We Are Here

~~~One Week Ago~~~

Katsuki Bakugo let off explosion after explosion outside the gym.

Kirishima had left, and he was really starting to wonder if Deku and the Freak would ever bring his training partner back. With the sweat from his run and from fighting little Red, he fired off his biggest explosion yet. His arm shook a bit, but the pride from his accomplishment filled him.

"That was… incredible." He heard someone breath out behind him.

He casually looked over his shoulder to see Freckles staring at the sky where his explosion had just gone off. It was the first time he had seen the expression on her face. It wasn't directed towards Icyhot, or Deku, or either of her irrelevant friends, but at him.

He looked away as he felt a weird warmth in his chest, pushing it down.

"Tch, of course it was." He scoffed, looking at the sky as he recalled the strength of it.

He had been caught off guard by Icyhot and Deku when school had begun. He had never considered that he would face people that could beat him. After all, he had been praised for having such a powerful quirk his entire life. He had worked harder than anyone else to maintain it. Yet he got here, and it hadn't been enough. There were people who worked harder. But not anymore. He was going to blast them away, and be number one.

He was going to win.

Katsuki was so caught up in analyzing his last accomplishment, that he almost didn't notice her drinking from the black bottle. He wasn't fucking blind though, so he did. He grabbed it from her, annoyed and concerned.

"What the fuck, Freckles?" He growled.

Now that he finally looked at her, he noticed how different she looked from when they had been training before. The fire and her smile were gone, and she was trembling like she had been that one damn night Katsuki had kicked down her door.

The teachers hadn't been happy about repairing that, but Red had taken it in stride, despite not having done it herself. He had admired her selflessness, and how even though she had every right to rat him out, she didn't. She had stood strong and taken the punishment herself, laughing it off in her normal drunken way. It was a direct contrast to now.

She looked… weak. And Katsuki wasn't sure why that made him so uneasy.

"What, did that nerd start fangirling for All Might again?"

"Wh-what?" Red looked away from the black bottle on the ground, meeting his eyes in confusion.

"The Freak ditch you for the Monkey again?"

"No-"

"Pervert talk about your hair color?"

"God no-"

"Gen Ed bastard bother you?"

"Who-"

"Buzz Brain ask you out again?"

"No, he-"

"Aizawa actually look well-rested?"

That got a brief smile, and Katsuki felt more relieved at the change.

"No, he's tired as ever." She hummed.

"Then why the hell aren't we fighting, Red? Get your ass over here!" He scowled, arms crossed stubbornly.

She walked over, face flushing. He was so distracted by it that when she tripped over the black water bottle he had tossed in the grass, he almost didn't steady her in time. She grinned sheepishly, and he looked away with a 'tch'.

Then they began.

~~~Present Day~~~

Katsuki Bakugo looked everywhere for the damn redhead, but was coming up empty handed.

He had stumbled upon Icyhot and Ponytail in the room he had thought was his, and the idea of them working together put him on edge. Until that moment, he had never considered that having someone by your side could be an advantage. He had always considered the people in long term relationships to be idiots that didn't take the profession seriously.

And yet, the only person that had been more powerful than him the first hero training had been in one the whole time. It had made his chest feel strange, reminding him yet again about what Brainiac had said about teammates.

So, here he was, looking for her.

She may be pissed, but that wouldn't stop someone like her from helping someone else. He could've asked the Monkey or Earlobe about Ponytail's quirk, sure, but he didn't know them like he knew her. He wouldn't be caught dead asking anyone but Kirishima for help. Little Red was an exception only because she had helped him before. He definitely wasn't also looking for her to ensure that she stayed put while watching his match this time...

"Oi, Monkey!" Katsuki bit out, seeing the blond ahead of him. The guy turned around, giving him a look. "Where's Red?"

"My name is Ojiro, Bakugo." Monkey sighed, shaking his head. "And who even is 'Red'?"

"..." Katsuki paused, sweating a little. "Er, Freckles."

"Freckles? Do you honestly not know her name? Her room is right next to yours, isn't it?"

"Tch, forget it." He growled. Why would he need to use her name when he wasn't angry with her anyway? It didn't feel right using it otherwise. Her hair is red, her cheeks have freckles, and when he stands close enough to her, those freckled cheeks turn red too. Red, and Freckles.

"You aren't going to find Olivia here, if that's who you're looking for. Momo mentioned that she left with some officers during Hitoshi's match."

Katsuki frowned, but didn't say anything, walking away.