Bakugo's POV

Laying in bed, I let myself drift into a fitful rest. Those extras shouldn't be affecting my sleep like this. And yet, it's still early when I startle myself awake.

Another nightmare about the sludge villain, I think to myself. Those will stop eventually, right?

This one was very similar to others as of late, I was trapped by the villain who was blocking my airways. Out of nowhere, that annoying Deku came in and destroyed the villain instead of All Might. He used the same attack and everything. When I fell to the ground and coughed out the rest of that sludge, people crowded me; heroes, reporters, the extras in class.

But behind them, Deku went off and stood with Kirishima and Yamada in a beam of light. "Come with us," they said as the rest of the people closed in.

Their words weren't comprehensible, just muddled together noises, but their message was clear and berating: You'll never be a hero.

I tried to get up, but my hands and knees were resting in the leftover muck. It kept pulling me down until I was drowning in it again. The three in the light turned around and walked away after seeing that I wasn't following.

The sludge villain always pulls me down and drowns me in the end. And just like today, I always jolt awake with my heart beating faster than I would like.

A quick glance at my clock shows me it's 5:12 am. I'm already later than I would've liked, but I couldn't have predicted when I was going to wake up today. Ideally, I would've woken up at 6, but whenever I have nightmares, I could wake up at 2 and not be able to fall back asleep.

Thankfully, I got a bit more sleep than usual, but today wasn't the day for that. I climb out of bed and run a hand through my hair, beginning my day.

I don't get to Yamada's room until just after 5:30, but I shouldn't have worried. The girl is still fast asleep when I push open the door. What I wasn't expecting was to see Kirishima passed out next to her.

He sits on a beanbag next to her bed, drooling onto his own shoulder. I approach him and smack him across the back of the head to wake him up.

He lets out a few startled grumbles as he seems to remember where he is. "Hey man," he says groggily.

"What're you doing?"

He stretches in his seat and lets out a big yawn. "I'm just taking my turn is all."

"Your turn?" I ask with a glare.

"Yeah, Denki woke me up so I could take my shift. I probably shouldn't have fallen asleep, but it's whatever. She didn't wake up."

"Dunce Face woke you up?"

"Yeah, he usually goes to sleep at 1, so I asked him to wake me up around then. He just walked in my room and shocked me awake."

I stare at him in disbelief. "You left your door unlocked?"

"Yeah, I should be able to trust my classmates," he responds with a pointed look in my direction. "Anyways, I took over from Todoroki then."

"You let IcyHot stay in here alone with her?"

"Chill out, man," he replied, standing. "He's an honorable guy. He just wanted to make sure she was safe." Kirishima looked at me with a deep look in his red eyes, like it wasn't just last night he was talking about.

"You know as well as I do that he hurt her by doing that."

"Well, she hurt me!" He exclaims, then tones down his volume. "You knew. All this time, you knew and you didn't think I should. I thought she was one of my best friends, but she didn't even think she deserves to know what happened. And I still don't understand. She never thought it was worth it to explain to me why there's a giant scar across her throat!"

I look over and see that the girl's choker has been taken off. It sits beside her on her nightstand. "You took it off."

"She doesn't need to hide it from me anymore," he says defiantly. "Not to mention, Todoroki said she's probably going to throw up and that would've made it difficult."

"You shouldn't have done that."

To my shock, Kirishima smiles. But this smile seems spiteful. "You don't get it, man."

"Then explain," I snap back.

He just shakes his head. "I don't think I could. How could you ever understand? You're not exactly known for being a friendly, understanding guy."

My frustration threatens to overtake me. "I don't--"

"I know," he cuts me off. "You don't need us. You're the best at everything and you only need to rely on yourself. Just try to remember us little people exist from your spot at the top. Goodnight, Bakugo."

With that, he walks out of the room and shuts the door behind him. I feel my hands crackle with anger before I remember I'm supposed to be quiet.

I look over at the sleeping girl, then back to the door, heart heavy. "I don't know what I'm doing here," I whisper, sitting down heavily on the beanbag. "I don't know what having friends is like."

I sit in silence for a long moment. After a while of being trapped in my own head, I notice the trash can sitting next to the beanbag. I groan, realizing I had volunteered for the worst shift, considering she was probably gonna hurl the moment she woke up. I stand and push some boxes out of the way so she has a clear shot for the bathroom, then sit and decide to go on my phone.

It isn't too long until I hear Yamada shift. I look over to see her eyebrows pinch together in a grimace. She lets out a small whine of pain before her startling blue eyes flick open.

Koto's POV

My insides seem to burn as I wake up. Bile churns uncomfortably in my stomach. I open my eyes, but only see the dark ceiling above me. Even opening my eyes is enough to send a dagger of pain through my head. I groan in discomfort and force myself up.

I hear shuffling beside me and the distinct sound of somebody picking up a trash can. Dammit.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the ash blonde hair that I was dreading. I launch myself out of the bed as a new wave of nausea hits. I point to the door, my message clear, as I sprint my way to the bathroom in the corner. I pull my hair out of my face as hastily as I can as I fall to my knees and vomit into the toilet. My hands shake and hair begins to fall from their hold. I can barely keep it up.

After a moment, I feel calm hands smoothing my hair back and taking it from me. Tears begin to fall from my eyes. Why does he always have to see me like this?

I finish emptying my stomach and I wipe my mouth with toilet paper. "G-get out," I rasp, not able to face him.

I hear a low sigh from behind me as he reaches down and grabs a hair tie from my wrist, tying my hair up clumsily. I don't turn around until I hear the door close and his footsteps echoing down the hallway.

I take my time getting off the ground and cleaning myself up. I brush my teeth, then change into warmer clothes.

I'm shocked at first to see I'm wearing sweatpants over my shorts, but I find myself smiling anyway. It was a nice gesture. I make sure I'm comfy and cozy, but still, nausea and congestion torment me.

My nose is constantly running and every time I lay down, I feel like I need to throw up again. Deciding it's best to keep my head elevated, I find a tissue box to put on my bedside table and prop myself up using pillows. I think every single pillow and blanket I own is on this bed. Must be something else he tried to do.

It only now occurs to me that he must've made the bed also. Why? Why couldn't I have done it myself? Why didn't he wake me up? Why did he do all of this?

I have too long to think on the matter before I'm shaken out of my reverie by a few solid knocks at the door. I check the clock.

6:03. They must not care about waking anyone else up. It must be Bakugo.

Warily, I stand and pad over to the door. I focus on my breathing so I don't have to focus on the nausea. My guess is proven right when I open the door.

I can't summon the energy to speak, so I just rub my eyes and walk back to my bed. I hear Bakugo's footsteps behind me and the sound of the door rolling closed.

"You're an idiot," he growls as he walks forward and places a mug on my bedside table. The steam from the golden liquid smells sweet and floral, making me think it's chamomile.

"Gee," I say slowly, "what m-m-makes you think th-that?"

He gives me a look of disdain before gesturing towards the mug. "Drink it."

I rub at my eyes for a moment, stifling a yawn as I pick up the tea. I try hard to keep my hands from shaking and spilling it on myself. I open my mouth to speak, but my stomach twists and turns. I don't trust myself to speak without feeling nauseous. I just take a sip and illuse "did you stay all night?"

I'm not quite sure that I want the answer, but how can I not be curious? I fell asleep next to him on the balcony and all of a sudden woke up with him sitting on the ground next to me with a trash can. What even made him think I needed that? I mean of course I did, but how did he know?

"No," he growls, looking down at his hands. "We took turns."

We?

My face seems to ask the question for me. When he looks into my eyes, I see anger as he recounts what had happened.

"B-but-"

"I told that IcyHot bastard he had no right being here and he wouldn't listen. And to make things worse..." he says in a low tone as he reaches for the choker still placed on my nightstand. He picks it up and fiddles with the clasp, turning it over in his hands. After a while, he sighs, "Kirishima took his side."

I almost feel mad, but the emotions bubbling up in me just make me want to cry more.

"He's angry with you by the way," Bakugo says, placing the choker back down, the black fabric smoothed out. "With both of us actually. Tch, his loss."

I look down into my mug, but it doesn't look appealing anymore. It doesn't sit well in my stomach. It's too sweet.

I put the cup aside and fold my legs underneath me. "B-bakugo?" He raises an eyebrow, silently telling me to continue. I illuse, "can you bring me that bottle over there? The apple juice one?"

His eyes follow as I point to my desk in the corner. Snack bags and drinks are piled up on it, courtesy of Mic. Among them is a couple liter apple juice bottle that is only about a third full. The boy goes over to it, nose crinkled in disgust.

"This should be refrigerated, dumbass."

"Just bring it here," I illuse impatiently. As soon as I open the cap, Bakugo seems to have a thought.

He puts a hand on the bottle so I can't lift it. With a disbelieving look, he takes a smell of the contents and I see his eyes blow wide. "Curly, you're the biggest idiot I've ever had the displeasure of knowing!"

I shush him and hold the bottle away.

"You're not allowed to have that stuff in here!" Bakugo says in a hushed, but hard tone.

"It's m-medicinal," I say before taking a sip, letting the whiskey burn my throat. I wince and he snatches the bottle back.

"Drink the damn tea."

I pick up the mug and take another tiny sip. "You h-have to promise me you w-won't t-t-tell anyone."

"I'm not lying for you, Curly."

"I'm not asking you to lie," I illuse, then quickly add, "and just telling you to keep a secret isn't the same as lying."

"Yeah?" He snaps. "And what do I do when someone asks?"

"D-don't let it become a t-topic."

Bakugo just glares at me as I take another sip of the floral tea and wince.

"Look, if someb-b-b-body directly asks a-and you c-c-can't lie, then d-don't," I say, looking him in the eyes. "J-j-just promise you won't b-bring it up."

He exhales heavily, looking away. "Fine," he spits out after a moment.

I both mentally and physically brace myself before asking, "c-can I g-g-get another sip then?"

I watch as his face crinkles in anger. "You expect me to just hand this back to you? It's 6 am and you're already dr--"

"Shhh shh!" I hush, putting my hands up to get him to tone down his volume. I sit back and know I have to level with him. "I'm n-not g-g-going to drink t-too much. But right n-now, it's helping."

He looks down at the bottle in his hands, then back at me. I raise my eyebrows in what I hope looks like a pitiful expression. A deep growl emanates from his throat as he holds the whiskey further away.

"Finish the tea first, then...maybe." Bakugo bargains, giving me a challenging stare.

I just sigh and take another sip, resigning to my fate. The moment I set down the empty mug, he pours in a little splash of whiskey then caps the bottle. He walks over to return the bottle to my desk as I drink the contents of my cup.

I exhale as the liquid warms my insides. Bakugo wordlessly takes the mug out of my hands and walks to the door. Before he can reach it, he grabs a white object from one of my boxes and chucks it at me with all his strength. I barely manage to catch it as he turns around once more.

I look down at the fluffy stuffed dog in my hands, running my hands through its dusty fur. When I look back up, Bakugo is already out the door, letting it roll closed behind him.

"Thank you," I whisper before the door closes, but I can't be sure if he heard me.

I hear his footsteps becoming fainter as I sit all alone again in my room.

------Author's Note------

Hey guys!

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for all your support of this story. It really means the world to me.

In other news, I've just recently joined the UA Storytellers discord filled with a bunch of incredibly talented people!! I've created a reading list with their amazing stories, so I 100% suggest checking them out!! You will not be disappointed!!! Show them some love!!!!

Thank you again! Until next time!!