Protecting You (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)

Chapter 75- Eclipse

TW: This chapter contains mature content. Viewers discretion is advised.

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Honestly, you were having the time of your life at the school festival. Katsuki was absolutely annihilating the festival games and kept giving Eri the little toys he won. Everything from small rubber duckies to giant stuffed bunnies, Eri was rolling in the toys. The one bunny (whom she named Mr. Bunbun) was so large that it was bigger than Eri. You forced Katsuki to carry it around for her and it was the funniest thing you've ever seen.

"I'll win every damn toy if it's the last thing I do!" Katsuki growled as he threw a baseball with extreme speed into a target to dunk some already soaked poor second-year student. Once again, he won a stuffed hedgehog and handed it to Eri who was swimming with toys.

"It kinda looks like you, Kacchan..." Eri mumbled beneath her pile.

"Ehh?! Are you mocking me?!" Katsuki growled at Eri. Your eyes narrowed into slits and the explosive boy took it down a notch. "I'm no dam-...dang hedgehog!"

"Whatever you say, Kacchan~..." You giggled with glee. Katsuki wanted so badly to be irritated by the moniker Eri gave him, but between the round look of innocence in her red eyes and the love in yours, Katsuki felt like his heart was filled with affection. 

"Did I ever tell you that I love you?" Katsuki spoke quiet enough that only you could hear, kissing your cheek. Your face flushed rose and you couldn't hide the smile as it curved along your lips.

"Sometimes. But I'll never turn down hearing it again." 

"Well then..." Katsuki came so close to your ear that you could feel his warm breath against your neck and shivers tickled down your spine like feathers. "I love you."

Your heart stopped as you listened to him proclaim his feelings so easily for you...so natural as if it were no different than breathing. Katsuki came into your life and changed everything...changed you. He instilled in you a sense of purpose and taught you how to be a good person just like All Might and Eraserhead did.

There was one thing in your life that you never had to question and that was Katsuki's love for you.

"When did you get so sappy?" You asked him with a teasing smile. He pouted and quickly turned his head away with an irritated growl.

"Tsk...I'm not sappy! But...you could have at least said it back you damned Extra..." He murmured the end of his sentence despite pretending to be defiant. With a playful laugh and a kiss on his soft cheek, you relented.

"I love you too, Kacchan the Hedgehog."

~~

Thankfully you were able to stop by the dorms to drop off Eri's various prizes before the major event of the day: the class 1-A concert. It seemed as if time flew by when Mirio returned with his bright pearly grin and gelled up golden blond hair.  His attitude was no different from when he had a quirk...and you envied the fact he was able to take it so well. He was born with his quirk and still was able to maintain that brave face...and to be honest, you felt like that made him more heroic than you in this situation. 

But attached to your hand was a brave little girl that lived through hell itself, and so you would never concede as long as those ruby eyes were fixated onto you. 

"Eri, it looks like it's almost time for the concert to start!" Mirio called out to you, Katsuki, and the little girl as she held one of your hands and one of Katsuki's. Seeing him be so paternal was so wildly attractive to you, let alone to sweet little Eri. Despite barely knowing the girl, recognizing how much she meant to you lead him to desire to protect the girl as much as he could. He's never seen you become so protective over someone other than him and that was evidence enough of your love for the child. It gave you a new motivation to pursue getting stronger and therefore Katsuki would encourage it.