Chapter Twenty-Eight

The next couple of days are mostly a blur of congratulations, excited discussion and musings about which agencies everyone will want to go to after graduation. A lot of students got their nominations reaffirmed or put in, even I got quite a few despite my ultimate failure in the end, but one hero didn't reach out after the festival and it's been bothering me ever since. After all, as a third year student, these nominations are less like work study opportunities and more like job offers and there's only one agency I want to work for.

"You're not focused, Kaida! Pick it up!" Endeavor commands, watching my drills. Irritation flares through me and I snap, blasting one of the punching dummies so hard that it flies across the room, crashing into the far wall with an enormous crack. I glare at it, turning away on my heel and unwrapping my knuckles. Endeavor walks over, towering over me with a discerning glare.

"How do you expect to be the top hero if you can't keep your concentration and control?" he demands. I glare at him, harshly enough that even he seems taken aback.

"What do you care?" I snap, using my spare towel to wipe the sweat off my neck.

"I've been training you. I won't have a student of mine making me look inept" he replies in a dark voice. I whirl on him, furious and agitated beyond belief.

"Is that what happened at the festival then? Did I disappoint you, Endeavor? Is that why you haven't put in a bid for me?!" I shout, unable to reign it in. He falls quiet for a moment, eyeing me with hesitation. It's not something I'm used to seeing on his face, but it only makes me angrier.

"Jesus, you're impossible. If I'm shit, just tell me! Don't sit there and go on and on about training me and being my mentor, just to throw me away at the end of it all!" I yell, clenching my fists against the ache I feel. Damn it. I scoff, looking away from him again. Stupid. I shouldn't have said anything at all.

"I didn't put in a bid for you... because I already expected you to return here once you graduated" he says finally, stopping me in my tracks. My eyes widen, but I don't turn around, doubt still hanging around me.

"Of all of the heroes I've trained, my son included, I've never trained one that was so stubbornly set on learning from me. Those that work for the agency are loyal, as they're expected to be, but I never felt the need to place a bid on you because I never dreamed you'd want to go anywhere else" he finishes and while part of me feels the budding beginning of what might be hope, the other part of me is even more irritated than before.

"You crazy old man, I'm a teenager! Of course I need affirmation you giant fire roasted wing nut!" I shout, turning back around and glaring at him. How dense can you be? He stares at me, an uncomfortable expression on his face and it makes me pause. Being the person that he is, I can tell he's probably not accustomed to those kinds of things... let alone feelings of genuine affection. When I think about it, I do hold a fondness for Endeavor, the man who's trained me and pushed me to be the best hero I can. He's never been easy on me, hell, the man hardly ever smiles, but he's watched me grow and guided me like the paternal figure I've lacked for so long. It'd be strange to tell him that I view him in a similar role as a father, but I can tell that it's something he might need to hear. If not just for his gain, then maybe for his son's. I sigh.

"I don't want to go anywhere else. But, if you want someone around? You need to tell them that. People don't just stick around on good faith. They need to know you want them to" I tell him, trying not to make it sound awkward. He frowns at me, his signature scowl returning.

"You're a real brat, you know that?" he growls. I grin at him, rolling up my hand wraps.

"You totally want me around though. You'd miss me" I reply with a smirk. He rolls his eyes and snatches the borrowed hand wraps from me.

"Go home, Kaida" he grumbles, grumpily walking off to go feel his feelings somewhere else. What an impossible guy. I shrug, grabbing my workout bag from the floor and starting back for the dorms, satisfied even though my training session today wasn't a complete success. Endeavor does want me to work there and the idea of it fills me with happiness. The world's number one hero wants me. He sees value in me.

When I get home, I can't help the smile on my face as I walk up the stairs to go inside. All of that worrying... for what? For Endeavor's incapability to express honest emotion? Please. Wasted time is more like it, but I don't care. All I can think about is being one of the number one hero's chosen sidekicks. I might start out there, but it won't be long before I knock him off his throne and part of me hopes he's proud when I do.

"Kaida! Did you hear?!" Ashido exclaims as soon as I walk through the door. Both of my eyebrows shoot up in surprise at the sudden bombardment.

"Hi, and no?" I reply, confused. She gushes, a far off look on her face.

"We're taking a school trip to celebrate after the Sports Festival! They're taking us to a hot spring" she practically drools, face overwhelming with happiness. I blink.

"Oh... wow... so, like... a hot tub?" I wonder, earning a startled stare.

"A... what?" she demands and I shrug.

"Like a whirlpool tub? Isn't that basically the same thing?" I ask and she gapes, disbelief plain as day on her face. I shake my head.

"What?" I demand. Ashido rolls her eyes, grabbing my arm and yanking me after her into the kitchen where Deku, Ochaco, Asui, and Iida sit, chatting excitedly.

"GUYS!" she shouts, making me jump. What the hell? The whole table looks at her on alert, equally as startled as I am.

"Kaida's never been to a hot spring" she tells them, emphasizing the entire phrase uncomfortably. I flush, embarrassed for no good reason. I tug my arm away from her.

"So what? I've been to pool parties before. It's not that different from a Jacuzzi" I mutter, but all of them seem to be concerned, murmuring amongst themselves.

"You've really never been?" Ochaco asks and I shake my head. Flushing. No. So what?

"Kaida's never been to a hot spring?" Kaminari interjects, coming into the room with Kirishima and Mineta tagging along. Oh, sweet Jesus.

"No!" I repeat, getting annoyed.

"Oh, you're gonna love it! Hot springs are the best!" Kirishima says, that laid back grin on his face. I give him a look, wondering what all the fuss is about.

"I'm gonna love it too... we could go into the hot spring together. I could show you how to properly enjoy it!" Mineta drools. I grit my teeth, glaring at him.

"What was that?" I growl and he laughs nervously.

"Was I talking? I wasn't talking! Kaminari, stop being a pervert!" he shouts, pointing an accusing finger at him. Kaminari gapes, looking between the two of us.

"What?! Me? You're the one saying stuff like that!" he complains. Kirishima just laughs, scratching his head.

"Ah, sorry Kaida" he apologizes. I sigh. It really never ends with these guys, but I can't lie. I've grown fond of them too. Even Mineta's nasty ass can be endearing. On extremely rare occasions. When he's not being an insufferable pig.

"It's fine... what are these hot springs anyway? I've never really read up on them, but is it really a bath outside?" I wonder, earning small chuckles all around. I flush. Damn it.

"They're like natural baths! They're very relaxing and really fun" Ochaco beams, a reassuring tone to her voice. I nod, feeling a bit better.

"So... how does it work?" I ask. Without missing a beat, Ochaco tells me all about hot springs, her vast knowledge distracting everyone else from my lack thereof. It's an honest relief and as everyone falls into their usual relaxed conversation again, I take a seat with them, thankful to feel like I've finally made some real friends.

____________

The hot springs the school takes us to the next day are gorgeous and quaint, the grounds decorated in traditional Japanese fashion and surprisingly large. The main area for the baths is a huge building in the center for easier access and the surrounding area is dotted with private cabins, each of them hosting several rooms for the students and staff. I practically have stars in my eyes when we arrive.

"Whoa" I breathe, nearly dropping my bag in awe.

"This place is incredible" Shiori agrees and I grin at her. A huge plus about this trip is that it's not class specific and since Shiori and I finally got to reconnect, we get to spend the holiday here together.

"I can't wait to try these hot springs out!" I tell her, genuinely excited. She smirks.

"Is it true that you thought they were like hot tubs?" she asks. I glare at her.

"Shut up. It's not common knowledge!" I snap. She laughs.

"It kind of is, though" she replies and I groan. Great. I'll never live that down now.

"Whatever" I mutter as our group checks in and we're all sent to our respective cabins. I wave goodbye to Shiori and make my way to the cabin for class 3-A. The cabins aren't that big, so our class is divided into two sections, half of us in each cabin with one teacher to "supervise". I consider myself lucky that my cabin lands me with Mr. Aizawa since he's not usually hands on if nothing interesting is happening.

It doesn't take any of us long to unpack and get ourselves down to the hot springs themselves and though I have to ask Yaoyorozu about the proper etiquette for maybe the sixteenth time, I feel pretty confident by the time we get into the changing areas. Again, the things I'm provided with are at least a size too small, and the towel I wrap around myself now leaves a fair amount of skin showing on one side, splitting from my thigh all the way up to my hip. I roll my eyes as I tuck the towel's edge in and start after the girls. I let them go first a little while ago, hoping my towel mishap would be less noticeable if I just got right into the water, but as I go to exit the changing room, Bakugo comes out of his own stall, wearing only his towel.

My face heats immediately and I catch myself staring, eyes drinking in every inch of him. I bite my lip, surprised at my reaction to him. He looks over at me, gaze travelling for a moment before meeting mine again.

"What are you staring at?" he demands, staring at me heatedly. My breath catches in my throat and my heart hammers against my ribs. The last time he caught me near naked in a bathroom, he refused to look at me, but now... his eyes watch me openly, taking survey of me without shame and I can't help my own gaze from wandering. I've never seen Bakugo without a shirt on, let alone pants, and with his wet hair pushed back from his forehead, the sight of him makes me... hungry.

"What are you doing in here?" I retort, my words a bit breathless and lacking in their usual aggression. What's wrong with me? Bakugo smirks, a dangerous look in his eye as he starts towards me. I stumble back, but I don't turn away when he presses me into the wall behind me, caging me between his arms. I swallow, heart racing and breath staggering.

"This is the coed hot spring" he murmurs and I flush. I didn't know that... but he did. I glare at him as best as I can manage.

"So you knew other women would be in here?" I demand, arching an accusatory eyebrow. He chuckles, a low and throaty sound that makes my stomach flip.

"Are you jealous, Kaida?" he asks quietly, leaning in close. What the hell's gotten into him? Worse, what's gotten into me? My face flames in response to him and his smirk widens into a smile that kicks my heart into overdrive. Bakugo almost never smiles like that but when he does...

"Don't worry... there's no one in here but us. I wouldn't have come in if I hadn't seen you come in here first" he says, right at my ear now. My eyes widen, body shivering beneath his gaze and I swallow again.

"So you were trying to sneak a peek at me then?" I ask, trying desperately to sound agitated or cocky or anything other than needy.

"Yes" he replies huskily, the certainty in his voice stopping my heart completely. My breath catches as I look at him, lips parted, sculpted chest and shoulders holding me hostage, and my eyes trail down his stomach leading into the top of his own towel... I flush furiously. Seeing him this way... thinking the way I'm thinking... it's driving me crazy and right when I think I can't take it anymore, he grabs my face firmly, lifting it up to his.

"My eyes are here, Kaida" he tells me and my body tenses, heart thundering again.

"S-sorry" I stammer, but it comes out a gasp. I didn't expect this of him, not here and certainly not now, but it has my whole body aching.

"Don't you get it? I can't see you like this... and not act on it. It'd be easier if you didn't look at me like that... but you just won't let me go, will you?" he breathes, even closer than before. I bite my lip, not sure whether I want him to stop or go on for an eternity and the anticipation of his decision kills me.

"Katsuki..." I whisper and without any more hesitation, his mouth is on mine, body pressing me into the wall even harder. I gasp against his lips and wrap my arms around his neck, fingers knotting themselves into his hair. The steam in the room makes it even harder to catch my breath, but I don't care. Bakugo kisses me harder, tilting his head to deepen it and biting my lip when I lean my head back. I let out a whimper, tugging his hair in response and a low growl emits from his throat. I suck in a breath, heart stuttering when he snatches my hands from the back of his neck and pins them to the cool tile behind me, kissing me more intensely than ever before. I lean into him, trying not to focus on the fact that my body feels like electricity is shooting through it at his touch or that my towel is only moments away from slipping off.

"B-Bakugo" I gasp against his kiss. It takes him a moment, but he pries himself away from me with a great deal of effort.

"I don't think I can hold myself back... if you keep kissing me like that" I admit quietly, forcing myself to maintain composure when his face flushes, eyes growing heavy and needy. It's intoxicating.

"Jesus... you can't just say things like that" he murmurs seriously and I can tell he's feeling the same way I am. He slowly relaxes his hold on me then, dragging his hands down from my wrists and letting his fingertips trail over my arms. I shiver, heart beating in rhythm with the way he's touching me as his hands glide over my shoulders.

"There's that look again" he muses and I can't help it. I look back up at him, unable to control the flaming desire burning beneath my skin. I shouldn't kiss him again... shouldn't even think of putting myself in that position but... as if sensing my urgency, Bakugo's hands find my waist and pull me to him, sweeping me into another heated kiss. I comply wordlessly, grabbing either side of his face and kissing him back without fear or reservation. It's an intense and all-consuming kiss, a kiss that could burn down cities and tear apart nations. God knows that's what it's doing to me. Bakugo pauses, pulling away from me, gaze so heavy I feel like I could stay lost in it forever.

"Anything you want, Kaida... I... I'd give you anything..." he pauses and I feel the desire for him within me as alive and intense as my own energy. I grab his hand, making the decision without a moment's hesitation and pulling him after me towards the hot spring.

"K-Kaida" he stammers. I look back at him over my shoulder, surprised by the color in his cheeks, but he doesn't argue for a second. I don't know why or when the decision was really made and I don't know why my heart chose him. I don't know why all I want is for this moment to never end, but I don't turn back either once we enter the hot spring and Bakugo doesn't leave my side for the rest of the night.