Perception (Bakugo x Reader)

1: Day One

The building loomed. It seemed as though it were one hundred stories high, with glass windows covering every surface from top to bottom, and side to side. It was almost purposefully see-through, perhaps a declaration of pride and confidence. Perhaps a contributor to the public image of the school, a personification of their intentions to allow all to see their inner workings. Perhaps it is meant to set a standard for heroes- completely transparent about all of their actions, intentions, and work. It oozed prestige and confidence. Walking into this campus, you could tell that UA was the best, even if you weren't aware of their reputation.

I clutched the strap of my bag, which wrapped over my shoulder and around my torso. From the outside perspective, I'm not sure if I was glaring at the building, or if I had an expression of complete fear. This was where insignificant, immature teenagers became immovable, unstoppable heroes. UA: the school where anything was possible. I was here on a mission. A mission prescribed to me by my circumstances, which were crushing weights that stood tall upon my shoulders. Like Atlas carrying the sky upon his back, I was suffocated beneath the force, but wouldn't falter. I couldn't falter. I alone held the burden of saving lives from the inside. I did nothing to deserve this crushing responsibility, but some people are dealt the bad deals in life. All you can do is make the most of it.

I stood in the entrance, staring up at the glorious building. Students filed into the gates around me, chattering happily as they entered the school.

"(Y/N)!"

I blinked, turning around to find the voice that called out to me. The boy running toward me was waving, his hand high in the air. I laughed, smiling and waving back, almost as exuberantly as he was. I'm sure I looked ridiculous waving so happily while standing still.

"Of course you made it in!" He grinned, giving me a strong high-five and then wrapping an arm around my shoulder. We both started walking towards the entrance of the school. "I'm almost glad you took the recommendations test instead of the regular entrance exam. You would've blown everyone out of the water!"

"Oh, hush," I scoffed, gently hitting him atop the head. "I'm sure you did great. How were the entrance exams? Did you see anyone we knew? Do you know what you placed?"

"Ah, I dunno," he shrugged, then grinned smugly. "Just second place..!"

"Woah, that's amazing!" I gasped, punching him lightly in the side. "You're amazing!"

"I was only second in the practical exam," he said sheepishly. "My written score definitely dragged me down... but they didn't give us the complete rankings where they were both combined."

"You're too down on yourself- that's really impressive!" I smiled, cheering him on. He grinned, an embarrassed flush dancing across his cheeks and onto his ears as he rubbed the back of his neck.

We walked into the building, turning right. We navigated through the crowds of people, who were standing in groups that lined the hallways.

"How about you?! Do you know what place you got in the recommendations entrance exams?" He asked excitedly, poking me on the arm repeatedly.

"I got third," I whined, puffing my cheeks out. I crossed my arms, only a little upset that I scored worse than him in my practical examination. "There were these two guys! They were crazy! I wasn't too far behind them, but the test didn't suit my strengths. It was an obstacle course! I could get around fine, but going quickly was my main downfall..."

"Third is crazy!" He gasped, "Didn't, like, two thousand people get accepted to take the exam? Not to mention the, like, three hundred thousand that applied to the recommendations program!"