A Hero Worth Fighting For (KiriBaku)

Chapter 5

My body hurts, but I can still fight. I get up, running towards him again. Deku gets shot back again to the wall opposite of me. I continue to fight, anger taking over, the pain forgotten. "Why are you doing this?" I yell at him after sending a kick to his stomach.

"Why do you think?" He yells, "I can't take it anymore! The bullying, the disappointed family, everything!" He punches me in the nose. "I'm quirkless! I'm weak!"

"No you're not!" Bakugo yells, kicking him in the side. "Do you even see what you have done? These inventions are amazing, you could've been a hero!" He temporarily stops fighting, so does everyone else.

"You wouldn't understand! Do you know how long I've been bullied for. How long I've been called no good and weak?" Tears fall down his face as he says this.

A wave of sadness flashes on Bakugo's face, but it is quickly replaced by a serious one. "I don't understand, you're right. I was not the one to be bullied, I was the bully." Zack looks even angrier. "I bullied a kid in middle school, lots of kids actually, but this quirkless boy got the worst of it. I regret it, it's the worst thing I've ever done. He's now one of the most powerful heroes, all because of his determination and strength. You don't need a quirk to be a hero, you need the heart and courage to help others. You're not weak, not at all. You are strong, because you put your mind to it and made all of these amazing tools. But, the bullying sent you down the wrong path. You shouldn't be a villain, you should be a hero!" Bakugo looks into the villain's eyes. Tears fall down Zack's cheeks, a look of anger on his face.

It's too late for Zack though, he's gone too far into the path of villainhood. He doesn't want out. "Stop acting like you know me!" He screams, sending an explosive punch into me as I fly backwards.

"Kirishima!" Bakugo runs for me. A chain flies to me, wrapping on my wrist and locking me to the ground. Shit. Robots run every which way, so this is the end? "Marshall! Now!"

Bakugo lands on top of me, his face inches from mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Marshall run over, touching Bakugo and then jumping out of sight again. There's a bright light, and then everything is the same. "Woah!" I hear Shoto yell, something he rarely does even to this day, but I can't see his face. Bakugo's hair sags into mine as he faces me, he's crying.

"You can't leave me! I won't let you die, I love you too much!" He cries. Loves me? I can feel his breath on mine, it's warm. Sweat and tears drip down his face as he leans in. Is he going to kiss me? The chains unwrap from my hands, is the villain defeated? I close my eyes, preparing for the best - okay, first - kiss of my life.

"Get off of him you big idiot!" Someone who sounds exactly like Bakugo says, pulling him up by the scruff of his shirt. He looks exactly like Bakugo! So does he! There's four Katsuki's now? They all look almost exactly the same, just some minor differences like stance and clothing, even size. What?

The sobbing one speaks up, "He's probably so confused! Someone explain this to him!"

"It's my quirk," Marshall sighs from next to the duplicates. Deku and Shoto are next to me now, their faces match my own. Surprise and confusion.

"He can duplicate anyone into multiple personalities. For example; king, villain, happy, sad, child, etcetera. All with the touch of his hand, it's pretty impressive. Only backfire is it takes a lot of energy out of the person, I'm one of the few who can handle it! Because I'm so perfect, and amazing, and beautiful!" One of them speaks up. He smiles brightly.

"Yes, the two short ones are the child versions. One who is super anxious, the other who is angry and basically psychotic." He points to the one holding the sobbing version, who smiles, his pupils small with his head tilted. Another boy who is the same short size holds an anxious look. "The sobbing one is fear, and the one who was talking is his happiness. Even if he is a little cocky too at times." Happiness waves excitedly.

"That's so cool! I need to take notes on this!" Deku says. Of course he still takes notes on heroes.

"It is pretty cool," Shoto says, a smirk on his face as he drapes his arm over Deku. It quickly turns into a serious one though.

Marshall touches one of the Bakugo's, causing them to all turn back. Behind us, Zack is being handcuffed by the police and the rescue heroes. Uraraka waves goodbye, unable to stay due to other rescues going on. Zack cusses out the police officer as he's guided to the car.

"It was nice meeting you Zack, you should really think about changing to the good side!" Bakugo calls after him with a smirk. Then, he turns to me. Quickly, he runs over and pulls me close. He's hugging me. Oh my goodness he's hugging me this feels amazing.

He pulls away, grabbing my wrist. He puts two fingers to it. Is he feeling my pulse? "Um, I'm clearly alive." I laugh awkwardly. He continues to feel it, sighing a breath of relief.

"It's just something he does to people he cares about. He likes the feeling and it makes him know that you're safe now since he can feel it!" Chloe says excitedly, why does she look like a fangirl right now?

"Yes, don't you think it's cute?" Maggie says, her arms in fists by her chin as she jumps up and down.

He lets go, laughing nervously. "I- I'll see you later then?" His eyes droop closed, clearly at a loss for energy as he slumps forward slightly.

"Yeah, for sure!" I say.

"Bye Deku, bye Shoto, see ya Kiri-kun!" He winks paired with a wave, hopping on Justin who transformed into his oher form. They all say goodbye, Maggie and Marshall going ahead. Chloe wraps her arms around Bakugo as they drive off. Kiri. . . Kun?

Why do I love it?

But why did Chloe have to be with Bakugo? I should be with him! No, nope that came out wrong. "Jealous much?" Shoto interrupts my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You look kinda pissed that Chloe is with Bakugo, you were glaring daggers when she grabbed his waist," Deku laughs.

"I-"

"Listen, just ask him out. You clearly like each other." Deku smiles cheerily. 

"Huh?"

"Dude, it's obvious. You've liked each other since high school," Todoroki states.

I'm silent, unable to speak. Was my crush that obvious? Also, why would he like me back? I'm. . . Me. But, he - fear version of him - did say he loved me. Is that true? It couldn't be, right? I need to talk to him.

"Just tell him okay. We'll see you later," Deku and Shoto walk off as they wave goodbye.

"I'll see you later!" I reply. He can't love me, right?

A memory comes back to me from high school, when we were in my room. Just talking like usual, but Bakugo had something to tell me.

"Hey, can I tell you something" Bakugo had said, looking down at his feet. He fiddled with the sleeves of his UA uniform.

"Oh, yeah! Um, go on!" I looked into his eyes, my nerves started to take over. It was our third year, our final year. I loved him then, I've loved him since our first year, it didn't take very long for me to fall in love with him. He was always so manly, so amazing in every way.

"I- I'm gay." Huh? I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that. He looks up at me, awaiting my response.

"Oh, um. Thats cool! While we are on the topic of sexuality, I am androsexual. You uh probably don't know what that means. It just means I-" I start, but Bakugo interrupts me.

"You're attracted to masculinity. Yes, I know what it is." I remember thinking 'he knows what that is? I didn't expect that. No one ever does' I always had to explain it.

I wanted to ask him out that day, I wanted to ask him out every day for all of high school. But I got scared and never did. We were so close, we were equals. Now, here we are as equals yet again and we are just as close as always. Maybe even closer. But the fear has come back, growing bigger and bigger for every moment we share.

I need to do this. I need to ask him out. I will take the chance that I didn't take in highschool. The chance that I regretted not making so long ago. I walk away, running straight through the news reporters as my brows furrowed and my jaw clenched in determination.