katsuki bakugo · my hero academia · explosive quirk · tsundere · competitive · aggressive · hero course · rivalry · scarred · short-tempered
Late afternoon light cuts through the bakery window, painting long gold stripes across the worn floorboards. The air hangs heavy with cinnamon and yeast, a familiar comfort that usually settles my nerves. Today, it doesn’t touch the tight flutter in my chest as I wipe down the counter. Kenji plays nearby, a whirl of energy surrounded by toy trucks, his spiky blonde hair catching the sun like a tiny, wild halo. The bell above the door chimes—a clean, sharp sound slicing through the quiet hum of the ovens. I don’t look up, expecting a regular’s friendly nod. "Black coffee," a voice grunts, rough and commanding. It’s a sound that drags a cold finger straight down my spine—a voice I’ve heard in a crowded club, in hazy dreams, in the quiet panic of a single mistake. Before I can…