Red

Chapter 10

A month had passed, and the weather was surprisingly pleasant. After classes ended on this lovely Monday, some classmates decided to visit the town. Nobody changed out of their uniform since people rushed to be outside.

Ochako willingly agreed to go, but Eijiro practically forced Katsuki to tag along. Why had he been roped into this?

"Getting out is good for you!" Eijiro said.

Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He was bitter that he couldn't be close to Ochako even if he wanted to because Mina and Tsuyu surrounded her.

"Does anyone need anything in particular while we're here?" Tenya inquired.

Nobody said anything.

He nodded, pushing up his glasses. "Well then, speak up if you want to stop somewhere!"

"Tch, I'm leaving," Katsuki grumbled, turning around to head the other way.

The group stopped to look back at him. Ochako knew he had his reasons for going off on his own, but she didn't question him.

"Kacchan, where are you going?" Izuku asked.

Katsuki flipped the bird over his shoulder before stuffing his right hand in his pocket.

"Should you go with him, Eijiro?" Mina asked.

He merely shook his head. "I'll let him be this time. He'll come back when he's ready."

"Izuku, has he always been like this, ribbit?" Tsuyu asked.

"In his own, Kacchan way, yeah."

xXx

Katsuki felt like he could breathe now. He wanted to surprise Ochako with something but couldn't do that in front of the others. She already had the bracelet she refused to take off. What would complement it?

A scene caught his gaze. Two men wearing all-black ganged up on a little boy. This wasn't the adult supervision he needed. As if Katsuki could turn a blind eye.

They didn't notice as he approached. Given the angle, crimson eyes spotted something on one of the men. The black tattoo on the right side of his neck represented he was a member of Black Gauntlet, a group of dark magic-users. His buddy probably had the same tattoo.

Fuck.

The kid sat down and cried his eyes out. A toy encased in ice was on the ground before him.

"Oi, leave the brat alone," Katsuki said, making his presence known.

Both men looked at him. The one with the neck tattoo and gray hair grinned. "Well, well. Looks like we have another brat on our hands."

Stopping by the kid, Katsuki sneered, "Pathetic."

Gray narrowed his gaze. "What was that?"

"You both are pathetic," Katsuki enunciated with a shit eating grin.

The one with purple hair bumped his buddy with an elbow and looked at him. "Does this brat honestly think—"

Katsuki used one arm to scoop up the kid and aimed his other one behind him. He fired off an explosion that propelled him forward and blasted the Black Gauntlet members. Next, he set down the kid and urged him along, turning to face the men. "Scram!"

People around were alarmed because of the small explosion, but now they panicked because of Gray's magic. He shot ice shards out of the palm of one hand at Katsuki, who blasted them to bits with his magic. This wasn't a surprise to him, though. He saw the state of the toy earlier.

"Keep him busy," Purple said. "I'll kill him."

Katsuki took a chance, hoping to pull a move he had been practicing. He fired off one explosion to make a large smokescreen and used another to project him at an angle through the air. The two stood their ground, scanning the smoke for any sign of him—the fools.

Purple finally looked up only to have his face greeted by Katsuki's foot. The sorry excuse of a sorcerer didn't get up after he was knocked out. "One down." Katsuki smirked at Gray, small explosions crackling in his palms. "One to go."

Gray stood still, enthralled by what he witnessed. A wicked smile curved his lips. "Oh, he'll want you."

"He can't have me if he's unconscious," Katsuki scoffed.

Magic collided, ice shattering because of explosions. Gray glared at Katsuki before he made a portal appear by Purple. As if they would escape so easily. Katsuki used another smokescreen as cover but didn't blast himself up like before. He shot forward as ice shards flew above his head. That counter wouldn't work.

Surprise took over Gray's face when he looked down to spot Katsuki coming at him straight on. His expression twisted into a snarl. "You bastard!"

A fire burned in Katsuki's eyes. He was ready for a fight.

"Kacchan!" Izuku called out over yonder.

Crimson eyes briefly looked over. The classmates he ditched earlier ran for him, Tenya in the lead.

A blast of chilled air smacked into Katsuki, and he blew backward. He fell and rolled with the momentum to be back on his feet. Unfortunately for him, Gray reached Purple and dragged him through the portal.

They had started trouble and couldn't even finish it. "Cowards!" Katsuki seethed.

Gray glared before he disappeared, and the portal closed.

Katsuki flexed his fingers. "Fucking bastards."

xXx

A/N: Not gonna lie, I did enjoy that mini fight.