Loving You is Red (Katsuki Bakugo x Male Reader)

Chapter 2: New Beginnings

(A/n: thank you all so much for continuing to read my story, I genuinely appreciate you guys. Enjoy the update!)

(Y/n)'s P.O.V.:

My alarm jolted me awake at a time too early for anyone's well being. I looked around the decently-sized room that I had come to call my own since my parents were arrested two weeks ago. The nice police officer and her boyfriend took me into their home since I had no where else to go and they seemed to take a liking of me. Also, I reckon they figured with the things that I've gone through, the last thing I needed was to be put in the foster care system where I would never have solid grounding or a stable concept of home. It's been hard, I mean I've had everything I've ever known ripped away from me, and while it was far from ideal circumstances, it was what I had grown accustomed to. I'll admit, I much prefer living with Ms. Barnes and Mr. Walner, they are very nice and extremely patient. They have allowed me to acclimate very well into 'normal' life and I am very grateful for that. They are engaged, they plan on getting married in the next year or so, and I can already tell they are going to be perfect parents.

       I slumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, washed my face, attempted to fix some of the cowlicks in my hair, and got dressed in my uniform. It fit well and luckily covered most of the wounds on my skin that I was self conscious about. However, the tiny yet plentiful scars on my hands and permanent scabs that had formed on my knuckes from the brutal combat training (where I wasnt allowed to use my quirk) were out in the open. I hoped that one day I will see them more as trophies for surviving this long rather than hideous battle scars.

           I walked downstairs into the kitchen where I knew I could find Ms. Barnes. She was tying a blue tie around Mr. Walner's neck. Once she was done, she rested her hands on his pecs, smoothing out his gray dress shirt, smiling up at him contently. He looked right into her eyes with more love than I thought possible. I had read many books -my parents wanted my mind to be as sharp as the knives they had me train with - I always thought that it was preposterous for someone to be able to hold a readable emotion in their eyes. They were just eyes, but when I saw the way Mr. Walner looked at his fiancée, the way his eyes shined - how bright they were - love was the only way I could think to describe it. Whilst I was happy seeing those two having such a good, strong relationship; I couldn't keep down the selfish sad feelings of never having my parents look at me - or each other - with anything in their eyes, not love, barely even acknowledgment.

           But now things were different. I had the gift of a second chance in a much better environment. For that, I had exponential gratitude.

I shook my head as Ms. Barnes was standing in front of me with her hands on each of my arms, "(y/n)?" I met her eyes and smiled slightly. "Sorry Ms. Barnes, I uh- I guess I just got lost in thought." She smiled sympathetically, "Dear, please feel free to call me Olive." She reminded me kindly, her arms lowered to rest by her sides. "You nervous for the big day, huh?" Mr. Walner asked walking up behind Ms. Barnes and placing a hand on the small of her back, smiling brightly. He was perpetually easy-going, and it did a lot to help me feel at home here. "Yessir, a bit," I responded honestly, his smile was contagious and I admired how he could bring even me to feel comfortable and come out of my shell.

He was very handsome, he had brunette hair that he constantly slicked back, his eyes were bright emerald green with highlights of blue spattered throughout. Endearing freckles dotted his tanned skin, concentrating on his high, prominant cheekbones, nose, and center of his forehead. They spread down his neck and arms, I wouldn't doubt it if they covered his entire body, but I had yet to see him without long pants (usually slacks). He had a dimple on his chin that followed the curve of his mouth, it came out sometimes when he talked, and was most apparent when he smiled, which he did a lot. Ms. Barnes was adorably fond of that dimple and habitually kissed it, regularly leaving a lipstick stain around it that Mr. Walner was usually oblivious to. It always made me laugh.

Ms. Barnes was unparalleled in beauty and character. She reminded me of a princess from some of the books I had read. She was mixed, her caramel skin was warm and made her look all-the-more inviting. She had the biggest hair I had ever seen in my entire life. Her bouncy chocolate curls went out into an afro - when she didn't have it tied/pinned up - and had a gradient so that the ends of her hair (which almost touched her shoulders) turned to a strawberry blonde. She had dark eyes that were like mirrors and were impossibly bright with emotion despite their near-black color. She was a police officer and mostly dealt with evacuation, recovery, and investigation.

       "Come on, I've made you a bagel to eat on the train." Ms. Barnes said as she motioned me over to the marble island in the middle of the spacious kitchen. I scooped up my backpack that was on the floor against the front of the island and quickly double-checked that everything was there. Books? Check. Journals? Check. Lunch money? Check. Pencils? Check. I smiled as my nervousness started turning into excitement.

           My stomach felt as if it was imploding, concaving in on itself. I flinched slightly as Mr. Walner put a hand on my shoulder, "You ready kiddo?" He asked with a smile that reminded me of sunshine. I firmly nodded and went to go put my black shoes on. When I came back into the kitchen I saw Mr. Walner kissing his fiancée, I made an exaggerated gagging sound, "ewwwww" I said. However, I could not hide the small smile pulling at the corners of my lips, or contain how my voice fluctuated with laughter as it began to jump up my throat. They pulled away and smiled at me. Mr. Walner winked at me and smiled brighter, "Yeah, ewww. Gross. Why on earth would you kiss me beautiful woman?" He said, feigning disgust as he kissed her cheek. Ms. Barnes and I both giggled at the wacky yet wonderful man.

           He quickly turned to me, "Tally ho my good sir, let the journey begin! Our metal, public, crowded chariot awaits! Onward and upward and such!" Mr. Walner declared in a booming voice as he pointed to the door. I grabbed my bagel and thanked Ms. Barnes and hugged her before speed walking to catch up to Mr. Barnes, who was far too energetic for 6:30 in the morning. (A/n: idk what time UA starts). He smiled at me when I finally got to where I could walk beside him, "What have you got there?" He asked in the said ridiculous ambiguously-accented voice he had used before we left. I held up the the paper towel wrapped bagel in triumph, " Nourishment." I declared matter-of-factly. He beamed and nodded, "Commendable work my dear boy! A treacherous sojourn such as this requires sustainable fuel." I laughed at what a dork he was and I'm almost certain he didn't fully understand half of the words coming out in his word-vomit. Shaking my head humorously, I took the top half off of my bagel and handed it to him. He chuckled and took it, "How generous! Thank you my good sir!" He said chuckling as we walked onto the subway nibbling on our respective bagel halves. I was grateful that he took it, the knot in my stomach barely allowing me the ability to finish the half I held in my hands. I truly hated wasting food.

         The train stopped after a while and the conductor mumbled some incoherent gibberish over the speakers that I'm pretty sure was supposed to be the name of the stop. "Welp, this is where you leave me I guess" Mr. Walner said with a sigh and jokingly saluted me. "Good luck on your first day," he said. I smiled and walked to the open doors, waving at him, "Thanks Mr. Walner!" I could tell he was about to insist that I call him by his first name but the doors closed before he got the chance.

           I gripped the straps of my back pack and started making my way to my first ever school. I smiled brightly as I walked my way up the stairs and through the unreasonably big doors to - hopefully a better - future.

(A/n: Thank you guys so much again for reading my garbage. Updates might become fewer/farther between because school started this week and that is my top priority. But I really like this story and so I shall try my best.)

~fullmetal_idiot