This' Where My Demons Hide (Villain AU)

Chapter 54- Holiday Season

Akane is outside a shop, looking through the displays with interests in her eyes. Snow falls down from the sky and unto her green jacket, red bonnet, red gloves and velvet boots. She must have been staring at the item in the shop for quite a few minutes now and her friends all probably wonder where she is.

"Hey, Akane-chan. Where have--" Kirishima was cut off when he noticed her dazed expression. Following her eyes, he pinpointed it towards a book on display in the bookstore in front of them. It's a hard-covered book with a picture of a boy behind a white wolf and a tree behind him.

"You seem to like that book, don't you?" He asked with a smile and Akane giggled and nodded. She turned to him and walked pass him to join their other friends, "H-Hey! You won't buy it?"

"I don't have the money. Uncle Nedzu didn't gave me any," she said, rubbing her hands against her jacket because of the low temperature.

"Ah...er... I can buy...it?" Akane laughed and rolled her eyes as Kirishima follow her from behind.

"And I'm sure you don't have enough money for it. Thanks, anyway," she said and they finally caught up with Yaoyorozu and Mina who seems to be waiting for both of them.

"What were you looking at back there?" Mina asked, grinning and the younger girl hugged her arm and rubbed her face against her jacket.

"Oh, just a book," she simply said as Kirishima snorted.

"Yeah. And that just book really peeks her interest. I don't remember the title though," he said and Yaoyorozu raised an eyebrow with a smile at her.

"Really? What might that be? You recall the cover, Kirishima-kun?"

"Umm..."

"It's fine. Really," she said, stopping Yaoyorozu's hand from getting into her pouch, "I don't even like it that much. So stop spoiling me, okay?"

The raven haired teen laugh sheepishly, knowing there is truth in her words. Smiling, Akane walk in silence with the two of them until they meet up with their other friends in front of a mall where they all decided to meet.

It has been a week after their Christmas break started and today, they all decided to have a get together. Thankfully, Nedzu permitted Akane on going out of the campus with the class that is infamous for many encounters with villains. Akane, on the other hand, just laughed it off.

The friends have greeted each other ana went into the mall with their groups, a couple of them wanting to have a conversation with the youngest among them. Akane just gestures and signed as if she was mute again as they verbally speak to her. She still wishes to communicate with them like that so that no one will get suspicious of her sudden recovery.

"Christmas is coming up. What are you planning?" Kaminari asked, grinning at his friends.

"I'm celebrating it with my beautiful family," Aoyama said, clasping his hands together.

"Yeah, my family too. My dad's probably gonna burst the house with loud Christmas songs," Jiro said as the rest also said the same thing until Kirishima told them off.

"Huh? What's the matter, Kirishima-kun?" Mina asked and the said teen gestured to a fellow red head beside him who is seeking interest in her red boots, "Oh."

"Seems like you'all have fun with your own family. Maybe, I'll be celebrating it with Uncle Nedzu this year. I might also ask him to go to the orphanage to celebrate it with my friends there," Akane said with a smile. A bright one at that. Staring at her boots probably made her think of all those up.

"Oh, Akane-chan. That's so nice," Kaminari said, slinging his arms over her shoulders.

"Hey! What if we have a party at twenty-four with Akane-chan and Aizawa-sensei?" Hagakure suggested and the rest muttered agreements. Akane smiled widely in glee as they hear something crashing from a few meters away from them.