A I L I N G S

A N D

C A R N A T I O N S

The crippling feeling inside of Kaya yesterday never seemed to cease. At all.

Seeing Katsuki perform all those stunts — she was absolutely astounded. She felt like an ant. An utterly useless ant. She felt like.. a burden. A burden and a coward for giving her own obligation to him, when he already had enough to handle.

"So, promise me you're gonna her rid of all those villains someday?"

"Of course I fucking will. I'll surpass them after all."

But what could she do?

She's not enough.

And to be honest, she'll never be.

- - -

What was he doing here, exactly?

Frankly, he really had no idea why.

The idea itself was ludicrous. He was Katsuki Bakugou, for crying out loud! He didn't give two fucks at anything that isn't important. Other than training and proving himself, what more could possibly be better? Nothing, right? But why was he here, in front of Kaya's house, just because he was informed that the reason for her absence was because she was ill?

So he decided to leave it be. He turned on his heel and was about to stalk off towards the seeping light from the surface when he heard a rather familiar voice coming from behind him. The door creaked, and there stood Kaya.

"Oho, did you come to visit me, Katsuki-chan?" Voice raspy, half-lidded eyes, disheveled lavender hair, oversized pyjamas, a fluffy pair of slippers and a plastic bag in her hand. That's how Kaya looked, leaning on the doorframe with a slight grin. Her eyes looked like they would shut close any moment.

"Hell no."

Kaya cackled, although her voice did come out rather croaky.

"You look fucking terrible." Katsuki commented, gesturing, to well, her whole self. After all, which part of Kaya was perfectly normal today? From her tousled hair to her freakishly pale complexion downwards, you could tell from one glance that she was either horribly sick or an addict.

"Thanks, that's what every girl wants to hear when she's ill." Katsuki scrunched his nose up in disgust with this one.

"I was never informed you were a fussy girl, woman."

"First, I am a girl. Second, I am disappointed. You call me woman but you were never informed I was a goddamn girl? Save your bullshit for later, Katsuki-chan. Third, and lastly, we've known each other for like, a week now. A freaking week! Yet you still call me by 'woman'!" Even though it took all her effort trying to make her words clear with her already tired voice, she still continued.

"Like, what, are you too brainless to even remember what my name is? Wow, Katsuki-chan. I never knew."

"Where the fuck did you get that?" He grumbled, "What's that bag in your hand anyway?"

Blinking, Kaya looked down at the plastic bag still clutched in her hands, momentarily forgetting what she was really doing outside before she saw Katsuki.

"Oh, nothing. Just some chips. They tempted me to eat them, you know! Unfortunately for them, I am on my healthy diet. All the bread stuff. Grain. Wheat —"

Katsuki pinched the bridge of his nose and grunted.

"You've gotta be kidding me. Those chips are empty."

"I hate those eyes of yours!" She complained, tugging her hair downwards in frustration, "Can't you just let my craving be? You could've at least went along with it."

Sighing, Kaya turned and motioned for him to come inside.

"I am not entering your house."

Cocking an eyebrow, Kaya stifled a laugh, "You came all the way down here for what? Becoming a stubborn brat? Come along now," When he didn't even react or budge from his place, Kaya let out a groan and pulled him inside, "For the love of cigars, you're just as fussy as I am, maybe even more."

"Fuck no!"

"Suit yourself."

That conversation ended in peace with Katsuki stepping inside. Once he had enough of a glance on her living room, he concluded that it wasn't as messy as he think it'd be. There were just two littered cans and some things on a single corner. Apart from that, it was spotless.

That spotless vision did end soon, though.

What laid before Katsuki was Kaya's bedroom.

And — without a doubt, for the absolute love of cigars — it was a pigsty.

Wrappers scattered at every corner, cans spread around, blanket sprawled out on the floor, pillows not even on the bed, books dejected on a certain side, and, of course, ash trays. Ash trays, like, literally found in every nook of the room.

"Calling this a goddamn pigsty would be an understatement." Katsuki remarked, turning on his heel. He had dealt with enough today.

"It's totally pleasant to look at, what are you talking about?"

"Are we even looking at the same room?"

Kaya faked a gasp, "Certain! What else?"

"It's the epitome of unpleasant. If dirt was pleasing to you, then I wouldn't be fucking surprised."

Now Kaya looked at him in bewilderment, not seeming to believe what he was saying, "Stop the dirt-shaming, omygod!"

He only scoffed and sat comfortably on the sofa.

"Can you go out today?"

"Is that an invitation?" Kaya asked in a teasing voice, despite being momentarily shocked of his sudden question.

"Like hell it was," He crossed his arms, "Just saw that The Quill's got something going on."

- - -

"What's..." Kaya trailed off, gesturing at the café's design, "this thing with pink?"

Yes; that was right. The Quill — the café they have been visiting for roughly two times — has changed its color scheme. What happened with cream and grey? But don't get the café wrong, it's not the hot pink type. On the contrary, despite of being pink, the color of it overall was actually pleasing to look at. The color of nude and pastel pink with the light shade of grey mixed very well.

But why the sudden change?

The two ignored the peculiar alteration and walked inside the café.

The employees greeted them with much enthusiasm that was way different from the days before. All smiles, but what for?

Choosing to just ignore the oddity of everything, they both sat down on a table far from the doors.

The waiter who escorted them to their seats seemed to sense their uneasiness and confusion, though.

Letting out a low chuckle, he spoke, "I'm sorry if it's been bothering you. Our co-workers are just twice as enthusiastic since a new employee managed to come by. We do it on a tradition. The newbie picks the new theme and everything, as long as it fits. Hope you lot don't mind."

Katsuki naturally ignored him.

Kaya, however, smiled at his way and said that it wasn't really a problem.

"Glad to know," The waiter replied, but before he completely left, he sighted someone just behind them, "Oh look, there's the new guy!"

Walking towards them in a uniform similar to those of The Quill's, was a familiar face. At this, it took all Kaya had to not collapse under the table, clutching her stomach in laughter.

"The heck, Katou-san. Pink? Your colors are showing," She let out a loud bellow, "At least try to be lowkey about it."

This earned her a smack from Katou. The sudden action made the other employees' gazes snap at them. Hold on, was the new guy already starting trouble?

"No, no!" Kaya flailed her arms around as if having read their minds, "We know each other! It's just some harmless teasing."

Katou shook his head and sighed, "Thought you were sick? You're still with blond kid?"

She pointed at Katsuki, "Couldn't turn such a wonderful offer by this lad right here, ya see," She shrugged, "I've been better, yes, but I've also been worse. No big deal."

"No big deal, you say," Katou dropped the matter, "Order?"

"Uh, Plush Laiche, what're you having, Katsuki-chan?"

Only then has Kaya realized that Katsuki was staring off into nothing. She noted that.

"Olive, no cream, G."

Nodding, she turned to the bread-maniac, "Plush Laiche, Reg, A sugar. Olive, no cream and G sugar."

Katou jotted it down and left the scene.

Kaya turned to the grumpy blond. There wasn't a frown on his face. It was actually stupendous. It looked like he was thinking.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Katsuki just groaned, "Anyway, why'd you even bother coming down the bunker? You were concerned for little 'ol me, weren't ya?"

"As if. Now keep wishing."

Kaya cackled, "I beg to differ, Katsuki-chan. You're the anti-social butterfly and I am pretty sure I'm the only person you know in the bunker."

He responded with an inaudible muttering of string of curses.

Kaya kept pushing on, "So..? Just admit I was so irresistible and you were so concerned."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he mumbled a 'fuck' under his breath. This woman was gonna slag him about this all day, he can tell.

Fine, then.

His mouth began to open but his voice was overlapped by somebody else.

"Plush Laiche and Olive?"

- - -

to GUEST/NOVA's review : thank you so much, that means a lot! i'm vv flattered you think of this story that way, im doing all i can to make it linear but entertaining—

to CLEVERLU's review : whaAaat you consider this original? i think im just not creative enough for the enthralling action scenes lol but thank you very much! that makes me so happy, thinking that you find AAS captivating—