She woke up. When she got up, she tripped over a plug. But she stood. Back then, when she had first woken up from the coma, she could also walk again immediately, only her brain had not been dead. She blamed it on her Quirk. Emotions were stored in her memories. Her happiness when she had learned to walk. She remembered that feeling and so she remembered walking. She felt as if she had been born again. Perhaps she was, considering that her recovery was bordering on miraculous. She walked out of her room as if it were the most normal thing in the world. In a ward full of coma patients, nurses were only placed at the entrance anyway. When she arrived at the desk, however, it was empty. Unconcerned, she walked to the lift. More than the words Katsuki and Mina had shouted across the room, she remembered the emotions. Mina knew she could do it, and Katsuki... She had to apologise.
"Is a certain Katsuki bakugo in this hospital or has he already been discharged?" The woman at the counter looked at her questioningly. "Are you his friend?" "Yes." She typed into the computer and then looked up. "Room 304. There were some visitors with him just now, but they left. He's not allowed to leave the room because of disturbance, so please pay attention." "Yes, thank you." Kaede stood in front of the door and hesitated. Her hand hovered in front of the door before she knocked. "This shit, if you won't let me out, then stop bugging me you extras." She took this as an invitation to enter. Katsuki sat, his back turned to her on his bed, looking out the window. He was wearing a hospital gown. "That dress suits you." He jumped up and turned around. His eyes snapped open. "You-" "I just woke up. You know, I heard you. You shouldn't always be so negative about everything-" He hugged her. His hand was on the back of her head, pressing her tightly against him. "I thought you were dead. Forever. I thought you-" "I'm sorry Katsuki." She broke free of the embrace and forced herself to look at him. "I'm sorry I forced you...that I did that to you." I always hurt the ones I love, not even in death can I make them happy. "How is that even possible? You've been dead for ages. And now you walk around here as if nothing ever happened? Is that real?" "I've been in a coma before, maybe that's why." "I don't really care either." He muttered as he pulled her back to him. "The important thing is that you're okay." "Katsuki, I know an apology isn't enough-" "Can you shut up now you idiot?" "Did they give you anything?" Angrily, he stared down at her. "You were dead Kaede. I held you in my arms under that pile of rubble for ages. You didn't breathe the whole time, no heartbeat, your body went cold and I couldn't get out of there. I had to wait for the professionals to dig us out. You think I care about your excuses? What you did was stupid, infinitely stupid. I'm incredibly angry. Don't ever do that again, but now shut up and let me hold you while you breathe, while your body is warm." He left her speechless. What more could be said to that? Mina, of course, had something to say about it. The door was yanked open. "Kaede has disappeared! The plugs have been pulled and she's gone-" She froze. "I don't believe it. All hell is breaking loose up there, everyone's wondering who kidnapped you, and you're here?" Kaede lay on the floor, buried under Mina, while Katsuki jumped out of the way in time. "You're alive!" Mina cried while laughing. "You're our Kaede, aren't you?" "Umm, yes?" "See Katsuki, I knew it."
...
The next few hours were very busy. Kaede had to undergo many examinations, while Hawks watched the doctors very closely. After the mission was officially declared over, the others were able to tell Aizawa that everything was all right. They had the choice of staying at the hospital, going back to the appartment or returning to the UA, and in the end they all felt it was time to go home. The class was beside itself. Aizawa watched with a smile as his students threw themselves at the new arrivals. Some cried with joy, others could not stop laughing. It was a beautiful picture.
...
Kaede lay in a restless sleep. She was dreaming. She dreamt of darkness around her, slowly invading her body. She saw disfigured faces around her whispering things to her. "You were supposed to be dead." She woke up, opened her eyes, but the creepy figures were still there. They were watching her at some distance. Kaede crawled against the wall, her back pressed against it, absolutely distraught. Her head ached and her whole body trembled. She reached for her phone and wanted to call Aizawa, but instead she slipped. She quickly hung up again, but her mobile phone fell down. She pulled her legs to her body, wrapped her arms around them, hid her head between them and made herself very small. She thought she heard a door, but she did not react. She suddenly felt hands on her back and a whisper in her ear that sounded softer than the beings'. "Shhhh, it's all right, I'm here." She looked up, into the crimson red eyes. When she looked into his eyes, the resistance in her broke. She threw her arms around him and pulled him to her. He changed his position so that she was sitting on his lap, legs and arms around his torso, face buried in his chest. His hand stroked her hair. He let her settle until after some time he asked, "What happened?" She broke away from the embrace and looked into the corner. The figures were still there, as if waiting. "Don't you see?" "No." Incredulous, she stared into the blackness. "The doctors said something like that could happen. They wanted me to stay there, but I didn't want to." "It's okay." Tears gathered in her eyes and she stumbled away from Katsuki. "I'm sorry, I should have stayed there, then I wouldn't be a burden." He stood up and tried to get closer, but she backed away. She stood closer to the black creatures than to him. "You're not a burden-" "No. This can't work Katsuki. I.. I can't be loved. I only bring you trouble, I break you. I break you, and then you'll leave, so we shouldn't do this from the beginning." "You're an idiot." He came closer. "You think I'd leave? You're the only person who truly understands me, the only one who's there for me. You're the only one who wants me, even if I'm a fucking asshole. You're perfect, Kaede. You're perfect in my eyes, because I love everything about you. You take care of everyone, I can't do that, I admire you for that. You're so strong, like you never need help, but in moments like these, I'm infinitely happy that I can be there for you, that I can help you. So why the fuck should I leave when you're all I need?" He came even closer, this time she stopped. "I know you're scared. Fuck I am too, because I've never felt anything like this before, but I want to be with you. Even though you're the biggest burden there is in the world, I want you with me." He took one last step towards her. Her back was against the wall as he gently stroked her cheek. He leaned towards her and whispered against her lips, "I love you light bulb." She put her hand against his chest and stopped him from coming closer. Fighting an inner battle, she clenched her hands into fists before looking up at him, "I love you too angry pomeranian."