STRINGS // KATSUKI BAKUGO [2]

Chapter 60 // Trying

Let's just say, Aizawa was not happy to be interrupted from his already terrible night's sleep on the lounge couch.

"Child, it is the middle of the night," the man groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, brushing his inky locks out of his face. "You too?" He glanced at Bakugo.

"I discovered something," you admitted, "but it's something everyone needs to know, and I mean everyone. It could help us win the war."

"Hold on," Bakugo raised a hand, which he then gestured toward the couch with. "Why the hell are you sleeping on our couch?"

"[Y/N] stayed, so I stayed," Aizawa explained tiredly, suppressing a yawn as he stood. "Now what'd you say about winning the war? 'Cause if it's another one of your self-sacrificing plans, I'm locking you in your room."

"See," Bakugo emphasized, "I'm not the only one tired of your self-sacrificing bullshit."

"You're gonna be tired due to other things if you keep talking," you threatened with a deadpanned expression, causing Bakugo to huff dismissively, yet he remained silent.

"Anyway," you continued, directing your attention back to Aizawa, "it's a long story, a story that I don't want to say more than once, so I think we should gather everyone and have a little...intermission."

"'Everyone' being?..." he trialed off, awaiting your response.

"Everyone," you repeated, "all the hero course students, even Class 1-B, and any heroes who are joining the battle."

Aizawa rubbed a hand over his face, clearly tried due to both lack of sleep and your antics.

"Alright," he said, not questioning your proposition any further. "I'll schedule a meeting for this afternoon."

"That's too far away," you shook your head in disagreement. "Aizawa, I might not have that much time, and I need everyone to know what's going on."

"[Y/N], I don't even know what's going on," Aizawa slurred out with another yawn. "I'm gonna need you to tell me something before I just go and rally the whole city."

"When have I ever been wrong?" you questioned with a small hiss, impatient. "Even when I was brainwashed, I managed to do the right thing."

"And, if it makes you feel better, Teach," Bakugo chimed in with a small grunt. "I got no fuckin' idea what's happenin' either. She just head-butted me and said she needed to talk to you."

"I was asleep," you defended yourself.

"Not by that time you weren't," your boyfriend argued. "I sure as hell wasn't."

"Alright, stop," Aizawa demanded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll gather everyone as soon as possible. In the meantime, eat something. You skipped dinner last night."

With that, Aizawa left, going to arrange this meeting you had demanded and leaving you and Bakugo alone.

"Well, I ain't goin' back to sleep now," Bakugo said, slinging his arm across your shoulders. "Come on, I'll make somethin' for us to eat."

You silently followed Bakugo to the kitchen, listening when he told you to take a seat at the small, four-seater table in the middle of the small but cozy room.

The class never ate meals as a full group, so there was no need for a bigger kitchen. Plus, it saved space and, therefore, money.

"What're ya cravin'?" Bakugo questioned as he began to rummage through the fridge.

You shrugged even though he wasn't looking, saying, "'m not that hungry."

"Doesn't matter," he replied with a small scoff. "You gotta eat something."

'That doesn't matter,' you thought mockingly. 'If Shigaraki is draining my energy, eating will only feed him.'

"I can't," you stated through a deep exhale, folding your arms on the surface of the table before resting your chin in the bend of them.

Bakugo stepped back from the fridge, pushing the doors shut before moving to crouch in front of you.

"Talk to me," he demanded quietly. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on."

He set his hands on either of your knees, fingers pressing down gently. His thumbs caressed your inner thighs.

"You can't help me no matter what..." you muttered. "This, what's happening, you can't fix it. You can't fix me."

"I'm not trying to fix you," he stated, brows furrowing in frustration. "You're not broken. You're not something that needs to be fixed. You're perfect, but you're hurting. I can't help you get through this if you don't talk to me."

"Kat," you began breathily, "I don't think there is any getting through this."

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"Apologies for the abruptness of this meeting," Aizawa spoke to the crowd of heroes and familiar students filling the room, "but [Y/N] has seemingly discovered new information that may be crucial in winning the war that she would like to share."

Aizawa moved aside, shooting a curious glance your way as he allowed you to step forward and become the center of everyone's attention.

You scanned the room, taking in the remorseful and longing expressions being thrown your way by both worn heroes and fledging students.

"As you all probably know by now," you began hesitantly, "I'm dying."

If the room wasn't tense before, it sure was now. Quiet chatter began to float throughout the space as eyes narrowed in sympathy and lips pursed in reluctance.

"It's been quicker lately," you explained, referring to your deteriorating health. "We thought it was because temporarily wielding One For All drained an excessive amount of my energy, but something happened last night that made me realize this was just a coverup."

You glanced at Bakugo, who was standing a few feet behind you, staring confused and listening intently.

"I thought I was dreaming," you averted your attention back to the crowd, "but it seems the explosion that happened during the last battle severed the bond between Midoriya and I and created a new one, one between Shigaraki and I."

Sharp inhales and breathy gasps sounded throughout the room, and you allowed the crowd to process the information before proceeding.

"Shigaraki and I are connected," you stated. "We're in each other's heads. He was able to consciously visit me last night. I'm unsure how strong this connection is. I don't know if he can hear what I'm thinking. I don't know if we can feel each other's pain, but he's been draining my energy at an excessive rate these past few months, and I didn't even know. The stronger I get, the stronger he gets. I'm feeding his power, and I can't stop it."

"How is this supposed to help us?" Monoma questioned, sounding confused rather than harsh. "This just sounds like a disadvantage."

"Because this connection goes both ways," you replied. "I may not be able to help much physically, but, if I can paranoia him, get into his head, distract him, it could give us a few seconds in a time when we need it. A few seconds can change everything in war."

"Are you sure you'll be able to get control of this connection and operate it to its fullest before the war begins?" Ryuku wondered aloud, rubbing a hand up and down her arm nervously.

"I don't know," you confessed, glancing over your shoulder at Bakugo, who was now gazing at you with stunned eyes, "but I do know that I'll die trying."

[EDITED]