ARMOR [Bakugo Katsuki x reader]

12: VFE part 2

The dim light flickers unsteadily overhead, casting shadows across the worn wooden floor of the shabby bar. The smell of stale beer and something far less identifiable clings to the air, wrapping around Bakugo like a damp blanket. His shoes stuck to the floor like gum unwillingly connected them, and he wondered whether the UA staff had gone mad. A mixer, here? Bakugo glanced around, searching for a spot where he could sit, but the cracked leather booths and mismatched bar stools weren't a welcome sight.

His gaze flickered with surprise as he saw Kirishima, Sero, and Kaminari already seated by a booth like they didn't care about the potential case of gonorrhea. Like hell if Bakugo was going to be patient zero.

"This bar is a fucking bio-hazard," Bakugo spat as he, reluctantly, sat down next to Kaminari.

"It's a bar," Kaminari insisted. "What were you expecting? Champagne towers at the door?"

"It's a bar," Bakugo corrected as his gaze drifted around the walls of old signed pictures of heroes who had come in here for a drink, probably during All Might's prime, based on the wear and tear. "And that's phrasing it nicely."

When Kaminari ordered the first round of beer, Bakugo declined, knowing that he would inevitably go and pick up Y/N. However, it wasn't far from VFE to this charming dream of transferable diseases. He could walk. A walk would, by Y/N's definition, be 'a lack of space'. It took everything in him not to grimace at the reminder.

"So, when are you picking up Y/N?" Kirishima asked.

"Dunno. Waiting for a text."

"Why are you such a sour puss?" Kaminari asked.

"He's still sulking that Y/N wanted 'space'."

"The fuck if I am –" Bakugo spat, glaring at Sero who had instigated that he was sulking. Bakugo Katsuki didn't fucking sulk. Sure, maybe in a different alternative universe, he could be a little pissy over the fact that Y/N wanted space, but it wasn't in this one. He respected her choice.

"Whatever you say, man," Sero sing-songed before gulping the beer with too much foam.

What a shitty ass bar.

By the time Kaminari was on his second beer, the small bar was slowly but surely getting more crowded. The supply department nerds had started to spread out, even that gross leech who seemed to always want to annoy Y/N seemed to have a good time. And it all made him much more aware that Y/N wasn't present.

He grumbled, picking his phone out of his pocket and looking at the time. She had been at VFE for three hours now. Did whatever shit she was there for take that long? Not that he knew why she was there. Space. It taunted him. Hanging over his damned head like a blinking neon sign. Instinctively, his teeth started to gnaw at the inside of his cheek, brows furrowing as the prickle of doubt slithered into his brain.

What the hell did she want space for? Sure, he wasn't the nicest by any means, but he had tried. He had subconsciously tried not to be an ass, because she was nice too, in her own little charming – nope – unique way. 

"Heard anything yet?" Kirishima leaned his elbows onto the table, leaning over it to speak more directly to Bakugo.

"Nope," Bakugo exhaled. Was she intentionally ignoring him?

"Dude, you're overthinking."

"I don't do that shit," Bakugo grunted.

Kirishima raised an eyebrow. Bakugo only scowled, once he realized that his best friend had, most definitely, started to pick up on Bakugo's cues. Of course, he was thinking about it. Usually, he wouldn't bat an eye if someone didn't like him, but it was different with her.