Drown in my ocean of black box dye

Chapter 3

TW: TALKS OF ED RELATED TENDENCIES

Reason #12 to Live: Bakugou wants to be friends again. Maybe it's pity. Actually, it probably is pity. Either way, maybe this will mean he'll want to hang out sometime! I really miss him.

***

Underneath the stairwell, there's a little nook that about three people can fit in. Kirishima wouldn't have known it existed had it not been for hide and seek last year; they'd played it during a class-wide sleepover. He, Denki, and Bakugou had all snuck in there to hide, Bakugou had been dragged along by Kirishima.

He slammed a fist into the side of his head, scratching his temple slightly as he mentally kicked himself. He spent all those years dragging Bakugou along on things he didn't want to do. What a shitty friend.

Why couldn't he just leave people who weren't interested alone? It's like he had to be a nuisance to everyone around him.

That's why people stopped liking you. It's because you're annoying.

Kirishima groaned, setting his head on his knees.

Look at you, sitting alone at lunch while everyone else hangs out with their friends.

The grip on his hair tightened, fingers digging into his scalp. His whole body felt painfully numb, ears ringing with a neverending buzz; it was like a wasp had crawled in his ear canal.

Crying softly, he sunk back against the wall, eyes burning from the tears invading them. His hands were hardened and it was taking everything in him not to slam them into the concrete.

"Kirishima?" Ochako said, her kind voice drifting into the corner he was shoved into. Kirishima stood up completely straight, wiping at his eyes as he tried to compose himself.

"Y-Yes?" He stuttered out, waiting for her to appear around the corner. She did, holding a bento box full of food.

Ochako looked extremely concerned; her lips were drawn in tight together as she looked him over, "Are you okay?"

He opened his mouth to say something, only to feel the familiar closing of his throat as he choked on the words. He attempted to wave his hand instead, coughing hard on the rocks in his throat.

It seemed the sobs were inevitable.

No one has asked if I'm okay in so long.

Ochako started towards him, wrapping him tight into a hug. Kirishima collapsed into her, holding on for dear life as he broke. She was patient with him, brushing her fingers through his hair, "Yeah, I thought so," She looped her arms around his shoulders, still massaging his scalp, "What happened?"

He wanted so desperately to tell her, to tell anyone really. The words, however, were buried somewhere deep in his brain, refusing to dislodge themselves. Instead, he shook his head against her sternum, the tears continuing.

She hummed, pulling away just some, "Kirishima, did you find out about what happened at lunch today?"

Kirishima furrowed his brows in confusion as she brushed the tears away with her sleeve, "What?"

Ochako grimaced, looking away, "About Mina?"

Still confused, he rasped, "Did she say something?"

Ochako sighed, grabbing his face, "Listen, before I tell you this, you have to believe me when I say everyone was disgusted with her. It was a shit show after I left. Everyone was screaming at one another and I-," she gulped, nervousness swallowing her features.