Heatwaves (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)

Chapter 18 | Feels like forever

You wake up the next day feeling well rested and ready for a good training session. Today you’re the one arriving early once again. Disappointing him once was enough and you want to keep showing you can do better. Seeing he is not here yet you start on your warm up routine. Running a few laps gets your blood pumping you move on to kicks and punches to gets your extremities working. As you’re getting warmed up the blonde boy makes his entrance. Casually walking in and immediately capturing all your attention.

What is happening to me? This is getting ridiculous.  

“Morning” he smirks at you. Definitely noticing you pause as he entered “I had an idea yesterday” he sounds happy and enthusiastic. 

You raise an eyebrow in question, intrigued. “Do tell” you stop jumping in place. 

“You use your earth quirk to push and throw stuff at others. Sure you have the gauntlets but have you tried levitating yourself with it?” He indicates your feet. “Like just levitate the ground under your feet and pulling you up with it” The expression on his face conveys that he really thinks he is onto something gamechaning. 

Frowning you contemplate the possibility. You hadn’t tried it before and as he was saying it, it seemed so simple. Corking your head a bit you focus on releasing two chunks of the dirt beneath your feet and carrying you up with it. Feeling the ground under you shift and slowly rise. It’s actually working. You stumble for balance and fall forward the same instance. Katsuki is there in a second catching you. 

Once again he is so close and his scent engulfs you. “I think the idea is good” you say into his chest trying to find your footing again. Now feeling his hands on yours they hold you for support. They are surprisingly soft. You would have thought his fingers and palms roughed by all the explosions, but they are positively smooth. His eyes are on you and you pull yourself back hoping your embarrassment is not very evident.   

“Let's work on execution” he says still holding your hand. “How about one large platform instead of two small ones?” The idea is sound and you get right back to work. Not wanting to let go you squeeze your hands around his to activate your quirk. Ripples and rumbles sound from the base you're forming under you. Levitating and once again failing at keeping you in the air for more than a second. 

This goes on for some time with one experiment failing after the other. A few times you keep yourself in the air but it’s always too straining or the balance is off. He just keeps holding your hand giving you the support you need and giving inputs as he comes up with new ideas. It’s almost odd not having him shouting at you. It’s a nice change of pace but you do miss that crazy expression on his face. 

“What if you do it like your gauntlets?” you look at him with a slight question not quite sure what he means. “Here” he lets go of your hand and moves to your feet placing his hand around your lower leg. “Make a rock formation up to here. Like when you lock opponents in place. Then levitate that and a bit of the ground under your shoes. It should make you more stable and give enough freedom of movement.” Ever quick to analyse the situation and come up with a new counter method. This boy is going places. If not first place in the tournament then at the very least top 3. 

Following his instructions you gather small rocks around your ankles and lower legs. Holding out your hand for his support again. He takes both your hands in his as you slowly try to rise again. This definitely works better. Testing out the balance you shift your weight a bit around getting comfortable. Your center of gravity is failing and you start to fall backwards. He pulls lightly on your arms and gets you back to him. Eyes locking with his you smile. “This still needs work”