"When I come back, you better be here."

Koharu looked up with a frown. "I don't even know exactly when you'll be back from boot camp. What if I'm busy that day?"

Katsuki laced up his boots tightly. "How the fuck should I know? Figure it out."

She sighed and brushed by him to get to school. "Don't be an ass."

That was the last thing Koharu had said to him and now he was gone, held captive by some of the countries most ruthless villains.

He was gone and she didn't know whether she'd ever see him again, and the last words she said to him were a command.

"Sweetie?" Katsuki's father opened the door to his son's room slowly; Koharu straightened up and turned her face away.

"B-Bakugou-san, hi-!" Koharu stifled a sob; Katsuki's father rushed over and sat down beside her, cradling her in a bear hug.

"I know...it's okay, we're scared too…" he said softly. "All we can do is wait. Katsuki might be a bit upset if he thought you were worried."

"Heh, yeah." Koharu smiled hollowly. "I...Bakugou-san, thank you. I just can't believe it. I can't get it out of my head. He's alone with those bastards, who knows-!" her voice broke and she choked on her own words, snot close to dripping from your nose. "I-"

"Koharu-chan, you know we love you right? You're like a daughter to us...we've known you since you were in diapers and so has Katsuki. You might know him better than us." he shrugged halfheartedly. "What I'm getting at is that you should try not to worry too much; Katsuki is young, but he's still strong. We're all here for you and if he loves you as much as he seems, he'll fight through anything to get back here. Until then, don't be afraid to come to me and my wife."

Koharu nodded and smiled as he enveloped her into another comforting hug before leaving her to sleep.

Everything felt different; the bed was cold, the floor was cold, the whole room was frozen over, and Koharu felt a mix between being numb and nauseous.

"How can I sleep?" she tossed and turned in frustration. "Katsu...is he scared? Maybe...Izu-kun said they took him away so quickly…"

What would her life be like now? Koharu might never be able to see him again. No more hearing his voice, no more study sessions, no more scolding or bickering or awkwardness. No more comfortable silence or small talk or listening to quiet breathing in the middle of the night. No more feeling his sharp eyes stare through her, no more hearing him curse and punch the walls in anger, no more cocky smirks or audacious grins or tentative smiles.

"I'll never see it again." Koharu swallowed hard and bit her lip painfully as she gripped onto the pillow. "I'll never see him again!" Koharu's chest was squeezed in panic; the very idea that Katsuki would just be gone from the world….how could she bear it?

"I never wanted this! I never wanted him in danger, I just wanted to things to be normal." she tried to stop hyperventilating. "Stop, stop feeling this way! I'm so confused, I feel so scared...Katsu, please just come back soon."

"Hey."

Koharu stood there as Katsuki walked by her almost nonchalantly. Like you were even there.

"Katsu...are you-?"

"Leave me alone for a bit."

Katsuki shut the door to his room; his parents stood at the foot of the stairs in shock. They all shared a glance with them before making Koharu made her way up.

All Might may have been defeated, and Koharu could understand why Katsuki would feel melancholy, but she wasn't going to stand for this.

"Katsuki, I'm coming in." Koharu said firmly before opening the door; he didn't answer. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, head hung. She waited for him to look up.

"Katsu, that's not fair. I was worried, the least you can do is give me a hug, huh?" Koharu tried to sound cheerful. Katsuki wouldn't raise his head; he didn't move a muscle.

"Say something! For god sakes, I was terrified you wouldn't come back!"

"Were you?" came the low response; she blinked.

"Of course I was."

Katsuki's lips barely twitched in a bitter smile. "I'm fine anyway. I can take care of myself."

Koharu was ready to throw something at him. "If you're so fucking strong, why'd you let yourself get caught?" she asked scathingly; Katsuki barely glared.

"I didn't fucking let myself get caught. I wasn't exactly having fun with those assholes."

She was relieved to see some emotion in his tone. "Why the hell are you ignoring me?"

"What do you even care?"

"Oh, um, I don't know-maybe 'cause I'm your girlfriend?!" Koharu retorted through gritted teeth, fists balled up at her sides.

Katsuki's furrowed brow lost it's creases; he stared at her almost blankly. "Hey, be honest this time. If I didn't come back, you'd go off with Deku, wouldn't you?"

"What?!"

Katsuki stood up as if his body weighed a ton and trudged over to Koharu; his face was calm, but her stomach was twisting with dread as he stared into her eyes.

"I'm not stupid Ko. You don't think I ever thought it was funny how the minute I threatened that shitnerd, you suddenly change your mind about us? You didn't think I wouldn't take advantage of that?" Katsuki chuckled humorlessly.

Koharu felt herself shake involuntarily; she thought everything would be fine once Katsuki was back.

"Katsuki, I don't-" Koharu asked weakly. "Can't we talk later? You were just held hostage-"

"Like you?"

Her mouth gaped a little as Katsuki laughed.

"How's what I did any different, huh? How the fuck is you dating me so I wouldn't hurt your real boyfriend not holding you hostage? How am I any better?!" Katsuki slammed his fist into the drywall; Koharu didn't move a muscle as she watched him curse rapidly under his breath.

"I…" What could you say?

"You asked me why, remember? Why I was willing to go that far to keep Deku away." Katsuki said harshly. "I lied. I didn't want to lose to him most of all, 'cause I know he's-!"

Koharu reached out to touch his shoulder but Katsuki shook her off.

"I knew okay!? I knew….I didn't want it to be fucking true, but Deku was it. You should have been with him. That loser...I couldn't stand it, knowing he was better for you. But I tried, didn't I? I fucking tried, but no matter what I did, you always ended up crying! I mean, what the fuck does a guy have to do?! I'm not that son of a bitch, I don't want to be like him in a million fucking years, but it's no use!" Katsuki growled and punched the wall once again. Koharu found herself trembling slightly, and Katsuki's eyes widened before he scowled as bitterly as ever. "There it goes again…"

Katsuki made his way toward her, but before she could so much as flinch, he opened the bedroom door. "I can't fucking do it anymore. I can't kill him, 'cause then you'll hate me. I can't make you stay, 'cause I don't want to be the goddamn villain."

He ran a hand over his face and Koharu felt her throat seize up.

"I...love you. I fucking love you, and it's all bullshit, so don't pretend like it isn't."

"Is that why? Is that why he was so angry all this time? Is that why he was willing to go that far?" Koharu wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "He really is fucking crazy."

"Katsu, you have to listen to me." You began carefully. "I-"

"Just go now, before I change my mind."

Koharu walked over to the door and slammed it shut, making the frame crack; Katsuki actually jumped back a bit.

"You don't get to decide how this ends." she told him calmly. "Sit down and listen. Now."

Katsuki glared but obeyed without much resistance.

"You were right...about all of it, but what you don't seem to get is how fucking scared I was!" Koharu nearly screamed at him in frustration. "You get taken by these freaks, and now you're back you pull this shit?! You do this now?! It's too late, you idiot!" she stomped her foot and the floor shook.

Koharu could barely contain herself. It was all going to come out today, whether he wanted to hear it or not.

"Do you realize how hard it was for me to sleep at night, knowing those people had you? I thought you were dead half the time." Koharu choked back her tears so she could keep speaking properly. "What would I do if something happened and you just weren't here anymore? Do you ever think about that?" she asked softly as she sat down next to him. "Do you ever think about how I'd feel if you died?"

Katsuki was still glaring, but his eyes were glued to Koharu's face; she had his full attention.

"You were right, but it's different now. I'm already confused, and you deciding for me what's best isn't helping shit." Koharu told him.

"...I'm sorry."

Koharu smiled. "You know what the worst thing is? After this crazy fucking shit, the one person I want to talk about it the most in the world is you Katsu. You've always been here and then you...I don't know what's wrong with me."

Katsuki frowned and lied back on the bed. "If you don't hate me….come here."

Koharu hesitated before lying near him, arms just barely making contact; it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a relief to be near him and to physically feel his presence. She felt calmer.

"I never hated you...I hated what you were doing."

"Is that any different?"

"I think so."

Koharu could hear Katsuki's breathing; it was even and came out almost at the same pace as hers. It was wonderful. It was more proof he was there.

"I thought about you."

"I'm sorry I got mad at you before you left."

"Sorry I'm a violent prick."

"Stop saying sorry, it's weird."

"Piss off."

"Yeah, yeah."

"...sorry I keep making you cry."

"Yeah, me too."

Koharu smiled; it was almost like the two of them were friends again, but she and him both knew it would never happen.

"Katsu….I think I'm in love with you…"

Koharu felt a dip in the mattress; Katsuki was propped on one elbow and staring at her seriously.

"You can't just say that shit Ko."

"I mean it stupid."

"I'm not stupid!"

"Yeah, just fucking insane."

Katsuki fell silent; he sat up and gripped his head in his hands, making his hair even messier. "Dammit...if he comes too close to you...if anyone does, I don't know what I'll do. I get pissed just thinking about it!"

Koharu took Katsuki's hands away from his head and kissed his lips.

"Katsu...I don't love Izu-kun. I shouldn't have to prove it to you. You need to trust me."

"I do dammit, but what if-?!" Katsuki grabbed her hands tight enough to bruise. "What if you snap out of whatever the hell this is?"

"Like I said, I think it's a bit late." Koharu confessed. "This past year….I don't want to not have you in my life Katsu and now-"

Katsuki tackled her to the bed, arms wrapped around her neck and face buried in her shoulder.

"Don't fucking lie to me, or I'll singe off your hair everyday so it looks like crap."

"Liar."

Katsuki didn't answer back, only scoffed and crushed Koharu in his hold. "Stay...stay and I won't do anything crazy. I won't give up. It won't be the same if you aren't here, cheering for me. I don't think I can do it." he narrowed his eyes. "Don't go blabbing about everything I said either, got it?"

Koharu felt herself smile against his chest. "I know."

"I will be the best. I'll be your hero for real someday, and I'll beat the shit out of anyone who says otherwise."

"Katsu...let's just sleep for a bit, okay?"

Katsuki dropped his vicious grimace. "Yeah, okay."

Despite everything, she felt safe.

The future wasn't certain; Katsuki had changed somehow, All Might was defeated, and there were going to be a new surge of villains and among other problems. Chances were, Katsuki would most definitely be put in danger again and he might take things too far, both on and away from the battlefield.

The only thing Koharu knew for sure is that she was finally doing what she wanted and what she wanted at that moment was to be happy and relieved knowing Katsuki was safe. Koharu wanted to listen to his heartbeat as he ran fingers a little clumsily through her hair and fall asleep knowing that, for now, everything was okay.

"You got that Ko?" Katsuki asked softly, thinking she was fast asleep. "I swear, I won't lose you..."