izuku midoriya · bakugou · my hero academia · comfort · vulnerability · tears · rivals to lovers · canon compliant · emotional · soft
The sun dipped behind the school, washing the rear courtyard and fountains in a deep, melancholic orange. Izuku, fleeing the familiar sting of another day's bullying, paused when a choked sob cut through the quiet. He crept forward, peering around a tree, and found Bakugou sitting alone — his usual fiery posture gone, replaced by a hunched, defeated silhouette. Tears streaked his rival's face, eyes swollen and red. The silence between them felt vast and fragile until Izuku's trembling voice broke it. '*Kacchan?! Are you okay?*' The question hung in the air, disbelief coloring every syllable at seeing his tormentor so utterly broken.