The next morning, I decided to surprise Hera and let her know that I had purchased tickets to FanX Salt Lake Comic Con this month.
FanX Salt Lake Comic Con is the biggest event in my hometown! A lot of these weaks are going to be there for sure, because I heard a lot of conversation about it through the hallways of the school.
I searched for Hera in the crowd; I knew she was in cosplay, she always is.
And, sure enough, there she was in her locker as usual. Only this time, she was dressed up as a female version of that electric dumbass Denki Kaminari.
"Oi, Pikachu!" I said, catching her by surprise.
She quickly turned around and saw that I was there. "Jason? What are you-"
I shushed her, trying not to attract any attention from any of the weaks in the hallway. Then, looking towards the weaks to make sure no one was going to hear us, then leaning in towards her, I whispered: "Meet me in the north stairwell after you're done, okay?"
"...is that supposed to be an innuendo-"
My face burned at the idiot's words. "What? No! Just- just do it, okay! God, you really know how to shit on my parade." I stormed away as she giggled behind me.
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"You see," I began as soon as we entered the north stairwell, "I recently purchased two tickets to the upcoming FanX Salt Lake Comic Con this weekend."
"Wait a minute… how did your broke ass get tickets?!" she asked. "Those things are so expensive nowadays!"
"Hey, don't ask questions! Just be grateful, nerdy stuff like this is your thing," I answered. "Now… I was wondering if… maybe… hypothetically, you'd like to go to that con with me…"
"...Is this a trap? You're not really the… generous type."
I groaned. "Ugh, how am I supposed to be nice when you keep walking around with a stick wedged ten feet up your ass? It's a gift, idiot!"
She sighed. "You know what…" She had that evil grin on her face again… "I'll go. But under one condition."
"Seriously? Why can't you be normal and take the damn invite?"
"Hush. Now, here's the deal. I get to choose who we cosplay for the entire three-day event."
"Seriously? Are you serious? God. Fine, then," I sighed, regretting my chivalrous act. This was her thing, being around fellow nerds with similar cringey one-liners. Why couldn't she be grateful? But whatever, I guess.
"Well? Who are we cosplaying? Have you even thought about it yet?"
"Ya know what, I think I might have an idea. But it'll have to wait until lunch beca-"
Before Hera could finish her sentence, the bell rang, indicating that it was time for us to head to class.
"Oops, there's the bell, oh no, I'll just have to wait and hear those ideas of yours..." I said, walking away quickly. Never in my life had I been more grateful for the bell than at that moment. The heavens parted. The seas split. Mountains moved.
We went to our next class, where we were separated, thank God.
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When fifth period ended, it was time for lunch. After I got my food, I tried hiding from Hera amongst the crowd, but her witch senses must've sniffed me out, since she made a dramatic B-line right for me.
"Were you trying to hide from me?"
"Whaaat? Nooo! That's how I always walk!"
"...so you always crouch down to the ground looking like an idiot?"
"...yes?" I smiled awkwardly.
She dragged me to the sad, empty, stupid table in the corner where the loners usually sat. My precious ass was way too amazing to even touch the seat, but I plopped down anyway, hoping to get this over with.
"So, I know who we should-"
"Have I ever told you about how nice grass smells? Seriously, that should be a candle-"
"Shut up, you're not getting out of this. Anyway, I think we should cosplay BakuDeku."
"...but why, though?"
"You've been a pain in my ass for six years," she answered. "And Bakugou has always been bothering Deku all the time in the anime and in the manga since junior high…"
"Yo, I hear that that's one of the best fanon enemies-to-lovers ships in the fandom," I said.
"...did you really just say 'fanon' to me?"
I shut my mouth, stuffing it with dry chicken. She looked at me with disgust before talking again. "Anyway, you're broccoli boy."
I spit my meat out, kinda happy that shit was off my taste buds. "Wait a minute, me?!" I said, eyes wide. "I thought you were going to cosplay him! I'm too sexy and amazing to be Deku! Come on!"
"Listen here, you dusty, musty, crusty motherfuckin' bitch!" she said way too loudly. "We have a deal here, JJ, and you still gotta do whatever I say for the next two weeks. Remember your position here, baby boy. Capeesh?"
It was apparent that I did want to cut the deal short and get her off of my back (and cosplay the sexiest, awesomest boy in that series, Todo I'm looking at you), but my heart was saying otherwise (kinda).
"Ugh, fine…" I said, caving in to Hera's cute, annoying self. Cute in a sarcastic, metaphorical sense, of course… anyway.
This was going to be a long weekend for me…
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Low-key, I couldn't wait to see all the awesome cosplays that were gonna be at the event!
Friday finally arrived, which meant it was time for the convention! I'd marked my calendar and set five different alarms so that I couldn't be late, and even woke up at 4! I grinned as I popped on my green and black wig and put on the broccoli boi's "casual" wear, which contained a white button down shirt with a green cross-hatch pattern under a green jacket, blue jeans and his trademark red high top sneakers. I thought I'd look like a complete nerd, and I was right. A hot nerd.
I rushed to the bathroom afterward; it was time for the makeup and the color contacts.
I gently placed my contacts in while reading a wikiHow about it, then added his freckles, which honestly made me look pretty good... In the manga, he was much less weak. So that's who I was going for.
"To save people with a smile..!" I said halfheartedly. You know what, fuck his cringy, generic lines. I'll come up with my own. I am a genius, after all.
"Ayo, Mom!" I called up as I ran down the stairs. "I'm going to FanX now!"
"Oh, you were serious about going? ...yikes," she retorted.
I just slipped out the door without another word.
Well, it was time to pick up Hera, which weighed on my mind as I fidgeted with my outfit. What stupid quip was she going to have for my cosplay? She always knew how to hit me below the belt, both literally and metaphorically.
I drove up to Hera's house to pick her up. She was wearing a short black dress with orange stripes and black markings which resembles the Bomberanian's trademark Hero costume. She even had the head fins and the boots on. Talk about dedication, how much did she spend on that shit? It did suit her though. A smile even spread across my face, which I immediately shook off.
"You're late, ya damn nerd!" Hera said obnoxiously.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Kacchan," I fired back with a chuckle. "Anyway, are you ready to go?"
"What do you think?" she gestured toward her intricate outfit before getting in my car. "Now, hurry up, ya damn nerd, we don't wanna be too late, now do we?"
I sighed, dreading the next 30 minutes I'd be trapped with Regina George-style Bakugou and began driving towards the Salt Palace Convention Center.
The entire ride was unbearable, filled with her throwing out random misplaced Bakugou lines. Kill me now, man. Kill me now. She even insulted a stray cat we passed on the way! What kind of psycho does that?
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I decided that before we go to the Convention Center, we should probably eat, so I drove us to a random buffet that was pretty close.
"Don't be too extra today, I don't want anyone looking at me any more than they need to," I told the Regina George Bakugou next to me. "Though I look pretty hot, no?"
She shrugged, grabbing a plate. "Sure." She cleared her throat. "You'd better not get in my way, ya damn nerd!"
I chuckled at the way her frown was replaced by a grin as she spotted mashed potatoes and sprinted toward them.
"Eat well, you damn nerd! Hunger is your worst enemy in battle!" she said in her attempt at a deep and intimidating voice.
"Katsuki Bakugou, I know that!" I said, taking a page out of fanon Deku.
"Pow pow fire!" she said, ignoring my epic reference. Fucking noob.
I just ignored her and began eating what I had managed to pile up onto my plate.
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We had made it to the Salt Palace Convention Center, but we had found out that the doors weren't open yet, meaning I only got 2 hours of sleep for nothing. Either way, we decided to camp out, despite the bugs and general outdoors… It was like my own personal hell, not to mention the fact that Hera was spouting random Bakugou lines that made zero sense as I just shook my head and questioned my life decisions.
Three hours later, when the doors opened, everyone, myself and Hera included, rushed up into that building! I couldn't wait to see what special guests would be there!
"Hey, Kacchan," I said to the knockoff Regina George Bakugou.
"Whaddya want, you damn nerd?" she asked me in her gravelly Bakugou impression.
"Don't get TOO lost in the crowd now. I don't want to get-"
"Don't tell me what to do, you damn nerd!"
Ugh…
"No, Katsuki Bakugou! You don't tell me what to do! You got that?"
I nodded, hoping she'd play along with me and do the fanon Bakugou thing, but instead she snorted, cackling in my face.
"Right. Anyway, let's go. We don't want the All Might merch to run out do we?"
"Alright..." I said, staying in character the whole time. "See ya later, Kacchan."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could spy cosplays of Sora from Kingdom Hearts, Paimon from Genshin Impact (and no, Paimon ain't emergency food), Fumikage Tokoyami from My Hero, and even the Night King from Game of Thrones.
We decided to go check out the exhibitions of all the anime shows and games that we liked. I went to the Yu-Gi-Oh exhibition while Hera rushed over to the Genshin Impact exhibition. Of course she would.
Luckily, I had my small Kingdom Hearts backpack with me, so I was able to buy two decks; a flashback deck and a new starter deck.
Then we both improvised with other people in cosplay, staying in character like the experts we were. Heck, Hera and I even got to chat with some of the Dub VAs of our favorite anime!
After the mini interviews, we decided to head out to the parking lot and communicate with more cosplayers. And guess what? Miss Tommi Night from the clock app was there! Yes, the literal living Marvel and DC cosplay goddess! She's one of Hera's favorite cosplayers; I could tell because she fangirls about this cosplayer all the time.
I like her, too, but not as much as my man UC Nick! He's the best Spider-Man cosplayer ever!