summary: Deku, a nurse apprentice, finds out Bakugo is cheating on him with someone from UA. He goes there himself to break up with him and unexpectedly finds himself returning a few months later for a high school course with Recovery Girl. There, he's met with apologies from someone he wouldn't have expected to grow to like so much.
(in this AU Izuku didn't take OFA but still has a great relationship with All Might and a ton of freedom from RV)
warnings: none aside from relationship issues and cheating
THIRD PERSON
Bakugo leans back idly on the common room couch, Kirishima safely cuddled into his shoulder. It was approximately a week after his relationship got exposed in the dorms, and life was more peaceful than expected. Almost hollow, in the background, he could make out Kaminari and Uraraka arguing about a forensics and hero research report.
For it, they'd hired a model, one with close connections to heroes, to interview for this afternoon. An adult going by Ito Watanabe, who was to be interrogated and photographed for the pair. To say the group was excited would honestly be an understatement. The candidate agreed to come by the dorms at 4:00 to be buzzed in, known for his good looks in his current modelling company.
Steam flooded the kitchen area as Kirishima finally got up to remove the pot from the flame, pouring it onto a cup with an awaiting tea bag. Bakugo stretched his limbs with a pop as he smiled at his boyfriend, running a hand through his blonde hair as he left the dorms in search for All Might with his own research project in mind.
It was only a few more hours until the clock hit 3:30, and there was a piercing buzz from the intercom. Deliriously excited, Kaminari and his partner dismissed the time and buzzed in whoever was waiting outside.
To the semi-empty cafeteria housing three students, the sight blew their breath away. Out from the hallway leading from the entrance came a stone-faced greenette, who despite wanting to fanboy over his current place inside the actual UA dorms, maintained a small frown on his face. He looked out of this world in just a simple pair of jeans and a nerdy T-shirt, some cheesy All Might merch popping from his form. One could almost tell at first glance he was toned, lean figure and soft features found to be extremely alluring. His expression only fuelled some external instinct, freckled cheeks and viridian green eyes colder than what they would've been otherwise. Messy green hair swooshed from side to side as the boy scanned the room, managing a cheap smile when his target was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, do you-"
"You must be Watanabe!" Uraraka stood up fast from her seat and almost knocked back the chair she sat on.
"No? I'm" -uhh- "looking for Katsuki." His voice pierced the air in a frigid tone, somehow still holding an eerie warmth, as if the anger wasn't to be directed their way.
"He's out right now." Kirishima couldn't help but step in. "I could relay a message?"
The stranger shook his head with a sheepish smile, hiding his eyes under layers of bangs. "No, It kind of has to be him."
The redhead couldn't help but smile at the boy, genuinely wanting to help him for whatever he came in for. "No worries! I'm his boyfriend!" Warmth bubbled from his mouth.
He felt the stranger hitch, and when he looked up, he had tears in his eyes. "I'm really sorry, I just" he began to trail off but decided to continue halfway through, scared to hurt the kind student. "Tell him we're over. Tell him I found out about his other boyfriend and that I'm breaking up with him."
Izuku allowed a few of his tears to roll down his face but didn't dare look at Kirishima with the sad smile he was somehow managing to display. "I um already blocked his number so he shouldn't be able to contact me anymore?" It came out as a question, and it became horrifically clear that the man was trying to reassure Kirishima, letting him know he was removing himself so he could be happy.
"If-" The boy breathed. "I don't know how many boyfriends he has, so tell him it comes from Deku."
In a small, meek voice amongst defeating silence, the greenette dropped the smile. "I'm sorry." Came his soft apology, broken and breathy but barely audible as he let himself out of the building with a soft click.
The door immediately opened afterwards for the actual model to walk in.
He was nowhere near as pretty.
~~~
Chaos blew the common room the second Katsuki stepped foot inside. The first thing Bakugo did was walk up to wrap his hands around Kirishima, only to be met with uncomfortable stiffening.
"Hey, Babe?" Kirishima kept facing away. "We're over."
The class immediately silenced, Bakugo jolting harshly and turning to face his boyfriend.
"What?"
"Deku came over to break up with you today, Katsuki."
All colour watched off his face and he became pale. Kirishima wasn't done. "Said he's blocked you everywhere, not to come over." He slammed the towel he was using to dry the plates down and turned to face the boy. "He looked like he wanted you to be happy."
The common room tried not to stare blatantly at Bakugo, although their stares were cold. "Izuku? Nono, he can't break up with me. He's known me for too long. He loves me! I'm his boyfriend! How could he-" His words tumbled out hurriedly. "-how could he do this to me?"
A loud slap vibrated from the walls and this time, the whole class looked over to a fuming Kirishima. "He was crying! He was so beautiful and he was crying! For you!"
He stormed his way up the stairs to prevent himself from slapping Bakugo again. "For trash like you. Don't ever talk to me again."
Bakugo went silent after that.
~~~
One long month dragged along. True to his word, Kirishima didn't look Bakugo's way even once and judging by how he didn't leave his room, the class could bet he didn't visit this 'Deku' either.
It wasn't until early morning of that month that something interesting popped into the classroom.
All Might stood afront the classroom in his skinny form, teaching what had to be a form of hero history, when three soft knocks silenced his rant about Best Jeanist.
"Toshi-senpai." A boy with green, curly locks popped in. "I need to give a speech from RV."
All Might smiled immediately and put down the white chalk he was holding. As his eyes scanned the class and landed on Kirishima, the boy suddenly turned to Bakugo and heaved his stare straight down on the tile. The hero didn't seem to notice.
"Young Midoriya." All Might greeted back, booming smile back on his face, this time genuine.
Unsurely, the boy walked up to the front of the classroom, tiny next to the hero but not skinny or short. Slight muscle peeked out from the low-hanging medial grade shirt and his medical coat hung loosely on his shoulders, threatening to fall and reveal trained freckled biceps.
His gaze stayed glued to the ground by the front of the classroom, and Bakugo, for the first time in a while, had his eyes pinned on him. Softly, almost uncharacteristically, the hero beside him pushed Midoriya with his shoulder and whispered something about him not normally being shy. He'd grown a spine in his time on the medical field.
"I'm Izuku Midoriya." The boy found his smile. "I'll be apprentacing with Recovery Girl for a few days, training in surgery and healing. I'm quirkless, but please don't allow that to stop you from reaching for my help." He turned to All Might and smiled almost confidently, cocking his head. "I'm pretty worthy already. I was chosen for a reason." ...twice
"You guys can-uhh" He placed a hand on the back of his neck, immediately losing the confidence. "You guys can call me Izuku. or Midoriya. or.. Doctor?"
A pause. "Nobody call me Deku."
Whatever happy atmosphere surrounded the class immediately cooled, like ice poured on previously hot coal. Eyes snapped to Bakugo as he finally had the decency to look down at Izuku's feet.
"Izuk-" He started, hoarsely.
"Some people shouldn't call me at all." The boy cut him off.
All Might looked back and forth between the students, sparks crackling in hate. Fierce emerald eyes looked across the students once again, this time strong and absolutely breathtaking. With a slight nod and awkward smile, he shuffled out of the classroom onto the next.
"Bakugo." Kirishima broke his promise for the first time. "You're not gonna talk to him."
The boy immediately snapped his head to his ex and snarled defensively. "Who are you to protect him, shitty hair? You think you have to be a parent now or something?"
"Not a parent." Kirishima stalked towards Bakugo's desk. "A friend."
"You're not his friend! I doubt he even knows your fucking name."
"You barely do either, it seems."
Bakugo bared his teeth. "It's a nickname, shitty hair."
"Fuck nicknames." Came an immediate reply. "You aren't even gonna fucking approach him." The class had barely heard Kirishima swear, protective and absolutely raw.
Bakugo paused for a second. "Fight me for it."
Silence. Then, slowly: "Huh?"
"Fight me. Worthiest opponent wins Deku's shitty time."
Kirishima coudn't help but smile, arms hardening in anticipation and pure adrenaline.
"Well, fuck, wasn't expecting that." The smile never left his face.
~~~
Blood coated Bakugo's knuckes as he threw another punch straight at Kirishima's temple. It took barely twenty minutes for both students to shift outside to start the fight, having time to agree to fighting quirkless and staying within one of the designated fight rings.
Kirishima ducked swiftly and aimed a strong punch to Bakugo's side, backed in hard muscle. The second he made contact, his leg lifted into the air to hammer his side, but was stopped and twisted. Red screamed in pain as he went down to one knee, but retaliated by grabbing at black boots, halting Bakugo from kicking him in the face.
Using their momentum, Kirishima lifted himself off the ground still holding the leg, making Bakugo lose his balance. He let go before he could fall, however, and aimed two punches to his chest. Swift kicks and punches were taken, intercepted and blocked by either opponent before teachers even made it onto the scene.
Finishing what Kirishima thought was unfair to do, Bakugo grabbed his leg when a badly-timed kick was aimed at him, and yanked hard. Pulling towards himself only resulted in Kirishima sweeping his own legs from under him, making him lose his balance. Underestimating the weight, Bakugo was thrown along with Kirishima, resulting in a position similar to a floor kabedon.
Midoriya Izuku sprinted down the hallway to the training rooms, a determined Iida at his side. He'd been briefly found by the student to heal the injuries of a supposed fight against two students, those of which identities remained unknown.
Racing towards the small opening to the outside, Izuku was left panting as he greatly took in the outside: hero course students scattered and worrying, either actively cheering on the fight or mumbling fight tactic discussion to open ears. Teachers, remarkably Aizawa himelf, looked to have just run in in time with him, faces red from running and scanning the room quickly from the entrance just ahead of him, blocked by the fight.
The fight. Oh.
Izuku immediately recognized two flaming colours in the ring, and he couldn't help but think it wasn't much of a fight at all. Bakugo towered over Kirishima - his boyfriend, as far as Izuku knew - hands on either side of his face as he stared deep into his brilliant eyes.
His heart caught in his throat as Bakugo bent down even farther, buzzing noise in the arena suddenly appearing deathly quiet.
"I want you back." He huffs out, voice rough and attractive from the training.
Kirishima looked up at him with a look similar to disgust but didn't get to reply as his opponent suddenly found himself bound by a white scarf.
As Kirishima takes in the crowd, his eyes zero in on Izuku, who finds himself paralyzed on the spot. The image replays in his head: Bakugo breathing deeply at Kirishima, bending down to meet his eyes, lips frustratingly close as he confesses who he really wants.
It's not him.
By the time those green eyes fill with life, tears come with it. Kirishima finishes the final steps to walk in front of him, concern in his eyes. Izuku does his best to not let the watery tears fall.
"I'd never take his offer." Kirishima finds himself needing to clarify as he leads both of them to one of the benches by the building.
"You guys aren't together?" Izuku mumbled loud enough to be audible, squatting almost alluringly to press on a bruise at his side.
The man stopped his hand before it made contact with his skin, making Izuku look up at him through thick eyelashes. "I would never get together with him after what he did to us."
Involuntarily, the nurse blushed a deep scarlet and searched for honesty in vibrant red eyes. Finding what he was looking for, the hand stopping his own let go softly, and Izuku pulled out a bandage from his tool belt. Light fingers smoothed icyhot ointment over the skin and dressed the wound carefully.
His shoulder was what got the worst of it, Izuku found. He made Kirishima sit on the bench again, as he climbed up sideways and made him lift his arm up to shuffle in some gauze. Too much disinfectant burned Kirishima, causing him to jolt involuntarily and turn his head to the greenette.
Red eyes met Green in a show of curiosity, and Izuku quickly looked down and continued tapping softly at the skin. Kirishima found himself mesmerized. Glancing up gently once he continued feeling a sweltering gaze on him, Izuku managed to hold eye contact through a once again growing strawberry red blush.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Izuku breathed.
Immediately, the hero snapped out of it and looked down at his shoulder. It was back to getting rebandaged as Kirishima continued to mull over whatever fucking feeling he just had.
He wasn't completely sure if this was a good thing.
~~~
Three weeks. That's how long Kirishima took to decide he liked Izuku.
Constant visits despite his healthy healed shoulder and constant distress over inviting Izuku out warned a few passing students as well. Eventually, over a cup of coffee at a tea shop just on the sidelines of UA, Kirishima looked over at the greenette. His blush had remained the same shade of strawberry, appearing just for Kirishima.
"Would you like to go out with me? For real this time. No almost-dates and lingering touches. Be my boyfriend."
There it was again. That strawberry blush.
"Were you always this direct?" Izuku huffed into his cup and looked up at Kirishima.
They were both smiling.
A/N
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OKAY OKAY OKAY OKAY I THINK I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE. THIS MAKES ME V HAPPY SINCE I KINDA HATED THE LAST CHAPTER. IDK IT WAS KINDA BORING LOL. BUT ANYWAYS~ this was super sweet to write. i mentioned before but i really love kirideku lmfao.
Gimme requests if you guys would like something different/ specific >:(((
Also, the new cover is from @Ainoodles on Instagram, in case you guys (understandably/thankfully) didn't read the last chapter. Go give her support rn!!
ALSO DISCORD!!!! I might link one soon!!!!!!!