PopRocks

Promising

"These are the ones you risked your life for?" The man's voice was gruff and his tone held no liking for Bakugou nor Kirishima. Behind him, Toshinori laid on the ground, heaving air into his lungs, looking like he'd just ran a marathon.

The man turned from Bakugou, risked a glance at the Doctor.

Between breaths Toshinori spoke, "I wasn't planning on two, Shota." The man, Shota, turned away from Toshinori.

"It's Aizawa, Toshinori." He looked over both of the boys with a glare. "Which of you is the extra." Neither of them answered for a moment but eventually Kirishima spoke.

"Me sir." Aizawa raised an eyebrow before walking over to Kirishima.

"Okay, good to know. Now I know which one of you to throw out." Kirishima's eyes widened at the suggestion and he quickly took a couple steps back.

"You can't do that! They'll kill me!" Aizawa sighed exasperatedly and reached out and grabbed hold of Kirishima's shirt, trying to drag the struggling boy to the door.

Bakugou had stood unfazed but when Kirishima cast him a pleading look he growled in annoyance. Quickly, he took action and rushed at Aizawa, one hand coming down on the man's elbow and his other grabbing hold of Kirishima.

The tired man seemed surprised but that didn't stop him from easily shaking Bakugou off of him. He stumbled back, the old wooden boards beneath his feet creaking in protest at the sudden movements.

Once again he went at the man, though this time more aggressive. When he reached him, he slammed his heel into the back of Aizawa's knee, making it buckle beneath him. Aizawa cursed, his grip on Kirishima momentarily loosening so that Bakugou could wrench the boy out of his hands.

Both boys stepped back quickly, sending worried glanced to Toshinori who was now standing, his breath regained, with an amused look on his face.

"What's so fucking funny about that," Bakugou snarled at him, words coated with toxic anger. Toshinori only shook his head and looked past them at Aizawa. They followed his gaze and were surprised to see the man standing with his arms crossed, a calm look on his face.

"Hmm. Promising."

"What?" Bakugou grit his teeth together. What could this man possibly mean by "promising" when he just tried to through one of them out the door?

Aizawa let out a low chuckle before explaining. "I sure as hell wouldn't throw one of you out. If I did that, both of you would have to go." He paused looking at the boys with a genuine look of disinterest.

"I was simply testing you." Kirishima spoke this time.

"Well that sure wasn't a good test." Bakugou looked to the boy, realising now just how shaken he was. For some reason, he found himself wanting to comfort the boy but refrained, instead he had turned his attention back to Toshinori, his anger still bubbling on the surface.

"Did you know about this," Bakugou interrogated.

Toshinori nodded, "If I didn't, I would have been alongside you trying to get the boy, Bakugou." Bakugou couldn't help but let the statement sooth him. He nodded and turned to Aizawa.

"What exactly was this test for?" His question didn't lack hostility but now he was more inclined to listen to the man.

Aizawa opened his mouth to speak but quickly snapped his mouth shut as sounds of shouting outside drifted toward them.

"Shit," he growled, peeking through a covered window before turning back to the doctor. "Toshinori, you know what to do." Aizawa began to work at getting a barricade on the door, his movements swift and purposeful, no nervousness showing on his tough exterior. Bakugou briefly wondered if the man was panicking on the inside but his wonders were cut short when he felt a hand grasp his and pull him along.

He regained his composure, not bothering to cast a glance behind him at Aizawa and followed behind Kirishima who had been the one to pull him along.

Toshinori led him and Kirishima towards the back door, an expression on his face that, compared to Aizawa's calmness, was terrified. He led them out the door and back into the sunlight, dragging both of them in what seemed like a random direction. At least Bakugou hoped it wasn't a random direction.

Bakugou ran next Kirishima, not liking the idea of being behind everyone in the event of being followed, and cast him a glance that Kirishima returned with a small grin. For a moment Bakugou stared at the boy with wonder before tearing his gaze away and once again looking ahead of him.

Within a few short minutes, the doctor led them into an empty alleyway. Bakugou quickly looked around for some means of escape before turning to Toshinori with a glare when he realised there was none.

"What the hell are we doing here," Bakugou questioned, thought his free hand in the air, the other still being gripped by Kirishima. "Why are w-." Toshinori silenced him by holding up a hand and shushing him.

Toshinori brought his fingers up to his lips and whistled. The sound was shrill and high pitched, and most definitely loud enough for the castle guards to hear. Kirishima seemed to take grasp of the situation and looked to Bakugou before looking to Toshinori with a confused look.

Bakugou was convinced that they were doomed but the thought wavered when he heard the sound of a horses hooves clacking against the stone road. He sent a cautionary glance at Toshinori who returned it with a grin.

Only seconds later, Bakugou was greeted by a grinning face framed in unruly green hair. Midoriya sat atop a hay cart, holding the reigns for the large, brown horse that was connected to them.

The look on the boys face said that he was proud of himself for making it on time, making Bakugou question whether or not he actually knew how to handle a horse cart. Shaking his head, he quickly moved forward, Kirishima hard on his heels as he climbed into the back of the cart.

"Climb under the hay, this isn't going to be easy to sneak you out in if you are sitting in the open."

Bakugou glared at Toshinori, "There isn't enough hay for both of us."

He shrugged, "Find a way to make it work." Bakugou growled but complied, beginning to move hay around and climbing under it, followed by Kirishima. By the time they were both hidden, they were pressed awkwardly close together, their legs and chests touching, leaving their faces only inches apart. They were so close in fact, that Bakugou could feel Kirishima's warm breath against his cheek. They didn't make much noise but Bakugou could tell by the tension in the air that Kirishima had something to say. After a few minutes though, Bakugou couldn't take it.

"You got something to say shitty hair," Bakugou growled in a voice that was quieter than a whisper.

Kirishima was silent before he suddenly blurted it out. "Do you trust these people?" Bakugou thought for a moment. Did he trust these people? Toshinori had saved him and Kirishima both. That seemed like reason enough to trust them. Why risk your life, career, everything to help someone you barely even know just so you can betray them. He even held a little trust in Aizawa, despite what he did to Kirishima.

Bakugou looked at the boy who was staring at him with expecting eyes that he somehow still managed to see in the dark.

"Yeah. I trust them." They both watched each other for a moment. Kirishima watched him to search for any uncertainty while Bakugou watched him to search for judgement. Neither boy found either of those things.

"Well," Kirishima said reluctantly, "If you trust them, so do I." He didn't give Bakugou time to reply before he laid his head down on the hay covered wood and closed his eyes. As Kirishima drifted off to sleep, Bakugou stayed awake, watching the boy with curious eyes. Eventually though, sleep overtook him as well, the rhythmic rocking of the cart making it hard not to be lured into the comforting thought of sleep. He rested his head against the ground, and with a final sigh, he closed his eyes and slept.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you guys liked that chapter! It was the best I could do in the time I have today. You know how it is. Weekends mean cleaning and such so yeah. Otherwise, I actually enjoyed writing this.

I hope you lovely people have a beautiful day/night and remember to get your daily dose of Kiribaku no matter what.

Love ya's❤