"𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑
𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑.
𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕
𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝."
- 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎 𝙹𝚘 𝚂𝚌𝚑𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚣
29.
I watched closely as Rei jogged over to where I'd parked my SUV. We left the trunk up so we could sit in the back whenever we got tired. She rummaged around over there for a few seconds. I noticed her quickly shove something into her pocket before she sped back over.
"You got me a gift?" I asked, still baffled
"Yes. And you'd better not say a word about how its corny or embarrassing or any of that."
"Tch. Fine." I huffed "What is it?"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a thin silver chain with a small pendant on it, she proceeded to dangle it in front of my face.
"Remember when I was training with icy hot the other day?"
I love that she calls him that too now.
"Yeah...?" I replied, arching an eyebrow
"We weren't actually training, he needed help picking out a gift for Momo-chan, and he asked me to go with him. I... I saw this while we were out and I thought you should have it."
I looked down at her, watching as a soft breeze ruffled her long silvery hair. It seemed like everything else went quiet, apart from the rustling of the trees.
Even the day itself shuts up to hear her damn voice.
I grabbed the chain and held it still, able to see the pendant clearly for the first time. It was a small, silver, number 1.
My eyes widened.
"W-why?" I stuttered
"I told you before that I think titles are really shitty." She said "And I know your goal is to be the number one hero, but please don't undermine everything you've accomplished, Kacchan. You're amazing. You are number one in my eyes—always... you saved me."
There were words in my mouth, but I couldn't give them sound. They were tumbling over each other on my tongue.
Dammit... say something...!
"I... its... I'll never take it off. Ever."
She smiled and reached up around my neck to clasp it.
"I'm glad you like it."
"Of course I like it, dumbass." I grumbled "Its fucking perfect."
Rei smiled again, the greatest smile in the goddamn world. It still makes my heart feel like its going to blast right through my chest.
"...Hey, why don't we call that move we've been working on... killblast instead of murder blast? I'm trying to compromise."
"Killblast... I like it. Wanna try it again?"
"Hell yeah." She replied with a grin.
"Thats my girl." I said with a smirk "Okay, get back."
Basically, our first combo consists of the two of us coming together to create the most chaotic blast possible, by focusing our explosions into a single beam.
Its badass, destructive as hell.
In the back of my mind, I was still wondering if I did enough to prepare her for the exam, I want her to feel secure... I want her to pass on the first try...
We practiced into the night, until we could barely stand. We laid in the back of the SUV and I opened up the moon roof so we could see the sky. We eventually fell asleep, but not before I set my alarm. I needed to make sure I got up just before midnight.
She's not gonna outdo Katsuki Bakugou.
Hell no.
As soon as the alarm chirped, I reached over and shook her.
"Oi...! Reiko...! OI!"
"Hmm? Mmnnnmm... what?" She groaned sleepily
"Just wake up, dammit!"
She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Whaaat?" She yawned "Is it morning?"
"3...2...1...!"
Reiko's Point of View
"Kaaacchaaann..." I whined
He reached behind him and grabbed one of the bags he brought with him. He lifted a white cardboard box from inside of it.
"What is that?" I asked, completely confused and still a bit disoriented from waking up so suddenly.
What is this dude up to?
"I was kind of pissed that you stole my thunder earlier with the gift giving... but, its midnight and I wanted to do this."
"Stole your thunder...? What the hell are you talking about? If you don't start to make some sense in the next 5 seconds, I'm gonna punch you and go back to sleep."
He carefully lifted the lid on the on the box, revealing a small... cake? It said 'happy birthday' on top. It was round, white-frosted with little blue roses, and 3 candles of matching color. I watched in total confusion as he activated his quirk to light each one.
"Uh..." I giggled "Its not my birthd—"
"August 30th."
Wait... Huh?
"You hadn't brought it up, so I figured with everything going on, your dumb ass must've forgotten your own birthday. So... I wanted to surprise you, or whatever. I wanted to be the first person to... to wish you a happy birthday."
I sat there frozen in shock. Not only about the fact that I forgot my own birthday because I was so fucking distracted with the mess I call my life, but the fact that he remembered and got me a cake...?
Bakugou?
I slowly reached for my phone.
"NO! NO! ARE YOU GONNA TRY TO RECORD THIS?! NO WAY IN HELL!"
"This might be the sweetest thing you ever do for me, I'm gonna need proof it actually happened."
He whisper-growled his way through the happy birthday song. All the while, I watched in a twisted combination of awe and disbelief. Grateful doesn't even begin to describe the heap of emotions I felt as I watched him.
"...Happy birthday dear Reiko, happy birthday to you. Make a wish dammit. That was fucking embarrassing."
The glow from the candles looked so stunning on his face, his cheeks were tinged with blush from embarrassment.
I closed my eyes, put my hands together, and made the first wish that came into my mind:
- I wish to never lose him. May he annoy me until the end of my days. -
I took one deep breath and blew all the candles out.
"Happy 21st Birthday, Rei." He said with a familiar, crooked, heart-melting smirk.
I knew that the words 'thank you' were supposed to leave my lips, but I had so much more to say to him. Gone are the days of feeling shitty about my lack of impulse control.
I can't hold the words in anymore.
"I'm in love with you."
The cake box slipped from his hands—a short distance to the floorboards. His eyes went wide and he swallowed hard. I could've sworn I heard an audible "gulp".
"Y-You'd better be serious as hell right now, because I... I don't say this to just anyone."
"Say what?" I asked, fully knowing what his reply would be. I could feel it in my chest, I could feel it in the air between us.
"I'm in love with you too." He muttered
"I know."
He took my hand in his, and placed my palm on his chest. I could feel his heart beating wildly beneath his skin.
"Do you feel that?" He asked
I nodded.
"This has happened every time you've looked at me since the night we met. It scares the living shit out of me—and I don't get scared. So... don't take my love lightly. I love just as intensely as I hate."
"I won't." I whispered
My lips melted into his in the most tender kiss. I could stay in that moment forever—ignoring all of our problems and concerns.
"You're mine." He murmured "Only mine."
"And you're only mine. That means no matter what we face, we face it together."
"No matter what this fucked up rock floating in space throws at us..." He began "WE ATTACK IT HEAD ON AND BLAST IT TO DAMN BITS! —together."
I burst into laughter.
He's absolutely insane.
"Of course. We fight every fight with all that we've fucking got."
"Until they're begging for mercy."
"Deal?" I asked
"Hmph. Deal." He smirked
After we got back in the morning, I knew my written exam was only a few hours away. All Might, Aizawa, and my study sessions with Kirishima and Iida over the past month had me feeling fully prepared for it.
I showed up to the testing center early, and ended up breezing through the exam in 45 minutes. I won't know what I got until after the physical portion, but I wasn't worried.
Bakugou suggested I use the rest of that day to relax—let everything wind down. If I tire myself out with training, my body and mind won't be in their best form. He did take me out to dinner for my birthday that evening though, mostly everyone I'd gotten to know came out and celebrated with me, which was sweet.
I spent the following day milling around his place, listening to music, drinking tea, mentally practicing my moves, and trying not to overthink every life decision I've ever fucking made.
Totally easy, right?
I even took my gear over to Hatsume to have her do some last minute tune-ups and repairs. I want everything to be at peak performance. And, of course, I couldn't sleep at all the night before. I was too pumped. I just kept tossing and turning, closing my eyes and opening them, pissing Bakugou off...
"SOME OF US WANNA GET SOME DAMN SLEEP AROUND HERE!" Bakugou yelled
"Sorry! I'm just too excited!" I beamed "How can I sleep at a time like this?!"
"I'll take you to breakfast in the morning—"
"OooH! The place with the fluffy waffles?"
He grimaced.
"Yes, the place with the damn fluffy waffles—if you at least find something to do for the next..." He paused to look at his watch "6 hours until we have to wake up. Or, try harder to sleep."
"Fiiiine."
postscript:
thank you all so much for all the views, favorites, follows and kind words. Also, thanks for sticking with me even though I have no real post schedule. Sometimes you'll get 2 chapters from me in 1 day, sometimes you'll get 1 chapter in 2 weeks. It all depends, and with the uncertainty we face in our world right now (especially bc I'm a healthcare worker!), I can't promise that will ever change. This is my little escape to deal with all of my anxieties, so thank you all for reading. Really. Don't be shy to leave reviews! I love hearing from you all.
okay I've rambled enough. you all stay safe
