STRINGS // KATSUKI BAKUGO [2]

Chapter 73 // What Comes After

When Bakugo entered the hospital, a mob of staff immediately began to crowd him, some trying to take you from his arms and others calling for any nearby doctor and assistance with a gurney. However, upon noticing that the boy didn't hold any sort of urgency, the realization set in. 

One of the many nurses gestured for the crowd to disperse, and she only settled her eyes back on the blond when she was the only one remaining.

"You can hold her here, right?" Bakugo asked quietly.

"Yes..." the nurse trailed off, leaning over to pull a nearby gurney closer. "All bodies are held in the morgue until they're ready to be disposed of."

"Good..." he whispered, mind so far from reality that his own voice seemed muffled, distant. "I'll be back. I just...need to do something."

He carefully placed your body on the gurney, settling your flaccid arms next to your sides before clearing your greasy hair from your pale face.

The pads of his fingers caressed down your face, eventually bringing your eyelids down over your lifeless eyes.

His eyes traveled down your left arm, hand following, until his attention settled on your wedding ring.

He slid the jewelry off of your slack finger before tucking it into one of his pockets for safe keeping.

Then, he left to complete the task he promised would get done after your death had arrived.

¥¥¥

Bakugo entered Aizawa's home by using the spare key he knew was taped under the window sill to the right of the door.

He's unsure why, but part of him was expecting to see you napping on the couch. It what's he's always walked into every time he's opened the door prior.

The house seemed forever dull now that he knew you'd never be behind the walls again, that you'd never be calling him over.

Bakugo dragged himself over to the stairwell and headed upstairs, gloved hand trailing up the handrail as if he was scared the lack of support would result in another floor-bound breakdown.

When he reached your bedroom door, his hand hesitated to grab ahold of the door handle.

He knew the room was empty. He knew the room was bare. He knew the room would cease to be inhabited by you ever again, and he hated it.

He eventually entered your bedroom, and he almost cringed at the sight, finding nothing but discomfort as he looked around.

Everything was so neat. The covers of your bed were smooth and unwrinkled. The blinds were closed and untainted with any bends. The lights were off. The floor was clean. The room looked like one that you'd see in a furniture store, one that was just for show and lacked any actual hospitality.

The boy headed over to where your nightstand was stationed beside your bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress, reaching his hand beneath the small table.

His fingers grazed an envelope, which was so loosely taped that it floated to the floor shortly after being touched.

He leaned down to pick it up, turning it every which way in search of some sort of address or label, but there was none. The envelope was blank.

His dug his finger beneath the glued flap impatiently and pulled out the folded letter hidden inside.

Setting the envelope aside, Bakugo unfolded the piece of paper, which turned out to be numerous sheets stapled together.

'If you don't want to read all the sappy stuff that isn't meant for you, skip to your name,' was the first line he read, so he did just as you had instructed in your writing.

'There's not enough paper in the world for me to leave you all I words I want to say, Katsuki.'

Bakugo paused his reading, craning his head back as his eyes began to burn, tears threatening to spill.

He shouldn't be doing this know. He shouldn't be reading your final thoughts when his emotions were already going haywire.

Still, he wiped his eyes with the back of his gloved hand and settled his breathing before looking back down at the letter in his lap.

'When we met, when I saw you get up on that stage at the beginning of the sports festival, I never thought we'd end up here. I never thought I'd meet my soulmate at fifteen, and I never thought I'd die at sixteen. Then again, I never thought I'd end up in the hero course in the first place, but I'm glad I did. I never would've met you otherwise.

I don't regret anything I've done or anything that has happened leading up to this point. I don't believe in fate. I believe that things can be changed, that people can be changed, but I do believe that everything that has happened was meant to happened. I know you don't like this. You hate it, but I'd rather die being a hero than live pursing a career that makes me miserable. Besides, I met the love of my life before I died. Not everyone can say that.

The only thing I wish we could've done was build a family. Do you know how cute our kid would've been? I've thought about it. I'd imagine them to look exactly like you. They might've had my hair color or my eyes, but they'd be a carbon copy of you. Could you imagine having a little mini me running around? It'd be like taming you all over again. Then again, that's how I grew to love you.

I don't know what's waiting for me after this. I've always wondered if it'll just be a void of nothing, of darkness, or if there's some sort of alternate life waiting for me. Whatever it is, I hope to see you there one day, but I hope that day is a long ways away. You've got a lot to do, a lot to build.

Don't let this stop you, Katsuki. You can mourn me. You're human. You can love me until your heart stops as well, but I don't want this bump in the road to deter you.

You've been my hero since the sports festival, so I need you to be one for the rest of the world. Be you, Katsuki, and, when you're done, when it's time for you to leave your legacy, I'll be waiting for you. I'll always wait for you.

With Love, [Y/N]

P.S. No matter what comes after this, you'll always be my puppet'

[EDITED]