Run Away No More
Disclaimer: I do not own Boku no Hero Academia or its characters. It would be presumptuous of me.
It was a lovely Spring Morning where students either coming to school running late, coming back from a morning jogging session or just sitting and listening attentively in class carry on with their regular routines, though with the breeze thick with the scent of the blossoming flowers of the Sakura trees it makes the day less tiring and more calming than a customary one.
It was the peak of the season, so to speak, the picturesque Sakura flowers perfectly viewed from a particular seat over the classroom window of class 2-B and such a spot during the height of Spring is generally an object of envy, yet it is wasted currently on a brooding girl, Uraraka Ochako.
Anyone looking at her would most likely think that she's concentrating on the lecture, as laser-focused as she is in her studies, despite it being rather boring but that is not the case at all. If her old self leaped into time and found the reason out she'd flip over in a fluster. A girl in love also has her worries, after all. As unbelievable as it'd sound, Uraraka Ochako is presently in turmoil with herself with regards to the affairs involved in love.
She deems herself gutsy, undaunted and unyielding when faced with even the most grievous of situations such as standing in defense of a stranger against bullies. Yet when she became aware of her feelings, the usual talk with a certain person makes her overly self-conscious, gives her cold feet and she ends up darting into someplace else, leaving him screaming at her in her wake. She couldn't maintain a decent conversation, so much so that she couldn't even properly wish him luck on their game so she resorted to just leaving a lucky charm in his shoe locker, which she had been doing since.
She shut her eyes and knitted her brows, imagining his contorted face when seeing those weird charms in his locker, and she couldn't help but conclude that if he didn't keep them he most likely tossed them into the trash for suspecting it coming from a stranger inclined in doing old-fashioned ways.
This time though, their soccer team, after their disconcerting loss the previous year, has finally won the game giving them a slot for the Winter Kokuritsu so she decided to be bold and deliver her cheers for him personally, yet this past week she hasn't been very successful and instead failed miserably, which is why she's currently using class hours contemplating if she should just go back to his shoe locker or keep attempting to talk to him.
She groaned in frustration and rubbed her temple. She shouldn't consider going back to her old method; she already decided to stop running away! Yet so far no good idea comes to mind. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't realize she sounded loud enough to be heard by her classmates and, unfortunately, her teacher who stopped writing in the board to regard her.
"Uraraka-san? Is something wrong?"
Effectively snapped to orientation the frazzled girl gripped the sides of her desk and pitched a hurried reply.
"N-no sir! I'm perfectly fine!"
"Well then I hope you're listening to my lecture?"
"U-um yes, Yes! Absolutely! Sorry for interrupting" She mentally kicked herself for her blatant lie and grabbed her textbook, burying her nose in it hoping that her professor would let the matter slide. As she heard him drone on with his lecture she sighed, and from her periphery caught her two friends, Tsuyu and Mina staring at her in concern, with the latter flashing her a grin and a thumbs up before redirecting her attention to class.
She smiled weakly at the gesture and resumed burying her face in her book, her preoccupation with her previous thoughts pervading her jumbled mind.
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That morning, the group of students who returned from their morning jog were no other than the soccer club with their coach assiduously spurring them from behind as he was getting more stringent with their physical activity and training in preparation for their first game which is due next week.
Most of the members thought their regime was overkill since they even have to spend extra hours during club practice, so they grumbled in silence, afraid to be overheard by their rigorous coach and get nagged for it later. Except Bakugou Katsuki, who, since he already has an established morning jog session, just considers his present circumstance a tad too annoying. Being stuck with the 'infuriating scumbags' and dealing with their 'slacking asses' wasn't in his schedule. He preferred to jog in peace but the paranoid baldy (which he prefers to call his coach) wouldn't let him so he begrudgingly complied with his regimen.
They were dismissed after being sternly reminded not to skip club practice and as he strode languorously towards the school building he felt a firm clap on his back and a spiky redhead quickly appeared by his side.
"Yo, Bakugou!" His teammate and self-proclaimed best friend, Kirishima Eijirou grinned at him and fell into pace "Coach was too dramatic today isn't he? Even if the game is next Saturday he should at least consider a day's off!" He complained, earning a grunt from his companion he continued "And we're even gonna have to hit the water for swimming class in second period. We never get a room to breathe!" He laughed off his remark tiredly.
Giving the redhead a sideward glance, Katsuki remarked with a daring tone "What, you saying you can't handle a little shitty work out?"
Kirishima laughed and fisted his hand "Who says I can't handle nothing? I'm all up for it!"
After changing form their sweaters they headed to the shoe lockers to change into their indoor shoes and when Katsuki opened his own locker, finding his shoes neatly lined with nothing else inside, his eye twitched momentarily.
"Not today too, huh." He muttered to himself.
"What's wrong with your shoe locker?" Kirishima curiously peered over from behind him.
Disgruntled, he pushed the nosy prick by the face out of his back.
"Not any of your damn business" He threw the shoes gracelessly on the floor and wore them, quickly striding off and away from anyone, finding his mood slightly dampened by something he wasn't exactly sure what. Scowling, he directed his gaze to nothing in particular.
"What the hell am I doing?"
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Back at the classroom of 2-B the students are loudly chattering as they got up their desks after class was dismissed, save from one girl still rooted to her seat.
"You can stop pretending to read your textbook now class is over!" Ashido Mina exclaimed loudly, slamming her hands on Ochako's desk causing her to jerk in response.
"Mina-chan quit surprising me like that!"
"Sorry 'bout that!" She giggled as she patted Ochako's head in consolation.
"But you were really out of it this moring Ochako-chan." Tsuyu commented as she made her way to the two. "Is there something bothering you?"
"Let me guess!" Mina energetically interjected, then lowered her voice to a whisper, facing Ochako. "It's about love isn't it?"
Ochako's already rosy cheeks turned even redder reaching up to her ears and mouthed incomprehensible gibberish in reply.
"So it is?"
Her neck had grown stiff that she couldn't even shake it to reject her suggestion.
"Aha I knew it, I knew it!" The vibrant girl jumped in delight. "It is love! Ne, who's the lucky guy? When did you start liking him? For how long now?" Her eyes were sparkling in curiosity as she fired a string of questions her way that Ochako could hardly process thanks to her agitated state.
"Okay you're not helping at all." Tsuyu halted her barrage, pulling her out of the flustered girl's face. "And it's not nice to pry. Come on now, Ochako-chan it's time for our next class."
Like an old sister pulling her younger sibling out of trouble, Tsuyu pulled Mina by her arm out the door.
But I so wanna know!" she huffed in frustration but got over it in a second "Ochako-chan I can help out! So if you want just tell me about it okay?" Mina called out to her before they disappeared to the hallway.
Ochako, left alone in their deserted classroom, pressed her hands to her face in an effort to subdue her raging emotions. She couldn't believe the secret she's been keeping to herself for nearly a year just got out of the bag like that. She gave herself away so easily, and now her friends know about her situation! She didn't know what her friends would think…
And she stopped, her eyes trailed to the direction of the door in quiet realization. Without a second to waste she dashed out into the hallway and the instance she spotted her two friends she didn't hesitate to shout.
"Mina-chan I do! I do need help!" To hell with her petty concern for keeping it secret! She determined that her current predicament needed intervention, and for days her ability alone wasn't enough so it's time for some friendly advice. "Will you help me?"
Said girl stopped and pulled herself free of Tsuyu's grip, a telltale of tears forming in her eyes.
"Ochako-chan!" She met the running girl in a hug. "Of course silly! That's exactly what friends do, right Tsuyu-chan?"
Tsuyu sighed in defeat. "If Ochako-chan says it herself I don't see why we shouldn't. But," she approached the two emotional girls. "We still have P.E next you know."
"Of course!" Ochako said with a smile. "Mina-chan, Tsuyu-chan, I'll tell you everything at lunch today if that isn't a bother" She assumed an air of resolve in stating her request.
"Okay, lunch it is! Prepare yourself 'coz I won't let a single detail slip by alright!" Mina affirmed, and Tsuyu gave her one of her warmest of smiles.
Ochako has never felt relief like she did now for the past week. Her secret slipping out like that was a blessing in disguise, she thought, as the three of them headed for the girls' locker room in preparation for their swimming class.
She tried to recall the reason why she was so adamant in keeping her crush secret from her friends all this time. If she told them about it much earlier she wouldn't be troubling herself like she does now, she imagined. But that was water under the bridge and all she could do at present is make the most out of this new development.
"Now that I think about it that explains a lot of things you've been doing this past few weeks."
Ochako whirled her head to her left to see Tsuyu already changed into her school swimsuit and at the process of tying up her long, black hair. She didn't realize she has already changed, too, and Mina was off chatting with their other classmates on the other side of the room. Turning back to Tsuyu she replied in a whisper.
"You've noticed, Tsuyu-chan?"
"Well," she held her right index finger to her chin, a gesture she habitually does, as Ochako noticed, and tilted her head slightly. " You mysteriously disappear sometimes after lunch, I've seen you hanging around in front of the shoe lockers frequently and you kept on asking me to go home ahead of you…" She turned to face her friend fully, whose eyes were as wide as saucers. " and you kept on 'accidentally bumping' on Bakugou-chan as you said it, even when our classrooms are two floors away from each other."
Ochako was already gripping the side of her locker tightly, amazed yet terrified at the detailed observation her astute friend made.
"Tsuyu-chan, who exactly are you?"
"That's rude, Ochako-chan."
"But why didn't you say anything that you knew what I was doing?"
"I didn't really think much into it since it was all harmless. Then does that mean the person you like is Baku—" Her sentence was cut short by Ochako's hand clamping her mouth shut.
"Not too loud or anyone might hear!" She panicked, not expecting Tsuyu's correct deduction of her actions.
Tsuyu removed her friend's hand from her mouth before apologizing. "I'm sorry. Well, you'll be talking to us at lunch so just tell us about it then okay?"
A loud bang resounded in the room causing the students to yelp in surprise.
Students! Out into the pool now! You've been taking your sweet time in there for far too long." Bellowed their female P.E. teacher standing at the door, and in cue the girls finished up changing and filtered out into the poolside.
They made four lines for their stretching exercise and when that was done with, were called in pairs by order of their names for a test run at the pool. Since Ochako's name lies at the end of the list her turn wasn't soon yet, so she looked for a less populated area and found one at the adjacent side of the pool to continue with her stretching.
She was actually glad they were having swimming for P.E., the cool water could definitely ease up her tensed muscles and tired mind from all the stress that built up in her. And later at lunch, she could finally find some answers to her worries with the help of her trusted friends. This day couldn't go any better!
She took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth, ending her stretching routine, placed her hands at her hips then uttered a self-encouragement of "I can do this!" with renewed confidence and vigor.
"Uraraka?"
She stopped breathing and froze. She'd recognize that voice even in her sleep. Slowly she turned to where it originated, and as sure as thunder coming after lightning she locked gaze with the antecedent of her disarrayed heart, staring at her in mild surprise.
"Bakugou-kun!" startled, it took all of her mustered energy to respond without her voice cracking. "What a coincidence! S-so you're… having swimming for P.E. too?" she's so not prepared for a sneak attack.
"Isn't it obvious smart face? And it's not that surprising. This school only has two pools fucking beside each other so of course we'd have matching schedules down the line." He said languidly, crossing his arms across his broad chest from which the poor girl quickly averted her eyes from to keep herself from buckling on her knees. She also noticed how his brows aren't furrowed deeply as usual, his demeanor subdued, informing her that he might be in one of his rare pleasant moods. She took it as a golden opportunity and ran with it.
"Ahaha! As expected of Bakugou-kun, always at the headstart of things!" She gripped the meshed fence separating them with both hands. "Your game, it's coming up soon, right? I heard your coach has been strict with your physical regimen, is that right?"
"Of course I'm doing fine. Since when did you take an interest with our practice, anyway?" He cocked an eyebrow in inquiry.
Crap. Did he notice? "N-no way! Just curious is all. You finally got to play for the Winter Kokuritsu after your defeat last year!" she smiled and clamped her mouth. Wait, I wasn't supposed to bring that up!
"Are you fucking challenging me Uraraka?" his rage mode activated, he let his arms dangle to his side with a fist. "Sure it was our loss last year but get this. I'm gonna get our team at first place and mop the dirt with those damned assholes at North High!" He boldly declared.
Somehow irked by his snarky remark she retorted haughtily "That's what you said last year."
"What was that?" He grabbed the fence with both hands in raw fury and glared at the teasing woman, his weight bearing on the wall towards her. "Listen, Uraraka. If you doubt my abilities and think I'm gonna lose again then you're bloody running in the wrong track!"
Closing his eyes as if trying to compose himself, he inhaled sharply before regarding her "This time, I'll show you, that I'm gonna win." the inflection with his low, gruff voice sent her heart aflutter and he continued "and when I aim for something, I make damn sure to get it, and I want you to see that for your own, Uraraka." He stated ruddily, leaning close to her face as far as the meshed wall would let him.
Her face flushed unabashedly, thinking how unfair it was of him to say those words that sounded like a promise, an oath dedicated to her with such burning resolve, her gaze faltering as she stared into his scorching red eyes. Her mind felt like mush as she fumbled for the right words to say and just stuttered a petty excuse and scurried away from him without a thought.
"Oi! We're not done talking yet!" the headstrong blond yelled in vain as the fleeing girl disappeared into the clump of her classmates in the other side of the pool.
"Bakugou!" Kirishima called as he ran to his direction. "Dude it's your turn to swim. Who're you talking to?" He looked over the other side of the fence to find the spot empty. "So they already left?"
"Tch. She does that a lot lately. So fucking annoying." He turned sharply and bumped the poor guy by the shoulder as he passed. Kirishima looked back at the empty space and to the retreating back of his friend, then snapped as he belatedly registered his words. "Wait, you were talking with a girl?"
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The cafeteria was buzzing with activity during lunch rush with the students' bantering coupled with the sound of clinking utensils filling the atmosphere, a perfect mask for a rather sensitive conversation. At least for a girl in love.
"I couldn't do it…" Ochako sighed as she dropped her head face-first on the lunch table in exasperation. Thankfully Tsuyu was mindful enough to pull her lunch out of the way. "I keep messing up every time."
"I still can't get over the fact that that Bakugou was the lucky guy!" Mina blurted out while swirling her juice. "I mean it's THAT Bakugou! Who doesn't even care to remember his seatmate's name!" She pointed at herself dramatically, emphasizing her point that they had been seatmates for a full year in first year.
"So in a nutshell" Tsuyu began "You want to stop running away and as a good start you want to properly give Bakugou-chan your regards for his upcoming game."
"But when you try to talk to him you either end up arguing or make excuses to run away." Mina supplemented while tapping the table with her fingers. "You're not planning to confess?"
"N-no of course not! I can't burden him with a confession when he is about to enter the Nationals!" Ochako rattled in response, flinging her arms about wildly.
"You're really a maiden in love!" Mina smiled blithely. "So what we need to do is help you talk to him without running away right?"
"Ochako-chan, do you still have some of those charms you gave him through his locker?" Tsuyu inquired.
"Um, yeah I do. Do you need it for something?"
"I was thinking that it would be easier if you can just give him one of those charms yourself."
"Um, well, what if he finds out it was, well, me who had been giving him those?"
"I suppose so, but will Bakugou-chan be able to recognize them?" Tsuyu held her finger to her face.
Ochako wrung her fingers in thought, since she suspected Bakugou must have not taken mind to things he found in his locker, and he never found him use it as a strap, maybe he won't know it was her who left those charms to him.
"But won't it be nice if he knew that you cared for him?"
Ochako raised her eyes to Mina who was sipping her juice. She fought a blush creeping to her face. "I'm… not sure…" She didn't know if Bakugou noticed her at all since her 'friendship' with him was happenstance when they got pitted against each other for their tennis practice match for P.E. back in first year. They unexpectedly got along when Bakugou acknowledged her and since then not once when they met did they not exchange words even with snappy remarks or sly retorts, they held a decent conversation, though that dynamic had changed since she discovered what her feelings have turned into.
"Ochako-chan?"
She mulled over the thought, and nodded with a hum. "I think, I do want him to notice, at least I hope he will." She confessed with a small smile gracing her features.
Her vivacious friend squealed in glee "Okay so it isn't that complicated! All you need to do is give him that charm and mission complete!"
"It might help if the both of us will go with you to keep you from running away by easing up the conversation, if that's alright with you." Tsuyu thoughtfully suggested.
Ochako hummed in affirmation. "Your presence will give me the courage I need. Thank you!"
"So it's settled then!" Mina bumped her fists in the air.
The three finished their lunch in amiable companionship, and Ochako relished in the pleasant outcome of her friendly consultation.
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Later that afternoon, Ochako found herself facing the bathroom mirror trying to compose herself. She told her friends to meet her at the back of the school building near the soccer field and together they'll wait to talk to Bakugou just before their club practice.
She was nervous and thus felt the need to put herself in shape. She couldn't fail this time, not when her friends are giving her their full support, not when she's come this far. And most of all, not when Bakugou declared his bold resolution to her. It spurred something within her, and remembering that he wants her to acknowledge his strength solidified her determination. She clapped her palms at her cheeks and for the second time that day uttered "I can do this!" before marching out decisively to her destination.
It was quite a long walk from the school building to the soccer field so she took a little shortcut near the janitor's quarters which is relatively deserted during that time of day. As she took a turn towards the corner she saw a back that slouched in a familiar posture with a backpack slung over one shoulder, and unruly blond spikes.
She reflexively hid herself recognizing him as Bakugou then thought that he must have taken this same shortcut route too. She waited with a pounding heart for him to leave so she could come out when she heard a woman's voice in his direction.
"I-if it's o-okay with you, Please do accept me!" The girl stated meekly and Ochako's pounding heart skidded to a stop. Is this…a confession?
A deafening silence ensued until about half a minute when she heard Bakugou sigh in annoyance and she paled at his response.
"Tch. Whatever. You're good enough already."
"Really? Thank goodness! I promise I won't let you down!" Ochako could hear the girl sniffling.
"Hey what're you crying for? This shit isn't worth any tears."
"No, I'm just really relieved senpai!"
Before she noticed her feet were already carrying her away from that place in haste she nearly stumbled in her step. Her mind was in a swirl, trying to make sense of the situation she thought she wasn't supposed to witness.
That was a confession right?
She couldn't think of other possible circumstances that would take place at an isolated part of the school. The atmosphere surrounding them didn't feel like it was a prank, and worst of all, she heard Bakugou accept her.
But it could mean anything.
Surely the girl could be talking about a favor that she would love to pay, and she was just immensely relieved that Bakugou, of all people, accepted it. It's not likely for a cute girl to be interested in him, right?
Bakugou said 'she was good enough'
Her throat parched and legs numb, she stopped and leaned over a nearby tree, panting, unable to dispel her vacillating thoughts.
With a self-deprecating smile she murmured to herself "Who am I to say that no cute girl will find him appealing? I'm a fool for even thinking that…" She let out a shaky breath "He maybe crass, but he knows how to value something… or someone, he's cool, and…" she felt hot tears stinging her eyes. "He's a good person. Seems I'm not the only one who sees him like that… Good for him, then." Tears fell uncontrollably like waterworks.
"Good for him."
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"Ne, we're supposed to rendezvous at this place at least half an hour ago right? But where's our girl?" Mina craned her neck over the soccer field and towards the school building. "The soccer team's about to begin practice!"
"I haven't seen Bakugou-chan anywhere yet though. And Ochako-chan's not answering her phone." Tsuyu said worriedly as she tried calling their missing friend for the nth time.
"Tsuyu-chan!" with the sudden shaking of her shoulder, Tsuyu fixed her gaze at the two guys in their soccer uniform her addled friend was pointing at. "I see Bakugou and Kirishima heading to the field. What do we do?"
The dark-haired girl walked purposively towards the guys' direction and called "Kirishima-chan! Bakugou-chan!" The pair halted in their tracks, the former whipping his head to the voice's direction while the latter just spared her a glance. "Whoa Tsuyu-chan, Ashido! Hey there! It's nice seeing you two around here." Kirishima being the energetic one was the one to respond.
"I see so we stall for time just until she arrives, huh. Good going, Tsuyu-chan!" Mina muttered to herself with a hand covering her lips which she then raised in a wave. "Heya you guys! We came here to see how you're doing! It's been a while since we last talked right?"
"Yeah it's been a while ever since we separated classes. Man I wish we get to hang out more!" Kirishima smiled good-naturedly.
"We're here to tell you guys to do your best at the match. Also do send our regards to the rest of the team." Tsuyu added.
"Tch. You're wasting your time worrying over nothing." Bakugou deadpanned.
"Come on bro!" Kirishima swung his arm around his friend's shoulder playfully. "Our friends came all the way here just to cheer for us so we gotta thank them!" Bakugou just grunted in response. "And I see Uraraka too, huh?"
The two girls abruptly turned around to see Ochako a few distance behind smiling sheepishly at them, scratching her face in apology. They didn't notice the pair of red eyes that glanced to her direction at the mention of her name, too.
Mina and Tsuyu smiled in relief as she stepped towards the bunch.
"Bakugou-kun"
As he saw her nearing him he untangled himself from his chummy companion and stepped towards her as well.
"What now Urara—"
His breath was knocked out of him when she shoved something at his chest non-too-gently, her face finding an interest with the ground.
"Do your best to win at the Nationals! I won't forgive you if you lose!" she said with sprightliness and she raised her head to look at him "And I'm sorry for making you think that I doubted you. I don't, and, uh, don't think too much about this whole thing alright! Just focus on your game!" She gave him the most encouraging smile she could manage before pulling her hands off his chest and dashing off for the third time away from him that day.
Katsuki was momentarily stunned that he didn't catch what it was that Ochako gave him as it fell to the ground. When he looked down he saw that it was a red charm and he bent on one knee to pick it up. The kanji for 'victory' was written on it and he cursed. "That idiotic girl."
"Ochako-chan… She did her best, huh?" Mina said as she stared at the direction she ran off to, clasping her hands.
"Yes… but she sounded… hurt?" Tsuyu noted with an unsettled gaze.
The girls felt a rush of air and saw Bakugou in a headlong rush towards the corner their friend just disappeared to. They stood gawking at his back when they heard a yell from behind.
"Oi Bakugou! Practice is about to start!" Kirishima called but was interrupted by Mina.
"Oh shut it Kirishima leave him be! Do him a favor and cover up for him as a good friend that you are, would you?"
He blinked dumbly at her and looked back at his friend's back disappearing into the corner, his eyes widening in comprehension.
"Oh I get it! Man you girls are up to something!" He thrust his thumb to his chest "Leave it to me! A man has to do what he could for his bro!"
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That's it. It ends there. Ochako thought as she ran, not exactly sure where she's heading to.
She felt somewhat relieved that she finally delivered her good wishes to him, as a form of farewell to the feelings she still struggled to forget. It was all for the best and she convinced herself to keep moving forward. She bit back the tears that welled behind her lids.
"Ugh stop you've cried enough already…" she muttered to herself.
"Oi Roundface stop running!" A gruff, irritated voice hollered at her from behind.
Stooped to shock she looked back to find an irate Bakugou chasing after her.
"Eeeeeh?! What are you doing?"
"Chasing down an idiotic girl obviously!"
"Who the heck are you calling an idiot!?"
"Someone who runs off without a damned explanation!"
"I have nothing to explain to you idiot!" She picked up her pace and swerved to a corner to elude him, but outrunning a soccer player is a fool's errand, and Bakugou sprinted past her to block her way and she bumped ungraciously towards his chest with a loud oomph! He grabbed her arms to steady her and to keep her in place.
"Let-let go of me!" She pushed herself off him and her back hit the wall in her effort, only to end up getting caged against it by two muscular arms at the side of her face.
"I'm tired of you always running off on me what the fuck Uraraka?" He demanded as he fixed her a pointed stare.
If it were a different situation she would've swooned from being trapped against the wall but instead, she felt an overwhelming desire to get away from him. "J-just let go of me!"
"You always tell me how it's rude to snap at people and now you think it's fucking alright to zoom out of a damned conversation?" was his ruddy retort and he fished out the thing she shoved at him earlier then dangled it in front of her face. "And what the hell is up with this shit?"
"Well, it's a lucky charm apparently!"
"I fucking know what it is smartass, I'm asking you why the hell you've been leaving this thing in my locker."
"She yelped quietly and brought her hands to her face to hide her deepening blush, incredulous that Bakugou found her out.
"W-what are you…talking about?" she sputtered in a futile denial.
"Don't play dumb with me." He brought his face closer to hers their foreheads nearly touched. "This kind is given away as a prize after playing a stupid game in one shrine near your area, and you're the only idiot I know who'd go out of her way to play that boring shit." He stated cogently. "And don't even bother with your petty excuses coz I also know you think leaving them in my locker is the best way to go given that they're outdated as fuck."
Even in her current predicament she couldn't help but admire his wits and frightening understanding of her. Not knowing what to respond she shoved at him to get away but his sturdy body didn't move an inch.
Defeated, she huffed in reply. "Alright you're freaking right Mr. know-it-all! Are you happy? Now let me go!"
He refused to budge from his spot. "You didn't answer my question."
She raised her widened eyes at him, barely holding his scorching gaze. She lowered her eyes and muttered with despondence. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"Ha?"
"I told you didn't I? Don't think too much about them anymore. They don't matter."
He kept his expression unchanged. "I decide if they don't matter."
Displeased, she snapped her attention from the ground to regard him and answered plaintively.
"How can you say that so irresponsibly when you already promised someone? I already said they don't matter so leave it be!"
He appeared genuinely confused at her tirade. "What are you talking about?"
"Forget it! Just let me go!" she couldn't keep up a brave stance any longer as tears began welling up in her eyes again and she strained to keep a whimper from breaking out. It was all too much.
Growing aware of her distress Katsuki lowered his voice so it wouldn't sound harsh as usual. "What 'someone' are you talking about?"
Her heart leaped a little at his conscious effort of being considerate. Moved to respond she fisted her palms to keep her voice from quivering.
"I-I saw you…earlier, when a girl… confessed…to you…" She sniffled, tears freely flowing down her reddened cheeks without her permission and she hurriedly wiped them with the back of her hand. "I get it okay! You said it yourself, that she's 'good enough'. So don't make such a sweet girl cry over something as pointless as this."
Saying it hurt more than anticipated, the tears a reflection of the anguish barely contained in. She hoped that time would throttle her forward, away from the pain, away from him.
She heard him sigh then felt her hands being pulled from her face. She opened her eyes to see him staring back with a straight face.
"She's not my girlfriend, idiot."
She gaped at him vacantly. "What?"
"She's the club's new manager. What you saw was that dumb tradition our club holds. She has to meet us individually and has to be 'accepted' before she's part of the team. Now don't go into stupid conclusions, dumbass." He released her hands and crossed his arms awaiting her response.
"The-then she was… and I was… it was not…" As if all the negative feelings swirling have been effectively cancelled out by his statement her mind couldn't settle well between dancing in relief or dying in embarrassment from her blunder. Her face heating up she fell backwards, thankful for the wall catching her.
"Anyway you're still not answering my question." Now sporting a smirk Katsuki confined her once again with his arms braced to the wall and leaned closer. "What's up with those lucky charms and shit?"
He was stubbornly persistent with that question and Ochako has not yet recovered from the shock of her awkward mistake.
"Can't you leave me alone for now I'm still careening from that flop earlier!" she kept her face tilted away from him.
"And give you the satisfaction of running away again? Not a chance."
She sighed in defeat, beaten by his sound argument, but she was equally stubborn as him.
"I…I already told you, I'm rooting for you! Isn't that what you're aiming for?"
He assumed a more serious expression. "No shit. I will dominate the Nationals." He grabbed her chin to make her face him, smile returning to his features. "But that doesn't mean I don't have a fucking time to settle this matter with you."
She gaped at him, clearly not anticipating the second half of his statement and she stammered.
"s-s-sett-le with… Eh?"
"This conversation would've ended long ago if you'd quit with your shitty denial."
"I-I-I told you it doesn't—"
"You wouldn't go through all that trouble just to wish me luck." He tilted her head to stare straight into her eyes. "and you wouldn't react the way you did at our new manager, if you still insist it doesn't matter."
Her heart was frantically hammering in her chest as he peeled her defenses one by one, exposing her feelings for him to see.
"I-I…"
"Now tell me, Uraraka."
She felt she had no way out under his piercing gaze.
Finally she squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out her next words
"It's because I love you!"
A cool breeze brushed past them as he pressed his lips against hers, her eyes flew wide open at the contact. Her mind barely registered that her crush— freaking Bakugou Katsuki – is kissing her, behind a school building, in an isolated area, backed against the wall and in an unsightly mess she considers herself to be in.
Not her ideal scenario for the romantic first kiss that she dreamed of, no, yet she doesn't find herself complaining. Her mind was in a standstill in contrast to her heart which was soaring into the clouds, finally liberated from the shackles of secrecy she fettered it with for such a long time.
When she felt his strong hands on her hips did only the cogwheels of her mind start rolling again and she felt a jolt up her spine, realizing that she was not yet certain if this rather impassioned act reflected what he felt for her.
"B-bakugou-kun…" she murmured in between his kisses "What a-are you…doing? You're not… giving me t-the wrong idea are you?"
As though not hearing her he continued assaulting her lips with a soft and gentle caress that sent delicious shivers down her spine and made her wonder if he was still the same hot-blooded, foul-mouthed man and not a totally different person.
"I'm not like you who goes beating around the bush and relying on outdated bullshit." He rasped against her lips then parted, cupping her face with his calloused hands. "I don't hold back in taking what I like."
Her eyes glimmered at the unbelievable words she was hearing. "You mean… you…"
"That's right, Angelface. Don't you dare run away from me ever again"
And she burst into hot tears, openly crying in front of him, but this time with pure, unadulterated joy. She hears him say to cry all she wants since there's no one around in that same consideration he regarded her with earlier which she found endearing, her heart swelling in warmth and affection for the man in front of her. She delighted in the fact that he was showing his rare acts of kindness, one of the many reasons why she fell in love with him in the first place.
When her crying quieted down into sniffles she was able to choke out and audible reply.
"I'm sorry. I promise I won't run away again..."
"Good. Coz it's fucking annoying" was his terse response.
When she had managed to quell her exultant glee and assume a calmer demeanor, she suddenly remembered something and fretted. "Bakugou-kun! With you being here like this doesn't that mean you're late for practice?"
"Yeah. I'm in deep shit thanks to you." He responded a little too casually.
"Eh? You should be worried! Isn't your coach a beast when he is angry?" She chided and began pushing his back to somehow propel him to go back.
Bakugou wasn't exactly guiltless for missing a couple minutes of practice, after all he was striving to get his team to be No. 1. However he was feeling quite assured that his spunky and annoying red-headed friend more or less covered for him. Amused at the girl for fussing over his well-being at the hands of the paranoid baldy, he determined that going back a little later wouldn't be crippling for him. With a lopsided grin he stopped to turn around and face her.
"Wah? Bakugou-kun stop being stubborn! I'd feel awful if you got into trouble because of me."
"It's too late for me to catch up now. I'd have to be penalized for being tardy." He advanced towards her causing her to trace her steps back.
Having heard about how ruthless their coach was with his penalties she deflated in despair as she hit the solid wall in her back.
"But… that's just…"
"Well" he leaned closer, taking her chin with his hand. "That means the damage has been done, and you have to make up for it." He said as he rubbed her lower lip with his thumb.
Her face instantly colored at his implication and she pouted.
"You… you're making fun of me." She peered at him suspiciously.
"Do I now…" He brought his face even closer.
"Meanie!" She braced her hands against his chest yet didn't apply any force to it to push him away.
He chuckled and her ears burned at the foreign sound never in her life did she hear him make, her vision blurred by his face inching closer, his breath hot against her face.
"Maybe I am."
A/N: Because I love Bakugou and Ikemen I combined the two, especially that Camie referred to him (and Todoroki) as fine men in the latest chapter I was beyond myself. So glad that someone in-universe considered him handsome! So it's not just us fangirls! Rejoice!
And because I'm a coward I resorted to writing this long-ass one-shot instead of making a non-AU fic, afraid that it might turn into a chaptered one, which I won't be able to commit myself into writing.
Reviews are much appreciated!