PLUS ULTRA ONESHOTS

He didn't intend to pay much attention to the actual dancing once it started up, he just stayed off to the side and kept his distance, far away from the cameras. You turned and waved at him with one of those bright, cheerful little smiles of yours, just before the camera's started rolling.

The first ones came out, a little group moving out onto the floor and halting where you stood, and right away any shred of a smile on your face disappeared, and you just watched them, utterly stony, and at first Bakugou thought nothing of it. You were concentrating, right?

You stopped the dancers mid-dance, ordering the music off and and sending the dancers scrambling into a tense, utterly nervous halt. They stumbled to a standstill, cowering under the loud, cold tenor of your voice as you started in

"Sloppy, erratic, no rhythm- you, you missed half the steps! How did you make it to this stage with pacing like that, hmm?"

Your voice was cold, and cut, stern and utterly serious. And the dancers?

They looked ready to run away, they were scared to even look at you

Holy shit, they weren't avoiding him at all

They were afraid of you. You.

His sweet, kind, way too bright and friendly (Y/N)

His (Y/N) who ripped those dancers a new one without hesitation, pointing out every little mistake, ordering rerun after rerun, incessant, never letting up, pushing each dancer to their limit and then a little further. He'd never seen you so stern in your entire life.... and honestly?

This side of you totally turned him on

He was grinning at you near the whole time, watching you like a hawk the whole recording through, and he could not wait to catch you when it was all said and done

Couldn't stop smirking tbh, kinda looked like a maniac

Totally had the time of his life seeing that, and 100% could not keep his hands off you when it was over

"Where the hell has this side of you been, huh? You hiding it from me?"

You blink at it, a little stunned for half a second, before a sly smirk makes a rare appearance on your usually kind and tender expression, and damn, his heart could have stopped at what you said next. Your voice was low and hushed, your finger trailing under his chin with a certain little glint in your eye.

"Why, you want me to treat you like that Bakugou? Order you around, make you do whatever I want and make sure you get it right? Or suffer the consequences?"

JESUS THAT WAS HOT AS FUCK

But of course his answer was;

"Heh, I'd like to see you fucking try."

If he was into you before, he was 1000% more into you now

And it's totally a thing between you two after that, like a little inside joke, a tease... Bakugou's always trying to coax that side out of you again, and you only oblige him so much. Boy has to nearly beg

He both loves and hates you holding out on him, and you holding back just makes him want you more

He also gets the BIGGEST kick out of seeing people's faces fall when you go from bright and cheery to stone-cold hardass, it never ceases to amuse, amaze, and make him love you all the more

.:+:.

Denki suggested they hang out upstairs in his room for today and maybe play some video games, saying it'd be 'super fun', and he voiced the idea not three seconds after the initial, and slightly staggering greeting between them at the door concluded. It was such a quick turn in subject it almost had Hitoshi staggering a bit himself, and he had a hard time trying to wrap his head around it, and the odd behavior- but he caught up as quickly as he could, and enough he knew them going up likely wasn't about playing video games at all.

He nodded slightly and Denki seemed a little too relieved at the easy relent, but he started toward the stairs with Hitoshi following close behind- and the whole way up the blonde kept on with that smile that looked like it would break any second.

Something is seriously wrong

Hitoshi did his best to just let it ride, and temper the blonde's (apparent) want (and maybe even need) to lose themselves in something as mindless as a video game. For awhile they just played, Hitoshi casting furtive glances back and forth toward Denki all the while and never earning his eyes the whole time. And then after the third or fourth round of Shinso letting the blonde win, he saw Denki's hands shaking around the controller, his eyes glittering on stuck to the floor, and his lips pulling into a thin line while his expression became nothing but deep, deep ache.

Hitoshi was already putting his controller down when Denki suddenly sucked in a sharp, slightly hushed breath of air that was way too close to a hitch- and then was quickly followed by another, and another. And with each one Denki's hands trembled more violently, his posture crumbling as he started to fold in on himself, and his shaky, hardly maintained composure the last hour or so, shattered. In an instant he was close to being overtaken by sobs, and Hitoshi was quick to push himself across the floor and catch the blonde's arms up in his, steadying him while the controller slipped from Denki's fingers and clattered to the floor.

"Woah, woah... Denki.... Hey..... What's wrong.....?" Hitoshi murmured quickly, the weight of the blonde in his hands getting a little heavier as Denki's posture crumbled a tad further, and his breathing hitched all the more for it.

"... I... I'm sorry... Toshi... I.... It's been a bad day.... A...and I.... I...."

The words were so broken up by the harsh breaths they were almost impossible to make out, but Hitoshi got the message well enough- and judging by how quickly Denki broke off and his voice cracked, he wouldn't ask anything further.

It just being a bad day, or whatever else that had happened- it didn't matter what the issue was exactly. All that really mattered at that moment was just helping him ride out whatever bad had taken such firm hold of him..... Denki didn't really have bad days, at least not often- but it was often enough Hitoshi had pieced together what to do when this happened, so he moved to do exactly that.

He forced himself a sigh and adjusted so he was sitting all the way on his heels in front of the blonde, his arms snaking around his shuddering figure in a gentle, yet firm embrace and pulling Denki in to him until his forehead bumped against his chest. Denki's hands fumbled to find a grip on Hitoshi's shirt, holding to him tightly as if he was afraid he'd get washed away by the torrent of pain and turmoil suddenly crashing over his head. Hitoshi held him close, burying his chin into the top of the blonde's head, and his hands doing small, circular motions on the other's back.

Hitoshi started humming the tune and melody of "Electric Love", low and quiet and soft, the sound rumbling in his chest and soothingly so, the vibration against Denki's forehead was ridiculously nice.... It made his breath hitch a little less right away, and then more so as Hitoshi kept humming, never faltering, always gentle. Both his voice, and his hands, and his warmth encompassing Denki entirely.

It was sort of an odd thing, and something he'd started doing without really knowing why- but it was kinda their thing... And it worked.

It always worked

It took awhile for Denki to stop crying, the shaking of his body lessening with each repeat of the tune hummed by Hitoshi- until eventually his breathing evened out and was only broken by small, faint hitching gasps here and there. His weight in in Hitoshi's hold got heavier after awhile, the blonde sinking into him to the point he was mostly laying in the other's lap- and Hitoshi let him, and said nothing.

He just kept humming, the tune of "Electric Love" becoming the only thing to hear in the room, mixing with sound of Denki's breathing deepening, and the blonde faded off into sleep, the bout of crying taking it's toll and exhausting him.

His sleep was peaceful though, with no more turmoil, and full of the warmth around him from Hitoshi... And nothing on his mind but the sluggish, dancing tune playing on an endless, soothing loop.

Hitoshi let out a breath, eyes gleaming down at the other as his hand fell gingerly on the blonde's head, the humming fading for a moment as he shook his head a bit.

".... You're my electric love...."

.:+:.

A Request from someone on the My Hero Academia Amino

I do not own the image, credit to original artist! (I can’t find you I am sorry ;w;)

He smiled faintly and nodded in agreement, the two of you heading away, your arm in Tamaki's. He suggested going back to his room instead since he'd have snacks in his room you two could eat in place of the dinner. He brought the idea up quietly, eyes down and blushing at himself as he said it- and you smiled more at it and the flush on his cheeks, readily agreeing to the idea.

(Mirio 100% saw you two head away with your arms linked together, and he grinned as you both retreated, chuckling to himself)

Tamaki was quick to make sure you had snacks, were comfortable, and had something to drink when you got there. He darted about nervously and fumbled a lot, but he meant well and was being kind and attentive in his own nervous way

He asks a dozen times if you're okay or if you want anything, his eyes darting nervously here and there. You assure him a dozen times and more, and tell him everything is perfect- the small, fleeting smile on his face each time you do it is just so damn CUTE

And then it's even cuter when, after and hour or two of content chatter between you two (and he's relaxed a bit), his face flushes slightly and he taps his fingers together nervously as he asks if maybe you wanna watch a movie or something...?

"A movie sounds great."

"o-oh... Okay..! W-what would you... Like to watch, (Y/N)....?"

"Whatever you pick will be perfect."

"Ah... O-okay...."

He totally picks some cliche, predictable, feel-good movie. Something like what you'd find on the Hallmark channel- you know it just can't have anything even sorry of scary in it, he'd have a heart attack

He sets the movie up, and brings out the spare futon he has in the closet. He piles on blankets and pillows, again making sure you're comfortable, not too hot, not too cold, everything.

At first when he settles down on the futon and the pillows he puts some space between you and him and doesn't get too close. He's a nervous bean, he can't help himself, but he totally keeps glancing back and forth at you and not really paying much attention to the movie.

You help him out a little by pushing yourself closer to him, and pulling some pillows up with you to stack them behind you both and the wall.

You're sitting shoulder to shoulder now, touching but only just- but even the little bit is enough to have him blushing again.... But he doesn't move

Ten minutes later he relaxes enough he shifts an inch or two in your direction, his body sinking out of the slightly stiff posture he adopted out of sheer instinct

Eventually he sort of forgot about being nervous at all, he just enjoyed the movie and the warmth of you next to him

When you started to nod off he noticed right away, he saw your head bob a bit too much and you jerked yourself back from the edge of a doze. You righted yourself with a small sigh, unaware of Tamaki's glittering gaze stuck to you for a few seconds, before his lips pulled in nervousness.

"U-uhm.... You can.... L-lean on my shoulder... I-if you want... (Y/N)...." He suggests, his voice barely more than a hushed whisper as he says it, and his face definitely a little more than red. He can't really seem to catch your eyes right then either, he looks away nervously the whole time- but you hardly care.

You waste no time in pulling closer to him, snuggling yourself against his shoulder and threading your arms around his. His red as a beet for it, but he doesn't resist or pull away, he just let's you get comfortable

He doesn't say anything after that, and neither do you- you're asleep pretty fast, and for awhile he tries to focus on the movie... Totally can't though

You are super warm, and your hair smells like sweet, fruity shampoo.

It's a really nice smell, so much so he's turned toward you and buried his nose in your hair without even thinking about it. He drinks in the warmth, the softness of your hair tickling his cheeks and neck

He moves his free arm toward you and reaches across to twine his fingers delicately with a few strands of your hair, before that hand falls and finds a place on top of one of yours.

The movie is nothing but a drone in the back of his mind after that, his eyes drop closed and he just let's himself fade away into the warmth of your body against his

You two snuggle in more as Tamaki begins to dose off too, the boy eventually hugging you into his chest, your head tucked under his chin and completely wrapped up in his hold

Without a doubt best nights sleep either of you has had in a long, long time

Nothing but warmth and sweet dreams... And Tamaki never stops hugging you the whole night through

.:+:.

A Request from someone on the My Hero Academia Amino

It was so subtle, when he came back he'd been quiet and he hadn't wanted to really talk about any of it (even with you)- and you understood it. You wanted to give him time to process everything that had went on in his own way, and you trusted he would get to a point of being fine. You knew he didn't want to be fussed over and so you did your best not to hover, but you still kept an eye on him regardless.

He was getting more and more agitated every day after Kamino, and ten time worse after All Might had called the school to assembly to apologize for hiding his (extremely startling) appearance, and his retirement. You'd been standing next to Bakugou at that assembly, watching the blonde quietly from the corner of your eye and biting the inside of your cheek when you saw him grow more and more tense with every moment. You'd seen the way his fists clenched, trembling faintly from agitation or anger, you weren't really sure- and he'd stayed still with his teeth gritted and head bowed so far you couldn't even see his eyes anymore. He'd stormed off to his dorm room after that and you hadn't seen him at all for the rest of the day. And when you came to knock on his door you earned no answer, and let it be... If he wanted to be alone you would let him, and you were wary of pressing too much in case he rejected you all the way.... But you really wished you knew what was going on.

Had something really bad happened when he was with the League? Or after Kirishima and the others had gotten him back? Had something been done to him that he wouldn't tell anyone, out of fear or shame, or something else....?

You hated coming up with such awful theories, but what else could be stopping him from returning to his usual self? And why did he seem so angry...? Like he was burning alive from the inside with some deep, fiery rage? He didn't keep his anger to himself, and if he did it was rare- you were more likely to find him yelling his frustration at the top of his lungs and blowing things up, than you were to see him actively bottling his fury and acting like everything was fine.

You'd decided to give up being patient a few nights after the assembly, and you'd approached him after class to try and start up a conversation. He'd only grudgingly paused long enough to let you catch up to him in the hall, and as soon as you started in and asked him if he was okay, his expression twisted at you and his eyes hardened.

"I'm fine." He grumbled curtly, shutting you down not two seconds after you'd began, and you jumped a little. He shook his head at you, huffing and turning to keep going, but not before he cast a pointed stare over his shoulder at you. "Just drop it, (Y/N)." He growled lowly, and then walked off, leaving you alone in the center of the hallway and frowning faintly.

He sounded calm when he said it, though there was a bit of an edge to his voice even still.... But the calmness was forced, you could tell instantly.

You sighed, your eyes flashing as you watched him walk away in silence.

.... Maybe tomorrow you would try again..... Maybe he might not shut you down like that tomorrow.

Hopefully

But you didn't really have much faith in it, and that made a heavy lump form in your throat.

You tried to focus on classwork as the day drew to an end, tucked away in your own room and hoping reading would help put you a little at ease... And you managed to read for quite awhile, though more than once you found your mind wandering from the pages. When you had read the same line several times in a row, you put the book down and hopped off the bed, heading toward the balcony connected to your room and stepping out into the cool night air for a break. You let out a long sigh, leaning against the railing with your elbows and looking out on the silent figure of UA's campus before you. It was fairly late now, and you hadn't realized how long you'd been reading before you saw the moon high up in the sky, washing everything out in a blue-silver glow. Your shoulders sank, letting your head hang and shaking it at yourself in tired exasperation.  

How were you gonna get Bakugou to tell you what was clearly bothering him? Short of outright demanding it from him, you weren't sure there was much you could do to work him around to talking.... That guy was stubborn as hell even at the best of times, and would be much more so on things like this, the things he clearly did not want to discuss.

You couldn't just drop it like he'd told you too, though. Both partly out of your own stubbornness, and out of simple concern.... Sometimes you wished Bakugou wouldn't make you work so hard at any of the (supposed to be normal) friend stuff..... Though you supposed you actually liked that he wasn't so easy to befriend, because once you actually got to that level with him, it meant the connection was fairly special, and somewhat rare for the explosive blonde.

With another sigh you straightened up, stretching your arms out above you- only to pause halfway through the motion. Movement on one of the sidewalks away from the dorms caught your eye, and you leaned over the railing a bit to get a better look.

There was someone walking toward the dorms, slow and quiet, their hands stuffed in their pockets and eyes down. You blinked, your eyes widening as you recognized the pale blonde hair of Bakugou, and your heart skipped a beat in shock.

What the hell was he doing out? It was way passed curfew and you were sure that no one else in the building was even awake at this hour, discounting yourself. And he was headed toward you, which meant he had left before now and who the hell knows how long he had been out... An hour, a few? You couldn't imagine he'd left before curfew and nobody wondered about him once it was late.... So did he sneak out?

You didn't know, but you were sure as hell gonna find out.

You dodged back onto your room and out the door, moving down the dark hallway and toward the stairs- quiet but quick in your movements. You wanted to catch Bakugou before he made it up to his room and could shut you out again. You hopped down the steps two at a time, months of hero training at UA making it easy for you to take them rather quietly- and better for it, since you really weren't looking to wake anyone up, or alert Bakugou to you coming too early.

You rounded the corner and picked your way across the common area only halfway, before coming to a halt when the front door opened and Bakugou stepped inside. He closed it behind him and took a few steps in across the threshold without ever looking up or noticing you standing there, and even took off his shoes before he froze, suddenly aware that there was someone else in the room with him.

He looked up slowly, red eyes narrowed and wary when he saw you of all people standing there, in the middle of the night, and exactly where he didn't want you to be. Your eyes went wide though, shock running through your veins and your heart skipping not one beat, but two.

His arms were covered in dark bruises, and scrapes and small, little cuts that were blackened, swollen and bleeding here and there too. He looked like he'd stuck his arms in a turbine and just let the fan blades pummel him over and over- and his clothes were dirty too.

Holy... Shit...

You swallowed, your eyes darting over the wounds and his haphazard appearance. He knew what you were looking at, and he growled under his breath at you.  

"... y... you're hurt...?" You stammered and he clicked his tongue, looking away and shaking his head firmly. He started walking, burying his hands further in his pants pockets and intent on heading straight passed you and toward the stairs.

"Shut it. This ain't none of your business, and there ain't anything for you to see either." He muttered lowly, "Why the hell are you down here anyway? It's the middle of the night dumbass, just get lost and go back to your own room." He was still walking as he said it, your eyes following him as he did so and stunned still for long enough that he reached your shoulder, and was about to walk straight passed you altogether. He didn't catch your eye again even as you reflexively turned with him, he just hunched his shoulders against you and grimaced. "I told you to drop it, so fucking drop it already." He hissed, and you blinked, your wits quickly catching up with you again and you frowned, turning all the way around and quickly stepping after him.

"How am I supposed to drop it when you show up beat to hell...?" You hissed back quickly, and he faltered a bit at the fact that you'd actually talked back to him this time, instead of relenting quietly like earlier. He paused for half a second and shot a flinty glare over his shoulder at you, but you returned the look steadily and unflinching. "I mean you can't honestly think I'm just gonna ignore this, can you...? You're hurt, and clearly something's wrong- you've been acting really weird for days now...!" You told him quickly, shaking your head. "I... I know you've been through a lot the last week, between the camp and the League, and I get it... but you're not acting like your normal self, and I can't just let it go..... I've been trying to give you space and not pester you or anything, but I can't... I'm worried, I can't just ignore any of this." You grumbled, and his eyes flashed, his brow furrowing and anger igniting in him fast as can be.

"Tch, well I didn't ask for you to give a damn, or worry about me, or any of that other shit, did I?" He hissed lowly, "No, I told you to drop it- so do what I said, and quit wasting your time doing everything else, damn it!" He snapped and you stiffened, "I don't want you to be patient or worry, or pity me, or work yourself up, so just drop it already!"

"... you can't ask me to not worry about you, I'm gonna worry no matter what- that's what friends do!" You shot back quickly and his teeth grit further, a vein ticking on his forehead.

"Ain't friends supposed to listen to what you want, huh?!" He retorted instantly, and you hissed. "And I don't want you to worry about me- I want you to leave me the fuck alone! None of this has anything to do with you, so just leave me alone and quit poking your nose where it don't belong!" He turned away from you abruptly and began to storm off, all barely muffled fury now and practically steaming from the head. You grit your teeth, quickly getting annoyed now too and immediately moving after him.

"Damn it Bakugou, don't walk away from me!" You called, and he shook his head again, picking his pace up.

"JUST DO WHAT I TOLD YOU, (Y/N)!" He yelled back without ever sparing you a glance, already at the stairs now and quickly climbing them, you at his heel.

"I am not dropping this!"

"WELL THEN I AIN'T TALKING TO YOU ANYMORE!"

You sped up, trying to catch up all the way but he was quick to outpace you still. You were both taking the steps three at a time, not really worried about the loudness of your steps or your voices anymore, and you huffed. He'd taken his hand out of his pants pockets now as he moved, and despite how much he was moving his hands away he climbed, you could see they sported the worst of the bruises and cuts and things- even so much as his knuckles were ripped and gashed open, and cached in blood. Your eyes flashed at the sight, your stomach knotting more than it already had.

"Why won't you just talk to me...?!" You snapped irritably, puffing a little from the climbing. "How can you tell me to ignore everything even when you're acting so weird, or coming back in the middle of the night covered in blood....?! You can't just yell at me to leave you alone, and drop it, and expect I'll automatically stop worrying about you- I can't! You're hurt and you're clearly bothered by something, and you've been pulling further and further away from everyone since what happened with the League and at Kamino...! I just wanna help you! Why can't you just let me...?!"

He reached the top steps of his floor and abruptly stopped, bloody hands clenched so hard at his sides new trails of blood began to drip from his fingers. You stopped too, startled at the sudden halt and still a few steps down from where he was. He was shaking now, from anger or whatever else you weren't altogether sure, but the strangled breath let out was so low and so full of pain you felt shivers run down your spine.

"Because I don't deserve your damn concern, alright?!" He snapped at you, his voice quivering much more than you had ever heard it do so, and your heart dropped.

W-what...?

".... What do you.. ?" You started, your voice hushed and so very lost now, and he hunched a little at the question.

"... Tch..... All that shit that happened- the Training Camp getting busted into, you idiots getting hurt and gassed- that was on me! The damn League was there for me and you all got dragged into it!" He snapped. "And then because of me, and the whole stupid rescue- an entire goddamn ward got demolished, a shitton of people died, Best Jeanist nearly got murdered, and All Might-!"

He broke off abruptly on the (former) No. 1 Hero's name, and you stared, your heart sinking into the very pits of your stomach.

B...Bakugou....

He folded in on himself, barely still on his feet and the breath he sucked in shaky and pained and so close to breaking altogether. Your heart in your feet was breaking too, your mind whirling as it all started to come together.

He... He blames himself for everything that happened...?

But it wasn't...

".... Tch.... Damn it..." His voice was hoarse now, hushed and wavering. "... I don't deserve a damn thing... Not after all the crap that happened... I ain't worth your time... So just quit.... Please..."

You went rigid, your eyes wide and glittering like mad in the dim, ears ringing on the last word.... The word so full of hurt and pleading.

Please

He shook himself out rather roughly and turned again, moving off quickly and you weren't so fast to give chase this time, you were reeling too much. You caught yourself soon after though and hated the hesitation, your feet quickly stumbling up the last few steps after him.

He was at his room already, and the door slammed shut behind him, the noise ringing through the whole of the Building. You went straight up to the door, intent on just storming in and not giving a damn, but it was locked and it halted you.

"Bakugou! Open the door!" You snapped quickly, the harshness of your voice near as startling as the door slamming, and you hit your fist against it a few times too. You didn't get any answer and you hissed, banging a few more times. "Open the door damn it...! You need to let me in, let me talk to you....!" You hissed, pushing against the door now and hoping maybe it would give..... But it wouldn't, and short of kicking it in, there didn't seem much hope it would open any time soon, or that Bakugou would answer you either.

"Bakugou!" You snapped again, but still silence.

"...(Y/N)...? What's going on...?"

Kirishima in the room next door popped his head out, after having been woken up by the door slamming and your own banging on the wood. Your head snapped in his direction, annoyed and panicked all at once and with absolutely no patience nor interest in trying to explain anything to him right now.

"Go back to bed." You ordered sharply and he flinched at the harshness of your tone, stunned for half a second before shrinking under the glare you settled on him and slowly inching back through the door.

"... O..okay.....?" He mumbled, followed by the click of the door latching and you turned that glare back on the door in front of you. You paused, your eyes dropping to the floor to try and see if any light was coming underneath it, and if not maybe he was just on the other side.... But you couldn't tell, you weren't even sure he'd turned the light on.

"Bakugou." You murmured, lowly this time and sinking slightly to sit on your heels, your forehead falling against the door, swallowing hard.

".... Bakugou please open the door." You murmured tensely, your throat tightening despite yourself when his 'please' rung on your ears all anew. You hissed, your fingernails digging into the wood and scrunching your eyes closed.

Damn it

".... Please.... I know you hear me, let me in.... Please..." You hissed, ".... I didn't realize..... Bakugou... None of it is your fault.... None of it.... It isn't your fault..... Please don't say it is, it isn't...." Your voice cracked and you swallowed again, hunching a little further, the top of your head pressed against the door now.

"..... Let me in.... I don't want you to sit there all alone.... I know you don't feel like you deserve it.... But you do... I want to help you.... So please.... Bakugou, open the door...."

Your breath hitched, your pleading for the door to open breaking off as you tensed, holding your breath and desperately trying not to lose what little composure you had. How..... How could you not have realized this before now...?

You knew it had to have hurt him, everything that had gone on.... But he was supposed to be fine, right....? This was Bakugou you were talking about, he was going to come back from this.... Right....?

How could he think..... Believe even.... That it was all his fault...?

That he didn't deserve your kindness, or anyone else's...?

... Bakugou....

".... Tch.... Bakugou please.... I want to help you.... You deserve to be helped, none of this is your fault...."

He could hear you on the other side, practically feel the warmth of your hands through the door and his back pressed against it. He sat on the floor, hunched over with his knees brought in to his chest, hugging them and his face pressed against them too. He heard your voice getting softer with every word, more pleading and more painful, and he hurt more with every bit of it.

Why were you trying so hard? How could you even say that, that it wasn't his fault? It was his fault, all of it on him and his ass for getting caught in the first place... hell, even the Villains being there was his fault- he was the one they wanted, everyone else was just cannon fodder in the way.

Everybody who got killed or hurt, all of that... it was all on him. He should never have gotten caught, and nobody should have had to come rescue him either- you all should have just left him where he was. If you had, hundreds of people wouldn't be dead right now, Best Jeanist wouldn't be ripped to shreds, and All Might.... All Might would still be a Hero, damn it...

"... Bakugou.... let me in...."

The sound of you still asking to be let in was like knives through his chest, every time you repeated 'it isn't your fault' and 'you deserve to be helped' like getting torn into a million pieces. His body curled in on itself more and more, his fingers digging into the back of his neck and it feeling more and more impossible to breathe.

Why wouldn't you just go...?

You shifted, pressing your back against the door and pulling your legs up to you, your eyes glittering in the dim and lips a tight line. You stayed there, leaning against the door and sitting on your heels for a very long time. Eventually your voice failed you, and the Building wen quiet again- but you never left. You didn't dare leave, you kept your hands on the door and willed with everything you had that you would reach him somehow, even with the door in the way. If your voice wouldn't do it, maybe just being there would have to be enough.... maybe even if he didn't open the door, the fact that you were still there on the other side would be enough. You weren't as close as you wanted, but he wasn't entirely alone in there either, not with you out there, waiting.

And he never moved either, he stayed sitting with his back against the door too, the wood the only thing between you both and keeping you apart. You couldn't possibly feel one another, and yet somehow you did, a warmth that radiated through the door and into your backs. A ghost of a sensation of one another, quiet and faint... apart but not quite.

You were there for the entire night, you never left him alone and he could feel you the whole time. He hated you for not going, hated that you didn't listen and that you were losing sleep staying there in the hall.... and still he wasn't sure what he would do if that warmth through the door went away either. The idea that you might not be there made his stomach churn, and some icy lump in his core get all the colder and fill him with unease.

... you were so stubborn damn it....

You were halfway lost in the turmoil of you own mind when the door at your back suddenly disappeared, your balance lost in an instant and thudding against the floor a little painfully, stunned and not sure what had even happened.... the door was open, and you were lying in the entryway, eyes gleaming.

The door was open

You scrambled into sitting up again, eyes wide and quickly looking for Bakugou but you couldn't see him. He was behind the halfway open door, holding it open with you in the way of it and hissing.

"Get in here already." He muttered lowly, and you shuffled across the floor into the room. As soon as you were out of the path of the door Bakugou shut it again, sitting crosslegged on the floor and hunched over with his hands on his knees, his head bowed and face hidden by his hair. His fingers dug into his knees, his whole body shaking as you both just sat there for a few moments, silent and unmoving.

His shoulders hunched, his hands shaking and somewhere between pained and annoyed, before he lift his bruised and bloody hands up and held them out, rigid and waiting and still not looking up at you. You faltered, a little unsure of the gesture or what it even meant...?

"... tch... damn it, don't make me sit here.... and don't make me ask..." He hissed, his voice quivering and your eyes widened, glittering. He swallowed, his hands shaking more and his voice dropping to something just shy of a whisper, wispy and.. fragile.

"... please...."

You inched forward immediately, the word hitting you straight to the core as you quickly moved over to him. As soon as you were in reach, his hands grabbed hold of your shoulders rather firmly and pulled you into him, hugging to you tightly and trapping you in place. You were shocked by it, but you gave into the embrace right away, wrapping your arms around him and swallowing as he buried his face in your shoulder roughly. He was shaking, even as he held you tightly, and you could feel his breathing uneven against you and hitching as he fought not to crumble.... but every second he failed to steady the breaths, his hold on you grew more firm, more desperate. Your heart ached with every second of it, doing your best to keep holding on to him as tightly as he was to you, worried that he might think you wanted to pull away, and you really didn't.  He'd let you in, he was letting himself give in and reach out for you.... he let you in, and you weren't about to let go, not for anything.

"..... tch..... I'm sorry...." Bakugou hissed, his voice hoarse and barely above a whisper, pushing his face further into your neck and his whole body jumping underneath you as he broke off in a strangled sob. He was crying now, quietly and trying to stifle it, and you pulled him further into you, your heart breaking.

"... I...... I'm.... sorry..."

.:+:.

You kept your mouth shut the rest of that day too, avoiding everyone, and eye contact especially. You ate lunch alone, hating yourself for your lackluster social skills and that you couldn't seem to improve them. No amount of trying had seemed to help before now, and in fact the opposite seemed to be happening- the more you tried the worse you were getting, and the more of a burden you were becoming on the rest of the class...... So why try anymore at all?

You figured everyone else would probably really like a break from you too.

So you kept to yourself, holding your tongue when conversations sprouted and keeping away from answering questions posed by your teachers. You avoided everyone wherever was possible, and found the most secluded places on campus available to study and eat. When class was over, you went straight back to your dorm room, skipping passed the first floor and ignoring whatever group thing was happening in the common area..... Eventually you were even treading lightly around Alliance Heights, scurrying in and out of the kitchen and communal baths only when you were certain no one else was there. Days went by and you'd barely spoken more than 50 words, even just to yourself..... It was maddening, and terribly lonely.

But the worst part of it was how easily everyone in class seemed to keep on living their lives without you there to interrupt them. And in reality, it almost seemed like they didn't even notice you were gone..... It was better for them, without you stumbling over your own words or blurting out the wrong things at the wrong time (or failing to blurt out the right things when needed). You could have simply vanished and ceased to exist, and they would continue on without even a misstep, or a second thought of you.

That realization hurt, so much

And you couldn't get it out of your head once it had been planted there. It consumed your every waking hour, making it impossible to focus on class, or the other students, or even on where you were putting your feet as you walked. It felt like the world was closing in on you from all sides, crushing you and folding you into some tiny, inconsequential little speck. And that there was something watching and waiting for you to be so crumbled and so far wasted away, it would be so easy to sweep you under a rug in some dark room no one could find, and just leave you there.

Left alone in the dark and no one would ever come looking... Why would they want to?

You were feeling increasingly more like that inconsequential speck of dust, useless and nonexistent in a world that would do just fine without you there. You fell so far into your own head and all those nagging, awful thoughts that you didn't notice anyone at all. Not when some of the people in your class started to realize they hadn't seen you much lately, looking for you in the room for a few seconds only to shrug when they couldn't see you. You didn't notice the way your teacher's eyes narrowed at you and your suddenly withdrawn behavior.

And perhaps worst of all, you didn't even notice the several times that Aoyama slid into your path or from the side, bright and shinning with all his unearned confidence and just trying to catch your attention for even a moment. He was one of the few who had taken immediate note of the way you seemed to pull away from everyone (soft-spoken Koda and stoic Tokoyami being others...), and since then had been doing his utmost to get you to pay attention to him.

You know, because gazing upon him in all his magnificence was sure to wash away whatever dark cloud was weighing you down~!

But half a dozen failed ventures later, where he never even earned the slightest glance from you, had him both a little put-off, and made him think he needed to come up with a different plan.....

Generally you at least gave him a glance and a smile when he came into view like that, and you were actually one of the few in the class that hadn't learned to just ignore his eccentric behavior, and actually seemed to sort of enjoy him popping up (and he kinda loved that about you). You didn't say much even to him (not that you said much to anyone really...), but the way you smiled and listened to him with your utmost attention was also something he loved about you. He would like to consider the two of you quite content with one another, and even that you were friends.... Which was why your sudden change in behavior caught his immediate notice.

Recently you didn't even look at him, or even seem to be aware he was there either, which was not at all like you. Your eyes rarely seemed to raise off the floor nowadays, and the slightly hunched and tense posture you had adopted had him concerned. Since the start of school he'd never seen you looking so withdrawn, and now when rarely he did catch a glimpse of your (E/C) eyes, they looked dull and so full of sadness.

He wanted to help perk you up a bit, and had been trying in the way he knew best- but none of that seemed to be getting through. Perhaps he needed to be a bit more direct? He had figured he shined so bright he usually didn't need to be direct.... But maybe whatever storm cloud hanging over you, had created a new kind of shadow that could even outlast his brilliance.

Aoyama pursed his lips in thought, holding his chin in his hand and watching as you quickly made your way out of the classroom not three seconds after the end bell.

There was definitely something wrong, you were acting so solemn and reserved... And you almost seemed like you were afraid to even be near anyone. He of course knew you were shy by nature and had a hard time talking with everyone- but your fumbling had never bothered him in the slightest, and he thought of it as one of your more charming traits. And deep down he also knew you were friendly (you had always been so with him, in your own quiet and awkward way), so he had a hard time imagining why you would suddenly quit interacting with anyone at all.... It must have been so lonely.

Aoyama clicked his tongue a bit, his indigo eyes moving toward a familiar head of black hair before he began beelining toward Yao-momo. The girl looked up as he approached, her head tilting in question as he pointed at her gracefully.

"I am in need of some of your assistance, mon amie~!"

.:+:.

You were laying on your bed in your dorm room, the lights off and staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. You'd come straight here after class and just fallen atop the bed, your mind never stilling, and your emotions never fading either. Your stomach was in knots from hurt and sadness and all sorts of things, and you couldn't even fathom the idea of dinner right now..... Least of all when the prospect of food brought with it the fact that you'd inevitably run into someone downstairs, and you really didn't want that.

.... Or would they even notice if you came down at all? You supposed it was possible for you to go down and grab something to eat with not a soul ever realizing you had come and gone.... You'd already faded so far out of their lives, and there wasn't a way to stop yourself from doing so.

It was better that way, right...? You wouldn't be making a fool of yourself anymore, if nobody knew you were there.... You wouldn't muck up and say the wrong thing, or too many wrong things either.... Because there was no one left willing to talk to you, or wanted to..... You didn't want to, out of fear.

But damn it.... Why did it hurt so much? This?

...... I.... I don't wanna.... Be alone...

....but.... I just make things harder for everyone.... I can't do it....

... I wish I was better.... At just talking to people... Anyone even... B...but....

.... Shit...

Your breathing had stalled, quickly trying to keep the stinging in your eyes at bay, and the tears that would come with it. You shut your eyes tight and covered your face with your hands, rolling over on to your side and folding in on yourself.

.... Don't cry... Don't cry....

.... I.... Just..... I don't.... Mean to be so bad at everything......

.... I've been trying for years to be better.... But nothing's worked... And now....

You hissed, your throat tightening as you kept holding your breath.

..... I just.... Don't want to be so.... So much of a burden on everyone else.... I want to be better...

You felt yourself shake, a low whimper rising in the back of your throat and so dangerously close to toppling over the edge with your emotions.

.... I want to be.... Worth being... Missed.....

TAP TAP TAP

You stiffened, your eyes snapping open and hands holding your head as a rhythmic knocking suddenly invaded the silence and your thoughts. You froze, your body stiff as a board and struggling to come to terms with the noise and where it was coming from... Because it didn't sound enough like some one knocking on your door. It was a softer, lighter sound.... Like someone tapping on glass...?

...e...eh...?

You turned slowly, your eyes wide and glittering as you glanced back toward the balcony door, and your heart leapt into your throat.

There was someone standing on the balcony, a dark shadow outlined by the setting sun.

You went cold, your heart stopping and blood turning to ice.

THERE'S SOMEONE ON THE BALCONY...?!

THERE CAN'T BE SOMEONE-

TAP TAP TAP

The knocking came again and you jumped, sitting straight up in bed now and bristling in fear and panic.

MY ROOM IS ON THE FOURTH FLOOR

HOW THE HELL-?!

W-WHAT... WHAT DO I DO...?!

You were freaking out (and rightly so), you had no idea what to do or what was going on- how were you supposed to react to someone showing up on your balcony out of nowhere?!

You were debating on screaming, passing out, or booking it out of your room to look for help when the figure knocked on the glass one last time, and then promptly pressed his face up against it, shielding either side of himself with his hands.

"(Y/N) mon amie, I come bearing gifts~!" He trilled, smiling in his signature way and not at all bothered by his choice of entrance(?). You froze for a second time, your eyes whiting out and your panic wiped clean, dumbfounded.

.... Aoyama....?

You blinked, once, twice, and then several times over as your eyes matched with his, and he lit up, still smiling, his face still smushed against the glass.

...

...

...

.... Y...you..... You're.... Kidding....?

"Will you allow me in, mon amie~?" He smiled, and you wilted entirely, your face going blank and your mind doing the same. You lost all of your posture, the sudden adrenaline coming and going and the shock (and not eating anything for several hours) making you feel light-headed- so much so you tilted, straight off the bed, and hit the floor with a thud.

Aoyama's smile tightened, eyes wide and sweating up a storm as he watched you fall off the bed and hit the floor, and for a few seconds he stayed where he was, completely stunned.

Maybe he'd been a little too direct...?

You'd only blanked out for a few seconds at best, and by the time you forced your eyes open, Aoyama had already let himself in through the balcony door and taken a knee beside you. He now looked just as freaked out and flustered as you felt, and extremely apologetic too as his hands hovered in air, unsure of whether to reach out to you or leave you be.... After all, he'd give you such a fright you'd fainted, so maybe direct contact wasn't a great idea.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to scare you so...! Are you alright? Are you hurt....?" He told you quickly, his usually effortless smile now very strained and near gone as he quickly looked you up and down. You blinked, your heart fluttering and instantly all nerves and little else- naturally so, since this was exactly the sort of social situation and interaction you were so bad at handling, and worse because you were still very jumpy about him being on your balcony without warning (or logical reason!).

You were up and sitting on your heels in no time at all, your heart beating madly in your chest and eyes averted from him as you stumbled for some sort of reply or answer. You meant to tell him you were fine and you weren't hurt, that you'd just gotten a little freaked out all the sudden but it was fine.... Of course little of that actually came out of your mouth, though.

"Y-yes...! I mean no... Ah, well it's just... Y-you being there, I just...... you were on the b..balcony.... A-and I haven't... I... Fell, but.... Why.....Uhm...!"

That was probably the most incoherent and complete and total gibberish that had ever come out of your mouth, and you quickly hid your face in your hands out of mortification.

Aoyama blinked, quiet in place for a few seconds and slowly settling to sit on his heels in front of you. He placed his hands in his lap and gave you a few seconds to just breathe, before tilting his head at you when you mumbled a hushed, and shaky 'I'm sorry'.

Sorry? For what did you have to be sorry for? This whole turn of events was his doing, yes?

".... You needn't apologize mon amie, I am the one in the wrong. I promise I will not give you such a fright ever again." He hummed, and you swallowed, shaking your head slightly.

"..... N...no..... I... I meant...... Sorry... That... B...because....." You started slowly, and he tilted his head further in question, but you were still hiding your face.

.... Damn it...

"... S...sorry.... That.... That I'm so.... So bad at..... Talking....... That.... I'm so..... S...so.... Awkward.... It... Its terrible....." You managed at last and his eyes widened, looking a slight bit taken aback at how rueful you sounded.

"Hmm?" He hummed softly, and you hissed, your head bowing and your shoulders hunching.

"...tch.... I.... I know.... Everybody hates..... H..how bad I am... At t...talking, or... Or doing anything.... I... I know I'm confusing... And annoying.... I.... I just....." You whispered, your voice straining more and more with every word and he paused, his expression softening.

".... Is this what's been bothering you, (Y/N)?" He asked lightly and you stiffened at it, your heart skipping a beat. "... You been awfully quiet the last week, and you've been so very unhappy looking as well..... You've been avoiding everyone, hmm? I've been wondering what it is that's made you begin to pull away, and why you seem so sad." He murmured, and you swallowed gritting your teeth and hunching over just a bit.

You didn't answer him, and you didn't even attempt to. Even if you could somehow manage to get a proper sentence out, you wouldn't really know what to say. As it was, you weren't even sure how you felt about him noticing your odd behavior, or how you felt about him.... Did he actually care...? About how you were feeling...?

But wasn't it that everyone didn't really...? That you weren't even there...?

The silence stretched for a long time and his lips pulled all the way down until his smile was gone entirely. He frowned faintly, eyes glittering and brow knitting as he saw you hesitating.... And you seemed all the more tense and uneasy for it.

"Please don't shut me out, chérie." Aoyama murmured gently, and you felt your heart skip a beat. You looked up from behind your hands at last and he smiled faintly at you, but he looked so somber just then, and it was so unlike him. "I am worried about you, and I would very much like to lighten your spirits, and assist you whatever way you need... But I can only do so, if you let me in, and allow me to know what is weighing you down." He murmured, and you swallowed again, your eyes falling uncertainly to your hands.

".... W...why.... Do you.... Want to....?" You asked after awhile, and he paused, before smiling at you.

"To return the favor to you, for all your kindness toward moi, of course~!" He replied, placing a hand on his chest and some amount of his glittering demeanor returning. "You are always so very happy to listen to whatever I have to say, and it is quite lovely how you don't ever ignore me, like the others in the class do~" he hummed, though there was a slight edge to his voice at the last bit. You blinked at him, your eyes widening just faintly at the response and a little surprised with it.

.... Does it really mean that much to him, that I don't brush him off....? And that I listen, even if I don't say much at all in return....?

You did enjoy talking to him when he approached you, to be honest. He always did the bulk (if not all) of the talking when you two were with one another, and that was a huge load off for you. He was so bright and cheery, and he had so much confidence and wasn't easily disheartened by near anything at all- which was the opposite of yourself.

And he was also a bit of a dork and much less smooth than he would like to think he was (the coming in through the balcony instead of the door being one such example..). And despite his somewhat odd mannerisms, he made you smile and he just seemed to lighten things up so effortlessly.... And he hadn't ever been short with you, or exasperated by your awkwardness either.

Why he'd been so nice to you, you were never sure... But maybe that was it? Because he felt you had been kind to him?

... Because listening to him, and never being put off by his antics, meant so much more to him than you could have guessed?

....Huh...

"You are wonderful, mademoiselle, it would be a pleasure to brighten your day in whatever way I am able~★" He went on, his hands raising as he gestured toward you in that dazzling way that was so commonplace for him... You felt your lips twitch upward at the corners, just a bit, and your face felt like it flushed a little too.

..... He's actually a really nice person, once you look passed the eccentricities....

....and.... He noticed how off I've been too.... I didn't realize he cared enough to be paying that much attention to me.....

You smiled a little more at the thought, and he noticed it- which of course made him glitter and shine all the more.

"So? What do you say, ma chérie?" He hummed, his chin resting between his index and thumb as he leaned in a little closer. "Will you permit me to know what is bothering you? So that I may help~?"

You hesitated a few seconds more, before slowly nodding your head. You told him what was going on, how you felt like such a burden on the whole class and how you couldn't do anything right. You told him how frustrating it was not to be able to interact properly with others, and how much you knew you got on everyone's nerves all the time- and how sorry you were for all of that. You told him how you'd decided to just stay out of everyone's way and not bother them, and how it had seemed to you that no one in class had even noticed you disappearing.

You told him everything, and it took you a long time to calm down enough to form the sentences in a sort of clear way. And Aoyama was patient, he listened quietly and let you have as much time as you needed to say everything on your mind, and he never looked annoyed by your stumbling.

When at last you'd managed to get through it all, you both sat in silence on the floor, your eyes on your hands in your lap and Aoyama watching you quietly. He let out a quiet breath at length, earning your eyes when you heard it, and he gave you a small, gentle smile.

"Thank you for telling me, chérie." He hummed, "I think I understand now... but I promise you, you are not a burden on anyone, and none of our classmates would be so indifferent if you were to disappear. Even today several of them wondered where you were, and of course I have been worried about you long before now- you are not as easily missed as you think, (Y/N)." He told you gently, "But I do realize that not even I could convince you so easily, so instead I will endeavor not to simply assure you through words, but also through action~!"

Action?

He grabbed a plastic bag he had brought with him and set on the floor when you fell, and you glanced to it in surprise- because you'd never noticed it before then. But you weren't focused on it very long, because Aoyama held his other hand out toward you, gesturing for you to take it and you blinked, a little unsure...?

"I said I came bearing gifts, no~?" He smirked, "Allow me to pamper you for tonight, mademoiselle~! And I also promise that I will do my best to tutor you in the ways of shinning brilliantly~!" He grinned, a glint in his eye. "Who better to teach you to gleam than moi~? The most sparkly of all~★"

You smiled faintly at the words, your eyes glittering in amusement. You nodded once and slowly took his hand, and he seemed to brighten a tad further that you had.

Despite it being hard to do so, and being wary of telling anyone- you did feel a million times better after telling him what was wrong. So spending more time with him seemed nice, and besides.... Your interest was kinda peaked for what he had planned..... And you supposed being 'pampered' wouldn't be terrible.

"Magnifique~!" He chirped,  and pulled you up onto your feet with complete ease, directing you to take a seat at the chair in front of your desk and quickly setting to work unpacking that bag he'd brought.

It was full of sweet buns and other treats, as well as a variety of brushes and combs and other hair accessories, even nail polish too (all gratefully borrowed from one Yao-momo, or otherwsie taken from his own collection).

You watched him unpack everything in a mixture of interest, surprise, and even mild excitement as every new thing came to sit on your desk.

He handed a sweetbun your way and grinned. "You have not eaten, yes?" He asked lightly, and you smiled, accepting the food gratefully.

He circled around to stand behind you, brush in hand and indigo eyes gleaming as he caught your gaze via the mirror on the desktop.

"I will create a look that elevates your already stunning beauty~" he told you, and you felt yourself flush a little at the words. "And tomorrow, not a soul will be able to keep their eyes off you~! Together you and I will blow them all away, and I will most certainly help you earn your confidence~!"

You nodded, your (E/C) eyes flashing and a bit of determination making its way into your core. Unlikely as it seemed, he was already giving you a bit of hope- and igniting some flame in you to really try... You wanted to try, because you really wanted to be better.

And maybe with Aoyama helping, you could do it.

The whole thing was amazing, the gentle way in which he brushed your hair and parted it, running his fingers through the stands and weaving braids.... him playing with your hair was much more enjoyable than you could have ever guessed. He worked away diligently, talking like he usually did as he did so, and you just listened, eating the sweets he had brought for you. Once that part was done with, everything was just as enjoyable when moved on to painting your nails, and then helping you pick out an outfit, and all manner of other things.

He complimented you about four dozen times all through the night, and every time it made your heart flutter and your center warm. He was so kind, and so gentle, and eventually you'd relaxed so much you weren't stumbling over your own words nearly at all.

For the first time in a long time, your were genuinely having fun interacting with someone.... And with Aoyama it was more than just fun, it was content, and it was unbelievably pleasant and it was almost... Bliss, actually.

It was truly one of the best nights of your life, if not actually the best.

And the next day he met you before class, helped you get ready, and then proudly showed you off to everyone else in 1-A, smiling and commenting on your looks with that same unbelievable confidence and calm he seemed in endless supply of.

You grabbed hold of his hand as everyone smiled and complimented you, still very nervous about talking to anyone or even being the center of attention. Even if you had decided to try and be better, and he'd promised to help, actually doing it was not as easy as saying it.

Aoyama knew that, and smiled at you, winding his fingers with yours, and staying stuck to your side even as everyone else grabbed your attention away from him. He would be there, holding on to you and acting as reassuring, and supportive as he could- and he would never lightly let you go.

He saw the way your smile began to grow, first from nervous and shy and then eventually to something gentle, and so very warm and bright..... he felt some bit of the warmth your smile gave off warm his soul, and he gave your hand a small squeeze.

You were absolutely beautiful..... The most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

.:+:.

First time writing anything with Aoyama and as in depth as this... I hope he isn't too OOC? qwq

Anyway, hope you like! <3

.:+:.

Another few seconds of silence settled again- again with you frozen in place and not budging even an inch..... You didn't want to leave, and you didn't plan to, even with him screaming at you.... You couldn't leave, not with him like this.

He was lashing out at you with anger born of so many deep and twisted things and thoughts he'd buried as far as possible- all things that hurt, and nagged, and made him doubt everything and everyone and even himself.... He was lashing out in anger and pain, and you knew it, but you couldn't understand why. Not really anyway, you could of course make a guess what it was that was eating him- but it was only a guess. The only real way to understand what was going on with him and why he seemed to suddenly pull away from you, and everyone else- was if he told you himself.

You wanted him to tell you, you needed him to, because you wanted to help him. In whatever way you could, all you wanted was for him to open up and let you in- make it possible for you to reach out and gently pull him back out of what terrible dark, and suffocating storm seemed to have trapped him.

He'd been so quiet for days now, completely reserved (more so than usual) and seemingly avoiding everyone, and especially you the whole time. He'd said little, and when he did he was gruff and incredibly quick to anger. His explosive temper had grown a million times more volatile than usual, and he'd grown so distempered he was almost downright malicious when he blew a fuse. He'd shut down any attempts on your part or anyone else's to have any sort of conversation with him, and he'd made an effort to keep out of sight in the off hours between classes so no one could try and interact with him at all. It wasn't like him, none of it, and it had been getting so bad you could practically see him suffocating. And the longer it went on the more you felt yourself suffocating with him. You were wound up in a giant knot of worry and concern about him, and the more he pushed you away, the harder you found it to focus on anything, and the more desperate you were getting.

That rising sense of worry and desperation is what had lead to this- he'd gotten straight to his feet and left the classroom as soon as school was done for the day, and you'd quickly given chase. You'd only managed to catch up with him a fair bit away from the classroom, and barely managed to get him to halt before he started heading down the stairs. However you catching him and asking him to wait hadn't pleased him in the slightest, and you trying to open up the topic of his off behavior had ended with him telling you to fuck off.  

It hurt, how angry he sounded and how much bite there was to his voice as he yelled at you to leave. If you hadn't known any better you would have thought he actually wanted you to go... And maybe some part of him did, but you being there was not the real issue.

So you swallowed, steeling yourself, and tried again.

"No, I'm not gonna walk away just because you're yelling at me." You told him lowly, "You've been avoiding me for long enough-"

"If you know I've been avoiding you, then maybe you should take the hint!" He snapped hotly, cutting you off for a third time now and you bit the inside of your cheek. "Are you dense as well as hard of hearing? Shut up and leave me the hell alone, I ain't talking to you." He growled, spinning on his heel again and continuing toward the stairs once more, and you felt yourself wince a little at the harshness of the words. But you stepped forward quickly after him nonetheless, reaching a hand out to stop him- big mistake.

He knew what you were doing, he could sense you trying to grab on to him, and his teeth had already been gritting at the sound of your footsteps behind him. You hadn't even managed to graze the back of his shirt before he whipped about and smacked your hand away, sending a jolt of pain up through your arm and stunning you into a complete standstill.

You pulled your hand back uncertainly, your eyes flashing as your gazes matched, and you saw nothing in him but deep-seated, writhing ire.

"Go away, (Y/N)." He hissed at you through gritted teeth, his voice barely above a growl and you felt your heart skip a beat. He huffed, waving the hand he had used to smack yours away and you reflexively stiffened at it, and he grimaced faintly, but quickly looked away again. "Don't talk to me." He grumbled, sticking his hand back in his pocket and descending the stairs quickly. You were left frozen and alone at the top of the steps, holding your hand gingerly to your chest and heart aching as you watched him leave.

Your eyes dropped to your hand and you frowned, your jaw clenching and hissing lowly in frustration and hurt.

Damn it Bakugou

Your fingers curled as you balled your fist, cursing yourself and the blonde several times over in your head as you quickly made your way down the stairs. You couldn't find him at the bottom though, and you dodged down hallways, and scoured the dorms looking for him with no luck. You knocked several times on his door at Heights Alliance and received no answer, and you heard nothing from the inside when pressing your ear to the door.

You wilted, your forehead resting against the door for a few seconds and quiet.

You had no idea if he was in there, and he could have been and was just ignoring you.... But either way the silence was painful, and you swallowed against the knot in your core.

".... Please just talk to me, Bakugou...."

You'd eventually given up and retreated to your own room with no thought of dinner. But once you were there you couldn't even begin to relax, you were pacing back and forth without end and damn near pulling your hair out from worry and agitation. Worse still your emotions were making your stomach twist into a thousand knots, and so much so you were beginning to feel sick for it.

Is this what he was feeling like? Bottling it all up and trying to ignore it?

But why couldn't he just tell you what was wrong? Why was he bottling it up? What the hell was eating him?

Was it something really bad....? It had to be right..? To have affected him this much....?

Or was it just a lot of things, all stacking up and getting too heavy to hold alone-?

-Shit

You gave up on being alone with your thoughts, and left your room, walking brusquely through the dark hallways of the building, but doing your best to be quiet. Everyone else was surely asleep, it was late now and the sun had long since set and let the moon take its place. You made your way directly to Bakugou's room and wrapped your knuckles against the frame quietly, your other hand reaching for the handle without skipping a beat.

"I'm coming in Bakugou." You called firmly through the door, and opened it quickly before there could be any protest.

But the room was empty and there was no sign of Bakugou anywhere, even his bed seemed untouched. You hesitated in the open doorway, chewing on the inside of your cheeks and mind racing- where the hell was he, if not here? It was way passed curfew.... Downstairs maybe?

You frowned and shut the door, quickly moving to the first floor and finding it as dark and silent as the rest of the building- so no Bakugou there either.

A stiff breeze blowing through the floor caught your attention, and your eyes snapped sideways towards the slightly ajar door at the front of the building.

He left....?

You were outside in the chilly night air and headed away from the dorms before you knew it, your bare feet making little noise on the cement. What little light was available to see by came from the moon overhead, and the sparse lampposts dotted on either side of the path.

You had no idea where you were going, and not really much hope of finding him in the cold and the dark, and with how big UA was. But even then, your feet wouldn't stop, not even when they began to ache from the rough terrain and the chill alike. You needed to find him, no matter what. You had to find him, and you had to get him to talk- make him even. You couldn't let him walk away this time, you needed to make him realize that he didn't have to be alone with whatever was going on.

When you spotted his blonde hair, almost white-washed from the light of the moon ahead of you, you had gone no small distance away from the dorms. Your pace picked up, nearly jogging now as you rushed to catch up with him, and his walking came to an abrupt and surprised halt when you called out to him.

"Bakugou!" You huffed, your voice breaking the quiet of the night and the blonde's shoulders stiffening.

"...tch.... You really are fucking stupid, huh?" He growled immediately, his back still turned to you and shoulders rigid. You grimaced at the words, stopping behind him and grumbling internally. "How many times do I have to say it, for it to get through your thick head? Leave me the hell alone, I ain't talking to your dumbass-"

"Enough!" You cut him off this time, and so firmly he jumped ever so slightly. "You can call me stupid, and tell me to leave a million times over, and scream and yell at me, and it won't matter! I am not dropping this, you have been acting really off for days now and I know something is bothering you!" You hissed, shaking your head a little in frustration. "I just don't know what it is, because you won't talk to, or hardly even look at me! I need you to explain why you're acting like this, and why you're pushing everyone away! I need you to talk to me!"

"... Tch, why?" He asked lowly, still refusing to turn and look your way and his shoulders still hunched against you. You paused at the question, your eyes narrowing in confusion.

".... What do you mean why?" You mumbled, and his shoulders tensed further, a low, strained, and almost shaky hiss escaping him.

"Why do you need me to talk to you?" He growled, "Why do you need me to look at you? Why do you keep trying to get me to talk to you about anything at all?" He asked lowly, "Tch.... Why do you keep pestering me? Why do you keep pushing and refusing to just leave me the hell alone? Or banging on my door for an hour trying to get me to answer? Why are you trying so goddamn stubborn?" He growled, hissing again and his voice getting more and more strained with every word. He was hunching further too, the ridge of his shoulders raising and his entire body stiff as a board and..... Shaking.

"..... Why do you care?" He hissed, his voice was shaking too and he sounded so agonized, and so incredibly unsure- like he couldn't fathom any possible answer to his own question...... it was heartbreaking.

You stiffened, your eyes flashing as a terrible ache swept through your very soul and you held your breath against it, and the way Bakugou was desperately trying to hold himself together now. His posture was failing him, his legs shaking and head bowing farther by the second- his breathing had picked up too, though he was doing everything he could to keep it somewhat steady.

"..... Damn it...... Why do you even care...? It's got nothing to do with you, it's none of your business..... So why..... Why can't you just.... Leave me be... (Y/N)....?" He grumbled lowly, ".... tch.... It's not like I've ever been anything but an asshole to you, or anybody else.... I ain't anybody's friend, I don't do 'chit-chat' or talk about my 'feelings'..... I blow up everything in my way and I don't care if everyone hates me for it.... I'm not someone that anyone would ever be worried over... So what.... Why are doing this? Why are you acting like you actually care, (Y/N).....? We aren't friends, so why are you pretending like we are....?"

For a few seconds you had no idea what to say, or even do. Everything he had just said had stunned you, your mind racing as you stood in utter stillness behind him and eyes glittering madly as you stared.

This was not the Bakugou you were used to, this was a version of him that was much more fragile, and one with a much lower self-worth that you could have ever thought possible.... Did he really see things that way? Himself that way?

Did he really think.... That he didn't have anyone? No friends at all, not even you...? And that everyone.... Hated him...?

.... Did he really think.... He wasn't someone that anyone would ever be concerned about? That there was no one in the world that did actually care about him? Did he really think that you were... Just pretending to care....?

His assumption that you were faking it hurt more than words could describe, and your heart twisted so painfully you almost gasped, but you held your breath. However doing so left something heavy and icy cold in the pit of your stomach, and that cold had more bite to it than even the cement on your bare feet.

You swallowed, your expression twisting slightly and shaking your head at yourself. You sucked in a deep breath of air, your fists clenching at your sides and straightening as you stepped toward him, destroying the space between you quickly. He heard you moving and stiffened, already about to move forward or turn and stop you reaching out to him- but this time around you were quicker. He didn't manage to turn hardly at all before your arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, locking him in place as he hissed at the contact.

"Lemme go damn it-!" He snapped hoarsely, his arms moving to unlock yours from around his shoulders and arching his back roughly to try and throw you off. The feeling of his spine slamming against your ribs was painful, as was his grip around your wrists- but you didn't give up, you just held tighter, pressing your nose into the crook of his neck.

"Quit squirming and listen to me, you idiot....!" You hissed, grunting a little when he fidgeted some more. "... I'm not pretending, I never would... I wouldn't lie to you, and I don't hate you and nobody else does...! And you are my friend...!" You hissed, your voice cracking on the last bit and he halted for a moment underneath you. ".... And... And you assuming I'm just faking is... It's terrible...! I've been worried about you for days, and it's just gotten worse every time you told me to go away, and when you wouldn't talk to me....! I... I've been so wound up worrying about you it's been making me sick....! How can you stand there and tell me I'm pretending.....?! Damn it........."

Your arms tightened around his shoulders, your body shaking now and he was trembling too, hunched over and his hands clasped around your wrists. You hiccuped, barely holding back a sob now and burying your face further into his shoulder.

".... I care about you because you're my friend, Bakugou.... I'm not pretending, I care about you and I'm so worried.... I just want to help you and you won't let me.... Please..... Please just talk to me...! Please... Please believe me.... I do care... I really care..... Because you're my friend, and.... And you mean so much to me.... I... I thought you knew that... I figured you had to...." You were rambling now and what little composure you'd had failed you. Your voice was borderline sobbing now and you were shaking so badly the tremors shook Bakugou too..... Though grant you, that was mostly because he was shaking all on his own now.

He could hear your voice breaking, and feel your hold on him desperate and failing all at once. He hated you'd grabbed him, and hated it more he couldn't shake you off easily- but he hated it more the way you were talking, your breath and body hot against him and your voice laced with pain, and regret, and guilt even.

He hadn't ever considered the idea that any of your interest in him was genuine, how could it be? He'd been an ass to you so often before, he'd never really been what could be considered kind either. He'd not come anything close to being considered a friend, by any means, and he couldn't even fathom that you thought of him that way at all. That's why he assumed you were faking it, that all these constant attempts to speak with him were nothing more than formality or born from some ulterior motive. He could not think of any reason at all why you would ever care about him- how could you?

You were a million times kinder than he could ever be, everyone in class loved you, and you made being loved and cared about seem so easy. You were this bright, burning sun in class 1-A and you overshadowed him at every turn, and made his gruff and violent behavior stand out and seem all the worse ... He didn't deserve your attention, or your pity, or your concern. He wasn't worth your time... someone like you shouldn't ever have any reason to give someone like him the time of day.

So why... Why did you sound so guilty? So sorry...?

He held his breath against it, his eyes locked on the ground and head bowed. He heard you suck in another shaky breath of air, swallowing back at the sob that halfway escaped you, and listening in silence as you fought to settle your breathing to no avail.

Why were you crying...?

"... I... Thought you knew..... I thought.... I thought you knew we were friends.... I..... Thought you had to know... At least a little.... T...that I cared.... That so many people care...." You stammered, ".... I'm so sorry.... I didn't..... I just.... I want to help you.... I want to do something.... Anything to.... Make you feel better.... I can see you're hurting, Bakugou, I've been seeing it... F...for days.... And I just..... Please let me help you....." You broke off, gritting your teeth against the way your breaths were coming in increasingly shorter bursts despite attempts to stop it. You hugged him tighter, swallowing hard and then stammering out the next bit, your voice barely above a whisper.

".... I care..... I care about you.... I care about you so much.... please.... Believe me.... I care because...... Because you're special to me, Bakugou......."

That was it, any amount of will he had to stay standing, and stay angry, vanished when you said it. That he was special to you, and he knew you meant it with every fiber of your being.

His knees gave out and he sank to sit on his heels, dragging you down with him. He hunched over, hiding his face in one hand and holding tightly to one of your arms with the other. You let yourself lean against him, settled on your knees and still hugging him from behind as the both of you sat there, sobbing still and Bakugou doing so silently. He never let go of your arm and you didn't dare pull away either, you could feel him crumbling underneath you, and you felt like you were the only thing that managed to keep him from falling apart all the way. You were his anchor in that ugly, suffocating storm of hurt and turmoil that had been slowly eating away at him these last few days.... and you kept holding him in place, even as the minutes ticked by.

".... (Y/N)..... I'm sorry...."

Bakugou's soft voice after a long time of nothing but quiet startled you, your eyes snapping open and your head lifting off his shoulder too.

Sorry...?

He shifted underneath you, making you loosen your hold- and you were about to pull back entirely but he grabbed your hand and made you stay put. He turned around to face you for the first time, pulling you into him and hugging you tightly. Your eyes flashed at the gesture, and the fact that he had initiated and uncharacteristic (coming from him) embrace. Your hands stalled uncertainly in air, before they found his back and you returned the hug.

".... I'm sorry for being such an ass... And pushing you away.... I'm not..... I suck at shit like this........" He told you quietly, his breath tickling your ear. ".... You're.... Gonna have to be..... patient.... But.... I'll try.... And try to.... You know....... So you understand..... What's goin' on....." He audibly swallowed and your heart twisted again at how hard it was for him to say any of that.

".... It's okay..... I'll be as patient as you need.... I just want to help you, however I can, or however you need......" You replied softly, sinking further into the hug. Bakugou blinked when you relaxed against him, eyes bloodshot and tired, and his lips pulling into a tight line at your reply.

Nothing could have ever described how much it hurt, and soothed his soul when you said that- that you would be patient, and do whatever you could for him. And because words weren't enough, he hugged you tighter instead, holding his breath against the ache for a few long moments.

He paused halfway through though, as his eyes found your bare feet and the way they were dirty and scraped on the bottom. He frowned, his jaw clenching slightly as a flash of both guilt and annoyance hit him at the sight.

Idiot.... You ran out here with no shoes on in the middle of the night? Your feet were probably blocks of ice by now, and he'd be surprised if you could manage to stand back up on them, being away numb as they probably were.

He shook his head once and settled his chin on your shoulder, sighing silently.

Stupid... but..........

....... Thank you....(Y/N)....

.:+:.

Besides, you two studied quite well together. He was good at answering any questions you had, and he was very patient with you- while you were good at making sure he didn't stress over things too much and work himself into a million knots. You made sure you both took a break when you needed it, and kept things light and content, and he worked diligently to keep you both on track academically, and help make sure you were both as prepared as possible for the coming tests.

Things had gotten quiet for awhile now though, your studying coming to a close as your eyes began to wander around the room absentmindedly. You'd been in his dorm room a few times before now when you met up to study, but even despite having already seen all his decorum, you still found yourself smiling at the vast array of All Might pictures, posters, figurines, and whatever else.

He really is such a big fan.... it's kinda adorable, how sort of over-the-top his decorations are.

You chuckled under your breath, your eyes glittering in amusement at the thought. Midoriya jumped slightly at the sound of your laughing out of nowhere, glancing over his shoulder and back toward you on the bed, blinking a few times in surprise and question. His head tilted, swiveling his chair a bit to let himself face you that much more.

"... something funny, (Y/N)?" He asked softly, and you smiled as you shook your head a bit.

"Oh, nothing much." You replied lightly, he tilted his head a bit more, quirking a brow as your lighthearted smile turned into something a bit more coy. You shrugged a bit, looking away from him and smirking. "I just found it a little funny that you're still studying so hard.... Especially when you gotta know you'll never pass me up~" You added slyly, and he blinked at the words, for a small second looking a little confused.

"...pass you up...?" He murmured, his head tilting a bit more. "But (Y/N), you ranked 6th in our last midterms, and I got 4th..." He told you uncertainly, and you smiled in slight exasperation at him.

Oh that totally went over his head huh? Hehe...

You chuckled anyway, because even him being oblivious to the tone of your voice and the rather obvious teasing was amusing. And quite par for the course from him, if you were being honest. And you knew him well enough by now to know that he'd get what you were playing at eventually, you just had to soldier passed the first sort of awkwardly absentminded part from him.

You smiled some more and waved a finger at him, your eyes gleaming as you leaned in his direction a little, your other hand on your knee. "Very true, but you can be sure that this time around I am definitely gonna surpass you." You hummed brightly, "There ain't no way you're gonna rank above me this time- you can count on that!" You chirped, and his eyes flashed as he finally seemed to realize what you were doing.

"Ah... Those are some pretty big aspirations, (Y/N)." Midoriya replied easily, smiling at you rather pleasantly- innocent even. "Are you sure you can live up to them though? You'd have to get a higher score than both me and Todoroki after all." He told you lightly, you smirked a little.

"Huh? What do you mean, 'big' aspirations?" You asked immediately, and he kept up that cool and pleasant smile of his. "You say it like it'd be some huge feat or something if I outpaced the two of you!"

"Well it would be." He replied brightly, his head tilting a little as he kept on smiling at you, and you let out a breath, your lips pulling further at the corners in amusement despite yourself. You laughed once, leaning in a bit further and both your hands on your knees now as you shook your head a little.

"Wow, you're actually a bit cheeky, huh Midoriya?" You chuckled, "Where's all this spunk been hiding? You're a bit more cocky than I pegged you being!"

"It's not that I'm cocky." He told you coolly with a shake of his head, "I just have a good gauge of everyone's abilities, so I have a realistic view on how things will turn out. And the chances of you winning against me are comparatively low, based on all the information I've collected on you."

Your eyes widened, your smile doing the same as you let out a single, somewhat taken aback laugh, because;

Total burn!

And Midoriya said it so coolly, easy almost and his tone completely, utterly calm and pleasant. He sounded polite, even though the words were nothing more than a bash.

Holy crap!

You let out a halfway shocked laugh, your smile widening even more as he kept up with that little, so very innocent smile of his. Your lips curled into a smirk, one hand moving off your knee and reaching behind you while you leaned in toward him a bit more, a glint in your eye.

"Oh yeah, Midoriya?" You chuckled lowly and he blinked as your smirk grew, your hand curled tightly around the fabric of the pillow behind you. "I think it's time you reconsider your observations!"

You swung the pillow around at lightning speed, and it hit Midoriya in the face with a satisfying whack

The poor boy hadn't any time to react to the hit in order to avoid it, and for a moment he sat almost stunned as you pulled the pillow back and nimbly hopped off the bed and into a defensive stance. He blinked a few times, his hair now mussed up from the hit and expressionless as his eyes slowly moved to where you were now standing.

"... Did you just hit me? With a pillow?" He asked, his lips slowly twitching upward at the edges as he said each word, and you chuckled under your breath, holding your pillow tighter in front of you. Midoriya smirked and you could see it in his eyes, and the way his body tensed ever so subtly, and you knew this was about to be one hell of a study-break. "Oh. It's on now." He grinned, and your own lips couldn't help but pull in a similar smile.

You were so ready for it

He was up and on his knees in an instant, snatching up the second pillow on the bed and not two seconds after he was already jumping toward you, swinging the pillow as he did. You swung your own pillow up to block the blow and they bounced off one another with another muffled whack. Midoriya darted left to try and get around your defense but you circled him as he did so, making sure not to leave any openings and fending off another quick attack and uppercut of the pillow he sent toward you.

The both of you delved deep into the rush and the excitement, letting yourselves fall into the adrenaline the war brought on and completely losing yourselves in it. You were both working to win, and putting forth your best.

You dodged around the room, nimbly moving yourself from the bed to the desk and just about everywhere in between. You were quite agile even for someone at UA, though Midoriya probably had you beat (along with his academic skills). The sheer ease with which he could move around and make such quick, delicate, and yet so purposeful movements was amazing, and made you a slight bit jealous of his skill too..... Midoriya was really spectacular, and honestly you really loved watching him both fighting, and just generally doing anything.

But you loved watching it more at that moment because you were a part of all the movement, and in some capacity you could direct it, and influence what he did and where he went. And he had the same affect on you, chasing you around and sending hits with the pillow out here and there, trying to catch you off guard and trick you. Anything to gain an upper hand and earn an extra point. It almost seemed like the two of you were locked together in some quick, complex, and oh so very intimate dance that only the two of you knew.

It was a rush, it was warm, and it was so fun.... It seemed to last a million years and neither you nor Midoriya wanted it to end.

But it did draw to an end despite that however- the dance drawing to an end when you managed to pin Midoriya down on the (now very messy) bed and held your pillow fast and firm to his chest, locking him in place. You were both panting and out of breath, your bodies and arms aching slightly from the extended movement around the room and your hearts beating loudly in your chests. Midoriya had noticed you slowing down from tiredness a little while ago, and decided he might as well let the game end sooner rather than later, and let you come out on top too... Because he could have easily kept going much longer than you could, and he knew it, but he preferred to let it end on a lighter (less 'can no longer move from exhaustion' sort of) note.

It gave you no small amount of satisfaction to land that last blow, Midoriya's pillow knocked away and on the floor out of reach now. And it gave you a slight bit more satisfaction to have managed to pin him down on the bed in the end, gaining the upper hand at last (even if he had let you have it).

You smirked, releasing a slightly out of breath chuckle while still holding him down. "Heh, you ready to surrender, Midoriya?" You asked slyly, and he smiled wearily, his eyes glittering before he let them fall closed, and his arms fell limp on either side of him in total defeat.

"I surrender, (Y/N)... You got me." He breathed,

"And what about those 'big aspirations' of mine?" You asked next, a coy smile still on your face and he cracked one eye open to look at you. "Or your observations now that I won, huh?"

He smiled pleasantly and nodded, quite amused. "Well I suppose now I'll probably have to reconsider." He said simply, "It kinda seems like I wasn't taking into account how determined you can be, or how well you can improve given that... So you probably do have a better chance at getting a higher score than me on the exams, and more than I originally thought." He hummed, and you grinned, your eyes gleaming.

"Heck yeah I do....!" You replied, releasing him finally and rolling over to fall onto your back on the bed beside him. He simply let out an amused sigh at your answer, but said nothing else as silence settled between you two, and the room remained quiet outside your elevated breathing. You both lay there, completely at ease and so close you brushed against one another, content as you waited for your breathing to settle and your hearts too. The rush of energy from the pillow match wore off quickly, leaving both of you feeling considerably more drained than expected- but the feel of the fun and enjoyment didn't wear off at all. It stayed, leaving a warm, soothing place in your cores that heightened with every thought back to the fight, and every fleeting touch of your hand against his arm, or his shoulder against yours.

You took in a long, slow breath to settle the last of your risen pulse, before slowly shifting to lay on your side and face Midoriya more directly. You placed your arm under your head and tapped him lightly with your other hand, earning his eyes as he turned his head in your direction.

"... Something wrong, (Y/N)...?" He asked softly, and you smiled gently, your eyes falling from his and instead following your finger as you tapped his arm lightly a few times.

"... You let me win, huh?" You asked, and he blinked at the question. He didn't answer right away and that was answer enough for you, though the silence only really confirmed what you had already known. You sighed slightly, your eyes dropping closed as your finger stilled and instead you just let your hand rest gently on top of his arm. ".... I figured.... You totally could have just waited me out until I was too tired to go on.... You're a lot stronger than me, and have a lot more endurance too..... And you're definitely smarter than I am. You're totally gonna get a better score on the exams." You murmured softly, smiling a little wryly to yourself at the last bit. "... I'd probably be lucky to do any better at all than my last exam scores....."

Midoriya shift under your hand and you reflexively pulled it back, your eyes opening too as he rolled over onto his side to face you. Doing so brought his face only a few inches from your own, and he gave you a gentle smile, shaking his head a bit, green eyes glittering.

"You're really smart too, (Y/N)." He told you quietly, his warm breath washing against your face and tickling your cheeks. "And you're super strong, all in your own ways. You're amazing at making people happy and helping them feel safe and relaxed, even in really stressful situations- like how you always help me, especially when I'm freaking out about school, or training." He hummed, smiling a bit more at you. ".... Honestly I think being able to make other people feel happy, calm and safe is a lot more impressive than just going around fighting Villains and things."

You hummed a bit, smiling faintly at the words and nodding a little, though only just. "... Thank you... But personally I do think fighting Villains like you do is a lot cooler." You hummed lightly, letting out a dry little laugh as you shrugged a bit, tracing your fingers lightly across the scars on his hand. "... Well, at least when you aren't breaking yourself while doing it, anyway..." You added halfway jokingly, and he smiled wearily at it being pointed out.

".... Right..." He mumbled, and you chuckled softly, letting your eyes fall closed and your trailing fingers stalling, and simply allowing your hand to rest atop his, enjoying the warmth it provided against your skin, and the heat his body gave off from being in such close quarters on the bed.

"...... Mm.... I guess we should probably call it quits for now on the studying...." You sighed after awhile, "..... We've done enough for tonight I think....."

"... Yeah, I think so too." Midoriya hummed, his green eyes only halfway open and looking at you quietly. Your eyes never opened again as you said the words, and the way your voice had dropped, as well as how your body seemed to sink a fraction of an inch further into the bed, told him that you were starting to feel the aftermath of expending so much energy in the pillow war. "... We can pick back up tomorrow after our classes, if you want to." He told you, and smiled faintly when you nodded your head a little.

".... Sounds perfect..." You murmured, your voice dropping lower by the second and growing drowsier too. You could tell you were drifting off, but you hadn't the will nor the want to stop yourself. You were much too comfortable there on that bed with him, and you shifted a bit closer to him without realizing you had done so, your forehead pressing faintly against his chest.

Midoriya blinked when you got closer, though he didn't move nor pull away. Instead he just smiled and moved his hand you had been holding on to- not to break contact, but to instead twin his fingers with yours. He kept hold of your hand while he moved his other one forward to snake around your body, pulling you even closer. Once that little bit of distance still between you both was erased, he tilted his head forward and buried his nose in your hair.

His eyes dropped closed, Midoriya smiling just a bit more when you let out a content sigh and sank all the way into his embrace. Your breaths against his collarbone were soft and slow, your body shifting under his hold in a gentle, constant rhythm that mirrored your breathing. You were asleep almost right away, falling happily into the comforting sensation of his body against yours, and the feeling of him holding on to you making you feel so very safe and at ease.

He hugged you a little tighter for a moment, burying his face further into your hair and neck and drinking in your scent, the smell of your shampoo mixed with the tang of your detergent on your clothes, and the lingering odor of the pillows and how own bed and sheets clinging to you.

It was pretty late into the afternoon already, and curfew was coming soon too- so letting you fall asleep in his room probably wasn't the best idea.... But he honestly didn't want you to leave. This was much too comfortable to make it end, and he wanted to savor it for as long as possible.

Not long after he felt his own mind sinking closer toward sleep, lulled there by the sound of your breathing and the faint, rhythmic beating of your heart against his chest.

".... We should do this more often, (Y/N).... It's really nice...." He whispered, his voice barely audible. He let a soft, long breath out as sleep finally claimed him, leaving both of you sound asleep and locked together on the bed in the quiet dorm room. The sun sunk lower and lower outside, washing the room out in deep orange, and then finally violet as night overtook the sky..... And curfew came and went, with no one else in the whole of Heights Alliance aware that your room remained entirely untouched until the next morning.

.:+:.

A Request from someone on the My Hero Academia Amino

- Fluff & Romance-

“Tell me again.”

“Marry me.”

“Do you trust me?”

“It’s freezing. Come here.”

“I’ve got you.”

“Because I love you.”

“Don’t ever let me go.”

“I’ve loved you for years.”

“Stay. Please.”

“I can’t imagine my life without you in it anymore.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Always.”

“Look, a shooting star! Make a wish.”

“Is that.. my shirt?”

“I think I love you.”

“I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“Can I stay with you?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Take my bed tonight. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“It made me think of you.”

“You’re basically a marshmallow. Perfect for cuddling.”

“It’s always been you.”

“Move over.”

“Tell me a secret.”

“Truth or dare?”

“I could kiss you right now.”

“I love you, but stop talking.”

“Quit it! You’re hogging the blankets!”

“I’d hurt anyone who ever left a scar on you.”

“You’re cute when you’re half asleep.”

“Did you just hit me? With a pillow? Oh. It’s on now.”

“Why did you choose me?”

“Are you.. blushing?”

“Take my hand.”

- Concern & Upset -

“You’re shaking.”

“Call me when you get this. It’s urgent.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“I can’t breathe.”

“What happened back there?”

“Wake up. Please wake up.”

“Let me help you.”

“Shh. Come here. It’s just a nightmare.”

“Don’t touch me!”

“Please don’t leave me alone.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

“Hear that? I’m alive. I’m right here.”

“I don’t want your apology.”

“Stop pretending like everything is fine!”

“Have you lost your damn mind?”

“Come back to me.”

“I’m begging you. Please.”

“You’re going to be okay. Everything is going to be fine.”

“I know hurts, but you have to stay awake, okay?”

“Of course I care.”

“You’re safe now.”

“Helps on the way. You just have to hold on a little longer.”

“How much did you have to drink?”

“Let me take you home.”

“What the hell were you thinking? You could have been hurt.”

“Shh. Don’t cry.”

“You need to rest.”

- Sassy -

“Bite me.”

“I didn’t believe you cared.”

“You’re jealous.”

“Hmm. So you do have feelings.”

“I dare you.”

“You may be attractive, but I’m not sleeping with you.”

“You know what? Forget it.”

“Did you really think I’d fall for that?”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion on the matter.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Watch me.”

“I’m fully capable of kicking your ass.”

“How did my back feel when you stabbed me?”

“Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.”

“If you want me, come and get me.”

“Such poison from a pretty, honeyed mouth.”