Normal: Talking
Italics: Thinking
-2nd person pov-
November 25th, Saturday - 7:35 pm
The music session had wrapped up a while ago, and now the group was back in the living room, sprawled out in various spots as the night settled in.
The clock on the wall read somewhere around 7:35, and the atmosphere had shifted into something more laid-back.
The earlier excitement from your performance now simmering into a quiet hum of contentment.
You were curled up on the living room couch, sipping on a drink Mina had tossed you from the fridge.
Jirou sat next to you, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone while Denki and Kirishima argued over a stupid mobile game.
Bakugo sat in the corner chair, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded like he was debating whether to stay or leave.
Sero stretched his arms over his head, letting out a groan as he got up from his seat.
"Alright, I gotta dip," he said, grabbing his jacket from where he'd draped it over the couch. "Night patrol's calling my name."
"Damn, already?" Denki whined, sprawled out on the floor with a bag of chips on his stomach.
"Yeah, man. Duty calls," Sero shrugged, slipping on his jacket.
Mina pouted. "Boo. Just skip it."
Sero snorted. "Yeah, lemme just call in and say, 'Sorry, can't make it, my friends are peer pressuring me into slacking off.'"
"You wouldn't be lying," Denki added, grinning.
Sero chuckled, shaking his head as he grabbed his jacket. "I'll catch y'all later."
Kirishima stood up from the couch, walking over to fist-bump him. "Stay safe, man."
"Always," Sero replied before heading to the door.
With a lazy wave, Sero made his way out.
• ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ •
After Sero left, the group naturally slipped back into conversation, the energy settling into that comfortable, late-night vibe where everyone was too relaxed to move but not quite ready to leave yet.
The living room was dimly lit, the soft glow from a lamp in the corner casting warm light over the group.
Mina stretched out on the floor, arms spread like a starfish, while Kirishima leaned back against the couch, fingers idly drumming against his knee.
Denki was sprawled out on the armrest, legs hanging off the side like he had no concept of personal space.
You were still nestled into the couch, watching the easeful way everyone interacted, the flow of conversation shifting from one topic to the next.
That was until Mina suddenly perked up.
"Okay, okay," she said, propping herself up on her elbows with a mischievous grin. "Let's play 20 Questions."
Denki groaned. "Ugh, why? Can't we just vibe?"
"You always wanna just vibe," Jirou pointed out. "Which means you don't get a say."
Denki gasped, clutching his chest dramatically. "Betrayed. In my own home."
"This isn't your home," Bakugo deadpanned from his spot on the other couch, arms crossed but clearly listening.
Denki ignored him. "Alright, fine, I'll play. But only if I get to go first."
Mina rolled her eyes but waved him on. "Go for it, spark plug."
Denki grinned, sitting up properly for the first time all night. "Okay, I'm thinking of something. Go."
"Person, place, or thing?" Kirishima asked, starting to become absorbed in the game.
"Thing."
Jirou tilted her head. "Is it something we see every day?"
Denki hummed. "Ehhh... depends."
"That's not an answer," you pointed out.
Denki grinned. "Well, it's my answer."
Bakugo scoffed. "Dumbass."
"Okay, okay," Mina cut in before they could start bickering. "Is it something we all own?"
Denki shook his head. "Nope."
"Is it bigger than a microwave?" Jirou asked, tapping her fingers against her knee.
Denki wobbled his hand. "Sort of."
"That's not an answer either." You said, laughing now.
"Fine! Yes. Barely."
Kirishima leaned forward. "Is it something you own?"
Denki nodded. "Yup."
Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "Is it something dumb?"
Denki gasped, offended. "Excuse you, I only own cool things."
"You literally bought a giant Pikachu lamp that lights up when you smack it," Jirou said flatly.
"Exactly. Cool things."
Mina clapped her hands together. "Wait, wait. Is it that dumb shock pen you always use to prank people with?"
Denki cackled. "Ding ding ding! We have a winner!"
"You would pick that," Kirishima said, shaking his head.
"Wait, wait, wait," you cut through, "A shock pen is NOT bigger than a microwave."
Denki crossed his arms, looking off to the side. "Well, they come in different sizes."
"Where the fuck are you getting a shock pen that's bigger than a microwave?" Bakugo scoffed.
"That's for me to know and for you to find out." Denki smirked mischievously.
"Dumbass..." Bakugo muttered, making you chuckle.
Mina pumped her fist in the air. "Hell yeah, my turn!"
The game continued, the group falling into a rhythm-question after question, laughter spilling out with each ridiculous answer.
• ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ •
As the game carried on around you, the questions and laughter became nothing more than background noise, and your mind drifted elsewhere.
You weren't really paying attention anymore.
Not to Mina's ridiculous questions, not to Denki's over-the-top reactions, not even to Jirou rolling her eyes every five seconds.
Your focus was somewhere else-on him.
Or, more specifically, on how the hell you were supposed to ask him for help.
Bakugo sat across from you, his usual scowl softened by the dim lighting of the room.
His arms were crossed, his posture relaxed but still carrying that ever-present tension he seemed to have.
He wasn't even really participating in the game, just listening, occasionally throwing out a sarcastic comment when Denki said something particularly stupid.
You watched him, barely registering the conversation happening around you.
How do I even bring this up?
The idea of asking him outright felt... risky.
Bakugo wasn't exactly known for his patience, and you could already imagine the irritated look he'd give you if you just randomly brought up your brother's broken drum pedal again in the middle of the night.
You needed a strategy. A way to ease into it.
But what?
You barely noticed that your gaze had lingered too long until he shifted slightly, his crimson eyes flicking in your direction.
Your heart stuttered.
You snapped your gaze away instantly, acting like you were totally focused on the game-even though you had absolutely no idea what the last question was.
Crap. Did he notice?
You resisted the urge to glance back at him, instead fixing your eyes on the floor as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.
You needed to figure this out before the night ended.
Before you lost your chance.
●●●
The moment passed, the game went on, and soon, the night wound down.
Jirou picked something obscure, making them all suffer before finally revealing it was her old concert wristband.
Kirishima chose red hair dye because, of course, he did.
Mina picked All Might's first merch design, which had everyone groaning when they realized how obvious it should've been.
At some point, you ended up being the one answering.
You thought of something simple-your favorite childhood book-but they struggled to guess it, throwing out the most absurd things in the process.
"Is it edible?" Mina asked.
"No," you said, amused.
Denki snapped his fingers. "Oh! Is it... a cat?"
Jirou smacked his arm. "How does that even make sense?"
"I dunno, man, I'm just throwing things out!"
Bakugo, who had been mostly quiet except for the occasional insult, finally leaned forward. "Is it something you still have?"
You nodded. "Yeah."
"Something you use often?" Kirishima asked.
You thought about it. "Not really, but it's important to me."
Jirou narrowed her eyes. "Wait... is it a book?"
Your smile widened. "Yes."
Denki groaned, flopping back dramatically. "Ugh, nerd answer."
"You're just mad you didn't guess it," Mina teased.
Denki shot her a look before dramatically rolling his eyes.
• ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ • ✖ •
The game stretched on, easygoing and filled with laughter, until the clock on the wall ticked past 9.
The group had spent hours just existing together-laughing, playing, and talking about anything and everything.
By then, the warmth of the night had settled in fully. The kind of lingering comfort that made you almost forget the time.
Kirishima stretched his arms behind his head, letting out a deep sigh before glancing at the time on his phone.
His relaxed expression shifted slightly, eyes widening just a fraction.
"Damn," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Didn't realize how late it was."
At his words, you instinctively reached for your own phone, clicking the screen to check the time.
9:03 PM
You blinked, a bit surprised yourself. The night had gone by fast.
"Yeah, you're right," you said, slipping your phone back into your pocket. "Probably about time to head out."
Mina, sprawled lazily across the couch, groaned dramatically. "Aww, already? We were just getting to the good part!"
Denki, who had been lounging against the armrest, perked up immediately. "Yeah! One more round! Or-Or we could switch to a different game! Something quick!"
Jirou snorted, shaking her head. "Dude, you always say 'one more round,' and then we're here until midnight."
Denki rolled his eyes, hearing this before he let out a loud groan.
Kirishima chuckled, standing up and stretching. "Nah, for real, I gotta head out. Gotta patrol early tomorrow."
Mina stretched dramatically, letting out an exaggerated groan as she pushed herself up from the floor.
"Ugh, I don't wanna go," she whined, dragging her feet as she moved to grab her bag. "Can we just sleep here?"
"You'd take up the whole damn couch," Jirou shot back, rolling her eyes as she leaned against the wall.
Mina grinned. "Duh. The space is necessary for me to be comfortable."
Kirishima, the responsible one of the group, had already gathered his belongings, swinging his duffel bag over his shoulder.
"C'mon, Mina, we gotta head out before it gets too late," he reminded, nudging her lightly.
Mina pouted, but she didn't argue, knowing that once Kirishima decided to leave, she had to as well.
"Ugh, fine," she huffed, dragging herself up from the couch. "Guess that means it's time to go."
Meanwhile, Denki, still sprawled lazily against the couch, let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Ughhh, do we have to go? Can't we just, like, live here?"
Jirou snorted. "Absolutely not. My place already smells like all of you."
Denki gasped, clutching his chest. "Rude."
"You'll survive," Kirishima chuckled, giving Denki a light shove toward the door.
You had been moving at your own pace, gathering your things slower than the others, your mind still lingering on the warmth of the evening.
Bakugo was doing the same, not in any particular rush, as he and grabbed his things with his usual silent efficiency.
Mina was the first to reach the door, turning back with a bright smile. "Alright, guys, we're heading out. See you guys later!"
Kirishima waved, his usual easygoing grin in place. "Later, guys!"
You and Jirou both returned their goodbyes as they stepped outside, their voices fading into the cool night air.
Denki, of course, trailed after them, still complaining.
"Wait, wait, did I tell you guys about that time I accidentally texted my landlord instead of my mom?" he said as they made their way down the driveway.
Mina snorted in response as both her and Kirshima stepped out of the house, Denki following closely behind.
Their conversation carried down the street, their laughter echoing in the quiet neighborhood as they disappeared into the night.
You turned to Jirou with a small smile, adjusting your bag on your shoulder. "Thanks for having us over," you said. "It was fun."
Jirou smirked, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Yeah, it was. You should come by more often. Maybe next time, we'll actually finish a game without Denki trying to change the rules halfway through."
You chuckled, shaking your head. "Yeah, we'll see."
She gave you a knowing look, her eyes flicking briefly past you.
You turned your head slightly behind you to see Bakugo standing near the door.
He adjusted the strap of his bag before nodding at Jirou in silent acknowledgment.
His gaze then flickered toward you-nothing more than a plain, unreadable look, before he turned without a word and stepped outside.
The sound of his boots against the pavement was steady as he made his way down the driveway.
You turned your body slowly, watching as he made his way down the driveway.
The cool night air brushed against your skin as you lingered in the doorway, hesitating just before stepping onto the front porch.
The others were already gone, their voices fading into the distance, but your eyes were locked on Bakugo.
His usual confident stride unbothered by the chill in the air.
You inhaled, trying to steady yourself, but before you could take another step, Jirou's voice cut through the quiet, startling you slightly.
"You ask him yet?"
You flinched, turning your head slowly to see her standing behind you, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips.
She was clearly enjoying this more than she should.
Your mouth opened, then closed before you finally managed an awkward smile. "No..."
Jirou grinned, her hand landing on your shoulder in a firm but encouraging pat. "Well, this is your perfect chance."
You swallowed hard, glancing between her and Bakugo.
He was still walking at a steady pace, completely unaware of the internal battle you were having just a few feet away.
You averted your eyes from him, looking down at your feet. "I don't know..."
Jirou sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "Come on. Just do it! I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Oh I don't know... Maybe he'll just simply blow me up? Might even toss me around by my legs." You snarked sarcastically.
Jirou chuckled. "Dude, trust me. He'll do no such thing."
"Right right..." you replied, rolling your eyes.
"Just go up to him and ask him if he's willing to help. And if that doesn't work, try taunting him." Jirou explained while gesturing with her hands.
"Taunt him?" You asked, tilting your head.
"Yeah," She replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Like, tell him he's too weak and unskilled to do it. Or load him with compliments to inflate his big ego!"
You swallowed, twirling a loose strand of hair. "No thanks! I don't want an early death."
Jirous chuckled before letting out a happy sigh.
"Okay, look," She started, placing a hand on your shoulder. "You ask him today, and if it doesn't work, I'll talk to him."
You swallowed hard, glancing between her and Bakugo.
"That sound good?" She added, gaining your attention.
You glanced down at your feet for a second before looking back up at her, giving her a small, awkward smile.
"Alright," you said, more to yourself than her, your voice a little uncertain. "I'll do it."
Jirou gave your shoulder a small squeeze before stepping back. "Go get 'em, tiger," she teased, barely suppressing a chuckle.
You shot her a half-hearted glare before taking a breath, then finally stepping forward.
"See ya," she said, stepping back inside.
"See ya," you echoed before turning away, letting out a small breath.
You stood outside for a moment, hearing the soft click of Jirou's door locking behind you.
The sound felt final, like the night had officially ended, and yet you lingered.
The air was crisp, cooler than before, the scent of pavement and distant streetlights mixing in with the faintest trace of something familiar.
You exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of your bag pressing against your shoulder, grounding you in the moment.
Your fingers tightened slightly around the strap, an unconscious movement, like your body was bracing for something before your mind had fully caught up.
Your gaze flickered forward.
Bakugo was still ahead, stepping down the driveway, his movements unhurried but purposeful.
His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, his posture relaxed but carrying that same quiet intensity he always had.
The dim glow of the streetlights cast long shadows over the pavement, highlighting the sharp angles of his features as he walked.
You swallowed, your throat suddenly dry.
Now or never.