Katsuki Bakugou

Once Recovery Girl pushed open the door to Bakugou's shared apartment, he glanced down at her gray bun of hair and her dark glasses. He half-expected to be stopped in his tracks and informed of something related to Todoroki, but he was simply met with a nod and a smile.

At least he won't be suddenly dropping dead from starvation, Bakugou attempted to console himself as he patted his sweat-stained hands on his jeans. To think he's gotten to the point where he needs a feeding tube… I'd fucking lose it if he died on me. Even though I'm terrified of him starving to death, that doesn't even deter me from envying his thinness. I fucking hate that. Shaking his head, he entered his apartment, closed the door, and ambled towards Todoroki's room; the door was left slightly ajar. Wish my Quirk were mind-reading, but then again, I'd never be able to escape from seeing the most depressing shit.

Nudging Todoroki's door open just enough to slip through, Bakugou scrutinized Todoroki, who was lying in his futon with his back to Bakugou. "Oi…" uttered the ash-blonde in a gruff whisper. "How'd things go?" He listened to the soft sound of his feet hitting the tatami mats on the floor as he approached his partner.

Todoroki's protruding shoulder fell as he exhaled sharply, but he did not reply.

Bakugou knelt down beside Todoroki and placed his hand on the latter's shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked with furrowed brows and a thunderous pulse.

Todoroki shrugged and sank deeper into the void of his futon.

Bakugou felt his chest deflate and tighten. "Feeling shitty?" With deft, calloused fingers, he slowly swirled Todoroki's hair around his palm.

Todoroki shook his head.

"Shouto, I dunno how to help if you don't say anything," muttered Bakugou.

Yet, Todoroki held his silence and provided no visible reaction to Bakugou's statement.

Lemme guess… You don't even want my help with anything. You'd rather hold your tongue and silently suffer than show any weaknesses. I get it… But for all I know, you could be planning out your next suicide attempt, and I don't fucking want to realize that too late.

Bakugou expelled all the air occupying his lungs before lying beside Todoroki. "Y'know, even if yer staying silent, I know you're hurting. Deny it all you want, but there's a story behind what happened to you that you haven't told me." He paused for a few seconds, plunging the room into ringing silence. "I won't force you to say anything, but I ain't leaving your side if you're not gonna respond to me." He felt his heart spring into his ribs as Todoroki lifted the cover of his futon and gestured for Bakugou to lie directly beside him.

I get the feeling you don't know what'd be helpful, Bakugou cerebrated while insinuating himself into the warmth of Todoroki's futon. Or maybe you don't even know what you're feeling, and everything's too much to process. But I also feel like you're lonely. God, I miss snuggling with you. Inhaling Todoroki's scent of bamboo and sweat, Bakugou began to trace his hand along Todoroki's shoulder to locate the latter's hand, but he withdrew from his endeavor once Todoroki flinched. Shoulder's fine, but not your elbow?

"Is your arm hurt?" Bakugou inquired.

Todoroki shook his head.

Damn, I sounded like fucking Aizawa, Bakugou realized as he glimpsed at the clear IV drip bag. Is it that? But I didn't feel any tube. I'm probably annoying him with all the questions. Why won't you speak, Shouto? What the hell happened when Recovery Hag was with you? I'm getting so fed up with getting half-assed, non-verbal responses out of you, but I know you're dealing with your own shit. It's so fucking frustrating. I wanna talk to you and be able to help you, but you're not letting me do any of that. I hate you, Shouto.

Bakugou wasn't sure how long he'd silently rested in his boyfriend's futon and body heat, but he stifled an irked sigh at the sound of a knock at the apartment door. He cautiously rose from Todoroki's side and peered down at his doll-like partner before slinking out of the room and opening the door to see Recovery Girl again.

"Is Todoroki awake?" Recovery Girl questioned while glancing at Todoroki's open door. "I'm here to do some bloodwork if he's in a more stable condition."

More stable condition? "I'll check." Bakugou returned to Todoroki's room and lightly tapped Todoroki on the shoulder. "Oi. You awake?"

Todoroki's eyes were slowly drawn open. Dark, squinted, and murky, his eyes blended in with the dim room.

I really feel like his depression is just getting worse. I know he's not fine. I know he's hurting and just brushes off the pain. I know he's gonna fucking die if things don't change.

"Recovery Hag's here. You feelin' up to seeing her again?"

Todoroki provided a subtle nod, and thus, Bakugou motioned for Recovery Girl to enter the room. He flicked on the light and blinked rapidly, adjusting to the intensity of the light. Bakugou observed from the foot of Todoroki's futon as Todoroki's IV was removed and his pulse was taken, but he found himself stepping closer once Recovery Girl inquired as to whether or not Todoroki was willing to have his blood drawn.

Although Todoroki nodded, Bakugou felt his stomach collapse into itself. He averted his eyes once Todoroki's arm was pricked again, and once the blood draw was complete, he sighed in relief.

"Are you feeling lightheaded at all?" Recovery Girl asked while collecting roughly six small tubes of blood and stowing them in a paper bag.

Todoroki shook his head.

"Good. I'll get back to you tomorrow with the results."

With that, Recovery Girl took her leave, and Bakugou immediately scrambled to reach Todoroki's side. "She took hella blood from you. You sure you're not gonna pass out?" He glimpsed at the translucent tubing that wove through Todoroki's nostrils, and then to the raised scars festering on Todoroki's exposed arm.

It still fucking hurts me to know you have the resolve to cut so deep into your own skin so many goddamn times…

Todoroki shrugged, and within moments, he extracted his phone from his pocket. Skimming the glowing screen, his eyes sank down, and he shakily teetered onto his feet.

"Oi, oi, oi…" grumbled the ash-blonde, who stepped in front of Todoroki to obstruct the latter's path. "Where are you going?" He reflexively held his hand out to Todoroki as Todoroki stumbled and rubbed his right temple.

"Training," sibilated Todoroki, whose voice was like a bottled sea of thunder. "I'm fine."

Shit, that's right. "Show me proof." Bakugou crossed his arms and waged a silent, ruthless war once he locked his burning eyes on Todoroki's frigid eyes.

Todoroki shook his head and stepped forward, but Bakugou denied his partner's attempt to escape by clasping onto Todoroki's free hand. "You're not accomplishing anything," Todoroki murmured. "He'll be mad if I'm late."

"You damn well know I'm stronger than you, Shouto."

"Don't."

"Then show me your proof."

"No."

"Why? Is it because he wants to beat the shit out of you instead of train you?"

Todoroki shook his head and sharpened his gaze. "Don't be ridiculous." He took another step forward.

"Then who the hell keeps giving you all these horrible fucking injuries?" snarled Bakugou, who tightened his grip on Todoroki's wrist.

"I've told you already: from training. Some are from my embarrassing accidents, though. But really, I need to go."

"And if I forced you to stay all night?"

Although minute, Todoroki's left arm flinched. "You'd be asking for Endeavor to get physical, if you did that."

Oh my fucking God, just say the goddamn truth already! I know you're lying to my face. Something bad's gonna happen to you if you don't leave soon, and I assume that asshole's gonna abuse you.

"If you're so fine with cutting yourself and fucking asking for me to use you as a punching bag, what's so bad about that?" Bakugou retorted with vitriol dripping from his lips.

"All right, you win. I won't leave."

"Hah?! You better fucking leave if you're gonna get hurt for not leaving!"

"Then I'm not obligated to show you anything."

You sharp motherfucker. "Tch. I hate you." Bakugou released Todoroki's wrist.

"You have every reason to. Bye, Kat."

Without another word, Todoroki exited the apartment, leaving Bakugou alone in the former's room.

What the hell…just happened? God, his perfect fucking ass turned the answers I got out of him against me. What the hell… I fucked everything up. I hate myself… I let him go to get abused. He's gonna show up with more injuries. It's all my fucking fault. I knew. I panicked, but that's not a fucking excuse! Goddammit, why do I only fuck things up?!