"Get up, Kaminari."
Aizawa lifts Denki by the backpack before his lips touch the pavement. Denki, legs dangling in the air, offers an innocent smile at Aizawa.
"Sorry," he says. "I'm just happy to be back on land."
"Doesn't mean you have to kiss the ground as soon as you step off the ship," Aizawa replies before dropping him.
The Unity docked at the port for Yasuragi Island in the early hours of the morning. We'll be here for two days, which is great since there's plenty I'm looking forward to. As fun as the last two days have been, we're all desperate to explore outside the confinements of the ship.
I didn't sign up for any excursions at this island, instead saving them for the next two we visit. It seems most of the group did the same thing as the majority of us are standing in line for a bus to take us to one of the beaches for a day of fun and relaxation. Since we're such a large group, we end up letting quite a bit of people cut in front of us since we all won't fit on the bus and have to wait for the next one. I play chopsticks in line with Midoriya to pass the time.
When the next bus arrives, Aizawa takes a head count as we board. Since we essentially have the bus to ourselves given our large group size, people are free to sit where they want. I stop at a row toward the back, Midoriya close behind me. Assuming the two of us are to sit together, I slide into the window seat. Though as I climb in, I don't hear the sound of Midoriya following me, just a loud thud.
"Move it, nerd."
Rotating my head back toward the aisle, Midoriya is lying face down on the ground. Bakugou then literally walks over him and slides in next to me.
I blink in disbelief. "Did you push him down?"
He huffs. "I pushed him, but he only fell because he's too weak to keep his feet on the ground."
Midoriya scrambles to his feet and sits in the row behind us. Uraraka pulls out a pack of band-aids from her bag and slides in next to him to help him with his scrapes.
"Why would you do that?"
Bakugou closes his eyes and leans the back of his head against the seat. "He was in my way."
"I'm okay, Todoroki!" Midoriya calls from behind me. "Just got a couple scratches, is all."
I turn around so I can see for myself. Sure enough, he looks fine. He's sporting that always wholesome Midoriya smile, his freckles much more prominent after the sun exposure he's endured over the last two days. Directing my attention back to Bakugou, I frown at him.
"Why didn't you just say you wanted to sit next to me?"
Bakugou shoots his eyes back open and looks at me. His cheeks are now a deeper shade of red than his eyes, which is impressive in itself.
He grunts. "It's not that I wanted to sit next to you. Aizawa said we're on a buddy system. I'm just doing what he ordered us to do."
That's true, Aizawa did tell us that whenever we're off the ship, we need to use a buddy system. To keep things simple, buddy assignments are the same as our roommate assignments. So, basically, Bakugou and I aren't allowed to venture off alone anywhere without the other tagging along.
I guess that explains why he's still so red right now. He's probably mad at me for forgetting and assuming he'd willingly choose to sit by me.
"I don't think the buddy system applies until we get to the beach though," I tell him. "So you can sit somewhere else in the meantime if you'd like."
"Tch. No point," he replies, "I'm already sitting down."
I stare out the window as the bus takes off. Midoriya mutters to himself (or to Uraraka?) in the row behind us, the noise interrupting my quiet thoughts. But it's not a big deal as I'm used to Midoriya's rambling. Though it's because of his mumbling that I don't initially realize Bakugou is talking to me.
I look at him again. "Did you say something?"
He furrows his brows and pouts a little. There's still a slight tint of pink on his cheeks from earlier. He mumbles the words out. The only reason I'm able to understand him is because we're in close proximity.
"Your hair...doesn't look as flat as it normally does."
"Really?" I run my hand along the sides of my red and white locks. "Did I forget to brush out some of my bedhead?"
Bakugou purses his lips and lets out a loud huff. "No, you idiot. I just meant...fuck, just forget it."
As he slumps in his seat, Sero and Denki peer over the back of their row, leaning into ours.
"Are you two flirting?" Denki says.
Sero grins. "It's about time."
Bakugou scowls and turns away. This must be what he was talking about before, that people are always making comments to him about me and how we should get together. I know this is just a small taste of it, but if it happens as frequently as he implied before, I can see how it would get annoying very quickly.
I frown at Denki and Sero. "You shouldn't tease Bakugou like that," I say. "You're hurting his feelings."
They both stare at me, mouths open. Then they shift their gaze to the left of me as I hear a sound reminiscent of the kettle pot that my mother used to pour boiling water on my face as a child. Looking in that same direction, Bakugou has literal steam coming out of his ears. I didn't know his quirk allowed him to do that. I'd be more impressed by it if it weren't for the fact that this explosive anger is directed at me.
"I DON'T HAVE FEELINGS, YOU ICYHOT BASTARD!"
Denki and Sero howl with laughter before sinking back in their seats, leaving me to deal with an angry Bakugou by myself. He digs his nails into his thigh, knuckles turning white.
"I'm sorry," I say, quiet enough that only he can hear. "I was trying to help."
"Well stop helping," he snaps. "If someone says something that pisses me off, I'll handle it myself." He relaxes his body a bit, the color in his face returning to normal.
I scoot closer to the window, guessing he wants as much distance from me as possible. "I thought it did bother you when people made jokes about us. Isn't that what you said?"
He stares at the back of the seat ahead of him rather than at me. "If someone says something that pisses me off, I'll handle it myself," he repeats.
I puff my cheeks out as I ponder his remark. Using that logic, that means he wasn't bothered by Denki's and Sero's teasing. But given the conversation we had the first night, I find that hard to believe. Unless he's had a change of heart and no longer cares about what people say about us. Maybe he feels guilty about how he pushed me away and is focused on fixing our friendship.
I notice he's put his earbuds in. "What are you listening to?" I ask.
"Not you," he replies before closing his eyes.
Well, I guess I can scrap that theory.
*
Oh no.
Please, no.
This can't be happening right now.
I hear Midoriya's voice on the other side of the curtain. "Todoroki, are you okay in there?"
"I'm fine," I call back, doing my best to hide my nerves.
"Everyone's heading out now. Are you almost ready?"
I tug at the fabric of my shorts, cursing internally. "Just go without me. I'll be out soon."
"Okay," he replies, the skepticism in his tone not lost on me.
When I'm sure he's gone, I pace around the tiny dressing area, my heartbeat accelerating. I can't go out like this, can I? Why didn't I think to make sure this suit still fits before packing it?
Over the last year or so, I've been working out a lot more to increase my combat skills. I usually exercise with Kirishima since he's an expert at it and gives great pointers. I didn't want to bulk up like crazy or anything, just build a bit more muscle so I wouldn't have to rely on my quirk too much.
So that's what I did.
I never noticed any serious changes to my body except that my abs are more defined now. And because my swim trunks from yesterday still fit me fine, I didn't think too much about the pair I have on now.
But wow, is there a difference.
First of all, they're tight. They were tight to begin with, but never like this. The black fabric hugs my thighs as if it's trying to suffocate them. Well, at least the area of my thighs that's covered anyway. I don't remember these trunks being so short. I don't think I'll even be able to bend over without exposing myself. Did my ass really grow this much in the span of a year?
"What's taking so long, Icyhot?"
Oh shit.
"Bakugou?" I say. "Why are you still here?"
"Buddy system, dumbass. If you get lost in the locker room, it falls on me. Now hurry the fuck up."
I sigh. I should just brave it and go out there, right? People are normally too worried about themselves to pay attention to how others look. I'm probably just overreacting. At least, that's what I choose to believe right now.
Though when I open the curtain and see Bakugou's reaction to my bathing suit, I know that isn't the case.
I don't know who's more uncomfortable right now, him or me. His face is back to a deep red, and rightfully so. It's even spread to his chest and since we're already in an awkward situation, I don't feel guilty for staring at his shirtless body a little longer. Damn it. Of all my classmates to see me like this, why does it have to be the one I find the hottest?
Frankly, it won't surprise me if I'm blushing even harder than him. The longer either of us go without speaking, the more my knees shake. My eyes are on Bakugou, begging for him to say something, yet his eyes are only on my swim trunks. I turn to the side so he'll stop staring at my bulge, only to realize he now has a solid view of my ass.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" he says.
I once again tug at the ends, desperate to create some length. "It's my bathing suit."
"WHERE'D YOU GET IT? A FUCKING BUILD-A-BEAR?"
"It's not that short, is it?" Why the hell am I even asking? I already know the answer.
Bakugou rests his hands on his hips. "I could find something from Eri's closet that'll cover you up more."
I shift my gaze to the ground as I can't bear to look at him any longer. "I'll just stay here the whole time," I say. "You can go swim with the others."
"No, if I leave the locker room by myself, Aizawa will think I murdered you. So you're coming. Here." He grabs a towel off the bench, presumably his, and tosses it to me. "Just keep that around your waist until you're planning on getting in the water."
I do as he says, mostly because I don't have any better ideas. I sheepishly walk behind him as we exit the locker room, praying that no one says anything to us that forces an explanation.
"Hey," Kirishima says as soon as we step outside. "What took you guys so long?"
So much for that.
"Icyhot's just slow," Bakugou mumbles.
Kirishima nods, but then his eyes widen. "Um, Bakugou?"
Bakugou groans. "What, Shitty Hair?"
Kirishima leans forward to whisper in Bakugou's ear, which I find rather rude since I'm standing right next to them. When he finishes, Bakugou glances down at his swim trunks before sprinting toward the water. He yells at everyone to get out of the way, pushing the ones who don't move in time. He submerges himself underwater, his jaw clenching hard when his head pops back up.
That was weird.
I turn to Kirishima. "Did he have dirt on his suit or something? It looked clean in the locker room to me."
Kirishima lets out a weird sounding chuckle. Maybe he's been in the sun for too long that he's unintentionally frying his brain. He scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, something like that."