Katsuki Bakugou x Marinette Kirishima

Truth's Unspoken

I was sprawled out on my bed, scrolling through my phone, the events of the past weeks playing on a loop in my mind. Kirishima had been hovering around more than usual, clearly wanting to talk about something. I knew what it was—he'd been giving me suspicious looks since Marinette moved in with Mr. Aizawa and his family.

The knock on my door came as no surprise. "Come in," I grumbled, not even looking up.

Kirishima entered, closing the door behind him. "Bakugou, we need to talk."

I sighed, tossing my phone onto the bed. "About what, Shittyhair?"

"About Marinette," he said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

I felt a jolt of irritation mixed with anxiety. "What about her?"

Kirishima narrowed his eyes. "What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing's going on," I snapped, sitting up and glaring at him. "She's your sister, and I'm just looking out for her. That's it."

He didn't look convinced. "Bakugou, I know you better than that. You've been acting different ever since that night on the rooftop. Just tell me the truth."

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my temper in check. "I told you, nothing is going on."

Kirishima sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Man, if you care about her, you should admit it. I can see it in how you look at her and talk to her. You're not fooling anyone."

I looked away, my jaw tight. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. "Bakugou, she's my sister. I just want to know if you're serious about her. She doesn't need any more pain in her life."

I felt a pang of guilt at his words. "I know that," I muttered.

"Then why can't you just admit it? Do you like her or not?"

I stared at the floor, my heart pounding. The truth was, I liked her more than I wanted to admit. Ever since that night, the thought of losing her had been unbearable. But I couldn't let Kirishima know that—not yet.

"It's complicated," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What's so complicated about it?" Kirishima pressed. "If you like her, just say it. She deserves to know."

I looked up, meeting his eyes. "You don't get it, Kirishima. If something happens to her, if I lose her, I don't think I could handle it."

Kirishima's expression softened. "Bakugou, she's strong. She survived a lot worse before she met us. But she needs people who care about her, who won't let her down."

"I know," I said, my voice cracking. "And I do care about her. More than I've ever cared about anyone. But I'm scared, okay? I'm scared that if I let myself get close to her, I'll just end up hurting her."

Kirishima placed a hand on my shoulder. "Bakugou, you're not the same person you were before. You've changed. And Marinette sees that. She trusts you. Maybe it's time you trust yourself, too."

I felt a lump in my throat, my emotions threatening to overwhelm me. "I just don't want to lose her."

"Then don't," Kirishima said simply. "Be there for her. Show her that you care. She needs you, Bakugou. And maybe, just maybe, you need her too."

I nodded slowly, the weight of his words sinking in. "Yeah, maybe I do."

Kirishima gave me a reassuring smile. "Look, man, I'm not saying it's going to be easy. But if anyone can protect her and make her happy, it's you. Just... don't push her away, okay?"