Multifandom nonsense? Definitely! Inky.She/Her.29.LGBTQIA+ I draw...Sometimes. This blog WILL have 18+ content on it. So pls do not interact if you are under 18. Thank you. COMMISSIONS: OPEN ART TRADES: ASK REQUESTS: CLOSED https://linktr.ee/InkyTeaArt
Hey yall, I wasn't gonna open up commissions just yet, but I am flat broke till next week. And I have both myself, my two roommates, and three animals to feed till then.
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Hey guys, my friend really needs help. I reblogged their post on this, but thought I'd make my own as well. They lost their job, and need help with keeping a roof over their two cats and their own heads!
Please even $1 - $5 helps so much!
If you can't donate, reblog! Need to get this seen by more people to help them get to their goal!
Hello.
I am a nonbinary person about to lose housing for myself and… Crystina Moore needs your support for Help a Nonbinary Person and Thei
Hey guys, my friend really needs help. I reblogged their post on this, but thought I'd make my own as well. They lost their job, and need help with keeping a roof over their two cats and their own heads!
Please even $1 - $5 helps so much!
If you can't donate, reblog! Need to get this seen by more people to help them get to their goal!
Hello.
I am a nonbinary person about to lose housing for myself and… Crystina Moore needs your support for Help a Nonbinary Person and Thei
SYPNOSIS. The aftermath of the party leaves Bakugou reeling. Unable to shake the memory of your dismissal, he spirals into a week of obsessive "reconnaissance" (aka stalking) trying to figure you out. When his friends finally call him out on his misery, Kaminari proposes a solution that might just be the worst idea in history: a bet.
TROPES: College AU, 10 Things I Hate About You inspired, Bet Trope, Enemies to Lovers, OC has a backbone
TAGS: bakusquad being supportive but also roasting him, kirishima is the voice of reason, kaminari is chaotic evil, bakugo katsuki has never been rejected in his life and it shows, he is spiraling, DOWN horrendous, downright stalker behavior, if this wasn't fiction i would call the police, scary dog privilege is the only reason he hasn't been reported, sero almost died for this 😔, aizawa is tired, kaminari definitely started this bet just to watch the world burn, you remain unbothered as usual, quirk is a metaphor for your heart (🙂↕️), she ordered black coffee and he fell in love instantly, kaminari denki is the villain of this story actually (still love my boy though), kirishima is the only one sharing a brain cell with logic, mina is just here for the tea, men will literally enter a high stakes bet instead of going to therapy
WC: 9.7K words
Bet On It
Monday morning hit like a sledgehammer wrapped in bureaucracy.
Bakugou Katsuki had been awake since five—earlier than usual, which was saying something—staring at his ceiling and mentally cataloging every reason why the past three days had been absolute shit.
The party was Friday.
It was now Monday.
Seventy-two hours.
And he was still thinking about it.
Still replaying the moment in his head like some kind of fucked-up highlight reel he couldn't turn off. Your face. Your voice. The way you'd looked at him like he was background noise you'd already learned to tune out.
"You think being loud makes you right. It just makes you easier to ignore."
He'd heard worse. Had people scream at him, curse him out, throw actual punches. He'd been called every name in the book and a few that probably weren't even in print yet.
But no one—no one—had ever looked at him the way you did.
Like he wasn't worth the energy to hate.
Like he was just... tiresome.
His alarm went off at 5:30. He didn't need it. He was already up, already dressed in his training gear, already lacing his boots with more aggression than the task required.
He needed to move. Needed to hit something. Needed to do literally anything that wasn't lying in bed thinking about some girl whose name he didn't even fucking know.
The fact that he didn't know your name was eating at him.
He knew everyone. Or at least, everyone knew him. That was how it worked. He was Bakugou Katsuki—top of the class, one of the strongest quirk users in their year, future number one hero. People paid attention. People cared.
But you didn't.
And that was the problem.
By the time he made it to the Class A common room, the sun was barely up. The space was empty, silent except for the hum of the refrigerator and the distant sound of someone's alarm going off on one of the upper floors.
He made coffee. Black. No sugar. The bitter burn was grounding, familiar.
He sat on the couch, mug in hand, and stared at nothing.
His phone was on the table in front of him. He'd been checking it more than usual the past few days—scrolling through social media, the Class A group chat, anywhere that might give him information.
Because people were still talking about the party.
Of course they were.
It wasn't every day that someone verbally dismantled Bakugou Katsuki in front of half the third-year hero studies and walked away without a scratch.
The comments ranged from amused to shocked to a few that were uncomfortably close to impressed.
Mina (Saturday, 11:47 PM): okay but that girl ATE him alive and I kind of respect it????
Sero (Saturday, 11:52 PM): Bakugou's been real quiet since then 👀
Kaminari (Sunday, 2:14 AM): i still can't believe she just LEFT. didn't even wait to see his reaction. BRUTAL.
Bakugou had read every message. Hadn't responded to a single one.
Because what the hell was he supposed to say?
Yeah, some random girl I don't know completely owned me and now I can't stop thinking about her?
Fuck that.
His jaw clenched. He took another sip of coffee, the heat scalding his tongue.
He wasn't supposed to care. That was the whole point of his entire personality—he didn't give a shit what people thought. He knew he was good. Knew he was going to be the best. Other people's opinions were just noise.
But this wasn't about opinions.
This was about the fact that someone had looked him in the eye and decided he wasn't worth their time.
And he couldn't let that go.
The door to the common room opened. Bakugou didn't look up.
"Morning," came Kirishima's voice, cautious. Testing the waters.
Bakugou grunted in response.
Kirishima crossed to the kitchen, poured himself some coffee, and sat on the opposite end of the couch. Far enough away that it didn't feel confrontational. Close enough that Bakugou knew he was there on purpose.
For a long moment, neither of them said anything.
Then:
"You okay, man?"
Bakugou's grip tightened on his mug. "Fine."
"You've been kinda... off. Since Friday."
"I'm fine," Bakugou repeated, his voice flat.
Kirishima nodded slowly, like he didn't believe that for a second but wasn't stupid enough to push. "Okay. Cool. Just checking."
Silence again.
Bakugou could feel Kirishima's eyes on him. That concerned, overly-earnest look that Kirishima always had when he thought one of his friends was going through something.
"Don't," Bakugou said.
"Don't what?"
"Whatever you're about to do. Don't."
Kirishima held up his hands in surrender. "Wasn't gonna do anything."
"Bullshit."
Kirishima grinned despite himself. "Alright, fine. I was gonna ask if you wanted to talk about—"
"No."
"—but clearly you don't, so I'll just sit here and drink my coffee like a good friend."
"You're an annoying friend."
"Yeah, but I'm your annoying friend."
Bakugou didn't respond to that. Just drank his coffee and tried to ignore the fact that Kirishima was probably right.
Training started at seven.
Aizawa's Tactical Combat Strategies class was always first thing Monday mornings, which meant everyone showed up still half-asleep and resentful of the early hour.
Everyone except Bakugou.
He was the first one in the locker room, the first one changed, the first one out on the training field.
The air was crisp, cold enough that his breath fogged slightly. The sky was overcast, threatening rain but not quite delivering. Perfect.
He started his warm-up routine—stretches, footwork drills, a few small-scale explosions to get his quirk firing properly. His movements were sharp, precise, controlled.
On the surface.
Underneath, he was vibrating with the kind of pent-up aggression that usually only surfaced mid-fight.
The rest of the class trickled in over the next ten minutes. Kirishima, Kaminari, Sero, Mina. Todoroki, Midoriya, Iida. The usual suspects, all in various states of wakefulness.
Aizawa appeared last, looking like he'd rather be literally anywhere else. His capture weapon hung loose around his shoulders, and his expression was the standard level of "done with everything."
"Pair up," he said, his voice flat. "Combat drills. Quirk use allowed but keep it controlled. I don't want to file any incident reports today."
The class shuffled into pairs. Bakugou usually ended up with Kirishima or Midoriya—people who could actually take a hit and give one back.
Today, he got Sero.
Sero, to his credit, didn't look thrilled about it.
"Uh, hey man," Sero said, stretching his arms. "Let's keep it clean, yeah? I've got a quiz in hero law later and I'd like to be conscious for it."
Bakugou didn't respond. Just rolled his shoulders and settled into a fighting stance.
Aizawa blew the whistle.
Bakugou moved.
It wasn't a fight.
It was an execution.
Sero barely got his tape out before Bakugou was on him, closing the distance in a burst of explosive speed. Palm strike to the ribs—pulled, but hard enough to knock the air out. Sero stumbled back, tried to fire tape to create distance, but Bakugou twisted out of range and came in low, sweeping his leg.
Sero hit the ground.
"Shit—okay, okay—" Sero started, but Bakugou didn't let up.
He wasn't being malicious. Wasn't trying to hurt him. But he wasn't holding back the way he normally would in a practice match either.
Every movement was harder than it needed to be. Faster. More aggressive.
Sero managed to get his tape around Bakugou's wrist, tried to yank him off balance, but Bakugou just let off a controlled explosion that burned through the tape like it was paper.
"Dude—"
Another palm strike. Sero blocked, barely, and tried to counter with a sweep of his own.
Bakugou saw it coming a mile away. Dodged. Countered. Sero hit the ground again, harder this time.
"Bakugou, ease up!" Kirishima called from across the field, mid-match with Kaminari.
Bakugou ignored him.
Sero was back on his feet, hands up, breathing hard. "Okay, what the hell, man? This is supposed to be a drill—"
Bakugou came at him again.
This time, Sero actually looked pissed. He fired tape in three directions at once—ceiling, floor, walls—trying to create a web that would trap Bakugou in place.
Bakugou blasted through it.
Literally.
Explosions tore through the tape, and he was moving before the smoke even cleared, closing the distance, palm already glowing with heat—
"Bakugou."
Aizawa's voice cut through the noise like a blade.
Bakugou froze.
His hand was inches from Sero's face, an explosion primed and ready. Sero was on the ground, one arm up defensively, eyes wide.
The entire field had gone quiet.
Bakugou looked around. Everyone was staring. Kirishima looked worried. Kaminari looked alarmed. Even Midoriya—who was used to Bakugou's aggression—looked concerned.
Aizawa was standing a few feet away, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.
"Match is over," Aizawa said flatly. "Sero wins by default due to excessive force."
"That's bullshit—" Bakugou started.
"It's a drill," Aizawa interrupted, his voice sharp now. "Not a death match. Control your quirk or sit out."
Bakugou's jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached.
He let the explosion in his palm fizzle out. Stepped back. Offered Sero a hand up without looking at him.
Sero took it, still breathing hard, and gave Bakugou a look that was equal parts confused and wary. "You good?"
"Fine," Bakugou bit out.
"You sure? Because that was—"
"I said I'm fine."
Sero held up his hands and backed off.
Aizawa watched the exchange, then turned to address the rest of the class. "Switch partners. Next round in two minutes."
Bakugou walked to the edge of the field, hands shoved in his pockets, and tried to get his breathing under control.
He could feel eyes on him. Hear the whispers.
What's his problem?
He's always aggressive, but that was—
Think he's okay?
He wasn't okay.
He was pissed. At himself. At Sero. At the entire fucking situation.
But mostly, he was pissed because he knew exactly why he'd gone too hard.
Because he was thinking about you.
About the way you'd looked at him. The way you'd dismissed him. The way you'd walked away like he was nothing.
And it was eating him alive.
The rest of the session passed in a blur.
Bakugou rotated through partners—Kirishima, then Kaminari, then Todoroki. He dialed it back, kept his hits controlled, his explosions measured. Did exactly what Aizawa wanted.
But his head wasn't in it.
His head was three days ago, standing in a crowded living room, listening to a girl he didn't know tell him exactly who he was.
And the worst part?
She'd been right.
Not about everything. But about enough.
About the cruelty disguised as honesty. About needing an audience. About performing.
He'd built his entire identity on being the best, the loudest, the most undeniable person in any room.
And you'd looked at that and called it exhausting.
Called him exhausting.
And then left.
By the time Aizawa dismissed them, Bakugou's hands were shaking. Not from exertion. From the effort of keeping himself in check.
He was the first one off the field. Didn't wait for Kirishima or anyone else. Just headed straight for the locker room, changed, and left.
He needed to be alone.
Needed to think.
Needed to figure out what the hell he was going to do about this.
Because he couldn't let it go.
Couldn't let you go.
Not until he understood why.
Why you'd looked at him like that.
Why you'd walked away.
Why, three days later, he still couldn't get your face out of his head.
Back in his dorm room, door locked, Bakugou sat on the edge of his bed and stared at his hands.
They were still shaking.
He clenched them into fists.
Get it together, he told himself. It's just some girl. Just some random girl who said some shit at a party. It doesn't matter.
But it did.
It mattered because no one had ever made him feel like this before.
Small. Dismissible. Ignorable.
And he hated it.
Hated that you had that power over him.
Hated that he'd given you that power without even realizing it.
His phone buzzed.
Group chat. Kirishima.
Kirishima: You sure you're good? That training session was intense.
Kaminari: Yeah dude you almost took Sero's head off
Sero: I'm fine btw. Thanks for asking.
Kaminari: we know you're fine. Bakugou's the one acting weird.
Bakugou stared at the messages.
He should respond. Say something dismissive. Tell them to fuck off and mind their own business.
But he didn't.
Because they were right.
He was acting weird.
And he didn't know how to stop.
He tossed his phone onto the bed and leaned back, closing his eyes.
Your voice echoed in his head.
"Keep performing. They'll laugh as long as you're useful."
His chest tightened.
He needed to know your name.
Needed to find you.
Needed to prove—to you, to himself, to everyone—that you were wrong about him.
That he was more than just noise.
More than just performance.
That he was worth knowing.
Even if you didn't think so.
Especially because you didn't think so.
He opened his eyes.
Made a decision.
He was going to find you.
And he was going to make you see him.
Really see him.
Whatever it took.
Lunch period at UA University was organized chaos.
The massive dining hall was separated into unofficial territories—Class A claimed the tables near the windows, Class B had the corner by the serving stations, support students dominated the center, and everyone else filled in the gaps. It wasn't an official rule, just one of those unspoken social contracts that developed over time.
Bakugou sat at his usual spot, tray in front of him, food untouched.
He'd made it through morning classes on autopilot. Hero ethics, quirk theory, some bullshit elective about media relations that he'd only signed up for because it fit his schedule. He'd taken notes, answered when called on, and hadn't blown up at anyone.
A personal record, considering the past three days.
But now, sitting here surrounded by the noise of hundreds of students all talking at once, he couldn't focus on anything except the problem he'd been trying to solve since Friday night.
He needed information.
And he was done pretending he didn't.
Kirishima was across from him, halfway through some story about a training mishap that morning. Kaminari was next to him, laughing at all the wrong parts. Sero was scrolling through his phone, occasionally showing Mina something that made her either laugh or groan.
Normal. Easy. The kind of lunch period they'd had a hundred times before.
Except Bakugou wasn't listening to any of it.
He was staring at his rice like it had personally offended him, jaw tight, fingers drumming against the table in a pattern that was just this side of aggressive.
"—and then he just face-planted into the wall. I'm talking full speed, no brakes, just smack—Bakugou, you listening?"
Bakugou's eyes flicked up. "What?"
Kirishima blinked. "I asked if you were listening."
"No."
"Cool. Cool cool cool." Kirishima exchanged a look with Kaminari. "You've been weird all day, man. Actually, you've been weird since—"
"That girl from the party," Bakugou interrupted, his voice flat. "The mouthy one. Did you find out who she was?"
The table went quiet.
Not silent—there was still the noise of the dining hall around them, the clatter of trays and the hum of conversation—but their little section of it had gone very, very still.
Bakugou's glare could've melted steel. "Did you or didn't you?"
"I mean, yeah, obviously." Kaminari pulled out his phone, swiping through screens with the kind of confidence that said he'd been waiting for this moment. "Dude, I looked her up like two seconds after you stormed out of the party. You literally demanded we find out who she was."
"I didn't demand—"
"You absolutely did," Sero cut in. "You looked like you were gonna commit murder if we didn't give you a name."
Bakugou's jaw clenched. "Just show me."
Kaminari turned his phone around, displaying what looked like a student profile page. The kind that was technically private but everyone knew how to access if they had the right app and zero respect for boundaries.
There you were.
Your student ID photo stared back at him—neutral expression, no smile, eyes that looked like you were already annoyed at having to sit for the picture. Your hair was pulled back, and you weren't wearing any makeup. You looked... exactly like someone who didn't give a shit about student photos.
Bakugou's eyes scanned the information next to the image.
Name: [Your Full Name]
Year: Third
Class: 3-B (Hero Studies)
Quirk: Forcefield Generation
He stopped there, reading the description more carefully.
Forcefield Generation: User can generate a field of force, which can be used for a variety of effects. Most commonly, user generates near-indestructible fields around herself or other targets. By generating additional force behind force shields, user can convert defense into offense—shields can be propelled forward as battering rams at devastating speed. User is capable of generating and manipulating multiple force fields simultaneously.
The description went on, detailing the versatility of the quirk. Defensive barriers strong enough to absorb explosions. Offensive applications that could turn shields into slicing weapons. The ability to create close-to-body armor that increased durability significantly. Telekinetic applications. Automatic defense mechanisms that didn't require conscious activation.
It was a damn good quirk.
Strong. Versatile. The kind of quirk that could go head-to-head with his own and actually stand a chance.
Of course you had a good quirk. Of course you did.
"She's in 3-B," Kaminari said, leaning back in his chair. "But she's not really with them, if you know what I mean. Like, she's technically in their class, but I don't think I've ever seen her at any of their group things."
"She's a loner," Mina added, her voice thoughtful. "I've tried talking to her a few times—you know, girl solidarity and all that—but she's... hard to read. Not mean, exactly. Just... closed off."
"She's kind of a bitch," Kaminari said, too casually.
Mina's head whipped toward him. "She's selective. And honest. There's a difference."
"Selective is just a nice way of saying she thinks she's too good for everyone."
"Or maybe she just doesn't waste time on people who aren't worth it," Mina shot back, her tone sharper now. "Not everyone needs to be friends with everyone, Denki."
Kaminari held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm just saying what I've heard."
Bakugou tuned them out, still staring at the profile.
Your quirk name. Your class. The few details listed under "Additional Information" that were mostly blank except for a note that said Frequently absent from optional social events.
That tracked.
"What else?" Bakugou asked, his voice cutting through Mina and Kaminari's argument.
Kirishima shifted uncomfortably. "What do you mean?"
"What else do you know about her?"
The table exchanged looks again. The kind of looks that said they were trying to figure out how much to tell him without setting him off.
Sero spoke first. "She's smart. Like, really smart. Top tier in combat strategy. I've seen her in a few joint training exercises—she doesn't showboat, doesn't try to prove anything, but she's good. Her quirk is nuts."
"She turned down three different study groups this semester," Kaminari added. "I know because one of them was mine. I asked if she wanted to join for hero law and she just looked at me and said, 'I study alone.' Not rude, just... matter-of-fact."
"She skips most of the social stuff," Mina said. "Mixers, parties, even some of the optional seminars. I think the only reason she showed up to Sero's party was because Kendo dragged her."
Bakugou filed that information away. Kendo. Class B. That made sense.
"Does she have friends?" he asked.
Mina hesitated. "I mean... Kendo, I think? They're neighbors in the dorms. But even that seems more like Kendo being persistent than anything else. I don't think I've ever seen her with a group."
"She eats lunch alone," Sero offered. "Always. Either in the library or outside if the weather's good. Never here."
Bakugou looked around the dining hall, at the hundreds of students packed into tables, talking and laughing and existing in each other's spaces.
And you were never here.
By choice.
"Why?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else.
"Why what?" Kirishima asked carefully.
"Why does she avoid people?"
Kirishima shrugged. "Some people just don't like crowds, man. Doesn't mean there's some deep reason."
But Bakugou didn't buy that.
People didn't build walls that high without a reason.
People didn't shut themselves off that completely unless they were protecting something.
Or protecting from something.
"What's her deal?" Bakugou pressed. "Family? Background?"
Kaminari scrolled further down the profile, but there wasn't much. "Doesn't say. Parents aren't listed—could mean they're not heroes, could mean she doesn't want it public. No siblings on record. Nothing about her background before UA."
"She keeps to herself," Mina said softly. "And honestly? I respect it. Not everyone needs to perform their whole life for people to validate them."
The comment landed a little too close to home.
Bakugou's fingers tightened around his chopsticks.
"She called you exhausting," Sero said, not unkindly. "At the party. And... I mean, she wasn't entirely wrong."
"Sero—" Kirishima started, a warning in his voice.
"I'm just saying!" Sero held up his hands. "Look, Bakugou, you're my boy. But you do take up a lot of space. And some people don't want that. Doesn't make them bad. Just means they're not compatible with your energy."
Bakugou wanted to argue. Wanted to tell Sero he was full of shit, that he didn't "take up space," that people liked his energy.
But the words stuck in his throat.
Because Sero was right.
And you had been right.
He did take up space. Did demand attention. Did perform, even when he told himself he didn't.
And you'd looked at all of that and decided it wasn't worth your time.
"She's got a reputation," Kaminari said, breaking the silence. "People either respect her or avoid her. There's not a lot of in-between."
"What kind of reputation?" Bakugou asked.
"The kind where people know not to fuck with her. She doesn't start shit, but she doesn't take it either. There was this guy in general studies last year—tried to hit on her, got pushy when she said no. She didn't yell, didn't make a scene. Just looked at him and said something that made him turn white and walk away. No one knows what she said, but he transferred out of her hero ethics class the next week."
Bakugou felt something twist in his chest.
Not jealousy. Not exactly.
More like... recognition.
You weren't just cold. You were careful.
Guarded.
The kind of guarded that came from experience.
"She doesn't let people in," Mina said quietly. "I don't think it's because she's mean or thinks she's better than everyone. I think she just... doesn't trust easily."
"Or at all," Sero muttered.
Bakugou stared at the profile photo again.
Your face. Neutral. Unreadable.
A wall.
And walls were built for a reason.
He'd spent three days thinking you were just some asshole who got off on tearing people down. Someone who enjoyed making him feel small.
But that wasn't it.
You weren't performing cruelty.
You were performing nothing.
Because nothing was safer than letting people see who you really were.
"Why do you care?" Kirishima asked, his voice gentle but pointed. "I mean, she clearly doesn't want anything to do with you. Why not just... let it go?"
Bakugou looked up at his friend.
Kirishima's expression was open, concerned. Not judging. Just asking.
Why did he care?
He could've let it go. Could've written you off as some bitter loner who wasn't worth his time.
But he couldn't.
Because you were the first person who'd ever looked at him and seen through all the noise.
The first person who'd called him out not because you wanted to hurt him, but because you genuinely didn't care enough to lie.
And that was... rare.
Uncomfortable.
But rare.
"I don't know," Bakugou said finally, his voice low.
It was the most honest thing he'd said in days.
Kaminari grinned, that stupid mischievous grin that meant he was about to say something idiotic. "You like her."
"I don't even know her."
"Exactly. Which is why you're sitting here asking us for her entire life story like some kind of stalker."
"I'm not—"
"You literally made me look her up."
"You did that on your own."
"Because you threatened me!"
"I didn't threaten you."
"You said, and I quote, 'Find out who she is or I'll make sure you fail every practical exam this semester.'"
Bakugou scowled. "That's not a threat. That's motivation."
"That's literally a threat," Sero said, fighting a smile.
"Whatever." Bakugou shoved his tray away, appetite gone. "I just want to know who I'm dealing with."
"Why?" Mina asked, her eyes sharp. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing."
"Bakugou."
"I said nothing."
But the way he said it—too quick, too defensive—made it very clear it was not nothing.
Kirishima leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Dude. Be real with me. What's going on?"
Bakugou was quiet for a long moment.
He could lie. Brush it off. Tell them to mind their own business and move on.
But these were his friends. The people who'd put up with his shit for three years and somehow still chose to sit with him at lunch.
They deserved something closer to the truth.
"She got in my head," Bakugou admitted, his voice rough. "And I need to get her out."
Kaminari's grin widened. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious! You're gonna try to talk to her again, aren't you?"
"Maybe."
"She's gonna destroy you."
"She already did," Sero pointed out helpfully.
Bakugou shot him a glare. "Thanks for the reminder."
"Just being honest."
Mina was watching him carefully, her expression thoughtful. "You know she's not going to make this easy, right? She doesn't seem like the type who forgives easily. Or at all."
"I'm not asking for forgiveness."
"Then what are you asking for?"
Bakugou didn't have an answer for that.
Because he didn't know.
He just knew he couldn't let this go.
Couldn't let you go.
Not until he understood why you'd looked at him like that.
Why you'd walked away.
Why, even now, three days later, he couldn't stop thinking about your face.
"I'm gonna talk to her," he said finally.
Kirishima winced. "That's... probably a bad idea."
"Noted."
"She's gonna shut you down."
"Probably."
"And you're still gonna do it."
"Yeah."
Kirishima sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. Your funeral, man."
Kaminari pulled up a calendar on his phone. "So when are we placing bets on how badly this goes?"
"I hate all of you," Bakugou muttered.
But he didn't leave.
And when Kaminari sent the profile photo to the group chat with the caption our boy's got a death wish, Bakugou didn't even tell him to delete it.
He just saved the photo to his own phone.
Your name.
Your quirk.
Your face.
Now he had information.
Now he could make a plan.
Now he just had to figure out how the hell to approach someone who very clearly wanted nothing to do with him.
Easy.
Right?
He looked at your photo one more time.
Those eyes. That neutral expression.
That wall.
Yeah.
This was going to be a disaster.
But he was doing it anyway.
The thing about obsession is that it starts small.
A passing thought. A lingering question. The kind of thing you tell yourself you'll forget about in a day or two.
And then it doesn't go away.
It festers. Grows. Becomes the thing you think about when you're supposed to be thinking about literally anything else.
Bakugou told himself he wasn't obsessed.
He was just... gathering intel.
Strategizing.
It's what any good hero would do when faced with an unknown variable. You studied the target. Learned their patterns. Figured out their weaknesses.
That's all this was.
Strategic reconnaissance.
The fact that he'd memorized your class schedule within twenty-four hours of getting your name was irrelevant.
Day One: The Library
Tuesday afternoon, 2:47 PM.
Bakugou pushed through the library doors with the kind of casual confidence that suggested he had every reason to be there. Which he did. He had a paper due next week. The library was a perfectly normal place for him to be.
The fact that he knew you'd be here—tucked into your usual corner on the third floor, headphones on, working through whatever assignment you'd decided was worth your time—was just a coincidence.
He'd asked around. Subtly. Or what passed for subtle when you were Bakugou Katsuki.
"Where does she usually study?" he'd asked Kendo that morning, catching her between classes.
Kendo had given him a look that was equal parts suspicious and amused. "Why?"
"Just answer the question."
"Library. Third floor. Back corner, away from everyone. She likes the table by the window."
"Thanks."
"Bakugou—"
But he was already walking away.
Now, standing on the third floor of the library, he scanned the space.
It was quieter up here. Fewer people. The third floor was where serious students came to actually work, not socialize. The lighting was softer, more focused, and the tables were spaced farther apart.
And there you were.
Back corner. Window table. Exactly where Kendo said you'd be.
You were hunched over a textbook, one hand holding your head up, the other scribbling notes on a laptop. Your headphones were the over-ear kind, the ones that blocked out the world completely. There was a coffee cup next to you—iced, mostly melted—and your bag was slung over the back of your chair.
You looked... focused.
Completely absorbed in whatever you were doing.
Bakugou felt something tighten in his chest.
He'd come here with a plan. Sort of. Walk past your table. Make eye contact. Maybe nod. Acknowledge your existence in a way that was casual but deliberate.
Nothing major.
Just... a reminder that he existed.
He adjusted the strap of his bag and started walking.
His footsteps were deliberate but not loud. Confident. He passed the first row of tables, then the second. A few students glanced up as he walked by—recognition flickering in their eyes, the usual double-takes—but he ignored them.
His focus was on you.
He was three feet from your table when he slowed his pace slightly. Not obvious. Just enough that if you looked up, you'd see him.
You didn't look up.
He walked past.
Slowly.
You didn't move.
He stopped a few feet beyond your table, pretending to scan the shelves like he was looking for a book. Gave it a solid ten seconds. Glanced back over his shoulder.
You were still writing. Still completely absorbed.
His jaw tightened.
Fine.
He grabbed a random book off the shelf—didn't even look at the title—and walked back the way he came. Past your table again. Closer this time.
You didn't look up.
Didn't even twitch.
It was like he was invisible.
No—worse.
It was like he didn't even register as something worth noticing.
Bakugou made it to the stairwell before he realized he was gripping the book hard enough to leave dents in the cover.
He looked down at it.
Advanced Theories in Botanical Quirk Applications.
He didn't even take biology.
He shoved the book onto a return cart and left the library, his mood significantly worse than when he'd entered.
Day Two: The Training Gym
Wednesday evening, 6:23 PM.
The off-hours gym was one of UA's best-kept secrets. Most students used the main training facilities during scheduled times, but if you knew where to look, there were smaller gyms scattered around campus that were open 24/7 for students who wanted extra practice.
Bakugou used them often. Late at night, usually, when he didn't want to deal with people or distractions.
But tonight, he was here for a different reason.
Because according to Sero—who'd mentioned it casually during lunch, probably not realizing Bakugou was listening—you trained here.
"She's always in Gym C after her last class," Sero had said, scrolling through his phone. "I've seen her a few times when I'm heading to the main building. Girl's dedicated. Always solo."
Bakugou had filed that information away.
And now, at 6:23 PM on a Wednesday, he was pushing open the doors to Gym C.
The space was smaller than the main facilities but well-equipped. Padded floors, reinforced walls designed to handle quirk usage, training dummies scattered around the perimeter. The lighting was harsh, industrial, and the air smelled like sweat and rubber.
And there you were.
Center of the room.
Running drills.
He stopped in the doorway, watching.
You were using your quirk—forcefield generation, he remembered—and the way you moved was... efficient. Precise. No wasted motion.
You generated a barrier in front of you, then propelled it forward like a battering ram. It slammed into a training dummy with enough force that the dummy rocked back on its base. Then you pulled the barrier back, reshaped it into a dome around yourself, and held it for a count of ten before letting it dissolve.
Offense. Defense. Control.
Over and over.
You weren't showing off. Weren't trying to be flashy. You were just... drilling. Repetition. Muscle memory.
It was the kind of training that separated good heroes from great ones.
And you were doing it alone.
Bakugou felt a flicker of something that might've been respect.
He stepped fully into the gym, letting the door close behind him with a soft thunk.
You didn't stop.
Didn't even glance over.
Just kept drilling.
Bakugou crossed to the other side of the gym, dropped his bag, and started his own warm-up. Stretches. Footwork. Small controlled explosions to get his quirk firing properly.
He kept you in his peripheral vision.
You were still going. Barrier up. Propel. Retract. Dome. Dissolve. Repeat.
Your breathing was controlled. Steady. You weren't even breaking a sweat yet.
Bakugou moved into his own drills. Explosions at varying intensities. Mobility exercises. Combinations that required split-second timing.
Ten minutes passed.
You were still drilling.
He was aware of you in a way that was becoming irritatingly familiar. The sound of your barriers forming—a low hum, almost musical. The controlled exhale every time you propelled one forward. The way you adjusted your stance slightly between repetitions, correcting for balance.
You were good.
Really good.
And you were completely ignoring him.
Not in the way someone ignores a person they're aware of but choosing not to engage with.
In the way someone ignores background noise.
Twenty minutes.
Bakugou was halfway through a set of explosive push-ups when he heard you stop.
He glanced over.
You were packing up.
Grabbing your water bottle. Slinging your bag over your shoulder. Pulling your hair back into a tighter ponytail.
You walked toward the door.
You were going to walk right past him.
Bakugou straightened, wiping sweat from his forehead.
You were three feet away.
Two feet.
He opened his mouth—wasn't even sure what he was going to say, just something—
You walked past him without a single glance.
Didn't slow down. Didn't acknowledge him. Just walked straight to the door, pushed it open, and left.
The door swung shut behind you.
Bakugou stood there, hands still raised from his last rep, staring at the closed door.
His hands clenched into fists.
The small explosions that sparked from his palms were entirely involuntary.
Day Three: The Coffee Shop
Thursday morning, 8:15 AM.
The campus coffee shop was always packed before nine. Students cramming in caffeine before their first classes, forming lines that stretched to the door.
Bakugou usually avoided it. Too crowded. Too loud. Too many people trying to talk to him when all he wanted was his coffee.
But today, he was here.
Because you were here.
He'd seen you walk in five minutes ago—spotted you from across the quad as he was heading to his own class. You'd been wearing the same oversized hoodie from the gym, headphones around your neck, that permanent look of mild irritation on your face.
He'd changed direction without thinking about it.
Now he was standing in line, three people behind you, watching the back of your head like it held the answers to questions he hadn't figured out how to ask yet.
You were looking at your phone. Scrolling through something with the kind of casual disinterest that suggested you weren't actually reading, just keeping your hands busy.
The line moved forward.
Two people between you now.
Bakugou shifted his weight, trying to figure out what the hell his plan was here.
Talk to you? Say what?
Hey, remember me? The guy you verbally destroyed four days ago? Want to grab coffee?
Yeah, that would go over great.
One person between you now.
You still hadn't looked up from your phone.
The person in front of you ordered and moved aside. You stepped up to the counter.
"Iced americano," you said to the barista. Your voice was flat, efficient. "Large. No sugar."
Of course you took your coffee black.
The barista rang you up. You paid with your phone, grabbed your receipt, and moved to the pickup area.
Bakugou stepped up to the counter.
"What can I get you?" the barista asked, clearly exhausted already.
"Black coffee. Medium."
He paid, grabbed his receipt, and moved to the pickup area.
Right next to you.
You were still on your phone. Some kind of news article, he could see from the angle. Something about hero rankings.
He could say something.
Should say something.
This was an opening. Casual. Low-pressure.
He opened his mouth.
"Iced americano!" the barista called.
You pocketed your phone, grabbed your drink, and walked out.
Without looking at him once.
Bakugou stood there, receipt crumpled in his fist, watching you disappear through the door.
"Black coffee, medium!"
He grabbed his drink and left.
Day Four: The Cafeteria
Friday lunch, 12:34 PM.
Bakugou wasn't in the cafeteria.
He was walking past the cafeteria, on his way to meet Kirishima at the training grounds, when he saw you through the windows.
You were at one of the outdoor tables. Alone, as always. Eating something that looked like it came from the convenience store—probably a rice ball or a sandwich. Your laptop was open in front of you, and you were typing with one hand while eating with the other.
Efficient.
He stopped walking.
Stood there like an idiot, staring through the window at you.
You looked... the same. Tired, maybe. There were shadows under your eyes that suggested you hadn't been sleeping well. But your expression was neutral. Focused.
Completely unaware that he was watching.
His phone buzzed.
Kirishima: where are you?? we're gonna be late
Bakugou looked at the message, then back at you.
You'd stopped typing. Were just staring at your screen now, your sandwich halfway to your mouth.
Something about your expression shifted. Just for a second.
You looked... sad.
Not upset. Not angry.
Just... worn down.
And then it was gone. You blinked, took a bite of your sandwich, and went back to typing.
Bakugou's chest tightened.
Bakugou: be there in 5
He turned and walked away.
But he couldn't stop thinking about that look.
Day Five: The Libray (Again)
Saturday morning, 10:02 AM.
Bakugou was in the library again.
Not because he had work to do. He'd finished his paper two days ago.
He was here because you were here.
Same table. Same corner. Same headphones.
He'd walked past you three times in the last hour.
You hadn't looked up once.
Not once.
He was standing in the stacks now, pretending to browse, but really just watching you from between the shelves.
This was pathetic.
He knew it was pathetic.
But he couldn't seem to stop himself.
Because the thing that was driving him insane wasn't that you were ignoring him.
It was that you genuinely didn't seem to know he existed.
He was used to reactions. That was the foundation of his entire presence. People reacted to him. Always.
You weren't playing hard to get. Weren't trying to make a point.
You just... didn't care.
And that was so much worse than anything you'd said at the party.
Because at the party, you'd at least seen him.
You'd looked him in the eye and told him exactly what you thought of him.
Now?
Now he was just part of the scenery.
Forgettable.
Invisible.
His hands clenched.
A small explosion sparked between his fingers—barely controlled, the heat singing the spine of the book he was holding.
He needed to stop.
Needed to let this go.
This was insane. Pathetic. He had better things to do than stalk some girl who clearly wanted nothing to do with him.
He should walk away.
Right now.
Just leave. Forget about you. Move on with his life.
But even as he thought it, he knew he wouldn't.
Because you'd gotten under his skin in a way no one ever had.
And he needed to know why.
Needed to understand what made you so determined to be alone.
Needed to crack open that armor and see if there was anything underneath.
Or if you were just as empty as you seemed.
He left the library before he could do something stupid.
Like actually talk to you.
By the time Sunday rolled around, Bakugou was in a worse mood than he'd been all week.
Five days.
Five days of "accidentally" being where you were.
Five days of you not noticing him.
Five days of slowly losing his mind.
And the worst part?
He still didn't have a plan.
Didn't know what to say. Didn't know how to approach you. Didn't know what the hell he was even trying to accomplish.
All he knew was that he couldn't let this go.
Which is how he ended up back in the Class A common room on Sunday afternoon, doing homework he'd already finished, waiting for Kirishima and Kaminari to show up for their usual gaming session.
Because if he spent one more second alone with his thoughts, he was going to lose it.
The door opened.
Kaminari walked in first, controller already in hand. "Yo! Ready to get absolutely destroyed in—"
He stopped.
Stared at Bakugou.
"Dude. You look like shit."
"Thanks," Bakugou said flatly.
Kirishima came in behind him, took one look at Bakugou, and winced. "Rough week?"
"Fine."
"You sure? Because you've got that look."
"What look?"
"The 'I'm about to murder someone' look."
"That's just my face."
"No, this is different. This is—" Kirishima stopped, realization dawning. "Oh. Oh no."
"What?"
"You've been thinking about her, haven't you?"
Bakugou's silence was answer enough.
Kaminari's eyes lit up. "Wait. The girl from the party? You're still on that?"
"I'm not—"
"Holy shit, you are! Dude, it's been like a week!"
"Five days," Bakugou corrected, then immediately regretted it.
Kaminari's grin was absolutely insufferable. "Oh my god. You've been counting."
"Fuck off."
"You're obsessed!"
"I'm not obsessed."
"You literally just told me exactly how many days it's been."
Bakugou didn't have a response to that.
Because Kaminari was right.
And that was the most infuriating part of all.
Kaminari was still grinning like he'd just won the lottery.
"This is amazing," he said, dropping onto the couch next to Bakugou with zero regard for personal space. "Bakugou Katsuki, brought low by a girl who won't even look at him. It's poetic. It's beautiful. It's—"
"It's nothing," Bakugou cut in, his voice flat. "Drop it."
"Oh, I'm not dropping this. This is the best thing that's happened all semester."
Kirishima settled into the armchair across from them, looking significantly less amused. "Denki, maybe we should—"
"No, no, hear me out." Kaminari turned to face Bakugou fully, his expression shifting from teasing to something that looked almost sincere. Almost. "You've been miserable all week. Like, more miserable than usual. And it's all because some girl told you the truth and then had the audacity to not care about your existence."
"I'm not miserable."
"You threw a training dummy through a wall on Wednesday."
"That was unrelated."
"You've been eating lunch alone."
"I like being alone."
"You literally never eat alone. You're always with us." Kaminari gestured between himself and Kirishima. "But this week? You've been avoiding everyone. Holing up in the library, showing up to the gym at weird hours—"
Bakugou's jaw tightened. "How do you—"
"Sero saw you at Gym C. Three times. And you never use Gym C."
Fuck.
Kirishima was watching him now, his expression shifting from concerned to understanding. "You've been trying to run into her."
It wasn't a question.
Bakugou didn't answer.
"Dude," Kirishima said, and there was something like pity in his voice that made Bakugou want to explode something. "That's... that's not healthy."
"I'm not—" Bakugou stopped, because what the hell was he supposed to say? That he hadn't been essentially stalking you for the past five days? That he hadn't memorized your schedule and engineered "coincidental" meetings that you didn't even notice?
He couldn't say that.
Because it would be a lie.
And Kirishima would know.
"I just wanted to talk to her," Bakugou said finally, the words coming out rougher than he intended. "Clear the air. Make sure she didn't think—"
"That you're an asshole?" Kaminari supplied helpfully.
"—that I'm just some loud jackass who goes around insulting people for fun."
"But you do insult people for fun."
"That's different."
"How?"
Bakugou didn't have an answer for that either.
The silence stretched, uncomfortable and heavy.
Kaminari was still watching him with that insufferable grin, like he could see straight through every defense Bakugou had built up over the years. Kirishima looked worried, which was somehow worse.
Bakugou grabbed his textbook—the one he'd already finished reading—and flipped it open to a random page, pretending to be absorbed in whatever was written there.
He wasn't reading.
Couldn't focus.
Because Kaminari was right.
He had been miserable all week.
And it was entirely because of you.
Because you'd looked at him like he was nothing.
And then you'd proceeded to treat him like nothing.
And he couldn't fucking handle it.
"You know what I think?" Kaminari said, breaking the silence.
"No, and I don't care."
"I think you should just ask her out."
Bakugou's head snapped up. "What?"
"I'm serious!" Kaminari was fully grinning now, leaning back into the couch like he'd just solved world hunger. "Just go up to her and ask her out. Worst she can say is no, right?"
"She'll definitely say no," Kirishima muttered.
"Exactly! So then Bakugou can move on with his life and stop moping around like some heartbroken protagonist in a romance anime."
"I'm not moping."
"You're absolutely moping."
"And I'm not asking her out." Bakugou slammed his textbook shut, the sound echoing through the common room. "Because I don't want to date her. I just want to—"
"To what?" Kaminari asked, eyebrows raised. "Talk to her? You've had five days to do that. Get her to notice you? Clearly not working. Prove you're not an asshole? Hate to break it to you, man, but that ship has sailed."
Bakugou's hands clenched into fists.
Small sparks crackled between his fingers.
Kaminari, to his credit, didn't even flinch.
"I'm just saying," Kaminari continued, "you're going about this all wrong. You can't just lurk around campus hoping she'll magically start caring about you. That's not how people work."
"I wasn't lurking—"
"You were absolutely lurking."
"What would you suggest, then?" Bakugou bit out. "Since you're apparently an expert on this shit."
Kaminari's grin widened. "I'd suggest you accept a challenge."
Bakugou narrowed his eyes. "What kind of challenge?"
"A bet."
"Absolutely not."
"Hear me out—"
"No."
"Bakugou—"
"I said no."
But Kaminari was already sitting up straighter, his eyes bright with the kind of chaotic energy that usually preceded terrible decisions. "I bet you can't even get her to go on one date with you."
The words hung in the air.
Kirishima's eyes went wide. "Denki—"
"One date," Kaminari repeated, his voice louder now, more confident. "Hell, I bet you couldn't get her to like you even if you tried."
Something in Bakugou's chest tightened.
"You don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice low. Dangerous.
"Don't I?" Kaminari leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Dude, she looked you in the eye and told you you're exhausting. She's spent the last week treating you like furniture. You really think you could get someone like that to actually like you?"
"Denki, stop," Kirishima said, his voice sharp now. Warning.
But it was too late.
Because Kaminari had found the one thing guaranteed to hook Bakugou's ego.
A challenge.
"The hell I can't," Bakugou heard himself say.
Kaminari's grin was victorious. "Prove it."
"Guys, this is a bad idea—" Kirishima started.
"I'm serious," Kaminari interrupted, turning to Kirishima. "You saw her at the party. You've heard what people say about her. She doesn't let anyone in. She doesn't trust people. She doesn't want to be liked. And Bakugou here thinks he can just waltz up and change her mind?"
"I didn't say that—"
"So prove me wrong." Kaminari turned back to Bakugou, and there was something almost challenging in his expression now. Like he was daring Bakugou to back down. "Make her like you. Actually like you. Not tolerate you, not be polite to you—genuinely like you."
Bakugou's jaw clenched.
He should say no.
Should tell Kaminari to fuck off and mind his own business.
Should recognize this for what it was: a stupid bet that would only make everything worse.
But his pride wouldn't let him.
Because the suggestion that he couldn't do something—that there was someone out there who was immune to his efforts, who would reject him no matter what he did—
That was unacceptable.
"Fine," Bakugou said.
Kirishima's head dropped into his hands. "Oh no."
"Fine?" Kaminari repeated, like he couldn't quite believe Bakugou had taken the bait.
"You want a bet? Let's make it a real one." Bakugou leaned forward, his eyes locked on Kaminari's. "End of the semester. Eight weeks. I'll make her like me."
"Define 'like,'" Kirishima said weakly, like he was already trying to damage control.
"Genuinely," Bakugou said. "Not just tolerating my presence. Actually choosing to spend time with me. Wanting to."
Kaminari's grin was splitting his face now. "And if you lose?"
Bakugou's jaw worked. "What do you want?"
"I want you to admit, out loud, in front of everyone—" Kaminari gestured vaguely to the common room, to the doors, to the entire campus beyond, "—that you're not irresistible. That there are people in this world who don't want anything to do with you. That your personality is, in fact, kind of exhausting."
The words hit harder than they should have.
Because they were true.
Or at least, they might be.
And the thought of having to admit that—publicly, in front of everyone—
His pride recoiled.
"And if I win?" Bakugou asked.
Kaminari shrugged. "Whatever you want. I'll do your homework for a month. I'll be your personal servant. Hell, I'll dye my hair whatever color you want. Doesn't matter. Because you're not gonna win."
"Guys, seriously—" Kirishima tried again.
"Deal," Bakugou said.
The word came out before he could stop it.
Before he could think.
Before he could recognize what a monumental mistake he was making.
Kaminari stuck out his hand, still grinning like an idiot. "Deal."
Bakugou shook it.
And just like that, it was done.
Kirishima groaned, running both hands through his hair. "You're both idiots."
"He started it," Bakugou muttered.
"And you took the bait like a fucking fish." Kirishima looked at Bakugou, and his expression was somewhere between exasperated and genuinely concerned. "Dude. She's not a challenge to be won. She's a person. A person who made it very clear she doesn't want anything to do with you."
"Then I'll change her mind."
"That's not how people work!"
"It's how everything works." Bakugou stood, grabbing his bag. "You put in the effort, you get the results. Simple."
"She's not a training exercise—"
"I know that."
"Do you?" Kirishima stood too, his voice sharper than usual. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're treating this like some kind of conquest. Like she's a problem you can solve if you just try hard enough."
Bakugou stopped.
Turned to look at his friend.
Kirishima was serious now. The easy-going, supportive energy that usually defined him was gone, replaced by something harder. More honest.
"I'm not trying to conquer her," Bakugou said slowly. "I'm trying to prove—"
"What? That you're not an asshole? That you can make anyone like you if you want to?" Kirishima shook his head. "That's not what this is about. And you know it."
"Then what is it about?"
Kirishima was quiet for a moment.
Then: "You tell me."
Bakugou didn't have an answer.
Because he didn't know.
Didn't know why you'd gotten under his skin the way you had.
Didn't know why he couldn't just let this go.
Didn't know why the thought of you continuing to ignore him for the rest of the semester made something in his chest twist uncomfortably.
All he knew was that he'd taken the bet.
And he didn't back down from bets.
"Eight weeks," Kaminari said, clearly trying to lighten the mood. "That's all you've got. Better start planning your approach, Romeo."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious! You're gonna need a strategy. Flowers? Love letters? Grand gestures?"
"I said shut up."
"Oh! What if you—"
"Denki, I swear to god—"
Kaminari laughed, holding up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll stop. But seriously, dude. Good luck. You're gonna need it."
Bakugou didn't respond.
Just grabbed his bag and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Kirishima called after him.
"Out."
"Bakugou—"
But he was already gone.
The door swung shut behind him, leaving Kirishima and Kaminari alone in the common room.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Kirishima sighed. "This is going to end badly."
"Probably," Kaminari agreed, sounding far too cheerful about it.
"He's going to get hurt."
"Maybe."
"And you're okay with that?"
Kaminari was quiet for a moment, his usual grin fading into something more thoughtful. "Honestly? I think he needs this."
Kirishima turned to stare at him. "Needs to get rejected?"
"Needs to try for something he can't just force his way through." Kaminari leaned back into the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "Bakugou's used to winning. At everything. Training, grades, competitions—he just bulldozes through obstacles until they're not obstacles anymore. But people don't work like that."
"So you're using some poor girl as a life lesson?"
"I'm giving Bakugou a reality check." Kaminari's expression was surprisingly serious now. "And who knows? Maybe he'll actually learn something. Maybe he'll figure out that being the best at everything doesn't mean people owe you their time or attention."
"Or maybe he'll just get his heart broken and become even more unbearable."
"That's also a possibility."
Kirishima shook his head. "You're terrible."
"I'm realistic." Kaminari picked up his controller, already moving on to the next thing. "Besides, it's not like I forced him to take the bet. He did that all on his own."
"Because you goaded him into it."
"Because his ego wouldn't let him walk away." Kaminari looked at Kirishima, and his expression was oddly knowing. "This was always going to happen. I just sped up the timeline."
Kirishima wanted to argue.
Wanted to say that this was cruel, that Bakugou didn't deserve to be manipulated like this, that the girl—you—definitely didn't deserve to be the unwitting prize in some stupid bet.
But he couldn't.
Because Kaminari was right.
Bakugou had been spiraling since the party.
And if this bet gave him a framework, a goal, something concrete to work toward—
Maybe it would help.
Or maybe it would blow up in all their faces.
Either way, it was too late to stop it now.
Outside, walking across campus with no particular destination in mind, Bakugou replayed the conversation in his head.
I bet you can't even get her to go on one date with you.
The hell I can't.
He'd taken the bet.
Actually taken it.
Like an idiot.
His phone buzzed.
Kaminari: 8 weeks starts now btw. clock's ticking ⏰
Kaminari: i'm gonna enjoy watching this crash and burn
Bakugou shoved his phone back in his pocket without responding.
One stubborn, guarded, infuriatingly indifferent person who'd made it very clear she wanted nothing to do with him.
How hard could it be?
He thought about your face at the party. The calm in your voice. The way you'd looked at him like he was just noise.
"Keep performing. They'll laugh as long as you're useful."
His hands clenched.
Yeah.
This was going to be a disaster.
But he'd never backed down from a challenge in his life.
And he wasn't about to start now.
Even if the challenge was getting someone to like him.
Someone who'd already decided he wasn't worth the effort.
Someone who, for the first time in his life, made him feel like he had something to prove.
Not to Kaminari.
Not to his friends.
To you.
And maybe—though he'd never admit it out loud—to himself.
He pulled out his phone and opened your student profile again.
Stared at your photo.
Those eyes. That neutral expression.
Eight weeks.
He could do this.
He had to do this.
Because the alternative—admitting defeat, admitting that there was someone out there who genuinely didn't want anything to do with him—
That was unacceptable.
Bakugou Katsuki didn't lose.
Not at training.
Not at tests.
And sure as hell not at this.
He just needed a plan.
A real one.
Not more stalking. Not more "accidental" meetings.
Something that would actually get your attention.
Something that would make you see him.
Really see him.
Not the performance.
Not the noise.
Him.
He stared at your photo for another long moment.
Then he closed the app and pocketed his phone.
Eight weeks.
Starting now.
Let's see who breaks first.
A/N: And there it is. The Bet. The trope to end all tropes. 🚩
I really wanted to emphasize that Bakugo isn't taking this bet because he wants to hurt you, but because his ego literally cannot handle the concept of someone being indifferent to him. He thinks this is a game he can win. Also, Kaminari is absolutely the chaotic villain of this story for suggesting this, but we thank him for his service because the angst when you find out is going to be DELICIOUS.
Next chapter, Bakugo actually has to talk to you now. Pray for him.
SYPNOSIS. Friday nights are for true crime documentaries and avoidance, not frat parties and socializing. But when Kendo drags you out for "just one hour," you end up face-to-face with UA’s loudest ego, Katsuki Bakugo. He thinks he can make you the punchline. You decide to make him the example.
TROPES: College AU, 10 Things I Hate About You inspired, Bet Trope, Enemies to Lovers, OC has a backbone
TAGS: you woke up and chose violence, bakugou fucked around and found out, RIP bakugou's ego, he thought he was the main character, you said 'bet', kendo just wanted you to socialize and you started a war, true crime documentaries, bakugou katsuki gets humbled, social interaction, mineta catching strays as he should, katsuki likes them mean
WC: 7.0K words
The Party
THE THING ABOUT Friday nights in your third year at UA University is that they all blur together into one long exercise in avoidance. Avoidance of people, of noise, of the desperate performative bullshit that passes for socializing when you cram a bunch of twenty-somethings with hero complexes into too-small spaces and add alcohol.
You'd gotten good at avoidance.
Tonight's plan was simple: sweatpants, the leftovers from yesterday's convenience store run, and a true crime documentary that had been sitting in your queue for two weeks. Not exciting. Not aspirational. But it was yours, and it didn't require you to pretend to give a shit about anything or anyone.
You were three minutes into the opening credits—some grainy footage of a crime scene in rural America, the narrator's voice settling into that familiar cadence of detached fascination—when the knock came.
Three sharp raps. Confident. Persistent.
You didn't move.
Another three knocks, louder this time.
"I know you're in there," came the voice through the door. Itsuka Kendo, your next-door neighbor and the human embodiment of sunshine trying to burn through your carefully constructed cloud cover. "I can hear the murder show."
You considered pretending you'd fallen asleep. Considered just... not answering. She'd give up eventually. Probably.
"Don't make me use my quirk on this door. You know I'll do it."
Fuck.
You paused the documentary—the narrator frozen mid-sentence, some detective's face caught in an unfortunate expression—and hauled yourself off your bed. Your feet hit the cold floor, and you shuffled to the door in your socks, already regretting the decision to answer.
When you pulled it open, Kendo was standing there in a cropped sweater and high-waisted jeans that actually fit her like a normal person, her orange hair pulled back in a high ponytail. She looked... ready. Like someone who had plans that didn't involve dissecting the failures of small-town police departments.
"No," you said immediately.
She didn't even blink. "I haven't said anything yet."
"You're dressed like you're about to drag me somewhere. So: no."
Kendo's smile was patient, which was somehow worse than if she'd argued. She leaned against your doorframe, arms crossed, and gave you the look. The one that said she'd already anticipated every excuse you were about to throw at her.
"There's a party," she started.
"Absolutely fucking not."
"—at Sero's place, off-campus, and before you say no again—"
"No."
"—you've turned down every single thing I've invited you to this semester. Every single one." She held up a hand, ticking off fingers. "The Class A and B mixer. The movie night Tetsutetsu organized. That dinner thing at the izakaya. The—"
"I was busy."
"You were here. Alone. Watching people get murdered on TV."
"I was busy," you repeated, leaning against the doorframe now too, mirroring her stance. "And yeah, I like my murder shows. They're more honest than whatever performative circle-jerk you're trying to drag me to."
Kendo sighed, but it wasn't annoyed. It was that specific flavor of concern that made your teeth itch. Like she thought you were some kind of project. A puzzle to be solved.
"Look," she said, her voice softer now. Dangerous territory. "I'm not trying to fix you or whatever you think this is. I just think... you can't hide in here forever. It's our third year. This is supposed to be—"
"The best time of our lives?" you cut in, your voice flat. "Yeah, I've heard the speech. Make memories, build connections, network for our futures as pro heroes. Blah blah fucking blah."
"I was going to say it's supposed to be the time when you figure out who you want to be," Kendo corrected, unbothered by the interruption. "And I don't know, maybe that includes actually talking to people once in a while."
You stared at her. She stared back.
She was good at this. Too good. Kendo had a way of making you feel like the asshole even when you were the one being reasonable. It was infuriating.
"I talk to people," you said finally.
"You talk to me. And even that's like pulling teeth half the time."
"Maybe I just don't like people."
"Maybe," she agreed, and there was no judgment in it. Just... acknowledgment. "But you also don't let anyone get close enough to find out if they're worth liking."
That one hit a little too close. You felt the familiar prickle of defensiveness crawl up your spine, the urge to say something cutting, something that would make her back off.
But Kendo wasn't pushing. She was just... there. Steady. Annoying as hell, but steady.
"One hour," she said, switching tactics. Her voice was lighter now, almost teasing. "Come with me for one hour. If you hate it—and you probably will—you can leave. I won't guilt-trip you. I won't follow you. You can come right back here and watch..." she glanced past you at the TV screen, "...whatever the hell Serial Killer: The Untold Story is."
"It's a documentary about systemic failures in investigative procedures," you muttered.
"Riveting."
"It is, actually."
Kendo grinned. "One hour. That's it. You owe me after I covered for you when you bailed on hero ethics last week."
"I didn't bail. I was sick."
"You were hungover."
"Same thing."
She laughed at that, and you hated how it almost made you smile. Almost.
You looked back at your room. At the dim lighting, the unmade bed, the laptop still glowing with the frozen image of some detective's constipated expression. It was comfortable. Safe. Exactly what you wanted.
And that was the problem, wasn't it?
You wanted to stay. You always wanted to stay. And maybe Kendo had a point, even if you'd rather chew glass than admit it out loud. You'd been at UA for almost three years now, and what did you have to show for it? Decent grades, a solid handle on your quirk, and a reputation for being that girl who didn't show up to anything.
Not because you couldn't. Because you didn't want to.
Because it was easier to keep everyone at arm's length than to risk them getting close enough to leave.
Your mom had left. Not by choice, but she'd still left. And everyone else? They'd proven over and over that people didn't stay. They didn't care. Not really. So why bother pretending otherwise?
But Kendo was still standing there, waiting. And she'd used the friendship card, which was a low blow, because Kendo was one of maybe two people in this entire school you actually tolerated.
"One hour," you said finally, your voice resigned.
Kendo's face lit up. "Yes! Okay, go change. You're not wearing that."
You glanced down at your sweatpants and oversized hoodie. "What's wrong with this?"
"Nothing, if you're planning to sleep through the party. Come on. Jeans. A shirt that doesn't look like you stole it from a dead guy. Five minutes."
"This hoodie is perfectly fine—"
"Five minutes," Kendo repeated, already backing toward her own dorm. "I'll meet you in the hall. And I swear to god, if you try to sneak out the back stairwell, I will hunt you down."
She disappeared into her room before you could argue further.
You stood there for a moment, door still open, staring at the empty hallway.
One hour.
You could survive one hour.
You'd survived worse.
Five minutes later—closer to ten, because fuck her timeline—you were standing in front of your mirror, staring at your reflection with the kind of dull resentment usually reserved for jury duty or dental appointments.
You'd changed. Barely. Black jeans that actually fit, a dark green long sleeved shirt that was tighter than your usual oversized armor but not so tight that it felt like you were trying. Combat boots, because if you were going to suffer, you were going to do it in footwear that could double as a weapon.
Your hair was... fine. You'd run a hand through it. That was enough.
Makeup? Absolutely not.
You looked like someone who was going to a party under duress, which was accurate.
Kendo knocked again—of course she did—and you grabbed your phone and keys, shoving them into your pockets.
When you stepped into the hallway, Kendo gave you a once-over and nodded approvingly. "See? You're a functional human being when you try."
"Fuck off."
"There she is."
You fell into step beside her as you headed toward the stairs, already planning your exit strategy. One hour. You'd show your face, stand in a corner, maybe grab a drink to make it look like you were participating, and then you'd bail. Easy.
Kendo was talking—something about who was going to be there, some drama between classmates you didn't care about—but you were only half-listening. Your brain was already three steps ahead, calculating the least painful way to endure the next sixty minutes.
"—and I heard Bakugou's going to be there, so that should be entertaining," Kendo was saying.
You blinked. "Who?"
"Bakugou. You know, from Class A? Loud? Angry? Wins every training exercise by sheer force of will and explosions?"
Oh.
Him.
You didn't know Bakugou Katsuki personally, but you knew of him. Everyone did. He was one of those people who took up space just by existing. The kind of guy who made sure you knew he was in the room, whether you wanted to or not.
You'd seen him around campus—hard to miss, considering he was usually either yelling at someone or blowing something up in training. He had that brand of confidence that bordered on arrogance, the kind that came from being good at everything and knowing it.
You'd never spoken to him. Never had a reason to.
And if tonight went the way you planned, you never would.
"Great," you muttered. "Can't wait."
Kendo shot you a look. "You're going to behave, right?"
"I'm always a fucking delight."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
You stepped outside into the cool October air, and despite everything—the reluctance, the dread, the bone-deep certainty that this was going to be a waste of time—you followed Kendo toward the party.
One hour.
You could do this.
Probably.
The house was exactly what you'd expected: too many people crammed into too little space, music bleeding through the walls before you even reached the front door, and the kind of chaotic energy that made your skin crawl.
Sero's off-campus rental was one of those old two-story places that had probably been nice once, back before it became a revolving door for hero students who needed somewhere to throw parties without campus security shutting them down. The front yard was already littered with red cups, and you could see silhouettes moving behind the windows—shadows of people who were definitely having more fun than you were about to have.
"Ready?" Kendo asked, her voice bright with anticipation.
"No."
"Perfect."
She opened the door without knocking—because apparently that's what people did at parties, just walked into someone else's space like they owned it—and the noise hit you like a physical thing.
Music. Laughter. Shouting. The bass vibrating through the floor, up your legs, settling somewhere in your chest where it didn't belong. The air was thick with the smell of cheap beer, cologne, perfume, and the distinct undernote of too many bodies in an enclosed space.
Your jaw tightened.
Too many people. Too loud. Too much.
The entryway was packed—people clustered in groups, talking over each other, red cups in hand. You recognized some faces from Class A and B, a few from general studies, others you didn't know and didn't care to. Everyone seemed to be mid-conversation, mid-laugh, mid-performance of whatever role they'd decided to play tonight.
Kendo grabbed your wrist—gentle, but firm enough that you couldn't immediately pull away—and tugged you further inside.
"Come on, let's find—oh! Tetsu!"
And just like that, she was gone.
Not physically—she was still standing next to you—but her attention had shifted completely. Tetsutetsu from Class B was waving from across the room, his wide grin visible even through the crowd, and Kendo was already moving toward him, her hand slipping from your wrist as she got pulled into the orbit of her classmates.
You stood there for a moment, suddenly alone in a sea of people who all seemed to know exactly where they were supposed to be.
This was fine.
You'd expected this.
Kendo was nice, but she wasn't a babysitter, and you didn't need one anyway. You were a grown-ass adult. You could handle a fucking party.
Your eyes scanned the room—automatic, instinctive. Exits first. Always exits first.
Front door behind you. Kitchen to the left, probably a back door through there. Stairs to the right leading up to the second floor, and if this place had the same layout as most houses like this, there'd be a side door or a window you could slip through if things got unbearable.
Good. You had options.
Next: the landscape.
The living room was the epicenter. Couches shoved against the walls to make space, a makeshift dance floor where people were packed together, moving to the beat. Not quite dancing—more like swaying and grinding and pretending they knew what rhythm was. The coffee table had been turned into a bar, bottles of varying quality lined up like soldiers. Someone had strung up shitty string lights that flickered intermittently, casting everything in a dim, gold-ish glow that was probably meant to be atmospheric but just made everyone look slightly jaundiced.
You hated it already.
The social hierarchy was on full display, as it always was at these things.
There were the performers—the ones in the center, laughing too loud, moving too much, making sure everyone could see how much fun they were having. Mina Ashido was in the middle of the dance floor, pink skin glowing under the lights, surrounded by a group that fed off her energy. She was good at this. Being the center. Making people feel like they were part of something.
Then there were the clusters—smaller groups scattered around the edges, people who weren't quite confident enough to be in the center but didn't want to be alone either. They stood in tight circles, cups held like shields, conversations that looked intense but were probably about nothing.
And then there were the desperate ones. The people who moved between groups, trying to find a foothold, laughing a little too hard at jokes that weren't funny, agreeing a little too enthusiastically with opinions they probably didn't share. You could spot them easily. They were the ones who looked like they were working, like socializing was a job they hadn't quite mastered.
You felt a familiar curl of contempt in your chest.
This was all so... performative. Everyone playing their parts, pretending this mattered. Pretending that standing in a crowded room with people they barely knew, drinking shitty alcohol and shouting over music, was somehow meaningful.
It wasn't shyness that kept you out of it. It wasn't social anxiety or fear of judgment.
You just didn't see the fucking point.
These people didn't care about each other. Not really. They cared about being seen, about being part of something, about filling the silence with noise so they didn't have to sit with themselves for five goddamn seconds.
You'd tried it before. The socializing thing. The making friends thing. And every single time, it ended the same way: people left. People got bored. People realized you weren't fun enough, weren't easy enough, weren't worth the effort.
So why bother?
You took a breath, forcing yourself to relax your shoulders. One hour. You just had to survive one hour, and then you could go back to your room and finish your documentary in peace.
You moved toward the kitchen—anywhere with fewer people sounded good right now.
The kitchen was marginally better. Still crowded, but the crowd was thinner, more focused on the task of acquiring alcohol than on performing for each other. The counters were covered in bottles, mixers, half-empty bags of chips. Someone had attempted to make jungle juice in a large cooler, and it looked exactly as toxic as you'd expect.
You grabbed a cup from the stack and surveyed your options.
Beer? Too weak. You'd need four of them to even feel anything, and you didn't plan on being here long enough for that.
Vodka? Reliable.
You poured a generous amount into your cup—more than was probably advisable, but fuck it—and added just enough cranberry juice that it didn't look like you were trying to forget your own name. It tasted like regret and bad decisions, which felt appropriate.
You leaned against the wall near the doorway, positioning yourself so you had a clear view of the living room but weren't technically in it. Close enough to look like you were participating. Far enough away that no one would try to pull you into conversation.
Perfect.
You took a sip. The vodka burned going down, sharp and unpleasant, and you welcomed it.
From here, you could observe without being observed. Watch the patterns, the dynamics, the little performances everyone was putting on.
Kendo was still with Tetsutetsu and a few others from Class B—Kuroiro, Komori, people whose names you knew but whose personalities you'd never bothered to learn. She looked happy. Relaxed. Like she actually wanted to be here.
Good for her.
A group of Class A students were near the makeshift bar, loud and animated. You recognized Kaminari—electric blond hair, that goofy grin that made him look younger than he was. Sero, the host, was next to him, laughing at something. Kirishima was there too, red hair spiked up, his whole demeanor radiating that aggressively friendly energy that some people mistook for depth.
And then—
Your eyes caught on movement near the center of the living room.
Him.
Bakugou Katsuki.
He wasn't hard to spot. Even in a room full of people vying for attention, he commanded it effortlessly. He was standing near the couch, one hand shoved in his pocket, the other holding a drink he didn't seem particularly interested in. His blond hair caught the shitty string lights, and even from across the room, you could see the sharp lines of his face, the permanent scowl that seemed to be his default expression.
He was surrounded, as you'd expected. Kirishima was next to him, saying something that made Kaminari laugh. Mina drifted over, looping her arm through Kirishima's, saying something that made the whole group react.
But Bakugou... Bakugou wasn't really with them. He was adjacent. Present, but separate. Like he didn't need to participate to be the center of gravity.
People looked at him when they talked. Angled themselves toward him. Waited for his reactions.
And he gave them, occasionally. A smirk. A scoff. A comment that you couldn't hear from here but that made people laugh—not with him, exactly, but at whatever poor bastard he'd just verbally destroyed.
You'd seen his type before. The ones who confused cruelty with charisma. Who thought being loud and abrasive was the same as being confident. Who got away with being assholes because they were good at what they did, and people were willing to overlook the asshole part if it meant staying in their orbit.
Magnetic, sure.
But magnets could repel just as easily as they attracted.
You took another sip of your drink, eyes still on him.
He said something—you couldn't hear it, but you saw the way Kaminari's face twisted in exaggerated offense, the way Kirishima tried to play peacemaker, the way Mina rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
Everyone just... let him be like that.
And maybe that was what bothered you most. Not that he was an asshole—you could respect a good asshole if they owned it. But the fact that everyone around him enabled it. Laughed it off. Treated his cruelty like it was charm.
Your grip tightened on your cup.
You didn't know him. You'd never spoken to him. And if you had any say in it, you never would.
He was everything you'd come here to avoid: loud, performative, desperate for attention even if he'd never admit it.
You looked away, scanning the rest of the room.
The party continued around you. People laughed. People danced. People pretended this mattered.
And you stood against the wall, drink in hand, counting down the minutes until you could leave.
Forty-seven minutes left.
You could do this.
The vodka was helping.
Not enough to make you enjoy being here, but enough to dull the edges. Enough that the noise became background static instead of an assault. Enough that you could breathe without feeling like the walls were closing in.
You'd migrated from the kitchen to the back hallway—a narrow strip of space between the kitchen and what looked like a bathroom. Fewer people passed through here. It was dimmer, quieter, and you could still see into the living room if you angled yourself right.
Perfect.
A couple stumbled past you, giggling and tangled up in each other, and you pressed yourself against the wall to let them through. They didn't even notice you. Too wrapped up in each other, in whatever fantasy they were performing tonight.
You wondered how long it would last. A night? A week? Until one of them got bored or found someone shinier?
You took another drink.
Thirty-one minutes left.
Someone bumped into you—a guy you vaguely recognized from general studies, already drunk, his eyes unfocused.
"Sorry," he slurred, not sounding sorry at all.
You didn't respond. Just shifted further down the hallway, putting more distance between yourself and the main crush of people.
This was fine.
You were fine.
You'd finish your drink, wait out the clock, and then you'd be gone.
And none of these people would even notice.
Twenty-three minutes left.
You'd been nursing the same drink for the past fifteen minutes, the ice long melted, the vodka-cranberry mix now lukewarm and vaguely unpleasant. But it gave your hands something to do, and that was enough.
You'd moved again—this time closer to the living room, but still on the periphery. Close enough that if Kendo looked for you, she'd see you were still here. Far enough that you weren't expected to participate.
The party had hit that point where everyone was just drunk enough to be louder, bolder, messier. Inhibitions were dissolving. Conversations were getting sloppier. Someone had turned the music up even higher, and the bass was now less of a vibration and more of a assault on your eardrums.
You were so close to freedom you could taste it.
Twenty-three minutes. Then you could leave. Go back to your room. Peel off these jeans and sink back into the comfortable isolation of your own space where no one expected anything from you.
You were planning your exit route—front door was still packed, maybe the side door through the kitchen would be easier—when you heard it.
A voice. High-pitched, grating, with that particular whiny quality that made your teeth itch.
Mineta.
Of fucking course.
You didn't like Mineta. Nobody liked Mineta, except maybe other people who shared his specific brand of desperation and lack of self-awareness. He was one of those guys who thought being short and loud and obnoxious was a personality, who treated every interaction with women like a transaction he was owed.
He was standing near the couch now, in the middle of Bakugou's circle, holding court in that way that short guys sometimes did when they were overcompensating. Trying to get laughs. Trying to be seen.
"—I'm just saying," Mineta was saying, his voice carrying over the music, "some people show up to parties just to be miserable. Like, why even come if you're gonna stand in the corner and judge everyone the whole time?"
A few people laughed. Nervous laughter, the kind that said they weren't sure if he was joking or just being an asshole, but they were willing to go along with it.
You should've ignored it.
You meant to ignore it.
But something about the comment—the casual dismissiveness, the assumption that anyone who wasn't performing joy must be doing something wrong—made your jaw tighten.
You weren't even sure if he was talking about you specifically. Could've been. Could've been about anyone. But it didn't matter.
The sentiment was the same.
"Right?" Mineta continued, emboldened by the laughter. "If you're gonna be a buzzkill, just stay home. Stop bringing the vibe down."
More laughter. A little louder now.
You took a sip of your drink. Kept your face neutral.
Let it go. Twenty-three minutes. You could—
"Seriously, there's always that one person who looks like someone pissed in their drink—"
And then Bakugou's voice cut through, sharp and unmistakable.
"If you're gonna stand there looking like someone pissed in your drink, why'd you even show up?"
The laughter that followed was immediate. Louder. The kind of laughter that said oh shit and he's not wrong and god, he's funny all at once.
Your eyes snapped up.
Bakugou was still near the couch, but his posture had shifted. He wasn't looking at Mineta anymore. He was looking at you.
Red eyes. Sharp. Assessing.
He'd clocked you. Somehow, in the chaos of the party, he'd noticed you standing there, and he'd decided you were worth commenting on.
Or maybe not worth it. Maybe that was the point.
The group around him was laughing—Kaminari had his hand over his mouth, Sero was grinning, even Kirishima looked amused despite the slight wince that said he knew this was mean but couldn't help finding it funny.
Mina looked uncomfortable, her smile strained, but she didn't say anything.
Nobody said anything.
Because this was just how Bakugou was, right? Blunt. Honest. He didn't sugarcoat things. If you couldn't handle it, that was your problem.
Except it wasn't honesty.
It was cruelty with a good PR team.
Your fingers tightened around your cup.
The room hadn't gone silent—the music was still pounding, people were still talking—but the people nearby had noticed. You could feel their attention shifting, the subtle turn of heads, the way conversations paused just long enough for people to see what would happen next.
Bakugou was still looking at you, that infuriating smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Like he'd just said something clever. Like he was waiting for you to slink away, embarrassed, so he could move on to the next target.
You should've ignored it.
Should've taken the hit, downed the rest of your drink, and walked out.
But you'd had a shit week. A shit semester, if you were being honest. And you were tired—so fucking tired—of people like him getting away with being assholes because everyone around them was too busy laughing to call them out.
The thing about being the person who didn't care what people thought was that it gave you a specific kind of freedom.
You had nothing to lose.
You weren't trying to impress anyone here. Weren't trying to fit in. Weren't trying to make friends or build a reputation or play the game.
Which meant you could do something most people couldn't.
You could tell the truth.
Your grip on the cup relaxed. You took a breath.
And then, slowly, deliberately, you turned to face him fully.
The movement was small, but it was enough. Enough that the people nearby noticed. Enough that the laughter started to taper off, replaced by a curious, anticipatory silence.
Bakugou's smirk widened slightly. He thought this was going to be entertaining. Thought you were going to stammer, or blush, or try to defend yourself.
You could see it in his eyes—the expectation. The confidence.
He had no idea.
You didn't say anything yet. Just looked at him. Really looked.
Blond hair, sharp features, that permanent scowl that probably thought made him look intimidating. Expensive jacket—brand name, the kind that cost more than most people's monthly rent. The way he stood, loose but commanding, like he owned the space and everyone in it.
He was attractive. Objectively. Undeniably.
And he fucking knew it.
That was the worst part. He knew exactly what he was. Knew people would laugh at his jokes, forgive his cruelty, orbit around him like he was something special.
And they did.
Every single time.
Your eyes flicked to the people around him. Kirishima, still grinning. Kaminari, looking between you and Bakugou like he was watching a tennis match. Sero, Mina, the others—all of them waiting to see what would happen.
Waiting for the show.
You took another sip of your drink. Let the silence stretch just a little longer.
And then you smiled.
Not a nice smile. Not a friendly one.
The kind of smile that said you just fucked up, and you don't even know it yet.
"If you're gonna stand there looking like someone pissed in your drink, why'd you even show up?"
His words. Hanging in the air.
You turned them over in your mind, examining them. The assumption. The dismissiveness. The lazy cruelty of someone who thought being loud made him right.
You could feel the fuse burning.
You could've let it go.
Should've let it go.
But the thing about fuses is that once they're lit, you can't always stop them.
And honestly?
You didn't fucking want to.
Twenty-three minutes until you could leave.
Fuck it.
You'd make them count.
You took three steps forward.
Not aggressive. Not rushed. Just... deliberate.
Closing the distance between the hallway and the living room, between the shadows and the light, between being a background character and being very much in the scene.
People noticed.
The conversations nearest to you faltered. Heads turned. The laughter that had followed Bakugou's comment was dying out now, replaced by something else. Curiosity. Anticipation.
The kind of attention you usually avoided.
But right now? Right now you were walking straight into it.
Bakugou's smirk was still there, but you could see the flicker of something else underneath. Interest, maybe. Amusement. He thought this was going to be fun. Thought you were going to give him something to work with—a reaction he could twist, a comeback he could demolish.
He had no fucking idea.
You stopped a few feet away from him. Close enough that you didn't have to raise your voice. Close enough that this wasn't a performance for the whole room—even though the whole room was definitely watching now.
The music was still playing, but it felt distant. Background noise.
You could feel Kendo's eyes on you from across the room. Could sense her confusion, maybe concern. But you didn't look at her.
You kept your eyes on Bakugou.
For a long moment, you didn't say anything. Just looked at him. Really, truly looked.
And then, in a voice that was calm—almost conversational, like you were commenting on the weather—you said:
"You think being loud makes you right."
The smirk faltered.
Just for a second. Just a fraction.
But you saw it.
You let the words sit there for a beat. Let them land.
"It doesn't," you continued, your tone still even, still almost friendly. "It just makes you easier to ignore."
Someone nearby—maybe Sero, maybe Kaminari—made a sound. Not quite a laugh, not quite a gasp. Something in between.
Bakugou's jaw tightened.
The smirk was gone now.
You should've stopped there. Should've delivered your line and walked away, left him with that.
But you were tired. So fucking tired. Of people like him. Of the way they moved through the world like they were owed something. Like their cruelty was currency and everyone else should just be grateful for the attention.
So you kept going.
"You know what's funny?" you said, and your voice was still calm, still measured. Not angry. That was important. Anger would give him something to latch onto. Anger would make this a fight.
This wasn't a fight.
This was a vivisection.
"You dress up your cruelty as honesty," you continued. "Like being a dick to people is somehow noble because at least you're not fake. But here's the thing—honesty without compassion is just cruelty you don't want to take responsibility for."
Bakugou's eyes narrowed. His mouth opened—probably to say something cutting, something that would shut you down—but you didn't give him the chance.
"And the audience thing?" You gestured vaguely to the people around him, the ones who were still watching, frozen. "Needing everyone to hear your opinion on everything, every single time? That's not confidence. That's fucking exhausting. For you and everyone else."
Kirishima shifted uncomfortably. You could see it in your peripheral vision—the way he glanced at Bakugou, then at you, like he wanted to say something but didn't know what.
Kaminari's eyes were wide, his mouth slightly open.
Mina was very deliberately looking at the floor.
The room had gone quiet now. Not silent—the music was still playing, people in other corners were still talking—but quiet enough that anyone within ten feet could hear every word.
You tilted your head slightly, studying Bakugou like he was a specimen under glass.
"Maybe if you had something actually interesting to say," you said, and your voice was so calm it was almost kind, "you wouldn't have to scream it."
His hands clenched. You could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his whole body had gone rigid. He was pissed. Genuinely pissed.
Good.
You took a sip of your drink—casual, unhurried—and then delivered the final blow.
"But sure," you said, your tone light, conversational. "Keep performing. I'm sure they'll keep laughing."
You paused.
Let it hang there.
And then, almost as an afterthought:
"As long as you're useful."
The words landed like a slap.
You could see it in his face. The way his expression shifted—from anger to something else. Something rawer.
Because that was the thing about people like Bakugou. They built their entire identity on being needed. Being the best. Being the center.
And you'd just suggested that the moment he stopped being entertaining, the moment he stopped being useful, all those people laughing at his jokes would disappear.
And he knew—somewhere, in a part of himself he probably didn't like to examine—that you were right.
The silence stretched.
Someone coughed.
Kaminari was staring at you like you'd just pulled a knife. Kirishima looked like he wanted to be literally anywhere else. Sero had his hand over his mouth, eyes darting between you and Bakugou like he was waiting for an explosion.
Mina was still looking at the floor.
And Bakugou—
Bakugou was just staring at you.
His mouth was slightly open, like he'd started to form a response and lost it halfway. His eyes were still narrowed, still angry, but there was something else there now.
Confusion.
Genuine, unfiltered confusion.
Because no one talked to him like this.
No one.
People yelled back at him, sure. Got in his face, tried to match his energy. But that was just playing his game. Fighting on his terms.
You hadn't done that.
You'd been calm. Precise. Almost clinical.
You hadn't tried to out-loud him. Hadn't tried to be meaner or funnier or more cutting.
His jaw worked. You could see him trying to find the words, trying to pull together a comeback that would salvage this, that would put him back in control.
But nothing came.
For once—maybe the first time in his life—Bakugou Katsuki didn't have the last word.
You watched him for another moment. Just to make sure he was really stuck. Really speechless.
And then you smiled again.
That same not-nice smile from before.
The one that said I'm done with you.
"Enjoy your party," you said, your voice pleasant. Friendly, even.
You raised your cup in a mock toast.
And then you turned around.
Not quickly. Not like you were running away.
Just... done.
The crowd parted slightly as you moved back toward the hallway. People stepped aside, their eyes tracking you, and you could feel the weight of their stares, the whispered conversations already starting.
Did you see that?
Holy shit.
Who even is she?
You didn't care.
You'd said what you needed to say. Done what you needed to do.
And now you were leaving.
Fuck the one-hour promise.
Fuck this party.
Fuck all of these people and their performative bullshit.
You were done.
You cut through the kitchen, dodging a couple making out against the counter, and headed for the side door you'd clocked earlier. Your hand was already on the doorknob when you heard Kendo calling your name.
"Hey! Wait—are you okay?"
You glanced back.
She was weaving through the crowd, her face concerned, confused. Probably wondering what the hell had just happened. Why you'd just verbally eviscerated one of the most popular guys in Class A in front of half the third-year hero studies.
You could explain.
Should explain.
But you didn't have the energy.
"I'm fine," you called back. "Stayed longer than an hour. We're good."
"But—"
You pushed the door open. The cool night air hit you like a blessing, sharp and clean and quiet.
"I'll text you later," you said, and then you were gone.
Out the door.
Down the steps.
Across the yard.
Away.
You didn't run.
Running would imply you were fleeing. That you were upset, or embarrassed, or affected.
You weren't.
You were just... done.
Your boots hit the sidewalk with steady, even steps. The noise from the party faded behind you—music and laughter and chaos that no longer had anything to do with you.
The October air was cold. Biting. It stung your cheeks and made your eyes water slightly, but you welcomed it.
Better than the suffocating heat of that house. Better than the press of bodies and the weight of attention.
Your phone buzzed in your pocket.
Probably Kendo.
You ignored it.
You'd deal with that later. Answer her questions, assure her you were fine, maybe even admit that you'd gone too far.
But not now.
Now, you just wanted to walk.
You shoved your hands in your pockets and kept moving, your breath fogging in the air in front of you.
The campus was quiet at this hour. Most people were either at parties or holed up in their dorms. The streetlights cast long shadows across the empty pathways, and somewhere in the distance, you could hear the faint sound of laughter from another house, another party you weren't at and didn't want to be at.
Your mind was still buzzing.
Replaying the scene. His face. The way his smirk had cracked. The silence that followed your words.
You should feel bad.
That was the normal response, right? To feel guilty after tearing someone apart in public.
But you didn't.
You felt... vindicated.
Like you'd said something that needed to be said. Something that everyone was thinking but no one had the guts to voice.
Because that was the truth about people like Bakugou.
They got away with it because people let them.
And you were so fucking tired of people letting them.
Your phone buzzed again.
This time, you pulled it out.
Kendo: Are you okay??? Where did you go?
Kendo: That was INSANE btw. Like. INSANE.
Kendo: People are still talking about it.
Kendo: Bakugou looks like he's about to murder someone.
You stared at the messages for a long moment.
Then you typed back:
You: I'm fine. Home in 10. Sorry for bailing.
You hit send and shoved the phone back in your pocket.
You'd deal with the fallout tomorrow.
Tonight, you just wanted to be alone.
Back at the party, in the living room that was still buzzing with the aftermath of what had just happened, Bakugou Katsuki stood exactly where you'd left him.
His friends had tried to move on. Tried to laugh it off, make a joke, shift the energy back to normal.
But Bakugou wasn't moving.
He was still staring at the spot where you'd been standing.
His jaw was clenched so tight it hurt.
His hands were shoved in his pockets because if they weren't, he'd probably put them through a wall.
"Dude," Kaminari said carefully, like he was approaching a live explosive. "You good?"
Bakugou didn't respond.
"That was..." Sero trailed off, clearly not sure how to finish that sentence.
"Brutal," Mina supplied quietly.
Kirishima put a hand on Bakugou's shoulder. "Hey, man. She was just—"
"Who the fuck was that?" Bakugou's voice was low. Dangerous.
Kirishima blinked. "What?"
"That girl." Bakugou's eyes were still fixed on the hallway. On the door you'd walked through. "Who the fuck is she?"
His friends exchanged looks.
"I... I don't know," Kirishima admitted. "I've seen her around campus, but I don't think we've ever—"
"Find out."
Kaminari raised his eyebrows. "Dude, are you seriously—"
Bakugou finally turned to look at him, and whatever Kaminari saw in his face made him shut up immediately.
"Find. Out," Bakugou repeated.
And then he grabbed his jacket and walked out.
He didn't storm. Didn't slam the door.
He just left.
Leaving his friends standing there, confused and slightly concerned.
Because Bakugou Katsuki didn't get rattled.
He didn't get thrown off.
And he sure as hell didn't let anyone have the last word.
But tonight, someone had.
And he couldn't stop thinking about your face.
The calm in your voice.
The way you'd looked at him like he was nothing special.
Like he was just... loud.
His hands clenched into fists as he walked.
He didn't know your name.
Didn't know anything about you.
But he was going to.
Because no one—no one—talked to him like that and just walked away.
This wasn't over.
Not even close.
A/N: I have been dying to write a College AU where the Reader actually has a backbone and isn't just blushing at everything Bakugo does. Channeling major Kat Stratford energy for this one because frankly, Bakugo needed to be humbled. I love "10 Things I Hate About You", and putting them in a University setting just felt right for this
This is Chapter 1 of "Something Like Spite." Updates will be coming soon. I hope you enjoyed watching Bakugo lose his composure for once—he’s definitely going to make it his mission to find out who she is.
Taglist: Let me know in the replies or asks if you want to be added to the taglist for Chapter 2!
CW: f!reader, Vox's POV, boss/employee dynamic, unsolicited 🍆 pics, reader is a lil shit, teasing, blowjob, vox being slightly insecure, @peach-flavored-flambe brain infected mine and gave birth to this and it won't go back in so now it's out, fluff (?), attempt at humour
Vox sends you a dick pic (that he totally didn't spend all morning working on) and waits for you to shower him with grandiose praise, except you had other plans instead. (vox x reader)
Vox bounced his leg so hard the floor practically vibrated, his eyes snapping between his phone and the live feed on his monitor. The camera was aimed at his not-crush...
...okay, fine, his crush. His very real, very inconvenient crush.
It had all started… innocently-ish.
You, bright-eyed, soft-voiced, stupidly earnest about learning “how his operation works.” You had smiled at him—actually smiled—and laughed at his jokes like he wasn’t the most dangerous man in the room. Then came those tiny touches: your fingers brushing his arm, your hand lingering at his wrist when he passed you a file.
And suddenly Vox was here, sweating over his phone like a teenager with a Wi-Fi addiction.
He had followed Valentino’s advice.
Which was, in hindsight, his first mistake.
“Mi corazón,” Val had purred, “if you wanna bed a bitch, you gotta show her what you’re packin’.”
So Vox did exactly that.
Which was mistake number two.
After hours of morning prep and precisely 78,564 practice shots of his dick—from every angle, lighting, and level of enthusiasm—he finally chose the best one. He would’ve asked Velvette, but the moment he tried, she gagged so hard she threw a hardcover book at his face.
He wanted a woman’s opinion.
But apparently not.
Rude.
Still, he trusted his gut.
And his gut said: Damn, I look good.
Valentino had warned him that cameras make dicks look smaller—“angles are everything, cariño”—so Vox picked the image that captured the full heroic scale of his situation.
Then he sent it.
With a smirk emoji.
And an invitation to his penthouse.
Smooth. Elegant. Fucking seductive.
And it remained… unseen.
At first, he thought maybe the network was down.
Totally normal.
So he sent more.
And more.
And after the 87th picture, still nothing.
By then, Vox was moments away from hunting you down and shoving his phone in your face like, “HELLO?! A RESPONSE WOULD BE GREAT.”
He kept checking the screen every thirty seconds, his irritation rising like a stock graph on steroids—
Then.
“Seen.”
His spine shot straight. He clutched his phone so hard it squeaked. He pressed the screen to his face like he could absorb your attention through sheer desperation.
A minute passed.
Then another.
Those cursed three dots never appeared.
You always replied fast.
Always.
At least when he wasn’t sending you a small museum of unsolicited cock art.
He swallowed.
Maybe you were busy. Maybe you didn’t actually look. Maybe you just didn’t notice the size, which was frankly a tragedy, because it was right there.
Yeah. That had to be it.
So Vox forced himself back to work—expanding influence, making plans, controlling empires—while checking his phone every sixty seconds like a man being slowly psychologically tortured by his own thirst.
Nothing.
Nada.
Not even a goddamn eggplant + sweat emoji.
Unbelievable.
Vox’s eye twitched so hard his vision glitched.
Rejected? Him?
Him?
The most powerful, most successful, most devastatingly sexy sinner in all of Hell’s history—
(Fuck Alastor, sincerely and permanently.)
A rogue spark popped off his bevel and fizzled out on his shoulder like it, too, had given up on life.
He was not disappointed.
Nope. Not even a little.
He was perfectly calm. Perfectly composed. Perfectly fine.
…Perfectly imagining you biting your lip and eyeing his crotch like a starving demon eyeing a five-star meal, because yes—it really is that big.
And you were going to react once you saw him. You had to.
After all, today’s meeting was important. The Vees. Him. You. His brilliant pitch for the new VoxTek Home Security System™ which was a top-tier, Hell-wide technological marvel that was absolutely not just a glorified spy device he planned to install in everyone’s living room.
Obviously, you were just playing hard to get.
Obviously.
But then you walked in, Velvette on one side, Valentino on the other, and nearly obliterated the last functioning pixel of his sanity.
You sat down primly, like temptation incarnate dressed as a secretary: pencil skirt hugging your hips, blouse dipped into a sinful little V, clipboard balanced neatly in your lap. You were taking notes.
Actual notes. Like a professional.
Not like someone who had 87 unsolicited pictures of his dick haunting her phone's memory.
Vox tried to position himself confidently, but his eyes kept drifting toward you like he’d been factory-programmed for thirst.
Then you looked up.
Tilted your head.
Gave him the sweetest, most innocent smile imaginable.
Like you hadn’t seen his cock in widescreen, portrait mode, night mode, panoramic, fisheye, artistic shadow play and the goddamn rule of thirds.
His chest tightened.
Oh, Hell.
Could it be—
Did you not like it?
Were you… turned off?
Was he the clown in this circus?
Were the signals all in his head?
“-ox.”
Should he text you right now and claim someone hacked his phone?
Would that work?
He could blame Alastor. Everyone blames Alastor.
“Vox!”
Maybe he should wait until after the meeting, corner you somewhere private, laugh it off, pretend he wasn’t spiralling into a self-inflicted existential dick crisis—
“For the love of—VOX!”
WHACK.
A notepad slammed into his face with enough force to reboot his entire operating system.
“OW! WHAT THE HELL, VELVETTE?!” He rubbed his cheek, glaring daggers.
Velvette stood there, arms crossed, eyes sharp enough to cut through reinforced steel. “If you’re going to fuck our intern with your eyes, can you at least try not to waste my time while you do it?”
Vox sputtered. “I—I wasn’t—”
Valentino snorted, smirking as he leaned back in his chair. “Aww, Voxxy,” he crooned, voice dripping with malicious sweetness. “You still haven’t fucked your crush?”
Your pen froze mid-note.
Then Val looked directly at you, grin widening.
“And sweetheart, if it ever happens—would you let me record you two?”
Vox short-circuited so violently the lights flickered.
You shook your head with a teasing smirk, like this was all some sitcom you’d already seen the punchline to.
“I think the boss is just tired,” you said lightly. “He worked so hard all morning.”
Velvette groaned dramatically. “Yeah—probably spying on that awful bobcut twink again.”
“HEY!” Vox slammed both palms onto the desk hard enough to rattle the pens.
He had spied on that stupid twink for fifteen minutes, tops.
He sashayed out with enough hip swing to violate workplace safety standards.
Then the door shut.
And Vox’s panic hit him like a collapsing signal tower.
Just him.
And you.
And the horrifying awareness that you had likely seen all 87 (read: eighty-seven!!!) pictures of his dick, and were probably silently plotting how to sell them, leak them, and ruin him forever.
Fantastic.
He inhaled deeply, forcing a painfully stiff smile. “So—”
“You know,” you interrupted, your tone shifting, warmth fading. Something darker drifting in. You glided to his desk and placed your hand on it, leaning forward until your cleavage hovered right in his line of sight. “That’s sexual harassment, sir.”
You said it in a flat, almost bored tone.
As if discussing a spreadsheet.
A sexy, devastating spreadsheet.
Vox froze.
Hot shame shot through him. His circuits buzzed, a flush of static racing up his neck.
“Wha—I— I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, crossing his arms quickly. Defensive. Tight. Transparent.
Denial.
Excuses.
Lies.
His holy trinity.
“Mhm.” You hummed, unimpressed.
Then you sat on his desk.
Just sat there, like…like it was your rightful throne or something! Your skirt sliding up, inch by scandalous inch, until he had full view of your black lace lingerie. You didn’t cover yourself. You didn’t adjust. You didn’t shy away.
Vox’s mouth went dry.
He dropped back into his chair so fast it squeaked, crossing his legs like it was a lifeline to dignity.
But you weren’t having that.
You slipped off your left heel, slow and deliberate.
Then your bare foot pressed against his crotch, right against him, sending a jolt through every wire he had.
He choked on his own breath.
“A-ah—”
You smirked, your toes gently massaging the outline of him, feeling him harden under your foot.
“Don’t tell me you’re shy,” you teased softly, “after sending so many pictures of your cock today…”
Your head tilted, devilish, eyes sparkling with wicked delight.
“Sir,” you whispered, the word flicking over him like a spark catching dry kindling.
He swallowed hard, his spine stiff as a rod, hands planted on his knees like he was bracing for impact. His cock strained violently against his pants, thick and heavy and begging for your touch.
“Hm,” you purred, soft and sing-song, “I think the picture made it look a lot bigger than it actually is.”
His head snapped toward you so fast a spark cracked off his cheek.
“Haha,” he forced out, stiff and brittle, then narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me?”
“Well…” You pouted sweetly, your toes gliding up the length of his clothed cock in a slow teasing sweep that made his breath catch. You dragged your foot back down, lazy and deliberate, “It just seems so much more… travel size.”
You bent forward, pausing the motion, letting the insult hang in the air like perfume.
That did it.
His pride flared hard and furious, burning away every shred of restraint.
“Oh, I’ll show you travel size.” His claws flew, unbuckling, tugging the zipper down, freeing his cock with a sharp pull. It sprang out, thick and flushed, the glowing blue tip haloed with a bead of precum that trembled on the edge.
You hummed in approval, a sound that vibrated right into the base of him.
Then you slid off the desk and lowered yourself between his legs. Your knees touched the floor. Your face hovered inches from his cock. Your breath spilled hot over him, and Vox nearly forgot how to speak.
“I need a closer look,” you murmured.
Your fingertips ghosted along the tip, smooth and curious, then traced down the centre of his shaft. Every inch you touched melted his panic, his excuses, all the frantic thoughts that had clawed at him all morning. They evaporated like static.
“Y-you’re still t-too far,” he whispered. It came out needy. A plea his pride couldn’t stop.
You looked up at him with the sultriest half-smirk he had imagined a thousand times.
“Oh?” you breathed, slow and devastating.
You shifted closer and pressed his cock against your cheek. Soft skin to hot flesh.
“How about now?” you teased, giving him a wicked, playful grin.
He exhaled sharply. The sight of you kneeling for him, holding him in your hand, touching him so lightly it hurt, made his cock throb so hard his hips jerked.
“Fuck…” he muttered, voice barely hanging on.
“Closer?” you whispered, sweet as sin.
Then your lips met him.
A soft kiss to the glowing tip.
A flick of warm tongue.
A slow drag down, down, down his shaft until you reached the base.
His breath fractured. “Fuck, fuck…”
His claws tightened in your hair, no longer resting politely on his knees. He guided you back up, desperate, pulling you where he needed you most. Toward the tip. Toward your lips.
You let him.
You opened your mouth, letting him slide in.
A guttural moan ripped from him as the heat of your tongue stroked past his sensitive ridge. He felt you gag when he hit the back of your throat, a twitch he felt all the way up his spine. Pride surged through him in a dark, intoxicating wave.
“Still think it’s small, babydoll?” he rasped.
Your eyes curved into perfect crescent moons, laughing at him even with his cock filling your mouth. Then you moved with purpose. Your fingers wrapped around his base and squeezed, firm and possessive. Your head bobbed, lips slick and hungry, spit shining his cock with every messy, wet stroke.
The room filled with the sounds of you.
Sucking.
Swallowing.
Breathing him in like he was something you needed to survive.
And Vox could only grip your hair tighter as everything inside him threatened to unravel.
“Oh… fuck,” Vox hissed, the sound raw and scraped from the bottom of his chest.
All he could do was stare.
You devoured him greedily, your mouth stretched around his cock, your lips gliding wetly down his length. Every slurp shot straight through him like electric current. His balls tightened, drawn up high, primed by the obscene sight and the louder, hungrier sounds you made each time you sank deeper.
His hips twitched upward before he could stop himself. Just tiny thrusts at first, testing how your mouth took him, how your throat fluttered around him.
Then you squeezed his tip.
Hard. Wet. Deliberate.
A low, animal sound tore out of him as his hands flew to your head, claws digging gently into your scalp. He lifted himself partly out of the chair, haunches tense, and began to fuck your mouth in earnest. His hips snapped forward in sharp, desperate motions, his cock sliding against your lips and cheeks before plunging back into heat again.
He chased his climax with reckless abandon, each thrust more frantic than the last.
You didn’t slow. You didn’t flinch. You let him take.
You gave him everything.
He didn’t last long. Not with your tongue flattened so perfectly against his shaft, not with your throat tightening around him, not with your hands holding him steady like you owned him.
A distorted groan ripped out of him, his voice glitching, breaking apart into static as his vision doubled.
Hot pulses of cum spilled into your mouth in thick, creamy waves. His entire body shuddered as his cock jolted again and again against your tongue. He groaned through it, a long, breathless exhale of pleasure as he emptied himself into you.
You swallowed every drop.
Slowly, deliberately, your lips slid off the head. His cock left your mouth with a soft, wet pop. Vox watched, dazed, as you opened your lips, showing him his own release pooled on your tongue, then closed your mouth and swallowed with a small, satisfied hum.
He nearly came again just from that.
You rose on shaky knees and sat back on his desk, your breath uneven, your cheeks flushed. Then your legs parted. Invitation written in the slow drip of slick between your thighs.
Your panties were sheer, ruined, soaked darker in the centre.
“It’s only fair I send you a picture… right, sir?”
Your voice was honey-sweet, wicked at the edges.
You hooked one manicured finger beneath the elastic and slid the fabric aside, revealing the soft, glistening folds he’d only dreamed of.
Vox froze.
Every pixel of his focus locked onto you.
His eyes darkened, hunger overtaking them as he leaned forward, breath caught in his throat, ready to take in every angle you offered.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve made any art. Work and life has kept me busy and I just haven’t had the chance to get back to my ipad. But I miss drawing so bad!!!! I will get back to it I promise.
In apology, here is a Shikamaru pen sketch I did at work lol
ᡣ𐭩 fratboy!dick grayson is surprisingly good at aftercare ⸝⸝ .ᐟ
Your bodies are both damp with sweat as you come down from your highs. A panting Dick Grayson is laid on top of you with his annoyingly toned arms wrapped around your waist, smiling into your neck while peppering lazy kisses all over the skin like he didn't just fuck you into oblivion for over an hour.
It’s… weird.
When the vodka decided for you that you'd let yourself be taken upstairs to fuck the president of a frat, you expected him to pull out and roll over. If he was extra nice, he'd get you some water before you left. That was supposed to be the extent of it.
He's been cuddling you like this for five minutes now.
"You okay?" he asks quietly, his voice almost tender as he presses one final kiss to your neck before looking up at you. "You did enjoy yourself, right?"
You'd laugh at the question if his weight wasn't almost crushing your lungs. He just had you doing an orgasm marathon and now he's acting like a teenage boy who's scared he didn't find the clit.
"No, it was great. 'm just... recovering." You eventually manage to say, giving him a small smile. He seems visibly relieved.
"Cool, good," he whispers with a kiss to your nose, finally rolling off you to lay next to you. His arms stay wrapped lazily around your torso. "Did you, uh, wanna get cleaned up?"
You hope he doesn't see the visible surprise on your face. "I can go clean myself up. Bathroom?"
He points to a door to the side of his room. Of course he has an ensuite. He slides out of the bed and grabs some sweatpants along with a t-shirt from his dresser, a slightly faded Metropolis U logo adorning the front. "You can change into this, if you want. Figured it'd be comfier." He whispers, handing it to you with a kiss on the cheek.
You smile awkwardly, muttering a small thank you before heading to the ensuite. You like how sweet he's being. The whole thing just feels unexpected.
He's dressed in some sweats by the time you walk back into the bedroom, a sweet smile already on his tired face when he sees you. He gestures for you to come back in bed, lifting the blankets up.
"You want anything to eat? Drink?" he mutters as you settle back into his hold, pressing a kiss on your temple.
"No, no. I don't wanna overstay my welcome."
"Well you're welcome all the time. Always welcome. If you want to be," he immediately says, almost nervously.
Dick Grayson, president of Delta Phi Rho, the guy who's weirdly a genius in your forensic psych class, is nervous to ask you to stay the night after fucking you.
"I think I'd maybe like that, yeah," you whisper back with a small chuckle, looking up at him from your place on his chest.
He grins, subconsciously holding you tighter, practically cradling you. "Me too," he murmurs, now nuzzling your shoulder, arms snaking under your shirt to gently rub your bare back. "Wanna see you again."
"Mhm?" you hum, your body growing more exhausted by the second. He nods into your shoulder, sleep slowly taking over his body as well.
"It's a date," he mumbles, sleepy smile on his face as he faces up to kiss you softly.
your best friend geto looks like he's been accosted. eyes wide, jaw slack, face all but screwed up in surprise at the words that have just come out of your mouth. what was it you said you were reading about? triple penetration? he might pass out.
you can't help but laugh at the look he's giving you. "what? you didn't watch porn when you were still a virgin?"
without warning, he snatches your phone right out of your hand and squints at the screen. "my porn was tasteful," he tsks. "this is... uncouth."
"uncouth?" you try to take back your phone, just for him to roll over in bed and hold it out of reach. you're half on top of him in seconds, clawing at his bulky arm. "give it back!"
"what is dac..." he stifles a laugh at the way you try so desperately for your archive of erotica. "...dacryphilia?"
"you don't know? what, no game? no hoes? bitches?"
"i manage, thank you," he rolls the both of you over and pins you down against the mattress, which has your breath hitching in your throat for some reason. it makes him smirk like a fucking idiot. "what, nervous?"
no... yes? you don't know. suguru has never made you feel nervous... jittery, maybe. you'd use nauseous, in both the good and bad way. sometimes he gives you this look that makes you feel like you have food poisoning. your body seems to react to him at the extreme.
you've always been touchy with each other. your friendship has been physical since day one—if you aren't touching, you're not in the same room. it's just how it's always been, a hand on his arm as you walk together, or his arm around your shoulders when you're seated. it's... normal. familiar.
so this —suguru pinning you down by the wrists, his long black hair falling down to tunnel your vision right onto that pretty face of his—probably shouldn't get you this wet.
or wet at all, really.
"tears," you say, for some fucking reason. "dacryphilia, it's crying, or making someone cry. like being overstimulated, or... humiliated, to the point of tears. or just crying for the sake of it."
geto looks down at you, and you try not to watch the muscles of his arms bulge as he keeps you locked beneath him. "i know."
you frown. "you know?"
"i just wanted to hear you try and explain it," he laughs. "fucking pervert."
"i'm going to kill you slowly," you wriggle beneath him. "get off me, suguru."
"or what? you'll cry? i think you're into that..." he teases, and manages to shift both of your wrists into one hand so that he can reach for your phone again. he thumbs it open and resumes your 'history' tab with a shit-eating grin. "virginity loss... best friends to lovers... size kink... corruption... breeding ? really?"
"shut the fuck up," you hiss. you buck your hips up, not to throw him off—because you can admit he's bigger, heavier and a whole lot stronger than you are—but out of pure frustration. except your movement only presses you tighter against where his thighs cage your hips, and you freeze. you think something pathetic leaves your lips, but you can't quite hear yourself over the mortification bubbling up in your chest.
"oh?" he notices, of course.you want to claw his stupid handsome face off. "don't tell me this is working for you."
"it's not," you snap. "you are so fucking full of yourself, geto."
"suguru," he corrects you. "say it properly. and by the look on your face right now i'd wager that you'd rather be the one full of me."
god you hate him sometimes. "embarrassing me isn't funny."
"it's a little funny."
"fuck you."
"you look like you'd love to," he lowers his hips a little, and for the first time in your life, you feel the weight of a rock-hard cock pressing against you. "tell me to stop and i will. we can go get food or something, forget this happened."
the switch in tone from teasing to gentle makes you smile, which makes keeping up the disgruntled act a lot harder. the thought of verbalising your need right now makes you nauseous, so you opt instead for a shake of your head.
"great," he nods, and slowly releases your wrists. "you can take that back whenever you want, just tell me and i'll back off."
"what are you..." you're cut off when suguru hands you your phone back with a scrunched up nose.
"read it," he says. "out loud. if you stop, i stop."
you're confused only until you check your screen and see that geto has opened up one of your most recently read pieces and scrolled down to a rather graphic scene of the main character being eaten out by her best friend. it's a little ironic, considering the state you're in, but you can't bring yourself to be embarrassed when your own best friend is kissing down your stomach and hooking his fingers under the waistband of your shorts.
he's going to go down on you? but he's hard, and for as much porn as you've read, most of it depicts the guy taking what he wants.
"aren't you going to... you know? fuck me?"
your shorts and panties are pulled down in one swift movement, and suguru buries his face in your thigh to stifle his laugh. his body shakes with the force of it, which makes you frown. your pussy is a few inches from his face, and he's laughing like the prospect of taking your virginity is funny.
"you couldn't take me," he smiles up at you. "now read."
suddenly self-conscious, you try clamp your thighs shut, just to (once again) find yourself pinned down by his strong arms. "this is weird," you whine. "you're my... i mean we... you know? friends. best friends ."
holding eye contact, suguru slowly lowers himself down to press a chaste kiss to your clit. it's not much contact, but it makes you jolt nonetheless. doesn't feel like how you had imagined it when you'd lay in bed late at night with your nose in a book and your hand between your legs. this is... better. feels right.
"still weird?" he asks, to which you nod without really meaning it. "weird like your porn on that phone?"
"suguru i swear to god if you don't—oh my god."
you forgive that man for all of the teasing he'd one as soon as he gets to work on you. flattening out his tongue against your pussy and tasting you for the first time has him already grinding against the mattress, and has you squeezing your eyes shut as you try to process this new realm of pleasure. you're glad he doesn't tease you for being so wet, but that he instead uses it to his advantage and starts making an even bigger mess of you.
his lips latch around your clit for only a few seconds. he hollows out your cheeks and you think you might die with how overwhelming the sensation is, but it's over all too soon. geto pulls back to do two things:
one, tie his hair out of his face, and two, tell you to start reading.
not wanting to miss out on these newfound pleasures of the flesh , you unlock your phone and start on a random spot on the screen, your voice a lot more shaky than you want it to be.
" he, uh... he ducks down and licks a stripe from entrance to clit, collecting... collecting her wetness on his tongue and falling in love with the taste of her enjoyments. "
suguru, suddenly good at following instructions, does as written and leads his tongue upwards. you moan at the contact, but notice suguru starting to pull away at your lack of reading, so you go on.
"she loves the way he feels. he kisses her, uh, sweet center, before continuing to use his tongue to toy with her."
you can feel suguru smiling against you. "sweet center?" he laughs, but continues his ministries nonetheless. you roll your eyes, this has been a lot better of a read when your brain was fogged with unsated need. longing for the man that is now between your legs.
"growing messy, his focus shifts to her clit. his tongue dances with the bud of nerves as he brings two fingers of his left hand, ring and all, and pushes them inside of her. curling upwards until she—"
"is that what you want?" suguru cuts you off.
"yeah, yes. i think. just go slow."
"keep reading."
you clear your throat as suguru starts tracing circles around your clit with the tip of his tongue. he looks a little silly doing that, you note as you glance down to enjoy the view for a moment, but god does it feel good.
"curling upwards until she's an ecstatic mess of fulfilled wants. he completes her, in both soul and now flesh. fills her with his fingers in preparation for his—oh god, suguru, right there."
you hadn't even noticed him pushing into you, you were that eager to feel more of him. his fingers curl up as described in your reading material and suddenly he's brushing over a spot you've never discovered on your own. it blurs your vision, sends your skin hot.
"can't.. can't read anymore," you whine, bucking your hips up in some masochistic need for more. anything bigger than this and you'd keel over, you think, but you'd take anything suguru was willing to give you. "gonna—"
he allows it. encourages it, even. quickens his pace on the fingers plunging in and out of you, and starts making out with your pussy like a drunken virgin would. it's good in a way that shouldn't be: messy and needy and you think perhaps that suguru is just as close to coming as you are.
your orgasm is intense. your back arching off the bed and your body trying hopelessly to get more of sugurus touch. you think you moan his name, though it could be a babbled string of 'i love you's that you'll refuse to acknowledge later on in hopes that giving you head wasn't enough to ruin your friendship.
suguru moans loudly against your pussy as he tastes your release, the vibrations no help for your sensitivity, but his hips are stuttering against the mattress and you can tell even through your haze that you've made the cocky idiot cum in his pants.
serves him right.
and because the two of you are friends before you are... whatever this is, the both of you are falling into a fit of laughter upon your comedowns. suguru's lips glisten and your chest heaves with each breath you take, and he's climbing up the bed to press a kiss to your cheek.
"better than reading about it?" he asks.
"nope," you grin, which earns you a mean look that soon gives way to another laugh from him. "you could do it again some time if you wanted, though."
"please. i want to find out what skills you've picked up reading all of that weird shit." he pulls you into his arms and, despite being a little sweaty, you find yourself melting comfortably into his embrace.
"you couldn't keep up with me," you sing-song.
"yeah? try me."
"ever heard of male sounding? whip it out, sugu."
"ha. shut the fuck up."
this is a repost from my old account. still me tho i did not #steal this
this is a repost from my old account. still me tho i did not #steal this
Dragon age origins is like…. You’re nineteen, new in town, and it’s your second day at pizza hut. You don’t even know how to work the register yet and you just watched your manager get carted off by the paramedics. You have no contact info for him, his next of kin, or corporate. The only other employee is the guy who’s been here for two weeks and is a bit of a doofus, and neither of you really know what you’re supposed to do now. You both desperately need this job though, and the doofus at least has a drivers license and *kiiinda* knows how to use the oven so you just. Shrug, and start taking orders and making pizzas and praying to god that the bills are on autopay.
And weirdly enough you’re really good at this: making pizzas and dealing with shitty customers and breaking up fights in the parking lot and pretending to be Duncan’s cousin on the phone so the utility company doesn’t cut off the power. But running a store is a lot of work for two dumb kids, so slowly you start accumulating a bunch of competent weirdos to help out, like the nun who left her convent because god told her to help you make pizzas, and the elderly school teacher who just survived a mass shooting, and the guy the papa johns down the street hired to run you over. And really there’s no way any of this should be working as well as it is - you’re absolutely committing fraud of some kind here - but you’ve managed to dodge the landlord every time he’s stopped by, and the health inspector never shows up to tell you to stop letting your dog hang out behind the counter and you’re all still kinda looking at each other and asking ‘are we allowed to just do this?’ before shrugging again and continuing to make pizzas, until somehow, through a series of unlikely technicalities, your doofus coworker ends up on the ballot for governor.
And after like five months of this the regional manager wanders in out of nowhere and you’re sure he’s about to chew your ass out for this mess, but it turns out he’s pretty chill and honestly kind of impressed with how you managed to keep the place up and running all on your own. So now you’re all thinking ‘thank god, there’s someone here who actually knows how to run a Pizza Hut’ only for him to get hit by a car two days later on the night of the Super Bowl.
Having a car in Gotham was a blessing—no late-night walks, no muggers, and no leering men catcalling you. It was a wonder how much more bearable the crime-ridden city was when you had a car.
Yet, even from inside your glorious vehicle, disaster still managed to strike you in the form of a man.
Or was it the other way around?
Either way, your hands gripped the steering wheel, sweaty and shaky as you stared up ahead with wide eyes.
All you saw was a blur of red before your foot slammed on the brake a second too late. There was a big thump while the car shuddered with you.
With a muffled, hysterical cry, you wrenched open the door and stumbled out.
“Fucking hell,” you whispered, brows furrowed.
On the road was a groaning man in red. Your heart skipped a beat. At least the guy was still alive. Fear vibrated through you, your mind replaying the moment over and over.
You made your way closer to him, as if he were some rabid animal and not a helpless man you’d hit with your car.
The closer you got, the more you could make out the form of Red Hood.
You cursed and wondered if you should run. What if he tried to kill you for fracturing an important bone or—
Your thoughts were cut off by his strained voice.
“You gonna help or stare at me?”
You steadied yourself and forced your mouth to work.
“I—shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you running. Obviously I didn’t do this on purpose—fuck.” You said it as calmly as possible, which sounded more like you were being held at gunpoint.
He didn’t move a muscle, just stared at you like you were the insane one. His helmet had been removed, his jaw was clenched, and his raven hair was a mess. Oh. He was one of those people who looked hot while frustrated.
You swallowed and crouched down, awkwardly trying to help him up. You weren’t much help with lifting a six-foot-something man.
“I’m so sorry,” you said again while the vigilante leaned on your smaller form.
“It’s fine,” he grunted.
“It’s not. I mean, you could have died.”
He snorted as you helped him onto the sidewalk where he stiffly sat, not showing any signs of major injuries. You could barely read the man, and the mask covering his eyes didn’t help.
“Eh, been there, done that,” he replied, watching you intently like he was enraptured by the person who got him temporarily incapacitated.
You gave him a weird look, your face screwing up. You opened your mouth to ask what that meant but decided against it. Was it rude to ask people about their death? You assumed it was.
“Okay…” You trailed off. He wasn’t saying much and you didn’t know what to do. So, you rummaged through the pocket of your jeans and pulled out a lollipop. You winced—it was all you had.
You held it out to Red Hood with a hopeful look in your eye.
“A peace offering,” you added when he didn’t move, white lenses fixed on your face rather than your offering.
He sighed, a white strand of his hair falling across his forehead, and you wanted to brush it away.
You willed yourself to stay still—you would not embarrass yourself. But the way he was looking at you made you feel like it was too late for that.
“I already said it was okay, sweetheart.” His voice was low and rough.
Your mind decided to focus on the last word, zoning in on the way he said it. You numbly pushed the candy closer to his face.
A reluctant half-smile formed on his face, gloved fingers brushing yours as he took the candy from you, lingering a second too long to chase the warmth.
You cleared your throat.
“Next time, you should look both ways before crossing,” you told him.
His half-smile deepened.
“And deny myself the pleasure of meeting you again?”
a/n: sooo my first headcanons yeiih!! this just came flowing out of me while watching boruto tbh because i'm delusional lmao,,,, anyway, very self indulgent as always :) ignore typos pls i cant spell aaaand enjoy xx
likes & reblogs appreciated <3
warnings: none! SFW :) not proofread
masterlist
♢ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ᴜᴢᴜᴍᴀᴋɪ♢
✿sUCH a messy sleeper
❀he'd toss and turn throughout the whole night, ending up somewhere completely different than where he fell asleep on the bed
❀matching pyjama sets !!!
✿especially seasonal ones, he adores them
✿BLANKET HOGGER !!!
❀but not on purpose really, he just pulls it with him due to all his movements
✿u always wake up with it either on the floor or him laying atop of it
❀sometimes he hits u with his elbow or his feet, but pls don't tell him he WILL cry
✿just push him away, boy will not wake up under any circumstances
❀the both of u alWAYS cuddle when falling asleep
✿the usual position is with his arms around your waist, legs thrown over ur own and his face resting next to ur shoulder
❀for that exact reason he's a BIG SPOON !!
❀so so quick to fall asleep, and wakes up after u as well
✿but not at all groggy in the morning !! he's energetic from the second he opens his eyes and sees u preparing breakfast
❀overall just the softest boyfriend ever
♢ꜱᴀꜱᴜᴋᴇ ᴜᴄʜɪʜᴀ♢
❀now thIS dude sleeps like a corpse
✿he's not particularly prone on cuddling u, but he fairly enjoys having ur head on his chest and feeling ur fingertips draw circles against his skin
❀he'd never admit it tho obviously
✿mostly wears a black lose t-shirt and some short sweats or sumn
❀just comfortable all around
✿i'm a firm believer in the back position
❀laying flat on the mattress, one arm either around u, or both resting on his belly
✿light sleeper, if i may
❀takes him pretty long to fall asleep as well, but counting ur breath usually calms him and makes it easier
✿u make everything easier for him actually
❀doesn't really care about a blanket, it all really depends on what u prefer while sleeping
✿often awoken by nightmares, but won't ever wake u up or tell u the next day because he thinks it's embarrassing
❀refuses to leave the bed in the morning, but isn't moody at all just very quiet
✿always helps u make breakfast and makes the bed without having to ask him to
❀overall just a calm lover
♢ᴋɪʙᴀ ɪɴᴜᴢᴜᴋᴀ♢
❀without a doubt, a snorer
✿like IM SORRY LADIES but c'mon
❀but not annoyingly loud, just breathy lil snores
✿the problem with it is: he won't move an INCH away from u ever, he's all up in ur business while sleeping
❀doesn't matter how, he's always got to feel u next to him somehow
✿i take him as a sleep talker too, mumbling incoherent words against your neck which only make u laugh tbh
❀akamaru's got his own bed next to the two of u, but some nights he crawls in between ur bodies, practically suffocating u
✿you really don't mind on colder nights, but in summer kiba makes him get off, due to having such a high body temperature already and he doesn't want u to complain even more
❀wore a shirt and pants at the beginning of ur relationship
✿but now??? u'd have to FORCE him to wear anything more than boxers
❀hates when u don't want to cuddle :(( might as well kill him fr
✿why need a blanket when he has you??
❀doesn't leave the bed AT ALL in the morning, u literally have to grab him by the feet and drag him out of it
✿he's a sweetheart, really
♢ꜱʜɪᴋᴀᴍᴀʀᴜ ɴᴀʀᴀ♢
❀dude HATES cuddling at the beginning of ur relationship, me thinks
✿but fear not, it just takes a bit of convincing from ur side and he's in on it
❀but it's subtle touches really, like holding his hand or having ur feet intertwined
✿if u've had a bad day, he'd definitely play with your hair to make u fall asleep, he's not a diCK
❀grey sweats all the way !!!!!
✿rarely ever wears a shirt, except for when it's cold of course
❀he seems much more like a light sleeper than not, but he's so grouchy when something wakes him up it's a drag really
✿has to be completely dark and quiet in his room or he won't be able to close one eye
❀always sleeps on the side closest to the door
✿big on talking about both ur days at night because he's a very private person and loves spending time with u ALONE
❀deep talk at 2am?? u can bet on it
✿forehead kisses!!! once u wake up and neither of u want to get up and start ur day
❀he's such an attentive lover in general, i'm actually going insane
♢ɴᴇᴊɪ ʜʏᴜɢᴀ♢
❀oh my lovely boy
✿i feel like he wouldn't move a MUSCLE while sleeping
❀sometimes you have to poke him to make sure he's still alive
✿AHEM
❀a light sleeper foshou
✿also ????
❀he would 100% wait for u to fall asleep first
✿would always run his fingertips over your back to make you tired
❀unfortunately, the closest to cuddling u two do, is ur head on his chest
✿he gets sweaty quickly, so he'll often sleep without a shirt (which u don't complain about obviously) and that's the reason why he doesn't necessarily NEED body contact (in this situation only!!)
❀but HUGE PLUS he'll sweet talk you to sleep almost every night
✿asking about ur day from begin to end
❀he wants to know it ALL
✿in general, he's really big on making you as comfortable as possible before bed
❀would even wait till the morning to go pee because you look so peaceful laying on his chest
✿don't mind him watching u he just thinks ur so pretty ok
❀u wake up to the smell of coffee almost every morning
✿overall, as we been knew, the gentlest gentlemen to perhaps ever gentleman goodbye
♢ᴋᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ ʜᴀᴛᴀᴋᴇ♢
❀poor baby's the king of light sleepers
✿always ready to jump into battle and protect u if he has to, even if u convince him that ur safe and nothing's going to happen :(
❀casually wears a black tanktop and some sweats, mask and shinobi headband easily reachable on the bedside table at his right side
✿definitely enjoys u playing with his hair too much
❀he prefers to fall asleep with his head either on your chest or tugged just under your chin so he can hear you breathe and ur heart beat
✿he's so tragic oh my days
❀anYWAY light snores but only when he's REALLY gone and u rarely ever see him in this state so,,,,,
✿loves listening to ur stories before falling asleep
❀legs & arms intertwined and allathat
✿you will never lay in bed without him picking up one of his books at least ONCE
❀it really calms him down u know
✿but start a conversation with him, and he's all urs, book long forgotten next to his mask and headband.
❀always wakes up earlier than u, preparing breakfast with said book between his fingers
✿(he swears he'll close it once ur awake tho)
❀((he does))
a/n: AHEM i hope u liked it ???? pls tell me ??? AAAA i will see u beans next time bye bye xx