious. If the other boy was taking the same road, it meant that they lived close and he wanted to be sure of it, just in case he did end up not liking the other guy and had to try and avoid him. Not because he was drawn by his aura. Not at all.

In class, a guy (was Kaminari his name?) had told them that he had seen Midoriya and Bakugou arguing and that even All Might had joined their conversation. After, Bakugou had left the school on his own, a few minutes before the bell rang to signal the end of the day.

So, Kirishima walked stealthily towards him, trying to be quiet and acting nonchalant at the same time. He felt a bit guilty to follow a brand-new classmate like a creep, but curiosity won over. When he managed to be some meters behind him, he stopped abruptly.

 A raspy breath came from the boy in front of him, the gasp of someone who was struggling to hold back sobs. He noticed Bakugo’s shoulders shaking;  his hands in his pockets were clenched into fists.

Eijirou felt shocked, he didn’t expect to see the other boy so upset by a conversation. He didn’t even think that a person with an attitude like that could be capable of crying because of something as trivial as a talk with a peer.

This had been their first day of school, they all should have been happy to start their journey as heroes and enthusiastic to have so many pros as their teachers, nobody should be crying after a day like this.

Suddenly, he remembered something his mom told him when he was still a kid with scratched knees, playing heroes with his parents.

“Sometimes, Eijirou, the ones who need help the most are the ones who are the least willing to accept it. Will you save them anyway, hero?”

And just like that, his thoughts about Bakugou Katsuki changed again. They were kids after all, and they had all the right to be upset or cry, they just needed the tools to learn how to use and recognize their feelings.

Kirishima promised himself that he would try to help the boy with the harsh appearance but a fragile heart.

The first weeks of school passed fast, and Kirishima was grateful to be learning so many things. Aizawa sensei, with his perennial tired appearance, had told them that they would attend their lesson at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, to learn how to interact with different kinds of disasters and battlegrounds. The redhead looked around at the building they were in, it was divided into different areas, each of them representing a natural disaster. The lesson was about to start when a cloud of purple fog started to appear in the middle of USJ, a multitude of people coming out of it. Kirishima was mesmerized once again by the arrangements his school could provide for something as simple as a training lesson.

“Don’t move. They are villains.” The stoic voice of Aizawa froze the whole class. A group of more than fifty people came out of the portal, looking in their direction. Fear spread through the class, while their teacher donned his glasses and took the scarf he had on his costume. Thirteen started to guide them toward the exit, as requested by Aizawa, and everyone moved fast on their feet. The entrance  was right in front of them when the same purple fog that teleported the villains inside the building appeared again. The fog had some humanoid appearance and started talking, stopping everyone in their tracks, waiting for the Space Hero to tell them what to do. Eijirou’s heart bumped fast in his chest. He was done being a coward and freezing against the enemy. He had chosen to live without regret and he knew that if he didn't do anything this time, he would forever regret it. So, since he was in the first line, he started to run to attack the smokey villain while he talked. He jumped high, hardening his arm, ready to collide with the villain, while he saw a black and orange figure next to him, and when he threw his punch on the man, a powerful blast exploded next to him, aimed at the same target. When the explosion’s smoke dissipated, he saw Bakugou, who had jumped at the same time to fight the villain. He couldn’t help to think how manly that display had been but in that same moment, he was surrounded by the purple gas.

When he opened his eyes, Kirishima found himself in a collapsed building, the room he was in full of villains. He turned around to count the number of people he had to face, when he heard someone jump, a knife in their hand aimed at him. He hardened his arms and covered his face, preparing himself for the impact he hadn’t had time to avoid. An explosion hit the villain mid air, throwing their body into the opposite wall, knocking them out. Kirishima gasped, just now noticing Bakugou who was dealing with different attacks at the same time.

“Wake up, hair for brains! We don’t have time for your bullshit!” Bakugou shouted and he found himself following the order. His classmate had recovered faster from teleportation and had defended him while fighting for his own life. Kirishima couldn't help but be impressed, he hoped he could return the favor.

Like cogs in the same machine, the two of them fought together, with their backs next to each other, defeating their enemies in mere minutes. Kirishima praised the lucidity and quick reflexes of the guy in front of him, who was now eager to fight warp-man again. Together, they manage to quickly go back and find the main group of  villains where Aizawa was.

In the end, the battle had been hard, and some people needed Recovery Girl’s quirk, but when Kirishima found himself in the bus with his classmates, next to Bakugou, he couldn’t fight back a smile.

“Man, we worked together really well back there, can you believe it was our first time against real villains? I think our quirks are a good match, we should spar together sometime, what do you think?” he asked hopefully. A deep sense of respect for the guy starting to bloom. He might be harsh around the edges , without a filter while speaking, but Eijirou was ready to bet that inside that strong shell there was a noble soul, who hadn’t hesitated to save everyone that day, including him.

“I don’t need to fucking spar with a loser like you, I’m going to be number one, I can’t waste my time with shitty haired extras.” he spat, resting his chin on his palm, and turning towards the window.

Kirishima didn’t let the sharp comment sink in. He was getting to know the other boy’s behavior and he was sure that if he filtered all the insults, he could learn to know Bakugou in no time.

“Oh, c’mon bro, you’ve seen me out there, I was a strong opponent for the villains as you were! We kicked their ass in the blink of an eye! Also, I think I’m the only one that could take those explosions whenever you want.” Kirishima smirked, he sensed that Bakugou wasn’t the kind to pull back from a challenge.
“What, too afraid to find out?” he added and when the other turned his head towards him furiously, he knew he was right.

“The fuck are you saying? Nobody can take my explosion, I’ll fucking show you!” he shouted, and the red head was happy to read between the blonde’s colorful lines. That had been a yes to his invitation, in a very Bakugou-way.

“But I guess you weren’t that bad out there either.” he then added in a whispery voice, like he was almost afraid to be heard.

Kirishima smiled brightly at that “Thanks, Bakugou!” he replied softly, too enthusiastic to have received a compliment from a cool guy like him to notice the light blush coloring Bakugou’s ears.

Kirishima looked at the stadium he was in, the stands were filled with all sorts of spectators, from civilians to pro heroes, all gathered there to watch the birth of new stars in  hero society. He felt a bit overwhelmed by all those people, thousands of eyes on him, and tried to ease the tension in his mind by chatting with the classmates next to him.

“Wow, people are going crazy out there! I’m getting kinda nervous actually, aren’t you Bakugou?”

“No, I’m just getting more into it. Everything else doesn’t matter as long as you rise to the top.” He said coldly, continuing to walk toward the center, where Midnight was going to explain the rules of the next phase of the Sport Festival they were attending.

Kirishima slowed his walk to look at the guy in front of him. How he could  say things so simple yet manly at the same time was beyond his comprehension.

Once the teacher had explained the rules of the second test, Eijirou had no doubt who he wanted to be on a team with. He walked straight to the group of people that was surrounding Bakugou, trying to convince him to work together, and spoke over them all to gain his attention “Hey, Bakugou, team up with me!”

The explosive guy looked at him with a plain face “Ah, it’s you, shitty hair” he stated, not impressed at all by his presence.

That hurt Kirishima’s pride. He knew that he was not Bakugou’s friend, but during the first month of school he thought he had at least become an acquaintance. He thought that the constant talks and chatter he had with the guy would have been remembered. So, after that display, he was even more intent  to befriend the hell out of him.

“My name is Kirishima Eijirou, bro, at least try to remember! And my hair isn’t that different from yours!” he shouted, a pout on his face. “You want to be the knight in this part, right? Then who’ll be a front horse that can take your blasts?” he added, knowing that Bakugou’s strongest and weakest point was his will to win and top everything he did.

“Someone with guts” the other replied, trying to act cool, but the redhead could sense the sparks of interest in the other’s eyes, so he went on.

“Not really, but yeah! It’ll be me with my hardening. Just watch me man, I’ll be a horse that never wavers. You’re gonna get it right? The ten million?” He finished with a challenge and looked with pride at how a feral smirk bloomed on Bakugou’s face. From there, they organized a team together with Mina and Sero, discussing their quirks and how they could work together with them to get the highest target.

They managed to get second in the ranking, passing to the third phase of the festival and in a matter of a few hours, Kirishima had to face Bakugou in a fight.

He threw punch after punch, trying to aim at Bakugou's face, not giving him a chance to breathe. One of his fists hit the blonde, cutting open his cheekbone. Kirishima smirked, and the other looked incredulous at the blood running from the wound. From that point on, he was assaulted with a barrage of explosions, which managed to break his defense after so much time spent hardening his whole body. He fell to the ground, defeated, but proud to be the only one who had been able to make Bakugou bleed.

At the end of the festival, when Kirishima looked at the podium, he wasn’t surprised at all to see the angry blonde in the first place. He knew the guy had perfect control over his quirk and a strategic mind, with abilities way over the average students in his year. What he didn’t expect though, was to see Bakugou chained up, with a muzzle to suppress all his screams and a pair of heavy canceling-quirk handcuffs. He knew that, as proud as he was, Bakugou wouldn’t have been happy to win a fight against an opponent who didn’t give his best and that the display of rage was just his personal way to not accept a fair fight. Kirishima didn’t understand why in hell the teachers had thought that chaining up a student who wanted to voice his disagreement during a public event was a good idea. They were kids, yes, but still allowed to express an opinion without being restricted for it.

When the Sport Festival was over, Kirishima was fast to gather his things and head toward the road to go home. He had seen Bakugou walk away right after the closing ceremony finished and wanted to try to join him. After all, the worst thing that could happen was he would receive a blast in the face, but he had already gotten plenty of those that day, he could  face a few more.

Running outside the school, Eijirou saw the silhouette of his classmate in the distance and fastened his pace to join him. Like their first day of school, Bakugou was walking with tense shoulders and tight fists, a flap of the medal he won protruding from his backpack.

Kirishima put a hand on the boy's shoulders, who turned to face him with incredible speed, a hand on his neckband and the other ready to ignite. When Bakugou recognized his classmate, he let him go.

“Shitty hair, what the fuck do you want? I already had to deal with a lot of fucking bullshit today, I don’t have the patience to endure yours as well” he spat, turning away and continuing his walk.

Kirishima rushed to keep the other’s pace “Nothing, I’ve just noticed that you live close to the train station where I go, I thought we could walk together.” he said.

“And what in the hell made you think that I would like to walk home with a loser like you?” the blonde asked.

Kirishima scratched his neck, embarrassed. “Emh, I don’t know man, I thought we were getting along at school. You seem like a pretty manly and nice guy, I wanted to become your friend” he said, deciding that sincerity was going to be his best weapon.

“You must be more of an idiot than I thought to think that I’m a nice guy. Everyone today has seen that I’m a fucking feral animal, so just stop with the crap and leave me alone, shithead” Bakugou said angrily, a shadow of sadness and hurt in his tone.

“I have no idea why they dared to chain you up like a villain. I totally get you were upset, and I think it was very manly of you to pretend to have a fair fight with Todoroki! What they did today was inexcusable and I’m sorry you had to suffer it, man. I hope the teachers will apologize to you.” As he spoke, Kirishima saw Bakugou’s shoulder unbend a little, a heavy breath leaving the guy.

“Yeah, whatever” the blonde added, now slowing his pace.

They didn’t talk after that, it was just Kirishima who added random comments from time to time, but he noticed how Bakugou hadn’t asked to leave him alone anymore, allowing the redhead to walk next to him until he reached his destination.

Eijirou dared to think that maybe he had seen it right, maybe they were really getting along after all.

Bakugou lived in a big house in the same neighborhood of the train station Kirishima arrived at. That morning, Eijirou decided to ring the “Bakugou” bell. A blonde and gorgeous woman opened the door, and she looked exactly like his feisty friend.

“No way…” he thought but, apparently, he must have thought it out loud, because the lady chuckled a little.

“And you are?” she said, the voice still a bit sleepy even if she was already dressed up and ready to go.

“Oh!” he regained himself. “I’m Kirishima Eijirou, Mrs. Bakugou, nice to meet you. I’m Bakugou’s friend, I was wondering if he was still home and ready to go to school” he explained, bowing low.

“Oh my, that’s such news. I’m Bakugou Mitsuki, nice to meet you kid. And yes, Katsuki is st- “she couldn’t finish her sentence because a loud voice came from the stairs behind the lady.

“What the fuck are you doing here, shitty hair? Are you a stalker or something?” he yelled at him, throwing a bag on the floor while proceeding to put on his shoes.

Mitsuki snapped out of her guest-persona and slapped his son lightly on the head.

“Is that the way to talk to a friend who came to pick you up, you ungrateful brat?” she asked with the same tone.

“We’re not fucking friends, and I didn’t ask him shit, he just showed up here after he followed me yesterday.” He said, raising from the ground and getting ready to head out.

Kirishima felt guilty at the interaction and cupped his neck. He hadn’t really thought through before ringing the bell, and now he was getting self conscious about showing up uninvited.

“Ah, yeah man, you’re right. I should have said something to you, but I just thought about it, and I don’t have your phone number. It’s just that I get super bored while going to school, I take the train and walk alone every day. When I saw you live on the same road I walk I thought we could go together, and I gave it a try. Sorry for assuming, I’ll just get going now” he explained, ready to turn around and leave.

“Whatever, hair for brains, don’t make me lose more time, we’re already late” he scoffed, heading outside the house and walking rapidly toward the street, even if they weren’t late at all.

Eijirou smiled, surprised, and bowed once again to a smiling Mitsuki. Her smile was big and contagious, all white teeth and dimples, and he wondered if her son smiled like her. He really wanted to see Bakugou smile. Just to see if he was capable of it. Scientific reasons, nothing else.

“Have a good day at school, kids! Give your best!” she bid them farewell, waving with her hand.

“Thank you, Mrs. Bakugou!”

“We’re not kids, hag!” they yelled at the same time, and Kirishima laughed out loud, walking next to the blond.

Together, they headed to the school, Eijirou filled the conversation most of the time, but he discovered that if he picked the right topics, Bakugou would join him as well. The day couldn’t start in a better way.

From that morning, Kirishima and Bakugou walked together every day, talking about their first internship, Stain’s capture, the approaching exams. Kirishima even managed to convince the other guy to tutor him for the test and to bring him to a pool day with their other classmates. Bakugou didn’t seem so reluctant anymore.

The morning of their school trip, Kirishima waited for Bakugou outside his house, backpack on his shoulders and a smile full of trepidation and expectations. He had just texted the guy to let him know that he was outside, when the door opened.  Mitsuki came outside, followed by a tall man. His face was soft, a kind appearance given by light glasses on his nose and a funny  mustache. He did look like Bakugou remotely, but a much calmer and matured version of him, and Kirishima couldn’t stop staring at him, amazed by his presence and the soft beauty he emanates. 

“Good morning, Kirishima. I’m Masaru, Katsuki’s father. I’m glad to finally be able to meet you, Katsuki speaks a lot about you” he said gently, as if he hadn't just turned Eijirou's world upside down with that sentence. Did Bakugou talk about him at home with his parents? What did he tell them? Good or bad things?

“Love, you’ve broken that poor guy, leave him be” Mitsuki intervened, opening the car with the remote control.

Katsuki came out of the door, aggressively taking Kirishima by the arm and guiding him toward the car in the parking lot. “Come on, shitty hair. The old folks are bringing us to school today. I was told it’s something about how they need to ask the teacher where we’re going and good parenting. I think they just want to show up and gossip about everyone else’s parents.” He stated, entering the car. Once inside and recovered from the shock, Kirishima didn’t stop talking about the trip for a second, he kept trying to guess what activities they were going to do and the location. Bakugou joined in when he mentioned  all the moves he had in mind and wanted to practice. From the rearview mirror, two pairs of eyes watched them fondly and knowingly, almost as if they knew the oldest secret in the world.

The first day of the camp had been exhausting. They had to fight their way through a forest full of obstacles and sort out their things in the dormitory before being allowed to rest. The Wild Wild Pussycats had cooked them an amazing feast, and every student was now chilling in the onsen.

All the boys of 1-A were peacefully relaxing inside the water, some chatting, others resting silently. From the other part of the wooden wall, the laughs and chatter of the girls could be heard.

Mineta, with a dangerous sparkle in his eyes, started to say “I’ve waited so long for this moment, I can’t believe just a layer of wood separates us from them. I wonder what they look like, all naked and wet” he sighed dreamily.

Iida stood up abruptly “Mineta, your behavior is indecorous. Stop this shameful conduct, you are degrading towards our classmates” he stated angrily.

Kaminari joined the conversation “Yeah, but, he’s kinda right, isn’t he? The girls of our class sure are beautiful” he said, raising consensus from the others. Some guys were raising their heads, others minding their business, but they somehow found themselves in a circle while the conversation went on.

“Do you guys like anyone in our class?” Oijiro asked, his tone polite and purely curious.

To Kirishima's surprise, Sero was the first one to speak, “I think Ashido is gorgeous and strong and funny. Her quirk is amazing, and her personality is something else. I’d like to ask her out if I wasn’t so afraid to get rejected” he confessed.

The red head looked at his friend. Since the sport festival, Sero, Kaminari, Mina, Bakugou, and him had started to form a group, most of the school activities were done together and they sat in the canteen next to each other everyday. They also went out some nights during the weekend, managing to bring a reluctant Bakugou with them from time to time. Eijirou, anyway, didn’t expect for his friend to have developed such a deep connection with Ashido,  now though some of his behavior toward the girl made more sense.

“Ah, too bad for you soy sauce, you’ll have to fight shitty hair for her, they’re all buddy-buddy” Bakugou added, a deep frown between his eyebrows.

Kirishima raised his head immediately, having been brought into the conversation “What?! That’s not true man, you know that! We’re just good friends from middle school. I have known her for a long time, but I don’t like her!” he corrected hastily “And I think you should give it a try, Sero. Ashido is always smiling when she’s next to you” he added, trying to reassure his friend, while a pair of attentive red eyes set on him.

“I.. I think I like Uraraka. She’s so kind to me and willing to help. She’s compassionate and heroic and- and she looks pretty, too.” Midoriya said trembling, a furious blush exploding onto his face.

“Yeah, Midoriya, I know what you mean, her body is so-“splashes of water hit Mineta in the face, interrupting his comment, the splashes all from different boys at the same time.

“Okay, okay, I get it” he raised his hands in a surrendering gesture “So what do you guys prefer, anyway, boobs or butts?” he asked, raising a chorus of groans  from them.

“Oh, c’mon! I just want to make some old, boys talk!” he explained, looking around.

“For example, you, Kirishima! You said you didn’t like Ashido, even if you’re really close and she’s so sexy! How’s that possible? What do you like in girls?” he asked, focusing everyone's attention on him.

Kirishima felt uneasy, scratching his neck, he hoped he hadn’t become as red as his hair.

“Emh, I don’t know man, I don’t think this kind of talk is manly at all… I have never thought about it actually, but I think… physically speaking, I like a tough and muscular body, someone who’s strong” he explained, feeling embarrassed and bared for everyone to look at. He felt eyes on him, and he didn’t like it.

“You’re into beefy ladies. I can take it, since you’re so obsessed with muscle gain and manliness.” Mineta then looked around the onsen, searching for the next victim of his talk.

“What about you, Bakugou? What do you like in women? I bet you’re so popular with them with such a pretty face, but I think you should work on your explosive personality if you don’t want to scare them away” he said pointing at the blonde, acting innocent like he hadn’t just insulted him.

To everyone's surprise, Bakugou didn’t get mad at the insinuation about his character.

“I don’t like chicks.” He stated bluntly, looking everyone in the eyes, challenging them to say something about it. A deathly silence descended on the group.

“Wha-what do you mean? You don’t like anyone in our class? Do you prefer girls from other classes, maybe older than us?” Mineta said, trying to understand the meaning behind those words.

“Are you fucking deaf? I said I don’t like girls. They’re loud and insufferable and couldn’t keep up with me anyway.” He explained, earning shocked expressions from everyone in the water.

Mineta was the first one to recover from the shock. “Bakugou, are you really saying you’re a fag- “

Splashes of water and mild explosions resonate all around.

“What the fuck did you say?!”

“Don’t you fucking dare!”

Bakugou and Kirishima both raised from the water and yelled at the same time. Bakugou’s hands were sparkling with tiny blasts, ready to ignite, while Kirishima’s hardening was running through his whole body in waves. They looked at each other, surprised once again by their timing. And before the blond could add something else, Kirishima turned toward Mineta, a hardened finger pointing at him.

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. We’re studying to be heroes, and I will not call myself a man if I let you insult one of my friends with your homophobic shit. Bakugou can like whoever he wants, and we will support him, no matter what. Plus, I think it was pretty manly to come out to us like that. He’s a real man and you can just hope to learn from him!” he stated stoic, still angry at the mere thoughts of someone insulting Bakugou. He noticed the blonde staring at him with eyes wide and surprised, full of unspoken emotions.

“Yeah, Kiri’s right. We have to  be supportive of each other, not shaming a dude for his preference” Kaminari intervened, “But, Blasty, aren’t you afraid to come out so directly? Japan is still a conservative country and you’re going to be a public figure in no time, shit you already are, you sure you’re ready to face all the prejudices and the gossip?” he asked earnestly.

Eijirou thought that was actually a good question. Heroes were the most important figures in their society, every tabloid talked about them, their faces and lives were splattered everywhere for everyone to see. He was afraid of the backfire his friend would get if news like this went viral.

“They won’t care who I wet my dick in if I’m the fucking number one hero. They shouldn’t mind that I'm gay if I put my life on the line everyday to save their asses''. He said, the tone was fiery and harsh, but Kirishima by now could read beneath the lines, recognize a tiny wave of insecurity and fear.

Without waiting for an answer, the explosive guy headed to the edges of the onsen to get out. He took his towel and dried his hair, walking toward the dormitory, pulling the towel around his hips just before going inside the male dorms.

Still standing, Kirishima watched as the boy departed. He had been so proud and brave, such a manly display he thought, while looking at his figure walking away. Was it the first time he had seen the other guy naked? Had he always been so well built? He noticed the big arms made to bear his explosions, the broad shoulders, full of thick nerves and muscles, which lead to a strong back and a tiny, tiny waist. Under that, a glorious pair of-

“Kiri, if you don’t stop staring at blasty’s ass your eyes are going to roll out” Kaminari said jokingly, earning chuckles between the guys.

Kirishima awakened from his train of thoughts, an epiphany exploding in his brain, too much information making sense all at the same time.

“Holy shit…” he whispered to himself, his heart pumping furiously inside his chest.

“I think I’m gay” he added, and without caring if his classmates had heard him or not, he rushed to join Bakugou inside.

Once in the dorm, Eijirou looked around in the darkness. He could hear furious muttering in the last row of bunk beds and hands searching for something in a backpack. He approached softly, not wanting to startle his friend and make things worse.

“Hey man…” he started hesitantly, “I’m sorry for what Mineta said, he’s a moron and you shouldn’t listen to him, nobody does anyway.”

Not receiving an answer from the other, he went on “I think what you did was super manly and brave. You’re proud of who you are, and this is a wonderful thing. For what it matters, I’m proud of you too and I wanted to thank you for trusting us enough to come out.”

Bakugou stayed silent for a bit, finding a pair of sweatpants and putting them on. Kirishima did his best to turn his head and give the boy some privacy while he changed in front of him, not shy of his nudity.

“What if..” he started “What if grape head is right? What if I go pro as a gay hero and nobody wants to hire me or deal with me? My personality is already shitty, they would have all the reasons in the world for not wanting someone like me in their agencies…” he was now whispering, words full of insecurity and fear, and Kirishima had to lean a bit toward him to hear him better.

“What? No, no, no man! What are you saying? No sane pros wouldn’t hire you because of that! You’re strong, and smart, and impressive, that’s the only thing that should matter to them. And if they’re still living in the Paleozoic? Too bad for them, we’re going to open our own agency, fighting villains and stereotypes!” he exclaimed animatedly, taking Bakugou’s hand in his. “Maybe it would be rough sometimes, but we’re still kids and we have all the time to change things for good! We want to be heroes to make this world a better place, and just think of all the young queer people who would look at you with pride and respect, standing for them. You’ll have the power to be a good influence on society and help people in more than one way. Don’t let anyone make you think otherwise. You’re beautiful just like this Bakugou” he stated, all his fervor now on display on his face as a bright blush, Bakugou’s palm still tight in his hands.

Kirishima watched in awe how the words sunk in. How Bakugou’s eyes went from insecure and scared to once again gaining back  that famous spark, and how the lines on his forehead flattened out.

“You better keep up if you want to open an agency with me, Kirishima.”

A corner of his mouth turned up, and before Kirishima could understand, Bakugou was smiling. A broad, big smile, all his teeth on display, feral and beautiful and grateful.

Kirishima thought he had never seen a prettier smile in his life.

Without even realizing it, the redhead leaned forward, just a fraction to discover a light sprinkling of freckles adorning his cheeks and nose, a drop of water fell from his wet hair. He felt like he needed to be closer to that smile, to see those lips up close, just a little more, just in time to notice Bakugou’s eyelid opened wide and then fluttered closed.

The door of the dorm sprung open and boisterous laughs entered the space.

Kirishima and Bakugou jumped at the sound, separating from where they had been leaning in closely. Bakugou stood up, putting as much distance as he could between them.

The red head felt his heart sting at that, but he stood up as well, looking for his bag at the foot of the bed.

“Kirishima, you should dress up, you will catch a cold if you stay longer with that wet towel on” Midoriya said, noticing him and studying his face with attention.

Bakugou sprinted past him, giving a shoulder check to the smaller boy “Eat shit and move the fuck out of the way, nerd” he said angrily, but the tooth brush on his mouth smothered the intention. Kirishima found himself looking once again at the blond walking away, mouth agape.

What the fuck just happened?

All the classes had been reunited inside the building, the rescuers Vlad King had called were visiting anyone who’d gotten hurt.

Eijirou tried to breathe, but it seemed like all the air inside the room had been sucked away. He looked around again, trying to find a head of blond hair between his peers.

From where he was, he could see Midoriya getting loaded into the ambulance, while Todoroki and Shoji sat close on a bench, their faces dark and tormented. Eijirou looked at them, a feeling rising in his chest tasting like hate, because they hadn’t managed to save Bakugou. 

Rationally, he knew that they had tried their best, and he felt even worse for feeling that way, knowing that, unlike them, he didn’t do anything to try to save his best friend. How could he say they were friends if he hadn’t been there when Bakugou needed him the most? How could he consider himself a man if he stayed in the safety of a room while outside villains were kidnapping him?

He sat on the floor, incapable of standing a second more, feeling his head spinning from the lack of oxygen. Dark thoughts swirling in his mind, images of Bakugou in the villains’ hands, being tortured or killed, haunting his vision. He knew he was having a panic attack, spiraling into the worst case scenarios, but he couldn't manage to calm himself. It was the first time he experienced something like that, and he felt useless, powerless, a chasm in his chest that felt like he was going to implode and die.

Hands touched his shoulders gently then before tightening their hold a bit.

“Kirishima, breathe with me” the voice of Aizawa appeared far away, like Eijirou was miles under the sea, incapable of breathing and resurface from the abyss surrounding him.

“It will be alright, kid. We’re going to find Bakugou and save him. I’m not seeing one of my students get murdered in front of me. I give you my word” the teacher promised, putting Kirishima’s hand on his chest to make him follow his even breathing. Eijirou couldn’t inhale even with the help of his teacher, lungs on fire and tears running down his face.

“They… they’re going to kill him. He’s going to die and I didn’t do anything. Why am I here if I can’t even save the people that matter to me? Am I even a man if I let this happen? I need him, I need to see him again. Yesterday… yesterday we were…” Eijirou ranted, incapable of finishing his sentence.

“He’s not dying. You know that problem-child better than me, do you think he would let some crappy excuse for villains get a hold on him? Do you really think he’s going down without a fight? Also, they targeted him specifically, I don’t think they have any intention to hurt him. But he’s probably yelling at their faces right now, the League will understand immediately they’ve kidnapped the wrong person.” Aizawa explained, trying to calm his student.

After some time, Eijirou managed to breathe quite normally again. Tears were drying on his face when Yaoyorozu approached them sheepishly.

“Kirishima, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I need to talk with Aizawa sensei” she said, feeling guilty to have interrupted a moment like that.

“What is it, Yaoyorozu?” the teacher asked, not moving from his position on the floor.

“I… I think I can track Bakugou. I’ve created a position transmitter and I put it on one of the Nomu that were outside. If they teleported in the same location as the villains, we might be able to find him with the geolocalization” she explained.

Kirishima and Aizawa immediately lifted their heads, looking at the girl with wide eyes.

“Good job, Yaoyorozu. Come with me, we need to discuss it with the police when we get everyone to the hospital.” Aizawa raised to his feet and helped the redhead do the same, before going away with the girl. Eijirou stood there, a foolish idea already creeping in his mind. He turned to look at Todoroki, sitting with a painful expression, and walked toward him. They needed to talk.

“It has to be you, Kirishima” Midoriya stated. Not an inch of hesitation in his voice, despite them being paralyzed by fear not even five minutes ago.

Kirishima looked at him. This was Bakugou’s childhood friend, the person that probably knew him better than anyone else and for so many years, but he was also the only one in the class that Bakugou couldn’t stand, always ready to fight and argue with him at every occasion. This decision could cost a life, and Kirishima wasn’t sure if he had the strength to bear the possible consequences of a wrong choice.

He looked around him, next to Midoriya stood Yaoyorozu. He knew Bakugou appreciated her intelligence and knowledge, but he also knew they hadn’t really spoken at all in these past few  months. Then he looked at Iida, with his precise and meticulous manners, and thought about how many scoldings Bakugou got from him for putting his feet on the desk at school. He continued on to Todoroki, which he knew for a fact that Bakugou still hadn’t  accepted his win against the guy at the sport festival. He then looked at the scorch in the wall that separated them from the fight that was happening. Bakugou was over there, with the same clothes of three days ago, his face dirty and scared, eyes looking frantic between All Might and All For One, trying to decide which was the best move he could make to not get in the way of the number one hero.

Watching that terrorized face, he thought of all the time they spent together, the tutoring lessons, the walks home, the training at the school’s gym after lessons, the talk they had a few nights ago, this warmth he felt in his stomach every time they were together, every time he put his arm around Bakugou’s shoulders. He had started to think of Bakugou as his best friend, and he had come to Kamino to rescue him. Of all the people who came to save him, Kirishima was the only one that had a strong enough bond with the guy.

He turned around and locked eyes with Midoriya “Let’s do it”.

The plan was ingenuous, and they had good probabilities to succeed. He placed himself ahead of the others and let Midoriya and Iida tighten their arms around him.

In mere seconds, they were flying high in the night sky. When they were above the scene, Kirishima took all the air in his lungs to scream “Come!”

He saw a head of blonde hair turning toward him and a furious explosion coming from his hands. An instant later, Bakugou was in the sky, reaching his outstretched hand. Their fingers intertwined.

“Are you stupid or something?” he asked, a smile full of relief and joy spreading his lips, dimples appearing on his cheeks. Kirishima couldn’t help but laugh at that, happiness splashing over him. He didn’t have to reply, he knew he would always be a little stupid when it regarded Bakugou.

Some days after the Kamino accident, they found out that the school had built dorms for them. As soon as the teachers left his house, Kirishima texted Bakugou to know if his parents allowed him to move in the dorms. He was afraid that after the kidnapping, the Bakugous were scared to leave their son in the school's hands. He didn’t reply to his text, and Kirishima couldn’t help but worry for his friend, afraid that his mind was still in the Leagues’ hideout.

The next morning, when all the students arrived at the dormitory, Kirishima found that Bakugou was with them. He walked toward him, resting his arm on the blonde’s shoulder.

“Hey man, I texted you yesterday, I was afraid your parents wouldn’t let you come, why didn’t you reply?” he asked, a bit hurt.

“Tsk. They couldn’t wait for me to move the fuck out apparently, Aizawa didn’t even have to ask. They gave their permission like I’m not their only son who just got home from a 3 day kidnapping.” He replied angrily, his eyebrows furrowed, a light trembling on his lips.

“Plus, don’t fucking touch me” he grunted, shoving Kirishima’s arm away. Eijirou looked at the guy walking away with his luggage, heading to the dorm. He felt his eyes sting a little, not expecting that reaction from his friend. He took his own luggage and followed the others, trying to figure out where his room was.

Of course, he happened to have his room next to Bakugou’s. Kirishima took his time to rearrange his new space, decorating the walls and putting his clothes in the wardrobe. From the thin wall separating them, he could hear music blasted at a very high volume. He smiled a bit, maybe if he was in the mood to enjoy some music, he would also be willing to spend some time together.

Eijirou took a breath and encouraged himself. He knew his friend had suffered a horrible experience and he was allowed to be touched by it, in need of his time to recover. Hell, he didn’t know if he would have had the strength to show up at school so soon after, like nothing happened, if he would have been the one kidnapped. That was why Kirishima had already forgiven their earlier talk, and found himself in front of Bakugou’s room, knocking on the door.

A grunt came from the other side, and the door  opened violently “What the fuck do you want, shitty hair?” he asked, his voice barely audible through the music playing.

“How did you know it was me, bro?” he asked, shocked.

“Tsk, as if anyone else would give a fuck about coming here” he said, moving slightly from the door. “What do you want, anyway? Don’t you have your own room to unpack?” the blonde asked.

“I’ve already settled everything, man! I was getting bored and wondered if you need help with your stuff.” Kirishima stated earnestly, looking at the room in front of him, almost ready and perfectly clean.

“I don’t need you to put your hands on my stuff, get lost,” Bakugou said, turning toward the door.

“All right, so I’ll just stay here and keep you company” Kirishima was fast to put himself through the door and enter his friend’s room, plopping on the bed like he owned the place.

Bakugou looked incredulous at his audacity before shaking his head “Just hope for your life that the pants you’re wearing aren’t fucking filthy” he throws in his direction, slamming the door and going back to a box on the floor.

After a while Kirishima asked “Anyway, who are you listening to, bro? Sounds sick, I like them” having listened to a couple of songs while he was silent on the bed, looking at his best friend folding his clothes perfectly.

“What do you mean who, hair for brains? I though you were a fucking emo in middle school?” Bakugou asked him, his face sincerely surprised by the other’s question.

Kirishima spluttered embarrassed “Wha-What are you talking about? How do you know that?” he asked, fearing the answer that was going to come.

“Pinky showed me a photo you uploaded on your social media when we were at the arcade last time” he stated, smirking knowingly.

Kirishima already knew which photo he was talking about. It was an old selfie he had posted when he was in a dark period. Black hairs on his face, thick eyeliner on, fake piercing on his lips, a long-sleeved shirt with black and white stripes under a black Fall Out Boys t-shirt. He deleted it some months after posting it, determined to change his attitude and ready to try and become the best version of himself. Apparently, Mina had a screenshot of it, and he groaned loudly, covering his face with his hands.

“C’mon Bakubro, let’s pretend you have never seen it and don’t ever talk about it again. Aaargh.” He whined, hoping his friend would just end the conversation.

“Why are you so fucking shy about it? It was who you were, you don’t have to be ashamed of your past if that’s where you came from and makes you the person you are now. Plus, I thought an emo boy like you would have recognized My Chemical fucking Romance.” He stated like it was nothing, like he hadn’t cherished Kirishima’s past and the whole journey he went through with one, simple, sentence.

“What do you mean this is My Chemical Romance? This album is so different from the previous ones!” he exclaimed, surprised.

“I’ve listened to Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge and The Black Parade , this is totally something else. I used to listen to them when I was angry and sad, but then I decided to change some things in my life and went for other genres of music and didn't really explore all their discography.” Kirishima explained.

“Mmmh, yeah, I figured so after the pink alien showed me that selfie. Whatever, if it makes you feel okay with it. Anyway, this is their last album, they got some shit for it because some fans thought they’ve changed and weren’t the old MCR. I think it’s a fucking masterpiece, it tells their story and journey with music. They didn’t change, they just matured well enough to give us Danger Days , and if other extras didn’t understand that they can’t call themselves real fan” Bakugou said, his voice full of passion and dedication.

Kirishima looked at him, mouth wide open. That was the first time the other guy had talked so much about something he liked with such enthusiasm, except for hero work obviously. And surely, it was the first time since the incident where he willingly kept conversation with him. The redhead was so grateful to be next to him at this moment, sharing something as simple as a music conversation.

“I didn’t know you were such a groupie, Blasty! And of an emo band of all things!” Kirishima replied, going as far as putting his arm around the blonde’s shoulders, who had finished unpacking his stuff and had come to rest on the bed next to him.

“Fuck you, Kiri. It’s just… they can blast through anything and make you feel something, you know?” he asked, tilting his head toward him and looking in his eyes, carmine meeting rubine.

“Yeah, I know what you mean” Kirishima lost himself in those eyes, similar to his but so, so beautiful.

“Wait, did you just call me ‘Kiri’ instead of ‘Shitty hair’?” he asked then incredulously, sitting straight.

Bakugou scoffed at him, shoving him back against the wall, leaning against the wall behind him too. Keeping Kirishima’s arm on his shoulders.

“Don’t think too much about it, you’re going to fuse your 2 neurons. Now shut the fuck up and listen to this one. It’s my favorite song, is called The Kids from Yesterday . And if you talk about this with anyone else I’ll kill you” he said, no real heat in his words.

And just like that he closed his eyes, listening to the song pumping loudly in the room, his lips moving softly, in sync with the voice of the singer.

And now this could be the last of all the rides we take

So hold on tight and don't look back

We don't care about the message or the rules they make

We'll find you when the sun goes black

Kirishima listened to the lyrics playing in the room, a fond gaze tracing his best friend’s face. The orange shade of the sunset entered the room from the window, casting a pale light over Bakugou, making him look like he was wrapped in gold. He observed his relaxed face, the lips murmuring softly along with the song, the long blonde eyelashes, some strands of rebellious hair falling on his forehead.

He thought about the desperation he had felt after the kidnapping and how resolute he was to bring Bakugou back.

He realized that maybe, that warmth he was feeling while looking at him, that sense of peace that accompanied every time they were together, wasn’t something he had felt with any other of his friends. That these feelings blooming in his chest, with force and vigor, were something different from friendship.

That he too, like the song was saying, would fight against falling stars and apocalypses and suns turning black. 

Just to find Bakugou. Wherever he would be.



Notes: Thank you if you're reading this lil work of mine, I'd love to know your opinion about it. Feel free to leave a like or a comment, they really fuels me!
Once again, thanks to my amazing friend Canarybones for the beta reading <3