Caramel ҉「 katsuki bakugou 」

jokes

⎯ "headed to the top, baby you and I. I'ma tell you how I feel when the time is right."

/katsuki has a heart

Pressure. That was how most students described the sports festival. The tension was stifling. Competition and expectation flowing through veins, enough to turn friends against each other.

Then there was disappointment. A ray of hope when the finish line came, only to find out they weren't one of the forty-two chosen ones. Followed by regret which engulfed when the headband was stolen and 'you tried your best' turned into 'maybe if you tried a little harder.'

Luckily for Katsuki, he was one of the sixteen privileged contestants who got to duke it out in the third round.

It was to be expected, though. He came to win, and he would. Simple.

(Name) didn't look as convincing. Earlier this morning, she rubbed her 'soon-to-be victory' in his face. But now, tormented by the look of failure on other students' faces, her eyes no longer glimmered with excitement.

Every once in a while, she'd get like this. The smiles fell short, and the jokes so half-assed it pissed him off. Like her body was asking for help because she wouldn't.

And he'd yell at her for it. Not because he didn't know how to express himself any other way, but because it was dumb to feel bad for people who didn't deserve it. They weren't strong enough, and that's why they didn't make it to the third round.

Of course, (Name) would overthink it, probably feel like she stole someone's spot who wanted it way more than her. 'Wanting it' wasn't enough, and they both knew that from experience. She was still plagued by remorse over things of the past. Which were both forgiven and uncontrollable.

Still, like all girls, she confused him. It just so happened that he tried to figure her out because she was a little more important than the rest. That girl was such a nuisance it felt like he didn't need anyone else in his life.

She who continued to intertwine herself with him after all these years, even following him to a school she had no intention of going to - even though that wasn't true.

He didn't care, but that didn't mean things went unnoticed. He'd never seen someone look so friendly and isolated at the same time.

Her deepest desires were love and affection, surrounded by people, yet so lonely she chased the tiniest smidge of warmth for miles. And she hid it all behind pearly whites because it was too complicated for words.

But it was different now because he was there, or so she said. (Name) also told him he was her 'sun' among other stupid things he didn't get.

Even now, walking around the arena together, he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Usually, she'd attempt to irk him somehow, but her attention stayed occupied by the hall in front of her, moving monotonously like a robot.

"—left side was unsightly and poured boiling water on my face." They both paused, slipping behind a wall like the nosey pricks they were.

"I-I don't understand..." Midoriya's voice quivered, irritating Katsuki out of habit. But who was the other voice?

"Ever heard of quirk marriages?" Silence followed as he confirmed it was Todoroki speaking. The girl beside him tensed at the subject. Then she leaned in, clinging onto the syllables like she was listening to someone's last words.

He didn't know much about her family besides her sister, and the fact they were rich. Given her non-existent relationship with her parents, it wouldn't surprise him if they'd brought it up before.

Gravel crunched underfoot as the boys parted ways, dangerously close to where they stood. Katsuki pulled the girl along, escaping their notice by a hair.

Continuing their walk in silence, the sunlight kissed their skin as they rounded the building. His eyes closed for a second. Leaves swept by, carried by the current of the wind like fleeting thoughts.

"Todoroki is kinda cute." (Name) broke the peace, swinging her legs as they strolled through the grass. Her expression was lighter. Like they hadn't overheard someone's childhood horror story.

"What?" He questioned, genuinely wondering if he misheard. If that's what she was thinking about the whole time, he was gonna lose his shit.

"I said he's smoking hot," she laughed, knowing he heard her the first time. "Everyone else thinks so too."

"What the fuck (Name)?" Go see raccoon eyes if you want to talk about that shit." He gagged, suppressing what he hoped was disgust at her confession.

"What," she lowered her eyelids at him, a telltale sign he was in for it. "Don't tell me you're jealous?" The girl pounced at him, leaning into his side.

"Hell no!" Katsuki denied, wrenching his arm away like she was hot to the touch. "There's nothing to be jealous of, dumbass." It was the truth; he really didn't care.

"Fine, maybe I'll go out with him then." She hummed, keeping an eye open for his reaction. Nothing. Then her eyes settled on the ground. "He sort of reminds me of someone."

"Go ahead," he shrugged almost too quickly, surprising her. (Name) stopped walking for a moment, her eyes heavy on his back as he continued.

Katsuki never thought about it, really. Since he was young, that kind of armored mindset was drilled into him, his focus on things much greater than his peers. There was no time for that shit, and it wasn't his business who (Name) played around with. She wasn't his girlfriend.

A shrill bell rang, followed by an announcement signaling the start of the matches."I better see you in the finals." He turned to face the girl a few feet back.

An unreadable expression remained before a very (Name)-like grin surfaced and she was at his side again. "I should be saying that to you!"

Deep down, he did want her to be happy. Like actually happy, not that fake bullshit she put on. If she needed to experience something on her own, he'd let her.

Because when it felt like everything was falling apart, she was a calming light. A vivid face among the nameless. Something constant, even when he ignored it. One that made him think about a lot of things, but also cleared his mind.

Kind of like the moon.

wow, I love him. don't you? im mad at myself bc of how much suffering there is to come - i'm sorry in advance

ALSO, now you know the reason I put a sun in the title!! ☀️