A/n - just wanted to say a big thank you to all of my readers! This book hit 22k reads, over 1k votes... and #1 dabixreader as of today!!! What!?! I love your comments, they make my day. Much love to all of you!
Bakugo paced back and forth in his designated area of the ballroom, frustration bubbling underneath his skin and sweat doing the same on the outside.
He'd already taken off his tux jacket, but now he also loosened his tie and the top buttons of his collar. It didn't seem to help.
Why were there so many events where he had to wear a tux? How was he supposed to kick ass dressed up like this?
As Bakugo looked over the area he had been assigned, he noticed a door propped open that led to the alley in the back. He walked over and closed it, making a mental note to keep an eye on anyone trying to sneak in through there without an invite.
Of course, the group they were hoping showed up without an invite was the League of Villains.
They had been briefed on the possibility of the League showing up tonight, which was why he was there early with some of the other third years and pros.
They'd been told to look like regular party guests but be on alert.
All these traps and games and secrecy; Bakugo hated all of it.
In Bakugo's eyes, if the heroes were really serious about any of this, they should be taking action rather than waiting for the League to come to them. Offense is the best defense. All of this waiting around felt like bullshit.
But this anger was only a cover for the real anxiety Bakugo was feeling.
As much as he hated to admit it, he knew the half and half bastard could hold his own against anyone; he'd seen it himself.
But her...
Bakugo couldn't deny what he felt around her; there was just something about y/n that made him want to protect her. He was torn between wanting to hide her away where no one else could ever even look at her and wanting to rip her clothes off and fuck her in broad daylight. The best part was that he knew she would probably be into it.
He got hard at just the thought of that time in the tent.
It had been playing on a repeat loop when he let his fantasies take over his brain.
However, a small part of his brain made him wonder if there was more to it than just their insane chemistry. Yes, the sex in the tent had been hot as hell, and, god, she had felt good, but was that time really only just "fun" for her? Was that all it was?
These type of thoughts led to more pacing and more frustration.
"You look crazier than normal," Kirishima said, interrupting these thoughts.
"Whatever, I'm scoping out my area. Don't you have your own spot to patrol?"
"Yeah, I'm over by the food. Not a terrible place to watch." Kirishima took a couple steps back and yelled up to the second floor balcony. "Hey, Kaminari!"
Two heads appeared over the second floor railing, peering down at Bakugo and Kirishima.
"What's up, man?" Kaminari called down, waving his phone in the air. "You guys are missing out on the view Shinso and I have up here. I'll send you a snap."
"You moron," Bakugo growled, "this is a mission; put away your phone."
Almost out of spite, Shinso took out his phone and looked at his texts, just to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
"See? Shinso looks at his phone way more than I do, guys," Kaminari whined. "Get mad at him, not me."
"It's not our problem if he's dumb enough to think the League will let y/n text him," Bakugo responded. "Purple freak- we get the League, we get her, it's that simple."
"Wow, thanks, Bakugo. I can rest easy now knowing that you have it all figured out," Shinso replied dryly, not looking up from his phone.
"What did you say to me?"
Without answering, Shinso walked away from the railing and continued down the balcony, ignoring the growling voice downstairs. Truthfully, Kaminari was right; he had been obsessed with checking his phone. Since she disappeared, he couldn't help but hope that maybe, just maybe, she would reach out to him.
If I could just get in that brain of hers, he thought, even just for a second...
But no, the one person whose brain he wanted to figure out most was the one person who always seemed just out of reach.
Shinso looked around the balcony, thinking about where the best place would be to keep an eye on what was happening below. He looked at his phone again, this time checking the time; in about an hour the party people would start streaming in.
Would y/n be one of them?
--
Shouldering my way over to the second floor balcony, I leaned over the railing, watching the party unfold below me.
On my way up here through the crowd, I had to basically shove people aside to get through. I hadn't counting on there being this many people here.
In a way it was fun to be this anonymous, and it was so crowded that no one was paying attention to me anyway. I'd pulled my hair up and my feathery mask covered most of my face, so I was pretty unrecognizable. My plan was to stay out of the way and keep a low profile.
Then if they tried anything with Shoto, I would be watching and ready to.... do something. I wasn't sure what that something was, but I could at least be ready.
I was also looking for someone.
The second floor balcony wasn't quite as crowded as the main floor, and it gave me a great view of everyone.
My eyes followed Shigaraki and Shoto down below. The leader of the League of Villains had actually done a pretty good job of concealing his identity with his suit and dark cloak that hid his hair, and Shigaraki's mask covered his red eyes and lips.
If I could get Shoto alone, I was hoping that I could figure out a way to get him out of there. It just needed to happen in a way that wouldn't piss off Shigaraki and risk things getting even more out of hand.
That was pretty much all I had come up with though.
There was really only one person who I knew I could trust with my secrets. Only one person who would be able to actually help. Only one person who I could both trust and who had also fought the League before.
And I knew he wasn't into big parties.
I leaned against the railing, looking down, half listening to the people around me.
"So sad about the Todoroki boy," I heard one woman near me say.
"I heard he ran away. I don't blame him, his dad scares me," said another.
Lady, if you only knew.
More people continued to stream past. Some talked about the food, or the music.
"Definitely feels like.... The League....Todoroki."
My ears perked up at the sound of this conversation.
I tried to listen closer, but it was hard to hear the voice over everyone else. I could only understand every few words; their voices were too muffled with all of the other conversations happening around me.
"...so you think...the League... a trap?"
So it's two guys talking.
"...I don't know.... Unless she's with them...."
I inched a little closer in the direction of the two male voices.
"Hey, pretty lady, you here by yourself?"
"That's a creepy thing to say," the other guy said.
"Sorry... um, how about 'hello, gorgeous.' Is that better?"
"Not at all."
I chuckled, listening to these two try to talk to women.
"Hello?"
"Hello?"
Oh.
He's talking to me.
I turned my head to look next to me, and then instantly snapped my head back.
Well, shit.
Part of me had hoped I would see my friends tonight.
I just didn't think that Shinso and Kaminari would be standing only a few feet away from me right when I got there. Both had on tuxes and black masks covering their eyes, but with their hair, I instantly knew who they were.
I shook my head and turned to quickly walk in the other direction. I felt the shakiness of panic, and my hands started to feel sweaty.
This can't happen right now.
I needed to keep my eye on Shoto. I needed to find Aizawa.
"Well, she wasn't very friendly," I heard Kaminari say.
"Probably because you sounded like a stalker, but yeah, that was weird."
I walked faster, trying to not look suspicious or rude as I weaved through the crowd of people.
"I'll be right back," I heard Shinso say behind me.
I needed to make my feet move faster.
Unlucky for me, I wasn't used to these heels.
My ankle buckled and I cursed under my breath as I started to fall sideways onto the floor, people moving out of the way as I stumbled.
This is how I die, I thought. This is how I die of embarrassment.
But I didn't hit the floor.
Because Shinso caught me.