The first time that Uraraka and her classmates were allowed off campus after their disaster of a summer training camp, it had been a simple, harmless, impromptu class trip to a nearby skating rink.

Aizawa-sensei had given his students a challenge. A challenge that he'd probably not entirely expected them all to rise up to. It had been so long since any of them had gone off school grounds, so Aizawa had told them this: If all twenty of them got an A on their next test, then he would organize a small class trip for them. If it even came about by some absolute miracle, he probably concluded that it would be so on the spot, planning-wise, that no villain would know to organize any attack on them during their time out.

Uraraka had hit the books hard in hopes of earning herself an A and contributing to the class's chances of a day out with everybody, and from what she saw, she wasn't the only one. Everyone from rank one to twenty was studying their heart out with the promise of a short spurt of freedom as a result. Uraraka herself could only thank her lucky stars that three of her closest friends, specifically referring to Iida, Deku, and Todoroki, were respectively second, fourth, and fifth in academics, so studying with them made life so much easier for her.

Tokoyami and Asui joined their ranks as well, while, Jirou, Ojiro, Hagakure, and several others turned to Yaoyorozu for tutoring. Uraraka couldn't help but both laugh and feel sorry for Kaminari, Sero, and Ashido, who had all decided to take drastic measures in the name of friendship and go the Kirishima studying route, which consisted of convincing Bakugou to play drill sergeant and figuratively shove their textbooks down their throats.

Well, it must have paid off, apparently.

On the day of the test, Aizawa graded them all on the spot, his face slowly going from its normal disinterest to complete and utter disbelief. Uraraka couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her heart as he looked up at the class in astonishment. "Who would like to go roller skating?"

Even now, Uraraka could still hear the cheers of excitement and screeching of chairs and desks being knocked over as hugs and high fives were shared across the room. She couldn't help but laugh out loud as half of the class legitimately started crying, as if they'd all just barely managed to save the world from complete annihilation or something.

There was one truly powerful and touching moment though, in Uraraka's opinion, and it was easily the most subtle one, one that she didn't think anyone else noticed. It was a glance, a short but knowing look between Midoriya and Bakugou, both fully aware of how ridiculous their classmates were being, which was followed by a shrug and an eye roll respectively. Of course, the moment was ruined by an emotional Kaminari and Ashido launching themselves in Bakugou's general direction and nearly getting their faces blasted off, but Uraraka couldn't help the huge grin that felt like it could split her face in half.

Aizawa promised that if he continued to make deals like this (seriously, their grades must have been fantastic), then he would slowly start having bigger and bigger trips and even let them start choosing where they wanted to go. For now, though, they would start small, for student and civilian safety. And so, here they were, renting out a huge skating rink in the city for a few hours of fun with 'no property damage' and 'no killing each other' being their only rules.

Uraraka had just about fainted when they arrived at the place and it was nearly the size of a football field, with one giant, well-polished rink and a restaurant and arcade built in for their convenience. The students wasted no time in exploring their new environment as the music started blaring and lights began flashing as if they'd just entered a nightclub.

Ashido's squeal of excitement carried through the noise. "Ahh! I love roller skating! It's been so long since the last time I skated! I used to do it all the time!"

Sero chuckled. "Not surprising. With how much you love to dance, I'd imagine that dancing in skates is something you're familiar with."

"You bet! Oh, I can't wait! I'm gonna be honest though, I also kinda really wanna watch everyone fall on their asses."

"Real encouraging."

"I'm really excited, too!" Uraraka chimed in. "It's been years since I've gone skating myself, though I've never been to a rink like this before."

"Isn't it cool!?" Ashido exclaimed, Uraraka answering her simply with her bouncing up and down with excitement.

"So Blasty," Kaminari started, completely unfazed by the death glare that Bakugou shot at him in response. "You know how to skate, yeah?"

There was a beat of silence before Bakugou huffed. "Why would I waste my time at a dumbass place like this? I've always had more important things to do."

Kaminari, Ashido, and Uraraka all gaped. "You've never gone skating before?!"

"Well," Kirishima butted in, "It is really loud and it can get pretty crowded here. Not really his scene, you know?"

"Exactly."

"Kirishima knows him so well." Ashido sighed. "So, boys! Who wants to get out there on the rink with me?"

"Me!" Kirishima and Kaminari cheered simultaneously. Uraraka giggled as she allowed her eyes to scan the building for Deku and Iida while the group of five continued to banter around her.

"You joining us, Bakugou?" Sero asked.

"Why should I?"

"Because out of everyone here, you're the one who I'd love to see fall on their ass the most."

"Well fuck you, too."

Kaminari materialized in between them. "You should totally join us! It'll be really fun!" he shouted a little too enthusiastically.

Kirishima and Ashido had already gone to get their skates at this point, while Sero stayed behind to watch what he must have already known was about to become a train wreck. Uraraka found herself watching for whatever Sero might be waiting for.

"Come on, you said that you've never skated before!" Kaminari pressed.

"I haven't."

"Then come with us!"

"No."

"Dude," Kaminari began, casually leaning against a nearby post. "The only person here who really knows what they're doing hundred percent is Ashido, and maybe Jirou, and Uraraka a little bit, I guess. We don't know what we're getting into, either!"

"No."

"You're just afraid of embarrassing yourself." Kaminari said smugly, poking at him. Bakugou swatted his hand away and growled. Kaminari crossed his arms. "That's what I thought, you scardy cat."

"The fuck did you just call me?"

"You heard me, dude."

Both Sero and Uraraka were trying very hard not to laugh out loud, more so at Kaminari's unearned overconfidence than anything. Kaminari pointed at Bakugou dramatically. "Let's make a bet. If you can perfect skating in the next five minutes, I'll chug a bottle of that hot sauce you like to carry around, with Sero as my witness!"

Uraraka choked on air while Sero stared at him wide-eyed, left in complete disbelief at his friend's unrivaled idiocy. Bakugou's eyebrows shot up, before the prospect of the idiot learning his lesson through intense pain sank in and he grinned darkly.

"Fucking deal."

Sero coughed. "Kaminari, you're an idiot and I will make sure that the eulogy for your funeral tomorrow will say so."

Uraraka regained her breath somewhat. "I don't even know what you guys are talking about and that still sounded like the worst thing you could have said."

Honestly, Uraraka wasn't sure how Kaminari had expected it to go, but about two minutes later, he'd only made it through about an eighth of the small bottle before he promptly short-circuited. The fact that Sero seemed so impressed concerned her.

Uraraka had never seen Ashido so excited as when Bakugou had sauntered over and demanded a pair of skates. Her classmates weren't exactly subtle with their staring, watching with interest as Bakugou eyed the rink warily. Several of them had gone to sit in the restaurant or play at the arcade, so the skating rink wasn't crowded, with only a little under half of their classmates actually there.

"It's all about balance." Ashido had said, stepping out onto the rink as if it was second nature. She glided over the polished wooden floor with an air of gracefulness that seemed almost uncharacteristic of her.

Even though he'd never gone skating before, it should come as no surprise at this point that Bakugou had caught on the moment he stepped out, hands stuffed in his pockets as he casually rolled around the entirety of the rink to familiarize himself with it. Meanwhile, it turns out that Kirishima had never gone skating before either, because the very second he had both feet on the rink, he went down.

Uraraka managed to find Deku, he and Todoroki stepping carefully onto the large rink while Iida was off berating Sero for letting Kaminari attempt something so life-threateningly dangerous as chugging hot sauce that even Bakugou considered hot solely because of a bet.

"Have you skated before, Deku?" Uraraka asked.

Deku chuckled. "Once or twice, but I'm not very good. Todoroki says he hasn't skated at all." he added, Todoroki nodding along.

"I've never had the opportunity, but it seems fun, so I want to try." Todoroki said sincerely, and honestly, who was Uraraka to stop him?

Uraraka, having skated a few times before, was at least able to keep her balance as she helped Deku up every time he lost his footing (which was actually a lot). She kept it to herself, but the number of times that Todoroki ended up flailing around to keep his balance was absolutely hilarious, though he never actually fell. Jirou spent all of her time teaching Yaoyorozu how to skate, while Hagakure, who was apparently also pretty good at it, tried desperately to convince Ojiro to join her. Everyone else was either eating or playing at the arcade.

It was nice, like a little pocket of time all to themselves where they could just be kids again.

"Hey, Raccoon Eyes, race me!"

The tiny bit of enthusiasm that seemed so unfamiliar with that voice pulled Uraraka's attention back to the other side of the rink. Bakugou and Ashido were side by side, Bakugou giving her a challenging grin as Ashido blinked up at him. The shocked silence was short-lived as her eyes suddenly lit up like stars. "Really!? You mean it? Oh, you are so on!"

"Five laps. Loser does the winner's chores for a week."

"Ha! Then get ready to eat my dust, Blasty!"

And like a blur, they were off, zipping around the rink at speeds that Uraraka didn't even think were human while her other classmates plastered themselves to the railings to get out of the way and watch the spectacle. Ashido's joyous laughter seemed to fill the building along with her classmates' chants and cheers as she took a sharp turn and momentarily got herself ahead of him, but Bakugou's overwhelming competitive streak had them neck and neck again within seconds.

Uraraka didn't miss the fact that Deku became invested in the race immediately, watching in awe as Ashido continuously passed Bakugou on the corners while his overall speed kept her from ever pulling ahead. Slowly, a huge smile appeared on his face.

"He never did anything like this with his lackeys back in middle school." Deku said to no one in particular, though he probably knew that Uraraka was listening. She chose not to ask about his use of the term 'lackeys'. "No one could challenge him in anything, so he never bothered."

By the fifth lap, with over half the class now watching the race, they were playing dirty, bumping into each other, shoving, and trying to trip each other up until they hit the makeshift finish line that Jirou had convinced Yaoyorozu to create for them. They sent each other crashing onto the wooden floor, Ashido laughing without even a hint of fear or pain the entire way down.

"I win!" Ashido cried.

"Fuck off! That was clearly a tie!"

"Still bragging rights for me, so ha!"

"What are you, twelve?!"

Pulling himself up, Bakugou dusted himself off and checked for any rips in his clothing before turning back to Ashido, who was doing the same. "That was a decent race, though. You're pretty fucking fast."

And for a moment, under the applause of the majority of the building's occupants, Ashido was silent. Uraraka could see the gears turning in her head as she seemed to register the implications and she dramatically gasped. "A compliment? And not back-handed? That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Blasty."

"Save it... And don't get used to it."

"Too late. So anyway, is the chore thing off, or are we gonna figure out some sort of compromise?"

"You do my laundry and I'll make your lunches."

"DEAL."

As the others went back to what they were doing before, the sound of someone clattering to the floor caught the two's attention, Kirishima giving them a thumbs up from his place on the ground. "That was awesome, you guys!"

"You okay, Kiri?" Ashido asked, suppressing a giggle.

Kirishima slowly wobbled his way to his feet, holding onto the railing for dear life with a grin still plastered on his face. "I'm fine! Don't worry about me!"

Bakugou huffed, making his way over to Kirishima as he straightened himself out. Uraraka almost felt bad that Deku had left to save Kaminari and Sero from Iida's ranting since Todoroki was just standing there staring at them instead of being helpful, because what happened next was interesting.

Without hesitation or even a complaint, Bakugou grabbed Kirishima's arms and started dragging him around the skating rink.

Kirishima had yelped in surprise, latching onto Bakugou's arms to keep himself upright while the other maneuvered himself around backward. Ashido was laughing hysterically as Kirishima seemed to do everything in his power to keep from falling and pulling Bakugou down with him.

"Lean forward and bend your knees, dammit!" Bakugou snapped, Kirishima looking up at him sheepishly. The ash blonde turned his attention back to Ashido, who had tears in her eyes from cackling. "Raccoon Eyes, come 'ere and take his other arm."

With a woot! and a quick salute, Ashido rolled right over and did as she was told. Uraraka stifled her laughter as Bakugou and Ashido began to drag a giddy Kirishima around the rink, the redhead's cheering eventually devolving into hysteric screaming as the two picked up speed. Eventually, Kirishima let go, rolling forward with his fists in the air in victory for skating on his own.

Of course, he instantly lost his balance and fell backward, reaching out and accidentally taking Ashido down with him while Bakugou barely regained his balance in time to avoid falling as well.

"Timber!" Ashido shouted as Kirishima rambled off apologies.

Bakugou pushed his hair out of his face. "Fucking hell, Weird Hair. Everybody do the fucking flop, much?"

It wasn't even that funny, but at that, they were both gone, not having the strength to get off the floor from being unable to regain their breath. Their laughter was almost louder than the blaring music, and Uraraka couldn't help but smile at their joy.

She noticed, however, that something about Bakugou's expression seemed...well, weird wasn't the right word for it. It was different, like she couldn't recognize him at first, and even when it was time to go, and everyone had gotten a chance to skate and a chance to wipe out, and they were boarding the bus and Kirishima and Ashido were both positively glowing with sunshine and happiness, Uraraka couldn't quite figure out why that was.

It was later that evening that it finally dawned on her that it was because he was smiling.