Next To Me

Chapter 4: Carry Me Home

"You should try and sit up." Another paramedic said to the girl. 

[Y/n] suddenly felt flustered as she realized how many paramedics were around staring at her. There had to be at least ten! If there's one thing the (h/c) haired girl hated, it was feeling helpless. All these concerned eyes on her made her feel so small.

Unknowingly to [Y/n], Katsuki glanced over at her upon hearing the paramedic say this. His attention was glued to the girl's weak frame.

[Y/n] let out a loud sigh as she propped herself halfway up with her elbows. Her chest made a couple of cracking noises as she moved. Her shoulders were stiff and hard. [Y/n]'s legs laid out in front of her, they felt like they were packed with bricks. She felt like the tin man who needed some serious oiling. As she slowly began shifting her weight to her palms to push her more upright, she felt multiple hands try to help her. [Y/n]'s skin crawled at their touch and her skin annoyingly tingled.

"I can do it." [Y/n] tried to say. Her voice came out as a hushed whisper and her throat itched when she tried to speak. 

The paramedics didn't falter as they continued to help her sit upright. This annoyed the girl even more. She was embarrassed that she was being treated so fragile.

"She said she can do it herself." Katsuki growled. 

His glare hardened on the paramedics assisting [Y/n].

The girl looked up at him, surprised he heard her and more so that was standing up for her. [Y/n] let out a grateful sigh as the paramedics obeyed and let go of her. She sat up, slightly hunching over as she crossed her legs and placed her dirty hands in her lap. Katsuki's glare lingered on the paramedics before it fell to [Y/n]. He grunted and quickly looked away.

"Here," a paramedic handed [Y/n] a juice box and protein bar "You need to eat in order to get your energy back. Once you finish these, you should be okay to go home, alright?"

[Y/n] nodded and took the items. Katsuki stood up as she began to drink the juice. He sent her a brief, cold, side glance, and without saying a word, walked away. [Y/n] stared at his muscular back as he walked. He shoved his hands in his pockets and ignored the reporters who ran up to talk to him.

Did he wait for me to wake up before he went home? [Y/n] thought as she took a bite of her protein bar. Her heart fluttered and warmed ever so slightly at the thought of him worrying and wanting to stay with her until she woke up.

Looking back at where he was sitting, her heart immediately stopped fluttering when she saw a paramedic crouched on the ground, packing up a small first aid package. Turning quickly back to Katsuki's figure in the distance, she noticed for the first time he had a bandage wrapped around his bicep. 

[Y/n] sheepishly looked down at the ground, embarrassed that she was delusional to think he cared about her any more than a stranger on the street. 

Why would I think he would wait for me? I know better than that.  

~

After finishing the protein bar and juice [Y/n] received from the paramedics, she was able to go back home. The only problem was, her apartment was on the street that was destroyed by the villain. An empty feeling filled her stomach and chest as she stood in front of her building, watching firefighters spray the charred remains with water. 

All of her belongings were gone except for what she had on herself. The paramedics had found the basket she used for her groceries and returned it to her. Her phone, apartment keys, a small towel (to wrap eggs in that she did not get a chance to buy), and a few bruised vegetables weighed heavily in the basket as she stared at her building.