LOST // BAKUGO X OC

A Loss

The class looked up with broad smiles once they heard the entryway door closing. They knew Estelle was due back from her mission and were prepared to greet her weary expression with cheerful faces. They knew that sometimes it was just what she needed after a long day, and they could tell it helped when she returned with an exhausted smile of her own.

Ever since they had asked her to keep them updated on her missions, it became easier for them to understand precisely why Estelle returned to them the way she did. Her days were long compared to theirs, and even though they worked hard on their studies, she always seemed to have a list of activities she had fulfilled that day.

The majority of the time, she was partaking in rescue missions. There was nearly always a fight during them, but they had noticed she was always happier when the rare occurrence happened, and she managed to stealth her way through. Other times, she was fighting off random attacks the dark spirits had begun, but luckily, the wide-scale ones hadn't started. It only scratched the surface of what she seemed to be doing day by day, but the fact Estelle no longer responded so bluntly when they asked about her day was a win.

A win they were happy about because when did Estelle not have to talk about it in a way that focused on her rather than the logistics she would report every day? It was unlikely that she would talk about how annoying a mission was to her comrades or Mr Aizawa, and the room to vent seemed to positively affect her.

It wasn't like they weren't interested, though; they couldn't deny that they enjoyed hearing about her endeavours. Sometimes it felt like she was reading out of a storybook because they weren't used to hearing about trolls, gnomes and werewolves; it was just so out of the ordinary.

She had missed lunch, so they had an idea that it must have been a difficult day since she didn't make it back. It was always a given that Estelle tried her best to make her meals. Otherwise, she would have to suffer the blonde tearing her a new one. It was an amusing picture, but one that Estelle seemed to dislike.

Their smiles immediately downturned when they realised that Estelle hadn't even looked towards them when she entered; instead, she immediately headed for the stairs, her expression blank as she made her way up. Turning to each other in question, the class could only stress as they debated what action to take.

It was a new one, an unexplored situation they had never experienced before. The students all had gotten so good at gauging how to react. As blank as she tried to be, there were always hints within her body language for when she wanted to be left alone, encouraged, or simply be around someone with quiet in the air.

Even her clothes indicated it. Pyjamas were her best friend. It became a silent communication to the whole class that she was tired, no matter how frequent it was.

The dining room door slid open before Katsuki stepped out with furrowed brows. Flummoxed by the expressions on his classmate's faces, he scanned the room to find the female but only found an empty space in front of him. "I heard the door; where is she?" He stated, his voice more severe than they were used to.

Izuku spoke up, his voice unsure as he answered, "Well, she's here. But she ignored us and went upstairs?"

"Tch, I'll set her straight," Katsuki replied, removing his apron and throwing it over the couch's armrest before heading towards the stairs.

"Uh. Bakubro, you didn't see her face. Maybe you should leave her for a bit?" Kirishima inputted, his voice wary as he watched his friend ignore him and keep walking.

Katsuki was internally furious that she had left out another meal. The number of times he had scolded her, wanting her to pay attention to her own damn health, was beside him. Yet, she didn't even notify him that she was not coming, leaving him to sit with her plate for over an hour before angrily dumping it in the bin.