𝓐 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝓷𝓭 | Katsuki Bakugou x Male Reader

Chapter 23

"There's one place. It's not ideal. But we can try it," she said. They followed her a few more blocks and turned through a gate into what looked like a private residence. It was some kind of shortcut, though, because after walking through a manicured garden, they came out of another gate onto a small back street that connected two main avenues. There were a few poky stores - one that bought used goods, another that sold fake jewellery. They stopped before a grimy storefront filled with mannequins in furry underwear. The place didn't even look open, but Ryuko pushed through the front door, setting off a distant chiming. Inside the dim, narrow shop lined with racks of merchandise, the smell of pelts filled (M/N)'s nose. Business must have been slow, since they were the only customers. Ryuko headed straight for a hunched figure sitting in the back. (M/N) followed, trailing his fingers through the soft garments as they went.

Ryuko took off her wig. "Kinoko," She said. "We need your help. Kan said you could be trusted."

Great, she was one of Kan's people. So if her first move wasn't to turn them into the Capitol, it would be to notify Kan, and by extension Kaina, of their whereabouts. No, her shop wasn't ideal, but it was all they had at the moment. If she would even help them. She was peering between an old television on her counter and them, as if trying to place them. To help her, (M/N) pulled down his scarf and removed the wig.

She stared at him for a few seconds before hopping off the stool and disappearing behind a rack of fur-lined leggings. There was a sound of sliding, and then her hand emerged and waved them forward. (M/N) pushed around the furs and found she had slid back a panel at the base of the wall. Behind it seemed to be the top of a steep stone stairway. She gestured for him to enter.

Everything about the situation screamed trap. There were no alternatives, so he had to trust that she really was with Kan. He began to descend down the steps and his face ran into a hanging chain about halfway in. He pulled it, illuminating the hideout with a flickering fluorescent bulb. It was a small cellar with no doors or windows. Shallow and wide. Probably just a strip between two real basements. A place whose existence could go unnoticed unless you had a very keen eye for dimensions. It was cold, with piles of pelts that probably hadn't seen the light of day in years. Unless Kinoko gave them up, (M/N) didn't believe anyone would find them there. By the time he reached the concrete floor, his companions were on the steps. The panel slid back in place. (M/N) heard the underwear rack being adjusted on squeaky wheels. Kinoko padded back to her stool. They had been swallowed up by her store.

Just in time, too, because Shoto looked on the verge of collapse and Denki couldn't walk even remotely well after that. They made a bed of pelts, stripped off Shoto's layer of weapons, and helped him on to his back. At the end of the cellar, there was a faucet about half a metre from the floor with a drain under it. (M/N) turned the tap and, after much sputtering and a lot of rust, clear water began to flow. They cleaned Shoto's neck wound and (M/N) realised bandages wouldn't be enough. He was going to need a few stitches. There was a needle and sterile thread in the first-aid supplies, but what they lacked was a healer. That meant that (M/N) was probably the most qualified for the job. He grit his teeth, and put in a row of jagged sutures. It wasn't pretty but it was functional. (M/N) smeared it with medicine and wrapped it up. Gave him some pain killers. "You can rest now. It's safe here," (M/N) told him. He went out like a light.

Now for Denki. (M/N) made his way over to his other injured team member.

"You gonna tuck me in as well?" Denki said, before wincing at the pain his leg brought him.

(M/N) was glad Denki hadn't lost his humour. "I'll read you a bedtime story while I'm at it," (M/N) answered. The bandages around his leg were completely soaked with blood. (M/N) gingerly unwrapped them and tried not to throw up at the mutilated flesh underneath. He didn't see Denki get attacked by the mutts, but clearly they did a number on him. "How could you walk at all with this?"