Chapter Thirty-Six: Surprises

Katsuki let go of Aisla's hand after giving what he hoped was an encouraging smile. It felt awkward on his face, though, and he wasn't sure if he was smiling or grimacing at her. Either way, her brilliant crystal eyes lit up as she offered him a dazzling grin in return. She is so beautiful.

Chris waited patiently while Katsuki and Aisla filed out before closing the door behind them. He stood against the side of the car with crossed arms, expressionless features never changing as he stared off into the distance like a zombie. Katsuki had never understood that guy in all the years he'd worked for his great-grandfather. It was like he had no soul. Or maybe he just had no personality, which honestly fit in well with his soulless grandfather.

Aisla looked up at him with questioning eyes as if she, too, was wondering the same thing. Katsuki mouthed, 'He's a freak' before hiding his free hand in his jeans pockets so he wouldn't be tempted to punch anyone. The other kept a firm grip on the gift he'd brought. He really hoped she liked it, otherwise he would die from embarrassment.

Katsuki took in the sight before him with a sharp eye. The house was tucked away in the woods, giving it an almost fairy tale feel. It was a traditional Japanese style house with a large roof and deep eaves, but with a soft white paint and dark gray trim. The dark roof made shadows more apparent on the grass below, highlighted even further by the cobblestone path that led up to the house. A small balcony on the second level could just be made out in the dim lighting, and a squared covered porch sat just to the right of the front door. Unlike most Japanese homes, this one had regular glass and wood doors rather than the traditional shōji types, at least on the outside. The house itself towered over them and made Katsuki feel small and a little bit annoyed that it was bigger than his own. He didn't think Aisla was rich, but suddenly he wasn't so sure. It wasn't like they'd talked about their family's financial status before.

"Can we get this over with?" his grandfather grouched. He was watching them with disapproval as if they were purposely taking their sweet time just to screw with him. If they were lucky, he'd die from old age before they were forced to endure this disaster of an evening.

A moment later, Alexei, who was lucky enough not to be on Elizabeth III duty, stepped out of the vehicle and stood next to his master.

"Yeah," Katsuki agreed snidely, "so you can get the hell out of here and leave us alone."

"Watch your language—" Grandpa Fartface started, but was cut off by the ear piercing shriek that came from the front door. Katsuki felt a jolt of surprise flash through him, then clenched the fist in his pocket as he prepared for…he didn't know what exactly.

Alexei braced for an attack just as a little girl sprang out from behind a huge decorative vase and lunged right at the girl by Katsuki's side.

"AISLA!" squealed the girl, so loudly that Alexei visibly cringed. Aisla had only a moment to react before she was being tackled by the tiny monster. She had long black hair and couldn't have been more than five, if he had to guess. It was getting dark, but he could just make out the bright pink frilly dress she wore as it sparkled in the fading light of the sun. White lacy fabric could be seen poking out from the bottom, and he was pretty sure she was wearing high heels.

"I missed you!" she cried into her sister's neck. Aisla held her tightly as she gave Katsuki an amused smile.

"There there," soothed Aisla, patting the girl's back. "I told you I wouldn't be gone forever."

"It's been like six-billion-trillion years!" the girl complained as she wrapped herself around Aisla even tighter.

Katsuki had to agree; it had been a while since Aisla had been allowed to see her family. Katsuki hadn't been so lucky since his grandfather was a benefactor to the school. The unwelcome vampire would often show up out of the blue to ruin his life; but Aisla probably hadn't seen her family since they'd moved into the dorms. For a little girl, that must have felt like a lifetime, or six-billion-trillion lifetimes apparently.

"As touching as this reunion is—" his grandfather tried, but was once again cut off as the front door opened wide and slammed against the wall behind it.

"MY GIRL!" came a loud, bellowing voice Katsuki had never heard before. A man stood there with black hair and eyes so dark Katsuki couldn't tell where pupil ended and iris began. He wasn't very tall but had broad shoulders and lean muscles that suggested he kept in shape. There wasn't anything to indicate what his quirk was, which was going to drive Katsuki crazy the rest of the evening—he would love to know what this man could do. Since Aisla had been adopted by this family, Katsuki knew none of them would share her mirror quirk. For whatever reason, this made him insanely curious as to what her family's quirks were.

Aisla's father barreled toward them like a bull charging a red scarf, eyes glowing in the bright light that shone from the front porch. He was closing in on Aisla, who still held a wriggling kid in her arms. Katsuki had a brief moment where this insane protective need nearly overtook him and urged him to step between them. He forced the feeling down, however, knowing this was just her father and not some villain trying to attack.

"I'VE MISSED YOU!" boomed the man as he swooped both girls into his arms with ease—maybe he had a strength quirk? "Introduce me to your entourage, Aisla!"

Katsuki heard his grandfather scoff under his breath, but the explosive blond was so fraught with anxiety he couldn't even fully comprehend the sound. Dark eyes fell on Katsuki as the muscled man sat down his two daughters and fixed his gaze on him.

Katsuki was suddenly acutely aware that this man could decide the fate of his relationship with Aisla. He didn't give a shit what his asshole grandfather thought, but he knew Aisla cared about her family and would take her father's rejection of Katsuki a lot harder than he did with his own family. He wanted to make a good first impression with them, but he'd never been in a situation like this before. Dating had never been something Katsuki Bakugo had ever even imagined himself doing. If anyone asked him, he'd tell them that he was going to be the number one hero and that was all he cared about. When he met Aisla, his plans hadn't changed, but they'd shifted just enough to include room for her to be a part of them.

Katsuki was abrasive and never said the right things. He was mean and reckless and nobody's first choice to be their daughter's boyfriend. In fact, he was probably the last type of person anyone would want their daughter to bring home. Most people looked at him and saw a delinquent, or a hotheaded candidate for a life of villainy instead of heroism. If he wanted to impress Aisla's father, he needed to show, somehow in one night, that he was more than what he looked like—and, well, sounded like on the surface.

The sigh escaped him before he could force it back, spewing from his lips like an accusation.

"Umm," Aisla started, awkwardly tugging on strands of blonde while she undoubtedly tried to think of how she could even introduce a ragtag group like theirs.

"My name is Hironori Ishida." His grandfather stepped forward but did not lower his head in a bow. He looked right up into his face with an entitled expression and kept his arms folded tightly across his chest as if everyone else was beneath him.

"Good to meet you!" The other man said, unfazed as he turned his attention away from Katsuki to grin down at the decrepit old man. He gave a polite bow before introducing himself. "You can call me Kaito. My wife, Yua, is inside finishing dinner. And this," he scooped the little girl into his arms and tickled her side, making her squeal with laughter, "is my darling Airi."

"Of course," the old man agreed dryly. "And I assume you haven't met my grandson, Katsuki?" He pointed a bony finger in his direction and gave Katsuki a warning look as if silently coaching him to be on his best behavior. Katsuki wanted to snarl something obscene back at the man but somehow managed to hold his tongue.

The dark-haired man strode up to Katsuki and took the hand that still held the red package. He shook it violently with a jovial smile plastered across his face. "It's nice to finally meet you, Katsuki Bakugo! I hope to hear all about you this evening! Please, call me Kaito. My father went by 'Haru' and I'm way cooler than that chump!"

"Dad…" Aisla groaned in embarrassment.

Katsuki said nothing, just allowed the man to shake his hand and hoped he didn't notice the nervous judder. Was there a reason the man had bowed to his grandfather but decided to give Katsuki an American greeting? It almost felt like some kind of challenge. He hated the way his hands were sweating with nitroglycerin and the way he had to make eye contact with the man during the entire encounter. Why the hell was he using a handshake anyway? Her parents were Japanese, right? He scoured his brain for facts about Aisla and her family, and could almost vaguely remember her saying something about her parents traveling a lot. Her dad was…an international aid worker? That sounded right.

He realized with sudden horror that he still hadn't responded to her father's introduction. He was having one of those moments where words got trapped inside his throat and refused to come out. That happened sometimes around Aisla, but he'd never experienced speechlessness in front of another person before—or at least not often.

"Hi, Baku!" said Airi, waving enthusiastically up at him as she bounced on her toes. "Do you wanna play with me?"

Aisla knelt down to eye-level with the child. "Airi, we talked about this. I promised to spend some time with you before I leave tonight, but we aren't going to bother Katsuki, remember?" She pitched her voice low and stage-whispered into the little girl's ear. "He's not cool enough to play our games."

"Hey!" Katsuki blurted, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "I'm awesome!"

Aisla stood up and gave him a look he didn't comprehend…at first. Her eyebrows were lifted and her lips visibly forced back a smile. He could see it beaming in her eyes like a spotlight focused solely on him.

"Oh, Katsuki." Aisla shook her head pityingly. "I'm sorry, but I just don't think you're up to the challenge."

He puffed up his chest. "DON'T YOU EVER TELL ME I'M NOT UP TO ANY CHALLENGE, YOU GOT THAT, AISLA?! I CAN DO ANYTHING AND BE THE BEST YOU'VE EVER SEEN!"

"Anything?" Aisla echoed sweetly.

"Of course!"

"Great!" Aisla clapped her hands together once and did a high-five with her little sister. "It's settled then."

"Hurray!" Airi cheered.

Katsuki felt his cheeks turn hot as Aisla's earlier expression finally registered with his brain: triumph. She knew how to play him so that he'd agree to whatever ridiculous thing she had in mind—and he'd fallen right into her trap.

Kaito let out another loud laugh, startling him. Honestly, he'd been so distracted by the man's daughter that he forgot he was still supposed to be respectably introducing himself. "Well, now that that's all taken care of…" Kaito turned to Katsuki's grandfather. "Would you like to come inside and meet my beautiful wife? You're more than welcome to join us for dinner as well. It's a celebration after all, right sweetie?" He tickled Airi under the chin, making her giggle.

"Yeah, come have dinner, Grandpa Grumpy-Pants!" the little girl exclaimed. She hopped over to the old man and tugged on his arm, much to the vampire's dismay. He scowled so hard at her, Katsuki was certain he'd make the girl burst into tears. Fortunately, this girl seemed to take after her older sister and didn't so much as flinch at the threat. It reminded him of when he and Aisla first met, back when he did everything in his power to keep her at a distance. She was just as stubborn, always looking at him with that brilliant, happy smile despite whatever insults he hurled her way. God, I was such an idiot, he realized as he marveled at her same bright smile now.

"I am not your grandpa," he tried to say, but Airi was hearing none of it as she forcibly dragged him toward the house. To Katsuki's astonishment, the old fart actually allowed it to happen. He had a look similar to how Katsuki was feeling now about the uncomfortable social gathering, only his grandfather's was mixed with a little bit of his usual anger.

"Come on, Grandpa!" the girl chirped as she pulled the man along. "Come eat with us! We're having New Year's noodles today! And it's not even New Year's! Isn't that wondermost?!"

"Wonderful, Airi," Aisla corrected with a giggle. "The word you're looking for is 'wonderful.'"

"That's what I said!" the girl insisted.

Katsuki snorted and started to follow them when a hand suddenly clamped down on his shoulder. He felt all his hair stand on end as if a villain had just attacked, and had to force down the urge to blast Aisla's father across the driveway.

"You're a jumpy young man, aren't you?" he said with a chuckle. "Tell me, young Bakugo," he leaned in close as if letting him in on a secret. "Why are you interested in my daughter?"

Katsuki bristled. He'd been expecting this sort of question, of course, though he'd been under the delusion that it would be much later in the evening, so he'd at least have the opportunity to prove himself first. How was he supposed to show Aisla's dad that he was a good match for her if he was interrogated right off the bat?

"Uhh…" Katuski searched for the right words, but yet again, nothing came to mind. He'd been trying to think of a decent answer ever since Aisla asked him to join her this evening. He knew this was an important event for her—introducing her boyfriend to her family—but Katsuki wasn't good with this sort of interaction. He'd have been better off showing her father a clip of himself fighting to prove that he could keep her safe. However, Katsuki knew without ever having been in this sort of situation himself, that his ability to keep Kaito's daughter physically safe wasn't what interested the man. What was of concern to her father was whether he could keep her happy and be good to her. Katuski wasn't even sure if there was a right answer to that.

"You know what, son?" Kaito spoke up. "You give that answer some thought, alright? Let's have dinner first, and then you and I will come outside and have a little chat. Sound good?"

Katsuki opened his mouth to say something, but the older man suddenly took off with a hollered, "Don't start the fun without me!" as he ran right into the house.

Katsuki grumbled under his breath as he followed behind the others. They were all gathered around the genkan, half of them already in slippers while the other half—namely his grandfather and Alexei—stood awkwardly with crossed arms and impatient expressions. Airi still clung to his grandfather's arm, tugging on him and trying to convince him to go play house with her. The old grouch ignored her, though the annoyance showed clearly on his pale face.

"Katsuki!" Aisla exclaimed when she caught sight of him. She was already in house slippers, and gestured him over with another pair that matched her own. She set them on the floor in front of him when he walked over, and gave him a pleased smile when he put them on. "I'm so happy you came," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

He hid a smile of his own behind an eye roll. "I just saw your ass in the car two minutes ago."

The grin never left her face as she took his hand and pulled him farther into the house. "I'm so excited for you to meet my mom!" she said as they walked. "She'll love you, I promise. She's the nicest person you'll ever meet."

Taking from experiences with his mother, he didn't doubt that hers would be nicer than his own at least. Whether she was 'the nicest person ever' or not, Aisla's excitement was enough to put him at ease. He was happy to see her so bright this evening. She was a beacon of light and joy, and part of that was because of him.

As Aisla led him down a short hallway, Katsuki ignored the sound of his grandfather complaining in the other room, and Aisla's father going on and on about some fishing adventure he'd recently gone on. They turned into a room with sliding shōji style doors, which opened into a spacious kitchen. It was much bigger than any kitchen he'd ever seen, with simple white cabinets and smooth wood flooring. An impressive island sat in the center of the room with a variety of foods already taking up the entirety of the space. A woman with long auburn hair stood there with her back to them. She hummed softly under her breath as she chopped carrots and beets, a trait her daughter must have picked up from her.

Aisla walked right up to her and wrapped her arms around her from behind like a small child might do. She rested her head against the woman's back, a happy smile on her soft features. "Hi, mama. I'm home."

The woman turned around slowly when Aisla let go and offered Katsuki a smile. "Aisla, my sweet, what handsome devil have you brought to meet me?"

Aisla turned back to him with a wide grin, oblivious to her boyfriend's inner panic. "This is Katsuki Bakugo. He's my…um…"

"Boyfriend?" her mother supplied with a girlish giggle. "It's okay, sweetie. I remember what it was like to be young. You don't have to be embarrassed. You know, your father and I sometimes like to pretend we're still your age and—"

"Ew!" Aisla squealed, covering her ears with both hands. "I don't want to know what you and Dad do!"

Her mother shrugged good naturedly before bowing politely toward Katsuki. "Pleased to meet you, Katsuki Bakugo. You're welcome to call me Yua; we're not formal at home." He placed his hand in her smaller one and she squeezed his once before letting it go. "I hope my daughter hasn't been too much of a handful." She gave him a conspiratorial wink.

He tried for a smile but was pretty sure it was lopsided and weird, based on Aisla's barely concealed giggle. He scowled, which only seemed to set her off more. A laugh bubbled out of her, causing her mother to echo the sound. The older woman patted Katsuki on his spiky blond head before turning back to her vegetables.

"Go ahead and show your young man around the house, Aisla dear," her mother suggested. "Don't worry about helping with dinner, alright? It's a special day after all!"

Aisla offered Katsuki a bright smile and held out a hand. "Shall we?"

He nodded, but didn't take her proffered hand out of embarrassment. His grandfather was still out there somewhere, and he'd have a field day if he saw them like that.

Aisla gave him a brief tour of the house, which seemed to go on forever and made him a little jealous that his own house was significantly smaller. He'd never pegged her for a rich girl, but he supposed that was another thing that was his fault. He didn't ask her a lot of questions about her life and he for damn sure didn't offer up information about his own.

"My mom's an ass, too," he said abruptly as they stood together in Aisla's old room. It was the type of room he'd expect from someone like Aisla Haru: neat and plain, with small touches of personality spread throughout. A queen-sized bed was pushed against the wall in the far back corner of the room with a soft gray bedspread embroidered with pink and white flowers. Her curtains were matching—which didn't surprise him in the least since Aisla was always very meticulous about the way things looked. He didn't even realize that was something he knew about her until that very moment. She had regular wood flooring like the rest of the house, with a large, circular gray rug in the center of the space. Besides the bed, there was a desk, a dresser, and a chair next to a small bookcase. Pictures of Aisla with her family lined the walls as her only form of decoration.

Aisla had been studying one of her framed photos when Katsuki spoke and didn't seem to realize she was still holding it when she turned back to look at him. She had one eyebrow raised and a bemused expression as if she was trying to make sense of his words.

"I-I'm not saying your mom's an ass," he corrected quickly. "I meant mine's an ass like me. She's just as mean as me and my grandfather," he continued, though he couldn't quite meet her eyes. For some reason, talking about himself always made him feel embarrassed. "My dad's the polar opposite. He's kind of a pushover, let's my mom make all the decisions because she terrifies him." A small smile lifted his lips. "He loves her, though, I can tell. The way he looks at her with such…I don't know, adoration?" He shrugged. "I know he loves her even though she's a shitty old witch."

Finally, he allowed his gaze to meet hers. Ocean blue eyes stared back at him, full of wonder and hope. He didn't know what he'd said to put that expression there, but it made him smile nonetheless.

As she set the picture down and stepped slowly toward him, her gaze never left his. He was frozen to the spot, waiting to see what she'd do once she reached him. A sense of relief had flooded through him as soon as he'd spoken about his family. He wasn't sure what it was, but talking to this girl and sharing things about himself wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be. He was still embarrassed to admit certain things to her, but he wanted to confide in her and share his life with her. He wanted her to feel the same. He wanted to be the person she came to when she was feeling sad or upset. As it was, Todoroki filled that role for her because Katsuki was often the one who made her cry. Katsuki needed to change that; he needed to be the person who made her smile.

Right now, he'd done just that. As she approached him with those big, curious eyes, he could clearly see the happiness that burned through them. And as her hands rested on his chest, then lifted up to his neck, he knew that whatever this girl had to offer, he'd gladly take it, because in that moment, Katsuki felt an undeniable sense of oneness. When their lips met, it was soft and tender and filled him with emotions he tried to keep suppressed, but found it more and more impossible to do so. The longer he knew Aisla, and the more time they spent together, the harder it became to control his feelings.

"Thank you," she whispered against his lips. "Thank you for telling me that."

He smiled, pecked her lips once more, then pulled away and grabbed his gift bag off the dresser before he forgot about it. He didn't want Aisla to think he'd forgotten to bring one.

As they left her room, they heard murmuring from the room across the hall. They exchanged curious looks, then, with a shrug, Aisla pushed open the door and peered inside. Katsuki immediately burst into laughter at the ridiculous sight before him. His great-grandfather and the stoic Russian bodyguard sat on a fluffy pink carpet, each sporting a different colored tiara and holding a toy wand with a star at the end. Airi Haru sat before them with a pink tea set spread out in the center. She wore her frilly dress, but now had a silver crown in her dark hair as well, which made the strands stick up everywhere.

His grandfather was scowling so hard Katsuki was certain he would cause an explosion that would wipe out the entire neighborhood. Alexei looked slightly miffed but didn't seem as displeased as his boss. In fact, there might have been a twinkle of amusement in his eye.

"I have to get a picture of this," Katsuki remarked as he pulled out his phone and snapped one before anyone could protest. Red eyes identical to his own shot daggers straight through to his bones. Katsuki ignored that as he continued to laugh.

Aisla elbowed him in the side. "Hush!" she ordered mildly before turning back to the hilarious scene with a gentle smile. "Airi, what are you doing to Mr. Hironori?"

Airi grinned a toothy smile at her sister. "I'm the queen, and Grandpa is the pincess, and Lex is the udder pincess!"

Katsuki thought her nickname for Alexei was actually pretty clever and wondered if he could get away with calling him that, too. He also found it hilarious that she referred to his grandfather as if he was her own. He would have gladly given him up for her. If she wanted him, Katsuki had no problems getting rid of the angry old fossil.

"Be silent, boy," the old man hissed through his teeth. "I got roped into this thing against my will!"

Katsuki looked from his grandfather and Alexei to the sweet innocent face that beamed up at him. He could see how she would have gotten her way with a smile like that. Honestly, it reminded him of what Aisla did when she wanted him to do something she knew he wouldn't like.

"You play, too, Baku!" Airi ordered, pointing a purple scepter at him. "You will be the king and you will do what I say!"

Aisla looked up at him with raised brows and an expectant look. "You did say you'd be up for anything," she reminded him.

Dread filled him. He had said that, but he'd thought they would play a boardgame or he'd be forced to push her on a swing for an hour or anything besides playing princess with a five-year-old.

"I mean…"

"Dinner's ready!" Aisla's father called loudly up the stairs, cutting off whatever excuse he was about to make. He breathed a sigh of relief that was echoed by both men, who hastily stood up and pulled off their crowns. They dropped them onto the floor with soft thuds.

"HEY!" Airi yelled, turning her scepter on them now. "We pick up our messes when we're done playing, Misters!" she chided, then pointed toward a bin that must have held toys.

The grown men dutifully picked up the tiaras and wands and put them neatly in the correct bin before fleeing the room like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs. Katsuki fought back another laugh as Aisla jabbed a finger into his back.

He turned a grin her way, and she couldn't hold back an answering smile.

They all made their way down the hall and into the dining area where the food had been set up. They had soft tatami flooring and a low table large enough to fit eight people. There was a feast laid out before them, including New Year's noodles, rice, sushi rolls, vegetable plates, and some kind of dessert.

"Wonderful!" said Yua as she beamed over at their group. "Everyone, please take a seat. You two will stay as well, correct?" she asked, gesturing at Katsuki's grandfather and Alexei.

The old grouch ran a tired hand through his hair. "I'm afraid I must bid you all farewell," he said, not sounding apologetic in the least. "It's been a pleasure, but I must get back to my Elizabeth III now. Good evening to you all." He gave them a low bow before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Aisla called after him as she hurried to catch up to his longer stride. "You're welcome to stay," she told him earnestly. "We have a lot of food. Your, um…cat is welcome to come inside?"

To Katsuki's astonishment, his grandfather actually smiled. It was twisted and creepy, but it was still an expression he never saw on that wrinkled face. In fact, he couldn't remember ever seeing him smile unless it was malicious. "Thank you, Miss Haru, but I think I'll decline this time. I'll let you spend some time with my grandson here." He glanced at Katsuki before returning his gaze to Aisla. "I appreciate your hospitality. Be good to my boy now." He tapped her on the forehead with a finger before turning around once more.

"Don't go, Grandpa!" Airi ran over and threw her arms around him from behind. "We were having so much fun!"

Katsuki twisted his lips in thought, wondering what the hell those three had been doing in there that would make a five-year-old think of his grandfather as 'fun'. Katsuki thought he was the least entertaining person he'd ever met, but maybe there was something about these Haru girls that turned grouchy Bakugo men into putty in their hands.

"I must go," he repeated, though he made no effort to pull away from the girl. He gave her another one of his creepy smiles—he definitely wasn't used to making that face—then told her he'd be back another time.

She returned the look with one of her own, only her smile was cute and not terrifying. "Okay, bye Grandpa! Say hi to your kitty for me!"

The old man puffed his chest proudly. "I will tell her," he said with finality, then left the house without another word.

Finally, Katsuki thought with relief as they all piled around the table on navy blue cushions. Katsuki sat between Aisla and Airi, the latter of which kept tugging on his shirt and making faces up at him, while Aisla's parents sat across from them.

"Thank you for the food!" they all said before everyone started digging in.

"It's so nice to have everyone here for this special occasion!" Kaito announced when they started eating. "And it's been wonderful meeting you, Bakugo!"

"Agreed," said Yua with a genuine smile. "Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?"

Katsuki stiffened at the question. He had a hard enough time talking to Aisla about himself. Her parents—who were basically still strangers—didn't make him feel comfortable enough to speak. Fortunately, Aisla was a mind reader, so he didn't end up needing to express anything.

"Katsuki is amazing," she told them. "He's one of the smartest kids in our class, and undoubtedly the toughest opponent in a fight! He's got great reflexes, and he's strong too. Everyone talks about how his quirk is one of the most powerful quirks ever, but he's not just amazing because he was born with that talent! He works really hard, harder than almost anyone in our class—he has great battle-senses, he's really tactical, and he never gets distracted on a mission! M-most importantly, though," she added, as if she realized she was sounding more like a weird groupie than his girlfriend, "he's kind and thoughtful… He does little things to show the people he likes that he cares about them. Like…he helps Kirishima study, he pushes Midoriya to be stronger, and me… He always makes me feel important and cared for."

Katsuki kind of wished he'd said something himself after that horrifyingly embarrassing speech. His face felt the color of Aisla's dress and just as hot. His hands were clamped so hard under the table, the onyx ring dug almost painfully into his right palm. The pain, and the presence of the ring, grounded him enough that he was able to relax his body so he didn't look like a statue at the dinner table. His mother always told him that was bad manners, even when her own body was rigid as an ice sculpture.

He waited with trepidation for one of her parents to say something about all of that. The last thing he wanted was for them to make all of this sappier and more humiliating than it already was. Sure, bragging about his quirk and abilities was one thing—because everything she said about those were absolute facts that he took pride in. But the shit about him showing how he cares or whatever? That wasn't her parents' business—it wasn't anyone's business but him and Aisla, and he didn't even like it being brought up between them. It was still a challenge to be…open about his feelings. For one thing, he wasn't confident about himself in this area, not like with the mastery of his quirk, so her public praise just made him feel defensive.

Fortunately, her parents were too busy looking all doe-eyed at Aisla after this fan-speech to ask him any questions before Airi beat them to it.

"What's your quirk, Baku?" the little girl asked inquisitively.

Katsuki's eyes lit up. This, at least, was something he could talk about. "My awesome quirk is called 'explosion!'" he exclaimed, then proceeded to tell them how it worked and what sort of battles he'd been in, and how he'd used his quirk to his advantage. He felt so much more at ease talking about his hero training than himself. This was who he was anyway: Katsuki Bakugo was a hero in the making, not some sissy boy who talked about his feelings.

"Sounds like you're quite the young man," Yua observed. "It's too bad we missed your performance at your school's sports festival, but I heard you did well."

Recalling the embarrassing 'win' he'd earned at the sports festival, he pursed his lips and looked away. The memory of that day still made him angry. He was bitter that he'd never been able to really prove himself, thanks to that damn Roki.

"He doesn't like to talk about it," Aisla informed them with a soft giggle.

"Why not?" asked Airi.

Aisla leaned around his back and pitched her voice low. "He's a shy boy."

He knew she was teasing, but it still lit a flame inside of him that threatened to explode. He wasn't shy, and she knew the Sports Festival was a sore spot for him, so why'd she have to say something about it? Aisla was usually…better about not putting him on the spot like this. Being around her parents was making her act…annoying or something.

"How cute!" her mother cooed, batting her lashes in a way similar to her daughter's. It made him press his lips into a hard line to keep from snapping at the woman. He wasn't cute. Why did these Haru women always have to say that? Not shy, or cute, or even particularly nice like Aisla hyped him up to be.

"I was quite the scrapper when I was a boy," Kaito mused as he twirled some noodles around his chopsticks. "I used to get into fights and got called into the principal's office on a regular basis!"

"I never knew this about you, Dad," Aisla said thoughtfully. "Weren't you student body president in your third year?"

He nodded. "I sure was! That's because your daddy got his life together and decided to be a reliable member of society, both for my school and for the woman I loved." He looked at his wife with adoration in his eyes. She gave him a shy smile in return.

"You mean… you were a delinquent until you met Mom?" Aisla clarified.

This time she got a thumbs-up. "That's right, my sweet girl! If it hadn't been for your mom, I probably never would have gotten myself together. I might be dead right now."

"Oh hush, Kaito!" Yua chastised as a blush spread across her cheeks. "This is hardly appropriate dinner conversation." She cut her eyes at the five year old listening to all of this, but Airi wasn't paying attention. She was using a chopstick in lieu of her earlier wand and trying to command a noodle to slither back onto her plate.

Katsuki sat there and stirred his noodles thoughtfully as he took in what Kaito was saying. He was pretty sure the older man was trying to make a very subtle point to Katsuki. He was telling him that no matter what was going on in his life at the moment, if he really cared about Aisla, then he'd step up and be the man she needed. Except, Katsuki already knew that. It was what he was working on and toward all the time. The longer he sat with these people and the heavier the emphasis on his personal life with their daughter, the more uneasy and squeamish he felt. He'd agreed to come along willingly, knowing it would make Aisla happy, but he was having a hard time now that the spotlight kept blistering his skin.

Kaito laughed as if nothing had happened. "You're right as always, dear. Let's enjoy our dinner. Tell us, Aisla, how's school been going?"

The rest of dinner went by without incident. They talked about school and training, and what they did for fun during their free time. Aisla showed them some of her newest drawings and her parents oohed and ahhed at each one.

Katsuki got the impression they were the type of parents that made their children feel like they were the best thing that walked the earth. The whole setting was so much different than how it was at Katsuki's house. This family doted on each other, spilled their affections freely instead of screaming at each other over the table. He wasn't used to this kind of family dynamic, and weirdly it was making him miss his mom.

He did like that, even though Kaito and Yua seemed like they spoiled their kids, there must have been more than that going on behind the scenes. Their kids were polite and respectful, but most importantly they were humble. Katsuki saw proof of that on a daily basis. Aisla was kind and generous and always thought of others before herself. Katsuki had a feeling Airi would be the same way one day. They were a balanced, well-rounded, happy, rich little family unit, and Katsuki… He felt…just a little more unsettled as he sipped what was left of his bitter tea.

When dinner finally ended, Kaito announced that it was time for cake and gifts. Katsuki wasn't hungry, but he was anxious to give her his gift so he could stop stressing over it. He still wasn't sure if he'd gotten the right thing. He almost wished he hadn't brought anything at all, but when a single present was placed in the center of the table, he kind of wished he'd brought a few more. Surely, it would be disappointing for her to open just two gifts?

"Yay, presents!" Airi cheered. "Hurray cake!" When she reached for the beautifully frosted white cake, her mother lightly smacked hand with a spoon.

"Not yet, sweetie. We have to sing first."

Airi gave her a bright smile. "Yeah, only I don't want to sing. I just want cake, and that's all."

They all laughed and waited for Kaito to bring over a lighter. Katsuki wasn't sure what was supposed to happen next, so he sat patiently and watched them all interact together. After a candle was lit, the threesome burst into a chorus of 'Happy Birthday.'

Everyone except for Aisla. He thought that maybe she didn't know the words, but when the threesome sang, "happy birthday, dear Aisla", Katsuki knew that wasn't the case. It wasn't that she didn't know how to sing the song, but the fact that the song was for her. It was Aisla's birthday.

Oh god, he thought in sudden panic as the song neared the end. He was an idiot! He had to leave right now, move to another country and never speak to Aisla or her family again!

"Now, open your presents!" Airi commanded as she pushed the two gifts her way. She was sitting in her mother's lap now so she could watch her sister open gifts—watch Aisla open gifts, not Airi. Aisla was the birthday girl.

Blue eyes flicked over to him and a smile lit up her whole face. "Can I open yours first?" She studied his face a moment, then frowned at his panicked look. "What's wrong, Katsuki?"

His whole body was hot with embarrassment. How could be be so stupid?! Of course her father would want to interrogate her boyfriend on her birthday. Why had he thought that he'd been invited for Airi's birthday? This was the worst possible thing that could have happened. Not only had he forgotten his own girlfriend's birthday, but he bought a birthday present for her little sister instead. He was already embarrassed from all of the attention on him tonight, anxious because Aisla's father wanted to talk to him later, irritated because Aisla kept putting him on the spot, and now he was going to actually die from complete and utter humiliation. He couldn't let Aisla open that gift, she'd think he was a freak!

He snatched it from the table and hid it behind his back. Everyone was staring at him as if he was crazy, but it was better than Aisla opening a present meant for a little girl. He didn't want her thinking he thought of her that way. Better for her to believe he was too embarrassed to share it in front of her parents.

"Uh, no!" he sputtered. "Y-you can't."

Her face fell for a moment, but then she shook it off. "Okay, Katsuki." She turned back to the table and started peeling away the shiny gold paper on the other gift, which revealed a rectangular white box. She lifted the lid open and peered inside.

"Wow! Thanks, Mom, Dad! How did you know I needed more art supplies?!"

Her dad chuckled. "Because you always need more art supplies."

Katsuki peaked into the box as well. Sketch books, pencils, paints, and some kind of weird pens filled the box. Katsuki could have easily gotten her a new sketch pad or some pencils and she'd have been thrilled. Instead, the gift he'd brought would only make her confused.

"Katsuki?" She spoke quietly into his ear. "Is it okay if I…give you a gift? I know it's kind of weird timing, but I never got the chance to give it to you on Valentine's Day."

She wanted to give him a Valentine's Day present? Here? Now? That was…really weird, and his automatic instinct was to say hell no, but…

Her face was full of hope and a little bit of wariness. She really wanted him to accept her gift.

He looked around the table. All of her family stared back at him curiously, waiting to see what he'd do. If he didn't take the gift, Aisla would feel embarrassed. If he did take it, Katsuki would be embarrassed. Yet again, she'd put him on the spot in front of a bunch of strangers.

It can't be that bad, he reasoned. The last present she'd given him had been the ring on his right hand. It couldn't be more embarrassing than that. Then again, at least that had been in private. Still…Aisla knew better than to do something that would really embarrass him, right? She knew him better than pretty much anyone, so…he could trust her.

He gave her his best attempt at a smile. "Alright…"

Don't make me regret this, Aisla Haru…

Aisla's face lit up. "Thank you, Katsuki." She rummaged around in her purse and then produced a rectangular box wrapped in silver. A red ribbon was tied neatly over the top. "It's not much…" she admitted sheepishly before holding it out to him. "But, I hope you like it."

He held it in his hand for a long moment before gently pulling one side of the ribbon to make it come loose. Once the ribbon had been removed, he peeled back the silver paper and found a simple black box. He pulled off the lid, curious to see what was inside, even as his hands shook from the anxiety of so many sets of eyes on him.

This better not be embarrassing, he silently warned as he let a sheet of paper roll out on the table before him.

It was a drawing of him and Aisla, sketched out in near perfect detail. In the picture, Aisla gazed up at him with a finger pressed to her lips while Katsuki looked down at her with a small smile that reminded him of the one passed between her parents. A frown pulled his lips down as he tried to make sense of the drawing. What was she trying to convey here? Was it just supposed to be a cute picture of the two of them, or was she going for something with more meaning? It was…a really intimate picture, and he already felt nauseous knowing that her parents were seeing the same thing that he was.

"Here," Aisla murmured, pointing with a pink lacquered nail to the bottom corner of the page. In small elegant script, a poem read:

Like fireworks bursting in the night sky

You fill my world with colors bright

You light up my heart with a brilliant hue

Katsuki Bakugo, I love you

The words were right there in plain sight for everyone to see. A cringey poem under a lovey-dovey sketch of the two of them. Every word made dread grow heavier in his stomach, and by the last three words, Katsuki was sure he was going to vomit.

Then, as if this wasn't bad enough, suddenly, Aisla spoke. It was in little more than a whisper, but to him it was a thunderclap, and he knew her parents heard it.

"I love you, Katsuki."

You…love me?

"Aw, that's so sweet, honey!" Yua exclaimed once she'd leaned over the table to read.

"Your poetry has gotten better since the last one you wrote!" her father joked.

"I wanna read it!" Airi cried and made to snatch the paper off the table.

No, Katsuki thought as he snatched the paper and crumpled it in a tight fist, you don't.

"Katsuki…?" Aisla spoke softly, but in that moment, he wasn't listening to her. All he could hear was a loud ringing in his ears and the thundering of his heart against his ribcage, threatening to burst in an instant—he hoped it would. At least if his heart combusted and he died on the spot, it would be less painful than this humiliation. You love me? Great way to show it. He clutched the paper to his chest as his nails dug painfully into his flesh.

"Katsuki… I'm sorry," Aisla tried, but her voice broke at the end.

"Why…" Katsuki hissed through clenched teeth. "Why would you do this to me?!" He refused to look at her, even as some part of him begged him to see what his words were doing.

"I just…wanted you to know how I felt…" she whispered. He thought he detected a sob in her words but he was too angry to really pay attention.

"If you loved me or whatever," he spat the word, "then you wouldn't have done this!" He couldn't even look at her parents. He felt sick, embarrassed, hot, humiliated, and—like any time Katsuki was overwhelmed by his feelings—it all boiled down into rage.

"You've been planning this all along, haven't you?!" he accused, slamming a hand down onto the table and making Airi shriek at the loud bang. "You wanted to humiliate me, didn't you?!"

"I'm going to take Airi upstairs…" said Yua immediately before grabbing the girl and carrying her out of the room.

"N-no!" Aisla cried. "I told you, I wanted to give this to you on Valentine's Day, but I didn't get the chance. I wanted to say—"

"You've already said enough!" he shouted, cutting her off. "I don't want to hear whatever lame excuses you have!"

"Alright, let's calm down now, son," Kaito advised with a warning note in his words. "There's no need to raise your voice. Let's talk like civilized people about this."

Again, Katsuki couldn't look at the man. He didn't know these people. He'd met them less than an hour ago and now they were privy to his entire relationship with Aisla, his inner conflicts, and the emotions he was trying to work out on his own. Who in their right mind would think it was okay to violate his privacy like this? He trusted her and this was what he got for it?

"I'm sorry!" Aisla wailed, ignoring her father and Katsuki. "I just thought…well, things have been so good lately. I thought you felt the same way. I…I love you, Katsuki."

"Well, I don't, okay?!"

He finally looked over at her, but he couldn't even see her face clearly through his rage-filled vision. "I don't feel those stupid feelings and you're an idiot if you thought I did! So, stop saying stupid shit and leave me alone! I don't want to hear anything else!"

He stood up from the table and yanked his arm free from Aisla's grip when she tried to stop him.

"Katsuki!" she shrieked. "Wait!"

"No, Aisla." He spun around and gave her a look he knew must have been menacing but didn't care. He needed her to back the hell off, he needed to get away from her and this place. "I don't want to be around you or your perfect little goody-two-shoes family!" Even in his anger, these words shocked him. He hadn't realized before but…that was right. These people were nothing like him or his family. They might have been all prim and proper and well-behaved, and they might have been all doting and lovey with each other, but Katsuki wasn't like that. He didn't belong here.

"Watch it, boy." Kaito stood up and made his way around the table to stand next to his daughter. "There's no reason to be so upset. Aisla didn't mean any harm by offering you a poem. She just wanted to—"

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I GIVE A SHIT WHAT SHE MEANT?!" he howled, throwing the balled-up paper and hitting Aisla right in the chest. Her answering sob almost made him regret doing it, but he was too humiliated and angry at the moment. He'd been so stupid, thinking he and Aisla were actually good together. It was hitting him just then that they came from two different worlds, and that he should have followed his gut months ago when the clingy little lovebird kept trying to force her feelings on him. All she had to do was to respect his space, to give him privacy, to let him process all these feelings on his own terms, but instead she pulled this?! "I DON'T LOVE HER AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT HER SO YOU CAN JUST GO TO HE—OW, GODDAMMIT!"

Something slammed into his head with such force that he landed straight on his knees. He looked up with snarling teeth to find his grandfather standing over him, an equally deadly expression on his face.

"I can hear you shouting all the way out in the car, boy," he hissed. His hand shot out and grabbed Katsuki by the collar, forcing him to stand with some unnatural strength he shouldn't have possessed at his age. He pulled him to eye level and gave him a dangerous look. "We're leaving now. You've caused enough trouble for one evening."

He tossed Katsuki across the room where he landed right into Kolya's arms. He held him there easily, even as Katsuki thrashed and roared in outrage.

"My apologies for my grandson's inappropriate behavior," said the old man before giving a quick bow. "You, I'll deal with later," he hissed in Katsuki's ear as he gave him another painful smack to his head. Katsuki struggled the entire way to the car, but once Kolya had deposited him inside and he saw both bodyguards giving him warning looks, he sat in his seat and folded his arms across his chest.

"I've never been more disappointed in you in my entire life," his grandfather snapped. "First, you make this huge deal out of me not allowing you to be with this girl, and now you're screaming at her in front of her whole family like a deranged lunatic. That girl will be in shambles for weeks." He shook his head pityingly.

"Shut the hell up, you old fossil," Katsuki growled through his teeth. "You don't know anything!"

His grandfather was quiet for a moment, but then decided to butt in even more, when all Katsuki wanted was for people to leave him the hell alone. "I know that whatever happened, it probably didn't deserve the kind of treatment you gave the situation," the man said. "In fact, I'm positive you blew everything out of proportion like you always do. Your mother was like that, too. She used to—"

"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!" he roared.

His grandfather took one long look at him, pursed his lips, and nodded once. "I see. You just sit there and be angry then. But you listen to me, Katsuki Bakugo, you're going to wake up tomorrow and regret everything you just said. Take it from an expert, boy. If you puff your chest and buck like an angry bull, you'll kick away every person dumb enough to get close to you and trample everyone you'll ever love—including that girl. So, maybe pull your horns out of your ass and think of a way to apologize."

Katsuki slammed a fist into the car door, leaving a dent there and no doubt bruising his hand. He breathed in and out in quick, angry breaths. "I. SAID. SHUT. UP." he seethed. "I don't love her or anyone else, you got that?! So, go to hell!"

"Oh, I'm sure I will," his grandfather agreed pityingly. "And after that little performance…I'm afraid I might be seeing you there as well."

A/N: Aaaaaand that's that! Super extra-long chapter this week, friends. I know it probably wasn't what you were expecting, but I'm full of "surprises." See what I did there? XD Anyway, let me know what you guys thought about this chapter, please! I'd really really appreciate it! Also, my beta wrote the poem so if it's cringey, blame her! I do NOT write poetry, and trust me, mine was way worse.

Reviews:

blasttyrant: Well, there's your dinner party! Aren't you glad you waited a whole week for that? *sweatdrop* Still love me? You want a double update NOW? XD

MeMyselfAndI82907: Indeed, he DOES own it! That's what's so great about him! He's not the type of character I typically write for, but he's grown on me. I kinda like that grouchy old fossil. Also, I can relate as well, so here's a virtual hug!

Beta: yellowchikadee

SUPER special thank you to my beta this week for once again going above and beyond for not only me but this story. I asked her to help me make this chapter have more drama and pack a harder punch and she DELIVERED. Thank you for taking the time out of your week to help make this story the best that it can be!