Hidden Trauma (Depressed/Sexually Assaulted Bakugou)

Chapter 16: Conversations

Bakugou and Kirishima step into their empty classroom, an odd situation for the two, especially Kirishima, who usually arrives later, and the top of Bakugou's lip is twitched upwards irritably as he stalks over to his desk and sits down with his legs up in front of him, glaring out the window. Kirishima steps over to his own desk and stares at his seat for a moment before sending a hesitant glance towards Bakugou. His eyes go back and forth for a moment before he nods to himself in reassurance and walks over to Bakugou, sitting sideways in the chair to the blonde's right, legs over its side, facing Bakugou.

"You can talk to me," the redhead blurts out, suddenly leaning forward towards the blonde. Bakugou's head, which had been resting on his hand as he watched the skyline, snaps towards Kirishima in surprise before he quirks eyebrow.

"The fuck, Shitty Hair?"

Kirishima's face grows slightly red and he is certain his awkwardness is visible. His eyes drop to Bakugou's desk as he pieces together his words slowly. "Uh.... I just want you to know I'm here to talk to, bro." Bakugou's mouth twitches to snap something, but Kirishima hurriedly continues, waving his hands in front of him to placate the boy, a small smile on his face. "I know, trust me I know, you don't need me!" Bakugou's mouth snaps shut and his jaw clenches. The blonde can't help but challenge that statement in his mind, not that he would say so out loud. "But, Bakugou, everyone needs to talk sometimes," Kirishima continues, rubbing the back of his neck and his sharp teeth show in his small smile. "And I think I kind of know what you're thinking right now.... Uh, I don't claim to know everything about you, but I would like to think I understand you fairly well by now, and I...I think you think that because of all this, you're weak." Kirishima's small smile drops and his eyes shift up to meet Bakugou's with a serious shine.

Bakugou feels his teeth grind against each other as anger filters back into him. "You don't know shit," he snarls, leaning towards Kirishima dangerously. "I'm not fucking weak."

Kirishima stands his ground, not flinching from the dangerous look. "Exactly," he replies simply and insistently, taking Bakugou aback a bit, but before the blonde can snap anything, Kirishima continues again. "No, Bakugou, I'm going to say this for once. I can tell you think you're weak, and you are trying to prove that you're not. I am not smart, I know, but I am certain I at least know this, so you can't convince me otherwise. The thing is, you think you're weak, but you're not!" he exclaims at the end, voice rising. "You are the strongest guy I know, and you are not weak for what has happened to you! You are not weak for getting overwhelmed sometimes! You are not weak for needing help, Bakugou! You are not weak!" he practically rants in exasperation as Bakugou's lower lip begins to wobble and the blonde looks away, shielding his eyes with his fringe and frowning tightly to stop his lip from betraying him by showing emotion. "I need you to know that, bro, and I know this probably wasn't the best way to do it, but I need you to know that you can talk about it all to me, and I'll do my best to help you. Nothing you do or tell me could ever make me feel any different about you because I know you, and I care about you. Please just acknowledge this, at least." Kirishima looks pleadingly at the boy with nervous anticipation. He knows what he's done could either go very wrong or very well, but he had to try. He doesn't know a way to get through to Bakugou besides by being upfront about it, and the explosive boy hasn't opened his door to any of Kirishima's knocking ever since the day in the locker room.

The silence draws on for far too long as Kirishima anxiously clenches and unclenches his fists as he awaits Bakugou's answer.

That's when it comes.

"Fuck off."

The venom in Bakugou's voice is almost tangible and Kirishima feels his chest constrict with rejection. His eyes fall to the ground at the loss and the feeling of despair that runs through him. After all, he practically drove off his best friend...the guy he likes.