Save You

Chapter 18 : Never Again

That night, Kirishima didn't bother to chase after Bakugou. He was over trying to care for someone that wouldn't accept his help. He figured that if Bakugou wanted to get better then he had to do it himself.

Kirishima entered his room and showered, the time registering at 4:04am. His eyes were dropping and he couldn't even bring himself to shower. Instead he stripped off his wet clothes and snuggled into some fresh ones.

Soon Kirishima found himself under his covers and peacefully drifting off to sleep.

・・・

The morning went on as usual. Kirishima woke up and began to prepare himself for school. Of course he felt drowsy, it was normal after the hectic night he had faced. As he pulled on his bag and left his room, he looked over at Bakugou's room which was adjacent to his.

Something felt wrong, his gut was twisting itself into knots. Even though last night he swore to stop chasing after Bakugou, he still found himself subconsciously approaching the door.

'This is the last time,' Kirishima whispered to himself. 'I'm just double checking.'

As he went to open the door, he was surprised to find it locked. Lately Bakugou had been careless in the terms of security. He never locked his door and often it was half open. Even though Kirishima made sure to scold Bakugou often about it, of course he never once listened.

Kirishima knocked loudly on the door, waiting for Bakugou to yell out some insult before opening the door. But it never came. Kirishima could feel his heart thudding in his chest at this point.

He knocked louder, his fist colliding with the door in heavy thuds. There was still no answer. Kirishima pressed himself against the door, trying his best to hear any noises that could be coming from the blonde.

But there was nothing, just an edgy silence.

Kirishima looks around the hall quickly, his eyes as wide as saucers. The hall was deserted, the only person being Kirishima. He silently prayed that the others had already left for class.

Kirishima took a deep breath and kicked the door, it barely wobbling. He did it again, and again. Surely if Bakugou wasn't coming to the door now then something was wrong.

With one last kick, the door creaked off it's hinges and allowed Kirishima to enter the room. His eyes widened at the state of Bakugou's room. There was shattered glass everywhere, furniture flipped out and patches of crimson.

Kirishima freaked out. 'BAKUGOU!' He screamed, following the bloody footprints that lead towards the bathroom. When he peered inside, he saw Bakugou's slumped body with blood on the ground below him.

Kirishima instantly ran over, holding his friend in his arms. There were deep wounds on Bakugou's wrists, forearms, legs and soles. He was unconscious and deathly pale, the blood loss obviously taking it's toll on him.

Kirishima pulled out his phone and shakily unlocked it, pressing the first contact in his phone. As it rang Kirishima made sure that Bakugou was indeed breathing and still alive.

'Kirishima?' A sleepy Kaminari answers, his voice rough from being awoken.

Kirishima pauses, not realising it was Kaminari's number that he called. He was just so shocked and shaken up that he randomly chose someone. 'K-Kaminari?' Kirishima asks in a small voice. He was terrified, quivering with tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

Kaminari instantly jumped up, now fully awake. He could tell something wasn't right, especially when Kirishima sounded so distraught. 'What's going on?' He asks, hearing a slight sobbing from the other end of the phone.

'B-Bakugou..' Kirishima whispers, barely being disguise his sobs. 'H-He's hurt..'

'Where are you right now?' He demands through the phone, pulling on a jumper. The worry was coursing through him for his two friends. Bakugou was rarely injured so for Kirishima to be calling in tears, something bad must've happened.

'H-His room.' Kirishima answer, stroking Bakugou's hair. He wasn't sure on what to do. How long had Bakugou even been like this? Kirishima cursed himself for being a bad friend and not going to his dorm last night.

'I'm on my way right now Kiri, just stay calm okay? I'm going to call Mr. Aizawa.'

Kirishima nods even though he knows Kaminari can't see him. He was just to startled right now to process things properly. Had..had Bakugou done this to himself? Was this a suicide attempt?

Kirishima pulled himself up and looked around the room, trying to find some kind of note. But there was none, no message Bakugou had left for them to read. No explanation for the scene around him.

Loud footsteps enter the room and Kirishima doesn't even bother to look up. He sits next to Bakugou again, gently stroking his soft blonde hair. How didn't he notice how frail the boy had became? Or how sleep deprived he was?

He said that he'd take care of Bakugou, he was angry about Bakugou not letting him. Yet, he was doing such a poor job that he didn't blame Bakugou for refusing. Kirishima hugged the blonde close, relieved to hear his small heartbeat.

'I'm...I'm so sorry..' Kirishima cries out, nestling against Bakugou's shirt. He was still wet from last night, his clothing completely drenched. Kirishima could feel how cold his skin felt and knew that Bakugou hadn't been here for just a few minutes.

He'd been here since he arrived back home last night, and Kirishima hadn't noticed a thing.

Kaminari darted next to Kirishima and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Kirishima slowly looked up and when he realised it was Kaminari, he lunged at him and hugged him tightly. 'I-I screwed up... man I screwed up so bad.' Kirishima whispered against his chest.

Kaminari stroked his hair softly. 'No you didn't Kiri.' He answered, slowly prying Kirishima off of him. He looked at his friend's eyes that glistened with tears and rosy cheeks that had tear stains.

'We all screwed up. We should've realised just how much this mentally affect Bakugou.' Mr Aizawa speaks from behind them, watching the scene in front of him. 'Even I screwed up, I am meant to be his teacher. I'm meant to be his carer whilst he's at UA but I haven't been, I left it to my students.'

Mr Aizawa walked over to the sobbing Kirishima that looked up at him so brokenly. His heart was pained, he knew Kirishima didn't cry much at all. To see such an energetic and happy soul look at him with so much despair ate him from the inside out.

Mr Aizawa hugged Kirishima and Kaminari, he hugged them tight. Even though he wasn't one for affection, even though he wasn't a fan of kids - he hugged him. Never had he been so close with a class before. Never had he felt so much responsibility and love, so much pride in seeing them all grow.

So much sadness in watching them fall.

The two boys sought comfort in their teacher's arms, sobbing into his chest. He rubbed their backs and tried to soothe them as paramedics entered the room. They lifted Bakugou on a stretcher and wheeled him outside the room.

Kirishima instantly ran alongside his bed, not risking to be separated from him again. This time he'll look after him properly. This time he'll hold him whilst he has nightmares, cook him meals and listen to him properly.

This time he'll make sure that there is no next time.