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“This is all your fault, young Bakugo.” All might stares down at him.
“All might?” Bakugo whispers, stepping back. The ground beneath his feet starts to crumble away as the silhouette of his childhood hero looms over him.
“No! I’m sorry!”
“It’s your fault. You were weak.”
Weak. The word echoes around him as he falls. Weak. Weak. Weak.
“NO!” Bakugo screams, sitting straight up in his bed. His heart pounds like it might explode out of his chest. He can’t tell if it’s sweat or tears or both pouring down his face. Panting heavily, he tries to calm down, but he can’t breathe, he can’t breathe, he can’t-
But his door slams open, and there’s Eijirou, his hair disheveled and messy and he looks so worried. Some part of Bakugo’s brain registers that he looks really cute with his hair down.
“Katsuki? I heard you yell, are you okay?”
He wants to respond.
He wants to tell him to fuck off because he doesn’t need anyone.
He wants to tell him to stay because he’s so lost and alone.
But his voice fails him and he says nothing at all.
But stupid hair-for-brains Eijirou realizes, because of course he does, that Bakugo needs him. So he comes over to him and sits down on the edge of his bed, not touching him, giving him space if he needs it. But he’s there for him.
“What do you need right now, Katsuki?”
He still can’t say anything.
“Is it okay if I hug you?”
He finds that, even though he can’t talk, he can still nod. The redhead moves over and wraps his arms around him. And it’s not perfect, nothing is, but it’s the safest he’s felt in a long time. He’s still scared, he’s so scared, but he has Eijirou.
He feels his best friend’s hands rubbing small circles on his back as he holds him, anchoring him to the world.
“I think I should go get Sensei. Is that okay?”
Bakugo nods again. Eijirou pulls away and slips into the hallway to call Aizawa, who’s there in minutes.
“Bakugo?” Aizawa’s voice is familiar and soothing, and his concern shows in his words. He sits on the edge of the bed. Eijirou sits right next to Bakugo and holds him gently.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Aizawa asks gently.
Eijirou’s hand, warm and heavy on his shoulder, gives him the strength to finally talk. “Yeah.” His voice is rough and strained.
“Do you want to tell me what it was?”
“I can leave, if-” Eijirou starts to say, but Bakugo interrupts him.
“No. You stay.”
“... Got it.” He squeezes Bakugo’s shoulder gently.
“Just what you’re comfortable sharing.” Aizawa prompts.
Bakugo nods shakily and tries to explain. “I was back with the league of villains, and- and All Might was there, and he-” His words are cut off by a choked sob, and why is he fucking crying, he’s not a baby- “It’s all my fault!” He screams.
Aizawa reaches out and grabs his hand. “It is not your fault, Bakugo. No one blames you.” He looks at him like a concerned parent. “Have you been having dreams like this every night?”
Bakugo nods sheepishly.
“I see. You went through something extremely traumatic. It’s normal that you would experience PTSD symptoms. I’ll make you an appointment with the school counselor.”
“I don’t need fucking therapy.” He mutters.
“Katsuki. Just one appointment won’t kill you.” Eijirou says sternly, earning him a grateful look from Aizawa.
“...fine.”
“Do you need me to ask Recovery Girl for sleeping pills to help you for now?”
Bakugo shakes his head. “No. I’ll be fine.”
Aizawa looks at him gently. “Ok, if you’re sure. I’ll head back to the teacher’s dorm now, I don’t want Hizashi to worry.”
Something about the way he said it made Bakugo realize that he probably spent most of his nights helping his students with one thing or another.
“Thank you, Sensei.” Eijirou says.
Aizawa smiles at them. “Good night, you two. Take care of him, Kirishima.” He stands up and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
“I don’t need you to take care of me.” Bakugo growls.
“Ok, fine. In that case I’ll just go back to my room.” He stands to leave.
“No, wait.” Bakugo sighs. “Can- can you stay?”
“Yeah, of course I will, idiot.” Eijirou jumps into bed next to him. “Come here.” He holds out his arms.
Bakugo rolls his eyes, but still, he does what he says. He snuggles up against Eijirou’s chest. “Shut up.” He murmurs half-heartedly.
“I didn’t say anything.” Eijirou whispers, running a hand through Bakugo’s hair.
In Eijirou’s arms, he drifts off to sleep.
Aizawa opens the door to his and Hizashi’s dorm room.
“Shota?” Hizashi murmurs. “Where did you go?”
Aizawa climbs into bed with him. “Bakugo had a nightmare.”
Hizashi wraps his arms around his husband. “Ah. Is he alright?”
“He will be. He has Kirishima.”
Hizashi chuckles. “You know, those two kinda remind me of us.”
“Which one am I?”
“You’re Bakugo, because I’m the happy one.”
“I’m happy! And you’re Bakugo, because you’re the loud blonde one!”
Hizashi laughs. “You’re a good dad, you know?”
“Shut up, I’m not a dad.”
“Yeah. Sure you aren’t.” Hizashi rolls his eyes, thinking of… well, all of class 1-A.
Aizawa ignores him and closes his eyes to sleep.
Bakugo finds himself back in the same place again. He’s surrounded by rubble, with villains all around him. He prepares himself for a fight, explosions crackling from his palms. There’s no way he can beat all of them, but he’ll fight like a fucking animal for as long as he’s alive.
Suddenly, he hears a familiar voice call his name. He looks up to see Eijirou, a few meters above him, reaching out for him. And before he even knows what’s going on, he launches himself through the air and reaches for Eijirou’s hand.
His eyes fly open and he gasps for breath, but oh thank god, Eijirou is still there, right next to him. He looks up at the redhead’s sleeping face. Bakugo wraps his arms around him and buries his face in his chest. In his sleep, Eijirou hugs him back, holding him tightly.
He’s safe now.