A Touch of Force & Fire -- Hawks X OC // MHA X OC

Kacchan

While Midoriya made his way through the school and back to the dorms, he took his time getting there. He walked through the halls with the windows that faces toward the front of school, and watched until he saw Arya approach the barrier wall. After she insisted he checked on Bakugo, Midoriya thought he could at least make sure Hawks picked her up. He watched them exchange a few words, then saw them embrace eachother. He found it curious, considering how she was ready to rip his head off only a few days prior, but ultimately felt it was none of his business.

A short time later, he arrived back at the dorms. The common area was quiet now. It was odd at such an early hour that the common area wasn't filled with laughter or the bustle of his other classmates. Midoriya found Ururaka, Iida, and Tsuyu studying together on the couch. Everyone else had gone to their own rooms after all the commotion. Luckily, it didn't seem that anyone noticed what happened with Arya. As far as Bakugo's reaction, they all just considered it his usual anger, but Midoriya knew otherwise. The group asked if he wanted to join them, but he told them that he was tired and planned to make it an early night.

Down the hall from the common area, Midoriya stopped at one of the dorm rooms, only a few doors down from his own. A piece of paper with 'GO AWAY' written on it was taped to the outside of the door. Midoriya grabbed the paper, pulled it down, and crumbled it up. Then he put an ear to the door, listening for any motion on the other side, and heard nothing. He knocked lightly. "Kacchan?"

He waited for a response, but none came. He went for the handle then, turning it with ease, and pushed the door open. He was actually a little surprised that it had been unlocked. After entering the room completely, he gently pushed the door closed with a soft click. The room was starting to get dark, low afternoon light shown through the curtains on the windows. No lights were on through out the room, but Midoriya could make out the silhouette of Bakugo sitting at his desk with his head down. It all smelled like him, like a sweet tinge of caramel, the room held an odd eerie silence, which was entirely too weird since it was Bakugo's room.

"Kacchan?" He repeated, starting to get a little worried. Bakugo hummed at him, the best reply he could muster at the moment. Midoriya let out a sigh of relief, and threw a hand to his chest. He wasn't really sure what he thought might be happening, but he was worried nonetheless.

"What do you want, Deku?" Bakugo said finally.

"Oh! Uh .... nothing! Arya just asked me to check on you ... "

"What?!" Bakugo lifted his head to face Midoriya. "No one needs to check on me, idiot. She was the one that looked scared out of her mind, and ran away down the hall."

"Kacchan, calm down, just tell me what happened."

Bakugo sat up, and ran his hands across his face then into his hair, and held them there for a second. Midoriya recognized it as a nervous habit of his, newly developed but he noticed it nonetheless. No one needs to check up on me. But that was the furthest from the truth, wasn't it? "Numb nuts overcharged a battery pack again. The sound was just surprising, that's all. But when I ran to see what happened, she tried to grab my arm from behind me, and I just ..." He trailed off from there.

Since Bakugo was captured by the League, certain things that triggered his anxiety before, only became worse after. Restraints of any kind were always a problem, and any loud noises that didn't seem to come from himself were ... startling, to say the least. If he was in the heat of battle or prepared it was different. But anyone coming up from behind him, or worse, trying to grab him, was on a whole other level than the others. Honestly, Midoriya was surprised that Bakugo didn't do more than just pull hard away from her.

"All of the color drained from her face, it was like she saw a fuckin' ghost or something."

Midoriya pinched his bottom lip between his index finger and thumb, deep in thought, going over the events from Bakugo's explanation and how he found Arya in the hallway.

"Aw christ!" Bakugo cursed.

"Huh?" Midoriya made eye contact with him.

"I know that damned look of yours. What are you thinking about now?"

"Nothing, Kacchan. It's just speculation."

Bakugo got up from his desk chair, and approached Midoriya. Instinctfully, he took a step back as Bakugo inched closer, until he backed up against the door. Their noses were inches apart when Bakugo threw a fist against the door, right next to Midoriya's head. "Spill it!"

Midoriya felt a weird hint of dizziness from Bakugo being so close to him, but ultimately fought it. He pushed a hand against his chest, forcing him back to get some space. "Maybe if you would just ask nicely, I'll tell you."

Bakugo took a step back, and sat down on his bed. He thought he saw the hint of a smirk on Bakugo's face, but chose to ignore it. Bakugo waved an eager hand at him, like to say 'hurry up with it already'. "I'm just curious if her quirk has to do with touch. She had been wearing gloves all day during school, but for some reason when all this happened, she wasn't wearing them. And she only went into a panic after she touched you, right?" Bakugo nodded. "And when I found her, she had only asked me to help her up. As soon as she took my hand, she immediately seemed better. I could see it. But like I said, it's only from what I've observed."

"Yeah."

"Well..." Midoriya started, there was one other thing he noticed. "I think we both could agree that anytime this happens, everyone just assumes it's a normal outburst of anger. Right?" Bakugo hummed at him in agreement. "When Arya told me to check on you, she said you were scared. Not angry. It was like she knew."

Bakugo didn't reply, but it did all make sense to him. And honestly, he was a little mad at himself that he didn't notice it first, but he wasn't sure how he would have known without knowing the exchange between Deku and Arya. Plus, feeling incredibly vulnerable knowing that Arya probably knew the truth about it, even though he didn't outright tell her.

He laid his head down on his arms again, that were across his legs. Midoriya wanted so bad to console him in some way, even as simple as just putting a hand on his head. But decided against it, since it might just spook him again. They both just enjoyed eachothers company for a few minutes, not exchanging any words. Midoriya tried to let it all settle for him.

"Kacchan, did you tell her about the Lea-"

"Get out, Deku," Bakugo interrupted. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Since they were kids, Midoriya always tried to make himself available for anytime Bakugo needed him. Even through an unspoken bond that no one else noticed, and even when they grew apart. But they were starting to get closer again, and for once, they were able to actually have a real conversation. Bakugo knew his secret, and he wanted to make sure he knew that he would be there for him, and continue to keep his as well. But, it all went unspoken anyway, regardless of how much he wanted to console him.

"Okay, Kacchan." Midoriya took hold of the door knob to open it, and paused. "Try to get some rest. I'm only a couple doors down if you need me."

I'm not going anywhere...

Bakugo didn't reply, but Midoriya saw him shuffle lightly in the dark, figuring he was getting ready to lay down.

"Yeah, sure." Bakugo replied, barely above a whisper, honestly he hoped Midoriya didn't hear it, but he did.

Midoriya not wanting to argue with him, opened the door, stepped through, and closed it behind him with another soft click. Leaving Bakugo by himself, like he had asked.

A/N: Just a short one today. I'm still all in my BakuDeku feelings. I've been doing so much research for the other story, but I've been wanting to update this one. The next chapter will be longer, and better. 😁