"Aw! You're pulling too hard Toshi!" Eri whined as Shinsou tugged at her hair. He was braiding one side while Katsuki was braiding the other in a petty competition to see who was the best big brother. The two of them got closer after Aizawa adopted Shinsou, but they still liked to tease and challenge each other.

"Just give up, my braid is obviously superior" Katsuki stated.

"Your braid is way too loose, that's what it is" Hitoshi snorted.

"Oi! I'm not done yet you asshole!"

"No swearing in front of Eri" Shinsou hissed, quickly shooting a glare at the ash blonde, who huffed and focused back on the task at hand.

"Oh, you guys still at it huh?" Kirishima chuckled as he walked into the room.

"This is nothing to laugh at, Ei" Katsuki reacted.

"Yeah, this is a serious competition. One I'm losing so can you distract your boyfriend for a while?" Shinsou asked, earning him a shove from Bakugou.

"With pleasure" Kirishima smiled.

"Kat, we have to go, the squad is waiting"

"Wait it's already four? Fuck" he silently cursed, putting the finishing touches on the braid before getting up.

"Be honest Eri, mine is the best right?"

"Kacchan's is the best!" Eri nodded, making Shinsou frown.

"Oi, I can leave this one half finished if that's what you think. You don't want that, do you?" Shinsou threatened.

"No influencing the judge, insomniac" Katsuki grunted as he put his shoes on.

"You better record her reaction, got it? I'm not losing to you"

"We'll see" Shinsou shrugged, making Bakugou glare at him.

"Alright! That's enough of that! Bye Eri-chan! Bye Shinsou-kun!" Kirishima smiled, pulling his boyfriend away with him.

"I'm gonna fucking kill that guy" Katsuki muttered.

"But isn't he, like, your brother, kinda?" Eijirou asked, a tad bit confused.

"Exactly" Katsuki hissed, making Kirishima snort. Katsuki simply rolled his eyes, linking their pinkies together as they walked. He was still a little awkward when trying to show affection, certainly in public, but Kirishima got the message. The red head quickly turned his hand, holding Katsuki's in his own. It caused a small pink blush to creep up Katsuki's face and he turned to look at the ground. Eijirou smiled, squeezing his hand as they walked out of the building together. They'd planned a squad outing today. Paintball to be exact. It promised to be fun and probably also a little painful, but fun nonetheless! They even made reservations and everything!

"There they are! Where were you blasty? Normally you're always so punctual" Sero commented.

"Had to kick Shinsou's ass" Katsuki shrugged.

"You're still doing that whole big bro thing with Eri?" Mina asked with a big smile.

"Awe! You're so cute sometimes blasty!"

"Shut up pinky! Let's get going before we're late" Bakugou grunted, ignoring their laughter and slight teasing as they made their way off campus.

Katsuki's presence in the group changed after everything that happened with his parents. He opened up more, started hanging out more often. They all became so much closer... It was something Katsuki never had before, but now that he knew what it was like he wasn't letting go. Yeah, these friends, this new family he found... They were irreplaceable. They almost made him forget al the shit he's been through to get here. Almost.

"Yeah, Kat has really been looking forward to this" Kirishima grinned, pulling Katsuki out of thought.

"What?"

"You said so yourself, right? That you couldn't wait to paintball with the squad?" Kirishima asked. He thought he remembered that right...

"Oh, yeah, I want to kill some bastards with guns" Katsuki simply answered.

"Dude, we're not killing anyone, it's paint" Kaminari snorted.

"Killing, winning, same thing" Katsuki shrugged.

"Ah yes, typical Kacchan fashion" Denki laughed.

"Oi, I told you to stop calling me that" Katsuki grunted, shoving him aside as he passed him.

"Wah! Kiri, blasty hurt me!" the electric blonde whined, tugging at Kirishima's sleeve.

"Leave him alone, he's not your fucking mom" Katsuki hissed, tugging Eijirou to his side.

"Aw man, stop hogging Kiri all to yourself man. We get it, he's your boyfriend, but it's still unfair" Sero complained, but it was rather playful, not super serious.

"Come on guys, stop it. You make it seem like Kat owns me or something" Kirishima chuckled. Yeah, that's right. If Ei doesn't want to do something, he can say so. He has the right to refuse Katsuki's advances and to be honest a part of him wouldn't be surprised, it was waiting for the rejection. Because even if they've been together for a while now, he still didn't fully believe Kirishima actually liked him. The mantra his mother drilled into him was still there, repeating itself in the back of his mind.

Nobody loves you, nobody ever did and nobody ever will.

Katsuki sighed and shook his head. No, no, no... He didn't want to waste his time thinking about that woman. That monster. No, he was out here to hang out with his friends, people who cared. Yeah, they were going to have fun today. He was going to shoot down some extras, win their match with flying colors and get pizza afterwards. At least, that was the plan...

"Oh man, you've got to be kidding me! Dude, look! It's Bakugou!"

The squad's attention was instantly pulled towards the other group of teens in the lobby of the paintball place. We're they the ones they're playing today? Probably. It wasn't all that surprising Bakugou was recognized since he won the Sportsfestival and all that. But the look in Katsuki's eyes said otherwise... He knew these people... And by the looks of it, he didn't seem to like them very much. Kirishima frowned when his hand slipped from his grip, knowing it was on purpose.

"What? Oh my God! You're totally right dude!" some other guy responded. They were planning to come over, Katsuki could tell, which made him glare even harder.

"You know them blasty?" Mina asked curiously, also seeing the look in his eyes. Before Katsuki could answer, the group was standing in front of them.

"Yo Bakugou! It's been a long time man!"

"Yubi" Katsuki grumbled, startling them for a moment.

"Woah! You remember my name?! I didn't even know you knew my name!" Yubi laughed, swinging his arm around Katsuki.

"Get off me, you fucking extra" Katsuki hissed, pushing him away.

"Ah! That's the Bakugou we know!" someone else exclaimed.

"So you guys must all be in UA too huh? Man, we're gonna get our asses kicked for real"

There were choruses of agreements, making Katsuki roll his eyes. These damn assholes...

"So how do you guys know each other?" Kirishima asked, always the friendly one.

"Yeah, we didn't know blasty had friends outside of UA" Kaminari laughed, joking around about it like it wasn't a big fucking deal Katsuki was able to make friends at all! He clenched his fists by his side when the losers answered just as casually.

"Oh, we went to the same middle school" one of them explained.

Middle school... The squad didn't actually know much about Katsuki's middle school days... Midoriya didn't talk about middle school all that much either... Well, guess those days weren't the most pleasant days for the two of them. After all, Katsuki's mother was still... Kirishima shivered at the thought.

"That makes us want to crush you guys even more though" Yubi grinned, wiggling his absurdly long fingers around.

"We've also gotten stronger, Bakugou"

"Tch, whatever" Katsuki grunted, turning away and marching up to the front desk in order to get checked in for their appointment.

"Ah, sorry about that! He can be like that sometimes" Kirishima smiled, rubbing the back of this head.

"Oh, believe me, we know" Yubi said, his smile melting into a frown.

"Seriously, I can't believe we actually put up with that arrogant prick..."

"Yeah, he's such an asshole. Bet he makes you guys do all his dirty work too huh? That guy just takes takes takes without ever giving back. The only positive thing about hanging around him is the fact nobody dares to mess with you. Honestly I'm surprised you even managed to get him out here" a guys ranted.

"Bet it was the guns" Yubi shrugged.

"Yeah, probably..." the other one agreed easily.

"Oi, come on, they say we can get changed. Ignore those losers and hurry the fuck up" Katsuki grunted as he returned, dragging his friends with him.

"See you guys on the battlefield!" Yubi called out, waving them goodbye before their group went the opposite way. The squad was silent as they made their way over to the changing rooms, still mulling over what those other guys told them. Was that really how they saw Bakugou..? Did Bakugou hear them just now? They probably shouldn't tell him, they might upset him that way.

Yet Katsuki took their silence as a quiet confirmation. Of course he heard everything those assholes had to say about him, he wasn't deaf! Yet none of his friends stood up for him... They didn't react, didn't deny the accusations, the insults... They just stood their and now they were silent. Did they finally realize he wasn't worth all the trouble... What kind of trash he truly was... Were they planning on leaving him behind..? It wouldn't surprise him. He didn't deserve them, didn't deserve anything, didn't-

"Hey Kat, are you okay?"

Katsuki blinked, giving Kirishima a blank stare.

"Yeah" he lied, glancing away to look at the gear they were gonna wear.

"Why'd you ask?"

"You're pouting" the redhead stated.

"What? No"

"You totally are blasty, don't you dare deny it" Mina added, pulling a protective vest over her shirt.

"Nice, we're the red team!"

"I'm not pouting" Katsuki grunted, also taking out the vest.

"But you are!" Kirishima frowned.

"I'm not fighting you over this, Ei" Katsuki hissed, shooting his boyfriend a warning glare.

"Is this about what those other guys said?" Sero asked, successfully silencing the changing room. Katsuki simply strapped on the vest and started on the protective plates around his underarms.

"So that's a yes... You heard what they said" Kirishima whispered.

"They're not sly. Those extras have been doing that shit since middle school" Katsuki muttered.

"Always clinging to me for my strength and reputation and than badmouthing me behind my back... They didn't say anything I didn't already know anyway"

"They did say some mean things about you though..." Denki frowned.

"Doesn't mean it's not the truth" Katsuki mumbled to himself, but Kirishima managed to hear it anyway. His head snapped up and his eyes stared holes into his skull.

"What did you just say?"

Katsuki froze up at his tone. He'd never heard Eijirou sound so scary before... The tone was demanding, cold, harsh, everything Kirishima was not. At least, not normally. Katsuki didn't even know he had this side to him... And by the looks of it, neither did their friends.

"Repeat what you said" the redhead demanded, taking a step closer to Katsuki, making the ash blonde take a step back, bumping into the lockers behind him.

"T-that it's... it doesn't mean that it's not the truth" Katsuki managed to get out, staring wide eyed at his boyfriend as he pressed himself onto the lockers, wanting to put as much space between them as possible. What was Kirishima going to do..? Was he going to hurt him..? He had that look in his eyes... No! He would never! He... He wouldn't, right..?

Katsuki's breath hitched when Eijirou grabbed his arms, his red eyes as fierce and murderous as ever. Why weren't the others doing anything about this?! Katsuki dared to glance at his friends, his heart sinking further when he saw they had similar looks on their faces. Hatred. They were angry with him... He felt tears start to well up in his eyes, felt his body start to tremble- Fuck! Why the hell was he so goddamn weak?! He closed his eyes, trying to stay calm, trying to remember what he did to anger them this badly.

"Katsuki, look at me"

Part of him didn't want to, but he opened his eyes, seeing Kirishima's look had softened a little.

"You are not who they say you are, you understand? Those assholes obviously never knew you like we do! You're the most amazing and manly person I've ever met, got it? You are sweet and caring and ambitious and beautiful and strong and I love you. Don't let those jerks make you believe otherwise"

Katsuki was taken aback, not knowing what to say. Luckily he didn't have to answer because Eijirou quickly sealed their lips together.

"Oh I've never wanted to beat up someone as bad as I do know" Mina muttered darkly.

"We're going to kill them at paintball. They're gonna be covered in bruises once we're done with them" Sero grinned.

"Hell yeah! Let's show those shitheads the power of the Bakusquad! Come on Kacchan!" Denki exclaimed as Kirishima pulled back. The tears that were stinging in his eyes before, were now running down his cheeks. Of course they cared. These damn idiot... Why did he ever started to doubt them?

"We're going to make this a perfect win" Eijirou nodded.

"Right Kat?"

"R-right" Katsuki smiled, quickly wiping his tears away.

"Let's fucking trash those extras"

"That's the spirit!" Mina cheered.

"Come on guys! Let's show those losers what we're made of!"

And so they treated this supposedly fun outing like a UA training exercise. They totally pulverized them! Those fuckers never stood a chance to begin with.

"Take that, extras!" Katsuki grinned as stared down upon his opponents when the signal rang through the arena, announcing their victory.

"We fucking won!"

Before anyone could say anything else, he pulled Eijirou into a kiss for all to see, dropping some jaws in the other team.

"Now let's get that damn pizza"

"Yes, finally! I'm starving man" Denki whined as the group made their way back to the changing rooms.

"Oh, I want pineapple on mine!" Ashido grinned, knowing it would trigger Sero.

"Pineapple? You heathen!" he gasped, causing everyone to laugh. Bakugou's middle school buddies didn't know what they were witnessing. Was that guy really Bakugou Katsuki..?