"Shigaraki..."
The man whose eyes had been closed for what seemed like days finally opened them. He sat in a lonesome chair, at the center of a new hideout he and his league had the good fortune of finding.
The LoV was, to say the least, not in the best shape.
"Where do we go from here?" Compress asked, standing beside the rest of Shigaraki's defeated group of outcasts.
Their leader sat up straight without much effort. His neck craned back and forth as he stretched, let out nothing but an annoyed, pensive breath.
"It's been weeks." Another said. "We were wondering what... what's next?"
They were right. It had been long.
Toga's legs were nearly healed, some scars from that boy's violent explosions still marking her skin, others still recovering from the sheer sound and sight of the blasts.
Ever since All for One was taken away and All Might retired, there was a missing sense of meaning to his goals.
He saw your face sometimes, in his memory, at random. When he did and you said his real name, one he no longer remembered, something in his heart tore at the threads.
Then, as if it knew, your power would speak to him. It would remind him of its presence, bind itself to his quirk, answer with single words or broken phrases.
For some odd reason, all he felt because of it was closer to you- his guilt and hate washed away by the promise of protection.
But there was a second side to this quirk- if it was something as simple as just a quirk. There was a sense of power unlike any Tomura had ever known.
Dabi and Compress each crossed their arms as he finally looked at them with a half-lidded gaze.
Dabi wasn't really convinced by this act his boss was putting up. He wore a dressier version of his old clothing now, the hands on his face and body still strongly attached. He should've been devastated, in shock, but he wasn't.
Shigaraki was only calm. Calculating. Unlike the capricious man-child, Dabi once knew. And he had an idea as to why.
"The girl-" Dabi started to ask a question, one more along the lines of if his plans had anything to do with you, but unfortunately, Tomura was not in the mood.
"Do not speak of her," He ordered.
He was more intimidating now. His voice was slightly deeper. His aura threatening with his attitude alone. Dabi was ticked off by that. The rest of the league wasn't very into his new careless manners either.
"All for One wanted her dead if she escaped." Dabi reminded him, putting his hands in his pockets, pushing off the wall he was leaning against, walking to Tomura. "You saved her-"
"Are you still talking?" Shigaraki rose his eyebrows, his red gaze lazy yet full of warning.
Dabi clenched his jaw. He shut up, but he didn't take a step back. Didn't want to give Shigaraki the feeling that he was supremely in charge now that-
"Sensei and Kurogiri are held in Tartarus. We must proceed without them." Shigaraki said, referring to the torturous prison heroes called justice. Scratching slightly at his neck, the man went on. "I have a plan. It involves the leader of the Haissake."
"Overhaul?" Compress questioned curiously. Because a man like that wasn't known for being a good business partner let alone a partner in crime.
"Mm," Shigaraki hummed in agreement. "Until we complete this endeavor, UA is not our concern."
"Boss, can ya at least tell us why?" Compress rubbed the back of his neck, just wondering.
Because from the way it looked, Tomura had always hated you. Every time even a mention of you came up he'd let out a tsk, make a face akin to spite, sometimes even storm off. So-
"Why did you save her?"
Shigaraki let out a sigh. He even rolled his eyes, laid an elbow on his knee, gazed at his hand. Felt the ever-subtle signals that something immeasurably powerful rested within his body.
They would never understand. And even if they did how was he supposed to explain what you meant to him. Because, when this was all over, when he overthrew the heroes and proved that this society was wrong, when he reached the end of his path, a small part of him dreamed to hold your hand one last time. Reconcile with you the way he should have a long time ago.
Someone in the room scoffed, interrupting Tomura's thoughts.
Dabi.
"You really can't tell?" The man laughed, looking at Shigaraki's face. Finding something familiar in the features. "It's obvious, I mean look at him-"
Dabi's breath hitched then. Something felt off. His body suddenly seized, felt constrained. He couldn't breathe. Everything felt cold and heavy. His hand went straight to his throat as he fell to one knee.
What was this feeling? This sudden feeling that air didn't exist, that the world was weighing down on his back, forcing him to the ground.
"Seems you haven't learned to follow orders," Shigaraki said, his palm just barely outreached, facing Dabi. "I thought I told you not to speak of her,"
Tomura wasn't satisfied till he saw the man across from him cringe. Till he heard him plead for oxygen with an empty breath and saw the weakness in his eyes.
This new quirk made his veins slightly glow. It was still foreign. Telling him to do things. But it made a single thing very clear to him whenever he tried to use it in the past.
Y/n doesn't want me to kill, it said. I protect you. I don't hurt.
Fair enough. But it seemed this power was more inclined to hurting those who used your name with sour intent. Because when Tomura began to take the oxygen away, it didn't even think of stopping him. In fact, it felt like it was watching over his shoulder, staring down the man he knew had once done her harm.
Tomura let out a laugh at Dabi's weakness and when it seemed like he couldn't last much longer, Shigariki let his hand drop and stood.
The heaving gasp he let out, fingers holding at his own throat was enough of a satisfaction for Tomura to walk away.
"Sensei wanted her dead because of information she could obtain from us. Information about herself -that if it fell into the heroes' hands- threatens whatever he's planning. If Sensei feels the need to keep that information from me then it is of no concern to us."
Slowly, the league started to follow his lead, gather by the window where the gentle light of dawn started to wake the people in their new city.
This was a new beginning.
A new chance to start at the goal the villains had wanted to reach for decades.
"Now, let's get to know one another a little better," Shigaraki once again reached his hand up, pressed it flat against the glass as he spoke. "Atomic."
***
UA founded a new center for the students to train. Ever since the accident at camp, Aizawa and All Might put in a personal request to have it built.
It was enclosed by four walls, looked the size of a warehouse, had stone structures, empty spaces too, anything the students needed to further train their quirks.
Since Provisional License exams started soon, everyone was in overdrive. Yeah new dorms were cool and all, but there's really no rest for aspiring heroes.
Everyone that morning put on their hero costumes, came down for breakfast all giddy and ready to put in their best effort. Of course, there was the issue of what the hell you would be doing. You could still physically train, but it's difficult to exercise a quirk if you don't have one.
Everyone tried to tread the subject lightly around you, but very honestly... it didn't bother you all that much.
Emotionally, it took a long time for you to adjust- but Deku and Shoto helped you through it. Shoto always doted on you, was as kind as ever, did all he could.
Every night the past week, you met with Midoriya too. He walked down the stairs, saw you sitting in the same spot looking at the stars every time. He'd give you the sweetest of smiles, bring his All Might themed blanket down so you wouldn't get too cold.
It was nice. To have someone to hug and watch movies and laugh with even at ridiculous hours of the night- just to feel comfortable, just to feel safe.
And Katsuki...
He was there during the day. He still moved his head during note-taking in class, still walked at your side in the halls, sat with you at lunch, headed back to the dorms with you.
But his silence was louder than his actions.
All he ever did was ask if you were taking your medication, if you were in pain, tell you when he had to go and do something...
It was his silence that made doubt grow in you like a weed.
He needed time. He needed to heal. He didn't want help. He didn't want you to hold his hand.
You had to remind yourself that all the time to not feel the fear that maybe Izuku was wrong. That maybe he thought himself too decent to just tell you it was too much. To be with someone who wasn't as strong.
Eventually, you stopped reaching for him. Couldn't take another quiet day of him pulling his hand away. If he wanted time, then fine. But that didn't mean he had to force you to be subjected to his coldness.
At the new training arena, you stood at the bottom level with Aizawa, wearing your hero costume again. It'd been a while, but it always gave you a spur of confidence to have it on.
Your teacher told you to just observe for today. If you felt your injuries were healing well enough that you could start doing some basic combat training, than he'd let you in a few days or so.
For now, you watched your classmates.
Kirishima was with Bakugo- the two of them working on new special moves. Was sort of hurtful to be honest. Up there, without you at his side, he actually looked normal again. He was even smirking sometimes, giving off an air of confidence, showing off his new AP shots.
Maybe training was finally giving him the distraction he needed though. Maybe what he needed was space, not time.
You sighed then, looking up at all those platforms and all your friends working their asses off. You were so proud of them all. It actually shocked you how un-envious you were, how comfortable you were just being on the sidelines for once.
But what hurt was finally realizing that maybe you were the one who needed to push Katsuki away if you wanted to see him keep smiling like he was now.
"Y/n-chan,"
You turned around at the sound of your name, uncrossing your arms, a gentle, semi-tired look on your face. Slowly, a relaxed smile morphed your lips.
"Hi, Izuku," You said, the boy returning your expression and squeezing your shoulder before adjusting his gloves and making his way to training too.
What you didn't notice then, was that Katsuki was watching too. He nearly always was. It probably was a good thing you didn't see him actually. You would've shuddered from the look of daggers he was serving at the sight.
At some point, Aizawa asked all the students to recollect, set them up at the center of the building, asked them to line up, half and half on either side. Maybe he just wanted to make you feel a little better, but for some reason he organized a sort of quirkless combat quick fight activity.
Two students had to go up against each other with normal fighting style, meaning no quirks and no special moves. Your teacher explained it was to take a break from quirk focus and to make sure everyone still had their own combat abilities up to par.
It was fun to watch. Even from a distance.
First, Jirou went up against Denki. Of course she won, but to be fair, Denki was attempting to flirt with her for the first minute so that probably gave her a small advantage. Made you laugh a tad.
Kirishima went up against Sero which wasn't exactly a fair fight given how much bigger in broadness Kiri was, but Sero managed pretty well with his acrobat's body.
You were having a bit of fun watching these. It gave you a chance to freshen up on your analytic abilities, the ones you'd been drastically overusing by overthinking about your own stupid problems, so- this was a nice change.
Although, you didn't get a chance to focus on the fights for very long.
"Hello, Y/n. How are you?" When you looked to your side, a certain hero you hadn't seen in some time stood at your side.
"All Might?" You asked, your voice a tad more surprised than you meant it to come out.
After all, he was so much smaller than before. Even his face was different, his hair, his voice. He seemed so much more real since the accident. Rather than a larger than life figure, he was just... a normal guy.
It was difficult to get used to.
"I'm fine- fine- and you?" You asked, not sure how to speak to him since honestly you never liked him much to begin with.
"Good," He nodded, giving a polite smile, one far more genuine than he ever was in "hero" form. "I think retirement suits me, don't you?"
His laughter was a tad short. Like he was waiting to say something to you past pleasantries.
"Y/n, I just wanted to apologize-"
"Please don't," You said, trying to make him more comfortable by etching a crooked smile. "Everybody's been doing that lately, at some point I'm just gonna start saying 'sorry' back,"
All Might laughed again slightly, this time in a more real sort of way.
"I get that," He nodded. "But still, I-I wasn't doing a great job at being here for you kids," The man put a hand to his chest over his shirt much too big for his body. "It's time I help out where I can,"
"That's very big of you," You nodded, "And thanks by the way,"
"For what?"
"Not calling me Young y/n,"
"Hah," The hero shook his head. "Aizawa warned me about you being a bit of a comedian,"
"Psht," You rolled your eyes in a cocky sort of way. "He doesn't even know half the jokes I come up with. I'd be expelled by now if I made him hear all of em,"
Giving a side-eyed look at All Might, you saw his chest shaking slightly as he too crossed his arms. You smiled a bit, happy you could get him to relax.
He was so tense about actually starting to teach again- afraid to let everyone down now that he wasn't like he used to be. You understood that. So doing your best to make him feel comfortable was just the right thing to do.
"Oh," All Might said in a hushed tone, pointing at the center platform. "Looks like youn- I mean, looks like Bakugo and Midoriya are next,"
Heh?
Instantly, your shoulders tensed, your eyes going just a little wider at the hero's words.
When you looked back at the platform, disappointment struck as soon as you realized All Might was right.
Katsuki. And Izuku. Fighting? Again?
I mean, it's not like Bakugo didn't have some development since the whole I need to be better than you fiasco back during the Ground Beta training exercise, but-
You didn't know. When you stared at the two getting ready on either side, it just didn't feel right.
Bakugo was clenching his fists, turning his gauntlets and diligently taking them off one at a time. They were such heavy things, his arms bulged whenever he had to lift their weight. Once his weapons took their place on the ground, he made his way to the platform everyone was circled around.
You and All Might were a little further away, but it was clear enough to see the boys' facial expressions.
Midoriya was quick to get up there, putting his fists up and bending his knees instantly. He gave Katsuki a little nod of acknowledgment as if to say he was ready to start.
Although he probably needed to pay more attention to his opponent's attitude than his fighting stance. The moment Bakugo made eye-contact with Deku, his expression lost all sense of anything inherently him.
There was only intensity, a lack of any emotion. Just a hooded gaze from which so much repressed anger was stored.
All the boy saw when he looked Deku was your back as you went to hug him, your hand in his, the tears he stopped, the comfort he brought you, the way you smiled because of him when you hadn't smiled in front of Katsuki for weeks.
A dead, hardened, wary aura flowed around Bakugo's body. This was some simple, quirkless combat, right? Just a little exercise? Things didn't have to get too serious. Although, it was certainly a good way to let out some of that anger he'd been holding in far too long.
When the fight started, Izuku had no idea just how much pain his opponent wanted him to feel.
***
That was a bit intense.
The entire thing was over quicker than any other fight, but only because Aizawa stopped it.
Deku made the first move, tried to get some hits in on Bakugo, but he dodged every time. He wasn't even putting much effort into avoiding those punches too. He moved his head just a bit out of the way, took a step back, let Deku make a fool of himself a little.
Because without quirks, Deku had to face the fact that Bakugo had nearly twice his muscle mass. He had more power, more height, and right now? Far more incentive.
The fact that he was so quiet the whole time- everyone didn't understand, but you did. After all, that's how he was around you. Even if he acted normal around the lot of his classmates, whenever he was really focused, whenever he slipped back into his real emotions, the silence took over.
Eventually, Deku lost his breath, started to pant. Bakugo wasn't even opening his mouth to breath. He was toying with him. He didn't want to win. Something about that made your fists clench. Because even if he was quiet, you knew he was enjoying watching Deku make a fool of himself.
Finally, when Aizawa gave a warning glance to Bakugo, the boy took a look at you. A look at you and All Might. Kept his gaze on the two of you with some hint of guilt behind the eyes.
When Deku saw an opportunity and ran at him, Katsuki spun on his heel, hooked Deku's arm over his, tripped up his legs, and slammed him into the ground.
His body hit the concrete so hard, a cry of pain left Deku's throat, his back seizing up. The moment his bones made contact, you swore you heard them threaten to break from his opponent's strength.
But what pained you the most wasn't even the empathy you felt for Deku. It was the fact that even though he'd won by a landslide, fairly, the way he loved to win- Katsuki's eyes glowed red as he stared down at Deku... the want to hurt him again shaking through his fingertips.
Aizawa ended their fight though, told Bakugo to ease up, Deku standing up with, thankfully, no broken bones or anything past some soreness. Although you were certain he'd have bruises to show off tomorrow.
Now, you stood in the cafeteria, back in your uniform, against the wall with a water bottle in hand. It was lunch hour for first years so everyone had already changed out of their costumes and was heading in.
You waited for Shoto since he always took his time changing. The noisey atmosphere of the cafeteria just a few feet away was a nice distraction though. Kept your thoughts away from the fact that your non-boyfriend boyfriend was losing his fucking mind!
"Y/n?"
"Bah!"
You turned around swinging your fist as someone walked up and startled you.
Unfortunately, it was Todoroki and again, unfortunately, he did not have the same reflexes as Katsuki. The bonk he received to the side of the head was enough for his face to scrunch up and his cheek to sting under your hand.
After a few seconds of standing there, he uttered a small, "ow."
"Shoto!" You said in the most embarrassed, guilty way possible, quickly going to fix his hair and putting your fingers gently on his cheek to soothe it, "I'm so sorry!"
"That's alright," He said, relatively unphased. He sort of forgot that you tended to not be the most observant without your quirk. Since there was no way to sense him getting closer, sometimes you'd get lost in your own head and forget that you know, people sort of exist.
"I'm such a spaz lately," you whined, rubbing your temples, and giving an even more apologetic look.
"Yes," Todoroki agreed, pulling out two bento boxes from his bag as you both started to make your way to a table and sat down, "but that's nothing new."
You gave a little hum of sadness at that, plopping down at one of the long tables where some of your class had already taken a seat. The bench was long enough that Todoroki could slide down and give you some room near the edge. He put your food down in front of you and started on his.
Usually, you ate even more than him, but you'd lost your appetite. When you sat down, you hunched your shoulders, leaned back, gave a defeated sort of sigh.
With a mouthful of soba then, Todoroki looked up at someone standing right next to you that you hadn't even noticed.
"Hewo Bakwugo," Shoto said, causing you to jump slightly till your gaze followed his.
Katsuki stood right at the edge of your seat, back in his uniform, sleeves rolled up, no tie on, the buttons of his shirt undone at the top.
You should've expected him to come, he always did, but right now you were more mad than usual. He gave his friends smiles, laughter, teases, his usual personality, just emotions. Then, whenever you were around, he got so cold you could barely even stand sitting next to him.
"Mm," The boy hummed in agreement, ignoring the fact that you were subtly glaring at him.
Either not caring or noticing, he just took the seat at the edge next to you, sure to keep enough distance that his arm or leg wouldn't even think of brushing yours.
"Hi, Bakugo," you said, your voice light and airy but full of passive aggression. "Good job beating Deku. Looks like you had fun."
Though he didn't even turn to look at you, probably didn't even listen to the words coming out your mouth, he gently tossed your earbuds onto the table. Their little thudding as they reached you filled the silence he should've filled by talking.
"Don't leave your stuff lying around," He mumbled, drinking water and continuing to stare forward into nothing.
Your fists clenched. It'd been weeks. Weeks. You understood that he was in pain, that he needed time or whatever the hell that meant, but God did he have to be this... apathetic?
He was just so indifferent. All the time. It made you feel like, at this point, he was only staying around because he thought he had to. Cause who breaks up with the girl who sacrificed herself for them, right? What kind of hero does that?
"If it bothers you, don't touch my stuff then," You bit, taking the earbuds and stuffing them in your pocket. "I didn't ask you to get them for me."
For the first time, he actually did look at you slightly, gave a side-eye worthy of observation. Cause whenever he asked you questions about your meds or stitches or made sure you were okay, you usually just answered. You usually were calm, said 'thanks', didn't object.
But today, there was a more fiery quality to your words. Like you were starting to reach some sort of limit.
"Fine," He muttered, still without a hint of emotion as he once again took a drink and put his cup back down without a care.
Everyone else at the table was at the other end so they didn't hear your conversation, were much too focused on each other. The cafeteria was noisy anyways, it was hard to hear anything unless you spoke above-normal volume.
Your brother, however, was a little closer.
"Is everything alright?" Shoto blinked, his eyes dragging back and forth between you and Katsuki curiously. You were both just looking at the opposite wall, not saying anything to each other.
"Yes." You bit, crossing your arms, neither you nor Katsuki even trying to make any further contact.
"Okay," Shoto smiled, going back to his food before catching sight of his friend.
"Midoriya," He called, waving to the green-haired boy who was still rubbing at his lower back subtly with a tray in hand. "Would you like to sit with us?"
"Oh, sure!" The boy smiled, walking over and sitting himself down across from Todoroki. Bakugo didn't say a thing, neither did you for a few moments.
The tension felt heavy enough that you thought it best to stay quiet for now.
"Good work today Kacchan," Deku said, so sweetly and genuinely even as he was clearly still in some pain, "You really got me out there,"
Bakugo didn't even look at him. Didn't make a tsk-ing sound or call him a stupid nerd which even if it seemed mean, always made Deku smile because he knew Katsuki at least acknowledged him as an opponent.
You just got angrier.
For the past few nights, all Deku had done was defend him. He comforted you, stayed up late for you, gave you everything Katsuki didn't want to give anymore and top of it all, he was more loyal than anyone could've been.
"Is your back okay, Izuku?" You asked because it was the right thing to do. And because it pissed off the boy at your side.
Bakugo tensed the moment Deku's first name left your lips. When you leaned forward, your eyes softening, the care and concern dancing through your voice, he locked his jaw back and forth.
"My back?- Oh!? From training, yeah, it's fine, doesn't hurt that much," Izuku said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Good," You said, nodding your head, "I'd hate for you to get injured before the license exam."
Everyone wouldn't shut up about that stupid thing coming up, but you didn't really care that much. It was such a big deal to all of them, so you asked, but right now you were focused on trying to figure out what you even wanted to do with life instead of obsessing over a stupid provisional test.
"Do you think you'll be able to participate, y/n?" Shoto asked, cocking his head to the side like a puppy.
"I- uh," you started to speak but weren't sure how to break this to him. "I'm not sure I want to,"
"Oh, alright," your brother didn't even question it, just smiled and continued stuffing his face.
He understood. After the revelations of your past, things were still uncertain. You were still healing physically and mentally. And obviously from the indifferent way you acted about your quirk being gone, maybe you felt a little bit freed by its absence. As long as you were happy, that was fine with him.
"What do you mean you don't want to?"
Todoroki, Midoriya, and you all turned at Bakugo's voice.
When you looked up at him, his brows were furrowed, a confused sort of frown on his face. The fact that this was the most emotion you'd seen from him in so long stunned you for a moment.
"I don't have my quirk," You explained, lighter now. Even if you were angry, he deserved to know what you were thinking. "And after everything that's happened, maybe staying in the hero course isn't what I want-"
"What?" He interrupted, his frown intensifying.
Todoroki and Midoriya were polite enough to look away, try and join the conversation of their classmates busy at the other side of the table.
You breathed out shakily.
"Aizawa gave me some options." You went on, staying calm, understanding this might be a bit of a shock to him, "He said I could stay in the dorms and keep having classes with all of you, I would just-"
"Just what? Not train? Not do anything with your life?" The judgment in his tone was full of something fearful like this was causing anxiety to crawl up his spine. His hand was clutching the table, his entire body tense like stone. "What the fuck are you thinking?"
"Watch it," You warned. His tone was getting just a little too righteous for your taste.
"No," he shook his head, "Remember what I said, I won't let you give up,"
"This isn't me giving up, this is me adapting." You had to make yourself clear. "Maybe it's better if I learn to live without Atomic, for now at least,"
People have the misconception that guilt is one of the most powerful emotions. That the reason you gave Atomic was up was because of the regret you felt to your bones from having killed, from having abandoned Tenko, from forgetting so much, all of it.
But you didn't. You gave Atomic up because you wanted to save the people you loved now rather than keep him and save random people in the future.
You were bred and raised to be a hero. And you felt freed by the fact that you no longer had to be forced down a path you weren't even sure you wanted to take. Maybe Bakugo would've understood that if he cared enough to try and speak to you more than once a day.
"I was never sure if I wanted to be a pro or not. I was pushed into it and I never even questioned if I wanted to do anything else," Your words made sense, but Bakugo's breathing only became more uneasy, his eyes more erratic. "Things are clearer now, maybe it's not the right track for me-"
"Why are you saying these things?" He didn't mean to whisper, but perhaps it was only the way he could get across just how serious he was. "How the fuck do you think you'll stay safe if you don't get your quirk back?"
Your jaw hung a little looser, a look of surprise and hurt on your face. Maybe you were right. Maybe he couldn't stand being with you knowing how feeble you were without a quirk.
"Why are you..." You started, your lower lip starting to shake as the realization hit you like a dagger in the chest. "Would it really hurt you that bad if I didn't become a hero?"
"Is that what you want?" He asked, a crazed sort of laughing breath escaping his throat. He even leaned forward, got in your face as he whispered, "You wanna hurt me? Is that why you're saying all this? Putting yourself at risk? Is that why you sneak off at night and have little dates with someone else?"
Your eyes went wide, glossed over. He knew Deku'd been comforting you. He knew and he never said anything or asked why or told you it was okay, he just kept it in like everything else and on top of it all-
"Are you spying on me?"
You were in disbelief but the boy mere inches from your face only frowned harder, his anger threatening to show in other ways.
"It's not spying if you make it that obvious,"
"Make what obvious?" You asked, not understanding how he could think you would be unfaithful to him like that when he was the one always being so distant, "I didn't do anything. He's my friend,"
"I saw you and I heard you down in the common room so don't try and deny it," He bit, breathing through his teeth.
You put a hand through your hair, looked away for only a second, shaking your head.
"Is that why you hurt him?"
"I hurt him cause he's weak-"
"Is that why you won't touch me, then?" Your voice got a little louder, the tears threatening to fall from your eyes catching Bakugo off guard. But he didn't relinquish his stance. Because even if he was causing you pain, why the hell would you give up like this?
He always imagined you being a hero with him, being at an agency of your own or maybe one you shared. He pictured you being strong and fighting villains with him- fighting the same way you did together at Ground Beta, at the USJ, in the forest at camp when you beat your entire class together- why would you throw that all away!?
"It is because you think I'm weak too?" You asked and even though you were holding on by a thread, so close to crying, Bakugo let his pain dictate his words instead of his love. "Is that why you won't even hold my hand?"
"What? Deku's not enough now?" The fact that he was almost laughing hurt more than his words. Raising his brows once in mocking, he dared even further, "You wanna get fucked by the rest of the class too? Go ahead, spread your legs. I'm sure plenty are willing,"
A hitching gasp escaped your mouth as he said those things. He didn't even regret it. Didn't even stop looking at you with that hateful glare in his eyes.
"How can you be this paranoid?" You whispered and though no one else could hear either of you, it hurt to think he was willing to say all this in front of others. "A-And why the hell are you blowing up just because I might not want to be a hero? Just because I don't want to be exactly like you?"
"Yeah, blame it on me, that's a good way to adapt." He mocked and at this point, only your own anger arose from the sadness he was making you feel.
Glaring right back at him, you upturned your chin, said back the only thing you knew was true, "Not everything's about you, Bakugo."
"Katsuki!" He yelled, causing you to fall backward as he banged his fist into the table.
The entire table went quiet. Todoroki and Midoriya turned back around, Shoto taking a moment to scoot closer as you fell back onto him. He put his hand on your arm, reminded you he was there.
The boy you'd just been arguing with was staring down at the ground, breathing so shaky, his eyes welling with tears, his fist trembling on the table. That fear you thought you saw glimpses of before he started to get mad revealed itself beneath his ire.
Even Izuku and Shoto could see how weak he felt in that moment.
"You call me Katsuki," He whispered, so quietly you were the only one that heard what he said.
"Is everything okay?" Shoto asked, this time his voice far deeper, his hand protectively wrapping your arm.
"Kachann," Deku whispered, frowning at his friend, seeing how shocked you were, "You can't yell at her like that,"
A growling sound made its way from Bakugo's throat, his eyes snapping up to face Izuku as he threatened, "One more word out of you and I'll break your jaw,"
"Easy," Todoroki warned, Katsuki receding back into his chair, trying to hide himself as the rest of the people at your table did their best not to stare, to look away from him.
Because there was so much pain in his eyes. So much need for comfort and healing and help- just as much as you. He was overwhelmed. He was stuck. And he hid it so well it was impossible to see how much he kept in.
"Katsuki," you said, slowly leaning back towards him, making sure he gave you his panicked gaze as you gave your own soft one.
Sighing, you swallowed back any anger, any resentment. You told him what he needed to know. What he needed to learn if he was ever going to understand that his aspirations were not always going to be the same as yours.
"You're allowed to have dreams," you said, "But I am not responsible for fulfilling them... And if I can't be what you need me to be... Then you are allowed to go..."
***
You all when I now serve anger instead of sadness:
The way I woulda smacked this man to the fuckin moon if he said that shit to me.
I do not have the INTP patience that y/n has.
Bless her.
Patreon has 53, 54, 55
I am writing the heroes rising plot but it will only be on Patreon for the foreseeable future as it's more of a spin-off and not important to the overall story.
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