ALWAYS || Katsuki Bakugo

71- Good Night, Akimitsu Yoshiko

It was almost six in the morning when Yoshiko, Shinsou, Tokoyami and Bakugo stumbled back into the dorms, all stinky and dirty. Luck was in their favour, and Aizawa hadn't come to check in on the students last night since it was the weekend anyway. Yoshiko thanked Shinsou and Tokoyami, making a mental note to take them out for lunch sometime. She was grateful they readily put up with hours digging and then dumping the dirt back in the grave.

Yoshiko and Bakugo stopped on their floor, standing across from each other with a sigh. Bakugo watched her lean her head back on her door, metallic eyes staring at him. He knew she was going to be thinking. A lot. She just confirmed that Daisuke was alive after all.

"Get some rest." He said.

"After a shower," she muttered, nose crinkling at the sight of her dirty blue shirt.

"Come to my room after you're done," He said, opening his door.

"Mhm." Yoshiko crept into her room, closing the door behind her. She found Bear lazing on the balcony, enjoying the early morning sun. He immediately trotted out at the sight of her, sniffing at her while standing on his hind legs. Yoshiko ruffled his head, earning happy wags and slobbery dog kisses in return.

"Bear!" She squealed when he brought her down and licked her face, "not my face!"

She tried pushing him out of the bathroom, but it only resulted in puppy whines and scratching on the door, so she had to shower with the door wide open while her dog chewed on his elephant toy and watched her. Not the first time Bear didn't let her shower alone. Luckily, the door to her room was locked, so it wasn't a big deal.

As she washed her hair, she thought of what her next steps would be. She considered telling her mother about her findings, but she was sure it'd result in her getting a one-hour lecture on what she did was wrong before she got to the fact that Daisuke was probably out there committing crimes more heinous than digging up a grave. She thought of the fact that Daisuke was working on the case related to The Quirk Elites before he died, according to what Hawks told her months back.

Did he fake his death to join them?

Anger bubbled in Yoshiko's chest at the idea of Daisuke being so easily swayed just for the promise of power. She brushed the thought away, leaving it for after the shower and a nap, focusing on scrubbing her body clean with her vanilla-scented body wash instead. She stepped out of the shower and dried her body off with a towel. She plopped in bed and moisturised her legs and arms before drying her hair with Bear on her toes. She threw her closet open and looked for something comfortable to wear. She found one of Katsuki's hoodies she refused to return and threw it on a long with a pair of sweats.

She opened her room, looking sideways in the hallway with no signs of anyone awake. It was still too early to be awake on a weekend. She watched Bear run to the elevator and press the button with his nose just like she trained him to. She eyed him like a mother watching her child take their first steps. She waved at him when he went in the elevator, his tongue sticking out as he panted.

Yoshiko turned the knob on Bakugo's door and went inside, locking the door behind her. He had showered and lay in bed with mismatched shirt and pants, sprawled out like a starfish on the bed, already half asleep. She smiled at the sight and put a knee on the mattress. He stirred, long blonde eyelashes fluttering open, his eyes gleaming just like the red stone on the ring she wore at all times. He shifted and made space for her.

Yoshiko climbed into bed beside him, and he lay on top of her in between her legs with his ear on her chest, listening to the thump-thump of her heartbeat as she played with his hair. With the natural body heat they radiated, there was no need for a blanket. Bakugo nuzzled into her neck, brushing his lips against her jugular in a lazy kiss. She suppressed a giggle when his hair tickled her skin. He knew he was heavy, so he lay beside her again with an arm and a leg across her, pulling her as close as possible.