One Night.
Was one night of peace too much to ask for? Shouta just wanted one night of peace and quiet. One night to try and catch up on his never ending pile of paperwork. But of course, he had to have a class full of problem children. There was always something going on with them, whether it be prank wars (Kaminari and Sero were repeat offenders), destroying a kitchen appliance by accident (he still doesn't know how Todoroki destroyed the blender, he doesn't want to know) or starting a fight in the common room (Bakugou, need he say more?).
So when he gets the notification that some of his students snuck out? Not surprising. When he learns that it was Midoriya and Bakugou? Again, not surprising. He predicted something would happen eventually between them, especially since Midoriya had been down right antagonizing the blond recently.
No. What was really surprising was the third student.
To learn that his apprentice, Shinsou was also with them… that wasn't something he expected. He hadn't even thought that Shinsou interacted with anyone in 1-A outside of the Sports Festival. So why was he with them?
Had they become friends?
Why hadn't Shinsou told him? Shouta thought their relationship was close enough that his apprentice would have told him if he made friends with his students.
He'd ask him later, after he doles out punishments to the three of them for breaking curfew and sneaking out.
He tugged his capture weapon around himself as he swept out of the building, long legs helping him move quickly as he navigated his way around the quiet campus. His lips pulled down in a frown as something tugged at his guts. A bad feeling, a curl of dread, or intuition, whatever it was had helped him many times in his career. And right now.. It urged him to move faster, to use his capture weapon to swing across buildings and propel himself forwards towards Ground Beta. To get to his kids as fast as possible.
The knot in his stomach grew tighter and tighter the closer he came to the training grounds. Shouta might've struggled to find his students in such a large area if the security bots weren't broadcasting their position to his phone.
He could only hope he wasn't too late.
Late for what?
He hoped he'd never have to find out.
He heard the voices first.
He could hear the soft timbre of Shinsou's voice and then he could hear Bakugou, loud and bright, voice lighter and positively gleeful. Bakugou never sounded like that, it made something deep inside him unsettle and twist in his guts. The sound of the laughter makes Shouta propel himself faster, feet skidding across the roof as he spotted the trio.
He can see Midoriya and Shinsou, see them standing together and their bodies tense as they stood across from their blond classmate. Shinsou looked pained, shoulders hunched in the way they did after a particularly grueling training session.
"-not surprised you were the one to figure it out Izuku-chan. You were always just so obsessed with Kacchan."
The words that came from Bakugou's mouth make Shouta still. Izuku-chan? Bakugou has never once called the other teen that. As far as he was aware, despite being childhood friends, the two of them had a… precarious relationship, one that wouldn't have them calling each other by name like this.
So what's going on?
"Sadly, I'll have to get rid of you two. Tomura-chan had wanted to take care of you himself Izuku-chan, but since you and Hitoshi-chan here decided to butt into my business. Well… you really only have yourselves to blame."
Crackles and pops followed the statement and Shouta yelled his mind a whirlpool of thoughts as he threw himself from the building, quirk active to try and stop whatever the fuck this was.
There was a curse as the crackles and pops died out, and Shouta could do nothing to watch as Bakugou still plowed forward, intent to kill.
A loud bang echoed out, the sound ringing through his ears and rattling his head more than it already was. He could feel the headache forming from the noise, he could barely hold back the instinctive urge to clap his hands over his ringing ears. By the time he landed next to his apprentice, Midoriya had already dropped his arm, fingers curled tight around the gun (and where the FUCK had he gotten a gun in the first place?). He was staring with fervent viridian eyes at the hunched form of Bakugou, looking for something, what that was Shouta didn't know.
His first instinct was to go to his hurt student. Shouta moved towards the blond, eyes wide with panic as they trained on the red spreading across the stomach of his white shirt. A strong grip on his arm stopped him before he could even move towards his collapsed student. Shouta bit back a curse as he swung his head to gaze into intense purple eyes, taking note for the first time of the blood that dripped from those bright eyes, blood that flowed freely from his apprentice's nose and ears.
There's so much here that he doesn't understand.
"Sensei wait.. We.. we have to make sure it worked."
Midoriya's the one who spoke up, voice shaky and hands shakier as he dropped the weapon (that Shouta still needs to know how the fuck he got it) to the floor, his green eyes flickering briefly from the hunched form of Bakugou to Shouta.
"Make sure what worked? What did you two do?" Of course he didn't get an answer. Not yet. His stomach clenched and he ripped his arm from Hitoshi's grasp, his phone in hand as he called Recovery Girl, he barked at her to prepare the infirmary for two injured students, one with a severe stomach wound.
There's a choked whimper, and Shouta glanced into Bakugou's eyes, watching as the color in them changed.
Watches as the black drained from them until he's gazing into a pair of ruby red eyes.
Ruby red eyes that grew dull and closed as the blond lost consciousness, hands stained as red as his eyes from where they pressed against his stomach, trying to keep that precious life giving liquid inside.
Not even a second passed before Shouta's kneeling next to his student, his shirt ripped off to press against the wound, to slow the bleeding until help could arrive.
Time passed strangely in those moments. He's aware of Bakugou's pained gasps of air, he can hear Midoriya's sobbed apologies as his scarred hands help apply pressure. He can make out the sound of Hitoshi guiding Recovery Girl and her robot assistants to him.
Not once does he look away from his red covered hands. He kept the pressure steady even as Bakugou was transferred onto a stretcher, even as they rushed from the training grounds to the infirmary. He doesn't move his hands until Shuzenji is there, with her tiny wrinkled hands moving his own away, telling him She's got it. Go to your other boys now.
That's right.
Shouta breathed deeply, as he tried to ignore the sticky feeling of his hands.
Tried to forget the fact they were coated in his students blood.
Tried to forget that his student was being rushed into emergency surgery for a bullet wound.
A wound his classmates gave him.
Shinsou and Midoriya owed him so many fucking explanations.
He found them after he took a moment to wash the blood from his hands and replace his shirt. He'd spent a good ten minutes scrubbing his hands raw, but he could still feel the warm blood on them, he could still see the bright red coating rough fingers, could still see bits of blood caked under his nails.
Shouta took a deep breath.
He found them with Nedzu. The blood had been cleaned up from Hitoshi's face and both boys had a cup of untouched tea in front of them. Nedzu of course had his own cup and Shouta was a little relieved to see that a cup of coffee was waiting for him.
The soft clink of porcelain on porcelain filled the quiet space as Nedzu placed his cup down, dark eyes trained on the boys, "Now that your teacher is here. I believe it is in our best interests if you two explain exactly what happened tonight. Depending on your answers we will decide on our next course of action."
The principal took another sip of tea, and Shouta watched as the two teenagers squirmed and shared a look between them.
"After all, from how things look right now, it looks like the two of you planned to lure your classmate outside to shoot him. At the very least that's aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, if Bakugou survives then you could be charged with first degree attempted murder, and let's not mention illegal possesion of a deadly firearm."
The odd thing was, that the boys didn't look very scared. Shouta studied them, took in their reactions as he drank his still warm coffee. They look determined as they share another look between them. In the end Midoriya is the one who spoke, "Are you going to call the police then?"
They looked so tense, shoulders bunched up and he could see the sheen of tears in their eyes. Shouta could practically hear their thoughts, how they were thinking that their chances of being heroes were over. How their lives were over. That they'd be locked up in some juvenile detention center. And he sighed, mug clinking against the table as he set it down.
"Normally, we wouldn't even be having this conversation, I'd have already informed the proper authorities and you two would be arrested and in a holding cell. But. But," he ran a hand through scruffy hair, tired eyes trained on his students. "You two.. Wouldn't do something like this without a reason. I know as much. So does Nedzu. So start explaining. Tell us everything. You two are promising upcoming heroes, we need to know what drove you to.. Attack your classmate."
Hitoshi's shoulders shook, relief maybe? He watched as they shared another look, as Midoriya grabbed at his classmates hand, squeezing it in his own before he started to speak, intense green eyes boring into his own.
"It started when we were in our last year of middle school…"
They're silent throughout the explanation. Shouta could barely breathe as he listened. He could feel the blood rushed in his ears and it's only the years of training that keep him focused as he listened to the horrifying tale his students took turns to paint for them.
A tale that showcased just how badly they've failed these boys. Failed Bakugou, failed Midoriya, failed Shinsou. Failed them all.
By the end of it Midoriya was crying, his small shoulders shook with quiet sobs as he told them how 'he just wanted Kacchan to be safe'. Shinsou was doing his best to comfort his ...friend? Shouta honestly didn't know what the relationship between the two was, he could barely concentrate as it was. His head was too full, thoughts buzzing, as his stomach curled with the urge to regurgitate what little was in it.
He was such a failure as a teacher.
Everything had been right in front of him and he hadn't seen it. He hadn't noticed anything was off.
His students hadn't felt he was trustworthy enough to talk to him. To tell him what was happening. They'd felt the only solution was to handle this all by themselves. That the adults in their lives had failed them one time too many that they had to resort to such extreme measures.
God.
Midoriya killed someone.
He doubted he even really realized he committed murder.
Shouta swallowed the bile back down, he could tell Nedzu was having his own internal conflict, the boys were quiet and waiting, eyes downcast and expectant.
"Midoriya… Shinsou…" They trained their eyes on him reluctantly, he had to swallow back another wave of nausea at that.
"I think Principal Nedzu will agree with me when I say we won't be contacting the police. But.. but you two will be punished. God… I wish you two had come to me about this. But I understand. The true events of tonight will not leave the four of us. Nedzu and I will discuss an edited version to explain to Bakugou's parents and your classmates."
That got him some confused looks. Shinsou was the one who spoke up, "Classmates?"
"That's right. As he is now Bakugou-kun will no longer be able to attend UA. Shinsou-kun, I'm sure Aizawa agrees with me when I say you will be taking his place in class."
Startled silence met the rodent's words.
"Kacchan's being expelled!?"
The days following 'That Night' were hectic.
After he'd explained to Midoriya and Shinsou that it was going to be the best choice for Bakugou to leave UA, the blond was quirkless now and essentially been held captive by a villain for over a year. Bakugou was going to need help, help that UA wouldn't be able to provide.
"I'm sure his parents are going to pull him out of the school regardless."
Shouta was dreading having to deal with the Bakugou couple. He could tell Nedzu wasn't looking forward to it either considering the rat bastard took the easy job of escorting the students to the infirmary. The two refused to return to their dorms until they were sure Bakugou was going to be okay.
The stubborn brats.
The phone call he had to suffer through was… unpleasant to say the least.
It was never easy having to explain to a parent that their child was severely injured. Shouta was patient as he endured the yelling and questions, calmly explaining to them that it would be best to discuss the details in person.
He was told they'd be there in ten minutes.
He knew the Bakugou's lived further away than ten minutes by car, he's sure there would be several laws and speed limits broken tonight.
Shouta apologized to the mother and agreed to meet her and her husband at the gates to bring them to see their son.
What a shitshow.
By the time the couple had arrived and he led them to the infirmary their son was resting in one of the beds, curtains drawn around him. The sight of Bakugou laying so still among the white sheets, IV in arm and bandages peeking from under the blankets, it made his stomach twist and Shouta could feel the bile rise in his throat.
Katsuki looked so small, so young.
He paid little attention to Midoriya's startled gasp of 'Auntie! Uncle!' and watched as tears filled the parents eyes.
Watched as their shoulders trembled, hands reaching for their son, almost like they scared to touch him. That he'd break underneath their hands.
He looked away at the first sob, instead he ushered the two boys out of the room to allow the parents their privacy.
He didn't return to the infirmary until he was sure both boys were securely in their dorm rooms. He made sure they understood the importance of not leaving again tonight. That there wouldn't be any second chances if they did. He told them that tomorrow they'd receive a list of their punishments for tonight. That for now they should rest, that they would be very busy this weekend.
He returned to the infirmary to a both a better and worse situation.
Nedzu had decided for once to not be a rat bastard and was quietly speaking with the parents, informing them UA was sorry and would take care of all costs for their son's recovery, that they would have the best help possible for him.
Nedzu fed them the… edited story, how a villain had managed to infiltrate the school and attacked their son, causing damage to his brain and abdomen. He explained to them that due to the brain damage there would be some… unforeseeable side effects. Issues with Katuski's quirk would be one.
They remained silent for a moment before exploding into harsh whispers, tears, and choked out denial. It broke his heart just a little more hearing the strong woman sob against her husband, calling the school useless, what was the point in having the pros as teachers if they couldn't even protect their students?
And the thing was... Shouta knew she was right. He hadn't been able to protect his kids. Time and time again, he'd failed them, hadn't been able to stop them from experiencing things no child should. God, he really was useless as a teacher wasn't he? His own students hadn't even been able to trust him enough to tell him about Bakugou until it was all over.
It took awhile for them to calm down, for the angry and grief filled tears to stop and be wiped away. When they had composed themselves once more Nedzu continued the conversation.
The three of them went over the specifics of things, discussed doctors and the removal of Bakugou from the school. Some things would wait until Bakugou awoke, that would give them the chance to assess the extent of the damage to his mind and which specialist he would need to see.
Shouta kept his opinions to himself, he knew all the doctors and specialists would be ones that owed Nedzu, ones that the rodent knew would never breathe a word about the truth of things to others.
The rest of the night was spent with the adults quietly talking while they kept watch over Katsuki.
The first time Bakugou woke up was a…. Learning experience. Shouta had been the first to awaken, insomnia coupled with nightmares and his strange schedule made sleep difficult.
Seeing dull red eyes gazing blankly at the white tiled ceiling made something in his chest unclench, relief maybe? When those same eyes didn't move or react when he softly called his students name? It just made his gut tighten again and his eyes burn.
He'd woken up everyone then, first retrieving Recovery Girl from her office and then waking up the parents.
They'd immediately gone to their son's side. Shouta was glad at least Bakugou seemed to react to his parents, even if it was just a little. His eyes slid onto them for just a brief moment before they settled back on the ceiling.
The next several hours were a blur of tests and questions.
It'd taken time and coaxing, but eventually, after asking if he wanted to see Midoriya, the blond answered.
Shouta was used to his voice being so gruff and loud, it unsettled him how hoarse and quiet it was. Just barely a whisper as he asked for "Izuku." hearing him call his childhood friend anything other than "Deku" was a surprise. What surprised him more though, was the whispered request for the "Purple haired one" too. Shinsou. That was- Shouta took a deep breath. He could do that.
It didn't take much time to collect the two students and bring them back to the infirmary. As soon as he told them, they'd been biting at the bit to go.
The reunion was… soft. Midoriya gently cradled Bakugou's hand between his own as he sobbed. Shinsou's hands were resting on both their arms. Bakugou's own eyes gained a wet looking sheen to them as his shoulders hunched inwards.
Shouta could barely make out the soft words the blond mumbled to them.
Gentle heartfelt words of thanks that turned into quiet sobs.
Midoriya's own sobbed out apologies and relief to have him back.
The choked up sound of Shinsou's rumbled reply.
Shouta had to turn away and swallow back his own tears, throat feeling all too tight.
Time passed and the Bakugou's returned home, their all too silent son in tow.
Nedzu had given them a long list of professionals that'd be able to help their son, with UA fully covering the costs of course.
They'd learned many things in those last few hours.
One of them being that Bakugou didn't know them. He recognized some people, his parents, Midoriya, but when it came to everyone else...
He recognized Shinsou vaguely, didn't know his name but recognized his hair and warmth, mumbled something about hands reaching for him. Shouta chose not to think too much on that, he really didn't want to know, especially not when he picked up the flush burning on his apprentice's ears.
Cycling through the names of Bakugou's former classmates and teachers had only brought blank stares and shrugs. Even the nicknames that had been used for them by the Villain weren't recognized.
Eventually, after more soft questioning they learned that Bakugou didn't remember much. Only some snippets of certain events. His last clear memories were of the Sludge Villain, all the way at the start of his third year in middle school.
After that revelation he'd gone silent and still again, eyes blanked as he gazed at his hands dully, like he wasn't even really there anymore.
Not long after he went silent they'd learned something else. Shouta had been quietly discussing with Masaru which of the therapists on the list he'd thought would be a good fit for his son.
They'd been in the middle of their discussion when there was a choked whimper, a crash, and Shouta whipped around to see Bakugou pressing himself into a corner, red eyes wide with terror and panic as he stared at his mother's outstretched hand.
"I… I just tried to touch his hair."
The normally prideful woman's voice was quiet and Shouta could see the tears beginning to well in her eyes.
Midoriya and Shinsou were already by Bakugou's side, kneeling down and whispering quietly to him, careful not to touch, while the Bakugou patriarch collected his wife into his arms, letting her sob into them.
Shouta was sure that as time went on they'd learn more. It wouldn't be pretty, recovery was never a straight road. It was bumpy and sometimes you backtracked and went in circles.
He could only wish his former student the best, and maybe… eventually…
He'd actually be there to help him.
Shouta wasn't proud to admit he spent the rest of his weekend drinking. He'd called in at his agency (something he did rarely) and stayed in. Drinking and reflecting on how much he fucked up. Thinking on what he could have done better. He grieved for such a bright child, already hurt terribly by those around him.
He let himself drown in those thoughts and feelings only for that weekend.
When morning came he collected the bottles, depositing them into their proper bins. He cleaned himself and his apartment, and left for school early, leaving behind his precious sleeping bag.
He sat waiting at his desk as his students filed into the room and settled at their desks until all the desks were filled except for one. He could see the worried looks on the self proclaimed "Bakusqaud's" faces.
Shouta called the classes attention to himself, took a deep breath and gave them the edited version on what happened to Bakugou and why he was not here. The silence lasted only seconds after he finished speaking. His students blew up in a cacophony noise, a certain group's voices being louder than most.
His next announcement that they'd be getting a new classmate already wasn't received well. There were accusations of replacing Bakugou when he was just barely gone. Shouta made sure to tell them that wasn't the case. And that he wouldn't accept them treating their new classmate poorly because he was filling the empty seat in class.
"It was going to happen eventually. This is a hero course, as much as it feels like a betrayal it's not. We're not replacing Bakugou, we're giving another student their chance to learn like the rest of you."
There's still some discontent between his students but it settled down into quiet grumbles. He could practically see their hackles rise when Shinsou first entered the room and took his seat after introducing himself to them.
The grumpy air only lasted until Midoriya greeted Shinsou happily, his normal smile bright on his face. Afterall, Midoriya and Baklugou knew each other well, so if Midoriya didn't have a problem with Shinsou here they shouldn't either. It wouldn't be the same, but they'd accept him.
They'd reconnect with Bakugou.
They'd become heroes and make their former classmate proud.
Things would be okay.
It'd take time and work.
But eventually,
They'd all be okay.