Nebulous Sojourn [BNHA Fem!reader Insert]

3. Unabating Impudence

TW: Suicide jokes

It was a couple of years later, when going into middle school, that you realized that you had been right.

painfully so.

People do not change.

Your grandiose plan to try and shove Bakugo on the right path backfired. Pushing down on his ego only made it spring right back up when you weren't looking. And now, you suspected that his insecurities had only been growing larger. His fear of failure built-up image was being torn down by you, and it threatened him.

Just like a cornered dog, he bared his teeth even more.

At least Izuku was a bit better. The boy still had his anxieties. That you couldn't fix. But when around him, you let him mutter and spill his brain out to you. You merely had to tune out the filler to find the important details to follow up on. Throwing in the occasional question let him think that you had any interest in his subjects of study. It's not that you didn't; Anyone would be worn out with the amount of chatter he had to share. He and your crows had that in common, talking as if their life depended on pronouncing syllable after syllable to form sentences longer than the ocean.

Forcing you to pay attention to him, Bakugo was screaming at you despite the proximity, leading you to wince at his volume and expression. His obsession with his goals had no depth to it. You only bide on time to wait for the disaster that the first year of UA would present to the both of you. Sparks lit up like small fireworks on the curved surface of his palm as a dangerous spectacle.

"Chicken winged bitch! It's time for a rematch!" Bakugo yelled in your direction clenching his fists and seething. He took one thundering step after the other, amassing the feeling of a raging torrent trailing behind him. You had just been walking out of your class that sapped the energy right from your soul when he just had to make his way into your day. For some reason, he ticked you off more than typical levels right then. The combination of irritation, fatigue and overall dislike for the kid created an impatience that froze through you like a wintry morning encased in a thick layer of frost.

"I'm not in the mood. Move." You didn't care to spare a look at him, keeping your grievances at bay and continued towards your destination, breathing deeply in irritation. You pulled no punches with the tone that anyone could understand meant that you were getting increasingly pissed.

"Hah? Who do you think you're talking to?" He went in for a swing with his right hand, palms open, and arm outstretched for a close-range explosion to the back of your head.

They don't change, do they?

You quickly turned your head to the side, fist narrowly missing its target as you shot a glare back. Over the years, Bakugo had not improved in technique with his attacks. He only relied on his growing instincts. Lacking a certainty and logic to his punches made him all the more predictable. A stable footing meant a right blow to the head, followed up with a left fist. Then a large explosion using both hands for maximum firepower when he was ensured a hit. Or something along those lines. Your small scuffles had him catching up in speed and agility. Soon enough you'd have to start trying or face a fracture. The crows helped sure, but even they did not fancy burning to a crisp.

"I'm really not in the mood." You gave a long sigh. Bakugo did not get the memo and went in for another attack with his left. Pinching the bridge of your nose, you quickly gave a strong flap of your wings and found the nearest window still and landed on it, catching yourself to stop the momentum with your left leg on the edge, holding the side of the sliding frame for stability as you teetered towards the breezy expanse outside the walls of the building.