🌸O N L Y F O R Y O U🌸 ||Kacchako||

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: Her smile makes it all worth it

Love. Its a subjective topic, really. One of the biggest misconceptions. Now, you may think this is a love story. That is where you are absolutely correct. Two people just happen to meet at a certain time. Certain events occurred, entangling their lives for the better or for worse. They will never escape that entanglement.
       That is what you call soulmates. Soulmates. Another misconception.
       soul mate
/ˈsōl ˌmāt/
noun
plural noun: soulmates
a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner.
      Two people. Entangled as one. May their souls be forever as one. And that's the thing. Everyone has a soulmate. Some may not have met theirs....some may have died before you get a chance to meet them. But the thing is...they are inseparable. Unbroken. No matter what you do, you cannot shortage them. If not together in one life, they will be in the next. Or the next. Or the next.
      The strongest form of love is sacrificial. The ability to sacrifice your happiness...your freedom, your rights...even your life for another. Love is amazing. The best kind of love changes you for the better...it makes you see the world in the light of the eyes of pureness and beauty.
      Some may get the short end of the stick. In love, in life, in finding their soulmate, in happiness...but there will always be a way. Even if it isn't happy. There will always be a way. Always.

                       *                   *                  *
(THIRD PERSON POV: POV of the person switches from time to time)

     "Hey...hey!"
     Katsuki blinks, snapping from the trance it seems he was in. He reverts back to his glare; his natural resting face.
     "Hm?" He asks, his voice hoarse. Ochako smiles, her eyes getting all squinty.
     "You...okay?" She says. Katsuki can see through that smile. Embarrassing enough, he's received that smile countless times. Her smile of worry.
      "Hah? I'm fine," Katsuki responds, sitting up from her bed and grabbing his backpack. "Let's go."
      They walk in silence to school together, not something that usually happens.
      Ochako thinks to herself, furrowing her eyebrows, making it easy for Katsuki to read what she is thinking. She's like a clear bottle...easy to read but when she isn't it's the hardest fucking time of Katsuki's life.
Was it something I said? She thinks to herself, scratching the back of her head as she slumps her shoulders with aspiration. He's been like this all week...he isn't the type to be so zoned out. Ever since that party...
         She tilts her head at Katsuki, his eyes looking glazed over as he dozed off into the clear blue sky.
He's definitely hiding something. But what? Was it...something I did??
      Katsuki blinks, his eyebrows dangerously furrowed, as if they have been stuck in that angry position. He glances down at Ochako.
Something's up with her. Goddamn it's quiet...fuck.
     "So."
     "So." The two teens say in unison. They pause, making Ochako burst into laughter. Katsuki blushes, scratching the back of his head, adjusting his backpack slung over only one of his shoulders.
     "You go first," she giggles. Her laugh resembles that of metal chimes dancing in the summer breeze. It's light heart. It's sweet. It makes you smile, lightening up the mood.
      Ochako inched closer to Katsuki, their shoulders touching as their hands brush against each other, a sign of their closeness in friendship. Regardless of how many times she does that, it still manages to make Katsuki's heart pick up pace, making his hands sweat aggressively and his face turn red. Fuck. This is why I could never hold her hand...or anyone's...for more than 10 seconds. Shit why am I like this?!
       As Katsuki silently cheeses at himself, saying things in his head like "this doesn't help your current disease" and "knock the fuck off man," Ochako clears her throat.
       "Kacchan? You gonna say something?"
       He curses to himself again.
      "No...you can go," he stuffs his hands in his pockets.
     Now it's their turn to trade places, Ochako's face turns red as sweat trickles down her round face.
Crap! I didn't think this far ahead...should I ask him about the night at the party??
     She shakes her head vigorously, making her own self dizzy.
No! Just...ask him about that question....
      She looks up at the glaring boy and her expression softens. She looks down at his own hands. Poor Katsuki. If only I knew what was going on...maybe I could help? Lately...he seems so off. He's been so down and stressed it's hurting me seeing him like this.
       She grabs his hand, making him jump a bit. They intertwine fingers and Katsuki avoids  his gaze, turning away from her face.
      "Weren't you gonna tell me something for fuck's sake?!" He yells, his face completely red. They're about to approach the school entrance.
     "Let's just stay like this for a bit," she says, leaning her head against his shoulder. He turns on her heel to embrace him and she feels him stiffen up. If it was any other person stepping within a one meter radius of Bakugou Katsuki, he would explode with anger and curse at them. But for her...it's different.
      "I feel like we barely talk heart to heart anymore. You know, ever since the....disease," she buries her face deeper into Katsuki's uniform shirt. She can hear his heart rapidly beating and it makes her smile.
       She's glad she can warm the heart of her best friend just like she used to.
     "I really miss you, Katsuki."
     Katsuki can feel angry tears stung his eyes. He doesn't normally tear up...but after everything they've been through, he seems more vulnerable than he used to. His years stung his eyes with anger, guilt, confusion and sadness...but most of all...longing.
      He shoves her gently away from him, breaking the embrace and turning his head away to wipe away his tears. Fuck.
      "I, uh..." his voice cracks and his face stings with embarrassment.
      "I miss you too, round face."
      Ochako breaks into a huge smile. "You big softie!" She lightly punches his arm, causing Katsuki to glare at her.
      "I don't know why everyone says you're so rude...I know you more than anyone and honestly you're the biggest softie ever!" She wraps her arms around his torso, refusing to let go.
      "Wa-Get the hell off me, Cheeks!" Katsuki yells, yanking her. No budging. She laughs and he glares and the whole campus seems to have heir eyes on them but they couldn't care less.
Laughter. Light-hearted, fun loving...free spirited laughter. Laughing like there isn't a care in the world...like their lives aren't being put on the line just being together. Like this isn't life or death.
     Laughter. Something Katsuki and Ochako haven't experienced together in what seems like ages. And something they will cherish forever.
     But, as all good things come to an end, another fellow shows up.
"Hi Uraraka-san!"
Katsuki feels Ochako stiffen up, still clinging onto him. She turns her head around, her and Katsuki in the middle of an awkward position. Katsuki has to stop himself from cursing out loud and throwing punches in the damn nerd's direction.
"Hi Deku-kun! Hi Iida-kun!" She says in her usual chirpy voice, though it seems different. Chirpy with a hint of nervousness.
"H-Hi Ka-Kaccha-"
"Tch," Katsuki uses all the self control in his body to refrain from yelling. He grabs Ochako's hand and they walk to the school.
"Please do not grab others, Bakugou! Please respect her personal space!" The stuff four-eyes boy by the name of Iida yells. Bakugou rolls his eyes and opens his mouth to yell when Ochako cuts him off.
"It's okay, Iida! We're close..." she smiles, following Katsuki to class.
Izuku has an uneasy feeling in his stomach. I know they were always close but...it's like he's desperately clinging onto her. I may not know Kacchan as well as Uraraka-sam but....was he always this clingy? Izuku thinks to himself.
"Everything alright, Midoriya?" Iida asks, pushing up his glasses up his nose. Izuku nods bashfully.
"I guess it's nothing! Uraraka-sam can hangout with whoever she wants..."
Iida waves goodbye after nodding to Izuku and they part ways. And the three of them make their way down the same direction, uneasiness filling the atmosphere.