Harder to Love

Recovery

Over the next few days, Kirishima was never left unattended. At least one of the group stayed with him at all times, taking shifts so the rest of them could get to class.
They had explained to Aizawa that Kirishima had gotten so sick he had to be hospitalized and that the others were helping him finish the assignments he missed.
Bakugou, being the one to always take the overnight shifts (since he was the only one whose parents didn't give a shit), did most of the teaching.
Kirishima caught on quick most of the time. Bakugou had always assumed he was dumb, and maybe he still was, but with Kiri...there was no such thing as giving up.
At least...that's what he thought at the time.
He never spoke about what happened at the facility. Bakugou didn't expect him to either.
He never brought up his own second identity during this whole time. It just wasn't right to bring more complication into his life.
However, when Kirishima announced that he was going to go back to school after two weeks of being gone, he decided it was time.
He couldn't just come out and tell him. This was something important.
So he waited until Kirishima fell asleep the night before he was supposed to return to school. He still slept like...well...a rock, hard to stir in the morning and quick to ease into sleep at night.
Bakugou didn't have to lay with him after the first night, which was disappointing. He ended up sleeping on the floor, in a pile of blankets. It wasn't like Kirishima had asked him to stop sleeping in the bed, but he hadn't asked for it either.
When Kirishima fell asleep that night, Bakugou slipped into his costume in the bathroom and came back out to wake him up again.
Kirishima stirred slowly, body shifting awake. He blinked, trying to grasp what was happening to him.
"Zero?"
"Yeah. We need to talk."
"Why are you in my house? How do you know where I live?!" He covered his face. "You're not supposed to know who I am."
"Kirishima...listen..."
"You're not supposed to know my name." Tears started to brew in his eyes.
"Look, Red," Bakugou tried to put as much sympathy in his voice as he could, "why don't you come out on patrol with me?"
"No." Kirishima seemed to have calmed down a little. "I'm not going to be a vigilante anymore."
Bakugou was shocked. Kiri didn't give up on things. Kiri was determined. He was STRONG. "What?! Why?"
"They already know my identity and-"
"So fucking what. Make up a new hero persona and use that."
"Zero...I can't."
"WHY? WHY NOT?!"
"BECAUSE MY FUCKING QUIRK IS GONE YOU ASSHOLE!" Bakugou had never seen Kirishima snap like that. He hadn't thought he could. But now there were tears running down his face and Bakugou didn't know how to help him.
"It's gone?"
"IT DOESN'T FUCKING WORK ANYMORE. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE."
"Kirishima wait..."
"OUT!"
Bakugou backed away, slipping out the door of the apartment.
He hadn't even gotten a chance to explain who he was...