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Initially Uraraka was so outraged, she couldn't feel anything except hatred.
That jerk, that bastard, that absolute sleazebag! How dare he put her in a position like that? Uravity knew how to deal with scumbags as a professional hero; she does it everyday. But it’s a lot easier in public to have the eye witness testimonies of other civilians when sleazy, gross men in public dared to try anything. Even if she wasn't in the top ten, being the twelfth on the hero rankings meant Uravity would have some eyes on her.
That’s why this situation makes her so angry. The man who had done this to her had been in a position of power, someone she had worked under for the last month while training rescue heroes for combat. This man worked hand in hand with some big hero agencies and is known to be a social, likable man. Uravity worked hard to establish strong, healthy relationships with everyone in the business. She's learned as Uravity, being someone likeable needed to happen in the public eye, and behind the curtain scenes. There were people on all levels that she was befriending, working for, helping, rescuing, and all those people had relations to other people. All it could take is one crack in that system to send a domino effect of areas collapsing around her life and career.
This man had come to her agency, specifically to find Uravity for a favor. He had a lot of great rescue heroes under his name, but their focus was just that. The agency wanted to expand into the combat section to boost their hero rankings. He was impressed with Uravity's extensive training with martial arts and it's influence on her own rescue tactics. So impressed in fact, he invited her to come to the agency to train the other rescue heroes. Uravity's agency, including herself, were thrilled with the opportunity to work with a larger, more well-known one and the exposure it would give to her name. Uravity had agreed within a heartbeat.
Uraraka remembers coming back to her little apartment that day, over the moon. Before even calling Izuku, it was Bakugou's phone number Uraraka was dialing to rave about the great opportunity. She remembers the snark in his voice, his jealous tone as it's an agency he's been dying to work with too. He still turned up to her apartment later that evening with a surprise dinner and sweets to celebrate. Uraraka could never forget how exciting that entire day was for her, how she wanted to savor every moment this next month brought.
Never for a second did Uraraka think she’d be so glad to leave that place for the last time. To never step foot in that building or see that scumbag again.
Thank you so much for giving me and my agency this opportunity to work alongside you all this past month.
Please, enough with the formalities, Uravity. It's been as much pleasure for you, as it was for me and my agency. Now… do you mind stepping into my office? I’d like to talk to you before you leave.
Mind if I shut the door?
Uraraka leaned forward, cradling her head in her hands and sucked on her lower lip where it had been split open earlier that day. She needed to put ice on it. Bakugou has yelled at her more than once to ice her face when she got knocked around during a fight on patrol. It keeps it from swelling, stops the bleeding. She could imagine it now, that frustrated but worried tone in his voice while patching up each other’s scrapes and bruises, massaging sore muscles together after a long day.
But Bakugou wasn't here to yell at her, and she hadn’t been on patrol when she got knocked around.
Don't suck on your lip, sweetie. You're making it bleed more.
"Fuck." she sobbed. That man’s voice was overtaking her head as the events rolled through her head over and over and over again.
Uraraka didn't want to talk about it, nor did she want to even think about it. It feels like if she even moves from the curled up spot on her bed, she would start sobbing again. How could this happen? How could her mood plummet so fast? Uraraka had been fine a little while ago. Angry, but fine.
Once she made her escape from the building, Uraraka went straight back home. At the time Uravity knew she needed to report back to her agency to let them know the training was done, but Uraraka was the one in control, cursing, rattled down to her core, angry. Head down and out of uniform, dodging everyone in her path until she stepped through the threshold of her apartment. Throwing her uniform and bag across the room came first, throwing herself into a cleaning frenzy came next. Scrubbing dishes, mopping the floor, cleaning the bathroom, wiping the windows, vacuuming the carpet, things Uraraka hasn’t done herself in such a long time. Uraraka had fully believed that anger was the only emotion she was going to know for the rest of her life.
But the rage had burnt itself out eventually. That, and she ran out of things to clean in her house. It was then Uraraka realized she needed food, but the idea of leaving her apartment so soon didn't sit well with her. So she stood in the middle of her room, her hands balled into fists, shaking from head to foot with the other emotions she’d been ignoring up til then.
Our agency has been more than delighted to have you on board these last few weeks. I can't wait to report back to your boss and co-workers that you were such a good girl for us. Very obedient, and very polite.
...and in two breaths she had slipped to her knees, dissolving into tears.
"Are you absolutely sure you can't hang out with us tonight?" Mina's voice cooed over the phone later that evening. "Didn't you finish up with that awesome internship job today? We need to celebrate babe!"
Mina had called at some point. Uraraka didn’t know how long she had been crying for before she noticed the missed calls and text messages from one of her best friends. Walking into her fresh, clean bathroom, Uraraka splashed some water on her face and braved her emotions the best she could manage them before retreating to her room to call Mina back.
Yet at the reminder of her supposed amazing internship, her braved emotions started to fail her. Uraraka had prepared a number of things to talk about, because she really did have a ton of great experiences from an entire month of training salted rescue heroes above her. Still, everything seemed dulled next to those last minutes stuck in that office. It was like there was an impassable barrier between her and the happy-go-lucky Uraraka her best friend knew and loved. One built on the hard fingers closing around her arm like a vice and a pair of rough lips pressed to hers.
Forceful.
Demanding.
Non-consensual.
"You still there 'Chako-Chip?" Mina asked, worry lacing her tone.
"Whoops! Just spaced out there for a second." Uraraka laughed even when part of her mind still felt broken. "It's been a really long day. I'm going to crash early and sleep."
It was the weakest excuse she had, but it seemed enough. "Alright…if you say so 'Chako." Mina sighs with an air of drama. "Bakugou was the one who said you'd want to go out tonight!" She complains and at the sounds of his name, Uraraka's heart sinks. "Well that's alright. I'll grab Tsuyu or Momo! Rest up girl! I'll see you later!"
Bakugou, another person Uraraka didn’t want to think about. She’s so drained, tired. All Uraraka wanted to be was alone. All she needed was to disappear from the world for a little while, until all these gross feelings left her body. And even then, she wanted Bakugou next to her for it.
Uraraka has been contemplating in the back of her mind about whether she should make the decision to call him. It was late at this point, the time inching closer to midnight by the minute. But time wasn’t what she was really concerned about, it was Bakugou himself. There was a dread in her stomach that slithered and twisted her nerves, rattling her anxious thoughts.
Uraraka unconsciously makes a decision when she forgets about her lip.
The pain is small, but when she accidentally bites at the cut, it shoots through her brain and everything replays in her head again. The dull, repetitive ringing of her phone plays as it's pressed to her ear before she realizes what she’s doing. Scooting back a little further on her bed, Uraraka braces her back against the headboard, cradling the phone with both hands as she listens to it continue to ring, connecting to him. To Bakugou.
A panicked zing of fear strikes through Uraraka’s chest at a sudden, jarring thought. She doesn’t know if she could ever look Bakugou in the eyes again. Her grip on the phone tightens in her hand, wondering if he would ever want to look her in the eye either.
Don't go shy on me now, Uravity.
Uraraka’s throat closes at a sudden memory of two hands braced on either side of her hips, pinning her to the wooden office desk behind her. Smooth, seductive, and hungry words pouring in her ear, making her heart turn to ice. Too close, he was too close.
You've been practically begging for it.
The ringing ends in an abrupt fashion, that familiar huff of agitation reaching her ears. "What the fuck Uraraka, it's half-ass o'clock to midnight. Aren't you suppose to be out with fucking Ashido drinking and shit?"
Uraraka couldn't answer at first. He sounded so...normal. Such a silly thing to think, but she couldn't let go of the vast differences between their voices. Bakugou spoke in harsh tones, spitting out the four syllables of her name like shards of glass. Sometimes it made Uraraka wish he'd go back to calling her 'Roundface' just so she wouldn't have to listen to her name sound like that. Nothing like that man's voice. He had made sure her name sounded like a song, softening it, drawing it out, like he was savoring the taste of it. Bakugou never said her name like that.
But Bakugou has never tried to feel you up in his office, huh? He’s never hit you, never belittles you, never, never, never-
"Uraraka, you fucking there? I'm hanging up if you're not."
She chokes a little, her laugh coming out more like a sob, wrapping an arm around her aching stomach. It felt so good to hear him be the usual, rough-around-the-edges self. Uraraka feels so good from those two simple sentences alone, that she’s tempted to hang up without saying a word. Leave him oblivious and fuming, the image in her head was enough to get another choked laugh out with a few sniffles to follow.
"...’Raka?"
Oh...it was too late to hang up now. Bakugou has always been known for his weird nicknames for the people who spent their time around him. Around the same time their friendship started to spark into a weird, new territory of almost relationship, Uraraka was given a new one. It’s use was sparse, in times where Bakugou wanted his concern to show without being too emotional. Uraraka gives another sniff, a tear trickling down her round cheeks, giving a silent wish to keep hearing that nickname tonight. Taking a quick swipe at the tear, she bullies her vocal chords into action.
"...hey, Bakugou."
The words were a bare minimum above a whisper, shaking with an emotion that Uraraka couldn't name. Hunching over, she wants to take them back as paranoia crawls up her throat, threatening to run rampant. He knew, somehow, how could he not? He knew what had happened and the how's and the why's it did. Any minute now he was going to go off about how stupid and naïve and ignorant she was about stupid assholes that fawned over her daily, and why can't she fucking notice for once and shut their asses down?
More tears joined the first and she sucks on her lip to keep any blood from dripping down her chin. God, she was such an idiot.
"...'Raka." Bakugou’s tone drops into a deep, threatening growl. "Are you crying?"
Here it comes. Ochako steels herself for the lecture. "I'm—"
She hesitates. The paranoia shifts when Uraraka realizes she has to start explaining. Of course he doesn’t actually know, and that telling him is the next step to take. But telling Bakugou where and how it all happened was...too much. He’d have a fit, regardless how pissed off with her he'd be. Bakugou would want details, to know everything to back up his ass-kicking.
"Hey, say something space for brains." Bakugou snaps. "Are you okay?"
"I guess," Ochako said with a solemn tone. "Maybe...not. I’m not sure."
"What happened? Ashido bail on you?"
"No, i-it's nothing like that."
"Then what?"
She flinches at the stark, insensitive tone of his words. Bakugou’s voice sparks a flame of irritation in her chest. It was astounding how Bakugou could be so abrasive even at a time like this. As if her tears and emotional turmoil were more of a hindrance to him than something to be concerned about for her sake. The more Uraraka lingers on it, the more she starts feeling the angry bubble in her chest. Would it kill him to show a little compassion? He should know it wasn't like her to call in the middle of the night just to get a little attention.
Get away from me! I didn't say you could touch me!
Could've fooled me with the way you act, and that costume you wear doesn't leave much for the imagination huh, sweetheart? You're just begging for rich men like me to give you some attention, right?
Uraraka claps a hand over her mouth when the words come back to her, a fresh wave of horror and indignation floods over her. No, it wasn't like that at all, it wasn't, she swears. Uravity was not one of those girls who put themselves on display for every man to stare at. Her form-fitting costume was the only thing guaranteed to not get caught on moving parts while she worked; did that even mean anything to a man like him? What gave him the right to judge how she dressed, how she acted—
You're practically begging for it.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?"
Uraraka shakes her head. "Just forget it. I'm sorry I shouldn’t have called you like this."
For a few heartbeats there was only silence from the other end of the line. If Uraraka was thinking with any rational thoughts, this would be the perfect time to hang up. Yet the real rational side of her knew she couldn't bring herself to put the phone down. Hanging up on Bakugou would be too...permanent. The last thing this precarious balance of friendship bleeding into relationship needed was less communication and more distance. It wasn't a big secret how selective and a bit insecure Bakugou was when it came to people. For all the work they've put into this weird tango of a relationship, Uraraka knew if she shut down on him now, he'd never come back around.
So she stayed on the line, pressing the phone to her ear in a futile attempt to get closer to her partner.
"Let me get this shit straight," Bakugou says in a slow, dangerous tone. "You call me in the middle of the damn night, crying, only to fucking turn around and say that you can't tell me why the hell you called?"
Uraraka pulls the phone away from her face to wipe her nose with the back of her hand, before bringing it back. "I already said I shouldn't have called you like this, out of the blue." she replies in a firm tone, praying to convince him of that lie as well. "I wasn't really thinking, and...it's my problem anyway, so I should deal with it on my own."
A scoff comes across the line, "If you really fucking thought that, you wouldn't have called in the first place." Bakugou informs her with a sardonic tone. "I—goddamn it, hold on a sec. And don't you fucking hang up!"
Bakugou's voice grew more distant and muffled, like he was talking to someone. Uraraka didn't have to wait long before she heard a door close, effectively closing off the background noise she hadn’t noticed until the silence encompassed them. "Those damn extras were trying to fucking tell me to be quiet. Me. Can you fucking believe that? You'd think those ass-hats know by now to not fuck with me like that."
"Oh.” Uraraka’s body releases the word with a defeated exhale, “you’re still with the guys.” She'd forgotten between everything that Bakugou was catching up with a couple of the other UA graduate boys at Kirishima’s apartment. It’s a boys night once a month so they don't lose track of each other in between their lives now that they don't get to see each other everyday. Uraraka jumps on the excuse. "I mean, yeah, of course you are.” She laughs and it sounds fake even to herself. “I should probably just—"
"It's fucking fine. I'm in the shithead's bathroom now. There’s no damn privacy out there anyway."
That surprised a grin out of her, wincing when the motion tugged on her swollen bottom lip. Uraraka has been to Kirishima's apartment a couple times to pick up Mina and to hang out with that boy too. It's an open layout condo; his bedroom and living room serve the same purpose as one room. Only two doors in that little space, one for the bathroom and the other for a closet.
Uraraka looks outside her window for the first time in hours. There wasn't any snow, but the weather has been dropping to freezing temperatures, even more after the sunset. That’s so like him, Uraraka thinks to herself in a fond way. She's learned that even outside the use for his quirk, Bakugou detested the cold. He'd rather go to the biggest extremes than deal with standing or walking through the cold for literally anything. Even if it meant shoving himself into a tiny bathroom for some privacy. Uraraka listened to him shifting around in what sounded like a small space, cursing when something banged into the wall before settling down with a grunt.
"Now," Bakugou says, tone clipped. "Start talking. What’s got you so damn upset?"
Uraraka had been half-expecting it, but the question still paralyzes her. There was a strong need to break down and tell him everything, but the thought of recounting the exact events leading up to the actual incident was overwhelming. Uraraka wouldn't even know where to start, or how to start talking about it.
"Fine.” Bakugou starts for her, relenting to the silence. “Let's try another question. Are you okay? I mean right fucking now. You're not in danger right?"
"No. Not...now, anyway."
"But you were before?" Bakugou's voice is sharp, deadly.
"No!" Ochako is quick to make sure he didn't get the wrong idea. "No Bakugou, I'm not being attacked by a villain or anything. I mean...I just…I already told you—"
"—that you don't want to talk about it, yeah, I fucking know," Bakugou bemoans, agitated. "Just answer my damn questions. You don't have to explain shit, alright?"
Uraraka ruba her forehead, so infuriated by his persistence that her sadness was becoming something forgotten. What had she been thinking, calling him like this? What did she hope to gain from this? They weren't in a real relationship or anything, Bakugou wasn't her boyfriend. Her issues were a blip on the radar compared to his life goals, their relationship was in no way as important to him as it was to her. Uraraka couldn't expect him to drop everything and come to her apartment just to hold her hand.
It certainly wouldn’t be the first thing on his mind anyway, Uraraka thought with a bitter realization. No, Bakugou would sprint right past her and charge off to do something noble and righteous and straight up violent. Like maim the one responsible. Not that it would necessarily be a bad thing, but the current well-known third ranking hero on the charts didn't need anymore reckless violence hanging over his head.
And once he had cleaned that bastard's blood off his hands, Bakugou would stop to give her a little check over to make sure she was okay before leaving again, trusting that her tears would sort themselves out.
"Hey space cadet, you still on fucking earth? Did someone threaten you? Did you—?"
"What does it even matter?" Ochako cries, silencing him. "Even if I tell you what happened, what do you plan to do about it, huh Bakugou? Would you really drop what you're doing and come to my apartment just to hold my fucking hand and tell me everything will be okay?! I don't impact your life enough for you to care about me like I want!"
She could almost hear Bakugou seething from her outburst. "Don't have any impact? Fuck you." His voice dipping into something that sounds offended and angry. "What makes you think I won't be affected if something happens to you, you damn gravity freak!"
"You've always had more important things to worry about!"
She heard Bakugou take a sharp inhale at her words. Uraraka let herself slip further down the bed until she could curl up on her side, hating herself for voicing the words and knowing every one of them was true.
This wasn't the conversation she wanted. Uraraka was fine with sitting at the fragile edge of friendship and relationship, because that meant all the fun and none of the seriousness. But her emotions are a wreck and she can't stop the words spilling from her mouth. "You can't afford to worry about me," she chokes, covering her eyes with her hand. "Not when you need to work so hard to get to the number one spot. I know it's hard and you do so much to make it and you're almost there and I'm so proud of you." Uraraka hiccups, taking a deep breath before continuing on with what she wanted to say. "But I'm so selfish." she whispers hoarsely, unsure if he even heard it. "I'm doing my best to do my own thing and not get in your way. B-but when you leave I-I miss you a-and...and I'm just wishing you were here when you should be having fun with friends, and...I just—"
Uraraka stops abruptly, cutting herself off when she realizes how dead the line has gone. "That was a lot." She lets out a nervous laugh. More silence meets her, making Uraraka half wonders if Bakugou got scared off by her confession and hung up the phone without her realizing. "I should hang up, uh—" She sniffs, with another hesitant laugh, "yeah, okay. I’m hanging—"
"Ochako." Bakugou says in a tone that's soft, yet so rough it makes Uraraka's heart and stomach flip so hard she might float herself. "I need you to shut up and listen very fucking carefully."
Uraraka has forgotten how to speak, let alone breathe after hearing Bakugou say her first name for the first time.
"You don't get to decide my priorities." Bakugou begins, the most serious she's heard from him in a while. "I fucking decide them. Becoming the number one hero is a big fucking deal for me, you're right. But you're a real fucking bitch to think I'm going to prioritize you any lower than whatever comes after that."
Uraraka’s heart is stuck in her throat. A new set of tears started to clog her vision. She barely has enough time to really hear his words before Bakugou is speaking again. "I'm so shit when it comes to—" there’s a pause, and Uraraka can picture in her mind’s eye Bakugou, sitting on a toilet in a bathroom too small, waving his hand around. "—this kind of shit we're...y'know fuckin' around with or whatever." Bakugou grumbles. He sounds embarrassed and the reality of it makes her heart do another little flip. It warms her and she chooses to stay silent now, listening to him ramble this time. “I know girls call in the middle of the night when shit's bothering them. That's fucking fine! Even if it's fucking stupid or over some damn sweets you want—" Uraraka lets out a wet laugh and the sound makes Bakugou pause his speech. He continues when it’s silent again, softer this time, "Even if I can't do a damn thing about it. I have fucking ears, don't I? I'm bad at most shit but I can fucking listen."
Over the phone, Ochako hears the sound of a door opening. "Aw, bro that's so sweet."
"Wha—Kirishima! What the fuck! Shut the goddamn door!"
"You've been in here for so long Denki thought you fell in the toilet! Who's on the phone? It's Uraraka isn't it? Huh stud?"
"GODDAMN IT, you assholes are ANNOYING!"
"Yo Bakubro, you didn't die in there!"
"Shut it Sparkplug! I'm not in the mood to deal with any of you ass-hats! Jesus don't any of you fuckwads know the meaning of privacy?"
"Bro my condo is the definition of no privacy."
"Get a damn house then! Shit you're just as bad as this fucking penny-pinching space cadet over here! You rank seventh on the charts asshole go blow your money on a bigger place! "
"Oh so you are talking to Uraraka on the phone!"
"I'M GOING TO LIGHT ALL YOU MOTHERFUCKERS UP IN A SECOND IF I DON'T GET SOME DAMN PRIVACY!"
There is another door slam, but by this point Uraraka had floated herself to the ceiling between Bakugou’s words and the chaos of her friends. She was almost sure half of her reaction was flat out hysteria, but she couldn't find it in herself to care about it. Bakugou had poured his feelings the best he could, in a small, cramped bathroom just to make her happy. Her heart was soaring at this point and as much of an asshole as he was, no one had a heart as warm as Bakugou's.
"Damnit 'Raka are you still there? Don't fucking tell me you hung up" Bakugou’s gruff voice comes through her phone lying in her bed.
Gently pressing her fingers together, she floats back down to her bed. "I'm still here Bakugou," Uraraka says after a moment, smiling to herself.
He acknowledges with a hum, "The fuck you've been doing all night if you didn't go out with Ashido?"
Uraraka suddenly remembers what Mina had menitoned earlier about Bakugou. The more Uraraka puts together the pieces, the more she starts to feel embarrassed. Bakugou asking Mina to take her out today, meant that he had been thinking about her all day, trying to make her happy. It's a weird realization, to know that someone might have the same feelings you do. It's scary, but exciting. Uraraka doesn't know if her heart can feel any lighter, it must be in the stratosphere at this point.
Pushing herself upright with one arm and crossing her legs beneath her, Uraraka touches the bruises on her upper arm where the fingers of that disgusting man had left four purplish marks. That and her lip were the worst of her injuries, which wasn't bad compared to the fights she gets into most days. Uraraka hadn't been violated beyond anything above her skin, thankfully. When she was in the right mindset to do something, she used her gravity, pushing that asshole to the ceiling and escaped out of the room. If anything, it had been the words that cut her the most, if she ignored the non-consensual kiss. And if she were in a better mind set, Uraraka would have taken a lot of pride listening to him land with a hard thud to the floor right outside the door.
When Bakugou lets out a yawn too loud and obnoxious to be done on accident, Uraraka realizes she forgot to answer his initial question. "I've been cleaning my apartment."
There’s a lot of background traffic noise now that she's paying attention. Uraraka wonders idly if Bakugou moved himself outside for the privacy he wanted. But she can't imagine him willing to sacrifice himself to the cold winter's night for her sake. Bakugou snorts at her comment, "You cleaned your apartment?"
Another smile blooms onto her face, cut lip forgotten. They were coming a lot easier now. "What does that mean?" she asks loftily, lying down on her back, staring at the ceiling. "Why do you sound so astounded?"
"Because I'm the one who has to clean your damn apartment all the time."
Uraraka rolls her eyes, grinning. "It's not like I ask you to, you do it on your own free will."
"I ain't going to lounge in your apartment when it's a fucking mess 'Raka! This is why I keep fucking telling you to come to my damn place!"
"Hmm." Uraraka pretends to think about the offer, acting like her heart isn't fluttering wildly at the invitation. "Maybe I will one of these days."
"Good. Now open the damn door."
In an instant Uraraka is sitting up in her bed again. "What?"
There was pounding at her door. "Hurry up space cadet I'm freezing my fucking ass out here!" Uraraka throws her phone away from her ear and jumps out of bed. She almost trips in her haste to get to her door, fumbling with the lock before throwing open the door.
Sure enough, there was Bakugou Katsuki, standing in front of her with his phone to his ear and shivering from the cold. Uraraka blinks a couple times as if to try to process the fact he is right here, for real, standing outside her apartment. Bakugou is looking at her with a bored face while his eyes were roving over her, abruptly coming to a stop at a certain point. Uraraka watches his face darken in an instant. She knows in a second what it is: the fingered bruises, her cut lip, injuries that don't look like a normal fight. Uraraka blushes and grabs at his elbow, dragging him inside her warm apartment. "You didn't tell me you were coming!" Uraraka yelps, both surprise and nervousness tangible in her tone. "God you must be freezing!"
"You were the one who said you wanted me here." Bakugou replies, as if it was a simple fact. Uraraka shuts the door behind them and turns to face him. There’s a moment of silence as the two of them stare at one another. He's looking at her with a certain heated look, like he's upset at something. Uraraka can feel herself start to panic, knowing Bakugou must have put the pieces together in his head. She can't imagine what he's thinking, or how angry he must be.
"I-I—" Uraraka starts to stutter, before a nervous laugh breaks through. She throws the arm with bruises behind her back and keeps her gaze on the floor, floundering for words. She's never been this nervous around Bakugou, she knows this, he knows this, they both know it. She's such an idiot. "Yeah, uh. I didn't think—know—" Too much panic is welling up and—god she can't cry not now. "—or y'know—you were with the boys and—" The next set of words die on her lips when Bakugou reaches out with a gentle touch, grabbing the arm she was hiding. She lets him pull it out in front of them. Uraraka watches in silence as Bakugou begins smoothing over her bruise with one hand, while the other comes up to her lips, caressing the underside.
She's prepared to reassure him that she's fine, everything is okay. Bakugou takes her breath away for the second time that night when he says to her: "You didn't ice your lip."
Everything breaks after that. The tears flow free and Uraraka is hiccuping, trying to catch her own breath. Bakugou doesn’t say anything, choosing to take her hand and guiding her to the kitchen. He moves around with familiar ease, listening to Uraraka find the words she’s been struggling to get out all night long, prepping a bag of ice and a dry cloth for her lip. Bakugou listens as he guides her with these things in one hand, and her own hand in the other, back to her bedroom. He listens as he silently, but gently pushes Uraraka to sit on her bed, taking a seat across from her.
Uraraka tells him everything. She cries about how that man tried to convince her to like him, all the gross words said to her, about how she froze when he hit her across the face after denying him. She begs Bakugou to understand that she was too shocked to stop him from grabbing her arm, or stop him from shoving her against his wooden desk before roughly smashing a kiss onto her. She tells him about how, in a moment of clarity and panic, she used her quirk to shove him to the ceiling before bolting out the door.
When her story comes to an end, and the only sounds left in the room are her small cries and hiccups, Uraraka can't find it in herself to face Bakugou. He's listened the entire time, without interrupting or screaming once, but he hasn't done anything since she's finished speaking. It takes a while before Uraraka finds the courage to look at Bakugou again, to find him watching her. His is face set in a way that makes it almost impossible to know what might be going through his head. Uraraka takes one deep breath before speaking again in a small, quiet voice. "Are you mad at me?"
Bakugou flinches. "Are you out of your fucking mind?" he spits.
Uraraka flinches back at his tone. "I—" she starts fumbling with two different thoughts fighting to get out first. "I—I didn't—I wasn't trying to—"
"Shut up." He says and Uraraka closes her mouth. Bakugou's face softens at the quick reaction and he presses his hand to his face. "No, don't. That's not what I fucking meant. I just—" He interrupts himself to take his hand away from his face, grabbing onto Uraraka's. Her heart swells when he squeezes her fingers. "Shit Ochako, why would you fucking think I'd be mad at you?" Bakugou asks in a strained tone.
"I shouldn't have let him do that. I could've—"
"Stop." Bakugou says in a stern but tender voice, squeezing her hand tighter. "You didn't do a damn thing wrong. Do you fucking understand me?" Bakugou says, taking his other hand to hold her face so they could look each other in the eyes. "I'm fucking pissed alright." And Uraraka could hear the anger dripping from those four words alone. "But not at you. I'm pissed that sicko thinks he can get away with fucking harassing you like that."
Uraraka lets out a sigh and some more tears roll down her cheek. Bakugou uses his fingers to wipe them away for her. "It's not like he did anything." She whispers in a broken voice. "He didn't really touch me. I shouldn't be reacting like this."
"You have every fucking right in the world to feel hurt." Bakugou says to her. "This is the goddamn textbook definition of harassment. This shit shouldn't fly. And you're damn well allowed to cry your eyes out." Bakugou pauses for a moment. The finger rubbing gently onto hers pauses for a moment, and Uraraka watches Bakugou take a deep breath. "I'm no expert on this shit." He confesses. "We've all gone through the stupid training about shit like this, and I fucking get that it's hard. But no matter what, I'm going to keep tell you to fucking report his ass."
Uraraka can't help but let her eyes wander away at the thought. Reports meant having to let other people know what happened. With a man like that, who has a lot of power behind his back, it's scary to think about how quickly everything could turn around to be a lot worse for her. Uraraka goes to bite her lip, hissing when she forgets once again. Bakugou pulls back his hands in favor of grabbing for the ice, wrapping it together and holding it to her lips. The gesture makes Uraraka give the tiniest of smiles, and she lets herself look at Bakugou again before speaking.
"...I'd rather just forget about it." She’s almost afraid to give him that answer, but at the same time, he's also the thing that motivates her to keep explaing. "I'm never going to see him again and...reporting means letting more people know." Uraraka has to look away again before she speaks up. "I don't think I can really handle listening to people talk about how I must have done something to deserve this."
The bag is moved off her face and Uraraka can feel Bakugou grabbing her hand again, holding it tight within his own. She faces him again, watches as Bakugou's face grows into a frown. "God what a fucking piece of shit." Bakugou spits. "I swear if I ever see that vile piece of scum I'll take full fucking pleasure smashing his face—" Bakugou stops himself. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. After a lengthy pause, he reopens them to look back at Uraraka. "But this is about you. Do what you need to feel better and get this shit straightened out. I just need you to know—" Bakugou stops again. Uraraka watches as he pulls away completely, only to come back and wrap his arms around her shaking frame. He holds her tight, and puts his head on her shoulder with a deep sigh. "I'll be where you need me."
Uraraka can feel a new set of tears falling down her face as she brings her arms up and holds onto him. "I just want you here." she whispers, voice trembling. "I just want you right here next to me."
Bakugou pulls away, looking at her with a small smile. "Get your sweet ass over here then, cheeks."
Bakugou throws the bag of ice and towel off the bed, crawling under the covers while dragging Uraraka with him before even giving her a chance to move. Uraraka feels him hold her close to his chest as they lay together, arms encircling her body in the most comfortable way possible.
And for the first time all day, Uraraka feels safe and warm and loved.
There was a lot to think about, and a lot more to talk about later; to figure out where to go from this moment on. For now though, she savors the feeling of Bakugou holding her close to his heart, letting herself slip into a warm and peaceful sleep.