MANIA - Katsuki Bakugou

━ the first time

chapter 40

PRESENT
The Cafe Reunion

Within the little cafe, everyone stood huddled in mini conversation groups, talking amongst each other happily. Everyone had arrived. So the grand total of the reunion party equaled 12—consisting of Midoriya, Todoroki, Uraraka, Kirishima, Iida, Miyata, Sero, Ashido, Uchiha, Bakugou, Shinsou, and Shimamura.

Very noticeably, Shimamura and Bakugou were standing as far apart from each other as possible. Shimamura stood, practically clinging to Shinsou's arm, talking with Miyata, Sero, and Uchiha. Meanwhile, Bakugou was chatting with Kirishima, clear across the cafe from Shimamura. Shimamura smiled giddily in her conversation, but she seemed nervous. She gripped onto Shinsou's arm as if she were holding onto him for dear life. He didn't seem to care though. He acted as if it were normal.

"So you two are roommates?" Shimamura asked Sero and Miyata.

The two blushed and nodded feverishly. "Yep! We're a part of the same agency, so it was just convenient." Miyata grinned.

Tako had her purple tinted tendrils wrapped up behind her in two separate braids, trailing behind her like the end of a wedding dress. She wore a red and white plaid headband to cover where her nonexistent hairline was and a matching red blouse and black leggings. She couldn't really go anywhere without people recognizing her as the hero Gorgon with her long purple tendrils, but she managed in public just fine.

Sero chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, his weirdly shaped elbows protruded through his long sleeved black sweater. "Yep, convenient."

Shimamura and Uchiha passed each other knowing glances, smirking at each other. 'They're totally lying,' they both thought.

Kirishima sipped on his coffee, watching Shimamura chat with her friends from across the room. He wished that Bakugou and Shimamura weren't on such bad terms, then he could at least converse with both of his friends and not just one.

Bakugou noticed his inattention, glancing at where he was staring. As soon as he saw Shimamura... and how she clung so tightly to Shinsou's side... he rolled his eyes and looked away. He crossed his arms and waved over the waiter of the cafe to order a coffee.

"Shima's been on the recovery process since Kagoshima," Kirishima said to Bakugou, knowing he saw Shimamura from afar.

Bakugou sighed, not wanting to have this conversation. "I know."

Kirishima wasn't finished. "But she's still working as a pro hero. She has been basically this whole time. Nothing can stop Shima from working."

"Trying to make up for her obvious weakness," Bakugou grumbled in response.

Kirishima scowled and sent Bakugou a look. "Don't be like that, man. You know she wasn't weak that day. She was the bravest out of all of us."

"Whatever..." Bakugou growled.

Kirishima shook his head and returned to a normal conversation with Bakugou. Maybe bringing up Shimamura wasn't the best idea.

"So Uchi-chan, what have you been up to lately?" Miyata asked while simultaneously nibbling on a little scone she had picked up.

Sero had walked away and Shinsou was no longer paying attention to the conversation, although he still stood next to Shimamura protectively. Uraraka and Ashido had also walked over at some point, joining their all girls chitchat.

"Oooh! Yeah, Sayuri! What have you been doin'? You haven't been working for a good couple weeks now! Any vacations? Additional honeymoons? Spill!" Ashido asked with a giddy grin.