𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻 | Katsuki Bakugou x Male reader

Chapter 18

Dayummm this chapter pretty long. Look at me go.

---

(M/N) stepped out into the cool evening air just as the parachute floated down from the sky. His fingers quickly undid the tie, hoping for some real medicine to treat Katsuki's leg, but instead he found a pot of hot broth.

Shota couldn't have sent him a clearer message. One kiss equaled one pot of broth. (M/N) could almost hear his anger. "You're supposed to be in love. The boy's dying. Give me something to work with!"

He was right. If (M/N) wanted to keep Katsuki alive, he had to give the audience more to care about. Star-crossed lovers desperate to go home together. Two hearts beating as one. Romance.

Since (M/N) had never been in love, it was going to be a bit tricky. He thought of his parents. The way his father never failed to bring his mother gifts from the woods. The way her face would light up at the sound of his boots at the door. The way she almost stopped living when he died.

"Katsuki!" (M/N) said, aiming for the tone that his mother used only with his father. The boy had dozed off again, but (M/N) kissed him awake, which seemed to startle him. Then he gave a half smile as if he'd be happy to lie there gazing at (M/N) forever. He was great at this stuff.

(M/N) held up the pot. "Look what Shota sent you."

~

Getting Katsuki to eat the broth took an hour of coaxing, begging, threatening, and yes, kissing. But (M/N) finally got him to empty the pot, sip by sip. He let the blonde drift off to sleep before tending to his own needs, wolfing down a meal of meat and roots while he watched the daily report in the sky. No new deaths. Still, he was sure he and Katsuki had given the audience an interesting day. Hopefully, the Gamemakers would let them have a peaceful night.

(M/N) automatically looked around for a good tree to nest in before he realised he couldn't. At least, not for a while. He couldn't leave Katsuki unguarded on the ground. He had left the scene of the boy's last hiding place on the bank of the stream untouched. He didn't know how he was supposed to conceal it, and they were currently stationed only fifty metres downstream.

(M/N) put on his glasses, grabbed his bow, and settled down to keep watch.

The temperature dropped rapidly and he was soon chilled to the bone. Eventually, he gave in and slid into the sleeping bag with Katsuki. It was warm and (M/N) snuggled further into it, until he realised it was a lot warmer than he thought. It was overly hot due to Katsuki's fever. (M/N) checked his forehead and found it to be burning.

What should I do? (M/N) was at a loss. Should I take him out and hope the air cools him off? He ended up just placing a dampened piece of bandage on Katsuki's forehead. It seemed weak, but he didn't want to do anything too drastic.

(M/N) spent the night half sitting, half lying next to Katsuki, refreshing the bandage and trying not to dwell on the fact that by teaming up with the blonde, he'd made himself far more vulnerable than when he was alone. Tethered to the ground, on guard, with a very sick person to take care of. But (M/N) knew he was injured, and he still came after him. He was just going to have to trust that whatever instinct sent him to find the boy was a good one.

When (M/N) was out the previous night, he came upon a bush that contained the berries Wendy had showed him. He went back to it and stripped off the fruit, mashing it up in the broth pot with cold water.

Katsuki was struggling to get up when (M/N) reached the cave. "I woke up and you were gone," he said. "I don't care if you wake me up, just make sure you tell me if you're gonna go exploring."