Chapter 34

They arrived at the amusement park hand-in-hand, all of their initial first date awkwardness had all but vanished during their 20 minute train ride. Bakugo handed the entrance tickets to the attendant at the gate and they both entered the overly-lit and pretty loud venue.

"What ride would you like to get on first?" Bakugo asked the petite brunette next to him, looking and sounding more at ease than she had ever seen him before. A small part of her felt elated at his response to her. Uraraka was pretty sure it would never lose its novelty, especially when he treated everyone else in his life pretty much the same.

"You pick!" Uraraka responded. Despite her pretty relaxed and comfortable demeanor, she remained keenly aware that each ride charged a certain amount of tickets and she was always wary when it came to spending money, hers or anyone else's. Call her old-fashioned but although she entered this date with the assumption that Bakugo would be paying, that still didn't mean she was going to take advantage of the situation. If she were honest she'd be perfectly content just trotting alongside him, hand in hand.

In lieu of a response, Bakugo tugged at her hand, leading her towards the adrenaline heavy rides. He stopped in front of a Turbo Drop amusement ride and Uraraka felt her heart plummet down to her stomach faster than the people on the ride.

"This'll be fun!"

This is what I get for being considerate.

"Uhm, Ba-Bakugo." She could feel her voice begin to quiver.

"Don't tell me you're scared of heights Cheeks!" Bakugo teased her as they slowly made their way to the back of the line.

"I'm not afraid of heights!" Uraraka pouted, "It's the falling part I'm not so fond of." She grumbled.

"Round face, you can literally float." He looked at her in disbelief.

Uraraka ignored him and looked back up at the next round of brave souls being slowly raised up on the ride. She could feel her heart racing in anticipation, her stomach doing more turns than an acrobatic gymnast. The riders reached the top and Uraraka knew the drop was always delayed. They looked so high up there! Uraraka jumped at the loud sound the ride made right before it dropped the adrenaline-junkies back down to Earth. If she thought her heart was beating fast before, she was very, very, wrong.

Uraraka could see Bakugo smirking down at her from the corner of her eyes, clearly amused by her apprehension. "If it's too scary for you we don't have to get on," He said, pulling at her hand to get her attention, "We can always go to the merry-go-round, right over there. I hear they even have seat belts so you don't fall."

Ohhh! Okay! It's like that. Uraraka shot daggers at Bakugo which made him genuinely laugh out loud.

The previous group of people dismounted and the ride attendant began asking for tickets and letting them in by groups.

"Give the nice man the tickets please." Uraraka said with all the attitude she could muster, which was hard given the mini-heart attack she was currently trying to tame. Still, Uraraka would rather brave the goliath ride in front of her if it meant she could prove Mr. High-and-Mighty wrong!

Bakugo chuckled and handed the man the tickets for both Uraraka and himself. They sat down next to each other and another ride attendant walked by to strap them in. Once locked in tight, Uraraka's panic really set in. With the shoulder straps covering her view of Bakugo to her left she felt completely alone. She was about to call mercy and have them get her off the ride when she felt someone take her left hand in theirs. Not someone...Bakugo. The warmth of his hand made her feel oddly safe. '

"Cheeks, in all seriousness, if you don't want to do this say it now. I promise I won't make fun of you," He sounded sincere and that somehow gave her more resolve to go through with this.

"Katsuki, I'm doing this because I want to so just shut the hell up and hold my hand please." Uraraka said nervously and probably louder than she intended too, as she could hear a couple of people around them chuckle.

"Okay, okay, don't bite my head off." Bakugo tried to sound annoyed but even without seeing his face Uraraka could tell he was smiling. They began ascending and Uraraka squeezed Bakugo's hands so tight he was sure he'd never regain feeling on his right hand.

"Ochako, you good?" Bakugo asked when they reached the top, hands still clasped tightly together. He gave her hand a tight squeeze, he wasn't sure why but he hoped it helped.

"Mhmm…" Uraraka squeezed his hand back. She couldn't quite find her voice but despite the nerves, even she had to admit the view was beautiful. The lights shimmered brightly, the sound of music and people laughing and screaming with joy boomed around her and yet there was a calmness that came with it. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she'd be doing something so...so youthful! In all honesty, after the crazy first year they had had, villains at every corner...she never thought there'd be a day when her biggest worry was not peeing her pants in front of her date.

She was on a date. With a boy. That she liked. And, surprisingly, he liked her back.

She heard the sound the ride made and knew she had a split second before they fell...a part of her was still scared but an even bigger part of her was excited. The anticipation bubbled within her and when she screamed it wasn't from fear...it was sheer joy. Uraraka laughed and Bakugo laughed with her, never once letting go of her hand.

When the ride finished and the safety guards were released, Bakugo hopped off quickly and helped his date onto the floor. Uraraka couldn't stop smiling.

"See, I told you it would be fun." He smirked at her as they made their way off the ride.

They spend the next hour or so enjoying ride after ride...bumper cars, a roller coaster, spinning swings, the Ferris wheel, and a haunted house. Uraraka wasn't sure how first dates were like, she really had no point of comparison, but she doubted that many were as fun and amazing as hers currently was.

"You hungry?" Bakugo asked as they made their way out of the haunted house. A group of kids walked by them and stared. She could feel Bakugo stiffen slightly.

That had been happening since she yelled out his name at the Turbo Drop ride. People would randomly stare and point at them. It was odd but Uraraka was doing her utmost best to ignore it, and most of the time she was able too. Bakugo wasn't as adept at it as she was but even he seemed determined to not let it bug him. Or well not as much as it would have any other day.

"Starving!" Uraraka chirped. They both began walking towards the food court in comfortable silence. She couldn't help the feeling of eyes on her but she assumed by now the whole of the amusement park was aware of who they were...or at the very least who Bakugo was. They weren't far from campus and the majority of Musutafu had either been in attendance or seen the live broadcasting of their sports festival. Add to that that most of Japan was aware of his kidnapping by the League of Villains and she was sure more than one person had to have recognized him. Uraraka didn't even want to begin to imagine what that might feel like...to have complete strangers make assumptions about who you were as a person, as a future hero, based on a couple of minutes of screen time. Well she supposes that once they become pro-heroes that's how it would be. She wasn't exactly looking forward to that.

Uraraka stopped in the middle of the pathway and tugged Bakugo back towards her before he kept walking on.

"What the-" He exclaimed before realizing his round faced date had stopped walking. "What's wrong."

Uraraka smiled up at him, "Nothing. I just wanted to say thank you. I'm having a lot of fun." She wasn't sure what compelled her to do it but she felt a strong sense of urgency, like if she didn't tell him now the moment would pass. It was odd, but his half smile made it worth it. Ururaka supposed that despite what anyone else might be thinking of them, or him, she wanted Bakugo to at least know what she was thinking.

Her stomach growled loud enough that they both could hear it over the bustle of the food court. Ururaka blushed and Bakugo chuckled, "Come on, let's get you something to eat. Gotta make sure those cheeks of yours stay round." He winked as he grabbed her hand once more to start walking towards one of the many food booths.

"My cheeks aren't even that round you jerk!" Uraraka pointed at her face in mock anger.

"Who said I was talking about your face, Cheeks." Bakugo smirked as Uraraka pondered his words for a beat.

"Katsuki! You take that back!" Uraraka exclaimed once it dawned on her, face turning red at his thinly veiled insinuation. Bakugo laughed, a happy laugh, the kind of laugh Uraraka had once thought was impossible for him to do. She playfully smacked him in his arm and rolled her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this content, this warm.

They took a couple of more steps, the sound of laughter all around them, her hair danced around her from fast gush of air made by the roller coaster nearby, and the lovely scent of funnel cake and fried food enveloped her. The lights twinkled brightly and she looked up in time to see Bakugo looking at her, she smiled and he smiled back.

All seemed right.

And yet...

Bakugo felt it first. His body tensed and alert, he instinctively pulled her closer to him and hovered over her protectively. Everything around them seemed to have slowed down, almost as if they were in a bubble where time moved differently. The pretty sounds of the amusement park were distorted and the images all around them blurred together. Uraraka was not sure what was happening but it felt...wrong.

She felt a chill so deep within her that she assumed this is what being frozen from the inside out must feel. Bakugo extended the one arm that wasn't holding her to him and she heard the soft crackle of his quirk. A warning. A shrill cry invaded her brain, it was like if it was coming from inside her mind. And then, just as quickly as it had happened, it stopped.

It all happened so fast.

Bakugo began scanning around the crowd and Uraraka started doing the same but they couldn't find anything wrong. Everyone looked exactly as they had mere seconds ago. No one seemed spooked or worried.

"Ochako, we should go."

Uraraka nodded and they made their way towards the exit. Both heroes-in-training quiet and alert, ready just in case anyone decided to attack.

"Wait." Uraraka stopped them before they exited the amusement park.

"What?" Bakugo assumed a fighting pose, looking all around for the danger.

"Maybe we should call the school." Uraraka worried at her lip and looked out towards the dimly lit street. They would have to walk a couple of blocks to take a twenty minute train ride back up the hill towards campus, not to mention another short walk until reaching the gates. It's not that she didn't trust herself or Bakugo or didn't think they were capable of putting up a good fight if need be, but...why risk it.

For his part Bakugo seemed like he wanted to argue but simply stared at her. After a couple of seconds he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Kay."

Uraraka pulled out her phone and dialed the school's office number. She hoped someone was working late...she wasn't sure how it worked. Since it was now a boarding school she assumed there would need to be staff available at all times, for like emergencies.

After the third ring a tired voice answered the phone, "U.A. High School, How can we help you?"

"Aizawa-sensei?!" Uraraka felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"What's wrong Ururaka?" Aizawa still sounded bored but she could almost detect a hint of worry? Or maybe she just wanted to think that.

"Uhm," Ururaka wasn't sure what to say when she wasn't even one hundred percent sure what had happened. Good thing Bakugo didn't seem to have such qualms. He extended his arm out and Uraraka handed him the phone.

"Some weird shit quirk is what happened. We think it may have been a villain or some other low life." Bakugo sounded pissed. She hadn't heard him sound like that in a while. Not this genuinely enraged at least.

Bakugo remained quiet and Ururaka assumed Aizawa was speaking.

"We're at the amusement park in the center of the city, about 5 stops away from campus." He said, holding out his free hand towards Uraraka.

She took it and let him lead her back towards the amusement park.

"Ok." Bakugo huffed and hung up the phone. They found a free table in a crowded area and sat down.

"He's gonna send a car for us." He said as he handed Uraraka her phone back. She nodded. They sat and waited in silence, all the fun of earlier replaced by alertness. Every hair on Urarakas body was on edge. She wasn't so much worried for herself or Bakugo really, this is what they were training for. She was worried for all the civilians around her...families, friends, couples, all out here enjoying a nice winter evening.

Uraraka's phone rang and they both jumped into fighting stances. A couple of families near them gave them weird looks but Uraraka ignored them as she reached for her phone.

"Hello?"

"Uraraka this is Midnight-sensei, we are outside. Please stay on the phone with me until you both enter the car." Uraraka let out a big sigh of relief upon hearing Midnight's familiar voice.

"Yes." She said in acknowledgement, "They're outside." She said, turning towards Bakugo. Bakugo nodded and they made their way towards the amusements parking lot.

Once more Bakugo took possession of her hand refusing to let her more than a couple of feet away from him. He didn't even let go when they were inside the car and Midnight-sensei and Present Mic kept making remarks about the young teens relationship status.

Enveloped by the protection of her professors Ururaka allowed herself to find some humor in the current situation. Literally the two most notorious gossips when it came to the students' romantic entanglements and probably the bane of Bakugo's existence, notwithstanding Deku, happened to be the very two who came to pick them up. She was sure Bakugo was fuming for more than one reason now.

After a couple of minutes on the road, Midnight-sensei asked them to explain what happened and since Bakugo made no indication of responding Uraraka provided a summary. Midnight-sensei said she would let Aizawa and Principal Nezu know what occurred and to please not tell their fellow students until told otherwise. Present Mic drove them straight to the doors of Heights Alliance and stated they would not leave until they were safe inside their dormitories.

Not the ending she had envisioned for her first date but she could think of worse.

Once inside their building, Ururaka could hear the faint noise of the common room television and the clinking of plates being washed in the kitchen. She looked at the time on her phone. it was almost 11pm but it was also a weekend so she had assumed some of her classmates were still up. Bakugo looked withdrawn and prickly so Ururaka wasn't sure what to do. Did they talk about it? But what if they were overheard? Did she just leave him at the entrance? That seemed rude.

"Come on." Bakugo took the lead, tugging her towards the stairs instead of the elevator. Since they were out of the common room's eyesight she supposed this was the easiest way to get upstairs unnoticed. They ascended the four flights and although she assumed Bakugo and her would part ways in the hallway, he had other plans. Bakugo did not let go of her until they were standing right outside her room door.

Alone, together, in front of her room...Ururaka felt a new wave of a very different type of nerves wash over her but she did her best to shove them down. She opened her door leaving it open behind her, an invitation that Bakugo took. He walked in and closed the door.

Bakugo bee-lined towards her bed while she plopped her purse on her desk and then turned towards him, leaning against it. They sat in silence for a bit, Bakugo seemed lost in thought and Uraraka waited patiently for him to say whatever he clearly needed to get off his chest.

"I'm sorry." He finally said.

Uraraka looked at him confused, "Sorry?"

"This was probably my fault." He said, his voice deflated, "I fucked up our first date and worse I put you in danger."

Despite the seriousness that enveloped them Uraraka felt her heart swell at his attention. Mr. Everyone-was-an-extra and not worth his time, was worried...for her. It was an interesting feeling but nonetheless she needed to make something very clear.

"Katsuki…" She waited for him to look at her before she continued, "This wasn't your fault. I had an amazing time with you and I don't think I'll ever go on another first date quite as memorable as this one." Bakugo started to protest but Uraraka stood up and began walking towards him. "And lastly, don't you dare start treating me like I can't handle myself. I'm training alongside you to become a pro-hero as well. I'm more than capable of defending myself and others. Understand." Uraraka hadn't meant to sound like she was lecturing him but...oh well.

Bakugo looked up at her and stared at her with such emotion that it was starting to make Uraraka nervous, but in a good way. It made her feel like she had atop the Turbo Drop. It was scary, but in a good way.

"I know you're a badass Ochako, it's not that…" Uraraka could see him struggling to find the words. Her mom had told her a while ago that not everything needed to be said all the time. She hadn't understood her back then but she was beginning too.

Uraraka leaned down and planted a small peck on the top of Bakugo's head. Despite all they had explored of each other, this somehow felt more intimate. Bakugo relaxed, with a large exhale he threw himself back onto her bed bringing Ururaka down with him.

She lay on top of him for a bit as he held her.

This was quite a first date. Ururaka wasn't lying when she told Bakugo that she doubted she'd ever go on another first date quite as memorable as this one.

"So…" Bakugo finally broke the silence, pushing himself up onto his elbows so that he could stare directly at Uraraka. "You're planning on going on many first dates?" He pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows at her, in a look that could only be described as disapproving.

"Hu-hu-huh?" Uraraka made a move to get off from on top of him but Katsuki was quicker and flipped them over, pinning her between her bed and his hard body.

"You said you'd never go on another first date like this one." He got closer to her, the one hand not holding his body weight from completely crushing her ghosted up her torso, "Where you planning on going on a lot more first dates." He whispered in her ear, sending a shock of electricity down to her core. The path his fingers left behind exploding with heat.

What was the question?

Bakugo leaned into her until she could feel his breath tickle her lips. His lips lightly touched hers, hovering...teasing. Her eyes were closed but she felt him smirk. His hand stopped moving. Everything was silent, except for their heavy breaths and the sound of her heart beat. Uraraka was about to open her eyes when Bakugo attacked her…

Death by Tickles.

"KA-KATSUKI STOP!" She wheezed between laughter. Not entirely what she had expected but equally fun...well maybe not equally but…

"No. This is punishment for thinking about future dates with other people while on a date with me." His playful tone took away any potential sting his words may have had.

"I was-was-stop! Was-wasn't!" Uraraka tried to tell between laughing and maneuvering her body which way and that.

They both fell off Ochako's bed in a heap of tangled limbs and side-splitting laughter.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The couple turned towards the door but made no effort to disentangle.

"Ya'll better keep it down in there." Kirishima's hearty voice teased them from behind Uraraka's door. They could hear Mina's giggles.

"Look who's talking." Bakugo barked back at them.

"Just don't blow up any more doors Bakuhoe" Mina said playfully.

Bakugo made a leap for the door but Uraraka managed to wrestle him back down. "He won't." Uraraka exclaimed and she could hear Kirishima and Mina's laughs start to get further away. She turned to look at the fiery blonde beneath him and saw him smiling at her.

Uraraka wasn't sure what came next but this was one hell of a start.