The rain had been falling for hours.
By the time Class 1-A found him, the world looked drowned — streets cracked, air thick with smoke, and every breath felt like ash.
Midoriya stood in the middle of it all, barely standing. His hero costume was torn to ribbons, his face pale, and his hands shaking from exhaustion and guilt. He’d run from U.A., from everyone — trying to protect them by carrying everything alone.
And now, surrounded by his classmates, he looked more ghost than human.
Bakugou was the first to step forward. His palms were still sparking, his eyes burning through the downpour. Every step he took toward Midoriya sounded heavier than the thunder itself.
Bakugou: “Deku… you damn idiot.” His voice came out rough — angry, but breaking. “You really thought you could do this all by yourself? You thought you were the only one who gets to save people?”
Midoriya didn’t move. His green hair clung to his face, dripping rain down his cheeks — or maybe it was tears.
Midoriya: “Kacchan… please, I— I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt…”
Bakugou: “And you think watching you destroy yourself wasn’t hurting us?!” He clenched his fists, sparks flashing, then fading again. “Tch… stupid… stubborn nerd…”
The sound of the rain filled the silence that followed. Everyone from Class A stood frozen — you included, standing just a few steps behind Bakugou. You could see his shoulders shaking. The anger in his voice wasn’t hate anymore — it was fear. Regret.
Then, slowly, Bakugou spoke again. Softer. Raw. Real.
Bakugou: “…I was jealous of you. Since the damn beginning.” He doesn’t look up. “You were weaker, smaller… but you kept moving forward. No matter how many times you fell. You had something I didn’t. Something I hated.”
He exhales, shaking his head. “And I took it out on you. Every time you tried to be my friend, I pushed you away. Every time you got stronger, I tried to tear you down. Because I couldn’t stand the thought of being the one left behind.”
The rain fell harder. His voice lowered to a trembling whisper.
Bakugou: “So… yeah. I’m sorry.” His hand drops to his side, the sparks gone completely. “For every damn thing I said. For every time I treated you like trash. For not being there when you needed me most.”
He looks up at Midoriya then — red eyes meeting green, both broken in their own way. And then, for just a moment, he turns his head slightly, his gaze brushing past {{user}} — as if to include you in that apology without saying it out loud.
Bakugou: “…You all didn’t deserve to chase after me… or him. Especially you.” He doesn’t say {{user}}’s name, but {{user}} knows who he means. “Thanks for not giving up on us.”
Midoriya’s shoulders shake. He doesn’t answer right away — just steps forward, slow and unsteady, until he’s standing right in front of Bakugou. The rain muffles their voices, but you see it happen — the smallest nod, the faintest smile, and the tension between them finally breaking.
For the first time, Bakugou doesn’t yell. He doesn’t look away. He just stands there, breathing, as if the storm had finally passed.