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Refusing to drag her feet, the idol didn't want to scuff her boots- not when the costume department worked so hard on them- despite how heavy her feet felt. She refused to let her tiredness ruin someone else's hard work.
That being said, she was exhausted from all of the running around and important showcases she had been doing the past week straight. Her twintails felt deflated as she walked, but there was no one around to witness her smile fade. No, Hatsune Miku made sure that she was alone, watching the hallways carefully as she muddled by.
She sucked in a breath, mentally preparing herself to smile as she neared her destination- the room where she was supposed to meet the Heroes that were going to team up with her for a PR stunt.
Pushing the door open and grinning, Miku was surprised to blink and only see one person- a blond man who looked incredibly fit. He scowled at nothing, barely even noticing Miku's entrance.
"Hello there!" she waved, speaking in her cheeriest voice, "I'm-"
"Ya don't need ta’ pretend. I'm the only one here, you can fuckin' relax," he didn't look away from his phone, yet he saw right through Miku. She couldn't move; frozen and unsure of what to do, she just paused, eyeing the stranger warily.
The Hero looked at her, barely a glance, but his eyes were a piercing scarlet. They captivated Miku as she watched him slink back into the chair.
"No one's going to be here for a while. Relax."
His voice was harsh and the way he talked was rather rude, but the way he sounded made Miku- not quite nervous, but it was a similar buzzing emotion. She wanted to hear more, thinking about what she could say to make him talk, but her own voice wouldn't come out- all she could do was let her shoulders deflate, relaxing.
"Mhm," she nodded, walking over to a seat with a yawn.
The Hero glanced at her again- not that Miku noticed that time as she rubbed her face, trying to rid herself of the exhaustion she felt. It wasn't something that the idol would have let anyone see; it felt odd getting swept up in the moment. She couldn't explain why she felt so at ease around the dude. Maybe it was because he was a Hero? Still, scarlet eyes casually studied the idol as she sat down.
He glanced at the clock on the wall- neglecting his phone- and looked back at Miku, who was struggling to keep her eyes open.
Standing up, the blond brought over his jacket, nonchalantly holding it out for Miku as he gestured to the clock, "Ya've got an hour before they show up if ya wanna get some shut eye. I'll keep an eye out fer ya."
"Ah," Miku melted into a genuine smile, taking the jacket, "Thank you..." she trailed off, brows furrowing as she realized that she didn’t even know the guy’s name.
"Bakugou. Bakugou Katsuki."
“Miku. Miku Hatsune,” the idol smiled, her eyes shut as she tilted her head up to the Hero.
It was such a brief interaction; two hearts skipping in tandem, but neither of them noticed anything.
Bakugou wasn't sure why he felt the need to help the idol. Even watching the way she defenselessly dozed off in the chair, wrapping his jacket around her shoulders... the blond flushed, looking away. If anyone asked, he was definitely not sulking as he sat back down in his seat, bringing up the messages he had been sent beforehand.
[We're so, so sorry, Kacchan!!]
[Todoroki and I got held up on our way over]
[Sorry!!]
[Please let Miku-san know we'll be late!!]
The texts had initially pissed the blond off to no end. He had made sure everything was going to be perfect for their stupid collaboration, despite not wanting to do it to begin with. He hated popularity stunts and idols. He hated doing pointless things when he should have been working. It was against his nature to sit there, cooped up in some glitzy studio, wasting time that could have been spent patrolling for or fighting villains.
Yet as he sat there, mesmerized by the twin tailed girl, he suddenly thanked the stars.
From being dragged into the shitty mess to begin with- despite how much he hated popularity stunts. To all of the extra work he did just to make sure that everything was perfect- even though he didn't initially care. Not to mention how he had initially been angery seeing the texts from his stupid childhood friend saying they were going to be late.
Normally, he would have been cursing his shitty luck, but the blond couldn't bring himself to do so- not when that “shitty luck” had gotten him sitting across from the idol carelessly dozing off beneath his jacket. It was such an odd feeling rising through him- the desire to protect her- Perhaps it was because of solidarity, knowing what it felt like to put on a strong facade, but the way that she had melted. Her shoulders relaxing and smile dropping. How clear it was in those moments that she wanted- no, needed- someone to tell her it was okay to not put on her fake smile. Bakugou just happened to be the one to do so.
His mind wandered to the moments before Miku had walked through the door; how he couldn't help but notice the way her feet had barely picked up; he heard the way her footsteps changed when she was just in front of the door. Normally he wouldn't have cared... he shouldn't have cared, really, but he couldn't help it.
Bakugou blinked, shaking his head and covering his own eyes. He was better than that! This wasn’t some shitty high school crush or whatever nonsense his friends would immediately pin onto him. Still, scarlet eyes glanced from the clock to the girl as she cuddled up to his jacket. In an action that he would definitely describe as reluctant, Bakugou put a headphone in, shuffling the idol's playlist again as he settled back.
It was funny how he actually grew to like the music, even though he never wanted to team up in the first place. Despite not being an idol fan, the Hero had to give her credit for the way she took up the stage. Her presence was dazzling, voice clear and emotional as she sang, and she was- by all means- one hell of an idol. It was definitely praiseworthy.
Her voice was enough to make Bakugou forget about the fact that she was in the room with him as it drew him away from reality. Everything melted around him and he felt pulled by the music, even as he fucked around with his phone, doing anything he could to pass the time.
It was absent-minded really. He would regret it the moment he realized it, but, as Bakugou scrolled aimlessly, as he waited for the clock to tick on, as he listened to the music in his ears... he started to mumble along.
Now, about Bakugou- he was a Hero, damn it. His memory was impeccable- it was only natural that he memorized the lyrics he heard often enough.
Miku found her eyes blinking open after a bit, curling up to the warm blanket in her arms... blanket? She paused for a moment, nearly jolting awake at the unfamiliar surroundings. Her eyes were still too heavy to freak out, though. Turquoise gems looked down at her hand, remembering where she was- at the studio where she was supposed to team up with the Heroes.
It wasn't a blanket in her lap. It was a jacket. The jacket from the handsome blond Hero who told her to lay down, who recognized her tiredness despite her not saying anything- maybe it was just a Hero thing?
Still, it was jarring of her to wake up out of nowhere- not to mention hearing... her own music? In the most rousing, deep voice she had ever heard.
Miku shuffled a bit, careful not to make too much noise, lest she startle the singer; but, as she hid behind the jacket in her arms, the idol couldn’t help but take a shameful moment to inhale the burnt caramel smell as she blinked over trying to find the cover artist, wondering why she was still asleep even though someone that important had come in. She saw the Hero- Bakugou- sitting nonchalantly in his chair. His arm was propping his head up as his stance took up the entire seat. He had his phone in hand, watching the screen in boredom.
Yet his mouth, his lips- they moved. Moved to the lyrics- to Miku's lyrics.
She felt her eyes widen, face heating up as she watched him, as she listened to him. It was incredible... until she knocked something out of his jacket pocket and the blond blinked over.
Turquoise met scarlet and war bells chimed.
Bakugou jolted up, his mouth snapping shut as his face heated up. Miku wasn't much better, but she gripped the jacket in her hands tighter. Silence fell between the two of them, neither knowing what to say.
"Your singing... it's very nice..." Miku mumbled, looking away.
Bakugou bit his tongue, looking away, "Ya don't have ta fuckin lie," he stepped back, "'didn't meanta wake you up or shit."
"I'm not lying!" Miku defended hotly, all but throwing the jacket onto her lap with a huff, "And you didn't wake me up. I didn't realize you were singing until I was already awake."
Uncharacteristic as it may have been, Bakugou snorted. The idol had done a complete one-eighty with her personality.
All because he didn't accept a compliment.
It was funny. It was hilarious how much he had dreaded the day, their meeting. How he had reluctantly listened to the music just to get a feeling for who it was he was going to be working with. As engaging as her persona was, as upbeat and happy as she seemed on stage- he would admit that her presence was drawing, but there was nothing that could have prepared him for the realness of Miku.
The way she hesitated in front of the door, her fake smile, her honest exhaustion, her defenseless sleep, the way she looked at him when their eyes met. For a moment, it felt like they had known each other forever.
“Yeah, sure, Idol-san,” he laughed, earning another eye roll.
Miku stood up, “Is that supposed to be sarcastic?” she huffed, gently laying the jacket down on her lap with a carefulness that Bakugou didn’t miss.
“Just sayin- one of us has a career in music, the other is bumbling meathead causing property damage for a job,” he joked, wondering how long it would take the idol to realize what he had said.
Now, Bakugou was never the type to be outwardly self deprecating- no, he bottled up his insecurities until he internalized and believed them wholeheartedly, usually causing him to lash out at others in order to fight his own pitifully low self esteem.
However.
There was something about Miku’s pouting face that made him want to push that button a little more.
“Yes, and that’s why you should trust me! I know better, and-” she paused, looking over at the blond for a moment, “I don’t think you’re a bumbling meathead!” Bakugou wasn’t the only one who did his research- or, rather, GEMG DynaMight was still a pretty well known Hero- it was nearly impossible for Miku to not know him! He did, of course, look different when outside of his Hero costume.
Bakugou, of course, did something that even a unicorn would call rare- he laughed.
It started out as a snort, before bubbling up into his chest, and he laughed. It was ugly and obnoxious, but it took Miku’s breath away. She felt her heart flutter at what was definitely a vulgar display- it was graceless and unrefined, but… maybe that was the charm of it.
“Come on, the others are gonna be here any minute,” the blond snorted, holding up his phone with texts that Miku couldn’t read, but she knew they were important, “It’s time to get out on stage Idol-san.”
Miku couldn’t find it in her heart to be annoyed, not registering the name as a taunt even. She just beamed a smile- bright and honest- as she needed with an, “Mhm!” feeling like she was ready to take on the world.