Chapter Text
Ten years it's been.
They've been in and out of each other's lives over the last decade, always in passing. A hero conference or two. A class reunion he was tricked into attending five years ago. The last four years they hadn't seen or spoke to each other at all, him going on a tour in Europe and various parts of Asia and her being called all over the world. Being the number one rescue hero was a demanding job.
The distance and the silence between them didn't stop him from having several alerts in his phone to notify him of any news about Uravity as soon as it hit the net. Over the years he witnessed with a now deeply seated pride her climb the ranks steadily. Watched her become the first hero to reach the top ten in both combat and rescue rankings.
That was a big deal.
He attended the banquet in her honor celebrating such an unprecedented milestone. He only got to speak to her for a few minutes before she was inevitably snatched away by someone.
The ballroom was a choppy sea of adoring fans consisting of civilians and heroes all clambering for her attention. He watched her willingly float through that sea with all the beauty and grace of a swan, gliding effortlessly around the room. That mega watt smile, the same as it was in high school, never wavering.
She was radiant. Blinding. Unsurprising to him. She always made him think of the sun. Far in distance yet still managing to be close when you bask in the warmth of its rays. He watched her light up the room for a few more minutes then left like he always did.
He preferred to watch her from afar. It was easier that way. Being near her could burn just like sun rays could burn into your skin if exposed too long. That night left him feeling raw.
So through the scope of his television or behind the protection of his phone or computer screen, he watched. He'd seen all her victories and all of her failings. Watched her work just as hard if not harder than anyone else and it was amazing to see. But he always known she was stronger than she looked. Now the whole world knew what he known from the start. She had always been far from frail.
He should have contacted her more or even use the few times he was able to see and speak to her to let her know he sees her and he's fucking proud of the hero she become. They're friends after all.
Kind of.
But it would be weird for him to call her out the blue or bring it up in the rare and usually brief conversations they've had the few times he's seen her. And say what? Congratulations? Good job?
Complimenting people and calling people in general were not exactly traits he was known for. In fact, quite the opposite so doing something like that would be beyond weird. Might even be traipsing into the realm of creepy.
He never contacted her. On the rare occasions he saw her, he never exchanged more than a few minutes of polite greetings and equally polite small talk before coming up with an excuse to part ways. He could never stand to be around her too long, the burning sensation she'd cause and all.
Besides, her work on the field wasn't the only thing he's been notified about.
In the last ten years he's also been unwillingly informed of every single love interest she's ever had. Only four in total but together spanned the majority of the last decade.
The first was him whom he'd always known she would end up with. Two years after graduation they were official though he knew they were unofficial for years. To his utter surprise and secret delight, it didn't last very long. Apparently their relationship couldn't endure the combined weight of their growing celebrity, both being fan favorites. They parted amicably and very publically after three years.
The second was someone who's name he'd already forgotten. He was a civilian and she soon learned there was no room in your life as a pro hero for someone who didn't live that life as well. They lasted a year.
The third was wrong for her from the start. He was a pro hero and he'd work with him occasionally when their sister agencies combined forces. Even before he started dating Uraraka he didn't like him. Afterwards he loathed him.
The guy was a douchebag. He constantly had to fight back the urge to slam his face into a wall when he'd spot him taking numbers from adoring fans. All young, attractive females. Luckily she cut that relationship off within a few months.
The last, she was currently engaged to. Some hero he never even bothered to learn the name of. Or rather wouldn't. He knew he was in the top hundred in the ranks and that was about it. He would prefer she chose someone in at least the top twenty but who was he to judge? None of the women he dated made it pass a few months let alone breached the top fifty. His personality being the majority of the reason. A certain gravity manipulator being the rest.
Uraraka and whoever-the-fuck had been together for almost five years. They had a pretty public engagement just a few months ago. It was long past time to give her up but she was constantly amazing him. Constantly making him fall deeper. Constantly making sure no other woman could measure up.
He'd all but giving up on the whole institution of finding the one. What does someone do when they find her but she has always been beyond their reach? Once he figured that out he'd be able to make peace with his life. Or at least move on.
His borderline stalking tendancies and pathetically unrequited love notwithstanding, he was still happy he got to see her at all. Seeing her on the news, being praised in internet articles, seeing her merch in display windows (he will never tell anyone he purchased one of her plush dolls because the round pink cheeks, big brown eyes and giant smile was spot on) was enough for him. Seeing her healthy, happy and successful was enough.
Until the day he ran into her randomly for the first time without the usual benefit of prior knowledge. It shocked the breath out of him.
That's when he realized, once again, it was not enough. It never will be. He will never get over her. He was doomed to be in love with her for the rest of his life.
It was one of those fateful moments that no one could have planned for. They happened to be taking the same train one day. He rarely took the train, hating being in small, crowded places, but taking a train to this particular location was more convenient that day.
He had stepped in and settled in a corner wearing a hat pulled low on his head and a surgical mask worn as a disguise. He hated being recognized and fawned over even though his PR agent encouraged it.
He happened to look up and there she was, sitting in a seat at the other end of the train reading a book, completely oblivious to the crowd of people snapping discreet and indiscreet photos of her. He watched as a little girl, no older than eight and braver than them all approached her for an autograph. Uraraka's face broke into a wide smile as she obliged.
It felt like his heart stopped. He wanted to go to her. Say hi. Maybe have a brief conversation. Maybe invite her for coffee to catch up sometime. They're friends. Kind of. It wouldn't be weird, right?
He didn't go to her though, instead choosing to just watch her, as always. Speaking to her out in public without the necessary preparation he usual had to go through before knowingly going to a place she'd be at was a little too much right now. That helpless and unwelcomed feeling of cowardice that he only ever felt when it came to her flooded him for a moment. Number two hero and he didn't even have the balls to just say fucking hello.
He scoffed at himself. An eight year old girl had more courage than he did. He shook his head in disgust as he arrived at his stop, he eased out the train, forcing himself to not look her way. It's better this way. To talk to her like this felt too exposing. He'd see her later that year at the heroes conference he couldn't get out of attending. By then he’ll have had time to prepare.
He exited the station and walked through the bustling streets, the overcast sky reflecting his mood, silently berating himself for his lack of courage when it came to her. How long was he going to pine for someone he could never have? How pathetic is he?
"Bakugo-kun?"
He stopped in his tracks. No matter what, he would always recognize her voice. He turned around slowly and there she was standing before him looking like a ray of sunshine in the dreary day. He wondered how she recognized him despite his disguise.
"Cheeks." he said as a greeting. Her face creased in a wide smile that took his breath away. He felt the need to squint it was so bright.
"I thought that was you. My goodness, how long has it been? How have you been?"
He felt like his throat was lined with sandpaper.
It had been four years since he last saw her in person at the last pro hero gala he attended. He fought to not have to go but his agency insisted. He had to wear a stupid tuxedo with a tie he swore was strangling him all night and make small talk with people he would've never even looked at if they were anywhere else. And then she arrived on the arm of that unworthy extra looking more beautiful than ever. That evening had been unbearable. He hadn't been to a gala since.
"I've been good." he answered, ignoring the first question. "How about you?"
"I've been great. Everything has been going pretty well." she answered, chipper as ever.
He gave her a grunt in response, at a lost to what to say next. He should've known he didn't have to worry about that with Uraraka.
"Hey, would you like to get some coffee? Do you have time?"
He didn't. He was already late.
"Yea, I have time."