Katsumi was still curled up on her bed when someone pounded on her door, making her jolt upright.
"W-who is it?"
"Who else, dumbass?!"
Oh, it was Bakugo.
She barely got the words out of her mouth for him to come in before he barged through her door, slamming it behind him. He looked extremely irritated and aggravated at something. Katsumi was hoping it wasn't her.
He stalked over towards her and Katsumi's eyes widened, a blush still on her cheeks as she scooted back further on the bed.
"Where are you going?" Bakugo growled. "What are you so nervous about?"
Katsumi broke his intense gaze, looking down at the ground. It was a hard topic to casually talk about; especially for her. She didn't exactly know how to describe what she was feeling or why.
"You're a blushing mess, Katsumi," Bakugo huffed. He put one knee on her bed, and Katsumi slowly raised her eyes to see him glaring at her. "Why the hell are you so flustered?"
As Bakugo got closer to her on the bed, she felt her heartbeat pick up. Now there was more than one reason she was flustered, and he wasn't helping the situation at all.
Bakugo only stopped when he was right in front of her; Katsumi was trapped against the wall at the edge of the bed. He plopped into a sitting position, crossing his legs and propping his hand against his knee. The relatively normal stance loosened some of the anxiety she was starting to feel.
"Kirishima told me what happened," Bakugo drawled. "You can't really be that flustered over it, can you?"
Katsumi looked at him with wide eyes. So he already knew. If he knew, why was he asking the question? The answer should be obvious.
But Bakugo seemed to want to hear it from her own lips.
"I-" Katsumi stopped, looking down at her lap. She started fiddling with her fingers, thinking of how she could get out of the situation without saying how she felt. As her eyes darted across the room, she heard Bakugo scoff.
"You can't get past me, Runt. If you try, I'm pinning you down. I'm staying until you decide to talk, because you're obviously bothered by what happened."
Oh. So that was it. He must've realized how Katsumi was feeling and wanted to talk it over so it wouldn't just weigh down on her mind.
The thought was comforting, but it didn't make it any easier to talk about.
"Well...I-" Katsumi clenched her hands into fists before she took in a deep breath, looking up at Bakugo desperately as she just forced the words out of her her mouth.
"I didn't mean to look!"
Bakugo's face dropped into confusion. "Huh?"
"I didn't mean to look! I didn't even want to! We were supposed to be fighting, and then all of a sudden all of his clothes fell off and I never even had time to react. He was right in front of me before I could even react or blink or cover my eyes or anything like that. I didn't mean to see, I didn't want to see. But I did! I saw everything and now it's stuck in my mind and I don't know what to do because I've never seen a male like that before and I don't know how I can erase that image from my mind or how I can forget about it or what I should do about it and I'm panicking because I can't think straight and I can't get it out of my head no matter what I do! I can't even look at any of my guy friends without it popping up and it scares me and I'm nervous and I don't know what to do about it-"
Katsumi had to stop her rant to catch a breath. Tears ended up running down her face at some point during her panicked and rapid explanation. Her eyes were even wider than before at the messy explanation she just offered.
Bakugo was stunned into silence. He was expecting an explanation but he wasn't expecting this level of panic. He was assuming a mild level of discomfort from her, but it was more escalated than he ever imagined.
"I don't even know what to do with myself! What am I supposed to do about it? Act like its normal? It's not! It's not normal to see someone naked! That's why there's clothes! And how do people forget that type of stuff? Is there some way to just wish it all away?! I can barely even look at you normally without thinking about what I saw!"
"K-Katsumi, t-take a breath," Bakugo stammered, holding up a hand to stop her panicked rant. Now it made sense why she blushed so hard when seeing him and Kirishima. The only thing she could think about was what she was exposed to during that fight.
Bakugo let out a long sigh. While he didn't exactly mind the flustered look from Katsumi when he approached her, he didn't want every interaction to be like that...especially if that reaction was caused by another man. Not even him.
Besides his own personal feelings, he knew Katsumi wouldn't be able to go on from this unless she got over this little episode.
"Okay, one step at a time," he mumbled. "Wasn't it his quirk that made his clothes fall off?"
Katsumi nodded her head, now avoiding eye contact with Bakugo.
"Then it wasn't deliberate."
Katsumi shook her head.
"So the main problem is just the fact you actually saw his di - uh, er, um...saw him?" Bakugo changed his wording when he saw the horrified look on Katsumi's face. Sometimes he hated how sheltered she was, even though it was of no fault of her own.
"Yes..." Katsumi muttered.
"It was an accident. Accidents happen all the time," Bakugo crossed his arms. "I get why you're upset and all, and I mean, of course you would be given it's your first time being exposed like that. But honestly, you should be taking this as a learning experience."
Katsumi's head snapped up. "What?"
"This won't be the only time you ever see a naked guy in your life. At least this can help prepare you for what you should do in the future."
"WHAT?!" Katsumi looked horrified. "You mean that's going to happen again?!"
"NO!" Bakugo shouted. "I DIDN'T MEAN LIKE THAT! THERE ARE MANY OTHER REASONS WHY YOU'D SEE...GAH! FORGET IT!"
He seemed so frustrated at his attempt to explain something to her. He let out a huff and gave her a sharp look, trying again for a second time.
"Look, what'll you do in the future as a hero if you come across a streaker or something like that in the streets? Just panic and run away?"
Katsumi frowned. She wanted to run away.
"When I said take it as a learning experience, I meant as a lesson. You can't be surprised at everything you've never seen before. If you have to deal with some naked man in the future as a hero, you've already seen it and you can learn how to deal with it. You can't just cower in embarrassment!"
"But...I mean...how?"
"Get over it." Bakugo said. Katsumi's shoulders drooped. He made it sound so simple.
"It's not that easy." Katsumi pouted.
"It's about strengthening your mind, Katsumi," he narrowed his eyes. "You wanna learn how to get over it and take it as a learning experience and nothing more, or do you wanna take it as something that scars you and get flustered every time you look at a guy?"
"I want to learn..." She muttered. Again, he was providing no real way to do that yet. A thought popped in her head and she looked back up at him.
"Well what did you do to get over it?" Bakugo raised an eyebrow at her question.
"You've seen a girl naked, right?"
"HUH?"
"Since you know how to get over it and get the image out of your head. You must've seen a girl naked before, right?"
Bakugo's face was bright red as he glared down at her. "THAT'S NOT EVEN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!"
"It is too!" Katsumi retorted. "Why else would we be talking about this?!"
Bakugo gnashed his teeth together. This conversation, which he imagined to be short and smooth, was turning into a nightmare.
"NO I HAVEN'T!"
"Then how do you know how to get over something like this?" Katsumi and Bakugo's faces were both bright red as they argued.
"It wouldn't matter if I see one or not, the way I react would still be the same! It doesn't matter!"
"How would you know that? For all we know, you could be reacting the same way I am!"
"I WOULD NOT!"
"You don't know that for sure, do you?!"
"IS THAT A CHALLENGE, RUNT?!"
"N-no! NO! It's not!"
Bakugo let out a frustrated yell and Katsumi buried her face in her hands, embarrassed and confused on how the conversation derailed so terribly.
As Bakugo breathed in and out heavily, trying to get control over his temper again, Katsumi kept her face in her hands, refusing to look at him. Her face felt hot against her fingers. She shouldn't be asking if Bakugo had seen anyone naked. That was none of her business.
What was wrong with her?
Bakugo was right, she really was flustered.
"I just...I don't want to think about that all the time. I don't want to treat others differently like I am now."
Her voice sounded more defeated and confused than panicked like earlier. Bakugo let out an aggravated sigh, scratching the back of his neck.
"Then you gotta grow up a little. I ain't saying it to be rude, either."
His voice sounded calmer than before, and Katsumi peeked through her hands to meet his gaze.
"Really," he muttered. "You just gotta change your mindset. It's really not a horrible thing that it happened. Better it happen now than when you're a hero experiencing it on the job for the first time. Right?"
Katsumi thought about it for a second, her hands falling from her face. She nodded to him.
"When I say get over it, I meant it. Get over the idea that it changes who you are or who others are. It's the human body. So you saw it? Now...well, now at least you know what a male body looks like. Learn from it. You completely froze up and were unable to do anything. You can't do that as a hero. You have to be able to work through that."
"So when you say strengthen your mind..." Katsumi trailed off and Bakugo nodded.
"Strengthen your mind so that things like this don't bother you as much. Not to the point where it's physically and mentally affecting you. I know this was a real shock to you, but I'm sure there are many things we've both experienced that were more shocking than this."
Katsumi frowned. He was definitely right about that.
"But this felt so...I don't know...personal?" Katsumi said. Bakugo let out a sigh.
"It is personal. Everything about a person's body is personal. But does that make us just cower at everything? No. You hug me all the time. That's personal. It's something you grow accustomed to and see as not a 'threat' or something bad."
"So...I'll become accustomed to seeing naked men?"
"NO." Bakugo growled. His whole body tensed at the idea. "It's just something you adapt to."
At Katsumi's still confused face, Bakugo let out a long sigh, shaking his head back and forth. It was always hard talking to her when it came to topics that were more sensitive like this. But he knew if no one went to her, she'd never talk about it. And now he's in an incredibly awkward situation.
Thinking about the easiest way to provide her a solution, Bakugo crossed his arms again and looked her in the eyes.
"Bottom line is this: are you really going to let the fact you saw a guy naked for the first time completely change who you are and how you act? Because that sure as hell ain't the Katsumi I know."
Katsumi's stance relaxed as his words sunk in. He was right. It was one thing to be shocked and panicked about the actual event that happened...but to drag it out like this and let it affect everything she did was something else.
She'd never had to make this type of adjustment before in her life. But now she would. And she had to do it.
"No," Katsumi answered. "I won't let it change me."
"Good," Bakugo gave her a curt nod. "You know what you have to do then?"
Katsumi gave him a small smile and nodded to him. Her eyes seemed more normal than they were earlier. It wasn't an automatic change, nor did Bakugo expect it to be. But it was a good start.
"I need to go apologize to Kirishima." Katsumi sighed. "I've run away from him like three times today."
Bakugo clicked his tongue, getting off her bed. "Let's go then. Might as well just get it over with."
Katsumi nodded, standing up from her bed and walking with Bakugo to her door. She wanted to thank him for his help, but it felt a little awkward to do so still. Instead, they stayed silent as they walked towards the couches, where Kirishima was sitting with Kaminari.
"Oi, Miyamoto! Bakugo!" Kirishima waved over, and Katsumi gave him an apologetic smile. When she got in front of him, she gave him a deep bow.
"I'm so sorry for how I acted earlier."
"Huh? Oh, it's okay," Kirishima smiled. "I know it was a shock what happened."
Katsumi stood up straight, nodding as she looked down at her fiddling fingers.
"So?" Kaminari asked. "You all good now?"
"Oh...oh, yeah," Katsumi looked up at them. She tried to give them an encouraging smile, but it was more of an embarrassed one. "Katsuki came by and helped me get over that shock."
"WHAT?!"
The two boys jumped to their feet. Kaminari rushed over to Katsumi, gripping her shoulders. "He did what?! Did he hurt you?"
"BAKUGO!" Kirishima yelled angrily. "You said you were going to talk to her!"
"What the hell?!" Bakugo shouted. "I ain't do anything like that!"
"Of all people, her?" Kaminari hissed. "You should be ashamed!"
"KATSUMI, YOU IDIOT!" Bakugo raged. "The way you phrased that made me sound like a freakin' pervert! They think I did something nasty now! Watch the way you phrase things!"
"So you didn't do anything?" Kirishima eyed Bakugo suspiciously and the explosive blonde punched Kirishima in the stomach.
"Of course I didn't, dumbass! Why the hell would I do anything like that?! I ain't a pervert!"
Kaminari kept an arm around Katsumi in a protective manner, eyeing Bakugo with an amused look in his eye.
"So if you didn't do anything, how'd you help her get over it?" Kaminari questioned. Bakugo gnashed his teeth together as he stared at the two inquisitive friends and a very lost Katsumi. She didn't know what she said wasn't appropriate.
"I told her to get over it! Plain as that!"
Kaminari looked down at Katsumi in disbelief. Katsumi looked up at her electric friend and nodded. "More or less, that was it."
"Huh, what do you know," Kaminari laughed. "Who knew Bakugo was so good with words."
Katsumi and Bakugo exchanged a look with one another. They both knew that conversation was nowhere close to being described as 'good with words'. But they were both unwilling to bring up what they talked about, so neither disagreed with Kaminari.
Kaminari gave Katsumi a side hug, a smile on his face. "Well, as long as you're fine, that's all that matters! We were real worried about you."
"O-oh," Katsumi frowned. "I'm sorry."
"Dunce Face, hands off."
Bakugo grabbed Kaminari by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him away from Katsumi. He glared at Kaminari, who merely laughed as he went back to the couch to sit down.
"What's wrong, Bakugo? Jealous?"
Bakugo simmered with rage as Kirishima joined in the laughter. "No! But you'd think you wouldn't be hanging all over her because of what happened!"
Kaminari frowned. "I thought she was over it?"
Bakugo huffed, looking from Kaminari to Katsumi. She looked a little awkward still, but managed to stammer out a sentence.
"I'm...well, I'm getting there. I'll probably be fine completely by tomorrow or so."
"Oh," Kaminari gave her an apologetic smile. "If I made you uncomfortable in any way, you can always tell me. I'll back off. You were acting normal, so I thought you were fine."
"No, you didn't make me uncomfortable," Katsumi hastily reassured. "If anything, you three...well...you're some of the only ones who don't."
A smug look came to Bakugo's face as he sat down on the couch by Kirishima. Katsumi stood, fiddling with her fingers. She didn't want to tell them that the reason she was so flustered upon seeing them was that Mirio's image popped into her head. That probably wouldn't be a pleasant thought for them.
"Well, I think I'm going to go back to my room and study. I...I just wanted to come out here and apologize. I promise I'll be back to my normal self soon!"
Katsumi gave them all a bow and rushed off before they could stop her. When she was out of sight, Bakugo let out a loud sigh, propping his elbows on his knees and putting his hands against his forehead.
"I'm going to guess the conversation didn't go as planned?" Kirishima asked with a grin. Bakugo merely grunted as a reply, making the redhead laugh. "But something doesn't add up."
"What?" Bakugo sounded drained.
"She said we don't make her uncomfortable, but she was super flustered earlier when she saw us."
Bakugo knew the reasoning behind her reaction, and now that the conversation was over and solved, his heart dropped. That wasn't an encouraging thought at all.
"Because she saw him instead of us." He summed up, not wanting to get into the details.
"Damn, rough break," Kaminari said. "That's gotta be extra discouraging for you, bro."
"Shut up." Bakugo warned.
"At least you were able to get through to her," Kirishima tried to cheer up their rather depressed-looking friend. "That's good, right?"
"I guess," Bakugo grumbled. "That was probably the worst conversation I've ever had in my life. Worse than trying to explain dating or any other crap like that."
Both Kirishima and Kaminari let out laughs at him, earning them a harsh look from their friend.
"I bet it was awkward!" Kaminari grinned at Bakugo. "But you know, you were probably the only one who could've gotten through to her."
"Whatever." Bakugo muttered.
"No, Kaminari's right," Kirishima agreed. "If any of us, or even Ashido, had gone to her, it probably wouldn't have helped as much. You're special enough to her that even as awkward and horrible as that conversation might have been, you're the only one she'll really listen to."
"Aizawa could've done it." Bakugo grunted. Kaminari chuckled.
"Yeah, as if," he shook his head. "I doubt he would have that conversation with Miyamoto. They may be like father and daughter, but I doubt even he wanted to approach that subject."
"I am curious to what you told her, though." Kirishima smiled. Bakugo gave him a warning glare.
"I ain't repeating anything. Piss off."
Both boys laughed at Bakugo, who merely huffed again. Even though it was a hellish conversation, he begrudgingly agreed that it was a good thing he was the one who talked to her. As the two continued to tease Bakugo for the conversation he had to have with Katsumi, even though he was increasingly annoyed, he couldn't help the smirk on his face.
Even though it was strange, at least he knew he held a special place in Katsumi's heart, enough for her to talk to him with all sorts of awkward and tough topics of conversation. It pissed him off most of the time, but it also kind of made him feel needed.
And for now, that was enough for him.
This chapter was a HOOT to write lol. This was kind of a fun chapter since we're approaching the season 4 timeline and the real drama is about to begin. Let me know what you think of the chapter!