Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Bakugo knew he was feeling weird when he woke up, but he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. Normally if he didn’t feel good, he’d either push through it, or tell Aizawa that he couldn’t go to class depending on how bad it was. However, this time he didn’t feel bad per se, just weird. So, he decides to go on about his day while trying to pinpoint what’s wrong. His head is starting to hurt, and his whole body feels kind of weird though that might just be the lightheadedness.

Bakugo was up before everyone else which isn’t uncommon since he normally gets up at least an hour before everyone else so he can go for a run and get a shower before eating and heading to class. He wakes up at his normal time, decides to ignore his headache until he’s eaten so he can take something, then gets ready for his run. However once he gets down the stairs, he’s suddenly on the floor.

What the hell? Did I just fall? I don’t remember hitting the ground.

He forces himself up onto aching joints. He probes along his hairline just to make sure that he didn’t hit his head, and that he’s not bleeding. It isn’t until he gets to the kitchen that he realizes he lost almost the entire hour that he normally has for his run. He blinks in surprise, wondering what is going on. Then he goes to Aizawa’s room and knocks on the door. He doesn’t answer, so Bakugo heads back to his room.

He must have already gone to class. I guess I’ll have to pull him aside and talk to him there.

He changes clothes and gets back down the stairs right as everyone else is eating breakfast.

“Are you alright, Bakugo?” Mina asks.

Bakugo just shrugs as he grabs a protein bar. Maybe not the best breakfast, but he’s already starting to feel a little sick, so he decides to stick with it. After that he plops down on the couch to wait until he can reasonably go to class. The next thing he knows is that Kirishima is shaking him.

“Hey, man, class is about to start. Did you not sleep much last night?”

“I slept fine, why?” Bakugo asks, blinking slowly.

“Well you fell asleep in the common room, and you’ve never done that before.”

“Oh, ok.”

Bakugo forces himself to his feet.

“Are you alright? I know you just woke up, but you seem off.”

“I don’t know. I’m going to talk to Sensei when we get to class, but I’m not sure what’s wrong.”

“Oh,” Kirishima says, looking even more concerned.

Bakugo has never had no idea what’s going on when something is wrong with him. He’s usually very self aware. So, Kirishima walks next to him even though he’s walking slowly, and probably going to make them late to class. Mina runs up as they’re walking down one of the hallways.

“Hey, so there was a note in class that said that homeroom is being held in a different room. So we’ll need to head there,” she says, glancing over the two of them.

“Did it say why?” Kirishima asks.

“No, but I guess we’ll figure out when we get to the other room,” Mina replies with a shrug.

“Ok.”

Bakugo nods though the motion makes his head spin. He waits until it’s passed to keep walking, and Mina has already run ahead by then. Kirishima is still watching him like a hawk. They end up being at least fifteen minutes late because of how slow Bakugo is going, and the change in direction. Vlad and 1-B are there with the rest of 1-A. Aizawa is not there, and Vlad already looks pissed.

“Where’s Mr. Aizawa?” Kirishima asks.

“Nice you two to join us. He got an emergency call early this morning, and had to leave. So I’m stuck with you today.”

“Sir, I think Bakugo needs to go see Recovery Girl,” Kirishima says while Bakugo just stays leaning against the wall by the door.

“Stop that and sit down. I thought you claimed to be the best.”

Bakugo can feel everyone’s eyes on him as he sits down though he can’t bring himself to care about it.

“Kacchan are you ok?” Deku whispers, his hand landing gently on Bakugo’s shoulder.

Bakugo shakes his head.

“No, something’s really wrong.”

“Sir, I really think someone needs to take Kacchan to Recovery Girl,” Deku says, sounding a little scared.

Before Vlad can respond, everything goes pitch black. 

By the time class has actually started, and Mina is there without Bakugo or Kirishima, Deku is starting to get really concerned. Alarm bells are ringing in his head, making his heart pound with anxiety. Eventually Kirishima and Bakugo come in, and Bakugo looks like death warmed over. His skin looks pale and clammy, and he’s leaning against the doorway. He’s breathing quickly though they were moving really slowly.

Kirishima also looks scared, even more so when Vlad tells them to just sit down. Deku puts a hand on Bakugo’s shoulder and asks him if he’s ok. Deku can feel his heart start to beat faster at Bakugo’s answer.

“Sir, I really think someone needs to take Kacchan to see Recovery Girl,” Deku says, trying and failing to keep his voice steady.

Bakugo’s eyes glass over as Vlad tells Deku to shut up. Monoma stands up, getting everyone’s attention.

“I’m going to go get her and bring her back here. Just watch him until I get back,” Monoma says before racing out of the room.

Vlad looks annoyed until he actually looks at Bakugo. Then his face goes white too. Before he can say anything, Bakugo pitches out of his seat and Deku has to jump across his own desk to catch him before he hits the ground. Bakugo’s skin is cold to the touch and his heart is beating really fast. He seems to be struggling to breathe, and Deku feels his brain start to shut down.

“Kacchan?” he whispers, trying to remember what he should do.

No one else has moved and Deku suddenly feels incredibly alone. He looks back down at Bakugo, and something rings alarm bells in his head. It takes him a second to realize why, and when he does, he immediately feels like throwing up.

“He’s not breathing,” Deku says, even as he pushes his fingers against Bakugo’s pulse point to try to gauge how bad it is. It only takes a few seconds for what he said to sink in for everyone else, and by then he’s realized that Bakugo’s heart is not beating anymore. “He’s in cardiac arrest,” Deku says as he positions himself over Bakugo to start chest compressions.

Vlad comes over at that point, having been broken out of his stupor.

“Let me take over.”

“No, get away from him,” Deku hisses before leaning down to breathe for Bakugo once, then twice.

“Fine, someone take over for breathing when he tells them to. I’m going to call an ambulance,” Vlad says before walking to the other side of the room to make the call.

By the time Monoma comes in with Recovery Girl, Deku is exhausted, but still hasn’t managed to reestablish a heartbeat. Tears are dripping down his face, and his mind is racing a million miles per hour. Recovery Girl rushes over after saying something to Monoma that Deku didn’t catch.

“Keep up what you’re doing. Monoma is going to get a defibrillator and ECG. If you need to switch out with someone, do that.”

Deku nods, still managing to keep his breathing steady. He ignores the burning in his arms because there is no way that they’re going to pull him away from Bakugo. Monoma comes back much faster than Deku thought he would be able to, but by then he’s starting to wonder if anything they do is going to work.

He falls back as Kirishima gently pulls him away so Recovery Girl can get everything set up. His ears are ringing, and his vision is starting to waiver around the edges. He’s not entirely sure how long it takes before Recovery Girl says to put Bakugo’s legs above his heart. When he comes back into himself he can hear beeping, and he just stares at Bakugo, who doesn’t look any different than he did a minute ago.

Deku can’t even see his chest rising and falling, so he just looks away. Everything’s crashing down on him, and he’s having to force himself to breathe and not pass out too. The paramedics rush into the room, and Vlad ends up forcing all of the children out of the room and into the other side of the hallway so they’re not in the way. Someone is holding Deku up, but he isn’t even sure who it is. Vlad takes both classes back to 1-A’s dorms since he still has to watch all of them.

Deku almost immediately passes out on the couch, the adrenaline crash leaving no room for argument. He doesn’t wake up again until Aizawa taps his shoulder. He looks worn down, though Deku is sure that he doesn’t look any better.

“Midoriya, you need to get up. I just got back from the hospital and I have an update.”

Deku is up in a second.

“What happened?”

“Slow down. Kaminari is going to get Kirishima from his room, and I’ll tell all of you when they get back.”

Kaminari and Kirishima jog in and Aizawa motions for them to sit down.

“So what happened earlier?” Mina asks, her voice tight.

“Well, in short, Bakugo had a heart attack earlier. His quirk has caused a few blood pressure related problems before, when he first got it. However, they leveled out without him needing to stay on any medication long term. That did not stay that way. He had a major blood pressure drop sometime last night or this morning, and when it wasn’t treated right away, it ended up causing him to have a heart attack. We’re still not sure how his recovery is going to go, or what this means in the future, but his parents have promised to keep me updated. They said that I’m allowed to tell all of you whatever you want that we know already. Also, Mrs. Bakugo offered for me to drive you to hospital when I go back later, Midoriya. She said that your mom is also going to meet her there.”

Deku nods, though he feels numb. “Do they know if there’s going to be any permanent damage?”

“No, but it is a high possibility. Between the lack of oxygen to his organs from the low blood pressure, and the lack of oxygen from his heart stopping, it’s more likely than not that there will be some kind of damage to his brain, heart, or kidneys. They’re going to continue monitoring him to see if anything happens from here, and they’ll run tests when he wakes up. Though we’re not sure when that will be.”

Everyone is staring at him in shock and grief.

“I can’t promise that it’s going to be alright. However, his parents and I are doing everything that we can to make sure that he gets the best treatment that he can, and once he does get out of the hospital, we’ll figure out how to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. He’ll probably have a medicine regimen to follow, and we’ll update all of you on symptoms and warning signs. Someone will be keeping an eye on him, and we’ll figure out how to adjust his training. We just need to stay calm, and figure out how to deal with this together. Bakugo is going to need support if he’s able to keep coming here.”

“Wait, you mean he might not be able to come back to school?” Kirishima asks.

“Yes, that is also possible depending on if any of the damage to his system is permanent.”

Deku puts his head in his hands, almost as if trying to hide from everything that’s happening.

“I’ll let you guys process everything. I’m going to take a shower and make some food for everyone. Once I’m done with that, you all need to eat. If you have any more questions, or need anything at all, I will be here.”

Chapter Text

Aizawa finishes cooking soup for the kids right as the coffee pot beeps. He puts his head in his hands, even as he tries to force himself to finish what he’s doing. After a few minutes, Aizawa’s phone rings, forcing him to move. He slips it out of his pocket, and puts it up to his ear as he answers. 

“Shouta, I was just calling to let you know that Inko got here. She was wondering if you were coming with Izuku,” Mitsuki asks, her voice heavy and tired. 

“I’m not sure yet. They were still processing when I last spoke with them, but I haven’t asked Midoriya yet. I’ll text you once I get them food, and let you know what he says.” 

“Ok, thanks.” 

“No problem.” 

Aizawa hangs up, and pushes himself off of the counter. He calls the kids down, then starts setting the table. He makes himself coffee once he’s done with that. He drinks it as he watches the kids mill around, getting food, and sitting down. They don’t really talk, but they’re all accounted for. 

“Midoriya, when are you going to be ready to head out?” Aizawa asks, his eyes still downcast at his mug. 

“As soon as I’m done eating. So we can head out whenever.” 

Aizawa nods, reaching for his phone again before realizing that he left it in the kitchen. Once he gets it, he texts Mitsuki to let her know that they’re going to be there in half an hour. Then he refills his coffee. It’s quiet in the kitchen as he drinks his second cup of coffee. Normally he’d savor the quiet, but now it just feels sad and oppressive. Especially knowing that the kids are just in the other room. Midoriya appears in the doorway to the kitchen, holding his bowl. 

“I’m ready to go,” he says as he rinses it off. 

“Alright. Meet me in my car, and make sure that you bring your bag with you.” 

Midoriya nods, and heads back to his room to grab his bag. Aizawa rubs his eyes, then heads out to his car. He climbs into his car, and closes his eyes. He lets himself feel overwhelmed and sad, but only for the few minutes that it takes for Midoriya to come down. Then he straightens up, and makes himself put on his teaching face. Midoriya still looks devastated, and he doesn’t even try to look at Aizawa as he climbs into the car. Aizawa doesn’t even try to smile since Midoriya isn’t even paying attention. They don’t speak during the drive to the hospital, and Midoriya just mutters a quiet thank you when they stop. 

Aizawa does force a small reassuring smile onto his face then, sure that Midoriya really needs it. He lets it drop almost immediately as he puts a hand on Midoriya’s shoulder. He leads him into the lobby, where they run into Inko.

“Mom,” Midoriya says as she rushes over to them. 

She pulls him into a hug, and he instantly starts crying. She whispers reassurances, and rubs his back as she holds him. Aizawa looks away, staying for only a few seconds before walking towards Bakugo’s room. He flashes his hero license, just as he has each time he’s come to the ICU. Mitsuki is standing outside of Bakugo’s room, her eyes closed, leaning against the wall. She doesn’t open her eyes until Aizawa reaches her. 

“How’s it going?” he asks quietly. 

“Not great. I just don’t know how it got this far. I mean, we weren’t the most careful with him as a kid, but even in the height of his health issues, it never got this far. I mean, he had to have been acting off. All of his teachers should have read his medical files. I get that remembering that many files would be tedious, maybe even impossible, but some things are important enough to remember. Why wouldn’t this be one of them? Someone should have seen the warning signs,” Mitsuki rants, dropping off suddenly. 

She deflates. “I guess that’s not the most important thing though. The kid is, even though there’s nothing more I can do for him here. It’s just frustrating, knowing that I can’t help him.” 

“I can understand that to an extent. I don’t have any kids, but I’ve been taking care of kids for years. This class especially, and I can assure you that this never should have happened. This was a medical emergency, and it was not handled properly. I’m sure that UA has enough cameras and precautions set in place that we can figure out exactly what happened to Katsuki. There will be disciplinary action for whomever didn’t take care of your child properly. I know that it won’t help him, but you have my word that I will make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.” 

Mitsuki smiles. “I know you will. You take such good care of our children, and I’m sure I speak for all of us parents when I say, I’m very grateful for you. You’ve done more for them than any of us realize. Just know that this isn’t your fault. I know you only left for the morning, and were supposed to be back this afternoon. You couldn’t have stopped it.” 

Aizawa feels his chest tighten. 

I never should have let Vlad take my children without doing some kind of prep work. Making sure that he knew everything that he needed to so he could take care of them. 

Aizawa hangs his head, rubbing a hand across his eyes. “Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate the sentiment, and I just want you to know that I will be here for whatever you need. Anything that I can do to assist Katsuki’s recovery, or your family in general, I will do.” 

Mitsuki hums, a small smile on her face. “Thank you.” 

Aizawa nods. “I’m going to take care of some phone calls. Midoriya and his mother are in the lobby, so they’ll come up as soon as they compose themselves. If he ends up being too much, or causes any problems, just text me. I’ll be outside, so I can still come in, and handle it myself.” 

“Yeah, I was a little worried about that too. He’s a sweet kid, but very emotional.” 

Aizawa huffs. “That’s an understatement. Either way, I’m sure that I can diffuse any situation that arises if his mother is unable to. Now, if you don’t need anything else, then I’m going to get going on those calls.” 

Mitsuki nods. “I’m good, thank you.” 

Aizawa walks away, feeling even more tense than when the conversation started. 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so calm. Not that I really know her all that well, but… 

He sighs, heading out of one of the side exits so he doesn’t have to walk past the Midoriyas. He pulls out his phone, then dials Nezu’s number, planning to get updated about the investigation. 

Deku finally manages to dry his tears, the numb feeling beginning to creep back in. Inko is still rubbing her eyes, sniffling. 

“Ok, are you ready to go see him?” 

“Have you seen him yet?” Deku asks, wringing his hands. 

“Yes, I have. I’ll warn you now that it does not look good. Maybe it would be better if we stayed out here for a while,” Inko suggests, reaching out to lightly touch Deku’s arm. 

He shakes his head. “No, I have to see him. I can’t be a coward, not right now. Not with Kacchan. Not after I had to-” he breaks off at that point, his mind filled with the image of Bakugo’s lifeless body. His ribs cracking and breaking under Deku’s hands. 

“Sweetheart?” 

“Sorry, we can go now.” 

I just have to see him alive. I can’t leave without seeing him breathing. Anything is better than not breathing. 

Mitsuki is standing outside of Bakugo’s room when they get there, and she wraps her arms around Deku. 

“Hi, darling.” 

Deku hugs her back, knowing that he should say something. However, he’s entirely unsure of what to say, so he stays quiet. Mitsuki pulls back after a minute, and cups his face in her hands. 

“Do you want to come see him with me?” 

Deku nods, knowing that his voice will betray him if he tries to speak. Mitsuki leads him into the room, keeping a gentle hand on his arm. Bakugo is lying in the bed, still white as a ghost. His face is smooth except for the ventilator shoved down his throat to keep him breathing. His skin is almost translucent, and he’s completely still. A heavy blanket covers his legs, and there’s an IV taped to his hand. Deku glances back once just to make sure that Inko is there. She gives him an encouraging smile even though she also looks like she’s about to break down again. Mitsuki squeezes his hand, and Deku turns back to Bakugo. 

“Do we know anything new?” 

“No, not yet. They think we’ll know more about his recovery in the morning depending on how he is tonight.” 

Deku nods, slipping even closer. He lets Mitsuki’s hand drop, and she doesn’t fight him. He takes one more step towards Bakugo before stopping, and just watching him. Even if it’s artificial, his chest is going up and down. He’s breathing, and the heart monitor is beeping. It’s enough for Deku, and he can’t help the sigh of relief that escapes his lips. 

“I’m just so glad he’s alive,” Deku whispers, reaching out to gently touch the back of Bakugo’s hand. 

Bakugo doesn’t respond, and his hand is cold, but he’s alive. 

“Yeah, he is. I can’t promise that he’ll be alright, but he’s alive,” Mitsuki says, wrapping her arms around herself with a distant look on her face. 

“He’s still fighting, and right now, we can just be grateful for that,” Inko says, also stepping into the room. She grabs Mitsuki’s hand, giving her a reassuring smile. “Where’s Masaru?” 

“He had to step out. He kept breaking down, and I couldn’t… Not right now. I couldn’t handle it right now. He’ll be back soon. He just needed a minute to compose himself.” 

“That’s alright. You both needed a minute, and that’s ok.” 

Deku keeps his eyes on Bakugo as Inko and Mitsuki hug. He’s barely even registering their conversation. 

“Can I go get some food?” Mitsuki asks, glancing at Bakugo. 

“Yes, of course. We’ll stay here with him.” 

“Do either of you want anything?” 

“I already ate at the dorms. Mr. Aizawa had everyone eat before we left.” 

“I’m good, thank you,” Inko says, and Mitsuki nods. 

She leaves with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. 

“Where do we go from here?” Deku whispers, his fingers drumming against his leg. 

“We just wait right now. There’s nothing else to do. I know that sucks, but we just need to give his body time to bounce back.” 

“What if he can’t become a hero after this? He’d be crushed.” 

“We’ll figure it out. No matter what the damage is, we’ll work through it together. The best thing we can do is be there for him.” 

Deku nods, sighing. “I guess you’re right. We just have to wait and see what happens. Deal with things as they come up. No use worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, and might not happen at all.” 

Inko pulls Deku in for another hug, one that he simply accepts. He doesn’t hug her back, but he doesn’t pull away either. He does rest his chin lightly on her shoulder. 

Deku is outside when the doctor comes by to talk to Bakugo’s parents the next day. Masaru isn’t in there when he gets back in, and neither is Inko. He immediately notices, and notices how distraught Mitsuki looks. 

“Auntie, what’s wrong?” he asks, glancing at Bakugo. 

“We didn’t get any good news,” she whispers, looking down at her hands. Tears fill her eyes as she says it, an air of finality following her statement and devastated look.

“What did they say?” 

“There’s no sign of him waking up, and they don’t know why. They think he might be in a coma. They’re going to run tests now, but the earliest we could hear something is a few hours from now. That’s if there’s immediate bad news. They said that we probably won’t hear anything till the doctor is making rounds tonight.” 

“Is that why Mom and Uncle Masaru stepped out?” 

“Yeah, they had to cry together. I said I’d stay with him. Though I think your teacher is coming to pick you up soon. I know that you probably don’t want to go, but you need to take some time too. Just remember that.” 

“Yeah, I should probably take a shower, and try to get some sleep. Especially if we’re not going to hear anything for a few hours at least.” 

He glances at Bakugo, his heart clenching despite his own argument. I mean it was more for his own sake than Mitsuki’s in the first place. He sighs. 

“I don’t know if I can.” 

“I know it’s hard, but you have to take care of yourself too.” 

Deku nods, hanging his head. “I guess I’ll go when Mr. Aizawa gets here as long as my mom is back.” 

Aizawa shows up half an hour later, and Inko still isn’t back by then. “Midoriya, how are you?” Aizawa asks, looking just as exhausted as Deku feels. 

“Terrible, how about you?” 

“I’m fine. Are you ready to go home?” 

“Yeah, but we’ll need to find my mom. I want to let her know where I’m going, and that I’m going with you,” Deku says. 

As if on cue, Inko and Masaru walk in as soon as he finishes talking. 

“Mom, hey. Mr. Aizawa and I are going back to the dorms for a while. Will you be ok here?” 

“Of course I will, sweetie.” 

She gives him one last hug before Aizawa and Deku head out to Aizawa’s car. 

“Did Nezu tell you what happened?” Deku asks, breaking the silence in the car. 

“Yes, at least some of it. I can’t be sure that he told me everything, but I’m going to be watching the cameras myself later today. So he has no real reason to lie to me.” 

“What’re you going to do now?” 

“Talk to Nezu about how to handle the situation. It really depends on if Bakugo’s parents are planning to sue. It’s definitely a possibility, and the school will be taking different actions depending on which one ends up happening. Vlad will probably be terminated if this turns into a legal battle. It’d be easier to cut loose than to get UA involved in that too. If not, then it’s probably going to be a lot of disciplinary action, and a lot of classes. His teaching license will most likely be revoked until he completes all of the safety courses that Nezu decides he needs.” 

“I guess that makes sense. I just don’t understand how this happened. How did he get so bad so quickly?” 

“Well, it’s likely that he didn’t. It most likely started the night before, maybe even early that night. If he woke up feeling off, then it could have been going on the whole night without us knowing. If he didn’t, then I don’t know.” 

“I wonder what he was thinking that morning,” Deku whispers, his gaze still on his hands. 

“Don’t torture yourself like that, Midoriya.” 

“What if he was suffering the whole morning? I mean, he obviously knew something was wrong. He admitted out loud that something was wrong. How am I supposed to cope with the idea that he was suffering?” 

Aizawa sighs. “I won’t lie to you, he probably was. If he knew what was going on at all, it wasn’t pleasant. That won’t help you to think like that. What happened happened, and we can’t change that.” Aizawa pulls into the parking lot, then turns his car off. “You’re torturing yourself. You can’t do that, especially not right now. You need to keep it together. It’s ok to feel things, but it’s not ok to put yourself through the ringer.” Aizawa puts a gentle hand on Deku’s shoulder. “Do you understand me?” 

“Yeah, I get it. I know I shouldn’t, but it’s just hard. I can’t stop thinking about it.” 

“With what you had to do, that makes sense. Come on, let’s go talk to your friends. Isolating isn’t helping anything. Let them keep you out of your thoughts if you need to. Though long term, I think you should see a therapist.” 

Deku nods, and Aizawa climbs out of the car. Deku follows him all the way to the dorms. Kirishima, Mina, and Kaminari are sitting in the common room together. Mina is the only one of them still awake. She gives them both a small smile and wave. Deku waves back, and walks over. 

“Hey, how are you guys?” he whispers. 

“They’re exhausted. Neither of them slept, and only fell asleep about an hour ago. How about you?” 

“I’m coping as of right now.” 

“Bakugo?” 

“He’s not doing great, but we don’t really know anything yet.” 

“That makes sense.” 

Deku sits down in the recliner, his eyes starting to drift closed. 

“You look exhausted too.” 

“I am. It’s been a hard thirty-six hours.” 

“Dear Lord, has it been that long? Well, if you want to get some sleep, you’re free to. If not, we can talk for a while, or we can turn the TV on. It won’t wake them up as long as the volume is low enough.” 

Deku hums. “Yeah, I’d prefer to talk. Shows probably won’t catch my attention regardless of what kind it is.” 

“That makes sense. I started reading a new book.” 

Mina keeps talking, allowing Deku to talk whenever he wants to, but still filling the silence he leaves. Deku just listens mostly, feeling lighter as he listens to her talk.

Chapter Text

Aizawa leans across his desk as he watches the cameras. He watches as Bakugo hits the floor, and Deku races to his side. He can see the pure terror on Deku’s face as he checks Bakugo’s pulse, and how Monoma races out of the room with a tight expression. His own breath catches in his throat watching Deku have to do CPR on Bakugo, who is lifeless below him. 

“Ok, so what are we doing about this?” he asks, trying to keep his voice steady, but the anger comes through anyway. 

“I’m planning on speaking with his parents tomorrow morning. They said that they didn’t want to talk until they’d heard the full prognosis, and I respect that, so we’ll have a full meeting tomorrow. You can come, but if they want to pursue legal action, we’ll have to let Vlad go. If not, then we can work through this with disciplinary action, and lots of work. His teaching license will be suspended in the meantime.” 

Aizawa hums, sitting back in his chair. All of the emotions rush out of him in that instant, leaving him feeling tired and heavy. “I’m going to sit in on that meeting. I want them to know that they have someone fully in their corner, regardless of what they decide to do.” 

Nezu nods, though his face is tight. Aizawa can tell he doesn’t like that answer much, but he honestly doesn’t care. Nezu didn’t have to see the aftermath. In Aizawa’s head, Vlad should be fired regardless. He’s certainly never subbing for Aizawa again. Bakugo has a hard enough time asking for help, much less after being shut down. Even his other classmates tried to stand up for him, and that only serves to make Aizawa more angry. 

“I’m taking Midoriya back down to the hospital later today. My phone will be off during my time there, so don’t try to call me.” 

He walks out before Nezu can say anything else. He goes to sit in his own room, the only light coming from his glowing computer screen. It doesn’t do much to soothe his headache though, and he sits with his head between his knees, trying to ignore the throbbing as he tries to brace himself for bad news. He hopes that Bakugo is awake, and that he’s going to be fine, but he’s not going to delude himself into thinking that’s the only possible outcome to this situation. 

Finally, he’s pulled out of his thoughts by a soft knock on his door. He stands, grabbing a rubber band off of his nightstand as he walks to the door. He pulls his hair up, and swings the door open. Deku stands there, ringing his hands. 

“What can I help you with, Midoriya?” 

“My mom texted to say I could come back. Can we go a little early?” 

“Of course, let me get my shoes back on.” 

Aizawa pulls his boots on, and gathers his stuff. He shoves them in his pockets, and meets Deku out by his car. The ride is quiet again aside from Deku nervously drumming on the dashboard as he stares out of the window. Aizawa doesn’t mention it, keeping his eyes on the road. He climbs out, and they walk to the ICU together. Inko is standing in the waiting room, her eyes red from crying, and hands clasped together. 

“Baby,” she whispers, holding her arms open. 

Deku runs into her arms, sobbing softly. Aizawa looks away, going to find a seat. He doesn’t go with them when they go to Bakugo’s room. He ends up sitting there for the rest of the night, not seeing anyone until Mitsuki comes to find him the next morning. 

“You didn’t have to stay,” she whispers, sitting down beside him. Her hands come to rest folded in her lap.

“I know.” 

“I have that meeting this morning.” 

“I know.” 

“Will you come with me? Matsaru can’t.” 

“Of course. I can drive. When do we have to leave?” 

“In a few minutes, I just need to sit for a bit first.” 

Aizawa nods, aching to ask what the doctors said, but knowing she’s probably too fragile to talk about it right now. They already have to go to this meeting too, making tension even higher. Nezu is sitting in his office alone when they arrive. 

“I told Vlad to stay in his office in case you didn’t wish to see him,” he says, motioning to the two open seats. 

“If I saw him, I’d probably kill him, so that’s for the best,” Mitsuki says, her voice stronger than it’s been since Bakugo was admitted to the hospital. 

“Alright, I was wondering what your plans will be moving forward.” 

Nezu’s voice is careful, measured. Mitsuki’s eyes flash. 

“As much as I would love to sue all of your sorry asses, I have to focus on my son. So I won’t be pursuing legal action, but he will not be coming back to this school until you have gotten rid of that teacher, and if that leads to suing down the line, I will do that.” 

Nezu nods, his face serious. “We can arrange that. You won’t be looking for any compensation?” 

Mitsuki’s eyes fill with tears as she looks down. Nezu opens his mouth to speak again, but Aizawa cuts him off. 

“Nezu, what the hell? Stop it, she’s just trying to take care of her sick kid. You don’t get to pressure her, not after our part in all of this. This meeting shouldn’t have been so soon, and she needs time to process, and figure out what she wants to do. I know why you did this as soon as possible, because you wanted to pressure her while she was at her lowest, but that is not happening. Do you want to leave?” he asks, turning to Mitsuki, his voice a lot softer now. 

She nods, rubbing her eyes as harshly as she can. Aizawa takes her hands gently, and pulls her to her feet. He leads her to the car, giving her a chance to catch her breath by the door. 

The Night Before

Deku hugs his mom, crying softly. “I’m trying to be strong for him, but I can’t do it.” 

It feels reminiscent of the first night after Bakugo was admitted. It feels like a lifetime ago, even though it was only twenty-four hours. 

“I know, baby. It’s ok. You don’t have to be strong all the time. You know Katsuki wouldn’t expect that from you.” 

Deku sighs, tears still dripping down his face. “What if it’s bad news?” 

“Then we figure out how to help him. We learn what we need to do, and we take care of him. It’ll be ok, darling. He’s not going to be alone, never again.” 

Deku nods, straightening up. “We should go. Check on Auntie and Uncle Masaru.” 

Inko nods, pushing Deku’s hair back. She leads him by the hand to Bakugo’s room where Mitsuki is sitting beside Bakugo’s bed. He’s just as still as the last time Deku saw him, pale and so blank. Deku sits down beside Mitsuki, and holds her hand. They stay like that for some time until an older man knocks before walking in. 

“Hello, I’m Doctor Moreno, Katsuki’s doctor. I came to speak to his parents.” 

Mitsuki stands, pats Deku’s hand, and walks over to him. “Can we speak outside?” 

He nods, and they walk out together. It’s less than a minute before Masaru walks in. “Hello, Izuku, Inko. It’s nice to see you two.” He hugs Inko before taking Mitsuki’s seat beside Deku. “How are you doing, my boy?” he asks, and Deku pauses as though Bakugo will respond. 

Then he says, “Oh, I’m alright. Coping.” 

“Good.” 

He pats Deku’s arm before his eyes turn back to Bakugo. He watches him with startling intensity, but it does nothing to wake Bakugo up. Deku watches him too, but much softer. He watches Bakugo’s chest rise and fall, and the way his hand twitches every so often. Then Mitsuki walks back in, and everyone’s attention snaps back to her. 

“What’s the news?” Deku asks, his voice still quivering. 

“His heart is damaged, and they diagnosed him with hypotension. It makes him more likely to have another heart attack, or a stroke. He hasn’t woken up cause they think his heart isn’t pumping enough blood. They want to do an EKG to confirm, but we’ll have to step out for that. You don’t have to go far, but they’ll need the room.” 

“What does this mean in the long term sense?” 

“He’ll have to do rehabilitation, and be on medication. We’ll have to watch carefully for signs of a stroke or another heart attack, and the rest will depend on what they find. He’ll have to be careful, and watch his heart rate and blood pressure.” 

“Is there any chance he can come back to school?” Deku asks, the first to break the silence that stretches after she finishes talking. 

“No, there’s no chance of that. It doesn’t matter how well rehab goes, he’s not going to be ok enough for that. Not with the permanent damage to his heart.” 

Deku blinks, having asked the question, but still unsure of how to process the answer. “Wait, so his career is already over?” 

Mitsuki nods, trying to keep a brave face, but her lip is trembling. Deku nods, trying not to push her any farther. It’s not as though he’s fully understanding what’s being said anyway. He stands up. 

“I’m going to step out.” 

He pushes past them even as his mom calls his name. He finds the nearest bathroom, and locks himself in. It’s quiet, and he leans against the edge of the sink. 

Kacchan, please wake up. I can’t do this, I can’t handle it. 

It feels like forever, and no time at all before his phone starts buzzing. 

Baby, they’re done with Katsuki’s EKG, do you want to come back now? Please let me know that you’re alright, that’s all I need. 

Deku stares at the phone for thirty seconds before realizing he has to type his response. I swear I’m fine, Mom. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. 

He wipes the tears off of his face that he didn’t even realize had begun to fall, then splashes water on his face to get rid of the evidence. He wipes his face off with paper towels, and walks back to Bakugo’s room with his hands tucked into his pockets. Masaru is sitting with Inko, each holding one of Bakugo’s hands. 

“Mitsuki went to get dinner, she said she’d get you something in case you wanted it,” Masaru says, not looking up. 

Inko reaches her free hand out to Deku, who takes it, and sits beside her. He lets his chin drop to his chest, too tired to hold it up. He leans back in his seat, doing anything but thinking. Eventually he drifts off, despite trying hard not to. Light is streaming through the window and his neck feels like it’s on fire when he wakes up. He’s alone in the room with Bakugo, but it takes a few seconds before he realizes what woke him up in the first place. Bakugo’s eyes are squeezed shut, and he’s making small whimpering noises. The sound from Deku’s strongest friend is enough to break him. He runs a hand through Bakugo’s hair. 

“Hey, it’s ok, Kacchan. You’re alright, everything’s going to be ok. I’m here.” 

Bakugo wheezes slightly, and Deku wonders for a second if he should have been taken off the ventilator yesterday. Then his red eyes slit open. Deku almost smacks his head into the wall with how fast he backs up. Though he’s rushing back to Bakugo’s side just as quickly. 

“Kacchan?” 

Bakugo tries to speak, but nothing more than a strangled moan comes out. Deku presses the button for a nurse as he continues running a hand through Bakugo’s hair. 

“Shhh, you’re ok. Just a little longer, and someone will come in to help. You’ll be ok, I’ll make sure of it.” 

His eyelids flutter, trying to focus. A nurse walks in, and then calls for more help. Deku is pushed out of the room, leaving him a few feet away in the hallway with only the slightest feeling of warmth on his fingertips. He wanders off, not even guiding himself, but somehow ending up in the cafeteria anyway. Inko and Masaru are walking towards the door, holding food. 

“Izuku, what are you doing?” 

“Where were you guys?” 

“We were getting breakfast for you, and us. Mitsuki is with your teacher at a meeting with Principal Nezu. Why, what happened?” Inko asks, grabbing his hand. 

“Kacchan woke up.” 

Masaru almost drops the food in his hands. “He did?” 

Deku nods, and Masaru takes off. 

“He was in pain, and I called a nurse, but I don’t know what was happening.” 

Inko pulls Deku to a table, and sets the food down. She wraps her arms around him. “That’s good. He was awake. He’s bound to be in some pain, but they’re taking good care of him. Masaru is probably already there. He’ll be alright.” 

Deku nods. “I’m sure you’re right… I’ve just never heard him sound like that before.” 

“I know, I know, sweetie.” 

Deku blinks the tears out of his eyes, rubbing them for good measure. 

You need to be strong for Kacchan. He’s always been strong for you, so you need to get it together. He’s going to need you. 

“I’m alright, we should try to eat something, and wait for Auntie to come back."

Inko nods, motioning to the food on the table. Deku grabs a bagel, nibbling on it despite not really wanting to eat. He does because he knows that he needs to keep his energy and strength up. But despite how hard he tries, he can’t stop hearing Bakugo’s whimpering, and his stomach turns each time it plays through his head.

Chapter Text

Bakugo watches his mother pace around the room. The only people in his room are his parents, and his dad is watching him with tearful eyes. Mitsuki tries to keep pacing, but Masaru grabs her hand. Bakugo blinks. It’s been God only knows how long since he first woke up, but he’s been coherent and fully awake for two hours, and they’ve said nothing. 

“The EKG was fine, that’s why he woke up. It’ll be ok, we just have to talk to him.” 

“Can you guys not talk about me like I’m not here?” Bakugo asks, his voice gravelly. 

“Sorry, baby,” Mitsuki says, sitting down beside Masaru. 

“What happened? Can we start there? I feel awful.” 

They exchange looks, and Mitsuki sighs. “You had a heart attack.” 

“My blood pressure again?” 

“You always were a little too astute for your own good,” she mutters before continuing, “Your heart was damaged, and you’re going to have to do rehab. We don’t know how well it’ll ever function again. You were also diagnosed with hypotension, because of your quirk. That means the blood pressure issues are back again full time. You’ll have to watch it, and we’ll have to watch for signs of a stroke, or another heart attack. You’ll be medicated, which will hopefully manage it, but we have no way of knowing since it was your quirk that caused it.” 

Bakugo squints, wincing as the heart monitor beside him beeps faster. He closes his eyes, and takes a few breaths without thinking about what his mother just said, remembering his cardiologist from his childhood. Once the beeping has returned to normal, he opens his eyes. He turns his level gaze to Mitsuki, who seems more unnerved by his patience and calmness. 

“So you’re telling me that I was diagnosed with hypotension, which can cause a slew of medical issues down the line, and I have heart damage? How bad?” 

“Really bad,” she says, her eyes filling with tears. 

He blinks, reaching up to rub his eyes. “Damn, what does rehab look like?” 

“I don’t know yet, but I do know that no matter what happens, you won’t be able to go back to school. Honestly, even if all the damage was reversible, you still wouldn’t.” 

“The hypotension, I worked that out. What the hell am I going to do?” he whispers, the first bit of emotion creeping into his voice. He sounds quiet and defeated. 

Mitsuki reaches out to grab his arm, but Bakugo pulls away too fast. 

“Please don’t.” 

The beeping stays steady despite the tremor in his voice, or the slight tears in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry, we should have done something to prepare for this,” Masaru says, his hands shaking as he stares at them. It’s better than having to look his son in the eye as his world is crashing down. 

“Is Deku ok? Have you heard from Kirishima? They were both worried about me, and I need to know if they’re ok,” Bakugo interrupts. 

Mitsuki sighs. Of course he’s going to worry about them, taking care of everyone else to make his own issues seem smaller. 

“Izuku is outside in the waiting room with Inko. They’ve both been here basically the entire time. I haven’t heard from the rest of your class, but your teacher has been keeping them updated. Do you want me to get him?” 

“Yeah, but can you ask Aunt Inko to stay out there for a bit? I need to talk to Deku, and I don’t need them feeding off of each other. You know how they get.” 

Mitsuki nods, and physically drags Masaru out of the room while he stares at his shoes. Bakugo leans back, squeezing his eyes closed. His skin itches, begging him to get up, to move, to do something. He tries to ignore it, retreating back into his mind until a short knock pulls him back. Deku’s standing in the doorway, shaking like a leaf. 

“Kacchan?” 

“Come in.” 

Deku walks in, creeping closer slowly. 

“What are you doing, you idiot? Just walk over here, and stop acting like I’m going to bite you.” 

Deku’s eyes widen, but he immediately complies, walking directly up to Bakugo’s bed. 

“I thought you were still going to be out of it.” 

His voice is shaking slightly, and he reaches out to touch the back of Bakugo’s hand. Bakugo turns it, and Deku tries to move, but Bakugo is faster. He grabs Deku’s fingers, holding them there. 

“I’m ok. I feel ok,” Bakugo says, even though his chest hurts, his whole body feels heavy, and anxiety has his throat tight. 

Deku sighs, his shoulders releasing their tension. “I was so worried. I mean, I still am. Have you talked to…” 

“My parents, yeah. They told me about the hypotension and heart damage. All that shit,” Bakugo says, his voice detached. 

Deku looks at him closer. “And you’re ok?” 

“I already said yes. I haven’t processed my dreams being smashed yet, but I’ll run through whatever physical therapy I have to do. Then I’ll be able to get back to a somewhat normal life, though I do have to figure out what the hell I’m gonna do now.” 

“I’m here for you. Whatever you need, and so is everyone else. They’re worried, and want to make sure you’re ok.” 

Bakugo nods. “I’m not worried about that right now. Right now I want to focus on getting out of the hospital, so I don’t have a breakdown.” 

Deku nods. “But you have to make sure that this doesn’t hit you hard enough to land you in the hospital again.” 

Bakugo rolls his eyes. “I’m aware, thanks, Deku. You don’t have to be a smartass.” 

“I’m not trying to be, but I want to make sure that you’re gonna be ok, and repressing is not going to help. You need to deal with this, and I’m here to help, but I can’t do that if you block me out too.” 

Bakugo sighs heavily, the heart monitor dipping in rhythm. “I know, but I don’t know how to do that. I don’t want to give up. This has been my dream my whole life, and it’s not fair for me to have to give it up after everything I’ve been through.” 

Deku pulls Bakugo into a hug, not crushing, but tight enough to ground him. “I know, and it’s not fair, but it’s your reality. This would have happened sooner or later, but I wish the heart attack hadn’t had to happen for us to realize. This was inevitable, and you need to focus on healing, then we can look towards the future together.” 

Bakugo buries his head in Deku’s shoulder, tense and eyes squeezed shut. 

“Ok.” That’s all he says, and they stay like that for a while until Inko pokes her head in. 

“How are my boys doing?” 

Deku walks to his mother, and hugs her too. “We’re going to be alright, we just need to take time to process right now.” 

She nods, releasing him. Then she hugs Bakugo, and he can feel himself shaking. She’s comforting and steady, just like she always has been. Her gentle reassurances are something that have helped him in many desperate points in his life, something his mother could never give him. He still doesn’t cry, soaking in the comfort she offers. His chest doesn’t hurt so much, and breathing comes easier when she finally pulls back. 

“Hi, honey. How are you feeling?” she whispers, sitting down, and grabbing one of his hands. 

“I’m ok. Sore and tired, but better than it could be.” 

“You always were such a strong boy. I’m so proud of you, darling. Is there anything you need? Anything at all, tell me.” 

“Is there any way I can wash my hair? It feels horrible,” Bakugo says, leaving out the part about sweat sticking to his hair. He’s always been particular about that, needing to be clean as soon as he finishes training, or refusing to stay anywhere where the AC doesn’t work when it’s hot out. 

“I’ll go ask. You two stay here,” she says, grabbing Deku’s hand for a second before walking out. 

Bakugo closes his eyes, his whole body feeling heavy. He starts to drift off, only to be woken up when Inko opens the door again. 

“Hey, I got some supplies to wash your hair, but we’ll have to do it over this bowl since you can’t stand for too long. Does that work?” 

Bakugo nods, blinking sleepily. She gets everything set up, and maneuvers Bakugo. He doesn’t pull away, or even attempt to wake up any more than he already is. The water she uses is warm, and feels good on his scalp. Inko rubs the shampoo into each strand of hair, watching the bubbles. Bakugo leans into her touch as she does the same along his scalp. She also makes sure to get all of the dirt and sweat built up on his neck with loving care. Honestly, it’s not like anything Bakugo has ever had before, but he feels nothing but safe with Inko. 

His eyes close, but he doesn’t fall asleep. The position is a bit too uncomfortable, even as he balances on the line between awake and asleep. Finally she rinses his hair out, and holds the bowl out to Deku. He takes it, and heads to clean it, and give it back to the nurses. Inko pulls Bakugo into herself, leaning his head across her chest. She begins drying his hair with a softness that only a mother can have. Bakugo drifts off before she finishes. Sleep feels like drifting in an endless white void, voices overlapping each other. There are no sensations, almost like he has no body, or even mind to process with. 

Everything blurs together into white static. Then just as fast, he’s coming back into his own destroyed body with machines beeping in the background as the only noise around him. However, that only lasts a few seconds before he hears Mr. Aizawa talking outside of his room. His mom responds, both of them talking in hushed and worried tones. Bakugo turns on his side, moving the wires with him. He doesn’t want to listen to them, or worry about anything right now. So he stares at the wall, unmoving, and blocks everything out. He’s not sure how long he lays there before his mother pokes her head in, the door creaking loudly. 

“Honey, are you awake?” 

“Yes.” 

“Some of your friends are here, do you want to see them?” 

He turns, craning his neck way too far to be comfortable, so he can look at her. “You can bring them in,” he says after a few minutes of deliberating the pros and cons in his head. 

She nods before ducking back out. It feels almost like she couldn’t wait to get away from him, at least that’s what it feels like to him. Tears begin to sting his eyes, but he refuses to let them fall. If he hasn’t cried over his own state, he’s not crying over his mother’s emotional instability. The door practically slams open, and Kirishima crashes into the room. His eyes are wide, softening slightly when they meet Bakugo’s. Though Bakugo watches him take in the wires, the machines, and everything visibly wrong with Bakugo. 

“Hey, I’m alright. Don’t worry about all of that. It’s a precaution.” 

“Your mom told us about your diagnosis before we got in here. Are you going to be ok?” 

“Who’s we?” 

Mina appears in the doorway, holding a card. Her eyes are still slightly red and her hair looks like it hasn’t been washed in a few days even though Bakugo already knows that she was supposed to wash it the same day that everything went down. He can’t count how many times he would dry her hair with a soft cotton t-shirt while they worked on her homework together. He has all of the days memorized. 

“Hey,” she whispers. 

“That’s we. Hey, Mina. My mom told you guys already, so I guess we have to get that conversation out of the way… I know I can’t be a hero anymore. I’m coping right now, and that’s all that matters. I have lots of support, and I think we can figure this all out. First thing is recovering from this, and then we can worry about everything else. And I know that you’ll want to stay updated on everything even after I get my stuff from the school, so I can call occasionally,” Bakugo says, out of breath and tears pricking his eyes again. 

It feels like saying goodbye to some of his best friends, even if he knows that they’ll be there when he goes back to the dorms. Their lives might never cross again after that, and that makes the heart monitor spike slightly when he thinks about it. Mina and Kirishima exchange a look, both of their faces scrunched up. 

“Bakugo, you do realize that we’re all going to be there for you with everything, right? We’re not going to abandon you, because you can’t be a hero anymore. You’re still our friend, even after rehab, and even after you grow up to do whatever it is that you’re going to do,” Mina says, coming to sit on the edge of Bakugo’s bed. 

Kirishima is speechless, but nodding along with Mina. Bakugo looks down at his hands, scarred and calloused. It feels like his body represents his life pretty well at this moment. 

“But I can’t do anything for you. I’ll be so busy taking care of myself, and I won’t be a hero. I won’t be with you guys. It won’t be convenient anymore.” 

Mina grabs Bakugo’s hand between both of her own, pulling it into her lap. She traces the lines on his skin as she speaks, the scars, the wrinkles, and the veins. 

“Yeah, but it was never about convenience. You’re important to us. Not just the two of us either, all of us. You’ve had a positive impact on all of us. You’ve driven us to be better. You’ve tutored a lot of us, and trained late into the night on whatever we wanted to accomplish. You gave tips, and made food. You yelled at us about self-care. You’ve been good to all of us, because you’re a good person. 

That’s why we love you, and you don’t have to continue doing things for people for us to know that you would if you could. For us to know what kind of person you are. And that’s the kind of person none of us could imagine losing.” 

Kirishima sits down on Bakugo’s other side, his eyes distant. “You’ve changed all of us, and nothing that’s happened to you will make that any less important. Will make you any less important. In fact, most of the class wanted to come check on you, and they only didn’t, because Mr. Aizawa said that he didn’t want to overwhelm you. That you need peace to rest and regain your strength. You being able to get a license won’t change the fact that you are a hero, one I look up to.” 

Bakugo feels the first tear slip down his face, looking between Mina’s small pink hands, and Kirishima’s earnest face. 

“We’re not going anywhere,” Mina says, her voice small, but resolute. 

Bakugo chokes on a sob, and they both hug him. He cries into Mina’s shoulder, wondering how he could have thought that he would be abandoned again. As if him losing his usefulness to their careers will take away the positive impact he has on them. 

Chapter Text

Aizawa walks into Bakugo’s hospital room. It’s been a week since he’d first had visitors, but Aizawa has been so swamped with paperwork, and getting back to class that he hasn’t managed to catch him awake. That’s why he’s surprised to meet red eyes with his own half-lidded ones. He looks tired, sitting up in bed, but also slightly glassy and blank. 

“How are you doing?” he asks, his voice louder than he intended. 

Bakugo blinks, reaching up to his ears. 

“I’m fine,” he says, switching his hearing aids back on. “Processing. Deku left half an hour ago. He was crying again.” 

Aizawa hums, leaning against the wall. “Have you discussed your rehab options with your parents?” 

“No, they won’t even look me in the eye, much less have an actual conversation. I don’t understand it. My mother is never this timid. And yeah, I know, I’ve been a lot these last few days. I slapped Deku yesterday, and I thought my mom was gonna have an aneurysm.” 

“Why would you slap Midoriya? Don’t make me discipline you before you even get back to school.” 

Bakugo’s eyes darken. “Didn’t you hear? Mom said they already discussed every option with my doctor. There’s no way for me to work now. No physical stress…” 

Aizawa’s brow furrows. “Hm. You’re ok with that?” 

“Ok, not at all. I’m just… thinking. I gotta get medicated, and then I can rediscuss it. Figure out what I can do. There are lots of heroes with physical disabilities, this is no different. That’s why I slapped Deku. He thought I was taking it so well cause I was high off my ass. Then I blew up at him for bringing it up, and suggesting we look at career options together. He’s such an idiot. He spent his whole childhood talking about doing the impossible, and now he doubts me? Me? Ugh, I was so angry. I know I shouldn’t have hit him, but…” 

“I’m sure he understands. Honestly, I’m surprised he thought you were going to give up so easily. So, you said your parents already spoke with the doctor about your options?” 

Bakugo nods. “I want a second opinion. I know what he said, but I don’t care.” 

Aizawa frowns. “Ok, well, for now let’s not worry about that. You still have to get out of here first.” 

“I heard mom and dad arguing. Mom wants to send me to an inpatient rehab facility, but dad wants me to stay with them, and be treated here. She wants to send me away, and I can’t even figure out why. Aunt Inko doesn’t know either. She’s tried talking to her, but it didn’t do any good.” 

Aizawa hums, the pieces beginning to click together in his head, painting a very ugly picture. He doesn’t speak though, his eyes flicking to the heart monitor in worry. 

“Everything ok, Sensi?” Bakugo asks, his voice tight. 

The monitor beeps a little faster, and Aizawa smoothens out his face. “Yes, it’s fine. How are you feeling?” 

Bakugo’s face turns red, and he looks down. “I’m sore. I feel like my heart hurts, aching. I guess I’m ok, I’m working through it.” 

“That’s good, keep that positive attitude. Some soreness is to be expected. Your body went through a lot, but if anything feels wrong, tell one of the nurses. The call button is right here. If anyone is here with you, you can also tell them that you need to speak to a nurse, and they can get one for you. Our biggest priority is keeping you safe, and getting you healthy.” 

“Thanks, how have things been for you? I want to hear about something outside of this hospital room. I feel like I’m going to go stir crazy,” Bakugo says with a small laugh. 

Aizawa nods, though he wants to leave. To find out if he’s right, but he stays glued to his chair in the hopes that he can help his child even a little before leaving. Especially knowing he might not be welcome back when the day is over. 

“It’s been fine. The students are struggling with some classes, but I’ve gotten everyone on a good track. A few are seeing a counselor. They’re all doing what they need to.” 

“Good, I wouldn’t want them burying trauma or anything,” Bakugo replies sarcastically. 

Aizawa rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I know, we’re not the best with emotions, but we can get there.” 

Bakugo smiles at the causal use of the word we. “That’s an understatement.” 

“Mhm, I’ve been working with Mic as well on a big assignment the classes have coming up. It’s going to be quite a lot of work, and it’s a group project. I’m sure there are some people who aren’t going to be happy about that.” 

Bakugo smirks. “A lot of them. Especially 1-B. They don’t even seem to like each other.” 

Aizawa shrugs. “But that’s what I’ve been up to.” 

“Thanks for talking to me. I can tell you have something you remembered you had to do. So you should go.” 

Aizawa nods, standing back up. He pats Bakugo’s knee, forcing a smile onto his face. “I do, but I’ll be back, I just need to talk to your parents.” 

Bakugo nods, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watches Aizawa leave. Aizawa practically runs down the hall, heading to the coffee shop on the bottom floor of the hospital, knowing that’s where he’ll find them. His heart races, and he can feel his face heating up. Anger courses through him, and he’s barely able to keep his face regulated. 

Bakugo watches Aizawa leave, unsure of what’s going on. He came in seeming happy, but slowly throughout the conversation, something shifted. He was trying to make sure Bakugo couldn’t tell what it was, but something is definitely wrong. His face is tight, shoulders minutely hunched, face set, and his pace a little too fast as he walks out. Bakugo tries to push it out of his mind, but it ends up being all he can think about for the next few minutes before Kaminari and Jiro walk in together. 

Kaminari fidgets with a bracelet on his wrist, glancing around. He’s practically vibrating. It’s not uncommon for his trips here, but Bakugo still has no idea what about the hospital makes him so anxious. Jiro smiles when she sees him, taking her hands out of her skirt pockets. 

“Hey, what’s up?” 

“Nothing much. I talked to Sensi just now. He seemed off, have either of you noticed anything?” 

They share a look, and Kaminari shrugs. “I haven’t noticed anything. I mean, he’s stressed and tired, more overworked than normal. But he’s good at hiding that, and I’m sure he wouldn’t have shared that with you.” 

Bakugo nods, wincing as his head pounds. “I’m sure he wouldn’t.” 

“I didn’t notice anything either. He seemed excited this whole week to talk to you. Well, as excited as Sensi gets. Wanted to discuss rehab with you, what your thoughts are about everything,” Jiro adds. 

“And we talked about that… that’s when he got weird. But I only told him what my parents told all of you. I thought he would have talked to them already. I don’t know how he could go this long through my hospital stay without having spoken to my parents and doctors. He’s been very involved. Mom even said that, but she didn’t sound too happy. Probably wants to feel more in control than she is.” 

Kaminari twists his fingers into the string of the bracelet, stretching it, and turning his fingers an odd color from the pressure. 

“That’s weird. I did see your mom practically run in the other direction when she realized Sensei was behind me the other day. He came to see you, but you ended up being asleep. She was with Deku’s mom, and she seemed just as startled as I was, but neither of us said anything about it. It’s been a weird time. Do you think they’re fighting or something?” he ask, even though he seems to know that’s not a very plausible theory. 

Jiro leans against the wall, one finger twirling her right ear jack. “I guess.” 

“Not likely,” Bakugo replies, his heart speeding up. The ache is getting deeper, and he takes a long, deep breath. 

“Hey, it’s ok, man. We should talk about something else… like I actually don’t know. What wouldn’t make you anxious to talk about?” Kaminari asks, stepping closer. 

Bakugo can see how much more anxious he is than when he walked in, and nods. “How have classes been?” 

“Fine, not as good with half the class absent every day, but fine. The teachers seem spacy, jumpy. Watching us all pretty closely,” Jiro says. 

“They do seem a little anxious.” 

“Probably what happened to Vlad. They think the same thing is going to happen to them,” Bakugo says, his voice detached. 

“Well, that was Vlad’s fault,” Kaminari says quietly, as though he’s unsure of himself. 

Bakugo laughs. “It would have happened either way.” “But your heart wouldn’t have been so damaged. I think your parents are wrong to not pursue anything. You deserve better than this,” he says, dropping his bracelet to clench his fists. 

Bakugo turns to look at him, a blank smile on his face. “They won’t even look at me, they won’t acknowledge me. They don’t care, and there’s nothing that I say that will change that. They don’t have my best interest at heart, and do they love me? Probably, but it’s in the only way they know how, and that’s damaged and wrong. I don’t expect any better. They weren’t taught, and they never learned. It’s useless to want them to know what the ‘right’ choice is. 

And getting angry about that isn’t worth the time when I have to get better. What happened, happened. We can’t change that, and do I wish something would come from it, yes. Of course I do, cause it feels like I’m going through more suffering for no reason, but I am going to focus on getting strong again so I can fix my life. Not worrying about what my parents are doing.” 

Kaminari drops his eyes, shaking his head. “It’s sad that’s how it is, but you’re right. I shouldn’t be so pushy. Though I still wish things were better for you. You shouldn’t have to deal with all of this, but I know you. You’re going to come back from this, and you’re gonna come after all of us for not training hard enough while you were gone.” 

Jiro grabs Kaminari’s hand, a slightly panicked look on her face, but he pulls away, and continues, “I believe in you. I don’t care what anyone wants me to tell you about accepting your fate, or some bullshit, but you’re Bakugo Katsuki! You’re the strongest guy I know, and I know you’re going to be ok regardless of the odds.” 

Jiro slaps a hand over Kaminari’s mouth, gripping his wrist with her other hand, definitely hard enough to bruise. “What is wrong with you?! He’s already struggling to accept this, and you’re only going to make it worse!” 

Kaminari pulls away. “I am not making it worse! You guys are by trying to shove acceptance down his throat off the word of one doctor. What if he gets a second opinion, and it’s different? Yes, it’s good to be realistic, but I can trust him to do that himself. He can do that, and I can encourage my friend to not give up on everything during the hardest time of his life!” 

Bakugo watches this with tears stinging his eyes. The first one slips down, and his breathing hitches. There’s something about hearing someone, anyone saying they believe in him that breaks him. All he’s heard is that he needs to suck it up, or move on. To think about the future, a future that doesn’t bring him where he wants to be. Both of them turn to look at him, and Jiro elbows Kaminari. He winces, stepping forward. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things worse, or give you false hope. I don’t want you to lose your spark, and I’ve seen it happening since you woke up. I want this for you, and maybe it’s not possible, but it’s good to try right?” 

“Thank you.” 

Kaminari’s eyes soften, and Jiro looks away. Kaminari pats Bakugo’s shoulder. “Of course, man. You deserve support regardless of what happens, or who actually gives it to you. I’m here if you need me,” he adds after a moment, sounding unsure. 

Bakugo nods, rubbing his eyes harshly. “Can you guys give me a minute?” 

They both nod, and walk out. Bakugo puts his head down. Then his phone starts ringing, and he can hear Kaminari pause outside before he even fully shuts the door. Knowing he’s only worried, Bakugo ignores him, and picks up the call from Mina. 

“Hey, babe, what’re you doing? You up for visitors? We’re in the waiting room, and figured we would call to see if Sensei is still with you.” 

“You can come in a few minutes. I was taking a second to get myself together, but Sensei is gone.” 

“Well, you’re on speaker with Todoroki and Shinso. We’ll stop and get some coffee, and come up to you. Do you want us to pick up any pastries?” 

Before Bakugo can respond, he hears shoes slamming on the floor. 

“Guys!” Deku’s panicked voice calls. 

It sounds like Mina lowers the phone with a quiet, “Hang on, Blasty.” 

“What’s going on, Midoriya?” Todoroki asks. 

The door cracks open, and Kaminari peeks back in. “You good?” he asks, his brow furrowed in concern. 

Bakugo nods, turning his attention back to his phone. “I heard something, and I don’t know what to do.” 

“What is it?” Shinso chimes in, his voice calm and quiet. 

“Sensei was arguing with Kacchan’s parents, and he said they’ve been lying to him about his treatment options. That there are different things he could do, and they were only keeping from him, because they didn’t believe in him. And they didn’t deny it either! They literally told him it was none of his business, and started fighting about what to tell Kacchan. They said they were just trying to ‘keep him safe’.” 

Bakugo can hear the monitor’s beeping turn erratic as the blood pounds in his ears. The ache in his chest turns sharper, and his vision starts to spin. 

No, there’s no way they’d do that. They wouldn’t. They know how much I want to be a hero… but that’s why Sensei was so confused. He talked to the doctor, and mom and dad thought he would go along, or not realize. What the hell? No, no, no. 

Kaminari grabs his arm, speaking. Though Bakugo can’t read his lips with how his vision is wavering, and he can’t tell what he’s saying past the blood rushing in his ears. He tries to raise a hand to adjust his hearing aids, see if that would help, but his arm won’t move when he tries. All of the noises are starting to blur together, Kaminari turning into a blonde blur in front of him. Breathing becomes harder, and then everything goes white.