Weekend at Bakugou's

“Bakugou, could you come with me, please?” Aizawa had stuck his head through the door, into their English class. The whole class turned to look at him, eyebrows raised. This was never good.

He glanced at Present Mic who nodded and gestured that he should move quickly. He snatched his bag from under his desk and slipped out of the classroom into the hallway.

“What’s going on?” Bakugou couldn’t help the slight note of worry in his voice. He hadn’t gotten into any trouble lately, so something must have happened to someone else. No one ever gets pulled out of class for good news.

“Nothing,” Aizawa started, “Well, I mean.. No one’s hurt, so there’s no need to panic.”

“Okay,” relief flooded Bakugou and it was swiftly followed by curiosity, “but...” he prompted his teacher. Aizawa sighed, passing a hand over his face.

“Do you know where Midoriya was today?” Aizawa asked

“Yeah, on his damn work-study. What’s that got to do with.. with,” he stalled mid sentence, “What happened?” Shit, shit, shit.

“Remember I said no one’s hurt. He’s perfectly healthy, he’s just..” his teacher waved a hand around as if he was trying to pluck the right words from the air. “It’s better if you just see for yourself. Hopefully you’ll understand why we need your help.”

Bakugou just stared as his teacher set off up the corridor. Since entering their second year, he and the nerd had become what could actually be considered friends, albeit friends who loved nothing more than to kick the crap out of each other on the daily. But it was still weird, very weird, that the staff would seek him out to help with Deku. After a second of hesitation, he stumbled into a run to follow.

Aizawa stopped outside the door to the principal’s office and turned to Bakugou.

“I’ll go in with you, but first,” Aizawa took a deep breath, “The principal and All Might are inside, as is Midoriya. I’m going to have to ask you to watch your language.”

Of all the things Bakugou might’ve expected his teacher to say, that wasn’t it. Swear words were his speech filler, he swore as easy as breathing, Aizawa knew this and so did All Might and the principal. What the hell is going on?!

The door was opened and they stepped inside.

The principal’s face was unreadable. All Might looked concerned and amused? Then Bakugou saw, sitting in a big arm-chair next to the principal’s desk; Deku. Except the chair dwarfed him completely, his little feet were stuck out over the front edge of the seat....

“Oh my fucking god.”

“I gave you one job, kid,” Aizawa groaned from beside him, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What do you want from me?! He’s a fucking toddler!”

“Kacchan shouldn’t say naughty words! Auntie Mitsuki said so!” Deku squeaked. The principal and All Might looked shocked, he must've been quiet up until now.

“Not helping, nerd,” growled Bakugou at the tiny version of his friend and little Deku giggled at him. But he couldn’t help noticing that Deku’s eyes were a little red and puffy and he was sitting very still with his pudgy, little hands balled into fists in his lap. He was clearly unhappy. Bakugou gave him a wink and imitated zipping his own mouth shut, that got another giggle and Deku made moves to get out of the chair.

“Young Midoriya..” All Might reached for the little boy, but Deku shook his head vehemently and squirmed out of his grasp. He ran across the office to Bakugou with his tiny arms outstretched, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

“Kacchan!” he wailed.

Bakugou froze for half a second before instinct kicked in. He bent down and lifted Deku into his arms, the little boy quickly tucked his head into Bakugou’s shoulder as if trying to hide from the world.

“Guess he doesn’t know who you are, huh? Who any of you are,” he said to All Might, acutely aware that both the principal and Aizawa were now staring at him.

“It appears not. At least, not in this form,” All Might gestured to his skinny frame, “Maybe I should-”

“No,” the principal cut across All Might, shaking his head, “We don’t want to overwhelm Midoriya. Or you to overexert yourself,” he said pointedly, small eyes fixed on the former #1. “Take a seat Bakugou and we’ll fill you in on what we know so far.”

Bakugou sat in the chair that Deku had been in, who was still holding tight to a fistful of Bakugou’s lapel but was watching everything, and listened to how he had been out on patrol as part of the work study when his group had gotten caught up in a robbery.

“You can see the appeal,” All Might chimed in, “Having a Quirk that can render guards and bystanders completely useless, and incredibly time consuming for heroes to deal with, but does very little actual harm.”

“How did Deku get hit?” Bakugou asked.

“According to the reports, he pulled another intern out of harm's way and took the hit himself,” answered the principal quietly.

Bakugou rolled his eyes, “Of course he did, idiot.” He couldn’t help but feel a little swell of pride toward his friend. Too kind for your own good, quite literally. Never change, moron, but we got to work on your avoidance manouveurs. 

“Does the report state how long the effects last? I’m guessing it’s not permanent, otherwise you wouldn’t be so calm, Sir,” Aizawa spoke for this first time since reprimanding Bakugou about his language.

“From what the police were able to gather.. 3 days. So, including today, he should be back to normal by Monday.”

Deku stirred in Bakugou’s arms, and tugged on the lapel.

“Kacchan,” he whispered

“What’s up, buddy?” Bakugou whispered back, fully aware that the others could hear them but keeping up the pretence for Deku’s sake.

“I gotta pee,” Deku whispered again.

Bakugou snorted, grinning, “Can you hold it for a little bit, we won’t be much longer,” he glanced up at the others for confirmation.

Aizawa nodded quickly, and with urgency, asked the important questions, “Are we keeping him at the school? Does his Mother know? And most importantly, does he still have his quirk?”

The principal, super conscious of the fact that a four year old may be about to pee on his carpet, answered just as fast, “Yes. Yes and, as it’s only temporary and there may yet be further side effects she has agreed that the school is the best place for him at this moment in time. As for his quirk, we don’t know for sure but he appears to have been reverted to how he was at the age of 4. That is, prior to presenting with any quirk, and Bakugou here is the only person in the building that he knows.”

“Which is why we need you to be primary babysitter for the time being, Young Bakugou,” said All Might, again looking both concerned and more amused than he had any right to be.

“The staff body will, of course, be on hand to help all hours of the day. But it appears that this,” the principal indicated to where Deku was curled up in Bakugou’s lap, “is the least stressful place for Midoriya for the time being.”

Bakugou nodded and stood up, Deku was tugging at his lapel again. Aizawa stood too.

“Sir, please keep me updated as to any new information. Meanwhile, I’ll assist Bakugou with Midoriya as much as possible. I still have some of Eri’s things that may be suitable for the situation.”

“Thank you, that would be much appreciated. And thank you too Bakugou, I wish you the best of luck,” the principal said to them both as they headed for the door.

Aizawa let them out into the corridor.

He looked at Bakugou and the child in his arms.

“You sure you’re going to be okay with this?” he asked his student, his flat tone brooked no lies.

“Yeah,” surprising even himself with how calm he sounded, “I don’t mind kids really and this one I’ve known all my life. The rest of the class is going to freak though,” Bakugou grimaced, remembering Deku’s reaction to All Might and multiplying it by 18. 

“I’ll brief the class,” Aizawa assured him, and then pointed down the corridor, “Nearest bathrooms are down there, on the right. Quickly, before he ruins your uniform.”

Bakugou thanked him and jogged as smoothly as he could down the corridor to the bathrooms.

__________________________________________

“Kacchan?” Deku murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Who were all those people?”

Oh boy, this could get complicated fast.

“Let’s get you sorted first, and then we’ll go and get something to eat and I’ll answer all your questions, okay?”

“All of them?!” Deku trilled

“Yep! Every single one,” Bakugou shouldered through one of the stall doors and lowered Deku to the floor in front of the toilet. “Now, you know what to do?”

“Yeah! ‘Course I do,” Deku shouted proudly, turning his back to Bakugou who had to suppress a laugh.

“I’ll be outside, you let me know when you’re done and we’ll wash your hands,” Bakugou shut the door behind him and hooked his foot under the bottom to keep it closed.

After a few minutes there was a little knock on the other side of the door as Deku asked to be let out. Thank god he didn’t need help . Bakugou lifted Deku up to the sink so he could wash his hands, then he washed his own while Deku made a mess of the paper towels.

“You gotta pick those up, Deku. It’s not fair to leave a mess,” he chided, he sounded like his dad, and he was immediately grateful that he didn’t sound like his mother for once. The little boy did as he was told, and then made grabby hands at him.

“I’m pretty sure you can walk, kiddo,” Bakugou sighed, resisting the strong urge to put his hands on his hips.

Deku just screwed up his face, stuck out his bottom lip and emphasised the grabby hands even further.

“Fine, but you walk after lunch,” he scooped Deku up again, left the bathroom and headed back the way they came .

Deku was looking around him wide-eyed, “What’s for lunch, Kacchan?”

“I don’t know, we’ll find out when we get there. Why, what do you fancy?”

“Katsudon!” Deku yelled, putting his hands in the air.

“You always want katsudon, Deku,” Bakugou shook his head, smiling.

“My name’s not Deku, that’s not nice,” Deku said, confusion all over his baby face.

Shit, this was a pre-Deku Deku. He must only just have turned 4 years old then.

“Sorry, buddy. I said it wrong. Why don’t you tell Kacchan what you’ve been up to since you last saw me, okay?” Bakugou hoped he could find out what the kid remembered, at least it might help work out some details of the Quirk and how much, if any, of current Deku was in 4 year old Deku’s head.

Yep, this was definitely going to get complicated.

Little De- Izuku , scrunched his nose in concentration as they headed towards the cafeteria.

“I don’t know,” he said quietly, the realisation seemed to confuse him, “I think I was in a classroom. Kacchan was there!”

“And what did I look like?” Bakugou asked, hoping that most of the school had passed through already and that the cafeteria would be quiet.

“Like this!” Izuku squeaked, putting his mini hands on Bakugou’s face. 

So, not 4 years old then. He's remembering where 'current' Deku actually was yesterday. Sort of.

He puffed his cheeks up and Izuku squidged them back down to make Bakugou stick his tongue out. Izuku squealed in delight, so he did it again. And again. Each time Bakugou found it harder and harder to stop smiling at his charge. He felt a twinge of nostalgia as he remembered them both playing this game with Auntie Inko when they used to have playdates and it struck him how very long they’d known each other.

“Yo! Bakugou!”

He spun around to see Kirishima jogging up the corridor towards them, who slowed as he spotted the kid in Bakugou’s arms, eye’s widening.

“Did Aizawa fill you all in?” Bakugou asked sharply.

“Huh?” Kirishima was still staring at toddler Izuku, “Oh, yeah, yeah! That’s why I came and found you. He said you might need an extra set of hands.”

Saints, both of them.

Kirishima continued, “The rest of the class will be coming for lunch in a bit, but he’s asked that everyone leave you both alone and that we’ll all be introduced slowly back at the dorms after classes this evening. You’re also exempt from this afternoon's lessons.”

“That’s good to know, thanks for coming to find me,” he looked down at Izuku, who was staring at Kirishima’s bright red, spiky hair. They both grinned at the toddler.

“Izuku, this is my friend, Kirishima. Do you want to say hello?” Bakugou coaxed gently.

Izuku waved and reached out a hand towards the red-head, but tightened his other around Bakugou’s lapel again.

Kirishima smiled widely, took Izuku’s small hand in his and shook it, “Nice to meet you, little man. You can call me Kiri.”

“Hello Kiri. My name’s ‘Zuku,” Izuku said proudly, and wrapped his hand around one of Kirishima’s fingers.

Kirishima looked like he was going to burst into tears as he glanced at Bakugou and whispered, incredulously, “‘Zuku?!”

“I’d forgotten how clingy he could get with people,” Bakugou laughed slightly as he turned back to the cafeteria doors, “Come on, we can eat and talk.” 

They entered as an awkwardly joined trio, as Izuku was clearly not prepared to let go of either of them.

__________________________________________

They found a quiet table away from the main hustle and bustle of the cafeteria and Kirishima set their dishes down. Bakugou was about to put Izuku on the seat between them, but realised that then Izuku wouldn’t be tall enough to reach his bowl. He began to look around for a cushion or something that he could use as a booster seat, his arms were starting to ache..

“‘Zuku, are you gonna let Kacchan eat his lunch?” Kirishima asked gently. Izuku nodded but didn’t let go of Bakugou.

“Do you want to sit with me for a bit? I bet he’s been carrying you for aaaages,” Kirishima wheedled. They watched as Izuku’s brow furrowed, then he slowly released his grip on Bakugou’s clothes and leaned towards Kirishima instead, who deftly grabbed him under his arms and re-positioned the toddler onto his lap, so they could both reach their lunches.

“Thanks again, man,” Bakugou said as he stretched his arms above his head, “You’re surprisingly good with him. You should’ve seen his reaction to All Might earlier on.” He settled himself at the table and made a start on his food.

Kirishima shrugged, “I’ve got a lot of little cousins, had a lot of practice. So, what actually happened? Aizawa only gave us a real brief overview.”

They’d managed to get Izuku his favourite katsudon and he was quite focused on getting as much into his mouth as possible, which allowed Bakugou to bring Kirishima up to speed.

“He seems to remember being in class yesterday, but only remembers me. I think all of his memories are there, but his 4 year old brain can’t process it maybe? It’s really weird, but the principal seems certain it’s only temporary and that he’ll be back to normal by Monday,” Bakugou explained between mouthfuls, “Oh, and no one can call him ‘Deku’. It’s complicated, but he doesn’t know that’s what I.. that’s it’s a nickname.”

Kirishima nodded slowly as he ate around Midoriya, who now had sauce dripping down his chin.

“So, why’d they ask you to-” he stopped as Bakugou unfolded a napkin to wipe Izuku’s little chin. Kirishima noticed how careful his friend was so as not to disrupt Izuku’s eating, how he pulled the kids bowl a little closer and he barked out a laugh.

Bakugou looked up suddenly, “What? You say something?”

“Nah. Nevermind. Answered my own question,” Kirishima grinned, showing off all of his pointed teeth and ruffled Izuku’s hair, who giggled in his lap.

__________________________________________

They’d waved to the rest of class 2-A across the cafeteria, finished their food and Izuku had begun to yawn widely, rubbing at his eyes. They’d left the cafeteria as they’d arrived, Bakugou cradling a now very sleepy Izuku, and Izuku gripping one of Kirishima’s fingers.

But now Izuku wouldn’t let go and Kirishima needed to go back to class.

“I’ll see you later, little man, I promise!” Kirishima had both of Izuku’s hands wrapped in his, while trying to subtly loosen the toddler’s grip.

“But.. but..” Izuku’s chin was beginning to wobble.

Oh no..

“ Dude, that’s a hell of a grip for a 4 year old!” Kirishima hissed at Bakugou, “You did say he shouldn’t have his Quirk, right?”

Oh shit…

“That’s what the principal said, yeah! But they did say ‘it appears’, so I don’t think they were certain!” Bakugou shot back, concern lacing his voice.

“I’m just gonna-”

“Wait, no!!-” Bakugou could’ve sworn he saw the briefest flash of green as Kirishima opened his hands.

Kirishima shot backwards as if electrocuted. The toddler hiccuped and then began to cry in earnest.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Bakugou set Izuku on the floor and checked him all over for any sign of injury, “What did you do?” he shot over his shoulder at Kirishima, who was already hurrying back towards them. He’d only really gone a couple of feet.

Kirishima held his hands up in front of him, showing Bakugou one hardened finger.

“I thought if I activated it in the finger he was holding, it might feel weird enough that he’d let go,” he seemed breathless and his eyes were wide.

“Well, it worked,” Bakugou huffed, “But why did you jump?! That’s what’s freaked him out.”

“Dude,” Kirishima whispered, there was an uncharacteristic shake in his voice that made Bakugou look up instantly.

“What?”

“I didn’t jump.”

“What do you mean you didn’t jump?! What the f-”

“I was pushed.”

They both looked down at Izuku who was now wailing like a siren.

Fuck.

Bakugou took a deep breath through his nose before picking up Izuku again, and rubbing his back to try and calm him down.

“Okay. You head back to class an-” he started.

“Dude, no, what-” Kirishima interrupted him, but Bakugou waved him quiet. Izuku’s crying was subsiding into sniffles and huffs in the crook of Bakugou’s neck.

“You go back to class,” he said firmly, “You’ve got training with All Might and Thirteen this afternoon, right?”

“Yeah, but..”

“Fill them in on what just happened. Quietly. If you see Aizawa on the way, ask him to come to the dorms. If you don’t see him on the way, ask All Might and Thirteen to ask him to come to the dorms,” Bakugou reeled off quickly, then he closed his eyes briefly and muttered, “If Izuku decides to throw an All Might sized tantrum, we’ll need Aizawa on hand.”

Kirishima was nodding fervently, eyes still wide and staring at Izuku.

“Oi!” Bakugou snapped his fingers in front of his friends’ face.

“Right, yeah, okay. It’s just.. Jeeez, man,” Kirishima murmured.

“I know,” Bakugou said calmly, “Go. We’ll be fine.”

Kirishima nodded and Bakugou noticed how he hesitated for a second before ruffling Izuku’s hair again, then he turned and ran to class.

Bakugou looked down at the still sniffling Izuku just as he yawned widely again.

“Wanna nap, kiddo?” he murmured to the little boy.

“Mmm-hmm” came the reply from his shoulder. He appeared to have no idea what had just happened, just that something had scared him when he was already upset.

“Yeah, ‘course you do. You’ve had a long day, huh?,” he kept talking, just saying whatever came into his head without filter, as they walked towards the dorms.

By the time he was letting them into the common room, Izuku was sound asleep in his arms. Bakugou carried Izuku to his room but decided against setting him down in the bed, instead he grabbed the All-Might bedspread and headed back downstairs.

As gently as he could Bakugou lowered Izuku on to one of the sofas and covered him over with the throw. Then he sat on the edge of the low table and put his head in his hands, groaning quietly.

Izuku is a toddler. And he still has his Quirk. He’s a 4 year old with super strength. He pushed Kirishima 3 feet because he was upset. Holy fucking shit.

“By god, I hope they were right about the three day thing at least,” he whispered to himself. Despite his concerns, he couldn’t help but smile as he watched Izuku roll over in his sleep, his tiny fists full of All Might’s bedspread face.

_____________________________________________

That was how Aizawa found him half an hour later; sat on the table with his phone in one hand, chin in the other and his back to the main door.

“Bakugou,” Aizawa whispered.

“Fuck!” Bakugou yelped as he slipped off the table in surprise. They both froze and stared at Izuku who thankfully continued sleeping.

“Language!” Aizawa hissed at him.

“Sorry!” Bakugou hissed back, “But you snuck up on me! Sir.” 

Aizawa opened his mouth to respond but took a deep breath instead and beckoned Bakugou over to him. Bakugou got up from the floor and made his way to where Aizawa was standing closer to the door, that’s when Bakugou noticed the bags.

“I found some things of Eri’s in storage that may be useful,” Aizawa indicated to some of the contents, “There’s some pyjamas, a stool she used to use to reach the sink and stuff, a little bowl with a kiddie spoon, and a pop-up roll guard that stops them falling out of bed in the night.” If there was a wistful edge to his teacher’s voice, Bakugou wasn’t about to comment on it. He just nodded, immediately realising how under prepared he would’ve been for even just a weekend with a small child.

This revelation must’ve shown on his face because Aizawa smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry we had to drop this on you. I know you like to be the best at everything, but just remember this isn’t a competition. You’ve only been a ‘parent’ for-” Aizawa checked his watch, “like, 3 hours and he’s still alive. He’s been fed, he’s warm and he’s happy enough to sleep. That’s a win, kiddo. And don’t think for a second you need to sort everything out on your own. Talk to me, talk to the staff, talk to your classmates. It takes a village to raise a child, after all.”

Bakugou had no idea what that last bit meant, but he got the gist. 

“Oh, that reminds me,” Aizawa reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, “This is my personal number. You need me this weekend, you call me. Once it’s in your phone, please burn the paper. I do not want Kaminari, or Mina, or pretty much anyone else getting a hold of it. Understood?”

“Yes, sir. Thanks, and I will don’t worry,” Bakugou said quietly, then he remembered, “Did Kirishima run into you at all?”

“No, why?”

“Has All Might or Thirteen contacted you this afternoon?!”

“No. Why?” Aizawa’s brow furrowed.

“Because,” Bakugou passed his hand over his face, “I think Izuku still has his Quirk.”

Aizawa’s eyebrows vanished into his hair.

They heard a shuffling and turned to where Izuku was trying to sit up on the sofa. He was wriggling so much that the bedspread slid onto the floor.

Izuku frowned at it and squeaked, “Shit!”

“You can say that again,” groaned Aizawa from beside him.

Bakugou snorted and had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing.

“Izuku!” Bakugou chided as he moved back to sit on the table by the sofa, “What did you just say?”

Izuku looked up and put his hand over his mouth, eyes wide and innocent. It might’ve been convincing if it wasn’t far too late.

“Who did you hear say that, little one?” Aizawa asked calmly with no hint of discipline in his tone, only curiosity.

Izuku’s eyes flicked to Bakugou who lowered his head, an uncomfortable flush creeping up his neck. He'd known that was coming, but that didn’t make him feel better about it.

“You can’t tell him off for something you taught him. Intentionally or otherwise. You need to lead by example,” Aizawa said quietly. Always a teacher.

Bakugou just nodded and sighed. Izuku slid off the sofa towards him.

“Don’t be sad, Kacchan,” he mumbled and patted Bakugou’s hands.

“I’m not sad, buddy. But I’ve been a bad example, haven’t I?” Bakugou replied quietly. The feeling that this realisation was further reaching than just encouraging a 4 year old to curse, was settling in the back of his mind.

“Kacchan’s not bad!” Izuku frowned, his eyebrows pulling together.

Bakugou laughed despite his discomfort. “Tell you what..” his tone turned serious and he held Izuku’s gaze. Izuku straightened up immediately. Always a teacher. “No more swearing,” he glanced at Aizawa and back. Lead by example. “From either of us. Deal?”

“Deal!” Izuku nodded, “Sorry I got Kacchan into trouble.”

“Nah, it was my fault,” Bakugou shook his head and ruffled Izuku’s hair. Izuku giggled and promptly climbed back into Bakugou’s lap.

“So, about his Quirk,” muttered Aizawa as he settled himself at the far end of the sofa. His eyes never left Izuku as the little boy pulled the tie that Bakugou never wore out of his uniform jacket pocket.

“Yeahh..” Bakugou recounted their incident with Kirishima a short while ago, “I thought I saw green light, and Kirishima swears he didn’t move voluntarily.”

“And Midoriya wasn’t injured at all?”

“Nope, not at all. Not that I could see anyway…. He sort of remembers being in class yesterday too.” Bakugou was resting his chin on the top of Izuku’s head as he had drifted off to sleep again once he’d gotten comfortable.

“I’ll have to update the Principal and we’ll decide what to do from there. For now just try to keep him happy,” Aizawa stood and added with a grin, “This may mean that he basically gets spoiled rotten for the next few days, but as this situation is only temporary it shouldn’t affect the person he turns back into.” He made towards the door before turning, “One of the bags also contains the belongings Midoriya had on him this morning. His costume, phone, that sort of thing. I’ll be back later with the class,” and with that he left Bakugou, and a sleeping Izuku, alone.

Bakugou stood as carefully as possible and grabbed the bag with Izuku’s stuff in it. There was his costume complete with the big red shoes, Izuku’s wallet, some candy bars and his phone. He reached for the phone and turned it on. Of course his wallpaper is All Might. Bakugou also noticed that Izuku didn’t lock his phone in any way, he’d have to talk to him about his complete lack of personal security on Monday but for now it worked in his favour as he accessed Izuku’s contacts and hit call.

“Izuku?!” came the concerned voice down the phone.

“N-no, it’s Katsuki,” he hadn’t talked to her directly in so long. 

“Katsuki! They told me earlier about what happened to ‘Zuku, but said it was only temporary. Is everything okay? Is he okay? Has something gone wrong?” Inko rushed, her voice increasing in pitch with every question.

“Everything’s fine, Auntie,” he hurried to reassure her, “I just wanted to- I don’t know- make sure you were okay and whatever.” There was silence from the other end of the line, and Bakugou was about to ask if she was still there when..

“You’ve grown, Katsuki.”

Bakugou felt his face go warm, and it was his turn to go quiet. Fucking Midoriya’s, man.

“The Principal did say they were going to ask you to look after him. This time last year I would’ve been worried, but now-,” Inko trailed off. “Anyway, how is he?” she asked, changing tack at the speed of light she was bright and breezy as if her 16 year old son hadn’t been temporarily toddlerised.

“He’s fine. He’s eaten and he’s asleep.” He still has his Quirk and he’s swearing... Better leave that part out for now.

“Good, that’s good. Has he let you put him down yet?” she asked, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

“Huh? How’d-,” she’s his mother of course she knows, jackass, “Barely! I put him down after lunch because he fell asleep on the way back to the dorms, but after about 30 minutes he woke up, came back to me and he’s been out cold since.”

“You’ll need to wake him up soon, otherwise he won’t sleep tonight. But he was always the same at that age,” Inko sighed wistfully, then she laughed, “Although you weren’t much different. If ‘Zuku was being held, you’d want in on it too. Your mother and I regularly ended up with one on each hip.”

“Oh god,” Bakugou laughed too and covered his eyes with his free hand.

“He’ll be the same at bedtime. He liked to know that someone was there or maybe it was that he wanted to make sure I was okay, I’m not sure,” Inko muttered. Like mother, like son. “Either way, you may have to camp out for a few nights.”

He hadn’t even considered night-time arrangements yet, “That’s fine, we’ll work something out.”

“I’m glad you’re there, Katsuki. I’m glad there’s someone there who knows my ‘Zuku so well, and that he’s happy being around. I’m just sorry that I- that I,” she’d begun to sniffle.

“Auntie, it’s okay. This is the best place for him just in case-”Bakugou started.

“I know, I know,” she interrupted but she was still hiccoughing, “I- I just wish I could be there f-for him. I miss h-him being that sm-small.”

Ohh fuck. Bakugou didn’t know how to handle a crying Inko, “I can send you updates if that helps!”

“Thank you, Katsuki. I’ll speak to you soon, okay?” Inko’s voice was thick with tears. Crying was a Midoirya family trait and once they got going…

“Okay, Auntie. I’ll talk to you soon. I’ll put Izuku on the phone next time,” Bakugou heard her wail just before she ended the call. That may not have helped?

Maybe he was going soft, but Inko had always been good to him and the thought of her sat at home in tears just didn’t sit right with him. He thumbed through Izuku’s contacts again. Of course he still has her number. He pressed dial and waited.

A kind, calm voice that he had never heard before answered the call, “‘Izuku, sweetpea! I wasn’t expecting your call until Sunday, everything okay?”

“Who are you and what have you done with my mother?!” Bakugou yelled.

The tone changed instantly to one he recognised well; loud and harsh, “What the fuck’s happened, brat?!”

There she is . 

“Izuku’s been hit by a Quirk that’s turned him into a 4 year old, it's temporary, he’s fine and I’m looking after him because I’m the only person here he knows. But first; You two have scheduled phone calls?!” he would be outraged if it actually bothered him. Was it weird that didn’t?

“Fortnightly,” Mitsuki replied as if this was something he should be aware of, “He started keeping me up to date so I didn’t have to find out about your goings on via the news. Like I’m just your average Joe instead of the person that went through 15 hours labour to bring you into this world.”

Bakugou rolled his eyes, “You call him sweetpea?”

“Yep!" she exclaimed, "Why? Does that bother you?”

“Haah? No! Why would- What’re y- I mean-” he stammered, unable to understand why he suddenly felt so flustered.

“Just checking,” came his mother’s cool tone, he could hear her shit eating grin through the phone, “So, why are you actually calling, Katsuki?”

“I rang Auntie Inko first,” Bakugou began.

“Really?” Mitsuki said. Why was that so interesting to her?

“..Yeah? I wanted to make sure she was okay, and to let her know Izuku was okay,” he rubbed his eyes, astounded that Izuku was still sound asleep curled into his chest. This kid can sleep through anything. It’s actually kind of impressive.

“That’s unusually kind of you,” she said before adding, “And that’s twice you’ve called him ‘Izuku’.”

“Fucking what of it?! He reverted to a pre-Deku stage and it just seemed to upset him when I called him it,” his gut twisted.

“People tend to get up get fucking upset when you insult them, brat,” Mitsuki deadpanned, unknowingly giving voice to his own thoughts.

He growled, “Yes. I get it. Can I get to my point, hag ?”

“Sure.”

“Inko got upset towards the end of our call, and I was wondering if you could give her a ring to err.. You know… to make sure she was alright? I said I’d update her but it.. It doesn’t- I don’t like-,” all the fight had gone out of his voice at the thought of Izuku’s Mom sitting at home on her own, potentially single-handedly flooding her apartment complex.

“Of course I can,” said his Mom quietly, “This can’t be easy for her not being able to be there," she paused and added, "I know she regrets not taking more pictures of Izuku when he was that age, so do her a favour and make the most of this opportunity?”

“Will do. Bet I can get All Might to do a picture, but 4 year old Izuku might just shit with excitement if he turns up in full form and costume,” Bakugou grinned at the thought.

“Ha! Just remember that you’re on clean up duty before making him shit with excitement about anything,” his Mom laughed down the line. “Don’t fuck this up, I won’t protect you from Inko if you do.”

“Hahh?! That’s just fucking rude. You don’t think I got this?!” 

“Nah, I know you’ve got this. Izuku couldn’t be in better hands,” Mitsuki replied sincerely.

Her son went pink for the second time in under 30 minutes. “Mom,” he croaked, “What the fuck?”

“I’m not saying it again, brat. You heard me. Take pictures and keep me updated,” with the rarest of moments over, the line went dead. If tears were hereditary in the Midoriya line, emotional constipation was hereditary in his. He leaned his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes, just for a second.

__________________________________

“Kacchan!”

Bakugou’s eyes flew open, “Yeah?” How long had he been out for? It took him a moment to realise where he was and that his hands were resting in his lap where Izuku had been. Shit . “Izuku?!” He was already looking around the room frantically. There was a rustling from behind one of the sofas, he went to investigate.

Izuku was methodically going through each of the bags and pulling out everything. He was just generally making a mess, but he was frowning. Bakugou noticed that he frowned a lot for a toddler who was generally ecstatic about nearly everything.

“These aren’t my toys, Kacchan,” Izuku observed, bottom lip sticking out.

“No, we’re just borrowing them for a bit because-,” he was going to say ‘because we can’t get to yours right now’ but then a thought struck him. Izuku’s room was full of toys. He remembered Izuku and him playing with some of them when they were little, so they definitely weren’t collectors items. “Actually, do you want to see your room?”

Izuku’s eyes went wide, “My room?!” he squealed

“Yeah! Your room!” Bakugou exclaimed back, “Put these away and we’ll go.”

Izuku gasped and began scrambling around to tidy everything up, Bakugou picked up the other bag with the costume in and waited patiently while his thoughts wandered.

According to his watch they had about an hour before lessons ended and the class started to filter back into the dorms. He’d cook for the two of them here rather than go back to the cafeteria or order in. Was Izuku going to need a bath or something? How does he go about doing that? He should’ve asked Auntie. Would current Izuku hate him forever if he realised he’d bathed him? Would it be worse if he asked one of the others to do it?!

“Kacchan is muttering,” said Izuku from the floor in front of him.

“Was I?” he hadn’t even known he was speaking out loud. He walked over to Izuku and picked out the stool and the roll guard from the other bags. “You all done?”

“Uh-huh, Let’s go!” Izuku clenched his fists in excitement. Bakugou snorted as he realised that grown Izuku still does the exact same thing when he’s excited about something.

“Come on then, follow me,” he added the items to the costume bag and set off up the corridor. He heard the patter of Izuku’s hurried footsteps behind him and then felt Izuku grab his trouser leg. Bakugou stopped to look down, Izuku was excited but uncertain about going somewhere new. He silently offered Izuku his hand. The toddler took it and followed along, taking two steps for every one of Bakugou’s.

Bakugou opened the door to Izuku’s room and led him inside. He had to laugh at the literal stars in Izuku’s eyes as he took in the floor to ceiling All Might decor. He set about attaching the roll guard to the bed while Izuku looked around, looking like a kid in a candy shop - which he supposed wasn’t far off the mark.

He put the stool in the bathroom and came back to find Izuku with two All Might dolls in his hands, and he was frowning again.

“What’s the matter, buddy?” Bakugou asked, squatting so he could be at the same level.

“‘M trying to decide..” Izuku mumbled, concentration etched on his face.

“Decide what?”

“Which one to give Kacchan,” Izuku continued as if he wasn’t talking about this with Kacchan.

Bakugou raised his eyebrows, “You don’t have to give me anything. You keep them both.”

Izuku shook his head, and then held out the All Might Silver Age doll to Bakugou. When he didn’t immediately take it, Izuku pressed it into his hands with enough force that Bakugou toppled backwards out of his squat.

“You sure?” he asked the little boy, “That looked like a really hard decision.”

“I needed to make sure I was giving Kacchan the best one. Now we can play together!” Izuku waved his own doll around happily.

Christ. He’s too fucking cute. He’s going to have the class wrapped around his little finger before lights out.

He refused to acknowledge the possibility that he already was.

Because it was just the two of them Bakugou let himself relax, and they played.

They had played a game that Izuku had called ‘All Might Rescue’ in which Bakugou had initially been the tall building that All Might had to rescue civilians from - the civilians had been the other All Might dolls that had been stuffed into his trouser and jacket pockets. Izuku jumped on the bed to reach them all, grinning from ear to ear while squealing, “I am here! I am here!”

Then Bakugou had been All Might and had had to rescue Izuku from under a fallen building (the bed) - Izuku had tucked himself right into the far corner so Bakugou had to lie flat on his stomach to reach him and then had to wriggle them both back out into the light.

“You gotta say it!” Izuku had whispered, doing a terrible job at being unconscious in the middle of the dorm floor.

“I’m not-” Bakugou started.

“You gotta!” the toddler hissed, squeezing his eyes closed even tighter.

Bakugou had sighed and rolled his eyes then but, not one to ever half-arse anything, had lowered his voice and announced, “I am here!” Much to Izuku’s delight.

Finally, he had been the villain and All Might Izuku had defeated him with a mighty blow (pillow) to the chest, and knocked him off the bed onto the floor where he now lay spread-eagled. He heard Izuku move to the floor, Bakugou opened one eye just in time to see the wardrobe door close, and Izuku suddenly nowhere in sight. He rolled to his feet.

For a split second he considered just wrenching the door open, but he knew Izuku was enjoying himself and, if he was honest, he was having a good time too.

So, as quietly as he could, he climbed on top of the wardrobe being careful not to rock it and scare the toddler inside. Or to give the game away . He reached for the top of the wardrobe door and was just about to open it from above when the dorm room door opened instead.

His head whipped around to see Kirishima in the doorway who was staring up at Bakugou in complete bewilderment. Kirishima opened his mouth to speak but Bakugou shook his head violently and put his finger to his lips.

Kirishima looked even more confused for a split second but then his eyes widened and he pointed to the wardrobe, mouth splitting into a grin, one eyebrow raised in question.

Bakugou nodded slowly, grinning back. He got a thumbs up in response and his friend inched into the room and shut the door behind him as quietly as possible.

I am so lucky it was Shitty Hair at the door, otherwise this would look really weird.

He edged forwards and slowly opened the wardrobe doors so they blocked Kirishima from view.

He watched as Izuku cautiously tiptoed out from the dark depths, clearly on the look-out for Bakugou the Villain. The Villain himself leant as far forward as he could without falling and blew hard to ruffle Izuku’s hair. The toddler gasped and slowly looked up, eyes wide with childish exhilaration.

“Found you, Hero,” the Villain whispered.

Izuku shrieked wildly and tore off around the wardrobe door, he spotted Kirishima then and made a beeline for him as Bakugou dropped down to the floor.

“Kiri!! Save me!” Izuku ran with his hands in the air and Kirishima reached for him but Bakugou was quicker.

He scooped Izuku up from behind, making the little boy shriek again and dropped him back on the bed. Izuku bounced and flopped over, giggling until he was breathless.

Bakugou laughed and looked up at Kirishima, who was grinning widely at him. Bakugou found that he couldn’t bring himself to care about how open he was being at the moment. Kirishima wouldn’t hold it against him, and more importantly, he wouldn’t tell any of the extras. Speaking of..

“The class is back then?” he asked a little breathlessly. Kirishima nodded, still smiling at him. “Stop grinning at me, Hair for Brains!” Bakugou felt the need to inject some normality into the situation.

Kirishima just laughed out loud, “Sorry, bro. It’s just..” he seemed to be debating whether to voice his thoughts, but Kirishima never thought anything he wasn’t willing to say. “He always brings out sides to you that no one else does.”

“Haah?! He’s four! Do you want me not to play with him?!” he bit back, a little sharper than he meant to be.

Izuku was hopping down off the bed, and making his way to the bathroom, “Use the stool, kiddo. And shout if you need help,” he said to Izuku, all salt gone from his voice at the drop of a hat.

“Okie dokie, Kacchan!”

“See! That’s what I mean,” Kirishima said as the toddler pushed the bathroom door to, “And it is not just because he’s a toddler, Midoriya’s always been able to flip you like a switch.” Just because Kirishima wouldn’t hold it against him that apparently didn’t mean he wouldn’t call him out on it. Bakugou outright growled at his friend.

Kirishima’s eyes widened, not at the growling that was normal, but because of what the growling meant.

“And you know it, don’t you?” Kirishima whispered incredulously. “Dude.. Are you-”

“I swear to motherfucking god, Shitty Hair, you finish that sentence I will blow you and the rest of this godforsaken building to smithereens,” Bakugou snarled through his teeth, but made sure to keep his voice down. They had made a deal about not swearing after all.

He only got a blinding, shark-toothed smile in response, but Bakugou continued to glare.

“Kacchan! I can’t reach the sink.”

Kirishima’s already impossibly wide smile somehow got wider and brighter as, on cue, Bakugou softened slightly before his eyes.

“Be right there, buddy!”

Kirishima just chuckled.

_____________________________

Bakugou locked the door behind them as they headed back to the common room. He threw his phone to Kirishima.

“You’re on picture duty.”

“What?”

“Our Mom's want pictures of Izuku being tiny again, and you’re the only person I trust with my phone,” Bakugou grumbled, knowing full well what he was letting himself in for.

“Cool!” Kirishima exclaimed, “In that case!” he swooped down on Izuku.

Here we go..

Kirishima lifted him into the air, up and over Bakugou’s head and onto his shoulders.

Wait, what?!

Izuku immediately grabbed two fistfuls of Bakugou’s blonde spikes and trilled excitedly. Bakugou made sure he had a firm grip of the boys’ legs so he wouldn’t fall off.

Kirishima lifted the phone up in front of the three of them, shouted, “Cheese!” and snapped the picture before Bakugou could even arrange his face.

“Show me,” he said.

Kirishima frowned, “Nope, you’ll delete it.” He held Bakugou's phone well out its owners reach.

“Tch.. Yeah. Fair enough.”

"Kiri, lemme see!" Izuku shuffled on Bakugou's shoulders.

"Sure thing, little man!"

Bakugou snorted. No one is immune.

Aizawa met them in the hallway and signalled for Kirishima to continue into the common room. Once alone, he briefly glanced at Izuku sitting on Bakugou’s shoulders but just shook his head, deciding not to inquire.

“The class are all fully briefed, including the suspicion that Midoriya has retained his quirk. They also know that, for all intents and purposes, you’re his guardian for the time being," his teacher said quietly, the fatigue evident in his voice. “I have also secured promises of ’best behaviour’ for the weekend.” 

Bakugou grimaced at the threats that may have been levelled to ‘secure promises of best behaviour’ but he nodded in gratitude. It’ll be easier if everyone’s on the same page, and he does know Izuku best.

“You were here earlier,” Izuku murmured suddenly from his perch.

Aizawa surveyed the toddler sitting atop his student and nodded, “I was.”

“And you were in the big room with the really t-tall man and the… the giant talking mouse,” Izuku stammered a little and Bakugou smiled at the description of the principal. Izuku took a deep breath and added, “Then you left and got Kacchan.”

“I did,” Aizawa nodded again. Bakugou felt one of the hands gripping his hair let go and he turned his head a little to see Izuku reach a hand out.

“My name’s ‘Zuku. Thank you for getting Kacchan!” Izuku said with all the formality a four year old could muster.

The corner of Aizawa’s mouth twitched as he shook the proffered hand. “It’s very nice to meet you properly, ‘Zuku. You can call me Aizawa,” he inclined his head slightly before adding, “We thought.. Kacchan , would be the best person.” 

Both Bakugou and his teacher grimaced at the sound of him saying the nickname. They exchanged a glance that made it abundantly clear that it would never happen again. Thank god.

“Kacchan is the bestest person!” Izuku shouted, as if he couldn’t understand how anyone could possibly think any different. Bakugou felt his face go pink again, and he was grateful that Aizawa didn’t look at him but instead continued to address Izuku.

“I’m sure he is.. When he wants to be.” Bakugou rolled his eyes at that but Aizawa went on, “Now, you’re about to meet a lot of new people, ‘Zuku. Are you going to be okay with that?”

“Uh-huh! Who are they?”

“Second year students of UA’s hero course,” Aizawa explained.

Izuku gasped, hands tightening almost painfully in Bakugou’s hair and he could feel the little boy practically vibrate with excitement.

Forever the nerd.

_____________________________

There was a very short squeal when they entered the room and Bakugou saw Kirishima clamp his hand over Pinky’s mouth. Izuku spotted him too.

“Kiri!” Izuku yelled, throwing both his hands into the air, finally relinquishing his grip on Bakugou’s hair. Then he gasped again, “Wait, Kiri’s a Hero?!”

“Try’na be, little man!” Kirishima said proudly, chest puffed out and every pointed tooth on show.

“Wow!” Izuku whispered, in apparent awe of his new found friend.

The rest of the class were quiet but staring, some slack-jawed, some with complete bewilderment written across their faces. Ponytail and Round Face were both wide-eyed with their hands over their mouths.

“Hey, Izuku,” Bakugou turned his head to whisper to his charge, “Why don’t you introduce yourself to everyone?”

“Okie dokie, Kacchan,” Izuku whispered back, loudly. Bakugou felt his weight shift, and imagined that Izuku was now sitting up as straight as he could. “Hello, my name’s ‘Zuku!” he announced in the same formal tone he’d used with Aizawa earlier on.

“Hi, ‘Zuku,” everyone chorused, a few people waved.

“And this is Kacchan!” Izuku patted his head.

Bakugou’s face promised death to anyone who dared repeat the nickname, they had long since learned that it was not something just anyone could call him. But to Izuku he only explained, “They know who I am, buddy. I go here too. That’s why I could come and get you, and how I know Kirishima.” He pointed over to where the red head still had his hand over Pinky’s mouth. He reached up and back to lift Izuku off of his shoulders, over his own head.

“Ohh! Soo.. Kacchan’s gonna be a Hero too?!” Izuku exclaimed, as he was set down.

“Well, duh!” Bakugou beckoned Kirishima over to him, before squatting down to Izuku’s level, “We always said we would be, didn’t we?” Ever since we were old enough to understand what Heroes were.

“Yep! The bestest heroes!” Izuku nodded, but uncertainty coloured his features. We’ll work that out later.

“Right, now I’m going to make us some dinner but I’ve got a job for you and Kiri,” he fished a blank notebook out of his back pocket that he’d swiped from Izuku’s room earlier on. “I need you to find out everyone’s Hero names and what their quirks are,” he said it loud enough for the rest of the class to hear and grinned as Izuku’s eyes widened. “D’you think you can do that for me?” he asked both Izuku and Kirishima. Kirishima nodded with a grin, and immediately began looking for something to write with.

“I can really ask everyone?” Izuku whispered, clutching the notebook. Bakugou just nodded and stood as Izuku began bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Kirishima reappeared with a pencil, “Ready, little man?”

“Yeah!” Izuku reached for Kirishima’s hand, “Can we ask ‘Zawa first?”

“Who?” Kirishima frowned as they headed for a sofa

“I think he means me,” grumbled Aizawa, finally moving into the room from the doorway.

Bakugou glared at the rest of the class, and hissed, “One at a time. Don’t make him cry. And watch the language.” Then he headed for the kitchen, snagging one of the bags that Aizawa had brought along earlier on and ignored the snickers and whispers behind him.

_______________________________

He’d pulled out the ingredients for a basic soup and began chopping veggies, there’d been enough to make a big batch and if he added noodles there would be more than enough for the class. Bakugou didn’t necessarily always articulate very well, but food was how he showed that he didn’t necessarily hate you, your face and everything you stand for. The class has benefited hugely from his cooking over the years, and it calmed him. There was a simple joy in making something and being able to enjoy it, and since starting UA he had discovered that it’s something he liked others to enjoy too. Secretly, one of his proudest moments was when Deku had quietly declared that Bakugou’s homemade katsudon was better than his own mothers’, which he knew was high praise indeed. They’d both practically been raised on Auntie Inko’s cooking after all.

He was sealing chicken in a frying pan, gently nudging it around with a spatula, when Aizawa joined him in the kitchen. There was a big pot of broth and veggies simmering on the stove ring next to it, steam curling languidly from the surface.

“Is he done quizzing you?” Bakugou asked, unable to completely fight off his grin.

“It’s interesting to learn that Midoriya has always been this.. intense when it comes to Quirks. A lot of things about him make more sense. He’s captured Uraraka now,” Aizawa answered, smiling slightly. Bakugou looked up to see Round Face levitating a mug in front of Deku’s shining face. He grinned and went back to concentrating on not overdoing the meat.

“I would like you to bring Midoriya to Ground Beta tomorrow morning, 09:30,” Aizawa said after a short pause, causing Bakugou to nearly flip a piece of chicken clean out of the pan.

“What?! Why?”

Aizawa shrugged, “Curiosity mostly.”

Bakugou’s mouth fell open in spite of himself. You’ve gotta be fucking with me, man!

“But also, because I, and the principal, want to ensure that Midoriya will be safe here for the duration of this situation,” Aizawa held up a hand as Bakugou opened his mouth to protest. “This is not a judgement on you or your abilities. Our intel was incorrect about him not retaining his Quirk, if it turns out that we are wrong about the 3 day timescale, then we will need to be fully aware of what we’re dealing with to be able to make appropriate arrangements.”

Bakugou stopped stirring. He hadn’t considered the possibility that Deku could end up stuck like this. It’s all fun and games for a weekend. A good story to tell later… But having to start over from 4 years old?! Fuck.. Does the Quirk allow him to age? What if it doesn’t, and he ends up actually stuck-

“You’re going to burn the chicken,” Aizawa interrupted.

Sizzling assaulted his ears and he eased his white knuckle grip on the spatula. “Shit,” he mumbled as he reached for the soy sauce, and splashed some into the pan and stirred everything around. He also threw the noodles into the broth, they’d only need a few minutes.

“It is only a precaution. There’s nothing indicating the intel is wrong, and it’s being double checked as we speak,” Aizawa attempted to reassure him. Bakugou stayed mute and added honey to the soy sauce covered chicken then turned the heat up slightly. They both watched as the honey and soy sauce began to caramelise and the chicken became sticky and almost glazed.

“That looks very good,” Aizawa said, still gazing intently at the contents of the frying pan. Bakugou grunted.

His teacher nodded and began to head for the door to leave the dorms before saying, “09:30am, Ground Beta, don’t forget.” When he only got a nod in response, he added, “Bring Kirishima too, he could be useful.”

Bakugou nodded again and then blurted out, “If you want to try it, I can set aside a bowl.”

It was one of the very few times he’d seen his teacher truly smile.

“That would be much appreciated, Bakugou. Mic’s cooking, to be frank, sucks.”

Kaminari bounced into the kitchen as Aizawa left.

“Smells super good, bro! Is ther-”

“Yes, there’s enough for everyone,” Bakugou sighed as he threw a hand towel over his shoulder, turned the stove off and moved everything off the heat. “You fu-.. you bas-.. You people would starve if I didn’t feed you.”

“You know, that might be true! But, if you didn’t want to feed us, you shouldn’t make it taste so good, man!” Kaminari slapped his shoulder.

“Don’t touch me while I’m cooking, asshat,” he grumbled.  “Just get some bowls out of the cupboard.”

Thankfully Pikachu did as he was told, setting them next to the kiddie bowl that Aizawa had provided for Izuku, and Bakugou began spooning chicken into each one as it was set down. They’d got to the last one without incident until Kaminari turned to sniff at the broth and collided with Bakugou, sending the last bits of chicken all over the counter top.

“Fuck sake, Dunce Face! Watch-” Bakugou started, brandishing the spoon.

“FUCK SAKE, DUNCE FACE!”

The room went silent as every head turned to Izuku who was now, for some reason, stood on the table in the centre.

“No!” Bakugou shouted back on instinct, pointing the spoon at Izuku instead.

“Fuck no!” Izuku shouted back again, grinning from ear to ear with mischief written all over his little face. 

Bakugou picked his jaw up from the floor, and threw his towel onto the counter. He turned to Kaminari and pointed to the chicken still littered across the counter top, “That lot’s yours, don’t try and give it to someone else.” Then he turned to where Izuku was still standing on the table.

The little boy was still grinning widely and looked poised to run.

“I thought I gave you a job to do,” Bakugou began to stalk forwards. “You were supposed to find out everyone’s Hero names and Quirks.”

The class was looking back and forth between the two of them, as if unsure as to whether this was a game or not yet.

“Me and Kiri got everyone’s!” Izuku put his hands on his hips and stood his ground. Or table..

Bakugou spotted Sero by the doors that lead to the outside, he caught his eye and inclined his head. Open the doors. Sero grinned at him, unlatched them and swung them wide.

“You got everyone’s? Well, you did that very, very fast,” Bakugou was nearly on him now, Izuku’s head craning back to look him in the eye. “Should I ask Kirishima for the notebook so I can have a look?” he turned his back on Izuku and Bakugou heard him gasp.

“Run, Kiri!” Izuku squealed.

Kirishima hadn’t realised he’d be part of the game, but he only hesitated for just long enough to say, “Sorry, bro” to Bakugou before he vaulted over the back over the sofa and hauled ass into the fresh air outside. There was a spintering crack from behind Bakugou, a flash of green past him and then Izuku was hot on Kirishima’s heels, giggling madly.

Bakugou turned around just in time to see the table fold in on itself along the break in the middle.

“Dunce Face!” he called.

“Yo?!” 

“Put one big ladle of broth and noodles in each of the bowls. Put one in the fridge for Aizawa-sensei. The rest are all up for grabs, but there’s not enough for seconds,” he reeled off as if he were giving orders to troops.

“Understood, bro! Will do!” Kaminari called back and started rummaging in the drawers for the ladle.

Bakugou made for the doors before he was stopped by IcyHot.

“I wish to offer my assistance in the retrieval of such a valuable artifact,” Todoroki deadpanned.

Bakugou rolled his eyes but nodded. Almost as an afterthought he turned to the rest of the class and threw his arms wide.

“Anyone else want in?!”

This seemed to be the cue they’d been waiting for, the class whooped and charged outside to join the hunt. For a fucking notebook with next to nothing in it.

_____________________________

The ‘hunt’ quickly devolved into a quirk filled game of hide and seek.

They’d found Izuku and Kirishima relatively quickly, one was a fidgety 4 year old and one was a fidgety Kirishima. Hiding was neithers strong point.

Bakugou and Todoroki had had them cornered, then Todoroki had frozen Bakugou’s feet to the ground and encased him in ice up to his elbows..

“I should’ve known you’d be a traitor,” Bakugou spat as Todoroki flicked him between the eyes. Bakugou bared his teeth and growled. Was this whole thing a setup?

“What should we do with him, ‘Zuku?” Kirishima asked their diminutive leader, arms folded across his chest.

Izuku surveyed Bakugou, before tugging on Kirishima’s trouser leg. He bent down to let Izuku whisper in his ear.

“That all? You sure, little man?” Kirishima asked

“Uh-huh. He has cooked for us. We can’t be mean,” said Izuku, holding out his hand with the palm up. Bakugou had expected Kirishima to take it, but instead he handed over the notebook and pencil.

Izuku clutched them both to him and toddled over to where Bakugou was still a popsicle. He sat down, laid the notebook out on the floor at a blank page. What the fuck is going on?

“Kacchan.. What’s your Quirk?”

The whole thing was a fucking setup. He’s 4, fully quirked and diabolical.

______________________________

Bakugou had managed to convince Izuku to ask Todo to unfreeze him, so they could go back in and eat, and because it was bloody cold but it had taken Bakugou promising, and promising, to answer all of Izuku’s questions about his quirk. Meanwhile he tried not to feel too disheartened by the fact that it appeared that Izuku couldn’t remember anything about it.

Having worked up an appetite running around outside like the kids they’d been only a short time ago, the bowls of soup vanished quickly. Kaminari declared that he and Bakugou should be let off of doing the dishes as the empty bowls started to pile up around the sink. 

“Haah? What the hell did you do?” Bakugou shouted at him from across the room where he was helping Izuku with his broth.

“I served it all up!” Kaminari cried indignantly. While this was not comparable to the effort that Bakugou had put in, it was still more than the rest of them had contributed. It all seemed pretty even too, and he put some extra veggies into Izuku’s and Aizawa’s bowls.  

By the time Izuku had finished, the rest of the dishes had been done and the class were debating what movie to watch to finish off their Friday.

“No horror stuff,” he grumbled to Pinky, “I ain't dealing with nightmares.”

“Ah, good point.” She shoved the horror movie box back in the cupboard and pulled out their collection of animated films instead. 

They ended up with a musical something or other that Earphones insisted was a classic. He went to wash up Izuku’s kiddie bowl instead, leaving him to play on the floor with some of Eri’s old toys.

Bakugou placed the bowl on the drainer to dry, and turned the lights off in the kitchen, plunging the whole room into darkness so the only light came from the TV. Instead of rejoining the group, he headed for the bedrooms.

He was going to move his mattress into Izuku’s room and sleep on the floor for the weekend. That way Deku can stay in his room, where it’s familiar.

The first trip saw the mattress stowed snugly between the legs of Izuku’s bed and his chest of drawers. The second trip saw Bakugou’s bedding added to the mattress and his satchel, containing a change of clothes and some toiletries, stashed in Izuku’s wardrobe. He was just setting the alarm on Izuku’s clock, when the door opened.

“There you are, dude. We’d wondered where you’d got to,” Kirishima whispered as he opened the door. “Little man fell asleep and the movie’s just finished so we’re all off to bed.”

Behind Kirishima, Bakugou saw Shoji cradling a sleeping Izuku in his many arms and Ponytail holding a bundle of clothes.

“Should I just put him on the bed?” Shoji asked quietly.

Bakugou nodded and beckoned him into the room. Shoji deposited the toddler gently on top of the blankets, being careful not to dislodge the roll guard Bakugou had installed earlier.

“I made these for him, thought they might help,” Ponytail handed him a small pile of boys clothing and a nightlight. 

“Th-Thanks.. that’s er- you didn’t have to,” Bakugou stammered. You’ve really gotta stop referring to her as Ponytail.

“We had a look in the bags that Aizawa dropped off.. The toys are fine and all, but the clothes..” said Kirishima with a grimace.

“We thought Izuku would appreciate something more… more his style,” interrupted Ponyt- Yaoyorozu tactfully.

Kirishima nodded fervently. “Oh, and here’s your phone back,” he added Bakugou’s phone to the pile as Shoji sidled back out of the room.

“Thanks, again. You know- to er.. to all of you.”

Yaoyorozu smiled and Shoji inclined his head before bidding both him and Kirishima goodnight and heading off to their rooms.

“I best be off too, bro. I’m dead on my feet, been a long day, huh!” Kirishima yawned widely.

“Yeah, no shit,” Bakugou mumbled, yawning in response. He was just about to retreat into Izuku’s room when he remembered, “You up for some training tomorrow? Aizawa wants Izuku, you and me at Ground Beta for 09:30 in the morning. Looking at Izuku’s Quirk and stuff.”

“Absolutely man, but that means I have to go to sleep right now,” Kirishima slapped Bakugou’s shoulder and headed to his door. “See you at breakfast!”

Bakugou gave a thumbs up to the back of Kirishima’s head, and entered Izuku’s room.

He used the light in the bathroom to inspect what Yaoyorozu had made for Izuku. On top was a pair of All Might pyjamas. Well, guaranteed he’s going to love those. Next was a pair of cargo shorts, exact miniatures of Izuku’s usual dreadful style. Then were two, small cotton t-shirts, one light blue and one white. Both had ‘t-shirt’ written across the front. That the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. The only thing missing is those god awful red shoes.

Bakugou brushed his teeth and flicked through the pictures Kirishima had taken that day. The first one he saw, the last one of the day, was of himself up to his elbows in ice talking to Izuku who was sitting on the floor in front of him. The rest were mostly of Izuku talking to his classmates with a rapt expression on his face. One showed Izuku floating several inches off the floor with Uraraka standing behind him. When the fuck did that happen? There were also several of himself while he was cooking. He stopped when he got to the first one that Kirishima had taken in the hallway. Kirishima was grinning brightly as always, while he himself was wide-eyed and bewildered, but Izuku on his shoulders looked fit to burst with excitement. Bakugou hadn’t seen him that happy in a very long time, Deku was plenty cheery but sheer, unbridled joy wasn’t a common occurrence. Not anymore. 

As he climbed onto his mattress and put his phone on to charge, he heard Izuku’s quiet breathing. The steady in and out of someone sleeping soundly. Bakugou’ settled in and allowed heaviness to creep up his body, into his limbs, into his eyelids. His breathing fell into step alongside Izuku’s and he succumbed to sleep quicker and easier than he had done in for a long while.

Bakugou’s nose twitched.

It twitched again and a crease crept into the sleep-smoothed space between his eyebrows.

Something was tickling his nose. And his mouth. And his chin, for that matter. 

The crease was threatening to evolve into a frown as he cracked an eye open and, for one sleep-addled moment, wondered if he’d fallen asleep in a shrubbery. He closed his eyes as he yawned and the greenery tickled his face again. Bakugou had to turn his head away as he sneezed.

“Bless you, Kacchan,” came a muffled, sleepy mumble from under his arm. Izuku.

Bakugou grumbled in response as his eyes closed again and he began to drift back to sleep.

Izuku…

Wait.

He froze.

IZUKU?!

Baugou’s eyes flew open. He quickly pulled his head back to refocus on the mass of green that was inches from his face. He remembered Auntie’s words from the day before, about how toddler Izuku always wanted to be close to someone, never wanting to be put down. ‘ He’ll be the same at bedtime’ she said . 

Izuku had climbed into bed with him during the night… His head was on Bakugou’s upper arm and was curled into his chest. Bakugou dragged his free hand down his face, he’d thought it would be enough that there was someone else in the room through the night, but apparently not. Judging by how much of Izuku’s hair had been in his face when he woke up- Fucking hell, was I cuddling him?! I hope to fuck the nerd doesn’t remember any of this. Bakugou groaned, he certainly didn’t remember any disturbance in the night at least, and he usually woke at the slightest disturbance, that was partly why he made sure to be in bed so early. He was not about to admit to anyone that he actually felt better rested than he had in who knows how long.

He glanced at the alarm clock. 10 minutes before the it went off. Fucking typical. As gently as possible he extricated his arm from under Izuku’s head.

“Noooo,” Izuku mumbled into the pillow.

Bakugou huffed a laugh as he rubbed the sleep from his own eyes. He lightly poked the toddler in the side, who giggled.

“Why aren’t you in your bed, eh?” Bakugou rumbled, his voice was still asleep it seemed. Coffee..

The giggling stopped and Izuku rolled to look at him, his green eyes wide and sad, “I had a nightmare, Kacchan.” 

Bakugou noted the way how still Izuku had gone, hands clasped together, just like yesterday while in the principal’s office. Any frustration he might have been feeling at the invasion of his personal bubble was quelled by the look on the little boys’ face.“I- I asked if I could, and you said okay!” Izuku added, worry thick in his voice.

Bakugou frowned slightly, he honestly did not remember any sort of conversation happening but that didn’t matter right now, instead he softly asked, “D’you wanna tell me about it?”

Izuku shook his head fervently.

“You okay now?”

Izuku nodded this time.

“Good. Okay, you stay put and play while I shower, then we’ll get you washed up and dressed.” 

“O-O-Okie dokie, Kacchan,” Izuku struggled through a yawn.

He wasn’t awake enough to stop himself reaching out and ruffling Izuku’s bedhead, making the curls even wilder than before. Either someone had turned off his temper or getting a good night’s sleep really was all it was cracked up to be.

As he rolled out of bed he grabbed both his and Izuku’s phones and snapped a quick picture of Izuku all sleepy-eyed and fluffy haired, and up to his chin in blankets. On his way to the bathroom he thanked any deity that might be listening for the fact that Izuku seemed to have retained the ability to control his bladder while asleep.

It took a while to get the toddler to brush his teeth and to get dressed especially as, when Bakugou left the bathroom toweling his hair, he found that Izuku had burrowed back under the blankets and was sound asleep once more. He sighed. Is this why the nerd always nearly misses breakfast?

_______________________

Finally they were headed downstairs to the kitchen, some of the class were already up and about and somebody was cooking breakfast. Izuku sniffed the air.

“You hungry?” Bakugou asked him, already knowing the answer. Eat, sleep, get into trouble. Nerd’s always been the same.

“Mm-hm!”

They spotted Kirishima at the stove; now, Kirishima couldn’t cook for shit and Bakugou had told him as much. On multiple occasions. However, he had to begrudgingly admit that the red-head could make one breakfast item incredibly well.

“Pancakes!” yelled Izuku, hopping from one foot to the other. A few of the still sleepy students jumped at the noise, and Kirishima glanced quickly over his shoulder.

“Morning!” he called, waving his spatula. “I’m doing enough for everyone. Bacon in yours, man?”

“Tch, duh. Too fu..uudging sweet otherwise,” Bakugou fumbled over the impending f-bomb and wrinkled his nose, shaking his head. Fucking ‘fudge’?! What am I? Six? Thankfully no one but Kirishima heard, who snorted as he mixed more batter.

At Bakugou’s suggestion, to keep him from getting under Kirishima’s feet, Izuku had braved the common room and was now sitting on the floor with Todoroki. Half and Half was alternating between producing miniature ice flurries in one palm and the smallest of dancing fires in the other, much to Izuku’s fascination.

“You’re scowling,” whispered Kirishima, placing a small pile of pancakes in front of him.

“Fuck you,” he growled back but started scowling at his pancakes instead. Coffee, he thought again.

As if he had summoned it, a travel mug slid into view next to his plate of pancakes. The most welcome aroma wafting through the little hole in the lid

“You’re welcome!” Kirishima called over his shoulder as he took a plate across to Izuku. Kirishima had put a lot of effort into becoming a member of the incredibly exclusive club that was capable of brewing Bakugou his morning coffee. The only three other people were: himself, his Dad, and Izuku. To this day he didn’t know how Izuku knew, but at this point he was practically a founding member of Bakugou’s imaginary coffee club..

Shovelling bacon pancakes into his mouth, he tried not to think about where he’d be if either Izuku or Kirishima had ever given up on him.

____________________

Bakugou refilled his travel mug before heading out with Izuku and Kirishima in tow. He had the backpack with water bottles and snacks in and Izuku had decided that he preferred the extra height that Kirishima’s shoulders afforded. The tiny pang of jealousy had both surprised him and not mixed well with the pancakes.

“Where are we going, Kacchan?” Izuku called from his lofty perch.

Bakugou turned, walking backwards in front of the other two, “We’re going to do some Hero training,” he paused to watch Izuku’s face shine, “and you get to join in!” 

Izuku damn near toppled off Kirishima’s shoulders in his excitement, luckily the red-head had an iron grip on his legs.

Kirishima shook his head at Bakugou, “Bro, don’t get him so worked up he hurts himself before we even get there.”

“He’ll be fine,” he dismissed. He will be fine.

_________________

It didn’t take them long to get to Ground Beta and Aizawa was already there, a crate of training supplies next to him.

“Mr. ‘Zawa’s here too?!” Izuku gasped.

“Yep, he’s our teacher after all,” said Kirishima as he lowered Izuku to the floor, whose feet were already moving. As soon as they touched down, he ran to Bakugou and began tugging on his hand as they approached.

“Yesterday Mr. ‘Zawa was telling us about his quirk and,” Izuku paused to take a deep breath, “and.. hecanerasequirksjustbylookingatpeoplebutitstopswhenheblinksandhisscarfisn’tanormalscarfit’sa..a..a..” Izuku’s face screwed up as he tried to remember.

“It’s a binding cloth,” supplied Bakugou, setting his travel mug down on a bench.

“Yeah, yeah, a bing cloth! And- and he can capturepeoplewithitandhe’sreallygoodinclosecombat-”

“I’m glad to see you remember so much of what I told you, Midoriya,” Aizawa’s low, tired voice interrupted. Izuku went pink but he nodded, eyes fixed on the pro hero. Aizawa gave a slight nod back and then looked to Kirishima. “We’ll start with a basic strength test. Tug of war, you and Midoriya.”

Kirishima nodded and immediately headed to the crate.

“Me and Kiri?” Izuku squeaked, clearly confused. Aizawa’s eyes flicked to Bakugou who knelt down to Izuku’s level.

“You remember yesterday, when Kirishima had to go back to class and you wouldn’t let go?” he asked, Izuku nodded. “And then Kirishima activated his quirk-”

“And I pushed him away because it scared me,” Izuku whispered, barely audible. So, he did know what happened..

“You did,” Bakugou swallowed his surprise, “And yesterday when you ran away with the notebook.. Remember? You jumped off the table to run after Kirishima?”

“It broke,” Izuku mumbled, “I broke the table.. And I pushed Kiri..” His brow pulled together and his eyes began to shine. Ohhh no. Quick, think of something.

Bakugou sat on the floor properly with his legs stretched out either side of the toddler.

“Yep. You broke a table and you pushed Kiri. Really far,” he confirmed. Aizawa took a step forward as Izuku sniffed, but Bakugou shook his head. His teacher stopped and watched with curiosity.

“I-I- d-didn’t mean to, Kacchan!” Izuku hiccoughed, tears beginning to fall in earnest.

“I know, buddy. You don’t break stuff and push people around. That’s my job.”

Izuku giggled wetly, shaking his head. Bakugou patted the floor and Izuku sat down facing him.

“So, what do you think is happening?” he asked quietly.

Izuku frowned, “What do you mean?”

“Well, a table is really hard to break. And Kirishima is really hard to push around. I’ve tried,” he grinned as Izuku giggled again, “Especially as far as you did yesterday. You’d have to be really, really, strong to do both..”

The tears had stopped, and Izuku rubbed at his face with his sleeve.

“I remember green,” Izuku looked up at Bakugou, who just nodded at him. “Kacchan?” the little boy grabbed his hand and whispered with an intensity only 4 years olds can muster.

“Yeah?” Bakugou tried to stop his grin from getting any wider.

“Am I getting a quirk?” Izuku breathed, “Am I super strong, Kacchan?”

“I think so, kiddo,” he whispered back, “Mr. Aizawa does too. That’s why he asked us to come here today.”

“And that’s why me and Kiri are doing tug o’war?” Izuku pointed to Kirishima who had his arms full of rope and had stopped to listen to the little boy’s revelation. They all nodded.

Izuku seemed to realise how tall Kirishima was at that moment.

He leant into Bakugou and whispered, “Kacchan.. How strong is Kiri?”

“I’m super strong too, little man!” Kirishima announced when he overheard with his fists on his hips. Izuku only looked to Bakugou for confirmation while Kirishima sputtered indignantly.

“He’s pretty strong too. You’ll have to give it your all,” Bakugou admitted seriously.

“Okie dokie, Kacchan. I will,” Izuku stood up proudly and mimicked Kirishima’s pose before running off to where the red-head was now laying out the rope. He turned half way and called back, “Kacchan! Now we can be heroes together!”

Aizawa was helping Kirishima mark the midpoint and so no one else saw Bakugou smile.

_________________

He picked up his travel mug of coffee off of the bench and went to stand next to Aizawa to watch the tug of war test. His teacher was clutching his own mug but he had removed the lid, the steam rising close to his face.

Bakugou quite liked Aizawa, as much as he ‘liked’ anyone. His teacher had defended him on many occasions when others would not have done; he pushed people to become the best they could be and he was not afraid of giving a harsh lesson to get them there. He had been on the receiving end of his fair share to know. They also, apparently, both opted for black coffee in the morning. 

Aizawa hadn’t reacted at all to his approach and Bakugou wasn’t certain that he hadn’t fallen asleep standing up. He’d done it before. More than once. It was honestly impressive.

“So, er.. How’s your coffee?” Bakugou asked, by way of checking his teachers’ consciousness without startling him.

Aizawa still didn’t move, but grumbled, “It’s like making love in a canoe.”

“Haah?!” Bakugou exclaimed. What the fuck? When Aizawa didn’t immediately answer he decided to take a sip of his own drink. He could not have said what I thought he said!

“Fucking close to water,” muttered Aizawa.

Bakugou spat his coffee out in a tremendous, cartoon-like arch, and nearly choked on what was left in his mouth. With his hands on his knees, he looked up with watery eyes to see Aizawa grinning at him. The bastard waited for me to have my mouth full.

“Language,” he rasped at his teacher, acutely aware that that was normally Aizawa’s line.

“It’s a Saturday, get off my back,” Aizawa deadpanned back, still grinning.

He straightened up and watched Kirishima show Izuku how to stand properly, feet apart with a bend to his knees, then run back to pick up his own end of the rope.

“You handled that very well by the way,” his teacher drawled.

Bakugou only shrugged in response as Kirishima and Izuku began to pull against each other.

“How did you know what would work?”

He sighed. “Izuku’s always been the same. He needs to figure it out himself before he’ll accept what’s staring him in the face.”

“You know him very well,” said Aizawa quietly.

“He knows me better, I think. I’m just winging this,” Bakugou admitted. Izuku had taken a couple of steps forward. “Stand your ground, Izuku!” he called.

“Okie dokie, Kacchan!”

“Where’s my encouragement, bro?!”

“You’ll get it if you need it, dipshhh-stick!”

“Close one,” muttered Aizawa, “Don’t underestimate your value in this situation, Bakugou.”

Izuku was taking his words to heart and had anchored himself solidly, Kirishima was leaning back on the rope but getting nowhere. 

“Start pulling, buddy!” Bakugou shouted again, only half listening to his teacher, “Underestimate my what?”

“Nevermind, keep doing what you’re doing.”

Izuku took the tiniest step backwards and Kirishima had to inch forwards.

“He’s moving Izuku! Keep going!”

Bakugou watched as Kirishima’s feet slid along the ground as the toddler kept pulling backwards. Green lightning was spitting and sparking around the little boy. The movement stopped as Kirishima activated his own quirk to help dig his feet in. They were both straining and leaning back on the rope. He paced alongside feeling as tense as the rope itself. His eyes slid from Kirishima to Izuku and, as if in slow motion, he watched the little boys’ face screw up in pain as the rope slipped through his hands and he toppled over backwards. 

Bakugou was running before Izuku hit the floor.

Fuck no, please.

His stomach dropped sickeningly as Izuku’s head hit the concrete with a dull thud. Still. Eyes closed.

‘You’ll have to give it your all’. What a stupid fucking thing to say to him. This is your fault.

“Izuku? Buddy?” his voice cracked as he reached for Izuku.

It’s always your fault he’s hurt. Bakugou shook his head. Not anymore, he told himself and squeezed Izuku’s fingers. Never again, I fucking swear. He heard Aizawa and Kirishima coming up behind him but didn’t take his eyes off Izuku. His heart raced as the seconds dragged.

“K-Kacchan?” Izuku’s eyes opened and he blinked owlishly 

“I’m here, Izuku. Right here,” Bakugou was unable to keep the breathless relief out of his voice, “Stay still though okay, you hit your head when you fell over.”

“O-okay. The rope hurt my hands, Kacchan,” Izuku held his palms up so Bakugou could see the friction burns.

“Is that why you fell?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Does anything else hurt, Midoriya?” Aizawa asked from behind Bakugou.

“N-no, Mr. ‘Zawa, just my hands,” Izuku presented his palms to Aizawa to inspect as well. Aizawa nodded and produced a penlight from his pocket as he knelt down next to Izuku. Kirishima squatted down behind him, careful not to crowd the situation but near enough to be of assistance if needed.

“I’m going to do a quick check to make sure everything’s okay, will you stay still for me?”

Izuku nodded ever so slightly and reached for Bakugou’s hand.

“I’ve got you,” he croaked.

As Aizawa performed some basic checks for concussion and other injuries, the relief that Bakugou had begun to feel was chased away. The sight of Izuku on his back, eyes closed and still, had lodged itself behind his eyes. With every blink Izuku shifted and aged, injuries blossomed, bled and gaped.. Ragged breathing becoming laboured and shallower and shallower... and shallower.. 

“Bakugou.”

His eyes snapped to Aizawa’s face, and realised it was his own breathing he could hear. Kirishima stood behind their teacher, head cocked to one side, eyes narrowed in concern.

“I’m fine,” Bakugou mumbled, “How’s Izuku?” In for 4... Out for 8 . Get a grip on yourself.

“I was just saying that he’s fine. No signs of concussion, no other injuries at all; not even a bump from the fall,” Aizawa repocketed his penlight. “You can sit up now, Midoriya. Slowly though.”

Bakugou put his hand on Izuku’s back as he sat up, “What about his hands?” In for 4… Out for 8.

“There’s a medi-kit in the training crate, it’ll have some cream in it,” Kirishima piped up.

“Come with me, Midoriya, and we’ll sort that out,” Aizawa placed his hand on Izuku’s head to steer him. “No more activities for you today though, I think we made it clear enough that you have a strength quirk, don’t you think? You did well.” Izuku nodded, smiling proudly. Aizawa added to Bakugou and Kirishima, “If you want to use this time for some sparring training, go ahead. I’m sure Midoriya would like to see you both in action, just try to keep damage and any further injuries to a minimum.”

They both nodded as their teacher and Izuku retreated to the crate.

“You okay, man? You seemed a bit out of it there for a second,” Kirishima peered at Bakugou. He scowled at the proximity, the scrutiny. The images flickering behind his eyes were not letting up, the nasty little blaming voice in his head was providing a vitriolic soundtrack.

Fuck ‘in for 4, out for 8’ he thought and, with a growl, opted for fists over words. 

__________________

They were both panting when Kirishima had grabbed the wrist of the hand Bakugou had aimed at him and forced the palm down at the ground. Bakugou grinned and fired anyway creating an upshot of dust and smoke between them. Hopping backwards he pulled Kirishima into the thick of the cloud and fired again with his free hand to propel him up and over Kirishima’s head. His opponent hadn’t been prepared to deal with both the smoke and his sudden change in direction, and so his wrist came free. Bakugou only had a split second before Kirishima began to turn; they sparred often so it was hard for one to surprise the other. He dropped into a crouch as soon as he landed to make the most of the remaining smoke cover. Kirishima turned around to his right and Bakugou made sure to stay behind his friends right shoulder, until they had done a complete 180. Staying low, he rushed forward and swiped at the back of Kirishima’s left knee, just enough to take the support out of it but not enough to do any damage. Kirishima buckled to one side with his arms thrown out wide. Bakugou caught both wrists, crossed them behind Kirishima’s back and leant his full weight into his friend’s own unsteadiness to force Kirishima to the ground. Pinned.

“I was close this time,” Kirishima said into the concrete, not an ounce of bitterness in his voice.

“Yeah, sure you were,” grumbled Bakugou, wiping his forehead on his sleeve. He settled back in a squat so Kirishima could move.

“Hey! If you hadn’t have blinded me-”

“But I did.”

“I’ll expect it next time,” Kirishima stood and grinned down at him.

“Good, tha-”

“Kacchan!”

Bakugou looked around as Izuku collided with him, knocking him out of the squat and onto his back. Izuku had jumped to latch his arms around Bakugou’s neck and was yelling..

“That was amazing, Kacchan! And Kiri’s so cool! And I thought Kiri had you and then you made the smoke and did the flip-”

“See! ‘Zuku thought I was close too.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Bakugou rolled his eyes as he sat back up with a still jabbering Izuku swinging off his neck. He definitely seems okay now. Wrapping an arm around the toddler he stood up fully and came face to face with Aizawa.

“You both did well there,” Aizawa said, “Kirishima, for a second I thought you had him.” Kirishima’s open-mouth smile went from ear to ear and Bakugou rolled his eye again. Aizawa turned to Bakugou, “Take this,” he handed him a tube of cream, “it needs to be applied to Midoriya’s palms twice a day for the next couple of days, just to ensure the skin stays well moisturised while they heal. It’s only superficial, surface level damage and won’t cause any further issues. Now, I suggest you all head back and get cleaned up.”

They nodded and turned to head back to the dorms and the baths as Aizawa headed to the crate, presumably to put it back into storage, but Bakugou stopped.

“You take Izuku for a second, I just need to ask Aizawa something,” he said to Kirishima, already handing over Izuku.

“Wha- Alright! Everything okay?” Kirishima asked as Bakugou turned.

“Yeah, I’ve just gotta check something. You carry on” 

“Kacchan?” Izuku squeaked, frowning.

“I’ll catch up in a litttle later, buddy. Promise!” he shouted as he began to jog after his teacher.

He caught up with Aizawa at the crate.

“No, thank you. I don’t feel up to sparring today,” Aizawa muttered.

Bakugou’s train of thought derailed and sputtered out of sight.

“Er.. no.. that wasn’t-”

“I know. I thought I told you to go and get cleaned up?”

“Yes. Yes you did, Sir, but I need to talk to All Might,” Bakugou explained.

“Kirishima hit you hard this time. I’m Eraserhead,” Aizawa fixed him with an impassive stare.

“I- Yeah, I know- What..” Oh my god. Bakugou’s brain finally clicked into gear, “Sir, that’s the third joke this morning, what the hell?”

Aizawa’s mouth twitched, “With the added stresses of parenting, I thought you may appreciate a little extra humour this weekend.”

Maybe I will now I know you haven’t totally lost the plot. “That’s-” Bakugou started.

“And because,” Aizawa now grinned fully, “No one would believe you if you told them.”

That is completely true. Not a soul. Oh my god, I’m going to be stuck with him telling me terrible dad jokes until Monday.

“Now, why do you want to speak to All Might?”

Bakugou took a deep breath, “I was wondering if he’d be able to visit the dorms tomorrow afternoon. In full form, for.. you know, for… erm..”

“For Midoriya,” Aizawa finished for him, “And?”

Bakugou had hoped he wouldn’t have to explain everything in one go, he rubbed at his eyes and stared at the crate. “He didn’t have a lot of birthday parties growing up,” Bakugou murmured. “And I know, it’s not his birthday now, but we could just.. I don’t know.. Do something.. Nice… let him eat cake, take pictures for his Mom and-”

“All Might is in the staffroom until lunchtime, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you,” Aizawa said very softly, “I would also advise talking to your class rep about what can be arranged on such short notice. I’m sure class 2-A will be able to dig up banners and the like from somewhere. Now, off you go.”

Bakugou nodded not daring to meet Aizawa’s eye, then spun on his heel and went in search of All Might.

_________________

Thankfully, All Might was alone in the staffroom when Bakugou arrived, he knocked the open door to announce himself.

“Young Bakugou! What are you doing here on a Saturday?” smiled All Might as he looked up. He beckoned Bakugou into the room.

“I could ask you the same thing, Sir,” Bakugou raised his eyebrows. All Might had difficulty with down time, he knew because he had overheard Izuku gently chiding his mentor on more than one occasion about the need to rest.

All Might chuckled, “Touche! Now, are you looking for someone in particular?”

Bakugou nodded, “Actually, I was looking for you.”

The former #1’s smile was back, “Well, what a lovely surprise. I’ve just made a pot of tea, come and take a seat.”

He sat down and watched as All Might fetched an extra cup, poured the tea and settled himself across from Bakugou. 

“So, what can I do for you, my boy?”

Bakugou swallowed. Was this rude of him to ask? All Might had suffered terrible injuries and his muscle form could cause him actual pain and discomfort. I’m about to ask him to do that for the sake of a four year old who will no longer be a four year old in less than 48 hours… He met All Might’s bright blue gaze.

“I… erm… I actually want to ask you something, Sir. A favour, if that’s-” he stammered.

“Ask away!”

Bakugou decided to explain what he wanted to do for Izuku first, to give context.

***

All Might watched as Bakugou became more and more animated, talking about throwing a party for Young Midoriya; about banners and cake, maybe even party hats, and lots of pictures. The energy Bakugou was giving out was infectious and delightful for the teacher to see from someone usually so closed off, it reminded him forcefully of Midoriya himself.

He imagined he could work out what Bakugou was going to ask of him and he would agree of course, but it seemed that the young man was doing some thinking out loud so he let him carry on uninterrupted. 

Aizawa had been keeping him up to date on Midoriya’s situation, and had been impressed with Bakugou’s handling of it all so far. He knew that Midoriya did not recognise the nickname of ‘Deku’ and had asked to be called by his first name. He had presumed that, while not in Midoriya’s presence, Bakugou would revert to the nickname but he hadn’t yet. He wondered if anyone else had watched Bakugou's face as he said Midoriya's given name; said it with such gentle care that All Might wondered whether Bakugou thought it was made of glass.

***

“And, you know, Izuku didn’t have many birthday parties growing up so I thought we could do this. And it would make him so happy if you were able to be there, but he-” Bakugou finally brought his attention back to All Might and found he was watching him closely with a soft smile and knowing eyes. Bakugou swallowed the rest of his sentence.

“But he doesn’t recognise me in this form. So you were wondering if I could put in a Hero appearance for the occasion?” finished All Might, still smiling.

“If you’re happy to do so, Sir. But I don’t want-” Bakugou started. I don’t want you to hurt yourself. 

All Might held up his hand, “My boy, ‘happy’ does not begin to cover how much it would mean to me to do this for Young Midoriya. I cannot, however, pretend it will be a lengthy appearance. It might not even be an hour.”

Bakugou was already shaking his head with a grin, “Sir, Izuku still gets excited to spend lessons with you and you’ve been his mentor for 2 years. 4 year old Izuku would’ve sold his entire All Might collection, and mine, to meet you for 5 minutes, let alone 50. Anything you can manage will be enough, that much I know.”

All Might grinned back, “In that case, Young Bakugou, you have just booked yourself an official All Might Hero appearance.”

“Thank you. It’s- It’ll.. Yeah, thanks,” Bakugou nodded and stood up to leave. I've still got to shower!

As he headed for the door, he turned to thank All Might again and for the tea but he was interrupted.

“It’s good to see you so... invested in something other than Hero work, my boy,” All Might said quietly, surveying him over the rim of his teacup. Bakugou got the feeling that All Might could see something in him that he didn’t think he himself was ready to look at. Something that Kirishima had already prodded at. Something that the arrival of little Izuku had stuck a crowbar in and was two thirds of the way through getting the lid clean off of.

“T-Thanks for the tea,” he managed to choke out, then all but bolted from the room.

Bakugou was deep in thought when he got back to 2-A’s dorm building and almost walked straight into the group of girls.

“Oh, Bakugou! Just who we were looking for!” came Invisi-girl’s voice from... somewhere.

“Wha- Why?” he asked, staring around at them all.

“We went shopping!” yelled Pinky.

He narrowed his eyes at her, “Congratulations?”

“Momo suggested we pick up a few bits for Midoriya,” explained Earphones bending down to one of the bags.

Bakugou opened his mouth to tell them they were stupid for spending their money on something so temporary, but Pony- Yaoyorozu interrupted.

“We know he’s not going to be small for much longer, but Tsu pointed out that he is going to need a bath before Monday.” She smiled as Bakugou paled slightly at the implication. He watched as Round Face joined Earphones in going through their mall haul.

“And we thought about maybe going to the pool tomorrow, so two birds with one stone, ribbit,” said Froppy quietly.

Relief and gratitude swept through Bakugou as Round Face yelled, “I found them!” and pulled out a small pair of swim shorts that were plastered in tiny All Might faces. First of all, he’ll love them and second of all-

“Now you can bathe him and… preserve his modesty, I guess would be the phrase?” Jirou smirked at him from her crouched position.

He couldn’t help but snort as he took the shorts, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate that on Monday,” he said as a roundabout way of saying ‘thank you’. 

“That’s not all though!” said Round Face, and all the girls started smiling excitedly. Pinky was bouncing on the balls of her feet, the complete focus of their attention.

“We also got these!” Pinky brought her hands out from behind her back and presented him with a perfect miniature pair of those god awful red shoes.

This time, he couldn’t help himself, “He’s going to be this big for not even 48 more hours, this is-!”

“They can always be donated afterwards,” Yaoyorozu interrupted again. I bet they’ve thought of a work around to every objection. He gritted his teeth and decided this wasn’t a battle worth fighting. 

“Whatever. Izuku can decide what he wants to do with them when he’s back to normal,” Bakugou rolled his eyes, and took the shoes. “Now, I need to go and get stuff from our room so he can have a bath, can I get past?”

“ Our room?” Jirou was still smirking at him, the other girls smiled but went quiet, looking anywhere but at Bakugou. He felt himself go pink. What the fuck was with everyone today??

“Fuck off out the way,” he growled through gritted teeth. To his dismay, the smiles turned into giggles.

“You’re welcome!” they all chimed at him as they moved aside.

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled back. There was no grit in his voice, and he was very grateful. He’d offer help in training or cook for them at some point.

_________________

Bakugou had dropped off the shoes in Izuku’s room, emptied the costume bag onto the bed and refilled it with the All Might pyjamas, the All Might swim shorts, his own shampoo, conditioner and bodywash, a change of clothes for himself and both of their phones. Upon using Izuku’s shower this morning he found that the nerd apparently used some sort of 3 in 1 concoction and that was going to stop right fucking now. He added ‘proper fucking washing habits’ to his mental list of things to drum into Izuku’s thick skull on Monday.

He traipsed back downstairs to see Izuku sat in the middle of the room, apparently being quizzed by the class, who were finding the toddlers’ answers both interesting and hilarious.

Sero wandered over to him and whispered, “It started as a Quirk thing, sort of carrying on from yesterday, but for the last 10 minutes we’ve been asking him stuff like, ‘Who’s got the best Quirk?’ or ‘Who’s the coolest?’ or ‘Who’s got the best hair?’ you know, silly stuff.”

“Right? So, what’s so funny?”

“Just go and find out for yourself, but don’t let him see you, it might break the spell.”

Curiosity piqued, Bakugou moved forward until he could properly hear what was being said.

“Who’s the… strongest?” asked Ojiro playfully.

“Kacchan!” came Izuku’s answer, loud and certain. Well, duh. He’d say that if he wasn’t 4 years old, albeit with more muttering and analysis, but that’s where he’d get to.

He saw Kaminari spot him, and narrowed his eyes when Dunce Face grinned.

“Who smells the best?” he asked. The crowd groaned.

“Seriously du-” Kirishima started.

“Kacchan!” Izuku answered, sure as anything. Bakugou glowered at Kaminari as the class laughed.

“Well, now he could just be messing with us, because that’s been his answer for everything,” chuckled Sato.

“One way to find out,” said Jirou, clicking her fingers, “‘Zuku, who’s the manliest?”

“Kiri!” Izuku shouted, pointing at Kirishima. The class cheered as Kirishima wiped a fake tear from his eye, stating that he was ‘so proud of the little man’. Bakugou nearly laughed this time, Izuku had picked that tidbit up from their walk over to Ground Beta that morning. 

“One more, just to be sure!” announced Pinky, and the glint in her eye suddenly choked the laughter in Bakugou’s throat. She bent down to Izuku’s level and asked very clearly, “‘Zuku, sweetie, who do you think is the prettiest in the class?”

“Kacchan!” Izuku declared without missing a beat. The class went very still and as one they looked at Bakugou who could feel the flush creeping up his neck. Nope! Move. Now.

“Okay! Bath time, buddy!” he heard himself say as he strode towards Izuku who looked up at him and smiled brightly at his sudden appearance. Izuku was already reaching toward Bakugou as he scooped him up and marched off towards the communal baths on the ground floor, leaving dead silence behind them.

_________________

While all the student rooms had ensuite bathrooms with a shower, the communal baths on the ground floor had a steam room and bathtubs. Some injuries, their recoveries and quirks just benefit from a bath rather than a shower.

Bakugou carried Izuku past the sinks and lockers to the bath cubicles. Each cubicle had a bathtub, hooks on the back of the door and a bench inside for belongings. Izuku hadn’t said a word since Bakugou had practically ran from the common room with him, he just held onto fistfuls of his black tank top. They entered the nearest cubicle and locked the door behind them.

Bakugou set Izuku down on the floor, dropped the bag on the bench and knelt by the bath to turn on the bath taps. A little hand touched his forearm before he could do so, he looked around to see Izuku’s wide eyes peering at him.

“Are you mad at me, Kacchan?” he asked in a small voice.

Bakugou blinked stupidly and then all the panic and frustration and embarrassment he had bounced between that morning bubbled up into his mouth. “Haah?! Wh- H- Don’t be stu-,” he stopped mid word and took a deep breath. None of that is his fault. He slid off of his knees to sit on the tiles. “I’m not mad at you, buddy,” he said, trying to bring his voice back to normal. “What made you think that?”

“You didn’t say anything all the way here,” Izuku stated, as blunt and forthright as always.

Bakugou shook his head. “I’m not mad at you,” he repeated, as earnestly as he could manage. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything, I was…” Wondering what the hell to do with the fact that you, or at least 4 year old you, thinks I’m pretty ? And that you said so in front of the whole class..

“Did I embarrass Kacchan?” Izuku tilted his head to one side and cut straight to the core of the issue once again.

Bakugou closed his eyes and tipped his head back.. Yes. But I cannot have this conversation. How the fuck am I supposed to have this conversation? He just shrugged instead.

He heard Izuku giggle.

“And what’s funny, nerd?”

“Kacchan shouldn’t be embarrassed!” Izuku exclaimed. Bakugou opened his eyes again when Izuku clambered into his lap and planted a foot squarely on each thigh so they were at eye level.

“What’re y-”

Izuku cut him off by squishing his face, just like they were doing before lunch the day before. Izuku smiled brightly.

“See! Kacchan’s sooo pretty!”

Bakugou’s own laugh surprised him and Izuku giggled again, pleased that the dark cloud seemed to have passed.

“Okay, okay. I’m… whatever and you need a bath!” Bakugou reached behind Izuku for the bag and pulled out the swim shorts. “Put these on over by the door while I run the bath.”

Bakugou held Izuku over the bath and lowered him slowly until just his toes brushed the water.

“That okay?” he asked.

“Yeah!”

“We’ll put your feet in first and you need to tell me if it’s too hot.”

“It’s okay, Kacchan. It’s not too hot, promise,” Izuku’s feet were waving now, like he was trying to run on the surface.

“Okay, in you go then,” Bakugou let Izuku sit himself down and handed him a sponge loaded with bodywash. “You wash you, and I’ll wash your hair when you’re done.”

“Okie dokie!”

“Remember to do... er,” Bakugou cleared his throat. “Umm, you know- the er shorts.”

“Okie dokie!”

Bakugou honestly had no idea if Izuku understood what he was trying to say, but he was going to have to leave this one up to chance. He sat down; back against the bath, knees up with his arms crossed on top.

“Kacchan?”

“Hmm?”

“Why have I got to wear shorts in the bath?” Izuku asked, splashing around.

“Well, you know... Privacy and all that shi- jazz. ” Thank fuck no one else is here to hear that one!

“But we have baths together all the time!”

Bakugou bowed his head to his arm, hiding his face from no one. “Not anymore, kiddo,” he wondered how far he should try and explain.

“Oh,” and Izuku sounded so… disappointed. “Why? They were fun! We had toys and stuff, and splash fights!”

Bakugou snorted at the memory of them being very small, smaller than Izuku was now, trying to create a storm for their toy boats to battle through and nearly flooding his parents house in the process. The telling off they’d gotten afterwards had been spectacular. “You’re not supposed to when you get older. And baths aren’t big enough for two grown ups anyway.”

Izuku almost seemed satisfied with that. Almost. “But you’re not a grown up.”

“I’m more grown up than you,” Bakugou pointed out.

“Yeah..” Izuku frowned in confusion. “How come… How come you’re older than me now, Kacchan?”

Bakugou took a deep breath and turned to look at Izuku who was now resting his chin on his hand on the rim of the bath, staring at him intently. Bakugou leant his head back so that it too was on the rim, and they’d be next to each other. No point in lying, but it’s not worth confusing him either.

Bakugou tried to explain as best as he could what had happened while keeping to the bare essentials, but on the condition that Izuku hurried up and got himself all washed up before the water went cold. However, he needn’t have worried about the complexities of the situation because only one thing stood out to Izuku.

“ I go to UA High School?! ” Izuku whispered incredulously. Bakugou nodded. “And all those people with super cool Quirks that I’ve been talking to are my classmates?? Todo and ‘Chaco and- and Kiri?!… and you’re my classmate .. And we’re studying to be heroes .. ”  Izuku stared at Bakugou wide-eyed, and he received another nod in confirmation. Please don’t hyperventilate in the bath.

“Wow..” Izuku breathed and slowly went back to washing himself, albeit with a far off look in his eyes and a big, wide smile on his face. 

The corner of Bakugou’s mouth tugged upwards at the sight, and he turned his face to the ceiling again still resting his head on the bath. He closed his eyes as he listened to Izuku splashing around and tried not to think about how gross he felt still being in the same clothes he had sparred in that morning. 

Water splashed up the side of his face. He sighed as he looked at Izuku once again. Izuku was grinning unabashedly and, just as Bakugou opened his mouth to ask what precisely Izuku thought he was playing at, a huge scoop of lukewarm water hit him full in the face.

______________

Kirishima followed the yells and squeals until he reached the first cubicle.

“Bro?!” he called, knocking the door, “You g-”

The door flew open and he had to duck to avoid a sopping wet sponge hurtling through the air. It hit the tiled wall behind him with a satisfying SMACK!

“Ha! You missed, nerd!” yelled Bakugou as he walked back to the bath tub, leaving the door open. Kirishima noticed with interest that Bakugou’s face was flushed, he was soaked from head to toe and he looked as carefree as he had when Kirishima had found him on top of the wardrobe yesterday.

“You cheated!” Izuku yelled back indignantly, standing in the tub with his hands on his hips.

“Did not!” teased Bakugou, shaking his head with his chin in the air.

“I thought you said it was bath time?!” asked Kirishima, looking around the dripping cubicle. The other two seemed to finally notice that he was there.

“It was,” said Bakugou, “I mean, it is!”

Kirishima was about to point out that there was no water left in the bath but Bakugou interrupted.

“Izuku started it, anyway.”

“Did not!” Izuku sputtered.

“Did too!” Bakugou retorted, turning on the taps.

“Are you kidding me?” Kirishima whispered to himself. “Anyway, I was just checking you were alright after... well... earlier,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly

Bakugou shrugged, not looking round, “‘M fine. It’s whatever.”

Kirishima felt that that wasn’t an answer, but decided not to push it. Bakugou turned the taps off, stepped into the bath with Izuku and seated himself on the back rim behind the toddler.

“Pass me the shampoo and conditioner out of that bag?” he said to Kirishima, pointing to the bench. Kirishima did as he was asked and watched, slightly dumbfounded at their easy interactions. 

Kirishima thought it was great that Bakugou and Midoriya had been getting on so much better than they had been when they all first started at UA. They had hit a very sudden turning point when, in the middle of one of their standard screaming matches during training, Bakugou had started apologising for a bunch of stuff that made no sense at all to the rest of the class. As expected, Midoriya had cried... and cried… and Kirishima was pretty sure he would’ve just kept crying until he completely dehydrated if Bakugou hadn’t shook him and yelled, “I swear to fuck, Deku, if you don’t stop crying I’ll take it all back.” And that had, pretty much, been that. To Kirishima’s knowledge anyway. The only real difference after that, besides Bakugou becoming generally more pleasant to deal with, was Midoriya matching Bakugou’s barbs with retorts of his own. Sassy Midoriya took some getting used to but was both refreshing and highly entertaining.

But this? This was something else entirely. It was infectious and bewildering at the same time and it warmed Kirishima’s heart.

The bewilderment must’ve shown on his face though, because Midoriya’s voice piped up from the bath where he was sitting between Bakugou’s feet. His curly hair foaming as Bakugou worked in the shampoo.

“Kacchan’s okay, Kiri. He was just embarrassed.”

“Tch, shut it nerd. Or I’ll wash your mouth out with shampoo,” Bakugou grumbled.

Kirishima just nodded. Yeah, he’d been able to work that out, as had the rest of the class.

“No one’ll mention it again, dude. And Mina’s really sorry she didn’t-”

“I’ll wash yours out too if you keep talking,” Bakugou pointed a sudsy finger at him in warning. Kirishima made a show of zipping his mouth shut and held his hands up in surrender.

Bakugou told Midoriya to shuffle forwards then lie back so his hair could be rinsed.

“Am I all done now?”

“Nope, conditioner next. Then you’re done, and I can have a shower.” Finally. He threw the shampoo bottle back to Kirishima.

As Kirishima replaced the bottle in the bag he spotted the phones, he also found that while Bakugou’s phone was locked, Midoriya’s wasn’t. He grinned.

_______________

“Now, you’re done,” Bakugou declared, hauling Izuku to his feet. He reached for a towel, that was only slightly damp after their shenanigans earlier on. He gave Izuku’s hair a quick rub up to help stem the dripping, lifted him out of the bath and then wrapped the towel around his little shoulders and tied the corners under his chin so it fell like a cape.

“Need a hand, little man?” he heard Kirishima ask.

“Yes, please,” Izuku pitter pattered across the still wet floor towards him.

Bakugou unplugged the bath, put the conditioner back in the bag and took out his phone. There was a missed call from his Mom. Shit. Only 20 minutes ago though, and she hadn’t called again so it couldn’t be urgent. He’d call back after he’d showered. He opened the camera and took a picture of Izuku having his hair towel dried by Kirishima.

He grabbed another towel and laid it flat on the floor like a mat so Izuku would have somewhere to stand and keep his feet dry. He fished the pyjama’s out of the bag next.

“Kids can be in their pyjamas all afternoon, right?” he asked Kirishima, uncertainly.

“Sure! And we’re not going anywhere,” he shrugged, “Man, it’d be great to be in pj’s all the time.”

Bakugou shook his head with a smile. “Izuku, stand on the towel and put these on. Me and Kiri will turn around while you do.”

“Privacy, right?” Izuku asked.

“Yep! Well remembered.”

He and Kirishima stood facing the bathtub while Izuku got changed. Kirishima noticed Bakugou frowning.

“Dude, what the m-”

“Hairbrush.”

“What?”

“I forgot to bring a hairbrush down,” Bakugou sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Kirishima laughed and Bakugou narrowed his eyes at him.

“Look, I’ll take ‘Zuku back up to the common room, and ask the girls about brushing his hair. You get yourself a shower,” Kirishima clapped him on the arm.

He nodded, “Thanks, man.”

“All done!” Izuku announced.

They turned around to see Izuku looking very proud in his new All Might pyjamas that Yaoyorozu had made for him on Friday night. She had even added the hood with the trademark hair spikes.

“If I hand him over to the girls like that, you might not get him back,” Kirishima said, grinning.

Bakugou rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored him and explained to Izuku that he was going back to the common room with Kirishima now, “ And you should make sure to say thank you to Yaoyorozu for the pyjamas. She made them especially for you.”

“Made them?” Izuku asked, amazed.

“I don’t think you’ve spoken to her much yet. Ask her how, it’s.. Actually pretty cool.”

Izuku nodded and held his arms up to Kirishima, who immediately obliged in picking him up. The toddler then turned and held his arms out to Bakugou, making grabby hands.

“I just said you’ve got to go back with Ki-”

“I know,” interrupted Izuku, stretching further out of Kirishima’s arms towards him.

“Then what’re you-”

“Come here, Kacchan,” Izuku whined. When he didn’t move right away, Kirishima brought Izuku to him instead. Izuku’s outstretched arms wrapped around his neck, and he pressed  his cheek to Bakugou’s. Very slowly, he brought his hand up to rest on the back of Izuku’s still damp head. Kirishima was pointedly looking at the ceiling.

“See you in a bit, Kacchan,” Izuku whispered as he let go.

“Yeah, see you in a bit, kiddo,” Bakugou whispered as Kirishima carried him out of the cubicle, they both waved back to him.

He had experienced a lot of emotions already today, but the soft warmth that comes from being hugged by someone that cares about you, was the last thing he was expecting. Feelings are exhausting, how does anybody get anything done hauling these things around?

He shook his head, bringing himself back into the slowly drying cubicle. He collected their things, threw the towels in the laundry basket on the way out and headed back to Izuku’s room for a shower. Finally.

Bakugou called his Mom as he sat towelling his hair dry.

“What took you so long, brat?” she shouted

“Did you forget that I’m looking after a 4 year old this weekend?” he growled back. He was not about the replay his whole day so far.

“Don’t come cocky with me, you little shit,” the hag snapped.

“You called me, I’m calling you back. What do you want?”

He heard her huff down the line, but he waited.

“After we spoke yesterday, I called Inko like you asked.” Good. “She was surprised, but glad I think. She agreed to come for dinner this evening.”

He raised his eyebrows, as far as he knew his Mother and Auntie stopped spending time together when he and Izuku did as kids. He found himself hoping that they’d stay in touch this time, his parents and Inko. 

“Good. So, again, what do you want?” his tone gruff, as he knew hers would be. There was a knock at Izuku’s door, “Yeah!?” he called out.

“Don’t yell down the phone!” his Mother yelled down the phone. The door opened and a hand topped with a plate topped with a sandwich entered, followed by the rest of Kirishima.

“You’re the one being loud!” He gave Kirishima a thumbs up as he put the sandwich on the bed next to him. “There was someone at the door, did you want me t-” 

“You’re supposed to get up and answer the door, not holler like a delin-”

“Just get to the fucking point, Mom!” he watched Kirishima turn 360 degrees before deciding to perch on the desk. What’s he waiting for?

“Inko will be here around five thirty, you and Izuku should video call us while she’s here.” Bakugou could hear that it was said through her teeth and he hated that it was a good idea, but he wasn’t going to just agree .

“Does it have to be a video call?” he grumbled, unable to completely keep the childish whine out his voice. Kirishima’s head cocked to one side.

“Yes it does, don’t be difficult. It’ll be nice for Inko to see Izuku,” she said, before adding, “And besides, your father wants to see you. Heaven forbid you grow a millimetre without him knowing about it.” If he heard the fondness in her voice then, he would drink Izuku’s 3-in-1 bullshit before ever mentioning it.

He huffed, a little petulantly, “Fine.”

“Good. I’ll text you when she gets here and we’ll do the call before dinner,” she said the last bit louder than he thought necessary until he heard his father in the background. It would’ve been much easier if she’d just put Dad on the phone.

“Fine,” he said again.

“Talk later, brat.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the line went dead. He groaned and stuffed his mouth full of sandwich.

Kirishima was swinging his legs nonchalantly, but Bakugou could tell he was waiting for something. He wasn’t fidgeting, but the air around him was and it was irritating. 

“What?” he grumbled. He was doing too much talking today.

“Nothing,” Kirishima answered, a little too quickly.

Bakugou narrowed his eyes at him and started the other half of his sandwich.

Kirishima held out for barely a minute. “So… about earlier..” he said quietly, fiddling with something on Izuku’s desk and not making eye contact.

Bakugou swallowed and pointed the remainder of the sandwich at him, “Don’t fucking start.”

“I’m not starting anything,” Kirishima held his hands up, “I’m just… curious.”

“About what, dipshit?” As soon as he’d said it, he tried to reel the question back in, but it was too late. He didn’t want to know what Kirishima was curious about. What everyone seemed to be curious about. And what he, most definitely, positively, absolutely was not curious about.

Yes you are.

Fuck off.

“You and Midoriya, man,” Kirishima said it so quietly, but it was deafening to Bakugou.

And fuck you too.

“What about u-.” Nope. “Me an-” Uh-uh. “What about it ?”

One of the things he secretly highly valued about Kirishima as a friend was the fact that he was always willing to call him on his shit. That prized trait was now apparently about to rear its ugly head and bite him in the ass.

“Bro, seriously, where do you want to start?” Aaaand, there it is.

“I think I told you, specifically, not to start,” Bakugou bit back as he stood up. He was beginning to feel cornered, on the defensive. It was not a good look on him and he knew it which, funnily enough, normally only served to make him more defensive. Or angry. Or both.

Kirishima sighed but didn’t move.

“Look, I didn’t wanna push you, that’s not cool… And I know the circumstances are weird this weekend, but whatever this is-” he gestured at Bakugou, “-it’s not subtle, bro. If I don’t ask, someone else might. Hell, Midoriya will ask if he remembers any of this weekend when he changes back. Even if he doesn’t, you’re sending pictures to his Mom, you think she’ll never show them to him?”

Bakugou swelled, ready to rage and yell. His fists clenched at his side with tendrils of smoke crawling from between his fingers.

Fight me.

He won’t.

I don’t know how else to do this.

Kirishima continued unperturbed, “This weekend alone I have seen you so attentive that you’ve missed part of the conversation around you; grinning like I have never seen before, even mid-fight;-” he was ticking things off on his fingers as he went, “- so worried at a tumble that you nearly had a panic attack- don’t argue, I know what I saw-; actually laughing; so flustered that you ran from a room and...” he took a deep breath before finishing, “Just... so goddamn happy that it hurts to watch, man. And it's only Saturday lunch time!”

Bakugou deflated. He sat back down and put his head in his hands, pressing his palms into his eyes. He might have hair for brains but he's right.. Mostly. But it didn't change anything.

“It doesn’t matter,” he whispered. 

“Of course it does.”

Bakugou shook his head, still not looking up. He could feel the words coming now, and he wasn’t sure they’d stop if he gave in.  He dug his fingernails into his scalp… It felt like trying not to be sick.Futile and ultimately just prolonging the inevitable. His insides squirmed uncomfortably.

“I don’t deserve it,” he choked out. The words left a vile, bitter taste behind them. Eyes wet, he finally met Kirishima’s gaze as the other’s mouth fell open. “Can you not see that? I don’t deserve him .” His voice cracked through gritted teeth. And, oh, it hurt to say out loud.

The lid on the box that housed everything that was and that could be ‘Him & Midoriya Izuku’, that had been rattling for months, that had been truly kicked around this weekend and was now full of holes, came off. Guilt and Self-Loathing curdled the contents until they turned his stomach to look at.

Kirishima’s laugh yanked him out of his spiral and he glared at his friend. ‘ Friend’ status currently under fucking review.

“What’s fucking fun-” I might actually vomit.

“Dude, that’s not up to you,” Kirishima interrupted him bluntly.

That brought Bakugou up short. “Of course it fucking is! The shit I’ve put him through?! He’s better off-”

“That’s not up to you either,” Kirishima cut him off again, still smiling infuriatingly. “ You don’t get to decide what Midoriya does or doesn’t deserve, only he can.”

Bakugou blinked as that sank in, the idea outshone everything all of his arguments were built on.

Kirishima continued, watching him closely, “All you can do is try to be deserving in his eyes and, well, you’ve probably got a headstart on that.”

Bakugou’s brow furrowed in confusion, “Haah?? What the fuck are you talking about?”

Kirishima grinned, “Well, you know, as you are the-” he cleared his throat theatrically, “-strongest, best smelling, prettiest Hero in the class-”

"He's four! That doesn't count," Bakugou practically yelped, trying to ignore the heat in his face.

"He's still Midoriya," Kirishima shrugged. "All I'm trying to say is just don't… sell yourself short."

He froze. 'Don't underestimate your value in this situation, Bakugou.' Aizawa's words from this morning, that he'd only half heard at the time now resounded in his head, perfectly clear.

Well, shit.

Bakugou couldn’t totally ignore the box now that it was open, and when he dared to peer over the edge he saw while the contents were still tainted, Guilt and Self-Loathing were now duking it out with a rapidly growing opponent. Hope. In his mind’s eye, Hope glowed sort of… green .

Kirishima was still watching him, head to one side, a stupid smile on his face.

“Fuck off,” Bakugou muttered, cheeks still much pinker than he would've liked. He flung one of Izuku’s pillows at Kirishima’s head. It caught the idiot right in the mouth and he toppled off the desk onto Bakugou's mattress that was still on the floor.

"Thanks," Bakugou whispered, glancing at his friend.

Kirishima simply nodded and hurled the pillow back at him.

“Come on, we’d better rescue the little man from the girls,” said Kirishima from the doorway. “Are you gonna be… you know…”

Bakugou huffed and half-heartedly shoulder checked him as he left the room. Kirishima pulled the door closed behind them as he shoved Bakugou across the hallway, grinning. With his hands in his pockets, Bakugou couldn’t brace himself quick enough and ended up hopping sideways until he hit the opposite wall.

“Oi! Fucking… jeez!” 

Kirishima just laughed at him as they headed downstairs. Bakugou knew what he was doing and he was grateful. More so than he would probably ever be able to put into words. For the first time, thanks to Kirishima, he had a certain clarity about his situation, outside of this weekend. There was still a lot to process but he’d never been afraid of hard work, and he relished a challenge. For now, however, he had to concentrate on being #1 babysitter, and he was determined to babysit the shit outta this weekend.

________________

They found Izuku standing on one of the sofas where he was being handed pink and white bow hair clips that he was fixing, with the utmost care, into Todoroki’s hair. White bows in red hair, pink in white. Bakugou whipped out his phone, this was too good to miss.

“Having fun?” he called after he got the shot.

Izuku spun around at the sound of his voice. “Kacchan!” he exclaimed, already climbing down from the sofa. He ran to him with his arms in the air and Bakugou lifted him up, to settle the toddler on his hip. Only then did Bakugou notice that Izuku also had clips in his hair but these were a very familiar shade of orange. He flicked one, his fingernail clacking against the plastic.

“Everyone helped dry and brush my hair!” explained Izuku happily, “And Mina put some special cream in it to make it suuuuper soft. And ‘Chaco said I could have a look at the clips ‘cuz they were already out, and I wanted orange but I couldn’t find orange so then Yaoyaz- Yayroz-” Izuku began to stumble at Yaoyorozu’s name, until she herself interrupted from where she was kneeling next to the table with other girls.

“Yaomomo is fine, ‘Zuku,” she laughed gently.

He nodded a little shyly and then continued, “So.. Y-Yaomomo made me some orange ones and everyone helped put them in!” He shook his head gleefully so the many clips click-clacked against each other.

“I’m glad you’ve had a good time,” Bakugou moved to sit down on the other side of the main table from Todoroki, with Izuku in his lap. “So, how’d you get roped in, Half and Half?”

“Izuku asked if he could put clips in my hair,” he answered plainly with a slight shrug. His deadpan manner contrasting so sharply with the many bows that currently adorned his head, it was almost comedic.

Kirishima was looking at the many remaining hair clips on the table, he rummaged around and found a large glittery butterfly that he immediately stuck in his own spikes, front and centre. Izuku found this highly hilarious as did the girls, he got off of Bakugou’s lap to join Kirishima and to no doubt fill a second head with multicoloured monstrosities.

“Did you get a good picture?” Todoroki asked, startling Bakugou as he sat down next to him.

“Yeah. Yeah, I did. Aunti- I mean, Izuku’s Mom asked to be kept up to date and I thought pictures would be good,” he didn’t know why he felt the need to explain, but he had anyway.

“That’s nice of you to do,” Todoroki said quietly. “Can I see?”

“Why? Afraid you look like an idiot? Because I hate to ruin your self image, but that’s standard,” Bakugou grumbled at him.

The corner of Todoroki’s mouth twitched, “I assure you, it has nothing to do with my self image.” Bakugou rolled his eyes but pulled out his phone again.

Todoroki snorted as he saw what he currently looked like for the first time. “Can you send that to me?” he asked very quietly. Then he sighed at Bakugou’s raised eyebrow and muttered, “My mother… also likes to be kept up to date and I think that picture might make her smile.”

Bakugou groaned inwardly, how was he supposed to say no to that? ‘ All you can do is try to be deserving in his eyes’ and that probably includes being nice to his friends, doesn’t it? Goddammit, Shitty Hair.

He nodded but realised, with slight chagrin, that he barely had any of his classmates contact information. It would be in the nerd’s phone right? He quickly thumbed through Izuku’s contacts and copied the number across.

“I am sitting right here, you could’ve just asked me,” Todoroki said, when he realised what Bakugou was doing.

“This was quicker.”

“Hardly,” he retorted, amusement in his voice. “Thank you,” he added when his own phone buzzed.

___________________

They sat there in silence as they watched Izuku slowly make Kirishima look like he should be in a carnival, helped along by Round Face and Invisi-girl. The amount of gel Shitty Hair must apply to make it support the accumulating weight made Bakugou’s scalp itch just thinking about it. Mina was french braiding Yaoyorozu’s long hair while she read. Jirou and Froppy were sharing earphones and painting their toenails. Is this how girls spend their Saturdays? It’s… weirdly peaceful.

The party idea floated back to him in the quiet. Where the fuck do I start? Then, wide eyed with realisation, he turned to face Todoroki.

“What?”

Bakugou shook his head, took out his phone and began typing furiously.

Bk: You’re Izuku’s friend, right?

Td: Why are you texting me?

Bk: Just answer the question.

Td: No, I let anyone and everyone put clips in my hair.

Bakugou looked up with an expression that he hoped said, “Why you gotta be like this?” 

Todoroki huffed through his nose with a small smile.

Td: Yes, I am Izuku’s friend. Well spotted.

Bk: Good, I have an idea and I’ll need everyone’s help.

Bk: * Typing....*

Todoroki looked up in confusion, wondering what the hell Bakugou of all people could need his, and everyone else’s help with. And why couldn’t they talk about it out loud? Bakugou was still typing… still typing… until he hit send with a great degree of finality and glared at Todoroki.

His phone finally buzzed, and he read... and he read, trying to ignore Bakugou’s leg bouncing impatiently. He took a deep breath as he finished and surveyed Bakugou, who straightened and squared his shoulders as if expecting a fight. Todoroki nodded and Bakugou’s tension released.

Td: There’s group chat with the whole class in. I think you kept removing yourself and we gave up trying to add you back in, but it’ll be on Izuku’s phone so use that to let everyone know. Iida’s in the library studying, I’ll go and talk to him to see what we can organise. You see if you can talk to Yaomomo while you’re both here. We should be able to utilise materials left over from the festival for decoration, and we’ll work out who does what from the chat.

Bakugou nodded. This was, honestly, more help than he was expecting to get, but maybe he underestimated how much Izuku meant to the rest of the class.

Todoroki nodded back and without another word, stood up and left. With white clips still in red hair, and pink clips still on white. I wish I could see Iida’s face when he turns up . Bakugou grinned at the thought. He decided to act on Half and Half’s advice immediately and headed over to where Mina and Yaoyorozu were.

Yaoyorozu glanced up as he approached.

“Everything okay, Bakugou?” she asked.

“Yeah. I.. er.. Just wanted to say thanks again for the pyjamas and stuff. He- Izuku really likes them,” he muttered.

“He said as much earlier on. Then he asked me about my Quirk, I think what he said was, ‘Kacchan said it’s really cool!’,” both her and Mina grinned at him.

Bakugou bit back his kneejerk assholery and mumbled, “It is.”

Mina laughed at him outright, but Yaoyorozu smiled and patted the floor beside her, inviting him to sit down. “You look like you have a question, Bakugou. What can we help you with?”

_____________________

“And IcyHot’s gone to catch Glasses in the library to see what we can organise,” Bakugou had rushed through the plan, trying to keep his voice as low as possible with Izuku in the same room. He showed Yaoyorozu Todoroki’s message, she scanned it quickly and nodded.

“That’s a very good starting point,” she agreed, and then turned slightly to Mina, “Did you get that too?”

“I did, should be easy enough. Using anything left over from the festival is a good idea, we can go to the store this afternoon to pick up-”

“Shhh!” Bakugou and Yaoyorozu hissed at the same time. Mina grimaced and mouthed her apologies. They all glanced around at Izuku who had apparently given up on Kirishima’s hair and was now clipping clips to Kirishima’s clothing. The red-head was aiding and abetting by pointing out where Izuku could fit another one.

“Definitely send it to the group chat,” whispered Mina, putting elastics on the end of Yaoyorozu’s braids.

Bakugou nodded, and then noticed them both staring at him. His eyes flicked from one to the other and back again, until..

“Right now?” he asked, and they both nodded. 

“ We’ll organise from there,” Yaoyorozu said. Bakugou sent the message to the chat from Izuku’s phone and looked up to protest, but she held up her hand and added, “I rather think you’ve got enough on your plate this weekend.” They looked over to Izuku again, he had just started heading their way.

“Kacchan?”

Yeah, buddy?”

Izuku stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at his shuffling feet.

“What’s the matter, ‘Zuku?” asked Yaoyorozu softly.

“Nothing,” he mumbled quietly and held out a hair clip to Bakugou, who stared at it nonplussed. The girls giggled.

“Thanks?” said Bakugou, still none the wiser.

“I think it’s your turn,” hissed Mina, barely suppressing her grin.

Oh, for fuck sake, really?

He tried so hard to keep the resignation out of his voice when he asked Izuku if it was indeed his turn.

“Yeah,” the toddler said, starting to smile. It was as if he had been genuinely worried that Kacchan would say no. As if I could. “What colour would you like?”

Bakugou glanced at the orange clips in Izuku’s hair then at Kirishima who was smiling at them from the sofa, looking for all the world like a hair accessories stall had thrown up all over him.. Fuck it.

“I think…” he pretended to mull it over, “I’ll go for green.”

Izuku beamed at him.

His heart stuttered.

I am fucked.

_________________

He sat patiently while Izuku dug out all the green clips from the collection, most of which looked like they belonged to Froppy; he had to return to Kirishima to remove a few. Bakugou had taken a picture of Kirishima while he waited, who had given a thumbs up, never one to feel embarrassed by this sort of thing.

As the master stylist began his latest creation, the girls all stood up from their various past times.

“Well, we’ve got stuff we need to sort. Can we trust you to pop everything back in the boxes when you’re done?” asked Yaoyorozu, inclining her head at Bakugou slightly. He nodded back.

“Will do!” answered Kirishima from where he was still sprawled on the sofa, glittering.

They all began to head out.

“Yaoyorozu!” Bakugou called, and she turned back. “Thanks. Again.”

She surveyed him with her hands on her hips, and Bakugou felt a little like he’d been caught by his mother with his hand in the cookie jar. “As I said to ‘Zuku earlier on… ‘Yaomomo’ is perfectly okay,” and with that, she went to catch up with the others.

Kirishima had taken advantage of the fact that he couldn’t move and had relieved him of his phone to document his makeover at Izuku’s hands. I am never going to live this down. Bakugou waited until Izuku’s back was turned before putting his middle finger up at Kirishima.

Meanwhile, Izuku’s phone was blowing up with notifications from the group chat. Everyone was so on board that this was at risk of getting out of hand, but he honestly couldn’t bring himself to care, he just wanted to give Izuku the best possible time. His class was apparently both completely enamoured with tiny Izuku and down to party at the drop of a hat.

From his vantage point in the common area he could see the class come to life, all of a sudden there was a flurry of activity unheard of for a Saturday afternoon.

At one point Sparkle Boy had walked past and spotted Kirishima, still adorned in the contents of 6 girls accessory bags.

“Ma chérie, tu n'as jamais été aussi belle¹ ,” he said, with a hand on his chest. Kirishima stared at him clueless, and then looked to Bakugou for help.

“I think he said, ‘You’ve never looked better’,” Bakugou snorted. Kirishima grinned and shouted his thanks.

Sparkle Boy looked at Bakugou, astonished, “Tu parles français?!² ”

He grinned too, “Seulement un peu, Glitter Git.³ ”

Aoyama laughed loudly as he left the room.

“All done!” Izuku finally announced. Bakugou was glad, he could feel the clips making his spikes droop, but they were holding up at least as well as Kirishima’s had without any gel, and he couldn’t help but feel a little smug about that. 

“Picture!” announced Kirishima, “We can send it to your Mom, ‘Zuku!”

Izuku gasped and clapped his hands excitedly while Bakugou glared at Kirishima. Motherfucker, he knows I can’t get out of it now.

Izuku climbed into his lap and settled himself with his back to Bakugou’s chest. Bakugou put his arms around Izuku’s middle almost instinctively, and rested his chin on top of the toddler’s head. Holy fuck, his hair is so soft.. What the hell did Mina put in it?!

“Say cheese!”

“Cheese!” they grinned together.

_____________

The rest of the afternoon passed between Mario Kart, Smash Bros. and questioning glances at their hair. Izuku was delighted when Todoroki had returned, still sporting his hair clip crown.

Eventually, five thirty rolled around and Bakugou moved him and Izuku into the kitchen out of the main bustle so he could call their Moms.

He seated Izuku on the counter, found the number in his own phone and pressed the call button.

It rang, and rang… and then went to voicemail. He checked the time. It was definitely five thirty. He gave it five minutes then tried again. This time the call was picked up.

“Hi, son. Sorry we missed you the first time, your Mom was on another call that overran. Nice hair!” Bakugou’s Dad’s face came into view on the screen and Izuku’s head jerked up at the sound of his voice.

“Uncle?” Izuku whispered, eyes alight. Bakugou Masaru had always been a particular favourite of Izuku’s.

“‘S’fine. I can call back in a bit if that helps?”

“No, no, Mom’s just gone to get the door,” he smiled genially, “Our guest for the evening has arrived.”

Bakugou nodded, and his Dad added quietly, “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” he caught himself smiling softly at Izuku who was looking between him and the phone intently, still unable to see the screen. “We’re doing fine.” He glanced back at his Dad to see that he was wearing the same expression as All Might had been that morning. Knowing. Pleased. Proud. It was quietly infuriating. He rolled his eyes to hide his discomfort.

“Katsuki?!” Inko’s voice came through the phone. If Izuku had been intrigued before, now he was zeroed in on the phone like nothing Bakugou had ever seen before.

“Mom?” he squeaked, lip trembling.

“Hi Auntie,” Bakugou greeted as she came into view, “I’ll put him on.” He pulled Izuku to him, so the toddler was back-to-chest with him again. Bakugou put his elbows on the counter top either side of him, and held the phone in front of them both with his chin hovering above Izuku’s shoulder..

“‘Zuku?! Baby?!” Inko cried, tears already in her eyes. His Dad’s hand was on her shoulder, he saw it contract in a comforting squeeze.

“M-Mommy!” Izuku hiccupped wetly.

Bakugou waved to Koda to pass him the tissues from the common room table, and he knew his own Mom was sourcing mop up materials on the other end of the call.

Midoriya’s, man.

Once the tears had abated the parents wanted to know everything their kids had been up to, and Izuku seemed only too happy to recount every single detail since Bakugou had arrived at the principal’s office yesterday.

“And then, this morning-” Izuku was saying. Wait. Shit!

“You came to watch Kirishima and I spar for a little bit, didn’t you?” he interrupted, hoping beyond hope that Izuku would catch on. The toddler had turned when he spoke, Bakugou tried to keep his face neutral.

Izuku smiled. “Uh-huh! Kacchan took me with him and Kiri,” and then he was off about the fight. 

“Well, I’m very glad you’re having a good time, honey,” said Auntie softly. Izuku agreed and patted Bakugou’s cheek, catching him off guard. Their parents all smiled at them with such warmth he could only clear his throat and become very interested in the ceiling.

“So,” his Dad’s voice drifted through the phone, heavy with teasing curiosity, “Who’s the budding hair stylist?”

“‘Chaco did mine,” explained Izuku, “And then I did Kacchan’s.. and Kiri’s and Todo’s.” He held up three fingers to the camera to emphasise his point.

Auntie and Bakugou’s Dad were smiling when his Mom opened her mouth, “We’ve got to see you all together.”

He was already shaking his head, “N-!”

“Okay!” Izuku got there first. “Kiri! Todo! C’mere!”

Bakugou tipped his head forward to hide his face in Izuku’s hair and groaned.

Whatever spell little Izuku had cast over the class summoned Kirishima and Todoroki to him, without delay but not without confusion.

“Our parents wish to see the… extent of Izuku’s handiwork,” he explained reluctantly.

“Cool!” Kirishima, practically bounced to his other side, “Hi, Parents!”

Todoroki, on the other hand, hesitated for just long enough to make Izuku turn around.

“Come on, Todo. Come meet Mom!” voice full of breathy excitement. Todoroki quickly glanced at Bakugou who couldn’t help but snort at his expression. Half and Half’s face was a picture of resigned reluctance, but he came and stood behind Izuku, so Bakugou was in the middle.

In the little screen in the bottom coroner of the call Bakugou could see what they looked like. Kirishima grinned from ear to ear, glittering and waving enthusiastically. Todoroki was much more subdued, but was smiling slightly as Izuku brought him into frame. Izuku was beaming at them all and Bakugou’s own red eyes were glaring out from the dark green curls. I’m not moving. I can’t shout if I’m worried about deafening Izuku.

“Oh, don’t you all look lovely!” fussed Auntie, the sincerity of her words was a touch dampened by the fact that The Hag was openly cackling into her shoulder.

“Fair warning. My Dad will, without a doubt, have screenshotted this,” Bakugou mumbled to the other two. Todoroki echoed his own internal groan, but Kirishima beamed.

“Can you send it to me, Mr. Bakugou?! Please?”

“Sure thing, son. I’ll send it through to Izuku when he’s back to normal,” his Dad replied serenely. No hint of remorse or shame for the sheer embarrassment he was causing. Sneaky old bastard, he knows I’d delete it. He glared at them both.

“Aren’t you guys supposed to be having dinner, or something?” Bakugou grumbled.

“Oh, yes!” Auntie turned to the two on the sofa next to her, “I am so sorry for-”

His Mother was still chuckling to herself as she shook her head, “Inko, dear, there’s nothing to apologise for.” She looked back to the camera, “But we get the point, we’ll leave you to your evening. We’ll see you soon!”

There was a general chorus of “bye bye’s” and “see you soon’s” and eventually the call ended, the screen went black and Bakugou sighed.

Kirishima patted him on the back.

“We’ve ordered some pizza, and then you might need you to… not be here while the rest of us, err..” he fumbled as he tried to come up with code for; decorate for Izuku’s secret not birthday party tomorrow.

“Got it. I’ll work something out.”

At least that’s over, and I won’t have to deal with them again until Izuku’s back to normal and I’m not going through a feelings freefall.

_________________

“But I can’t go for a walk, Kacchan,” Izuku said as they stood at the doors. The rest of the class were feigning ignorance and idleness, but Bakugou could feel that they were on tenterhooks. Just waiting for them to leave so they could get to decorating.

“Hah?! Why n-”

Izuku put his arms out wide and waved them, “I’m in my jammies, Kacchan!” The look on his face was pure puzzlement at how Kacchan could’ve missed the most obvious reason in the world. Which, to be fair, he had.

Bakugou put his hands on his hips and sighed dramatically, “That is a good point I suppose.” Izuku’s face fell as he added, “There’s only thing we can do then.”

The little boy looked utterly crestfallen as he stared at his feet. “I r-really wanted to go and see all the UA buildings.”

Bakugou bit the inside of his cheek to ward off his grin. “I know, buddy,” he nodded, then added in a voice full of regretful resignation, “Guess I’ll just have to carry you, huh?” 

The smile on Izuku’s face, and the squeal of delight as he was lifted onto Bakugou’s shoulders, made the snickering he could hear from the class as they left, completely worth it.

They made their way around the main buildings, with Bakugou pointing out the classrooms, the gym, the training grounds and Izuku was fascinated by it all.

“Forward march and here we go!” Izuku sang as they went, “Members of the Agency Bakugou!”

They laughed and Bakugou allowed himself to smile until his face ached.

Maybe we need a new song. Or at least a new verse.

He cleared his throat, “”Look out villains, we’re gonna catch ya! Members of the Agency Midoriya!” Well fucking hell, that was shite.

Apparently Izuku thought otherwise as he took up the new lines with gusto; crowing them at the top of his voice over Bakugou’s head.

With the sun beginning to dip and the buildings bathed in golden light, Bakugou started to head back. I’ll just have to hold the hood down over his eyes and make a break for it across the common room.

Izuku started singing again as they rounded the corner of the next building.

“Bakugou?” a voice came from up ahead.

He looked up to see Aizawa sitting on the front step of the building, then he took stock of where they actually were. We’re outside the staff dorm building… Huh, got here quicker than I thought we would. Aizawa beckoned them over and Bakugou saw that, between his teacher’s feet on the step below, sat a little girl playing with hero dolls. They were talking, too quiet for him to overhear as he approached, as Aizawa slowly and carefully brushed her long, silver-grey hair. 

“Hello, Mr. ‘Zawa,” chirruped Izuku, Bakugou could feel him waving wildly.

“Hello again, little one,” Aizawa glanced up from his task at them both, and inclined his head to the concrete next to him. “Please, pull up a step.”

Bakugou hesitated, “We were just heading back, Sir. I wouldn’t want to interrupt-” but Aizawa just waved him quiet.

“If I thought you were interrupting, would I have asked?” his teacher quirked an eyebrow up at him.

Bakugou opened his mouth, to say what exactly, he wasn’t sure.

“Just sit,” Aizawa sighed, pausing briefly in brushing Eri’s hair to pull out his phone and send a text.

They sat, unconsciously mimicking Aizawa and Eri’s positions. The two kids were staring at each other with open curiosity, with a heavy helping of confusion on Eri’s side.

“Eri,” Aizawa said quietly, “Remember when I explained why you couldn’t visit Deku this weekend?” She nodded, red eyes wide. Bakugou watched as understanding dawned on her as she looked at Izuku. “Good,” Aizawa continued. He looked to Izuku then, “Why don’t you introduce yourself, little one.”

Izuku stood up and, keeping a hand on Bakugou’s leg, he stretched his other hand out to Eri.

“My name’s ‘Zuku. It’s nice to meet you.”

Eri smiled and introduced herself, but as she reached to shake Izuku’s hand one of the hero plushies tumbled from her lap, and bounced down a couple of steps. Izuku went to retrieve it for her, Bakugou saw that it was roundish and yellow with a big smile.

“Fatgum!” Izuku whispered incredulously. “You like Heroes too?”

Eri nodded emphatically, picking up the other plushies, “Want to play?”

“Uh-huh!”

She quickly glanced at Aizawa before moving further down the steps, but he smiled at her.

“Just until Mic comes out, then we’ll finish up before going back in, okay?”

“Okay!” the kids chorused and Aizawa shooed them down the steps.

________________

Even though they all lived on site it was still strange to run into a teacher outside of structured time, especially when they were in civilian clothing. For example; seeing Aizawa wearing a faded black t-shirt with ‘I woke up like this’ on the front and tartan pyjama bottoms was just bizarre. 

“Thank you for the soup, by the way,” Aizawa broke the silence, “It was delicious. Mic was very jealous of my lunch today.” There was a smile in his voice despite there not being much of one on his face.

Bakugou shrugged, “S’alright.”

“How’s the party planning going? All Might told me you caught up with him this morning. He seems… eager to help.”

Bakugou snorted at that. As much as All Might had been a paragon of strength, a heroic ideal that he and Deku strove to reach and hoped to surpass, he was often just a 7-foot tall child. “Think it’s going fine.”

“You’re not involved?” Aizawa enquired, one eyebrow raised.

“Sort of. On a ‘ consultancy only basis’, ” he hadn’t been able to resist doing the air quotes to emphasise his point.

“Ah. Was that Iida or Yaoyorozu?”

“Both.”

“Ah,” Aizawa said again. “And you’re not happy about that.” It wasn’t a question.

Bakugou ground his teeth. “It was my idea,” he heard the pettiness in his voice as soon as he said it, and hurried to clarify. “That’s not- I didn’t suggest it so everyone else could do the heavy lifting.”

Aizawa turned to face him and sighed, “You know no one actually thinks that. I like to think I know my class quite well at this point, well enough at least to tell you that, if they didn’t want to help, they wouldn’t.”

Bakugou began to argue, but Aizawa shook his head and continued, “They are helping because they agree with your reason for wanting to do this. There is not a student in this class, and beyond, that Midoriya hasn’t helped in some way or another.”

Bakugou was still frowning.

“Tell me, how have the duties been divided?”

“Everyone’s got something. When we left Dun- er, Kaminari and Jirou were setting up music equipment, Uraraka and Sero were putting up lights, few of the guys were baking,” he ticked things off on his fingers.

“So, in other words, tasks were distributed according to the individual’s ability to handle and complete them. By their suitability for it, you could say,” Aizawa drawled.

“S’pose.”

“And your task?”

Isn’t that bloody obvious?

Bakugou pointed to where Izuku was playing with Eri, he was making sure to stay off the grass so as not to dirty his nice, new pyjamas.

Aizawa raised both eyebrows at him and Bakugou rolled his eyes. I do that a lot when I’m trying not to swear.

“That doesn’t-” he scowled.

In an exasperated tone, Aizawa interrupted him, “If you had proposed this at any other time, whether Midoriya had been hit by the Quirk or not, the class would still help. Would still be on board.” He paused, before adding, “And you, Bakugou, would still be given this particular task. It has nothing to do with anyone thinking that you are incapable of the other tasks, it is the exact opposite.” His next words were said slowly and gently, “It is the fact that you, out of everyone, are the most suitable for this- indeed, any task involving Midoriya.”

Aizawa was staring at him so intently that the ends of his teacher's hair was beginning to float. Bakugou was sitting ramrod straight, confusion plastered all over his face.

“And, from what I’ve observed, he -” Aizawa’s eyes flicked to Izuku, “-would agree.”

Wait. What?!

The door behind them opened and Bakugou nearly jumped out of his skin.

If seeing Aizawa in pyjamas was weird, Present Mic with his hair down was downright unnatural. He was holding 3 mugs in one hand and 2 in the other as he kicked the door shut behind him, the motion wafted the smell of hot chocolate over to them.

So, that’s who Aizawa was texting.

“Kids!” Mic called down to Eri and Izuku as he sat down on Aizawa’s other side and began distributing mugs.

Eri’s head whipped around with a wide smile and she grabbed Izuku’s hand to lead them back up the steps. They retrieved their mugs from Mic; Eri sat between the teachers and Izuku sat next to Bakugou, leaning up his calf.

Bakugou bent to Izuku’s ear and whispered, “Did you say thank you to Present Mic?”

Ixuku’s lips had already touched the mug when his went wide, and he immediately shouted, “Thank you, Present Mic!” He got a thumbs up and toothy grin in response.

“No worries, little listener! You drink up.”

Bakugou noticed that the teachers had set their mugs down and taken out a hairbrush. Each. They split Eri’s hair down the middle and brushed their side slowly and carefully.

“French or… not-French?” asked Mic.

“French, please,” chirruped Eri. He saw Aizawa’s eyebrows furrow in what looked like pre-emptive concentration. Without another word they began to french braid the silver-grey tresses.

The comfort and contentment was palpable, and Bakugou was fascinated by the quiet companionship between two such different people. Quiet was not a word that could be applied to his own childhood, so this was… new.

He had long since made his, rather aggressive, peace with being alone; and the Hero life had never been advertised as being conducive to him being anything else. In any case, it hadn’t been until very recently that he’d considered even wanting something different.

Yet, in the last of the summer light on concrete steps, here it was. Something different.

“How?” Bakugou breathed, and his eyes went wide. I did not mean to say that out loud. Shitshitshit. Too personal.

But Aizawa met his gaze and seemed to understand everything behind that one word. How do you make it work? How do you know it’s okay? How did you find out?

He turned his attention back to his task before answering.

“ This is the task that I am most suitable for,” he glanced back to Bakugou before adding, “And, from what I’ve observed, Mic would agree.”

Hands still buried in Eri’s hair, Mic tipped just enough so that his shoulder pressed against Aizawa’s, a soft smile on his face.

There was something so intimate about the gesture that Bakugou suddenly felt like he was intruding, and shifted his eyes down to look at Izuku instead. The moment between his teachers was also so familiar … and as Izuku looked up from his mug to smile at him, it clicked.

As if a projector had been lit behind his eyes he saw a slideshow of times that he and Izuku had been next to each other; in corridors, on the common room sofas, in training, while studying… and something would happen, and Izuku would laugh, and he would lean. Deliberately lean so that their shoulders…

Bakugou’s brain blue-screened.

Bakugou.exe stopped working.

“All done!”

Bakugou rebooted as Izuku set his now empty mug down with a scrape or ceramic on concrete. The little boy yawned widely and then giggled when Bakugou yawned reflexively in response. He once again situated himself in Bakugou’s lap and curled into his chest. It was becoming far too natural for Bakugou to wrap his arms around Izuku, and the idea that he’d miss it come Monday, was not as surprising today as it would’ve been yesterday.

Izuku yawned again and balled his fists in Bakugou’s shirt, his eyes drifting closed.

“I think we should head back,” he whispered. The shadows had grown long and the air was turning chill. His teachers agreed and Aizawa patted his shoulder before they began to head in their respective directions.

Him and Izuku had nearly reached the corner of the building when he heard running behind him. Bakugou turned to see Eri, with Aizawa watching her from the doorway. She didn’t say anything, but her face was screwed up in determination when she came right up to them and pushed her Fatgum doll into Izuku’s hands. Sleepy as he was, Izuku could barely mumble his thanks but that was enough for Eri. She nodded happily before running back to Aizawa and waving them out of sight.

_________________

Izuku was fully asleep by the time they got back but Bakugou had pulled the pyjama hood up anyway, just to make sure, as they walked through the common area. They’d only been gone a few hours but the class had transformed the communal space completely. Where the hell had they found bunting?! It was going to look amazing, that he couldn’t deny. He could smell cake and cookies wafting from the kitchen, and he saw Shoji doing roughly triple the amount of dishes that anyone else could do at one time. Iida was supervising, moving between the various groups lifting and ferrying. Everyone had their tasks and they were busy. 

Careful not to get under anyone’s feet, he made his way up to Izuku’s room and tucked the little boy into bed.

__________________

Bakugou studied his face in the bathroom mirror as he brushed his teeth. He looked the same as he did this morning, but he felt so different. He felt somehow simultaneously blissfully calm and also utterly shaken to his core.

It was one thing to be manhandled into facing his own feelings, but then to consider the potential that maybe.. Izuku too… Jesus fucking christ, if I am reading those interactions wrong… His stomach did some weird half flip, half drop bullshit. He couldn’t afford to have Hope running unchecked through his system before he had a hold on what the fuck was going on. He inhaled deeply through his nose and rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

Bakugou had been physically exhausted plenty of times, but this was something else entirely. He crept from the bathroom, changed from his day-time black tank top and shorts into his night-time black tank top and shorts, and crawled under his covers. Lying spread eagled and focusing on Izuku’s steady breathing, he slipped quickly into sleep.

He was looking at Ground Beta. No, Kamino Ward. Ground Beta.

“Kacchan!”

The cry echoed around him and spun on the spot trying to pinpoint the source.

“Kacchan!”

He finds red shoes first.

Up.

Red splatters on green fabric.

Up.

Green eyes in a chalk white face.

The scene shifts sickeningly from Ground Beta to Kamino Ward.

And back.

And back.

Deku! No sound.

Deku staggers and his own feet finally get the message to move.

Nearly there.

I’m coming! Still nothing.

Nearly there.

He’s running but not gaining any ground, feet pounding but making no sound.

A faceless shadow now looms between them, and it rings every instinctual alarm bell he has.

DE-! His noiseless cry dies in his throat as the shadow moves.

Everything flickers.

SWIPE

Deku is open from hip to opposite shoulder.

Red on green.

Deku gasps in surprise.

DEKU! He can only feel the shout in his own chest.

Ground Beta.

Flicker.

SWIPE

Missing a limb.

NO!

Kamino Ward.

Flicker.

SWIPE

Hole through Deku’s chest.

They scream.

Only Deku sounds.

Ground Beta.

Flicker.

SWIPE

Kamino Ward.

Flicker.

SWIPE

The shadow looms over Deku’s prone form.

“STOP!” his own voice finally echoes.

“Please,” he begs.

Flicker.

Sound floods back like he's breached the surface of a lake. He’s on his knees next to Deku, who is gasping wetly. All of his injuries are happening at once, he doesn’t have enough hands. And he can’t put pressure everywhere it’s needed. Can’t stop the bleeding. He’s trying. So hard. He’s panicking. There’s so much… red on green. Red on black. Red on them. They’re covered.

“Kacchan.”

He dares to glance at Deku’s face. Pallid. Splattered. Smiling.

A shaking hand touches his face and he leans into it. The other hand finds his own, stopping it’s frantic attempts to fix.

Deku’s chest stutters. Ragged breathing becoming laboured and shallower and shallower... and shallower.. 

“Kacchan.”

The hand drops from his face. The lights go out.

Bakugou’s own anguished shout wakes him.

He’s shaking and gulping air when he sits up to put his head in his hands.

“Kacchan?”

That small voice in the dark is almost enough to make him lose it completely; to give into the grief still saturating his system.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a light touch on his leg. Bakugou looked up to see Izuku’s face, concerned but uninjured. Sleepy but alive.

“Come here,” he croaked.

Izuku wrapped his arms around Bakugou’s neck and squeezed him tight. Still shaking, with his heart thumping Bakugou allowed himself to hold on for dear life.

“Did Kacchan have a nightmare?” Izuku whispered into his neck and he could only nod. “Do you want to tell me about it?” Bakugou huffed at Izuku parroting his own words from this morning back at him.

“Not… Not right now, kiddo. But thanks,” he whispered back.

Izuku loosened his hold and pulled back slightly to peer at him.

“You going to be okay?” the toddler asked very seriously, and Bakugou’s mouth twitched.

“I will be, yeah.” His breathing was steadying and his heart rate began to slow.

Izuku nodded and Bakugou had expected him to climb back into bed but he sat down next to him on the mattress. Without another word, Izuku wriggled down, pulled Bakugou’s blankets up so only the hair spikes on the pyjamas were visible and rolled over.

“You cheeky little shit,” Bakugou grumbled, smiling slightly at the level of nerve Izuku could show at 3am.

“Night night, Kacchan,” Izuku giggled, showing no intention of moving.

Bakugou sighed, resigning himself to sharing again. He lay back down and poked Izuku, prompting another giggle.

“Night, nerd.”

Loud knocking at the dorm door roused Bakugou from his sleep.

“Go away,” he grumbled.

The knocking came again. Just fucking kick it down, why don’t you. He squeezed his eyes closed even tighter, turning his face further into his pillow.

“‘S’noisy, Kacchan,” Izuku mumbled, rolling so he was curled into Bakugou’s chest. He pulled the covers over his own head in an attempt to block out the day.

Bakugou hummed in agreement and was considering doing the same, just as the door began to inch open. He cracked one eye and glared.

If your hair enters the room before you do, you have a problem.

“Bro?” came a whisper from the door.

Bakugou grunted and continued his one-eyed glaring. He was now incredibly conscious of the fact that Izuku was cuddled up to him under the blankets.

Kirishima edged into the room clutching a stack of toast, “I brought you both some breakfast, 'cause you can’t really go down-”
Bakugou had just opened his mouth to tell him to shut the fuck up before he blabbed the whole plan, when Izuku sat bolt upright throwing the blanket off of them both.

“Toast!” he squealed and he tumbled along the mattress to Kirishima, who had now frozen by the door. Bakugou just groaned and closed his eyes, he knew Shitty Hair would be looking between Izuku and him, and the bed, and back again, and it was too fucking early to be dealing with it.

“So much for getting back to sleep,” he grumbled instead as he hauled himself upright. Izuku was heading back to the bed with his hands full of buttery breakfast. “Oh no you don’t, nerd.”

Izuku froze with one foot on the mattress, his face the picture of childish innocence.

Bakugou jabbed his finger first at the toast, “You are not eating that-” then at the bed he was still sitting in, “-in here.”

“B-but-” Izuku stammered. Bakugou noticed how, despite the wide eyes and stutters, he continued to edge forwards. Cheeky little.. 

“I am not sleeping in your toast crumbs. You can eat in your bed or you can sit on the floor,” he folded his arms across his chest and levelled a stare at the toddler, if he wore glasses he would have been peering over the top of them. Izuku’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, as if weighing his chances, then he plopped down on to the floor cross legged and started to munch.

With a sigh he finally glanced at Kirishima whose eyes flicked between them, and then pointedly at the bed next to him. So fucking predictable.

“Nightmare,” Bakugou shrugged, declining to mention whose nightmare it had been. Kirishima nodded sympathetically and ruffled Izuku’s hair before folding down to sit next to him.
Am I running a breakfast club now, what the fuck?
“If I can’t go downstairs, did you bring coffee?” Bakugou knew full well Kirishima hadn’t.

He clapped a hand to his forehead, “I knew I’d forgotten something! Sorry bro, things are a bit manic downstairs.”

Bakugou shook his head as he stood, “I’ll go, keep an eye on Izuku for me.” To Izuku he added, “Brush your teeth and stuff when you’re done. Do you want a cup of tea this morning?”

Izuku nodded emphatically, “Yes please, Kacchan!”

“And then we’ll go out to the shop this morning, okay?”

“Okie dokie!”

On his way out he snagged two pieces of toast and his phone. He was texting as he closed the door behind him.

Bk: You are coming this afternoon, right?
Aiz: wudnt miss it
Aiz: [photo]
Aiz: from yday
Bk: Good. And thanks.
I’ll check the picture later. Bakugou took a deep breath in before hitting send on his next message.
Bk: Can I use the kitchen in the staff dorms this morning?
Aiz: 4?
Hah? Oh. Fuck sake, he texts like Dunce Face. It’s two letters different for the love of-
Bk: Party prep
Bk: Wanna cook something for this afternoon but our kitchen has been overrun, and we’ve been effectively kicked out until kick off.
Aiz: will it b 4 evry1?
Oh my god. Yes, sensei, I will feed you.
Bk: Yep.
Aiz. K *thumbs up emoji*
Bakugou snorted and sent his thanks. Pro Hero, Eraserhead, everybody.
___________________

The common room looked much the same as it had last night, except now lights were strung up and speakers were stacked and there were open boxes of who only knew what, all over the place. There were covered trays in the kitchen, all smelling sweet and sticky, and there were two big square sponge cake layers on cooling racks. but there was a buzz of energy, the unmistakable feeling of preparation, in the air.

A few of his classmates were rummaging through the cabinets, clearly looking for something.

“Sorry, Sato, can’t find any,” Tokoyami’s voice echoed from one of the cupboards on floor level, Dark Shadow popped out of another shaking its head.

“Ah, dammit, I must’ve run out,” Sato muttered to himself, “I’ll have to go with green-.”

“Run out of what?” Bakugou interrupted making them all jump. He had to grin at that, just a little.

“Good morning, Bakugou. I believe Kirishima was bringing you and Midoriya breakfast,” Iida emerged from another cupboard. Jesus fucking christ, how many more are in there?

Bakugou nodded impatiently, “He’s watching Izuku. I’ve come for coffee.” Turned back to Sato, “Run out of what?” he repeated.

“Red food colouring,” Sato clarified, “I was going to decorate the cake in All Might colours, but I can’t without the red colouring, so it’ll have to be green I’m af-”

“I’ll get it,” Bakugou cut him off, shrugging. “Me and the nerd are going to the shop anyway.”

“Cool, man. Thanks.”

Bakugou nodded and set about making himself coffee and a tea for Izuku, rooting through one of the cupboards to find his preferred tea. There weren’t any. He must’ve run out. Bakugou nabbed a teabag from a box that he knew Izuku liked, that’ll have to do for now. He added Izuku’s favourite tea to his mental shopping list as he added a bit of honey to Izuku’s cup.

He shouldered his door open to find Kirishima stretched across Izuku’s bed with his legs up the wall, his head hanging over the edge.

“What. The fuck. Are you doing?” Bakugou sighed, shutting the door with his heel.

Kirishima upside down shrugged at him, “I’m comfy. ‘Zuku’s brushing his teeth.”

“Izuku!” he called through the bathroom door, “Be quick, your tea’ll go cold.”

“Okie dokie, Kacchan!”

With his legs outstretched he settled himself on the edge of the mattress, he set Izuku’s cup on the floor between his knees and wrapped his hands around his own.
“Fuck are you staring at?”

“Nightmare, huh?”

“For fu- Can’t you just have a day off?!” Bakugou glowered as he flicked Kirishima between the eyes.

“Whose?”

“What does that matter?!”

“Yours then,” Kirishima muttered, concern on his face. The fact that the expression was upside down did nothing to curb Bakugou’s irritation. “You okay?”

Bakugou scrubbed a hand down his face. “Yeah. No… I mean, I am but- Fuck, I don’t know. A lot- a lot happened yesterday with the training stuff, the damn extras interrogating Izuku, and then you and Aizawa-sensei taking a hammer to my brain… I was real fucking tired and I got a real fucking weird dream bec-”

“Wait, me and Aizawa-sensei?” Kirishima finally righted himself. Shit. “What did he-”

The bathroom door opened.

“All done, Kacchan!”

Saved by the Izuku.

As Izuku drank his tea, that he had described as ‘scrummy’, Bakugou took a quick shower and got himself dressed. Kirishima and Izuku were jabbering about something while he fished the cargo shorts and second tshirt that Yaomomo had made out of one of the drawers.

“Time to get dressed, kiddo,” he threw the clothes at Izuku, barking out a laugh when the t-shirt unfolded mid-air and draped itself over his head completely. He glanced at Kirishima, who hadn’t moved from where he was sprawled across the bed, “Make yourself useful and pass the bag from under there.”

He did and Bakugou pulled out the red shoes first, shaking his head as Kirishima laughed at the sight of them before tossing them to Izuku. He immediately stuck them on his feet smiling happily.

Kirishima asked, “How you going to… get out?” The ‘without Izuku seeing anything’ went unsaid, but Bakugou heard it nonetheless. He rummaged in the bag for a second before answering.

“With this,” he said and revealed the hood from Izuku’s hero costume with a flourish. Thank fuck it’s detachable.

“Oooh, Kacchan, what’s that?” Izuku’s head popped through the neck of the shirt, and his eyes were alive with curiosity.

Bakugou grinned. “Remember what I said yesterday, about you going to school here?”

“Uh-huh!” and there was an excited uplift in Izuku’s voice.

“This-,” he held up the cowl by the ears, “- is part of your costume.”

“My… my…” Izuku whispered and walked towards him, face alight with a disbelief bordering on reverence.

“Wanna try it on?” hissed Kirishima, bouncing slightly, just absorbing Izuku’s excitement.

Izuku nodded, seemingly lost for words. Bakugou slipped the hood over his curls, deftly adjusting it so that he could use the eye holes then he straightened the ears. Izuku looked up at him, completely ecstatic.
Holy shit, that’s adorable. He spun Izuku around for Kirishima to see.

“Kiri, look, I’m a hero!”

“You sure are, little man! Best hero ever!”

Izuku gigged and Kirishima pulled out his phone to take a picture. Before he could, Bakugou leaned forward and whispered something in Izuku’s ear that Kirishima couldn’t hear, but he took pictures of them anyway.

Izuku nodded and planted his feet. Then, he balled his hands into fists and touched his knuckles together in front of his chest. Kirishima’s mouth popped open, a look of mingled pride and amusement on his face

“Green Riot! Unbreakable!” Izuku shouted proudly. Bakugou cackled as Kirishima toppled off the bed and scooped Izuku up into a bone crushing hug. He squealed with delight as Kirishima spun him around and around yelling, “So manly, ‘Zuku!”

Bakugou stood up still grinning; they really needed to get going. As soon as he was up Izuku was reaching from him. He took him from Kirishima, who still looked on the verge of prideful tears, and headed to the bathroom so Izuku could see himself. The toddler was fascinated by the mask and kept touching the ears. Kirishima was watching them from the doorway, phone at the ready as always.

“Kacchan, why am I a bunny?” Izuku asked quietly.

“Huh. You know, I don’t actually know. I think it started as your own version of All Might’s hair spikes,” Bakugou realised he truly had no idea. He’d never asked. He should definitely ask.

“Oooh… cool,” Izuku breathed. “I like being a bunny though. Bunnies are cute.”
Bakugou smiled at him through their reflections. “They sure are, buddy.”
______________________

Bakugou yanked the hood down over Izuku’s eyes without warning and sprinted through the common room. Pikachu and Soy Sauce were both yelling ‘Go, go, go’ like they were on a military operation.

“Kacchan!” Izuku yelped, little hands scrabbled against his own, trying to free himself

“Sorry, ‘Zuku. Authorised personnel only!” Round Cheeks called as they ran past.

Once through the doors, Bakugou glanced down just long enough to unmask a giggling, bright eyed Izuku. He shoved the mask into his back pocket and kept running, the wind winding through his spikes and ruffling Izuku’s curls.

Izuku waved to Todoroki as he stepped out of their way, “Hi, Todo!”

Todoroki waved back and they flashed past him too.

“Bye, Todo!”

Bakugou doesn’t slow down, because he doesn’t fucking need to and raced towards the barrier, Izuku laughing in his arms.
_______________________

They ran most of the way to the local store where Bakugou deposited Izuku into a trolley. They don’t really need that much, but this way Izuku can’t wander off. He knows what they need, and it’s early morning so the place is quiet. They whipped round the store, Izuku watching everything that Bakugou puts in the trolley until he gasps.

“Is Kacchan making katsudon?”

“Maybe. You’ll just have to be patient and find out, won’t you?” he booped Izuku’s nose. It wrinkled under his finger and Izuku giggled and shook his head away.

They were nearly at the counter when Bakugou remembered the food colouring and Izuku’s tea and had to loop back around. He immediately regretted not having the forethought to bring a backpack and resigned himself to the carrier bags instead.

“You’re going to have to walk back, kiddo,” he explained to Izuku as he lifted him and the bag out of the trolley before returning it to the others.

“That’s okay,” Izuku said, before adding with a very un-toddler-like smirk, “I can carry something if it gets too heavy.”

Bakugou froze momentarily. If it wasn’t for the voice being so many octaves above where it should be, for a second, things almost felt normal. Their new normal. Bakugou’s chest ached a little for the quick back and forth that he and Izuku had developed since he’d apologised. He missed it. He missed Izuku. As cute and as fun as little Izuku was and as, to Bakugou at least, enlightening this weekend had been, he found himself really hoping the Principal was right about this only being a three day thing.

“Tch. I think I’ve got it, nerd,” Bakugou grumbled back, with an exaggerated eye roll.

Yeah. Now, I’ve got a better grasp of what’s going on in my head, I need to talk to you. Properly.

Izuku waited until they had started walking before gently slipping his hand into Bakugou’s, and Bakugou let him. As they walked he let himself imagine what it might feel like if Izuku’s hand were bigger, calloused and scarred, with slightly crooked fingers.

It didn’t take them long to walk back and Bakugou steered them towards the staff dorms.

“Are we going to see Mr. ‘Zawa and Eri?”

“They might be there, but they’re letting us use their kitchen,” he explained.

“What for?” Izuku asked. There was a wheedling to his voice that suggested he knew that there was something going on.

“Cooking.” I’m telling you squat, kiddo.

“Cooking what?”

“Food.”

“Food for what?”

“Eating.”

Izuku pursed his lips and Bakugou grinned to himself as he pushed the handle with his elbow. He absolutely did not jump when it was pulled sharply away from him.

Aizawa was standing in the doorway, frowning at them both.

“You could’ve just knocked,” he grumbled stepping aside to let them in.

Bakugou simply looked down to show how that wouldn’t have been possible, what with the shopping bags in one hand and Izuku holding the other. Izuku waved at Aizawa, but stayed quiet for once. Oh, what, now you go shy?

“Good point,” their teacher conceded. He gave Izuku a little wave back when they walked past him.

Bakugou and Izuku headed for the kitchen and he dumped the bag on the counter.

“I mean, next time, if you want, Sir… I can just headbutt the door,” Bakugou said, keeping his face completely straight.

Aizawa narrowed his eyes and, if his mouth hadn’t twitched minutely before he opened it to retort, Bakugou would’ve regretted his response immediately.

“Who’s headbutting doors?!” Present Mic squawked as he came in from the direction of the dorms with Eri on his back.

Aizawa actually let out a small snort. “No one, ‘Zashi. Bakugou here thinks he’s a comedian.”

“You too?” Mic smiled widely at Bakugou. “You know, I’ve had to put up with his jokes for years-” he jerked his thumb at Aizawa, “-it’ll be great to hear some new material!” He practically howled with laughter when Aizawa plucked Eri off of his back, scooped up Izuku and stalked off to the sofas with them both, grumbling all the while. Bakugou thought he caught the words ‘betrayal’ and ‘under appreciated’.

They watched the three of them settle into the chairs and switch the television on, then Mic clapped a hand to Bakugou’s shoulder.

“So, what’re you making?”

“Huh? Oh, katsudon,” Bakugou mumbled as he turned to unpack the shopping bag.

“Oooh, fancy. Need a hand?” Mic asked genially, wiggling his fingers as if he were itching to be involved.

Bakugou shrugged, “Er, sure, if you want to, Sir.”

Mic grinned at him, “Kid, it’s a Sunday, you ain’t gotta call me Sir. Call me Mic.”

He nodded. Like fuck is that going to happen. Let’s be honest, now I’m just going to avoid calling you anything.

Mic gave him a thumbs up, then rubbed his hands together, “Right, what do you want me to do first, Chef?”

Bakugou huffed a laugh at that. “There’s some veggies to go in the sauce that’ll need chopping, or I need three dishes setting up, one for the eggs, one for the flour and one for the panko, so I can can breadcrumb the meat,” he explained quickly. Then a thought struck him, “I need to let everyone know we’re back and I need to double check on.. the guest of honour.”

“You go do that and I’ll start on the veggies. If you’re not back when I’ve finished, I’ll prep the dishes for breadcrumbing,” Mic shooed him out of the kitchen and rummaged through the cupboards for a knife and a chopping board.

________________

Bakugou slipped back through the door to the grounds. Stood in the fresh air, he opened the group chat on Izuku’s phone, skim reads the progress reports coming in from the class before letting everyone know that they were back and that someone needed to come and pick up the food colouring.

          Iida: The party shall commence at 1pm sharp.

He sent a quick message back to say that that was great and then he did something he’d never done before.

He texted All Might.

It was so much more anxiety inducing than texing Aizawa. His hands were slick already in the time it took him to find the number in Izuku’s phone and type.

          Mid: Hi, it’s Bakugou. The party is starting at 1pm, is 1:45 okay for you?

Bakugou could see that All Might had started typing almost immediately. Then he had stopped. Then he started again. Not helping the fucking nerves, All Might.

          AM: Thank you for using the All Might Hero Appearance booking service. Your appointment has been scheduled for 1:45pm..

All of our teachers are dorks. Each and every fucking one of them.

Before he could reply however, another message follows.

          AM: 1:45 suits me, my boy. I’ll do my best to stay for an hour at least.

Bakugou shook his head slightly before starting to type, but he was interrupted again.

          AM: I’m very proud of you for putting this all together, Young Bakugou, and incredibly grateful that you asked me to be a part of it.

The end of his nose started to tingle and lump had formed in his throat. He did not forward that message on to himself. No way. Absolutely not. No one can prove shit.

          Mid: Like I said yesterday, anything you can manage will be more than enough.

          Mid: And there’s no way I couldn’t ask.

I think Izuku might’ve actually killed me.

          Mid: I just wanted something good to come out of this.

          AM: Good answer. I’ll see you both later.

          AM: I can’t wait to see his face.

Bakugou barked a laugh as he imagined All Might in the big yellow suit from their first year, just bouncing with excitement.

          Mid: Me too.

__________________

Tokoyami popped across to pick up the food colouring early on, but had been delayed leaving because, with record speed, Dark Shadow got pulled into a game of hide and seek with Izuku and Eri. It culminated in a plant getting knocked over spilling dirt everywhere. The three of them begging forgiveness from Aizawa and Tokoyami who were standing in matching poses, arms folded, like the most emo parenting duo ever.

Back in the kitchen he and Mic had done the prep, the sauce was simmering away and the rice cooker was doing it’s own heavy lifting. So, they’d created a small breadcrumb conveyor belt. With them both wearing disposable gloves Mic would add the slices of pork cutlet to the flour and drop it into the egg with his left hand, then move it from there into the panko with his right. Bakugou would take the meat from the panko dish and submerge the slices in hot oil until cooked through. Cooked slices were deposited onto paper towels to drain excess oil before being heaped into a large earthenware dish with a lid to prevent them getting too cold.

As the last slices are frying, Mic, Aizawa and Eri ready themselves to leave, much to Izuku’s disappointment. Bakugou sits him on the counter a little ways away from the oil, but close enough to keep an eye on.

“It’s still early,” he says to his teachers.

“Yeah, we need to go and mee-” whatever Mic is going to say gets cut off by Aizawa slapping a hand over his mouth.

“I trust you won’t be late,” Aizawa drawled to Bakugou, as if Mic hadn’t even spoken and he wasn’t currently holding his husband hostage in their own kitchen.

Bakugou just shook his head. “Can you send two of the class across just before 1 to help me with the dishes?”

Aizawa mumbles in agreement and the three of them troop out of the door.

________________

Kaminari and Sero arrived about 30 minutes before the party was due to start.

“Dunce Face!” Izuku yelled, swivelling around on the counter. Bakugou busies himself affixing lids to the dishes of sauce, rice and meat.

Sero guffawed as Kaminari groaned and his shoulders slumped.

Izuku’s smile faltered at Kaminari’s reaction, “Did I say something wrong?”

“It’s okay matey, that’s just what Bakugou calls him,” Sero explained. “His proper name is Kaminari, you haven't really been introduced yet, huh?”

“Oh,” Izuku made grabby hands at them until they came forward, and held his arms up to Kaminari. He frowned uncertainly, but the toddler is hard to refuse and so he picked up Izuku. “I’m sorry, Kam-Kaminari.”

“It’s alright, mini-bro. I’m used to it really!” Kaminari said with a wink. Izuku smiled and then asks to be put down before leading round into the kitchen proper.

“Kacchan, you should call people by their names.” Like you do, you mean?

Bakugou grumbled but didn’t turn around.

“Kacchan.”

He can hear the chiding whine in Izuku’s voice and it would be infuriating if it wasn’t so goddamn endearing. He sighed and glanced over his shoulder before turning around completely.

Izuku is staring at him, face scrunched up in determined disapproval. Bakugou crossed his arms with one eyebrow raised. Izuku’s nose wrinkled even further.

Who am I kidding? I ain't gonna win.

“Tch. Fine. Kaminari , you get the rice,” he pointed to the biggest dish on the far right of the three. “ Sero , you get the sauce,” he indicated the dish in the middle.

They both wore matching shit-eating grins as they did as they were told and Bakugou glared at them as hard as possible.

“Not a goddamn word,” he hissed through his teeth, his voice thick with the promise of fiery death. Or at least fiery minor injuries.

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Sero sing-songed as the two of them made for the door again.

Kaminari stopped to let Sero through first. “Yeah, wouldn’t dream of it… Kacchan!”

And they ran, howling with laughter.

Bakugou snarled and launched himself out of the kitchen after them, his palms popping and sparking menacingly. But Izuku beat him to the door, crackling with green and Bakugou had to skid to a halt or risk knocking him over.

The look of disapproval was back. Bakugou dropped his hands and spread them, palms up and no longer ignited.

“What?” he asked with feigned innocence. It didn’t suit him.

“Why are you so angry at them? Izuku pouted at him.

We really gonna go there now?

“Dun- Kaminari said something he shouldn’t’ve.”

Izuku frowned then mumbled curiously, “But.. But he only called you ‘Kacchan’.”

“Exactly,” Bakugou grunted before spinning on his heel to pick up the meat dish.

When he turned back, Izuku’s whole demeanour had changed completely. The little boy was still standing in the doorway but the lightning had gone, leaving him looking even smaller. His head was down, hands clasped tight. Bakugou gently set the dish back down. What the...

“Hey,” he whispered from by the counter. Izuku didn’t look up and, to Bakugou’s immense confusion and discomfort, he heard the smallest of sniffles. He covered the distance between them in a heartbeat and dropped t his knees in front of Izuku.

“Hey,” he tried again as softly as he could manage. “What’s up, huh?”

Izuku finally looked up through his curls and Bakugou’s chest clenched at the sight of unshed tears.

“D-Do you not l-like it?” Izuku’s voice trembled.

“Not like what?” His hand moved to pull Izuku in, as was becoming so natural, but all of a sudden he was unsure if his touch would be welcome. His insides squirmed uncomfortably and he let his hand fall to his knees instead. Empty.

Izuku’s breath hitched and the tears began to fall in earnest as he asked, “B-Being called Ka-Kacchan?”

Bakugou’s eyes went wide. Oh. Oh, Izuku.

“Of course I do,” he breathed without hesitation, and he was struck by the sheer truth of that simple statement.

“B-But you g-got s-so angry,” Izuku stuttered through his sobs, rubbing at his wet cheeks with the backs of his hands.

Bakugou shuffled forward on his knees to lower Izuku’s hands. “At Kaminari,” he explained gently as he wiped away the remaining tears.

“B-But, but-”

I should’ve said this fucking forever ago.

He took a deep breath. “I got mad because it’s your nickname for me… and Kaminari knows that.”

Izuku looked surprised, then he whispered, “Just mine?”

Bakugou smiled and held out his hands, palms up again and beckoned Izuku to him. Small, soft hands were place in his and Bakugou squeezed gently as he held Izuku’s gaze.

Izuku, if you remember anything of this weekend afterwards, remember this. Please. Because I don’t know when I’ll be brave enough to say it again.

“Just yours.”

He tried to convey so much with those two small words. The nickname. Me. Just yours. 

Izuku finally smiled back and, in his wide green eyes, Bakugou thought he saw something older… a certain softness that would be beyond a 4 year old.

I hope you got all that, nerd.

Izuku tipped forward and pulled him into a hug. Bakugou stood up, lifting Izuku with him, he picked up the cutlets again and headed for the door. He can be a little late for his own party. The extras can fucking fight me.

Izuku sniffed once more, before resting his head on Bakugou’s shoulder and muttering, “Silly Dunce Face.”

Bakugou couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

______________

Kirishima was waiting outside for them and excitement radiated from him, like an overgrown puppy. He took the dish from Bakugou with one hand and ruffled Izuku’s hair with the other.

“Give us 2 minutes, then come in,” was all he said before slipping back inside.

The blinds on all the windows and doors had been drawn so that the common room could reamin a mystery.

Bakugou began to count.

“Kacchan…” Izuku whispered, “What’s going on?”

“You’ll find out in about 60 second,” he whispered back.

“But that’s ages!”

“45!”

“But Kacchan-”

“30. Count down with me.”

Izuku sighed dramatically, “Okie dokie.”

They got to 10 seconds

“Close your eyes, kiddo.”

Izuku did as he was told, smiling brightly and nearly vibrating. Bakugou put his hand on the handle.

“5…” they counted. “4…”

He pushed the handle down.

“3… 2…”

He pulled the door wide open.

“1.”

They stepped through.

________________

“S U R P R I S E!!!!”

Bakugou winced at the noise level and Izuku was so surprised that he nearly escaped Bakugou’s hold.

Then he shrieked, “We’re having a party?!”

“Yep!” Bakugou replied, unable to fight off his smile in the face of Izuku’s astonishment.

“Who for?” he asked, genuinely clueless.

“It’s for you, little man!” shouted Kirishima.

Confusion coloured Izuku’s face as he looked to Bakugou again.

“B-But it’s not my birthday... H- How come?”

Before Bakugou could reply, a calm, measured voice answered first.

"Because you're just that special, son." 

Bakugou froze but Izuku spun in his arms.

“Uncle!”

And sure enough, Bakugou Masaru was standing in the doorway that led to the dorms, looking as comfortable as if he were in his own home.

What the fuck is happening?

Then, two more people followed Masaru into the room.

“Mom?!” Izuku and Bakugou yelled together.

Bakugou stared dumbfounded at his parents and Auntie, dimly aware of the cheers and laughter surrounding him.

What. The fuck. Is happening?! Why is everyone here?! What the-

His eyes found Aizawa and Mic, standing off to the side with neither students nor parents. They both threw him a thumbs up and a grin apiece, one barely there and one all teeth.

“How d-” he began, but was cut off by a very squirmy little boy.

Izuku was tapping his chest impatiently, “Kacchan! Kacchan, quick! Put me down!”

Bakugou bent to oblige but as he set Izuku’s feet down he leaned in to whisper in his ear, “Maybe try to keep the Quirk usage to a minimum, huh?”

Izuku bit his lip but flashed him a smile back, gave one quick nod before tearing off across the room. W i th the beginnings of a grimace, Bakugou watched as Izuku launched himself at Auntie, but she caught him so deftly it was hard to believe it must’ve been over a decade since she’d done it last. Bakugou didn’t realise he was smiling until he spotted his own Mother’s grin, he quickly reigned his feature s back into his usual scowl and headed to the class first.

“ Bro! When did you invite your folks ? That’s super nice of you to do!” Kirishima pulled him into the group.

Bakugou shook his head, “I didn’t. They did,” he nodded to where their teachers were now talking to his parents and Auntie. “It’s cool for Izuku, but…” he chewed his tongue before looking around at his classmates. “How would you feel if your parents turned up here out of the blue?” discomfort making him practically spit the question at them.

“I’d be stoked!” exclaimed Kirishima brightly.

Pinky patted the red-head on the arm with a fond smile , “You’re stoked about everything, sweetie.”

Bakugou’s eye flicked to Kirishima and was surprised to see the faint flush tinging his cheeks. Huh..

“You should go and speak to them,” Sero nudged him.

Bakugou turned to glare at him. “Don’t fu-”

Jirou cut him off with a poke in the arm, “They came all this way.”

“Stop pis-”

He got two pokes in the back of the head. His eye twitched as he turned around and came face to chest with Shoji and Sato . For the second time that morning, his palms popped and sparked in irritation.

He glared up at their bemused faces, “Keep your goddamn-! ”

Yaomomo stepped between them, her hands spread placatingly. “Bakugou, I’m sure it would make ‘Zuku happy if you were part of the family reunion,” she said calmly, a small smile on her face. Bakugou dragged his eyes off of the others to give her a curt nod. She leaned it just a little to whisper to him, “We’ll get the music and everything going so that you won’t be stuck long. When i s All Might coming ?”

“Thanks,” he mumbled back, “He’s due at 1:45.”

Yaomomo nodded and started to chivvy the class into action once more, leaving Bakugou with no other option, so he slouched over to the adults with hands shoved deep in his pockets .

__________________

A untie smiled at him as he approached, and Izuku turned to see what she was looking at.

“Kacchan,” he whispered, leaning towards him with both arms out wide .

“Don’t you wanna stay with your Mom for a bit?” Bakugou asked him quietly, fists formed in his pockets as the others noticed him standing behind them .

Izuku seemed oblivious to the adults, but settled back into his Mom’s hold, he actually looked a little disappointed. Bakugou almost breathed easy again until Izuku’s expression cleared and with a bright smile, he held out a hand to him. Beckoning.

Instantly the atmosphere levelled up from casual notice to observation. Bakugou stiffened as the focus on them rang in his ears. The music the class were playing, and his parents and teachers’ voices became muffled. Surrounded as he was, he felt both exposed and cornered and it swept through his chest, across his shoulders. He wondered if anyone else could hear his heartbeat as his muscles tensed.

Fight.

Move.

“Kacchan,” Izuku whispered again, and red eyes found green ones . Bakugou’s hand twitched . The to d dler smiled and wiggled his fingers slightly, “ It’s okay.”

A nd Bakugou breathed.

Y eah. Yeah, it is okay.

He returned Izuku’s smile with a dramatic roll of his eyes that, deep down, he knew would fool no one watching. Then he stepped forward to take the proffered hand.

They’ll know.

I don’t care.

The whole exchange had taken maybe two seconds, but it had felt like an eternity to Bakugou , and when he finally looked at his Mother he saw that she was doing her best Cheshire Cat impression. His Dad, however, was positively beaming at him. Masaru was the fire blanket that ke pt their small family unit from volatile implosion, the salve to the many verbal barbs that he and his Mother threw at each other. Bakugou was sure they didn't deserve him.

The moment was acknowledged only by Inko shifting Izuku on her hip so he could better keep hold of Bakugou’s hand without twisting his arm, and by Aizawa shuffling Eri to one side to make for him in the circle. Other than that, the conversation carried on as if nothing had happened. He zoned most of it out and watched the class relax into party mode, most were passing around paper plates with cupcakes and sweets, or gathered in small groups just talking.

Mina was trying to teach Kirishima and Sero some sort of new dance move but they kept falling into fits of laughter at Iida doing the robot again. Yaomomo, Jirou and Kaminari were chatting as they sorted through music on their laptops. Uraraka floated candies for Tsu to snatch out of the air with her tongue; Dark Shadow kept managing to snag some and was handing them surreptitiously to Tokoyami.

Despite the class messing with him earlier, he knew deep down that there was no malice in any of it and t o his own very great surprise Bakugou realised he felt… not happy as such , but maybe content?

What the fuck is happening to me?

“ When is the… guest of honour arriving?” Auntie’s hushed voice brought him back to the moment. She was peering at him around the back of I zuku’s head. Bakugou checked his watch.

“In about 20 minutes,” he whispered as Izuku’s head began turning left and right to try and see them.

“Huh? Who else is coming? Everyone’s here already !” he threw his arms wide to the room as if to ask who else he could possibly want. Bakugou’s hand had to go with Izuku’s as he refused to let go.

“ You’ll find out in 20 minutes, sweetpea,” the Hag chimed in, her eyes glittering with ill-concealed mischief.

T his did not curb Izuku’s curiosity in the slightest. “ Is there someone else coming? Does everyone else already know?” There was an uncertainty weaved into the excited tremor in his voice.

“I don’t know,” said Eri quietly from Bakugou’s other side and Izuku’s head whipped around to look at her. She smiled at him and added, “We can find out together.”

Izuku smiled at her brightly. “Okay. That’s okay,” he breathed, nodding in relief.

He gets nervous about the weirdest things. Villains, no problem. Being the only one not in on the surprise, huge issue…

“Can you take Izuku for a while please, Katsuki?” Inko asked, already moving to hand over her son.

“Uhhh, sure, yep. Okay,” he quickly took Izuku from her as the boy himself whispered, “Yay, Kacchan.”

Inko began to rummage around in her handbag and produced a small camcorder.

“I do think this should be immortalised, don’t you?” she looked up at Bakugou and she was so happy and excited that he was almost glad this clusterfuck of a weekend had happened.

He nodded and rearranged Izuku so that he could keep an arm free, as his Dad began to herd them all to the main seating area where the class were. Before he had moved however, he felt a small hand slip into his free one. He looked down to see Eri looking back up at him with her wide red eyes, so different from his own. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Aizawa stop a little ways off.

Er.. this is unexpected.

He glanced at his hand that she was now holding and raised one eyebrow at her, “Hi?”

“Hi,” she said.

“Are you.. okay?”

She nodded. “I-Izuku likes you.” It wasn’t a question, but he felt the need to provide an answer, but Izuku beat him to it.

“I do! Kacchan’s the best. ”

S eriously, what the fuck is going on?

Eri nodded again, as if that was all the confirmation she needed. “Then I like you too,” she announced with a surprising amount of confidence. Bakugou’s eyes flicked to Aizawa who smiled softly at Eri before giving him a half shrug and following Mic to one of the sofas.

Was I just adopted? I feel like I’ve been adopted.

________________

Bakugou didn’t know why he was nervous. There was nothing riding on this. No grades, no training, but the butterflies in his stomach grew with each passing minute until it was 1:43 and the room went unnaturally quite.

Auntie had been filming some of what the other students had been up to, asking them to introduce themselves for the camera, and making a pass of where all the food was laid out; but now she was perched on the arm of a sofa with a clean view of both the double doors and where he and Izuku were sat.

He had received a text 3 minutes ago from All Might to say that he was heading across to the party. That had been forwarded to the group chat and nervous excitement had spread quickly amongst them. They were all All Might fans, it was natural and, as much as this was for Izuku, it was always special to see the former number one in full persona.

Jirou had turned the music down until it was merely background noise, but Bakugou could hear something… Like powerful string instruments and it was familiar but he couldn’t place it, or be sure he was hearing it at all. His heart was racing as he twisted so that he and Izuku were facing the door, just as a broad and towering silhouette could be seen through the blinds.

“Kacchan,” Izuku whispered, “Who’s that?”

“A very special surprise,” Bakugou whispered back.

The strings in his head reached a crescendo as the doors were pulled open, light shone in and the silhouette boomed-

“I AM HERE!!”

But Bakugou wasn’t watching All Might, he was watching Izuku’s face light up from the inside until he practically glowed. His eyes and smile were so wide there didn’t seem be enough room on his face for them. The little boys fists were clenched so tight in Bakugou’s tank that the knuckles went white but he didn’t gasp, he didn’t make a noise, he just stared intently at the silhouette.

All Might strode into the common room clad in his Golden Age costume, beaming around at them all.

Then Izuku gasped and hammered his little palms on Bakugou’s chest.

“Kacchan! KacchanKacchanit’sAllMightAllMightishereKacchan!”

“He absolutely is, buddy.”

Fucking hell don’t pass out.

“I AM HERE-!” All Might said again, “-TO SEE MIDORIYA IZUKU!!”

Then Izuku squealed. He stood in Bakugou’s lap and with a tight handful of blond spikes.

“KacchanAllMight’sheretosee me whyisheheretoseemeKacchanhe’sherehe’shere!”

Oh boy. Nerd alert.

“Hey, look at me a sec,” Bakugou whispered, and Izuku did. He could see the excitement bordering on complete hysteria in Izuku’s eyes. “ Deep breaths now, okay?”

I zuku nodded a little breathlessly, but took several deep breaths. Bakugou could feel the excitement thrumming beneath the boys skin.

“Wanna go say hi?”

Izuku looked downright terrified at the thought but he still nodded. Bakugou grinned, tucked Izuku into his chest and stood up to walk across to where All Might was.

All Might’s eyes zeroed in on the toddler and his bright smile softened, “ AHA! Are you Young Midoriya?”

Izuku’s grip had returned to Bakugou’s top, and it tightened as he nodded at All Might’s question. Then he held out a tiny hand which shook almost as much as his voice when he said, “M-My n-name is ‘Z-Zuku, M-MrAllMightSir.”

The Symbol of Peace squatted down to be at their level and enveloped Izuku’s hand, and most of his forearm, in a warm and friendly handshake.

“It is my honour to meet you, ‘Zuku.”

________________

The music had dialled back up and Izuku was in pride of place perched i n All Might’s arm s . He still insisted on keeping Bakugou close by though, to All Might’s great amusement. The former number one was more than willing to carry Izuku around the party and take pictures with everyone there, despite the fact that they’d see him in lessons on Monday albeit in his smaller form.

Bakugou just watched for any sign that All Might might be nearing his limit and would need to dash off. Izuku knew that the Hero couldn’t stay long, and quite happily jabbered about his ‘new found’ strength Quirk, which All Might was wonderfully intrigued by, plus the Quirks of the class, which of course All Might already knew about.

Then, Izuku introduced All Might to his Mom and the Bakugou’s. Auntie Inko did a splendid job at pretending they’d never met before, whereas Masaru and Mitsuki were more than a little starstruck.

Inko had put the camcorder down but took photo after photo as if determined to document every second.

“Would you like a group picture?” asked All Might

“That’s a great idea!” said Masaru and Inko together.

“ Then cake!” cried Izuku, clapping his hands together.

It took a few minutes to get everyone arranged, but the class insisted on having the adults plus Eri, Bakugou and Izuku in the middle and they stood and sat around them. Uraraka floated the camera at just the right height before setting the timer and running back to the group.

“Say Plus Ultra!” yelled Mic

“ P L U S U L T R A!!! ” Class 2-A, teachers and parents yelled in unison.

_______________

Bakugou was dishing up katsudon into smaller bowls for people to take as they pleased. Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero were seated nearby tucking in when Inko came across to pick up a bowl for herself first, then to take one across to Izuku and All Might. His stomach flipped when he realised that Auntie was about to try his cooking.

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck. I’ve never cooked for Auntie before. Oh shit. Her cooking is.. just.. the best. Oh fuuuuuck.

Kaminari startled him out of impending panic, by loudly announcing, “Bakubro, man! How do you do this? It’s, like the best thing I’ve ever eaten!”

Thankful for the distraction from Auntie’s first mouthfuls, whatifshehatesit, he rolled his eyes at Pikachu. “You say that about everything I make and it’s because you live on pop tarts and instant noodles otherwise.”

“ He’s right, Katsuki,” Auntie said to him quietly, a note of pride in her voice, “This is delicious. You’ll have to give me your recipe.”

Bakugou ducked his head as his face flushed pink but he gave her a very shy smile as he nodded. She patted him on the arm before picking up the other bowls and taking them to Izuku and All Might.

Shortly after , Sato’s brilliant cake had been presented and cut, then All Might announced that he had to leave, stating that duty was calling!

50 minutes to the second.

As everyone expected, Izuku began to well up as All Might promised to send him all sorts of signed merchandise and told him to continue to hone his power to become the best hero possible.

“I’m sure we’ll see each other again very soon, little ‘Zuku,” All Might was unable to keep the chuckle from his voice completely. Bakugou snorted and shook his head.

“Okie dokie, All Might!”

As All Might turned to leave, Izuku ran to ask him one more question.

With Izuku, there’s always one more question.

“Mr. All Might, Sir,” Izuku rushed, “How come you came here today?”

All Might smiled brightly, “Young Bakugou asked me to, dear boy. He thought it would make you very happy.”

“Kacchan asked… For me?”

“ Indeed. Was he right?”

Izuku nodded, and All Might smiled again as he ruffled the green curls.

He turned at the door to give an iconic thumbs to the room, to ecstatic cheers and yells, before pulling the doors shut behind him with a flourish.

Izuku ran to Bakugou and launched himself into his arms. “Thank you, Kacchan! This has been the best day ever!” Behind Izuku’s head the silhouette through the blinds thinned and stooped.

“I’m glad you’re having fun. The rest of the class have done most of the work though, and Aizawa invited your Mom,” he felt the need to explain that it wasn’t just him that was responsible.

“Really?!”

“Yep. Everyone’s been involved.”

“Wow!”

As they manoeuvred back into the main crowd they settled in to watch their classmates play charades and pictionary with copious amounts of soda and junk food and belly-aching laughter. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Auntie carrying two slices of cake. She slipped through the same door that All Might had left through, and her short silhouette joined the tall one that was still there.

Huh...

Izuku was sitting on the floor with the class and he was frowning seriously at his Uno cards. Bakugou watched him squint at the rest of the circle like they were all engaged in a high stakes game of poker. He had played his turn and Kaminari next to him made a regretful noise.

“Sorry, mini bro,” he said as he put down a reverse card.

The rest of the class that were gathered around oohed and hissed at Izuku’s bad fortune.

We’ve really got to get out more.

The toddler’s mouth twisted and his head dropped. He heaved a huge sigh before fixing Kaminari with big, green, puppy dog eyes cranked up to 100%. Guilt actually flashed across Pikachu’s face before Izuku replied quietly.

“Yeah, I’m sorry too…” he slowly placed his own reverse card on top of Kaminari’s and grinned wickedly, “Dunce Face.”

The class erupted into gales of laughter, even Kaminari nodded appreciatively at the play.

________________

“He’s always been competitive,” Inko muttered as she lowered her camera again – it had hardly left her hand all afternoon. Bakugou smirked.

Not like I can fucking comment on getting competitive.

His Mother, however, apparently was more than happy to.

“Good god, yes,” she laughed. “Katsuki was always bad enough on his own, but when they got together?!”

Their mothers started swapping reminiscences back and forth, getting gigglier which each one. Bakugou tried to tune them out but couldn’t help noticing Aizawa’s own smirk as he listened in, Bakugou didn’t like it in the slightest. To his relief, his Dad finally interrupted.

“Oh, but the competitions were nothing compared to the schemes they came up with together .”

Fucking traitor.

“L-Like when they thought they could make themselves taller!” The Hag cackled, smacking his Dad’s leg.

“And w-when we walked t-to see Kats-suki holding onto on to one of the legs of his bed-” Auntie struggled through her chuckles as Bakugou buried his head in his hands and groaned.

“Wile Izuku pulled on his legs-” his Dad continued for her, gesturing to Aizawa and Mic, “-to try to stretch Katsuki!”

The Mom’s dissolved into hysterics as his Dad chuckled lightly, glancing at his son.

You can divorce your parents, right?

“Is that why you’re taller than me, Kacchan?”

Bakugou choked on his own spit and the adults lost it completely. Izuku had appeared at the end of the sofa Bakugou was sitting on and was watching the adults happily. Without thinking, Bakugou sat up straight to take his elbows off of his knees and lift up the arm closest to Izuku in invitation. Izuku half ran to his side in his haste to take advantage of the opening. He didn’t climb up as Bakugou had expected though but instead stood next to him, and leaned across his lap.

What am I, a table?! Cheeky little fucker.

With only a small pout, he settled his arm around Izuku anyway. “Thought you were playing Uno?” he mumbled.

Izuku shrugged, nonchalantly. “Didn’t think it was fair on Dunce Face and the others.”

Bakugou huffed a laugh before asking, “Why? Because you’re the ultimate at Uno now?”

“Izuku’s grin was blinding. “Of course, Kacchan. Not just now, always! ”

I’m not proud. Nope. Not at all.

“Those are big words for someone so tiny,” he deadpanned back. He heard his Mother snort into her soda.

Izuku gasped, apparently affronted. “Rude, Kacchan!” Izuku poked him in the chest, his eyes alight with amusement, “When I’m big again-”

“You’ll what? Kick me in the ankles?” Bakugou jabbed Izuku in the side where he knew Izuku was ticklish, “I’m still taller than you, little nerd.”

Izuku crossed his arms dramatically and turned his head away from Bakugou, nose in the air.

“Guess we didn’t stretch you enough, huh?”

Izuku’s head snapped back around, and he slapped Bakugou’s leg as he hissed, “Ssshhhh, Kacchan! Mom doesn’t know we stretched me too!”

Bakugou gave a strangled sort of choke that he tried to clear with a gruff throat clear.

Shit. No, they did not know that. The just presumed they’d caught us on our first go… but Izuku had insisted on going first. Would they still be mad? Why do I even care?

They looked at each other with wide eyes.

Because Izuku cares.

They swallowed before turning to their parents and teachers. All the adults wore identical, expressions caught somewhere between shock and hilarity.

Auntie broke first.

“Oh! Oh, your faces!” she chortled merrily, clutching at Aizawa’s arm who startled at the contact.

“You both looked so guilty!” his Dad laughed as he patted The Hag on the back to stop her choking. “It’s been over a decade, I think you’re fine boys.”

Bakugou felt Izuku soften as he puffed out a breath of relief.

_______________

A great shout went up then from the class.

“What do you mean you’ve got no cards left?!” Sero yelled, “When did that happen?”

“About 3 turns ago,” Todoroki answered placidly to resounding groans.

Sero’s eye twitched and he took a deep breath, “Did you say Uno?”

Todoroki’s expression of polite bemusement fell into a frown, “Was I supposed to?”

Kaminari started to choke on his snacks.

“Has no one ever told Todo the rules?” whispered Izuku as he finally made his way onto Bakugou’s lap for a better view of the chaos.

“Not a clue,” he answered honestly.

“I’m sure they did,“ Aizawa mumbled. Then he added, smiling, “And I’m not convinced that Todoroki doesn’t remember the rules perfectly.”

“If he didn’t say Uno, it doesn’t count anyway!” exclaimed Mic as he glanced at his watch. “Sho’, I’m gonna take our lil listener back.”

Aizawa nodded and they all looked at where Eri was curled up like a cat on a pile of pillows – everyone in the class had fetched her one as soon as her eyelids had begun to droop.

“I’ll be along in a bit.”

Bakugou almost missed the brief touch of Mic’s had to Aizawa’s shoulder, subtle but sure, before Eri was gathered up and they heading for the door. The class waved and whispered goodbyes and goodnights as the two slipped out into the rapidly darkening evening.

____________

“So what happens tomorrow?” Auntie asked Aizawa quietly.

He heaved a sigh before answering, “The principal wants to know as soon as Midoriya changes back.” Turning to Bakugou and Izuku he continued, “So would I, for that matter. You’ve got my number, so let me know and we’ll go to the principal together. It probably goes without saying, but you’ll be exempt from attending lessons until Midoriya changes back, but we may have to work out a way of making sure you don’t fall behind.”

Bakugou nodded, a sudden thrill of nerves made him shiver slightly. Only Izuku noticed and he started to rub Bakugou’s bare arms.

“You should put a jacket on if you’re cold, Kacchan.”

The nerves only intensified as he watched the little boy in his lap.

What the fuck does happen tomorrow?

“You’ll let me know too, Katsuki?” Auntie’s voice brought him back sharply.

“Huh?” he said a little stupidly. “Uh, yeah, yeah. ‘Course I will.”

“Or Izuku will,” chimed his Dad.

“Yeah, I suppose you’ll lose your ability to work a phone again after he’s back to normal?” The Hag grinned at him and ruffled Izuku’s hair. Bakugou could only grit his teeth at her while the others chuckled good-naturedly.

______________

The evening had fallen proper when Masaru lightly slapped his own knees and announced, with a sigh, that they should probably make a move. As soon as Masaru stood up, Izuku wanted up to, and so with dramatic groan his Dad lifted the toddler off of his son’s lap.

“I’ll go and pick up our coats from the other room,” he said before wandering out with Izuku jabbering his ear.

Bakugou helped Auntie pack up the leftovers and wedge it all into the fridge. Several of the class had offered, but Auntie and his Mom had insisted on tidying, as the class had made everything in the first place.

“Did All Might get any cake?” The Hag asked as she wrapped three pieces in napkins before surrendering them to the depths of her handbag.

Bakugou caught Auntie’s eye and raised an eyebrow at her in question. While his own Mother missed the look she heard Auntie let out a very Izuku-like squeak. She whipped around just in time to see Auntie bury her beet-red face in her hands when she realised she’d been seen sneaking out earlier. Bakugou’s stomach dropped.

Fuck.

“Inko!” Mitsuki gasped, “What aren’t you telling me?!”

Aunties head popped back up and she waved her hands, rambling rapidly in flustered denial.

It’s like I’m looking at Izuku in a cardigan..

“There’s nothing to tell, Mitsuki!”

“Sure they isn’t,” Mitsuki only cackled as she nudged the other with an elbow. “It’s a long drive back, Inko,” she wheedled.

Auntie’s face screwed up in the first show of frustration Bakugou remembered ever seeing from her. His Mother wasn’t phased as they stared each other down in Class 2-A’s kitchen.

Auntie’s shoulders dropped slightly and his Mother’s Cheshire Cat grin was back.

“I rue the day I ever met you, Bakugou Mitsuki,” Auntie hissed with narrowed eyes.

Bakugou took a step back as she stalked past, and he was very relieved to see that she was smiling.

“Love you too, dear!” The Hag sang over her shoulder at Auntie’s retreating back. She saw her son’s face then. “She would’ve told me eventually, brat. Don’t worry about it.”

“Would she?” he couldn’t help the questioning surprise in his tone.

His Mother rolled her eyes at him. “I didn’t stop being Inko’s friend just because you stopped being Izuku’s.” Ouch. “Contrary to popular belief, the world does not actually revolve around you two,” she said bluntly. Say how you feel, Mom, jeez. “I can’t say we didn’t drift a little, and that you pair didn’t make it bloody difficult at times, but we never lost touch completely.” More quietly, she added, “It’s nice to have her back.”

They hung back a little to watch Inko and Masaru swing Izuku between them. Mitsuki sighed.

“What?” he grumbled.

“Whatever does happen tomorrow-” his Mom looked at him with something that could be considered affection in her eyes, “-don’t fuck it up.”

“Tch, fu-”

“He’s a good one. He deserves the best.”

“I know that-” he started angrily.

“Look. I don’t know why, but the good one’s find people like us-” she gestured between them, “and make us want to be better. Be the best we can be. For them.” His Mother was speaking softer than he’d ever heard her, and he followed her gaze to find she was looking, not at Izuku, but at his Dad.

“Mom, I-” Bakugou had no idea what he was going to say. This was entirely new territory for them, so he ducked his head instead.

“You would be unstoppable on the same team,” she put a hand on his cheek to make him meet her matching red gaze. “Trust me when I say, there is not better partner than one that understands what’s going on in here-” she tapped him between the eyes, “-and in here,” she poked him in the chest.

Bakugou didn’t trust himself to speak so he just nodded. She smiled before pulling him into a hug.

“I don’t say it enough, but I am so proud of you, Kitty,” she whispered. He just squeezed her back and hoped she understood.

“One more thing though...” she let him go and stepped back, “…if Izuku is anything like your Father, you’re gonna need to be real clear.” The softness had vanished from her voice, and Bakugou had the feeling that their delicate moment was about to be pulverised.

“What d’you-” he dared to start.

“I could’ve worn nothing but a gift tag with his name on and he still wouldn’t have cottoned on,” she hollered gleefully, as she walked to the others

“Mom! Jesus Christ!” he forced the heels of his hands into his eyes.

Can you bleach a brain?

“I was trying to be a gentleman!” he heard his Dad protest.

“You were clueless,” his Mother goaded.

Masaru shook his head and smiled, “I got there in the end.” He held out his hand to her, “Got everything?”

His Mom took it before saying yes.

“Inko?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m ready.”

Then, they all looked down at Izuku, who was frowning hard at the floor. Bakugou crouched down.

“Time to say goodbye, buddy,” he whispered.

This was always going to go spectacularly badly. He’s got to be so tired by now too.

Izuku shook his head stubbornly. Bakugou’s eyes flicked to Inko as he saw her hand twitch, he could see that she desperately wanted to scoop up her son, but knew it would only make things worse in this moment. His parents pulled her between them, and they each held one of her hands. Bakugou poked Izuku’s side, “You can see everyone again in a few days.”

Izuku’s feet shuffled, and he peeked out from behind the curl curtain, “Promise?”

“Yeah,” Bakugou nodded. “We can go together, if you like?”

Izuku sniffed, and rubbed at his eyes. “Okay,” he mumbled.

_____________

He hugged everyone tightly, and Auntie got butterfly kisses and extra squeezes. He even hugged Aizawa who had been hovering in the background to give the family space, but ready to escort the visitors back to the main exit.

Izuku’s lip was trembling when he held his arms up to Bakugou. The sniffles started as he tucked his head into Bakugou’s neck when they stood in the doorway and waved their parents into the dark. The tears came when Bakugou shut the door behind him.

They made it all the way to the corridor leading to the dorm rooms before heartbreaking sobs racked Izuku’s body.

“I miss them already,” Izuku hiccuped into Bakugou’s shoulder.

“I know, it’s okay to be sad.” Bakugou tightened his arms around Izuku while he cried. They had nowhere to be, they could just walk until Izuku settled.

“I got you,” Bakugou muttered into green curls.

When the sobs had subsided into hiccups they headed back to the common room to get Izuku a cup of water. It was still a little early for bed even by Bakugou’s standards so they sat next to Todoroki and watched some of the guys play Doom Eternal. They’d somehow managed to turn into a group effort, which meant that every time you died the controller got handed to the next person. They’d maxed out the difficulty so current turnover rate was… high.

Bakugou liked Doom; it was a game where you spent the entire time slaughtering aliens in increasingly over the top, gory ways to a truly kickass soundtrack. What was not to like? Did he relate to an unstoppable force mowing down foes with impunity? Maybe. Had he bought the soundtrack to spend innumerable hours trying to learn the drum sections in his down time? Also maybe.

He watched Tokoyami hand off to Jirou with Kaminari next in line. Would they be willing to learn to guitar sections? That’d be fucking ama-

“How come you didn’t say ‘Uno’, Todo?” Izuku chirruped from his lap.

Todoroki shrugged, “It didn’t really matter to me that I’d won.” Bakugou quirked an eyebrow at him in way that said, Come off it, you’re as fucking bad as we are. Todoroki smiled and refocused on the group jostling each other in front of the TV. “I was just happy to be part of the game,” he said quietly. Sero happened to look around then and, after catching Half and Half’s eye, did some stupid slow motion head banging with his tongue out to the game music. He even put one fist into the air, his pinky and index fingers pointing at the ceiling.

Bakugou was about to call him a fucking moron when he heard Todoroki chuckle? He turned his head so fast his neck clicked and his mouth fell open at the faintest shade of pink colouring IcyHot’s usually pale face.

What the fucking fuck?!

“Sap,” Bakugou said with a grin.

Todoroki’s eyes narrowed but the blush deepened and Bakugou had to guffaw incredulously.

“Hey ’Zuku, watch this,” Todoroki whispered and created a miniature ice horse in his hand that he puppeted with his fingers. With Izuku focused completely on the spectacle, Todoroki lifted his other hand up out of the toddler’s field of view and presented his middle finger to Bakugou’s face. This only served to make Bakugou positively howl.

“Like you can fucking talk,” Half and Half grumbled out of the corner of his mouth. Bakugou’s mouth snapped shut and Todoroki got flipped off in return.

____________________

Worn out in every way and wedged in between Bakugou and Todoroki’s left side, Izuku’s eyes began to drift closed, head lolling to the side.

“Oi,” Bakugou nudged him lightly, “You ain’t sleeping here, nerd.”

“But, Kacchaaaan,” Izuku whined, wriggling deeper into the sofa, “S’warm.”

“Uh-uh, you’ve eaten a cubic butt-load of sugar today, you’ve gotta brush your teeth,” Bakugou shook his head, ignoring IcyHot’s snort.

“Todo, tell Kacchan I can sleep here,” Izuku wheedled, wiping the smirk off of Half and Half’s stupid face. Bakugou shook his head vehemently at him from behind Izuku’s back.

Todoroki rolled his eyes before answering, “You really should brush your teeth before going to sleep, Izuku.”

Izuku groaned dramatically and flopped sideways onto Bakugou’s lap. “Fine,” he mumbled.

Bakugou barked a laugh and bundled Izuku into his arms as he stood.

“You gonna say goodnight to everyone?” he asked as Izuku yawned widely.

The toddler shuffled around in Bakugou’s grasp and called to the class, “It’s bed time now! Thank you for my party!”

There class cooed and awwed and there was a scattered response of “You’re welcome, ‘Zuku” and “No problem!”

“Night night everyone,” Izuku rubbed at his eyes with one hand and waved with the other, before yawning again.

There was a resounding chorus of “Night, night, ‘Zuku. See you in the morning!”

As Bakugou made and turned for the stairs several voices added, “Goodnight, Bakugou!” He only gave a short wave over his shoulder in acknowledgement.

They entered Izuku’s room and Bakugou deposited him in the bathroom.

“Brush,” he pointed to the sink and nudged Eri’s step in front of him. Izuku groaned again but started to wash up for bed. Bakugou left him to it to try and source some sort of pyjama situation for him. He couldn’t very well sleep in the clothes he’d spent all day in, and he couldn’t possibly wear the All might pj’s from yesterday. Bakugou paused for a second before opening Izuku’s drawers, he didn’t feel right going through the nerds things but there wasn’t much else he could do at the moment and he wasn’t going anywhere near the underwear drawer. The very thought made him flush to roots of his hair. Shaking his head roughly he managed to find an old tshirt that he hadn’t seen Izuku wear in ages and a pair of shorts with a very frayed drawstring waist.

Jeez, one wrong move and these will fall apart, but they’ll do. He’s only gonna be sleeping in ‘em.

Izuku came out of the bathroom then, rubbing at his eyes again.

“Nearly there, kiddo,” Bakugou chuckled quietly, “Put these one and get into bed, while I brush my teeth, okay?”

Izuku nodded, focusing on the clothes he was being offered as Bakugou ruffled his hair.

He was drying his face when he heard Izuku call, “Kacchan, these are too big!” He exited the bathroom and couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. The shirt came down to Izuku’s knees and shorts hem brushed the floor.

“Kacchan, stop laughing at me!”

“I’m sorry, buddy. They’re only for tonight, I promise. Now, into bed.”

As Izuku clambered up Bakugou noticed that he’d folded the clothes he’d been wearing today and had placed them on the desk chair. He smiled as he turned off the lights and practically fell under his covers, incredibly thankful that this would be his last night on the floor. He could hear Izuku still shuffling around in the dark.

“Izuku, what’re you doing?” he sighed as Izuku landed on his mattress, narrowly missing his shins.

“Forgot to pee,” Izuku whispered and tottered back to the bathroom.

“B-be quick,” he yawned.

“Okie dokie, Kacchan.”

After a few minutes he heard the step scrape across the tiles and the tap running, before Izuku eventually emerged, pushing the door closed behind him.

Bakugou tucked his feet up so that Izuku could climb back into bed, but Izuku just stood at the foot of the mattress. His little hands were opening and closing and he glanced between Bakugou, the bed and his own toes several times.

Bakugou frowned for a split second before realising what was going on.

“Just get in, nerd,” he said resignedly, pulling back his blankets.

He’ll end up in here anyway no doubt.

Izuku’s face split into a smile in the semi-dark before he quickly crawled to his usual spot, curled into Bakugou’s chest. With a head of green curls resting on his one arm, Bakugou tucked them both in.

“Now, sleep,” he muttered.

“Okay.”

Bakugou closed his eyes and fought off the instinct telling him to curl around the small form in front of him, instead concentrating on deepening and evening out his breathing.

“Kacchan?” Nevermind.

“Mmhm?”

“I met All Might today,” Izuku whispered with clear awe and wonder.

Bakugou grinned, “Yeah, you did.” Replaying the memory of Izuku’s face as All Might entered the room warmed his chest. “Didja have a good day?”

“B-best day e-ever,” Izuku yawned again.

“Thasgood,” sleep beginning to blur the lines between his words.

“Thank you, Kacchan.”

“S’alright, buddy. Di’n’t really do much.”

There was a pause that almost felt like Izuku was going to argue, but instead he just whispered, “Thank you anyway. Night, night, Kacchan.”

“Night, ‘Zuku,” Bakugou barely breathed, before sleep took them both.

________________

“K-Kacchan?”

Bakugou felt Izuku shift a little and hair brushed his chin.

“Ssh, nerd,” he tightened his arms around Izuku, holding him close. “So’okay. You’re alright, go back to sleep.” Bakugou’s words were slurred and mostly whispered into curls

“O-okay, Kacchan.”

Izuku shifted once more and Bakugou felt something brush his ankle.

Toes.

His brow furrowed as he breathed deeply into the hair still by his face.

Izuku’s toes are by my ankles.

Warmth and comfort began to drag him back under.

Wait.

Bakugou’s eyes flew open and he froze. He felt Izuku still completely, he was still holding him.

Cuddl-

HOLY FUCKING SHIT LET HIM GO!

“Ka-?!”

Bakugou tried to yank his arm out from under Izuku’s head and sit up to move away at the same time. He practically launched Izuku off the mattress and into the gap under the bed, and as he turned to put space between them in his panic he caught the top of his head on the underside of Izuku’s desk with an almighty *clunk*.

“Fuckin- Ow!” he hissed.

He heard a snort come from under the ned and his heart hammered, his head already starting to throb in rhythm.

“Kacchan, are you okay? Izuku’s head emerged from the shadows. “That sounded like it hurt.”

Bakugou rubbed at his skull and stared at his knees.

Shit shit shit shit shit. He sounds back to normal.

He chanced a glance at where Izuku was wriggling out from under the bed. All 5 foot something of him. He had his tongue between his teeth.

Cute.

“Shut the fuck up,” he hissed at himself, flicking his eyes back to his decidedly uncute knees.

“Huh?”

Bakugou felt his face redden and he bit his lip, overwhelmingly conscious that there was less than 2 feet of mattress between them.

“Said I’m fine,” he grunted, thankful for the darkness.

“Oh! Good, good,” Izukue said a little breathlessly.

He swallowed hard, “What about you?” Could Izuku heart the quiver in his voice? Probably, the nerd never misses a trick. He moved his eyes from his knees to the ceiling.

“Hm? Oh, I’m alright, I think. Seem to be all present and correct.”

He heard Izuku pat himself down as if he were actually checking for missing body parts.

Can I still call him Izuku? Will he want me to or- or

“And- umm- w-what do you remember?” his voice definitely broke a little then.

When he didn’t receive an immediate response he finally, finally looked at Izuku. Sat with his back to the bed he had his chin on his knees, arms around his shins. His green eyes, fixed on Bakugou, shone but with what he couldn’t name.

“Kacchan..” he whispered, so quietly.

“What?” he almost snapped. He realised he was nearly shaking and he had no idea which answer he wanted to hear. Which outcome. Disappointment or vulnerability?

“Kacchan,” Izuku breathed again with a soft smile. Was that affection or pity in his voice? How the fuck am I supposed to know?

“I remember everything.”

His ears rang. Bakugou nodded and then did the only thing he could think of. He slowly stood up, stepped off the mattress, and shut himself in the bathroom.

In for 4. Out for 8. In for 4. Out for 8.

Bakugou was sitting on the toilet with his head in his hands, one leg bouncing up and down in agitation. Izuku hadn’t knocked the bathroom door at all, nor had he tried to coax Bakugou out.

He knows me better than that…

He knows me better than anyone.

He took another deep breath followed by one more long, slow exhale. The jigging in his leg slowed as he began to reign in some of the panic that had flash flooded his brain when Izuku had said… had said..

Shit… okay.

Bakugou rolled his shoulders and shook his arms out, he needed to move. His first instinct would be to run the energy off, to spar until his brain went numb and his body ached. That wasn’t an option here, if he ran now it was all over. They needed to talk, or at least Bakugou needed to talk. Properly. With words. And like fucking fuck did he know how. Instead he stood up and bounced from foot to foot and met his own gaze in the mirror.

Izuku didn’t look upset by what he remembered.

Bakugou’s stomach did a weird little hopeful wobble thing.

He looked… happy?

His stomach stopped wobbling and began to outright dissolve. No. That was too much to presume all he could say for sure was that Izuku hadn’t looked pissed off. And that would have to do. He took one more deep breath. Bakugou grit his teeth, set his jaw and glared down his nose at his own reflection.

Okay. Let’s fucking do this.

With his back ramrod straight, he turned and yanked the bathroom door open only to nearly tread on Izuku as he toppled backwards inside.

Bakugou blinked down at him lying flat on the tiles. “Were you just sitting outside, leaning up the door?” he grumbled, the corner of his mouth itching to creep up.

“Absolutely not,” said Izuku, smiling brightly up at Bakugou.

“ Tch,” he shook his head slightly stepping over Izuku. “What time is it?”

“3:30,” Izuku grunted slightly as he rolled to his feet.

Bakugou scrubbed a hand down his face and glanced at Izuku, who was struggling with the now far too small t-shirt, it was now more like a crop top than anything. It would’ve been funny if Bakugou hadn’t been struck dumb by how fucking pretty Izuku was caught in the light from the bathroom. Tongue between his teeth again, Izuku was trying to get a grip on the material . Bakugou watched as he huffed, nose scrunched in frustration, making funny little noises as he twisted.

Jesus fucking christ, look at him.

He must’ve been smiling, and Izuku must’ve caught him.

“Kacchan! Don’t just laugh at me, help!”

Oh no.

“Fuck no,” he grunted. Smooth.

“ You suck, Kacchan,” Izuku hissed back, now very annoyed. His face was pink and his brow furrowed. “Fuck this,” he muttered under his breath, and Bakugou’s eyebrows shot into his hair. Izuku grabbed the hem of the shirt with both hands. With one quick pull, and without the faintest flash of green, he ripped the shirt from hem to collar then shrugged out of it like a jacket.

“I really liked that shirt,” he said with a sigh. “This is you r fault, Kacchan,” he brandished the shredded shirt, then he balled it up and hurled it at Bakugou with a grin.

Bakugou caught it before it hit his face but only just. “Hahh? The fuck ?”

“ You could’ve helped!” Yeah, no, I couldn’t’ve.

Bakugou only shrugged instead as Izuku rummaged for a new shirt.

Now… Say something now.

He opened his mouth and shut it again.

Anytime, fuckwit. Any thing

Izuku picked up his own phone and flashed Bakugou a small smile.

“ Aizawa said he wanted to know as soon as you turned back,” the words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them. Anything but that .

“Yeah, I remember,” Izuku sank back down to the mattress cross legged, and began flicking through his phone now, eyes darting back and forth.

B akugou remained standing. Awkwardly.

Deep breath. Try again.

Staring at the t-shirt he was still clutching in his hands, he started, “Lo ok-”

But Izuku interrupted. Glancing up from whatever he’d been reading, head tilted to one side, as if surveying Bakugou, he said very quietly, “Why didn’t you say that the party yesterday was your idea?”

B a kugou’s half-cocked, total clusterfuck of a train of thought ploughed headlong into a wall .

His eyes dropped again, and his stomach followed . “Does it matter?” he asked the t-shirt still clutched in his hands . One question ruining his plan to steer the conversation . One foot started to tap as the nerves blossomed again.

“I think.. maybe it does?” Izuku’s voice twisted upwards at the end, and Bakugou hoped it was hope he could hear.. The urge to run still crept down his back despite him knowing he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.

“Look,” Bakugou tried again, “Iz-uh.. Dek-hmm-”

Excellent start. A plus. Round of a-fucking-pplause.

He heard Izuku chuckle, and he flushed.

“ You can still call me Izuku, Kacchan,” Izuku whispered. Bakugou’s head snapped up to see Izuku’s eyes flick away from his face to one of the many posters adorning the walls. “I-I actually think I’d like you to… You know, if-if you want.”

Bakugou’s eyes went wide and he swallowed.

Okayokayokayokayokayokayokay

“Look, I-Izuku-” Jeez, how does that feel so different now, “I wanted to do something.. something nice, I guess? I don’t fucking know.” He ran a hand through his hair puffing his cheeks out, and Izuku stood up.

“Why?”

“Because!” Bakugou threw both hands up, fingers spread wide. Izuku stepped towards him and Bakugou eyed him like an opponent, every nerve on end.

Then Izuku looked up and their eyes met, and t he storm threatening to rage inside him hushed . His foot stilled, his hand s relaxed their death grip on the t-shirt and he sighed.

“ Because I like you.”

Izuku stopped in front of him, a soft smile on his face, eyes shining.

“ Really?”

“Really.”

Bakugou watched as the first face he could remember seeing, after his parents, split into a blinding smile, and joy rolled off Izuku in waves.

“Izuku,” Bakugou breathed, relishing how new the name felt in his mouth despite saying it all weekend. He reached for Izuku’s fingers but ended up with his arms full as Izuku rushed at him. Strong arms wrapped around him, lifted him and spun him around.

“Oi!” he yelped, “Let me go, ya damn nerd!”

“Never!” Izuku laughed against his chest. And goddamn if that didn’t soften everything in his chest. If it made Izuku laugh like that then he could spin them round until they vomited.

E ventually Izuku stopped but didn’t let go, Bakugou brought his arms up and around him and they just held each other in the dark of Izuku’s room.

“ You know, I really like you too,” Izuku said into Bakugou’s chest, he could feel hot breath through his shirt.

“ Of course you do, I’m awesome,” he rumbled quietly, flinching slightly when Izuku pinched him. “I figured, you know with the hug and the spinning .. but it’s nice to hear.” It’s a fucking godsend to hear.

“I’ll tell you everyday.” The clear affection in Izuku’s voice made Bakugou flush and he didn’t doubt i t for a second. Izuku’s voice quivered when he continued, “I- I never considered that you might like me.. like I..that you liked me back. I-I mean, I hoped but-”

Back. Liked me back.

“Izuku,” he leant back slightly, “Look at me.” Izuku did, and Bakugou considered just staying like this forever, as he braved tucking a curl behind Izuku’s ear . “It’s always been you. I’m sorry it took me so long to realise.”

Izuku’s face crumpled as his eyes filled with tears.

“ Ka- Kacchan,” Izuku hiccupped. “You t-took a-ages,” he grinned through his sobs.

Oh. That’s how it is, is it?

Bakugou wrinkled his nose and dropped his arms dramatically. He bent back wards in I zuku’s hold as if he were trying to pull away.

“Noo oo, no , Kacchan! You took the perfect amount of time! I’m sorry, come back!” Izuku hiccup-laughed tightening his grip and Bakugou absolutely didn’t smile at the feeling of Izuku’s hands pulling on his shirt, reeling him back in.

“Such a rude ner d,” he muttered when he straightened back into the hug.

“ Says the loudmouth that beats me in nearly every test,” Izuku quipped as he squeezed him. Something clicked in Bakugou’s chest, like a key finding its lock. He smiled again, he wondered if he’d ever stop.

“ That’s because you’re a moron.”

Izuku muttered something that he couldn’t quite catch then.

“Say again?”

Izuku stopped breathing for half a second before answering, “I said… shouldn’t we tell Aizawa that I’m back?”

“Like hell you did, but you’re probably right.”

“Do we dare wake Eraserhead at, what, 4am?”

“I bet he’s awake already.”

“Bet he isn’t.”

“You wanna fuckin’ go?” Bakugou grinned down at where Izuku still had his face pressed against his ch est. Izuku snorted and rolled his eyes, but he let go and headed to his chest of drawers.

Bakugou loathed how cold he felt once Izuku had moved, and realised that it felt like a part of his chest had gone with him across the room. With a huff he picked up his phone and pulled up the contact. His thumb hovered over the call button.

“If he’s asleep, he’ll kill us,” said Izuku.

“I’m telling you he isn’t,” replied Bakugou, watching Izuku rummage. “He might kill us anyway I suppose.”

“ If he’s awake already, I’ll give you this- ” Izuku emerged from the drawer and held up a limited edition All Might trading card, “-and I know you don’t have this one already.” Izuku waved the card in front of Bakugou’s face. I do not have that one, goddammit . “And if he is asleep, then I get that Bronze Age plushie that I know you absolutely do have.”

“You… son of a bitch,” Bakugou hissed. “You’re on.” He pressed the call button with a little more force than necessary.

They stared at the phone like it was a bomb as it rang.

*Click*

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Bakugou,” came a gruff drawl down the line.

“’Fraid not, Sir ,” Bakugou replied. He shot a grin at Izuku, who frowned back and mouthed, ‘ Proves nothing!’

Their teacher sighed before speaking again, “Midoriya?”

“Yes, Sir?”

“How’d you feel?”

“Fine, Sir. Pretty great, actually.” Their eyes met over the phone and they both went pink.

“Good,” said Aizawa. “I’ll meet you both in your common room in 15 minutes and we’ll go and see the Principal. I’ll give him the heads up.”

“Yes, Sir,” they replied together and the call ended.

Bakugou pocketed his phone and went to his bag to pull out a hoody.

“Kacchan?”

He grunted in response as he wrestled the sleeve the right way in and began to pull it on.

“What made you realise?”

Bakugou stopped his only his hair sticking through the neck of the hoody. “Does that matter?” he asked the fleecy inside.

“I guess not, but I’m curious.”

His head popped through the hoody, and he pursed his lips at Izuku.

“Kirishima.”

“Huh?”

“ The fucker’s annoyingly perceptive, and he…,” Bakugou chewed on his words for second. “He made me realise that it’s not up to me who you deserve.” The feeling of needing to run was creeping back.

Izuku’s eyebrows rose, and he stuttered, “D-Didn’t deserve-” Then his eyes narrowed. “You thought you didn’t deserve me?! Kacchan, if anything it’s the other-”

“Stop,” Bakugou interrupted sharply, but Izuku opened his mouth to argue. “Please,” he breathed.

“Kacchan..”

“I-” Bakugou heaved a sigh and then, under the weight of everything this weekend had thrown at him plus 3am, a dam broke, “I-I’ve got some stuff I need to work on. I know that. That deserving/not deserving bullshit is part of it I think. And this weekend has been a lot.. Jesus, the last half an hour has been.. Kirishima helped, and Aizawa - and I promise I’ll fill you in but not- not now.”

Izuku came back to him and held out a hand, “Okay. Whenever you’re ready.”

Bakugou took Izuku’s hand and let him lead them to the dormroom door.

While locking the door behind them, Izuku whispered, “Are the nightmares regular?”

“More often than not,” Bakugou said. “Yours?”

Izuku blanched, before nodding once, “About the same.” He gave Bakugou’s hand a squeeze and muttered as he lead them up the corridor, “Maybe… Maybe we can talk to someone about it. You know, together.”

Bakugou stopped dead in his tracks and Izuku was pulled sharply back, he spun to look at Bakugou.

“Kacchan, wha-”

“You’d do that?”

“What?”

“Come with me to- to talk to a proper person about… about shit?”

“I’ll come and talk about shit to as many proper people as you need me to,” Izuku grinned at him.

Despite the joke, perhaps because of the joke, a lump formed in Bakugou’s throat. He tugged Izuku into his arms once more and pressed his face into the green curls.

“I was right,” he mumbled, “I don’t deserve you.”

“Ka-!” Izuku’s retort was cut off as Bakugou pressed his lips to Izuku’s forehead. It surprised them both.

Pulling away, Bakugou cleared his throat gruffly, “Come on, Aizawa definitely will kill us if we’re late.” He marched off up the corridor, face a furious pink, Izuku following along behind him.

He didn’t look round until, as they began to descend the stairs. he felt his arm being tugged upwards at a very strange angle.

“Izuku, what the fu-” he turned to see Izuku, still clutching his hand, floating just above head height with his spare hand covering his face.

“What are you doing,” Bakugou hissed. “Get the fuck down.”

“I can’t,” Izuku hissed back. “Don’t you think I would’ve done, if I could?”

“How long have you been up there?”

Izuku blushed horrendously as he muttered through his fingers, “Since you kissed me… It’ll wear off when-when the b-butterflies die down.”

Bakugou grinned and preened under the fact that he had caused this sort of reaction. Instead of answering he altered his grip on Izuku’s hand and continued down the stairs. Izuku bobbing along behind him.

“Kacchan, I might be able to get Float under control again if- if we weren’t holding hands,” Izuku whispered.

“Hmm, yeah, probably-” Bakugou shot a smile over his shoulder up at Izuku, “-too bad I’m never letting go, huh?”

He heard Izuku laugh lightly and felt lips press to his knuckles. Bakugou gently squeezed the hand in his and realised that it was exactly as he’d imagined it on the way back from the store. Warm, calloused, crooked and like it was made to fit in his.

Aizawa was waiting for them in the common room, leaning against one of the sofas clad in his usual black but with slippers that definitely had whiskers.

“I don’t want to know,” Aizawa sighed as they approached, eyes flicked between Bakugou and the still floating Izuku. “Just follow me.” He lead them out of the common room and through already lightening corridors.

“I’m sorry for waking you so early, Aizawa-sensei,” mumbled Izuku as they followed in his wake.

Aizawa waved away the apology. “I was up anyway, nothing to worry about.”

Bakugou turned to grin widely at Izuku who wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue.

I fucking win, that trading card is mii-iine.

They entered the Principal’s office to see the man-dog-rat himself perched behind his desk, dressed impeccably as always despite it being the ass-crack of dawn. If the Principal thought Bakugou’s Izuku-balloon was strange, he didn’t say anything, only smiled amicably at them all. On the glossy desk in front of him was a tea tray set for 5.

“We’re just waiting on one more, gentlemen. But please-” he gestured to the chairs between them and him, “- take a seat and help yourselves.”

As if on cue, the door they had just closed reopened and All Might entered, eyes finding Izuku immediately.

“Young Midoriya! You’re ba- What’re you doing up there?” he exclaimed as his bony face crinkled into a bemused smile. Izuku began to stammer and Bakugou felt him inch higher. He glanced up at Izuku, he was blushing madly and tripping over his words.

“Want me to handle it?” Bakugou muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Izuku squeaked and nodded, tightening his grip on Bakugou’s hand as his feet lifted above his head. Without taking his eyes off Izuku, he said, “Nerd got flustered so Float’s acting up.”

All Might looked from Bakugou to Izuku’s bright pink but happy face, and to their joined hands in the middle. He flashed them a wide smile, then poured them all tea.

___________________ 

Izuku slowly returned to ground level as they talked through the weekend from his perspective, landing in the armchair next to Bakugou with a soft fwump.

“I was aware of everything that was happening, so I remember everything… but it was almost like watching a recording..” Izuku sipped his tea, then shook his head quickly. “No, more like playing a video game with limited control options… and all the dialogue was written by a 4 year old.”

That pulled a chuckle from the room.

“And I’m very sorry I didn’t recognise you on Friday, All Might,” Izuku looked mortified at the memory but All Might just shook his head gently.

“That’s quite alright, my boy. You didn’t recognise any of us.”

“What about control of your Quirk,” Nezu asked over the rim of his own cup.

“That’s more… difficult to explain. It was like I accessed it accidentally, or more naturally… It was easier because it didn’t occur to me that I couldn’t use it. I don’t know if that makes sense, I need to think it over some more. I don’t think I could’ve used the percentage I can now however, the smaller body probably wouldn’t have been able to take the strain..” Izuku mumbled, his speech quickening, words beginning to run together.

Bakugou could see that he was teetering on the edge of a mutter-pit with his fingers twitching back and forth, taking notes on his thigh in the absence of a notebook.

I’ve fucking missed you.

Bakugou cleared his throat, and everyone’s attention snapped to him. He hadn’t said anything since All Might’s arrival..

“Would it be worth Izuku getting everything down on paper and meeting with you properly later in the week, Sir?” He addressed Nezu directly, however in his periphery saw Izuku smile at him in his peripheral vision.

The Principal smiled, furry face giving nothing away, before turning back to Izuku. 

“Midoriya, would that be suitable for you? I hear you have quite the talent for Quirk analysis and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been curious to see it in action,” he said genially.

With a small gasp, Izuku was nodding enthusiastically. “Y-Yes, Sir. I’d be honoured!”

Nezu clapped his hands together, “Excellent, I look forward to it! Now, we will expect you both back in lessons this afternoon, however a visit to Recovery Girl is in order first. I know you have said you feel fine, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Off you go now, chop chop.”

Izuku and Bakugou stood, bowed and left the office.

With the sun now fully up, and the sounds of a school stirring from sleep drifting through the building, they made for Recovery Girl’s infirmary.

________________

Izuku hadn’t stopped muttering since they’d left the office, Bakugou knew he’d barely been holding back the flow and so had let him ramble uninterrupted. He’d never admit it out loud, but it was endearing, it was the soundtrack to his life and he’d missed it. From what he was picking up, Izuku was quickly pulling apart the effects of the Quirk and Nezu could probably expect a full report, typed with appendices, by breakfast tomorrow.

As they walked, Bakugou nudged his shoulder against Izuku’s to bring him back to Earth.

“Oi, nerd, you good?”

“Huh?” Izuku looked up and Bakugou saw his eyes refocus on where they were. “Oh, yeah, sorry, Kacchan. I’m fine, just y’know.” He gestured vaguely at his own head.

“I know, it’s okay.” Izuku’s shoulders relaxed and he smiled, and Bakugou thought it might be his favourite sight in the world. “It’s a lot before breakfast.”

“Mmhm, I’m starving,” whined Izuku, causing Bakugou to snort at him. Their fingers brushed then and Izuku’s teeth appeared briefly to worry his bottom lip before he slid his fingers in between Bakugou’s, interlacing them together. The intimacy of the move and quiet confidence from Izuku caused Bakugou to stop in his tracks. Izuku turned.

“This okay?” he asked softly. Bakugou knew what he was asking. This wasn’t the first time they’d held hands this morning by any stretch, but this time they weren’t running on post Izuku transformation nerves, or post confession adrenaline now. This time it was, “Are you sure? Are you still on board?”

Bakugou looked at Izuku as they stood in the empty corridor, the sun filtering through his curls from the window behind, a slight blush filling the space between his freckles, eyes shining. He swallowed.

Okay doesn’t cover it.

Bakugou nodded mutely, and brought his hand up to cup Izuku’s cheek.

"I missed you this weekend, you know," he whispered. They were already close, but Bakugou inched a little closer so Izuku had to tilt his chin up to maintain eye contact. His heart was hammering inside his chest, the blood pounded in his ears as Izuku’s eyes flicked down to his mouth. He felt Izuku’s free hand settle on his own hip and pull them tighter together.

"I missed you too," Izuku breathed, barely making a sound.

Bakugou leaned in and Izuku’s eyes fluttered closed as their breath ghosted over each others’ lips.

A door behind them opened and Izuku yelped as they jumped apart. Bakugou spun round, the embarrassed rage of the caught-in-the-act already on his tongue, only to be confronted with the diminutive figure of Recovery Girl herself. Her smile was knowing and the glint in her eyes more mischievous than it had any right to be.

“Good morning boys,” she said sweetly. “I’ve been told that you’ve had a very interesting weekend.”

___________________

The check up with Recovery Girl didn’t take long. She had raised her eyebrows at Bakugou when her readings had shown that Izuku’s pulse rate was elevated, but other than that she confirmed that Izuku was, as he had said, totally fine. As they stood up to leave the infirmary door opened and All Might’s bony face appeared.

“As you are not due in lessons until this afternoon, I wondered if I could steal you both for a spot of breakfast?”

Izuku’s face split into a wide grin and he nodded enthusiastically. Before Bakugou could agree or otherwise, Izuku had grabbed his hand once more and was tugging him along in All Might’s wake.

They arrived at the same staffroom as Bakugou had found All Might in on Saturday when he asked about the party. All Might took a seat and they sat across from him, Bakugou’s hand still firmly clasped in Izuku's. All Might was beaming at them causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle and Bakugou began to shift self consciously.

“You look happy, my boys.”

Bakugou could only duck his head as the tips of his ears went pink but Izuku… Izuku wore his heart on his sleeve, and could hide nothing from his mentor.

“We are!” he blurted out before catching himself. “I mean.. I am. I- I don’t know- I guess- I mean, I’m hoping..”

“Quit rambling, nerd.” Bakugou interrupted and Izuku looked like he was trying to eat his own lips in his effort to stop talking, but Bakugou didn’t miss the uncertainty that flashed across those freckles. Like a dot to dot of insecurity. “Of course I’m happy too,” he grumbled, fixing his eyes on Izuku. I tried to kiss you not an hour ago for the love of god. He felt as if his face might burn away at the memory and under the combined brightness of the smiles of both the Symbol of Peace and his successor.

Beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable under the attention, he stood up again. “Look.. I’ll fuck off outside so you can catch up or whatever,” he extricated his hand from Izuku’s, a little reluctantly. “I’ll just be in the corridor,” he added a little softer to Izuku, then grabbed a bowl of rice and his teacup before leaving the two alone.

Shutting the door behind him he slid down to the floor with his legs stretched out in front. The door wasn’t soundproof by any means but he’d been up for several hours already and could easily fall asleep leaning up the door, once he’d eaten.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile so much, Young Midoriya,” came All Might’s quiet voice drifted through the wood.

“Oh! I- I didn’t realise I was.. It’s- Kacchan- It’s been a strange morning, All Might!” Izuku replied, a light laugh in his words. Bakugou knew the nerd would be rubbing the back of his own head with one hand, the other wrapped around a teacup.

“I imagine it has been… I- I-” All Might faltered. It was followed by a loud sniff, Bakugou’s brow furrowed and he prepared to get back up to see what had made Izuku cry so quickly.

“A-All Might?! What’s the matter?”

All Might?!

“Oh, my boy..” All Might murmured, an uncharacteristic wobble in his voice. “I am so happy that you’re happy. I thought- I had feared that I may have inadvertently doomed you to spend your life alone when I gave One For All. The life of a Hero is hard enough on families but for us, for Holders… with our particular purpose, we have never.. It is especially difficult. Even my master had to- I would rather have taken it back...” All Might cleared his throat suddenly. “But you.. If any one of us could find a way to do both...”

“Well, that’s the difference isn’t it All Might? Between me and the others?” Izuku said, and Bakugou could hear a vein of steel in it that made him so curious he was letting his rice go cold.

“What’s that, my boy?”

“The other One For All holders didn’t have a Kacchan.”

The certainty with which Izuku spoke those words made his eyes burn, that Izuku could have that level of faith in him was astounding - the admiration had always been there and they were now on course to becoming a formidable hero team, but this… Izuku’s absolute, unshakeable belief that together the two of them could face down a centuries long fight and not only win, but live ? Happily at that.. It floored him and yet Bakugou understood, because in that moment he realised that he felt the same. There was no one on this, or any other planet in the universe, that Bakugou would rather have by his side, to have his back, to go home to at the end of it all, than Midoriya Izuku. He knew this now as sure as he knew gravity kept his feet on the ground.

And then he was tipping backwards and his rice was flying upwards as the door opened unexpectedly. A hand caught the back of his head and stopped him falling all the way. He looked up to see Izuku, mouth twitching

“Were you just sitting outside, leaning up the door?” Izuku teased, clearly fighting a smile. Bakugou's eyes narrowed and his lips pursed as he recognised his own words from this morning.

“Fucking clearly,” he grunted standing up. Only a few grains of rice had escaped the bowl,  he had knocked his tea over though. “Ah, shit.” Izuku only chuckled at him while All Might passed him paper towels so Bakugou could mop up the spillage.

______________

“Take the bowl with Bakugou, you’ve barely eaten any of it,” All Might said, pushing extra into Izuku’s hands before waving them off up the corridor like a grandparent bidding goodbye to his favourite grandchildren.

Izuku and All Might had talked for long enough that the other students were in lessons and so the walk back to the common room was quiet and quick.

“What you said.. About the difference between the others and you,” Bakugou ventured as they entered the empty dorm building. Izuku nearly dropped the bowls onto the counter top as he whipped around, stammering already.

“I-I just mean that- that, you know- we’re strong together a-and-”

Bakugou sighed and closed the distance between, Izuku barely had time to widen his eyes before their lips were pressed together. It was soft and a little clumsy, this too was a first for both of them. Bakugou decided right then and there that this was his new favourite thing. He held Izuku’s face in his hands and Izuku covered them with his own and nothing else existed outside of that moment. He broke the kiss, but didn’t let go, didn't go far at all, he only nudged Izuku’s nose with his own.

“I know what you meant, nerd,” Bakugou said. “I get it, I feel the same. We’ve got a lot of shit to do and it won’t be easy, some of it’s gonna fucking suck, but we’re also totally fucking awesome,” Izuku laughed a little then, nodding and Bakugou continued. “There’s no one I’d rather fight alongside than you. There’s no one I’d rather live alongside than you. There ain’t nothing else like you anywhere, Izuku. You’re- you’re-” he finally ran out of steam. 

Green eyes began to swim with tears, but Izuku’s voice was steady when he said, “I’m just yours, Kacchan.”

Bakugou’s chest simply swelled with affection for the guy in his arms and Izuku went up onto tiptoes to close the gap between them again.

Sure, there were lessons to attend that afternoon, and they’d have to deal with the class interrogations and teasing. They’d eventually have to go through all the pictures from the weekend and laugh and call their parents, then deal with that interrogation too. And if that evening, there was a soft knock on Bakugou’s door and Izuku would be there saying that he couldn’t sleep, well, neither could Bakugou. There was so much more after that to come, better and worse. For now however, it was just the two of them, giddy at their own luck and the unchartered territory of everything that lay before them. For now, they were just two teenagers falling in love for the first time as they kissed and kissed and kissed in the silent common room.