UPROAR

Summary: Just because you're a Pro doesn't mean you're immune to the shit life throws your way. But that's part of the fun, right? Right…? Ugh, All Might made it all look so easy. Aged-up. Rated T for now. Connected drabble series.

A/N: EDIT: I had to reupload this one and the next one because I forgot to underline the text messages -_- Wooooo! Two updates in one month! I love summer! Alright anyway, back to business. There's a rookie mistake in the last chapter that shames me as a lifelong cat owner. Aki, the stray that wanders in and out of Deku and Ochako's apartment…is male. Even though I've known calicos are like 99% female since I was a child, I still for some reason made him a male. So, if that also bothered you while reading, just know I also belatedly realized what a dumbass I am. So, for the sake of things running smoothly and not having re-edit a chapter I already posted, let's just say that Aki is that rare, male, calico cat XD Now that that's settled: Date nightttttttttt! Who's ready for some Kirishima?! I know I am! So much so that I had to break this chapter up when posting! Double whoops? Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Wya?

Three Days Later

"Whatever, man, just hurry it up." Kirishima dismissed his oldest friend with a wave and plopped onto his couch like he owned the place. A slumbering orange cat startled and scurried off, and he watched it go with a curious look in his eye. "I'm starving."

Bakugo watched with an irritated twitch in his eye as the loud redhead plucked the remote off his coffee table and flipped through his TV channels, like he paid the cable bill. The cat appeared to commiserate.

"Are you just gonna sit there and get your sweat all over my couch, then?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Kirishima grinned. "I mean, it's not like it's explosive."

Bakugo ripped off his shirt with a little too much effort and tossed it onto the lid of his washer. He stood there waiting until he realized his hint had fallen on deaf ears.

"At least gimme your damn clothes to wash!"

Kirishima sighed before finally acquiescing and tossing his shirt at him. "You're worse than my mom, I swear." He plopped back down into the couch cushions as Bakugo slammed his washer shut and started a cycle. "You gonna make me take a bath, too?" He burst out laughing at the way Bakugo seemed to freeze in place, like he'd been caught red-handed.

Bakugo's eye merely twitched harder to the chorus of laughter. "Shut up! You're the one who wanted to go out! What kinda nasty ass doesn't shower after a work out!?"

"Alright, alright." Kirishima relented between chortles. "If it'll make you feel better, I'll take a shower before we go."

Bakugo seemed to huff in agreement; though given his particular temper, it was always hard to discriminate between his huffs. But he seemed to be satisfied with this outcome and made his way back down the hall.

Kirishima had to get one last word in before he made it his bedroom, though. Sometimes, half the fun of hanging out with Bakugo was riling him up. He was too damn serious otherwise.

"I mean, I guess it's only fair considering I'll have to borrow your clothes, anyway…"

"You're worse than the damn cat!" He shouted back, slamming his bedroom door shut.

Kirishima grinned with satisfaction, though it disappeared pretty rapidly again in this newfound silence. He heard the water going and figured he only had a few minutes with which to score them each a date through the app on his phone. He swiped aimlessly for less than a minute before finding a particularly cute girl named Akane that matched with him. The orange cat suddenly appeared next to him when he started messaging her, and stared up at him with her wide olive orbs. She pressed her cold pink nose against his arm and gave it a lick, probably tasting the sweat on his skin.

"Hey, pretty kitty." Kirishima gave a few scratches between her ears while he waited for his potential date to answer his greeting. "What's your name?" He stole a peek at her purple rhinestone collar. "Mikan? Like the fruit?" He couldn't help but laugh. "Your owners are just as bad at names as half the heroes I know."

Akane answered pretty quickly and seemed equally as enthusiastic as Kirishima was about a potential double date. Kirishima had lucked out since she was already out with a girlfriend of hers, and she swiftly sent a selfie to him of the both of them. The other girl's name was Yuri, like the flower, and her beauty definitely lived up to the name. Even if he hadn't cracked the code of his best friend's "type" yet, Kirishima was positive a looker like her was the definition of everyone's "type."

"Oi!"

He startled, flinging the cat away for the second time that night, and turned to Bakugo with what he hoped wasn't a nervous look on his face.

"Shower's free."

"Ah, okay." He pocketed his phone now that the date had been set and made his way to the shower. He disrobed and quickly lathered up. He'd think up a game plan under the spray of hot water, where he typically tended to do his best thinking, anyway. The bar the girls were at was outside of their usual haunts, but he could probably sway him into going if he made up something about reading about the place online. Some artisanal beer that they home brewed getting rave reviews, or something along those lines.

His attitude made Bakugo seem like a high-strung and suspicious person by default, but Kirishima had witnessed a change within him over the past few years. Since being on his own, the blustery blonde's bubbling boil had been tempered down to a mere simmer. That wasn't to say he still wasn't the easiest person to send over the edge; but to his credit, he'd definitely managed to cool off a bit.

Employed together at the same agency, he'd been able to witness Bakugo's transformation from an entitled brat who was resentful about being Mirko's sidekick to the humbled hothead Pro Hero he was now. As #36, Kirishima was lagging a bit behind Bakugo's #28 ranking, but he'd come a long way himself from the #39 spot he was at last year. The pair had teamed up to bust a local drug gang that had recently started dipping their toes in weapons distributions, and the success had sent them soaring through the ranks to the current spots they were today.

There was a banging on the bathroom door that brought Kirishima back to the task at hand.

"What?" He demanded, quickly rinsing and slapping off the tap.

"Your phone's been blowing up. Are you done?"

"Yeah, I'm coming out now." He answered, sliding open the shower door and unleashing a puff of steam into the bathroom. He flicked on the vent fan and wiped off the mirror to inspect his hair. He didn't bother to wash it since he knew it took the gel too long to set for Bakugo's liking, and he was too eager to meet up with Akane and Yuri, anyway. "Are you dressed?"

"Yeah, bedroom's all yours." He answered. "I'll be in the living room."

"Alright, thanks. I'll be quick." Emerging from the sweltering bathroom after the bedroom door signaled Bakugo's exit, Kirishima all but dove for his phone on the bed. Akane was spamming the app in order to let him know that they were changing to a different bar because the current one had become overrun with Uwabami fans, who was apparently making a surprise appearance.

How long are you going to be? LMK a spot that works for you guys and we'll try to get a table while we wait. She'd sent over her username in their regular messaging app for him to look up and Kirishima immediately pounced on the opportunity to bring them to a closer place. He collapsed onto the bed, relieved by his good luck tonight and explained to Akane how he would be tricking his buddy into meeting up with them tonight, so she'd have to make it seem serendipitous.

He's kinda grumpy but he's a good guy. He clarified. He doesn't know I'm planning this, but we've been working so hard lately I think he forgot how to do anything else.

I get it. Akane answered. Yuri can kind of be obnoxious when she's drunk, but she's been busting her ass on patrol lately that I'm treating her to some fun tonight also!

Perfect! We're such good friends, but we should make sure we don't forget to treat ourselves tonight…

Oh, don't you worry about that. She was quick to respond. I've been thinking of ways to reward you for your hard work also, so make sure you hurry up and get here before I run out of ideas…

Yes, ma'am!

Kirishima threw a fist in the air in excitement and launched himself off the bed. He tore through Bakugo's closet and zeroed-in on one of the outfits pre-approved by his PR agent since those were the nicest clothes he owned. If he could consider something like that as "his" to own in the first place. If the label ever pulled their sponsorship, he was sure the fancy clothes and expensive gifts would disappear with it, so did he actually "own" any of this nice stuff in reality?

As much as Kirishima sometimes felt a little envious of Bakugo's fame because of the extra perks that came along with it, he didn't actually covet it in the end. His own fame was more along the lines of a cult following, since he'd based his entire career off the old school hero Crimson Riot. Those in the know knew what was up and would find their own ways to support him, and those that didn't supported him as a regular hero, anyway. And both types of fans were equally fine by him.

He dressed quickly and gave his hair a final look before finally making his way back to the living room. Bakugo was scrolling through his phone on the couch while highlights from a baseball game played on the TV. Mikan was purring on his lap and stirred when Kirishima came closer.

"Uwabami's in town." Bakugo spoke. "She's doing a surprise appearance at some club a couple stops away. Noriko wants me to go rub elbows with her for some free publicity. You wanna check it out?"

"Huh?!" Kirishima couldn't help the panic that crept out of his throat. "No, that's fine! …I was thinkin' more about this other spot with this craft beer I wanna try."

"You sure? I thought you said Uwabami was hot – Noriko can probably get us straight to her." He turned and gave his friend a cursory once-over. "You're wearing that shirt wrong."

"Huh?" He croaked out a second time, nervously eyeballing his torso like a creature was clinging to it. "What do you mean?"

"It's supposed to look like it's inside out." Bakugo rolled his eyes at his own words. "Apparently that's a thing now."

"Oh." Kirishima chuckled and slipped off the shirt to flip it inside-out, which was apparently the "right" way to wear it. "I guess that explains why the design was on the wrong side."

"Idiot." Bakugo chuckled and lifted the cat off his lap to dust her fur from his pants. "Ya done primping now?"

"Mrrowwllll…!" Mikan let out a loud yet unenthused yowl, interrupting Kirishima's assuredly witty retort.

Both boys turned to give the orange creature a bewildered glance as she repeatedly nudged her face against Bakugo's leg.

"What's with your girlfriend?"

"Shut it." The blonde snapped, bending down to pluck the cat off the ground and toss her back onto the couch. "I thought she was just a stray but she's always here."

"She's got a collar." He indicated the purple strap decked out with sparkly rhinestones.

"Yeah, with no address." He fired back. "I even went to the koban the other day to tell them about her but all they did was put up a stupid flyer."

"Not much else they can do until someone says they lost their cat, I guess." Kirishima watched Mikan stretch up to her tiptoes to press herself up to Bakugo's chest, staring until he finally pet her again. "I never thought you'd have a stalker, though."

Bakugo rolled his eyes. "She just likes me because I'm warm."

Kirishima cocked a brow, not even needing words to get across his need for clarification.

"I run hot because of my quirk."

"Sure it's not because of your temper?"

"Ya wanna find out, shitty hair?"

Kirishima smirked as his phone buzzed. He went rigid and retrieved it, suddenly remembering the whole reason he was here.

Where are youuuuuu? He could practically hear the whine in her voice even though they'd never actually met. Yuri's dancing with other guys alreadyyyyyy.

"We gotta go." Kirishima declared, rapidly texting her back and pleading for just a few more minutes.

"What's the hurry?" Bakugo eyed Kirishima's phone with an accusing glance, already knowing what was going on by the guilty look in his friend's eye.

"Alright, fine. I messaged this girl and now she and her friend are waiting for us." Kirishima sighed, already backtracking down the hallway to the door. "I'll explain on the way, but let's just get going already, please! Before they ditch us for some other guys!"

"Oh, Christ…" Bakugo rolled his eyes but mercifully went along without any further protest.

Mikan followed the odd couple into the genkan, where they slipped on their shoes and vanished behind the door without another word. Her hypersensitive eyes watched the lingering trail of pheromones she'd left on Bakugo sparkle in the air, wondering if she'd left a heavy enough mark to properly claim him as hers.

A/N: Happy kitty, pretty kitty, little ball of fur. Warm kitty, soft kitty, purr purr purr… As for those who may not be familiar with the official name of those police boxes you may have seen in some manga/anime/movie, they're called koban. I mean, I didn't realize the foyer where shoes are kept was actually called a genkan until recently, so the more you know, right? And yes, they accept lost and found items, so I figured hey why not a lost cat XD As for the title, it's a wink at that text you get when you're running late and I felt it would be cute to reference that since Kirishima is basically using Tinder here. And if I didn't mention it earlier, the messaging app everybody uses here is in fact, Line. I just don't know ffnet's rules on real life brands in fics and wanted to cover my ass by not using names because that would be a dumb way to get deleted. Anyway, things are going to get VERY heated next chapter, like heavy smut wise. Fair warning since it's the direct continuation of this one, and drinking buddies are gonna do what drinking buddies do…