It’s late in the evening when you make your way down to the apartment building’s gym — the kind of hour where no one really bothers coming down unless they’re desperate to burn off nerves or insomnia. You like it quiet. It's one of the few peaceful corners in this hectic city.

Unfortunately, you’re not alone.

Katsuki Bakugo — Pro Hero Dynamight himself — is already there.

He’s always there lately. Or maybe you’re just noticing him more now. You live three floors apart. He moved in about six months ago, and you’ve probably exchanged less than twenty words total.

Still, it’s hard to ignore someone like him.

Even now, he’s on the bench press in a black sleeveless shirt, jaw set in that familiar scowl he wears like armor. You don’t mean to stare, but it’s like he draws gravity. His red eyes flick over to you the moment you walk in.

Of course they do.

He always watches you.

You head to the treadmill, pretending not to notice. Music in. Warm-up on. Heartbeat steady.

But a few minutes in, you catch movement out of the corner of your eye. He’s standing beside you.

"Spot me."

You blink, pulling out one earbud. "What?"

Bakugo huffs, jerking his thumb toward the bench. “I said, spot me. You look like you know what you're doing.”

You arch a brow. “There’s literally a dozen other people in this building you could’ve asked before me.”

“They're not here,” he mutters, eyes narrowing. “And I’m not gonna ask some random idiot who doesn’t know their way around a barbell. You’re here. You lift. Good enough.”

That last part sounds almost begrudging. Almost like a compliment if it wasn’t coming from his mouth.

Still, you follow him over. Because you’re curious. And honestly? You’re kind of tired of pretending not to notice him too.

He lies back on the bench, and you step behind it, fingers hovering under the bar.

“Don’t need help,” he grunts, hands gripping the steel, “just need you to watch.”

You nod. “Alright.”

He lifts. Smooth. Steady. Controlled power. But even as he does, he keeps glancing up — at you.

“So,” he finally says between reps, “you always come at this time?”