Sweet Preservation (Mafia MHA X Reader)

Part Twenty three, Equal ground

When you woke up, your head was pounding. Waves of hot aching pain throbbed through your body and you curled up in a ball, stifling a small whimper at how much the simple movement intensified your existing agony. Everything hurt.

The ground was hard and the air was a familiar scent of damp, it didn't take much guesswork to assume you were back in the cell, a grotty threadbare blanket thrown over you in an attempt to keep you from getting hypothermia.

You hadn't been passed out for long, you were still a little wet from the bathwater...

"Hey... You awake?"

Sero.

Concern was laced in his voice, and it was close. Maybe a few meters away from you?

He was here. Had he pulled you out?

You considered answering, but your throat was red raw from screaming. You doubted a single sound would come out of you right now and your body hurt too much to move to look at him. You simply curled into a tighter ball, eyes screwwed shut to hold off more tears.

It was a good enough answer for him and a few echoing foot steps later, a gentle hand rested on your shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Sorry. Why was he sorry? It was you who had yet to apologize to him!

With a wince, you force your body to move, to unfurl and find his face in the gloomy light of the room, shaking your head, hoping he would understand.

You didn't trust your voice to come through, but you had to try.

"No, Sero, don't apologise-"

You began to speak, your words scratchy and hoarse when a door slammed open and you immediately curled back up, hands balling at the sheet over you to hold it tight trying to make your whole body small.

"Oi, she awake yet?"

Bakugo.

Your breathing picked up, eyes prickling again. You had your back to him and a growing paranoia of his hands on you had you feeling ghosts sensations of his fingers grazing your back. But you hadn't heard him come closer. It was all in your head, you knew that, but it didn't stop the rising panic.

"Show me." He said plainly, his voice echoing from the doorway still.

Sero shuffled in front of you, hands softly touching your shoulder before peeling back the sheet to your hips. He wouldn't take it down any further. Bakugo would have to come do it himself...

But Bakugo seemed satisfied enough, giving a small hum and stepping closer.

"Still haven't healed yourself? Good girl. You can listen to orders."

You hear the proud smirk in his voice and try to tune him out, Seros lingering scent of weed a decent distraction. God, you missed that smell... You missed him. You hoped he wouldn't leave you alone with Bakugo... or at all. You needed him, he was your last lingering shred of sanity... Maybe Kaminari too, but Sero was a certainty. A fixed point of safety in this hell hole.

You wanted to reach for him, but Bakugos voice interrupted you, startling you with an agitated sigh.

"As naughty as you've been, you've earned that small privilege. Just this once. Heal yourself."

... Was he joking? A test?

You didn't dare to move. Why would he want you to use your quirk?

More to the point, why would you use it when he command it? He could force your body, but your quirk was something that was yours. Something under your control. He may tell you not to use it, but he can go to hell for commanding you to use it now, especially when you could barely keep your eyes open. Only the coursing adrenaline from your fear was keeping you conscious right now...