A Loss

The class looked up with broad smiles once they heard the entryway door closing. They knew Estelle was due back from her mission and were prepared to greet her weary expression with cheerful faces. They knew that sometimes it was just what she needed after a long day, and they could tell it helped when she returned with an exhausted smile of her own.

Ever since they had asked her to keep them updated on her missions, it became easier for them to understand precisely why Estelle returned to them the way she did. Her days were long compared to theirs, and even though they worked hard on their studies, she always seemed to have a list of activities she had fulfilled that day.

The majority of the time, she was partaking in rescue missions. There was nearly always a fight during them, but they had noticed she was always happier when the rare occurrence happened, and she managed to stealth her way through. Other times, she was fighting off random attacks the dark spirits had begun, but luckily, the wide-scale ones hadn't started. It only scratched the surface of what she seemed to be doing day by day, but the fact Estelle no longer responded so bluntly when they asked about her day was a win.

A win they were happy about because when did Estelle not have to talk about it in a way that focused on her rather than the logistics she would report every day? It was unlikely that she would talk about how annoying a mission was to her comrades or Mr Aizawa, and the room to vent seemed to positively affect her.

It wasn't like they weren't interested, though; they couldn't deny that they enjoyed hearing about her endeavours. Sometimes it felt like she was reading out of a storybook because they weren't used to hearing about trolls, gnomes and werewolves; it was just so out of the ordinary.

She had missed lunch, so they had an idea that it must have been a difficult day since she didn't make it back. It was always a given that Estelle tried her best to make her meals. Otherwise, she would have to suffer the blonde tearing her a new one. It was an amusing picture, but one that Estelle seemed to dislike.

Their smiles immediately downturned when they realised that Estelle hadn't even looked towards them when she entered; instead, she immediately headed for the stairs, her expression blank as she made her way up. Turning to each other in question, the class could only stress as they debated what action to take.

It was a new one, an unexplored situation they had never experienced before. The students all had gotten so good at gauging how to react. As blank as she tried to be, there were always hints within her body language for when she wanted to be left alone, encouraged, or simply be around someone with quiet in the air.

Even her clothes indicated it. Pyjamas were her best friend. It became a silent communication to the whole class that she was tired, no matter how frequent it was.

The dining room door slid open before Katsuki stepped out with furrowed brows. Flummoxed by the expressions on his classmate's faces, he scanned the room to find the female but only found an empty space in front of him. "I heard the door; where is she?" He stated, his voice more severe than they were used to.

Izuku spoke up, his voice unsure as he answered, "Well, she's here. But she ignored us and went upstairs?"

"Tch, I'll set her straight," Katsuki replied, removing his apron and throwing it over the couch's armrest before heading towards the stairs.

"Uh. Bakubro, you didn't see her face. Maybe you should leave her for a bit?" Kirishima inputted, his voice wary as he watched his friend ignore him and keep walking.

Katsuki was internally furious that she had left out another meal. The number of times he had scolded her, wanting her to pay attention to her own damn health, was beside him. Yet, she didn't even notify him that she was not coming, leaving him to sit with her plate for over an hour before angrily dumping it in the bin.

He just wanted her to pay attention to herself. God, he just wanted her to be taken care of. Out of all her sacrifices, her health didn't need to be one of them. Sometimes, he felt like holding her hostage for a few days so his words would finally get through; he just wanted her to try. Why was that so hard sometimes?

Stomping up the stairs, the blonde only continued to get more riled for his subsequent scolding. The energy ramping up within his palms, the more his thoughts spiralled as he imagined the tongue lashing he was preparing to give. Making his way to her bedroom door, he didn't wait a second before slamming the door open.

But was immediately stopped in his tracks.

"What the hell are you doing?" He uttered, his mouth moving slow.

Now out of her hero equipment, Estelle was standing in the middle of the room. Estelle was in her training gear, holding a glove in her mouth as her hands worked to wrap her free hand. Decked out in black, Estelle paid no attention to him as she frantically put on the other glove.

Her movements were clumsier than usual, her brows furrowed as she acted as if nobody else was in the room. Her jerky movements immediately put him on edge, his shoulders rising to match her standoffish aura that flooded the room. The energy within him that was stunted from the surprise of seeing her this way returned tenfold as he growled, his fingers clenching in agitation.

Once the silence lingered longer than it should have, Katsuki couldn't hold himself back as his feet slammed against the floorboards with each step. His lips tilted up in a snarl, his throat almost too tight for the words to come out clearly. "I said. What the hell are you doing?!"

Estelle's eyes remained blank, her only focus seemingly on her gloves as she disregarded everything around her, including him, which stung more than he cared to admit. Feeling the crackle and pop of his quirk, the blonde's eyes lit ablaze from her lack of reaction, the very definition of explosion rippling through his veins. "Estelle! Talk to me, dammit! You miss lunch, and now-!"

Halting as soon as her dark eyes met his, Katsuki felt his breath leave him as the cold sunk into his bones. It sparked some deep part of him, which warned him to back away and not poke the bear any longer. But, his mind and heart refused to listen, his eyes meeting hers stubbornly as his jaw locked.

He knew it was just another tactic to get him to leave, and even though the expression signalled warning bells, he had already promised himself that nothing she could do would make that come to fruition. They were both stubborn mules, but Katsuki found his obstinacy ran just a little deeper than hers, which meant she would never win. He would never say it out loud, though, because he knew Estelle was the type to push her stubbornness even further just to keep her pride.

"Shut up," Estelle hissed back, her hands gloved up as she sternly glared at the male in front of her. "I don't need a hissy-fit right now. I need to go."

Still frozen as his eyes fell into hers, Katsuki felt like the emotion flourishing within her eyes had finally begun to hit his brain with recognition.

Pain.

A deep ache within her eyes that he could not help but mirror internally, exhaustion so profound that it felt like if she closed her eyes, she would never open them again. Such sorrow, he had to wonder if she even allowed herself to shed a tear over it.

Closing his eyes momentarily as if to shield himself from those eyes, Katsuki took a deep breath as the righteous rage within him fizzled as if it had never existed. Bracing himself as he opened his eyes again, the blonde scanned her thoroughly, hoping he could find a hint of where this was coming from. When it failed, he could only grit his teeth to manage the discomfort within his heart.

Estelle relaxed slightly as if she was satisfied she had gotten through to him. Rigidly turning around to leave the room, his arm met her shoulder briefly as he spoke up again, his voice raspy but determined that he would follow. "I'm coming with you."

Frustrated he hadn't even listened to her, Estelle's hand tightened into a fist as she fought back her instincts of snapping at him. She knew she would regret the words she would spit in her turmoil, but boy, he wasn't making it easy.

Her agitation only grew as her mind lingered on the fact that she still hadn't left, and it was pointless staying to argue with a boy who refused to leave her during times like this. Estelle knew she needed to go now. There wasn't a second to waste; otherwise, she didn't know what would happen.

Snarling, Estelle spit, "Fine, whatever. I'm not waiting for you, though."

Dazed slightly at the fact she had agreed, Katsuki followed behind quickly as she began to make her way out of the room and down the steps with such speed it was staggering. He refused to lose sight of her, his eyes locked to the back of her head whilst the duo rushed to the exit.

The students were still lingering in the living room as if they were waiting for the pair to return with a statement that everything was fine. As their heads followed Estelle and Katsuki walking towards the door, their faces dropped when they realised it was only a wishful hope. Shooting them a warning look, Katsuki didn't even have the time to check and see if they had understood the message.

'Fill up your own plates, and stay out of it.'

Estelle's steps were filled with purpose, her legs moving towards the gym as if the ground was lava. Her hand pushed the door open quickly, not holding the door ajar for him like she usually did and instead heading directly to the left side of the room.

Katsuki slowed his pace, not uttering a word as he observed Estelle headed straight to the section filled with boxing bags. By the time the door closed behind him, the otherworldly female had already thrown the first punch, a loud smack ringing out in the room like a siren.

Once he reached the wall, a few metres away from the warlike female, he leaned back, his hands in his pockets, as he took the time to analyse her. He monitored as she threw punch after punch, more belligerent as the minutes droned on, but he never even thought about leaving.

The sound almost became a rhythm in his mind, a never-ending song of pent-up emotions Estelle seemed to be attempting to release. Only when heavy breathing joined the melody did the blonde realise she hadn't stopped for a breath. Feeling concern rise within him as her hits only grew harder, Katsuki internally jolted when the bag in front of her exploded in front of their very eyes.

Finally heaving for air, Katsuki surveyed Estelle with wide eyes as she hunched over to place her hands on her knees. She seemed to have forgotten that Katsuki was even in the room anymore as ire grew in her expression. A snarl expanded on her face, her eyes trailing towards the bags on the floor as she furiously hissed, "You god damn idiot!"

Taking a few steps to grab a bag from the ground, Estelle quickly hooked it onto the handle before continuing her plethora of punches as if she had never stopped. "Twenty-three! You failed them! You fucking failure!"

Punch. Punch. Punch.

"You beat Aite! For what?! For twenty-three to perish in front of you! Too god-damn slow!"

Punch. Punch. Punch.

"You should have known it was a trap. What the hell were you thinking?!"

Punch. Punch. Explosion. Stomp. Stomp. Another bag.

"So. Fuckin. Stupid!"

"Stop," Katsuki could only murmur, his arms folded as he tried to internalise what she was honestly saying. He tried to stay quiet as long as he could, but every word she directed towards herself seemed to be a knife to his heart. He hated it, every self-loathing snarl, every self-deprecating word that only seemed to worsen her own mental state. She was wallowing, wrongfully directing her anger onto herself when it was never her fault.

It was clearly Nyx's fault, the bastard.

Yet, it struck him that she wasn't punching the bag out of fury for the atrocity he had committed. Estelle was blaming herself for someone else's actions, and even though she tasked herself with saving them, it still wasn't her fault.

She never called herself a hero but practically held herself to the standards of one. Wouldn't a non-hero shrug and state that it wasn't their job to save lives? He had an inkling that the guilt of failure pushed her away from the title. But with the amount she had to do in her past, there were bound to be failures. Estelle wasn't a god or a saviour, but she was still a good fucking person, a person who made mistakes.

"You have handled worse than this. So. Pull. Yourself. Together. Bitch!" She continued, her shrill voice indicating that she hadn't heard him. Her words only seemed to be fuelling the hole inside her, the spiral evident as her fury increased.

His eyes filled with a seething rage, disgust from the words she was calling herself, filling his core. He would not stand by and listen to her demean herself, especially when it was uncalled for. Unable to continue his speechlessness, he roared, "Estelle, fucking stop it!"

Heaving, Estelle leaned over to breathe again, her hand rubbing her nose only to find the stench of blood. Scowling, she shook her head as she moved to get another bag; unfortunately, somebody was stopping her.

"Katsuki, move."

"No."

"Please, move," She begged, her voice more tired as she stared him down.

"You're bleeding."

"I don't care. Move!" She snapped back. Her mind couldn't fathom why he was stopping her; wasn't this better than taking it out on her classmates?! What did he want from her?!

"You stubborn woman! Shut up for a second!" He exclaimed so loudly that it echoed around the room for a moment.

Silent, Estelle watched as the blonde upheaved for air before shaking his head. "This shitty bag won't do the job. Fight me."

"What?!" Estelle questioned, taking a step back in disbelief.

"You deaf?! I said fight me! Think of it as giving me more training!" He barked, annoyed that she didn't just agree to it.

Silent, Estelle wasn't in the right state of mind to question it, her only thoughts lingering on the need to get everything out of her system. To get the outrage, wrath and pain out of her mind. Shaking her head, she muttered, "You asked for it."

Standing toe to toe, Estelle barely gave him a moment of reprieve as she threw him onto the floor. Her mind seemed laser-focused and aggressive as she pushed her body to fight without her abilities. The blonde never gave up, his explosions filling the room with smoke as they battled back and forth with such intensity that the floor rumbled.

Katsuki couldn't lie. He was getting his ass whooped.

As he used every ounce of his strength to fight, the blonde grinned victoriously as he noticed that Estelle had stopped criticising herself. Her mind was too focused on him and his moves that she failed to realise she had stopped thinking about the event earlier today. Though her fury and rage still flowed through every inch of her body, it was progress, and Katsuki would take what he could get.

Grinning once he hit the wall, Katsuki growled out loudly, "Again!"

Ass against the floor, he never stopped his pursuit as he shouted, "Again, sweetheart!"

Flipped onto his back, he shouted, "Again!"

Punched in the gut, "C'mon, baby, you can hit harder than that! Again!"

He was tiring, but he didn't let up as he forced his legs to stand back up. He could feel Estelle's punches lightening, and every time he stood, the despair in Estelle's eyes lessened. Though he was feeling hurt beginning to simmer through his body, he couldn't stop his pursuit; he wanted, no, needed to see those eyes spark again.

Standing back up, he spoke, "Again."

"That's it! My Fearsome Lioness! Again!"

"Again."

Coughing on his own spit, he grunted, "Again."

He was quickly placed back onto the ground, and the blonde realised he was losing steam. Shockingly, he stood up, his legs beginning to tremble, but his ever-remaining grin stayed on his face as he tiredly muttered, "Again."

Moving into another attack, Estelle halted centimetres before her fist connected. Her eyes could not stray from the trickle of blood that slipped past his nose. Freezing as her blood turned frigid, Estelle suddenly felt ice flood her veins as her breath stilled in her lungs. It was as if everything had paused for a moment and then resumed once the realisation hit her brain.

Rushing forward, Estelle cried, horror lining her face, "Why the hell didn't you tell me to stop!"

Huffing out a ragged breath, Katsuki couldn't stop his body from using her as a crutch, his legs suddenly feeling like jelly as the adrenaline left his system. Huffing and puffing, the blonde brokenly answered, "Because you needed me."

Estelle's mind racked with guilt as she gripped him tightly, her voice wavering as she yelled, "You idiot! You always tell me my health is number one! Look at you! Taking a beating from me!"

"I'd let you beat me up any day so long as you don't call yourself those disgusting words again," Katsuki muttered back seriously as Estelle led him down to the ground.

Feeling an arrow of emotions pierce her heart, Estelle didn't respond as she waved her hand in the air to retrieve water from the fountain in the corner of the room. Forcing him to lie on her legs, Estelle allowed the green rush of healing to flow through her hand as she covered every ounce of his body.

"Estelle. I'm fine," He assured, eyelids lowered in exhaustion.

"Shut up. Look what I did to you," Estelle whispered, her face twisting in contempt for herself.

She hadn't had a good day, to say the least, but it wasn't fair of her to take it out on the one person who went above and beyond for her daily. Estelle already caused havoc, and she could only blame herself for putting him in a position where he felt he needed to become her damn punching bag.

"I signed up for every minute of it. Relax, sweetheart," He sighed back, waving it off.

"I'm sorry. I should've managed my anger-"

"Look who you're talking to", The blonde interrupted tiredly. "I know more than most that you need to let it out. You feeling better now, cupcake?"

"I- yeah," Estelle muttered back finally, wanting to argue further but knowing now wasn't the time and that the blonde wouldn't accept her words.

"Then that's all that matters," He returned simply.

"Katsuki..." Estelle strangled out, her mind unable to fathom how he would say such a thing. How was he so good? Estelle sometimes wished others could see how Katsuki was underneath the rough exterior because it was beautiful. Seeing how others overlooked him because of his personality was frustrating, but moments like these shined the brightest for Estelle because this was Katsuki.

"Shh, just hug me, alright?" He groaned, not wanting to stay on the topic any longer and feeling the need for affection after his beat down. Raising his arms up expectantly, he made a noise of surprise once Estelle lunged into his arms.

Wincing as Estelle covered his body with her own, Katsuki noticed that her hands never stopped healing him, the green glow shining around them as they embraced. They remained like that for a while, his strength returning with ease from her power. Now that he didn't feel like a dead log, he returned the hug with the same urgency. Holding onto her tightly, the pressure within his heart began to ease as he felt her tremble under his arms.

Stroking her hair lightly, he stated aggressively, "You told me before that loss is just a part of the war. It's not your fault, and I doubt that they blame you. You've sacrificed everything for them, and you keep going despite it. What matters is what you do afterwards. So, mourn them, know that they will reform, and keep going. Got it?!"

"Yeah."

"I wanna hear you say it, My Fearsome Lioness."

"Mourn them; know they will reform and keep going," She repeated back, her voice steadier than before.

"Atta girl", He proudly answered, his lips landing on her head as he soothed her. "Now come on, let's get you to bed and healed, and I'll bring up some food. You must be starving."

"I...thank you," Estelle whispered, gripping his sweaty shirt as she breathed him in.

Feeling as if she was thanking him for more than today, Katsuki placed a hand on her cheek and another light kiss against her forehead. "I'll always be there for ya. Even when you're being annoying. You got me?!"

"I got you, Ruby."

This time Estelle entered Heights Alliance, she acknowledged the nervous students around the living room. "Hey, guys," She stated awkwardly, her hand raising slightly before it flopped back to her side.

"Hey, you okay?!" Various classmates asked worriedly, their eyes scanning the fatigued students with trepidation.

Shrugging, Estelle assured them, "Yeah, sorry about earlier. I needed to blow off some steam."

"That's an understatement," Katsuki interrupted before placing a scolding look on his face, "Now get into bed, and start healing yourself. I'm gonna heat the food."

"Wait! Estelle! Did you see the news?!" Sero spoke, an eager look on his face as he stopped the pair from leaving.

Freezing in slight horror, Estelle wondered if the details of her mission had somehow been released to the press. Turning around slowly, Estelle's face was solemn as she met them, her heart on the floor as she waited for the answer. Katsuki followed suit, his eyes remaining on hers as he internally yelled at his classmates to not make everything worse after she had finally calmed.

Noticing their reactions, the class quickly put their minds at ease. Kirishima waved his hands quickly, his words melding together as he said, "No, no! Nothing bad! Look, someone shared photos of you playing with school kids on a playground!"

Widening her eyes, Estelle whirled her head to the television as photos of her surrounded by kids were shown on the screen. It was when she returned from Nabu Island and saved school kids from a spirit attack. She had met a girl, what was her name? Emily?

Pressing play, Estelle was quiet as she listened to the news reporter. Stunned, she realised that the reporters had gone to the school in question to interview the students.

"So, you met The Guardian! Tell us, what was she like!?"

The boy gazed up as he leaned towards the microphone, a big grin on his face that showed a few missing teeth, "She's amazing! We were scared when the monster showed up! But then The Guardian swooped in and saved us! She was so nice that she stayed with us and played some catch!"

The video switched to the young girl Estelle had spoken to that day, her name Emily written at the bottom. "She was powerful! I told her I wanted to be a great hero like her one day, and she said I was strong enough to do whatever I wanted! I promised that I would make her proud!"

Another kid, "She wouldn't let us touch her sword, but she showed us, and it was really shiny! She said not to worry because monsters would be terrified of my throwing skills!"

"She promised she would keep us safe!"

"She gave us all high-fives and hugs before she left!"

"She's our hero!"

"We're rooting for you!"

"You are not just The Guardian; you are Our Guardian!"

"The people who say she's bad are doo-doo heads! She's good like Snow White!"

"Well, there you have it, folks! Our interviews with the children that got the delight of spending some time with The Guardian! It's not the only time she has done this too, but it seems the otherworldly female likes to keep her good deeds quiet! Not under our watch! Japan News will always bring exclusive content right to your television! Just before we head into the break, here is one last exclusive picture from her visit!"

Wide-eyed, Estelle and the class observed as the final picture flickered to the screen. The photo was one that Estelle felt the need to cherish. She stood in the sea of children, all crowding around her with arms raised in their group hug. Standing higher than the rest, it was clear that Estelle was laughing, with a wide grin on her face as a child tried to climb up her leg.

The screen paused again, and the students quickly turned their heads to the duo standing close to the exit. Grinning widely, they couldn't help but feel satisfied by the stunned yet touched expression on Estelle's face.

She appeared to still be registering the words she had just heard, a stumble in her step before her hand held onto the doorway with dear life. Staring at the ground, her hair covered her face as she shielded herself from everyone's view.

Those kids, she hadn't expected anything from them. She was just doing what she felt like, yet she had had such a massive impact on their lives that they had agreed to do an interview. They praised her, called her good, and called her a hero.

Yet, she felt anything but.

Even though a tragedy occurred just hours ago, Estelle bowled over as a whimper left her lips. She couldn't describe it; it was as if those kids had just nested a home in her heart, a soothing balm to the treacherous pain she had been dealing with.

She never got everything right, but she must have done this right to have been called such things.

Even though she had failed her comrades today, this was something to remember. Estelle ingrained it into her mind that no matter what happened or how many times she made a mistake, she would keep trying. For all the kids, Kota and Eri, her classmates, and the innocent people worldwide. They believed in her, trusted her, rooted for her, and she would not fail them.

Sitting straight, the class rose slightly in confusion and concern, wondering if they had done wrong by showing her the footage. They wanted her to see the good she did because Estelle only registered the bad. It wasn't healthy, so her being forced to know some truth, they hoped it would help her see it.

Katsuki was the one to raise his hands to stop them and shake his head, having a little idea of what was running through her head. She needed patience, but he was internally relieved for her to see this, especially when she was in a dark place like today.

Taking deep breaths to calm her emotions, Estelle slowly rose, a smile reflecting many things at once. She didn't have to voice the fact it had resonated with her, her glossy eyes doing all the work she needed to.

The class responded with one of their own, one of understanding and care, as they sat in silence.

"Thank you," She murmured, her voice gritty from the tightness in her throat. She couldn't bring herself to say everything, but she hoped they would be able to see that what they had shown her was a gift that she wouldn't forget.

Feeling the genuine softness within her tone, the class warmed; slow heat of fulfilment sat inside them as they gazed back at the vulnerable female.

A hand landed on her head, and Estelle was slow to turn her head to look up at Katsuki, who mirrored her expression. His voice was low as he murmured, "Go on up; you're still hurt. I'll be there in a few minutes."

As she nodded, gave one last smile to the class and headed her way up, Katsuki looked towards the rest of his classmates, who were silently squealing to themselves. Their hands held up tightly as they tried to rid their emotions without letting a noise slip. Smirking, he noted that Iida was shaking Izuku frantically like he didn't know what to do with himself.

Letting a grin slip, their excitement slipping into his bones, Katsuki shook his head fondly before making his way to the kitchen.

"Kaachan, what happened?" Izuku abruptly questioned, his face scrunched up as he expected to be yelled at.

Surprisingly, the blonde was stable as he answered, "A mission went horrible, but you chumps seemed to have chosen the right time to show her that. It's been recorded for weeks."

"Duh! We knew she would need to hear it at some point!" Toru squealed now that the coast was clear.

"Looks like you all aren't as idiotic as I thought," Katsuki snarked.

"Hey!"

"To be fair, I'm surprised she hasn't seen it already. It was trending for days," Kaminari added, not noticing the looks he was getting from those around him.

"She doesn't have social media, Dunce Face," He growled, already wishing he had taken his previous comment back. He didn't allow himself to hear his retort as he stalked into the kitchen.

Making his way upstairs, Katsuki wasted no time slamming the door open with his foot, his eyes automatically drawn to her lying back on the bed. Sitting his ass down, the blonde placed the tray between them, his hand moving to take a spoon.

Furrowing her brows at the two meals, Estelle opened her mouth for the food before questioning with a swallow. "You haven't eaten?"

"Tch, I'll eat once I've fed you. How're your arms?" He asked.

"It's fine; it didn't take long to heal," Estelle responded, her tone slightly bashful as she recalled her state at the gym. Suddenly hit with the fact that he had not dined yet, Estelle quickly decided that it was time to return the favour.

Picking up a spoon from his plate, Estelle copied his actions and waited expectantly by his mouth. She disregarded him as he deadpanned at her, clearly unimpressed by her choice of action.

Smirking lightly, Estelle murmured, "Aaah."

Scoffing, Katsuki took notice of the absurdness of the situation. Why feed each other when they could feed themselves? Yet, it immediately died in his throat when he tried to voice his opinion. Slowly opening his mouth, Katsuki watched her intently as she smiled in achievement, placing the spoon in his mouth before moving back down for more.

Feeling a blush rise on his cheeks, Katsuki found the moment endearing. She could have just accepted his feeding, and he would have thought nothing of it. If he was honest, he just liked doing it. Maybe it was because Estelle was an independent woman, who could do whatever she wanted, yet she still allowed him to care for her intimately. He wanted to do that for her; he enjoyed it when she relied on him. Plus, she looked cute when he did it.

Estelle was subtle, so Katsuki had to look out for the signs. He tended to be quite evident with it, such as making her food, ensuring she slept, and not holding back on his affection. On the other hand, Estelle was more reserved, but she checked on him every night, allowed him to vent to her about his day even though it was so trivial, and put on cooking shows because she knew he liked it or consoled him on nights he struggled to sleep.

She wasn't the type to be obvious, but right now, as she fed him, Katsuki could feel the thrumming of his heart as it filled with warmth. He just hoped there would come a time when she wasn't fearful of showing how she felt. Katsuki knew that would be a day heaven came down to earth, but not just yet, soon, he hoped.

Raising his spoon again, she was met with the sight of metal. Estelle opened her mouth and returned his smile as they alternated bites. It was serene after the day they had, and the bubble the duo were encased in surrounded them in comfort, an aura that felt safe, so they remained.

As the hour droned on, Katsuki was the one to pick up their plates and moved to head down to the kitchen to put them away. He had every intention of returning, not wanting to leave her alone for the night.

His body came to a halt before he made his exit.

"Are you coming back?"

Glad that Estelle could not see his wide-eyed face, Katsuki allowed his grin to land on his face for a moment before he forced it away. Scowling lightly as he turned his head over his shoulder, he grunted, "Of course, I am, idiot. Like you could get me to leave."

Not hearing a verbal answer from her, Katsuki left Estelle's room, his smile back on his face as he walked quickly towards the elevator. Heat covered his entire body, his mind still disbelieving that she had asked him such a question. The squeeze within his heart was too much to bear for the male, and he shook his head as he tried to pull himself back together.

It wasn't a direct invitation to stay, but Estelle was subtle, so he knew it was. The first time she had ever vocalised to him that she wanted him to stay, and god damn, was he over the moon.

One day, she would ask him directly.

And Katsuki couldn't wait.