Author's Notes: I am extremely happy to have received 100 kudos for this piece. I could not have dreamed of such support from you. I have looked forward to every update over the last six weeks and am very excited to begin the companion piece, "7 More Days". While you don't have to follow me down an actual story road, (should you have commitment issues haha), I would love to hear from you, as I plan it's posting within the next week or two.
Again, many thanks and I hope this one isn't too rough on you…
NNN
If I Never Knew You
NNN
Where the hell is that shitty haired idiot?
Bakugou had definitely banged on the redhead's door enough times before getting pissed off and heading to breakfast on his own. They were serving a shit ton of meat that morning, as evidenced by Dunce Face and his mouthful of food when he greeted the blond.
"Kirishima's not with you?" Kaminari managed around the food in his mouth when Bakugou sat down at the table.
"I'm not his fucking babysitter," bitterly observed the explosive teen, tearing apart a piece of his breakfast in the process.
Kirishima didn't show up during breakfast…
NNN
Bakugou frowned, currently occupying his desk seat in class 2-A. Not like he'd make it noticeable, but the blond would glance ever so slightly at the clock and then back toward Kirishima's empty desk as the minutes ticked closer to the bell signaling the start of the school day.
Kirishima had five minutes before he was officially late for class. In the back of the room he could hear Pikachu mentioning unanswered text messages.
Three minutes…
His funeral, if Aizawa rolled up—in his sleeping bag—before the sharp toothed boy.
The sound of the sliding door of their classroom ended Bakugou's musings and silenced the rest of the class. Katsuki half expected to see his friend, in a disheveled state, quickly running toward his desk; however, it was their homeroom teacher instead.
If Aizawa noticed that he was missing a student, he didn't make it immediately known as he silently slid the door shut behind him and made his way toward the front of the desk—not clad in the usual yellow sleeping bag.
Bakugou mentally tch'd because he and his friend were supposed to spar during their free period today. Now Shitty Hair would have to spend it by doing an extra lesson because he was late for class. Could this fucking Thursday get any better?
Their lazy sensei cleared his throat drawing their attention toward the front.
"I am sure that by now you will have noticed that one of your classmates is not here…"
Here it comes…some lecture on being fucking late to class.
"Yesterday, Kirishima was sent out on a patrol with Pro Hero Fat Gum's Agency," calmly stated the educator, "It's usually against UA's policy to allow for students to begin a patrol after dinner; however, Kirishima got clearance from the principal based on his rapport with Fat Gum."
Katsuki could hear the buzzing from Dunce Face, Tape Dispenser and a few others in the back of the room. He sat with his chin in hand, elbow propped on his desk as Aizawa continued.
"Patrolling is a typical part of all hero work, but…"
The blond's mind interjected, you still have to get your ass to class and—
"There is always a risk that a call may come in that you aren't prepared for…"
Silence fell in the classroom, as the students began to assess the meaning of their sensei's words.
Midoriya raised his hand and Aizawa sighed, "Yes, Midoriya?"
"Sensei, isn't that why we are training to become pro heroes? We will be better equipped to handle the unexpected?"
Aizawa didn't have a snippy remark, since the freckle faced green haired teen looked so earnest in his assessment. "Yes, however," he drawled, "there will be times when your resolve as a hero will be tested."
The raven-haired man's hands took hold of the podium before him, "What would you do if a simple patrol turned out to be one that involved a hostage situation and a potential bomb?"
Midoriya had his notebook out, pencil in hand as he began to scribble down his response working out the details in his mind.
Aizawa cleared his throat, "A-hem," trying to hear his own thoughts over the muttering in the middle of the room, "Fat Gum's Agency received such a call last night. A villain had supposedly set a bomb in a building at a children's recital, twenty-two hostages were taken, and Fat Gum's Agency responded after negotiations between police and the villain failed."
Pikachu commented about being envious that he never got any action.
Bakugou had worked out the details, Shitty Hair is the with the police filing a report…
All eyes watched as their sensei picked up a black remote control in hand and the projector screen lowered from the ceiling at the front of the class.
"I am going to show you the encounter captured by an amateur's video camera."
Someone quickly hit the lights, as the students focused on the video before them.
It appeared to have been taken from a safe distance—probably behind a police barricade. The building, a two storied one, in a populated part of town with a sign indicating Dance Studio was before them. The flashing of lights from nearby police cars and the sounds of the police chief's voice coming from the megaphone was caught on film.
Sero and Kaminari let out a cheer as the camera zoomed in on the arrival of Fat Gum and Red Riot. Fat Gum appeared to be receiving information about the current situation from a police officer as Red Riot nodded in response.
Not that Katsuki would admit it to anyone, but it might be pretty fucking cool to see your friend on a film being used by your homeroom teacher. The blond could picture Kirishima's embarrassed face when he found out they had witnessed his rescue. He'd rub the back of his neck and Kirishima's smile would be wide and awkward laughter would erupt from his mouth.
How manly…
Bakugou resisted the urge to snort at his own musings.
Fucking Deku was running commentary from his seat…
"She's a fairly new pro hero! Her quirk has the ability to transport and—
Blah, fucking, blah…
The signal appeared to be given as Fat Gum, Red Riot and the Transporter hero—because Bakugou couldn't be bothered to listen to that damn nerd—headed for the building. Fat Gum—due to his fat absorption quirk—took the front entrance, the new pro with her long brown hair in a pony tail and neon blue suit took a side door and Red Riot hoisted himself up onto the fire escape headed for the second floor.
And then they waited…
Midoriya—in all his fanboy glory—stood and pointed toward the screen, exclaiming, "Look!"
Transporter girl was teleporting in with a child, depositing the child safely into the arms of an emergency personnel before disappearing.
Students had begun to clap and cheer in response as the same action took place by the new pro hero.
Bakugou was mentally counting…keeping in mind the number of twenty-two hostages…
They were up to thirteen when the camera began to shake in response to what appeared to have been an explosion. Nearly everyone in the class was now either standing or leaned forward in their seats.
Even Mineta was standing on his desk, "Come on hot pro hero—
That line of thought was soon silenced thanks to Sero and his accuracy with his tape.
The camera zoomed in toward the entrance of the facility, it was starting to crumble, and smoke was evidenced from the second floor. Police were seen running back and forth against the barricade to keep the public out.
One side of the structure was beginning to give way, as more shaking from the camera in hand, had the potential to give the students motion sickness.
In amongst the smoke Bakugou's eyes caught sight of orange, but he needn't inform anyone of it, because Deku had that fucking covered.
"It's Fat Gum," gleefully announced Midoriya, "His fat absorption quirk was used to grab hostages!"
Nineteen in total…
"Look everyone," if Deku didn't fucking stop yelling they would all be deaf, "Fat Gum grabbed the villain too!"
Sure enough, the police were making their way toward a lanky dark-haired man dressed in black with a bomb on his shirt.
The suspect was apprehended as the camera took in Fat Gum's appearance. He was covered in debris and appeared to be coughing. The Transporter girl soon appeared with an adult.
Twenty…
"Two more hostages," Bakugou found himself murmuring.
The female pro hero appeared with a child in hand, blood trickling down the side of her face as she fell on her knees.
She seemed to recognize the look on Fat Gum's face as her eyes widened and she held up her finger to indicate, one more.
By now the second floor had caved in…
"She's taking too long!" groaned Sero from the back.
It seemed like everyone in class 2-A was sitting with bated breath as the minutes ticked by.
"There!" cried half the class.
The last adult had been rescued, she looked banged up, as though she had been the victim of the cave in, but no one had time to remark on her appearance…
The camera dropped to the ground, as its owner fumbled, having fallen in the process. As the wielder grabbed hold, righted the camera and stood, the scene before them unfolded.
Citizens were screaming, some were crying as the building went up in flames and it started coming down fast.
Police had tackled the suspect who grinned, the view of a detonator in his mouth.
The next sight was a flash of orange as it ran toward the ruins of the building. Fat Gum started pulling debris from a portion of the structure still standing, the intense heat of the flames meaning little to him in his anguish.
A middle-aged police officer appeared in the view of the camera, his outstretched hand as he lowered it, "Show some respect…a kid just died a hero…"
As the footage stopped rolling, so had class 2-A frozen to their seats.
Bakugou could hear the hammering of his pulse in his ears, his breathing rapidly entering his lungs, Aizawa's slow and calm voice hardly making any sense as the lights filled their classroom.
"Pro Hero Transference informed police that Red Riot was instrumental at retrieving the last four hostages. They had been in a fallen section of the building, and Red Riot utilized his quirk to not only remove debris but keep the structure stable," serious eyes gazed upon the students, "Transference also stated that she was going back for him as Red Riot's exit had been blocked, before the last blast."
The nail in the coffin…
"Due to her own limitations, Transference can only take one person at a time. She told police that Red Riot smiled, stating, 'I'll be fine until you get back…just get her to safety…' Red Riot had been in his unbreakable form for at least fifteen minutes at this point…"
"Fat Gum and I have been working on something. At the moment, I can probably buy you a minute, but look out for me in our second year, bro!"
Fifteen minutes shouldn't have been even possible…
"Knowing that Red Riot's unbreakable form had never been taxed so far, Kirishima probably knew he wouldn't make it."
A muffled sob broke through the otherwise silence of the room.
The hammering in Bakugou's ears had only intensified, his hands opening and closing at his sides, eyes wide and unfocused.
Another sob erupted from one of the students.
A mutter of disbelief.
The tremble of someone's voice.
Aizawa's expression was unreadable as he observed, "This is the path you have chosen to follow. The harsh reality is that we don't all come back, but some of us can at least save others in the process."
Hammering.
Sobbing.
Disbelief.
"Kirishima's funeral will be next Friday, if any of you would like to attend," their sensei sighed, "Class dismissed. Take tomorrow off too."
The moment the door slid behind their teacher 3-A's world shattered.
NNN
Toshinori had been lingering in the hallway when Aizawa came into view, "Don't you think you went a little overboard?"
The pro hero seriously regarded the symbol of peace, "They need to get used to the mindset if they are going survive."
The former pro watched as his colleague headed toward the teachers lounge. The man could hear the cries from behind the closed door of the classroom and sighed, "For those so young to have to endure so much…it is a cruel reality in deed."
NNN
Bakugou can't recall much from the time he left the classroom until returning to his dorm room. His back is currently pressed against the door and upon hearing the click of the knob, he slides slowly to the floor as if all fight in him is gone.
"Bakubro!" Kirishima announces before sliding his arm across the blond's shoulders, his wide sharp toothed grin in place, "Where are you going? Do you want to hang out?"
Katsuki realizes he does…
"Dude? You want to be my sparring partner today in gym class?" Kirishima asks, as they wait in the lunch line.
"Who the hell else is going to be able to take a hit?" observes Bakugou, placing a bottle of juice on his tray.
The redhead rolls his eyes, "And here I thought it was because we were best bros…"
They are…
Kirishima is Bakugou's first real friend…not some fucking sheep who fawns over him or follows him around like a puppy. Eijirou is someone worthy of being Katsuki's equal. He calls Bakugou out on shit.
Fuck, he even organized a team to save him—Bakugou definitely didn't need saving—in Kamino.
If anything, that made Kirishima his shitty haired best friend.
Katsuki could no longer see clearly, his vision marred by his stupid fucking tears, as he buried his face against his propped knees, hands wrapped tightly around his legs.
"Katsuki, be sure to invite Eijirou over during summer vacation," offered his mom, "You two should go hiking and—
"Yeah, yeah…stop telling me what to do…"
The blond can hear muffled voices as they near his door, in pursuit of their own room, "I heard that on Monday there will be a new student at Kirishima's desk…"
"There are a lot of people waiting to get into UA…"
"I know, but don't you think they could wait? It'll be like he never existed…"
But he did..
Kirishima did, had existed…
"Shitty Hair."
"It's Kirishima!" exclaimed the exasperated boy before him, "Remember my name!"
He would. Katsuki would always…
NNN
That night the hunger pains were dull compared to the feeling that had settled into the teen's body. Bakugou just couldn't bring himself to leave the room. To venture toward the cafeteria and not see the sharp toothed boy shooting him a wide smile and remarking that the had saved his best bro a seat at the dinner table.
The last time they had spoken was at the end of classes yesterday. Kirishima had caught Bakugou up on his way out of the classroom.
"Want to spar with me tomorrow, Bakugou?" he asked, while throwing an arm around the blond's shoulders as they walked.
"You mean, you want me to kick your ass, tomorrow?" was Katsuki's retort.
The glimmer in those crimson eyes said that the challenge had been accepted, Kirishima clarified, "Sure dude, whatever helps you sleep at night. You know it takes a lot to keep me down."
Katsuki can hear himself. He always gave in so easily to Eijirou's teasing, shaking the redhead's arm off his shoulders.
The blond realized he would do anything to feel the weight of Kirishima's arm across his shoulders at that moment.
NNN
Bakugou awoke to a soft knocking at his door. He groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and saw it was 10:02pm. He now realized he hadn't even bothered to turn the room light off before crashing against the mattress, ear buds in, and music playing to keep his mind occupied.
Truthfully, the teen didn't want to deal with anyone, but he heard another soft knock from the offensive wooden object and sighed.
Noting the time, it wasn't like Bakugou could open that door, left off an explosion, slam it and get back into bed.
He'd start with opening it…
Bakugou's hand silently fell from the knob, no worry of letting off an explosion, as the person before him came into view, the dim light from the hallway engulfing the figure. Katsuki's vision started to blur and he could feel his lip quiver against his teeth.
Before he could fathom what was happening, he felt two warm arms around his shoulders silently walking him backwards back into the safety of the room and away from the door.
"I'll explain everything…"
The whispered words and the soft click of the door were all Katsuki could focus on.
NNN
It was true that Red Riot had been in a jam. He was taxed, he wasn't even sure how he'd managed to stay in this form for so long. Now with the building coming down, the smoke rising, he had one last burst of momentum…
Fat Gum jumped back as a wall shattered from the other side of the building and his protégé appeared, barely standing, chest heaving as he stood in the debris…
NNN
"Red, we need to talk."
Kirishima had just finished his shower, dressed and had a towel wrapped around his shoulders to catch the water which dripped off his red strands.
It was now after 11pm and Fat Gum had notified the school of the incident. His mentor looked uneasy as he leaned against the frame of the door—now in his deflated state.
Toyomitsu rubbed the back of his blond hair, "Okay Red, here's the deal…"
NNN
Kirishima floundered and then exclaimed, "What?!"
"I don't like it any more than you do, but Eraser Head wants to make a lesson out of tonight's patrol."
"But…" Kirishima's hands were balling into fists, "everyone will think that I—
"Died," interjected the man who thought of the redhead as not only his student but a kid brother.
Eijirou felt a hand on his head and saw the forlorn expression on Toyomitsu's face.
"Jeez kid, I really thought you had," he gently smacked his hand upon Kirishima's head, "but I should have known better. You're too manly to be defeated."
Shit like that always managed to take the wind out of Kirishima's sails…
Toyomitsu had made a shit ton of food, which Eijirou would never turn down, but there wasn't much vigor as he chewed.
The redhead didn't sleep much that night, he could only think about his friends and what they would be told in the morning.
Yet, some part of him also understood…
Heroes don't always win. They don't always come back…
NNN
He'd stayed with Fat Gum all day waiting for word that he could return to UA…and as Toyomitsu sat in the car after driving the boy home, Kirishima made a note to take this incident to heart.
By the time the teen had stepped out of the elevator, he knew everyone would be asleep. With a sigh, he had made his way toward his room, but a light coming from underneath Bakugou's door caught his attention.
His eyes widened, and his pulse sped at the opportunity…
Oh please…please be up…
It had taken longer than he had hoped but Kirishima heard the turn of the knob and then saw the face of his best friend standing before him. Bakugou looked shell shocked and Kirishima knew he was the reason for it…
NNN
"I'm so sorry…" murmured Kirishima, still holding his friend in his arms. He expected to be blown sky high for what Bakugou must have thought, and being a man, he'd take that beating.
Instead, after having rambled off the entire story, he found Katsuki to be breathing calmly in his embrace.
"Kirishima," his voice sounded soft, and the short puffs of breath against his ear told Eijirou that Bakugou was choosing his words wisely, "you're such an idiot."
All that hype…just for an insult…
Kirishima scoffed, "That's rude, bro…"
The sharp toothed boy slowly began to distance himself but soon felt the blond's hand press in between his shoulder blades—holding him to the spot.
Okay, they could hug it out for a little while longer…
NNN
Thank you so much for reading! Again, I hope you'll check out "7 More Days", which picks up where this left off.