"Wow," Mina brushed her hands on her black leggings and grinned as she stood in the doorway of Uraraka's apartment. "You and Mirio got a lot done last night!"
"Seriously," Kirishima stepped around the pinkette and nodded in approval, "We should be able to clear all this stuff out pretty quick. We could even go out tonight to celebrate."
"Oh," Mina cooed and nodded excitedly, "We absolutely have to go out tonight to celebrate!"
Uraraka was standing beside her kitchen counter and she chuckled, "Well we had a little bit of extra help so we just have to finish packing a few things and then load it up."
Mina blinked, "Well that's awesome!" She glanced at the stacks of boxes in her living room, "Are you thinking of using your quirk for all these so we don't have to lug them down the stairs by hand?" Her tone was hopeful as she gave the brunette a curious look.
Uraraka smirked, "Well of course!" She placed her fingertips on one box and let it hover in the air over her counter top, "Mirio told me that I should be putting more load on my quirk little by little so I'll be ready to go back to work when it's time." She pressed her fingers together and let the box drop back down.
Kirishima grinned and made his way toward her bedroom and poked his head through the door, "So we're leaving the couch, right?"
"Mhmm," Uraraka smiled at the beat up couch and felt a semblance of nostalgia at the memories she'd made on it.
"What about the bed?" He glanced back at the two women.
Uraraka shrugged, "The mattress is staying but the bed frame is going." She crossed the apartment so she could stand beside Kirishima in her bedroom doorway. "The dresser is staying too. Same with the mirror."
Kirishima moved past her to stand in front of the metal frame bed and placed his hands on his hips, "I brought a few tools so if you can help me move the mattress, I can start taking the frame apart."
"That would be so helpful," Uraraka breathed with a note of gratitude, "I'm useless with that stuff."
"Sure thing," Kirishima grinned as he watched Uraraka begin pulling the sheets off the mattress. "I'm going to run and grab my tools." He turned on his heels and made his way back into the apartment to see Mina standing in the living room. "You want to help me move the mattress when I get back?"
"I got it!" Uraraka called from the other room. "It weighs nothing to me!"
"Nevermind," Kirishima shrugged and made his way to the front door, "I'll be right back."
Mina chuckled softly at the redhead as he shut the door behind him. She glanced around to see a few loose items that still hadn't been packed into a box. She reached down and began gathering up the pieces that had been cast aside from the night before and decided she needed a box.
She spied the tape gun on the sofa and grabbed it on her way back to the kitchen to grab a box. Just as she popped the box down to tape up the bottom, she spied something on Uraraka's counter that looked terribly out of place. She took a few steps closer and found a watch. A very expensive watch.
"Hmm," She murmured to herself as she picked up the heavy silver watch and glanced at the face. It looked vaguely familiar but she could say definitively that it wasn't Deku's. He wouldn't wear something so… gaudy. Mirio's maybe?
"Actually I could use that help," Uraraka called from the bedroom.
"Coming!" Mina set the watch back down and ran into the room to help Uraraka maneuver the mattress so that she didn't accidentally break her stand-up mirror.
"Thank you," Uraraka smiled and released the mattress as they rested it against the wall beside her door. "I didn't realize this thing was so bulky!"
"No worries," Mina smiled cheerfully, "We're here to help!"
Uraraka smiled back at her friend sweetly, "I really can't say thank you enough. Tonight's first round is on me, okay?"
"Oh absolutely it is," Mina teased and made a funny face before she observed her friend a little closer. Uraraka seemed relaxed and carefree and Mina couldn't help but wonder why she seemed so cheerful. "You seem like you're doing better."
Uraraka breathed a heavy sigh and glanced around at the boxed up room, "Yeah… I feel like I am. It's just… weird now."
Mina tossed the brunette a sympathetic look, "I can't say I know what it's like. Have you talked to Deku at all?"
Uraraka shook her head hard, "Nope. Well, other than letting him know that I wanted to move his stuff out." She moved to kick her duvet and sheets out of the way to sit in a pile against the wall, "He didn't reply to me. His mom just called me instead. It's probably better that way."
"I'm just surprised," Mina quirked her eyebrow at the brunette, "You seem to be moving on pretty quick."
"Well I have you guys to thank for that," Uraraka shrugged but kept her back to Mina, "All of you have been so great and helpful. Why be sad when I have such amazing friends?"
Mina could see the back of Uraraka's neck reddening a bit and it piqued her interest, "Uraraka, I know you..." She moved closer with narrowed eyes, "And if I'm not mistaken, you're blushing!" She pulled on the brunette's shoulder and forced her to turn.
"Mina!" Uraraka fumbled with a burst of giggles, "I am not blushing!"
"You so are!" Mina guffawed and watched as Uraraka's cheeks turned a bright shade of pink, "Who is it? Who are you rebounding with?!" She grabbed Uraraka's shoulders and shook her.
"Shh!" Uraraka giggled and tried to hide her blush behind her hands, "I am not rebounding!"
Mina frowned but her eyes sparkled mischievously, "It's Mirio, isn't it?" She shook the brunette a little harder, "Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?"
"Hello!" Kirishima called and the sound of the front door closing shook the two girls away from their conversation. The red-head stepped into the bedroom and found a bright-faced Uraraka and a snickering pinkette, "Did I miss something?"
"Nope!" Both girls burst out but neither could stop giggling. Mina gave Uraraka a childish side-eye before elbowing the brunette.
Kirishima set down the small toolbox as he narrowed his eyes at the women, "How many times do I have to tell you two," He shook his head and tsk'd a few times, "I want in on girls night gossip, okay?"
Mina gave the red-head a teasing smirk, "Oh, you would love that, wouldn't you?"
"That's what I've been saying!" Kirishima huffed exasperatedly, "I love girls night and I want in!"
Mina sashayed across the room and patted the red-head on the bicep, "Keep dreaming, big guy."
"I'm not giving up!" Kirishima called after Mina as he watched her leave the bedroom. He turned to the brunette that was lightly slapping her cheeks, "Uraraka, you've always known how much I love you, tell me!"
Uraraka couldn't stop the burst of girly giggles before shaking her head, "Sorry Kirishima," She glanced warily at the door before slowly slipping through it, "Mina is the chairwoman of the girls club. She has final say on who's in and who's out."
"And you're out!" Mina's voice called teasingly from the kitchen.
"Lame!" Kirishima grouched before flipping open the toolbox. "I'll just be in here, doing the manly work, I guess."
"As you should!" Mina teased back from across the apartment. "Uraraka, come help me with the womanly work!"
The jokes carried on like that for a few hours. It didn't take long for Kirishima to break down the bed frame and the trio set to packing the last of the items scattered around the apartment. By the time they broke for lunch, almost everything was done and ready to be loaded into the truck.
"Pizza again?" Uraraka was tapping on her phone, trying to find some takeout for lunch.
"What if we did ramen?" Kirishima tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Or sandwiches. I'm starving so I want something hearty. Besides, I'm kind of pizza'd out, you know?"
Uraraka twisted her mouth thoughtfully, "There's a sandwich place right down the street, I think." She reached for her purse and shoes. "I could just run down there really quick and grab something for all of us."
"You don't mind?" Mina asked skeptically and glanced at Kirishima. "Want us to come along?"
"No," Uraraka shook her head and smiled, "You guys have done plenty. Just hang out and take a break. I won't be gone for long at all."
Mina hesitated for a moment but she didn't argue with the brunette as she bustled out the door, pushing them to take a few minutes and relax while she grabbed lunch. "She's really a do-it-all kind of girl, isn't she?" Mina commented mostly to herself once the door was finally shut.
"Uraraka?" Kirishima moved the boxes sitting on the sofa to a new place so he could sit, "Oh yeah, she's one hell of a girl."
Mina raised her eyebrows in agreement before she wandered over to the kitchen and began sorting the boxes on the counter. "Should I move these so we have somewhere to put the food?"
Kirishima had just sat down on the sofa and he waved his hand lazily over his head, "You can. I'm staying put. My feet are killing me."
"So typical," Mina teased as she pulled a box off the counter top and set it neatly on top of one of the many piles scattered around. She repeated this until all but two boxes remained and her eyes snagged on the watch she'd found earlier. "Ooo," She set down the box she was holding and grabbed it. "I bet this belongs to the mystery guy."
Kirishima threw his head back to look at Mina upside down from his place on the couch, "What are you talking about?"
Mina held up the watch but Kirishima couldn't quite see it due to the way he was positioned, "Mystery guy! Uraraka is way too peppy so I'm willing to bet she's seeing someone in secret." Mina held the watch up to her face and chuckled, "That feels weird to say. Uraraka getting a rebound? I never would have thought."
Kirishima's was deeply interested and he stood up from his spot on the sofa to come into the kitchen, "Let me see that," He snatched it from her hands and frowned at it. "It's just a watch."
Mina snatched it back and frowned, "Well I think it's safe to say it's not Deku's." She dangled it for him to see it, "I mean… look at it!" She shoved it closer to his face, "It's huge and like… so awful." She pulled the watch back so she could look at it again, "I don't know. It's just so tacky."
Kirishima bit his tongue hard, "It could be anyone's but that doesn't mean that Uraraka is hooking up with someone, Mina." He had to be careful about his words. Mina was especially pervasive and she had a way of seeing straight through him.
"Why else would it be here?" She stared hard at it, "Could it be Mirio's?" She knew this watch. She'd seen it before. Where?
"Doubtful," Kirishima chuckled dryly, "If you think that thing is too flashy for Deku then what makes you think Mirio would wear anything close to that? They're basically the same person in their weird All-Might-is-everything sort of way."
"Ugh!" Mina huffed in frustration, "I swear I've seen this stupid watch before. I just can't quite put my finger on it."
Kirishima felt an uneasy feeling crawling up his back and he decided not to respond. He knew damn well who's watch that was. Bakugo wears it all the time. It was the blonde's high school graduation gift from his parents. All he could do was hope that Mina didn't figure it out. But the red-head was intensely curious now. Why was Bakugo's watch here?
"I give up," Mina grumbled and set it back down on the counter. "I guess I'll just have to ask her about it later."
Kirishima stared for a moment longer at the watch before going back to his spot on the sofa. He was suddenly reminded of the blonde's interview that morning and he whipped out his phone to look it up. Just as he was about to click the link, he realized that Mina would overhear it and possibly remember that Bakugo exists and that he wears that watch a lot.
He internally groaned and clicked on an article that had been posted about it instead. The headline read "Ground Zero Returns to Edgeshot Agency Six Weeks after Keihin Battle."
Kirishima eyed the photo under the headline. The blonde looked as grouchy as ever. Interviews were far from his strong suit but he didn't look entirely uncomfortable seated in a bar stool, clad in his hero gear. He almost chuckled at the scowl carved into Bakugo's features. He could practically hear the disdainful grunt as the photo was snapped.
He scrolled down to read about the interview and skimmed through the majority of it. They asked him a lot about Viper and how the agency had been able to receive such valuable intel on the Mamushi leader to begin with. Bakugo's answers were always short and straight to the point and as Kirishima read them, he could hear Bakugo's voice in his mind. The guy really was a one-trick pony when it came to talking to the media.
He was nearly finished with the interview transcript when the final topic caught his eye.
"Reporter: Ground Zero, can you give any new information on Uravity's situation? Will she be returning to hero work?"
Ground Zero: She's fine I guess. I don't know when she's coming back to work.
Reporter: But she is returning to hero work?
Ground Zero: I guess. She can do whatever the **** she wants."
Kirishima chuckled. Every interview that Bakugo gave was rife with bleeps and asterisks. It was part of his persona and his fans always seemed to like that about him. Little did the fans know, Bakugo was the same way after the costume came off too. Something about that fact made the red-head believe that if the fans knew that, their opinion of him may change.
"Reporter: We understand that her relationship with famous pro hero Deku has ended as well. Do you have any comments on that?
Ground Zero: Why the **** would I have a comment on that?
Reporter: Being her partner of course. I am sure that a serious injury and breakup would strain any working relationship, especially in an occupation as stressful as heroism.
Ground Zero: That's such bull****. Uravity and I aren't even partners and I've said that before. And who gives a **** that she and that chump broke up? It's not your business anyway.
Reporter: There has been some speculation that you and Uravity are close and some of the footage from the Keihin incident seems to back that narrative. Do you have any comments regarding the rumor?
Ground Zero: What rumor would that be?
Reporter: That you and Uravity are possibly involved.
Ground Zero: This ****ing interview is over."
Kirishima was so engrossed in reading that he almost didn't notice Mina walking up behind him, "What are you doing over here? You're so quiet."
The red-head quickly locked his phone and shoved it in his pocket, "Oh, nothing important."
Mina stretched her arms over her head as she slowly made her way around the sofa to plop down beside him, "That about sums you up."
Kirishima scoffed and rolled his eyes, "You're feeling snarky today."
"When am I not?" She replied with a quirked eyebrow and elbowed him, "I'm just worried about Uraraka."
"Why?" Kirishima shifted in his seat and glanced at her, "She seems like she's doing great."
Mina shrugged before leaning her shoulder against his, "You know how she is. I'm worried she's trying to move on too fast."
Kirishima grunted and lightly shouldered her, "I think she started moving on a while ago, Mina. She's just finally letting it show now that she's single."
"You say that because you're a dude," Mina nudged him back. "Guys always move on super fast."
Kirishima quirked an eyebrow and gave her a mischievous side-eye, "So you're suddenly a relationship expert, huh?"
"I'm a woman expert," Mina corrected as she caught his glance, "And an Uraraka expert. We've been best friends for years. I know her."
"You lived hours away from her for years, Mina. You've only had her around for the last few months. And she's been dating someone for three years. How do you know how quickly she'd move on?" Kirishima knew he was pressing Mina's buttons again and it almost always ended in a spat between them but he couldn't help himself these days. "Are you still hoping they'll get back together?"
"Sometimes yes," Mina heaved a heavy sigh, "But the more time that goes on, I'm kinda changing my tune." She looked around the room at the packed boxes and a somewhat sad look crossed her face, "It's like the end of an era. If Deku and Uraraka couldn't make it, who can? I really believed in their love. Watching it fall apart was kind of a shock." She rubbed her arm a bit and softly shook her head, "I guess I'm just disappointed. Maybe there is no such thing as 'the one,' you know?"
Kirishima was a little surprised. Mina didn't often share her inner troubles so he was disarmed by her omissions. He turned his head to look at her completely, "You could be right but where's the fun in that? Love is about taking the leap of faith, right? Uraraka took the leap with Deku and she got hurt," He turned his head to nod at the boxes, "But she's pulling herself up by her bootstraps and moving on. If anyone is capable of finding true love, it's Uraraka. She seems like the girl that is willing to take the leap again and again until she lands in the right place." Kirishima leaned his shoulder harder against Mina's and turned his face back to hers, "And when you're ready, you should too. Nobody should give up on true love."
The girl beside him didn't meet his eyes but she leaned into him, her mind somewhere else, "Why can't I have her luck? Why can't I have guys galore pining over me?"
Kirishima felt his heart wrench in his chest as he looked down at the top of her head that was now resting on his shoulder, "You do, Mina. Trust me…" He looked away and licked his lips, "You do."
The door creaked open before either could say another word, "Hello?"
"Mirio!" Kirishima blurted out and fumbled to his feet, "We weren't expecting you for a few more hours!" He was thankful to see the blonde man ducking into the apartment to spare him the awkward conversation following his last words to the pinkette still sitting on the sofa.
"Yeah!" Mirio grinned widely at Kirishima's enthusiasm, "Eri has midterms coming up so she cancelled on me this morning. I figured I'd show up a bit early and surprise Uraraka." He glanced around the apartment, "Is she here?"
"Nope," Mina stood up from the couch and waved, "She went to grab lunch, actually."
Mirio frowned but a smile still tugged at his lips, "Bummer! She's going to see the box truck and know that I'm here."
Mina and Kirishima both laughed forcibly and glanced awkwardly at each other. Kirishima cleared his throat and shrugged, "Well I'm sure she'll be happy to see you anyway."
"I hope!" Mirio wandered to the kitchen and set down the keys to the truck before taking stock of the apartment, "Wow, it looks like you guys are mostly done."
"Sure are!" Mina piped up and scuttled to meet the blonde in the kitchen, "All we have to do is load up the truck and then we're all planning to go out for drinks. Want to join?"
Mirio skewered his mouth, "Well I have to drive the truck back tonight so I probably shouldn't drink."
"You can crash at my place," Kirishima offered quickly and somewhat regretted it after he remembered the mess he'd left there this morning. "I mean… If you don't need to be back by tonight." He mentally kicked himself for the offer. He'd been trying to overcome the lingering awkwardness with Mina and he'd spoken without thinking.
Mirio perked up and grinned widely, "Do you mind? I'd love to hang out with everyone tonight."
"Of course he doesn't mind," Mina waved her hand at the red-head and chuckled. "As long as you're alright with crashing on a couch. It's basically all he owns."
"Excuse me," Kirishima tut-tutted her with a smirk, "I'll have you know that I just purchased a top of the line entertainment center. If you're any good with an Xbox controller, then I have your dream set-up."
Mirio laughed aloud at their banter, "If you really don't mind me staying, then yes, I'd love to stick around. I haven't had a fun night off in a while."
"Perfect!" Mina clapped her hands excitedly. "I'm sure Uraraka will be thrilled!"
"That's the goal," Mirio replied with an airy tone and rested his hand on top of a stack of boxes, "I think we should really surprise Uraraka and start loading the truck for her. What do you say?"
"Oh…" Kirishima's half-grin fell from his lips and he glanced at Mina. "As much as I hate to say it… Yeah, we probably should."
"Ugh," Mina grunted and let her shoulders slump. "You're too sweet Mirio. Too sweet."
The trio stretched their achy limbs, two of them grumbling about the work ahead of them, and began the arduous process while praying that Uraraka would be back soon to aid them with her quirk.
"So will Bakugo be joining us as well?" Mirio asked as he propped open her front door.
"Bakugo?" Mina asked as she picked up a box, "Why would he be joining us?"
"Because-" Mirio began but saw Kirishima standing behind the pinkette and shaking his head hard. "Actually… nevermind?"
"Why would you even ask that?" Mina demanded and started a whirlwind of questions that neither man was able or willing to answer.
"Be at Zips at 8."
Bakugo glanced around the bar for the red-head that had sent him the text early that afternoon but found no crimson spikes among the patrons. Was this some sort of set-up or something?
"Bakugo!" A voice called from a few feet away, just over the medium volume music.
He glanced to his left and frowned. A realization was beginning to dawn on him as he saw the glint of glasses. "For fuck sake."
Iida Tenya had sprouted to well over six feet tall since high school and he marched straight toward the blonde, "Early as always, I see."
"Leave me the fuck alone, specs." Bakugo growled the words out without even looking at the old class representative.
Iida let the insult glaze him over and he frowned at the blonde, "I see you still result to using cruel nicknames to distract from your fragile ego."
Bakugo scoffed and snatched his glass of whiskey from where it sat on top of the bar, "At least I'm still doing hero work." He cast a judgmental eye toward the dark-haired man, "Unlike some."
"Consulting work is important work," Iida replied smoothly and he straightened his button down shirt, "And I still save the day from time to time."
"Tch," Bakugo smirked into his glass, "By the time you can even get your costume on the action is usually over."
Iida chuckled at his old classmate's reply and waved down the bartender, "Just an old fashioned for me."
Bakugo raised an eyebrow to the other man's drink order, "I didn't know hell froze over in the last three years."
"Didn't you hear?" Iida gave Bakugo a small but teasing smile, "Uraraka and Midoriya broke up. Hell must have frozen over."
Bakugo set his glass back down on the bar top with a little too much intensity and the glass made a loud knocking sound, "Like I give a shit."
"So you say," Iida shrugged and leaned his elbow on against the dark red wood of the bar, "But you're here so you must care a little." He glanced around the bar and smiled as he saw a few more familiar faces come through the door, "You're here supporting Uraraka after all."
Bakugo didn't get a chance to reply before his old classmate took his drink from the bartender and wandered away with a hurried farewell. So he was here to support Uraraka, huh? Figures Kirishima would rope him into this shit. He threw back the rest of his drink and turned back toward the bartender to signal for another.
While he waited for his next round, the blonde watched his old classmates steadily stream through the door and greet Iida. Some faces were ones he had only seen a handful of times since graduation. Sparkly french boy was one of them. Bakugo wasn't the least bit surprised to know that the guy hadn't changed one bit in three years. He hadn't aged well and Bakugo almost reveled in that fact.
Ojiro was one that Bakugo didn't really mind in high school. They never truly got to know each other but the guy could fight and Bakugo could respect that. Tail-man had taken a job with an agency across the country so the distance between them only grew as the years wore one. Bakugo knew next to nothing about the guy these days. The blonde was somewhat curious as to why Ojiro would be in town but a bigger part of him didn't care enough to ask.
Yaoyorozu was the next one he saw and he simply skipped over her entirely. He was not interested in visiting with her whatsoever. He didn't care for her in high school very much but once she got involved with half-and-half, he lost interest in her entirely. She was on his avoid radar and he liked it better that way. She'd always had a stick up her ass and Bakugo didn't care much for people that figuratively waddled.
"When were you planning to tell me that you made up with Uraraka?"
Bakugo hadn't even noticed the red-head beside him and he snapped his eyes to his right before scoffing, "I didn't make up with her."
Kirishima cast the blonde a sideways glance, "I know you were at her place."
"I wasn't," Bakugo swiveled in his bar stool to grab his new drink and turned his head away from Kirishima.
"Want to try that again?" Kirishima let his gaze rest on Uraraka entering the bar alongside Mina and Mirio. The brunette smiled widely when she recognized the faces of her former classmates crowded near the door.
"Fuck off," Bakugo kept his back to his friend and held his drink up to look at it as he swirled it in his palm.
Kirishima huffed a frustrated breath before angling his body toward the blonde and waving at the bartender, "You're not wearing your watch."
"So what?" The blonde felt a suspicious tingle travel up his spine. Somehow he knew where this was going.
"Did you lose it somewhere?" Kirishima continued trying to get the barkeep's attention, "Maybe… leave it at Uraraka's apartment?"
Realization dawned on Bakugo and he clenched his jaw. No wonder he hadn't been able to find it this morning. He'd considered turning his apartment upside down to find it but if he had, he would have been late to his interview. "Shut the-"
"I'll have a Saki bomb," Kirishima interrupted Bakugo as he ordered his drink, a sly smile pulling at his lips. He glanced down at the blonde beside him, "Make that two."
"Pass," Bakugo replied with a gravelly tone.
"Actually, make it four," Kirishima held up the number on his right hand and smiled foolishly at the man tending the bar. "My friend here has had a rough couple of weeks."
Bakugo opened his mouth to protest but Kirishima simply smacked a hand over Bakugo's mouth and grinned, "The first one is for not telling me that you made up with Uraraka. The second one is for lying when I asked." He pulled his hand away from the blonde's face and laughed boyishly, "And you're going to drink both. You owe me that much. Besides," The red-head shoved the blonde on the shoulder a bit, "You need to loosen up, dude."
"I'm not drinking those frat boy bitch drinks," Bakugo bit back and slapped away Kirishima's hand with more force than necessary. "All they do is fuck you up."
"That's the point," Kirishima shrugged and pulled out his wallet to start his tab, "You need to loosen up."
Bakugo narrowed his red eyes at his friend. What was Kirishima playing at here? "I'm fucking fine with what I have." He raised his glass and swirled the dark liquor in it.
Kirishima didn't waste a moment before he snatched the glass from Bakugo's hand and tossed it down his throat. "Now I owe you a drink." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gagged a little at the taste. "To make it up to you, I got you two."
Bakugo stood up abruptly and turned to leave, "I'm not doing this with you tonight."
"No way," Kirishima clapped his hand over the blonde's shoulder and forced him back down on the bar stool. "If you leave now, then you're down and out, Bakugo. You're staying here for your own good." The red-head smirked as he finally met Bakugo's deep scowl, "You can thank me later for being such a great ass friend."
"Trying to get me wasted is not something great ass friends do," Bakugo bit back with a malicious tone. "Especially not when the entire 1A class is here."
Kirishima waved a hand at the populated bar, "Eh, just ignore them as you normally do. You put up with us for three years, dude. You can do one more night." The red-head glanced over at the bartender to see the drinks being made, "Midoriya isn't here so there's a plus. But trust me, you're going to need to get a little drunk tonight. It might make you brave."
The blonde was entirely taken aback by Kirishima's frank replies, "The fuck is going on, Kirishima? Get to the point."
"Oh my…" Kirishima used his thumb and forefinger to rub his forehead before he rested his elbow on Bakugo's shoulder and turned them toward their former classmates gathered near the door, "You see that right there?" The red-head pointed at the group.
Bakugo followed Kirishima's gaze, "I see a bunch of idiots."
"Okay, you're on the right track," Kirishima's tone was not amused but he humored his friend, "But look a little closer, would you? Who doesn't fit in?"
A bright white smile snagged Bakugo's eye, "Million whatever-his-name-is."
"Exactly," Kirishima let his hand fall but he didn't take his elbow off the blonde's shoulder, "Million whatever-his-name-is has never really hung around before, right? Don't you think that's a bit convenient?"
Bakugo let his eyes stick to Mirio for a long moment as the other blonde man rested a hand on Uraraka's lower back. She turned to him and smiled as she laughed with her high school friends. "So what if he's got a thing for roundface? She'd never date another loser like that."
Kirishima let a loud but fake laugh pass his lips as he stood up straight, "You're so fucking dense, man. He's been around for weeks. He makes the trip to Tokyo every weekend to hang out with her." The red-head turned and smiled at the bartender as the saki bombs were delivered, "I bet you didn't know that he's been training with her to get her quirk back up to par."
Bakugo felt a jolt of something fresh in his gut. A new emotion that made him feel almost angry and he glared at the red-head, "What the fuck does that have to do with me being here tonight?"
"Mirio likes her," Kirishima slid the four drinks between them. "You like her too. He's going to make him move sometime and my money is on tonight. If you want to get her attention, then you should nut up." The red-head picked up one of the drinks and held it out to the blonde, "Here is a little bit of liquid courage, my friend. I think you'll need it."
"I don't drink like that, asshole," Bakugo pushed the drink away and glowered at his friend for his bluntness.
"Hey!" A cheerful voice drew the pair away from their petty argument, "I'm glad you guys are here!"
"Uraraka!" Kirishima exploded with enthusiasm, "The guest of honor has arrived!"
The brunette giggled shyly but gave the red-head a side-hug, "I see you managed to achieve the impossible," She held out a hand to indicate to the blonde.
"They said it couldn't be done," Kirishima bowed his head a bit, "But I stared fate in the face and said 'not today!'"
"Shut the fuck up, Kirishima," Bakugo glared at his idiot friend before turning a more tame gaze on the brunette.
Uraraka couldn't help the laughter bubbling from her lips, "I'm happy to see you too, Bakugo."
"Bakugo!" Mirio appeared from behind the brunette with a huge smile, "I guess we ended up getting drinks together after all!"
"Tch," Bakugo didn't even bother letting his gaze fall on the other blonde man, opting to ignore him in the only way he knew how.
"Thanks for letting me crash with you, Kirishima," Mirio nodded at the red-head, "Can I buy you a drink?"
Kirishima shook his head hard, "No, I'm good," He patted Bakugo on the back, "I'm tabbing up with this guy tonight."
Bakugo turned a furious glare on his friend, "I'm not buying you a single fucking drink, asshole."
"Well then!" Uraraka finally piped up again and waved at the pair of friends, "I should probably move along and say hi to everyone else." She turned toward Bakugo and smiled softly, "It's nice to see you here with all of us, Bakugo. Have fun, okay?"
"Yeah," Bakugo's reply was blunt but his scowl was subdued as he turned to see her again and he felt like she looked straight through him.
"I think we're going to play some pool in a bit and I hear you're the man to beat," Mirio nodded at the blonde seated at the bar.
Bakugo felt a fluff of pride in his chest, "I'll fucking destroy you." He finally let his gaze fall on Mirio and his eyes seemed to light up with competition and disdain.
"I haven't seen you play either," Uraraka smiled sweetly, "Will you come join when we get a table?"
"Yeah," Bakugo's features relaxed again as he let himself look at her again and he stared dumbly back at her.
Kirishima rubbed his hands together and grinned boyishly, "Oh, we're going to have to make this more interesting if you want to get the king of pool involved."
Bakugo tuned out the conversation a bit as he watched Uraraka smile and laugh with the red-head. His eyes glanced up to see Mirio laughing alongside her and his gut wrenched as he saw the man circle his arm around Uraraka's shoulders and nod toward the rest of her friends across the bar. God damn it… Kirishimia was right about this guy.
"I'll see you all in a bit?" Uraraka smiled at the pair.
"Count on it," Kirishima grinned and nodded his head at her, "Bakugo and I will come in and sweep all of you."
"I'm excited," Uraraka waved one last time before she let Mirio guide her away.
"Man, that guy is charming as shit," Kirishima finally let his attention return to their drinks resting on the bar top.
Bakugo immediately gave the red-head a vicious glare, "You're letting that pretty boy crash at your place?"
"It was a total slip of the tongue," Kirishima felt the sting in Bakugo's tone. "I honestly didn't think he'd accept."
"Well he did, asshat!" Bakugo snatched one of the saki bombs and growled, "Some fucking friend you are."
"That's why I'm buying the drinks tonight," Kirishima felt guilty as he saw Bakugo's jaw tense. "That's my fuck up."
Bakugo glanced down at the saki bomb and disregarded the stupid tradition that came with them before he put the cup to his lips.
Kirishima grabbed one of the drinks for himself and tried to swallow his pride for the sake of his friend. However there was a win in this situation for them both. Not only would he finally be able to help Bakugo in the way he'd been hoping to for months now but he'd also get to hustle the shit out of Mirio and their classmates.
"Fuck you, Kirishima."
The red-head nodded apologetically, hiding his smirk in his glass, before the pair threw back the saki bombs and reached for seconds. Tonight was Bakugo's chance and Kirishima wasn't about to let the blonde blow it.
AHHHH GUYS! I am so excited to write chapter 24 now lmaoooo
First, let me give a HUGE shoutout to Chocolatteee for creating the AMAZING cover art for this fic! She's an amazing artist and you really need to go and check out her other work. You can find her on twitter at chococoly. Be sure to drop a like on her work while you're there!
Also, if you left a review on chapter 22, please head over to my profile page here on FFN! I respond to every review there and I try and make it personalized and fun.
I hope you all are as excited as me for chapter 24 hehehe... And I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Mirio is such an interesting character to write and I wanted to go a non-traditional route when it came to jealous Bakugo. I'm really psyched with the direction this is going and I hope you guys feel the same way. As always, I love each and every one of you and I will see you again in seven days for Fanfiction Friday! Have a wonderful week and an even better weekend!
XOXOXO
