𝔄𝔫 ℑ𝔫𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔄𝔴𝔞𝔶 | Katsuki Bakugo x OC

Chapter 64 - Vulnerability With You

This chapter was definitely a huge writing journey. I had written, re-written, and re-re-written because I just couldn't quite hit the mark as I usually felt with my writing. I hope you all like what I've come up with now; I must say majority of it is very much angst heavy and has many darker themes embedded in the hurt/comfort interactions. (T_T)

TW: suicidal contemplation, severe depression, disassociation

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Shirakumo dropped Katsuki and Hina off right at the entrance of the cabin they were at weeks ago.

Nothing much had changed. The trees were still standing tall, the forest speckled in yellows and oranges instead of sifting in the greens it had in the summer. The wind was cooler, the birds more scarce in the shade of the trees. They must've migrated to warmer lands.

Hina didn't ask why they returned to this cabin again. After all, the NVA knew of this place; it should've been marked as a compromised location.

Katsuki must've noticed the confusion, because he held her hand with his free one, while carrying the two duffle bags they'd brought last time to stay here over his back with his other one.

"Hatsume upgraded the security of the cabin. The only time we have to be careful is when we go hiking."

She remembered Hatsume vaguely. It was during the first few days of meeting Katsuki, when they went quirk training the very first time. He was scolding the engineer while setting up her profile to enter and exit Midnight Hills so she could move around the hero community freely.

Similar to the security there, the key lock was replaced at the door with a biometric scanner. She guessed the golden key was no longer a needed double entendre to trick the villains.

He let go of her hand for a second, plastered his palm and splayed his fingers on the screen.

A hologram of blue letters flashed, "Vocal Identification."

"Dynamight," Katsuki said.

The letters turned red, her voice monotonously buzzing.

"Access Denied."

"Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight."

"Access Denied."

He gritted his teeth. "Great Murder God."

"Access Denied."

"Lord Explosion Murder" He snapped, vibrating in rage.

"Access Denied"

Katsuki growled and Hina barely tilted her lip in humor from the frustration she felt on his end.

He grumbled under his breath annoyed. She heard something about Izuku and then something about how he'll kill someone.

"Kacchan"

The hologram turned green, a small emote of Katsuki's hero persona cutely showing rage while the voice monotonously said, "Access Granted: Kacchan."

"The shit nerd." He bit, half-exasperated and half-tired. She assumed it was since he was expecting it to an extent.

When she snickered and he glanced to her side, she felt a light inside—relief bleeding into her lungs- his lungs.

It was enough to reign in her emotions back into apathy. She felt Katsuki's letdown but didn't react to it. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

He took her hand again, this time lacing his fingers between hers as he brought her inside. His grip was tighter, grasping for some reaction out of her, trying, hopelessly, to bring back the rebellious, childish Hina he knew was inside her. Somewhere.