NeonHorizon: Get ready for a surprise~!

"Don't be shy, kid! You want a cookie?"

"…n-no…that's…that's okay…thank you…" Shirayuki held the kitten close against her chest, her head bowed to avoid making eye contact with Bakugou's mother. The woman was sitting across from her at the table, beaming and trying to make conversation while they waited for her son.

The girl felt more awkward than usual. She always felt like this around people's parents. Having gone without friends in junior high and elementary school, she never visited a classmate's home. She was never introduced to their parents. She only saw them at events at school so she was usually spared any interaction.

Her pulse was rapid, her stomach twisting in knots. The walk to Bakugou's home had been filled with anger over finding his cat outside near the street, a good ways away from his neighborhood. Now she felt deflated. She knew that she probably looked like she was shrinking away from his mother, but she had not been prepared for this.

"Are you excited for that sports festival?" The boy's father approached the couch, attempting to offer a polite smile.

"…ah…y-yes…I'm looking forward to it…"

"What's your quirk anyway? Katsuki didn't say."

Does Bakugou-kun…talk about me to his parents? What has he told them? She reached a hand out to grab her cup of tea, shaking slightly. "…my quirk…um…w-well it's called "calorie blast"…my body converts calories into…a blast of energy…"

"Is that why you're so skinny?" his mom asked.

Shirayuki's eyes lifted and met hers. "…um…y-yes…my body…burns through calories rapidly…" She was about to lift the teacup to her lips, but paused when she remembered that she was still wearing her mask. I don't want them to see. They're going to be freaked out. They'll think I'm a monster.

"What the hell are you doing?"

She tensed at the sound of her classmate's voice and bowed her head once more. The girl heard him more or less stomping over to the couch. She jumped when he reached down for the black kitten. Out of curiosity, Shirayuki peeked up at him through her dark violet hair. To her surprise, she saw Bakugou lifting the kitten up to look it over before settling the feline on his shoulder. The gentle way that he handled the cat made her frown a bit behind her mask. It was so different from how he treated everyone else.

"Look, you little brat! A cat's a big responsibility! We let you keep that because you were taking care of it! This poor girl found Slasher out near the street, blocks away from here!" his mother scolded.

"Shut up, you old hag! I'm not the one that left the door open!"

"What the hell was he doing near the door anyway?! You were supposed to keep an eye on him!"

Shirayuki winced, listening to Bakugou argue back and forth with his mother. She heard his father release a sigh and he quietly apologized to her. The girl gave a small nod and bowed her head lower. I just want to go home now.

A hand closed around her wrist and she found herself being hauled to her feet. Furious crimson eyes were narrowed upon her, meeting her startled expression. "Come on, Ume!"

"…wait…wait a second…where…are we going…?" She tried to pull away, but he kept a firm grip on her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?!" his mother demanded.

"Shut up! We're going to my room!"

"Not a chance in hell! Do you have any idea what time it is, you little punk?"

"Katsuki, maybe you should walk your friend home," his father spoke up.

"…my grandmother…is waiting for me…" Shirayuki agreed. She was finally released as he stomped back to his room and she turned to bow to his parents. "Th-thank you…for your hospitality."

The boy's parents exchanged a look. His father smiled and his mother grinned, walking over to ruffle the girl's long hair. "No problem, kid. You know, you ought to visit more. Katsuki's a brat, but he really likes you."

What did he say about me? The thought made her feel a bit anxious. She half-heartedly agreed with his mother. The woman herself seemed alright. His father was polite. However, the family atmosphere left her feeling melancholic.

"…I…can walk home by myself…" she tried to assure them. Shirayuki did not like walking alone at night, but it would be better than walking with Bakugou. She was already having some terrifying flashbacks to the previous night's vocal training.

"What'd you say?" He appeared from his room, wearing a scowl.

"…I can get home by myself…"

"Tch. Not a chance in hell. I'm not letting you get kidnapped." He grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his, and glanced to his parents. "Be back later."

Why…do we have to hold hands? Shirayuki grimaced, biting the inside of her cheek as they set off into the night. Gradually, her anxiety became overshadowed by her anger from before. Thinking about how she had found Slasher out near a street, at night, alone, the girl's blood felt like it was boiling.

Bakugou failed to notice her anger since her head was bowed and her mask hid her frown. What he did notice was the way her hand squeezed his. He smirked as her slender, pale fingers tightened their grip. "Just couldn't wait to see me, huh?" he taunted.

"…Slasher…was alone…" Her voice was still quite rough from straining her vocal cords and her words came out in a growl. "…he could have been hit by a car…or killed by a predator…or stolen by someone…he could have starved or…fallen into a sewer…Slasher could have died…"

"What're you muttering about, Ume? Speak up." Bakugou was not prepared for what happened next. He was used to the timid, fearful Shirayuki. He had yet to meet this side of her.

She lifted her head and the girl's crimson eyes were narrowed in outrage. Squeezing his hand with all of her strength, her nails dug into the top of his hand. "He could have died! Your cat could have died tonight! How could you be so irresponsible?! I can't stand people that neglect their pets! Why weren't you out looking for him? What kind of heartless person lets their cat wander alone at night? And he's a black cat! No one would have seen him if he got out in the street! He could have been hit by a car! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

The boy stared at her, mouth hanging open. Shirayuki's nails were digging in so deep now that he was bleeding. Drops of crimson struck the sidewalk as she glared up at him with eyes full of tearful fury. His heart skipped a beat as it all set in. The words, the rage, the look in her eyes, and the sound of her voice as she scolded him. That voice was not the soft whispery tone he was used to; this was the voice of someone full of fire.

The girl saw his cheeks turn red as he blinked. Bakugou turned his head to the side, a smirk tugging at his lips. In her outrage, she tugged down her mask to display a scowl. "What is so funny?! Slasher could have died! What do you have to say for yourself? Tell me why I shouldn't just take him back! If you're going to be so irresponsible-!" Her eyes widened as his free hand grabbed her hair. The boy's lips smashed against hers and she felt blood rush to her face. She tried to push him away and when she finally succeeded, her heart was racing.

A smug expression settled on his face and he looked down at the bloody crescent-shaped wounds she had made in the top of his hand. When his eyes lifted to meet hers again, he saw her take a step back. "That was hot. I didn't think you really had it in you."

A fresh wave of fury made her begin to tremble, but she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Shirayuki pulled her mask up again and took several steps back. Her eyes shifted from the boy's face to the bleeding gouges on his hand, and she frowned. She bowed slightly, closing her eyes for a moment. "…I'm sorry…about your hand…and for shouting…but…I'm serious…i-if you can't…take care of Slasher…if you can't be r-responsible…then…I'll take him back…and…and don't…k-kiss people…without w-warning…it's not…"

"He wasn't even out that long. That old hag made me help carry stuff. She left the door open." Bakugou saw her give a small nod, as if it made sense. "Slasher's my cat. I'm not giving him back. If you want him, you'll have to fight me." When he said this, his smirk turned to a somewhat evil grin.

"…no…I…know that you…take good care of him…"

Shirayuki finished her walk home by herself and slept rather fitfully that night. When she woke, her throat hurt as much as the day before. Her grandmother suggested that she stay home, but with the sports festival so close, she wanted to go to school.

Shinsou was waiting for her near the gate and raised an eyebrow when she greeted him. "Your voice still sounds rough," he commented. "Do you feel okay?"

They began walking down the sidewalk and Shirayuki blushed pink when he held her hand. "…I…I screamed at…someone…" she confessed.

Now both eyebrows raised. "You screamed at someone?"

Chewing at her lower lip, the girl knew that her face was turning red from the memory. She was embarrassed that she had raised her voice. She hated to be loud, but she had gotten so upset. "…he…needed to know…what might have happened to Slasher and…I couldn't just…let him think that it was okay…to let his cat be out at night…"

"Hardcore, Shirayuki," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry about last night. I should have warned you more before using my quirk on you."

"…n-no…I'm…glad that you did…"

"You are? So you're not mad at me? I kind of tricked you into it."

She looked up at him, frowning behind her mask. "…but if you hadn't…I don't know if I…would have agreed to it…I was nervous already and…it would have been worse…if I knew I would be raising my voice…"

The two walked in silence for a while, both in contemplation. When someone did speak again, it was Shirayuki. "…did I…help you with your quirk…?"

"Oh. Yeah. It helped." He began to frown slightly as well. "I need to be able to use it on people close to me. I usually just use it on people that I don't know that well." Despite saying this, it was clear that he still felt guilty about using it on her.

More silence followed. Finally, the girl gave his hand a light squeeze and she bowed her head. "…my mother…is going to arrive on the day after tomorrow…m-my grandmother told me this morning…that she…wants to have dinner together…but…"

Shinsou turned toward her, gently slipping an arm around her to pull the girl into a hug. "Shirayuki. Do you want me to go with you for support?"