Syzygy (TodoBaku Fan-Fiction, Modern AU)

Seconds Thoughts

Bakugo's PoV

Friends were nothing short of a hinderance, and he, an obstacle. Maybe it was all a deliberate scheme of his to distract me, getting his first fucking place.

It's the fucking envy again.

I should really stop being such a bother to Kirishima and Todoroki. I didn't have any attractive qualities, and it wasn't like I had the best character in whole world or something.

Maybe they really wanted something from me.

But what was there to take? I've got nothing to lose.

Maybe I was threatening Todoroki's place? After all, if he wasn't here, I would top the class. And I wouldn't be in second place.

I really didn't have much time to study, much less hang out with...friends. I wouldn't bother them, and they wouldn't affect me.

I would have to surpass Todoroki to get the spot to the Junior College that I aimed for.

It's alright, I've done it before. Cutting ties.

He's just a mere obstacle in the way. A simple hurdle that I would have to jump over.

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Todoroki's PoV

Bakugo became cold. And distant. And strange.

He changed, in just a span of a week, right after we got our results for our preliminary exams.

Did I do something wrong? I was confused and baffled, and I tried to clear things with him, but every time, every single time I went up to him he avoids me.

There was someone else I could question, but I wasn't sure if he would even talk to me. It was worth a shot at least.

He obliged. Surprisingly. He leaned on the grey wall of the rooftop, impatiently waiting for me to speak.

"Kirishima. Tell me why Bakugo's like this."

He frowned. "You're asking for my help, right? Shouldn't you ask, like, nicely?"

I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Kirishima. Could you please tell me why is Bakugo behaving this way?"

He smirked as if he had gotten something.

If anything, probably my dignity.

"Why should I? You haven't been treating me even remotely well."

"I'll give you anything you want in return."

"Anything?" He raised an eyebrow and I nodded.

He would probably ask for money or food. Both were easy to provide.

"Alright, deal. Bakugo...he actually worked really hard to get into this school, and for the exams too, just to get to the top spot for his scholarship. And then you came along and took it away. He needs to focus on the real thing, the upcoming evaluation exams. We're both distractions, you and I." He exhaled a breath. "But you, more than I."

"Ah...I see." His words set my mind to motion. It was all a simple matter of getting Bakugo the scholarship.

"Now, my part of the deal."

I waited patiently for his request.

"Tell me what really happened on April 16."

I took a step back, shocked. So he really knew, then?

"Keep your end of the bargain." He reminded impatiently.

Without a word, both of us took a seat on the concrete floor.

The memories of pain and loss came flashing back, the lifelike scenes playing in my mind, like a movie that couldn't be paused.

"Well, that day, was when I was fourteen, I was ready to tell my parents about..." My voice caught in my throat, but Kirishima's eyes were reassuring, urging me to continue.

"My sexual orientation. I realised I didn't like any of the girls my father set me up with, and later, any girl for that matter. I told them I was gay." The cat's out of the bag, then.

"That's not all, right?" Kirishima questioned, making me stiffen.

"A deal's a deal. You gotta tell me everything."

"A few weeks later, the media caught wind of it and caused a big mess, and my father managed to silence them with a couple of...deeds. But still, somehow, some people knew about it and that night, our house went up in flames."

My voice cracked, and I turned away, not wanting to meet his judging eyes.

"My...my mother, she-"

"Look, if you're too uncomfortable, you don't have to tell me all of it," Kirishima said, his voice turning gentle with sympathy.

"No!" I objected. "I...need to get this off my chest."

"My mother sacrificed herself to get me out of that burning house."

I waited for his judging words or maybe piercing criticism on how it was my fault that my mother died. I heard both of them enough times, and I knew it was the truth.

"Your mother was a brave woman. And you need to live, happily, to carry out your mother's reason for her death. She clearly wanted you to continue living your life." Kirishima mused, startling me with his surprisingly comforting words.

"T-Thank you." I murmured, turning away yet again.

"Now that I sort of know you better, and guess what, you're as gay as me, how about we start afresh as friends?" A hand was dangling in front of my eyes, a peace offering, its owner smiling a kind and warm smile.

"Alright. As friends." I took his hand as he pulled me on my feet.

"As friends." He agreed.

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