Trust
ProHero!Katsuki Bakugo x ProHero!Reader where his small overprotectiveness turns into a full-blown control issue. Pre-relationship stage. Word count: 2.5k+ Tags- emotional whump, angst, happy ending, conflicted love, near-death situations, survivors' guilt, possessive Bakugo, explosive arguments, forced vulnerability, slow-burning tension, eventual confession, and Bakugo's terrible way of saying “I care” ✨Inspired by my overprotective dad's care, which feels like control sometimes. This is my first ever fanfic lol✨ Cross posted in AO3 as well under the username Queen_Dynamight2001 ----------------------------------------------------------
It started small
Both Katsuki and you were called in for backup during joint raid in the city. But when you opened the door, ready to go in, his palm slammed the car door shut.
“Stay here, I’ll handle it.’
You blinked at him through the window, mouth half open.
“Wh-
Before you could speak, a loud “BOOM” and he was gone in a flash of smoke and light.
When you brought it up later, he scoffed and said, “You looked like shit in the morning. Didn't trust you to stay sharp.”
And you let it go. Because maybe he was right that time.
The next time in mid-mission, where the smoke chocked the air. Sirens screamed at a distance. The building was groaning, minutes from crumbling. The rubble rained like hair and dust coated everything.
Then you saw them. Two kids. Trapped beneath a beam near the east wing. Few feet from the Fireline. Scared and crying.
You ran. Didn't think. Couldn’t. Your body moved on its own before your brain did. Your legs burning as you leapt through the barricade and sprinted towards them, heart pounding.
Then, a hand slammed against your ribs, brutal and unyielding. Your body jerked back like it hit a wall. Air whooshed out of your lungs, sharp and pain bloomed along your side.
Before you could even gasp, arms wrapped around your torso, iron strong, locking you in place with their entire bodyweight.
“NO”, Katsuki's voice barked. “LET ME GO!”, you struggled against his grip. “YOU WILL DIE” “I CAN REACH THEM”, you screamed, hands sprawled out, crawling, struggling against his hold. And then, the steel cracked. The dust and debris swallowed the light. The concrete thundered down slow, sickening. So did the ceilings. So did the walls. So did the floor and so did the children.
You screamed. A raw, ragged, painful, deafening scream from deep in your lungs so loud it swallowed the entire world around you.
You felt it. That moment when hope was right there and next second it was gone, taken away from you. You fell down on your knees, tears streaming out uncontrollably.
“YOU-”, your voice was hoarse, breaking, raging. “WHATS YOUR PROBLEM?”
Katsuki stood above you, heaving, palms still smoking, soot smeared all over him, drenched in sweat and dirt.
You looked at him like you didn't recognize him. “ARE YOU CRAZY?”
“You would have been buried.”, he growled, small voice, panting. “There were kids, Katsuki!” your voice cracked, breaking with each word, trembling as you held back more tears, “I could have sav-
“YOU COULD HAVE DIED”, he raised his voice. “THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE USED YOUR BODY.BLASTED THE ROOF. SHIELDED ME. DONE SOMETHING.”, you matched his. "I'm not your goddamn guard dog-” “THEN STOP ACTING LIKE ONE”, you screamed in his face, eyes brimming with sorrow, anger, grief, everything too much.
“You made that call for me”, you whispered, chest hitching. “You held me back and made me watch them die. And now I have to live with that for the rest of my life. DO YOU EVEN GET THAT?”
Katsuki’s fist clinched. This mouth opened, like he was about to say something. But he didn't. He couldn't.
Silence
Heavy
As you walked away with trembling body and still sobbing from the event that unfolded.
All you could feel were his hands that wrapped around your torso still burned more than the wreckage behind reminding you of the what if’s-
You avoided him as much as you could after that incident but being in the same friend circle made complete distancing impossible. You were also in love with him, and that made it worse. When he overstepped, when he made your blood boil, even when you swore you would talk about boundaries, you didn't want to fight. You wanted to believe he did it all because he cared for you. The pattern didn't stop tho.
In every patrol, every mission, every decision you would find his shadow over your shoulder questioning, correcting, just hovering around.
Then the final straw came
It was the weekend you were looking forward to. The group had made plans for a night out. Nothing flashy, just a well-known local bar where you could sit with a drink and pretend the world outside didn't exist. Free from the reality, stress of being a pro hero, the headlines, rankings.
The bar was warm, alive with laughter, low music hummed, drinks clink. You walked in the bar with Mina and Jiro, laughter light and fizzing from your chest. You wore a skirt which was recently bought. New and shiny. Hugging all your curves and muscles. For a moment there, it felt like everything might be okay. And that this was the whole point of life. Being happy, laughing with friends, feeling content.
Then you saw him.
Katsuki stood near the bar table with Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero leaning against the booth like he hadn't even bothered sitting down. The second his eyes landed on you, his entire posture changed. Shoulder locked, jaw tightened, arms crossed and gaze sharp, hot, expression unreadable. One that followed you across the room like a predator.
You pretended not to notice. It was just a look after all.
But you felt it. His sharp gaze. The fact that he hadn't looked away once.
It made you go red in the face. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing.
You took your seat with the others, had fun conversation with others, enjoying yourself.
He didn't say anything at first. Not until the drink came around and you leaned back with your drink, laughter still on your lips from something Mina said.
Thats when he approached you.
“Nice dress,” he muttered, voice low and a beat too slow, like it pained him to admit it. Like he was forced to say those words out. His face then twisted, jaw tightened.
You looked at him weird.
"The hell you wearin’ that for?”
You blinked at him, confused. “What are you talking about? Was there a dress code for existing now?”
He didn't answer. Just clenched his jaw. The table went quiet, not sure if it was one of the witty remarks you threw at each other or the beginning of a serious arguments you two had started getting in lately.
Mina requested to switch places with you so that you two were at a distance from each other to ease up the mood.
You stood up for the arrangement. And then it happened. A man you didnt know approached you. Casual and polite.
“Hey, I don't mean to interrupt,” he said nodding to the group but looking at you. “Just wanted to say you look amazing. Can I buy you a drink?”
You didnt even get a chance to answer because Katsuki was already stepping forward, voice cutting sharp through the noise.
“She’s not interested.”
The guy blinked. “Dude, I wasn't talki-”
“SHE’S. NOT. INTERESTED.” he said it again, louder this time.
The guy raised his hands in defeat and backed off, muttering something under his breath. You felt the heat crawl up your neck. All from the attention. And the way Katsuki was looking at you like you’d done something wrong. You felt anger bubbling up.
“What the hell is your problem?” You shoved his chest. He didn't even budge.
His eyes narrowed. “My problem? You think it's a good idea to wear that shit and flirt with random stranger in the middle of a bar?”
“Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to check with you before putting on a damn skirt.” “You are putting yourself at ris-” “No Katsuki, I’m just EXISTING!” you screamed, choking on your own breath, shaking from anger and hurt. “You don't get to decide how I exist in this world. What I eat or whom I talk to. You're not my father. You’re not even being a friend right now.” your voice louder at the end.
Silence.
Everyone stared.
You didn't care.
You grabbed your purse, didn't say a word and walked straight out.
Mina called your name, Kirishima started to rise, hands out blocking Bakugo.
You didn't look back.
You got into a random cab parked outside, turned off your phone and told the driver to just drive Away from the city to the outskirts. Distance. Somewhere he wouldn't reach you.
Three hours later you checked into a quite roadside hotel. It was cheap, clean and anonymous. You showered, changed and went downstairs to the bar. It was dim and empty. You ordered a drink. Then another. And another. You wanted to get drunk. You tried, yet the buzz never settled. You wanted to feel numb from the weight, the stress, the pain, everything. Just wanted peace for tonight. Numb and quiet. Finally, not being watched.
Until the door opened
The air changed.
You didn't hear him first. You felt him. The smell. The way your pulse rose. The way your stomach flipped. The way cold shiver ran down your spine. The bar door cracked open. You didn't turn, but you knew the sound of those footsteps. The heat of his gaze crawling in the back of your neck like it always did.
“Knew you’d pull up some shit like this,” Katsuki muttered from behind.
You didn't face him, just raised your glass and took a sip of your drink.
“You could have told someone.” Bakugo spoke.
You scoffed, “and give you the satisfaction of trying to stop me again?”
He took a step forward. You heard the shift of his coat. “You are drinking alone, in a hotel bar 3 hours from the city, phone switched off.”
You swiveled on the stool, slow and steady. Looked him straight in the eye and spoke with a cold, stern voice.
“Don't talk to me like I owe you an explanation.”
His jaw clenched, “You serious?”
“I'm tired of being managed like your goddamn sidekick.” Your voice cracked, came out weak and hurt.
“You fuckin’ vanished. Drunk. No one knew if you were safe. You think that's okay?”
“I think it's none of your business.”
His eyes flared. “You left without saying shit. You expect me to not fucking care?"
“No,” you spoke out loud and clear, shaking your head. “I expect you to stop pretending you care when all you ever do is control me. My body, my choices, my mission, my outfits, my fucking smile.”
“I was trying to protect y-”
“From what Katsuki? From being looked at? From wearing a skirt? From being someone, you don't get to own?”
His mouth opened and closed. Expression slightly softened. “I didn't mean it like that.”
“But that's what you always do.” your voice cracked. Soft and sharp. “You don't say how you feel. You command, just stare, watch, guard, push and glare. You think that's care?”
Silence. Heavy. Think. Almost unbearable.
“You think I like being like this?”
“I think you don't know how not to be.”, you barked back, venom in each word. You looked away before seeing any kind of expression in his face.
“I want a life, Katsuki. Not a leash. I don't want you to treat me like I'm fragile. Something that would break if you breathed wrong.”, your voice shook, tears feel freely.
Quiet. No reply from him. You didn't even look at his direction, afraid of his expression. But you spoke, because he needed to hear how you felt.
“I smiled tonight. I laughed. For the first time in a while, I felt like I wasn't drowning in mission reports. And the second I did, you looked at me like I betrayed you.”
“I didn't-”, he stated, barely above whisper.
“You did. Thats how I felt. Your eyes, expression looked like I cheated on you by breathing without permission.”, you sobbed. “Do i need permission to breathe? To talk? Katsuki?”, You asked. Voice breaking, sobbing. Chest and throat tight. It took everything in you to not throw away that glass in your hand.
You waited for him to continue, but he didn't . Not a single word after you’d pour out your soul like that.
The silence, it was thick and suffocating. So you laughed. Soft and bitter. Shook your head like the weight of it would never come off. “Thats what I thought.” You try to walk away. Done. Empty. Hurt.
But as you pass him, his hands shoots out, grabbing your wrist.
“Don’t.” He speaks
You freeze. He’s not yelling. His voice barely above whisper. “Don't walk away. Not yet.”
You didnt look at him. You couldnt. But your arms didnt pull away either.
He continues, “I didn't know I was hurting ya.”
Then another pause.
“I thought I was keeping you safe. I didn't know it made you feel caged. You smiled bright, and I thought... I thought if someone else sees you like that.... you will forget me, and they will take you away and give you what I can’t.”
“I realized. Just now. How I’m the one taking that smile. And I’m the one making you feel like you’re not allowed to live. I don't wanna be that guy. No.” His gaze never lifting from the ground, he kept speaking.
“I never learned how to... How to show things I only knew how to fight and win. How to perfect and protect. I yell loud enough, burn bright enough thinking maybe you’d get the message.”
He looked up at you now. “But all I've done is scare you into silence. I’m sorry.”
His voice cracked at end and you saw it. THE KATSUKI BAKUGO, with his pride swallowed, guilt bared and his apology written all over his face.
You stepped forward, reached out to his face with trembling fingers cupped his face.
He flinched. Just barely but leaned in. “I don't want perfection.” You whispered. “I want to be seen. I want to be heard. Not handled. Not managed.”
He nodded. “I can do that. I’ll try.”
He brought his hands to yours and grabbed them tight. “I wanna do better.”, he said, firm and determined. “You deserve better than my bullshit walls and orders and... and someone who hears you. I wanna be that person. I wanna learn how to talk, how to ask and how to sit down and listen without turning everything into a command.”
You smiled, tears pricking, looking at him with all the warmth and softness in your eyes.
“You don't have to fix it all tonight, Katsuki.”
“Yeah, well... I ain’t waiting.”
He brought your hands near his lips and gave them a soft kiss.
