NOT JUST A PRETTY GIRL

CHAPTER 4: The One With The Coffee

AUTHOR:

A huge thank you to my friend iBloo for being my beta for this chapter yet again.

It's been twenty fucking minutes! Does she have absolutely no respect for my time? Bakugo's mind screams out, rage consuming him as he paced back and forth in front of the elevator. Ruby eyes narrow as he crosses his arms, staring at the metal doors expectantly. It has to be a test of some sort or a form of punishment, He broods to himself, attempting to make sense of the situation he found himself in. Standing me up for something she demanded! She has some fucking nerve!

Huffing loudly, the blond taps his fresh sneakers on the tiles. Aching to unleash an onslaught of pent up rage on the next poor soul that dared to venture out of the elevator, regardless of whether it was the object of his hostility or not. "I told her she had ten minutes!" Bakugo growls, teeth-gritting as he eyed the level display on the elevator. Looks like someone topped it on the twenty-first floor. If this isn't her, I swear to fucking God she is getting an earful!

A minute rolls by at a torturously slow pace until the gentle ping of the elevator rings through the open space, cutting through the silence that clung to the air like a thick fog. Bakugo's searing gaze immediately narrows and promptly locks on the face of its inhabitant and proceeding to travel down her body; eyeing her short dress and impractical looking high heels.

It was nothing overly revealing, but seeing her dressed in such a manner threw him off guard completely. Sure, he'd seen her dressed that way in the tabloids, but seeing it in real life felt wrong. I don't remember her dressing this way outside of class. She is just doing what her publicist tells her to do, like a human puppet, isn't she? How pathetic, he muses irritably to himself. Lips twist as his eyes fix on the hem of her dress, her hands nervously griping at it as it brushed up against her thighs, clearly uncomfortable. I thought she had more of a backbone.

The gentle tap of heels on the tiles echo through the foyer as Uraraka exits the lift, honey eyes locking with that of her neighbour as she makes her way towards him, his intense stare gripping her tight. I can't remember the last time I've had to dress this way in front of a classmate. It's kind of embarrassing, she notes silently, swallowing hard as she lifts a slender hand up to her face, brushing a stray section of hair behind her right ear.

An air of discomfort passes between the pair as Bakugo's gaze lingers on the skirt of her dress for a little longer than he would've liked. All it would take is a minor accident for her to embarrass herself, he notes practically, trying his best to decipher the poor decision made by the woman before him. There's no fucking way she is planning to go for a walk dressed like that.

Uraraka presses her lips together, forming a thin line as she averts her gaze; stubbornly refusing to make eye contact. Shame gripping her tight. Dressing comfortably was not an option when heading outdoors. It was not trendy and according to her publicist, it would only serve to make the comments made by the media more severe. The statements they dared to make about her appearance were bad enough as it was. The last thing she needed was to give them additional ammunition. It was a matter of self-preservation.

For now, she knew she needed to abide by their rules. To look the way society deemed acceptable for a female hero in the big wide, male orientated world. She could only hope that learning to speak more boldly would help to shatter the glass ceiling and ultimately regain her right to freedom of expression. To achieve that, she would 'look the part' a hundred lifetimes over. Appearances never mattered to her anyway, but eternal censorship of her voice was too steep of a price to pay in exchange for her dreams.

Bakugo swallows hard, absentmindedly slipping his hands into his pockets as his gaze stiffens into a glare, dragging from her toned legs back up to her face. "You're late! I swear I fucking aged just standing here! I was just about to go back upstairs!" he barks dramatically at her, upper lip quirking upwards as he speaks, eagerly seizing the upper hand. "Do you want my help, or not? Because I have a shit ton of better things to do with my time than fuck around in the foyer of a building waiting for you!"

Wincing, Uraraka waves her hands in front of her face somewhat nervously. It was impossible to deny that she was in the wrong this time, she'd give him that. "I know, I know! I'm sorry. I had to dress appropriately and that took more time than I expected," she replies somewhat meekly, her brows downturned as she stared up at him with a somewhat defeated expression.

Has she lost the plot? He argues back silently, scrunching his features. "Appropriately? Since when are those pointy death shoes and a short dress appropriate for a walk to get coffee?" Bakugo states honestly, gesturing to her outfit, his lip quirking upwards in disbelief.

Uraraka rolls her eyes as she relaxes her posture a fraction. What a blessing to be so unaffected by society's expectations. Male privilege, in a nutshell, she muses somewhat bitterly. "You don't get it, do you? It's what they expect and the heroines that don't conform get slammed in the press these days. It's even in my contract with my publicist and my new agency," she replies flatly, a hand slipping up to tug at the strap of her handbag weighing on her shoulder. It's sexist, repressive, and disgusting. Heck, this is nothing compared to what other heroines have had to endure.

There was a bitterness present in her voice that didn't sit well with him. It was comparable to a silent plea for help and felt disturbingly familiar. Not that different from the pain that lingered in the distraught voices of those he encountered in his work as a hero. Hearing that same pain in her voice was concerning. It didn't belong there. They might not have spent the most time together at school or in the years that elapsed since, but her unwavering positivity didn't go unnoticed. She was resilient and radiated hope and positivity. Darkness simply didn't have a place at her side.

Exhaling heavily, the blond arches a brow, shoulders slackening as he eyed her carefully. "Imagine I'm one of those assholes that tells you what you need to do," his rough voice orders, attempting to steer their discussion to something less depressing; The last thing I want to do is get into the nitty-gritty details of her personal life.

"I don't have to imagine, you are an ass most of the time," Uraraka quips back playfully, her gaze softening, silently grateful for the change in topic.

"Watch it!" Bakugo barks warningly, gritting his teeth. Do I need to remind her that I get fuck all out of this? It seemed obvious that his assistance was being offered out of the goodness in his heart, so offering such a smartass remark was not appreciated. He had no qualms about telling her where to go but the heavy mood from earlier made him somewhat hesitant to do so; The last thing I need right now is an emotional woman on my hands.

Exhaling heavily, the blond slides his hands into the warm depths of his pockets as he pushes the conversation forward. "If they ask, 'Why are you hiding your relationship?' what do you say?" he asks, a somewhat irkworthy tone lingering in his voice as he attempts to emulate the tone of the vultures often had; something he knew all too well.

Uraraka swallows hard, the question he posed to her bearing an eerily similar resemblance to the ones hurled at her the other day. "I'm sorry, it's all a big misunderstanding. I don't have one to hide!" she explains in a painfully submissive tone, despite the fact that he clearly was not a member of the press she felt herself grow smaller as his question echoed through her mind. I hate being like this. I need to push forward.

Bakugo stares at her blankly for a moment; "You suck at this," he states flatly, raising a brow. Surely she is just messing around, He muses in disbelief; That cannot be how she automatically responds to these types of questions.

"That's why I need you to help me! I want to stand up for myself!" Uraraka fires back somewhat hotly, her eyes overflowing with determination as she stares up at the blond.

Sighing with exasperation Bakugo crosses his arms, glaring at her; Does she think I'm an idiot? She had no issue having a go at me earlier. Why is it an issue when it's those fucking fools? Twisting his lips he stares back at her in disbelief, "That was shit! You couldn't even intimidate the elderly with that kind of squirrelly response! What the fuck was that? Be ruthless for fuck's sake!"

Ochako swallows hard, he wasn't wrong. But try telling that to my anxiety, idiot! She notes to herself, her mouth growing dry as she continues to imagine that the prickly man before her was the wretched press. Back straightening, her expression quickly drops into a menacing glare as she points at him; "Say another word and I'll float you to the moon! Don't think that I won't!" she growls under her breath, brows furrowed as she looks him dead in the eye. Surely this will do the trick! That's all I've got!

Eyes widening, as her characteristically soft gaze morphed before Bakugo's eyes. It was evident that she was trying her best to look fierce and to be frank, the attempt was not half bad, but the words that flowed from her lips were another story. "That was shit no one will believe you're being serious! You aren't anywhere near ready," he responds dismissively, clicking his tongue as he storms past her; "I'll drive you there this one time."

The blond exhales heavily, attempting to calm the buzz he felt within his chest, heart racing as her threat echoes through his mind. Was she trying to impersonate me? I don't fucking sound like that! His cheeks grow warmer as he glares menacingly at the elevator buttons, punching the down button with a clenched fist as he tries to conceal his slightly flustered state. The last thing he needed was for her to jump to conclusions. She seemed good at that.

"No! I can do it!" Ochako retorts irritably, storming after him and tugging roughly at the sleeve of his jacket as he averted his gaze stubbornly. Rude! It wasn't that bad, surely! If it wasn't good enough that's on him, he was meant to teach me after all.

The doors of the elevator shudder open. "If you go around saying that shit, people will say that you are a villain! Or do you want a reporter to file a lawsuit?" Bakugo growls as he walks into the elevator, taking a deep breath before turning to face her and adding; "It ain't fucking fun, believe me."

"No! Did that actually happen?" Ochako replies in a panic, eyes peeled wide as she follows him into the elevator; the metal door slam shut as she leans up against one of the metal walls.

Regret hits him like a ton of bricks. Part of him knew she was too curious to let such a comment go without elaboration, he should've listened; the last thing he wanted to do was explain what happened back then. Her undoubtedly judgey expression upon hearing the story would only serve to piss him off. "None of your fucking business twerp," Bakugo fires back, as he presses B2 on the elevator panel causing the metal box to slowly commence it's descent to the underground car park.

Piercing silence befalls the pair as the elevator hums and shudders, slowly making its way down to the car park. Frowning, Uraraka's gaze drifts towards her combatant ally, his jaw locked into an irked expression as he glares menacingly at the metal doors. There was no doubt about it, he was annoyed by her question, but that did little to sate her interest in the topic that he raised. I wonder if he took his anger out on an unsuspecting reporter? she muses silently, half believing the narrative she had concocted all on her own, honey eyes drifting down to her feet; Maybe his manager paid them to keep it out of the press? How unethical.

Ruby red eyes flick towards Ochako; a frown gripping her lips as she stared down at the floor deep in thought. The sound of her not so threatening voice echoing through his mind as he watched her silently. It was completely unexpected and not at all effective. Yet it continued to plague his thoughts. Her threat to use her quirk on him, something about that was oddly thrilling. Huffing, Bakugo's brows furrow as he slips his hands into his pockets and looks in the opposite direction; What the fuck is wrong with me. Being taken back by such a poor excuse for a threat, pathetic.

Bakugo shudders and instinctively grips his phone in the depths of his pocket as the small device vibrates against his hand. There was almost no point even checking it, he knew who it was. Withdrawing his hand, he gazes nonchalantly at the screen; "Shitty Hair - 2 Text Messages." Sighing irritably he unlocks his phone, proceeding to open the message; Of course, it was that fool.

Today 10:04am: Are you too busy laying in bed with your new girlfriend to reply to me, your best friend?

Today 10:05am: The disrespect! I thought you were manly, how disappointing Blasty.

Girlfriend! He fucking knows that's not true. Kirishima just wants to piss me off! He notes irritably, huffing as he scrolls up to re-read text messages he had refused to reply to a few days prior.

Today 9:24am: Helloooooo?

Today 7:58am: So, double date soon?

Yesterday 1:12pm: Fine, ignore me! I'm not saying we need to do it again, but if she's game, I'm game.

Yesterday 10:31am: You sly dog, you! How did you keep that kind of shit from me? I thought we are spit roast buddies?

Katsuki's eyes dart anxiously across to Ochako, Kirishima's comments ringing through his mind. His gaze dragging from her perfectly rounded lips pressed down to her legs as she kicks a slender leg back and forth, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. She was not his type, not in a million years; not even for a one night stand. Sure, she was okay looking; but she was the type to get emotionally attached, there was no doubt about it.

Shaking his head, Bakugo stares back down at his phone screen, eyes narrowing into a glare at his best friend's series of texts. Talking about having a threesome with her so fucking casually, Bakugou notes somewhat irritably; She's the least adventurous person I've fucking met, and Deku exists. So that fucking says a lot. Calloused thumbs tab away at his smartphone as he structures a response, teeth clenched irritably.

Today 10:05am: Calm the fuck down! I told you on the phone yesterday that it's all bullshit. Have you lost your fucking mind?

Today 10:05am: And stop bringing up the fucking spit roast! It only happened once! NEVER HAPPENING AGAIN!

A ring sounds through the elevator as the metal doors retract revealing the high-security level car park. "Don't just stand there gawking," he grumbles irritably under his breath, shoving his phone back into his pocket as he strides out of the lift, making a beeline for the garage two spots down.

"I was not gawking, cars are neither here nor there," Uraraka retorts feistily, a hand gripping her handbag's strap as she followed, hot in pursuit. The mood of his! I forgot how much whiplash it gives you. It's almost as if he constantly wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.

Bakugo comes to a halt, face drawing close to the facial recognition panel beside the garage; a faint red light illuminating his face for a moment. "Identification confirmed, welcome to your garage Ground Zero!" the robotic voice announces enthusiastically as the metal doors slowly start rolling upwards, revealing the garage in all its glory.

Despite knowing little to nothing about cars Uraraka could practically smell the luxury exuding from the space before her. There wasn't just a single car inside, there were six of them and an odd-looking disk in the centre of the half-moon formation they were parked in. It practically screamed 'hey big spender.' Her eyes widen as she feels her underarms grow a little damp; If I scratch one of these cars he's going to make me pay for it. God, the thought alone is stressful.

"I said stop gawking," Bakugo calls out knowingly, making his way over to a black car parked on the left-hand side. His right-hand slides out of his pocket, gripping the door and promptly swing it open as he glances over his shoulder at Uraraka; "I haven't got all fucking day, get your ass in the car."

Gritting her teeth Uraraka rushes forward, careful to mind her footing due to her unreasonable footwear. Perhaps he did have a point, it really wasn't all that appropriate to wear shoes she felt anxious walking in, even if it was what they expected from her image-wise. Swallowing hard she slides her hands across the door handle, opening it and ducking into the car, the plush black leather seat enveloping her as she sunk into it and closed the door behind her. The potent scent of fresh leather lingers in the air as she looks around somewhat excitedly until her gaze locks with his ever-present frown. What now? She moans inwardly.

"Seatbelt. Unless you want me to get fined," he states flatly, knowing full well that she had no clue why he was looking at her in such a disapproving manner.

Her eyes widen as realisation sets in. "Oh yeah! Sorry," she responds quickly, turning to yank the seatbelt from over her right shoulder dragging it down to the keeper until a click sounded through the air.

Eyes rolling, Bakugo presses the start engine button, immediately driving forward onto the odd disk onto the floor and breaking as the turntable slowly spins the vehicle to face out of the garage. A devilishly handsome grin erupts across his lips as he revs the engine and speeds out and up the ramp. The door to his garage slams shut behind them, as the automatic door to the facility retracts, warm rays of sunlight immediately penetrating the heavily tinted windows.

Before Uraraka knew it they were on the main road, his car weaving impatiently in and out of the neighbouring lanes as he made a beeline for the destination. It was oddly calming, spending time beside the chaotic blond in such a calm manner; it was clear he was content, the content smile teasing at the corners of his lips said it all. The smile in itself was nothing new, but it was usually enveloped in malicious intent or something of the sort, but this was a look of happiness. Perhaps he had grown, just a little.

Bakugo slams on the breaks, a screech echoing through the air along with the stench of burnt rubber. "Who the fuck do they think they are! Cutting me off! Me!" He howls murderously, eyes bulging as his hands slap the steering wheel before the car commences moving forward once more.

Frowning knowingly Uraraka looks across at the peeved blonde unsympathetically. "Calm down, they probably weren't paying attention. There's no way they know who you are anyway, don't be obnoxious," she retorts level-headedly, raising a brow. Yet again, I am proven wrong.

Fingers tighten around the steering wheel as Katsuki changes lane, his knuckles growing white as he glares at the number plate of the offending vehicle up ahead. "Shut it, Cheeks! I've gotta teach these dickwads a thing or two about respect!" He spits venomously, his heart rate skyrocketing as adrenaline coursed through his body; "You wanted to know how to be a badass? Well, watch and learn!"

"You need to calm down! Imagine the headlines if you get caught doing this?" Uraraka urges as she gazes across at him, her throat tightening as she feels panic start to set in. They will have a field day with this on so many levels, she notes silently, swallowing hard as she grips her handbag nestled in her lap for comfort. We would be caught together, making that situation so much worse. Plus, he would light a match to whatever evidence they have complied on him and his infamous anger issues.

"Think I give a shit what the press says about me? I couldn't care less!" the blond barks back in response, drawing up alongside the other vehicle in question; hand hovering above the window button in the centre console.

Ochako's hand envelops his, causing his eyes to widen in shock, the vehicle swerves as he loses focus. "I won't let you lower the window and hurl abuse at them!" She states boldly, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to hide the anxiety swirling inside her chest. Sure this was small scale, peanuts in comparison to the tasks she had handled as a pro hero but even now, she couldn't sit back and watch her former classmate make a bad decision and potentially endanger the life of another person all just to vent his irritation. "The headlines would not be in your favour. You know they are waiting for something like this to happen, right?" she states flatly, releasing her grip on his hand; Don't be the person they want you to be. Don't be like me.

Has to ruin everything with logic just like fucking Deku, Bakugo notes silently, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "The dickhead almost caused a fucking accident!" Bakugo argues in response, his tone somewhat low as she reduced his speed allowing the vehicle in question to push on ahead. The vultures had been dying to have some dirt on him for as long as he could remember; this would undoubtedly tip the scales in their favour.

"I'm not wrong though, am I?" Ochako gloats, a smile enveloping her lips as she tilts her head cutely; "You know, you should try to be nicer. Maybe the press will leave you alone then."

"Shut up!" Bakugo retorts, hostile as ever, his menacing gaze narrowing as he turns the car down a side street. Here I am, going out of my fucking way for her and she's being all self-righteous! His mind screams out, blinded by rage; Nicer! Pft! Who does she think I am?

Sensing his hostility, Uraraka remains silent, her fingers tugging somewhat nervously at the hem of her skirt. Who am I to tell him what to do? He's barely changed since school, there's no way anything I have to say will have an impact, she notes silently, lips twisting as she drags her gaze back across to the irked blond seated beside her. His overly defensive reaction was hardly surprising, he never was one to thrive off the unsolicited feedback of others.

Teeth gritting, he swerves the car into an open parking space adjacent to the curb. "There, now get out," Bakugo growls roughly while putting the handbrake on, an arm limply clinging to the steering wheel as he turns to face her, brows raised expectantly. Go on, get out, I didn't drive you here for the fun of it, Floaty.

"Um, you did see the sign right?" the brunette notes as she leans forward, rereading the sign on the post up ahead. "You are in a no-parking zone. We can't park here, it's setting a bad example," she continues to explain somewhat flusteredly; You have to move the car; if we get caught breaking the law it will look awful!

A throaty groan escapes Bakugo as he rolls his eyes. Part of him knew her goody two-shoes nature would make some kind of remark, she was already on a roll, after all. Being annoying seemed to be an unwavering talent of hers. Is she always like this? Worrying about every little fucking thing? It's fucking exhausting just listening to her go on and on!

"God, you are boring! I'll do whatever the fuck I want," he retorts, his voice laced with exasperation as he slides a hand down the crack of the seat to release his seatbelt. "You need to loosen up. Fuck the consequences! Do you want to learn how to be an asshole, or don't you?" he asks impatiently, nostrils flaring as he crosses his arms and leans back into the curve of his seat, a smug grin plastered across his lips.

He couldn't be ruder if he tried! What is wrong with pointing out that he's in violation of the law? We are supposed to be setting a good example, are we not?! Ochako notes exasperatedly to herself, cheeks puffing out as she holds back; instead opting to concoct a much calmer response. "I am not boring! I was just trying to be nice!" she states irritably, eyes narrowing as she scowls at him; "Sorry for trying to help prevent you from getting a fine!"

"That's your issue! You are trying too fucking hard to be nice all the time," Bakugo fires back, heart racing as her irked expression locked with his; "You were the same at U.A! Just speak your fucking mind for once, it's not that hard!" That's right, get mad. It's not that fucking difficult, is it? Now channel that rage when it's fucking time to do it, loser.

Ochako twists her lips weighing up how she wanted to respond to her irritating neighbour. The fact of the matter was simple, he was clearly trying to help her in his own way, but was he blind to the fact that he needed to work on himself a little too? Based on the discussions they'd had so far, probably. "I am trying to be a good role model, unlike you!" she retorts, at last, gritting her teeth as she tries with all her might to maintain a somewhat level headed tone. I just want to be able to defend myself, I don't want to be an asshole in every aspect of my life, like him.

"No one gives two shits about that crap, sweet cheeks!" the blond replies hotly, rolling his eyes as he waves a hand dismissively. "Go get your fucking Jamaican bean, no froth, half-caff, soy latte with stevia, and whatever the fuck else is in it!"

He's mocking me! Jerk! Uraraka notes bitterly, sliding her handbag up over her shoulder with an irked huff. "It's actually a skim latte with no froth and two sugars, thank you very much!" She fires back defensively, lips relaxing as she quirks her brows at him daringly; It's a normal order you big oaf! Her right hand slips down the side of the seat, unfastening the seat belt, causing the strap to glide up and over her shoulder; retracting back to its holster.

"Of course it is" Bakugo quips, before proceeding to snicker to himself; "A stereotypical female coffee order. How shocking!" Idiot claims to love coffee but proceeds to have shit coffee preferences. Not even surprised at this point.

Eyes narrowing, Uraraka swings the door open without checking over her shoulder for traffic and proceeds to step out of the car onto the road, leaning down to look into the car one last time. "You know what? You're downright mean sometimes," she barks into the car before proceeding to slam the door with all her might, denting it with her fingertips. She freezes for a moment, staring down at the damage she had inflicted, guilt washing over her for a moment before she lifted her chin and stormed off; You know what? I'm not even sorry that I did that!

She wouldn't fucking dare! Surely? Bakugo's mind screams out as the brunette struts in front of his car, glaring menacingly at him as she slips on a pair of sunglasses. His palm slam down on the horn causing her to jump, the loud sound reverberating aggressively through the air as he pokes his head out the window. "You best believe that you are fucking fixing that! This is a limited edition model you little shit!" he howls at her as she steps up onto the footpath and looks back at him, lowering her sunglasses.

"Oh, my bad!" Ochako responds dismissively, shooting him a knowing smirk as she winks at him. "Speak to my manager if you have any concerns. Oh, and my lawyer will need to get involved if you are after remuneration. Good luck with that, he does a top-notch job," she adds calmly, silently enjoying watching him burst at the seams. It was nothing short of glorious. You wanted me to be mean like you, so don't complain buddy. This wasn't even planned, just a happy coincidence.

Eyes bulging, Bakugo stares in disbelief as the gravity specialist enters the cafe. Annoying little shit. Talking down to me like that. I am not speaking to her fucking manager and lawyer when she's the one that damaged my property! He had half a mind to zip out of the parking spot and leave her there. If she had no respect for him, what was he doing wasting his time trying to help her? That was the million-dollar question. Twisting his lips he slinks back into his car, pressing a small button to close the window; I hope your dress does fly up, you pain in the fucking ass!

Swallowing nervously, Ochako straightens her posture as she strides up to the counter; a finger pressing into her cushioned lower lip as she lost herself deep in thought. Honey eyes drift to the decadent sweets sitting in the glass display cabinet to her left; it felt wrong to see such delicious looking desserts and not buy one. Sighing she glances back up to the employee behind the counter, smiling warmly as she removes her sunglasses; "I'd like a skim latte with no froth and two sugars, and a pink glazed doughnut. The one with the most sprinkles, please."

The woman behind the counter nods as she taps away at the cash register, silently gesturing to the credit machine for Uraraka pay as she turns to carefully select the exact doughnut that had been singled out as 'superior.'

A faint jingle sings through the small shop as the door swings open, a rush of footsteps following soon after. Within a blink of an eye, booming voices tear through the quaint cafe, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere. Cold hands roughly grip and tug at Uraraka's arms in a frenzy, attempting to seize her attention as their voices reverberate through the room.

"Uravity, will you give us a comment on your relationship with Ground Zero? You seemed very intimate the other day!"

"Can you please tell us your three favourite undergarment brands, Uravity?"

"What about dating tips? Young girls would love to know what advice you have for those seeking love!"

"What is your secret to staying so slim, Uravity? Is it a special diet?"

Their questions bombard Uraraka's senses, sending shivers instantly up her spine causing her to freeze. Her mind kicks into overdrive as her anxiety skyrockets, her heart pounding so wildly in her chest that she felt it throbbing in her throat. Bright eyes widen as her perfectly rounded lips tremble; eyes instantly flicking across to the cafe employee, her anxiety-filled gaze locking with the young woman's in a desperate plea for help, only for the young woman to dart off out of sight. Of course she didn't help. What did I expect? Her mind notes solemnly, her extremities growing numb as her line of sight drifts to her arms, eyeing their bold decision to touch her. They have no sense of personal space or boundaries.

Taking a deep breath, the brunette's eyes flutter shut as she tries her best to remain calm and block out the sounds that surrounded her. Instead, focusing on her breathing as she snatched her arms free from their grasp, refusing to turn to face them. All I can control is how I react to the situation, she noted submissively, her teeth piercing into her lower lip as the noise around her grew louder. Ignoring them was not an option. So what was left?

"Here's your coffee and doughnut Ms Uravity!" the young woman behind the counter announces; her voice shaky as she bowed and offered one item in each hand, her gaze drifting to the floor.

"A doughnut! Sugar is a no-no, Uravity! Youth of today look up to you, is this the example you want to set?"

"Sugar? You like sweet things? Uravity, say this isn't true!"

"Uravity, you are promoting an unhealthy lifestyle!"

Glazed eyes tremble as Ochako steps forwards accepting her purchases; whispering, "Thank you," under her breath just loud enough for the young woman to hear. Taking a deep breath she spins on her heel and pushes through the sea of reporters; eyes pressed closed as she feels their hands brush up against her body as she makes her way for the open doorway as quickly as possible.

What do these people expect from me? Perfection in all aspects of my life? Her mind screams out silently, hot tears stinging at the corners of her eyes as she stepped out onto the footpath and looked back into the cafe. Sweaty hands grip her coffee tighter as she lifts her chin upwards, lips parting as she looks back inside the cafe, cameras flashing as she stands there silently, tears filling her eyes as she looks back at them in dismay. They really don't see me as human at all. They are the ones setting a bad example by perpetuating this unattainable myth.

"What the fuck are you doing? Get in!" Bakugo calls out, opening the door and rising to his feet as he glares at the back of her head. "Don't just stand there dumb ass!" His voice cuts through the air like a knife, his gaze drifting to the countless individuals scrambling to try and get them both in the same shot as she peered over her shoulder at him, face red and splotchy. Throat tightening, his hand gripping the top of the door tightens; What the fuck happened in there?

Blinking back tears, Uraraka flusterly rushes towards the car, stumbling forward, spilling her coffee down the front of her dress and onto the pavement as she makes haste. Wincing she looks down at her dearly beloved 'coffee' splattered all over the pavement for a moment before running around to the other side of the car, jumping in. Heart racing as Bakugo zips out of the parking spot, sticking his index finger up at the reporters out the window as the media rush outside only to see them speed down the road.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" the blond asks casually, his eyes fixed on the road as he changes lane; making a beeline for the turn-off towards their apartment complex.

Uraraka grabs the seatbelt, tugging it down to the keeper on her right hand side allowing it to draw tight. It was difficult to know how to tackle such a question. Was he asking out of boredom or because he was concerned? The former seemed most likely. Exhaling heavily, she plants her elbow on the windowsill and peers outside; "Nothing. I've decided that I am going to give up coffee," she responds simply.

"Fucking liar," Bakugo retorts hotly, his eyes narrowing as his scarred hands grip the steering wheel tighter. You've been raving on about coffee all day. As if you're suddenly off it. There were many things that irritated him, being treated as if he was stupid was definitely in the top five. "There is some bottled water in the drink holder closest to the floor," he adds at long last; spotting her carefully peeling back the hem of her dress as she gazes down at the fresh burn on her upper thigh.

Rolling her eyes she turns to look across at him, her upper thigh still exposed; her raw skin stinging as the cool air slips into his car through the open window. "I don't need it. I'm fine," she states, her voice wavering as she lowered the hem of her dress once more and turned away, frowning stubbornly. Can't he just leave well enough alone? I never took him for one to be interested in these types of conversations.

Does she take me for a fool? His jaw clenches, teeth-gritting as he eyed the traffic lights as they changed to red. "I'm not fucking blind. You're in pain," he argues, complete and utter exasperation dripping from his voice as the car came to a complete stop at the intersection. He turns to face her, an irritable expression gripping his features as he stared at the back of her head for a moment. "I saw it you know. You looked like you were going to cry back then even before you burnt yourself like the clumsy fool you are," he confesses, turning his attention back to the road.

"I am not in pain and I don't cry over such insignificant things!" She fights back hotly, her eyes widening at such an accusation.

Bakugo rolls his eyes, a somewhat soft expression masking his hard exterior as he stares dead ahead. "Fine, be fucking stubborn. But I'm not a fool. Those kreatins did something to upset you, didn't they?" he responds bitterly, fingers tightening around the steering wheel as he stares up at the red light. Stop trying to handle everything on your own like a fool.

Eyes trembling, Uraraka's fingertips carefully clutch at the hem of her dress, averting her gaze from his line of vision as she holds back tears. Their comments, the sensation of their unwarranted touch upon her skin, it was still fresh; coursing through the tangled web that was her mind. It needed to stop. She needed it to stop. Lips part silently for a moment as she tries to gather her thoughts, to push the violated feeling away, even just for a moment; "You're the worst. You know that?"

AUTHOR:
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