𝔄𝔫 ℑ𝔫𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔄𝔴𝔞𝔶 | Katsuki Bakugo x OC

Chapter 42 - Nakamura Enterprises

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OVER 3K READS AND NEARLY 250 VOTES! IT MEANS THE WORLD!

Also, very sorry for the late update. This chapter was very hard to get through since there was quite some world-building that, not gonna lie, took a while to get through. However, as compensation, this chapter is much longer and has a surprise at the very end.

Happy reading! Love you bubs <3

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Katsuki hasn't been the same since meeting Dabi.

Hina knew this. In fact she felt it. Felt when his heart sank, how his panic nestled in his veins and churned in his stomach with every breath ever since.

When he came back from the prison yesterday, he didn't say a word. Just wrapped arms around her from behind, his face hidden in her neck as he shook slightly. When he finally spoke, his voice was broken and emotionally grated, and he silenced himself by kissing her fervently and forgetting his worries in her touch, her breath, her smell. In her.

Saying his reaction worried her was an understatement.

She'd felt him breakdown, go breathless from panic, and drown in distraught in these three weeks since their empathy link formed. But nothing compared to the inherent sense of dread that steadily seeped into his bones since his interrogation in the middle of the sea.

But as she saw him glow in the twilight light, his brows characteristically soft and unwound, she could nearly forget it all.

He was sleeping then, his entire expression the most relaxed she'd seen it. He looked vulnerable, almost childlike with how rested he seemed. His dark circles started to recede, his one week at home giving him enough rest to go back out in the field today.

She sighed, scooting closer and letting a hand rest against his bare chest, feeling his heart steadily thump.

But even the momentary relief she felt with his restful disposition was short lived as she recalled the last night.

Last night when he woke up once. It was a record broken since he usually woke up at least twice every night since his return, always breaking in cold sweat and a few times with an explosion accompanying the frightful shout that left his throat. However, last night he woke up only once. With no cold sweat, no explosion, no frightful shout.

He woke up with tears in his eyes, his breath hitching as he pressed against her tightly, embraced her as though she'd disappear any second.

She didn't wake up immediately when he did. But when she did, she felt his tears soak her shoulder and a whisper of promises how he'd protect her. How he'd die for her.

A tear streaked down her cheek, her own breath hitching from the memory of him so tormented, so pained. She closed her eyes, sniffling while tracing an infinity sign on his pectoral with her thumb.

Then she felt a cooling guilt bleed in her chest, felt a warm hand cup her face and a thumb wipe her cheek.

Hina opened her eyes. Bright, sorrowful blue meeting vibrant, sorry red.

"Mornin'," Katsuki whispered, his brows pinched once again, his voice just as grated as it was in the middle of the night.

"Good morning," she murmured back, her hand resting above his.

He frowned, sneering lightly. "Don't pity me." A command, light hearted and equally sincere.

"I don't pity you."

"I can feel the pity."

"It's not pity. It's empathy."

"I don't want any of your shitty empathy."