Chapter Text
Sophmore year of college.
Finally being out of high school and studying heroics for real. Bakugou Katsuki wasn’t just going to be the number one hero, he was going to have the number one agency too. This was the last step before really achieving his dream and being the person he wanted! For now, he settled with college classes and an internship to pay for those pesky textbooks. Bakugou took residence on campus. There were a few of his other classmates that landed at the same school, most went to others, but all of them were still in Tokyo.
His routine included waking up at 5am to do some basic exercise at the gym, going to his internship at 7:00am, getting a cup of coffee at 10:30am and killing time until class 1pm. His schedule was so effective that it left him plenty of time for homework and occasionally meeting up with his “stupid” friends to do something stupid with them. Today went on like any other for Katsuki. Training, internship, coffee, cute girl-
Cute girl?
Bakugou looked ahead in line to notice a new yet familiar face behind the counter taking orders. Sure, her hair was a little longer but he new those round cheeks anywhere. That was fucking Uraraka Ochako and since when did she work here? Bakugou swallowed thickly as the person in front of him moved up. It shouldn’t have been this weird. Granted, she was a crush that he pushed down and got over in their 2nd year. That was years ago, he was over that now. Even if time proved to do her a lot of justice.
“I can help whoever’s- oh, Bakugou? Is that you?”
Shit. Bakugou stepped forward, trying to project his typical careless demeanor. “Who else? Since when did you start working here?”
“Oh!” She straightened up. “Just recently. I just transferred from another university to this one so I can be closer to my apartment. I worked at a cafe there, so I just thought it would be easiest to work at a cafe here!”
“Of course..” he groaned but still smiled a little. As annoying as she was, her personality was still pleasant as ever. “Medium blonde soy latte.”
Uraraka giggles to herself writing on his cup “The blonde wants a blonde? Makes sense.”
“Shut up.” He growled “If you have a problem with it, then you make a better drink.”
“Oh…is that a challenge?” The change in her tone caught him off guard. This woman was grinning like a fox over prey. Long gone were the days of uncertainty. This competitive spark was...alluring in way.
Katsuki happily returned the challenge “Yeah. Make me something I’ll actually drink. As if you know my tastes anyway.”
“You’re underestimating me.” Uraraka grabbed a different blank cup and simply wrote his name. “Wanna bet?”
“Loser buys lunch?”
“Loser buys lunch.”
Bakugou sat at a table eagerly waiting for whatever she could brew. He wanted to keep looking away, but his eyes drew towards her naturally. Uraraka had grown so lovely these past few years. Her confidence had skyrocketed which was also a nice treat. Katsuki groaned feeling a nostalgic warmth in his stomach.
Back in highschool, there was no point in perusing a relationship. Everyone else did, some even succeeding like Kaminari and Jirou. Although Bakugou would not let that distract him. Now though, the restraints weren’t as binding. The same excuse wouldn’t work since they technically had more time. Bakugou shook his head violently. No, he wasn’t going to date her just because she was here and hot. She probably was taken now which sucked.
Good for her, but sucked for him.
A cup being set in front of him snapped Bakugou out of his haze. Looking up, Ochako smiled down at him genuinely. “Enjoy.”
“We’ll see.” The young hero eyed the cup, taking a small waft before taking a sip. A really long sip.
“So you like it?”
“It...doesn’t suck. What the hell is this shit?”
Uraraka was smiling from ear to ear proud of her work “A cafe misto made with blonde and almond milk. It still has all the caffeine so don’t worry.”
Bakugou licked his lips after taking another sip. This shit was really good! How did she figure all that out without knowing anything about him?
“I’m free this afternoon at 3pm. I like chinese, pizza and sweets.” Uraraka announced it without even mentioning her clear victory. It find of annoyed him, in a good way.
“Just meet me by the fountain and don’t be late, Uraraka.”
Uraraka actually seemed caught off guard. “You actually remember my name? I thought you would’ve forgotten! Not like you knew most our names anyway.” She shuffled with her hands a bit.
Bakugou raised an eyebrow “How could I have forgotten you?”
The statement came out with more weight than intended. Both of them looked around rather embarrassed and unsure of what to say. “I uh.. am gonna go back to work. I’ll see you at lunch!” Ochako waved and slowly walked back behind the counter to converse with her coworkers.
Bakugou meanwhile, kicked himself for saying something so fucking awkward. Like, middle school level awkward. He angrily stared down at the delicious misto in his hand. Now was the absolute wrong time to be catching feelings for some chick. Not when he was merely a few years away from his goal. Even if that chick was Uraraka Ochako. Bakugou had a concrete plan and no one was getting in the way. He mentally prepared himself to shove down old feelings; Permanently.
That said, he was still meeting her for lunch at 3.
—
Three in the afternoon could not come soon enough. Bakugou spent the rest of his morning and after class thinking of where the hell to take her. Since Chinese was the healthiest option of all of them, that’s what they could have. Even taking the time to find look up somewhere new and good. Not like he was trying to impress her, he just didn’t want to have a shitty lunch.
Uraraka showed up a little late, but there. She was talking to some guy at a distance. Katsuki couldn’t hear them at all, but she looked very into him. Was that her boyfriend? Or a crush? Was he hitting on her? Did this good for nothing know she was about to be on a date with the Bakugou fucking Katsuki?
When Bakugou lifted his hand from the fountain he was leaning on, the concrete had been burned into a black handprint. He groaned, realizing that pushing these feelings down a second time would be harder than he thought. Eventually, Ochako parted with the stranger and practically skipped to Bakugou’s side. She was still so damn cute.
“Hey! Sorry. I was asking for some homework advice.” She laughed shyly. “So… still for lunch.”
“Obviously.” He scoffed. “Just follow me.”
“Sure. Wherever you want as long as you’re paying.” She seemed all too excited for free food. Uraraka looked up at him, positive as ever “You know, I used to have the biggest crush on you.”
Bakugou damn near tripped on thin air “You what?