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Eri wasn't having the best of days, so she went the commons of the 1-A dorms to meet Izuku-chan. As she walked to the kitchen, she saw none other than Bakugou-kun. She usually steered clear of him, since he yelled a lot, but she was feeling reckless today. She walked up to his laying figure on the couch cautiously.
"Hi Bakugou-kun, could I please have some hot cocoa?"
Eri had overheard Kirishima-kun exclaim to Kaminari-kun that Bakugou-kun's hot cocoa was "to die for". Why Kirishima-kun wanted to die for cocoa, she'd never understand. Dying was painful, she heard how Father's guests screamed. They were loud.
"Fu-reaking hell, where'd you even come from?" he muttered, taking his arm off his eyes. "sorry brat, I'm too tired for that shit."
"Don't tell Aizawa-sensei I swore." he added as an afterthought.
"Don't worry, I've heard worse!" she said brightly.
He looked at her with unusually sad eyes, blinking away after a moment.
"Okay," he sighed. "Give me a sec to get up."
Eri bounced on her feet, excited to try this self-sacrificial worthy hot cocoa.
"Quit bouncin' around, you're too awake for this early in the day."
She stopped, seeing as it was only 11:00.
As he made her hot cocoa, with extra sugar as she had requested, she decided to try talking to him.
"Bakugou-kun, you're always so grumpy all the time, do you know how to smile?"
He turned away from the stove, giving her an intense glare.
"Haah?! Of course I can, brat! It's a choice to be grumpy." He made air quotes at 'grumpy'.
"Oh, then, could you please teach me how to?" she asked sweetly.
Bakugou-kun gave her a long look, then nodded.
"Sure, brat, lemme just finish this cocoa."
*****
Lots of talking on Eri's part, a hot cocoa, and a few hundred glares later, Eri and Bakugou-kun found themselves infront of Bakugou-kun's full-body mirror.
"Alright, first you have to think about something nice," he instructed.
"I'll think of your hot cocoa then!" Eri said.
A light blush dusted Bakugou-kun's cheeks, and he grumbled "Clench your cheek muscles on one side like winking, but keep your eyes open. Do it on both sides."
"Alright, then you spread your cheeks, like this." Bakugou-kun smiled, and Eri gasped.
"Bakugou-kun! You really should smile more! You look so squishable!" she giggled.
Bakugou-kun really smiled for real, and Eri was in awe. She had never seen someone look so cute before.
"Eri." he said quietly, crouching down.
"Hmm?" Bakugou-kun always called her brat when they did talk so she knew it was important since he used her name.
"I know the bitch-shit-fuck-you didn't hear that!"
Eri giggled but waved for him to continue.
"Listen, I know Overhaul," he spat the name like it was candy apples, "told you a lot of things, and his goons probably said more, but I want you to know, you are the sweetest, kindest child I have ever met, and you know I don't like kids, so when I say you are my favorite and only well liked kid, I mean it. I really do."
Eri looked closer at his eyes, noticing only love (that was a new emotion) and hatred, which she assumed was for Father.
"I like you too, Bakugou-kun," she whispered, "and that means a lot."
He looked at her in the eyes and said "You are the single most amazing kid I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Even better than me, and I was the best kid ever, though I guess you hold that title now." he chuckled.
Eri's eyes widened and she said to do it again.
"Do what again?" he questioned, confusion in his eyes. God, his eyes are so expressive, I wonder if mine are like that. she thought, then mentally shook her head.
"Laugh again." she whispered.
He giggled, "Your wish is my command, milady."
Eri laughed, and widened her eyes even more, to an impossible degree, because was this laughter? It felt so freeing, so she did it again.
Soon, Bakugou-kun was laughing too, him to the absolute ridiculousness of the situation.
They laughed and laughed and laughed, until their sides hurt and tears sprang to their eyes.
After, the laughter died down and Eri said "Thank you, Bakugou-kun, today wasn't a very nice day. But you made it better!"
He looked at her with soft warm eyes and said "Of course, best kid in the world."
She smiled, properly, and waved goodbye.
"I love you, thank you Bakugou-kun!"
As she left, she heard the softest, warmest "I love you too."