Work Text:
Given the fact that Izuku was always the most observant when it came to Bakugou 'Kacchan' Katsuki he supposed it was only fair that he was the first one to notice the strange occurrences. Well, he and Eijiro, who admitted, he noticed it happening roughly around the same time the shorter boy had five weeks ago, but that was beside the point.
Izuku imagined that the breaks between classes were usually the same in U.A as they were in any other school. Students were either finishing their homework, comparing it with their classmates or they were chatting to fill out their spare time.
Izuku was no different and smiled as Ochako showed up at his desk in her usual cheerful fashion discussing their latest class and then easily drifting into more causal topics. It was a bit new to him at the beginning since the last time he had someone to talk to, a real friend, was around the time he was seven. Luckily, it was always so easy to talk to the girl with such a sunshinelike personality as Ochako causing Izuku to smile every time he saw her approaching. It wasn't usual that she was joined by other classmates. Usually Tenya and Tsuyu, but today the taller boy was busy discussing something with his co-class president.
'She does? My mom's the same,' giggled Ochako as they landed on the topic of how their mothers who seemed to be worried they weren't getting enough food in the school cafeteria, 'She always calls and asks what did we have and if I ate everything.'
Izuku nodded with a small smile as his mother did the same. Somewhere in the corner of his eye, he noticed Tsuyu was approaching his desk as well.
The boy thought that since she was usually in charge of her siblings, she would probably be the one who was calling them to check if they ate, but before he could ask, or they could tell her what he and Ochako were talking about the girl went a bit further and sat down.
Izuku froze a bit, his focus on Ochako's next words, now gone, as his mind started to flash a red alert inside.
Tsu-chan! Tsu-chan is…She's…
SITTING ON KACCHAN'S CHAIR!
The green-haired boy swallowed a bit and started to sweat. Since he and the ash-blond, the owner of the desk Tsuyu so carelessly decided to sit at, knew each other since the tender age of three, Izuku knew how Kacchan was about his stuff. Even back when they were somewhat friends the boy was impossible at sharing not usually-not unusually choosing volume and hard violence if people tried to take his things. He supposed maybe someone else would have gotten better at this with time since naturally, most kids learn to share later on in their life. But those people weren't Bakugou Katsuki-
-who was suddenly walking towards them!
Izuku opened his mouth. He wanted to warn Tsuyu that she needed to stand up before the ash-blond would notice and-
'Oi!'
Too late.
Izuku caught confusion behind Ochako's brown eyes as she blinked at him and stopped saying whatever their conversation drifted to, which sadly he tuned out when he got focused on Tsuyu occupying Kacchan's chair, and she turned to look at the loud ash-blond, just as Tsuyu had.
He expected the boy to blow up and start yelling as he always did.
Get out of my chair, Frog Face!
Don't touch my stuff!
Get out before I kill you!
'Hand me my calculus, would you?' asked Kacchan, and for a second, Izuku was sure, he had a stroke and wasn't experiencing the reality anymore.
His green eyes blinked as he watched Tsuyu casually glance at the boy and then reached for his school bag of all things.
Izuku stared in absolute shock as Tsuyu put the bag on her knees as if nothing happened and started to search through it for the right exercise book. It took her about three seconds, but even that Izuku would consider long for someone impatient like Kacchan, however, the ash-blond just remained looking at their see-green-haired classmate until she pulled the right book out and hand it to him with a smile, 'Here, you go, Baku-chan.'
The boy grunted something which might have been a thanks or took you long enough and headed back to Eijiro who was helplessly erasing something in his own calculus book looking like he might fall into the absolute pit of despair. That must have been the reason why Kacchan needed the book in the first place.
Either way, Izuku swallowed hard now that the boy was gone.
'Deku-kun, are you alright?' asked Ochako leaning a bit closer to him which perhaps caused a wave of new nervosity before he nodded feeling his face heat up a bit, 'Yes, don't worry. But I spaced out a bit what were you saying?'
'She was complaining we don't have more desserts during lunch time, kero,' said Tsuyu bluntly as per usual, not one to sugar code things, and the other girl shot her a horrified and upset look at being called out like that, 'Not true, Tsu-chan. I just pointed it out.'
Tsuyu chuckled a bit at her friend.
Her face was usually hard to read since her expression never changed, but the smile on her lips meant she was happy. She didn't look at Kacchan, not at least while Ochako started to talk again, but somewhere close to the end of the break when the boy returned to his seat, Izuku noticed how he waited for her to leave instead of telling her to do so.
Tsuyu did so slowly like she wasn't in a rush since Ochako was still talking and perhaps it would be rude to just cut her off and go.
She stood up nodding at something Ochako said, then for a brief moment glanced at Kacchan who to Izuku's utter surprise gave her a micro-second long smirk before he sat quickly down at his seat.
The break was ending so Tsuyu sort of navigated her friend back to their seats while talking all the while Izuku's eyes stayed glued to the back of Kacchan's ash-blond head after he sat back down to his spot.
Did that just happen?
His head finally turned to look at Tsuyu again.
Her dark eyes were on her books now as she awaited the arrival of their teacher. She didn't look back in their direction of the classroom, but the damage was done, and Izuku couldn't stop to think about it.
Did Kacchan really change?
Impossible, just the other week, just the other week he shouted at Shouto that he wouldn't lend him his pen even if the world was coming to an end. Always so dramatic, Kacchan.
Perhaps, it was just Tsuyu. He supposed Kacchan viewed others as his rivals and needed to maintain some distance and his usual loudmouthed behavior, but with Tsuyu he didn't have to.
No, he was always rude to her too…or was he?
Come to think of it, the green-haired U.A student couldn't for his love of All-Might remember the last time, he heard Kacchan call the girl Frog Face or was mean to her. In general, he didn't think the two interacted all that much, but perhaps he was wrong-
'Midoriya, the class started two minutes ago,' said his sensei suddenly causing the boy's face to heat up, 'Focus.'
'Yes, sorry, sensei!'
He would put more thought into it after class.
Eijiro paused in the track which caused Hanta to walk into him immediately groaning and complaining which Eijiro couldn't really blame his friend for, 'The hell?'
Eijiro thought the same or perhaps a milder version of that. Earlier that week they decided to go to the movies. Minus Mina and Denki, they managed to get good results that a test and so Aizawa allowed them to leave campus even on Friday. It was great because the franchise was one of Eijiro's favorite about kung-fu warriors.
The boy begged, argued, and did everything but a back flipped but despite his effort, he couldn't get Baku-bro to come to join them. He ultimately accepted defeat and at least decided to get hyped with Hanta who was also a fan until just yesterday, the ash-blond who was so much against it, came to him and asked if he knew if there were some free tickets left.
The redhead was ecstatic more or less praising his convincing skills since the hell would Baku-bro otherwise come if he wasn't a fan? Eijiro knew that even if the ash-blond loudmouth denied it all he wanted, he was a gigantic secret hero movies fan.
Dork, thought Eijiro fondly when he wanted Denki to make some totally stupid comments about some movies or characters, and the ash-blond's eyes started to twitch from how much he wanted to tell him he was wrong, but wouldn't allow everyone to know he cared.
It was hilarious and redhead gladly and secretly laughed at it every time. Sometimes not so secretly which got Baku-bro to explode at his face, but it was still worth it.
However, now at this moment, he was absolutely stunned and confused wondering if Baku-bro didn't have a completely different reason for wanting to come with them as well-
Bakugou Katsuki…well for a lack of a better term, Baku-bro was already outside waiting for him and Hanta so they could leave together as instructed by Aizawa with none other than one of their classmates, Asui Tsuyu. What more? They seemed to be talking.
Not Asui standing and Baku-bro shouting at her, or her even shouting back, but actually quietly or at least at a reasonable volume talking.
They had eye contact, Asui's large index finger was touching her lower lip and they seemed to be enjoying the conversation based on how even from a bit further they could see she was smiling and Baku-bro's shoulders were relaxed and then he smirked at her.
'Whoa,' said Hanta beside him as he must have stepped aside to see what got Eijiro to stop in the first place.
The two shared a look, but they didn't really say anything. The redheaded future Hero couldn't. He didn't know what to say. It was so bizarre to see Baku-bro talking to a girl. To see Baku-bro looking so relaxed while talking to a girl. To see Baku-bro not yell or look like he wanted to murder someone while talking to a girl.
Bizarre
Eijiro would have been tempted to wonder if his friend wasn't replaced by someone like Toga Himiko, who could shapeshift, but just as the thought crossed his mind, both Asui and Baku-bro looked their way, and the louder one eavesdropped, his brows furrowed and eyes narrowed in that dangerous hostile way which was the reason people feared him before he snapped at them, 'WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU TWO BEEN? WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE. FUCKING MOVE IT!'
Both boys nodded in seeming relief since it was really strange and a bit creepy to see Baku-bro act anything but his violent upset self, and they were glad he was back to normal.
'Sorry, sorry,' he called out at the same time Hanta said, 'Coming, coming.'
Neither of them had time to comment on what they just saw because Asui and Baku-bro were there, and did they really see anything? Their classmates were just talking as they probably did before, Eijiro couldn't really remember if he ever saw Baku-bro and Asui talk, but maybe he just didn't notice before. Either way, they weren't doing anything, so it shouldn't be weird.
Yet, he noticed that he and Hanta were occasionally watching the two all the way to the movie theater, inside it, and then back.
Nothing.
No secret inside jokes, no touching, nothing but civil remarks, and some conversation later. Definitely, nothing that would indicate something out of the ordinary happening between the two, but still Eijiro wasn't buying it.
Hanta and Baku-bro were arguing about some part of the movie, Eijiro regretted he didn't pay closer attention to, while Asui just chuckled when all of the sudden, he put down his nice jacket (Eijiro knew it was his nice jacket because one time Denki almost got ketchup on it and the ash-blond went berserk on him) and handed it to the two by his side. Come to think of it, she always seemed to be walking by one of his sides.
Then as Hanta continued to explain his point of view Eijiro watched as the jacket found itself in Asui's arms who blinked at Baku-bro who just grunted, 'Put it on. Your shivering is annoying.'
The redhead didn't notice Asui was shivering. Then again, she was wearing a dress with semi-long sleeves and was known to react badly to low temperatures.
She smiled at Baku-bro, 'Thank you, Baku-chan. You're so nice.'
'Whatever,' he said still in a low voice before he almost have Eijiro a heart attack if he wasn't so used to his friend's outburst as he yelled at Hanta and argued with him.
They got back into the dorms, and Asui returned Baku-bro his jacket, wishing them all good night and walking away.
Eijiro waited to see if either of them would do anything unordinary, but again nothing.
He wished the others good night and went into his room where he sighed and wondered if Aizawa would allow them to go see the movie again as he missed a lot by stalking Baku-bro and Asui.
Bizarre
Ochako felt a bit, not like herself and she completely and utterly blamed Deku for this.
Well, that was unfair, really, but she couldn't help it. It was his past weeks' strange behavior that caused her anguish and she really felt like she was allowed to be upset with him about it since he caused her to feel so strange.
She wasn't sure when exactly it happened, but for some reason, one day she caught him staring.
Deku in general wasn't that great with social cues, something he told her happened due to the fact that he wasn't very liked until high school. Ochako always had a hard time believing that since she held Deku pretty high and couldn't imagine anyone wouldn't like the nice, caring, and brave boy who was destined to become a really strong and great hero one day.
Anyway, once she noticed it, she couldn't stop, and she found out he had been doing it a lot.
It annoyed her.
It wasn't just that he was staring. Even with her complicated feelings toward him, which threatened to be too much more often than not, she knew he had every right to stare. It wasn't like he knew about her feelings or that said feelings would be the reason that he couldn't stare at anyone else.
But did it have to be her best friend?
Ochako was generally liked in school growing up. Her parents worked hard, and they didn't have a lot of money, but she was mostly friends with kids who were in the same boat, so it was easier. Although she was still friendly with those kids, U.A took most of her time, so now she really just focused on her friends here. The first and best was Deku of course. He was the first person she met, the person who saved her life, the person she had very strong feelings for and hoped to one day aspire to become too. He was just her Deku. But Tsu was a girl, and as much as she was close with Deku or Iida who was the second friend she made here, Ochako was always the type who needed some girl friends, and Tsu was great. Perfect even. As much as she got along and was friends with her other classmates too, the sea-green-haired girl with her calm and mature nature was her best one in the school and probably in the world too.
That being said if Deku had to stare at some other girl (which she knew he had every right even if she didn't like it), Ochako would prefer if it was anyone really anyone but the only person, she could perhaps talk about this.
'If you want to, you can just sit over there,' she told him one day as she caught him once again staring, not really good at hiding the bitterness out of her voice.
Then again, she would be upset no matter what other girl Deku would stare at.
The green-haired boy blinked and focused his eyes on Ochako now looking genuinely confused.
Ochako bit the inside of her mouth and looked away. She felt her face was heating up, and she would rather not have to explain to him why. They were sitting by the kitchen table with a view toward the common room where Tsu was sitting with some of the other girls.
'No, it's not that,' said Deku, and even if she was purposely not looking at him, she caught the movement of him scratching his head, 'It's just…did you notice something different about…Never mind.'
Ochako blinked and looked back at him intrigued both because it seemed to be his secret and that it was about Tsu, 'What?'
Deku shook his head and offered her a grimace, but she insisted, 'You can't just start so interestingly like that and then leave it.'
At least for a moment, she could cool down and perhaps think about something else, 'Tsu-chan and Kacchan…'
For a second, the girl wasn't sure she heard him correctly and waited for him to correct himself or finish, but that was all Izuku said before he shrugged his shoulders and looked at the table and his food again.
Tsu-chan and Bakugou?
What about them?
Deku didn't say anything else, and unfortunately, Mina showed up and asked what they were talking about suspiciously looking from one to another as if she was hoping to catch them at something. Strangely, both of them excused themselves afterward, but Ochako did keep Izuku's strange words in mind and noticed that it wasn't just Tsu he was staring at. He was always often looking at the angry ash-blond as well. It puzzled her to no end now.
Tsu-chan and Kacchan?
What did that mean?
Ochako spent a while staring at them as well, but she didn't really notice anything. They didn't really talk or spend time together all that much. When they got to team up during sparring, they worked surprisingly well, but Tsu always worked well with everyone so that shouldn't have been a shock.
About a week after Izuku's suspicious words, Ochako was in Tsu's room, and she had all but forgotten about the incident since she was battling her studies for their upcoming test. With all their work at their RyuKyu Agency, they were really pushing it at their time to study. They were in a particularly hard section which made Ochako want to cry or scream when Tsu-chan suddenly grabbed her phone.
'I know it's hard, but we can't give up,' insisted Ochako worried her friend might have been distracting herself.
'It's okay, I'm texting for some help. I think he already covered this section,' explained Tsu and put her phone down causing Ochako to blink, 'Who? Deku? He's still at his special training with All-Might.' She knew since she asked him and Iida before if they wanted to come study as well, but they were both busy.
'No,' said Tsu calmly and shortly causing Ochako to get confused. Why wouldn't she just say who it was? She wondered how to ask before there was a knock and then without waiting for the answer, the door opened.
'Bakugou?!'
Ochako remained sitting on the bed in Tsu's room stunned. Of all the people, Tsu could have texted, she picked Bakugou. That was odd.
Her eyes watched as the boy greeted her with a short nod and went straight to Tsu tossing a dark gym bag to at the corner of her room as if he did this before a couple of times and knew he could.
He looked a bit sweaty so he must have been working out at the gym.
He sat down on the ground next to Tsu who was on her small green pillow, not inappropriately close but still pretty close enough in Ochako's opinion considering that until this moment, she didn't even think, Bakugou had anyone's besides maybe Kirishima's phone number.
So weird.
'Hey, Round Cheeks,' said the boy and caught her a bit off guard, 'Quit, daydreaming about useless Deku and focus or you'll fail the class, and you can pack your shit and go home.'
Ochako's round cheeks turned red as anger and embarrassment took over. She wanted to tell the ash-blond jerk so many things but was cut off by Tsu, 'Don't be rude, Baku-chan, just explain this section to us people and you can return to your workout.'
'Tch,' he snatched Tsu's book and leaned even closer to her with their shoulders touching as he read over the material, 'It's tricky, but there's a catch.'
Ochako tried to listen to how Bakugou explained the section they had been trying to work on for about thirty minutes. She really did want to pass her test and class, but for her love of well her parents and someone, she couldn't stop staring at Tsu and Bakugou.
It was surreal.
Her best friend and one of the biggest assholes, Ochako knew, were sitting with their shoulders pressed to each other and talking about school looking at the text in the book and then at each other's faces. It was bizarre. They looked calm and casual, and Ochako couldn't believe this was the first time they were like this. True, Tsuyu was a calm and put-together person, but Ochako couldn't imagine she would be this comfortable with someone she wasn't particularly friendly with.
Are those two friends?
Maybe, in her quest to avoid anyone noticing her crush on Izuku and trying to balance her school and agency she missed the part when Bakugou and Tsu became friends. It would be highly unusual that those two would be close like that, but then again, Ochako shouldn't judge it.
'Hm, I think I got it, kero,' said Tsu, and Ochako had no idea how much time had passed, but she surely did not get anything that was happening.
The sea-green-haired girl looked away from Bakugou's face toward her friend, 'Ochako-chan?'
'Totally, thanks,' her still widely opened eyes jumped to Bakugou, 'Bakugou-san.'
He nodded and looked back at Tsu. Ochako almost expected an insult or a threat.
Don't call me again! Next time pay more attention in class, Frog Face! If you can't learn this yourself maybe you don't belong here.
But Bakugou did none of that.
Instead, he stood up, and with his face almost close to his usual grumpy look he turned back to Tsu and said, 'Text me if you need me again, Froggy.'
Froggy?! When did-? Since when did? How?!
'Of course, thank you again, Baku-chan,' she said and the two watched the boy head for the door and grab his bag before he left.
Ochako still couldn't believe it all happened in front of her eyes.
She bit her lip and turned to Tsu whose eyes were in her book again.
'Are you and Bakugou…?' The brunette asked before she could probably think about it, and she wasn't sure how to finish the sentence.
Tsu didn't look at her which was odd since, as long and well as Ochako knew her, she always looked directly at people probably to make up for the fact, that her expressions were impossible to read, 'We're… friends.' It sounded odd to hear it. Even if Ochako expected it, it just sounded so strange, especially with the way Tsu said it.
The girl carried on, 'Just friends?'
'What else could we be, kero?'
Now Tsu looked up at Ochako, and she almost wished she wouldn't. Even if it was impossible to read her, somehow the girl could tell by the strange emptiness of her voice that there was something really sad happening.
She opened her mouth again perhaps to ask more, but Tsu tapped her finger against the book page, 'We should carry on, so we don't miss dinner.'
Ochako wished she could protest, but her mind filled up with all those times, Mina or someone else tried to push her to talk about Deku and Tsu stood by her telling them to mind their business.
She owed her the same courtesy and asked her to repeat what Bakugou said because she didn't really get it.
They finished before dinner, and before they left the privacy of Tsu's room, Ochako couldn't help but say, 'Tsu-chan, you're the most awesome and caring person I know. If you wanted to, you could be anything.'
She didn't specify what she meant, but she knew her best friend got it before she briefly hugged her and offered her a smile before they left to get dinner.
In the common room, they briefly saw Bakugou with the others, and Ochako noticed how just as Tsu passed, the boy looked at her before he turned back to the TV screen.
They must have shared a look because just as they got out of earshot, Tsu touched her lower lip the way she usually did when she was thinking about something and mumbled, 'Maybe.'
Long after dinner even if she was risking curfew, Ochako went to Deku's room. He finally texted her he got back. She gave him a couple of minutes if he wanted to take a shower, but in the end, she found him spread on his bed motionless and clearly dirty and sweaty from whatever training All-Might had him do.
'Don't get up,' she said as she noticed he started to move, and so with a sigh, he gladly obeyed, but he did move a bit to give her some room if she wanted to sit next to him.
She didn't.
Instead, she tossed herself on her back their bodies almost touching on his not fit for two bed.
'Did something happen?' asked Deku tiredly, but also concerned which reminded her why she admired him so much. He was as relentless as he was caring.
'Tsu-chan and Bakugou,' mumbled Ochako strangely less weirded out by those words than she was the first time, Deku said them.
The boy rolled to his side to look at her. He didn't say anything and after a while, she heard him sigh and nodded, 'Yeah.'
'It's still weird.'
'Yeah,' he chuckled, and Ochako couldn't help but join him.
It was sure to say, that either by word-to-mouth or by witnessing, by the next two months the whole A-1 knew about the strange occurrences happening between Katsuki and Tsuyu. The last two people to know, however, surprisingly as it usually was the case in these types of situations, weren't the always loud and angry ash-blond and calm and blunt sea-green-haired girl.
Mina and Denki were bored. It happened before. It would happen again. It was happening now. A lot of their classmates were out in their agencies and the two of them were mindlessly trying to find something to do until an annoying text from Hanta didn't tell them their beloved classroom sourpuss was in the dorm as well due to some mild injury from a couple of days before.
Their grins matched before they attacked his room.
Denki was the one who opened the door and started to call out, 'Oh, Kacch-!'
He didn't finish or dodge as a full water bottle hit his stomach hard and caused him to lose some air.
Mina looked from him to the ash-blond, the owner of the room, and the person who threw the bottle ready to tell him that wasn't very nice and ask him if he wanted to do something before the words died on her tongue.
They had busted to Bakugou's room plenty of times. It was fun to get him all riled up, especially when they knew he wouldn't really do anything to them but yell like a lunatic, so they were pretty familiar with the outline and furniture and where the window was and etc. However, what was new was the person (not Bakugou) laying in his bed with their back turned to them and a blanket over them.
Mina's eyes widened and fell to Bakugou's somewhere in the back of her mind sensing that Denki finally stood up and froze probably as he saw the same thing.
The ash-blond looked furious beyond words but didn't say a thing. Instead, he lifted his finger and pressed it against his lips to tell them not to make noise and wake up the person.
Not sure how, before the two knew they were out of the room and closing the door. Silently as if they were worried they could still wake the person up, they walked a few steps before Mina grabbed a hold of her hair, 'Who the heck was that?'
'Didn't you see?' asked Denki looking a bit lost in his thoughts as couldn't really help but feel shocked about what he just witnessed.
'See what?' she asked even more confused.
'The hero costume on the chair?'
Mina shook her head she was so caught up on the person and Bakugou that she didn't even notice the chair, 'There was a costume?'
Denki nodded and whispered, 'Who would have thought?'
He wouldn't think anyone from their class, including Denki himself, would end up dating or anything with how much work they had with school, agencies and villains. Least of all Bakugou who was all about being the best and focusing on his goal.
'Well?! Who was it?!' demanded Mina looking very much so like she might explode if he didn't tell her, but surprisingly Denki shook his head and started to walk and then run away when she started to chase him.
'Hey, who was it?! Tell me!' she kept on screaming at him until she finally caught him, and he gave in. At least they weren't bored anymore.
'Tsuyu. She was asleep in Bakugou's bed.'
Mina's shipping eyes turned into heart, and she squeaked loud enough to wake the poor sea-green-haired girl up to no matter how deep asleep she was.
Tsu felt uncomfortable.
Usually, when such feelings arose, she either dealt with them or removed herself from the situation, but now it seemed like neither one of that was an option.
Ever since she woke up and Katsuki rather angrily told her, Mina and Kaminari without knocking came into his room and saw her, Mina started to watch her which made her feel uncomfortable.
She wasn't the first one. A couple of months ago she first noticed Izuku and Kirishima do it, and then once in a while, other classmates, as well as the word of her and Katsuki, must have gotten around. She was surprised it took someone like Mina who was always waiting for something like this to be this late in knowing, but she thought it was her classmates' courtesy that even if they noticed or assumed things about her and Katsuki they didn't really spread it enough to get to her ears. She was grateful it lasted as long as it did because having Mina's gaze follow her around and giggle or drop a small comment was really getting under the usually calm future hero's skin.
She and Katsuki's friendship was a surprise to her as well. The sea-green-haired girl and the ash-blond were picked by sensei for a project and somewhere between hours in the school's library, each other's room, and outside on benches they just clicked. Yes, Katsuki could be hard to deal with at times, but not for someone like Tsuyu who could either calm him down or refocus his thoughts. It didn't always work of course, but with her, he didn't usually get that much angry. Then before she knew it, they had been texting and talking outside of their project and even long after they finished it and earned their good grades.
She smiled as she liked making friends and knew that deep down the ash-blond wasn't even half as bad as people thought he was. He was loud and easy to annoy, but he was a future hero, and she could tell one day he would be a great one.
Whatever, Katsuki found in her, she wasn't sure, but she would think it was the way she could support him without getting in a fight with him or angering him more and how blunt she could be. He told her a few times, that he loved when she was accidentally rude without meaning to. She was just honest and that sometimes wasn't the nicest way to talk about things.
The day Mina caught her, she came to Katsuki because her arm was overworked, and she couldn't get out of her hero uniform. She was exhausted and wanted to sleep, and before she knew it, she was holding the front of her uniform so it wouldn't fall down, Katsuki was handing her his back shirt with a skull and walking out of the room telling her to change.
She was so exhausted he might have changed her himself and she wouldn't even notice or remember. When he came back, he put her into his bed and pulled a blanket on her. As well as she knew him, she figured he went to sit on the floor and wait for her to wake up.
She felt stupid now for doing that as even if not Mina but perhaps Sensei would catch them they would be in so much trouble not to mention it was a bit embarrassing Katsuki had to baby her like that.
Even if she liked it.
Now, however, with Mina somewhat bullying her, she felt uncomfortable and embarrassed wishing the girl would just get it over it, tease her, and be done with it, at time same time wishing she wouldn't. Mina always tried to fish out some romance so it wouldn't be the first time she would toss a remark at Tsuyu, however, the girl knew that this time it would be different because this time it wouldn't be completely untrue. Also, with how honest and blunt Tsuyu was she knew she wouldn't lie to Mina. She couldn't.
'Tsu-chan,' started the girl with pink hair sweetly, which only added to Tsuyu's nerve-wracking feelings. There wasn't even Ochako around to protect her as she did a few times breaking Mina's attention.
She sighed, 'Yes, Mina-chan?'
'I was just wondering. You and Baku-chan,' she teased purposely using Tsuyu's nickname for the boy which annoyed Tsuyu if she was being honest with herself which she usually was, 'seem to spend a lot of times together.'
Tsuyu bit her tongue from answering which didn't stop Mina though. She liked Mina. They were friends, but she found the whole notion that you have to tease someone about their crush very embarrassing and annoyed.
'Are you two friends?' she asked again sweetly, and Tsuyu sighed, 'Yes, Mina-chan, we're friends.'
'Are you sure? Maybe there's something more between you two-'
'Mina-chan, that isn't your business, kero,' said Tsuyu feeling her skin crawl a bit. She was usually so calm and put together, but this whole situation didn't sit right with her. Couldn't Mina see she was making her feel comfortable? Couldn't she drop it? It was enough that Tsuyu made peace with the fact that she was crushing on someone who would never see her in such a way and deal with it. It didn't help her that Mina was rubbing it in like this.
'Oh, come on, I just want to hear all the details,' said Mina cheerfully, and Tsuyu was torn since she knew she couldn't really be mad at her because she was just excited even if there was no reason to be.
'There are no details. We're friends and I really don't want to talk about this, so please stop,' she said making sure she was clear about her feelings and wishes.
'Tsu-chan, don't be like that. It's alright. It's adorable,' continued to the girl and put her hands on her cheeks happily, 'Bakugou is such a grumpy cat and you're the sweetest and coolest-'
Tsuyu cringed at that and tried again, 'Mina-'
'Hey, are you deaf or something!' they heard from the entrance to the common room, and Tsuyu felt her heart stop and blood rush out of her face.
Did he hear us?
'Fucking Raccoon Eyes, can't you tell she's uncomfortable?' continued Katsuki as he walked closer to her, 'Back off.'
Tsuyu's heart started to beat again, and she looked over at the boy as he was glaring at Mina obviously upset with her and protective of Tsuyu which she would be grateful for if she wasn't so worried now he might have heard them. She made peace he didn't like her back, and she didn't really see any point in messing with their friendship by telling him, so she wished to keep her crush a secret. She didn't want to lose Katsuki which could very well happen if he was uncomfortable with her feelings toward him.
'Bakugou-'
He didn't give Mina time to finish as he snatched Tsuyu's hand and led her toward the rooms, 'Let's go.'
Fucking Raccoon Eyes
She was so stupid sometimes. Couldn't she see that Tsu was uncomfortable? Even after she specifically told her to stop?!
He was on his way from some chat with Sensei when he heard them, and he fucking couldn't believe Ashido's nerves with her romance crap.
He led Tsuyu far enough and listened carefully in case that idiot decided to come eavesdrop on them.
Only once Katsuki was sure she didn't, he turned to Tsuyu who still looked a bit pale and upset, and squeezed her hand firmly, 'You good?'
Her dark eyes slowly blinked before she nodded even if she didn't look good at all, 'I'm getting there.'
Honest to a fault
He liked that about her. Not many people were. And they sure as hell weren't as funny as Tsuyu could be when she was.
'Whatever she said don't listen to her, alright? She's just being a fucking idiot and bully,' he told her even if he knew he didn't have to. Tsuyu was the type of person who knew her worth and didn't let people bring her down, but she looked so untypically down now, he just couldn't help it.
He continued to hold her hand. He didn't really like hand-holding because of his quirk, but it felt like the sea-green-haired girl needed him for a moment to do just that.
After a moment, Tsuyu looked at him again. She didn't necessarily look better, but she looked a bit less down and more confident. Even if her face wasn't really expressional, Katsuki learned to read her body language and voice, 'Did you hear what we were talking about Baku-chan, kero?'
The boy pressed his lips into a tight line.
Fuck
He did. He heard quite a lot since for some reason until it was obvious Mina wouldn't stop and Tsuyu didn't have it in her to make her stop at that moment, he needed to stop in. He wasn't all that surprised. Tsuyu was probably the coolest person he met. She was blunt and calm and easy to deal with anyone. He felt much more at peace when he was in her presence and in general not like a hotheaded mess. He liked her from their first day on the project where she didn't let him pull crap on her and came with reasonable ideas not bothered by his volume or anger simply helping him work through it and then return to work. It didn't help his heart that she was beyond cute.
But he knew, that just because he thought she was amazing and liked her, she didn't have to like him back. So, he wasn't all that surprised when he heard her tell Mina how they were just friends.
'It's alright. I know you don't feel the same way,' he said and looked away because as much as he wanted to be friends, it was still embarrassing and devastating to talk like this with someone who he liked but who didn't like him back, 'I just want us to remain friends.'
He felt like a fucking sap when he said it, but Katsuki knew it was the right thing to do. He really didn't want to lose Tsuyu, and it wasn't like he would even have time for a girlfriend or whatever.
'I'm confused,' said Tsuyu and pulled at his hand to get him to look at her again.
Her voice was a bit strange as she slowly said, 'I don't feel the same way you do? Kero.'
He watched her realizing they were still holding hands and that he was becoming warmer.
Katsuki licked his lips, 'Yeah, it's fine. Let's not dwell on it. I'm fine with being just your friend, Froggy. I would never force you into anything.'
His hand slipped away from hers but only because he had the sudden urge to whip it into his pants for good measure. He didn't burn anyone since he was in junior high with Deku, but he would rather fucking get kidnapped again than to burn Tsuyu.
Her dark as the night sky without stars eyes kept looking at him in silence for a while before her lips pulled into a large smile and she touched her lower one with her index finger for a second before she put it down, 'Baku-chan? I think there was a misunderstanding.'
'This is so unfair,' complained Mineta by Shoto's side as they carried the trash, they were ordered by Aizawa-sensei as a part of their punishment. Shoto got into an incident on patrol he would rather not talk about and missed the curfew. What Mineta did, the other boy didn't know, but based on some previous experience he wasn't sure he wanted to.
As they were heading toward down the hallway, they met up Midoriya who was on his way to the gym. They greeted each other, and after Shoto decline his offered help they carried on until-
'WHAT THE HELL?!' screamed Mineta letting go of the bags and Shoto thought the same although he wouldn't use such a loud volume.
Immediately, Bakugou and Asui stopped kissing and the ash-blond turned her around so they wouldn't see her face, but Shoto guessed it would be as red as Bakugou's, 'WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU LOOKING AT? YOU SHOULD HAVE FINISHED CLEANING HOURS AGO!'
He wasn't wrong but given that Shoto was still shocked from what he just saw he couldn't really think about that.
'No! No! No! How can it be that someone brute and violent as Bakugou would get someone as hot with a nice-'
Midoriya covered Mineta's mouth with his own hand and nervously smiled, 'Maybe we should all just go our separate ways?'
Even if Shoto wasn't always great with social cues, he agreed since for a second that Mineta was talking he really did look like he was about to break the rule of no fighting in the dorm with quirks and very much hurt their shortest classmate.
None said goodbye, but the three of them started to move toward the exit with Midoriya carrying Mineta.
Shoto couldn't help himself but glance back at the two and noticed how even if Asui was covering her red face she was smiling before she turned to Bakugou who shook his head put his palm at the back of her hair and pressed her against him looking away.
When he couldn't see them anymore, he thought he heard some laughter coming from their direction.
Must be nice
'So,' he started and looked at Midoriya once they were outside, 'What was that?'
The green-haired boy looked at him for a second and grimaced without answering.