Protector

Bakugo's breath came out in puffs as if he had a marathon. But, the moment Estelle dropped to the ground, it knocked the air out of his lungs. All he could hear was white noise, the faint sound of his screaming seemingly miles away from himself as his footsteps pounded on the ground.

He could only recall one other instance where terror had ripped through his bones. When he couldn't protect himself in the sludge incident, the quirkless Deku rushed onto the scene to help. Hell, he had even been a little scared when he was kidnapped, but it wasn't like this. Nothing felt like this.

He knew he cared for Estelle; that was obvious to anyone who had half a brain. But, the extent of his feelings for her seemed to flood his veins when he saw her motionless. It was like a tidal wave washing over him, and all he could do was fall into the waves of fury that swam within every inch of his soul.

If he wasn't already breathless, the emotions themselves would have knocked him over due to their potency. If anybody was observing him, they would have seen the frenzy in his eyes whilst explosions ripped from his hands. The fierce red of his stare as he promised retribution for the girl lying on the ground. He could not fathom how the strong, exquisite, fearless Estelle was defeated by a freak like him.

It just wasn't possible in Bakugo's eyes. Estelle always won a fight, and she always got back up.

He adored that about her.

'So why the fuck isn't she moving, goddammit!'

He had a feeling the old man blew substances at her, and he also had a wild inkling that Estelle had no idea of the possibility of being drugged. Her reflexes would have kicked in otherwise, but she hadn't moved as Bakugo called to her.

Mild panic rose within him as he forced his feet forward. Ignoring the burn of his lungs, the male let out another explosion to push himself farther to reach the duo. It felt like he was underwater, and Estelle was the only source of oxygen in radius; he needed to get to her. He had to. Estelle needed him.

He would not fail her.

The movement of the disgusting man seemed to ignite something in Bakugo's brain. It was like a tunnel that had shielded everything else from view, ruby eyes narrowing at him with dark promise. It snapped, shredded and destroyed any part of him that held any potential mercy as the man swung Estelle's limp body over his shoulder.

The sight made his lips snarl in disgust, his stomach twisting and churning from the chaos his mind was currently suspended in. The knowledge of the shit Estelle had suffered through, the knowledge that he could fail, only leaving her to suffer at the hands of another, made the blood rush to his ears. That he would die before he let that happen. That Estelle deserved the world, and even though he knew he would never be able to give that to her, he damn well would try to.

The knowledge the substance could be poison, that she could be dead and her body would fade. The idea that he would never even get to find out how she tasted or if he managed to ever get her to stay. That she may never get to overcome the burdens of her past.

The sheer terror he had been experiencing formed into a righteous rage by the time he had reached the duo. The older man had slowed under the weight of Estelle, and Bakugo had never been so thankful to a God that he was kept on standby. He refused to think of what could have happened if he wasn't there because his heart couldn't take anymore.

Bakugo was still screaming when he finally landed a punch to the back of the freak's head. Gripping Estelle before she hit the ground, Bakugo didn't have the time to stick around to check if she was okay as the paedophile tried to stand up and run.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Bakugo yowled as he lunged forward to slam his hand into the runner's hair. Yanking him forward to stare deep into his blue eyes, Bakigo snarled, "You think you can touch her and get away with it?"

"No, no! of course not! I was helping her out; she only fainted!" The foolish idiot tried to explain, the terror that previously filled Bakugo's entire being now reflected in the older man's eyes. The expression only helped fuel his outrage, unable to take the relief that Estelle was safe until he was gone.

"Don't fucking lie to me, you disgusting sleaze!" Bakugo bellowed, throwing him down to slam his head against the concrete before pulling it back up in a tight grip. Feeling a smirk rise on his face, Bakugo didn't even try to hold back his emotions as he hissed into his ear. "You think I wouldn't obliterate anyone that touches her?"

Taking in Bakugo's words, the older man furrowed his brows in puzzlement, clearly having a death wish as he responded, "She said you two were friends? You certainly aren't talking about my angel like she's your friend."

Feeling warmth and euphoria flood his veins at the label Estelle called him. Bakugo forced back those sentiments to let out a deep scowl. "What's it to ya? You creep! What the hell do you want with her anyway!?"

Colliding his head again on the concrete to compensate for the urge to rip his limbs from his body, Bakugo trembled as he tried to keep himself in check. The older man sputtered on the flecks of rock before snarling, "She was supposed to be mine!"

"You psycho, she doesn't belong to anyone! But, if she had to pick someone, it wouldn't be some ugly old man!" Bakugo roared, his hand sparking with more minor explosions to emphasise that he wasn't playing around. He never would in a situation like this where Estelle was so vulnerable.

"And you're any better?!"

"Hell yeah, I am!" Bakugo exclaimed, letting out another explosion when he saw a right hook swinging for him. The tremors of his wrath spiked once he looked at the unconscious Estelle, and the anger that was only beginning to fade rushed back tenfold. Deciding he was done talking to the idiot, his mind could not wait any longer to determine Estelle's status. Raising his fist up high, Bakugo pulled all of his strength into one last blow, which knocked the homeless looking idiot out cold.

Forcing himself to back away, Bakugo reminded himself he had more important things to do than beat the shit out of the unconscious male. The thought jolted him from the raging inferno his mind settled into, and it was like a cold wash had been dumped over his body as he shakingly stood up.

Shuffling off the older man with hastened breaths, Bakugo stumbled slightly as he scampered over to Estelle's side. The blonde barely even noticed that he was pleading to himself as he scanned over her, his quaking fingers tapping her face to see if she would wake.

"Please be okay; please be okay, please be okay."

Feeling no response from her, his alarm rose slightly as he landed a harsher smack. Wide-eyed at the fact there was no response, he forced himself to take a deep breath as he lowered his ear over her mouth.

His body immediately sunk over her body in consolation as he felt her breath tickle on his cheek. His mind felt hazy as the adrenaline dropped from his veins, and the rush of relief took him to the skies. Quickly pulling her body, so she was leaning against him, Bakugo could barely contain himself as his lips met her temple numerous times as if he was reminding himself that she was still there. He had never been so grateful to be in the presence of another, but right at that moment, he thanked the god he had previously begged in solace.

Bakugo's fingers were still shaking as he took his phone out of his pocket and brought it up to his ear. "911, how may we help?"

"My friend was drugged."

Estelle was still out cold when the paramedics and Mr Aizawa showed up. Bakugo called up the teacher as soon as the dispatcher hung up the phone and the worried man barely stayed on the line after Bakugo frantically told him their location.

The fretting teacher arrived slightly out of the sack and surged forward towards the duo. Estelle was still lying passed out on Bakugo's side, and the blonde could only imagine what it looked like. He knew that it wasn't good by the expression on his teacher's face.

Opening his mouth to speak, Bakugo was interrupted by the rushing paramedics who were lifting Estelle up to the stretcher. Standing up quickly as he watched them rush her inside the ambulance to do some brief checks, Bakugo's throat tightened as she disappeared from sight.

Stumbling forward, the adrenaline drop still affecting his movements, Bakugo didn't hesitate as he quickly made his way over to the van's open doors. His shoulders immediately unwound once he saw her limp body being checked over, and his feet refused to move as Mr Aizawa tried to request him to follow.

He ignored him, his eyes refusing to stray from the paramedics with withheld concern that evidently looked like anger. His hawk eyes scanned every movement, prepared to jump if anything happened. The action only worried the teacher as he watched Bakugo's actions. It was way overbearing for Bakugo, and he internally wondered what the hell happened.

The police arrived as Bakugo waited and watched, heading straight for Mr Aizawa to get further details as one cop cuffed the unconscious man on the ground, clearly bleeding slightly from his temple from when the blonde exacted punishment. He barely paid attention to them, but he seemed to come back to himself entirely as the man disappeared from sight, any sign of potential danger now gone.

A few minutes later, the paramedics came to some form of conclusion. Bakugo could tell things were okay with how relaxed they were, knowing full well that if Estelle was in any danger, they would have wheeled her to the hospital. Standing up straight as one female paramedic stood outside the ambulance, he braced himself as she spoke to him softly in understanding. It was as if she was well aware of the emotions he was currently experiencing, and her actions eased him.

"She's fine, but she's asleep; it was a mild sedative. She'll sleep it off and wake up in a couple of hours. She can do it at home, or we can let her rest in the hospital until she wakes up."

Bakugo jumped in his spot when he heard Mr Aizawa's voice directly behind him. The teacher, who was keeping a close eye on the boy, placed his hand on his shoulder in comfort as he responded. "She hates the hospital; we'll take her back."

"Alright," she agreed, a placating expression on her face.

Bakugo didn't need to be told anything else. Strutting into the ambulance, he swiftly placed his arms under Estelle's body as he lifted her up. Hearing the sputter of a few paramedics around him, he remained blank as he clutched her close to him, a protective stare in his eyes as he scanned them. Knowing his temper from the sports festival, they backed down immediately and looked away.

"Do you need me to take her?" Mr Aizawa asked, his hand raised up in offer if the weight was too much for his student.

Stepping out of the ambulance, Bakugo immediately walked around Mr Aizawa as he headed straight for the car. His voice was non-negotiable as he stated, "I got it."

Nodding, Mr Aizawa knew it was pointless to argue with him. Unlocking the car for them to get in, he walked back to the policeman to tie off any loose ends for the evening. It was decided that Estelle and Bakugo would return to the station later to discuss the events.

Bakugo sat in the car while waiting for his teacher to arrive, his hand on Estelle's head as he cradled her close to his chest. Taking multiple calming breaths, Bakugo finally felt that things were okay again as he sat there, holding her, safe and secure.

"You brat, don't do that to me again. I'll seriously kill you otherwise," Bakugo muttered into her hair, just taking in the moment of peace before Mr Aizawa took the driver's seat.

Mr Aizawa felt the insistent need to ask questions about what happened, but he knew it wasn't the time as he looked at the duo through the rearview mirror. The image of Bakugo holding onto her tightly seared through his brain, and when he tried to inquire if Bakugo was okay at least, the blonde completely ignored his question, his face in Estelle's hair as he gripped onto her with white knuckles.

He had never seen the boy so silent, which put him on edge. Pursing his lips, It was quiet as they drove back to UA.

When they finally reached the dorms, Bakugo disregarded the startled students as they rushed over to the pair. Grunting at the loud noises, Bakugo only hissed in response to their yells before strutting upstairs to Estelle's room.

Mr Aizawa followed, taking a few moments to explain a little of what happened to the class. He hadn't gotten the whole story himself, but he wanted Estelle to recover first before bombarding them, primarily since Bakugo's full attention was centred on the passed out female.

Kicking Estelle's door open, Bakugo placed her on the bed before covering her with the blanket. The blood watched her softly, his heart aching at the day's events. He just wanted to treat her to the movies; he wanted to see the delight light upon her face from the sight of a giant screen. Instead, all Estelle got was a pile of shit.

Frowning at his thought, Bakugo jerked again at Mr Aizawa's voice. "Come, let's give her time to rest and wake up."

Standing straight at the idea of leaving her, Bakugo's voice was uncharacteristically soft within his demand. "I'm staying with her. I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up. It could trigger her."

Mr Aizawa stared at Bakugo, understanding in his veins. He allowed the blonde to spend nights with Estelle because he helped her more than anyone else. He had seen the fast improvement his presence had brought her. He had seen the care he had shown for her daily. And he knew he could trust the student to be alone with Estelle because Bakugo knew her better than anyone else in this world.

He couldn't discard the blonde's actions today, the intense protectiveness shown in every movement he made around the unconscious female. Mr Aizawa knew there was no arguing with him, and he had no intention to with the influence he had on the girl. It was good and just what Estelle needed. He would never stop that; he would never hinder Estelle's comfort and happiness. Lord knows she needed it.

Nodding in consensus, Mr Aizawa responded in the same gentle tone. "Okay."

The last sight before the door shut was Bakugo moving Estelle's chair next to her bed, sitting and holding her hand on his thigh. His ruby eyes watched her with whirling emotions that the teacher couldn't fully pinpoint.

Bakugo jerked awake when he heard an audible groan and gasp. The hand he was holding moved away as if he was burning fire, and the action made him sit up in alarm. His eyes immediately zoned into Estelle, who had shuffled to sit on her bed, but she was furiously rubbing her eyes.

Dropping her hands, Bakugo could immediately tell she was groggy from the drugs. Remaining silent in hopes that giving her a moment would effectively snap her out of her dazed look, his heart dropped when it didn't.

Sucking in a deep breath when her glazed eyes finally looked around the room in a panic, he furrowed his brows in confusion as her stare moved straight past him. Withering, he pushed back the urge to pull her into his arms, the apprehension on her face causing him to be wary of his next move.

"We-where am I?" Estelle voiced out, the breaths in her lungs increasing with her words. The sentence only made Bakugo's heart drop to his feet, and he slumped from the question as the bewildered look covered his face.

Unsure of what was happening, his voice was unintentionally strangled as he mumbled, "You're with me, lioness. We're back as UA."

He stilled as Estelle's eyes frantically shifted around the room as if she hadn't heard him. Narrowing his eyes, his mind chaotically searched for why she was acting so strange. He observed her as her breathing quickened further as she became close to hyperventilating. Forcing herself to a stop, she took multiple deep breaths to compose herself. When she was somewhat successful, her fingertips landed on the sides of her temple as she muttered her thinking.

"Okay, think, think. Focus on your training. Windows, doors and location first."

Peeking her eyes open, Bakugo could tell they were still glazed over. It was especially evident as her eyes skimmed right past the window as she looked around the room. It suddenly clicked for him; he could tell she wasn't in the room right now, her mind stuck on a memory of another.

The scene put him on edge, his body frozen, his eyes locked to the floor. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Bakugo tried to reign back his fury at the state she was in. She had never been lucid before, typically stuck in her head entirely whilst motionless to the outside world.

It had never been like this, where she could move freely and talk as if she was present. Yet, still somehow stuck in a memory, her brain playing tricks on her as it tried to process the event she had just suffered through. It unnerved Bakugo, knowing that she could reach the point of experiencing that, especially with how dangerous it could be.

A powerhouse, she was, and perfectly capable of taking anything in this world. She could unknowingly hurt others without realising it, and she would be vulnerable to those around her. She was literally stuck in her head, unable to react to what was happening around her.

It was like a cold wash dunked over him, knowing how deep this went. How Estelle dealt with it alone, with nobody there to help her. It made him want to rip his hair out, how someone so breathtaking, skilled, yet damaged and isolated was forced to just handle it and keep going.

Fuck that; he would never let her be alone if this was the aftermath.

She was just a kid when everything started. Those memories of her growing up were horrific, and he had only seen a small portion. She would have been insane if she had taken it any other way, and he knew he would probably have been worse if he was in her shoes.

Realising Estelle had gotten up during his rambling thoughts, Bakugo felt determination flood his veins as he watched her stumble around the room, looking for an escape. She knocked into a few of her things, but it didn't register as her head swung back and forth in her investigation. Only when she slowed to a halt did he patiently wait for her next move.

She was beginning to panic again, seemingly not finding a way out of the room in her mind. Her breathing sparked up as she rubbed the sweat off her palms. Her mouth was moving, and he took a couple of solemn steps forward to listen to her trembling voice. "Military? No, too big. Dragon's den? The location is wrong; they don't have rooms like this. Aite's base? Fuck, did I get captured?"

His fingers twitched as he got closer, his eyes staring at her in the hope she would snap out of it from his gaze. He knew it was wishful thinking, but he did it anyway, his fingers tightening around his palm to compensate for the frustration brewing from seeing her like this. Yanking the memories from his mind, Bakugo dug around his own head for his research on PTSD.

He didn't want to hinder her; he wanted to help when she suffered. He wanted to be the guiding light in these moments, to show her she was safe. She was okay. She deserved that, even if she didn't believe it.

When the class found out about her condition, he went right onto the internet. He assumed most of the students did the same, but nobody mentioned it afterwards, yet it was evident from how they reacted the other day that they wanted the same thing. They knew her reactions weren't always her own but from the burden inside of her. They knew the way she would lash out sometimes wasn't out of concern for herself but for the rest of the class.

Knowing now was the time before she fell into her mind further, Bakugo leaned down to speak firmly into her ear. Pushing back the clenching of his heart, Bakugo knew it wasn't the time for that. Estelle needed him. "Hey, it's me, Katsuki. Your friend. We're at Height's Alliance, and your with me in your dorm room. We're safe; nothing bad is happening right now. You're safe with me, okay? Focus on the sound of my voice and follow it. Can you do that for me?"

His voice seemed to reach her, but not wholly as her head whipped around the room with panicked eyes. Knowing he needed to keep her calm and within pace, he quickly kept going. "That's it, my fearsome lioness. Listen to my voice; you're not there, okay? You got out of there long ago because you never gave up. Can you wiggle your toes for me?"

Watching her distant eyes blink repeatedly, Bakugo forced his sights to lower to her feet. He could see the twitch in her toes, but she was struggling. He sighed, his eyes closed as he took in the relief that she could hear him, evidently trying. "Good girl, keep going. Do you feel the carpet under your toes?"

The wiggle of her toes confirmed it, and Bakugo straightened at the fact it was working. His face slowly morphed into an eager expression, hopeful eyes as he jittered to see her present. The day's events had felt like weeks, and his only wish was to see her, for her to see him. It felt like it had been too long since she glanced at him. Moving his hand to intertwine with hers, so she had something to ground her, his voice was more soothing as he continued, "That'a girl. You're doing so good. Can you wiggle your fingers for me too?"

Feeling her fingers move, Bakugo slowly smiled as he lowed his head and bumped his nose against her neck. Even though it was ultimately the wrong moment, his brain automatically computed a thought he quickly brushed away. 'she has a nice neck.'

He'll never repeat that to anyone.

"Now, do you feel me?" He questioned with a whisper, bringing his body up against hers, so her back was against his chest. He didn't push for an answer, knowing how she usually tried to force herself to speak when she should be taking her time. Nevertheless, Bakugo continued to mutter into her ear to keep going in the process of bringing her back. He would have blushed and turned the room into a bomb creek if anyone else had heard him right now.

The words he was saying to her slipped off his tongue easily, which he found strange. He had never uttered sweet phrases like this, and he could see the cavities already morphing in his teeth. But they just did. Andit felt right, as unlike him as it was. Estelle drew out parts of him he never even knew he had without trying. He could practically feel his resolve diminish the more time he spent with her, but he couldn't help it.

She was so captivating and intoxicating. Bakugo wanted to be around her all the time. He loved the fact she was strong and yet able to show that it was okay to feel weak. It was okay for him to feel that way because if the strongest person on the planet felt that way, Bakugo wasn't inadequate for being the same and experiencing the same. It made him feel more powerful, and her presence did in general. But, the way she spoke was like it continuously re-ignited the drive within him to be the best.

Still, he will never say those words for others to hear. Not if he could help it, he still had a reputation to maintain, dammit.

Bakugo never thought he would like that cheesy stuff, scratch that, he never thought he would be remotely interested in any of that. Nothing would be prioritised over the goal of becoming number one; he craved nothing else.

But now, he wasn't so sure about it being his only goal anymore.

Feeling the breaths finally calm, Bakugo's frantically beating heart lulled alongside hers as she came back to herself. Her eyes seemed to be taking in her actual location, flickering around the room with recognition as she leaned further back into Bakugo's chest. Taking a deep breath of his own, he wrapped an arm around her as she took the time to register her thoughts.

"That's it, my fearsome lioness. You're okay."

"Ruby..." Estelle strangled out, a pained tinge in the nickname that made his hand clench her waist tighter. Wrapping his other arm around her to pick her up swiftly so they could get to the bed. Bakugo wanted to hold her; he desired to drown in her embrace. She was finally here, and he couldn't help the urge to be selfish. He just wanted to hold her, look into those dark eyes and just reassure himself that she was here with him.

Sitting against the bed's backboard, Bakugo placed Estelle on his lap, her legs on both sides of his waist as she sat on top of him. Her expression was still uneasy, and he could understand that she may need a bit more reassurance after the episode she had just experienced. "I'm with you; it's okay. That sick bastard would never have laid a hand on you if I had anything to say about it. I got you."

Muttering more reassurances in her ear, Estelle eventually relaxed in his arms. The grogginess in her whole body seemed to disappear by the minute, but she still held onto him tight. It felt like she was reassuring herself just as he was, and the thought eased him, knowing that they had both experienced the brunt of the events today. He was glad they at least had each other, and he internally hoped that they always would.

Not wanting to keep being selfish in case she needed her space (He did not want to hear further talks about her bubble, thank you very much). Bakugo let his grip loosen to place her back on the bed, his intention to return to his chair. He let out a surprised yelp when he realised she was still holding onto his t-shirt in a fierce grip. Not wanting to assume, he muttered, "I'll still be here, but you should get some more rest. I'll sit on the chair, okay?"

He felt the shaking of her head and furrowed his brows. It didn't take long for him to recognise his assumption was correct. Widening his eyes a moment later, he tried to gently ask, "You want me to stay?"

Feeling her slight nod, Bakugo couldn't help the small smile as his back flopped onto the bed, still holding Estelle, so she remained on top of him.

Her fingers were still twisted around his top, but he didn't care as he traced his own on her back in soothing circles. Feeling her melt to his touch made him chuckle, but he still hasn't seen her face ever since she smashed it against his chest.

Giving her another few minutes to ensure he wasn't rushing her, Bakugo murmured into her ear. "You feeling better now?"

Nodding into his chest, Bakugo let out a deep sigh before roughly stating, "you don't need to hide from me then; you can look at me." Feeling no response, Bakugo rubbed her back, a reassuring tone as he pushed to see those dark eyes. "Come on, my fearsome lioness. Look at me."

Slowly raising her head to gaze into rubies, Estelle's chin remained in his chest as she looked up. Feeling her face flush slightly at the grin on his face, Estelle found it even more difficult to comprehend his following words. "That's my girl."

"Did you get him?" she mumbled, feeling uncharacteristically small within his embrace. The blush on her face from his words was noticeable, and he bit back his smile at the fact they had an effect on her.

"Yeah, baby. I did," Bakugo responded, his eyes loving on the neck that had turned pink. He assumed he would be embarrassed to say them when she was present, but as soon as Bakugo noted her reactions, the male knew he would use sweet words any day to see those responses. They were adorable to the point the blonde wanted to blow something up, his mind unable to figure out if he wanted to scream from the frenzy his heart was in or coo at her like a baby. Nevertheless, no matter his reactions, it made him hungry to see more.

"What happened?"

Explaining the missing gaps in Estelle's memory was easy enough. His hand remained on her back, rubbing soothing shapes as he spoke to her. He didn't know if anything would trigger her again, but he knew touch was an excellent way to keep someone grounded. He wasn't complaining. But, the expression on her face was a dead giveaway that something else was bothering her.

"What is it?"

"I never knew drugs could be used that way. The law didn't describe it like that, so I didn't even have time to stop it. I'm such a failure," Estelle whispered, berating herself for a simple mistake.

"Tch, don't be an idiot. S'not your fault you didn't know. And I was there to help you, so it's okay."

"Yeah...but it wasn't just a creepy fan," She continued, biting her lips as she considered if it was the best idea to keep silent. Bakugo straightened up to a sitting position again as he gave a heavy stare to the female on top of him, aware that she was already unsure if she should tell him by the look on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Nyx sent him. Said he could have me," Estelle answered, her stare on his chest as she made absentminded patterns on his chest with her finger.

Feeling fury in his throat, Bakugo could only let out a snarl at the fact the villain was most likely aware of the option of underhanded tactics. This Nyx guy probably knew someone from this world, and with the proper knowledge, they had managed to surprise her with something she had no idea even existed.

Estelle knows a lot about this world. She's always prepared and always wins. But this? This was missing in her plethora of knowledge, and it wasn't her fault. She couldn't always know everything.

Nevertheless, it felt wrong for Estelle to be on the ground. She was like a raging inferno when she fought. She ripped everything to shreds and always came out on top.

It felt wrong for her to succumb to a simple drug, but he had to remind himself that she was still human. As much as he admired the girl and her fierce capabilities, nobody should think of her as a god. She has made mistakes, and she will most likely continue to do so, and that was okay. He just hated the fact she seemed to berate herself whenever they happened.

He would have to be there for her; he could protect her in these situations. And he did this time.

He always felt helpless when it came to matters of Estelle's old world. There was physically nothing he could do to aid her, and he was forced to sit on the sidelines as she risked her life daily for her class and the rest of the world.

But he couldn't deny it. It felt good to be the one protecting Estelle, to finally help her as he had always wanted to do. He couldn't protect her from stuff in her old world, but he certainly could for things in this world. He hated the fact he had to watch her be a hero, disregard her health for the sake of others. He loved it, but he also despised it. He wanted to be by her side so she didn't have to shoulder the world alone.

The idea isn't as far fetched as he thought it was, and it sparked a determination he hadn't felt for anything else besides being number one.

He wanted to be her equal.

"Ruby?"

"Hmm?" Bakugo answered, his mind still focused on the idea of standing by her side.

"Thank you."

Snapping his eyes to her, he quickly lowered his gaze as he gruffed out, "Just...don't scare me like that again."

Hearing the hidden undertone of his voice, Estelle nodded in agreement, "I'll try."

Silence rung for a while. It was peaceful between the pair, serene. Bakugo and Estelle revelled in one another as they remained in each other's presence. It was as if they had finally gotten something they had been waiting for and had no intention of leaving the bubble they were in at any point of the rest of the day.

Perking up at the memory, Bakugo held back his smirk as he coyly spoke. "So...I'm your friend?"

Stiffening at his question, Estelle buried her head into his chest as she blushed. Scoffing to cover from the embarrassment that he most likely heard her, she rebuked quickly. "Keep dreaming."

Letting out a loud laugh, Bakugo shook his head with a grin. He didn't need her to admit it. The fact she said it in the first place was already a significant accomplishment. That was more than enough for him, mainly as she huddled into his embrace, a metaphorical purr at her lips as they took each other in.

They stayed like that until the next morning.