Katsuki's crimson eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking from the blue-haired woman – Juvia – to the odd, white, snowman-like creature she was calling 'Plue,' then back to her. His brow furrowed in irritation and confusion. He'd seen Natsu's blue, winged cat, 'Happy.' This… thing… was different. Smaller, rounder, with a perpetually vacant expression and a conical nose. It wobbled slightly in Juvia's arms.
"What the hell is a 'Plue'?" he demanded, his tone laced with suspicion. He pointed a thumb dismissively at the creature. "I thought that damn talking cat was named Happy. And this one doesn't even look like it can talk, just… jiggle."
Juvia Lockser blinked, her cheerful expression faltering slightly under his intense, critical scrutiny. "Oh! Um, Plue isn't Happy, Bakugo-san," she explained, a little flustered. "Happy is Natsu-san's Exceed. Plue is… well, he's Plue! A Canis Minor spirit! He's one of Lucy-san's Celestial Spirits." She hugged the jiggly creature a bit tighter. "He's very sweet, really! Just a bit… clumsy." Plue let out a soft, nonsensical "Puu-puun!" sound, as if to confirm his general state of being.
Katsuki's scowl deepened. Celestial Spirits. Exceeds. This world was a goddamn menagerie of bizarre creatures and even more bizarre terminology. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it.
Then, another detail snagged his attention. His sharp eyes, accustomed to scanning for minute details in combat situations, caught the nameplate on the door of the apartment Juvia had just exited. It was small, a little faded, but the lettering was clear.
"And this room," Katsuki said, his voice flat, pointing directly at her door, "clearly says 'Heartfilia'." He looked back at Juvia, his expression accusatory. "So, are you 'Juvia' or 'Heartfilia'? Or are you squatting in someone else's damn apartment with your wobbly pet?"
Juvia's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink. "Oh! Ah, no, Bakugo-san! Juvia is Juvia Lockser!" she stammered, looking even more flustered. "This is Lucy-san's apartment. Lucy Heartfilia. She's Juvia's… best friend! And roommate! Juvia is just staying here with her." She gestured vaguely towards the interior of the apartment. "Lucy-san isn't home right now, she's out on a job with Natsu-san and Gray-sama." The addition of '-sama' when referring to Gray did not go unnoticed by Katsuki, filing it away as another piece of irrelevant but potentially annoying social dynamic.
So, the blonde girl from the guild, the one who seemed to be the designated voice of reason amidst Natsu and Gray's idiocy. That was Heartfilia. And this blue-haired water-works wannabe was her roommate. His neighbor. He let out a sigh that was more an exasperated expulsion of air. It figured. Of all the damn apartments in Magnolia, he had to end up next to a nexus of Fairy Tail weirdness.
"Right," Katsuki said, his tone making it clear he found the entire situation ridiculous. "So, I've got a crying fountain and a snowman for neighbors. Fantastic." He wasn't actually sure if Juvia could cry on command, but her general demeanor and watery name suggested it was a distinct possibility.
Juvia winced slightly at his blunt assessment, but her inherent politeness, or perhaps a touch of intimidation from his aura, kept her from retorting too strongly. "Juvia tries to be a good neighbor, Bakugo-san!" she insisted, a little defensively. "And Plue is very quiet! Mostly!" Plue offered another soft "Puun!" that was less than convincing.
Katsuki just grunted. He didn't care if they were good neighbors or not, as long as they stayed out of his damn way and didn't make too much noise. He'd had enough social interaction for one day – for several days, in fact. He just wanted to be left alone to process the day's events, catalogue his new abilities, and plan his next moves.
"Whatever," he said, already starting to close his door. "Just keep your… wobbly snowman… and your waterworks to yourselves. I'm not here to make friends."
The door clicked shut, leaving Juvia standing in the hallway, still cradling Plue, looking slightly crestfallen but also a little intrigued by her intense, explosive new neighbor. Katsuki leaned against the inside of his door for a moment, listening. He could hear Juvia murmuring something to her 'Plue,' then the soft sounds of her retreating back into Heartfilia's apartment.
He pushed himself off the door and surveyed his small, spartan room. It was a far cry from his room back at the U.A. Heights Alliance dorms. But it was his. A temporary sanctuary in a world that was still utterly alien, yet a world where he was rapidly, forcefully, carving out his own place. He had shelter, he had powerful new clothes, and his 'Explode' magic was a devastating addition to his arsenal. Tomorrow, he'd hit the Request Board again. More jobs. More Jewel. More chances to test his evolving power. And maybe, just maybe, he'd start looking for clues about how the hell he'd ended up in Fiore, and if there was any way back. But first, sleep. Even Katsuki Bakugo needed to recharge.