Work For Your Affection (BakuTodo)

handshake

"DIE!"

I slam my pencil on my desk after finishing the last question of my history assignment. Stupid homework. That had way too many questions for no goddamn reason.

At least I'm finally done with my homework for the night. Spinning in my chair and peering at the back corner of my bedroom, I glance at my alarm clock on the shelf. 10:02.

Ugh.

This has been happening every day for weeks. With all the homework the UA teachers have thrown at us recently, I've been staying up later than I usually do, which pisses me off to put it mildly. It's not even the fact that I'm losing sleep, but that I don't have the time anymore to practice my quirk outside of school hours.

It makes no fucking sense. This is UA, the hero course. As in, we're training to be professional heroes, not scholars. Fortunately, I'm as smart as I am strong, but that doesn't mean I want to spend my evenings locked in my room doing homework. It's just busy work at this point. I already know all of the material, so what's the point of assigning this shit other than to torture me?

The worst part is I can feel myself getting weaker. My explosions aren't as powerful as they usually are. I think it's a combination of lack of training and burnout from all these bullshit assignments.

With a scowl, I rise to my feet. My body will probably require at least six cups of coffee to make it through tomorrow, but I can't go any longer without exercising. My dream of becoming the number one hero is slipping away from me each day I go without it.

I yawn as I slip into some athletic shorts. I do a few quick stretches in my room before entering the hallway and heading for the elevator. Kirishima's snores can be heard from behind his bedroom door as I pass it. How did that idiot finish all his homework before me? He probably gave up halfway through and just wrote random shit to be done with it.

It's quiet in the elevator. It's to be expected, given how late it is, but it still creeps me out. There have only been a handful of times since moving into the dorms that no one else used the elevator the same time as me.

Stepping into the common room, relief washes over me when I notice the lights are still on. Not that I'm scared of the dark or anything, I just prefer not to trip over random stuff as I feel around for the exit.

However, that feeling of relief vanishes a split second later once I see I'm not the only one in the common room.

Mr. Aizawa, my homeroom teacher, stands between me and the door to outside. He crosses his arms. "Bakugou," he says, "why are you out of bed?"

I frown and stuff my hands into the pockets of my shorts. "I'm going for a run."

"I don't think so. It's after ten. No students allowed out of the dorms past curfew."

This is typically the part where I lose my shit and yell out words like die and fucking and dumbass, but I can't exactly do that to a teacher. I bite the inside of my cheek before answering him. "I haven't been able to work out in weeks," I mumble. "I need to let off some steam."

"Then you'll have time to do that tomorrow."

"NO I WON'T!" So much for not yelling at a teacher, I guess. "ALL YOU TEACHERS KEEP GIVING US SO MUCH HOMEWORK THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING ELSE!"

He sighs. "Bakugou, I understand your ambition, but UA prioritizes academics just as much as it does hero training."

I furrow my brows so hard that it hurts my forehead. "Can't you make it more of an equal balance, at least?"