Archive of Our Own ^beta

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or it’s characters.

Chapter 1,

It was a pretty ordinary day. Class 1-A had finished their schoolwork and were resting in the common area. Well, most of them anyways. Iida went to the track to get some laps in; Ashido had some choreography she wanted to work on, which Jirou is playing music for; Bakugou and Mineta went up to their rooms, though everyone suspected that Mineta was trying to spy on Ashido and Jirou.

Kirishima was lounging on the couch next to Kaminari. Not really watching tv, not really engaging in conversation l, not really doing anything. The red head was just there; partly enjoying the downtime and partly wishing for something to do. Kirishima’s eyes fell on the elevator and he began to think about Bakugou.

They were both bros and they hung out, but not as much as Kirishima wanted. And when they did spend time together, they would traditionally train or study. Rarely did they go to a movie or a restaurant or a walk in the park. However, Kirishima was grateful for any time he spent with Bakugou. After all, Bakugou didn’t really hang out with anyone outside of class. It was an honor that Bakugou picked him out of everyone else in class to trust.

Though now that Kirishima thought about it, he really didn’t know much about Bakugou’s home life. What were his parents like? And his extended family? What did they do for holidays? Did they hold family reunions? Kirishima bit his lip with the sudden concern that he hasn’t really been there for his bro. Kaminari noticed.

“What’s up, Kirishima?” Kaminari asked and Kirishima hesitated. It felt like he were caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“I was just thinking about Bakugou.” Kirishima said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh? Why are you thinking about Blasty?” Kaminari asked and Kirishima shrugged.

“I was just wondering if there was a way to improve my relationship with him.” Kirishima said.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Kaminari asked and Kirishima rose an eyebrow at him.

“Why wouldn’t I? He’s my bro.” Kirishima said.

“I think your bond is as strong as it’s gonna be, dude. So if you try to push it, then you might end up like Icarus.” Kaminari said.

“Is that the kid who Bakugou argued with earlier today?” Kirishima asked and Kaminari laughed.

“That was Ichishi, and no. Icarus is a dude from Greek mythology. Icarus and his father Daedalus were held prisoner by King Minos. So to escape they built a pair of wings to fly away.” Kaminari said.

“So what’s the point?” Kirishima asked.

“My point is, they both flew to reach freedom. But Icarus flew too close to the sun, which ruined the wings and he died. With your friendship with Bakugou, it should be dangerous, but your quirk makes it easier for you to spend time with him.” Kaminari said and Kirishima shook his head.

“So in this analogy, my quirk is the wings?” Kirishima asked and Kaminari nodded.

“Basically, yeah. But that doesn’t mean that you get to be reckless, bro. Right now, you’re Daedalus, safe and respected by the sun. But if you fly too close, then your bound to crash and burn, like Icarus. Well, technically Icarus crashed and drowned, but the point still stands.” Kaminari said and Kirishima smiled.

“I don’t know, man. I really like Bakugou and given the opportunity, I think we can really become best friends.” Kirishima said.

“Maybe, but just be careful bro. Don’t fly too close to the sun.” Kaminari said and Kirishima laughed.

“No promises, man. But hey, since when do you bring up Greek mythology?” Kirishima asked and Kaminari laughed.

“When I was a kid, I learned how humans used electricity on the mentally unstable and prison folk; behavioral modification, torture, death, etc. I was ashamed of my quirk.” Kaminari said, staring at the tv to avoid Kirishima’s worries gaze.

“Oh, say it ain’t so, bro.” Kirishima said and Kaminari shrugged lazily; though it was obvious that this memory caused him a lot of pain, even now.

“My parents got me a book on Greek mythology, so I could read stories about Zeus. Man, he was cool. He could form lightning bolts and toss them around as weapons- wish I could do that.” Kaminari said and Kirishima chuckled.

“Maybe that’s something you can still do. You’ll never know until you try.” Kirishima said with an encouraging smile.

“Thanks, man.” Kaminari said and they smiled at each other.

“I Said I Won’t Do It!” A voice yelled. Kirishima looked up and saw Bakugou stepping off of the elevator holding his phone roughly 5 inches away from his mouth.

“Oh look, it’s the sun.” Kirishima joked.

“Yeah, where’s Amajiki when you need him?” Kaminari whispered.

“You Are Such An Ass, Katsuki. If I Tell You To Do Something, Then You Will Do It!” The phone in his hand said.

“Damn, who has the courage to speak to Bakugou like that?” Kaminari asked.

“Shut The Hell Up, You Moron! I Don’t Give A Damn If You Are My Mother- You’re Still Just A Bitch!” Bakugou shouted and this comment got Tsu’s attention.

“Bakugou, we can hear your call from here. Tsk your mom off speaker phone.” Tsu said and Bakugou stopped and stared at her as if she said ‘Hey Bakugou, the sky is blue’.

“How Dare You Call Me A Bitch, You Ungrateful Little Brat!” His mother shouted.

“She’s not on speakerphone.” Bakugou said in a shockingly calm voice.

“Are You Listening To Me Katsuki!” His mother screamed and Kirishima shifted uncomfortably.

“Dude, I’m across the room from you and I can hear her clearly.” Kirishima admitted bashfully.

“Katsuki! Your Cousin Works Hard And If She Needs Help Then-!” Bakugou clicked a button on his phone.

“WE ARE GOING TO HELP HER!!!” His mother’s voice shrieked into the common area. Which earned a blush on the faces of Kirishima, Kaminari, and Tsu; even if it did get the unwanted attention of everyone else in the room.

“Now the bitch is on speaker.” Bakugou said nonchalantly. His mother gasped.

“You Little Fucker! TAKE ME OFF SPEAKERPHONE, RIIIGHT THE FUCK NOOOOOW!!!” His mother shouted and Bakugou rolled his eyes, and clicked the speaker button.

“Maybe If You Learned How To Shut The Fuck Up, I Wouldn’t Have To Demonstrate The Volume You’re Actually Speaking With!” Bakugou yelled, as he started walking towards the door again.

“Listen, You Little Asshole, I’ll Talk As Loudly As I Want To Talk, And Your Gonna Pay Attention! And You Wanna Know Why? Because Your Father Used Cheap Gas Station Condoms- Forcing Me To Carry You Around For Nine Months! And Boy Did It Hurt When I Squeezed You Out Of My Cu-“ Bakugou slammed the door behind him. The room was stunned for a good 30 seconds.

“Geez. I see where Bakugou gets his fighting spirit from.” Tsu said and Kaminari nodded.

“No kidding.” Kaminari said and he looked over at Kirishima.

“Are you seriously still thinking about getting closer to blasty?” Kaminari asked and the red head paused. He hadn’t been expecting this question, so his mind went blank for a moment. Kirishima furrowed his brow and stared at the front door as if it held all the answers he needed. Unfortunately for him, the door was silent, still, unmoving. It did not tell him the information he wanted to know. But even though the door did not aid him, he knew that if he hurried, he might be able to catch up to Bakugou.

“I’m gonna be right back.” Kirishima said to Kaminari as he stood up.

“Where are you going? Kitchen?” Kaminari asked, but then he saw Kirishima slipping on his shoes.

“Dude, you’re gonna try and bond now?” Kaminari asked and Kirishima shrugged.

“Maybe.” Kirishima said.

“Dude.” Kaminari said in a disapproving tone, but Kirishima still got ready to leave.

“Wait, dude wait- you’re flying too close to the sun!” Kaminari said urgently, but it didn’t matter. Kirishima still walked out the door and followed the sounds of yelling.

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or it’s characters.

Chapter 2,

“Bakugou! Bakugou, hold up.” Kirishima said when he got close to Bakugou.

“Katsuki, who are you talking to now?” Bakugou’s mother asked and Bakugou sighed.

“That’s just shitty hair, mom. He decided to follow me.” Bakugou said. Kirishima bit his lip at the comment.

“Idiot! I can’t see his hair. Tell me his actual name.” His mother ordered. Bakugou blinked as if he forgot that she couldn’t see them.

“Er, right. His name is Kirishima.” Bakugou said.

“Hi there.” Kirishima said, trying to sound pleasant.

“Nice to meet you, Kirishima. Hm? Kirishima? Kiri- OH! You’re the redhead whose friends with my son!” Mrs. Bakugou said and Kirishima gawked at the phone.

“I thought she couldn’t see me.” Kirishima whispered, mostly to himself.

“Oh, this is so fun. I feel like I’m friends with you, Kirishima.” Mrs. Bakugou said and Bakugou tensed at those words.

“You do?” Kirishima asked confused.

“Of course.” Mrs. Bakugou paused to laugh.

“With all of the pictures and stories Katsuki tells us, it’s a wonder we haven’t spoken before.” She finished and Bakugou bit his lip and glared at his phone.

“You never know when to shut your trap- you old hag.” Bakugou said.

“Are you gonna ask your teacher?” His mother asked and Bakugou groaned loudly.

“OF COURSE I WILL! But he’s gonna say ‘no’ and I won’t do it, so there’s no point in asking!” Bakugou shouted loudly.

“We’ll see about that- AFTER you talk to Mr. Aizawa!” Mrs. Bakugou shouted back.

“It won’t change a damn thing!” Bakugou yelled.

“I don’t care if you are my son, I will shove your head so far up your A- wait, what was that?” There was a pause as Mrs. Bakugou conversed with another individual.

“Oooh, ok honey. Your father said it’s time for us to leave for our flight. I’ll talk to you later, ok?” Mrs. Bakugou said in a lowered cheerful tone. Bakugou rolled his eyes, trying not to see Kirishima’s gaze.

“Whatever.” Bakugou uttered.

“I love you, baby.” Mrs. Bakugou said with a giggle.

“Loveyoubye.” Bakugou said as quickly as he could before hanging up. Kirishima realized that he was staring, but he couldn’t help himself. They were arguing so hard, and yet they ended with love? It was a change of night and day in the span of 2 minutes.

“Now what did you want, shitty hair?” Bakugou asked and Kirishima’s mind went blank.

“Uh, to walk with you?” Kirishima said.

“You don’t sound that sure about it.” Bakugou pointed out and Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck.

“I thought maybe you wanted to vent about... whatever that was about. If you did, then I wanted to be there to support you.” Kirishima said with a bright smile. Bakugou stared at the redhead’s smiled for a second, then he quickly turned and kept his eyes forward.

“And maybe you’re just a curious little fucker who wants to hear some gossip about my family.” Bakugou said harshly, as if he were ashamed that Kirishima heard more than he needed to hear.

“So you don’t want to talk?” Kirishima asked. Bakugou threw his head back in annoyance and groaned like he wanted to scream.

“My cousin has to go on a business trip for a week. She was hoping my folks could watch her son, Riku, for that period of time. But as you heard, my parents will be out of town. My mother straight out volunteered me to watch Riku. I refused to watch the brat and we started arguing. But I still promised to ask Mr. Aizawa if Riku could stay for the week. Once he says ‘no’ my mother will have to drop the subject.” Bakugou explained and Kirishima nodded.

“Well, whose gonna help her if you can’t watch Riku?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou paused. It was like he hadn’t stop to ask himself that question. Which was possible, if he was just told about the whole affair.

“I doubt she would ask our grandmother since she lives too far away. It’s always possible that she could ask Riku’s dad, but a desperate drug dealer with a debt is more trustworthy then that bastard.” Bakugou thought out loud.

“Akiko is pretty optimistic and popular, though. I’m sure she has plenty of friends to watch Little Riku if she asked them.” Bakugou concluded and Kirishima bit his lip.

“I don’t know, dude. It’s one thing for a friend to babysit an afternoon so you can go out for a movie or a date. Seems, to me at least, like you would need someone you can trust beyond a shadow of a doubt to watch your child for a whole week.” Kirishima said softly and Bakugou rolled his eyes.

“Then why trust me? I only see Akiko and Riku, maybe, two weeks out of the year.” Bakugou said and Kirishima smiled.

“You’re still family.” Kirishima stated. Bakugou sucked his teeth at his response. It was like Bakugou was disgusted by the comment, but he chose not to say anything for Kirishima’s sake. Kirishima shoved his hands in his pockets.

“You know, you rarely talk about your family, Bakugou.” Kirishima pointed out.

“So! What’s it too you!” Bakugou said defensively.

“Heh, relax man. I was just saying that I think it would be cute to meet Riku.” Kirishima said and Bakugou turned and stared at him. Searching the redhead’s face for any hint that the boy was joking or lying.

“Well, of course you’d say that.” Bakugou said after a moment, then he turned away.

“I bet kids really love you. Half of the kids I meet start crying.” Bakugou said and for some reason, Kirishima thought Bakugou looked down right adorable.

“Did you get mad at them?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou groaned.

“Does that matter?” Bakugou asked.

“Perhaps not. What does Riku think of you?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou crossed his arms over his chest.

“For some reason the kid digs me. I don’t know how the brat likes me so much, because he’s sickeningly adorable. He also thinks that I’m his uncle, so maybe that has something to do with it.” Bakugou said and Kirishima smiled.

“Aw, that’s so cu-“

“SHUT UP! There’s nothing cute about it! None at all!” Bakugou interrupted harshly and Kirishima blinked at him.

“What’s wrong with being cute?” Kirishima asked.

“What’s wrong with it? We are trying to be heroes, you know. We got to be strong and tough to scare off and defeat any villain we come across. Do you really think anyone would take a hero seriously if they were cute?” Bakugou asked.

“I’m sure Ms. Midnight would disagree with you, but I understand your point of view. However-“ Kirishima froze when he saw the glare Bakugou was serving him. But he continued anyways.

“H-however, family and friends should be able to see a different side of you. I mean, if you can never relax around the people you care about, then maybe the villains have already won.” Kirishima said this as they were about to enter the teacher’s building. Bakugou froze hearing Kirishima’s words, and played them over in his mind. Bakugou couldn’t help but feel like the boy had a point.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Bakugou spat out as he busted through the doors.

“I just want to get this over with.” Bakugou muttered with Kirishima following suit.

“What are you two hunks doing here?” Ms. Midnight asked when they entered the room.

“We’re just looking for Mr. Aizawa.” Kirishima stated and she winked.

“He went to go print something real fast, boys. He’s coming back as soon as he can.” Ms. Midnight purred suggestively and Kirishima blushed.

“I fucking hope so.” Bakugou said and he went over to the wall and leaned against it; choosing to ignore the world by diving into his phone.

“God, I wish you boys were older. I bet he’s so rough in bed.” Ms. Midnight said and she reached out and squeezed Kirishima’s arm.

“I wonder which of you is more dangerous to sleep with. He has nitroglycerin sweat, so one thrust could activate it’s explosive quality, making each loving session life-threatening.” Ms. Midnight moaned softly at the thought.

Kirishima, once again, fell stunned silent at the woman’s words. How could a teacher get away with saying such things to a student? Maybe she has tenure. Whatever the case, his face was burning from his blush; so much so, that he could feel it radiating to the beat of his own heart.

“Or are you the more dangerous one?” Ms. Midnight turned her attention to him. Kirishima was just starting to wonder how he could be more dangerous than Bakugou, when Ms. Midnight bit her lip.

“With your quirk, it’s possible to crush someone you’re on top of. The more you lose yourself to the pleasure of it, the more your quirk could leave permanent scars on your lover. Just imagine all of the internal bleeding you could cause. Ooooo, and with that Unbreakable mode, maybe you even tear them in half. Does every part of you get rock hard?” She asked squeezing his arm, but Kirishima was shaking. Is all that really possible? It sounded terrifying. If she was right, then he could seriously kill someone.

“U-um.” Kirishima hesitated. What was he suppose to say to all that?

“Leave the boy alone, Midnight.” Mr. Aizawa declared and she pouted and let go of Kirishima. The second he was free, Kirishima’s eyes fell to the floor.

“If I must leave him alone, then you must excuse me for a moment.” Ms. Midnight said, picking up her purse and walking out of the room. Mr. Aizawa rolled his eyes.

“She’ll be gone for an hour, at least.” He said in a bored tone. Then he turned his attention to Bakugou, who was looking at him.

“I think I know why you’re here.” Mr. Aizawa said and Bakugou rose an eyebrow at him.

“You do?” Bakugou asked. Kirishima was surprised at this reaction since he expected Bakugou to say something along the lines of ‘no you don’t, teach. Let me tell you why I’m here’.

“Well, the school received a call from your mother.” Mr. Aizawa said. Kirishima looked up at Bakugou and saw his friend’s eye twitch.

“She didn’t.” Bakugou said and Mr. Aizawa nodded.

“Yes, she did. I swear she talked to all the teachers before she got to me. We talked briefly, so when she realized that she was getting nowhere, she insisted that she talk to the principal.” Mr. Aizawa said and Bakugou groaned.

“No, no, no!” Bakugou grabbed fistfuls of his hair.

“Yes, yes, yes.” Mr. Aizawa mocked and he lifted the paper in his hand.

“This paper gives you formal permission to watch and care for your cousin for the week. Including an extra cot in your dorm, your cousin being permitted to use the cafeteria, attend classes with you, etc.” Mr. Aizawa said and Bakugou was so angry that he was trembling. But he still walked over and took the paper out of Mr. Aizawa’s hands and examined it closely.

“T-that... that BITCH!” Bakugou exclaimed, exploding the paper when he did. Then, in a huff, Bakugou turned on his heels and left.

“I figured that would happen. Here Kirishima.” Mr. Aizawa said, producing another paper. Kirishima took it and bit his lip.

“You know he’s destroy the paper?” Kirishima asked and Mr. Aizawa shrugged.

“It’s Bakugou.” Mr. Aizawa said simply.

“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Kirishima asked and Mr. Aizawa rolled his eyes.

“Doesn’t matter what I think, boy. The principal approved it, and that means there’s nothing I can do.” Mr. Aizawa said.

“Well, if nothing else, having a young hero in the dorm should be quite exciting. I wonder what his quirk is.” Kirishima asked and, again, Mr. Aizawa shrugged.

“They didn’t say, kid. Maybe you should go ask Bakugou- that is, if you can reach him.” Mr. Aizawa said and Kirishima twitched as if he were hit with electricity.

“Right, good day Mr. Aizawa.” Kirishima said, with a curtesy bow before running after his friend.

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or it’s characters.

Chapter 4,

Bakugou’s guard must have been lowered, because the explosive boy had not noticed the redhead’s presence yet. Which Kirishima was grateful for because he found himself in a state of shock. Not only was Bakugou up at such a late hour, but he was cooking with a wok, playing music out loud on his phone, singing along to the familiar lyrics and- oh!

Kirishima’s heart fluttered when Bakugou twisted along to the music. In that brief moment, Kirishima saw one of the brightest smiles he’s ever seen in his entire life. Who knew that such a warm smile existed in Bakugou?

“Cause I’m T.N.T., I’m dynamite. T.N.T. and I’ll win the fight. T.N.T. I’m a power load. T.N.T. watch me explode.” Bakugou sang out. Somehow his voice wasn’t as gruff when he sang. Bakugou was actually a really good singer; his voice was clear, sweet, pretty... which probably explains why he doesn’t sing in front of others.

“I’m dirty, mean, and might unclean. I’m a wanted man. Public enemy number one. Understand?” Bakugou continued to sing. Kirishima’s shock had faded away at this point, but he still stood still and stared at the blond. Bakugou was really having fun! Sure, he still wasn’t allowing himself to be completely lost in the moment, but it’s more then Kirishima expected to see.

Bakugou snapped his fingers roughly towards the wok, causing a tiny explosion that added to the fire he was already using. The slight nitroglycerin caused a flame so high that Kirishima flinched in case the sprinkler system went off, but it stopped as soon as it began. It was so manly it took Kirishima’s breath away.

“So lock up your daughter, lock up your wife, lock up your back door and run for your life. The man is back in town. So don’t mess me ‘round.” Bakugou’s smile was shining so brightly that Kirishima wondered if this was all a dream. All that talk with Kaminari could possibly cause a dream like this. Bakugou beaming like the sun and Kirishima managing to stay out of Bakugou’s radar. All the while knowing that if he took a single step forward, the redhead would be exposed.

“Cause I’m T.N.T. I’m dynamite. T.N.T. and I’ll win the fight.” Bakugou sang and that’s when Kirishima noticed that Bakugou really did take his breath away. Or, more accurately, made the redhead hold his breath in.

“T.N.T. I’m a power load.”

Kirishima breathed out and Bakugou tensed up immediately. Kirishima somehow jerked his body to the side, out of Bakugou’s sight as the blond paused the music. Kirishima put his hand over his mouth to remain silent and he listened intensely for the sound of footsteps. More then that, actually. He was also listening for sounds of grumbling, cursing, mini-explosions, or any sounds of anger. But none came.

Instead, the first sound he heard, was a silverware drawer opening. Confused, and with great hesitation, Kirishima risked a glance into the kitchen. Bakugou was there, calmly stirring the wok with his right hand, and grabbing silverware drawer and put down whatever cooking utensil he was holding. Kirishima didn’t really know his way around the kitchen. He would try to help whenever he could, but traditionally he just ate in the cafeteria or shared in what others were having. More noises came from the kitchen. A clanking of plates, a glass being poured, food getting scrapped out of the wok. Kirishima wasn’t sure, but it sounded like Bakugou was going to eat in the kitchen. Kirishima glanced around to see if there was a way for him to get back to the elevator without being seen.

Suddenly a hand holding a bowl of food appeared beside him.

“I made too much. Eat this or I’m throwing it away.” Bakugou said and Kirishima stared at the hand.

“Take it, shitty hair!” Bakugou said and instantly Kirishima grabbed the bowl. But he still hesitated to glance around the corner at the blond.

“H-hi.” Kirishima said with a nervous smile. Bakugou glared at him and he whipped around. He took about 5 steps away from the redhead.

“Well? You coming or not?” Bakugou asked stiffly.

“Oh.” Kirishima said before he followed the temperamental boy. That’s when Kirishima noticed two place settings on the table, including a glass of milk for the boy. Kirishima sat beside Bakugou and smiled.

“How spicy is it?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou scoffed.

“Spicy enough for me to be worried about you.” Bakugou said and Kirishima blinked.

“I should be afraid, but I find myself shocked that you’re actually worried about me.” Kirishima said and Bakugou tensed up.

“The only concern I have is you screaming your head off. I don’t want to explain to the whole building that I made too much Szechuan and you couldn’t handle the heat.” Bakugou said and Kirishima giggled.

“Ok, ok.” Kirishima took a sip of milk before taking a bite of Szechuan. Bakugou watched him carefully.

“Not screaming at least.” Bakugou commented and Kirishima winked at him.

“It’s delicious, Bakugou. Thank you.” Kirishima said.

“Don’t thank me, asshole; I didn’t know you were coming. You’re doing the same job as the shitty trash can, shitty hair.” Bakugo said stiffly. Kirishima said sweetly and Bakugou shifted uncomfortably.

“Get your hand off me before I blow it up.” Bakugou grunted, which made Kirishima laugh.

“As you wish, Blasty.” Kirishima said, respecting the blond. They were silent for a moment.

“Hey, Kirishima.” Bakugou said.

“What’s up?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou glanced at him.

“I’ve been thinking about Riku and how to care for him and stuff.” Bakugou said.

“Well, that’s good.” Kirishima said.

“Yeah, here’s the thing though. The more I think about the best thing for him, while he’s here and I keep coming to the same conclusion.” Bakugou said.

“Oh? What’s that?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou sighed.

“You.” Bakugou whispered and Kirishima blinked.

“Me?” Kirishima asked, unsure if this was correct.

“Riku is a tiny young thing. He is energetic and likes to have fun, and I know you’re the same. Besides you’re good with kids.” Bakugou said and Kirishima smiled.

“Are you asking for my help, Bakugou?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou hit his shoulder.

“Hell no, I don’t need help... I just think that it’s better for Riku, if... you spent time with him too.” Bakugo said as Kirishima rubbed his arm.

“If you think that’ll be best, then I’m on board.” Kirishima said and Bakugo looked at him. For a moment, he just stared at Kirishima, searching for an answer to some unasked question. Bakugou relaxed.

“Ok, then.” Bakugou breathed out, then turned away.

“Is there anything I need to know in advance about Riku?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou shrugged.

“Akiko called. She said that Riku’s quirk has developed and he doesn’t really have control over it yet.” Bakugou said.

“So now we have to deal with two human bombs?” Kirishima commented and Bakugou bit his lip.

“Well, uh... not exactly.” Bakugou said slowly.

“What exactly is Riku’s quirk then?” Kirishima asked.

“She said his quirk is called ‘Empath’.” Bakugou said and Kirishima scrunched his nose.

“Empath? What does that do?” Kirishima asked.

“Basically he has the same powers as a natural born empath, but it’s heightened because it’s a quirk.” Bakugou said and Kirishima cocked an eyebrow.

“Natural born empaths? Never heard of them, what can they do?” Kirishima asked. Bakugou through his fork into his bowl and leaned back in his chair.

“If you believe in these quirkless weirdos, empaths have a higher sensitivity to outside stimuli such as sounds, big personalities and hectic environments. They feel things very deeply and oftentimes feel the emotions of others with similar or the same intensity as the person who actually is emotional.” Bakugou said.

“So Riku will literally feel exactly what we feel?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou nodded.

“Luckily for him it’s normally limited to people he has skin on skin contact with. However, when someone is extremely emotional, then he only needs to be in the room.” Bakugou said.

“Sounds intense. What else can he do?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou ran a hand through his hair.

“He has this sort of psychic radar. It’s hard to explain, but it seems like if someone he cares about is in trouble, he will sense it. No matter where you are, he’ll sense you.” Bakugou said.

“That’s kinda cool.” Kirishima said and Bakugou nodded.

“Apparently empaths can occasionally predict the future, or even heal people. But it doesn’t seem like Riku can do that.” Bakugou said and Kirishima nodded.

“But I should keep an eye out for it, just in case.” Kirishima said and Bakugou nodded.

“Yeah. I know he’s only gonna spend a week here, and the odds of his powers expanding are slim, but just in case, we both should pay attention.” Bakugou said and Kirishima nodded.

“How are you gonna deal with the skin on skin thing?” Kirishima asked.

“He wears gloves and that helps a lot. He still gets a sense of what your feeling, but it’s not so intense. But I will also be wearing a pair of gloves. That should help even more.” Bakugou said and Kirishima slumped forward.

“I have a pair of winter gloves, but that’s it.” Kirishima said and Bakugou scoffed.

“I figure, shitty hair. That’s why I went ahead and bought you a set.” Bakugou said and Kirishima stared at him.

“You did?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou shrugged.

“Don’t be grateful of anything. You owe me 30 for them.” Bakugou said.

“For gloves?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou shrugged again.

“You’ll need to wear them everyday for the next week. They’ll need to be strong enough to withstand food, dirt, and your quirk. They are made from this excellent material that’s sturdy and machine washable so you don’t have to pay for dry cleaning. Not only that, but I requested a custom design and a decorative storage box to store them after Riku is gone. Your gloves are personal and one-of-a-kind, just like you. No one else in the world will own them unless you personally approve of their distribution.” Bakugou said flatly.

“Wow.” That’s the only response Kirishima could find. How could Bakugou do that? I mean how?

“It’s no big deal, Kirishima. Technically the gloves should have been 90-120 bucks, because of the material, the customization and the box, but when they saw it was me, they knocked down the price. I always get a discount there. Our gloves can be picked up tomorrow morning. We can get them together and then go to the airport to pickup Riku. We might be a little late for class, but I already got us excused just in case.” Bakugou said. Kirishima felt a heat rising in his body that had nothing to do with the Szechuan.

“That means we got to get up early. So why are you up so late?” Kirishima asked. Bakugo looked at the boy and leaned forward again.

“I’m always up this late.” Bakugo admitted.

“What?” Kirishima asked in disbelief.

“I don’t like being surrounded by people. It’s emotionally and physically draining. So when I’m done with people I just say I’m going to bed. No one bothers me if they think I’m sleeping.” Bakugou said and Kirishima blinked.

“Still, being alone can’t be fun.” Kirishima muttered and Bakugou sighed heavily.

“Better then the alternative.” Bakugou whispered. They were silent for a moment. Kirishima wasn’t exactly sure what to say to Bakugou. The blond actually looked upset.

“The food is really good. I don’t think I’ve had this before. What’s it called?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou froze.

“Bang, bang, chicken.” Bakugou said and Kirishima smiled.

“Bang, bang, chicken?” Kirishima asked and Bakugou nodded.

“Yeah, bang, bang, chicken. What’s with that face?” Bakugou asked.

“Blasty made bang, bang, chicken.” Kirishima said right before he started laughing hysterically.

“Shut the hell up.” Bakugou said, more embarrassed then angry.

“And! A-and you were singing T.N.T!” Kirishima laughed even harder and Bakugou started hitting the redhead.

“You trying to die?!” Bakugou then shouted, but Kirishima just howled with laughter. With all the noise they were making, it should have woken someone up. And yet no one roused from sleep. When Bakugou and Kirishima finally calmed down, they finished eating and cleaned up their mess. And while doing so Kirishima couldn’t help but wonder what the week has in store for them.

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or it’s characters.

Chapter 5,

“Welcome to Shining Victory. How may we assist you today?” The sales girl greeted Bakugou and the brain dead Kirishima when they entered the store.

“Kill me so I can go back to sleep.” Kirishima groaned, which made the girl uneasy.

“It’s, um... against our policy to kill customers.” She said. Bakugou rolled his eyes.

“We’re here to pick up an order. I was told that it would be completed by this morning.” Bakugou explained and she brightened up.

“Understood. Please wait for a moment.” She said right before she walked away.

“Bakugoooooouuuuuu.” Kirishima whined and Bakugou bit his lip. He was glad the store was currently empty.

“You’re a mess, shitty hair. Just sit over there, while I take care of this.” Bakugou said. Kirishima was too tired to argue or agree; so he just dragged himself over to the chairs and slumped down in them while his backpack fell beside him. Bakugou purses his lips to stop himself from smiling, then he left the boy alone.

“How is he not exhausted?” Kirishima wondered out loud, as he tried to wake himself up. He turned his head to stare at Bakugou, who was at the counter. It looked like he was doing a thorough inspection of the products before they left.

Kirishima yawned and he noticed a side table beside him. It had a few different pamphlets and brochures there. A few of them were advertising certain businesses and events in the area, including one about U.A. having the best hero course in the country. Kirishima picked it up and glanced through it briefly. He knew all this information by heart already, but the act of reading helped wake up his brain.

“I hope you’re not sleeping, shitty hair.” Bakugou called out to the redhead, who glared daggers at him.

“I’m not sleeping.” Kirishima grunted at the blond.

“Good.” Bakugou said, smirking at how tired Kirishima was. Another sales lady walked up to Bakugou.

“Katsuki?” She asked and Bakugou turned around. Kirishima scoffed and looked down at the brochures again. This time he noticed one advertising the store Shining Victory. The redhead picked one up and glanced through it. Partly to wake himself up, and partly to discover why Bakugou would ever step foot in a store like this. When Kirishima flipped the brochure over, his eyes widened.

“Bakugou?” Kirishima whispered. There was a picture of Bakugou standing between two adults, who must have been his parents. It was an older picture, obviously, since Bakugou looked about 9 in the photo. But what did Blasty have to do with Shining Victory?

“Get up, idiot.” Bakugou called out to Kirishima. The boy walked past the redhead, holding the shopping bag in a death grip. Kirishima tucked the brochures in his pocket, grabbed his bag and followed Bakugou.

“You know, you don’t seem that concerned about leaving me behind.” Kirishima commented and Bakugo shrugged.

“Exercise gets the blood pumping and raises your heart rate, causing more adrenaline to flow through your body and THAT helps you to wake up.” Bakugou said and Kirishima rolled his eyes.

“Oh, shut up.” Kirishima said and Bakugou scoffed.

“Man you’re so boorish when you’re tired.” Bakugou said with a smirk and Kirishima blushed.

“Bakubro, I must be more tired then I thought.” Kirishima said and Bakugou rose and eyebrow.

“Why’s that?” He asked and Kirishima yawned.

“Because it almost sounded like you get turned on by me being rude.” Kirishima said, rubbing his eyes for the thousandth time that morning. Bakugou turned away.

“You’re a moron.” Bakugou said, refusing to look at his friend and Kirishima shrugged.

“So we take the bus to the airport, then we wait for the plane to come in with Akiko and Riku. After a few minutes, Akiko will have to get on another plane, then we escort Riku back to U.A. via bus?” Kirishima asked, hoping he got it all correct.

“Yep.” Bakugou said simply.

“Probably should take Riku to the dorms first though. So he can drop off his stuff and not go lugging it around campus.” Kirishima said.

“So looking forward to that.” Bakugou said sarcastically.

“What?” Kirishima asked. They stopped walking when they finally got to the bus stop.

“I got nothing against Riku. I just don’t enjoy the thought of random individuals coming out to talk to Riku because of how ‘cute’ he is. The girls on our class will be bad enough. Deli will be the worst one, I guarantee it.” Bakugou said and Kirishima rolled his eyes.

“Must you be so antisocial?” Kirishima asked.

“Yes I must.” Bakugou said, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“But it’s not about me, actually. It might hurt Riku more then welcome him.” Bakugou said. Kirishima stared at Bakugou as he tried to piece together words to follow this statement. The bus came up, and they got on and sat beside each other.

“Why would it hurt him?” Kirishima asked.

“Empaths are emotional sponges. They soak up positive and negative energies whether they want to or not. But it takes a lot out of them too. If others overwhelm him, it’ll take a lot of energy out of him, leaving him incapable of doing other things.” Bakugou explained.

“Oh, but I thought that only happened when Riku touches someone.” Kirishima said and Bakugou shrugged.

“I said it might hurt Riku. I still don’t know much about Riku’s powers because I haven’t seen him since Christmas.” Bakugou said and Kirishima bit his lip.

“If Riku is an emotional sponge, then is it really a good idea for me to be around him?” Kirishima asked.

“Are you asking because you’re an emotional person?” Bakugou asked and Kirishima looked down at his hands.

“Kinda.” Kirishima admitted softly.

“Kirishima, look at me.” Bakugou said and Kirishima looked into the blond’s red eyes.

“I’m kind of a jackass.” Bakugou said bluntly and Kirishima pursed his lips to stop himself from laughing. Bakugou noticed Kirishima’s struggle and he smirked.

“Go ahead, laugh.” Bakugou said, nudging the redhead who giggled softly.

“I’m an angry person, I know that. I also know that I have a lot of pain from my past that haunts me.” Bakugou paused when Kirishima’s eyes filled with concern.

“Riku doesn’t know about all that. There is a slight possibility that his power will, um...” Bakugou bit his lip, and turned his head to look out the window in front of him.

“Access the memories of those events and/or possible emotional reactions I may or may not have experienced during the events.” Bakugou said, looking down the aisle.

“That’s not good.” Kirishima said. As concerned as Kirishima was for Bakugou, he knew his friend was tough; sometimes too tough. Still, Riku shouldn’t be forced to go through what Bakugou’s already experienced.

“I’m hoping that you’ll kinda balance me out.” Bakugou said, looking back at Kirishima. Kirishima’s eyes asked ‘why’.

“You’re warm and caring and you don’t sweat the small stuff. Sure that kind of makes you an airhead-“

“Hey!” Kirishima complained, but Bakugou wasn’t phased.

“But that also makes people comfortable around you. In fact, if I were someone else, I might even call you chicken soup for the ailing soul.” Bakugou said. Kirishima blinked at his words as a hear rose in his cheeks and ears.

“O-oh.” Kirishima stuttered, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck.

“If you were someone else, huh?” Kirishima asked with a small sheepish grin on his face.

“Obviously I would never call you that. But someone else might.” Bakugou said stiffly. They were silent for a moment, the air growing thick between them. They were almost to the airport when Bakugo finally cleared his throat.

“Since I’m such an ass, and you shine so bright, I’m simply hoping that we balance each other out. If I’m right, then Riku will feel pretty normal as long as we are together. If I’m wrong, then our contradicting natures will overstimulate his powers and exhaust him. Bakugou concluded and Kirishima looked at him.

“Quite a gamble.” Kirishima commented and Bakugou shrugged.

“I had to gamble. If I didn’t, then Riku would be stuck being just angry and frustrated as I am. I don’t want that for him.” Bakugou said. Kirishima couldn’t help but feel like there was something different about these words. They almost felt vulnerable.

Kirishima wasn’t sure what to say. He was worried about making Bakugou feel bad or inadequate. So instead of talking, Kirishima slowly wrapped an arm around Bakugou’s shoulders and smiled warmly at the boy. The blond hesitated for a moment, but when he looked deep into Kirishima’s eyes, the angry boy couldn’t help but offer a small smile of his own.

They didn’t stay like that long, because they arrived at their destination. Bakugou stood up, out of the redhead’s touch, secretly wishing that it lasted longer then it had. He quickly gathered their backpacks and the plastic bag from Shining Victory, as his companion yawned and stretched from his spot. Unable to handle the emotions he felt at Kirishima’s physical display, he quickly stomped off the bus.

“Bakugou.” Kirishima called out before rushing after his friend.

“It’s not manly to make you carry everything!”

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or it’s characters.

Chapter 6,

When the two boys found a place to wait for little Riku; Bakugou quickly scanned the area. At first, Kirishima thought Bakugou’s paranoia was a bit humorous. Of course, since Bakugou has been attacked by villains multiple times, perhaps he has earned the right to be a little paranoid.

“I don’t want you yawning anymore, it’s bugging the hell out of me. I’m gonna get us some coffee.” Bakugou said, before walking away. Kirishima was left, sitting with their bags and listening to the gentle flow of water presented by a nearby fountain. Given this brief moment of solitude, Kirishima pulled the Shining Victory brochure out of his pocket.

“Ok. Now to see what’s really going on.” Kirishima whispered to himself. He went ahead and skipped the store’s mission statement and their praise for their scientifically modified threads. What Kirishima wanted was to learn Bakugou’s personal connection to the store.

The story of Shining Victory really starts years before the building even existed. Masaru likes to say that he never would have had the courage to open his own store if he never met his wife, Mitsuki. A woman who aggressively fought for what she wanted, no mater what. This often leaves Mitsuki to make jokes about how she knew she would become a Bakugou the moment she saw Masaru.

Kirishima blinked at what he read. He went over these words again to see if he read that correctly. The redhead looked up at the blond in line. Shining Victory was his parent’s store? Kirishima turned back to the brochure and skipped to the end.

So after years of hard work, Mitsuki and Masaru had enough to build their mini-empire. Combining the ‘shining’ from Mitsuki’s name, and the ‘victory’ from Masaru’s name, the store has become a symbol of their strong union.

Kirishima nodded when he read that. Combining their names would explain the name of the store. Though he wanted to see more about Bakugou.

Their union doesn’t stop there. Their young son, Katsuki, is another form of their union; not only combining their physical appearances, but their quirks as well. Katsuki thrives to become a hero, but he has other talents as well. Along with his combat and cooking skills, Katsuki seems to possess his parents ability to design clothes. At the young age of 6 years old, Katsuki designed his first skull tee.

Kirishima’s eyes widened when he saw the familiar skull. It was the same one Bakugou wore, almost religiously.

To this day, if Katsuki designs something, he will somehow incorporate his beloved skull as his personal signature. With a family of designers in tow, Shining Victory will surely have a bright future ahead of it.

Kirishima slowly lowered the brochure and thought about this. Somehow it made sense for Bakugou’s family to be in fashion; but Bakugou himself?

“I guess that’s kind of an easy way for him to get money.” Kirishima commented when he hid the brochure in his backpack. But then Kirishima thought about the day they first moved into the dorms. Bakugou repaid Kirishima the money he used on the night vision goggles. Part of Kirishima wondered how Bakugou managed to get so much cash in a short amount of time. Kirishima glanced over at the bag from Shining Victory.

“Wait...” Kirishima said as a faint blush formed on his face. If Bakugou really went all out for Kirishima’s gloves, then does that mean Bakugou personally designed the gloves himself? Kirishima picked up the plastic bag. There were two boxes in the bag. On top was a black box with an orange ‘X’ on the lid, which must have been Bakugou’s gloves; then beneath them was a red box. The lid of this box had two ‘R’s on it, one of which was backwards, so they would rest back to back. Kirishima put the black box beside him and the red one on his lap. He cracked open this display case and peered inside. The gloves were red and they had the same ‘R’ symbol as the box.

“Ooooo.” Kirishima purred as he picked one of them up. There was a black spike design along the knuckles and on the ends of the gloves.

“Hey, that’s kinda like my hero mask.” Kirishima said. It wasn’t until Kirishima turned the glove over and saw the word ‘Red’, that he realized what he was holding.

“But...?” Kirishima quickly turned the other glove over and he saw the word ‘Riot’. Official Red Riot merchandise? Kirishima wanted to cry.

“Do you like them?” He heard, and Kirishima snapped his head to see Bakugou sitting down beside him with their coffee.

“I thought about doing Crimson Riot gloves, since I know you love him. Then I changed my mind and went with Red Riot instead. I know it’s a little careless for you to wear your own merchandise, but since it’s the only pair, I figured- Whoa!” Bakugou was cut off by Kirishima wrapping his arms roughly around him.

“I looooove them.” Kirishima whispered gratefully. Bakugou hesitated, but patted the happy boy.

“I get it, now get off.” Bakugou said and Kirishima pulled away and hurriedly pulled on his gloves.

“I can’t believe you did this.” Kirishima said and Bakugou shoved Kirishima’s drink in his hands.

“I told you, you owe me 30. It’s nothing.” Bakugou said, looking at his watch. Kirishima smirked at the blond. He knew Bakugou didn’t want to admit he did something special for him. Kirishima stared at his new gloves, looking for Bakugou’s skull signature. It wasn’t on the back or the palms, instead Kirishima eventually found the skull on the interior of the glove; next to the Shining Victory label. Bakugou must have done that on purpose so Kirishima wouldn’t notice it.

“What are you doing?” Bakugou asked, and Kirishima sipped his coffee.

“Just checking them out.” Kirishima said and Bakugou eyed him for a moment.

“Tch, whatever.” Bakugou said, looking around.

“I got a text from Akiko when I was in line. We should see them pretty soon.” Bakugou said, putting on his own gloves.

“I’m really excited to meet Riku.” Kirishima said as they put their glove boxes in their backpacks. Bakugou sipped his coffee, almost mindlessly.

“Well, I suppose that’s-“

“Uncle Kat! Uncle Kat! Uncle Kat!” A small voice cried out before a child rushed up and hugged the explosive boy.

“Riku...” Akiko chided with a smile. Akiko had on a violet jacket and matching skirt. Her long ash blond hair was pulled back in a braid, yet it still reached the middle of her back. She wore violet 3-inch heels, black tights, a black hand bag, a long violet ribbon weaved throughout her braid, and black gloves.

“Hey, Akiko.” Bakugou said as he allowed Riku to hug him; even patting his head gently.

“Hey.” Akiko said with a warm smile. For a brief moment, Kirishima was reminded of the way Bakugou smiled that night in the kitchen.

“Riku was so excited to hear that he gets to spend the week with you.” Akiko commented. Hearing this statement made Bakugou scoff with a small smile playing on his lips.

“Well, that explains the death grip. Come on, Riku; let go and say hi to Kirishima.” Bakugou said. Riku let go of Bakugou, giggling like he had too much sugar.

“You say ‘Kirishima’ but you feel ‘Kirishine’.” Riku said and Bakugou’s eyes widened.

“Huh?” Kirishima asked, wondering where such a comment came from. Bakugou adjusted his shirt with the sudden realization of how difficult this week will be with Riku’s quirk.

“Kirishine, I like the sound of that. Kirishine, Kirishine, Kirishine.” Riku said. Kirishima couldn’t help but stare at the boy. Riku had on a pair of deep blue jeans, a purple hoodie, and a pair of black gloves. Riku, like Bakugou and Akiko, has ash blond hair and red eyes. His eyes were a bit darker though, almost blood red, which probably would have been scary if Riku’s didn’t gleam with innocence.

“Uh, maybe you should just call me Kiri.” Kirishima suggested when he sensed how angry Bakugou was getting. He didn’t understand why Riku called him ‘Kirishine’. No one has ever called him that before; so it seemed highly out of place.

“Ok, Kiri.” Riku said, flashing his bright smile at the boys.

“What the- you let him sharpen his teeth?” Bakugou asked when he noticed Riku’s shark-like teeth.

“No, they did that on their own. The doctor said that when Riku’s quirk developed, his body started producing more hormones and stuff that made his teeth sharpen up like that.” Akiko said abs Bakugou shook his head and looked over at Kirishima.

“With Riku’s hair down and his teeth all sharked-up, he looks like you with blond hair.” Bakugou commented and Kirishima blinked.

Taking another look at Riku, he noticed the similarities between them. Bakugou’s blond hair, but Kirishima’s hairstyle. Bakugou’s strong facial features, yet Kirishima’s wide shining smile. It was almost strange to have a child of no relation look so much like you.

“Well, maybe that makes us... tooth-brothers?” Kirishima said and Bakugou rolled his eyes.

“Maybe I should call you Uncle Kiri.” Riku said. Akiko giggles at the groan Bakugou released.

“Come on, boys, I’m hungry. Let’s get some lunch before I have to leave.” Akiko said. Bakugou and Kirishima picked up their backpacks and coffee. Then Kirishima went ahead and picked up Riku and allowed the boy to sit on his shoulders. Bakugou would never admit that his heart overflowed at how sweetly they were together. He simply pretended to be annoyed at them and tried to burn the image into his memory.