Notes: I wasn't able to update this due to real life conflicts, so I apologize if my writing style here seems all over the place. Meanwhile, this chapter originally contains a lot more words, but I decided to divide it into three for better pacing. Basically, these three parts (or maybe even four if I'm feeling motivated to add more scenes) will highlight introspective thoughts of Uraraka and Bakugou towards each other. This is just the beginning of their shifting feelings, so everything is slow at the moment.

I always appreciate every single one who reads this story. You guys rock! :D

chapter iv - then i'll stay away, i

first part

In the restroom, Uraraka splashed her face with water and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

What's wrong with me…? she thought to herself dubiously. Why should I care if Deku-kun is there…?

Why…

She clenched her fists.

…do I not want him to get the wrong idea about me and Bakugou-kun?

After a few minutes of internally debating with herself, she took a deep breath, put on a wide smile, and walked out of the restroom.

Bakugou-kun must be waiting for me—

"Oof!"

Uraraka rubbed her forehead, her mouth already saying an apology as her head lifted to see the person she had bumped into.

"Bakugou-kun!" she exclaimed in surprise.

To her confusion, Bakugou didn't say anything, only opting on giving her a steely stare.

"Wh—What are you doing here?" Uraraka said, blinking slowly as apprehension gripped her chest. She refrained from clenching her hands into fists; she didn't even know why she was acting like this. Her mind inadvertently wandered back towards Midoriya.

This shyness over Deku, this longing... is it really...?

Wait, stop thinking about him!

Bakugou stared at her for a long moment. Uraraka swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. Somehow, it became hard to keep his gaze. Had his eyes always looked that intense before? She never noticed. She hadn't really paid attention to that sort of thing.

Or maybe she had, because that look in his eyes seemed sort of familiar.

Was it when they were dancing? No... he hardly even gazed at her. He seemed to be too busy perfecting his movements.

Then was it while she cleaned his "wounds"? No... he barely looked at her even then...

Come to think of it, now that her brain was pondering over it deeply, she remembered that he only looked at her this way one time when she threw herself in his arms...

During practice:

"And this is the part when the princess hugs the prince out of sheer joy!" All Might declared passionately. "Young Uraraka! Young Bakugou! Please do your best!"

Bakugou rubbed the back of his head, messing his already-unruly blond hair. "No need to tell me that!" he grumbled.

Meanwhile, Uraraka pouted as she pondered over the scene. She would give it her all, no doubt, but the problem was... would Bakugou really catch her? What if he suddenly decided to be all nasty and step back when she jumped into his arms? Uraraka's mind whirled with strategies. If worse comes to worse... I'll have no choice but to use my quirk!

"Round-face," Bakugou said impatiently, "get ready. You'd better not mess this up."

The warning tone in his voice made Uraraka bristle. "For the nth time, I'm always doing my best!" she remarked hotly. "Don't tell me what to do."

"I wouldn't have a problem with this if you weren't so heavy—"

"EXCUSE ME?! Why you — how can you say that to a girl?!"

"I could care less if you're a girl," Bakugou shot back, irritated. "If you're heavy, you're heavy. Deal with it!"

"Say WHAT—"

"Ahh, Uraraka-san!" Midoriya interjected quickly, coming between the two of them in an instant. "Kacchan, let's just focus on the play for a while, okay...?"

Bakugou seemed to be seething. "Don't interfere, Deku! You're always in the way!"

"Hiiiiiccckk—!" Midoriya cried out in horror.

"Bakugou, c'mon," Kirishima said with a sigh. "The festival's next week already, and we still gotta practice during that week as well. Let's do this quickly and go home."

"Where's Iida, anyway?" Ashido remarked, sighing. "He could've joined Kirishima with the scolding."

"He has council meetings during this time, remember?" Kaminari said beside her. "Besides, Iida doesn't have much of a role in this play. He's only a side character whose scenes are pretty few in between."

"They must be planning a lot of activities for the festival," Hagakure commented. "Iida's pretty busy these days. I heard that he even enlisted Todoroki and Yaoyorozu's help today."

"I wonder what for?" Asui pondered.

"I think it has something to do with both the decorations and the organizing as well as the funds," Jirou spoke up. "Yaomomo's willing to donate for the festival, and Todoroki is willing to help out with some of the highlights."

"Like what?" Ashido asked curiously.

Jirou smirked. "Like the ice skating rink."

The girls instantly squealed in delight. "How romantic!"

Sensing a disarray, All Might clapped his hands together. "All right, that's enough!" he declared. "We'll be starting the scene now!"

Uraraka took a deep breath, then stepped out the gardens.

Since this was the first time they were going to be enacting this scene, All Might knew that both of them needed to get a feel of the atmosphere. So Uraraka let herself look around and marvel at the garden, filled with beautiful-looking plastic and paper flowers. Their classmates really outdid themselves with the props. The lighting was good, too. It appeared ethereal, as if she were out under the hazy sunlight itself.

Then she spotted him. Bakugou was standing by the bushes a few feet away from her, his hands in his pockets. His back was facing her, and his spiky blond hair was flowing slightly with the artificial wind the fans were giving.

Uraraka gulped, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. There was just something different, something foreign in the air, about the idea of Bakugou standing there, waiting for her. The Bakugou she knew would never wait for anyone, unless it was something of importance. And she had never been anyone of significance to him; that just made it all seem so weird and tantalizing at the same time.

When she approached him tentatively, she saw his body stiffen as he sensed her light footsteps. Then, very slowly, he faced her slightly as if he were afraid to turn towards her completely.

Uraraka felt her chest constrict.

The mask hiding Bakugou's was the only barrier that kept their gazes from meeting. When he lifted his hand to take it off, All Might's voice suddenly shook the silent, eager atmosphere.

"Cut!"

"Awwwww!" Class 1-A chorused. Bakugou's hand fell to his side limply, and Uraraka let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"But it was just getting to the good part!" Kaminari pouted.

"Why did you make them stop, sensei?" Asui inquired.

"Because," All Might reasoned, sending a furtive glance towards the pair on stage, "the two of them... were too tense."

"Huh? Really?" Ashido said in confusion. "They looked really into the scene to me!"

"What you did not notice, Young Ashido," All Might responded, shaking a finger, "was that Uraraka was approaching him like she already knew him, and that Bakugou's fingers were shaking, especially when he tried to take off his mask."

"Say WHAT now!?" Bakugou exclaimed, forgetting that his mask still on place.

"Aw, Bakugou," Sero teased. "Were you nervous?"

"I understand, Bakugou," Kaminari said in agreement, nodding his head in satisfaction. "I would be nervous if I were about to be hugged by Uraraka, too!"

Uraraka's face bloomed into a shade of red.

Bakugou exploded. "Shut it, you two freaks!" he roared in anger, causing Sero and Kaminari to sweat profusely at his rage. "I ain't used to this yet, all right?! Bunch of mocking fuckers—"

"Language, young Bakugou," All Might admonished.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Bakugou muttered, slowly taking the mask off his face.

"We will start the scene once more!" All Might announced, clapping his hands.

Uraraka heard All Might's words, but it drifted into the air, not really registering inside her mind. She was too preoccupied in her thoughts.

I should do better this time...

Feeling a pair of eyes fixed on her from her peripheral vision, she sent a sideway glance towards Bakugou, who was still standing there, his hand that was holding the mask frozen down his chin.

Her breath caught in her throat as those red eyes of his seemed to be piercing through her soul.

He had never looked at her this way before...

And why... was her heart suddenly pounding like crazy?

tbc

[X] Tasia'sENDLESSDreams, ClaryPotter1987, and Guest, thank you so much for leaving lovely reviews! I really appreciate them! And btw Guest, you're bliss? Omg thanks a bunch! And if you ever draw a fanart of this I will die peacefully in heaven, lmao.