In Bloom (Reader x Bakugou Katsuki fic)

Untitled Part 16

A/N: it's another same events as last chapter but this time its bakugous pov but it's the last chapter like this for a little while

------------------------------------------------

Part one of phase two of the plan was going well. Though, part one was only to see if you'd split off from the group to hang out alone with him, so he hadn't really been too worried about it. Still, you had chosen to sit next to him on the bus ride to the mall, and, as he closely followed you around the mall, you hadn't seemed to mind his trailing around you.

Bakugou wasn't sure you even noticed though, which made part two, "confirm she likes me," a little difficult. But he liked a challenge, and using the new information he'd gained from the research he had been doing, Bakugou was confident he could figure it out. Then he could go to phase three, "ask you out." The phase he tried not to think about too much to help prevent him from acting weird around you.

He couldn't remember the last time he had planned so much in advance in his life. Things came easy to him, so working off the cuff had always been as good of an option as thinking ahead. But this was so new, a completely different territory than anything he had done before, which meant he just had to work even harder in the beginning so he could win or date you, whatever. It was easier to think of it as a competition. He got to, well, not nervous, and certainly not scared, some other feeling, if he thought too much about it as anything else.

He was doing his best to make conversation with you, to flirt with you, but even he could admit this was not his strong suit.Yet.He would figure it out too and be the best at it, but right now, Bakugou knew he was struggling. "That looks like a cheap ass dress." if you wore that, I might die. "You like that shit?" When your back was turned he took out his phone and wrote it down in his notes app to buy for you at some point, or just to have saved for future reference. "Where the fuck are you draggin' me next?" you don't mind that I'm following you around, right?

You made conversation back. Not telling him to fuck off, or rolling your eyes at him (unless it was paired with that infuriatingly cute smile). Or getting annoyed with him (as far as he could tell). You just laughed and teased him, never phased by his loud, gruff tone of voice or harsh way of saying things. You had to understand that he wasn't trying to be mean like so many others thought, it was just how he was raised, and you took it in stride. It made him feel warm.

It also helped that you started pointing out stupid-looking extras around the mall as points of conversation. It had become a fun little game to him to find the most bizarre or embarrassing scenarios, if only because your reactions were always so endearing. Whether you were feeling bad for them or roasting them hard.

But now, as he stood behind you in the cramped bookstore as you perused the bookshelf, he finally felt like he could do something. Flowery words might not be his thing, but actions Bakugou figured he could handle. He remembered something he had read over and over in his research, "touch them," "get close to them," "if they don't move away from you, it's a good sign."

At first, it had made him scrunch his nose in disgust. Touching was not something he particularly wanted to do but it seemed like the most common advice, and easiest way to check if you were into him. He thought back to sitting on the couch with you, training with you, being in the kitchen with you, and hell, even if it was a new feeling he did really want you to be close to him. So, maybe, trying out the physical contact thing wouldn't be so bad.

While walking around the mall with you he had become more and more aware of his desire to seek out your touch. Every time you apologized to him for accidentally bumping into him as the two of you walked, he wanted to tell you to shut the fuck up and pull you close, so you wouldn't bump, just stay. When your fingers graced his when you handed him a bag, he had to hold back a shiver.