Ochako was on her way to the gym after class when she was stopped by a U.A. Student she'd recognized from seeing in the halls.
"Hey, you hear about the mixer there having tonight downtown? It's just for 3rd year high schoolers!" The general studies student handed Ochako a glossy, little flyer.
"Uh, thanks! ...Is it that obvious that I don't have a boyfriend?"
The dark haired girl smiled at her, "Ahaha, no! I'm just handing these out to everyone, even if someone doesn't need it, they can always tell someone else about it!"
That made sense. Ochako had been so busy with her internship and classes she'd unfortunately hadn't really had the time to go on a date, but she was free that evening so she figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
She walked back to the commons and spotted the Bakusquad on some sofas. Sero, Kirishima and Kaminari were watching some video on Sero's phone and laughing, Mina was behind the sofa as she leaned forward with her arms around Kiri's neck, Jirou was sitting on Kaminari's lap and Bakugo was in a seat alone, his arms crossed as he looked grumpily at his friends. He clearly wanted to see whatever they were looking at, but Ochako wasn't surprised that he probably wouldn't even admit that he was feeling left out.
She walked over to Mina, gently tapping her on the arm to get her attention. "Hey Mina!"
The pink haired girl let go of her boyfriend and stood up to give Ochako her full attention, "What's up Chako?"
"Some general studies girl gave me a flyer for some mixer tonight!" She felt a little embarrassed even mentioning it, as it felt like an admission that she was striking out pretty badly if she was considering going- not that she'd mentioned that yet.
Mina's eyes sparkled, "Ooo, are you thinking of going?"
"Tch," The grumpy blonde glared at Ochako, "only fucking losers go to mixers." Bakugo stood up, his hands in his pockets and his back hunched as he started to shuffle his way out of the room. "Pretty pathetic if you're doing something like that- might as well wear a sign that says no one wants you!"
His relentless insults stung more than she'd like to admit, even though what he said was pretty much how she'd felt about going. It just hurt more to hear it out loud.
"What's got your panties in a knot? I didn't even say I was going, just that there was one..." She murmured, trying to breathe carefully and calm down. Her eyes burned as she tried to keep her tears from spilling out of her eyes.
"Don't listen to him, he's been extra grumpy all day!" She could hear the door to the stairwell slam shut as the grump left the area.
Mina put her arms around her friend and Kirishima hopped of the couch to her side, "Yeah, I think it's cool that you might go! Even if you don't find someone you like, you still might make some friends!"
He rested his arm on her shoulder, "Bakugo just can't admit to his own faults you know, he's probably just bitter that he's still single."
"Maybe I should go, I haven't found a girl I like enough yet to ask out." Sero brushed a hand through his dark hair, his typical shit eatting grin on his face. "Who knows, there might be one that likes getting tied up, hehe.."
Kaminari whispered something to Jirou and she blushed and tapped his arm lightly in embarrassment.
Ochako winked at Sero, "Maybe you should go next time. I'll keep my eyes peeled and ears open for any kinky girls for you tonight."
She looked at the couple standing in front of her, "I'm jealous of you two for finding each other so easily."
Kiri looked lovingly into the eyes of his girlfriend, "We are pretty lucky- but there's nothing wrong with being single- heck, we're all still in high school! You shouldn't feel rushed."
"You're right, Kiri! Mina, can you help me get ready tonight?"
The pink haired girl nodded eagerly, "Of course! Just give me a text when you want me over!"
Ochako went to the gym and worked out hard, deciding to do muscle exercises and also some cardio. She had excessive angry and sad pent up feelings about that asshole Bakugo's statements and she wanted to use that as a drive to exhaust herself.
After she had a hard run, she was walking in from the track to go back inside to start using some weight machines, when the devil himself was making his way out. As he walked past her, he looked at her sweat soaked body from head to toe and smirked, "Guess you decided not to go, huh? Good for you, putting yourself above lowly shit like that."
Her jaw dropped and he left before she could respond. The fire that she'd put out burst inside of her again and she worked out harder than before. What the hell did he know anyway and why was he so petty? Why did he care what she did in her free time? Her phone buzzed with a text from Mina, asking if she still needed her help. Ochako had spent a little too much time in the gym and left quickly so she could shower. She gave herself 20 minutes before Mina was supposed to come to her room.
It honestly wasn't like Ochako really needed to be with someone, but seeing her friends thriving in their own relationships, she couldn't help but be a little jealous. She didn't need a long term boyfriend or anything- she just wanted to get a little taste of what it would be like to have one.
When Ochako had gotten out of the shower and walked to her room- Mina was waiting for her at Ochako's room. "Oh, hope you weren't waiting for long, Mina!"
Her friend's golden eyes glimmered, "No worries! I'm just pumped to make you look hot!"
Mina helped her do her eye makeup and hair, giving her a sexy smoky eye and curling her auburn hair into a high bun with a few curly strands loose to frame her face. Ochako was going to wear some jeans and a cute blouse but Mina had insisted on her wearing a body hugging black dress with a matte black strappy heel to go with it.
"Damn Chako! You look so hot, you're gonna get attention from all the guys!" Ochako blushed, "Hahah, we'll see about that! I just want to see what kind of people go to these things, honestly!" She put on her girliest perfume and Mina walked her down to the lower level of their dorms.
On the bottom floor, Deku and Tenya were having an energetic chat about something. Deku blushed when he saw Ochako and Tenya did a clear double take- both reactions making Ochako feel better about herself. Maybe she'd have a good chance at talking to someone tonight. "Wow, Ochako, you look... b-beautiful!"
She blushed. Tenya stood up, doing a classic enthusiastic robot chop, "Where are you going tonight? Can we still expect you back tonight or.. will you be staying elsewhere?"
Mina giggled and Ochako waved her hand forward dismissively, feeling a little embarrassed. "Ah, no, I'll be back tonight!"
"Sure you will," Mina whispered under her breath and Ochako tapped her friend in chastisement.
Ochako got a cab and arrived quickly to the destination- a modern cafe with lots of large open space with bright decor. Small plants adorned varying shelves along the walls giving the cafe a vibrant energy.
There were lots of patrons inside, Ochako spotted tables around the entire facility that were placed in a way so that girls were on one side and boys were on another. In another part of the cafe she noticed there were sections with just women sitting together and another with just men.
A girl in a black apron approached her, "Are you here for the mixer?"
She nodded nervously, "Y-yes!"
"Alright, this way!" She was sat at the center of a table with 5 people, a girl on either side of her and three boys on the other. They all smiled at her as she sat and introduced themselves. "Hi, I'm Ochako, I'm from U.A.!"
After drinking a tea and talking for about 10 minutes, not feeling particularly bonded to anyone she'd spoke to- the host announced that they'd be moving on to talk to other people.
Ochako was told to stand with the girls that she'd been with and they'd be swapping to another table with some different boys. There were so many other people walking around that she had a hard time seeing where they were going to end up, and when she saw the table she nearly choked. Ochako almost laughed out loud, either in shock or displeasure, she wasn't sure.
"Here are your seats!" She was supposed to sit across from an unfortunately familiar blond who was looking unhappily down at his phone. It looked like he'd attempted to gel his hair down a bit and had failed- some parts seemed like they were glued to his head and others were just still straight up. She wondered how he'd left the school without anyone pointing it out. She could smell a smoky sugary scent- maybe he'd flown over so no one would catch him leaving?
As Ochako pulled her chair from the table so she could sit- the boy across from her looked up from his phone- his gaze starting at her legs slowly up her body. She noticed his eyebrow raise in curiosity before it got to her face and his face drained of color.
It was difficult for her to restrain herself- all the shit talking he'd done earlier and how bad he'd made her feel... Who was the pathetic one now? Bakugo's expression was guarded and the sweet smell got stronger. What was he going to do, explode her?
"C-Cheeks."
She gave him a restrained smile, "What was it you said about people who come to mixers? And what did you call me for thinking about coming?"
He sighed heavily, "You're not pathetic and you're not a fucking loser, alright? I was hoping after I said all that, you wouldn't show up. I didn't want anyone to know that I was coming here." Bakugo leaned forward into the table. "Now, are you gonna take this seriously, or do you need to swap seats with someone?" Oh. He was actually doing this- something she hadn't expected.
"I probably should move, I mean, I think I know all I need to know about you."
"As if you know ANYTHING about me!"
She sighed, uninterested in arguing and started scooting back in her chair. The girls beside her shook their heads nervously, and the one closest to her whispered, "We don't want to talk to him."
"I can HEAR you, ya know!"
Ochako sighed, clearly at a loss. Bakugo was nearly always an asshole so she supposed she shouldn't take his earlier insults to heart but they were just hard to dismiss.
"So, uh, Bakugo... Why are you here?"
His expression went flat at her question. "Playing stupid? Obviously I'm here for the same reason as you." She considered what he said. She was here because she felt a little lonely and left out but she wasn't ready to ask him if he really felt the same.
"Don't you have a fan club of freshman that are obsessed with you?"
He leaned back in this chair, putting his head back into his interwoven hands. "I'm not gonna go out with any of them. They're so annoying- watching what I do all the time and analyzing it. Reminds me too much of that fucking nerd when we were younger. Besides- I want to get with someone on the same life track as me or at least understands the balance needed for a relationship with a hero."
"Have you found anyone you liked so far?"
"No... You?" He cocked an eyebrow up.
She shook her head. "No, but we've just gotten started, so I'm hoping I'll find one guy interested in me."
Bakugo looked her up and down slowly. "I'm sure with the way you're looking, Cheeks, there's plenty of guys already interested."
With a groan she moved forward onto the table, resting her chin on her lifted palm.
"I want more than a hookup! That's why I came here! Ugh.." His partially gelled hair was starting to lift up awkwardly in the back of his head. "Can I fix your hair, Bakugo? I don't think the gel is working out for you." He moved his chair next to her and straddled it facing towards her in a move of surprising compliance. "You're not gonna fight me for criticizing you?"
He groaned, looking incredulous- "Just fix it damn it, if you're gonna complain about it then take care of it!"
Ochako had a small brush in her purse and she took it out and started combing through the tough, gelled portions of his hair. As she worked through it, she used her hand to fluff it back out to it's normal poofy state. Bakugo had his eyes shut and had a surprisingly blissed out expression, his head moving gently along with her touch. She smirked, deciding that this sleeping dragon was pretty cute when he wasn't spewing mean and crude words.
Ochako felt warm air on her ear as the girl behind her whispered, "I think you tamed the beast!"
As the aspiring hero had expected, the 'beast' opened his eyes and glared the girl down, "Maybe you should be paying more attention to the dudes you're supposed to be talking to!" His voice was filled with venom.
The nosy girl recoiled hard, back into her seat, and the host announced that they'd be moving on to different tables again.
By the end of the session and talking to about 15 different guys, Ochako was feeling pretty disappointed. Meeting new people was rough- there was so much about herself and experiences that she'd had... and had to talk about. Talking about it drained her. She found herself missing her seat with Bakugo because he shared many of those experiences with her so she didn't have to go over them with him. Her time with him was probably the easiest part of the night.
Many of the guys she sat with recognized her from the sports festivals and seemed a little intimidated by the thought that she could take them down.
The girls that had been sitting with Ochako had both found some guys that they wanted to keep talking to and once again she found herself in a pit of jealousy. Why was it so hard for her? It's not like she wanted to fall in love, she just wanted some freaking boyfriend experiences! Like holding hands, cuddling- having someone to confide in that was more than a friend!
She walked out into the cold, regretting not bringing a jacket as she started towards the school. Ochako considered getting a ride but she really wanted a moment to herself to think through the failure that was this night. She could hear someone in the distance behind her but she dismissed it as she thought about the boring boys she'd had to talk to.
She walked through a quiet street- the lights were out for some reason and it bubbled up some uncomfortable feelings within her.
Heavy footsteps got louder and louder behind her, adrenaline starting to pump through her veins, as she was ready to take down anyone that dared mess with her. She felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned around, putting her legs into a fighting stance as she grabbed the offending hand and went for the whole arm, making the perpetrator weightless and tossing him face down on the ground in front of her as she held his arm tight behind his back. She put her knee on the arm and heard her dress rip. A caramel scent trailed through the air.
"Holy fuck, Uraraka! Tonight go that bad for you? Shit- get off of me!" Ugh. She got off Bakugo and released him, helping him up afterwards. It was so dark she could barely see his face so she hadn't recognized him until he'd spoken.
He brushed the dirt off of the front of his shirt.
"Sorry.. I didn't know who was following me." She slumped forward, rubbing her arms as she shivered and walked onwards. "I didn't really like anybody, but I guess no one liked me either. I didn't get a single response for anyone."
Bakugo furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. "Damn, really? I saw the way they looked at you, I was sure someone would make a move on you. Even I got some numbers."
They walked into a neighborhood with working street-lamps, the orange light illuminating her sad face. Even he had some people that liked him but she didn't? This just made her feel even more like a failure. He must have read her expression and saw her shivering because he moved closer and handed her his jacket. She took it gladly, and wrapped herself in the warm fabric. It smelled like a bonfire. "Some of the guys looked nervous when they mentioned my battle in the sports festival, like they were a little scared of me.
"Talk about some fucking pathetic men! I think it's hot when a girl can take you down!" She felt herself blush and hoped her couldn't see it. "You shouldn't feel bad, Cheeks. It was a whole cafe full of extras- everyone there seemed pretty lame. I don't think I'll talk to any of those people again myself."
She sniffled and looked up at the handsome blonde. "Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"
"Come on, you know me better than that. Why would I lie?" He wasn't wrong. "What were you looking for in those guys anyway?"
Here goes. "I just wanted to get a taste of what it would be like to be with someone- I don't really expect much, but once we're real heroes, it's gonna be so much more complicated!" She sighed, feeling like a total loser. He was quiet, looking up at the stars above them.
Bakugo must have thought she was an idiot, because he hadn't said anything for quite some time. They came over the hill to the school grounds, the dorms finally in view.
"If you just want to know what it's like to have a boyfriend, why don't you go out with me?" He spoke calmly.
Ochako stopped abruptly. Did she hear him right? She stared at him without saying a word.
"I'm just saying.. We want the same thing, why don't we give it a try?"