Amethyst. (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)

PART 13 - Sparks of Trust

The sterile smell of antiseptic was the first thing I noticed as my senses slowly came back. My body felt like it was encased in ice—heavy and aching. I blinked, my vision adjusting to the bright lights of the UA nursing room. The last thing I remembered was Bakugo running toward me. Then... nothing.

"You're awake," a familiar voice said from the side of the room.

I turned my head, and there was Recovery Girl, her small frame looking even tinier in the large chair beside me. Her expression was serious, her eyes sharp with concern.

"How are you feeling, dear?" she asked, her tone kind, but something in her voice told me she wasn't asking just to make conversation.

I tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through my hands. I winced and looked down. My hands were wrapped in thick bandages, and a faint purple hue pulsed underneath. The memory of the Ice Dragon flickered in my mind, along with the fire. I couldn't suppress a shiver.

"My hands... they're frozen again, aren't they?"

Recovery Girl shook her head slowly. "It's not just your hands. Your body temperature... it's far hotter than anything I've ever seen, even hotter than Endeavor's when he uses his flames. If you don't learn how to control it, Y/N, it could be very dangerous for you." Her words were gentle, but the warning was clear.

Dangerous. The word hung in the air. I had known that the Ice Dragon was powerful, but I didn't think it would push my body to the brink like this.

I nodded weakly, feeling the weight of her concern settle on my chest. I was always teetering on the edge of control, and this was just another reminder of how close I had come to losing everything.

Recovery Girl stood up, moving closer to check my bandages. "You've got the potential for something great, but this—" She gestured to my hands. "This kind of power will consume you if you don't take control. Understand?"

I swallowed, the words sticking in my throat, but I nodded again. I understood.

As Recovery Girl left the room, her warning still echoed in my head. I lay back down, staring at the ceiling. Outside, I could hear the crowd roaring, the matches continuing without me. The sports festival was still going, and I wasn't out there.

Tenya's match with Ibara Shiozaki must be happening now. I wanted to be out there supporting him, but my thoughts kept drifting back to our last conversation. That's why you're not a Pro-Hero anymore. His words had stung more than I let on.

I clenched my teeth, feeling the sting of bitterness creep in. I understood where he was coming from, I really did, but it still hurt. He hadn't seen what it takes, what we sometimes must become to survive out there – in a real fight. I had seen it—lived it.

Even so, I couldn't help but want to see his match. I wanted to know if he had started to grasp what it really meant to be a hero after watching me battle Bakugo. Heroes don't just lecture others; they fight with everything they have, even when it means pushing themselves beyond their limits. Maybe now, after seeing that, Tenya would finally understand.

Then there was Kirishima's match against Tokoyami. I liked both, and they were strong in their own right, but a part of me hoped Kirishima would pull through. He had a certain toughness that was hard to beat, even against Tokoyami's Dark Shadow.

My thoughts were cut off by a loud thud at the door. When I looked up, Bakugo had already let himself in, looking like he owned the place, as usual.

"What the hell, Bakugo?" I frowned, trying to sit up through the soreness.

"Tch, don't 'what the hell' me. Like I'm gonna sit around while you're lying here looking like shit." His arms were crossed, his expression sharp, like he was annoyed just being here.