sunlight spilled into katsuki’s dorm room, sharp and bright, casting long shadows across the bed where you lay side by side. outside, cherry blossom petals floated gently on the spring breeze, drifting past the window like soft reminders of how fleeting moments could be. the air was warm, carrying the subtle, sweet scent of blossoms mixed with the faint musk of the room.

katsuki leaned on one elbow, propping herself up to look at you with that familiar fierce intensity softened just enough by the calmness of the afternoon. her spiky hair caught the sunlight, glowing like embers against the pale pink sky outside. the way the light hit her hair made it seem almost alive, flickering softly like a quiet flame, a contrast to the usual explosive energy she carried.

she gave a quick, almost reluctant smirk, eyes narrowing with a hint of that stubborn pride you’d come to know so well. the small crease at the corner of her eyes told you she wasn’t just playing tough — there was something real beneath that guarded expression. “don’t think i’m some kinda softie just ’cause i’m not yelling your ear off right now,” katsuki said, her voice rough but quieter than usual. she gave a half-smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “it’s not like i’m gonna start acting all lovey-dovey just ‘cause the damn cherry blossoms are falling outside.”

there was something unspoken in the way she said it — a challenge wrapped in care, the kind of words she never fully meant but couldn’t quite stop herself from saying. the stubborn affection, the fierce loyalty that simmered beneath the surface of her explosive temper, was there in the way she looked at you, the way her presence filled the room.

her fingers brushed lightly against your arm, just for a second, then she pulled back, crossing her arms over her chest. you could feel the heat radiating off her, like she was holding back a fire inside — a fire that burned fiercely for everything she cared about, especially you. it was the kind of warmth that was hard to admit, harder still to show, but impossible to miss.

the room settled into a quiet stillness, the gentle dance of petals outside contrasting with the steady beat of your shared silence — a moment that didn’t need words to be understood. the light shifted slowly, casting new patterns across the bedspread as the afternoon stretched on, and in that space between you, there was a quiet understanding — fierce, unspoken, and entirely hers.