Chapter Twenty Six

Katsuki stood near the door; feet nailed to the chipped tile as he stared doe eyed to stunned to form any coherent string of thoughts. His brain flashes through the countless times he stared up at the sky praying for this all to be a hellish nightmare, but every day he awoke in a world you did not walk in.

All the little scenarios he daydreamed about flashed through him as he stared at you lying in this hospital bed, it was how every wishful fantasy always started.

"What the hell (y/n)!?" Katsuki snapped from his trance, stomping his way to your bedside.

You furrowed your brows, taken back for a moment.

"How could you for a second think that I, of all people would take a fucking payout-!?" Katsuki accused. "-do you even know anything about me?"

"You need to leave." You simply replied, prying your eyes away from him.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Katsuki barked; you bit down on your jaw feeling him so close.

Your mind callously replayed the countless unendurable hours you remained collapsed against an arctic floor, your eyes stinging from the mixture of hot tears and blood as the cell bars blurred in your sight. Your chest heaved as the harrowing pain sliced so deep you cried into the night until no sound could escape from between your lips.

He tipped the scale; he pushed you off the unstable cliff as those glowing scarlet eyes burned themselves into the terrorizing nightmares which plagued you. You turned your eyes, removing him from sight, mentally you weren't ready to unpack what had just taken place regarding Puzzle and Tank.

If Bakugo wasn't going to leave, then you would.

Ignoring the slicing pain crawling up your leg, sewing itself into your spine you swung your legs over the side of the bed, locking your face as the pain invaded your sight, forcing you to forget for only a sweet blissful moment of the world around you.

Bakugo stepped forward, the need for your wellbeing outweighed the anger and anguish soaking his heart. He stepped forward, softly placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Don't get out of bed-" His words were tender, but the petal tone only caused your blood to boil more.

"Don't touch me." You sneered, mind quickly ripping back to the last day you stood before Class 1-A's door. Jerking your shoulder back, ignoring the burning screams of your flesh as you rose on two unbalanced feet.

The pleasant combination of caramel and melted sugar tore you back to sitting inside that old wooden chair. Your wrist bruised from struggling against the restraints as you screamed in agony, white filled your vision all the while your grieving brain focused on his scent which used to bring such comfort.

"(y/n)-" Bakugo breathed, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. "-I-" He had no idea what to say. You were so closed off, so cold towards him. "-I am not the one who said all those things." Bakugo stepped hesitantly, feeling like he was before a wild deer, and he was trying to creep close enough to touch it. "Those words didn't come from my mouth; your sister wants you to be all alone-"

"She was right." You whispered, lightly shocking Bakugo you had spoken real words.

"Who was right?"

"I waited for you-" You stared ahead, refusing to look directly at him. "-but no one ever came. No one flipped the streets, no one broke the damn sky open so no I am not going to stand here and listen to you-!" You snapped your head in his direction, eyes narrowed with liquid raged saturating your glare. "-fuck off-!" You lashed, feeling the dam around your weary, scarred heart crumbling.

"(y/n)-"

"-fuck you-!" You snarled, "-fuck whatever we shared, fuck your feelings and fuck how I ever felt about you!"

"Hey-" Bakugo charged forward, a desperate wave washed over him, feeling you were going to disappear once again. "-we did." He sternly replied, refusing to lose control, it wasn't his place to do so. "We thought you were dead. Shooter had a body surface, that's the only reason we stopped searching. We did flip the town; we broke open the damn sky searching for you. All Might, me, Starburst and even that damn nerd." Bakugo pressed, his hand slowly reaching out, your eyes were stone as you stared past him.

Silence filtered around the two of you, as Bakugo hesitated, his heart pounding in his ears.

"Look at me-" Bakugo's voice waivered, almost a begging tone. "-look at me when I'm talking to you!" He snapped, reaching out cupping both sides of your face. The sudden shock caused your eyes to widen.

"I can't!" You bite.

"Why-!" Bakugo cracked under the weight of his aching heart. Having you so close but it felt like the girl he loved so deeply was still gone. It was as if he was staring at the shell of the person he knew. "-I didn't say-!"

"You're not him!"

"Not...who?" Bakugo felt his heart almost crack in half like an egg. Had you...met someone else...was it that damn bird!?

"You're not my Katsuki." His name on your tongue sent chills through his body.

"Not your..." Bakugo blinked, furrowing his brows. "...have you taken one too many hits to the head!?" The young hero dropped his hand, letting it fall to your neck. "I am your Katsuki-!" A cocky grin slide over his lips. "-the one and only." His glowing eyes scanned your face, trying to read his eyes like he used to do so fluidly. He frowned, seeing the uncertainty circling your orbs.

"Fine-" Bakugo stepped back, fishing for something from his pocket. "-then tell me why you still have this-?" He questioned pulling a familiar object letting it dangle between his fingers.

"How do you have that?" You gasped, seeing the badly scratched up keychain in the shape of a Pomeranian dog.

"It was in the stuff they confiscated when you first arrived at the hospital." Bakugo explained, "Now tell me why you kept it all this time?"

"Give it to me." You ordered, reaching for it but Bakugo pulled it back.

"No." He states, "Answer me."

"Bakug-" You dared speak to say his name, your voice shook under your loose emotions.

"No-!" Bakugo barked, pushing you until your back hit the wall. His hands firmly placed on either side of your head. "-you don't call me that!"

"I-"

"You call me Katsuki." Bakugo demanded, "I get your pissed, and I get why. But think about it from our side." Bakugo pushed, "I buried my girlfriend, Starburst lost her best friend, All Might lost his daughter. Now somehow, you're fucking back and want nothing to do with us? The day you died; I fell apart. I am the hero I am today because of you and the memory you left with me!"

"I-I..." Your brain forgot words existed.

"I have missed you-" Bakugo trembled, without thinking wraps his arms around you pulling you tightly against him as tears filled his eyes. He buried his face in your neck as you remain frozen with a wide-eyed expression. "-shit-!" Bakugo cursed quickly looking at you up and down. "-are you ok!? Did-Did I hurt something-!?"

"I'm fine." You muttered; Bakugo was about to demand you lie back in bed when the door opened just then.

"Bakugo?" All Might sounded confused as he, Aizawa and Dr. Shuzenji walked in. "What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing..." He mumbled, knowing everyone was ordered by a glaring Aizawa to stay downstairs until told otherwise.

"You need to-"

"Well (y/n)-" Dr. Shuzenji moved past the teachers, cutting Aizawa off as she spoke about your condition, thrilled Bakugo snuck his way in here to see you, perhaps this was the step that needed to be taken in order to lead you home.

After another stern look from Aizawa, Dr. Shuzenji smiled. Asking Bakugo to leave the room so they could talk to you about your steps of treatment. Bakugo nodded, looking at you knowing you were going to need time. Time to adjust from the damage Puzzle has done, time to relearn who you were...and he would be patient as you relearned what he already knew.

"Hey-!" Kirishima waved, "-what took you so long man?"

"Did you fall in?" Kaminari cracked a joke.

"Hey-?" Mina waved her hand ignoring the blond, "-where is my soda?"

"Huh?" Bakugo blinked, not recalling he agreed to grab them some snacks from the vending machine.

Back inside your room, All Might and Aizawa took a seat by your bedside as Dr. Shuzenji lectured you about taking it easy for the next few weeks. Your body was so overworked your healing quirk couldn't function, and more damage was being done than good with your continued hero work for the HPSC. Dr. Shuzenji talked about getting you placed on leave for a while until you recovered.

"Before we go home-" Aizawa spoke after watching Dr. Shuzenji leave the room. "-there is one more thing we need to discuss."

You stared at the long-haired hero; he took a breath before continuing.

"The U.A. students are still required to live on campus-" Aizawa explains, "-and we teachers take turns each week living on the campus with the students. I can't keep skipping my rotation."

"Ok-" You understand. "-where will I be assigned while you're babysitting?"

"Ah-" Aizawa turned to All Might who shrugged. "-well...we have a dorm ready for you."