Beast Speaker, Monster Tamer

42: Back to U.A.

"You look like shit."

Elise blinked at her friends as she approached their meeting spot, Bakugou being the one who had spoken up first. Her fingers trailed up to her cheek, where a more modest layer of gauze covered the scabs. She would have almost skipped them, if not for her uncle and brother telling her to wear them. "Ah, I changed the bandages by myself so it probably looks a little sloppy huh?"

"Not that, idiot," Bakugou snapped as the group began to move in the direction of the school.

"Have you been getting enough sleep?" Mezo asked.

Ah, so that's what he meant.

Elise's fingers trailed up to thoughtfully rub the eyebags under her eyes. "Not quite exactly. Don't worry though, I'm fine!"

Neither of the males looked convinced at her statement, but at least her track record held up. Both of them already knew that she had sleep trouble so they couldn't say anything against it.

Not wanting for the awkward silence to reign, Elise pointed out the next biggest change in her trio. "Anyways, Katsuki are you planning to have a new hairstyle? I didn't know that Best Jeanist had that much of an impact on you."

He still had the gelled-down look from the other day, and it gave Elise no short amount of amusement to see it. Bakugou scowled and tried to mess up his hairstyle. "It doesn't fucking come off! I don't know what the hell he used but I even took a shower and everything!"

"Hair gel can be quite stubborn," Mezo noted. "And I'm sure that Best Jeanist has higher quality ones meant to endure hero work. So it would make sense. Next time, Katsuki, you can always ask me for my hair gel."

"Oh fuck you Six Arms! I don't want to change my hair!"

Elise laughed. "Are you sure?"

"I'm going to fucking sock you."

"You wouldn't Katsuki. Elise just got hurt, don't hurt her anymore."

Easy conversation passed between them, full of jabs and snide remarks along with occasional (mostly) harmless threats of bodily harm from Bakugou. Soon, Elise and her friends were inside U.A., switching out her shoes as she resettled into the school environment after being away for a week. The doors to the classroom were pulled aside and Elise was greeted with familiar faces. There was still time to spare, and Aizawa wasn't there yet, but the trio split off to head to their respective seats.

Twin cackles of hyena-like laughter came from Sero and Kirishima as they convened in front of Bakugou's desks, both chiming, "SERIOUSLY?!?! SERIOUSLY, BAKUGOU?!?!"

"Shut up!" The blonde in question was shaking in barely suppressed rage, a hand up and half clenched in anger. "I already got shit from Elise and Mezo so fuck off!"

"What are you gonna do Side-Part Boy?" Sero wheezed. "Threaten to kill us???"

Neither Sero nor Kirishima noticed how Bakugou glanced to his longtime friends. Elise and Mezo, respectively occupied with other matters, missed his glance at them. Had he not poured out his insecurities that one evening to the two and promised to try to be better, he would have fired back the exact threat that Sero said. Presently, he simply just snarled as his hair suddenly exploded back to their usual ash-blonde spikes.

Elise, unknowing of the thoughts that transpired in Bakugou's head simply giggled at the chaos happening just next to her. She was busy thinking of a good time to approach her teacher later to ask for registration papers for the cuffs that Madara had given her.