Bound By Fire And Fate || Bakugo X Reader

The Weight Of Duty (Bakugo's pov)

They drag me back to the kingdom like I'm a prisoner, and I have to grit my teeth to keep from tearing out of their grasp. The entire way, I can still see her-her desperate face as they took me away, the look of betrayal in her friend's eyes, the way she stood between us, willing to risk herself for me.

The guards shove me through the palace doors, and I don't even bother to fight them as they throw me into my chambers and bolt the door. I can feel the tension building inside me, the need to escape, to break free and run back to her. But I know it's not that simple. Not anymore.

The silence presses down on me, and I can barely breathe, my mind racing with what I should have said, what I could have done differently. She told me she loved me. That thought alone is enough to tear me apart. I want to go back to her, to tell her she's not alone in this-that I'd choose her, fight for her, damn the consequences.

But then the door creaks open, and my father steps inside, his eyes cold and calculating as he studies me. "You disappoint me," he says, his voice as sharp as a blade. "Fraternizing with elves, sneaking around with her... Do you have any idea what you've done?"

I hold his gaze, unflinching. "I know exactly what I've done."

He sneers, crossing the room to stand in front of me. "Then you know you've jeopardized everything we've built. The alliance we've worked for, the respect of our people-all because you've been led astray by a creature who isn't worthy of your loyalty."

"Enough!" I snap, the anger flaring inside me. "You don't know anything about her."

He raises an eyebrow, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Don't I? She's a pawn, Bakugo. An elf whose only purpose is to keep you distracted. Do you really think she cares about you?"

His words cut, but I won't let him see it. I refuse to give him the satisfaction. "You don't know her," I say, my voice hard. "And you don't know me."

He studies me, his expression darkening as if he's searching for a weakness, a crack in my resolve. "Very well," he says finally, his voice quiet but laced with warning. "If you insist on pursuing this foolish path, then you'll suffer the consequences."

I can't help but scoff. "What more can you do to me?"

My father's smile turns cold, and a chill runs down my spine as he speaks. "You'll remain here, under guard. You'll do as I say, or I'll ensure that she suffers for your mistakes."

My blood freezes, and I clench my fists, rage burning through me like wildfire. "If you hurt her, I swear-"

He cuts me off with a laugh. "Do you think you can threaten me? You forget who holds the power here." His gaze sharpens, and I see the faintest hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "But if you want to save her, there is one way to end this."

I glare at him, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on me. "What are you talking about?"

"A marriage alliance," he says smoothly, his gaze never leaving mine. "You'll marry a dragon princess, solidify our bloodline, and put an end to this madness. If you agree, I'll spare the elf and let her live out her days in her forest, far away from here."

I feel like I'm suffocating, the walls closing in on me as he speaks. I can't abandon her. I can't let him push me into this-force me to marry someone else while she's left to wonder if I ever cared at all. But if I refuse, he'll make her pay for it, I know he will. He'll make her life hell, and he'll enjoy every second of it.

"Choose, Bakugo," my father says, his voice dripping with mockery. "Your duty, or your little infatuation. You can't have both."

I clench my jaw, the rage simmering in my veins, and the helplessness gnawing at me. If I agree to this alliance, she'll be safe-but it'll mean letting her go, breaking her heart in a way she might never forgive.

But if I defy him... if I try to be with her, we're both doomed.

The weight of the decision presses down on me, leaving me hollow, as if I'm being torn in half. And in that moment, I know there's no escaping this choice. Either way, I lose something I can't bear to lose.

I force myself to meet his gaze, my voice barely more than a growl as I answer. "Fine. I'll do it."

My father smiles, but I see the emptiness behind it. He's won, and he knows it.