Date: September 23, XXXX
Time: 1:48 a.m.
Location: UA Campus
Even though summer just ended, fall has already swept in and taken over the weather. Leaves have turned a variety of bright oranges and reds to complement the season, and a chilling breeze attacks anyone stupid enough not to wear a jacket when out and about. Red and blue strobe lights bounce off the windows of the Class 3-A Heights Alliance, waking students one by one from their deep, groggy slumbers after a day packed full of grueling, hero training.
Eyes blinking open to a blurry view of his room and flashing lights peeking through the back of his curtain causes the blond-haired boy to wake with an annoyed groan. Propping himself on his elbow with half-lidded eyes and a pout, Bakugo reaches for the curtain with a half frown from being woken at this hour.
The open view from his balcony reveals two police cars and Endeavor right outside of the Heights Alliance with Eraserhead approaching quickly, still in his pajamas. Curt words are exchanged and grim looks appear on their faces as the police officers and No. 1 hero explain something to the black-haired male. He takes one worried glance at the Heights Alliance, then another, causing Bakugo to stand from his bed, more awake than before, and drag the curtain open wider.
The strobe lights from the police cars fill the entirety of his bedroom with bright, alternating colors, illuminating his sparse furniture and making Bakugo suddenly, painfully, aware of how empty it is.
The next second, Bakugo pulls away from the balcony with faltering steps and tears open the door to his room, not caring as it slams into the opposite wall and probably wakes up any of his classmates that were still asleep. With another loud bang, the doorway to the main staircase is flung open just as groggy, messy-haired heads pop out of their rooms in confusion. But, Bakugo is already flying down the steps with only his bare feet, the cold concrete like a phantom touch that disappears sooner than he feels it.
Once Bakugo reaches the bottom floor of the Heights Alliance where the kitchen, dining tables, and couches are for when the class wants to hang out together, he ignores the stagnant furniture in his way, going as far as to leap over it in his rush. Near the front door, the police lights become brighter than they were in his room and Bakugo becomes aware of the fact that the sirens are off. Most likely to try and not wake more students than they have to with their visit.
But, why are they here?
The handle of the glass door is cool against Bakugo's palm as he yanks on it, letting in a sharp breeze of fall wind. It takes him all but a second to notice All Might is outside with the other heroes now, looking...upset. And in his gut, Bakugo can feel something drop. Dead and fast and unforgiving.
Bakugo takes off down the last of the concrete steps and through the dry grass and leaves, his trained legs reaching the center of the chaos in only a couple of seconds and catching the attention of the heroes standing in a circle with grim expressions. Bakugo stops, panting, not from the short sprint but the suffocating feeling in his gut as he searches their grief-struck faces for answers.
Answers of where you are and why you're not with Endeavor.
You left after dinner to go on a mission with him.
He's here.
He's right fucking here.
So where the hell are you?
And why does the man who practically raised you, look like he's about to cry?
"Wha-what happened?" Bakugo rasps, hearing the door behind him open as some of his classmates come out with confused looks plastered on their faces. Eraserhead and All Might look away as he stutters, only Endeavor daring to look him in the eye.
"Where is she?"
The man built with flames looks down at him tiredly, not even a scratch on him but a little mud. If he's not hurt then that means you're fine, right? You're probably just being an idiot and went after any of the villains who got away and now you're lost. Everyone knows how directionally challenged you are.
A deep sigh comes from the towering man as Endeavor breaks eye contact to massage his forehead with his fingertips. It only takes another moment for the rest of the students from Class 3-A to crowd around Bakugo as the hero finally goes to answer his question.
"We don't know where she is," Endeavor states, eyes and tone heavy and a straight look on his face.
Some confused and concerned murmurs come from the people behind him, but Bakugo can't bring himself to move or unclench the fists at his side. He can only listen and stare up at the No. 1 hero as Todoroki approaches his side and starts to question his father.
"She disappeared? Did she go after the villains to chase them?" He asks.
If Icyhot is on the same page as Bakugo for once, then that has to be it. You just ran off and got yourself lost, so you need a group to go find you.
This time, however, it is one of the police officers who step in to answer, "No, we successfully caught all of our targets, and no one managed to get away. Phantom ran off to chase a criminal that did split off at the beginning, but when she didn't come back, a few sidekicks left to go check on her. They found the man she went after and this," The police officer explains, pulling out a bag with a familiar knife, your logo etched into the handle, and hands it over to Bakugo, "But, she was nowhere to be found in the entire facility."
Bakugo swallows thickly, feeling the cool metal of the knife in his hand as he remembers all of the times he's seen you use it. And, with the lights flaring in his eyes adding to his anxiety, he feels a bead of sweat slipping down his neck. The gust of wind that blows by a moment later feels much more chilling than it should in September, and a strong shiver races down his spine.
Behind him, Bakugo hears the sound of muffled cries as Kirishima pulls Mina into his arms and hugs her tightly.
For the sake of his friends, Kirishima speaks up to voice what everyone is thinking but won't dare to say, "But that doesn't mean something's wrong, right?"
"I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but we searched the entire facility top to bottom twice while looking for her, we've tried contacting her with phones and the earpieces we handed out. Her tracker went offline hours ago, and she has been MIA for three hours now. The chances that nothing has happened to her are slim at this point."
After that, Endeavor nods to the two men, and both police officers bow their heads, tipping their hats with apologetic looks while excusing themselves to go back to their cars to head to the station.
Everyone falls into silence after the cars pull away and take the flashing lights with them, only the occasional breeze, shuffle of feet, or muffled cry is heard. They all look to Endeavor for more answers or a kernel of hope for them to hold onto. The man sighs once again, giving the class and All Might another one of those apologetic glances that are starting to get on Bakugo's last nerve.
Just being sorry doesn't explain where you are.
"If it brings you any solace," Endeavor starts, turning to face Bakugo specifically, "No blood or body was found, so she is most likely still alive. And her sidekick, Rockslide, has refused to leave the site and is still searching the building and surrounding areas for her. We still have hope she'll pop up soon, but I came to inform you of what we know in case she doesn't within the next 24 hours."
With that, Endeavor shares a passing look with his son before blasting off into the sky with his flames, looking like a shooting star in the night.
Any thoughts that were in Bakugo's head disappear into an eerie silence along with the flaming hero. His head drops to face the ground, fists unclenching and the weight of the world falls hard onto his shoulders like a crashing wave that threatens to suffocate him under the salty water that burns his lungs.
He's been through close calls with you before, small injuries that were just bad enough for you to go to the hospital or need him to patch you up in his bathroom. But, you always came back. Just like you promised.
But...this time, you're gone.
Missing.
And, as of right now, no one has any idea where you are; if you're alive, hurt, or perfectly fine; or even if you're not out on your own little mission right now. It's possible in these hours since you vanished that you discovered something worse was going on and went to shut it down all on your own.
You can be an idiot like that sometimes.
But, at the very least, you'll usually drag Dorian along or tell someone where you're going in case backup is needed. And with your communication completely shut down and your tracker disabled, that idea seems less and less likely.
Bakugo doesn't notice as his breathing turns heavy and his shoulders start to shake. Kirishima whips around to comfort his friend that is obviously about to go into a panic attack, but All Might gets there first, wrapping his arms around Bakugo and pulling him into his chest.
With ears that only hear things through a layer of cotton and disoriented eyes that can't process a single movement, Bakugo turns his head just enough to watch the rest of his classmates being herded back into the Heights Alliance by Aizawa. Some are crying or look distraught, while others try to keep a brave and hopeful expression for those around them who are scared for your safety. Bakugo barely catches the strained smile Kirishima gives him and a small nod of hope as he pulls Mina back through the glass door and it shuts behind their backs.
With the door closed and his friends gone, Bakugo's vision turns blurry and a gentle hand wraps around the back of his trembling shoulders. He doesn't process a thing as he is pulled away from the small singe mark in the ground left by Endeavor, like the burning in his chest as he fights any fear-filled tears trying to fall from his eyes.
You're fine.
You're always fine.
You got stabbed with a fucking sword for goodness sakes and you lived through that like a champ.
You can live through whatever is going on right now.
And, who knows? Maybe you'll be back in the morning with a dumb pouty face and some stupid bandages on, cause you're just that much of a dumbass. He'll hug you and kiss you, then proceed to beat the ever-loving shit out of you for scaring him like that.
With that thought and the small kernel of hope that is all he has to hold onto right now, Bakugo's vision goes dark under the weight of grief.
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The first real chapter of Missing! I know this one is short, but they will get a lot longer after this. Just stick with me Dumplings while I try to get back on my usual writing schedule! ♡︎