NOTE: This chapter contains an excerpt from a book that is not mine. I do not own the words or the characters. The book is titled Sweet Persuasion by Maya Banks (and is part of the Sweet Series).

Chapter 22

Uraraka stood in the middle of her room, a small glow of the morning sun dancing around her. She let her eyes drift up and down her reflection as she continued to wring her hands in agitation.

"It's not that big of a deal." She attempted to dismiss her worries. Still, she began to nibble at her inner cheek.

After the muddled mess that was her most recent interaction with a certain blonde, she had come up to her room. Her mind wanted to make sense of what had just happened but it was drawing a blank. She could not understand how someone who she barely said ten words too not even a month ago, could get her to reveal such an intimate detail about her life.

In an abrupt bout of insanity, which she blamed solely on her brain needing to focus on anything other than what had just occurred, she decided she would change her look a bit. All in all, it could stand to mature a bit. Maybe if she changed some details, people would finally stop looking at her like this fragile, little girl.

She attempted to braid her bangs and pin them back in a similar style to the one she had sported at the dance. It was nowhere near as defined and put together as Hagakure's, but she kind of liked it messy. It made it look less formal, more appropriate for class. She had also ditched her signature leggings and opted to wear the socks that had come with her uniform. Thanks to a pretty intense first year, the lower half of her body looked much more toned than when she first began U.A. She was proud of her legs, they showed off the muscle she had worked really hard to get, and she wanted to show them off a bit.

This decision had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Bakugo could not stop staring at her legs back at the dance. Absolutely not.

Being shorter than most of her classmates meant that her socks reached a little higher up her leg. They hugged the inch above her knee tightly, causing the skin to bulge a bit. Uraraka stared at the small patch of skin between the end of her school skirt and the top of her socks with a bit of intrigue. Her heart began to race again, but this time in excitement.

It wasn't a drastic change in attire, but it was a start. She was seventeen years old now. A woman for all intents and purposes. And it was about time people began to treat her like one. As a soon-to-be hero, it would be of utmost importance that she be able to instill confidence in those she intended to save. Who would truly trust a little girl to save them? Not many. Uraraka needed people to stop seeing her as the sweet, little, chubby-cheeked girl and start taking her seriously. Because she wasn't that girl anymore…

Well, she was. But she also wasn't. She had grown in more ways than one throughout the last year. The tepidness that came with being so overwhelmed by her amazing and powerful classmates had long been shaken away. She needed to become the best she could be so that she could find a good hero office to hire her. Uraraka was not grandiose in her aspirations, opting for a more realistic view of what her life would be. She would be more than content if she made enough money to support her family and maybe give her a cozy apartment in the city where she could eat mochi and maybe adopt a cat. Being able to accomplish this by saving people...well she considered herself lucky in more ways than one.

Uraraka had spent her first year honing her fighting skills and improving her quirk. All more essential to her future work as a hero than her look. Yet, even she couldn't dismiss the impact of a first impression. And her damned round cheeks made most people wary of attacking her...because, well look at how cute she is. Or so Mina and Hagakure told her during one of their after-school training sessions over the summer.

It's not like she minded that others found her cute or adorable or any of the other descriptive words that had been used by the majority of the people who she encountered...villains included. But she didn't just want to be cute. Uraraka wanted people to respect her. To see her as a formidable opponent and for villains to fear her, or at the very least be cautious of her presence.

Cute just wasn't going to cut it.

Giving herself one final approving glance, she grabbed her book bag and headed out.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-

"Digging the new look Uraraka!"

"Yea, it's really manly!"

Uraraka hadn't meant to make a dramatic entrance. By the time she reached the cafeteria most of her friends were already halfway through their meal. They had offered to wait but she insisted they go on ahead without her. The cafeteria crowd was already thinning and she could use the time alone to read a couple more pages of her book, something she had planned to do earlier that day but was rudely interrupted.

Her hand throbbed lightly, reminding her that this morning was not a bizarre dream. It had occurred. She had dropped boiling water on her hand and had also admitted she had...to...Stop! She could feel her cheeks begin to burn.

All alone, with the slight hum of voices from the remaining students, she pulled out her book, safe and secure beneath the inconspicuous tan slip. Uraraka's eyes shifted anxiously around the surrounding tables. Empty.

She could feel her insides bubble with anticipation. There was a chilling thrill associated with the knowledge that she was about to read an erotic novel in such an open space. As she opened the book to where she had left off, the feeling that she was being watched was hard to shake. She felt exposed. But it turned out she liked it. The possibility that she could be caught doing something so...unlike her, it made her positively giddy.

Attempting to ignore this newfound discovery, she began to read -

Her breasts bobbed, and the clamps dangling from her nipples exerted a dragging pressure that sent razor-sharp darts straight to her pussy.

She was wet. She could feel the creamy moisture gather between her legs, feel the way her clit pulsed and ached from the tension applied to her nipples.

Hands cupped her buttocks, kneading slightly before spreading the cheeks. Shock raced up her spine, stiffening her muscles as she formed a protest with her lips. Before she could speak, Cole gently applied lubricant to the opening. His fingers smoothed over the cleft, spreading a generous amount in their wake.

Her shoulders shook, and her body trembled. Tiny little shivers, alternating hot and cold. She danced a fine line between fear and desire. Confusion. Hot, edgy need. She didn't want to be aroused by a strange man's hands.

One this finger slid inside her anus. Air rushed past her lips as she inhaled harshly.

The bell signaling there was fifteen minutes left before homeroom brought her back to reality so suddenly she accidentally activated her quirk. Floating like an idiot she attempted to settle her rattling heartbeat. After a couple of shaky breaths, she managed to deactivate her quirk.

The combination of the sudden jolt of adrenaline and the intense scene she had been in the process of imagining left her panting. She felt a familiar pulsing between her legs.

Damn it! She thought in frustration. If all her previous attempts to read her novel outside the safety of her room had not taught her a lesson, this time it surely would. Her nipples had perked in arousal and she was running late to class. For the brief time it took her to race across campus she had forgotten her changed look and earlier private admissions to explosive classmates. All she could think about was getting to class in time and figuring out how to stop being so turned on.

Uraraka entered class 2-A feeling agitated in more ways than one. She had made it in time, but just barely.

It took Kirishima and Kaminari all but two seconds to zero in on her and make her blush with their compliments. Uraraka could feel the stares of her classmates. The girls had all seen her already but most of the boys had not. And it was they who stared.

"Aaah hahaha, mmm thanks?" Ignoring them as best she could, she began to walk quickly towards her desk.

She kept telling herself not to look. Not to turn her head ever so slightly. It didn't matter if he was looking or not. In fact, after this morning's weird little showdown, she didn't want him to look.

And yet, she couldn't help it. She could feel his gaze on her, weighing her down. Uraraka wasn't sure how she knew it was his, but she knew. She turned her head slowly until their eyes met.

Uraraka almost shrunk away from the intensity of his glare. His red eyes burned into hers with a ferociousness so grand that she was sure she'd combust.

And then it was gone. He turned around with a snarl and refused to look at her for the rest of the class. It left her reeling, with indignation or arousal she wasn't sure. It was all rather confusing. And the timing of everything was peculiar.

In fact, the whole day turned out to be bizarre.

Bakugo ignored her existence for the rest of the morning, which pre-December would have been expected, but post-December, well. She wasn't sure what she expected but it hadn't been this. In fact, Bakugo was making it a point to ignore her. It was worse than before.

Uraraka chose to ignore the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach and move on with her day.

By the time the bell announcing the end of class and the beginning of lunch rang, she had managed to recoup her earlier enthusiasm. Hand-in-hand with Tsu, the two friends walked towards the cafeteria talking lazily about their homework assignments. Running into Iida and Todoroki, the four friends approached the lunch line together.

Thoughts of crazy red-eyed boys slowly escaped her as she laughed freely with her friends. As Deku approached the group, Uraraka could not help but feel content. She had blessed ten times over and she would never forget it.

As the line shifted, so did her group. She felt her socks shift and begin to roll down her legs for the hundredth time. She remembered now why she had switched to leggings before. Annoyed, she bent down to roll her socks back up. Uraraka had been so accustomed to the liberty that leggings provided, that she forgot that the more she bent down, the higher her skirt rose. Slightly embarrassed at her oversight she sprung back up, running her hands down her skirt in an attempt to flatten it.

Todoroki, being closest to her, stepped behind her to shield her from prying eyes. When Uraraka popped back up and made eye contact with his mismatched eyes, he shifted uncomfortably and averted her gaze. A small blush beginning to form.

"Sorry!" She stammered. Todoroki gave a tiny nod in acknowledgment. Thankfully, her other friends were stuck in a deep debate over the most recent villain attack and the hypothetical manner in which they could have helped.

Still flustered, Uraraka began to feel a familiar tickle in the back of her neck. The weight of being watched, like a scratch she couldn't quite reach. She turned to see where it was coming from only to meet two pools of fire. Red eyes that belonged to one seemingly pissed off Bakugo. Before she knew what was happening he was storming off towards his general table, Kaminari and Kirishima closely followed.

Lunch continued with its usual pace of eating and talking. Her lunch crew, same as before. On one side sat Iida, Deku, and Todoroki and directly across sat Tsu and Uraraka. Deku was about to stammer something when he suddenly got quiet and looked directly behind Uraraka. Todoroki and Iida's vision followed in a similar fashion. She could feel the presence of someone at her back and her heart skipped a beat. Is it?

She turned her head quickly, expecting, hoping?, to see a certain blonde but instead she found Tokoyami. "Hi Tokoyami-kun," Deku said, breaking the sudden silence. Despite the unexpected nature of Tokoyami's presence, he was a friend and they were friendly people. Tokoyami stood silent. "Uhm, would you like to join us?" Uraraka said scooching away from Tsu in order to leave space between them. She gave the usually emo-boy a warm and inviting smile. He tended to eat by himself most times. Maybe he too wanted to change how people perceived him?

He sat down next to Uraraka with decisiveness, making her yelp at his sudden appearance. Without any explanation towards his sudden shift in lunch companions, he began to unwrap his bento box. The rest of the table continued with their lively conversation.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-

After lunch, class 2-A was scheduled at the P.E. grounds. Uraraka and Tsu waved goodbye to the boys as each group made their way towards the locker rooms.

Changed into their athletic uniforms and stretching with the rest of the girls waited for the boys.

"I wonder what's taking the boys so long." Momo wondered aloud as she leaned down in a stretch.

"Yea, usually we take way longer than them to get ready," Mina said as she extended her arms above her head and arched her back. The rest of the girls nodded.

After a couple more minutes, the boys could be seen approaching the field, each looking in various stages of upheaval.

Mineta, Ojiro, and Shoji reached the group of girls first.

Before any girl could open their mouth and ask a question, Mineta cut them off with an extended hand.

"I know what you're going to say," He said dramatically looking down and away from them, "It's simple really," he took a deep breath, "BAKUGO HAS LOST HIS MIND!" He screamed in overacted fear. "No one is safe! No one is safe from his clutches!" He attempted to cling to the front of Mina's shirt but the acid-quirk user was too fast, karate-chopping down causing him to face plant into the soft earth.

"Bakugo?" Uraraka questioned softly, trying to hide her interest as best she could.

"What do you mean short stack?" Mina narrowed her eyes at the short, pop-off quirk user.

"He means, Bakugo has had a bit of a" Ojiro interjected but stopped as he searched his brain for the correct word, "reset in his temperament." He concluded.

"Reset?" Tsu said, moving to the side to allow room for the next group of guys that joined them.

"Ah, indeed mon ami, it was quite the spectacle," Aoyama added with flare, as he plopped down next to Hagakure and began stretching.

Koda approached looking skittish, tapping the tips of his fingers together in rapid succession.

"What is going on?" Momo asked with all the authority she could muster. Until told otherwise, she would still act as the class representative. "Should I call one of the professors? Where is Snipe-sensei?"

"No, it'll be fine. The other guys have it under control." Sato chimed in, his calm demeanor matched his words. A loud boom drew all eyes towards the direction of the boys' locker room. "Well..."

Before anyone else could ask what was going on the missing boys came out in two groups.

Iida led the first group looking visibly frazzled, Tokoyami walked solemnly behind him, Deku and Todoroki flanking the dark, raven headed boy, both seemed tense. Several paces behind them were Kaminari and Sero. In stark contrast to the rest of the male class, both boys looked at ease, sniggering in amusement. Snipe-sensei pummeled the ground with every step he took as he followed closely behind them. Finally, taking the rear, was a smiling, but disheveled, Kirishima and a fuming Bakugo.

As Snipe-sensei attempted to settle down the class, Uraraka let her eyes wander over towards Bakugo. His whole body shook like he was attempting to contain himself. Uraraka saw his chest rise and fall slowly. It appeared he was trying to calm himself.

Uraraka turned to observe the rest of the boys. Everyone seemed out of breath and flustered. None more than Tokoyami.

What could have happened?

There was this gnawing feeling that she already knew the answer to her question but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Bakugo. Tokoyami." Snipe's voice pierced through her inner musings. "Since you want to kill each other so bad. Have at it. No quirks. The first one to push the other out of bounds wins."

Bakugo spat to the side and cracked his knuckles before walking into the drawn circle on the field floor. He looked calm. Unnervingly calm. Uraraka bit into her lower lip.

"Ah, so it is our fate to crush each other then," Tokoyami said pensively. He closed his eyes and took a bracing breath. "So be it." He concluded solemnly.

"The rest of you pay attention, here are the pairings for today's combat course…"

-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-

For all the initial commotion, the rest of the class went by relatively normal. The majority of the class still seemed on edge, but after a surprisingly lackluster showdown between the first pair, the tension that had been ballooning between class 2-A deflated.

Still, Mina was able to gather some valuable intel and proceeded to share this important information in the middle of their history class.

Ashido Mina: My sources say that Bakugo exploded a bench after a bunch of the guys started asking Tokoyami why he sat with Deku-squad at lunch.

Tsuyu Asui: We are not called Deku-squad.

Yaoyorozu Momo: Ladies, now is not the time for gossip.

A half-hour went by before Uraraka felt her phone vibrate again.

Ashido Mina: I think Kaminari made a joke that Tokoyami had a thing for one of the Deku-squad girls and Tokoyami started stuttering.

Hagakure Toru: and then Bakugo blasted the bench?

Ashido Mina: Something like that…hold up.

Uraraka could not understand how Mina managed to look like she was taking very diligent notes while simultaneously tapping into her gossip fountains. A few minutes passed by before Uraraka's phone began vibrating once again.

Ashido Mina: ok ya'll's I got it.

Yaoyorozu Momo: not now Mina. You can fill us in after class.

Jiro Kyoka: is it long?

Ashido Mina: no.

Ashido Mina: but it is sooo worth it! *heart eye emoji*

Yaoyorozu Momo: fine, but be concise

Uraraka heard a small squeak from three seats down. She turned to see her pink friend practically vibrating with excitement. It must be some good gossip.

Ashido Mina: okay sooooo…according to my sources the guys were asking Tokoyami if he sat down with Deku-squad because he liked one of you girls and he started getting all types of hot and bothered so 7 and 13 starting teasing him that maybe it was because Ura-babe got a new look and Tokoyami got like super defensive and there was a lot of commotion about Ochako and then Lord Explosion Murder blasted the bench Tokoyami was sitting on

Ashido Mina: BAM!

He what! Uraraka shrieked in her head. She could feel her cheeks flare. Maybe trying something new with her look had been a stupid, stupid idea.

Jiro Kyoka: lol look at you Ochako

Hagakure Toru: I want to laugh so bad. Poor Tokoyami! of course he has a crush on our sweetie pie

Uraraka couldn't help but look at the boy in question. No…he couldn't like her. They barely even talked to each other!

Uraraka Ochako: no he doesn't! stop it .

Tsuyu Asui: even if he did why would Bakugo care

Ashido Mina: my sources are also unsure as to why Baku-bro suddenly exploded.

Hagakure Toru: oooohhhh! Maybe he has a thing for Ura-hottie too!

Uraraka choked on her saliva. She began to cough violently drawing all eyes to her.

"Ms. Uraraka, do you need to step outside?" Midnight-sensei turned to the gravity-quirk user, her eyes showing sincere concern.

"Here Uraraka, please drink this," Iida said with urgency as he shoved a thermos full of water into her hand.

Uraraka drank some of the water her friend had offered and managed to settle down the coughing fit. Sheepishly she turned to the rest of the class before looking at Midnight-sensei, "Sorry." Giving her one final stare, Midnight-sensei cleared her throat.

"Very well, let's continue. Eyes over here class."

Feeling mortified, Uraraka returned to her notes.

Ashido Mina: you good Ochako?

Tsuyu Asui: well weren't they texting during Ochakos birthday?

Traitor.

Jiro Kyoka: that's right… *smug face emoji*

Hagakure Toru: oh so it's a thing then!?

Uraraka Ochako: its not a thing 0_0

Ashido Mina: OMG! ITS SO A THING!

Yaoyorozu Momo: if I say you all can sleepover in my room tonight will you please put your phones away and pay attention.

Ashido Mina: Yay! First sleepover of second-year! Momo-chan you da best girlie!

Hagakure Toru: I hope it's like ChakoChips birthday sleepover *devil emoji*

Jiro Kyoka: oh please no…

Yaoyorozu Momo: Girls, please!

And with that Uraraka's phone went quiet once more.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-

Thankfully, after almost choking to death in her seat, the rest of the school day went by in relative peace. Outwardly at least.

Inwardly, Ochako was a mess.

Does Tokoyami like me? Am I too nice? Did I lead him on? Poor Tokoyami! Why would Bakugo do that! Why does he even care? He won't even look at me anymore. Well only if its to glare at me. What's wrong with him?

Uraraka could not make heads or tails of her current situation. All she knew was the more she tried to make sense of Bakugo the further he slipped away. He kissed her then ignored her for the rest of the dance but he returned her book.

He calls her then disappears for days only to pop up again to wish her a happy birthday at midnight. Then gets mad at her for no reason and just as quickly he starts calling her Angel and staying on the phone with her until the crack of dawn. He texts her to see how she's holding up post hangover and then she never hears from him again. Well not until the unfortunate experience in the kitchen earlier that morning.

He's hot and then he's cold. Like the waves on the beach, splashing forward and pulling back just as quickly.

It was making her head spin. She couldn't keep up. And frankly, she was getting kind of sick of it.

She made her way to her room quickly throwing her friends the excuse that she wanted to change and get a run in before dinner. Uraraka threw her school uniform on and changed into a tight pair of exercise shorts and a fitted tee. She put on her running shoes and pushed her hair into a slow ponytail, her bangs remaining in their braids.

Grabbing her phone and headphones, Uraraka briskly made her way out of the dorms.

She could see the sun beginning to set in the distance, leaving the sky in a mixture of orange and red. Uraraka approached the edge of the track and began her pre-running stretches. Balancing on one leg, she kicked the other behind her, catching her ankle and pulling her thighs together until she felt the familiar pulsating burn on her quad. After the crazy first day of school she'd had, Uraraka welcomed the peacefulness that only being alone with nature could bring.

Finishing her stretches she quickly pushed her headphones into her ears and queued up her favorite running playlist. A steady mix of top 40 and hardcore rock. The perfect mix to get her out of her head. She continued her steady pace letting her mind focus solely on the feeling for her feet hitting the synthetic rubber and the sound of the music pounding against her eardrums. Pushing her body to the limits always left her feeling exhilarated. The deep satisfaction she felt waking up and having every muscle screaming could hardly be matched by anything else. Those aches meant she had accomplished something. A new martial arts move. A win against a strong opponent. More control of her quirk. It meant she was getting stronger.

Uraraka pushed her pace. Faster, she sped down the track. She could feel her heart thundering against her chest but for the first time in a while, it wasn't associated with feeling anxious or embarrassed. No, it was her body revving up for the challenge she was putting it through. Faster, she pushed.

The U.A. track twisted and turned its way into a makeshift forest. The sunlight knitted its way through the trees providing enough light to make it through with little effort. She could feel her lungs constrict with panic, as she continued to pummel through the track. Faster. She had to go faster.

This was her second year. There was no time for silly crushes that would never like her back. Not this year. Not again.

Faster.

Uraraka ripped out of the forest with her speed. She barreled down the track and followed it as it curved towards where she had initially started her run. Desperate for air she began to slow down her pace. Her heart pounding so hard against her ribcage she was surprised she couldn't see the dent of it on her chest.

As she approached the end of her first lap she saw a vague figure sitting on the grass.

Perfect.

Bakugo Katsuki sat on the cold grass, legs stretched out in front of him as his arms reached towards his toes. By the time she reached him, she had settled into a light trot.

She was sure by now he should have heard her approaching, but he continued his stretches. It was almost comical how focused he was on looking only as far as the tip of his fingers. He refused to acknowledge her presence.

Well fine then. She huffed in indignation. If that's how he wants to be then two can play that game. Uraraka did not slow down or speed up as she got even closer. She continued on her now gentle jog as if no one was around. She was dead set on ignoring him just like he had been ignoring her. Ignoring the bitter taste this whole encounter was leaving behind, she jogged past him. He didn't even flinch.

Ugh!

Frustrated, Uraraka stopped a couple of feet past the sulking boy. Before she lost her nerve she turned around and walked towards where he was on the ground. His only acknowledgment of her closeness being a slight tensing of the shoulders.

Worrying at her lip for the billionth time that day, she quickly dropped down to her knees in front of him. Standing over him seemed too much of a power move and he was known to exploding at any sign of those. Uraraka didn't want to agitate him further than he clearly already was.

Sitting back on her heels, she interlocked her fingers and began twiddling her thumbs. Bakugo seemed to notice that his outstretched leg was a couple of inches from her knees and he pulled it back quickly. His knuckles were white as he balled them into tight fists by his side.

"Bakugo," Uraraka's voice cut through the piercing silence that hung between them. "Did I do something to offend you?" She asked with a quiet voice. Up until then, she hadn't realized how much his attitude towards her had truly affected her.

The sound of birds chirping settled in the silence. A far off car horn reached her ears. Somehow everything seemed to still.

Bakugo quietly pulled both his knees up towards his chest and rested his arms atop them. Uraraka saw him turn towards the sun, which was almost gone. It was because she was paying close attention that she saw him deflate suddenly. He looked tired.

It was too personal. This was Bakugo. The Bakugo. He was fearless. He was strong. He was relentless. Something deep inside Uraraka began to panic. Fix this! Fix this!

But how?

"I'm going to finish my run," She said as she got back up to her feet. "You can join me if you think you can keep up." Uraraka trilled at him. A friendly taunt.

She saw Bakugo's eyes flare to life as his brain registered the challenge.

"I'm faster." He said with unwavering certainty that she hoped one day she could emulate.

"Sure, sure." She dismissed him lightly.

"I can run circles around you Round face!" He jumped onto both feet with a snarl. Well, at least he no longer looks defeated.

Uraraka giggled. She had never been thankful that it was so easy to rile him up, but today she was. She began jogging away lightly, giving him ample time to catch up.

"I've already told you to stop laughing at me!" Despite the volume, his voice sounded far still. He wasn't following her.

She turned around and began jogging backward, going slowly so as not to fall over and ruin whatever was currently happening between them. She wasn't sure but this moment felt important.

"Are you going to keep shouting at me like a little bitch or are you gonna actually run?" She smirked before turning around and quickly taking off

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" She heard him shout after her. She turned her head quickly to see if he was following her now and to her immense satisfaction…he was! He also seemed like he was ready to thrash her for calling him a little bitch but that was neither here nor there. At least he looked lively again. Like the Bakugo she liked.

Wait, what! No! Not liked!

She could hear the quick tap-tapping of Bakugo's feet as they soared atop the track and headed straight towards her.

Get your head out of your ass and run! With a high pitched squeak that melted into a shrill laugh, she doubled her pace. He was chasing her and she was loving it. Like two little kids playing tag, her heart began beating in conjunction with her steps.

When he finally caught up to her, which was a lot sooner than she hoped, he was smiling.

"Eat dust Cheeks." He said with a smirk as he continued the ridiculous pace they had set with ease.

Was there anything this crazy boy wasn't good at?

Usually, this was the point where Uraraka would start feeling the slight sting that falling behind always brought her. But this time it was different. In some warped way, she felt like getting him to chase after her and apparently have fun while he did was the actual win in this scenario.

"Giving up already?" He taunted but she smiled because he'd slowed down his pace to let her catch up.

"Not a chance." With newfound determination, she quickened her running pace to match his as best she could.

Finally, they reached the end of the lap as final remnants of the sun disappeared over the horizon. Both students breathed heavily, sweat glistening on their bodies as they put their heads behind their backs in an effort to expand their lungs and gather more oxygen.

In her exhaustion, Uraraka smiled at Bakugo and surprisingly he smiled back. It was not as bright or as obvious as hers, but it was there. She saw it.

"Stop calling me Cheeks. You know I hate it." Uraraka said after finally calming down their breathing enough to be able to talk without wheezing.

"Call me a little bitch again and see what happens." He scoffed, trying to regain the anger that kept people at a safe distance. But it was too late for that. At least, too late for that with her. Uraraka chuckled. Her eyes twinkled as the golden dusk enveloped by the twilight sky.

Uraraka settled into a spot on the grass and began doing her post-run stretches. Once more, she became keenly aware of being watched. Through her peripherals, Uraraka could see Bakugo eyeing her carefully.

All too suddenly Uraraka became self-conscious of her attire. Her shorts hugged her bottom half tightly, riding up high on her thigh. Her shirt stuck to her torso with her sweat leaving very little to the imagination. She hadn't intended to look this…

Although technically it was still winter, she began to feel hot under his gaze. He seemed lost as his eyes took in every curve and dip of her body. Uraraka felt her muscles tense. The air seemed to shift once more. A small breeze swept through her exposed and overheated skin causing her to tremble. Touch me.

And just as quickly as it happened it stopped. Bakugo looked away and Uraraka pretended like she hadn't noticed, despite every nerve in her body standing at attention.

"Well you can keep running yourself ragged but I'm done." She said clearing her throat to hopefully hide its shakiness.

Bakugo grunted and began to walk back towards the track.

Uraraka took this as a sign. The moment had passed.

She began to turn her body to head towards the dorms but stopped to look at him one last time. Uraraka was startled to see he was looking at her too. That tired and defeated expression ghosted through his eyes briefly before they returned to normal. Uraraka was about to open her mouth to say, well, she wasn't sure, but she was sure it would've come to her. Yet, before she could formulate the words he cut her off with his.

"I'm not mad at you." He said in a clipped tone. He didn't sound mad. No, more like if he was trying desperately to sound composed. Collected.

"Oh." Was all she managed to get out before he turned and continued sprinting down the track.

Somehow, every interaction they'd had as of late ended with him leaving her more confused than she was at the beginning of it.

She saw him disappear into the trees before turning around and heading to the dorms.

AN: Someone commented that my chapters were too short so here's an almost 6k long chapter. How you like me now :P

Fun fact - this is my longest chapter so far. Hope you enjoyed!