hold on, are we in a romance anime??
synopsis: two painfully oblivious idiots keep finding themselves in increasingly romantic situations that look suspiciously like scenes from a shoujo anime. while their friends place bets on when they’ll finally realize they’re in love, the pair survive mutual pining and jealous misunderstandings, they’re forced to confront the horrifying possibility that they might actually be the main couple.
the first time you met katsuki bakugo, he almost blew you up.
in your defense, you had no idea the angry blonde stomping through the crowded hallway was ua’s resident menace. in his defense- actually, no, there was no defense for shoulder-checking someone hard enough to send your papers flying across the floor.
“watch where you’re going, dumbass.”
you stared up at him from the ground, worksheets scattered everywhere.
red eyes narrowed. “and?” the hallway suddenly went quiet.
someone nearby whispered, “oh my god.” another muttered, “someone’s about to die.”
you looked back at the boy towering over you. spiky ash blond hair. ua uniform half unbuttoned. an expression that suggested he hated humanity personally.
walking anger management violation.
you picked up a paper slowly. “wow. you’re even ruder in person.”
the hallway collectively inhaled. bakugo’s eye twitched. “the hell did you say to me?”
“you got a death wish or something?”
“depends,” you replied. “are you always this obnoxious before eight in the morning, or am i special?”
someone choked in the background. tiny sparks crackled in his palm as he stepped closer. “you wanna fight?”
“not particularly. but if you’re offering.”
there was a beat of silence before another voice cut in. “YOOOOO.” eijiro kirishima appeared out of nowhere looking way too excited. “bakubro, are you beefing with the new transfer student already?”
“they started it.” you blinked. “you literally ran into me.”
“you were standing in my way!”
“which is where people usually stand. kirishima made a strangled laugh while bakugo looked seconds away from committing a felony.
you finally stood, brushing off your uniform. bakugo was annoyingly tall up close, which made glaring at him less intimidating than you wanted.
his eyes flicked toward your papers. combat analysis notes. “you’re in the hero course?” he asked skeptically.
“unfortunately.” he scoffed. “you don’t look strong.”
“and you look unpleasant. crazy how first impressions work.”
kirishima actually wheezed. bakugo’s palm popped with another tiny explosion. “say that again.”
“kacchan,” a tired voice sighed. izuku midoriya stepped through the crowd already looking exhausted. “it’s eight in the morning.”
“tell them to stop talking.”
“you’re the one threatening people!”
“because they’re annoying!” you crossed your arms. “you know i’m still standing right here, right?”
bakugo pointed at you dramatically. “SEE?” midoriya looked apologetic. “i’m really sorry about him.”
“don’t apologize for me, damn nerd.”
“you shoulder-checked them.”
“barely,” you muttered. bakugo heard you anyway.“you got something to say?”
“several things, actually.”
“you seem emotionally exhausting.” the hallway erupted into whispers. someone muttered, “they’re either gonna kill each other or get married.” you snorted before you could stop yourself.
bakugo looked genuinely offended by the sound. “what’s so funny?”
“nothing,” you said, grinning slightly. “you just take yourself really seriously.”
his expression somehow got worse. “you wanna see serious?”
“kacchan,” midoriya said carefully, “please don’t explode the transfer student.”
“wow,” you deadpanned. “ua’s future number one hero everybody.” before bakugo could respond, the warning bell rang overhead. the crowd scattered instantly, clearly used to evacuating dangerous situations. kirishima grabbed bakugo’s shoulder. “c’mon, class.”
bakugo shrugged him off without looking away from you once. his eye contact was weirdly intense. like a feral cat deciding whether to attack. “this conversation isn’t over,” he said.
“you better hope you can.”
“are all your threats this dramatic?”
“ARE YOU ALWAYS THIS ANNOYING?”
his eye twitched again. kirishima physically dragged him backward before he could explode at you again. “nice meeting you!” kirishima called.
“debatable!” you yelled back. bakugo pointed aggressively while being hauled down the hallway. “i’m gonna crush you at training!”
“STOP SOUNDING SO CALM ABOUT IT!” you watched them disappear before glancing down at the singed edge of one worksheet. “…wow,” you muttered. “he really is insane.”
“you have no idea,” uraraka sighed beside you.
“unfortunately, yes.” she paused. “usually people avoid arguing with him, though.”
“why?” she stared at you. “…because he’s terrifying?” you considered that. “hm.”
uraraka blinked. “that’s your response?”
“i mean,” you said slowly, “he seems really easy to irritate.” from somewhere far down the hallway came a distant shout: “I HEARD THAT.”
that sounded like a him problem.
the realization happens three days after your first fight with bakugo. three exhausting, irritating days of accidentally running into him everywhere.
it starts in combat training when he blasts past you hard enough to nearly knock you over without even LOOKING at you. then at lunch when he steals the last spicy curry bun directly off your tray because “you were standing there too long.” then during quirk assessment when he loudly tells kirishima your fighting stance “looks stupid,” while staring directly at you the entire time.
loud, aggressive, arrogant-
and somehow impossible to ignore.
“you’re glaring again,” uraraka says from beside you in homeroom.
you snap your notebook shut. “he started it.”
across the classroom, bakugo is halfway out of his seat yelling at kaminari for touching his gauntlet. ash-blond hair messy, eyes sharp and wild, hands already sparking dangerously. you look away immediately. unfortunately, uraraka notices that too.
she looks way too entertained suddenly. “i just think it’s funny how much attention you pay to him.”
“you knew exactly where he was without turning around.”
“everyone knows where he is. he yells every five seconds.”
which is true. probably. hopefully.
before uraraka can say anything else, aizawa walks in looking half-dead as usual. “training exercise,” he says flatly. “pairs.” the room immediately explodes into noise. you sit up a little straighter.
please not bakugo. please not bakugo. please not-
you physically stop breathing. somewhere behind you, kaminari bursts out laughing.
“YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME,” bakugo barks at the exact same time you say, “seriously?”
aizawa doesn’t even blink. “problem?”
“yes,” both of you answer instantly.
twenty minutes later, you’re standing in the middle of training ground beta while bakugo looks like he’d rather launch himself into the sun than cooperate with you. “don’t slow me down,” he says immediately.
“i wasn’t planning on it.”
his eyes narrow. “you always talk this much?”
“only around people i hate.”
you should probably stop arguing. instead, you glare harder. the exercise starts with mock villains scattered through the training zone. objective: rescue civilians while neutralizing threats.
except working with bakugo is like trying to survive a natural disaster. he charges ahead recklessly, explosions echoing through the buildings while you scramble after him yelling things like “WATCH THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE” and “YOU CANNOT JUST BLOW UP THE STAIRS.”
“worked, didn’t it?” he shoots back.
“that civilian mannequin is missing an arm!”
“IT IS LITERALLY THE ASSIGNMENT.” he grins at that. actually grins. it catches you off guard enough that you nearly trip over broken concrete.
it changes his entire face.
you hate that you notice. you hate it even more when he notices you noticing. his smirk sharpens instantly. “what? you got a staring problem?”
“yeah? kinda looks like it.” your face gets hot for absolutely no reason. thankfully, another mock villain appears before he can say anything else.
the next ten minutes are chaos. surprisingly effective chaos, unfortunately. you fall into rhythm faster than expected. you block attacks while he goes on offense. he blasts openings through obstacles while you handle evacuations. every time one of you moves, the other somehow adjusts automatically.
at one point, a support beam collapses above you without warning. you barely have time to react before an explosion detonates overhead. debris scatters everywhere. bakugo is suddenly in front of you, one arm raised protectively while smoke curls through the air around him.
“watch it,” he snaps. your brain completely short-circuits. because-
he protected you. bakugo looks down at you, red eyes sharp. “you deaf or something?”
he stares. you stare back. then his expression twists immediately into irritation. “quit looking at me like that.”
“i’m not looking at you weird!”
your heartbeat feels strangely loud. why is your heartbeat loud?
before you can figure out an answer, the exercise buzzer rings overhead signaling the end of training. you step back immediately. bakugo scoffs and turns away first. “tch. we still could’ve done better.”
“you literally blew up half the building.”
“AND?” you should be annoyed. you ARE annoyed.
but as he stalks off toward the exit with smoke still rising from his palms, something uncomfortable settles heavily in your chest.
because now you’re noticing things.
the way he moves during fights.
the way his confidence fills a room.
the way he keeps looking at you like challenging you is the highlight of his day.
that realization might be worse than actually fighting him.
the problem starts when another class starts flirting with you. more specifically, when a third year named miyata leans against your desk after lunch with an easy grin and says, “you’re the transfer student everyone’s talking about, right?”
you glance up from your notes. “…depends. are they saying good things?” miyata laughs. across the classroom, Katsuki Bakugo looks up immediately. not because he cares.
it’s because the extra standing near your desk is being loud. that’s all.
“mostly,” miyata says. “i heard you survived arguing with bakugo your first day here.” you snort softly. “survived is a generous word.”
“i’m impressed.” he smiles. “most people avoid him.”
“most people are smarter than me.” bakugo’s pencil snaps clean in half. the room goes silent. “…dude,” Denki Kaminari whispers. “that was terrifying.” bakugo scowls at the broken pencil in his hand like it insulted him personally. “cheap garbage,” he mutters.
meanwhile, miyata keeps talking to you like there isn’t a ticking bomb three rows away. “there’s a training exhibition this weekend,” he says. “you should come watch the third years.”
“depends,” you reply. “will it be entertaining?”
“if i’m there? definitely.” you laugh lightly. bakugo’s second pencil cracks. kirishima slowly turns toward him. “…you good, bro?”
“fine.” another crack. “…you just broke a third pencil.”
kirishima glances between bakugo and your desk. then he slowly grins.
“bakugo,” he says carefully, “are you jealous?” the tiny explosion that follows is small but emotionally devastating. “I DON’T CARE.”
half the class ducks instinctively. you glance over at the smoke curling from bakugo’s desk. “everything okay over there?”
miyata raises an eyebrow. “he always this intense?”
“unfortunately.” bakugo’s eye twitches immediately. again. why did you keep saying things like that with that amused little smile? and why was this idiot extra still standing so close to you?
“anyway,” miyata says, leaning closer now, “i could show you around campus sometime. unless you’re busy.”
there’s a loud crunching sound. everyone turns. bakugo is crushing his water bottle with one hand. complete silence. “bro,” kaminari whispers. “he’s actually losing it.”
you narrow your eyes slightly at bakugo from across the room.
he’d been acting strange since training yesterday. somehow even more aggressive than usual, which honestly felt impressive considering his personality already resembled an active war zone.
your attention shifts back toward miyata. “sure,” you say casually. “i don’t mind.”
bakugo stands up so abruptly his chair screeches across the floor. everyone jumps.
“i’m going to training,” he announces aggressively. kaminari blinks. “class literally starts in two minutes.”
“aizawa’s gonna erase your quirk again.”
then he storms toward the door. it slams hard enough to shake the classroom walls. silence. miyata watches the closed door for a second. “…did i just witness a divorce?” you immediately choke on your own spit.
across the room, kirishima has to physically sit down because he’s laughing too hard. “OH MY GOD,” kaminari wheezes.
“you guys are making this weird,” you say instantly.
“we’re making it weird?” kaminari repeats.
“bakugo just rage quit the classroom because another guy talked to you.”
“that is not why he left.”
“then why’d he leave?” you hesitate. “…because he’s insane?”
the class considers that carefully. “…okay,” kirishima admits finally. “that’s also possible.”
the first sign something’s wrong is that you don’t argue with Katsuki Bakugo in the morning. which, unfortunately, is noticeable immediately.
“move,” bakugo snaps while passing your desk. normally, you’d insult him. instead, you just shift your chair without looking up. bakugo slows. “…the hell?”
you’re slumped over your desk, cheek pressed against your arms, eyes half-lidded. you look awful. “why do you look like that?” he asks.
your voice sounds rough enough that several heads turn. from nearby, uraraka frowns. “y/n, are you okay?”
“that was not convincing,” midoriya says carefully. you lift your head slightly and immediately regret it when the room spins. “…okay maybe i’m a little sick.”
“a little?” kaminari blurts. “you look like a victorian child.”
“thank you,” you mumble. bakugo’s still staring.
class starts. you survive maybe thirty minutes before your headache becomes unbearable. even taking notes feels exhausting. aizawa pauses mid-lecture. “…why do you look glassy-eyed.”
“you almost fell asleep sitting up.”
“multitasking.” aizawa sighs. “go to recovery girl.”
“that wasn’t a suggestion.” you groan quietly and stand. immediately, dizziness slams into you hard enough to make you stumble. before you hit the floor, someone grabs your arm roughly. “watch it,” bakugo mutters. the class goes silent. you blink at his hand around your sleeve. bakugo realizes what he’s doing and lets go immediately.
“…thanks,” you say slowly.
“you literally stopped me from eating shit.”
“should’ve aimed better then.”
“you’re unbelievably bad at being nice.”
you snort weakly before heading for the door. behind you, bakugo watches until you disappear into the hallway. kirishima notices instantly. “…dude.”
“you kinda did,” kaminari says. bakugo glares. “keep talking and i’ll kill both of you.”
recovery girl takes one look at you and sighs. turns out you have a fever. which is how you end up dragging yourself back toward the dorms an hour later with medicine in your pocket and exhaustion in your bones. halfway there, you seriously consider collapsing into a bush.
you turn slowly and nearly walk into bakugo. “…why are you here?”
“aizawa told me to make sure you didn’t pass out and die on the sidewalk.” you stare suspiciously. “he specifically sent you?”
“don’t sound so shocked.”
“you threatened to leave me for dead this morning.”
“yeah, well.” he shoves his hands into his pockets. “you looked worse after class.”
your feverish brain short-circuits slightly. “…was that concern?” bakugo looks horrified. “NO.”
“shut up and walk.” you grin faintly. “you care about me so much.” he makes an aggressive choking sound. “i care about aizawa yelling at me if you die.”
the walk back is quiet. bakugo notices things anyway. like how your steps get slower halfway there. or how tired you look rubbing your eyes.
you argue with him constantly.
so why does seeing you sick feel so weirdly wrong?
by the time you reach the dorms, you look half asleep on your feet. “you gonna survive getting upstairs?” he asks.
you immediately trip over absolutely nothing. bakugo catches your shoulder before you can faceplant.
“…i’m blaming the fever,” you mumble.
his hand lingers on your shoulder for half a second before the dorm door swings open. mina gasps dramatically. “OH MY GOD.”
both of you jump apart instantly. behind her, kaminari appears immediately. “…why do you guys look guilty?”
“you absolutely do,” mina replies. bakugo looks moments away from detonating the building.
“they almost fell.” mina grins. “and you caught them?”
you groan tiredly. “i’m too sick for this.”before heading upstairs, you glance back toward bakugo. “…thanks. seriously.” he freezes slightly before clicking his tongue.
but he still waits until you make it upstairs before leaving.
the rain starts halfway through patrol training. at first, it’s just a drizzle. annoying, but manageable. then, within minutes, the sky completely gives up and unleashes absolute hell.
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” kaminari yells as thunder cracks overhead. rain pours hard enough to soak through your uniform instantly while class 1-a scrambles beneath the nearest awning.
you wipe water from your eyes with a groan.
everyone looks miserable. except Katsuki Bakugo, who somehow just looks angrier than the storm itself. water drips from his hair as he scowls at the rain like it offended him personally. “this is stupid,” he snaps.
“wow,” you mutter beside him while wringing out your sleeve. “really insightful observation there.” his head immediately whips toward you. “you got something to say?”
lightning flashes overhead before thunder rattles the windows behind you hard enough to make you flinch. bakugo notices immediately. “…you scared of thunder or something?”
“because it sounded like the apocalypse.”
“says you.” he scoffs, crossing his arms. except now he’s looking at you weirdly again. you’ve noticed that lately. bakugo stares at you more than he used to. sometimes annoyed. sometimes confused. sometimes like he’s trying to solve a math problem against his will.
honestly, it’s unsettling.
another gust of wind sprays freezing rain beneath the awning. you hiss quietly. “ugh. i’m freezing.”
“should’ve brought a jacket.” you stare flatly. “thank you. your wisdom knows no bounds.”
before he can reply, the supervising hero sighs. “storm warning just got worse. train station’s delayed too.” a collective groan rises from the class. perfect. then bakugo abruptly shoves something into your chest.
you stare at him. “why are you giving me your umbrella?” bakugo immediately looks irritated. “because you said you were freezing.”
“okay, but you’ll get soaked.”
nearby, kirishima blinks. “…that was weirdly nice.”
you narrow your eyes suspiciously. “…are you dying?” his eye twitches. “the hell kind of question is that?”
“you voluntarily did something considerate.”
“too late,” mina says immediately. kaminari gasps dramatically. “wait wait WAIT. is this the rain episode?” the entire class goes silent. bakugo narrows his eyes dangerously. “…the what.”
“you know,” kaminari says, grinning. “the super romantic anime episode where two people share an umbrella and accidentally fall in lo-“
an explosion detonates beside his head.
“SEE?” kaminari yells while ducking behind kirishima. “that reaction means something!”
“it means you’re annoying!”
you snort despite yourself. bakugo hears it instantly. his gaze snaps toward you. and there it is again. that stupid feeling in his chest every time you laugh around him lately.
seriously pissing him off.
“you’re staring again,” you say suddenly.
“that’s not a denial.” before he can threaten you again, the supervising hero sighs. “train station’s officially closed. dorms are closest on foot from here.” you groan immediately. “in this weather?”
“unless you’d rather sleep on the sidewalk.”
everyone reluctantly prepares to leave. you glance down at the umbrella still in your hands before looking back at bakugo.
“…seriously, you can use this too.” he blinks. “what?”
“it’s one umbrella,” you say slowly. “unless you’re planning on sprinting home through a thunderstorm.”
“okay, but that sounds miserable.”
he looks like he’d rather fight god than agree. finally, he clicks his tongue. “fine.” behind you, mina physically grabs kaminari to stop him from screaming. the walk back is awkward immediately. mostly because bakugo refuses to walk normally beside another human being.
“you’re hogging the umbrella,” you complain as rain splashes your shoulder.
“sounds like a skill issue.”
another rumble of thunder rolls overhead. without thinking, you step slightly closer beneath the umbrella. your shoulder bumps his. bakugo immediately goes rigid. you notice instantly. “…why are you acting like i stabbed you?”
“because you keep invading my space.”
“we are under one umbrella.”
“that doesn’t even make sense.”
he doesn’t answer. mostly because your shoulder is still pressed against his.
way warmer than it should be.
bakugo’s brain feels like it’s overheating. this is stupid. it’s just rain.
so why the hell is he suddenly hyperaware of everything?
like the way rainwater slides down your face. or how close your hand is to brushing his every few seconds.
his grip tightens on the umbrella handle. “you’re doing the staring thing again,” you mumble.
and bakugo immediately decides thunderstorms are the least of his problems.
The School Festival Episode
The festival had somehow turned into the loudest day of the entire semester. music blasted through every hallway, glitter coated every available surface, and half the school smelled like fried food and burned sugar.
“quit looking so miserable,” kirishima laughed as class 1-a dragged supplies down the hall. “it’s supposed to be fun.”
“you look like you’re planning arson.”
mina snorted from behind a pile of decorations. “c’mon, the festival’s cute.”
“it’s crowded,” you complained. “and loud.”
“wow. shocking. almost like it’s a festival.”
you shot kaminari a flat look just as the classroom door slid open. bakugo walked out carrying an entire folding table by himself like it weighed nothing. of course he was. his eyes flicked toward the group before landing briefly on you. “why the hell are you all standing around?”
“we’re talking,” sero answered.
“well stop.” he shoved past everyone toward the classroom while the rest of the class scattered automatically. you rolled your eyes. some things never changed.
after the rain incident a few days ago, things between you and bakugo had gotten weird. not better. definitely not softer. but weird.
the arguments were still there, except now there were moments where they didn’t feel as sharp anymore. moments where he’d look at you too long before insulting you. moments where you’d catch yourself waiting for him to say something.
it was irritating. especially because everyone else noticed too. “you two have tension,” mina whispered beside you.
inside the classroom, absolute chaos had already taken over. decorations were scattered everywhere, tables sat half assembled, and jiro was currently yelling at kaminari for touching the speakers again.
meanwhile, bakugo was aggressively fixing a crooked banner.
“if i can see it leaning from across the room, then fix it.”
“it’s barely crooked,” sato argued.
“crooked is crooked.” you accidentally laughed. bakugo’s head snapped toward you immediately. “…what?”
“because you’re acting insane.”
“you wanna decorate it then?”
he clicked his tongue before shoving a folded ladder toward you. “hold this.”
you grabbed the ladder while he climbed up toward the ceiling lights.
for a minute, neither of you spoke. around you, the classroom buzzed with noise and movement, but the silence between you felt oddly comfortable. which was concerning.
“left,” bakugo said suddenly.
“move.” you adjusted the ladder slightly while glaring upward. “you know, normal people say thank you.”
“normal people don’t almost drop ladders.”
you scoffed while he smirked slightly from the top step. slightly. which somehow felt illegal. before you could recover from the fact that bakugo katsuki apparently knew how to smile, mina burst into the conversation dramatically.
“we need volunteers for the games.”
“you’re scary. scary people attract customers.”
“that’s the dumbest thing i’ve ever heard.”
you laughed again before you could stop yourself. bakugo glanced down at you automatically, and for one second his expression softened. then kirishima yelled from across the room, “yo, bakugo! catch!”
a roll of tape flew across the classroom. bakugo caught it one-handed without even turning around.
the rest of the afternoon passed in loud chaos. you helped organize supplies while bakugo barked orders at everyone across the room like an angry project manager pretending he wasn’t carrying half the setup himself.
he looked annoyingly good doing it too. which was a problem. by evening, the classroom finally looked complete. warm string lights glowed across the ceiling while colorful banners hung neatly around the walls. you stood near the entrance staring around the room.
“…okay,” you admitted quietly. “it actually looks good.”
you startled slightly. bakugo stood beside you now holding two canned drinks. he held one out awkwardly without looking directly at you. “…thanks.”
you opened the can carefully.
for a moment, neither of you spoke. outside the classroom, the hallways buzzed with noise from other classes preparing for tomorrow, but inside things had calmed down considerably.
it felt strangely peaceful.
“you worked harder than i expected,” bakugo said suddenly.
you blinked at him. “…was that a compliment?”
you grinned despite yourself. “too late.”
he scoffed, leaning against the wall beside you. “you were less annoying today too.”
“wow,” you deadpanned. “how romantic.”
bakugo nearly choked on his drink. actually choked. you stared at him while he glared back looking genuinely offended. “that’s not what i meant.”
except now your heartbeat felt weirdly uneven. and judging by the irritated look on his face, he felt off too. before either of you could make things more awkward, mina suddenly appeared.
“there you are! class photo time.”
five minutes later, the entire class crowded together near the front entrance while jiro attempted to organize everyone. chaos erupted instantly. kaminari kept making stupid faces. sero refused to stand still. mina was threatening violence over spacing. you ended up beside bakugo completely by accident.
“move closer together,” mina ordered from behind the camera.
“absolutely not,” bakugo said immediately.
before you could react, kirishima shoved both of you sideways. you stumbled directly into bakugo’s chest. his hand grabbed your arm automatically to steady you.
his hand stayed wrapped around your wrist while your shoulder pressed against him. close enough to feel warmth through his sleeve. close enough to notice the brief surprise in his eyes.
neither of you moved away immediately.
the camera captured the exact moment both of you realized it.
“SHUT THE HELL UP, DENKI.”
the beach was somehow even louder than the festival, which honestly felt impressive. waves crashed against the shore while half of class 1-a sprinted across the sand screaming like escaped children. mina and kaminari were already fighting over a volleyball, kirishima was trying to drag bakugo toward the water against his will, and iida was yelling beach safety rules loud enough for nearby families to hear. you regretted agreeing to this immediately.
“why are they all acting like they’ve never seen water before?” you muttered.
jirou shrugged beside you from underneath the umbrella. “because they share one collective braincell.”
you adjusted your sunglasses slightly while staring out toward the ocean. the class had decided on a beach trip after the festival was finally over, mostly because everyone claimed they “deserved a break.” you personally thought sitting in the dorms quietly would’ve been a better reward, but apparently you were outvoted. tragically.
you looked up just in time for a volleyball to smack directly into your shoulder.
“my bad!” kaminari shouted from across the sand.
“get in line!” bakugo yelled from somewhere near the shoreline. you turned automatically, which was your first mistake. because bakugo was currently standing near the water wearing a black tank top and swim shorts, sunlight hitting his skin while his damp blond hair stuck messily around his forehead. stupid. annoyingly stupid.
you looked away immediately. “you good?” jirou asked slowly.
she hummed suspiciously, but thankfully didn’t push it further. unfortunately, ignoring your problems stopped working about ten minutes later when mina practically launched herself at you. “beach game time!”
before you could escape, she grabbed your wrist and dragged you across the sand toward the others while you complained the entire way there.
“teams are already decided!”
you stumbled to a stop near the volleyball net while everyone else gathered around. mina clapped her hands dramatically.
“bakugo and y/n versus everyone else.”
you stared at her. bakugo stared at her.
“have fun!” mina said cheerfully before sprinting away before either of you could explode.
silence settled between you both for a second before you muttered, “they’re dead.”
you glanced sideways at bakugo. he already looked irritated, which was normal, except now you were painfully aware of dumb things you shouldn’t have been noticing. like the way his arms flexed when he crossed them. or the water dripping down the side of his neck.
“quit staring.” your eyes widened instantly. “i literally wasn’t.”
his mouth twitched slightly.
the game started chaotically almost immediately, mostly because nobody in class 1-a knew how to behave normally. kaminari dove dramatically for every ball even when it wasn’t close to him, mina kept cheating on purpose, and kirishima somehow got distracted halfway through by a crab.
meanwhile, bakugo was terrifyingly competitive.
you barely dodged as he spiked the volleyball hard enough to nearly send sero into another dimension.
“JESUS CHRIST,” sero yelled.
you snorted at that, earning a quick glance from bakugo. “what’s funny?”
“you’re taking beach volleyball like it’s life or death.”
“because idiots keep missing easy shots.”
“you know this is supposed to be relaxing, right?”
“and yet we’re still beating them.”
unfortunately, he was right. mostly because bakugo refused to lose at literally anything. you’d noticed that awhile ago. whether it was training, classwork, cooking, or apparently volleyball, he threw himself into everything completely. it was frustratingly admirable. which you hated.
you turned too late. the volleyball slammed directly toward your face, but before you could react, a hand grabbed your arm hard and yanked you sideways.
you crashed directly into bakugo’s chest while the ball flew harmlessly past behind you.
his hand still gripped your arm tightly, your face way too close to his. close enough to notice tiny freckles across his skin. close enough to feel warmth radiating off him despite the ocean breeze. close enough that your brain completely stopped functioning.
“…watch it,” he muttered quietly.
you blinked up at him. for once, he didn’t immediately let go.
then kaminari screamed from across the beach, “ARE YOU TWO GONNA KISS OR-“
bakugo released you instantly. your heartbeat felt violently uneven.
you wanted to drown yourself in the ocean. “thanks,” you muttered awkwardly.
he looked away immediately. “you were about to get nailed in the face.”
“your concern is touching.”
too late. everything already felt weird.
the game dissolved into chaos after that. mina buried hagakure in sand, kirishima attempted surfing and failed instantly, and tokoyami somehow found the single darkest corner of the beach and refused to leave it.
throughout all of it, you became painfully aware of bakugo nearby. every laugh, every insult, every accidental glance- it was irritating. especially because he seemed just as aware of you too.
you caught him looking several times throughout the afternoon, and every single time he scowled immediately after getting caught like that somehow fixed it.
later, after everyone tired themselves out enough to stop screaming for five consecutive minutes, you wandered closer to the shoreline alone. the sunset had started painting the water orange and pink while waves rolled gently against the sand.
“thought you hated the beach.” you looked over to find bakugo standing a few feet away holding two drinks again. why did he keep doing that?
“…i hate crowds,” you corrected.
he handed one toward you and you accepted it carefully. for a moment, neither of you spoke. the sounds of your classmates yelling carried faintly from farther down the beach, but out here things felt quieter.
“you played decent earlier,” bakugo said suddenly. you nearly dropped the drink.
“no, i’m just shocked you voluntarily admitted i’m good at something.”
“there he is.” his mouth twitched again. that almost-smile. the one that kept catching you off guard lately. you stared at him before you could stop yourself. bakugo noticed immediately.
“looking at me weird.” your face heated instantly. “i am literally not.”
“yeah, okay.” you glared at him while he smirked slightly into his drink. smug bastard.
a loud scream suddenly echoed from behind you both.
you groaned instantly while bakugo muttered, “absolutely not,” beside you.
“too late!” mina yelled while sprinting toward you both. “everyone together!”
five minutes later, the class crowded near the shoreline while mina balanced her phone against a cooler. chaos erupted immediately. kaminari kept throwing sand, iida was yelling about proper posture, and sero attempted to push bakugo into the water twice.
you ended up standing beside bakugo again somehow.
“scoot closer!” mina yelled.
before either of you could argue further, a wave suddenly crashed against the shore harder than expected. water slammed into your legs and you lost your balance instantly.
bakugo grabbed your waist automatically before you could fall backward. everything froze. his hand pressed firmly against your side while your hands caught against his chest. way too close. again.
you looked up at the exact same time he looked down, and that weird tension snapped tight between you both instantly.
the picture captured the exact moment neither of you moved away.
“OH MY GOD THEY DID IT AGAIN-”
The Accidental Intimacy Episode
it started because mina was annoying.
it started because mina, kaminari, and sero together were a public safety hazard.
“absolutely not,” you said immediately.
“absolutely yes,” mina replied.
“why would i agree to this?”
“because it’ll be funny.”
“because i already signed you up.”
you stared at her in horror. across the common room, kaminari burst into laughter while sero nearly fell off the couch.
class 1-a had somehow decided game night was a good idea after training, which normally wouldn’t have been terrible except mina had brought “couples challenge” cards she apparently found online. which was already bad enough.
then teams got assigned. and somehow-
through either horrible luck or deliberate sabotage-
you got paired with bakugo.
“i hate all of you,” you muttered.
“the feeling’s mutual,” bakugo said from beside you.
“wow. heartbreaking.” he rolled his eyes while everyone else gathered around the table looking way too excited about this. you immediately knew nothing good would come from it.
“okay!” mina announced dramatically while shuffling cards. “first challenge!”
you already wanted to leave. mina pulled a card and immediately started grinning. that was never a good sign. “oooooh.”
“what,” bakugo said suspiciously.
mina looked directly at both of you. “sit in your partner’s lap for one minute.” silence.
“absolutely the hell not.”
“language! it says you lose points if you refuse!” mina sang.
“who made these stupid rules?”
“that explains a lot.” you groaned loudly while the rest of the class started yelling over each other.
“this is gonna be hilarious.”
“bakugo looks terrified.”
you rubbed your face tiredly. “it’s one minute. just survive it.” bakugo looked personally offended by your calmness.
“what’s that supposed to mean?”
before you could question it, mina slammed a timer onto the table dramatically. “go!”
everyone immediately started cheering obnoxiously. you glared at the entire class before turning toward bakugo. he looked deeply unhappy about this. good. so did you.
“move over,” you muttered.
very carefully, and with significantly more embarrassment than you wanted to admit, you lowered yourself onto his lap. the room exploded instantly.
“DENKI I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU TAKE A PICTURE-”
your entire body went rigid immediately. this was awful. bakugo was warm. way too warm. one of his hands hovered awkwardly near your waist like he didn’t know where to put it, while your shoulder pressed against his chest. way too close. you became painfully aware of literally everything. his breathing. the warmth of his hands. the fact that his knees flexed slightly underneath you when you shifted. horrible. absolutely horrible.
“…quit moving,” he muttered quietly near your ear. your brain short-circuited slightly.
“i literally adjusted once.”
“you’re the one tense as hell.”
you opened your mouth to argue back before realizing half the class was staring at you both like this was the greatest moment of their lives. “why are they acting like we’re getting married?” you whispered.
“because they’re idiots.”
for one brief second, neither of you spoke. and somehow that felt worse. because now you could feel how close he actually was. your back pressed against his chest. his arm brushing yours. every tiny movement. your heartbeat started acting stupid.
which was deeply irritating. “…you’re warm,” you blurted out accidentally.
then bakugo froze completely underneath you.
slowly, very slowly, you turned your head slightly. his face was bright red. completely red. you stared at him. he stared back looking absolutely furious about it.
“don’t say weird shit like that.”
“i didn’t mean to say it out loud.”
“unfortunate for both of us.”
kaminari was wheezing somewhere across the room. “you guys are actually insane.”
“shut up,” both you and bakugo snapped simultaneously. that only made everyone laugh harder. finally, mina yelled, “TIME!” you stood up so fast you nearly tripped over the coffee table.
bakugo looked equally traumatized. “never again,” he muttered immediately.
except neither of you looked at each other afterward. which honestly made it more obvious. especially when kirishima started grinning. “you guys are acting weird again.”
“we are acting normal,” you argued.
“you almost fell getting off his lap.”
“because your game is stupid.”
“sure,” mina said smugly.
you grabbed a pillow and threw it directly at her face.
The Misunderstanding Episode
the misunderstanding started because bakugo had terrible timing. and because kaminari talked too much. honestly, both were recurring problems.
training had ended an hour ago, and most of class 1-a was scattered around the dorm common room pretending to study while actually doing anything except studying.
you sat cross-legged on the couch beside kirishima while he helped you fix the strap on one of your training gauntlets.
“hold still,” he laughed. “you’re making this harder.”
“because you’re taking forever.”
“wow. no appreciation for my hard work.”
“correct.” kirishima gasped dramatically while tightening the strap. across the room, kaminari nearly choked on his drink laughing. “you guys seriously act like an old married couple.”
“die,” you answered automatically.
unfortunately, that was the exact moment bakugo walked into the common room. you didn’t notice at first. mostly because kirishima suddenly grabbed your wrist to inspect the gauntlet closer.
then the room suddenly got quieter.
you looked up. bakugo stood near the dorm entrance staring directly at you and kirishima. his expression looked…
“yo, bakugo,” kirishima greeted casually. “what’s with your face?”
immediate lie. even kaminari looked confused.
bakugo’s eyes flicked briefly toward where kirishima still held your wrist before he looked away completely.
“training tomorrow got moved earlier,” he said flatly. “aizawa told me to tell you idiots.”
then he turned around and walked right back upstairs. silence filled the common room for about three seconds.
“…what was that?” mina asked slowly. you frowned toward the staircase. “i dunno.”
kaminari suddenly gasped dramatically.
everyone turned toward him reluctantly. he pointed between you and the stairs like he’d solved a murder case.
“he thought you guys were flirting.”
then kirishima burst out laughing. like full-body, tears-in-his-eyes laughing.
“oh my god,” mina whispered. “that’s EXACTLY what that was.”
your stomach flipped weirdly. “…that’s stupid.”
except suddenly you couldn’t stop thinking about the look on bakugo’s face.
which honestly shouldn’t have mattered as much as it did.
“you should go talk to him,” jirou said.
“because now he’s probably upstairs committing emotional repression.”
you stared toward the staircase another second before groaning loudly. “if i die, blame all of you.”
“already do,” kaminari replied immediately. you threw a pillow at his head before heading upstairs.
bakugo’s door was slightly open when you reached his room. that alone felt suspicious. you knocked once against the doorframe.
you peeked inside. bakugo sat at his desk still wearing part of his training gear, arms crossed tightly while homework sat untouched in front of him. he looked up briefly before immediately looking back down.
“why are you acting like that?”
“like someone killed your houseplants.”
“i don’t have houseplants.”
he clicked his tongue in annoyance without answering. you leaned against the doorway, narrowing your eyes slightly.
silence stretched awkwardly for a second.
“you and kirishima dating now or something?” your brain completely stopped.
bakugo still refused to look directly at you.
“you were all over each other downstairs.”
it took every ounce of self-control not to laugh immediately. “he was fixing my gauntlet.”
the words slipped out before you could stop them.
bakugo’s head snapped toward you instantly.
he stared back looking deeply offended by the question. which honestly just made it worse.
you bit the inside of your cheek hard trying not to smile.
“…you thought kirishima and i were flirting.”
“you literally just did.”
you actually laughed this time. bakugo looked personally betrayed by the sound. “you’re insane,” he muttered.
“you looked ready to fistfight a couch.”
the second the words left your mouth, the atmosphere changed.
bakugo stared at you for half a second too long.
your heartbeat immediately did something stupid.
“for the record,” you said quickly, “kirishima and i aren’t dating.”
except now he looked less irritated than before. which was concerning. you shifted awkwardly near the doorway. “so… are you done being weird?”
“you gonna keep laughing about this?”
you grinned despite yourself. bakugo rolled his eyes, but there was something different about his expression now. lighter, maybe.
before either of you could say something potentially life ruining, kaminari suddenly appeared in the hallway.
“SOOOOO,” he started loudly, “are we confessing feelings or-”
an explosion blasted straight past his head.
The Protecting You Episode
it happened during patrol training. which honestly should’ve been your first warning. the exercise started normally enough. class 1-a had been split into groups and sent through a mock city while pro heroes monitored from nearby rooftops. your assignment was simple: locate civilians, avoid traps, and neutralize villains as efficiently as possible.
at least, it was supposed to be.
“i still think i got stuck with the worst team,” you muttered while walking beside bakugo through the empty street.
“good,” he answered immediately.
“i literally kept up with you.”
you rolled your eyes while scanning the alleyways nearby. the fake city was eerily quiet except for distant explosions somewhere on the other side of the training grounds.
or bakugo from five minutes ago.
“you know,” you said casually, “normal people can hold conversations without sounding homicidal.”
“normal people don’t talk as much as you.”
before you could argue back, your communicator crackled suddenly. “civilian spotted two blocks east,” aizawa’s voice echoed through the speaker. “possible villain activity nearby.”
bakugo clicked his tongue immediately. “finally.” you followed after him through the empty street while trying not to trip over broken pavement. the second you turned the corner, though, something felt wrong.
you slowed slightly. “…bakugo.”
“does this feel suspicious to you?”
“everything feels suspicious to you.”
“that’s because i’m usually right.”
he opened his mouth to argue-
then an explosion suddenly blasted through the side of the building beside you. everything happened too fast. debris crashed into the street while smoke filled the air instantly. you barely had time to react before something grabbed your arm hard.
he yanked you backward just as another blast hit the ground where you’d been standing seconds earlier.
you stumbled after him while explosions echoed around the alley.
“ambush,” bakugo snapped. “obviously.”
three training robots dropped into the street ahead of you, red warning lights flashing across metal armor.
“seriously?” you groaned.
the robots launched forward immediately. bakugo blasted one apart without hesitation while you dodged another strike aimed toward your head. metal claws scraped against the pavement inches from your feet.
“left side!” you shouted.
another explosion lit the alleyway. normally, you worked well under pressure.
except one of the robots suddenly shifted direction faster than expected, steel arm swinging directly toward you before you could dodge properly.
you barely raised your arms in time-
but the impact never came. instead, a loud explosion erupted in front of you while heat blasted across your skin.
he’d moved between you and the robot instantly, one arm thrown across your shoulder while the other blasted the machine backward hard enough to send it crashing through a wall. everything froze for half a second. you stared up at him. he looked furious.
“what the hell are you doing?” he snapped.
except his arm was still wrapped protectively across you. like he hadn’t even noticed yet. another robot charged toward you both. bakugo shoved you behind him automatically. “stay back.”
your brain short-circuited slightly. “…bakugo.”
the robot lunged. bakugo destroyed it instantly smoke drifted through the alley as the last pieces of metal crashed against the pavement. silence settled around you both except for your uneven breathing. then slowly, bakugo turned back toward you. “you hit?” he asked.
his voice sounded sharper than usual. tense.
that realization hit harder than the explosions did.
“…i’m fine,” you answered quietly.
bakugo stared at you another second like he was double-checking before finally stepping back.
except now the space between you felt weird.
your heartbeat started acting stupid again.
in the distance, your communicator crackled once more.
“exercise complete,” aizawa’s voice said calmly. “good work.”
neither of you moved immediately.
“you suck at dodging,” bakugo muttered.
and there he was. you snorted despite yourself. “you literally threw yourself in front of me.”
“because you were being reckless.”
“don’t start.” you grinned slightly while he looked away with visible annoyance. except the tips of his ears were red.
The “What Are We” Episode
the problem started because mina wouldn’t stop talking. which honestly described most problems in your life lately. “you guys are basically dating already.”
“we literally are not,” you answered immediately. mina looked unconvinced.
across the lunch table, kaminari nodded dramatically. “you’re together constantly.”
“you fight like a married couple,” jirou added.
“bakugo only willingly shares food with, like, three people,” kirishima pointed out. “and you’re one of them.”
you nearly choked on your drink. “that means nothing.”
“sure,” mina said smugly.
you hated that everyone suddenly looked so confident. because the worst part? they weren’t entirely wrong. somewhere along the way, things with bakugo had shifted again.
the insults were still there, obviously. neither of you knew how to function normally around each other. but now there were other things too.
him automatically saving you a seat during class. you bringing him extra drinks without thinking about it. late-night conversations in the dorm kitchen that somehow lasted hours. accidentally brushing hands and suddenly forgetting how words worked.
and apparently everyone else noticed.
“you should just ask him,” mina said.
your soul nearly left your body. “absolutely not.”
“because i enjoy surviving.”
unfortunately, the universe apparently hated you because later that evening, you found yourself alone with bakugo in the dorm kitchen.
he stood at the counter making food while you searched through the fridge for something to drink. the room stayed quiet except for the occasional sound of pans clattering against the stove.
then bakugo spoke suddenly.
“why were extras staring at us all day?”
your entire body stiffened instantly. “…what?”
“dumbass hair and the others,” he clarified. “they kept looking at us weird.”
you grabbed a drink mostly to avoid eye contact. “they’re just annoying.”
silence settled again. your heartbeat started speeding up stupidly. because now all you could think about was what mina said earlier.
except apparently your mouth had other plans.
the second the words left your mouth, you wanted to launch yourself through the nearest window.
bakugo had completely frozen.
you stared at your drink instead of him. “everyone keeps acting like we’re… something.”
“something,” he repeated flatly.
another long silence stretched between you both.
your brain immediately stopped functioning. you looked up so fast you nearly gave yourself whiplash. bakugo still faced the counter, but now the tips of his ears were bright red.
“…i asked first,” you said weakly.
he clicked his tongue in annoyance, but it sounded less aggressive than usual. more nervous. which somehow felt worse.
you stared at each other awkwardly across the kitchen while tension filled the entire room.
then bakugo sighed sharply.
“i dunno,” he muttered. “whatever this is.”
your heartbeat skipped stupidly. because somehow that answer felt more honest than anything else he could’ve said.
and definitely not just hatred anymore.
“…that’s a terrible answer,” you mumbled.
“yeah, well.” bakugo finally looked at you directly. “you still haven’t answered either.”
your face heated instantly.
before you could respond, loud footsteps suddenly thundered down the hallway. “WAIT ARE THEY CONFESSING?!” kaminari yelled somewhere nearby. both you and bakugo jumped apart immediately.
“GET OUT,” bakugo shouted as mina’s screaming laughter echoed through the dorms.
the confession happened because class 1-a finally got tired of waiting. which honestly should’ve been expected.
“you’re both idiots,” mina announced dramatically. you looked up from your homework with immediate suspicion. “what did we do now?”
“existing,” kaminari answered.
across the common room, bakugo clicked his tongue in annoyance. “if you extras have something to say, say it already.”
you recognized that tone. that was her “i’m about to ruin someone’s life for entertainment” voice.
“you two have been doing whatever this weird unresolved thing is for months,” she continued while pointing aggressively between you and bakugo. “and we’re over it.”
“over what?” you asked cautiously.
“the tension,” jirou answered flatly.
“you flirt constantly,” sero added.
“you stare at each other like you’re in a romance movie,” kaminari said.
“you almost died because neither of you can communicate.”
“THAT HAPPENED ONE TIME,” you argued.
“THREE TIMES,” mina corrected.
bakugo looked deeply irritated now. “why the hell are we having this conversation?”
“because someone has to fix your emotional constipation.”
then kirishima burst out laughing so hard he nearly fell off the couch. even you covered your face trying not to laugh. bakugo looked genuinely murderous. “i’m gonna start throwing people through walls.”
“see?” mina pointed dramatically. “deflection.”
“okay, enough,” you interrupted before actual violence started. “what exactly do you people want from us?”
the entire room went silent.
“confess already,” everyone answered together.
your soul left your body instantly. you stared at them in horror. beside you, bakugo looked equally traumatized.
“absolutely not,” both of you said immediately.
“cowards,” jirou muttered.
you grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it directly at her face before standing up dramatically. “i’m leaving.”
unfortunately, both of you headed toward the dorm balcony at the exact same time.
neither of you spoke while stepping outside. cool night air drifted across the balcony while muffled laughter echoed from inside the dorms.
you leaned against the railing with a groan. “i’m gonna kill all of them.”
silence settled between you both. except now it felt heavier than usual. because neither of you could ignore what everyone had said anymore. not after the “what are we” conversation. not after all the weird almost-moments lately. your heartbeat started speeding up again.
“they’re idiots,” you muttered finally.
“…they’re not completely wrong though.” your stomach dropped. slowly, you looked sideways. bakugo still stared straight ahead, hands shoved into his pockets, jaw tense enough to crack concrete.
he clicked his tongue sharply like he already regretted speaking. “don’t make me repeat myself.”
except your brain had completely stopped functioning. because bakugo katsuki-
had basically just admitted-
“no, because what the hell?”
he finally turned toward you, visibly irritated now. except his face was red. completely red. which somehow made this feel even more real. “you seriously didn’t figure it out yet?” he asked.
despite everything, you laughed. and something in bakugo’s expression softened immediately at the sound. there it was again. that dangerous look. the one that always made your chest feel too tight.
your smile faded slightly. “…wait,” you said quietly. “are you actually confessing right now?”
bakugo stared at you for one long second before groaning loudly and dragging a hand down his face. “obviously.”
your heart nearly exploded. “you’re terrible at this.”
“that wasn’t even romantic.”
“do i look like i know how to be romantic?” fair point. you laughed again softly, and this time bakugo didn’t look away. he just watched you quietly. nervously. which honestly felt impossible for him.
your chest tightened painfully. “for the record,” you said, “i like you too.”
you grinned slightly. “yeah.”
for one second, he just stared at you. then suddenly his hand grabbed your wrist, pulling you closer before he could apparently think better of it. your breath caught instantly.
“you’re still annoying,” he muttered quietly.
“wow,” you whispered back. “your romance skills are incredible.”
“keep talking and i’m taking it back.”
“…yeah,” he admitted after a second. “probably not.”
you don’t even get a second to process it properly. bakugo is still holding your wrist, like he’s half expecting you to disappear if he lets go. his expression is caught somewhere between irritated and relieved, like he’s mad at himself for finally saying it out loud.
“you’re still annoying,” he mutters again, quieter this time.
“yeah,” you answer softly, “you already said that.”
his grip tightens slightly, not painful, just… there. real. for a moment, neither of you move. the dorm lights glow behind the glass door, and inside you can hear faint shouting from the others who are definitely celebrating this way too loudly. bakugo clicks his tongue like he’s about to say something else, then stops. his eyes flick down to your mouth for a split second.
that’s enough to short-circuit everything. you don’t even think-you just move a little closer first, like your body decides for you before your brain can argue.
then, instead of pulling away, he leans in too, slower than his usual everything, like he’s actually giving himself time to not mess it up.
it’s quick. not dramatic. not flashy.
just a kiss-brief, warm, a little clumsy in a way neither of you would ever admit out loud.
when you pull back, there’s a beat of silence so intense it feels louder than mina screaming inside the dorm.
bakugo is still holding your wrist.
“…you’re still annoying,” he says again, but his voice is rougher now. you huff out a laugh, breath uneven. “you already said that part too.”
his ears are red again. “shut up.”
but he doesn’t move away.
