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***
In the hospital room, Bakugo held the tube of ointment with a scowl, as if the object were personally responsible for his irritation. He tried, for the third time, to twist his arm to reach his back, but the movement only resulted in a grunt of frustration and a sharp pang of pain.
Mitsuki, who had been organizing her son's things in a bag, raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms with that look that said 'I've seen this show before' "This is the moment where you say 'Help me, most amazing mom in the world.'"
"Tsk... just do it, you old witch," Bakugo grumbled, tossing the ointment to Mitsuki, who caught it midair.
"I'll let that one slide this time," she said, walking over to his back.
"Just... be careful," Bakugo muttered, knowing his mother was many things, but gentle wasn't one of them.
Mitsuki rolled her eyes, squeezing the tube to spread the ointment onto her hands. "Relax, you big baby. I'm not gonna hurt you... unless you keep squirming like you've got fleas!"
She started applying the ointment, but the moment her fingers touched the sensitive skin on Bakugo's back, he jumped like he'd been electrocuted."GO EASY, WOMAN!"
"I AM GOING EASY!" Mitsuki snapped back, just as explosive. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CAN'T SIT STILL!"
"This stuff burns like hell!" Bakugo clenched his fists, trying to stay still.
"It's supposed to burn, genius! That's how it heals!" Mitsuki continued, now a little more careful, but not missing the chance to tease. "Seriously, Katsuki, you faced those villains without blinking, but a little ointment gets you like this? Some hero, huh."
"SHUT UP!"
***
The train swayed gently, cutting through the suburbs under the clear morning sky. The car was nearly empty, with only a few scattered passengers, giving Bakugo and Kirishima a quiet spot by the window.
Bakugo, wearing an expression that mixed irritation and fatigue, stared out the glass, watching the city. His back still hurt, even with the ointment, but he wouldn't admit that even under threat. Kirishima, beside him, seemed more at ease, arms crossed behind his head and a casual smile on his face, though his eyes revealed he was still processing everything he'd learned.
They were going to meet with All Might to discuss the situation with One For All. For Bakugo, everything was falling into place just the way he wanted: he was in now, and he could finally play an active role in helping Izuku grow faster.
As for Kirishima finding out about the One For All secret, it wasn't ideal, but it wasn't a disaster either. If anyone from Class 1-A was going to find out this early, Kirishima was the obvious choice — loyal, trustworthy, and above all, someone who didn't ask dumb questions… at least not all the time.
Kirishima tilted his head, noticing Bakugo's prolonged silence. He nudged his friend with his elbow, his voice laced with concern. "Hey, man, you okay? I mean, you just got out of the hospital, and this train swaying around isn't exactly helping, right?"
"I'm fine, Rockhead," Bakugo replied, crossing his arms tightly. "Stop treating me like I'm about to faint any second."
Kirishima laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, chill! Just checking, you know how it is."
***
When they arrived at U.A., the two headed straight to the gym, where they were supposed to meet All Might. Bakugo walked slowly, hands stuffed in his pants pockets.
"Dude… this is crazy, right?" Kirishima muttered, matching Bakugo's pace and keeping his voice low. "I mean, Midoriya… All Might's successor? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
Bakugo grunted, eyes locked ahead. "The nerd might have the same quirk, but successor? All Might is irreplaceable."
"Yeah… you're right," Kirishima nodded in agreement.
They walked a few more steps before reaching the gym. The place was empty, which was strange, considering all students were supposed to be training for the Sports Festival.
'Nezu probably isolated the area,' Bakugo thought, stepping forward and pushing open the gym door.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
'What the hell?...' Bakugo's eyes widened, and he froze for a moment at the scene in front of him.
At the center of the gym, Midoriya was getting wrecked. He was trying — and failing miserably — to keep up with a blur that ricocheted off the walls, bouncing like a rubber bullet before striking him with pinpoint precision. The impact sent the boy crashing to the ground, but he got up, panting, only to be knocked down again.
'What the hell is Gran Torino doing here this early?! — No, actually, this is great.'
"Bakugo-shonen, Kirishima-shonen! So glad you made it!" A voice cut through the air, and a thin man with blond hair and a slightly hunched posture ran toward them.
Bakugo raised an eyebrow. "Who the hell are you, walking skeleton?"
The man stopped, caught off guard, then scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile. "Er… how about we close the door before we talk?"
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.