𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻 | Katsuki Bakugou x Male reader

Chapter 19

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In the remaining hours before nightfall, (M/N) gathered rocks and did his best to camouflage the opening of the cave. It was a slow and tedious process, but after a lot of sweating and shifting things around, he was pretty pleased with his work. The cave now appeared to be part of a larger pile of rocks, like many others in the vicinity.

(M/N) could still crawl in through a small opening, but it was undetectable from the outside. If he didn't make it back from the feast, Katsuki would be hidden but not entirely imprisoned. Although (M/N) doubted the blonde would be able to hold on much longer without medicine. If (M/N) died at the feast, District 12 wasn't likely to have a victor.

He made a meal out of the smaller, bonier fish that inhabited the stream, filled every water container and purified it, and cleaned his weapons. (M/N) had nine arrows left in total. He debated leaving the knife with Katsuki so he'd have some protection while he was gone, but there wasn't really any point. The camouflage was really his final defence, but (M/N) could still find a use for the knife. Who knows what he'd encounter?

He was fairly certain that at least Mirio, Toga, and Shoji would be present when the feast began. He wasn't sure about Creati though, since direction confrontation wasn't really her style. She was pretty small and unarmed, unless she'd picked up some weapons recently. She would probably hang around somewhere nearby, seeing what she could scavenge. But the other three; (M/N) was going to have his hands full. His ability to kill at a distance was his greatest asset, but he knew he'd have to go right into the thick of things to get that backpack, the one with the number 12 on it that the announcer mentioned.

(M/N) watched the sky, hoping for one less opponent at dawn, but nobody appeared. Tomorrow, their faces would be up there. Feasts always resulted in deaths.

He crawled into the cave, secured his glasses, and curled up next to Katsuki. Luckily he had that good long sleep, so tiredness wouldn't prove to be an issue. (M/N) didn't think anyone would attack their cave that night, but he couldn't risk missing dawn.

It was cold, much colder than any previous night. It was as if the Gamemakers had sent a wave of frozen air across the arena, which was most likely what they had done. (M/N) lied next to Katsuki in the bag, trying to absorb every bit of his fever heat. He felt strange being so physically close to someone who was so distant. Katsuki might as well have been in the Capitol, or in District 12, or on the moon, since he'd be no harder to reach. (M/N) had never felt lonelier since the Games began.

Just accept it'll be a bad night, (M/N) thought to himself. He tried not to, but he couldn't stop thinking about his mother and Eri, wondering if they'd get any sleep tonight. At this stage in the Games, with an important event like the feast, school would probably be cancelled. (M/N)'s family could either watch on the static-filled old television at home, or join the crowds in the square to watch on the big, clear screens. They'd have plenty of privacy at home, but support in the square. People would give them a kind word, a bit of food if they could spare it. (M/N) wondered if the baker had sought them out, especially since he and Katsuki were a team, and maybe helped them with food.

Spirits were probably running high in 12. They so rarely had anyone to root for at this point in the Games. Surely, people were excited about him and Katsuki. Especially since they were together. When (M/N) closed his eyes, he could imagine their shouts at the screens, urging the two on. He could see their faces - his family, his friends, even the peacekeepers who bought his meat - cheering for him and Katsuki.

He could see Shoto. The boy wouldn't be shouting and cheering. But he'd be watching every moment, every twist and turn, and willing (M/N) to come home. (M/N) wondered if he was hoping Katsuki made it back as well. Shoto wasn't his boyfriend, but would he be? If (M/N) opened that door? He always talked about us running away together. Was that just a practical solution to our chances of survival away from the district? Or something more?