~~~
After a couple more hours of intensive training, it was time for lunch. Kira's classmates complained about having to change back into their school uniform just for their lunch break, when they were going to continue their training straight afterwards. Aizawa chalked it up to 'school policy' or whatever. He may be the tough love kind of teacher, but Kira assumed he would at least be lenient about this.
Even so, Kira grabbed her tray of food and sat at one of the vacant tables in the hall, smoothing out her tie so it wouldn't land in her food. The other girls eventually joined her, Mina sat opposite with Tsu beside her. Momo chose to sit beside Kira on one side and Toru on the other. Kyoka came over last after getting caught in a conversation with Kaminari - she sat the furthest away next to Tsu.
"Where's Ochaco?" Kira questions, frowning around the hall.
"Chatting up her boyfriend, of course," Mina replies, picking at her food.
"What?"
Mina swings a lazy hand somewhere to the left and that's when she spots Ochaco sat on a nearby table with Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki. She's blushing at something Midoriya must have said, her cheeks flushed more than they usually are.
"No way," Kira gapes. "Am I the only one that didn't notice this?"
"Pretty much." Kyoka nods.
"Probably because you're too lost in the eyes of a certain red-head." Mina bats her eyelashes dramatically.
Kira has to fight the urge to whack her here and now. "You guys wouldn't have known about that if you didn't have the nasty habit of eavesdropping on other people's conversations."
"We had the sneaky suspicion that something was going on between you and Kirishima," Momo says from next to her. "You should have just come clean about it. That is what we're here for."
"I wasn't sure what's going on myself," Kira mumbles her reply. "I still don't."
"It's not too late to ask." Mina glances over somewhere to the right and Kira follows her gaze.
Kirishima and Kaminari seem to be locked in a pretty enthusiastic conversation as Kirishima uses his arms to emphasise whatever point he's trying to make. Sat opposite the pair is a very pissed off Bakugou - he seems to be trying to block out the chatty twosome and focus on his lunch.
Kira finds herself laughing at the sight. "I think we've discussed the importance of this hero course over our relationship," Kira decides to tell her friends. "First, I need to get my power under control. Only then... will something happen."
"Well." Mina glances at the red-head, then back to Kira. "Just to let you know, I'm rooting for you." She ends in a whisper, as the other girls nod in agreement.
Kira finally begins on her lunch, just as the megaphone rumbles around the school. "Can Katsuki Bakugou and Akira Kiriya please report to the staff office? I repeat: Katsuki Bakugou and Akira Kiriya to the staff office."
Kira spins her head around, as if searching for the source of the mysterious voice when she knows it's coming from a microphone. Her eyes eventually land on the table with the three boys and Bakugou looks even more peeved than before, if that were even possible. Kira catches Kirishima's eyes and he shrugs, whilst his expression portrays concern.
"I'll catch you later, I guess," Kira mutters, picking up her tray of untouched food.
She places it with the other dirty ones and pushes open the double doors into the corridor. In front of her, Bakugou had already left the lunch room, his hands in his pockets. She hesitates before sprinting to catch up with him. What could she say that wouldn't result in him losing his cool?
"You think we're gonna have to talk about what happened that day?" She asks quietly.
"Obviously," he grumbles his reply.
That's a start. She thinks to herself.
"I'm surprised they haven't spoken to us about it already."
He ignores her, keeping his attention faced forward.
"I guess we're gonna have to come clean about everything." She sighs.
Still no answer.
"Are you gonna tell the truth about what you saw that day?" She wonders and Bakugou actually stops in his tracks, turning his head a fraction to stare down at the girl to the left of him.
"What do you mean?" He says quietly.
This time, it's her turn to keep silent.
"You talking about your miraculous recovery, or the fact that one of the villains knows who you are?"
Kira gulps as Bakugou glares daggers at her. "Both."
Bakugou scoffs but continues down the corridor. "I don't really care one way or the other."
"You don't care?" Kira jumps in front of Bakugou, preventing him from walking any further. "How can you not care?" She scoffs this time. "Both of those things you just said sound incredibly suspicious... and what? You're not gonna let the teachers know?"
He side-steps around the girl, without uttering another word.
"I don't get you, Bakugou," she mumbles. "Besides, I've already talked to Mr Aizawa about that schoolgirl villain. I don't know how she knows me, but she does."
Bakugou grunts in reply, or perhaps acknowledgement. "That still leaves your recovery."
"What about it?" She frowns. "I think you're over thinking how bad the attack really was. We already discussed this - he burnt me a little bit and that's all."
They both stop walking as Bakugou glances down at her once more. But before he can reply, Mr Aizawa announces his presence.
"Bakugou, Kiriya," he says from beside a door. "In here."
"Tch." Bakugou enters first, followed by Kira.
"You two, take a seat," Aizawa instructs.
And they do. Bakugou and Kira take their places on the sofa, sitting on the furthest spots from each other.
"I take it you both know why you're here," Aizawa begins, releasing a heavy sigh as he takes his place on a sofa across from them. "Sorry to disturb your lunch, but it's about time we discuss the matters of your capture. We let you relax long enough."
Kira nods in acceptance, meanwhile Bakugou merely shuffles in his seat, a hand propped up under his chin.
"We understand it must have been a... rattling experience." Aizawa looks at both of them momentarily. "If you like, we can provide a counsellor or a school therapist to discuss these matters in further detail."
"No, thank you, sir," Kira replies. "I don't think talking about it will really help. Best to just put it behind me."
"Very well." Aizawa's eyes flicker over to Bakugou who simple gazes around the room. "We'd like to start at the beginning."
"Any detail you remember will help, students." Kira practically jumps in her seat. Principal Nezu turns from the full-length window, hopping up onto the sofa beside Mr Aizawa. "If you need to pause at any time, we understand."
Kira steals a glance at her classmate, who seems to have really separated himself from the conversation. She's not sure if that's just Bakugou being Bakugou, or if this is his certain way of dealing. Kirishima told Kira that he had tried to get Bakugou to open up, but to no avail. Granted, Kira wasn't especially willing to reveal the details about those haunting days, but what choice does she have in the matter?
"Well," Kira begins, gulping slightly. "We know that the League of Villains came during the Training Camp and their goal was to capture Bakugou. I saw an opportunity and I jumped in through Kurogiri's warp gate to rescue him."
Kira waits in case Bakugou wanted to add anything, but he keeps quiet. Instead, Kira continues to explain everything that she heard and saw. She tried her best to inform the teachers about the villains there and what they may have been planning next.
"According to Kiriya's story, she was unconscious for the duration of the capture," Aizawa states. "Anything you'd like to add, Bakugou?"
It may have come across as a question, but Aizawa's tone was anything but sincere. He needs to show compassion on the fact that Bakugou was held hostage by the League of Villains, but also push hard enough to get Bakugou to reveal any information he may know.
Bakugou lifts his head off his hand and Kira watches his red eyes flicker around the room. It's as if he's uncertain where to land his gaze, but Bakugou's never shown a hint of uncertainty before in his life. That is until last night. During their conversation, Bakugou unwillingly revealed how uncomfortable he was, but Kira still isn't sure what caused such uncertainty to arise within him. Did his encounter with the villains rattle him more than Kira ever thought? After all, while she was unconscious, she has no idea what he might have gone through and what the villains may have done to him.
"It's like I told the police," Bakugou says, his voice low. "They wanted to recruit me. That's all."
"You didn't tell the police anything," Aizawa counters. "You threatened them and accused them of doing a terrible job."
Kira finds herself nodding at that. She was there when they were interrogated.
"As you very well know, Bakugou," Aizawa adds. "Those on the police force are citizens born without a Quirk. Even without that advantage, they've worked hard to put themselves on the front line and in the direct line of danger to save both you and Kiriya. It would be unwise to disrespect them."
Bakugou huffs in reply, but decides to keep his cool against Aizawa. "The leader-"
"-Shigaraki," Kira cuts in.
Bakugou narrows his eyes at her before continuing. "Is just like any other damn villain. He wants to destroy everything he sees and he wanted my help to do it." Bakugou shrugs slightly. "I refused."
"Why?" Nezu decides to speak up.
"Why?" Bakugou repeats, angry at the fact he's even being questioned in the first place. "Because he's a crazy piece of shit, that's why."
"I was awake for the last part," Kira interrupts, before things get out of hand. "Shigaraki wanted Bakugou to join them because he believes in total destruction. I don't know what brought Shigaraki to this point of insanity in the first place." Kira shakes her head. "But he wants to destroy everything by his hand. Reduce the world to rubble."
Aizawa and Principal Nezu glance at one another, before facing the students. "Thank you for the information. Anything else you need to add?"
Kira side-eyes Bakugou before replying. "Yeah... I need to know about that villain. The girl." Kira meets Aizawa's eyes, searching for answers. "All I know is that she was one of the villains there - a part of the League. She can't have been much older than us, really. If I remember correctly, Ochaco and Tsu had an encounter with her at the Training Camp. They'd be able to ID her if we ever bumped into her again. As would I."
Aizawa looks down slowly, his scarf covering a part of his chin. "We were able to identify some of the villains there," he answers honestly. "Of course, we already know Tomura Shigaraki. Then there's the warp villain: Kurogiri." He pauses, thinking about how to phrase his next words. "However, these villains may indeed be using aliases to cover up their true identities, making it extremely difficult to locate them."
Kira shuffles forward in anticipation, dying to know more about the villains and how to stop them, her fingers digging into the sofa by her thighs.
"Now, listen up," Aizawa sighs. "I'm not gonna fill you two in on everything. After all, that isn't your problem. What I will reveal however, for your sake, Kiriya, is that the female villain you're referring to is called Toga, Himiko Toga."
"Toga?" Kira echoes, tilting her head slightly.
"Sounds familiar," Bakugou says, his voice slightly muffled behind his palm. "Those damn villains put me to sleep most of the time and the only one to really talk to me when I was awake is the leader. The girl didn't talk to me, but the name rings a bell."
Kira rolls her eyes at Bakugou. "Of course the name only sounds vaguely familiar to you. After all, you barely remember the names of your own classmates!"
"Alright," Aizawa says quietly, ushering Kira to silence. "Her name doesn't appear to be an alias - Toga is wanted for several murders involving bloodletting. I don't know how, but she's been able to avoid being caught for quite a while now."
"Bloodletting?" Kira blinks at her teacher. "So, she's obsessed with blood?"
Aizawa shakes his head with uncertainty. "Her reasoning is still foreign to us. Whether she enjoys stripping the victims of their blood for the thrill of it or not is unknown."
"This... Toga," Kira starts, clutching onto her skirt now, instead of the sofa. "She said she knew me." This earns a skeptical and suspicious glance from both Mr Aizawa and Principal Nezu. "But, I've never seen her before! I swear!"
Aizawa shares a quick look with Nezu. "We believe you, Kiriya." Her teacher nods.
"That's not all, is it?" Bakugou speaks up, lifting his head off his palm slightly to glare at Kira.
"Kiriya?" Nezu presses.
Akira sighs, rubbing her temple stressfully. "Toga said that I was her 'best friend', despite me never seeing her before. She said that we've spent so much time together, but I-I don't... remember. I've never seen her before. So, I've been thinking. Thinking about how she knows me, where from. Maybe on the street? Maybe when I was younger? But, a thought had occurred to me - my mother, Light Bringer was around for a while. Did you know this?"
Principal Nezu shuffles on his seat. "I was aware you had joined her agency, as was Mr Aizawa."
"I never had the pleasure to meet her," Aizawa says.
"Good," Kira replies bluntly. "Because I don't think it was her."
Aizawa frowns at her, looking up slightly. "What do you mean?"
Kira glances at Bakugou slightly, noticing the intriguing glint in his eyes, though he hasn't moved from his position on the sofa. He told her the conversation wasn't over - he wanted to know why Himiko Toga knows who Akira is.
"During my mothers visit, she was... different."
"Well, you haven't seen her for quite a while," Nezu interrupts. "People change."
"Not her," she says quickly, shaking her head. "Not Light Bringer. Not this way. At first, she was strict, poised, like she's always been. But over the past weeks of her staying, she wasn't herself. She was" - Kira hesitates, searching for the correct words to describe her mothers behaviour - "effervescent and jubilant. Everything my mother isn't. After seeing Himiko Toga at the League of Villain's base, the pieces started to come together. I don't know how, I don't know why, but that wasn't my mother."
Nezu jumps off from the sofa and steps towards Kira with intense concentration. "So, you believe that Toga, this villain, had infiltrated your home?"
Kira nods, gulping thickly. "I believe that this is all my fault."
In the corner of her eye, Bakugou moves his head a fraction. After how still he's been since they first sat down, any movement seen from him is surprising, as if he's actually interested in what Kira has to say.
"Your fault?" Aizawa leans forward in his seat, his hands clasped together, his fingers slightly curling.
Kira nods again. "All Might's retirement. The attack on the Training Camp." She side-eyes her classmate quickly. "Bakugou's targeted capture."
Nezu shuffles over to the full-length window, observing their surroundings. "I'm sure you're just jumping to conclusions, Kiriya. Your mother was most likely trying to bond with you again after being away for so long. The villain's attacks have nothing to do with you whatsoever, nor does Bakugou's capture."
"You're not listening to me!" Kira yells, her own actions catching her off guard as she stands up from the sofa abruptly, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "I know my mother more than I know myself, no matter if she's been away for years. Somehow, Himiko Toga was able to snake her way into my life and- and I told her everything! Everything about UA, about my friends, about my teachers..." She forces herself to sit back down as Nezu slowly turns back to face her, completely unphased by her outburst.
Even Mr Aizawa remains quiet, not trying to silence her.
"Don't you get it?" Kira whispers, staring at her legs. "I told Light Bringer about the Training Camp. Even if the location was hidden from everyone, the League of Villain's must have figured it out. I told her about Bakugou. I told her about Ochaco and Midoriya and Kirishima and-" she stops herself, sucking in one long breath. "I'm basically a traitor."
Both the teachers are speechless at her confession, only confirming her recognition of herself and her place. She sighs to herself heavily, before shifting in her seat to face Bakugou. She looks down at her hands quickly, mustering up the courage to face her hotheaded classmate.
When she meets his eyes, his body position has changed. During her commotion just a few seconds prior, Bakugou seems to have fidgeted, taken off guard by the pitch of her voice, perhaps. His hand that was once holding his chin is now gripping the edge of the armrest so tightly that its crinkling the soft fabric. His other hand is placed palm down on the sofa beside him, as if he was a breath away from leaping to his feet as well. Her sudden change in tone must have triggered a kind of fight or flight sensation within him. That must have been it.
"I'm sorry, Bakugou," she breathes out finally. "If it weren't for me, the villains might have never found the Training Camp and they may have never taken you."
Bakugou stares at her and Kira waits for the onslaught of knowing insults. But, they never come. Instead he remains silent, visibly relaxing slightly as he sinks into the sofa. A frown forms on Kira's brows at the sound of his silence. Bakugou's normally so obnoxious and uncaring about who he hurts with his words, that the quiet that surrounded him was unnerving. It didn't suit him.
"I assure you, Kiriya," Aizawa says, standing from the sofa and approaching the full-length window that overlooks the dorms, alongside Principal Nezu. "It's no one's fault but the villains. We have no idea why they do the things they do. What could have possibly happened in their lives to lead them down such destructive paths?" He spins around to face the students, his arms crossed over his chest. "We thank you for your time and information. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to dredge up the memories."
Hesitantly, Kira stands up from the sofa beside Bakugou as he heads for the door. He opens it with a usual amount of attitude, it swinging wildly before smacking into the wall. Is that really all they're going to say about this? No expulsion? No punishment? She may have just betrayed her whole school and yet... nothing?
"Kiriya." Aizawa's voice speaks up from behind her and she spins on the sole of her foot, her hand on the doorframe. "I take it you've visited Recovery Girl about that." He nods to her neck and she instinctively raises a hand to her scar.
"Yes," she lies.
Aizawa narrows his eyes, apparently seeing through the lie, but deciding not to push the matter. She goes to exit once more when his voice rises again. This time she doesn't turn around.
"I'm not sure what Bakugou went through while you were unconscious," he starts and Kira turns her head ever so slightly. "But whatever it was, he's clearly uncomfortable. I don't want to ask much of you, but I will ask this: keep an eye on him."
Kira nods once, before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. There, she releases a thick, tentative breath before willing the confidence to turn back down the corridor. She pauses midstep when she spots Bakugou down the far end of the hall, standing by the double doors that separate them from the lunch hall. He narrows his eyes at her and raises his chin as if he's heavily judging her. Kira can't seem to do anything but stare back, as if transfixed. Bakugou is the last person willing to share personal information with anyone and Kira doubted he would ever do it with her. If anything, Kirishima would be the closest she would call to being a friend of Bakugou's - maybe she could consult with him about getting him to open up and share.
Kira scoffs at her thoughts, shaking her head slightly and Bakugou turns his head to the side, giving her a final sharp look before shoving himself through the double doors into the lunch hall.
She's such a hypocrite.
~~~