Battle Scars (Daughter of Aizawa)

Chapter 20: Cinnamon Spice

Tsuki POV
"Alrighty, pick your poison. And don't worry, it's on me." I cheer as we walk into the ice cream parlor.

"I can pay for myself you know." He grumbles, trailing behind me.

"Wasn't asking if you could or you couldn't, I was asking what you wanted to order." I quip in response, earning a huff in return from the boy.

"So what're you into? Cones? Sundaes? Milkshakes?...." I ask leaning in with my arms behind my back in curiosity, looking to him for an answer.

He doesn't say anything but instead, looks up at the menu to decide.

"Okay." I start, turning back to the person behind the counter before clapping my hands together. "Well, I'll have a cookies and cream sundae with white and milk chocolate chips aaand, extra caramel sauce."

"Got it." They say, tapping away on their screen before turning to Katsuki. "And you?"

"One cinnamon spiced milkshake." He finally decides.

I look over with a small smile before speaking back up toward the cashier.

"And that'll be it for the both of us."

"Alright, your total is ¥1120 ($10.25 in US currency)."

"Sure thi—" I begin rummaging through my backpack before I'm ultimately stopped.

By the time I Iook back up, Katsuki has already given his card to the cashier instead.

"I'm paying you b—."

"—No." He cuts in without even flinching, causing me to pout.

"Here you are." The cashier says, handing him back his card along with the receipt. "Feel free to take a seat anywhere you'd like and I'll bring your desserts over to you when they're ready."

"Okay." He replies, shoving his hands back into his pockets and walking toward an empty table for two as I follow behind in slight frustration.

"Now if my memory is correct, I recall saying that I was treating you to ice cream, not the other way around." I say, crossing my arms as we take a seat.

"I don't care." He replies plainly. "You already said you'd fight me when you fully master your power, so I don't need you to buy me ice cream as an apology."

"Okay, sure. But you know you didn't have to buy mine too."

"So."

"So, I could've payed for it myself."

"I wouldn't have paid if I didn't want to. Okay?" He huffs, looking away to the side. "Now just drop it already."

'I guess this is his way of being nice. If the sun wasn't shining so much in his face right now, I'd probably think he was blushing.'

"Okay. Thanks then, I guess..." I trail off just as the cashier arrives with our desserts.

"Here you are, the sundae for you and the milkshake for you." They say with a smile before waving away. "Enjoy!"

I start to happily eat my sundae without saying another word. It's quiet for a few minutes more before I finally look back up to the boy in front of me, only to be met with a pair of fiery crimson red eyes staring back.

'Has he been watching me this entire time?'

"Is there something wrong?" I ask puzzled, a hint of concern evident in my tone.

He doesn't say anything for a moment, as if he's trying to figure out what to say or how to say whatever it is he wants to talk about. Finally, he just sighs and says: