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***
After they asked the hospital for permission — which allowed a small gathering as long as it stayed in the room and kept quiet — the group of students got organized.
The boys went out to buy sodas and snacks, while the girls arranged chairs and improvised a table with whatever was in the room.
Once everyone was gathered, with the snacks opened and cups full, conversation flowed between different groups.
"So I sent Iida to inform the teachers and put the plan into action."
At that moment, sitting by Bakugo's bedside, Momo was detailing her strategy against the Nomu to the boy.
'That was a good plan, considering they didn't know anything about the Nomu,' Bakugo thought, spinning a cup of water between his fingers, eyes fixed on the liquid. "You came up with a solid plan in a short amount of time, Yaoyorozu. Congrats. You've grown a lot since the second day of class."
A faint blush colored Momo's cheeks, and she lowered her gaze for a moment. "Thank you, Bakugo-san. Coming from you, that means a lot."
"Tsk," Bakugo scoffed. "Don't start with that crap too."
Momo raised a hand to her mouth, stifling a small giggle. "Sorry, I couldn't help it." Her eyes then dropped to Bakugo's hands, and a shadow of concern crossed her face. "And… how are they?"
'What's she talking about?' Bakugo raised an eyebrow, but quickly understood. "Normal. A bit sore, but nothing serious."
"I'm glad to hear that," Momo nodded, though her lips tightened slightly. "Do you think you'll be able to participate in the Sports Festival?"
"Possibly," Bakugo replied, bringing the cup to his lips. 'It's not an option. I have to take part, no matter what.'
Before Momo could respond, Uraraka approached, holding a plate with carefully sliced apple pieces. Her face was lit up with a warm smile, but a hint of nervousness lingered in her brown eyes, as if she was trying hard to appear casual.
"Bakugo-kun," she said, her voice a bit louder than necessary, "I asked the doctors what you could eat, and they approved fruits. So, I already cut them into small pieces to make it easier." She placed the plate of apple slices on his lap.
"Uh… thanks," he said, a little caught off guard, grabbing a piece with his fingers and putting it in his mouth. 'I really don't like getting all this attention.'
"How's your back?" Uraraka asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "And… sorry again about earlier. I just… got a bit carried away? hehe." She ended with an awkward little laugh.
"I'm full of meds, so I barely feel anything now. As for what happened…" He paused, staring at the plate for a moment before looking up at her. "…forget it, it was nothing."
"Okay— Oh, that reminds me of something!" Uraraka's eyes lit up. "An old man came to visit you two days ago. He said you should go see him, to talk about… the future?"
"An old man?" Momo repeated, looking curiously at Bakugo, who had tensed up in bed. "Was it your grandfather, Bakugo-san?"
"No. Just a… known acquaintance."
***
[An hour and a half later]
Almost everyone had already left, leaving only Kirishima, Uraraka—who was saying her goodbyes—and Izuku, standing in a corner of the room, his fingers fidgeting nervously.
'I have to talk to him... I need to thank him. But... I just can't,' Izuku thought, his chest tight. Since arriving, he had been avoiding Bakugo, afraid that his eyes might betray the guilt eating him up inside. Every time he tried to gather courage, the words caught in his throat.
Uraraka adjusted her backpack and gave Bakugo a serious look. "Let me know when you get home tomorrow, okay?"
"...Yeah, whatever, I guess," Bakugo replied, a bit off guard.
Uraraka nodded, satisfied, and walked to the door. "See you tomorrow, Kirishima-kun!" she said, waving to the boy who was tidying up the mess in the room.
"See you tomorrow, Uraraka!" Kirishima replied with a wide grin, tossing another handful of empty wrappers into the trash.
Then, her eyes met Izuku's, who remained quiet, almost huddled against the wall. "Midoriya-kun, are you taking the train too?"
Izuku flinched, his hands clenching tighter. "Y-yeah, I mean, no... I'm staying a bit longer," he answered, trying to hide his nervousness.
"Alright then. See you tomorrow!" Uraraka gave a cheerful wave and walked out, the door closing softly behind her.
The moment she left, Izuku regretted it instantly. 'I should've gone with her!' The room suddenly felt smaller, the silence amplifying Bakugo's presence—Izuku could feel his eyes fixed on him.
Kirishima, unaware of the tension, tied up the trash bag with a quick pull. "Taking this trash out, guys. Be back in two minutes!" he announced, lifting the bag with his usual energy. He shot a quick glance at Izuku, as if sensing something, but said nothing before stepping out, leaving the door slightly ajar.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Izuku kept his eyes glued to the floor, heart racing. 'Say something, Midoriya. Anything. He saved you. You have to thank him.' But the words stayed stuck, guilt tightening in his chest like a knot.
Bakugo finally broke the silence, his voice low but sharp. "What? You've been standing there like a statue since you got here. Spit it out already."
"K-Kacchan, I..."
"Tsk," Bakugo scoffed, crossing his arms and leaning back further on the bed. "If you're just gonna stutter, don't even start. You're getting on my nerves."
Izuku took a deep breath. "Kacchan, I... I wanted to thank you," he said at last, the words rushing out. "For... for saving me. And to apologize. You nearly died saving us, and I barely did anything to help..." He stopped, his voice breaking as tears welled in his eyes.
"You're blaming yourself for that? Idiot. How about you stop apologizing and focus on learning to control that quirk you were given?"
Hearing those words, Izuku's world fell apart.
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.