Dysphoria || TodoBaku ✔

Chapter 2: Chances

The next day wasn't as fruitful as Bakugo hoped. He and his classmates weren't allowed to return to school, and Endeavor was currently accused of Todoroki's absence. Despite not having enough evidence and most of the search team missing or dead, Aizawa stopped at nothing to find his precious student. He had doubts about Todoroki's sudden disappearance, but Endeavor was a cruel man, and Aizawa's mind was clogged with countless questions and curse words.

"Anything new?" Yaoyorozu asked, everyone's expressions filled with worry as they sat in the lounge, Aizawa leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

With the silence that met the students' ears, they knew Aizawa had no good news. Aizawa rarely spoke, always quiet and depressed with their current situation. Shinso tried comforting him and the class, reassuring them and giving the positives about their problem, but 1-A couldn't always be optimistic.

Bakugo wasn't himself, either. He never snapped at anyone or kept his head high, let alone call anyone by their nicknames. All he could think of was the absence of his rival, a classmate with high expectations now broken and gone within days. Aizawa told the class about his depression, the cuts, bruises, burns, scars, and all Endeavor had done to him. Now the current Number One Hero was an enemy to the class, but with him on the loose and a precious classmate missing, Bakugo didn't have the strength to yell, let alone think of a plan to get Todoroki back and Endeavor in prison.

With the atmosphere thick and the silence deafening, Bakugo stood from the couch, heading to his room and ignoring the calls from his squad. He wanted to be alone and collect his thoughts about the situation, maybe figure out where Todoroki was taken.

Bakugo laid on his bed, looking at his phone with no interest at the bright, still screen of his home page. Nobody in the class was allowed to step a foot outside without risking being killed, making Bakugo wish this never happened, where Todoroki was back in class, All Might alive and well, and Endeavor in prison. All Bakugo wanted was a normal world to grow up and become a Hero in, but everything was reduced to flames.

The phone in his hand vibrating startled the ash-blond student, an unknown number calling with no location. He picked it up, pressing the screen to his ear as a monotone, barely audible voice played on the other end.

"Katsuki Bakugo?" the voice asked, sounding worried, almost panicked.

"...Yes? Who is this?" Bakugo demanded, his brows knit together as he broke into a cold sweat.

"Dabi, but that's not what's important right now. Shoto's a classmate of yours, isn't he? He needs help, and I believe you're the only one who can do the job. Meet me outside. We'll talk more." The line ended, leaving Bakugo in a confused and toxic state.

Though not trusting the villain, Bakugo quickly snuck out of the dorms undetected, spotting the silhouette of a man on the property wall, knelt with an overcoat over his body.

Dabi lit a blue flame, startling Bakugo as he put up his guard, hands sparking threateningly. The villain paid no mind to his Quirk, jumping off the wall and landing on the ground, the flame brightening his scarred and solemn face.

"Where is he?" Bakugo asked, his voice hushed but mildly threatening. "Why should I trust you know where he is?"

Dabi ran his free hand through his hair, "Listen, I know full well I'm not trusted, but during these tough times, is there any reason to doubt me? What would you gain besides regret?"

The ash-blond hissed, "Fine then. What is it that you want to talk about?"

"Shoto isn't himself anymore. He's a Nomu with incredible new abilities and Quirks." Bakugo's eyes widened. "There's still pieces of his old self there, but he can't function normally with Shigaraki ordering him around. What I want you to do is take care of him. I've convinced the League to return Shoto to you, their minds set on him killing every one of you, but he can't if you inject him with this." Dabi pulled out a syringe with red liquid inside. "This is the blood cells from that healing lady you guys have. If you inject this into his bloodstream, Shoto will slowly start healing out of his Nomu state, but until it's complete, you cannot provoke him in any way." Dabi gave Bakugo the syringe, the student hesitantly taking it with fear and confusion in his eyes. "Once he is returned to you, please talk to him; get Shoto to open up and break through the walls Shigaraki build inside his mind. He's not an ordinary Nomu, so he can think for himself, but that doesn't mean he knows what's right and wrong. Please, change him to the way he was before this whole mess. I just want my brother back to his loving self."

With that, Dabi disappeared behind the shadows, his flames quenched and leaving Bakugo by himself in the cold breeze, a syringe in his grasp.

"'Brother'...?" He held the syringe to his eyes, staring at the red liquid in its chamber. If it can help Todoroki become his old self again, then maybe the world will be back to normal.

Aizawa rushed outside, seeing Bakugo standing near the intersected sidewalk, his capture weapon quickly pulling Bakugo back, "What the hell are you doing out here?! Get inside right n—what's in your hand?"

Bakugo presented the syringe, sweat dripping from his forehead despite the cold air, "...Dabi gave it to me, saying it'll help Halfie become himself again once he returns to us."

Aizawa took the syringe, examining it, "It makes me pissed to think you were outside with a villain, but now is not the time to get angry. Inside, you can tell me all about Dabi and what this syringe is for, but right now, your classmates are worried. Come on."

Bakugo nodded, the capture weapon returning to Aizawa's neck as they headed inside, students crowding around them with panicked faces, but Bakugo didn't listen to any of their questions, rethinking Dabi's words.

Todoroki's a Nomu...?