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⋄1⋄
As usual, Bakugou doesn’t intend to be eavesdropping. It’s not his fault that these people just choose to hangout in public places and speak so damn loud. It’s not his fault that he uses public spaces.
This time it’s the girls, Round Face, Ears, Ponytail, and the annoying pink weirdo who seems to know more about him than he’s ever told her. Oh, and the invisible one, it’s hard sometimes to determine whether or not she’s there.
“We finally found out who Todoroki likes.”
His ears prick up at this, but only because he wasn’t sure the half-and-half bastard came down to earth from his home on cloud cuckoo-land long enough to do things like have crushes. Not because he cares who it might be or anything.
“Did you? He told you a name?”
“No, not really, he was too shy to give me a name, but I asked him, and he told me a few things about them. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out...”
No, it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out, Bakugou thinks. For him. They’ll probably never get it.
“Okay, what are the things then?”
“This person is very caring. Todoroki said he’s been spending a lot of time with them lately and grew to know that.”
“Someone really nice and sweet, then, huh. That would make sense.”
Oh, then definitely not him. Not that this is disappointing or anything.
“He also said this person has a way with words that he appreciates.”
“Oooh! Maybe this person writes poetry. I can see why Todoroki-kun would like that.”
The only person Bakugou knows who writes poetry out of all these damn extras is Tokoyami. He’s been subjected to a reading of it once, and it’s grimdark, and weird as all fuck. But hell, maybe Todoroki is into that.
“Todoroki also said they’re pretty nerdy,” one of the girls laughs.
Fucking Deku?? Glasses?! This just keeps getting worse, maybe he should just leave before he explodes something, or worse, gets caught eavesdropping on this bullshit gossip session.
“What do they look like? Did he say anything about that? If Todoroki-kun likes them they must be just as good-looking as he is.”
“I asked that too, who do you think I am? Todoroki said they have really pretty eyes.”
Bakugou rolls his eyes. This particular information is so stupid useless. The only person in their damn class that has nice looking eyes...is Todoroki. He can’t have a crush...on himself.
“And nice skin,” the girls giggle at that. “He looked so serious when he said that they have nice skin.”
This last one rules him out, too. Which is good, right? Not like Bakugou wanted to be the one that Todoroki was talking about so highly. His skin tends to be sweaty a lot of the time, and sometimes has explosions coming out of it. In no world is that ‘nice’.
He heads off in a huff. Whatever. So what if Todoroki likes someone that isn’t him?! After a few decent conversations, (1) late night gross as fuck heart-to-heart, not-that-bad shared moments going to their idiotic remedial courses, and laughing at every stupid clueless thing that bastard does, it doesn’t mean that they’re anything.
Doesn’t mean shit to Todoroki, obviously.
⋄2⋄
Overhearing damn Deku and the half-and-half bastard again is not part of some kind of master plan. If it was a master-plan, then the conclusion of the plan would be to drive Bakugou off the edge once and for all.
The idiots are the last ones in the classroom, and Bakugou is just dropping back there to see if he can catch Mr. Aizawa. He thinks he might actually need to take him up on that offer to talk to someone about what happened in Kamino.
(A few days ago Icyhot had taken him aside and told him all this unnecessary shit about how seeing someone that Mr. Aizawa recommended had helped him. Not that their little talk had been what changed his mind.)
“Todoroki-kun, you should tell him how you feel!”
Huh, so it’s not the shitty nerd that Todoroki likes. That’s good. No, fuck, no, it’s not good or bad. It doesn’t matter.
“I don’t know how to,” Bakugou can just imagine the expression on that stupid strawberry shortcake bastard’s face right now. Who is he kidding? Bakugou keeps up with the times. Icyhot has his own damn fan club, who wouldn’t fall at his feet if the ice prince confessed feelings?! Dumbass.
“Why don’t you just ask him to do something with you?”
“I don’t see how that would let him know that I like him.”
“What if you wrote down how you feel?”
“Hmm, I could try that.”
“Whatever you do! I’m sure it would be great!”
Stupid Deku. He obviously knows who the person is. Why won’t he just use their name?! The only reason Bakugou hasn’t bolted by now is because he’s waiting for a name.
“I really care about him, Midoriya. I want to do this right.”
I really care about him. What the fuck is that?! Why is it making him mad?
(It’s bullshit. Yesterday outside on the grounds, Icyhot had sat next to him on the grass and he had smiled, actually smiled. His right hand had been so close to Bakugou’s left. What was that? Just a test run for who Icyhot actually likes and wants to hold fucking hands with?!)
Fuck this. Fuck not getting a name. He’ll wait for Mr. Aizawa another time.
⋄3⋄
It’s so annoying having to watch Icyhot writing all the time. Especially since Bakugou now knows that he’s writing his stupid damn love letter to whichever disgusting loser he likes.
It’s also incredibly rude to do this love letter writing during times when Bakugou was decent enough to invite him to study with him alone in his room. He doesn’t just invite anyone up here. Icyhot should be so damn lucky. And he’s writing love letters on their time. What a stupid bastard.
Icyhot’s ‘thinking’ expression is even more maddening than his default head-empty expression too. Naturally, he has to put a stop to this. Not because he doesn’t want the letter to get sent out or anything. Seeing the halfie around these parts swapping spit with some extra would be gross, of course. But it wouldn’t matter to him, specifically.
“Stop writing all the time, it’s distracting me!” he barks.
“Why is it distracting you? I’m not making any noise.”
“What are you even writing? We don’t have any assignments,” he complains.
“I’m writing a letter to someone so I can tell them how I feel about them.”
“That’s idiotic.”
“What would you recommend?” Icyhot stops writing, and looks at him curiously. Interested, for some reason.
“What would I recommend?! Stop having feelings and shit for this stupid person. No one’s worth writing about for four damn days,” Bakugou explains. Actually answering the question, regrettably, instead of telling him to just eat shit.
Then he doubles down, “How has this person not noticed by now, anyway? It’s not like you’re subtle. Must be some kind of idiot.”
“He’s not an idiot,” Todoroki says, weirdly not defensive, just...amused? What the fuck. “I just don’t think he knows that I would see him like that.”
“Whatever, you two have fun being clueless together.”
What is wrong with this half and half bastard? Why is he doing that weird small smile as he shrugs, “At some point, he will have to figure out how much I like him.”
⋄4⋄
He doesn’t mean to talk to Kirishima about it. It’s just...he’s there. All worried all ‘Bakugou, man, are you in a bad mood’. He’s not in a bad mood!
Bakugou tries to play it off nonchalantly, “So, Shitty hair, do you know who this extra is that Icyhot has the hots for?”
“Yeah,” Kirishima says sheepishly, “I do.”
Bakugou looks at him expectantly. Then he aggressively taps his own left wrist. Come on, the clock is ticking. Time is passing! I’m growing old here!
“Dude, I can’t tell you. That would totally break the bro-code. It’s his secret.”
Oh my god. Really?!
“Fine. Give me a hint!”
“A hint?” Kirishima scratches at the back of his own neck, “Huh, okay. I guess that might be alright.”
“Todoroki told me he really likes making them laugh.”
That’s...the worst possible hint. Shitty hair probably knows it too.
Wait, who else is out here getting laughs out of Icyhot anyway?! That’s solidly Bakugou’s area. He’s suffered so much, that two-toned idiot and his dumbass antics aren’t just there for public amusement. (You have to like, and care for and invest in the icyhot bastard if you’re going to be amused by that. Otherwise it’s just weird.)
“Thanks for nothing.”
“Anytime, man,” Kirishima just shakes off his scathing tone as always. All cheery. Damn him, too.
⋄5⋄
Maybe it’s baldie, he thinks angrily one day when he’d really rather be thinking about anything else. Grapehead, even. Baldie and Icyhot sure seem to be close when they go to the remedial training. Maybe there’s something there.
Something in the group chat seems to confirm it. (He’s tried to leave this chat many times, but after the eighth attempt decided to just give up. It’s not like he even reads it. Much.)
camie: big day tomorrow, huh!!!
camie: you’re going to tell him. so exciting. let me know how it goes
shouto: I think you meant to send this to the other chat
camie: oh shit, sorry
shouto: No worries
[message deleted]
[message deleted]
Whatever, Bakugou already saw it. It’s why he’s in such an awful mood when Icyhot comes to talk to him later. His cheeks are all flushed, maybe because he was just with Baldie. He’s standing so close, and Bakugou doesn’t want to do something as stupid as hug him, but if he did it might not even be that bad. He smells kinda nice. Shit.
“What do you want?!”
“To talk to you.”
Oh, right, they always talk at around this time these days. Well, today, he’s not in the mood. Shouldn’t Icyhot be somewhere else, making the moves on his stupid love, the one that he spends so much time thinking about? Big day is tomorrow, right?
“Yeah, what if I don’t want to talk to you?!”
Go talk to whoever the fuck. The one with pretty eyes and nice skin. Caring, and nerdy, and worth all of your stupid time to write love letters over.
“Really?” Icyhot asks, looking like a kicked puppy.
Fuck. He’s weak. He’s weak for that look. This person that Icyhot likes, does the look do that to them? Do they even know him?!
He looks up at Icyhot’s face. Those eyes. Even the way he blinks. All the little things about him. Shit. (By tomorrow, someone else is going to be standing right there, inches away from him. Just like the way Bakugou is. They’re going to get to lean up and kiss him. He’s going to hold them, and touch them, and give them his little smiles, and his stupid comments. He’s going to treat them like they’re his favorite, because they are. Bakugou is going to have to be around and just watch it.)
A traitorous corner of his mind asks: why not me?
“I have to go, don’t follow.”
⋄ 1⋄
When Todoroki comes up to him with an envelope in his hand, Bakugou is damn near ready to kill him. He will not proofread Icyhot’s damn love letter for him. He doesn’t want anything to do with this. Or with him, anymore. He thought he made that much clear last night when he left him under their spot under the trees.
“Here,” Icyhot extends the letter to him. He’s looking at him with those mismatched eyes, so open and so fond. How dare he?! All while he’s been hopelessly pining over someone else. Useless.
“What is this.”
“My letter,” Icyhot says, plainly, “It’s for you.”
“HAH?!”
“Bakugou,” the taller boy says slowly, “Did you really think there was someone else?”
Yes? Of course I thought there was someone else...why wouldn’t I think there was someone else for fucking YOU. With your stupid hair, and your stupid face. The way you say dumb things and the shitty way you care.
How was it ever going to be me, with all the things that you said? I’m not any of those things.
How was I supposed to know you saw me like that?
...fuck was I supposed to know that it was me.
“No,” he says, and snatches the letter out of his hands. Ripping it open to read it.
•••
Bakugou-
I re-wrote this letter many times. I didn’t know exactly what to say. When I’m with you I feel happy. I want to be with you, more.
Yesterday, you seemed upset. Tell me why. I’ll make it up to you.
Oh. I forgot to say. You’re beautiful. I look forward to seeing you every day.
Will you be my boyfriend? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Shouto
•••
At that moment, Bakugou’s brain stops working. He keeps re-reading parts of it. Internally freaking out. Then looking at the words again. Then looking at Todoroki’s pretty face. A rigged little loop of feelings. Stupid Icyhot.
He tries to ignore the fast ‘ba-dum, ba-dum’ of his heart. The idiotic train of thought that says ‘he likes me he likes me he likes me he likes me he likes me’. The confetti and fireworks going off in his own head.
“That’s what took you FUCKING DAYS TO WRITE?!”
“There was more in the first draft,” Icyhot admits, painfully honest as always, “I thought you would like it more direct.”
He fishes his notebook out of his side bag, and then extends that to Bakugou as well, “If you want, you can see.”
Maybe later. “Give me a pen.”
Just to torture the halfie a little, for all these days when Bakugou actually thought there was someone else, he takes a long time moving the pen from the top of the paper to the ‘yes’ box. Really enjoying the way that the half-and-half bastard is frozen still, watching it. As if he actually thinks there’s a chance in hell that Bakugou would say no to this. Genuinely, super worried. Idiot. When he checks it, there’s an audible sigh of relief from the other boy.
Then Bakugou pulls out his final bit of revenge, pulling Todoroki down by the collar of his shirt, and kissing him softly on the mouth. God. Finally.
“What,” he smirks. “Did you really think there was someone else?”
Whatever I’ve got. It’s for you. Obviously.