"Nuh uh!" Mina half-shouted over Uraraka as the server glanced between the two women. "I'm getting the next round. And all the rounds after that, okay?"

"Mina!" Uraraka shook her head, "You guys helped me move all that stuff the last few days so buying drinks is the least I can do."

"I said no," Mina shot back and shoved her credit card at the server, "Close her tab please."

The brunette smiled despite her dismay, "Mina please, let me buy tonight."

The pinkette tossed her friend a warning look, "Argue all you want but I am way more stubborn than you, missy." She continued to hold the card out to the waitress that had yet to take it.

"How about I just buy the next round," The man standing beside Uraraka smiled at the women before pulling out his wallet. "That way you don't have to worry about it."

Mina smirked at the blonde man before she withdrew her card from the waitress's reach, "Deal."

"Wha-" Uraraka glanced to her right with a slight slackjaw, "Mirio, you really don't have to."

"I insist," He smiled at her before handing his debit card to the waitress and ordering himself a beer.

"You're quite the gentleman," Iida piped up from where he stood at the circular bar table. "A good quality."

Mirio shrugged as the two women began their orders, "It's nothing, really. I heard that you've been consulting with Tokyo PD. Do you like it?"

"There's no work more important," Iida nodded once, "And it helps keep relationships between agencies and the department on good ground."

"Don't you miss hero work?" Mirio asked before he tossed a quick smile Uraraka's way when she finished ordering and rejoined the conversation.

"Sometimes," Iida leaned an elbow on the tabletop and pushed his glasses up his nose a bit, "But I still get to suit up on the rare occasion. It's a better fit for me. I was never really the kind of guy that savored the spotlight."

"You're doing a great job from what I can see," Mirio leaned over the table a bit and smiled warmly.

Iida chuckled at the compliment but decided to move off the topic, "I'm sure my job is easy compared to teaching at UA. How is our alma mater doing anyway?"

"Wonderful!" Mirio couldn't help but beam at the subject, "I have so much fun and who can complain when you're teaching such talented students?"

"UA surely does recruit the best," Iida reached for his half-empty glass, "You're teaching third years right?"

Mirio nodded with a quirky grin, "Until the end of the year. They're going to give me a first year class next year but it makes sense. It would be a conflict of interest for me to teach Eri."

"Is she performing well?" Yaoyorozu cut in at a time she felt was appropriate from her spot on the other side of Uraraka. "I know that the sports festival is coming up soon and something tells me it will be a good year."

Mirio smiled softly at the thought of the young girl, "She's a top student this semester. I couldn't be more proud."

"So you have her staying in the dorms?" The black-haired woman raised her eyebrows as she took a sip from her manhattan.

Mirio nodded back at her, "I thought she would have an easier time making friends that way but I do miss having her at home sometimes." He ran a hand through his blonde hair and laughed with a hint of embarrassment.

"Aw," Mina cooed at him from across the table, "You're such a dad."

Uraraka giggled at her friend, "Mirio was telling me earlier today that the two year anniversary mark is coming up."

"Sure is!" Mirio let his hand drop back to his side and chuckled, "I'm still trying to figure out what to get her." He glanced down at the brunette, "Maybe you could help me with that. I have no idea what a teenage girl would want these days."

Uraraka blushed a little bit but before she could reply, Iida piped up from his place, "I can't say I was particularly surprised that you adopted her." He took a quick sip from his drink, "Has it been difficult?"

"Every kid deserves a good home," Mirio shrugged before glancing back at the brunette beside him, "I didn't think I'd get approved but thankfully, UA backed me up on it. They even gave me my job that same day. I guess some things are more important than being a big shot hero."

"They wrote him a glowing letter of recommendation to the adoption board," Uraraka turned her face toward the others gathered around the table. "A year later, he was suddenly a dad!"

"Ugh," Mina rolled her head forward as she rested her forearms on the tabletop, "That is too damn cute, Mirio."

A loud crash with glass shattering broke the conversation as everyone gathered around the table looked toward the bar to see what had happened. "Those idiots," Mina grumbled as they saw Kaminari and Sero helping the waitress back to her feet and staring at the mess of broken glass on the floor.

"Those were our drinks, right?" Yaoyorozu stood up on her tiptoes to try and see through the crowd.

"Yeah, I think so. I'll go help," Iida slid his now empty glass to the center of the table before turning to leave with a disgruntled look on his face.

"I'll come along," Mirio nodded toward the dark-haired man before tossing Uraraka one last half-smile. "I'll be back in a few."

The women watched as they departed but Mina was the first to speak, "I think I'm in love with him."

Yaoyorozu and Uraraka giggled at her forlorn tone as they watched after Mirio.

"I'm so not kidding about that," Mina turned to stare at the women across the cocktail table, "He's like... a fifty out of ten."

Yaoyorozu shrugged as she finished off her Manhattan, "He's not really my type, I guess."

"You're married," Mina replied with a roll of her eyes. "You don't know how rough it is out there." She rested her chin in an open palm and leaned over the table, "But yeah, you're right. He's definitely not your type. You've been with captain serious for so many years that I don't think there's another type out there for you."

Uraraka sputtered with laughter as she pictured Todoroki's stoic face. The two had gotten married only six months after graduation and as far as the brunette could tell, it was a good match.

"He seems like he's into you," Yaoyorozu disregarded Mina's teasing comment and glanced at the brown-haired girl beside her.

"I don't know about that," Uraraka blushed at the black-haired girl's comment.

"I don't know about that," Mina mimicked her with a playful tone, "He's super into you, dummy!"

The brunette licked her lips and flushed, "He's been helping me out a lot so we've gotten to be pretty good friends but…" She let her sentence trail away as she began searching the faces around the bar.

Mina quirked an eyebrow at her freshly single friend, "I get it. You don't want to leap into another relationship."

"It's not that," Uraraka replied smoothly as she finally found the face she was looking for. He was berating Kirishima as the red-head cackled and narrowly avoided a shove. "I'm just not sure he's my type either."

Yaoyorozu set down her empty glass and shrugged before she captured Uraraka's gaze, "You guys look good together. It probably wouldn't hurt to just see where it goes, right?"

"I agree," Mina replied and tapped her finger against her chin, "You get to date around now so why not start with a fifty out of ten?"

"Alright," Uraraka breathed out an uneasy sigh, "I think that's enough boy talk for tonight, don't you think?"

Mina could sense her friend's discomfort and turned toward the bar, "Well I don't know about you ladies, but I'm thirsty."

"Same here," Yaoyorozu fiddled with the bottom of her empty glass.

"Let's just pick up our drinks from the bar so buzz brain doesn't screw it up again," The pinkette tossed a playful nod toward Kaminari.

Uraraka laughed with her friends but didn't follow, "I'll catch up with you guys in a bit. I want to go visit with the others for a little while."

Mina followed Uraraka's gaze as the brunette turned toward a red-head and a blonde, "Alright, do you want me to bring you your drink?"

"Just hang onto it for a few minutes, okay?" Uraraka tossed the pinkette a smile, "I'll be back soon."

Mina gave her a hard look but her tone was sing-song, "Yeah sure, whatever. Don't worry about it." She glanced back at Bakugo, "Tell the idiots that I say they suck."

Uraraka giggled as the trio split ways. She found Mirio helping Kaminari clean himself off and she was thankful for a moment to herself before she turned back toward Kirishima and Bakugo. She was happy to see the blonde there and she wanted to make sure he felt included. She could spare a few minutes of her time to hang out with him.


"You boys ready for another?" The waitress held up her notepad and eyed the trio over her red-rimmed glasses.

"How about a pitcher?" Kirishima was definitely tipsy as he glanced between himself, Bakugo and Tokoyami.

Neither of the other men replied as they sat on the barstools at a cocktail table. Bakugo didn't even bother looking up from the phone in his hand.

"So…?" The waitress seemed slightly annoyed as she waited.

Kirishima glanced between the other men once more before sighing and nodding his head, "Yeah, we'll take a pitcher. Cheap stuff. This asshole is going to put me in the poor house if he orders any more of that bougie shit." He went to elbow Bakugo but the blonde avoided it.

The waitress barely acknowledged the request before she strode away with a huff but that didn't deter Tokoyami's subtle glance at her.

"She's cute, huh?" Kirishima nudged the shadow hero with his elbow. "I'm digging her naughty librarian look too."

The look on Tokoyami's face gave away how horrified he felt about Kirishima's jab, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Speaking of checking chicks out," Kirishima turned toward his best friend and gave him a slanted grin. "Are you just going to sit and stare all night?"

Bakugo's attention snapped away from his phone screen to glare at the red-head, "You're drunk."

"So are you," Kirishima waved his hand at the blonde.

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at the red-head and scowled, "I'm fine." He knew it was a lie but he was satisfied with how his tone sounded. He wasn't drunk but he was definitely getting closer to it.

"Don't avoid the question, Bakugo." The red-head glanced across the bar where he saw Mina and Yaoyorozu pushing their way to the bar. He glanced around the same area and didn't find the object of his teasing. "So... Are you just biding your time or have you resigned to Mirio's nice-guy superiority?"

"I haven't resigned to shit," Bakugo growled and smacked his phone down on the cocktail table. "Mirio is just a blonde Deku."

Tokoyami glanced warily between Bakugo and Kirishima as their conversation moved toward women and he was mildly uncomfortable. It was one thing to see Bakugo at a class reunion at all but another thing entirely to see him being teased about a girl. He tried to follow Kirishima's gaze as subtly as possible but only found Mina and he felt that he could say definitively that they weren't talking about the pinkette.

"I'll grant you that one," Kirishima smiled widely as the waitress dropped off the pitcher of beer and some freshly chilled glasses. "But dude, we've been here for two hours and all you've said to her is 'yeah.' You have to get your hat in the ring."

"Do you ever shut the hell up?" Bakugo grit his teeth and crossed his arms on top of the table. "I don't need your fucking advice on how to-"

"Hey!"

All three of the men turned their attention to the formerly empty spot beside Bakugo, but Kirishima was the first one to respond. "Uraraka! We were just talking about you!"

"Really?" She smiled as she wiggled herself into the tall bar stool, "Good things, I hope!"

Bakugo turned a heated glare on the red-head for his opening line but relaxed when Uraraka hadn't asked him to clarify.

"You say that like there would ever be a bad thing to say," Kirishima reached for their pitcher, "Want a beer?"

She frowned a little at the pitcher and drummed her fingers on the tabletop, "I don't really drink beer. Is it any good?"

"He got the cheap shit," Bakugo replied before Kirishima could get a word in. He reached over to snag the pitcher away from the red-head and pour a glass, "Try it for yourself."

Uraraka watched as he pushed the half-full glass toward her and she reluctantly tried it. Thankfully, she was already a bit tipsy so it didn't have the sour taste she usually associated with beer. "It's alright, I guess."

"It's cheap," Bakugo shrugged as he poured himself one, "Keep that glass. Kirishima can go get himself another one to pay for being such a dick all the time."

Kirishima feigned hurt but he was glad to see Bakugo shooing him away, "Says the guy that is drinking for free tonight," He turned toward the third and somewhat forgotten man, "Come on, Tokoyami. Let's go get our own cheap beer."

The red-head clasped Tokoyami on the shoulder and dragged him toward the bar, tossing a goofy grin over his shoulder at Bakugo. Much to his disappointment, the blonde didn't catch it but he let it go because his friend's attention was on someone else.

"So how did your interview go?" Uraraka took another drink from the beer and somewhat gagged it down her throat.

The blonde sniffed as he recalled the way his interview this morning had ended, "It was fine."

"You're chatty," Uraraka smiled a little and played with the rim of her beer glass.

Bakugo took a drink and turned a bored gaze on her, "And you're drinking a beer. We're both doing things we don't normally do, roundface."

Uraraka giggled and tucked her hair behind her ears, "I'm so happy to see you here, Bakugo. I didn't think you were going to come."

"Tch," Bakugo clicked his tongue and turned his gaze toward the bar, "Kirishima fucking tricked me into it."

"So you would have skipped it?" Uraraka tilted her head at him.

Bakugo inaudibly cleared his throat and brought his beer to his lips for a long sip before he finally turned his gaze on her again, this time with a much tamer expression, "I'm not that big of an asshole. I would have considered it."

He watched her as she turned her face away and covered her mouth with a hand, almost like she was covering a blush or a laugh. His face was relaxed but his eyes showed how serious he was.

"Bakugo…" His name passed her lips, barely audible over the bar's music, "I am so happy you're here tonight." She took a breath before turning to look at him, her cheeks flushed pink.

He searched her face for a moment and smirked, "You're drunk."

Her jaw dropped a little as she processed his tease, "Wha-" She shook her head, "I am not!"

"How many drinks has the pink demon poured down your throat this time, roundface?" He lifted his glass to his lips to try and hide his sly smile.

Uraraka flushed a deeper shade of pink, "Okay, I've had a few, but I'm definitely not drunk."

"That's what they all say," Bakugo raised his eyebrows at her.

"And I'm not a liar," Uraraka giggled but it had a bit of a tipsy ring to it.

Bakugo reached for the pitcher to top off both glasses, "Well it's your night, roundface. Get as drunk as you want." He slowly poured hers and nodded at it. "But don't go too hard or I'll have to cut you off."

"Thanks Bakugo," Uraraka smiled sweetly at him but was completely unaware of the fact that it made his heart clench in his chest.

They both sipped and an awkward silence fell between them. Bakugo couldn't take his eyes off her cheeks that had faded to a soft pink. She looked good but he'd noticed that the moment she showed up. She always dressed with modest style but tonight it was driving him nuts. Skinny jeans, boot heels, and a tight crew neck crop top. Her hair was curled so it barely reached her shoulders and he could smell her perfume. He considered complimenting her but as he worked out how to phrase it in his mind, she spoke up to fill the silence.

"I'll be coming back to work in another week," She picked up her glass by the rim and swirled it.

He raised his eyebrows at her and leaned back on the bar stool, "Fucking hell. They're really making you max out the recovery period, huh?"

"Well," Uraraka mirrored him and leaned back as well, "It doesn't hurt to take a little extra time. I still have a lot to catch up on with my quirk."

Bakugo wanted to ask her about how she'd managed to miraculously recover but he kept his mouth shut, "Well I want to get back on the Viper case and I can't do it without you." He let his eyes meet her gaze with a renewed intensity.

"There you are!" Mirio stepped up to the table beside Bakugo and smiled widely at the brunette, "I was wondering where you'd disappeared to."

Uraraka held up her glass toward Bakugo, "I came to tell Bakugo that I want to see you guys play some pool!"

The blonde stared at her for a moment longer before he turned a foul glare on Mirio, "I've been waiting for you to man up and ask."

"You're on if you want to play right now," Mirio grinned at the blonde but there was a competitive sparkle in his eyes. "I won't be holding back, Ground Zero."

"Don't worry," Bakugo stood up from the bar stool to size up his opponent with a slightly puffy chest, "I take challenges seriously. And I'll remind you that you that you said that when you're eating my dust."

Mirio met Bakugo's intense glare and he slightly narrowed his eyes. He knew that Bakugo was a competitive guy but this felt personal in a way he couldn't describe. The sportsmanship he expected was not there so he was left to wonder why Bakugo seemed so… Bakugo about it. "You got somebody to impress or something?"

"Tch," Bakugo sneered and rolled his shoulders back before shoving his hands into his jean pockets, "No personal questions until the pool balls are racked." He glanced Mirio up and down, "Pretty boy."

Mirio felt the beginnings of a smile on his face, "I'll get us a table."

Bakugo leaned back on his heels a bit and took a deep breath. He'd been drinking heavier than normal tonight and he tried to focus his mind on sobering up a bit so he could properly school Mirio without any hiccups.

"Wow, you really don't like Mirio," Uraraka chuckled as she watched the other man depart for the pool tables in the corner of the bar.

Bakugo angled his body away as his sober train of thought was halted, "He's just another-" He stopped himself and swallowed the name on his lips for Uraraka's sake.

Deku.

"He's just fucking annoying," Bakugo slumped his shoulders forward a bit as he corrected himself.

Uraraka smiled at the blonde despite the fact that she couldn't see his face, "Well, I look forward to seeing you play." She stepped down from her bar stool and stumbled a bit as she tried to sober herself too, "I'll be rooting for you."

Bakugo's mouth went dry and he turned to look at her but found her walking away from him. When he looked where she was going, he found a bunch of the other women from school gathered nearby.

"You don't care if I start a betting pool, do you?" Kirishima lumbered in beside him and gave the blonde a toothy grin.

"I get fifty percent," Bakugo didn't bother taking his eyes off the brunette.

"I'll give you thirty," Kirishima rolled onto the balls of his feet in his drunkenness.

"Sixty."

"Forty-five."

"Seventy."

"Dude, what the hell?" Kirishima tossed the blonde a look, "The winnings will cover tonight's tab and whatever's left, we'll split dead even. Deal?"

Bakugo didn't bother with a reply before turning toward the bathroom. He strode across the bar and pushed the door open. By the time he'd relieved himself, he was feeling a little more clear-headed.

"I feel like I keep running into you," Mirio's voice called from across the somewhat busy men's room.

Bakugo stepped up to the sink to begin washing his hands and cast a sideways glance at the door where Mirio was standing, "When I finally rid myself of one Deku, another one takes his place."

Mirio strode across the tiled floor to lean his hip against the sink next to Bakugo's before crossing his arms and staring hard, "What's your problem, Bakugo?"

"Fuck off," Bakugo turned on the water and began rinsing his hands.

"I've heard you're like this all the time but I didn't really believe it," Mirio tilted his head to get a better look at Bakugo's face.

Bakugo glanced in the mirror at himself before reaching for the soap, "You heard right."

"No," Mirio leaned back a bit on his heel as he crossed one foot over the other, "There's more to this than pride."

Bakugo ignored the comment as she finished washing his hands and shut off the water.

"If this is about Uraraka-"

"I told you to fuck off," Bakugo knew he was being harsher than was called for but he blamed it on the alcohol in his system. The urge to pick a fight lingered in his mind and he continuously had to fend it off. He turned his body toward Mirio's and tried to push past him toward the door.

"If you're trying to make a pass at Uraraka, then I can back off," Mirio shrugged his shoulders a bit but didn't move out of the other blonde's way.

Bakugo felt a spark of anger in his gut and he turned a rude glare on the man blocking him, "Like I need you to back the fuck off. Uraraka makes her own damn decisions."

"Obviously," Mirio placed a hand on Bakugo's shoulder and moved back a step to put space between them, "But between us men? I can back off for now."

Bakugo pushed Mirio's hand away with a bitter snarl, "Between us men, I can fucking handle this on my own. I don't need you to 'back off.' Uraraka is tired of dating guys like you anyway."

"Fair enough," Mirio stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and shrugged, "May the best man win, Bakugo. I look forward to facing off with you in more ways than one."

Bakugo scoffed at his half-assed remark, "Just try not to cry." He pushed past the other blonde and pulled open the door without glancing back. Something about the encounter lit a fire within him that had been lackluster since the fight with Viper. He suddenly felt like he was on his game and when his eyes landed on a brunette sipping a cocktail at the bar, the significance of the prize only ignited it further.


Uraraka was feeling pretty drunk by the time the pool game was reaching its climax. She was leaning her butt against an unused pool table next to the game and her hand was having a hard time holding her drink still. She glanced around as Mirio chalked his pool stick and almost laughed aloud at the crowd that had formed around the game.

Everyone from class 1A was gathered around Mirio and Bakugo's game and almost as many had placed a bet with Kirishima. Many of the other strangers around the bar had come to watch as well, curious why the stakes for the game seemed so high. They had been pleasantly surprised to see a close and passionate game.

Uraraka was somehow not surprised that Mirio was astonishingly good at pool. Truthfully, the man seemed like he was good at everything. He makes his success seem so casual and he had been joking that somebody used a lucky quirk on him but Uraraka was one of the ones who knew better than that. He was simply a talented guy with great charm.

Charming…

Yes, Mirio is charming. He's friendly, mindful, and remarkably good looking. A good man, but Mina had put it best. He's a fifty out of ten.

So why wasn't she swooning over him like the other girls?

"I can't believe I'm seeing this with my own two eyes," Mina muttered beside her and leaned her shoulder against the brunette's.

Uraraka blinked a few times and re-centered her focus on the game to find Bakugo frowning hard at the score. He had two solid color balls remaining on the table while Mirio only had the 8 ball left.

"He's losing..." Uraraka muttered mostly to herself.

"I think the king of pool's reign may be coming to an end," Mina giggled darkly. "He's going to be so salty at work this week."

Uraraka elbowed her friend a little harder than she intended and she adjusted her butt on the edge of the pool table, "Bakugo could still pull out a win."

"Mirio's got him on the ropes," Mina elbowed her back.

Uraraka had tuned her out as the pinkette began to chat excitedly with their other former classmates nearby. She could feel how drunk she was as she tried to catch Bakugo's gaze but he seemed focused on the game at hand. "You got this…" The words came out as less than a whisper.

Almost as if he heard her, his eyes snapped up to meet hers. He was scowling but that didn't really put her off anymore. She simply smiled back and gave him a very subtle thumbs up from where her other hand hung at her side.

You can do it.

Bakugo reached for the chalk and began twisting it on the end of his pool stick before he glanced back at her and gave her a flash of a smirk. The entire crowd seemed to hold their breath as the blonde circled the table a few times, testing a few spots and observing the ball positions.

Uraraka took another sip from her cocktail, despite the fact that she already felt a little too drunk to continue. It had become mindless after a while. More like something to do with her hands as she watched the game unfold.

"How are you feeling?" Mirio was suddenly standing in her way and she blinked up at him.

"I'm fine," She muttered as her mouth searched for the straw to her drink.

Mirio came to stand on the other side of Uraraka and joined her in watching the fiery blonde consider his options, "Want to go grab some food after this? I don't think the bar food is going to do the job."

"Maybe," The brunette shrugged. "I'll see what Mina wants to do when it's over."

"I'll be over in another minute," Mirio tossed her a bright smile and she gave him a small one back through the straw between her lips.

"Hey pretty boy," Bakugo scoffed as he finally chose a spot to stand still in, "You're fucking off already, huh?"

Mirio shook his head and chuckled, "I'm just feeling confident."

Bakugo passed his cue from one hand to the other and smirked at his opponent, a challenge sparkling in his eye, "I wouldn't pop open the champagne just yet."

"What," Mirio gestured to the nearly finished game, "You're going to pot both of your balls and then sink the 8?"

"You think I won't?" Bakugo sneered in response.

"I think you can't," Mirio mirrored Uraraka and leaned up against the unused pool table, resting his cue against the table beside him.

Bakugo was completely expressionless as he leaned forward and lined up to the cue ball, "I'll do it in one move."

Mirio's cocky grin faltered a bit and he tilted his chin up to see their game better, "Let's see it then."

The entire crowd watched as the blonde pulled back and punched the white ball with the end of his pool stick. It lurched forward, crashing into a blue ball and sending it rolling toward a corner pot. The cue ball bounced back off the wall with good speed a few times before it worked its way across the table and crashed into his yellow ball.

"Oh my gosh," Mina stood upright and she pushed her way closer to the table. Uraraka considered following her but the journey seemed too difficult in her state so she simply watched as the yellow ball found its way to the 8 ball and they collided, sending each one to a separate corner of the table. Everyone held their breath as the two balls raced each other but the yellow won by a hair and both balls potted in proper order, awarding Bakugo the game.

"What!" Kaminari was the first one to vocalize his disbelief as he pulled hard on his hair.

"That was amazing!" Sero followed up quickly as a bunch of spectators rushed the table to see the potted balls for themselves.

"I can't believe it," Jirou voiced from her spot a few feet away from Uraraka, "I knew I should have bet on explody face."

"What did I tell you?" Kirishiima could be seen gloating as he clapped Bakugo on the shoulder victoriously, "Pay up!"

Uraraka simply set her drink down on the pool table she was half-sitting on and glanced to her side to see that Mirio had been dragged into the fray of people as well. She wanted to celebrate with everyone else but she wasn't feeling great.

The bar felt awfully stuffy at that moment and she rubbed her arm uncomfortably. She looked around at her friends and decided that she would slip away for a few minutes and get some fresh air. She left the drink where it sat and slowly made her way to the door of the bar, shoving it open haphazardly before stumbling into the cool night air.

After the door slammed shut behind her, she slowly wandered down the side of the building to lean against a cool brick wall far away from the door. The walk outside had made her dizzy and nauseous and a few minutes passed before she realized that she was now sitting on the sidewalk with her knees drawn up.

Perhaps she should have skipped that last cocktail…

She could tell that it was late in the night due to how few people walked by her but the temperature gave it away more. As she tried to focus on sobering up, the chill seemed to set into her bones. The thought crossed her mind to go back inside where her friends were but she couldn't bring herself to stand back up in her heels and run the risk of being sick. So she stayed put while her stomach settled and her mind began to clear up a bit.

It felt like a long time passed before she heard the door of the bar slam shut again and she thought maybe it could be one of her friends. However, after she heard laughter she didn't recognize, she figured they were strangers. "Ugh…" She groaned softly as the nauseous feeling began to go away.

"Fucking hell, roundface," A gravelly voice broke her away from her self-pity, "I knew I should have cut you off."

She didn't reply or even look up as she rubbed her forehead a bit. The only response she gave was a muffled "mm" of recognition. She was already feeling ashamed enough about how drunk she was and she didn't want to open her mouth and say something stupid for Bakugo to tease her about.

"Makes two of us," This time his voice was much quieter but she felt him sit down on the concrete beside her.

She tilted her head to see him from under her hand once he'd settled in, "Two of us?"

He didn't say anything in response but he shrugged, his gaze going out toward the emptying street. She noted that he looked a bit pale and flushed and his features were relatively relaxed as he rested the back of his head on the brick wall. She mused to herself for a moment at the spectacle. Bakugo was drunk and it made sense. He had been downing beers since the middle point of the pool game.

They sat in silence for a while as they both fought for sober minds in the chilly night but Bakugo suddenly jolted in place, "Shit, you're probably freezing your ass off. I know I am."

Uraraka couldn't deny that fact but she only giggled in response as she leaned her shoulder on his, "Mmhmm."

He stiffened when her head rested on the edge of his shoulder and she pressed her side into his arm. He stared stupidly down at the top of her head as she rested the fingers of her left hand over the top of his.

"Feel how cold my fingers are," She muttered and giggled as she pressed them to his skin.

"Fuck," He muttered when he felt it and he gently nudged her to sit upright. He leaned forward and began pulling off his black corduroy jacket. "Why the hell are you sitting out here then?"

"I felt sick," She muttered and she watched him, too drunk to put together why he was taking it off.

Bakugo finished pulling the jacket off before glancing at her, "What, your new boyfriend didn't want to help or something?" He bundled up the jacket in his hands before pushing it into her lap.

"Mirio and I aren't-" Her words were somewhat slurred as she glanced down at the jacket, "Hey, not fair. This is your jacket. I'll be fine, I don't need it."

"I run hot, roundface," He lifted his palm and a few tiny sparks ignited, "Just take the damn coat. I don't want it anyway."

She pouted for a moment before reluctantly tugging it over her shoulders, "Thank you."

"Don't fucking mention it," Bakugo replied famously and Uraraka could have chuckled at the predictable response.

She felt him settle back against the wall and she leaned against him again, "I'll help keep you warm too."

He didn't reply as he watched her press her shoulder into him and she rested her knees over his thigh. Her head was tilted down so he couldn't see her face, but he could tell how drunk she was by her behavior alone. Then again, he was also drunk and could by over-analyzing.

"Mirio and I aren't dating," Uraraka suddenly blurted out after a minute of silence.

The blonde was a bit put off by her insistent tone and he simply huffed indignantly, choosing not to reply. She was right to say that they weren't dating but he'd seen them together all night. They hardly separated from each other and wherever Uraraka was, Mirio was close by. That's why he noticed when the brunette was absent while Mirio was teased by all the former class 1A students about his loss.

"Seriously though," Uraraka's tone softened. "I don't have feelings like that for him. He's more like... A really close friend."

Ouch.

Bakugo almost laughed at her drunken thoughts on the million-dollar man. If only Mirio himself had been there to hear it. "Fucking good. I was beginning to question your taste in men."

He felt her moving and he turned his gaze downward to find her peeking up at him a bit and his chest tightened involuntarily when he found her eyes. She licked her lips quickly before she spoke with a small voice, "Who would be considered good taste?"

His chest felt like it emptied at her blatant question and all he could do was rip his eyes away from her. He turned his face away completely and clenched his jaw, "How the fuck would I know?" The answer he wanted to say was on the tip of his tongue but he bit it back.

A jab of a finger on his cheek startled him and he whipped his head back toward her, "The fuck?"

"You're drunk," She teased and shifted so that he could see her whole face.

"Tch," He scoffed and swatted her fingers away with his free hand, "I'm fucking fine."

"You're drunk," She repeated with a small bubble of laughter, her brown eyes lighting up with teasing humor.

"I said I'm fine," He frowned at her but it didn't reach the point of becoming a scowl. Her smile was making his heart skip and he tried to hide the fact that he was short on breath. "Speaking of being drunk, let's get you home, drunky."

Uraraka groaned as she felt him beginning to pull away, "I don't think I can walk in these shoes."

"Here we go again," He muttered as he stood up and looked down at the girl on the ground. "You'll be fine."

She sulked for another moment as she tried to guilt him into staying for a little while longer. After his stoic expression didn't falter, she huffed in annoyance before holding out her hand, "I need help."

"Fucking hell," Bakugo muttered with a note of amusement, "I forgot how fucking sassy you are when you've been drinking."

She thrust her hand at him a few more times with an expectant look, "Deal with it, Ground Zero. Be a hero and help me up, would you?"

He wanted to chuckle but held it in, opting to grab her hand instead and pull her to her feet. It was harder than he thought due to his own tipsiness but he managed to get her to stand up on her heels, "Still feeling sick?"

She paused and evaluated herself for a moment, "I think… I think I'm good."

"A walk will help you sober up," Bakugo shoved his chilled hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"What about everyone inside?" She teetered as she twirled herself back toward the door, "Shouldn't we say goodbye?"

Bakugo felt himself groan internally. He desperately wanted to leave after he schooled blonde romeo and this was a convenient way out. "I think they'll be fine."

"I'm gonna just say goodbye to Mina really quick, okay?" She tossed him a goofy smile. "I promise, I'll be right back."

There was little the blonde could do about her going back inside so he simply followed and opened the door for her. He hovered around the exit as he watched her make her way through the mess of people, stopping occasionally to hug a friend or ex-classmate.

"There you are," Kirishima worked his way toward the door. "Do you want your cut?"

Bakugo glanced down to see the small wad of cash in the red-head's hand. He reached out and snatched it before his eyes began searching for the brunette again.

"So…" Kirishima gave the blonde a sloven smile, "Are you gonna kiss her?"

Bakugo felt like an anvil had been dropped on him and he turned to glare furiously at his friend, searching for the worst insult his foggy mind could think of.

"Okay, okay," Kirishima held up his hands and cackled boyishly, "I won't pry."

Somehow Bakugo didn't believe him but he let it go and turned back toward the people inside. His eyes immediately found pretty boy and he felt a stir of dislike in his gut. He watched as Mirio intercepted Uraraka on her path to Mina and he fought the urge to go after her.

"Your last move was awesome, dude," Kirishima crossed his arm and laughed drunkenly. "That poor bastard is never going to live it down."

Bakugo ignored the comments as he watched Uraraka talking to Mirio. Their conversation was getting long and he felt himself clenching his fingers subconsciously.

"You should just go over there," Kirishima followed Bakugo's gaze. "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"Tch," Bakugo sneered but took the advice, shuffling through the crowd in their direction. He'd been a great fucking guy all night long but now he was feeling tired of it. Mirio was getting in his way. He heard his idiot friend toss him a 'good luck' from behind him and it only riled him up further. He pushed through the people as the pair came into earshot, a scowl covering his face.

"We can still get something to eat," He could only hear the tail end of Mirio's sentence as he started to hear the conversation.

"I'm not feeling great so I think I'm just going to go," Uraraka's voice tickled his ears and he hung back for a moment, relishing in her response.

"Well let me walk you home," Mirio gave her a big smile. "Or I can call us a cab."

"Well…" Uraraka muttered and played nervously with her hands, glancing sideways as she tried to find a good response.

"I already offered," Bakugo cut in as he stepped behind Uraraka. He hooked a thumb in one of his belt loops and used his other hand to point at Mina, "I found Mina for you. Still want to say goodnight to her?"

"I do, yes," Uraraka turned her face to look at the blonde behind her, "I'll be right back, okay?" Her eyes seemed to communicate a silent thank you.

Bakugo simply nodded as the brunette shuffled off toward her friend. He watched after her for a few seconds before turning a flat gaze on Mirio. "Thanks for helping her move Deku's shit."

Mirio looked surprised by Bakugo's concession but a more serious look took over his features a moment later, "She's a great girl so it's nothing."

A tense silence fell over them as both men glanced back at the girl talking animatedly with the pinkette at the bar. "I didn't really peg you for being into girls like her," Mirio heaved a sigh, "But I have to admit, it makes sense to me now."

Bakugo scoffed at Mirio's omission, "Yeah, whatever."

"You're a great pool player," Mirio tried again, "I didn't see that last move coming."

"I'm great at everything," Bakugo shot back with a bite in his tone.

Mirio shuffled uncomfortably, "I'm sure you are. But that doesn't mean you can't lose from time to time." The connotation in his tone didn't escape Bakugo.

Bakugo tossed Mirio a sideways glance before he sneered, "What's with you Deku types and not knowing when to give up?"

"You're just a good opponent," Mirio offered Bakugo a hand to shake and a joking smile crossed his lips.

Bakugo looked at the outstretched hand for a long moment but ultimately decided to ignore it, "Tch."

Mirio didn't get a chance to get another word in before they noticed Uraraka leaving Mina behind and making her way closer to them. She tugged Bakugo's corduroy coat tighter around her shoulders before she beamed at the man who had given it to her.

Bakugo couldn't help the small smirk on his lips when he met her gaze. Everything about the situation felt… Perfect. She looked beautiful and he'd won the night. The fact that she was leaving with him instead of Mirio was simply icing on the cake. He felt a swell of pride in himself but her smile washed it away and replaced it with an emotion that was new and unknown.

"I'm ready to go now," She smiled warmly as she came to a stop in front of both men.

Bakugo nodded toward the door, indicating for her to go first. He watched as she turned toward Mirio and gave him a small smile, "I hope you had a good time tonight, Mirio."

"Hanging out with you is always a good time," Mirio reached out and pulled her into a small hug. "Get home safe, alright?" He glanced at Bakugo.

Uraraka chuckled airily as Mirio released her, "I will. Goodnight Mirio." She held up her hand to give him a small wave.

The other blonde smiled and nodded once before he turned and began walking back toward the pool tables. Uraraka watched after him for a moment before turning back toward Bakugo, "Want to go?"

"I'm dying to," Bakugo breathed and tilted his head toward the door, "Get to stepping, roundface."

Uraraka giggled as she hurried toward the door. A few other classmates hugged her and wished her a good night as they made their way out of the bar. Bakugo caught Kirishima's eye and wanted to punch the red-head for the look on his face. He felt like everyone there noticed them as they left together and he wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel awkward or proud of it. He simply kept his eyes glued to Uraraka's back as he followed behind her.

When they finally let the door fall shut behind them, Bakugo was reminded of the chilly air of the autumn night. He glanced either way to get his bearings before turning right and waiting for the brunette to go ahead.

When she never came, he turned and found her fiddling with her boot heels. He caught himself frowning as she groaned about them. He didn't say anything as she stood upright and pulled his jacket tighter. She dropped her chin and wrapped the collar over her mouth and she giggled.

His heart seemed to jump to his throat as he watched tipsy Uraraka fail at trying to hide the fact that she had sniffed it. It was an odd feeling to see her wearing his coat and smelling his cologne. This was much different than the last time he had walked her home. She was single now and seeing her like this stirred something in him that he could only label as exhilarating.

A less than appropriate line of thought began to worm it's way into his mind and he flushed, trying to force it away. He turned his back to her and looked at the sidewalk ahead, "Hurry the fuck up, roundface. It's only going to get colder."

"Impatient as ever!" Her laugh had a tipsy note to it but she practically skipped past him, "That's just so… Bakugo of you." She flashed him a smile over her shoulder as she tucked her hands into his coat pockets and jogged ahead of him, almost tripping in her tipsiness.

He smirked at her and reveled in the goofy look on her face, "You should know how making fun of me goes by now."

She shrugged as she fell into a slower walk, "I'm drunk. Cut me some slack, huh?"

"Never," He met her shining eyes and matched it with a challenging gaze. He finally began to follow her, his hands tucked into his pants pockets and a smile tugging on his lips. He was suddenly thankful for the alcohol that he'd consumed. Perhaps Kirishima had been right. It might make him brave.


Ahhh I'm so sorry for being a day late! We had someone call out of work yesterday so we all got super behind and had to stay late to get cars back to our customers. I didn't get home until almost 10 so I decided to delay the update so I could make sure it was good. Those of you that follow me on twitter got the update about what had happened so thank you to you guys for your understanding.

As a consolation, I took some time this morning to add in about 6 more pages and make it a super duper long chapter. I really hope you all enjoyed it! I CAN'T WAIT FOR CHAPTER 25 GUYS. *squealing*

As usual, I will have all my review responses on my profile page so you should go check those out if you left a review on chapter 23!

I love you all and I hope you have an amazing week! I promise I won't miss Fanfiction Friday again lol.

XOXOXO