ᴍɪssɪɴɢ || ʙᴀᴋᴜɢᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟷𝟻

"You're that tiny hero who took out the Hexad. What's a spoiled princess from the Top Ten doing in this part of the city? Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep so you can 'wow' the public tomorrow?" The male taunts, flaunting his height and build over you as you enter another glaring contest. Hostility and frustration come off of the guy in waves as he scowls at your smaller form.

You don't answer, hating the reminder of the undercover mission you were on until only four months ago. After you managed to make it out alive, the public has been all over you for saving the lives of thousands of victims. You were instantly promoted into the Top Ten heroes of Japan, and many other heroes have been salty about it. This isn't the first experience you've had with a hero being hostile towards you. You're honestly tired of it and the reminders.

"I'm lost," You reply bluntly, staring at the man directly where you assume his eyes are.

The male pauses for a second as if processing your answer before leaning back and laughing loud enough to alert any nearby villains to not come this way. You watch blankly as he hunches over in laughter and holds onto his chest for dear life. He doesn't seem to breath as he laughs and laughs and laughs.

You know it's embarrassing, your face flushing as the older male continues to laugh at your predicament, but you didn't think it was all that funny.

"What?" You question defensively, getting fed up with the male's obnoxious laughter. He's starting to remind you of Keigo, "Are you going to give me directions or what?"

The male wipes away the tears in his eyes and finally takes a moment to catch his breath. Once again standing at his full height and the hostility melting off his figure, the male flips his hood back to stare you in the eye. Messy black hair and matching dark eyes gaze into your own even with the shadow of your hood as a teasing smirk twists onto his face.

"I'm lost too, actually. The name is Dorian. Your name doesn't matter, you obviously identify as a midget, Phantom." The male's smirk widens with each word as your glare grows more heated.

"Oh shut up, you fucking skyscraper."

His laughter rings in your ears along with the pounding of the rain.

•••

Date: April 20, XXXX
Time: 9:24 a.m.
Location: (Y/n)'s Apartment

The door whines as you slam it behind you, slumping backwards onto the wooden surface with a deep sigh and pounding headache. With your back pressed against the wood, you slide down until your head rests in your arms and you hold you own body close for comfort. It has been a long day.

Actually, scratch that. It has been a long couple of weeks.

The heavy weight of exhaustion from your training and work lays heavily atop your shoulders, begging for a couple days of rest to recharge. But, you don't have the luxury of a break. You never do. The Hero President needs you to leave bright and early for a new mission in the morning, your first mission since you infiltrated the Hexad's base.

You were promised it wouldn't be anything like that, simple, easy, and you'll be back within the next week. But, all you really want to do right now is sleep. You might have time for a quick nap, but then you need to get up and finish filling out the paperwork on the villains you took down, and after that, you have another patrol with Rumi. The work of a hero never seems to end.

You love your job. The smiling faces of those you save brings warmth to your heart that you haven't felt since the days when your father used to smile at you like you were his world. But, the mental and physical exhaustion on your fourteen year old body is weighing heavily upon you.