Chapter Text
The common room was unusually quiet.
Which, considering Kaminari Denki was involved, was saying something.
Bakugou Katsuki sat on one end of the couch, arms crossed, glaring at the television like it had personally offended him.
Sero was sprawled across the other couch, half-listening to whatever Kaminari was rambling about.
And Midoriya Izuku—
Midoriya was practically attached to Bakugou’s side.
Literally.
His arms were wrapped around Bakugou’s waist, his cheek pressed against Bakugou’s shoulder, and his legs were tucked against Bakugou’s.
Bakugou hadn’t moved in at least twenty minutes.
Mostly because every time he’d tried, Midoriya had followed him.
“You’re heavy, nerd.”
Midoriya only squeezed him tighter.
“Sorry.”
“You don’t sound sorry.”
“I’m not.”
Kaminari slowly lowered his phone.
Sero stared.
Bakugou’s eye twitched.
“Since when does Deku have the audacity to admit that?”
Midoriya looked perfectly content.
“I just want to stay with Kacchan.”
Silence.
Kaminari’s jaw dropped.
Sero’s eyebrows shot up.
Bakugou’s face went bright red.
“Don’t say shit like that!”
“Why?”
“Because!”
“Because why?”
“I don’t know!”
Kaminari immediately burst out laughing.
“Oh my God.”
Bakugou snapped his head toward him.
“Shut up, Pikachu!”
“This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Sero nodded. “Same.”
Bakugou’s glare intensified.
“Both of you shut the hell up.”
Midoriya merely snuggled closer.
Kaminari pointed at him.
“See?! He’s doing it again!”
“Doing what?”
“Clinging!”
“I’m not clinging.”
“You have both arms around him!”
Midoriya looked down at his arms as though he’d only just noticed.
“Oh.”
He tightened them.
Bakugou’s eye twitched again.
“Deku.”
“Yes, Kacchan?”
“Get off.”
“No.”
Bakugou stared at him.
Midoriya stared back.
For once, there was no nervous stammering. No awkward apology. No hesitation.
Just a stubborn, determined Midoriya.
“I like being close to you.”
Bakugou’s ears turned red.
Kaminari slapped both hands over his mouth.
Sero looked like he was trying desperately not to laugh.
“Okay,” Sero said slowly. “That’s definitely not normal.”
“No shit,” Bakugou growled.
The whole thing had started earlier that afternoon.
They’d been training outside when Midoriya had been hit by some kind of quirk.
Nobody had even seen what happened.
One second, Midoriya had been fighting normally.
The next, he’d stumbled backward, grabbed his head, and collapsed.
Recovery Girl had checked him over and found nothing physically wrong.
There were no injuries.
No burns.
No visible mutations.
And, most importantly, nobody knew what the quirk actually did.
All they knew was that Midoriya had woken up twenty minutes later—
—and immediately asked where Bakugou was.
When Bakugou walked into the room, Midoriya had practically launched himself at him.
“KA—”
He’d wrapped his arms around Bakugou’s middle.
“Kacchan!”
Bakugou had frozen.
Everyone had frozen.
And then Midoriya had refused to let go.
Now, several hours later, nothing had changed.
“Maybe it’s an affection quirk,” Kaminari suggested.
Bakugou looked disgusted.
“That’s not a thing.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that’s fucking stupid.”
Sero shrugged. “We’re talking about quirks. We’ve got people who can make explosions from their hands.”
Bakugou glared.
“You’re not helping.”
Kaminari leaned forward.
“Okay, question. Deku, do you know why you’re doing this?”
Midoriya thought about it.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you feel different?”
“A little.”
“How?”
Midoriya frowned.
“I just…”
He looked at Bakugou.
His expression softened.
“I feel safe with Kacchan.”
Bakugou immediately looked away.
“Whatever.”
Sero raised an eyebrow.
“You’re blushing.”
“I’M NOT.”
“You absolutely are.”
“SHUT UP!”
Midoriya giggled.
Kaminari’s eyes widened.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at him.
“What?”
Kaminari pointed dramatically at Midoriya.
“He’s giggling.”
Bakugou stared.
Midoriya smiled.
“So?”
“Deku doesn’t giggle!”
“I can giggle.”
“You’ve been replaced!”
Sero laughed.
Bakugou groaned and covered his face with one hand.
“This is going to be the longest week of my life.”
Midoriya leaned against him again.
“Can I stay with you?”
Bakugou sighed.
“…Fine.”
Midoriya smiled.
“Thank you, Kacchan.”
Kaminari and Sero exchanged a look.
Neither of them said anything.
But they were both thinking the exact same thing.
Whatever this mystery quirk was—
they had a feeling Bakugou was going to be dealing with it for a very, very long time.