Catch Me

Chapter 8

KIRISHIMA

Eijiro woke up feeling lighter than usual. Sunlight pushed its way past his closed eyelids, and he turned his head as he opened his eyes. 

Bakugou was in bed next to him, but instead of looking at him with a small smile like he usually would when he appeared, the blonde was laying on his back, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression. 

"Good morning, Bakugou," Kirishima whispered quietly, unsure of what was to come. Bakugou still didn't look at him. 

"What's going on?"

Bakugou still didn't reply. Eijiro was getting worried now, his sleepy smile turning into a frown. Was Bakugou mad at him? Did he do something wrong? Did he keep him waiting too long yesterday? Was he upset that he'd almost cut himself?

Bakugou sighed. "I have to leave."

Kirishima blinked. "What?"

"I have to leave," Bakugou repeated. 

"What do you mean, you have to leave?" Eijiro asked, sitting up a bit, resting on his elbows and looking over at the blonde. 

"I mean that you have to let me go," Bakugou said, finally looking at him. "You can't keep this up, Kiri. You have to let me go, you have to move on."

Eijiro's heart sank. Despite how warm he'd been with the sunlight in the room and the warm blankets, he was growing colder and colder. "No," he whispered.

"Yes. You have to let me go. I'm a figment of your imagination. You won't be able to be a hero like this," Bakugou continued. "If you keep this up, you won't be emotionally stable enough to be a pro hero. You'll be chasing this illusion of me you've created in attempt to be happy. I can't be here forever, keeping you happy like this. You know it more than you realize, Kiri, you can't do this to yourself."

"I-I can! I'd be lost w-without you, Baku, can't you see?" Ei pleaded. 

"Which is exactly why I have to leave. So when I get out of this bed, you won't stop me. When I walk to the door, you won't stop me. And when I walk out, you won't stop me. Stop holding on, Kiri, it's not like you'll be alone forever. I'll still be watching over you, and occasionally I might come down to talk, but today, I have to leave. "

"Baku, please-"

"Look, I don't want to do this either, alright? If I promise that I'll be back, if I promise that today, you won't need me, will you let me leave?"

Kirishima thought for a moment, really not wanting to let him go, but the longer he lingered on it, the more he realized that this Bakugou was in fact a figment of his imagination. Then, after a deep breath, he spoke again.

"Just... tell me one thing. Then you can leave, and you don't have to come back."

Bakugou started. "Well, alright, what do you wanna know?"

"Does your ghost... does he forgive me for not reaching far enough? Is he disappointed in me?"

"Kiri, dude, there's no ghost," Bakugou deadpanned, an amused glint in his eyes.

"Fuckin' huh?"

"I'm saying, there's not a ghost. So no, he's not disappointed. He forgives you, too. As a matter of fact, you'll be able to ask those questions soon enough. I'm gone. I'll see you later, Kiri."

And the blonde faded out of existence, leaving Kirishima with many questions.