Emote: Bakugo x OC Reader

Chapter 44

"Seriously? Are you done already? Pathetic..."

It was as though he had squirted lemon juice into an open wound as I felt the sting of his words. He had been his usual arrogant and hot headed self when he tutored Kirishima and I prior to this but he took his cruel words to another level when we were training. 

I stared at the ceiling, my breath coming out in sharp gasps. I could feel the sweat sliding down my face and I wiped at it with my forearm before pushing myself up. There was a burning determination to beat him this time as I came to stand on my feet. He looked unscathed, the hits I'd tried to make all having been blocked or dodged. His eyes were wild and he had that smile on his face, the one that made him look crazed and maniacal.

Pain. The word ran on repeat through my mind like a broken record as I charged forward. I was so sick of losing, sick of doubting myself and feeling like I was less than people like this boy whose power was so showy and external.

Fuck that! I thought, my feet pounding on the floor as I rushed towards him. I will beat him!

The smile dropped and I noticed him falter for a moment. A grimace took over his face and he lifted his arm, hand poised to emit an explosion, but his movement was slower than it had been before. I was able to dodge the blast, the heat washing over me as I got closer.

He felt it. I thought, the realization propelling me forward. He's still feeling it.

He screamed out in anger, the sound like a war cry piercing through me, as he aimed more explosions my way. It was as though he was attacking blindly, as I was able to dodge them before my foot sliced through the air and caught him on the side of the head. The force of it knocked him off balance and he staggered before I struck out with a jab to his side. Feeling the momentum, my fist pulled back and surged forward but before it could connect with his chest he dodged to the side, placing one hand on my wrist and the other on my shoulder. I felt his foot kick mine out from underneath me as he swept me to the ground and pinned me there. 

We stared at each other, our breath coming out hard and uncontrolled. The beads of sweat on his face glistened in the harsh overhead lights. The pressure of his hands pinning me down kept me from moving, but beyond that I suddenly felt exhausted and all of my aches and pains caught up with me as I felt the adrenaline fade away.

"You felt it," I said, looking for confirmation but it came out as though I was stating a fact.

His narrowed eyes told me he was irritated but he didn't say anything as he moved to sit beside me. "You're really pissing me off with that special move of yours. But even with a move like that, I still can beat your ass. It's barely a challenge."

A torrent of emotions overwhelmed me as I sat up and turned to face him. "Ya know what, fuck you then! I'm so sick of you talking to me like that! Like you're better than me, like you're better than everyone for that matter, and you need to get the fuck over yourself!"

I went to stand, placing my hand on the floor to lift myself up, when he grabbed my wrist.

"Calm down, woman." His voice was soft and his eyes were cast downwards as he spoke. "You're not...the worst opponent I've faced." When his eyes lifted, they were earnest, making me pause.

"Was that...an attempt to compliment me?" I asked incredulously.

The look on his face shifted as he seemed to get uncomfortable. He released my wrist as he stood up. "No, I'm just stating a fact. Don't be so full of yourself."

"I'm full of myself?!" I was back to outrage as I stood up alongside him, ready to continue yelling, but it felt as though all of the blood rushed to my head and tiny white stars crowded in on my vision as I started falling. I felt his hands grip my arms to keep me upright.

"Why the hell do you suck so much at standing after we train together?" I heard him say but my eyes were squeezed shut as I battled the waves of pain washing over me.

"I'm just...gonna sit down," I said, grabbing his wrists and lowering myself back down to the ground.

He's right, why the hell does this keep happening? I thought, putting my head in my hands. A memory flashed through my mind of waking up after my match with Kirishima at the sports festival. The pain that coursed through my body. Trying to stand and almost face planting before Shinso grabbed me. My words, 'everything hurts.' Pain. 

And then it all seemed to click together, like the sweet satisfaction of inserting the last piece of a puzzle.

"Everything hurts!" I exclaimed, looking up at Bakugo.

"Yeah, you said that last time. You're a lot weaker than I thought, apparently," He stretched out his hand to me but I slapped it away. He furrowed his brow in irritation. "Don't be stubborn, let me help you up, damn it!"

"No, listen to me! This has happened every time that I have used my quirk to make someone feel physical pain. My entire body is screaming right now. This must be the backlash. It's like when I overuse my quirk, my emotions are all over the place. I wonder if...in order to make someone feel pain, the repercussion is that I have to feel it too..."

His crimson eyes were unreadable as he looked down at me and his expression was blank.

"It's possible," he said after a while.

"That has to be it," I said, my thoughts suddenly racing. "Recovery Girl healed me after my match with Kirishima but I still felt it. The pain was overwhelming and it carried over into our match. This pain...it's all encompassing. I know what it feels like to be beaten in a sparring match, but this is more intense."

"So, no," I said, shooting him a glare. "I am not weak."

His glare was of equal intensity for a moment before his features softened. "No," He surprised me by saying, as he stretched his arm out once again. "I know you're not."