Ten Days of Katsuki (Todobaku)

Day 3, Part 3

I slide my belt through the loops of my dress pants and tighten it around my hips. Once my outfit is secure, I shuffle to my closet, open the double doors, and scan the ties that hang on the rack. Since we're on a cruise, it's only appropriate to wear the baby blue one with little sharks on it. Using the mirror on the inside of the closet door, I wrap it around my neck and tie it into a Windsor knot.

It's formal night on The Unity, which means that guests are encouraged to dress up for dinner in the dining hall. It's not mandatory of course, but the UA faculty made it mandatory for our group. As future heroes, we're expected to demonstrate professionalism at all times, and apparently wearing formal attire for an evening dinner qualifies for that. I have no issue with this. I enjoy wearing suits as I think they look nice on me.

Bakugou emerges from the bathroom and steps behind me, observing himself in the mirror. I eye his reflection subtly as he runs his fingers through his blond mane. He brings his face closer, his chin hovering over my shoulder as a result. I force my face to remain neutral as I breathe in his cologne. It's different from his usual one, this one smelling of pure cedarwood. Dare I say I like this one even better.

There's tension in his jaw as he finishes touching up his hair. I think he's more self-conscious of it ever since I called it fluffy, which is the opposite of what I intended. I meant it as a compliment.

We make eye contact through the mirror and I instantly clear my throat and straighten my tie. He backs away from me, probably disturbed that he caught me staring at him like a stalker.

I close the closet door and move back to the bed to grab my grey suit jacket. Bakugou fetches his jacket as well and throws it on. I tilt my head at the sight.

"You're not wearing a tie?"

He looks down at his all black suit and grimaces. "They're too restrictive. I won't be able to breathe if I have one on."

"They don't have to be," I tell him. "You can just loosen the knot."

"Well I didn't pack any ties with me."

At that declaration, I walk back to my closet again and grab my three spare ties off the rack. I figure he'll probably want the solid black one, but I want him to at least see all the options. I hold them out to him. "You can borrow one of mine."

He huffs and looks off to the side. "Can't you just drop it? I don't want to wear one."

The expression on his face doesn't match the harshness of his tone. While I want to respect Bakugou's wishes and not overstep any boundaries, I can't help but think there's an underlying issue as to why he doesn't want to wear it. And, after discovering the ins and outs of Bakugou's personality and insecurities over the last three years, I think I know what that issue is.

"You don't know how to tie a tie, do you?"

His cheeks flush pink, which tells me I'm correct. Still, he flares his nostrils at me.

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, IDIOT? OF COURSE I KNOW HOW TO TIE A TIE!"

"Oh yeah?" I toss two of my ties onto the couch he's occupied the last two nights, leaving the black one in my grasp. I hold it out for him to take. "Prove it."

Gritting his teeth, he snatches the tie from my hand and slides it around his neck. His face stays relaxed as he attempts to put it together, though I can tell he's struggling by how his fingers are fidgeting. But Bakugou's stubborn as all hell and refuses my assistance. Though the longer he goes without tying a successful knot, the more flustered he becomes. 

When I check my watch and see that he's been at this for five minutes, I realize we need to get going so we're not late.

"I don't mind doing it for you," I say.