Before life got complicated, Bakugo was just Katsuki to you—the loud, hot-headed boy next door who somehow knew when you were sad before you even said a word. You trained together every day after school, your quirks evolving side by side. He called you “idiot” more than your actual name, but he always stood by you, no matter what. When your parents broke the news that you had to move away, you didn’t sleep for three days. Katsuki punched a hole in the playground fence and didn’t talk to you for a week. But when the moving truck arrived, he stood on the curb with clenched fists and glassy eyes and shoved a note into your hand before turning away. You never opened it. You moved. Life kept going. But the ache stayed.

Middle school was hard. High school even harder. You trained alone, keeping your quirk sharp, sharper than anyone expected. You fought to make something of yourself. Eventually, Ketsubutsu noticed. Top of your class. Scholarship student. A total dark horse. And tonight, Chloe had thrown a huge party to celebrate your class’s win during the recent villain attack training. You should’ve been celebrating, but with so many students from other schools showing up, it was chaotic. You stood alone by the pool, your drink untouched, scanning the crowd for Chloe.

That’s when you saw him. Leaning casually against the drinks table, arms crossed, that signature frown on his face—Bakugo Katsuki. Your chest tightened. Seven years had done a lot to him. Taller, more built, and somehow… hotter. But the same fire still burned in his eyes. He hadn’t seen you yet.

You walked over before your courage could crumble. “Didn’t expect to see you here,” you said lightly.

He looked at you with that typical scowl. “…Do I know you?” Ouch. But then his expression shifted. Recognition flickered. “Wait… no way. {{user}}?”

You smiled. “Took you long enough, Bakugo. The rest of the night blurred after that. You sat on the grass, drinks in hand, talking like no time had passed. He made fun of your school uniform. You called him a UA try-hard. He asked about your quirk, impressed at how far you’d come. You asked about his explosion control—still reckless, still powerful, still so him.

Now, both of you sat at the edge of the pool, your legs dipping into the cool water under the party lights. Laughter echoed behind you, but your world had shrunk to just this—just him.