K.BAKUGO X READER (Cover art by me)
In a life where I'd be safe in one moment and on the brink of death in another, I realized that he was the only force that could ground me. Of all the people in the world. My volatile co-worker. My menacing rival...
(AN: warning, super long chapter :( it was a bit indulgent for me... I promise the rest of the chapters will be shorter. Hope you enjoy this flash into 'the past that could've been' <3)
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part twenty
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On my first day of high school, I was faced with who I thought to be – truthfully – the most arrogant, obnoxious asshole I'd ever met. Not that I would've said that to his face. I wasn't looking to get beat up on my first day. But with the way he glared me down as I sat in the seat in front of him, I didn't get the impression we were going to be the chummiest of desk neighbors.
I mean, could you blame me? It was just explosion after explosion with him. Blowing up at our teacher during our first exercise. Screaming at the poor freckled boy in our class. Storming around the halls acting like he owned the place while simultaneously wishing he could burn it to the ground.
Despite all the dramatics, he was amazing. The strongest kid my age that I'd ever seen. And he was smart too, according to his entrance exam rankings.
So, why was he so grouchy all the time? For someone with such natural talent, didn't he want to be here?
"Whadya' say to me, pest?!"
Oh. I'd said that out loud...
"...Nothing important."
"That's right. You better shut your mouth if you know what's good for you!"
Not the friendliest of introductions but it could've been worse. I guess I knew what was so-called 'good for me' because we didn't talk much for students that sat front to back with each other. While the others leaned over their chairs and rambled about their weekends, me and the delinquent would keep to ourselves. I think I preferred it that way. I didn't want to overstep and make enemies with the guy who already had everyone on his hit list.
It wasn't just me. The others were quick to pick up on his roughness. Speaking of, I liked my classmates. They were talented, kind, and wouldn't stand to tolerate the blonde lunatic's unwarranted aggression. I wanted to get to know them better, but I didn't know where to start. Attending a new school, learning under a new curriculum, surrounded in a class of new faces, I couldn't help but feel apprehensive. I'd never been great at making friends.
My other desk neighbor, Kyouka Jirou, was reserved, quiet, and somehow infinitely more approachable than the explosion on my back.
"I don't know what to make of that guy," she'd answered when I asked her about our hotheaded classmate. "Do you have a crush on him or something?"
