The shower sputtered before settling into a steady stream, its initial coldness gradually giving way to warmth. The bathroom filled with steam as the water splashed gently, creating a humid and soothing atmosphere.
He hesitated for a moment but soon took a step into the water, wincing as the warm water met his bare skin. He felt the tension in his tight muscles begin to loosen, offering a momentary respite from the palpitating aches. His chest bore the marks of recent battles, burns and bruises serving as a testament to the intense encounters he faced. The water cascades over him, his body is covered in burns and bruises from recent attacks gone awry. The recent relentless fighting in his area was taking its toll on him.
The villains in his patrol area had become increasingly formidable, he was never one to ask for help and was determined to prove his mettle as a full-fledged Pro Hero. He refused to ask for assistance, fearing it might tarnish his reputation, or worse endanger someone else. He believed he could handle any threat alone without putting others in harm's way.
As the water cascaded over him, he clenched his teeth, battling the searing pain that coursed through his body. His vision blurred, and he felt light-headed. The source of his agony was a vicious explosion quirk called "Splitters," which had left embedded shards in his back. Removing them would have to wait until he regained his strength.
His fatigue weighed him down, every movement a laborious effort. Blood oozed from the wounds on his back, tainted the water with faint traces of red. With a shaky hand, he tried to assess the situation, struggling to reach the sharp pieces embedded in his flesh.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. The warm shower offered some relaxation, but it also fogged his already sleep-deprived mind. All he craved was rest, but he knew he needed to clean his wounds else they could get infected and he'd be laid up for days. Gritting his teeth, he managed to apply a small amount of shampoo to his hair, deciding to clean what he could and deal with the rest later.
The warm water's embrace helped soothe his aching muscles, granting a fleeting moment of solace amid the pain. His exhaustion was undeniable. He let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes, surrendering to the shower's warmth and safety.
—-
In his dimly lit office, Izuku Midoriya sat amid piles of paperwork, his thoughts drifting away from the mundanity of the task at hand. The recent weeks had been relatively quiet in his part of the city, allowing him time to focus on administrative duties, though it was only interesting to him about 60% of the time. The new government regulations required Pro Heroes to catalogue quirks of civilians and witnesses, and Midoriya couldn't help but feel the encroachment of surveillance into their once-free world.
A new Government agenda, either to keep closer tabs on it's citizens or to further push this new "Accredited Breeding" program they want all Hero's to sign up to.
He stretched his arms up, feeling his back muscles pull and then relax. He should really get up and move away from his desk more often when doing paperwork, it wasn't healthy sitting in the same spot for hours on end but he did have a lot of work to still file.
Looking at the clock in the corner of the room, he just about made out the time, '9:08 pm, not too late, I could fit a quick run home and maybe even grab some street food on my way' he smiled to himself, he loved the little stores that were dotted along the streets. Those little shops scattered throughout the city had a special place in his heart, a connection to both his past and the vibrant present. Most were established businesses, some family run for generations but on the odd occasion, a new pop up shop would appear with some overseas delight for him to enjoy.
He slowly stood, gliding his chair gentle behind him. Allowing his legs time to adjust to his weight being fully on them again. Stretching once more he went to start packing up his supplies, when his phone buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. The caller ID displayed an unfamiliar number, and a strange, breathy voice echoed through the line.
"Hello?"
The voice on the other end was barely audible and hard to make out. Midoriya strained to hear anything on line when a silence came.
"Hello? Sorry I can't hear you?"
"...get here…..nerd"
The line abruptly disconnected, leaving Midoriya puzzled and worried. The line abruptly disconnected, leaving Midoriya puzzled and worried. He hurriedly opened his laptop, searching for the number.
A flash later and a Pro Hero profile loads, golden banner at the top and then, there it is. The Pro Hero official photo. Blonde spikey hair, soft black banner crossing over a stern looking face. Deep red eyes, piercing gaze shining through the small holes in the fabric. Under the photo, It bore the name of none other than 'Katsuki Bakugou', 'Pro Hero Dynamight', 'Team leader of Ground Zero'.
His heart sank as he scrolled through news reports, finding mentions of "Big Explosion," "Raid," and "Local Citizen Self Defense Training" in Bakugou's patrol area. Panic surged within him, and he quickly accessed Bakugou's personnel file.
A sense of urgency in his eyes. Panic surged within him, and he quickly accessed Bakugou's personnel file, obtaining his home address.
Midoriya didn't think twice. He leaped out of his office window and soared through the night sky toward Bakugou's residence, praying that his friend would be there and safe.
'Please be home' he thought as the cold wind rushed by his face, it was harder to fly through the city with his office wear on but he had no time to get changed. He was in a rush. His mind started racing. Why would Bakugou call him? Was he injured? Would he even be at his home?
His heart was beating fast and his hands were becoming more clammy the closer he got to the outer edges of the city. The unfamiliar neighbourhood grew closer as Midoriya approached fast. He didn't come over this side often, so wasn't familiar with it or where exactly Bakuogou's street was. He had to slow down and drift towards the ground to get a better lay of the land. Luckily he had studied most of Musutafu's regional area so it wasn't completely foreign to him.
He flew over a few more streets and at the end of a quiet road, a small 2 story house stood alone, backing onto a forest. He noticed the lights were on and the upstairs balcony was open. Landing softly on the balcony of Bakugou's home. He debated whether to knock on the front door but, prompted by a loud noise from inside, decided to enter through the balcony instead.
"Kacchan?"
Silence.
"Kacchan, are you here?"
The sound of running water emanated from the bathroom. Midoriya followed the noise, his heart pounding in his chest. He rounded the corner of the room to where the bathroom was, door open but the room was cloudy with steam.
"Kacchan?" he slowly walked in. He allowed his eyes to focus, and as they did his gaze lowered down. He stopped in his tracks. His heart began to pound wildly. It was clear that something was terribly wrong.
Midoriya bursts into the bathroom, finding the body slumped on the shower floor, water still pouring over him. He'd rushed forward not understanding what was happening. The water running down the drain was tinged red, and the once rebellious blonde spikes were laid flat against the head.
Midoriya moved to Bakugou's side, looking him over, shocked by the extent of his injuries. Panicking, Midoriya quickly turned off the shower and covered Bakugou with a towel, lifting him gently into his arms.
He checked for signs of life, relieved to find Bakugou's strong heartbeat and steady breathing. While the injuries appeared serious, they didn't seem life-threatening.
Careful not to trip or drop the large muscle male, Midoriya slowly moved out of the bathroom and laid Bakugou on the large King Size bed in the adjacent room, making sure he was comfortable and secure.
Midoriya went back to the bathroom to look for a first aid kid, and found one in the mirror cabinet. He was well packed and labelled, a small fleeting smile crossed his face thinking about how secretly organised the blonde had always been. Midoriya often found his first aid kit lacking basic things, which he then would forget to restock, but Bakugou's was well stocked, carrying items that he barely recognised.
Moving back to the bed, he meticulously tended to the embedded shards in Bakugou's back. With care, he cleaned each wound, silently cursing the dangers Bakugou faced.
Once the wounds were treated, Midoriya finished drying Bakugou and tucked him into bed, vowing to stay by his side until he woke up.
—-
Part 2 - Redefining friendships - coming soon