I've been out of the game for a while and I'm not currently in contact with any of my old cover artists, so does anyone feel like making me an actual cover for this fic? Rn I'm just using a piece of fan art I found that fits the vibe lolz. 

I continued to keep my head down throughout my day and it went off without a hitch. I wasn't worried about this bet affecting my school life too much. Everyone wanted to pass their senior year just as much as I did. What I was really worried about was after-school activities...

"Midoriya, over here!" 

... And lunch. 

"I don't know why I thought I'd get off the hook for lunch, I can't even walk to school alone anymore," I grumbled, taking a seat next to Ashido. The table was a circle, Kirishima was to my right, then Ashido , Kaminari , Sero, and two empty seats. 

"Hey, Mido?" Kaminari asked, catching my attention. 

I looked utterly unimpressed. "Mido?" 

He flashed me his lightning-bolt smile. "Well, if you're gonna be hanging out with us from now on, you need a nickname." He said it like it was the most basic fact of life. 

"Okay then," I said, picking at my school lunch. "What'd you need?" 

"How come Bakubro always gives you his helmet?" He asked, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at me. 

That question piqued my interest. "Does he not give you guys the helmet when you ride with him?" I asked, losing all of the faint interest I had in my food behind. The stuff they were trying to pass off as food got worse every day. 

Sero actually laughed at my question. "The few times he's even let one of us on the back of it, he refuses us. Says that if we're stupid enough to get on the back, then we have to deal with the consequences." 

I stared at them all, completely baffled. "Even Ashido?" 

She laughed behind her fist, finishing the bite of the rice ball she was eating. "I've never asked for a ride, but we have a theory that I'm the only one he'd bother giving it to." 

I nodded, not sure how to respond. "I tried to give it back this morning, but he wouldn't let me." 

Kirishima rested his arms on the table, then set his head down on them. "Hm, that's super weird. Maybe it's 'cause you're small or something." 

I quickly shot the redhead a mean look. "Excuse me?" 

He quickly sat up, waving his hands in front of him. "Not like, in a bad way or anything. I'm just saying maybe Bakubro thinks you need it more than him because you're small and kinda fragile?" 

"Kiri," Ashido said with a sigh, patting his arm. "You're digging yourself a deeper hole." 

He hung his head in something akin to shame. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that, dude." 

I waved him off. It's not like short jokes were uncommon for me, seeing as I was a senior in high school and still only hit the five-and-a-half foot mark. Besides, it was cute watching him panic over upsetting me. 

"Actually," Sero said, pointing his spoon at Kirishima. "That still wouldn't explain it, Midoriya and Kaminari are, like, literally the same size, and he still wouldn't give it to him." 

Kaminari nodded thoughtfully, a hand on his chin. "So then, it has to be something else, but what?" He looked over at me, his gaze scrutinizing. 

"What?" I asked. "Why're you looking at me like that?" 

A moment later, he threw his hands in the air with a groan. "Fuck it, I have no idea. Bakugou is just weird." 

"The fuck did you just say about me, sparky?" Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Bakugou slid into the seat next to me, glaring daggers at the other blond across the table. 

With a quizzical look, my eyes bounced between Bakugou and the empty seat next to Sero. He could have just as easily taken the other seat, by someone he actually considers a friend. Or as close to a friend as Katsuki Bakugou could get. 

"What, Deku?" He asked, noticing me. I shook my head, waving off my own question. Why do I care where he decides to sit anyway? Maybe Sero just pissed him off that day or something, Bakugou would be the one to hold that kind of petty grudge. 

"Nothing, was just thinking is all," I mumbled, finally deciding that I would have to brave the cafeteria food or be hungry all day. "I think the food is actually worse here than my old school. I didn't even know that was possible." 

"Here, hun. I can't even look at that stuff, let alone eat it." Ashido said, making a face and handing me one of her rice balls. 

I mumbled my thanks to the pink-haired girl and took a nibble. The filling in the middle was amazing. "Holy shit, I think this is the best rice ball I've ever eaten." 

Ashido laughed, taking another bit of her own. 

"Thanks, nerd. I know," Bakugou said with a smug look on his face. 

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You made this?"

He nodded.

"You didn't know Bakubro can cook?" Kirishima asked with a small chuckle. "Boy are you in for a surprise." 

"Wait," I said. "You can, like, cook, cook? For real cook?" 

The blond next to me seemed mildly irritated. "Of course, I can fucking cook, it's not like it's hard." 

I looked back at my food, taking another bite. "Didn't see that one coming."

"Anyways," Ashido interrupted, steering the conversation. "In case grumpy pants didn't tell you," a pointed look was thrown at Bakugou, "we're all heading to Bakugou's after school for practice, I assume you're coming. Right?" 

The argument from early that day sparked in my memory. "Practice for what?" I finally asked. 

Ashido looked at Bakugou, almost shocked. "You didn't tell him about the band yet?" 

"You guys are in a band?" I asked with a small snort. 

"The little freak stalked me while I was practicing, I figured he had enough brain cells to piece it together himself," he said with a shrug, taking a bite of his own food. 

I didn't bother sparing him a glance. "Don't insult my intelligence right now, you're the one in a band," another snort of laughter escaped me before I managed to quell it with a bite of rice ball. 

I could physically feel him rolling his eyes at that moment. "Whatever short stack, you wish you were cool enough to play with us." 

I didn't respond, knowing that it would just egg him at that point. "So, what kind of band are you guys?" I asked, directing the question primarily at Ashido, she seemed to be the only one with her head properly screwed on. 

"We're a super sick rock band," Kirishima exclaimed, holding a fist up. 

Ashido tutted at him, shooing his arm away. "Punk band, Kiri. We're a punk band." 

Kirishima shot us both a sheepish smile. "Yeah, that. Sorry." 

I didn't even try to stop the laughter that erupted from me. "Well, this I gotta see." 

Sorry for the super late update, life things happened, oops.