𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 | 𝘬. 𝘣𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘨𝘰𝘶

fourteen.

The tension between Y/n and Bakugou had only grown since their last conversation. Days had passed, and neither of them made an effort to talk. It was as if they had agreed, silently, to pretend the other didn't exist.

In class, Y/n focused on her work, trying to avoid any interactions with Bakugou. He, on the other hand, seemed more irritable than usual, but he didn't seek her out either.

Finally, school festival week had arrived, and the Class 1-A students were buzzing with excitement over their horror booth. Aizawa had assigned everyone their roles, from decoration to performance, and Y/n was relieved to have something else to focus on.

That relief didn't last long, however, when Aizawa called her and Bakugou's names in the same breath.

"You two will be in charge of shopping for the materials," Aizawa said flatly, handing Y/n a list of supplies. "Get everything on this list-construction paper, boards, fabric. Make sure you're back by evening."

Y/n opened her mouth to protest, her mind scrambling for an excuse, but the second her eyes met Aizawa's tired, no-nonsense gaze, the words died in her throat. He raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to challenge his decision. She knew better than to argue with him, especially when he looked like he hadn't slept in days. Swallowing her frustration, she bit her lip and said nothing.

Her eyes flicked to Bakugou, hoping he might protest for both of them, but he remained silent, standing there with his arms crossed and a deep scowl etched across his face. His sharp gaze was fixed on the floor, his muscles tense, clearly as unhappy about the situation as she was. If anything, he looked even angrier than usual.

'Great,' Y/n thought bitterly. 'This is going to be fun.'

She let out a quiet sigh, resigning herself to the fact that there was no way out of this. They were stuck together for this task, whether they liked it or not.

▬▬▬

With no other choice, the two headed off to the mall, the air between them thick with unresolved tension. They walked in silence, neither of them willing to break the barrier that had grown between them. Y/n gripped the list tightly, her thoughts racing. 'Why did it have to be him? Of all people?'

Once they arrived at the mall, Y/n focused on the task at hand. She picked up some of the supplies they needed: rolls of black cloth, markers, and construction paper. Bakugou followed behind her, occasionally grabbing heavier items and tossing them into the basket without a word. The silence was deafening, but Y/n couldn't bring herself to speak.

They moved through the aisles of the store, crossing off items one by one. As they reached for the final few supplies-illustration boards and decorative lights-Y/n couldn't help but steal a glance at Bakugou. He looked as intense as ever, his brows furrowed as he scanned the list. She wondered if he felt as awkward as she did or if he was just good at ignoring it.

Just when they thought they were done, Y/n spotted a display of glow-in-the-dark paint. It would add a creepy element to their horror booth, and she reached for it.

"Hey, we should get this too," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Bakugou glanced at it, grunted in agreement, and tossed it into the basket.

They headed to the checkout, the weight of their silence growing heavier with each passing second. Y/n was about to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking they could finally go back to the dorms and put this uncomfortable trip behind them.

That's when everything changed.

The air shifted, and suddenly, there was a loud crash from across the mall. Screams erupted as people scattered in all directions. Y/n's heart raced as she saw the source of the panic, a villain breach. A group of villains had forced their way into the mall, causing chaos.