Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In Uraraka’s defense, it had seemed like a good idea at the time.

She knew how tight money was with her family. And she also knew how much a ticket home cost. So, despite her parents asking her to visit every other weekend, she had managed to come up with a variety of excuses to get out of it. A big assignment was coming up. She had promised to go out with some friends. She had hurt her arm in training. (After hearing her mother’s panicked reaction, she never used that excuse again.) Eventually, she realized that she’d need a more reliable, consistent reason why she couldn’t come home. Which…had led to this.

“I’m so sorry to ask, but could you please be my fake boyfriend?” Uraraka blurted out.

Iida choked. “Ex-excuse me?” he managed between coughs. “What-what did you say?”

Uraraka grimaced. She probably shouldn’t have asked when he was drinking water. “Sorry. I told my parents that I am dating someone, as an excuse not to go home. But now they are coming to visit, and they want to meet them! So, just for this Saturday, could you please pretend to be my boyfriend?”

Iida adjusted his glasses, obviously still struggling to keep up with the conversation. “You wish for me to play the part of your significant other? I must admit, I am not really comfortable with such a deception. Why ask me?”

“Who else can I ask?” Uraraka asked, exasperated. “I already mentioned it was a boy. And most of the guys I would trust to do this are already dating someone!”

“Why not ask Midoriya? He is not dating anyone, to my knowledge,” Iida said, frowning. “And he is very trustworthy. I am certain he would be a better fake partner than I.”

Uraraka blushed. “Er-no. No, I can’t ask him,” she stammered. The situation was complicated enough already. The last thing she wanted to do was add her crush on the green-haired boy to the mix. That would be a recipe for disaster.

Iida waited, clearly expecting a reason for why she couldn’t ask their mutual friend. When she didn’t provide one, he sighed. “I…am not a skilled actor. But you are my friend, and fellow classmate. As class president, it is my responsibility to aid you. So, I will do my best.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much, Iida!” Uraraka said excitedly. “I promise, I will make it up to you.”

Of course, it would be just her luck that Iida would come down with an illness the same day her parents were coming. “I am deeply sorry,” Iida said indistinctly through a tissue. “If I were to wear a mask, perhaps I could still accompany you.”

“Iida, you’re burning up!” Uraraka said with exasperation. “You need to stay here and rest. I shouldn’t have asked you to lie for me in the first place.” She put down the thermos of soup she’d brought onto his desk. “I’ll just find someone else. But you don’t need to worry about that! Just get some sleep.”

“I shall do as you say,” Iida said reluctantly. “I would give the same advice, were our situations reversed. Still, I am ashamed to have let you down.”

“No shame is necessary!” Uraraka said dismissively. “Now, I’ve got to go get ready. I hope you feel better!” She exited with a wave.

Iida sighed. Logically, he knew that he was in no position to help Uraraka . But it still galled him to disappoint a close friend. Surely there must be something he could do!

Catching sight of his phone, he was struck by an idea. After attempting to snag it a few times, he finally got it and began to text.

What was she going to do? Her parents were going to be here in less than two hours, and she had no boyfriend to show them. Should she pretend that they’d broken up? Or that he was out of town? Maybe she could stick close to the truth and say he was sick.

Yeah, that would work. Hey, Mom and Dad! I know you were so eager to meet my mystery boyfriend, who you’ve never seen and whose name I’ve never even mentioned, but he’s sick. What bad luck!

No, she’d have to find someone else. But who could she ask?

“Hey! Move your ass, Round Face,” a voice said grumpily behind her. Startled, Uraraka turned to be confronted by Bakugou. A shirtless Bakugou. A Bakugou who had clearly just gotten back from the gym, and was still slick with sweat. A Bakugou who somehow managed to look like a bodybuilder, even among the other students at U.A.

“Are you deaf?” he said after a moment where she didn’t move. “You’re taking up the whole hallway! Come on!”

“Be my boyfriend!” she blurted out, still staring at his abs.

Bakugou recoiled, looking as surprised as she could ever remember seeing him. “Wha-“ he managed. “What the hell? Have you lost your mind, Uraraka?”

“Er, no!” Uraraka said quickly, mentally slapping herself. “I’m not asking you out! I need a fake boyfriend for dinner with my parents.”

“Oh,” he said, frowning. “Why?”

“Because...they sort of think I have one. Because I said I did.”

“Wow. That’s pretty pathetic,” Bakugou said unsympathetically. “What do I get?”

“Besides a free meal?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll spar with you every day for a week.”

“For a month.”

Uraraka winced. Bakugou didn’t pull his punches, and while she appreciated him treating her as a worthy opponent, she appreciated the bruises significantly less. “Fine. For a month.”

“When’s the dinner?”

“In less than two hours.”

“Fuck. That’s barely any time to get ready!” he grumbled. “I gotta go shower.” He pushed past her roughly, heading towards his room. Uraraka fought the desire to stare at his back as he left, and returned to her own room.

Despite Bakugou’s complaints about being rushed, they arrived at the restaurant right on time. Bakugou was dressed casually, but not inappropriately for the restaurant they would be eating at, and Uraraka herself was just wearing normal clothes. Which made it something of a shock when she spotted Midoriya chatting happily with her parents outside in a full suit. It was clearly a little too small for him, and he kept tugging at it unconsciously. “Deku?” Uraraka asked tentatively.

Midoriya turned with a smile. “Uraraka!” he said happily, before catching sight of Bakugou. “And...Kacchan. What are you doing here?”

“That’s my line, you damn nerd!” Bakugou said irritably. “I said I’d go with Uraraka to dinner.”

“What?” Midoriya asked, confused. “But-I thought-oh. I-I kind of already introduced myself as Uraraka’s boyfriend.”

“What?!” Uraraka said with horror. Her parents thought she was dating Deku? How long had they been talking? What had they told him?

“That’s what I’m supposed to be doing!” Bakugou said angrily. “I’m supposed to be her boyfriend tonight!”

“Shut up!” Uraraka hissed. This was hopeless! She just had to come clean, and hope they wouldn’t be too upset. She turned to face her parents. “Mom, Dad,” she began. “There’s…there’s something I’ve got to tell you.”

To her surprise, her parents didn’t seem angry, or upset. Her dad was smiling supportively, while her mom was... blushing? “It is alright, Ochaco, I think we get the gist,” her dad said reassuringly. “I understand why you were concerned about what we might think. But we know the city is a very different place. And you are a smart, responsible girl. We know you’ll make good choices.”

“At least this explains why you are always so busy,” her mom said happily. “Two boys is enough to run any girl ragged.”

Color flooded Uraraka’s face. “Wha-what? No, that’s-that’s not,” she stuttered. They thought she was dating both of them? Bakugou and Midoriya? She wobbled, her legs suddenly weak.

Bakugou, of all people, caught her by the arm and kept her upright. “That’s right,” he said with a sneer. “We’re her boyfriends.” Uraraka stared at him, shocked, as he entwined his fingers with hers. “And we treat her like a goddamn princess, get it? If she couldn’t float, we’d carry her around in a fucking palanquin. Right, Deku?”

“Uh, right! Yeah,” Midoriya managed after a moment, nodding eagerly. “Uraraka is…very important to us. She is always so kind and hardworking, that it inspires us to do better ourselves. She is already a great hero!”

By this point, Uraraka’s face was so red, she was seriously wondering if she had caught Iida’s fever. All of this being a fever dream seemed far more likely than it being real. “Stop it,” she hissed at both of them. “What are you-“

“She’s pretty good, anyways,” Bakugou interrupted. “Knows how to use her quirk well, which is better than most of the fucking extras I gotta deal with. Clever, too. Got to end a fight with her quick, before she thinks of something sneaky.” He grinned. “I mean, still no match for me. But then, who is?”

Her parents laughed, apparently taking Bakugou’s arrogance as a joke. “Well, it sounds like our girl is in good hands,” her mom said fondly. “Shall we go inside?”

“Yeah, we’ll be just a moment, Mom,” Uraraka managed, smiling weakly. As soon as her parents had entered the restaurant, she whipped around to glare at Bakugou. “What do you think you are doing?” she hissed, careful to keep her voice low. “Telling my parents I’m dating two people? What is wrong with you?”

“You’re the one who started lying about dating someone, dumbass,” Bakugou retorted. “I decided to help you, purely because I am a goddamn saint. Not my fault fucking Deku went and made everything complicated.”

“I was asked to help!” Midoriya protested. “Iida didn’t want to let you down. And I wouldn’t want you to get stood up either.” He shifted uncomfortably, smiling weakly. “I’m…a little surprised you asked Kacchan to help you, instead of asking me. But I’m sure there was a good reason!”

“Deku...” Uraraka said hesitantly. What could she even say? Sorry I didn’t ask you to be my fake boyfriend, because I might end up confessing my stupid crush?

“She wanted her parents to think she was dating a real man; not a crybaby like you,” Bakugou snorted.

“Shut up!” Uraraka snapped. “Deku, I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. You are one of my best friends, and if I have to ‘break-up’ with my boyfriend, I didn’t want my parents to dislike you. I don’t care if they don’t like Bakugou.” He flipped her off, which she ignored. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’ve-I’ve been kind of panicking all week. And not making the best decisions.”

Midoriya studied Uraraka’s face before smiling more genuinely. “I understand. I’m sorry that I made everything more complicated. Kacchan’s idea was smart, though,” he said, enthusiasm creeping into his voice. “He really is good at thinking on his feet.”

“Of course I am,” Bakugou said angrily. “A hero has to be ready when the unexpected happens. Like when their dinner date gets crashed by a fucking dweeb.”

“Hang on, hang on,” Uraraka said firmly. “You think this is a good idea?”

“Well, yeah,” Midoriya said thoughtfully. “Like your mom said, it explains why you were always too busy to come home. It also explains why both Kacchan and I showed up, and why you were so hesitant to reveal details about your ‘boyfriend’. Your parents might have assumed you were dating someone they wouldn’t approve of. But since they already said they were okay with the idea of you being in a polygamous relationship, it is a good way to alleviate those worries.”

“I guess,” Uraraka said slowly. “But Deku…are you okay with…all this?” She gestured to herself and Bakugou.

Midoriya nodded. “I’ll be fine,” he said cheerfully. “You are my friend. And Kacchan and I have been getting along much better lately.”

“Go die at the bottom of a well,” Bakugou snapped.

“See?” Midoriya said, smiling. “Let’s head inside, before your parents start to worry.” He reached out his hand, offering it to her. With a jolt, Uraraka realized that Bakugou had never let go of her hand. Hesitantly, she reached out and took Midoriya’s, before entering the restaurant together.

Chapter Text

Uraraka’s discomfort was immediately amplified when she realized they’d be sitting in a booth. Her parents took one side, while she, Bakugou, and Midoriya ended up cramped together on the other. Uraraka found herself sandwiched between the two boys, intensely aware of the fact that they were both touching her. Neither of them seemed to notice however, with Bakugou stretching out into the aisle and Midoriya sitting up straight next to the wall.

“I hope you boys have a good appetite!” her father said warmly. “Feel free to get whatever you like!”

“Yes sir!” Midoriya said stiffly.

“You don’t have to call me sir,” he said, amused. “I’m not gonna bite your head off! I remember what it was like, meeting my wife’s parents.” He glanced over at her mother affectionately. “You’re both young heroes, after all. My daughter couldn’t be in better hands.”

“Dad!” Uraraka hissed.

“You’re damn right she couldn’t be!” Bakugou said lazily. “Nothing gonna happen to her while we’re around!”

“Kacchan!” Midoriya said admonishingly. “Be more polite!”

“No.”

Midoriya sighed. “I’m very sorry about Kacchan!” he said, bowing slightly. “He’s...well, he’s always like this, I’m afraid.”

“There’s no shame in being honest,” her father said, passing out menus. “I’ve been called blunt myself! But tell me, son. What is your name? I don’t think you want me calling you ‘Kacchan’.”

“Fuck no!” Bakugou snapped. Midoriya winced. “Bakugou. Katsuki Bakugou. Also known as King Explosion Murder.”

“Quite the...colorful name,” he mother said uncertainly. Uraraka closed her eyes. Why on earth had she thought asking Bakugou to do this was a good idea? Oh, that’s right. She hadn’t been thinking. She’d been looking at his abs. Why did someone so unpleasant have to look so good with his shirt off?

“Anyways,” Bakugou continued. “We may always have her back, but Uraraka’s no delicate flower. She can handle herself against most of the rejects we gotta deal with. And when it comes to stupid emotional stuff? She’s good at that too. At least she’s better at it then fucking Deku.”

“C’mon, Kacchan!” Midoriya complained.

“What? It’s not my fault you cry all the time.”

“You didn’t need to tell them that!”

“Anyways!” Uraraka snapped. “We should decide what we’re going to eat. I’m going to get an appetizer.”

“Ochaco!” he mother said admonishingly. “We’re treating you and your boyfriends. You can get an appetizer if you want, but get an entree as well.”

“It’s too expensive!” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want to impose after bringing two people when you were expecting one.”

“We’re not bankrupt, Ochaco,” her father said gently. “We can afford to eat out once in a while.”

Uraraka bit her lip. “Still…”

“Why don’t you split an appetizer with your boys?” her mother suggested. “Would that be okay with the two of you?”

“Sure,” Bakugou said, shrugging.

“Of course!” Midoriya said happily. “How about the gyoza, Uraraka?”

Uraraka looked at Midoriya‘s smiling face helplessly, before sighing. “Alright,” she said reluctantly. She went back to searching the menu, looking for the least expensive meal she could order.

After a little while, a waitress came to take their orders. Neither Midoriya or Bakugou ordered anything outrageously expensive, and Bakugou was even surprisingly polite talking to the waitress. Uraraka was just beginning to relax a little when her mother dropped another bombshell.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking,” she asked shyly “how did the three of you…get together?”

Bakugou opened his mouth but Midoriya beat him to the punch. “Oh, Kacchan and I have known each other since we were kids,” he said easily. “We fought a lot, but we were inseparable. We even decided to go to the same high school!”

“So you both aimed for U.A. and got in? That’s quite impressive!” her father said, smiling.

“It wasn’t easy. But we always motivated each other to do better,” Midoriya said modestly, while Bakugou stared at him in baffled silence. “I’ve learned a lot from Kacchan over the years!”

“Bakugou is very talented,” Uraraka admitted. “Though Deku is too! He’s smart, and strong, and brave!”

Midoriya blushed at the compliments, before continuing. “I met Uraraka at the entrance exam, when she saved me from falling.”

“Oh!” her mother exclaimed. “Ochaco, is this the boy who punched the giant robot? I remember you gushing about him afterward!”

“Mom!” Uraraka exclaimed. That was not something she needed Deku knowing!

Midoriya smiled weakly. “Anyways, all three of us ended up in the same class, and became friends. Right, Kacchan?”

“Yeah,” Bakugou said sullenly. “Great friends.”

“Sorry,” Midoriya said in a stage-whisper. “Bakugou isn’t very in-touch with his feelings.”

Bakugou reached across Uraraka to punch Midoriya’s arm. “I’m in touch with my anger, Deku!”

“Stop that!” Uraraka snapped, elbowing Bakugou in the side. The two began squabbling while Midoriya leaned forward, smiling wryly at Uraraka’s parents.

“Kacchan confessed to me once we were both accepted to U.A.,” he said sweetly. Both Bakugou and Uraraka swung their heads to look at him in shock. “I guess that’s when we formally became boyfriends. But honestly, I think that we’ve always belonged together. Until we met Uraraka, I didn’t think there would be anyone else for us.”

“Oh! So, you two are together as well?” her mother asked, surprised.

“Yep! It’s all three of us together!” Midoriya said happily, while Bakugou stared at him open-mouthed. Uraraka wasn’t faring much better, the phrase ‘all three of us together’ conjuring some very vivid images. Some very dangerous images. Images she definitely shouldn’t be thinking about at the table in front of her parents.

“Deku…” Bakugou said menacingly. Uraraka could see sparks beginning to pop in his closed fists.

“Sorry, sorry,” Midoriya said with a laugh. “I’ll stop with the mushy stuff. After we got to know Uraraka, we realized that we both felt pretty strongly about her. So, one night, we confessed to her together.”

“Oh dear! That must have been quite shocking!” Uraraka’s mother said sympathetically.

“Ye-yeah,” Uraraka said awkwardly. “I didn’t think they’d-that they’d both-” Oh god this was embarrassing! Pretending as though she were so desirable that two boys had asked her out at the same time? How could anyone possibly believe that? How was she going to face Midoriya and Bakugou after this?

“Fortunately, Uraraka said yes,” Midoriya said smoothly, rescuing Uraraka from having to answer. “We’ve been together since.”

“That’s wonderful!” her father said sincerely. His phone buzzed, and he checked it, frowning. “I’m so sorry, but will you excuse us for a moment? It’s the fire station project,” he said to her mother, who frowned as well. “We’ll just be a minute.” The two shuffled out of the booth.

Bakugou had the decency to wait until they were gone before he exploded. “What the fuck, Deku?” he exclaimed, slamming his fists down. People at other tables glanced over, but he didn’t pay any attention to them. “You and me? Dating?”

“It’s just part of the boyfriend act, Kacchan,” Midoriya said reassuringly.

"You came up with all that on the fly?" Uraraka asked, still stunned. Midoriya could be hilariously awkward with people he didn’t know very well. But when he had talked to her parents, he had seemed perfectly calm.

"Well, not exactly," Midoriya admitted bashfully. "I prepared that backstory ages ago, just for me and Kacchan. I think I did an okay job weaving you into it, though!"

"Hang on! What the fuck?" Bakugou interjected. "You prepared a fake story about us being some kind of childhood sweethearts? Why?"

"In case we ever needed it, Kacchan!" Midoriya said earnestly. "Managing our publicity is an important part of being a hero. A sympathetic, romantic story could be helpful in a lot of situations. So I made sure to practice that one a lot, and come up with answers to a lot of different questions."

Bakugou stared dumbly at the green-haired boy, clearly either too angry or too bewildered to speak. Uraraka took advantage of the silence to get a word in. "Anyways, now they think we’re all dating. Somehow. So go with it, Bakugou, or the deal’s off.”

Bakugou glared at them both. “Fine,” he said shortly. “But I’m not going to hold back in practice.”

“You’ve literally never held back in practice,” Uraraka pointed out.

“Sure I have. You two are alive, aren’t you?”

“Kacchan,” Midoriya said calmly. “It’s only for one dinner. All you have to do is be nice to Uraraka.”

“I am nice!” Bakugou objected. Uraraka squeaked as he settled an arm around her shoulders. “I’m the best fake boyfriend there is. Just going to have to deal with being the worst partner, Deku.”

Midoriya sighed, before taking Uraraka’s hand and kissing it lightly. “I’m sorry he’s like this,” he said to her in a low voice. Uraraka prayed to every god she could think of that he didn’t feel her hand shaking. “I hope your parents aren’t going to be offended.”

“Nope!” Uraraka said in a voice that was far too high. “I’m sure it’ll be fine!” She was very aware of the weight of Bakugou’s arm, and the spot Midoriya had kissed seemed to tingle. Weren’t they getting way too into this? Why were they still all crammed into one side of a booth? This was too intense!

Midoriya was right. It was just one dinner. She just had to survive this dinner, and then she could pretend that this never happened. Bakugou would go back to being an annoying jerk and sparring partner, and Midoriya would go back to being a good friend that she might have the smallest crush on. She’d never find herself sandwiched between the two of them again.

Okay, bad phrasing, because now she was thinking about being sandwiched between them in a different way. God, why was this booth so small? And was there no air conditioning in this restaurant? She felt like she was burning up. Hopefully there was no one here with a mind reading Quirk, or she might actually die of shame. No one could know what was going through her head right now. Least of all Bakugou and Midoriya.

Chapter Text

A few moments after her parents had left, the waitress brought them their appetizer. “Oh! The gyoza looks good, doesn’t it?” Midoriya said happily, as the woman set it down. Bakugou merely grunted, before reaching for one with his left hand and popping it into his mouth. He had still not removed his arm from Uraraka’s shoulders. Something she was very aware of. Why did he have to be so muscular? It made it difficult to remember that he was an arrogant jerk.

Midoriya eyed the two for a moment, before smiling slightly. “Try one, Uraraka!” he said brightly, picking one up and holding it in front of her mouth.

Uraraka felt the blood rushing to her face. “I-I can eat by myself!” she said stiffly.

Midoriya kept smiling and holding it out. “Of course you can! But there's nothing wrong with letting your boyfriend treat you, right?”

Uraraka closed her eyes, forcing herself to remain calm. Was Midoriya trying to kill her? Had she wronged him in some way, and made him decide to make her heart explode in revenge? Why were these two acting like this when her parents weren’t even there? Not that she wanted them to do this sort of stuff in front of her parents.

Whatever. Like Deku had said, it was one dinner. She just had to play along. Uraraka opened her eyes, turning to look directly at Midoriya, before hesitantly opening her mouth. His smile widened, and he slowly fed her the dumpling.

“So? Is it good?” he asked eagerly, after Uraraka swallowed. She nodded mechanically, though she had not tasted it all. Was this something boyfriends really did? If she were really dating Deku, would he…

“Oi! What do you think you’re trying to pull, Deku?” Bakugou said with a sneer. “You trying to prove you’re a better boyfriend than me?”

“I’m just offering our girlfriend some gyoza, Kacchan,” Midoriya said innocently. “You can too, if you want to.”

“I don’t need to copy you, nerd,” Bakugou said stubbornly. “A loser like you doesn’t know anything about romance!”

Uraraka sighed internally, as she put the pieces together. Of course. These two had turned the fake date into a competition. That’s why they were doing all this lovey-dovey stuff! Or at least, that’s why Bakugou was doing it. Midoriya was harder to read.

Bakugou stuck a piece of gyoza in his mouth and turned toward her. “Here,” he mumbled, “eat it.”

Uraraka shook her head violently. “No thank you!” she said hurriedly.

“What?” he grumbled. “You’ll let Deku feed you, but not me?”

“He wasn’t feeding me with his mouth!” Uraraka said exasperatedly. Did Bakugou really think she was going to give up her first kiss like this? On a fake date, eating gyoza?

“Just eat it!” Bakugou said, frustrated. “Deku, will you-”

Midoriya leaned over Uraraka, and bit into the other end of the gyoza. She sat, frozen, watching him kiss Bakugou for a long moment, before he leaned back, licking his lips. “Thanks, Kacchan!” he said, slightly breathless. “That was delicious!”

Bakugou sat for a moment, stunned, before his expression changed to one of pure rage. “What the hell!” he roared, slamming a fist into the table. “Deku! You-you-” he spluttered, too angry to speak properly.

Midoriya grinned. “Oh, I’m sorry, Kacchan! Were you not offering it to me? I must have misunderstood,” he said gleefully.

Uraraka couldn’t move, her brain constantly replaying the moment. Midoriya and Bakugou, kissing inches away from her face. Her crush and a handsome boy, kissing in front of her. She must have gotten Iida’s fever. There was no way something like this could happen in real life. She was just having a very embarrassing dream. In a little while, she’d wake up in her own bed, take a cold shower, and try and forget she had ever imagined any of this.

Bakugou’s arm around her was shaking so hard, Uraraka felt as though she was sitting in a vibrating chair. “I’ll kill you,” he said in a low voice, glaring at Midoriya. “I’ll-I’ll-!” He got up from the table, and stormed off towards the bathroom.

Midoriya watched him go, frowning. “I hope I didn’t overdo it,” he said worriedly. “That was probably rash.”

“You-you kissed Bakugou,” Uraraka said faintly, finally finding her voice.

“Yeah,” Midoriya said hesitantly. “Sorry that was so sudden! I didn’t really plan to do it.”

“You kissed him,” Uraraka repeated.

Midoriya looked at her, concerned. “Yes,” he said slowly. “I did.”

Uraraka stared at him. “With your lips,” she said, dazed.

“Um. Yeah,” Midoriya said, blushing slightly. “Is that...bad?’

“No!” Uraraka said hurriedly. “No, it’s not-it’s not bad! I’m just...surprised!”

“Yeah,” Midoriya said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. “I’m kind of surprised too. That I actually did it, I mean.”

“...Have you...thought about doing it before?” Uraraka asked slowly.

“Well. Yes,” Midoriya confessed. “Sometimes.”

“...Oh,” Uraraka said, biting her lip. That...cast a lot of Midoriya and Bakugou’s interactions in a different light. “So...uh. Do you...do you like him?”

Midoriya sighed. “I don’t know,” he said frankly. “I’ve always admired Kacchan. Even though he’s rude and violent, he’s also intelligent, and powerful, and confident. I was always so weak, and he was always so strong. And then when I came to U.A., and started catching up, I got to see how amazing he was even against other heroes. So of course I look up to him. But...is that all there is to my feelings? Probably not.”

“So. You really do...like boys?”

“Yes.” Midoriya said simply. “And girls. I always have. Not that it really mattered, of course,” he added, blushing. “I...wasn’t very popular at my old school.”

“They didn’t know what they were missing!” Uraraka said, regaining her footing. Defending Deku was familiar territory. “You’re amazing, Deku! Anybody would be lucky to go out with you.”

“Thanks,” Midoriya said shyly. “Anyone would be lucky to be your boyfriend too.”

Uraraka waved her hands. “Oh no, not really! I’d be a pain to date.”

“I don’t think so!” he said eagerly. “So far, this date has gone pretty well!”

Uraraka winced. “Well, yeah,” she said weakly. “But. I mean, it’s not like a real date. Like going to the movies, or something.”

“Is there something coming out that you want to see?” Midoriya asked curiously.

“Um. Well, there’s a new action movie coming out soon,” she said uncertainly. “The yakuza one, set in the 70’s? I thought that looked like it might be good.”

“Oh, that sounds great! We should definitely go see that,” Midoriya said cheerfully.

Uraraka frowned. Was...was Deku asking her out on a real date? No, he meant going to the movies as friends. Right, of course. Her brain was just scrambled from this whole situation. There was nothing weird about two friends going to see a movie together. They’d probably invite Iida to go too, assuming he was feeling better. “Sure,” Uraraka said, smiling gingerly. “We should definitely do that!”

“Sorry about that!” her father said apologetically, returning to the table. Her parents shuffled their way back into the booth. “This new fire station we’ve been putting in has turned into a nightmare.”

“Is Bakugou alright?” her mother asked, glancing at the empty spot. Abruptly, Uraraka realized that she was still pressed up against Midoriya for no reason and she scooted away.

“He’s just in the bathroom,” Midoriya explained, while Uraraka pretended that she hadn’t just been cuddling with him. “He should be back in a little while.”

“So. Do the three of you have any plans this weekend?” her father asked.

“Actually, Uraraka and I were just talking about going to see that new yakuza movie!” Midoriya said, picking up another piece of gyoza. “Kacchan and Uraraka both love action movies, so that should be fun!”

Uraraka stared at Midoriya. Did...did Deku think that she had agreed to go see a movie with him and Bakugou? Or was he just weaving real life into their fake relationship? “Yeah,” Uraraka said hesitantly. “It should be great.”

“You don’t enjoy action movies, Midoriya?” her mom asked curiously.

“Oh, I do! I just tend to like hero stuff,” Midoriya said sheepishly. “I guess that’s kind of embarrassing, considering we’re all planning to be heroes.”

“It’s not embarrassing!” Uraraka said encouragingly. “All your All Might merchandise is really cool!”

“Ah,” her father said knowling. “A big fan of All Might, yeah?”

“Yes,” Midoriya admitted, smiling bashfully. “I’ve always looked up to him.”

As Midoriya continued to gush about All Might, Uraraka tried to organize her thoughts. So. Her best friend/crush liked boys. In fact, he probably liked Bakugou, which wasn’t difficult to understand. While his personality was awful, Bakugou was very good-looking. But did Bakugou like boys? Hard to say. Uraraka had never really heard him gush about girls the way some guys in their class did. In fact, it was pretty hard to imagine Bakugou doing that. But that didn’t mean that he liked guys! He had reacted pretty negatively when Deku had kissed him. But that might have more to do with the fact that it was Deku, rather than the fact it was a boy. And he hadn’t responded negatively enough to get them kicked out of the restaurant, which he was very capable of doing. So…

So. Midoriya and Bakugou. Might. End up. Dating. That would be...interesting. Her mind flashed back to the two of them kissing, and she blushed. Gah! Not interesting like that! She just wanted Deku to be happy. And if dating a handsome jerk would make him happy, then she’d be behind him one hundred percent! She owed him for this dinner, anyway. If she could get the two of them together, they’d be even. She’d get over her stupid crush once he was dating Bakugou. All she had to do was play matchmaker!

Chapter Text

Eventually, Bakugou returned to their table, looking sullen. He slid back into the booth beside Uraraka, but didn’t put his arm around her again. Which she wasn’t disappointed about! At all! He remained quiet as Midoriya chatted with her parents happily, the conversation still mainly focused on All Might.

Uraraka frowned. Bakugou seemed...distant. Normally, the boy was almost impossible to ignore; his personality radiating out to dominate the space around him. Even his silence was loud. She couldn’t remember him being this quiet before. Had Deku kissing him bothered him that badly?

If she wanted Midoriya and Bakugou to get together, she’d have to find out if Midoriya actually had a chance first. If Bakugou wasn’t interested, it would be better to know sooner rather than later. Uraraka had a hard time imagining that the explosive boy would simply tell Deku if he asked, though. There was too much tension between them for that. Uraraka might have a better chance. So…

“There looked like there were some good cakes behind the glass at the front!” Uraraka said as cheerfully as she could manage. “I think I’ll go check them out! Mind coming with me, Bakugou?”

Bakugou stared at her. For a moment, she thought he’d snap at her that he wasn’t interesting in some stupid cakes. But instead, he just shuffled out of the booth, letting her out, before following her to the front.

Uraraka stepped out the front door, taking a few steps to be out of the entrance. Bakugou followed her out. “So, what do you want?” he asked in a low voice. “You didn’t drag me out here to talk about dessert.”

Uraraka swallowed. This conversation could get very complicated, very fast. “I just...wanted to see how you were doing.”

Bakugou frowned. “You worrying about me?” he asked in a challenging tone. He always seemed to interpret any sort of concern for his well-being as an insult.

Uraraka rolled her eyes “Worried that you won’t hold up your end of our deal. You’ve been acting weird.”

“I’m fine,” he said irritably. “I can do it.”

“Yeah, pouting in silence really screams good boyfriend material,” Uraraka said sarcastically. “It’s a good thing Deku is here.”

Bakugou tensed up. “Bullshit. All he’s been doing this evening is blathering on about his All Might merchandise and fucking with me.”

“Fucking with you?” Uraraka asked, raising an eyebrow. She had a pretty good idea what he meant, but she wanted him to say it.

“You know what I mean!” Bakugou snapped. “All the flirting, the cutesy fake backstory, the...all that shit! He’s just trying to mess with my head. But I won’t let him win.”

“You really think he’s doing all this because he’s trying to wind you up?” Uraraka asked in disbelief. She didn’t know why she was surprised; Bakugou seemed to think everything Midoriya did was to annoy him personally.

“Why the fuck else would he kiss me?!” Bakugou growled, clenching his fists. “That damn nerd! Who the fuck does he think he is?”

“Weren’t you the one trying to get me to kiss you?” Uraraka asked, blushing a little at the memory. “When you offered me the gyoza?”

“That’s different!” Bakugou said firmly.

“How?”

“You asked me to be your boyfriend.”

“I-no! I didn’t!” Uraraka spluttered.

Bakugou grinned widely. “No, you're right. You didn’t ask. You demanded. ‘Be my boyfriend!’ Right?”

Uraraka forced herself to breath. Bakugou was just trying to rile her up. She had to stay calm. “I asked you to be my fake boyfriend,” she said, as steadily as she could manage. “For this dinner.”

“Sure, afterward.” Bakugou said dismissively. “But the first thing you said was ‘Be my boyfriend!’ While staring at my abs pretty hard.”

Uraraka cursed her past self. Why was past-Uraraka always making things difficult for her? “I was just...distracted.”

“I’ll bet,” Bakugou said with one of his trademark manic smiles. “Couldn’t take your eyes off me, huh?”

Despite herself, Uraraka blushed. God. Did she actually like the crazy way he smiled? Admiring Bakugou’s abs was just a normal human reaction for someone who liked guys. Enjoying his crazy expressions probably means that she should seek out some sort of treatment. Like trepanation.

She shouldn’t be thinking about this. She should be trying to find out if Midoriya had a chance with Bakugou. She had to redirect the conversation somehow. “Just like how you can’t take your eyes off Deku?” she asked boldly.

Bakugou froze. He stared at her for a long moment, visibly stunned, before scowling. “Fuck. You are a sharp one, Round Face.” He sighed heavily. “Yeah. So I look at Deku once in a while. What about it?”

“So maybe he wasn’t just messing with you,” Uraraka said firmly. “Maybe he’s been looking at you too. Maybe he’s interested in you, and you’re just too pigheaded to notice.”

Bakugou snorted. “What are you on about? You think I haven’t noticed how lovey-dovey you two are?”

“We-we aren’t!” Uraraka said hotly. “I’m not the one he has a special nickname for!”

“That’s childhood shit!” Bakugou said with equal heat. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“You’ve never told him to stop, though! Not once!”

“What the fuck do I care what people call me? “

“So, you don’t mind if I do it? Kacchan?” she asked sweetly, emphasizing the name.

Bakugou jolted as though Kaminari had snuck up behind him and shocked him. “Don’t,” he said in a warning tone.

“Don’t do what? Kacchan?” Uraraka asked, smiling wildly. This was undoubtedly very dangerous, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, like when she was giving it her all in a fight. Everything felt sharper and more intense.

“Uraraka,” Bakugou growled. “I’m warning you…”

“Warning me about what, Kacchan?” she asked brightly. “Do you mind when I use your nickname, Kacchan? Is there only one person you want to be calling you Ka-”

Before she could say the name again, Bakugou seized the front of her coat, pulling her close. “Say it again,” Bakugou snarled. “One more time. See what happens.”

Uraraka stared into his wild eyes, his face only a few inches from hers. “Kacchan,” she said quietly.

She wasn’t sure what she was expecting to happen next. Maybe for Bakugou to start yelling for real. Maybe for him to blow something up. She doubted he’d actually attack her; he wasn’t that wild. Bakugou might rage, but there was almost always a measure of control to it. He would never jeopardize his future as a pro hero just because he was angry.

Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly hadn’t been for Bakugou to suddenly kiss her. Hard. Uraraka’s eyes widened as he roughly pressed his lips against hers, before slowly drifting shut. Oh. So. This was what a kiss was like. It was very different then she had imagined but...not bad. Not bad at all. She wouldn’t mind doing this again.

Eventually, Bakugou pulled away, panting. Uraraka might have been too, she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure she was breathing at all, actually. “Every time you call me Kacchan, I’m gonna do that,” he said, letting go of her coat.

“Promise?” she asked faintly.

Bakugou stared at her for a moment, before snorting. “Let’s get back before your parents die of boredom,” he said, turning towards the door. “Deku’s probably still going on about his fucking action figures.”

Uraraka nodded mechanically, though Bakugou wasn’t even looking at her. She waited until he had re-entered the restaurant before turning to rest her forehead on the building.

She’d kissed Bakugou. Bakugou! The most arrogant, violent boy she’d ever met. Why? Why had she let this happen? She supposed to be getting him together with Midoriya, not kissing him! She was a terrible matchmaker. What would Deku do if he found out that she’d kissed Bakugou right after he’d told her he had a crush on him? Did this, in fact, make her the worst friend in the entire world?

Uraraka thumped her head against the building. Two kisses, and dinner hadn’t even been served yet. How was she going to last until the end of the night?

Chapter Text

By the time Uraraka returned to the table, Bakugou had already slid in next to Midoriya, showing no apparent discomfort at being so close to the boy. She gingerly sat down next to him, only to feel a strong arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her close. “Bakugou!” she complained.

“You were sitting so close to the edge, you looked like you were about to fall off!” Bakugou retorted. Uraraka glanced nervously at her mother, who was smiling at her.

“So,” she asked cheerfully, “did you see anything you liked, dear?”

Oh, right. She and Bakugou were supposed to have been looking at cakes. “Uh,” she said nervously, trying to think of what had been on display. “I...I thought that-”

“She said she wanted to try the Black Forest,” Bakugou said in a bored tone. “Because she’s boring as hell and always gets the same thing.”

“Oh! Yes, Uraraka has always loved Black Forest cake,” her mother said happily, while she stared at him, utterly bewildered. How had Bakugou known that she loved Black Forest cake? Or had he just picked something she liked by chance?

Bakugou caught her staring and grinned. “Not surprising,” he said smugly. “Her tastes are pretty basic.” He nodded almost imperceptibly towards Midoriya.

Uraraka felt herself blush. “Oh? Then what would you want?” she asked challengingly. “Something with cinnamon, right?”

Bakugou frowned. “Actually, yeah. How’d ya guess?”

“It’s obvious,” Uraraka said, snorting. “You hate stuff that is too sweet, but you do like flavors with some bite. Cinnamon is both sweet and spicy, so you probably want a cinnamon cake.”

“Wow! You really know his tastes, Uraraka!” Midoriya said enthusiastically. “Kacchan loves stuff with cinnamon.”

“What?” Uraraka said distractedly, staring at Bakugou’s face. “Oh, no! No, it was just easy to guess. Kacchan is actually pretty simple, once you figure him out.”

Bakugou gave her a wild grin. “Oh really?” he asked in a low voice, his grip on her shoulder tightening. Before Uraraka knew it, he was kissing her again. This kiss didn’t last as long as the last one, (un)fortunately, being only a little more forceful than a peck on the lips. “What can I say,” he said, staring into her eyes. “I can’t resist stuff that is sweet and spicy.”

Uraraka spluttered ineffectually, as Bakugou leaned back, clearly proud of himself. He’d done it! He’d kissed her again. Right in front of her parents and Midoriya! Oh god. If only there was a skylight she could escape through. Poor Deku! He’d have every right to hate her after this.

“So,” her mother said, blushing a little. “You do know your boys’ tastes, Ochaco! Have you been cooking for them at all?”

“Oh, Kacchan doesn’t give her much of a chance,” Midoriya interjected. “He’s an amazing cook! If he didn’t want to be a hero, he could definitely work at a restaurant.”

“It’s nothing special,” Bakugou said with a snort. “Anybody with any brains can cook. I’m just surrounded by idiots who don’t even know how to handle a knife.”

“You can cook?” her father asked, impressed. “That’s wonderful! I could barely feed myself when I was your age.”

“Or now,” her mother said teasingly. “I do most of the cooking at home. When she was growing up, Ochaco was always trying to help me, but....”

“Mom!” Uraraka complained.

“Yeah, she’s useless in the kitchen,” Bakugou said bluntly. “They both are. Fucking Deku can barely use a microwave.”

“Kacchan!” Midoriya said platively.

“I’m glad you're there to take care of them,” her mother said warmly. “I was afraid Uraraka would be living off instant yakisoba.”

“It’s cheap!” Uraraka said defensively. “And easy to prepare.”

“It’s half a step below canned dog food,” Bakugou growled. “Every time you make that shit, it stinks up the whole kitchen. At least Deku’s fucking All Might cereal doesn’t smell.”

“The kitchen does sort of smell bad after you’re done,” Midoriya said apologetically.

Uraraka sighed. She’d never noticed any kind of bad smell after she’d finished microwaving her food. But if even Midoriya was saying it, it was probably true.

Wait. Wasn’t Midoriya acting a little too normally? Hadn’t he seen her kissing Bakugou? Or rather, Bakugou kissing her? Why wasn’t he more flustered? Did he think it was just part of the fake boyfriend act, and so he didn’t care? If he liked Bakugou, why was he so calm about him kissing someone else?

“We are so lucky to have Kacchan to rely on,” Midoriya said sweetly, leaning against Bakugou and resting his head on his shoulder. Bakugou flinched, but didn’t push him off. “You wouldn’t know it from the way he acts, but he really is the nurturing type. He’s always telling us to rest, or go to bed, or to eat something.”

“It’s frustrating to watch you idiots run yourselves into the ground,” Bakugou muttered.

Uraraka frowned, thinking. She could remember plenty of times when Bakugou had yelled at people to go to sleep. She’d always assumed he was just being bossy. Was he actually worried about people taking care of themselves?

“You three are very sweet together,” her mother said excitedly, as the waitress finally brought their food. “Would you mind if I took a picture?”

“Mom!” Uraraka said, panicking. She didn’t want photographic evidence of tonight! What if it got posted online? What if everyone found out that the three of them were supposedly dating? She’d gotten enough teasing about her crush on Deku. If Hagakure thought she was dating Bakugou and Midoriya, she’d never let it go!

“Sure, go ahead,” Bakugou said, sounding bored.

“I don’t mind!” Midoriya said eagerly. “But wouldn’t you rather have Uraraka in the center?”

“It’s fine!” her mother said dismissively, pulling out her phone. “I’ll take more later. Smile!”

Uraraka hastily fixed a grin on her face. Midoriya beamed, his smile so bright it almost seemed to emit light. Bakugou didn’t bother to change his expression at all.

“Aww,” her mother cooed. “It’s so cute!”

“Stop harassing them, dear,” her father said fondly. “Let’s get to eating, before our food goes cold.”

Uraraka quickly took the excuse to dig in. Anything to avoid more awkward conversations or embarrassing pictures! She’d just have to ask her mother not to post that picture. Or frame it. The idea of coming home to visit, only to be confronted by a picture of herself with Bakugou and Midoriya was unbearable.

Chapter Text

Uraraka barely tasted her food as she ate, still preoccupied with her situation. Her mother had ultimately forced them to pose for several more photos, with the last featuring her in the middle, being hugged by both Bakugou and Midoriya. So, not only was there now a number of dangerous photos of the three of them together, but she was once again sandwiched between her two crushes.

Wait. She didn’t have a crush on Bakugou! She’d just kissed him. Twice. No, she hadn’t kissed him! He’d kissed her! That was the right way to think about this. She couldn’t be blamed for enjoying it. He was a handsome boy; she was only human! He was the one at fault; not her!

“This is delicious!” Midoriya said enthusiastically. “Do you want a bite, Uraraka?” He offered her his fork, as if that were a totally normal thing to do.

“N-no thanks!” Uraraka said hurriedly, eyes darting to her parents. Why was Deku acting like this? Was this really how he thought couples acted? She had to signal to him to lay off the flirting, or she wasn’t going to last.

“Are you sure? It’s really good!” he said earnestly, pushing the loaded fork a little closer to her face.

Reluctantly, Uraraka opened her mouth, letting Midoriya feed her. “What do you think?” he asked eagerly.

“It’s good,” Uraraka said faintly, very aware that her mother was watching her with interest. “A little too spicy for me, though.” She emphasized the last sentence, hoping he would take the hint and dial back the flirting.

“Spicy, huh?” Bakugou said, unimpressed. “Give me a taste.” He leaned over Uraraka without removing his arm from her shoulder and opened his mouth.

Midoriya blinked in surprise, before smiling. “Of course, Kacchan!” he said happily, loading his fork again. “Tell me what you think.” He pressed closer to Uraraka and fed Bakugou with no apparent self-consciousness, inches from her face. She couldn’t help but close her eyes in mortification. Why were the two of them both like this? Was she the only one here who had any shame at all?

Bakugou swallowed, looking distinctly unimpressed. “Weak,” he proclaimed. “I mean, it’s decent, but it’s not spicy.”

“You probably have a higher tolerance for that sort of thing,” her father said amicably, apparently unconcerned about the two boys practically on top of his daughter.

Bakugou snorted, but didn’t verbally disagree, returning to his previous position. Uraraka breathed a sigh of relief.

“Something wrong, sweetheart?” Midoriya asked, not moving from his own position.

Uraraka forced herself not to react. Sweetheart…”No, it’s nothing!” she said hurriedly. She quickly ate some more of her own food, so she wouldn’t have to say anything else. After studying her face for a moment, Midoriya moved back and did the same.

Thankfully, there was no further conversation during the meal, as everyone focused on eating. Her mother was the last to finish, setting down her utensils. “I couldn’t eat another bite!” she proclaimed, settling back into the booth. “I’m completely stuffed.”

“Me too,” her father agreed. “Now that we’re all pleasantly full, I suppose it’s time to deliver the good news.”

“Good news?” Uraraka asked curiously.

“That’s right,” her father said, nodding. “You remember the museum job we were working on?”

“Yeah, the art museum. I remember.”

“Well, the director was very pleased with our work. So pleased, he’s offered to let us vacation in his cabin in the mountains for a few days!”

“Really? That’s amazing!” Uraraka said happily. “When?”

“This winter, over your break. How does a few days of skiing and snowboarding sound?”

“That sounds fantastic!” Uraraka said enthusiastically. It wouldn’t be for a few months, but she couldn’t remember the last time her family had gone on vacation. “I can hardly wait!”

“Of course, you two are welcome to come as well,” her mother added, to Midoriya and Bakugou. “We’d be happy to have you.”

“Oh, I don’t think-” Uraraka said hurriedly.

“I’d love to!” Midoriya said excitedly. “That sounds like a lot of fun!”

“Yeah, it sounds neat,” Bakugou said nodding. “You sure there’s going to be room for us, though?”

“It’s not huge, from what I’ve heard,” her father admitted. “Only two bedrooms.”

“Oh, that’s too bad!” Uraraka said, barely concealing her relief. “But, if that’s the way it is…”

“Well, there’s no reason you three can’t share,” her mother said, glancing pointedly at her husband. “It’s hardly a shack; there should be plenty of room for you all to sleep. The beds are supposed to be kings.”

“...You-you mean the room can fit three king-sized beds?” Uraraka asked hopefully. She had a sudden sense of foreboding.

“No, there’s only one bed per room,” her father said thoughtfully. “But I suppose there is no reason three people wouldn’t fit in one.”

“Exactly!” her mother said, smiling. “No cause for concern.”

“That-that’s definitely a cause for concern!” Uraraka exclaimed, eyes wide. “You-you’re saying that the three of us should-should-”

“What? Idea of sharing a bed got you all hot and bothered?” Bakugou asked, smiling wickedly.

Uraraka jerked as if she’d been shot. “No! Not at all! I just-I mean-” she babbled. “Dad, you’re really okay with this?”

Her father smiled uneasily. “You’re a big girl now, Ochaco,” he said, shrugging. “It’s not really any of my business. And the bedrooms are on opposite sides of the cabin. I don’t really care what you do in there. It’d be...a little hypocritical if I did.” Her mother slapped his shoulder, blushing.

Uraraka, meanwhile, felt as though she was on fire. Sharing a bed with Midoriya and Bakugou? No, she couldn’t! Even just pretending to be dating them for dinner was difficult. She’d never be able to keep up the facade over an entire trip. Not if they were expected to sleep together.

“Well, I’m fine with it,” Bakugou said calmly. Uraraka glared at him. He probably thought this was funny. “Deku?”

Midoriya had gone slightly pink. “Um. Well, I-I don’t have any objections,” he said shyly. Uraraka couldn’t stop her mouth from falling open. “It sounds like it could be fun!”

“It will be fun. As long as everyone is careful,” her father said, his tone growing more serious. “I realize this is an awkward question to ask, but...are the three of you...taking precautions?”

“Oh my god,” Uraraka moaned, trying to sink underneath the table.

“Oh! Yes, we’re being very careful!” Midoriya said brightly, losing his embarrassment in his enthusiasm. “We are aspiring heroes, after all! We are always careful to practice safe sex. We’ve got plenty of condoms, dental dams, and spermicide. We also make sure to thoroughly wash and sterilize all of our toys between encounters.”

“Jesus, Deku,” Bakugou complained. “He wasn’t asking for a play-by-play about how we wreck his daughter. He just wants to make sure we don’t knock her up.”

Uraraka closed her eyes. Where was a meteor when you needed one? Why couldn’t her quirk be something more useful, like self-immolation?

“Oh,” Midoriya said, sounding uncertain. “I’m sorry if that was too much information! I just wanted to let you know that we take this very seriously.”

“I...see,” her father said hesitantly. “That’s...good.” Uraraka couldn’t stop herself from groaning.

“We’re glad you are being safe,” her mother said firmly. “Now, what about dessert?”

“I thought you were full,” her father said, eager to change the subject.

“There’s always room for dessert,” she said primly. “Why don’t we take a look at the cakes ourselves?” The two shuffled out of the booth.

After they were gone, Uraraka let her head fall on the table. “Deku…” she said dully.

“I’m sorry,” Midoriya apologized. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you! I was just following All Might’s advice.”

“All Might’s talked to you about sex?” Bakugou asked incredulously.

“Oh! No, not personally. He did a video about safe sex years ago,” Midoriya explained. “My mom got it for me.”

“Figures,” Bakugou said, unimpressed.

“Why did you say we were having sex at all?” Uraraka asked, sitting up. “Why didn’t you just say we were waiting until we were done with school, or something?”

“I...suppose I could have,” Midoriya admitted. “Sorry, it didn’t occur to me.”

“So, now my parents think I've been having threesomes,” Uraraka said, still in shock. “Even when we ‘break up’, they’ll think I was...that I’ve been…”

“What’s the big deal?” Bakugou asked gruffly. “They didn’t seem like prudes. Hell, they practically encouraged the three of us to do it on the trip.”

“Yeah, that’s another thing!” Uraraka complained. “Why did you two say you’d come? Why didn’t you just say you had other plans?”

“What’s the big deal?” Bakugou repeated with a shrug. “The trip’s not for months. We’ll have ‘broken up’ way before then. Right?”

“I-well,” Uraraka hesitated. “I guess...you’re right, but-”

“If we said we couldn’t go, they might try and do something stupid. Like rearrange the trip. Or contact our parents,” Bakugou continued. “It’s simpler this way. I say I’ll go, we break up in a few weeks, and then you and Deku can enjoy your vacation.”

“What? What are you saying?” Uraraka said hotly. “I’m not-I’m not really dating Deku!”

“Oh please,” Bakugou said dismissively. “You obviously like him.”

“Not-not like that!” Uraraka said angrily. “You’re the one obsessed with him.”

“I’m not obsessed with fucking Deku!”

“So you don't have a picture of him in your room?” Uraraka asked smugly.

Bakugou jerked. “Wha-you been snooping in my room?” he asked aggressively.

“Saw it when you had your door open.”

“Well, then you know that it’s on a dartboard,” Bakugou said hotly. “That doesn’t prove shit!”

“Just admit that you like him!”

“You’re the one who likes him!”

“Guys!” Midoriya said urgently. “You’re yelling.”

“Stay out of this, Deku,” Bakugou said warningly. He did lower his voice, though. “If you would just kiss your stupid girlfriend, it’d be obvious that she’s into you.”

“Sh-shut up!” Uraraka stuttered. “Just-kissing someone doesn’t prove that you like them.”

“Sure,” Bakugou said, clearly unconvinced.

“Well, then why did you kiss me?” Uraraka said challengingly. “Does that mean you like me?”

Bakugou paused for a moment, frowning. “Well…yeah. I guess so.”

“What?” Uraraka asked, shocked.

“I mean, you’re hot, you can fight, and you don’t take anyone’s shit,” Bakugou said with a shrug. “So, yeah. I guess I’m into you.”

“What-you-” Uraraka spluttered trying to put together a sentence. Bakugou...liked her? Bakugou, the living incarnation of rage and pride?

“What’s the big deal?” Bakugou asked uncomfortably. “I mean, it’s obvious that you’re into me.”

“I am not!” Uraraka managed to get out. “What would make you even think that?”

“You yelled at me to be your boyfriend while staring at my abs. You aren’t subtle.”

“That’s-that’s not what happened!” Uraraka said lamely, turning to Midoriya. “Deku, you-”

Huh. She wasn’t talking anymore. That was odd. Her lips were definitely moving, but she wasn’t talking. Why would her lips be moving if she wasn’t talking?

Oh! She was kissing. That’s what it was. She was kissing Midoriya. Or Midoriya was kissing her. It was hard to tell. It felt nice, though. Very...soft.

Midoriya pulled his head back a little, breaking their kiss. “I guess Kacchan was right,” he said, giggling a little. “I just had to kiss you.”

Uraraka gawped at him, her brain having come to a halt. Deku...had kissed her? Her?

“‘Bout time,” Bakugou grumbled. “Should have done that earlier.”

“It’s hard to just kiss people out of the blue!” Midoriya complained.

“You didn’t seem to have much trouble kissing me earlier.”

“Well…” Midoriya hesitated. “That was more...spontaneous! I didn’t plan to kiss you.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t blow you through the fucking wall,” Bakugou growled.

“Yeah!” Midoriya said, nodding sincerely. “You were pretty upset!”

“No shit! Thought you were just fucking with me, like usual.”

“I’m never fucking with you, Kacchan! But...if you want to…” Midoriya said slyly, lowering the tone of his voice.

Bakugou reddened slightly. “Knock it off,” he said roughly.

“You kissed me!” Uraraka said finally, eyes wide. Bakugou snorted.

“Um. Yes,” Midoriya said sheepishly. “Sorry! It seemed like a good time.”

Uraraka stared at him blankly. “You kissed me.”

“...Yes,” Midoriya said, a note of concern entering his voice. “Did you...hate it?”

“...No,” Uraraka said faintly.

“Oh. That’s good!” Midoriya said, smiling in relief.

“Sorry for the wait!” Uraraka’s mother said, scooting back into the booth. “Two of them just looked so good, I couldn’t decide which one I wanted!”

“Yeah, that’s always a tough decision,” Midoriya said sympathetically. “Why not get both?”

“You know, I think I will!” she said happily. “There’s no reason just to settle for one!”

“Exactly!” Midoriya agreed. Uraraka covered her face with her hands.

Chapter Text

After dinner, her parents dropped all three of them outside the dorms. “It was so nice to meet you two,” her mother said happily to Bakugou and Midoriya. “Thank you for taking care of Ochaco.”

“It’s our pleasure!” Midoryia said warmly. “And really, she takes care of us too.”

Bakugou snorted but didn’t deny it, which Uraraka supposed was the best she could hope for. “Be safe on the road,” he said sternly. “Lotta shitty drivers out there.”

“We’ll be careful,” her father promised. “Have a good time at school, Ochaco! And don’t hesitate to come visit us; we miss you!”

Uraraka felt a lump in her throat. “I miss you too,” she said honestly. “I’ve just been-”

“Don’t worry about the expense,” her mother said, waving away her excuse. “Being able to see you is always worth it, dear. Promise me that you’ll come home soon?”

Uraraka sighed. Trying to avoid going home had caused this whole mess to begin with. It was probably better to spend the money. “I promise,” she said reluctantly.

“Good girl! Have fun, you three!”

“In a safe way,” her father added firmly. Before Uraraka could muster a reply, he’d pulled away.

The three slowly entered the dorm, not talking to one another. Since it was fairly late, everyone else already seemed to be in their rooms. The silence was profoundly awkward. Uraraka closed her eyes, once again cursing her past-self. If she hadn’t tried to lie to her parents, she’d never have ended up in this terrible situation. Now how was she supposed to interact with Bakugou or Midoriya?

Uraraka’s stomach growled. Bakugou shot her a disappointed stare. “You didn’t order enough,” he said in an accusatory tone.

“I ate plenty!” Uraraka insisted. “I just...burned it all off, that’s all. I’ll just heat something up.”

“Absolutely not!” Bakugou snapped. “Your fucking yakisoba reeks. Sit down.” He shoved her, lightly. For Bakugou. She felt back onto the couch, where Midoryia quickly joined her. “I’ll make you some soup. Deku, you’re having some.”

“I’m not that hungry, Kacchan,” Midoryia said, snuggling up to Uraraka in a way she found very distracting.

“I didn’t ask. You’re eating,” Bakugou growled, stomping into the kitchen.

Midoriya sighed. “So bossy,” he said quietly.

“I heard that!” Bakugou shouted from out of sight.

“Um. Deku?” Uraraka asked faintly.

“What is it?” Midoriya said, turning his attention to her. Their noses were less than an inch apart. If he was any closer, he’d be sitting in her lap.

No, don’t think about Deku in your lap! “What...are you doing?” she asked hesitantly.

Midoriya cocked his head. “Waiting for soup, apparently.”

“No. I mean. Why are you...so close?” Uraraka asked, staring into his deep green eyes. It occurred to her that she should probably be looking out for any of her classmates who might walk in on them, but she couldn’t seem to force herself to look away.

“Oh. Am I...making you uncomfortable?”

“No! No, that’s not it!” Uraraka said hurriedly. “I’m not uncomfortable. It’s just...my parents are gone. You don’t need to pretend anymore.”

“Pretend? What do you mean?” Midoriya asked innocently. Only the small smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed his amusement

Uraraka gritted her teeth. “You don’t need to pretend to be my boyfriend,” she said firmly. “I already owe you for tonight. You and Bakugou.”

“Oh, right!” Midoriya said brightly. “Actually, I do have an idea as to how you can pay me back.”

“Oh? Okay,” Uraraka said, frowning slightly. “I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Well. You know that yakuza movie we were talking about seeing?” Midoriya said, grinning awkwardly. “Well, I don’t...actually have a lot of money right now. Would you be okay with buying my ticket?”

“Of course!” Uraraka said reassuringly. “That’s no problem.” She could afford two movie tickets. Especially after everything Midoriya had done for her tonight.

“Great!” Midoriya said happily. “Hey Kacchan?”

“What?” Bakugou asked grumpily.

“Do you wanna go see that yakuza movie with me and Uraraka? The one set in the 70’s?”

“Sure,” he said shortly. “Tomorrow?”

“That’s good with me. What about you?” Midoriya asked, turning back to Uraraka.

“Uh. Yeah, that’s fine,” Uraraka said uneasily. She didn’t expect him to invite Bakugou along. “I don’t think Iida will be well enough to go, though.”

“Honestly, I don’t think he would want to go anyways,” Midoriya said, shaking his head. “Iida wouldn’t want to feel like a third wheel. Or fourth wheel, I guess.”

“What? What do you mean?” Uraraka asked, frowning.

“Well, he probably wouldn’t want to tag along on a date,” Midoriya said calmly. “That’s kind of an awkward situation, after all.”

“What!” Uraraka exclaimed.

“Keep your voice down!” Bakugou said hypocritically, carrying in a tray with three bowls of soup. “You’re going to wake up the whole damn dorm.”

“Shut up! Deku, what do you mean, a date?” Urakaka asked frantically.

“Well, we are going to the movies,” Deku pointed out. “And you’re buying my ticket. That’s a pretty clear sign that it’s a date.”

“No it isn’t!” Urakaka said insistently. “Besides, I’m not buying Bakugou’s ticket.”

“Like I’d let you,” Bakugou scoffed. “I’ll buy the snacks.”

“What? No!” Urakaka said, temporarily distracted. “They charge way too much! I’ll just sneak some candy in my bag.”

“I’m gonna be a pro hero. I’m not doing shady shit like that!” Bakugou snarled. “And neither are you. You’re my girlfriend; I’ll buy your stupid candy.”

“I-I’m not your girlfriend!” Urakaka stuttered, blushing bright red. “It was pretend! Just pretend.”

“Were all those kisses pretend too?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “You sure seemed to like them.”

“I-that’s not the point!” Urakaka said hurriedly. “You should be dating Deku, not me!”

“I am dating Deku,” Bakugou said casually, flopping down on Urakaka’s other side and grabbing his soup. “I’ve decided he’s not entirely worthless.”

“Kacchan...” Midoriya said, clearly touched. “I love you too.”

“Wait!” Urakaka said desperately. “If-if you two are together; then why am I here? Let me just get up and you two can-”

“You’re not going anywhere. Eat your soup,” Bakugou said roughly, scooting up against her. The two boys were now so close to her, there was no way for Urakaka to stand.

“You should listen to Kacchan,” Midoriya said encouragingly, picking up his own bowl. “You need to make sure you get enough calories.”

Urakaka looked helpless from one to another. Were they serious? Did they seriously plan on dating her and each other? How the heck was she supposed to react to this situation?

Slowly, Urakaka picked up her bowl. “If...if we’re dating,” she said slowly. “Then I get to call you Kacchan. Are you okay with that? Kacchan?”

Bakugou leaned over and kissed her lightly, before setting back in place. “Nothing stopping you,” he said casually. “Long as you understand I’m gonna do that every time.”

Urakaka glared at him. “Why? You don’t do that to Deku.”

“Oh! Should I start kissing you every time you call me Deku?” Midoriya asked happily.

“No! This isn’t a drinking game,” Urakaka complained.

“Okay. Then can I kiss you just because I want to?”

Urakaka’s eyes widened. “Uh,” she said nervously. “Y-yeah. I guess so.”

Midoriya smiled widely, before kissing her gently. Like many things, he was unfairly good at it. Urakaka closed her eyes, enjoying the soft sensation, until she was abruptly shaken from the experience by an elbow to the side. “Hurry up and eat your soup, you dimwits,” Bakugou said grumpily. “It’s gonna get cold.”

Urakaka rolled her eyes, before grabbing her spoon. “Jealousy isn't a good look for you,” she remarked, sipping some soup.

“Who's jealous?” Bakugou barked, bristling. Midoriya laughed lightly.

Urakaka smiled faintly. She had no idea how all of this was going to work out in the long run. But as for tonight, it hadn’t been that bad of a dinner.