The Tinker

Chapter 26 - The Event Part I

Bakugou really hated parties.

There were too many noises mixed with too much physical contact, and he wanted to crawl out his skin anytime someone brushed against him. Too stuffy, too loud, too suffocating. The room didn't feel like UA. It had been decorated so heavily that any familiar features were long gone, only adding to the tension he felt. He stayed seated at his table, refusing to interact with the hundreds of pompous assholes that filled the room, taking extra caution in avoiding Hawks.

That morning, Y/N had left his new suit tied in a neat package outside his dorm room. There was a small handwritten note attached to the outside. Thanks for taking care of me was written in sloppy penmanship with her name signed at the bottom. The note was in his pocket now. He checked every few minutes to make sure it was still there.

Bakugou could recognize her craftsmanship in the costumes around him. His classmates were decked out in the gear she had made for them, each detail perfectly aligned with their character. Even he had to admit that he felt cool in his new equipment. It fit better than anything he'd worn, and it felt like him.

Kirishima and Kaminari had the left the table long ago, charming up a storm with the important figureheads attending. Part of him envied their ability to converse so easily. It came naturally to them, and it paid off in their connections. Sure, Bakugou didn't want connections, but it bothered him seeing others excel at things he struggled with.

The two dunderheads interrupted his thoughts when they slumped into the two chairs to his left. Kirishima was whispering in earnest to a terrified looking Kaminari. "Dude, breathe!" It seemed like he was trying not to laugh at Denki, but failing.

"The hell happened to you?" Bakugou grunted, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.

"The girls just got here, and... well..." Kirishima started, but Denki cut him off.

"Bakugou, I CANNOT be around Jirou. I won't be able to control myself. Her new costume is--it's--" He looked like he was going to hyperventilate.

"What's wrong with it?" Bakugou deadpanned.

Kirishima couldn't help it. He cackled. "Bro, they look hot--"

"Shut up!" Denki cried, elbowing Eijirou away. "I'll be fine, I just need a minute."

Bakugou was about to make fun of Kaminari for getting so worked up, but then he saw her.

Y/N walked through the doors, late, her motorcycle helmet under her arm. He had to hold his jaw back from dropping when he saw her dress. Bakugou was not the kind of person to care about clothes, but he was pretty sure Y/N was wearing simply the best dress that had ever been made. It hugged her body in all the right places, leaving spaces that showed a delicious amount of skin, and his throat tightened when he saw her face.

Y/N was beautiful. Had he really never noticed that before? Had her eyes always looked like that? No, he already knew she was stunning, but tonight his heart was practically jumping out of his chest because of it. He was short circuiting. He couldn't form a single thought other than Y/N, Y/N, Y/N.

"Do I seriously have to babysit both of you now?" Kirishima whined. "Get it together, guys! We have people to impress!"

Bakugou snapped out of it and glared at his friend. "I'm fucking fine. I'm getting a drink."

He made his way over to the refreshments, wanting to get away from the hormones and the pounding in his ears. He snatched one of the available water cups and downed it as quickly as he could. The ice burned, but not as much as his cheeks. He had never been excited to see a girl before, and part of him was ashamed that--