𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽 | Katsuki Bakugou x Reader

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"Are you fucking crying? HAHAHA!" (Y/n) laughed as Hawks wiped a stray tear from his eye.

"Shut up, It's allergies," he retorted, striking a pose beside (Y/n) and Tokoyami for a picture.

Today marked the end of the sidekick internship period, and (Y/n) and Tokoyami were preparing to return to Yuuei.

As they stood together, the camera flashed, capturing the moment of camaraderie. Hawks glanced at them with a mixture of pride and amusement.

"You two did great," Hawks said, ruffling Tokoyami's feathers and patting (Y/n) on the back. "Yuuei's lucky to have you."

(Y/n) smiled, feeling a surge of pride and gratitude. "Thanks, Hawks. We learned a lot from you."

Tokoyami nodded in agreement, his usual stoic expression softening. "Your guidance has been invaluable."

Hawks chuckled, waving off the compliments. "Just doing my job. Now go back and show Yuuei what you've got."

As they returned to Yuuei, (Y/n) felt a sense of accomplishment. The internship had been challenging, but they had grown stronger and more confident in their abilities. 

Despite the Death Eater still being on the loose, (Y/n) was determined to become even stronger. She was focused on gaining full control and a higher capacity of her quirk, so if she faced him again, he wouldn't be able to escape.

Back at Yuuei, the familiar sight of the school brought a sense of comfort. Students buzzed around, sharing stories about their internships and reuniting with friends. (Y/n) spotted Mina and Kirishima in the crowd; she waved to them and headed over excitedly.

"Hey! How was it?" Mina called out, bouncing on her toes.

"It was a really nice experience," (Y/n) replied with a grin. "Hawks is a total foodie."

Since they had just returned from their internships, the school gave them two days off to relax and unpack at their dorms. (Y/n) felt grateful for the break and the chance to catch up with her friends.

Back at the dorms, (Y/n) quickly unpacked her things and joined the rest of her friends in the common area. They shared stories and laughed, enjoying the rare moment of relaxation.

However, everyone noticed the obvious tension between (Y/n) and Katsuki. It seemed to have worsened. Despite the cheerful atmosphere among their friends, an awkward distance filled the room whenever they were together. 

Conversations would falter, and uneasy silences would follow whenever their eyes accidentally met. Mina and Kirishima exchanged concerned glances, silently acknowledging the strain between them.  

They remembered how close (Y/n) and Katsuki had been during their first year at Yuuei, but something had clearly changed. Now, their interactions were marked by stiffness and a lack of their former bond.

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"Why does he keep doing that? He's your best friend, other than (Y/n)—though they're not talking anymore—you're close to him, so you should know!" Katsuki overheard Mina's voice as he walked near the kitchen. He stopped, ensuring no one could see him, and continued to eavesdrop on his friends' conversation, which was evidently about him.

"I told you I don't—" Kirishima's voice faded as Mina interrupted him. "Ask him about it. He can't keep doing this to her."

"She's right, you know," Katsuki heard Denki say to Kirishima. "He can't just talk to (Y/n) whenever he likes and then ghost her."

"Why can't you tell him that?!" Kirishima asked.

"Because none of us are close to him as you are." Sero chimed in.

"Did (Y/n) even tell you that she doesn't want him to ignore her?" Kirishima questioned.

"No, but it's really obvious. She's never been the same since our first year, which is when he started to ignore her; even though she hides it. Plus, the tension is always there when the two are around," Kyoka added, her voice tinged with concern.

"I don't know if I can talk to him about it—I did, before. It's a really sensitive topic for him. He'd get angry or brush it off... I just learned to drop it," Kirishima replied, his tone reflecting a sense of resignation.

Anything after that, Katsuki tuned out as he walked back upstairs to his dorm room, his appetite gone. His mind was swirling with the fragments of the conversation he had overheard. 

As he walked past (Y/n)'s dorm, Katsuki heard faint noises coming from inside her room. He paused, recognizing the familiar theme song of a show they used to watch together. His heart tightened with a mix of nostalgia and guilt. He stood there for a moment, torn between knocking on her door and continuing to his room. The memories of their shared laughter and late-night conversations flooded his mind.

Ultimately, Katsuki decided against knocking. Instead, he continued down the hallway to his own dorm, his steps heavy with regret. Once inside, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it, his friends' words still echoing in his ears.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

ᴇɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ.