x.X.x.X.x.
Flowers and cigarettes, you fill me with beautiful poison.
Sedate me so I can't regret the choices I've been making—
.x.X.x.
A brilliant yellow pencil with a half-used eraser twirls between four slender fingers.
The other hand rests lightly under her chin, curled in a fist and propping her head up so she can gaze effortlessly in a single direction. She's trying not to be obvious, but she can't help it when her eyes force her to look his way.
Not just toward anyone; toward Katsuki Bakugo, or as most in the school him- Dynamight.
The silver head of the pencil taps lightly against her worn wooden desk, adding an additional scratch mark where this is already many.
The sunlight bounces off his handsome, muscular arms and his spiky, golden hair. He's currently grumbling down at his textbook, frowning and threatening to snap his own pen- yes, a ballpoint pen, because Katsuki doesn't make mistakes- in half for the fourth time this morning. When he focuses and takes his time, he's usually rather calm and composed for the person they all have to come to know. Today is a pop quiz, however, so he's a bit more on edge than usual.
Not that she minds. She could sit here all day and watch over him.
She's not sure when it happened, or how, but in the last year of being his classmate and his friends, Ochaco Uraraka has had to admit something rather… embarrassing.
She's fallen in love with Bakugo.
It's been hell, honestly. Admitting those feelings to herself took forever, but along wit it followed the conclusion that there was no way on this green earth that he would ever return those feelings. Katsuki Bakugo doesn't crush. He doesn't fall in love. Hell, even getting a thank you out of him is like pulling teeth.
She couldn't have picked a worse person to want to give her heart to. When she had her little crush on Midoriya, it was so much simpler. He didn't seem so out of reach. Deku had taken some time to give her a proper refusal, and she appreciated him letting her down easy, but if Bakugo were to reject her when the feelings have gotten this deep… it would destroy her.
So she sits on them, allowing herself to watch him and nothing else, because showing weakness to Bakugo would be nothing more than a death sentence.
The thorns inside her dare to creep their way up her throat until she has no choice but to choke, her resting hand touching her skin gingerly, as if one mistake will cause the thorns to rip out of her and kill her on the spot.
Even though all she wants right this second is for him to wrap those strong arms around her tight, to have him tilt her head up and lean in, softly calling her by his chosen nickname 'Cheeks', or maybe even as Ochaco, and then…
"Uraraka."
She snaps to, immediately looking up. Aizawa stands in front of her, eyes narrowed as per always, arms crossed.
"Y-Yes?"
"I asked you a question. Are you going to answer it?"
She stammers out an answer quickly, but by the time she's done and risks another glance, she finds the blonde staring back at her, and she has to hold her breath until the end of class.
.x.X.x.
The curse started at the beginning of the school year.
As her emotions tempted her to spill the beans on her feelings despite every brain cell telling her it was a bad idea, Ochaco came up to Bakugo the first day. She was ready.
Before she could speak one word, however, something sharp pierced her vocal cords. She remembers how painful it was, as she clutched her throat and watched as Bakugo turned to look at her funny. She'd run away as fast as she possibly could, hidden away in the girl's bathroom, and covered her throat. She felt like she was bleeding, but there were no visible injuries.
The feeling remained. She could feel them writhing beneath her skin, the flower petals and vines filled with thorns. Every time she thought of his name, the sharpness would dig into her and tear her apart piece by piece. It got so bad that to this day, she can't say the word 'Katsuki' without nearly suffocating. One time she swore she saw a vivid pink petal emerge from her mouth.
She tried to research it, to find anything that could help her, but there was nothing. No power in the world had been discovered that caused flowers to bloom inside an esophagus, or your lungs- and no other case was found. She tried to find a student who had done this to her, but even when she scoured the school records, not a single one matched what was happening to her.
She was alone to feel the wrath of some twisted, angered god. What has she done to deserve this?
It's why she feels so much like a stalker every time she shares a class with Bakugo. A forbidden love to go after, and yet she still wants it so bad. The thorns won't let her win, though. She's been forsaken and can only be reduced to this.
After the class, she heads to the UA meeting room by the dorms, where she plans to meet Momo for lunch. Through her time at UA, her best friends had become Momo Yaoyorozu and Tsuyu Asui, both of which were her confidants. She still hasn't told them about the vicious thorns in her body. It feels like she's not allowed to speak a word about them, or she'll be killed by it immediately.
What a curse it truly is.
"Ochaco!" The noir-haired woman waves to her from a nearby bench, just as Uraraka is about to walk by. She hops up and over, but slows down upon seeing her face.
"Hi, Momo," Ochaco tries to smile despite her pain.
Momo sighs with exasperation, frowning at her friend.
"When are you going to tell him?"
She freezes. This is a popular topic for the woman, and it doesn't help that she's so quick to catch on to Uraraka's feelings. They've known each other long enough that Ochaco's told her and Tsu about her unrequited love for Bakugo. Even though they were horrified- rightfully so, considering who it happens to be- they've been her support system. It's what's kept her sane during this tumultuous time in her life.
"Never, Momo," she sighs in turn, looking away from the concern on Momo's face. "I'm never going to tell him."
"We've been over this, 'Chaco," she says, trying to convince her and resting a hand on her shoulder. "You're always so depressed about him. You're suffering like this."
"I know, but…" Uraraka swallows hard, her throat stinging. "If I tell him… what if it ruins our friendship? I don't want that, Momo. I can't let what I'm feeling ruin what we have already."
"How do you know it will? You haven't even given it a chance, but you've already given up. If you want, I can go tell him."
"No!" Uraraka grabs hold of Momo's arm as she starts to turn. "No one else can. It's bad enough you and Tsu know. If he finds out through you or anyone else, I… I can't think about that. Please. Just let it go for now, okay?"
The vines crawl up her throat and crush her vocals, so the last bit comes out mangled, and she clears her throat.
Momo's frown becomes bigger, but she nods, allowing Ochaco to get away with it for now.
It hurts, though. She wishes it was so easy. If she could just form the words and tell him outright, and stop hiding… would closure make these thorns go away? Or will they deepen until they reach her heart and cut through it?
If Momo can see how she's feeling so easily, as well, then what happens if Bakugo can see it too? What if he already knows? The thought sends her panicking, but she tries to reassure herself.
Maybe it'll be okay if he found out, but… right now, that's the scariest thought of all.
Another enters her mind, and Uraraka pulls Momo to a nearby seat, readying her question and trying to steady her racing heart.
"Momo… How did you ask out Todoroki?"
"Shoto?"
Momo taps a finger against her chin, contemplating.
"Well, it really didn't take much. After that shared mission with Aizawa, we had built a connection. We talked a lot more, and it just sort of… happened." She smiles at the recollection.
Ochaco, however, slumps down into her chair. It couldn't be more of an unhelpful answer, despite how heartfelt it is.
Momo pats her on the shoulder again, giving her a small smile.
"Your love story won't be the same as mine, but it'll happen. I'll be here for you, too, so take your time. Just don't let it drive you crazy."
She laughs halfheartedly. "I'll try."
It's left her hopes more than a little crushed, but she steels her will and stands up, preparing to attend her next class. It takes more than this to stop Ochaco Uraraka. Even with the snakes killing her from the inside, she hasn't yet let go of her feelings.
If only it wasn't so hard.
.x.X.x.
The next class has her entire class in the gymnasium, facing every teacher from each subject, with Aizawa leading the group and standing closer to the front.
The room is filled with murmuring over the crowd of students, and Ochaco finds herself standing next to Bakugo on her left. Her spine and legs turn to jello beside him, and the thorns coalesce under her skin, ready to attack if she even looks at him wrong. Her lips tremble, words unsaid wishing they could come out.
Momo, on her right, prods her in the arm gently, and Uraraka grimaces.
"Alright, everyone," Aizawa commands the room, his booming, demanding voice drawing the others to silence. "In the past we've had duo competitions by pairing up random sets of you to test your mettle. We'll be having somewhat of similar competition of about the same. It's time to use what you've learned to best who you're up against. Those of you who come out on top will be congratulated with the knowledge that you've exceeded expectation, and a week off school to attend a…" He looks at his hand, where he snarls at the words written on a small piece of paper. "A beach trip."
The clamor of the group grows to a crescendo, and he raises a hand, forcing them to quiet down again.
"Now, this will not quite be the same. Instead of going up against the teachers, I am pairing you two and two. This will be student against student, similar to a test we had in your first year."
Oh. She remembers now- she was paired up with Deku. She had gone up against Iida and…
…Bakugo.
It had been such a wild fight. Bakugo had focused solely on Midoriya, and she had won the match for them in a landslide. It was a proud, achieving moment for her.
But this time it'll be different. She won't have Deku to distract her opponent, most likely. If the teams are different, then she could be paired with anyone else.
Please be Momo, she silently begs the universe. Deku would be awkward after our conversation, and I don't think I'd be paired well with anyone else.
Please, please, be gentle with me.
"I will be announcing teams, and you will be expected to train with your ally regardless of qualms," Aizawa says, staring out at the students with his usual no-nonsense expression. "There will be no switching teammates. Who you get is who you get; I won't be hearing any complaints, or I'll disqualify you."
He's being especially strict this round. After what they've all been through in the last year and a half, who can blame him? It's definitely off-putting, though. She's already on edge as it is, but there's this icy feeling that just won't go away, telling her that something is going to go wrong.
It would be her luck, honestly.
"I better not get Kirishima…" Momo mumbles beside her, nibbling her lower lip. "I feel like he'd be the hardest to deal with."
If only that was her fear, but here Ochaco is, cringing away from the man who would be, out of the entire class, a true problem.
I can't psych myself up like this. It's only making it worse.
Already the thorns are climbing their way up her vocal cords, rendering her speechless, and she swallows hard, the sharpness digging into her jugular.
"Before I begin explaining this event, I'll be naming the teams," Aizawa pulls her back into the present. "We carefully picked teams made of opposites who guard another's weak spots, something we all have. It is very important to partner with someone who can make up for what you lack, and for you to be able to do the same. With this in mind, let's start with the first set. I have…"
His narrow, dark eyes scan the paper, half hidden behind his scarf, before he gestures with his hand.
"Tsuyu Asui and Denki Kaminari, against Mina Ashido and Hanta Sero."
Uraraka's chest tightens painfully, her fear causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up, anxiety coursing through her veins.
"Next is Yugo Aoyama and Rikido Sato, versus Toru Hagakure and Eijiro Kirishima."
Momo's sigh of relief is palpable, but it does nothing for Ochaco. The fewer students, the worse the thorn's pain becomes. She can hardly breathe.
Please, don't let it be…
Aizawa seems quieter as he speaks next.
"Izuku Midoriya and Tenya Iida, against Katsuki Bakugo and Ochaco Uraraka."
The world comes to a grinding halt, and her ears fill with a deafening static.
No. No!
This can't be happening right now.
God, this shouldn't be such a problem, but the mere fact that now she has no choice but to speak with him leaves her tongue crested in sharp vines, freezing her words before she can say them. It's such a blinding pain that she gasps audibly, her blood growing cold beneath her skin.
Does fate hate me? What have I ever done to deserve this? It hurts so much.
Her dizzying state slowly comes back to hear the tail end of Aizawa's final teams- she only notices '-Minoru Mineta.' As the crowd of students talks between themselves, she can't stop herself from glancing Bakugo's way, as her breath catches in her throat.
He's already looking at her. His piercing ruby eyes are slanted her way, piercing her just from a side view, in an ominous glare. His lips are tight in a line, and he looks absolutely unreadable.
God, no. This is going to be worse than she fears. So, so much worse.
He's already sick of her and they haven't even spoken. Her fear encapsulates her.
Ochaco gazes at the ground quickly, trying to avoid his icy stare, and Aizawa's commanding tone gives her something else to focus on. Anything to ease the tension she's unable to get rid of.
"Now that the teams are sorted out, I'll be explaining what exactly you're going to be doing. This time around we have something I like to call 'capture the flag'. Both teams will be trying to take this neutral yellow flag, and bring it back to their starting point. A key part of this is that to win, only one of you needs to make it back with the flag. If one of you is out of action, there's still a chance to win. You'll have three weeks to practice with your partner."
Three weeks?
I have to… spend three weeks around Katsuki Bakugo?
This can't really be happening. She knows how difficult he was with Midoriya in the past. There's no way he'll let her even get close enough for her to ask to train. There's no future for them except awaiting failure, and for her, an unholy amount of embarrassment and agony.
"That's all I have for you today. The rest of your classes are cancelled for the day to give you time to train. I would recommend starting as quickly as possible. The training rooms are free reign to use as you please, given sharing with your classmates."
With a wave, Aizawa adjourns the class like a court meeting, and the crowd of students begins to file out in a group of whispers. Momo reaches out to touch Ochaco's arm, but she's frozen in place, her feet rooted to the floorboards. Her chest is constricted with her inhibiting thorns, and she is left to dwell upon her predicament in silence.
Once again she risks a look toward Bakugo, but this time he's no longer looking her way, surrounded instead by Kirishima, Kaminari and Mina. He's got a short, smug grin on his face while he talks with them, and while she can't hear a word of what he's saying, she wishes she were close enough to feel his body heat and bask in what he's like when he's relaxed. It seems she can only catch him when he's either under tension, or when she can't bear to look at him. There's no chance for her to become closer to him after what she's been cursed with.
The world just seems to despise her.
"C'mon, 'Chaco," Momo murmurs to her, already aware of the state her friend is in without a word having been said. "I know you're struggling, but we can talk about it later. Just come with me."
Nodding softly, she allows herself to be guided away, finally able to work her immobile legs. It helps to put some distance between herself and the object of her pain, even if both options are a double edged sword.
They crest the exit of the classroom, and Momo fills the air with a bit of chatter, trying to take Uraraka's mind off things.
"Can't believe I got paired against Shoto," she frowns, her long dark hair bobbing around her face. "I mean, I'm glad I'm on Shoji's team, since he's definitely a strong fighter, and he's nice. It may be a bit exciting to face off against him though, now that I think about it."
Ochaco simply offers a small smile, trying to be supportive and listen even though her mind is elsewhere. Unfortunately, Momo is quick on the uptake and notices instantly that her heart isn't in it.
"Are you gonna be okay, with Bakugo?" She changes the subject, shining the spotlight onto Ochaco. "I know this is gonna be kinda rough, and he's more than a handful during competitions, but maybe this gives you a chance to actually have a talk with him? If you guys get close, maybe this could be-"
"Momo, please." Uraraka's strained voice finally leaves her lips, hushing her friend. "I don't think we should talk about this right now. I'm not really-"
"Hey."
She turns to stone at a voice behind her. Slowly, she and Momo both turn their heads to see Katsuki Bakugo standing behind them, his eyes focused on the brunette. Her heart does cartwheels with surprise.
"Are- are you talking to me?" she squeaks, afraid her voice will crack at the slightest chance. The thorns in her throat pierce through her.
He wastes no time getting to the point, his hands shoved into the pockets of his school uniform. His blonde, spiky hair shines in the sun pouring in through the windows. His mouth forms a thin line, a tinge of defiance framing his expression, finished by a quirked eyebrow.
"Let's train, Cheeks."
He could have punched her in the chest for all she knows. She can feel the floral panic spreading through her entire body rapidly. He's barely addressed her and she's already in shambles.
Wait, hold on a second. Who the hell is Cheeks? Is he actually calling her that?
If she wasn't lanced throughout her accursed body by these lethal vines, she'd be a bit miffed and horrified he already has a nickname for her. Cheeks.
God, save her now.
Blinking quickly, she struggles to keep her jaw from dropping. "Cheeks? And- and you want to train with me?"
The corner of his lip curls upward, before dropping again. His thick, muscular arms are crossed over his chest, and it seems like he might start tapping his foot on the floor, impatient.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"It's odd that you're asking her," Momo pipes in, having been forgotten to the side and saving Ochaco a response.
Katsuki rolls his eyes. "I wouldn't really call it askin'." He turns his focus back on Uraraka, looking expectant. "So what is it gonna be?"
She swallows hard. Her throat is in agony, the words choking her on their way up. The thorns dip into her skin, into her lungs, like snakes biting into her soft flesh. She wants to answer, she wants to have the freedom of speaking her mind, but she can't.
However, she manages to gather the strength to squeak out, in a breaking voice, "Uh, sure. Of course."
"Good. Meet up with me in training room number six, right after class. Don't keep me waiting, Cheeks."
Before she can even consider saying anything else, he's turned on his heel and striding away from her. The both of them are left standing in the hall, watching him disappear into the throng of students.
"Man, that guy is something," Momo comments, turning to her. "Well, this may be a good-"
Hands flying up to her mouth, Ochaco is struck by a wracking cough. Her lungs constrict and crush inward, the thorns squeezing her air from her body. They scratch the skin of her throat, and she can physically feel flowers growing inside her intestines. It's so painful she nearly drops to her knees, but Momo reaches out to steady her by her arm, her brows knitting together.
"Ochaco? Are you okay? Are you sick?"
"N-no, I'm fine, I… ugh." She gasps in response, desperate for a single breath in. Nausea kicks in, making her want to heave up what she's had for lunch, but she clings to Momo for support.
The next bout of coughs finally relieves the stress on her body, the flowers receding again so she can finally draw in gulps of air. As she covers her mouth once more for a final cough, she draws it away, and her eyes widen as she realizes there is a single, blood stained flower petal in vibrant pink, sitting in her palm.
Oh my god. It's getting worse.
At the rate I'm going…
This is going to kill me.
.x.X.x.
Her hand grips the doorknob tight, and she breathes in, her lungs fighting for air.
Uraraka is a mess right now. Her body is fighting with itself, the urge to run away growing with every second that passes. She's terrified of what awaits her after she opens the door, whether it be her own death at the hands of the thorns in her body, or Bakugo blowing her to pieces- maybe both.
She couldn't sleep last night, her throat tormented by her curse for hours after their encounter. If it's always going to be this painful, she'll die before the end of capture the flag. Close proximity with Bakugo means she's going to constantly be in agony.
She has no idea what to expect, but Uraraka has no choice. With her heart throbbing in her tight chest, she opens the door.
He's standing on the other side of training room six, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for her. As the door snaps shut behind her with a clang that makes her flinch, she can hear him tsk at her from afar.
"You're late," he says, his voice echoing across the room. He's not wearing his normal school uniform, choosing instead a black tank top and matching shorts, looking more like he's ready to go play basketball than fight with her. His body is toned, his arms showing off more muscle than she can handle.
Oh, god, why. Why is it like this?
"I- sorry," she murmurs, approaching. She had put on just a white jumper, with a tight band in the middle. They're polar opposites right now, and she couldn't feel more awkward. "I got caught up, but I'm here now."
"Hmph."
He looks a little annoyed, but uncrosses his arms, revealing a rubik's cube wedged there. Her head tilts, confused.
"You better be ready, Cheeks," Bakugo says sternly, turning away from her and placing the cube on the ground at the far end of the room, and then returning to face her, guarding it behind his feet. "I want ya to come get this thing from me."
Her eyebrow raises, and she is now more confused. "Is that… supposed to be the flag?"
"Shut up!" he growls, rolling his eyes. "I don't just have fuckin' flags sittin' round my house. Deal with it."
She wants to laugh, but her throat is closed up with thorns, so she offers a small smile.
"Um, okay. I can do that."
He shakes his head. "I'm not gonna go easy on ya, so be ready. If we're gonna win this comp, we both gotta be prepared for anything. I'm not losin' to fuckin' Deku again."
He gets into a stance, beckoning her with a hand, his sharp eyes narrowed and trained on her. She steadies her breathing, trying to calm her own shakiness and shiver the jitters out of her body.
Bakugo's right. He'll do anything to win, which means she has to be able to keep up. Ochaco can't disappoint him.
Without waiting another heartbeat, she dashes toward him, fingertips curling as she readies her ability. She's always been fast, and it takes her seconds to meet him where he stands.
She sidesteps as he throws out a hand, letting off a blast with his bare fingers. He's not wearing his outfit, and neither is she, meaning they're using their pure, core power.
He scores the earth, and she raises it, using the pieces of the floor he shatters to her advantage and sending them flying in his direction. He's just as fast, however, and is always ready with a counter and a new attack. Just a snap of his fingers could set the room aflame.
He's holding back despite what he told her, and she can easily tell. If he were trying, she'd be truly dead. Katsuki Bakugo is the best in her class, if not best in the school, rivaled by few. She hardly stands a chance against him and she knows it. It's a bit bewildering to her that he's actually trying not to kill her.
Most likely because she's on his team, because otherwise, he'd be just like he was during last year's competition. She's a bit thankful for it regardless, but it makes her feel weak; and right now, she's worth nothing on his team.
It doesn't help that every time she gets close enough to touch him, his blazing eyes leave her breathless and remind her of her feelings every moment.
They do a twisted tango of quirks, one explosion followed by a rain of rock, their feet taking them in circles and hopscotches around each other, until she tries to grab his shoulder and he takes her arm and spins her to the ground, face-planting her into the floor and holding his palm to her spine, leaving her prone. His strength combined with her curse leave her struggling on the ground, with no choice but to give in to defeat.
After a moment, he lets her up, and she gets up to her knees, trying to catch her breath.
"I'm sorry," she gasps softly, clearing her throat and gritting her teeth painfully. "I'll try harder."
She realizes suddenly that Bakugo, standing over her, is doing the same, calming himself down. She can see the energy and vibrance in him from competing with her, and even though he's won, he has spent quite a lot of his power.
"That was good."
Ochaco blinks, unsure if she's hearing things. When she looks up at the blond, she nearly gapes at him.
He's got a small smile on his face. "You're trying. It's a good start. Obviously I'd be a lot stronger than they are, but the fact is ya nearly caught me a few times. I've gotta up my fuckin' game. Still, if you can get past me, we're gonna win this, Cheeks."
Is she dreaming? Did Katsuki Bakugo just praise her?!
There's no way in hell this is real. She's so shocked even her hanahaki leaves her be for a moment to soak in it before crippling her.
His confidence in her lights up her fire, and she finds the strength to stand, rejuvenated and giddy from his words. This is the first time she's felt powerful since the beginning of this horrible pain. Coming from someone like Bakugo, it means the world. If he thinks she can do it, there's not a chance that she'll fail.
"Switch with me," he says, walking past her while she nods. "I'm gonna try it now. Give me all you've got."
With affirmation, she waits for him, and with a bright, snarky grin, he comes for her, this time letting his power go full force against her. Being in his position now, she is startled to find how hard it is to keep him from touching the cube, with him spinning her in circles constantly.
However, her determination wins out before her doubt, and she catches him each time, preventing him from making that mad dash to the object. Bakugo looks entertained, his smile only growing wider each time he tries to outdo her.
At the last second, he jumps over her head, a blow aimed for her face, seeming more determined to catch her off guard than to get the cube. She ducks, her hand flying up and, to her amazement, brushing his hand.
I touched him.
He comes to a graceful ascension, and shouts, squirming in the hold of her anti-gravity. Uraraka, unable to believe her own eyes or the tingling in her fingertips, allows herself to sit next to the cube before letting him down. He drops and lands on one knee, using a hand to steady himself.
"Dammit," he mutters.
"I got you," she states breathlessly. "I stopped you!"
It's a feeling of victory that she had been craving since their fight during last year's competition. Something long overdo that fills her with joy, unable to stop the smile brimming over her lips.
Alongside it is the shock at having felt his skin for the first time. She's never been this close to him before. It had lanced through her body and made her thorns crush her vocals, but they release her quickly, as if it had done something to scare it from cresting her lips.
I can breathe for just a moment.
He quickly recovers, his blond spikes bouncing over his face in disarray. "Ya fuckin got me," he repeats, seeming just as startled by the notion. "I can't deny it. This was a good practice session. You've gotten a lot fuckin' stronger since I last fought with ya."
Ochaco is glowing. She's never been so happy. It's a little uncomfortable in a way, though. Bakugo is never this vocal about someone. Why is he saying so much?
"I think that's a good place to stop for today," he continues, grabbing the rubik's cube and putting it back in his pocket, a giant bulge sticking out comically from his pants. She tries to ignore it. "We'll pick this up again tomorrow. If you always fight like this, it'll be an easy win."
"I… thanks," she squeaks, brushing her hair out of her eyes and nodding. "Thanks for the practice. I'll be here at the same time tomorrow."
Her shyness is shining through now, and she ducks her head before speedwalking away, leaving him behind her.
She's not far away when she catches, just under his breath, a few spoken words that set her heart and lungs aflame.
"...Definitely not fragile anymore."
.x.X.x.
If heaven wasn't a place, it would be her interactions and practice with Katsuki Bakugo.
If hell wasn't, it would be the same.
Uraraka isn't sure how she can be so happy and yet so depressed at the same time, but her mixed feelings leave her reeling every single time she's with him. It doesn't help that they've grown a bit closer with each meeting.
They actually talk. Bakugo is animated when they train together, and over the past two weeks, she's relished the feeling of him treating her almost like a friend. Not that they weren't before, but talking one on one with him makes her feel special. Their training has been a few hours every day, but after watching him during school, she realizes he's spending most of his time with her.
It's a forbidden pleasure considering her condition, but she can't help enjoying herself. It makes her scared for the competition to be over, because once it is, she won't be able to spend this time with him anymore. A bittersweet reality.
These moments with him, while painful, have been so wonderful at the same time. She's not sure what will happen afterwards.
They've been training for about a week, but the last two or three days have been extremely painful. Her thorns are out for blood, and blood they draw, leaving her coughing up more and more of those gory petals. It's scaring her how much worse it's getting. Her time may be much more limited than she thought. Could the condition actually kill her? There's no books to read or online articles about it anywhere. She's alone. She could die tomorrow and not know. She'd have so many regrets.
It's left her depressed and overall unmotivated, and it's been affecting her mentally and physically. She can't think straight half the time, and it certainly doesn't help that Bakugo has been constantly in front of her. Her feelings choke her every time he gets close, and she hasn't been able to replicate the way she had caught him the first time they practiced.
Yesterday when they sparred, she could feel the disappointment radiating off Bakugo when she simply slipped and fell at his feet trying to reach his shoulder. She's been failing, and it's not really making it easy to bounce back from this funk she's in.
When she walks into the training room this time, head hanging a bit low, she can't bear to look in his direction.
"Hey," he greets her gruffly, and she simply nods, walking up to him. "You ready?"
"Yeah." Her voice nearly quivers, but she swallows down her apprehension.
Without another beat, he's after her, and she dodges a light blow of his explosions, trying to get behind him. She's found that the best way to take Katsuki Bakugo off guard is to take him right outside his peripherals. He's quick on his feet and is always ready to spin all the way around, but if you're able to match his steps, you can stay in his blind spots.
She keeps that in mind, trying to dodge him and lithely reach under his flailing arms to send him into the air, but he already anticipates her move.
Before she can process, he has her wrist in his hand, and spins her out, toppling her to the ground. When she tries to reflexively lift herself from the floor, his grip on her arms stays tight, and she is prone against the cold wood.
For a moment there is silence, a tension thick enough to cut with a knife, as Ochaco stares up at Katsuki, uncertainty beginning to invade its way into her mind. His blond spikes are all ruffled around his handsome face, and his hard ruby glare is trained on her, his expression somewhat puzzled. The heady scent of sweat and some indecipherable kind of spice hit her nostrils, a bit comforting, yet unsettling.
She's checkmated, but why isn't he moving?
"...You can get up now," she squeaks, becoming all too aware of his proximity to her. He's got one knee wedged between hers, and she's very much trapped under his body weight, his skin burning a hole through hers.
The sharpness of her thorns coalesces in her blood, coiling and squeezing her lungs tight. The pain is making it hard to breathe.
His frown only worsens.
"You didn't fall for that before," he says.
She blinks at him. "What?"
"The move. I've tried that before and you had been able to counter me. This time you faltered." He states it clearly, piercing her with his questioning gaze. "Your weaknesses are showing, Cheeks. That's not like you."
His words hurt worse than the flowers growing in her body. She's left speechless.
"Normally you'd have me fighting life and limb just to get a hit on you, but you went down easy today. The hell's up with you?"
It stings.
Not just the pain, or the criticism, but the sudden tears that threaten to cloud her vision. She needs to breathe.
Ochaco can't be this close. It's causing too much distress. What can she do to get out of here?
"...Let me go."
"Huh?"
"I said let me go!"
Finding her strength, she pushes against him like his touch is fire, shoving him to the side and knocking him off balance. He hits shoulder first against the floor, making a weird noise, and she scrambles off the ground, brushing off her training uniform and gritting her teeth.
God, why does she have to act like this?
"...I'll be back tomorrow for practice," she finally manages, while he slowly gets back up on his feet. She can't stand the way he's looking at her.
"Cheeks-"
She doesn't want to hear anything he has to say.
"I'll… see you later."
She runs, in the full sense of the word, out the door, her body carrying her faster than her words can flow, her upset steps echoing long after she's gone.
I only have a week left.
I just have get through this competition, and it'll be over.
My suffering will be over.
.x.X.x.
Despite what she said, Ochaco doesn't come back for training the next day. Or the day after.
After the stunt she pulled in front of him, she couldn't bear to face him.
She stayed away, but with the end of their time coming upon them rather quickly, there's not much for her to do but rejoin him at least for the final day. After this much time not seeing him, her nervousness has increased tenfold. Obviously there's no reason why he would want to still be on her team after what she did. How stupid of her.
Maybe he would forgive her, but Katsuki Bakugo isn't the forgiving type.
It hadn't been that long. Just… four days of being AWOL.
She's really dug herself in, huh?
Hand on the doorknob of the room, she's reminded of how it was when she first entered the training room. She'd been nervous then, but she'd conquered it, and become closer to Bakugo for the first time. She doesn't have a lot of time left to be picky with how she spends it.
As if propelled by an inner force, Ochaco opens the door, half expecting not to see him inside. To her surprise, he's there, waiting for her.
Has he been waiting here for me every day, when I wasn't showing?
I…
Instantly, the feelings inside her grow worse, her heart jumping to her throat and the vines sealing off her airways effectively. She has to fight to keep herself steady, and it's only exacerbated when he approaches her.
Contrary to his usual countenance, he's not quite as smug as he normally seems. Before she entered, he had been staring down at his phone, but when he caught sight of her, his expression immediately turned into… relief?
"Hey," she barely manages, walking slowly towards him and then stopping when the distance seems too close.
He watches her, wary. "Hey yourself."
The silence seems to drag, and Ochaco awkwardly tucks her hair behind her ear, before steeling herself.
It's the final day of practice. She can do this.
"Are you ready?"
His brow raises. "Eh?"
"I said, are you ready?" she repeats herself, willing this to be easier than it is.
Bakugo tenses, before getting into position, his eyes narrowing and expression turning unreadable. "You don't even hafta ask."
She doesn't reply, instead putting her foot to the floor and propelling herself forward, allowing her anti gravity to give her the floatiness she needs to slide across the floor at a faster speed.
Forget everything. Don't focus on anything but the task at hand.
Get that rubik's cube, win the fight, get out. That's it.
This is her last chance before the competition tomorrow to prove herself to him, and she can't let hanahaki stop her.
Don't think, act.
Unlike their usual battle tactics, she's the one to try for him first, her hand skating just past the hem of his shirt. He reaches for her arm, and an explosion singes off part of her sleeve.
He kicks the cube away from her, and she dashes past him, trying to catch the collar of his shirt. Another miss, with Bakugo sending her upwards with another blast. She recovers quickly, however. Thankfully, due to training just a bit on her own during her episode, she can dodge his attacks with almost an ease.
Part of it, and she doesn't understand why, is that Bakugo isn't trying as hard as he usually does. She knows, only because she's been on the opposite side of his fiery rage before. She can feel that his heart isn't totally in this, and that something may be keeping him from unleashing himself fully.
Just as she starts to think this, however, he catches her unaware and creates a nice burn mark into her nice new training uniform. She groans, her anti-gravity descending her to the floor. He readies his fist, sending a strong punch toward her, but she dips underneath it and hops under his arm, successfully getting around him before he has a chance to stop her.
It's a mad dash from both of them suddenly for the cube, but in a true miracle of speed, her thin hand encloses around the little toy right before his does, the smooth block cold against her palm. His own hand caps over hers at the same time, but she yanks herself away just as quickly as she had grabbed for it, just as the vines begin to close in.
A feeling of triumph and victory flows through her, and she stands up straight, raising her hand into the air and doing a little giddy hop. She's done it at last- proven herself to the one person that matters.
"I got it!" she breathes happily, bouncy. "I finally did it. I got the flag!"
"You did good."
A hollow sound. She lowers her hand again and peers towards Bakugo, who stands right behind her. Something on his face raises an alarm bell in her head.
I know loss is a sour thing for him, but… this is different. Her body freezes up, a feeling of dread coming to replace the mirth.
It takes a moment before he speaks again, still impossible to read.
"Uraraka, are you… hiding something from me?"
A million things enter her head at that moment.
Uraraka. Not 'Cheeks'. Hearing my name come out of his mouth like that… A giant shiver runs through her body.
This is serious. If he's not calling her by the nickname… then he knows something is wrong. Not like she could have been any more obvious about it, in the end, but to know he's been paying attention hurts more than it soothes.
He, himself, is cold to her, his body language telling her all she needs to know about his current state. Having her problems brought directly into the spotlight leaves her clammy and her palms sweating around the rubik's cube. The vines that plague her climb up her throat, making it difficult to speak.
"W-what do you mean?" The words tumble out of her mouth, suddenly looking anywhere else besides his face. If she looks into his eyes, it's over. It'll all come into the open, and her life will just cease to be. "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong. Besides, what does that have to do with training?"
She's babbling and she knows it, but anything to change the subject.
However, after the words run from her lips, she's taken aback when he walks past her, stopping for a second at her shoulder, but not meeting her unsure gaze.
"If you say so."
Without waiting for her response, he simply keeps moving, and she's left standing alone, staring at the cube gripped between her white knuckles. The slam of the training room door makes her jump, and she peeks over her shoulder at the empty room.
He's left.
Was he angry with me?
A series of conflicting emotions, Uraraka is left to worry by herself, wondering what exactly had gotten into the blond. Her heart clenches tight in her chest, the thorny web inside her clinging to her lungs like knives being forced into her ribcage.
Was that my fault?
Credit to Gatito_Nopalito on twitter for being my artist during the Kacchako Big Bang 2023.