#kiribakuimagine

[bookishlyxnerds]

Insecure

Art by Marching Space

Story by Candy and Mickey

Instagram: @_bookishlyxamazing_ / Tumblr: bookishlyxnerds

Words: 1,151

Class 1-A of UA was a giant family. Of course, there was Bakugo, who wasn't all that close. Then there was someone like Izuku who had a mumble issue (trust me an intervention is soon to be held). Or perhaps Tokoyami who... Is a bird. What I am trying to get at here is that not all families are perfect. That sometimes there are really tough times. That's when family matters, when help is needed. Even from the least expected people.

···

Today could be considered like any other day. Bakugo had one of his occasional meltdowns. Mineta got beat up. Twice. Everyone was exactly as they should and would be. The exception, however, was Kirishima.

Today was one of his tough days.

Generally, Kirishima is optimistic, honest, trustworthy, and the 'justice keeper' or rather when he calls people out on their bullshit. But today he just wasn't; his insecurity got to him.

He mostly listened with the occasional words. He mostly keep to himself, though he would fake a laugh here and there. He had a sad look in his eye, but he hid it well. It seemed it was only something Bakugo noticed.

When lunch arrived, Bakugo decided to talk to Denki, find out what the problem was.

"Pikachu, we need to talk" Bakugo announced to Denki as he grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to the hallway. Surprisingly, Denki just went with it.

"What do you need, B--" Denki asked.

"I don't need a fucking thing, lightbulb." Bakugo replied, insulted.

"No I was wondering what I could-"

"You could shut your damn trap and listen!" Bakugo growled, his red eyes glimmering with annoyance.

Denki remained silent.

"What's up with the Hedgehog?"

"Kirishima?"

"Just answer the motherfucking question!"

"Oh... Uh... I don't really know... He has just been acting his… normal self..."

"You short circuiting in the head again because I swear-"

Denki laughed, "No I'm not." A thoughtful look crossed his face, "Why don't you ask him what the issue is if you think something is wrong?"

"Me? Ask porcupine what's wrong? Shit, you really are fried up there aren't you?" Bakugo had an aggressive look cross his face and scoffed, walking away leaving Denki alone.

···

For the rest of the day, Bakugo remained concerned about the wellbeing of Kirishima. No one seemed to notice or cared. Bakugo was upset about that, to say the least. Friends are supposed to help each other out, right?

Bakugo got up from his seat in class and walked over to Kirishima, who sat besides everyone else, most likely to seem unbothered. One didn't have to be a brainiac to see he was obviously faking.

His walking stopped in front of Kirishima, his eyes looking down at the boy. "Hey Porcupine, we need to talk..." He looked around to the others, “Alone.”

Kirishima looked up, he looked exhausted, “Alright?” He got up and walked to the other side of the room with Bakugo. "What can I do for you, Bakugo?” he inquired

Bakugo halted his usual approach, the one that involved screaming and yelling, and thought for a bit before continuing. He signed, calmed his expressions and looked dead into Kirishima's eyes.

"What's wrong?"

The sad eyes were filled with a sparkle of surprise. Kirishima was the least of all to expect Bakugo being concerned. Or quieter. "Uh... nothin'. I am fine, B-Bakugo," Kirishima replied as he plastered a fake smile on his face followed by a fake laugh (it sounded more like a huff).

"No. Your not."

"I am."

"Really?"

"Yup,"  Kirishima answered, popping his p  to try and make it seem true. Bakugo knew one thing, Kirishima never pops his p’s.

"Alright. Explain something to me first."

"O-ok?"

"You say that you're fine but your actions speak otherwise. You haven't talked as much as usual, which is very surprising, you haven't sought out the manliness of our classmates. You've just sat here, in your seat all fucking day and it's really god damn annoying. I ain't the smartest kid in here but I ain't going to play dumb on this one, Porcupine. So you'll tell me what's wrong or you end up through a wall, deal?"

Kirishima was silent. What could one say to a 'speech’ like that? How could he tell Bakugo how he felt? How he was a horrible hero? That he was nothing, a speck of dirt, compared to his friends; to the hero's he looked up to with all his heart? How could he do that? It was so Unmanly! So cowardly!

“Kirishima… I am asking as a… a… a friend,” Bakugo stated, his hands shoved in his pockets, biting the inside of his cheek.

A sigh escaped Kirishima. He never talked about it. With no one. His blatant disaster of quirk. So how could he talk to Bakugo about it? But here Bakugo was, standing in front of him, wanting to know what was wrong.

Bakugo was never like that.

Kirishima let loose a sigh. “I… I… uh… I'm not a good… w-well I-I mean I am just… I guess… I-I can never truly be a good hero.” Kirishima threw up his hands into a quick shrug, “And that m-makes me upset and insecure…”

Bakugo blinked, “What do you mean you can't be a good hero?”

“Like I-I am not a good hero. I d-don't have a flashy quirk or athleticism or-or incredible smarts. I get hard and I can't even hold out that long using it. I-I am not sure I s-should even be here, ya know?” Kirishima pressed his lips together to keep from crying.

“Kirishima.”

“Y-Yes?”

“You're fucking stupid,” Bakugo stated. This left Kirishima completely surprised and really sad. Maybe he shouldn't have told Bakugo. He felt stupid.

“Yeah, I k-”

“You're a great hero. I mean, come on man, you single handedly protected Fatgum and helped dipfuc-” Bakugo cleared his throat, “Midoriya get that little girl. You are really, really, really optimistic and, I'll admit, it's fucking obnoxious but that's you. Everyone here wouldn't make it without you. You help when everyone is down or just need a pep talk. Let's not forget to mention, you call everyone out on their bullshit. Like I do that, b-but... you do it way better.

“You are brave, optimistic and put others above yourself. That is a hero. You don't care about being first, winning, the acknowledgement; you are a good person and will be an even better hero.

“A great hero, even!”

Kirishima was dead silent. It seems the class was too because no one spoke a word. Not one.

A smile spread on Kirishima's face, “Can you repeat that last part?”

A smirk rose on Bakugo's face, “Tsk, I know you heard me. You're a great hero, Shitty hair. No doubt about it.” He turned on his heel and swaggered back to his seat, this left Kirishima… well, shook.