but the strongest have the most weaknesses.
what does it mean to be the strongest?
to win every fight?
to save everyone?
to be the physically strongest?
if all you ever do is look down on people, you won't be able to recognize your own weaknesses.
with a blank stare, bakugo stares at his wooden desk. he looks around at all the pictures scattering his work space. despite him not coming off as the most friendly guy, his pictures all include the class and specific people from class.
'i know you're the strongest.'
he stares at a picture of himself and another. a girl, to be specific. he's standing there with his eyes rolled and hands stuffed in pockets while the girl with h/c and white hair slings an arm around his shoulder and pulls him closer to her. her fingers stretch the corners of his mouth, making a forced smile come onto his face.
'is being the strongest a physical thing?'
another picture, one that was taken at the sports festival. a specific half and half boy stands on the lowest platform, the number three shining brightly below him.
his chained self stands on the second highest, the number two also shining brightly.
but the highest platform takes the cake. with its number one shining brighter than the sun, the person standing on it claims all the glory of being crowned the winner, the strongest of the first years.
'i want to surpass you. you're the strongest.'
'but..'
another picture catches him staring.
'what does it take..?'
this one is when he was younger however.
there's little him, standing on top of the monkey bars like the fearless child he was.
'i must be missing something..'
below him, is another boy.
he hangs from the same monkey bar, big green hair almost covering the bar he's holding.
both wear such big smiles. one before the reality of the world caved in on them.
you hate him because you know he's more of a hero than you are.
with or without quirks, you saw the determination and absolute drive he had to be a hero, to save everyone.
you wanna be like him.
you do wanna change your mentality. you want it to be like his.
because you envy him.
'is being the strongest a mental thing?'
---
"shoto, i was summoned?"
shoto smiles small at your words while you slowly close the door behind you. after making sure it doesn't make a loud sound, you walk towards him and take a seat next to him.
"what's up?"
"how was your trip to your house?"
"never good, why?"
"well midoriya told me about what happened in your room."
"oh." you roll your eyes. "when he dropped whatever he dropped?"
"yeah, are you two good?"
"yeah. it wasn't a big deal to me, i was just really mad at the time because my dad already put me in a bad mood."
"did you see him knock it over?"
"oh are you a detective now?" you cross your arms.
"yeah." his answer sets you back. "i just find some things weird."
"like?"
"like midoriya forgetting what he did when it happened just seconds ago."
"do you really believe that? i thought he was just playing stupid."
"y/n you know midoriya wouldn't joke around with something like that. especially if you were already in a bad mood, i don't think he'd joke around at a time like that."
you stay silent, making shoto sigh. "he said riku was there, right? what if he had something to do with it?"
"look i don't like riku and all, but why place the blame on him? he was no where near the thing when it dropped."
"i'm not saying he himself dropped it, i'm saying he made midoriya drop it."
"and how would he make izuku drop it?"
"do you know what his quirk is?"
"yeah, it's called body switch."
silence.
shoto blinks at you blankly with the look of 'come on'.
"okay so maybe he did. why would he though?"
"doesn't he like you? wouldn't he want to make midoriya look bad in front of you?"
i saw riku cleaning something up.
"kind of weird that he immediately offered to clean up. seems to me like he's trying to get on your good side."
"okay..fair point. but that wouldn't explain why izuku 'forgot'."
"maybe he has another quirk? one he didn't tell you about."
"what- shoto why are you thinking this?"
"why aren't you? i don't wanna be mean, but you're really hardheaded, y/n."
"coming from you i'm offended. i am not."
again, that same look comes from shoto.
"you never picked up on riku liking you and now you won't believe me when the evidence is clear and it makes sense? he would make midoriya do it only to make him look bad and he'd clean it up for you to make himself look good."
"it makes sense..but it's really sudden, and it doesn't explain what i asked."
"you don't have suspicions that this probably runs deeper?"
"what?" you stare at shoto with a confused look. "what are you talking about?"
"y/n..i don't think emiko and riku are who they say they are.."
you and shoto stare at each other with different looks.
his is worry but sternness.
yours is confusion but concern.
'not who they say they are..?'
---
the kitchen can be considered your second home. you like it more than your own kitchen at your house. so with no obligations, you dance around the open space. cleaning dishes, wiping counters, putting stuff away, organizing random things.
trying to kill time, is what you're doing.
but you're also trying to clear your mind. after your conversation with shoto, thoughts of emiko and riku fill your mind.
i don't think emiko and riku are who they say they are..
there's another thing that you have to be on the look out for, you've learned that you cannot relax at all.
"cleaning the kitchen like the housewife you are?"
looking to the side, you see bakugo walking in with his hands deep in his pockets. you rethink his words for a moment before scoffing and going back to wiping down the countertop.
"yeah 'cause you men don't do it right."
"what are we making?" he decides to ignore you.
"i don't know." you shrug. "anything new you wanna try?"
"don't care."
"that didn't answer my question."
"whatever." bakugo takes things out from their places. "let's just do the usual."
'he's seems annoyed..more irritated than usual.' you side eye him and watch him start to prepare. 'is he still thinking about our conversation?'
"the fuck you staring for?"
"..just realizing how ugly you are."
"look in the mirror."
"can't. you broke it."
"or maybe you can't see it you blind orphan."
"but i can still see how ugly you are. you're so ugly that even a blind person can see it."
"that's why you have parents that don't like you."
"ouch. have you run out of insults?"
"shut up."
with a victorious smirk, you obey him and stay quiet. the next couple of minutes are just you and bakugo preparing and cooking food for your classmates in silence. you've gotten used to making a lot, seeing that you're serving 20 people.
20 people who work out and study day and night.
so they're like cavemen who haven't eaten in years at the dinner table.
the sound of the metal knife hitting the wood cutting board fills bakugo's ears. with a blank stare, he cuts with precision, making sure not to injure himself.
the strong have the most weaknesses.
what does that even mean?
that's been the only thing in bakugo's mind since you said it.
"..speedy."
"hm?" you stop what you're doing after hearing the tone in his voice.
"how are you so strong?"
that was not expected, so you snap your head to the side just to make sure that actually came out of his mouth.
"what do you mean by the strongest?"
the fact that this is hard for bakugo to talk about just shows how fucked up in the mind he is.
and he knows that, so he doesn't answer.
"never mind that. it's not just about being physically strong." you go back to your task.
"i know that. and that's not what i mean."
"then what do you mean?"
"how are you so strong mentally. how do you stand so strong even with all the shit you're going through?"
he looks so lost with the way he stares down at his cut vegetables like they're from a foreign place.
"you were captured with me the night of the training camp. all might retired, i'm still feeling the guilt. only one thing happened to me and i'm still breaking down. i bet you've moved on, still standing strong. your parents, whatever that girl's name is and her son, your unknown past, you still move forward like it's nothing."
"how do you do that?"
your eyes widen when seeing a tear fall from his cheek. you didn't even know he was crying due to his hair covering his eyes.
"i've put so much thought into it, can i ever be as strong as you? deku? i've realized that if i were in your shoes, i wouldn't be able to continue. i bullied deku..if that was me, i would've taken my own advice all that time ago."
his words had your heart breaking for him. it's not that you didn't expect this to happen, it just hurt you more than you thought.
but his next words were the unwanted cherry ontop.
"i'm so weak."
he couldn't even believe the words coming out his mouth right now. he never thought he'd admit this to anyone.
but there's just something about you that compels bakugo to speak up.
"you admitting that to me shows how not weak you are."
he side eyes you through his blurry vision.
you look so unfazed.
"i knew you'd come to your breaking point eventually, so you storing it up for as long as you did, that's impressive, and you're very strong for it." you say while casually continuing your cooking. "firstly, you're katsuki bakugo, someone who i know would never admit that he's weak. he'd take it to his grave if it was neccessary. so you admitting that is a big turning point in who you are as a person, and it not only makes you stronger than i gave you credit for, but i respect you way more than i already did."
"second, i think you're taking my words the wrong way. i didn't want you to dive deep into finding its real meaning, i meant it as i said it, the strong have the most weaknesses. if you think you're so weak, you're very strong in contrast."
"and how the hell am i supposed to believe that?" bakugo sniffs.
"wipe the tears. crying isn't a good look on you. and you don't have to believe me right now. things like this take time, so i've learned."
"you didn't answer my question."
"i'm not as strong as you think." you laugh. "we both store up feelings, it just so happens that you broke down first. don't take that as a bad thing, either. we broke down about all might, do you really think i've forgiven myself? matter of fact, you breaking down like this isn't a weak thing, it's a good thing, a very good thing that you're letting your emotions show."
"it doesn't feel like that."
"not right now it doesn't. i know you would never think of this as a good thing, and that's where your downfall is. i see you're sturggling with the word strong and its actual meaning. if you think being strong is more of a mental game, you're wrong. both your physical and mental state are key aspects to being the strongest you can be. one will never be ontop of the other."
"you're only 16 bakugo, you have so much more ahead of you as you're only gonna get more mature and grow better as a person. i think you're so persistent with becoming the best right now that you forget things take time. there's no way you can have a perfect mental and physical state, especially with the way you are now and the things you refuse to speak of."
you envy him.
"now it's not neccessarily a bad thing that you refuse to admit some things, just realize that,"
"that's what's holding me/you back" you say in unison.
"look at you, learning fast like i knew you would."
"even if you're right, your words mean nothing to me in my mind."
"if you would realize that this isn't new to you, then you'd be correct. actions sure do speak louder than words. your actions speak louder than my words." you smile softly.
"what's that supposed to mean?"
"bakugo, do you want to be as strong as all might?"
"even better."
"and do you want to be as strong as me mentally?"
"...yes."
"well you can't."
"..."
"you can't be as strong as me because as i said, i'm not that strong myself, i'm just better at hiding it which is something that you don't want, and it doesn't mean i'm stronger than you. also, we're both very different. if you change yourself to be like me, it won't make you feel any better than you do now. you can't force yourself to be like another, you need to find your own path and find out how you can be yourself and feel proud about it. and wanting to be as strong as all might? hell yeah you can, but i think you being strong in your own way is better."
"and how do i do that? how can i feel strong?"
"that's for you to find out. but, when you get into the swing of it, it'll be a smooth sail. start the engine and start steering, one step leads to another."
"take your time, is what i'm trying to say." you put tongs in his hand. "the longer the process, the better the result. it's like that with our cooking, right?"
he stares down the kitchen utensil in his hand.
"you're smart because you study a lot, you're strong because you train a lot, you're a good chef because you cook alot, seems to me like you're pretty experienced with the word paitience."
your actions speak louder than my words.
bakugo's eyes shine when he looks at your soft smile.
"what's so hard about doing something you've done over and over?"
one step leads to another.
everything suddenly clicked in bakugo's mind.
'deku broke his bones a lot before he finally got a hold on one for all. icyhot resented his left side for a long before coming to terms with it.'
he then looks at you who starts frying the main meal.
'she herself hated her quriks for a long time before accepting them.'
he realizes where he went wrong.
rushing.
blindness.
'i was so quick to rush myself to pass deku when i should've been taking my time..'
you're right, it took a long time for bakugo to get to where he is now. he didn't learn to control his quirk in a day, it took him years. he didn't realize that he was so angered with izuku catching up to realize how long it actually took for him to get to where he is now.
'it takes time to become strong mentally...just like how it took time to become strong physically. they're both aspects in beoming the strongest. one isn't over the other, they're both equally needed.'
now he knows he has a long way to go.
but surprisingly, katsuki bakugo is okay with that.
'you're stronger than me both physcially and mentally..but,' bakugo side eyes you.
"speedy."
"yeah?"
'i'm okay with that.'
"thank you."
"anything for a friend, right?"
things you refuse to speak of.
we all know you're soft for her.
i don't think he'd do that for any of us.
'have to start somewhere, i guess...'
"..yeah, friends."
you snap your head to the blond, playfull tears now threatening to fall.
"oh my god..do you actually think we're friends?" you ask with a teasing smile.
bakugo looks are your teary eyes and inhales a deep breath. it isn't until he breathes out a laugh that your tears fall.
"you look stupid with tears." he goes back to his cooking with a small smile. "crying isn't a good look on you."
"AH!" you back away from him. "you've evolved!" you point at him with a large smile.
"shut the hell up." he shakes his head. "and what do you mean by 'being strong in my own way'?"
you sniff your tears away and go back to cooking. "you and izuku wanna be like all might, right? someone who changed the meaning of hero. yeah, you can be like him physically, but i also think you and only you can take the meaning in a different direction."
"huh?"
"lets face it, you'll never be anything short of a narcissistic asshole."
bakugo huffs at you words. he knows you're right, which makes him hate himself.
"but that's not a bad thing." you shake your head. "every hero is nice to others, it's the norm. but i think you and your personality aren't a bad thing, but a breath of fresh air. you're gonna show that not every hero is nice. someone like you is bound to intimidate villains and make them think twice about their actions."
bakugo looks at you with his mouth parted.
"you're not gonna be the next all might, you're gonna be the first katsuki bakugo, a top hero known for their brash and harsh personality. and i think you're gonna be very loved in the future as some people love your type. sure, others are gonna take a disliking to you and your personality, but i don't think you-"
"can give two shits less."
"that's exactly what i'm talking about." you smile. "be someone different, someone you can be proud of. don't follow the rules of 'normal'. having a hero like you around, you're gonna twist the meaning of a hero in a good way."
"do you really think so?"
"mhm. so don't change who you are to fit the standards. fuck the system. break it and show the world the real you."
bakugo's eyes widen when you slide your phone to him. the screen shows a picture of him scolwing, on the urge of yelling while the rest of your classmates, including you surround him with happy, genuine smiles.
"they're gonna love you like we do."
---
"alright. we finish this today." you declare.
"if we don't i'm gonna have a heart attack."
papers flood the floor of jirou's room. some of the contents are scrapped lyrics, scrapped music notes, scrapped ideas, basically anything that was canned last minute.
"the school festival is in a literal week and we have nothing." you laugh at your misery.
"i still have some ideas." jirou pushes her notebook to you. "i ended up asking midoriya for help on my note taking. you were right, being organized really does help."
you drag out a hum while scanning her notes. things that were said from the very beginning of your meeting to the most recent one has been jotted down and kept for safe keeping. you know that the reason for your delay in music writing is jirou holding back her true talent. if she wasn't so afraid to express herself, the song would've been done even before the last minute change involving izuku and aoyama happened.
you've managed to pry just a tiny bit into jirou's life and who she really is. you didn't take her one for being to closed off and hard to open up. she's more insecure than you thought, and that makes you sad.
"well i also have some of my own thoughts and ideas." you take your own notebook out. "i've put a lot of thought into them, and the lyrics mean a lot to me."
maybe this isn't the best way to do it, but if you want the best results for your concert, you need to get jioru to believe in herself. that starts with her dumping everything she's got. you know she's hiding it, and you know it bothers her with the fact that she's too scared to dive deep and use stuff that's more on personal side.
"woah..rai.." jirou's eyes get wider and wider with every word she reads. "this is..some really personal stuff.."
so you're gonna have to do it first.
"yeah, but it really has an affect on you, doesn't it? can you tell how much this means to me?"
"..yeah." jirou short nods. "you haven't told me a thing about your life but just by reading this, it feels like i know everything about you. the emotional range on this is insane."
"and that makes it 10 times better of a song, doesn't it?"
"yeah." jirou says before sighing and closing the book. "but don't you feel uncomfortable putting yourself out there for everyone? what if they judge you? put you down?"
"that doesn't matter. people judge for no reason all the time. it's really all about believing in yourself and feeling happy about what you do. if i'm doing something and i feel good about it, i could care less about what others think."
when seeing her hesitant face, you grab her notebook and skim through the pages again. "i know you want to jirou. i know you wanna pour your heart and soul into this song. i can tell by reading this that you're holding back."
"i don't know..what if the lyrics aren't even good enough? do i even have the emotional range you have?"
"we're both very different. comparing us will do you no good."
after she stays silent. you grab her hands and force her to look up at you. with a soft smile, you stare into her purple eyes that are clouded with emotions.
"disregarding everything just said, what do you want to do?"
a short gasp leaves her throat as she stares into your eyes.
"but-"
"no buts and no talk about anything else. it's just you in this world right now." you tell her.
"now, what do you want?"
jirou's mind runs wild at the question.
what does she want?
mom, dad..i wanna be a hero.
"i thought i wanted to be a musician..but i joined the hero course instead. at first, i didn't think this was for me..girls are never seen as 'strong' in this world. well, not as strong as the guys."
"the usj attack, the sports festival, i didn't think a girl like me could ever be as strong as the others."
"but.."
VS. THE GIRL WHO'S GAINED HERSELF SOME POPULARITY. SHE'S HAD QUITE THE SHOWING TODAY! ALSO FROM CLASS 1-A, RAI Y/N!
"there was always one girl who stood out on top."
man rai is so awesome!
"she had the world in her hands. everyone was cheering for her, a female hero in training."
Y/N RAI IS THE WINNER OF THIS YEARS SPORTS FESTIVAL!
"she even went on to win the sports festival, beating so many powerful boys."
"i wanna be like her." jioru's now determined eyes stare into your wide and shiny ones filled with disbelief.
"i...i wanna be a hero." she declares with tears in her eyes.
"because i wanna be like you rai."
jirou, don't let that damn pervert think you're anything less than you are. you're really pretty.
'that statement you said to me has stuck with me ever since.'
you two stare at each other with tears falling down your cheeks.
'seeing you in action and seeing you always win, it's made me realize how much i wanna be a hero.'
'a hero like you.'
PLEASE READ☟︎☟︎
𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎
no, jirou does not have a crush on rai.
anyways, i wanna address things and give you guys a proper explanation explaining my absence as you guys deserve it.
you guys deserve the world.
here 🌎🌍🌏❤️
sorry getting sidetracked.
anyways, if you didn't read my message on my message board, basically ya girl woke up last friday morning to a broken phone.
literally it wouldn't do shit.
i can't go on tiktok, i can't go on snap, wattpad says i'm offline, i can't even FACETIME bro.
literally nothing.
so that meant i couldn't write my chapters because wattpad wouldn't save them since i had no weefee.
i had to go to my computer but honestly, i didn't even try to write anything because it looks SO WEIRD like how do people write on their computers 😭😭
but since then i've been doing everything i can to get my phone back to working.
i might have to get a new one🥲
so yes. i did write this on my phone but ya girl IS SO BIG BRAIN.
so what i did is i downloaded wattpad on my computer (as i used the website for some reason stupid me) and so now when i finish writing on my useless ass phone, i keep my phone on while clicking on the chapter on my computer and BOOM, everything is saved.
so as of right now, my phone is still as useless as my dad's spending habits.
but i don't wanna keep you guys waiting for so long so i'm still gonna write on my phone all the while trying to get used to writing on my computer.
i'm sorry for the inconvenience but this was inconvenient for me too, waking up to a broken phone like WHAT?!
especially during school days like do you know how much this saddens me😐
but i love you ALL! i hope you enjoyed this shitty chapter and i'm sorry i kept you waiting so long 😫 i feel so bad but can't really do anything now can i?
also,
104k READS?
😯⁉️
I DONT DESERVE YALL😭😭
thank you all so much! i'm so glad you're enjoying this wreck of a story and i hope to see you all soon!
byeeeeシシシシ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎
random fact/head cannon:
after seeing that rai can power things using her quirk and mouth, the girls took that to their advantage and always have rai powering multiple hair products using her mouth.
LMAO THIS IS EXTRA STUFF HOMIES
so i've been checking and reading comments on my personal computer AND my school computer 😭
what if the school sees my history 🤔💀