One Dance

27| Lodging: Day Four

Mina stared at him, time stilled between them as she presumably pondered over his words. She hummed, squishing her cheek against her forearm, mumbling, "I think I'm starting to fall for Hanta this time around..."

"What makes you say that?" the blond couldn't help but ask in return. She sighed, casting her gaze to the phone jittering on the nightstand. A couple of texts. They could wait. Noticing the blond didn't make a move for the phone, she shrugged.

"I've been terrible to him, y'know? With the whole Kiri thing..." Katsuki pushed away the uneasiness he felt at the memory. "It was like I didn't know I was way in over my head until I made the leap, but I did it for the wrong person and the wrong reasons..."

"I'm really sorry, Bakugou," she apologized. "What I did at the time was really selfish and screwed up; at the time I felt like I was just dragging Hanta along and when I jumped... he was the one that fell."

"Why worry about that now?"

"'Cause what if the roles are reversed this time? What if he only gave me a second chance out of pity? What if I take the leap without some restraint? What'll become of me?"

"Relax, Raccoon Eyes," Katsuki waved a hand at her, more so because he had to pee now more than anything than he cared to tell her. He wanted to help her with her problem, too, though; this was important too. "I highly doubt Tape Face has the balls and brain to just drag you along. The fucker had a long-standing crush on you before he manned up enough to ask you out. He knew you weren't into him like that but took the risk anyway. You fucked up and he took you right back in a heartbeat. If that doesn't say anything to you, then I don't know what the fuck else you want me to say."

Footsteps and mumbling coming from the corridor brought their eyes to the open door. Todoroki came into view first, his hair a messy bun on the top of his head. Heterochromatic eyes passed over them, then he turned his head and muttered something to someone else as he proceeded down the stairs. Sero came into view next, pausing same as Todoroki did, eyes flickering between the two before an awkward smile stretched across his face. He quirked up a brow. "You guys good? The presents are downstairs, y'know..."

Katsuki stole a glance from Mina, the latter looking a tad apprehensive, he noticed. He jutted his head at the one standing just outside the doorway as if to say 'go for it'. A smile spread across her face and she rose to her feet, wrapping him in a quick, tight hug in thanks before skipping towards Sero. The blond picked up his phone and did the duties he knew had to be done first, calling up his parents and chatting with them a bit before heading down to greet the rest of his friends with a curt nod.

Everyone was passing around wrapped boxes and bags and evidently, the blond was amazed at how they managed to sneak these things by each other. Eijirou's eyes lit up upon his arrival and he bounded over to him, jittering in excitement only Christmas Day could give him. "Suki, Suki! Midoriya got me a retro Crimson Riot sweater! You gotta see it!"

"Well shit, stop blabbering and show it to me, idiot," mumbled the blond. Eijirou squealed and rummaged through discarded wrapping paper until he pulled out the faded hoodie from its ashes. It definitely was retro—the name Crimson Riot etched ferociously above the hero's horn-shaped hair. His eyes were dark, sharp and narrow, most of his face obscured with his mask. The corner of Katsuki's mouth twitched upwards; it was the same hoodie he almost bought for Ei until he came up with a better idea for a present. "It's nice, Ei, can we go now?"

"Aww, what? You didn't open any of yours yet!" Ei whined, much to his dismay. Maybe he was trying to put off their talk for a little while longer, and if it was any other topic, he would've let him, but he still itched to speak about it with him. Katsuki narrowed his eyes at him.