strangers. bnha

a little death.

"NO," KATSUKI SAID. The humid summer made Aizawa's office feel like a sweatbox, (not particularly safe given his quirk, first quirk, now, apparently) the air conditioning was broken in the Teaching Department. The leather couch he sat on burned from its place by the window, soaking in the sunlight. Aizawa's desk was covered from corner to corner with folders and stacks of papers. Just the sight of his disorganization irritated Katsuki.

"This isn't a negotiation, Bakugou. Let me make this clear," Aizawa set his pen down on the many assignments he had to mark and leaned on his desk as if to get serious. "In order to maintain the safety of all students-"

"Oh, so now I'm a goddamn safety hazard?"

"Listen. I won't say it again," he sharply cut in. "For your safety, and everyone else who goes to UA, we make sure we have background checks on all our staff and student's quirks. Midoriya was a special case because All Might vouched for him, but we still keep a close eye on him nonetheless. He'd never harm anyone intentionally, but that doesn't mean he won't lose control."

"I can control my own quirk fucking perfectly," Katsuki spat, offended.

"You're explosions, yes, I don't need convincing of that. But now you've inherited another quirk, and from your student file we know that it didn't come from any other relative of your family line, so this came from an outside force." Aizawa looked at him with knowing eyes.

Katsuki shifted uncomfortably. "I already told the cops and the principal, I don't remember a damn thing," he mumbled.

"And I believe you," Aizawa hardened his gaze, "but still, your guess is as good as mine. You're a bright kid, Bakugou, surely you have some idea of how this might've happened."

Katsuki spoke under his breath. "I can think of a few ways."

Aizawa nodded, satisfied for the time being. "We don't know anything about this quirk, neither do you, that's dangerous. We need to experiment with it so you can get a grip on it before you return to class as normal."

Katsuki felt a sickening stir in his gut. He didn't want anything to do with this, why couldn't things just be as they were before? Why did things have to change? He's had more than enough change to last a lifetime.

"This is bullshit..."

"It's necessary," Aizawa spoke with composure, which was odd to Katsuki, usually this is where people say he's overreacting or brush him off. "I'm not singling you out, Bakugou, this is the procedure we use for all students in the case where their quirks change drastically. And it's for your safety first and foremost. You fainted yesterday out of nowhere, remember that?" Katsuki only grumbled. Aizawa huffed. "Listen. You can find out what this thing is and work at it as hard as you work at everything else, and then you'd have another quirk at your disposal. Or you can leave it unchecked and put yourself and those around you at risk, but if that's what you choose, you can't do it at this school."

Katsuki's head snapped up from its view of the floor to level with him. Was he being serious? They'd really expel him? They'd have to? A tiny fragment of Katsuki indulges in fear and the experiences he wished he never had, and the feeling of airways closing, and a burning hand on his neck that he can't shake. That part wanted to run like hell, but it is demolished by the rest of him that has always wanted to fight and win. It has always been the very best and worst of him.

It's a simple decision, he thought, does the good of UA, of being a hero outweigh the bad. Is the cost too high? A month ago he'd laugh at a question like that, but now, in truth, Katsuki didn't know the answer anymore. He made a decision anyway.

"Fine."

——

THE "BAKUSQUAD" (as those four idiots declared themselves) spammed the group chat Kirishima had politely forced him into all day. Asking where he was, and what had happened. Apparently blowing half the class off their feet was still news a day later. And his absence, which was a one-in-a-million-rarity as Sero put it, made people only more suspicious. They bombarded the chat with that Lost Bitchass Dog meme he thought was so idiotic it was funny. For a while then it was just them talking about whether or not they should break into his room and steal him, which Kaminari advised against. A faint smile rose before he shut his phone off and went back to wallowing.