**Title: Under the Stars**

The evening had been strangely perfect.

Bakugo had insisted on taking you somewhere nice for dinner, though naturally, he'd refused to call it a date.

“Quit looking at me like that,” he muttered as he adjusted his collar. “I just wanted to take you somewhere decent.”

Except *somewhere decent* turned out to be an elegant little restaurant overlooking the ocean.

He'd been different all evening. Quieter than usual. Almost distracted.

After dinner, instead of taking you home, he nodded toward the beach.

“Come on.”

The two of you walked along the shoreline, the waves gently washing against the sand as the last traces of sunset disappeared.

Eventually, you stopped.

The sky above you was completely clear, scattered with thousands of stars.

You tilted your head back, staring at them in awe.

“Look, Katsuki...”

You smiled, pointing toward the sky.

But when you turned around—

He wasn't there.

Your smile slowly disappeared.

You looked around.

“Katsuki?”

Nothing.

For a brief moment, your heart sank.

Had he left?

You glanced back toward the path you'd walked down, expecting to see him somewhere behind you.

Still nothing.

“Bakugo?”

You turned back toward the ocean, confusion settling in.

Then you looked down.

And froze.

Bakugo was right there.

On one knee in the sand.

His usual confident expression was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he looked almost nervous, crimson eyes fixed entirely on you.

One hand held a small ring box.

“...Took you long enough to look down.”

Your breath caught.

He opened the box.

Inside was a ring he'd clearly spent far too much time choosing.

Bakugo swallowed, glancing away for half a second before looking back at you.

“You're probably wondering why I've been acting weird all night.”

He let out a quiet breath.

“I've been thinking about this for a damn long time.”

The waves rolled softly behind him.

“You're the person who's seen every side of me. The good, the bad, the ugly.” He gave a small, almost embarrassed scoff. “And somehow, you're still here.”

His eyes softened.

“And I don't want that to change.”

He held the ring out toward you.

“So...”

A pause.

“I'm not exactly good at this romantic crap.”

His ears turned slightly red.

“But I know what I want.”

He looked directly into your eyes.

“I want you. For the rest of my life.”

The ring box remained open between you.

“So what do you say?”

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“...You gonna marry me or what?”