Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Things had started to get better between Katsuki and Izuku. It had happened gradually, and if Izuku had to guess he’d say the pivotal moment was their fight at Ground Beta in their first year. 

Letting Kacchan in - telling him about One For All - helped everything click into place. 

He knew. 

Izuku didn’t have to keep any more secrets from him. 

He could trust him. 

It caused an overwhelming sense of relief to flood through Izuku’s veins. 

They had started talking a bit more in passing, and Katsuki had been spending more time in the common room with everybody. Well, he had mostly been spending his time in the kitchen, where he cooked to vent whatever emotion he was sick of feeling that day.

Sometimes he let his classmates try his food. Most of the time it was too spicy for anyone other than Katsuki himself, or Deku, who had built up his spice tolerance just to impress Katsuki. 

And maybe so he could enjoy his cooking more.

Maybe he wanted to enjoy everything more with Kacchan. He just wasn’t sure how the other boy felt about all of it. It wasn’t like they talked about their feelings, or had enough alone time together to constitute ‘hanging out’. 

No, their time and interactions were limited, and Izuku held on tightly to the memory of each one. Which is why he always loitered after class in case Kacchan wanted to talk after everyone had left. It was a small, private moment, and Deku had gotten lucky a few times already over the last month, so he was always just a little too hopeful.

And sure enough, his waiting paid off.

Katsuki approached him after class, cornering him as everyone else filtered out gradually. 

“Deku,” he growled. Izuku gulped, taking a step back and bumping into his own desk. Katsuki eyed him for a moment before gritting his teeth. “5 pm. Beta Gym. Don’t be late.” He turned and walked out of the classroom, pushing past a stunned Kaminari who had witnessed the almost normal exchange between the two. 

Izuku shared a glance with Kaminari, a question in his eyes, and Kaminari shrugged, then turned and left. 

Izuku’s mind was racing in an instant, trying to decide what Kacchan could possibly want. Maybe he had a question about the lecture, but why would he ask Izuku? His notes were more comprehensive than Midoriya’s nonsensical overwritten mess could ever hope to be. No, it wasn’t class related - unless he had been mumbling again, which he knew tended to piss Katsuki off. So maybe it was about class, after all, just not in the way Midoriya had initially thought.

Izuku gripped his backpack strap and took a deep breath before heading out. Whatever reason Kacchan wanted to see him, Izuku figured he should at least put on gym clothes just in case things got physical - which they often did with Kacchan. Izuku stopped by his dorm to change. Most of his activewear was in need of a wash so he ended up wearing his UA School-issued gym uniform. He tried not to feel too self-conscious of how childish it made him look.

He grabbed a granola bar and decided to go on a short walk to kill some time before heading to the gym. It was a nice way to clear his head and get his mind in order. Thoughts rushed through, bouncing off of one another and tangling together, all concerning a certain spiky-haired boy. His gut twisted painfully as he remembered the pissed-off expression on Kacchan’s face as he had told Deku to meet him. It made Izuku nervous for a multitude of reasons. He just hoped whatever it was wouldn’t leave him with any new scars.

He walked slowly along the sidewalk, basking in the autumn breeze. It was always refreshing to be outside at this time of year. It was as if the weather knew how high-strung and stressed out Izuku was and it decided to cut him just a little bit of slack before he walked into the proverbial lion’s den. 

He watched the leaves wave on the trees, the fresh growth catching the rays of the sun and illuminating like emerald stained glass. The seasons were changing, spring promising to bring something new.

It eased Deku’s mind just a touch.

After taking a winding path throughout the UA grounds, he arrived at the Beta Gym at 4:45 pm sharp. 

As to be expected, Katsuki was already there doing some warm-up stretches. He was in black joggers and a dark grey tank top, sat on the floor with his legs splayed reaching for his right foot. A water bottle sat behind him next to a small bag and a towel. Izuku’s eyes made their way back to Katsuki and were met with a stoic red gaze leveled back at him.

“H-hi, Kacchan,” Izuku squeaked out. His voice cracked a little and made him cringe. Katsuki looked up and smirked.

“The gym uniform? Really? What are we, middle schoolers?” he asked snidely

“I just n-need to do laundry, that’s all,” Midoriya tried to explain, already feeling embarrassment tight in his chest. Katsuki clicked his tongue.

“Maybe if you kept up with your adult responsibilities you wouldn’t look like such a child.”

“It’s been a busy week!”

“Excuses don’t work on me, shithead.”

“It’s not an excuse, I’m doing my laundry tonight after dinner, I promise!”

“Thanks for telling me your schedule, but I don’t fucking care.”

“Then why did you even ask?” Izuku practically shouted. 

“Because I like making fun of you,” Katsuki taunted. It took Deku’s brain a second to catch up after hearing ‘I like’ and ‘you’ said so closely in the same sentence that Kacchan directed at him. Even if it was just Kacchan teasing him, it still made the tips of his ears burn and heart flutter in his chest.

“So, you ready to get your ass beat, nerd?” Kacchan said with a challenge in his tone. 

“Is that w-why you asked me to meet you here?” Izuku asked, nervousness coating every word. Katsuki rolled his eyes and moved to stand so Izuku rushed forward to offer a hand. He took it, much to Deku’s surprise, and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. Izuku pulled a little too harshly and ended up toe to toe with Kacchan. The proximity made a blush begin to blossom across Izuku’s freckled cheeks. He could feel Kacchan’s exhale ghost across his face.

“I figured it’d be pretty obvious, but do you need me to spell it out for you, Deku?” he said harshly. Izuku released his hand and took a step back. Katsuki stepped forward to match him. “Fight me.”

Izuku could feel his heart rate picking up, and surely it had nothing to do with Kacchan invading his personal space, so he willed himself to stay calm, and focus.

“C-can we at least go to the mats first?” he asked softly. Katsuki scoffed and walked over to the padded area. Izuku trailed after him, depositing his small bag and water bottle near Kacchan’s.

“No quirks, just regular hand-to-hand combat,” Kacchan said firmly. Izuku nodded and readied himself. Katsuki smirked and lunged at him. 

Izuku dodged and grabbed Katsuki’s ankle, spinning him around and tossing him to the far corner. Katsuki caught himself and launched his body back at Deku, not relenting for a second. He swung his right arm but feinted at the last second, swinging in his right leg to trip Deku. It worked perfectly and he was straddling the green-haired boy in an instant, holding Deku down with one hand across his throat, the other pinning his hands above his head as Katsuki used his legs to hold down Izuku’s lower half, heel, and ankle bone digging into Deku’s thigh painfully.

“You’re going to have to try harder than that, shitty Deku,” he said with a smirk. 

Izuku’s heart was pounding and he assured himself it was from the combat. 

Nothing else. 

Katsuki rolled off him and walked to the far corner, letting Izuku help himself up. This time, Izuku didn’t hesitate and charged at Kacchan first. He barreled into him, gripping the blond boy around the waist and throwing him onto the mat. Katsuki fought against it, kicking and throwing elbows, but Deku was nothing if not persistent. Within seconds he had Katsuki pinned to the floor on his stomach, hands pinned behind his back. He turned his head to glare at Izuku over his shoulder.

“Proud of yourself?” he taunted. 

“I mean- ah!” Deku couldn’t finish his sentence. The small moment of deciding what to say next was enough for Katsuki to buck him off and roll to the side, but before he could ready an attack Izuku was on him again, pinning his arms and holding his body firmly between his thighs.

“Fuck!” Katsuki exclaimed as he tried to wriggle free.

“I think you did pretty good that time, Kacchan. Best two out of three?”

“Don’t you fucking mock me,” Katsuki seethed. Deku jumped back and watched as Kacchan leapt to his feet. Both boys took a few steps back, eyes locked. “We’ll keep going until I say we’re done.”

Izuku nodded and shook out his limbs, pulling them back into a readied stance and watching his opponent. Katsuki pushed off and ran at Izuku, going to swipe his feet again. Deku saw it coming this time and jumped over the leg, but Kacchan grabbed his ankle while he was in the air. He slammed Deku into the mats and tried to pin him, only to have Deku roll away at the last second and scramble to his feet. 

Katsuki ran at him again, throwing punches and dodging the incoming attacks. They went back and forth for a few minutes, both working up a sweat and breathing heavier as the sparring continued. They took each other down more than a few times, slamming each other into the mats and taunting each other with cocky remarks.

“Just stay fucking still so I can knock you on your ass already,” Katsuki snapped.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Deku teased.

“What did you just say to me, shithead?” Kacchan growled, barreling towards Deku like a bull seeing red. He jumped on Deku, wrapping his legs around his waist and taking him down. He looped an arm around Izuku’s neck and put him in a chokehold, then used his other hand to aggressively ruffle Deku’s hair. “When the fuck did you get an attitude you little fucker?”

“Ow-ow, Kacchan th-that hurts!” Izuku yelped, clawing at the arm around his throat. 

“Yeah, it’s supposed to. We’re sparring,” Kacchan pointed out unimpressed. He released the green-haired boy and stood up, watching Deku catch his breath on the floor. He was on his back, supported on his elbows with his legs splayed, chest heaving. 

He looked up and met Katsuki’s eyes. There was a strange look in them that Izuku had never seen before, and he wasn’t sure how to decipher it. Most of the time Kacchan’s eyes had at least a faint trace of rage, always shining with determination and confidence. But right then, the glare felt softer somehow. More focused. More intimate.

The steady gaze combined with the disorienting ruffling that had just happened caused Deku to flush and he averted his eyes hastily. Kacchan continued to stare at him as if he hadn’t noticed the change.

“Ready to go again?” he asked.

“M-maybe in a second. I need to catch my breath,” Izuku admitted. Katsuki nodded and retrieved both water bottles. He offered Deku his and the boy sat up and grabbed it, popping it open and taking a big gulp. 

“Thanks, Kacchan,” he said as he wiped off the water at the corners of his mouth. Katsuki nodded and drank from his bottle. After a moment of silence, he decidedly took a seat on the floor across from Deku. 

“You didn’t do as terrible as normal this time,” Katsuki offered reluctantly. 

“I won three times!” Deku exclaimed indignantly.

“Out of ten. That’s not even a third of the fights,” Kacchan said with a scoff. Deku’s face grew warmer.

“I wanted to try out a few new moves and they didn’t go exactly as planned,” he explained. Kacchan snorted. 

“I’ll say.” He punctuated the statement by knocking his foot into Deku’s, who sputtered for a moment before kicking him back. 

“I just need more practice,” Deku bit out, face turning crimson for reasons he refused to analyze during a sparring match. 

“That’s literally what we’re doing right now, dipshit,” Kacchan shot back. 

“I know! That’s why I’m trying them out,” Deku defended himself. Kacchan rolled his eyes, taking another sip from his water bottle. Deku watched the motion, eyes traveling down the length of Kacchan’s jawline and where it dipped to his throat. When Kacchan set the bottle down the spell was broken and Deku snapped back to his senses, averting his gaze entirely and letting out a light cough. He tried to hide his face by taking a long gulp of his own water but felt blazing embers locked on him the entire time, and peeked out to see Kacchan watching him. His face was hard to read, focused, and contemplative. After a moment the look passed and Katsuki kicked his foot again.

“I wanna kick your ass again before dinner, are you done with your beauty rest?” he huffed, snatching Deku’s bottle from his hands. 

“Th-that’s not-” Deku tried to explain, but Katsuki had already hopped up and taken both water bottles back to their dedicated will-not-get-knocked-over spot. He eyed Deku for a moment, raising one eyebrow in question until Deku finally stood up. “Fine, I’m ready. But-”

Izuku never got to finish his sentence. Katuski charged him and tackled him to the floor before he had even fully processed he was standing. He went to grab Izuku’s throat but the freckled boy bucked him off and rolled away, pushing himself off the floor. 

Deku scrambled to his feet as Katsuki threw a left hook and the green-haired boy ducked under it, tripping over his own feet and falling on his ass with a yelp. Katsuki was on him in an instant, body pinned between his thighs and hands pinned above his head. Izuku struggled against it, chest heaving and eyes darting around frantically. 

Then a calloused hand gently grabbed Izuku’s jaw and forced their eyes to meet. Katsuki was hovering over him, arms glistening with sweat as his chest heaved, breathing hard. Their noses were only a few inches away and Izuku held his breath. 

“You really need to work on your footwork, Deku,” he teased softly. 

Izuku’s brain short-circuited because Kacchan never talked to him like that. 

Gentle. 

Soft. 

Anything other than gruff, angry, or blunt. Even on the rare occasions when he was being kind of not a complete asshole he still sounded pissed off. He never said Izuku’s name like that, like it was a secret shared between them. Like it tasted sweet on his tongue. 

And now he was hovering over Izuku - pinning him down, straddling him, holding his chin, breathing the same air, and it was all too much. He hadn’t been this close to Kacchan since they were kids - since before their quirks, or lack thereof, manifested. Before then, they were all over each other, constantly pushing, shoving, tackling, and hugging. Kacchan was always a physical kid, and Deku had loved every second of casual intimacy they shared, and he hated how much he ached for it now.

Every word he could possibly say to respond died on his tongue and he was starting to get lightheaded from the breath he didn’t remember he was holding. 

Katsuki held him there, ruby embers locked on bright viridian.

Searching. 

For what, Izuku wasn’t sure. 

Then the door to the gym creaked open and Katsuki stood up, walking back over to his bag without another word. Izuku pushed himself up to a sitting position and glanced at the door. Todoroki was standing in the doorway giving Izuku a blank stare. He felt heat rise in his face and quickly stood up, brushing himself off. 

“H-hi Todoroki,” he stuttered as he smoothed his hands down the front of his gym uniform. Todoroki nodded at him and walked over to the weights, seemingly content with ignoring the other boys in the gym. Izuku was a bit relieved, not sure how to hold a conversation while his mind was still reeling from whatever just happened between him and Kacchan. 

He took a deep breath and turned to walk back to where their bags were, but as he spun around he bumped into Katsuki’s chest. 

“Oh my god, s-sorry Kacchan, I-” Izuku stammered as he jumped back two feet and waved his hands around in some form of apology. Katsuki huffed and held out Izuku’s water bottle.

“Here,” he said, handing Izuku the bottle.

“Oh, uh, thank you,” Izuku responded dumbfounded, as he bowed his head slightly. Bakugou took the opportunity to ruffle the green curls again, this time without the chokehold obscuring the gesture. It was still rough, but so was everything with Kacchan. 

“Yeah don’t mention it,” he said nonchalantly. He ended the hair ruffling by bonking Izuku lightly on the head with his fist, then he added, “Seriously. Don’t,” before huffing and walking out. Izuku stared after him, debating for a long moment whether or not he should say something, but before he could decide Katsuki was already out the door. 

There was a small cough from the other side of the room and Deku’s eyes went wide as he turned his head and saw Todoroki studying him with an impassive expression. Izuku waved at him nervously, but Todoroki just turned and resumed choosing his weights. Izuku quickly gathered his things and rushed to the door.

“Bye Todoroki,” he called over his shoulder. He didn’t wait for a response.

Izuku had assumed it was just a one off thing, at first. A spur of the moment lapse in judgment that he was completely overthinking for no reason at all, because Kacchan would never, never, initiate any nonviolent form of physical contact with Izuku. Even if Izuku was in actual danger he knew Kacchan would just yell at him about being useless and expect him to figure it out on his own. He wouldn’t go out of his way to help Deku, no, they were rivals, and Katsuki would do everything to make sure he ended up ahead and Deku was dragging behind on his heels. 

He wouldn’t offer Deku his hand and expect him to take it - not without a meaning behind it. Not without a reason. 

He wouldn’t do it just to help Deku up. 

He wouldn’t catch him when he fell just so Deku wouldn’t hit the ground. 

He wouldn’t ruffle Deku’s hair just to… just to… to do what? Deku wasn’t sure.

Maybe it was meant to be threatening, not as intense as actual aggression but still aggressive. A new way for Katsuki to express his frustrations to Izuku without screaming as much and getting into trouble. Maybe Aizawa or All Might gave him some sort of warning or threat about his violent tendencies and gave him an ultimatum - he was forcing himself to be less of an instigator so he didn’t get expelled from U.A. or worse, lose his chance at a hero license. 

There had to be a reason behind his changing behavior, even if the change wasn’t quite big enough for everyone to notice just yet, because it was all Deku could think about. And if Deku had noticed the behavior, then Kacchan had to be aware of it too, because he was just as perceptive as- arguably more than, in Deku’s opinion- Deku.

The first time he helped him up during training could’ve been an accident, Deku admitted, but then it kept happening - more and more frequently as the days passed. Usually it was during fight training or afternoon sparring, when they were matching each other’s strength in a heated battle. When Deku got knocked down in the gym Kacchan would be there offering his hand moments later. He would smirk, and say something in a teasing tone that made Izuku’s stomach flip, and his calloused hand would hold Deku’s scarred hand for just a few moments too long, and then they’d get right back to trading blows. 

He didn’t take it any easier on Deku during fight and rescue training, he still used his quirk just as precisely to maintain the upper hand and deal damage when necessary - and maybe when it was completely unnecessary, but growth takes time. But when he let off a particularly wild series of explosions, Kacchan would always search for Deku as the smoke cleared. 

Which was a very strategic tactic, keeping tabs on an enemy during battle, but he had never stuck around to see if Deku had survived a blast before.

It was different if their fight wasn’t a one on one, with the extra classmates present Bakugou tended to up the insults and rude name calling considerably, not just directed at Deku, but at everyone present - even teammates. He was still as competitive and hot headed as always when their teams were going head to head. But as soon as he caught Deku alone on the training grounds it was like a sharp exterior was replaced by another, equally hard but considerably less thorny exterior. 

He let Deku get closer to him, and made almost friendly jokes, and ruffled Deku’s hair. He couldn’t figure out why, but he knew it was something private - intimate - and that it was just between them.

No, the new side of Katsuki that Deku caught fleeting glimpses of was something he had to be alone to witness. Something only done when there was no audience. Sure, the teachers could watch the fight training on the big screen with the students who weren’t participating in the exercise, but it probably looked like Kacchan was just smacking him on the head from most angles instead of ruffling his hair. And most of their class was probably over the petty, childish nonsense that took place when Midoriya and Bakugou faced off, so they wouldn’t be watching with rapt attention. They would rather observe their other, more focused and practical teammates.

When they sparred in the gym it was always during a time when everyone else was busy - usually at dinner or studying. The Beta Gym was also generally less used than the Gamma Gym and Deku had a feeling Kacchan had picked it on purpose. Besides, if anyone came in during their sparring it was usually Todoroki or Ojiro who both preferred to use the weights at the Beta Gym and generally kept out of their way. Izuku was pretty sure they wore headphones, and whether that was for their own benefit – not having to hear the constant taunting coming from Kacchan – or to give them more privacy for their arguments, Izuku wasn’t sure. 

He was grateful either way, the more eyes on him during practice, the more nervous Izuku became. It would become too hard to focus and he would wind up getting knocked on his ass and pinned down by Kacchan, which was embarrassing for reasons Izuku refused to examine.

The point being, no one was ever there to fully witness it, aside from that one time Kacchan had caught him in front of Sero and Todoroki. But they were both reserved people who didn’t participate in much gossip, so it must’ve been a calculated decision to ruffle his hair in front of them, knowing they wouldn’t mention it to anyone else. Ojiro would say hi to them in the gym but immediately turn and ignore them after the pleasantries had been exchanged. It was never rude, just clear that Ojiro was there to train and wanted to focus on his goal. He never spared them a second glance. Barely a first. 

No, Kacchan was being very stealth about the whole situation - if it could even be called that. He didn’t want anyone else to know about it because… he didn’t want them to think he was weak, right? Kacchan saw every emotion other than anger as something weak and inferior. The righteous rage he exuded was his form of confidence. It was comfortable, who he had been his whole life.

Until now.

Now, he was ruffling Deku’s hair, and sharing soft words and friendly jabs. 

He was extending his hand and asking Deku to take it.

He was pinning Deku to the floor and smirking at him from only a few inches away, occupying what little personal space Deku had. 

It made Izuku’s heart pound inside of his chest. It kept him up at night. He convinced himself that this development was something Kacchan would only acknowledge in private. Between the two of them. When no prying eyes could see him acting… softer with Deku.

Because that’s what the root of it was, wasn't it? At some unidentifiable point when Deku hadn’t been paying attention, something had changed between them. Instead of trying to solve every difference and disagreement through throwing punches, Katsuki had started to just talk to Deku. It was still aggressive in tone and his choice of phrase was more often rude and callous, but the screaming and shouting had lessened considerably. Especially when they were alone, which fed Deku’s theory that Kacchan didn’t want people to know so they wouldn’t see him as weak. That he was getting softer, less violent and more reasonable. That things between him and Deku were slowly but surely changing.

But would that be such a bad thing, if they knew? 

Bakugou arrived at the gym at 4:30 pm like he did every day for their practice. The gym was empty - no one wanted to work out right after classes ended, especially with hero training being their last class which often left everyone's muscles screaming from overuse. 

He set his stuff down on a bench and headed over to the mats to begin stretching. He followed his normal routine, taking his time to properly prepare his muscles. 

He decided to finish his warm-up by jogging on the treadmill until Deku showed up. The other boy normally popped in at 4:45 pm, despite their agreed time being 5 pm. It didn’t bother Katsuki, though. Early was always better than late, so he had no reason to complain.

He let his mind go blissfully blank as he ran, just focusing on his breathing and the feeling of his feet hitting the treadmill. He ran until he felt breathless, and then for a moment longer, before turning down the speed and leveling his breathing. He hopped off the treadmill and walked over to where he had set his stuff down, picking up his water bottle and gulping some down. He grabbed his phone too and checked the time.

4:51

“The fuck?” he mumbled to himself. He clicked on his text messages to see if Deku had sent him anything explaining that he would be late. He had no new messages and no existing text conversation with the other boy. He had gotten a new phone fairly recently but kept his old number. The last messages on the old phone between the two boys were concerning a science project they had been forced to work together on in middle school. It was years old, but Katsuki had never brought himself to delete it. 

Then, one day he accidentally set off his quirk while holding his phone and destroyed it. His mom had made him go a few weeks without a phone as punishment for being so careless, but she quickly got annoyed by being unable to text or scream at her son over the phone when the necessity arose. So, Katsuki was given a new phone, and his old messages and pictures were lost to time.

Katsuki tapped the search bar and typed in Deku, finger hovering above the contact name. After a moment of hesitation, he clicked it and a new chat opened in his messages. His thumb hovered over the keyboard, unsure of what to even say.

Then, the door to the gym opened, creaking a bit on its hinges. Katsuki’s head snapped up and his eyes locked on the person entering the room. 

Todoroki. 

“Tch,” Katsuki scoffed. Todoroki shot him a blank look, then his eyes darted around the room as if looking for another person before settling back on Bakugou without saying a word. It made Katsuki’s skin crawl and pissed him off.

“The fuck you looking at, icy-hot?” he snapped.

“Nothing,” he replied flatly. Then Todoroki reached into his bag and pulled out headphones, putting them on without another word. Katsuki rolled his eyes and checked the time again. 

4:59

He gritted his teeth, opened up his texts again, and typed a message.

Where the fuck are you-

What the fuck is taking so long-

Are you coming or not-

Katsuki growled and deleted every attempt to start a conversation, then threw his phone back into his bag. He walked over to the rowing machine and took a seat, forcing himself to control his breathing before beginning. It took him a few minutes since he couldn’t resist the temptation to stare at the door as if he could will someone to appear, and every time it failed he would feel the rage behind his eyes reset.

Finally, he forced himself to look away and focus on the machine. He zoned in on the motion, on his muscles as they pulled and stretched. He did two sets and paused to get up and grab his water bottle to take another sip - and while he was already by his bag he decided to check his phone again.

5:07

He opened the empty chat with Deku - no new messages.

I’m not going to wait all day-

Do you even take training seriously-

When the fuck are you going to get here nerd-

Katsuki let out a frustrated groan, deleted the unsent messages, and tossed his phone back in his bag. He went back to the rowing machine and continued his reps. He moved on from there to leg curls, barely taking breaks between sets. Bakugou walked back over to take a drink from his water bottle and succumbed to the desire to check his phone. 

5:19

Are you seriously standing me up-

You better be in the fucking hospital-

Where the fuck are you-

Katsuki let out a frustrated yell and threw his phone into his bag with even more force than necessary. He spun on his heel and made a beeline for the battle ropes. He stormed past Todoroki who was using the free weights to do some sort of strength training - Bakugou didn’t care and had no interest in asking. He picked up the two ropes and took a deep breath before slamming them down on the mat. 

Of course, Deku would blow him off. Their sparring schedule was more of an unspoken situation anyway. Katsuki would give him a look after class that communicated he would be in the gym later, and Deku would nod and say ‘See you there!” with a smile. 

Just like he had today.

So then, why wasn’t the stupid nerd there already? It was well past his usual arrival time, and he had never missed a sparring session before. They had only been at it for a couple of weeks, usually taking weekends off, but Deku had shown great enthusiasm and was starting to win more and more of their fights, much to Katsuki’s annoyance.

But he couldn’t even bother to show up today to get his ass beat. 

It pissed Katsuki off to no end. 

Did Deku think he was too good to practice with Katsuki anymore? 

Did he think that he could just stop training with him by simply never showing up again? 

Was he training with someone else?

Did he even want to train with Katsuki? 

Bakugou gritted his teeth and slammed the ropes with as much force as he could. He could feel his anger simmering inside, threatening to bubble over and become something bigger, so he put all of it into the motion of thrashing the ropes. He kept pushing himself as his body began to scream from the strain. He was moments away from seeing red when a hand tapped him on the shoulder. 

“What the fuck do you want-” he snarled as he dropped the ropes and whipped around, facing Todoroki. The other boy was watching him with an intense expression as if he were considering something difficult. “Well spit it out already, icy-hot.”

“Do you need a sparring partner?” he asked simply. 

A vein popped on Bakugou’s forehead.

“I don’t need anything-”

“Would you like to spar with me?” Todoroki tried again.

“Why would I want to spar with you?”

“I need to practice more hand-to-hand combat, and you show great skill during our training exercises. And with your sparring against Midoriya,” he explained calmly. 

Katsuki’s eye twitched.

“You’ve been watching me?”

“We train at the same gym around the same time. I don’t purposely watch, but occasionally I’ll catch glimpses of your fights,” Todoroki replied. “I’ve noticed you don’t use your quirks, and I don’t have as much skill fighting without mine, so it would be a challenge.”

“I don’t want to waste my time fighting someone that’ll be on the ground in five seconds flat,” Bakugou growled, “Learn to keep your nose out of my business,” 

“I think I’d last longer,” Todoroki replied. 

“Wanna test that theory?” Bakugou ground out, fists clenching and a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. 

“That is why I asked you to spar-”

Todoroki didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. Bakugou launched himself at the other boy, who dodged to the side just a little too late and had his shoulder clipped harshly, throwing him back a few feet.

“Can we go to the mats-”

“What, scared you’ll get hurt when I slam you into the concrete floor?” Bakugou taunted as he swung a right hook at Todoroki’s face. He dodged again, throwing his right punch at Bakugou’s stomach. The blond jumped back and took a few more steps until his feet met the slightly softer material of the mats. He smirked and held out his arm, curling his finger in to taunt Todoroki into coming closer. 

Todoroki ran at Bakugou, going in for a tackle. Katsuki sidestepped, but wasn’t prepared for Todoroki to swing around and kick him swiftly in the back of the leg. His knee buckled and he sank to the floor. Todoroki tried to use the momentary falter to slam Bakugou into the mat, but Katsuki rolled out of the way and swiped out a leg, catching Todoroki’s ankle and sending him sprawling on the ground. Bakugou was on him in an instant, arm across the other boy's throat as his knee dug into his chest. 

“You’ll have to try harder than that, half and half,” he snidely remarked. Todoroki struggled beneath him for a moment before sighing and going limp.

“The charge wasn’t a smart move on my part.”

“No shit.”

“It usually works better for Midoriya.”

Katsuki’s chest tightened, and he tensed, causing his arm to press down harder on Todoroki’s throat for just a moment. Bakugou pushed himself off of the other boy and stalked to the far corner of the mats. He glanced over at his bag where his phone was resting in full view. He fought the urge to walk over and check it, trying to focus on the sparring. 

“Of course, it works better for him, shithead,” Bakugou said sharply over his shoulder, “He has more body weight from his muscles, so he can take me down easier, and he has follow-through.” His skin felt like it was prickling all over.

“I see,” Todoroki said from the floor. He waited another moment before hopping up and dusting himself off. “Round two?”

“Getting your ass beat once isn’t enough for you?” Bakugou said with a laugh.

“I’d like to see if I can win. At least once.”

“Good luck with that, icy-hot,” he growled as he readied himself to lunge at Todoroki. 

“You know I have a name, right?” Todoroki teased with a flat tone. 

“Don’t care,” he smirked, then flung himself at the other boy. Todoroki was faster this time, sidestepping in a way that usually made Deku trip over his own feet. Katsuki threw out an arm, grabbing Todoroki by his forearm and using the momentum to throw him over his shoulder and slam his back onto the mats. He let out a pained gasp and Bakugou was on him again, using one foot to pin Todoroki’s right arm, the heel digging in sharply.

“I thought I told you to try harder,” Katsuki spat out.

“Would you believe me if I said I was?” Todoroki asked calmly. His arm twitched under Bakugou’s foot. “It’s a lot harder than Midoriya makes it look.”

“Stop fucking bringing up Deku!” Katsuki shouted, bringing up his arm for a right hook to Todoroki’s jaw. Before the blow could land, Todoroki bucked Bakugou off and slid out of the way. He pulled himself to his feet quickly and took a few steps back, readying himself as Katsuki stood up.

“Why? Does it bother you?” Todoroki asked with a lick of venom to his words. 

That’s fucking it.

Katsuki charged Todoroki, anticipating his dodge and switching trajectory at the last second to tackle him to the ground. Todoroki twisted around so they both hit the mat on their sides, hips and shoulders getting the brunt of the pressure in a way that was sure to bruise. Katsuki didn’t let up, he grabbed at Todoroki, but the other managed to shove him away. Todoroki pushed himself to his feet and Bakugou lunged for his ankle. Todoroki managed a swift kick to Bakugou’s stomach, making the other boy wheeze slightly. 

Katsuki let out a frustrated yell and threw two punches, purposely missing Todoroki’s head so that he could use the distraction to bring up his knee and clock him in the chin. The knee to the chin sent Todoroki flying backward. He hit the mat hard and stifled a groan. Bakugou was running at him before he had time to think, teeth bared. Todoroki rolled and flung himself to his feet, narrowly missing a swift kick to the head. 

“And here I thought you only got this worked up when fighting Deku,” Todoroki taunted, keeping a sly smile on his face as he panted for air. “Am I a good replacement?”

Bakugou’s eyes widened, red embers burning fiercely. He felt his chest tighten and his breath stop short. The sweat dripped down his arms and into his palms, teasing his quirk. He clenched his fists and went for his classic right hook.

“You don’t even come close to a shitty knockoff!” Katsuki yelled. His punch never landed, as Todoroki had predicted his movement, and caught Bakugou around the waist, throwing him back down onto the mats. Katsuki gasped as his back and head hit the mat, and Todoroki used the momentary stun to his advantage, quickly pinning Bakugou to the floor. He had straddled the blond boy, pinning both arms above his head and his body between Todoroki’s thighs.

Bakugou was flushed with anger, chest rising and falling rapidly. Todoroki’s face was only a few inches away, a sly smile still playing across his lips. 

“If you’re looking for new sparring partners I’d be happy to replace him.”

“No one can replace Deku!” Katsuki shouted in his face defiantly. The words left his mouth before he had time to think about them, but once he heard his own voice say them he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. 

“Then why do you treat him like he’s disposable?” Todoroki countered, suddenly serious, his smile wiped away.

“What?” Bakugou said at a much lower volume, a tight feeling curling in his gut.

“You act like your words and actions towards him have no consequences, like they don’t cause him pain,” Todoroki continued, his grip on Bakugou’s wrists tightening, “You’re a dick to everyone, I get it, but you take it too far with Midoriya.” 

“Who the fuck do you think you are-”

“I’m his friend, something you chose not to be a long, long time ago.”

The words were a punch to the gut much harder than any blow Todoroki had landed. Bakugou squirmed underneath him, starting to feel a slight panic rise in his throat. 

“H-he doesn’t want to be my friend,” Bakugou retorted, but it sounded weak even to his own ears. He hated it - how small and unsure his voice sounded, that Deku could cause this.

“You’re a fucking idiot if you believe that,” Todoroki spat. He gave one last tight squeeze to Bakugou’s wrists and then pushed himself up and off the other boy. He stood over him for a moment, looking down on Katsuki expectantly.

“If I’m such a fucking dick to him then explain to me why he would want to be my friend?” Bakugou asked snidely. He leaned up into a sitting position and glared up at Todoroki. “After all I’ve done, why the fuck would Deku want to be my friend?”

“Ask him.”

“What?”

“If you want to know, then ask him yourself.”

“Because it’s just that easy.”

“You’d be surprised what you can accomplish by communicating with words instead of fists,” Todoroki said dryly. “Though, we both know you don’t have much practice at that-”

Katsuki swept his legs out from under him and flipped himself over so he was pinning down the other boy, sitting on his back with an arm bent at an awkward angle behind him.

“You don’t know a damn thing about me, icy-hot. So, I’d suggest you keep your fucking mouth shut,” he growled, pushing down on the bent arm.

“You don’t strike me as the type of person to talk about your feelings with your friends, you practice more of the ‘punch first, ask questions later’ style of life,” Todoroki said, voice strained from the pressure on his lungs.

“Yeah, no shit I don’t talk to my friends about my feelings, that’s what my fucking therapist is for, dipshit,” Katsuki leaned down and snarled in his ear.

“...You have a therapist?”

“The fuck did I just say?”

“Sorry, it’s a bit hard to believe,” Todoroki admitted, shrugging his shoulders painfully beneath Bakugou’s body weight. 

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?” the blond snapped back defensively.

“For someone in therapy, you don’t seem very well adjusted. You must still be new-”

“My therapy is none of your fucking business,” he leaned in close and growled. “Just like whatever is going on between me and Deku. So keep your frosty nose out of my goddamn shit.”

Todoroki flung his head forward, connected it with Bakugou’s nose, and heard a satisfying crack. It threw Bakugou off balance and distracted him with the instant bleeding, giving Todoroki an opening to jump to his feet and ready himself for his next attack.

“It is my business when you’re causing him pain,” Todoroki stated firmly. He watched as Bakugou pulled himself to his feet, blood dripping down his chin and smeared across his jaw, slightly swaying. 

“Deku can take care of himself,” he shot back, seething. “He doesn’t need some knight in shining armor coming to rescue him. You’ve seen him fight, why the fuck would he need an extra like you to stick up for him?”

“It has nothing to do with his skills in combat, you idiot,” Todoroki said in what wasn’t quite a snarl but still coated in more venom than usual, “I’m sticking up for him because he refuses to stand up to you!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You push him around and cause him so much pain,” Todoroki continued, “And he puts up with all of it just to be around you. I can see how he’s hurting, I can see how he pushes himself past the pain you inflict on him every day.”

“I’m not making him do anything,” Bakugou shot back defensively, “It’s his choice to train with me.”

“This isn’t about training!” Todoroki finally shouted. “You’re not even listening!” 

“Maybe if you’d spit it out already I would know what the fuck you’re getting at!”

“Midoriya chooses to put up with you every day of his life! He wakes up every day knowing he doesn’t have to deal with your shit ever again if he simply stopped talking to you - because you don’t care about him enough to ever start a conversation yourself - and despite that, despite everything, he still chooses you.” Todoroki’s shoulders were shaking and he had a nasty snarl across his lips. 

Bakugou stood there in stunned silence, heart hammering in his chest. 

Despite everything, he still chooses you.

Despite the lifetime of hell Bakugou had put him through, he still talked to him. 

Despite every time Katsuki had wiped it away, Deku still looked him in the eye and smiled at him. 

Despite having friends to ask to train with, he agreed to train with Katsuki. Which Bakugou knew wasn’t strictly an exclusive arrangement, there was a perfectly reasonable reason that Deku would practice with his friends too, but not at the specific time he reserved for Bakugou. 

Despite everything, he still showed up to sparring practice. 

Until now.

Now, he had chosen not to show up. 

Now, he had chosen to leave Katsuki alone.

“I may not agree with his choice, but I will respect it,” Todoroki took a deep breath and continued, “Even so, I will not stand by and watch you cause my friend misery. I won’t let you steal his smile.”

Bakugou’s mouth was dry, and every gulp of air that made its way into his lungs burned painfully on the inhale. He opened his mouth only to realize he wasn’t sure what to say and tasted the blood dripping onto his lips. 

Pain. 

Misery.

 He couldn’t deny what Todoroki was saying, but he could still refuse to accept it.

“No one could steal Deku’s smile,” he said firmly. 

“I’ve seen the way it falters when you’re around,” Todoroki shot back, “He may push through for the sake of appearances, but I can only imagine how he feels inside.”

“You have no idea how he actually feels, so stop projecting.”

“I do,” he replied simply. Bakugou shot him an odd look, so he continued, “Midoriya talks to me about things - other than homework and training. He talks to me about his thoughts and feelings. That’s what friends do.” The word sent a painful stab to Katsuki’s stomach where it began blossoming into a deep ache. 

“We’re not friends,” Katsuki tried to say with confidence, but even to him it sounded more like a question.

“No,” Todoroki observed, “You’re not.” 

Hearing the words from Todoroki’s lips sparked a hot feeling in Katsuki’s chest that filled him with rage, but before he could respond Todoroki continued. 

“But it’s clear to me he wants to be.”

Katsuki stared at Todoroki blankly.

“And I think, finally, you do too,” he resolved.

“...What?” Bakugou asked breathlessly. That… was not what he had been expecting. To be fair, conversations with Todoroki were never what he was expecting. The other boy was so hard to read, eyes always masking his true feelings. Until now, it seems. Leave it to Deku to rile him up. Katsuki was starting to think that was just the green-haired idiot’s effect on people.

“In your own twisted way, I think you’re starting to care,” Todoroki shrugged. “The way you’re acting right now furthers my point.” 

Katsuki’s eye twitched.

“And how exactly am I acting right now, icy-hot?”

“You’re a wreck because he ditched you.”

Katsuki lunged forward and connected his bruised knuckles with Todoroki’s cheek, then followed it with a swift punch to the gut, sending the other boy stumbling backward. 

“Watch your damn mouth,” Katsuki snarled. He went in for another punch but Todoroki sidestepped and landed a kick to Bakugou’s side. He faltered for a moment, taking a step back to collect himself. 

“I’m right, and we both know it,” Todoroki pushed. He rushed Bakugou, pretending to go for a kick but switching to a left hook at the last second. It landed on Bakugou’s right eyebrow, sure to leave a mark. Katsuki stumbled back, bringing up his arms in a defensive stance.

“You just don’t want to admit how much he means to you,” Todoroki said as he smirked. He darted forward and spun around, landing a roundhouse kick to Bakugou’s left side. The blond tried to block, but the movement had caught him off guard and he pitched to the right, falling onto his side. Todoroki was on him in an instant, one hand dragging Bakugou forward by his collar and the other fist raised for a punch, “You’re such a coward,” he hissed.

Katsuki could barely breathe, too many emotions swirling together inside of him until all he could feel was panic. He was losing - badly - and he needed to focus. He couldn’t waste time thinking about Deku - about faltering smiles and sad, glassy, emerald eyes that tore at his heart in a way he didn’t want to acknowledge because it would make everything too real.

He couldn’t think about the scarred hand gripping his calloused palm as he helped the other boy to his feet, always lingering just a little too long. He couldn’t think about the soft green curls he so often buried his hand in, ruffling mercilessly in an attempt to shove Deku away - but shifting into a softer caress that caused Deku to lean into it and Katsuki to never want to lean away.

He couldn’t think about the way Deku’s face flushed when he teased him, and how Katsuki couldn’t help himself anymore because he wanted so badly for Deku to tease him back. He couldn’t think about how out of breath Deku got from being pinned to the floor, chest heaving like it could barely contain his heart as Katsuki hovered over him, feeling the firm muscle of Deku’s body between his thighs.

He couldn’t think about the way he felt when they were reversed and he was underneath Deku, feeling the heat radiating off of his body and drawing Katsuki closer. He couldn’t think about the way the other boy always held him strongly, yet gently, always softer than Katsuki could ever be. 

He couldn’t think about the fierce glint in those viridian eyes when he leaned over Katsuki, their noses only a few inches apart, as if challenging him and asking him something in a way that caused Katsuki’s stomach to flip and brain to short-circuit, only for Deku to pull away before he could fully comprehend it.

He couldn’t think about any of it because he didn’t know how to feel about it. It would cause him to spiral and spiral until he couldn’t see straight and he ended up in some absurd situation such as being pinned by Todoroki, of all people, with a nasty punch about to connect with his jaw. 

“Bakugou? Todoroki? What are you guys doing?” Kirishima called hesitantly.

Both boys froze, locking eyes. They hadn’t even heard the door open.

“Guys, you’re freaking me out,” Kirishima tried again, walking towards them slowly. Neither of them responded, frozen mid-fight, with nothing but their labored breathing echoing in the vast space. 

“Please say something,” Kirishima begged.

Todoroki narrowed his eyes, then released his hold on Bakugou’s shirt, shoving him down. His back hit the ground and his head rolled back, staring up at the ceiling. Todoroki stood and brushed himself off.

“We were just doing a bit of sparring,” Todoroki explained, all rage drained from his voice.

“Jeez, looks like Bakugou landed a few good ones,” Kirishima remarked, glancing at the bruise forming on Todoroki’s jaw and the small cut on his cheek above it. Todoroki absently touched the area and hissed in pain when he brushed over the bruise.

“You should see the other guy,” Todoroki said with a humorless tone. He turned and offered his hand to Bakugou, who was still lying on his back staring up at the lights. He sighed, swatted the hand away, then leaned himself up into a sitting position. Kirishima sucked in a sharp breath as he saw the bruises blossoming across Bakugou’s eyes and nose, and the dried blood smeared across his face and hands.

“Holy shit, Bakugou! Are you okay?” Kirishima exclaimed as he rushed forward and knelt beside his friend. He glanced over at Todoroki who was watching the two, “Damn dude, you weren’t kidding. Recovery girl isn’t going to be happy about this.”

“It was my fault, I’ll go ahead first to apologize,” Todoroki replied. He turned to leave, but Kirishima caught his arm. 

“Wait - I get that Bakugou went a little overboard during a fight-” This earned a huff from the blond. “But you don’t usually take it this far, Todoroki.”

“No, I usually don’t.”

“So, what happened?”

Bakugou shot Todoroki a glare, eyes flaming, in an unspoken challenge. 

Todoroki smirked.

“He got pissed when Midoriya didn’t show up for practice and tried to take it out on me. I chose to defend myself.”

“You piece of shit-” Bakugou growled as he attempted to launch himself at Todoroki. Kirishima intercepted and held Bakugou back.

“Yeah, you better go on ahead. I’ll handle it from here,” Kirishima agreed. 

“Let me go, shitty hair!” Bakugou shouted as he thrashed against Kirishima’s hold. Kirishima used his quirk to strengthen his hold, locking his arms around Katsuki. They both knew his struggle was pointless. 

Todoroki nodded and turned to go, but hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder one last time. 

“Think about what I said,” he said cryptically to Bakugou. 

“Fuck off, icy-hot, before I blow your face off,” he snarled. Todoroki nodded and left. 

As soon as the door clicked shut Katsuki deflated in Kirishima’s arms. 

“Bro,” Kirishima began slowly, “You look like shit.”

“Thanks,” Katsuki huffed in response, shoving off the red head. He pulled himself together and stood, taking a deep breath at his full height. After a moment he walked over to where he had set his stuff down and snatched his water bottle, greedily drinking from it.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened?” Kirishima asked slowly.

“Do I have to?” Katsuki said dryly. 

“After what I just walked in on, yeah, I’d say I deserve the whole story.”

“Tch. It wasn’t that bad.”

“Bro, Todoroki had you pinned to the ground and looked ready to beat the shit out of you - again because he clearly didn’t think he did a good enough job the first time,” Kirishima argued. He took a few steps closer to Bakugou, hands raised as if approaching a wild animal. “Was he telling the truth?”

Bakugou stayed quiet, staring at the water bottle in his hands.

“Was this really about Midoriya?”

Katsuki clenched the water bottle tighter. 

“I need you to talk to me, bro-”

“What do you want me to say?” Katsuki sighed tiredly. Kirishima looked at him, really looked, and saw how his shoulders drooped and his chin dipped lower instead of jutting out proudly. “Do you want me to say, ‘Yes, I was pissed that Deku bailed,’ or ‘No, icy-hot is a damn liar and I just felt like beating the shit out of him today.’”

“I just want the truth,” Kirishima replied, taking a few steps closer to Katsuki. 

“And I just want to punch something-”

“I think you’ve punched enough-”

“-but sometimes we can’t get what we want,” Katsuki finished, shooting Kirishima with a pointed look. Kirishima looked slightly ashamed for interrupting him. 

“Just tell me what’s wrong bro, I just want to help-”

“I don’t need your help,” Katsuki said through gritted teeth. 

“I don’t care if you need it! You’re my friend, and you’re hurting,” Kirishima pushed on.

 I can see how he’s hurting, I can see how he pushes himself past the pain you inflict on him.

“If I can do anything to lessen the pain, I want to do it,” Kirishima added sincerely, stepping closer to put a comforting hand on Bakugou’s shoulder. 

I’m sticking up for him because he refuses to stand up to you!

“Well, you can’t!” Katsuki yelled in frustration.

“Why not?” Kirishima shouted back. 

“Because it’s fucking stupid and doesn’t matter!”

“Well, I think it does, so I want to listen to what you have to say!”

“I don’t have anything to say,” Bakugou bit back.

“That’s a lie.”

“Like hell it is.”

“You wouldn’t even be having this conversation with me if you didn’t want to talk. I know you, man,” Kirishima pleaded, “So start talking so I can be a good friend.”

“A good friend wouldn’t push this hard when I clearly don’t want to talk about it.”

“If they saw your broken nose dripping blood down your face and two black eyes forming as they spoke, yeah, I’d say they’d push to know what the fuck went down to cause that.”

“Icy-hot already told you, what the fuck else is there to say?” Bakugou sighed.

“So,” Kirishima started slowly, offering his shoulder a small squeeze, “This is about Midoriya?”

“Tch.” Katsuki rolled his eyes and took a gulp of water but didn’t shrug off his hand.

“He didn’t show up for practice today, did he?”

“Do you see a green-haired nerd anywhere? I didn’t think so,” Katsuki snapped. Kirishima fought the urge to smile. 

“Maybe something came up?” Kirishima suggested lightly. Bakugou let out a harsh laugh.

“No shit.”

“Did you ask him?”

“What?”

“Midoriya. Did you ask him why he skipped?” Kirishima asked. Katsuki looked back down at the bottle in his hands, flexing his fingers lightly. “I didn’t think so,” Kirishima said, offering a friendly pat before releasing his shoulder. “I’m sure if you talk to him he’ll tell you what happened.”

Bakugou met his friend’s warm gaze. It made his chest ache. He sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face, no doubt smearing more blood everywhere. 

“Let’s go see Recovery Girl,” Kirishima said finally. He smiled at his friend, then leaned down and grabbed the rest of Bakugou’s stuff. 

They left together, Kirishima taking up the end and giving one last glance to the now empty gym. He steeled himself, nodded, and followed Bakugou out. 

“I swear, you boys act like you can throw yourselves at a brick wall and expect me to piece you back together,” Recovery Girl tsked as she swatted Katsuki’s knee. He was sitting on the edge of a bed with Kirishima in a chair in the corner. 

“So, can you fix him up?” his friend asked. 

“I’ll fix his nose,” she said firmly, “But I’m leaving the bruising to heal on its own.”

“What!?” Bakugou exclaimed.

“I’m trying to teach you a lesson,” Recovery Girl explained. “Maybe this time you’ll learn it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bakugou grumbled as Recovery Girl leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He tried not to shudder. 

“It means,” she continued, leaning back, “That I’m not your personal healer for every time you decide to take it too far in the gym.” She swatted his knee again. “You can’t use your fists to solve every problem.”

“So I’ve been told,” he mumbled as he rolled his eyes. Recovery Girl gave him one last swat on the knee and hopped down from her stool.

“Well clearly the advice hasn’t stuck yet, so it won’t hurt for me to offer it again,” Recovery Girl commented. “Now, Kirishima, if you would be so kind as to escort your friend back to the dormitory it would be greatly appreciated. Wouldn’t want him wandering off,” she said with a knowing look.

Katsuki grunted and stood up from the bed, kicking his feet as he walked out of the room. 

Kirishima led the way back to the dorms. It was almost dinner time, so everyone was gathered in the common room, hanging out before they began preparing food. Luckily everyone was too preoccupied with their conversations to notice the two boys slip inside. Bakugou didn’t even spare a glance at his classmates to see if he could pick out an unruly head of green hair. Instead, he darted up the stairs and went straight to his room. Kirishima followed closely behind, and once Bakugou opened the door and slid inside he shot out his arm and used his quirk to stop the door from being slammed in his face.

“Leave me the fuck alone, shitty hair,” Katsuki breathed tiredly. 

“No, not until you talk to me.”

“I did talk to you. Now let me go shower so I can scrub this blood off my face.”

“You’re just going to internalize this and let it build up if we don’t talk-"

“I’ll ask him,” Katsuki interrupted. “I’ll ask Deku why he skipped.” 

Kirishima stared at him blankly and it made Bakugou roll his eyes.

“Now, if that’s all, can I go shower now? I feel like shit and just want to stand under some hot water for twenty minutes straight.”

“Y-yeah dude, sure thing,” Kirishima said in disbelief. “You really mean it?” 

“Yes. I’ll do it tomorrow when I don’t feel ready to pass out if I blink too long.”

“Alright,” Kirishima agreed, “I’ll hold you to it.”

Bakugou nodded, then slammed the door in his friend’s face.