The Red Panda

Hello, hello! Mimmy here with a sligthly late entry to March's Saccharine and No.2 prompts...

This story isn't exactly canon compliant with The Flame's Shadow, I just wanted to give them something fun before I continue posting cause they won't know fun for a while...

#WritingMatters

Word count

1923

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The way the flowers bloomed was unmatched, at least for Matt. He had heard the stories, he had heard of their beauty but he’d never truly gone out to see them. He’d seen them out of the window but Dabi had rarely allowed him to go out, much less to a place where he could get hurt or exposed. He had always hated that growing up, but now that he lived with heroes in training... well, he was starting to understand everything a little more. He was beginning to see his father’s actions weren’t only based on paranoia.

He frowned a bit, messing with his red hair a bit. There was a knock on the door and Junko stepped into the room without waiting for an invitation.

Her deep purple hair was arranged in a half-up style, with delicate braids weaving together at the back of her head like intricate ribbons. Soft waves cascaded down her shoulders, catching the warm glow of the lanterns. Tiny cherry blossoms were carefully tucked into the braids, adding a touch of springtime charm. A few loose strands framed her face, swaying gently as she moved.

“Come on, Matt, we’re going to miss it!” She smiled, walking to him and grabbing his arm to pull him out of the room. Then, she frowned and stopped, turning back to look at him. “Have you ever worn a yukata before?” she asked with a small giggle.

Matt blushed and dropped his gaze for a second. “That obvious?” he asked. He wasn’t embarrassed, he was flustered for other reasons.

Junko chuckled. “Here,” she said, reaching out to fix the loose fold of his yukata first, smoothing her hands over the fabric before moving down to his obi. She tugged it a little tighter, stepping closer as she adjusted it just right. Matt swallowed, his face heating up. When she finally stepped back, she grinned proudly. “You look like a prince now.”

Matt’s eyes widened a bit at her comment but he said nothing.

She’s a hero. Don’t ever get attached to a hero.

Junko grabbed his hand again and pulled him out of the room, dragging him to the common area, where Kiyoshi and Yuudai were waiting.

Kiyoshi turned to look at them and a grin slowly spread as he saw the flustered look on Matt’s face. “Oh... this is going to be fun!” he said, nudging Yuudai. To anyone listening, it could appear he was referring to their outing to the festival... Matt and Junko knew better.

Junko rolled her eyes and continued to walk, letting go of Matt just as she walked past Kiyoshi, smacking him over the head. “Let’s go, I’m not going to miss my candied strawberries,” she said, resuming her walk without a second thought.

The air as they approached the festival as buzzing with excitement. The crowd was already rather large even before they reached the main event.

The first stop was a food stall. Junko meant it when she claimed she wasn’t going to miss out on the candied strawberries. She bought three sticks for herself, not offering a single bite to any of the others. Matt couldn’t blame her, they looked delicious.

Yuudai pouted, reaching for Junko’s little tray and getting smacked. “Oh, come on!” he complained, reaching out again. Matt and Kiyoshi laughed, pulling Junko away from Yuudai’s reach. “Not even a bite?”

Junko shot a glare at him. “A bite? Last time I let you have a bite, you ate half of my taiyaki!” she accused. Matt had heard the story. “You’re not getting near my food again, you traitor,” she said before turning away with the most serene expression, as if nothing had happened.

Kiyoshi leaned closer to Matt and smirked. “You sure you can deal with her?” he asked, his tone teasing. “She may soften up for you now, but when you’re together... good luck keeping your hands if you’re near her treats.”

Matt blushed, flustered, but played it cool. “I can just get my own food,” he said. “Not a huge fan of swe-”

Junko gasped, but she wasn’t listening to their conversation. “That’s so cute!” she squealed. “Look at it!”

She pointed at a shooting stand, one of those that was most likely rigged, that had a giant red panda plushie. Matt shifted a bit as Yuudai and Kiyoshi turned to him. Junko didn’t notice.

“Well?” Kiyoshi grinned, nudging him as Yuudai approached them. “Are you gonna get it for her?”

Matt was a good shot .Well... technically speaking. He’d been raised by the League of Villains, one learned to pick up some skill when one spent fifteen years with Toga and Dabi. Although Dabi had tended to avoid being too violent around him. It was stupid, sure, but he must’ve had his reasons not to be violent around his son.

Childhood trauma, maybe. Matt never dwelled on it too much.

As they approached the shooting stand, Matt felt the familiar tension settle in his shoulders. This wasn’t just a game. It was about proving something, whether he wanted to or not.

”Are you gonna get it for her?” Kiyoshi asked, his grin a little too knowing as he nudged Matt, eyeing the plush red panda. Junko, unaware of the growing pressure on him, was already staring at it longingly, her eyes wide and excited.

Matt didn’t want to cheat. It wasn’t about the game, it was about standing out. Being too good, drawing attention, always had consequences. He could cheat, make the rigged game seem fair. But he didn’t want to make himself a target, not here, not now.

”Not gonna bother,” Matt muttered, not looking at the plushie. He glanced at Junko, her hopeful gaze fixed on the prize, and something twisted in his chest. He wanted to make her smile, wanted to see her light up.

Junko, noticing his hesitation, turned to him with a pleading expression. “Just try,” she urged, her voice light, teasing. “These two are useless when it comes to these things. Yuudai spent 4500 yen last year and he only won a rubber duck,” she said, her words accompanied by a teasing smile. “Please? It’s so cute! It reminds me of you.”

Her eyes met his, and for a moment, Matt froze. The gentle challenge in her voice and the way she held his gaze made him want to take the shot, want to prove he could. But even as he nodded, agreeing to try, there was something else nagging at the back of his mind.

A familiar voice cut through his thoughts, laced with mockery.

“Awe, is the little freak afraid of a shooting stand?” Eri. her grin sharp and knowing as she pushed past them. “It’s not that hard, I always win.”

Matt didn’t flinch. He simply pulled out his phone, typing a quick message with practiced calm.

’This bitch is trying to beat me at a stand. Ruin her shot.’

He watched, unbothered, as Eri took aim, the gun steady in her hands. But when she pulled the trigger, the bullet wavered, its trajectory shifting just enough to miss the target entirely. Eri blinked, confused, but Matt didn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction. He casually took the gun from her, a look of innocent curiosity on his face.

“Yeah, it’s not that hard,” he said, the words slipping out easily, his smirk only slightly hidden.

He aimed, his fingers steady as he focused, drawing from the old instincts Toga had taught him. He breathed in, took the shot, and within seconds, the bottles clinked down, shattered, one after another.

Junko gasped in surprise, and Matt wasted no time in grabbing the red panda plushie. He held it out to her without a word, and when she took it, her excitement was pure and contagious. She jumped up, tackling him in a hug, the plushie clutched in her arms.

“Thank you! You’re the best!” she said, the words high-pitched with excitement, and then, to his shock, she kissed his cheek.

Before Matt could process it, Junko was tugging him away, her hand still gripping his, a light laugh escaping her.

It took him a second to realize she was still holding the plushie and still wearing that radiant smile, and for the first time, Matt realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t mind standing out for this.

The sounds of the bustling festival grew distant and muffled as Matt and Junko found their way to a quiet bench by the koi pond. The pond’s water rippled gently under the glow of floating lanterns, casting soft, warm light that shimmered in the air.

Matt sat beside Junko, feeling a calm he hadn’t expected. The red panda plushie sat next to her on the bench, its oversized eyes catching the lantern’s glow, like it was watching the lanterns float upward, almost like stars.

Neither of them spoke for a while, content to simply watch the lanterns rise in the night sky, glowing like tiny fireflies. The soft clink of the water against the stones was the only sound, and it felt like the world had narrowed down to just this—just them, the lanterns, and the soft glow of the night.

Neither of them spoke for a while, just content to be in the moment. Junko gently shifted, resting her head on Matt’s shoulder, a small sigh escaping her lips. It was an unspoken thing, this peaceful closeness. The night felt like it could last forever, just the two of them and the soft light above, the gentle hum of the world around them.

Matt’s heart fluttered in his chest, but it wasn’t from panic or confusion. It was something soft. Something new. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was truly allowed to be in the moment. Allowed to just breathe and enjoy the calm.

”You know,” Junko said quietly, breaking the silence, “this was exactly what I needed.”

Matt smiled a bit, glancing at her. “Yeah. Me too.”

She gave him a small, teasing look. “You were really cute out there. The way you handled the shooting stand... and getting me the plushie.”

He snorted softly, the memory of his smug little victory still fresh. “It wasn’t that hard. I was just trying to make sure Eri didn’t win, honestly.”

Junko giggled and nudged him playfully, her breath warm against his arm. “You’re not fooling anyone. You’re a softie.”

Matt stayed silent for a moment, his gaze turning away from her, wondering what the hell that meant and why she was saying it like it wasn’t something that got people killed But she seemed to think it was more than that, she seemed to find it a good quality. Then, almost to himself, he said, “Yeah... maybe I am.”

Junko tilted her head, her expression softening as she gave him a small, understanding smile. “It’s nice, though. You don’t always have to hide it.”

Matt didn’t say more, he simply turned his gaze back to the lanterns, watching them float higher into the night sky. The night was peaceful, and the world felt a little less... chaotic and dark for once. For a brief moment, he let himself wonder what it would be like to have more nights like this... just simple, quiet moments with someone he wanted to keep close for as long as he could.

The lanterns above them drifted farther from their sight, their lights dimming as they got deeper into the night sky.

#No2Parasol