Title: Something Great
Summary: When Katsuki and Tsuyu are mistaken as a couple, the two come to a mutually beneficial agreement to carry on with the deception.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Chapter One: Tsu's POV
'I'm terribly sorry to inform you of this, but we have to reschedule.'
Those words were like a punch into the gut, and despite the number of tough villains Asui Tsuyu faced over the years, who truly harmed her, this news still hurt quite a lot.
The sea-green-haired woman looked up from her notes that she had been going through over the last ten minutes and glanced toward the door.
There stood one of the producers, the youngest and obviously least experienced one, who must have been given the worst jobs all the time since she was tasked to come to deliver this news as well.
Despite the horrible wave of disappointment and frustration that washed over Tsu, she could see just how apologetic the young producer was as she shivered and avoided looking directly into her eyes.
'Uh, s-someone messed up…and…and they double booked…uh, we can reschedule you for next time if that's alright?' she asked, but she sounded quite unsure.
Over the years, Tsu would like to think she perfected the ability to detect when someone was being dishonest. It was a very useful tool when it came to dealing with villains as well as media folk.
'We'll give you a call.'
If the woman didn't look so stressed out, Tsu would perhaps attempt to call her out on her lies, but for today the heroine decided against it.
Truth be told, she wasn't all that eager to come here today either. It was rather short notice from the talk show producers, and Tsu preferred to have more time to prepare and look her best.
However, due to a crisis at one of the oil platforms, yesterday's rescue mission was far more complex and took a very large amount of time. Tsu, as well as some others, were forced to work overtime, and once the situation was handed, the poor heroine barely got four hours of sleep before the call came that they could do her interview tonight. They seemed very eager and persuasive, and Tsu really needed that interview to finally talk about her Kids at the Beach project.
At first, Tsu was tempted to reschedule, but it felt too unprofessional, not to mention, she was worried she wouldn't get another chance since the show had already rescheduled her twice.
It's not a big deal, she reasoned with herself before. She wasn't nearly as high on the hero popularity list to be considered good for the show, so she understood if they would rather take someone else, but to cancel on her for the third time felt truly disrespectful.
Still, she thanked the young producer for her time and snatched her bag slowly walking toward the elevator.
At least, I can go home and catch some sleep, Tsu told herself to try and cheer herself up, but it didn't seem to work like she would have hoped. At times like these, she wished she wasn't as calm and collected all the time. She knew there would be no point to cause a scene. It wouldn't resolve in anything other than bad press for her and even less opportunity for her cause, but-
Crap!
Her dark eyes widened a fraction as Tsu started to search around her bag only to mentally groan as she found the notes of her project, the reason why she even bothered with this interview, gone.
Sighing to herself she got out of her car and went to the elevator again hoping her notes would still be there and not in the trash like last time when she accidentally forgot them in a dressing room for an interview.
It wasn't like her to be so disorganized, but she gave herself some credit since she was exhausted, had a very hard day before, and got canceled. Again. This time it was all the worse, since she was literally in the building, minutes from going live.
She was fortunate enough not to run into anyone until she got to the dressing room.
Once she crossed the threshold, Tsu took a step back.
Luckily, her notes weren't in the trash. Instead, they weren't between the fingers of the Number Two Hero, and her former classmate from the U.A., Bakugou Katsuki, who was sitting in the chair she had been not so long ago and with a very focused look across his face, reading them.
Tsu felt a bit caught off-guard at the moment for some reason. It wasn't like she didn't see Katsuki since graduation. They weren't each other's primary support during missions and other crises, but over the years, they still met or at the very least saw one another relatively often during social gatherings such as reunions, weddings, and other hero events that required attendance. The last time was during the birth of Izuku and Ochako's first child even if only because the hospital was under an attack and Izuku had been held back by another crisis.
So, it shouldn't really make the sea-green-haired woman feel like she entered a new dimension when she saw the man sitting in the chair and wearing a very fitting and stylish shirt that revealed just how muscley his arms were. His ash-blond hair was much shorter now than it used to be when they were teenagers, and right now it looked almost effortless fashionable which must have been the work of the same hairdresser who worked on Tsu just a half hour ago.
He's always handsome…but now he looks, different, crossed her mind before she cleared her throat.
When the red eyes that were so focused on her notes moved to her, whatever strange feeling came across her melted, and she found herself in peace at how his eyebrows narrowed just slightly giving him that typical Bakugou's Resting Bitch Face look while he nodded at her instead of a hello.
'Hello, Baku-chan,' she said and offered him a sincere smile since she felt somewhat better now even if she realized Katsuki must have been the reason why she got rescheduled. It was no secret the Number Two Hero was a busy person, and therefore impossible to get a hold of. He was almost as busy as the Number One Hero who was a new father now and wasn't in the public eye apart from dealing with villains for over a month. When Katsuki became available, the producers had to jump on their chance.
'I thought the handwriting was familiar,' said the ash-blond and ran his thumb over the papers containing her notes on her Kids at the Beach project.
Tsu blinked and came closer, 'You still remember my handwriting?'
The question came out making her sound surprised when really, she wasn't. Despite being labeled as a hothead with a foul mouth, Katsuki could be very analytical and clever never forgetting things he deemed as important. It just so happened to be that not a lot of people or things about them were deemed as important in his book.
'It's the girliest handwriting I've ever seen,' he said and handed the notes toward her open palm, 'Second only to Deku's.'
She ran through her notes noticing Katsuki actually got to the final page before she went to put them into her bag.
Tsu smiled brightly and closed her eyes for a moment, 'That's a weak jab, kero.'
When she opened her eyes, she thought he appeared more relaxed than she had seen him in a very long time. It wasn't like she met him often but seeing him now sitting so leisurely with his forehead free of the wrinkles caused by his frowning and something close to a tiny smirk pulling at one corner of his mouth, she realized just how constantly tense Katsuki looked.
'You need a vacation, Baku-chan,' she said bluntly as was typical of her, and the ash-blond looked at her, his eyebrows furrowing instantly, 'The fuck are you on about?' he snapped not as heatedly as he could, but it was clear he took offense.
Tsu touched her lower lip thinking out loud, 'I'm not saying it to belittle you or anything. You just look like you could use some time to relax a bit. Come to think of it, I could too.'
Katsuki's relaxed façade didn't return, but he did seem to lose some of his fight as he ran over her with his red eyes before settling for her face, 'You look exhausted.'
Tsu stepped closer to the mirror in front of his chair and glanced at her face. They did her makeup and hair for the interview, but not even that could properly hide the dark circles under her eyes and lack of glow caused by severe sleep deprivation, 'You're right. I barely got four hours of sleep.'
'Pathetic,' commented Katsuki, and their eyes met in the mirror causing Tsu to smile, 'Of course, from someone who finds his sleep sacred you would say that.'
He gave her a hard look, 'No amount of caffeine, vitamins, or sunlight can ever make up for eight hours of sleep. Especially in our line of work.'
She nodded, 'I agree, but I didn't really have much of a choice,' she said and glanced down at her notes this time feeling only disappointment and sadness over another missed opportunity when she tried so hard to make it happen.
'Where would you go?' asked Katsuki, and Tsu turned to look at him while pressing her back against the desk by his side, 'On your vacation?'
'Why? Do you want to join me?' she teased him taking great pleasure at the annoyed look he shot her way before she pressed her finger against her lower lip again and thought about it, 'Somewhere warm with a nice ocean. I did two years in Europe after graduation. I wouldn't mind returning there.'
'You work in a nice ocean. Wouldn't you like to see something else for a change?' he asked, and Tsu shrugged her shoulders, 'Being near water would be the most relaxing for me. Cold temperatures are still problematic for me.'
Katsuki frowned, 'Still? What about your suit and gadgets?'
'They help, but there's only so much they can do. During fights they're good, but I can't imagine a whole day or several, especially with the aftershock. A couple of months ago, there was a villain who froze water to create his kingdom, I was stuck for half the day in a warm bath after that before I could even think of moving on my own. It sucked.'
She shivered even now thinking about the experience she would rather never live through again. Her body was so stiff afterward. The support team hired by her agency warned her that if she used her temperature regulators for too long her body would suffer through a very long period of nothing but ice cold when she turned them off, but it still shocked Tsu just how brutal it was. It was so bad, she didn't even fall asleep, but into this state of unconscious-consciousness shivering as little ice-cold needles jabbed into every inch of her body.
'Asui,' she heard Katsuki say, and she blinked away the memory and returned to the present, 'Snowy and ice places aren't that good for me. If not a beach though, maybe a forest?'
Katsuki watched her frowning, but his red eyes appeared concerned.
It got her to smile and find her footing again, 'It's alright now. I just remembered it for a second. So where would you like to go?'
His eyes lost their worrisome look, and he looked at the mirror again silently watching his reflection before his face hardened for a moment, 'Somewhere, where no one will bother me.'
Instinctively, she leaned closer to him but stopped herself before she would reach out and touch him.
He was forced to look at her side when she blocked his line of vision in the reflection, and it got his face to ease up again even if just a bit as he rose his gaze to her face again, 'A forest might be alright. Somewhere remote.'
'With a lake, kero?' she asked jokingly and took pride in the way not even Bakugou Katsuki could stop himself from chuckling, 'Yeah, with a fucking lake for you to soak all day long in.'
She beamed at him realizing she was in a far better mood than she had been since she got here. She didn't feel as down about her interview as she did before, but she still figured she couldn't stay anymore.
'Well, we still have time to brainstorm ideas. Good luck on your interview,' she gave him another smile and honestly meant what she said, 'See you, later.'
Katsuki's smile faded, and he immediately crossed his arms and straightened looking nothing like the relaxed man in a good mood he was a moment ago, 'You're leaving?'
He sounded surprised and confused, but below that Tsu almost thought he was disappointed too.
'Don't you have an interview too? Why are you here then?'
Tsu prided herself on being an open book even if people, who thought her face was expressionless would strongly disagree. It was probably because of her lack of expressions that she was so blunt so that people would always know what was on her mind, 'It got rescheduled.'
The typical frown across Katsuki's face deepened, 'Why?'
'It-'
'Ah, Bakugou-san, we're almost ready for you,' said in a cheerful voice a producer, a pretty woman in her late thirties, Tsu didn't meet before as she entered the dressing room.
When she looked over at Tsu, her bright smile from before froze for a second before it fell even if just a fraction, 'Oh, Asui-san,' she seemed to have been struggling to find the right words before she finally asked, 'didn't someone come to inform you that there has been a change?'
Tsu nodded, 'Yes, I just forgot something, kero,' she assured the other woman feeling like she would rather Tsu left already.
The sea-green-haired heroine turned to Katsuki again noticing his narrowed eyes and furrowed brows didn't ease one bit, 'Bye, Baku-'
'When's your interview?' asked Katsuki before she could finish her goodbye stopping her once again.
Tsu was a bit confused. Did he not want to be alone with this woman, so he decided to keep Tsu around? Tsu and Katsuki were on friendly enough terms as friendly as a person might be with someone like the ash-blond hero. He came a long way since high school and grew significantly not just physically, but mentally too. He was still loud and had a dirty mouth that many sometimes she included wished to wash with a bar of soap, but he got better at keeping his cool, teamwork, and dealing with his emotions.
She and Katsuki weren't necessarily friends despite how surprisingly easy it was to talk to him a moment ago, they hadn't interacted a lot after their graduation. They greeted one another at events and occasionally exchanged a few sentences if they had the time and were in a group or no one else was around as they had a moment ago, but they were hardly friends or anything.
The sea-green-haired heroine turned to the producer, who seemed just as confused, 'They didn't say, kero.'
The woman's smile fell completely before she forced it back on, but it seemed far less happy, 'Well, I'm sure we can work something out and call you soon.'
'When?' asked Katsuki eyeing the woman looking very annoyed now.
The woman shrugged her shoulders trying her best to come up with an excuse, 'Perhaps, next week? We'll surely call you, Asui-san,' she said and turned to her as if expecting Tsu to agree and be done with his.
'Fuck that,' said Katsuki as casually as someone else would say good morning and stand up, 'We're doing an interview together, Froggy,' he told her with the confidence he was known for and that she often envied.
Tsu's eyes widened, and she questioned whether she heard the man correctly, 'What are you talking about?'
She then blinked and realized he used the high school nickname he had for her back when he deemed her too unimportant to remember her name.
The producer woman was speechless as Katsuki came closer to her towering over her with a clearly upset look on his face, 'Do you think we do this nonsense because we like it?'
The woman was speechless for a while before she quickly and repeatedly shook her head since she probably realized that was the right thing to do.
'We're professional heroes,' Katsuki said pausing with each word to give the sentence that much more weight, 'We don't have time for you to string us along. Froggy's already here and ready. We can split the time.'
The producer looked over at Tsu who glanced at Katsuki, 'Can we even do that, kero?'
He nodded, 'Sure, why the fuck not? Your project deserves to be heard and this is a good place to start,' he said and pushed his hands into his pockets while Tsu smiled. Even if it couldn't have been done, she was beyond grateful for Katsuki's attempt. Today more than ever.
'But-' started the producer, 'I don't think our boss will approve. He already has all his questions prepared and-'
Tsu looked at the woman, 'Then he must have had questions prepared for my interview as well. You only canceled twenty minutes ago, kero.'
The producer looked like she was fighting back some retort before Katsuki spoke again, 'Look, I'll make really it fucking simple for you people. Your host has an hour. He can split it between the two of us, or he can have me answer his questions for the first thirty minutes and then have me sit on his fancy couch for the next thirty minutes without a single fucking word.'
The woman looked horrified, 'But-but-but you can't-'
Katsuki crossed his arms and asked in a way that was obviously a threat, 'Have you seen the shit I pulled on other interviews?'
The woman looked from Katsuki to Tsu before she quickly rushed out, and Katsuki returned to his seat tossing himself into it while Tsu was left to silently collect her thoughts on what happened.
Her dark eyes ran over Katsuki's face and body noting how a lot of his combat from before eased off significantly now that he didn't have to argue with the producer.
She was unsure how what she planned to say or how, but Tsu still opened her mouth and started, 'Baku-chan, that's- what you did was…'
'It's nothing,' he said and shrugged his shoulder as if trying to make it even seem like it wasn't a big deal.
Tsu smiled brightly at the man feeling a specific warmth inside her chest to the familiarity of the moment and how nonchalant Katsuki could still act when he did something nice like this even after all these years.
She then stepped closer to him before she put her palm on his shoulder. Katsuki wasn't the type who liked when other people touched him or anything, but Tsu knew a shoulder squeeze would be safe, 'Thank you.'
Red eyes landed on hers and a sense of comfort and calmness washed over her all the more when he said, 'Your idea is good, Froggy. You want kids from high-risk neighborhoods to be involved in beach cleaning projects in their spare time. That's a…really good idea. It deserves to be heard.'
You deserve to be heard.
Her smile grew and even if the corners of his lips remained unmoved, she could tell by the slight shift behind his eyes he became tender even if for a second.
In the next moment the producer returned and in a much less enthusiastic voice and posture informed them that they could share the interview in a few moments.
Upon hearing that Katsuki stood up again and walked toward the door with Tsu following still in the best mood she had all day.
The interview had been going relatively well. The host sort of shifted between the two of them instead of focusing on a single person for the whole half an hour.
Despite his reputation and behavior, Katsuki acted well, dropping only a few f-bombs, that the host assured them wouldn't be heard, and smirking at some of Tsu's U.A stories instead of full-on exploding over her shameless teasing.
It was only disappointing that it seemed they didn't really prepare for her Kids at the Beach project because so far, he hadn't brought a single question up.
When the host burst into another fit of laughter, Katsuki even offered her a chuckle and shook his head, 'Are you done busting my balls over there?'
She giggled and looked over at him wishing she could always do interviews with someone else because it felt so much less tense and more comfortable than she ever did when she was pushed onto the stage on her own, 'It's good for you, but I'll stop.'
He gave her I don't fucking believe you look while she showed him her tongue a bit before they both turned to the host who just finished laughing, 'I have to say. You two have a really good dynamic.'
Tsu and Katsuki shared another look, but she could tell despite the light atmosphere Katsuki wasn't pleased that the host commented on their dynamic. Tsu always prided herself in being an easy-going person who made friends everywhere she went, but she and Katsuki weren't particularly close before. The natural and friendly air they established less than an hour ago by some casual chat in the dressing her surprised too and made her wonder if she shouldn't try harder to stay in touch with the ash-blond from now on.
'I'm glad you're in such a good mood,' said the host bringing her attention back to him, 'Perhaps, there is someone new in your life, who's keeping you in such a good mood?'
Any other time, Tsu would have been annoyed with such a question as she was sure everyone was when they received it, but this time she remained smiling and used it to her advantage, 'Actually, the reason I'm in a good mood is a project I was hoping to talk about today. Kids at the Beach.'
'Ah, you single ladies with your projects,' joked the host catching the heroine a bit off-guard before she tried to carry on, 'It's something my agency has been working on for a while. It's a-'
'Ah your agency,' said the host all too interested now, 'Your agency had a recent photo shoot for a popular magazine.'
Tsu blinked wondering if she was missing a joke or punchline because she wasn't sure what he meant, 'The agency does a lot of activities, which one do you mean?' she asked carefully. She was sure, there wasn't any recent photoshoot since she was busy with her hero work and her beach project.
'Oh, I'm sure you know which one I mean,' he said and grinned at her in a way that made Tsu slightly uncomfortable, and the feeling only increased when she heard his next words, 'It's your most famous one.'
She lost whatever hope she had that this would go her way when he said that, as she realized he wanted to talk about a photo from four years ago. The one that was only so popular even today because she was much younger and wearing a very risqué swimsuit for a fashion brand that supported her career. Oh, and she was really wet so the material of the swimsuit hugged her body like a second skin making it even more hot. Tsu was never talked about as much as she was when the photo came out, and although she owned it, was proud of her body, the swimsuit, and the brand, and received tons of support from her family, friends, and fans, she still sometimes felt self-conscious about it. Especially, when people pulled it up looking and sounding like the host did now.
'I'm sure if you did another one like that you would gain far more publicity for your project,' said the host with a grin and a bit of a dreamy look on his face, 'Trust me, you would make more than just the kids happy.'
Tsu didn't allow herself to show in any way just how disgusted the man made her feel since she knew better than to ever give such men, villains or not, the satisfaction of knowing they had some power over her emotions.
She gave him a blank stare instead mentally preparing what to say, when she heard a crack by her side, 'The. Fuck. Did. You. Just. Say. To. Her?'
Tsu turned to look at Katsuki, who had been suspiciously silent, now that she thought about it, throughout the whole time this uncomfortable talk started.
Seeing how he was clenching his fists on his knees; she realized what the crack must have been.
If not for his white clenched fists and the stone-cold way he spoke, it was beyond obvious how pissed the ash-blond was based on his demonlike expression splashed across his face.
'B-bakugou-san,' started the host laughing nervously, 'It-it was just a joke-'
'Do you see either of us laughing?' Katsuki barked at him causing the man to flinch, 'Say that to her again. I fucking dare you,'
The host looked terrified, and Tsu didn't blame him, but when he kept on looking back at her now like he expected her to cut in and moderate some sort of peace maybe brush his comment off as a joke the way she usually did so she wouldn't cause anyone problems, she couldn't find it in her to do so. She dealt with comments like that most of her professional career and maybe just for tonight she was fine with Katsuki or anyone standing up for her and not just giving her an awkward look of sympathy the way most of her male colleagues did so far.
'Well? I ain't got all day,' said Katsuki by her side still very aggressive almost making her smile. She caught herself at the last second before doing so though.
The host probably finally realized she wouldn't play this game tonight because he attempted a fake very high-pitched laugh and mumbled a weak, 'Sorry-'
'Not good enough,' said Katsuki, and Tsu almost felt bad for the host, but not enough to break and say anything when he tossed her a pleading look.
The host cleared his throat and rose his voice enough that everyone who was watching would hear, 'I'm truly sorry. That was in poor taste.'
Tsu didn't accept his apology out loud and merely nodded while Katsuki crossed his arms and muttered a bit less aggressively now, but with a clear message, 'Don't say shit like that ever again.'
When Tsu glanced at him, he looked back at her, and even if neither of them said anything a certain understanding passed over them.
Afterward, the host had enough tact to at least try to save the interview by asking her about her project, but it was obvious he lost whatever shot Katsuki was willing to give him as Number Two Hero kept his next answers short and hostile from then on out.
Tsu and Katsuki said and grunted their goodbyes and left the building side by side.
The moment they stepped out into the street, both of them let out a small but audible sigh, a mixture of relief and exhaustion.
'Thank the fuck,' said Katsuki and brushed his face while Tsu nodded feeling a weight lifted from her shoulders, 'Yeah.'
It was a long day, and she was glad it was heading toward the end.
Without anything else to say, the two started to walk toward the direction of the parking lot where she left her car. It was dark now, but there were still enough people walking through the streets.
'Baku-chan,' said Tsu after a while feeling like out in the open and away from that horrible talk show building it was easier to speak out loud, 'Thank you for standing up for me.'
She watched him making sure he could sense her eyes on him and finally look at her. Even if they weren't close, Tsu knew how uncomfortable Katsuki could be with such things, but he was out of luck because she refused to let it slide. He did too much for her tonight. More than some of her close friends and family did in a while. She didn't blame them. She was busy too, but she did feel a bit left out lately, so it felt beyond good to have someone in her corner. Especially, someone who didn't have a problem biting other people's heads off, even if Tsu knew she couldn't admit it out loud. She could admire this in secret.
The ash-blond shrugged and tried to look away, but Tsu stepped in front of him, 'I mean it. Thank you for not just…,' unsure how to properly explain she still tried, 'Thank you for the backup. I don't mind fighting my own battles, but tonight…it felt really good to have someone else fight for me.'
Katsuki blinked before he looked at her.
She was unsure what he was looking for, but she could tell some of the discomfort he must have felt due to her apology melted away.
'You're not going to comment on how rude and unheroic that was from me?' he asked purposely playing with the work unheroic like it was meant to be mocked.
Tsu shook her head stopping and forcing him to do the same, 'Never. Sometimes,' she pressed her finger against her lower lip thinking, 'Sometimes, I really envy you to be able to say such things. Not just that you can, but also that you can get away with them,' she looked a bit away, 'As you can see, when you're a heroine everything sticks with you. The good and the bad, kero,' She was mostly talking about her position as the supportive character to everyone who needed her. Her family. Her friends. Her classmates. Her colleagues. Her fans. But it annoyed her that it was also true about the old swimsuit photo.
She sensed movement and noticed Katsuki put his hands into his pocket while looking down at her, 'If you're talking about him? Fuck that guy! He's a tool, and clearly hires tools as well based on how the producer bitch acted.'
'Baku-chan,' she started, but Katsuki shrugged his shoulders, 'As for your mediator shit. Trust me, things stick to me too. Can't wait to hear from my agency tomorrow. The only reason, I came tonight was that everyone was on my ass to play nice.'
Tsu didn't like to sound of that, 'Why? If anything, you're much better than you were in U.A., and everyone had a crush on you then,' she said bluntly and watched Katsuki narrow his eyes at her, 'Oi!'
'It's true,' she said and smiled at him a bit to make sure he knew she wasn't being mean.
He still looked upset, but she didn't think it was her comment, 'I'm stuck. Can't beat Deku,' Tsu didn't detect bitterness in Katsuki's words. Still, it couldn't be easy to admit his rival was better than him, and he couldn't do anything to suppress him.
'Other losers are closing in on me. I'm too fucking busy to go to all this media bullshit, and honestly, I would rather stab myself in the eye every time than do that stuff more than I already do. Besides,' he looked properly pissed now, but not like he was about to explode, but like he genuinely felt hate when he spoke, 'I doubt they'll do shit in my favor. The bad boy image, the rudeness, angry outburst, violence…it's all fucking there, and I'm not going to pretend it's not at least partly true.'
She felt a bit out of her depth listening to him really wanting to help him.
'Maybe, but tonight whoever watched saw that Bakugou Katsuki, bad boy or not, is a good man who stands up for his colleagues and women. That's the kind of hero people like to see, kero,' she reached out and gently touched his arm her lower fingers making contact with his bare skin, 'Thank you, Baku-chan, again, for standing up for me and my cause.'
Katsuki's red eyes briefly glanced at her hand on him even if he quickly looked back at her face. His eyebrows straightened causing his face to become smooth and empty of that typical frown of his.
A moment passed between them, and it occurred to Tsu she was holding him too long for comfort, so she let go. It wasn't something she planned to do, but oddly once she touched him, it seemed natural to carry on. What an odd thing when it came to Bakugou Katsuki.
Once her hand fell to her side again, she felt a bit self-aware around the man, and something close to tension-filled her stomach. Perhaps, she should ease back on gentle touches while expressing her gratitude from now on. At least around Katsuki.
To her surprise, even if slightly, she noticed the corner of his mouth to lift just as it had during the interview, except there was no host and camera to entertain just them, 'It wasn't like you left me with any choice, Froggy,' he said and something close to amusement and mischief sparked behind his red eyes, 'When you stand up for yourself, you're only this tall,' he said and for good measures pulled one of his hands lazily from his pocket and lifted it just above her head to point out just how much shorter Tsu was than him.
The sea-green-haired heroine watched the man in awe at his joke before she felt a wave of amusement and good mood wash over her and genuinely tossed her head back and laughed, 'I can't believe you said that.'
She was still smiling when she finished feeling every last drop of the tension from before and the bad mood caused by today was gone again just like that. Who would have thought Bakugou Katsuki was so good at cheering a person up?
'Don't get all high and mighty on me just yet, kero.'
They started to walk once again until they reached her car, and she got in, 'Can I invite you somewhere? You really helped me out tonight a lot. I feel like I owe you, Baku-chan.'
Katsuki closed her door for her, and she was forced to roll down the window, 'I can't. I'm on call tonight. Kirishima is picking me up from the entrance to return to the agency and wait.'
That surprised her as he didn't have to walk her to her car or close her door for her, but he did. It left her feeling strange and grateful toward the man. A feeling she thought she filled her quota around Katsuki for tonight, but it seemed he had more nice gestures up his sleeve.
She smiled a bit, 'You're a really good person, Katsuki. Everyone who can't see that is blind.'
He flinched so violently she noticed, but she continued to smile at him, so he would properly allow himself to let her words sink in.
He still seemed unsure and looked away for a moment before he said far more quietly than was typical of him, 'Drive safe, Froggy.'
Tsu showed him the tip of her tongue as if to say she could take care of herself, 'Good night, Baku-chan. Thank you for being my hero tonight.'
Even if it could have been the weak streetlamp light, Tsu would have sworn, she caught some faint blush across Katsuki's cheeks before he rushed away.
Once she started the car and left the parking lot, she knew for sure, she saw the ash-blond waiting by the sidewalk making sure she drove off before he turned back to walk toward the building causing her to carry on smiling all the way to her place.
A.N: Hi there :) Thank you for reading. English is not my first language, so I apologize for the mistakes. This should be a short story around 10 chapters + 1 epilogue. Have a nice day and stay safe
