Good bye, my First Love.
"It's ok. Everything is ok."
It was a gentle voice. In the heavy silence, those words soothed her ears as her heart swelled, fulfilled and beating. Like music, like a gentle pin-drop. Like sweetness dipped in honey. A single ripple ran clear across the still surface of water. It washed over her, soaking her up and engulfing her in a loving embrace...
Ah, she had missed this warmth, this ever so familiar warmth. Like falling into a pit of fire. Like her nose crinkling with the fragrance of flowers. Like light blinding her eyes..
She saw her again at the end of the world. A lop-sided, toothy grin that she had loved so, so much and had copied it as she made it her own...
"It's ok. Everything is ok." Her mother said.
And then, there was blood. Blood seeped from between her white teeth, from her smile… it trickled, then gushed, then poured in waves out of her mouth and Kurumi ran lest she be engulfed by red, red, so much red…
A strong pair of hands snatched her away. Strong, hard hands holding her neck and beneath her legs as dazzling white teeth flashed at her…
"It's fine now! WHY? Because I am here!"
And Kurumi screamed.
She struggled and kicked and scratched, desperate to get to his face, to tear that smile off his face…
"It's ok. Everything is ok." Words echoed, loud and ringing with clarity. Her voice mingled with it, entwining, soaring, twisting… dainty hands that reached up to the heavens above… and the world shattered.
Strong arms snaked across her back as those words filled her ears, her mind, her heart. Because he, unlike her mother had never failed to keep his words. She knew this warmth, so very familiar. She sighed, her body relaxing, freed at last from another long nightmare and she happily snuggled into her father's tight embrace.
"Everything is ok, princess." Aizawa Shouta murmured.
She never once doubted him.
"I never asked you for help! And you didn't help me! Got it? I was fine by myself. You're a quirkless failure playing without a full deck! Don't think you can look down on me!"
"You damn nerd!" He roared those last words with venom as he turned his back furiously on the green haired boy. He didn't bother to wait for a reply as he stalked back the way he came, shoulders hunched and hands in his pocket.
That nerd… That shitty nerd! His hands curled into tight fists in his pocket as he ground his teeth. An image of a lop-sided smile and a flash of amber flickered at the front of his mind and red eyes gazed hatefully at the darkening sky..
"Because Deku is going to become the greatest hero…"
His eyes narrowed.
A familiar tightness gripped his chest and his breath left him shaky as he came to an abrupt halt. So what? An image of Deku's petrified face, shaking in his shoes surfaced in his mind and annoyance spiked as he kicked at a pebble by his foot.
He was just a goddamn pebble..
Uneasiness gripped him. He had to make sure… he had made it quite clear this morning to Deku that he would kill him if he ever applied to U.A. but...
It wouldn't hurt to remind him again.
He let out a huff as he turned back again, his eyes gazing into the setting sun. He should drill it into his head so thoroughly that he wouldn't even dare to think of it. Don't apply to U.A., nerd. It's not your place. Never was and never will be. Deku was Deku. A dumb loser who needed to be told twice about everything.
"Deku will become the greatest hero," a phantom voice sighed into his ear and he growled as his feet carried him back to where he and Deku had just parted ways.
Deku was not going anywhere so long as Bakugo lived.
"I AM HERE!"
Izuku Midoriya squeaked in surprise as his idol screeched to a sudden halt in front of him.
"All Might? But what...how? Why are you here? You were surrounded by reporters until just now!"
A mighty laughter boomed from his muscular chest as he flexed his powerful muscles, "HAHAHAHA! Getting away from them was a piece of cake! WHY? Because I am All Migh-"
Blood spewed from his mouth and he coughed as he deflated back to his emaciated form. Izuku yelped as he jumped back at the bloody display.
Wiping the blood from his lips, sapphire eyes gazed sharply from sunken sockets. Drops of blue flashed at him and Izuku straightened up on reflex as the man he looked up to, his idol cleared his throat once more.
"Young man, I come with thanks, a correction, and a suggestion."
Izuku blinked.
"If you hadn't been there… If you hadn't told me about your life, I would've turned into a guy in a body suit who was all talk. Thank you."
Emerald eyes widened at the gratitude, freckled cheeks turning crimson as a hand came up to nervously scratch the back of his neck, "That can't be. It was my fault in the first place… I got in the way of your work, saying all those impertinent things even though I'm quirkless…"
Izuku fidgeted uncomfortably as All Might's gaze bore into him with intent and fire. The sun winked from behind the man's back and a memory flashed of a similar scene all those years ago…
"That's right. It was because it was none other than the timid, quirkless you at the scene that I was able to act."
"Deku… It also stands for the word, you can do it, right?"
"Top heroes have stories about them from their school days. Most of their stories have one thing in common."
"You don't need a quirk to be a hero. All you need is –"
"Their bodies moved before they had a chance to think."
For some reason, he was reminded of a scene from long ago. A four year old girl. A girl no older than him who had given him life and hope. That day had been like a fairy tale to him, just like the stories his mom used to read him. Why had he forgotten, that one precious piece of her on that beautiful, fateful evening?
"Young man.."
"Deku…"
"You can become a hero."
A gentle wind blew as All Might stood over him, the orange hues of the setting sun casting an ethereal glow around the surreal scene. The color, like that drop of amber he would never forget washed over them as the Sun shined its last rays onto the earth below. A familiar, gentle warmth filled him as tears flowed down his cheeks.
She was there in that one moment, right in front of him, more real and alive than she had ever been in his memories. And a lopsided grin split her face as dainty fingers caressed his cheeks. A phantom touch, forehead to forehead as coal black and warm amber gazed into emerald, conveying so much more than words ever could.
"How do you know? How can you be so sure that a quirkless loser like me can become a hero?"
Ah, it was simple really. It had always been nothing more. What she had believed in when no one else had. What she had seen in him that All Might had seen. What he should have done, the words he should have said back then…
Thank you for believing in me.
She smiled softly as she gazed into him and Izuku etched her face into his memories one last time. The girl who had barged into his life at the age of four. The girl who meant so much to him. The girl who was his…
Goodbye.. His heart cried. Goodbye, my first love..
And her face illuminated in one last, dazzling smile like she had done all those years ago when they had first met. And with a small wave, she faded away. Warm amber melted into sapphire blue and All Might smiled as he spread his arms.
"I have deemed you worthy of inheriting my powers."
Huh? Izuku blinked through his tears. A twig snapped, ruining the moment and All Might's sharp blue eyes swiveled behind the green haired boy. There, just there around the corner. There was a snug, little spot a person could hide behind, and the perfect spot for eavesdropping. He cautiously stepped toward it.
No one was there. His sunken eyes surveyed the empty streets wearily. Nothing. Not a soul to be found.
Did he just imagine it?
"You've got to be joking with me. You've got to be fucking joking."
Bakugo was running, All Might's last words ringing ever so clearly in his mind. I have deemed you worthy of inheriting my powers. And there was no way, no fucking way as his heart threatened to burst.
How was that even possible? What did he even mean by inherit his quirk? He had never even heard of anything where you could give your quirk to another. His mind went into overdrive as he thought furiously.
"Deku will become the greatest hero."
The words were like cold knives that pierced his heart as he sprinted away from the setting sun. His heart turned to stone, sharp amber flashing in his memories and a sense of dread washed over him.
It couldn't be real. It just couldn't be!
And Katsuki Bakugo ran away for the first time in his entire life.
Ten months passed by in a flash. And it was time for the U.A. entrance exams.
Maybe Katsuki Bakugo had always known. Because no matter what he did to stomp Deku into the ground, he could never stop the little shit from blabbering on about his dream of becoming a hero. So it didn't come as a big surprise when he found the green haired boy, fretting awkwardly at the entrance to the prestigious school.
Of course he'd ignore Bakugo's warnings and apply to U.A.
"Outta my way," He watched with satisfaction as the green haired boy jumped, turning around and he saw the familiar look of terror that lurked behind emerald eyes.
"Ah! Kacchan!"
"Don't stand in front of me! I'll kill you."
"M-morning. Let's both do our best…" He didn't give him a second glance, eyes determinedly fixed forward. The nerd looked the same he always did. Did he really inherit All Might's power? He frowned. Because he sure as hell didn't look it. Maybe, maybe it had all been a bad dream. That sounded plausible... or maybe All Might had changed his mind and decided not to give it to him! Or maybe something went wrong during the transfer and Deku was the same quirkless nerd he had known all his life.
"Hey, isn't that Bakugo? Y'know, the one with the sludge villain?"
"Oh yeah! He's the real thing!"
Rabble. The common background characters. He should just ignore the small fries, he thought darkly as the mutterings brought him back from his thoughts about Deku. he could worry about Deku later. For now, he needed to focus.
Red eyes narrowed at the impressive, glassy structure that was the main facility for the fabled hero course. Giving a dry huff, he stepped into the main hall where the applicants were being led to. Nothing mattered now. It was time to kick ass.
Two hours later and Bakugo couldn't have been in a better mood.
He was sure he had aced the written exams. Now with it out of the way, the only thing that stood in his path was the practical exam. This was where they truly evaluated the applicants and specifically handpicked the very best. Only thirty six would be picked for the hero course and Bakugo could already see it in his mind's eye. He would pass with the highest score and Deku would have his ass kicked all the way back home.
After Present Micky or President Mikey or whatever the hell his name was (like Bakugo gave a shit) gave a brief orientation on the practical exam, Bakugo and the rest of the applicants filed out of the auditorium. They arrived at their designated blocks by bus.
It was a very fast process and by this point, Bakugo's hands were smoldering with excitement as he breathed in deeply. The students were gulping nervously at the impressive walls and an examinee from a tall tower overlooking them, informed them that the exam would soon start on his mark.
A sinister grin spilled across his face, his red, searing eyes drilling holes into the great steel doors hungrily as he strained his ears waiting for the signal.
Come at me, Bakugo grinned darkly. He would destroy anything that was in his way.
Nearby, a red haired boy with spiky hair much like his own slapped his cheeks as he fell into a ready position. His fists came together with a dull clang and he smiled a nervous grin.
The hair on Bakugo's arms stood up and he snarled at the unpleasant feeling, swatting at non-existent flies. Having realized the source of it, his red eyes glared murderously at a yellow haired boy next to him. The poor boy gulped at Bakugo's expression and apologized meekly, arcs of electricity cackling between nervous fingers.
A girl with orange hair directly in front breathed deep, one hand fisting over her chest. The other hand swelled suddenly to half her size and she flexed it, testing her powerful fingers. A little runt with purple balls for hair skittered past his legs and a burly guy with thick lips stuffed his face with sugar cubes at a ferocious rate.
They were all faces he didn't recognize, but they all looked like small fry. And in U.A. where the acceptance rate was almost one in three hundred, he doubted he would be seeing any of their faces again.
Bakugo grinned from ear to ear. Become my stepping stone, you losers!
"Still as bloodthirsty as ever, huh? Bakago."
Time seemed to stop. One second ticked by painfully slowly, dragging into the milliseconds and the loud clamoring of the nervous applicants around him died down as his world screeched to a halt. And Bakugo could hear nothing else as a heavy silence settled in, so still that he could have sworn he had heard a pin-drop...
And he saw her.
He would recognize that voice, that face anytime, anywhere. There was no way he could forget.
"You…you...!" Red eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets as they widened to plates of saucers. His pupils dilated and a lump stuck in his throat as he choked. Words stuck to his throat and a vein throbbed in his head as his tongue refused to listen to his furious demands.
Silky, black hair tumbled to her shoulders in the same manner he remembered; the same pattern that Bakugo had etched indelibly into his eyes. A few years had given her more elegance and beauty. Her features had grown sharper, giving it a more womanly charm and his heart did a somersault as her eye seemed to analyze his form. But otherwise, it was the face he had known for so many years. The way she held herself, the way her eyebrows quirked in amusement, the way her nose would wrinkle whenever she felt uncomfortable… this was undoubtedly Kurumi Aizawa.
All of it was so familiar, so nostalgic. Her pale complexion, her small nose and thin lips were just as he remembered them. Her eyelashes were long, accentuating her black iris with its endless depth that threatened to swallow him whole.
Her long bangs fluttered in her face and he half expected to see the familiar flash of amber. But he was met with disappointment when he saw an eyepatch beneath her curls, covering it from view.
She had grown taller too, almost nearing his height.
His eyes roamed, gazing at her hungrily, eagerly drinking in her every feature and he felt so overwhelmed that he didn't know where to start.
A faint red appeared on her cheeks from the intensity of his stare and she was the first one to break the ice, her gaze tender and a small smile graced her lips.
"Ermm, long time no see."
The awkward atmosphere doubled in weight as the silence stretched. Bakugo made no indication that he had heard.
Finally, a hand twitched and the spell broke. The spiky haired boy stumbled forward, heart pounding and blood roaring in his ears. His eyes never left her fearing that she would disappear, like some shitty hallucination… and a tentative hand came up to poke her cheek.
The tip of his finger brushed warm flesh.
"You…You're real?"
A second, and another second stretched painfully long and all the while, red never met black.
And she slowly nodded.
His burning gaze flickered with hurt.
His thoughts exploded, words and emotions all jumbling up together as they swirled in a chaotic mess. And it confused him. How should he react to this? What should he feel? There was so much he wanted to say.
You look well.
What's up with the eyepatch?
You look very pretty.
What's your quirk?
What happened?
Where did you go?
Why did you leave?
But at the forefront of his mind rang clearest of all, the words of his aching heart.
I missed you…
"START!" Somewhere distant, a loud yell was accompanied by the loud bang of a gunshot. There was a stampede, chaos as the applicants all around them surged forward and their numerous footsteps quaked the ground, vibrating as it tickled the soles of his feet. It faded into the distance and still Katsuki Bakugo didn't move. Nor did she.
And the world was silent and they were the only living beings in it. Just like on that rainy, rainy day that Bakugo remembered so clearly as if it were yesterday.
"Let's talk after, Bakago. For now, we have a lot of catching up to do," Red eyes snapped up to her face as she spoke, jolting him back to reality. A black eye gazed distant at the fading dust and she gave him a toothy grin.
Eyes widening, her words cut clear and sharp through his hazy mind like ice, cold water as it sparked his memories. And with a jolt, Katsuki Bakugo remembered his origin, the fierce fire that commanded his life. "I'll prove it to you and become the greatest hero!" His own words, years ago howled angrily in his mind, and the familiar build of heat ignited his fiery temper. He remembered his jealousy and pride. He remembered how it had burned and mutated into a fiery passion that bubbled hot beneath his skin. As lame as it was, that was how he had begun after all. That was who Katsuki Bakugo was.
Bakugo roared to life in a flurry of explosions, red eyes burning once more with murderous fire. He felt the words at the tip of his tongue that never left, precarious, hanging in the balance, and the familiar pull of uncertainty grappled at him. It was the same thing he had felt on that rainy day two years ago. Yes, nothing had changed, it seemed. Everything, all the pieces remained just where they had left them. Time had been frozen and now the gears were finally beginning to turn. He felt that it was the same for her too.
It was simple, just how he liked it. All they needed to do was pick up the pieces. And so, what he had to do remained unchanged. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much he wanted to ask. But he had waited for two damn years. He figured it could wait a little longer. For now, he had an exam to take and then... Then, Kurumi Aizawa owed him an explanation, an apology and maybe, a nice, quiet dinner. So for now, he settled with this.
"EAT MY DUST!"
And he was gone, propelled forward by the force of his blasts.
"So barbaric," Kurumi sighed, but a fond smile touched her lips.
"It's good to see you too."
One hand came up to comb through her long strands, pushing them out of her face. Long, white tendrils of cloth came to life around her as her hair billowed upwards, buffeted by an invisible wind.
The cloth made of carbon fiber was a special gift from her dad, and it coiled comfortably around her neck, mingling playfully with her black hair. It gave her comfort and strength, and most importantly, it smelled like her number one hero. And with a fierce battle cry of her own, she sprinted into the battle center.
Hello~ ;)