Latibule

17 - ᴇᴀᴠᴇꜱᴅʀᴏᴘᴘɪɴɢ

Previously on Latibule:

I swallowed, shaking my head to clear it as I turned t0 Bakugou who was looking a bit lonely. "Hey, I'm going to find something to eat and drink. Want to come with?"

Bakugou stuffed his hands in his pockets but walked beside me. "Whatever."

I looked back at Kirishima, Sero, and Mina but they were already walking the other way, having their own conversation. I just shrugged before Bakugou and I started walking towards where we'd heard the food would be.

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Latibule — Chapter 17///Eavesdropping

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We walked in silence and I glanced at Bakugou every once in a while as I tried to think of a way to start the conversation with the grumpy ash-blond. At first I considered the competition that had just ended but as I remembered his reaction to being second, I reconsidered.

"Bakugou—"

"I don't need you to be my friend out of pity."

I blinked at him. "I don't pity you, Bakugou. There's no need to."

He stared at me suspiciously. "Then why are you being so nice?"

I looked at the clouds, trying to hide my embarrassment about the next words. "As weird as it may sound, I enjoy your company." He stopped walking, as did I. "You good?"

He huffed, turning the opposite direction. "Come on, I'll buy you ice cream."

I smiled. If that was the way he showed that he could bear with someone, I'd take it.

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We were walking back in a comfortable silence before Bakugou spoke again. "If you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you."

"I had no intention to," I assured him. I really didn't — there was no need to share every little detail about my life with anyone. Maybe I'd tell my parents that I'd eaten ice cream with a friend but that would really be all. My lips quirked upwards. "But now that you gave me the idea, I just might."

"Ha, ha," Bakugou said sarcastically, jabbing an elbow at my side. "Very funny."

I chuckled. When he said it like that, it really was.

"Oh shut up—"

He grabbed me by the back of my collar and pulled me back before putting a finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet. I was confused for a second but then he nodded to the hallway I was about to pass. Midoriya and Todoroki were quietly conversing and Bakugou was staring at them like his life depended on it.

"Are we really going to eavesdrop?" I whispered.

"Shut it, I have my reasons."

I rolled my eyes but turned to the two talkers again, quietly nibbling at my ice cream as I did so. As wrong as it was, I was pretty interested.

As Todoroki talked about his past it was as if he had frozen me to the ground with his quirk once again. I wanted to move, wanted to get away from the negativity, but I couldn't even properly breathe. Bakugou seemed to be in a similar situation and tugged at my arm as Todoroki finished. "Come on, let's get out of here."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat as I followed him.

"You're oddly quiet," Bakugou commented.

I shook my head. "It's my quirk. I can't help it."

Bakugou frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I absorb the energy around me which means I absorb the emotions of others." I shuddered, looking at the ground. "That wasn't a nice place to be in."

Bakugou frowned. "I'm sorry, I should've let you go if you wanted."

"No, it's alright, you didn't know," I smiled before shivering, some of the energy leaving my body through goosebumps. "Let's go, the next round's about to begin."