Ocean
"How long are you going to keep screwing around, Sawada?"
The boy doesn't answer as he puts his hand down, but he looks at him curiously, almost not afraid. It's the first time he makes eye-contact during one of the tests. Aizawa didn't notice this before, but his eyes are orange instead of the usual brown.
"If you keep up this pathetic attempt, no matter how high you rank on the scoreboard in the end, I'll make an exception and expel you for wasting my time." Brutal, but not heartless. "You haven't even nearly shown me the limits of what you can do."
"Oh." His expression clears as he gets the implication. "My skin isn't exactly fireproof, so if I go overboard with my flames without proper equipment, I'll risk serious injury. I kind of accidentally destroyed my fireproof gloves in the entrance exam and haven't had the chance to replace them yet."
"But you used your quirk just fine during the 50-meter dash. No noticeable setbacks."
"Yes. But I took a risk with that. If I don't have total control over my flames, I'll get burned."
How did he think that Midoriya and Sawada were similar? They're the exact opposites. But it's not exactly a bad thing.
"Knowing your limits is good, but you can't always play safe in this line of work, Sawada. You'll have to take risks whether you like it or not. So if you can control it, then do. If you can't, then do the best you can. Just don't make it half-assed again. That really annoys me."
He nods slowly, thoughtfully. "So basically… Plus Ultra?"
"Of course. It's a hero academia, not a circus show."
"Okay… Maybe there's something…" He trails off as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens them again, a flame ignites on his brow and he looks sharper than ever as he tests the weight of the ball by bouncing it up and down in his hand a few times. His eyes glow bright orange to match the flame on his brow and finally there's no trace of doubt in his features.
Chatter breaks out among the other students. Some recognise him from the exam, while the others are surprised by the change in demeanour.
Suddenly he throws the ball straight up in the air. While it's falling, he pulls his right arm back and forms a firm fist. Exactly the moment the ball reaches eye level, he lets flames burst into life around his fist and punches it as hard as he can.
Bakugou's fire is noise and explosions and sheer power, like an active volcano.
Sawada's fire is quiet, nearly silent, and as powerful as the ocean.
He falls on his butt after the punch and cradles his hand gingerly to his chest as the flame on his brow snuffles out. Apparently he could control the fire well enough because his hand is not burnt or even blistered, but the recoil was probably bad enough to cause some pain. He even murmurs something that sounds like, 'Huh, it worked,' like he doesn't fully believe it.
But this is something Aizawa can work with.
The device in his hand beeps. "627.8 meters. You still didn't put your everything into it, but it'll do for now, Sawada. But next time you half-ass something, I'll still have you expelled."
Sawada doesn't answer, but he beams up at him and there's silent determination in his – now brown again – eyes. He gets up slowly and carefully dusts himself off with one hand.
That's when all hell breaks loose. Again.
"Dude, what the hell?! Did you just punch the ball?! That's so manly!"
"I remember you now! You're the crazy fire kid from the exam! It was so bright!"
"You have a fucking fire quirk? I'll enjoy murdering you."
"That's… not very hero-like…"
Sawada eeps at the yelling and pulls his head between his shoulders.
"I just, um. If I had thrown it like, like… um…" He slinks further away from Bakugou. "The recoil would've, uh, worked against me and sent me flying, so… uhhhh…" he stammers as he tries to escape the attention.
So there was conscious thought and precise calculation put into what he did, too. Aizawa quietly wonders what the kid could do with a little practise and those gloves he mentioned.
Now if only he would lose some of the anxiety. And work on his non-existent stamina. And get his bodyweight up a bit. Being small is fine, but the kid looks like a stronger breeze could knock him over.
Author's notes: Tsuna's logic – can't throw it? Punch it instead!
And Tsuna did something in the entrance exam that made people call him 'crazy fire kid'.
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