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Being friends with Bakugo since childhood, you quickly became accustomed to his strange personality.
He was brash, hot-headed, and rude, always having to assert dominance and superiority over others, but you didn’t mind much. As crazy as he was, you thought Bakugo was equally caring, even if he showed it in strange ways.
Your families were close friends, so you and him ended up playing and learning from each other a lot as kids. At a young age, Bakugo taught you how to utilize your Quirk better, and you sincerely thought he was one of the coolest people on the planet.
Slowly, though, as much as you idolized him, you realized Bakugo was human just like you.
The two of you had been on the playground one day when you noticed he had a brand new pair of sneakers. You stared at the brightly colored shoes in awe, lips morphing into a frown when you pointed to the laces.
“Oh, Katsuki, your shoes are untied.”
His eyes darted downwards, looking slightly panicked, and he froze. You cocked your head in confusion at his sudden nervousness.
“Suki, do you not know how to tie your laces?”
Bakugo looked up and scowled at your curious eyes, moving to cover his shoes with his hands. He lowered his voice, as if afraid someone else would overhear your current conversation.
“Of course I know how! Shut up, idiot!”
You giggled at his angry tirade, crouching down next to him in the dirt. Your chubby hands reached for his sneakers, but he smacked you away. “Stop it!” he yelled. “I know how to do it!”
You hummed thoughtfully, nodding at his declaration. He seemed determined to learn it on his own, and you respected that.
“Okay,” you agreed good-naturedly, “then I’ll just tie my shoes right next to you.”
You knelt down next to him, your fingers working at your laces slowly so he could follow along. Bakugo’s eyes were laser-focused on your fingers, mimicking your movements carefully until you were done.
“...and there!” you cheered, your shoes freshly tied along with Bakugo’s. He smirked proudly, the knots on his laces tight.
“See, I told you I knew how to do it.” he commented arrogantly, and you nodded.
“Of course, Suki, but it’s okay to ask for help sometimes!” you answered cheekily. Bakugo rolled his eyes, already running past you.
“I’ll race you to the swings!”
“Get your nasty paws off me!” Bakugo shouted, swiping your hands off his uniform. “I don’t want to wear the stupid tie.”
You frowned, reaching out and adjusting his jacket for him, dusting off the shoulders. “Come on, Katsuki, your mom will kill me if I don’t make you wear your tie. It’s just the first day, please?”
He sneered at you, gripping the strap of the bag at his side. “I don’t need that dumb shit, so shut up!”
You rolled your eyes, annoyed at his attitude. “My name is Bakugo Katsuki, and I’m too cool to wear the school uniform.” you mocked, your voice a playful imitation of Bakugo’s. He gave a disgruntled sigh, walking down the sidewalk and leaving you behind.
“Hey!” you called, jogging after him. It was a sunny day as you headed for your first day at U.A. alongside Bakugo, your dreams finally coming to fruition. It had been years since you and him had resolved to attend U.A. together and become heroes, but you never expected to get here. “You don’t want our new classmates to think you’re messy, do you?”
He stomped down the sidewalk, clearly fed up with your nagging as he yelled at you over his shoulder. “I don’t care what those extras think of me, I’m gonna beat them all anyway.”
“Just let me tie it!” you demanded, grabbing the loose fabric around his neck and stopping him in his tracks. You yanked the tie towards you as Bakugo became increasingly frustrated. He huffed angrily, baring his teeth at you.
“Grab me one more time and I’ll blow you to bits!” he threatened, grasping your wrist. You stuck your tongue out at him, feet dragging on the concrete as he pulled you along behind him.
“Do it!” you threatened, making another attempt at his tie. Bakugo cried out in irritation, finally turning toward you and flipping his collar up.
“You have exactly 10 seconds before I smack you across the street.”
You bit your lip in focus, ignoring his empty threat as you tied his tie and laid it neatly on his shirt. With his crisp white shirt and clean jacket, you couldn’t help but admire how much Bakugo had grown up right before your eyes. Arranging his blazer again, you placed your hands firmly on his shoulders and grinned.
“See? The future number one hero has to look good for his first day!” you said, smiling proudly.
Bakugo grunted in response, turning away as he headed for the school gates with you close behind.
“Yeah, whatever.” he muttered, but his ears were a slight pink.
Bakugo had trained late into the night again, and he found himself alone in the infirmary trying to bandage himself up. The white roll of bandages felt heavy in his hand as he methodically wrapped his torn knuckles with multiple layers.
The room was quiet, save for his heavy breathing, and the curtains rustled softly from the open windows.
The door pushed open slowly, and Bakugo bristled, ready to tell whoever it was to leave.
“Hey, get the hell ou-” he started, a roar bubbling in his throat.
Your head popped up from behind the door, and he relaxed in recognition, leaning back in the bed. He continued applying the bandages with a rhythmic motion, wincing at the feeling.
“Hey, Katsuki.”
You smiled tightly, and he knew you were internally scolding him for overworking himself again. The stiff cot shifted slightly as you sat down, and he moved his feet to give you more space.
“Hey.” he responded shortly, his gaze focused on his bleeding knuckles. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
“Why aren’t you?” you responded coolly. Carefully, you wrapped your cardigan around yourself to avoid the night air filtering through the window. With your eyes trained on Bakugo, you noticed how his hands shook from overuse as he tried to wrap his knuckles.
“Here, Katsuki.” You gently lifted the roll of bandages from his hands, taking his fingers in yours. Bakugo recoiled momentarily, trying to free himself from your grasp, until he met your eyes. “Please, let me help.” you begged.
He sighed, relaxing into your hold and closing his eyes, too tired to argue with you. The room fell silent again, crickets chirping outside as you gently worked to tie the bandages over his hands. You hummed in concentration, your voice floating through the air.
“It’s okay to rest sometimes, Katsuki. You’re already the strongest in our class, you don’t need to-“
“I have to,” he interrupted lowly, biting his lip. “The first one to slow down is the one who loses the race. I’m not stopping until I get to the top. Fucking Deku already beat me once, I won’t-“
His voice had started to rise, his breathing growing more rapid as he devolved into panic. You studied his face, your mouth in a hard line. For every ounce he was a winner, Bakugo feared losing more than anything, constantly afraid of being defeated. As much as he felt superior to everyone, he simultaneously felt inferior, and that mixture created a dangerous balance.
“You won’t get to the top if you tire yourself out before you get there.” you retorted, holding his hands in your lap. “I’m worried about you.”
Bakugo opened his eyes, his stare weighing on you heavily as his breathing gradually evened out. You looked back with equal intensity and a stubborn expression on your face, standing on even ground with him.
“I’m not going to stop training.” he declared slowly, eyebrows knitting together.
“I’m not asking you to,” you replied simply. “I’m asking you to keep your health in mind because there are people here who care about you.”
Bakugo’s eyes drooped slightly, a sign of his exhaustion, and you gripped his hands tighter. Setting down the gauze down next to you, you leaned forward to look him in the eye.
“Katsuki, I believe in you. You’re going to be the number one hero, I know you will. There’s no one else but you. I just don’t want you to burn yourself out.”
Your fingertips traced slow circles on his damaged hands, feeling the slightly raised scarring on the skin.
Bakugo exhaled lightly at the feeling, processing your words.
“I’ll cut back a little,” he finally relented, running a hand through his hair, “but I’m not gonna stop. You’re gonna see me in the number one spot one day, dumbass.” He flicked your forehead weakly, and you chuckled.
A slight sense of satisfaction soared through your heart at Bakugo’s crudely-worded yet genuine promise. You smiled at him, a soft glow from the moon reflecting on your face.
“I’ll be waiting, Katsuki.”
A few days after the practical exam, you found yourself sitting at the foot of Bakugo’s bed. His mom had let you in after you knocked on his front door, telling her he had not answered any of your calls or texts. When you’d reached the top of the stairs, his door was cracked open slightly, and you peered inside. The suitcase holding his hero costume was open on the floor beside his bed, the mask sitting on his nightstand. Bakugo’s head was settled between his knees as he sat there, completely immobile.
Sighing, you knocked on the door politely before coming in, sitting down gently.
“Hey, Katsuki.”
He didn’t answer, and you grimaced. You knew that although he had passed the exam, he had internalized his apparent “losses” to All Might and Midoriya. Bakugo never liked losing, but he hated it most when it involved Midoriya.
“Katsuki, listen, I-”
“Why do I always lose to that damn Deku?”
His voice was muffled by his head’s position, yet it sounded strained. He suddenly looked up, frustrated tears filling his eyes.
“Heroes win. That’s why they’re heroes. Yet, All Might beat me to dust, and I even had to work with Deku. He carried me to the end.” His voice grew louder and angrier, and you flinched in surprise.
“Deku was Quirkless, but suddenly he’s some sort of damn prodigy. Why can’t I beat him?”
He begged you for answers desperately, but you couldn’t speak.
“I was always better than Deku. I still should be, but even All Might chose him over me. So, why? Why am I suddenly struggling to catch up to him?”
His eyes were wide with confusion, and he looked so genuinely lost that you felt your eyes fill with tears. Bakugo always felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and he had no idea how to cope with a loss. You shifted forward, pulling him into a hug as he rested his head in your neck.
“You’re not losing to Midoriya. The two of you were on a team, and it’s like I’ve always told you.” You held him firmly by the shoulders, forcing him to face you. “It’s okay to ask for help sometimes.”
He didn’t reply, and you didn’t expect him to. You silently plucked the mask from his bedside table, gently tying it behind his head. He seemed surprised by your action, looking up at you through tear-filled eyes. The black fabric adhered to his face, and you smiled softly.
“Katsuki, you’re a hero. You’re going to be number one no matter what Midoriya or All Might says. Losing isn’t the end of that dream.”
Bakugo remained silent, but you knew that he had heard you. For the rest of the night, you sat there and talked until the sun came up.
Tying the blindfold on Bakugo’s head proved to be quite the challenge.
He had sworn and fought, but you finally fastened the white cloth behind his head before he could really explode on you. Giggling, you noted the amusing way his spiky hair flattened to his head.
“Okay!” you cheered, rushing back in front of him. “Can you see?”
You waved your hand in front of his face testingly as he grumbled.
“Does it look like I can see, dumbass?”
“Good!” you replied, unfazed by his rudeness. Taking him by the hand, you led him in random directions as he clumsily followed.
“Fuck!” he cussed loudly as he bumped his shin into the curb. You looked back sheepishly.
“Whoops, sorry Suki.” you apologized, and he grunted in response. When you were finally finished dragging him around, he could feel grass tickling his ankles. The white cloth fell from his face, and he opened his eyes.
“Happy birthday, Katsuki!” you yelled, throwing your arms out in excitement. He was standing in your backyard, which had been decorated with streamers, balloons, and a large banner proclaiming that it was, indeed, his birthday. In the center of the grass sat a large table with a cake and two identical boxes. He was surprised that you had prepared this much, considering how little enthusiasm he held for his birthday.
At his lack of reaction, you clasped your hands behind your back shyly. “Sorry, I just thought inviting all our classmates would make you angry, so I thought it would be okay if it was just us. If you want, I can text-”
“This is fine.” he interrupted you quietly, and your face lit up.
“Good! Then we can eat together!” you said, leading him over to the cake. The treat said “Happy Birthday Katsuki” with black icing, and it featured a ridiculous stick figure drawing of Bakugo in his hero costume. You smiled proudly with your hands on your hips. “I decorated it myself,” you bragged. “Do you like it?”
“Yeah… I can definitely tell that you decorated it.” Bakugo responded, and you frowned. Despite his lukewarm reaction, you pulled out chairs and the two of you shared the cake and talked.
Once you realized an ample amount of time had passed, you slammed your fork down and grabbed the two boxes from the table, offering one to him.
“Here, for you!”
He took the box from your hands hesitantly, popping it open. Inside laid a silver chain with a simple pendant, and he lifted it out to read it. Bakugo’s eyes widened at the inscription.
Bakugo Katsuki, #1 Hero
With a grin, you held your matching chain out to him, showing him how it had the same words on the pendant. “It might seem a little early,” you admitted, “but I’m just so confident that I wanted to say it now.”
Bakugo was speechless as you slid the chain on, clasping it behind your neck. Without hesitation, you were clearly declaring your trust that he would achieve his dream, and he didn’t know how to react. You felt his stare, looking up shyly. “You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to, I know it was kind of stupid-”
“Shut up, dumbass.”
Bakugo slid the chain on without another word, and you smiled brightly at him.
When you had been injured in a random villain attack, Bakugo visited you in the hospital.
He burst into the room aggressively, immediately heading over to your bed once he laid eyes on you.
“Dumbass! I leave you alone for one minute and you already go and get yourself hurt!”
You scoffed at his rude remark, crossing your arms over your chest.
“Wow, okay, don’t ask how I’m feeling or anything. Not everything is about you, Katsuki.” you replied shortly, a slight sarcasm to your tone. Bakugo sat down in the chair next to your bed, pulling up next to you. A look of concern was plastered on his angry features.
“I’m serious. You can’t just go around getting hurt like that.”
His voice was suddenly more solemn, as if he was sobered by the sight of your injuries, but his eyes seemed caring. You frowned. “You’re not my babysitter, you know.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I have to take care of you.” he scolded, and you snapped.
“You don’t have to take care of me. Just because you’re going to be the number one hero or whatever-”
Bakugo interrupted you. “That’s not what I meant, dumbass.” He abruptly stopped talking, as if surprised that the words had left his own mouth. You tilted your head in confusion, looking at him expectantly. When he realized you were waiting for him to continue, a light blush covered his face.
“I’m not saying you’re weak, I’m saying I… I feel tied to you. Like I was meant to be wherever you are.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Wow, that’s cheesy, Katsuki.” you laughed, coughing slightly. His eyebrows furrowed in irritation.
“What the fuck? I’m confessing something right now, can you be serious for once?!” His face flushed in embarrassment, and you patted his head gently, his spiky hair soft under your hand.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” you apologized with a giggle, “please continue.” He sighed, nose wrinkling as he tried to find the words to say.
“I want you to stay with me always… so you can’t go around getting injured. When I become number one, I want you to be there so I can prove to you that I did it.”
Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, he leaned forward to place a hand on yours intimately.
“I like spending time with you, because you’re not as… stupid as everyone else.”
You snorted. “Very eloquent, Suki. But don’t worry, I’ll be there when you achieve your dream.”
He rolled his eyes, staring at you as you smiled. Bakugo was bad with words, but you understood his feelings all the same. Slowly, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead to yours carefully and closing his eyes.
He was so close now that you could feel his breath on your lips, his long eyelashes meeting your skin. The spikes of his hair brushed against your forehead, flattening to your face.
“My dream includes you. I want to be number one with you next to me.”
His tone was awkward, like he didn’t know if he should admit it or not, but your face flushed at his bold words. Bakugo had never been focused on anything except achieving the coveted number one spot, and you couldn’t believe he considered you to be of equal importance.
Your lack of response triggered Bakugo to messily defend himself, mistakenly assuming that you didn’t return his feelings.
“But you’re still an idiot, and a dumbass, so if you-“
You cut him off, pressing a short kiss to his lips, and he reacted immediately to return it. After a few seconds, you broke apart with a smile.
“You know I never want to be without you, Suki.”
A deep blush rose on his face, and he averted his eyes.
“Good, dumbass. Because I wouldn’t let you get rid of me.” he admitted. You laughed breathily, wincing at the soreness in your ribs.
“Hey, Suki.”
Bakugo looked up, vermillion eyes uncharacteristically soft, and you offered your sneaker-clad foot to him.
“Can you tie my shoes for me? I can’t bend over or it hurts.”
He knelt down carefully, skillfully tying the knot in your laces as he smirked.
“What, you can’t tie your own laces?” Bakugo teased.
For a moment, it felt like maybe something deeper was tying you together. The silver chain around his neck caught your eye, and you smiled knowingly, flicking him softly on the forehead.
“I guess I just like it better when you do it for me.”
fin.