Archive of Our Own ^beta

Katsuki's eyelids snap open. He stares at the white ceiling for a few seconds, face blank, his crimson irises deep and unfiltered. His breaths bounce back to him, humid and warm on his cheeks. A searing pain in his side makes him sit up with a start, ripping off the mask and clenching his teeth, holding onto the bandages. The pain, honestly, is so bad that it causes black spots to swirl around in his vision. He pants harshly, trying to control his breathing. Doing it like this makes it worse.

"Bakugou! Hey," nervous laughter interjects, "I don't think you're actually supposed to take that off."

Katsuki jolts, turning his head to look at Eijirou. 

"Welcome back," Eijirou says. 

As their sights are hooked, Eijirou begins losing a level of composure—within the span of a moment, tears glide down his cheeks, he's fully sobbing, and he sinks to the floor. Katsuki climbs out of bed, arms outstretched, and scoops Eijirou into a hug. He attempts to ignore his burning side and various other aching places. Eijirou grips his hospital gown at his shoulders (the only place that doesn't hurt—actually, ow).

"I—Bakugou," Eijirou laughs wetly, "I'm supposed to be—to be comforting you, a-aren't I?"

"It's okay," Katsuki speaks the first words he has since waking. His voice is gravelly and still laced with sleep; sleep is also something that keeps lingering as an urge within him.

"I was so scared. Bakugou, y-you were—you wouldn't wake up."

"I'm okay. I'm okay, Kirishima." Katsuki puts his hand in Eijirou's hair, running his fingers through tangled, red locks. It's down. "I'm okay, damn it."

Eijirou sobs into Katsuki's shirt, "I'm so—so, so glad. Thank you."

"We can't stay on the floor forever, shitty hair. It'd be more comfortable to cry on a bed anyways."

"You're right." Eijirou giggles, sniffling. He musters the strength to help Katsuki stand and sit on the bed, causing the mattress to dip. "It's better. I feel better."

Katsuki snorts. "What the fuck? Weren't you crying a second ago?"

"I still am," he squeaks, his face falling into his hands. "It's so stupid, isn't it? You're fine, but I can't stop—"

"Hey, Kirishima, no. It's not stupid."

Eijirou logically would blurt an agreement—since he says it to Izuku all of the time, expressing emotion is manly—but instead, he murmurs, "What?" It's said quietly, a mere whisper of the wind almost. 

It's a miracle Katsuki hears. "I said it's not stupid, you dummy."

Eijirou exhales, wiping his eyes with his hoodie's sleeve. "Alright."

"Good. Now, keep that in your thick head."

"It's like you're making fun of me, but you're helping me too," Eijirou whines, spreading his arms and falling back onto the bed. "It's odd, isn't it? I know you don't mean it, man."

Katsuki scoffs. "Shut up. I—um—"

Eijirou perks, raising his head to look at Katsuki. He noticed the stutter and it resonated throughout his thoughts. Very uncharacteristic, but Eijirou has been Katsuki's friend long enough to know that he stutters when he's hunting for words. Any person would.

"—shit. I—it's the—it's the only way I know how to get my point across, dumbass!"

Eijirou bursts into a fit of laughter, rolling onto his side. 

"Eh? What's so funny?"

"I love you too!" Eijirou sits upright.

Katsuki smirks. "That's gay," he huffs, shoving Eijirou. 

Eijirou giggles, nudging Katsuki's shoulder. He pauses. "You feel like getting an update on the others? Do you wanna rest more?"

"Update, Kiri."

Eijirou nods. "A few of us just came to see you, but they left to check on Todoroki next. I had a really weird feeling something was going to happen, so I stayed. All of us have woken up… except…"

"Who? Who the hell hasn't woken up?"

"Midoriya. He's been out cold," Eijirou whispers, as if being too loud would rebverate off of the mountains and cause an avalanche.

"Deku? If he dies, I'll kill that nerd!" Katsuki growls.

Eijirou processes the statement. "That doesn't make sen—Bakugou! Hey—what the—come back!"

Katsuki is already swinging the door open and marching into the hall, dragging the IV bag with him. Eijirou panics, climbing off of the bed and rushing to the door.

"I'll get a nurse!" Hagekure's voice sounds with her racing footsteps through the hall.

Mineta is screaming about how Katsuki is awake and it quickly switches into yelps of getting him to slow down. Sato is trying to pull him into the room again when Eijirou emerges into the hall. Katsuki refuses, still hauling himself towards an aimless location. 

"Where the hell is Deku, huh?" he yells. 

"Go back to bed!" Mineta shrieks a reply. "You shouldn't be running around like this! You'll bleed to death or something, idiot!"

Sato grits his teeth, attempting to tug him back. "Calm down and please just go to your room!"

Ahead of them in the hall, Mina slides out of a room on her heels. Faded tear tracks are on her cheeks, but she has a determined stare. "I heard that Bakubabe was up! Get in there," she says, shoving him slowly.

Eijirou catches up, assisting the group. "Hey, you need to rest, Bakugou! C'mon, listen to us."

"Yeah!" Mina agrees, "Todoroki needs to sleep! His throat is shot, give him a break!"

Katsuki rolls his eyes before a debilitating stab of pain claws through the nerves in his side and arm. He collapses, and the group clamors to catch him.

"See? Your wounds are gonna reopen and you'll die!" Mineta whines.

"Shut it," Katsuki pants. "Fine, fine, take me the hell back."

"Here, I'll help you," Eijirou says.

Katsuki embarrassingly gets onto Eijirou's back, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his hands onto his chest. Sighing, he leans his head onto Eijirou's shoulder.

"Thanks."

They begin the walk, and the others go into Shouto's room.

Eijirou lowers him onto the bed. Katsuki winces.

"You shouldn't push yourself, y'know," Eijirou says, handing him the blankets. "You'll only get hurt worse."

"I know," Katsuki mumbles. 

"Yeah… so be careful for me, okay?"

"Fine. I'm damn tired."

Eijirou smiles. "Alright. I'll stay with you."

♡♡♡

Katsuki ends up basically passing out, but wakes in a sleep-deprived haze and calls for Eijirou. He complies and they cuddle for hours on end.

It's like a dream.