We All Scream for Ice Cream 1

"So what the hell was that about?"

The words fell out of Katsuki's mouth like marbles, and Star winced at the noise they made when they hit the ground, shattering the silence around them. The sun was starting to set, and it felt like it was taking her energy with it.

"My dad?"

Her voice was weary and tired, and Katsuki didn't fail to notice as she readjusted her bag strap, unable to switch shoulders.

"No, your totally normal family life."

She gave him a side look, before he rolled his eyes.

"Yes, your damn father. What's that guy's problem anyway?"

She looked up at the sky, as if it would give her the answer to his question. "With All Might?"

Katsuki let out a tch, remembering his irritation at the man's dismissal of his favorite hero. "With everything."

"Well…" She trailed off as they approached the dorms. The noise behind the doors was hard to miss, and he suddenly recalled that the extras inside hadn't seen them since before the news about the Hero Killer broke. Like hell that was something he was going to deal with right now. And from the looks of it, Star seemed equally apprehensive.

"Do you think they know?"

Her voice was small, causing him to look over at her. She was either thinking the same thing as him, or picking up on something in his mind.

"You're the damn mind reader, you tell me." He reflexively rebutted.

Looking over at him, she patiently waited for his real answer. He wasn't sure if it was reassuring to have someone looking past his abrasiveness, or annoying to have someone in his mind. But he responded anyway. "Probably."

She hummed, pressing her lips together as she continued tugging on her strand of hair.

Sparing the door one more glance, he sighed, taking the bag off her shoulder. She started to protest, but he was already walking away. "Stay there!" He barked over his shoulder. He turned around and gave her a look to emphasize his command, correctly assuming she was already ignoring it.

She huffed and crossed her arms like a child, but stopped in her tracks. When she caught his smirk before he turned back around, she considered going after him to get her bag back anyway, but decided it wasn't worth it.

The sun was about to set, painting the sky with colors that seemed to reflect on everything below it. She heard a few explosions in the distance, and really hoped she hadn't made a mistake letting him take her stuff.

Thinking back to the encounter, she sighed. What would she tell him? Despite her best efforts, he always seems to come across the things she wanted hidden. Her father flashed across her mind and she frowned.

Or they came across him.

She smelt him before she saw him. The burnt caramel mixed with the colored air in a way that reminded her of cotton candy at a summer carnival. The thought had just barely fluttered into her mind before it was replaced with concern and thoughts of food as a calloused hand closed around her wrist.

"Face the extras later, I need shit for dinner." His grounded voice came from close behind her, surprising her at the proximity. Katsuki's lip twitched upwards at her surprised reaction, and started pulling her behind him before she noticed the expression.

She didn't resist, not waiting to mess up her shoulder. "Where's my bag?"

He looked back at her for a moment, and her lips parted as she leaned into his mind through their physical contact. "You blasted yourself to the balcony?! What if you had burnt my stuff?!"

Mildly offended, Katsuki turned back around, hitting the crosswalk button with a little too much force. "Tch, I'm no amateur."

Knowing he wasn't going to dignify that with a real response, she let it go. "Oookaaayy, but why am I coming then?"

Her question seemed to throw him off, and she was only able to identify that he was flustered before he seemed to remember he was still holding onto her. Abruptly letting go, he reached his hand up to scratch his neck instead. "We interned together. If you walk in there they'll know I'm back."

"You don't want them to know you're back?"

"Look, did ya wanna avoid the class or not, Red."

Star looked up at him in surprise, before flushing. He was right of course. She really didn't want to face them and their questions yet. So he was doing this for her, then?

"Keep grinning like that and I'm gonna leave you behind." He halfheartedly threatened.

She blinked and quickly looked away, the smile she had been unaware of disappearing as her cheeks heated up even more. What was with her?! She must be more tired than she thought.

"I… er…" She stammered, before looking up and realizing he was already crossing the street without her. "Hey! Wait!"

Katsuki casually looked over his shoulder, snickering to himself as she ran her short legs across the street after him like a lost toddler. In moments like these, he found it hard to remember that the woman with fire in her eyes he saw training in the dead of night, and the girl he sees now chasing after him with her arms flailing and cheeks matching the sunset sky, are the same person.

His heart stopped for a moment when she tripped over the uneven asphalt, her red hair following after her as she started to go down. Before he could turn around fully though, someone else had caught her.

Lazy blue eyes looked down into hers, blocked only by the blond bangs that he moved out of the way with a flick of his head.

"Oh! Monoma! Thank you!" Star gasped in surprise.

"No problem." He smirked, looking down at her. "You should be careful outside of school."

"Ah-" She started to respond, before realizing she was still in his arms. "Ah! Sorry!" Straightening herself, she felt her cheeks betray her embarrassment. Monoma chuckled, straightening his shirt.

"Oi! Menace! The light's about to change!" Katsuki yelled, storming over.

A condescending expression came over Monoma's face as the angry blond came into view. "Well well well, if it isn't-"

"Fuck off wannabe." Katsuki growled, not even looking over his shoulder as he replied. Pulling Star to his side, he ignored the other student as he led her to the sidewalk.

"Bakugo! That was rude!" Star chastised, failing to pull her hand from his strong grip.

"If you wanna have a monologue with your boyfriend in the middle of the street, be my guest." He scowled, letting go of her hand to open the door to the grocery store.

"I-" Star hesitated, not having a valid response to that. "Still!"

"Be more careful next time, got it Red? We're not in UA right now. The boy wonders can't come save you if you get hurt." He avoided her eyes as he spoke, looking down at a grocery list on his phone.

"Boy wonders- they have names!" She huffed, throwing her arms up in exasperation before wincing at the pain in her shoulder. Katsuki beat her to grabbing the basket, handing her the phone instead. "I can carry it myself." She complained, still annoyed as he walked ahead of her.

"Tch, do you lose your quirk when you're all worked up or somethin'?" He stopped and turned around, lip twitching as she ran into him. "You're reading the list 'cuz I don't trust that you know how to shop for food after the last time you were in the damn kitchen." Steadying her, he felt satisfied at how her mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"I- you-"

"First item, Red." He smirked, and turned around to continue walking down the aisle, leaving a frustrated redhead in his wake.