Bound by Obsession

Final Chapter: Breaking Chains

The air between Izuku and Bakugo was thick with tension, charged with emotions neither of them could control. Behind them, the sounds of the ongoing battle with the heroes faded into the background, leaving only the two of them standing in the eye of a storm.

Bakugo’s grip on Izuku’s arm tightened painfully, and for the first time, Izuku could see the fear in Bakugo’s eyes—fear of losing him, of losing control, of losing everything. But it wasn’t enough to keep him here.

Izuku’s voice trembled as he spoke, his decision weighing heavily on him. "Kacchan… I can’t keep doing this."

Bakugo’s face contorted with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "What the hell are you talking about, Deku? You don’t have a choice! You’re mine! You promised!"

"I never promised forever," Izuku said softly, his heart aching with the weight of his words. "I stayed because I thought I could handle it, that I could help you… but I’m losing myself, Kacchan. I don’t even know who I am anymore."

The fire in Bakugo’s eyes burned brighter. "You’re Deku! You’re the only person who gets it—who gets me. Don’t you dare throw that away. Don’t you dare leave me."

Izuku’s hand shook as he reached up, gently touching Bakugo’s cheek. For a moment, the anger in Bakugo’s eyes flickered with something softer, something raw. "Kacchan… I care about you. I always have. But this? This isn’t love. This is obsession."

Bakugo’s jaw clenched, his breath ragged. "You don’t get to say that. Not after everything. Not after I’ve given you everything."

Izuku’s voice broke. "But I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask to be owned."

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of Izuku’s words crashing down around them. Bakugo’s grip loosened, his expression crumbling into something Izuku had never seen before—something vulnerable, broken.

"You said you wouldn’t leave me," Bakugo whispered, his voice barely audible.

"I didn’t want to leave you," Izuku replied, his voice shaking. "But we’re destroying each other, Kacchan. If I stay… I’ll disappear. And I can’t let that happen."

Bakugo stared at him, the fight draining out of him, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of the world had finally crushed him. "I don’t know how to let you go," he admitted, his voice cracking.

Tears welled up in Izuku’s eyes, and he took a deep, shuddering breath. "Maybe you don’t have to let me go… but you need to let me be free."

The silence stretched on, heavy and suffocating. Then, slowly, Bakugo released Izuku’s arm, his hand dropping to his side. His eyes never left Izuku’s, and for the first time, there was no anger, no possessiveness—just pain.

"You’re really leaving," Bakugo muttered, the realization hitting him all at once.

Izuku nodded, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I have to."

Bakugo’s lips trembled, and for a moment, he looked like the boy Izuku had grown up with—the boy who had been so strong, so determined, but always so alone. "Will you… ever come back?"

Izuku hesitated, the question hanging in the air like a final plea. "I don’t know," he whispered honestly. "But I can’t come back to this. Not like this."

Bakugo’s gaze dropped to the ground, his fists clenching at his sides. "Then go," he said, his voice barely holding together. "Get out of here before I change my mind."

Izuku didn’t move at first, his heart aching for the broken person standing in front of him. But he knew if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to walk away.

He turned, his feet heavy as he made his way toward Todoroki and the other heroes. Each step felt like a betrayal, like he was leaving behind a part of himself, but he knew it was the only way to save what was left.

Just as he reached the door, Bakugo’s voice stopped him one last time.

"Deku…"

Izuku turned, his heart breaking at the sight of Bakugo standing there, his face pale and eyes filled with a pain he couldn’t hide.

"Don’t forget me."

Izuku’s throat tightened, and he swallowed back the tears. "I won’t. I could never forget you, Kacchan."

With that, he walked out into the night, leaving behind the only person who had ever understood him and the person who had almost destroyed him.

As the door closed behind him, the weight of his decision settled in. The night air was cool against his skin, a stark contrast to the suffocating heat of the hideout. For the first time in a long while, Izuku felt a sense of clarity, a sense of freedom.

But freedom came at a cost.

Todoroki approached him, his expression a mix of relief and understanding. "Are you okay?"

Izuku took a shaky breath, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I don’t know," he admitted. "But I think I will be."

They walked away together, the sounds of the city humming in the distance. Behind him, Izuku could feel the ghost of Bakugo’s presence—could still feel the weight of his gaze, even though they were miles apart.

But Izuku knew that, in time, the pain would fade. The obsession would fade.

And maybe, just maybe, they would both learn what it meant to truly be free.