Carnival Binge (aka Let's Make Deku Eat Everything)

Part 1/?

This here is like...1/12th of the story that I wrote, which isn't 100% finished but it's about 99.4% finished and was sitting in my Docs for a few months. I really didn't think I'd share this one, but who knows...

Tabeta was overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and smells of the festival as she walked through the gates. She stuck close to Deku and tried to focus on him instead.

"Isn't it cool to be back at U.A highschool? I wonder if anyone we know is here, it'll be like a reunion!"

"Damn Deku! Don't walk in front of me!" An angry blonde shouldered past them, shoving Deku into Tabeta.

"Kacchan!" He called after him, but Bakugo was already disappearing into the crowd. "Sorry, Tabeta, he pushed me into you-" He blushed when the neko clung to his arm. She trembled slightly.

"Oh, that's right, crowds still make you a little anxious sometimes, huh? Here, you can hold my hand. Squeeze it as tight as you want, okay?"

Tabeta took his hand in her paw and squeezed tight while they walked.

"Is there anything I can do that would make you feel more comfortable, Tabeta?"

Tabeta's gaze darted around until she spotted a stand that was selling taiyaki. She pointed to the stall, her orange tail quivering behind her.

"You want to get some taiyaki? Sounds good, kitty-cat! I'll get some for us!" Deku led her over to the booth, still holding onto her paw. "What kind of filling do you like?" He asked her.

"Red bean."

"You got it!" Deku took out his wallet and approached the seller. "Hi! Can I get two taiyaki please? One with red bean filling and one with chocolate?"

"Actually. Two chocolate. Three total." Tabeta started to reach into her tempura shrimp shaped purse for some Yen, but Deku stopped her.

"I'm buying!" Deku paid for the taiyaki and took the fish-shaped pastries as they were handed over to him. "Thank you!"

The two sat down on a small bench nearby that was mostly out of the way of foot traffic, and eagerly bit into their taiyaki.

"Thank you! That was really good taiyaki." Tabeta purred after she had finished the last bite.

"You're welcome! Oh, and here's your chocolate one!" After Deku had finished his own pastry, he handed her the other chocolate filled one.

"Oh yeah," Tabeta took the pastry in her paw and contemplated it for a moment before she offered it back to him. She held it in front of his mouth pointedly and blushed.

"Y-you're giving it to me?" Deku blushed too. "You r-really like watching me eat, huh? Well...if it helps you feel more comfortable..." He timidly parted his lips to let her feed him the pastry bite by bite.

By the time he had swallowed the last bite, Tabeta appeared more relaxed and was even smiling at him.

"You look happy, kitty-cat! I'm glad."

Tabeta chirped playfully. "You've got chocolate on your face, nerd~"

"I do?!" Deku blushed and quickly licked around his lips.

"You got it."

"Oh, good! Well, that was yummy! What do you want to do next, Tabeta?"

"Um..." Tabeta's pupils grew large when she spotted a couple walking with a giant stuffed animal between them.

"Hey, I can win a cool prize for you! Would you like that?"

"M-maybe," Tabeta shrugged.

"I can tell you want one! C'mon!" Deku took her by the paw and led her across the walkway to a cluster of carnival game booths. "Oh look, they have a strength test one! Yeah, I could totally do that!"

He paid the man who was working at the booth and was given a mallet.

"Okay, Tabeta, watch this!" Deku raised the mallet over his head and brought it down on the platform. The weight shot up, slammed into the bell at the top with a loud ding, and then shot up to disappear with a twinkle into the clear blue sky.