Latibule

59 - ᴛᴇɴꜱᴇ

Previously on Latibule:

Shigaraki pushed himself up, making me alert again. "Even though our backgrounds are different, everyone here has suffered. Because of people, rules and heroes who try to hold us back."

Bakugou sat still, rubbing his wrists the same way I had done. Then, just as Shigaraki said, "I'm sure you're the same," Bakugou looked at me.

I smirked. We got them now.

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Latibule — Chapter 59///Tense

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Bakugou sprung up from his chair and charged at Shigaraki. I reacted, laying my foot directly in the way of the blue-haired man so he would stumble over them. When all the villains stood, stunned by our actions, I quickly switched sides, physically, of course, and ran to be beside Bakugou. In a regular situation, I wouldn't have moved, but as the lack of a quirk rendered me pretty much useless, I decided to rely on my friend for protection.

Bakugou, having made sure I was okay with a glance over his shoulder, took a fighting stance. "You really thought we would ever join your league of bastards!" Taking a step to the left so he was further in front of me, the blond boy continued. "I'm done listening to your endless talking. Can you not get to the point or do you just like your own voice?"

Despite the situation we were in, I felt my heart do a flip at his closeness. Even without a quirk, I could feel the warmth he emitted, bringing some comfort in the life-or-death situation we were in.

"Basically what you're saying is that you want to cause some trouble and you want us to join you," Bakugou went on. "Well, screw you! I like to win, I want to win just like All Might, no matter what you have to offer me! That will never change, do you understand!?"

Shigaraki finally tilted his head back up, a crazed look in his red eyes. "We had a deal. Don't you remember, Bakugou?" his voice shook with rage as he spoke.

The boy in front of me tensed up even further. "We may not be at camp but we're still allowed to fight!"

Shigaraki raised his hand. "Don't lay a finger on him, any of you." He looked at me and a chill ran down my spine. "But get the girl."

I don't know what happened. One moment I was looking at Bakugou, terrified and confused as he stared back at me with emotions I couldn't make out in his eyes. The next there was a hand wrapped around my neck and I was being pulled away from my only pillar of hope, the skin on my neck burning with both pain and somewhat literally, too, for there were small wisps of smoke emitting from behind me.

"Katsuki," I choked out, the grip on my neck tightening and getting more painful by the second. Blood beat in my ears. I could hear my heart fighting for my life and, as I was, I was helpless. I couldn't pry the steaming fingers from my neck, neither did I have the oxygen to swing myself back and knock out the person holding me at a hand's length from them.

But the worst of it all was the look in Bakugou's eyes. The boy I was used to seeing strong and always ready to take action had frozen in his tracks staring at me with incomprehensible emotions.

Shigaraki seemed to be the only one who enjoyed the situation. With a low chuckle, he tilted his head at Bakugou. "What do you say now, huh?"

The boy kept his eyes locked with mine.

Please don't, I pleaded with my eyes. There was so much I would've liked to say in that moment, so much I realised in the instance of not having my quirk. I realised that I'd always liked Bakugou more than anyone else in my class. I realised that the feelings I'd been so confused about had been coloured pink in front of my eyes all along. And I realised that, no matter what, I wanted the blond boy to be happy.

Deep down, I feared he felt the same. In every other situation, I would've been excited about the prospect but knowing that at that moment I was ready to give my life for his dream, it brought me horror to think that he might be ready to do the same for me. He shouldn't, I decided. He'd be much more helpful as a hero than I would be, his life is therefore so much more valuable than mine. I winced, a quiet whimper escaping my lips as the hand on my neck got hotter. In a moment, I could smell something burning. And I don't even know whether I'll ever have my quirk back...

Bakugou broke eye contact with me. I noticed he was shaking when he said "I..."

"Well, boy?" Shigaraki prompted, his maniacal red eyes glancing at me. "I don't think Dabi will be nice for much longer."

I stiffened in horror. If this is nice, then...! I bit my lip, trying to relax my body so I wouldn't cause myself any more pain by tightening the grip around my neck via stiffening up. They're criminals, I reminded myself. Villains. And they will kill you.

It hit me then. Suddenly all sorts of happy memories were flashing before my eyes, the nicknames my parents had given me when I was younger, the moments in school when my classmates would fly paper planes when the teacher was away, the times I'd walked out of school with Bakugou with my side... I'm— I'm not ready to die!

Panic began setting in and I started squirming, clawing at the burnt and dry flesh of the hand that was wrapped around my neck as I tried to wiggle myself free. I won't die, not like this.

"Don't move, it'll only get worse," a voice warned from behind me.

Bakugou whipped his head to look at me and my captor again. Something broke inside of him, I could see it in his eyes. Then, he turned to Shigaraki again.

"Fine, I'll—"

There was a knock on the door.

All of us froze. The grip around my neck loosened and my vision blurred as blood rushed into my brain again. For a second, I felt hope. Had someone come to get us?

"Hello, I got a pizza delivery here."

All hope vanished. Poor pizza guy, he'll die now, too...