It was supposed to be a simple mission—patrol the city, make sure everything was in order, and report back. But Ochaco knew nothing was ever simple when Bakugo was involved. They'd been assigned to the same patrol route, a decision that was making her increasingly nervous as the day went on.

He was as volatile as ever, snapping at anyone who crossed his path, barking orders even though he wasn't the leader of this particular team. But something felt different. Maybe it was because they weren't in class anymore, or because they were all technically pro heroes now. Either way, Bakugo seemed more restrained, almost... considerate.

As they walked down the bustling city street, Bakugo glanced over at her. "Stay alert, Round Face," he grumbled. "Never know when something might go down."

Ochaco rolled her eyes but smiled. "You know I have a name, right?" she replied, keeping her tone light. It wasn't worth it to get into a shouting match with him—no one ever won those.

"Whatever," he muttered, but she noticed the corner of his mouth twitch. Was that... a smirk? It was hard to tell with Bakugo.

Their patrol took them through a busy market, where vendors called out to passers-bys and the air was filled with the scent of street food. Ochaco's stomach growled, and Bakugo raised an eyebrow at her. "Hungry?"