We stayed on the ground for what felt like hours. Our hands resting in the others. I felt guilty, twenty-four hours a go my sister had passed, and here I was on the ground with a boy, allowing his presence to bring me peace. "Stop letting people believe you are weak. Its stupid." Bakugo's voice was soft. I guess I never thought about how I portrayed myself to others. "You need to have more confidence in your abilities. This is your quirk, your hero path, you need to be striving to win at all cost." My eyes stayed glued to our hands, was this as close to comforting as he could get.
I sat up. "You're right, but I'm not sure if I will ever beat you. You are such a natural and so good."
Bakugo sat up, his hand still rested on top of mine, was he worried about breaking this connection too?
"THE FUCK TADOKA! I JUST TOLD YOU! YOU HAVE TO WIN AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU CAN'T!" He scratched the back of his head. "Tch. Damn women." Well, Bakugo can be nice at times. It is really to bad the moments don't last long.
I got up and stretched. Looking at my clothes, there were burn holes present in my shirt and leggings. Dammit, now I really had to go shopping. I checked my phone. We really have only been lying on the ground for about fifteen minutes after our fight. I got an in coming call. "Hello?"
"Tadoka, did you get home safe? I planned to walk you home but accidentally fell asleep."
Todoroki. He sounded so sleepy. "Yeah, I got home safe, thanks for checking on me. Hey Todoroki? Want to go shopping with me? I think Bakugo might die if I asked him to go with me again."
"Again?"
"Yeah." I laughed. "I tried to go earlier but we ended up sparring instead. That damn quirk of his really messed up the only clothes I had with me that wasn't our uniforms."
"Shut up, dammit!" Bakugo yelled at me.
"Sure, I'll go. I could use some new things as well."
"Thanks Todoroki! I'll see you in a bit!" I hung up the phone and turned around. "You won't have to go with me this time."
"WHO SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO GO YOU DUMBASS!?"
I held my hand to my forehead. "WHAT THE HELL? YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO THE FIRST TIME, HOW WAS I SUPPOSE TO KNOW YOU WANTED TO GO THIS TIME?"
"MAYBE I DO! MAYBE I DON'T!"
"WELL DO WHAT YOU WANT THEN!"
"I WILL! I'LL WAIT FOR YOU OUT HERE!"
"GOOD! I'LL BE BACK IN A MINUTE!" I walked inside the house. Only he could get me so worked up over the stupidest things. I took a deep breath, and opened my backpack. Gym uniform or school uniform? I peaked in, well I had one more outfit besides those, my work uniform. Well dammit all the hell. Might as well. I only had one school uniform and I really can't afford to ruin it, considering the cost to replace it. I pulled up the leather skirt and grabbed my shoes. "Okay, I'm back!"
"THE FUCK TADOKA! YOUR WORK CLOTHES?" Bakugo shouted, except he wasn't alone. Todoroki, Kirishima, Jiro, Yaoyorozu and Mineta were also there.
"BLESS YOUR HEART! YOU SWEET, SWEET GIRL! ALLOW ME TO USE MY BODY TO COVER YOU UP!" Mineta jumped for me, and was smacked down in the air by Jiro. What a little perv!
"I hope you don't mind, some of our classmates wanted to come." Todoroki held his hands in his pockets.
I smiled, walking to the group of my peers. "No, not at all, the more the merri-" I tripped over a rock. "Ow." My eyes watered as I fell. I don't want to fall in a skirt. I guess Mineta will get a show.
Instead of falling on to the pavement, I fell into a pair of arms. "Tadoka, are you alright?" I was pressed up against Todoroki's body. I was so, so close. I think I can feel his heartbeat. His hands rested on my waist, and I went beat red.
"Uh-huh." I pulled away instantly.
"WHAT THE HELL DID I SAY ABOUT ACTING WEAK?" Bakugo's hands started exploding. "YOU FALL ON THE PAVEMENT, GET UP AND DUST IT OFF LIKE THE BAD BITCH YOU ARE! YOU DON'T NEED SAVING!"
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT YOU JERK!" Since our spar, Bakugo hasn't stopped with the explosive anger.
"Are you sure Bakugo even really wanted to go?" Momo whispered to Todoroki. "He seems angry about it."
Todoroki shrugged. "I'm not quite sure, he said he wanted too."
In a heated battle of words with Bakugo I felt a hand graze the back of my arm. I was instantly calmed. "Shall we get going Aiya?" How does he have this impact on me? I turned around and followed the group out the front gate. Bakugo closely behind me.
Yaoyorozu and Jiro spent most of the time helping me pick out clothes. I guess I should have asked a girl first. Things would have gone a lot smoother the first time. Girl time was actually quite fun. I ended up leaving with two good sized bags full of clothes. I didn't completely blow through my savings which was nice. I should spend more time with them they are so much fun and more relaxed than…I turned around to see Bakugo steaming, uh, why did he even come again? I waved goodbye to Yaoyorozu and Jiro.
"Great so we can go home now?" Bakugo had his arms folded.
"Actually Aiya, I was wondering if you would like to grab something to eat. I wanted to ask earlier but you seemed like you were having fun." Todoroki stepped between us.
"I'M NOT TRYING TO STAY OUT ALL NIGHT!" Bakugo yelled.
"Who said you were even invited?" Todoroki's tone got cold as he glared back at Bakugo.
"You mean, like a date?" I put a finger to my chin.
"WHAT?!" Bakugo's hands started to explode.
"If that's how you want to see it, I sure don't mind." Todoroki gave me a light smile.
I clapped my hands together. "Sure. I haven't been on a date before. It would be nice to go with a close friend."
"AAAHHHHH!" Bakugo's hands lit up even more.
"Chill out man, what has gotten into you?" Kirishima pat Bakugo's back.
"NOTHING!" Bakugo smacked his hand and walked away. I'll have to check back with him later to make sure he's ok. Maybe his adrenaline is still pumping from the fight?
Todoroki took my hand, pulling me closer and wrapped my arm around his. "If this is a date then we should do it properly." He smiled again. I could feel my cheeks warm up. If this keeps up, I am going to have a permanent blush on my face. Todoroki has been so kind to me since the beginning. I really am so lucky to have him. Todoroki and I walked for awhile until we got to a ramen house. He pulled my chair out for me, and pushed me in. Clapping my hands together, and slightly bowing my head. "Thanks for the food!" Breaking apart my chopsticks I dug into the ramen.
Todoroki and I sat for hours talking about training techniques and material that could be on the test on Monday. He stacked our bowls, got out of his seat and extended his hand to me. I took it without hesitation. "Shall we get you back to Bakugo's?" I nodded my head and looked down at our hands cupped in each other's. I could hold his hand forever.
On the walk home I just kept starring at our hands. The feeling it gave me was so safe and comforting, and yet I was overwhelmed with guilt. Here I was, fifteen years old. A first year at UA, not even a top student, and I was entertaining the thought of…. "Thank you, for joining me Aiya, it meant a lot. I don't have a lot of people I am close too. It's nice having a friend." Todoroki was serious, does he understand my loneliness?
Stopping I took his hand in both of mine. "Todoroki, since I met you, the first time you bumped into me, I have never felt lonely. You have always been there for me, and always believed in me. You are a dear friend to me, and I want you know, I will always be here for you too!"
Todoroki gave me a small smile. "Come on, you're almost back to Bakugo's. You need to get some rest and study tomorrow for Monday." He kept hold of my hand and pulled me along. I could feel him, he was happy. My words, my genuine feelings, made someone who means so much to me, happy. I want to be able to do that for the rest of my life. To just make him smile.
"FINALLY! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS DUMBASS? MOM MADE DINNER AND WE STILL HAVE TO STUDY FOR OUR TEST! YOUR SCORES WERE SHIT ON THE LAST ONE!" Bakugo was on the front step of the house. Did he even go inside or did he just stand outside and wait for hours? Todoroki dropped my hand and stuck it in his pocket. He was getting irritated.
"I'm the dumbass? Why wouldn't you let your mom know I was having dinner with a friend, so I wouldn't need dinner?" God, Bakugo could be so irritating sometimes.
"WELL SHE DOESN'T JUST MAE DINNER FOR YOU!"
"THEN WHAT ARE YOU YELLING ABOUT?!"
"Aiya, I'm going to head out." Todoroki stepped in front of me leaning over a bit to catch my attention. He took a step into me so I could feel the heat coming from his body. He looked down at me, and as annoyed as he was his gaze was so gentle. "Thank you, for everything. We should do it again" He spoke quietly enough that Bakugo couldn't hear, and soft enough to stop my heart, and make me blush.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!" Bakugo demanded attention. He still hasn't calmed down in the slightest. Todoroki walked through the gate.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO FIGHT AGAIN?! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!" I threw one of my bags of clothes at him.
"FUCK YEAH! I AM ALWAYS READY TO FIGHT!" He taunted, throwing a fist up.
"God, you can be such a pain." I walked towards him and picked up my bag.
"Why are you concerning yourself in romance?"
"I'm not sure how its really any of your business."
"YOU SHOULDN'T DISTRACT YOURSELF WITH SUCH BULLSHIT!" I tried to walk past him but he grabbed my arm and spun me around. "YOU HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO FOCUS ON!"
"Why do you care so much?" I pulled my arm away from him. He was really getting on my nerves. I would be shocked if this didn't end up in another fight.
"I don't." He started to walk inside.
"Bakugo, I know what you are feeling, and I am getting a lot of conflict from you, let me know when you sort yourself out." He didn't say another word to me, but I could tell that what I said struck something in him that it rendered him silent. I locked my door and plopped down on to my bed. Maybe I could have handled that better? What was even with him. Maybe he was stressed because I was living here? I was such a jerk to him. Clearly something was wrong, and I just fueled the fire. I let him provoke me. He should mind his business though. Todoroki's smile flashed into my mind. He has such a nice smile. "What am I doing?" I placed my arm over my eyes. I just need to go to sleep and apologize to Bakugo in the morning.
Bakugo sat himself outside the door. Trying to form the words to appropriately express his conflict. At some point that cry baby grew on him in an unexplainable way. She was always so relaxed around other people and with him, she was always tense. Was it because since the day they met they have been fighting? Maybe they should have never talked to each other. He stood up from her door. Waiting on her wasn't going to fix this. She couldn't sort out his anger for him. Shoving his hands into his pockets he walked back outside. Recanting the incident. Tadoka was actually mad at him. It wasn't there normal bickering.
Sitting down he placed his head into the palms of his hands. Tadoka is just making more and more friends, building strong relationships with others, and they just seemed to be stuck as rivals. But, why did it matter?
