From The Ashes | Bakugo x Fem! Reader

𝙁𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙏𝙀𝙀𝙉

𝘑𝘰𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

At precisely 5:00 AM, (Y/N)'s peaceful sleep was shattered by a series of knocks that pounded against her door with an almost obnoxious insistence, each one louder than the last. The noise was merciless, prying her from the lingering warmth of sleep and dragging her back to reality. Groaning, she buried her head into her pillow, half hoping whoever it was would give up and leave. But the knocking only grew louder, more demanding, with no signs of stopping. Blinking groggily, she opened her eyes, feeling the heavy weight of sleep clinging to her as she stumbled to the door.

She barely cracked it open, prepared to tell off whoever had decided to disrupt her morning so violently. But instead, she found herself face-to-face with a familiar blond figure standing in the hallway, arms crossed over his chest, wearing an expression of pure impatience. It was Katsuki Bakugo, his signature scowl sharp and unrelenting as he looked her up and down, clearly unbothered by her groggy appearance.

For a moment, she froze, blinking in confusion. Up until now, he'd always been a distant figure in the background of her classes—a force of nature she'd never interacted with up close. But now, with the intensity of his gaze directly on her, she became painfully aware of her own disheveled state: sleep-tousled hair, heavy eyelids, and an oversized hoodie hanging off one shoulder. Despite her attempts to hide her embarrassment, a faint heat crept up her neck.

"Get dressed," he ordered brusquely, his voice leaving no room for argument. "We're going for a run."

It took her a second to process his words, the disbelief clear on her face as she stared at him. But he raised an eyebrow, daring her to defy him, his arms still firmly crossed as if to emphasize the lack of choice in the matter. Swallowing a sigh, she nodded reluctantly and closed the door, running a hand over her face as she quickly pulled on her running clothes, her fingers moving on autopilot as she laced up her shoes.

Moments later, she made her way downstairs, finding him waiting just outside the door, the early morning light casting a faint glow over his figure. Without a word, she fell into step beside him as they walked towards the training grounds. The air was crisp, a lingering chill clinging to the morning as she shivered slightly, wishing she'd thrown on an extra layer. But Bakugo's expression remained impassive, his eyes fixed straight ahead, breaking the silence only to give her a series of brief, precise instructions on stretching.

Without hesitation, she followed his lead, moving through each stretch with careful obedience. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her every movement, the weight of his scrutiny heavy. Maybe he'd expected her to complain or resist, but she did neither, following his instructions with a quiet focus that seemed to catch him off guard. A faint flicker of irritation crossed his face, his brows drawing together slightly. Perhaps he hadn't anticipated her compliance.

Once they finished stretching, he straightened, finally giving her the order to start jogging. "Keep my pace," he said, his tone sharp, setting off at a steady rhythm that she matched, her focus shifting to her breathing as they fell into sync.

Bakugo didn't look back at her, but his stiff posture and clenched jaw hinted at the reluctance simmering beneath the surface. She could practically feel the tension radiating from him, his irritation clear as they jogged side by side. To him, she must have seemed like an inconvenience—an extra task added to his list of priorities, something he was forced to deal with rather than wanted to.