Chapter Text
Bakugou katsuki was an odd one, there was no doubt about it. Let’s be clear, he was one hell of a student and that’s being light. Always top of his classes and undeniably passionate at any given task. Yet when it came to behaving or socialising the superb student seemed to lack.
Bakugou had walls. Layers. Parts of himself he was unwilling to show, parts he felt better covered by anger and explosions. No one knew why, shame? Pride? Didn’t matter. Bakugou katsuki had walls, tall walls of brick and metal that had clearly long built themselves. Izuku midoriya was the first to try and break through it, having witnessed its building. Obviously unsuccessfully.
Kirishima though, somehow in the short time Kirishima eijirou had shared his class with bakugou he had managed to not break down his walls but instead, he asked for a door. Bakugou built a door into his walls and gave the key to only Kirishima. The two were undeniably close. But after spending so much time with the bakugou no one knew, the katsuki he thought he understood, he began to wonder: what the fuck is wrong with this guy?
This was the beginning of Kirishima’ investigation into the psychology of Bakugou Katsuki.
It was a late summer’s evening, the warm glow of the sun kissed the Japanese mountain tops as it began to set. Class 1-A had finished all their classes for the term and were getting ready to enjoy their well-deserved break. Many were out running or otherwise training but most were inside their dorms, preparing for a long summer of slacking and unnecessary teenage drama.
Kirishima slouched lazily on the puke green couch in the common room, Bakugou leaned into the sofa’s backing with his head flopping into the hinge of Kirishima’s elbow as his arm was draped over the couch backing. More adjectives to show everyone is very chill. Kaminari was sprawled childishly on the carpeted floor, watching the TV as close as humanly possible. Meanwhile Sero sat incorrectly on a cushioned chair with his legs hanging off the armrest and his head lolling over the other. A few other classmates loitered in and out, occasionally chatting and cooking.
A generic anime played on the TV keeping the group thoroughly invested, to the point no one noticed Bakugou. Sleep took bakugous eyelids hostage as he tried to fight the soothing call of rest his muscles soon gave in, allowing them to bathe in the warmth of sleep. His mind kept himself conscious yet he knew it wouldn’t be long until that too has slipped.
“Acting right" had always been a challenge for Bakugou, with the addition of exhaustion it became and impossible feat for the explosive blond. He desperately tried to stay focused in order to maintain his tough exterior yet as comfort wrapped around him and the natural safety of his friends surrounding him began to set in, it was all in vain. A loud, pleased hum began droning from the boys throat as he sank his head further into kirishima's arm. It was a monotone sound, that rumbled comfortably through his lips.
He hasn't even realised he was acting wrong until he was startled awake by a loud guffaw. His head snapped wildly as his instincts screamed fight. Hazy eyes made contact with a chuffed Sero, whose grin was bordering on maniacal, seriously dude that's creepy asf.
"The fuck was that for?" The tired blonde croaked already regretful as exhaustion wrapped his body again and he lost any and all motivation.
Defying bakugous expectations the reply was given by floor man kaminari:
"Why do you do that, kacchan??" He half-laughed, with a puzzled look on his face.
Now it was Bakugou's turn to be confused.
"Do what?" he snapped, probably too aggresivly as his furrowed eyebrows force his sleepy eyes to force sleep.
"Oh my god He doesn't even know he does it?" Sero marvelled, "that's actually worse."
Before Bakugou could retort in his usual explosive way kirishima stepped in.
"Hey hey!" he soothed, yanking Bakugou head back to rest on his arm again, "he just does it nothing wrong with that, is there?" The group was at an impasse. They couldn't say there was anything particularly wrong with the noises but they all felt it was just… Weird.
While the rest of his friends only had short snippets of the real Katsuki, kirishima had earned his key to that door long ago and instead approached his humming with a respectful hesitation. He always associated it with Bakugou being comfortable so he had long ago decided he had rather bite his own leg off than ruin that for him, even if it did have his curiosity peaked.
Even in a sleepy haze, Bakugou was conscious enough to realise what he had just done. He was being weird. He mentally scolded himself as he attempted to sleep again, utterly regretful and embarrassed over his loss of control. He was usually better than this. Slips ups like that don't happen, not for a long time. The stress of it kept him up. For a bit atleast.
Kirishima kept his breathing steady as he watched bakugous harsh scowl shed away as as calm sleep washed over him. His heavy breaths morphing into a soft sigh. The sight forced a smile across Kirishima's face, he couldn't help it. As much as he looked up to bakugou for his fierce fighting spirit and undying passion, he couldn't get over how he looked when he'd finally fallen asleep. The boy slept early so if was a sight he'd been gifted to see more often than not. He looked so peaceful. So… gentle. The complete opposite of his usual manly scowl, yet it was utterly beautiful.
Kirishima had only half finished admiring his best bro when his attention was pulled away.
"Okay!" kaminari began, now with his back faced completely away from the TV they were previously so invested in, "What the hell is up with that?"
"I dont-" kirishima began.
"Cmon man!! You gotta tell us, we're invested now!" Sero interrupted. A long sigh forced it's way out of kirishima, part of him wanted to defend Bakugou, tell them it wasn't manly at all to discuss him when he isn't listening and how he couldn't help it. 'it was just how he is!!!' he desperately wanted to reply. However, another, much nosier, part of him longed to discover whatever the hell was up with that guy. That side won over.
"I don’t- I don’t know…” Kirishima started, “he just… does it..? Usually when he’s happy!! It’s not like a bad thing I don’t know, he always does it when it’s just us!! I think it’s nice he feel safe enough to I don’t know, be…him.” Kirishima winced realising that sounded meaner than he had intended. His brain suddenly began finding ways to rephrase what he said but his mental delay lagged him behind:
“No I mean he’s ju-“
“No no we get what you mean, he’s kinda…” sero reassured.
“Oh yeah totally he’s just a bit…” kaminari defended.
The silent word hung in the air. Weird.
“Listen.” Kirishima ordered, a newfound determination on his face, “I don't think there's anything wrong with him. If that's...what he wants to do? Then fine! I mean like- I get it. I wanna know too but I mean what if it's just… how he is?”
“Hey we’re all friends too!!” Kaminari reaffirmed, a rare softness to his expression, “you’re closest with him that’s all, we’re not suggesting anything or whatever.” This caused Kirishima to sigh a heavy weight of relief from his lungs, good they all get it, he thought.
“Just thought you would know, yeah?” Sero attached nonchalantly.
“I… plan on talking to him, but you know how he is. I don’t want him getting the wrong idea thinking I’m being rude or something. I’d hate to make anyone feel excluded like that.” Kirishima addressed kindly.
“We get it we get it.” Sero nodded.
A comfortable silence fell over the group and as night took over the sky more and more fell asleep all too comfortable to leave to their own rooms. This felt safer somehow.
Finally all left awake in the dormitories was Kirishima, still hung up on how he wanted to approach this. He felt a weird sense of guilt about it, as if suggesting he’s broken? But he only wanted to help, he kept telling himself this. He only wanted to make sure bakugou was supported. The redhead glanced back over to the sleeping boy, yeah, he wanted to help, he had decided. Before, finally drifting off to sleep.