Chapter Text
When they returned to camp, the rest of the party was already there, covered in blood but visibly relieved as Rosie smiled tiredly and waved. They had been worried.
"We’re glad you’re back," Uraraka said with a soft smile.
"It’s good to be back," Rosie replied, her voice rough and hoarse.
Katsuki, still carrying her in his arms, grunted. "Round face, get me her stuff."
Uraraka nodded, quickly moving to Rosie’s pack on her horse, handing it over. Without another word, Katsuki took it and started walking towards a nearby lake. Rosie winced when he set her on her feet, the pain in her legs apparent. Katsuki noticed immediately.
"What’s wrong?" His voice was gruff, concern laced within.
"He made me dance for hours on end," Rosie muttered, her body aching all over. "Everything hurts."
Katsuki stared at her for a moment, then without hesitation, he began to kick off his boots. Rosie blinked in confusion. "Katsuki?"
"I’m going to help you bathe," he said bluntly, pulling his shirt over his head. "I won’t look. Get in first."
"I know you won’t," Rosie replied, her tone soft as she unclasped his cloak and let her skirt fall to the ground. She slowly walked into the cool water, wading in until it reached her waist. Behind her, Katsuki entered as well, careful not to look at her directly.
Rosie felt the grime and dried blood coating her body, from her feet to her arms and tangled hair. When she turned to Katsuki, his expression was heavy with guilt and sorrow. He was carrying more than just the physical burden of battle.
"Let me," he said, his voice hoarse and unsteady, as if asking for permission to help in more ways than one.
Rosie nodded, understanding. She dipped her head beneath the water, letting it soak through her hair. Katsuki’s hands were gentle as he carefully worked his fingers through her tangled locks, washing away the blood and dirt. His touch, though delicate, carried the weight of his unspoken remorse.
"Wash," he muttered when she resurfaced, handing her the soap. "I’ll turn around."
Rosie watched as he turned his back to her, focused on washing his own hair and body. He was covered in blood too. She found herself staring for a moment, her cheeks heating up at how good he looked, even covered in dried blood and sweat. Shaking her head, she quickly focused on cleaning herself, eager to be done, as exhaustion weighed heavily on her.
Once they were finished, she winced as she stepped onto the shore, her muscles still sore. Drying off behind a rock, she dressed quietly while Katsuki did the same. He picked her up again without hesitation, carrying her back to camp. This time, she didn’t protest. She could sense that he needed to do this—not just for her, but for himself. It was his way of taking care of her after everything that had happened.
Back at camp, Rosie noticed how Katsuki never left her side, even as the girls went off to bathe and the men took their turn. When everyone had gathered again, the girls prepared a simple meal, but the atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension. The group sat around the fire in silence, the day’s events weighing heavily on them all.
Rosie had a feeling that much of the tension stemmed from Katsuki’s behavior. As the others drifted off to sleep one by one, Rosie lay awake. Katsuki was still brooding near the fire, his eyes distant. She could sense the storm brewing within him. She sighed softly. She wasn’t going to let him sit with that guilt.
She glanced at the rest of the party to ensure they were asleep. Uraraka, Momo, and the others were curled up in their blankets, their faces softened by sleep, but the silence between Rosie and Katsuki lingered, heavy and unspoken.
She knew he was carrying more than just the burden of her rescue—there was something else, something deeper gnawing at him.
Rosie turned her head slightly to the side, catching sight of him sitting by the fire, arms crossed over his chest, his face barely illuminated by the flames. His brows were furrowed, his usual scowl deeper, lost in his own thoughts.
With a small sigh, she quietly pushed herself up and began to crawl over to him, her movements slow and deliberate. The damp ground was cool against her palms as she moved closer to where Katsuki sat, eyes locked on the fire.
When she reached him, she poked his arm.
Once.
Twice.
Nothing.
"Katsuki…" she whispered, poking him again. "Oi, Katsuki."
He didn’t respond, his body tensing slightly, but otherwise, he didn’t acknowledge her.
Rosie scowled at his stubborn silence and poked him harder. "Katsuki!" she hissed.
With an annoyed grunt, Katsuki finally glanced down at her, his eyes narrowing. "What?" His voice was low, barely above a growl, though not directed at her.
She sat back on her heels, crossing her arms as she looked up at him, her expression softening. "It’s not your fault," she said quietly.
His eyes flickered, but he didn’t respond, his gaze shifting back to the fire as if trying to ignore her words.
Rosie wasn’t having it. She reached out and poked him again, harder this time. "Hey. Did you hear me? What happened—it wasn’t your fault."
Katsuki’s jaw tightened, his muscles tensing even more. "Stop," he muttered, his voice strained.
"No," Rosie said firmly, sitting up straighter. "I’m serious, Katsuki. You need to stop blaming yourself for this. I got captured because of the vampires, not because of anything you did or didn’t do."
He let out a harsh breath through his nose, his hands clenching into fists. "You don’t understand," he growled, still refusing to meet her eyes. "I should’ve been there. I should’ve been faster, smarter. I was too slow. I let you—" His voice broke off, frustration and guilt cracking through the edges.
Rosie’s eyes softened even further as she watched him. "You can’t control everything," she said gently. "You did your best—"
"My best wasn’t enough!" Katsuki snapped, his voice harsh. His fists tightened, knuckles white as he finally turned to face her. His eyes were blazing with a mixture of anger and pain. "You were tortured, Rosie! Made to dance like a fucking puppet while that bastard…" His voice trembled, a rare vulnerability breaking through. "He touched you, did things to you that make me want to kill somebody for.... I let him hurt you."
The raw emotion in his voice made Rosie’s chest tighten. She could see the weight he was carrying, the way it was crushing him from the inside. He blamed himself for every bruise, every moment she had been trapped under the vampire’s control.
Rosie shook her head, reaching out to gently place her hand on his arm. "Katsuki," she said softly, "what happened to me wasn’t because you failed. It was because we were up against something none of us could’ve predicted. You came for me. You saved me. That’s what matters."
His jaw clenched, his body stiffening under her touch. "I should’ve been stronger," he muttered, his voice lower, almost broken. "I let him take you because I wasn’t good enough to stop it. If I had been paying attention, you wouldn’t have needed to push me out of the way."
Rosie moved closer, crawling between Katsuki’s legs and placing her hands gently on his thighs. Her eyes softened as she pushed her face toward his, their foreheads nearly touching. She frowned, her voice barely a whisper. "I don’t regret saving you, Katsuki. We’re partners, and that means we look out for each other. I’ll never blame you for what I chose to do. You shouldn’t blame yourself either."
His jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed in frustration. "That bastard touched you right in front of me," he said through gritted teeth, anger barely restrained. "He kissed you, made you sit on his lap, and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. I had to sit there, watching while you were forced to do nothing. It was disgusting. What’s worse is that every time I close my eyes, I see it—him, his hands on you, and me, just standing there. Helpless."
Rosie stayed quiet for a moment, understanding the torment he was going through. He was right about what happened—it had been terrible—but she still refused to let him carry the blame. "Then take it back," she said softly, her fingers tightening around his legs. "If it bothers you that much, touch me where he did. Kiss me where he did. You can erase it, Katsuki. Replace it."
His eyes widened slightly at her words, a brief flicker of surprise crossing his face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. She could tell he wasn’t going to argue, not this time. Instead, his hand reached out, his fingers curling around her chin as he brought her face toward his, their noses brushing. His eyes roamed over her, taking in every detail before he leaned in, pressing soft, lingering kisses beneath her jaw where the vampire had once dared to touch.
The tenderness in his movements made Rosie shiver. His hands, now free from their tension, lifted her gently into his lap, pulling her closer as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. His mouth explored the column of her throat, tracing each inch of her skin with deliberate care, erasing the memory of the vampire’s tainted touch. Rosie let out a quiet whimper, her cheeks heating up, her hands tangling themselves in Katsuki’s hair.
A gasp escaped her lips when his sharp fang brushed against her neck, teasingly close but never too harsh. "Katsukiii..." she moaned breathlessly when he nipped at her flesh.
He didn’t stop, his kisses deepening as he moved along her throat, each one lingering longer, more deliberate. The heat between them grew as her body responded to his touch, her heart racing. She could feel herself squirming slightly in his lap, unable to stay still. Her ears twitched uncontrollably, her entire body on edge, as if it was attuned to his every move.
“Katss…”
Hearing her like that—soft, breathless, flushed with need—set something off inside Katsuki. Something hot and primal and completely consuming. His grip on her waist tightened possessively, drawing her even closer into his lap, and his mouth was on her again—lips hot and insistent as he kissed down the column of her throat.
He lingered this time, nipping at the sensitive skin just beneath her ear, sucking until he felt her squirm against him. A low growl rumbled from his chest as he felt the hitch in her breath. He didn’t stop. His kisses grew bolder, deeper—marking her, claiming her in the only way he could in that moment. Not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her, and maybe himself, that she was his.
Rosie didn’t stop him. She didn’t push him away. She let him touch her, let him kiss her, let his hands roam her body with a new, almost desperate urgency. Her head tilted back, giving him more access. Her fingers clenched the fabric of his shirt at his shoulders, holding on like he was the only solid thing in the world.
Her breathing grew heavier with every kiss, every graze of his teeth, every heated whisper against her skin. She trembled in his arms—not with fear, but with something deeper, something older, something raw. Her ears twitched uncontrollably, betraying every spike of emotion she was too overwhelmed to name. His fingers found the curve of her hip, pulling her even tighter against him, and she gasped softly, her nails digging lightly into his back.
“Katsuki…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
But he didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop.
His hands splayed across her back, holding her to him as if she might vanish. His mouth was relentless, worshiping every inch of exposed skin he could find—along her jaw, the hollow of her throat, the slope of her shoulder. He left marks with every kiss, every scrape of his teeth, every low groan that slipped from him like a promise.
And Rosie—gods, Rosie melted into it and into him.
She let herself feel all of it. The heat and the sheer affection. The possessive way he touched her. The reverence in his kisses. It was overwhelming in the best way, like falling into a storm she didn’t want to escape. She buried her face in his neck, breathing in his scent, letting the sound of his heartbeat and the warmth of his touch unravel all the walls she’d so carefully built.
Their mission, the world, everything else—faded into silence.
Katsuki finally slowed, pulling back just a little, his lips brushing against the corner of her mouth before he hovered there, still close enough that she could feel his breath.
Her eyes fluttered open to meet his. He looked wrecked—flushed, crimson eyes burning with emotion he hadn’t yet dared to name. He scanned her face like he was memorizing it, like he needed to see every twitch of her ears, every flicker of hesitation or want, every unspoken truth.
She was still catching her breath, her chest rising and falling against his. Her cheeks were burning, her lips parted, her voice trapped somewhere in her throat.
“You okay?” he asked, voice hoarse, rough with restraint, like he was on the edge of losing control and barely holding it together.
Rosie nodded, her voice caught in her throat for a moment. Then, with a soft breath, she whispered, “Yeah… I’m just trying not to wake the others.”
Katsuki gave a low, amused sound, glancing over his shoulder. The camp was still asleep, quiet and undisturbed. Of course it was—he would’ve known if someone stirred. But he didn’t tell her that.
Instead, he looked back at her, brushing his thumb along her jaw, his gaze softening just enough to break her in half. “Then I’ll just have to make sure you keep quiet,” he murmured, tone half-playful, half-reverent.
Her face burned hotter, but she didn’t pull away. She leaned into his hand. “I don’t want this to be pretend anymore,” she blurted, barely above a whisper.
Katsuki stilled for a moment, then cupped her face with both hands, holding her like something precious. “It hasn’t been pretend for me,” he said simply.
The weight of his words crashed into her like a wave, and suddenly, Rosie wasn’t sure where the line between their cover and their truth had disappeared—but it was gone, lost somewhere between every stolen kiss and lingering glance.
Their relationship wasn’t what it had been when they first started. It wasn’t just partnership anymore. It wasn’t just heat. It wasn’t even the mission. It was something messier.
And as Katsuki pulled her back in, kissing her skin slower this time—gentler, deeper—Rosie knew that she’d already let herself fall and he was catching her.
Katsuki’s mouth was on her again the second her breath caught. He didn’t give her a moment’s pause—not because he was careless, but because he couldn’t stop himself. His lips found her shoulder, trailing across the skin like a storm rolling over the land—kissing, nipping, dragging his sharp teeth just enough to make her shiver.
His fangs grazed the junction of her shoulder and neck, his breath hitching.
A possessive snarl built low in his throat, rumbling through his chest like thunder as he sank his teeth into her skin—not to break it, not yet—but to erase every trace of the bastard who’d dared lay a hand on her. His kisses turned sharper, hungrier. He pressed his lips to every inch of her neck, her collarbone, her shoulder, as if each kiss could overwrite what had been done to her.
Mine.
The word echoed in his mind with every touch, every bite.
She was his. Since the moment he laid eyes on her, he’d known it. Maybe he’d fought it at first—maybe he’d pretended it didn’t matter, just a pain-in-the-ass partner—but it was a lie. He had been hers from the start. And now?
Now he was sinking into her. Not just in body, but in something far deeper, something raw and fierce and terrifying. She clung to him with soft whimpers and little gasps, fingers buried in his hair, her body arching under his touch, her thighs tightening around his waist as if she needed to hold him there.
Every sound she made—every broken moan, every pleading breath—drove him further over the edge. Her head tilted back, baring her throat, her ears twitching violently from how overwhelmed she was. She was pliant beneath him, trembling, needy—and yet utterly safe in his hands.
“Rosie…” he growled against her skin, voice guttural, wrecked with emotion.
She whimpered at the sound, nails curling against his back. “Katsuki…”
Her voice—gods, that voice—lit a fuse in him. He pulled her tighter against his chest, growling as he trailed his mouth lower, across the swell of her shoulder, over the dip of her collarbone, lavishing her with hot, open-mouthed kisses. His hands splayed wide across her back, fingers pressing possessively into her skin, anchoring her to him.
“You don’t get to carry his touch,” he snarled against her skin. “Not when you’re mine.”
Rosie whimpered again, burying her face in his neck. “I didn’t want it—I didn’t—”
“I know ,” he cut her off, voice softer now, but no less intense. “I know, sweetheart.” He kissed the side of her throat, more gently now, lips trembling with restraint.
She clung to him tighter, her voice muffled against his skin. “I don’t want anyone but you.”
He stilled at that. Her words hit deeper than any wound. For a moment, there was no fire, no missions or monsters or world beyond the two of them.
Just Rosie. Breathless, shaking, trusting him even now. Letting him have her—touch her, claim her, hold her—because she wanted him . Not the warrior. Him.
Katsuki groaned low in his throat, dragging his fangs again across her bare skin, this time slow, reverent. “You don’t know what you do to me,” he murmured, kissing over the trail he left. “You make me insane.”
She only moaned in response, squirming in his lap again, clearly as lost in him as he was in her. His lips were back on her shoulder, her throat, the corner of her jaw—kissing her like he needed to taste every inch of her or he’d die.
And still, it wasn’t enough. It never would be, because she wasn’t just his partner anymore. She was his and Saints help anyone who tried to take her from him.
He sighed heavily, resting his forehead against hers.
“You can’t carry all of this on your shoulders forever." Rosie whispered, “if you want to blame someone. Blame me for my recklessness, blame my lack of impulse control.”
He stayed silent, his jaw tight, but she could see the cracks in his armor. He was struggling, the weight of his guilt pulling him under. Rosie shifted slightly in his lap, cupping his cheek with one hand.
"I don’t blame you," she whispered. "And you shouldn’t blame yourself. I survived because of you. Don’t take that away from me."
For a moment, there was only the sound of the crackling fire and the distant rustle of the night around them. Katsuki’s shoulders sagged, his harsh exterior softening ever so slightly as her words sank in. He closed his eyes, his breathing uneven as he tried to fight off the emotions swirling inside him.
"I’m supposed to protect you," he muttered, his voice thick. "I couldn’t even…"
"You did," Rosie interrupted, her voice firm. "You did protect me. You’re here now, and that’s what matters. We’re both here."
Katsuki didn’t respond immediately, but his gaze softened as he looked at her, his usually hard eyes filled with something deeper. He let out a long, ragged breath, the tension in his body easing just a fraction.
Rosie offered him a small, tired smile. "And for the record, you look good covered in blood," she teased, hoping to lighten the mood just a little.
Katsuki blinked at her, caught off guard by the sudden change in tone. "What?" he asked, his voice incredulous.
Rosie’s smile widened. "I’m just saying," she said, her tone playful. "Not many people can pull off the whole ‘blood-soaked hero’ look as well as you."
Katsuki snorted, shaking his head slightly, but there was the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips. "You’re an idiot," he muttered, though his voice lacked the usual bite.
"And you’re a broody mess," she shot back, her hands still in his hair. "But we’ll figure it out. Together."
Katsuki glanced at her, the tension in his expression easing just a little more. He sighed, leaning back against the log he was sitting on, his gaze drifting back to the fire. "Yeah," he muttered after a long pause. "Together."
Rosie smiled as she nestled into Katsuki’s lap, the weight of the night finally lifting. The silence between them wasn’t tense anymore; it felt warm, safe, a quiet understanding passing between them. Katsuki would always brood—it was in his nature—and she would always find a way to break through that wall of his with her teasing and care. But they had each other, and that was enough for now.
But then Rosie’s lips quirked up in a mischievous grin. She couldn't resist the urge to poke at him, just a little. “Actually,” she said, her voice light with amusement, “I’ve got a question for you, Katsuki.”
He eyed her warily, already sensing something brewing. “I have a feeling I’m going to regret this…”
She giggled, blinking up at him innocently. “Does this make you my pet dragon now? If so, can you breathe fire on command? Like a dog would sit or roll over?”
Katsuki’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing in a mixture of irritation and amusement. He snorted, his lips curling into a half-smirk. “So, you heard what he said, huh?”
“It wasn’t exactly hard to figure out after I saw you walk out of that burning building, all those scales and your horn,” Rosie teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I just didn’t say anything right away... but when he kept calling you ‘dragon,’ well, it kind of confirmed it.”
Katsuki sighed, running a hand through his hair as if the admission was a burden he had to let go of. “Yeah. I’m a dragon. But I’m still young, so I can’t fully transform into one. Not yet, at least—not until I reach full maturity.” His hands on her hips tightened, almost as if he expected her to pull away now that she knew. “But I’m old enough to start exhibiting dragon traits. It’s not something I can hide forever.”
Rosie stared at him, taking in his words, but her eyes were warm, not afraid or shocked as he might have expected. She tilted her head slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked softly. “And why did Shoto and Izuku help you keep it a secret?”
Katsuki glanced away for a moment, his gaze shifting toward the fire as if it would help him find the right words. He let out a slow breath. “There was a war a hundred years ago. The dragons... we showed everyone what we were capable of. People got scared. They started treating the dragons like monsters, it’s only because of our current monarch that the fear isn’t as it was before.” His jaw clenched, anger flashing in his eyes at the memory. “I didn’t want to put you through that fear. Didn’t want you looking at me like... like I’m a monster.”
Rosie blinked at him, surprised by the depth of his concern, the vulnerability in his voice. She understood now why he had been so secretive, why Shoto and Izuku had played along. He was afraid—afraid of losing her, of being seen as something monstrous. But Rosie… she couldn’t be afraid of him, not now, not ever.
Her lips twitched as she tried to hold back a giggle, but it burst out anyway, light and airy. Katsuki’s eye twitched with annoyance as he glared at her. “What the hell are you laughing at?” he snapped, but there was no real bite behind his words.
Rosie waved her hand, trying to stifle the rest of her laughter as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest. “I’m sorry,” she said between giggles. “I just think it’s silly, Katsuki. You... you thinking I’d be afraid of you.”
She pulled back, meeting his gaze head-on, her expression growing serious. “I could never be afraid of you, Katsuki. Not after everything we’ve been through. You’re not a monster to me. You’re... you’ve become my faith. The one thing I believe in.” Her voice was steady, but there was a vulnerability there too—a confession of sorts, something deeper than her words could fully convey.
Katsuki’s breath hitched slightly at her words. For a moment, he was at a loss, staring at her like he couldn’t quite believe what she’d just said. His grip on her waist tightened, but his gaze softened in a way that was rare for him. He wasn’t used to hearing words like that, especially from someone like Rosie, who never shied away from danger, who always saw him for more than just his strength or power.
“You’re such a damn idiot,” he muttered, but the roughness in his voice was undercut by the tenderness in his eyes. “I’m not something you should have faith in.”
Rosie’s hand gently cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing over his jawline. “You’re everything I have faith in,” she said firmly. “You saved me back there, Katsuki. I don’t care if you’re a dragon or whatever else. You’re you, and that’s all that matters to me.”
Katsuki’s throat tightened, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. No one had ever looked at him the way she did—like he was more than his power, more than his bloodline or the weight of being a dragon. He had spent so much time hiding that part of himself, afraid of how people would react, but Rosie didn’t care. She accepted him, every part of him, without hesitation.
“I don’t deserve you,” he finally whispered, his voice low and rough.
Rosie shook her head, her eyes glistening in the firelight. “We deserve each other,” she said softly. “We’re in this together, remember?”
Katsuki held her gaze, his heart pounding in his chest. She was right, of course. They were partners, equals in this chaotic, dangerous world they found themselves in. And maybe, just maybe, he could let go of the fear that had been haunting him for so long.
Without another word, he leaned down, pressing his lips to her forehead, a quiet promise of everything he couldn’t yet say aloud. And for the first time in a long time, Katsuki felt like he could finally breathe.
“Now let’s get some sleep, I am exhausted.” Rosie yawned, leaning her head on him.
“I’m not your pet,” he grumbled.
“Just my husband,” she giggled, waving her hand in his face where her ring shone on her finger.
“I’m regretting that choice.”
She snorted, “you insisted.”
“Don’t remind me.”