FunFact: Stele is NOT good with chapter titles. That is all.

Chapter Eleven: Secrets and Whispers

Aisla stood in the crowd with the other students from UA High, sandwiched between Shoto and Midoriya. Katsuki was visible close to her right, next to Kirishima and Kaminari. She shifted her focus from the screen to his face, which was so contorted with rage that she didn't even need to check the board for his name—she knew it wouldn't be there.

Because of me, she thought guiltily. Because of my stupid, useless quirk.

Knowing that didn't stop her from searching over the B names over and over as if somehow she'd missed it there. Maybe it just hadn't popped up yet. Maybe they were having technical difficulties and Katsuki Bakugo was just one of the unfortunate few whose names were delayed. She hoped that was the case, because if Katsuki didn't get his license today, she would never forgive herself.

"You'd better go defuse your bomb, Aisla," Shoto murmured into her ear. "He looks like he's about to explode."

"Poor Kacchan…" Midoriya said sympathetically.

Aisla nodded and made her way over to the fuming blond. She wasn't sure what she could possibly do to help this situation. Anything she said would probably only make him feel worse. She didn't have any wise words to share, and he wasn't the type of person to listen even if she did. So, she did the only thing she could do—she grabbed his hand tightly in hers, ignored the demonic red eyes and rage-filled expression, and forcibly pulled him through the crowd. He snarled obscenities at her but miraculously allowed himself to be taken back into the building. She continued dragging him behind her until they found an empty room. Aisla pulled him inside and shut the door before closing the blinds that led into the hallway.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! I DON'T WANT TO BE IN HERE WITH YOU, DAMMIT! JUST LET ME LEAVE SO I CAN GO TELL ALL THOSE FUCKERS WHY I deserve—"

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP?!" Aisla screamed at him. Her patience was wearing thin and she wasn't going to put up with his grouching any longer. Her voice was so loud that it forced Katsuki to stop talking, mouth still hanging open in shock. She waited a moment, then walked up to him and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. He tensed and tried to pull away, but after a moment he relaxed and allowed her to hug him. It hurt with all of her injuries, but right now, her only concern was making him feel better. Besides…the closeness brought something secure and comforting to her, as well—as though she'd been in need of a hug, too.

"I'm sorry, Katsuki," she said softly. "I know why you didn't get your license today, and I'm so sorry, but…that doesn't mean you're not a great hero. I know you'll kill it next time!"

He stayed silent for a while, heart beating frantically against her cheek but slowing by the minute. His arms were locked tightly against his sides as if afraid to lift them and return her embrace. That was okay—she didn't need him to hug her, she just needed him to calm down.

Finally, his hand lifted her chin up so she was forced to lock eyes with him. He was frowning down at her but there was something else in those ember eyes as well. Concern? No, that was probably just hopeful thinking.

"What, are you implying you're the reason I didn't win today?" he asked, a careful note in his voice.

She tried to turn away but he kept a firm grip on her chin. She sighed and closed her eyes instead, guilt weighing heavily upon her. "Maybe if you hadn't been so worried about keeping me safe…you would have gotten your license. If I wasn't so useless…"

She felt the traitorous tears escape but couldn't move to brush them away. She was filled with so much shame that she couldn't think of anything else. What a terrible "friend" she was. Here was Katsuki, who just went through all of those tests and didn't even have anything to show for it, and Aisla was the whole reason for his failure.

"Aisla…" He wiped her tears away with his finger. She opened her eyes in surprise at the sudden intimate gesture. His eyes held no venom or accusation. "I didn't lose because of you, okay? I know why I didn't get my hero license and it had nothing to do with you, got it?"

She bit her lip and tried to look away again.

He forced her face back up. "Don't bite your lip," he growled. "And…don't beat yourself up. It wasn't your fault. I helped you out a couple of times, but you held your own. You were…you know…pretty awesome out there."

A small smile lifted her lips. "Really? You don't think I'm pathetic?"

"Nah," he said dismissively. "Now, 'Todo' or whatever you call him…" he paused to smirk down at her, "he's pathetic."

She laughed through a sob, wiped her eyes, and stepped back. "I'm sorry I cried. I wanted to comfort you, not the other way around."

He scoffed. "Please, do I look like someone who needs comfort?"

"You looked like a live grenade," she retorted sweetly.

He rolled his eyes and sat down in one of the office chairs, head resting on the back so he stared at the ceiling. "I'm not very good with people," he admitted quietly. "I just see them and I get so mad. I don't even know why or how to stop it. I don't know how to be, you know…nice or whatever." His teeth snapped and he gave an irritable grunt before continuing. "That's the reason I failed."

Aisla took a seat next to him. "I think you're nice." She gave his cheek a poke.

"No, you don't, you stupid idiot," he said, then sighed. "I will get my provisional license, though. You can count on that, Aisla! This is a minor setback, but I'll beast the next round of testing, you'll see."

Aisla smiled. "I believe in you, Katsuki."

One Week Later…

"You did what?" Aisla asked in disbelief when Katsuki showed up at her door covered in cuts and bruises. His expression was close to a pout, though still filled with his usual anger.

Aisla had just put on pajamas and crawled into bed when the violent knock on her door almost made her leap out from beneath the covers. It was over an hour past curfew, so she was more than a little surprised to find a familiar, tattered and bloodied blond standing at her door.

"He deserved it, okay?" he grumbled.

She didn't even need to ask to know that the aforementioned "he" was Midoriya.

"Good grief," Aisla complained, dropping her head into her hand with a sigh.

"I also got suspended," he added as an afterthought.

Aisla gave him a look, then pulled him inside her room and gestured toward the bed. "Have a seat, hothead."

He regarded her for a moment before taking action, eyes seemingly searching for something. Whatever it was, he found it, because something like surprise lit in his ruby-red eyes. "You're mad at me," he said as he sat down. His tone was curious as if he never would have expected her to be cross with him.

Aisla let out a huff of air as she shut the door. She found a first-aid box in her closet and took that over to the bed with her. "You're pretty beat up," she said, ignoring the assertion for now. "Why didn't you go to Recovery Girl?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Aizawa told us to treat our injuries on our own. He thinks it's fitting punishment or some shit. Along with the…y'know…suspending us."

"I see…" she said as she sat down beside him, listening to the creak of bedsprings at their combined weight. He stared at her with that same searching expression while she perused the contents of her first aid kit for the best tools. "I'm not mad," she said, finally addressing his insecurities, "but I am disappointed."

"In…me?" he asked quietly as she dripped some peroxide onto a cotton ball.

"Well, yeah," she affirmed. "You got into a fight with Midoriya with the sole purpose of beating the life out of him. And you snuck out after curfew. You're not stupid, Katsuki, but that was a really dumb thing to do." She dabbed at the cuts on his face. He winced a little but didn't say anything as she worked.

"I disappointed you," he stated with finality, as though finally coming to terms with this realization.

"Yes, you did, Katsuki Bakugo," she chided him. "And don't you think you're getting off the hook with this one."

"I'm not, I was suspended," he reminded her. "And I have to clean the damn dorms for four days!"

"That's what you get for being an idiot," she muttered. She finished cleaning his face and sat the first aid kit down. "I hope you were able to get some things off your chest, at least. I know you and Midoriya have a past." That much was obvious to everyone in Class 1-A. Katsuki and Midoriya were from the same middle school and seemed to have grown up together, or at least been in close proximity to each other for a while before coming to UA. There were so many emotions brewing between them, indecipherable and too intense to vocalize. Aisla had always wanted to ask Katsuki about their tense relationship, but wasn't entirely sure she was close enough to Katsuki herself to bring up such a touchy subject.

"What the hell do you know?" he snapped.

"Exactly what I just said," she bit back, still irritated with him.

He recoiled at the snarl in her voice, his eyes widening slightly as though he wasn't accustomed to being snapped at—at least not by Aisla. After the initial moment of shock, he deflated, eyes quickly casting away. "We talked," he told her evasively.

"About?" she asked.

"None of your business," he said, though there was no ire in his tone. Rather, something about the way he slouched even further and gazed almost contemplatively at a spot on her floor told her that these words masked something. It wasn't that he wanted to be a jerk and keep her out of his business, it was that whatever he talked to Midoriya about was something they had decided to keep between themselves. She decided not to press the matter, since he'd apparently already gotten all of his emotions out during a fist-fight anyway.

"Are you even allowed to be here?" she asked after a minute of silence.

"I don't give a damn if I'm allowed or not. Seems to be my night for breaking the rules."

Aisla looked over at him. His head was hanging in what looked like shame, but his exhaustion had taken its toll. Tentatively, she reached out and placed her hand over his, then braced herself for the incoming rejection. He'd swat her hand away or yank his own out of reach, rejecting both her comfort and her budding feelings. She winced in preparation, having calculated the risk as soon as she reached to touch him. Then…the unthinkable happened. He didn't move. He didn't react to the small touch at all, other than with the barely perceptible twitch of his fingers beneath hers. He was frozen—if not accepting comfort, at least not rejecting it. His head turned slowly until she couldn't see his eyes anymore—just the reddened tip of his ear peaking through mussed hair. Finally, just as tentatively, he spread his fingers just barely, just enough to let hers slip between them.

Aisla's mouth felt dry and her heart did some weird thumps in her chest that she was sure he could hear. She opened her mouth to say something, though she wasn't sure what she should even try to say. Before she could muster up intelligible words, however, he spoke again.

"I hate Deku," he said without conviction.

That's right, we're talking about Midoriya. She got the impression that Katsuki might have been using Midoriya as a convenient excuse to divert attention away from their interlocked fingers now, but she knew better than to call him out on the possibility. Instead, she decided to let him gear the conversation back toward his recent spar with his rival.

"I don't think that's true," she disagreed. "I think you admire him."

"Psh. You really are stupid then." A heavy sigh. His fingers twitched again, this time flexing slightly and squeezing hers just a little bit tighter. "I should go."

"Okay," she agreed, but he made no moves to get up and leave. His hand remained locked there with hers, hot, twitching, heartbeat pulsing against her skin. "Do you want to stay here?" she offered. Before she could even finish the question, he was leaning back onto her mattress, closing his eyes.

"Just for a minute…" he murmured. "Just until I can…you know, get that stupid nerd out of my head." Yet, even as he said this, his knuckles stayed rigid, fingers refusing to release hers. Apparently, his fight with Midoriya was more taxing than he'd let on, because his jaw went slack and his muscles loosened only moments after his head hit the blanket.

Aisla smiled at the peaceful way this explosive boy looked in sleep. He was already attractive, Aisla thought, but seeing him like this, vulnerable and calm, made the feelings inside of her stir. She really liked this boy, but…was it too much to hope that he felt the same way about her?She looked at his hand, which had only now loosened to release its grip on her own. Maybe…

She pulled her blanket over his sleeping form and decided to let him stay there. If anyone asked about it in the morning, she would just explain that he'd fallen asleep while they were studying. That seemed reasonable enough.

She didn't think it was appropriate to get into the same bed with him, so she pulled an extra blanket from her closet and made herself comfortable on her armchair. It wouldn't be the best night's sleep, but it would be worth it to spend even a few extra moments with the boy she liked.

The next day was a weekend so they were allowed to sleep in, but Aisla was awake before seven. She'd had a restless sleep that night. The uncomfortable chair made it difficult for her to fall asleep and stay that way. She woke up sore and tired, and finally decided she couldn't take it another moment.

She quietly grabbed some clothes and her bag of toiletries, then slipped from the room without waking Katsuki. She took advantage of the fact that most of the other girls would still be sleeping and spent an extra long time in the shower. It helped ease some of the pain in her muscles and woke her up.

When she was finished, she changed into some black shorts and a maroon shirt before taking her bag back to her room. She was humming as she walked casually down the hallway, already feeling more energetic than when she'd woken up. When she reached her door, she pushed it open softly in case Katsuki was still asleep. She peered in and saw him sitting up on her bed with a puzzled expression that was just…too adorable. His hair stuck up everywhere, and sometime during the night he'd lost his shirt.

She blushed and shut the door behind her. "Um, good morning, Katsuki."

"Aisla?" he asked in confusion. "What am I doing here?"

"You fell asleep after you came to tell me how you beat the crap out of Midoriya last night," she answered sweetly.

He blinked a few times, blushed, then looked away with a mumbled, "Oh." When he glanced down and noticed his half-dressed state, his face grew impossibly redder.

"Um, I don't really know what happened there…" She gave an embarrassed laugh and pulled at the ends of her hair.

"DON'T LOOK, DAMMIT!" he ordered and she hastily spun around while he found his lost article of clothing. "I better get back to my own room before someone sees me in here," he grumbled when he was decent again.

Right. Wouldn't want anyone to know you were with me, would you?

She tried not to pout.

"It's not because of you," he added in response to her unspoken thoughts. "We could get in so much trouble. I'm, you know, sorry. I guess."

"I'm not," she blurted before she could tell her brain not to let her speak. She froze, unwilling to look back at him and see his expression. "Just go," she squeaked out before he could respond.

She didn't open her eyes until she heard the door close behind him.

You idiot! she scolded herself.

Katsuki Bakugo had held her hand.

Katsuki Bakugo had slept in her bed last night.

Katsuki Bakugo had removed his shirt…

Aisla didn't even know how to feel about that. She and Katsuki were… Well, they weren't "friends" exactly… They'd both agreed during the provisional licensing exam that they didn't want to be friends anymore. They just…also didn't clarify what they wanted to be. Were they more than friends now?

"You really like him, don't you?" Shoto had asked her that day.

"Yes," she said aloud to her bedroom, "I like Katsuki Bakugo." Then in her mind, but does he like me?

Her defeated sigh turned into a squeak of surprise when a knock sounded on her door. Her first thought was that it was her teacher, Mr. Aizawa, on the other side of the wood. He'd seen Katsuki leave and was there to interrogate her on the matter. She should hide, or jump out the window. If she moved to another country right now, then she wouldn't have to face the humiliation of her teacher and favorite hero asking her about her "friend"leaving her bedroom at eight in the morning.

"I know you're in there," he said.

She let out another shriek. "Uh, it's not what it looks like!" she stammered out.

"It looks like a student is trying to hide something. Or rather, someone."

Aisla threw open the door. "Hey!" she hissed through her teeth before gripping his shirt collar and pulling him inside. She slammed the door shut and leaned against it. "Shut up, Shoto!"

His eyes rolled heavenward. "Relax, Ru. I'm not accusing you of anything. I know you're an innocent little butterfly."

"Well, thanks, I guess but—wait, Ru?"

He grinned sheepishly at her. "Well, you gave me a dumbass nickname so I'm repaying the favor. Unless…you think it's dumb." His tone made it come out as a statement but she thought it was meant to be a question.

Shoto had given her…a nickname? No one had ever done that before. She'd always been either Haru or Aisla. Not even her own parents or sister had called her anything different.

She threw her arms around his neck. "I love it! I'm so excited! A real live nickname!"

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her back in an awkward embrace. "As opposed to a dead one?"

She pulled away and grinned up at him. "Yeah, you could have called me something stupid, like Har or Lala." She shuddered at the idea.

He quirked her a grin. "Well, anyway, I saw your little…friend skulking out of your room just now. You should be more careful when you have boys over."

She gave him a deadpan look.

"What?"

"Um, you're over here?" She gestured around the room.

His cheeks heated. "Well, yes I am." He scratched the back of his neck. "I came here to, uh…" he trailed off in thought. Aisla facepalmed. He sighed. "Alright, fine. I'm bored. I want you to go train with me." More color touched his cheeks and he avoided eye contact.

"Wait, really?" she asked. For some reason, she'd assumed he'd been suspicious of her and Katsuki and had been spying on them. "That's all? Why didn't you just say so! Let's go! But…" her stomach grumbled, "can we eat something first?"

His gaze slid her way, mischief in those dual-colored eyes. "Actually…I might be able to get us permission to go to that new smoothie place a few blocks over. If you're interested." Again, he looked away only a moment after making eye contact.

She frowned. He was acting strangely—averted gaze, blushing cheeks, small, shy smile. But what did it all mean? Surely he wasn't…asking her out? No, they were just friends, and he knew she liked Katsuki. He wouldn't be putting the moves on her now. Plus, he was Shoto Todoroki, her best friend and confidant. She didn't see him that way.

"Okay," she agreed once she'd decided that it definitely wasn't a date. "I love smoothies!"

His smile was cute and boyish and not at all like his usual ones. "Alright, I'll go talk to Mr. Aizawa. Meet me at the front gates in, say, fifteen minutes?"

She nodded stiffly and he left the room. She was still bobbing her head when the door clicked shut.

I think this might be a date, she panicked internally. What do I do?!

Five minutes later, another knock came. Aisla wondered who that could possibly be. It definitely wasn't Katsuki's booming fist and it wasn't the confident pounding of Shoto's. This one was softer, more tentative.

Definitely one of the girls, she decided.

"Come in!" she called.

Mina walked in and waved in greeting. "Hey, girl! Sorry to bother you so early and all, but I was wondering if I could borrow something?" Her expression looked hopeful.

Aisla stared at her for a long moment before grabbing her arm and pulling her farther inside and slamming the door behind her. She waited all of one second before bursting out with, "I need your advice!"

She blinked at Aisla a few times, then a knowing smile settled on her lips. "Oh, I get it. You're having boy trouble." Mina dropped into Aisla's desk chair and crossed her legs. "Go ahead, girl. Let Master Mina help you out."

Relief washed through Aisla. "Thank you! I don't know what to do! I'm about to panic!"

"What's up?" Mina pressed, ever the gossip lover.

"Well…" Aisla started. "I guess I was just wondering…what do you do when someone wants to go out with you but you don't like them in that way and you don't know how to say it without hurting their feelings?" Her words came out in a rush. "I mean, I like him and all—a lot even—but he's more of a brother than, you know…the other thing." She gave an embarrassed laugh. "Anyway! How do I tell him all of that?"

"Wow, Aisla. And here I thought you really liked him," Mina mused. "Poor guy, he'll be so mad to hear you don't."

Aisla winced. "W-what? Really? You think so?"

Mina nodded. "Oh, definitely. There might even be war."

Aisla's eyes widened. "War?"

Another nod. "Oh yeah, he can be a real hothead, especially when it comes to you for some reason."

"Oh no, what do I do?!" Aisla exclaimed frantically. "I'm supposed to meet him for smoothies in—" a glance at the clock, "five minutes!"

Mina tsked and shook her head. "That's a tough one, girlfriend. But you know, if I had any advice to you, it would be to not keep two pots simmering on the stove because that always leads to disaster."

Aisla stared, slack-jawed. "What does that mean?!"

Mina stood from her chair, patted Aisla on the shoulder, and gave her a pitying look. "It was nice knowing you, Aisla."

"Wait!" Aisla hollered when Mina started to leave. "You forgot something!"

She facepalmed. "You're right, silly me!" Aisla turned hopeful. "Can I borrow that red sweater of yours?"

"I meant you forgot to give me advice!" Aisla cried.

"So…is that a no?"

Aisla groaned. "Oh, borrow whatever you want! I have to go on a date now!"

"Turn off one of those pots, girl~!" Mina called after her.

Aisla pulled the door shut behind her harder than necessary and grumbled under her breath as she made her way down the hall, shoes in hand.

"'Don't keep two pots simmering on the stove, Aisla,'" she mocked irritably.

"What are you muttering about?" Katsuki asked as she stomped down the stairs.

"I'M NOT SIMMERING TWO POTS!" she shrieked at him. She barely noticed his shocked expression in her haste to get downstairs.

She flew out the front door and ran across the field until she saw Shoto standing there next to the front gate guard, hands stuffed in jacket pockets and dual-colored hair fluttering lazily in the breeze. He'd changed in his brief absence and now wore dark pants and a black jacket. She couldn't tell what color his shirt was with his back to her but she imagined white would look good on him. Then she felt her cheeks get hot. Why would she even think that? It wasn't that she was attracted to Shoto, but she couldn't deny that he was handsome in his own way. Lots of boys were handsome, it was perfectly reasonable to think that!

Or maybe she was just a horrible person…

Two simmering pots…

Katsuki and Shoto…

Aisla needed to fix this mess before her pots boiled over and instead of having two, she ended up with none.

She blew out a tired sigh and walked up to her friend. He turned at her approach and flashed her a genuine smile that lit up his whole face. He looked so carefree today, like nothing in the world could bring him down.

Aisla smiled in return and glanced down at his shirt without really thinking about the action—red.

Good choice, she thought.

Cheeks heating, she sputtered out something like a greeting then offered her student I.D. card to the guard. He scanned it into the system and waved them on.

"You have two hours, kids. Better not be late," he warned. This was coming straight from their teacher, no doubt. He hated it when students didn't get back to campus when he asked them to—and considering the poor mood he was bound to be in after catching two students beating each other up after curfew last night, Aisla really did not want to push their luck.

"So…" Aisla began awkwardly when they were out of earshot of the guard. "What's got you in such a good mood this morning?"

He shrugged but his face still radiated joy. "I had a good day yesterday."

She smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. What made your day so great?"

"Well, I got to see my mom," he replied almost sheepishly. "And she looked really good, better than I've seen her in a while."

"Really? That's amazing!" Aisla enthused.

"Thanks, Aisla."

They continued walking for a few minutes until they came to the downtown area. They passed a small tea place and a bakery, and waved to a few passersby who recognized Shoto either from the Sports Festival or because of his father. Aisla knew only one person—the bakery owner who came out and insisted upon giving them free bread and made Aisla promise to come visit soon.

"He seemed nice," Shoto commented when they finally stood in line at the smoothie place. "Is he a family friend?"

"Kind of," she answered. "He worked with my father as an International Aid Worker. I know he and my dad used to be pretty good friends, but I'm not sure if they still talk or not. He quit the business a while ago when his wife got sick, but she's better now. After that, he opened a bakery. They make the best rice bread you've ever tasted!"

"It's nice to have friends who can bake," he said with a chuckle.

"Like Sato," Aisla agreed. "It's definitely fun when they let you try some of their new recipes! Mr. Tanaka used to come visit us sometimes and would bring us the most random creations. It was always hit or miss with him, but it was always fun to try something new."

"What about you?" he asked. "Are you any good with the culinary arts?"

"I know my way around a kitchen," she replied slyly. "My parents wanted me to be independent and learn how to do everyday tasks, like cooking and cleaning."

"Sounds like your parents are pretty great," he observed. "I never had time for things like that when I was growing up." He said it so cavalierly, so passively that Aisla almost didn't realize what he was implying. She remembered with both a surge of guilt and horror that of course he wouldn't have been taught things like cooking when his dad was busy grinding him into dust. She wanted to usher a quick apology, but one look at Shoto told her that she'd already lost her chance. His gaze was dreamy and unfocused as he looked almost absentmindedly at the menu display. He'd already moved on from potentially dark avenues of conversation. "Oh, it's almost our turn," he said. "Order whatever you want, it's on me, okay?"

"It's my turn to pay, Roki!" She pointed a finger at him and gave him her best no-nonsense look.

He grinned. "Well, if you insist. Who am I to argue with a lady?"

"That's right!" She gave him a thumbs-up. "So, order anything you want! Aisla is packing years' worth of allowance that needs spending!"

He chuckled. "Alright, Ru."

When they got their smoothies, he led her to one of the free tables outside. It was a nice day, the sun was bright, there were only a few puffy clouds floating across the sky, and there was a light breeze that offered a cool atmosphere for their little…whatever this was. A date? A meeting? A casual get-together?

"It's a nice day today," Shoto said casually as if reading her mind. "It's a good day to be outside."

"It is," Aisla agreed honestly. "I love being out in the fresh air."

"Do you?" he asked. "What sort of things do you enjoy doing outdoors?"

Aisla took a long time in answering as she tried to puzzle out what his approach here was. These were definitely questions you'd ask someone when you were trying to get to know them on a date, though admittedly, she had no personal experience in the matter. She'd never had many friends either, but based on Shoto's normal behavior since they'd become friends, this was something unusual. He never went out of his way to ask her questions like this or take her out alone off-campus.

"Shoto," she began quietly, stirring her drink with the straw to avoid eye contact. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

He was quiet for a moment and then gave a soft sigh. "I can't fool you, can I?"

She peeked over at him and saw an almost nervous smile.

"You see, Aisla…"

His cheeks heated and she waited for him to confess his feelings for her. What would she say? She didn't want to lose his friendship, but she also wasn't interested in him that way.

"You can tell me," she pressed, because she had to know either way.

His gaze shifted back to hers, searching. She wondered what he found there and hoped it was what he was looking for. As a friend, she wanted him to be able to open up to her. Even if what he wanted to say made her uncomfortable.

He nodded once, took a deep breath, then spoke quietly. "I have…this problem…." she waited for more. Reluctantly, he finally gave her the information she never saw coming. "I think I met a new friend."

It was such a child-like thing to say that she almost laughed. Relief quickly doused her anxieties about the possibility of this being a proclamation of love toward her. This wasn't a date after all! He'd made a friend. That wasn't something that happened every day, even at their age. It was easy and exciting when they were kids, but as teenagers, it wasn't quite as simple as sitting down next to someone on the wood chips and asking for their friendship over mud pies. Although…that was exactly the approach Aisla had taken with both Shoto and Katsuki.

Her eyes lit up. "Wow! That's awesome news!"

"It's a girl," he added before she could even open her mouth to ask any further questions.

Surprise filled her. "Oh, really? That's…"

"Surprising?" he offered flatly.

She glanced over to see if he was upset, but he was smirking at her. She gave a tight smile in return. "Uh…maybe a little?" Shoto wasn't the most socially aware person and she didn't want to admit that it was hard enough to imagine him going out of his way to befriend anyone who didn't approach him first—let alone a girl. The only reason he and Aisla were even friends was because Aisla had made the first move. She'd been the kid on the playground, poking and prodding the quiet boy who just wanted to be alone with his bucket and pail.

He took another drink and appeared thoughtful for a while. "To be honest…I was kind of afraid you might be a little jealous."

She blushed, though she wasn't sure why. Fortunately, her gaze was fixed down into her cup so he probably didn't notice. Jealousy had never even occurred to her until he'd mentioned it. She was happy for him. It didn't matter to her if his new friend was a girl or a boy. She was curious about when and where he would have met this new friend, but she'd ask for details later. For now, she wanted to deal with the subject at hand.

"I'm not jealous," she replied honestly. Then, she realized that maybe that wasn't the issue here. She chewed her lip for a moment before asking, "Did you want me to be?"

Shoto considered this seriously and literally, the way he often analyzed things. "Maybe a little bit," he admitted softly.

She peered over at him, expecting to find him looking sheepish again, or maybe regretful after this pseudo-confession. To her surprise, his eyes were hooded with something mischievous. She narrowed her gaze at him. "Why do you look like that?"

He shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. You're just a peculiar girl."

She scoffed and swatted his arm playfully. "Stop! You're the one acting all weird!"

"You have a thing for Bakugo," he stated abruptly.

She blushed even deeper. "Yeah, so?"

"But you came on a date with me."

She scowled. "What are you getting at, Shoto Todoroki?"

He smirked. "Just saying, that's pretty peculiar."

She huffed indignantly. "Perhaps. But you know I like another boy and yet you asked me out anyway! I think that's pretty peculiar!"

"Touché," he agreed with a wide grin.

"Wait, you said you had a problem," she realized aloud.

"I do," he agreed. "I don't know how to be someone's friend."

"But you and I are friends," she pointed out.

He shrugged. "You're different. Besides, you're the one who sought me out. How do I…do what you did?"

She smiled softly. "Just be yourself. That's what I did. I was just honest with myself and honest with you and now here we are!"

He sighed. "I just hope she doesn't have a grudge against my father. I don't need another Yoarashi hating me just because I have half of his DNA. I want people to get to know me for me and not who they think I am."

Aisla placed a hand on his. "That's what we all want, really. We want to be seen for our true selves and not some idea or stereotype. That's why it's so hard to make friends. But I feel like it's the ones who see past the façade you've created and still care about you that really matter. Those are the ones who will stick by your side for years to come." She blushed and pulled her hand back. "Not that I have much experience in the matter!" she quickly added. "I don't have any friends that I've known for very long, but I do feel like I've made a few good ones since coming to UA. Like you, Roki."

He smiled at her. "Thanks. You're a good friend, too."

A few minutes passed in silence as they finished their smoothies and let the somewhat bizarre and a smidgeon awkward conversation settle in their minds. Finally, he stood from his chair and stretched. "Well, we better get going before Aizawa comes after us."

Aisla grimaced and followed suit. "Right. I guess we have been here for a while."

"Time flies when you're drinking smoothies," Shoto said seriously.

Aisla giggled. "I don't think that's how the saying goes, but you're right. This was fun."

"Now, we train," he reminded her, and before she could reply he turned a sideways glance her way. "And you can show me that ultimate move of yours."

A/N: Good beautiful Friday morning, all! I hope you're all doing well! Tomorrow is the weekend—finally! This week has felt long for me! I'm also excited that I won't be working this weekend! What did we think about Aisla and Shoto's smoothie date? Or, shy Katsuki seeking her out for comfort after his fight with Deku? Any thoughts on Aisla's new nickname? I happen to know a couple of people who think "RokiRu" has an awfully nice ring to it~ Now for Katsuki and Aisla… I'm still working on a good ship name for those two. "Katla," perhaps? "Bakula?" Leave your opinions/suggestions down below!

Now, Halloween is approaching here in a couple of weeks, and for those of you who are curious about a potential Halloween-inspired chapter for Katsuki and Aisla, there WILL indeed be one! HOWEVER, this is a chapter I've written very recently, so you guys won't get to read it this Halloween. It's in a much later chapter. So, stick around and look forward to that because it's a fun one!

Thank you to ALL the new readers, followers, favorites, and supporters who decided to check out this story! I hope you all enjoy the story and stay along for the ride on this adventure! I assure you there is much more in store for you! Next week should be an interesting one! Stay tuned~

Beta: yellowchikadee

Test Audience: yellowchikadee; Ashteriax

Thank you for the TREMENDOUS support on this chapter!

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