Chapter 6

Bakugou had spent the better part of the past two weeks trying to figure out a way to help Misa. Ayami had progressively tightened his grip on the hero and kept her after hours for minimal tasks. However, when Misa was around Bakugou, she kept her happy face on and pretended it was just another day at work. It irritated Bakugou.

"You can't do anything about this Katz. No one can. I just have to bite my tongue and keep my head down." Misa told him as she served him the meal she had cooked.

"Since when is that the way you deal with things?" Bakugou challenged her, twirling the whiskey in his hand. Misa glared at him, but didn't argue. "You have always been strong willed and faced things head on!"

"I know! I don't like being treated this way. I haven't given up."

"Seems like you have." Bakugou murmured before he caught himself. Misa glared at her friend for his insult, but remained silent. "I just hate seeing you like this. Rin keeps asking about you too."

"I need to see her. At least I can do that." Misa mumbled, finally sitting down at the table. "Look Katz, I have always fed off of being wanted and needed. It may not be the healthiest personality trait, but it's still a trait. Lately, I haven't felt that way." Bakugou nodded in understanding, spooning the curry into his mouth.

"I know Misa. That's why I'm trying to help you."

"You can't. Work didn't start bothering me until Shinso and I broke up. I was blind to not being needed or wanted at work because when I came home…"

"You were wanted and needed." Bakugou finished her thought. Misa nodded sadly, nibbling on her food. "Now you don't even have that." He mumbled shyly.

"And you can't help with that front either." Misa told him, causing Bakugou to suck his teeth. "I'm serious. I have enjoyed the time with you and with the kids when I can see them. But, it's just not the same as coming home to someone. Or...keeping someone's attention." Misa tried to explain.

"You're sex depreived." Bakugou teased.

"I'm attention deprived." Misa corrected him, swatting Bakugou on the arm. "Not everything is about sex."

"Sure. Maybe Misa and Kirishima were right. You need a fuck buddy." Misa choked on her food at the idea causing Bakugou to laugh. "I wasn't offering, just to clarify."

"Thanks for clearing that up. I can't do that kind of relationship anyway. I feel too much." Misa told him, sipping on her wine. Bakugou pondered her words for a minute before speaking again.

"You'd be surprised. More...physical attention may distract you from the shit show that is your job. At least until your contract is up." He tried to explain, finishing his meal. "It may work."

"Yeah...maybe. But it's not like a bunch of good guys are lining up at my door." Misa reminded Bakugou, laughing at the annoyed look on his face. "I'm not going to fuck just anyone Katz."

"I know. I know." Bakugou mumbled, annoyance bubbling in his chest. Or was it jealousy? "Just be careful."

Once Bakugou had left, Misa lay in her bed thinking over what he had said to her. She was sex-deprived, but she'd never admit that to Bakugou. Maybe the explosion hero was right and she needed to find a release somewhere. She led an active life or work and friends, but she was missing something. "I can't just sleep with anyone...can I?" She scrolled through her phone for possible options. "Hawks? Ugh those wings..." Misa mumbled, scrolling further down. "Sero? Shoji? Iida? Ugh!" She growled, tossing her phone down in annoyance. "Who else is left?"

The next day, Misa met up with Momo on a shared patrol with her agency. Momo had kept up the conversation as Misa's mind kept running through her possible options. "Shira? Are you okay?" Momo asked her, gaining her attention. "You seem a million miles away."

"I had dinner with Dynamight last night and something he said kinda stuck with me." Misa admitted, keeping her ears open for danger. Momo looked at her quizzically, urging her to continue. "He thinks that I need to...sleep around to release some tension. You know how a sense of need and want drives me?" She asked Momo, who nodded. "Well, he thinks that sleeping with someone may help distract me from my shit work environment." Half expecting Momo to burst into laughter, Misa paused for her reaction. Instead, Momo thought over the idea.

"He's not wrong. I've thought for a while that that may help you."

"You never thought to enlighten me to that thought?" Misa asked her while Momo giggled to herself. "You really think it may help?"

"A lot of heroes do that. A lot also have wives or husbands; but in your case...find other single people."

"My options are thin. I don't want to be with a random person." Momo thought through their friends list for any options, but chose against them before an idea popped into her head.

"What about Bakugou?" Misa burst out into a fit of laughter at her suggestion. "Why not? You're friends and you already hang out a lot. It's perfect."

"That's why it's a terrible idea! We have history." Misa reminded her.

"You're afraid that old feelings may rekindle? What's wrong with that?" Momo asked her. Misa rolled her eyes at the question, but Momo pushed her to answer.

"He doesn't and has never felt that way about me. So what's the point? Sex confuses things."

"Maybe it'll push him to make a move on you." Momo shrugged, trying to hide her mischievous smirk. Misa narrowed her eyes at her friend before pulling her into a nearby alley for privacy.

"Everyone seems to really be vying for us to get together. What is up with that?" Momo shrugged her shoulders again before Misa glared at her to answer. "Momo."

"Okay fine. We all just really think you two are perfect for each other. You were the first girl to push past the brash explosion boy at UA. You both respect each other and get along great. Bakugou...is a much better person around you."

"He's always been a good person." Misa defended quickly.

"Yes. But because of you, he wants to be better." Momo explained. Misa pondered the idea for a few moments before screams were heard nearby. "We have to go."

Finally at home, Misa had washed the dirt and grime off her body from the day and shuffled herself into her bed when her phone rang. "Hey Katz. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Just wanted to call you and see how your day was." His voice sounded. Misa smiled at the thoughtful gesture and took a deep breath.

"It was eventful. I finally convinced Ayami to let me patrol, so I met up with Momo and we talked a lot before a small robbery took our attention."

"Yeah, Icy Hot told me about it. Glad you girls took care of it quickly." A few silent beats went by before he spoke again. "What did you and Ponytail talk about?" Misa grasped onto the phone a little tighter, willing her nerves to stay hidden. "Misa?"

"You know, girl talk. You'd be so uninterested." Misa tried to brush the topic under the rug, but Bakugou knew her better.

"Come on Misa. What was said?" She could feel the smirk oozing through the phone as she took a deep breath.

"Okay fine. I told her about your idea for me to sleep around for a while and she actually agreed with you." His chuckles sounded while Misa's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "She was helping me come up with some options."

"Who made the list?" He asked her curiously.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Misa retorted, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Of course I do. Gotta make sure you're taken care of." He teased her. Misa chuckled and debated whether to tell him the truth that he was on the list. "Misa?"

"You made the list." She blurted out, slapping her hand over her mouth as Bakugou went silent. Painful moments of silence crept by while Misa waited for a sound from Bakugou. "Katz?"

"I'm here." A low, husky voice sounded. "Are you serious?"

"Well, we were just kinda throwing names around. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to do this kind of thing." Misa started to ramble nervously. "Forget I said anything, it was just a bit of fun."

"Misa, breathe for a second." Bakugou chuckled while Misa caught her breath. "It's okay. If that is something you do decide to do, I'd rather it be with me anyway. At least I'll know you'll be safe." He told her.

"Really?" Misa squeaked, twirling her hair in her fingers.

"Yep. I don't think you could handle me anyway though." He challenged. Misa gasped at the accusation but was ready to retort.

"Oh yeah? You have no idea what I can handle. Too bad you'll never find out." Bakugou chuckled heartily over the phone before Misa spoke again. "Let's just forget I said anything. I'll figure something out to help distract myself."

"Okay Flower. If that's what you want. Good night." They hung up and Bakugou was left with a pounding chest. "She really thought of me? This will be more fun than I thought." He smirked, going over this plan in his head.