Work Text:
Denki had been weird today. Bakugou had noticed that.
He was especially quiet this morning, didn't laugh at Kirishima and Sero's dumb jokes. Was spaced out during class, and he skipped lunch. He wasn't at his top performance during their training, either.
He hated to say it, but Bakugou was worried. He wasn't one for soft, or comfort- but, God, he hated seeing Denki like this.
He wasn't laughing at all today, and he wore this fake smile that didn't reach his eyes. His shoulders were sagging yet tense at the same time. Bakugou hated how perceptive he was sometimes, but atleast he could figure out what was wrong with Sparky before it got worse
Obviously, but not because he cared or anything, he wanted to check up on Denki.
He wanted to make sure what was bothering him never upset him again.
...
It didn't take long for Bakugou to finally go to Denki's dorm room. He didn't wanna be spotted by any of his classmates that may be looming around the dorm. He was treating it like some top secret mission.
Once getting to the door, stalling for a few moment, he gave a hard knock on the door. Something that he knew would get the idiots attention
Soon enough the door creaked open, half shut but just enough for Denki to peek his head out. Bakugou took it as a chance to analyze how the other looked.
The rims of his eyes were red and puffy- and his hair was messed up with strands sticking out in random parts. There was more to it- but there was something else he couldn't quite name. He just looked overall... sadder.
"Sup, Baku."
"Sup? What's up with you??"
"No idea what you mean."
Bakugou pushed the door open all the way, barging in the room. Denki didn't put too much thought into it though, just closing the door behind him with the click.
"You know EXACTLY what I mean! Your ass has been weird all fucking day!!"
"You're going to have to explain a bit better than just... weird."
"Fuck- YOU'VE JUST BEEN WEIRD! You barely laughed at shitty hairs jokes at all today, you skipped breakfast, didn't pay any attention in class, and you didn't even try in training! What is wrong with you today??"
"...You wouldn't care to hear it."
Bakugou stopped again, hands letting out small pops in frustration. Before he let out a tsk, walking over and sitting down onto the edge of Denki's bed roughly. Slapping the spot next to him- trying to get the other to sit next to him. Denki, once again, didn't question it. Just went over and sat next to him again.
It was weird, usually Kaminari was so calm next to him, like he trusted Bakugou with his life. Now he was tense, uncertain. Visibly upset. He was shit at hiding it.
"Sparky, do you think I'd fuckin' come here just for you to not let me hear it?! I don't go out of my way to check on you just for you to NOT TELL ME!!"
"...You're being oddly sweet. Fine- fine. I'll tell you. Only cus you came all this way to see if I was okay. But don't blow my room up just because you didn't like what you hear..!"
Denki's head turned away, not looking Katsuki in the eyes anymore. His free hand going up to clench a chunk of his own hair.
"You know that... preppy guy from class 1-B? Mono something? The one always saying his class is better than ours?"
Bakugou listened- of course he did. Clenching his fists as he heard the other talk. Obviously he knew that student. Monoma. He was a jerk who thought that talking down to everyone was the best thing in the world. He was similar to Bakugou in a way, but he still hated him.
"Yeah- yeah I know him. Go on."
"Uh, well. I bumped into him before class started, right when I was walking to our classroom, right? He, he recognized me. Went on with his usual 'CLASS 1-A SUCKS! CLASS 1-B IS THE BEST!' I didn't think too much of it! He always talked like that!"
Denki paused again, tugging onto his hair.
"Well, then he started targeting me specifically- not-not just the class as a whole! And, you know, I wasn't exactly expecting how much he actually knew about me-. He said I didn't deserve to be in UA, such a prestigious school. He said I couldn't control my quirk, how I was the worst in the class. And then he called me an idiot! Stupid! Because I fail all my classes, tests, assignments. I-I don't know- I guess I just let it get to me."
Denki finally stopped himself. Looking down at the ground like it owed him something, though his vision was blurry with the tears in the corners of his eyes.
But, Bakugou had had enough. He took a hand up, reaching for Denki's and grabbing his wrist. Pulling it gently from his hair before looking over at Denki again.
"Did he say anything else. Anything specific."
His voice was calm, something that was almost scarier than him yelling.
"I don't remember anything specific. It was a bit of a blur."
Bakugou let go of his hand. Paused for a second before swiftly standing up, practically marching towards the door.
'Nobody can fucking talk to Kaminari like that.'
But before he could even get that far- he felt a hand on his arm this time. A shaky hand grabbing at his wrist and holding it like a lifeline. When he turned back he was faced with Denki again.
"Wait- wait, Baku, where are you going..??"
"Where does it fuckin look like I'm going! I'm going to blast this fuckers face into the floor!!"
Bakugou ripped his hand back from him, but didn't quite leave yet, he just turned around to face Kaminari fully.
"Bakugou, seriously. Calm down for a second, okay? Don't go talk to him."
"Please..?"
The please he added on at the end did something to him. He wasn't telling him- or even asking- Denki was begging at this point. He hated to see it. Kaminari shouldn't be begging, he should be laughing, smiling. Not upset.
But how could he calm down? When someone insulted his friend straight to his face? Crushing what little pride Denki had left like it was nothing? Fuck, he couldn't just stand there and do nothing about it.
Bakugou didn't like how nervous he looked either. He looked small. Like he believed every word of what Monoma said to him. And that pissed him off even more- because Kaminari should never feel like he was less than. He was pissed at the fact that Monoma's words actually upset him so bad.
Denki took the smallest step forward. Shy, scared.
"It's okay, really! I don't wanna cause a scene, or start a fight over something so small. It's nothing-"
Something in his chest tightened. Small? Nothing? This wasn't either. His friend was personally humiliated and he was just shrugging it off like nothing? Like he deserved to be talked down to...? He couldn't stand it at all.
Without thinking, Bakugou grabbed Denki by the shoulders, roughly. Like he didn't care.
"Seriously?! NOTHING?! Kaminari- this isn't fucking nothing!! That bastard called you weak- he said you didn't belong in this school! And you're telling me- you're telling me to not go do something?"
Denki just... stood there. The tears in his eyes already weld up began to fall, and he let out a gross, choked sob-
Bakugou didn't let it last much longer before he pulled him into a hug. A tight one, something supposed to be grounding. He soon after felt Kaminari's head fall onto his shoulder and his shaky arms wrapped around his torso. Gripping his shirt tightly as his shoulder started to soak with his tears.
Bakugou really, really hated seeing Denki like this. He was going to make sure that god damned Monoma regretted breathing-
(He heard Denki's let out a cry again.)
...But that could wait. He had to make sure Denki was alright first. Denki was more important than anything. More important than friends, or school, or even going to beat Monoma into the dirt like the trash he was.
He had to make sure Denki was okay first.
Bakugou let a hand come up to, gently, uncharacteristically, run his hand through his hair. The other arm holding him almost painfully tight.
"You're stronger and smarter than that bastard will ever be. You hear me, Kami? That dick has no clue what he's talking about."
"...You mean it?"
"Of course I do, Sparky. I'm not a damn liar."
"Good- I. Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I'm just reminding you how fuckin amazing you are."
And Bakugou would remind him as many times has he needed to.
Because whatever this feeling he felt for Denki-
It overpowered all that damn hate he felt.
He could be soft.
But only for him.