A/N: So last time I didn't mean to hit 9.3k words...This time it's 11k. So have fun with that.
"RAAAH!!!" Katsuki blasted forward instantly, raising his right hand back for a right hook.
...But, Izuku knew better. He knew Katsuki better. The blonde was smarter than that. The right hook was a fake out. So, Izuku had to "Fall for it". Raising his right arm to block, Katsuki swung early, flipping forward for an axe kick.
"You really think I'd fall for that crap again!"
"Nope." Izuku grabbed onto Katsuki's foot, flinging him over his shoulder and slamming him into the concrete.
"And first blood goes to Midoriya, easily seeing through the fake out!"
Katsuki growled, blasting the concrete and sending him backwards. The same foot Izuku was holding slammed into his diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him as he tumbled back. "Just like during battle training, you got lucky, Deku!" He jumped into the air, bringing down his hand towards Izuku.
Dodging the blast, Izuku zipped around Katsuki and shoved his back. He didn't need to attack for now. His legs were on fire, his body screaming at him to lower One For All's power, but he needed six to seven percent to stay faster than Katsuki. All he needed was defense and maneuverability to outlast Katuki's quirk fatigue. Once that happened, he could take the offensive.
Katsuki blasted back at him, keeping his explosions smaller for the time being, which meant Katsuki also knew his quirk was more limited than Izuku's when it came to usage. Dodging again, Izuku kept up his speed as he ran in random patterns around the ring, keeping his movements unpredictable. Katsuki followed the streaks of green, but Izuku was too fast. The blonde had maneuverability, but speed like this wasn't something he could match. At least, not in the same way.
"Hold still you bastard!" Katsuki shot out both of his arms, spreading them out to the left and right and sending out large explosions towards the ground, blocking off movement on either side of him. Izuku slid to a stop, staying out of the volatile inferno. "There you are!" Quickly pivoting to his left, Katsuki fired off a massive explosion. Izuku managed to get out of the way, but Katsuki was expecting that, charging at Izuku. Another wave of combustion was sent Izuku's way, this time even smaller than usual.
His stamina was running out, his quirk beginning to weaken.
Izuku saw his chance, charging at Katsuki head on. Izuku didn't know what happened next. It might have been his adrenaline being so high, or maybe it was due to his past being such a main topic of the last few weeks, maybe both. But, as he looked at Katsuki running at him, that sadistic smile he had grown to shiver at for a decade. Those red eyes he had nightmares about. Those explosions he felt burn his skin as he cowered in fear.
Something snapped.
He dodged under Katsuki's arm, grabbing the blonde by the throat and slamming him to the ground. Pinning Katsuki's arms under his knees, his hand still clasped around Katsuki's throat, Izuku raised his other fist up and slammed it into Katsuki's face repeatedly.
...And it felt good.
As he looked down at his former tormenter finally on the other side, this time he was the one being beaten, he felt his adrenaline run higher than before as the little quirkless kid inside of him tried to unleash all his frustrations out on its main source.
Kyouka and All Might both had the same concern in their eyes. This behavior was unlike Izuku in every way.
Izuku's breathing quickened, his heart pumping in his ears, but then he stopped. His gut wrenched, nausea spreading. He was mercilessly beating someone else. 'Wh-...What am I doing? I-...I-...?'
"GRAAAAH!!!" Izuku was suddenly blasted away, tumbling backwards with smoke trailing behind him. He fell on his stomach, trying to get up only to feel a boot slam onto his elbow and a knee on his back, keeping him down. He knew he could power up, get Katsuki off of him easily...but he just couldn't. Those memories that fueled his aggression flipped around and were used against him. Now he was shot back to being a four-year-old again, being beat up by his bully. His gut dropped as he could feel another panic attack flood his body at full force. He couldn't move. "I'll give you that, Deku. That wasn't bad. And, I'll admit, trying to outlast my quirk wasn't a bad idea." Katsuki raised his hands up, sparks popping out of his palms, "But, it just made it easier to trick you into thinking I was done for."
Explosions combusted onto Izuku's back, his clothes singed..
The pressure was getting too high, his thought process becoming too cluttered. He was blasted over and over again, not able to recover. He couldn't move. It was just like at the playground all those years ago...
He was useless.
"I was supposed to be the only one from our piece of shit school to get here!" He fired down again, stepping onto Izuku's arm. "This was supposed to be my path to victory, to being the best!" Izuku's vision tunneling, his lungs constricting, and his mind running a mile-a-minute. "And just like before, you kept trying to get in my way! But, even after you get a fucking quirk, make it to UA, one thing hasn't changed!"
Katsuki fired again.
"I'm!"
Another blast.
"Still!"
Another.
"Better than you!"
Raising both hands up, Katsuki fired down, rapid explosions burning Izuku's clothes and skin. "I've always been better than you! I don't care if you hide your damn quirk! I don't care how strong you think you are! You're still useless!"
~"You were never useless, and you still aren't."~
Izuku opened his eyes, his world slowed. His gaze traveling down, he was met with scorch marks all around him and continued to appear as Katuski proceeded to fire. Just like at the park. Kyouka's words returned to him, her voice echoing in his mind.
"You're still weak!"
~"They thought you were weak, couldn't do anything. They convinced you, too."~
"You're still a pebble on the road!"
~"They were dead wrong. And you can prove it."~
"You're still a bug I can crush when it gets in my way!"
~"Prove to yourself you're not useless."~
~"I will not fall behind. I will fight with everything I have."~
~"But, you...I couldn't have picked a better successor."~
~"But I just wanted to say Kyoutoku and I are rooting for you! We believe in you!"~
~"I-I, Uh...I...I care about you."~
"A stupid, worthless, Dek-"
*CRACK*
Just as Katsuki's hand was about to slam down into Izuku once more, the greenette spun around and fired his fist directly into the side of the blonde's head, careening him to the ground. Katsuki's head smacked into the concrete, his face scraping across the ground as he slid to the left of the ring with his legs in the air from the momentum. Skidding to a stop, the crowd went silent at the sound of the hit. Class 1-A were silent as well, sans a shocked, "Holy shit" from Kaminari.
Katsuki stood up with a groan, blood dripping from his face. The right side of his face burned from the friction, his skin peeling away from the bloody scrapes running from his forehead, down his cheek, to his chin. Izuku forced himself to stand as well, raising his fists up.
"You're right about one thing...I-I...I am Deku. But, that's not what you think it means. I'm not weak. I am NOT useless. Not anymore."
Katsuki glared at him for a few seconds, spitting blood on the ground. He was no longer bombastically angry, screaming and yelling at everything.
This time, it was quiet, unyielding, pure rage .
"...We'll see about that."
*BOOM!!!*
*ZOOM!!!*
Katsuki didn't care that his muscles were cramped and ached from overuse of his quirk.
Izuku didn't care that he could feel his bones ache and his muscles stab with pain just from 8%.
They collided, electricity and sparks flying into the air. Izuku's fist was placed firmly on Katsuki's damaged cheek, and Katsuki's open palm was against Izuku's stomach. He fired off another blast, the explosion slamming Izuku's midsection. But, as he was blown back, he grabbed Katsuki's arm, using his involuntary momentum to fling the blonde towards the edge of the ring.
Katsuki flew through the air towards the crowd, the grass below him. He blasted backwards, firing like a missile at Izuku and tackling him, sending both boys tumbling until Katsuki was on top. He threw a right hook, only for Izuku to block it, lift his feet up and kick the explosive-quirk user directly in the nose. Growling, Katsuki blasted again, sending both teens away from one another.
Recovering with a roll, Izuku shot off again and collided his elbow with Katstuki's ribs, then another punch to the jaw. Katsuki countered, slamming multiple blast into Izuku's chest, hitting his open palm onto his torso with each explosion. Izuku quickly activated what he could of his external energy, electricity zapping from his body to Katsuki's as the blonde blasted him again, sending both boys flying back.
"Should uh...Should we stop this? This is getting brutal."
Ignoring Mic, they both pushed themselves up again. Izuku's irritated and burned skin, bruises, and bloody cuts all around his body were getting to him. One For All was even more painful to use. At the beginning of the day, 8% was really painful, but he could work through it. Now, mustering up that much was draining him and making his injuries just hurt far more.
But, he knew he wasn't the only one in pain. Katsuki's hands couldn't form a fist, and they were shaking like mad. The blonde gripped his jacket to keep his hands still, his brow furrowing.
Up in the stands, Ochako sat in disbelief. "How are either of them still standing? Midoriya was beat up badly at the start, but now he's keeping up with Bakugou like it never happened."
"Because Izuku can take it," Kyouka said, turning to her friend. "He'll take a beating unlike any other, and he'll keep coming after you." It wasn't a lie. Izuku spent eleven years of what seemed like a personal Hell, and he was still so heroic. He could take it. Kyouka turned back to the field, her vision focusing on Katsuki standing back up as he wiped the blood from his lip. "That's not the kind of man you want on your bad side. Although, Izuku blurs the line between being determined and being stubborn. But, at least you can say he never gives in."
Ochako nodded, looking back down at the ring with even more admiration for her friend.
Katsuki could feel his hands scream in pain, his forearms going numb. He couldn't hold out much longer. He internally slapped himself for his actions beforehand in the festival. Katsuki had figured that as long as he took out his opponents quick enough, the effect on his quirk's stamina would be minimal. But, his giant blast during the race and his constant use throughout the day was adding up.
But, Izuku couldn't win. He wouldn't allow it.
"GRAH!" Katsuki jumped up and fired off as big of an explosion as he could, doing his best to ignore the pain. Flying up above the ring, he stopped his descent by blasting himself in a circle, going faster and faster. "Stop this you fucking nerd! I'm winning this!!!"
A spiral of flashing light and smoke filled the sky, the crowd looking up in awe at the vortex of destruction above them. In the 1-A seats, Momo's hand glowed blue as she extended it out to Kyouka. The purplette looked down to see foam earplugs. "I think you're going to need these."
Kyouka gave a small smile in gratitude, plugging her jacks into the foam. On the field, Izuku quickly tried to think of a solution. If he used all his power, he could...no, would kill Katsuki. He could try not to actually hit him and use the air to send him in a different direction, but anywhere else he aimed would likely hit the audience.
He had to use his other option.
Izuku pulled on the feeling in his gut, trying to muster up all of the energy he could. Just like during his fight with Todoroki, it was becoming apparent that this new ability wasn't for constant use yet. His body immediately felt so much weaker than before, and that wasn't the case before his match with Shoto.
He knew he was going to regret it, but Izuku pulled what he could guess was around 10% of One For All throughout his body. Energy was sparking everywhere as he did his best to hold it in.
Midnight began to tear her sleeve, "Okay, we've let this go on too long as it is. They'll kill ea-"
"No!" Izuku shouted, looking at his teacher. "Don't stop the match! We'll be fine!"
Katsuki laughed from above, "Don't make promises you can't keep, Deku! Howitzer!!!" Like a comet he blazed towards the ground at blinding speeds, the entire arena lighting up in a shade of intense orange.
"Detroit!!!" Izuku launched himself up, bringing his fist back.
"IMPACT!!!"
"SMASH!!!"
Izuku unleashed his built up energy as his fist collided with Katuki's open palm. The ensuing explosion launched energy, smoke, and cinders into the audience. The stadium lights flickered as the smoke cleared, the crowd all sat up normally, as they had taken cover from the explosion. There were two trails of smoke in the sky.
One was Katsuki, falling from the sky and landing in the ring, the brunt force of the impact being taken by his shoulder. He screamed through grit teeth as he held his shoulder and had small spasms from the energy sparking off of him. Which was the likely side effect of being hit by Izuku's blast.
The other smoke trail belonged to Izuku...which led to the grass just outside of the ring.
"Izuku Midoriya is out of bounds!" Midnight yelled into her megaphone, "Katsuki Bakugou is this year's Sports Festival Champion!" Some of the crowd cheered, others gave half-hearted applause, and some yelled in outcry, booing at the outcome.
Kyouka sighed, "Damn it."
"I wanted him to win, too," Ochako said, reacting to Kyouka's disappointment. "But, he was so close! I'm sure he'll win next time."
"Yeah, but...Wait..." Kyouka took out her earplugs, honing her jacks in onto the field towards Izuku. '...Is he...laughing?'
Struggling to stand, Katsuki stepped off the ring, stomping towards Izuku. "It looks like even after all that, Bakugou is going over to offer his hand to help Midoriya up in an act of true sportsmansh-" Katsuki stood over Izuku and grabbed him by the collar, bending down to look the greenette in the eyes. "Oooor not."
Bakugou growled, his grip tightening, "I. Win. You fucking hear me? I. Beat. You."
Izuku stared up with wide eyes, breathing heavily as he caught his breath. "Huh? What do you have to say now? Earlobes gave you a smart mouth, now fucking use it."
Katsuki sneered, waiting for his answer.
An answer he never would have expected to be laughter.
"He...Ehehehe!"
The blonde furrowed his brow in confusion, "What the hell's so funny?"
"W-Well...how honest do you want that answer?"
"...Excuse me?"
"After all these years, everything you've done to me, I can finally see what you really are."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm saying I realized you're not this larger than life, confident kid I used to look up to. And, you're not something I should be scared of. Even if you don't realize it, you're just as insecure as I am."
Katsuki growled, his frown growing angrier, "Insecure? You've gotta be fucking joking."
"No, I'm not. Because, a year ago you never would have even thought about proving yourself to anyone, you already thought you were the best. But, now you're trying to prove to yourself, to me, and everyone else that you can beat me. Me , of all people. The useless, worthless, punching bag you've beaten and berated for eleven years." Katsuki almost lifted himself back up, but Izuku grabbed his forearms to keep him still. It was now or never. "The useless kid that almost just beat you with less than a tenth of his power, scraped your face across the concrete, made you think for the first time in your life that you might actually lose, and made you desperate throughout this entire festival. You may have beaten me, but this was a personal win for me. Because, I'm not afraid of you. Not anymore..." Izuku gripped Katsuki's jacket in return, looking up with a fierceness equal to Katsuki's. "... you're afraid of me ."
They stared at one another in silence, neither budging an inch. Katsuki scoffed, "Tch, whatever." He shoved Izuku back to the ground, turning around to walk away. "I beat you. That's all I care about. I just needed you to remember your place compared to me, and to make you stop getting in my way, just like at Aldera. I don't give a shit if you're afraid of me or not."
Izuku stood up, cradling his arm, "At Aldera, no. But, here? My fear was what held me down, stopped me from "getting in your way" as you always like to call it."
Katsuki swiveled around, his fists tightening, "And yet you were planning to all along. Hiding a quirk for years, and for what?"
"I didn't lie to you. I didn't hide my quirk, and I never tried to humiliate you or get in your way of success. I never will. You of all people should know that. But, I can't let you get in the way of my dreams either."
"Is there a fucking point to this speech?"
"I'm saying I have a life to live. Dreams to accomplish, promises to keep..." Izuku looked up into the stands in the direction of his class, knowing Kyouka was listening. "...people to live that life with. I know you hate me, and if we're being perfectly honest, deep down I hate you, too. But...But, I'm trying to move on with my life and stop acting like a kid afraid of his bully. And, I'm sorry for saying this, but you hate me for the most idiotic and childish reasons out of the two of us." Izuku knew calling him idiotic and childish was a terrible idea, but Kyouka had taught him sometimes blunt honesty worked wonders. "I'm trying to grow up...as should you. I know you probably won't talk to me for a while, which is for the best. But, if you're only going to listen to me one time in your life, do it now."
Katsuki barely responded, merely grunting out a, "Fuck you."
Izuku chuckled again, "Yeah, I was expecting that...Goodbye, Kacchan." Izuku turned around, walking to his exit. Just like with Todoroki, he couldn't help himself. Even when it was Katsuki, he tried to help in the end. But, Izuku knew Katsuki was a special case that couldn't be cracked in an instant. Maybe he never would listen.
But, for now, Izuku knew he had more important matters to handle.
He felt so much lighter. He got out everything he needed to say to Katsuki, his fear of him gone. He felt stronger, free...
Useful.
He felt like more than he ever was.
Izuku knew he still had a long way to go. A very, very, very long way. And he knew this would be far from the last time he and Katsuki spoke, argued, etc. But, at least those few chains were broken. His fear of Katsuki was behind him now.
For the first time since Kyouka changed the meaning of Deku, he felt like he truly lived up to it.
'Deku...Kyouka was right, that is a good hero name."
"Young Midoriya!" Izuku looked up to see Toshinori jogging towards him with the paramedics not far behind. "Are you alright!"
"W-Well, I'm just waiting to lose consciousne-Oh there we go." Izuku fell the the ground, promptly passing out.
...
On the other side of the ring, Katsuki entered his tunnel. He waved off the paramedics, opting to just go to Recovery Girl himself. Out of all the shit Izuku spouted out, Katsuki at least acknowledged one thing.
He didn't win.
That smile on Izuku's face, even when on the ground, beaten and burned, was etched into the blonde's mind.
Less than a tenth of Izuku's power gave him that much trouble. And, Izuku only seemed more excited by his loss, hopeful for how far he could go from the level he was at now.
Izuku really wasn't a pebble anymore. He wasn't nothing. Katsuki could no longer stand on his pedestal above the world, because now he had people standing next to him. He wasn't running ahead anymore.
Izuku was standing right there next to him, eager to surpass him. He made Katsuki desperate, it was true. Deku, fucking Deku, made him worry about his shot at the top. What made it even worse, was the fight made his worry justified.
But, if he didn't actually beat Izuku...if he only just barely won against a fraction of his power...
...Then, that fight meant nothing to him.
He didn't win shit.
...
(15 Minutes Later: Recovery Girl's Stadium Office)
"Again, I repeat, what am I going to do with you?"
Izuku groaned as he opened his eyes, his vision filled with the most beautiful, bored, violet-eyed glare he hoped to always be able to see. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be hearing that for the rest of my life?"
"Because you are."
"Do they do this often?" Izuku's eyes flickered over to see Momo and Ochako standing nearby, the rich girl talking to the brunette. "The back and forth, I mean."
Ochako chuckled, "Midoriya doesn't talk very much, but yeah, this is usually how it goes."
"Y-...Y-You guys came to check up on me?"
Ochako smiled brightly, bouncing over to the bed, "Of course we did! You're our friend, we were worried about you. If Iida didn't have to leave I know he'd be here, too."
Izuku pushed down his immediate response to cry, simply smiling. "Thanks, guys." He tried sitting up, but quickly regretted it. "Ough, pain. Everything's in pain."
Recovery Girl stood from her desk, walking over to Izuku. "Well, that's what happens when you get beaten, burned, and break your own body in the process."
"B-But, I didn't break anything this time!"
"Broken, no. But, you're overselling yourself. Your body isn't ready to handle the amount of power you've been using. I'm assuming you're using your body to the point of extreme pain, but not enough to break anything, correct?"
"...Well, y-you see-"
"Point proven. Not to mention whatever you're doing with that pulse attack, you're doing it too much. You'll be weak for the rest of the day, too weak to use my quirk right now. So you're going to have to be very sore until I can heal you. Come back to me once Aizawa releases you for the day, and we'll see what I can do. For now, I left some pain relievers on the bedside table. The awards ceremony starts in about fifteen minutes, do you think you can walk?"
"I'll manage."
Kyouka turned to Chiyo, "By that he means I'll help him. Thanks, Recovery Girl."
"Now, I need to head to the next room over to check on Bakugou. The boy refused to be in the same room as you. You teens and your drama."
Izuku gave a dry chuckle, "You have no idea." As she left, Izuku turned to the others. "You guys can go back to your seats. Really, I'll be fine. I gotta get ready to leave anyway."
"Are you sure?" Momo asked.
"Yeah, I-I'll be okay. Thank you guys again for being here." With that, Momo and Ochako left with Kyouka staying behind to help him when he was ready to leave...and for other obvious reasons. As soon as they were gone, Izuku immediately began climbing out of bed, ignoring the terrible pain in his muscles.
Kyouka put her hands on his shoulders, trying to push him down, "Whoa! Slow down! At least take your pain medicati-Mmph!" Standing up anyway, Izuku brought their lips together, wrapping his arms tightly around Kyouka's waist. He peppered her lips with more small kisses before burying his face into her shoulder.
"I did it. I actually did it. I fought Kacchan seriously this time, and I did good."
Finally realizing what Izuku was getting at, Kyouka returned the hug with a small smile of her own. "Yeah, I know. And I could hear you talking to him afterwards. You pretty much did everything except slap him in the face."
"I'm not afraid of him anymore, and it's all because of you." Izuku laughed, bending back to pick Kyouka up in a tighter hug.
"Okay, where'd all this come from!"
"I'm just so happy." Kyouka looked down as saw the genuine joy on Izuku's face, finally free of at least one burden on his life. His happiness was infectious, reaching her own heart as she put a hand on his cheek. They stared into each other's eyes, happy that a large milestone in Izuku's life had been passed. "...Can I put you down now, because I'm in serious pain?"
"Oh, right! Yeah." Izuku set Kyouka down, groaning as he fell back onto the bed.
"Recovery Girl wasn't kidding. I can barely move without my muscles hurting."
"Then let's get you your meds." Kyouka helped Izuku sit up straight, grabbing the water and pills next on the bedside table and handing them over one at a time. With the medication all gone, Izuku sighed as he placed his head on Kyouka's shoulder.
"I-I can never repay you back fully for this, but I'll do my best."
"Continue to be a good boyfriend, and we'll call it even."
Izuku raised his head up, a blush on his face. "Deal." They kissed again, Kyouka pivoting to sit perpendicular to him as the-
"Oh!" Both teens broke apart and turned to see Toshinori in the doorway. "I've gotta stop walking in on you two. Uh, I'll just come back later."
"No!" Izuku said before the pro could leave, "It's fine. Come in."
Toshinori closed the door behind him, walking up the bed. "How're you feeling?"
"I'm alright."
Kyouka scoffed, "No, he's not. He just doesn't want you to worry about him. Recovery Girl said he's been using his quirk at percentages that while don't break his bones, still are dangerous. And now he's like this." Kyouka demonstrated by simply poking his chest, causing Izuku to flinch.
"Ow! Don't do that, please."
Humming to himself, All Might crossed his arms. "Well, it's a start. You just keep yourself at around five percent for now, make sure you get used to it and slowly work your way up. Only use more for emergencies, got it?"
Izuku rubbed the spot where Kyouka poked, "Yes, sir. But, that's not all. It's about my new ability. Recovery Girl was right. I've been using my energy attack too much. When I used it against Todoroki, it was weaker and made me weaker in the process. It happened during the last fight, too."
Toshinori nodded, "So you think the same happened against Young Bakugou, in turn costing you the victory in the final clash."
"Y-Yeah, I think so. I'm not saying I would have won, but that definitely didn't help."
"Ah, well, it doesn't matter. First place or not, you sent your message. You did spectacularly," All Might turned to Kyouka, "both of you." Placing a hand on Izuku's head, he ruffled the boy's hair. "I'm proud of you."
Kyouka took Izuku's hand, giving it a soft squeeze, "I'm also extremely proud of you."
Izuku felt warmth spread in his chest, fully processing how far he had come from the person he was a year ago. And, he had these two amazing people to thank for it. "Now," All Might continued, "there is something that did concern me. For a moment there during the fight, it seemed like you got uh...carried away, so to speak."
Izuku's stomach quickly dropped, his gaze averting away from his mentor. "I...I-I know. I was just angry, and...It won't happen again."
"I wasn't trying to reprimand you, it's just that emotions running high can be bad when it clouds your judgement in a fight. Don't feel bad for being worked up, just make sure you can control it when it counts. Oddly enough, Young Bakugou seems to have that down. He may be constantly furious, but he keeps his mind clear. Not a bad trait to pick up on...the clear mind part, not constantly angry."
Izuku chuckled, "I understand."
Kyouka sat on the edge of the bed, "While he is right, I will admit it was just a little satisfying to see...Just a bit. However, I like my innocent, wouldn't hurt a fly, socially awkward boyfriend just as he is. So, just make sure he doesn't go anywhere."
Izuku squeezed her hand, "Not going anywhere, I promise."
Toshinori looked at the couple, smiling as he saw the joy and love Izuku viewed Kyouka with. And his heart warmed even more as that same passion was given from Kyouka. "...Young Midoriya?"
Izuku turned to All Might, a blush blooming on his cheeks. "O-Oh, sorry. I, uh...Got caught up in the moment."
"Young Midoriya, you're truly going to tell her?"
Kyouka perked up, realizing Toshinori was referring to the "Circle of Trust" he mentioned earlier. And likely everything else Izuku said he would explain after the Festival.
Izuku nodded without hesitation, "Yeah. There's no one I trust more."
Toshinori smiled brightly, "Well, then I guess I can do this."
*POP*
"Hahaha! Ya know, it's always a little relieving letting go of a secret you have to keep 24/7!"
Kyouka's jaw dropped, her eyes wide as she watched Toshinori vanish, and All Might appeared before her. "I-...I-I-...Wha-...You All Mi-...Tosh-...I..."
"Good luck explaining this one, Young Midoriya! Now, I'll see you at the awards ceremony! I leave like..." He popped back down to his normal form, a small cough escaping his lips. "...a normal person, because I'm actually kinda tired. Alright, I'll see you two in a bit." He walked past the couple, but not before pressing a finger under Kyouka's chin and closing her mouth. "Chin up. Badum Tsss."
Izuku chuckled as Toshinori left the room, looking over to Kyouka, who's jaw dropped again. He closed it again, taking her hands in his own. "Like I said, it's a long story. Short version, All Might's real name is Toshinori, and I've been training under him for about a year now. When it comes to why exactly that's happening...well, that requires a bit more explaining. How about we go out tonight? We haven't had our official second date yet." Kyouka still sat dumbstruck, barely even blinking at Izuku's explanation. "...I-I'll...I'll take that as a yes. You said you wanted the second date to be your idea, do you still want to do that?"
"U-Uh...Ye-...Yeah, s-sure. I-...I'm sorry, I'm just trying to process this. Is...Is buffing up like that All Might's quirk or something? Is he like the Hulk or...I need to sit down."
"Y-Yeah, it was shocking when I learned about it, too. And, when it comes to his quirk, that's a very complicated situation. We'll just go over it tonight. But, I want you to know this means a lot." Izuku squeezed her hands, looking Kyouka in the eyes, "I know it's a lot to take in, but this is supposed to be proof that I trust you more than anyone. If you trust me, I promise this will make sense."
Kyouka took a few deep breaths, letting it sink in a little bit and calming down. "Yeah...Yeah, of course I trust you. You know that."
"I just wanted to hear you say it. N-Now, do you think you can help me get to the field?"
"Oh! Right, of course." Kyouka took Izuku's arm, wrapping it around her shoulders to keep him steady and ease his limping. They made their way out the door and down the hall. "...Hey, whatever this is...thank you for telling me."
Izuku nodded, mustering up some courage to be a little forward and kiss Kyouka's temple. "I care about you, remember? I-I...I-I want this to last, which means trusting you with everything, even the big secrets that no one else is supposed to know. But, All Might said I was allowed to tell my closest confidants as I saw fit. And, obviously, that's you. Who else w-would there be?"
Kyouka blushed, leaning up and returning his kiss with a small chaste one of her own. "...Just to be completely sure, the secret isn't he's your dad, right?"
...
(Five Minutes Later: UA Stadium Awards Ceremony Stage)
After making it down the stairs, and explaining to Kyouka that All Might definitely wasn't his father, Izuku limped his way out onto the field and up the steps to the second place pedestal. He looked up at Katsuki to find the blonde looking somewhat empty, his hands in his pockets.
'Back to this not talking. Here we go.'
Midnight took out a microphone in place of her megaphone, the speakers all around the stadium echoing her voice. "And now, the awards ceremony! We had Todoroki and Iida both in third place, but Iida had to leave due to a family emergency. I'm sure you all understand."
Izuku perked up, his eyes going wide as he looked down at the rest of the students in search of his friends. Family emergency? Izuku found Kyouka in the crowd, and she merely shrugged at him. Ochako also shook her head, displaying she had no knowledge of the situation.
...Well, hopefully everything was okay.
"And now," Midnight continued, "this year's medals will be presented by the one, the only, All Might!"
Leaping from the top of the stadium, Toshinori landed down on the field as the crowd in the seats cheered. "I AM HERE WITH THE MEDALS!!!" The only standout in the audience was Kyouka, who was staring at the number one hero in intense thought as she was still trying to come to terms with the fact that the hero before her was actually much smaller and thin. "What a fine group of contestants we had this year! First, I'd like to congratulate every single one of you for your hard work today. But, now to the top three! In third place, Young Todoroki!" As the crowd clapped, he placed the third place medal around Shoto's neck. "I noticed you weren't using your left side until your fight with Young Midoriya. Any reason for that?" Toshinori knew the reason, but appearances must be kept.
"It was for...something personal. But, Midoriya helped me see I've been going about my future all wrong. I understand what you see in him. I wanted to be a hero like you, but I can't just go back to that. It'll take time, and I have some things to settle, but...I have hope again."
Toshinori listened intently, nodding his head and giving the boy a pat on the back. "I understand. Whatever it is you need to settle, I'm sure you will do it just fine. Just remember some of us understand and relate to others' problems more than you'd think. Just something to keep in mind, and you'll be one of the finest heroes this world has ever seen."
Shoto wondered if there was more behind that statement, but dropped the idea and simply nodded. "Thank you."
"Now, in second place we have Young Midoriya!" Izuku felt his anxiety creep up as Ochako yelled the loudest to hype him up, but he couldn't deny it felt kinda nice. All Might placed the medal around Izuku's neck, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Out of everyone in your class, I believe I've seen you grow the most. Your path as a hero, like your classmates, is long, dangerous, and can be unforgiving. But, your strength, courage, and selfless heart will pull you through. Especially with friends like the ones you've gained by your side. I'm proud to call you my student."
It was taking everything in Izuku's power not to cry. He recognized the double meaning behind most of that, and it was only making him so much more grateful for where he was now. He didn't care that he lost to Katsuki. He was having one of the best days of his life.
"...Th-Thank you, All Might."
Giving him the same back pats as Shoto, All Might continued on, "And keep that smile wide, my boy! Now, to Mr. First Place himself. Young Bakugou!" He stepped up to the final pedestal, placing the medal around Katsuki's neck. "I know we had a bit of a rocky start when school first started, but listen to me now. You truly do have the capabilities of a great hero. Your mind is sharp, your skills incredible, your confidence high. But, a hero's heart needs to be just as great, or even greater, than his mind and his muscles. Once you have that, I have no doubt your future as a hero will be bright. I look forward to where you go from here."
Katsuki looked up at All Might, then down at his medal. He removed it from his neck, glaring at it in his palm. "...I don't want this."
"Ahaha! Already trying to be humble, eh? Such quick improveme-"
"No. I don't want this shit. That win means nothing to me." He tossed the medal down the steps, putting his hands back in his pockets.
Toshinori picked it back up, extending it out to Katsuki. "Come now, Young Bakugou, no matter how you may feel about it, this tournament was to show your skills and prowess as an up and coming hero. If not as a sign of pride and achievement, then a way to remember how you can improve."
"I said I don't want it."
"Young Bakugou, I really must insist."
Katsuki growled, yanking out of Toshinori's hand. "...Fine."
"There we go! Now, let's give it up for our winners!" The audience cheered once more as Izuku, Katsuki, and Shoto all stepped down and joined their class. Everyone began moving off the field and towards the locker rooms to get dressed back in their school uniforms so Aizawa could speak to them once more before going home. Izuku blushed and mumbled his way through thanking people for congratulating him, the high energy of his class becoming infectious.
As they walked through the exit tunnel, Kaminari spoke up. "Ya know, I've gotta give it to Bakugou. He said he was going to win, and he wo-" He was interrupted by Katsuki walking by a nearby trash can, tossing his medal inside silently and continuing on.
Sero, Kaminari, and Kirishima all looked at one another quietly...
"DIBS!"/"DIBS!"/"DIBS!"
The trio all charged and tripped over one another, running into the garbage can and spilling out its contents as they all wrestled for the medal inside.
Kyouka pinched the bridge of her nose, "We should get out of here before it gets-"
"Momma wants a medal!!!" Mina dived into the group of boys, yanking on the medal as well.
"...Worse."
The rest of 1-A all began walking by, either sighing or laughing at their classmates. But, the group wrestling for the medal stopped when Mina shouted, "Whoa! Okay, which one of you just touched my ass?" All three boys quickly backed away in panic, their hands up in a sign of innocence. "Ha! Suckers!" Mina grabbed the medal and ran off, the trio of boys all groaning and chasing after her.
Kyouka shook her head, "I swear this place is a fever dream."
...
(Outside of UA: End of the Day)
After Mr. Aizawa announced they would have the next two days off, Izuku and Kyouka were leaving the building after visiting Recovery Girl to help Izuku with his soreness. Thankfully, her quirk helped immensely, albeit with Izuku very tired afterwards.
Kyouka nudged him, "Are you awake enough to go on that date?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it. I'll just take a nap for an hour when I get home."
"Good. I need some prep time anyway. I'll meet you on the sidewalk outside of your apartment building. Seven o'clock?"
"Sounds good."
"Midoriya." Izuku and Kyouka turned around to find Shoto standing there, his school uniform back on. "I don't know if you heard me during the fight, but...thank you. I won't forget this."
Even though he said it blankly, Izuku knew he meant every word. "Of course." Bowing, Shoto took his leave.
Izuku sighed in relief, "I am so lucky my fight with him worked out so well."
The musician nodded in agreement, "Yes. Yes, you are. Now, c'mon, I've gotta get this date ready. And, you need to compile everything that was revealed to me today in a competent, easy to understand fashion, so I can figure out what the hell is going on. Got it, Deku?"
Izuku chuckled, "Understood."
"Good. Now let's go." The couple made their way to the train station, both splitting away so they could head to their separate locations.
Izuku plopped down in his train seat, already missing the company. But, his mind went back to Katsuki. It really was over, or at least a portion of it was. He made his former bully afraid of him, even if only for a day. To him, that was enough. He didn't have to fear him anymore. Life could move on.
His train made it to his stop. Climbing out of the compartment and up to ground level, Izuku made his way up the stairs and to his door. He raised his hand to open the door, but paused.
"5...4...3...2..."
"IZUKU!!!" Bursting through the door, Inko picked up her son in a big hug, his shirt already soaked in tears. "Oh, my baby! You did so well! I can't believe it!"
"Th-Thanks, mom."
"You're not still hurt are you?" she asked, placing Izuku back down.
"N-No, but Recovery Girl, our nurse, her quirk makes you really tired. So, I-I'm running on fumes right now."
"Oh, then please go rest. C'mon." Inko let Izuku walk inside, he hung his bag up on the nearby hooks. Izuku sighed in relief as kicked off his shoes, stretching out his legs. "I'll make you katsudon for when you wake up as a celebration for today."
Izuku perked up, turning back to his mom. "Uh, actually, I-I'm supposed to meet Kyouka at seven. Sort of a celebration of our own, i-it's important."
"Oh, o-okay. That's fine, we can do something tomorrow then. Now, rest up. After all that you've definitely earned it."
"Yeah, f-for sure." Izuku walked into his room, seeing his bed causing fatigue from all the fighting and stamina drain from Recovery Girl's quirk to come crashing down on him. Izuku fell onto his bed, out like a light.
...
(Jirou Household)
Walking down the sidewalk towards her house, Kyouka's jacks perked up. Loud music could be heard from inside her home, along with...
"Oh boy."
Her dad was singing.
Stepping up onto her front porch, she opened her front door to find her father standing on the couch, mic in hand, and her mother playing the guitar.
~"WE HAAAVE THE COOLEST DAUGHTER IN THE...WOOOOOOOORLD!!!"~
Kyouka rolled her eyes, dropping her bag and walking up the steps. They would be at it for a while, likely not noticing she was home for a bit. Once engrossed into their music, there was no pulling her parents out. Entering her room, Kyouka groaned as she began unbuttoning her blazer. It had been an exhausting day, but she had work to do.
After picking out her outfit for later, Kyouka began shedding her school clothes. As she did, she thought back to her performance in the festival. She was so focused on Izuku and the fact that she still was processing that ALL MIGHT WAS ACTUALLY ANOTHER PERSON that she never even looked back on her own fights.
Kyouka had to admit she did far better than expected, but she had a long way to go. She also couldn't help but wonder how she would have done if she didn't get unlucky and wasn't matched up against Todoroki. What if she had to fight Iida, or Mina. Or maybe even Shins-...
Shinso.
Her mind shot back to what he had said about her, her stomach dropping. But, then she thought about what she overheard when Izuku was talking to him in Recovery Girl's office. He called her pretty, said he was just trying to mess with Izuku. Which, to be fair, worked.
Her mind slapped back, telling her that Shinso was lying to stay on Izuku's good side. She shook her head, pushing her thoughts back. Either way, while what he said hurt, Kyouka was just grateful she didn't get wrapped up in the "Perverted Pair's" cheerleading outfit scheme. That would have made her feel way more self-conscious.
Although, Izuku seemed to enjoy the idea of her wearing it, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud.
And, at the very least her training was paying off. Her stomach had more tone to hit. And while they looked the same when doing nothing, when she lifted up objects or fought her arms surely had more definition.
She had done well against Ochako, and she got way closer to winning against Shoto than she ever thought she would. Not to mention she was first place for both the first and second event. That would garner her plenty of attention for internships.
Kyouka clenched her fists, taking a deep breath. Izuku saved Todoroki from himself, and saved himself from his seemingly unkillable fear of Katsuki. If he could do all of that, removing the shackles from his own mind and still moving forward to becoming a hero...
Then Kyouka wouldn't let her mind stop her either. Definitely from being a hero. And certainly not from accepting love and affection from Izuku.
She cracked her knuckles, sitting down at her make-up table as she began preparing for her date. Izuku's date idea was thoughtful, holding meaning to their relationship and how it began.
She could match that.
...
(Hour and a Half Later)
Izuku checked himself over in the mirror, more awake and refreshed than he was before. He had on a black button-up shirt, rolling up the sleeves and leaving the buttons undone, and jeans, something casual yet still nice. He and Kyouka had never actually set a standard for what kind of date it would be, so he had to dress for anything.
Exiting the bathroom Izuku checked his phone, seeing a text from Kyouka telling him she was about to get to his building. "Mom! I gotta go!"
"Okay, sweetie."
Izuku made his way to the door, but stopped, his hand on the doorknob. After she fretted over him all day, and watched him on TV throughout the entire festival, waiting for him to come home to congratulate him, he was leaving again. His feelings and relationship with his mother was still...damaged. But, he was trying to be better, repairing at least some of the damage that had been broken between him and his mother. And, he did promise Kyouka he would introduce her soon after the Sports Festival...
Screw it.
Izuku sighed, turning around and walking back to the living room. "...Mom?"
Inko perked up, looking over at her son, "Hm? Did you forget something?"
"No, I...It's j-just that..." Okay, this was harder than he thought. He hadn't legitimately shared something deeply personal with his mother for a very, very long time. But, it needed to be done. "...Th-The reason why going to see K-Kyouka is my main priority tonight is because...because she's my girlfriend. She has been for a few weeks now, officially I mean...a-and we were dating a little bit before then. It's only our second date, school and training for the festival t-took up a lot of time. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, i-it's just...this is all new to me, and her for that matter. I...I dunno, I guess I just wanted to keep it to myself for awhile, just enjoying it as her and I's thing alone. W-We haven't told anyone at school either, if it makes you feel any better. And, Kyouka's parents know because they saw u-us together when I-I walked Kyouka home. Besides, Kyouka's mom has the same quirk as her, so I doubt we could hide it anyway, so..."
He trailed off after awkwardly fumbling through his reveal, waiting for a response, which would probably be tears.
...It was tears.
Inko's eyes watered, and soon the tears fell down her cheeks. "Izuku..."
"M-Mom, I really am sorry I didn't tell you! I-It's just that...I'm private, you know, a-and Kyouka and I-" Izuku was stopped by Inko jumping off the couch and hugging him tightly.
"I know, honey. I know you like to keep to yourself, and that you and I are far from being able to talk normally about these sort of things, but...I'm just so happy you told me. And, If we're being honest, Izuku...I kinda saw you through the window, too."
"Wha-?! When?!"
"A few weeks ago, back when we had our talk. I just wanted you to tell me yourself, I didn't want to push you further away."
Izuku immediately felt like he had been punched in the gut with guilt. He didn't really regret keeping his relationship private, but knowing his mother knew he was hiding it from her all along made him feel bad. But, thankfully it seemed she knew he wasn't intentionally trying to hurt her.
He hugged her back, resting his head on her shoulder. "...Sorry."
"It's okay, Izuku. It's okay."
It was...nice to hug her like that again. Most of their hugs usually involved Inko uncontrollably getting emotional and hugging too tight. Not that Izuku was mad at that, it was just how she was. But, this...a soft, warm hug, really being able to be held by his mother again...he missed it terribly.
Yet, they lived in the same home, slept down the hall from one another...and this was rare.
He was actually surprised when Inko was the one who pulled away, "Okay, I don't want to keep you. Never keep a lady waiting."
Izuku nodded, chuckling a little bit, "U-Um...if you want we c-could have her over for dinner tomorrow. If...if you want to meet h-"
"Yes!" Inko blurted out. "Yes! I've been dying to meet her. What's her favorite food? Wait, nevermind. I'll figure it out. I'll just make so many dishes that one of them is bound to be her favorite!"
"Whoa, wait. Wha-?!"
Inko kissed Izuku's cheek and grabbed her coat, "Have fun on your date! I need to shop for dinner tomorrow!" And just like that, Inko was gone. Izuku hadn't seen his mother so excited in a long time. She had likely been awaiting the day Izuku brought home a significant other since the day he was born. Again, it...felt good to be so involved like this again.
It was a start, at least.
Izuku followed her example and left the apartment, making his way down the steps he found Kyouka. And, at that point, Izuku figured he would be used to his heart stopping for a few seconds every time he saw Kyouka. But, seeing her in a black leather jacket slightly too big for her, a white Fleetwood Mac shirt, a red, short plaid pencil skirt, black ankle-high boots, and a black choker was making him feel all tingly.
"Uh...I think I just saw your mom sprinting down the street faster than an olympian."
Izuku rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, yeah. I kinda told her w-we'd have dinner with you tomorrow. She's pretty excited."
"Nice. Good, keeping your "After the Sports Festival" promises already. I can't wait. Oh, speaking of which, my parents want a celebratory dinner, too. I'll have to tell them it'll have to wait until the day after tomorrow. Your mom has been waiting long enough."
"Fair enough." Izuku smiled, taking Kyouka's hand. "You look beautiful."
Kyouka blushed, bringing his arm closer to hug it to her chest as they walked, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, handsome. Now, c'mon. We have a lot to discuss."
"Y-Yeah. Where are you taking me anyway?"
"You'll see."
...
(Unknown Location Due to Kyouka Covering Izuku's Eyes)
"You know, I could have just covered my eyes myself."
Kyouka smirked, "Yeah, but..." She held back a laugh as she looked at Izuku where her jacks were completely wrapped around his face. "...this is funny."
Izuku chuckled, keeping hold of Kyouka's hand to guide him. "You really didn't have to try and one-up my first date idea. This isn't a contest. I'll enjoy anywhere we go as long as I'm with you."
"Yeah? Well, I hope you're not exaggerating, because I'm gonna need that for this date location." Before Izuku could question that, Kyouka's jacks unwrapped around his head to reveal their destination.
"...The playground?" To be exact, the playground he was beaten at all those years ago. Light's were strung up all over the playground equipment, from the slides, swings, and around each monkey bar, all plugged into one of the nearby public outlets. A large red blanket was laid out in the center, a small ankle-high table to the side. "Wh-When did you set all this up?"
"Just before I came to get you. I...I might've had to scare off some kids, but we'll just ignore that for now."
"...Kyouka, this is-"
Kyouka quickly raised her hands in defense, "Okay, I know! I know. The playground where you got beat up at and felt useless for the first time sounds like an absolutely horrible date idea. But...you've conquered your fear of the Blonde Bomber, you've been sharing so much I-...I wanted to change one more thing. You took Bakugou's power over you away from him, and I wanted to take this place's power away, too. Replace the bad memory with a good one. Oh! And, unlike the jazz club..." Kyouka jogged over to the nearby picnic table, picking up a couple bags. "...I actually made sure there's food here."
"Oh, ha ha," Izuku deadpanned.
Kyouka twirled her jack around her finger with anticipation, "So, um...good idea? Bad idea? I know this might be too muc-"
"I love it."
"...You do? You're not just saying that?"
Izuku walked over to Kyouka, placing his hands on her hips. "No, I really mean it. You've worked your magic on so many of the bad parts of my life to make them perfect. I see no reason why you can't do it for this place, too."
Kyouka smiled, taking Izuku over to the blankets and sitting down on the pillows. She pulled the take-out from the bag, handing Izuku his own meal. "Katsudon, extra scallions on top."
Izuku took in the delightful smell of his favorite food, "Have I ever told you how perfect you are?"
"You talking to me or the food?"
"Yes."
Kyouka laughed as she opened her container of chicken yakitori, "You're getting better. I've taught you well."
Izuku took his first bite, leaning his head onto Kyouka's. "So, do you want to enjoy ourselves first, or do you want me to-"
Kyouka slapped both of her hands on Izuku's face, bringing him close, "Explain! Everything!"
Izuku nodded, backing out of her grasp. He set his food to the side, closing the container to keep it warm. "Get comfortable then." He moved to sit next to her, both of them falling back on the blankets and pillows and laying next to each other, their arms touching from the close proximity. "Okay, well...for starters, can you hear anyone around?"
"No, we're clear."
Taking a deep breath, Izuku still kept his voice somewhat low just in case. "Well...my quirk didn't manifest due to finally being able to physically handle it. I...I really was born quirkless. I-...I hav-"
"Holy crap, you have All Might's quirk."
"I-...What?"
"You have All Might's quirk, don't you?"
Izuku sat dumbfounded, propping himself up on his elbows to look down at Kyouka with wide eyes. "How...How did you-?"
"You were born quirkless and somehow got a quirk at fifteen, All Might has been training you since before we entered UA, because you said Toshinori has been your mentor before you even cleaned the beach, everyone keeps comparing you to All Might, you weren't surprised when we learned All Might was going to be our teacher, and Mr. Yagi, who I now know is All Might, knows a whole lot about your quirk down to the percentages. All Might has always kept his quirk a secret. And his real name is a secret so no one can look up his records. A passable quirk would be important to keep secret because villains would try to steal such a strong power, even willing to kill the people who own it just to get it. And, All Might looked really skinny and he must be middle-aged from how long he's been in the business. He's probably looking for a successor."
Izuku sat silently, his jaw dropped. "...I...You just...That...That's exactly right. I-...I-I mean, that's one-hundred percent correct."
Kyouka pumped her fist, "Yes! I got it!" Her expression then switched to pure shock, "Holy hell my boyfriend has All Might's powers? You're not like...gonna turn all giant and buff, right?"
"Not that I know of. Even if I could, I wouldn't."
"Good, I don't know how I would be able to handle that. But, what exactly is your quirk, then?"
Izuku sat back up, crossing his legs. "...It's called, One For All."
...
(Ten Minutes Later)
Kyouka placed her empty food container back in it's bag, sighing to herself. "You just can't escape, can you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You just got over your last obstacle, the Blonde Boomer, and now you have to fight the most dangerous villain the world has ever seen."
Izuku bit his lip as he thought about the situation, "Well...I-I knew this quirk would have negatives with it. Nothing in my life ever comes without backlash, except you. All Might said he's not completely sure if All For One is back, and if he is, then he would stop him before I ever have to fight him. That's the best case scenario."
"And when does the best case scenario ever happen to us?"
"...I...You make a fantastic point." Izuku set his own container down, shakily taking Kyouka's hand. "L-Listen...You've done so much for me. My life has been so amazing since you entered it. I already can never fully pay you back for all you've done, so...i-if you really don't want to be around me anymore, I completely understand. I'd even recommend it. I bring trouble enough as it is, but now with a target on my back, that means it spreads to you, your parents, I...Kyouka, I'm so sorry if-"
*JAB*
"Ah!" Izuku rubbed his arm where Kyouka's jack hit him. "What was that for?!"
"For being stupid."
"...Huh, All Might said the same thing."
"Then he and I agree on this. I'm not leaving you. I told you you're stuck with me. You think I would leave you to fight this guy on your own." She leaned forward, making sure Izuku was latching on to every word. "Future hero duo, remember? Both doing our best together. If it were me in your situation, would you leave me?"
Izuku shook his head, "Never."
"Then I'm not going anywhere. And, as long as I say so, neither are you. Not without me, at least." She took both of Izuku's hands in her, kissing his knuckles. "I'm with you always, All For One be damned."
Izuku smiled, tears falling from his eyes. "...Thank you."
Kyouka leaned forward, planting a kiss on Izuku's lips, again repeating a phrase he had said earlier. "I care about you, remember?"
The greenette brought her closer, his arms snaking around her lower back, "I care about you, too." They fell back against the blanket, the pillows and mounds of pebbles underneath the layers being surprisingly comfortable. Their kisses continued as the rest of the world was blocked out. The heat was rising, both of them becoming completely enveloped in the presence of the other. They kissed deeply once more, but this time more eagerly. Their impatience to stay connected resulted in a kiss with Izuku's mouth still slightly open, Kyouka's upper lip going in between Izuku's. It was a shock at first as they opened their eyes to stare at one another, but neither Izuku nor Kyouka said anything against it. Izuku released her upper lip, "S-Sorry."
"No, it's fine. It...wasn't bad."
Izuku nodded, looking around as he pulled at his small inner confidence to say what he was about to offer. After everything he had done that day, he convinced himself that he could do this.
"Do you...Do you wanna do it again?"
"...Yeah," Kyouka replied with a blush.
Izuku leaned back up, kissing Kyouka again. But, when he pulled away, he caught Kyouka's bottom lip in between his, sucking it before letting go. He could hear the quietest sigh of satisfaction from Kyouka as she went back for more, this time taking his lip in her's, leaving a small bite as she left. They repeated this over and over again, leaving small kisses in between.
Eventually, as Kyouka captured Izuku's lips for the hundredth time, the tip of Izuku's tongue accidentally swiped Kyouka's upper lip. They both faltered again, Izuku's apology ready to come out. But, Kyouka hesitantly opened her own mouth, her own tongue slightly coming out to meet Izuku's. The tips of their tongues met, a testing of the waters. Izuku and Kyouka were looking directly into each other's eyes, waiting for any sign of discomfort from the other.
When they found none, they began to slowly circle the tips of their tongues together, still processing the sensation. Finally, the kiss deepened further. Kyouka slid her tongue all the way into Izuku's mouth, causing him to enter her's as well. The teen's hummed in response to the new feeling as they explored the mouth of the other, their eyes finally closing as they gave in to internal heat consuming their bodies. Izuku's hand moved under Kyouka's jacket, rubbing her back as they became more and more engrossed in their activities.
Soon, they separated with a slight trail of saliva between them. Kyouka grimaced as she wiped it away, "Ugh. The spit trail, not...that."
Izuku chuckled, "Yeah, I know it. That was..."
"Incredible?"
"I was going to say something new, but yes. Very, very incredible."
Kyouka blushed heavily, a smirk growing on her face as she repeated Izuku's words from before. "...Do you wanna do it again?"
"Yes, please."
They kissed again, continuing deep into the night. With the secret of One For All now withheld in the hands of another, the future became more and more uncertain. But, neither teen could deny that no matter where life would lead to, life now was pretty damn good.
...
(The Next Morning: Midoriya Family Apartment)
Inko raised a brow, a smirk on her face as she placed breakfast on the table. "Someone's happy this morning."
Izuku sat dreamy-eyed at the table, a goofy smile on his face. "Mhm."
She chuckled under her breath, "You might wanna..." Inko pointed at her own lips in reference to Izuku's. He raised a brow, pulling out his phone and checking his face with the camera. The corner of his mouth was smeared with plum lipstick. Izuku's eyes widened, blushing fiercely as he wiped it away. Inko laughed again, "Had a good night, I assume?"
"Uh....Y-Yeah, I guess you can say that."
"This morning's breaking news broadcast sadly starts with a depressing report. Yesterday afternoon, the Pro Hero: Ingenium was attacked." Izuku turned his head around, looking at the living room TV with wide eyes. "Due to the common traits found at the crime scene, the assailant is believed to be the infamous Hero Killer. Ingenium's condition is currently unknown as that information has been kept private for now. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."
Izuku furrowed his brow as he sighed.
It was always something, wasn't it?
A/N: Soon we'll move on to the Internships, but for now we have a couple chapters to break up all the drama and action. Thanks for sticking with me during this weird period of my life.