Chapter Text
Your footsteps echo as you sprint down the halls of UA High. You can hear the rumbling in the distance, the cracks and booms of a battle well underway. You skid around a corner, almost falling before picking up your sprint. You slam through the doors and end up outside in what used to be an orderly courtyard. Now, however, it was strewn with debris, the ground shifting and moving. Several of your classmates were already out there, struggling to fight a villain you had never seen before. He wore a green jacket with purple fluff around the collar and a red and gold plague doctor mask. You watched as he launched an attack, pushing the ground up and around Bakugo, who quickly blasted his way out. His quirk seemed… scarily similar to yours. A horrifying thought flashed into your mind, but you shoved it away.
‘No,’ you thought. ‘It can’t be.’
You launched yourself into the fight, dodging flying debris with practiced ease. The ground threatened to split below you, but you used your matter manipulation quirk to smooth it back out, darting towards the villain. When he was momentarily distracted by a particularly strong explosion, you willed the ground to grasp his wrists, launching at the villain. You tackled him to the ground, coughing in the cloud of dust that fell around you. When you opened your eyes, your biggest fear came true as the villain’s eyes widened in recognition.
“...Kai?”
The villain quickly dropped any surprise and scowled, using your momentary distraction to break free. He punched you square in the face, knocking you back before standing. Your classmates attempted to pursue him, but within moments he was gone, leaving you shaken, scarcely aware of the blood trickling down your face.
Bakugo stormed over to you, already yelling. “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? You had him and you just LET HIM GO?”
Iida quickly intervened. “Calm down, Bakugo, he did his best. What’s important is that everyone is okay.” He offered you a hand. “Now, let’s get you to the nurse befo-”
You stood without taking his hand, keeping your head down. You wiped the blood running from your nose with your thumb, wincing at the pressure. You muttered something about being fine and left, leaving your classmates staring out after you with emotions ranging from concern to outright rage. You slowly made your way back to your room, ignoring Iida’s advice to see Recovery Girl. Stepping into your bathroom, you gathered water in your hands before splashing it in your face, watching as the blood washed down the drain. You looked at yourself in the mirror. Your nose was definitely broken, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to worry about that right now. After you shower, you changed into boxers and a t-shirt and crawled into bed, trying to understand what just happened.
*****
You had planned to sleep in that morning, but that was hard to do when you couldn’t sleep. You had tossed and turned for hours before eventually giving up and pulling out your phone to read. You were just getting to a really good part when you heard a knock at your door. Glancing at the clock, you saw that it was only 5 A.M. Who would be awake at this hour? You sighed, pulling on some pajama pants and opening the door. It was Bakugo.
“What do you want?”
“I was-” He cut off, noticing your nose. “You idiot, did you not go to the infirmary last night? What the hell is wrong with you?” He grabbed your wrist.
“Hey!”
“We’re going to see Recovery Girl. Now.”
You snatched your wrist back, glaring at him. “The fuck is your problem, man? Just leave me alone.”
“Y/N, your fucking nose is broken. You need to go to the nurse.”
“I will, okay? Just… not now.” You crossed your arms over your chest, half defiant and half defensive.
Bakugo just glared at you for a moment before stepping into your room with you, closing the door behind him.
“What the-”
He cut you off. “What’s the matter with you, huh? I know he didn’t just out strength you yesterday, you let the bastard go. And now you’re being all weird about your nose? What’s going on?”
You hesitated, your angry facade cracking slightly. You turned your head away, holding your arms to your chest.
“I didn’t just let him go,” you mutter under your breath. “He… surprised me.”
“What the hell could he have possibly done that shocked you that much?” Bakugo took a step closer to you, noticing how your grip tightened on your arms when he did.
“He…”
“Just spit it out already, goddammit!”
Bakugo startled slightly as you suddenly turned towards him and grabbed him by the arms, just above his elbows. He scowled.
“What are you-”
“If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell ANYONE.”
“What the-”
“I’m serious, Bakugo! Promise me.”
His scowl slowly melted into concern as he looked down at you. He was only a couple inches taller than you, but you suddenly felt very small.
“…Okay, okay, I promise.”
You released his arms and took a deep, steadying breath before looking back at him.
“I… I know that villain.”
Bakugo furrowed his brow. “What do you mean you ‘know’ him?”
“…He’s my brother.”