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❟❛❟ CHAPTER SIXTY ❟❛❟
THE ECHOES OF EXPLOSIONS AND THE harsh grind of metal had faded into an oppressive silence, but Bakugou's chest still felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. His bare hand was restless and, trembling against his knees. He tapped his thighs in a jagged, uneven rhythm—like a heart trying to force itself into calm and failing miserably.
Every breath was filled with the weight of possibilities he didn't want to name. His mind painted flashes of her—Akame—bloodied, broken, gone. He forced himself to blink, to shake the images away, but they clung stubbornly, like soot after a fire.
A sudden pressure on his hand jolted him. Todoroki's fingers slid over his, firm but gentle, still facing forward. The grip tightened slowly, anchoring him, and then a thumb began tracing lazy circles over the back of Bakugou's hand. The warmth seeped through his skin, threading into his bones, coaxing away the tremor.
Bakugou swallowed hard. The battlefield had gone utterly still. No bangs. No sparks. Just the faint crackle of settling debris. "Is it over?" he whispered, barely aware he'd spoken aloud.
No answer came, at least not from Todoroki.
Instead, the massive form of the Kyuubi shifted. One of its thick, brush-like tails lowered with deliberate slowness, sweeping into their line of sight and blocking the view ahead like a drawn curtain.
"Oi! What the hell—" Bakugou started, bristling.
The fox's muzzle curled into a knowing grin before it pulled the tail back.
And there she was.
Akame stood at the center of the clearing. Her expression was unreadable, her hands clasped loosely behind her back. Her sleeve was torn in several places, fabric fluttering faintly in the wind, but not a mark marred her skin. Not even a smudge of dirt on her face. Her hair—perfectly in place. It was as if the chaos around her had simply refused to touch her.
But there was something in her eyes. A faint shadow that hadn't been there before.
Bakugou's breath left him in a rush. The tension gripping him broke, replaced by a rush of heat in his chest that felt like the first breath after nearly drowning. He surged to his feet, closing the distance in quick strides, and wrapped his arms around her with enough force to make the Kyuubi blink.
Todoroki followed, quieter but no less urgent, slipping his arms around her as well until the three of them were pressed close, the smell of battle still clinging to their clothes.
"Thank God," Bakugou murmured, the words rough, frayed, and trembling at the edges. "Thank God you're okay."
Behind her, Todoroki's lips curved faintly. His hand rose to the back of her head, brushing against Bakugou's as he stroked both their hair with quiet relief. "That was... incredible," he said, his voice low but steady.
