Their first kiss tasted like Whiskey and Cinnamon.
A fiery exchange that brunt her lips. The morning after was heavy, as the hairs on her head seemed to throb in pain. She thanked any and every god imaginable she had the day off today. How embarrassing would it be to say 'sorry, I can't be a hero today. I'm hungover.' she groaned. What little light that filtered into the room would shine right to her face. She used to think it made for a cute little natural alarm clock, but right now she was embittered by it. She turned over, her face in the pillow beneath her. It was cold, comforting right now, but also a sad reminder of her solitude.
Part of her wishes she had just let Katsuki stay the night. Who cares what happened next. They were both logical adults, they'd have figured something out about their situation. She clutched the pillow, kicking the sheets away in a huff. Maybe she should talk to someone about this. She blindly reached around for her phone. She whined in impatience pulling her face from the pillow. She had just tossed her pants off and jumped right into bed, she reached into her pocket fishing out her phone. She saw the bird shaped charm at the end of it. She grunted, untying the charm she tossed it away haphazardly. Her head still pounding she looked through her messenger.
'Mina… She'd understand. Right?"
She scrolled through contacts picking the first 'Mina' she found.
Tsuyu: I kissed Bakugo.
Tsuyu tossed her phone on her bed, crawling into bed. She curled up on one side clutching her head. She needed some water and something to eat. She rolled off the other end of the bed wobbling towards the kitchen area. She grabbed a glass, filling it in the sink. From her bedroom, the sound of several rings notified more than one response. She scurried to her bed, taking a sip of her water. Mina was probably just surprised. She unlocked her phone and the blood rushed to her head.
Ochako: What! Where! When? How!? WHY!?
Mina: Are you serious, Tsu!?
Tooru: NO WAY! You better have been drunk.
Kyoka: Can't talk, Work.
Wait, WTF!?
Momo: Explain. Shall we discuss this over lunch?
Tsuyu felt her face burn. Her cheeks must have been burning, she cupped them along the rest of her face in shame. She had sent it to a group text. She just wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear. She was hyperventilating, the last thing she wanted was for everyone to know about this. Mina for all her love of gossip knew when to keep her lips shut, but this?
Tooru was an even worse gossip than Mina and was twice as quick to blab. Ochako shared everything with Midoriya, there were no secrets between them, not even other people's. Kyoka was never one for gossip. But if she knew something embarrassing enough, there would be no end to her ribbing. Momo was the most trustworthy with a secret, but her pension for getting overly involved in the problems of others was not what Tsuyu wanted now. She took a deep breath figuring out the best way to explain herself.
Tsuyu: Katsuki and I go drinking every once in a while. Last night, we may have had a bit to much. He walked me home, and I just got caught up in the moment.
Tooru: I knew it! That bastard better not still be there, Or I'm comin'!
Kyoka: Don't even go there…
Ochako: You drink? And since when do you call him, Katsuki!?
Momo: With Bakugo? I thought you were still with Fumikage. What's going on?
Mina: How out of the loop are you, Momo?
Momo: My sector has been busy as of recent. Did something happen?
Ochako: We need to talk about this. In Person.
Momo: I am working the night shift tonight, So I'll be available for the next few hours.
Tooru: I'm on patrol, can't.
Mina: I'm off today. I was planning a lazy day with the hubby, but this is more important.
Kyoka: Like I said, I'm at work, so I can't either.
Tooru: You better not meet up with out us.
Ochako: It can't wait.
Can it?
Tsuyu sighed. Into her pillow, this was not cool. She looked at her phone still flushed, the implication they might have done anything got to her, knowing how she was set to drag him in last night.
Tsuyu: Don't worry. We did nothing of the sort.
I jus-
Tsuyu paused. She pondered what she wanted to say next. If she wanted them to know about how it lead up to this. It was only a kiss, what did it matter? It mattered because of the guy she kissed. How all of them agreed that he was the second least desirable male in their class above Mineta. She broke forbidden grounds last night, and her enjoyment of it was even more damning.
Tsuyu: It's just that, I've been in need of a change. And after Fumi and I split up, it just happened...
Momo: You two have broken up? Why is this the first I've heard of it?
Tooru: Me too, what gives?
Mina: Wait, Tsu. Was I the only one you told?
Ochako: Nope, she told me too.
Tooru: That's totally not fair, you should have told the rest of us, Tsu!
Momo: It's regrettable, but I hope you are feeling alright, Tsuyu.
Tsuyu: I'm getting by... We split up on good terms.
Kyoka: Apparently... Considering you kissed BAKUGO!
Seriously, what the hell?
Momo: Aren't you at work right now, Kyoka? You shouldn't be on your phone right now.
That goes for you as well Tooru.
Tsuyu smiled at the screen. The more things change, the more things stay the same. It might have been best if she had approached them as soon as she and Fumikage had split. Maybe then she wouldn't be in this mess. Not that she regretted it for even a second.
Tsuyu: Girls, its fine. I just need to sort things through. I'll keep you all posted, but just give me some time.
She set her phone down, whipping her head forward with enough force to pull all of her hair forward. Her face absolutely burning with embarrassment. Sometime later her phone rang, alerting her to a new message. Mina alone sent a message.
Mina: Come on Tsu, at least let me in on what you're thinking. He's Eiji's best friend, So if you need anyone to talk to, you can do with us.
Tsuyu would have liked that if it had just stayed between the two of them. Now that everyone knew, she was a bit more reserved to the idea. Tsuyu's stories were now free game as far as the rest were concerned.
Tsuyu: I said I need to do this myself.
…
But, I'll keep that in mind. Just promise to keep this between the three of us.
Mina: Of course. But I'm gonna go ahead and tell Eiji. That's alright, right?
Tsuyu refrained. She's rather be the one to say it herself if anyone was going to tell him. Mina's call came through, the sound of her personalized ringtone blared out. She groaned, picking up the call. "Okay. I'm gonna put you on speaker. I'll go tell him now." She trailed off, Tsuyu started dreading thinking that telling Mina would have ever been a good idea. The faint sound of footsteps picked up through her speaker. Mina giggled to herself. The slow creak of a door called Tsuyu to attention. "I'm putting you on face time, so you better be dressed." Mina warned, with a playful laugh. Tsuyu checked to see if she had a bra under her baggy old hoodie, she pulled at the hem straightening her clothes out.
"Hey babe?" Mina was now on camera. Staring at the screen, with a wide, knowing grin.
"Yeah?" Kirishima stood behind a counter drinking a glass of water. "Whoa! At least get dressed if you're gonna put me on camera." Kirishima panicked ducking behind the counter.
"Relax hon, Tsu's seen you shirtless before. The counter covers the rest." Kirishima looked visibly embarrassed, his face as red as his hair. Tsuyu felt her own cheeks burn.
"So what did you two wanna tell me…?"
"Oh yeah! You're never gonna believe this." Mina excitedly snickered.
"Don't tell me, we're…" Kirishima looked somewhere between distressed and excited. "Pre-"
"WHAT!? NO!" Mina jumped. Quickly trying to shut him up, her hand slapped over his mouth with a thunderous clap. Tsuyu chuckled, this may be juicy news if it were true.
"Then… is Tsuyu pregnant!? Congrats!" Kirishima slammed his hands on the counter. A grin spread from ear to ear.
"No! Nobody's pregnant. Enough with the pregnancies. Why is you're mind even on pregnancies anyways!?" Mina looked visibly flustered. Her deep blush, wide eyes and furrowed brows an uncommon sight for the ever playful girl.
"Specs is havin' one." Kirishima answered with barely a breath of a voice. Eyes downcast, almost disappointed looking.
"Wait what!? Why would YOU know about Iida having a kid?" Mina asked pointedly, using a finger to emphasize her question.
"We work the same sector, we go drinking all the time."
Mina had no idea to really react. Her blush slowly fading away.
"So what's up? What's so crazy that the both of you need to tell me?"
"I… Kissed Bakugo." Tsuyu admitted, deciding it would be better if she were the one to say it.
"WHAT!?" Eijiro went bug eyed leaning over the counter.
"I-I kissed Bakugo." Tsuyu's face started to burn.
"NO!"
"I know!"
"HOW, WHY!?"
"That's what I want to know!"
"We're drink from time to time."
"I drink with Specs all the time, its not like I make out with him!"
"I know right!? She's gone mad!" the married duo continued their tirade.
"Why are you being so loud! It was only a kiss..." Tsuyu felt herself getting a little more red as time went on.
"Still… How did you and him. And what about Tokoyami?"
"They split." Mina spoke frankly, without a second thought. Tsuyu felt a slight pang in her heart.
"Oh… damn. Sorry about what I said earlier then."
"It's… fine. We did it on good terms." Tsuyu averted her gaze it was in part the truth if not a bit tinged in a hidden edge of regret.
"Still. Bakugo? Did he at least know about your, situation?"
"He was the first to know."
"No way. I got to go."
"Where to?"
"I gotta confront him. Nobody's gonna take advantage of our sweet little Tsuyu!" Before anyone could argue he already marched out of frame.
"Where's he going?"
"Bakugo's Place..." Mina rolled her eyes setting her head on the tiled surface.
"He lives near you?"
"Try the same building." Mina gave an exasperated look, puffing her cheeks.
"You don't think he moved you two there knowing that?"
"No way, I had the final say. But I didn't know until after the fact." Mina grimaced looking away from the camera. The moment was followed by a stiff silence as Tsuyu pondered ending the call. Curiosity got the better as she thought to ask.
"So are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Pre-"
"NO! No more talk of the 'P word', you got that Tsu?" Mina changed to a more scolding expression. Obviously she was the most distressed at the idea of pregnancy. Marriage did little to settle her down. In fact, her husband was a bit of an enabler, the two were as rambunctious as the day they became nominal adults. She was the last person anyone would expect to have a child this early.
"Don't want one?"
"No… I just want to… Live a little more y'know." Mina's words resonated. This break-up was an opportunity for a new life for her, the new question was now who would she spend that life with?