Chapter 10

Bakugo slouched on the wall, his self-proclaimed Bakusquad in a loose circle near him. Mina was sitting on a chair closest to him, her legs on top of Shitty Hair's lap as she yapped to him about this and that. Bakugo rolled his eyes at them and took a long sip from his water bottle. He could feel the effects of the punch and he came to find out that he didn't much care for it. Despite this realization, he was enjoying the calmness it brought over him. Even if it was only just slightly.

He exhaled contently. A solid fifteen minutes had passed and Uraraka still remained safely on the opposite end of the…

Wait. Where the fuck did she go?!

"Chako-chan come over here!" Mina waved at the gravity quirk user who had somehow migrated closer to where their group was.

Bakugo felt his whole body tense. Before Uraraka could protest, Kirishima shot her a blinding smile, "Yes, Uravity! Come join us."

That was enough to get the rest of the dumbasses to join in.

Uraraka approached the group timidly, trying her utmost best to avoid looking in the direction of the crazy blonde. She said a meek hello to everyone in the circle.

"Looking good Ura-cutie!" Sero said wrapping an arm over her shoulder. Kaminari and Kirishima both gave her a thumbs up. Despite herself, she felt a small blush at his words.

"Hey!" Sero exclaimed suddenly, unwrapping his arm from Uraraka's shoulder as he dodged a half-empty water bottle. "What the hell Baku-bro." He gave the explosive quirk user a pointed look. Bakugo crossed his arms in front of his chest and turned his head away. "Tch."

"Ooookay, crazy." Mina said, giving Bakugo a confused look before turning back to Uraraka who stood with her mouth slightly agape, confused by what had just transpired, "Chako sweetie come sit with me." She swung her legs off Kirishima and wiggling his eyebrows at him in a way that made Uraraka wary. Kirishima smiled at her and got out of the chair he had been occupying smoothly.

"Here Uraraka." He said as he went to stand next to Jiro and Kaminari. He began talking to them in soft voices, barely audible to the group over the music.

Uraraka uncomfortably sat down next to Mina, again trying to keep her eyes on everyone except the guy to her left. She took a shaky breath, the air around her feeling suddenly too thick. Despite not wanting to look at him she was keenly aware of his presence. Her body stood alert.

"Do you want more punch?" Kirishima asked suddenly, looking in Mina's direction. Eyes twinkling with irrepressible mischief.

"Hell yes!" Mina exclaimed, "Chako-chan, would you like some special punch." Uraraka nibbled on her lower lip. The effects of the wine had already dulled significantly. She didn't want to be rude and leave this group so suddenly after joining it but she doubted she'd be able to get her nerves in check with the loud-mouth blonde, not even a couple of feet next to her.

Does he even know he has my book? She thought to herself. Worse..what if he knows what it's about. Uraraka felt her heart drop. She needed a distraction. She nodded her acquiescence in Mina's direction.

"Great! I'll join you, Kiri." She said getting up in a flash. Before Uraraka knew what was happening, Mina had dragged Kirishima and Sero towards the refreshments corner. Uraraka gave Jiro a panicked look, but the hearing hero sent her a small apologetic smile before grabbing Kaminari and dashing after the other three, leaving a very nervous Uraraka and a severely pissed off Bakugo.

Shit.

The silence between them hung heavy. Uraraka twirled her thumbs in anticipation, her eyes cast down, her face set in a deep blush. Bakugo remained as he had been. No visible change, except for an almost identical blush laying across his cheeks.

This was awkward.

"Uhm...Baku...mmm...well...Bakugo, you can sit if you want." She managed to spill the words out of her mouth to form a somewhat coherent sentence, albeit it came out as a mere whisper, but she was pretty sure he still heard her.

He huffed. For a second, Uraraka felt...dumb?

But then he very quietly slipped into the chair that had once been occupied by Mina.

They sat there in awkward silence for the remainder of the song.

"It can't possibly be taking those fuckers this long to get some stupid punch." Bakugo barked quietly, glaring at the direction of where their friends had migrated towards.

Uraraka agreed. They were taking their sweet ass time.

Uraraka took a deep breath. Despite herself, it came out in shaky interludes. Despite himself, Bakugo turned to see if she was okay. Their eyes locked again.

Uraraka gave him a shy smile and he quickly turned away. Damn these stupid fucking hormones. He thought to himself angrily.

He quickly got up from his chair and began to head out of the auditorium. Fuck this and fuck his so-called friends. He wasn't just going to sit around as they laughed at him. Them.

He made it onto the outer hallway when she heard a small voice call after him.

"Bakugo?"

He turned slowly towards the sound. Their eyes locked again, but this time she turned away first. A cute blush enveloping her already pink, round cheeks.

Cute?! He groaned inwardly. His awkwardness transformed into irritability.

"Well, what the fuck do you want Cheeks." He scoffed, leaning his side onto the wall nearest him.

His attitude allowed some of Uraraka's nerves to dissipate. It was much easier to be upset. Plus, Cheeks?! His new nickname for her creating an equal amount of irritation in the gravity quirk user that rivaled his current display.

"Cheeks?!" She said folding her arms over her chest in anger. "Really!"

Bakugo couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. She looked just a tad bit ridiculous, huffing and puffing in that ridiculously short dress. Stop! He groaned, inwardly, the humor dying as his eyes checked her out now that she was a lot closer.

His eyes landed on hers again. Her face was red again, but not from frustration. If he thought he had been subtle, her reaction showed him that he hadn't.

Feeling the awkward silence wash over them once more, Bakugo turned to walk away. He stepped outside and was about to turn to walk towards the dorms when he felt a small hand wrap around his wrist.

A small shock of electricity made them both yelp. Uraraka retreated her hand.

They stood for the longest couple of seconds either had ever experienced. The only sound was there labored breathing and the distant thumping of the music.

"Uhm, Bakugo…" She started, her voice small again.

For Pete's sake Ochako! Get it together! You are better than this! You're a fierce warrior and a soon to be amazing rescue hero. Stop this meek shit. She took one determined, deep breath before squaring her shoulders, almost as if she were getting ready to fight.

"I would like my book back." She said, leveling Bakugo with a fierce gaze. Bad idea. His red eyes were piercing her deep brown ones. "Please?" She added quickly.

Sounds of their breathing mingled for a bit.

"No." He finally said turning around and starting to walk towards the dorms.

What the…?! "What the fuck do you mean no?" She yelled after him, her mind trying to catch up to what he had said.

"Oi! I told you not to fucking cuss. It's weird as shit." He said, still walking towards the dorms.

"I can cuss if I want too." She began jogging after him. "Bakugo!"

He sped up his pace. Not enough to constitute jogging, but definitely faster. He wasn't sure why he had said no. His mouth forming the word before his brain could catch up. He had no explanation. Well, none that wouldn't involve letting the cute little brunette who had plagued his dreams (and was currently gaining in on him) that he didn't want to give it back because he wasn't done with it.

He was about to take another step when he felt himself levitate from the ground.

He tried to turn around to see what the hell had happened and he ended up flipping upside down.

"WHAT THE HELL CHEEKS!"

"Stop calling me that. And I'll let you down if you promise not to keep running away from me like a scaredy-cat." She taunted, on her face a determined smirk. Eerily reminiscent of the face she showed him when they faced off at the Sports Festival at the beginning of the year.

"GET ME THE FUCK DOWN!" Bakugo began to try to maneuver through the air. It was Uraraka's turn to giggle at how ridiculous he looked, flipping and flapping through zero gravity. He was already starting to drift higher up, so Uraraka knew she'd have to let him down sooner rather than later. If she released him when he was too high up, she could possibly hurt him.

"AND STOP FUCKING LAUGHING!"

"No." She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Not until you promise to give me my book back."

"I SWEAR TO GOD CHEEKS WHEN I GET THE FUCK DOWN..!"

"Release." She said simply, as she touched the pads of her fingers together.

Bakugo hit the ground before he knew what had happened. Oh, she's fucking….

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Bakugo once again found himself beginning to float. Uraraka had quickly activated her quirk on him as soon as he hit the ground, while he was still disoriented and trying to catch his breath.

He heard her laughing. It was a melodic sound that he would not mind hearing more of. When he got down from this zero gravity shit he was going to kiss her...What the fuck? No! Kill not kiss. Kill her. Stupid fucking hormones.

"Say you'll give me back my book and I'll let you down Bakugo." She said trying to sound serious but laughter braided through her tone.

Bakugo began to let out small sparks from his hands. He'd blast his way back down to the ground.

"I wouldn't do that." She said matter-of-factly. "You may end up blasting yourself higher into the sky and I may just be inclined to let you float into space if that happens."

Bakugo growled. "Cheeks…" He said through gritted teeth.

"I told you what my condition was." She said, once again leveling him with a determined gaze, "And I'd agree sooner rather than later. Your pretty high up now, the fall will be much worse."

"FUCKING FINE. I'LL GIVE YOU YOUR STUPID PORN BOOK ROUND FACE JUST GET ME DOWN!"

"Release."

Bakugo felt the effects of gravity take him once more as he plummeted to the ground. She had been right, he had been higher.

Bakugo grunted as he landed hard on his ass.

He quickly shot up and glared at Uraraka. He was about to shout expletives at her but her face made him stop dead. Her determined gaze from moments ago had evolved into one of...nervousness? Her face had erupted into a raging blush.

Shit.

"Bakugo…" She said, voice shaky. "How do you...uhm...how...do you know...how?" She managed to stutter.

He could feel his own embarrassment creep up his body.

She cleared her throat, before giving one determined nod.

"How do you know what the book is about?"

Fuck.