Louder than the Thunder (BakuDeku Oneshot)

Louder than the Thunder

Midoriya blinks.

He's been tossing around and staring into the darkness of his dorm room for the past hour. Although exhaustion creeps through every part of his body, the exhilaration from the provisional hero license exam still lingers, keeping him wide awake. After a long minute of contemplation and mumbling, he settles on sneaking out for a run.

Stealthily leaving 1-A Alliance was easy but avoiding the patrolling security robots was not.

It's about half an hour before Midoriya feels a drop of water from above; it's cold and refreshing when it trails down his face. Despite his reluctance to sleep, he decides to head back to Heights Alliance.

Midoriya's mind wanders off to the rhythm of his movement and the pounding rain and before he knows it, his feet have carried him towards Ground Beta—the site where he and Bakugou first fought in battle training.

There's movement up ahead. However, the lucid waning crescent moon does little to no help in adjusting his vision to the shadow but from hearing the figure's grunting and cursing, Midoriya couldn't imagine who else it would be other than his childhood friend.

He's compelled to run over to him—ask him what he is doing or why's he walking around campus in the middle of the night—but seems to think better of it. Midoriya follows closely behind him instead, but that quickly changes when he notices a storm drain in front of Bakugou. The boy slips on it, and then Midoriya's feet are racing towards him.

"Are you okay?"

Bakugou's eyes dilate with shock at the fact that he's slipped but even more so to the fact that Midoriya has caught him and that he's now in his arms.

"What the hell? Fuck off. What's wrong with you?" Bakugou spat as he shoves himself off Midoriya. His fists are clenched and he's gritting his teeth as he scowls at the other boy.

"W-what?" Midoriya stands up and looks taken aback, trying to process what just happened. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I just saved you from face-high-fiving the ground!"

Bakugou's eyes narrow before he turns and stomps away, spewing profanities here and there. Midoriya sighs and just hops next to him.

"You're going to catch a cold if you don't walk faster," he comments, holding a hand out to gesture at the rain. "And you're not even wearing enou—"

"Just fucking leave me alone!" Bakugou explodes.

Midoriya momentarily pauses but being interrupted does not seem to bother him too much because the boy simply continues, "Why are you out here anyway?"

"Tch, what are you now? A damn stalker?"

"I... I'm not! I just co-couldn't sleep... went out for a run..." The last few words were drowned out by the thunder.

Bakugou whirls his head, his crimson eyes boring into Midoriya's own emerald orbs. It petrifies yet electrifies the green-haired boy right down to his core. "Then stop following me. You piss me off," the boy scowls. He storms off, leaving his rival alone in the downpour.

Midoriya's shoulders sag as he looks up and takes a deep breath in, soaking up the rain and its sounds. He wanted to argue that they were both heading back to the dorms and going in the same direction but he knew that it would only aggravate Bakugou even more.

It's a flash of lightning that pulls Midoriya away from his clouded thoughts, only then does he realize how drenched his clothes and shoes were. He looks behind him one last time and weighs the risks of either staying outdoors and catching a cold or heading back to the dorms and encountering Bakugou again. He chooses the latter and starts jogging back to Heights Alliance.

There's no surprise once he sees Bakugou's silhouette. When Midoriya approaches and is about two meters behind, Bakugou stops in his tracks. The blonde boy's whisper is incomprehensible yet crystal clear to Midoriya that it paralyzes him.

"Y'know, I've been thinking about that stupid Quirk of yours."

No response, huh? Bakugou huffs, "What did he see in you? Worthless... Quirkless... No matter how much shit I gave you, you would always fuckin' bounce back. Why do you give a damn about me?"

"Kacchan..."

"Shut up! I'm still talking, you gutter trash!" Bakugou roars, whipping his head around.

Midoriya winces. "S-sorry!"

Bakugou's breath trembles. "Why is it... that we admired the same person yet you're carrying on his legacy while I had ended his."

Midoriya's chest aches with a pain he can't describe. How could I not have realized how much Kacchan was suffering? He's disappointed in himself for not noticing, but most importantly, he's upset and furious at Bakugou.

"You should've talked to me. You should've talked to someone. Anyone!"

"Stop! I don't need your help! I'm not weak like you. I'm n—"

"I'm not saying you're weak!" Midoriya thunders. His throat feels sore but he continues, "A hero is strong, but they don't always win in everything. Deep down, they're still human like everyone else. And like everyone else, they're not perfect. We have flaws, we have insecurities, and it's okay to talk about it."

Bakugou's eyes are wide; they bear no anger or annoyance but rather an expression that seems like he's searching for something. Midoriya swears he caught a glimpse of relief in his eyes.

"No one ever asks me how I'm doing, so why would you? Why do you give a damn about me?"

Midoriya breathes out slowly and looks up at the sky again. The storm doesn't look like it's clearing up soon but considering that they're both already doused from head to toe, what does it matter if they stay outside a little longer?

"If you were someone like me, someone Quirkless, and you get an opportunity to see breathtaking things. Wouldn't you jump at that chance? This amazing opportunity, this amazing person in my life..."—Midoriya looks at Bakugou with awe and curiosity—"That's you, Kacchan."

There's a long moment of thunder and rain before Bakugou speaks.

"I hate you." He looks away, almost guilty, then turns back with a look of pain. "It's shit like that that makes me mad, makes me feel strange and it makes me mad."

"S-s-strange?"

Instead of clarifying, Bakugou repeats the question that has been flooding his mind throughout the night.

"Why do you give a damn about me?"

And this time, Midoriya doesn't hesitate or beat around the bush.

"Because I care."

"I hate you," Bakugou whispers. But Midoriya knows it's not true because there's none of his usual bite to it.

"But that's not how I feel about you."

Bakugou doesn't respond, but Midoriya is certain he has heard him.

They're standing in the heavy rain, unmoving as they stare into each other's eyes. Midoriya's breathing shakes as he tries to grow the courage to do something he claims will be the bravest thing he's ever done in his life.

"Kacchan... Can I kiss you?"

Bakugou's gaze doesn't falter. He doesn't answer either.

So Midoriya takes a step closer. Another one and another one until he's close enough to see the pink tint on Bakugou's ears.

And when Bakugou still refuses to answer, Midoriya brings his arm up, his scarred hand and thumb runs over the blonde boy's cheek.

And although the storm and thunder rage all around them, when Midoriya leans in, all he can hear is his heartbeat... That's louder than the thunder.

Because Bakugou doesn't pull away.