When Heroes Collide - Bakugou X Reader Slow Burn

Chapter 98: The Dance

I stared deeply into his eyes, my heart racing in disbelief. Bakugou Katsuki had just asked me to dance. The shock coursing through my veins was undeniable. This was the same boy I had once despised not so long ago, the one who had infuriated me for months on end with his arrogance and temper. And now, here he stood in front of me, at this grand ball, the only one who had mustered the courage to ask me to dance. The one person I thought never would.

"I'd love to," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to keep the tremor of surprise from slipping through.

Bakugou stepped closer, the warmth of his presence making the air between us seem smaller. His strong arm snaked around my waist, pulling me toward him with a confidence that made my heart skip a beat. His other hand found mine, rough but steady, and I could feel the calluses on his fingers. His touch was firm, but there was a gentleness to the way he held me. Then, as reality hit me, I realized I was in way over my head.

I froze. "Uh... Katsuki..."

"Yeah?" He looked at me with a raised brow, his voice casual but curious.

"I... I don't know how to dance," I confessed, my cheeks burning with humiliation. My eyes darted to the floor as I fumbled over my words. How could I not know something so simple in this moment? But... I'd never danced with a boy before.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and he tilted his head, his gaze playful yet sharp. "Well, lucky for you, you're with Class 1A's best dancer," he said, the cockiness in his voice unmistakable.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh. "You? You can dance?"

His eyes narrowed, but there was a glimmer of amusement behind them. "Of course I fucking can. I'm great at everything. Don't underestimate me, forget-me-not."

His tone was aggressive, but I could hear the teasing edge in his voice. For a moment, I let myself relax, let myself get lost in the absurdity of the situation. He really was something else.

As I looked at him, something stirred in my chest. A feeling I had tried to deny for weeks, maybe longer. It was undeniable now, the tension between us, something unspoken but it was there. His hand on my waist tightened slightly, pulling me closer, and I could feel the warmth radiating off him.

"You wanna rest your head against my shoulder, and I'll lead," he whispered, his voice softer than I'd ever heard it. In the background, a slow, beautiful melody drifted through the air, wrapping around us like a delicate thread.

We continued to sway gently to the rhythm of the music, his hand resting firmly against my waist, drawing me closer with each subtle movement. It almost felt like I had stepped into a dream—Bakugou Katsuki, of all people, holding me in his arms as we slow danced under the moonlight on a secluded balcony. The delicate branches of a cherry blossom tree cast soft shadows around us, its petals drifting lazily through the night air. I pressed my head against his chest, feeling the warmth of his body seep into me, a blush rising in my cheeks as the moment wrapped around us like a warm blanket.

"You know," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that I could feel more than hear, "this song is on the playlist I made for you."

I lifted my head slightly, surprised, meeting his gaze. "The playlist you made?" I asked softly, my voice carrying the disbelief I felt.

He smiled, a rare, gentle curve of his lips that made something flutter in my chest. Slowly, he brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear with surprising tenderness. "You don't remember? The last time we hung out properly... before you ended up in the hospital." His eyes softened as he spoke. "The night I gave you my jacket."