Vulnerability and Second Chances (Barbarian King!Bakugou x Omega!Reader)

Chapter 6: Rough but Gentle Hands

After he cleaned your face, with your permission, he untied the cape so that he could take a look at how bad your condition was.

The next stretch of time was spent in a comfortable silence as Bakugou continued to take care of your numerous injuries, occasionally instructing you to drink water and convinced you to take in a little bit of food that he had Sero bring in. You two alternated back and forth, falling into a seamless pattern.

He would bandage an area, tapping you lightly to turn this way and that so that he could take care of everything that he could see. While he did that, you took a peek beneath what your clothes covered and tried to assess how bad the bruising was.

It didn't hurt when you moved, everything was just sore but that also probably had to do with the fact that your energy was zapped. You didn't have any broken bones or anything that immediately required Hagakure to look at you, even though you were sure he was going to insist later on; if anything, you were just malnourished.

Nothing that some time and tender loving care couldn't fix.

Kirishima, yeah, Kirishima could take care of that for you. Certainly not someone like him. He had more important things to attend to.

Right?

By the time Bakugou finished wrapping up various scraps so that they wouldn't get infected, your whole face was glowing, body having been fed fresh water and a warm meal for the very first time. Your grateful smile was making his heart hurt.

His heart pounded hard in his chest and he wondered how you remained completely oblivious to how much you affected him already.

You were so precious, how did those fuckers not see that?

"Oi." He barked but it came out significantly softer than before.

Ears flopping to the side, you regarded him quizzically, your paws kneading into the mattress anxiously as you awaited for him to continue.

Bakugou frowned when he noticed the action and put some space between the two of you, as though the measure could undo whatever the fuck kind of shitty bonding was going on.

"Why the fuck aren't you more afraid?" He ground out, narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied you closely.

You didn't flinch at his question or tense, if anything, he swore that he saw your shoulder deflate with the tiniest bit of relief.

Nose twitching, you beamed at him, the corners of your eyes crinkling. "What's there to be scared of?"

That surprised him.

You could taste his wariness on your tongue and you dropped the smile, eyes blinking at him open. Vulnerable.

You knew what he was thinking. How could someone like you, who had endured everything that you had said if you weren't lying to him, bounce back so quickly?

It was a little too weird not to be suspicious.

Bakugou didn't want to expect anything. You were Kirishima's friend from before and he the last thing that he wanted to do was disappoint his second-in-command but he needed to know what was going that head of yours or else he wouldn't be able to understand and keep his people safe.

Setting your hands down in your lap, you neatly tucked your legs underneath you, sitting exactly how you were taught from a young age. Tidy and proper.

Your fluffy tail now free from all sorts of brambles and thistles as Bakugou had worked all the offending prickly objects out of it, draped over your leg.

Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself to be completely honest with him.

"Kiri's here, so there's nothing to be scared of." You replied nonchalantly.