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The worst case scenario for Kirishima had come to pass.
Bakugo was gone.
The League had successfully taken him.
When Mandalay psychically transmitted the news to everyone back at camp, they were all horrified and saddened.
Kirishima however, was devastated.
The moment the Pussycats’ leader finished speaking, he swore he felt his heart stop.
In the corner of his eye, Kirishima saw Mina, Denki, and Hanta looking over at him with concern on their faces. They knew the storm of thoughts that was going through his head simply by his distraught expression. He acted like he hadn’t seen them, instead just trying to focus on not crumbling onto the classroom floor or throwing up out of fear and shame.
Everything was a blur to him over the next few minutes as they all went to check on the injured and so Mr. Aizawa and Vlad King could speak to the authorities.
Kirishima watched with sad, nearly blank eyes as his fellow classmates had their injuries tended to while others were loaded onto ambulances, which included Izuku. Kirishima looked over at him. The green haired boy looked pained, but the redhead could tell it wasn’t just from his wounds. Bakugo had brought up his past with Midoriya a few times, but never went into too much detail. Kirishima had a feeling Bakugo didn’t want to talk about it, so he never pushed him for more, not even after recently learning the truth of Bakugo’s unpleasant history of bullying from his old school friends.
Once the teachers were done talking with the police, Mr. Aizawa said that the rest of camp was cancelled and that they would be heading back to the city tomorrow morning. But for now, they should go back to the grounds and get some sleep. The whole time the group walked back, Kirishima’s mind was racing.
”He’s gone.”
”It’s my fault.”
”I wasn’t there to protect him.”
“I’m a failure.”
Kirishima had hardly registered arriving at the campgrounds until he heard Mina behind him. “Kiri? You okay?” she asked in a concerned tone. Kirishima didn’t look back at her, staying completely silent. He felt Mina place a hand on his shoulder, but he aggressively shoved it off. A few more moments of silence passed. Kirishima could feel his friends’ eyes on him.
His body began to shake.
He hated this. Hated everything that had just happened. Hated the League. Hated himself.
He wanted to be alone. He needed to get out of here.
Without warning, Kirishima bolted into the trees, not looking back, even when he heard his friends calling out to him.
Mina, Denki and Hanta looked back at Aizawa, wordlessly asking for permission to follow Kirishima. He sighed. “Alright go, but the rest of you” he said turning to the other remaining students, “go inside and get what sleep you can.” At that, the trio ran in the direction Kirishima had gone.
After a short while of running and some footprint tracking, the three stopped, realizing they had already lost their friend’s trail. Denki had stopped to catch his breath when he thought he heard something.
thud
thud
“You guys hear that?” He asked Mina and Hanta. They all stayed quiet for a second as the sound resumed.
thud
thud
It was a pounding noise.
The three kids looked at each other before quickly running towards the noise. Denki glanced over at his friends and could tell they all had the same thought in their minds.
“Please don’t let it be the League again.”
“Failure.”
”Weakling.”
”Nothing’s changed about you since middle school.”
”How could you possibly consider yourself a Hero or even a real man after not being able to protect someone you care for?”
The same shame filled rhetoric repeated itself without pause in Kirishima’s mind as he ruthlessly slammed his hardened fists into the tree. Each hit represented either one of the many wonderful (and occasionally stressful) memories he’d made with Bakugo in the few short months they’d known one another, or the loss of the future memories that now may never happen. He didn’t care if he was leaving a sizable dent in its bark. It’d be a reminder to the world of the boy who lost his best friend possibly forever all because he hadn’t fought his teachers hard enough to go help him.
A dam of tears were streaming down Kirishima’s face, no matter how hard he tried to plug them from getting out. “St…stop.” He mumbled to himself. “Stop it, dammit! Stop being so weak!”
”Eiji?”
Kirishima froze. The tears finally stopped. He turned his head back to see what was left of the squad. They were standing a few feet away from him, all looking worried.
”What are you doing here? Please just…go. Leave me alone.” he almost begged in a tired voice. “No way man.” Hanta said. “Not when you’re like this.” Kirishima looked away. He loved his friends, but all he desired at the moment was to sit with the guilt he knew he so rightfully deserved to have.
But instead, he heard grass softly crunching under feet as his friends walked over to stand by him. “Kirishima…” Mina said softly. “You can let it out.” Kirishima turned around, his eyes cast downward. His friends silently looked at him before Denki spoke up. “You know, you’re always telling us that it’s manly to not hide your feelings and have a good cry. Heck, I’m sure even Crimson Riot would agree.” Kirishima finally looked up, eyes wide, lips quivering and shoulders shaking. It only took a second before he collapsed onto Mina, letting himself fully cry at last.
Mina held onto Kirishima and guided him to sit on the ground with Hanta and Denki following suit. As he cried, Kirishima started talking again. “It’s my fault! He…he’s gone because of me! I…I wasn’t with him!”
“We all wish we could’ve been there to help.” Mina said as she rubbed Kirishima’s back. “But I’m Bakugo’s best friend!” Kirishima attempted to counter. “Friends are supposed to…to look out for each other and I didn’t! I’m not Hero material! I’m just a coward and a terrible friend!” Denki then touched his shoulder. “Dude, stop. You’re spiraling. And you’re not a coward or a terrible friend.” Kirishima lifted his head up, confusion evident on his face as Denki continued. “You were the only one out of all of us who were ready to throw hands with our own freaking teachers to go stop the League. You really think a coward would do that? Or a bad friend?”
Kirishima was silent before looking down again. “But…he could be dead.” Hanta then piped up. “C’mon man, it’s Bakugo!” he exclaimed. “You seriously think a guy like him would go down that easily?” Kirishima smiled sadly at the thought of the League having made a grave mistake if they thought his friend was going to give in to their demands just like that. He finally seemed to be taking all the squad’s words of reason into consideration. “No…I guess not.” He said with a sniffle. Mina, Denki, and Hanta then hugged Kirishima. “They’re gonna bring him back Eiji.” Mina whispered. “I know it.”
As the squad held onto him, Kirishima began to cry again, but now it wasn’t solely out of sadness or grief. It was for the fact he had such amazing friends like them in his life.
A few more minutes passed before Kirishima felt ready to go back to camp. Mr. Aizawa was still outside, having waited for them to return. Once he made sure Kirishima was doing better, (as better as could be expected of course) the four kids went to their sleeping quarters. Mina helped Kirishima get ready for bed and once again assured her old friend that the Heroes would get Bakugo back. The squad all bid each other good night before settling into bed.
While Denki and Hanta fell asleep rather quickly, Kirishima lay on his sleeping mat, still wide awake with a few fresh tears tracing his cheeks as he looked over at the empty mat beside him that Bakugo had occupied just a night ago. Although his friends had comforted him, which Kirishima was immensely grateful for, he still couldn’t stop thinking about Bakugo and what god awful things the League of Villains could be doing to him. He then recalled what Mina had told him. That the Heroes would save Bakugo. While Kirishima was certain they would, he now refused to stand by alongside his guilt. He had to do something.
Then, the redhead got an idea. One that was ridiculously crazy, but if pulled off right, the end result would make it all worth it. The Pros weren’t going to be the only ones to save Bakugo. He would.
Bakugo was his friend. Even if his capture wasn’t Kirishima’s doing, even if he hadn’t received his Hero License yet, he wanted to save him. Kirishima wasn’t an idiot. He was fully aware that doing this would involve breaking international Hero law.
But he didn’t care.
Because when you have a friend who’s in trouble, you help them anyway you can.
There were no more tears anymore. The feelings of devastation had now been overrun by unwavering determination.
As the young Sturdy Hero slowly drifted off, he had one last thought. A desperate, but hopeful wish that he prayed whatever higher being was out there would hear and somehow send to his explosive friend.
“Please hang in there Bakugo. No matter what it takes, I’m coming to get you and bring you home.”