bnha boys | types of hugs.

pairings: izuku midoriya, shouto todoroki, katsuki bakugo, hitoshi shinsou / gn!reader

words: 1.3k

warnings: none, mild angst?

notes: this started as a kind of writing practise for shouto, but i got carried away. this may have a follow up part with more characters if you guys want it :’)

izuku midoriya  -  the tearful hug

when izuku looks at his hands, he sees a battlefield. scars and veins spiderwebbing over skin, every inch a blemish, a blessing, a curse. they're rough to his own touch, worn by months of labour and love - they're etched by memories, by pain, by a quirk that has only just stopped feeling alien to his own blood. they're good hands! strong hands! but he knows he doesn't like to look at them, and that he draws them away when his mother goes to link their fingers together, and that as much as he sometimes wants to reach out and feel your own hand beneath his, he puts them in his pockets whilst you walk together, and pushes the feeling down. he's seen your hands - they're soft and lovely, warm when they graze his wrist when you pull him over to you excitedly, tender when you brush his bangs back from his forehead. it brings tears to his eyes, how soft your hands are. he knows it's silly, he knows he wouldn't trade his quirk for the world, that each and every scar on his skin, each welt between his fingers, is a step from the person he used to be - but still, when one night you gently wind your fingers through his and pull insistently when he starts and tries to pull his arm away, he feels his eyes film with tears.

"sorry," he mumbles, throat tight. the world is blurry, but he feels your hand squeeze his own, tight, fingers brushing over the coarse skin, and you bring him to you and bury his face in the crook of your neck. he sniffles there, but his heart is hammering, soaring in his chest, that you see his scars and feel them with your own beautiful hands and you decide yes, he is still beautiful, still someone worth your time, your disposition, your love.

he shakes in your arms but his other hand comes up to cup yours, and you press back against his skin with something like worship.

shouto todoroki  -  the acclimated hug

shouto todoroki does not have the privilege of casual touch. if he was accustomed to it once, in the fuzzy dark memories where his mother presses kisses to his damp hairline and smooths the tears off his cheeks, it is a weakness quickly unlearned by years of isolation, of fear and pain, of his father moulding him into a perfect weapon, a thing only good to be wielded. he is unresponsive when you throw your arms around his neck after they return from kamino, doesn't understand the way your terror manifests into a need to touch, to feel his skin beneath yours, hear his heartbeat against your ear. terror for him as a child meant curling up on the hardwood floors, alone - if he was lucky.

you accommodate him to light touches. you don't like to think of it in such a clinical way, but you suppose it is conditioning. a brush of fingers when you hand him dinner on a plate, your shoulders nudging together when you sit beside each other on the couch, a pinkie finger hooking through his when you don't want to lose him in a crowd. overtime, he learns. he learns the beauty in the contact of skin, in feeling your pulse thud dully beneath his thumb, in the solidarity of your body entwined in his arms when you return from a patrol unharmed.

he’s still unsure when he presses his face into your neck, when his arms come up to wind round your waist, but you're like familiarity to him, and he will take all of that he can get.

katsuki bakugo  -  the stolen hug

katsuki is a person who thrives in isolation. affection is not given by him, it is pried from him by people he knows are better, softer, kinder. it is taken by kirishima, who going to fail his exams if katsuki doesn't help him study. by mina, who beams when he shoves leftovers at her because he knew she'd skipped dinner to revise. by you, and your smiles and your eyes that shine at him like he can do no wrong. you're so fucking wrong, he knows, but it was nice to indulge, for a while. after kamino, the curtain rises. he can no longer pretend he is worthy of the shining worship in your face, nor the worry it harbours when you see the circles under his eyes, nor the sadness when he breaks down before you in his room, back to you, arms braced on the desk, screaming at you to get out as his words stick in his throat, a bitter pill he can't choke down.

katsuki does not give affection. it is given to him, by people who deserve more. he knows this when you don't flinch away, when he feels your arms wind gently over his stomach and your cheek come to rest on his heaving back. there are tears dripping down his face, and his breath is hoarse in his throat when he inhaled sharply, but you cling tight, shaking, gentle, like you still think he's a thing worth saving. and for a minute he lets you - he slumps under your touch, sobs out his fury, his anguish, and then he lets you some more, till the tears dry on his face and your limbs begins to feel at one with his. then he steps away, and your arms retract, but you have stolen more of his heart, more of his affection.

he thinks he might let you keep it, pathetic creature though he is.

hitoshi shinsou  -  the tentative hug

shinsou is not in grade school anymore. he knows what the people around him think of him. he used to hate the way their eyes dropped, stiff and cold, when they found out about his quirk. it's an instinctive fear, he supposes, coals stoked over a fire. the knowledge that their wills are something malleable to him, something to prod and shift and change, that their thoughts can become nothing more than his own words, chastised into empty ears and then forgotten, lights up something primal and terrified in them. he used to think the disgust was worse than the fear, but now that he is highly accustomed to both, he thinks he'd choose disgust any day. disgust you can work at, with strong will. fear clings to your bones, lurks in your eyes, stays your touches, no matter how hard you work at it. so he gives up trying. he learns to expect the judgement in their eyes, and he combats it by making his own.

and then there's you. you invite yourself into his life and he can't bring himself to evict you, even though he knows it's going to hurt worse when you find out, when the warmth in your eyes and the admiration in your smile is replaced by something cold and rotten. when you call him your friend for the first time, he comes clean; he watches with resigned despair as your smile slips, your eyebrows cinch in a frown. he decides he won't watch as you get up and walk out of his life, so he looks away, eyes shut tight, waiting for the emptiness. and then he feels the pressure on his shoulder, and he goes rigid with wariness, with hope, as you tuck your head comfortably into his shoulder and sling an arm over his neck. he feels his breath shake in his throat and his eyes widen, and he searches for the telltale buzz of his quirk, because this can't be real. it's a fantasy, a dream.

and then you call him a hero, defensively, reverently, and he cracks because there's no way he could make this happen.

it's not something he could've conjured even in his wildest dreams.

how would boys be around shy but clingy s/o?

@dave-vantas-413 requested: Can I please get some headcanons with Katsuki, Shouto, and Shinsou with a s/o who’s really shy, slighty clingy and holds onto their arm (does that make any sense???) and hides behind them when they’re scared/nervous, thank you! If not please ignore

Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Todoroki Shouto, Shinsou

Genre: Fluff

Note: hope you ike it! Requests are opne, feel free to send them in, and do not forget to like, comment and reblog!

Todoroki Shouto

--he shy boi

-but he becomes bold as time progresses

-tell me that he hates affection and I’ll fite you

-he just loves being touched

-you brush against his hand? He’ll startled

-you hold his bicep to stop him? He’ll melt from the inside

-you unknowingly cup his face in your hands? He’ll be blushing so hard

-you hug him the from back? He’ll just smile at your attempt but will chuckle once he realizes that you back hugged him since you were too shy to initiate it

-he pulls your arms away from him, when you back hug him

-only to haul you back in his arms

-he’ll laugh when you start stuttering due to nervousness and his body shakes from it

-his hot side unknowingly activates at moments like these

-and mellow warmth just spreads throughout your body

-causing this warm tingly feeling rippling through you

-occasionally he’ll just have outbursts of affection displays

-and will just come and randomly fop himself onto you

-like one time you’d just be sitting on the couch and browsing to find something to watch

-and he’d just unexpectedly come and lay his head in your lap

-seeing you flustered face gives him joy

-he helps you to forget your shy state by suddenly reaching out for your hand

-and directing it towards his scalp, silently asking you to run your fingers through his scalp

-loves it when you put a hand on his shoulders while doing it

-the slight pressure you apply on his arm while being nervous

-is something he treasures

-because it’s a reminding that you face your fear of being shy and opened to him

-and he feels that it’s obligation to treat you in the nicest way possible

-such a sweetheart

Bakugou Katsuki

-whatta tease

-rename his name to bakugou “tease” katsuki

-will call you nicknames which will leave you outright blushing furiously

- “hot chibi”

-“is it me or my hot quirk is causing you to heat up?”

-and he purposely does it

-to test your tolerance for his shameless flirty side

-talking to someone? He’ll come and grab your arm and haul you away

-speaking of which, loves it when you gain the courage to drag him away

-he’ll not say anything for the moment because he cherishes moments like this

-tbh very soft when you become clingy

-when you intertwine your fingers with his, he’ll just yank you closer to him

-whispering how you should’ve just asked him

-whenever he sees you approaching, he lets his uptight personality loose

-and relaxes

-is genuinely touched when you put his arms crossed on his chest aside

-and throw yourself onto him

-he’ll pull you closer with one of his arms around you

-and softly bend down to mutter soft nothings into your ear

-with your breathing becoming irregular and the tip of the ears turning pink

-he’ll just pull you closer which will startle you and make you grab onto his bicep

-with a soft yelp, your cheek makes a soft thud with his broad chest

-he’ll protectively pace a hand on the small of your back and caress that area

-removes the palm on his arm

-before proceeding to pepper your palm with small kisses

Hitoshi shinsou

-doesn’t look like he cares in the beginning

-but his insides are going gaga over the simplest things you do

-once you tug on his shirt

-he’ll immediately divert all his attention to you

-but when he sees you fumble with your words

-he’ll give his hand out for you

-asking you to place it in his

-tightens his grip on it before pulling you closer

-and pressing a soft eskimo kiss followed by a kiss on your forehead

-holds you hand 24/7

-talks about his “villainous quirk” arise a lot of different times

-but immediately stops when he sees his reserved s/o getting the courage to convince him that it’s not

-there are times that you also open up due to shinsou’s personality

-and once you say something, he’s just lost in your beauty

-he would look like he’s intently listening

-but all he’s doing is wondering how he cam across such a beautifully shy s/o

-you’d have to gently tap his wrist to snap him out of his reverie

-and he’d be startled which causes you to startle, causing ou to meekly apologize

-but all he’d say is “go on, I am listening to you”

-and as a reserved person, it means a lot

-the support from him makes you happy, making you a tad bit clingier

-but it’s okay, hitoshi shinsou is ready for any form of affection, at any time, in any dosage

bnha + jealousy

to be truthful, neito monoma is hardly the jealous type. in fact, he’s often delighted to see you receive the attention you deserve– it is only natural, he thinks, that people want to get to know you better anyway.

but he is hardly the jealous type simply because he does not register when people are sincerely flirting with you. if someone asks for your phone number while he’s beside you? neito will actually snicker; asking them snidely, “you? get real.” 

it’s… a little flattering, perhaps, that he is so trusting in you. 

and neito does not waver easily in the face of competition but it does happen sometimes, especially if he feels as though he’s just been humiliated or worse yet, overshadowed in front of you. you in awe of someone else’s abilities? he can take that. but you rooting for someone else? that’s another story.

when this happens, you’ll notice brief split seconds where he will seem genuinely flustered, as if scrambling for ideas on the spot on how to impress you and capture your adoration and attention again in the next ten seconds. he cannot afford to be outdone, after all; not when you’re watching.

(as always, it is up to you to stop him from doing anything brash.)

the fact is that hitoshi shinsou does not fare well in the face of jealousy. he’s reserved in social situations but certainly not shy; so if he thinks something’s up, his displeasure will show as clear as day in spite of his stoic nature. 

but he won’t care for the most part, when you gush about other people. celebrities, friends, whatever; he’ll thinks it’s amusing when you get so emotive about the little traits and oddities about them. what will begin to peeve him is if you’re getting too close with someone, so much so that it’s infringing on the time he spends with you. 

you could tell him that your friend has invited you over and that you’re planning to go, and he will not skip a beat to ask with complete sincerity, what he can do to make you reconsider.

“is that a yes?” he’ll ask, his deep voice at your ear when you hesitate. “won’t you stay, this once?”

it is not that he doesn’t trust you– he just doesn’t trust anyone else. no matter how many times he can clear his throat and utter the phrase “as your boyfriend–” when your suitor is nearby, he knows that people won’t change. but as long as he can get you to understand there’s no one better to spend time with than him, then he won’t have any further qualms.

let’s be real: yo shindou likes the competition that comes with feeling jealous– specifically, he likes the way his competitor’s face falls when they realize you’re taken. he can’t help but be a bit petty because really, flirting with yo shindou’s date? what idiot would even think to do that?

it’s something of a game to him, to see how far he can go with you in front of your suitor before anyone gets suspicious. playing with the collar and hem of your clothing, abrupt kisses, unnecessary whispers into your ear– these are the sorts of stunts he’ll pull if he thinks someone’s getting too friendly with you.

and yo won’t care if you call him out, saying he’s being childish– “so? i’m just trying to show you some love,” he’ll hum, a cocky smile curling at the edges of his lips.

he’ll get a little irritated, however, if you’re the kind type, the type to let people down softly and break their hearts as gently as possible. he won’t mistake your kindness as you flirting back, but with every sympathetic gesture you send their way, yo is inclined to rile you up more.

and if they still don’t get the message? well. yo shindou has never shied away from pda, and if they want a show, they can get one. 

sing to me

soulmate au where you can hear the songs stuck in your soulmate’s head. the closer you are to them the quieter the music becomes, before the voice changes altogether.

word count: 2,440

a.n.: helo i have a few of these typed up and a few others in progress explicitly for soulmate aus. it’s the least angsty one so far so here you go friends.

listen while you read 👉👈

ao3

Shinso Hitoshi did not sing, and isn’t the type to give even so much as a hum. But when he did—of his own volition, mind you—he never did so in front of people.

Which is how he knew this soulmate bullshit might not actually be all that contrived.

Sometimes he’d catch himself embarrassingly humming or whistling in public—usually to the absolute amusement of his friends and family—stuck with songs in his head he hadn’t even ever heard of. And it was in times like that he’d begin singing something ridiculous back, as his own petty way to clearly say ’stop’.

When the music would disappear, he’d chuckle lightly to himself and continue about his day.

Only to fall asleep that night to you whispering sweet, sweet literal nothings from the far side of his mind. Barbie Girl was a slap and a half, but if he had to check out with it rolling around in his head at two a.m. for the third night in a row, he’d dedicate his waking hours to annoying the hell out of you.

See how you liked it being startled awake—hopefully, he wasn’t 100% on the time difference—by Caramelldansen.

There were even a few times where you’d try to push music into each other at the same time. Like hijacking a radio frequency, you’d change channels on each other all day and all night until it was a warbled cacophony of noise, bordering on a headache big enough for a small city. Rarely would either of you concede, but if and/or when you did, you’d make sure the song was something you both liked.

At any other rate, Shinso had to give you credit for your taste in music; even if he didn’t recognize a fair few, he’d remember the lyrics and scour the internet later looking for them like his life depended on it. He already had a building playlist of the songs you’d sing to him—separate ones for the songs he knew, the songs he didn’t know, and his personal favorites. He kept those to himself like trade secrets, deflecting questions about what he was listening to or what kind of music he had on his phone.

Oftentimes, it was easy to guess how you were probably feeling if he just listened. There were queues of songs that made him feel relaxed and incredibly focused—which he assumed did the same for you—and others that just set him on fire.

Then there were days he felt like he was walking around with water in his shoes and a storm cloud lamenting with taut strings and frail keys. It was days like those that he liked to physically, consciously hum meme audios—or if the sadness was particularly dour, he’d find a quiet place, and sing songs that meant the world to him. Shinso wouldn’t hear anything back, and assume you were singing too.

The music said a lot about you, which was a considerable feat as he had never met you before, and he wanted to be selfish. He didn’t want to spoil what was special to you and him before he even got to see you.

You definitely worked your way around that, the maddening anonymity—using song titles to give away bits of information about one another as generously as you could. Favorite colors, films, seasons; all objective small talk suddenly turned scripture. He amassed everything in a small journal like priceless treasures—carrying around the value of another life in his pocket as casually as a to-do list. He had the music, but something tangible like this put his mind and heart at ease. You were really out there, and Shinso could meet you someday.

It wasn’t a known secret to anyone that subject posed one of his greatest fears. One day finding someone to spend the rest of ever with, with someone else’s song playing in his head.

In more than a few ways, you helped him remain largely optimistic. As long as he could hear you, he could find you, and as he got older and he acquired more freedoms and was just a little surer of himself, there was a chance.

Keep reading

Crush (On) Me

Shinsou, Tamaki, Kirishima, and Bakugou confessing to their crushes. Awkward confessions are awkward.

Shinsou

Although he’s pretty confident you like him, there’s always been something holding him back from telling you. It’s Valentine’s Day though, and what better day to confess, right? That’s his plan at least, to confess he likes during your usual walk home together, until he sees Denki walk up to you after class sheepishly. He tells you he’s always liked you and admired your kindness and your sense of humor, and how you’re practically stunning.

Shinsou is annoyed. There’s a pit forming in his stomach, and his fists clench. Realistically, a part of him acknowledges that Denki might be a better fit for you.

He’s popular, and has the makings of a hero. 

Still, something gnaws at Shinsou’s conscience. Denki doesn’t really know you like he does. He doesn’t know how short your temper is, or how awkward you get when your jokes backfire.

He also doesn’t know how gorgeous you look when two of you walk home home together, the sunset rays forming a halo around you. How despite that, your smile is still the most stunning thing Shinsou’s ever seen.

He knows it’s selfish, but he can’t let you go. Even if you would be happier with Denki. As soon as he intends to make his presence known, he hears your voice.

“Thanks Denki. That’s really sweet of you. But, um… I don’t think I can accept your feelings….” You hesitate, and Shinsou can practically hear the the embarrassment in your voice. “You see, I actually have a thing for Hito–”

“–shi…” Your voice trails off when you glance sideways and meet surprised lilac eyes. “Shit.” Before he can blink, you’ve run off with a hasty apology, Denki’s head darting from where you once stood to Shinsou’s tense form. 

Shinsou doesn’t even hesitate to run after you. All his training’s paid off, and he’s able to catch up without breaking a sweat. You jump when you feel a hand grasp your shoulder, cursing under your breath.

“….Please tell me this isn’t who I think it is.”

“(Y/N).” You expect Shinsou to be amused, but he actually sounds quite serious. It causes you to meet his gaze, and for once, instead of his teasing glint, there’s a softness in them you can’t seem to place. 

It takes you awhile to realize you haven’t responded. Awkward. “Um, yes?”

You lock eyes for a long, drawn-out moment, before he turns around and walks away, hands in his pockets. “You’re heading the wrong way. Isn’t your home in this direction?”

You gape at him. Is he really… is he pretending he didn’t hear that? Or is he just messing with you? You follow his lead, and the two of you make it past the school gates before you give into the urge to speak up. “Hitoshi, look, what I said back there–”

“Hm? Oh yeah. Thanks for saying that.” His tone is casual, but you notice his voice wavers at the end. He coughs as if to clear his throat. “It saves me the trouble of saying it myself.”

“…What?”  You couldn’t believe your ears.

“You heard me, right?” The tips of his ears are also pink, you notice. He rubs the back of his neck, before making eye contact with you. “I like you, too.”

Tamaki

Call it cowardice, but the end of the school year is approaching, and Tamaki still hasn’t confessed to you. It’s pretty obvious to anyone with eyes that he has a thing for you. Hell, Fatgum and Kirishima make it their personal agenda to set you two up. 

But he can’t. Every time he thinks about confessing to you, every time he practices in private, he freezes up. Stumble over his words. More than anyone else, he doesn’t want to look like a fool in front of you.

You’re one of his best friends, a capable hero-in-training. You’re brave, righteous, and compassionate. One of the most important people in his life. And he’s been stupidly, deeply in love with you for years now. He just can’t tell you that.

—

Graduation comes sooner than he expected, and you’re both thrown into the real world. Of course, Fatgum wanted to celebrate his graduation with a few drinks, despite Tamaki’s protests that you’re all underage. Somehow he manages to sneak him, you, and Kirishima into a local bar. While Kirishima and Fatgum quickly devolve into arm-wrestling contests, you and Tamaki chat away about your future plans at the bar. 

Maybe it was the third cup of sake that Fat had poured him, but Tamaki suddenly finds your lips very appealing….

“Tamaki? Tama-chan? Hellooooo, are you even listening.” He snaps out of his daze when he sees your hand waving in front of his face. Only to blush furiously once he realizes he’s been staring, and—oh god—drooling a bit.

“W-What? I’m listening, yes,” he says as he rubs his mouth with his sleeve.

For a second, you leer at him before you burst into giggles, clearly feeling the influence of the alcohol yourself. “I was saying… you and I need to hang out more often! You never call me. Especially now that we’re going to different agencies. I’m going to miss you, Tama-ji.”

Tamaki nearly jumps once he feels you wrap yourself around his arm. He pales when he realizes… what part of you is pressed against him…. dear god Fatgum was planning on killing him out of embarrassment wasn’t he….

He clenches his eyes shut. “(Y/N), I—you shouldn’t—we—“

His eyes snap open when he hears a sniffle. To his horror, you start tearing up. “Y-You mean you won’t miss me?”

“N-No, of course I will! That’s not what I meant. I–”

“Hehe… so you will miss me?” you say, a mischievous glint in your eyes. 

He stammers, rendered speechless from your mood swings. Who knew you could be so cunning… Tamaki honestly doesn’t know how much longer he can last with you teasing him like this… 

“That’s good,” you continue. “Because…” He nearly jumps when he feels your breath hot on his neck, shivering once you nip at the tip of his ear. Your voice is low, seductive. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

This is going to be a long night. 

–

You wake up to a pounding headache. Groaning and clutching your head, you shift only to kick something in your movement. Something—or someone—that mumbles an “ow.”

Your jaw drops when you realize it’s Tamaki behind you. Sitting up abruptly, you realize that one, you’re on a cramped bed with Tamaki, and two…. you aren’t in your old dorm, or your parents’ house. Which means… 

Oh god oh god oh god did you sleep with him? Shit, this wasn’t how your last night was supposed to go. You were friends, for God’s sake! You couldn’t ruin that with one night (and undoubtable attraction you’d had for him since first year). Meanwhile Tamaki’s eyes shoot open once he comes to a similar realization, and cowers into his pillow.

You decide to break the silence first. “W-Where are we?”

“My dorm,” Tamaki responds. Still facing the wall and studiously refusing to look you in the eye. 

“Did I—did I take advantage of you?!” Your voice comes out in squeak, at the same time that Tamaki blurts out, “I’ve liked you since first year!”

The both of you pause. “What did you just say?” You both ask each other.

“You first,” you tell him. Hiding his face behind his palms, he repeats his confession. You can practically feel the heat emanating from his cheeks, this close to him. 

“I-I know this is pretty pathetic of me, telling you like this. But I can’t… I can’t just let my feelings stay in the dark any longer. I understand if you don’t want to see me again, or even be friends anymore—“

He’s interrupted by the feel of your arms embracing him from behind. Tamaki stiffens in your hold, his hands shaking as they fall to grasp yours. “W-What are you…?”

“Tamaki, you’re silly. I’ve liked you for just as long.”

He’s silent, and you twine the one of his hands with yours. The affectionate squeeze he gives you back is reassuring and when he finally turns to meet your gaze, you flash him a grin. “I’m just glad we finally told each other. You are my suneater, after all.”

Extra: 

“…So, if I like you and you like me, that’s a relief! I was worried I’d forced myself on you…”

“W-We didn’t—” Tamaki blushes. “We didn’t do anything last night…”

“Oh, really? That’s too bad…. Was hoping we could put your hero name to use.” You muse, eyebrows waggling suggestively. 

The mood changes, however, when he promptly faints. “Tamaki? Hey Tamaki! I was just kidding! Ah, jeez.”

Kirishima

The light of his phone screen is bright in the dark room. Like he always finds himself doing lately, he’s texting you late into the night, this time relaying the story of the time him, Denki, and Sero played a prank on Bakugou. Butterflies form in his chest at the sight of your response. 

“Oh my god, Eiji, that’s hilarious! You’re so funny! And cute. Thanks for brightening my day. You would make the perfect boyfriend.”

Before he knows it, he’s typing out a response. 

“You know…you’d be the perfect girlfriend.” But he can’t. Something stops him. Could he really…. say this? What if it ruined the precarious friendship you two had? No, he knew you better thank that. You wouldn’t let something like feelings come between the two of you. 

But there’s still something’s stopping him.

He ends up just sending a simple, “You really think so? Thanks! Glad I could help.”

—

Kirishima forgot how adorable you look in a dress, but he’s regretting it now. Something about seeing you in casual clothes always made his mouth run dry. The two of you were hanging out, having just seen the latest romcom at the nearby theater, and it’s late. 

You shiver and the action doesn’t go unnoticed by him. “Here, take this,” he says, shrugging off his sweater. You try to protest, but he laughs it off. “I don’t get cold easily.” He’s already draping it across your shoulders. There’s something so… loving, intimate about the action, that it has something painful pang in his chest. 

Kirishima seems deep in thought tonight, you notice. He’s usually talking your ear off but now, it’s mostly you talking with him occasionally responding if he’s not distracted. Plus, with that slight furrow in his brow, the downcast look in his eyes… You don’t like him looking so down. 

Linking your arm around his seems to snap him out of it momentarily. “Even though you say you’re not cold, your arm is freezing,” you quip.  You try not to focus on the bulging biceps you can feel through his shirt, but it’s proving quite hard. He gives you a half-hearted smile, but your efforts don’t seem to cheer him up as much as you hoped it would. 

“Yeah, it is pretty cold.”

When he sighs suddenly, you still. Leaves rustle past your standing forms. Something has seemed off with him all night, and this is your opportunity.  

“What’s up, Eiji?”

“Nothing, it’s just….” He groans, seeming to change his mind suddenly. “God, this is so lame, but… hey, (Y/N), what would you do if you liked someone but weren’t sure they liked you back? Or even if they did… you were worried it would ruin your friendship?”

You blink, pondering his question. Inside though, your heart’s racing. Is this question geared towards your relationship? Is he finally picking up on your hints? “I would probably confess to them anyways,” you finally say, gazing at the night sky. “Life is so short. I wouldn’t want to regret not saying anything.”

“That’s true… that’s true!” He clenches his fist, seemingly fired up by your words. “Then… I know this is really unmanly of me, but I need to say it.”

“I need to tell you that I—” Before he could say anything more, you cut him off with a kiss to his cheek. Or it would’ve been, if he hadn’t turned his head to the side at the last moment, and your lips press against the corner of his mouth. His eyes widen, red creeping to his cheeks. 

You’re similarly flustered. “I—I’m sorry!”

After a beat of silence, he responds, “Don’t be.” Then he’s kissing you, his hands cradling the sides of your face as if he’s afraid he’ll lose you. You melt into the kiss, tangling your fingers into his unruly hair. When you break apart, the two of you are flushed, panting heavily.

You’re the first to speak. “That was… wow…” 

Kirishima meets your gaze, the red blazing under his cheeks. “I think you already got the message,” he starts sheepishly, “but in case you didn’t… I really like you, (Y/N)! Damn, I wish I did this in a manlier way…”

You laugh, pulling him into a hug. “I think it was perfect.”

Bakugou

He glares once he notices that loser Sero talking to you again. Denki joins in, adding to his pun, and you laugh. At this point, Bakugou’s practically gritting his teeth, and Kirishima notices. “Woah, man. What’s got you so riled up?” He follows the trajectory of Bakugou’s glare, and an eyebrow raises once he realizes it’s directed at you. Kirishima’s smart enough to connect two dots. “Oh… is it  (Y/N)? I should’ve figured you were the jealous type,” he teases.

“Shut the hell up, you idiot!” Bakugou fumes. The outburst is loud enough to draw your attention, and you glance in his direction curiously, smiling as you wave at him. The sight of his fierce glare, however, has your smile faltering, and you snap your head back towards your conversation with Sero.

Kirishima sighs. “Listen, man, you’re not going to accomplish anything by glaring at her like that. Hell, she probably thinks you hate her.”

Bakugou levels his glare at his friend, about to yell at him to shut the fuck up, you dumbass, (Y/N)’s fucking smart, unlike you before your grimace flashes in his mind again, and he hesitates. His fists clench when he realizes that expression on your face bothers him, and for once, he has no response. Kirishima takes advantage of that.

“Look, I could give you some pointers if you want. Not that you need them,” he adds quickly, once noticing Bakugou’s glare turn downright murderous. “But I don’t like seeing you all down like this, man. It’s weird.”

He thinks about your grimace again. “….Che, why not.”

—

Bakugou tries to keep Kirishima’s pointers in mind when he asks you on a date to the arcade, he really does. But it doesn’t help that he thinks they’re fucking dumb. And that he’s terrible at following them.

Compliment her. Girls love compliments.

“Your hair… doesn’t look half-bad today.”

“Um… thank you, Katsuki?”

Open the doors for her. Be a gentleman. Girls dig a guy with manners. 

When he opens the door to the arcade, he swings his arm back too fast and elbows you in the face. Hard. He yells at the staff for ice for your bloody nose.

Don’t be so competitive man. Arrogance is a turn-off. Real men let their girl win sometimes.

Okay, that pointer, in Bakugou’s opinion, is complete garbage. You aren’t some pansy who couldn’t handle his best. You are his crush after all.

Still, he finds himself going a bit… easier on you while playing Street Fighter.  The swelling on your nose has gone down enough for you to play. The date has gone terribly so far, but he figures he could try one last thing. When your victory flashes across the screen, he mutters a half-hearted congratulations. Only to see you frowning at him. 

“Katsuki… is something wrong?”

Other than the way his fucking heart seems to jump into his goddamn throat every time you say his name like that?

“No.” He bristles. “Why ask?”

“You’ve been acting…weird today. Like complimenting me. And letting me win.”

“What, you’re saying I can’t be nice?” 

“No, it’s just… not like you.” Before he can retort, you hold your hand up, asking for . “I like you the way you are. I mean, you’re kind of violent and scary at times, but you’re sweet in a way. Did I do something wrong? Sorry about that. I didn’t know if you hated me or not since you always look so mad at me. We can just call it if you want–”

“No!” he blurts out. Your self-conscious ramblings really fucking annoy him. Can’t you fucking see none of this is your fault? He’s ranting before he even realized it. “Fuck! Don’t leave. Shit, everything’s messed up because of that idiot. It’s not you. That damn Kirishima made everything worse. Him and his stupid pointers,” he grumbles.

“This was supposed to be a great date but it’s a fucking disaster because of that dumbass…”

“Katsuki…” You try not to laugh at his annoyed expression. He really wouldn’t take it well. But you can’t help it, he’s cute when he’s ruffled. “I still had a great time.” 

He narrows his eyes at you in suspicion. “For real?”

“Yes, honestly! I mean… any time I spend with you is amazing,” you admit shyly. 

“…Whatever.” He’s not blushing, he tells himself. He’s not embarrassed right now. Definitely not. “Just know that our next goddamn date isn’t going to be such a disaster. I’m treating you right, dammit.”

“Next date?”

“Yeah. You are my crush after all. We’re going on all the dates we can until things go fucking perfectly.”