I GRADUATED TODAY KIND OF!!

I'm officially done with high school!!

Enjoy~

Bakugo's POV

"Wash up for dinner," I glanced up at my mother, scowling. I headed up the stairs with the sound of laughter from the kitchen following me. I scrubbed my hands, heading back down, the feeling of hunger sudden in my stomach.

"Oh you're just filthy," I glanced up with a sneer on my face, but instead of my mother at the stove it was (y/n). I looked to the table where two children, one with blonde hair the other with a pale teal kind of color, were sat. Were those our--

"But I just--" I glanced down at myself, seeing instead of my freshly washed hands they were covered in ash and little droplets of blood.

"Go wash up honey." I backed up to the bathroom in the hall, shutting myself inside. I glanced up at the mirror. My hero costume was a little ripped and my skin was burned in places. My hair was different, suddenly it was an undercut and I was far older than just 16. "Not too long!" I glanced at the door, turning to the sink to wash my hands again. I watched the water swirl grey and pink as my hands ran clean and when I looked back up I was in normal clothes, my suit nowhere in sight.

I peered out of the restroom carefully towards the kitchen to see the food on the stove was bubbling over with no one to attend to it. I quickly ran to turn it off a sudden hand stopping me.

"No no, let it bubble over," Shigaraki mused, watching the pot. "Let it all bubble over. Now that you're older maybe you'll reconsider."

I stumbled back.

"Fuck--" I choked, aiming a hand his way.

"Katsuki!" my head whipped towards (y/n) who had returned. She's never called me that before. The children were gone. My heart rate began to rise and I felt my breath begin to quicken. "That's no way to treat guests you know. You'll get your hands dirty again and all he wants is to talk."

"No, you know he's--" I stopped when I saw Shigaraki reach simply for (y/n)'s neck. She was none the wiser "No!" I sent a blast suddenly his direction, panic overcoming me. Past the smoke, I winced and coughed. I was now bound heavy to a chair, my quirk drained through the cuffs around my wrists. Not again. Please not again. I was scrawny and cowering now, all my confidence gone.

"Well isn't this a wonderful reunion."

My head shot up to see Shigaraki peer at me past his long hair, his hand clamped tightly around (y/n)'s throat. Had that teleport villain brought us here? What was happening?

"Go on, say hello to your friend." Shigaraki shoved (y/n) hard in front of me and I winced as her knees hit the ground before me. She was shaking and choking as she looked up at me.

"(y--"

"Please don't hurt me Kacchan!" she yelped, crawling back to Shigaraki who only watched, thoroughly amused.

"The lesser of two evils," he hissed, (y/n) cowering at his feet.

"(y/n) don't let him touch you! (y/n)--"

"She picked me, not you. You lose," Shigaraki interrupted, placing a 5 fingered hand on the top of her head, petting her. I screamed, my mouth suddenly full and bound shut so that I had just wasted my last breath calling out. I felt water brim at my eyes, tugging relentlessly at the binds around me, but I was trapped and suffocating.

No.

"You lose."

I shot up in my bed, my fists clenched around the sheets. My breath was heavy and erratic, my muscles to tense they were shaking. My hands gripped at my hair, pressing my forehead down into my knees. My breath was hot in and out of my mouth and I gasped suddenly. I was having yet another panic attack with no one to help me, not that anyone has ever. I choked on my breath, feeling my face grow itchy and hot. I gripped harder at the roots of my hair, curling into myself.

I shuddered, knowing I had to get out of such a tight, compromising position. I let out a breath, holding it out to keep from sucking in a panicky one. My grip eased on my hair and I let myself rock slightly back and forth. I felt the panic begin to subside at the subtle, calm movement. It wasn't rare that these panic attacks would happen, though no one really knew about them. I spread my hands open, keeping them from fists. I had to open myself up a little more as I calmed down.

I always did this myself.

I set my feet on the floor, placing my cold fingers on the back of my burning neck with a sigh, letting my head fall forward. I forced myself up, light headed for a moment before I started to get dressed. I didn't want to attempt to sleep for 30 minutes more so I just tugged my hands through my hair so that it sat the right way after I had gotten dressed. I headed to the kitchen for a snack, not before placing the container of chocolates in my backpack. After (y/n) had left yesterday, I stayed an extra 20 minutes to melt a couple of chocolates to give to her tomorrow. I pulled a granola bar from the dorm kitchen, letting a shudder run down my back. I headed to the classroom after that, seeing Aizawa sensei was laid in his bag sound asleep. Inside the classroom (y/n) was alone, her fingers ran through her hair so that her forehead was on the heels of her palms. As I neared, I could see her eyes were shut and I could tell she hadn't slept again. Today was Friday so she'd have the weekend to relax, but I still had no idea what was bothering her so much.

"Hey," I said, my voice low as to keep from scaring her. She still jumped slightly, glancing up at me. The way she had been resting made a few clumps of her bangs curl under and loop out past the rest of her hair. I sat down in the desk in front of her, setting my bag down. "You look stupid." Her eyes narrowed, waiting for an explanation. I ran a few fingers down the front of her bangs as her eyes peered up at my palm.

"Oh," she muttered, resting her chin on her own palm.

"Did you not sleep again?" I asked and her face looked guilty, shaking her head in agreement. "What the hell is that about?"

"I don't know," she sighed. Once again she was not telling me something. I sighed, tugging the small box of candies out of my bag.

"Don't fall asleep in class alright?" I asked and she glanced down at the box, nodding again.

"Didn't I tell you you were forgiven? You don't have to keep doing this stuff," she said, opening it up. I watched her eyes already widen and her lips curl up slightly. She was so pretty it was a shame she looked so tired and stressed. I placed a hand over my mouth.

"I can't treat you nice?" I asked, hiding my mouth, and her face dusted in a rosy color. I didn't know why she reacted so nicely to me. Just about everything I said, nice or not, sounded hostile. I guess she knew me too well.

"You can, thank you," she replied, placing a candy in her mouth. "Why are you awake so early? Did you sleep alright?" I chewed at the inside of my cheek, debating on whether I should tell her or not. "Kacchan?"

"I didn't," I said.

"Oh, why?" She didn't tell me why she wasn't so why should I tell her?

"Nightmare," I blurted. Why did that have to sound so childish?

"What about?" she asked, her eyebrows dipping in sympathy. Mine furrowed and I glanced away, exhaling sharply.

"It's stupid," I scoffed.

"I'm sure it's not," she replied, placing the tips of her fingers on my arm. I glanced back at her to see she was more awake and paying full attention to me. I licked my lips.

"It was weird, Shigaraki--" I stopped and she waited attentively, her fingers still poised against my skin. "He killed you and I was kidnapped again." I didn't dare mention the part about the fact she was more terrified of me than the actual villain. That was for me and I couldn't bear to say it to her face.

"I'm sorry, having all that happen to you at a young age is awful. I hate that hero work is so dangerous," she said. I felt her hand sink into my hair after I watched her raise it. She pet down my head, ruffling my hair, and I began to question why I deserved this kind of attention. I relished in her touch, hating how brief it was as she pulled it away, but her hand clasped around mine resting on the desk. I would never understand her kindness. "That must've been scary."

"Mmhmm," I hummed, awkwardly.

"Are you prone to panic attacks?" she asked, glancing up at me with glossy eyes. I just nodded, glancing down at our hands. I was so utterly embarrassed at my weakness. She picked up our hands, pressing her lips lightly to the back of mine. I watched it silently, my lips tightly pressed together. She placed the back of my hand against her cheek. "So am I, you're not alone. Did you have one this morning?" I again nodded. "You can call me you know."

"But you weren't--"

"I wasn't sleeping? Exactly, I was awake," she said, softly chuckling. "I can be there for you. I want to. I know it's hard to think, but don't hesitate to call. Which...reminds me." I watched her let go of my hand and reach into her backpack. She pulled out a small ring of a few keys, flipping through them until she pulled one off. "I know we're not technically supposed to, but I made copies of the key to my room. Mina has one obviously and so does Izuku, but I thought I'd give one to you. If you're okay with that of course."

"A key to your room?"

"Yeah, for emergencies or if you need to get in. Of course that doesn't mean come barging in my room. I don't need you walking in on me when I'm changing or something," she said, her face flushing again. "I thought about it last night and the people I'm closest with get keys. One of those people happens to be you."

"Oh..."

"I don't mean to freak you out or anything, but I was just..." he face dropped slightly, suddenly reminded of something. I realized too that I wasn't scared at all of what was happening. Not her hand in my hair or her lips on my hand. I for a long moment had felt like this was okay and that she was mine, even if she wasn't. For a moment, I didn't feel like I would ever lose her and that being this close was normal. I held back a smile on my face.

"Thank you." She looked my way, handing it to me. I took it and tucked it safely in my pocket, my heart heavy against my rib cage.

"So now if you need to come find me because of a panic attack, you can," she said. "Everything will be alright."

"You say that a hell of a lot," I said, clasping my hands in my lap. Her lips pressed together, glancing at her desk with an almost nostalgic look.

"Yeah, I don't know where it came from, but I figure it's an alright motto," she said. "You think?"

"I do," I said. She smiled at me and I scoffed. "Eat your chocolate dork."

"Alright, alright...nerd," she said and I growled in her direction, causing her to smile down at the box of candies.

~Calymari