"Bakubro, stop! You don't want to see him like this!" Kirishima screamed as he attempted to hold Bakugo back with the help of Uraraka, Ojiro, and Yaoyarozu.

"LIKE HELL I DON'T!" Screamed Bakugo as he pushed them all towards the wreckage, dragging them across the bones of a hundred buildings like a linebacker, "MOVE OR I'LL FUCKING MOVE YOU!"

They continued to try and push him back, but their strength was barely a match for his when he wasn't hyped up on adrenaline. He was moving forward, but not nearly quickly enough so he used an explosion to knock them all back and push himself up in the air over their heads. Bakugo landed and didn't give a second thought to whether or not he may have hurt his friends. It didn't matter. Nothing else mattered. He immediately ran towards the catastrophe ahead of him, jumping over fallen beams and small fires to get towards the location where he had seen the flare go off.

Deku's flare.

He rounded the corner of another brick building when he saw what he had feared most, stopping him dead in his tracks several meters away from the scene. Blood. So much blood. Bakugo had never seen so much blood. The villain was apprehended and being flown out of the area by Hawks as several medics, All Might, and Todoroki kneeled over the top of Deku. One of the medics was doing chest compressions and the other was putting pressure onto a wound in his lower abdomen. Each chest compression caused more blood to escape the wound and seep onto the rubble below them.

He couldn't see Deku's face. He needed to see Deku's face. He tried to step forward but his feet wouldn't move.

Feet. Why could he see Deku's feet? Where were his shoes. He loved those shoes.

His entire hero costume was practically burned off him at that point. How did this happen? Why didn't Deku ask for backup? Bakugo already knew the answer to that before it finished crossing his mind. If Deku thought the situation was too dangerous, he wouldn't want to get anyone else involved. Deku was a self-sacrificial asshole and right then, Bakugo hated him more than anything in the world for it.

He took a step. And another. And in a flash he was rushing into the scene in front of him until Todoroki turned toward the noise and immediately jumped up, charging at Bakugo and pushing him backwards. Kirishima had caught up at this point and helped Todoroki hold Bakugo back.

"LET ME GO, YOU ASSHOLES! LET GO OF ME! I NEED TO HELP HIM, DAMMIT! I NEED TO HELP HIM!"

Blood. Why did he smell blood? He wasn't close enough to Deku for that. It was on him. Deku's blood was all over him now thanks to that no good half-and-half bastard. His skin was burning under the wet heat of it.

"WE NEED A MEDIC OVER HERE!" Kirishima yelled out.

Why? Bakugo wasn't hurt. This wasn't his blood. This was Deku's blood.

That's when he saw it. The paramedics were approaching him with a needle. A sedative. They are going to sedate him. He tried to push Kirishima and Todoroki off of him but, even with the explosions, they refused to let him go. He could see burns bubbling up on their skin under his touch but they wouldn't move back. They just stood there and took it and it pissed him off. Before he knew it, the needle sunk into his skin and after just a moment he felt his breathing slowing and finally noticed hot streams of teams flowing down his face. Fuck. No one was supposed to see him like that. His legs gave out. Shit! No! He had to keep his eyes on Deku. He had to make sure those shitty medics did their jobs and kept Deku alive. He had to keep his eyes on Deku to keep him alive.

Just as his knees hit the ground, a sheet of ice shot up between him and Deku, keeping him from seeing what was happening with his partner.

As his body fell all the way to the ground and he slowly started to lose consciousness he heard what he hoped was just a nightmare but somehow knew was much much more than that, "Izuku Midoriya. Time of death 14:34."

"Deku! Hurry up! We are going to be late!" Bakugo yelled as he got the last of his items out of the basket by the door.

Bakugo could never understand what took Deku so long to get ready in the morning. He didn't wear his hero costume into the office. He didn't eat breakfast. He didn't shower or style his hair. He rolled out of bed, slipped into his sweats, brushed his teeth and ran out the door. Yet, somehow, Bakugo was always ready first.

"I know! I know!" Deku yelled as he came stumbling out of the bathroom, into the hallway. "We go through this every morning, Kacchan."

Bakugo rolled his eyes, "Then maybe you should get up earlier, nerd."

Deku's smile turned to full blown laughter as he grabbed 2 bottled waters from the refrigerator, "And maybe you should be more patient." Deku extended one of the bottles to Bakugo and then reached his newly free hand out to boop Bakugo's nose, "We can't all be perfect like you."

Bakugo pushed Deku's hand away abruptly and the two walked out of their apartment, getting onto the elevator of their building, the conversation being put on hold as several of their neighbors were already piled in. The ride was uncomfortable and quiet, Bakugo avoiding eye contact with the nosy toddler directly in front of him.

As the elevator dinged, signaling they had made it to the ground floor, Bakugo resumed the conversation as if they hadn't missed a beat, "If I need to be more patient, then I'm not perfect, dumbass."

Deku stopped dead in his tracks, "Did you just say you're not perfect? Did THE GROUND ZERO just day he wasn't perfect?" Suddenly Deku was running around the lobby acting like a fool before grabbing onto the man who appeared to be in charge of the lobby and directing his attention to Bakugo, "Do you know who this man is, sir?"

The man nervously laughed, "Of course. Pro Hero Ground Zero."

"Well I have exclusive tabloid trash story for you about this one," Deku leans in closer to the man. "Today is the day that Pro Hero Ground Zero admitted, for the first time in history, that he is NOT perfect." Deku excitedly kissed the man atop his head before pushing him away a bit and waving on his way out the front door.

"You're a dumbass, Deku!" Bakugo shouted as he chased after his colleague.

Deku just laughed as he continued on his way for several blocks. As they got to a 4 way stop about 10 blocks from their office, Deku stopped abruptly and turned around, causing Bakugo to almost crash into him, "We should get a cake!"

Confusion contorted Bakugo's face, "What? Why? You didn't even eat breakfast."

"Who cares about breakfast!" Deku shouted as he shook Bakugo by the shoulders, "We need to celebrate! This may never happen again and if we don't celebrate it now, we probably never will."

"Nerd, knock it off. We are going to be late. You've made your joke, but you need to let it die."

Deku huffed, "You go to work then. I'm going to go get a cake because this is important to me and I'm sure once he finds out why I'm late, Endeavor will be perfectly fine with it. Or he won't. Since when do you care?"

Deku winked and then ran the opposite direction of their office towards a bakery they always got their birthday cakes from. The kind, little old lady who owned the place used a walker and called everyone "sweetie" which Deku found hilarious because she was a baker.

Bakugo threw his head back to growl and then chased after Deku, "This better be worth it, fucking nerd."

Deku just returned his usual radiant smile and sped off ahead of him.

By the time they arrived at work, they were 12 minutes late and both had chocolate frosting stains on their clothes from throwing it at each other on the way. Everyone saw the way the two came into the office and were caught off guard. The pair hadn't been combative in years, but they also never acted like giggly middle schoolers and it was throwing everyone off.

Luckily they didn't run in to Endeavor, but Bakugo was certain there would be consequences handed out later. The pair slipped into the locker room and began to shrug on their hero costumes. Bakugo took extra caution to avoid directing his eyes towards his friend as he had for several months now after realizing that his eyes only ever lingered that long on the nerd and if it were to continue, people would ask questions he wasn't even ready to ask himself yet.

"You know we are toast when he finds out."

Deku laughed, "Let me handle him. Ever since I helped convince Todoroki to come to this agency, Endeavor has been pretty lenient with me."

"He kisses your ass now, you mean?"

"He respects me now," Deku corrected.

"Same difference."

Deku rolled his eyes and shut his locker as he and Bakugo made their way out. Just as they were about to cross the threshold, Deku's eyes got wide and he ran back to his locker, "Can't forget this!"

Deku came back, attaching something to his utility belt.

"Since when do you carry that thing?" Bakugo inquired.

"Since today, I suppose. Legal has been really riding my ass about it. Something about not being able to make official claims with the City if we aren't following city patrol protocol."

"So basically the agency doesn't get paid for the detainments we make if we don't have these on us?"

"Pretty much."

"Fuck that."

"Agreed."

And with that, Deku fastened the last strap of his flare gun holster and Bakugo made a mental note that Deku's flares were green, just in case, God forbid, that were pertinent information at some point. He laughed because of course Deku's flares would be green. Nothing else would have made sense.

Every time Bakugo blinked he was somewhere new. He went from the wreckage to a hospital to a waiting room to some horrendously decorated studio apartment he didnt recognize.

He didnt care.

From the moment he woke up, all he felt was numb. The doctors had said it couldn't still be the sedative because it had been more than 24 hours and there was no way it would still be in his system, but that didn't explain why he couldn't feel anything. His mind was almost completely blank, his body was heavy, and he hadn't felt any urge to eat, drink, or sleep since it happened.

"Bakugo, are you listening?" Todoroki asked quietly, everyone in the room patiently awaiting the answer with their eyes bugging out of their heads a little, making them look like chihuahuas.

"No."

"I said, maybe you need to get some rest. The doctors said you didn't sleep last night."

"Because I was sedated for 7 hours before lights out," Bakugo reminded him simply.

"Well are you hungry? I could make some-"

"No."

"Do you want water?"

"No."

"Bakubro," Kirishima said as he crouched down in front of his friend. "You need to eat something. You are worrying us."

"I said no. I just-," he cut himself off. "I just want to go home.

"I don't think thats a good idea," Kirishima insisted. "We all thought going back there would probably be too hard for you right now. Todoroki offered to let you crash here for a couple days."

"Will it be easier in a couple days?" Bakugo inquired.

"Well-"

"I'm going to be miserable anywhere. I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to do that in my own bed instead of half-and-half's crusty couch," Bakugo interrupted.

"Your bed isn't the problem," Todoroki said in a monotone.

"I know what the fucking problem is," Bakugo snapped. "I know that you all don't think I can handle seeing his stuff, seeing something that will remind me of him. But EVERYTHING reminds me of him."

"It will be worse th-"

"The nurse who discharged me was named Izumi which is just the female version of his name. The cab ride over here was 14 blocks, the exact distance he and i walked to get to work every morning. The door to your complex is the same shade of green as his hair. There was a woman in the lobby who looked identical to his mother. You dropped your keys when you were unlocking the door and it looked exactly like what he did every time we came home drunk or overworked. Your couch is exactly the same firmness as his bed. You are trying to force me to eat and drink the same way I used to have to do it for him. And all of your dumbass faces are the same dumbass faces he talked about all damn day because you were his friends and he fucking loved you and nothing is going to remind me of him more than that. So please, for the love of God, can I just go home?" Bakugo was staring blankly ahead, not making eye contact with anyone as streams of tears started down his cheeks. His expression remained unwavering, but his tear ducts betrayed him.

"I'll take you." It was the first thing Uraraka had said since she got to the apartment. Several of the others attempted to argue with her but she wasn't having any of it. She ignored all of their protests and grabbed Bakugo by the elbow, careful to leave her pinky up, "If any of us actually gave a shit about Deku, we need to start thinking about what he would have wanted us to do because I guarantee kidnapping his best friend and not allowing him to grieve the way he sees fit wouldn't have been on the list. We are going, and if any of you try to stop us, I will kick your ass."

Her tone sent shivers down Bakugo's spine and he knew her threat was not empty. Everyone else must have agreed because no one got in her way as she dragged him out of the apartment and down to the lobby before finally letting go.

"They can be real dicks when they get an idea in their head," she explained as if he hadn't known them all for just as long as she had.

"They can be real dicks all the time," he corrected. "But I get it this time."

The car ride back to his place was quiet but comfortable. Uraraka didn't even spare a glance his way which he was thankful for considering he still hadn't stopped crying. He was convinced he never would. With shitty Deku gone there was a deficit of tears in the world and somebody had to maintain the balance.

They arrived at his complex and he was grateful that the worker in the lobby was someone he didnt recognize. The two remained quiet in the elevator and he fumbled for his keys, his hands shaking a bit as he unlocked the door.

A hand landed on his shoulder as he lifted his foot to take the first step over the threshold, "I can't go in there." Bakugo turned to face the girl in front of him, noticing the tears steaming down her bright pink cheeks as her eyes squeezed tightly shut, "I th-thought I could walk you i-in and be here for you b-but I just can't do it. I'm so s-sorry, Bakugo. Do you w-want me to call o-one of the others?"

Bakugo reached up and wiped her tears away with his thumbs, "I don't need a babysitter in my own apartment, Round Cheeks. Just go home."

He felt that it might be a lie, but he didn't like seeing her torture herself over it. He respected her more than nearly any of the others he had graduated with and over time she had become one of his closer friends thanks to Deku dragging her into their apartment every time they all had the day off.

She nodded her head gently and then ran to the elevator without another word. He let out a deep breath he didnt know he was holding, and walked into the apartment, shutting it behind him.

Fuck.

Fuck no.

Deku's shaker bottle was sitting next to the sink, his shoes were scattered messily by the door, and two of his notebooks were strewn about on the living room table in front of Deku's usual seat. Every square inch made images flash through Bakugo's mind. Images of Deku pouring over case files, sitting at the table waiting for Bakugo to finish dinner, doing yoga to calm down his adrenaline after a big fight, or rushing down the hall in the morning because they were going to be late.

Bakugo quickly made his way towards the back of the apartment towards his bedroom which was the last door on the left. Unfortunately, the room right before his belonged to a certain green haired idiot who had left his night clothes thrown all over the place and a pile of books stacked up on the side of the bed with his reading glasses sitting on top. The bed wasn't made but the room wasn't altogether messy looking. It was also much less of an All Might shrine than when they were kids. There were still several items of limited edition All Might merch around the room but the room was almost entirely dedicated to "The Wonder Duo" and their friends.

Bakugo felt his breathing get strained as his eyes were drawn to a picture of the two of them, blown up almost the size of the wall, hanging above Deku's desk. The two had their hands clasped together and raised over their heads. It was the battle immediately after they had announced themselves as Hero Partners. Bakugo looked as determined as ever and Deku was grinning ear to ear, a small stream of blood running down the side of his neck and spilling into his uniform.

His mind flashed to Deku laying on the ground covered in blood and suddenly he felt himself resenting that stupid picture. He slammed the door tight and listened as the items on the wall shook. He didn't dare open the door again to see what might have fallen or been broken.

He threw himself into bed and curled up like a burrito in his fluffiest blanket before crying himself to sleep for the first time in his life.