𝓐 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝓷𝓭 | Katsuki Bakugou x Male Reader

Chapter 11

"I shouldn't have even said that. It was too late for it to be of any help to you. Since I hadn't warned you before the Quarter Quell. I should've shut up about how Nezu operates." Denki yanked on the end of his rope, and an intricate knot became a straight line again. "It's just that I didn't understand when I met you. After your first Games, I thought the whole romance was an act on your part. We all expected you'd continue that strategy. But it wasn't until Katsuki hit the force field and he nearly died that I-" Denki hesitated.

(M/N) thought back to the arena. How he sobbed when Denki revived Katsuki. The quizzical look on Denki's face. The way he excused (M/N)'s behaviour. "That you what?'

"That I knew I'd misjudged you. That you do love him. I'm not saying in what way. Maybe you don't know yourself. But anyone paying attention could see how much you care about him," Denki said gently.

Anyone? On Nezu's visit before the Victory Tour, he challenged (M/N) to erase any doubts of his love for Katsuki. "Convince me," Nezu said. It seemed that he had finally done that. And in doing so, he gave Nezu the weapon he needed to break him.

Denki and (M/N) sat for a long time in silence, watching the knots bloom and vanish, before (M/N) asked, "How do you bear it?"

Denki looked at him in disbelief. "I don't, (M/N)! Obviously, I don't. I drag myself out of nightmares each morning and find there's no relief in waking." Something in (M/N)'s expression stopped him. "Better not to give in to it. It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.

~

With twenty-four hours of quiet behind them, Kaina finally announced that they could leave the bunker. Their old quarters had been destroyed by the bombings. Everyone had to follow exact directions to their new compartments. They cleaned their spaces, as directed, and filed obediently towards the door.

Before (M/N) was halfway there, Mashirao appeared and pulled him from the line. He signalled for Shoto and Denki to join them. Out the door, up the stairs, down the hall to one of those multidirectional lifts, and finally they arrived at Special Defence. Nothing along their route had been damaged, but they were still very deep.

Mashirao ushered them into a room virtually identical to Command. Kaina, Kan, Shota, Ryuko and everyone else around the table looked exhausted. Someone had finally broken out the coffee - although (M/N) was sure it was only viewed as an emergency stimulant - and Kan had both hands wrapped tightly around his cup as if at any moment it would be taken away.

There was no small talk. "We need all four of you suited up and above ground," Kaina said. "You have two hours to get footage showing the damage from the bombing, establish that Thirteen's military unit remains not only functional but dominant, and, most importantly, that the Mockingjay is still alive. Any questions?"

"Can we have a coffee?" Denki asked.

Steaming cups were handed out. (M/N) stared distastefully at the shiny black liquid, never having been much of a fan of the stuff, but thinking it could help him stay on his feet. Denki sloshed some cream in (M/N)'s cup and reached into the sugar bowl. "Want a sugar cube?" he asked. That was how they met, with Denki offering him sugar. Surrounded by horses and chariots, costumed and painted for the crowds, before they were allies. Before (M/N) had any idea what made him tick. The memory actually coaxed a smile out of him. "Here, it improves the taste," Denki said, putting three cubes in his cup.

As (M/N) turned to go suit up as the Mockingjay, he caught Shoto watching him and Denki unhappily. What now? Did he actually think something was going on between them? Maybe he saw (M/N) go to Denki last night. (M/N) would've passed the Todorokis' space to get there. That was probably what was rubbing him the wrong way. (M/N) seeking out Denki's company instead of his. Well, (M/N) didn't care. He could barely hold his eyes open and a camera crew was waiting for him to do something brilliant. And Nezu had Katsuki. Shoto could think whatever he wanted.