Emote: Bakugo x OC Reader

Chapter 77

It all became a bit blurry after that. There are flashes of memory from the rest of that night: blue flames lashing out towards the sky, the flashing lights of the ambulance approaching, Mina's tear streaked face and Kirishima's look of utter devastation as they were informed that Katsuki had been captured. When I woke up for the first time in the hospital, there was a ringing in my ears and my head was throbbing. The rest of my body ached as well and since I found myself alone in the sterile white room, I quickly fell back asleep.

The next few days were a hazy fog. I was informed at some point that I had sustained a concussion and my chest wound had reopened and become infected. Recovery Girl used her quirk to assist me in my recovery. When I asked her how this was possible since permission hadn't been granted before, she gave me a sly smile and a quick wink as she informed me that since I had been attending a school event it was her ethical duty to contribute to my recovery. She mumbled something under her breath then and I could have sworn she said something about "that man" and how he could "suck it."

Todoroki and Kirishima came to visit me at some point and explained their plan to rescue Katsuki. Apparently Yaoyorozu had attached a tracking device to one of the villains and they were going to ask her to make a duplicate so they could find him. I desperately tried to change their minds, insisting that this was a job for the pro heroes who actually knew what they were doing. However when I looked into Kirishima's eyes the pain there was so overwhelming that I had to look away and I knew that nothing I said would penetrate their determination to save him.

As I watched them leave, I felt depression start to consume me like a dark shadow slowly spreading through me like a disease. Putting my head in my hands, I felt my eyes burn as I tried to hold the tears in.

Pathetic. Useless. Unworthy. Useless. Coward. Useless.

"Hey."

His voice was like a light shining through the pitch black surrounding me. Lifting my head, I found him standing in the doorway. His lavender hair was unruly as ever and his calm violet eyes stayed locked on me as he moved closer. Staring at the dark circles under his eyes, I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. He looked exhausted. As he came to stand by the bed, he reached out a hand and swiped a thumb across my cheek to wipe the tears I didn't realize were falling. Bending over, he placed his hand on the back of my neck and pulled me into his chest.

"Thank God you're okay," He mumbled against my hair.

I breathed in his fresh and woodsy scent as I wrapped my arms around him, gripping fistfuls of his shirt as I sobbed against his chest.

"I'm so sorry," I repeated it over and over as I clung to him. He shushed me and held me firmly until my tears subsided.

When he finally pulled back there was an embarrassing amount of moisture on his shirt where my head had been planted but we both chose to ignore it as he pulled up a chair to sit by my bed. I stared at the crumpled sheets covering my lap as the silence stretched between us. The relief that I felt from him just being beside me was immense but I didn't know what to say. Eventually, Shinso's deep voice broke the silence.

"Mina told me what happened. I tried visiting earlier but you were out cold at the time." He was staring at his interlocked fingers and I noticed that his hands were slightly trembling. "I heard on the news that the villains captured Bakugo."

Hearing it spoken out loud made my heart ache and I subconsciously sucked in a breath as though I had been smacked. I nodded my head mutely as he continued.

"I overheard your classmates talking about their plan to get him back. I can't say I'm not surprised that you're choosing not to go with them."

"I want to." I said quietly. "But..."

The image of the blonde woman entered my mind, quickly followed by the man who boasted about capturing Katsuki right in front of us.

"I could barely hold my own against those villains. He was right in front of me, he was literally right in front of me and I used my quirk on the villain who had taken him but it either had no effect or it was the equivalent of a minor scratch. I would just get in the way if I went with them. Plus, he probably wouldn't want me rescuing him anyways."

Shinso caught the sad tone to my voice and he glanced up at me, his expression guarded. "What do you mean? Did you guys...?"

His voice trailed off although we both knew how that question ended. But how could we have broken up if we were never officially together in the first place? This was so fucking stupid. We obviously have feelings for each other but we were both being stubborn assholes and I was the one to deliver the last blow. And I'd thrown his biggest insecurity in his face to boot. The horrifying thought crossed my mind then: What if those ended up being my last words to him?

A nauseous feeling crept up my throat and I covered my mouth with my hand, causing my words to come out muffled. "I said things to him...things that I said out of anger. I was horrible."

He sighed and leaned back in the chair, his head falling back until he was staring at the ceiling. "Well then, you're about on his level, huh?"

I was chewing on his words for a moment when suddenly a crack sounded through the quiet room as he leaned forward, smacking his hands against his thighs. "Fuck, I hate this. I hate hearing that he literally brings out the worst in you. I thought that I would be okay but -" His fingertips dug into his leg as he spoke. "I don't think I'll be able to hold myself back from saying something I regret."

He avoided eye contact as he stood up and started walking towards the door. "I need more time," He said without turning back, although he paused in the doorway. I watched as his shoulders slowly moved up and then down as he took a deep breath in and then let it out slowly. He turned, his soft lavender eyes meeting mine. "I'm glad you're okay. And I hope the pro heroes find Bakugo soon and that he's okay as well, I really do. I just...want you to be happy, that's all."

And with that, he left me alone in the hospital room and although it was quiet lest the occasional beeping of a machine, I was deafened by my own thoughts and emotions.