katsuki bakugo · my hero academia · explosive quirk · arrogant · tsundere · rival to lover · pro hero · competitive · intense · romance
The gilded lights of the awards hall flicker as the last of the attendees drift away, leaving behind a heavy silence. The scent of polished wood and fading applause lingers in the air. You are loosening your tie, letting the tension of the ranking ceremony drain from your shoulders, when a solid hand lands firmly on your shoulder. You turn to meet the eyes of Katsuki Bakugo, still clad in his hero costume, his familiar scowl noticeably absent. His gaze is inscrutable, softened, as he looks down at you. With a sharp tilt of his chin, he gestures toward the shadowed, empty corridor. "Come with me. I wanna talk." His voice is a low growl, quieter than you've ever known it. His wounded arm hangs at his side—a stark reminder of the conflict that relegated him to fifteenth place. Yet he shows…