Goddess Wink | Various!BNHA x Reader

68 ♡ newfound appreciation

It took a while for you to calm down, but Kirishima was as patient as he was kind. He didn't try to rush you through it and gave you the time to just feel your emotions, making sure to stroke your hair every so often and mumble a few comforting words.

You weren't sure how long you'd been crying in his arms for, but at some point, you stopped. The overwhelming pain and fear from before still lingered, but it had become much more tolerable.

Thanks to Kirishima, you felt like you were going to be okay.

"Better now?" he asked hesitantly, using his thumb to wipe away the last tear rolling down your damp cheek.

You mustered up a smile, having to squint through your now puffy eyes. "Yeah, a lot better, actually. Thank you, Kirishima-kun. I'm sorry. That must have taken you by surprise. I'm not really sure what came over me."

That last part was obviously a lie, but there wasn't much you could do about it. No matter how desperately you longed to tell someone about your traumatic experience, you would need to keep this matter to yourself.

Kirishima frantically shook his head. "Please don't apologize! I hardly did anything worth thanking me for. You're my friend, so of course I'd try to be there for you in a time of need. And like I said before, don't feel pressured into telling me what happened, especially if you'd rather not talk about it right now. But if you ever change your mind and want someone to listen, just know that I'd be more than happy to lend an ear."

"Alright. But still. I really mean it. Thank you."

Kirishima must have thought that it was nothing but a small, well-meaning gesture, but given the day you'd just had, it was actually one of the few things keeping your sanity intact.

After taking a few more moments to fully compose yourself, you suddenly perked up. "Oh," you blinked. "Right. I totally forgot I was supposed to help out with dinner preparations tonight. I should probably get started on that."

"I can take over your share," Kirishima offered. "How about you just focus on getting a bit of rest? Maybe go take a bath and try to unwind for a while."

"Are you sure? No, I really shouldn't," you insisted. "I don't want to just dump my responsibilities onto you. You've already taken the time to sit with me and help me out."

"Seriously, I insist!" he grinned, flashing you that sharp-toothed grin you'd grown so fond of. "If I can make your day even a little bit easier, I'm happy to do it. Now, don't be too stubborn with me, because I warn you that I can be surprisingly stubborn as well!" He proceeded to wag his finger at you and make a cross expression, as if he was mimicking Iida or something.

You couldn't help but giggle. "Well, alright. I guess I'd be a fool not to take you up on your offer. You're the best, Kirishima-kun."

"If you really think so, then that makes all of this worth it," he said happily.

Taking Kirishima's suggestions into account, you went and took a bath, allowing the hot water to soak into your skin. You tilted your head back and looked up at the ceiling with a dazed expression, steam drifting in front of your eyes. You still couldn't believe that you'd actually died. It was crazy. Still, all the more reason for you to appreciate your life and value every single moment. There were bastards like Chisaki out there that could end it all in the blink of eye. You couldn't take anything for granted.

With a determined huff, you submerged your head into the bath, then resurfaced after a few seconds, gasping for breath. The water was almost scalding hot, but it stabilized you, in a way. You could feel every inch of your skin practically screaming out from the heat, and despite the slight pain that came with it, you felt much more resolved.