Frostbite - Bakugo Katsuki x OC

Go!

The dorms were quiet, the usual bustle of Class 1-A's nightly routines having died down hours ago. Most of the students were already in their rooms, unaware of the gravity hanging over a select few. Sora, Deku, Kirishima, Asui, and Uraraka were the only ones who knew about the upcoming mission - the raid to rescue Eri. The rest of the class was kept in the dark, even Bakugo. And yet, despite not knowing the details, Bakugo sensed something was wrong.

Sora stood outside her room, staring at the door with her hand on the handle. The tension in her body was almost visible, the weight of tomorrow's mission pressing down on her. She had barely slept since the meeting a few days ago, and tonight was no different. She knew rest was important, but her mind wouldn't shut down. The mission, the danger, Eri - it all looped in her head relentlessly.

She hadn't even noticed the footsteps approaching until Bakugo's voice cut through the silence.

- Oi, Frostbite, - he called out from down the hall, his usual scowl in place. He stopped in front of her, arms crossed, staring at her with an intensity that seemed to burn. - What the hell are you doing standing around at this hour?

Sora didn't turn to face him right away. She kept her hand on the door, her expression unreadable. She knew he'd catch onto her mood sooner or later, and it seemed like tonight was that night.

- None of your business, - she muttered, her voice cool, as always.

- Tch. - Bakugo's eyes narrowed, clearly not in the mood for her usual evasiveness. He stepped closer, his voice lowering, but still carrying that rough edge. - Don't give me that. You've been acting weird since you were at your hero work studies a few days ago. All five of you! Fucking Deku, Weird Face, Red Cheeks and Froggy too. Everyone noticed.

Sora's grip on the door handle tightened, her jaw clenching slightly. She didn't respond, knowing full well that he wouldn't drop it now. Of course, he'd noticed their shift in behavior. He always does. Bakugo, for all his bluster and loud arrogance, was sharp. He could read in ways no one else could, and that only made him more difficult to shake off.

- You're tensed up like a damn spring, - Bakugo continued, his eyes boring into her. - You look like you're about to explode.

A small, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of Sora's lips.

- That's rich coming from you, -she said, her voice laced with dry humor. Bakugou, the walking embodiment of explosions, lecturing her about being tense? It was almost amusing. But Bakugou wasn't joking. His eyes remained serious as he stepped closer, lowering his voice.

- What's going on?

Sora finally turned to face him, her expression cold, though there was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes.

- You wouldn't understand.

A flash of irritation crossed Bakugou's face, and he took a step closer.

- Try me.

For a moment, they stood in silence, the hallway dimly lit by the faint glow of nightlights in the distance. Sora could feel his eyes on her, probing, demanding answers she couldn't give. Not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't - no one outside of the small group was supposed to know about the mission.

But despite the rules, despite her usual preference for keeping things to herself, the tension had become unbearable. Sora let out a quiet breath, her icy exterior cracking just a little.

- I can't tell you, - she finally said, her voice quieter than before. - But... tomorrow is important.

Bakugo's eyes flickered with recognition - he might not know the specifics, but he could tell how much it weighed on her. His scowl deepened, though this time it was more out of concern than frustration.