Chapter Text
Watching the storm that was Bakugo wage across a battlefield was as beautiful in that final moment as it was through the past 25 years of Kirishima’s life.
Wielding flowers so bright it blinded, this force of nature crushed everyone in his path. He did it so often and so perfectly that his fragile humanity was forgotten. He was regarded as a God on the battlefield and people forgot that like those he raged to protect, he too had family, friends, a home, a love, dreams, and ambitions.
He too had the right - just as much as any other - to live.
So Kirishima had to stop him. By any means necessary. Had to stop this man, for he was a man and not the God people claimed him to be before he no longer was the eye of the storm but caught in its unforgiving twister- taken further and further away from himself and the people who love him.
Kirishima watched the wounded lion that was Bakugo tear viciously into yet another villain, having to restrain himself from killing them and tarnishing his hero identity- even though they rose from unconsciousness again and again like cockroaches that just would not die. He watched helplessly from the ground, his broken leg pulsing, the jagged scar on his face bleeding sluggishly, surrounded by dead or incapacitated heroes.
He heard the loud cheers of the public pushing Bakugo on. Completely unbothered that he would fight to the end for them. And why would they bother? If he did die they would erect a memorial, cry for a few days, and move on with their lives.
Just like they had done for All Might. Just like they had done for Mic-sensei.
The heroes would become a ‘legacy’ leaving hope and dreams for millions of strangers and destruction for those who loved them. Destruction for those people whose entire world revolved around their light.
People like Aizawa-sensei.
And with every crunch of broken bone, and every fading blast of sun it seemed like- people like Kirishima.
Kirishima hauled himself to his feet. Something in his soul felt like it had hardened this day- hardened enough to do what needed to be done. What he felt like had to be done for a while now.
He crept behind Bakugo, Bakugo who had been once again fighting someone who wanted to pull him into the dark side.
He knew Bakugo- beautiful, trusting Bakugo - had felt his presence and relaxed infinitesimally. He felt a sad smile grow on his face knowing that he would never be on the receiving side of that trust ever again.
He hardened his hand and in one swift jab took out the exhausted hero. Bakugo's broken body slumped into his arms. He cradled the most precious person in his life in his arms before turning a determined look towards the villain in front of him. The villain was a power type who used the damage they were dealt to create a harder outer shell for their body. They’d tried everything from Gigantomachia-approved sleeping pills to Chi-blocking, and Bakugo was currently trying to tire him out. But after 3 weeks of constant fighting with these Nomu-like creatures that seemed to be popping up everywhere in the world, the heroes were stretched quite thin. The heroes had to go easy as well as the villains were humans who’d chosen to undergo a type of experimental mutation to gain more power toward some asinine goal.
These people had chosen this and were completely aware of their actions and yet heroes were unable to fight them to their full ability causing so much death and so much pain. Kirishima wouldn’t allow it. He knew the enhanced Nomu’s weak point, they all did, they just chose not to use it as this monster was a thinking feeling being.
But does something that causes so much pain really deserve thoughts or feelings when so many people, good people who brought so much brightness to the world, can no longer experience the same. Kirishima didn’t think that was fair.
He placed Bakugo on the fringes of the battle as the villain blinked in surprise for a second, before turning around. Leg be damned, his stupid license be damned, he was going to end this.
The villain attacked with his usual vigor, but Kirishima had no need for respectful combat anymore. He used the villain's knee as a foothold before hardening his fist and breaking his front teeth. Kirishima grabbed the roof of the villain's mouth and his jaw, feeling his soft palette and throat before hardening his hand again. The serrated edges ripping right through. The villain flailed for a few moments before going limp. Kirishima’s grim face reflected in his dull eyes. Kirishima counted the villain's last breaths as though they were his own. He didn’t let go until they stopped- he would never make that mistake again.
“OI SHITTY HAIR WHAT THE FU-…Kirishima?” Bakugo woke up at the perfect time as usual and Kirishima flashed him a bright smile- face covered with tears and blood.
“I did it Bakugo. I did it, and now we can be together forever! Like we’d always planned.” Kirishima carefully extracted his hands from the villain, making sure to keep an eye on him. Just in case he wasn’t truly dead.
Bakugo was horrified, he looked at the redhead like he was one of Hell's demons incarnate. But Kirishima didn’t care. He did what he had to do. He kept everyone safe.
He kept his world safe this time.
So it didn’t matter that Bakugo trembled when Kirishima’s blood-soaked fingers cupped his face, at least his face was warm. It didn’t matter that the blonde’s heart was racing in his chest, at least it was beating at all.
It didn’t matter when he felt intense heat scorch his face as Bakugo attacked him- he chose not to harden. At least it was Bakugo’s flames that brought his end.