Eijirou shifted under the covers, just beginning to grab onto consciousness. Oh boy was he comfy, he mused in his near-asleep state, clinging tighter to the form underneath him, the scent telling him that it was Bakugou. He let out a content sigh.

"You finally up?" The quiet but gruff voice jolted him fully awake.

He gave out a slight groan and opened his eyes. "Hm?"

"You sleep like a fucking rock, you know that?"

Eijirou lifted his head, squinting against the light of morning, taking in his position. He was laying partially his stomach, his chest flushed against Bakugou's side with part of his weight resting on him. His head had been resting on one of the blond's shoulders, with his arm slung across his broad chest.

His attention shifted up to Bakugou's face. From Eijirou's perspective, his jaw was quite pronounced due to the shadows, with the rest of his face otherwise lacking harshness. His red eyes were trained on the ceiling, seemingly disinterested, but he glanced down – perhaps he was curious after all – and he caught Eijirou's gaze out of the corner of his eye. It only lasted a second, and then as if he had been shocked, he quickly looked back at the ceiling, his Adam's apple bobbing with a swallow. Uncomfortable.

"Ah," Eijirou pulled away, beginning to sit up. "Sorry, sorry." He rubbed at his eyes with his wrist.

As soon as his weight was off of Bakugou, the blond placed his elbows on the mattress underneath him as leverage, slowly shifting to a sitting position as well. He grunted in acknowledgement, but otherwise remained quiet.

That was the first time Bakugou had awoken before EIjirou, and he had presumably been up for a while. Had he remained quiet, not waking Eijirou up out of consideration? And oh, that thought made his heart feel fuzzy and warm. Bakugou had been very thoughtful — that was a good sign.

"What time is it? How long have you been awake, anyways?"

"Couple of minutes. It's like 9 or something."

Eijirou nodded, shuffling his position until he was sitting with his back against the headboard. Bakugou followed suit. For just a moment, as silence surrounded them, Eijirou wished he could know what his friend was thinking. How had that night's nightmare changed their relationship, in Bakugou's mind? But he didn't have a mind-reading quirk, so he wouldn't know unless he asked, right?

"Listen, Bakugou. About last night…"

The blond grunted.

Too forward, too forward. "Well… um." Suddenly, Eijirou was hyper-aware of how his voice was cutting through the still air, of how Bakugou was barely responding. He took a step back, allowing his voice to fall to a more comfortable volume."Did you sleep well?"

"Fuck yeah."

At first, Eijirou grinned. What an extremely Bakugou-like response. But then, he furrowed his brow, a pout tugging his lips forward, eyes downcast as he absently studied his hands. Then why, he wanted to ask, why does this have to end? But that would be selfish, wouldn't it? And weird. This wasn't about him. He couldn't allow himself to be selfish.

"I mean. I am just here to help, and if that help is unnecessary, then I get it. But, if being here does help, and if I can help you more, then that's what I want to do, and… and…" Great, now Bakugou was giving him a sideways glance, one that was nearly impossible to read. He was getting ahead of himself, wasn't he? He took a breath. "Look. Bro. I don't want to push you or anything. But last night, your dream was worse. Much worse. And I can't help but think that there is more that I can do to help you out."

"But that's exactly why this has to stop."

Eijirou's brain stalled. "I don't follow…" he finally mumbled out. "Is it… you think that I'm losing my effectiveness or something? Like when someone takes a lot of medicine over time and it stops working?"

"Fuck. Nothing like that."

"Then…" Then why? "… I don't see how…?" Eijirou just trailed off though, keeping his thought unvoiced, but perhaps Bakugou caught his drift. But when the blond remained quiet, without so much as a hum of acknowledgement, he felt pressured to continue. "Bakugou, last night, I was so worried." He could hear how quiet his voice was, because his heartbeat was so loud in comparison. "I just want to be there for you, and your reaction to the nightmare was the worst I have seen—"

"It was a different nightmare."

Eijirou looked up. Bakugou looked away. The blond shifted, awkwardly.

"Then, uh, if you don't mind me asking… what are your dreams normally like?" No response. The redhead looked down, hoping that he hadn't offended by prying too much. He was taking a risk, he knew it, and if Bakugou didn't respond well, then he had messed up.

Finally, Bakugou let out a puff of air that strained against his lips, pulling at the hair at the nape of his neck distractedly. "I dunno," he shrugged, tense, rigid. "Like… usually, it's that fucking night in the woods, and the villains are coming after me. But since I'm dreaming, I know how it's going to end, so I do everything I can to stop it from happening, but… it always happens anyways. Every fucking time."

The words were forced out between his clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists, and for a second, Eijirou wondered if he needed to back off, to let Bakugou simmer down before he got too upset. But maybe he needed this outlet, maybe he needed to vent. So he stayed quiet, patiently waiting for the blond to continue.

"There are some variations," he explained. "like sometimes they hurt me, or they torture me, or sometimes… sometimes they kill me, right before I wake up. But they always end up getting me."

Oh. A wave of cold alarm wove through his body. It sounded terrifying, and the thought crossed Eijirou's mind that he should stop the conversation now, before he uncovered even worse memories, but some deep part of him had to know: "What was different about last night?"

Bakugou was pointedly quiet. When he finally did respond, his voice was hollow.

"It was you."

"Me…?" Eijirou felt his heart drop, felt the blood drain from his face. Surely not…

"They changed targets for whatever fucking reason, I don't know, it was a dream, but they were coming after you instead, and they hurt you, and they... uh, they…"

The room fell silent. Bakugou's fists were balled tight, his teeth clenched in a snarl, and he was shaking again. Eijirou could only watch in silence.

Bakugou's dreams… he had no idea they were that bad. It was a harsh thing to think about, and his friend was in so much pain just remembering them that Eijirou knew his imagination would never be able to recreate the terror that he had to live through every night. A part of him didn't want to hear anymore, insisted that he had heard enough heartbreak for the entire day, but this was not about him.

This is what Bakugou needs, he reminded himself. This is what he needs, let him talk…

Bakugou closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. "And I know it's just a shitty dream, I know that," His words started as a rushed mumble, but they slowly built in volume and urgency, becoming more and more frantic with each exhale. "It's so fucking dumb, but dreams always feel real when you're in them, you know? It was so disturbing, and scary, and I couldn't help it, I was so fucking relieved when I woke up and you were there, and you were safe and moving and breathing, and…" One of his clenched fists hit hard on the bed, he let out a frustrated rumble. "Oh, God, I feel so stupid, what the fuck is wrong with me?"

Eijirou held his breath, each word stabbing through his lungs, making it more and more difficult to breathe. "Hey… It's okay," He began, carefully, reaching out a hand to grab onto Bakugou's forearm. "Let it all out."

"Stop that," Bakugou growled, his entire body freezing at the touch. Eijirou quickly took his hand away. "Stop it, I don't want to rely on you. I don't want to rely on anyone. Like, what if this gets so bad that I can't fall asleep without you being in the same room? Dependency is unhealthy, right? Just because you're there, doesn't mean I can just use you."

Was that… guilt? Eijirou couldn't help but wonder – did Bakugou feel guilty because he felt that he was taking advantage of his help?

"I promise, you're not using me. I offered to help, and I am happy doing it."

"See?" Bakugou groaned in frustration. "You care so goddamn much, it's maddening! And it's not like that's the only reason this needs to stop, either. Look, I'm not a fucking sap. But my nightmare got so much worse when you were in it. And the closer I get to you, or to anyone – the more I care about people in general – the worse they'll get. That's why this needs to stop, sometime soon. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon."

That's what was bothering him? Eijirou nodded slowly, a weight in his heart tugging downward, his eyes stinging from the sudden moisture. He wasn't crying, he wasn't, but a small part of him wanted to. All of this, the trust that had built between them, the affectionate bond that Eijirou felt they shared… would it really have to end soon?

"I understand… but…"

He struggled, grasping desperately at words that would best explain himself, words that didn't seem to be there. He needed to comfort Bakugou, as best as he could while being reasonable, so he took his chances and wandered in blind.

"We're trying to be heroes," he began. "No matter how much you try to distance yourself from others, there are always going to be risks. It's part of the job description. And this is a crude way of looking at it, but with my quirk, it would take a lot to hurt me, so I'm a safer bet than most people to be friends with, aren't I? I'm indestructible!" At that, Bakugou let out a huff, and when Eijirou looked at him, there seemed to be a small smile on his lips. His words seemed to have done more than just calm his bro down, they had lifted his spirits too. Encouraged, he continued, "And anyways, you can't be a hero at all if you are under-rested. I just think help is better than no help. We can deal with any consequences at they you get what I'm saying?"

Bakugou looked down, moping. He nodded.

"But this is more than that, isn't it?" Maybe his voice was too hopeful. He didn't even know what he was hoping for, but he could hear it in his own tone. "I'm helping you in other ways. Aren't I? Cuz I noticed, all this week, you were becoming closer to the class. You dropped the brooding outsider act—"

"—The fuck—?"

"—And I'm just… I'm really proud of you," he smiled. Bakugou slowly looked up at him in disbelief. "I'm serious. For going out of your comfort zone, with me. With our other classmates." Suddenly, Eijirou felt self-conscious under the blond's hard gaze. He brought his arm up to rub the nape of his neck to ease some nerves. "I mean, hey. I've always thought you were a cool person, but now other people are seeing that in you too. That just makes me so happy."

At that, Bakugou was rather quiet. He cleared his throat, his voice coming out rather shaky. "Why do you care about that?"

"Well, because… I don't know. I just don't want people to see you as some sort of an enemy, just because you're brash sometimes."

"You mean… you don't?"

"… Don't what?"

"See me as… an enemy? Like, some sort of a villain?"

Eijirou blinked, at a loss for words. "Um… Why should I?"

Bakugou sighed, exasperated. "Listen. I don't care about what people think about me, or about my personality, or how I go about being a hero. That's a part of who I am, and if they don't like it, then that's their fucking problem. But… I went over-the-top at the sports festival, when I was on the podium. I admit it, I'm owning up to it, so fuckin' whatever. But since then, it seems like everyone had made certain assumptions about me, and those assumptions became how the entire world sees me. And then, when I was kidnapped, a lot of people thought those creepy bastards at the Villain Alliance would actually get to me, and..."

Eijirou ducked his head. He always knew that Bakugou had a thick skin, dishing out insult and vulgar language without any thought about what people thought of him, so the redhead had never considered that something like this would be any different. But, he could see the distress in Bakugou's sullen face. The knowledge that some people thought he was better suited to be a villain… This was affecting him, deeply.

"And yet, despite all of that, you... you never thought I would go bad?" The blond's voice was softer. Hopeful, perhaps.

Eijrou didn't hesitate. He didn't have to, the words rolled freely off of his tongue. "No. Never."

"Why not?" Bakugou's head snapped up to look at him. His eyes were searching into Eijirou's own, as if he was trying to find something.

Eijirou stared back, his heart beating faster, his confidence not faltering for even a second. "I'd like to think I know you, Bakugou. Just a little. Despite how you act sometimes, you care about people. I can tell. How could I see you as a villain, when you are trying so hard to be a hero?"

Bakugou looked away. Maybe he found what he was looking for. Truthfulness? Eijirou's words were sincere, so he hoped the blond believed him.

His voice was soft, barely audible above Eijirou's thumping heart.

"… Thank you."

Eijirou's lips broke into a smile. He fist-bumped Bakugou's shoulder. "No problem, bro. I mean every word."

"I know."

At that, a silence fell over the two of them, but this one didn't pound away at Eijirou's eardrums. It was comfortable. And maybe Bakugou was considering everything they had spoken about. Eijirou hoped that his friend would at least consider taking his help for a few nights more, but the ball was in his court now. There wasn't much else the redhead could do, and strangely, he felt some comfort in that.

"Well, I'm gonna go shower now," Bakugou eventually spoke. "I feel fucking gross after last night. But… I'll, uh, think about this."

There was still some hope, it seemed. "Right. Take your time. I'll be here to talk when you get out."

Bakugou grunted in his general direction before clambering out of bed. It took only a handful of seconds for him to wander around his room, collecting his showering supplies, before promptly leaving for the bathroom. Leaving Eijirou alone with his thoughts.

Eijirou moved to sit on the side of the bed. He needed to think about getting ready for the day too, but once again, his bran would not shut up. Was what he said enough? Did he convince Bakugou? Why did he even feel the need to convince him? It was true that he thought that Bakugou needed his help, but if the blond didn't think so, then it really wasn't his business to try to change his mind. So why did it matter so much to him?"

He sighed, his foot banging against his futon that was on the floor in impatience. That drew his attention to it, and as he stared at the small mattress, a thought tugged at the back of his mind.

Oh right. The futon. It was Saturday, so it had been in use for almost a week. Which meant…

Eijitou groaned, slinking off of the bed. He hated doing this, but if his mother had taught him anything in the last 15 years, it was that he could not abandon his chores. And it was time to air the futon.

So he dragged his futon to his own room, checking the hallway first to make sure it was clear of any observers, and hung it over his veranda railing. One hour should be enough time, and then he would have to go back and flip it over to make sure both sides were dry. Until then, he would just work on homework or something. So he got dressed and washed up, went back to Bakugou's room with his schoolwork in tow, hunkering down on the bed to start on some English conjugation. Anything that would take his mind off of its constant wondering.

He was only a minute or two into the fourth exercise when his phone buzzed. His eyes scanned over the message, muttering as he read: "… Curry rice with the class…?"

Just then, the door opened, and Bakugou emerged from the shower, his towel wrapped around his waist. He froze in the doorway, surprised.

"Hm?" Eijirou looked up, wondering why his friend had paused so abruptly. Bakugou had his head cocked to the side, a frown on his lips, regarding the empty floor with… was it disappointment? "Oh right! The futon's out drying. I'll, uh… bring it back in when it's done I guess?"

"Yeah, don't bother."

Suddenly, Eijirou's throat felt dry. "W-what?"

Had Bakugou had a change of heart in the shower? Did that mean… did that mean that Bakugou had had enough? Surely he had caught up on sleep, so it was only a matter of time. But even though he had been low-key preparing himself for this day, it still caused an ache in his chest.

But then, Bakugou cleared his throat, his words nervous. "I mean, why do we even need it? You never end up using it for long anyways."

Wait. Butterflies in Eijirou's chest fluttered. He looked up slowly to Bakugou. There was a blush on the blond's cheeks, and he was looking at anything other than Eijirou.

"You mean…?"

He scowled. "Fucking whatever."

"Right. Right."

At that, Bakugou started getting dressed. Eijirou averted his eyes out of courtesy. He felt a blush blossom on his own cheeks, burning bright red. What was up with that?

"Uh… I'll be a little later than normal," Eijirou spoke up, keeping himself distracted. "I got a text from Momo, and she somehow got permission for the class to leave campus to go have dinner before the term officially starts, so I think I'm going to join them. Should be done around 8 or so, though."

"What time are we heading out then?"

"Um." Eijirou blinked. "What?"

"I said – what time are we heading out? Or was this one of those RSVP things."

"Around 5:30…" He trailed off in confusion. Wait, did that mean…? "Oh. My. God. You want to come, too."

"Don't look so fucking surprised," he scoffed. "We've been cooped up here for 2 weeks. I'm tired of shitty cafeteria food."

Eijirou beamed. "Uh-huh. Ri-ight."

Bakugou was full of surprises. The whole sleepover situation, for one. The whole 'tough-guy act' being more or less a front, his concern for how people thought of him as a hero, and now… Eijirou looked over his steaming curry and across the table. Among the rest of the rowdy class, sandwiched between Kaminari and Asui, was Bakugou.

He and his classmates had reserved a back room at a curry rice restaurant. Aizawa sat on one end of the table, and the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B sat on the other side, the two keeping a watchful eye on the students as well as any potential threat that would come. With this protection, and the knowledge that their plans had been rather last-minute with a low possibility of villains crashing their party, Eijirou and his fellow students were finally able to relax and have a fun night out. And Bakugou had actually joined them.

He wasn't very talkative, either listening to the others speaking around him or cutting the outside world off entirely and retreating to his phone. But not only had be tagged along, he had all but invited himself!

Eijirou's gaze swept the room. His other classmates had been happy to see Bakugou when the two of them arrived in the common space, without a hint of apprehension, and for a moment, he thought it was too good to be true. He worried that something catastrophic would happen, like a classmate picking on Bakugou, or Bakugou blowing his top. But of course, the night had been going smoothly so far. They were about half-way through the meal, without a hitch!

Honestly, it was a wonder that he expected anything different to happen. Class 1-A was full of some amazing kids – if any group were going to accept Bakugou despite his harsh attitude, it would be them.

Perhaps it was finally being able to leave campus that was making everyone giddy. But there was definitely a starch difference between how some of the students acted in the common space, and in this restaurant. And as Eijirou's classmates continued to unwind and delve into their free, fun sides, there was a particular moment that stood out to him.

Sero had started it with a dare. Among insistences of 'no, hold on, I can do this I swear', Kirishima was trying to balance a spoon from his nose. Which prompted Iida to recite proper table etiquette, demanding that he follow proper manners. At this point, the entire table was giggling.

And then, Bakugou snickered. Eijirou looked to him, quickly, eyes wide. Their gazes met.

"You're having fun," he mouthed across the table.

Bakugou ducked his head, quickly, his face morphing into his characteristically disinterested scowl. A slight shrug lifted his shoulders. And Eijirou was getting way better at reading the blond's body language, because he knew exactly what that meant: I guess so. Fucking whatever. The redhead smiled, fondly.

Bakugou really was full of surprises, huh?

As soon as they got back to the common space, Kaminari pulled Eijirou aside. "Hey, Kirishima? Can I ask you about something?" His voice was hushed, his words coming out a little faster than normal.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Ahh, nothing much, man. I was just wondering… actually a few of us were…"

And oh boy, Eijirou had a hunch on what this was about. He nodded, prompting Kaminari to continue.

"Well, we just noticed that Bakugou seems different lately? Like, for the past few days, he's been a lot more tolerable. And, sociable? Like… he tagged along to dinner, and didn't make a scene or anything, not that I expected him to or anything, but… uh, you seem to be the closest to him, so…"

"You're wondering what's changed?"

"Well, I was wondering more along the lines of 'what Pavlov-like conditioning magic are you doing to get him to behave', but, uhh," he let out a nervous chuckle, "Yah, we'll go with yours."

Eijirou sighed, grinning. Kaminari was just so ridiculous sometimes. "Well, I didn't force him to come, if that's what you mean. I mentioned it to him, and he invited himself. Um. Was that… not okay?"

"No, no it's great!" Kaminari smiled, "The invitation was open to everyone in the class, we were all happy to have him. It was just… unexpected, is all. I think it's good that he's branching out. But… Bro. You're being serious? You're not forcing him or, or bribing him, or anything at all?"

"Nope. He actually asked to come. In his own strange way."

Kaminari nodded, wide-eyed in awe. "No way. Don't get me wrong, dude, whatever is happening, it's a good change. It really is. But… well, what's up with that?"

How could he describe it? Eijirou paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. As he did, his eyes wandered to around the room, finally falling on Bakugou, who stood across the way and was regarding him curiously in turn. A fond smile played at his lips as the best answer came clear to mind.

"I think he just wants to make friends."