"Make your choice, graduate. Your past or your present. One of them won't have a future."
How the villain had infiltrated UA's graduation ceremony was anyone's guess. But with their ability, he'd managed to capture Midoriya's mother, Inko, and subdue Bakugou Katsuki. Within the shimmering blue force field generated by the villain's quirk, they were left helpless.
"You can't make me choose! I'll stop you before it gets that far!" Midoriya charged up his Full Cowling, tearing through his graduation gown from the building pressure.
"Careful, hero, that's not how this is going to work. My forcefield has enough air in it for one person to survive ten minutes. You've already wasted two. Make a choice. Your mother or your best friend. Or should I say lover? The League has eyes and ears in the most inconspicuous of places. We know that your relationship with him goes beyond just that of a simple rival or teammate. Which is why this decision is so tough on you, isn't it?"
Midoriya saw the cube containing the captives get smaller. His mother was crying and starting to hyperventilate from the decrease in oxygen. Bakugou pulled her close to comfort her. He couldn't hear what was said, but Midoriya knew he was reassuring her that everything would be okay. Because that's what a hero would do.
Falling to his knees, Midoriya's tears hit the ground as he struggled with the situation. He'd trained for so many different scenarios, but he'd never been taught what to do when the hostages were your own family and loved ones. He was running out of time.
Negotiating would just waste more of it, he was sure. But how could he possibly choose between the two people he loved most?
A tremor shook him from his despair, and as he looked up, he saw that Bakugou had set off an explosion within the forcefield. Hitting the very corner, he was able to cause a break.
"Stop overthinking it, Deku! I'll make the choice for you!" Before the forcefield sealed again, Bakugou shoved Inko into Midoriya's arms.
"Kacchan!" The villain had decreased the amount of space once more, barely framing Bakugou's body. Seeing him struggling for breath, Midoriya had wanted to approach and save him, but his mother gripped his shirt tight, pressing her face into his chest as she sobbed uncontrollably. He couldn't just let her go.
The next explosion was far stronger than the last, Bakugou made sure that it would completely disable the forcefield, even though he took far more damage. The pressurized oxygen had ignited, setting fire to him. But his focus was on the villain that had started this fight. The idiot had stayed close by, thinking himself immune due to his quirk. As Midoriya watched with wet, red eyes, Bakugou grabbed the man by his throat and slammed him down to the ground, setting off one final explosion.
Laughter filled the air at the outdoor café. Bakugou was sipping his iced coffee while Kirishima carried on about one of his favorite hero stories. He was only half-listening though, because he knew that the time was getting closer.
"But the look on the guy's face when he realized his bullets were bouncing right off me was priceless! I mean, as long as Red Riot was around, you'd think they would have figured out that guns are pointless! All they did was make me have to pay more for costume repairs. You listening, bro?"
Bakugou was staring at his cup, tapping a finger against the table.
"Oh, it's almost time, isn't it? I should leave you to it, then. I know you've been waiting a while for this. Tell him I said hi, okay?" Kirishima stood and patted his friend on the shoulder before disappearing.
"See ya later, old Shitty Hair." Bakugou sighed and left the café as well.
He arrived at the terminal shortly before the next arrival. Waiting at the gate, he anxiously peered over the steady flow of people exiting. All of them looked confused and unsure of where to go next. Then one silhouette stood against the darkness of the covered hallway that grabbed his attention.
Unruly green hair appeared in the light, shining emerald eyes searched around cautiously before meeting Bakugou's gaze.
"Kacchan! It's really you! Oh wow, it hardly looks like you've aged a day since—" said Midoriya as he quickly approached Bakugou.
Time hadn't forgotten Midoriya. Wrinkles lined his eyes and the slim figure he had in high school had filled out into the muscle-bound man that stood before Bakugou now. He'd earned a few new scars since their last meeting, their origins stories Bakugou looked forward to hearing. Even his voice had grown deeper, but no less kind and soft.
Bakugou looked Midoriya up and down, ending with a stare-down into those eyes that had followed him everywhere since they were kids. He pulled Midoriya into a close, desperate hug. His head rested against Midoriya's chest, a comforting yet foreign feeling.
"You got taller. That kinda pisses me off," Bakugou muttered under his breath.
Laughing it off, Midoriya answered, "It couldn't be helped Kacchan. It's good to see you again. I missed you so, so much." Pulling Bakugou against him tighter, he started to cry.
"Hey, hey, enough of the waterworks. Some things never change with you do they, nerd?"
Despite his words, he felt a soothing comfort in how little Midoriya had changed where it mattered most.
"I just— I don't want to let go, Kacchan."
"Tch, no need to get clingy, I'm not going anywhere this time. Besides, we gotta go. Your mom's been looking forward to this day just as much as I have."
Midoriya pulled himself away reluctantly and nodded. Bakugou was right. He had no reason to worry anymore. He took Bakugou's outstretched hand and let him lead him out into their new world. He looked forward to spending the rest of their afterlife together.