~ Third Person P.O.V ~

The luminescent lights gleamed proudly overhead as Izuku, Shoto, and Katsuki walked through the teeming city of New Orleans. As to be anticipated, Monoma and Shinsou— well, mainly Monoma— had their complaints on staying in the city, even if it was for a few hours; however, they quickly lost that feud when Shinsou spotted a food place he so desperately wanted to go to. Kaminari, Kirishima, and Sero had all accompanied a thrilled and animated Ashido as she skipped along the sidewalk to God knows where going with her to keep her away from trouble. Thus leaving Izuku, Shoto, and Katsuki to go retrieve the more important items.

People along the sidewalk pushed, and excused themselves around the soldiers and Japanese-American. Most of them sporting ridiculous, wild hand-sewn costumes and masks as they went— drunk off their ass and laughing over the loud chatter that resided throughout the city. Izuku was beyond fascinated by all of it, watching with bright eyes as a live band played tumultuously in the street. Confetti and streamers littering the floors and nearby parked cars as floats began to round the corners and onto the bustling street; people residing in said floats with over the top outfits on as they waved at the accumulating crowd.

In spite of the war going on around the world, this city seemed to not have a care in the world as they partied and laughed. In some twisted way . . . Izuku almost felt grateful for it.

"Why is everyone celebrating?" Izuku asked over the chattering voices and thunderous music. "The war isn't over yet,"

"Mardi Gras," Katsuki replied softly, his voice hardly audible as he spoke, "It's the Mardi Gras parade today,"

Of course, this wasn't a very good answer the freckled male had received, for it had only sparked a new breed of questions to rumble within him. All of which would have to go unanswered for a while, the other two males didn't seem up for talking as they maneuvered their way down the cement walkway. Shoto couldn't have a care in the world as they walked. After being the military for a few years you see and do things far more intriguing than a silly parade that gives others an excuse to get drunk and eat 'till their bellies pop. This wasn't anything special in his opinion, however, he did find it rather amusing to people watch as they went by.

Delving into his guilty pleasure of studying others' expressions and emotions as they passed him in a blur. If someone's expression pleased him enough he found himself making small backstories for the person, how they ended up being here tonight and why etc. Something he often did to pass time, or when he encountered new, somewhat interesting people.

And Mardi Gras was full of them.

Katsuki, however, was quite displeased with the situation as he purposely avoided any physical contact with people passing him. The overwhelming, and the burning scent of booze and other liquors toying with his nostrils and penetrating his lungs perniciously. This was anything but fun or intriguing for him.

"Let's just hurry up and get the shit so we can leave," The blond grumbled as they spotted a nearby gas station just across the street.

"We can't really hurry up and leave if you guys promised the others five hours here," Izuku pointed out, quietly pardoning himself as he accidentally bumped into someone. "That defeats the purposed Bakugou."

A small smirk displayed itself onto Shoto's lips as he playfully nudged Katsuki's shoulder. "He has a point Gou-Gou,"

"'Gou-Gou?'" Katsuki mused, the old nickname instantly lifting his spirits. "Haven't heard that one in a while,"

"Eh, I'm in a good mood right now . . . But I can see why you aren't," He whispered the last part in the other male's ear, giving his arm a soothing squeeze. "It's all the drunk people, right?"

"Mhm,"

Izuku, who was completely oblivious to their conversation, took off into a sprint as they neared the gas station— a few snacks displayed in the window catching his eyes as he pressed his face to the glass.

"Can we please get those!" He pleaded with the two males as they caught up to him, "I will literally do anything if we can those snacks!"

The green-haired male continued to ogle the assortments of Twinkies, Potato Chips, and Ritz Crackers in the window with a watered mouth. He had only had said snacks once in his life, and that was a few years ago when a nice guard at the internment camp brought some and shared with some of the kids— even still, he recognized those wrappers and carboard packaging anywhere.

Katsuki raised a brow at the male, finding his excitement to be fairly amusing. "Alright fine, we'll get some— but we also need to get actual food too," He drawled, albeit his tone still held a sense of firmness and assertiveness.

Izuku was like a small child in a candy shop as the trio made their way in, quickly scurrying to the back of the relatively silent gas station and commencing his search for the snacks. The tips of his digits gliding over the black, metal racks which hosted a plethora of packaged goodies among other essentials. Shoto had gone to the very back, opting for buying a few cans of gasoline so they wouldn't have to make anymore pit stops on the way. Leaving the second youngest of the three to grab some fruits and small water packs.

When they got everything they required, or in Izuku's case wanted, they placed all of their items at check out. In which Izuku was eyed suspiciously by the clerk, the man's gruff features making him all that more intimidating as he narrowed his eyes. Scratching his beard, crumbs fell off of the unruly strands of hair and onto his beer belly— his gaze on the petite male never letting up.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to stare?" Shoto mocked, snapping one firey scarlet eyebrow upward.

The man instantly averted his eyes back onto the items in front of him, which Izuku was eternally grateful for as the duel-haired male sent him a playful wink. It felt nice, finally being able to be on Shoto and Katsuki's good side and vise versa.

"Jesus I think you really scared the guy back there," Katsuki chuckled once they were outside, the crisp Louisiana air raking through his ash-blond spikes. "How much you wanna bet he was relieved when we left?"

"Nah, I wasn't that scary," The eldest of the three dismissed, "I just sarcastically told him to stop staring,"

Gazing at the heterochromatic male as though he had grown two heads, Izuku snorted. "He looked like he was going to shit himself," He sniggered under his breath.

"Okay," Shoto admitted, drawing the word out. "Maybe I was a little scary, but honestly when am I not?"

The three ended up sitting out on the curb a few yards away from the gas station, watching the parade floats go by and the occasional drunk man or woman stumble down the road. Talking, laughing, eating Izuku snacks he so desperately wanted— in that night they actually got to know each other a little better . . . it was nice, to say the least.

It was also quite amazing how much impact Izuku had on both of their lives, Shoto and Katsuki that is. Katsuki couldn't help but feel as though he had gained a new friend ever since the closet experience, someone to help him realize it was okay to not be in control of your feelings sometimes, that the human mindset worked in flummoxing ways. If anything, Katsuki found someone who understood him— someone other than Shoto.

As for the duel-haired male, he would always and forever be grateful for what Izuku had done for him. He was beginning to understand his flaws and learning that it was okay to not have them be perfected or fixed as he once thought. Sure, it would take some time for him to fully realize it and be within that mindset but . . . it was a start. Shoto now viewed the world around him in a different light, instead of suppressing his feelings he was starting to be able to let them out— and not on other people.

The two of them had Izuku to thank for these newly found revelations.

"Look at how beautiful it all is," Izuku hummed softly as he popped a cracker in his mouth.

"Yeah," Shoto and Katsuki said in unison, albeit they weren't staring at the city at all— they were staring at Izuku.

And just like that, in the blink of a fucking eye he was smiling. Izuku was full-on smiling. Teeth gleaming under the fluorescent lights, pearly white as can be as his lips stretched as wide as they could. Two dimples displaying themselves for the whole world to see, as if proudly declaring their arrival.

Of course, to Katsuki it was a wondrous sight to see, something he hadn't expected from the small male— at least to this extent, seeing as though he had witnessed Izuku's smile before. But to Shoto? To him, it meant any and everything bright, and joyous in the world. Something he had worked long and hard to see, and now here it stood . . . right before him. An emotion other than anger, and the facade he had fought long and hard to keep up.

It was something true, and pure.

And the two male's never wanted to see anything otherwise.