The Shadows I Hide

Chapter 16: Repeat

Bakugo collapsed onto his bed, exhausted after the days' work. He was sore all over and sweating a lot, despite this however he managed to smile up at the ceiling. He was getting stronger, no doubt. The special training program he had taken up last month was really paying off. As he lay there the words of that damn nerd came back to him, "I won't let you stop me Kacchan! Not ever again. So don't let me stop you either," he clenched his teeth. Although he would rather die than admit it out loud, the useless nerd had a point. Damn, he had felt like such a child after that fight for getting so worked up over him being there. His defeat hadn't been in vain though, he had decided afterword to get better, get stronger. He would stop complaining about the nerd making it to UA, it's not like he ever could have made a difference like that, Deku had always been stubborn as hell when it came to anything about becoming a hero. Bakugo flexed his forearms a bit and winced at the spike of pain it caused. His new extra training really took a toll on him, but he was beginning to see a difference. He was slowly being able to create a larger explosion with less of the drawback. Soon he would beat that nerd and his new fire breath, he would be so much better he would be insignificant compared to his own strength. "Just you wait, nerd," he muttered to himself. "I'm right on your heels,"

Suddenly he heard a noise outside his room. He lifted himself a little bit and peered at his doorway straining his ears. Silence. He hadn't imagined that, had he? He didn't think so. Then he heard it again. Click. Click. Click. It sounded close, and each new click was louder. Bakugo felt his heart rate rise a bit. What was going on? What was that? He gazed at his door again now gazing at the light strip under his door letting in the moonlight from the hallway. Then he saw a shadow fall over it and his heart nearly skipped a beat. Nowhere heard the scratching, like someone dragging their fingernails across the fall coming from right outside. Someone was there, someone was outside his room. What should he do? Before he could begin to think though, the unthinkable happened. The doorknob twitched. Seeing the motion Bakugo felt his heart rate skyrocket, he hadn't locked his door. He only had enough time to think of what to do before the knob began to turn. He quickly lay down and pretended to be asleep just as his door began to creak slowly open. He kept his eyes open, hoping that in the darkness whomever it was wouldn't be able to make him out clearly enough to tell. The door opened and he could only make out the silhouette of a person standing in the doorway. However, one detail that drew his attention was that each finger on the hands of the person standing there ended in a sharp point. Bakugo's mind was racing. This guy had claws? Why did he have claws? Better question, what would he do if this guy tried to attack him? He held perfectly still as his thoughts raced. He couldn't let it slip that he was awake. At the moment Bakugo made a quick decision, that he would stay pretending to be asleep and if this intruder decided to come after him he would spring on him as soon as he got close. Hopefully, the surprise would give him the advantage needed to end the fight quickly. Then he heard the person in the doorway growl. It was raspy and sounded more animal than human. Bakugo's body tensed a little bit in anticipation of what was to come, but before he could even think of his next move the person in the doorway turned and walked away down the hall. Bakugo was caught off guard by this and for a moment, he didn't do anything. But he recovered from his shock quickly and jumped to his feet as soon as he did. He raced to his door and looked down the hall in the direction the intruder had gone, but all he was met with was an empty hall leading to a dead end.