Exploding Through Dimensions

Chapter 9: Cactus Juice

"What?"

"You may not notice my friend, but I have some experience with women."

"You?" Zuko let out a hearty laugh.

"Yes me!" Sokka gaped. "I've had plenty of girls attracted to me! I haven't even told you guys the full story about princess Yue!"

"Don't care." Bakugo grabbed his mug and drank the last bit of the cactus juice.

"Or would you rather we talk about someone else?"

"Oh you mean...Uraraka right?" Zuko frowned trying to remember her name correctly.

Sokka, Kaminari and Kirishima couldn't help but laugh when they saw Bakugo cough into his mug.

"You alright man?" Kirishima grinned.

"Dude it's written all over you since the minute I met you!" Sokka blurt out. "You have the hots for Uraraka!"

"Shit...." Bakugo's voice came out brassy and hoarse, still feeling the aftermath of the sudden shock in his throat.

"I've just been here for a few hours and even I could tell." Zuko chuckled aware of Bakugo glaring his way. "I just figured you two were already together."

"Aw would you look at that. Bakugo has a little thing for sweet Uraraka." Sokka waved his hand in a melodramatic gesture.

"Shut up!" he barked swiftly getting to his feet. "And keep your damn voice down!"

"Scared she might hear?" Kaminari snickered leaning back on his elbows. "So what if she did man?"

"Oh, that's not the issue right now..." Kirishima gave him his signature toothy grin that Bakugo hated seeing at the moment. "Not since Bakubro offered to be her friend back when we were with the Black Bulls."

"Black Bulls?" Sokka asked, his eyes darting between all three.

"Long story." Kaminari yawned and turned to see Bakugo's ever growing red face. "You told her you wanted to be friends?!"

"Oh, not just friends...best friends." Kirishima giggled.

"Wait you friend zoned yourself?!" Sokka's eyes grew at an alarming rate as he stared at Bakugo in disbelief.

"That's rough man." Zuko sympathetically shook his head. "And I had Mai try and take my head of various times, but this is nothing compared to you."

"Mai?! You mean that crazy chick that's been chasing us with your crazy sister?!" Sokka gawked. "That's you girlfriend?!"

"Yeah, that's her." Zuko fondly smiled before glancing sideways at Bakugo. "So what's the problem with Uraraka? Does she not like you or something?"

"Nothing's wrong with her!" suddenly standing Bakugo was well aware of the blush on his face. "She's perfect alright!"

"Aww..." The boys teasingly clutched their chests laughing.

"Shut up!"

"I still can't believe you haven't told her why you got detention in the first place." Kaminari snorted when Bakugo's piercing gaze drifted to him. "You should ask her out dude."

"Alright this is stupid." Making a bee line for the makeshift bed he had made earlier he still heard the guys laughing.

"Oh, come on dude we were just talking!" Kaminari shouted.

"Yeah, well I don't want to talk about it!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"Why not?" Sokka asked just as curiously as Kaminari. "Sometimes it helps to get stuff off your chest and what better way than with fellow bros."

Kirishima all the while remained quiet, still sitting against the tree knowing that when Bakugo was ready to talk then he would, but in the meantime, he would just wait patiently until he was ready. Pushing himself off the tree trunk he thought he heard footsteps a few feet behind but just shrugged it off as a squirrel or something.

"Because I don't want to alright!" Bakugo said again while frustratingly running his hands through his hair. "There's nothing to tell ok! She means...I don't know...Uraraka and I are...there's nothing ok so just drop it already!"

"Dude..."

"No!" Glaring at their silent shocked faces Bakugo didn't even believe nor want to say the next words that tumbled out of his panicked mouth, suddenly feeling cornered. "There's nothing between Uraraka and I, that's it ok! We're just two people who happened to go to the same school..."

"Well, that's a little clearer."

Clenching his fists on either side of him he heard the familiar voice from Mina behind him, and right now he was really not in the mood to deal with her. "Listen Pinky-" Any insult he was about to shoot her way was quickly cut off when he saw the expressionless face of Uraraka standing next to her.

"Not good..." Kirishima cringed when Bakugo remained frozen and speechless continuously starring with wide eyes at the small brunette.

"Aw man we just ran out." Sokka pouted down at his cup.

"Well, this is our lucky day." Suddenly they heard laughter echoing around them as a few dark figures emerged from the trees surrounding them.

Sokka tiredly groaned as he eyed the bandits. "Ohh what now? Can't we catch a break."

"Looks like we're getting paid boys." The leader sadistically grinned back at them.

"Great, because we just ran out of cactus juice." trying to get the last bit of cactus juice from his cup Sokka grinned at the strangers. "You guys don't happen to have any on you right?"