It was a calm and clear night. A rare number of stars were visible through the curtain of light pollution that hung over the city. While things had begun to heat up at her internship and there was more crime than ever roaming the city streets, privately Asui Tsuyu had begun to feel like everything in her life was falling perfectly into place.
It was the Thursday night before her exciting date with Kanematsu-senpai (and, more importantly, her love confession to Kacchan). It was hard to believe that she would have her first boyfriend in only a couple of days. She wanted to declare her love for him every time she saw him but bit her tongue for the sake of Kanematsu-senpai. She would attend their date as a single woman, have a wonderful time, and shoot her shot with Kacchan when she arrived home that evening. Her friendships had recently grown stronger with both Deku and Ochako, who were occasionally seen training together in the mornings in a field near Tsu and Kacchan's. Recently, her friend had grown kinder and more determined.
She wasn't sure where this mental shift had come from, but she was very glad to have her best friend back once and for all. Despite classes in the morning, Ochako insisted on throwing Tsuyu-chan her "Pre-Date Girls Only! Sleepover Extravaganza™" tonight instead of tomorrow night.
"You'll need your beauty sleep on Friday," Ochako insisted, looping her arm through Tsuyu's between classes that afternoon. "And besides, the snacks Yaomomo and I have planned are going to bloat our bellies like balloons. This way, you'll have training with Bakugo-chan to work the sugar off and practical training that afternoon. Kanematsu-senpai won't know what hit him!"
"What's that about hitting people?" Kacchan asked, appearing on Tsuyu's other side and threading their fingers together. Tsuyu blushed and sent him an admonishing glance. They just had to hold out until Saturday, and then she'd be able to touch as much of Katsuki as she wanted.
"Nothing!" Ochako smirked, eyeing their threaded hands with mirth. "Just know that she's all mine tonight, so no sneaking off together to watch bad soaps."
Katsuki rolled his eyes and ran ahead to catch Kirishima-chan and Kaminari-chan.
"Get ready for the night of your life," Ochako said, squealing and holding Tsuyu close. Tsuyu smiled and squealed along with her. She would never have guessed her life could feel so limitless, chockful of potential, hope, and love. Things like this were for girls like…well, she wouldn't repeat that lie anymore. Any girl, whether they were a supermodel or a frog-like Tsu, deserved to feel beautiful and wanted. Tsuyu knew that now, even though she still struggled to shake off her surprise.
At the sleepover that night, Tsuyu was pleased to see that Ochako-chan hadn't exaggerated an ounce about the snacks. There was pizza, sushi, donuts, cake, ice cream, cookies, six different types of chips and dips, thick frothy milkshakes, soda, and an entire section of bug snacks Ochako had requested from Tsuyu's mom. Yaomomo had generously offered to sponsor the meals, drinks, and spa items for the sleepover, which meant the aforementioned items were not only abundant but gourmet!
She had also requested the use of a spa technician that worked in her parents' mansion and worked hard on each of the girls' nails, facials, waxes, and muscle-relaxing massages.
It was just what the girls needed, especially Tsuyu and Ochako-chan who were feeling the stress from the extra work they had with their internship. There was a big meeting planned on Sunday morning for the operation Sir Nighteye, Ryukyuu, and Fat Gum were leading to save the girl Deku found, and put a stop to the dangerous drug she'd been investigating with the sidekicks at Ryukyuu's agency.
The Pro-heroes were determined to Save Eri, and the stress of it all had been building in Tsuyu and Ochako for the past week. They relished in the opportunity to relax with the girls and take their minds off of the serious mission they'd embark on next week.
Once the last girl had finished her facial, and they were all stuffed with food, Ochako set up a projector against her wall with Tsuyu's favorite movie, Princess and the Frog, playing in the background. It was an old movie, but one of the best Amphibian-led movies on the market. Tsuyu sat sandwiched between Hakagure and Mina on Ochako's rug. They were cuddled beneath Tsuyu's favorite froggy blanket quoting lines from the movie to each other. Princess and the Frog was a classic for most people with mutant-type quirks. Not only did it have a frog as the male lead, but the female lead was an actress with purple skin and blue tentacles for hair. The entire cast was filled with Mutant-types, which was very ahead of its time.
Yaoyorozu sat with Jirou nibbling on snacks and fussing over Ochako-chan's facial. Neither of them had seen the movie before, and the historical meaning behind it seemed to swoop right over their pretty heads.
"How did you know it was my favorite?" Tsuyu asked her friends during the credits, blowing her nose into a tissue and patting her eyes dry of tears. It was such a beautiful ending. The frog learned that he didn't need to change himself to become a prince, because the princess loved him just as he was and proved it to the kingdom by standing up to her father and evil stepmother on his behalf. It was so moving…
"I found out from the same special someone who gave me your mom's number and told me which snacks to ask for," Ochako said, tucking her blanket around her legs and munching idly on popcorn. "Your boyfriend, Bakugo."
The girls launched into giggles while Tsuyu's face bloomed deep red. Mina-chan met her eyes and kept her face carefully neutral. They had already discussed, prior to the sleepover, that they weren't going to mention her relationship with Katsuki, even if Ochako-chan had become friendlier and more supportive of the pair. It's not that Tsuyu didn't trust her, but Tsuyu knew her feelings for him hadn't quite faded and she didn't want to bring up that awkward tension again.
"He's not my boyfriend," Tsuyu muttered, staring at her green glittering nails. "We're just friends."
"Really, really good friends," Ochako nudged her, making a kissy face at her.
"Best friends," Tsuyu corrected. "But I'd rather talk about the boy I'm going on a date with in a couple of days. Kanematsu-senpai."
"He's so hot, Tsu," Mina chimed in, helpfully steering the conversation away from Bakugo. "That show you like is terrible, but it's so freaking worth it for Kanematsu-senpai's shirtless scenes. Those eyes!"
"They're so big and sensitive," Tsuyu gushed along with her friend. "And I've had a crush on him since I was 12 years old. This date is a dream come true for me, even without the studio tour and cast meet-and-greet."
"Yeah, Ochako, you've actually raised the bar quite high for gift-giving in this class," Hakagure praised. "First you're setting Tsuyu up with her lifelong crush, then you throw a party like this to prepare her for the date?"
Ochako blushed and began scratching her head in discomfort. "Oh, it's honestly nothing," Ochako said, twiddling her fingers. "It's the least I can do for her. And this party wouldn't exist without Yaomomo! I definitely don't have the money for snacks like these."
"Oh, money doesn't mean much," Yaoyorozu waved her hand in dismissal. "Experiences like this matter so much more, don't you think? Speaking of experiences, we've seen you spending more time with Midoriya these days, Ochako-chan!"
Tsuyu-chan grinned and tucked her head into Mina's shoulder to hide it. She was so happy that the two seemed to be working things out.
"Oh, that's nothing," Ochako blushed, redder even than Tsuyu earlier. "We're just friends."
"Really, really good friends," Hakagure teased, mocking Ochako's previous kissy faces.
"Well, we're not quite best friends like Bakugo and Tsu," Ochako-chan rolled her eyes. "But I think we might be getting there. His training schedule is insanely intense. No wonder you've improved so much recently, Tsuyu, if Bakugo is anything like that."
"Hey, I'm still bruised because of you," Hakugure shouted, nudging Tsuyu's shoulder. "I've never been taken down that quickly in my life. You're impressive, Tsuyu."
"Oh, please," Tsuyu said, brushing off the praise. "I'd rather go back to boy talk. Like the fact that I might have seen Jirou leaving the woods with Kaminari-kun last week and his hair was even messier than usual. Care to spill the details?"
"That depends," Jirou said, squinting at Tsuyu. "Are you going to spill the beans on those late nights in Katsuki's room? Don't forget that there are some people who might hear things you don't want them to."
Tsuyu wanted to die from embarrassment! To think that Jirou might have heard Katsuki's brazen advances and shameless flirting. Not to mention how reluctantly she resisted him night after night!
"Touche," Tsuyu said, dropping the subject immediately and hiding her face in the blanket. The girls around them burst with questions, immediately interesting in hearing more details about Tsuyu's nights with Kacchan and Jirou's forest encounter with Kaminari-kun. Jirou quickly dismissed herself to avoid the questions and Tsuyu began packing away the snacks, and cleaning some of the mess in Ochako's room so that she could soon do the same.
"Oh, don't worry about that," Ochako said, waving her hand away. "Yaomomo's butler is coming tomorrow to clear everything up for me and I'm spending the night with Hakagure until then. Goodnight, Tsuyu! Don't forget that we're all meeting in your room tomorrow to pick out the outfits."
Tsuyu agreed and dismissed herself. Wrapped tightly in her blanket, she walked sleepily back to her own room. She was so full of snacks, and so well-pampered, that she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The next morning, Tsuyu rose early for training with Kacchan. Everything progressed as usual. They began the morning with a 30-mile run carrying some of the weights from Kacchan's gym set, followed by another 10-mile swim for Tsuyu while Bakugo moved on to some of his other exercises. Tsuyu threw boulders with her tongue, practiced climbing, and meditated to cultivate her new camouflage skill. It worked best when she moved slowly, and she had been working hard to adapt it for combat.
Everything progressed as usual until it was time to spar. Tsuyu and Katsuki knew each others' bodies, movements, and fighting styles almost as well as their own. She had begun keeping a journal, like Deku, and her longest notes were on Kacchan's form. She dodged a heavy blast with a backward handspring and rolled sideways to block his flying kick. It landed hard enough to crack the earth, which went flying everywhere in great boulders.
That's when she saw it: an opening. She had never seen an opening on Kacchan, but it was there in front of her. He had only recently integrated more kicks into his fighting style to close the burgeoning gap between him and Deku. It was still relatively new, and he hadn't expected the force of his kick. As his foot connected with the ground, which cracked apart and threw great chunks into the air, he momentarily lost his balance and allowed his arms to drop for half a second. It was just enough time for Tsuyu to wrap the nearest boulder in her tongue and fling it at his unguarded torso.
She heard his breath leave his body as he flew backward with the force of the blow. As he flew, she was right behind him with her paralysis mucous which she coated onto her tongue and lashed him with across the face, torso, and legs just in time for him to slam heavily into the cliffs behind him. Without giving him a second to catch his breath, she flung him hard onto the concrete, pinned him beneath her body, and raised her fist in defense. He sank uselessly into the ground, his legs paralyzed with her mucous and smirked at her.
It was a move she would never have pulled off a few months ago. In order to beat Kacchan, you had to beat his reflexes, and Tsuyu had never been good enough for that. Until now. For the first time, Tsuyu realized that she had actually taken him down. Kacchan…One of the strongest boys in their class!
"Damn, Frog face," he wheezed, his red eyes wide in shock. Neither of them had ever seen her move like that.
"Did I just beat you?" Tsuyu asked, dropping her fist and letting her arms fall to either side of his head. "Did that just happen?"
Bakugo's eyes swelled with pride. "Not too loud, huh, damn frog?" His lips split into a wide, proud grin. "Can't have the boys thinking I've gone soft."
"I beat you!" Tsuyu squealed, her jaw falling open and her eyes filling with tears of excitement. "You let your arms fall after that kick and I reacted fast enough to take you out. I beat you!"
Bakugou was laughing beneath her, his face filled with affection and pride. "Don't get too full of yourself. I'll never let my arms drop like that again. You're going to have to find something else next time."
"Next time," Tsuyu breathed, her mind racing with the possibilities. For the first time, she felt that she wasn't just following his dreams in reaching for the top ten. It felt like she was walking toward her own future. Bakugou was one of the best fighters in their age group. If she could beat him, even once, then it felt like the sky was the limit for her. "Does this mean I'm number one now, Kero?"
He smiled again, arms twitching against the paralysis mucous. "You're finally seeing what the rest of us knew months ago," Bakugo said. "You're on my shit list, frog. I've considered you a top competitor for that spot from the very start. How slow are you?"
Tsuyu couldn't help herself. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. "Thank you for believing in me, Kacchan, all this time."
"Oh shut up," she could hear the smile in his voice as he sniffled along with her. "I'm just fucking pissed it took you this long. I've been saying it this entire time, you brilliant dumbass."
Tsuyu cackled through her tears, the croaky laugh that he loved so much. "Brilliant dumbass?" she giggled against his throat. "That's ridiculous, even for you?"
She pressed her face into his neck and inhaled the smoky musk that she now associated with Kacchan. For several minutes, they simply lay there together. Tsuyu loved being close to Bakugo, but she couldn't normally trust him (or herself honestly) to keep things fully PG. Now, with his arms and legs mostly paralyzed, she took the opportunity to snuggle into him as much as she wanted.
"Oi, Frogface," he called, the grimiest smirk painted across his face. "Don't you think we're due for a little…celebration kiss?"
Tsuyu buried her face into his shoulder to hide her flush. "Kacchan, you know we can't. What if-?"
"No one will see us," he said, somewhat harshly. Tsuyu excused him for that, knowing it was just a result of his excitement. She glanced up long enough to see the tip of his red tongue moistening his lips, and red eyes filled with longing.
"Kacchan," Tsuyu whispered, her eyes glued to the tongue between his lips and the memories of it inside her mouth. She'd meant to sound admonishing, but her voice came out high and thin. "You know I don't care about that."
She thought back to their first kiss, in the boys' locker room at the licensing exam, and winced. Several schools worth of future heroes knew that.
"Why then, because of the fake fucking frog date?"
"It's not fake," Tsuyu protested weakly. "Kanematsu-senpai deserves…"
"I don't give a fuck about that poser!" Bakugo whispered hotly, breath ghosting across her lips. "Let me kiss you, Tsu."
"Kacchan-" Tsuyu started, but then it was too late. Some of the paralysis had worn off, and in the very next instance his hand was in her hair, nails scraping gently across her scalp, and their lips met.
Thoughts swam against the surface of her mind, never quite breaking through the surface. They kissed lazily, his hands tangling in her hair, cradling her face, tracing her collarbone, caressing her hips. It might have been overwhelming if he wasn't being so wonderfully sweet. Tsuyu, on the other hand, was slightly less decent. She couldn't stop herself from tracing her large hands up his abs, finally touching those muscles she ogled so often in training.
Their kiss took a turn when she nipped at his lips, slipping her tongue into his mouth. He groaned, a sound of agony against her lips, and suddenly those gripping hands were on her hips dragging Tsuyu roughly against his own.
Her breath hitched, and finally, a thought broke through the surface.
"Kacchan," Tsuyu croaked. His name came out half-moan, half-whine. It slightly undermined her point. She fought the urge to taste the sweat on his skin. "We have to wait. Please, let's wait."
"Wait for fucking what?" he growled, impatient. His hands traced dizzyingly close to her chest. She hopped to her feet and brushed the dirt from her clothes. It took a second for her to find the words. Her mind was stuck on his hands inching up her sides to her chest.
"This isn't how our relationship is going to start," Tsuyu said, firmly. "Kanematsu-senpai deserves as good of a date as I can give him. I won't change my mind on that. After the date, I'm going to tell him that I lo-that I want you instead. And then, if you'll have me, I'll be all yours."
He stared at her, for one long and terrifying moment. This was it–she'd pretty much just asked him out. And if he say yes, they'd-well she could hardly think it for the excitement she felt. Kacchan stood on shaky legs and brushed the dirt from his uniform.
"Do you mean that?" he asked, his voice shaking with emotion. "You'll be mine after Saturday?"
"If you'll have me."
"GODDAMMIT NOTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE COULD CHANGE MY MIND YOU DUMB FUCKING FROG!" he suddenly burst, overcome with such emotion that he skipped his meditation postures and began throwing max power explosions into the sky. They were loud enough to wake the whole city up. "YOU'RE GOING TO BE MINE, YOU DAMN FROG, AND THAT'LL BE THE END OF THAT KANEFATSO-SENPAI SHITHEAD, YOU HEAR ME?"
Tsuyu laughed, loudly and full of joy. Nothing could change her mind either. Feeling daring, Tsuyu skipped over to Katsuki, threw her arms around his neck, and pulled his cheek to her lips. He blushed as fiercely as the sky shook with explosives.
"G-godammit yOU WONDERFUL FUCKING FROG, YOU BETTER BUCKLE UP!" Katsuki Bakugo wailed, glaring at her fiercely. My, oh my, Tsuyu thought mildly, giggling into his chest. His face was amazing. How could someone so happy make a face so menacing? "I'M NEVER FUCKING LETTING YOU GO, OKAY?!"
"Okay," Tsuyu said mildly, her smiling widely with her finger against her chin.
Soon, Bakugo Katsuki and Tsuyu Asui would finally find happiness.
Across the school, in an old, unused classroom near the basement, Uraraka Ochako donned her dark disguise once more. The boy she'd arranged to meet did not bother with any disguise. He was proud of the dirty work they were planning together.
Monoma wore his hero uniform and a pair of sunglasses. The second she stepped into the dim room, he began to laugh louder and harder than any sane person ever would. He bent himself in half, pointing a finger at her, true mania in his eyes.
"The princess of Class-A turning to the likes of me for–for–" he could hardly get the words out. "VILLIANY! AHAHAHAHA!".
Ochako felt her chest grow heavy with shame. How had she fallen so far? Was her freedom of choice important enough to take such desperate measures? Was the tiny voice in her chest right after all?
Taking this decision could mean the end of her friendship with Tsuyu, her budding relationship with Deku, and perhaps her spot as a hero at UA. Then she remembered her parents' cracked, calloused hands and heavily shadowed eyes. She remembered drinking light soup for dinner and pretending she didn't know it was mostly water–how her mouth watered passing food stands. And yet, as early as three years old, she would always turn away from such temptations.
This time, Ochako would feast on any dessert she well pleased.
"You're so stupid," Monoma finally said, between heaving laughing breaths. "You're going to burn your class to the ground for this, and I cannot wait to see class B rise from the ashes."
Ochako frowned at this.. No, no. This was going to turn out perfectly. Everything would be fair in the end, she just knew it.
"No one is going to be hurt from this," she insisted. "In fact, I think it will help everyone in the end. Tsuyu doesn't know how much it will help to have a fair fight for Kacchan's affection."
"He's not worth all this," Monoma told her, smirking. He held out his hand. "And if you truly believe there's anything fair about what you're doing to him, then you're even crazier than I am. Either way, I'm not stopping. Let's go."
Ochako hesitated and felt her mind begin to crack. That small voice was knocking at the walls of her skull, begging Ochako to turn away from his hand. It was screaming, so loud that Ochako felt the need to whisper to keep herself separate from the hated thing. She turned away from the goodness in her heart, once and for all, and took Monoma's hand.
Soon, she would have everything she'd ever wanted.
"Let's do this."