~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bakugou POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Are you... saying you like me?"The nerd’s question hung in the air, and my brain completely short-circuited. My eyes went wide, and I could feel the heat roaring up my neck. "Shut up! I didn't say—I'm not—!"Before I could finish my angry denial, Deku took a sudden step forward. He grabbed the front of my shirt, pulled me down, and pressed his lips firmly against mine. I froze. My hands hovered in the air, completely paralyzed. The kiss was quick, soft, and tasted like the spicy food we just ate, but it felt like a literal lightning strike hit my chest. When he pulled back, his own face was bright red, but he was smiling—a genuine, breathless little smile."I like you too, Kacchan," he whispered. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. My mouth opened and closed like a d@mn fish, my tough exterior completely shattered. I was entirely flustered. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Deku POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My heart was beating so fast I thought it might burst, but seeing Kacchan completely speechless and blushing from ear to ear made a wave of relief wash over me. He didn't explode. He didn't yell. He just stared at me, his hands twitching, looking entirely dazed. "Come on," I said softly, giggling a little at his frozen expression. I bravely reached down and slid my fingers into his hand, tugging him back toward the stairs. "Let's go finish dinner." Kacchan let out a tiny, dazed "Tsk," but he didn't pull his hand away. He just followed me down the stairs like a robot, his face still a dark, burning crimson as I led him back down to the common room. When we walked back into the kitchen, the entire common room went dead silent. It wasn't just Mina and Sero anymore—Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, Kirishima, and Kaminari were all sitting together, pretending to look at a textbook but clearly waiting for us. Mina’s eyes immediately dropped to our joined hands. She let out a gasp so loud it probably shattered windows on the upper floors. "Oh my god. Look!" Kacchan aggressively pulled his hand from mine, his face burning a dark, furious crimson. "Mind your own damn business, raccoon eyes!" He marched right back over to the dining table and dropped heavily into the empty chair next to mine, crossing his arms and burying his face deep into his collar. "Ribbit," Tsuyu blinked, a small smile appearing on her face. "It looks like the hallway talk went well."Iida stood up immediately, his arm chopping the air frantically. "Midoriya! Bakugo! While I am glad you have successfully resolved your emotional communication issues, holding hands in the common area must remain respectful of communal boundaries!" "Oh, lay off them, Iida!" Uraraka cheered, giving me a massive thumbs-up from across the table. Todoroki quietly took a sip of his tea, looking between me and Kacchan. "So, is the loud one yours now, Midoriya?" "Half-and-Half, I will murder you in your sleep!" Kacchan roared from inside his shirt, though there was absolutely no real blast or anger behind it. I sat down right next to him, picking up my chopsticks again. The anxiety that had been weighing me down all week was entirely gone.
