There is an intensity in her touch that he is trying very hard to ignore in that moment – seriousness is clear but she's doing a very good job at making it seem more like a joke that anything else. He wants to say something about it but she's clearly done with the conversation after she settles back into her own space and leaves him only with a sly grin.
"So, let me ask you this…" He begins this with enough confidence in his voice but it tapers off for a moment because he honestly doesn't know which question he wants to ask her first. Why did she agree to come meet him? What was it that made her so confident and assure in herself? Was she really a thief and if so why was she telling him? He eventually decides on something safer because a little voice in the back of his mind lets him know that she definitely wasn't going to allow him to know that much in such a short time.
They had only first met, after all and he was sure that he could chalk all this up to flirting anyway. "What made you decide to become a stripper?" The delivery of the question is free of the other thoughts that are swirling around in his head and he can't help but notice the amusement that sparks in those eyes that have been practically looking through him all evening. He can't help but think that this isn't the first time she's received such a question but the way she carefully allows herself to lean against the bartop gives him the idea that she doesn't mind giving away this much. "I like money and I don't like to get into trouble….so what's safer and more legal than taking your clothes off for money? You're not tricking anyone and they know exactly what they are getting when they sit at the edge of my stage….no one can say I give more or less than what's there."
It's a practiced speech; he can tell that much because of the way the fall between her glossy and irresistible tiers like it's not the first time she's given the exact same answer. There is something else there though and he can feel it, almost beckoning him to ask his more prying questions but it doesn't seem like a safe route. Instead he offers her laughter in place of further questions, shaking his head and tilting the edge of his glass in her direction. "Fair enough…I can't argue with that." The burning of liquid fills his chest again as he downs the rest of the liquid that had been sitting on the bottom of his glass and almost slams it down onto the counter top.
"Let me ask you a question in return." She begins without skipping a beat, those soft orbs still focused on his face as if he were the most interesting person in this entire bar. Perhaps if he were someone else he would be self-conscious at the amount of attention she was giving him but his is Bakugo Katsuki and he isn't someone who shies away from a little attention…no matter how attractive the girl that was giving it to him. Though there is something about her that keeps him drawn in and wanting to answer her questions – they aren't intrusive, mostly normal when you're getting to know one another, but the idea that there is something more that she wants won't go away.
He doesn't know what it is but his intuition has never been wrong before and he wants to ride it out.
That's why he nods his head and gestures for the petite female at his side to continue, sparing a glance to the bartender who was mostly ignoring them aside from giving his company an occasional look that made a knowing smile play on her lips. Did she know him? Did he know her? Or was it just a mutual amusement at his otherwise aggressive personality?
"What do you think about the burglary case?" It's outright and a little bit of surprise plays across his face – Kirishima must have told her that they had been assigned to the series of high profile burglaries across the metropolitan area, that's the only way she could know about it but still it was a little odd for her to ask like this. "I didn't know you were aware that I was on that case." It's a little uncomfortable the way he answers her, the tips of his fingers tapping steadily against his thigh as if giving himself something to do so that his mind can stay focused despite the amount of alcohol he had consumed.
"Oh…I didn't know they had assigned it to you, actually." She carefully throws that into the ring as she offers a soft smile, disarming him with a relative ease. "I know the case has been really big in the media for a while and I figured since you were new to the force it would be interesting to get your take on it." The rise and fall of his shoulders causes his eyes to fall away from the roundness of her face and to them instead. He supposes that it's an innocent thought process, all of his sudden suspicion having dispersed as easily as it had come on and he nods his head in return. "I can understand that….honesty I haven't really read much into it since I don't really have television right now…"
Is it embarrassing to say that to someone? His apartment was pretty bare, only the necessities littering his box filled apartment because he didn't feel like unpacking quite yet…though he is curious to what she thinks about it. She had been here for years, right? So the hot button case must be some interest to her. Especially if she is asking him about it and he knows that the glamour of crime can be hazy to some people but really all it was to him was a pain in the ass and he didn't mind letting people know about it. "I'm interested though…what do you think about it? This is the biggest crime in a decade, right? What's your stance as a citizen?" Maybe someone else's insight can help him try and solve this crime as fast as possible…he still had to prove himself to the others because all they know about him is that his partner died and he had a bit of a mental breakdown because of it.
"Mm…I think it's really interesting, honestly." She hasn't touched her drink in the last twenty minutes of their conversation and now she's resting her cheek against her fist, giving her a casual air. "I mean, like you said, it's the biggest crime in a decade right? We know that they have a couple suspects in mind but the police have been dropping the ball on it otherwise…they can't prove that any of the people they have in mind are the ones who are doing it but they aren't letting the suspects go either?" All of what she says is public knowledge he assumes, not really having talked to anyone else that wasn't on the force about it, yet she seems almost as if it's a personal thing.
"I know Kirishima.." She begins, pursing her lips as if deciding what to say to him is appropriate, before letting herself relax a little bit more. "…was telling me that they know who it was but she's just so slippery it's impossible to get anything out of her…" The tip of her tongue carefully flicks out against her bottom lip before she continues on. "…I know the media was deadest that it was a guy but I think it's kind of interesting that it's not….I mean you don't see many women in such a big spotlight and the fact that she's giving them the run around is also kind of interesting to me…I mean what kind of woman can keep the police on their toes for such a long time? Besides…I heard she also has some connections to the Phoniex Tear's …they say that their leader was her ex boyfriend and that he has a hit on her because the latest thing that she stole was his…"
The way she trails off gives him a small opportunity to process her words – the idea that this thief was being pursued on more than one side was an interesting through process but he hadn't read the file so he didn't really know much about it…but her words were kind of like a red flag. Didn't she say that she was a thief earlier? What were the chances that she was the person he was looking for?
He does feel a little ridiculous that he immediately assumes the worst about this girl that he had set him up with; trying to swallow down the idea that she was a thief. She told him she was a stripper and he believed her and just chalked up her knowledge to being so close to Kirishima…he had said that they were childhood friends after all.
"Are you okay Bakugo?" Her voice pierces through his thoughts and he looks away from his thigh and to her with a little nod. "Sorry…I was thinking." It's a shitty apology but he doesn't care about it…the alcohol is obviously affecting his processing skills for him to even think someone like her could be a danger to him. "Sorry…is what I said weird? Kirishima just told me a lot about the case so I feel really interested in all of it is all…kind of like I want this girl to get caught just so our town can go back to normal." Her smile is sheepish, her fingers nervously picking at the edge of her skirt as if she's embarrassed that she had told him so much. It's definitely a cuter side to her and while he couldn't feel the smile at the edges of his lips he knew that is exactly what he was doing to her in that moment.
"It's okay Mina….it comes with the territory right? I mean you guys have been friends forever from what he told me." He wants to assure her that it's fine and she nods her head enthusiastically to him. "He is my best friend…so I want to see you guys both succeed." It's an honest sounding statement and he can understand her stance on it but before he can say anything else to her she suddenly stands to her feet, checking her phone and giving a little groan. "I'm so sorry….it's late and I have to get home…"
He wonders if she feels regretful that she has to leave so suddenly because he surely does – perhaps that's why his smile falls off and his expression becomes more natural. "I really had a lot of fun getting to know you Bakugo Katsuki…." She's reaching to place her hands against his again and he can't help but get caught up in how beautiful she is again, even as she is apologizing to him. "Same…." He answers her in assurance, gripping her fingers for a moment before he goes to reach for his phone. "Can I have your number?"
There is a surprise at her face that is cut by the sudden appearance of a blush on the apples of his cheeks before he's furrowing his eyebrows "Only because I want to make sure if I want to text you again." He immediately growls this because he's very embarrassed by the look she had given him but in the time that it takes him to look away from her, he feels the softness of her lips against his cheek and his surprise is palpable in the way he whips his head back up and sees her prancing away, turning only to give him a wink. "I'm going to come see you tomorrow at the precinct; I'll give you my number there."
And like the wind she had disappeared and he was left sitting there, wondering if she was real at all.
Four alarms, two trains, and a spilt coffee on the ground in front of him later and Bakugo is finally entering his office with more than a few choice words for anyone who had dared to look at him. He's hungover and irritated by the populace and ready to lash out at anyone who comes at him in the wrong way.
That doesn't stop his new partner and friend, Kirishima , from bounding into his office with an ouverage of innate joy and happiness despite the early hour. "I was wondering how long it would take you to get here!" He says cheerfully, ignoring the death glare that Bakugo is leveraging at him the moment he appears with that stupidly spiky red hair. "It's too early…go away before I kill you." He warns, laughter spilling from his friend as he throws himself into the chair that is directly across from him.
"You're so cute when you're angry, you know that?" He teases him without fear for the threat that Bakguo go had leveled at him, much to his annoyance. "What the fuck do you want?" He eventually gets out, rubbing his temples as the headache pounds behind his eyes . He really needs both his headache and his partner to go away until he is presentable to the public but it doesn't seem that he is going to get what he wants at all today.
In fact, he's sure that the other is there just so he can hear about how the blind date went between him and his friend. "I just wanted to talk to you before we got busy today…you have to interview Uraraka Ochako later and she's a fucking handful, trust me." He doesn't grimace but merely shrugs his shoulders because according to Kirishima, this girl loved to torment all of the officers and since he was new he was like a brand new and shiny toy. It wasn't going to be easy but Bakugo had seen and dealt with tougher people than one little girl who liked to steal stuff.
"You've told me before." He says between his teeth, the rubbing of his head is doing nothing to help the headache but he has to do something so he doesn't strangle someone instead. "Anyway…are you here to talk about that Mina girl?" He wants to cut to the chase and the stupid grin on his friends face is what tells him that he is exactly right, a groan leaving his lips as Kirishima leans forward. "Exactly…I wanted to apologize to you that she didn't show up….she said she had to stay late at work and her phone died so she couldn't text you…but she wants to meet you tonight if you're up for it."
"Yes…yes…it went great and I –" he stops suddenly, eyes flying open and looking to his friend with confusion written all over his expression. "What do you mean? We met up last night at the bar like you said…" He trails off because the confusion is mirrored on the other male's face, red strands moving as he shakes his head at him and gives Bakugo a more concerned look. "No…she never showed up…that's what she told me." He offers as he immediately reaches for his phone, scrolling through it for a moment before giving it up to Bakugo to look.
Crimson orbs flicker over the messages and then he suddenly looks up at his friend with more than a little bit of disturbance over his features. "I met some girl last night who claimed to be Mina Ashido….who was I talking to?" He wonders with furrowed brows, his words only cut off when he hears the sound of a knock on his door and the opening of it to reveal a police officer who was standing there a little nervously at the look of anger on Bakugo's face.
"U-Um….Uraraka Ochako is here to speak with you Sir…" The male says before the familiar figure of a girl steps out from behind him, a cheeky smile on those red lips that he had found irresistible the night before, causing his heart to lurch and his eyes to widen a little bit with a mixture of shock and surprise.
"I told you I would see you today…didn't I, Bakugo Katsuki."