Chapter 18
"Dang! Halfway done!" Mina said as she shook the bottle for all the girls to see. The girls all looked at each other in a mild state of awe. For not having drunk tequila before, they had acquired the taste rather quickly.
The more the liquor that had entered their systems the riskier the truths and dares were becoming. Jiro had just been dared by sweet, little, innocent, Uraraka to go send a picture of her boobs, in a bra or out, the choice was hers, to Kaminari. The sound-based quirk user had gone pale and stared at Uraraka in disbelief.
"You can always choose to drink," Uraraka said feigning a look at her fingernails. A taunt.
Jiro's gaze turned murderous as she downed the rest of her drink and slammed it on the ground. After a brief, tense, pause the girls erupted into giggles. Jiro got up from her place on the floor.
"Where are you going?" Hagakure asked as she got Jiro's glass and handed it to Mina to pour some more tequila and soda.
"Well, I sure as hell am not going to flash you all my boobies." She said between laughter. "I'm gonna do it from the bathroom. I'll be right back." Jiro said as she tried to maneuver her way through the pillows, cups, and limbs all laid out on the floor, forming an obstacle course of sorts.
"OW!" Uraraka exclaimed loudly when Jiro stepped on her hand.
"Sorry!" Jiro said as she hopped the final two steps out of the living room.
Uraraka mumbled something about her poor hand as Tsu pat the back of her head softly.
"Are you alright Chako-chan?" Momo said her voice full of emotion, her eyes on the brink of tears.
"Yes, my hand will survive," Uraraka said gloomily as she cradled her hand with her other one.
"Wow, you girls are drunk!" Mina laughed as she finished mixing Jiro's drink and handed it Hagakure to put it in Jiro's spot.
Was she drunk? Uraraka had never been drunk before. She felt…warm. Really warm. She could feel the warmth in her face, almost like she was blushing but not quite. She found herself laughing more freely.
Maybe she was drunk. Maybe they all were drunk.
It would make sense, in the short hour or so that they had been playing the game they had managed to finish about four drinks each. Momo and Tsu had continued sharing up until cup number three, afterward, Momo insisted she wanted her own because Tsu kept drinking most of theirs. Which one looks at Tsu would confirm the creation-quirk's assertion.
"Tsu-chan, I'm going to go get you some water," Momo said getting up from her spot and heading to the kitchen.
"Thaaatss soundsss like a good idea." Tsu-chan said, her words melting into one another slightly.
"Are you okay?" Uraraka reached out to grab her best friend's hand and squeezed it.
"Yup!" Tsu-chan said smiling up at her friend. "But no more drinking for me." She added in between giggles. The girls all nodded in agreement.
"Here you go Tsu-chan," Momo said as she re-entered the living room, handing the frog-quirk user her water.
Jiro returned from the Uraraka household bathroom with her head held high and a fierce expression. The only tell that betrayed her otherwise imposing demeanor was the red-stained cheeks that seemed to get redder under the waiting gazes of the girls.
"Done." Jiro proclaimed with a steady voice. The girls shrieked from where they laid sprawled on the living room floor. They all raised their glasses in honor, as they had begun to do after every girl completed their dare or answered their question, and drank.
Jiro rolled her eyes in mock annoyance as she retook her spot on the floor between Momo and Hagakure.
"Did you leave your bra on?" Mina asked immediately.
"Obviously. I'm not trying to kill him." Jiro said as she took a long sip from her drink. The girls laughed.
"What'd he say?" Momo asked as she leaned backward, resting her weight on her hands.
"We agreed on no follow-up questions," Jiro said matter-of-factly.
"Okay, my turn then," Mina exclaimed, "What'd he say?" She said looking smug. Jiro smiled mischievously and was about to open her mouth when the acid-quirk user cut her off, "And if he hasn't responded you have to tell us what he says when he does." She said quicker than an auctioneer.
Jiro glared at Mina, which made the pink girl laugh maniacally.
"Oooh gottem" Hagakure laughed as she bounced up and down from her spot on the floor.
"Fine. He hasn't responded though." Jiro said taking a deep breath in defeat.
Speaking of no response…Uraraka thought to herself. Bakugo hadn't responded yet.
Uraraka worried at her lip. Fuck, I knew it was too much, too soon. She chastised herself. She felt like crying all of a sudden.
She was so stupid. Why did she think Bakugo of all people would flirt back? He clearly didn't have time for any of this nonsense. And if he did, what would make her think that it would be with her of all people.
"I need to pee." Uraraka suddenly exclaimed. She pistoned out of her seat and practically ran to her bathroom. She could feel the tears sting her eyes.
"No. Ochako. You will not cry." She said to herself. But it was no use, the tears started streaming down her cheeks. It seemed that once one tear escaped, the rest came down with a vengeance.
Why am I crying again? Her alcohol-buzzed mind couldn't quite remember what was happening.
Oh right…Bakugo. She thought as she desperately tried to wipe away the tears. She sat down on the edge of her bath and stared at her phone. It was a little past 1 a.m.
What if he's asleep and you're over here creating drama out of thin air again. Uraraka took deep calming breaths.
Yes, that's it. He's asleep. She felt herself calm down at the thought. It made logical sense. He was an old-ass man that hardly stayed up past nine on most days.
But… Her mind was making her dizzy. No wait…she was physically feeling dizzy now.
I think I'm going to throw up. Uraraka felt her mouth get dry and salivate both at the same time.
No. I refuse to throw up. With determination, she fought against her body's desire to relieve itself of all the alcohol it had been exposed too.
In a last-ditch effort, she decided to lie down inside the tub.
She instantly felt better. The cold porcelain felt refreshing against her overheated skin. She felt grounded. Safe.
Why hasn't he texted me? He kissed me. Did it not mean anything? Is it all just in my head?
"Fuck." Uraraka groaned in frustration.
She was better than all this. Hadn't she sworn off all boys? Why the hell was she crying in the bathroom over one then? Especially over Bakugo. She didn't even like him like that. She didn't. Didn't she?
What a mess.
Was it possible to get drunker by the second? Because the bathroom was starting to spin again.
Uraraka closed her eyes and took deep breaths.
When she slowly opened them the room had stopped spinning.
With a fierce determination, she grabbed her phone again and opened up the text chat.
She reread the messages they had exchanged…or well, tried too. The screen was really blurry. She closed one eye to focus.
Okay, it had all been going well.
So what happened?
What went wrong?
What would Bakugo do?
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
She knew what Bakugo would do.
So she did.
She called him.