The summers coming to a close, which means school's around the corner. I don't plan to end this story at all, but the chapter releases may be more scattered. Have no fear. I've planned ahead for what I want to write, and completely intend for this story to have an ending.

As always, don't forget to follow and favorite. Leave a review! Tell me what you think!


Midoriya was uncomfortable. Her hands were sore from picking peas from their stems, and her backache from bending over all day. She was distracted too, her mind going back to Bakugou. She'd been in the field for four hours now, and he had yet to return. Was he okay? How far out did they make him go? She didn't even realize she stopped picking plants until a voice came over her shoulder.

"You know, you'd finish a lot quicker if you actually try," Nagai said. She hadn't even realized he was by her. He was sneaky, his steps almost silent, or maybe she had been so lost in her head she couldn't hear his approach.

"I don't have that much left," she said. "I don't mind taking my time." She avoided eye contact with him, a voice almost in a hushed whisper. She felt his gaze on the back of her head and it made her feel uncomfortable. She couldn't place what it was, but there was something about his tone of voice, the boredom that laced it. Or the way his eyes seem to droop in disinterest, yet somehow it seemed as if he was plotting something, it was as if he were analyzing her rather than holding a conversation.

"You missed lunch," he noted. She nodded her head. She wasn't even halfway through her crop when lunch came around, and she was too unhinged to eat with Bakugou away. She decided continuing to work would be her best bet. "I brought you food."

"Thank you, but I don't want it," she told him, still avoiding his eyes. She hoped he'd get the message and go away. She didn't really want to talk to anyone.

"You know, ignoring people's kindness does nobody any good," he said. She felt a chill run down her back. She finally looked him in the eyes, her expression blank.

"Thank you for your generosity, but I'd rather not eat that. To be honest, I'm not hungry, and I don't want to waste your ration," she explained, though she felt like she shouldn't have to. She didn't want it, why couldn't he get that?

"Still–"

"Still nothing, Nagai," Camie said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere to Midoriya's rescue. The taller girl crossed her arms and glared at the albino. "She doesn't want it. Leave."

"You're not a part of this conversation," he said, his tone of voice raising slightly. Midoriya looked between the two. Camie was on edge, tense as she stood in front of her with a protective stance. Nagai was starting to get unhinged too, his fist tightening at his side and his eyes narrowing in a scowl. Midoriya found herself, waiting to see what would happen between the two of them. It felt hostile.

"She's uncomfortable, idiot," Camie told him. "Leave her alone." He almost responded, but then Hasaki, the redhead that made her just as uncomfortable as Nagai, stopped him in his tracks. Midoriya was vaguely aware that Hisaki was around, but unlike Nagai, she didn't try to talk to her. She stayed more to herself, which Midoriya appreciated.

"Let's go," the redhead said, pulling him away from the two. Midoriya found herself letting go of a breath that she didn't even know she was holding. Camie turned towards her when she heard the breath, concern written across her gorgeous features.

"Are you okay? He didn't do anything to you, right? He's always pushing his boundaries with people. It's so irritating," she rambled as she made her way towards the greenette, Midoriya flinched when Camie's hands fell onto her shoulders. "You're okay, right?"

"Yeah," Midoriya said, her cheeks flushing. She never had anyone other than her mom so protective over her, or at least not so much verbally.

"Good. I'd hate for him to take advantage of you," Camie explained. She let go of Midoriya's shoulders and bent down to pick up her basket. "Let's go. I'm sure they won't mind if you finish early."

"I only have a few more left," Midoriya said, trying to get out of Camie's arms. The blonde held on tight, and an annoyingly bright smile on her face. Midoriya knew then she wasn't getting out of her grasp.

"Nonsense! I have to get food in you or your boyfriend's gonna be upset with me," she said. Midoriya's cheeks flushed an even brighter red.

"Nagai's not my boyfriend," Midoriya argued. Camie smirked at her. Midoriya was flabbergasted at her expression.

"I'm not talking about Nagai, Midoriya," she said, but she didn't elaborate further. She pulled the grennette to the cafeteria and pushed her in line. She didn't even go to sit with her own friends, instead choosing to keep Midoriya company. It was something small, but somehow it made Midoriya feel better until Bakugou got back.


It was dusk when Bakugou came back to Shiketsu. He hadn't expected to get back so late, but their area to search was much larger than he thought it would be. It took them about an hour to get there, four to five to search it, and then another hour to get back. He was fatigued, exhausted, and ready to fall asleep. He found himself silently wondering if Midoriya was awake and waiting for him. He found himself almost expecting to see her bright green eyes.

"It typically doesn't take that long to search an area but we had to make your area bigger than the rest to get it out of the way," Tsukauchi said, pausing when he noticed Bakugou glaring at him. "I'm sure you did more than spectacular, Bakugo. You may go now." He let out one of his own yawns, and Bakugou had to restrain himself from letting one out too. Without any words, he turned and left the older man as well as his 'partner' he had forgotten about. The boy (what was his name again? Nanamura? Nakamora? He couldn't remember) was an enigma. He didn't say a single word to Bakugou the entire time they were out, and the boy was almost useless. Bakugou had barked orders to him multiple times because he found the boy staring at him more than actually looking for materials. It left him unsettled and frustrated.

When he finally entered the dorms, he paused. Standing down the hall from his and Midoriya's room was that smug looking bastard with white hair, Nagai. It didn't take much for Bakugou to decide that he didn't like the albino. The first time he'd ever seen the bastard boiled his blood. The way he had her pressed against him, her back against his front, his hand over her mouth to restrain her, his tight grasp on her tiny body, and the way he could easily see Midoriya trying to escape from his hold. He hated Nagai's predatory gazes toward Midoriya. It was concerning, and Bakugou had a strong itch to punch him in the face every time he saw it.

He walked past the smug bastard with a glare set on his face. Nagai didn't look up, instead focused on adjusting the gloves on his hands. That alone was odd to Bakugo, but he didn't stop to question him. He wanted to go back to his dorm and pass out.

"She's important to you, isn't she," he heard behind him. Bakugou froze but didn't turn around. He could hear Nagai chuckle behind him, menacing, taunting. "She's pretty, like a doll. Shame if someone were to snatch her away from you."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Bakugou snarled, but by the time he finished his sentence, Nagai had already retreated into his dorm across the hall from theirs. Another thing that would annoy the shit out of him when it came to Nagai.

He turned and knocked on the door to his own dorm. There was only one key to the room, and he trusted Midoriya with it given she was staying on campus and he wasn't. He was surprised when the door opened and he was met with chocolate colored eyes instead of the veridian green he was expecting.

"Oh," Camie said, her eyebrows raising in surprise. She looked behind him, eyes searching the hallway. "Is he gone? I heard you yelling at him."

"What the fuck are you doing in our dorm," he asked her bluntly. Her eyes landed back on his, and then she scoffed.

"You're very conversational, you know," she said sarcastically. "He's been waiting out here for a while. He's been bothering her all day, and his dorm is across from y'alls. I felt wrong leaving her here alone." Bakugou's eyes twitched. This wasn't how he imagined the first day at Shiketsu would be. He imagined they'd at least be able to relax and take a breather from the stress of dealing with stalkers and the infected, but it seems that those concerns won't go away any time soon.

Camie moved out of the way to allow Bakugou to enter the room. He almost immediately notes that Midoriya was sleeping on the bed, her tiny form balled up under the sheets as she let out soft snores. He ignored how cute she looked. The only light in the room was the tiny desk light in the corner, and on the desk was a book he assumed Camie was reading. He placed his bag on the floor by the bed and began to take off his shoes.

"She's on scavenger duty tomorrow," Camie revealed. He froze, unable to think of anything to say. He didn't know what to think about it. He didn't mind going out as long as it was to provide for her because he knew she was terrified of being out there alone. He was scared too, but the idea of them starving to death scared him more. He knows he wasn't assigned for scavenging again, so he had no way to watch her, to make sure she didn't get herself killed.

"Are you going with her?" he asked Camie. She shook her head, pulling some hair behind her ears. She seemed conflicted with something, her eyes scrunched together in thought, but he couldn't bring himself to ask what was bothering her. He really didn't care. He began to make his bed on the floor when Camie started to talk again.

"You like her, don't you?" she asked. He didn't say anything, too ashamed to admit it's true. He still didn't believe it was right to like someone as kind hearted and gentle as her. He still found himself lucky that she was still there, but he had a feeling it was because there was nowhere she could go. "Didn't think you'd like someone like her."

"I didn't ask for your damn opinion."

"You know you make it really hard to like you. I don't know how she deals with you," Camie states. "I'll ask Hasaki to watch her." Bakugou racked his brain for the girl Camie was talking about. Did he know her? "Oh my god, she literally introduced herself to you. The girl with the red hair who was with Nagai this morning."

"Oh," he said. "I don't like him, or his friend." Camie shrugged her shoulders as she made her way to the door.

"She'll watch over her, make sure she's alright," Camie said. She looked back at him and smiled. He scoffed and looked away, his gaze falling on Midoriya. Sometimes he wondered what they had done to get themselves in a situation like this. Always constantly in fear of dying, always wondering how it would happen and how to prevent it. Going out would only instill that fear in Midoriya, and he was scared that if she got too much of it she'd change forever. He barely had what was left of the Midoriya before as it was.

"Can you get me on the list tomorrow?" he asked before she left. She gently shook her head, a small frown set on her face.

"I'm not in charge of that," she told him. "All I can do is ask Hasaki, maybe Kayama. I'm sorry." She left after that, probably expecting him to not respond to her. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. Shiketsu wasn't what he thought it would be at all. To be honest he never wanted to take another step out of that building ever again. The security, warmth, and availability of food were so tantalizing he never wanted to leave. He understood he needed to earn his place, but goddammit he'd been running from those monsters for so long that he just wanted to sleep endlessly.

He didn't know how Midoriya would take it. She hated scavenging. She was good, don't get him wrong, but she hated having to go near any infected. She got anxious easily, and she wasn't really good at taking any of them down without any help. If he was worried about anything, it was her making it back in one piece. It didn't matter if it was mentally or physically, maybe even emotionally, he just needed her to be okay.

He ignored the urge to get into bed with her, wrap his arms around her, and fall into a peaceful sleep. Instead, he forced himself onto the stiff, cold ground and closed his eyes, trying to imagine as best as he could her warmth as if she were in his arms.


She hadn't even been able to talk to Bakugou before she was warded off into a vehicle. The news that she would be on scavenger duty was definitely not something she thought she'd ever wake up to, and it left her in an anxious mood. Bakugou wasn't with her, he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she was hauled into a car full of people she didn't know anything about other than their names.

"It should be quick," Tsukauchi said. "The boys were very efficient yesterday. Your friend brought in the biggest haul yet." It didn't shock her. Bakugou was good at everything. He typically searched houses by himself for both of them anyway and was really good at finding things in places people don't typically think to look.

Other than Tsukauchi being there, so was Hasaki. Without Nagai around, she was very quiet, almost anxious. She kept looking over her shoulder and sheathing and unsheathing her knife, creating an annoying sound Midoriya repeatedly winced at.

Midoriya looked outside, watching the blurring figure of trees roll past her. She could barely see her own reflection, but it was there and she could see how anxious she looked. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her frayed nerves. She thought back to what Bakugou would do, how he'd deal with the threats that await outside the car doors. He'd fight, but Midoriya wasn't good at that. Though she'd have to learn because she can't rely on others like she could with Bakugou, and she really wanted to see him again...

"You mumble a lot," Hasaki said out of nowhere. "I'm sure your 'Kacchan' will be fine by the time you get back. For now, you just need to get what we need and leave." Tsukauchi pulled into the parking lot of some abandoned grocery store.

"We were here last week, but we couldn't get into the storage room. We believe there could be a lot of non-perishable foods in there and want to take back as much as we can. If we're lucky, it may give Shiketsu enough food to last a few more weeks," he explained. Midoriya looked at the building, scanning what she could. The store didn't look as bad as other places she's seen. There was nothing inside, the shelves were completely raided, and it looked like there wasn't any infected inside either. "If one of you could get the sledgehammer, that would be great."

"I got it," Hasaki offered, easily lifting the hammer as if it weighed nothing. "Follow me." She began to make her way into the store. Midoriya hesitantly followed her. There was no immediate threat, but she felt as if something were about to go wrong. Her eyes repeatedly scanned the aisles over and over, but she found nothing. When she looked back at Tsukauchi and Hasaki, they looked fearless. She felt embarrassed to be the only one anxious.

Finally, despite the warnings Midoriya felt, they arrived at the back door. Tsukauchi did a quick look around before taking the sledgehammer from Hasaki. "This will be loud. Watch my back," he ordered the girls before he swung the hammer over his head and brought it down on the door. Midoriya flinched at the loud noise but kept watch on the entrance as Tsukauchi got the door opened. Hasaki calmly leaned against the wall, her head lowered. Midoriya tried to mimic her calmness, but it was hard when her heart was pounding in her chest.

"You act like you've never been out here," Hasaki revealed. "Didn't you and that blonde boy survive out here for months before they found you?"

"His name is Bakugou," Midoriya says without thinking. "And it was really just him surviving, I didn't really go out."

"Why not?" Hasaki asked. Midoriya looked at the ground, her mind pondering the question. She had asked herself many times why she left everything to him. She knew if she asked to help he would let her, even if it seemed like he didn't want her to, but the thought of going out scared her. There were things constantly attacking her, whether they be dead or alive, and the thought of having to constantly look over her shoulder exhausted her. Bakugou didn't seem to have that issue, or at least he didn't show her it. He seemed to walk with his head held high, fighting off the monsters with little effort and bringing home enough for them whenever they needed to. Bakugou was born for this type of world, she wasn't.

"I don't know," she lied. It didn't even sound real to her own ears. Hasaki looked at her with a knowing look.

"Does he force you to stay in, because if this is some domestic abuse bullshit I swear I will smack some sense into him," Hasaki grumbled. Her eyes turned hard like stone and her appearance was no longer calm but rigid and tense. Midoriya shook her head aggressively, an almost comical smile falling onto her face.

"No, it wasn't. It was all my choice," she revealed. "I was just scared I guess." Hasaki scoffed and pushed herself off the wall. She stood in front of Midoriya, giving the girl an intimidating stare. She was taller than Midoriya by a few inches, and she had the same confident posture Bakugou sometimes sported when he felt better than someone.

"Listen here, Greenie," Hasaki began, resting her hands on her waist like a scolding parent. "We're all afraid here. Survivors are the ones who use that fear to survive until the next day. Nothing is stopping the rest of us from fighting, so why should anything stop you too." Midoriya's eyes widened as she stared into her red eyes. She started to imagine Bakugou's eyes, the few times she caught fear in them. He always went out anyway, no matter how scared he was...

"It's different," Midoriya mumbled. The image of all the people that were killed in front of her school and the camp where their parents stayed burning to the ground flashed before her eyes. "I don't want to die."

"Nobody does, but we all do eventually," Hasaki said, turning back to Tsukauchi. "Are you done yet?"

"Almost," he said, running a hand across his forehead. He was breathing heavily but smiled nonetheless when the two girls looked at him. "Give me a few more minutes to get rid of the stray pieces of wood." The two girls nod then turn back towards the entrance. Midoriya froze when she saw a lone infected walking towards the entrance. From where she stood, she couldn't see any other enemies, so she could easily take it out if she had to.

"I got it," Hasaki said. "Just hold onto that bat tight for me in case something goes wrong." Midoriya watched her walk off, thinking deeply about what the girl said. She had never thought of surviving in that way. After admitting to the thought of ending it all to Bakugou, she found herself fearing death. She couldn't distinguish if it was because of human nature or because of her promise to Bakugou, but she knew death was not on her agenda for a long time.

Hasaki was good at fighting the infected. She was quick, sure to aim with the head with one effective strike before turning and giving the signal that it was all clear. Midoriya nodded her head, letting go of a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

Then there was a scream.

Midoriya snapped around and immediately searched for Tsukauchi. She cursed when she couldn't see him immediately and rushed through the exit he had just created. The windows in the room were blocked off with pieces of wood, only allowing thin streams of light to illuminate the rooms. She scanned her eyes in the darkness the best she could and managed to catch a reflection of white from his shirt, and the gleam of red from an infected over him. The only thing that stopped the infected from biting into Tsukauchi's neck was the shelf that worked as a barrier between the two of them. Without wasting a second, she swung the bat over her head and bashed it into the infected head. Seeming to realize it was being attacked, it slumped off of Tsukauchi and began to make its way toward her. Stumbling back, she cussed again under her breath as she tried to find any light. She could barely see and one misstep could lead to her demise.

"Tsukauchi! Are you okay?" She heard Hasaki yell. "Shit! Move." Midoriya was pushed to the ground harshly. She hissed when her hand scraped against the harsh concrete, then screamed when a loud bang burst in her ear. Ears ringing, she looked up at Hasaki with wide eyes. She had a gun. None of them were supposed to have a gun.

"Hasaki…" She ignored the confusion in Midoriya's tone and ran toward Tsukauchi. Noticing the shelf on top of him, she tried to push the shelf back, grunting in exertion as its weight.

"Midoriya. Help me!" Hasaki yelled out when the shelf didn't move. Quickly, Midoriya stood to her feet and began to push against the bookshelf too. As she pushed, her eyes traveled up and down Tsukauchi, looking for a wound she was fairly familiar with. It didn't take long to see the bite hidden between the torn fabric on his thigh. She stumbled when the shelf lifted out of her hands, and a groan left Tsukauchi's lips. "Grab him, quick!" Doing as instructed, Midoriya reached underneath Tsukauchi and pulled him out from underneath the fallen shelf, careful to not hurt him more than she needed to.

"His leg," Midoriya noted quietly, removing the fabric from his pants legs to better examine the wound. He was weakly gripping at his thigh, his eyes glossy with pain. It was bleeding profusely, teeth marks deep and rigid in his flesh. She quickly began to tie his shoelaces, confusing Hasaki.

"What are you doing?" Hasaki asked, panic lacing her voice. Midoriya began to tie the shoe around his shin before pulling hard to knot the shin. Tsukauchi yelled out in pain, and Hasaki reached to push Midoriya back. "You're hurting him!"

"I'm stopping the bleeding," Midoriya stated. She reached into her pack to see if there was anything else she could use to stop the bleeding. She didn't take any medical supplies, so when she saw a shirt she had accidentally left behind she didn't hesitate to use it as a bandage to stop the bleeding. She pressed firmly on the wound, ignoring Tsukauchi's painful grunts. She determinedly looked at Hasaki. "Do you know how to drive?"

"Yeah," Hasaki managed to say, seeming surprised at Midoriya's actions. Midoriya felt along Tsukauchi's uninjured leg, remembering him pocketing his keys before they entered the building. When she felt the outline of his keys, she reached in, grabbed them, then threw them at Hasaki.

"Let's go. We don't have much time."

Bakugo found himself looking at the clock for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. Time seemed to stop when he was stressed about her. He managed to finish his assigned crop field relatively quickly and efficiently, to everyone's surprise, so he was just sitting by the courtyard near the front gate for her arrival. He'd been there for the past two hours. He had nothing else to do.

"They won't be back for some more hours," Camie told him, leaning on a wall just out of his sight. His nose crinkled, annoyance rising within him. She never left, did she?

"I don't really give a fuck, so leave me alone," he grumbled to her, glaring at people who stared at him weirdly for his rude words He heard Camie sigh behind him, an appearance finally coming to his view. She looked just as annoyed as he felt.

"Whatever," she grumbled. "Do you want anything from the cafeteria? They should be just about closing?" He looked at his watch again. Only two minutes passed. He grumbled to himself then turned away from her, then his stomach growled. "That's a no then."

"Get me something," he told Camie before she left. She turned to him, her lips pursed. She smiled gently, then nodded her head, slowly making her way to the cafeteria with a pep in her step. He nearly scoffed. It only took that much for her to leave him alone.

He waited for a while longer, ignoring his growling stomach. He rested his head against the wall, closing his eyes and letting himself relax. He hadn't realized how stiff he was. Waiting for Midoriya was making him tense. Maybe waiting for her was doing him no good…

"Making yourself comfortable aren't you?" A deep voice said from behind him. Bakugou grumbled. That albino nut case just wouldn't leave him alone.

"What the fuck do you want this time?" he growled, glaring sharply at Nagai. The albino was leaning against the wall, trying to look cool but was really just pissing Bakugou off. Nobody would leave him alone. He only wanted to talk to one person.

"People seem to not mind you, and that bothers me," Nagai said plainly. "You're an asshole, I can tell." Bakugou scoffed to himself. Nagai acted like he wasn't one himself.

"Speak from experience?" he taunted. "I'm not looking for a fight, psycho. I'd recommend you leave before I beat your ass again." His voice dropped multiple octaves, letting Nagai know that he was not kidding. He would beat his ass in an instant if it meant he was taken seriously.

"Is that a threat?" he asked just as seriously. "I love a good chase and a good fight." And then he left, leaving Bakugou completely confused. What did he mean by a good chase? Why did that sound familiar? Like he heard it before?

"Tch, you're spending too much time with Deku," he mumbled to himself, putting his arms in his pocket and watching the entrance. He noticed a figure approaching, and almost immediately spotted green hair. "Speak of the devil."

"They're back early," Camie said from behind him, two bulks of foil full of food in her hand. She looked confused, then stiffened when Midoriya entered through the door. Bakugou caught the blood that littered the hands and shirt before he caught the panic in her steps and expression. He began to walk towards her, panic increasing in him.

"Are you hurt?" He immediately asked, scanning her body up and down for an open wound that can leave that much blood on her hands. She shook her head, eyes searching for something before they landed on Camie.

"Where's the nurse's office?" she asked. "Tsukauchi bit and he's losing a lot of blood." Camie's eyes widened as she looked behind Midoriya.

"He's bitten?" Camie repeated. "They've never brought back anyone's that bit?"

"He's really hurt," Midoriya said. "We might not be able to save him, but he'd at least get to say bye to his family before he goes." Midoriya began to absentmindedly rub her hands on her pants, an action he remembered her doing back at the school after she'd gotten covered in Tsubasa's blood. She was panicking, but unlike at Aldera, she was keeping her composure.

"It's too dangerous," Camie stuttered.

"At least let him die with people he loves," Midoriya pleaded. "Even if it's only for the next few hours." Camie looked torn, eyes flicking back towards the car that contained Tsukauchi, then back to Midoriya.

"I can't guarantee he'll get help," Camie started, resting the food she got on a shelf nearby. Bakugou had forgotten he was even hungry. "But I'll try. The nurse's office is by the main building. You remember where that is, right?" Camie asked hurriedly. Midoriya nodded her head, turning to Bakugou. He almost flinched at her intense gaze.

"Help me bring Tsukauchi in. Hasaki and I managed to get him to the car, but he's too heavy to carry all the way to the nurse's office," she explained hurriedly, rushing ahead of Bakugo to lead him to the car. He hadn't even said yes before Tskauchi's arm was wrapped around his shoulders to carry the man to the office. He felt like he was carrying a bag of bricks, lots of dead weight that was going to give him back pains later. Hasaki was holding Tsukauchi's other arm and was helping Bakugou carry him to the nurse's office. As they walked through the hallways he noticed people staring at them, shocked at the scene in front of them. Bakugou glared at all of the extras, hissing at them to move out of the way when he and Hasaki tried to stop them from getting Tsukauchi to help.

Bakugou heard Tsukauchi groan in his ear and it made his heart jump. It sounded so similar to the infected outside that he almost dropped Tsukauchi by reflex. Midoriya seemed to hear the same sound and looked back at his slumped form. Bakugo saw her give the man a pitying look before rounding the corner and entering the nurse's office. Camie was there standing next to an older woman with graying brown hair and thick glasses. The woman directed them to lay Tsukauchi on a bed by the entrance and then began to examine his wound. Bakugo took a step back, finally getting a clear view of Tsukauchi.

He looked awful.

The man's usual tanned skin was pale and clammy, almost transparent. He was breathing irregularly, the harsh breaths so audible Bakugou could hear it all the way from the doorway. He looked both tense and over relaxed at the same time, soft groans leaving his mouth as the nurse prodded at his leg. Bakugou silently gulped, dread filling his stomach. That could've been Midoriya…

"Who made the tourniquet and the bandage?" The nurse asked, peeling under the bloodied piece of shirt to better examine the wound. Midoriya looked to the ground as if she did something wrong.

"I did ma'am," she said quietly. "I didn't have any bandages, just a shirt." The nurse looked at her, gave her a quick look up and down, then smiled gently. Midoriya blushed at the action.

"That's smart of you to think of. And you did a good job sweetheart. Almost just as good as I would have done it," the woman said, turning to another person in the room. "Get me some clean bandages and water, as well as some balm to help with the infection." The woman ordered the other people, then smiled back at them. "You all can leave now. If one of you can be kind enough to tell Kayama he's here. I'm sure she'd like to see him one last time." Bakugo could feel the chill that took over the room.

He wasn't going to make it.

"I can do it," Camie said softly. She turned and rubbed her hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "You should wash off. You too Hasaki and Bakugou. You all have blood on you." Bakugou looked down at his shirt and it was indeed stained, as well as some of the skin on his arm. Midoriya looked like she was finally processing the amount of blood on her hands before she nodded slowly to Camie.

"Okay," she whispered, looking out of it. Bakugou sighed, walking up to her and grabbing her wrist. He pulled her out of the room and towards the bathrooms. She didn't bother to try to pull out of his grip but instead took lazy steps behind him. When they reached the bathrooms Bakugou took a towel, wet it with water, and began to clean her hands.

"This is like back at school," he said without thinking, the image of her washing his hands after he killed Nakura resurfacing. Her gaze lifted to meet his, and he nearly choked at how miserable she looked.

"You remember that?" she whispered, her voice shaking and indicating she was on the edge of breaking down. Her eyes were so full of water that Bakugou was surprised she was already crying a stream. Without much thought, he pulled her close to him and let her cry in his chest.

"This isn't your fault," he whispered in her ear. She clenched his shirt tight and cried harder, desperate cries of agony leaving her throat.

"I-I shouldn't have happened," she cried. "I was right there, Kacchan. I could've stopped it!"

"Shut up, Deku," he said, and though he knew they weren't the right words to say, he also knew saying them softly would let her know what he really meant. She shook her head into his shirt, her grip just as tight and her tears just as wet.

"I-I was so scared," she admitted through the tears. "He was dying and there was nothing I could do." All he could do was gently rub her back as she let her emotions out. He was vaguely aware that Camie was just outside the room, listening and judging. He almost wanted to ask her to deal with Midoriya instead, seeing as he wasn't that great at comforting, but the dread that had built from seeing Tsukauchi forbade him from doing so. He had his own emotions running wild, just not as verbally.

He found himself glad nobody came into the bathroom while Midoriya balled her eyes out. People seemed to already think he was cold-hearted and emotionless, and as much as that irked him internally, he couldn't be more than glad that people left him alone because of it. He didn't want anyone bothering them for the rest of the day. The last two days had been more stressful than any day since the end of the world began. All he wanted to do was go back to their dorm, hold Midoriya, and pretend like it was just them again. He didn't care how out of character it was, he just wanted to ignore everything else and focus on her.

"Let's go," he whispered to her. He placed her hands back over the sink and rinsed off any blood that may have stayed. He ignored the blood on her clothes, and briefly wiped the blood off her cheek with his thumb, silently noting how soft her skin felt. He didn't notice the blush that covered her cheeks, or how her eyes followed everywhere his hands went. He grabbed her wrist and began to drag her out of the bathrooms and towards the dorms.


It felt like a fever dream. Midoriya hadn't expected Bakugou to practically bombard her with cuddling for the rest of the evening. Not that she minded it, he was warm and his arms were gently around her and he made it really easy for her to forget what had happened hours prior. She couldn't really ask for more.

Still, it seemed odd to her. It was out of character for him. She was tempted to ask if he wasn't feeling well, but she knew he'd most likely yell at her and then move to his spot on the floor. She didn't want him to move, so she kept quiet and tried to find the problem by just analyzing him. She wondered if he fell asleep because his eyes were closed and he was very still. He looked very different in those moments, much more peaceful and calm and unridden of whatever he thought of daily. She unconsciously began to trace his prominent cheekbone with her pointer finger, mesmerized that he'd let her stay that close to him for so long.

"Are you bored?" he randomly asked, one of his eyes fluttering open. He didn't look annoyed, but he definitely looked tired.

"Sorry," she whispered back. "I didn't mean to wake you." He groaned in response, finally letting go of her to stretch. She hadn't expected it to get so cold so quickly.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked quietly. She stared at him for a bit, watching his lethargic mood while his question registered in her head. She still felt shitty, very shitty, and if she were to be completely honest she didn't want to do anything for the next few days, but she didn't want to seem weak to him.

"I'm okay," she whispered, avoiding his eyes. She didn't sound convincing at all. She could hear him scoff.

"What? You can tell Camie about your emotions just fine?" he said. She blinked, confusion spreading within her. If she knew any better, she'd think he was jealous.

"That's not true," she said slowly. She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. She wish she could tell him how she felt, but it was all a jumbled mess at the moment. She didn't even know where to begin with her emotions. She could feel his inquisitive gaze on her, and she struggled really hard not to crack under pressure. "Why are you worried about Cami and I's relationship?"

"I'm not," he said. "I don't give a damn about your relationship." His cheeks began to tint with a shade of red as he turned away from her. Her mind reeled at the sentence. What was he embarrassed about? All he had asked about was her and Camie's relationship...right?

"Kacchan…"

There was a knock at the door. Both of them stared at it for a while, confused as to who it would be. Camie wasn't supposed to be coming over. According to Bakugou, she had her duties to attend to. There wasn't anyone else she talked to, so who could it be?

"Midoriya, Bakugou," she heard from the other side of the door and easily recognized as Kayama. "Can I speak to you two?" Midoriya could practically hear the sadness in her voice through the door and easily knew what they'd be discussing.

"Are you sure you can handle it now?" Bakugou asked, completely serious in tone and demeanor. At this point, she knew he was worried about her mental health and as flattering as it was, she needed to talk about it. There was no way she could avoid it.

"Come in," she said, deciding to move to the desk to discuss it. Bakugou seemed to disappear into the bed, becoming silent as Kayama entered the room. The raven haired woman's eyes immediately drifted to Midoriya's, and she gave the greenette a gentle, yet somber smile.

"I just wanted to say thanks," she started off. Her voice sounded shaky like she was trying to control it. She dipped her head as she spoke, which Midoriya assumed was her trying to hide the tears. "For bringing Tsukauchi back I mean. Shiketsu has lost a lot of people, and they often aren't brought back because of the fear of putting others in danger. We'll have to let him go, as much as it breaks my heart to say it."

"I just thought it would be good for him to see his family one last time," she whispered softly, in awe that the woman was still brave enough to move on and let someone so close to her die. "I know what it's like to have that decision stripped from you." Kayama seemed to trip over her words, tears gathering at her eyes again before she hastily wiped them away.

"His family died in the beginning," she revealed. "He had a wife and two daughters, and all of them died shortly after the outbreak. I ran into him a few weeks later, and he was barely the man you know him as. It took him a long time to move on, but once he finally did he helped create this place and made sure nobody would have the same fate as his family." Even though she weakly laughed after speaking, Midoriya could tell she was moments away from breaking down. It didn't take much for her to realize Kayama may have had feelings for Tsukauchi, and even if she didn't, they were really close. She didn't know what would happen if she lost Bakugou.

"It was the least I could do," Midoryia managed to say through the tension. Kayama turned to Bakugou and thanked him too, to which he only grunted in response.

"I understand if this task was difficult for you," Kayama said. "Which is why I bring good news." She smiled brighter than she had when she first entered the room, leading Midoriya to believe they were moving on from the topic. "Tsukauchi asked me to assign you both to permanent duties." She pointed to Bakugou. "He wants you to join the scavengers." she pointed at Midoriya. "And he wanted you to become a nurse for Shiketsu."

Silence.

She wasn't expecting a promotion from the situation. She didn't know whether to be happy or sad about it because quite frankly, she didn't know if it was a compliment or not.

"That means no more picking crops or helping in the kitchen?" Bakugou asked, finally seeming interested in the conversation.

"Correct. You'll only be responsible for those assigned jobs. We like to keep people moving through a rotation so they won't get bored, but Tsukauchi seemed adamant on letting you two hold these positions permanently," she explained. "I know you two haven't been here long, but I trust him and his judgment. He isn't usually wrong." She bowed and thanked them one more time, then quietly left their dorm. Both the teenagers stared at the door and processed what they were told.

"A nurse," Midoriya mumbled to herself. "Like my mom." She turned to Bakugou, who seemed to be focused on staring at the floor. "Kacchan."

"I'm glad," he said, his eyes meeting hers. She stared in awe at the amount of relief that was shown in his ruby gaze. "You being out there stressed the fuck out of the both of us, so I'm glad that's out of the way."

"That's mean," she said in a joking manner, completely ignoring how he practically said he cared for her in his own Kacchan way. "I can handle myself long enough out there."

"Really?" he asked back, a smirk on his lips. "What did you get on the trip?"

"That's not important," Midoriya replied immediately because the answer was nothing. They had almost made it in, she almost said, but then she'd have to explain what happened, and she really didn't want to do that. "Are you sure you're okay with going out there every day?"

"We're not having this conversation again," He said, his tone much sharper than it had been previously. Midoriya pursed her lips, irritation licking at her brow.

"Well, I don't like it," she declared. "I don't want you to end up like Tsukauchi, and you never gave me a reason as to why you do it so much." By the tightness of his face of the way he turned away from her, she knew he was shutting her out. It didn't take much for Mirodriya to realize he wouldn't answer, and that pissed her off more. "Kacchan."

"Just drop it, dammit! I don't have to report to you about every goddamn decision I make in my life, Shitty Deku. Got it?" he practically yelled, throwing a sharp glare at her. She flinched back, briefly reminded of who she was talking to. Even if he had been gentler than ever, he was still hot headed and easily triggered. She should've known better than to push his limits.

"Got it," she whispered back, turning away from him and laying on the bed. Everything in her screamed to ask him why, why he was so willing to almost die every single day for something he no longer needed to do. They were at a camp. If he rejected the offer he'd stay in more, and he'd be guaranteed to live to the very next day. She didn't like stressing about whether he'd make it back or not, and she didn't like arguing about it either. She didn't want it to get in the way of their relationship, a relationship that though rough was shaping out to be better than it had ever been.

Though she should've known better than to hope that time would ever be on her side.