I'm With You - Vance Joy || "And if you need a light I'll be the match to your candle. My darling, I'm ready, to burst into flames for you"
"So let me get this straight.. Bakugou hasn't told you he loved you?" Mina was laying down on the floor of my room skimming a magazine while the rest of the girls were spread out in other places. It was a regular weekend for us enjoying a lazy afternoon of gossip and music.
I watched as Momo's face twisted like she had just eaten a lemon from Mina's statement. She was never one for emotions and expressing them so I knew without looking at her face she was uncomfortable. Wishing I could blend in the wall I shifted on my bed as I responded.
"Yeah.." I sigh picking at some loose strings hanging off my blanket trying to ignore my own anxieties that were beginning to quickly boil up. I never liked being put on the spot.
"Wait.. have you all DTR'ed yet!?" Mina yelled now sitting up from my response. Everyone's eyes darted at each other's hoping someone knew what Mina was talking about.
"What in the world does that even mean?" Jiro said rolling her eyes as she lowered the magazine from her face.
"Jiro's right you know, these crazy
acronyms you read about in the magazines are news to us" Tsu said putting a finger to her chin.
"What the heck you guys! It means Define The Relationship ! DUH!" Mina was now standing flailing her arms around as we all sat stunned a bit. It was like I was hearing some foreign language for the first time as I felt my eyebrow raise.
"Like- have you all talked about being boyfriend girlfriend yet Ochaco!?" Mina yelled and though everyone judged her question earlier they all turned their attention to me abruptly waiting for my response.
Looking down at the ground I averted my eyes from theirs. Defined our relationship? I tried my best to think back to any instance where the topic came up, but was left empty handed.
"T-to be honest uh, no we haven't" I say feeling a bit embarrassed. Did I do something wrong, was I supposed to have asked Bakugou this a long time ago?
The way they stared at me was out of pure confusion. Even Momo raised an eyebrow at me. I've never been in this situation before so how was I supposed to know what to do.
"Ochaco! You can't just go around giving him his cake and letting him eat it too!?" Mina yelled as I cocked my head extremely confused by her phrasing as she continued.
"Tonight at the fireworks festival, that's the perfect opportunity for you to bring it up!" Mina yelled as the girls looked to her then back at me.
Momo scratched the back of her head as she cleared her throat, "It's really not a bad idea Ochaco, you should be able to have mature conversations if you all like each other-"
"WHICH THEY CLEARLY DO!" Mina interrupted squealing as she leaped onto the bed, "I still cannot believe you nabbed the second hottest guy at UA Ochaco and who would have thought you would pull the heart out of grumpy old Bakugou"
"Ribbit- well whose the hottest guy then?" Tsu said questioning as we all listened intently. Even Jiro looked over her magazine for the response.
"Todoroki of course!" Everyone giggles as Momo covered her face with a book. Mina rolled her eyes as she continued, "then of course Kirishima, but I'm being biased" as she leaned back curling her hair with her finger. We all knew she had a crush on him, she made it pretty common knowledge for us all not too long ago.
"Anyways, tonight is the night for sure Ochaco! You have to say something or he's just going to leave this summer and it's going to be over!" Mina said with a serious tone.
"That's not true Mina, stop being so over dramatic" Jiro sighed from the corner.
"I am not! What happens if he meets someone else at his summer internship? He's going to be traveling a lot with All Might you know." Mina said in a childish pouty tone. She wasn't trying to upset me, but I could feel my stomach begin to flip.
I never doubted how much Bakugou cared about me, but now that they are bringing it up it reminded me that he has never expressed that he even loves me back.
It had been months since I told him my feelings and I constantly reminded him of that. Yet, he has never reciprocated those feelings. I knew from the day I told him I loved him it would take a long time for Bakugou to say those three words back, but now that I was listening to the girls I began to overthink the situation.
What's so bad about saying I love you to someone.
"Why don't you text him now saying you want to watch the local fireworks with him later? That's the perfect opportunity!" Mina yelled as she clapped her hands together.
"That could be a good idea" Tsu said with a smile.
I looked over to Momo as my voice of reason as she shrugged her shoulders, "I have to agree". I dropped my shoulders as I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and quickly typed up a message.
Ochaco: Hey want to go to the firework festival tonight?
Setting my phone down the rest of the girls were now sat around me waiting for his response. Within second my phone pinged with a message.
King Explosion Murder: You asking me on a date Floaty?
Laughing to myself I quickly responded attempting to hide my phone screen from Mina who was now jumping on my bed trying to read over my shoulder.
Ochaco: Might be :)
King Explosion Murder: Than I'll see you at 7 Angel Face!
I felt my face blush from his texts as the rest of the girls whooped and clapped with excitement.
"Remember just be yourself and bring it up" Momo said looking over at Mina who was still dancing around the room before leaning into my ear "in a mature way though none of that DTR stuff"
We both laugh as we watched her jump around the room like a little girl from all the excitement.
Three Hours Later
Straightening up my outfit I began to over think what I was wearing. I quickly dashed over to my closet throwing clothes around before deciding on a simple pink dress. As I pulled it over my head I heard the click of my door open.
"FUCK!"
I turn around to see Bakugou covering his eyes with one hand. He looked so cute as he used his free hand to cover his eyes and the other to close he door behind him. As I pull the dress down over my hips I felt my face blush from the sudden surprise.
"Are you finished?!" He yelled as his fingers opened up a crack letting him sneak a look though his fingers.
"Yeah I'm finished" I smile walking towards him wrapping my arms around his waist. I inhaled against his chest as the sweet smell of his cologne made my knees weak.
"Are you fucking crazy!?" He grumbles looking down at me "any random loser could just walk their dumbass in here and see everything!" Bakugou's face was so red as I laughed against his chest. He was so cute when he became overly protective.
"Well only you saw me so were fine!" I chuckle resting my chin on his chest as I look up at him.
Rolling his eyes he smiled down, "You're too damn cute and I don't want these other people seeing you is all.." he lifted his hand running his fingers through his hair before resting his hand on my back rubbing the tight pink fabric.
I nod my head as we separate from our embrace. "So your ready now?" I say taking hold of his hand. He nodded as a half smile spread across his face following behind me as I pulled him along.
Walking down the busy street we made a quick shortcut through the park as the sun quickly set. As we continued small talk I wondered if Bakugou was just as nervous as me and if he ever wondered about "defining our relationship" like Mina said earlier.
Stopping at the perfect overpass we looked down at all the young kids,' hands filled with sweats running around enjoying the rides and games as parents looked on from afar. We could hear everything as we looked down at the festival below us.
"Is this ok?" Bakugou said nodding his head in the direction of a rock slab overlooking the festival, "thought it be nice to just be us...it is a date and all" he shoved his hands in his pockets kicking some rocks below his feet hiding his blushed cheeks.
My face blushed as I walked beside him intertwining my arm around his, "it's perfect!" Bakugou's smile spread up his round face as he kissed my forehead.
Sitting amongst the the stars we waited patiently before the eruption of fireworks took off. Looking to my side I watched at the colors highlighted every corner of Bakugou's face. It was as if the noise around me was muted as reds and purples mirrored in his eyes. He meant so much to me and I really have no idea what I would do without him. As Mina's warning swirled in my head I felt I needed to just say something.
"Hey Bakugou?" I say softly watching as his face turned slowly to meet my gaze. As soon as his eyes met mine I felt my shoulders relax. He had that effect on me.
"Hm?" He hummed.
"You know how much you mean to me right?"
His expression turned to confusion, "why what's going on?!" He panicked as I scooted closer taking hold of his arm.
"Nothing nothing just a question" I laugh a bit watching him roll his eyes.
"Don't fucking scare me like that!" He wrapped his arm around my shoulder pulling me into his side.
"And yes, I do know" he laughed "why do you ask?"
"I just never want you to ever question my feelings for you is all" I say resting my hand on his thigh. Bakugou was silent for a minute as the fireworks continued their explosions in the distance.
"You don't question my feelings for you.. right?" I lift my head to look at him as his expression saddens.
"No I mean, I know you care because you show how me every day. I just the girls were talking today and I don't know.." I sigh looking down embarrassed as I heard myself talk. Did I actually let the girls fill my head with things that were never there to begin with?
"What do you mean.." Bakugou questioned still looking down at me. His expression seemed pained as I gathered up the right words to say.
"They just, well.. they wonder," I felt my lip quiver from the attention as I muster up the courage to continue, "they wonder about our relationship.. and if you actually love me..." As the finale of fireworks erupts I could hardly hear myself think as the tears roll down my face.
I have no idea if I was crying because of the attention or if I was crying because I was afraid of his response. His face remained the same as he stared down at me confused. Maybe I said too much and came off too strong. Nothing I wanted to say came out the way I wanted it to as my hands shook below me.
"Is that what you think Ochaco?" He said leaning over to try and meet my gaze wiping away a few of the tears that streamed down my cheek.
"N-no, but they brought it up and well ... I-I'm just overthinking and being stupid.."
"You are not stupid, stop that Ochaco"
I look up at Bakugou as he smiled down at me. My heart beat was so loud it seemed to be over powering the firework show in the distance as his eyes held my gaze.
"Fuck everyone else Ochaco" he says as I laugh wiping my eyes, "I care about you more than myself, never doubt that... ever." A half smile spread on his face as he leaned in to kiss me.
As his lips pressed against mine I felt my anxieties leave almost as quick as they came. I was overthinking this. I knew I could never force Bakugou to tell me he loved me. As the kiss intensified I still could feel a small pang deep down that wished he would have pulled me close and told me he loved me as much as I loved him.