Why Us?

What to do...

"So... how long are you gonna let him stew like that?" Shinsou asks, pointing at Bakugo who is quietly sitting at his friends' lunch table.

Izumi doesn't answer, taking a bite of food instead and raising an eyebrow at her classmate. Luckily, no one from 1A has noticed the boy's words- too preoccupied with gossiping about how Todoroki and Bakugo failed the provisional hero license exam and have to take remedial courses. Shinsou had the biggest shit-eating grin when he first heard the news so Izumi isn't sure what he's getting at now by asking how long she plans on ignoring Bakugo.

Shinsou rolls his eyes, resting his cheek in his palm, bored. It's not like general studies students have to take hero-related exams, so they can't relate to the hero students. Hopefully, that'll change soon with the help of Mr. Aizawa and his extra training sessions.

"Answer me, Izumi," Shinsou whines, pouting to get Izumi's attention.

"Not here," Izumi deflects, waving a hand dismissively before getting up with her empty lunch tray.

Shinsou grumbles but follows her, throwing away his leftovers to follow her up to the roof, where they'll have more privacy. Instead of talking though, Izumi folds her arms and glares at Shinsou once the door to the roof closes.

"What?" Shinsou sighs, throwing his hands up in exasperation, "Look, I know you don't want to give the guy another chance. And really, I totally understand why. But he does seem remorseful, and wouldn't you rather have a shot at being with your soulmate rather than avoiding him and suffering?"

Shinsou grips his wrist tightly before continuing- refusing to look at Izumi.

"Look... the whole soulmate rejection thing doesn't get any easier. Trust me," he sighs.

Izumi swallows thickly, watching Shinsou shuffle on his feet, still not looking at her. She hesitantly reaches out and makes him let go of his wrist- which he's clenching hard enough that she's sure Shinsou will have bruises from his own grip.

"I'll... I'll try, okay?" she soothes, rubbing gentle circles in Shinsou's tense hands until he relaxes.

"I just got... really mad and brushed him off, but I'll try. Starting by interrogating his friends. How does that sound, Toshi?" Izumi adds, smiling when Shinsou huffs and mumbles an agreement- he can't turn up the opportunity to interrogate people, after all.

.

.

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"I know he calls us names, but it's in an affectionate way?" Kirishima laughs awkwardly.

"He's just got aggressive affection," Ashido adds, smiling.

Shinsou nods and writes something down on his notepad. Izumi resists the urge to laugh at Shinsou taking notes.

"He's got that therapy too," Kaminari adds, "Dude even apologized for blasting my face the other day because his therapist told him he shouldn't take his anger out on us."

Izumi frowns.

"Does he... hit you guys with his quirk a lot?" she squeaks out, glancing worriedly at Shinsou.

"Yeah," Kaminari chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck.

"But it's not, like, a real blast. Unless he's actually pissed, and it's not his aggressive affection." Kirishima frowns, realizing how bad it must sound.

"It's more like he's flashing a light in our faces. He doesn't use real explosions that could hurt. If anything, it feels like I'm being tickled," Sero sighs.

"I think he's only seriously blasted Kirishima once. And Kiri was hardened and was totally fine, And even though Bakugo was seriously pissed at the topic, he apologized to Kirishima afterward, saying that violence shouldn't be his answer to everything," Ashido adds thoughtfully.

"He's practically stopped exploding us altogether since he caused that scene in the cafeteria after seeing you. We thought he was depressed because he stopped pretty much everything and barely talks to us now," Kirishima sighs, putting his face in his hands, "But now it makes sense. Between his reaction when I brought you up and you talking to us now... he's trying to impress you, isn't he?"

Ashido and Kaminari burst out laughing while Sero facepalms and mutters under his breath.

"Blasty boy has a crush~" Ashido cackles, leaning on Kaminari for support as she laughs.

Izumi says nothing, letting the group express their relief that their friend isn't ignoring them. Shinsou puts a hand on Izumi's knee under the table, grabbing her attention to smile worriedly at her. She didn't realize she was spacing out until Bakugo's friends' voices filter back into focus as she blinks away the feeling.

"I'm his soulmate, you know," Izumi mutters, fidgeting and taking Shinsou's hand into her own to ground herself.

The group falls silent at Izumi's admission, despite all their teasing moments before.

"We, uhh, had a falling out, and I wanted to ask your guys' opinions on him to see how he acts," Izumi squeaks out, nervous with so many eyes boring into her soul, "I won't give any other details because that's Bakugo's business, but that's why I was asking about him and why he kept staring at me."

"He, uhh, really is kind once you get to know him," Kirishima stutters out, trying to break the silence.

"Oh my gosh! Remember that time with the water bottles?!" Ashido yells, making Izumi flinch back from her sudden enthusiasm.

Shinsou squeezes Izumi's hand softly, raising his eyebrow at Bakugo's friends.

"Hydrate or DIEdrate!" Kaminari cackles.

Sero fights back laughter as Kaminari reenacts the situation, pretending to throw water bottles at the others like Bakugo apparently did.