𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 || ᵇ.ᵏᵃᵗˢᵘᵏᶦ

LXIII

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Aizawa had to drag Bakugou back to the dorms that night, shoving him into the back of his car with Hyunjin whilst Jungwon took the front seat. He didn't want to leave Aeri there alone. What if she woke up earlier than expected and no one was there? She wouldn't have anyone to tell her why she couldn't speak, she wouldn't have anyone there to comfort her and she wouldn't have anyone to help her.

But Aizawa had said that he needed to go back to the dorms. He was covered in stale sweat from running to the hospital, his phone had been dead for hours and he had refused to eat all day. Bakugou had to make him promise that he'd be allowed to stay the night tomorrow and Aizawa had agreed just to get him to stop struggling. He was injured too, though not very seriously and Recovery Girl had fixed him right up, but he still didn't have to strength to fight Bakugou into the car.

Bakugou ignored everyone who was gathered in the common room and went straight to his room to grab everything he needed to shower. They'd no doubt been filled in by Kirishima, Uraraka and Tsuyu who now sat with the group, bandages over their small wounds.

He froze when he remembered Nari had probably been alone all day with no one to fulfil her needs and headed back up to Aeri's room with his change of clothes and shower products to check on the cat.

It seemed Jungwon had the same idea and was dishing up Nari's dinner when Bakugou walked in. They stared at each other for a moment before Jungwon cleared his throat and began to speak.

"You come in here to look after Nari?" He asked. The cat mewled at the mention of her name, rubbing herself against Jungwon's shins in an effort to make him give her the food faster. Bakugou nodded. "Will you be sleeping in here tonight or should I take her to my room?"

"I'll look after her tonight," Bakugou said. Jungwon mumbled a small 'okay' and Bakugou left the room, finally going for his much-needed shower.

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Bakugou skipped school the next two days and packed an overnight bag to stay in the hospital. Aizawa scolded him at first but since he and his sons had to go to school, he let Bakugou off since he didn't like the idea of Aeri being in the hospital alone all day.

Bakugou went to her room before he left, making sure to fill Nari's water bowl and pressing the button on her impossibly fancy sheltered litter tray that removed all the soiled litter and left the clean. Then he went to Aeri's desk and picked up all the things she'd probably want if she woke up, like her skincare, makeup and phone. He also picked out an outfit for her since the only clothes she had at the hospital were her ripped and ruined hero gear.

He felt a bit awkward grabbing underwear but he knew Aeri would prefer he was the one bringing them to her rather than her dad rummaging through her drawer and seeing all the lace and silk she owned.

Jinyoung was in the room when he trudged through the door, looking like he'd been hit by a truck. His white hair fell flat over his forehead as opposed to how it was usually styled and his face was stubbled with a five o'clock shadow. He had cuts and bruises littered across his face and neck and his entire arm was bound in a solid cast from his shoulder to the palm of his hand, resting in a sling. Despite his appearance, he was still in his usual dress shirt and slacks—probably having refused to wear the hospital gown since he sure as hell wouldn't have been discharged this soon.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Jinyoung raised an eyebrow as Bakugou walked past him, crouching down and unzipping the duffel bag, slipping Aeri's clothes out and placing them in the cabinet by the bed.

"Skipped," Bakugou said simply, walking back around the bed and sitting down on the couch on the other side of the room. "Shouldn't you be in a hospital bed?"