Latibule

23 - ᴛᴀʟᴋ, ᴛᴀʟᴋ, ᴛᴀʟᴋ

Previously on Latibule:

"Yeah," I nodded, my answer rather automatic. "Just dealing with the... whole thing."

"Yeah, pretty crazy, right?" Kirishima hummed along, either not noticing my demeanor or deciding not to mention it. "Those two are pretty strong."

My eyes followed the people cleaning up the arena as I answered, my thoughts already somewhere else. "That they are."

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Latibule — Chapter 23///Talk, Talk, Talk

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By the time the award ceremony arrived, I'd managed to dedampen my spirits and was standing next to Tokoyami on the third place of the podium as we rose out from the ground. I shared the place with him, which I didn't mind. I preferred that to another match, anyway.

All Might appeared and practically flew above the arena — after Midnight had called him to come, of course — before landing and giving Midnight a look because she'd overdone his introduction.

"Young L/n," All Might came up to me first, "congratulations." He placed a bronze medal around my neck. "You have potential so obvious even a blind man could see it. I look forward to how you use that quirk of yours in the future."

"Thank you," I nodded solemnly, lifting the medal from my chest to inspect it. It was glittering bronze, as was to be expected, but carrying it around my neck like that gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment I hadn't felt before.

I shifted my focus back to All Might by the time he reached Bakugou. My friend was, well, chained and muzzled, to put it simply. I knew the reasons and yet I couldn't understand them. A sense of empathy was brewing in my stomach as I looked at his tousled hair that was uncharacteristically flat until All Might removed the leather strap of the muzzle from his head, therefore clearing his face from the muzzle and giving his hair the opportunity to spike in its usual endearing way.

"Winning first place this way doesn't prove that I'm the best!" Bakugou yelled, thrashing against the cement pillar. "Even when the world perceives me as the winner, I refuse to accept it like this!"

"I don't want that piece of garbage!" the boy continued, refusing to take the medal that was offered to him. All Might still proceeded, though. "Get that trash off of me, you idiot!"

The top hero just hung the medal to Bakugou's teeth as the boy was so violently against having it around his neck.

All Might turned to the crowd and I dared to glance up towards Bakugou again. To my surprise, he was already looking at me, the anger still evident in his features but not quite so stark in his eyes anymore.

I offered him a small smile and a nod of respect before turning back to the front again.

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We had packed our stuff and were exiting the dome, our time up for the year. I walked between Bakugou and Kirishima, the latter chattering on and on about the event that had just finished. Every once in a while, I added something to the conversation. The boy beside me, however, was still sulking about the course of events.

"Y/n."

I froze. Not at my name, no. The voice that had spoken it. Could it be...?

I craned my head back, looking over my shoulder as I took note of the fact that Bakugou stopped to wait for me. There he was. Not an illusion and not in a dream, standing right beside my mother. They both wore proud smiles and I couldn't stop one from etching into my own cheeks, either.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, running into his arms despite the looks that I was getting. It was fair after all — I hadn't seen my father in over a month. "You're really here!"

I pulled back, going to hug my mother, too, even as I still looked at my father. "You didn't quit anything because of me, did you?"

I was worried he might've because he cared for me in amounts I couldn't describe despite the fact that he was the family's only consistent income.

"No, don't worry." He smiled, ruffling my hair up. "I'd say it's more of a vacation. I have about two weeks before my next trip."

"That's amazing!" I beamed.

My mother glanced behind me. "Go now, don't keep your friend waiting," she told me. "We'll be waiting in the car outside of the school when you finish."

I nodded, giving them both one last hug. "I promise I won't take too long."

They gave me nods and I jogged to Bakugou and we started walking on.

"Your parents?" he asked.

"Yeah. My father is abroad for work most of the time so that's why I was so excited," I explained.

Bakugou hummed before changing the topic. "What happened? Why'd you collapse?"

I frowned. "My body automatically took in all of the energy from Todoroki's flames," I started, "and there was so much of it that when it was released, it couldn't be replaced fast enough. At least I think that's what happened." I shrugged to ease the tension in the air. "I might've just overused my quirk, too." I glanced ahead of us, where the others were. "Come on, we should—"

"Y/n," he stopped me, grabbing my wrist. For some reason the way he spoke my name and the way he gazed into my eyes while he spoke made my heart flutter and my stomach churn the exact same way they had at the hospital when I realized Bakugou had left me his number. "Did it hurt?" Bakugou inquired. "Are you hurt?"

I blinked at him before withdrawing my hand slowly. "I'm okay, Katsuki. Really, I am." I couldn't wrap my head around it as I stared at him. Again, he was acting like he cared and I was slowly starting to believe he did. But did he? Did he really?

I swallowed, changing the topic as I started walking again, prompting him to come along with me. "Are you, though? After everything that happened?"

Bakugou scoffed, his hands digging into his pockets just like I'd seen them do so often these days. "I don't want to talk about it."

I respected that and we didn't talk any more, soon catching up with the class and arriving to our classroom where Mr. Aizawa was waiting for us.

He told us we'd have the next two days of school off, just like all the others would. He also mentioned that some of us might get recruited by pros that watched the festival and that he'd give us the information when we returned to school.

Just like that, we were dismissed. I didn't linger to chat like I usually did. Instead, I bid my goodbyes and went as I knew my parents were waiting.

My mind, however, was having a conversation of its own. There was something different in the air.

I looked at the sunset, a strange feeling brewing in the very depths of my heart. I could feel a change coming. If it was for better or for worse, that I had yet to learn.