My Hero Academia: Katsuki's Secret

Rated M for cursing, dark trauma, blood, and adult themes. Mentions of seizures and PTSD.

Chapter 11

The body of water that they had been "helped" from looked more like one of those decorative ponds that had some plants and decorative statues…that now were nowhere to be found as they surveyed the area. Large broken pieces of concrete were partially buried within the soft ground, trees burnt on one side, greenery now yellowed and withered. Bakugo bit his lip when dropping his gaze downwards to see that a few burns were visible upon her being that were similar to his own and that on the landscape. Was "Explosion" really serving as an opening act for this "Retribution" quirk he supposedly had? How were they related or was there any connection between them?

"Chaos is one of the most prominent forms of madness with absolutely no form of structural stability to hold the world in place. All things in the universe are thrown completely out of balance. From the way you've been fighting it's as if you are using nothing but pure instinct and whim!" He grunted, tightening his hold on the weapon. "When I first took over your body and severed the connection between it and your mind left it to act solely of its own accord. You weren't consciously aware of your actions yet even I couldn't help but be in awe of the sheer power that you were capable of wielding! Your destruction was unlike any I have ever seen! An unruly and truly unbound attribute that craves to feed itself constantly and indiscriminately. It consumes, it debases, and eventually you'll lose yourself to those ruinous thoughts for you to become them! Only the fabled Dark Messiah of biblical stories was deemed worthy of this quirk yet here I find that you have it!"

Several people before this occurrence had said his attitude was more oriented towards that of a villain. He strove to prove them wrong though, using every obstacle that rose in his path to soar higher than anyone else. The rivalry he now had against Deku made him all the more thirsty for that Number One Hero seat and had succeeded in helping them both grow beyond what either thought possible during their time at UA. Other students, villains, even their own classmates had developed skills exceeding their own expectations as they were approaching their final year of enrollment. Soon they would be venturing out into the world with several others earning their pro hero license or moving towards goals that they felt more important such as helping their families in any way they can. Those thoughts however that had been plaguing him had gradually grown silent once discovering that the girl he long thought gone from the world was actually alive.

She had been such a quiet girl when they had met, preferring to swing or confine herself within one of the concrete structures away from the other children. Over the span of several visits though he'd been capable of coaxing her out with games of pretend that would take them to other worlds. It took several weeks but the shy girl named Aurora slowly emerged from the reserved shell that surrounded her to reveal a sensitive soul who hid her sadness with a smile and hesitant to allow strangers to touch her. Bakugo had to really work at getting her trust via bribery with snacks that he snitched from home and then he quickly discovered how she was one who expressed herself best with physical means.

First it was the odd little dances she did when he revealed what food he'd brought with him that day that progressed to full on choreographed moves to whatever song was playing on the playground's speaker system until she had become comfortable enough with him that they could brush hands or beings when playing without her flinching. Little had he known that a much more mischievous side to the navy haired girl with chocolate brown eyes would soon be revealed. The blonde had greatly disliked how she was always petting the top of his head when admiring his wild hair or the way she'd sneak behind him to get a quick hug before they parted when they were children yet those and several other little motions that Aurora had made back then kept surfacing in the back of his mind the older he got. No longer did they seem annoying or unwanted, as if a part of him wished to feel her try for a sneak attack.

Strange how one's perspective could change once that certain person suddenly vanished.

His quirk activated itself at the same time hers had, which resulted in the destruction of the park and playground where they had met almost everyday. His memories of that day were foggy but there was no mistaking of how he'd seen her body laying beside his own that looked more like a cremation attempt. It had all happened because he had tried to force her to eat a spicy pepper when he knew she didn't like them. He'd honestly believed that she'd died right then and there, harboring self loathe for the incident all these years. As a young boy he'd even sworn off using his quirk until his parents had stepped in out of concern for his lacking attention and increased temper outbursts; counselor's didn't help, medications he spat out, nothing worked until they began playing a special tape every night that recited words and phrases that were meant to help those who have experienced trauma. They eventually enrolled him once more in school when he had begun to exhibit "normal" behavior that was present before the incident, and then his quirk returned few months later as if it had needed time for it to regain its lost energy.

Little did he or anyone else know of the hell that the girl was going through.

Asuka Yamashita and her husband, Ezekiel, had disappeared from the face of the earth several years prior to their meet. The mother with sapphire eyes whose quirk "Minimize" was put to great use in any hospital she visited, her heart going out to all those terminally ill and put forth every ounce of her energy towards assisting them. It was a shock to the entire medical world when the newlyweds had vanished without a trace. None knew that the man that had brought the little navy haired girl to the playground everyday in the Shanghai District turned out to be their kidnapper. It wouldn't be for several years though that it would be brought to light that Tanaka Malhinquist, a cofounder of Chimera Corporation, was using the child of the missing pair to perform experiments. He had even gone so far as to force the young child to consume the mother's right eye that resulted in a transferring of quirks and changing color of the chocolate eye to sapphire.

A little girl who was barely old enough to understand let alone control her own quirk not had a second one to juggle while striving to survive within the confinement she'd been born into.

The icing on the cake that was the trio's dismal existence was the fact that their captor had his own quirk that allowed him to force his will onto others. "Enslavement", unlike the well known "Brainwashing", left the victim unable to comprehend their actions until the hold upon their mental consciousness was released. Sometimes the memories of what occurred wouldn't return to the person until significant time had passed. This allotted the man several freedoms including taking full advantage of his facility that was Chimera Corporation and those who were seeking treatment. Patients and staff would often see then move to report when discovering him within acts of personal indulging of resources of personnel but they were dealt with swiftly so that the public would never learn of Tanaka Malhinquist's hidden activities. His favorite past time had been solely focusing on the fusion of quirks and Aurora Yamashita had been his muse, canvas, his beaker of possibilities. The older she grew the more defiant and desperate she became in attempting to fight off his "Enslavement", only resulting in him developing stronger skills that made him a man to be feared as he turned to villainy.

Damnit, now's not the time to be spacing off for some sappy recap. He shook his head to clear the thoughts from it and fixated his gaze upon the two classmates who made to come closer. Kirishima he wasn't too worried about being as he was as soft on the inside as his quirk "Hardening" made him tough on the outside and Sero with his "Tape" wouldn't be much to consider either but Bakugo had wanted none to become involved in the fist place. Yet they and several others had butted their noses into his business, a fact that he would be more than happy to repay for later, and tightened his hold upon the girl he held when realizing that this was the first time they were physically close without the threat of losing consciousness or being separated. "Where's the psychopath?"

The red haired hero-in-training laughed. "You mean the burnt Pillsbury doughboy that you left behind? Yeah, he didn't put up much of a fight when the Pro Heroes showed up to take him back into custody being as he was unconscious but damn, Bakubro, that was a bit overkill."

His clenched fist buried itself into the ground. "The one fucking time I show off my stuff and no one was even around to see it except for feathers! Damnit, what's it gotta take for you side characters to realize that I'm the fucking main?! Besides, you're wrong on one thing…" Ruby eyes narrowed, voice dropping to a growl that caused all who heard it felt the fine hairs across their bodies to rise. "…he'd be thousands of feet underground if I had my way." The flickering anger that threatened to rise within his blood simmered as her hand began rubbing his back in circles with an open palm but she didn't reprimand or say that he shouldn't do such a thing.

Whatever that was left of his clothing had quickly dried but her outfit slowly released the water it had absorbed like a sponge. A few spurts of heat across his being earned him a brief squeeze that he took as a sign of her appreciation. It wasn't for nearly a full minute that her tremors stopped, his arm slowly releasing its hold on her so that she could sit across from him in the grass. Her fingers fumbled slightly while wiping away her tears that threatened to stain her face but they grew steady when their gazes met as they drifted downward to rest against her bare throat. The skin there looked even more abused than when he'd last seen it and a small trail of blood was trickling from between her lips.

"Hurts?" He glowered when her head bobbed in the slightest of nods while wiping her mouth.

Now that his mind was clear and the rush of battle was beginning to calm from his system, the echoes of the screams he'd heard rang within his ears as her attention diverted to Izuku and the other classmates who asked her questions he didn't care to know. It wasn't the fact that the screams themselves had somehow pierced through the haze that had settled over him that had him upset but the person that he now realized whom they had sourced from. The conversation between the nurses that he'd overheard rose within the back of his mind, the part where she may not be capable of speaking, but was it possible that Aurora wasn't aware of it? Should he tell her?

No.

Bakugo was more than aware of how another's words could affect someone's actions. He himself still lived with the echoes of how his bullying days of the freckled teen currently talking to her but no way in hell could he ever bring himself to confront them; the past was the past. If she were to be told that her vocal cords were as damaged as the tests had said there was a good chance that she would never try to speak ever again. And the mere thought of that made his temper rise. Black Trident's words rushed to smack him like a brick wall of how they had harmed Aurora in ways neither could ever make up for as her duo colored gaze met his briefly from the corner of her eye.

"Tch."

Bullshit.

"The hell's you're problem?" His lips fell into a frown as her eyes narrowed, noting how stiffly she sat and the way she kept inching away from those who had gathered around them. A brow twitched when she shook her head. "You got a voice and you got a mouth. Use them!" Concern ghosted through him when she still refused to speak though she did stick her tongue out at him. Was her throat much worse now because she had screamed? A spark of suspicion filtered through his being when noticing how strained her smile it was flashed it towards his classmates. He'd seen and used his fair share of fake smiles but that one was almost too good.

"Kaachan, maybe now's not the best time to be pushing her." Izuku held up a hand, moving to rest it upon her shoulder then quickly withdrawing it when she sent him a warning frown.

"Shut the hell up, nerd! You're not even apart of this so butt the fuck out!"

Uraraka held up her hands. "The both of you need to be taken somewhere so you can rest!"

"You especially." Kirishima earned a series of blinks from the duo eyed girl as he offered a toothy grin. "Buffing our quirks like you were then making theirs less so that they could be separated must have taken it out of ya."

Sero's head nodded along with several others who regarded the fuming blonde with weary gazes. "No kidding! I thought for sure those two were going to tear each other apart and then you just jumped in without hesitating with Izuku helping you since those explosions were about to send you flying!"

Izuku scratched at his cheek absentmindedly. "Was it really necessary for me to throw you after tossing Kaachan? I felt so bad because you looked as though you hit the water with a lot more force than I'm used to. That quirk of yours really is something." The students of 1-A who had come along sweat dropped as a familiar pocket sized notebook appeared within his hand along with a pen, their freckled classmate beginning to mutter under his breath while scribbling away for a moment then he sheepishly returned it to his pocket. "Sorry, I just think it's so cool! It's like you're a Buffer from a video or tabletop game! You may not be strong by yourself but the team you're apart of would be a force to reckon with!" He gasped, eyes practically shining like twin stars, causing her to stiffen as he came closer. "You'd make a great sidekick for someone!"

"That's enough out of you, damn nerd," the blonde growled when her side met his in her attempt to put some distance between herself and those invading her personal space; even for him they were starting to get a bit too close, "now all you side characters back the fuck off before I blast you to fucking outer space to orbit the damn moon!"

A smile lifted her lips again, Bakugo's brows furrowing when she looked between the lot of them and noted that it looked even more artificial than the one earlier. "You actually made some friends?" She must have seen Izuku's subtle flinch as her radio static-like voice filled the air judging from how her expression threatened to wither but the smile raising her mouth's corners remained. "S-sorry," her head hung slightly, "it'll probably be…a while before I can talk…normally." Even the breaks that she took to clear her throat were as if she was attempting to find a clear channel to use so that they could understand what she was saying.

The trio's attention rose upwards as a gloved finger tapped the crown of her head. "All in good time. You'll see." Hawks flashed her a smile, blinking when she shifted away from under his hand. "Aw, c'mon now, is that anyway to thank a hero?"

Their gazes widened as the girl's narrowed, her upper lip lifting in a snarl as she rose to her feet and took several steps away from them. A shadow fell over the top half of her face, a tremor starting within her clenched fists that slowly spread throughout her being, jaw tighter than any instrument's string as both sapphire and brown eye darkened several shades. "You're all supposed to be heroes?" It was as if the very air itself chilled as her icy tone pierced through each who was within earshot.

"Well, some of us are still in training." Kirishima pipped up, resting back against his hands. "Bunch of us that you met at the raid and earlier are enrolled at-"

"Shut up for a sec." Bakugo rose to his feet, ruby eyes narrowing when droplets of crimson seeped from between her fingers that now had white knuckles. The visible parts of her body showed signs of tension as muscles and veins began to appear more defined when she took another step away from them. "Walk with me."

Navy hair that had freed itself from the ponytail flared at the ends, as if in reaction to her body stiffening farther when he started making his way towards her. "Like to see you try and make me."

A collective gasp rose. Very few people were capable of standing up against their blonde comrade but no one besides his own mother would use that kind of tone, let alone issue a challenge like that. Several pairs of eyes widened when he quickened his steps yet none intervened courtesy of ruby eyes flashing in warning for all to remain uninvolved.

"You make it sound like I was asking for fucking permission." In one swift movement and without breaking stride, he had looped an arm around her waist and hoisted her up over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing more than a bag of air.

She turned from clinging to him to pummeling the blonde with fists as his steps jostled her slightly, feet kicking empty air. "What the hell are you doing?! Katsuki, put me down right now-" Her words were cutoff by him shoving several small objects into her mouth.

"Suck on those for a bit, they'll help your throat." Bakugo kept his hand against her lips when they made to open. The only explanation he gave was that they were similar to cough drops that he'd snagged from a nurse's cart that had a label for "esophagus care" and removed his hand when her jaw began to shift and move in motions that would signify that she was accepting them. "We're going on ahead. Meet you side characters at UA if you can ever catch up." He called over his other shoulder while paying no mind to how she fought against his hold or to the pain that blazed to life across his body sourcing from the burns that he'd suffered. Those would have to wait though. He had something much more important to address.

"Puf me da fuck down, you fick!"

"Shouldn't talk with ya our mouth full. Might choke-" A hiss slipped between his teeth in an exhale when one of her fists that had been pounding his back met a sore spot, his hand rising reflexively and the air ringing with a resounding smack of his open palm meeting her backside, earning a startled yelp that was followed by silence from the girl he adjusted his hold upon so her weight was better balanced. "Let's go, you brat."

"Be back by nightfall."

His brows slanted, a crack sounding as his head snapped to the right so that he could set blazing eyes on Hawks then returned his attention forward when stepping within the cluster of trees where he'd had come from earlier.

. . . .

"Think someone should follow just in case?" Kirishima asked with raised brows.

Izuku chuckled. "To protect which one if a fight were to break out? Don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to get in the middle of that."

"No kidding," Uraraka sighed, "it's almost as if there's two Bakugo's in the world now."

A collective groan rose up from the class of 1A.

"I'm not so sure…"

All eyes turned to Kirishima who's lips rose into a side smile then all hurried to dig into their pockets to retrieve their cell phones as several notifications went off in unison. The message was the same for each, as was the sender who happened to be a pink skinned classmate of theirs, and they couldn't help but grin when reading it:

"A new ship has set sailed and I'm all for it! I'm dubbing it #BakugoXMysteryGirl4EVR!"

"Should we tell Mina what her name actually is?" Sero snickered.

"Think its true?" the pink jumpsuit Uravity tilted her head to the side.

Izuku and Kirishima shared a knowing glance, neither capable of hiding smiles. They had been the ones the blonde had confided in, so they of all people were aware of how Bakugo had been affected when hearing that she was alive and within the clutches of a silent rising villain called Black Trident. The forest haired teen though was possibly the sole person who knew of the nightmares that had plagued the blonde for weeks after Hawks and his run in with the villain.

"Which reminds me." Izuku looked to Todoroki, earning a blink. "Did you ever find out about how Black Trident and Dabi ran into each other?"

. . . .

He came to a stop at the entrance to UA's grounds, ruby eyes shifting to the side to lock upon the silent girl. She'd fallen still after several failed attempts to break free of his grasp and was just rag-dolling on his shoulder. "You alive?" A brow quirked when the only response he received was her head snapping in the opposite direction that he was. "Oi!"

Silence.

"Don't make me smack your ass again."

Her being trembled but then the arms that had been hanging limply rose to cross as she began kicking once more. "Fuck. You."

"Spicy baby, you better calm the fuck down before I make you."

Aurora's head instantly snapped so that their noses were nearly touching. "I dare you to say that again, you fucking dick."

A smirk tugged on his lips when her eyes blazed with anger. Those two little words never ceased to get her talking to him again even if it was to fix him with the same eyes. He'd learned of how she hated when the man responsible for bringing her to the playground would often call her by pet names like that and it never ceased to entertain him when she reacted to one; especially this one that he'd made up himself. "Whatcha gonna do from there? Not like you can reach the ground or anything." He adjusted his hold, causing her to yelp at the sudden change of placement higher up on his shoulder. There wasn't any bulging of her cheeks or pursing of lips so that must mean those drops he'd given her had dissolved by now. Good, hopefully those would help her throat numb enough for them to talk. "You disliked anything spicy but you hated it even more when I teased you about it."

"Oh yeah?! Shows that you don't know anything! I actually do like something and it's spicier than a ghost pepper!"

"What a load of bullshit! You think I'm actually going to believe that?!" He barked a laugh. "I'll bite. So what's this supposed hottest thing in the world that you like so much?" Both blonde brows rose when her face became red before she turned to face the opposite direction. What the heck was that about? Another laugh threatened to bubble up his chest but it evaporated when a wave of heat came off her being. With a grunt, he placed her on the ground and rested back against a nearby tree trunk, hands moving to stuff themselves into pockets that no longer existed then opted to crossing his arms as she slowly slid to the ground to curl up in a ball. That would have to wait along with his wounds and other questions. Right now he had one that refused to go away no matter how hard he tried to bury it. "What was that earlier?"

Confusion filled her features. "What was what?"

"Don't play fucking dumb with me, you know what I'm talking about."

She curled into a tighter ball. "I'm not a mind reader, Katsuki, so no I don't."

"At the raid, you didn't recognize me until I took of my mask."

"What?" Her head snapped upwards as a shudder passed over her being as she sat up stiffly, her back meeting the tree's trunk as shaking hands clasped together. Color drained from her face leaving her looking paler than most of the fair skinned girls that were members of his class. "Why would you be wearing a mask?"

His fingertip extended. "That right there is what I'm talking about." He blinked when she didn't react to it being within inches of her face, moving forward it until it was almost directly in line with her gaze and earning a start. Anger bubbled dangerously within his veins when bringing up the other hand that should have been within her peripheral didn't earn a reaction until it too was in direct line with the other eye. "Fucking hell, did he do something to your sight too?"

"Not sure." She shook her head. "All I've ever been able to see is tunnel vision. Anything that's not directly in front of me is nothing but a blur. Maybe I need glasses or contacts?"

"This is more than just being nearsighted or farsighted shit. You didn't recognize me until I took that damn thing off my face and you didn't hesitate to lend them your quirk but you flinched the moment they tried to strike up a conversation with you." Bakugo's hands took hold of her shoulders as she made to move away. "Damnit, stop playing these fucking games and talk to me! Why are you afraid of heroes?!"

The affect of his question nearly caused him to alarm as she stood, navy hair billowing in a breeze he couldn't feel as her clenched fist slammed against the very tree she'd been resting against, duo colored eyes darkening several shades until they matched lapis lazuli and borderline black for the other. Lips were drawn back in a agony filled grimace as veins popped visibly across her being when she broke his hold as he made to follow when she stumbled. "I'm not scared of them, Katsuki, I hate them!"

It was as if lightning had struck him dumbfounded as his eyes widened.

"People parading around in costumes as if they were gods just for others to worship the ground they walk?! Such egotistical peacocks are out there performing like circus animals just so that the public fawns over them and get paid by the government for acts of labeled 'heroism' just because they did something no one else did at the time of a crisis!" Tears spilled down her cheeks as sobs wracked her being, voice beginning to crackle like a radio. "Surrounded by them with those pitying looks and expressions of mock care…they have no idea what really goes on in the world because they are too absorbed in the spotlight civilians put on them because their quirk is deemed 'special' or 'essential'!"

One of his hands lashed out, taking firm hold of her wrist to pull it away from the tree when trails of blood appeared within its bark that sourced from her fingernails that looked as though they'd been ravaged by a chainsaw. "Oi, what're you-"

"If heroes are so great, then why did no one come to save us?!" Her head fell backwards, impacting the tree with a sickening crack that filled him with alarm.

"Hey-"

Glazed duo colored eyes rolled as her other hand rose to tangle itself within her now messy navy hair. "Were we not suffering enough?! Is that why no hero came to our rescue?! Did we do something wrong?! Was it because I didn't fight back hard enough when he took over me?! Is it my fault we weren't saved?!" Her hand that had been in navy hair clung to his minimal clothing. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't let him keep hurting them! Take me back to him so that they can be saved!"

"No way in fucking hell!" He roared, causing a few leaves to fall from the treetops above their heads. Tears burned the backs of his eyes but they refused to form or fall. "Nothing you could have done would earn anyone what you went through! Don't you ever spout that bullshit again, Aurora, cause I'm never going to let you throw yourself back at him even if it's to save your mom! Your old man died telling me where to find you, damnit, so that's proof enough that they want you to fucking live! Your life is yours but you shouldn't just throw it away like it's trash!" You just got out of there so there's no way on this damn planet that I'm ever going to let that fucker near you again!"

Bakugo pulled her away from the tree as she made to slam herself against it again with a scream, knocking out one of her legs so that she fell forward against him and like a vice wrapped every limb he had around her as she began to thrash like a fish out of water. Cold sweat broke out across her body as incoherent cries and broken sentences too spread out for him to piece together spilled from quivering lips. Tears that were more like rivers stained her cheeks when he tightened his hold to prevent her from escaping.

As a part of their studies, UA held a special seminar to help prepare training heroes of the possible repercussions a traumatic event would have upon someone they are trying to save. They'd exercised on dummies of how they should properly handle when someone were to have a seizure or possibly fall into the throughs of trauma during a rescue but those plastic dolls were faceless and were automated to move in certain ways.

It was heartbreaking to witness one.

Wide eyes were glazed though they followed things he couldn't see, body twisting and bending in ways that shouldn't be possible, muscle spasms, drool seeping from lips gaping wide enough to swallow something much too big to fit down the throat, pulse racing so fast that it was impossible to measure, her expression one of gut wrenching agony mixed with fear and sadness.

Blonde hair met navy as his head fell forward to rest against her own, the flesh of his bottom lip searing with pain as he bit into it roughly, swallowing the lump that had risen within his throat. "Sorry," he whispered softly into her ear that was less than an inch from his mouth, "you shouldn't have had to wait all that time and I'm sorry." A convulsion of her body nearly caused him to lose his hold but he reinforced it while shifting so that she was instead cradled against his being with one of his legs under her knees and the other atop of her ankles so they weren't in danger of kicking anything. "I honestly thought you'd died that day on the playground…"

A choked sob rose up her throat, one that was nearly in union with his own that caught in his chest. Bleeding fingernails tore at the skin of his arms but his hold didn't wane even when her body began to arch dangerously.

His arms constricted around her, voice becoming rougher and heavy with guilt. "I can't even imagine what you went through but you of all people deserved to be saved, Aurora, and I'm sorry that no one did…fucking hell, I can't even go ten minutes without blowing my top off and you had to deal with that guy's bullshit this whole time…" It dropped to barely above a breath as he continued to whisper in her ear anything and everything that he thought would bring her out of the memories she was drowning within.

Maybe someday she would share them with him but for now he would gladly settle for just being with her even if she wasn't consciously aware of his presence.

For how long he kept a firm hold of her he didn't know nor cared, but eventually her body relaxed ever so slowly until her eyes drifted closed. Both breathing and pulse had returned to their normal rhythm by the time he had rested back against the tree that now had deep rivets where her nails had been buried within its bark, dark red stains that were the dried remains of lingering blood. His hold shifted from confinement to something much gentler as she snuggled into his being with legs bent upwards so that she was sandwiched between them and his upper torso, her head resting upon his shoulder that he shielded from the sunlight filtering through the canopy of branches above them with his own. A soft curse slipped between his lips as his own eyelids drifted downwards, exhaustion crashing over him like a tidal wave, and ruby eyes closed as his head head rested against her own.

Two shadows slowly emerged from between the gate, one with a bandaged wing who regarded the pair with interest while the much smaller one looked upon them with sympathy. "You are legally her guardian, Keigo. If you decide to send her somewhere none can object." The principal of UA glanced up at the silent pro hero. "That is choice which is rightfully yours."

"I think you're wrong about that one." A small smile raised his lips. "What kind of idiot would not be able to see just how strong they are together or how much they need each other? She has had every possible choice taken from her so I plan on giving her that one as a soft of 'welcome to the world' present. Least I could do since I couldn't save her myself. Who woulda guessed that the blonde firecracker and little birdy met as children? Would be a shame to keep her from seeing an old friend." His brow twitched when noting how the blonde student stirred, as if sensing their presences then proceeded to tighten his hold as if to prevent them from separating. "I think I've got my hands full for the time being with that one though."

The small principal held a paw up to his mouth, stopping a chuckle before it could slip between his lips. "Something tells me you will do just fine with your newfound guardianship but you know that there are others who are available for guidance if you ever find yourself needing advice."

"Here's my first one then: should we let them sleep for now or wake them up so we can take them inside?"

"An important one indeed that should be decided soon."

Both shared a knowing glance when the sounds of those who had been helping in the aftermath of the recent event drew closer. It wouldn't be long until the pair were spotted, but could either bring themselves to disturb them?

. . . .

"Last I heard, my elder brother was on a separate continent but I will do all I can to find and question if he was under Black Trident's influence." Todoroki nodded as they came to a stop courtesy of the swarm of students that that were waiting for them.

Each held up their hands as questions were rattled off but they became quiet as a small figure appeared from the gate's interior. "Splendid, you have all returned!"

"Principal Nezu!" they chorused, each wearing an expression of hesitancy. "We can explain!"

"Oh, my, it seems that you all think you are about to be punished for running off on your own without permission to do so. I suppose neglecting your classes," he shrugged, "but I honestly do not see any need for such actions being as you were all concerned about your classmate's wellbeing." The small white furred animal regarded each with a smile. "After all, I am sure you would all agree that what you all assisted with was far more informative than any lesson plan." White paws rose when several began asking about those who were supposed to have arrived earlier. "I can assure you that they are both fine and there will be plenty of time in the future for you all to share stories of what transpired today but for now I suggest you all return to your dorms being as classes have ended for the day. Rest is what you require now and you don't have to worry about tomorrow and focus upon the fast approaching weekend." He turned away, tail seeming to wag slightly as he began walking. "I feel that you will find plenty to entertain yourselves with."

Mina's face instantly lit up, eyes shining like stars as she began to bounce with excitement much to the rest of the heroes-in-training's amusement. She looped arms with Kirishima and Sero then fixed everyone else with a smirk. "Bet you a hundred bucks they're there."

The red head grinned. "Not gonna bet if they're cuddling on the couch?"

"Duh," she rolled her eyes, "they're definitely gonna be in his bed." Several members choked while others hurried to fan or hide their blazing cheeks as the pink hued girl grinned. "C'mon, chickens, anyone wanna take me on? I'll make it a bit easier then. I bet a whole month's chores that they will be dating before summer."

"It is unethical and wrong to be gambling for the sake of your classmate!" Ida scowled, the sun behind them starting to set and casting a glare over his glasses. "However, my bet is that Bakugo will not be the first one to make a move."

Several of the girls, even a handful of guys, gaped at their class representative. Silence weighed heavily in the air for several minutes as gazes were shared between each member until it was shattered by choruses of "I'll take that bet!" and several other stakes being waged.

. . . .

Ruby slowly opened as the familiar voices of his classmates pulled him from the comfortable darkness. They were still a bit far off but if they didn't move he would never hear the end of their teasing. A sound of displeasure starting to rise up his throat until he realized that a weight was missing from his hold. He was instantly on his feet with eyes combing over the surrounding area until they found her standing a few feet away with her back towards him. Bakugo didn't speak a word as he moved to stand to her right, finding her attention fixated upon the sight before them while fishing out his cellphone. A grimace filled his features when finding it close to when the dorm's curfew for dinner was fast approaching and he was starving.

The sun was beginning to touch the horizon. Sunsets weren't any different than sunrises in the morning yet this one hit him differently as he watched her marvel at the sky above their heads that seemed to be set ablaze by the setting star. Clouds drifting lazily by were stained a brilliant red against the gold and violet gradient steadily growing darker with each passing moment. A halo shaped sundog appeared around the sun as it met the unreachable horizon, its rainbows of colors heightening the beauty farther and earning a gasp of awe from the young navy haired girl.

A warm breeze rose, rustling through the surrounding leaves and playing with her being as if beckoning her to play as she giggled. So used to the cold metal and linoleum of man made structures, she was left speechless before the enchanting display of nature before her. The soft sounds of birds above her head and the rustling grass below were almost like a soft melody that whispered in her ear that this was no dream. Reality had been dark, ugly even, but now it was as if she'd awoken from the nightmarish shadow that had swallowed her up like a greedy monster hiding just out of sight where it waited until she was vulnerable.

Fear threatened to rise at the thought of her captor returning someday to lay claim to her again but it was extinguished by a phantom hand that met the corn of her head. "It's alright," a masculine voice tickled her ear, "even if he does, there are others more capable of protecting and aiding you than I ever could." She knew that hand instantly and instinctively raised it slightly higher hoping to meet the gaze of its owner yet found only empty air. Both the hand and voice were that of her father. Her memories were still a bit foggy, having a traumatic episode did that to a person, but a sentence had been said that made reality's harsh truth who within her aching heart: "Your old man died telling me where to find you, damnit, so that's proof enough that they want you to fucking live!" The sensitive hairs atop of her head lay flat for a moment as the hand met her being once more. "Isn't the sunset pretty, Aurora?"

Her head bobbed in a slightly nod. "…it's beautiful."

"It's just a sunset."

She startled as the presence faded at the new voice that filled the air, pivoting on her heel with puffed cheeks when spotting the blonde that had been fast asleep to be awake and watching her with a frown. "Katsuki-" The retort stalled in her throat when seeing the genuine curiosity within his eyes that had shifted to the corners so that they met briefly before they moved back to face forward. "I wasn't allowed outside much after the playground accident. It's been so long that I'd almost forgotten how pretty they are."

"Don't worry." His lips that had formed a frown tilted in the right corner as his gaze met hers. "Stick around and there's plenty better things to see." Bakugo nudged her with his arm to direct her attention to the school beyond the nearby gates, lips falling back to form a thin line. "What you said before. You aren't wrong, some heroes are like you said where they parade around looking for compliments and or money. That's not the kind we wanna be." He heard her breath catch but there was no sign of another attack being exhibited so he continued; at least whatever trigger from earlier wasn't the word "heroes" so that was a good thing so far. "Those side characters earlier and at the raid, they aren't half as bad as you think they are. Heck they even grow on ya a bit once you let 'em. Besides a few certain character flaws of some they're a descent support cast."

Duo colored eyes as his hand rose with its palm facing upwards.

"Not like I care of anything and I ain't gonna stop you if you want to go somewhere else since things around here aren't always quiet or easy," his gaze locked with her own as the last few golden rays bathed them in their subtle glow, internally noting how it she looked good standing there with the sunset behind her, "but things would be a hella more bearable if you were around."

Moisture flooded her eyes as they slipped downward to focus upon his offered hand.

Black Trident had taken everything from her that one's life should consist of, striping the girl of the choices she should've made herself that would help her grow into the being Aurora Yamashita was to be. Her past had been stolen from her and Katsuki Bakugo was going to make sure that her future wouldn't be either even if it was away fro his side. A brief sense of loss filled him at the thought that she might take that course of action

He remained still as she took a hesitant step. "It's up to you."

The girl's breath hitched. "My…choice?" Panic and anxiety filled her features and gaze.

"This is your choice to make, Aurora, no one is going to force you anywhere or do anything against what you want. Not anymore." He spoke so softly that she couldn't believe such a tone had come from him but it eased her frayed nerves and building tension until her body had once more relaxed. A blonde brow twitched as low rumbling filled the air, sourcing from both of their cores. "Would you hurry it up though? Don't wanna stand here all night when I could be eatin'!" Ruby eyes lit slightly as she took another step. "Tell ya what. We can talk more over some food."

"You're right. I have to make a choice."

He blinked as she entwined their fingers. Though he'd unconsciously offered it to her, it was still rattled for someone to be touching his hands. "Explosion" was directly connected to the sweat that his body produced so he tended to dislike whenever someone touched him without permission. Heck, he hated touching anyone or anything that might be a hazard just in case he sparked unconsciously. Here she was though lacing their fingers, her slender ones with his calloused, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if she had no fear in being burned by him. A faint memory buried so far deep beneath his subconsciousness rushed to the forefront…this was how they had started: hand or finger brushing.

"Katsuki, I…" Slender fingers eased apart from his own, guiding the hand to wrap around her waist, taking another step that brought her inches from his being. She didn't stop until their beings were brushing and her arms had wrapped around his neck. The slight cushion of her being was now pressed against his lean own, his height allowing him full view of her face as small tears slipped from the corners of her eyes a moment before she snuggled into his warmth. "…thank you for being my friend and giving me the strength to fight. There were so many times that I almost gave up but then I remembered all the times you protected me from the playground bullies…"

The oxygen in his lungs threatened to abandon him as her arms squeezed him.

"…thank you…"

It was as a she choked with a sob that his arms finally moved, enclosing her against his chest. To hear that she'd been inspired by him of all people was crazy, far fetched even, but there was no trace within her tone or tears that would hint she was lying. "Tch," he grunted, "you're still just a crybaby, ain't ya?" She mumbled something he couldn't hear, not surprising since her face was buried within the collar of his now nonexistent sleeveless hoodie. "Speak up, damnit, can't understand a single word you're saying when you're blubbering like that." Something soft brushed his cheek as she shifted until her lips were level with his ear, his own rising into a smile as she repeated herself. A foreign emotion rose within his chest that compelled him to holder her tightly.

More rumbling filled the air, causing both to smile to themselves.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place, huh? Now we're both hungrier than earlier." He pulled away first, flashing a smug smirk when he saw how her cheeks tinted rosy and didn't fight when her fingers laced with his own again. "Whatcha want, spicy baby, and maybe I'll make it for you."

"H-hey, thought I told you not to call me that!" The tears falling down her cheeks were wiped away by the swipe of an arm and the smile that lifted her lips when it fell was so bright that the setting sun just about to disappear from sight in the distance seemed more like a tiny candle flame in comparison as she allowed him to lead her towards the gates.

Reactions to trauma vary by the person(s) who've experienced them. I am not saying in any way that every person who had would react just as "Aurora" did but it is one of the many possibles.

Chao! See you next time!