"Dating other heroes would be so exciting and super cool," Ashido said, kicking her feet as she leaned into Jiro's side. "Especially if you know them personally."
"I mean, I get that," Sero said with a shrug. "Personality is important and everything, but that initial attraction is what's most important."
Kirishima shook his head. "You've got it all wrong, man," he said as he sat up from the couch, placing his elbows on his upper knees. "There's something about a woman with passion."
"Passionate sex—"
"Shut up, Mineta," Ashido said instantly, turning to Kirishima. "I like the way ya think."
Kirishima ignored the feeling of his heart skipping a beat.
Sero shrugged. "I don't know, I guess my opinion is invalid since I don't have a girlfriend."
Tsu laughed. "I guess so."
Kaminari turned to look at Bakugo, who had been daydreaming for the past five minutes. "Bakugo would know."
Bakugo blinked and turned his head towards Kaminari. "Huh?"
"Oh yeah," Sero said, sitting up better. "What do you think matters: personality or looks?"
He furrowed his brows. "The hell are you talking about?"
"Like in a girl," Kirishima added. "What's more important?"
He scoffed. "This is stupid."
"What did you notice first about Tsuki?" Kaminari offered.
"What did I first notice? " He wondered, looking at the wall behind his head. His mind whirled. "Her... strength," he admitted, feeling a twinge of embarrassment as he glared in Kaminari's direction. "Her fighting style."
"BORING."
"I knew he'd say something like that."
"You're asking him like they're a couple, though..."
"So personality over looks?" Kirishima shrugged. "Or strength?"
Sero laughed. "Haven't you guys been training every day since you got here?" Sero looked over at Tsu and back at Bakugo. "It's been weeks."
Bakugo eyed him. "Why does that crap matter?"
"Doesn't that make you wonder?" Kaminari whined, "If I trained with a girl every day for a month straight, I'd have to marry her."
Kirishima laughed. "Now that I think about it, you do spend more time with her than anyone else."
Bakugo furrowed his brows. "And?"
"How have you not confessed your love to each other yet?!" Ashido whined, hugging a pillow. "She talks about you all the time; and all you have to say is... and?"
Bakugo felt a pit form in his stomach. "She talks about me? " He eyed Ashido. "This is stupid."
Ashido whined into Jiro's arm.
Tsu shook her head. "I don't think Bakugo would even know if he had a crush in the first place."
"THE HELL DID YOU SAY?"
Kaminari laughed in agreement. "Yeah, you'd have to actually have a heart to do that."
"KEEP TALKING AND I'LL RIP OUT YOURS!"
"See."
The grouped students laughed in unison. Bakugo grunted, standing up and eyeing Tsuyu.
"Why are any of you asking anyway?"
"Because you and Tsuki would be so cute together!!" Ashido exclaimed. "Imagine the number one in Japan and the number one in America! UGH, THAT'S SO POETIC!"
"And wishful thinking," Tsu added, "that would be if Bakugo actually had people who liked him."
He eyed her. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY TO ME, TOAD?"
Jiro laughed. "He's never going to be number one if he keeps making faces like that."
"He'll never be number one if no one likes him," Ashido repeated, laughing into Jiro's shoulder.
Tsuki's voice rang in his head—he could even hear her laugh—"The majority of the population that you're protecting favors you the most."
His face calmed as he stared at them. "Is that what she meant? " He stood still for a moment. "Does that mean.. Deku..." He stepped back, holding his forehead.
"You okay, man?" Kirishima asked.
Bakugo swallowed hard and looked at him in panic; he gathered his composure. "Whatever. You'll all eat those words when I'm number one." Bakugo turned away, and the pit in his stomach expanded. His breathing grew uneven as he walked up the stairs. "Is that what Tsuki meant? That I couldn't touch the charts if people don't like me? Does that mean I was wrong? " The lump in his throat made tears brim in his eyes. He angrily entered his room, slamming the door. He stepped back, his back hitting the door. His breaths were hard and harsh. "Are they both that far ahead of me? So far ahead that I couldn't see it until now? " He placed his hand on his neck, his fingers pressing into his skin. "Was I blind to it this whole time? " He walked over to his bed and sat down. "But I admired AllMight so much... Did I not see it? " He angrily clenched his fist. "Am I holding myself back? " He placed his hand on his chest, clutching his shirt. "Am I my worst enemy? Were they that much better? "
...
Tsu pushed open the gym doors and smiled, peeking her head in. "Hey, Katsuki."
He looked at her with a glare. "Are you warmed up?"
She frowned at him. "No, hello? " She sighed, rolling her shoulders. "Yeah."
Bakugo didn't waste a single second as he exploded towards her with a forceful shot; Tsuki jumped over him, landing behind him. She furrowed her brows, looking at him as he spun around.
"Are you mad at me?"
He sucked in air through the cracks of his teeth. "SHUT UP AND FIGHT ME!"
He exploded towards her and shot at her leg; his blast caught her mid-jump, and her body flipped twice in the air before she landed on the ground. She spat blood as she got to her feet. He was right in front of her when she finished getting up; his palm lit up and exploded her backward. She landed hard on her tailbone, fracturing it.
"Love a man who's good with communication," she mumbled, wiping her mouth with her forearm. "He's going heavy today, huh."
He propelled himself into an explosion twister; his heartbeat was fast, and she could tell he was angry. She felt annoyed and irritated—she didn't want to fight him if he was angry at her; it wasn't any fun that way. Tsuki's face glowed orange from the explosions; she could feel the heat radiating toward her. She squinted, trying to see his body, then shut her eyes and listened to his heart. There was a tugging at her chest.
"Is he okay? " she wondered, her eyes clenching harder. "His heart sounds so... distraught..."
"HOWITZERRRRR IMPAAAAACT," he bellowed from above; he aimed his palms at her. "CLUSTER SHOT!"
...
