Ticked Off [Boku No Hero Academia]

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: SNOWBALL (1)

This accidentally became too long (6k+ words, oops) so I split it into two parts!! Next chapter out tomorrow (25th)!

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After everything that had happened, there was no denying Class 1-A needed a break. Shouto sat stiffly on a sofa in the common room, half his attention on the book he was reading and the other half keeping an eye out just in case one of his classmates got into some mischief he needed to avoid. He shifted slightly, leaning an elbow against the armrest with the book propped up on his lap before carefully turning a page.

The noise level increased as Ashido, Sero, Kaminari, and Eijirou literally exploded into the room, shrieking and cackling as Bakugou slammed around a corner, palms blazing and face filled with fury. Shouto blinked in surprise, calmly observing as they circled the room, shoving at one another in a desperate panic to escape their friend's wrath. He lifted his gaze, accidentally making eye contact with Kouda who sat on an armchair opposite him with his rabbit nuzzled into his chest. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before the boy dipped his head nervously, clutching at the animal a little tighter as another explosion sounded.

Shouto frowned slightly, observing them make another lap. Kaminari was shoved into the line of fire, claimed to be a 'sacrifice for the greater good,' according to Ashido, and the blond yelped before doubling over as Bakugou plunged a sparking fist into the boy's stomach, sending him to the ground. The remaining students fled into the kitchen, and after some yelling and screaming, Eijirou rushed back out with singed red hair. Sero paused to slap some tape at head-level over the doorway, apologising through hysterical laughter as the girl slammed straight into it, crumpling and whining as she clutched at her pink face. Bakugou stomped over her, narrowly avoiding stepping on her hand, and growled after the other two.

Eijirou's eyes lit up and he dashed over to where Shouto sat, literally leaping right over the sofa in his eagerness. He ducked, one hand clamping onto the other boy's knee while the other clutched at the armrest, nervously peeking up and listening for the telltale sign of explosions. Sero skidded in next to him, grabbing a pillow and trying his best to hide behind it when the thudding footsteps got closer.

"Protect us, Shouto!" Eijirou hissed urgently, gaze wide and pleading.

Shouto stared uncertainly, slipping the All Might bookmark Izuku gave to him between the pages and setting the book aside for safety as he contemplated the plea. Friends obviously protected one another, Izuku had made that pretty obvious, but would it be wise to potentially anger Bakugou even further? What had they even done to provoke him in the first place?

"He's going to kill us!" Sero insisted, letting out a little wail before burying his face into the cushion.

"Please, bro! I'm too manly to die like this!" Eijirou added, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

"...alright," Shouto said flatly, sliding forwards before standing up, one hand coated in frost as he turned to face the approaching Bakugou.

"I'll fuckin' kill you, too, Icyhot!" The boy snarled, reeling back an arm with his teeth bared in a feral grin, but he suddenly faltered, frowning deeply and sneering. "Why are you tryna intimidate me with snow, huh, Elsa? Gonna break into song next?"

"Wait!" Ashido screeched loudly, scrambling to pick herself up and immediately sprinting across the room, dropping into a crouch to gaze intently at his frozen hand. "Can you actually make snow?!"

"Um," Shouto muttered, flexing his fingers and calling on his Quirk, completely perplexed by her delight as small snowflakes trickled from his palm. "I can."