The Favor [Bakugou x Reader]

Chapter 44 - A Long Time

Strong arms pulled you close. Bakugou wrapped around you and you could feel him shaking slightly. Laughing? Crying?

You pushed away, still so confused and looked into his face. A clear expression of relief covered his features and he slid the hood from your head. You felt a sharp pinch as something was wrenched from your ear and tossed to the floor. But then your mask was knocked from your face and Bakugou's thumbs traced up your cheeks as he stared into your eyes, before pulling you back into another desperate embrace.

"You're really here," he mumbled into your hair, his voice so fragile, nothing like his normal tone. It scared you more than reassured.

"Katsuki," you whispered into his shoulder, the squeeze so tight you could barely breathe. He released just slightly. You tried to move but then your boot kicked something hard. You pulled back sharply, breaking the contact and looked down. Large slabs of smooth stone littered the floor. "What happened? Is this a hospital?"

Bakugou took your hand and led you to the unused bed in the room. You sat warily, your anxiety growing with each second he didn't answer.

"You were turned to stone," he finally said. You gulped, your gaze flashing to the pile of rubble on the ground.

"How?"

"The coms. They turned everyone, you, Endeavor, the police." His hands kept brushing over different parts of your body, examining if you were real.

"And you?"

"No." He looked away, almost ashamed. "Remember how my com didn't work?"

"Of course I remember, it was like ten minutes ago," you said sarcastically. Bakugou's face fell. "It wasn't ten minutes ago?" You searched Bakugou's dour expression. "How long Katsuki?"

"Six weeks," he finally replied. You inhaled sharply, his answer washing over you. "But you're back." His hands once again came to your face and he looked at you like a precious gem.

"How am I back?" you questioned. It was almost too much to take in. "Did... did you save me?" Bakugou let out a pained laugh.

"True to form you saved yourself Ashtray." It felt good to have your nickname on his lips again. Your brows furrowed.

"But..."

"All those insane notes you kept taking, all your scribbles and post-its and index cards, I went through all of them. You were right that the villains needed a fail-safe to bring someone back from the stone state. We traced it back to the metal manipulator's phone that you recovered in Kyoto," he spoke too fast, holding up his phone with the flash drive still attached. "It had this file with a sound that broke you out of the stone. All your neurotic, obsessive behavior fucking saved you."

"You were able to translate my notes?"

"That's your first fucking question?!" he barked a laugh. You chuckled to yourself, realizing how ridiculous it actually was. With all the information that had just been dumped on you, your boyfriend's ability to translate English to Japanese shouldn't have been that impressive. His laughs died down and he stared at you with soft honest eyes.

"God, I've missed you. I didn't know if I would ever be able to talk to you again. If I'd ever hold you or kiss you. If I'd be able to go on midnight crime sprees with you."

"I thought we weren't allowed to talk about the midnight crime spree," you teased. He cupped your cheek, ignoring your taunt.

"I didn't know if I was going to be able to tell you I love you." Your expression softened as you took in his words. You looked into his scarlet eyes. They were so genuine.