The door of the shop was open when Bakugou returned the next morning. He found it strange. Normally the door was shut even if Amajiki was in. He wondered if Kirishima hadn't closed it right, causing it to blow open. He hoped that it had happened this morning so that there was less time for wildlife to infest the shop.
His second thought, upon entering the shop, was that something bad had happened to Kirishima. Parts were thrown all over the floor and spray paint covered the garage doors in two crimson targets.
"Fuck." He recognized those targets. They were a threat. The rival gang must have figured out where Bakugou's bike was getting fixed and decided to scare Kirishima out of finishing the job.
And if Kirishima lived in the shop, he would have surely been here when they attacked. Who knew what they could have done to him?
"Kirishima?" He called out, voice gruff and more concerned than he wanted it to sound. He may have thought Kirishima was an idiot, but he didn't want him beaten up or killed, which was more than he could say about most people. Fuck. He WAS getting soft.
When his call went unanswered, he felt a spike of panic in him. Would he have felt that panic if it was somebody else? If it was one of his gang?
He hated that his answer was no.
"Kirishima, it's me. Are you in here?" He kept his ears trained for an answer, but, again, none came. "Fuck."
His feet carried him up to the office, much faster than he cared to admit. Kirishima's "bed" was empty and the blanket Bakugou had left him was gone. He wasn't sure what that meant. Did Kirishima flee? His bag was still here. Maybe they took him with his blanket.
"Fuck. Kirishima, please tell me you're here." The third time seemed to be the charm. Bakugou heard some crashing and banging from inside the locker behind Taishiro's desk, and suddenly a red flash was flying out toward him. Kirishima wrapped his arms around Bakugou's waist and buried his head in his chest. He started sobbing, to which Bakugou didn't know how to react. Considering that he grew up around the biggest crybaby in existence, he should have known what to do, but telling Kirishima to "shut up" and "stop being a wimp" wasn't going to help in this situation. This wasn't a scraped knee or a broken All Might figurine. Bakugou didn't know what he had gone through that night, but he knew Kirishima was scared. He needed comfort and Bakugou had never been good at the comfort thing. And the worst part was that HE was responsible. HE was the one who lead them there, who put Kirishima in danger like this. He suddenly remembered the REAL reason his family always went to Taishiro. It wasn't because he was necessarily the best in town, he was great but not Kazuichi Soda great. It was because Taishiro was HUGE, because nobody wanted to mess with such a massive man, even if he was just a giant round mass of goofy antics and clownery. Kirishima, so fragile, shivering in Bakugou's arms, wasn't cut out to be a mechanic for somebody as dangerous as a Dorami gang leader.
He should cut off ties completely. He should take his bike to somebody who could take on a rival gang.
So why wasn't he pushing Kirishima away? Why wasn't he picking up his bike and taking it to another mechanic?
Why were his arms circling Kirishima, pulling him closer? Why was he resting his chin on top of that shitty hair of his? And why did he feel so at home like this?
"You're safe now." He whispered, and even if it wasn't true, he knew he had to make it that way.