𝖇𝖓𝖍𝖆 𝕺𝖓𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖘

Thantophobia [Bakudeku]

"Why?!" he cried, his whole body spasming with the effort of containing heartbroken sobs as he curled in on himself. Izuku could only stand and watch his broken friend, in shock. Seeing him this torn and upset was something new to him, but it hurt like hell. His voice was raw with emotion, trembling and breaking with every sad word that came from his mouth. With every desperate question he asked, but Izuku couldn't answer.

"Why did you become stronger? But I...why was I the one who ended All Might?!" Bakugo screamed, clutching onto his shirt like he was apart to fall to pieces.

Izuku froze, a sickeningly sad feeling settling into his stomach as all became clear to him now. Looking into that broken expression, seeing eyes full of self-hatred, he realised everything. Bakugo had been carrying the burden of All Might's retirement on his shoulders this whole time, just like Izuku. But he had never known about the other's true feelings or how strong they were.

To everyone else around them, Bakugo was someone strong and powerful but always trapped himself in solitude. Because at least this way no-one gets hurt, no-one gets let down and no-one can be used against him. He was always fighting for number one, to even surpass the hero both of them admired all throughout their childhood, not only for the fame and money, but so he could be good enough to protect the people he cared about. To be good enough to live up to the expectations people had for him since he was a child. When they found out he held such a powerful quirk everyone told him he'd be destined for greatness. And although it can be argued the praise got to his head a little, he merely wanted to show that they were right, and be someone admired, the way he admired All Might.

As Izuku gazed at the hurting boy before him, the boy he admired himself his whole life, he could only feel hurt and guilty too. Living this type of life was hard for anyone, and sometimes bad things will happen, but in all honesty the retirement of All Might was neither of their faults, if only they could see that. Both of them were locking away pent up emotions from all the chaotic drama that had happened in the space of a week. Izuku had felt like a failure for not being able to save Katsuki in the first place, and Bakugo felt worse for not being strong enough to stand up himself and instead dragged everybody else into his mess. So they did the only thing either of them knew how to do and they fought against each other, putting everything into every kick and punch. Every emotion so that they could finally be rid of all that burden and suffering. Trying to get stronger and stronger with each other, instead of without and against, learning from the tutor they both so looked up to, to finally try to see how they could help to improve each other instead of always turning away.

"I'm weak to you know."

"But what happened was not your fault, young Bakugo, what has become of me was inevitable anyway," All Might reassured, bringing the boy into a hug as he held back tears.

After the whole incident at Ground Beta, the two boys were put under house arrest together. Izuku for three days and Bakugo for a day extra than that. They had to clean the entire U.A. dorm building and simply watch as the rest of their classmates grew stronger and stronger while they would have to fight to not be left behind. The only time they were allowed to leave was when the cleaning supplies ran out and had to pay for the equipment with their own money. The punishment wasn't appealing but it was the price to pay for destroying a whole street of buildings.

"Oi get a move on, we're only allowed to be out for an hour and you're wasting all of it!" Bakugo yelled, kicking down Midoriya's dorm room door to find him stumbling around, trying to hurriedly put on his signature red boots. Bakugo wondered if he actually owned any other pairs of shoes.

"Ah, I'm almost ready sorry, Ochaco called me to see how we were and I didn't want to leave her worrying," he explained, grabbing the shopping list he'd made for them and his wallet.