Her smile pisses him the fuck off.

This isn't anything particularly new.

It's not like he's looking to deliberately wipe that goddamn grin off her round ass face just for the fuck of it.

Yeah, that happy-go-lucky shit she's always got going on is, at best, annoying. But at least it's eal.

He knows fake when he sees it. In this case, she's reeking of it, and its rolling off in waves.

How the fuck didn't her annoying ass friends notice it?

All day, she's been walking around with this glassy look in her eyes, like she's ready to burst into tears any second. Is he the only one who knows?

He's been burning holes in her back through every single class, daring her to turn and face him. To confirm that it was her that night, not too long ago.

It looked bad. The bags under her eyes look bad. She just looks bad in general. Her acting is even worse. How pathetic.

She hasn't dared to turn his way more than once this morning, where she squeaked out a "hi" and scurried away like a scared kitten.

What fucking reason does she have to hide?

His frown grows deeper.

"Yo. Did Uraraka do something to you, bro? You've been staring her down all day."

"Mind your fuckin' business."

Kirishima rolls his eyes. What the fuck ever.

"You still comin' to train with me today? I learned some cool new shit this summer."

Bakugo grunts his confirmation, his gaze still narrowed down on her, giggling away at whatever the fuck that dumbass nerd was saying. He isn't even fucking funny.

"Dude," Kirishima whispers, "you got a… a thing for Uraraka? I don't blame you, dude, but you've never —"

His growl cuts him off.

"Alright, alright, my bad. What's up?"

"Something's fuckin' off," he says, watching her put her shit back in her bag. She's doing it so damn slow, like she's a senile old lady.

God, could she get more annoying? Or obvious?

"What do you mean? She's… herself. Probably just tired. We all are."

He huffs in response.

"Whatever you say, man. Catch ya later. Don't keep me waiting."

Everyone must be fucking blind. Or stupid. Or, most probably, both.

The girl's clearly in distress, and he out of people noticed it.

Not the frog bitch, not the motherfucker with the engines, not even Deku. And he's been watching them too, waiting to catch any conversation, any look that held even a hint of concern.

But no, they've all been acting like everything's just fuckin' peaches and cream, kissing ass as always. Fuck.

What the hell were they even trained for? It's written all over her face, which they've been breathing onto for hours now.

He doesn't move from his seat when everybody starts to leave the classroom. He doesn't keep his eyes off of her, either. He waits for her. Waits for them to be alone.

She holds her bag in her left hand and begins to make her way out of the room, shoulders so tense they'd probably fuckin' shatter if he touched them.

That's when he stands and catches up to her. Her short ass legs don't help her at all.

He shoves his left arm into her right shoulder, just hard enough to see her lurch forward, in pain.

I fucking knew it.

He ignores the quick little twist in his gut.

She steadies herself in an instant, stock straight like she's a soldier or some shit. He's sure she's done that plenty of times today.

He looks down at her with a scowl.

And like the fake little bitch she is, she beams up at him. A fading lightbulb trying to act like the fucking sun.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there, Bakugo. How was your summer?" She may be a shit actress, but at least she's prepared.

"Cut the shit, moon face. Why the fuck are you in school?"

He sees her physically restrain herself from cringing before stuttering out her useless response.

"W-what are you talking about? I —"

"Do you think I'm a fuckin' idiot? I saw you that night," he seethes through his teeth, "and you're out here acting like some kinda —"

"You were there…" she whispers, eyes bugging out even more than they usually do. She isn't even denying it.

"Yeah, I was there. I wasn't sure until I saw you today."

"That's… that was you that I saw," she continues, lost in some sort of fucking trance. Did he stutter?

"Yes. I'll ask you one more time. Why. Are. You. Here?"

He saw blood that night. Hers.

She looks up at him all desperate, and his stomach turns again. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Bakugo," she says frantically, like she's being hunted down, "don't tell anyone about what you saw. Whatever you saw. Please. No one can know."

"The fuck? Why not?"

"No one can know. Only Mr. Aizawa knows I've been hurt. Just —"

"What the fuck even happened to you? You may as well tell me."

"Can we… not talk about it here? Anybody could walk in right now."

Fuck if he cares.

"Tell me."

She sighs, and he swears she's literally deflating. "Bakugo…"

He walks past her and towards the door. "I was wondering why those idiots weren't flocking over you. I guess they will once I tell them their precious little angel's been hurt."

Just as planned, she's tugging at his arm and then holding it to her chest. He doesn't hate the feeling. But that's not important right now.

"Please. Don't." The girl's on the verge of tears, her round ass cheeks puffy and pink. He wasn't really gonna tell anybody her business, but fuck if this wasn't worth her reaction.

"You know what I want, angel face." He can't help but smile now.

She lets go of his arm with a pout and wipes the tears away. Thank fuck.

"Around two weeks ago… when you saw me," she begins, looking down at her feet instead of him. "I was attacked. I was on patrol, and… nobody knows who it was. I don't remember much, but I do remember slamming into a wall the second I was alone…"

She bites her lip and shakes her head. His stomach hurts.

"Not the first time something like this has happened before," she laughs weakly. "Y'know, being attacked randomly. I'm working with the police still to find out who may have targeted me. They suspect it was planned, or that I was being followed. But anyway, I suffered from a head wound and a concussion."

He visibly cringes, and she chuckles awkwardly. God, that was the blood he saw leaking down the side of her lifeless face.

"Wait for it, that's not all. Three broken ribs on my right side, along with a nasty bruise. Another bruise on my left arm from hitting a brick wall. The hit was so sudden and so strong, I pretty much knocked out instantly."

He's not sure what kinda face he's making exactly, 'cause it's a sort of mix between shock, anger, and… sympathy. Whatever the hell it is, it's enough to make her laugh again, but it's not enough to change much of anything.

"What in the actual fuck, Uraraka."

"I know, I know. But I'm mostly healed now, save for my ribs. Recovery Girl told me I needed to take it slow. She —"

"What the fuck."

She raises one of her damn Shiba Inu brows like he's the annoying one. "If you were so worried, why didn't you just shoot me a text? We're friends, y'know. Even though you don't want to admit it."

They're both taken aback at her quick response, but he gets himself together before he loses his place.

"Tch. I told you I wasn't sure. And when the fuck have I ever texted you? What would you have wanted me to say? 'Yo, round face. I think I saw you on the brink of death the other night. You're breathin' 'n' shit, right?' Anyway, I ain't stopping you 'cause I'm worried. Your little act is fucking irritating. Cut it out."

"You're the only one who noticed anything, Bakugo, and that's because you saw me that night," she says, trailing off into a whisper and looking around, as if they weren't the only people in the room. "You have to promise me you won't tell anyone."

"Tch. Fine. Whatever. I'll keep your damn secret."

She sighs in relief. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

His ears feel hot. She reaches for the door handle, but it turns before she can even touch it.

Oh, it opens, too.

"Uraraka! Kacchan? Oh, I forgot something…" the fucking nerd says, blushing like a little bitch. Fuck was he blushing for?

Bakugo rolls his eyes and shoots Uraraka a glance. One that told her they weren't finished talking.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Deku, everything's fine! We still meeting up later? You gotta catch me up on your summer!"

He leaves the room and fights the urge to steal one last look at her.

He'll find her later.

She's still in a lot of pain. Her whole right side is sore, and it hurts when she breathes in too fast or bends just a bit too far. Whoever did this to her must hate her.

She's useless. For now, at least.

With the help of Recovery Girl, she's healed a whole lot in the past couple of weeks. But since the injuries were so severe, and she lost a good amount of blood and energy, her ribs were left to heal a bit on their own. It was a different brand of torture.

But that's the life of a pro hero, isn't it? Tearing yourself a part for the greater good. Except, in this case, someone, something got a cheap shot in the one second she wasn't looking. And this is the price she pays. She's pathetic. Bakugo confirmed it for her when he stared her down, calling her out for the fake she is.

But it was better than letting anyone know.

How could she let anyone worry? Even seeing that glimpse of worry in his eyes made her heart sink all the way down to the pit of her stomach. He denied it, of course, but if the roles were reversed, she'd be worried, too. The last thing she ever wants to be is a burden. And god, does she feel like one.

She feels a soft shaking of her shoulder before snapping back to reality.

"You feeling okay, Uraraka?" sweet Tsu says.

They'd been reviewing their notes for the day in the common room, trying to rewire their brains from summer break. Deku had left not too long ago, mumbling something about training. The other girls were chatting away around them, books open yet unread. It comforts her to be back here, despite the discomfort of her hidden injuries. The heat didn't help, either.

"Yeah, I'm just so tired." She makes a bit of a show by closing her eyes and leaning her head on her friend's shoulder. "I missed school, and I missed you guys. But I don't think any of us were mentally prepared for the academic workload."

"It's only going to get harder from here," she says, softly ribbeting. "Imagine what our third year is going to be like."

"I don't want to," Uraraka pouts.

"I can't wait to see how hot I'm gonna look in third year! I filled out even more over the summer! Don't you girls think?" Mina says, winking.

"You sure did. And I sure… didn't," Jirou says, looking down at her chest. Uraraka giggles, but even that hurts. She tries her best to hide her grimace, but she feels Tsu's eyes on her, observing like she always does.

Out of all people, Bakugo couldn't have been the only one to notice. Her classmates were smart and perceptive. Either she was actually a great actress, contrary to what Bakugo said, or they just… didn't notice. She doesn't know what's harder to believe.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look like you're in pain."

"Cramps!" Uraraka blurts out, heat spreading all over her face. "Terrible, awful cramps. I'm trying to keep away from pain killers, my mom told me how they're bad for you if you have too many, plus they can get expensive…"

"Would you like some tea?" Momo looks at her with that same worry she's seen enough of today, and it makes her jump to her feet.

"No, it's okay. I got it! Gotta move around, moving always helps!"

"Hell yes. You're an independent woman," Mina says, shooting her a thumbs up.

Uraraka smiles, but she's sure she looks deranged, and practically waddles over to the kitchen to prepare the tea she doesn't actually want. Why the hell does she always lose her cool the second she feels like someone's coming onto her?! She is a bad actress, isn't she! God!

She stands on her tiptoes and reaches for a mug from the cupboard, pinky up as always. Someone's breath hits the back of her head.

"Deku!"

Since Uraraka is not taking anymore chances, she took that same mug and smashed it into the side of his face the instant she turned around. She regretted it immediately.

He stumbles to the side, and she reaches for his arm, ignoring the pain that shoots up her side.

"I'm so sorry Deku I don't know what I was thinking holycrapIamtheabsoluteworstpleaseforgiveme—"

"It's okay," he says gently. He's rubbing the side of his face, still offering her that kind smile of his, even though she almost gave him a concussion. It makes her chest ache.

Without thinking, she reaches over and places her hand over his. His skin is warm under hers.

"I am the worst," she practically wails, chin wobbling. Now she's gonna cry? Bakugo was right! She is annoying! She drops her head down, the top of it brushing against his chest.

"Hey," he says, a little waver in his voice. "I've taken worse hits. But you've gotten really strong haven't you, Ochako?"

At the sound of her name she perks up, forgetting her fight with the tears in her eyes. His face is red, and hers is soon after as well. She retracts her hand and begins to twiddle her fingers together. She pushed those feelings far, far away! Why were they back?

"Oh, it's nothing! I learned a lot over the summer, I guess I've gotten stronger, y'know, training and patrol and stuff." She bites her lip, wanting to slap herself. To run. To get away from him before she tells him everything. 'Cause out of everyone, he's the one she really can't stand lying to.

And yet.

"Hey, you feeling okay?" he says. She is losing her grip isn't she? It's only the first day! Literally the first day back and she's —

"Woah, woah, woah, what's that look on your face? Uraraka?" He's gripping her arms now, keeping her upright. She wants to give into his support. Her knees feel so weak. She is weak.

"I have cramps!"

Poor Deku couldn't get any redder.

"O-oh."

"So how was your training session?" she squeaks, pulling at the front pieces of her hair.

"G-g-good! Yeah! Good, even Kacchan joined in. I really missed all of this, even though it's been just a couple of months," he manages, stumbling through his words. Her back stiffens at the thought of him.

"I'm glad you guys are friends! Training together! Woo!" She punches the air in front if her, just shy of touching his shoulder.

"You could say that," he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. He bites his lip, like he's hesitating.

"Well, I should get back to —"

"I'm sorry for being so forward, Uraraka, but what were you and Kacchan talking about earlier? You looked… pretty scared."

"Oh, nothing! He caught me off guard, that's all."

He definitely knows she's lying straight through her teeth. She knows that look on his face, knows how he knows the both of them. It breaks her heart that she even has to lie in the first place. She holds her breath.

After a beat, he sighs, giving her that sweet smile of his. She realizes that he's a bit taller now, just an inch or two. Uraraka has to crane her neck a bit more than before to look at him. A sheen of sweat covers his skin, and his shirt is sticking to his body. He looks… cute.

She's going to burst into flames.

He runs a hand through his hair, looking anywhere but at her.

"Well, I just came here for a drink. But listen…" he looks down at his feet before locking eyes with her, brows furrowed. "You know you can tell me anything, right? I'm always here for you. Always."

She can't help but melt at his sincerity. He always would, wouldn't he? Even when she's keeping something so detrimental from him. She tilts her head, a bit in awe.

"I know. I feel the same way, Deku. Sorry for being… weird. And for hitting you in your face with a mug. Y'know. Girl problems."

He chuckles nervously. Did she mention that she's the absolute worst?

"I'll catch you later, okay? Gotta keep on training!"

"Go, Deku, go!" She gives him both of her thumbs up, and drops them the moment he turns around. She didn't realize just how exhausting it would be to keep this act up. And she's just barely getting through with it!

What was she even doing in the kitchen in the first place?

Slowly, she makes her way back to the common room, where the girls start giggling.

"Did something happen?"

They giggle even louder. Uraraka tilts her head. "Umm… did I miss something?"

"Nah, you hit it straight in the face," Mina says before busting out into laughter.

Oh no. They saw?!

For the millionth time today, Uraraka's blushes, hiding her face in her hands. "Oh no. You guys were spying on me?"

"Yeah. Well, just Toru. We saw Deku coming through and we just had a feeling it'd be good…" Jirou snickers.

"I'm so embarrassed! I almost broke his face!"

There's silence. And then a chorus of pfffftts.

She should've went to bed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he still loooves ya," Mina teases. It makes Uraraka stumble. She catches herself on the couch, holding onto it for dear life. She truly did love her friends, but they were really relentless sometimes.

"Well would ya look at the time! Gotta go!" Uraraka breathes before grabbing all her books and shoving them into her bag.

"It's, like, 6 in the evening."

"Almost my bath time!"

She's embarrassed herself enough today. She walks as fast as she can to the elevator and hits "4" like a madwoman. The worst!

She gets to her room as fast as she can and shuts the door, resting her cheek on it. She left the air conditioner on, a luxury she's never had before, so her room wouldn't be sticky and gross. Ochako closes her eyes and tries to steady her heartbeat, breathing deeply. In, out, until her back and side start to ache from standing too long.

She slumps onto her bed, careful to lay gently. Normally, she'd have some energy left around this time of day, but with her injury, she's drained of it all. Who was she kidding, thinking she could hide this from everyone? She nearly exposed herself twice! And actually did once before that!

Ugh, Bakugo. What a jerk.

Except that she knows he means well. Over the past year, she's learned how to decipher the real meaning behind his words. Or, at least, she's better at it than before. They don't talk much, and when they do, it isn't particularly pleasant, but still, they found that they work well together.

Too much has happened in the past year. The class has been through hell and back, being thrust into too many life-or-death situations than they could count. It put a strain on all of them, it changed them in ways they haven't even begun to understand. But it brought all of them closer.

Close enough to even call Bakugo her friend. What a world she's living in. She still finds it hard to believe, and he must, too. The genuine shock on his face when she'd called him that earlier… neither of them ever really acknowledged it, did they?

Ochako sighs, reveling in the silence. Her back melts into the mattress, and she wants it to swallow her whole. Get her out of this painful existence for a little while.

She hasn't been sleeping much lately, despite the fact that she's been so tired. It's a constant fight with her thoughts. They keep on running back to that night, to the very moment her body erupted in pain. For all she's endured, it was such a shock to see just how… fragile she truly is. As much as the thought hurts her, there was no denying it.

If she was just a bit faster, if she had just paid attention, she wouldn't be feeling this way now. But that's the bitterness of being a hero: there's always something you could've done better. Always another way you didn't think of. Always running the risk of injury or death. Always something that smacks you all the way back down to reality. She's been lucky. They've all been lucky.

And it looks like that luck may be running out.

She hears a faint ring, feels something brushing her shoulder. She watches the black behind her eyelids. Feels her heart beat too fast. It envelopes her and she drifts off, off, off and away.

Either she can't actually read, she's dead, she's asleep, or she just doesn't fear him.

He'll knock this damn door down if he has to knock one more time.

He texted her hours ago. Fuck was she doing?

We're not done talking, he said. I'll be at your room by 10, he said. Open the fucking door, he said.

He's not worried about her. Why the hell would he be? She's capable of taking care of herself. It's not like he feels bad for her either.

No. Something more than her attack happened that night.

Just as he's ready to burn this shit down, the door swings open.

Her face is so fucking puffy.

"You look so fucking puffy."

"What're you doing here?" She looks surprised. Maybe she really doesn't know how to read.

"You sound like a damn frog."

"Are you just here to insult me?"

"Tch. I'm just pointing out the obvious. We need to talk."

She reaches up to rub her temple. "Can you not talk so loud? Did you forget about the concussion you forced me to tell you about?"

"I didn't force you to do anything. Let me in."

"Just give me a sec, I —"

That's when she runs to the bathroom, hand over her mouth. And to think he found her kinda cute a second ago.

He lets himself in, turning on the lights. He's seen her room once, just a few months ago. It was still plain looking. But she's never really been flashy.

Once she's done puking her guts out, she looks even more like a mess.

"I've been waking up nauseous. God, I hate throwing up," she whines, rubbing her face.

"Listen. Somethin' happened to me that night, too."

"Ugh, I need to drink some hot tea. And I need food. But I can barely eat. Oh my god, I miss eating so much. What time is it anyway? Oh —"

"Did you fucking hear me?"

She plops down on her bed before clutching her side, expression pained. With her eyes squeezed shut, she moans.

"It hurts, Bakugo. A lot."

"What the fuck am I supposed to do about it?"

"Stop being so rude! And loud."

"You don't fuckin' listen."

"I'm listening now!"

He growls at her. Over the past few months, she's really learned how to get on his nerves. He almost misses when she didn't talk to him at all.

Almost.

He turns to face the window, catching a glimpse of a shadow.

"I watched someone die. I think it's got something to do with what happened to you."