Cold Case

Punishments End

MIDORIYA'S POV

"This looks a little too fancy for my taste," Bakugo mumbled as he tossed his arm around my shoulders and looked across the open apartment. "I like that everything is open and you can see every room, but that's about all I like about it. The bedrooms are small, and there isn't a lot of natural light.

"I agree," I sighed. I like the price and the location, but if that's all it has going for it, I don't know.

"How many more do we have to look at?" Bakugo asked. We've already looked at eight apartments today, and I don't know if I have the energy to keep going. Luckily, we were almost done.

"Two more. They're both near the hospital, so not the closest to my workplace, but they're close to yours." However, neither of them are fantastic. We both ended up loving the fifth one we viewed today, and I wish we stopped there. However, there's no guarantee that we will get it, which is why we didn't stop there. "Do you think this one is worth putting in an application or not?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "We've put in four already, right? Even if they all deny us, I don't think I would like to live. I would rather keep looking."

I nodded in agreement. "Well, let's go ahead and get to the other two. They're only two blocks away from each other, so we're practically done."

He pressed his lips to my temple. "Let's go."

———————

Another hour later, we were finally back at his apartment after applying for one of the places we looked at.

"What do you want for dinner tonight?" I asked while emptying my pockets onto the entry table. "We can order something or make food. Whatever you want."

"I want you," he said flirtatiously. I should have seen that coming.

"Babe, I'm a snack, not a whole meal."

He rolled his eyes. "Then I guess I'm okay with just snacking today."

He walked toward me, but I dodged him before he could wrap his arms around me. "Uh-uh. I have to go home tonight. We're not starting something that will make me want to stay over."

Bakugo groaned. "I don't understand why you're still going home. There's literally no point. We're looking for an apartment together. We love each other. Whether or not you stay here, it isn't going to change how we treat each other at work."

I sighed while grabbing Bakugo's hand and pulling him to the couch. We've been on our feet all day, and I want to sit. "Babe, I don't want to mix my work and personal life. It's easier for me when I wake up alone before work. It helps me feel like I'm not working all the time. It keeps the edges sharp instead of letting them blur together." He gripped my hand tightly before scooting closer to me. "I love you, but seeing you at home and work makes my life feel like one big blur."

Bakugo chewed the inside of his cheek. "I can understand that. I just miss you when you're not here."

He nuzzled into my neck, gently kissing my collarbone. "We're almost done with cold cases. As soon as we return to our teams, I promise you'll rarely have to sleep alone again."

He cocked a brow. "Rarely?"

"There are times I work overnight or am on call. Depending on the case, we might be at the office for a few days at a time." It was rare, but it didn't happen. It depended on whether or not the case was time-sensitive.

"Mmm, I don't like that. I want you in bed next to me every night."

"Believe me, I want that too." I slid myself to his lap and rested my head on his shoulder. "Katsuki?" I questioned softly.