Unveiled Winds || Katsuki Bakugou x Reader

Chapter 34 - The invitation

Your office is a space that reflects you in every sense. While the agency might be buzzing with chaos, your room is an oasis of order and calm.

The walls are painted a soft, neutral tone, accented by shelves lined with books, case files, and a few personal mementos, a small photo frame of your family, a potted plant that somehow survives despite your negligence, and a few trinkets from missions past.

On the far side of the room, a sleek desk sits, its surface covered with neatly stacked papers and your laptop, glowing faintly in the late afternoon light.

A pinboard on the wall behind you holds pinned notes, schedules, and motivational quotes you've jotted down over time, though one corner has started to gather random doodles during long phone calls.

The sunlight streaming in through the half-drawn blinds gives the room a warm glow, but despite the inviting space, you feel anything but calm.

Your day has been a whirlwind, villain activity has surged, leaving the team swamped with reports, mission planning, and endless paperwork.

It's the kind of day where you haven't even had a moment to see Bakugou, and though you try to keep your focus on your work, his absence lingers in your mind more than you'd like to admit.

Your pen taps against the desk as you try to concentrate, but the knock at your door pulls you from your thoughts.

Your heart leaps, and for a split second, you think it might be him. "Come in," you call, straightening in your chair and brushing a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

The door creaks open, and instead of Bakugou's sharp features, Camie steps in. She leans casually against the frame, her usual playful grin firmly in place.

"Yo, boss lady," Camie greets, tossing a lazy wave. "Hope I'm not crashing your whole... productivity zone or whatever."

You blink, momentarily surprised. "Camie? No, you're fine. What's going on?" You push aside your disappointment and gesture for her to sit.

Camie saunters in, dropping into the chair across from your desk with an exaggerated sigh of comfort. "Whew, your office is, like, super cozy, y'know? Totally your vibe. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something kinda major."

You lean forward slightly, noting the unusually serious undertone beneath her breezy exterior. "Is it about the case?"

Camie nods, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "Yeah, kinda. Thing is..." She pauses, her smirk flickering into something softer. "I think I'm gonna have to bow outta this one."

Your brow furrows in confusion. "You're quitting the case?"

"Yup," she says, popping the word like a bubble. "Don't get me wrong, this whole Eclipse thing? Super intense, totally outta my usual wheelhouse, but I've had fun. You guys are great. But..."

You study her face carefully. To be honest, you hadn't been entirely keen on bringing Camie onto the case at first. Her personality and approach sometimes clashed with the high-stakes nature of Eclipse, and you weren't sure she could handle the pressure.

But over time, you'd come to respect her in your own way, her illusion quirk was undeniably useful, and she was a strong hero, even if she hid it beneath layers of aloof charm.

Still, something about this didn't sit right with you. "Camie," you say gently, leaning back in your chair. "We're a team. If you're feeling overwhelmed, we'll figure it out. This case is heavy, but we can get through it together."

She smiles at your words but shakes her head. "That's sweet of you, but it's not that simple. It's more of a... personal thing, y'know? Like, this case? It hits different. And honestly, you and
Kats? You've got this locked down. I'm not really needed here."