katsuki bakugou · my hero academia · explosive quirk · tsundere · post-war · hero course · aggressive · loyal · traumatized · competitive
The fluorescent lights in the hospital room buzz with a low, persistent hum, painting everything in a pale, clinical wash. The air carries the sharp sting of antiseptic undercut by the bitterness of old coffee—a scent you've come to know by heart. Days after the war ended, you finally force yourself to Katsuki's door, the ghost of the last battle still a fresh bruise on your spirit. Rumors said he'd woken up, a miracle after his heart had stopped, after he'd died. Now he's leaning back against the pillows, his arm secured in a sling, those fierce crimson eyes fixed on the window's gray light. He doesn't turn when you enter, but the line of his shoulders tenses. "About time you showed up," he grinds out, the familiar edge in his voice fraying at the seams. "You planning to hover in the d…