Where Our Hearts Fall

Chapter 20

The next morning, I woke slowly, my senses gradually adjusting to the gentle warmth of sunlight streaming through the hospital window. My vision was blurry at first, but as things came into focus, I noticed something unexpected—something warm and solid resting across my lap.

I blinked, and there he was: Bakugo, fast asleep. He was slouched forward in a chair beside my bed, his head resting on my lap, his face relaxed and peaceful in a way I'd rarely seen before. I doubted he'd meant to fall asleep like this—it was Bakugo, after all—but I couldn't help feeling grateful for the quiet moment. I let my eyes linger on his face, memorizing every detail, from the way his lashes brushed his cheeks to the slight part of his lips. And in that moment, with him so close, I felt my heart ache. I realized, almost as if for the first time, just how deeply I'd fallen for him.

Eventually, he began to stir, blinking groggily before lifting his head from my lap. For a second, he looked disoriented, as if he didn't quite know where he was. But then his eyes met mine, and he quickly straightened, clearing his throat and glancing around as though trying to mask the embarrassment that flashed across his face.

I slowly sat up, heart racing as I remembered everything we'd talked about last night. A part of me feared he might see me differently now. With all the things I'd shared, especially about my parents, would he still look at me the same way? The thought gnawed at me, so I swallowed hard and decided to ask, even if it made me nervous.

"Do... do you see me differently now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Bakugo's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, clearly taken aback. He scoffed, crossing his arms, but there was a softness in his gaze that he didn't quite manage to hide.

"Are you serious, or just plain stupid?" he muttered, trying to play it off with his usual gruffness, but his tone was gentler than I'd ever heard it. "Why the hell would I see you differently?"

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond, but he continued, his voice lowering slightly.

"Listen," he said, his gaze intense as he looked at me. "Your parents? They don't define who you are. You're not them. You're you. It's you who decides the kind of person you wanna be, and anyone with eyes can see you're doing everything you can to be your best."

His words sank in, filling me with a warmth that made my heart swell. I felt a lump in my throat, touched by how fiercely he defended me, even against my own doubts. I managed a small smile, feeling as if a weight had been lifted.

"Thank you, Bakugo," I whispered, the words barely capturing how much his reassurance meant to me.

Bakugo shifted in his chair, crossing his arms and leaning back, though his gaze softened as he met my eyes again. The room was quiet, the morning light warm and gentle, but there was a tension between us, a weight that hadn't been lifted just yet.

"So," he muttered, still avoiding my gaze. "You... you said you had another quirk?" His voice was gruff, as though he didn't want to push but couldn't ignore the topic either. I knew he was asking because he cared, even if he wouldn't admit it.

I took a deep breath, the memory of everything that happened washing over me. The second quirk, the betrayal—it all felt like a storm in my chest. "Yeah," I said softly, feeling a lump in my throat. "I've... kept it hidden for a while. I never really understood it, and I was scared of it, honestly. But when they showed up, when I realized it was them—" My voice cracked, and I had to look away, blinking back the tears threatening to spill.

The room was filled with a quiet stillness as Bakugo watched me, his hand still holding mine. I knew that what I was about to tell him might change things. But there was a trust in his gaze, a promise that made me feel like he could handle knowing, that maybe he could help me carry the weight of this secret.