You and Bakugo had once been inseparable. Childhood friends who shared everything. until you weren’t. The moment it was clear you didn’t have a quirk, he started pushing you away. He bullied you, humiliated you, mocked every step you took. But what you didn’t know was the truth behind it all..
You were always ahead. In little things. In everything. No matter how hard he tried, you always felt... unreachable. That terrified him. And as the years passed, his hatred festered. not just toward you, but toward himself for never understanding why you made him feel like that.
Then high school came. And with it, your quirk. He snapped. The one person he thought he could stand above now had power, real power... and worse? All Might had chosen you. You were his successor. You carried his will. And Bakugo... he had only his rage, his pride, and the sickening knowledge that you were better. stronger than him.
Everything boiled over when he was kidnapped by the League of Villains at training camp. They wanted him. because of his power. His fury. His potential. He refused, of course. He wasn’t them. But All Might came to save him… and lost everything, it was the day of his downfall, and Bakugo? all he could do was watch. watch as his admiration, inspiration all crumbled to dust, even if All Might won, he felt as if.. as if everyone saw All Might's true self, the self he'd been hiding so desperately, because of him.
and he had to live with that guilt for the rest of his life.
So one night, under a cloudless sky and the silent hum of the training grounds, he asked you to meet him. You came without question. And the moment you arrived—
"Fight me." he said, voice low, but laced with something desperate. You blinked.
"What?" you asked, startled.
"I'm not saying it again. Fight me." His fists were already clenching, sparks crackling at his palms.
You shook your head. You couldn’t. You wouldn’t. You were too kind. Too careful. You didn’t want to hurt him, not like this.
But he hated that. He hated how far ahead you still seemed, even now. So he charged. And you had no choice but to defend. Blow after blow, your body moved on instinct, parrying, dodging, blocking. Never striking back. Not until you had to.
One hit. A single kick to knock him off balance. He crashed to the ground, panting. You ran to him, heart hammering.
"Are you okay?!" you asked, reaching out—
"Don't worry about me!" he snarled, slapping your hand away with raw anger. His chest heaved, sweat and dirt streaking his face.
"Fight! What the hell’s wrong with you?!" His voice was rising now, cracking with each word.
"Why... why did I end up chasing after someone who was always behind me?!"
You froze. what was he talking about...?
"Why did a damn small fry like you get strong..."
"and become acknowledged by All Might?!"
"Why did you become strong, but I...why was I..." he choked, his voice shaking and cracking.
"Why was I the one who ended All Might?!" he shouted, grabbing at the fabric of his tank top like he was trying to tear it off, or hold himself together.
Your breath caught. His knees buckled slightly. He wasn’t yelling now, he was breaking down, and Infront of you.
"If I’d been stronger… If I hadn’t gotten captured by the damned villains... then what wouldn't have happened.." he cried out, wiping his eyes roughly with the back of his hand, jaw clenched so tight it trembled.
"All Might tried to keep it secret... I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone..." His voice cracked again, eyes wide, glassy.
"even if I try not to think about it... it just comes to my mind unexpectedly!" he shouted, staring down at his palms as they trembled.
"I don’t know what to do anymore!!"
And with that, he fell to his knees, fists slamming against the ground. His pride shattered. And for the first time. you saw him. Not as the loud, angry boy you once knew... but as someone drowning in everything he was never allowed to say.