Katsuki Bakugou

Clinging to the faded embers of Todoroki's warmth, Bakugou released a long, slow sigh. He curled his nails into his palms and stared at the floor while Todoroki slipped into the bathroom. His head rapidly swirled around like the contents of a blender, and he was unable to shake the looming fetters of disconcertment that chilled his skin.

How can someone that's not at all be my type be so fucking attractive in ways I can't explain? Bakugou pondered while subliminally listening to the rapid stampede of his heartbeat. Do I like him? I kissed him more than once, but I'm just dumbfounded. Do I see him as a potential partner, or just an attractive friend? Earlier just kinda felt like a spur-of-the-moment thing that died down as quickly as it lit up. He glanced up to the bathroom door, and a familiar scratching sound subtly slinked through it. I know he fucking hates it when I'm nice to him, and yet, it makes me wanna be even nicer to him.

But…does he like me? I can't tell. That's not what I should care about right now. He's takin' a bit long in there. And it's weird that he hasn't smiled for a while. Not just around me. From my perspective, it's pretty damn obvious his smiles are empty lies, but to everyone else, they have no clue what this fucker's hiding. Guess I can kinda relate with my own shit. Eventually, I'll tell him the truth. But I hate that even without his general persona, he still hides behind layer after layer of masks just to say he's fine wh—

A sudden THUD snapped Bakugou from his thoughts as his body reeled from the startling sound. Clattering and clicking resonated through the wall demarcating the main section of the dorm from the bathroom. A shadow spilled out across the pool of light leaking through the gap between the door and the floor. The door handle had toppled over onto its side, and the door was slightly ajar.

Scrambling to the bathroom, Bakugou sharply barked, "Todoroki?! Oi!" Since the door was already open, Bakugou attempted to slowly nudge it back, but much to his arrant horror, there was a substantial resistance to his efforts. "Todoroki, answer me…" he clarified in a perturbed growl, but he received no response.

What the hell happened?! Bakugou wanted to scream. Oh, God, that scratching sound. He… Just push the door open. Stay calm. Don't get carried away. He pressed his shoulder against the door and shoved it open, causing the shadow beneath the door to slither in tandem. Blood. Everywhere. Oh my God. I feel sick. Then he's…

Wheeling around to the other side of the door, Bakugou was met with Todoroki's body that was slumped against the door with one hand caught atop the door handle, weighing it down. The left sleeve of Todoroki's uniform was rolled up to his elbow, and a nauseating array of fresh, oozing cuts lined his forearm and wrist. Blood that rivaled the shade of black gushed from Todoroki's wrist and was splattered across the floor and the door. A bloodied shard of glass rested on the floor between Todoroki's scarlet-stained fingers.

A wroth conglomerate of undulating emotion punctured Bakugou's throbbing chest as he immediately began his endeavor to staunch the blood pouring from Todoroki's mutilated wrist. He wrapped up the rest of the wounds winding across Todoroki's arm while attempting to ignore the sheer amount of blood present in the room, and with that, he stormed into the infirmary in a breakneck flurry.

I let him leave my sight for a few minutes, and he tears his wrist open, Bakugou inwardly pontificated while waiting outside the infirmary. Fuck, my heart feels like it's gonna beat out of my chest. Calm down. But he could've fucking died! Did he want to? Then why did he go towards the door and put all that effort into unlocking it? He clutched the sides of his head and tugged at his hair. I can't understand him. I can, but I can't. I hate that. I just wanna know, but it's not that easy.

"Kacchan, here." Midoriya extended his hand to Bakugou, who had tripped and fallen. "Are you okay?"

How can someone that's Quirkless and weak like him still be so nice to someone that's better than him and so mean to him? Always smiling. So damn happy. Even though he's Quirkless and got his dreams crushed…he's still the one helping people up. Why? I don't get it.

Now's one of those times when I really wanna get high, but I'm not going to. Besides, if he knew…

Not long after Bakugou had dredged up shards of his history with Midoriya, he was invited to re-enter the infirmary by Recovery Girl. Lumbering back into the infirmary, he sieved Todoroki, who was resting in an infirmary bed with stitches poking out from his elbow to his wrist. He sighed in simultaneous relief and dismay at the sight of his friend's somber slumber.

Bakugou glanced at Recovery Girl, who was taking Todoroki's pulse. "Is he…gonna be okay?"

Recovery Girl nodded. "He should wake up shortly, and the major wounds have been mostly healed." She proceeded to check Todoroki's blood pressure. "Though, I can't heal him fully. I've closed the major wounds, but his body is in a concerning state, and healing him any more would take too great a toll on him right now."

Nodding slowly, Bakugou watched as Todoroki's eyes creaked open. "Dumbass…" he muttered under his breath.

"Todoroki, can you hear me?" inquired Recovery Girl, and to this, Todoroki offered a perfunctory nod. "Does anything hurt?"

His face was pale as fuck not too long ago, Bakugou sighed to himself while Todoroki shook his head. Despite all this shit that's happened, I know he's still gonna tell me that he's fine. Dammit, Todoroki… 'Why is it that my indifference is both my chair and my noose?' Is that it? It keeps your neck from snapping, but it's also the tantalizing thing that's always sitting around your neck? He observed how Todoroki responded to Recovery Girl with gestures rather than words. Why does it feel like he's crying, even though he doesn't exactly look 'sad' or anything?

Once the room became a void of silence, Todoroki finally parted his lips to speak. "Is…my family going to be informed about what happened?" He kept his eyes pointed at the floor and his wrist with stitches buried into the bed.

"Only if that's what's in your best interest," Recovery Girl replied.

"Then I'd like to keep this confidential." He was offered a bottle of apple juice, but he shook his head. "I…didn't mean to cause all this. I didn't mean for this to happen. I… Sorry. Can I…go back to my dorm?"

"You just got stitches, and you just woke up, and yer already feeling well enough to get back there?" Bakugou sibilated while scrutinizing Todoroki's left hand.

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

"No, you fucking won't be."

Those are some weird-ass marks, Bakugou realized while he and Todoroki simultaneously turned to face Recovery Girl. The hell happened? It'll probably make him feel worse if I ask. Damn.

"Todoroki, I'd like you to stay here for another fifteen minutes," Recovery Girl requested while monitoring Todoroki's vitals. "And if you're comfortable with it, I want you to consider starting therapy."