Why Us?

You Big Dummy

Izumi frowns at the message on her phone- Shinsou has a last-minute training session with Mr. Aizawa so he can't go shopping with her today. Luckily, Midoriya and his group of friends happen to be going to the same shopping district as Izumi was planning on going to, so she can tag along with them.

"Alright! Let's split up into groups based on what everyone is here to buy and meet in the food court at 4:00," Iida announces, waving his arms robotically.

He's more or less ignored as Yaoyorozu and Jirou immediately pair up and run off to the nearest store. 

"You need school supplies, right?" Tsu asks softly. 

Uraraka smiles softly behind the frog girl, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I accidentally ruined all my paper when I was training," Izumi laughs sheepishly, "I was trying to get a bigger water output so I don't have to rely on water bottles as much, and I kinda made too much... I also soaked Shinsou's bag so I gotta grab him some new stuff, too."

"I know a good stationary store! Let's go!" Uraraka jumps, leading the other girls to the store in question.

Izumi quickly sets to work, finding Shinsou's items first so she can wander around the rest of the store to decide what she wants. Uraraka makes a few suggestions for plain colors, and Tsu points out another section with themed supplies like hero notebooks and anime pens.

"Which are you gonna pick?" Uraraka asks, watching as Izumi flips between the sets.

"They have one that's themed after the hero duo Water Hose!" Izumi squeals, pulling the pack off of the shelf, "Wait, no... Mirko!"

"Do you like heroes as much as Midoriya?" Tsu croaks, peeking over Izumi's shoulder to look at the packs of notebooks, folders, and various pens and pencils.

"I mean, we do hero analysis stuff together... so, yeah? I think so," Izumi smiles fondly, thinking of the latest heroes she gets to draw tonight after she replenishes her markers, "Izuku is just more vocal about it."

"He's always muttering all kinds of facts and observations!" Uraraka adds, joining Tsu in looking at the two packs in Izumi's hands, "Apparently the Water Hose set is waterproof, it says so on the corner!"

Izumi nods, reluctantly putting Mirko's back on the shelf. Uraraka and Tsu chat off to the side, waiting for Izumi to pay for her items.

"We wanted to go check out a few other stores. Do you want to join us?'

"No thank you. I think I'll head to the food court early," Izumi sighs, glancing at the Mirko set one more time before leaving.

The other girls say their goodbyes and promise to meet up with Izumi again soon. Izumi finds an empty table and flops down on a chair, letting out a big sigh. She could have just bought both hero sets, but with her quirk, she might ruin anything not waterproof.

Izumi keeps pouting about not getting anything Mirko-themed, eventually pulling out one of the new sketchbooks she bought. Drawing will help her pass the time especially since everyone else will be a while.

"Do you mind if I join you?" a rough voice startles Izumi out of her concentration, a plastic bag rustling as it's set on the table.

She recognizes the voice instantly and reflexively guards her side. But... he deserves another chance, right?

"Seat's open," Izumi snorts, trying to refocus on her drawing.

It feels awkward. Her wrist tingles, but Izumi brushes it off as something that happens when she's in close proximity to her soulmate. Warm caramel fills her nose as he sits right next to her. Izumi pretends not to pay attention to Bakugo rustling around next to her, but the plastic of his bag is pretty noisy and she gives up, setting her pencil down to glance over at the spiky-haired boy.

He freezes, going from nervous with his brows furrowed, to shocked as something falls on the table. Curious, Izumi talks to him.

"So... why are you here?" Izumi asks, Bakugo didn't come with the Deku squad (as the friend group refers to themselves) so what are the odds that he's at the same mall?

"I... well..." he stumbles over his words, confusing Izumi, "What... do you- did you not feel it happen?"

"What happened?" 

Bakugo looks at her, his expression vulnerable. It's like he's searching for something in her expression, and when he doesn't find it, he looks away. Moments pass in silence, and Izumi is about to return to her drawing when Bakugo looks at her again and reaches for her arm.

Izumi jumps away, hopping out of her seat to avoid his touch. Bakugo retracts his hand and shrinks into himself. The whole situation is weirding Izumi out. Bakugo's palms crackle quietly, making him hastily wipe off the gathering sweat on his pants, frowning.

She's ready to grab her stuff and leave when Bakugo holds out his hand again, palm up. He doesn't look at her- instead opting to look at the table intently. And she sees it.

On Bakugo's now-bare wrist is a new set of words, reading: "Seat's open."

Izumi stares blankly for a moment before sliding back into her seat and hastily grabbing Bakugo's wrist. Her hands tingle as she touches the boy's skin, but she's too distracted to pay it much mind. Her thumb rubs along the words- it's real. Bakugo hisses softly and flinches as the words light up from Izumi's touch, making her drop his hand.

"Sorry, wasn't expecting it to sting," Bakugo mutters sheepishly, his face turning red.

Izumi looks away awkwardly, embarrassed that she was holding his arm without realizing it. She distracts herself by taking her bracelet off and checking again to see if their soulmate's words actually changed. 

"Sorry for grabbing your arm," Izumi responds, rubbing her wrist gently; as if her words might wash away if she touches the skin too harshly.

"Can we... maybe start over with the whole soulmate thing?" Bakugo asks

Izumi swallows thickly, it's too much all at once. Bakugo's surprising gentleness, her words changing, all of it. She fidgets in her seat, unsure of what to say- for all she knows, it could just be an act to get her to trust him.

Bakugo's bag is set in front of Izumi and she looks at him again, confused.

"Just think about it, okay? This was gonna be for you either way, so don't take it as me tryna bribe you to put up with my shitty ass." Bakugo waves a quick goodbye and excuses himself, shoving his hands in his pockets and hurrying away from Izumi.

Inside the bag is a bunch of Mirko merch- a couple of action figures, a poster, and a sleeveless top with a bunny-eared hood themed around the bunny hero.