A Light in the Dark
Chapter Summary
The teachers give an insight into what's happening in Japan and prepare them for a trek into the cave systems of camp. After a mishap, Ochako and Bakugou find themselves alone together.
Chapter Notes
I know the upload schedule as been kind of crazy and I wanted to thank all of you for reading. This story is a labor of love and for some reason these ending chapters have been difficult for me to find the right words. I'll do my best to stay on the two weeks mark (I know summer is over but the extra time helps me) but I don't like to post chapters I'm not happy with. We're close to the end! Please enjoy :)
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Ochako woke up before the rest of her class the next morning. Without hesitation, she carefully exited her sleeping bag, slipped on some socks and shoes, then headed to a fire pit. While she built her pyramid of kindling, she resolved that she would only obsess over what Bakugou was going to tell her until the rest of her class awoke. The whole point of promising to tell him at the end of camp was so that they could enjoy camp without worry.
The first thought in her mind was that he liked her; as in liked liked. Ochako shook her head. Bakugou didn't do relationships. He was so driven to become the best that romantic endeavors occupied zero space in his head. Everyone, including Ochako, was still a rival he had to beat. Nothing would get in the way of that. She counted herself lucky that he had even decided they were friends.
After that her ideas involved school, training, dancing, and maybe their overall friendship. Telling her something about school or training didn't feel right. He would have just said it. It could be about dancing. That was kind of personal. If it had to do with something regarding their friendship, Ochako was hesitant to analyze it. Bakugou could be waiting until after camp because the something he had to tell her was bad--possibly friendship-ruining.
"Stop it," Ochako whispered to herself. She had other things to worry about. Like how she was going to tell him her secret. It had been a moment of weakness making that promise to Bakugou. Ochako couldn't stand to see him so disappointed in her. He deserved the truth even if it changed things. She needed time to prepare for that outcome.
Ochako lit a match and set it against the shreds of paper she'd scattered throughout the wood. The fire burned and Ochako curled up against her rock.
Depending on how camp went, Ochako's secret could change. If the feelings stayed the same, they'd have a good laugh over how hot he was and her dreams. She could picture it in her mind. Manifest the best case scenario, right? If they went away, she'd tell him that she had dealt with her feelings for him. It was kind of Hagakure's fault for putting them in her head in the first place.
"On second thought, don't mention Hagakure," Ochako mumbled to herself. She roasted some of her marshmallows as a pre-breakfast snack, watching the sky change color with the sunrise.
If her feelings got more intense, it would be a future Ochako problem. What she needed to do was to be in the moment without thinking about either of their secrets. She couldn't do that if she was worried about her crush getting worse.
When the first of her classmates woke up, she steeled herself for an awkward day but kept her resolution to herself. Thoughts about their secrets were expelled from her mind as soon as Deku joined her by the fire. To Ochako's surprise, the rest of the day was great. Bakugou acted like nothing had happened last night which helped her stay out of her head. Ochako focused on being present with her class, helping with breakfast, practicing endurance against the currents of the river, then hiking to the next campsite near the caves at the bottom of the mountain. Every breath, every step, every heartbeat--fully in the moment.
Ochako watched Bakugou make the sauce for dinner and steal glances up at the mountain as she cleaned the rice.
"Supposedly that's where the winter area is," Yaomomo said as she skewered meat. She had also noticed where Bakugou's attention was.
"How does that work? It's summer," Ochako asked. Yaomomo shrugged.
"My brother says the caretaker of the grounds lives up there and his quirk is temperature control. Apparently he likes winter sports," Iida explained. He was carefully cutting vegetables, glancing at Bakugou every few seconds. Bakugou didn't say anything which both Iida and Ochako took as a good sign.
"Winter sports? Are we gonna go skiing?" Kaminari asked from the boys area he was setting up with Ojiro.
"I'm sure we'll find out in a few days," Iida said, watching his knife and fingers intensely.
"Better be some snow mobiles," Bakugou muttered as he stirred absentmindedly.
"Race you if there are any," Ochako said. Bakugou smirked but never took his eyes off the sauce.
Unlike the past days of camp, All Might and Mr. Iida joined them for dinner.
"The caves area is an interesting training exercise-," All Might started as the class ate in silence. "-and requires preparation and explanation." All Might looked at Mr. Iida who stared at his own hands in the light of the fire.
"Tomorrow morning, we will be teaching you basic spelunking and cave exploration rules and skills," Mr. Iida said quietly. "You need to pay attention as you will be implementing them by working with your classmates to navigate the cave system."
Yaomomo raised her hand.
"Go ahead," Mr. Iida said.
"We won't have teachers with us?"
Mr. Iida shook his head and Ochako saw something in his eyes that looked like frustration.
"One of us will wait here in case you have to turn back. The other will be on the opposite side of the mountain," Mr. Iida told her. Yaomomo looked like she was still unsure about the situation. "This exercise will need you to fully commit to the present. Think of it as a follow up to your exams. Your fears and anxieties about the world should be secondary in order to get out safely. Focus is key."
"Heroes should be beacons of hope for people should another war break out. If they're not focused and aware of their surroundings, people get hurt," All Might explained.
"Is it that bad?" Ojiro asked. Mr. Iida nodded.
"People are scared," All Might added. "The news is only reporting some of the cases."
"The problem is we're losing heroes as fast or faster than we're losing civilians," Mr. Iida said. He made eye contact with his brother who clenched his fists in response.
"Tensei," All Might warned.
"If the commission is going to treat them like adults then they deserve to know."
The class stopped eating. They were waiting for Mr. Iida to continue.
"Heroes young and old are still recovering from what happened this past Spring. Having a new threat so soon has been a breaking point for many. It's getting more and more dangerous to be a hero due to media slander, the influx of crime, and the severity of both. The public's trust in us was damaged and we didn't have time to gain it all back."
"You need to be able to take care of yourself and those around you," Mr. Iida continued. "Over the next several days, we will be preparing you for the new world heroes live in. This is the first step."
"Are heroes getting taken?" Mineta asked shakily.
"We don't think so," All Might said. "But you're not full fledged heroes yet and teenagers have been taken. These trainings are more of a result of the commission's request for you to be trained to help others rather than preparation for possible abduction."
"You don't think so?" Deku asked, his face serious. All Might lowered his gaze to the ground.
"Heroes are retiring and some haven't been seen again. It could be because they've moved or went off the grid to avoid public view. It happens a lot more than you would believe."
Deku looked away from All Might and Ochako wondered if everything was okay between them.
"So-," Mr. Iida said, changing the subject. "Tomorrow after we've taught you what we can, we'll announce the teams. There will be three groups of four and one group of six going into the caves."
Anxiety pulsed through Ochako's veins. The past few days had been so focused on training and her personal problems. It all seemed so trivial in comparison. She glanced at Bakugou to see his reaction regarding this news. His eyes met hers and he moved his leg to touch her. Bakugou's mouth was a thin line when he gave her a nod before his eyes went back to watching Mr. Iida.
"You'll be given an emergency communicator to notify us of danger," Mr. Iida continued. "If you have questions, I'm available to talk."
"Enjoy your dinner," All Might said, before slowly getting up and walking to his tent. Mr. Iida stayed to answer a few questions. Jirou plucked on her ukulele but none of the class was in the mood for songs. Bakugou didn't move his leg during the rest of the night. Ochako didn't mind but she didn't know if it was for his sake or hers.
"What do you think about the abductions and the heroes?" Ochako asked quietly after a while. The majority of their class had gone to bed but Mr. Iida was still talking in hushed tones to Kaminari and Tokoyami. Jirou was playing softly now but it wasn't any melody that Ochako recognized.
"It's another thing we have to deal with. I'm going to do what I need to," Bakugou said. He stood up and stretched. "Right now, I need to sleep."
Ochako nodded while she watched Jirou strum. When Kaminari and Tokoyami left, Mr. Iida went into his tent. Jirou plucked a single string a few times before playing a soft song that brought a sense of calm to Ochako. Jirou eyed her, looked at Bakugou, and winked. Taken aback, Ochako looked at Bakugou who was staring into the fire. She understood what Jirou was getting at. They were alone except for her.
"Dance with me," Ochako said, holding her hand out toward Bakugou.
"What? No. It's late and I'm not a show-pony."
"I'm not asking because of them," Ochako gestured toward their classmates that were still awake in their sleeping areas. "I'm asking because things are not great in the world and I want to dance with you."
Bakugou looked her up and down before exhaling in faux defeat. He wouldn't dance with her if he didn't want to.
"Fine but if anyone makes a peep," Bakugou glared in Kaminari's direction, who looked to be already asleep. Jirou scoffed.
"I'll deal with him if he does. I want to see you dance."
"That makes me want to do it less," Bakugou said to her. Jirou shrugged.
"I'm gonna do what I want and play this song for Ochako. Don't really care what you do." Jirou started the song from the beginning. Bakugou rolled his eyes at Jirou's response and grabbed Ochako's hand.
"Perfect end to my day," Ochako said softly as Bakugou twirled her slowly. Bakugou clenched his jaw but didn't respond. He pulled her closer and swayed her to the music.
"Why does this help you sleep?" Bakugou whispered into her ear.
"Because it reminds me that there's some good in the world," Ochako answered honestly. "If you'll dance with me in front of people then there's hope for society, right?"
Bakugou scoffed at the idea.
"Maybe. I don't think dancing will stop villains."
"Helped us with training. I'm not gonna count it out yet."
"Whatever. If dancing stops a villain, I'll give you a hundred thousand yen."
"Deal," Ochako agreed. Bakugou exhaled in disbelief before dipping her. Jirou played the final chords of the song. They held their pose in silence and Ochako breathed Bakugou in. His face was close to hers and his eyes watched her. Ochako's heart raced and she felt a tug in her stomach. Maybe it was the way he was looking at her that made her feel like he was looking into her soul. Hopefully he didn't see how much she wanted to stay in his arms. Ochako licked her lips before tapping on Bakugou's arms to lift her up. He obliged and Ochako bit her lip.
"I'm gonna go to bed now," she said, pointing her thumb to the girl's sleeping area.
"Night," Bakugou whispered. Jirou watched the ground, blushing at their interaction. Ochako left quickly, hating herself for turning their innocent dancing awkward so fast. They'd been dancing for over a month. It shouldn't feel that intimate. Ochako couldn't think about it anymore or she'd cry in front of everyone.
After a long day of training, reading, and preparing for their expedition, it was time to head into the caves. It was slightly ominous as they waited outside the entrances. Dark storm clouds swirled around the mountain and they could hear lightning and thunder above them. The mountain seemed to shudder as multiple quirks activated higher up. Ochako covered her ears after a particularly earsplitting clap of thunder.
"What the fuck is happening up there?" Bakugou asked from behind Ochako.
"Maybe she's testing her quirk in different climates?" Ochako said, looking up at the commotion.
Bakugou clicked his tongue in an annoyed fashion. If he was going to say anything else, he didn't get the chance. Mr. Iida handed them what they'd need for the caves, including their emergency communicators.
"Bakugou and Uraraka, you're paired with Kouda and Ojiro," Mr. Iida announced. "Your objective is to work as a team to get through your cave system. Use the skills you have learned and do not hesitate to call for help."
There were several systems carved throughout the mountain, each with an exit on the opposite side. Depending on when your team exited, you would either head back to your previous area or head to the next destination up the mountain. Ochako and Bakugou met up with Kouda and Ojiro and headed into the cave with little idea of what to expect.
It was relatively boring at first. They didn't talk much for the first hour. Granted, Kouda and Ojiro weren't the most talkative people in the class but they looked nervous. It was eerily quiet as Bakugou led the way. The cave walls seemed to ebb and flow as the students looked around with their headlamps. Ochako wasn't one to be claustrophobic but this was intense. She had to keep reminding herself that they could turn around if things got bad. Their parents had approved of this. It was safe.
"Did--did I ever tell anyone that I have a fear of confinement?" Ojiro gulped.
"There's probably a lot of bugs in here," Kouda whispered.
"Shut up, you'll be fine," Bakugou snapped.
"This is going to be a long night if we don't try to talk to them," Ochako whispered to Bakugou. "They're trying to ease the tension."
"What tension? This is like--reverse mountain climbing," Bakugou said with a grunt as he climbed up a ledge. He held his hand out and helped her up. She took it gratefully.
"It'd be nice to at least acknowledge them."
"I thought we established that I'm not nice," Bakugou said, wiping his brow and moving forward. Ochako rolled her eyes and helped Kouda and Ojiro up. She felt bad that Bakugou wasn't keeping his tones hushed like she was.
"It's okay, Uraraka," Ojiro said reassuringly. "It's not like we expected Bakugou to hold a friendly conversation with us."
Ochako sighed but whatever she was going to say next was interrupted by Bakugou cursing loudly. It echoed throughout the cave and Kouda shivered in fear.
"You're not gonna like this, Tail," Bakugou said sourly.
Ojiro paled and tilted his body to see what Bakugou was talking about.
"There's no way I'm going through that," Ojiro whimpered.
"Guess that thing about facing your fears and being in the present is coming to bite you in the ass," Bakugou simply. "It's a crevice we're gonna have to crawl through," he told Ochako who was standing on her tippy toes to see what was behind him.
"Sue me for worrying about being crushed to death," Ojiro snapped and Bakugou raised his eyebrows in response.
"You're gonna be fine," Bakugou said. Ochako almost heard genuine sympathy in his voice.
"Yeah, the likelihood of that happening is so slim," Ochako reassured. Bakugou exhaled like he didn't want to speak.
"Nothing is gonna happen. If it does, Uraraka or I can get you out."
If Ochako wasn't trying to comfort Ojiro, her jaw would have dropped at his sudden change in behavior. Kouda covered his mouth and Ojiro looked at Bakugou like he had grown a second head. His fear of the crevice was replaced by shock that Bakugou offered to help him. Some color returned to his face. He took a deep breath and nodded, albeit with a grimace.
"Fine. Let's get it over with," Ojiro said as steadily as he could.
Bakugou and Ochako glanced at each other. It was obvious Ojiro wasn't okay. Ochako wondered if her quirk could help but if she applied it to the cave walls it wouldn't stop them from caving in unless she applied her quirk to the whole mountain. The weight above her application would move the rocks anyway.
"Take off your packs and push them in front of you," Bakugou told them, tearing his eyes away from her. "I'll go first. Then Uraraka, Rock-Face, Tail. Got it?"
Kouda nodded determinedly and Ojiro pursed his lips, trying to act tough.
"Thank you, Bakugou," Ojiro said.
"Don't get used to it," Bakugou said curtly as he lifted his bag into the crevice.
Ochako touched all of the group's packs so they'd be easier to move and then gave a thumbs up. Bakugou didn't take long to get through. She heard a tiny explosion, a thud, and a curse.
"There's a drop, Uraraka. Use your quirk when you get out," Bakugou called through the cave.
"I'll stick around and help you down," Ochako told Kouda and Ojiro. Ojiro sighed in relief.
"I don't know what I'd do without you right now," Ojiro said. Ochako smiled and hopped into the hole. Being the smallest of the group had its perks as the walls of the crevice were around ten centimeters from the sides of her body. She made it to the other end and inhaled the cave air. It was damp and cold. Ochako pushed her pack out and it hovered in the air. Part of her wondered where Bakugou's was but he probably dragged it down with him.
Suddenly, the cave shook and Ojiro screamed.
"Uraraka, get out of there," Bakugou said quickly. Ochako crawled as fast as she could as the cave rumbled. "I'm going to murder someone from Class 1-B!"
"What do we do?" Kouda asked in a panic.
"Stay where you are!" Bakugou shouted. Cracks began to appear in the walls next to Ochako. She was half way out. All she needed to do was push. "Hurry up!"
"I don't need to be screamed at right now!" Ochako shouted back as she slid out. The top of the crevice snapped and came crashing down, jutting at an odd angle. A few more seconds and Ochako would have been crushed. She couldn't have gone back if she tried. Ochako grabbed the edge of the hole and projected her voice to the other side. "You won't be able to get through!"
"That's fine," Ojiro said shakily.
"Bakugou shouldn't blast anything either," Kouda said so softly that Ochacko could barely hear him. "It could cause more damage."
"We'll turn around and go back," Ojiro called out. "We'll tell the teachers what happened. Just go forward. I'm sure if anything happens that Bakugou can't blast through that third year will be able to get you out. You know, the earth guy? The one that won the Sports Festival."
Ochako would rather die but the rest of his plan sounded manageable.
"Good thinking but we'll be fine," Ochako said with a small wave. "Bakugou and I have got this."
Ochako wondered if the weather girl's lightning strikes had caused this or if it was someone else in her class. Maybe it was whatever they were working on at the next campsite.
"Come on," Bakugou said, holding out his arms. "Worst case scenario apply your quirk again."
Ochako released and heard the crevice shift and crumble some more while she fell several feet into Bakugou's arms. Her pack landed with a loud boom next to them.
"Good catch," Ochako said quietly. Bakugou's eyes scanned her face for a couple seconds before he cleared his throat.
"We need to keep moving," he said tightly. "It was obviously some idiot on the mountain who caused the cave in. We can't risk one happening in front of us."
Ochako blinked a couple times as Bakugou set her down.
"Right," Ochako said softly and picked up her bag. She hurried forward to catch up. With each step, she became more aware that they were completely alone. It was the first time they were this alone since I-Island. Ochako missed being next to him without worrying about peering eyes or comments about what they were. The problem was they both knew they were keeping something from each other. She cursed internally at herself. This exercise was about being focused and present. Ochako couldn't break her resolution now.
When their feet couldn't walk anymore, the pair set up camp on a relatively level part of the cave near a small pool they'd have to cross tomorrow.
Bakugou set up his sleeping bag while Ochako ate some of her rations. Ochako watched him carefully as he focused on the task.
"You were making an effort," Ochako said quietly. Bakugou looked over at her before throwing his pillow down.
"So what?" Bakugou muttered. He grit his teeth and ripped open his pack to find his food for the night. She was proud of him. He had stepped out of his comfort zone. It made her heart swell.
"I'm just acknowledging that you did. You did a good job...and I'm thankful. I'm sure Kouda and Ojiro are too, even if they're not here."
"Whatever." Bakugou bit into his food and glared at the ceiling as he laid on his sleeping bag.
"I wonder if there are any bats," Ochako said, looking around. Her headlamp darted around the ceiling, looking for signs of movement. "Kouda would have been a big help with that."
Bakugou didn't respond. Ochako exhaled and started setting up her sleeping bag.
"You remember what you said at my house?" Bakugou asked quietly. He sat up, took off his headlamp and set it on the ground.
"Uh, I said a lot of things," Ochako chuckled anxiously, still not looking at him. This better not be about the way he smelled.
"About things always happening with us and we never get to relax around each other," Bakugou whispered. Ochako stopped chewing and took off her own headlamp.
"We're busy but it's not always true. We got to relax at I-Island. Pool days, dinner, games, bad movies," Ochako said.
"No, not like that," Bakugou growled. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled in frustration before digging around in his pack. Bakugou pulled out the instrument he had played when they were together that day. It had a different design and it was completely black but it was the same thing.
"You packed that?" Ochako asked.
"Needed something to do if I couldn't sleep. It's quiet."
"Are--are you still having nightmares?"
Bakugou shook his head.
"Can't seem to relax," he clarified.
"We can relax now if you want," Ochako offered. Bakugou took a deep breath before starting to play.
Ochako laid on top of her bag and listened to the soft music echo throughout the cave. It was peaceful. The cold air mixed with the tinkling of the instrument made Ochako shiver.
"Can I sit next to you? It's really cold," Ochako asked. Bakugou nodded and Ochako crawled over to him. She sat between his legs and he wrapped his arms around her so he could continue playing. Ochako leaned her head against his arm and soaked in his warmth. It was just what she needed after a long day. He stopped playing after several minutes and set the kalimba on the ground.
"Are you relaxed now?" Ochako asked quietly.
"No," Bakugou said. "I'm tired. My mind won't shut up and sleep is the perfect gag." Ochako hesitated but decided to say what she had been telling herself all day.
"Be in the present, Bakugou. Everything that happened is over and we won't know what will happen next."
"You sound like a fortune cookie," Bakugou said roughly.
"It's true, though. That's the whole point of this, right?"
Bakugou didn't respond. The silence was horrible to bear.
"Sleep. I want to be moving as soon as possible," Bakugou finally answered.
Ochako started to move away but as soon as her skin touched the cave floor she hesitated. She couldn't deny that part of her had thought that they might sleep together again tonight when they ended up alone together. It was stupid. Of course, they wouldn't. Things had been different at I-Island. It was a vacation. They had only had one bed. He was struggling then, however much he didn't want to admit it. The whole situation had been different.
Her mind replayed how Bakugou's face had looked when he slept next to her. She never thought she'd describe him as soft but he had been next to her. Ochako couldn't get herself to crawl back to her sleeping bag. It would be so much warmer if she slept in Bakugou's arms.
The cold air of the cave did not help sway Ochako's mind. She heard Bakugou behind her move as he unzipped his sleeping bag.
"The cold is brutal," Bakugou said stoically. Ochako looked back at him and he was eyeing her warily.
The unasked question hung in the air. Ochako closed her eyes tightly and went for it.
"Do you want to-?"
"Yes," Bakugou interrupted.
Ochako opened her eyes in shock. Her voice didn't work right now. She was worried if she talked and seemed too overjoyed he'd think she was crazy. It certainly felt like she was. Ochako turned off both headlamps before she wiggled into the cocoon of fabric.
"Better this way. We'll be able to sleep," Bakugou said roughly as she got comfortable. Her feet touched his legs and Bakugou hissed. "Your skin is fucking ice!"
"Sorry," Ochako squeaked. It was all she could get out right now.
He zipped up the sleeping bag around them and shifted his body so that he could wrap his arms around her and weave a leg through hers. Ochako heard him breathe out slowly and felt his head lean on the top of hers. She hadn't felt this happy in a while.
Bakugou tightened his grip around her, pressing Ochako to his body and Ochako almost moaned. Her eyes widened at her body's reaction and she buried her face into Bakugou's chest in embarrassment.
His breathing stopped for a second before falling back into its natural rhythm. Ochako chewed on her lip before closing her eyes and breathing him in like she had at I-Island. It was the smell of her dreams. The one that she was beginning to crave for different reasons than before. She forgot everything that was happening in the world and everything that she was supposed to be worrying about. Ochako was in a separate state of mind in his arms. A sense of calm washed over her with the feeling that everything would work out. They'd still be friends after camp, they'd stop the abductions, find Shigaraki, ace school, and take care of their friends and family. She sighed contentedly and rubbed her feet against his leg. It made Bakugou flinch and curse under his breath.
It was just Ochako and Bakugou together in the dark. She didn't want this moment to end. However, like everything, it could not last forever.
After sleeping better than she had for almost two weeks, Ochako woke up slowly and for a second thought she was still sleeping since it was pitch black. The level of darkness didn't change if she had her eyes open or closed. She shifted in the sleeping bag and Bakugou grunted before stretching his arms out.
"What the fuck?" Bakugou asked and ignited his palms for some light. "Uraraka…"
"Hmm?" Ochako responded, stretching her legs with her eyes closed.
"You didn't wear your gloves," Bakugou said in a monotone voice.
Ochako's eyes snapped open and she squeaked upon seeing the ceiling illuminated by the sparks in Bakugou's hands.
They were still inside the sleeping bag and Bakugou looked down at her with a look of amusement. Ochako smiled widely in hopes that it would distract from the blush that was spreading across her cheeks.
"I'll get us down," Ochako mumbled. She untangled her arms from his body and pushed on the ceiling. They floated down towards the cave floor and when they were close enough to the ground she released.
They landed in a heap with Ochako on top of Bakugou who grimaced as he was hit with weight on both sides of him.
"Sorry," Ochako whispered. She wiggled off of him, unzipping the bag as she went. Ochako felt around the floor and turned on one of the headlamps. Bakugou sat up and rubbed his neck. They both closed their eyes tightly at the source of light.
"Eat some food. We need to start walking," Bakugou said as he started rolling up his sleeping bag.
"At least you can say you've slept on the ceiling now," Ochako joked. "Bet a lot of people can't say that."
Bakugou gave her a questioning look and shook his head.
"Why would I tell people that?" Bakugou asked.
Ochako shrugged.
"Fun fact?"
" Tch ."
"Did you sleep well?" Ochako asked as she nibbled on a protein bar. Bakugou didn't respond for a couple seconds.
"You talk in your sleep," he finally said.
Ochako tried to keep from freaking out.
"What'd I say?" Ochako asked, forcing a chuckle. She had slept so hard she couldn't remember her dreams. However, since she was sleeping next to Bakugou, it didn't take a genius to figure out what they were about.
"My name a few times," Bakugou said. Ochako's worst fears were confirmed. Would it be too obvious if she turned the light off so he couldn't see her face?
He pulled his pack to him and turned away from her to rummage for food.
"It woke me up a couple times. Thought something was happening," he added.
"Anything else?" Ochako asked, playing it off as cool as she could.
"No," Bakugou said tightly. "Everything else was gibberish." Ochako gulped.
"Dreams are so weird," Ochako said off-handedly. "I don't remember what it was about." It wasn't a lie, which was good because Bakugou would know. He nodded and spoke in a low tone.
"Yeah. Brains are shit like that."
They packed up, ate, then floated across the cave water. Ochako was not going in freezing water again during camp. They walked for a bit with small conversations here and there. Unfortunately for Ochako, Bakugou was deep in thought. She didn't want to interrupt him, especially after he'd suffered broken sleep and likely a sore back from sleeping with her on the ceiling.
It wasn't like Bakugou to not pay attention to his surroundings. Maybe it was tiredness, maybe it was the fact that they only had headlamps to light their way. Maybe it was because he was leading so he found all the obstacles the cave dealt them first. Whatever it was, Ochako certainly wasn't expecting him to curse loudly and crumple to the ground in front of her.
"Bakugou!"
Bakugou laid on his back, rocking back and forth while holding his head and cursed again.
"Let me see," Ochako told him.
"I'm fine!"
"Bakugou!"
"You're so fucking pushy!" Bakugou removed his hand to reveal a large, bleeding gash on his forehead. A bruise was already forming around it. Ochako looked up and saw the culprit. An oddly shaped rock jutted from the ceiling in the perfect spot to catch Bakugou off guard. She spotted a small mark of blood on it.
"Let me clean it and we'll keep moving," Ochako said as she removed her pack to search for her first aid kit.
"I said I'm fine."
"I need to stop the bleeding or it's gonna get in your eye."
Bakugou huffed, took off his headlamp, and wiped some blood off his forehead angrily. Ochako found the kit and got out the supplies she'd need. She knelt next to Bakugou and unwrapped the alcohol wipe.
"This'll probably sting."
"Just do it."
Bakugou clenched his jaw as Ochako gingerly cleaned the gash.
"I'm not made of glass," Bakugou said. His eyes locked with hers.
"I know. I still don't want to hurt you."
"How many times do I have to say I'm fine?" Bakugou asked with frustration.
"I don't know. How long will it take you to realize that I'm going to take care of you no matter what you say?" Ochako asked.
Bakugou shut his mouth and furrowed his brow causing him to wince.
"Super fine," Ochako said sarcastically, a smile tugging on the corner of her lips. After the wound was cleaned, she opened up some antibacterial ointment just in case. He'd cut it on a rock in a cave after all.
Her fingers carefully touched the cut, spreading the gel quickly so she could put the bandage on.
"I'm gonna use the gauze and wrap it because it's pretty big."
"Don't waste it. I'll go see Recovery Girl."
Ochako looked down at him and shook her head.
"We don't know how far the end is. I'm going to do what I need to do."
Ochako wiped her blood and medicine-covered fingers on her shorts, ripped off some gauze and held it in place as she wrapped his head.
Bakugou looked down at the cave floor as she worked. The only sounds were their breathing and the soft unraveling of the bandages. Her fingers touched the hair near his temples and Bakugou closed his eyes.
"You okay?" Ochako asked quietly. Bakugou nodded, opening his eyes slowly and shifting his shoulders as if he were uncomfortable. Ochako finished up and stared at Bakugou's face in the light of the headlamp. He refused to meet her eyes.
"If only I had been in front, right?" Ochako said with a smile. Bakugou shook his head.
"You're short. Still would've got me. Shouldn't have been in my head."
"What were you thinking about?"
"Doesn't matter. Should've seen it."
"Well, I'm all done," Ochako said. Bakugou must be tired to let his thoughts get in the way. Ochako couldn't explain her thought process on why she felt the need to do what she did next. It was almost involuntary. She kissed two fingers and touched the bandage softly. "Final touch."
"That's stupid," Bakugou said, his eyes finally meeting her. "I'm not five."
"And I'm not Recovery Girl. I don't expect it to heal you. It's supposed to make you feel better." Ochako turned her face away from him to hide the blush. She pushed the thought out of her mind that this was the closest she could get to kissing him.
"Whatever."
Bakugou stood up and threw his headlamp into his bag.
"I'll lead," Ochako told him as she packed up her things. They walked for another twenty minutes before Bakugou broke the silence.
"Thank you," he muttered.
"You're welcome," Ochako responded with a smile. "It's kind of my fault so I'm glad it wasn't worse."
"Why do you always think everything is your fault?" Bakugou asked, barely containing his annoyance.
"I woke you up," Ochako said quickly, stopping their trek to face him.
"For like two seconds. Last night was the best sleep I've had in ages."
"But you said-"
"I said you talk in your sleep."
"We were on the ceiling!"
"Yeah, so?"
"You're impossible!" Ochako said, throwing up her hands. "Why were you so distracted then?"
"It doesn't matter," he said firmly. Ochako realized from his tone that it wasn't to be discussed anymore.
"Did I mention that you're impossible?" Ochako asked jokingly to break the tension.
"Yeah."
Ochako laughed at his response and started walking again. She heard a small chuckle come from behind her.
It was only a few steps later that the path split.
"I got this," Bakugou said quietly. He stepped forward and let off a small explosion, watching the slight breeze carry it in the direction they needed to go. Ochako was hopeful that they were close to the end since it was an uphill climb.
"Almost there," Ochako said happily.
"Eager to get rid of me?" Bakugou asked.
"You need to see Recovery Girl. If it were up to me we'd spend another night here."
"Really?" Bakugou asked. His playful attitude morphing into surprise.
"Yeah--it's going to be really cold up on that mountain and I can't exactly cuddle up to you for warmth with prying eyes."
"I hate that word."
"Well, like it or not, you and I cuddled. You're gonna have to live with that."
Ochako certainly had to. She didn't acknowledge that she wanted to stay alone with Bakugou and revisit them relaxing without their classmates weighing in. They rounded a corner and saw sunlight emitting from a crevice to their right.
"We did it!" Ochako said excitedly.
"Back to the real world," Bakugou muttered. Ochako's heart fluttered. He wasn't one for words like Ochako but he had enjoyed being alone with her. She took what she could get.
They hurried as fast as they could to the exit and squinted as the sun hit them.
"Thank goodness you're okay," All Might said, standing up from his chair. "Your teammates explained what happened. Iida is talking with Kan right now. Are you okay, Young Bakugou?"
"I'm fine! Are we going back to camp or up the mountain?" Bakugou asked, ignoring everything else All Might said.
"We're going to Recovery Girl first," Ochako clarified. Bakugou clenched his fists. All Might looked at Bakugou with concern before he sighed.
"Hike up the mountain. You might be slightly ahead but we're staying at another Refresh Station tonight. You won't miss it."
Ochako perked up at that. She looked forward to taking a real shower and sleeping inside.
"Thank you, All Might," Ochako said with a small bow. "Everything went well so don't worry about us."
All Might nodded as Bakugou grabbed Ochako's wrist and marched away from him.
"Hey, he was worried. You could at least--"
"I--said--I'm--fine. What more do you people want!?" Bakugou shouted.
Ochako tore her wrist away from him and grabbed the strap of her pack.
"Those 'people' care about you," Ochako said. "What happened between you and All Might?"
It was a question she had wanted to know since the beginning of camp but it wasn't a priority with everything else she was dealing with. Bakugou looked behind her, obviously staring at his childhood hero.
"Nothing."
"Please-"
"He did nothing," Bakugou reiterated.
Ochako hesitated before she spoke.
"He can't do much, Bakugou. If you're feeling left behind-"
Bakugou scoffed at the idea.
"-you should tell him," she finished.
"I don't give a shit."
"Don't lie," Ochako said gently.
"Well, I'm sure as fuck not going to tell him . I'll be fine. I've got people I can actually rely on."
Bakugou's eyes pierced through her and Ochako's chest tightened. That was quite the 'Bakugou compliment' she'd received.
"Let's go get you a kiss that'll do a better job than mine," Ochako said, moving forward. Bakugou shrugged.
"I wouldn't say you kissed me. Fingers don't count."
"That's probably why it didn't work," Ochako chuckled.
"If it had, I'd have to ask you where you got the third quirk from."
"Third?" Ochako asked with a tilt of her head.
"Yeah, remember? Your second is getting guys to fall asleep on you. You use it a lot. Take last night for example."
"Hey!" Ochako protested and shoved him playfully. "If I recall, you didn't even let me finish asking my question last night. Someone was impatient to be next to me."
"You wish," Bakugou said like it was the most ridiculous idea ever. "I hate being cold. Would've slept with anyone."
"Even Mineta?" Ochako asked.
Bakugou's face turned serious as he pondered it.
"No--he's too small to bring much warmth and then I'd have to live with that for the rest of my life. I'd rather freeze for a night."
Ochako laughed and began making up scenarios of what would happen if Bakugou slept with other people from their class. Bakugou even laughed at some of them. She had to do it. If she didn't distract herself with silly stories of Bakugou sleeping with other people, she'd dwell on sleeping with him last night. The memory would play on loop and Ochako would be consumed by it.
She needed to savor every moment while she could.
"Alright, now listen, I think you and Kirishima would make great cuddle buddies," Ochako began but spiraled into a fit of giggles at Bakugou's expression.
Chapter End Notes
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