... (TW Contains mentions of suicide)...

When he was young, Kirishima was taught about soulmates. He was taught about how if you didn’t find them by the age of 20, then you would die. Though no one ever specified how exactly you would die, that wouldn’t stop it from happening. And the only way that you could identify your soulmate was by their scent. It’s said that when you find your soulmate you’ll smell the most indescribable scent ever, and you’ll just know.

But Kirishima never found that scent. He never found that person. Not yet at least.

On his first day at UA Kirishima was extra careful to try and smell everyone individually, but he couldn’t find it.

He started to befriend everyone in his class, even the most short tempered one, Bakugou. He soon developed feelings that went beyond friendship, but he told himself that he just admired Bakugou as a friend.

One time they were studying in Kirishima’s dorm room and Bakugou fell asleep because it was so late.

“Bakugou?” Kirishima questioned, after he thought that it was far too quiet. He looked to where Bakugou was and saw that he was sleeping. So cute, he thought, wait, what? Did I just say he was cute? Stop thinking like this Kirishima!

Kirishima froze up when Bakugou started moving, but it turns out that he just moves around a lot when he sleeps. “Bakugou?” Kirishima asked once again, this time in a softer voice. Bakugou let out a soft noise that Kirishima couldn’t quite make out.

“Ei...ro...” Bakugou mumbled, just barely loud enough for Kirishima to hear. What’s he trying to say? Kirishima contemplated in his head. “E-ei..jiro” Bakugou said, this time clearer. Did he just say my name? And my first name at that

“D-dont...go..” Now that Kirishima took a closer look, Bakugou looked distressed.

Shit! What do I do?

“Don’t..leave” Bakugou said, a good amount louder than he had previously. “Baku- Katsuki?” Kirishima asked very softly, as to not disturb Bakugou further. “E-eijiro” Bakugou said, almost as if he had heard Kirishima. “Bakugou?!” Kirishima was kind of freaked out that Bakugou seemingly responded to him.

What do I do now? Kirishima wondered to himself. After a while of thinking, Kirishima decided that he knew what to do. And so, he hugged Bakugou close to him. He didn’t know what else he could have done in that situation. He was stroking Bakugous back when he felt him gasp. “What the hell are you doing shittyhair?” Bakugou sounded almost breathless, but he didn’t care. All Bakugou cared about right now was why his best friend, and long time crush, was hugging him. “Y-you looked distressed while you were sleeping, and I didn’t know what else I could do” Kirishima stated, sounding quite confident. In truth Kirishima was panicking, but he didn’t want to burden Bakugou.

“What?” Bakugou asked, sounding so confused that it shocked Kirishima. “I-I mean, you fell asleep and then I saw that you looked almost in pain, so I had to do something..I couldn’t just sit here seeing you so distressed” Kirishima said. But when he said this he finally found it, the scent of his soulmate. It was Bakugou. Kirishima obviously didn’t plan on telling Bakugou, especially not right now.

“What do you mean? I never fell asleep” Bakugou was still so confused. But, to his own dismay, he realized that he had fallen asleep. Not only had he fallen asleep, but he had also dreamed about Kirishima. “Did I..say anything?” Bakugou asked blatantly. “What do you mean exactly?” Kirishima was stalling, how was he supposed to say that Bakugou was calling out to him? “Did I say anything in my sleep? Anything at all?” Bakugou was slightly scared that he said something he didn’t want to, he did have a habit of sleep talking after all. “Y-you did say something..” Kirishima was very nervous, he didn’t want to tell Bakugou the truth. “What was it?” Bakugou questioned further, which just made Kirishima more nervous. “Y-you were..I don’t want to say it..” Kirishima felt like dying, how could something so unmanly be happening to him? It made him start to think about his middle school days, which, again, made him even more anxious. “Just spit it out would you!” By this point Bakugou had pushed Kirishima away and was sitting across from him. “You were calling out to me, okay?!” Kirishima was shocked that he had yelled this, but not even close to how shocked Bakugou was. How could he have let that happen?

“What?” Bakugou asked, about thirty seconds later, in pure shock. “Y-you were calling out to me” Kirishima said once again, but this time much quieter. “Oh..” that was all Bakugou said. They sat in silence for the next couple minutes, one being too scared to say anything and the other just not knowing what to say.

“So..what was your dream about?” Kirishima bravely broke the silence, afraid that if he didn’t do it now they would sit in silence forever. “Why do you care?” Bakugou asked, not necessarily angry or aggressive but, for once, curious and like he actually cared about the answer that he received. “I just want to know, I mean it didn’t seem like a good dream” Kirishima said with slightly gained confidence at Bakugou’s tone. “Well..you were obviously in it...” there was a long pause before he spoke again, “you were kidnapped by the league..you were gone...and then suddenly you weren’t gone, you were with me and I was in your arms” Bakugou confessed, not a hint of anger with what had happened. Kirishima was surprised that that is what was going on inside his head to make him look so disturbed. “You..I didn’t know you cared so much”

“Of course I care, dumbass. As much as I hate to admit it, you’re still my best friend” Bakugou followed. Oh, right..he thinks of me as a friend Kirishima couldn’t help but look disappointed at that thought, and it showed on his face. “Why do you look so fucking disappointed? Aren’t you glad that the guy who doesn’t care about anyone or anything cares so much about you?” Bakugou retorted, the same tough guy act returning. “You care but...not the same way.” With that, Kirishima got up and walked out of the room. Despite not wearing shoes and wearing his casual clothes, Kirishima went for a walk in the woods.

Of course he doesn’t see you that way Kirishima, it was obvious. He never liked you. He only cared because you’re his, so called, “friend”

“Shut up” Kirishima said firmly, seemingly talking to nothing.

He was never going to love you back. You know he’s not going to accept you as his soulmate, and in just three short years you’re going to die a most painful death

“Shut up!” Kirishima yelled, unaware that Bakugou had tailed him. What is he doing? Bakugou wondered to himself.

You’ll never be worthy. You’ll never be enough. You can’t save people, you’re just a coward!

“Please..just shut up..” Kirishima had fallen to his knees at this point and was on the verge of crying.

Who is he talking to? Bakugou was still so very confused.

Crying isn’t very manly Kirishima. You aren’t manly or chivalrous. You’ll never be like Crimson Riot. You’ll die in three years just because you weren’t manly enough. You’re too cowardly, like in middle school. No wonder Bakugou hates you.

“He-he doesn’t hate me..that’s not true...I’m gonna be just like Crimson Riot...I-I’m not a coward..” Kirishima was now crying, trying to be very quiet as to not wake anyone in the area. What are you talking about? Who doesn’t hate you? I need answers!

I think he’s here. Watching you, silently judging you for being so cowardly. You’ll never be enough, Kirishima. Just die already. You know you want to. Just do it. You can even use your quirk, let me help you out.

Kirishima’s right arm suddenly hardened and he was sobbing so hard that he barely had the chance to notice. “N-no..I cant just give up...that would make me a coward..if I just kill myself..” Kirishima stopped there seemingly lost in thought, until he started again “if I just killed myself I wouldn’t even have to worry about being cowardly...I wouldn’t have to worry about this bullshit soulmate system..but..then...what if he also dies? If we’re soulmates then he would die in three years no matter what...unless he accepts me..but that’s highly unlikely” Kirishima was falling into his thoughts, Bakugou needed to do something. “Hey, Kirishima” Kirishima looked up and saw Bakugou right in front of him.

“What are you so upset about?” Bakugou asked, very obviously concerned. “I-its nothing, I’m fine” Kirishima said as he wiped his tears and tried to fake a smile. Bakugou knelt down to be at eye level with Kirishima, “Kirishima..just tell me what’s wrong” he said this so gently, he had never seen this side of Bakugou before. “We’re soulmates Bakugou...I found out earlier but I figured that you wouldn’t feel the same way I do about us being soulmates” Kirishima paused before continuing, “I love you Katsuki Bakugou..there’s no denying it anymore now that’s its come to life or death” Kirishima confessed blatantly. What? He likes me too? No, not like, Love Bakugou thought. “Bakugou?” Bakugou couldn’t tell if Kirishima was asking if he was still there or for his attention, but it still came with the same reply “hm?”

“Did you already know? That we’re soulmates, I mean” Kirishima asked not sounding very hopeful at all. “Honestly? I didnt know until a while ago today, but I do also feel the same way..” Bakugou said vaguely, hoping that Kirishima would understand what he meant. Hearing Bakugous words, Kirishima’s eyes lit up with hope, “You feel the same?” Bakugou almost got annoyed at how hopeful Kirishima sounded, but decided not to say anything about it considering the state that he was in. “Yes, I feel the same” Bakugou could die of embarrassment right now, he would rather die than have to confess his feelings but when he said he felt the same way as Kirishima, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of him. “I want to hear you say it” Kirishima’s words snapped Bakugou out of his thoughts, “Say what?” He asked, apparently not knowing the obvious answer to his question. “I want to hear you say you love me” Kirishima said after waiting about ten full seconds.

“Fine. Eijiro Kirishima, I love you. I have loved you for a while but I just didn’t want to admit it. Happy?” Bakugou had never been so vulnerable with his feelings before, he was scared that Kirishima would reject him. When Bakugou saw the biggest smile on Kirishima’s face, he knew that Kirishima loved him just as much.

...The End...

Authors Note: Hi! I’ve been really into soulmate AUs recently so I decided that I would write one, and I’m honestly shocked at how well this turned out. Also, something interesting is that if I don’t write out “the end” I won’t ever finish something. Anyways hope you enjoyed! :)

Word count: 1,854