((TW: post partum issues, body self esteem issues, talk of breastfeeding, negative talk about self. Minors DNI.))
Katsumi was *adorable*. At 4 months, her carmine eyes had come in beautifully, and her full head of (h/c) hair, the same as yours swirled and spiked on her pretty little head.
She cooed as you fed her, for the 3rd time that night. Being an exclusively breast fed baby meant you were a milk machine 24-7.
Which also meant Katsuki was free to do his pro hero work at any time.
When he went back to work (a week. The workaholic went back on patrols a week after Katsumi was born. You were less than pleased.), you obviously had taken the brunt of...everything.
Sure, Mitsuki and Masaru visited and helped where they could- but you were the food source, the comfort, the *mother*. And at her age? Mom trumped everyone else.
However, the big day was about to happen. You were going to have a day to yourself, and Katsuki was going to take you out to dinner. Katsumi could take a bottle, thankfully-so she would be watched by Katsuki's parents.
You had taken a maternity leave from your pro hero work, so you hadn't really been outside (aside from Katsumi's doctor appointments) since her birth.
And it was nerve wracking. As you put her back in her bassinet, you couldn't help but worry.
What if you got engorged?
What if Katsumi was inconsolable?
What if she got sick?
What if she-
The door clicked open slowly. You sat up quickly, a hand hovering over Katsumi's sleeping form, ready to protect her.
"Relax. Its me." A familiar gruff voice said, unusually quiet. You let out a soft sigh.
"Katsuki. Geez." You sighed. He began to peel his costume off.
"I got about three hours of sleep I can get in before next patrols. So can you make sure the brat doesn't wake me up?" He asked, and you withheld your tongue.
As if you had gotten any consistent sleep the past months.
"Sure." You said quietly, settling back into bed. He ruffled your hair.
"Thanks. Night." He slipped in, and soon enough he was out.
You wanted to cry. Scream. Wring that stupid neck of his.
You took a breath. Maybe you shouldn't go out. Katsumi needed you here. Right?
No, you needed this. Everyone insisted.
So why did you feel so bad about it??
A few hours after Katsuki left for his agency, Mitsuki and Masaru came by to pick up Katsumi. As you adjusted her carseat once more, you began to explain things. You reached over, taking the bag you had packed that early morning.
"So here's three bottles and some frozen milk in case she wants more. Every three hours she gets like, about 5 ounces-so a full bottle, but she can eat more!" You said, handing Mitsuki her diaper bag, packed to bursting with everything you thought she might need. Mitsuki eyed the bag.
"This is....really heavy!" She chuckled, a bit suprised at the heft of it.
"Better overprepared than under!" You smiled. Masaru and Mitsuki looked at eachother.
"Right, well. We'll be off. Don't worry about a thing, (y/n)! She's gonna be just fine!" Mitsuki said, tapping the hood of their car.
Katsumi made a noise, and you flew to her side. "Oh, it's okay! You're gonna spend time with grandma and grandpop!!" You cooed, and Katsumi looked disgruntled. You frowned. "M-maybe...I can get her to calm down if I'm there-"
"(Y/n), relax!! You're running yourself ragged! Katsuki told us you barely even bathe! That's no good!" Mitsuki pushed her back to the door of her and Katsuki's apartment. "Just leave it to us! Katsumi's in great hands!"
"Okay. But my phone's on! And if I need to feed her instead of the bottle-"
Mitsuki closed the door. You stared at the door blankly, and heard the engine of their car roll away.
Well.
You stared down at the genkan, then shuffled a little. You gave a sniff in the air.
Oh. You smelled like milk, sweat and diaper cream.
Maybe...a bath couldn't hurt...
You hadn't really *looked* at yourself in the mirror for a hot minute. You stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror. Your eyes looked tired, baggy and slightly red. Your skin had dry patches all over, and was.. that a pimple?? Your hair was dull and dry, but that wasn't the worst of it. You backed up, looking at your torso.
Oh god.
Where there was once a toned stomach, now was soft. Squishy. And...what were those lines?!
Stretchmarks!? Well. That made sense. And your boobs?? Once decent and perky, now like pancakes, nipples cracked slightly. Breastfeeding did a number on them, that was for sure.
What had happened to the sexy, pro hero (h/n)?? You barely recognized yourself. You felt like a pile of flesh, flabby and used up. You found yourself squatting down, flopping on the small shower stool. You felt the rolls squish and undulate as you sat down, and you felt worse. You quickly showered yourself off, avoiding looking at the mirror. You didn't even want to look at your...nether regions. It probably wasn't too good-looking either.
As you set yourself in the tub, you couldn't seem to enjoy it. You felt like a cow, probably smelled like one, and you were certainly producing milk like one.
No wonder Katsuki worked constantly.
"No, stop that." You said to yourself. Katsuki wouldn't be so vain. And he *cried* when Katsumi was born. There was no way he wasn't happy with his new little family.
You tried to think positively. As you got out of the bathtub, you dried yourself off quickly, going to the bedroom.
You had been wearing pj's and lounge clothes for months. You wondered if you could fit into your regular clothes now.
You stared at your jeans. "I'm sure I can fit into these..." one leg in, and the other followed.
Tight. You struggled with the button. Did....did your hips get wider?? You were careful during pregnancy with what you ate, and stayed active. And even though you still had to eat more calories due to breastfeeding, you hardly ate junk.
But here you were, barely fitting into your old clothes before the pregnancy. Once you squeezed yourself in, you grimaced.
Muffin top city. Population? You.
You immediately shucked off the offending material. You threw open your closet.
Soon, piles of your pre-pregnancy clothes were piled on the unmade bed. You had slid down the closet door, naked and feeling even worse than before. Nothing fit right. You didn't even want to think about how your hero costume would fit once you came back from maternity leave.
Would anyone even take you seriously?
You felt awful.
You swallowed back tears, and slowly got up. You went to your dresser, picking out a nursing bra and your maternity underwear. You felt like a leaky grandma, with the granny panties covering your pooch, and the bra wasn't exactly meant for a sexy lift, either. You slipped in some nursing pads, and grabbed some maternity pants and one of Katsuki's tshirts.
You threw your hair up in a messy bun, and went off to pump the milk now making your breasts feel tight.
Katsuki found you on the couch, snoring away. He kicked off his boots in the genkan, looking up at the clock. 5:39. "...Babe?" He looked down at you, leaning onto the back of the couch.
He sighed. He knew you needed the break. You probably hadn't slept right in months. He went to pull over a blanket over you, until he saw two dark spots on your chest.
Uh oh.
"...Oi, (y/n), wake up. Yer leakin'." He said, shaking your shoulder a little. Your eyes fluttered open, and he smirked. "Hey. You got a situation." He pointed to your chest. You looked down.
Crap.
You felt your boobs and sighed. You were full. Again. "Let me...go pump. I'll be back." You sighed, throwing off the now soiled shirt and bra, turning away to go to the bedroom.
Katsuki looked. He smiled softly at you.
There was the woman who he fell in love with. The woman who was the mother of his child, who he watched become something even more amazing than a hero. A mom. He remembered it like it was yesterday. You, giving birth to his child-sweat, tears and blood, shouting only once or twice in exhaustion. You had held onto his hand like a vice, he had never seen such determination from you. Not even when you did your pro hero work.
You were a goddess. You were amazing. You were *his*.
Not once did he see the flaws as flaws. Stretchmarks were like his scars from his high school years. Badges of honor. Your softer form felt warm and so *right*. And your boobs? Well...he had often gotten unusually jealous of their daughter once or twice, let's just leave it at that.
You felt his eyes staring at you. You turned. "What?"
"I love you."
The room went silent. Katsuki usually only said those words when something big was going on. Like their wedding. Or when she told him she was pregnant. Or when Katsumi was born. It wasn't because he didn't love you, no-far from it. He was a man of action and little words when it came to romance.
You found yourself crying. You crouched to the floor. He went to you, wrapping you up in his arms.
You found yourself word vomiting.
You found yourself admitting to him all your pains, your dark thoughts, your feelings of inadequacy and self loathing. He didn't shush you. He just rocked you back and forth as you cried.
You didn't think motherhood would be so lonely, so...sad. You didn't know if your old self would come back or not.
"What're you saying? Of course it won't." Katsuki suddenly said. You blinked away tears.
"H-huh?" You stuttered.
"I mean...You're always gonna be you. But...you also changed. You have to. People change all the time. You just....changed in a bigger way. You're a mom now. You can't stay the same. But..." he sighed. "Youre...You're beautiful. You keep getting more and more beautiful, and I..." he rubbed his forehead, his other arm still holding you to his chest. "...I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again." He mumbled, ears turning red. You found yourself blushing. He swallowed. "Look, I'm shit at words-you know that. But where you see all that crappy stuff, I see a warrior. The woman I fell in love with all those years ago back in U.A . I see who you've become-and I still don't get how you can make me act like a lovesick idiot, even now. Dammit, woman!" He huffed. "You don't even know what you do to me, and here you are, thinking you're some sort of fat cow?! That's not just insulting to you. That's insulting to me." He suddenly narrowed his eyes. "How dare you insult my wife and my child's mother."
You trembled. Suddenly, you felt that hot, gooey feeling in the pit of your stomach. He scooped you up, and you squeaked. "K-katsuki! W-wait! I'm top less and I gotta pump-"
"Oh. Don't worry about that, babe." Katsuki smirked. "I'll take care of that...". You blushed. As he walked into the bedroom with you in his arms, you suddenly realized what he meant.
Oh dear.
((Okay. This is purely self-indulgent. As a mom with a now 15 month old, I really poured myself into this. What reader is experiencing I totally felt, and still felt. I actually cried a little when I got to the self depreciation scene. Because that was me. It's still me. Post partum is a bitch. Motherhood tested me so much, and still does. It probably won't make much sense to you till you actually go through it, but it's crazy. Ironically, I was breastfeeding my kid while I wrote half of this. So...maybe this is also a love letter to myself and to any mom's on here still trying to find themselves. Also, you can't tell me Katsuki wouldn't be crying silent tears while holding his kid, you just can't convince me otherwise. Should I do a part two?))
Your Hinata>>>
Thank you so much đ«¶đŒ
I especially love this one âïž
can some romantic shit happen to me please
hi! could you do bakugo x reader and she gets pregnant while they're in UA? (college au)
Unplanned
Your hands tremble as you stare down at the tiny test in your grip. Two pink lines. Itâs faint, but there. You check the instructions again, as if you havenât already memorized them, as if the result is going to change.
âOh, shit.â The words fall from your lips before you can stop them.
The sound of the bathroom door creaking open makes you jump. âOi, what the hellâs takinâ you so long?â Bakugoâs gruff voice echoes in the small dorm bathroom.
You donât respond immediately. You canât. Your pulse is hammering in your ears, drowning out every rational thought. How are you supposed to tell him?
âHey.â His voice is closer now. He mustâve stepped inside. âYou sick or somethinâ?â
You whip around, nearly knocking over the soap dispenser in your panic. âKatsuki!â You hide the test behind your back, swallowing thickly. âWhat are you doing in here?â
His eyes narrow. âWhat the hell do you mean? This is my dorm too, dumbass.â
Right. Youâre in his dorm. You hadnât even realized your feet took you here instead of your own.
His crimson eyes scan you, taking in your nervous stance, the way your shoulders are hunched, how your grip behind your back is so tight your knuckles have gone white. He scowls. âWhat are you hiding?â
Your heart lurches. âNothing!â
âBullshit.â He steps forward, faster than you can react, and before you know it, his hand is snatching the test from behind your back.
âWaitââ
But itâs too late. His gaze drops to the small stick in his grasp. A thick silence follows.
For once in his life, Katsuki Bakugo is speechless.
You watch his expression shiftâconfusion, realization, then something unreadable. His grip tightens around the test, and his breath comes out in a slow, controlled exhale. âThe fuck is this?â His voice is eerily calm.
You swallow hard. âI⊠I just found out. I was going to tell you, I swearââ
He doesnât move, doesnât speak. Heâs just standing there, staring at the test like itâs a grenade about to go off.
âKatsuki?â Your voice is small, and you hate it.
His gaze snaps to yours. âYouâre pregnant?â
You nod.
Another silence.
Then, his shoulders sag. He rubs a rough hand down his face and exhales sharply. âShit.â
âI know.â
His hands go to his hips, and he paces the tiny bathroom like a caged animal. âHow the fuck did this happen? I mean, I know how it happenedââ He stops and glares at you. âWere you not on the pill?â
Your jaw drops. âExcuse me?â
âIâm just askinâ!â
âI was!â You throw your hands up. âI donât know, maybe it failed! Maybe you have super sperm! I donât know, Katsuki, I didnât exactly plan this either!â
He groans, dragging both hands through his hair before resting them on his hips again. His jaw is clenched so tight you think he might break his teeth.
âI canât believe this,â he mutters.
Your stomach sinks. âYou think I can?â Your voice wobbles. âDo you think I wanted this? Weâre still in school, Katsuki.â
His head snaps up, and the way his gaze sharpens makes your breath hitch. âWhat? You think Iâm just gonna ditch you?â
You blink. âIââ
âThe hell do you take me for?â His voice is rough, but not angry. Not exactly. âI wouldnât fucking do that.â
You suddenly feel small, vulnerable in a way youâre not used to. âI just⊠I donât know what to do.â
He exhales slowly. When he steps forward, heâs cautious, deliberate. His hands land on your shoulders, firm but gentle. âHey.â His voice is softer now. âWeâll figure it out.â
Your eyes sting. âYeah?â
He nods. âYeah.â A deep breath. âWeâre gonna be fine.â
You donât know if thatâs true. But for now, you let yourself believe him.
Part One// Part Two// Part Three
â deaf! Bakugo x Fem Interpreter! Reader
â Interpreting for Dynamight: How Hard Could It Be?
â a note before you begin: wow finally the last part! Thank you so much for all the love Iâve received! Same thing applies to dialogue as the last part, angst..sorry, barely proofread
Hours later, youâve paced your living room so much thereâs practically a permanent path in the carpet. Youâre replaying todayâs events over and over and as much as you want to pretend itâs nothing, Taliaâs words are still in your head.
âThat man doesnât do anything he doesnât want to, he doesnât do shit to be niceâ
Youâre biting your nails as the knock on the door pulls your from your thoughts
The door swings open and reveals Talia, paper bags in arms. âIâm here!â She says. âYour text was so vague âplease come over itâs important!â I didnât know what the vibe was so I think I got everything? Wine.. ice cream.. bunch of junk I dunnoâ she giggles out the last part but the serious expression on your face brings her back to reality âoh shit..â
You step aside wordlessly to let her in, closing and locking the door behind her and sheâs already putting the ice cream into the freezer and grabbing two glasses and the wine opener as youâre throwing yourself onto the couch.
She places the glasses on your coffee table while she makes work of the bottle. âSo.â she says casually, the cork popping loose, âstart talkingâ
You groan into your throw pillows. âI like him.â
âcome again?â she asks, tone teasing and you can hear the smirk in her voice without even looking up at her. âPlease donât be a bitch right now I know you heard meâ
Talia laughs as she pours the wine, shaking her head. âOh, I definitely heard you. I just wanted to make sure you heard you.â You sit up, grabbing one of the glasses she sets down. âTalia, Iâm serious. This isnât funny.â
âThatâs why itâs funny,â she replies, taking a seat beside you and giving you a knowing look. âYouâve been dancing around this for weeks. Weeks. And now youâre finally admitting it.â She leans forward, resting her chin in her hand. âSo? What happened?â
You take a long sip of wine, debating how much to share. âItâs just⊠heâs so frustrating, and he drives me insane, and yet somehow he still manages toâugh!â You groan again, gesturing wildly. âHe signed that I was pretty to me today during a press conference, Talia. And I cannot stop thinking about it.â
Taliaâs eyes go wide, and her jaw drops. âNo way. During the press conference?â
âYes!â you exclaim, slumping back into the couch. âI was a mess this morning, late to work, and he still⊠he said I was pretty. And then had the nerve to smirk about it like he knows exactly what heâs doing.â
âBecause he does know,â Talia says simply, swirling her glass. âHeâs not stupid, you know. Heâs Bakugo. Dynamight. he doesnât do anything by accident.â
You groan again, dragging a hand down your face. âThatâs the problem, Talia! Heâs⊠him! And Iâm⊠me! This shouldnât even be a thing, but here I am losing sleep over it.â
Talia grins and nudges you with her elbow. âYouâre losing sleep because you like him. Admit it. Fully. Out loud.â
You glare at her but know thereâs no escaping it. âFine,â you mutter. âI like him. Happy?â
Talia clinks her glass against yours. âEcstatic. Now, letâs figure out what youâre gonna do about it.â
You stare at her. âWhat am I gonna do about it? Nothing! Iâm going to do nothing!â
She takes a long sip of wine and raises her eyebrow at you âso what? Youâre going to sit there everyday and pine? Please, y/n, youâre much too pretty for that sad shit.â
You shoot her a look. âIâm not pining. Iâm just⊠processing.â She snorts. âProcessing? Sure. Totally healthy to pace holes into your carpet over someone who called you pretty.â
âItâs not just that,â you snap, running a hand through your hair. âItâs everything. Heâs complicated and stubborn and way too good at getting under my skin. And then he does something sweet, like making a little girlâs entire life just by talking to her, and Iââ Talia leans in, eyes sparkling with mischief. âAnd you melt. Admit it.â
You groan, pressing the glass of wine to your forehead. âI hate you.â âNo, you donât. You hate that Iâm right,â she teases. âSo whatâs stopping you? He clearly likes you too.â
You sit up straighter at that, shaking your head. âHe does not.â âOh, please,â Talia scoffs. Talia snorts, setting her glass down as she fixes you with a knowing look. âThis man signed that you were pretty during a press conference, in front of millions of people. If thatâs not bold, I donât know what is.â
You shake your head, desperate to downplay the moment before your face bursts into flames. âHe knows nobody else there knew sign, and he wasnât even on camera at the time. It wasnât that big of a deal.â
Talia gasps, mock-offended, clutching her chest. âNot that big of a deal? Are you kidding me? That makes it more of a deal! It wasnât for the cameras. It wasnât for anyone else. It was just for you.â
Her words hit you like a ton of bricks, and you blink at her, mouth opening and closing as you struggle to find a rebuttal. âIâno, itâit wasnât like that. Heâs justâŠâ âJust into you,â Talia finishes, her tone smug as she leans back on the couch, wine glass in hand.
Your cheeks burn, and you down the rest of your wine, hoping the flush on your face can be blamed on the alcohol. âEven if he isâwhich he isnâtâit doesnât matter. We work together. Itâs⊠complicated.â
âComplicated is just an excuse people use when theyâre scared,â Talia says bluntly, pouring you another glass. âSo whatâs the real reason?â
You hesitate, swirling the wine in your glass as you try to put the knot of emotions in your chest into words. âI just⊠I donât think Iâm what someone like him wants. Or needs.â
Taliaâs expression softens, and she places a hand on your knee. âHey. Stop that. Youâre amazing, and anyone would be lucky to have you. If Bakugo canât see that, though Iâm pretty sure he does, then thatâs his problem, not yours.â
You glance at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips. âWhen did you get so wise?â
She grins, holding up her glass. âHey Iâve always been wise! Youâre just finally listening!â
You clink your glass against hers, letting out a breath you didnât realize you were holding. âThanks, Talia.â
âAnytime,â she replies, leaning back on the couch with a satisfied smirk. âNow, letâs strategize. Step one: stop denying your feelings. Step two: figure out how to get Bakugo to admit his. Step threeââ
You groan loudly, cutting her off. âTalia, I swearââ
She laughs, holding her hands up in surrender. âFine, fine. No step three. Yet. But Iâm telling you, this is gonna work out. Just wait and see.â
You roll your eyes, but a small part of youâa hopeful, stubborn partâwonders if maybe sheâs right. You push the thought aside for now; overthinking wonât solve anything tonight. Right now, you just want to enjoy the time with Talia.
Scooting closer, you grab the blanket draped over the arm of the couch and spread it across both your laps. âAlright, no more of this. Letâs focus on something less complicated,â you say, grabbing the remote and scrolling through the movie options.
Talia grins, leaning into you as she sips her wine. âFine by me. Something cheesy and predictable? Bonus points if someone has a dramatic airport chase scene.â
You snort and select a romcom that promises exactly that. The opening credits roll as you settle back against the couch, the tension in your shoulders finally easing.
The rest of the night passes in laughter and shared commentary about the movieâs ridiculous plot twists. The bottle of wine empties quickly, and by the time the credits roll, both of you are drowsy under the weight of the blanket.
For the first time in what feels like forever, you let yourself relax. Whateverâs going on with Katsuki, it can wait. Tonight is for you and your best friend, and thatâs more than enough.
You walk into the office the next morning with a strange, uneasy feeling you canât quite shake. Itâs not like you expect anything to changeâadmitting you like Bakugo to Talia doesnât magically alter the dynamic between you two. But now that youâve acknowledged your feelings, every glance, every moment with him feels heavier, like youâre hyper-aware of his presence.
And you are.
Maybe youâd admit the way you feel, but every single voice of reason is screaming at you not to. Donât do it. Itâs a mistake. Itâs just a crush and itâll pass.
When you get to your desk, you glance toward his office out of habit, finding the door slightly ajar. You can just make out the blonde spikes of his hair behind his chair, his broad shoulders hunched over paperwork. He doesnât look up when you walk in, and for some reason, that stings a little. Usually, he at least gives you a curt nod or some kind of acknowledgement, but today⊠nothing.
Shaking it off, you settle into your seat and get to work. Maybe heâs just focused.
But as the hours tick by, that feeling doesnât go away. Heâs quietâtoo quiet. No sarcastic comments when he passes your desk, no requests for coffee or updates, no snarky remarks during meetings. You tell yourself youâre imagining it, that heâs just having an off day.
Itâs not until the next day, when lunch rolls around, that your suspicions start to feel like reality.
âHey, you still good for lunch today?â you ask, poking your head into his office. You try to sound casual, like you havenât been overthinking every interaction since you walked in yesterday.
He doesnât look up from his laptop. âCanât. Busy.â
The response is so abrupt it almost feels rehearsed.
âOh,â you say, blinking. âUh, okay. Another time then?â
âYeah. Sure.â
His tone is clipped, dismissive, and heâs still not looking at you. You linger in the doorway for a moment, waiting for⊠something. A glance, an apology, anything. But it never comes.
You nod to yourself, swallowing the lump in your throat, and step back. âAlright. Let me know.â
The door clicks shut behind you, and the uneasiness from yesterday flares into something sharper.
By the third day of his weird behavior, the uneasiness has settled into a constant weight in your chest. Every time you try to reach outâwhether itâs a quick message, a casual question, or even just passing by his officeâheâs distant, vague, and uninterested. You text him that evening, hoping to clear the air.
You: âHey, everything okay? Youâve been kinda off lately.â
The reply comes almost an hour later, short and unhelpful.
Katsuki: âFine. Just busy.â
You frown at the screen, debating whether to push further, but something stops you. Maybe itâs the flatness of his response, or the way heâs been acting, but you feel like youâre walking on eggshells.
And then, just as youâre about to respond, you notice something.
The text thread is gone.
You stare at your phone, disbelief flooding your veins as you realize what just happened.
He blocked you.
Your mind scrambles for an explanation. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe his phone glitched. Maybeâno, you stop yourself. Thereâs no justifying this. Heâs been pulling away, piece by piece, for days now, and this feels like the final nail in the coffin.
You sit on the edge of your bed, phone still clutched in your hand as you try to make sense of it. What the hell just happened?
Was it something you did? Something you said? You replay every interaction in your head, searching for where things went wrong. But no matter how much you analyze it, you keep coming back to the same conclusion: you didnât do anything. This is him.
And it hurts.
The next morning, youâre determined to act like everythingâs fine. Itâs not, obviously, but you refuse to let anyone in the office see you crack. Especially not him.
When you walk in, you donât even glance toward his office. You focus on your desk, your work, anything to keep yourself occupied. But ignoring him is easier said than done when his presence looms so large, even when heâs not in the room.
The tension builds all day, and by the time you clock out, youâre emotionally drained. You make it home, kick off your shoes, and collapse onto the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Youâre trying not to think about himâtrying so hardâbut every quiet moment drags your mind back to the same place. To the way he called you pretty, the way he made you feel seen, the way heâs been acting like you donât exist.
And thatâs when you decide.
You need a distraction.
You grab your phone and scroll through your contacts until you find the number you havenât used since youâd seen it on that note. The guy with the easy smile and the bad pick-up lines. The guy you barely even remember
You: âHey, are you free tonight?â
When he texts back almost immediately, you hesitate for half a second before replying. You set up the dateânothing fancy, just drinks at a casual spot downtown, maybe an appetizer if youâre feeling adventurous and then toss your phone aside, already second-guessing yourself.
You donât like him. You know that. But maybe you could. Maybe spending time with someone who isnât Katsuki Bakugo will remind you that the world doesnât revolve around him.
Hours later, youâre at the bar, sitting across from the guy whoâs trying way too hard to make you laugh. Youâre smiling, youâre nodding, youâre even sipping your drink like youâre having a good time, but your mind is elsewhere.
Itâs not working.
Youâre halfway through the date when you feel itâthat prickle on the back of your neck, like someoneâs watching you. You glance around the room, and your stomach drops when your eyes land on him.
Katsuki.
Heâs sitting in a booth on the other side of the bar, surrounded by a few pro heroes you recognize. Heâs not looking at them, though. His gaze is locked on you, jaw tight, expression unreadable.
Your date says something, but you donât hear it. The noise of the bar fades as the two of you stare at each other from across the room.
You look away first, heart pounding in your chest. What the hell is he doing here?
The bar is too loud. The kind of loud that drowns out every coherent thought if you let it. Katsuki doesnât let it.
Heâs leaned back in his seat, one arm draped casually over the back of the booth, but his eyes are locked on you. He doesnât even realize how hard his jaw is clenched until Kirishima nudges him with an elbow.
âYo, you good?â
Katsuki doesnât answer. He canât. His mind is a tangled mess, and it all leads back to you. Sitting there with that guy. Laughing, even though Katsuki knows damn well itâs not real. He can read it all over your face.
And yet, he canât look away.
His drink sits untouched on the table, condensation pooling beneath the glass, but he doesnât notice. His thoughts are too loud.
Why does it bother me so much?
Itâs not like youâre his. You never were. And yet the thought of you smiling at someone else, laughing at someone elseâs stupid jokesâit makes something inside him twist in a way he canât name.
And then, thereâs that other thought. The one thatâs been festering since the moment you walked into his life.
She has too much power over me.
He grips his thigh under the table, grounding himself. Itâs true, isnât it? Youâve taken up space in his head he never meant to give you. Itâs not just the way you make him feelâitâs what you represent.
He used to think his Deafness was just another part of him. Like his quirk, like his temper. Something heâd learned to live with.
And then you came along.
You, with your easy understanding and your patience and your damn compassion. You didnât just see him. You knew him, in a way that made him feel vulnerable, and he hates it. He hates the way you make him feel exposed, like you can see right through him.
Thatâs what this is really about, isnât it? Power.
You have it, and he doesnât. Not over himself, not over his own damn identity.
His grip on the glass tightens. He doesnât need this. Doesnât need you.
Kirishimaâs voice cuts through his thoughts, though itâs muffled and distant, and he knows Eijirou knows he canât hear him. Katsuki doesnât bother trying to piece the words together. He just stands, shoving his hands into his pockets and muttering something about needing air.
Youâd excused yourself to bathroom, feeling your hands go clammy and your heart race and you needed the relief of cool water. You donât know how long you stand there, trying to pull yourself together, but when you finally leave the bathroom, heâs gone.
And somehow, thatâs worse.
The rest of the night is a blur. You go through the motions, nodding along to your dateâs stories and laughing in the right places, but your heart isnât in it. Your thoughts are with Bakugoâhis expression, the way he looked at you, and the fact that he just⊠left.
By the time you get home, youâre emotionally spent. You collapse onto your couch, replaying the night in your mind, trying to make sense of it. Why was he there? Why was he watching you?
You donât have any answers, but one thing is clear.
Ignoring this was not going to be as easy as you thought.
The next morning you go through the motions, deciding fine, he wants to be that way and he can. Youâre here to do a job and you will even if you hate the way thereâs an ache in your chest.
You arrive at the agency, scanning you badge like usual only to be met with an unfamiliar red light and accompanied beeping. âWeirdâ you whisper to yourself, banging on the door a few times. You can see Talia at her desk and she walks over and opens up the door for you
âSorry, my badge wasnât workingâ you furrow your browns and shake your head in frustration. âNo problem, girl,â she says with a small shrug, holding the door open for you as you walk inside. âItâs probably just a glitch. Happens sometimes.â
You nod, but you feel the weight of something off in the air as you head into the building. As you walk through the familiar halls, the quiet feels a little too heavy. Youâre not sure why, but you canât shake the feeling that somethingâs different.
You make your way upstairs, the thought of Bakugo weighing on your mind. You canât help but wonder whatâs going on. His behavior has been so strange latelyâso distant. But you donât have time to dwell on it. You sit down at your desk, hoping the distraction of work will ease your mind, but it doesnât. Not when you keep thinking about him.
You glance around the office, everything still the same on the surface. But something about it feels off.
And then, you see him and itâs like a slap to the face.
Bakugo. Dynamight. Standing there, right across the room, and the moment your eyes lock, your breath hitches. Thereâs something different in his gazeâa cold, calculated look that doesnât soften when it meets yours. The same gaze he gave you the first morning youâd arrived, when you were so sure you were about to help him in ways that mattered..and you see them. His hearing aids, it makes your heart drop
Itâs like the whole world shifts with the realization.
He doesnât need you anymore. He doesnât need an interpreter.
Your feet move beneath you before your brain even catches up and youâre grabbing him, pulling him into his office and shutting..no slamming the door. You huff and your eyes search him for something, anything but you see nothing but his cold, crimson eyes.
You swallow hard, finally finding your voice again. âYou⊠you got your hearing aids fixed?â
He doesnât answer. He doesnât need to. The silence says everything.
âIâm not⊠your interpreter anymore, am I?â He shakes his head, his expression unreadable. âNo.â
It feels like the room falls silent, even though it isnât. The words and hands are heavy in the air. Your mind races, your chest tightening with each passing second. You can feel your heart breaking
You hold your dominant hand up beside your head, making a motion as if your flicking up into the air as you shake your head
DONâT UNDERSTAND.
âW-what about all your progress?â You can feel the tears welling up in your eyes and your voice is cracking almost pathetically. You canât cry. You canât cry because you donât have a reason to, interpreters who get fired donât cry.
Except⊠youâre not just an interpreter.
Youâre something more. And youâre so damn tired of pretending youâre not.
He says nothing in return, but his eyes linger on you for a moment longer. You wish you could read him, but itâs impossible now. You canât help but feel like youâve lost something important, even though you donât know what it is.
âCan we.. still have lunch together?â The words slip out before you can stop them, and you canât help the way your chest tightens in that small flicker of hope. Maybe⊠maybe this isnât all over. Maybe this rejection of his learning isnât a rejection of you.
He looks down hesitating, taking a breath and opens his mouth to speak. His eyes flicker to you, and thatâs when you see itâthe flicker of recognition, the briefest trace of something almost human. He shuts his mouth with another shake of the head.
You notice the flicker in his eyes but Itâs not enough to stop the ache inside you from spreading further, tearing at something you didnât even realize would hurt you this much until now.
So he just didnât want you. That harsh truth weighs on you like nothing else. Itâs not just the physical presence of the hearing aidsâitâs everything that they represent. The end of something you thought was real. Something you thought mattered to him.
You donât say anything. You canât. Instead, you just stand there, feeling the weight of what heâs done. Feeling the weight of what heâs taken from you without a single word, without a single explanation he leaves the room.
He doesnât need you. And in that moment, you realize, you never really mattered to him.
You hold yourself togetherâbarely. Your nails dig into your palms as you fight to stay composed, forcing the tears to wait. But the second the elevator doors close behind you, itâs like a dam breaks. Hot tears streak down your face, silent but unrelenting, as you descend. You canât stop them, canât stop the way your chest feels like itâs collapsing in on itself.
By the time you reach the lobby, your sobs are quiet but persistent, the ache in your throat growing unbearable. Taliaâs voice calls out to you from the front desk, a mixture of concern and confusion. âHey! Hey, what happened? Waitââ
You donât stop. You canât. You push through the front doors, ignoring her voice, knowing she canât leave her station to follow you. The cold air outside hits you like a slap, but it does nothing to ground you. Youâre too far gone, your mind replaying the scene over and over like some cruel, inescapable loop.
He doesnât need you anymore. He doesnât care.
You donât even remember how you get home. The walk is a blur of noise and tears and a weight pressing down on your chest so heavy youâre sure itâll crush you. When you finally make it back, the silence of your apartment is deafening. It surrounds you, suffocates you, fills every corner like itâs mocking your emptiness.
Your bag hits the floor, and you follow it, sinking to your knees as another sob tears its way out of you. You clutch your chest, trying to hold yourself together, trying to keep yourself from falling apart completely. But itâs no use.
It hurts.
It hurts in a way you canât explain, in a way youâve never felt before. Itâs not just the loss of a job or the suddenness of it allâitâs him. Itâs the way he looked at you, like you were nothing. Like everything youâd worked on, everything youâd shared, meant nothing to him. And maybe it didnât. Maybe you were foolish to think it ever did.
You sit there for what feels like hours, your tears eventually slowing, replaced by a numbness that leaves you hollow. Youâre not sure when your phone starts buzzing, but you glance at it long enough to see Taliaâs name lighting up the screen. You donât answer. You canât. Not right now. Not when the sound of her voice will break you all over again.
You toss the phone onto the couch, curling up against the cushions and pulling a blanket over you like it might shield you from the world outside. But even as you close your eyes, the ache in your chest lingers, reminding you of what youâve lost.
And for the first time in a long time, youâre not sure how to move forward.
Itâs dark out when the front door opening makes you jump and there you see Talia, still fully adorned in her work clothes and a panicked expression kicking off her shoes in your front entry way. She closes the door behind her and crushes to your slumped form on the couch.
âYou donât think I know you keep the key under the mat? Iâve been calling you for hours!â She says, her tone sharp with worry but she softens when her eyes meet your puffy, red ones.
âItâs fine,â you mumble, barely lifting your head from the couch cushion. Your voice is hoarse, raw from hours of crying. âYou didnât have to come.â
âStop it. Clearly, I did,â Talia shoots back, dropping her bag on the floor before sitting beside you. She sighs as she takes you in, her brows furrowed in concern. âWhat happened, babe? Iâve never seen you like this.â
You shake your head, willing the tears not to start again. âItâs nothing. Iâm just being stupid.â
âStop that,â she says firmly, reaching out to grab your hand. âYouâre not stupid. Something happened. Talk to me.â
You donât respond right away. Your throat feels tight, and for a moment, you think about brushing her off entirely. But the way sheâs looking at you, like she wonât let you get away with it, makes you cave.
âItâs Bakugo,â you finally admit, your voice breaking on his name. The tears you were holding back spill over again, and you quickly wipe at them, frustrated with yourself. âHe⊠he doesnât need me anymore, Talia. He got his hearing aids fixed, and he fired me.â
Her face shifts from worry to disbelief, her mouth falling open. âHe what?â
You nod, pulling your knees to your chest. âHe didnât say it outright, but my badge didnât work this morning, and he⊠he told me Iâm not his interpreter anymore. I think he knew exactly what he was doing.â
âAre you kidding me?â Taliaâs voice rises in outrage, and she looks ready to storm out of your apartment and march back to his office. âThatâs insane. Youâve been there for him every step of the way. Youâve helped him. And now he justâwhat? Tosses you aside?â
You shrug helplessly, your fingers twisting in the hem of your sweater. âI shouldâve known better. I thought⊠I donât know. I thought maybe it meant something. But it didnât.â
âOh, hell no.â Talia stands up, pacing the room as her anger radiates off of her. âThis isnât about you. This is his problem. Youâve done everything you could for him, and if he canât see that, then thatâs on himânot you.â
You let out a bitter laugh. âDoesnât really make it hurt any less.â
Talia stops pacing and sits back down, pulling you into a tight hug. âI know it doesnât. But youâre not gonna sit here and blame yourself for this. Youâre amazing at what you do, and if he canât appreciate that, then heâs the one whoâs losing out.â
Her words offer a small comfort, but the ache in your chest remains. You lean into her, closing your eyes and letting the silence stretch between you. For now, youâre grateful sheâs here, even if nothing else makes sense.
She rubs your back for a few short moments before getting up and leaving the room, reappearing minutes later and helping your weak form to your feet, guiding you to the bathroom where sheâs drawn you a warm bath. Steam rises, and the faint scent of lavender fills the air.
âRelax, loveâ she smiles. âBreathe, okay? Take your time in here. Call me if you needâ
Tears prick your eyes at her thoughtfulness, and you manage a small nod, unable to speak. She squeezes your hand before leaving, and you lower yourself into the bath, the warmth wrapping around you like a fragile cocoon. For the first time all day, you feel a sliver of peace creeping in, though it doesnât quite reach your chest. You let the water carry you for a while, letting yourself simply exist.
When you finally rinse off and step out, you make your way to your bedroom to find fresh sheets neatly made on your bed and your softest pajamas laid out. The sight makes your throat tighten, but in a different wayâthereâs comfort in knowing someone cares this much.
thereâs a faint smell wafting through your small apartment and you, now dressed search for her to find her in the kitchen. humming softly to herself. She glances up the moment she notices you, her face lighting up.
âThere she is! Feeling a little better, love?â she asks, setting down a spatula.
You give a small nod, though the heaviness in your chest hasnât fully lifted. âA little,â you manage, your voice still shaky.
She smiles, turning back to the stove to plate the food. âSo⊠Iâm not the greatest cook. You know Iâm no Bakugo, butââ She cuts herself off when she sees you wince at his name, muttering a quiet apology. After a beat, she places a plate in front of you and gestures toward the couch. âCome on. Letâs sit and eat.â
You feel bad, the meal looks delicious and you know she worked hard on it but you canât bring yourself to eat it, thereâs an emptiness, a hollowness but itâs not hunger. Talia watches as you push the food around your plate. Her smile fades, replaced by concern. âYou need to eat,â she says gently but firmly. âI know you. You skipped breakfast this morning. Donât try to deny itâI can tell.â
You shrug, your fork barely scraping the surface of your food. âIâm just⊠not hungry.â
âBabe, you have to take care of yourself,â she insists, her voice softening but still insistent. âI know today was awful, but you canât keep running on empty.â
You donât respond, your eyes fixed on the plate in front of you. The emptiness in your chest feels too big, too consuming to let anything else in. Talia places a hand on your knee, grounding you. âI know it hurts,â she whispers. âBut you canât let this break you. Youâre stronger than this. Stronger than him.â
Her words stir something deep inside you, but the ache remains. You take a small bite, more for her than for yourself, and she offers a small, encouraging smile. âThatâs my girl,â she says quietly.
The two of you sit in silence after that, the only sound the faint clink of her fork against her plate. Even though the pain doesnât go away, having her there makes it feel just a little more bearable.
When you finish eating, Talia wordlessly takes your plate and hers, rinsing them off and placing them in the sink. She hums softly to herself, the sound grounding in its normalcy, as she washes the dishes. Afterward, she disappears into the bathroom to take a shower, calling out a quick, âIâm stealing your sweats!â before you hear the water turn on.
You crawl into bed, exhaustion weighing down your every move. The fresh sheets feel cool against your skin, the faint scent of lavender fabric softener lingering from earlier. By the time Talia returns, her damp curls are tied up, and sheâs wearing your oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants. Sheâs carrying a pint of ice cream in one hand and two spoons in the other.
Wordlessly, she slides into bed beside you, popping the lid off the ice cream and offering you a spoon. You take it, and for the next hour, you cuddle together, legs tangled beneath the blankets as you watch a lineup of terrible romcoms on your laptop. The kind of movies with cheesy dialogue and over-the-top plots that you usually roll your eyes at but now somehow find comfort in.
Every so often, Talia sneaks a glance at you. She doesnât say anything when the tears start to fall again, silently wiping your cheeks with her sleeve and giving your hand a gentle squeeze.
âYou donât have to talk about it,â she says softly, her voice almost a whisper. âBut youâre not alone, okay? Youâll never be alone.â
You nod, leaning into her warmth. For the first time in what feels like forever, you let yourself believe her. Even if the ache in your chest still lingers, you let yourself be held. Let yourself cry. Let yourself exist, just as you are, in that moment.
As the night drags on, the ice cream long forgotten and the romcoms playing in the background, you feel yourself start to relax in her arms. And though the pain hasnât gone away, the weight of it feels a little less unbearable with her there by your side.
Bakugo sighs, staring at the ceiling above his bed His jaw clenched as the memory of her face flashed in his mind. The way you eyes had widened in confusion, then crumpled into something raw and broken when you realized what he was telling you. He didnât think heâd ever forget the way your hands moved, shaky and uncertain, as you signed donât understand.
You didnât understand. Of course you didnât. Heâd made sure of that.
âYouâre a fucking coward,â he muttered to himself, fisting the comforter around him
The truth was simple, but it was too ugly to say out loud. He couldnât handle you anymore. Couldnât handle the way you made him feel seen in ways that scared the shit out of him.
Heâd spent his whole damn life being the best. Strong. In control. And yet, somehow, you had this hold over him. This power.
It wasnât just you. It was everything you represented.
Being around you made him feel exposed, like you could see all the cracks he worked so hard to hide. And when you signed, when you looked at him like he was worth the effort, it was like you were holding up a mirror to all the things he didnât want to face about himself.
You made him weak. At least, thatâs what he kept telling himself. He stood abruptly, pacing the length of his bedroom.
He had his hearing aids now. He didnât need to rely on anyone anymore. No interpreters. He could go back to being the Dynamight the world expected him to be. So why did it feel like heâd just thrown away something he couldnât replace?
Bakugo stopped in front of the window, staring out at the city below. His reflection stared back at him, and for the first time in a long time, he didnât recognize the man in the glass.
âThis is for the best,â he muttered, as if saying it out loud would make it true.
But the ache in his chest didnât go away.
You feel a bit hollow as time goes on, your heart still tethered to the past despite the passing months. Every morning you wake up, you get dressed, and you go through the motions of your day. Youâve found yourself in a routine, one that doesnât require too much emotional investment. But still, that acheâthe one that first blossomed the day you left Bakugoâs officeâhasnât faded. It may have softened a little, but itâs still there and you find it pathetic
Talia is there, Her comforting presence fills the empty spaces in your life, and though you donât deserve the kind of loyalty she gives you, she doesnât care. Sheâs your friend, your rock, and for all the hurt youâve experienced, her kindness is a balm for your soul. Even though this job broke your heart it brought you to her and for that you couldnât be more grateful.
Itâs been three months since you left the office that day. You get a new interpreting job at Red Riots agency, the same work, interpreting press conferences and such while working for the VRS. It gets you by.
Red Riot is calmer, and has this softness about him that comforts you. You like this job, everyone is kind and you have staff lunches together. Itâs a far cry from the tension that always seemed to hang in the air at Bakugoâs agency, and youâve started to find comfort in the mundane, in the simplicity of working with good people who care about each other.
But still, there are days when you find yourself staring off into space, the memories of Bakugo haunting you. Itâs strangeâhow someone you once thought was nothing but a client could leave such an impression on your life. You shake your head, trying to push away the lingering thoughts. Youâve moved on, right? Youâve found someone else.
Mason.
The relationship is casualâsomething that started with an easygoing vibe, no expectations. Heâs a good guy, in his own way. But thereâs something missing. You donât feel the spark, the connection you once thought would be there when you found someone else. Heâs just filling the void left by someone elseâs absence. And when he eventually leaves, when he decides he wants something more than youâre willing to offer, you donât blame him.
He deserves more, just like you do.
You canât love Masonânot in the way he needs you to. But you canât love anyone the way you loved him either. That part of you is broken, fragile, and still stuck in the past. And when Mason walks out of your life, it stings, but itâs not the gut-wrenching pain you once felt. Instead, itâs a quiet acceptance that you canât force something to be what it isnât.
Youâll heal. You have to.
Days go by, and you settle into the rhythm of your new life. Youâre getting used to being on your own, to not having that constant pull of someone you canât reach, someone who made you feel like you were worth something and then yanked that validation away. The job, the quiet comfort of Red Riotâs agency, even the stillness in your apartmentâitâs all a small, healing process.
Talia notices the change. Youâre not as sad as you were, but thereâs a quiet in your eyes, a space where something used to be. Sheâs not the type to press you about it, but you know sheâs there, always. And sometimes, in the stillness of your shared moments, she asks about your day, about the people youâre meeting. Itâs gentle, but the concern is there, too.
One afternoon, as the sunlight filters through your apartment, Talia shows up with her usual enthusiasm.
âI was thinking,â she says, her voice light, âthat we should take a weekend trip. Just to get away, yâknow?â
You look up from the book youâve been skimming, surprised by the suggestion. âWhere would we even go?â
âI donât know,â she shrugs, âbut I thought it might be nice to shake things up. A change of scenery. Youâre kind of⊠in this zone lately. I mean, I get it, but maybe itâs time for something new.â
Her words hit a little too close to home, but you donât resist. You nod slowly. âYeah⊠maybe.â
So you do, you book a little weekend get away to somewhere that might me warmer at the end of March. Somewhere remote and peaceful, and for the first time in a long while, you let yourself get excited about something. Itâs the promise of something different, something that doesnât carry the weight of your past.
The day of the trip comes, and you pack with an ease that surprises you. Youâve never really been the type to just leave, but the idea of doing something just for you, for the sake of your peace, feels right. The car ride is full of chatter and laughter, the way it used to be before everything changed.
You spend the next few days enjoying the quiet. Talia insists on cooking meals, and you both take walks in the crisp air. Evenings are spent curled up by the fire, watching movies or talking about anything and everything. Itâs healing, in its own way. You still think of Bakugo sometimes, but not with the same desperation. Itâs more of a quiet recognition of what once was.
On the last day, just as youâre packing up to head home, you find yourself alone outside, staring at the horizon, the sunlight filtering through the trees. Thereâs a soft breeze that cools your skin, and for the first time in months, you allow yourself to feel a bit of peace. You breathe in deeply, letting go of the tension thatâs built up in your shoulders.
âYou okay?â Taliaâs voice breaks the silence, and you turn to find her standing there, leaning against the porch rail.
You nod, smiling softly. âYeah. I think I am.â She grins. âGood. You deserve that, you know? To feel⊠okay.â
Itâs the first time in a while that youâve been able to say that, and the fact that sheâs right makes you feel something you havenât in a while
Bakugo stands in the crowd, a frown etched on his face as he tries to power through yet another community event. Heâs here because he has to be. This is part of the hero workâthe appearances, the press, the smiles for the public. But none of it feels real. His mind keeps drifting back to that day, three months ago, when heâd decided to sever ties with you, with the very thing that had helped him feel whole again. If you were here maybe he wouldnât feel nearly as uneasy.
âDynamight!â He blinks and turns. there she is. Emma. The small Deaf girl heâd encountered months ago.
Sheâs bouncing up and down with excitement as he strides over to her, hands up to sign with her. Something he said he would do but never stopped doing. Because even though heâd told himself he was done, part of him knows itâs a lie. Not completely. Not for Emma.
For her. He tells himself, pushing the thought away. Deaf kids should get to talk to their favorite hero too.
âHey, kidâ he greets her with a rare, softened tone. He crouches slightly, offering her a small smile as she holds something up excitedly.
âI wanted to show you something!â Emma exclaims, her hands moving rapidly in excitement. She opens a small notebook in her hands and flips it to the first page.
On it is a crayon drawing of the two of them, him dressed in his hero suit and her dressed in her own, future hero suit
âItâs us together as heroes!â She beams. âYeahâŠâ he murmurs, his hand hovering above the drawing but not quite touching it. Thereâs an unexpected warmth in his chest. âItâs⊠great, Emma.â
âThis is you,â she signs, pointing to the crayon version of him in his hero costume, âand this is me, when I grow up! Iâm gonna be just like you!â Her hands move quickly, her enthusiasm clear, but Bakugo can see the spark in her eyesâa trust, an admiration, something that feels different than what heâs used to.
For a moment, Bakugo doesnât know how to respond. He hasnât been sure of himself in so long, especially in moments like thisâwhen people, when kids, look at him like heâs a hero they want to emulate. He stands, not quite sure how to bridge the silence that lingers.
âYouâre gonna be a great hero,â he says, the words feeling like something heâs wanted to say to someone for a while, but could never quite get out. âYouâre strong.â
She beams again, her smile lighting up her face. âReally? You think so?â She signs the question with wide eyes.
âI know so,â Bakugo replies, and this time, it feels like heâs speaking the truth. His gaze softens as he looks down at the drawing again, and for a second, he can almost see itâthe future she imagines, the one where they both stand side by side. The idea lingers in his chest, but then Emma pulls him from his thoughts again.
âYouâre a good kid,â he tells her, then signs, âBe careful. Heroes gotta be smart.â
She nods vigorously, her small face serious, but only for a moment before sheâs grinning again. âI will! I promise!â
Then for a second, her brows lift with her widening eyes, she reaches up to lightly brush her small fingers at his ears.
ME, YOU, SAME?
His breath hitches and he releases a shaky breath, looking down at this little girl, so innocent and full of hope.
YES
And in that moment, something shifts inside him. Something heâd tried to bury, something you had stirred, but heâd resisted. For the first time in a while, Bakugo doesnât feel like heâs convincing himself of something. Heâs simply⊠doing. Simply being.
Maybe he doesnât have all the answers, but for Emma, for the hope she carries, heâll show up. Heâll be the hero she sees in him.
Later that night, alone in his apartment, Bakugo stands in front of the mirror, his hands hanging at his sides. His mind runs back to Emmaâs simple words, her unguarded, honest look at him.
Maybe itâs time to stop pretending.
Maybe itâs time to stop hiding.
Heâs been living in the shadows of his own self-doubt, letting fear drive him to keep his identity a secret, to avoid confronting the truth of who he really is. But Emma⊠sheâs not afraid. And if she can embrace who she is, maybe he can too.
The decision comes suddenly, but he knows itâs right. He reaches for his phone, fingers trembling slightly as he types out a message heâs been avoiding for months.
Itâs time to tell the world.
you wake up on your day off to the buzz of your phone going off relentlessly. You groggily reach over, blinking the sleep from your eyes, to see an array of notifications lighting up your screen. The headline of every major news source, from social media to the morning news, reads something like:
âDynamight Comes Out as Deaf: A Heroâs Journey to Self-Acceptance.â
Your heart stutters in your chest. You stare at the words, barely able to process them. HeâBakugoâhas finally done it. The world now knows. You scroll through the articles in a daze, seeing snippets of his speech at a press conference. Your eyes narrow as your heart aches. The weight of the moment is suffocating, but you canât look away.
The conference has already aired live, but you pull it up on your tv and your eyes widen as Bakugo steps up to the podium. His usual arrogance and gruffness are there, of course, but thereâs a noticeable change in his posture. A shift. The man who once shielded himself behind his bluster is standing there, claiming something that you knew all along. His truth.
His voice is as brash as ever, but thereâs a vulnerability to it that youâve never heard before.
âI know you all love to make a spectacle out of things,â Bakugo growls into the mic, his usual arrogance never wavering. âBut let me make one thing clear: I was always Deaf.â He pauses, a brief, almost imperceptible shift in his eyes.
You hold your breath, waiting for him to go on. Then, he says it. He finally does.
âAnd, uh,â he starts again, his tone softening just a little. âThere was someone who helped me get to this point. They taught me a lot. Gave me the space to be me. They didnât coddle me, didnât make me feel weakâjust helped me find my strength. You know who you are.â
Your chest tightens as your mind races. You can hear the unspoken words. The gratitude he hasnât voiced directly to you, but you know itâs for you. You can see it in his eyes, even through the stubbornness he wears like armor.
The rest of the press conference carries on with Bakugo making his usual gruff remarks about being the same hero, just with a little more transparency. âIâm not any less of a hero. Iâm the same as I was yesterday. Only now, maybe you all can stop treating me like some damn novelty. Iâm a person, this is who Iâve always beenâ
But in between his words, you can feel somethingâa small shift in the way heâs holding himself. Maybe heâs not just talking about his Deafness anymore. Maybe heâs talking about everything. About being seen for who he truly is. Youâre not sure if heâll ever admit it, but the way his words hit, the way he doesnât shield the vulnerability behind his usual tough exteriorâit feels like progress.
And though his words are blunt, as expected, thereâs something softer there, something you thought you might never see.
Bakugo clears his throat, voice slightly rougher now, but the words are still sharp.
âThereâs been a lot of talk lately, a lot of assumptions about who I am and what Iâve done. And yeah, Iâve made mistakes. I pushed people away. People who were trying to help, who saw something in me that I couldnât see for myself. And⊠I regret that. Maybe more than anything.â
His gaze falters for just a moment, a fleeting vulnerability before he steels himself again.
âIâll finally admit it, Iâm not perfect. Hell, I donât know if Iâll ever be perfect. But Iâve learned. Iâve learned that the people who matterâthe ones who care about youâthey donât just disappear. You make the mistake of thinking you can push them away and that theyâll just stay gone, but deep down⊠you hope theyâll come back.â
He pauses, a flicker of something deeper crossing his face, before he looks out at the crowd again, the familiar fire returning to his words.
âIâm the same hero I was before, but Iâm not the same person. And I hope that someone out there can see that.â
You swallow hard, heart pounding in your chest as you try to process it all. You know what this means for him. You know how hard this must have been to say, and asu much as you want to hate him, you canât help but feel proud of him, you canât help the way your heart leaps in your chest
Talia starts blowing up your phone, repeatedly asking if youâre ok but thereâs one message staring back at you, from Bakugo
âIâm sorryâ
Your hands tremble as you stare at your phone, the words glaring back at you like a challenge, like a wound you thought had finally started to heal.
âIâm sorry.â
Two simple words, but theyâre heavier than you can handle. You donât even know why heâd send it. Whatâs he sorry for? Pushing you out of his life? Acting like you never mattered? Or is this just another layer to his guilt, something heâs doing for himself and not for you?
Your phone buzzes again, the screen lighting up with a string of messages from Talia.
Talia: âHey, are you watching this? Are you okay?â
Talia: âPlease tell me youâre not ignoring this. You need to see it.â
Talia: âHELLO? BITCH, ANSWER ME!â
But you canât bring yourself to type a response. Your thumb hovers over the screen, frozen, before your gaze drops back to his message.
âIâm sorry.â
A laugh escapes you, bitter and hollow, tears burning at the corners of your eyes. Sorry doesnât fix the nights you cried yourself to sleep. It doesnât fix the emptiness he left behind. It doesnât make up for the way he made you feel so small, so disposable.
The TV is still on, now muted, but you glance at the screen, the image of Bakugo standing at a podium plastered across every news station. His face is unreadableâhard, almostâbut thereâs something in his eyes, something you know too well.
Regret.
You pick up the remote, unmuting the TV just in time to catch the end of his speech.
ââŠAnd yeah, Iâve made mistakes. Iâve hurt people. People I wish I hadnât. But Iâm not here to dwell on the past. Iâm here because itâs time I stopped pretending to be someone Iâm not. This is who I am. Iâm still Dynamight. Iâm still the same damn hero Iâve always been. I was always Deafâyou idiots just never noticed.â
He steps back from the podium, and the reporters erupt with questions. He doesnât answer any of them, simply turning and walking offstage with his usual sharp determination.
Your phone buzzes again, snapping you out of the daze.
Talia: âPlease tell me youâre okay. Do you want me to come over?â
But you canât think, canât process, canât breathe past the knot in your chest. The words on your phone screen blur as fresh tears spill down your cheeks.
âIâm sorry.â
Itâs the last thing you wanted to hear from him, but maybe itâs also the one thing you needed.
You sit there for what feels like forever, the world moving around you while you stay frozen. His voice from the conference echoes in your mind,
Sorry for what? For firing you? For shutting you out? For breaking your heart? Your chest feels tight, and you take a shaky breath. You tell yourself not to overthink it, not to let him back into your head, but itâs impossible. That press conference wasnât just an apology to the world; it felt like an apology to you.
Your phone buzzes again, and this time you force yourself to look
Talia: âOkay, Iâm coming over if you donât answer me in the next five minutes. Iâm not kidding.â You type back quickly, fingers shaking.
You: âIâm fine. Donât come over.â
Her reply is instant.
Talia: âYouâre lying. Be there in 10.â
You groan, tossing your phone onto the coffee table. Youâre not ready to talk about it yet, not even with her, but you know she wonât let you avoid it.
The knock on your door comes exactly ten minutes later. You donât even bother pretending youâre not home. You open the door to find Talia standing there, arms crossed and a bag of snacks in her hand.
âI knew you were lying,â she says, pushing past you into the apartment. She drops the bag on the counter and turns to face you, her eyes scanning your face. âYouâve been crying.â
âNo I havenât, Iâm fine,â you lie through your teeth, brushing past her to sink down on the couch. You know sheâd know if youâre lying but you do it anyway. Who are you really lying to? Her or yourself?
âSeriously? You just watched your ex-bossâand letâs be real, the guy who broke your heartâgo public about being Deaf and basically admit he screwed up with you. Youâre fine?â She sits next to you, pulling her legs up onto the couch. âTalk to me, y/n. You know Iâm hereâ
You shake your head, not trusting yourself to speak.
âDid you see the part where he said he hopes someone comes back? Because if you didnât, Iâm pulling it up right now.â
Your stomach twists. âI saw it.â âAnd?â
âAnd nothing,â you snap, the frustration bubbling to the surface. âWhat do you want me to say, Talia? That I forgive him? That Iâm ready to go running back to him? Because Iâm not. He doesnât fucking deserve that. I want to say that, because Iâm not, but thereâs still a part of my heart thatâs aching right now.â
Her expression softens. âI donât want you to say anything youâre not ready to say. But I think you need to figure out what you do want, because from where Iâm sitting, it seems like heâs trying to make things right.â
âAre you seriously defending him right now? Like he can just say âIâm sorryâ and thatâs it? And Iâll come running back? Do you think Iâm that pathetic?â you spit back
âHey!â She snaps, with a tone youâve never heard her use. âDo not put words in my mouth, I donât know who you think youâre talking to like that right now, but let me remind youâIâve been here with you for months. Iâve held you while you cried over that asshole. Of course Iâm not on his fucking side. Iâm just stating the facts.â
Her words hit you like a slap, the room falling silent as her glare softens ever so slightly. She crosses her arms, her brows furrowing in that way that shows sheâs more hurt than angry. âDonât take your anger at him out on me.â
You bury your face in your hands, her words sinking in. You donât know what you want. Part of you wants to scream at him, to tell him he doesnât get to just say heâs sorry and expect everything to go back to normal. But another part of you⊠another part of you misses him so much it physically hurts.
âIâm sorry,â you whisper, your voice trembling. âYouâre right.â You lift your head, meeting Taliaâs gaze with a mixture of guilt and gratitude. Reaching out, you grip her hand tightly, as if grounding yourself in her presence. âIâm so sorry,â you repeat, the apology carrying the weight of your frustration and pain.
âI donât know, Talia,â you finally admit, your voice barely above a whisper. She wraps an arm around your shoulders, squeezing gently. âThen donât decide right now. Just⊠sit with it. And maybe, when youâre ready, youâll know what to do.â
You lean into her, the weight of everything pressing down on you. Maybe sheâs right. Maybe you donât have to figure it all out tonight. But as you sit there, one thought keeps replaying in your mind.
He hopes theyâll come back.
And for the first time in three months, you wonder if you might.
The next few days are a blur and as much as you want to ignore the situation bakugoâs face is still plastered on every news outlet, every social media platform, heâs even in conversations you overhear. Heâs haunting you. Everyoneâs talking about himâabout his âcoming outâ as Deaf, about his gruff yet surprisingly heartfelt press conference, about how heâs still the same Dynamight.
And, of course, there are people who donât feel the same, suddenly questioning his capabilitiesâdespite thinking he was more than capable just a month ago when they had no idea he was Deaf. It makes you understand, at least in part, why he kept it a secret for so long. Ignorance is frustrating, and itâs easy to imagine how much he worried about his rankings taking a hit. Though, ironically, you suspect his popularity is about to skyrocket. Youâre caught in the middle of it, carrying a secret that no one else knows.
Heâs apologized to you. Privately. While the world cheers him on for his public bravery, youâre left staring at that two-word message on your phone every night, as if itâs some kind of puzzle youâre supposed to solve.
Taliaâs been supportive, always checking in and trying to distract you, but she doesnât push. Youâve thrown yourself into work at Red Riotâs agency, hoping that the busy schedule will drown out the thoughts of Bakugo that seem to creep in every time you let your guard down.
But it doesnât work.
On your lunch break one afternoon, you find yourself scrolling through videos of the press conference again. Youâve watched it so many times that you practically have it memorized. The way he stood there, shoulders tense but head held high. The way his hands moved as he simultaneously signed, bold and unapologetic.
The way he said he made mistakes.
The way he said he hopes âtheyâ come back.
Your chest tightens as you pause on the frame where he glances at the camera, his eyes full of something raw and unguarded. Regret? Hope? You donât know, but itâs enough to stir something in you.
You donât know why you do it, but your fingers move to open the message thread with him. His âIâm sorryâ stares back at you like itâs mocking you.
You start typing a reply. Then delete it. Then type again.
Finally, you send something simple. Something neutral.
You: âI saw the press conference.â
The three little dots are almost immediate and your practically chuck your phone across the room when you see them.
Bakugo: âI figured.â
You stare at his response, waiting for him to say more, but nothing comes. Your fingers hover over the keyboard. What are you supposed to say to that?
You: âIt was brave of you to do that.â
You say the truth, because as much as youâre torn in a battle of wanting to run back to him, to tell him how you felt and how you felt or punch him square in the jaw. You still are proud. You know what that took for him.
Bakugo: âIt was overdue.â
Heâs right. It was overdue. But the fact that heâs admitting it so openly feels⊠different. The Bakugo you knew never admitted he was wrong, never apologized, never showed vulnerability.
You donât know what to say next, so you leave the conversation there. But for the rest of the day, you canât stop thinking about him. About what it would mean to go back. About whether you even could.
That night, as youâre lying in bed, your phone buzzes again.
Bakugo: âI meant what I said. Iâm sorry. For everything.â
You stare at the message, your heart pounding. You know heâs not just apologizing for firing you. Heâs apologizing for shutting you out, for breaking you, for making you feel like you didnât matter.
You donât reply. Not yet.
Instead, you set your phone down, staring blankly at the wall as the weight of everything crashes over you. The apology sits in your chest, heavy and unresolved. Itâs not enough, not after months of silence, but itâs also everything youâve been longing to hear. You let it linger in your mind for the rest of the next day, mindlessly going about your routine until you lie awake in bed the following night
The city hums faintly outside your window, but your thoughts are louder. You think of Bakugoâof his press conference, of his apology, of everything youâve been through.
And finally, as the clock ticks past midnight, you pick up your phone.
Your fingers hover over the screen, hesitating. You could ignore him. You could let him feel the same silence he left you with. But a small, stubborn part of you wants answers. Wants closure. Wants him.
Taking a deep breath, you type out a response, your hands trembling slightly.
You: âI donât know if sorry is enough. But if you want to talk, really talk, you know where to find me.â
You stare at the message for what feels like an eternity before hitting send. The moment it delivers, you toss your phone onto the nightstand and bury your face in your pillow.
Now, all you can do is wait.
The days after the message are unbearable. He doesnât know how to respond, doesnât know if you even want him to, and heâs terrified of screwing things up more. Every time he picks up his phone to reply, he freezes, his mind racing with things he wants to say but canât bring himself to. He leaves the conversation on read, knowing itâs making things worse but unable to stop himself.
Then thereâs the interview. His PR team insists on it, saying itâll help smooth over the publicâs reaction to his âbig reveal.â He doesnât care about the opinions of people who didnât matter a month ago, but he knows he canât avoid it forever.
During the interview, the topic shifts to his Deafness and how itâs impacted his relationshipsâboth professional and personal. He hesitates, his jaw tightening, but then, without meaning to, he brings you up.
âThere was⊠someone who taught me a lot,â he admits gruffly, his hand clenching into a fist on his knee. âI pushed them away. I was a fuckinâ idiot. They deserved better.â
Itâs the most anyoneâs ever heard him talk about feelings, and when the clip circulates online later that day, everyoneâs talking about it, people are guessing itâs you.
You donât see the interview live, but Talia sends you a link with like ten exclamation points in the message. Reluctantly, you open it, and there he is on your screenâBakugo, looking uncomfortable but honest. Hearing him admit he was an idiot feels⊠surreal. Heâs not one for public displays, so for him to acknowledge you in an interview like this? Itâs huge.
But still, itâs not enough. A few days pass. The tension lingers. And then, late one night, your phone buzzes. A voicemail. When you check it, your heart stops at the sound of his voice.
âShitâŠâ His words are slurred, and you can hear the clink of a bottle in the background. âI⊠I donât even fuckinâ drink, but I needed⊠I donât know, somethinâ to stop me from thinkinâ about you. But it didnât work, and now Iâm here, drunk as hell, leaving this dumbass voicemail because⊠because Iâm a goddamn coward, and I canât stop fuckinâ missing you.â
He lets out a bitter laugh, and itâs the most vulnerable youâve ever heard him.
âIâm sorry,â he says again, softer this time. âIâm sorry for everything. For beinâ an idiot, for not tellinâ you what you fuckinâ mean to me before I ruined it all.â Thereâs a long pause, and you can hear him breathing unevenly. âI donât deserve you. I know that. But⊠I canât stop hopinâ youâll come back anyway.â
The voicemail ends, and youâre left staring at your phone, your heart pounding. The familiar sting of hurt and anger still sharp, but something deeper lingers: an aching sense of loss. The person who had once made you feel seen, understood, is now the one whoâs broken that bond beyond recognition.
You want to ignore him. You want to erase him from your life completely, but you know you canât and deep deep down you know you want him in your life again.
The next afternoon youâd been needed at red riots agency agency, the familiar chime of your phone breaks the stillness. Itâs a message from the front desk, telling you a delivery has arrived for you.
You stand up, confused but curious, as you walk to the lobby. The package is large, wrapped in simple brown paper, with a handwritten note affixed to the top in elegant script. You turn the note over, your eyes scanning the words.
âIâm not good with this shit. I donât expect this to fix everything, and I know I donât deserve it, but I canât keep pretending. I fucked up, and I hurt you, and Iâm sorry. You mean more to me than Iâve ever been able to say.â
The signature at the bottom, written with shaky confidence, is unmistakable.
Bakugo.
Your heart skips. But itâs not the excitement you once felt when youâd get a text from him. Itâs something else, something heavier. The flowers, fresh and vibrant, are beautifulâa sharp contrast to the flowers the guy from the bar had sent you. Itâs clear this wasnât a rushed thought or just a generic gesture. Bakugo took the time to choose something meaningful, something youâd actually like. Itâs a reminder of who he can be when he tries, of the man whoâs not only a hero but someone who truly knows you.
You take a deep breath, your fingers hovering over your phone screen for a moment before you type out a simple but sincere message:
You âThank you for the flowers. Theyâre beautiful. And the note⊠I appreciate it.â
You hit send, your stomach twisting in anticipation. The dots appear almost immediately, and then his reply comes through.
Bakugo: âI meant what I said. Iâve been running from this for too long, like a fucking coward and Iâm sorry for that. Iâm ready to talk. I shouldâve done it sooner, but Iâm asking now. Can we meet?â
Your heart races. The words hit you harder than you expected, like a punch to the gut, but itâs also the closest thing to an apology youâve gotten. You close your eyes for a second, letting the feeling settle before you type out your response.
You âWe can meet. But I need you to understand, Iâm not going to make this easy for you. Itâs not just going to go back to how it was. I have to think about this too.â
You hesitate before hitting send, but then, your finger presses the button. The message is out there now.
A few seconds pass, and then his reply comes through.
Bakugo: âI get it. Iâm not asking for it to go back to how it was. I just need to talk.â
You meet him late afternoon in a dimly lit cafe, heâd requested the private back room for the two of you. You see him his back straight, posture tense, but thereâs a softness in his eyes that you didnât expect. The sight of him makes your chest tighten, and for a split second, all the hurt floods back, threatening to break through. But you swallow it down, pushing the emotions back where they belong, at least for now.
Your usual coffee order was sitting in front of the chair when you arrived, heâd remembered.
When he sees you, his jaw clenches, and he stands up. His gaze is apologetic, but guarded. He says nothing as you sit down across from him. Thereâs an unspoken distance between you, both of you unsure of how to start.
For a moment, itâs quiet. Awkward. You glance at him, not knowing whether to wait for him to speak first or if you should just get it over with. Itâs him who breaks the silence first.
âI⊠I donât know how to start this,â he admits, his voice low and rough.
You give him a pointed look, your arms crossed, but you donât say anything. You want him to go first.
âLook, I know I fucked up,â Bakugo continues, his words rushed, his voice catching slightly as he forces them out. âI know I hurt you, and I canât take that back.â His eyes shift down for a moment, but when they return to you, thereâs something raw there, something heâs been holding back for too long. âI shouldnât have pushed you away. I was scared. I thought⊠I thought if I shut myself off, I wouldnât drag you down with me. But I was wrong. And Iâm sorry.â
His hands are clenched into fists on the table, like heâs trying to hold himself together, but the vulnerability is leaking through.
âI was an idiot, and I know it,â he continues,
âI donât know how to fix this,â his hands gripping the table tightly. âI donât know how to make it right. But I⊠Iâm willing to try. Iâm ready to try.â
You swallow hard, unsure of how to respond, but his eyes are so desperate now. Not just for your forgiveness, but for something else. Something deeper.
âI donât know if I can just forgive you, Bakugo,â you say softly, but firmly. âYou hurt me. You made me feel like I didnât matter. And itâs not something that just goes away with a couple of words.â
He flinches, the sting of your words landing harder than he expected, but he nods slowly. âI get it,â he mutters. âI donât expect you to just forget. I donât deserve that. But I⊠Iâve spent the last few months regretting the way I treated you. Iâve been a fucking mess.â
The silence stretches out, thick and uncomfortable, before he adds, almost like an afterthought, âIâm not saying this because I think itâll fix anything⊠But I care about you. I donât want to lose you. I donât know if Iâm ready to say all the words⊠but you should know, Iââ His voice hitches, and he grits his teeth, frustration flashing across his face. âI fucking need you. I donât know what the hell I was thinking, pushing you away. I canât keep running from it.â
There it is. Heâs not saying it outright, not yet, but itâs clear. Itâs written in the tension in his voice, in the way heâs looking at you. He needs you. But thatâs as far as he can admit right now. Heâs too scared to say the words, but itâs all there in the way heâs speaking.
You exhale, looking down at your hands. The silence stretches between you like a heavy weight, but itâs different this time. Itâs not suffocating, just⊠thick with everything unsaid. You want to push him further, but youâre not sure how much more he can take.
âDid you know?â you ask, voice trembling a little, though you try to keep it steady. He tilts his head, eyes narrowing in confusion. âWhat?â
âDid you know about my feelings for you?â you push, meeting his gaze, watching his expression shift as if something inside him clicks.
He hesitates, then lets out a frustrated breath, looking away for a moment. âI had a feeling,â he admits, voice low, almost reluctant. âBut I told myself I was wrong. I let my own doubts cloud my mind⊠I was trying to convince myself it didnât mean anything.â
You swallow, the words hitting deeper than you expected. âWhy? Why didnât you say anything? You just pushed me away, Bakugo.â
He stares at you, his expression torn, jaw clenched tightly. âI didnât want to feel weak,â he says, barely above a whisper. âAnd I sure as hell didnât want you to have power over me.â You furrow your brows. âWhat do you mean by that?â
He lets out a breath before continuing. âI donât⊠like feeling like Iâm not in control,â he admits, voice rough. âEverything about me has to be under my control. My strength, my imageâeverything. And then you⊠you came into my life, and everything just got⊠confusing. You made me think about everything differently and I didnât know how to deal with it.â
You remain silent, taking in his words. The rawness in his admission shakes you, but thereâs still a part of you that wants him to go further, to say the things you need to hear. But heâs still holding back.
âYou make me weak, you know?â he finally adds, glancing at you from the corner of his eye, giving a small awkward laugh with the shake of his head. âAnd I hate it.â
The vulnerability in his voice hits you harder than you expect. Itâs the same Bakugo, the one who once seemed invincible, but now, you see the cracks beneath it.
For a moment, you let the silence linger between you, trying to digest everything. âBut you were never weak,â you say quietly, your voice softer now. âYou just⊠didnât want to let anyone in.â
His gaze softens, but he doesnât say anything. The weight of the moment settles in, and you know that youâre both standing on the precipice of somethingâneither of you fully ready, but maybe, just maybe, willing to step forward.
You take a deep breath, your heart racing. âIâm not saying yes, Bakugo. I canât just forget everything and run back into your arms.â You hold his gaze, steady. âBut⊠Iâm not saying no either.â You smile slightly, your hand reaching for his.
Bakugo grabs your hand. His grip is firm, but itâs not forcefulâjust a silent plea for you to understand. A glimmer of relief flashes in his eyes, though thereâs still a heavy weight of uncertainty. He exhales sharply, relief mixed with a heavy dose of uncertainty in his eyes. âI get it. Iâll wait. However long it takes.â
The words hang between you, heavy but hopeful. Thereâs a long road ahead, and neither of you knows whatâs at the end of it. But thereâs a crack in the door now, a glimmer of possibility that you canât ignore.
For the first time, Bakugo isnât just pushing forward on instinct. Heâs waiting for you. And for the first time, youâre not running away from him either.
And just like that, the lunches start again.
The first lunch is simple, a quiet little café tucked away in a corner of the city, far enough from prying eyes but close enough for comfort. Neither of you wants to make a big deal of it. No cameras, no expectations. Just two people sitting down, eating a meal, and talking like they used to.
Bakugo fidgets with his napkin, clearly not used to this kind of calm, but heâs trying. Thereâs a sense of hesitation between you, like neither of you wants to be the first to break the quiet. But then, unexpectedly, he asks you about your new job. The question is casual enough, but you both know itâs more than just small talk.
You smile, feeling the weight of his words in a way that feels like a first step, and you respond with a little more than you normally would. And for the first time in months, you both get lost in the conversationâjust two people sharing a meal, no pretenses.
The next lunch is a bit easier. Itâs not perfect, and there are still moments where silence feels heavy, but the air between you has softened. Slowly, but surely, youâre both learning how to be around each other again without the need for words to fill every moment.
Another month passes, slow but steady. Every lunch feels like another brick being removed from the wall between you and Bakugo, but thereâs still something unspoken between you. Heâs still Bakugoâgruff, proud, and a little closed off when it comes to talking about what he feels.
But in his own way, heâs been complimenting you more than he ever has before. He praises your work, your passion, the way you handle yourself when you talk about your dreams. Itâs not much, but itâs enough to make your heart skip a beat each time.
Then, one evening, you invite him over to your place for dinner. He doesnât know what to expect, and honestly neither do you, but he agrees. The silence between you isnât heavy this timeâitâs comfortable. Youâre both so used to the quiet now, to the small moments that donât need to be filled with words.
You made one of his recipesâthe one heâd hastily shoved into your arms with the muttered excuse of âmaking too muchâ all those weeks ago. Youâre eating casually, and heâs telling you a story from his latest mission, grumbling about his hero friend Chargebolt and his antics. You canât stifle your laughter
Youâre laughing so hard your sides hurt, gasping to catch your breath but when you look back up his eyes are on yours, watching you and his hands move again
BEAUTIFUL.
You feel your face flush and you try to hold back the smile that wants to plaster itself on your face, but you know he sees it. You quickly change the subject. âI need to meet him one day. Chargeboltâ
After dinner he helps you wash dishes and itâs all.. oddly domestic in a way that gives you butterflies, and you have no idea how he feels, only the way sparks ignite when your fingertips brush as you hand him dishes to dry. The tension is thick, and you canât take it anymore. Before you know it, you flick the water from your hands onto him. He shoots daggers at you with his gaze, but then, unexpectedly, he smiles. youâre laughing and you do it again but he grabs your hands
And.. you stand there, frozen for a minute with his hands holding yours, his crimson gaze meeting yours and itâs softer now, nothing like the harsh intensity you saw back in the conference room all that time ago.
His hands and eyes fall from your and you can almost see the gears turning in his head, he goes to open his mouth but hesitates, shaking his head and raising his hands instead
He brings his two closed hands together, fingertips touching and bouncing off each other lightly.
KISS.
Can I kiss you?
Your eyes immediately shoot to his and you nod and thatâs it. The tension thatâs been building over the past month snaps. You donât know who moves first, but suddenly youâre in each otherâs arms. His lips crash against yours in a kiss thatâs both desperate and tender, all the words neither of you has been able to say spilling out in that single moment.
He pulls away just enough to look at you, his hands trembling slightly as he cups your face. âPlease⊠I canât keep pretending I donât need you,â he admits, his voice raw, the weight of everything heâs been holding back finally pouring out.
Bakugoâs hands hover near your sides, as if unsure whether to pull you closer or give you space, like heâs waiting for you to tell him what comes next. You both stand there for a moment, the silence enveloping you again, but this time it doesnât feel awkward. It feels like the calm after a storm, like the tension has dissipated, but thereâs still more to work through.
You smile softly, reaching for his hand, the warmth of his skin grounding you. âIâm not going anywhere,â you promise, squeezing his fingers gently.
He nods, like heâs trying to process the weight of that assurance. âGood,â he mutters, and for once, the sharpness in his tone is gone, replaced by something softer. Something a little uncertain, but real.
Without thinking, you pull him down to sit with you on the couch, your bodies close but not quite touching. You both need time. Time to catch up with each other, time to figure out how to navigate this new phase of whatever this is between you two.
âSo⊠what now?â you ask, voice small, but hopeful.
He leans back into the cushions, staring at the ceiling for a moment as if heâs thinking. When he finally speaks, his voice is gruff again, but thereâs a flicker of something else there. âNow, we take it slow,â he says, his gaze meeting yours. âIâm not asking for a lot. I donât know how to do all the shit I shouldâve said before, but Iâm here now. For real. And Iâm not running away from this.â
Itâs the most honest thing heâs said in weeks, maybe months, and it means everything to you. Itâs not perfect, and itâs not a fairytale, but you can see the cracks in his armor, the rawness thatâs finally coming through. Heâs not pretending anymore, and thatâs the first step.
You nod, resting your head against his shoulder. âIâm not asking for perfect either. Just⊠just us, okay?â âYeah,â he replies, his voice thick with something you canât quite place. âJust us.â
And with that, it feels like the tension between you has finally broken. Youâre not all the way there yet, and you know itâll take time. But for the first time in a long while, you feel like thereâs hope. Not a perfect solution, but something real, something worth fighting for.
As you sit there, quietly, his arm wraps around you, pulling you closer. Neither of you speaks for a while, just feeling the comfort of each otherâs presence. Thereâs still a long road ahead, but for now, youâre okay. And thatâs all you need.
Youâre both in this together.
You move closer, and he instinctively moves to hold you in his arms. Everything feels right, and you relax into him, letting his presence comfort you until your soft breaths even out, and you drift to sleep.
He glances down at your sleeping figure, careful not to wake you as he shifts slightly. He takes a picture, knowing youâll probably kill him for it later, but he canât resist. With a soft smile, he posts it on his Instagram story.
âđ€@ y/nsignsâ
I LOVE YOU.
â-
A/n: its my birthdayyy!! This is my present to yall tho
bakugo saying ily first?? Idk if the ily is too soon but at the same time theyâve known they each had feelings the whole time idc lmao. I really hope yall enjoyed the series! This is the first thing I wrote on tumblr!! Iâm so appreciative of all the nice comments and everything love u guys <3
Tags: @poemeater @mimzyu @beebunsx x @v3n7s
@cielito--lindo @starrmage @unabletonotlovesatoru @beabamboo
Bakugou x fem!reader
a/n: REUPLOADED FROM OLD BLOG. A comfort DrabbleâŠ
âKatsuki? Whatâs wrong? Itâs three AM. This better be important,â Mitsukiâs voice is heavy with sleep and annoyance but under the tone is worry.
Katsuki sighs. âNo uhhâŠnothinâs wrong. Iâm safe and stuff itâs fine,â he mutters into the receiver.
Mitsuki is a lot of things: stubborn,loud, aggressive, determined, fastidious. But one thing she is not, is an idiot. Which is why she knows, despite her son calling her at three AM and saying heâs ok she knows heâs not.
âKatsuki?â She repeats, gentler this time. She canât remember the last time she spoke this gently to him. Perhaps when he was two and learning to walk. Sheâd spoke softly âItâs alright Katsuki. Come on get up, try again.â
She hears him sigh again, hears his bed creak, hears him lick his lips and if sheâs not mistaken the sound of light snoring in the background.
So heâs found someone. Thatâs nice. Sheâd be lying if she said she didnât worry about that. About him being too undesirable. Sheâd have taken full responsibility for that. But he isnât and she makes a mental note to thank whoever it is that chose to be with her boy.
If he ever brings them to meet her that is.
âI uhhâŠI just wanted ta say thanks,â Katsuki grumbles and Mitsuki audibly gasps. This is very new.
Who is this man and what has he done with her son?
âYou calledâŠat three AM to say thank you? For umm..for what exactly? I donât remember sending anything in the mail. Your birthday is still a few months away! I still have time to get a gift Iâm not late like your father suggeââ
âNo it ainâtâŠâ he takes a deep breath in and out and again Mitsuki gasps. Heâs trying to calm himself down. Thatâs also new. âIt ainât that. I just wanted to say thanks for beinâ my Ma.â He finishes the sentence in a rush.
And then itâs quiet on both ends of the line as mother and son sit in disbelief on the phone. And then Mitsuki clears her throat.
âOh wellâŠummâŠyouâre welcome. Thanks for being a dynamite kidâŠâ she chuckles and when he doesnât say anything she tacks on âGet it? Cuz your hero name?â
Sheâs gracious when he finally chuckles. âYouâre such a dork Ma,â he says through a tired whispered laugh.
âIf Iâm a dork, then so are you. Thatâs how genetics work,â she fires back.
Itâs quiet again before she swallows a lump in her throat and plucks up the courage to ask him.
âWhere did this come from Katsuki?â
He sighs again, the bed creaks again and this time the snoring is louder in Mitsukiâs ear. He mustâve moved closer to the sleeping person.
âJustâŠI got someoneâŠsomeone whoâs really fucking good and I got lucky when she chose me but uhhâŠtonight she told me somethinâ and I donât knowâŠafter she told me and I saw herâŠsaw her kinda crumple into herself or something. Like she uhhâŠlike she broke. You ever see a person break?â He asks.
Mitsuki nods as she listens intently, then fumbles when she realizes he canât actually see her nodding. âYeah uhhâŠloads of models during fashion week. Itâs a nightmare for them. Iâve had to talk a few off the edge,â she explains with a dark chuckle.
âYeahâŠwell picture that but like watching it happen to Dad,â Katsuki mutters. Mitsukiâs breath catches in her throat. Just the thought of seeing her husband, the light in her life, her Masaru, broken like that makes her put a hand over her chest as it aches.
âI see,â is all she replies back.
âAnyway, after she told me I justâŠknew I needed ta call ya. So yeah⊠I just wanted ta say thanksâŠor whatever.â
Katsuki finishes his sentence and Mitsuki hears a soft smack of lips as he kisses the woman heâs sleeping with. She sighs, and Mitsuki can hear her murmur his name sweetly in her sleep. Her voice sounds lovely, sweet enough to melt her prickly sonâs demeanor.
Mitsuki smiles to herself, and then she hears Katsuki yawn. âYou should get some rest Katsuki,â she says motherly.
âYeah yeah I will. Sorry for wakinâ ya,â he grumbles.
âBefore you goâŠâ Mitsuki says quickly.
âYeah?â
âBring her for dinner, next weekend. Your father will make your favorite,â she requests.
Katsuki stays quiet for a while, no doubt heâs contemplating whether heâs ready for his partner to meet his mother but then he sighs.
âYeahâŠyeah ok fine. I meanâŠshe could use some motherly love.â
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if i die
Izuku Midoriya x fem!reader synopsis: running to him, even after the world turned dark. warnings: angst?, hurt/comfort, childhoodfriend!reader, reader is not a student at u.a, takes place during season 6 ep 137, PRE-RELATIONSHIP, potentially ooc. that's all i think?
It was gloomy that day, the rain had hurtled towards the angry crowd of civilians formed at the front of U.A. Everyone was angry and confused, some felt betrayed and others tricked. They didnât want him here, fearing for their safety at the thought of the boy with a target on his back. They screamed and yelled, children cried, teachers tried their best to pacify what had started to become a mob.
You thrashed in your mother's arms, a trembling in your lower lip as you tried to claw your way out of the suffocating embrace. "Let go!" You cried, turning to stare at your motherâ desperation clouding all rational thoughts in your mind.Â
âItâs too dangerous! Calm down!â Your mother scolded, fingers trembling against the sleeves of your sweater, trying to hold you as close as possibleâ out of harmâs way, just as any mother would. Just like she would when you were younger and would waddle into her room clutching your blanket, wiping at the fat tears that rolled down chubby cheeks. She wanted you safe, in her arms, where you couldnât be harmed by scared citizens protesting for their safety.Â
But you couldnât let her. Not this time.Â
You had to get to Izuku. It repeated like an alarm, loud and insistent as Urarakaâs speech lingered in your ears. You didnât care if it was dangerous. It didnât matter to you. As long as you could reach him, touch him, hold him. None of it mattered.
He was probably cryingâ you know he was. The two of you always held a small knack for knowing when the other was upset, even as children that played in the warm rays of the sun, beaming and giggling happily. âPlease! I have to get to him!â You begged, jerking this way and that. âItâs Izuku, mum!â
And then a kid ran past you. He was small and had a red hat, and red sneakers that looked like Izukuâsâ a lady cried out after him, âCome back!â You nearly stopped to stare, but you had become acutely aware of the fact your mother had loosened her grip momentarily to look over her shoulder to identify the voice.
That was your opening.Â
You slipped between her fingers, fleeting like a leaf in the wind, an apology in the back of your mind as you pushed your legs into a sprint. The rain splashed under your thundering feet, droplets hitting the bare skin of your legs, but you didnât care. It wasnât a priority right now. He was.
Izuku with his green eyes and unruly hair, with his cute little freckles that you always loved. Izuku with his heart of gold and sweet smile, always ready to lend a helping hand. Izuku, who had stopped your world the day he left that letter on your door, shrouding it in a cloud of darkness.
As you shoved your way through the crowd, your heart squeezed as the sight of him became clearer and clearer to you. He was standing now, fat tears rolling down his freckled cheeks as the kid from earlier and a lady with bunny-like features wrapped their arms around him.
âIzuku!â You had barely a second before his name ripped itself out of your throat in a raw, desperate cry.Â
His gaze turned up to you, green eyes wide and confused as he registered your presence mere metres away from reaching him. A whispered call of your name fell from his lips, quiet and waveringâ more tears streaming down his face.Â
There was no time to prepare before your body slammed into his, sending him stumbling back a few steps as your arms curled around his shoulders in a tight embrace, squeezing him tight. âZuku.â You sobbed, fingers curling into the dirty and tattered fabric of his suit. âOh god, Zuku. Iâ I didnât know where you went after I found that letter. I was so worried and then there were the rumoursâ Are youââ
Another whisper of your name fell from his lips, big hands resting at your waist and pulling you closer. âIâ Iâm okay. Iâm sorry.â God, his voice. It was still so warm even after all heâs facing.Â
You pulled back, just enough to press your forehead to his, eyes squeezed shutâ savouring the feeling of him. âDonât apologise.â You muttered, tears still roaming down both of your faces. âJust⊠just stay here.â Donât go. Stay here with me, where itâs safe. You wanted to say, but you knew his departure was inevitable. He would leave you, again. And youâre not sure heâll return this time.
So you held him closer, lips inches away from each other as you both soaked in the warmth of the otherâs embrace. And for the first time in awhile, it felt like the sun was shining once again.
Kagehinađ§Ąđ
We all know whoâs babygirl here