Roommates

Warm Embrace

BAKUGO'S POV

"Dude, it's been four days," Kirishima complained while handing me a box of Chinese takeout that he picked up on the way over. "You have to leave your apartment at some point in time."

"I went to work today, so shut up," I groaned. I only work two days a week usually. It would be stupid of me not to go.

"Has he called you at all since the day after he left?"

I shook my head. "No. I haven't tried to call either. He said he needs some space, so I'm giving him space."

Kirishima clicked his tongue before sitting beside me with his food. "I can't believe Ashido cornered him like that."

"I want to know what his ex said to him," I replied. I think that's where most of his anxiety is coming from. I think it's from his piece-of-shit ex.

"Todoroki didn't tell you?"

I shook my head. "I didn't ask. I want Midoriya to talk to me himself. Todoroki already went behind his friend's back to tell me he was safe. I don't need him to betray his best friend's trust any further than that."

Kirishima stared at me curiously. "What?" I questioned before popping a piece of chicken in my mouth.

"Last time we were in this situation, I had to drive you around for hours until you found him."

"That was different," I shrugged. "Our last words were in anger. We were fighting, and I didn't know what was going through my head until you helped me figure it out."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "I'm just surprised you haven't gone to get him yet."

I set my food on the table in front of me with a sigh. "Listen, Idiot. I've never been in a real relationship. I don't know what to do other than respect what he wants. I don't want to push him further away from me." He frowned at me. "I want him to come home more than anything, but on his own terms."

"Do you love him?" he asked suddenly.

I've had to think about a lot of things recently when it came to Midoriya, but not that. I don't need to think about whether I love him or not. "Yes, I do." I never thought I would be capable of falling in love or letting myself care about someone, but it happened.

"Does he know that?"

I shook my head. "No. I want to tell him, but I won't do it over a phone. I'll wait until he comes home."

"I think you should call him again or stop by and see him. Tell him he doesn't have to come home, but you want to tell him how you feel," he suggested. "You said he's taking time because of his anxiety and baggage from his ex, right?"

"Yeah, that's what he said." I knew he had a little anxiety, but I didn't think it affected him like this. I don't know much about anxiety, but I'll ask him everything I can about it. I've never experienced it as he has, but it doesn't mean I don't want to know more to help him when he's having a bad day.

"Maybe telling him how you feel will help with his anxiety. It might not be a cure-all, but it could help."

"What if he's not ready to come home?" I asked.

"Then you tell him you'll come back and get him when he is. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, but I would at least talk to him. You don't know what's going through his head. All I know is that he's an overthinker." I looked at him in confusion.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

Kirishima shrugged before finishing the last piece of chicken in his box. "When I told him about you, he worried about everything. He asked me about a million different scenarios that would never happen. He just gave me that vibe, is all."

Is that what's going on right now? Is he overthinking and making his anxiety worse? Like Kirishima said, I don't need to force him to come home. I won't even ask him. But I want to tell him how I feel. I also want to know what his ex said to him.

I pushed myself off the couch and abandoned my food on the table. I don't care if he isn't ready to come home. Kirishima is right. I at least need to talk to him and tell him how I feel. I grabbed my keys off the hook and slipped my shoes on.

"Where are you going?" Kirishima asked with a knowing smirk.

"Where do you think?" I scoffed. "Lock the door when you leave. I'll call you tomorrow."

---------------

"Does Midoriya know you're here?" Todoroki asked.

I shook my head. "No, but I need to talk to him. I won't make him come home if he isn't ready to, but he has to hear what I have to say."

"You're not here to yell at him or make him feel shittier about himself, right?" Why does he automatically assume the worst?

"Listen, I'm not the same person I used to be. I'm not out to be a monster who destroys anything in their path. I just want to come in and talk to him for a few minutes."

He looked me up and down skeptically. He debated for another moment before opening the door wider for me to come in. "I don't want you to think I hate you or anything. I love my best friend and don't like to see him hurt."

"I don't want to hurt him. I care about him more than I could ever explain to you."

When I was inside, he shut the door behind us. I kicked off my shoes quickly and ran up the stairs when Todoroki told me he was in his bedroom. The last time I was in this room, I got into a fistfight with Dabi. I hope Todoroki was able to get the blood out of everything.

I raised my hand and gently knocked on the door.

"Todo, I already told you that you don't have to knock. It's your room, and I'm not walking around naked," he chuckled.

"That's good. I don't think I would like it if you invited someone else into the room while naked." His feet hit the floor a moment later. I heard his footsteps grow louder until the door was ripped open.

His green eyes connected with mine. "W-What are you doing here?"

I felt like I haven't seen him in a month. It's taking everything I have not to pull him close to me and smash my lips against his.

"I need to talk to you," I mumbled.

He frowned before saying, "You could have called."

"Some things shouldn't be said over a phone." What I have to say really shouldn't be said over the phone. "Can I come in?"

He hesitated momentarily before stepping back to let me in.

This room was much neater the last time I was here. It was clean, and everything was in place. Now, clothes littered the floor, and empty tubs of ice cream sat on the nightstand. Midoriya was wearing a pair of his silk pajamas again. These ones were light pink with white hearts scattered across the tops and bottoms.

His eyes looked tired, like he hadn't slept since he left. His green curls clung to his forehead from being greasy. He probably hasn't left this room since he got here. He's most likely been curled up, watching whatever cheesy romances he could find while eating his weight in ice cream.

"What do you need to say that you couldn't have told me over the phone?"

I shut the door behind me quietly. "So many things, but I would like to hear what your ex said to you first."

He sighed before plopping down on the bed. "You don't need to help me with my baggage."

"You're right, I don't," I shrugged while sitting next to him on the edge of the bed. "However, it doesn't mean that I don't want to. You don't need to sit here and cry alone. Especially when I have two good shoulders and, as you once said, 'the warmest embrace.'"

He smiled softly. "I could use some of that warm embrace."

Without question, I opened my arms for him. He leaned against me and wrapped his arms around my waist. It felt good to have him in my arms again. I shifted my body and wrapped one arm under his legs before pulling him into my lap. He sat sideways in my lap now, one arm around my waist and the other resting on my chest. I felt the wetness on my shirt as he pressed his crying eyes on my shoulder.

I held him until he ran out of tears.