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There were few things Katsuki hated more than people not taking things seriously- it was embarrassing to be in a class with people who joked around so much and acted like the thing he spent so much time- so much effort and sacrificed so much for was something to laugh about.
It was pathetic.
If they didn't want to be the best- he had no room for them.
It wasn't personal he just couldn't respect people that didn't have a good work ethic- who didn't wake up every single day and give 100% of themselves to their goal.
And honestly it didn't matter what that goal was- he could respect someone who wanted to be a florist as much as someone who wanted to be a doctor. It was the passion that was important.
The decision to never give up- never roll over and let someone else take your place.
Work hard- play hard.
That's why he had found himself somewhat obsessed with Ochako Uraraka.
It had nothing to do with her skin tight body suit- or the dusty pink shade her face turned when he called her cheeks. Which franky only caused him to do it even more. Though neither of those things served to minimize the attraction.
When it came down to it- Katsuki respected her.
He appreciated her drive- hell if he had been even one second slower during the sports festival she would have easily wiped the floor with him and he hadn't even noticed. The girl had taken hit after hit and refused to stay down- she fought until the last second. Until her body completely gave out on her.
That took guts.
And that was just the beginning.
Frankly when he first met her- Bakugou had pegged her for a rescue hero at best. Nothing shameful in it- but not what he was shooting for.
You can't be number one if you only know one trick.
Eraser head wasn't wrong about that one.
She seemed a little one note for him.
But after the festival she took her internship at Gunhead’s agency. Not ranked very high but he was a respectable hero with great dedication to training.
Not a weak point of Katsuki’s- and therefore not where he would have chosen.
If he had gotten an invitation from them that is.
But it took balls to commit to something that intense.
Something he didn't think she had.
But clearly he had underestimated her.
Clearly he continued to underestimate her.
She could be a real threat- and he would have to put her on his radar.
The more he paid attention though- the less he could look away.
The girl never gave up.
She refused to let people walk all over her- or her friends even if she had shitty taste in them.
She was strong as hell- and determined- and she made it clear she intended to beat them all even if she isn't as loud about it as Bakugou was. She worked hard. She trained hard.
And all of that-- just was fuel to the fire.
By the time he realized what was going on- he was already gone.
It was Kirihima’s fault.
He mentioned it the first time and he couldn't shake the thought out of his head.
They had been discussing the strongest fighters in the class and of course all the usual came up- Todoroki- Himself- fucking Deku- but
“Can’t rule out round cheeks.” Katskui added offhandedly. “ she's worked hard the last couple months- Almost smoked me at the sports festival. She refuses to stay down- spends almost as much time in the gym as I do and is strong as hell. I reckon she could take half of us out on a bad day.”
Kiri had given him a look he didn't quite understand- and then laughed.
“Someone’s got it bad.” he replied
“Fuck off Shitty Hair- I can respect talent without going goo goo eyes like fucking Deku.” he spit back.
But since then- he couldn't get the thought out of his head.
Did he- have a crush?
It would explain a lot.
But it wasn't really something that happened to him before. He had never really found people attractive. At least not without forming a relationship with them first but as anyone could tell you Katsuki did not form relationships.
This class was the closet he had come to being friends with anyone- which- could be why he was feeling this- something.
Fuck.
Frankly he didn't have time for relationships- he never even thought about them.
But imagining spending time with Round Face- well it didn't fill him with contempt like the thought usually would.
He found the idea intriguing.
He imagined joining a hero agency after school- one that would give them both the attention they deserved.
Doing patrols while teasing her affectionately.
The way her face would turn pink when he hit just the right button.
He imagined making their way home after a long day of hero work to a tiny apartment in the city- cooking dinner while she relentlessly babbled about what had happened that day.
What had gone wrong.
What could go better.
Thought about shutting her up by shoving a spoonful of food into her mouth while she talked and the little pout she would undoubtedly make turning into a grin at the food she would certainly love because he was a damn good cook.
He imagined going to bed curled around her small frame.
Kissing her face- her lips.
Fuck he was so gone on her.
Kirishima was right.
But he had no idea what to do with that information.
So he did what any logical person would do.
He stalked her.
He found out her gym schedule- where she went out for lunch on off days.
He formulated a plan to casually run into her one day in town and suggest maybe they go get something to eat- maybe at the ramen place he noticed she liked.
Without mentioning that he noticed she liked it.
But all that plan went to shit.
“Why are you following me creep.” She had yelled- spinning around in the street and placing a threatening fist centimeters from his face.
His hood slipped enough to reveal his face and her lips turned into a small o.
“Bakugou?” she asked, looking surprised.
And he could hardly blame her because he was in fact being a total freakin creep.
But in his defense he had no idea what to say to her- even now he had nothing to say.
He just stood there thinking about how hard he would have to try to will the concrete to swallow him up and never spit him out because this was humiliating.
“Are you blushing?” she asked- hand perched back onto her hip rather than poised at his face.
“Fuck no!” he yelled- pulling his hood back up closer around his face- “it's just hot.” he supplied.
“in - November?” she asked- and god damn it why was she so smart and why the hell did he find that so attractive.
“Fuck off Cheeks!” he yelled.
“You’re the one following me around Blasty- how about you get to explaining huh?” she asked and he could hardly bear to look at her.
The words that fell from his mouth were hardly a whisper- so he could hardly blame her for what followed.
“What was that?” she asked and the patronizing tone of voice would usually have served to set him off more but from her- god she was just such a freaking brat.
“I said- go on a damn date with me.” he yelled- people turned to glance at them- and he again realized too late that he was being too loud.
Fun side effect of damn ADHD- you don't realize you’re too loud until you’re yelling. Don't realize you’re annoying until you have no damn friends. Dont realize your parents would give anything for you to shut up and sit down for five fucking seconds until you’re old enough to tell them and their meds to fuck right the fuck off and you hate them as much as they probably hate you.
It was hard- so hard for him to focus. To pay attention to what he was doing long enough to get it done but he tried and god damn it he tried harder than anyone else and he would be damned if any of these stupid extras slacked off and beat him to number one because he would fight anyone even his own jacked up brain if it meant he got to win.
“What--” she said and it pulled his attention back to what was going on.
Fuck.
He just yelled at her.
Nice going Katsuki- thats what girls like- being fucking yelled at.
“If you don't want to, that's your loss.” he huffed- “but you’re pretty alright cheeks. Takes a lot to make me admit that someone could kick my ass and ill hand it to you- ya made me work real hard for that win.” he shrugged- trying to keep as much of his obsession to himself as he could but when he got on a tangent sometimes it was hard to get off of.
“You’re not half bad looking- and I like how determined you are to make it big. You wont let anyone get in your way not even fucking Deku- god knows how you put up with the guy- but hey we’ve all got faults- guess that’s yours.”
He tried to play it cool but he was sure his face was burning hot by now.
Is this what all relationships were like- throwing yourself out there knowing someone could smash you into a million pieces.
He would rather take on 20 pro’s than wait for her answer one more second.
“I- “ she started- fiddling with her thumbs in front of her. “Yeah- ok.”
A smirk spread across Katsuki’s face.
“Right answer cheeks.” he laughed, throwing his arm over her shoulder in victory.
She giggled but didn't push him away.
“I'll be honest- I’ve never really - thought about you in that way; but you’re not so bad looking yourself- or too awful to be around when you’re not being a total ass.” she laughed- punching at his ribs without any strength.
He snorted.
“No way Cheeks- every girl wants to date me.” he replied
“Not every girl Katsuki.” she teased back.
“Says the girl currently going on a date with me.” he quipped, arm tightening around her shoulders in a half assed hug.
“You’ve caught me there Blasty.” she laughed. “So where are we headed?”
“Ramen?” he suggested- he liked spicy and she liked noodles- plus they sold cute little cakes in the shop next door and nobody was ever going to insinuate that Katsuki Bakugou was anything less than the best damn date there ever was.
“Just how long have you been following me around Katsuki?”
His heart did a backflip at the way she said his name.
“Let's leave that conversation for our second date Cheeks” he countered.
“What makes you think you’re going to get a second.” she laughed- all teasing and no menace.
“Of course I will! This might be my first one but I’m going to be the best damn date you’ve ever had. You’re going to want to go on a million dates with me when I’m done with you.” he replied.
She smiled.
He smiled back- and they walked to the ramen place with his arm tucked around her.
He might not have a lot of spare time- neither of them really did. Between hero work and homework and the million other things that showed up every other day.
But this-
This he could always make time for.