Fragile Masculinity [Bakugatsu Day 2]

Katsuki barely glanced up when he heard his name, shooting a brief look at the group of giggling girls across the room to make sure they were talking about him not to him, then looking straight back to his book. He didn't normally hang out in the common area, no when he could help it, but the air conditioner in his bedroom had broken overnight, and until the school sent someone to fix it, his room may as well be an oven. 

“I could totally do it,” Mina was grinning. “You're such a wimp!”

He rolled his eyes, trying again to focus on the words in his hand – he didn't want to admit that the book was pretty shit, he had nothing else left to read, and he'd long since learned that reading on his phone was apparently considered code for “I'm not busy, come talk to me”.

“Bakugouuuuu!” Mina sang, sidling up to the couch.

“No.”

“Come on, you don't even know what I'm gonna ask yet!”

“You've been sitting there for an hour gossiping, I know it ain't gonna be good.”

“We're not just gossiping,” Mina pouted. “We're painting! See?”

She waved her hands at him, showing off stripy fingernails, and Katsuki huffed.

“Let me paint yours too!” she grinned.

“You got something better to read than this shit?” he asked, tossing his book aside. 

“Yeah!”

She shuffled over to the communal bookshelf, scanning through titles until she found the one she wanted. It was hard-backed, solid and heavy looking in her hands, and she dropped it in his hands with a smile. 

“I couldn't get into it, but it seemed like the sort of thing you read!”

“I'll give it a shot.” He held out a hand, sighing again. “If you even touch my palms you're dead.”

“Got it!”

“I'm serious. You will die with zero warning.”

“Noted!”

She scurried back to retrieve a collection of bottles, grinning at the girls who gaped at her in awe, and knelt beside him happily.

“Do you want the hot pink one or the sparkly glitter one?”

“Fuck off.”

“Black it is!”

As the girls of the class watched, waiting for an explosion or a stream of curses, Mina positioned his hand on the edge of the couch, palm protected by cushions. He balanced the book on his knees, flipping through the first few pages to reach chapter one, and without a word he began to read, letting Mina have her fun.

He didn't say a word as she filed his nails into even curves, smiling to herself with a strange softness. She had been the first one to notice his nervous habit, the way he nibbled at the ends of them when he was thinking hard in an exam or watching a fight near his parents' neighborhood on the news. She had been the first to tease about it, too, and the first to be punched for bringing it up. Not to mention the first one to gently pull his hand away from his mouth, to silently fix the nails up for him so no one would notice.

He switched hands on his book when she finished, offering her the other one wordlessly, and she continued her work despite the stares of silent disbelief coming from across the room. They were oddly rapt by the sight – not just by Katsuki letting Mina give him a straight-up manicure, but to allow it while reading peacefully, without scowling or yelling or swearing.

“I'll put an x on the middle ones, then when you flip people off it'll show.”

Katsuki snorted, but didn't protest, just swapped hands obediently when she asked, his eyes staying fixed on his book. It wasn't until she triumphantly declared completion that he looked up, glancing at them briefly.

“How long?” he asked, turning a page carefully with the thumb of the first hand.

“Probably an hour until they're fully dry, but you can still use them if you're careful.”

“Kay.”

“Thanks Blasty, that was fun,” she grinned, patting him on the shoulder as she packed her bottles away. “Enjoy the book!”

“Uh-huh.”

He ignored the hushed whispers as she returned to her group, tuning out of the idle gossip that quickly began again, but when they seemed sufficiently distracted he raised one hand slightly, smiling to himself.

Yeah, they were pretty cool.

─────

Eijirou was the first to notice, when Katsuki walked into class. As he slipped his bag off his shoulder, he caught Eijirou staring at him, and raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

“Wow Bakugou, aren't you looking pretty today?”

“Haah?”

Half the class turned to look, and he glared at Ochako when she giggled, getting an apologetic smile in return.

“Dude!” Denki chimed in, leaning against Eijirou's shoulder as he turned to look. “Where's this coming from? You lose a bet or something?”

“You got something to fuckin' say?” he growled, taking a step toward them. “What's fuckin' wrong, huh?”

“I just didn't know you were that way inclined! Good for you!”

“Haah? What way inclined, asshole? If you got somethin' to say, spit it out!”

Denki's eyes went wide, not daring to look away from Katsuki's fiery scarlet, and for a moment the room fell silent.

“Ah, g-guys,” Mina began, strangely nervous. “It was me, I convinced him to let me do it.”

“Cut it out, panda eyes,” he scowled, taking another step forward. “Tell me, pikachu. What way inclined?”

“I always assumed you, uh, you know- Liked girls.”

“You think my hands have a sexual preference?”

“Not your hands dude, I just... Look, I was wrong, okay? I'm sorry.”

“And what if I do, huh? What if I like guys? You got a problem with that?”

“No! Of course not! I'm just... Surprised!”

The room was silent around them, and Katsuki found himself straining to hold back. He knew his friends didn't care either way, he knew he didn't care either way, but Katsuki Bakugou was not raised to be a damn sexist.

“Are you seriously that insecure?” he asked instead, eyes darting between Eijirou and Denki. “Not comfortable enough with your maculinity to have coloured fingernails?”

Eijirou laughed, surprising Katsuki a little as he leaned over and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Too right, Bakubro. Sorry I brought it up.”

“Yeah,” Denki nodded. “That's fair.”

“W- I- Seriously?”

“Yeah! You're super manly, bro,” Eijirou grinned. “Maybe I'll get her to paint mine next!”

“Can you do lightning bolts?” Denki requested, turning to look at the slightly nervous pink face. 

“Uh, yeah! Sure! Well, I haven't before, but I'm sure- Oh! Jirou! You can do lightning bolts, right?”

“Sure,” she nodded. “I'll do them tonight if you want.”

“Cool!” Denki grinned. “What about you, Kirishima?”

“I can do some cool red and black stripes for you, Kirishima!” Ochako offered. “It'll match your costume!”

“Yeah! Sounds awesome!”

Katsuki took a step backwards, softening a little as he watched the lively discussion, and eventually fell into his seat to watch.

“Can I see, Kacchan?”

Katsuki flipped him off without even looking, and Izuku laughed, leaning in to see the bright orange accent splashed across black. 

“Super cool,” he grinned as the bell rang, leaning back in his seat. “The nails too.”

“Shut up, nerd.”

The class finally quieted when Aizawa entered, and Katsuki took the opportunity to look down at his hand, stark against the pale desk top, spreading his fingers wide as he inspected them, then curling them lightly back into a fist.

He smiled.