(super)stition

by badtzumaru

She's not here to make friends. She's always been the misfit anyway, and the only thing sharper than her temper and words are her claws. But Class 1-A has a funny way of making the best out of the worst of things. Either way, Akatsuki Rei is going to need a bit of luck on her side if she wants to survive.

28. Bonus Chapter: Bloom

AN: Surprise!

This is a bonus chapter (more info at the bottom)

This is my gift specifically to everyone who has reviewed at some point during this story

---

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch,

But whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same

Hellen Keller

---

When she left her hometown, she hadn't looked back.

Akatsuki Rei had been sick of it all. The same people, the same classmates, the same routine for eighteen years. She hadn't come from the most rural town, but neither was a graduating high school class of two hundred students something to brag about either. The end of high school couldn't come fast enough; she was ready to stretch her wings and get out of that town.

There was nothing left for her anyway. Rei had learned from an early age that if she wanted to get somewhere, she had to look forward.

Her parents were no help. Both of them worked in the next town over, and the only time Rei ever saw them get along was when they were drinking in separate rooms. There had been a lot of screaming, a handful of fights, and all too many shattered beer bottles on the linoleum kitchen tiles that abruptly woke Rei out of her slumber every few nights. It was safe to say that neither had ever modeled a healthy relationship for their daughter, leaving Rei lacking in the social skills department and thus without many people to call her friends. By the time she reached high school she had become self aware, but it was too late to rectify her mistakes. No one wanted to be the friend of the loner, not when social lines had already been drawn and those who crossed them walked on thin ice or would be thrown away.

So Rei looked ahead to the future. The ticket to getting out of that town was going to college. Tucking her head down Rei dove into her studies, impressing her teachers and earning accolades and impressive letters of recommendation once the time came to apply. When her admission letters came she immediately chose the one furthest away, given the fact that the scholarships she had won would cover the tuition and give her a decent cushion.

Neither of her parents cared, or at least their reaction on the day that their daughter moved out proved that they hadn't listened to her at all. Perhaps a part of it was on her shoulders, since she hadn't ever really bothered to tell them anything, so convinced that they were all too drunk out of their minds to even hear her or pay attention to her, but her assumptions had been rooted in some small truth. Neither ever seemed to listen. What was the point in speaking when no one cared? So she had brushed past them as they sat on the couch, slack jawed at her sudden boldness and confidence. It was the most brave she had ever felt in her life, the most powerful.

It was the last time for a while that she felt like that.

Arriving at the university in Tokyo, Rei had felt small. She wasn't terribly tall in the first place, but standing under those archways had made her feel even more insignificant than she had even felt back at home. It didn't help that her lectures were massive, making her feel dwarfed by the hugeness of everything. After a month she was ready to drop out, ready to give in and admit that she hadn't been ready for this new experience. Perhaps she was fated to remain in that backwater town for the rest of her life, like everyone else in her graduating class.

But fate had other plans.

Large classes led to discussion groups. Rei's leader was a graduate student with a brilliant personality who showed genuine interest in her students and their lives. After a few weeks Rei finally began opening up, much to her leader's surprise and pleasure. Fujioka Reina was as smart as her smile was wide, and the two of them formed a friendship.

When Rei felt ready to give in, it was Reina who encouraged her to stay in school. After the first semester finished, it was Reina who gave Rei her personal contact information, telling her to stay in touch. By the time the end of the first year was rolling around, the two of them were constantly meeting up for coffee at a local shop just outside campus, sometimes with work to do, but more often than not simply meeting up for friendship and solidarity.

It was through Reina that Rei eventually found her first apartment and her first job.

After two years Rei was itching to find a job. Scholarship money was decent, but it was nice to have a little extra money to cushion her savings. Aside from that, her grades were stellar, and while she had held a job on campus working as an aide to a secretary it wasn't what she wanted to do. She was a business major, and she wanted something else. Something useful.

The topic came up in conversation, and a few weeks later it led to Reina introducing Rei to her girlfriend. Hotaru was a sweet, quiet, yet resolute woman who had taken over her family's florist shop not a block from the school and on the border of the "college town alleyway" of shops as many people like to call it. Across from the university was a street filled with a variety of shops aimed at the college students, from restaurants and bars to convenience stores and a host of other random places, like a piercing shop and tattoo parlor. The flower shop was located on the corner closest to the school and attracted quite a bit of attention, especially when holidays came around or when graduation happened. Rei had actually passed by multiple times, always surprised to see how brilliant and fresh the flowers were for such an urban environment. Even back at home, the flowers never seemed to be as bright as they were here. So it hadn't been an entirely dreadful experience to be introduced to the young shop owner, who was more than happy to hire a helpful hand who was interested in the business.

Even more than that, but there were two apartments above the flower shop. One of them belonged to Hotaru and thus Reina, but the other had been empty. Hotaru had been more than happy to rent it out to Rei, who had thanked the duo profusely for the next week for all their, much to their amusement. They had no idea how much everything meant Rei.

Now, she had a place to belong. She wouldn't have to return home any time soon.

The years passed. Rei graduated. She worked side by side with Hotaru as she began to help out and organize the business side of things, working to increase their profits and appeal to the college students even more by practicing the things she had learned in school. In return, Hotaru also taught her the core components of floral arranging and other more aesthetic components. By the time Rei was a year out of school they had increased their profits by nearly twenty-percent, something neither of them had believed to be achievable until they began calculating everything at the end of the year.

It was a beautiful partnership. And somewhere along the way, Rei found herself growing content. Even as she looked forward to the future, continuing to strive for more and more along the way, she came to realize that she was happy. Truly, earnestly, happy, for the first time in years.

Things could only get better.

---

There were quite a few college students who worked in the shops along the college street, but the regulars and the veterans began to stick out over time. Rei had already begun to establish herself as one of them and was beginning to pick out the others for herself.

Though she continued to stick to the flower shop most of the time, she had begun to make friends. Across the way on the corner opposite of florist shop was the coffee shop and cafe, a regular spot for Rei to hit on her breaks after the morning rush of university students and professors had left. It was about nine thirty by the time Rei took her first break, taking advantage of the lull and walking across the street, smiling warmly as she caught the face of one of the familiar figures behind the bar.

Messy green hair and sparkling green eyes stood out from the rest, a rather tall but well filled out boy waving his hand enthusiastically as he greeted their regular customer. "Rei-san! Good morning!"

Rei smiled warmly, pulling out her card. "Good morning, Midoriya."

"The usual again?"

"Please. How was this morning?"

"Ah, not terrible. Most people still want hot drinks since it's still cool in the mornings, but I can't imagine it'll stay that way for much longer."

Handing over her card, Rei studied her friend briefly as he began humming mindlessly, clearly in a good mood like every other day. He had graduated from university in the same year as her, but had continued lingering on as a graduate student, though he claimed that he was taking his classes a little more slowly than most people so that he could continue working. It wasn't bad money after all, even if it was a cafe; he worked as a shift leader and manager, and he had already confided in Rei that he rather enjoyed working as a barista since it put him in contact with plenty of people over the day, even if most of them started as coffee deprived monsters. He was definitely a people person, and Rei wondered why he was a graduate student in research when he clearly was more suited to human interaction.

But it was the little mysteries in life that kept things lively. Passing two slices of quiche over to Rei and motioning for her to take a seat, he shouted something about taking a break to the rest of his coworkers before grabbing two cups of black coffee and joining Rei at a table near the window. The two of them began to pick away at their morning snack, a tradition that had emerged between the two of them after knowing one another for so many years. Rei had been coming to this place for years, and as one of the regulars along with one of the constants of Midoriya, the two had formed a fast friendship.

"So," Rei swallowed quickly, taking a stab at her next piece of quiche but pausing before popping it into her mouth, "have you asked Uraraka out yet?"

Midoriya choked on his food, waving his hands and reaching for his coffee in an attempt to wash the food down. His face was red, most likely from his close encounter with suffocation and his embarrassment at Rei's forwardness, stuttering his words. "R-Rei-san!"

Rei only grinned. Midoriya had grown out of his stuttering for the most part, but when he became flustered his old habits came alive. It was endearing to see that pieces of him could never be truly erased, especially when it came to the girl that he had a crush on. The girl in question worked as a waitress at one of the restaurants down the street at a spot that Midoriya and Rei frequently hit, if not for the good takoyaki, then for Rei to tease Midoriya for the entire night. "I guess that's a 'no' then?"

He rolled his eyes, chomping down on a piece of quiche more aggressively than necessary, tossing his head to the side and staring out the window in mock irritation. "I don't want to ask when she's working. That'd be rude."

Nodding her head, Rei set her fork down to sip her coffee, the strong scent of the dark roast wafting up her nose as she inhaled deep. "Good plan. But you're gonna make a move soon."

"I know."

"She's into you."

"You think so?"

This time it was Rei's turn to roll her eyes at Midoriya's apparent airheadedness. "Clearly. She barely ever looks at me when we're at the table. Only got eyes for you, cinnamon roll." Her comment earned another half hearted glare from her seat partner at the mention of the infamous incident, but it went unnoticed by Rei as she raised an eyebrow. "Speak of the devil…"

Walking up the sidewalk was the girl in question, Midoriya sitting up straight as he watched her pass by. "Is she…"

"Better get to the register fast."

He all but sprinted to the register, making it just in time before she had opened the door and making it seem seamless as he greeted her with a dopey smile. Uraraka cheerfully entered, clearly unaware of the fact that the boy greeting her had all but flipped their table upside down at the chance to interact with her. He seemed rather determined to ignore Rei's suggestive grin that she hid behind her coffee cup, watching their interactions with amusement as the bubbly girl giggled frequently and Midoriya flushed, clearly flustered but enthralled all the same.

At the same time that Rei was feeling happy for Midoriya, she couldn't help but notice the small hole in her chest. In the beginning she had a crush on her green haired friend, but she had tucked those feelings away one she realized that they had been unrequited. It was fine, especially now that she had come to value their friendship in the same way that he did. But seeing him so happy just being in Uraraka's presence made her wonder if anyone would feel that way with her.

Rei had dated a few people in college, but after the first one they had all been relatively short lived. She wasn't the kind to go flirting with people left and right, it just wasn't her type. But she was lonely, and she found herself wanting something, someone to stand by her side and joke with her and value her for who she was. Being single had its benefits; she had learned more about herself than she had known, had learned how strong she was and grown significantly as an individual. Now, she knew who she was. She was ready for someone else to know her as well, and for her to learn about someone else.

After a few minutes of chatting away Uraraka eventually left the shop, cheerfully parting from Midoriya and walking back down the street. It was after she left that Rei looked back to Midoriya, almost hesitant to break him from his dreamy state. "Oi, your quiche is getting cold."

Hearing Rei's voice snapped him out of his reverie, green eyes widening as he squeaked. "R-right!" He dashed back over, settling into the booth and digging in almost much too energetically for normal, Rei's golden eyes settling on him with suspicion and amusement.

"So, did you do it?"

"Huh?" He looked up, pausing in his bites before shaking his head emphatically. "No! I'm on duty! I can't do that!"

"Alright…" Rei sighed, finishing up the last of her quiche and sipping her coffee once again, taking the cup into both her hands as she let the warmth seep through her fingers. "I'll accept that excuse. But soon."

"Alright, alright. Soon. I promise."

It was pleasant to see how much Midoriya had changed over the past four years. He had gone from an absolute stuttering mess to a calm, yet occasionally snippish individual. Perhaps that part of Rei had worn off on his personality, her sarcasm and dry wit rubbing off on her friend. Yet he maintained his incredibly considerate and thoughtful mind, constantly thinking of others and how they felt while doing his best to encourage others in a positive light. He really had worked wonders for Rei's more negative thought processes that she had dragged to college from high school. The two of them worked together, and had changed one another for the better.

Smiling behind her cup, Rei's eyes twinkled. "Promise?"

Her final antagonization was worth the half hearted glare he lobbed in her direction, an eyebrow raised in exasperation as she chuckled to herself. There were no words needed. The duo fell into relative silence as the coffee grinder began working away, the whirring and hacking of the blades dominating the coffee shop for a minute before settling back down, ambiance returning.

"More coffee?"

Rei nodded thankfully, handing her cup over to Midoriya as he filled their cups up for a second round, the two of them blowing the scalding liquid before sipping away. They had often joked that Rei was barely functional without coffee in the morning, and it was sadly true. Even worse was the fact that she had started growing quite particular about her grinds, slowly developing an acquired taste for the pitch black beverage without any sweeteners or anything to dilute the rich taste. She often brewed her own coffee, but there was something sublime about the coffee shop across the street. Additionally, Midoriya always gave her free cups while he was on his shift, a trade that worked out whenever the cafe wanted floral decorations at a heavily discounted price. It was a good bargain, at least for Rei. And well, Hotaru was happy enough to get more promotional business as well, since they were still making a small profit off even their discounted sales.

"So," he finally continued, "now that you're done teasing me, what's new with you?"

Blinking innocently, Rei tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Ahh, don't pull that with me!" He pointed a finger accusingly at her, to which Rei responded by frowning and lifting her cup to her lips as she narrowed her eyes back at her friend. "Hasn't someone caught your eye yet? It's been a year or so since you were with someone, hasn't it?"

"Give or take," Rei conceded with a shrug of her shoulders, her manner indicating that she didn't really care about it any longer. "But no. Kind of hard when most people here are undergraduates. Feels weird."

"Yeah, okay. I get that. But still…"

Golden eyes glowered at Midoriya. "If you try to set me up, I'll murder you."

Years of being threatened by Rei had slowly taken the edge off of her words, but Midoriya chuckled sheepishly as though caught red handed. "Okay, okay. Still, are you sure you're doing alright?"

"Fine. Just needed time to myself." It was true. Having time to figure herself out had been beneficial. Heaving a sigh, Rei smiled slightly. "We've changed a lot, haven't we?"

This time Midoriya laughed a bit more confidently, smiling widely. "You've changed the most, Rei-chan. I don't think I've changed at all."

Snorting and rolling her eyes, Rei sipped at her coffee once more. Midoriya had certainly changed; he had been a gangly shrimp when they first met. Now he was tall and well built, no thanks to the fact that Rei had eventually dragged him to the gym with her almost every evening in order to have someone she could actually tolerate spotting her. But Rei had certainly changed as well; she was no longer the messy haired, chubby cheeked rebel from a small town in the middle of nowhere. Somewhere along the way she had filled out into an adult, athletic and lean, her black hair now hanging just below her shoulders. She was still sarcastic and prone to scathing comments, but she had become more subdued, more prepared to face the world. And somewhere along the way she had become more kind, more willing to listen to others, ready to offer an ear and advice instead of the turn of her shoulder. She still had a limited number of friends, but those she did have were loyal and close, just like Midoriya was still now.

"Mm. Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right!"

"Apologies. I forgot that grad students know everything."

"Oh, don't be like that…"

"Joking."

Midoriya laughed openly at her dryness, green eyes sparkling with amusement and joy. Even Rei couldn't help the grin on her face, though she hid it behind her coffee cup as she sipped at the liquid once again. But nothing could last forever, and as Rei barely noticed the door to the cafe opening she could certainly watch as her friend's face morphed from joy to recognition and confusion at something over her shoulder.

"K-Kacchan?!"

"Oi, Deku. Quit slacking off. Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Rei continued to sip her coffee, turning in her seat in curiosity to see what kind of person would so casually and somewhat rudely address her friend. Midoriya had stood from his seat, running around to the counter as he muttered his apologies to both Rei and his coworkers, punching in a few orders as the man began rattling off a list that was clearly meant for a few people. She raised an eyebrow as she took in his incredibly cut figure, arm muscles clearly defined underneath his long sleeve top and slim fit jeans not hiding anything either. Messy blonde hair was sculpted by an undercut, leaving a clear line of sight to his subtly pierced ears and sharp jawline and cheekbones. He was eye candy, that much was for certain, but with an attitude like that she wondered if he ever actually kept a date around for long enough for anything to happen.

He didn't seem to see her, or he was set on ignoring her glances that she tossed his way. In any case he wrapped up his order quick enough, taking off with a container of coffees to go after only a few seconds of waiting before taking off down the street. Rei watched as he passed back down the street further into the college alley, wondering briefly how she hadn't seen him coming. Wouldn't she have noticed someone as handsome as him? And if he worked here, how hadn't she seen him before?

After another minute Midoriya sat back down with Rei, heaving a sigh. Blinking, Rei's eyebrow quirked up in curiosity. "A friend?"

"Yeah." He sat up straight, coffee in his hands as he took a deep gulp before sighing, relaxing back into the booth. "Kacchan. We've known each other since we were kids."

"Kacchan?"

"Oh, Bakugou Katsuki. That's his full name."

"Right." Something clicked in Rei's brain. "You've mentioned him before, I think, right?"

"Probably." He chuckled half to himself, as though thinking of some sort of inside joke before continuing on. "He's been studying in the U.S. at art school, though he started getting more serious about tattoo artistry instead of fine arts. He's moved back recently, just got a job up the street."

Head raising, Rei's mind worked to connect the pieces together. "You mean that tattoo parlor on the other side of the bars?"

"Yeah, that one! I've never been to it yet, but I guess I've gotta check it out now that Kacchan is back."

"Hmm."

"Speaking of checking things out…"

Rei blinked twice before flushing at Midoriya's insinuation, his face turning devious as he looked at his friend. "Oh no. No, no, no."

"Oh, yes. I saw you. Though I don't think he saw you."

"Thank god." But the look on Midoriya's face didn't change, eyebrows wiggling suggestively across the table at Rei as she groaned in exasperation. "No, Midoriya. Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so!"

"Would you consider it? That is," he continued on before Rei interjected and shut him down completely, "if I didn't meddle. If I didn't do anything."

If it were any other person sitting across from her, Rei would have denied everything. She would have shut them down, would have said that he wasn't her type, that he was too pretentious and too… damn good looking for her. But she wasn't the lying type, especially when it came to Midoriya. He could usually tell when she was lying anyway. So instead she sighed to herself, chest heaving up and down slowly as she swallowed her pride. "Maybe."

Apparently her answer was enough for Midoriya, whose face seemed to split open in excitement. "Great! Then will you come with me when I go to visit him?"

It would have been easy to say no, were it not for the fact that this was Midoriya in front of her. Sweet, joyful, yet clearly scheming Midoriya. With another sigh Rei nodded her head, rolling her eyes at her friend. "Fine. Just don't make it embarrassing."

"Of course not! When would I?"

"Every time, Midoriya."

"Hey! I'm not that bad!"

"Cinnamon roll."

"That was one time…"

With a grin and a shake of her head Rei drained the last of her cup, setting the mug down on the table gently. "Time for me to get back. Tonight at the usual time?"

"Sure! See you after five then."

Handing her mug over, Rei slid out from the booth and made her way back across the street to the flower shop, stretching her arms and legs before getting back to work. She tried to ignore the fact that she looked down the street a little longer than usual, a certain blonde haired boy on her mind even if she had just seen him for a moment. Her curiosity had been piqued.

Curiosity killed the cat. Rei just had to figure out now if this boy would be the death of her at some point, or if Midoriya was going to kill her first.

---

And think not you can direct the course of love,

For love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course

The Prophet

Kahlil Gibran

---

A month passed. It soon became clear that, with their slightly conflicting schedules, it wasn't possible for Midoriya and Rei both to make their way down to the tattoo shop together. When one of them wasn't working, the other one was. Either that was the case or Midoriya was weighed down with schoolwork. He was still adamant that they would eventually make their way down the street together, determined as he was to make the introduction between his childhood and his college best friends, but Rei couldn't help but feel slightly relieved at the conflicts.

In any case, fate had a funny way of working out.

She had begun seeing Bakugou around more, his ash blonde mop of hair and tall stature more than easy to point out in a crowd. But surprisingly enough she never spotted him in a crowd.

The one place she did spot him was at the coffee shop.

At first it was during her morning meetings with Midoriya, as he would inevitably come in and order coffee for what she assumed were the other workers at the parlor. They never met in person, but on more than one occasion their eyes had met, recognition slowly building. They both seemed to recognition one another's connection to a green haired boy that they both knew well, though neither seemed ready to broach that wall and meet one another. So they simply nodded in passing, the mere recognition enough.

It was their style. They hadn't ever met one another personally, but they were connected. It was enough for Rei, as her heart fluttered every time he tilted his head in her direction, though she tried to keep her cool. The first time she had looked into those blood red eyes she had frozen; even now so many times later she often found herself under the same spell. It never got old.

But as the summer began to wear on and life in the college sectors slowed ever so slightly as only a handful of people remained near campus to continue summer classes, life in the college alley became more casual. Rei continued working hard, directing the other student workers that remained in town and keeping them on task at the shop while also assisting Hotaru as needed, but half an eye remained on the coffee shop as she saw a familiar figure coming down the street with increased frequency. Even if he came to get coffee in the morning, Bakugou would make afternoon appearances as well, sitting outside the cafe with another cup of coffee and a notebook in hand as he furiously scribbled away, making notes that Rei couldn't see clearly. It wasn't her business anyway, so she simply continued about her business, though her curiosity kept her eyes glancing in his direction every so often.

It wasn't her fault that he was so distracted and mesmerizing to look at.

A new routine was established. At least three times a week Bakugou would place himself outside the cafe, writing in his notebook for at least an hour before heading back down the street to what Rei assumed was his work. As the pattern became more clear she became more and more aware that his gaze was more often than not aimed in the direction of the flower shop. She wasn't so vain to think that he was looking at her, but if she thought that her curiosity was piqued before she was definitely interested now.

Two months passed, and they were well into July. It was only Rei in the store, what with some of their workers now on vacation and Hotaru taking a day off that was well deserved. It wasn't like Rei couldn't handle the shop on her own, since most of the work was fairly easy and routine for her at this point. By the time eleven o'clock rolled around Bakugou had taken up residence at his usual spot, working away at his notebook.

Rei stood behind the counter for nearly fifteen minutes, flitting around nervously. She wanted to know what he was up to; she was curious. And there was no one around, since she was the only one in the shop and she knew that Midoriya was in class already. No witnesses to embarrass herself in front of that she knew. Should she introduce herself? It was prime time, as good a time as any at this point. But still she was nervous. Would he think she was insane?

With a growl and a grimace, she steeled herself and collected her nerves before striding out of the store confidently. She would do it. She had barely stepped into the street when red eyes flashed up, watching her approach with surprise and a bit of a guarded expression on his face. Rei hesitated for a moment, but continued forward anyway, face determined. She would do this. Then, if all else failed, she could retreat into the coolness of the shop for the rest of the day.

Walking up to his table and standing across from him, she smiled, offering her hand. "Akatsuki Rei. You're Midoriya's friend, right?"

He seemed surprised that she had the guts to approach him even after he had spotted her coming from a mile away, eyes a bit wider than normal as he realized that she had actually begun talking with him. The silence between them was broken. He smirked, reaching back for her hand and shaking it firmly. "Bakugou Katsuki. That damn nerd's a pain in my ass if anything."

She would have believed him, had it not been for the fact that there was a fondness in his voice as he spoke. But she simply tilted her head, grinning at his response. "I know the feeling. Likes to butt into people's business too much for his own good."

Bakugou seemed rather pleased at her honest response, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He grinned, a sharp and almost feral look coming over his expression as he leered up at Rei, confidence plastered on his features. "Much like you, ain't he?"

Rolling her eyes, Rei folded her arms over her chest. Cocky. It was definitely aimed to see if she would shy away, if she would fold under pressure. But two could play at that game.

"I just came over to ask why you've been staring at my shop so much. It's a little creepy, don't you think?"

He scowled at her statement, but didn't seem to rebuff her. Instead he sat up straight, opening his journal and flipping through a few pages quickly, scanning the contents. Rei peered over, naturally curious, and was surprised to see that it was filled with drawings, the newer pages in particular filled with flowers. "Are you drawing the flowers?"

"Lotta girls want super intricate shit," he grumbled. Even though it was meant to insult his clients, she could see that it was weighing on his mind, the amount of practice he put in clear enough. "The dumbass I work with does more traditional stuff, something about 'manly prints' or whatever."

"Can I see?"

She wasn't sure what made her ask, and it was clear by his hesitance that Bakugou didn't want her flipping through his art journal. But after a moment he caved, opening up to a particular page filled with large flowers from all different angles. Touching the pages almost reverently, Rei smiled. "This was from last week, wasn't it? When we had the special on Gerbera daisies."

"That's what they're called?"

Quirking an eyebrow up, Rei looked down at Bakugou. "You mean you don't know what any of these are?"

He grumbled, muttering something under his breath as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively. Rei softened; for all the shit he had been talking, he wasn't actually so terrible. She could see the softness in his own heart, though he did his best to hide it with a tough guy attitude. Closing the notebook she handed it back to him, turning over her shoulder before tossing her head back toward him. "Come on, bring your coffee. I'll show you."

Based on his atrocious personality, she was half convinced he was going to ignore her. But after she had made it back across the street she had tossed her head back over her shoulder, noticing that he had his notebook clutched in one hand and his coffee in the other as he followed her over. Turning back around and smiling, she opened the door to the shop, holding it open and gesturing for him to follow her inside. "It's cooler in here."

Enticed by the promise of cool air, the boy stepped inside the shop after her, looking around in wonder at all the displays and refrigerators filled with bouquets and various displays. Moving to a bright display to their left, Rei began pointing to a particularly vivid bouquet with a variety of flowers, touching each one reverently. "So the small ones are Baby's Breath. I like to use them to fill empty space in the bouquets and balance out the medium sized flowers. They're almost look like some other weeds that I'm familiar with, and they don't smell the best, but they're pretty."

"What do they mean?"

Rei looked up surprised, half in shock that he had actually asked about the meaning and the other half simply in awe that he said anything at all. But he was staring at the flowers with equal intensity, observing its form with a keen eyes as he twisted around, trying to look from a variety of angles. Her face softened as she watched him, lips upturned wistfully. "Everlasting love. They were commonly used in weddings for a long time, but they also represent familial or platonic love as well. Innocence, purity without corruption. The colorful variations have other meanings as well."

He nodded as he flipped open his notebook, skipping through the pages until he came to a drawing of the same flower, making a note of the name before scanning the picture again. Looking up, he pointed with his pen to a bright yellow flower that was also on the same page. "This one. What's this?"

"Aster. These and the Chrysanthemum sprays make for bright arrangements that fill a lot of space. Like that one," Rei pointed to a yellow flower nearby, "but do you see how the petals are slightly different? You can always tell by looking at the base here."

She watched in fascination as he quickly flipped to a new page, scrawling out some notes in a corner before looking back at the flowers carefully. Then he stood up straight, looking back down at Rei. It was the first time she realized just how tall he was in comparison to her, nearly a full head higher than herself. "What about lilies?"

Smiling, Rei motioned for him to follow her through the store. They wove around the displays, moving to another case on the other side of the shop. From bottom to top there were vases crammed with lilies of a wide range of varietals, ranging from simple white to brightly colored and patterned ones. Gesturing to each one, she began rattling off more details about each type, occasionally looking over in concern when she started to get worried that she was talking too much. But Bakugou had simply opened his book again and was sketching away, taking copious notes rather diligently and rarely sparing a glance upward unless it was to look at the flowers again.

Eventually Rei fell quiet, watching as Bakugou finished up his notes. When he finally looked back up to her with a questioning gaze, she simply smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry my knowledge is admittedly limited. You should ask Hotaru when she comes back if you have any more questions."

"Nah. This was more than enough already." He paused, the smallest of smiles on his lips as he looked down warmly. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." She paused, about to say something else, but she noticed that the boy in front of her wore a similar look, as though he wanted to say something but was uncertain. So instead she closed her own mouth, waiting for him to continue.

"You… should come by the shop." He still seemed uncertain, but then came a grin on his face similar to the one he had outside. "If you're not scared, that is."

His haughty comment earned another eye roll from Rei as she shook her head. "Why would I be?"

"Needles don't scare you?"

"Of course needles scare me. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna weenie out of everything."

He snorted at her choice of words, but his lips twitched up for the briefest of moments. "Whatever. I'm guessing you don't have any tattoos yet then."

Rei tossed an amused, yet inquisitive glance in his direction. "Clearly not. Do you?"

"What kind of tattoo artist wouldn't have a tattoo?"

"I just don't see any."

"That's only for very certain people to find out."

Mortified as he raised his eyebrows suggestively, she choked, stuttering at his crass statement as he laughed at her reaction. A scowl covered her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. "That's disgusting."

"And true." He walked over to the door before turning back to face Rei, a grin on his face almost daring her to listen to him. "If you ever decide to toughen up, your first tattoo is on me."

At least she had recovered at this point, raising an eyebrow back at him. "I bet you say that to all the girls you meet."

His face went soft, much to Rei's surprised as he spoke in a sultry voice that she strained to hear. "Only the ones that're my type." He left her with no option to respond, swinging the door open and striding out confidently as he walked back into the late morning sun. Left behind in the coolness of the shop, Rei was certain that her jaw was unhinged.

That… absolute asshole!

---

"-Can you believe it? And then he has the audacity-"

"Woah, Rei-chan, slow down!" It was time for their near daily work out session, Rei and Midoriya jogging nearly a mile to the local gym in the early evening. Rei had been much more aggressive than usual, still worked up from her encounter earlier in the day with Bakugou and trying to figure out exactly what he meant and what was going on in that boy's head. She had set a rather grueling pace to their spot, forcing Midoriya to keep up with her as he shot her confused looks the entire way. He didn't dare ask her what was wrong until they got to the gym and began stretching themselves up, warming up so that they could begin using the weights.

Of course, once he had asked her to open up, everything had come spilling out. He was still trying to figure out everything that had happened, eyes wide as he began to stretch his legs out and his head craned over to look at his friend. "So you met Bakugou today? How did that happen?"

"I introduced myself. He's been staring at the shop for long enough."

"Ah, right. I wondered when you would notice."

Rei stopped in her stretches, looking at Midoriya incredulously. She hissed at him, making him jolt at her sudden aggression. "You knew?!"

"I mean, yeah! He initially was sitting inside the coffee shop when he was drawing, but I told him that he should go outside, and that you wouldn't mind it…"

Snorting, she began stretching her arms out, sitting down on the ground. "He probably said something snappy to you too, didn't he?"

"Something along the lines of, 'I'll do whatever I'll damn please,' but yeah, more or less."

"His attitude is foul."

"You get used to it."

"I'm not sure I want to."

Midoriya smiled sheepishly, twisting and turning as he began to warm his torso up. "He's not so bad on the inside. It's just his exterior that's a little rough."

"Yeah, alright."

"Did anything else happen?"

"I let him come inside the shop. Apparently he didn't really know the names of any of the flowers."

Her partner snorted in amusement. "Rei-chan, not everyone's a plant genius like you and Hotaru-san."

"He asked me to come to the tattoo shop and said my first one is free."

"Yeah, that sounds-wait, what?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Rei avoided Midoriya's gaze. He was looking at her like she had just sprouted a second head, and it was making her feel self conscious. "He's rather crude when he wants to be."

"I… Rei-chan!"

Rei looked up to Midoriya innocently, blinking owlishly up at her training partner. "What?"

He continued to stand over her, though he had stopped stretching in favor of simply looking down at her in shock. Surprise. Excitement. Rei groaned instinctively. She knew where this conversation was about to go.

"Midoriya-"

"Rei-chan, this is good news! That means he likes you!"

"Midoriya, I seriously don't think-"

"No, listen!" He cut her off, eyes determined as he shut her down for once. "Not just that he likes you like that. If he said that, that means he's willing to be friends."

That was new. "Friends?"

The green haired boy nodded solemnly. "Kacchan… isn't the most open. If he ever invites you to do something, that means that he's willing to see you as a friend or an equal. He doesn't waste his time with people he doesn't like."

"I see." Rei looked to the ground, slowly continuing to stretch. If what Midoriya said was true, then at least she had gained a new friend. She could push the flirting to the side to analyze that later. She trusted Midoriya; the two boys had known each other for years, and while people had the capacity to change, they never tended to stray too far from their core selves. Even if Bakugou had changed, Rei trusted Midoriya to know how he still operated. She would trust her friend, as well as her intuition.

She would play her cards as they came. "Fine. But let's talk about something else now. How about your date with Uraraka this weekend?"

He flushed. "Ah, right! It's exciting, isn't it? I'm a little nervous…"

"You'll be fine. She's a nice girl. Just don't fuck it up."

"I know that much!"

---

1

I sing the body electric,

The armies of those I love engirth me and I engirth them,

They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them,

And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the soul...

I sing the body electric

Walt Whitman

---

Eventually life fell into a rhythm once again. This time, there was a new addition. Midoriya and Rei still continued their morning meetings, but every once in a while Bakugou would drop on in. At first he would immediately take his order of four coffees and leave the grounds immediately, but he slowly began starting with his own personal order and sitting down with the duo, talking and hanging out with them for a while before gathering the rest of his order and leaving back for work. Rei hadn't been sure of what to make of it, but she figured that it was as good a time as any to get to know her new friend.

As long as she could ignore the fact that Midoriya was often making suggestive faces at her every time he was confident Bakugou wasn't looking, she was fine with it all.

And really, it was more than fine. She found that she rather enjoyed Bakugou's presence, even though at first it had felt foreign and invasive. His deep voice often added another layer of snarky opinions that Rei appreciated, and it was amusing to see his reactions when he realized that Midoriya wasn't the pure packet of sugar and stutters that he used to be when they were kids. The three of them began blending together, making the most of their time before going about their days.

It didn't stop there. On days when things were slow, or when Rei was the only worker, Bakugou would come inside the shop to pick her mind about various different flowers. She was more than happy to explain things to the best of her knowledge, since most of his questions had to do with aesthetics and other things she could easily answer.

Although, sometimes he liked to throw her for a loop.

On one morning she had been halfway through an explanation of calla lilies and other varietals when he abruptly asked her a question that had been unrelated.

"What's your favorite flower?"

She blinked, surprised at the suddenness of his question, but obliged anyway, thinking carefully for a moment before responding. "Variegated tulips. Have you ever seen the tulip breaking virus?"

Upon seeing him slowly shake his head, she pulled out her phone, tapping away quickly before pulling up a few images to show him. Various tulips were striated with deep red markings all over, like wispy tendrils that stained the true flower. Bakugou opened his notebook to a new page, furiously scribbling notes away as Rei began to monologue again. "Variegated tulips have multiple colors, but tulip breaking virus came about sometime after the Dutch 'tulip mania' in the seventeenth century. It's a genetic mutation that some say is flawed, but I think it's beautiful."

"Why tulips?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Rei smiled sheepishly. "I like them better than roses. Both roses and tulips come in a variety of colors that have different meanings, but most roses these days lack a proper smell. Roses are overrated to me anyway."

He turned away from the phone, closing his notebook. "They suit you better than roses."

Rei didn't know how to respond, so she simply smiled instead. "Back to work?"

"Have you decided on a tattoo yet?"

"Questions with questions?" She teased him, but conceded. "Not yet. Just haven't had much time to seriously think about it."

"Then come over tonight. There's an opening at five."

"Seriously?"

Her only response was a raised eyebrow, as though daring her to think otherwise. Rolling her eyes, she laughed. "You're insane."

"I'll design it. You tell me where to put it. Unless you're scared."

Rei scowled. "I'm not scared."

Bakugou grinned. It was clear that he knew he had cornered her. "Then I'll see you tonight. Five o'clock."

"I have to close at five."

"Then get there when you get there. Don't make me wait."

"Cocky bast-" He walked out of the shop before she could finish her sentence, leaving her hanging once again. It wasn't the first time he had been aggressive with her like that. Though, if she thought about it logically, he was one of the few people who actually knew how to get her to do things. He knew how to push her buttons. And that was a dangerous ability.

Though similarly, she knew how to push almost all of his as well. Midoriya was a good teacher, though it wasn't terribly difficult for her to figure out. The two of them were like kindred spirits, after all. Strange, how similar personalities attracted one another.

But Bakugou was right; Rei wouldn't back out of a challenge. If anything she could tell him to make the tattoo small and hide it somewhere easily on her body. At least there was an out. But her pride wouldn't let her back out entirely, so with an exasperated sigh she set about her work for the rest of the day. There was no use slacking off; he would only be even more irritated if she showed up late, and the last thing she needed was an irritated tattoo artist working on a new permanent fixture for her body.

So she set about her work, cleaning up and making sure her shift duties were performed slightly earlier than usual, though helping her customers came first. By the time she finished with the day she was exhausted, but strangely enough looking forward to her plans for the evening. They were rather exciting, though nerve wracking. She wondered just what her blonde friend had in store for her.

There was still plenty of daylight by the time Rei finished closing shop and began making her way over to the tattoo parlor. She rarely ever went past the bars, but she had seen the other end of the street before, so making her way to the aforementioned shop was easy.

Climbing the steps to the second floor of the building, she slid into the waiting room as quietly as possible, trying not to make too much of a commotion.

"Hey there! What's going on? Looking for an appointment?"

Startled, Rei jumped as she closed the door as quietly as possible, heart jumping as she turned around quickly to look back into the room. There was a sort of receptionist desk on the other end of the room, a man with brilliantly red hair tied into a high ponytail grinning at her from his position. He walked around the desk quickly to shake her hand, grabbing Rei's hands and dwarfing them in his own as he smiled in a very Midoriya like manner. "I'm Kirishima Ejirou! What can I do for a beautiful lady like yourself?"

"Uh-" She didn't really know what to say, so she started explaining as best as possible. "I'm here for an appointment?" It came out more as a question than she had hoped, leaving the man in front of her slightly confused, but he was cheerful anyway.

"Great! Have you ever been in here before? I don't think I've seen you…"

"Back off, Kirishima. She's mine."

Rei didn't know if she wanted to relax or stiffen at Bakugou's voice as he came out from around the corner, a scowl on his face as he stared at his coworker. But at least Kirishima didn't even seemed phased, immediately backing up and giving Rei space as he continued to smile. "Oh, this is your appointment! Why do you get all the cute girls?"

"Screw off, red hair."

"That's not nice!"

But he only shrugged, motioning for Rei to follow him down the hallway as he immediately turned around and began walking away. Rei offered a tentative smile and a small bow of her head in acknowledgement before striding after her leader, walking into a new room.

From what she had imagined about tattoo parlors, she had been imagining something much darker or crammed. But the entire room was filled with natural light, traditional paper screens standing in front of the windows to provide privacy from the street outside, though Rei could still see the blue sky outside high above. It was clean and bright, making Rei feel comfortable as she breathed a sigh of relief at everything. The tools were organized, the only thing that was vaguely cluttered was a work desk that had drawings scattered all over the surface that was in the corner.

"Sit here." He gestured to a spare seat next to his desk as he began shuffling through his papers, face focused and pulled into a concentrated look. Rei sat next to the desk hesitantly, taking a moment to look at her companion for the first time that afternoon. He had taken off the light jacket he had been wearing earlier in the day for a dark tank top that revealed both of his arms, Rei noticing the beginnings of a tattoo sleeve on his right shoulder peeking out from under the fabric.

"How big is that tattoo on your shoulder?"

"Down the right side of my back and across the lower part," he answered easily, though he turned toward her with a cheeky grin on his face. "You wanna see it?"

Rolling her eyes, Rei crossed her arms and huffed. "I'm not that desperate to see you shirtless."

"You're weird."

"Shouldn't it be weird to ask you to take your shirt off? Besides, I think that you're weird for being so enthusiastic about the prospect."

"You're talking more than normal."

Shit. Was she really? "You're nervous," he continued, providing an answer before Rei could even make up an excuse. It was true, she was nervous. Perhaps that was what was making her more talkative than usual.

Finally he pulled out a sheet of paper from his desk, holding it to his chest and away from Rei so that she couldn't see it. Immediately she knew what it was, and her anxiety rose even higher in her chest. "You can make suggestions, but I'm the artist here."

"Fair enough," she conceded. "Just let me see it."

He handed the paper over to her face down, delaying the reveal for a moment longer as Rei delicately grasped the sheet in her fingertips, holding it upside down for another moment before finally flipping it over. The reveal was here. She sucked in a breath at the sight, impressed with the level of detail and with the way that it appeared delicate and alive even on paper.

On the page was a slender tulip almost exactly like the mutated ones she had shown him earlier, the petals unfurling and opening up to the world. They peeled back from the center like piece of tissue paper, overlapping one another seamlessly and appearing almost even more delicate that they were in real life. Rei held the paper up, gazing at the striations that looked almost as though he had simply printed a picture from the internet instead of drawing it by hand, the detail and organic nature of the image simply stunning.

"So, where's it going?"

Rei finally looked back to Bakugou, seeing a smug grin plastered on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't even let me make any changes."

"By the way you're looking at it, I'm guessing I don't need to make any."

He was right, as always. Damn him and his confidence! But Rei was much to enthralled with the design, mind working to determine where she wanted it to go. It would make for a beautiful design running up her forearm, or perhaps running up her spine with the petals unfurling at the nape of her neck. Or perhaps on her leg. There were quite a lot of options. But she also wanted it to stay slightly hidden, at least for now, and perhaps a bit small. When she had been researching different locations, she had stumbled across a search that had told of the most painful places to put a tattoo, but now that she had seen the art she was certain of where she wanted it to go.

"Alright." Pulling her right arm backwards a bit, she dragged her finger in an upward motion along her right side. "Here, on my side, under my arm."

Bakugou was clearly surprised, face pulling together in a bit of concern. "That's gonna hurt. Like hell. Or worse than hell."

"I know. I did my research. But, right here feels right."

"Are you sure?"

"What, you not gonna offer to hold my hand when it gets tough?" She teased him, since it was only fair that he had flirted with her about seeing the rest of his tattoo. At least he found it amusing, rolling his eyes and snorting at her comment.

"No promises. Get Kirishima to hold your hand if you want to cry."

"Won't know if I will until we start."

---

It hurt like hell.

More than hell, actually. The stem was fine, since it was on her side, but the tulip itself was on her ribs. She had to stop a few times during the session in order to breathe and try and calm herself, each time Bakugou had asked her softly if she wanted to stop. It was a gesture she appreciated, but being too pigheaded to stop halfway she insisted on continuing through the pain.

Four hours later, it was finished. Wrapped in gauze and exhausted, Rei managed to sit up in the chair, figuring out what movements continued to hurt her while Bakugou began cleaning up. She was half tempted to poke the wound with her fingers, to prod it and see how much pain she would be in, but the rational part of her brain prevented her from any of that.

That, and her artist shot her a sharp glare as soon as he saw her fingers poised and itching to touch it.

"The hell you think you're doing?"

"Nothing."

He snorted. "Didn't seem like nothing."

Rei rolled her eyes, dropping her hands down with a dramatic sigh before grimacing at the heaving of her chest. Damn, everything really did hurt!

"You regret it yet?"

"Shut up." She was too pigheaded to regret anything, let alone tell anyone that she wanted to change her mind. At least she could focus on the fact that it would be beautiful later. What was the phrase? Beauty is pain, or something like that?

Bringing herself to sit up, she watched as Bakugou finished cleaning up his tools.

Suddenly, she blurted out her thoughts. "Do you want to get dinner?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, and immediately Rei wanted to groan from her idiocy. Stupid! What an awkward time to ask such a thing. She should have kept her mouth shut. But to her surprise, he nodded his head.

"Yeah."

"My treat." Sparing a glance at the clock, she realized that it was past nine o'clock. "Since you had to stay so late," she added, a bit apologetic. If only she hadn't asked to pause so many times, they could have been done earlier.

Bakugou only grunted in assent, finishing up with his station and cleaning his tools. It only took a few more minutes, and after the room was filled with the scent of sanitizing solution and he grabbed his jacket that had been draped across his desk chair, the duo were ready to go. Walking ahead of his client, Bakugou opened the doors for Rei, a gesture that made her smile shyly and mutter her thanks every time. He just nodded, a surprisingly soft look on his face as they made their way back through the building and into the street.

Shuddering at the coldness, Rei wrapped her arms around herself as she looked up and down the street. It was a weeknight, and most places were looking to close within the next hour. A little ways down the street and across the way, a familiar lighted sign drew Rei's attention, and she looked over to her companion for the evening while pointing at the restaurant that had caught her gaze.

"How about barbeque?"

She laughed at the way his face lit up as his gaze followed her pointed finger, blood red eyes sparkling even in the darkness, covering her mouth with her free hand as she chuckled. He threw a lazy look in her direction, as though exasperated by her amusement, but the corner of his lips turned up sheepishly anyway. With their decision made, the two of them quickly crossed the street and made their way into the eatery.

It was still lively, considering the fact that it was a weekday. Most of the patrons were college students, most likely getting back together for dinner after summer vacation. The chatter was lively and borderline raucous, and Rei couldn't help but feel slightly relaxed at the noise around her as the two were led over to a booth. At least it wouldn't be awkwardly quiet in here.

Sliding into their seats, they both scanned over the menu quickly before setting them aside. They were locals, after all. Both of them had been to every spot on the street at least twice at this point, or at least Rei had anyway after living here for years. But Bakugou was clearly familiar with the menu as well, and as the two waited for their server to return he leaned forward onto the table.

"How's it feel?"

For a moment Rei forgot about the tattoo, so caught off guard that her brain short circuited for a second before responding. She was tempted to touch it again, but she knew that the man sitting across from her would only glare daggers into her skull. So instead she winced a bit. It was still throbbing, after all. "Hurts, but not bad."

He nodded, as though expecting her to say as much. "Take the bandages off probably tonight when you shower. Try not to touch it, and don't scrub it. Wash it gently with soap."

"Sure." She hesitated for a moment before tilting her chin in his direction, looking back at his arm. He had taken off his jacket, now sitting once again in a tank top with his tattoo partially revealed. "Seriously, though. How many tattoos do you have?"

"Not enough."

Rei snorted, rolling her eyes. "Of course."

"The one you see on my arm actually started as one on my back." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, pointing generally in its direction. "Had a friend back in the States that was into the water color style. Kirishima extended the sky motifs into my shoulder a couple months ago."

"Kirishima… the guy with red hair?"

"Yeah. That idiot wanted to do it as 'bonding experience,' or whatever shit."

Rei smiled, folding her hands in front of her on the table and leaning forward. "He seems nice."

"He's an idiot."

"A nice idiot."

"Still an idiot."

At this point their waitress had returned with tea, taking their orders quickly with a smile and turning on the stove in front of them before disappearing once again. Rei blinked, trying to remember where they had left off. "So, is that the only one you have?"

Bakugou wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, a sharp grin on his face. "You wanna find out?"

Her knee jerk reaction was an eyeroll, though Rei laughed softly along with it. "Depends. Are you gonna charge me for it?"

"Depends. I'm gonna order sake."

Rei's jaw dropped open. "I didn't say I'd pay for a five course meal."

"Relax. Besides, you can't drink with that tattoo still new. But I can."

Scoffing, Rei folded her arms over her chest, though she winced from the movement, her ribs still tender. "I can't believe you."

He only sent a brilliant grin across the table her way, immediately catching her off guard and making her relax. Damn, him! He was beautiful, and he definitely knew it. But by the time the food started coming and the conversation continued to flow naturally over the course of the meal, Rei found her defenses lowering bit by bit, second by second.

Damn her and her weak sensibility!

Surprisingly, tipsy Bakugou was even flirtier than he normally was. Equally surprising was the fact that Rei was growing more and more comfortable, the jokes they threw across the table coming more naturally as they continued to learn more about one another. She hadn't realized until she was nearly halfway through her story that she had already begun telling him about her hometown, and how she had essentially up and left as soon as she had finished high school. But even more surprising was the fact that he had listened, actually listened, the entire time, even asking more questions about herself. When was the last time she had opened up like this with someone else? Surely it was a testament to how much the boy across from her was becoming a staple in her life.

By the time the restaurant was closing, Rei and Bakugou had fought over the bill. It hadn't been pretty either. He had swiped the check before Rei even had a chance, leading to a new bickering session that Rei was certain their waitress was beginning to tire of. So instead she swallowed her pride as the two walked out into the night, laughing about something he had said about one of the couples still inside the restaurant.

The night air was even crisper and cooler than before, a sure sign that autumn was on its way. Shivering in the coolness, Rei jumped as a heavy piece of fabric draped around her shoulders, golden eyes looking up in surprise as her companion averted his gaze, trying to act casual. Blinking in surprise, Rei wanted to scowl, but found she couldn't as she huddled under the warmth of the black jacket. "Aren't you cold?"

"Not as cold as you. You're shivering like a wet dog."

Rei scowled. "That's not nice."

"Take the jacket, gorgeous. You need it more than me." He immediately stiffened at his slip up, frantically looking down at Rei, but she only tossed her head back and laughed in response.

Gleefully her eyes lit up, a sparkle in them as she grinned. "Are you that tipsy?"

The only response she received was an eyeroll and a huff as he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "Whatever."

"That's much nicer than saying I look like a wet dog."

"I didn't say that!"

"Close enough!"

"You're impossible."

Rei laughed again, and this time Bakugou relaxed a little more, most likely since she had responded rather well to his slip up. Snuggling into the jacket and wrapping her arms around herself, she snuck a few looks over to her friend. His cheeks were barely flushed, barely even visible in the low lighting and only when they passed under brighter lights from the shops around them. With a bit of concern, Rei bit her lip before speaking. "How far do you live from here?"

He shrugged. "About fifteen minutes by train."

"Hmm." Shaking her head, Rei smiled again. "Stay at my place. I have extra blankets and a couch."

The devious look came back onto his face, and Rei almost knew what he was about to say before it even left his lips. "You sure you don't need me to keep you warm?"

"I can change my mind."

"Hah! You won't!"

"Watch me!"

But they both knew that she didn't have it in her, at least not at the moment. With grins on their faces, Rei led the way back to the flower shop, unlocking the door and letting her companion squeeze inside before locking it once more. "It's the least I can do, since you didn't let me pay for dinner."

"Whatever." His eyes continued to linger on the flowers in the shop until Rei led him back into another area of the shop, the two ascending a flight of stairs and making their way to the third floor of the flat. The second floor was Hotaru and Reina's, since they had mentioned something about not wanting to climb so many stairs at the end of the day, leaving Rei the top floor to herself. It had been more than anything she had ever wanted, with a fantastic view of the entrance to the university across the way and plenty of sunlight during the day. Truly, more than anything she could have ever wanted as a small town girl simply looking to escape.

Flicking on the lights to the apartment, Rei carefully set her shoes into a shoe rack near the door before padding on inside. "Sorry, it's kind of messy right now. Did you want to shower first?"

Bakugou entered the house a little more slowly, sliding off his shoes and setting them to the side behind the door. He still nodded. "Sure."

"Let me grab a towel."

Rei felt like she was bumbling around the house for the first time in a while. Damn it, she hadn't been expecting guests, let alone a guy that she considered rather attractive! But after what felt like an eternity but had probably only been a few seconds, Bakugou was finally in the shower with a change of clothes that Rei had scrounged for, an oversized t-shirt from her and surprisingly a pair of shorts that were most likely from her previous boyfriend. Thankfully he hadn't asked where she had gotten the shorts, instead taking them without question. With a sigh of relief Rei began pulling out a set of sheets and blankets and stacking them on the side for him to use later.

This definitely was not the plan. She had barely even planned to get a tattoo today, and that was only because Bakugou had essentially dared her and appealed to her more rebellious side. Her original plan had been to do some laundry and to have a relaxing evening probably watching some television shows, not getting a tattoo and eating dinner with a guy she had definitely developed a crush on over the past few months. But here they were, said guy in question ready to stay a night over. Platonically. Rei's eyes narrowed.

Nothing romantic here.

But the gut feeling had returned, the knot in her stomach that had refused to unravel since the first day she had seen him. And now it was growing bigger and bigger, undeniable at this point. Midoriya had said that Bakugou most likely considered her a friend at this point. Could it be something more?

She needed a distraction. Glancing at the clock, she noted that it was still barely past ten o'clock at night. Late, but not late enough yet. A cup of tea was just what she needed.

By the time Bakugou had finished showering the kettle was ready and Rei had brought out her laptop, some house redecorating show pulled up on the screen. She had put one steaming mug on the coffee table, the other clutched in her hands as he leaned back on the sofa, eyes trained on the show. The sound of footsteps, however, was enough to break her concentration, and her eyes lifted to look at an even better looking sight.

The most amusing thing she immediately noticed was that his hair somehow was sticking up at odd angles, like it could never be tamed even with water. Ash blonde locks were tousled over at all angles and degrees, jutting up in some places and flopping over in others. It was a messy look that suited him rather well, but Rei's eyes found themselves wandering over the rest of his muscular figure. It was obvious that he worked out, what with his rippling muscles even standing out from underneath the shirt. Rei worked out too, but it just didn't seem fair how attractive he was, like he had walked out of a photoshoot even just wearing her crappy oversized t-shirt.

To her misfortune, she clearly hadn't been subtle about it either. A grin spread across his face as he strutted over to the couch. "You like what you see?"

Rei only rolled her eyes, sipping her tea as her eyes immediately turned back to the show on her computer. "Cocky bastard."

He sat down carefully, Rei handing him a cup of tea which he accepted gratefully. They weren't quite curled up on the couch together, but if one of them moved just so…

Apparently Bakugou wasn't about to play the waiting game, instead throwing his arm casually over the back of the couch and behind Rei. She smiled. Matching his style, she inched slightly closer to him on the couch, enough so that her arm leaned into his side comfortably.

Neither had moved their eyes from the show on her laptop, neither able to see the stupid grins on their faces that they were trying to hide terribly.

Eventually Rei began to grow drowsy, the yawns coming on faster and faster. Even Bakugou wasn't beyond sleep's grasp. After the ending of another episode, Rei finally pulled away, no matter how much she wanted to stay where she was. Not yet.

Standing up from the couch, she took her companion's mug of tea and walked the dishes over to the sink, leaving them there. Tonight's problems would be tomorrow-Rei's problems, in multiple senses. Starting to turn off the lights, Rei smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but I have to get up early tomorrow. Hotaru's out of town."

Bakugou stifled his own yawn as he nodded, relaxing into the couch. "'S fine. Thanks."

"Good night."

"Night."

She almost wanted to take her word back. She wanted to stay curled up on the couch with him, or to invite him back to her room. Her heart clenched at such thoughts, but before she could act she turned her back and closed her door, making her way to the shower before she could change her mind.

No, she couldn't. Even if there were so many signs, she wasn't sure. She wasn't ready. She didn't want to let this slide through her fingers just yet. She wanted to relish in the moment.

So instead she marched into the shower, ready to get ready for sleep. Who knew if she'd be able to fall asleep though, now that her imagination was running wild…

---

4

I have perceiv'd that to be with those I like is enough,

To stop in company with the rest at evening is enough,

To be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough,

To pass among one of them or touch any one, or rest my arm ever so lightly round his or her neck for a moment, what is this then?

I do not ask any more delight, I swim in it as in a sea…

I Sing the Body Electric

Walt Whitman

---

When Rei's gentle alarm rang at seven in the morning, she couldn't help the groan that escaped her throat. Her side was still aching, as it probably would be for at least a few more days. She wanted nothing more than to down a painkiller and take the day easy, but another free day wouldn't be coming for a while now. So instead she pulled herself from sleep's clutches and dressed in her usual clothes, black pants and a blouse tucked beneath a green apron with the flower shop's logo embroidered over the heart.

Before she could even get to her bedroom door, her heart jumped. Bakugou had stayed over. Was he still here? Tiptoeing out into the living room, she smiled at the familiar sight of a mop of ash blonde hair peeking over the couch arm. She skulked around the room, finding a sticky note and pen and jotting a note for him, leaving it taped to her bedroom door as she closed it behind her.

Working downstairs

Text me if you need anything

Scrawling her number hastily, she darted back into her room to grab the aforementioned item, shoving it into her apron pocket before grabbing her keys and speedily sneaking out the front door as quietly as possible. Thankfully the house was still in good repair, no squeaking door hinges or staircases as she descended to the ground level, trying to keep her footsteps muffled. Another yawn escaped from her mouth as she pressed a hand to her lips, trying to obscure the motion as she walked into the shop. At least she didn't need to actually open until nearly ten. Still, there was work to be done.

As the blood began to flow, the work became easier. Lifting things was still difficult, thanks to the ink job on her side, but nothing was impossible. Soon she was back into the cadence of things, shuffling around the shop and tending the flowers, in addition to other clean up things that she had missed the previous day.

Still, she was beginning to get hungry. Her stomach growled, a loud noise in such a quiet space. To her surprise, a chuckle sounded from the backroom, and she whipped around to see Bakugou leaning in the doorway casually. He had one arm pressed against the doorframe, the other inside the pocket of the shorts he was still wearing as pajamas. It really was rather unfair that he looked so good in anything, even if it was just throw away clothes.

Scowling at his perfection, Rei folded her arms across her chest. "What are you doing down here?"

"Looking for food." Red eyes scanned her up and down, almost seductively. "Looks like I found some."

This time Rei flushed deeply, folding her arms over her chest as Bakugou laughed at her embarrassment. Golden eyes attempted to level the man in front of her, though it was impossible now that he was clearly in a good mood from being able to fluster her so easily. Scowling, she walked over and shoved him backwards, to her displeasure only making him briefly off balance before he caught himself. "Go be annoying somewhere else."

"You love it."

Her only response was to turn around so that he could no longer see her mortification. "Don't you have to get to work?"

"Kirishima opens up. I just bring coffee eventually."

"So I can't get rid of you then."

"Do you want to?"

Huffing, Rei finally turned back to Bakugou after adjusting another flower stand, eyes glittering in the sunlight. He hadn't been willing to play the coy waiting game last night, and Rei didn't particularly feel like dancing in circles around her attraction to him. "Not particularly," she eventually conceded, "no."

He flashed another smile in her direction. "I'll be back."

His cryptic exit only earned another eye roll from Rei, though it was accompanied by a smile this time. When he next appeared five minutes later he was dressed in his pants and his jacket on top of the t-shirt Rei had given him, looking much more ready for the day. Sliding the apron from her body, she placed it on a hook behind the register, the two of them making their way to the door.

Suddenly Bakugou stopped in the middle of the store, grabbing Rei's hand to make her stop with him. She turned around, lips parted and ready to ask what was wrong, but she froze as one of his hands lifted to cup her chin, tilting her head upward ever so slightly.

The moment seemed to freeze for a moment as Rei stared up, golden eyes clashing with blood red. In the hazy morning sunlight that streamed in golden rays through the windows of the shop, the air was almost magical, suspended in time. Her breath hitched upon recognizing the emotions on his face, the reassured determination in his eyes, the softness with which he looked down upon her. Then his lips were softly pressed against hers, and she closed her eyes at the sensation.

This wasn't her first kiss. But it was all the better, so that she could appreciate the lack of clumsiness but also the shyness and delicate way he handled her. It was almost uncertain, what with the way that he held her like she would break in between his fingers, as though nervous about what she would do in response and giving her the space to back away if needed. In reassuring him she slowly snaked an arm up his chest and rested it on the side of his neck, distractedly noticing the way his heart raced beneath her fingertips. Leaning in and upward as best she could, she closed the distance between them physically, drawing them both in naturally.

It didn't last for much longer, but even as the two pulled away their bodies continued to linger close to one another. Eventually Rei retracted her arm slowly, almost regretful that they had to break the moment. Withdrawing slightly, Bakugou moved his hand from her face, tracing his fingertips down her neck and over her shoulder until it slid down to grab her slender hand in his own. Rei flushed again at the tenderness, though she looked up expectantly, waiting for him to say something.

Bakugou's lips parted, but nothing came out for a moment. Then he shook his head, chest rumbling with laughter. "Damn. I forgot what I was gonna say."

Rei couldn't hide the laugh that burbled in her own chest, squeezing his hand in her own as she looked up at him. He smiled shyly, a look that she never would have thought to ascribe to him, but even the chiseled god of sarcasm and anger himself was capable of such a range of emotion. She quirked an eyebrow, grinning widely. "That good, huh?"

"The best."

This time Rei didn't flush, but she tilted her head and looked away at the compliment, a grin still plastered across her face. "Good." Swallowing whatever shreds of pride she had remaining, she cheekily grinned back at Bakugou. "You're not bad for being such an asshole all the time."

She only received an eye roll. "Remind me who gave you a free tattoo?"

"The best tattoo artist this side of the United States?"

That at least seemed to perk up his ego again, the grin returning. Swooping down again, he pressed a surprisingly delicate kiss against her forehead quickly before standing back up to his full height. "Coffee?"

That was enough to get Rei going. "Please."

To her surprise, he slid a hand into her own, their fingers interlacing pleasantly. Rei startled for a moment at the sensation, but found that she was rather pleased instead. Stepping out the shop, the two crossed the street and made their way into the coffee shop that was a part of their morning routine.

As soon as they stepped inside the coffee shop, Rei groaned. Standing at the register was none other than Midoriya, who looked up at his two friends' approach. He smiled widely though confusedly at their simultaneous entrance, until his gaze wandered downward and saw their hands intertwined. Green eyes alit, he nearly jumped into the air enthusiastically, though he settled instead for standing up straighter and practically shouting at the pair with a pointed finger. "Ah! I knew it!"

"Shut it, damn Deku."

Bakugou growled at his friend, tugging Rei forward as they approached the register. Unable to meet Midoriya's victorious look, she instead stared to the side as Bakugou ordered, too embarrassed and already mentally preparing herself for Midoriya's onslaught of questions and incessant teasing later on. To her fortune though, the green haired boy simply handed over their coffee and remained behind the register, giving the two of them a bit of privacy, although he wasn't above wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at Rei when Bakugou wasn't looking. In return she simply raised a middle finger at him, earning a mock gasp and a hand clasped dramatically over his chest, as though he would faint from the sight.

Shaking her head at her friend's antics, she followed Bakugou to a booth around a corner, the two settling down to sip their coffee. For a moment they were quiet, content to sip their beverages and look out at the street, collecting their thoughts.

Bakugou was the first to speak. "Go out with me."

Rei blinked. "That escalated quickly."

Cherry red eyes rolled in their sockets at her dry humor, lips twitching upward for a moment. He remained silent, waiting for an answer. Eventually Rei sighed, a wry smile twisting at her lips. "I suppose there are worse things to do."

She earned another eyeroll, but this time he smiled genuinely. "You can drink this time."

Recalling that he had prevented her from drinking the previous night due to her recent tattoo, Rei smiled widely. "Now we're talking."

"So alcohol is incentive. Good to know."

"Wouldn't it be for you as well?"

Throwing back the rest of his coffee in a very shot-like manner, Bakugou grinned. "Nah. I've got other incentives for going out with a gorgeous woman."

Rei tried to glower at him, but found it impossible to keep her face straight. "You're impossible."

"Then why the hell do you like me?"

"Well, it certainly isn't your personality."

He snorted, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. But the faux irritation faded away, and instead he was left smiling rather genuinely at Rei. She soaked up the affection and the kindness, smiling back.

"I've gotta get to work. Kirishima's gonna be on my ass."

"See you tonight?"

"Seven o'clock. I'll be by your shop."

"Don't be late."

"Don't keep me waiting."

Rei grinned, raising a hand in parting. "Bye."

He scooted out of the booth, shocking Rei by smoothly maneuvering over to her side and bending down to place a kiss on her cheek. It had been so sudden, so unexpected that she simply froze for a moment, unable to process anything except the cheeky grin on the blonde's face. Then he turned on his heel to order more coffee, assumedly for the other workers, before striding out the door with one final grin in Rei's direction and vanishing down the street.

Almost as soon as Bakugou was out of sight, Midoriya was sitting down in the booth with fresh cups of coffee for the both of them.

"What was that?"

Voice hissing at Rei, he demanded details, impatient to wait any longer. So she filled him in, going over how he had invited her over to the tattoo shop to get a tattoo the previous night and how she had stuttered out with an invitation to catch dinner afterward. She went over how that had led to even more conversation about their lives, and how casual and relaxed things had been, along with how easy it was to get along with the man. She glossed over the details about how Bakugou had ended up staying over at her place, until Midoriya had stopped her mid-sentence and demanded that she give him every single detail, under threat of no longer providing her with free coffee.

So she caved. She told him everything, every detail, and when she had finished her story she continued to talk. She admitted how she felt, how she had been wrong (though not in those exact words) about having feelings for the blonde boy with beautiful red eyes. She told Midoriya everything she felt, every piece, skipping over none of it.

When she was finally finished Midoriya simply had a serene smile on his face. Eye twitching, Rei sipped at her coffee. "Spit it out."

"I'm happy for you, Rei."

"Huh?"

"You're not running anymore. I'm happy for you," he reiterated. "You've changed, and in a good way."

Rei's lips twitched up. "Is spontaneously getting a tattoo really a good thing?"

"Oh, right! I want to see it!"

"Later. It's still red and puffy."

"So, what's the next step?"

For a moment Rei thought that Midoriya was talking about tattoo care, until she looked into his eyes and saw the thoughtfulness returning once again. She had to collect her thoughts, earnestly putting some thought into her response. Eventually she spoke. "Just take it day by day. I'm not running anymore."

He seemed to like her answer, enthusiastically nodding and taking another long draught of coffee. "Good."

"So, how's Uraraka?"

"Oh, it's great! By the way, did I tell you about…"

---

A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it.

It just blooms.

Sensei Ogui

---

When she left her hometown, she hadn't looked back.

Now, more often than not, she found herself thinking about the old days. It wasn't like she had suddenly gained a new perspective, or had suddenly grown wistful. The reflection more came from a place of thankfulness.

If she hadn't struggled then, she never would have gotten out of that town.

If she hadn't gotten out of that town, she never would have made a new life here.

If she hadn't made a new life here, she would never have met Bakugou and all her friends.

She never wanted to go back to her hometown; at least that much hadn't changed. But there was a newfound appreciation for her troubled past, for the series of tough events that had led to her eventual wandering and self imposed exile from that place. Those childhood times had acted as a catalyst into the times where she now found herself; surrounded by friends, and those she loved.

The months flew by. Some things changed. Some things didn't. Student workers from the university came and went. Rei's friend group remained the same, and even stretched to include the workers from the tattoo parlor and Uraraka's restaurant. It was a riot when they all got together, a sort of cohesive chaos.

They were all sitting in a different restaurant, celebrating Midoriya's graduation from his program and new position at the university as a professor. While Midoriya and Uraraka fluttered around, entertaining their guests and running the show, Rei sat in a booth next to Bakugou, their hands intertwined as they watched the scene around them.

It wasn't perfect, but it was good.

She had hoped that things would work out for the best.

They had.

---

AN: Surprise!

I know I mentioned a while back that I had plans to upload another AU chapter, but I just never got around to finishing it. But holy hell, twelve reviews in the last two days alone? You all are too kind to me. Seriously, the reviews on the last chapter motivated me to finish this AU idea for you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's a little bit weird with timing, now that we're in the middle of the action, but I decided to do a midweek update so that it wouldn't disturb the rest of the updating schedule. So here we are!

I've been working on this idea ever since the other EP ending AU did so well (chapter 13). But it's finally finished. I hit a few road blocks, but I wanted to crank this out for all of you.

But especially for all those who reviewed last chapter.

So a deep thank you for all the reviews...

dragontamer64: I totally understand those feels! I text terribly to be honest... so many missed "send" texts... I've mostly been nervous about the next few chapters because I don't know how people will receive them. But apparently everyone has really enjoyed it so far, so we'll see how it goes from here! And I'm glad that you picked up on the subtle hints about Rei's kidnapping; there were a few hints here and there, but I tried to keep it super super subtle so that it would be surprising in the end. I will try to incorporate more bloopers in the future, especially since some chapters will be serious, but the one's I'm writing right now could probably use a bit more humor. Thanks again for the review!

Taffdog19943: Yay! It always makes me happy to hear that people like this story so far.

IrisL'nfer: Thank you so much! I've been working a lot on my writing, so to hear that you really enjoy it means a lot to me. And don't worry, the children will be okay! ... Mostly.

Anseo: Yes, the secret is out! Well, more out than she would like it to be. And I do promise that we will get a bit of Bakugou's perspective on things (even if it's just a tad), so please look forward to that! Honestly I feel like I'm better at writing the bittersweet perspective than anything else, so I'm glad the emotions are really conveying well. Thanks again!

Guest: I'm glad that this chapter was good! This was kind of a big reveal in terms of where I wanted Rei to be in the arc, so I'm glad you're enjoying it.

RandomThingz123: Thank you so much for your review! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you decided to leave something! It's always interesting to see who's been here since the beginning, although I always say that there's no shame in joining in later on too, as long as you're a fan! Thank you so much for your kind words; it really means a lot that you love this story so much. I will do my best to continue the good work!

SavNic4: I'm happy that you love these updates! I hope that this surprise update was a good one!

Mads-Chikistorm: Aaaah thank you! Although, please don't commit murder! I will do my best to continue updating and keeping the good content going.

DominoDuh: Ahahah I had to go back and look at exactly what I wrote for Chapter 20, but I'm so glad you enjoyed that chapter! That was one where I initially wrote a draft, edited, and then decided that I wanted to add more, so I'm glad you loved it. I'm getting better at romance (I really tried to pull as many stops as possible for this one), though my comfort zone is more bittersweet and sad feelings. Thank you so much!

Ansegiel: Mwahahaha... just kidding don't be scared. Or maybe do? In any case, things will work out! I hope this chapter was a little more fluffy and relaxing.

13rini: Thank you! I figure that as long as the content is there, no one can really be upset. It's not like they'll be half-assed anyway, so there's that! I hope you enjoy this story.

yaoi4adollar: I have delivered! (throws glitter in the air). Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

ILikeFoxes828: No problem! Please enjoy holiday, and I hope that this chapter really delivered.

Please leave a review and tell me what you think!

Or, do you have any other ideas for an AU you'd like to see?

Let me know!

See you all on Saturday for another regular update :)