Up in Smoke (Soulmate AU)

Shitty day. Shittier Days Ahead.

It was, for a better lack of words; a shitty day.

Shitty clouds that stunk up the sky. A shitty sun that beamed directly over him. Shitty birds that chirped like broken whistles, blown above his head just to piss him off. And there he was of course,

That shitty Deku.

Today was truly a shitty day.

They were babbling about something. Voices that polluted the air like a stink cloud hovering above the head of the field. But all he could think about was how shitty the sun felt, burning at his skin as he waited for this particular day to be over.

Truly he had no reason to be this angry. If anything he should have been excited, wishful. People kill for opportunities like this, and to be one of those lucky few to find such clarity in their lives; he was a man who had truly peaked in the endowment of a yearning soul.

But as he stared down at the plummeting stop watch embedded in his wrist, the hour mark emptied to minutes, all he could feel; was malice.

15 minutes and 35 seconds.

He didn't want a fucking soulmate.

Especially not one of these extras looming around the school like pointless filler in the storyline to his success. They were beneath him. Weak. Unfocused, they didn't give a shit about being a hero; not like he did. So why the fuck would he want to be held down for the rest of his life by some cheap trick wannabe, holding him under; anchoring him. He just wanted this day to be over. Maybe if he got to his dorm fast enough he could avoid this person all together. Maybe that would break the curse. It had to.

"Class dismissed."

Thank fuck.

Hands in his pockets as he turned for the exit, he was stopped at the shoulder by a familiar grip. His voice stung the walls of his ears. "Hey, Bakugou! Did you hear that? We're getting a new-"

"Fuck off." He snatched his shoulder away.

A concerned look pulling at the corners of his lips, Kirishima prodded. "Hey, dude are you okay? You seem...angrier than usual." He glanced down at Bakugou's left arm and lidded his voice. "Is it that? ~Oh shit what time is it at?! Do you think it's-"

"I said fuck off, Shitty hair! I don't have time for this shit!"

Bakugou's yelling pushed him back a bit, suddenly aware that that question had only poked at the already furious bear. He could only hold his arms up in surrender, backing away. "Okay dude, geez. I'll leave you alone alright."

He was fuming at the ears at this point. Kirishima was the only person he told when his stopwatch finally shedded its hour mark. The sudden cut at his wrist sending a jolt up his arm strong enough to make his heart skip a beat - It was sickening. But worse, he felt, was the creepy little smile that stretched throughout the boy's face once he saw how close his friend was to meeting his "Foreverly promised."

"Dude! You're so lucky! Man, I wish I had a soulmate." He gassed. "Do you think it's anyone at this school?"

He wanted to vomit.

Thrown over the field, Kirishima's voice called out to Bakugou as he left. "We'll be at the arcade, Bro! Call me if you need anything!"

A bullet.

At least he made it out of the school relatively scott free. No familiar faces as he left the lockers, no idling passersby on the walk to the dorm building. He could get away with this he thought. He could really beat this. I mean, everybody had already left to do their pointless shit a-ways away from here. He was the only person who could have been there, and his watch was counting down the seconds.

1 minute and 23 seconds.

He groaned as the doors shut behind him. "What a shitty fucking day."

He hung his jacket on his shoulder as he made for the lobby. Earbuds already in his ears, the melody muffling the ticking that tapped against his skull.

43 seconds.

Shitty hair should really learn to keep his nose outta things sometimes. Making a big deal over this as if he thinks it's a good thing. Fucking stupid.

28 seconds.

And 'the hell I need a soulmate for anyway? They'll just fucking get in my way. Hold me down like the rest of the extras. Like I need any more of that.

15 seconds.

Stuck with a fucking kitchen timer on my wrist. For fucks sake. 'Telling me "I have a soulmate." Fuck that. I'm not letting some glorified threat on my wrist tell me what happens in my life.

7 seconds.

Stupid. Big fucking waste of my time.

2 seconds.

What a shitty da-

Stopped in his tracks by neighboring shoulders, the impact made his steps waver.

"Oi, watch where the fuck you're-"

They froze. Eyes pulled to one another as they met the same scowl of terror. Their ears rang. Their wrists numb. The watches they shared suddenly fading into swollen scars on their skin.

She was a little shorter than him. Body slim and slightly filling, the tips of her hair white as they fizzled down as smoke. She had bags in her hands, as if she was ready for a move.

She was the first to break the silence, pulling her stare from his as she turned to walk away. "Nice to finally meet you."

Her tone was hard to read. Flat and slightly rushed. It really hit him the wrong way.

"Wha- Wait. What the fuck? That's it?"

"I have to unpack."

"You're not even gonna- fucking stop." He clamped his hand around her wrist, yanking her back a bit. "You're not even gonna ask me my name? Fucking anything? What am I not what you expected or something?" He spat scornfully.

"You're not. No." She said flatly. "And I already know who you are. You're Bakugou Katsuki, you won the sport's festival your first year." She snatched her arm away.

Her voice was soft, slightly raspy as each sentence ended with a clean cut. "Bakugou Katsuki" it came out breathy. He would've liked the way his name sounded on her lips if he didn't think she was acting like such an uptight bitch.

"Oi, don't fucking walk away from me." He stomped after her as she turned to leave.

"I have to unpack." She repeated

"You can fucking wait." He grabbed her again, yanking her with force enough to make drop her bags entirely.

"What's your name." He demanded.

"I don't have one."

"You have a fucking name. Now tell it to me before you really piss me off."

"Let go of me."

"What's your name." He growled, his grip tightening around her wrist.

Glares the same color of fury as they stared each other down, she sighed before hissing. "(Y/N)."

Before his fingers could unbuckle themselves from around her wrists, his palm began to writhe in agony. Her skin felt like acid under his touch. As if he had some how wrapped his fingers around the sun itself.

He yelped as he snatched his hand back. His gaze shifting to her hand to see it literally engulfed in flame. White flame.

"And unless you fancy yourself being turned into a pile of ash, I'd watch it." She warned as she picked up her bags again.

Turning back to him as she reached the corridor to the elevators, she glared. "Soulmate."

His heart pounded as he watched her walk off, his hand curved like a wounded paw as he stared on in wonder.

Fuck.