The scream was muffled, but Shouto was still awake and out of bed in seconds. He paused at the door when his brain caught up and he realized it had been Bakugou crying out for Izuku, most likely due to a nightmare.
"Shouto?" Izuku mumbled sleepily, sitting upright. "Was that Kacchan?"
"I think so," Shouto said. "He probably had a nightmare."
He knew that trying to check on him was pointless, but he swung the door open nevertheless and stepped out into the dimly lit living room, Izuku shuffling sleepily behind him. What they could actually do to help, Shouto didn't know, but he felt like he had to do something, even if it was just standing outside of Bakugou's door and reassuring him that Izuku was right there and most definitely not dead.
What he wasn't expecting to see, however, was Bakugou standing in the living room, wide-eyed and trembling like a deer in headlights.
"Kacchan!" Izuku gasped behind him. Bakugou looked panicked, his wild eyes snapping over to Izuku at the sound of his nickname.
"I-" he started, but his voice seemed to fail him. He began backing up toward his bedroom door, and Izuku stepped up next to Shouto with a hand reaching out toward Bakugou.
"Kacchan, please, let us talk to you just for a bit."
"You were dead," Bakugou said, his voice rough from disuse. "Deku, you were dead, I had to see-"
Shouto's chest hurt and he felt a little like he couldn't breathe. Bakugou had wrapped his arms around himself like a barrier and he couldn't seem to stop shaking. He didn't even look entirely conscious or aware of what he was doing, just desperate to find Izuku and see if he was alright.
"I'm right here, Kacchan, I'm okay," Izuku pleaded with him, "I'm completely fine I'm just worried about you." He took a step toward Bakugou, and Bakugou took a step back, looking uncertain.
"Don't get close," he said, but Shouto wasn't sure if it was aimed at Izuku or if Bakugou was reminding himself.
"I'm sorry." Izuku was trying so hard to remain calm, but Shouto could tell that every muscle in his body was tense. "I'm sorry, I'm just so happy to see you, Kacchan."
Bakugou shook his head. "I need to go, I can't-"
Now that Shouto was seeing him again, he didn't know what he was going to do when he disappeared back into hiding. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but he felt like he wouldn't be able to stand it. The stress, the concern, just- just missing Bakugou. It was too much.
"Bakugou, please," he interrupted, not even realizing he was speaking until he heard himself. "It wasn't your fault, you've done nothing wrong. Izuku is safe."
"You-" Bakugou looked over at Shouto with a frightened glance, "you could have been hurt too."
"But I wasn't," Shouto said. "And Izuku is just fine now. It had nothing to do with you, I promise."
"Kacchan," Izuku pleaded with him. "It doesn't even make sense, how could it have been your fault?"
Bakugou's eyes were glazed over and he was starting to sway a bit. Shouto was worried he might collapse. He wasn't sure just how much he'd slept or eaten, but he was certain it wasn't enough. He barely looked conscious even now, though his eyes were open.
"I'm not afraid of you, Kacchan. If you were really somehow at fault, wouldn't I be afraid to be around you? Why would I be begging you not to shut me out?" Izuku argued, obviously fighting back tears.
"I-" Bakugou looked confused. "I don't know, I . . ." he trailed off, blinked a few times as if he couldn't see, and then collapsed suddenly.
Izuku lunged forward before Shouto could even process what was happening, catching Bakugou at the last second and landing on his knees with the other boy cradled safely in his arms.
