The Tinker

Chapter 31 - Ugly Photos

"He's jealous that Deku is getting some and he isn't," Y/N mocked from across the room.

Kirishima smirked. "Oh no, he's is definitely getting action, aren't you Kat?" he joked, and Bakugou smacked the back of his head.

"Shut it, Shitty Hair!"

Y/N felt her heart sink and Bakugou noticed her smile fade from across the room. He didn't want Y/N thinking he was hooking up with someone else, but he couldn't exactly tell her that without looking like an idiot.

Y/N's mood fell after that. How did she not know that Bakugou was seeing someone? Why the close contact and teasing if he had someone else on his mind?

Bakugou picked up on it, and part of him was proud that he was able to make her jealous. She looked cute with her brow furrowed. He wanted to rub it in her face. This is how he felt when he saw her with Hawks.

~~~

Katsuki wasn't really one to spend much time online. His friends had begged him to make social media accounts, but he refused, knowing they were a total waste of time. Every once in a while he would check hero ratings and news headlines, and this was one of those times.

The blue light from the screen hurt his eyes in the darkness of his room. It was 8:00, almost his bedtime, but his curiosity got the better of him. He laid down on his bed, opening up a search engine.

In the search bar, he typed Whirlwind.

There was a strange feeling in his chest as he saw different photos. She looked much different. Her hair was shorter and she didn't have eyebags from exhaustion for once. In every single photo, she was beaming– a smile so radiant she was almost unrecognizable. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen her smile like that.

There were countless headlines about her, overwhelmingly positive– but the most recent ones were concerning. They were speculations about where she'd disappeared to, if she was still alive, if she had retired. All questions were inconclusive. Did she know that America was still searching for her?

There were even articles about her and Hawks featuring photos of the two of them. It looked like they'd done missions together. That was less fun to look at.

Praise and recognition for her accomplishments were everywhere. She'd seriously made a name for herself, and there was a new understanding of the pain she'd gone through in losing it all. The fact that him and Deku were the only friends of hers who knew made it hurt worse.

Embarrassingly, he went back to looking at photos of her– but it soon paid off when he found a very unflattering photo of her yelling at Hawks on the street. There was no context for the photo, but it wasn't necessary– the picture was hilarious.

Bakugou screenshotted the photo and sent it her.

BAKUGOU: 15924.jpg

BAKUGOU: I win.

He snickered at his victory in their unspoken ugly-photo-competition as he set his phone down to go to bed, but she texted back almost immediately.

TINKERBELL: Jesus fuck how did you get that

He didn't feel a need to respond. It was more satisfying letting her know he'd won and leaving it at that. But she just kept texting.

TINKERBELL: you fuckhead i swear to god if you show anyone that

TINKERBELL: delete it right now

BAKUGOU: No.

TINKERBELL: I'm not fucking around Kat you better delete that shit

He laughed. He was thoroughly enjoying this.

A few moments later, there was a loud banging on his door and he jumped. "You have three seconds to cover yourself if you're naked!" Y/N roared, and when the three seconds were up, she slammed open the door.

"Do you think Kirishima wants a copy?" He mocked, copying her teasing from earlier in the day.

She lunged for the phone, frantically doing her best to steal it from him, but as they had established earlier, he was much more powerful. He kept it away from her with ease, a shit eating grin on his face. "You won't win this," he warned. "Better fucking give up now."

She huffed in frustration before shoving him square in the chest. He fell back onto the bed, looking up at her in shock. Y/N climbed on top of him without a second thought. Now being able to reach it, she snatched his phone from him and sat on his lap as she quickly tried to delete it.

Bakugou's mind was blanking. Y/N was on his lap in pajama shorts and a tank top. There was too much skin showing for a thought to form in his head. She didn't even seem to notice the sexual nature of the position they were in. Once she finished deleting the photo, she held up his phone and yelled, "HAHA! I still win!"

But Bakugou still didn't respond, his brain short circuiting. All he could do was stare at her, praying to whatever God was out there that he didn't get a boner right then.

Realization seemed to dawn on her and she froze too. She climbed off quickly, changing the subject. "Where did you get that photo anyway?" she demanded. "I didn't even know it existed."

Bakugou wasn't sure how to answer that. He couldn't tell her he had googled her or else he'd look like a perv.

Y/N seemed to realize before he could defend himself. "Hang on, hang on. Did you Google photos of me, Bakugou?" she said, a smile forming on her face. "Right before bed, too." She was raising an eyebrow at him now. "I'm flattered that you chose me to help destress, Kat."

"Fuck off. It wasn't like that. Don't be gross," he muttered, but he didn't sound very convincing and they both knew it.

"Google doesn't have the good stuff. You know, you could've just asked for photos," she joked, leaning in closer to him. "Do you need some help tonight, Bakugou?" Her voice was condescending and mocking, making him even angrier.

He wanted to shut her up. He could usually formulate comebacks to her stupid jokes but he was coming up blank. All he could do was stare at her– but a wicked idea crossed his mind, and before he realized it was a bad idea, the words left his mouth.

"Help, huh? Are you gonna kiss me again?"

Y/N's smile dropped, confusion painted on her face.

"Turns out, you're a horny drunk," he spat, a wicked grin on his face. "Couldn't keep your hands off me, Tinkerbell. Have something you wanna tell me?"

It was Y/N's turn to be shocked. "No way. You're lying."

He got up from the bed, staring down at her as he crossed his arms. "Do I look like I'm fucking lying?"

"I wouldn't do that."

"But you did. And you liked it. You fucking loved it, actually," he bragged, stepping closer. "You were begging for me. I had to push you off."

Y/N was horrified. Speechless.

"Do you need some help with that little crush you've got on me?" He was menacing.

Y/N pushed him off. "I don't have a crush, asshole!" She shook her head in denial, not able to look at him. God, she was flushed. Her hands were clenched at her sides. "Does anyone else know I kissed you?"

"Kirishima. But don't worry, that fuckhead won't tell anyone. He'll keep your crush a secret."

Y/N was furious. "I do not have a crush!" She yelled. "You're the one who popped a boner when I sat on your lap!" She flipped him off and stormed out of his room, slamming the door behind her.

Maybe he'd crossed a line.