UA's Gremlins

What if...part 2

An hour later at a park near UA...

Hitoshi stared at his phone as he watched the hospital where he and Kirishima had been treated smolder. The only lives lost were the doctors and nurses responsible for the dismissal of their chance at being healed. There were injuries, but no other lives were taken.

"I have to give it to them," Kirishima sighed as he watched the video. "They don't ever hurt anyone they don't mean to."

"We can't say that too loud," Hitoshi whispered. "We don't know what they've done to my parents...what we've agreed to."

Kirishima moved so he sat next to the boy he was head over heels for. He had woken to Hitoshi crying at his bedside begging him to be okay. He had been there for Hitoshi when he found the boy in hysterics because of his hands.

"Toshi," Kirishima said, getting his attention. "I know we agreed to this without knowing a lot. I know that we're going into this blind. I know it means leaving everything behind...but I also know that if Midobro wanted me dead, I never would have made it to the hospital in the first place. I also know I wouldn't be as okay as I am if not by their choice."

Hitoshi stared at him, eyes dark and desperate for hope. Kirishima smiled at him, one arm wrapping around his shoulders. He pulled the boy closer, so their foreheads were pressed together.

"Bakubro...he's got a lot of anger and hate in him," Kirishima continued. "And Midobro just screams walking trauma. But...I think we have had chances to really see them. I think we might have been the first people to treat them like they were more than what the league made them."

"Are we really giving ourselves over to villains?" Hitoshi whispered.

"Yeah," Kirishima shrugged. "But...do you really want to see what's going to happen here? I mean I know my moms already got word I'm being moved out of the hero course because of my screwed up quirk. And I heard you talkin' to your pops before he got taken. I know that he was told you had to be moved out of the course too. You've got the brains to do anything...but being a hero was all I was good at."

"Ei..." Hitoshi started. He went silent when Kirishima pressed a soft kiss to his lips. The red head smiled at his blush.

"Toshi," Kirishima laughed. "Don't try to butter me up. Besides, as close as Class 1A used to be...so many of them have turned on those two like this year never happened. I am tired of listening to them talk about those two like they came in as the Demon Duo and not Bakugo and Midoriya."

Hitoshi frowned. "Wait...are you telling me your class dropped them already?"

"From their escape," Kirishima answered. "I'm like seriously disappointed in some of them. I just...those two never did anything to anyone but treat them like an equal. And then the whole camp thing...I mean..."

Hitoshi listened, leaning into Kirishima's hold. "I've been so preoccupied, I didn't even notice. Think that's why so many of them won't talk to me anymore?"

"Probably," Katsuki's voice came from just behind them.

The two boys jumped, startled. Kirishima felt those familiar red eyes track over him as his quirk attempted to erupt across his skin...and failed. He felt the hardening across his back, up his neck, across his face, and down his legs...but most of his chest and arms were spotty with what hardened.

"Damn," the blond frowned. "Those fuckers...wish I'd let the nerd go totally feral."

Kirishima looked down, feeling ashamed at his perceived failure. "It's nothing compared to Toshi."