From the Ground Up: Kacchako

Chapter 12: Mope around

Dinner that night was served in a reserved room from the hotel, it was about the size of two classrooms. A projector was set into the ceiling and was playing a movie while everyone sat on the floor among their own pillows and blankets and ate. Mr. Aizawa had said that even if they're about to be real-deal heroes, they deserved to be children every once in a while.
Mina sat as far away from Kirishima as she could, staring blankly at the movie as she hugged her knees. Kirishima looked away from her with a sense of guilt inside his chest.

He sat between Uraraka and Bakugou, because the brunette had asked him to. He'd asked why, but she only said that she'd feel more comfortable if he did. So here he was. He felt like standing up and going back to his room, because Bakugou kept looking at him from the side like he'd just ruined his night. Ignoring Uraraka's pleading gaze with a sorry smile he got up and went to the kitchens.
He searched through the cabinets until he found a pocky box all the way in the back of the cabinet. It was green tea flavour. He shrugged and sat on the kitchen bench, chewing on the end of a stick.
He was on his third pocky when Mina walked into the kitchen and sat on the bench next to him, snatching a pocky from the box in his hand and popping it in her mouth.
"I told my boyfriend I kissed you,"

She said quietly, finishing off the pocky. He nodded once.
"What did he say?"
She laughed quietly, taking the stick from his hand when he offered her another one.
"He said we were almost even"
"Almost?"
"I heard another girl in the background of his phone, 'come back to bed, I'm cold' she said"
He sighed and put the box down, rubbing his hands on his knees.
"I'm sorry, Mina"
She slacked slightly.
"I told him I'd bury him in my backyard before I accidentally melted my phone"
He couldn't help but laugh, bending over slightly. She joined him after a few seconds. He ran a hand through his hair before straightening up again.
"Man, poor guy..."
"Pfft, poor? He'll be sorry when I'm through with him! Licensed hero, Alien Queen is coming!"
She put her arms up and kicked her feet out, a bright smile on her face. He grinned at her.
"Man, I can't wait to get out there!"
He said, and she nodded.
"Yeah, I know! It's so awesome to finally have my license"
He nudged her shoulder with his elbow.
"Maybe I'll see you out there one day, and we can catch up"

She suddenly frowned at him.
"You don't want to keep hanging out with me after this trip is over?"
"What? No, I just meant- I guess I thought you'd be busy"
"Too busy to hang out with my oldest friend? No way!"
She shoved him lightly, and he pushed her back, earning a laugh. His hair was drying now, and stuck in spikes as he pushed it back again.
"Hey, I'm sorry about what happened in the garden, I didn't mean to pressure you like that"
He said, and she waved him off.
"Don't worry, if you hadn't I wouldn't have found out about my not-boyfriend and his other girl. Besides, you're a good kisser"
He turned his head to her with an incredulous look on his face.
"I am?"
She shrugged, smiling at him from the side. He smirked.
"Okay then, keep your secrets. I'll keep mine..."
It took her a few seconds to react.
"Okay...wait, what? What secrets?!"
He hopped off the bench and stood in front of her, his hands in his jean pockets.
"Oh no, no, no, I can keep them if I want to. You still have a few things to spill"
She put her hands on the bench between her thighs and leaned forward with wide eyes.
"Come on, tell me! Please?"
"You go first"
She scoffed and hung her head back. He tilted his head. In a quick movement she came back to eye level with him, their noses almost touching. He'd always found her weird behaviour fun to be around.
"Fine, I'll tell you"
She said, matter-of-factly. His heart sped up as she leaned to his ear and whispered,
"You're a better kisser than him"
She said, and leaned back. He smiled, showing his teeth as he stepped closer to her. The tip of her finger pressed to his forehead.
"I knew it would go to your head!"
"Are you kidding me? Of course it would I mean, it's me"
"So, what's your secret?"
She said, and he placed his hands on the bench either side of her. Even sitting on the bench she still wasn't taller than him.

His eyes flickered from hers to her lips, his chest fighting for even breaths. He wondered if he could make her squirm a little, even if some part of him thought that was sadistic he liked the idea.
So he leant down to her neck and grazed the soft skin light with his teeth, almost leaning onto her.
"Here's my secret."
He said, and moved one his hands onto her waist, his fingers slipping under the band of her shirt.
"I want to do more than kiss you, I want to have you to myself, I want to do so much more. And when You told me you had a boyfriend, I wanted to rip his head off, even if I'm a hero..."
A small pant escaped her mouth when he pressed his lips to her neck, his tongue sweeping over the spot where his teeth had grazed. Her hand went up his arm to grip the hair at the back of his neck, her other keeping her balanced as she leaned back. Her legs were about to wrap around him when he pulled away, his hands coming to rest on her knees. She looked dazed as he stared down at her with low-lidded eyes.
"I- why did you stop?"
He smirked.
"You owe me two more secrets, I told you three"
"What?"
She said, still dazed. He flicked her chin lightly and stepped away further. His goofy smile returned to his face.
"See you back with the others, Mina!"
He said, and walked out of the kitchen back to the others. She slid off the bench and shook her head quickly.
What just happened?
She wondered, and pressed her hands to her cheeks.

Back with the others in the dark room, most of them were falling asleep. Bakugou moved his hand on top of Uraraka's, but she moved it away. He snapped his head to her and gripped her wrist, yanking her close enough so that no one would hear them.
"What was that just now?"
She got a sudden bolt of confidence, knowing that if he did anything the others would wake up.
"What's wrong? It's not like we're together."
His hand tightened on her wrist. She'd been mad at him, mad at him for letting the others take photos of them on the bus. Mad at him for letting things get this far without sitting down to talk with her about what happened. Just- angry, for him not bothering to take her seriously.
By the look on his face she thought he'd blow up, storm out of the room. Instead he dragged her down with her onto their blanket and wrapped her tightly in his arms.
"We'll talk about this later, now cuddle me"
She sighed and gave up, slinging her arm around his torso and settling in against him. He huffed a quiet laughter, his chest bouncing.
"I feel like you're using me for physical comfort or something"
She sucked on her teeth and subtly reminded him how close her knee was to his crotch. He cleared his throat and shut his mouth.