I know, I know *Sweatdrops* I'm so sorry! It's been like a year and I'm awful at updating but I will not give up. I'll keep going Plus Ultra and one day, this story will be finished a second time (had it completed before posting chapter 1 but then backtracked like a dummy).

Thank you to everyone who sticks with my stories *and me* despite how long it can take me to update. I really, really, REALLY, appreciate it.

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Letters From A Fan

Chapter 16

Kirishima was more than a little nervous as he approached the door to Midoriya's office, Hatsume having already told him that's where Bakugo was currently tied up. The tech genius had also let him know that Midoriya and Todoroki were out 'running errands' but she'd had a strange look on her face when she'd spoken, giving him the impression that they were likely doing something more intimate.

The thought infuriated him. His best friend, the person he'd been head over heels for since their first day at UA, was in incredible pain because of their unmanly behavior and now they were just rubbing salt into the wound; no, he didn't want them here. Better to speak to Bakugo alone so that he could explain himself and apologize without those two around causing more problems.

"H-hey, man..." He stumbled, rubbing the back of his head guiltily while he entered and shut the door behind him for privacy. "How're you—"

"Fuck you, Ei." Bakugo snapped the moment he looked up and saw Kirishima. "Get the fuck out."

The redhead stepped back momentarily but shook the urge to relent; this needed to happen. "No, Katsuki. I get that you're pissed at me, and I know I probably deserve it but I'm trying to help, so be a man and talk to me!"

The obstinate blonde refused, however, lips forming a silent snarl. He rolled on his little couch bed, twisting to his side and facing away from Kirishima. The action was loud and clear; he wasn't interested in talking.

Kirishima rubbed his face into his hands, irritation bubbling and boiling until his cheeks felt hot with annoyance and envy. There was little doubt that had Midoriya been in the room right now instead of him, he could probably have gotten Bakugo to do anything.

Midoriya was manipulative. He took advantage. He didn't deserve a man like Katsuki Bakugo.

Kirishima had been crushing on the blonde for over seven years; it didn't matter how many times he tried to move on or ignore it. Those feelings always lingered and maybe once this mess was over, he could finally act on them. Right now though, that wasn't what was important. This visit was about helping Bakugo heal, not about himself and his unrequited love.

"Look..." the redhead sighed, reeling in the irritation he felt from always losing out to Izuku. "I know it was a mistake calling Midoriya, but I was getting desperate. I'd never seen you like that before and nothing I said or did was working... I figured... Well, I guess I thought since you'd always talked about him like he was your soulmate he'd be able to get through to you in ways I couldn't."

Regardless of its truth, the words sliced his tongue, eyes closing with bitterness and insecurity. He pulled Midoriya's desk chair over, scooting it as close to the couch as possible before thumping into it dejectedly. "I just wanted to help you, Katsuki... I'm sorry."

Thick breaths filled the still air, heaviness pooling between them. Kirishima almost gave up hope for a response until the blonde finally seemed to soften and relent. He watched with heartache as the previously invincible Pro curled his knees up to his chest and hid his face further in the cushion, his breath hitching unevenly as he struggled to keep his barely suppressed emotions bottled up.

"Just shut up, Ei," Bakugo spoke, disparaged and remorseful. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, I do..." Kirishima insisted, reaching out to grasp Bakugo's shoulder comfortingly. "From what you've told me, Midoriya cheated on you with Todoroki and left you for him twice even after you forgave him the first time. You have every right to be upset about having your trust betrayed and I'm so sorry that I made it even worse by getting the person that hurt you like this involved. I'll make it up to you somehow, man. I swear."

Their conversation lapsed again, but Kirishima didn't try to push anymore. Support, that's what Bakugo needed. He began rubbing soothing circles into the man's tense shoulder, knowing that he'd broken through the wall and now all he had to do was wait for it to fall completely.

"No, you don't. You don't know anything about me, or Izuku, or our relationship." Bakugo eventually argued. His voice was squeaky and trembling, the sound of a person verging on the cusp of crying and desperately trying not to fall. "What happened between us is my fault. I'm the reason he left."

Kirishima frowned and shook his head at the statement. This new mindset is what, in his opinion, had caused Bakugo's emotional collapse and why he'd called Midoriya in the first place. If he could convince Midoriya to apologize to Bakugo and make things right, then he'd be in the right headspace to heal and they could all move forward with their lives.

"Katsuki I've been cheated on before, so I know how awful it is, especially if the person doesn't acknowledge their wrongdoing or the pain they put you through. You don't deserve any of this, man. Trust me." Kirishima explained. "Midoriya was wrong to treat you the way he did... and the way he is now."

"Izuku didn't cheat on me, Eijiro," Bakugo replied quietly. "I said that he did because I was pissed and wanted to make myself feel better but it wasn't true. Izuku just wanted a friend, and I was being so possessive that I wouldn't let him have one... That's why he went behind my back. Now please, please, just drop it and leave me alone."

A strange sensation started in Kirishima's navel, a tense rippling spiral that sent a chill up his spine; something didn't feel right. The cage to something he didn't want to face was creaking open before him. Danger; Turn back.

Kirishima wouldn't. "Katsuki, Midoriya left you for Todoroki... How can you say he wasn't doing anything unmanly when he dropped you like that for another guy he'd been slinking around with not once, but twice?"

"Because he's actually a good person, damn it. From the moment I got a quirk and he didn't, I've been nothing but a bastard who beat him down in every fucking way there is!"

Kirishima felt his throat clamp, a cold pit digging a grave in his stomach. This hadn't been the breakthrough he'd been pushing for... but the wall had broken. It lay in invisible pieces between them, bearing all secrets that had been so rigorously defended. "But-"

"Damnit it, Eijiro. Will you just fucking listen to me for once?" Bakugo interrupted with desperation. "You've got it in that damn head of yours that I'm the victim here but I'm fucking not. He is."

The words poured, jumbling together like too much water being forced through too small a funnel. No, this couldn't be true... Bakugo was abrasive and temperamental but he was a good man. Kirishima couldn't move though, couldn't argue, couldn't even breathe. He stayed stalk still while the person he'd admired and loved so dearly painted a detailed nightmare of what he'd forced Midoriya to endure for years.

"Every damn day he had to put up with being reduced to tears because I berated and insulted him just for the hell of it. He walked on eggshells and catered to what I wanted to avoid having his ribs caved in by one of my explosions. He let me fuck and demean him, using his body as my own personal toy just because he knew how much I'd make it hurt if he tried to refuse. What the hell was he going to do to stop me? He couldn't fight me off and there wasn't a damn person in the world that cared or even knew who he was until fucking Icy-Hot came along."

Todoroki... Todoroki had seen, had known. Why didn't he? Was there still that big of a gap between them just like during high school? Kirishima didn't have time to consider it. The quarry of sins hadn't been fully emptied yet, it seemed. Maybe there wasn't a bottom to this dark well at all.

"The first time Izuku 'left' me, it was because I kicked him out for finally standing up for himself. He didn't have any choice but to move in with Todoroki; it was the middle of fucking winter and he had nowhere else to go. I thought he had run off with Todoroki the second time, but of course, he hadn't and you know why? Because it would have hurt me more if he had."

Kirishima was hollowed, his core beliefs and fundamental understandings of the world suddenly carved out by cruel reality. His hand was still on Bakugo's shoulder, but the warm skin now scalded his palm like he'd been caressing the Devil. No matter how hard he tried though, he couldn't remove it... not yet. Maybe there was some redeeming act that could absolve Bakugo, that would absolve them both if he just held on.

"All I have ever done is shoved Izuku to the ground but he loves and forgives me anyway. He cares so much that even after all the terrible things I've done to him, all you had to do was call and he dropped everything to help me get back on my feet! Do you fucking get it now? Have you heard enough?"

Sweat dribbled from Kirishima's pores, glinting in the artificial office light as he tremored and shook. Cold fire twisted in his gut, attempting to burn away the disbelief and horror that had begun tearing apart his insides now that the haunting confession was coming to an end... one that offered no room for redemption.

Bakugo had always described Midoriya as timid and jumpy, so he hadn't given those behaviors any thought when they'd gone out to eat as a group. Now though, he wanted to vomit at his own foolishness and denial.

Midoriya had flinched and nervously looked over at Bakugo every time their relationship was mentioned. He'd kept his head down the entire time and barely said a word to anyone, constantly monitoring the blonde's temperament and searching for approval before he said or did anything.

Midoriya had exhibited obvious signs of long-term abuse and he hadn't even noticed most of it. The red flags he had picked up on were crushed beneath his fondness for Bakugo; he'd ignored a young man in need because he was too busy admiring and pining after the person responsible for hurting him.

Had he been corrupted too?

Kirishima yanked himself back with enough force to rock his chair off balance, sending them both toppling down in a chaotic heap. He kicked his boots into the ground immediately, scuffing the polished floor until he'd slammed his skull into the thick wood of the door behind him.

The muscles he'd worked so hard on building seemed useless when he twisted to grab the doorknob, his discoordination becoming worse when he heard Bakugo begin sobbing. Kirishima couldn't bring himself to turn back though; not now. With what determination he had left, he forced himself to his feet and stumbled out of the suffocating room.

Midoriya continued to stare, unable to stop himself from giggling at Todoroki as they made their way back to Hatsume's shop. Though it had started out cool and breezy, the midday sun was taking its job seriously, superheating the air.

"What?" Todoroki hummed contentedly, his heart feeling light now that he was next to the person he loved again. "What's so funny, Izuku?"

Midoriya pointed to the large hat and sunglasses Todoroki had on, his grin widening even farther from the heat-pinkening skin that was visible. "I just don't get why you're wearing that stuff! You've gone out in public plenty of times without trying to hide who you are."

"You probably don't know this, but I'm actually a pretty big deal; My real identity is the famous pro hero, Duality," Todoroki stated with false seriousness and secrecy, unable to hide his smile when Midoriya burst into a laughing fit. "Alright, that was a joke, but it is the basis for my reasoning. I thought it best to avoid drawing attention to myself since we were out setting up the new drone stations around the city.

"Yeah, you're probably right, and don't worry, I'll keep your secret." Midoriya agreed with a wink, his tone becoming more serious after a moment. "And thank you for coming to help me with all this, Shoto... I know I keep saying it, but it doesn't feel like it's enough."

Todoroki held the door to Hatsume's shop open for Midoriya to enter and began to respond, only to stop short and freeze moments later. Kirishima had apparently arrived when they were out and spoken to Bakugo... though whatever it had been about wasn't good.

The redhead was pale and glistening with cold sweat as he stumbled out of Midoriya's office, hands pressed over his mouth and clutching his stomach like he was going to be sick. They could hear Bakugo's muffled wails as well, the scene quickly setting them on edge.

"Kirishima?" Midoriya called with worry, rushing to his side with Todoroki in tow. "Kirishima! Hey! It's me, Midoriya, can you hear me?"

The redhead seemed to become more ill when he looked down at the young man shaking him. His bloodshot eyes bounced around, catching on the massive, damaging scars on Midoriya's bare arms and the burn wounds that peaked out from the collar of his shirt. He internalized every healed injury that was visible until he was a trembling mess. "I-I-I... I-I'm so-so sorry, M-Midoriya..." he stuttered, his sentence barely complete when his legs collapsed.

Todoroki was quick to help Midoriya catch him before he hit the ground, taking the initiative to carry him to the loft area once he had a firm grip. "I'll handle him... You should probably try to calm Bakugo down."

He paused before he left, however, and leaned down to kiss Midoriya's head in a show of support. "I don't know what happened but it's going to be okay, Izuku," he assured, giving the boys temple one more peck. "We'll get through this together."

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Welp... If I'm going to come back, you know it's going to be with a bang! Please let me know what you think! :) Thank you for reading!