Izuku's Curiosity

Izuku Midoriya stared at his homeroom teacher with a pleading face as his fingers twisted in hope. The deadpan his teacher gave him only helped his heart plummet, but he had to remind himself that the expression was a regular occurrence for the long-haired male. "Please?"

"Hmpt, fine. Just this once. She'll be somewhere around UA doing patrols."

"Thank you, thank you!" Izuku cried, already rushing out the door to ensure he made it in time.

"Make sure you wear your hero gear! And don't leave the school perimeter!"

"Got it, Mr Aizawa!"

Estelle didn't seem impressed when Izuku showed up outside the gym with a bashful expression. His nervousness from his request to Mr Aizawa shot up again as she gazed at him with confusion. Walking up to her, he asked, a hopeful expression on his face. "Mr Aizawa said it was okay to patrol with you today! But still, I wanted to make sure you were okay with it? If not, it's okay! I'll go back!"

Estelle remained silent as she scrutinised the male in front of her. Pursing her lips, Estelle could see that the boy wanted to spend time with her for some reason. Especially since he went out of his way to join a duty that he really shouldn't be a part of. "You realise spirits could attack at any moment?"

"Yes! But there's been no attacks recently. What's the harm in joining you for one night? Plus, it would be cool to see you in action!"

Sighing, Estelle knew he was right in terms of the grounds being moderately safe. Not feeling much room to argue with that puppy-eyed look, she nodded in assent. Izuku straightened up with a shining beam that made Estelle want to look away. But, she remained stoic as Izuku practically did happy hops on his legs. It was too adorable, and Estelle had to remind herself not to smile at the action.

"You leave immediately if we see anything. Got it?" Estelle reminded seriously.

Nodding frantically in agreement, Izuku would have preferred the opportunity to help. But, the scene he had witnessed the last time they attacked and had an episode rang out in his brain. He did not want to hinder her, and he most likely will in a situation where he was helpless. It made him feel awful, but he couldn't deny it was true.

He found himself thinking all hours of the day. How he gained All For One to not be powerless anymore, to help others. Yet, he couldn't even help his fellow classmate. He knew it wasn't rational to think like that, primarily since Estelle's issues stemmed from another world entirely. He knew that yet, still had a hard time accepting it, pushing back his gut instincts to jump into the fray and help.

The frustrating part was that Estelle deserved the help; she didn't deserve to be stranded in a different world - the only one dealing with the aftermath of the war. He didn't like using the word hate, and only a few instances came into play.

But, he hated her circumstances. He hated how unfair the whole thing was. He hated how he couldn't help and how hurt she was by it all, even if she tried to hide it.

Smiling at her softly, pushing the burning disdain away. Izuku heeded behind Estelle as she flapped her wings. He followed behind her quickly as she remained close to the ground so he could remain close by. He appreciated the thoughtfulness of her actions.

Estelle was counting down the seconds before he started talking. She knew this wasn't just to see her work; she guessed he wanted to speak to her.

She was right. Izuku tried speaking to her on numerous occasions. Every time he would try to join her, Bakugo was there at her hip. He had noticed how the blonde had gotten clingier to the female. You didn't tend to see one without the other for very long.

It was endearing in some way, even slightly annoying, considering he took most of her time. But, he couldn't deny the connection brewing between the two. Estelle was practically at ease with him around.

He didn't want to seem like a stalker, but he had noticed a few instances where she did not flinch to Bakugo's touch. Granted, it happened when she was occupied with something else. But, he internally grinned at the victorious expression from the aggressive blonde. It was weird to see kaachan like that. Izuku was used to insults and anger, even though it lessened after their conversation. Seeing the peaceful expression on his face when he thought nobody was looking was still strange.

It was like he adored her yet did his best to hide it. Izuku knew it was most likely in fear of Estelle's reaction considering her anxiety about letting others get close to her. But it took the whole class back to see how much he did for her daily. Estelle didn't seem to notice it, but Bakugo was attentive to another level.

Whenever she flinched, his eyes would immediately scan the room to see if he could somehow find the cause. His eyes narrowed, looking over every nook and cranny for something out of place, and then he would ease when she returned to normal pretty quickly. Other times, he had seen Bakugo whisper into her ear, and Izuku's curiosity would skyrocket because whatever he said would work perfectly in bringing her back to the present. Estelle would simply give him a small smile in thanks before continuing like nothing ever happened.

He would ensure she ate; he never allowed her to skip a meal. He would spend practically every night with her, not even realising or caring that the whole class knew they were together past curfew. He opened doors for her and even pulled out her chair whenever she sat down for dinner at the table.

He valued her. Even if he didn't do those things, the look in his eyes couldn't be hidden even if he tried. It made everyone who watched him melt a little because it looked like it came right out of a movie. And it was on Bakugo's face, which was a little strange. But, Izuku also knew Estelle was better at hiding it than Bakugo was.

Whenever he got furious, Estelle would do one of two things. She would shrug and let him be, eyes twinkling in humour as she watched Bakugo blow up, or she would rest her hand against his shoulder, give a soft squeeze, and it was like every muscle in Bakugo's body would loosen from the action. Seeing the blonde try to remain angry was funny, but he would eventually give up with an annoyed pout, which only broadened the girl's smile.

She would encourage him and his belief in being number one. He could tell it meant a lot to his childhood friend to see someone on his side that pushed him to do better. The other day, Bakugo had asked Estelle what she thought about his training regimen, and she was candid. Izuku had flinched at that moment, expecting for spitting rage to leave his lips from the blunt truth Estelle had given to some parts of his training schedule.

Yet, Bakugo did none of that.

He nodded thoughtfully, eyebrows drawn and pursed lips and simply asked what he needed to change. Estelle merely grabbed a pen, made alterations and handed it back without a word, and Bakugo thanked her. When did he ever do that?!

Okay, so maybe he was stalking them a little.

Shaking his thoughts away, Izuku realised he had gotten lost in his head again. Bending his head towards Estelle, he was glad he finally managed to get the time to talk to her.

"Are you going to stare at me or talk about what made you want to come?"

"Wahhh! I'm sorry! I didn't realise I was-"

Chuckling, Estelle responded, "it's fine, Izuku. I was only teasing; I know how you like to talk to yourself."

"Huh? How did you know that?!"

"Because sometimes you make hand gestures like your having a conversation with someone, but your mouth isn't moving, and you're alone! It's kinda amusing."

"Wahh! Really?! I'm so embarrassed!" Izuku cried out, his face red as he thought about sticking his head in the mud.

Laughing loudly at his reaction, Estelle gave Izuku a wide grin before snuffing it out, so it didn't linger. The expression made Izuku think twice about his embarrassment; maybe it wasn't so bad if it brought some joy to her. As odd as it was.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask how you were?" The green-suited male questioned, finally getting to the crux of why he wanted to join her.

"Huh? Why?" Estelle responded with furrowed brows.

"I dunno. With everything happening with you, I just wanted to check in and spend some time with you."

Her wings faltered by his answer, her dumbstruck expression whirling to him in astonishment. He wondered if maybe it was because nobody ever asked her, but he pushed that train of thought away before his bitterness came back. "I...am doing okay. Thank you."

Feeling the meaningful tone behind her voice, Izuku's heart turned to butter as he observed her. Curling his head away, he started to speak the thoughts that remained with him ever since Kamino Ward.

"You know. When we met Kota at his secret hideout. I couldn't help but notice the similarities between us. Yet, so many differences. I tried so hard to have power so I could step up to the plate and become a hero for others. How I desperately tried over and over to have a quirk before All Might gifted me his power."

"Yet, I tried so hard to do the opposite," Estelle answered, a sombre expression on her face as she zoomed through the trees.

"You did?" Izuku questioned with a brow raised. He had assumed that was the case, but this was the first time she had confirmed it out loud.

"Yeah. I desperately hoped my powers would disappear. I wished I would wake up without my elemental abilities and the world's burden on my shoulders. I hated it and despised my abilities to an abnormal extent. So much that my powers lashed out unintentionally when I was younger. I couldn't cope with it.

It was only when I realised it wasn't going anywhere that I was forced to accept my place. I had met Kiko and Emelia at this point. They had shown me there was good in the world, no matter how minuscule. So, I found something to fight for, to keep me going through that terrible war."

"I debated giving up when All Might originally told me that I would never be a hero," Izuku reacted, his gaze unwavering from the trees. He immediately knew his words had caught her attention since she whipped her head back to him with disbelieving eyes. "Kaachan was attacked a few hours later. And my feet moved before I could think, so I jumped into the fight without a quirk and failed miserably at saving him. When walking back home, I was fighting with myself about Whether I could do it or not as a quirkless boy. But, before I could give up, All Might offered me his power.

"I'd like to think I wouldn't have given up without him. But, I know that I would have failed the entrance exam otherwise, and I would not have become a hero. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but that's why I want to put everything I am into ensuring I exceed. To make sure he was right to believe in me."

"That's beautiful...thank you for telling me," Estelle whispered, her eyes focused on the teen next to her with newfound respect.

"The point is that sometimes we desperately want what we can't have. Even though you wanted nothing to do with your power, you put yourself to the side for the sake of others. You continue to do it to this day, and I admire you for it. You inspire me. But I can't wrap my head around why you don't call yourself a hero."

There it was, his burning question.

It was silent as Estelle contemplated her answer. Izuku knew she was just thinking and remained silent as he waited for the answer to the question that had been ingrained into his head for so long. "I thought it would have been easy to guess. But, what kind of hero would allow her comrades to give their lives for hers? Albeit temporary."

"One that doesn't have a choice," Izuku was quick to reply, his expression more serious than Estelle had ever seen it.

"Maybe you're right. Nevertheless, I don't deserve the title. If I were a true hero, I would have figured out a way around it. Something to prevent so many lives from reforming. I caused them pain, and I feel remorse for that."

"You can be remorseful but acknowledge it was done so they could live the rest of their spiritual lives in peace, no? I'm sure they would tell you that was a fair trade."

"Still, I am undeserving of the title. If I was a hero, Kiko would have lived. Keres would have lived."

"Keres?"

"He was another Cambion," Estelle replied somberly, eyes unfocused as she stared through the moving trees.

"Kaachan told you before, even if a hero couldn't save a life. It doesn't stop them from being heroes because they keep trying for the sake of others, just like you're doing now."

"I'd like to think that."

"So if I fail to save a civilian, is it my fault? Am I no longer a hero?" Izuku questioned with his voice stern and on the verge of desperation as he tried to make her understand her warped thinking.

Whipping her head back with wide eyes, Estelle opened her mouth to argue. Coming to a psychical stop, Estelle had no idea what the answer was. Downtruning her lips, Estelle knew she was being hypocritical with her words, and she didn't want to admit it out loud, but he had somehow cornered her. Cursing lightly, she wished she had some earphones to block out the sounds of the quaking head that Izuku had caused.

"It doesn't, isn't that right?" Izuku asked knowingly.

"Maybe not for you guys," The otherworldly female argued back weakly. She avoided looking at him, knowing she didn't have anything to counter him with, and the knowledge only frustrated her further.

Laughing, Izuku had a wry smile as he noted the hypocrisy. He knew Estelle was well aware of the point he was trying to make, and clearly, it hit home by the frazzled expression on her face. He felt slightly proud he managed to get her to question herself about her rulings on what a hero should be. He let the silence linger, wanting his words to settle into her mind before continuing. It was vital for her to recognise how she viewed herself because Estelle may have had to do things she would not have liked to protect her world, but she still saved it. She was a hero, and he wanted her to see herself as one because, in all honesty, it was like she viewed herself as a villain, which pained him.

It was different from the usual silence, and Estelle could not remove the uncomfortableness of his final words. Growling, Estelle hated the fact she was not enjoying it as she would typically have. "I know what you're trying to say, but I can't seem to attach myself to the word. Not when I feel like I haven't earned it."

Feeling a pang and a sliver of annoyance, Izuku nodded in understanding. He had no idea what else she would have to do to earn the title when she had already saved millions, but he didn't voice his thoughts.

"Just consider it. I think you're setting yourself up to fail by adding unrealistic expectations. You are regarded as a hero, so maybe ask why that is, even after everything."

"Okay, I will."

Bakugo was at the door when the duo returned; his eyes narrowed at the sight of them together with unease. Freezing from the expression on the blonde's face, Estelle suddenly felt a low panic as she tried to open her mouth to rectify the situation. It felt like the Shinsou situation, and Estelle's heart couldn't take another argument right now.

"Eeek! I'll see you guys later!" Izuku yelled, already at the stairs. Widening her eyes from surprise, Estelle whipped her head to the stairs before dropping it in disbelief. The female thought about thumping the green-haired male over the head for leaving her like that.

"Unbelievable," She muttered with irritation.

Surprisingly, the annoyance on Bakugo's face disappeared as soon as Izuku left. Raising her brows in alarm, Bakugo let out a slow smirk as he leaned on one leg, his hands in his pockets. "Tch, I'm not mad."

"Huh?" Estelle questioned, surprised by the change of development. Her eyes scanned him as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it was pleasant when it seemed he genuinely wasn't bothered.

Smirking still, Bakugo replied, "Why would I be when I'm the one which holds most of your time?"

His words seemed to flow through her body, leaving her to immediately flush bright pink as she tried to sputter through a witty response. Estelle could only manage a "You wish" before shaking her head to return to reality.

"Why are you denying it, sweetheart?" The blonde eagerly voiced, stepping forward so he was inches away from her face to take in her appearance. The scan through her features made her body tense, and she immediately took steps back to regain her breathing.

Once the words registered in Estelle's brain, she whirled her head back and forth to ensure nobody else was around. Still pink, Estelle was perplexed at the audacity of his openness. "What are you doing?! Somebody could hear!"

Estelle barely had time to recover from his last words before giving another. "Why does it matter, hm? You seem to like the little nicknames I give you."

Moving backwards as he continued to get closer, Estelle cursed the wall behind her when it prevented her from moving any further. Shaking her head adamantly, Estelle felt tongue-tied as she stated. "I tolerate them."

"Then why are you so red, cupcake?"

"Ruby!" The otherworldy female barked, eyes wide as the blonde raised his hand to rest on the wall next to her head. His body leaned forward, his head close to her ear as he crooned so profoundly that it tightened the core of her stomach.

"If I'm ruby, then you're my diamond."

"I..."

"Tell me", Bakugo whispered, so utterly close that Estelle could tell he was wearing a different scent. The hot breath tickling her ear only succeeded in continuing the coil in her body, and the heartbeat now rang through her ears. It was too hot, and the broad smirk on his face wasn't helping. 'Why is he so damn handsome?'

She needed something, anything, to distract her from what was happening. And so, when Bakugo finally continued, Estelle felt like she was ready to burst. "Why do you call me Ruby?"

Estelle clamoured, unable to handle the strange crashing waves her body was experiencing, "Because of your eyes!"

Dialling back in stupefaction, Bakugo's mouth opened slightly with a stuttered breath. His hand, which had rested against the wall, landed on her face as he pulled her chin up, so she looked directly at him. The tiny gap between them swiftly closed as he rested his chest against hers, and Estelle could have gasped from the gravel in his tone as he demanded, "What?"

Her mouth rambled, hoping to remove the strange sensations her body was experiencing, and she winced when she realised what her words were saying. "Your eyes were like the rubies I would find back home. They always stood out to me, and I was once told that they represented courage, passion and power, all the things that remind me of you."

And love, but Estelle bit that back for some reason.

Utterly stunned, Bakugo's cheeks flushed bright red. His heart leapt to the skies from such considerate words. He hadn't expected such a background on his nickname, and the fact she had chosen so thoughtfully made his heart flip. Suddenly frozen as his mind raced, Bakugo realised she had never given another person a nickname besides Kota. Grinning, the blonde couldn't hold back the tremors of his heart as he leapt forward.

Estelle's brain didn't seem to be working.

The female stared forward in confusion for a few moments before her brain finally computed what he was doing. The multiple warm intervals on her forehead caused her knees to weaken, and she raised her arms to his chest to brace herself as she squirmed.

He was kissing her forehead. And he wasn't stopping.

Placing multiple pecks on her temple, Bakugo revelled at the moment as he cooed at the embarrassed expression on her face. She remained in his arms, squirming like she was trying to get out of his hold yet flushing pinker with every peck that landed. "You. Adorable. Little. Thing," He muttered between more kisses, leaving the girl feeling more tongue-tied than before.

"Ruby," Estelle practically whined as she clutched onto him tighter, "That feels weird."

"Good weird, or bad?" He asked, still remaining firm in his actions. His eyes remained on her between each one as if gauging her reaction, and they only seemed to warm more the longer he continued.

"I don't know!"

"Well, if you like it, then shut up and let me do it."

Bewildered, Estelle lost her function to speak and remained in her state of confusion as she tried to understand the flurry her body was in. It was like every press of his lips landed right onto her heart and throat, and it was entirely new and enticing. Finally, he seemed to break away with furrowed brows as a thought came to him. "You don't call me Katsuki; why?"

"You never said I could. Plus, I already have a name for you," Estelle whispered, still moving in his arms as her brain continued to stutter.

Moving back to land another kiss, he muttered, "Well, you can if you want, but for the most part, Ruby is fine."

Curious now that he had brought up the topic of nicknames, Estelle peered up at him, her eyes moving back and forth as he continued to sway between kisses. Widening her eyes with innocent curiosity, she asked, "Why Lioness?"

Removing his lips from her head, He scoffed, "Tch, do you remember when Shinsou came into the class before the sports festival?"

Surprised by the callback, Estelle remembered how he had chased her afterwards and called her Lioness for the first time. "Yes?"

"That annoying brat called you kitten, and when I heard it, I couldn't help but think it was wrong. You weren't a kitten; you were a goddamn lion. A lioness. Fearsome, strong and confident."

Estelle couldn't get any pinker, but the meaning behind the name landed directly onto her soul like a balm. Letting out a grin, Estelle gazed up at Katsuki in such a way that made his breath stutter. The fact he had barely known her yet thought so highly of her to call her a predator was warming. The admiration could be heard in his tone, and the distaste was noticeable when he said Shinsou's nickname.

Deciding that it was her turn, Estelle lept onto her tiptoes to reach the top of Bakugo's head. Letting one soft tiny kiss on his temple, she leaned back to witness the shiver that raked through his body. The heat of his eyes seemed to convey the emotions he was experiencing, and the smile on his face was pure, ecstatic even as he observed her.

Estelle couldn't find it within herself to even care that she was going against herself, the moment too treasured to impact her thoughts. He looked beautiful, standing in front of her with red cheeks, eyes that scoured every inch of her face, and a smile that seemed to light up their bubble. It was everything.

She didn't know what this was, and right now, she couldn't care less. Right now, she just wanted to stay there and bask in the sun that was Katsuki Bakugo.