You guys are the sweetest! Thank you to those who commented on my notice about taking a mental health day- which was extremely beneficial, by the way. Thank you for being so patient and understanding, I appreciate you so much! I enjoyed writing this chapter today and getting back into the story, I hope you enjoy reading it just as much :)
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{An Eruption of The Eternal Flame}
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Word Count: 6,573
Todoroki sent the largest wave of ice he possibly could after Present Mic had shouted the two-letter word: go!
Costa hadn't prepared much for this match but she did know one thing and it was that Todoroki would do the same exact thing he always did at the beginning of his matches. Which was always sending a giant ice wave. 0 points for creativity, she couldn't help but think in the fleeting moments it took for the ice wave to make it to her side of the arena.
Costa charged as much energy as she could in that moment, once again- thinking like Bakugou would. God, training with him was really starting to pay off.
With a battle cry, she threw as much energy as she could into the oncoming mass of frozen rock. She could feel the momentum and weight of it slamming icy fists against her quirk as she plowed forward. Her heels dug into the ground, her body slamming forward repetitively with each new foot of hard ice. The mass was thick and she strained to pummel through it, tunneling a hole right through the middle- shielding herself.
Shards of ice flew out of the arena, causing people to flinch and duck down as Costa grit her teeth, pounding into that cold, slick solid heap. The hair on her arms rose and goosebumps skittered down her arms as the temperature dropped drastically. A cloud appeared in front of her face as she huffed out an irritated breath.
Stupid fucking ice wall.
When she burst through the last chunk of ice, she exhaled. An even bigger puff of icy breath left her lips. She stretched her neck to one shoulder with a satisfying 'crack' before leveling her head.
Todoroki narrowed his eyes as she stepped onto a piece of ice that could be used as a foot-stool. Then she lowered her chin, looking straight at him through her hooded eyelashes. Her irises flashed a bright, lightning yellow. She shot him her 'intimidation look', lips curving up into a menacing smirk.
"Oh, it's on, Golden Boy."
Then she was off, dashing to the left. Todorki swiveled as her signature light board activated under her feet. She slid around the curve, ducking to hold onto the front of her board. He struck then, delivering another wave of ice. This was one much smaller than the previous. Although, it looked just as sharp as it spiraled toward Costa.
She grunted, throwing up a hand. A golden, spheric barrier slammed into his ice wall. It pushed back, creating a sound that reminded Costa of a car crash- screeching and whining. She cringed, sliding further around the perimeter of the arena as her shield held and then shattered all at once. The sound resembled imploding glass and Costa hissed, bearing its impact as if it'd actually hit her skin instead.
But as the ice wall continued its route, Costa swiftly avoided it.
She smiled to herself. Her shield wouldn't hold against Todoroki's ice, she hadn't strengthened it enough yet, which she mentally noted as another thing to work on. But nonetheless, the shield was more than strong enough to slow his ice down, and that it did.
She suddenly smacked her hand onto the dirt ground and her board skirted, bringing her almost level to the floor as she redirected herself. She pushed off the ground, going right for Todoroki. His eyes widened. She swung her right arm forward.
Glowing, yellow, light energy in the shape of a massive fist came tumbling toward him. He immediately dodged, swinging out of the way. He then alit his left arm in a sleeve of bright orange flames. Costa grinned at the warmth that hit her face, having not gone up against his fire yet. This should be interesting, she couldn't help but think.
Evading the swish of his arm toward her face and ducking out of the way, she grunted. His other hand came down fast, gripping her uniform collar and pulling hard. She yelped as he yanked her with such force and strength that she was thrown across the arena. Her breath hitched as she became airborne before she flung her legs down to catch herself. Then her back hit the rocky ground with an agonizing smack. The landing knocked the breath out of her and she toppled over. Sneakers digging into the dirt, she slid across the harsh ground. Her elbows and palms stung as they skinned against the large expanse of rocky dirt.
She flung out her available arm and a shield appeared just before the boundary line. She pushed her feet out, her soles colliding with the golden screen. She felt the collision deep in her bones as her feet slammed against the wall. Pain ricocheted all the way up her body.
She sucked in a sharp breath, blinking back the prickling sting that traveled up her legs. Good God, Todoroki had been training ridiculously hard. Maybe she SHOULD have given this match more preparation.
She let out a shuddering groan as she pushed herself up on her elbows, head tilting. Todoroki stalked across the arena, heading straight for her. She let out a string of curses under her breath, pushing herself up with more urgency. Then she heard a female voice yell her name loudly from somewhere in the stands.
"COME ON, COSTA! YOU GOTTA WIN THIS THING!"
Costa's head snapped up in the direction of where the voice had come from. She spotted Mina's pink-toned figure struggling to lean over the railing of the student section. She had her head wrapped in a tan bandage and cuts and bruises lined- well, everywhere on her body. Kirishima propped her up on her right side, acting as a crutch as she cupped her hands over her mouth.
Costa grinned at her friend that continued to support her while still suffering from the injuries inflicted upon her in the last match. A knot formed in her throat that she quickly swallowed down as she pushed herself onto her feet. Todoroki was ready with his left arm lit in flames.
She exhaled. She only had to be better than him. She could- she would be better than him. For the sake of her future, her mother's memory, and for her pink-haired friend that was counting on her. For her classmates. For herself, she'd be better.
She snapped her eyes at him, activating her quirk. She drew as much light as she could manage at once and suddenly, glowing tendrils charged at him from every which way. His eyes widened as he threw up a wall of ice in between him and her. The tendrils that came from her direction shattered as they hit the block of ice.
Then he began throwing up multiple walls of ice, four to be exact, caging himself in and cutting off each of her spiraling tendrils. She smirked, extending her hands out in front of her. She took a deep breath as a ball of light began to form in between her palms. It grew and brightened as she focused, putting as much energy into it as she could. She blinked, her eyes growing sensitive to the exposure. She really wished she could've worn her visors for this.
It grew until it was the side of a large watermelon. Then she set her gaze onto the very top of his ice barrier, where a large hole left him vulnerable. Her mind raced back to the Bakusquad Basketball game they played not too long ago and she grinned. "Hook." She drew her arm back. "Line." She positioned her hands to throw the ball. Like a basketball in a hoop, she thought.
She shut one of her eyes closed before aiming and flicking her wrist. The ball soared upward and curved in the air. "And... sinker." The ball went straight in. "YES!" She heard Mina shout from the stands as it disappeared into his barrier of ice.
She spread her fingers apart, letting her quirk fill the space he was now trapped in. A bright light shone from the ice prison and Costa could feel Todoroki start to struggle against her quirk. Suddenly, the ice barrier came down, chunks falling off until there was nothing left of it. But Todoroki was completely overwhelmed by Costa's quirk, not simply roped in but literally submerged in it. It was as if he'd been fossilized, her light energy appearing as solidified amber.
"TODOROKI HAS BEEN RENDERED UNABLE TO KEEP FIGHTING! THAT MAKES MIRIARA ONE OF OUR TOP TWO FINALISTS- ABLE TO COMMENCE INTO THE NEXT, FINAL, ROUND! SHE MAY BE NEW BUT SHE'S PROVED TO BE A RESILIENT FIGHTER!"
Costa grinned at Mic's choice of words, turning to look up at the stands where all her friends sat. Mina tried to flail her arms and cheer but Kirishima desperately tried to keep her still, for the fear of her further injuring herself. Costa chuckled, shaking her head at her friend's unrelenting enthusiasm. She scanned the rest of the section. Her eyes snagged on a figure leaving the stands, disappearing into the hallway. Their tufts of blonde hair poked out from around the corner just before they fully stepped out.
Costa sighed through her nose, her smile faltering. She was to fight him next. After they'd been in a continuous conflict for a week now, they're supposed to fight for the winning title. It seemed almost fitting for this to be the way for them to come together again. By fighting.
Costa and Todoroki left the arena, side by side. He was awfully quiet and Costa didn't push him to talk. After all, she did just beat him in the fight. He was obviously disappointed with his loss and the last thing Costa really wanted was to shove it in his face. He'd been nice to her, it wouldn't be fair. She knew he'd do the same thing if she'd been the one that lost.
After making it back to their prep room, Costa disappeared. Taking a stroll down the twist of hallways, she worked to clear her head. She stuffed her hands in her pockets, listening to the buzz of the crowd in the stadium. Her gut clenched nervously, not because she'd made it to the finals. Well, she was a tad nervous about losing given how close she was.
She wasn't even nervous about the fight or battling Bakugou. What she was nervous about was approaching him again, in the only way they knew how to communicate- with fists. She was nervous about how he'd look at her with those beautiful vermillion irises. She was nervous about how it'd make her feel. She was nervous about the conversation they'd have after the victor was decided. And if it ended up being that he won, she would be okay with it. If anyone were to win over her, she hoped it would be him.
She genuinely felt like he deserved it, maybe even more than she did. That's also what scared her, that truth. Because if she cared about someone enough to let them pass her, what did that make her?
By the time she was called in to start the match, her palms were sweating. She was never this nervous, why was she so nervous? She knew why, but she wouldn't admit it, not really anyway. It would hold too much power over her and she hated that. For now, she needed to focus. She's fought him so many times, it'd just be like a training session.
Yeah, just like a training session.
She repeated the thought over and over in her head the entire trek back to the arena, where the crowd was buzzing with excitement.
+
When he stepped out onto the battlefield, Costa's eyes immediately locked onto his.
That clenching feeling in her gut intensified and she suddenly found herself unable to stop swallowing. His eyes were narrowed and serious, full of that unrelenting challenge and anger. But there was a cutting edge in his expression, almost sorrowful. He tried his best to mask it with anger and heat but Costa always noticed the little things.
When had she started noticing the little things? Was it after they kissed- no, it was before that. When they started training, maybe?
She shook her head, wiping away the jumbled mess of thoughts that danced wildly in her head. She was too distracted. At this rate, she would lose. But she didn't want to. God, she couldn't lose- not with what was at stake.
A vision flashed through her mind. It was one of her mom. A picture frame that sat on the mantle at their old house. In it held a picture that Costa could never forget. Her mother had just won the NWHC, clad in her bright yellow hero costume. Her long white curls were wild and flowing everywhere as she raised a large, golden trophy over her head. A look of pure joy and triumph was plastered over her young face that looked almost exactly like Costa's.
That vision was what Costa needed to kick into gear. Her gaze settled into a sort of calm challenge, her arms relaxing at her sides. Her breathing slowed, her heart quitting its wild hammering and falling into a steady rhythm. She widened her stance, tilting her chin down as she took several deep breaths.
Bakugou's brows furrowed as he watched her entire demeanor shift. He'd been surprised to see her so jittery and distracted once they stepped out onto the arena. It angered him to see it, knowing how focused and in tune with herself she had been in every other battle that day. If he'd had to fight her while she was distracted, he would've been pissed.
But here she was, relaxing her shoulders and slowing down her breathing- centering herself. He never understood how she could do that. He always felt unhinged, on fire, out-of-control. But Costa was always a mixture of both- cool and collected, but also a brewing storm ready to pummel someone into oblivion.
Her eyes once again met his, this time glowing brightly. He scoffed, meeting her signature 'read-to-fight' glare. He'd seen her use it with every single of one her opponents. But he had his own intimidating stare, to which he shot right back at her.
"NOW INTRODUCING OUR FINALISTS- BOTH FROM THE HERO COURSE, CLASS 2A! LAST YEARS FESTIVAL WINNER, KATSUKI BAKUGOU, AND RISING STAR, COSTA MIRIARA! BOTH POWERHOUSES ARE SURE TO BLOW US AWAY WITH THIS FIGHT! I KNOW I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHO COMES OUT ON TOP! WILL IT BE THE REIGNING VICTOR OR THE RIVETING WILDCARD?! LET'S FIND OUT! ARE WE READY, FINALISTS?"
Costa slowly nodded, eyes completely zoned in on Bakugou as the boy let out a low growl in response. His palms heated, eager to use his quirk as she continued looking at him with that intimidating glare. He grew irritated with the look the longer they waited.
"THEN LET'S GET STARTED!" Present Mic shouted enthusiastically. "READY, GET SET- AND GOOOO!"
Bakugou made the first move, just like he always did. Costa expected it, eyes bright and alert as he blasted across the arena. He was going for a head-on attack instead of maintaining long-range- right in her comfort zone. Smart, but she only gave him the point for already knowing her battle strategies.
Costa dodged, deflecting with a small shield and skirting right as he hit her with an explosion. Her heels skidded as she slid. Then he whipped around, going for a double-attack with his opposite hand. She immediately ducked, swiping at his legs. He bounced backward and she counter-attacked with a blast of light straight into his stomach. He grunted as the hit landed and he skidded backward.
She grunted, twisting her body and sending a powerful roundhouse kick his way. He predicted it, knowing her moves like the back of his hand, catching her foot in his palms. She cursed as he locked his hold onto her ankle and swung her. She yelped as he threw her over his head and she slammed into the dirt.
Her ears began to ring and stars sprinkled her vision as her head collided with the earth. Everything went blurry for a second as she blinked back the stars. She realized she was still on the ground and quickly rolled out of the way, just as Bakugou sent an explosion into the very spot she just evaded. He growled in frustration, advancing to where she now lay flat on her back. She thought fast, forcing her legs to kick out like a kangaroo's- hitting him right in the chest.
He stumbled back as she jumped onto her feet, ignoring the slight throbbing in her head. Both of their palms heated, his with sparks and hers with glowing energy.
"We said it'd be us in the final round-" Costa spoke, sounding a bit breathless. "Well, we did it."
"Stop talking!" Bakugou swung at her. She ducked, still feeling the heat of his explosion over her head. She charged forward, her skull driving right into his stomach as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She pushed as hard as she could and his weight staggered before he stumbled backward.
When he landed flat on his back with a thud, she'd landed right with him. Her torso pressed down against his as their eyes locked. Thankfully, both of their quirks had created a colossal cloud of smoke and dirt- shielding them from the crowd's eyes. The onlookers strained to gaze into the arena to see what was happening, just as Costa pinned Bakugou's wrists to the ground.
"You were right," Costa whispered, her eyes flashing with a sorrowful emotion. "I am scared."
He froze, letting his muscles fall limp under her grasp. Her hair was a mess, strands falling out of the braid that hung over her shoulder. Dirt and bruises smudged her face, but her eyes remained bright and glowing as she stared down at him.
"And I'm sorry." Her voice was so soft and gentle that it was hard to believe how vicious she could be. "I'm sorry I've spent these past couple of months pretending that being friends with you was enough. I'm sorry that- that I don't understand how I feel about you. And I- I..."
Her voice cracked as she struggled to find the right words. Bakugou's heart hammered in his chest and he suddenly forgot that they were in the middle of a match. The sports festival, the thought of winning, their bet, their arguments, their week without speaking to one another, it all faded from his memory. His entire being locked onto Costa.
There she was, the real her. Beautifully strong, vulnerable, and honest. So scared of the things that could hurt her but vibrantly brave enough to face them no matter what. Resilient. Her golden eyes were so full of raw emotion and genuine... truth. She was finally... she was telling him the truth- about how she felt... about him and-
A fluttering filled his stomach, a roaring in his head that overwhelmed every single one of his senses.
"Look I-" She swallowed hard, looking down at his chest- rising and falling rapidly. "I'm often difficult to love. I go through dark periods where I- I tend to hide myself. I push people away without even considering the consequences because I can't stand the thought of someone seeing... me. The real me- I mean, and deciding I'm too much to stay for."
His breath left his lungs as he held onto every single word she said. No, he wanted to stay more than anything. He wanted to say that she was not difficult to love because he- he... God, he couldn't even admit it to himself.
"I have so much baggage that I've never-" Her voice croaked as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I've never told anyone. And I'm scared- I'm scared that if you knew..."
"You think I'd leave you?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "Yes-" She breathed out. "And the thing is, I wouldn't even blame you for it. Because it's a lot, and I can't even carry it myself. Which is embarrassing on its own because- God I'm so weak-"
"Shut up." He shook his head, breaking her hold on his wrists. Her breath hitched as his fingers softly cupped her jaw. The skin-on-skin contact sent shivers down her spine and she felt as if she could catch on fire right then and there. She could barely stand it. "You are one of the strongest losers I know. Just because you've got shit that you carry with you- that nobody knows about- doesn't mean you don't carry it well. I know you do because, despite all of your 'baggage' or whatever you call it, you are one of the most incredible idiots I've ever met. And I want-"
He hesitated as her eyes widened, her lips parted in shock. His words seeped in through her skin, warming her. "What were you about to say?" She asked, her eyes boring into his. Say it, they pleaded. He swallowed and shook his head, this wasn't about what he wanted anyway... "Nevermind what I want."
Her fingers dug into his uniform and she balled it in her fist, eyes intensely searching something in his own. "What do you want?" It came out more of a whisper than anything, but the demand was still there. Nerves rolled waves in his gut and the roaring in his head became incredibly loud. But there she was, pouring her heart out to him- asking him to answer one stupid question.
Well, what did he want? It was the easiest question he could've been asked. He suddenly found himself spitting out the obvious answer without a second thought.
"You." His voice sounded raspier than usual.
Costa shuddered, her fist gripping the fabric of his uniform tighter. She let out a shaky breath, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "God, why? Are you an idiot?" She looked up at him, her golden eyes glassy. His fingers trailed up her jaw, the pads of his fingertips grazing over her ear. He'd never felt so nervous to admit anything in his entire life, yet here he was, finally telling the girl he wanted that he wanted her.
It felt like a giant anvil lifted off of his chest, letting him breathe again. Shakily, nervously breathe- but it was much more freeing than not being able to at all.
"Because I hate everyone that I meet." His fingers clasped a section of hair that fell out of her braid. He rubbed the smooth locks in between his index and thumb fingers. "I hate small talk, people annoy the living shit out of me by just existing, including you."
She snorted and the corners of his lips began to curve upward. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on that formation of a smile, her eyes filled with wonder and awe. He'd never truly smiled before, not really. "But then you showed up and you were a total bitch from the beginning-"
She punched him in the gut and he let out a grunt. His eyes snapped open and he sent her a fiery glare. "GODDAMMIT CAN WE NOT JUST HAVE A NORMAL FUCKING-"
"Keep talking." She interrupted, trailing her hand up his arm. She wrapped her fingers around the side of his neck, her nails lightly scraping the back of his scalp. He swallowed, the sensation leaving a warm tingling that spread throughout his entire body. All of his thoughts suddenly left his head and he blinked rapidly, trying to piece them back together. God, she was way too distracting.
"You- you- ugh. Okay, you're kinda like me." He cleared his throat, tearing his eyes away from her. "And the only person I really like is me- so obviously..."
"Obviously?" She smirked, teasing in her tone.
"Shut the fuck up- I like you okay!" He rolled his eyes as a gorgeous smile spread across her face. Then it slowly faltered as she pulled her hand back. He suddenly had the urge to grab it and lace his fingers in between hers. "Even with all the baggage?" Her eyes turned serious again as she asked. No bullshit, those irises begged.
He breathed out, his crimson eyes boring into her gold as he said confidently, "Tell me every terrible thing you've ever done and let me have you anyway."
An unreadable expression formed on her face, solemn and full of surprise- as if that was the last thing she expected him to say to her. There was also a touch of awe and longing in the way her lips trembled, her eyes flashing a deep sunset orange. Then she shook her head as if she were in complete and utter disbelief. "Are you sure?"
He didn't hesitate to reply. "I have two fucking hands, do I not?"
She threw her head back and laughed, a beautiful, genuine sort of laugh that warmed every part of him. She smiled with both dimples on full display as she looked back down at him. He didn't realize he was smiling just as much as she was until her eyes landed on him. Her smile slowly faded as her head dipped lower than before, expression filled with complete awe.
Tension filled the air between them and Costa thanked the universe for the thick cloud of smoke and dirt that covered them, providing a bit of privacy, at least for a couple of minutes. Otherwise, this would be much more awkward than she wanted it to be. Also because anyone that saw the way she looked- would immediately know how hooked on the boy beneath her she was.
"I want to know everything about you-" She whispered, her nose brushing his as her eyes slid shut. He shivered, his own eyes closing. She smelt like coconut shampoo and sweat. He wanted to dip his nose into her neck and breathe deeply, soaking in the essence of her. She continued, her whisper even softer than before. "I want to know every screwed up, jumbled, imperfect thing about you- and I will tell you the same about me- and then we can be the secret keeper's of each other's insanity." She chuckled at the end of it, her breath slightly hitching.
It sounded scary, to be so vulnerable with another person. It was an offer that would change everything between them. A crazy, intimate, soul-shaking thing between the two of them that terrified him right down to the bone. But he also knew that it terrified her even more, and yet, she was willing to take that risk- for him.
"Okay." He shuddered, his eyes blinking open just as hers did. She inhaled sharply, eyes flicking down to his lips before peering back up at him. He suddenly remembered the last time they were in such a compromising position, back when she'd uttered, 'Kiss me.'
He didn't even have to decide first. He didn't think or consider any of the consequences that followed. He didn't get stuck on how nervous it made him- how it was the first time he'd done it. He just did it. He kissed her. Without permission, without any thoughts or doubts holding him back. He kissed her like she was the air he desperately needed to breathe. He kissed her like she was a stream of spring rain and he'd been stuck in a drought for years.
She melted into him. A fire sparked in the pit of her gut as his fingers plunged into her hair; a glittering, gorgeous, agonizingly hot flame that burned every cell in her body. She was on fire, gripping onto the fabric of his uniform while ignited in a haze of wanting. His own fire sent waves of heat across his skin, causing him to pull her closer. Closer, he needed her closer.
Their lips moved in a slow, passionate rhythm in time with the beating of their chests. Neither of them had kissed anyone before and yet it felt like a dance they'd always known. It was electrifying and unlike anything, either of them had ever experienced. Costa had never felt such raw hunger to be touching someone, to be close to them. He felt that same hunger, the yearning that drowned the both of them as they kissed.
All a sudden, they found themselves gripping onto each other with an strong, aching need to be even closer than they already were.
Costa gasped, shaking with that eternal flame as she gripped his collar- balling the fabric into her fists. Bakugou slipped his tongue in between her lips as she gasped before he'd even known he was doing it. Costa tensed, every muscle in her body shuttering at the graze of his tongue against hers. A pulsing heatwave sent strokes of lightning down between her legs and she moaned at how good it felt.
She was going to die with this feeling. She was burning, burning away with each stroke of his tongue- swirling around the space in her mouth. Oh God, oh God, oh God. Her thighs squeezed together, fingers gripping onto the roots of his hair as she kissed him harder-
Wait.
Oh shit.
They were still in the middle of their match. With hundreds of people surrounding them on all sides.
Costa suddenly realized where they were, snapping her eyes wide open. She yanked herself back, falling flat onto her ass- in between Bakugou's legs. Like an ice bucket being dumped over her head, the reality of what they were doing dawned on her. Her face flushed a bright red color.
Bakugou immediately followed her, as if in a trance of lust, his hands reaching out to cup her face. She slapped a hand over his mouth as he went to kiss her again. The smack stunned him, snapping him out of his stupor.
"Bakugou-" She licked her tingling lips, his eyes immediately narrowing in on the action. "We're in the middle of our match!"
The dust and smoke were beginning to thin out. His eyes widened like saucers. They both scrambled to their feet, jumping away from one another before they could touch each other again. She still felt feverish, as if the fire was only subdued- not completely put out. He was the same, his cheeks and neck flushing a pretty pink color that Costa started grinning at.
"Get your head in the game." He snapped at her as if he wasn't just sticking his tongue down her throat. Costa tried to ignore that image but it was too difficult. She could still taste him, the sweetness of his tongue on hers.
Shut up, shut up, shut up, she told herself. She took a few deep breaths, reeling herself back. She could NOT be doing this right now, that had escalated more than she should've allowed it to. For now, she needed to stop thinking about the taste of him on her tongue and focus on how she was going to beat him instead.
He slid a mask of challenging determination over his expression, his cheeks still tainted a bright pink. Costa mimicked the look, hoping it would help to focus herself. It helped a tinge, her eyes narrowing and her shoulders relaxing. They stared at each other for a few seconds, the cloud finally disappearing into nothing.
"Let's finish this." His voice rasped out. Costa smiled evilly, nodding once and drawing her foot back into a fighting stance. He did the same, not breaking eye contact with her. The atmosphere shifted, slowly slipping back into one of challenge and competition.
Bakugou moved first, much to Costa's expectation. She side-stepped, falling into that pattern of steps that she knew so well. He swung out with a right hook, transitioning into hand-to-hand combat. She caught his fist in her palm swiftly before twisting his arm. He let out a curse as she brought her knee up to his stomach- hard. He doubled over, grunting.
Without giving himself any time to recover, he wrapped his arms around her torso. Locked in, Costa gasped. He then threw his weight into his back, pulling her up and over. She let him, waiting for the moment he loosened his grip to throw her. Once his arms slightly slackened, she twisted- pushing off of him.
She landed on her feet like a cat, placing a hand on the ground in front of her to balance herself. He came at her instantaneously. She lept. They tussled, sending a flurry of kicks and punches at one another. Dodges, ducks, side-steps, following each hit and leading them into that lovely dance routine.
Costa grunted, swinging her leg around. He blocked with his arm, sending a punch with the other. She ducked, swaying in a U-shape under his fist before delivering a counter-attack to his chest. He leaped backward and she pummeled forward, putting him on the defensive. He met each of her blows with a block, sending a series of his own her way.
The stadium was silent, watching with bated breaths as they picked up the pace. They held eye contact the entire time, completely in tune with one another. The balls of their feet danced around in a pattern of kicks, punches, and swings. Twirling, gliding, sliding, charging, they moved in time with one another. That same fire- except one of a different nature, erupted between the two of them.
The others in the stands faded away, leaving only the two of them in the stadium- completely transfixed on the other. Each hit sparked a fiery match, each kick igniting a fire deep within them that blocked everything out. It was language, as old as time, the series of movements. A tribal sort of dance that'd been rehearsed over and over through the ages.
The sheen of sweat on their brows, the smack of Costa's braid against her face, the burning of their sore muscles; it was all background. Red met Gold and a fire burned brighter than the sun. Costa glowed, her golden-brown skin gleaming brightly, her hair shining like morning sunrise. Bakugou couldn't tear his eyes away, caught in the burning of that fire, melting in it's smoldering trance.
It roared inside of him, heating his bones, his blood, his everything. He couldn't look away, couldn't stop moving as she danced across the arena. They moved faster. Swing. Dodge. Hit. Block. Twirl. Kick. Block. Repeat.
Costa was the sun. She was glowing, smiling, reveling in the heat of the battle. She lived in it, like a flame that burned everything that he'd ever thought he cared about away. At that moment, he saw nothing but her. The dance, the sun, and the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
Suddenly- she abruptly halted. He halted too, the dance dying like the embers of a fire- the wind sweeping it away. Her chest was heaving up and down, a gleam of sweat coating every exposed inch of her tanned skin. Her eyes continued glowing as they bored into his. But then she swallowed, her voice breathless as she spoke. "I'm sorry."
He watched as her eyes fell to the ground. He followed her gaze slowly until he too was looking at the ground. Shock filled his chest, lodging in his throat.
A thick white, boundary line separated the two of them. Except, he was the one standing on the outside of it. His eyes widened, his heart plummeting to the pit of his stomach. Applause erupted throughout the stadium but he couldn't hear it. He didn't even hear them announce Costa as the victor.
He only stared down at that thick strip of white. That strip that had decided his fate in the festival. Costa didn't budge, also staring down at it. He swallowed, shaking his head in disbelief. He'd been so caught up in the feeling of fighting her that he hadn't even realized what she'd been doing.
He was so stupid. She'd slowly led him across the arena, inching him toward the boundary line with each dodge and twirl. He'd been completely under her spell, so entranced by her glowing aura and hypnotic movements that he hadn't even realized-
He'd lost.
He took a step back, shaking his head as his eyes met hers. She didn't look like she did after winning the other matches. There wasn't a sliver of satisfaction in her eyes. Instead, she just gazed at him with guilt clouding her expression. He hated the way she was looking at him like that- like she felt bad for him. His lip curled in anger.
"Bakugou-" She took a step forward.
"Don't!" He shouted at her. Embarrassment and doubt filled his chest as he took a step back. She flinched, actually flinched and his eyes widened. Despite everything they'd talked about, despite all of what they'd confessed, what they'd done, his pride and insecurities got the best of him. And she knew they did, given the look on her face. Was he really that transparent??
He tore his gaze away from hers as he stormed out of the arena, his head roaring at the sound of people chanting Costa's name. He felt so stupid that THAT was the way he'd lost. She hadn't overpowered him or anything. She outsmarted him. Somehow it felt worse.
He swung his fist into the wall the minute he stepped into a hallway. Cursing, he pulled back his trembling fingers that stung with pain. He took the pain, focused on it instead of the fact that he'd just lost.
Deep inside, he knew he could be okay with it. But it was too soon and he couldn't bear to face her just yet. He needed to work off this building anger and resentment that filled his veins first. Or else, he'd say some stupid shit that he didn't mean... again.
He extended his fingers and let out a strew of curses at the throbbing pain. Shit, he definitely broke one or two of them. Inhaling sharply, he started off toward Recovery Girl's office, his feet stomping under him.
Costa watched him from a distance. Her lips were downturned in a disappointed frown. Never did she think winning would feel so... empty. It was the least satisfying win she'd ever had and yet the most important one at the same time.
She felt conflicted, toeing the line between proud and disappointed.
When the award ceremony commenced, Bakugou was silent as he stood next to her, on the second-place podium. She felt tense as she stood on the first, taller than the rest of her peers that had made it to the final four. Mina and Todorki shared third place, the pink haired girl smiling uncontrollably.
Costa forced herself to smile too, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. She was proud of herself for making it this far, for getting to first place just like she said she would. She couldn't help but feel an immense amount of joy when the girls in their class had cheered so incredibly loudly for her that her eardrums nearly burst. They'd been counting on her, on behalf of the entire female hero community, to take this win. And she'd done it. She didn't regret that at all.
So she puffed her chest out, holding her chin high as the first-place medal was placed around her neck. She SHOULD be proud of herself, she deserved this. But it still didn't feel right, not with Bakugou staring at his feet in disappointment right beside her. It still felt... wrong. How could winning feel wrong?!
She knew it shouldn't, she knew she deserved to feel good about her win. She knew she deserved to win in general, especially after all of her hard work.
She knew all of this, and still, she wanted him to be up there with her.