Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.

Why Me?

"Good job today, sir!" Mai said, bowing as Bakugo walked inside the office of his hero agency.

"Yeah, yeah," He huffed in answer, pulling his mask off his mask tiredly. "That asshole wasn't even worth the effort. We got any new jobs?"

It had been two years since Bakugo and the rest of Class-A had graduated from UA. Straight out of school, Bakugo started up his own hero agency. It had been difficult, but Bakugo never let a little difficulty stop him from getting what he wanted. He had been planning to run solo, but realized that there was a lot more paperwork involved than first suspected. With that in mind, he decided to hire Mai Fujima as his secretary and organizer. She was the only one willing to put up with Bakugo's attitude as well as be on top of her work. Even if she did get annoying at times.

"Yes, actually! We've gotten another request of assistance from Creati-san again!"

Bakugo halted, raising a brow in wonder as he looked back at Mai. "The hell? Again?! What's that make now, ten in the last six months? The hell is Ponytail's deal?"

"Maybe if you paid attention, you'd know…" Mai mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes.

"Huh?! What was that?!" Bakugo snapped in irritation. Though being his assistant, the woman was used to the volume.

"I said that I'm sure she just values the kind of assistance you provide, sir~!" Mai chirped with a cutesy smile, causing the explosive Quirk user to narrow his eyes. "You're both climbing the ranks of popularity quite fast! I think she merely sees it as a valuable opportunity for you both!"

Bakugo clicked his tongue, eyes trailing to the side. "She should annoy icy-hot then if that's the deal. They were real buddy-buddy…"

That was true enough. Though Bakugo failed to mention that the two had become… close in their last year at UA together. As close as anyone ever got to Bakugo, at least. He could blame Jirou for that one, as she had started being more proactive in befriending him, which eventually meant her best friend in Momo started to spend more time with them.

He wouldn't admit it, but Momo had become a dearer friend than he ever expected. Which is why he hadn't denied any of her requests for help up to this point.

"Whatever. Just tell Ponytail I'll do it. When does she want to meet?"

"Tonight. They're doing reconnaissance and she wants to go over the details of their operation personally with you," Mai said, looking at a tablet in her hand. "She'll meet you at your usual rally point. Also said to bring a change of clothes for after the mission."

"Tch. Fine. I'm gonna get some lunch then," Bakugo said, taking his gauntlets off and setting them in a secure steel locker. He kept the rest of his hero gear on in case of an emergency.

"Oh, I'll come with you then, sir!" Mai sang in excitement. "I haven't eaten all day!"

"You just wanna mooch off me!"

"Wha~t?! No, never… maybe."

Bakugo sat across from Mai, the two nibbling on a set of sandwiches. In the end, Bakugo did treat Mai.

"The hell do I even pay you for..?" Bakugo grumbled in mild annoyance.

"Oh, don't be like that, sir! I'd say you got a pretty good deal when it comes to paying me as your lone secretary!" Mai giggled, happily biting into her meal. "A lunch here and there isn't so bad!"

Bakugo just clicked his tongue, looking back down at his food.

"So… you excited to work with Creati-san tonight?"

The explosive blond's eyebrow twitched. He spared his assistant a narrow eyed glance. The tone in her voice was familiar and irritating. He knew what direction she was going to take the conversation if he didn't shut this down immediately.

"No," He grunted, hoping that a short answer like that would keep her from pushing the subject.

"Oh, come o~n, boss! Don't act like you aren't happy to work with her again!" Mai laughed giddily. Bakugo groaned, irritated that Mai was still pushing the conversation.

"Stop pushing your damn rom-com fantasies on me!" Bakugo growled out.

"But sir, it's perfect! It's quite literally beauty and the beast! Though comparing that classic tale to you is a bit of an insult to the story…"

"You wanna get fired?"

"A-Ah, kidding! Kidding!" Mai laughed, a nervous sweat building on her brow. "B-But come on, boss! When's the last time you went out on a date?"

"Never," Bakugo bluntly answered, causing his assistant to blink.

"... Wow. That explains a lot. No wonder you're so dense…"

"The hell do you mean dense?!" Bakugo snapped again.

"Sir, you're twenty years old. I feel like I shouldn't need to explain that much," Mai sighed before giving a smug grin. "But! Since you've never been with someone in your whole life, I suppose I can give you some clues!"

"It pisses me off that you're acting all high and mighty about that," Bakugo said, a tick mark growing on his head. "When the hell's the last time you even went out with a guy?"

"Th-That's not important right now," Mai coughed into her hand, cheeks turning a faint tint of red. "Anyway, back to you, you should think about something."

"And that is?"

"Why have I pushed so hard about you and Creati-san? Don't you think it's strange?"

"Why would I give a fuck is a better question," Bakugo huffed.

"Run away from the thought all you want, but I know all," Mai said, speaking confidently again. "You've denied plenty of other classmates of yours in the past. But Creati-san always gets a pass. Or haven't you noticed?"

Bakugo hesitated. Thinking back on it, Mai wasn't wrong. He had helped a few of his classmates in the past, sure, but none of them as constantly as Momo. Half of them he got tired of helping out and gave a flat no to. Sure, her and Jirou worked together in their own agency, but it was surprisingly Momo who seemed to push for his help more often than Jirou.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bakugo said, narrowing his eyes back at his assistant again.

"I'm just saying, there's a reason I haven't pushed about Jirou-san or Alien Queen-san. Why do you think Creati-san picks you for help as opposed to the rest of your old classmates?"

"Because I'm the best," Bakugo said without flinching, causing Mai to sigh.

"I'm… sure that has something to do with it, but there's more to it than that. She's been to the office more than a few times, even when it was just her and Jirou-san happening to 'be in the neighborhood for lunch'. Or did that fly over your head, too?"

Bakugo's eyes shifted left. Then right. Then back at Mai. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"What I'm saying is that I've seen her when she's around you. She gets a bit shy, she includes you in the conversation, she shrugs off your outbursts, stuff like that. Jirou-san might be casual with you, but Creati-san has a sort of… glow to her when she spends time with you."

Bakugo clicked his tongue, unable to see what his assistant had. "I've got no clue what the hell you're talking about."

"Well then, why don't you try paying attention the next time you're around her? You're smarter than you act, so I'm sure you'll pick up on it once you start to look at Creati-san," Mai suggested.

"Tch. I ain't looking for somethin' that isn't there," Bakugo retorted.

Mai opened her mouth to lash back, but hesitated for a moment before giving a wry grin. "Oh, I see, you just don't want to look because you're afraid that you're wrong and I'm right!"

Bakugo felt a vein pop at that. Mai knew all the buttons to push when it came to her boss.

"Oh yeah?" Bakugo growled, a shadow looming over him now. "I'll show you. I'll keep an eye on her tonight and prove you're just seein' shit that ain't there!"

"Oh~, will you now?" Mai smirked, proud of the results she got. "Let's make a bet, then! If you don't see anything tonight about her that stands out, then I'll buy lunch all of next week! But if you do see something, you have to buy lunch for the rest of the month!"

"Why the hell is your win condition so much higher?" Bakugo deadpanned.

"Hey, if I win, I think I deserve that much since in the long run, it'll be a win for you too," Mai chuckled, a small twinkle in her eye.

"Tch. Whatever. Fine. You better be ready to treat me to some classy lunches next week, then," Bakugo grinned darkly, causing Mai to blink. "Because if I only get a week, I'm gonna make you pay a pretty yen in return."

"... F-Fine! I'm confident!" Mai laughed back, though the sweat trailing down her face wasn't helping her case.

Bakugo walked through the entrance of Cafe Leblanc. It was a small hole in the wall for a coffee shop, but served as a good in between for meetings with Momo and Jirou. At least, that's what they told him when they first suggested the idea. Bakugo had some doubts about that, but got over once he tried the coffee. Admittedly, the old man behind the counter knew how to brew some good coffee.

"Well, well. Look who it is," the cafe owner smirked. "I figured you'd be here after the girls arrived. A cup of the usual?"

"Yeah," Bakugo said, his gaze trailing to their usual booth. As expected, Momo and Jirou were seated across from each other, their eyes on him as he approached.

"Yo. Took you long enough," Jirou greeted with a smile.

"Shut it. You're the ones who always wanna meet here," Bakugo rolled his eyes.

"S-Sorry for the inconvenience, Bakugo-san. We really do appreciate your coming to help us out," Momo said, standing up and giving him a warm smile. Bakugo raised a brow, Mai's words echoing in his ears. While his first concern was their mission, he still made sure to take a mental note of how the Creation Quirk user would act.

I'll prove that idiot wrong, damn it.

"Whatever. So what is it this time?" Bakugo asked. Momo stepped aside, offering him the inside of the booth. He hesitated for a moment before seating himself inside.

He didn't count that. Momo had always been really polite.

Bakugo decided to set the bet aside, looking at Jirou for answers about their mission. As well as decidedly ignoring Momo as she slid into the booth next to him, nervously shifting back and forth in her seat as she gauged the distance between them.

"We've been investigating an underground drug ring for a while now. After some searching, we finally narrowed down the location the dealers use for their operation," Jirou started, going straight to business.

"They've kept themselves hidden well for a while. We got a lucky break after one of their dealers got pulled over for traffic violations," Momo continued. Her expression lost its gentleness, replaced with stern thought. "We know when they're going to be making a deal and where."

"Sounds easy enough. Why ask for my help?" Bakugo asked, knowing these two could handle a few threats alone.

"They've got strong security. A few members with strong Quirks keeping an eye out. We're trying to capture them all alive and without a single one escaping," Momo said, eyes narrowing seriously. "We want you to take point. I'd like to use our strategy Eyes, Ears, and Explosions."

Bakugo smirked at that. It was a simple yet effective strategy they came up with together. Momo would use smoke grenades that she creates to cut off any and all vision of their enemies, save for those who with special vision Quirks. Jirou would follow it up with a barrage of sound blasts, deafening anyone within the smoke and disarming them. With earplugs in and reinforced thermal goggles, Bakugo would charge in and finish them all off with controlled explosions.

"Sounds easy enough. Got a number on how many?"

"Should be about fifteen to twenty men. We don't know if there will be anymore tonight during the bust, but I'll make sure to check with my Quirk before we get the ball rolling," Jirou said.

"Good. Let's get goin' then," Bakugo said, looking to Momo to scoot out. The Creation Quirk user blinked before raising her hands and waving them.

"W-We don't have to go just yet, Bakugo-san. We still have a few hours to relax before we begin," She said, causing Bakugo to blink in confusion. "We can sit and enjoy some coffee before then. I'm going to stock up on food as well."

"Then why'd we meet so damn early, then?!" Bakugo blurted, eyes narrowing at the two. Momo swallowed a lump in her throat as her cheeks dusted red.

"W-Well, that's because-"

"We just wanted to chill and sip on some coffee. That a problem?" Jirou said plainly, shifting Bakugo's attention back to her.

"Tch. At least tell me first, damn it…" Bakugo grunted, settling back in his seat.

"A-Apologies. We decided it somewhat late, is all…" Momo said, shifting nervously again as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Bakugo felt his eye twitch, seeing that change in attitude. She was getting shy, like Mai said.

Damn it, that doesn't mean shit! Bakugo seethed in silence, gritting his teeth in frustration as he shifted his gaze to the table.

"A-Are you alright, Bakugo-san?" Momo asked, she and Jirou eyeing him curiously as he went into his random fit.

"Just… fine…" He grounded out.

"As a man sitting with two cute ladies, you should really try to act a bit more polite," Came the old coffee owner's voice, approaching with three cups of coffee and a plate of curry on rice.

"Whatever, old man…" Bakugo clicked his tongue, turning his head away from him as the owner set their orders down.

"That's probably harder than trying to tame a bear. It might be possible, but it's not happening that easily," Jirou teased, causing a vein to pop on the dirty blond's head.

"Oh, I don't know, I think Bakugo-san has his moments," Momo suddenly said, immediately causing Bakugo to blink as whatever curses he might have flung at Jirou came to a screeching halt. When he looked at her, the raven haired heroine suddenly tensed, face heating up as she scratched her cheeks. "I-I mean… r-remember that time we were infiltrating a wealthy villain's ball?"

"Tch. Don't remind me…" Bakugo groaned.

"Oh, yeah! Man, it took a bit of tutoring, but you were actually able to pull off the gentleman act, huh?" Jirou grinned in amusement. "You and Momo were pretty convincing together. Wasn't he a good dancer, too?"

"O-Oh, yes. I suppose he was quite a fine dancer…" Momo gently nodded. There it was again, the shyness despite the warm and bubbly expression on her face. Bakugo felt his eye twitch.

What the hell is her deal?!

"Hey, don't let your coffee go cold there, Bakugo," Jirou said, rousing his attention. He could see a smirk poorly hidden behind her mug. Whatever was going on, Jirou seemed to know. A small silenced seem to follow, Bakugo stiffly sipping on his cup while Momo primly dug into her meal.

"So, how's Mai-chan?" Jirou asked, deciding to make some small talk. Bakugo noticed the smallest flinch from Momo, but this seemed trivial in comparison to what he had been seeing.

"Annoying as always," Bakugo grumbled. He still wasn't convinced about Momo 'acting a certain way' around him.

"You say that, but you two do seem… a bit close, don't you think?" Momo suddenly said, offering a visibly reluctant smile. There was also a small bead of sweat rolling down her cheek.

"Tch. She's good at paperwork, that's all," Bakugo dismissed, taking another swig from his mug.

"Still, it's just the two of you in that agency. I wouldn't be surprised if you two had some sorta office romance down the line."

Jirou's sly comment evoked an immediate reaction out of Bakugo and Momo, the former beginning to choke on his coffee while the latter lit up like a Christmas tree.

"K-Kyoka, don't you think that's a bit much to say?!" Momo protested.

"I'm just saying, it's not impossible!" Jirou pointed out, her amused grin becoming more mischievous. "I mean, it's not like there's anyone else willing to put up with him like that, right~?"

"K-Kyoka!" Momo cried out, her face becoming another shade of red but unable to say more.

"N-No way in hell…" Bakugo coughed out, pounding on his chest. When he was finally able to talk clearly again, he straightened out. "No way I'd date that damn moocher!"

Momo visibly relaxed, some relief crossing her face. But after a moment, she shook her head and wagged a finger at Bakugo. "Bakugo-san, you shouldn't call Mai-chana moocher! She helps you out quite a lot!"

"Hah?! Don't defend her, she's the one always makin' me buy her damn lunches!" Bakugo snapped back. The two went into a small argument, though it was one without any actual heat. Meanwhile, Jirou sat back and gave a smile.

You better not back out now, Momo.

The mission had gone smoothly. Sticking to their strategy of Ears, Eyes, and Explosions, they had rather swiftly disabled the criminals without problem. Only one had lingered due to a strengthening Quirk, but Bakugo was able to eventually put him down without much more struggle after that. Police now poured through the warehouse, collecting evidence and arresting everyone caught.

"That went quite well. Thank you for your assistance again, Bakugo-san," Momo said with a bright smile.

"It was a good workout, I'll say that," Bakugo smirked, rolling his shoulders.

"Offer's still on the table to merge our agencies, you know. That way we can bypass the whole 'ask for assistance' stuff," Jirou suggested.

"I-It would definitely be more efficient that way, and you would still have the freedom to do as you wish!" Momo nodding eagerly in agreement.

"No way, I still wanna do my own thing!" Bakugo scoffed, crossing his arms indignantly. He spared a glance at Momo, seeing a bit of disappointment at his answer. His eyelid twitched as his gaze trailed away from them. "Tch… but that doesn't mean I won't help you guys out, still. Just tell my mooch assistant and I'll save your asses when you need it."

Shit. Why the fuck did I say that.

He didn't see it, but Momo's eyes lit up with glee. "I'll-I mean, we will hold you to that!"

"Tch."

Jirou let out a chuckle before stretching her arms out. "So, what to do now? The usual and get some dinner to celebrate?"

"I guess," Bakugo said neutrally, not wanting to admit he was hungry since he didn't eat at Leblanc.

"Oh, there is this beautiful new establishment by Dagobah beach that I've been meaning to go to! We should all try it together!" Momo suggested with glee, her bubbly side blinding Jirou and making Bakugo wince.

"Yeah, that sounds good. We're right off the shore, so it shouldn't be far… oh, wait! I can't go. I've got a meeting with a friend," Jirou said, turning to the two and winding her her ear jack around her finger. "Sorry, I'll have to take a rain check."

"O-Oh, you didn't tell me that. Should I-"

"It's not work related or anything, don't worry. You guys go on ahead without me," Jirou said, quickly turning around and beginning to run off. "Have fun!"

"W-Wait, what? Kyoka!" Momo called out in desperation, suddenly realizing she was being abandoned. Bakugo simply watched Jirou run off with a neutral expression, looking at Momo from the side. The two were left alone now, a small silence following Jirou's departure. Momo hesitantly looked back at him, shifting uncomfortably.

"We can call it quits, then," Bakugo said simply, causing Momo to blink and shift her gaze back up to him. "Don't worry about it. I'll-"

"NO!"

Bakugo blinked, looking at Momo in disbelief when she shouted. The raven haired girl blushed, twiddling her fingers as she looked to the side.

"I-I mean, there's no reason that we still can't go… I don't mind it being the two of us. Do you… hate the idea?"

Bakugo couldn't ignore it. The body language. The red dusting her cheeks. The sudden shyness when they spoke together or he offhandedly praised her. For the first time, Bakugo saw what Mai was saying. All these signs that seemed obvious in retrospect. But he hadn't given any of it a thought until now.

His heart started to pound in his ear, filling him with confusion. Why was he suddenly getting nervous? Now it was making him frustrated. Bakugo couldn't let something like this linger. He couldn't just dismiss or ignore it. Like most things in his life, he decided to tackle it head on, here and now.

"What the hell's going on with you?"

Momo flinched, eyes widening in shock. "W-What do you mean?"

"You've been actin' funny! Don't think I didn't notice today! And now you wanna go to dinner?! What's the deal?!" Bakugo asked, his voice raising in volume as he let his frustration leak out. "My mooch assistant thinks she knows, but it's pissing me off because I can't tell! So what's going on?! Be straight like always!"

Momo stared back into his eyes, his words making her still as a stone. For a moment, she didn't answer. Silence fell, the sound of soft waves crashing on the beach close by. Her eyes trailed to the ground after some time, the raven haired girl pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You're right… I should be straight with you. That was how we first connected, after all," Momo finally said, releasing a deep breath. She fixed her gaze upon him, her eyes becoming stern and making Bakugo raise a brow.

"The truth is, I… I have feelings for you."

Bakugo's heart skipped a beat. His jaw slacked a bit as his mind went blank for a moment. Thrown off, only a few words escaped his mouth.

"The hell..?"

"D-Do you need me to be clearer?!" Momo asked, a bead of sweat rolling down her temple. "I said that I have feelings for you! I like you! I… I want to be with you!"

Bakugo could no longer deny what was being said. Momo was confessing to him, straight up. There was no amount of humor in her voice, only sincerity.

"Why…" Bakugo found himself muttering out, his eyes casting to the ground. "Why me?"

He didn't know what possessed him to ask that. Perhaps it was the lack of experience or any real thought of romance, before. So to have Momo, one of his close friends for years, come out and confess so bluntly was completely new to him.

Momo's feet came into view, her hands reaching forward and grabbing his. Bakugo blinked, looking back up at Momo to see a dazzling smile on her face.

"Because you were there for me. At my lowest point, you pushed me to be the hero I could be. Even if you were rough about it, I always appreciated your help. You didn't mince words and that was what I needed," She brought his hands up to her cheeks and rubbed them against her face. Her touch was warm despite the cool air of night.

"And over time, as we grew closer, I… I started to wish that I saw you more. That you would want to see me more, too. Which is why I was… really happy when you always accepted my requests for assistance. Because it meant you were giving me a chance to be around you. I hope that doesn't sound selfish, but… maybe it was. But Now, I want to be even more selfish, and… and know how you feel."

Bakugo felt his heart begin to race again. His stomach began to twist and he couldn't help feel his face warm up as his throat dried. Her words seemed to touch him unexpectedly, rendering him almost incapable of speaking. But, as he stood there, staring at a fearful Momo with blank eyes.

He thought of how soft her cheek was. And how warm it made him feel. And in that moment, he found all of his defenses dropping.

"Shit…" Bakugo cursed, his rough hand slowly cupping her cheek. "I guess… you've got me."

Momo's eyes lit up, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Bakugo was blinded by her mirth, casting his gaze away as she started to let out a low squeal of pleasure. Before he could react, Momo launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"H-Hey!" Bakugo complained, trying to save what dignity he had left. But Momo ignored his protest, giggling madly with joy.

"I-I… I'm so happy! Th-Thank you, I… I'm so happy to hear you say that…" She said, whispering her words into his ear. Glee radiated from the girl, disarming Bakugo bit by bit as he relaxed into the hug. After a long moment, Momo Backed away from Bakugo, sniffling as she wiped her eyes.

"S-Sorry, I-I just couldn't… help myself," Momo admitted, wringing her hands together. "S-So… now that we're… together, we could still go out to dinner and… call it our first date, right?"

Bakugo let out a low grumble, keeping his eyes away from her in defiance. "Yeah… sure…." Of course, that was only for his own weak satisfaction. He was still giving into her wishes, now.

"G-Good! Okay then, let's go!" Momo nodded fervently, quickly running up next to Bakugo and wrapping her arms around his right arm. "Shall we?"

Bakugo looked Momo in the eyes again, the pure amount of joy in them making it difficult to even try and play it off at this point. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go…"

"Okay!" Momo tugged him along, though Bakugo didn't resist. He let out a sigh in defeat, realizing that this wasn't a fight he was going to win. Nor did he want to. After some walking, he finally kept pace with her, and held her arms close to his body.

"... Shit."

"What is it?"

"I owe that damn mooch lunch for a month."

"See? It all worked out in the end!" Mai laughed, shoveling a spoonful of cake into her mouth.

"Shut the hell up and eat, damn it!" Bakugo growled in irritation.

"Now, now, Katsuki. I think we owe her in part for how things turned out," Momo giggled, seated next to her boyfriend across from Mai and Jirou.

"Hey, don't give her all the credit! I was in on this plan the whole time, too," Jirou argued with an amused smile.

"Yes, I know. That's why I'm buying your lunch too, now," Momo said with a sheepish giggle.

"Part of me wishes she was wrong just so I could rub it in her face…" Bakugo muttered to himself.

"You don't mean that, do you?!" Momo complained, leaning in toward Bakugo with shining puppy dog eyes and making him blush. It didn't help that Mai and Jirou were watching him with wry smirks, making him grind his teeth.

"Maybe…"

"Katsuki!"

"Sh-Shut up! I don't, alright?!"

"Heh. Seeing him blush like this is a treat of its own." Mai snickered with Jirou.

"Not to mention seeing Momo be so bubbly with him."

"I swear, I'll get you two, damn it!"

The End

Behold, my gift to BlamedOrange to her for Christmas! She has been an awesome artist who has been available for commissions to me time and time again and has been very kind through it all. I've had plenty of annoying experiences with other artists regarding commissions but she has been very kind and patient each time I've spoken to her. Merry Christmas, Orange, I hope you liked this :)