Chapter Text
“ COME ON!” The shout tore itself from his throat as Ojiro’s tail whipped towards him, swinging in synchrony with a barrage of explosions from Bakugou. His bronze aura flickered scarlet, and the two attackers retreated. His dark chocolate hair began to ripple back in waves, and veins popped into relief on his forehead. He grinned, feeling the excessive strength flow through him. It coursed through his veins as he turned to attack Kirishima’s hardened carapace, the defender's arms crossed in front of him. His fist, thick with muscle, pounded the Sturdy Hero’s blocking stance. BOOM . Cracks appeared in his opponent’s arms, blood running through the ridges. It was staining Riot red. Again. Again. Again. Again. He let loose the last punch, muscles tearing, energy expended. The last vestiges of Kirishima's Red Riot Unbreakable finally shattered - and he flew backwards, impacting the dirt and carving out a hundred-yard ditch until he finally lay still, a punch away from his totally exhausted opponent. Ojiro and Bakugou scrambled to check on Kirishima. A cracked, bleeding mess, Kirishima nonetheless mustered just enough energy to raise his head and grin through the pain at his opponent.
“I got you this time, Eijiro.” He panted from the floor of the gym, unable to pick himself up.
“I've never… extended my quirk like that… before… either.” He breathed back.
“So, does this mean the bet’s off?” A voice issued from the gym bleachers.
“Yeah, neither of us win.” Kaminari replied, rubbing the back of his neck and turning back to his companion. “I thought I had it wrapped up tighter than your High Tensile.”
“Eh, you must be shocked permanently.” Sero pointed past the spent combatant to the wall - or rather, where the wall had been. It had been blown to bits, shattered concrete strewn outside the complex. “I wouldn't exactly call Shori whaling on him like that ‘winning’.”
“Nah, man, you know how Shori's Quirk works. It was going to happen eventually.”
“True, but it doesn't look good for Kirishima when THAT happens. Plus, I don't even think that was maximum rage from Shori. He and Kirishima are pretty tight.” Sero commented, slipping off the bleachers with Kaminari to reel in their classmate with his tape. Ojiro and Bakugou returned through the gigantic breach with their other fallen brother.
“You really did it this time, didn't you motherfuckers?” Bakugou queried - though strangely, rage was absent from his face.
“Gotta get stronger… and fighting Gisei… is a pretty manly way to do it.” Kirishima groaned from his shoulder.
“Well, he IS right.” Sero remarked, extending another strip of tape to hold Kirishima's back up. “Let's get you both to Recovery Girl, though. I don't like that bloody mess you call a body.” Craters had been blasted into his rock-like skin, which had shattered under the onslaught of rage- fueled blows.
“You don't look too good either, Gisei.” Kaminari commented, beholding the scarlet pulp that used to be his knuckles, and the strange angle of his forearms.
“Kirishima's - just - the kind - of enemy - I need - to beat - it makes us - stronger.” The hero in training replied, dwarfing his classmates while leaning onto and over them. His head felt curiously light, and he reeled back for a moment before Ojiro's tail caught him and brought him back up.
“Careful. We'll get you to the nurse. Why did you two have to do this so late, anyway?”
“We didn't… want to be exhausted for anything… but sleep.” Kirishima mumbled, eyelids fluttering. Sero chuckled.
“Guess it makes sense,” the the lanky boy remarked. “Those are some powerful physical Quirks.”
“Well, you and - Kaminari could - try control exercises.” Shori panted back at him, chest heaving, thick arms draped over his classmates’ shoulders as they began to walk the wounded to Recovery Girl. Kaminari recoiled in horror.
“No way, dude. That's like class outside of class.” His nose crinkled as if he had eaten a lemon. Bakugou, however, chose the same moment to start - well - being Bakugou.
“DON’T YOU WANT TO CONTROL YOUR AIM WITHOUT YOUR STUPID GLOVE, DUNCE FACE?” He roared, staring down Kaminari as best he could. The sudden violent burst of sound had taken him off guard, and he jumped for a moment.
“Yeah, but-”
“OR NEVER SHOCK YOURSELF AGAIN?”
“That would be-”
“FROM THIS POINT ON, WE’RE TRAINING LIKE THESE TWO - TILL WE DROP!” Bagugou snarled, facing down the electric blonde. The procession turned into the hallway of Recovery Girl’s office, conveniently located next to the gym.
“Hey, Recovery Girl! Sero called, both hands supporting Kirishima. “We got another load for ya!” The diminutive superheroine popped her head out of the office, light flashing off her visor.
“Oh, these two again?” She waved them through. “Honestly, between them and that Tetsutetsu, I don't know who's the bigger meathead.” She sighed, shaking her head in derision. “They're just lucky I'm around!”
“Eiji, how you feeling? I heard I broke both your arms.” Shori asked cheerfully as they walked back to the dorms.
“Some ribs too. But i’ll be patched up by tomorrow - how about you? Those arms didn’t look pretty!” Kirishima smirked. “Ya shattered your hands on me, didn’t you, Gisei?” He gave his best shark like grin.
“Same as you, man. I’ll be A-okay tomorrow.” He replied, arms in the same double slings as his companion’s. “That was a tough fight.”
“Yeah, if this is Midoriya’s world, I want out!” Kirishima laughed.
“I wish Recovery Girl could get us back to normal instantly. It’d be so much easier.” Shori chuckled. “Although that’s out of the question at UA.”
“Yeah, dude, with Eri and the mission and everything, it’s gone crazy.”
“Speaking of which, Eri’s gonna be all right with Mirio, right? The stuff we saw…” Shori burned with With It Or On It’s bronze anger before settling down.
“She’s on the road to recovery now. All we can do is help her along.”
“I gotta say, man, there’s been a lot of good to come out of that mission, but it was seriously messed up.”
“Like what?”
“What do you mean? What was good, or what was messed up?”
“What was good about it?” Kirishima looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Besides Eri.”
“Well, I got to see Yasuraka. She came to the hospital, remember? It was amazing…” The tall hero blushed in spite of himself. “Plus,” He cleared his throat, returning to business, “Those Quirk deactivation bullets are off the market.” He set his jaw. “Who knows what kind of damage that could have done?” They turned the last corner towards the dorms.
“A lot, if I hadn’t had my Hardening.” Kirishima mused. “I'm just lucky my Quirk fit the bill!”
“It’s a pretty tough Quirk. You fought two Precepts and won, man! That’s amazing.” Shori’s grin returned as he praised his friend.
“I got knocked down pretty quick at first, though. That Rappa guy was a monster.” He winced, remembering the brutal punches. “You punch almost as hard when you hit Anger Point.”
“Oh, yeah, the ‘spear’ dude Fatgum talked about. He still in jail?”
“As far as I know. I think…” Kirishima paused. “If he hadn’t been a villain, I might have liked him. He was pretty manly.”
“Do you think we’re doing all right?” Shori asked him. “I mean, as heroes.”
“Yeah, or my name isn’t Red Riot!” Kirishima’s face was awash in determination. Both stopped suddenly - the door loomed in front of them, and they had no hands to open it with.
“Crap! We’re stuck outside!” Kirishima groaned, slumping against the door frame.
“Damn bandages…” Shori grumbled. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. He twisted his head to realize that Kirishima had hardened his forehead and was slamming it against the door. A gesture, he decided, that was warranted. He shrugged, joining in.
Suddenly, the door swung inwards, and Kirishima tumbled into the arms of none other than Mina Ashido.
“Eiji! You look terrible!” Mina remarked, bringing him back up to his feet. Her lips pouted to the left as she looked over her mangled “horn buddy”.
“Yeah, sorry about that…” Shori itched to rub the back of his neck like usual.
“I’ll never know why you guys do this to yourselves!” Mina complained. “You send Eiji home looking like this, and you aren’t much better!” She shook her head, pink hair swinging around her horns. “Both of you need to go to bed.” She took Kirishima under her wing.
“You're the best, Mina…” Kirishima mumbled, sleep and his injuries finally catching up with him. Shori pretended not to notice the blush on her cheeks. Both boys - both men - slept soundly in their beds that night, comforted in their dream.