Work Text:
Nighttime is a rare moment of peace at the Bakugou residence. The hag is asleep, so without her dulcet tones echoing through the halls, a stillness settles over the house like a thick, woolen blanket.
Contrary to what many people might think, Katsuki doesn’t mind the quiet. He appreciates it. He doesn’t prefer it over noise, but in the dark, when he’s alone, it’s nice. Most of the time.
Tonight, however, he’s having difficulty sleeping. His bed isn’t as comfortable as he remembers it—a consequence of staying at the dorms. He came home for the weekend at his mother’s insistence, and it’s easily been a few months since he last slept in his childhood bedroom. He turns over for what feels like the fiftieth time, onto his left side. He lasts approximately two seconds before rolling onto his back with a grumble.
It’s too quiet, he realizes. There’s quiet, and then there’s silence. The lack of noise which makes his ears ring, where the only possible sound he can make to drown it out is whatever thoughts flutter about in his head. Generally, Katsuki doesn’t like to listen to those.
But the ringing doesn’t stop, won’t stop, so he sits up with a grunt and snatches his phone off the bedside table. If he can’t sleep he might as well distract himself. His lockscreen is unreasonably bright, making Katsuki squeeze his eyes shut, then squint through the lids to find the brightness setting and turn it down.
The background of his phone’s home screen is a picture of Sero and Mina, their faces covered in cake frosting as they grinned stupidly at the camera. Their birthdays were only two days apart, so they had the idea to celebrate it jointly. Satou baked them a gigantic cake (with Katsuki’s help, though he’d sworn Satou to secrecy on that), and he’s pretty sure more cake got on them than in people’s stomachs.
Kaminari changed his phone’s background the second he’d been able to get his hands on the device. Katsuki just couldn’t be bothered to change it back, that’s all.
The thought of his classmates makes him piece together why he’s so unsettled and unable to fall asleep. There’s no white noise, no background hum of someone else moving around outside his room. With twenty teenagers living under one roof, it’s almost guaranteed that someone is out and about, even in the middle of the night. More often than not, Katsuki hears Kirishima’s foghorn snoring through their shared wall. It’s muted somewhat by the plaster, but not entirely.
Huh.
Friendship is a riddle Katsuki hasn’t quite cracked yet. He thinks he knew how to be friends, a long time ago—before he created the rift between Deku and himself. In Aldera, there were classmates who followed him around, but they hardly saw each other outside of school. Those kids were more attracted to Bakugou’s authority and power than anything else, they proved that when the sludge villain showed up.
As he stares at his phone’s background, Katsuki thinks, not for the first time, that he hasn’t the slightest clue how he wound up with actual friends at UA. He certainly didn’t make it easy for them.
“Blasty! You’re coming to the mall with us this weekend, right?”
“Why the fuck would I do that?”
“Kacchan, can you show me how to cook like you? Pretty please? I’ll be your best friend!”
“Hah? Who says I want that, Dunce Face?”
“Bakubro! Are you able to help me study? I’m stressing about this history exam.”
“You’re such a moron, Shitty Hair. Fine, but I’m not going easy on you!”
“Hey, do you wanna spar in heroics training, Bakugou?”
“Only if you promise you’ve improved since the last time. That was pathetic.”
He…probably ought to be nicer to his friends. But he can’t help it. His vitriol is just second nature at this point. It’s one of the many things he inherited from the hag.
To their credit, none of the idiots ever seem particularly put out by his hostile responses, and he usually goes along with their efforts to spend time with him regardless of whatever he says.
Perhaps it’s the time, or the fact that he’s been awake for too long, but Katsuki wonders if he’s ever actually directly acknowledged his friendship with them. He's always believed something like that he shouldn't need to be outright stated, that actions speak louder. But his time at UA has shown him that misinterpretation also happens, he himself being the king of it. There's a place for affirmation, loathe as he may be to voice it. Do his friends know, definitively, what they are to him?
A small part of him wants to ask, but he quashes it instantly. Katsuki’s a lot of things, but he is not a groveler. If he's got doubts, best to address them head-on. He’s not about to tiptoe around the idiots now.
Even with its brightness dimmed considerably, the glow of his phone’s screen is starting to make his eyes hurt. Sleepily, he opens up the groupchat (which he normally has silenced), and types out a message. Then he sends it and tosses his phone back onto his bedside table, resigning himself to a few more hours of tossing and turning before the sun rises.
Oddly enough, he drifts off pretty quickly, as if he's been released from some kind of burden.
—
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.
Katsuki’s eyes crack open reluctantly, then squeeze themselves shut as sunlight blinds him. He shoves his face into his pillow as the persistent buzzing sound invades his skull. Is someone calling him? Why?
Someone better be dying, he grumbles internally, fumbling blindly for his phone on the night table.
But his hand finds nothing, and the buzzing continues, so with a groan Katsuki lifts his head and squints at it. The table is blank, but the buzzing continues. He crawls to the edge of his mattress and looks down. Sure enough, his phone is buzzing away on the carpeted floor. How did it get there? Did it seriously vibrate itself off the damn table?
He snatches it up, unlocks the phone, and is immediately assaulted by a mountain of missed notifications. Most of them are messages from the idiots, but a handful belong to the general class group chat, which Katsuki also keeps muted. The fact that he’s getting notifications from it means that someone has tagged him specifically in a message, something he’s made very clear he doesn’t want.
There’s also over a dozen missed calls in his phone logs. Three from Mina, two from Sero, four from Kirishima and Kaminari, and a whopping five from Deku, of all people.
Now Katsuki actually starts to feel apprehensive. Is someone dying?
He decides to start at the beginning, with the idiots’ group chat first. He opens up the group titled Bakusquad, and scrolls all the way up to the first message of the day, and stares at it dumbly for a moment.
It was from himself.
Vaguely, he remembers typing something in his moment of sleep-deprived introspection. With growing trepidation, Katsuki begins to read.
[Katsuki to all; 3:33 AM] I know I give you all crap but you guys are still my friends. The best ones I’ve ever had. Wish I’d said it sooner. Sorry.
[Mina; 6:17 AM] hey what
[Mina; 6:17 AM] blasty
[Mina; 6:17 AM] blasty what the fuck
[Missed Call from Mina]
[Missed Call from Mina]
[Mina; 6:23 AM] BAKUGOU
[Hanta; 6:25 AM] wut
[Hanta; 6:25 AM] what's happening
[Hanta; 6:26 AM] DUDE
[Missed Call from Hanta]
[Hanta; 6:28 AM] okay he's not picking up, maybe he went to sleep?
[Mina; 6:28 AM] i don't care i'm not giving up until i know he's okay
[Hanta; 6:29 AM] mina, call me
[6:32 AM; Call Ended - 2 minutes]
Mina's last message makes something warm flood his center, even if he does roll his eyes at their antics. He glances at the next series of notifications—direct messages from the aforementioned classmates.
[Mina to Katsuki; 6:32 AM] katsuki bakugou if you don't answer me soon i WILL release the hounds
[Hanta to Katsuki; 6:34 AM] bought you 20 minutes. i tried to stop her but she's on the warpath, dude. sorry
[Hanta to Katsuki; 6:37 AM] even if you are just sleeping, can you call me when you wake up? just so i know you're okay too
Bakugou scoffs, feeling a spike of irritation hit him. Is it really so unbelievable he just wants to say something nice?
He returns to the Bakusquad group chat.
[Denki; 6:35 AM] um…is everything okay?
[Mina; 6:35 AM] we don't know
[Mina; 6:36 AM] he's got 16 minutes to respond
[Mina; 6:36 AM] he's lucky i'm waiting this long
[Denki; 6:39 AM] why is this freaking you out so much?
[Mina; 6:39 AM] "wish I'd said it sooner"? "sorry"? it sounds like he's friggin DYING!
[Denki; 6:40 AM] oh
[Denki; 6:40 AM] but like
[Denki; 6:40 AM] it's Kacchan, i'm sure he's fine
[Denki; 6:41 AM] right?
[Denki; 6:47 AM] oh god but what if he's sick or something
[Mina; 6:47 AM] EXACTLY!
[Hanta; 6:48 AM] really not helping man
[Hanta; 6:48 AM] i still think you guys need to relax
[Hanta; 6:48 AM] if he was sick, i don't think he'd tell us over text
[Mina; 6:49 AM] he has three more minutes, then I release the hounds
[Mina; 6:52 AM] ok, times up
[Mina took a screenshot; 6:52 AM]
[Hanta; 6:53 AM] oh boy
Okay, now Katsuki feels a little bad. Slightly. Just a bit. He sorta understands where Mina's coming from. If someone like, say, the hag had sent him a message like that in the dead of night, he would probably assume the worst too.
However, his wariness only grows as he opens the next series of notifications, which come from class 1A's group chat.
[Pinky uploaded 1 image]
[Pinky; 6:53 AM] has ANYONE heard from bakugou? he went dark after sending this
[MindJack; 6:53 AM] well that’s a little weird but I haven’t talked to him.
[Tsukuyomi; 6:59 AM] I have not heard from him. The last time we spoke was the day before he went home for the weekend.
[Deku; 7:05 AM] KACCHAN?
[Deku; 7:05 AM] @Dynamight
[Deku; 7:05 AM] @Dynamight
[Deku; 7:06 AM] @Dynamight
[Deku; 7:06 AM] @Dynamight
[Red Riot; 7:09 AM] I just woke up to so many messages
[Red Riot; 7:09 AM] BRO?
[Red Riot; 7:09 AM] @Dynamight
[Ingenium has locked the chat; 7:10AM]
Great. Mina really did call in the big guns. Katsuki switches back to the group chat with just his squad.
[Eijirou; 7:10 AM] HELLOOOO
[Eijirou; 7:10 AM] Why did Iida lock the chat??
[Hanta; 7:11 AM] maybe because it's a saturday morning?
[Denki; 7:12 AM] kiri, call me!
[7:26 AM; Call Ended - 14 minutes]
[Eijirou; 7:26 AM] I'm not saying Denki is right but I AM saying I don't like this
[Mina; 7:26 AM] THABK YOU
[Hanta; 7:28 AM] oh for gods sake
So Sero, at least, has some common sense and isn't losing his mind like the rest of the idiots. With the class chat locked, Katsuki turns his attention to several direct messages. He started with the earliest ones, which began when Mina posted her screenshot.
[Denki; 6:57 AM] kacchan, you’d tell us if you were sick or something right? or if you were hurt? or in danger? or if you need a hug? right?
[Denki; 6:57 AM] i’m starting to freak out, please be okay
[Hitoshi; 6:58 AM] Hey man, you good?
[Hitoshi; 6:58 AM] I hope I’m just reading into things too much, but it’s not like I sleep normally in the first place, so if you need to talk or something I’m always around. Let me know.
[Izuku; 6:58 AM] KACCHAN
[Izuku; 6:58 AM] KACCHAN ARE YOU OKAY
[Izuku; 6:59 AM] Look look if this is about middle school
[Izuku; 6:59 AM] I forgive you. It’s okay
[Izuku; 6:59 AM] Just don’t hurt yourself or anything okay? DON’T
Katsuki doesn't really like that that is where Deku's mind went. Another twinge of guilt strikes him, though it's tempered by his growing exasperation.
Deku, however, doesn't seem to be alone in thinking that Katsuki's message was indicative of some kind of crisis.
[Fumikage; 7:00 AM] Bakugou, you do not strike me as someone to give in to the darkness easily. However, we all have our demons. If yours are speaking to you, do not listen.
[Tenya; 7:10 AM] Bakugou-kun, I hope you are well. Please forgive me if I've interrupted your sleep, but Ashido-kun has shared with us the text you sent and
[Tenya; 7:11 AM] And I would appreciate knowing you are alright.
[Eijirou; 7:12AM] Bakubro I’m so sorry I was dead asleep please call me
[Eijirou; 7:12 AM] I love you too man
[Eijirou; 7:14 AM] PLEASE wake up
[Eijirou; 7:17 AM] Please be sleeping
[Toru; 7:19 AM] bakugou! that was so sweet of you to say! everyone’s kinda panicking, though, so maybe you should wake up and tell them all to calm down?
[Mezou; 7:20 AM] Bakugou, please message the group chat when you wake up and it is unlocked.
[Tsuyu; 7:20 AM] Bakugou, you’re probably asleep, but I’d like to hear from you when you wake up, kero.
[Yuga; 7:23 AM] mon ami, are you well? your declaration was moving. magnifique!
[Mashirao; 7:25 AM] hey how are you? we don’t really uh…talk much, and you probably turned your phone off, but I’d like to hear from you. we all would.
[Rikido; 7:25 AM] Hey Bakugou, when you get back to the dorms, want to try creating a spicy dessert? I can look up recipes online over the weekend. Let me know!
[Kyouka; 7:30 AM] dude, props on stressing everyone out on the weekend lmao
[Kyouka; 7:31 AM] just give us a sign of life soon so they can stop freaking
[Momo; 7:31 AM] Good morning, Bakugou. Some of the class are whipping themselves up into a frenzy. I would like to know if their cause for alarm is genuine. Please respond.
[Ochaco; 7:33 AM] Deku-kun is freaking out. I've sicced him on Iida to stop him from rushing to your house, but there’s only so much I can do before he breaks down your door.
[Shouto; 7:37 AM] Bakugou. Answer us. If you are asleep, then wake up.
[Shouto; 7:37 AM] Please.
[Kouji; 7:46 AM] Morning! How did you sleep last night?
This is ridiculous. Katsuki rolls over and shoves the phone under his pillow, which he then buries his face into.
They’re all being idiots. He’s not dying, he just felt…he’s not sure why he sent that message. It was a moment of weakness. He should be angry that everyone seems to think it’s more likely that he’s bleeding out somewhere.
And yet, all he can feel is a little warm and fuzzy as he replays everyone’s messages through his mind.
They’re worried about him.
His phone vibrates again once. Then, after the briefest pause, it lights up and buzzes ceaselessly. Katsuki pulls it out and opens the class group chat again. He watches the messages stream in real-time.
[Ingenium has unlocked the chat; 7:50 AM]
[Red Riot; 7:50 AM] Dude that was not cool
[Ingenium; 7:51 AM], I apologize, Kirishima-kun. I was merely trying to avoid waking the rest of our classmates. Midoriya-kun has…explained the situation for me.
[MindJack; 7:51 AM] yikes
[Ingenium; 7:51 AM] In any event, I am sure Bakugou-kun is perfectly fine.
[Invisible Girl; 7:51 AM] okay but I still think this is actually really sweet? awww. he does care.
[Red Riot; 7:51 AM] Yeah, super manly
[Red Riot; 7:51 AM] Kinda wish he’d pick up the phone though
[Pinky; 7:51 AM] midoriya, you’re the bakugou expert
[Pinky; 7:51 AM] how worried should we be?
[Deku; 7:51 AM] Well…
As Deku begins typing what is bound to be a small essay, his phone vibrates again. Masking the soft, fluffy feeling in his chest with a scowl, he exits the group chat to see who’s trying to reach him again. The text belongs to a recent string of messages from a number he doesn’t recognize.
[Unknown Contact; 7:51 AM] Bakugou, this is Aizawa. Shinsou advised me to reach out to you. Call me as soon as you are able.
[Unknown Contact; 7:52 AM] Midoriya called to leave a voicemail. Whatever is going on, he’s practically in hysterics over it. I don’t even know how he got my phone number.
[Unknown Contact; 7:52 AM] I have just returned from an all-night stakeout. My patience is already at a record low. Do not make me set the other problem child loose on you.
Was everyone's plan to just unleash Deku as if he was some kind of bloodhound?
Regardless, this was getting out of hand. Katsuki fires off a quick affirmative to Aizawa before returning to the group chat.
[Dynamight; 7:53 AM] Holy fuck, remind me to literally never say anything nice to any of you ever again.
Instantly his phone buzzes and the screen displays an incoming call from Deku. Katsuki sends it to voice-mail.
[Deku; 7:54 AM] KACCHAN ARE YOU OKAY??
[Cellophane; 7:55 AM] oh thank god
[Red Riot; 7:55 AM] Bakubro!!
[Denki; 7:55 AM] dude!! what the hell!!
[Pinky; 7:55 AM] BAKUGOU KATSUKI YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE AND I AM GOING TO MURDER YOU
[Shouto; 7:56 AM] I am glad you are not dead.
[Katsuki; 7:57 AM] You can blame Alien Queen over there for that, I had nothing to do with this. I'm alive. Case closed. Now let me have my weekend in peace.
His obvious ending of the conversation falls on deaf ears as the rest of the class pours into the group chat to express relief, amusement, or both over the whole situation. Katsuki is content to sit back and let them freak out now that he's cleared up the confusion. He absolutely does not reread and reply to every single direct message, even if it's just a single-word response. He does not reflect on the fact that there are way more people than just his primary group of idiots who care about him, and he does not admit to himself that he’s touched over everyone in the class taking the time to reach out to check in on him.
Nope.
The next time he gets the inane urge to be sentimental at three in the morning, he's going to remember this as a lesson. His classmates are a bunch of morons—but they are, without a doubt, his morons.