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Bakugo wakes up early, looking out over the wasteland that used to be Musutafu. It was before the villains turned the whole world into a battlefield. They unleashed powers that even they couldn’t control. Now all of the villains are dead, and so is ninety percent of the population except for the Nomus. Most of the heroes went first since they risked themselves for everyone else while they still thought they could stop the Nomus. Now it’s more about surviving than winning. Bakugo walks through his temporary camp, waking up the evacuees that he’s been saving to take somewhere safer. A few towns over there’s a solid base. That’s where Deku and Aizawa are. As far as he knows, those are the only two people from his past that are still alive. So, he urges everyone up, and leads them quickly towards his family. The trip is quiet since Bakugo makes sure no one even tries to talk. They’re lucky enough to not run into any Nomus on the way there, making it a quiet and uneventful trip. It takes a few hours to get the refugees set up with somewhere to stay, food, and someone to explain how things work around here. Bakugo leaves that to other people, heading towards the center of town where the heroes are staying. He walks in, but it’s oddly quiet.
“Is anyone here?” he asks, folding his arms.
Maybe they’re out doing something?
“Bakugo.”
Bakugo turns around to see one of the heroes that used to be one of Endeavor’s sidekicks.
“Hey, when did you get back into town?” he asks, folding his arms.
“A little over a week ago. I’m supposed to give you this. I’m so sorry,” he says, handing Bakugo as letter.
“Why?” he asks, but the guy is already leaving.
“Ok, well, I guess I’ll just read the letter.”
He unfolds it, immediately taking note of the fact that it’s Deku’s handwriting on the note.
“Kacchan, I’m so sorry. If you’re reading this, I’m gone. I thought I would be able to talk myself out of it, but everyone has their breaking point. At some point helping people just isn’t enough of a reason to be alive, especially when it’s a pointless struggle. Mr. Aizawa passed away while you were gone. I think that was my last straw. The city was attacked, and he ended up being crushed under a building. They think he was alive for at least a few hours, but there was no way to get him out without the non-existent first responders. I can’t imagine what he must have felt. With what happened to his friend while they were in school. It was a cruel way to die. He deserved so much better. No matter how many people we save, or how many times we save them, they’re going to die soon. I decided to take the last part of my life into my own hands. I know that you’ve thought about it too.”
Bakugo inhales sharply. He stumbles back into the wall. His vision blurs as he slides down the wall.
“This can’t be real.”
He scrambles to get the letter open again so he can finish reading it as if he’ll find a different answer at the bottom. As if someone will tell him that this is just a prank.
“I guess that it’s not fair of me to assume that. You have always been stronger than me, Kacchan. You’re my only family left, and I’m so sorry to leave you all alone. I never wanted this to happen, but if you decide to keep living, I want you to try to survive. Don’t think that your life is worth less than anyone else’s life. You’re one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met, Kacchan, and I want you to live. If you decide not to, no one will begrudge you that. I wish we could have just talked about this, but I know that you would have stopped me. I had to act before you came home. I’m still so sorry though. I know that you might never forgive me, but I love you. You’re the brother that I never had, and the family I didn’t know I needed. I’ll see you again someday, even though it won’t be anytime soon. I love you, Kacchan.”
Bakugo releases a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. The tears come soon after.
They’re both gone. They’re both gone, and I’m alone. I can’t do this. I can’t do this.
He isn’t sure how long he sits there, rocking back and forth and sobbing. No one shows up to stop him, kick him out, or comfort him. The silence is his only companion. Just like all of those years before UA. All of those lonely years that he was left alone with his mother’s abuse, and his father’s ignorance. He wraps his arms around his knees, the material of his hero costume rubbing against his skin. The familiar material usually calms him down, but this time it just irritates him further.
“How could you do this?” he whispers to the wind, rubbing his eyes. He stands. “Screw you, Deku!” he screams, stomping his foot. “Screw you! Forget this! You quit, but I’m not going to. I’m not gonna die, and I’m not gonna stop putting other people in front of myself either. You were wrong! This is what we signed up for. I’m not gonna change my mind just because things got harder than I expected.”
He collapses back to the floor, his legs not supporting him anymore. All of the fight leaves him just as quickly as it came.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that, I was just angry. I’m not gonna give up, and I’m going to save everyone. I’m going to win against every enemy so that people can be safe, but I think I’ll always regret not being able to say goodbye. So, take this as my goodbye. I love you too, and I’m so sorry that you felt that was the only way out. I’m gonna keep living for you, to give people the life that you had robbed from you. I wish you could have seen that that life wasn’t gone forever. We could have taken our lives back. I’m sorry that I wasn’t here to help you two. The only two people that I would burn the world for.”
He bows his head, still holding the letter in his clenched fist. He wipes away the last of his tears, and heads back outside to figure out what they did with his friend’s bodies. He makes sure that they have proper funerals before getting back to his work with vigor.