A/N: I remember I really liked writing this chapter, hehe...

There's slight foreshadowing for how I'm planning Bakutomi's development, so if you catch it, kudos to you :3

Art -

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[Ch. 40] Add /02cponwbxq2j to the DeviantArt Stash URL.

Mina and the other girls had invited Hitomi to hang out with them down in the common area that night, and instead of staying cooped up in her room, she'd decided to join them.

She sat at the edge of the four-seater couch, listening to the others talk about the grueling day they'd just had.

"Hitomi-chan, how have your moves been going?" Hagakure asked.

"Hm? Oh, pretty well, actually! I struggled for the first few days, but after some advice from All Might, I was able to come up with some stuff! I'm pretty proud of them."

"Your moves are named after spacey stuff, right?" Mina asked. "That's perfect for your hero theme!"

Hitomi blushed at the praise. "Thanks."

Hagakure turned to Tsuyu next. "What about you, Tsuyu-chan?"

"I've perfected a move even more frog-like than before. I'm sure even you'll be surprised, Tooru-chan."

The invisible girl turned to the brunette at the end of their couch, who was sipping her drink and seemingly lost in thought. "What about you, Ochako-chan?"

Uraraka didn't answer, making Tsuyu poke her shoulder. "Ochako-chan?"

The brunette jolted, nearly dropping her drink as she looked at Tsuyu in surprise.

"You seem tired," the frog girl said.

"Oh, no, I'm not tired at all!" Uraraka stuttered, pumping her fists. "I'm just getting started! …At least, that's how it's supposed to be, but, how do I put it…?" Hitomi noticed her blush before she continued. "Recently, my heart's been feeling all stirred up…"

"IT'S LOVE!" Mina exclaimed.

Uraraka's face turned an even darker shade of red as she waved her hands around rapidly, reminding Hitomi of when the brunette had done the same thing during final exams.

"Wh-What?! Glove? Shove? Dove? I don't know what you're talking about!"

Hitomi smiled to herself as Mina pestered Uraraka about who it was she liked.

It was cute. She wondered what it'd be like to be in love.

Well, minus the embarrassment…

She thought back to elementary school, remembering a boy she knew with unruly brown hair and a mischievous smile. It wasn't "love", given she was just a kid, but she'd definitely had a puppy crush on him back then. The embarrassment and fluttery nerves were something she could definitely do without now, though.

Hitomi tuned back into the conversation when she heard Uraraka's voice from above, realizing her friend had made herself float. She made eye contact with Uraraka from her seat, Hitomi's face shifting into an innocent smile that Uraraka just knew had more meaning behind it.

"Wh-Why are you looking at me like that, Hitomi-chan?!"

"Hm? What are you talking about, Uraraka? I just think it's cute, is all."

Hitomi had a glint in her eye, giving off a look of pure, utter knowing that Uraraka realized at least one person was aware of who she liked. At least, if she actually liked anyone. Obviously.

"Well, how about you, Hitomi-chan?!" Uraraka was desperate to make the conversation go anywhere else, wanting to get everyone off her back about a crush she definitely did not have.

Her question caught the bluenette off-guard, her innocent-but-knowing look on her face shifting into one of confusion.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Uh-" Uraraka wracked her brain for someone, anyone, who seemed to be spending a lot more time than usual with Hitomi, or anyone who had given her special attention lately. She finally came up with a face, recalling Hitomi's birthday. "Todoroki!" Uraraka exclaimed, pointing at her from her place in the air. "He gave you that really nice and expensive necklace for your birthday! It had to be at least 87,000 yen! (~$800.)"

A look of indifference appeared on Hitomi's face, unimpressed with Uraraka's answer. "What? Okay, first of all, please don't make me think about how much that necklace costs. Second of all, he said he didn't know what to get me, so he just ended up getting something pretty. Besides, I don't spend nearly as much time around him as you, Midoriya, and Iida do."

"Hey, that reminds me," Mina cut in, turning from Uraraka to Hitomi. Uraraka sighed as the attention finally shifted away from her, some movement by the window catching her eye.

"I know you said you wouldn't wear Todoroki's necklace unless it was for special events, but what about those earrings Bakugou got you?" Mina asked.

Hitomi practically took a spit take, even though she wasn't even drinking anything. "Huh?!"

"It's been several weeks already since he gave them to you and I've never seen you wear them!"

Hitomi scratched the back of her neck nervously, averting her eyes. "Well, I- uh- I just haven't found the chance to wear them yet."

"But those earrings were so pretty, Hitomi-chan!" Hagakure protested. She suddenly gasped, her clothes shifting as she leaned forward. "Don't tell me you threw them away?!"

"No! Why would I do that?! The receipt he left in the box said those things cost nearly 4,900 yen! (~$45.) It'd be a waste to throw them…! Besides, why is that even a conclusion you'd jump to?!"

"Then, are you saving those for special events too?" Jirou asked. "Or did you leave them at home?"

Hitomi sighed, scratching her head. "No...they're up in my room, actually. And I'm not saving them for special events, either. It's just…" Hitomi felt her face burn as everyone, save for Uraraka, who was staring at a certain someone out the window, awaited her answer.

"...it'd be embarrassing if he saw me wearing them.

And I especially can't wear them now that we're all living together! He already sees me as nerdy and dorky enough… Imagine if he saw how much I'd fawn over something as small as earrings. If he saw me with them on and saw how much I loved those things, he'd definitely make fun of me for it! And I really don't need that right now with the license exam coming up…"

"Speaking of the exam," Yaoyorozu said as she rose from her seat, "we have an early start tomorrow, so we should turn in for the night."

"Awww, but I wanted to talk more…" Mina complained, but gave in to Yaoyorozu's suggestion to head to bed anyway.

"I'll get Uraraka down so she doesn't hurt herself," Hitomi said, waving to the others as they headed to the elevators.

"Uraraka!" Hitomi called to the floating brunette, finally breaking her trance from the window. "We're heading to bed now."

"Uh, right…!" Uraraka's eyes bugged out as she finally saw how high she'd floated, nearly touching the ceiling. "Um… a little help…?"

"Of course, silly." Hitomi made a small force field platform, floating it up until it was right underneath Uraraka so she could release her quirk. The brunette tried to quell her blush as Hitomi's force field brought her down to the ground, until Hitomi whispered something in her ear that made all the blood come rushing back to her cheeks.

"Sorry if I've been teasing you too much, but your crush on Midoriya's safe with me."

"Wha- WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, HITOMIIIII?!" Uraraka yelled, dashing up the stairs to her room like a madman. Hitomi was left alone in the common area, staring at the dust trail her friend had left behind.

She's in so much denial…

She sighed, making her way to the kitchen for a glass of water before she went to sleep. As she was pouring her glass, she heard someone coming down the stairs, paying no mind to them as she took a sip of her water.

"If you really like those earrings so much, then just wear them, damn."

Hitomi took a real spit take this time, choking on her water and coughing as she recognized the voice.

"Bakugou?!" she yelled when she finally got rid of the water stuck in her throat. "I thought you went to sleep already!"

"I did, but you all are so damn loud it woke me up and now I'm thirsty."

"You heard us? Oh, crap, I'm so sorry-" She stopped, remembering what he'd said when he first entered the kitchen. "Wait- YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID ABOUT THE EARRINGS?!"

"You really shouldn't yell at night when people are asleep, dumbass," Bakugou said, grabbing his own cup. "Sounds are a lot easier to hear when it's quiet."

"So… you heard what I said…?"

"Yeah, I did," he snorted with a roll of his eyes. "You all are fucking noisy."

Hitomi watched him as water filled his glass, looking for any signs he was irked or annoyed. She'd been waiting for the right chance to wear the earrings, because no way in hell would she wear them to school, nor anywhere classmates could potentially see her. If they saw, they'd notice it was the ones Bakugou had gotten her. And if they noticed, they'd point it out.

The moment she saw the earrings they instantly became her favorite pair, but it wasn't like anyone needed to know that.

"Look," Hitomi sighed, "I'm sorry if you're mad about me not wearing them. I really do actually like the earrings..."

Aw, man. This is embarrassing…

"If you want to wear them, just wear them. As if I'd waste my time making fun of you for it."

He took a swig of his water, walking to the sink to wash his cup after finishing his drink. "I spent way too long looking for something I actually thought you'd wear, so you better fucking wear it if you actually like it. Don't let it go to waste like that damn Todoroki's necklace…"

Hitomi fiddled with her cup as Bakugou dropped his glass onto the drying rack, her silver eyes staring at the water that was still filling her cup.

"I'll… wear them the next time I go out."

Bakugou was silent as he made his way to the elevator, hardly sparing her a glance as it took him up to his floor.

A/N: I've got some announcements to make.

First of all, IPP's upload schedule may change. By which I mean, I may start uploading twice a week! I'm currently writing what may be the ending chapters, so IPP might finally have a set end. If I do start doing this twice a week, it won't always be consistent, though. I'll only do biweekly uploads whenever I can stay ahead in chapter art.

Second of all, I'll be writing side stories for Hitomi! It's going to be separate from this fic so it doesn't mess with the flow or pacing, but there's some scenarios and holiday specials I would like to write. If I'm able to, I might be able to start the side stories beginning with Halloween next week!

That's all!