𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓈 𝒜𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑒 | 𝒜 𝒯𝑜𝒹𝑜𝐵𝒶𝓀𝓊 𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎 |

| Chapter 15 |

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The past few hours were rough for Bakugo. Most of the time, he's been trying to keep himself awake. The pain started to come back, and he had nothing to do other than sit there and think. There was a small window on the right side of him where he could watch as the day went by. It snowed, and the only thing he could think of was when he and Shoto went to the trail of lights. That night he felt something spark within him. Maybe it was because of the comfort he got from him, or maybe it was because he felt happy around him.

All Katsuki knew was that although he's in a big predicament, he felt as though this Christmas was going to be nice. That he wouldn't have to worry about his drunk father coming home after going to the bar just two blocks away to waste away his emotions and his son. For once this Christmas, he would be able to tell his mother how happy he is when he's talking to her. While yes, he still doesn't think he should be happy, he knows his mother would want to see him happy. She would want to see him tear through that wrapping paper like he always did on Christmas morning.

She would want to see him be present with his friends and watch his favorite Christmas movie with them, just like how he used to do with her. But it's hard, and it's going to continue to be hard up until the point where he finally feels as though he can be genuinely happy without a worry in the world. There were so many things going through his head, and with each thought came a new emotion or a new memory or future idea. But with those thoughts came anxiety, worry, and fear of rejection.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Dabi asked, annoyed. Katsuki blinked a couple of times and felt tears sting his eyes once more. But these tears weren't the tears of physical pain he felt before; they were tears of emotional and mental pain. His eyes held such pain that even Dabi couldn't find the cause of it. Dabi's always been good at reading people. Always been good at looking into a person's eyes and finding exactly what they're feeling.

Be able to see the storm that brews beneath the eyes that held that pain. Yet when it came to Katsuki, it...it was harder...to see that storm, that pain. He looked into the ruby red iris of Bakugo's and whispered out, "Why is it so hard to read you?"

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Katsuki asked him. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were glossed over with tears. You could see that the tip of his nose was red from not only the coldness of the room but also from holding back the tears that were threatening to fall. "Why is it so hard to read you?" he asked again. Katsuki was baffled at the question but answered nonetheless.

"....because I've learned to hide the storm behind my eyes since I was nine. Soon enough, it gets easier and easier, and then when you least expect it, it starts to be a daily routine for you. Take less fucking effort for you, and each day you go back to whatever fucked up hell you came from and eat, sleep or not, and wake up the next morning with the same goddamn mindest. Don't let anyone see what's truly going on, and you won't have to deal with the pity on their fucking faces." he responded.

He didn't know why he was speaking what he'd been trying to hide for the past eight years of his life, but it feels nice to speak it. "You went through a shitty childhood, didn't you?" Dabi asked, not paying attention if he was crossing the line or not. "What the hell do you think?" he shot back. "I think you did, and the moment you felt those feelings, you hid them away. Then when you met Shoto, you tried to distance yourself from him. But then you started your second semester, and you felt something towards him..."

"You began to get happy once more even though you felt as though you don't deserve to be-," he got cut off. "Stop psychoanalyzing me, you dick!" Bakugo yelled. "He began to be the person that made you feel happy. That made you feel like you could finally celebrate the holiday in which caused you so much pain. But then shit began to get worse. You shut yourself down, distanced your ass from him again; however, he still came to you. He still told you it was okay to be happy and that you deserved it. Nevertheless, you still feel as though you can't-no shouldn't be happy."

"Did I get that right?" Dabi finished. Bakugo felt the sob he'd been holding back finally break.

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Todoroki woke up just a couple of hours ago and was now in his dorm having a breakdown. He paced back and forth, trying to find a way he could save Bakugo. 'Cause the teachers flat out told him that he'd have to wait about a month for a safe plan to be made. He didn't have that patience. Nor did he have the motivation to wait for that damn long. His phone buzzed on his bed, and he walked over to it only to see Bakugo's name popped up on his screen.

They were coordinates. 'Katsuki?! Where are you? Are you okay' he wrote back. Only for a text, he didn't expect to read to be sent back.

Dabi(on Bakugo's phone) -' It's not Bakugo. It's Dabi, and btw before you go calling me vulgar fucking words and making empty threats, I suggest you hear me out.'

Shoto-'Look who's talking.'

Dabi(on Bakugo's phone)-' Technically, we're not 'talking'; we're texting.'

Shoto-'Thanks for that smartass; now get to the fucking point.'

Dabi-'I sent you the coordinates to the base. By the time you get here, everyone should be asleep. I'll be on the first floor in the third room to your left. There you'll find both Bakugo and I. He'll be uncuffed, but you need to do it fast and quietly. I suggest bringing someone with you like that green-haired broccoli guy. You'll need a getaway car, which is what he's for. Take Bakugo back to the school, but do not, and I mean DO NOT take your eyes off him cause they're gonna want him back. Got that?'

Shoto was surprised, needless to say. Why would a villain be helping the person he's kidnapped be rescued? It's just weird.

Shoto-'Why are you helping me?'

Dabi-'Because I see how happy he makes you.'

Shoto-'How?'

Dabi-'...'

Dabi-that's all I had to say. Get here by twelve AM. If you come any earlier than that, you'll get caught.'

Shoto-'Okay. Thank you.'

'I'll finally have you back in my arms, Katsuki.' Shoto thought to himself. He hugged his phone and took a breath to recompose himself before he left for Midoriya's room.

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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading this far! I hope you're having a wonderful morning, afternoon, night wherever you are when you're reading this. Happy holiday's everyone!

Stay safe and be careful out there!