Chapter Text
Today is shit.
Every day is shit.
But today especially.
As if the world hadn’t given him enough problems, Bakugou has been paired up with the new purple prude for some undoubtedly useless assignment.
Fuck.
He made his way over to the spot outside as indicated by the tall fucker, grimacing the whole time, but too tired to argue. They had gone through a brief explanation in class describing how they would use the journals given to them to log the current health and fitness of their partners through various activities in the next couple hours before taking a stab at planning a weeks worth of short term goals to begin.
As if he cared to do anything that wasn’t kicking ass.
“Let’s sit here for a moment and talk about these fitness assessments. I thought we could start outside to work on those first since they are more involved. Then we could move inside to do our health and personality assessments since that’s less physically taxing. Any complaints?”
Though he knew that the new guy was talking to him, the blonde couldn’t help but lose interest almost immediately. He didn’t feel like talking to people, new people especially. The explosive teen hated to admit it, but he was really starting to wish he had been paired up with Kirishima instead. He was the only one that really got his moods. This guy just... depressed him.
“Bakugou, are you listening?”
He was shocked out of his thoughts momentarily as he brought his eyes up, only to notice that he was face to face with the lanky loser.
“Fuck!”
In a panic, Bakugou shoved him away but didn’t have the energy to put much power behind it. Luckily, the other boy got the hint and scooted another foot away, cross legged and staring fully as he awaited his response. Luckily the freaky dude didn’t retaliate.
“J-just tell me what to do and I’ll do it, alright?”
Bakugou could tell his voice trembled, so he moved his gaze away, instead focusing his attention on picking at the loose red gravel by his knee to take his mind off the stressful situation before him.
You don’t know him.
What if he tries to hurt you?
He’s judging you right now.
He can see just how much of a loser you’ve become.
The red-eyed boy brings his knees up to his chest, trying to build up a defense to the uncomfortable situation he was thrust into. But further action required effort, and he found himself more focused on his task of digging at the loose pebbles than anything else. Was this guy still talking? He couldn’t be bothered.
He could tell that the boy... Shinsou, he thinks his name is, was continuing to stare. But to his luck did not say anything further about his odd behavior for the time being.
“Right. Let’s start with stretches and then we can test flexibility. It’s the first column here in our journals, see? I can do yours first and then you can do mine.”
No response.
“Bakugou?”
Fuck this.
“Look, I get that you’ve got this whole asshole thing working for everyone else in class, but I’m not going to take your attitude. You got it?”
See? You always fuck up.
Why can’t you just look at him?
Talk to him, your grade depends on it.
Your grades have been falling recently, you need this.
Why won’t you just be normal?
“I don’t have to listen to this shit.”
Just as he had finally managed to get out a response and lift himself up from his spot, he felt a sudden vertigo hit him, a loss of something, and then the gain of another. He couldn’t quite place it... a connection? What is this feeling?
“Sit back down Bakugou.”
And he did.
Wait.
“Look at me.”
He looked up.
No.
Hold on.
He brainwashed me.
That motherfucker!
“Now listen here bomb squad, I don’t have the patience to deal with your noncompliance. My grade depends on this too, and since it’s my first hero course assignment, I have a lot riding on this. Today is gonna go one of two ways. One, I keep you under my control until you finish your half of what we need to accomplish today. Or two, you get over yourself and actually do your fucking part.”
His chest began to tighten. The squeezing sensation continued to increase as the boy realized he was completely immobile.
I don’t like this feeling.
He’s controlling me.
I’m...
It’s suffocating.
He felt his breath hitch once, twice... the blonde could see it. Flashes of the sludge monster. Of being drowned in black as he was taken by the league. Everything was taking over his mind in full color. It’s all he could focus on. The memories.
Why can’t I get the air in?
Why won’t he let me go?
“Answer me.”
He was still looking into Bakugou’s eyes and the boy hated to admit that he felt way more intimidated than he should have been. Knowing he couldn’t look away just made everything worse. But that wasn’t his first concern.
“Let... me go!”
Breathe.
Breathe damn it.
He could feel his throat constricting and a tingling sensation start at his fingers and toes.
Why is he doing this to me?
Why is he choking me?!
“What... Bakugou, what’s—? What are you doing?!”
Bakugou could tell his body was going into panic mode, but he didn’t know how to stop it. His choked breaths kept coming, but the air just wasn’t going in. He could feel tears prick at the edges of his eyes, but couldn’t find it in him to care if the other boy saw him cry.
“Bakugou! This isn’t me, you’ve already loosened the connection!”
Suddenly that weird feeling released and disappeared.
“Stop! Stop freaking out! I let you go, I let you go!”
Just as he said this, the blonde fell to his side and took in a lungful of air.
He felt the tears fall, but I couldn’t care less.
Air.
He needed air.
Clutching at his chest and throat in a vain attempt to get more oxygen inside, he felt the surges of panic still coursing through him, though significantly less now that he was released.
Shocks of electricity traveled up his nerves.
So that’s what his quirk felt like, huh?
Well it fucking sucked.
As he struggled for breath, images of the sludge monster brought their way back into his head.
Go away.
Go away!
To make it worse, his aggressor was hovering over him, undoubtedly trying to figure out what he should do to fix the situation.
“Shit! Shit! No one’s reacted like this before! I’m sorry, what do you need me to do?”
Bakugou continued to take in air with panted breaths as he tried to block the sun from his eyes by covering his head with his arms. The sun was pounding. His nerves felt supercharged and he was extra sensitive to the world around him, if only in this moment. To make matters worse, the purple guy wouldn’t shut up. He could feel his attacker’s voice beating around inside his head like mallets on kettle drums.
Make it stop.
“Make it stop.”
He heard the boy gasp.
Bakugou hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
The sound of a zipper invaded his ears, sounding more like a lawn mower than a slight buzz. Before he knew it, something was draped over his top half, covering his head entirely and blocking out the light. Bakugou, grateful for the shade, took the opportunity to move his hands to his ears and curl further into himself as he tried to make everything else go away.
Please.
No more