~~~
Class 1A finished cleaning up all the ice and decorations, per Mineta's hasty request, his sick mind focused on one thing and one thing only. That didn't stop Kira and the others from attending the beauty contest, though. It was quite the spectacle, as eight girls competed for the trophy. They were all striking in their own ways, but Hado resulted in being crowned the beauty pageant queen, earning herself a trophy and other prizes. Her Quirk was definitely mesmerizing, floating and sparkling in the air as she performed her tricks and twirls to win the audience's favour.
The rest of the school festival was loud and daunting - Kira just hoped that Eri and Lucas weren't feeling too overwhelmed with all of it. However, the two kids are in good hands with Mirio and Midoriya. Kira's thoughts were jerked away from her as she felt both Mina and Toru tugging on each arm, squealing in their excitement as they approached a haunted house, courtesy of class C. Kaminari and Mineta were with them as they huddled and bickered their eagerness to enter the next amusement game. They stuck close together, practically tip-toeing through the house, which was covered in creepy props and flashing lights. Mina and Toru shoved Kira onwards, sacrificing her to witness the next jump scare alone, as the two boys that accompanied them cowered right at the back.
Kira led them down the darkening corridor, the ceiling high and the pathway narrow. A spine-chilling cackle echoed in the gloom, as if someone was crawling down the walls to meet them. Kira couldn't see five feet in front of her, as a smoke machine blanketed the floor in a smoggy atmosphere and she felt two pairs of hands grip onto her clothing, almost making her leap right out of her shoes. She paused to regain her composure, wondering why this event is making her heart pound so much, why her hands are clammy with her anxiety. They're heroes - something as silly as a haunted house shouldn't possess the ability to spook them all so easily.
Just as Kira was finding a glimpse of confidence in her gut, someone dropped from the ceiling behind them, hanging upside down by the back of their knees on a metal pole. Everyone screamed, including Kira and suddenly she was being dragged by her friends and she didn't feel so afraid anymore. She was chortling at herself, at her friends, at the scare that rattled them all to their cores. They all burst out of the haunted house and Kira raised her arm to block out the damp November sun.
"That was ridiculous!" Kaminari bellows, his hands on his knees and head down.
"You should have seen your faces!" Mina laughs, pointing with one hand, while her other cupped her mouth.
"Was that Shinso?" Toru wonders, staring back into the hole they just escaped from.
Kira nods at her friend. "I didn't get a good look, but I think so," she says. "Though, I didn't think he would have been into doing this sort of thing."
"That was the dumbest thing ever," Mineta sulks, not happy with having been so easily scared. "I'm never doing that again."
Mina looks down at him, wiping her eyes free from her tears. "Well, just be glad we didn't leave you in there."
"Oh, look!" Toru chants. "Look!"
Kira and the others follow to where she might be pointing, searching around until they notice Momo and Kyoka sat on a circular metal table, enjoying a few drinks from a nearby stand.
"Let's go join them!" Mina suggests, already dragging Kira with her.
Mina was being oddly clingy for her - perhaps she's noticed Kira's distance with a certain somebody, or perhaps she's just being her usual cheerful self and is just overly eager to see all there is to see. Either way, Kira was more than glad for the distraction, for her mind to be filled with nothing but merriment and friendship instead of angst and hatred.
However, she still heard him. Above everything else; the busy crowds and the screams reverberating from the haunted house beside them, the sounds from arcade games buzzing and beverages being served, she still heard him. It was as if her ears were specially attuned to Bakugou's uniqueness and she hated her body and her mind for reacting the way it did. Kira dug her heels to prevent Mina tugging her onwards and her friend looked back at her abruptness.
"Do you hear that?" Kira nearly whispers, as if she's second guessing her ears, wondering if she's going crazy.
Mina looks over Kira's shoulder, before meeting her eyes again. "You mean Bakugou and Kirishima causing a scene?"
Kira frowns and tilts her head at Mina, before spinning around and allowing her eyes to focus on the chaos occurring about one hundred feet away from her. Through food stands and assorted games and people huddled in friendship groups, Bakugou's presence was unmistakable. His Quirk electrified the air, causing vibrant oranges and slight reds to spark and illuminate the space around him. He was completely in his element as Kira watched him from afar and it felt like the festival and people around her just dulled, the world turning slow and muffled, a black and white haze of unimportance in the few precious seconds where she could see him again.
And then his words hit her like a brick wall and her breath rushed back to her all in one go, the festival coming alive with cheers and laughter, footsteps and paper bags and a concerned friend wittering in her ear. She heard Bakugou yell out, though it was in distress and not his usual tone, though from an outsider's view, they probably couldn't tell the difference.
"Mina," Kira says abruptly, turning back to her and cutting her off. "I have to go."
Mina simply smiles, a knowing sort of smile. "I know you do."
Kira scoffs at her friend's reply, just knowing that she's going to use this situation to her advantage in the near future. She watches Mina finally catch up to Toru and the others, perching down at the table and immediately stealing Kyoka's drink. Kira chuckles at the sight before turning away to face another memorable scene, when her smile falters and she stares down at her feet. What is she doing? Why would she choose to go to someone she loathes? His words sit in the air between them, separating them from one another again, just waiting for someone to come along and right their wrongs. They're both mistaken, yet completely true to their ideals. It was going so well between them and Kira simply forgot the complexity behind Bakugou's nature, though that doesn't mean she's the one to apologise for his rigid candour.
Kira forced her legs to move, to function, to urge her towards a person who's tongue now holds truths she wants kept hidden. His bluntness is harsh, yet it allowed her to free her mind of this fairy tale world she's created for herself, as a means of escape from the cruel actuality she has to face. Kira's merely clinging to that other reality, a lazy dreamland away from the horrors of real life.
Bakugou may have forced her to perceive the truth, to remind her of her mistakes in life and in some twisted sort of way, he probably believes he's revealed it to her correctly. Though, Kira doubts she'll be able to roll over and forgive so easily.
As she neared the mayhem, an audience having gathered at the disorderly scene, Kirishima's voice was starting to become audible to her, his tone on the verge of pleading. Bakugou was using his Quirk to boost him down a makeshift obstacle course, his explosions wafting hot air over the crowds converged around him.
"Kirishima!?" Kira yells over the sound of the chattering onlookers and Bakugou's Quirk. "I can hear you guys from over by the haunted house! What the hell is going on?"
"It's Bakugou!" He replies immediately, throwing a hand up at him as he flies down the obstacle course. "He won't give it a rest!"
Kira watches him manoeuvre over and under the course, zipping around with impressive skill and agility that always catches her off guard. His determination radiates off his body like a contagious aura, sweat beading his temple and his hair sticking to his skin. He's been competing in this course for a while, it seems.
"Why is he trying so hard?" Kira tears her eyes off Bakugou and leans to Kirishima's ear.
He returns the movement, his breath tickling her ear. "He's trying to beat the world record because All Might is the one who created it in the first place."
"Of course!" Kira rolls her eyes in annoyance. "What is the record?"
"Five seconds."
"What?" Kira's brows nearly shoot straight off her face as she gawks at Kirishima and then at the length of the obstacle course. "That's crazy! What has Bakugou scored?"
"So far?" Kirishima nods slowly. "Eleven seconds is the best he's gotten."
"Wh-" Kira cuts herself off, staring up at Bakugou as he completes the course again, this time in thirteen seconds. "He's nowhere close to beating it."
"I know!" Kirishima throws his arms up in irritation. "That's why I'm telling him to give it a rest and try it again another time."
Kira sends Kirishima a look. "You know that's not like him to just give up."
"It wouldn't be giving up," he counters. "Just taking a break, is all. A way to regain some stamina to try it again. He's too stubborn to stop, but every time he's tried to beat it, he's gotten slower, more sluggish."
"He's an idiot, is what he is," Kira says.
"Very true." Kirishima nods, before turning sharply to the obstacle course. "Bakugou! Don't go again - you're just gonna like pass out or something!"
"Shut it, shitty hair!" He shouts in between pants. "If I can't beat one stupid record..."
"No one will think any lesser of you!"
Bakugou ignores him, lunging forward as soon as the timer starts and he's a blur before Kira's eyes. A combination of stubbornness and a striking orange glow.
"I swear, he's been especially miserable since last night," Kirishima mutters and Kira nearly doesn't hear over Bakugou and the audience as they cheer him on.
No doubt, Bakugou's accelerated moodiness has everything to do with their argument that they experienced, his words like an icy chill down her spine, as if she just swallowed an ice cube. The venom in his tone replays like a broken record in her memories, reminding her of his capabilities, reminding her of his heinous past. How could she have forgotten? How could she have ever thought that her and Bakugou could be anything more?
And why the hell can't she tear her eyes away from the sight of him right now?
She's clinging onto a singular version of Bakugou, a distant personality that seems to be slipping from her clutches, a person she's come to admire, come to love. That kind of naivety made her insides squirm and wish that she never witnessed his sincerity for herself, just so she can lose herself in a foolish assumption such as adoration. Katsuki Bakugou only has one goal in his mind and it sure as hell has nothing to do with her.
"Akira," Kirishima speaks up and Kira drags her eyes from Bakugou as he completes the course in an even slower time than before. "I really hate to ask, but I don't want to leave his side in case he does something he might regret. Any chance you can find some water?"
Kira sighs heavily, her body sagging. "Fine," she replies. "But, I'm not doing it for him."
"Thank you so much." He slaps his palms together in his gratitude.
"Yeah, just- try and get him to stop."
Kirishima nods eagerly as Kira excuses herself from the scene, having to nudge her way through the curious onlookers to reach the rest of the festival. She shakes her head, muttering her newfound distaste for Bakugou, her mind wondering how much of it is actually true. Part of her contemplates just ignoring Kirishima's request, just let Bakugou pass out from dehydration and exhaustion as some kind of petty, revengeful payback for his cruelty she witnessed last night. She could head back to her friends, back to Mina and Kaminari, back to Momo and Kyoka where she can leave Bakugou behind with her mistakes and her feelings.
"Hey, Kiriya!" Sato's voice calls to her and Kira looks up from her thoughts, her eyes searching for her classmate. "What are you doing by yourself? Are you lost?"
Kira finds Sato behind a Takoyaki stand with Shoji, serving out the snacks to famished customers. "Shoji, Sato," she greets, looking around before approaching their stand. "What are you...? Is this your stand?"
"Nah." Sato shakes his head. "Shoji and I volunteered to help out. The Business Course have a lot on their hands with the festival."
"Oh." Kira frowns as she stares down at the Takoyaki. "That's nice of you."
"Well, considering everything that's happened..." Shoji adds, his voice sombre. "We've gotta do everything we can to pay back for our mistakes."
Kira blinks at her classmate - it's like he can see right through her. "It's not like it was really your fault," she mutters, uneasily.
"I feel like I can carry some of the blame," Shoji tells her. "After all, I was there when you and Bakugou were taken at the Training Camp. Maybe if I had done something else, maybe if I was stronger, I could have helped more."
"Yeah," Sato joins in. "I missed out on everything because I failed the final exams! If only I had passed, maybe I could have made a difference..."
"Right..." Kira says slowly.
She never even considered how her classmates felt about their confrontation with the League of Villains. Kira feels like she played a massive part in the villain's schemes and maybe she still does, but it never even occurred to her to take her friends into account. Who else shares her guilts, her regrets, her weakness? Everyone?
"You shouldn't blame yourself," Shoji remarks, stepping out from behind the stand to confront her. "And... don't let others blame you for the choices you make too. Back during the Training Camp, I don't know if jumping after Bakugou was the best decision, I really don't. But, I also don't think any of us would have done it any differently."
"Moving without thinking is the mark of a true hero, after all!" Sato says sanguinely, holding up a pair of tongs.
Shoji glances back at Sato briefly, chuckling his reply. "Exactly." His eyes meet Kira's again, full of integrity. "People make mistakes. Don't let anyone judge you for them."
"It's kind of hard not to," Kira says. "Heroes don't get to make mistakes."
Shoji looks around slightly. "Says who?"
"Uh, society?"
"Well, if society is going to criticize on faults made by humans, maybe they should have employed robots instead."
Kira narrows her eyes at Shoji, hesitating slightly. "Are you trying to be funny? I can't really tell."
He's about to reply, when he's summoned by Sato. "Got a bunch of customers incoming, Shoji! Could use those hands of yours."
"I better get back to it," he says to Kira. "Yo- you're not lost, are you?"
"No." She shakes her head. "But, I was looking for somewhere I can get some water."
"Oh, I have some at the stand," he informs her. "Here-"
Kira follows him back to the stand where Sato is juggling a few orders from the students. Shoji bends down behind the stand and hands her a bottle of water.
"Thanks," she says.
"It's important to stay hydrated," Shoji responds, as he hands a girl her Takoyaki. "Especially with all this going on."
"Actually, it's not for me."
"Oh?" Sato frowns as he leans in on the conversation, handing two snacks to two waiting customers. "Who's it for then?"
"Bakugou," she answers and they both frown in unison. "He's trying to beat the high score at the obstacle course."
Sato nods knowingly. "I see and Bakugou being - well - Bakugou, he isn't going to stop until he breaks the record."
"Exactly."
"Well, we've kept you long enough," Sato says. "You'd better get back before he passes out."
Kira nods and finds her way back to the obstacle course, just listening to the sounds of explosions and rude obscenities getting louder and louder as her compass. She pushes past a few students, who are still cheering Bakugou on and Kira fights the urge to tell them all to shut it.
"Kirishima!" She announces, showing him the water.
His eyes light up when he sees her, before turning back to the course. "Hey, Bakugou! Look at what Akira found for you!"
Bakugou doesn't even turn to their direction, as he wipes the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand, ready and raring to try the course for the thousandth time.
"He won't even look at me, anymore," Kirishima complains, glaring daggers at Bakugou's back, before turning to Kira. "You should try and talk some sense into him."
"Oh," Kira falters. "Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea."
"Because of... last night?"
Kira just looks away, the mere mention of yesterday causing her heart to perform backflips in her chest. She doesn't want to look at Kirishima or Bakugou, or even the people around them, gawking at Bakugou with a horrifyingly familiar glint of admiration that she shares.
"If it's any consolation, Bakugou hasn't been acting like himself since this morning," Kirishima adds, jerking a thumb back over his shoulder.
"It's not," she mumbles, bluntly. "I honestly just don't wanna talk about what happened."
"I know you don't." He sighs. "But, what I'm trying to say is that I think your... conversation may have affected Bakugou more than you think."
Kira crosses her arms over her chest defiantly, the water bottle hiding under her armpit. "I'd hardly call what happened a 'conversation'," she continues to mutter.
"Akira," Kirishima adds with an impatient sigh, like a parent scolding a child.
Instead, Kira thrusts the bottle of water into Kirishima's chest, wanting to leave this place before they start to talk more in depth about her and Bakugou. It seems like Kirishima may have been noticing more sensitive details than she cares to admit.
Ignoring Kirishima's calls for apology, Kira rushes away from both him and Bakugou, falling for the idea of leaving them in the past more and more. It's just easier to hate Bakugou and everything about him instead of clinging onto any slither of sincerity he's willing to let slip through the cracks. Kira will have to remind herself of his true personality whenever she feels her heart beat a little faster in his company. After all, it's not like she's capable of ridding herself of him entirely, being in the same class and living under the same roof. All the memories they've shared, all the new, scary emotions they've discovered - Kira will just have to shut them away with a lock and key into the deepest corners of her mind.
What did Kirishima even mean anyway? How could her argument with Bakugou affected him in any way when she was the one under fire from his cruelty? Kira slaps her palms against her cheeks in an attempt to rid her mind of Bakugou's presence, when she collides into someone in her path.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She instinctively apologises. "That's completely my fault. I wasn't paying attent- Midoriya?"
"Kiriya!"
"Are you okay?" She wonders, noticing his rushed state. "What's wrong?"
"No, no," he says quickly, raising his palms. "I-I just forgot something, that's all."
He sprints away without an explanation and Kira's unable to shove away her curiosity, so she decides to give chase, following Midoriya away from the festival and to the dorms. When she catches up, she finds him in the kitchen, spilling a bunch of ingredients onto the kitchen island.
"Midoriya?" Kira questions, between breaths, staring at the materials on the side. "Aren't you supposed to be with Eri and Lucas?"
"I am!" He blurts. "I mean, I was."
"Okay," Kira says slowly, before gesturing to the countertop. "What's all this?"
"Ingredients for a caramelised apple," he explains. "It's for Eri and Lucas." He then grabs a few of the ingredients and takes them to a different part of the kitchen. "I was looking for a caramelised apple stand at the festival, but-"
"You didn't find one?"
Midoriya stops rushing and turns to Kira with a simple shake of the head. "I don't know about Lucas, but Eri really likes apples, so I wanted to do this for her."
"That's- that's a very you thing to do," Kira chuckles softly. "And as for Lucas, I think that just making Eri happy, makes him happy."
"You noticed that too?"
Kira brings over the rest of the ingredients to where he starts to blend together the caramelised mixture. "Well, yeah," she says quietly. "For a kid that always seem so... angry all the time, he has a hard time hiding when he's not. And that's usually when Eri's having a good time."
The main doors of the dormitory nearly burst off their hinges when Iida, Todoroki, Koda and Tokoyami decide to make themselves known, causing both Kira and Midoriya to slowly turn their heads back to the ruckus.
"Midoriya!" Iida bellows, storming into the kitchen area. "We saw you running through the festival. What seems to be the matter?"
"Oh! I'm sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to make you guys worry."
"He's making a caramelised apple for Eri," Kira explains.
"So, there's nothing to worry about?" Iida says slowly. "No cause for alarm?"
Kira chortles at his confusion. "No, we're all okay."
"We're just on high alert today," Todoroki adds.
"You mean because every time we have some sort of big event, the villains try to find a way to ruin it?" Kira wonders.
Todoroki nods, stepping into the kitchen. "Yes, exactly."
"Our Halloween holiday wasn't ruined by the villains," Tokoyami interjects.
"Yeah." Kira scoffs. "A big bear played that part instead."
"How long is it going to take, Midoriya?" Koda asks curiously.
"Uh, I don't know," he says honestly. "Half an hour, or so, I reckon."
"The sun is already getting low, Midoriya," Iida reminds him. "So, you'd better make it quick."
Midoriya nods eagerly and starts to mix his ingredients together with a rushed effort. The others decided to return to the festival, wanting to wait until the very last second before turning in for the day. Kira stayed behind at the dorms, her mind clouded with confliction.
"Hey, Midoriya?" She starts, getting a hum in response. "Can I come and see Eri and Lucas with you?"
Midoriya stops preparing the gift, turning back to Kira. "Of course you can."
Kira smiles at his response, no hesitancy, or a single flicker of doubt. "Thank you," she whispers, her eyes trained on the kitchen island. "Right now, I feel like those two kids are like an assurance, or something."
"You mean because they're safe from the Shie Hassaikai?"
Kira looks up at Midoriya, his eyes watching her inquisitively. "I guess so." She shrugs. "But, maybe it's mainly because they're so innocent and carefree. Even after all they've been through and what they may have seen when they were held captive."
Midoriya turns back to his work. "I can see what you mean."
"Midoriya?" Kira adds. "What's the real reason why you were late for the show this morning?"
She notices his shoulders stiffen slightly, before resuming their natural posture. He lowers his head, almost shamefully. "There was a villain," he tells her, his voice monotone. "He wanted to attack the festival, so I had to stop him."
"On your own?"
Midoriya slowly turns his head to her and Kira tilts her head to view his eyes properly. "You don't seem surprised," he notices.
"I had a feeling you were up to no good when you didn't come back in time," she admits. "But, I knew that there was no way you were going to let Eri down by not showing up, though. So, I wasn't too worried about you missing out either."
"I wasn't going to let this villain ruin it all for Eri and Lucas," he explains.
Kira nods slowly at his words. "I know. To protect their innocence, right?" Midoriya's eyes meet hers, the beginning of tears peeking through. "Just- try not to get killed protecting everyone, though. Okay?"
Midoriya nods rapidly, sniffing back the tears and Kira's slightly alarmed by his emotions, by his fragility.
He finishes the treat for Eri as an ominous orange glow floods the dormitory - the sun is setting for today, waving them off and leaving behind its golden residue. Kira and Midoriya quickly rush out of the dorms, noticing students still up and about as they finish packing away their stands and equipment. They pass the obstacle course and Kira fully expected Bakugou to still be there, stubbornly retrying endlessly to beat the high score. But, it was eerily vacant.
"This way," Midoriya suggests, gesturing at her to accompany him.
Kira nods her reply and urges herself onwards, as they pass the haunted house and a few other stands still in need of shutting down.
"Kiriya!" Kira turns to her name, noticing Sato waving her down.
Both her and Midoriya approach Sato and Shoji and she notices their arms full of fruit.
"Oh." Sato nods when he sees her staring down. "This is the Business Course's way of saying thank you," he explains, holding the fruit up slightly, before nodding to Midoriya. "What have you got there?"
"Caramelised apple," Midoriya says, showing it to Sato.
"Ooh, yum!" His eyes gleam at the treat. "You've just given me an idea. Got any ingredients left over?"
Midoriya nods. "Lots."
"Good! Then I can caramelise these fruits too!" He then hesitates, lowering his arms slightly. "You think everyone will like that?"
"Yes, definitely!" Kira beams, her mouth drooling at the thought.
Midoriya steps in, his hand raised almost sheepishly. "Actually, I don't think Kacchan will like it," he admits. "He doesn't like sweet things very much."
Kira hates that she knew that already.
"I see..." Sato trails off, looking at the ground for a second, before his head shoots back up again. "I've got an idea!"
"We have to get going," Midoriya says to Kira.
Kira nods, as they turn to leave. "We'll see you back at the dorm!" She yells back to her classmates.
It wasn't far to where Mr Aizawa, Mirio, Eri and Lucas were waiting. By then, the air was chilly and still, no longer busy with excited students hopped up on sugar and adrenaline. It was calming, though Kira did enjoy herself today. Midoriya crouched in front of the two children as he spoke, his voice just as calm as the world around them.
Eri and Lucas were quiet also, though Kira could hardly blame them for that. Today was full of unusual noises and sights, packed with strangers and oddities. Honestly, Eri and Lucas were handling it all better than she thought they would.
"One more thing," Midoriya was saying, as he pulled the caramelised apple from behind his back. "Got a surprise for you."
Eri didn't make a notion that she was impressed or excited at the treat, but her hand slowly moved to grip the wooden stick.
"A candy apple!" Mirio blurts. "From where!? I couldn't find any!"
"He made it," Kira tells Mirio, before crouching in front of Eri too. "Specially for you." She smiles, as Eri takes a small bite, her teeth crunching on the sweet caramel. Her eyes widen ever so slightly at the taste.
"You only made one, huh?" Lucas says, eyeing the caramelised apple in Eri's hand.
"Oh, you like them?" Midoriya wonders.
Lucas hesitates, before turning away. "They're okay," he says plainly, though Kira could hear the twinge of hurt in his tone.
"Perhaps you should have been more open, Lucas," Aizawa speaks up and the boy stiffens. "We're only here to help you and we can't do that if you decide to remain closed off."
"Whatever." The boy shrugs. "I don't like them that much."
Eri decides to move, her tiny feet shuffling on the concrete and Lucas turns to the noise, his eyes widening when he sees the caramelised apple being held out under his nose. He looks down at the treat and then to Eri's eyes and his wall drops - Kira can see it crumble away at the sight of her kindness and compassion. Lucas' features relax and his arms lower to his sides.
"No." His voice remains stoic. "It's yours."
Eri tilts her head slightly, holding the apple out still. "Share."
Kira and Midoriya glance at each other, their hearts swelling at the sight of these two children that have been through more than they should've at their age, their innocence and their goodness pouring out of them as Lucas slowly takes the apple from Eri's grip to crunch at the corner of it. He returns the treat back to her and they take turns to nibble away at its sweetness.
"It's getting late," Aizawa speaks up. "But, you should be able to see them again soon."
"Good." Kira sighs. "When you two come back, we'll make enough caramelised apples for everyone."
Kira and Midoriya bid their farewells and turn back to the dormitory, walking back this time.
"You haven't stopped smiling yet," Kira laughs at his pink cheeks.
"She liked it!" He beams.
Kira shakes her head at the sight of him, on the verge of skipping back to the dorms. When they neared, the smell of sugar hit them like a wall and Kira's stomach grumbled its needs, despite being packed full of treats and snacks throughout the day from the other stands. However, nothing compares to Sato's skills.
"That smells amazing!" Kira grins as she and Midoriya enter the dorms, the sugary smell sitting in the air.
Everyone else is downstairs, ogling at Sato as he prepares their delicious treats. No one even regards her and Midoriya returning, though she hardly blames them.
"It's nearly ready!" Sato teases and Kira strains to see over the heads of her classmates as Sato presents the treats to them. "There's enough for everyone, so no need to push," he says to everyone before calling to Kira.
She tears her eyes from the kitchen island as the students swarm around the snacks like a starving pack of hyenas. Sato approaches, holding a caramelised fruit high in the air in case an impatient student decides to snatch it up for themselves.
"Oh - for me?" Kira wonders, frowning at the treat as Sato shimmies around the crowd to her.
"Not exactly," he replies, handing it to her.
She sniffs the treat, realising that it looks a little different to the others. "What..?" She trails off, holding the delicacy up to squint at it. "Wh- Is that a chilli pepper?"
"It most certainly is."
"It looks..."
"Spicy enough?"
"Uh..." She lowers the pepper slightly. "That's one word for it. So, I have it because..."
"To give to Bakugou," Sato explains.
Kira nods uncertainly. "Well, why can't you give it to him? You made it."
"Yeah, but I doubt he'll take it from me."
"What makes you think he'll take it from me?" Kira frowns. "You know what? Don't worry. I'll find Kirishima."
Kira grabs Kirishima from the back of the shirt collar, dragging him away from the kitchen area. She led him down the corridor leading to the lift, hearing Bakugou, Kaminari and a few others already in the living room.
"Oh, you managed to grab one already?" Kirishima stares at the treat in her hand.
"It's not for me," she tells him. "And trust me, you don't want it either."
"What?"
"It's for Bakugou," she explains. "Sato made it, then he gave it to me, to then give to Bakugou."
Kirishima hesitates, followed by a frown. "Why couldn't he give it to Bakugou?"
"My thoughts exactly." She sighs. "So, here" - she holds out the pepper - "you give it to him. I can't even look at him, let alone talk to him, so you need to be the one."
"I think that this is the perfect opportunity," he says instead and Kira's arm drops.
"What?"
"Yeah." Kirishima nods eagerly. "You two can make up over this- this pepper."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Akira," he says sternly, using that tone on her again. "You have to forgive and forget at some point," he adds. "You still have to spend the next two years with him. You think you can just keep avoiding him all that time? Stop running away from him."
"I'm not running away, Kirishima," she retorts. "I've merely remembered what type of person he is."
"What type?" Kirishima repeats. "Bakugou can be tough at times, believe me, I know." He sighs heavily. "But, everything he's ever said and done - there's been a reason behind it. Are you really just going to give up over one argument?"
"I don't think I'll be able to forgive him," Kira admits, her voice quiet. "But, I can just give him one stupid pepper."
"Attagirl." Kirishima smiles at her words, as he accompanies her out of the corridor. "I wasn't wrong earlier by the way."
Kira looks up to him. "About?"
"About Bakugou's behaviour," he says. "I swear, all day, he's been... weird."
"Weird?" Kira frowns. "Weird how?"
"I wanna say: 'penitent'," he replies. "But, is that too on the nose?"
Kira deadpans, as they leave the corridor, with the kitchen to the left and the living room to the right. "Yes. It is."
Kirishima merely shrugs, before entering the kitchen and Kira sighs heavily, bringing the pepper to her vision. Kira clenches her jaw and marches into the living room, spotting Bakugou immediately - he's always going to stick out to her. He's keeping Kaminari at bay, shoving him away with one hand, threatening him like he usually does.
The girls have also gathered in the living room, sitting across from Bakugou and Kaminari with their delicious caramelised fruits. They spot Kira standing there, holding something that clearly doesn't belong to her and they all go deathly quiet to watch the show. Kira makes a mental note to whack them all later.
Kira breathes out shakily, before taking another step closer. "Bakugou," she says, silently thanking her voice for not betraying her.
Kaminari stops fidgeting and stands from the sofa like he's been electrocuted. Bakugou keeps his eyes forward for a few extra seconds, before slowly turning his body around on the sofa, so he's facing the back cushion. He stares up at her from his seat, without saying a word. His eyes flicker from her face to the pepper and then back to her again.
"Is that supposed to be for me or something?" He speaks up.
Kira looks at the pepper, like she'd forgotten all about it and then nods, before holding it out awkwardly. "Sato made it," she tells him dumbly. Of course he knows that.
"So, why do you have it?"
Kira scoffs slightly. "I'm still wondering that myself."
Bakugou reaches up for the treat, his two fingers wrapping around her pinky as he takes it from her and she nearly drops it altogether. She nearly forgot how warm he felt, how his skin felt on hers.
Kira steps backwards suddenly, but whether it was of her own accord, she isn't certain. All she knows is what she's experienced and it confused her and it hurt her and now she doesn't know what to think. Bakugou noticed her step back, his eyes flicking down to her legs quickly. Whenever she looked at him, getting lost in those irrefutable eyes, she heard his words. Words so full of rancour that Kira didn't think she could rid herself of them. He was now a constant reminder of his own vindictiveness and no longer his sincere uniqueness. This isn't how she wanted to remember him by, but now he has made it so.
"It's all been your fault!"
One truth after another spilled from his lips and Kira's just too fragile and naïve to accept it. Did he really do anything wrong, besides speaking the truth in such a vulgar tone? Who's really to blame here?
"You were too... damn... stupid to realise that that was a villain the whole time!"
Another step back from the living room, wanting her skin to stop tingling from his touch, wanting her mind to stop longing for his touch once more. It was her fault - all of it. No matter what her classmates may say, no matter if they feel as though they share the blame. Kira is the one who didn't even realise that her mother was a fake, someone placed there to trick and deceive her.
"You're useless," he says, his voice quiet again. "You're never going to become a pro hero because you always seem to make the same mistakes over and over again."
Does she have a future here?
Kira's eyes darted around at her classmates, everyone staring at her. Why are they staring at her? The girls have started to stand up, their expressions no longer full of curiosity and eagerness. Bakugou hasn't even looked at the chilli pepper yet, his eyes watching her with an intensity she just can't describe, his brows tight in cautious concernment.
"I'm going to get one now," she says out loud, though her voice didn't sound her like own.
She hears everyone start to whisper as she turns to leave and all she wanted to do was close her mind to their judgement. She covered her ears with her hands to block out the noise, though she knows her friends meant no intentional misdemeanour behind their muttering. They just do what teenagers do - gossip.
A hand on her shoulder causes her to spin around in fright, turning so quickly that she hit something - the caramelised chilli pepper. It falls to the ground with a crunch and Kira can't take her eyes off it.
"Didn't you hear me?" Bakugou snaps. "Goddammit."
"I'm sorry," Kira mumbles.
"Huh?" He grunts. "I don't care about some stupid pepper."
"Then-"
"I only took it because you were the one giving it to me."
"Wait - what?" Kira rubs her eyes and then runs her hands through her hair, as if she's trying to shove all her negativity from her brain.
"About last-"
Kira's eyes widen and she spins around so she's facing the entrance to the kitchen, her back to him. "I really don't wanna talk about that."
"But-"
"We're having a festival, after all," she cuts him off. "So, we can just talk about it another day."
"You're just-"
"It should be in private too," she adds, lost in her own thoughts. "Where we won't concern the others."
"Can you just-"
"Forgive and forget?" Kira spins back around, reminiscing on Kirishima's words. "You think I can just do that?" She sighs heavily, her heart weighing her down. "After everything... you rub my mistakes in my face like that? You think I don't know what I've done?" Kira looks over Bakugou's shoulder, noticing that they're within eavesdropping range and that everyone in the living room is too quiet. "The last thing I needed to hear from you was that truth," she whispers. "I can't forgive you and what you said to me because- because you were right. Everything you said was right and I hate that."
Bakugou falters, as if he's choosing his next words carefully. "You don't hate me?"
It's Kira's turn to hesitate. "I don't know. Maybe. I should." She nods, as if trying to get her emotions set in stone. But, she knows better. "All I can say for now is that you opened my eyes and I'm not sure I like what I see. That's my truth."
Kira looks back at the kitchen and throws up a lazy hand at the remaining caramelised apple left on the tray, with its stick facing up. At least everyone had the restraint to leave one for her.
"I'm not even feeling that hungry anymore." She scoffs, tearing her eyes back to Bakugou. "I know you don't like sweet things, but it's all yours."
Kira heads for the lift without another word, feeling Bakugou's eyes on her the whole time. But, he didn't chase after her, or speak up. Not like he should've done.
Kirishima was right - he is acting weird.
~~~