Unveiled Winds || Katsuki Bakugou x Reader

Chapter 35 - After Hours

The bar was as low-key as Bakugou had promised dim lighting, soft music, and sparse patrons scattered throughout. It had an almost cozy atmosphere, quiet enough for conversation without feeling stifling.

Bakugou led you to a booth tucked in the corner, waiting for you to slide in before taking the seat across from you.

A waitress appeared moments later, and you both placed your orders with little fuss. As she walked away, Bakugou leaned back, his crimson gaze fixed on you with that familiar intensity that always made it hard to look away.

"Alright," he said, his voice steady but quieter than usual. "You dragged me out here, so talk. What do you wanna know?"

You hesitated, fingers toying with the edge of your glass. Despite your earlier resolve, actually asking him felt daunting. Still, you couldn't back down now. "I guess I just... I want to understand. About you and Camie. What happened between you two?"

His jaw tightened, the flicker of discomfort unmistakable. He picked up his glass of water, your drinks hadn't arrived yet, and took a deliberate sip before setting it down. "We were together for a while," he said, his voice carefully neutral. "Didn't work out."

You raised an eyebrow, not satisfied with the vague answer. "That's it? No details?"

Bakugou exhaled sharply through his nose, his expression hardening slightly. "What do you want me to say? We didn't fit. End of story."

Before you could push further, the waitress returned, setting down your drinks with a polite smile before leaving you both alone again. You took a sip of yours, letting the liquid steady you, before narrowing your eyes at him.

"Come on, man," you said, your tone light but persistent. "I'm not an idiot. I can tell something happened. Something you don't wanna talk about."

He stiffened at your words, his grip tightening around his glass. "Yeah? Well, maybe I don't want to talk about it for a reason."

You leaned forward slightly, your voice softening. "I'm not trying to pry just to pry, Bakugou. I just... If we're gonna keep working this closely, I think it's fair for me to know a little more about what's going on in your head. Especially if it might affect the team."

His eyes flicked up to meet yours, and for a moment, the hardness in them faltered, replaced by something almost vulnerable. He took another long drink, as if stalling for time, before finally speaking again.

"She wanted different things," he said quietly, his voice lacking its usual edge. "Didn't wanna stick around while I was... figuring my shit out. Guess I don't blame her for that."

You tilted your head, your curiosity only growing. "Figuring your shit out?"

Bakugou's gaze dropped to the table, his fingers tapping lightly against the side of his glass. "Hero work's not exactly the kind of job where you've got time for... normal crap. It's messy, unpredictable. She didn't want that." He hesitated before adding, his voice almost too low to hear, "And maybe I didn't give her much reason to stick around."

Your heart twisted at the admission. Despite his usual bravado, there was something raw about the way he said it, something that told you this wasn't a wound he'd let heal completely.

"So you let her go," you said softly, more a statement than a question.

Bakugou met your gaze again, his crimson eyes dark with something unreadable. "Didn't have much of a choice."

The weight of his words lingered between you, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. But you weren't ready to let the conversation end there, not yet.

Bakugou sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back against the booth. "You wanna know the truth? I wasn't much of a relationship guy back then. Hell, I'm still not great at it now. Camie..." He hesitated, tapping his fingers against the glass. "She was my first serious relationship."