Chapter Text
Three months after the breakup
Katsuki knew it was a bad idea. He hadn’t seen her or really any of them in nearly three months.
But Eijiro was determined. His friend insisted that others were asking about him. And although Katsuki seriously doubted that, the redhead wouldn’t take no for an answer. Thankfully the liquid courage afforded by alcohol allowed Katsuki to overcome any sense of trepidation.
Still, he didn’t fully commit to the evening until after Eijiro promised she would be out of town. Katsuki was just finishing off the last of his whiskey when a text from Eijiro alerted him that he was waiting outside the apartment. He took one final deep breath to calm his nerves and went to face what he was sure was certain doom.
The ride to the venue passed the same way much of the time he spent with his friend did. Eijiro chatted about how he and Mina were doing, with Katsuki grunting at the appropriate times to indicate he was listening, even though he wasn’t. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her.
It seemed that by some stroke of luck he hadn’t seen her in the three months since the relationship had ended, though Katsuki supposed that part of it was probably his determination in circumventing all gatherings of their old classmates and ensuring that he didn’t visit any of their old haunts. He also actively avoided mentions of her in the news and threatened his friends with violence when they mentioned her name.
Though, given that his friends were also her friends, he hadn’t spent much time around most of them either.
Eijiro and Hanta were the only two of his friend group that he got in the split. They shared custody of Mina. Denki and Kyoka went with her. Katsuki never thought he’d say this, but he actually missed the spark plug. He even considered asking Eijiro how their wedding planning was going but since his friend had such a big mouth, it was sure to get back to them somehow and Katsuki couldn’t have that.
He lost enough these past months, it wouldn’t do for his reputation as a hardass to get destroyed too. Though, he probably should reach out to Denki, and see if his invitation still stood…
Lost in his thoughts, the drive to the bar passed quickly. He silently thanked the universe that at least there would be plenty of alcohol to help numb him through the evening. Even if she wasn’t there, he was going to be flooded by reminders of her. After all, she was the main reason he even started coming to these evenings to begin with, so adamant she was that they maintain contact with their old classmates. And he always had a hard time telling her no.
Plus, it was going to be difficult to control conversation from drifting to her, considering so many of her friends would be present. It wasn’t like he could threaten every single one of them any time he heard her name.
The walk from where Eijiro parked his car gave Katsuki a few more moments to steel himself. He could... he would do this. He was Bakugo fucking Katsuki. Nothing scared him. Not even reminders of the love of his life his ex.
The place was poorly lit, but the moment they entered, his eyes found her. She and Mina were dancing in a way that shot a sharp pain of longing through his chest. Her chestnut hair was now shorter than it had been when they were together and she had it tied up in two buns atop her head. He wasn’t sure if the flush on her cheeks was from the heat that settled around them, the alcohol that she had likely been consuming, or if the natural rosy color had already begun to fade in his mind.
She was brilliantly beautiful in her unbridled joy, smiling at something Mina said and moving in a way that was so carefree. He hadn’t seen her look so happy since long before they broke up. The song changed and she jumped up and down, squealing in contentment as she wrapped her arms around Mina’s shoulders. The two began to swing their hips to the upbeat tune as they sang the lyrics loudly. His heart ached for her.
He couldn’t help but remember when it was him that she was pulling to the dance floor. A knot settled in his stomach as he recalled all the time she bounced her hips back and forth, settled tightly against him, his hands resting heavily on her hips. Or how content her face looked when they swayed in circles to a slower tune.
Katsuki wouldn’t lie to himself by saying he’d moved on completely, but he thought he had at least started to get over her. It was just an act; he wasn’t even close to it and he wondered then if he ever would be.
His mind raced at the thoughts of what he might say to her if she spoke to him. Would she remind him of all the plans that they had made together, or of how and when it fell apart so spectacularly? He was vaguely aware that Eijiro was saying something to him.
“Aww bro, I’m sorry…” his friend mumbled. “She was supposed to be assigned to a rescue mission in the U.S.”
Red eyes turned toward the man speaking. “Hah?”
“I was just saying sorry and that I thought she was out of town...” Eijiro trailed off, as it was clear he wasn’t really listening.
Katsuki barely registered his own lips moving as he muttered an acknowledgment of the apology before his gaze locked back on her. Logically, he knew that he was staring. His eyes were actually starting to feel a little dry, likely due to the intensity of his gaze. But he was like a starving man, finally feasting on a meal that had been withheld from him for so long.
He was determined to take in every part of her, as he didn’t know when the might see her next.
He felt his friend nudge him, probably in an attempt to snap him out of his reverie, but Katsuki was hopeless.
As if anything had changed. He was a fool to think time could weaken the hold she had on him.
Before he realized what was occurring, Mina noticed Eijiro and waved excitedly. Her head turned to see who Mina was greeting and bright, brown eyes crinkled at the sight of his friend. When they fell on him, some of the mirth remained and it was as if a jolt of electricity coursed through him, sending his pulse into a frenzied pace.
Then, recognition stole the warmth in her gaze and though they were across the room, he thought he saw her eyes glaze over, announcing the impending tears that were likely to follow.
He saw her cry enough times in the weeks surrounding the breakup to know what she looked like when she was upset. Turning on his heel, he quickly fled the establishment, calling on a rideshare. Eijiro, ever the good friend, followed him outside and offered to take him home.
“It’s not a problem,” Eijiro reassured quietly, with too much understanding weighing down his normally boisterous tone.
“Tch, don’t fuckin’ worry about it,” he bit back. He regretted not immediately grabbing a drink the moment they arrived. “Go back in and enjoy your night with your girlfriend.”
“We were all looking forward to you joining us,” his friend continued, choosing to ignore the venom-laden anger that the word ‘girlfriend’ had carried. The logical part of his brain screamed it wasn’t Eijiro’s fault that Katsuki was now single, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t resentful of his friends’ happy, easy relationship.
“I said, don’t fuckin’ worry about it,” Katsuki repeated in a quiet, menacing tone. He still yelled, more often now that she was gone, but he learned somewhere along the way that soft threats could carry just as much emphasis as those that were screamed.
“Fine,” his friend muttered resignedly, “but text me when you get home.”
“What are you, my mom?” Katsuki sneered.
“No, just a chump that’s stupid enough to be your friend. Mina and I are worried about you, bro.”
“Well, save it. I’m fuckin’ fine.”
Eijiro didn’t look like he was convinced. Truthfully, Katsuki wasn’t either. But fortunately, the arrival of the ride allowed him to avoid further awkwardness from the already uncomfortable conversation. As he climbed into the backseat, his friend’s eyes still on him, he noticed a missed notification on his phone.
His heart leapt momentarily, thinking it was her who had messaged him, but it sank quickly when he realized it was Mina instead.
He felt himself grow nauseous when he read the message:
[20:17] Just so you know, she started crying after you left. She thinks you’re avoiding her.
Katsuki didn’t even bother responding. It wasn’t Eijiro or Mina’s business if he was avoiding her, which he was. But he knew that she knew it was best if he left her alone. So who cared what the others thought? In fact, it was Mina who had come to collect all of her things from their apartment, after she left for good.
It was also Mina who sent him away from her new apartment a week later, not allowing him to speak with her and even calling Eijiro to come and get him after he refused to leave. So if they thought it was okay to judge him for not wanting to face her now, then fuck them all.
If the worst thing he did to her was avoid her, they were both better off for it.
Two years, six months before the breakup
It was the middle of their third year when Katsuki finally gathered enough courage to ask her out. He wasn’t quite sure the exact moment in their time together that he developed feelings for her, but before he knew it, the tiny, fiery girl with the roundest cheeks was consuming all of his thoughts.
When they were accepted for an internship at the same agency in the final year at U.A., it became an inevitability that he would have to come to terms with his feelings for her.
What started as respect mixed with lust grew into admiration and possibly even love, though it wouldn’t be a while until he admitted that to her. She offered her friendship effortlessly, seeming to understand that long nights together meant they’d have to get along, even if he had been at odds with her best friend for as long as she’d known either of them.
H e was grateful when she proposed they work on paperwork together. After all, it meant they would finish sooner and, if he got to spend more time with her in the process, well, that was an added bonus.
Being friends with her was easy, given how it seemed like sunshine radiated from her small body and illuminated all that surrounded her. Soon, completing their administrative duties in tandem turned into taking the train to and from internship together.
Then, before he truly realized what happened, he was bringing her extra food that he made for dinner. She was out unexpectedly for an entire week halfway through the internship, and it was then that he comprehended just how important she was to him.
He spent most of his day off that week making a special soup that his grandmother used to make for him when he was sick. When he brought it to her room, she looked so overjoyed that he knew there was nothing that would ever make him feel more fulfilled than seeing her happy and knowing he was the cause of it.
Katsuki didn’t verbalize this, of course, but as soon as she was feeling better he asked her out to dinner, on a night they were both free from their internships.
There was a hesitance in her response and while his heart leapt when she finally agreed, his excitement was quickly replaced by anxiety at not knowing how to plan the perfect evening. He was new to romance, and inexperienced when it came to relationships in general. Much to his chagrin, he asked advice from his friends, and with even greater distress he acknowledged that most of the advice was actually solid.
Except for the fact that his friends encouraged him to wait until after the first date, to see how it went, before making any further moves. Supposedly it was proper dating etiquette, to not go after what he wanted immediately. But Katsuki disregarded that particular piece of advice. He would be damned before he ever let himself follow the rules that the extras lived by.
After all, he was destined to be #1, and no one who made it to the top wasted time waiting for the right moment. His entire life, when he wanted something, he went for it. Maybe it took him a little longer to go after a relationship with her, but now that he had, he wasn’t intending on slowing down.
On the walk to the restaurant he reached for her hand, and felt a surge of elation when she twined her fingers with his. During the meal, she insisted he try some of her dessert, which she offered to him on her fork, and though he huffed in indignation, he happily complied. When they boarded the full train, he took the opportunity to wrap an arm around her waist and thought his chest would burst with joy when she molded her body to his.
As they walked back to the dorms, he stopped at a park, leading her nearby to where a fountain flowed softly. Turning to look at her, scarlet eyes meeting chocolate ones, he pulled her into an embrace. She seemed to fit so perfectly against him, her arms reaching up to wrap around his neck.
He leaned back as her sweet scent began to overwhelm her and watched as her lidded eyes drifted to his lips. She shifted to the balls of her feet, pushing herself up as he bent his head and they simultaneously closed the distance between them. When his lips pressed to hers in a searing kiss, it felt as though all the air was stripped from his lungs.
His tongue savored the lingering taste of the sweet dessert she shared with him earlier as it swiped across the seam of her lips before snaking tentatively into her mouth.
The kiss they shared was exhilarating in a way that nothing else ever had been and he knew in that instance that he was addicted to her. She breathlessly broke the kiss, shifting away from him just barely as their foreheads pressed against each other.
Her eyes were hooded with desire and her cheeks were impossibly pinker than usual. He loved the way she looked in that moment.
“Wow,” she whispered, her breath tickling his face as she broke the silence.
“Yeah,” he muttered in response.
Smiling at him shyly, she slid her hands along his broad chest as she rocked back on her heels. One of his hands had drifted up to tangle with her hair in the heat of their embrace, but it trailed to settle at her waist.
“Katsuki,” she began, just as he opened his mouth to speak.
She giggled, a sound that was music to his ears. “Sorry,” she murmured, “you go first.”
“Ochako, be my girlfriend.” It wasn’t a request. He wanted her. He needed her.
He couldn’t remember what life was like before her, and he didn’t want to.
“Katsuki…”
“I know what you’re thinking,” he ventured.
“Oh, is that so?” she teased.
He suddenly questioned himself, for the first time in his life. “But maybe you should tell me…”
She smiled at him kindly. “Katsuki, I really like you and I have for a while. I was hoping you would make a move and I’m happy you did… because that kiss was amazing. But I know how important it is to you to be the number one hero. And I don’t think I can pursue a relationship with someone like that...”
“W-What? Why not?” He frowned.
“Because I don’t want to always be coming in second place on your priority list. I don’t resent you or hold it against you, I just… I want more from a relationship.” She shrugged.
“Would you believe me if I promised you that you’d be equally important?”
“Yeah, I guess I would. You‘re a man of your word.”
His chest swelled with pride at her compliment. He would prove to her that he could do both. He could have it all by being the best hero and the best boyfriend to the girl of his dreams.
“So, whaddya say, Cheeks? You never answered my question.” A self-assured smirk had settled on his face as his eyes roved her soft features, looking for any hint as to what she might be thinking.
“I didn’t realize you asked a question,” she said with a smile, “I’m pretty sure you just said, ‘be my girlfriend,’” she said as she mimicked him to a frighteningly accurate degree, dissolving into a fit of giggles as she finished. He couldn’t help but smile widely at her mirth, as a few chuckles escaped him.
He waited for her to regain her composure before bringing a hand to her chin and tilting her face up so that he could look in her eyes again. “Ochako, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Okay.” She was still smiling when she slotted her mouth with his, kissing him once more. His heart soared.
The remainder of their time in school sped by with relative ease, as they were at least able to spend the hours on internship together. Every moment that he wasn’t in classes or working passed with her. Whether they were studying together for finals, applying for sidekick positions for after graduation, or just wrapped in each others’ embrace, he was a near constant presence at her side.
Though it was difficult to balance his priorities related to being a hero and his relationship with her, he was determined to make it work. He finally got the girl he pined after for so long and he would do anything and everything to keep her. He knew it wouldn't get any easier once they officially entered the hero force, given that they selected jobs at different agencies. He needed to make the best connections possible if he was going to rise quickly to the top, which was a major factor in his decision to accept an offer to join Hawks’ agency.
The hero sweetened the deal by offering to personally mentor Katsuki, which was a proposal that was nearly too good to be true. She chose to continue the work they started on an internship with Mirko, as a position with the rabbit hero would allow her to continue working towards her goal of being a well-rounded rescue and combat hero.
Katsuki couldn’t have been more proud of her. Their schedules were busy as hell, which was anticipated, and often conflicted. But he made sure to take her on a date at least once a week, even if it meant he was near the point of exhaustion after finishing a long shift. Whenever he could, he waited for her outside her agency and walked her home.
He knew the gestures were small, but she seemed to appreciate them. And he was willing to do whatever it took to show her how important she was to him.