You & Me - James TW || "I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. I always forget that you can't read my mind. As long as I got you and me. I'll always have everything I need. You don't even realize what you mean. No one could fall for you quite like me. No one could get me so perfectly"
Closing my door behind me I walked down the empty hallway just as the sun was rising. I was surprisingly awake before my alarm. It wasn't as bad getting up this morning, though I was a bit sore. Bakugou would probably still have something to say so I quickly picked up speed.
It was always so creepy when the dorms were empty. It always felt like someone was watching you behind the shadows. As I ran through the dark kitchen to the front door I stopped in my tracks seeing Bakugou standing out in the front yard facing the sunrise. I wasn't sure why he was standing there watching the sunrise, but I didn't mind the view. He wore a black tank top and grey sweatpants with his white gym shoes. I watched as the sky turned a dark pink than a light purple behind him. It was so beautiful, like a painting you would see on a wall. Bakugou stood watching as I continued to stand on the front steps. I wasn't sure how I was feeling, but I knew that my heart was beating extremely fast.
Hearing my footsteps Bakugou's head turned slowly to the side making direct eye contact with me. "Hey Pink Cheeks" a soft smile spread on his face that sent a chill down my spine. I smiled back and made way towards him. "Morning" I smile stretching my arms "You stretch yet? Or did you just daydreaming the whole time."
"pfft aw shit, the student becomes the teacher eh?" He follows my lead and stretched his arms. Continuing to stretch silently, I look over to my left and watch as Bakugou's triceps flex and pulse with his stretches. I couldn't look away.
"Oi, you like the view?" I felt my cheeks burn intensely from his statement and averted my eyes away from him.
"So five miles again today?" I say uncomfortably.
"Yeah, that's right, unless you're too tired from yesterday?" I laughed at his know it all tone before turning back to face him.
"You mean if you're too tired right?" giving him a wave I quickly run off laughing. Hearing his steps behind me I turn to my right to see him running beside me.
"Aye! You think you're funny Pink Cheeks?" a genuine smile spread across his face that warmed my heart. "Yeah, let's see what you've got!" I say speeding up some more.
After running only three and a half miles I noticed Bakugou slowing down. "You have enough?" I laugh jogging in place turning around to face him. He said nothing and walked towards the pond to the right of the sidewalk. I stop jogging and begin walking towards him.
"Everything alright?" I said stepping closer to him. "Yeah... I'm good. Let's be done for today yeah?" I was surprised to hear this from him, but I wasn't going to complain about it. I stood there silently next to him wondering why we were even here.
"So... why exactly did we stop here?" He looked down at me then back out at the pond. "Well, sometimes on good days, like today I like to stop and hang out here... Kinda nice to get away from UA for a little bit...away from all the fucking stress and pressure" I watch him as he talks noticing that his tone seemed pained a bit, like he truly did feel a lot of pressure.
I would have never known that from watching him. He always excelled at everything and pushed himself to new heights to become the best. As I stared at his expression looking out at the pond I knew this place was special to him and I was pleased to know he wanted to bring me here.
"Hey Katsuki?" I say taking hold of his arm. He looks down at my hand on his arm then connects his gaze with mine, "Thanks for showing me this spot". He nods his head respectfully. " Ochaco, do you ever feel pressure to be something you're not?" I was a bit taken back as I stared into his dark red eyes. "Yeah, you knew that. I feel stressed about my family all the time..." He scrunched his nose and shook his head, "no... not like in the hero world, like do you ever feel like you're not being your true self?"
If he wasn't talking about the UA and becoming a hero than I was a bit confused. "Well no, I feel like I'm always my true self... I think it would be hard to be something your not." I watched his expression sadden and I realized he was talking about himself. "Is that how you feel Katsuki?" He looked down at the ground then back at me shrugging his shoulders.
"Fuck I don't know..." I half smile from his response as he continues, "I just.. As you saw, my family isn't really big on sharing their emotions or really expressing how they feel, hell my dad hardly talks.." I watch him piece together what he was trying to say. "Katsuki, I feel like you always show your emotions... You're never afraid to say how you're feeling or put someone- really anyone- in their place...That's something I could never do.." He looked out at the pond nodding his head, "yeah, but that's only anger... I'm not always angry you know."
Looking out at the pond I started to understand what he was saying. My mind was quickly filled with all the events that have taken place here at UA... Bakugou has gone through more than most, even after being kidnapped he never showed he was weak. He kept a tight upper lip and remained stone cold in front of all of us. The only time he really showed much emotion was with me behind closed doors and even then he was a bit cold. It all made sense.
"Sometimes it's just hard to always remain strong... I guess my parents really messed me up right?" He sat down on the bank of the pond finishing his statement, "I've been told my whole life how great I am... how I would be this great hero, that I needed to be tough and hide my feelings, but now that I'm here and see how great other people are... this whole idea of myself shifted dramatically. I have to work ten times harder to stay where I am." Bakugou took in a deep breath before finishing, "Sometimes it gets tiring always pretending I'm not disappointed or hurt by things that happen... My mom would call me weak for it and my fucked up ego wouldn't allow it.." I stood behind him staring.
He has opened up to me in the past about these things, but not to this degree... I had no words, I just thought it was best to be quiet and stand beside him as support than to add my two cents. "But we don't need to keep talking about it.. just something I was thinking about." Walking over to him I lower myself down to sit beside him and bump my shoulder into his side.
"Why haven't you told me these things before" Bakugou shrugged his shoulders remaining quiet. "Have you always felt this way?" I watched as his head nodded and he turned his attention to me, "It's really caused me to mess up relationships around me, my superior complex wouldn't allow me to accept help from anyone, not Deku, Kirishima, and especially you".
I watch as he turns his face quickly away from me. He was visibly upset and didn't want to show me. I lean my head on his shoulder hoping to express that I heard him and I cared. We remained like that for a few minutes before I pulled my head up, "Thanks for telling me that Katsuki, it means a lot that you can talk to me about these things" Bakugou nodded and turned his attention back to me. "Well, we better head back to the dorms. Its almost lunchtime and I have to go help out around the house". I nod in agreement as we make our way back to the dorms.
Walking up to the steps Bakugou gave me a quick side hug before turning back down the road towards his house. Closing the front door behind me I replayed the conversation we had. How Bakugou explained how his superior complex has destroyed his relationships with people...like me. It got me thinking, was that his way of telling me he had feelings for me back then? I twirled a strand of my brown hair in my fingers as my phone pinged. Deku's name illuminated on my screen.
I smiled to myself as Deku's texts continued to roll through my phone. Why did he have the power to instantly make me fall back into liking him so fast? It just drove me crazy that he hasn't even asked me to come hangout these past three days of break... it's just. Odd. Staring down at my phone I saw the contact "IMessage from King Explosion Murder" pop up on my notification banner. I laugh at my own joke of that being Bakugou's contact name. It always cracked me up that of all the hero names, he chose that... I remember the day in class he tried so hard to have that as his superhero name and it cracked me up imagining being saved by a hero with murder in their name. He hated when I brought that story up, but I couldn't help myself. Before I could even click the notification another one popped up. What the heck.
I laugh out loud thinking of Bakugou trying his best to tell his mom no. Mitsuki and Bakugou were way too similar, but in the end, Mitsuki always won. I quickly made myself some lunch and took a nap knowing that in a few short hours I would be making my way back to the Bakugou house.
If you were to ask me last year if I would be openly going to the Bakugou house I would have laughed you off the ledge. This is a new side to Bakugou even for me and maybe he was only acting this way because everyone was gone, but I was enjoying every minute of it. Running around the house trying to get ready I frantically put together an outfit. My parents always told me that when you're invited as a guest, you needed to show respect and wear something nice. Holding up a few outfits in front of the mirror, I eventually went with a white tank top and nice army green pants with white gym shoes. It was respectful enough, but also cute and comfortable.
Combing my hair down I brush my mascara through my eyelashes and look at my reflection. This was crazy. Looking over at my desk clock I saw the time was 4:35. I jump up and rush to grab my black bag hastily throwing it over my shoulder.
During my walk to the Bakugou house, I walk by the flower shop Deku took me to earlier this year and pick out some white and yellow flowers for Mitsuki. As I handed over some cash to the worker I bring the flowers to my face smelling their sweet aroma and smile to myself. I knew she would just love them. I walked the rest of the way with the biggest smile on my face.