It had all started a few months ago on one late night...
Uraraka had woken up in the middle of the night. She tried to go back to sleep, tossing and turning in her bed, but was no longer able to get comfortable. Her pillow now felt lumpy and her blanket just didn't seem to cover her quite right. Giving up, she threw her comforter off of her. Perhaps a glass of water would settle her mind, after all she was a little thirsty as well. In a sleepy daze, she made her way through the darkness, carefully navigating amongst the corridors. A yawn escaped her and she held a slender hand to her mouth to cover it. Entering the common room and about to walk into the kitchen, she noticed that she wasn't alone.
She could make out their silhouette, hunched over the sink. It was definitely one of the boys in her class, their height and shape of their lean, athletic body a dead giveaway to that. Their hands gripped the countertop roughly, the muscles in his arms tightened from the tension. His form shook slightly and she could make out a quiet sniffling noise, was he crying?
Uraraka was slowly ruling out the boys in her class that could be in front of her. It wasn't Shoji, Koda, Sato or Iida the person being too short. It wasn't Mineta, the person was too tall. It wasn't Ojiro, they didn't have a tail. Nor was it Tokoyami or Aoyama, the person was too muscular. She kept narrowing down the list of her classmates, stepping a bit closer into the kitchen. Her bare feet lightly padding off the tiled floor, catching the boys attention, his head lifting up. And that's when she figured it out, the lightly colored, spiky hair could belong to none other than Bakugou.
Uraraka knew that Bakugou could sense that someone was here now, but he still hadn't acknowledged her. Yet, she didn't bother to open her mouth yet either. She felt as if she had interrupted something private, stumbling upon a sight she shouldn't have witnessed. Uraraka wondered why his presence was occupying the kitchen at this time of night. Could he not sleep either, like her?
"Um, Bakugou?"
"What the hell do you want?" Came his raspy voice.
She clasped her hands behind her back, daring to get closer to the explosive, ashen blond. Once she was by his side, she cocked her head to catch a glimpse of his face, her brown tresses following her movements.
"Are you alright?" She asked with concern.
"Why wouldn't I be?!" Bakugou shouted, turning his head to meet her gaze, his anger flaring and jaw clenched.
That's when her earlier suspicion had been confirmed. His features now bathed in the moonlight that filtered in through the windows, alluminating his garnet eyes. They were puffy and bloodshot, Bakugou had been crying.
Uraraka's lips formed a tight line from the realization. "You... you seem upset, and... I just wanna make sure that you're okay."
"I've never been fucking better, so mind your own damn business!" He was being callous, nothing out of the ordinary for him. Uraraka didn't let it get to her, she never did. Underneath everything, she knew Bakugou had a good heart. He was an extrememly passionate soul, she saw it in his training, his studies, his fighting, his emotions and even his way of speaking. His vocabulary and volume of his voice always letting her understand his feelings. Right now, he was being aggressively defensive trying to hide something.
"Sorry, I just came to get a drink," Uraraka told him.
"So get it and leave." He turned away from her, staring down into the sink.
She moved to the otherside of him, opening up one of the cabinets and pulling a glass out. "I couldn't sleep either," she began, "I just couldn't get comfortable in my bed, I'm hoping this will help. It's a good thing we don't have school tomorrow, I think the both of us would be really tired in the morning."
"Did I give you the impression that I wanted to chit-chat?" He asked her harshly.
"No, I just figured it would help take your mind off whatever's bothering you." She stood facing him at his side, glass in hand.
"Do I have to beat it into your head? I told you I'm fucking fine."
"I thought you didn't lie?" Her lip curved up slightly, giving a half smile.
His ruby eyes narrowed from her words. "You're really pissing me off."
"I didn't mean to."
"Just go already."
"Well, I would, but you're kind of in my way," she giggled softly, poking him lightly in his side.
He let out a low growl before stepping away from the sink. Uraraka then positioned the glass under the faucet, turning it on and filling it half way.
"You know," she started, turning the faucet off. "If something were to be bothering you, you could always talk to me about it. I'll always listen to what you have to say, Bakugou, and it would be our little secret."
He eyed her warily, watching her gulp down her glass of water. "I don't need you for anything."
She set the glass in the sink once its contents were empty, turning back to face him. "Regardless, my offer will always stand." Giving him a smile before making her way out of the kitchen. "Goodnight, Bakugou."
Getting a drink of water did nothing to help Uraraka sleep. Now her mind was plagued with thoughts of Bakugou, causing her to have a restless night.
It wasn't until about a month later, that the same situation presented itself to Uraraka. Once again she couldn't sleep and found herself lazily making her way to the kitchen. She rubbed her eyes, trying to remain focused on her footing while she descended the last staircase. This time when she stumbled upon him, he was sitting on one of the couches in the common room, the ends of his palms pressing into his eyesockets. Uraraka frowned, the remnants of sleep leaving her, the image of him in distress erasing all thoughts of sleep from her mind.
A hitch in his breath while he wept made her chest constrict painfully. This side of Bakugou was one that nobody had seen before, one he wouldn't want them to see for that matter. She's seen him angry cry before, but this... this was different. These were tears of pain and she just wanted to wipe them away.
Uraraka knew she shouldn't have done it, that he possibly would feel ashamed, feel weak and angry, but she couldn't stand it anymore. At least that's what she had told herself when she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his head, holding him to her stomach. He had instantly froze from the contact, not expecting anyone to come to the common room at this hour. Once his shock passed, he grabbed her sides to push her away, but she held him close.
"Shh, it's okay," she whispered softly, stroking his silky hair. "Everything is okay, Bakugou."
His hands began to shake on her sides, before gripping her shirt tightly with his fingers, a choked sob escaping him as he let her comfort him.
"I don't know what's wrong," she told him, "but I'm here for you.
A few weeks later, it happened again. A knock at her door had roused her from slumber, and she practically tripped over herself going to answer it. When she opened it, she found Bakugou on the otherside. He looked awkward like he felt he shouldn't be there, unable to meet her gaze, but Uraraka could see the unshed tears in his eyes.
"It's okay, you can come in," she reassured, opening the door wider. He hesitated, almost as if he was going to walk away, but slowly entered her room, her closing the door behind him. He kept his back to her, not saying a word.
"Are you ever going to tell me what's wrong?" She asked him.
"If you're going to be nosey about it than i'll just piss off," came Bakugou's hoarse voice. He turned around to walk out of her room, but she grabbed fistfulls of his shirt.
"Don't go, I'm just worried about you is all... You don't need to tell me if you don't want to..."
His fists tightened at his sides, his jaw clenched and tears began to stream down his face. Uraraka pulled him to her, wrapping one arm around his back and the other around his neck. To her surprise, Bakugou leaned down into her, encircling his own arms around her body as a source of comfort. She could feel his warm tears sliding down her collar bone and she rubbed his back trying to soothe him.
"I'm so sick of having these fucking nightmares...," he choked out.
And that's when Uraraka understood. After everything that had happened to him, it was eating away at his mind. Being kidnapped by the League of Villains, he would never tell anyone, but he had to have been scared. They had wanted to convert him to their side, wanting him to become a villain, trying to convince Bakugou that he had been mistreated by the so called people society called heroes. Shigaraki had promised him better, that they were above all of that and would treat him as an equal, but he didn't know Bakugou. He had refused the League without even a thought. He was meant to be a hero and nothing else, he wasn't going to be swayed.
It scared Uraraka to think what could have happened to him if All Might hadn't shown up to rescue him. What would the League have done to him? Torture him? Kill him...? Shigaraki could have disintegrated him within seconds if he had so wished, but thank God for All Might.
But then there was the matter of All Might, and how he had basically sacrificed the rest of his power to save Bakugou a second time. She knew Bakugou blamed himself, thinking he was the cause for the Symbol of Peace's retirement. The person he had looked up to his whole life reduced to a skeleton of a man, it ate at him. So, how could everything not be overwhelming him? He was quietly suffering from post traumatic stress, keeping it to himself. Bakugou was brave, and he knew how to put up a front, but he shouldn't have to shoulder this burden alone.
So, she pulled him a little closer and squeezed him a little tighter because she would be the shoulder he could cry on. He could rely on her and she would be there for him.
Somehow they had ended up in her bed, his head laying in her lap while he slept. He really shouldn't be in her room at this time of night, but there was no way that she would turn him away. He had passed out next to her, exhausted from exerting all his emotions and she let him rest on her. He just seemed so tired, the dark circles he had begun to accumulate under his eyes a testament of that. She just didn't have the heart to wake him up for him to go back to his room.
Uraraka looked down at him with coffee colored irises, watching him sleep, he seemed so peaceful. There was no angry creases on his features, like he would usually display from his grumpy persona. He just looked so... handsome. Not that he wasn't attractive in the first place, Uraraka wasn't blind, she definitely took notice of that. But he was definitely even more appealing without a scowl on his face.
She bit her lip, daring to run her fingers through his soft, spiky hair. A small smile was plastered on her face, but was soon replaced with panic, freezing in her movements when he stirred in her lap, worried he would be angry with her. But instead of waking up, he rolled on his side, putting his arms around her waist and snuggled into her.
Uraraka's breath caught in her throat and her cheeks were burning with a bright red intensity that would rival a tomato.
Yup, Uraraka definitley thought this was the start of some trouble...
She didn't really know how it happened or even when, but there was no denying that it was true. No matter how many times she tried to lie to herself that it wasn't, hiding in a state of denial. But whenever she would see him, her heart would start to beat out of control, a blush would creep onto her cheeks and spread all the way up to her ears. When he looked at her with those gorgeous, ruby red eyes of his, she would practically melt. Oh, and don't even get her started with what his touch would do to her...
For months now, Bakugou had started coming to her room practically every night. Sneaking over after everyone had gone to bed and spending the night in her room, but he would always be gone before she would wake up in the morning, and honestly, it made her feel a little sad. Uraraka didn't want him to be gone, she wanted him to stay. She really liked the warm and comforting presence of him next to her. He hadn't come to her with tears in his eyes for quite sometime, he would just show up and they would barely say a word to each other, just cuddled in bed with one another and fall into slumber. So she began to wonder just exactly what were his reasons for coming to her anymore if he wasn't having nightmares?
She wanted to ask him, but she feared that if she were to question him that he would just stop showing up. Ultimately, she rather remain in the dark about it, as long as it meant Bakugou kept coming to her, sleeping in bed with her, holding her in his strong arms and pulling her to his toned body.
She would ignore every nagging question that popped into her head, because Uraraka had fallen in love with Bakugou.
Who was that?
She'd never seen her before.
And why was she so close to Bakugou?
She watched the unfamiliar girl talk with the ashen blond outside the school building. She could see the girl's cheeks turn pink right after she had touched a hand to his girl was beautiful to say the least, and she was getting a bit too close for Uraraka's liking. Did Bakugou know her...?
"Hey, Uraraka!"
She snapped back to attention when a hand waved in front of her face.
"Oh, uh... Sorry, Deku! I guess I just spaced out a bit," Uraraka apologized, rubbing the back of her head.
"Are you alright?" Izuku asked, worried for his friend.
"Of course! Why do you ask?" She tried to smile brightly, attempting to push away these unwanted feelings that rose up inside her.
"Well... it's just that..." The freckled boy's gaze fell on his childhood friend that Uraraka had been staring at only moments ago.
"Really, Deku. I'm fine, I promise."
Izuku decided to direct all the questions that were on the tip of his tongue to the back of his mind. Uraraka obviously didn't want to voice her troubles, but he had a suspicion that they involved Kacchan. The brunette turned on her heel, making her way towards the dorm building. Izuku gave one last look towards Bakugou, the ashen blond swatting the upperclassman's hand away that had dared to touch him again. He watched as Bakugou spoke what Izuku could only guess was harshly to the girl before he gripped a hand onto his bag on his shoulder, stuffing the other into his pocket and began to walk away from the girl, leaving her looking dejected.
Uraraka was boiling a pot of water on the stove, hoping to drink a hot cup of tea to help soothe her mind, so she could begin to start on her school work. But all of that seemed to completely shatter when Kirishima, Kaminari and the very person she has been trying to get out of her head for a long time now entered the kitchen.
"I still can't believe it, I mean I am utterly shocked!"
"I told you already to shut your mouth, Sparky!"
"Aw, c'mon, Bakugou! It's not everyday that a girl is crushing on you of all people," Kirishima chuckled.
"Yeah, a second year too! Can you believe that?!" Kaminari shouted.
"So, is this the girl you've got a thing for?" The redhead questioned.
"What, no way?! You actually have the hots for someone?!" Kaminari said in disbelief.
"He totally does, but he won't admit who it is."
"I said to shut your goddamn mouths!" Bakugou fumed.
"It's just not fair, why do you get a hot girl to like you, and they won't even look my way! I'm so much nicer, and funnier, and-" Kaminari dodged a swing of Bakugou's fist.
Kirishima laughed once again at his angry friend. "Don't let him get to you, Bakugou. He's just jealous that you're going to get a girlfriend before he does."
Girlfriend...?
The word echoed in Uraraka's mind as the kettle began to whistle loudly. Did Bakugou like that girl? Images from earlier replayed in her head, and she could feel her chest constrict painfully as a result. She didn't understand, she knew Bakugou would never like her back, but she didn't think that he would be interested in anyone. But if he in fact did like somebody, than why couldn't it be her? After all, wasn't she the one he was confiding in? Wasn't she the one that was there for him, to console him? Wasn't she the one he shared a bed with every night for the past few months?
It had only been wishful thinking of course that the explosive boy could ever share for her what she felt for him. It wasn't fair... first Deku, and now Bakugou...
When was this torture going to end? Why was she cursed to only fall for guys that would never return her feelings?
She felt a hand grasp her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.
"Uraraka, are you okay? The kettle's been going off for like, ever," Kaminari spoke.
She turned her attention to the golden haired boy, forcing a smile once again. Her vision was blurry from the tears she tried to hold in, but she failed, them now sliding down her cheeks. "O-Oh... right."
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Uraraka looked from Kaminari, to Kirishima's worried face behind him before her coffee colored eyes finally met Bakugou's scarlet ones. She quickly averted her gaze, turning the knob on the stove off. "I-I have to go." Excusing herself she left the kitchen to head up to her room, her tea completely forgotten.
"What's with her?" Kaminari asked.
Kirishima shrugged, "Not sure, but I hope she's alright."
Bakugou watched her form until he could no longer see her, her body dissappearing around the corner.
Slender fingers gripped the pillow tightly as she shoved her face into it. Uraraka couldn't understand it, she needed to get a hold of herself. She was getting all worked up, and for what? Didn't she come to UA to become a hero, to help her parents? Not to find a boyfriend, so why exactly couldn't she stop crying already?
A light knock was coming from the door, and her eyes immediately flashed to her clock. Was it really this late?
Quickly wiping her tears away, she rolled onto her side facing the wall just before the door opened. It shut shortly after, the person crossing the room and then sliding behind her into the bed. A muscular arm draped over her side, and a hand rested on her flat stomach. Her hold on the blanket tightened, when his form all, but molded into her back. She couldn't stop all the thoughts running through her head. How he was so warm, how his body seemed to fit her's perfectly, how she could feel the curvature of his muscles on her back, and how his hot breath fanned across the crook of her neck.
"You up?" Uraraka heard him ask.
She opened her mouth to reply, but shut it moments later when nothing would come out, she couldn't manage a single syllable. Biting her lip, her eyes began to sting again with tears. Usually he made her feel calm and put her at ease, but now all she could feel is as if her heart was being ripped in half. She sniffled, and Bakugou's hold on her tightened.
"What's with you today?" He asked her much more softly than his usual tone.
Uraraka tried to pull the blanket over her head to hide from him, but he took a hold of her wrist.
"Did something happen?"
She still wouldn't answer, nor look at him. So, Bakugou took her chin in his hand and turned her head towards his line of sight.
"Hey..."
Uraraka studied his crimson eyes, how he actually seemed to be worried about her, but pushed that thought away immediately. She pushed his hand away, facing the wall once again. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"What you're doing, just stop it."
His tone changed back to normal, "What are you talking about?"
Uraraka sat up in her bed, finally looking at him. "You! You're so confusing!"
"Me?! You're the one blubbering, and refusing to tell anyone what's up!"
"No, Bakugou. I'm saying that it's you."
"What the hell did I do?!"
She casted her eyes downward, staring at her covered legs in the moonlight, a saddened expression on her features. "You've been coming here every night, and I just don't understand it. At first I did get it, you were having a tough time, but you haven't seemed to be having any nightmares for a long time now, but still you continue to sleep here. Why do you do that?"
"If it bothers you so much, then i'll stop coming," Bakugou was angry, but he also sounded slightly hurt? He began to get up from the bed, but Uraraka latched onto his hand.
"But you see, that's the thing. It doesn't bother me..."
She gave his hand a squeeze before releasing it. "I... I-I actually like when you're with me. I think I like it a little too much..." A fierce blush crept onto Uraraka's cheeks as she began to confess. "I enjoy your company. I like it when you're next to me. I like when you tell me about your day, and how you listen to me when I tell you about mine. I like how you seem to have a different air about you when we're alone. I like how safe I feel in your arms at night. I like how soft your expression looks when you sleep. I like how happy I am when you're around, but most importantly I think I just like you in general. I...I think i've fallen for you, Bakugou..."
Her heart was hammering loudly in her chest, and she was embarrassed at what she had just said. But she needed to have her feelings known. This wasn't like how when she had a crush on Deku, her heart yearned for Bakugou even more. Even though she knew this was only going to end in heartbreak, it still felt good to lay all her cards out on the table. Once he rejected her, she would be able to close this chapter and move on with her life.
"Idiot."
Uraraka stiffened at his name calling. She steeled herself expecting much worse to follow.
"Wasn't it obvious enough that I've fallen for you too?"
With wide eyes, her head snapped up to look at him so fast she swore she gave herself whiplash. "W-What?"
Bakugou sighed, ruffling his spiky hair. "I ain't good with words so much, especially with shit like this. But I figured my actions made it clear, guess not."
"So, wait... all this time, you liked me too?"
"I'm not saying it again," Bakugou told her firmly. He put a finger under her chin, lifting it upwards, "But I can show you."
Uraraka's chocolate orbs widened when he leaned down and connected his lips with hers. Once her initial shock was over, she closed her eyes and reciprocated their first kiss. His lips were soft and he was gentler than what she expected him to be. A tingling warmth spread throughout her body, and she felt as if she was on cloud nine. Disappointment coursed through her when he pulled away, not wanting it to end so soon.
Her eyes fluttered open, looking up at his smug face. "So yeah, Pink cheeks, I'm pretty sure I've got a thing for you."
All Uraraka could do was stare back at him wordlessly, making Bakugou shift uncomfortably, a light hue of pink adorning his cheeks.
"Don't just sit there, say something."
"Can we do that again?" She asked shyly.
Bakugou smirked before leaning back down and pressing their lips together once more.