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a11eya · 28 days

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TITLE: do you still think about me?

PAIRING: Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

SUMMARY: Okay, so you had the biggest, most embarrassing crush on Bakugou when you were both in high school. He was kind of your first love, if you believe in those kinds of things. But you got over it. It's fine.

You see Bakugou sometimes at hangouts, at get-togethers. He's in your orbit, or you're in his, because of your mutual friends. You're all adults now, so it's fine. It's a little weird, but fine.

You're supposed to be on vacation, at a place that's hours away from Musutafu. You're not sure what you've done to deserve it, but Bakugou's here too. And instead of both of you pretending the other doesn't exist, as usual, he's talking to you. He's everywhere. It's fine.

(It's not fine.)

TAGS: pro hero Bakugou Katsuki, aged-up characters, friends to lovers (being generous with that friends label lol), fluff, pining, eventual smut

STATUS: Completed; 2 of 3

NAVIGATION: Series Masterlist

Okay, so you’re a liar.

You’re still—really attracted to Bakugou. You don’t think you ever stopped being attracted to him.

You’d told Rie a half truth; yes, at first, what’d drawn you to him was his face.

Even in your generation’s set of heroes—the likes of which include the so-beautiful-he’s-almost-unreal legacy hero, Pro Hero Shouto, and All Might’s successor, sweet, freckled, boy-next-door Pro Hero Deku—Bakugou stands out. Something about him makes you want to look at him.

When you were teenagers, he had the rough, unfinished kind of good looks he’d at best disregarded and at worst willfully skewed, often marring them with bared teeth, deep scowls, and constant yelling.

As an adult, he’s devastating.

Those good looks matured into a deeply attractive masculinity, a captivating mix of confidence and competence, his personality’s extremes tempered. His shoulders broadened; he’d shot up in height. The scars he’d collected during the war gave him a dangerous, alluring edge.

(Or so the web magazines and tabloids say. When you look at his scars, you remember that time of fear and uncertainty; you remember the relief you felt when it was over, the catch in your chest when you saw Sero’s, Mina’s, Kaminari’s faces. Bakugou’s face. Battered, hurt, but okay.)

You didn’t tell Rie that what you find even more attractive about Bakugou is what you’ve learned of him, from how the people who care about him talk about him. From what you’ve seen of him when you do cross paths.

A year or two ago, Deku nearly collapsed from overwork consulting on a difficult, international case while maintaining his regular workload. The only reason you know as much as you do about it (not much) is because their class is still so close, even after all these years, and it’d come up briefly during a get-together.

“Midoriya only listens to Bakugou,” Sero’d said over drinks one night, shaking his head. “That guy’s hard headed. But he’ll be okay. Bakugou’s got it.”

Bakugou knocked some sense into Deku, apparently, and had supported him to the end of that case.

You hear that another of their classmates, Jirou, has a pretty popular band. You were shocked to see a video circulating a couple months ago featuring Bakugou on the drums. He’d worn all black, a shirt with the sleeves cut off, and someone on Chirper had zoomed in on his face and confirmed he’d been wearing eyeliner.

Mina’d told you that Jirou’s drummer had broken his wrist right before a performance. Bakugou had subbed in. You didn’t save the eyeliner picture, but sometimes you think about how his eyes looked in it and shiver.

The last time you saw Bakugou was at that dinner with Rie, Sero, Kirishima, and Mina. Kirishima’d gotten a little drunk, celebrating a completed case. As you all went your separate ways that night, you couldn’t help but notice the gruff way Bakugou’d lent Kirishima a shoulder, nagging him, but still supporting his weight as he hailed a cab and helped his friend home.

You like that he’s dependable. You like that he cares so much about his friends, despite appearing to the rest of the world as unapproachable and irritable, a bomb waiting to go off.

You’ve learned all these things about him secondhand; you know—you know that there’s a huge difference between that and knowing him yourself, directly. If you could have a do-over with him, you’d have played it cool, in high school. Maybe then you could’ve at least been friends, instead of friends of friends.

You don’t think that’s in the cards for you. And that’s okay. You’ve made your peace with it.

Yawning, you cover your mouth, then rub at your eyes, trying to wake up. It’s early enough that you’re really regretting trying to stick to your routine by going for a run, even while on vacation.

You’re already dressed, out here and ready, you tell yourself. Just go. You think of how good the massage you’ve got scheduled later today will feel after some exercise.

The hills surrounding the ryokan are green with the beginnings of spring, and here outside the city, closer to the mountains, the heat and the humidity have yet to reach their seasonal peaks. The air’s clear, and you inhale deeply.

You’d have to thank the staff member who’d suggested this forest trail to you. It’s conveniently close to the ryokan while still being far enough apart that you have yet to bump into any early bird tourists. And the scenery’s a perfect companion on your run.

With this thought to motivate you, you set to stretching.

You’re bent down, reaching to touch your toes, when the barest sound of footsteps comes from behind you.

You jump, swinging around.

Bakugou stands there in shorts and a form-fitting shirt, hands stuffed into his pockets. Your eyes snag on his shoulders, his biceps.

He raises an eyebrow at you.

“You’re jumpy as fuck,” he tells you, and you make a face.

“Wear a bell,” you retort. Your heart’s still beating a little fast.

He snorts, then begins his own stretches.

You watch him for a few moments before your brain turns on.

“You’re not… going running with me, are you?” you ask. Wait. Maybe he’s just going running at the same time as you. Not necessarily with you.

“Why, can’t keep up?” Bakugou asks, a hint of a smirk on his face. He maintains eye contact for a beat longer, long enough for your stupid brain to remember how attractive he is, for your heart to pick up the pace without your permission. With how much work your heart’s put in within just five minutes, maybe you don’t even need to work out this morning.

He straightens up, and without another word, he takes off.

You stand there for a moment, stupefied. Then, scowling, you run after him.

“You’ve got stamina,” Bakugou says, leaning against the table.

“...Thanks,” you say, the word coming out as more of a question than a statement, and he grunts but doesn’t say anything more. Shifting your weight, you sip your water, wondering how you got here.

You’d caught up with Bakugou pretty fast—you suspect he wasn’t going full speed. For a while, you’d stressed. Were you going too slow? Too fast? Did he really expect you to keep up with him, when fitness is a big part of his job as a pro hero, while you’re a normal office worker?

But minutes and distance passed, and thoughts faded into the background. Your exertion overrode your worries. You let yourself fall into the feeling of your feet striking dirt, the rhythmic inhale and exhale of air.

All the while, Bakugou kept pace with you. When you’d decided you were done after a couple loops of the trail, he’d accompanied you back to the ryokan, lingering with you here at the lobby’s refreshments area.

You’re really not sure what’s happening. It’s hard to believe that your leisurely run was up to his usual standards. You wonder if he’s bored, craving company, since he’d come out here alone and you’re conveniently around to sate that boredom.

“So do you usually run outdoors, or do you use your agency’s gym?” you ask, wrapping your hands around your water cup.

“Gym,” Bakugou says. His face grows pinched, annoyed. “Too many randos try to talk to me if I go running outdoors.”

“Oh, right. Pro Hero Dynamight.” You frown. “That sucks. But your agency’s gym’s pretty nice, I hear. Hanta’s said he wishes ours was as good.”

“It’s decent,” he says. His eyes move to your hands, fidgeting with your cup. Self-conscious, you stop.

Abruptly, he says, “Heard you got promoted recently. Congrats.”

“Oh!” Tilting your head slightly, you say, “Thanks, Bakugou. Though honestly, it feels like I just get more work dumped on me with the added responsibility of having to fix people’s problems when work drama happens. The pay bump’s nice, though.”

“You’ve always been good at your shit,” Bakugou says. “Don’t downplay it.”

You blink. Ridiculously, you feel your face begin to warm up.

“Thanks,” you say again, a little softer. You smile up at him.

He looks at you, and—it feels like he’s so close. Was he always standing this close?

Your phone chimes from within your pocket. You fish it out, eyes dropping to your phone screen as you avoid Bakugou’s eyes, feeling shy and off balance. Which is dumb, because it was just a compliment, jeez. Get it together. He’s just being nice.

It’s Rie, wondering where you are and asking you to get back to your room. Checking the time, you wince. You’d been out later than you intended.

“Hey, I gotta run,” you tell Bakugou. Glancing around, you look for somewhere to get rid of your cup.

“I got it,” Bakugou says, taking it from you. Your hands brush against each other, and you’re so annoyed at yourself for being so aware of him that juvenile gestures like this get your heart rate up.

“Thanks,” you say. “And thanks for the company! It was fun. Maybe I’ll see you around, but if I don’t, enjoy the rest of your vacation!”

You don’t wait for a reply, hurrying out of the lobby towards your room.

Rie’s packing when you use your key to let yourself into the room.

For a moment, you stare at her as she moves what few things she’d unpacked back into her luggage. You just want to be sure that she’s packing her things rather than unpacking them, as you’d finished doing just yesterday.

“Hello? What’re you doing?” you say. “Our reservation’s for the entire weekend, so why are you packing?”

Rie groans loudly. “Don’t remind me. I’m so mad. Stop standing there and come sit so I can explain.”

Bewildered, you toe off your shoes and sit on one of the lounge chairs, unwilling to sit on either of your beds in workout clothes.

Rie perches on the table in front of you and looks at you. “So don’t be mad. But I have to go because I got an emergency call from a client who has an event this evening. She’s paying me triple, and she’s going to reimburse me for my reservation here.”

Your jaw drops. “Triple? Must be a rich client.”

Rie laughs. “Very. Her wallet won’t even notice. And now I can use her reimbursement to book a future reservation with Hanta.”

“I mean, that’s great for you, but… Should I come back with you? So you’re not traveling back alone?”

Rie looks at you like you’ve said something ridiculous. “What? No. Stay here. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. It’s like… doubly free for you now, so there’s no way you can waste it.”

You frown. She’s right; it would be a waste to go. But it’s a little… lonely, thinking about the plans you’d made together and knowing you’d be doing them by yourself, now.

Ever perceptive, Rie reaches over and jostles your leg. “Hey. I really am sorry for leaving you for work. If you want, I can tell her I’m not available. I know we came all the way out here together, and you did it as a favor. She’s a regular client. She won’t drop me if I cancel on her once.”

You’re already shaking your head. “No way. The deal’s too good. If you do something dumb like that, I’ll kill you.”

Snorting, Rie leans back. “You sure?”

“Positive,” you say firmly. You smile. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

You see Rie off as she climbs into a shuttle provided by the ryokan. It’ll take her to the train station, and she should arrive back in the city by mid-afternoon.

You text Sero in case he doesn’t know Rie’s headed back. Maybe he could pick her up at the station. You’ve yet to receive a reply from him, but you know he’s probably busy with patrol right now.

After showering the sweat of your workout off, you sprawl across your bed and stare at the ceiling.

Originally, your plans had been to check out the town’s morning market, shop around a bit, then have lunch. After that, a visit to a temple nearby was on the agenda. The day would end with your scheduled massage and a dip in the onsen.

Now, the thought of such an activities-filled day tires you.

You close your eyes. Maybe you can just. Skip everything except for the massage today.

Your phone pings. Eyes still closed, you pat around next to you for it and then check the message you’d received.

Rie: If I find out you just stayed in the room for the next two days… 🔪🔪🔪

If you didn’t already know her quirk, you would’ve thought she’s telepathic.

Sighing, you force yourself up and off the bed and get dressed.

The market’s busy, with tourists and locals alike mingling through the crowded main street. Shops line either side of the street, some selling local handicrafts and souvenirs, others selling food and desserts.

The overlapping sounds create a pleasant background hum, and you happily peer into stores, hunting for things to bring back.

You find a bath and skincare set for Rie, who constantly complains about her dry skin but never does anything about it. A coin purse for Mina, who always carries her coins loose in her pockets, clinking around. Some local confections for Kaminari and Sato. Hanta gets a bag full of local fruits; he’s always been a little bit of a health nut.

Just as you’re about to enter a bakery, windows lined with delicious looking breads and desserts, you spot a familiar blond head of hair just outside.

“Bakugou?” you call out, and he turns.

Like you, he’s changed from workout clothes to casual clothes. Jeans, a shirt. He’s holding a coffee with the bakery’s branding.

“Is that any good?” you ask, pointing at his drink.

He shrugs. “S’okay.”

You bite your lip, trying to stifle a smile. “I’m starting to think that just okay to you is what regular people think is great.”

He gives you a look, and you grin.

Stepping back, you wave a little. “I’m gonna go inside and check things out. It was nice seeing you.”

Instead of continuing on his way, Bakugou follows you inside. Surprised that he’s stuck around, you glance back at him.

“What’re you gonna get?” he asks you.

In this little bakery, you can’t help but notice how tall he is. Especially with him right behind you, waiting for you to answer.

“I haven’t had breakfast yet, so… This bread looks pretty good.” You point at it. It’s savory looking, with cheese and some type of meat on it. “And I saw someone come out with this strawberry cream croissant! It’s the real reason I’m in here.”

You don’t hear what he says in response, as you’re next in line and quickly order. When you go to pay, you find yourself nudged aside as Bakugou takes care of it before you can protest.

“Bakugou, what?”

“Didn’t anybody teach you to just say thank you?” Bakugou says, herding you to the side with a hand on your back so that the person behind you can order. His touch is so warm; you wonder if it’s because of his quirk, if it works that way.

“Thank you,” you say automatically, then frown. “You really didn’t have to.”

“Go get your bread,” he just says.

You do, feeling off-kilter again. It’s what you’ve been feeling every single time you’ve seen Bakugou this weekend. You’ve gone from seeing him maybe two or three times a year since you graduated to two or three times a month this last year. And now, within the span of twenty-four hours, you’ve seen him three times.

And it hasn’t been purposeful, at least on your end. So has it been purposeful… on Bakugou’s end?

“What’re you thinking,” Bakugou says as the two of you rejoin the crowds of people walking the main street. You don’t have a particular destination in mind, and if Bakugou does, he doesn’t say anything.

You consider being straightforward and asking him what the deal is. He’s never shown any interest in interacting with you before.

But—no, it’s a little too embarrassing. It could really just be coincidence. The ryokan is big, but not that big. It’d be easy to bump into the same person there. And there’re a bunch of touristy things to do in the area, but only to an extent. He could just be interested in doing the same things you’re interested in checking out.

Asking him if he’s been bumping into you on purpose… no way.

“There’s a famous dango place nearby,” you end up saying, then take a quick bite of the strawberry croissant. You nearly moan. It’s so good. The strawberries are fresh, and the croissant is flaky and light. The cream isn’t too sweet. It’s perfect.

Swallowing hastily, you continue, “They have seasonal flavors, but their mitarashi is really good too, I hear.”

“Fucking messy,” Bakugou says. You make a questioning sound, turning your head to look at him. He looks at you for a long moment, then snorts. He grabs your arm to halt you, tugs you out of the way of people walking.

Taking a napkin from his pocket, he tilts your chin up and wipes your mouth. You can only stand there, eyes wide.

“You had a lotta something there,” he says. His eyes tell you he’s laughing at you. Looking around, he finds a trash can to toss the napkin and his empty coffee cup.

“Have you been hit by a quirk?” you demand once he’s back by your side.

“What?” he asks. His brow furrows. He scowls.

“Nevermind,” you say quickly. “Anyway, I’m going to grab some dango.”

With narrowed eyes, you point at him. “And you can only come if you promise not to pay for anything, okay?”

He lifts a brow at you, and you take that as a yes. The two of you resume walking.

“Where’s Rie?” Bakugou asks suddenly, and you tilt your head at him.

“I’m surprised you know her name, with how much you call her Soy Sauce Face’s girlfriend,” you say, smiling. It fades a little as you continue, “She had to leave because of work. So I’m vacationing solo for the rest of the weekend.”

Bakugou’s expression is unreadable. You’re not sure what to make of it.

“It’s cool. Since I’m on my own, I get to decide where I’m going,” you say. “Instead of checking out the temple, I want to do a hike at the national park nearby. Supposedly, the views are amazing.”

“Y’gonna do that today?” Bakugou asks.

You shake your head. “No, I figure I’ll take it easy today. Enjoy the onsen. I’ll do the hike tomorrow.”

Bakugou’s silent for a moment, and then, “You shouldn’t hike an unfamiliar trail alone. If you want someone to do that shit with, take me.”

You blink, startled. “Oh, I… I don’t want to impose. Don’t you have stuff you want to do here, too? I don’t wanna ruin your plans.”

He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “Not really.”

Stranger and stranger. Who comes to a vacation destination without anything to do in mind?

If you were smart, you’d tell him thanks but no thanks. That you could handle it by yourself.

Because spending all this time with Bakugou is making you delusional. You’re starting to read into his little touches, the things he’s saying, when he’s just being nice to his friend’s friend. His friend’s friend who got ditched on vacation.

But you like him too much to say no.

“Okay,” you tell him. “If you’re really cool with it, I wouldn’t mind the company. We should exchange numbers to make planning where to meet and at what time easier.”

Bakugou grunts, pulling out his phone. He takes a moment to tap at his phone, then offers it to you. You do the same.

As you resume walking, your hand brushes against his. The part of you that’s foolish, romantic, pretends that this moment is something more.

Notes: Hello again, darlings! Thank you so much for all the love you gave part one of this fic. 🥺 You guys are the best fr. 💖

As you can tell from this part's ending... I, like reader, am a liar lmao. A week ago, I thought this fic would end in just two parts, but I kept writing, and writing, and I realized I need at least another chapter, maybe two, to fully flesh out what I have planned. I hope you can forgive me. 🙏

Some notes for this chapter... Rie's a celebrity makeup and hair artist! The morning market is based off of shopping you can do in Arashiyama. I have had strawberry cream croissants from a Japanese-French bakery where I live, and they are delicious. Dango are little balls of rice flour that're on skewers. A popular flavor is mitarashi, or a sweet soy sauce flavor.

Anyway, I'll see you next weekend with another update! Hugs and kisses! ✨💞

Tag List: @blairbellerose @yeehawgiddyup13 @reads-stuff-quietly @surprisemodafakas @scarlett-witchh @queenpiranhadon @sleepyyhabii @j-pendragonx @bakunianadecorazon @dreamingoftomorrow @nonamebbsblog @gina239 @seabass17 @dynakats @I-bozo-I @humblechumbble @universal-s1ut @sweetblueworm @kukikoooo @liluvtojineteyam

#chapter two!!!#i feel like this chapter is just. bkg bkg bkg and reader is like !!!#but tbh that's just a glimpse into my brain #read this fic and think about how pretty bkg looked in the bnha season 7 thing #bakugou katsuki x you #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugo katsuki x you #bakugo katsuki x reader #bakugou x reader #bakugou x you #bakugo x you #bakugo x reader #bnha x reader #bnha #fic: dystam?#jess scribbles

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