Where Our Hearts Fall

Chapter 17

 Part 3

The next day, the sun was already rising high in the sky as Y/N slowly woke up in her tent, groggily pulling herself out of her sleeping bag. The events of the previous night—the conversation with Bakugo—still echoed in her mind. Her heart felt lighter, though she knew that things weren't magically fixed. Still, the fact that they were able to speak about it was a step forward, and for now, that was enough.

She stepped outside, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and found the camp buzzing with activity. The campfire from the previous night had long since died down, but the smell of cooking food drifted through the air, and students were already beginning to gather around the tables for breakfast.

Her eyes scanned the camp, and there, sitting a little apart from everyone else, she spotted Bakugo. He was already eating, his usual scowl in place, but there was something about the way he sat there that made him seem... less tense. Less angry, almost.

Y/N felt her heart skip a beat, but she shook her head. No, she couldn't jump to conclusions. They'd had one conversation. It wasn't enough to change everything.

She walked over, her footsteps a little more cautious than usual. When Bakugo noticed her, his eyes flicked over to her for a brief moment before he grumbled something unintelligible under his breath.

"Hey," Y/N said, standing a little awkwardly next to him. "Do you mind if I sit?"

He didn't respond right away, but the space beside him was clear, so she took it as an invitation. She sat down, pulling a plate of food toward her from the table. The others were busy talking among themselves, but the air between her and Bakugo was... different. More relaxed, almost.

"How's the food?" she asked, trying to break the silence.

Bakugo looked at her for a second, his mouth quirking in a slight, almost imperceptible grin. "Not bad," he muttered, his voice still gruff, but there was something softer about it.

Y/N smiled slightly, feeling a small warmth inside. It wasn't much, but she'd take it. She started eating, the sound of chewing filling the air, but there was something calming about the quiet between them. It wasn't uncomfortable anymore.

"So, uh, how's the camp been for you?" Y/N asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

Bakugo shrugged nonchalantly. "It's alright. Could be better. It's not like I need to be here, but the training's been okay." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "You know, not everything is as simple as it seems. This whole... 'work together' thing still annoys me."

Y/N chuckled. "Yeah, I get it. You'd rather do it alone, huh?"

Bakugo huffed. "Not like I have much of a choice with this shitty camp. At least the training's pushing me harder." He met her gaze for a second, his usual intensity back. "You're not bad either. That wind Quirk of yours—it's dangerous. You're not using it to your full potential."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, surprised at the compliment coming from him. "I'm still learning to control it," she replied softly. "But I guess I'll get there eventually."

Bakugo scoffed but with a hint of pride. "You better."

The tension between them was practically nonexistent now, and the small exchange felt... normal. Like it was before all the weirdness and distance started. Y/N couldn't help but smile to herself. Maybe things were starting to improve after all.

Just then, Mina skipped over, her usual bright smile lighting up her face. "Aww, look at you two! So cute!" she teased with a wink.

Y/N shot her a warning glare, but Mina just grinned wider, oblivious. "You know, you guys have been really good at keeping things chill," she said, sitting down on the other side of Bakugo. "Maybe you two should hang out more. You're making progress, right?"

Y/N's cheeks flushed slightly, and she felt Bakugo stiffen beside her. His face twisted into an angry scowl as he growled, "Shut up, Mina."

"Oh, come on, Bakugo!" Mina laughed, her voice sweet but mischievous. "You know you're way too obvious with your feelings. You can't hide it forever." She shot Y/N a wink, her eyes sparkling with playful mischief.

Y/N sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Mina, please—don't start."

But Mina was already too deep in her teasing. "I just know you two have been getting along so well. If Bakugo can make a step forward, Y/N, maybe it's your turn to make the next move, hm?"

Y/N's heart skipped a beat at her words. Mina's teasing wasn't so much a joke anymore—it was real. And it made Y/N's chest tighten in a way she couldn't explain. She glanced at Bakugo, whose expression had shifted from annoyance to something unreadable. His jaw was clenched, and for a second, she thought he might say something, but he remained quiet.

"Shut up, Mina," Bakugo said again, his tone irritated, but there was a flicker of something softer in his eyes. "I don't have time for your bullshit."

Mina just giggled, clearly enjoying herself. "Sure, sure. But you can't fool me, Bakugo. You've been less of a jerk, so I'm calling it—Y/N's got you wrapped around her finger."

Y/N felt the heat in her cheeks rise, but before she could respond, Bakugo stood up abruptly, muttering something about "dumbasses" and walking away to join the rest of the group, leaving Y/N and Mina to themselves.

Mina turned to Y/N, a knowing grin on her face. "See? You're making progress." She nudged Y/N playfully with her elbow. "Don't worry about Bakugo. He's just being Bakugo."

Y/N couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I know. He's complicated."

"You know what they say," Mina grinned, "the more complicated, the more worth it."

Y/N's smile faltered for a moment, but she didn't let Mina see. She wasn't sure where things were heading with Bakugo, but she could feel the change in the air. He wasn't as distant anymore, and she wasn't as unsure. There was still so much she didn't understand, but for now, this felt like a good step.

"Let's focus on the mission for now," Y/N said, pushing the thoughts of Bakugo aside for the moment. "We still have a lot to learn."

Mina grinned. "Right, right. But I'll be keeping an eye on you two."

As the camp continued to buzz around them, Y/N felt a little lighter. Whatever happened with Bakugo next, she knew one thing for sure: she wasn't going to back down. She had come this far, and with him—no matter how stubborn or complicated things got—she was willing to keep moving forward.

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Word count: 1081