Midoriya fidgeted beside himself as he watched Uraraka accommodate the last two customers in her line. The day always passed so quickly for him when he trained, even more so when All Might was involved. One minute he was panting and hauling heavy trash to and fro, running his aching feet through the blistering sands, and the next, he was staring up at the cardinal sky, screaming and panicking over the 4:30 P.M. reading that glowed from his digital wristwatch. Luckily, the sprint from the beach to this particular bakery wasn't too bad compared to the rigorous warm-ups All Might put him through. But now, his grey shirt stuck to his sweaty torso and his black mesh shorts still had sandy residue on them so he hadn't yet summoned the nerve to go inside the shop to greet Uraraka and was instead lurking outside like a button-eyed stalker and unknowingly putting off would-be customers from heading inside.

"Thank you and have a good evening!" he could hear her sprightly tone drift from within, "We look forward to your next visit!"

'She's so cute…' The thought colored his cheeks until he saw a stout older woman walk out from the back and talk to Uraraka. It looked like a pleasant conversation from where he was standing. Anxiousness playing on his nerves, he waited, waited, and waited… 'Oh! She's taking off her apron! Her shift's done!' Heart pounding madly against his chest, he backpedaled from the glass door and hid a small but vibrant bouquet of sunflowers behind his back.

"Why the hell would you get sunflowers? It's supposed to be a casual bump-in, you moron!"

The bakery door jingled open as Uraraka stepped outside and waved to her manager, "Thank you! Good luck with everything!" She had a bag full of baked extras in her hand again and just as she was about to eagerly open it to take the first treat, she almost dropped everything in one beat of her step. "Deku?!"

Midoriya felt a deep crack run through his stony body. "Y-y-ye-yes!" he affirmed with a squeak, "It's me!"

Uraraka hid her work uniform under the light jacket she wore, suddenly conscious about her appearance. "What…wh-what are you doing here?!" she squeaked back. She would have been lying if she said she wasn't expecting to bump into a certain other someone that occasionally dropped by her work whenever he felt like it.

"You'd better not tell anyone— especially her— that I'm part of your little pity mission or I swear, I'm going to fuck you up so bad you'll wish you were dead."

"I, err, heard from uh…" Midoriya continued to stutter then blurted the one safe name that came to mind, hoping it would save him— "Tsuyu!" Time stilled, his breath stilled, and the streets fell to a hush as he awaited her answer.

To his relief, Uraraka revealed a smile and replied, "Ah, is that so? Of course, that makes sense!"

'Phew, that was close!' Midoriya mentally gave himself a pat on the back. 'Okay, now uh, what did Kacchan say… Oh! Right! Her favorite café to stop by at after her shifts! I've got to make it seem coincidental though so she doesn't get suspicious. Now, if I can just remember where it was-'

"So was there something you wanted to buy from the bakery?" Uraraka unintentionally fuddled his thoughts.

'Gaaaah! She's on to me! Okay, Izuku, don't panic. You've got this. Just stay calm and remember what Kacchan told you.' Midoriya recalled the bouquet he had behind him and gingerly brought it to the front, catching Uraraka by surprise. "I, um, I'm actually here…t-to see you, Uraraka." His cheeks instantly turned hot and he felt all sorts of dizzy as his brain screamed, 'Gaaaaah! I can't believe I just said that so boldly!'

Eyes wide with disbelief, Uraraka shyly accepted the bouquet and uttered, "Wow, Deku, thank you! This is so nice of you…" While expressing her appreciation on the outside, her internal monologue flew into a frenzy of, 'Oh my god, is this it? Is he finally going to tell me his answer? Oh gosh, I had no idea I was this unprepared for it! What do I do? What do I do?!'

"S-so you must be, uh, tired after your shift just now, right?" Midoriya stammered.

Uraraka hid behind the flowers. "...A-actually, I'm feeling pretty oka-"

"Great! Let's walk over in that inconspicuous direction!" Midoriya exclaimed and pointed down the street where he assumed the café to be. "There must be plenty of places to relax at. Maybe something like oh, I don't know, a café of some sort?" He began to lead the way.

"Ah, wait, Deku!" Uraraka hurried after him, "That street isn't-"

Midoriya would have continued to approach the next corner if it weren't for a trash bin suddenly flying out from the alleyway he just passed and landing in front of him, stopping him dead in his tracks. "Eeeeek!" he held his cry.

"Eeeeek!" Uraraka let out hers, "What was that?! Are you okay, Deku?!"

"I-I-I do-don't know!" Midoriya glanced at the empty shadows beside him. 'My imagination?'

"A-a cat must have jumped off and knocked the trash down," Uraraka surmised, "That really shocked me."

Midoriya gave an uncertain nod. "M-maybe..."

"Anyway…" Uraraka nervously beckoned him back, "If you want to go relax at a café, there's this really good one I know that's just up the street. The other way."

'Oh.' Midoriya quickly turned himself around and scuttled to the direction Uraraka was pointing to. "Lead the way then!"

Uraraka hovered a hand over her lips and laughed, "Alright."

As soon as the two were off and along, a hooded figure stepped out from the alleyway, his ash-blonde bangs peeking out from under the red cap he wore with his disguise. Matching red eyes burned ferociously behind his dark-grey shades as he kicked the trash bin back to its rightful position. "He's an idiot alright," he muttered to himself, "Can't even follow simple directions to one goddamn building."

.

.

.

.

Earlier that day…

Alone in the commons after having just finished his morning jog, Midoriya listlessly stirred his tepid cup of green tea.

"Though I'm not sure what kind of relationship you two have, it sat better with me to tell you that I want to pursue Uraraka fairly. Especially since I know I can give her what she deserves and so much more. If she ever wants it, that is. Eh-heh… Sorry, I'm being super cheesy right now, aren't I?"

Kirishima's words struck a heavy thump against Midoriya's chest. "Uraraka and I…" He bit his lip. It wasn't like he forgot about what transpired between them before they entered their third year. He said he'd give her an answer when he got back... So what had he been doing this whole time?

"I plan on asking her out so please, Midoriya, I don't want you to think badly of me."

"How can I think anything like that about you, Kirishima?" he muttered to the empty room, "You already knew what you wanted to do and decided to follow it through with confidence. Compared to you, I'm…well, I'm…"

...

All Might and Bakugou always pointed this out about him— how he doubted himself too much when it came to the simplest things, to the point of almost stunting One for All's growth. He hadn't even realized he could hit near forty percent of his power by the time their second year rolled around, keeping to his conservative ways of fighting until Bakugou forced him out of it during a triple entente spar at the Todoroki dojo last summer break. The end result was a bloody hurricane, most having come from Bakugou's torn lip, arms, and abdomen, but the explosive quirk wielder smirked with wide, reddened teeth and jeered, "That all you've got, Deku? Quit throwing around pussy-ass kicks and come at me, full power or nothing!"

That was when Todoroki threw a blanket of ice over him, successfully pinning him to the ground, and sighed, "Cool it, Bakugou. I don't plan on spending the whole afternoon cleaning up your bloodstains from the floor." He motioned their house nurse over.

"You cool it, hot-and-cold freak!" Bakugou let out a beastly snarl, frightening the poor young nurse who was about to tend to his wounds. "I'm not done yet! Let me go! Arrrgggh!" He flailed uselessly as the nurse proceeded to dab his cuts with cottoned alcohol. "That stings, damn it!"

Kirishima gulped down an entire bottle of ice-cold water and wiped a towel over his damp brow. "Bakugou's in rage mode again, huh?" he laughed, "Keep your guard up, Midoriya! He gets inexplicably jumpy in this mode."

"You're not joining in, Kirishima?" Todoroki asked.

"Next round," Kirishima replied, taking a seat on the floor. "I'm still sore from the last beating you gave me."

"Arrrgghh, let go I said!" Bakugou howled, only managing to lightly crack the thick layers of ice that held him as the now irritated nurse smacked a bandage over his lip and soaked his stomach with the rest of the alcohol. "Stop that! I don't need that shit! Argh, ow! Fuck!"

Midoriya's hands shook. "Ye-yeah…" he mumbled back to Kirishima, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thanks."

...

Sighing, Midoriya drank down the rest of his tea. 'I was ready, too. I could feel my limit breaking and wanted to see what I could do beyond that. Now I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Todoroki hadn't stopped us-' He guiltily swallowed the remaining bitterness that hung at the back of his tongue. 'Right. I was on a different train of thought there.' He lowered his cup to the wood-pressed table. 'Uraraka; I like talking with her and spending time with her and I think she's fun and really pretty and nice. She was also my first actual friend at U.A. and practically saved my life in the entrance exam…'

Kirishima's confident smile flashed in his mind then Bakugou's sulking frown right after. And just as quickly as they came, both phantoms faded away. 'Compared to Kirishima, I'm a big pile of social nothing. Plus Kacchan-' His brain froze. 'Wait, why did I suddenly think of him?' Like being put on fast rewind, he thought back to the various times he saw Bakugou and Uraraka together— to their effortless engagements in casual talk, their greetings in the hallway that Bakugou always either ignored or scoffed at while Uraraka teased him until he responded, down to their flawless teamwork in their two-on-one fight against the famed and nimble Eraserhead. 'Just how close have those two gotten?' First, he frowned but then quietly laughed at his own musings. 'Knowing Kacchan for as long as I have, I'm sure he doesn't think of what they're doing as anything more than camaraderie. Anyway, I really shouldn't be concerned with him since Kirishima's the one who-' His eyes widened. 'No, wait, that's it! Kacchan!'

As if on cue, Bakugou leisurely stalked into the commons, his hair and neck adorned with fresh dew that took eager turns departing from his person. A small grin played on his lips as he took the towel that hung over his shoulder and ran it over his face and limp spikes. 'Nothing like a cold shower after an intense workout and it's not even eight yet. No distractions, no class, all of my assignments are done… Today's going to be productive!' The rare self-merriment he built up immediately collapsed when he opened his eyes to find Midoriya gawking at him. "You…!" he croaked, dropping his towel.

"Ka-K-Kacchan!" For once in their fine-line ambiguous relationship, Midoriya felt like leaping with joy at Bakugou's arrival. 'What are the odds he'd stumble right in just when I happened on that epiphany?' He happily gestured an open palm towards the opposite end of the couch he left unoccupied. "Come here!"

"What?!"

"I actually… I need to talk to you about something. Something important. Please? You know I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

Bakugou shivered. He still wasn't used to conversing on equal grounds with the boy he used to regularly torment in their earlier years, much less enter an intimate topic as Midoriya's timid tone suggested. Reluctantly, he picked up his towel, dragged himself to the couch, and sat as far from Midoriya as physically possible, rigid as a plank. Then he waited, glaring at the grey television screen.

Midoriya unclogged his throat with another dose of green tea. "So, um, Kirishima…he…he, err- That is, he um… Hey! D-did you know that-"

"Damn it, Deku, just spit it out!" Bakugou angrily snorted.

"Right! Sorry. He, uh, he told me…something interesting th-the other…day."

"Interesting how?" Bakugou didn't care to hide his impatience. "And why are you telling me about it if it's between you and him?"

"Because you're the closest person to Uraraka right now," Midoriya reasoned with a face that made clear to Bakugou how much he didn't want to admit that. Scarred hands hid his freckles as they ran a pink trail up to his ears.

Like a spider trailing along its intricately woven web, long black legs of unease crawled up Bakugou's arms and buried their shuddersome claws into his face and neck as he listened to the words—

"...Kirishima told me…that he…he likes Uraraka."

The deafening pressure was back with a force pressing into his eardrums similar to the painful pop before an atomic explosion. "He what?!" Bakugou howled and shot off the couch.

Midoriya could only flinch, not having expected such a vehement reaction. "He confessed his feelings," he spoke more clearly this time, "And said that he's serious about asking her out."

Bakugou pinched the growing wrinkles between his eyebrows. 'Kirishima, you idiot…' The only initial 'concern' he had when he and Uraraka made their deal was Midoriya, which he didn't mind too much since he felt the nerd deserved it for making her wait for him in the manner that he did. Now that a new person was thrown into the equation he had been so carefully devising, he felt ambushed, like fending off an attempted assassination on his sanity. To make things worse, it had to be Kirishima of all people.

He caught himself in Midoriya's wide, stupefied eyes and immediately reverted to a passive stance. "Hmph! And so what?"

"I-I…"

"Grow a pair and speak up! You know I hate it when you mumble!"

"Ye-Yes! Sorry!" Midoriya placed his empty styrofoam cup on the table. "Well, to be honest, Uraraka confessed to me before I left on my mission. Because of the timing, I couldn't really think about my own feelings so I asked her to wait for me until I got back so I could give her a proper answer. Now that I think about it, that was actually pretty selfish of me."

"You don't say," Bakugou grumbled just low enough for Midoriya to miss it.

"And I know it's wrong of me to think this, but I'm pretty lucky that she hasn't gotten with another guy just yet, as pretty and cool as she is. I mean, I'll admit that when I first saw how you two acted around each other, I thought there was something going on between you but then I remembered, 'Nah, it's Kacchan' and realized how silly my thoughts were. Based on the girls you've dated in the past, there's no way Uraraka could be your type."

Bakugou clawed the outside of his pockets, fingernails digging deeper into his thigh at every mistaken assumption that fell from Midoriya's mouth.

Midoriya looked up at him for a telling reaction but upon seeing a straight expression, sighed, "I…I feel the same way as Kirishima and…I feel so awful about it because he's my friend! But at the same time, I don't want to just stand by and do nothing when I know he's after Uraraka so I…don't know what to do."

"So you come to me with your little love problems," Bakugou forced the words through his teeth, "Why the hell would I be at the top of your list for that shit?!"

"You're kind of the bridge between the two s-so…" Midoriya swallowed.

And Bakugou immediately snapped back, "Like hell I am!"

"But I'm not asking you to do anything for me or to favor me over Kirishima because I know that will never happen!" Midoriya leaped to his feet. "I'm conveying all this to you because I want to say, 'I'm sorry.' I'm sorry, Kacchan!"

Bakugou's jaw just about dropped as he muttered, "You're…apologizing?"

Midoriya bent to a mid-level bow. "I know both Kirishima and Uraraka are important to you-"

"You're making me fucking sick," Bakugou bitterly spat, fighting the urge to grab the aching center of his chest. "I don't depend on those two for anything so save your stupid apologies for someone who cares. Anyway, what are you going to do about it now? Your 'resolve.'"

Midoriya straightened himself up and twiddled his index fingers. "I, uh, I'm not quite sure if I should but I'd like to, err, finally give Uraraka my answer."

"Whoop-dee-fucking-doo," Bakugou mocked, "Looks like you came to that conclusion just fine on your own. There go ten minutes of my life I'll never get back." He turned to take his leave but was stopped when Midoriya let out another sigh, catching his annoyance. "Damn it! What now?"

"But Kacchan, do you…" Midoriya looked down at his hands. "Do you think I'm good enough? For her?"

'No! You suck!' Bakugou almost blurted but swallowed the words down. "You're questioning yourself now?"

"I can't help but wonder if Kirishima would be better for Uraraka," said Midoriya, "He's strong, confident, bold, dependable and I'm…well, me. If he's better for her, I don't want to be selfish again and try to keep her with me when she could have such a better life with someone else."

Every word stabbed and tore relentlessly at Bakugou but his eyes and lips remained steady, as though they'd been chiseled into stone. "You really think that, huh?"

Midoriya nodded. "I-in a sense, yeah."

"Then you're a fucking idiot who doesn't deserve anybody."

"W-w-wait, what?"

"If you want Uraraka as badly as you claim to then you shouldn't let your impression of one guy stop you," Bakugou strangled his towel as he spoke, "She likes you, doesn't she? And unlike you, she had the balls to say it to your face. So to ignore that just because you think she'd be better off with someone else who you feel is so much better than you, you're no better than a clueless, selfish asshole who doesn't deserve to be with her!"

Midoriya raised his shimmering green eyes to him. "Kacchan…" To think that Bakugou was actually, in a way, encouraging him to surpass Kirishima felt so surreal that he had to pinch himself in the arm to make sure he hadn't fainted mid-conversation and landed in his inner delirium. "How should I go about it then?" he asked.

"I don't fucking know," Bakugou scoffed, "That's your problem, not mine."

"But-" Midoriya started to protest but was cut off by a loud vibration in his pocket. Frowning, he pulled out his phone and, after reading whatever message he received, gasped, "Gah! I totally forgot about this!" He hastily jammed his phone back into his pocket. "Sorry to leave like this, Kacchan, but I've gotta go."

Bakugou's grimace darkened as he lifted his nose into the air. "All Might."

Midoriya then took his jacket and threw his cup into the trash bin. "Yep!" he confirmed, "We were supposed to cover endurance training at the beach today and it completely slipped my mind! How could I have- Geez, I'm so late. No, no, no…"

Bakugou gritted his teeth. The cauldron of jealousy he kept locked away was beginning to boil and brew again, reminding him of the horrendous costs that awaited if he allowed even the smallest distractions deter him from his goals. As a third-year student at U.A. with a work-study internship under another top pro and being a potential selection for Valedictorian along with Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, and Iida in that order, that price was something he couldn't afford. At all.

"...Uraraka gets off work at five today," Bakugou's voice sank.

Midoriya's ears perked up in the midst of his panicked rummaging for his things. "What?"

"The dinky little mom and pop bakery in the middle of town, near the park. She'll be there." Bakugou hung his towel back over his shoulder and shot Midoriya a cold and purposeful glare. "She likes having company on her walk back to U.A. and occasionally stopping by the brick toast café on the way. Chilled raspberry soda. Caramel-cinnamon brick toast. They're her de-stressors." He thought over what he had just said and quickly barked, "You'd better not tell anyone— especially her— that I'm part of your little pity mission or I swear, I'm going to fuck you up so bad you'll wish you were dead."

Midoriya's look of apprehension melted into sincere content as he realized what those words meant. "Thanks, Kacchan." Another vibration from his phone sent his nerves up the roof and his body out the door with a high-pitched, "Bye!"

After the door clicked shut, Bakugou finally let out the huge gulp of breath he had been holding in. It was as though he had just survived a ballista storm, hardly unscathed.

Every word he used was a burning arrow to his flesh as he was fully aware that it wasn't Midoriya he was speaking to the whole time but a refracted image of himself. It pained him to look into the emerald-tinted glass that always stood in front of him and find that reflection sneering back, too proud of the sins he had committed. And the only way to break that part of his conscience was to confront it head-on. "What the hell…" he groaned while furiously rubbing a hand over his face. "Now Midoriya is off training with All Might."

Just. Midoriya.

"That's right, nerd," he suddenly smirked, "I'll play along. If it means getting one over you."

.

.

.

.

Bakugou had taken it upon himself to follow up on Midoriya's progress, be it he did so with great abhorrence, after a sinking feeling nagged him that the awkward weirdo wouldn't have the guts to follow through with the meet-up. Well, he was half right. Midoriya at least arrived at the right bakery and on time. What irked Bakugou the most from there on was Midoriya's reluctance to enter the shop followed by his natural ineptitude in casual human conversation and memory-driven navigation. "Fucking Deku…" he grumbled on as he followed them to the café. Somehow, his plan worked out in that Uraraka had now taken control of this 'date' but that didn't please him one bit. In fact, it just made him angrier.

He entered with them undetected as talking to the hostess automatically steered their attention from him. He was then seated a couple of minutes after them and, of all places, in the booth beside theirs with only a faux hedge serving as their divider. Whether this was considered luck or a curse, it didn't matter. He'd eavesdrop on them all the same.

"Sorry, Deku," Uraraka shortly excused herself from the table, "I have to freshen up really quick. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all!" said Midoriya, "I'll hold down the fort here. I'm pretty sure I can handle a little menu and some drinks…" He waited until Uraraka left to peek into his menu's contents and gulped, "What's with these weird names?"

Bakugou angrily bit the laminated corner of his own menu. 'Come on! I already told you what to order!'

Midoriya flipped through the rest of the pages until he came to the hard plastic backing of the booklet. 'Kacchan said she liked some kind of brick bread and raspberry soda combination, right? Darn, which one was it again?' He closed his eyes to try and visualize the events of a few hours ago but Bakugou's mouth and words were a large blur as thoughts of All Might and beach training overpowered the memory. Yet, somehow, he could remember the threat that followed much better. What was it with his selective memory in times like these?

Their waitress soon approached him and greeted with a high and jolly voice, "Hello and welcome! The weather has been super duper hot today, right? You've come at a fan-tab-ulous time to relax and cool down! Tell me, have you decided on what you'd like to order?"

Midoriya pressed his lips shut. Should he wait for Uraraka to return or order for her? Ordering ahead for her would be the more gentlemanly thing to do, wouldn't it? Chivalry 101. The bright and expectant look the waitress was giving him didn't help his anxiety at all either.

"Wait for her, you fucker," Bakugou hissed behind his menu, "If you're not sure then you'd better-"

"Uh, ye-yes, we have," Midoriya happily nodded, oblivious to the loud bang that came from the hidden booth next to theirs. "We'd like to try your…" He read over the selection of colorful food items and picked out the ones that best interested him, "Raspberry soda, pitcher-sized, with um, your signature honey-garlic brick bread. Oh! And a large-sized 'Full Dog,' please!"

"My pleasure! I'll be right back with your order." The waitress took their menus and left.

Midoriya licked his lips at the imaginary taste of raspberry and hotdog swirling in his mouth. He hadn't eaten since training with All Might that day and his stomach was more than ready for a hefty meal. He straightened up upon Uraraka's return and grinned, "Welcome back!"

Uraraka smiled at him and sat in her seat. "Thanks. Did you order already?"

"Sure did!"

"Great! I would have felt bad if you had to wait for me and ended up starv-" Uraraka reached for her menu but grasped only air. She looked down to find that all that sat on her table was a plate and utensils. "Um, Deku, where are the menus?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Midoriya proudly remarked, "I ordered for us so the food is already on its way."

Uraraka blinked dumbfoundedly. "O-oh?" she did her best to not sound too surprised, "You already knew what I wanted?"

Midoriya thought back to the word Kirishima used for good guessing and repeated, "Instinct."

Waiting for their order felt like an eternity compared to Bakugou's whose only consisted of a small cup of black coffee and a modest slice of tiramisu to reserve his stakeout spot next to them. When their order finally did arrive, he felt like grabbing Midoriya's poofy head and blasting it to Timbuktu.

Someone had better explain to him, now, why of all the things Midoriya ordered only one came out right for the occasion and it was just the fucking raspberry drink.

Uraraka stared at the honey-garlic bread in front of her, unsure of what 'happy' face to make at the pungent snack. It wasn't that she minded garlic but it just wasn't the perfect remedy for her after-work mood that the sweet combination of caramel and cinnamon better appeased. Nonetheless, she remembered that Midoriya ordered it keeping her in mind and put on her best smile as she took the first bite.

"How is it?" Midoriya asked her, "It's good, huh? It's one of their best selling items." His single chomp took off almost half of his hotdog, spilling some of the loose relish and onions onto his plate. His pace must have left him parched because he reached out for the cold pitcher of raspberry soda and poured the bright red fizzy liquid into one of the ice cups that sat between them.

Uraraka blushed, thinking he meant to serve it to her, and reached an open hand for her favorite drink only for him to raise the plastic cup to his lips and proceed to gulp the soda down. Her already uncertain smile vanished altogether as her fingers folded and retreated to the pitcher.

Midoriya happily finished his drink and took another bite of his hotdog. "Man, that really hit the spot!" he exhaled, "Raspberry soda has always been my favorite since I was a kid, too. Oh! N-not that I'm assuming you like… I just thought- Um, do you like raspberry flavor, Uraraka?"

Uraraka continued to pour into her cup with disinterest. "Yeah, it's great," she sighed. 'He always poured the drink in for me,' she remembered fondly, 'Maybe I just got a bit spoiled in the last f-' She realized the detriment in her thoughts and dropped the plastic pitcher, spilling raspberry soda all over the table and floor. "Oh no! I-I'm so sorry!"

Bakugou had to refrain from flying over to their booth, only able to watch with disdain as the fruity drink made its way to his side, staining the white soles of his sneakers a brilliant pink. 'Shit!' To make matters worse, Uraraka popped her head over the pathetic hedge that separated them and asked, "Sorry about that, sir! I was being clumsy. Are you alright? I didn't get my drink on your clothes, did I?"

He pulled his cap down and looked away as he spoke in a forced gravelly voice, "I'm fine." He could still see her reflection on the dark screen of his phone, squinting suspiciously at his appearance. Surely, she hadn't…?

"Uraraka, the waitress is here," Midoriya called her back.

To Bakugou's relief, Uraraka turned her gaze elsewhere and vanished behind the hedge again, presumably to clean up the mess she made. That was too close for comfort, prompting him to leave a wad of cash for his estimated bill on the table and exit the premises. Whatever happened from there on wouldn't be any of his concern anymore.

By his standards, Midoriya had already fucked up.

.

.

.

.

Scrubbing the grime and leaves from his shoes was no easy task, Bakugou found, when sitting on his the edge of his bed with one leg over his knee to support his tired elbows while he repeatedly ran an old, bristly brush over the soles of said shoes. His parents always told him that it was better to rid one's clothes of its defects the very moment they happened but what was he supposed to do in the middle of some gaudy café with the people he was spying on beside him? "Damn it," he huffed and scrubbed harder. "I just bought these, too!"

Uraraka's disheartened stare from earlier came back to him, bringing his hand to a stop. 'What the hell… Why am I thinking about that now?'

Her wish from their first night echoed in the back of his mind, "...They're fun things to think about— holding hands, hugging, sharing stories…" How she blushed with frustration was still so vivid in his eyes. "I've been waiting for the right time. I mean person! I don't know!"

The image that followed was brief but as brilliant and grand as a fully colored mural— Midoriya and Uraraka standing side by side, hand in hand, suit and dress matching ever so nicely. Midoriya smiling graciously, his lips moving with blissful gusto, while Uraraka, though also smiling, stayed silent. She looked…happy, Bakugou guessed, though not at all unlike the 'blushing bride' facade she put on in the commons the day Midoriya came back.

'Is this a mistake?' The horrific doubt clawed at him but he stubbornly shook it off without remorse.

No. Of course not.

He had to remember what was truly important. "Number one," he uttered his vow, "Number one."

Just then, a soft knock rapped at his door, followed by a gentle, "Bakugou, are you in there?"

Bakugou stopped his seething the instant the voice reached his ears. Carefully, he put his half-finished worked down and ventured off to greet his visitor with a wide swing of his door.

Uraraka jumped, barely saving the two full mugs in her hands by a last-second activation of her quirk. "Kyah!" she gasped and held her chest, "Geez, don't scare me like that!"

"You're the one knocked on my door," Bakugou grouched, "What do you want?"

"You've got a point there," Uraraka giggled and held up the drinks. "Coffee? It's instant but the good kind."

"Hmph." Bakugou stepped to the side to let her in.

"Here you go," said Uraraka, holding out his share. "Careful, it's hot."

"No shit." Bakugou refused to let his scowl go as he grabbed the mug by its side instead of the handle. Yep. It burned. Just like when he touched Uraraka back at the- He quickly snubbed the thought and closed the door behind him.

Uraraka decided to occupy his computer chair. "How is it?"

Bakugou took a sip. "Just like your baking, I'll live."

"I really don't know if that's a compliment or an insult at this point."

"That's just too bad then."

"Bakugou…"

Bakugou hid a grin behind his mug as Uraraka's exasperated whine tickled his belly. There was just something about getting under this girl's skin that enthralled him so. "So again, what do you want?"

"So, um," she began, "Deku and I went on a date today…sort of."

"Good on you," Bakugou groaned sarcastically as he sat back down on the corner of his bed, just across from her.

Uraraka pouted and rolled herself closer to him. "You didn't happen to have anything to do with setting that up by any chance, did you?" she cooed, arching an eyebrow.

"Like hell I would," Bakugou repelled her without effort, "What you two decide to do with yourselves isn't any of my business."

"He ordered certain things for me at a certain café that I thought only you would know I liked, that's all. Must have been a coincidence." Uraraka rubbed a thumb along the rim of her mug before lifting it to her lips for a tentative sip. "I had hoped he would give me his answer by then but…"

"Don't tell me." Bakugou downed another sip. "He wussed out?"

"I don't know," Uraraka sighed sadly, "As we were nearing the end of our time at the café, he suddenly got this weird look on his face and went quiet. We still talked on the walk back but he wasn't inputting as much. I don't know what happened. Maybe I turned him off when I accidentally spilled my drink on our table."

Normally, Bakugou would have found it stupid to ask about an event he was present for but having remembered he was there incognito, he quickly questioned, "You spilled your drink?" and hoped Uraraka would be too exasperated to elaborate.

"It's a long story," she replied.

And Bakugou rolled his eyes. 'Thank god.'

Uraraka smiled softly at him then down at her mug again. "Do you think…Deku and I…are good for each other?"

'That's a weird ass question,' Bakugou thought and asked back, "Why are you looking to me for validation?"

"...I don't know." Uraraka could feel her face heating up. "Maybe I'm just nervous? No, frustrated. Upset? I don't know." She couldn't say it, that something didn't feel right.

Bakugou tightened his hold on his mug. "I already told you, didn't I? Get your shit together and make a decision. In case you haven't noticed, it's not just about Deku anymore."

Uraraka's pained but hopeful gaze shifted to him. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind, you're blind as shit." Bakugou could feel her eyes on him but refused to look back. His face would show too much the internal firestorm he kept at bay in her presence and he knew that he had no right revealing such things. This was his reality, to gather the rotten fruits of his decisions which he willingly planted, seed after seed. Would he make amends? Unlikely. He would just mind his distance and keep plucking until all of his trees stood barren on a land engulfed by flames. "So where'd you wander off to this morning?" he veered the topic.

"Hmm…" Uraraka took a turn at sipping her beverage, smiling at the musky aroma that stirred her senses to consciousness. "I got called into work early and besides, I can never sleep back whenever I'm awake enough know you're not on the bed anymore."

Bakugou winced at the guilt that bit him. He was certain Uraraka hadn't meant for what she said to sound as demeaning towards him as it did but it came off that way anyway. For sure she wasn't just another 'hit it and quit it' girl he indulged and left to fend for herself after an overnight frolick. Maybe her persistence in labeling them 'friends' was finally getting to him. "You know I leave early for my workouts," he muttered, revealing more of his aversion than he would have liked.

"Yeah, I know," Uraraka halfheartedly giggled then tilted her head to him. "Is something wrong?"

'Sticking her nose into my business like a damn lost puppy.' Bakugou frowned and took one last swig of his coffee. As usual, Uraraka must have detected the sudden drop in his energy. It annoyed him whenever she did that but at the same time served as a small reminder that he wasn't…alone? If that was even the right word. It was more accurate to say that he felt like someone else other than Kirishima had his back but he knew she wouldn't be there to stay. Not if Midoriya kept to his word.

It only took one glance for Bakugou to know that the same thing sat on both their minds. Actually, it had been there for a while now. "Do I really need to tell you, Uraraka?" he asked.

She hid behind the longer front strands of chestnut hair that fell over her cheeks and shoulders, unwilling to answer him.

Bakugou tried again, "Listen-"

"Bakugou." Uraraka leaned towards him. "Please, don't-"

Bakugou's shoulder jerked lightly at their sudden closeness. With one simple action, Uraraka had effectively trapped him in her doe-eyed gaze and he was, dare he think it, terrified to learn that he had absolutely no intention of escaping her. Instead, his eyes wandered down to her lips, the scent of coffee still evident on their rosy glossiness. The urge to smother them with his and give her a taste of the overly strong drink she made for him was compelling, testing his already notorious weakness of self-preservation. He never had any problems claiming her kisses before, he knew, but this vibe felt…different. Warm. Addicting. All consuming.

Uraraka also seemed drawn to the ethereal vacuum between them because though both fought to keep focused on each other's eyes, it was no deniable secret that they were now only centimeters apart, their caffeinated breaths mingling.

'What the hell am I doing?' The reflection crossed Bakugou as he was brought awake to the reality that he had Uraraka's small chin in his fingers, his eyelids half open and her cheeks tinted a gentle vermillion. His heart raced without him, an untamed Pegasus galloping across the fiery sky, spreading its gallant wings to take off towards the golden sun that radiated such a sweltering beauty that he had to, yet again, look another way.

And with a stray arrow to his wing, he'd plummet.

Bakugou withheld a sigh. "Never mind." Hesitantly, he released Uraraka's chin and went back to nursing his invisible coffee. 'I feel tired all of a sudden.'

A forlorn smile slipped past Uraraka's lips as she looked down at the earthy drink between her hands. Then, something else caught her eye— Bakugou's shoes peeping out from under his bed, their soles stained pink. Her eyes immediately began to water as she asked, "Bakugou, is all this a…mistake?"

Bakugou already knew what she saw and spared her the lies he prepared. "It has nothing to do with me so why ask that?" He ripped himself from her side and put his mug down on the study desk, his back serving as the silent wall that she could confide in but Uraraka couldn't take it anymore, the constant back-and-forth guessing between them.

Finally, with a hard slam of her own mug on his desk, she cried, "Don't you have anything to say about me and Deku? Are you okay with letting it all end like this? A lot of what's happening has a lot to do with you so why won't you tell me anything?!"

"What do you want me to say?" Bakugou clenched his hands into matching fists. "Huh, Uraraka? I already told you my thoughts on that so what more do you want? Or a better question would be, what the fuck do you want to hear? Because believe me, I can say it to get you off my case but I sure as hell won't mean it!"

He was met with a weighty silence that pressed down on not only his chest but his entire body. It only worsened the longer he waited for her answer and when he opened his mouth to confirm, he was stopped by two meekly said words, "I see." His shoulders fell to a slump as Uraraka walked past him, both mugs in her hands and her head hung in melancholy. "Sorry to have bothered you," she mumbled, "I must have misunderstood some things along the way. Please forget everything that I just said."

Bakugou would not resist her advice, having already planned on doing that himself after tonight.

"Oh," Uraraka added, "And…Deku asked me out to the amusement park so I'll be seeing him again tomorrow. Not that you really care, right?"

"There you go again, making me out to be the bad guy." Bakugou never knew a time it hurt to smirk until now. "Take a good look around you! Thanks to me, you're several steps closer to getting with the guy you like. Hell, we should celebrate! You'll be free of me soon, Uraraka. You're getting the real deal."

Uraraka bit her quivering lip and, cautiously balancing the two mugs in one hand, opened the door with the other. As she took her first step out, she looked back at him. And with a tearful smile, she confessed, "I stopped pretending you were someone else a long time ago, Bakugou."

He reacted on pure instinct so it was impossible to stop but Bakugou took a step forward with his arm stretched out to grab her. His fingers barely touched the ends of her hair as she spun around and bolted out of his room, not once looking back to see the state she'd left him in. Not that she should care, right? After all, he already made it clear that he certainly didn't…shouldn't. "Fuck!" He threw the nearest object to him, which happened to be his school bag, to the floor before jumping into his bed and burying his head under his pillows.

He never asked to be put into this kind of situation. It was supposed to be a simple 'get in, get out' kind of agreement that should have lasted at most a few days. He'd curse himself a million times for ignoring his better judgment and pursuing Uraraka way past their deadline and all because of the foul word called 'curiosity.' The horrid truth was, it killed him inside to see her with anyone else but him. It didn't take a genius to figure out what feelings he had carelessly fallen into; feelings that he had warned himself numerous times to avoid at all cost. Yet here he was with only himself to blame for not being able to be the stronger person. "Fuck me..." The agonized groan left his lips but with no one in the room to receive it.

.

.

Of course, in real life, nightmarish situations such as these never went away for anyone who tried sleeping them off. Bakugou learned this when he started the next morning in the commons and happened upon a dolled-up Uraraka, complete with mascara, lip gloss, and eyeliner to go with her summer dress, finishing up a light breakfast of yogurt and fruit. Bakugou was never one to leave things on a hushed note but for some reason, couldn't raise his voice to her. Thus, without so much as a simple greeting of, 'Hello,' Uraraka brushed a shoulder past him and exited the room, her eyes never meeting his along the way. He shrugged and carried on with his morning like normal, unmoved. He refused to let her new demeanor affect him. It was always supposed to be this way anyway.

"You sure look cheerful this fine day!" Kirishima exclaimed as he made his entrance known. He looked on with a triumphant grin as Bakugou, calm and straight-faced, ventured out of the kitchen area with a half-burnt slice of toast in his mouth. "Aw, Bakugou, leaving already? Where's the fire?"

"It just busted in," Bakugou grumbled.

Kirishima simply laughed and followed after the blonde. "I figured I'd try to catch up with you on your workout this morning, but-"

"I'm up at five sharp," Bakugou huffed as he ate up the last bit of his tasteless toast. "Either you're up with me, ready to run by 5:30, or I leave you behind. You fell in the latter today so better luck next time."

"Eh, it's no problem! Because actually…" Kirishima walked over to Bakugou and placed a friendly elbow on his shoulder. "I have other plans today!"

Bakugou glared at him. "Great! Go do them."

"Aren't you curious to know what it's about? And with whom?"

"I don't care."

"Not even a little? Given how excited I am?"

"I told you, I don't care."

"Fine, I'll tell you some good news instead then."

"Grrr…"

"Thing is, I finally told Midoriya how I felt." Kirishima gingerly rubbed a finger over the tip of his nose. "About Uraraka. I was so relieved that he didn't get mad or anything! Plus, it was pretty manly of him to text me last night saying-"

That was it.

That was the last of what Bakugou's patience could take.

He could feel the floor cracking under his feet as he marched over to Kirishima, flooded him with his shadow, and shouted, "Oy, even after everything I told you, you still went ahead and- Damn it! She still likes him, you idiot! What part of that can't you understand?!"

Kirishima furrowed his brow. "But does she really?"

His uncharacteristically darker tone caught Bakugou off guard, grappling the fumes that threatened to exude from his mouth. "What the hell are you asking that for?"

"I thought I imagined it at first but now I'm almost positive that Uraraka's mind isn't on Midoriya. Not as of late, that is." Kirishima's blinding smile returned. "I think it's unfair, don't you? If Uraraka's heart is actually open but I'm supposed to just stand by and wait for Midoriya to make his move because everyone says he eventually will?"

"What you need to do is stand down, Kirishima. Take it from me. This isn't something you want to get involved with. You'll only regret it."

Kirishima puffed out his lower lip. "Aw, don't be like that. You're supposed to support your best friend in these kinds of things, y'know."

What he did next caught Bakugou off guard in all the worst ways possible— Kirishima extended his hand. "The fuck is this?" Bakugou grimaced.

"I'm pretty sure it hasn't been easy for you either," said Kirishima with a friendly smile, "So it's only fair that I talk to you about all this before throwing down the gauntlet. No hard feelings between us after all this is over, right?"

Bakugou immediately shoved Kirishima's hand away, his eyes wide and red with fury. "Don't assume shit," he cautioned, "Neither you nor Uraraka have any right to decide my so-called 'feelings' for me. I've got my sights on something bigger than your little love drama so don't get the wrong idea here, Kirishima!"

"Alright, alright," Kirishima conceded, "Sorry. Didn't mean to make you so mad. I just thought…" He sensed Bakugou's growing rancor and turned away. "Never mind. Anyway, I've gotta go. I'm already running late and I can't miss this next bus. Later!"

"Tsk!" Bakugou clicked his tongue with the door and sat down on the couch like he normally liked to do, taking up its whole length with his stretched body. He had done an extra hour of exercise this morning but felt nowhere near tired. Rather, he could go for another run around town if he wanted to.

'Uraraka's going to meet with Deku today,' he reminded himself, 'Somehow, it worked out between them so if all goes well, shitnerd'll get off his dusty nutsack and finally make them official. After that, the road to 'Number One Hero' will be all clear for me. I just have to wait it out a bit longer.' He flipped over to his side, one arm resting under his head. 'Still, what is this uneasy feeling I'm getting?'

Little did he know that his question would be answered by a certain someone's entrance into the common room. Indulging his curiosity, Bakugou sat up to meet his new companion only to have his rage return.

"I have other plans today!"

"Aren't you curious to know what it's about? And with whom?"…

"Thing is, I finally told Midoriya how I felt."

"I should have fuckin' known!" Bakugou snarled and leaped over the back of the couch.

There, by the door, was a pale and wide-eyed Midoriya, clutching the door handle as though his lifeline was attached to it. "Kacchan," he acknowledged with a twitchy grin, "Yo-you're here, huh? Eh-heh-heh…"

"Deku, you bastard…! " Bakugou singed Midoriya's collar as he grabbed it and hoisted the curly-haired teen up into the air. "What the fuck did you do?!"