Unveiled Winds || Katsuki Bakugou x Reader

Chapter 42 - Beach Trip

The van rumbled over a gravel road, the surf just barely visible in the distance beyond a ridge of dunes. Windows were down. Music was loud. Sand was already starting to coat the floorboards even though they hadn't technically arrived yet.

"Okay, remind me again why we let Kaminari pick the playlist?" Mina groaned from the back seat, shielding her face with a beach towel.

"Because he threatened to blast it from his phone anyway," Sero said, arm hanging out the window, sunglasses on, utterly unbothered.

"Exactly!" Kaminari called from the front seat, beaming like he'd just been voted MVP of the year. "Besides, it's not a beach trip without some early 2000s bangers, don't fight it!"

Bakugou, wedged in the very back with arms crossed and his signature scowl firmly in place, muttered, "Tch. Should've taken my damn bike."

Kirishima laughed, turning halfway in his seat. "And miss out on this classic bonding experience? Nah, man. Not a chance."

Bakugou didn't answer. Just shifted his glare out the window, toward the coast that was finally coming into full view.

"I still can't believe Jirou couldn't make it," Kaminari said after a beat, a little pout in his voice. "I had this whole portable amp setup ready and everything..."

"She's got that studio internship, remember?" Mina reminded him, lifting her sunglasses. "She said she'll try to swing by for one night if she finishes early."

"Lame," Kaminari grumbled, but didn't argue.

As the van crested the last hill, the beach house came into view, small, weather-worn, and practically on the sand. The kind of place that smelled like sunscreen and salt even before you opened the door.

"Looks better than the photos," Kirishima said, sounding genuinely impressed as they pulled up.

"You mean it looks haunted," Bakugou muttered, grabbing his bag as the engine cut off.

Mina hopped out before the doors were even fully open, stretching her arms over her head and breathing in the sea air. "Ugh, finally. I need the sun, like, in my bloodstream right now."

Sero laughed, kicking open the trunk. "You mean alcohol in your bloodstream."

"Both," Mina said sweetly.

As everyone started unloading coolers, bags, and half-inflated floaties, Bakugou's eyes scanned the rest of the group, and then landed on you.

You were standing a little off to the side, hair caught in the breeze, sunglasses perched on your nose, one hand on your hip like you were assessing the place for potential threats.

Bakugou didn't approach you right away.

He told himself it was because there were bags to carry. Things to unpack. Sero was wrestling a busted cooler latch and Kaminari had already managed to tangle himself in an inflatable ring float. But the truth was, he just... wasn't sure what to say.

Eventually, he wandered over, kicking at the sand as he came to a stop beside you.

"You good?" he asked, voice low.

You glanced at him, brows raised. "What, no snarky comment first?"

He scowled. "Didn't feel like it."

That earned a short laugh from you. "Damn. Must really be something off if you're worried."

He didn't answer, just waited.

You looked back toward the others, Mina yelling at Sero for nearly dropping a speaker in the sand, Kaminari complaining loudly that Jirou bailed last minute, and your smile turned a little wry.