Chapter 26: A Glimmer of Familiarity

"Hey, Vesper," Bakugo said, his voice low and gentle, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. I was taken aback, my eyes widening in surprise as I turned to face him. "Wow, that's the first time you have actually said my name," I said, a hint of amusement dancing in my voice. Bakugo's expression turned bright red as he scoffed, trying to play off the moment. "Yeah, yeah, don't get too cocky now," he muttered, looking away in embarrassment. I giggled, unable to contain my laughter. "I'm just surprised, that's all," I teased, nudging him playfully with my elbow. Bakugo's face grew even redder, and he looked like he was about to explode. "Shut up, Vesper," he growled, trying to maintain his tough exterior. The others at the table couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange, and even Aizawa sensei, who was sitting at a nearby table, raised an eyebrow in amusement. I grinned, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Bakugo that I hadn't felt in a long time. It was a small moment, but it was a start. As we continued to eat, Bakugo's expression slowly returned to normal, but I could still see a hint of embarrassment in his eyes. I made a mental note to tease him about it later. The rest of the day passed without incident, and I found myself feeling more at ease than I had in weeks. The added security around the dorms and Aizawa sensei's reassuring presence had helped to alleviate some of the tension. But as I was walking back to my room, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched. I glanced around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging it off, I continued on my way. As I entered my room, I noticed a small piece of paper on my desk with a cryptic message scrawled on it: "You're not as safe as you think." My heart skipped a beat as I realized that the League of Villains was still out there, watching and waiting. I felt a chill run down my spine, and I knew that I had to be more vigilant than ever. I looked around my room, making sure that everything was secure, and then I pulled out my phone to send a message to Bakugo and the others. We needed to be on high alert, and I knew that we couldn't let our guard down for a second. The message was simple: "We need to talk. Now." I hit send, and waited for their responses, my heart pounding in anticipation of what was to come.