Deku leaves U.A. leaving a letter to Bakugo to take care of their classmates especially Uraraka and their parents. As Bakugo tries to figure out his feelings for Deku, he identifies them as identical but not greater than Deku.
A flash of moments of them back when they were still kids when his quirk wasn't manifested yet burned inside his head, the two of them heading home together as Kacchan teaching Izuku how to p like the day wouldn't end, hands intertwined like no one can separate them until they grow old, talking about heroes they admire together, motion going forward and backward as their feet tip-tapping steadily on the floor as the rock ballad was played on the background.
< Flashback brought to you by All Might's fanfictions inside his notebook>
"Izuku, what do you think heroes have?"
"Care?"
"Power" Katsuki grinned back to Deku still appreciating the bright blue sky from the room where the balcony is. The sky contrasts the color of fire in his eyes.
"Do power save, Kacchan?" He touches the scar on his stomach. It seems like he knows the answer to that
but ...
"Kacchan" the faint smell of the hospital lingered under his nose as the drugs started kicking into his body calming it, way too calm. "I know you hate me to care for you as much as you hate me lingering around other people's business, but ... " his hands moving slowly as he raises them to the green-haired deku, Deku's fingers merely touched his as Deku bids goodbye as his consciousness does the same, vision blurring, hearing closing, but his arms stretched out trying to reach out to his old childhood friend.
Guess he couldn't even call him that. It was torn apart by him, but self-blame isn't a thing that he should be thinking.
Uraraka felt the same as Bakugo feels.
"You dummy." Uraraka bursts out of the dorm only to be stopped by Bakugo entering the dorm. Kirishima follows Uraraka to stop her but as he sees Bakugo he doesn't dare to interfere.
"He's gone."
"You-"
"Don't you understand round face? He's gone. This is for the better." Bakugo accepts the fate that almost all the users of One for All will end up as dirt on the ground. With the large amount of time passing time by their hands, a mutual understanding arises between them but still can't find peace between themselves as Izuku runs toward his dream. Thus, as people say, there are choices in life, and most of these are between personal dreams and the dreams of many.
- time skip --- >
As the final battle begins, Kacchan was there to witness it as he was called out to fight. Turns out he can save an irredeemable Shigaraki but then tums out death is the only way to save him, as Izuku embraces Shigaraki to finish him Shigaraki destroys him to pieces, Kacchan's eyes meet Izuku's eyes that shined brightly for the last time.
"Bakugo, you cared for Midoriya huh," Mirio commented as he let Eri answer the activities he left for her to do on her own after he taught her some language and other subjects.
"Why would I care for that small fry-" Mirio chuckled as if he could read what was on with Bakugo.
<--
One last smile, Izuku said to himself. The image of victory.
<-- -- insert flashback- - - - >
Eri saw the news on the television with her young eyes, people fighting against their own beliefs on justice. Mirio knew no matter how they hide that it was going to be okay for young people like her, as of this time, the light was barely seen on the people around them. No matter how they told her to close her eyes for a while it will not change anything.
"Please ... " Eri hands the red cape that Bakugo now wore. "Protect Deku."
Whether it was a talk from Mirio or a request from Eri, Bakugo aimed to stay with Deku and go wherever he went no matter what Deku's request for him to stay behind. They were supposed to win this and he's not supposed to go there alone. He follows him without Deku knowing.
Be free. Kacchan. Hot tears flowed from Deku the last time. They said, that when you love someone, instead of feeling the cold tears flowing from your cheek, you'll feel the temperature rising in heat. The memories of their last talk
almost flashed before his eyes.
"Goodby-"
"Don't say goodbye, damn nerd- saying goodbye when you said you want to surpass me - are you an idiot?" Deku smiled as his Kacchan spoke as the drug sank into his body. "It's like you're giving up on surpassing me-"
"You don't make sense Kacchan-"
"Don't say goodbye- Saying goodbye is for the weakling" Kacchan ... don't you know ... people who say goodbye are the people who are the strongest?
"I'm gonna kill you, Deku if they'll catch you stupid Deku"
"Stupid Kacchan. That wouldn't happen."
- back to the story sponsored by All Might's golden hair R and the rah of
'What?'
<----- >
Do you need to be a hero? Ochako looked at Deku but the sun was shining blindly onto his body. A saint. A man without fear, A hero.
"You know Uraraka, I think your inspiration to help your parents is a great thing that can make you become a great hero."
"That was just very shallow, Deku but not meaningful as yours which is to help people"
"You know, I once want to become all might. It was a light image." Deku looked up at the bright night full of stars. "But when I see the people smile as they come back to their loved ones safe, I thought wanting to be all mighty was only my dream, but it is to save the people ... " Deku looks back to Uraraka "I love." and looks back at Kacchan who he noticed was listening and looking at them from the door of the dorm, a smile was shown on the side of Deku's lips, "and people who love them and see them smile without worrying about me."
"Well then, Deku .. Let's be strong together."
"DEKU!"
It is clear that Ochako and Bakugo find comfort in each other, it's what Deku says, "'go watch over each other" It was a promise that Ochako never made to Bakugo, and Bakugo never made to Uraraka. The only string that ties the marriage is Deku and these feelings ...
An illusion appeared to their eyes, as the lights of the garden in the afternoon shines. It was Deku running towards the sun without someone stopping him.
"Deku!" Bakugo and Ochacko stopped and looked back at Deku dropping the wedding bouquet, Ochacko looked back to Bakugo in shock as they realized they were seeing the same image of Deku running to the sun.
lida and the others who were invited looked back to Uraraka and Bakugo's shocked expressions, both distracted by the sight that only the two of them could see. Mina and Kirishima worriedly look at them.
"You damn nerd. Face me! Don't you dare run!" Bakugo's voice breaks at the end as he sees Deku say something that Kacchan has been waiting for all along, was it a sorry? Was it forgiveness? Was it a confession of love? He's the only one who knows.
"Kacchan ... "Izuku stopped looking back at Ochacko, eyes bawling out.
"Uraraka." Ochako's heart swells in pain as she hears her name on his lips. He said something back to Uraraka that she needed the most right now, and the only one who could say that was Deku. To live her life to the fullest? To become a hero she never thought of to be? To change her idea of being a hero?A confession of love? She's the only one who can hear him.
"It's not supposed to end this way-" Warm tears started forming at the edge of his eyes as the ground caught the tears Bakugo's small steps started without him thinking, his mind was blank with just the image of Deku. His eyes focused on Deku, the only person who he needed to save. His idea of saving.
"Don't you dare run from me?" Bakugo, the one person who can never forgive himself for not acknowledging what he felt, never really knowing that is the name of these feelings and now he knows it. "Listen to me you bastard- Don't run from me-" Bakugo runs as Deku races chasing the bright burning sun like Icarus. The only one who can break him into pieces. "Why do I need to chase someone who's always behind me ?! "
"Bakugo!" Kirishima and Shoto pulled his arms for him to stop running but still, he wanted them to let go of him.
"Why do I need to keep on chasing Izuku?"