The city looked like something straight out of a snow globe — every rooftop, streetlamp, and tree branch dusted in white, the air filled with lazy snowflakes that sparkled under the glow of Christmas lights. Kaminari had a scarf wrapped three times around his neck, Sero was carrying a bag of snacks, Mina was already pelting Kirishima with snowballs while you laughed, and Bakugo trailed a few steps behind — hands shoved deep in his pockets, breath curling in the cold.

“C’mon, Bakugo!” Mina yelled, grinning as she dodged a snowball. “You look like the Grinch right before character development!”

“Shut up, Racoon Eyes!” he barked back, but his tone didn’t have its usual bite.

And then he saw you.

You were standing near the park fountain, half-bent over and laughing so hard you could barely breathe — trying to build a snowman, but every time you tried to fix the lopsided head, it fell off again. Your laughter rang out through the air, bright and stupid and so you that Bakugo forgot to look away.

Your cheeks were flushed pink from the cold, snowflakes catching in your hair, and when you straightened up to glare playfully at Mina for snapping a picture, something in his chest just—clicked.

Katsuki froze. The world seemed to blur around you — Kaminari’s laugh, the crunch of boots in snow, the faint hum of Christmas music from a nearby café — all fading into nothing.

That’s when it hit him. Hard.

He was in love with you.

And of course, right as the realization hit, you turned around, grinning wide as you shouted, “Bakugo! Get over here and help me before my snowman looks like you!”

He blinked, scowling to cover the way his heart was hammering. “Tch—like hell it does!” he growled, stomping toward you.

But even as he muttered, his chest felt warm — dangerously warm — against the bite of winter air.