A/N: Good afternoon! Sorry for being a day late, work has been hectic! I hope you all had a fantastic week! This chapter should be a fun one for you guys, so get ready! Enjoy!

Chapter Three: The Fair

The fair. The fair. The fair.

I'm a fucking idiot.

Katsuki stood in front of his bathroom mirror, glaring at his reflection as if all blame fell on his other self. He was a damn idiot. Why had he told that girl anything at all? It wasn't like he cared if she knew where he was. So what if he wasn't going to be at school? She wasn't his mother; he didn't need to explain his whereabouts to her.

"THIS GODDAMN HAIR!" He threw his comb at the mirror in frustration. He just couldn't pin it down. Every time he tried, it just popped right back up again. Whatever. He didn't care what his damned hair looked like. He didn't need to impress anyone.

He glared in the mirror for another minute before realizing his next problem. "This shirt looks fucking stupid." He pulled it off and tossed it on the bed where four other shirts had already been discarded. "DAMMIT!" he roared. Why hadn't he brought more clothes from home?! Maybe he shouldn't go. Why would he want to spend the day sweating at the fair? He could be doing more important things, like training.

He closed his eyes and grabbed the first shirt his fingers touched, deciding that was the only way he'd ever get out of there on time. It was already past one o'clock and he was supposed to meet the shuttle in less than half an hour. He was never going to make it if he kept worrying about stupid things like hair and shirts.

A knock on his door interrupted the mumbled string of profanities he was giving the current shirt he wore. He stopped pacing and yanked it on the rest of the way before pulling the door open with so much force that the hinges whined. He'd expected to find Aisla standing there, waiting to ask if she could go with him to the fair or something stupid like that. Instead, he found someone just as unwelcome, grinning at him like he knew something Katsuki didn't.

"What the hell do you want? I'm getting dressed."

Kirishima arched an eyebrow as he leaned around him to survey the mess that was Katsuki's bed. "Looks like you need some help if you ask me. Want me to pick your outfit for you, Kacchan?" he teased.

He narrowly missed Katsuki's fist aimed right at his dumb face. "SHUT THE HELL UP! I CAN DRESS MYSELF!"

"Sure you can," he agreed, though the smile didn't waver.

"I'm wearing this, okay?" Katsuki gestured at the shirt he wore, which he was positive made him look like a total nerd, but he didn't have the time nor energy to choose anything else. He wasn't even sure where the thing had come from. It was some kind of golfing shirt if he had to guess, in a pastel blue that reminded him of cotton candy. Probably something his loser of a dad bought for him. Yep, definitely a dad shirt.

Kirishima lifted an eyebrow as he took in the shirt, then burst out laughing.

"FINE, I'LL FUCKING CHANGE!" Katsuki yanked his friend in behind him and slammed the door shut. The vile shirt came off with a growl and he threw it right into the garbage. No way was he about to be caught dead looking like one of those rich snobs who golf.

Kirishima made his way into Katsuki's closet before he'd even had a chance to tell him to get the hell out. He didn't need someone to choose his clothes for him like he was in kindergarten. He just hadn't gotten around to—

"Here, wear this one!" He held out a white t-shirt with a black short-sleeved hoodie and grinned triumphantly. "I bet Aisla will love you in it~" he added suggestively. "I'm pretty sure she's got the hots for you. It's just a feeling I have." He thumped his heart with a fist.

"Just give me the damn shirt before someone sees you in here and gets the wrong idea!"

He snatched the outfit and slipped it on quickly, then ran his fingers through his hair again. It was a mess, but he'd just have to deal with it.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry anyway?" Kirishima had made himself at home on Katsuki's bed, laid out with a manga in hand, idly flipping through pages.

"NOWHERE DAMMIT!" he shouted at him. "Now get out before I murder you!"

"Aw, can't I come on the adventure?" Kirishima pouted.

"HELL NO! GET OUT!"

Once he had successfully thrown his friend out of the room, he stuffed his wallet and cell phone into a pocket and started making his way downstairs to meet the shuttle. He made it with seconds to spare—the driver was just about to close the doors when Katsuki came barreling around the corner like he was on fire.

"DON'T YOU DARE CLOSE THOSE DOORS!" he hollered. The driver, a middle-aged man with a receding hair-line, did not look amused but opted to wait for the explosive blond to jump right through the doors onto the landing.

"Calling it a bit close, aren't you, boy?" the man remarked dryly.

Katsuki ignored him as he scanned the seats. He wasn't looking for anyone in particular, his focus was on finding something with the least annoying person near it. A few students he knew recognized him and either promptly looked away from his murderous glare or—

"Kacchan, hi!"

"NO."

Deku's face fell but he didn't say another word as Katsuki took a seat as far from him as possible. That left him right behind the gum-chewing driver who he was pretty sure was being purposely loud just to fuck with him for being late. He had half the mind to give him a little spark in the back of the head just to shut him up.

Why am I even doing this? he wondered, arms crossed and a black cloud forming over him. He tugged at the bottom of his jacket, feeling overdressed and already hot from the heat of the bus. Or maybe it was just his temper making his blood boil. Either way, he had to force himself not to remove the damn thing for absolutely no reason whatsoever. He wasn't keeping it on in case he saw anyone he knew at the fairgrounds. He could care less about what his classmates thought of his appearance, and even less about what girls thought.

When the bus finally pulled up to the front gates, students started filing out, all with excited whoops of joy. Many of his classmates were meeting up with friends who must have come on an earlier shuttle. Even Deku had a small group with him: Uraraka, Tsu, Tokoyami, some other fucking nerds he didn't give a shit about. He'd come alone and that was just the way he liked it.

"Can you believe we were given permission to come to the fair this weekend?" squealed Uraraka a few feet away.

"Yeah!" Deku agreed with a stupid fist bump in the air. "It's gonna be so fun!"

He scoffed and ignored them as he took a quick look around the entrance in case there was anyone actually worth seeing. Instead, he found Aisla standing near the ticket booths, wearing a pair of white shorts that were somehow even shorter than her uniform was, and a black top with some kind of girly sleeves that fluttered in the breeze. Her hair was down today and looked straighter than it usually did with a white ribbon holding back some of the strands. It emphasized the bright grin on her face as she hopped from foot to foot in some sort of stupid looking dance.

She's making such a fool of herself, he thought in astonishment. He could never do something that bold. What was she going to do when someone they knew saw her like that? Would she be embarrassed? Would they laugh at her? Would she cry?

A moment later he got his answer. When some of the crowd parted, he saw Icy Hot standing nearby watching Aisla dance with an amused smile that did not say he thought she was stupid or foolish, but rather an expression closer to adoration. He wondered if those two were becoming an item and had a flash of anger but then remembered that he didn't care about Aisla Haru or Icy Hot. If they wanted to be a thing, then what-the-fuck-ever.

He kept his eyes trained forward as he reached the entrance. Blue eyes lit up at his approach but he definitely didn't notice because he definitely was not looking at them as he wordlessly walked right past her. He didn't see the smile drop from her delighted expression and a frown set in its place. He did, however,hear two sets of footsteps hurrying behind him as he reached the ticket booth.

"Bakugo, hi!" Aisla trilled stupidly in her high-pitched girly tone that just grated on his nerves. "Wow, I love your outfit!"

His cheeks heated—but definitely not because he liked her compliment—so he scoffed and looked away, ignoring it. It wasn't like he gave a shit what she thought about his outfit. He'd worn this because he didn't have anything else. He didn't care that the jacket itched the back of his neck, or the thick fabric of the undershirt made him sweat a little in the afternoon heat—in fact, he didn't even notice any of this.

"Sorry I'm so early," she continued. "I was kind of afraid I'd be late and miss you! I figured I'd wait here at the entrance so you'd know where to find me." She winked. He narrowed his eyes so she wouldn't think he was interested in her tangent. "And then I ran into Roki here who came all alone and invited him to hang out with us! I hope that's okay!"

So she didn't invite him, Katsuki realized, definitely not relieved, though still angry he had to hang out with Icy Hot. And what was with the dumbass nickname? Roki? He thought Icy Hot suited him much better.

"Whatever," he muttered noncommittally, then stepped up to the ticket booth. "One ticket," he told the person behind the glass and shoved some bills through the slot.

"One, please!" Aisla chirped from the window next to him as she snapped open her small purse.

His eyes rolled inwardly at her perky behavior. Why was she always so chipper?

"Make that two." Icy Hot slapped down some bills and smiled over at her. "I'd never let a lady pay for herself."

Why the fuck didn't I think to do that? I could have bought her damn ticket, Katsuki silently raged as he took his own ticket. Who knew that freak knew anything about women. He must have stayed up all night doing research or something—only explanation. Or maybe they really were a couple and Katsuki was just a third fucking wheel. Maybe he should just leave now while he still had some dignity intact.

"Come on, Bakugo!" Aisla called as she waved her ticket in the air like a flag. She was grinning ear-to-ear and bouncing on her toes again like she just couldn't contain her energy.

He scowled and followed behind—because what the hell else was he going to do today? He'd planned to spend the afternoon at the fair and then go home and blast some trees. Or maybe Kirishima's face, depending on his mood.

The three walked through the gate, and her crystalline eyes grew impossibly wide like she'd never seen a fair before in her life. Katsuki couldn't imagine that to be true when they had them all the time. His mom had dragged him to these things for forced family outings at least a dozen times in his life and thought the whole thing was kind of overembellished.

"Oh, I just love the fair! I'm so excited!" Her eyes twinkled like sunlight off the sea.

I guess she's happy, he noted. Katsuki didn't feel pride for inviting her here—because he hadn't. He just mentioned that he'd be here; he didn't care if she came, and he didn't care that Icy Hot was here, making him look bad.

"Cotton candy," Katsuki suddenly snapped upon seeing a stand. "Chicks like cotton candy." He stalked off toward the stand and bought a bright pink one on a stick, then shoved it into Aisla's hand, ignoring the way her eyes got even bigger.

"OMIGOSH I'M SO HAPPY!" She looked mesmerized by the sugary snack. "Cotton candy is my favorite! Thank you!"

He didn't care.

"Ooh, a ferris wheel!" Aisla suddenly shrieked not much farther in. She'd already eaten most of her cotton candy but still held onto the rest.

"Sounds fun," Todoroki agreed nonchalantly.

Katsuki scowled. He would sooner die than agree to be locked in a confined space with Icy Hot of all people, but grudgingly stepped into the metal ball of death and sat down. The wheel turned impossibly slowly as it continued letting in more passengers. This was going to be a long ride; he should have stayed on the ground.

Time passed in awkward silence as he stared at the ground below, not noticing Icy Hot and that girl sitting all squished together on the seat across from him. He was about to say 'fuck it' and jump out the window when a small voice finally spoke up. "I've never had many friends before," Aisla murmured softly as if speaking to only herself. The ball continued to lift until they were at the peak of the ride. Aisla looked shy all of a sudden, maybe even embarrassed. Her face was tilted down and she picked small pieces off her cotton candy, taking a long time with each bite. The pair waited silently for her to continue—even Katsuki who wanted to blurt something out just to fill the awkward air.

"That's partly why I transferred to UA; I was bullied a lot at Shiketsu High, and even before that. Everyone has always treated me like I'm some kind of freak—an outsider. I was the foreign girl with the useless quirk." A quick glance up then back down to her lap, the slight clench of her fingers around the cotton candy stick. "A lot of them told me I'd cheated the entrance exam because of my quirk. They have it in their heads that I not only mirror objects but thoughts as well. It's not true, though… I can't reflect someone's thoughts, or make them believe something they don't. I don't cheat. I got into the hero course the same as anyone else."

He wondered if that last part was partly directly at him. Katsuki hadn't exactly said anything positive about her quirk, even when she'd given him a demonstration the other day. 'That's shitty,' he'd told her. How many people fed her that same line at her other schools? How many times was she left feeling inferior because of the comments of her peers?

I knew this was a bad idea, he thought. I knew you shouldn't be around someone like me.

Still… Some unseen force kept putting them together. Why was that?

"Anyway," Aisla forced a smile onto her face and looked between them with newfound determination. "I just wanted to thank you both for hanging out with me today and not making me feel like some kind of alien. I hope we can all be great friends!"

Katsuki looked away with a muttered, "whatever."

Guess I don't get a say in the matter. If she wants to be friends with an asshole, that's her choice. She won't leave me the hell alone anyway.

"Of course we will." Todoroki's words were a promise while Katsuki's were resigned. He resisted the urge to beat Icy Hot into a pile of ash. Katsuki was the idiot, not Aisla. He couldn't have just agreed like that half-and-half bastard? Was it really so hard to just be nice?

When the ride was finally over, they got off and Aisla acted as if nothing weird had happened at all. She was back to her cheerful self, skipping as she walked, humming to herself. She didn't care what they thought.

But she did… if she didn't, she wouldn't have changed schools. She wouldn't have told them she changed schools. She did care, deep down, but not enough to stop being who she was. Katsuki wished he was that brave. He couldn't even tell this girl who'd just poured her heart out right in front of him that he wanted to be her friend, too.

Katsuki was an idiot.

Next, they came across various booths with men and women trying to steal your money by making you play idiotic games that no one ever won. Aisla didn't seem to share this sentiment, however, as her blue eyes fixed on a white tiger stuffed animal and her face lit up with childlike joy. He thought it looked cheap and stupid, but since Aisla liked it…

He slapped down some bills—no way was he letting Icy Hot show him up again. "Give me some balls," he barked.

There was an elderly man behind the counter who snorted in amusement. "Son, if only the world worked that way," he snickered. Katsuki raged, hands balling into fists and jaw clenched in anger. The man held up his hands to placate him then handed over three brown leather balls. All he had to do was knock over a pyramid of metal bottles and he'd win a prize.

That's all? Heh. Easy.

He threw…and missed. The ball bounced off the wall behind the man and hit Katsuki square in the forehead. He cursed loudly as the leather ball nearly knocked him right over.

Todoroki laughed. "I think you're supposed to hit the bottles, not yourself."

"Shut up, Icy Hot! Like you could do better!" He rubbed his forehead in annoyance. He was looking more and more stupid by the minute. If he had a bruise tomorrow because of this, he was going to beat the shit out of someone.

Todoroki shrugged and took a ball, looked Katsuki squarely in the eyes, and giving him his shittiest smirk, he gave the ball a toss. It hit the bottles right in the center, knocking them all over. Katsuki was going to murder him.

He's making me look like such an idiot!

"Yay!" Aisla squealed as Todoroki placed the tiger in her arms. "I love it! Thank you, boys!"

Boys. Like he even did anything. All he'd done was make a fool of himself. If any of his other classmates saw him like this he'd be the one to transfer next.

They moved on to another booth, this one offering small bears in white, pink, and blue. It was one of those dart-throwing games. Before he could even think, Todoroki offered up the cash. Whatever. Let him spend all the money then. It wasn't like Katsuki had a rich daddy to provide endless piles of cash.

He held out three darts to Aisla and raised his eyebrows in question. "Want to try? I bet you'd be great at this one."

Her eyes lit up at the praise. "Really?! You think so?! I'll do it!" She grabbed the darts from him and threw one. It didn't even hit the board. A cloud of despair immediately surrounded her like a cloak.

Todoroki laughed and Katsuki thought she'd slap him for teasing her, but she just gave him an embarrassed smile. Todoroki nodded at the board. "Try again. Aim a little higher this time."

She nodded, and with a determined expression threw the second dart. It hit a balloon and it gave a loud pop.

"I did it!" she shrieked in excitement.

"You gotta hit three, little miss," said the gum-chewing old fart working the booth.

Her face fell. "Aw, but I only have one dart left." He shrugged indifferently. Her eyes glittered as she looked at a particular blue bear. She gave the last dart a throw but didn't put much effort into the action. She was pouting, he realized. It wasn't cute, and he most definitely did not stare at her jutted lip longer than he needed to.

With two fingers Katsuki flicked a small explosion onto the board at the same time Aisla's dart hit. Two balloons popped.

"Yay! I win!"

"Hey—" the old fart started.

"Give us the blue bear," Katsuki interjected. "You old fart," he added just because he was pissed.

The man scowled but tossed Aisla a bear. It was pink.

"We're out of blue," he lied with a shitty expression, then smacked his gum loudly. Katsuki wanted to show him just how pissed he was but resisted the urge since this man wasn't technically a villain—he just acted like it.

Aisla didn't seem to care what color the bear was anymore. She hugged it to her chest alongside the tiger. "I won something! It's my first time ever!"

Either she was too stupid to notice he'd helped or she didn't care. He wasn't going to bring attention to the matter because he didn't need her appreciation.

"Let's go on some rides or something," Katsuki said, already walking past the other booths. "These games are stupid."

Todoroki and Aisla trudged dutifully behind while Aisla chattered nonsense as they looked at the different rides. A particularly fast and very unsafe looking ride caught his eye and he stopped abruptly, forcing his two extras to come to a halt behind him. "Let's do this one." He pointed. People screamed as it looped and spun, and he was pretty sure he saw a hat fly off in the distance.

"I'm out." Todoroki buried his hands in his pockets and looked suddenly bored.

"Too scared, Icy Hot?" Katsuki sneered.

"Yup," he deadpanned.

Katsuki was surprised that he would admit that in front of a chick. Was he stupid? She'd think he was a total pussy now. He should be brave and tough like Katsuki!

"Aw, that's adorable!" She actually hugged him. Todoroki's eyes went wide with surprise for a moment, and then he awkwardly patted her head once.

"You two go on. I'll wait here—safely on the ground."

She giggled in response.

She and Katsuki got in line and waited for their turn. He had to give her credit for agreeing to go on this deathtrap. Most of the chicks at their school probably wouldn't get on anything scarier than the carousel, but here was Aisla, getting onto the biggest ride the fair had to offer.

"Ooh I'm shaking, I'm so scared!" she said, her voice full of excitement. She really was shaking, he realized, and suddenly wondered if he was doing the right thing by dragging her along on this treacherous ride.

I think this is the part when the brave hero is supposed to take the damsel's hand…

Fuck that.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and said, "It won't be that scary. Probably no one has died on this ride in a while."

Her pupils dilated and she stopped jumping in place. "...died? In a while?" Her voice was impossibly shrill and filled with terror.

You fucked up yet again, Katsuki Bakugo. Way to go.

He scoffed and tried to sound nonchalant. "Just stop freaking out! You won't die. I'll be there, right? And I'm awesome and brave!" He was going to be a hero; he wouldn't let her die on his watch. It had nothing to do with personal feelings—it was his duty.

She visibly relaxed and smiled. "Okay," she paused for a moment, cutting her eyes to him, "Kacchan."

He tensed. Kacchan. The only person who called him that was Deku. She must have been hanging out with that nerd.

Wait… Did that mean…Aisla and Deku talked…about him? Often enough that she recognized the nickname and thought it was okay for her to use it? What did those two nerds even say about him? Probably just Aisla complaining about how mean Katsuki was, and Deku defending her honor by telling her how great she was.

"It's our turn!" Aisla shrieked, interrupting his thoughts. She grabbed his hand and yanked him forward before he could process what was happening. She pulled him into a seat next to hers and they both sat, pulling down the safety bar and allowing the man working the ride to check that they were on correctly. As if they were too stupid to push the thing down themselves, he thought bitterly.

Katsuki didn't notice that her hand still clenched his, tight as a vice. He didn't pull free because he didn't notice—didn't notice the warmth that burned all the way up his arm..

The ride started and her hand gripped even tighter. She was scared, but she was one to conquer fears, not pussy out on the sidelines like someone. Even so…Todoroki had gotten a hug. She'd called him "adorable." But… it was Katsuki's hand she now held. He smirked as he caught sight of Icy Hot down below all alone, with nothing to keep him company but the memory of a head pat.

Then the ride really began and Aisla screamed. Her petite frame allowed her whole body to be lifted out of the seat every time the ride went upside down and her shoulders to hit the safety bar holding her in. Katsuki stayed firmly in his seat since he'd spent years getting fit. He gripped her hand tighter and yanked her down into her seat, then stretched his arm across her lap to better hold her in place. She wrapped both of hers around it. He didn't care. It wasn't cute.

She's so warm. He thought and then, not that I care. She's being a scaredy-cat.

An image of a kitten with big eyes blinking up at him filled his mind. He blinked it away and focused on the thrill of the ride. This was a good one, full of quick turns and spins that left him almost dizzy. It reminded him of some of the moves he used in battle. It also gave him some inspiration for new ones. He'd try them out on Icy Hot later. Or that loser Deku as revenge for telling Aisla that dumbass nickname.

The ride ended and Katsuki immediately removed his arm before anyone saw or Aisla got the wrong idea and thought he liked her or something stupid like that. Because he didn't.

Todoroki walked over to them and offered Aisla a hand down from the seat. Katsuki almost punched him for trying to show him up again, but decided to just let it go and walk away.

The pair hurried to catch up to him as he headed toward the food stations without a word. If they wanted to join him they could, but he was eating with or without those two.

"Was it scary?" Todoroki inquired as they followed Katsuki.

"That was the scariest ride of my life!" she exclaimed in dramatic fashion. She then recounted the whole experience for him in boring detail. Katsuki pretended not to hear when she mentioned how he'd helped her stay in her seat. "Kacchan made me feel safe!"

Her tone was not dreamy, he decided. He growled about the nickname, but Icy Hot and Aisla were still talking and didn't notice.

"How chivalrous of him," Todoroki remarked cooly, probably thinking Katsuki was incapable of being a gentleman.

"Stop yapping so loudly, it hurts my ears!" he snapped at them. The pair silenced until they all reached some vendors selling fair food—popcorn, funnel cake, corn dogs, etc. Nothing edible.

"I love funnel cake!" Aisla cried in excitement. He heard her digging around in her purse for some cash. When he looked back to tell her she didn't even need her damn purse, he caught sight of Icy Hot's stupid hand on hers, stopping her from pulling any money out. He gave her a small smile.

"Get whatever you want, my treat."

Katsuki thought this day was going horribly. Not that he cared who paid. The less money he had to spend, the better. He was running out anyway, and there was some new gear he'd had his eyes on.

Aisla smiled in gratitude and ordered a funnel cake with strawberries and a corn dog. Katsuki wondered if she'd even eat all that food; chicks never ate in public. He thought it was some kind of rule, or a challenge to see who could eat the least amount.

Todoroki ordered the same thing as she did, but added in an extra corn dog. Katsuki thought funnel cakes tasted like ass, so he ordered chili fries, two corn dogs, and a large soda for himself.

The threesome found a table and sat. Todoroki sat next to Aisla as if they were on a fucking date while Katsuki sat across from them like a third fucking wheel. He ate his food quickly while Aisla took her time, of course. She ate slowly like every damn girl did. Todoroki ate fast as well, and the two guys stared at each other as they ate like they were having a race. Which they weren't. But if they had been, Katsuki would have won.

"Aw man, I'm so thirsty. I wish I'd gotten a drink too! Totally spaced!" Aisla gave an embarrassed laugh.

She's thirsty and you have a very large drink, his mind informed him.

I don't give a shit if she's thirsty. Let that dumbass Icy Hot get her a drink.

You want to share with her, you know you do. You can make it up to her for being a total asshat.

I'M NOT BEING AN ASSHAT.

Yeah, you are. Give her some soda.

Fuck that.

He pushed his cup across the table. "I don't want anymore. Might as well not let it go to waste." He did not look at her.

"Oh my gosh, thanks!"

He did not think about the fact that her lips were now on his straw, the very straw his lips touched moments ago.

Surprisingly, she ate most of her food. Usually, girls picked at their food like rabbits, which he thought was stupid. Just eat your food and don't worry about anyone else. Who the hell cares if you eat a lot?

Moving on, the boys followed Aisla as she skipped onward in that way of hers. They went on a couple more rides until evening made the sky turn pink and orange.

"Oh, look at the lovely sunset!" Aisla trilled. "It's too bad we can't watch the sunset together, but we should really get back before we miss curfew."

"Or the shuttle bus," Todoroki agreed instantly like the damn pussy he was.

"Didn't want to watch the stupid sunset anyway," Katsuki muttered under his breath. That was a chick thing. Real men don't watch sunsets.

They walked out to the parking lot to wait for the next bus. Aisla turned toward them, expression bittersweet. "I had a lot of fun today. Thank you both so much for hanging out with me. I know it probably wasn't as fun for you, but I'll never forget this day."

"I had fun," Todoroki assured her with a smile.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?" She turned to Katsuki. "What about you, Bakugo? I hope you weren't too miserable…" Her voice trailed off at the end and she bit her lip as if she already expected him to say something hurtful.

Katsuki's heart did a weird thump. He cleared his throat and looked away. "I wasn't miserable, okay?" he muttered, so low he wasn't even sure if she'd heard him.

"Thank you," she whispered in return. "I'm really glad."

When the bus finally came, they had to wait for the other fairgoers to pile in before they could take their seats. Katsuki started to gesture for Aisla to go first, hand outstretched and mouth open to speak, when Todoroki made an announcement.

"Well, this is where I leave you."

Katsuki narrowed his eyes at his overdramatic tone.

"You're not coming with us?" Aisla asked in surprise.

Huh, guess they're not as close as I thought if he didn't even tell her his plans.

Todoroki shook his head. "Nope. My dad would kill me if I took the shuttle. I texted him, he'll send someone to pick me up."

Katsuki sneered. "Fucking rich prick," he muttered under his breath.

"Oh, that's too bad, I was hoping we could chat some more." Aisla pouted, then brightened. "But that's okay! Bakugo can keep me company! Right?" She turned an obnoxious wink his way to which he ignored, arms crossed and teeth bared. He refused to even look at them.

"I'll see you at school, though," Todoroki promised before waving them off.

The pair stepped onto the bus and the doors sealed shut behind them. Katsuki looked around, then growled deep in his throat.

No fucking way.

"I guess there's only one seat left," Aisla mused. "You don't mind if I sit by you, right?" She asked hopefully. He said nothing but suddenly felt a small, warm hand slip into his and pull him toward the rear of the bus. She sat down and tugged his hand to force him to fall into the seat next to her. The seat was cramped and left them practically sitting in one another's laps. He hated it. Their arms were touching, their legs were touching, her foot was curled around his. Her fucking hand still held his.

"Thanks for winning me the bear." She spoke quietly as the bus drove. She wasn't looking at him and he definitely wasn't looking at her. His hand was sweating though and all he could think about was, what if I accidentally burn her?

Then he realized what she meant. "Oh," he said, unsure what else to say. So she had noticed that he'd sent that spark toward the board. She really wasn't as unobservant as he thought.

Stop sweating, you idiot. Or move your damn hand.

I can't, she's got a vice grip on me.

Shit.

"I know I didn't hit two darts on my own," she explained softly. He peered over at her from the corner of his eye and saw the blush coloring her cheeks. "I knew it was you. I don't know why you did it, but I'm glad you did."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled evasively. No way was he admitting that he'd used his quirk just to win her a stuffed bear that was worth less than the five dollars he'd spent on it. He saw her smile from his periphery but still refused to fully look at her. He didn't know what expression he wore but he didn't want her seeing it. "You're an idiot," he stated abruptly.

A soft laugh. "I've been told that before."

"I'm an idiot, too." His words were barely audible but for some reason he felt the need to say them.

"I'm sure you've been told that before," she teased.

He scoffed. "Never." He saw her bite her lip again and had to clear his throat. For absolutely no reason…

Fucking girls and their lip biting.

"So, you've been bullied a lot?" he asked as casually as he could manage.

Another light laugh. "Yes," she admitted, "but that was a very rude comment and I may never speak to you again."

His eyes bugged as his head whipped around to face her so fast he saw stars. When his vision cleared, he saw Aisla smirking at him with dazzling blue eyes. Then she did the unthinkable—she kissed him.

Okay, she kissed his cheek, but still…

He stared at her, wide-eyed, hand cupping the cheek that now burned, mouth slightly parted as if trying to find words but unable to get them out.

She just kissed me. She didn't even ask my permission first. She kissed me and I can't even remember her last name.

"Last stop: UA High School," called out a dry voice over the loudspeaker. "Get out or you're going back to the bus depot with me."

"Oh, we better go!" Aisla stood up and scooted right past him as if completely oblivious that her ass was inches from his face. He waited a moment before following silently behind her, cheeks as red as Kirishima's hair and as hot as Todoroki's fire.

She's so dead for that, he thought. He watched her skipping happily toward the dorms, arms laden with stuffed animals. You stupid idiot, he thought with a head shake before storming inside and straight up to his room.

A/N: Well, how about that. Katsuki doesn't hate someone after all! Or maybe he does? Who knows with that boy! The whole premise for this story is that Katsuki is IN DENIAL, hence the name for the previous story! Pay close attention to the things he says and does, though, and maybe you'll guess a thing or two about our favorite hothead. Who has theories? Who wants to guess what happens next? Does he take well to Aisla's offering of affection, or will he lash out and make her feel bad?

Also... If anyone has any fun stories to share about their experience at the fair, or going on their first date, leave them below! Just a reminder, I respond to EVERY review at the end of the chapter so keep them coming!

Until next time,

Stele

Betas: Guntherson962; yellowchikadee; rubyxblade

Test Audience: yellowchikadee; Ashteriax

Thank you all so much, yet again, for all the kind words and encouragement! You're all an asset to both myself and this story. Without you, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I am today, so thank you for everything!