STAINED

Chapter 15 - Opening Up to Bakugo

Bakugo's red eyes watched me expectantly as I battled my own thoughts. Finally, I opened my mouth to speak.

"My birth parents were villains. My mother sold me to the Yakuza when I was a kid to pay off some debt. They initially wanted me to beg on the street for money. Kids are more likely to get change from strangers you see... but my quirk caught their eye so they decided to put me through training in this very same facility. They probably wanted me to be one of their goons... I don't know how long I was there, it felt like forever though it couldn't have been longer than a year. Then one day the heroes came in, busted down the doors and just like that I was in the system. Aizawa was the hero that lead the mission. I don't know how or why, but he says he saw something in me. He asked the commission to take care of me and then all of a sudden he was my guardian and legal father. He's continued to train me but in isolated areas away from other people. He's worried about what society would think about someone like me trying to be a hero..."

Bakugo's face was serious but he listened carefully and intently.

"Someone like you?" He asked confused.

"Yeah. A daughter of two villains."

Bakugo nodded his head in sudden understanding.

"Does Aizawa act like a father, or your handler?" Bakugo asked.

I nodded as I thought about the question, a small smile teasing my lips.

"When we are at home we're like a real family. We laugh, we talk... but as soon as I'm at school he's Mr Aizawa..." I heard the pang of sorrow in my voice before I could stop it.

"And you don't like that?" Bakugo queried.

I shook my head.

"Mr Aizawa is harsh on anyone right? But he seems to be a lot harsher on me..."

"Yeah, I noticed that." Bakugo murmured as he thought about this new information.

"If you tell anyone, I will kill you." I warned.

He laughed.

"Ha! As if you could!"

"Seriously Bakugo. Please don't speak of any of this... I'm trusting you." You might think me a fool for trusting the temperamental, agitated, aggressive kid at school, but something just told me I could trust him. He was flawed yes, but he wants to be a real hero, just like me. And you can trust heroes.

"I won't say a thing. Besides, doubt anyone's interested anyway." He tried to sound casual, but I knew he meant it. He won't say a thing.

"Hey what happened with you and Shoto?" His question causes my stomach to sink.

"I don't want to talk about it." I deflected.

"He dump you huh?" He smirked as he took another sip from his water bottle.

"No he did not. I wasn't someone to dump, we weren't together like that." I had gotten a little defensive.

"Yeah maybe not yet but the pair of you looked like you were pretty gaga for each other." There was humour in his voice. He found this amusing. My pain was a joke to him.

"Look, you can joke about whatever you want. But not that okay." I was stern.

"Ahhh I get it now. He rejected you!" Bakugo didn't know when to let it go. My face twisted, my expression turning into turmoil. I didn't find any of his childish jokes amusing in the least. It was hurting my feelings. He didn't know what he was talking about or how talking about Shoto hurt the way it did.

"Oh get a grip Idina I was only kidding don't tear up." He rolled his eyes at me.

Tear up? Was I tearing up?

"I'm not tearing up. I haven't cried since I was a child I'm not going to tear up over a boy." My voice sounded stronger. I was happy that my confidence finally returned.

Bakugo looked at me. His red eyes taking me in. His expression was unreadable as his brows pulled together in question.

"You're strong you know." He muttered quietly. So quietly, I thought I'd heard it in my head. But the serious way he gazed back at me had me certain I hadn't misheard.

He thinks I'm strong. He really thinks I'm strong. Wow. That's a first.

"If Todoroki can't see that, that's on him." His voice was soft. Softer than I'd thought possible coming from him.

He was being... reassuring... and... kind? Bakugo? Being KIND?

I stared back at him, my mouth open in disbelief. I liked this version of Bakugo. This open, quieter, less aggressive version. Maybe this was what Shoto meant when he said there was more to Bakugo than meets the eye.

And he was right.

There was.

I swallowed hard. I realised I'd been staring at him in silence for an unusual amount of time and I probably looked like a weirdo. I cleared my throat.

"T-thanks." I finally managed to stutter. Bakugos red eyes pulled away, and I watched as he packed away his bottle into his backpack. I felt a pang of anguish at the realisation that he was packing up to go home.
I tried to shake it off, but I couldn't.

I wanted to stay here. Talk more. I liked it. Oh god I liked it... have I been that deprived of someone to open up to that I'm sad Bakugo was about to leave?

"You look constipated." Bakugo's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

What did he just say?

"Your face. You look like you're straining and all constipated." He muttered casually as he stood up and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"N-no I don't." I stammered. I clambered to my feet swinging my own bag over my shoulders as he did.

Bakugo studied me for a moment however seemed to have lost interest.

"Whatever. I'm going home." And with that he turned and headed out.

"Tomorrow?" I called out, my chest tight with hope.

"Whatever." He repeated as he strode off into the evening.

I couldn't fight the smile that stamped my face.

Today had been a good day.