Ch. 38 Leaving the Hospital

Bakugo wanted to yell and hit something, and would have, but there were people around.

Standing outside, Bakugo took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and leaned back against the brick wall of the hospital. A rape kit? They thought he raped you? What the actual fuck?

When you woke up, you'd be able to tell them everything. And then he'd get to see you. He had to focus on that.

It didn't make him feel any better that Todoroki and Hawks were still up there in the waiting room. When you woke up, not if but when, he wouldn't be there, because he wasn't allowed to be, and he knew exactly how that half and half would try to play it.

What right did they have to be there by your side, while he was escorted out of the building like a damn criminal?

He slammed his hand against the wall and closed his eyes to try to tamp down the rage that was building up inside, threatening to explode at any second.

"Having a bad day, hero?"

Bakugo's eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice beside him. He was about to tell whoever this was to shut the hell up, but then he saw the man pull back his sleeve to reveal a blue flame forming in his palm of his hand.

"I guess I'm not the only one here checking on my girl," Dabi said.

A blue flame. Even with the man's face hidden underneath the hood of his jacket, Bakugo immediately knew who this was.

"So you know who I am," Dabi chuckled. "I am flattered."

"You're the monster who murders innocent women."

"Only if they're boring."

"You're sick."

Bakugo tried to determine how many civilians were present, mentally mapping out how he could get them away from this guy if he tried something. Would he be able to take him into custody here? Or were they too close to the hospital if there was a fight?

"You heroes," Dabi said, his voice mocking Bakugo with every word, "are the ones with the sickness you can't seem to shake, this repulsive desire to save people, as if that somehow matters. When you really can't save anyone. Take y/n for example. Poor girl is a villain now, and look at what happened to her. You couldn't even save her."

"Don't say her name," Bakugo growled, tiny sparks popping in his palms.

"Calm down, hero. Don't make a scene," Dabi said lowly. "We're just two guys talking. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention."

Dabi finally looked at him, and Bakugo's blood ran cold at the sight of his blue eyes staring out from his hood.

"If you know who I am, then you already know that I don't work alone," Dabi said lowly. "You might be able to take me on, but I'm not the only one here who can cause damage."

Bakugo's eyes darted around, trying to determine if any of the people he saw were known villains.

"Looking for the other League members?" Dabi asked. "Huh. It's so interesting how villains sometimes look like regular people, don't you think? But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Shut. Up." Bakugo growled.

"No. I'm enjoying our chat. You know, I could burn you alive. We're outside a hospital, so you might stand a chance of living, if you could get treatment fast enough."

Bakugo saw another blue flame form on the tip of Dabi's finger, and Bakugo tensed.

But all Dabi did was light a cigarette.

"So she's alive?"

"As if you give a shit."

"But I do," Dabi said. "I'll admit that at first she was just a great fuck, but once I found out what she could do... that changed everything. Now it's a matter of pride. The more she tries to pull away, the more I want her."

"And you get off on hurting her?"

"Why, hero? You want to watch?"

"You're disgusting."

Dabi shrugged. "We all have our kinks."

"Like luring in girls so you can murder them?"

"It was the other way around with y/n. I bet she lured you in, too," Dabi said. "That's how we normally work a mission, actually. She traps them, and I cook them. Y/n and I are a great team."

"If I hear you say her name one more time..."

"You'll what? It's you who has no right to her name. I thought for sure you'd have seen my mark on her shoulder by now. That means she's mine. I went through all of that trouble to make it pretty for her, but maybe she really did squirm too much for that."

"You bastard. What did you do to her?"

"Nothing she didn't like. This is your warning, hero. If you come near her again, if you even think about touching her again, I won't just kill you. I'll torture her first. She's got a great scream," Dabi chuckled. "I wonder if you've heard it."

"Stay away from her, asshole. Far away."

"Oh, I will. For now. She's no good to me like she is right now. But once she's out... I said this was your warning. Don't go near her. I'll be watching."

Bakugo started to say something, but Dabi was already walking away, the blue flame staying in the palm of his hand as a threat.

---------

"You're sure there are no relatives?"

"None that I know about."

"So who will be paying for her hospital stay?"

"I will take care of all of that."

As you half-listened to this conversation, you wondered who they were talking about. Surely it wasn't you. You were snuggled warmly under your blankets at home, comfy and cozy, and really, really tired.

"We've kept her heavily sedated these past few days to let her body recover. As the medicine wears off and she wakes up, she's going to need help with pretty much everything. Are you prepared for that?"

"Yes. I understand. She'll get only the best of care."

"I have no doubt. She'll also need someone to keep track of her pain medicine once she's home."

"I can do that."

Damn. It sounded like somebody was going to be treated like a child. You were glad it wasn't you. Now if they could just be quiet and let you sleep....

Your eyelids fluttered, irritated by their voices.

"She's awake!" you heard someone say.

No, you were not awake. You wanted to sleep.

"I'll go get the doctor," a voice said. "Stay here with her. I know you've been waiting for this moment."

Slightly opening your eyes you saw...

"Shoto," you croaked, your voice raspy and raw.

"I'm here," Shoto said, his thumb rubbing gently on your hand, carefully avoiding your IV tubing. The nurse came back and helped prop you up a little in the bed.

"Is... " you tried looking around to see who else was there, but moving your eyes hurt. Your tongue felt thick and strange in your mouth when you tried to speak. "Is...Bakugo...?"

The nurse and Shoto exchanged a look.

"Don't talk," Shoto said. "Everything is going to be okay."

"You're a lucky girl," the nurse told you as she busied herself with your wires and medicines. "You took quite the fall, but you've had your boyfriend here every day watching over you and keeping the paparazzi away."

Your brain was foggy, but even so, that didn't sound right.

"What....?"

"Everyone wants to hear how Shoto's girlfriend is recovering. All the blogs –" the nurse continued until Todoroki interrupted her.

"Don't worry about anything," he told you. "I'll take care of everything. Your job is to rest and heal."

You didn't have the energy to do much else.

Two days later, you were able to eat solid food, with Shoto's help. After a week, you started walking again, with him by your side the whole time, even when you told him to go home, that you could manage this with just the nurses.

The police wanted to interview you about the incident, but Shoto kept them away. The night of your fall was the last thing you wanted to talk about, and if Shoto could use his influence for something, you were grateful it was this.

As soon as you were allowed your phone, you looked at your missed calls and texts, but nothing from Bakugo. You didn't even know why you cared. You knew everything between the two of you was over; you'd known it the moment you realized that he would kill villains on sight.

Once, on a rare moment when Shoto wasn't at your side, you asked your nurse whether or not Bakugo ever visited before you woke up from sedation.

"No," was all she said before quickly leaving your room.

No missed calls. No missed texts. Just a phone that sat still and quiet on your bedside table.

Finally you were ready to be discharged, ready to go home to an apartment that didn't exist anymore. With no money, and only one backpack of possessions, you did the only thing you could think to do.

You moved in with Shoto Todoroki.