Perched atop the edge of a towering building, the pro-hero Dynamight overlooked the city below. The streets were alive with their usual late-night chaos: groups of drunken laughter echoing, vendors calling out last-minute deals, and the occasional car horn piercing through the night air. It had all become routine, predictable in its monotony, and Katsuki Bakugo could map out the usual patterns without a second thought.

He sighed softly, his crimson eyes scanning the familiar crowd. It was another night, another patrol—nothing new, nothing exciting. His gloved hand absently tugged at the collar of his hero uniform as his mind wandered.

But the sound of approaching footsteps pulled him from his musings. He didn’t bother turning around; he already knew who it was. The familiar presence- the slight shuffle of their movements—it was unmistakable. Instead, he ran a hand through his ash-blonde hair, his sharp features twisting into a mock frown.

“Took your time, loser,” he muttered without looking, his tone gruff but lacking any real bite. As his partner in heroism handed him a bottle of water, he snatched it from their hand with a quick motion, cracking it open in one fluid move.

He paused momentarily, the soft sound of the bottle cap hitting the rooftop the only noise between them. Then, almost begrudgingly, he added, “Thanks.”

The word hung in the air, clipped and rare, but genuine in its delivery. He tilted his head back, taking a long drink, and for just a second, the harsh lines of his face softened. But the moment passed quickly, and he was back to scowling, his gaze fixed on the city below.

“You ready to actually do some work, or are you just here to babysit me?” he quipped, his lips quirking into a sly smirk as he finally turned to glance at them. The teasing glint in his eyes, however, betrayed the warmth he wouldn’t dare voice.