When He First Realizes He Loves You

When he first realizes he loves you

Pairing: Bakugo Katsuki x Reader

Word count: 1.6k

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: mentions of getting hurt and blood

A/N: i could use some comfort bakugo rn and so I wrote one, figure i'd share it with u babies. Plus I missed writing him up hehe. Enjoy x

Bakugo first saw you in the entrance examination. 

He remembers thinking you were so dumb for wasting your time trying to help the other examinees instead of trying to gain as much points for yourself as you could. 

The next time he sees you was when you walked in late during the first day. You were so excited that you couldn't sleep the night before. You slept through your alarm and spent your morning speeding through your ritual and running from the train station to UA. Your hair was still a little damp from the shower and Bakugo could smell the scent of apples from your hair when you passed by him to take your seat.

You truly grabbed his interest after the first examination. Aside from having a strong quirk, you were strategic and a good team player. Bakugo made a mental note that you would come in handy when a group activity or mission comes along. And during the sports fest, he did not think twice about approaching you to be on his team. To be honest, you are the only one whose name he remembers. Well, aside from Kirishima. But he would rather stub his toe before admitting that to anyone.

Over time, he notices the little things about you that he found intriguing. You're friendly enough to everyone and could grab lunch with anybody in class but you also liked keeping it to yourself.

He noticed that you would prefer eating by the skirts of the field, under a tree most days instead of the cafeteria, with a book in hand. Bakugo would notice it's different almost every week. Some he's read in the past, some that made him curious enough to check it out after you're done. You don't notice it but the books you borrow would often be in his possession next after returning it to the library. Your names on the book card always scribbled next to one another.

Bakugo observes you, whether he does it subconsciously or not, he finds himself doing so every chance he gets. Not in a stalker kind of way, he's just honestly.. intrigued. 

It was like you are always trying to be someone for somebody else. A timid but quite a good singer next to Jirou's guitar playing during free period, an additional team player on the stupid game Kaminari, Sero and Kirishima play on their phones, a patient friend to Icyhot who explains the slang or joke he didn't get, a fan girl who geeks out with that dumb Deku over Allmight and hero stuff, and a competitor when it came to him. Someone who doesn't flinch at his harsh words and efforts to intimidate but merely laughs and sticks a tongue out playfully. Bakugo wins most of the time, of course, but you have had a fair share of wiping the floor with his ass.

Bakugo has never had a crush before. Thinking about girls that way just never really mattered to him. But, his intrigue with you would probably be as close as he would get. He's even gone out of his way a couple of times to converse with you and purposefully sit next to you during film showings, in the bus rides during excursions, and sometimes during lunches.

You always welcome him with a small smile and a nod. At some point, you just subconsciously save a seat for him for every occasion. All of your classmates notice this but would just share knowing grins and leave you two be. 

Deep down, Bakugo knew you were slowly becoming important to him pretty early on. He just refuses to acknowledge it as something other than friendship. It wasn't until after the incident in USJ when the class was attacked by the league when things started to change.

While he was fighting with Kirishima, he could not help but wonder where you were at the time. He knew you were strong but still he wishes you weren't fighting all alone or stuck with someone stupid who could get you hurt. 

Afterwards, when he learned that you were hurt, he couldn't remember the last time he ran so fast that his lungs felt like they were on fire. Bakugo got to where you were just as when the EMTs are loading you to the ambulance to rush you to the hospital. His heart was pounding even though Aizawa-sensei had already assured them that you and the rest of your injured classmates are going to be fine. That night was the first time he wasn't able to sleep in his entire life.

When you finally came back home, you were surprised to find him standing outside your house. Your parents welcomed him knowing he's a close friend of yours and even allowed him to help you to your bedroom. He stops right outside your bedroom door, eyeing your arm that was still in a cast and sighs. 

"Here, old hag said these should help with your recovery." Bakugo mutters as he hands you over a paper bag he was carrying. It was filled with pain killers, soothing ointments and a variety of fruits. You thanked him and took it but when he notices you struggling, he takes it back and proceeds to carry it for you in your room.

"You really shouldn't have. But the tangerines smell so good, thanks again." You grin, grabbing one from the back to hold it close to your nose, inhaling deeply. You startle when he suddenly snatches it from you and starts peeling it. "Go sit or lay in bed or something." He says, turning his back to throw the peels in your trash bin. Once over the shock, you do as you're told and sit by the edge of your bed. 

Bakugo then sits on the floor next to you. He opens his palm, offering you the tangerine and you grab a piece. You nibbled quietly and watched him curiously. You could tell he was upset but here he was doing the exact opposite by being so quiet. And caring. 

Finally, after eating more than half of the tangerines in his hand in silence, you ask, "Hey, are you okay?"

When he looks up at you, his expression grims. His nostrils flare and his chest heaves, he looks as if he was trying with all his might not to snap at you. But he did. "You're the one who got injured, you dumbass!" He derides, his expression only softens a little when he looks at the wound on your forehead and the cast on your arm again. 

"I'm fine, it's not that serious-" you start to say but he was rising on his feet, looking away from you. "Like shit, it wasn't!" He exhales sharply. 

Bakugo shakes his head and clenches his jaw. After a beat of silence, he confesses. "I got scared." His voice was low and if you were close enough, you'd hear how shaky it is. "I never felt like that before." 

Your brows furrow and you place a gentle hand on his arm, coaxing him to look at you but just he sighs, still refusing to look at you. "You did good, Katsuki." You try to comfort him. "Kirishima told me you saved them by catching the villain with the warp quirk and-"

"No, it's not that- I'm not scared of those scumbags, Y/n!" He yells out of frustration. "I was scared that something fucking bad happened because I couldn't be around to protect you! And when I saw you on the stretcher-" he struggled to breathe, like someone was gripping his airways. "Seeing you like that, covered in blood and unconscious. God, it felt like hell." 

Your heart swells, tears begin to blur your vision. You didn't realize you matter this much to him. You stood up too and pulled him into an awkward hug, your tears damping the front of his black shirt. With your uninjured hand, you rub his back in comfort. 

"I'm okay, I promise. I'm sorry I made you worry." You murmur. "But also, thank you-" You chuckle, shrugging. "-for giving a shit about me. Didn't know you did until now." Bakugo knows you're just teasing to lift his mood but shakes his head again and rolls his eyes.

"Idiot." He grumbles under his breath, hugging you back.

"I'll be more careful next time." You promised as you crane your neck to look up at him. Bakugo stares at you for a second too long, his heartbeat finally calming back down as he grounds himself with the fact that you're here, safe. 

"You better be." He says through gritted teeth, his rough calloused hand coming up to hold your cheek before he could realize what he was doing. But then you lean against his touch and he finds himself pulling you closer to him. 

"I left you for a goddamn minute and you just die on me?" He scowls, making you laugh. "I wasn't dying! Stop exaggerating!" This time you roll your eyes. You expect him to keep on bantering but he doesn't. He just stands there staring at you and you feel something between you two shifting.

And then he leans his forehead against yours, closing his eyes briefly as he murmurs, "Whatever, I'm never letting you out of my sight again." The pad of his thumb grazes your cheek and you find yourself holding the hand he placed against your face, lacing your fingers through his.

"I'd like that." You quietly admit. When he leans away to look at you, you stand on the tips of your toes and to plant a kiss on his cheek. To your surprise though, Bakugo wraps his arms around you before your heels could hit the ground again when you try to pull away. 

He pulls you back in, only this time,  he made sure your lips met his. 

The kiss was fleeting because he pulled away abruptly. As if it wasn't his intention to kiss you at all. Your heart was hammering against your rib cage as you looked up at him with wide eyes and Bakugo stared back at you completely dazed.

He blinks, breathing is as ragged as yours. Realization hitting him hard.

"Shit, Y/n." He swallows hard and wet his lips. He then threads his fingers through your hair and admits, 

"I think I fucking love you."