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On his first day of actual school second year, Katsuki stood in his new dorm room, staring down at the book bag he'd had since middle school. He'd paired down to one notebook, one pen, and the bare minimum number of textbooks.
It was still heavier than ten pounds.
Katsuki wrinkled his nose, thinking over the problem again. He wasn't supposed to lift that much for another two weeks, and as much as he wanted to, he wasn't stupid enough to break doctors' orders. He needed some other way to get it from here to the 2-A classroom.
Someone knocked at the door.
"What?" Katsuki shouted.
"Just checking in!" Kirishima called, "You need anything?"
Katsuki sighed. "Yeah."
As soon as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, Kirishima forgot to walk slow. He took off toward the kitchen, a bag under each arm. Katsuki meandered after him, hands in his pockets. Nobody was looking at him, yet.
"Hey, Uraraka!" Kirishima called, lifting the fingers of one hand in a tiny wave, "Come float this bag for Bakugou!"
About half the common room occupants looked up from whatever they were doing. Well, it had only been a matter of time.
"Hand it over," Uraraka said. Then she shoved the rest of her protein bar into her mouth.
Kirishima dropped the strap off of his shoulder, grabbed a handful of the bag's cloth and held it out. Uraraka took it. Then she ran for the front door.
"Uraraka," Tsu croaked, one finger on her chin, "Where are you going?"
"Finders keepers!" Uraraka huffed, kicking her slippers off in the genkan. Then she snatched her shoes from the rack and ran outside.
"Oi!" Katsuki shouted. He kind of expected her to turn around. Instead, the door swung shut behind her.
Kirishima scratched the back of his neck. "Huh."
When they got to class, Katsuki's bag was on the ground beside his desk. Uraraka was chatting with Iida like nothing had happened.
"What got into you?" Katsuki said.
"Iida, Uraraka said, leaning over his desk, "Tell me how you organize your notes again."
"That's you, roundface!" Katsuki said, a little louder.
Iida looked up. He didn't start explaining, too polite to interrupt. But Uraraka didn't move, didn't respond.
"Er, Uraraka," Iida said, "It seems Bakugou has something to say."
Uraraka finally turned around, eyes wide in mock surprise. "Oh?"
"You stole my stuff!" Katsuki insisted.
Uraraka looked down at herself, held out her empty hands. "I don't have any stuff?"
Katsuki rolled his eyes and stalked over to his desk. Whatever game she was playing didn't interest him at all.
After homeroom, the first class of the day was English with Present Mic. Before he could start shouting, Katsuki pulled out his notebook and opened the front cover.
I'm seriously gonna crush you was scrawled across the first page.
Katsuki grinned. Fat chance.
At lunch, Katsuki pulled Kirishima aside. "Pink cheeks has some kind of problem with me."
"Are you sure?" Kirishima said, eyes flitting toward the growing lunchline. He was also carrying both bags again. Katsuki shouldn't keep him long.
"Explain this morning," Katsuki said.
Kirishima laughed. "Bro, that was one thing! And she brought the bag to class—maybe she was just feeling mischievous."
Katsuki scowled. There was also the note in his notebook, but he didn't have proof.
"Look man," Kirishima said, "I don't think Uraraka is physically capable of having a problem with someone. She way too nice."
"Maybe I'm just that skilled," Katsuki said.
"You do have a point," Kirishima said, tapping her chin, "If anyone could offend her, it'd be you. But honestly—I think you're overthinking it. Not everything is about you."
"Let's eat," Katsuki said, turning on his heel. Kirishima was right, but it might take him the rest of lunch to accept it.
Heroics this semester was rubble cleanup. Everyone changed into their costumes and assembled outside to board a bus.
Katsuki took a long time walking there, so he and Kirishima boarder last.
"I'm getting deja vu," Kaminari said. He was siting near the front on the left, rubbing his arms, "This is just like the USJ."
Jirou smacked him on the shoulder. "Why would you say that?"
Katsuki grinned, enjoying Kaminari's look of surprise. Then his foot was kicked out from under him. He stumbled.
"Woah!" Kirishima blurted, pulling Katsuki up by the back of his shirt, "Careful!"
Katsuki looked down for the closest feet. "Pink cheeks!"
Uraraka was sitting right beside him. She looked up, blinking innocently. "Who's that?"
"If you have a problem, just tell me," Katsuki said.
"I'm fine," Uraraka said, smiling. There was a distinctly Deku-like feel to her expression. "Thanks for asking!"
Katsuki sat down on the floor in the middle of the walkway.
"Uh," Kirishima said, "Hey man—"
Iida stood up from his seat, like a submarine emerging from a sea of heads. "Bakugou, I must insist that you sit in a proper seat while the vehicle is in motion!"
"Then I guess we're all stuck here until roundface spills!" Katsuki retorted.
There was an awkward silence. Everyone knew that he was stubborn enough to pull it off, and nobody wanted to fight him right now. They were too scared he would break.
Suddenly, Uraraka set her hand on his head, five-fingered. Katsuki started to float.
"Thanks," Kirishima said, grabbing Katsuki by the shirt again.
Katsuki grabbed Uraraka by the wrist.
"I'll drag him," Uraraka said, standing up and sliding into the aisle. Before Kirishima could protest, she took off toward the empty seats in the back.
Katsuki ground his teeth.
Even though his plan hadn't worked, Katsuki refused to give up his grip. Uraraka didn't even try to escape—she just silently sat down beside him.
The bus jerked and rolled forward.
"You went all out at the sports festival," Uraraka said.
Katsuki snorted. He always did that.
"Even though I was weak, you acknowledged me," Uraraka said, free fist in her lap, "So, that's why."
"Oh," Katsuki said, feeling suddenly hoarse.
"I—can stop," Uraraka said, "If it's actually—"
"No," Katsuki said, a little too fast, "It's fine."