Unspoken // Bakudeku

Chapter nine

I look out the window for the first time, realizing I don't really know where we are. "Where are we going?" I ask, feeling a little uneasy. "To one of my favorite places," Kacchan replies, not offering much detail."Which is where?" I press, needing some kind of clue."You really have to know everything that's going on in advance, don't you?""Yeah. I like to—""Control everything?" he interrupts.I stay quiet because I know he's right. That's just how I am."Well, I'm not telling you until we get there... which is only about five minutes from now." He smirks, clearly enjoying keeping me in the dark. I lean back against the leather seat of his car, turning my head to glance at the backseat. A messy stack of textbooks and loose papers are piled on one side, and a thick black sweatshirt is draped on the other."See something you like back there?" Kacchan's voice pulls me from my thoughts, catching me by surprise and making me blush slightly. I quickly change the subject, needing a distraction. "What kind of car is this?""A Benz truck—G-Class," he boasts, obviously proud of it. He starts explaining all the details about it, going on about the engine, the power, and a bunch of things I barely understand. Still, I find myself watching his lips as he talks, noticing how they move with each word, slow and deliberate. After catching me looking at him a few times, he suddenly snaps, "I don't like being stared at," though there's a small smile tugging at his lips as he says it.I turn away quickly, my face heating up. "Sorry," I mumble, feeling embarrassed but also a little flustered by the playful tone in his voice.As we start down a gravel road, Kacchan turns the music off, leaving only the sound of the little stones crunching beneath the tires. I glance around and realize we're in the middle of nowhere. My pulse quickens—there are no cars, no buildings, just open fields and trees. We're really alone."Don't worry, I didn't bring you out here to kill you," Kacchan jokes, his signature smirk playing on his lips. I gulp. What he doesn't realize is that I'm more nervous about what I might do with him when we're alone than if he actually had any sinister intentions.After another mile or so, he stops the car. I look around and see nothing but grass, trees, and wildflowers scattered across the landscape. The breeze is warm, and the place, admittedly, is peaceful. It's beautiful, but I'm still unsure why he brought me here."So, what are we gonna do?" I ask as I climb out of the car, already wary."Well, first, a bit of walking." He smirks again.I sigh. Did he seriously take me out here to exercise?Seeing my annoyed expression, he flicks his tongue and rolls his eyes. "Not much walking," he mutters before leading me along a path of flattened grass, as if people have walked this way before. We walk in silence, except for Kacchan occasionally making fun of me for being too slow. I ignore him and try to take in the surroundings. The longer we walk, the more I get why he likes this place. It's peaceful. Quiet. A good spot to just... disappear for a while. I could stay here for hours with my notebook or a book.He veers off the path into a wooded area. My suspicion kicks in, but I follow him. After a few more minutes, we emerge into a small clearing with a waterfall and a stream. The water looks deeper than I expected.Kacchan doesn't say anything, just pulls off his black shirt without warning. My eyes automatically roam over his torso. I didn't know he had tattoos. The way the lightning bolts twist and curl into his skin is mesmerizing under the sunlight, more captivating than intimidating. He bends down to untie his Vans, glancing up at me just in time to catch me staring."Wait, why are you undressing?" I ask, feeling my stomach twist as I glance at the stream. Oh no."You're gonna swim? In that?" I point to the water, half-hoping I misunderstood."Yeah, and so are you. I do it all the time," he says, unbuttoning his pants. I force myself not to stare as he bends down to pull them over his legs, the muscles in his back flexing as he moves."I'm not swimming in that," I say firmly. It's not that I mind swimming—it's just not happening here, in a random place in the middle of nowhere."And why not?" he gestures to the stream. "The water's clear, you can see the bottom.""Yeah, but there are probably fish or... God knows what else in there," I argue, sounding a little ridiculous even to myself. "And you didn't tell me we were going swimming, so I didn't bring anything to swim in."He raises an eyebrow and smirks. "Ew, are you telling me you're the kinda guy who doesn't wear underwear?" he teases, completely ignoring my point. I gape at him. "I meant—" "Just go in your boxers. It's what I'm doing." He steps out of his pants, now standing in just his black boxers. Wait, he thought I'd come out here and strip down to swim with him? My heart skips a beat, and warmth floods through me as I picture us, practically naked, in the water together. What the hell is he doing to me?I have never had thoughts like this before, not until Kacchan came into the picture. "I am not swimming in my underwear, you weirdo," I say, plopping down on the soft grass. "I'll just watch." He clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes. Now, in just his boxer briefs, the black fabric clings to him, outlining every muscle. This is the first time I've seen him shirtless."You're no fun. And you're missing out," he says flatly before jumping into the water.I avert my gaze, focusing on the grass, plucking a few blades and playing with them between my fingers. I hear Kacchan shout from the stream, "The water is warm, Deku!" Glancing up, I catch sight of him pushing his soaked hair back, water droplets falling from his almost light brown strands. He's grinning, wiping his face with one hand.For a second, I wish I could be someone else. Someone braver, like Kirishima. If I were Kirishima, I would strip down and jump into the water with Kacchan. I'd splash him, climb up the bank, and leap back in, carefree and playful. But I'm not Kirishima. I'm Izuku."This is one beyond-boring friendship so far," Kacchan teases, swimming closer to the bank. I roll my eyes, and he chuckles. "At least take your shoes off and put your feet in. The water's great, and soon it'll be too cold to swim."It's not a bad idea. I kick off my shoes and roll up my jeans, dipping my feet into the warm water. Kacchan's right—it feels nice. I wiggle my toes in the water and can't help but smile."It's nice, isn't it?" he asks, and I nod without much thought."So come in," he insists. I shake my head, and he splashes me. I scoot back, glaring at him. "If you come in, I'll answer one of your nosy questions. Any question you want, but just one," he taunts.That catches my attention. There are so many things I've been dying to ask him. The offer is tempting."This offer expires in one minute," Kacchan says before diving beneath the water. I watch his long body moving effortlessly through the stream. It *does* look like fun, and he knows exactly how to use my curiosity against me."Deku," his voice cuts through the water as he resurfaces. "Stop overthinking and just jump in.""I don't have anything to wear. If I get in with my clothes on, I'll be soaked for the ride back," I whine, knowing deep down I'm trying to talk myself out of something I already want to do."Wear my shirt," he offers, shocking me into silence. I wait for him to say he's kidding, but he doesn't. "Go on, wear my shirt. It's long enough, and you can keep your boxers on if you're shy."He grins slyly, and I realize I'm running out of excuses. I sigh, deciding to stop overthinking for once. "Fine, but you have to turn around and don't look while I'm changing—I mean it!" I try to sound intimidating, but he just laughs and turns his back to me.Quickly, I pull off my shirt and grab his. As I slip it on, I realize he was right—it's long enough to cover me down to my thighs. His scent, a mix of faint cologne and something distinctly Kacchan, lingers on the fabric. It makes my chest tighten, though I try to shake it off."Hurry the hell up, or I'll turn around!" he calls teasingly, and I wish I had something to throw at him.