Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ochako burst out of the club doors, breath jagged and stumbled towards the dimly lit alleyway. Her skin was tinged blue from the large neon sign, ‘Cowle’ in big block letters, as her back hit the cold, brick wall. The dull thud of the bass audible even from the exterior set the tempo as she tried to steady herself.

This, Ochako frowned, was all just too much.

Floating. She felt like she was free-floating up into the stratosphere; like she’d left her quirk on for too long but now, just as she’d finally noticed the clouds at her feet and the thousands of miles below, she’s realized free falling at this height would surely kill her. Letting go of this, of her feelings, might actually kill her.

But she has to. Something that felt like tears pricked at her eyes, but they couldn’t be. She couldn’t be crying about this.

She made her choice, she had to stick to it.

But why did he have to be here? All of them have been having these little reunion parties ever since they’d graduated from UA. It’s been eight years and she had never seen him at any of them before today. Sure, he was always invited but Kirishima would just shrug each time he would walk in without him and everyone would roll their eyes, shoot him a disappointed text and carry on. It wasn’t unusual because he never came to things like this — he avoided them like the plague.

But there he was just through this wall —suddenly the only thing keeping her tethered to the earth like she was that weak, bumbling little girl who’d strolled into Class 1-A all those years ago again — standing at the bar, scotch in hand listening to Kirishima’s drunken stupor and staring right at her with a gaze that made her feel exposed in the best and worst possible ways.

Red eyes boring into her until they left her feeling absolutely scorched. Burning and wanting and hot. Like her skin was on fire and her dress was suddenly made of wool instead of the shiny, red silk Mina had picked and she wanted it off.

Oh, god, why had she let it happen? A lone shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the encounter, feeling the ghost of Bakugou’s lips on the most intimate parts of her being. She knew why.

But that night she’d told herself this wouldn’t happen. This thumping of her heart and the rushing of her veins to be near him, to talk to him, to touch him. This need to lo—

No, Ochako shook her head. As if rattling her brain might set it off course of this life-altering conclusion that she’d been successfully avoiding for what felt like years.

Swore to herself that she couldn’t let this happen for so many very good reasons. And nothing had changed, not really. All her reasons still stood.

He was still so driven and focused on being number one and she still wanted to advance in her status as a pro rescue hero. She’d be damned if she stood in either one of their ways. Setting them off track of the futures that they had battled and bled for all their lives. They had goals, they had ambition. And they had made promises, sworn oaths, to the country and city they loved. Swore to protect and serve and honour. Promised to give every part of themselves to the service of others, to being heroes, regardless of who they were as individuals. And how she feels about Bakugou... isn’t part of the plan – in fact it’s dangerous. Dangerous for her and for him. Dangerous for the country. Regardless of how she feels about him, and honestly regardless of how he felt about her, this can’t happen.

Nothing past the night, she thought bitterly, that was what you said wasn’t it, Ochako? You’d have him for the night and that would be it. That would be enough.

God must have been laughing at her when she’d said that, trying to appear coy and sensual, as she slipped inside his apartment that night. What a fool she was, to actually believe it. Because now that she’d had a real, true taste of life lying next to Bakugou Katsuki in the light of the moon she knew she’d never truly be sated.

She was ravenous and even now leaning against this wall like it was her only lifeline, it took every ounce of restraint in her not to rush back into Cowle and straight into his arms.

But maybe…with time and distance…maybe she’d be okay.

And this sharp hunger would eventually become nothing more than flurries — a dull reminder of her desire that wouldn’t leave her desperate and wanting and so close to breaking like she was now.

Ochako closed her eyes, turning her head towards the sky in a silent prayer to which ever god was listening. Why, oh why, couldn’t she even look at him without wanting to explode? Why did her body know he was there, sauntering in late with his hands buried in his black pants as usual before she’d even seen him? Why did Bakugou suddenly pull her towards him like the north to his south?

Even now — as her body trembled from the sheer weight of this feeling that only seemed to belong to the hardheaded blonde — his mere appearance at the club threatened to topple her resolve. Was she really so weak?

And why — Ochako asked as the traitorous organ beating uncontrollably in her chest, seemed to seek its counterpart — why him?

Why had she let herself f—

“Yo, angel face? You doing okay?”

Was it possible for a heart to fall and leap at the same time? Because as his ruff, deep voice cut across the distance between them she was sure her heart had both plummeted to her feet and leapt out to him all at once. The feeling of it was a little disorienting.

He, the man who’d haunted her dreams for the last week and a half, was more than a little disorienting.

She took a step back wanting to retreat, frightened of what the ever closing distance as he walked towards her would drive her to do, and ended up with her back pressed against the wall. Just like last time. “ B-Bakugou! You scared me, I-I didn’t see you there.”

He stopped right in front of her and smirked. “Cut the crap, cheeks. I know you saw me.” She expected him to move in closer — narrow his eyes before interrogating her or cross the threshold of whatever was holding her back, just like last time, and take her and... But he didn’t.

“Tell me, Ochako.” Bakugou stood there, hands in pockets keeping a respectable distance away from her very much — a traitorous flutter of disappointment swept her —  unlike last time. “Are you avoiding me?”

Yes. Yes, she was. And it had been so easy at work and around town but then he’d shown up at the stupid club, looking at her like that and looking like this and...fuck.

He wasn’t accusing her, that much was clear from his voice but he didn’t give much away. He didn’t seem sad. Or indifferent. But, Ochako noticed, Bakugou definitely didn’t sound angry — Bakugou always sounded angry.

“I just meant you usually don’t go to these things! They don’t really seem like your kinda thing, yah know?!” Ochako backtracked like her life depended on it. And with the sudden mischievous glint in his ruby tinted eyes, maybe it did. “Not that you can’t! I mean of course you can! All our class is here. Kirishima is here and Mina is here and Kaminari — you guys used to hang out a bunch in school! Oh, crap! You probably still do, I mea—“

“Quit the rambling, Ochako. Just answer me.” Bakugou said, mild irritation showing in his voice. “Why did you leave that morning?”

The blood rushes so quickly to Ochako‘s cheeks that she feared she might actually topple over in her heels and faint.

“B-Bakugou! You can’t just say thing like that! What if someo—“

“What if someone hears?” Bakugou scoffed. “You weren’t thinking about that when you launched at me in the hallway, were you?” He took a step forward, propelled by the mortified look on Ochako’s face and motivated by the slight shiver that he saw run through her. He smirked. “Even if someone did hear — they’d only know the truth. You and me, round cheeks, we spent on of the hottest nights of my life together and you just got up in the morning, packed your shit and fucked off like I was some drunken one night stand.” His shoes poked the pointed tip of her stilettos and his breath, warm with the slightest whiff of aged scotch, fanned her face — he was so close. Close enough, she mused, to touch. To have. “I’m not. I know you. I know you enjoyed yourself so why’d you run off?”

“The tower collapse. You must have seen it on the news. Best Jeanist, he needed me and—“

“Fuck that. That was more than a week ago.” Bakugou was always primed and ready to call anyone on their bullshit. “I, of all fucking people, can understand that. What I don’t understand, Ochako, is why you didn’t come back? Or call me? Or, fuck, text me? I’ve been waiting for you for a week and a half because I like you Ochako — but you know that. Now you’ve got me waiting up for you like some chick. ”And this? This was him calling her on a whole pile.” What are you so scared of?”

What was she supposed to tell him? That she’d woken up and saw his face, peaceful and scowl-less for once, and she’d started wanting things? Things she didn’t know if he’d give? Things she didn’t know if she should even take? Should she tell him about how for a few brief, blissful moments she’d thought about this, them, living a happy life together? Before her alarm had sounded and she’d been requested at the Millennial Towers and reality had all but crushed her.

“I-I don’t know.” Ochako said, balling her fists in frustration. She turned away from him — she couldn’t think straight not when her whole world seemed to be pulling toward him and his eyes were the deepest shade of crimson she’d ever seen.” I won’t deny I’ve been avoiding you, Bakugou. I’ve had... a lot on my mind.”

Ochako tried to steady her breathing. Tried so hard to pretend she was okay, that she didn’t care, that this feeling hadn’t been tearing her up for weeks and months and, goddamn it, probably years. She just hoped she looked stronger than she felt.

“So what?” Bakugou knitted his eyebrows together and the scowl reappeared on his face. “Are we just gonna pretend this didn’t happen? Cause I can’t do that. I won’t, damn it.” He reaches out to touch her hand, and she shrunk away from him. She wasn’t sure that a single touch wouldn’t demolish her resolve and she couldn’t break down. Not here. “You like me too, Ochako. I don’t fucking know why you do, but you told me Ochako. You said you feel for me— don’t ask me to forget that.”

“Bakugou...” She looked at him with sad eyes. “It was...last time was a mistake. We can’t do this.”

Bakugou recoiled as though she’d struck him, and Ochako felt even worse. Hurt swum in his red eyes like the blood from a wound that she knew her words, however she tried to soften them, inflicted. “I...you...you know what? Forget it.” Bakugou his eyes were cold, he was furious and as long as she’d known him — she’d never seen him look quite like this. But she couldn’t find it within herself to be upset at him, he had every right to be. He turned as if to walk away from her but stopped as through a wall had suddenly erected in front of him and snarled. “ Fuck that.” He moved towards her so fast she could have sworn he flew, and suddenly his face was pressed close to hers. His hand gripped her chin turning her to face him. “No. It wasn’t an accident, Ochako. You. Kissed. Me.”

“Yes.” She gulped. His eyes had always been so expressive; everyone always commented on how angry Bakugou looked with his furrowed brow and his everlasting frown but his eyes projected every emotion his scowl tried to hide. They told stories. And Ochako thought they were beautiful. “Yes, I did.”

“And?”

“And it was a mistake. One we can’t make again.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“We’re heroes, Bakugou.” She said, voice teetering between regret and sternness dizzily. “Our lives belong to the people we protect, we don’t have the luxury of being selfish no matter how much it hurts.” His frown deepened, as did the hurt painted so clearly in his eyes.” And maybe that’s for the best. Because at the end of the day, after you’ve peeled off that mask and that suit, we don’t have anything else to give. I can’t expect you to have any more to give. We were just talking, and we got on the wrong topic. And my feelings — I let my feeling take over.” She looked him in eye. “And I’m so sorry, Bakugou.”

“Bullshit.” Bakugou punched the wall next to them and Ochako flinched at his force. Not out of fear — Bakugou would never hurt her, he wasn’t capable of it — but because the weight of her guilt settling in the pit of her stomach threatened to floor her. “ Don’t tell me what I do or don’t have to give or how to do my fucking job, okay? I’ve wanted you for a long ass time, sweet cheeks, you hear me?“ His eyes were heated and on her. Not in anger this time but with the promise of long nights and blissful mornings that Ochako wanted with every atom of her being - but couldn’t take.  “Don’t give me that shit. It wasn’t a mistake. Not for me.” He moved away from her, and suddenly the cold November wind struck her. She could feel his frustration rolling off of him in waves and something else — something that made her cheeks red and a warm feeling spread in her lower stomach. “If your chicken shit then fine. But if you think I’m just gonna up and forget about it, you’re just fucking out of luck there, angel face.”

Before she could reply — what was she supposed to say to that? — Bakugou started towards the opening of the alley. He was probably headed back into the club, everyone must have noticed they were gone by now.

Ochako sighed.

She really wasn’t looking forward to dealing with a barricade of questions from all of the girls. And it was bad enough that Midoriya had looked at her with questioning eyes as she slipped out the club and then most likely seen Bakugou follow after her.

BAM!

An unusual flash of purple and white flashed in the corner of her eye, coming from the darkness, forcing her to look away from the sheer intensity. The light seemed to get brighter as the wind around her picked up, lifting random pieces of litter around her like a small tornado. Finally as the wind slowed down, Ochako looked up, hand shielding her face and screamed.

The club had completely disappeared, leaving in its place what Ochako could only discribe as a portal of some sort swirling and emitting a sickly white glow casting a grey sheen on everything around it — including the half of Bakugou’s body that hung out of as he struggled to hang on to a nearby streetlight.

“BAKUGOU!” She shouted, the sound falling deaf to her own ears as the portal began to shrink and an awful ringing filled the air. “HANG ON! I’M COMING.” Somehow, he heard her through the noise as his head snaps up and he locks eyes with her, yelling back something incoherent, as she tapped her fingers against her chest with fierce determination.

Ochako rode the torrent of wind towards the portal at rapid speed, extending her arm and steering herself like a missile. Just a little further, she thought willing the wind to keep up as she neared Bakugou, just a little further!

Short lived relief flooded her as she grabbed onto the sleeve of Bakugou’s button down. “RELEASE!” She pressed the front of her body against the streetlight, reaching around to grad both of Bakugou’s sleeves and keep him secure with both the force of the wind and her arms. “HOLD ON, BAKUGOU!”

“OCHAKO! YOU FUCKING IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” He screeched, competing with the increasing ring filing her ears. The portal was shrinking rapidly now as the wind reached threatening levels, forcing the metal pole harshly against her chest and threatening to snap it. “YOU’RE GONNA GET SUCKED IN THIS SHIT TOO, DUMBASS, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! LET ME GO!”

Anger, pure and unadulterated, pumped in her veins as she shot him the coldest glare she could muster.”NEVER! I’M NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE, BAKUGOU!” She said. “I’M GOING TO SAVE YOU, SO SHUT THE FUCK UP AND HOLD ON DAMMIT!”

The sound and the wind stopped. Silence ring out as if someone had suddenly placed them on pause.

And Bakugou and Ochako stood there, his body still trapped in the now window sized portal and her holding onto his arms for dear life, eyes locked. She wanted to say something, do something, to pull him out of there but she didn’t get the chance.

Her eyes widened as the streetlight snapped in half, sending Bakugou and Ochako straight through the threshold and careening into the abyss.

The pair went tumbling down a dirt path as the concrete of downtown morphed into grassy planes of a forest.

Ochako kept her eyes shut, feeling the weight of something pressing against her as the world stopped spinning and the chirping of birds as the sunlight filtered through her eyelids painting her world a fleshy pink. Wait? Sunlight? “What the fuck?”

“Not that I don’t dig it but,” a deep groan sounded above her, as the weight lifted off of her slightly, “that’s a filthy mouth yah got there, angel face.”

“Huh?”She popped an eye open and was greeted with the Bakugou’s scowling face inches from her own. And...what was that on his face? “B-Bakugou?”

“In the flesh and apparently alive?” He rose to his feet and stretched, rubbing his neck, eyes shut. “Where the fuck are we?”

Where were they? She looked around taking in the seemingly endless trees and plants around them in what appeared to be a luscious green forest – no sign of the brown and orange leaves that fall had brought them at home. The trees were taller than any she had ever seen, seemingly stretching up into the heavens. Near her feet she saw a squirrel run past and the chirping of birds mixed with random animals sounds to supply the soundtrack of their new surroundings. A gentle breeze blew past as the sun, high in the sky, scorched away above them filtering through green leaves.

Ochako sat up, rubbing at a sore spot on her own neck fingers hitting the fur of her collar.

Wait. What?

“What’s with the fucking…” Bakugou popped his eyes open, looked over at her still sat cross-legged on the forest floor, and his mouth fell to the floor. Ochako blinked up at him, confused before following his eyes downwards to her outfit. “What the fuck are you wearing, round face?!” To her surprise, and embarrassment her silky red dress (although admittedly, also rather skimpy) had been replaced by an ensemble that was…revealing to say the least. She wore a forest green bandeau embroidered with leaves and made of a mossy fabric. Brown cargo likes shorts had appeared on her legs leaving the majority of her skin (and her midriff, she blushed) on display except for the shiny green panels attached to the fronts and backs of her exposed arms and legs.”Damn.” And wrapped around her neck was a choker made of fur with what looked like a daisy hanging from the centre. What the hell, Ochako thought, was going on? A low whistle brought her out of her thoughts as she returned her attention back to what appeared to be her only companion. “Not that I mind but what’s with the costume change?”

“Stop staring!” Ochako sputtered, moving her hands to cover her... everywhere. Bakugou let out a deep chuckle. “This isn’t funny, Bakugou.” She took a look at him. A good look. “Besides, what are you wearing?”

“Wha?” Bakugou looked down at himself. His casual shirt and jeans had been replaced by…armor? Or something like it. Bakugou seemed to be wearing skin tight, black t-shirt and pants with shiny black armour panels covering his arms and legs. He looked over the material on his arms, the light reflecting off it and making it shimmer. As he twisted Ochako noticed the knife strapped to his hip and the large sword strapped to his back. What the hell? "Still no where near as good as yours, sweet cheeks, don't you worry." 

Ochako got up, and sauntered over to him. “Is it heavy?”        

Bakugou threw a quick punch and kick in the air. “No. Is yours?”

“I don’t have any-“as she walked the panels seemed to melt together covering the exposed parts of her skin more tightly and shimmering similarly to Bakugou’s. She looked down at them. Interesting. ”Oh. I guess not.”

Ochako turned to look back at Bakugou, confused, and glared at her companion who was still gawking at her. “Stop staring at me like I’m some kind of freak!”

Bakugou scoffed. “That wasn’t the exact word running round my mind, greeny .” Greeny? Ochako turned away from him in what she hoped looked like irritation, as she blushed. She pushed her hair behind her ear, absentmindedly. “It suits you, cheeks, you look kinda like…”

“What?” His eyes were wide, (almost comically with as cool and collected Bakugou usually was) and his mouth was agape as if his words had died somewhere in his throat. There was nothing lecherous about his demeanour, and for the first time since opening her eyes Ochako was really really worried. “What is it?”

“Don’t freak out, okay?”

“What why?” Bakugou moved towards her, reaching his hand out. She stepped back, taken aback, and felt the trunk of a tree press against her back. “What?”  

“Trust me, cheeks.”

Ochako breathed in deeply and nodded. She did. She trusted him with her life on a daily basis, and maybe she wasn’t ready yet to trust him (or herself) with her heart but she could give him this.

Bakugou searched her face, seeing her visibly relax and stepped forward. His calloused fingers reached out and pushed her hair from her face, brushing against her cheeks and pushing it behind her ears. He was so close, his eyes scanning her face and his chest rising and falling as his chest plate nudged her own. She shivered, he hadn’t been this close since…since…

“Your ears, Ochako.” Bakugou said, voice full of wonder like he’d made some kind of grand, life-altering discovery.

“My ears?” Ochaka trailed her hand up to her ears, feeling the lobes and tracing…Pointed. Her ears were pointed. Horror and confusion bubbled in her chest as she stared up into mirth filled red eyes as Bakugou had the nerve to smile. “Am I…Am I…”

“An elf, round face. You’re a fucking elf.”  

Chapter Text

As shitty as getting thrust into some random alternative universe – planet or whatever this was – already was for Ochako having to come to terms with the fact that she was now donning a tacky green outfit and had pointed ears made this whole thing exponentially worse.

“No.” She declared, covering the end of her ears with her hands and feeling the fleshy points press into her palms. Frantic auburn eyes stared up at Bakugou. “This can’t be happening. Nope. No way.” Her mouth was moving rapidly, words tumbling out like the water from a waterfall, and, even still outpaced by her brain as she tried to make sense of this.  “I must have tripped and fallen on my way out of the club —  yeah, that’s it. I’ve always been horrible in heels, but Mina was so persistent.” Yeah, Ochako thought, that’s the only logical explanation here.“I fell on my face and passed it out. That’s gotta be it. No way this is happening or... “ The sun bearing down on her felt awfully real, and just made her feel even worse. “All of this is just my brain rationalizing a coma or death or something, right? Or maybe…maybe this is all just a dream?! A terrible, cruel, oddly,” She swallowed, Bakugou cocked an eyebrow clearly amused by the whole thing, bending down to pluck a piece of very real grass from the ground and tickling her very real nose with it, smiling roguishly the entire time, “realistic dream. I knew I shouldn’t have had that cookie before bed.”

“Hey, crazy face,” Bakugou — or the spandex wearing sexy dream-Bakugou that her subconscious had cursed her with — waved a hand aggressively in front of her face. She’d taken to sliding into a clump at the bottom of the tree after he’d told her about her brand new appendages and subsequently have what appeared to him to be a fucking mental breakdown. It was funny — fucking hilarious actually — in the beginning, but now it was just a serious waste of time. “Not a dream, idiot. This is very much real life. We are very much standing in the center of a massive fucking problem. So get it the fuck together.”

“Nope,” Ochako said, ”this is a dream. It has to be. What god would be cruel enough to dress you like that?”

“Not a god, some wacko with a creation quirk.” Bakugou frowned, looking over his ensemble.” And what the fuck is wrong with my outfit, anyway? I kind of like it.”

“Look at you.” She waved at him, from his cargo bootstrapped feet to the strange black tattoo running across his forehead (leave it to Bakugou to make a face tattoo look good, she had the worse luck). It was as though the gods had been snickering at her sickly pining after him since their third year and decided now was the perfect time to torture her. “Your whole existence right now is basically sexual harassment — how do you think it makes me feel?”

“About the same as I’ve felt for the past week and a half I’d imagine.” His eyes darkened as he looked over her and the shiver she felt creep up her spine also felt unnervingly real. “Damn, the past few yearsactually, pointy ears.” Bakugou chuckled, moving a little away from her and allowing her to breath normally again. “You sure you didn’t hit your head? That’s some bold talk there from you, angel face.”

“Doesn’t matter.” She slumped back against the tree, knocking it with her head slightly. “You’re fake anyway — nothing but my imagination run wild.” Ochako shrugged. “Or a death-dream. Either works.”

“Tell me, Ochako,” something dangerous flashed in Bakugou’s eyes and, for not the first time while alone with him, she felt like a lamb in front of a lion. A ravenous one. “Do your dreams about me usually go like this?” His smile was downright sinful and even Ochako’s cruel subconscious would never let him tease her like this. “I’d love to know every fucking detail — oh, and make sure you talk slow.”

“Pervert.”

This was definitely not a dream. This was happening. She had elf ears. Bakugou has a tattoo across the right side of his face. And they were...where exactly? Where were their friends? All the people in the club? On the street?

Who had done this to them? And why?

And, more importantly, where had everyone gone?

Ochako stood, this time her armor panels remained separate, almost floating against her leg. But she didn’t have time to think about that right now. Right now they had to figure out what was happening and where they were. Where their friends were. Or, hell, where anythingwas.

Stepping deeper into the forest, ignoring Bakugou irritated groans, she entered a clearing overlooking what seemed to be a very large lake. She walked forward, kicking a stray stone that rolled through the grass and suddenly vanished. She made a move after it but halted, when she heard Bakugou shouting behind her.

“Slow down, damn it!” Bakugou stepped into the clearing with her, just at her heels. “This place is probably dangerous!”

“Where on earth are we?” Ochako asked, twirling to face him and spinning back curiously to follow after the trajectory of the stone. Where had it suddenly disappeared to... “Ah!”

Ochako thanked the gods (cruel though they may be) as Bakugou’s hand was wrapped around her waist in mere seconds, the explosion hero leaping into action at her yelp. Her left foot was angled awkwardly as he held her, boots taking with them clumps of dirt that fell down the side of the cliff she had happened upon until they became nothing more but specks in the distance. Ochako gulped as she looked down over the edge, arms dug into Bakugou’s biceps as he stared down in awe with her. At their feet was an almost impossible drop ending in serene, eerily glistening water — the area around them was covered in grass with no sign of a natural decline, as though the rest of the forest had been erased and replaced with a horizontal drop. It was almost…cartoonish. Bringing to memory the wacky childhood shows she’d watch with her dad on sleepy Sunday mornings when she was little. Those were always full of dramatic drops where the characters would be suspended in the air before dropping below. But those guys, Ochako remembered, they always survived. Something told her, their luck wouldn’t be quite the same as the roadrunner and coyote.

She stared down at the drop transfixed. “Did I almost just... I mean if I had would I have…Would I have…”

Bakugou broke out of the trance first, pulling them both back toward the forest and away from the fatal drop, and looked worriedly over Ochako. “Let’s not push our shitty luck any more than we have to right now and find out.” His voice pulled her from her stupor, and her eyes met his. Her pupils were wide and she looked more than a little shaken but she was alright. Thank god, Bakugou thought, she was alive. “You scared me, round face!”

“Where are we?” She repeated, admittedly still rather shakily, looking around them. 

Her eyes were met with nothing – nothing but trees.

Other than the sudden drop, all around them, there was nothing but trees. And even beyond the lake, were more trees — the forest, for as far as she could see, was endless in all directions.

 But everything felt weird, wrong. The sun shone a little too brightly. Every bird regardless of type or coloration of its plumage seemed to be singing the same song, a melodic unfinished tune. The grass crunched extra loudly underfoot. And the lake — Ochako has never seen a lake glisten and bubble like that, as though something strange was underneath its surface just waiting. The entire place was teetering on the edge of collapse. “Are you seeing this, Bakugou? What’s going on here? What happened in the club?”

“I’m not exactly sure.” Bakugou admitted. With the weird ass costume changes, elf ears and now this sudden cliff this whole ordeal was making his head spin. “I was headed back in and…fuck, I don’t know. It just felt bad? The air around the entrance felt…heavy.” He’d noticed it in the moment, the dark feeling surrounding the street and the thickness of the air but he’d been so focused on Ochako that it hadn’t really registered at the time. What an idiot. He should have known, should have been prepared. “I’d barely walked in when I saw everyone yelling at...some guy.” That guy had come out of nowhere and when he’d seen him he’d been so... bland. Ordinary. As if he’d been drawn as a template character — meant to be over looked, underestimated. And then... he’d done this. “Next thing I know half my fucking body if being pulled into some kinda vortex and you’re running straight into the whole mess. Now... now we’re stuck, Ochako, god knows the fuck where.”

 That fucking freak had done this to him, to them. Pulled them into a situation — dimension, planet, timeline, what-the-fuck-ever— where Bakugou knew he had to have the upper hand. Tipping the odds of this fight inevitably in his favor.

 But to what end? And why?

 That fucking coward.

 “And I’ve been thinking. Ever since we got here doesn’t this place seem…strange? Like something is building up behind all of this? Just waiting to explode?” He’d been thinking this ever since they’d tumbled down that hill, and the grass…the grass had sprung up under their weight as though they had never even been there. How the clump of dirt Ochako had sent down the cliff had suddenly filled itself back up as though she’d never even been there? This place just seemed… temporary. And even still something about this place, these costumes and, fuck he didn’t know, something in the fucking air almost seemed familiar to him. “And…I don’t but something about all this seems familiar to me. How about you?”

Ochako looked back at the lake and the forest wrapping around it like a slithering green snake. “I’ve got nothing. I’ve never seen anythinglike this.” Ochako shook her head. “I mean look at this lake. There’s something really weird about it.”

Bakugo turned to look over the lake again, watching the water bubbles float against the pull of gravity out of the lake and into the air before popping like soap bubbles. “Well, looks like we won’t be going on a swim anytime soon.”

Ochako snorted, dropping down to sit on the ground. “Looks like it.”

“Look,” Bakugou moves to sit next to her, resting his weight on his arms as he leaned back.” All of this shit? At the end of the day it’s just some idiot’s quirk, right? We’ve both dealt with our fair share of dumbasses with quirks, right? And we’ve got each other – so we can handle this.”

As Ochako looked at Bakugou in that moment, she was taken by the look of complete sincerity on his face. He really believed that he could figure whatever this was out — that bothof them could. His confidence tickled the back of her neck, filling her with a warmth that she wasn’t sure she could have generated on her own. He wasn’t an outright leader like Iida or naturally inspiring like Midoriya but Bakugou believed in himself with every fiber of his being and that… that had always been so infectious.

 It was that assuredness – that wholehearted, hell-be-damned, confidence – that drew people to him. Make them believe in him, in themselves. It was what made him such a great hero, a symbol of strength.

 Ochako had always admired and envied that.

She’d never been sure of herself, not like the others. Her quirk wasn’t outright suited to hero work like Iida or Shouto or Midoriya. And she’d never been the best student in their class, academically or hero-wise.

But Bakugou…he didn’t hold anything back, he believed in himself and in others so completely.

He’d believed that she was a threat that day when they fought in their first year. That she was worth all of his power, his effort. And she with every full powered blast she’d taken from him, she had started to believe it too. It was one of the things that she lov—

Ochako turned away from him, spluttering and blushing, she thought, probably to the very top of her new ears. If Bakugou noticed he didn’t make any move to mention it, and she was grateful.

He’d made it clear back in the alley that he was not going to back down. Not in the slightest. Especially since Ochako couldn’t bring herself to lie to him, tell him she didn’t have these feelings for him bubbling in her chest all of the time. And if his teasing and smoldering looks, even as they were facing an unknown foe, were anything to go – it was a matter of time before he cornered her again. She’d savor these small mercies from him as long as she could.

   
They didn’t have time for that right now. It would only make it hurt more.

And besides they had things to do, people to save.

She cleared her throat, willing her voice to steady. “I guess you’re right. But I’m just worried.” Bakugou looked at her, his question clear in his red eyes. “I’ve never even heard of a creation quirk being able to do something like this. I mean Momo can create things, sure, but there’s a limit — she uses her own body and she can’t create living things.” She thought back to first year, when Momo had explained her quirk to the class making sure to emphasize her inability to create life. Apparently, creation quirks were extremely rare and one that was capable of creating living beings or things had ever even been recorded in all the years since quirks had appeared in human history. And many people, she’d said, believed that such a quirk should neverexist. An abomination, they considered it. The power of a false god or a demon. And as the birds flew overhead, Ochako was beginning to understand their position. “But this? This seems endless, limitless. And I’m an elf, Bakugou. If I didn’t know better it’s think...It’s almost...like magic.” Her frown deepened, as the fear that had been momentarily forgotten in the chaos came crashing back. “And we don’t even know what happened to the rest of our friends.”

“Hey,” his hand moved to cover her own, the weight of it comforting her in ways she tried not to dwell on, “I don’t care if he’s a regular idiot or a fucking three star warlock, he messed with us and he’s going to pay.” He squeezed her hand, and she looked away from where they were intertwined to his eyes. “Those idiots are tough. I’m sure they’re somewhere is this fucking forest right now trying to catch the motherfucker as we speak.” A deep chuckle echoed through the woods as he looked her over, mockingly. “Don’t worry about them right now, worry about you. You’re a fucking elf.”

“Yeah,” She deadpanned, “I’m aware.”

“What we need, elf face, is a plan. Because neither of us has any idea where to go from here.” Bakugou frowned, but Ochako knew it probably just him returning to his normal resting face. Honestly she was just surprised he hadn’t started breathing fire at being turned into some kind of space knight. “And as much as I hate to admit it, it’d probably be helpful if we found some way to meet up with all the other musketeers.”

“I think before we can do that we need some kind of idea of where we are. Or where they are.”

“Well, how do you suppose we do that?”

“Well, dearies, you could start,”a snarl echoed all around them, as if the voice was speaking right into their heads, “by looking up.”

Both heroes shot up like lightning, looking frantically for any sign of whoever had suddenly appeared but there wasn’t a soul around except for them. Bakugou scowled, hands instinctively gripping the helm of his sword. The panels on both their bodies merged and spread, creating green and black armor around their bodies. The sound of blood rushing filled Ochako’s head, almost drowning out the sickly sweet laughter now ringing through the sky. 

“Ground Zero. Uravity.”The voice bellowed, excited in a way that made the hairs on her skin stand up all at once. It seemed to be coming from everywhere. “Ground Zero — a man possessing both unimaginable raw, innate power and a teetering heart, I must say I have always been a fan. Ever since they chained you to the podium like the feral, wild war beast you are.”Bakugou growled, eyes turned sky wards as the silhouette of a man seemed to step out from behind the clouds, black and faceless wearing a sinister smile. “And I must say, Uravity, I was pleasantly surprised when you jumped in to save Ground Zero — what a true show of bravery and heroism at its finest. I see why the country loves you.” His smile spread, seemingly splitting his face in two. “And maybe with the dumb luck you two seem to have you’ll actually make this interesting for me.”The man in the sky chuckled. “Or as interesting as you can before you and your little friends are all used up, trapped and dead here in the world I built, that I control. Here we make the rules, and you, heroes,”the hatred dripped from his voice so thickly that Ochako could almost taste it settling on her tongue, “you would be wise to follow them.”

“Who are you?” Ochako cried out.

“Me? No one in particular.”The voice filled Ochako’s head, infiltrating and slithering through her brain as she heard it.

“WHAT DO YOU FUCKING WANT?” Bakugou yelled. “GIVE US BACK THE CITY, YOU FREAK, BEFORE I FIND YOU AND BLOW A HOLE THROUGH YOUR CHEST!”

“Is that a promise? Imagine that. Me and Ground Zero in the final battle. Now isn’t that a bestselling issue waiting to be written?”The voice said. “Then I’ll take what I want from each of you and your little friends. We both will.”

“ What? What do you mean ‘bestselling issue’?” Ochako asked.

“FORGET THAT. IF IT’S A FIGHT YOU WANT GET DOWN HERE AND FIGHT ME NOW!” Bakugou’s eyes were deadly, red the color of blood. “I’LL GIVE YOU A FIGHT TO WRITE HOME ABOUT.”

“It can hardly be an epic with just the two of you can it? No. We have to get the whole cast together.”The voice remarked. “And besides, do you really think you’re ready to fight me in a world you don’t truly understand? That you aren’t from?”

“STOP TOYING WITH US!” Ochako shouted, blood boiling enough to rival Bakugou. This maniac had them trapped in some unstable universe and wanted them to do what? Go on some grand quest just to entertain him? “GIVE US BACK OUR FRIENDS NOW!”

“Oh. I have no interest in your friends, Uravity.”She could feel his smirk. “But my partner? Let’s just say he has a personal grudge against your little gang and a twisted sense of humor. If I was you I’d go along with this – it’s the only way any of your friends live to see another day. That is,”he chuckled, “before I take you all out.”

“FUCK YOU!” Bakugou shouted, pulling his sword from hilt. If he could fly, Ochako thought, he would have rushed up there, no doubt. “COME AND FIGHT US NOW. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. YOU FUCKING WEAK ASS COWARD.”

“Everything comes in time, Bakugou Katsuki. We must begin at the beginning — most things do — before we get to the end. After all “it the beginning that creates warriors, the middle that shapes heroes and the end that decides the fate of worlds”. Is it not?”

The sound of Bakugou dropping his sword startled Ochako, but nowhere near as much as the look on his face. She’d never seen him like this before and the sight of it nearly took her out.

Bakugou was staring up at the sky — terrified.

“I take it you know where you are and what you must do, Ground Zero.”His voice bellowed, shaking the trees. “Or maybe you don’t. Rescue a princess? Free a village? Slay a dragon? Which one will you choose, I wonder? Which is the right choice?”The birds flew from the trees all heading into the distance as if running from something. It set Ochako on edge. Something was happening. Something was ending. “I trust you’ll make it interesting at least? I’d hate to have done all this and still be so dreadfully bored at the end.” Bakugou was shaking slightly, as Ochako stepped close to him. She reached for his hand with both of hers, covering the larger one between them and squeezes. He’d been there for her in more ways than one, she would be her for him now. “I know a fellow knight when I see one. Now let’s see whether you’re all talk or the hero you claim to be. You know how this goes – see you on the other side.”

And with that, the voice disappeared.

“Bakugou? What does he mean? “The ground began to shake  as more and more birds flew out of the woods. Looking down Ochako watched with horror as the bird flew straight into the bubbling water of the lake followed by woodland creatures running into the waters. Ochako searched his face, looking for some kind of explanation for his erratic behavior. Why was he so scared? Where were they? “What’s going on?”

“Listen to me, Ochako, this is bad.” Bakugou turned towards her, face stoic and eyes stern. “We’re in a bad, fucked up situation, okay? But I need you to trust me. Can you do that? Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” Ochako said. Because it was that simple - when it came to her feelings for Bakugou it was always simple. “I trust you.”

“Then jump.”

“W-What?” She stuttered. “Into the lake? Why?”

“It’s not safe here,” Bakugou said, “this part of the world? It’s not stable, it never has been.”

“What do you mean? How do you know that?” A loud bang sounded. Ochako stared in awe and fear as she followed the sound – the clouds, once hanging high in the bright sky, were falling. The trees were wilting in the distance, vibrant green giving way to a dead brown and bark peeling. It was dying. Everything was dying. “It’s a starting point, a filler. We were never meant to be here for long. This was just the beginning.”

“What? You’re not making any sense, Bakugou! What are you talking about? Why did that guy call you a knight?”

“Listen, we need to go.” Bakugou grabbed both of her hands, looking her straight in the eye. “Please, Ochako. Please.”

As the sun began creaking, shaking like an incorrectly hung light, Ochako nodded. She trusted him and she followed him to the edge of the cliff, looking down as the animals all submerged themselves.

“Just tell me one thing,” She said, looking at him, “where are we? Do you know?”

“Page one.”

And as the sun fell to the ground, Bakugou and Ochako jumped.

Chapter Text

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Ochako found herself underneath Bakugou Katsuki. And while, admittedly, that wasn’t the worst place to be, Ochako would greatly appreciate not being flung through another vortex anytime soon.

“Sorry,” Bakugou muttered as he stood, extending out his hand for her to take. Her head was pounding, and his concerned voice was only adding to the painful tempo. She let out a groan. “Are you okay?” 

A slew of questions – Where the hell are we? How did we get here? Where is the man in the sky? What do you really know? – all competed to grasp her voice, but looking up at Bakugou’s pensive, worried face she simply nodded her head as she grabbed his hand. With what seemed like little effort, he pulled her to her feet quickly and she stumbled slightly from the sudden force of it (and the sudden churning of her stomach) bracing herself as she fell against the wide expanse of his chest. The slightest ‘umph’ escaped her lips as her face met the cool leather of his shirt, cheeks blushing uncontrollably. 

“Feeling a little woozy there, cheeks?” Bakugou grinned. And although it was, once again, at her expense she felt some relief that the scared, nervous look that had taken over his features seemed to have settled. Good. Seeing strong, confident Bakugou so shaken had bothered her more than was probably befitting a simple companion. And judging by his quirked brow and smug face as she looked up at him, resting her cheek against his chest was definitely not something a friend would do either. She stepped back, not quite ready to be so close to the explosive hero when her heart was thumping traitorously. “I don’t blame yah. My stomach feels like it was ripped out of my body, stomped on and shoved right back in.” 

“Gross.” 

Ochako looked at her companion carefully. The slightest tinge of green was painting his usually sun-kissed skin, contrasting strangely with the red of his eyes. He searched her face too, reaching out to touch a scratch she’d gained on her chin.

Ochako let out an involuntary shudder that she was sure didn’t go unnoticed by the pro-hero - why did he have to keep touching her?

“What just happened?” She looked around, seeing what appeared to be the same forest they had originally landed in but… it felt different. The melody of different birdsongs echoed in the distance filling her ears with the unsynchronized but almost familiar sound. Clumps of grass from their less than graceful tumble were thrown around the patch of ground, specks paining her lower calves as evidence. The sun still hung high in the sky, beating down on her skin with a heat that somehow felt warmer, more real than it previously had. It was almost like they were… “Are we back?” 

“Sorry to break it to you, Elf-y.” Bakugou let out a deep sigh, pointing at his own ears. “We’re not quite out of the woods yet.”  

Hesitating, Ochako reached up and felt the all too familiar peaks on the tips of her ears as her heart dropped.

They were still trapped. Still lost in this forest, where their friends were clearly not. Still at such a large disadvantage. The entire situation made her want to scream - how were they supposed to find their way out of this mess when they had no idea what was going on.

All they really knew was the little information that that ... sky man had given them, and she wasn’t sure if they could take any of what he said as true. Plus, she doubted that any villain who’d clearly been planning a large-scale attack like this would actually give them any useful information. 

Except maybe, Ochako turned to Bakugou, maybe they weren’t completely lost. Not yet. 

“Bakugou, he said you knew this place, right?” Ochako asked, walking over to him. The panels on her legs and arms glistened under the sun. “And you said this place was familiar too.” How he recognized this place was beyond her. She’d never seen any place like you in her life - even on her missions, they’d never travelled anywhere that even remotely resembled this place. “I trust you, but you’ve got to start sharing. Where are we?”

“I–I’m not quite sure how to fucking explain this.” 

“Well, you’re going to have to try, Bakugou.” She said, looking around them once again. Everything seemed calm. She could hear the sound of animals nearby, small squeaks and noises she suspected came from smaller, nonthreatening things and the crash of running water nearby. But other than that, there was no other noise around them – they were alone and, as far as she could tell, safe. For now. Something told her that could change very quickly. “Who knows when that sky man will pop back up. Or his partner – whoever that is. You need to tell me what’s going on. Now.” 

“Fuck, give me a second. This whole thing is fucking with my head too, alright.” Something in his face told her she wasn’t going to like the answer, but she hadn’t particularly liked anything they’d been through so far so she wasn’t surprised. Bakugou stuffed his hands in his pockets before turning to her, ” Let’s at least keep walking. It’s not like we can stay standing here all fucking night.”  

“Alright.” He was right. It would be better for them to start walking, see if they could find other people or shelter or something. It probably wouldn’t be the smartest thing for them to stay out here, in a world they knew almost nothing about, once it got dark. She nodded. “Lead the way.” 

He lead them west. They walked through the forest for a few minutes and, honestly, if Ochako hadn’t been in this terrible outfit and worrying about all her friends she may have enjoyed the walk. It was peaceful and quiet, as she followed behind Bakugou, giving him a moment to get his thoughts together. She glanced ahead watching how he carefully maneuver through the thick forest, strong arms holding branches back for her as they made it through into another clearing. 

(And if Ochako was ready to be truly honest with herself at this moment, she would have admitted that there was something particularity nice about strolling through the woods with Bakugou. Watching the muscles of his back tense and relax as he took long, confident steps. But she wasn’t.)      

Suddenly he stopped, and she narrowly missed walking straight into his back by a hair. 

He turned back towards her as she looked up at him. “Bakugou?”

“That man. What he said back there?” 

Bakugou leaned against the large oak tree next to him. Ochako moved closer, the shadows from the leaves painting shadows on her face. Her eyes never left him. “That stuff about beginnings and endings and shit? I’ve heard that before.”

“’It is the beginning that creates warriors, the middle that shapes heroes and the end that decides the fate of worlds’” Ochako repeated, his voice still clear in her head. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Maybe heard isn’t quite right, “ Bakugou shook his head,” I guess it’d be more accurate to say I’ve read that before.” 

Ochako looked at him confused. “You’ve read it before. In what book?”

“Every issue of Heroes and Heathens since I was six, “Bakugou chuckled humourlessly. “That’s the pledge of the Orcs – a magical race of goblins who go extinct in the middle of the Axe Wars Arc. The author puts it on the first page of every issue. It's a really popular comic.”

“Issue? Orcs? Heroes and – what are you talking about, Bakugou?” 

“Look around you, Ochako. Things aren’t normal here.” He said, frowning. “And not just this situation - look up.” Ochako followed his gaze, looking up into the intensity of the sun. Sun? As her eyes settled, she saw them - three orbs of light hung in the sky, forming an arrowhead shape in the clear blue sky. “We aren’t in our world anymore. And I don’t want to freak you out earlier but...”

She stepped closer to him. “What?”

Bakugou raised his hands from his pockets, glaring down at his palms. “My quirk. It’s gone.” 

Ochako gasped. Oh, no. “Gone?” That wasn’t possible. Quirks couldn’t just... vanish like that. There was no way... unless... unless... “We beat him.”

“We did,” Bakugou states, which all the conviction of a war-worn hero. “He’s dead. I saw it myself.”

“Then how...?”

“I have no fucking idea.” Bakugo kicked a stray stone, watching with rage-filled eyes as it bounced against another tree. She watched him, not knowing what to say. How to help him. “It’s just... gone.” What could she say? If she had thought their situation was bad before this made it monumentally worse. Bakugou was their powerhouse, the clearly better fighter out of the two of them and he was... quirkless? 

She could only imagine what that was doing to him. What he was thinking. 

“Bakugo,” she started, reaching out for him but stopping herself before she could actually touch him, “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He said, snapping his eyes back to her. “I’m not that shitty little kid anymore - I’m not going to kick off.”

“I know I just...”

“Don’t worry about me, cheeks. Worry about you.” Bakugou said, gesturing to her hands. “Does yours work?”

She looked down at her own hands, suddenly scared. Granted, she wasn’t as attached to her quirk as someone with Bakugou’s intensity – but it was still a part of her. A person’s quirk was so entangled in the essence of that person’s being that it was hard to imagine being without it. Honestly, that was probably part of the reason Bakugou was such a bully when he was little – he was only three but his quirk was already such an essential part of his essence that poor little Midoriya almost didn’t seem human.

It wasn’t right. But it was understandable.  

Ochako took a deep breath and reached out, tapping five fingers against Bakugou’s arm.

“What the –“The rest of Bakugou’s exclamation was lost as he suddenly shot into the sky faster than anything Ochako had ever seen before. She let out a panicked, “release”, just as Bakugou reached the tip of the tree. Luckily, quirk or no quirk he was still one of the highest ranked heroes of their graduating class and landed, albeit shakily. “Next time, warn a guy.”

“I’m sorry,” she looked down at her hands, the tip of her index finger was glowing a bright green before fading away, “I didn’t know that was going to happen.”

“I can tell.” Bakugou scoffed.

“I guess my power is fine?” Ochako said. “But that was really strange. I mean I’ve never been able to… blast someone up like that.”

“Now that I think about it - we shouldn’t really be so fucking surprised you still have your quirk.” Bakugou looked at her as if suddenly realizing something monumental, eyes searching over her face. “It kind of makes sense.” He suddenly moved closer to her, his nose almost touching hers and warm breath hitting her face. Ochako all but stopped breathing – why was he always so close?! “You are an elf after all.”

 “What,” she took a step back, away from the hypnotizing proximity, “elves have quirks in this book, too?”

“Well, no, greeny.” Bakugou said, as though this was public knowledge. It wasn’t. “They have sources.”

What? “What?”

“The source is basically magic that comes from different aspects of Astra – that’s what this bullshit world is called – and certain creatures have the ability to tap into those…”

“Sources for their powers?” Ochako finished. She scoffed. “Doesn’t that seem a bit… unoriginal.”

“Well, yeah. I said this shit was popular, not fucking original.” Bakugou said, rolling his eyes. “Just be happy we don’t need fucking wands and freaking incantations to get shit done in this hell hole.”

“So, what…” Ochako asked, crossing her arms and ignoring the way Bakugou’s eyes flicked to her less than covered chest. She turned from him blushing, narrowly missing the lecherous look in his eyes and smirk on his face. “My source is, what? Gravity?”

“Most likely air or some shit. Maybe cosmos if we’re fucking luck, then you can blast that smug bastard to the third moon of Tigras for me.”

“But if there’s magic in this world why can’t you use your quirk?”

“Not all creatures can use magic here. I’m not an elf and I’m probably not anything that can cast either.” Bakugou stated. “Like he said, he makes the rules around here. And he wrote us into a story where quirks don’t exist for everyone.”

“He wrote us into...what does that mean?”

“I think,” Bakugou started. “I think we’re trapped in the comic book.” 

Maybe the stress of this whole situation had finally hit her but as Bakugou looked at her no hint of mirth in his eyes, Ochako laughed.

Right in his face. 

“This isn’t fucking funny! It's fucking dangerous.” 

“I-I’m so-sorry, Bakugou!” Ochako scoffed. “It’s just… of fucking course we are!” 

“I really did rub off on you, didn’t I?” Bakugou looked downright smug. “I like it.”

That stopped her nervous laughter, replacing it with a fire sitting in her lower belly that she decidedly ignored. “Well, then do you know where we are?”

“Well,” Bakugou said, “Not exactly. I know we’re in Astra and judging by this forest we’re probably near the south of the continent. Depending on what arch he’s written us into that either means we’ll be dead by morning if you can’t control your little trick there enough to deal with gorgons and ogres or we can find some River Elves to hopefully give us a hand. And that really depends on what type of Elf you are… River Elves and Cosmo Elves have a long, kinda fucking depressing history and if this is before the Sunfall arch then, again, we’re fucking screwed but maybe…”

Ochako couldn’t help but smile at that. Bakugou was rambling – full blown Midoriya-level geek rambling.

 “You really like this comic, huh?”

Bakugou huffed, turning his face from her. The faintest red painting his cheeks.

“My dad used to read this shit to me when I was little. Fuck me for having no taste at six, little miss oak tree.”

“I think its cute,” Ochako smiled, “I’m glad you like it. It's probably the only thing giving us an edge here.” She moved towards him, still pouting like an oversized angry baby. “Besides I like learning what you like, Bakugou.”

“You.”

“Bakugou!” Ochako sputtered. “Now is hardly the tim–“

He grabbed her arm, pulling her the last few feet closer to him. His red eyes were once again locked on her, trapping her between the intensity of his gaze and the strength of his arm on her lower back.

She gulped.

“If I left it up to you there would never be time, round face.”

“Because this can’t happen. It’d hurt too much.” Ochako whispered, afraid that speaking the words louder would make give them more power than they already had on her heart. She knew they were true. That didn’t mean they didn’t break her heart every time she was close to him. “It especially can’t happen now when we have to find our friends and save the town, Bakugou, be reasonable.”

“Who do you the hell do you think you’re talking to, angel face?” Bakugou snickered, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Fingers lingering a second or two too long. “If anyone is reasonable it's me. Mr. No-Fucking-Nonsense.” His right hand joined his left, which had mysteriously migrated to her hip. Hmmm, she wondered, when had that happened. “That’s what you’ve been spouting by the way. Nonsense.”

 “Bakugou…” Ochako started, weakly. Why did the small circles he was rubbing into her skin feel so good?

“But that’s fine. It's that same shitty logic I’d have probably spouted, too, a couple of years ago.” Bakugou leaned down, nose nudging hers. “ But going off that shitty logic – then here, I can do whatever I like. And I like you, Ochako. I’ll get you pasted whatever is holding you back – I’m not waiting years for you to get your fucking act together. We aren’t heroes here. I’m a knight and you’re an elf.”

“We have to find our friends.”

Bakugou smiled, eyes dangerously promising her something she didn’t really know how to accept yet but it stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Who says we can’t do both?”

Ochako looked up at Bakugou trying to understand what he meant, there was no need, he pulled her snug against him and captured her lips.