saudade [Bakugou K. X reader] [Book two]

[T H I R T Y - N I N E]

[Song recommendation: Sippy Cup --- Melanie Martinez]

[Warning: none]

[Chapter Thirty-Nine]

The pen in my hand slid across my knuckles before returning to my palm, the action repeating in an endless cycle. I sat back in the chair poised in front of my desk, my eyes set on the multiple screens before me. I moved my gaze between them, soaking in the video surveillance I.V.A.N. had taken from around the country.

"Are you busy?"

I didn't move my gaze away from the screen at the raspy voice that filled the otherwise silent room. "It depends on what you want."

"I want to ask a favor."

"Hah! You've got some balls to come and ask me for a favor. Especially for what you've done to Katsuki."

Kimina eased the door of my lab shut, catching it with a soft click. She shifted on her feet, lifting her hands to remove the hood that concealed her red hair away. She walked forward slowly.

"It's not like I had a choice," She mumbled.

"What?" I snorted. "You a skunk now or something? Your quirk only activates when you're backed in a corner, and you need to stink them out to escape? Don't bring that bullshit to me, Kimina."

In the corner of my eye, I saw her lips turn into a frown. "I haven't done anything to you, Y/n. I've let you escape more times than I should. I risked my own damn life to let you get away from Shigaraki."

I caught the pen in my palm and leaned forward, pressing the space bar on my keyboard, pausing the recordings. I dropped the pen on my desk and stood up, making Kimina take a step back. I was fully dressed in my suit, and when I stood up, a mask formed over my mouth and nose, a precaution to show her that her quirk was useless against me.

"You've turned my soulmate's brain into a jumbled mess. Katsuki can hardly tell reality from dreams anymore. You've left him in a constant state of fear. He was on the verge of death, and if it wasn't for me, he would have been in worse shape than he is," I narrowed my eyes. "Don't parade your pity party around me."

Her frown deepened. "What—"

"I'll give you five seconds to leave on your own," I crossed my arms over my chest. "Or I'll drag you out by your fucking hair."

"Kind of a prissy move," She sneered.

"Try me."

She narrowed her eyes. "You're not a confrontational person. So why are you acting this way?"

"You're right; I'm not confrontational," I shrugged. "I'd rather avoid conflict and fights. But I threw that moral out the window when the League decided to target everyone that I love. And now that you've hurt my soulmate, well...I'll let you infer the rest."

She walked around the table slowly, approaching me. She stopped within arms reach. She looked down at me, sharp green eyes glaring into my e/c eyes with a mixture of confusion and agitation. Her eyebrows furrowed together.

"What about acting as a hero, hmm? What about your reputation?" She scoffed.

"What reputation?"

Kimina's expression dropped, her eyes widening slowly. "You...really would break all of your morals—the heroes' morals—for a singular boy?"

My eyes fell heavy. "You've obviously never been in love."

Her eyebrows laced together. "I love Touya. But I wouldn't fucking drop my own virtues for him!"

I met her gaze. "Katsuki has done everything for me. I'd do anything to keep him safe. And if it means stripping your quirk—"

Horror washed across her face.

"—then I'll do it without question."

She tried to activate her quirk, but when she found that she was unable, she quickly looked down where my blood had been smeared over the back of her palm. Instead of rushing forward and fighting her, I walked toward her calmly. She backed away from me until her back struck the wall, her entire body beginning to tremble.

In a swift motion, I swiped her feet from under her, grabbing her jaw as I forced her lips apart. The blood gathering on my thumb grew as I added pressure to my finger, forcing it to come forward. I ignored the look on her face as I allowed the droplet to drip into her mouth, releasing her the moment it touched her tongue.

She immediately tried to spit it out, but the drop had been so small that she had already ingested it. She looked up at me in pure fear, her gaze shaking as tears pricked the corner of her eyes.

"W-Why?" She choked out. "I helped you!"

"I'm not as easy to fall to deceit as people believe," I replied, watching as my suit extended from my wrist, wrapping around my thumb to prevent any more blood from falling. "I'm not as soft as I used to be."

Kimina's eyes rolled into the back of her head when I hit her in the nose. The force of it had knocked her out. I grabbed her and slung her body over my shoulder, adjusting her before I left my lab.

"Project N.E.R.D. has been labeled as complete. Authorities are on their way to retrieve Kimina Rin as we speak."

I met the police at the doors of the school, handing the unconscious woman off to them. The people that had been using the school as a shelter gathered together, their whispers filling the air as I felt their gazes burning holes into the back of my head. I crossed my arms as I watched Kimina come to, her glare never leaving me as her hands were bound with quirk-resistant handcuffs.

"You're no fucking hero," She said, her voice grainy. "You're no different than a damn villain."

I met her gaze. I couldn't even bring myself to hide the heaviness of my eyelids or the careless expression I gave her. Because in reality, I didn't care anymore. I didn't care about the thoughts of the public or the consistent nagging I received from the heroes. I couldn't even bring myself to care about the fucking prison break.

Recognition flashed behind Kimina's eyes. Her glare faltered, her lips parting as she laced her eyebrows together. I think that she could see my resolve fading away and my exhaustion settling in. Her shoulders relaxed, and her expression softened. Though when I spoke, I saw that same look from before wash over her face.

"Who said I was a hero?"

[Chapter Thirty-Nine: End]
[Date: 12 July 2023]
[Images not mine]
[Edited]