It's All In Your Head (Villain! Deku AU)

Chapter 16-Stimulus

"Not... like this-"

"Exactly like this! You put your life on the line for those you LOVE and CARE about because that's your job!

"LISTEN TO ME BAKUGO!" Kirishima yells, to get the blondes attention. Kirishima stands and wlaks towards Bakugo, until he's merely a foot away. "He's killed 48 people, and as far as I can tell he doesn't use his quirk. Do you know how crazy that is? We got owned by a guy with some knives!"

Bakugo scowls and backs away from him. "What is wrong with you? You talk about being all manly and shit, but now you're backing out?"

"I'm not backing out, if you would just listen to me-"

"No." Bakugo walks towards the door facing away from Kirishima. "I don't understand why you're doing this, but me and Todoroki will bring him back if you won't."

"Stop and just let me-"

"Of all the years I've known you, you've never been one to back down from a challenge. So what if he's killed 48 people? Other villains have killed way more. I don't know what would make you any more hesitant! WHY ARE YOU SAYING THESE THINGS?!"

"BECAUSE I'M FUCKING SCARED!" Kirishima's voice shook as he yelled out to the blonde. Bakugo took his hand off the doorknob and turned around to see the other boy.

There his eyes laid upon Eijiro Kirishima, with tears rolling down his pale cheeks. His eyes were screwed closed as if he were trying to keep the tears in.

"He... He's killed 48 people. And..." Kirishima stops and wipes his face off opening his eyes, to show the redness and puffiness of them.

"I was almost number 48." His voice was low and scratchy as he choked out the brutal truth.

Bakugo couldn't speak. What started out as a simple question apparently had so much more meaning to the red haired boy, than met the eye.

"Do you remember that night, when he was about to throw that knife into your skull? I was ready. I was... I was going to jump in front of the knife. If Todoroki hadn't frozen his leg, I would have been number 48. I was ready to die." The red haired boy spoke softly. "To die for you."

Katsuki Bakugo blinked slowly as if time had stood still, watching them both.

"After all, you did just say we put our life on the line for the people we love and care about, don't we?" The red eyes boy flashed a weak smile at the blonde, who could barely move.

Bakugo just stared at him. This boy, who had always been obsessed with toughness... Admitted fear. He had told Bakugo how afraid he was. He didn't hide it. He trusted Katsuki Bakugo enough to... tell him. To let him in. But why? All Bakugo had been was an ass to him.

The thought really shook him. Kirishima's dead body after he... No. He couldn't think about that.

Instead he walked forward and grabbed Kirishima's hand, meeting the boys eyes.

"it's..." He began to peak for the first time. "It's okay to be afraid."

I'm scared too.

The words didn't make it out.

Kirishima smiled wide and squeezed Bakugo's hand. It was just them. Standing in their own little world. Right now, there was no fear. Just them. The two boys hands interlocked. just them...

"You know fear is self induced." A new voice said.

The two boys tore apart and their bodies whipped towards the noise.

"It's funny actually. Fear is caused by your brain reacting to a certain stimulus that it perceives as traumatic or dangerous. Fear can also be induced by the sympathetic nervous system over firing due to the brains perception of bad or dangerous. The sympathetic nervous system causes a feeling of anxiety or something that mimics it and makes your body think 'fight or flight?'. While the sympathetic nervous system is an autonomic reaction you can suppress it. Suppress the fear, suppress the system, fear is a choice. Just ignore the stimulus and you'll never act rationally or in fear again. Done and done."