HELLO AGAIN!
So sorry for the late post! I'll try to get back on a consistent schedule.
This past chapter on got one review and that makes me sad!
That being said, thank you to the one person who did comment Traveler Lovegood!

Comment and let me know what you're thinking of the fic so far. Enjoy the angst!

Chapter 21

Sunday was an absolute nightmare. The Bakugo's drove us back to campus and the weariness of my bones was the only thing I could think of. It was barely three in the afternoon but I decided to take a nap while the guys were yanked into the common room by Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero.

I woke from my nap to a light tapping on my door. For a moment, I forgot I was back in my own bed and I almost fell over the side, my quirk saving me from having to take a trip to the infirmary.

Mina and Hagakure were waiting for me on the other side, snacks and drinks piled in their arms. Opening the door wider, I yawned and waved them in, not even questioning why they were here.

"Alright, girl! Spill the deets on the date and the house and the alone time!" Mina squealed before the door was even completely closed.

I started with the date, not wanting to jump into the embarrassing things right away.

"Well, yesterday we ended up going on a five-mile hike. Let me tell you, I am exhausted and my glutes burn like never before! At the end of the trail was this HUGE zipline that took us back down to the bottom and honestly, it was the most glorious view I have seen in my life!"

We gushed about the date as we ate snacks and watched "Say Yes to The Dress" before I slyly snuck in the fancy dinner on Friday night. Mina instantly shut the television off and turned towards me, sharing a look with Hagakure.

"You're telling us that you left out some details! Girl spill!" Hagakure bounced as she spoke, giving me a weird sense of dizziness.

I haltingly tell them about the dinner and what happened after, allowing my emotions to bleed into the story. I was still confused, not about the encounter itself but about the way they handled it.

They seemed like they knew what they were doing and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I voiced all of this, not sure if they would understand without knowing about the bond we shared.

"Babe, you won't know unless you ask them and it's okay for you to be confused. You're going through a lot of firsts right now and they should respect the flood of emotions that come with that."

I nodded at Mina's words, thanking the two of them for their support.

"How do I ask them something like that? Scratch that. I know I have to be straightforward with them, it's only fair." They nodded and then left, giving me time to get my thoughts together.

I took a scalding hot shower, letting the water help ease my mind.

No sense worrying when you don't even know what they're going to say yet.

I tried to relax but immediately tensed when I heard my bedroom door open and voices floated in. I dressed quickly and came out, halting their conversation with my awkward shifting in the doorway.

"So, I really want to talk with you both about something and it's kind of important to me."

They both nodded and gave me their undivided attention.

"I was thinking about Friday night and how you both seemed kind of experienced and I was just wondering… are you virgins?" Bakugo's eyes narrowed and Shinsou sighed.

"Fuck. We went too fast, didn't we?" Bakugo asked, looking like he'd just swallowed a lemon.

"No, this has nothing to do with the pace of our relationship. Just please answer the question." Pulling out my desk chair, I turned it to face them and sat down. The physical distance helping me think more clearly.

Shinsou shook his head slowly, "I'm not a virgin. I lost my virginity at fourteen to a girl from my middle school. We ended up going to the same vacation spot and one thing led to another. It was a summer fling, lasting about a month."

I nodded, keeping my emotions carefully concealed and then turned to Bakugo.

"I'm not a virgin either. I went to a summer camp last year and had a fling with a chick. It was about two months. What's this all about, Ren?"

Taking a deep breath, I tried to formulate my thoughts but decided it was better if I had some time.

"I need some time to think about this. I have a lot going on in my head and my emotions are unbalanced. I would like to sleep alone tonight; I just need a little space."

I could tell they wanted to argue but thought better of it, knowing I was just communicating what my needs were in that moment.

"Alright. Just… text us if you need anything and please, don't shut us out." Shinsou stated before walking out. Bakugo left without a word, pausing in the doorstep to shoot me a concerned look before quietly closing the door behind him.

I cried myself to sleep that night, not really trying to categorize what I was feeling but just allowing myself to be swept up in the emotions. When my alarm buzzed at five in the morning, I quickly turned it off and groaned, forcing myself to get ready to work my butt off. Purposely switching up my normal routine, I went for a jog around the campus first and then peeked in the gym.

When the coast was clear, I went in and asked one of the upperclassmen for a spar, getting absolutely wrecked in the process. He was really kind and would stop to tell me what I could have done to block him or avoid the hit.

Using the gym showers, I got ready for the day and darted towards the classroom, keeping my eyes peeled for a shock of blond or purple hair. Mina noticed my strange behavior and pulled me into the bathroom before I could slink into the classroom.

"Babe, you're acting weird. Did the talk not go well?"

"It's not that, Mina. I just… they aren't virgins and I'm kind of in my feels right now. Look, you can't tell anyone, like this goes to your grave. The three of us are soulmates and I'm honestly feeling cheated on or basically chosen as an afterthought."

Mina's jaw dropped and I slapped a hand over her mouth right before she started screaming. She calmed down and I removed my hand, going to wash some spit off my palms.

"Holy shit! Soulmates! Okay, we are totally doing lunch again today! Don't worry your secret is safe with me!"

I gave her a grateful smile and we hauled it to class, making it in our seats seconds before Aizawa walked in. His whole body screamed exhausted, yellow sleeping bag wrapped around him like a security blanket.

Ignoring the looks Bakugo was shooting my way and the nudging on my seat was very difficult to do but I managed to power through our lessons, darting out the door with my pink friend before either of them could speak to me.

We chose a more secluded spot near the back of the building, Mina miraculously grabbing us food in mere minutes.

"Alright, so you dropped a lot on me this morning! I have no idea what we even learned in class today. I was too focused on the energy between you three."

I shoved some sushi in my mouth and nodded, tearing up against my will.

"Hey, you let it out. I can understand how you feel. Kiri and I are soulmates, too… but he's never even had a girlfriend. If he had, I would probably be in the same boat you're in right now! Actually, I would be pissed! You're being a lot nicer than I would be! I would probably try to get even. Not that I'm saying that's what you should do!"

"I just don't know how to talk to them about it. They were so honest with me and I asked for space and they gave it to me! Now I'm avoiding them because I have so much anxiety that I can barely function. And I think the anxiety is being caused by my inability to talk to them about it!"

She nodded and thought for a moment, slowly chewing her sweet and sour chicken.

"I heard from a very reliable source that our day would be ending early because of preparations for the Sports Festival. Let's go to Recovery Girl and have her send a note to Sensei, then we can go do what you feel like doing."

I nodded, loving how willing she was to take time just to be with me. Recovery Girl knew my file explicitly and didn't hesitate to send a note to our classroom, telling me to go relieve some stress.

We went back to the dorms and I went upstairs, leaving Mina to grab the snacks. When she walked into my room, a scream of horror left her lips.

"REN, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" I had a pair of scissors in one hand and most of my hair in the other.

"Cutting my hair. I need to and I don't know why." With that, I made the big chop and she dropped the snacks on the table, running over to me.

"Okay, okay. This is… this is fine. You're fine. Let me just make it even for you."

The more she snipped, the lighter I felt and I consciously made my shoulders drop with each small cut she made. By the time she was finished, I felt more relaxed than I had in a while.

"I feel so much better. It's been a long time since I've needed to physically do something to release my anxiety and usually my hair is the victim."

She hummed, massaging my scalp. "Okay, I'm here for it. I'm here for you. What else should we do? Wait, let's go to my room. You need a break from this environment and the guys won't come looking for you there."

I raised an eyebrow and she just waved it off, grabbing all her things as I grabbed a soft blanket. The vibrant colors in her room had me blinking, feeling like my retinas weren't prepared for this much stimulus.

"I ordered pizza. Hagakure is grabbing it once it's delivered and bringing it up. It's totally up to you if she stays."

Nodding, I placed myself in front of her large television, quickly turning on an HGTV show about building your dream house.

"Let's sit here and criticize what we don't like about their choices." Mina busted out laughing and joined me, handing me a Sprite as she sat.

"LET'S DO IT! Ew, can I criticize the couple? She is waaayyy too pretty for him!" I snorted and shoved her, feeling all my worries melt away.

Hagakure joined us about thirty minutes later, letting us know what was said about the Sport Festival.

"You didn't miss much. I mean, everyone already knows what it is. BUT you did miss the faces that your two boy toys made when you didn't come back after lunch. Mr. Aizawa pulled them in the hallway and gave them a talking to when they made a scene."

My eyes grew as round as saucers. "Do you think they'll come looking for me?"

She shook her head no, stating that they looked pretty cowed after the talk in the hallway. I nodded, a small portion of guilt filling my belly. Mina instantly noticed and she smacked my shoulder.

"Don't you start thinking about them! This is girl time! Let's gorge ourselves on pizza!"

Far too soon, it was lights out and I was dreading going back to my room. I'd ignored the many text messages blowing up my phone and muted it but decided to read them before leaving Mina's room.

Bakugo:
Ren, are you alright?

Shinsou:
Are you avoiding us?
Remember, you can talk to us about anything.

Bakugo:
Don't ice us out like this.
You know not seeing each other will only put a strain on our emotions

Ren:
Hey, sorry. I've just needed some space today. Can we talk? I'm heading to the room now.