Start of the one on ones and some very important revelations for our dear blasty boy!

This chapter got suuuuuper long so I ended up breaking it into two - which hopefully means a quicker update for chapter 11!~ Can't wait to see your reactions/comments! :'D

Hope you all enjoy it!

AC/DC IS THE INSPIRATION FOR THESE CHAPTERS - check out the song dedicated to this chapter: If You Want Blood (You've Got It)

Please mind - I beta read my own stuff, so if you see any mistakes please, please, please let me know!~

"Kacchan please stop pushing me. I can walk on my own you know…" Izuka puffed out her cheeks as she glanced at the boy behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders as he pushed her forward towards the Recovery Wing set up for this tournament. She had dug her heels into the ground a while ago, trying to stop the movement but to no avail as Katsuki kept at it. "The injury isn't that bad."

"The fuck it is. You have burns all up and down your arm. Your quirk isn't going to heal that so quickly, stupid Deku." He stopped and turned her towards the doorway they arrived at, but not before flicking her forehead and smirking at her scowl. "You need to be in top form if you think you can beat me in the one-on-ones."

"You seem so sure you are going to get there Kacchan. What happens when you let your guard down and you end up losing?" A smirk caught her lips as she was pushed into the room Recovery Girl was in. "I expect to see you in the finals. Don't let someone else take that spot from you."

"Deku shut the fu-"

"Ah, Midoriya-chan, I was expecting you." Katsuki looked into the room past Izuka and spotted Recovery Girl sitting with a slender blonde man he had never seen before. Izuka seemed to brighten at seeing the two, but Katsuki didn't press. He nodded towards Izuka, turning away and thrusting his hands into his pockets as he walked back down the hallway they came from. His stomach growled as the hunger finally set in from holding off lunch. Maybe he could get there soon enough and grab something for both himself and Izuka...

Izuka turned away from the doorway to smile brightly at All Might and Recovery Girl. "Hello!" She moved her arm to wave before hissing out in pain. "Ah, I keep forgetting about this…"

"Come here child, let me see that." Recovery Girl moved her chair closer to the bed Izuka placed herself on, taking her damaged arm into her hands. "Oh my, this is a lot worse than what I had seen on the television screen…" She studied her arm further as All Might leaned in and patted Izuka on the shoulder.

"You did wonderfully, Young Midoriya! I couldn't have asked for a better way for you to achieve all you have in such a short time!" Izuka's smile grew as tears filled the corners of her eyes.

"All Might… I-" She suddenly grew weaker, realizing Recovery Girl had kissed her. She fell back against the bed, eyes growing heavy. "Oh wow… That was -"

"You're a lot more worn out than you thought you were hmm, child? Either way, I wasn't able to fully heal your wounds, or else you would have been knocked out. The rest of it can be taken care of by your own quirk and time." Recovery Girl fixed her a stare before sighing. "Please be sure to take care of yourself. I will wrap your wounds for now, but be warned, if you put too much stress on your arm too soon, you could damage it further."

Izuka nodded, sitting up and watching Recovery Girl wrap gauze and bandages around her bright pink arm. "At least it looks better…"

"Now now then - go on deary. You can head on down to the cafeteria and eat something to help gain back your energy. Your own healing quirk should help with the fatigue and the rest of that nasty burn. I don't want to see you back in here though! No more worrisome injuries!" Recovery Girl hit the top of Izuka's head playfully and then smacked All Might on the shoulder hard.

"And you! You stop putting these high and mighty acts into her head! She will be a superb hero no matter what! She doesn't need your wild dreams put into her head as well as her own!" Izuka giggled as she made her way out of the Recovery Wing, waving to All Might who seemed to be getting much more of a beating than he deserved.

She walked along the hallway slowly, her head slightly spinning from the lack of energy as she stayed close to the wall on her right side. Her arm felt numb at her side, lightly grazing the wall as she walked. She eventually had to stop and lean against the wall, catching her breath as she groaned in slight pain.

'It hurts a lot more than I thought it would… Normally Recovery Girl helps me but this… It's almost like-'

Her thoughts paused as she registered a figure in the opening at the end of the hallway. She squinted her eyes before pushing off the wall and sliding across from the other. She slid down the wall and made herself comfortable as she looked up at the piercing eyes staring down at her.

"Midoriya."

"Todoroki…"

"Hey Bakubro! Where is Izuka!?"

Katsuki barely held back a snarl as Kirishima wrapped his arm around his shoulders and leaned into his already limited amount of space.

"She was getting healed by Recovery Girl. I was grabbed her fucking food before your shit face interrupted. Now get the hell out of my way before I set you on fire."

"Dude, you gotta chill with the death threats. It's not very heroic of you."

"Why the fuck should I care what others think of me? I am aiming for number one, and once I get there they will see why I am the top hero for a reason."

"You got a lot of nerve saying that you know…" Bakugou growled as he turned around to face the new voice making himself known. He recognized the tired eyes and purple hair from that day back when the other students were scouting out Class 1-A. "Some of us would do just about anything to be in your shoes you know."

"Yeah? And why should I fucking care about nobodies like you who couldn't do a damn thing then get into the General Department, huh?" Katsuki growled and Kirishima quickly stepped into the space between the two, waving his hands to diffuse them both.

"Woah now, let's just move on okay? Bakugou, you gotta be somewhere right? Come on, pick something out for yourself and Izuka and let's go find her, yeah?"

Bakugou sneered before he grabbed the closest food to himself, and smacking his shoulder against the taller male's as he passed by. "Watch your mouth next time, you fucking extra."

Shinsou's fists clenched at his sides as he glared at Bakugou's back as he walked through the crowd and back out of the hallway he had came in from.

Bakugou kicked the wall in front of him as he tore into the sandwich he had grabbed randomly. He bit into aggressively as he looked through the hallways, listening closely to see if he could hear Izuka at all. He stopped short as he heard Todoroki from around the corner. His eyes widened as he stopped in his path, swallowing his food as he leaned against the wall and glanced quickly around, seeing Izuka on the ground, bandaged up as Todoroki sneered down at her.

'What the fuck does he want…?'

"You blind-sided me. So much so that I broke my own pledge."

Izuka raised an eyebrow as she tried her best to put on a strong facade, but with how tired she currently was, it was barely passable and she knew Todoroki could see right through her. "So… come on, spit it out. What is it you want to say?"

Todoroki raised his left hand in front of his face, looking down into his palm, almost looking disgusted with it. "I'm saying what I felt from you was the same. Something too similar." He looked up then and fixed Izuka with a hard look, his eyes calculating.

"You All Might's illegitimate child, or what?"

Izuka could barely hold back the snort before a fit of giggles hit her. She tried to calm herself down, but with the pain in her limb and the loss of energy, she was little delirious at the moment and this was just the tip of the iceberg. "Oh, oh no! Ha! You've got it all wrong Todoroki. That's not it." She rubbed at her eyes, tears coming to them easily. "My father's name is Midoriya Hisashi. He's out doing something cool with his life, I'm sure. I can promise you though, All Might is not my father."

The look he gave her said he wasn't entirely convinced and she shrugged in reply. "But, actually… I'm going to ask you something now… Why are you… What I mean is, why me?"

"The way you said that. 'That's not it.' In other words, you have some connection to All Might that you can't talk about, whatever that might be." His eyes fixed her with a once over before he leaned forward, his bangs covering his eyes as he seemed to think over his next words.

"You must know about my father, Endeavor. He's been the Number Two hero forever now. If you're connected to the Number One hero, then that means I need to win all the more."

Izuka's face matched Todoroki's own, her face hard as she thought over his words as he seemed to let her ponder for a second before continuing. "He was never able to overcome the large shadow that All Might placed over him and the other top heroes - a goal so unreachable for even the number two hero to continuously strive for. He was never enough to climb up into a legend like All Might, and because he knew he could never overcome him by his own power, he devised a plan."

Izuka's eyes widened as she nervously gulped, her arms gripping her pants legs. "What exactly are you telling me Todoroki?"

"You know about quirk marriages right?"

Her surprised expression was enough of an answer for him to continue, a heavy sigh leaving his lips.

"After the individuality phenomenon had started, it came into the picture during the second, third generations. Choosing spouses to enhance one's own quirk to be inherited down the line, and thus, leading to forced marriages for that purpose. As a man with a goal and plan set in motion, he was easily accepted into my mother's family."

"Todoroki you don't mean that-" His look caused her to pause, her hands loosening and falling to cradling her head as she shook her head back and forth.

"He took possession of her quirk. Forced her to bear his children until the perfect combination of their two quirks was formed. All he wanted was to stake his claim in the hero world, and raise a hero to rise above even All Might, like he was never able to do." Todoroki's fists clenched, his nails digging into the palms of his hands as he glared down at Izuka, his voice rising.

"Fuck him…! I'll never be that piece of shit's tool!"

Izuka's slowly rose from her spot on the ground, struggling to hold herself up.

"In my memories, my mom is always crying. She told me that my left side is ugly."

Izuka moved off the wall, reaching forward, towards Todoroki.

"She eventually dumped boiling water on me."

Izuka stopped, her hand hovering over Todoroki's shoulder as he slowly placed his hands up to his face, covering the scar there.

"The reason I am aiming to beat you is as a personal triumph. I won't use my shitty old man's quirk… or rather…"

His eyes lifted up, not shocked by the closeness Izuka and him now had. He glared at her, his dual eyes hard and unforgiving as he looked her straight in the eyes.

"I'll become number one without needing his filthy quirk. This is my total disavowal of him."

Izuka's hand dropped to her side, her face unreadable as Todoroki moved away, his eyes glancing over her bandaged arm before making his way towards the opening. "I am sorry about that however. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that again."

"If you can't tell me anything, that's fine. You keep being All Might's something or whatever and I'll still defeat you using only my right side."

Izuka looked down as she heard him move away. She glanced his way before saying a little louder. "The reason I am standing here today is because someone always saved me." She watched Todoroki stop, his head inclined towards her direction. "All Might… I want to be able to save people, someone who saves the day with a smile on their face. I want to be like him, and I need to become strong enough to accomplish that, and become the top hero. It maybe a trifling motive compared to your own, but all the same…" She took a deep breath and smiled towards Todoroki, just as he faced her again.

"All the same, I can't lose. Not now, not ever, especially not only for myself, but to pay back to those people who've helped me along the way!" She held her fist out towards him, his eyes widening a bit before he settled back into his expressionless stare. "So I'll take that declaration of war of yours, and echo it!"

"I'm going to beat you too!"

She didn't move for a few minutes after he had left before her legs gave out and she landed in a heap on the ground. She huffed out a laugh before her hands moved to cover her face, running through her hair before laying back on the ground and looking up at the ugly ceiling above her.

"It's like he's from a totally different world even though we have the same goal…"

Bakugou looked down at the ground, his mind reeling over what he had just heard before he deemed it was enough time to move without being noticeable. He stomped hard a few times before rounding the corner, seeing Izuka just lazily staring at the ceiling. Her head moved slowly to face him, a smile lighting up her features like she didn't just hear one of the saddest stories of her life.

"Ah, hey Kacchan."

"What the fuck are you laying on the ground for you weirdo?" He nudged her with his foot as she didn't move to get up, getting progressively harder with his little kicks before she groaned in pain at his insistence. "Get the fuck up, I don't have all day. I even fucking got you food knowing you probably fucking forgot or some shit."

"You're too kind to me Kacchan!"

"Whatever the fuck! Get up Izuka, come on! It's almost time for this next piece of shit tournament to start!"

"I wish I could Kacchan…"

"What the fuck does that mean!?"

"I honestly wish I could, but I'm so tired I can hardly move." Her eyes shined up at him before a smirk filled her lips. "Carry me?"

"Do I look like a fucking horse to you!?"

"No, but you do look like my best friend who would surely not leave this damsel in distress to fend for herself when she's down and defenseless here on the floor." She lifted up her arms, a pout coming to her lips as Katsuki looked away, his cheeks flushing darkly. "Please?"

"Just- gah! Stop with that fucking look! Just, fucking stop! Izuka, dear kami, fucking fine! Climb on my back and eat this fucking sandwich before I shove it down your goddamn throat!"

"Ah! You're the best Kacchan!"

"Yeah whatever the fuck - I already know that. Now shut up and eat and recover or some shit. We don't have much time left."

"Hmm mmhh!"

His smile grew as he walked with Izuka wrapped around his back, his hands holding the underside of her strong thighs as he headed towards the arena's entryway towards the main festival area.

"Uh…?" Izuka glanced over Bakugou's shoulder as he stopped abruptly in their path, the offending noise leaving his lips before he could stop it.

"What is it Kacchan?" She looked to see where his eyes were facing, before a snort left her lips at the scene before her.

It seemed that the other girls from her class were convinced that they were to dress like the cheerleaders from the America and join in on their cheers. Tooru seemed to be enjoying it heavily while the others looked worried before eventually joining in. Izuka smiled as Katsuki began walking forward again. "I'm happy I at least avoided that…"

"Huh? Why? You'd be the best looking one out there… Almost a shame…"

Izuka's eyes widened as her cheeks grew red with a deep blush. "Ka-Kacchan!"

"Hmm? What?" He looked over his shoulder, seeing her face before realizing he must have said that out loud. "Fuck! That's not what- No! Fuck, stop that face Izuka!" Her smirk grew as she poked at his own flaming cheeks now. "I said fucking stop it! I'll drop your ass and leave you here to die! You hear me!? I'll do it Izuka!"

"You think I'm pretty Kacchan? That's so sweet!"

"Fucking shut your trap! I didn't fucking mean a single word of that you - you Deku!"

Izuka laughed hard before settling her arms back around his neck, placing her forehead against his neck as he continued walking towards the stands entrance to relax in the seats before the main event began.

"Thanks Kacchan…"

He just huffed out a grunt before setting her down in a chair and sitting in the one besides her.

"Yeah, whatever. Don't ever fucking mention it. I fucking mean it to, unless you have a death wish."

Izuka just smiled at him before looking down at the other students doing fun recreational things. Present Mic's voice eventually once again filled the arena. "And after the recreational events are done - we have the final event! From 4 teams, 16 individuals have made it through! It's a tournament! We're pitting them against each other in a battle style royal- One-on-One Combat!"

Izuka huffed as she moved from her chair, moving down with the rest of the other students to the main field to listen to Midnight give the normal speech about how the participants are chosen by a random draw. It did however surprise her as Ojiro and a couple other students backed down from the main event as they felt they didn't have the right to compete since they didn't really remember the warhorse team battle in the first place. Izuka could respect their decision, but she couldn't get over the creeping feeling that Shinsou Hitoshi was giving her. Her eyes met with his more than once across the field, the two of them holding the gaze for several seconds before he looked away, a small smirk on his lips.

She looked up just in time to see Midnight presenting the first round of battles, Izuka searching the board for her name as her eyes glanced at the matchups.

"The first round battles are as follows!

Iida vs Hatsume

Bakugou vs Shinsou

Ashido vs Aoyama

Tokoyami vs Yaoyorozu

Midoriya vs Uraraka

Kirishima vs Tetsutetsu

Shiozaki vs Kaminari

Todoroki vs Sero

It seems like an exciting round of battles! Does it not!?"

Izuka smiled upon seeing who she was facing first, and who she could be facing next in the coming rounds if she made it through. Her eyes shifted over to see Ochako giving her a giant grin. "You ready to go down Ochako?"

"I'm going to give it my all Izuka! Just you watch!"

"Hey Izuka!"

She turned her head around, seeing Kirishima move through the crowd to poke her in the forehead. "Once I win my first round I better be seeing you down here facing me, you got it!?"

Ochako huffed out her cheeks and was about to respond before Izuka stuck her tongue out.

"You're all going down no matter what." She giggled at the looks her friends gave her before Bakugou hit her ribs with his elbow.

"Shut it Deku, I better fucking see you in the finals or I swear to kami I'll fucking kill you."

"Could you be a little gentler Kacchan? That's not very hero like." Bakugou's face had her laughing alongside Kirishima and a giggling Uraraka.

"That's what I've been saying! You need to go to anger management classes, Bakubro!"

"Shut your fucking mouth you hair for brains freak!"

Izuka laughed harder before she watched Ojiro approach her cautiously. "Oh, Ojiro? What is it?"

"Midoriya… Can I have a word?"

"So you think he was… controlling you?"

His nod wasn't very reassuring as she bit the inside of her cheek, thinking to herself. "So you answered his question and then… Just nothing? You can't remember anything?"

"Nothing until after we were given the third place win. It's strange, but it's definitely something to do with his quirk. Just - Bakugou will listen to you right? Just warn him for me. I know how he gets. Anything to get a stir out of him and he's done for…"

Izuka nodded before smiling at Ojiro. "I'll warn him, but I'm not sure how much good that will do for him." She stood up from her chair before waving at Ojiro. "Thanks for the warning Ojiro, I will see you soon. I am going to grab something to drink." She walked out of the room they were using during the recreational events and sighed as she made her way towards the drinking fountains she saw on her way down here. She stopped, pushing her hair out of the way before taking long gulps of the cool water.

She heard footsteps from behind her before she turned around, wiping her lips and meeting tired eyes as a smirk formed on Shinsou's face.

"Hello… Midoriya was it?"

Her eyes widened before settling in a slight glare, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ah, the silent treatment I see… Is that anyway to treat a fellow competitor?"

She puffed out a cheek, moving to go past him before he responded.

"I would give that warning to your uh - boyfriend? Was it? He could use it, even though we both know how this fight is going to end for him."

Izuka turned around to say something before his grin caught her attention and she snapped her mouth shut. "You're a smart one, Midoriya Izuka. If only he had your brains, he might stand a chance." He huffed out a laugh before moving past her, his eyes watching her fuming body before he was out of sight and Izuka let out the breath she was holding.

"What a bastard…"

"Hey Kacchan… Can I talk to you for a sec?"

Bakugou glanced over his shoulder from his spot in the stands, Kirishima and Kaminari looking over as well at her question. The two other boys smiled and waved, getting Izuka to let a nervous smile grow on her face.

"What is it Deku?"

"Just, come here for a second okay?"

He grunted, getting up from his seat and following behind her to the hallway entrance near where their class was occupying the stands. They stood across from each other just in the entryway, their backs on the opposing walls, casting a deep shadow over them. "Well? Spit it out."

"Just, I got a warning from Ojiro, about Shinsou."

"Who?"

"The uh, guy you're facing first in the one-on-ones?"

"Oh, that fucker? He's going to be fucking dead by the time I'm done with him."

"Kacchan please, his quirk - if you answer anything he says to you he will win the battle. Ojiro said that-"

"Deku, I know."

"Uh- what?" She blinked, leaning back against the wall so she could fully see his face. He looked determined, his eyes not wavering as she glanced over him once before nodding.

"You heard me, I know. I've been watching the fucker since he first made himself known to us during that weird viewing the rest of the classes gave us." His red eyes glanced around them before settling back on her face. "I'll be fine. You don't have to fucking worry about me like that."

"Ah- right… I just, I just thought that…"

"Thanks Deku." He patted her head, moving back towards the hallway where the waiting rooms before a match were located. She smiled softly as she watched him, a hand coming up to grip the front of her jumpsuit as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"What is he… doing?"

Izuka bit back a laugh as Kirishima looked on the arena floor as Iida and Hatsume had their match… If you could call it that.

"I think he was being a good sport and letting Hatsume show off her 'babies', though by the looks of terror on Iida's face, it seems like he wasn't informed of this." Izuka let out a giggle, Kirishima rubbing his temple in reply.

"Dear kami, I swear this tournament just keeps getting weirder and weirder. After the ridiculous recreational stuff they had going on, and all the girls dressing up in those cheerleading outfits, I thought this crazy stuff would be over." He raised an eyebrow before looking at Izuka, leaning back in his chair and glancing down at her arm. "Are you going to be okay to fight?"

Izuka looked up from the arena where Hatsume was demonstrating another baby of hers. She was able to make Iida fly around the field with a device similar to the jetpack she had used before, Hatsume herself evading it with another device attached to herself. "Huh? Oh you mean this?" She lifted up her right arm and twisted it, the pain was dull unlike before. "I'll be fine. It feels a ton better than it did before." She smiled at him before her eyes looked over his shoulder to see Todoroki staring at her arm, his fists clenching at his pants leg. She looked away, nodding at Kirishima again, not catching his reply back.

"Well good, cause I want to fight you."

She glanced up at him, her smile bright. "As do I! I want to show what all this training we've been doing these past two weeks has done for me!"

His grin brightened up his face and Izuka couldn't help but to return it.

"And the winner by default is Iida Tenya!" Midnight's announcement had Izuka and Kirishima looking back down to the field to see Hatsume stepping out of bounds as Iida groaned behind her.

"You…! You! You played me for a fool!"

Iida's shout had Izuka gasping for breath as a laugh left her lips. "Oh! Oh man! Poor Iida! She just totally used his good nature against him and used him for her own needs…"

Kirishima grinned, his eyes looking down towards the field as the next two opponents came out from the shadows. "Oh, man… Izuka, look."

Izuka looked over at Kirishima before turning to look down at the field at where his finger was pointing, her eyes widening at the…

"Is that… Tape over his mouth!?"

Bakugou would never admit it, but he wasn't the best at keeping his mouth shut when it came to insults and jibes at his person. So when he had seen how that fucking purple-freak's quirk worked, he had tried to come up with different ways to keep his mouth effectively closed.

This wasn't his best idea.

But it was the only one that he could think of after the one-on-ones were released.

Approaching Sero hadn't been easy either, hell asking for any type of help had never been his forte, but he needed to get the tape from somewhere, and this was his only option.

Just hopefully he wouldn't bite through the tape in what he knew was going to be a very challenging fight to keep his fucking mouth closed at all costs.

Any type of reply might get his mind swiped by this fucker's quirk, so he had to keep at the ready at all costs.

Stepping onto the concrete platform, his hands rested in his pockets as his glare looked over the competition. The tired-eyes seemed to hold some shock before settling on amusement at the use of tape of all things to try to keep his quirk at bay.

Midnight had already begun the match at this point, pointedly looking at Bakugou with a bewildered look before saying start.

"This is your way to try and keep me from winning?" Shinsou sneered at Bakugou, his eyes narrowing at the blonde male as he stepped forward. Bakugou brought his hands up, his palms beginning to smoke at the first comment. "Some way for the student who spews his pride for all to see."

Bakugou bit back a remark as he stood his ground, watching Shinsou pace in front of him from a distance he must have deemed safe. "You? The one who has been claiming that he will become number one, the top of the top heroes this world has ever seen? The one who has to fall to such low measures as taping his mouth shut? Some top hero you are if this is the best you can think of."

His jibes were definitely getting to him, but Bakugou took a single step forward, his eyes a hard glare as he began his slow stalk towards this prey. He was going to pay for those words, he swore silently as his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.

He was going to fucking murder him.

"This must be a new low for you right? Having to repeatedly take help from others willingly. I overheard the conversation with Midoriya, was it? She's quite the girl you have on your side. But, like you said, you were going to be number one right?"

Oh he fucking wasn't going there right? This was dangerous territory for anyone.

"There's no room for a girl at the top, but you two seem pretty close. So when you're number one, what will she be to you then? A side piece? Something you expect to have there at all times just to, what? Become your housewife? Give up her own dream just so you can achieve yous?"

This guy was fucking asking for it.

"She seems just as determined as you are to get to the top, so if she does that before you, will you go after her just like everyone else?" His eyes had the audacity to look over towards where he knew Izuka was sitting.

"Say that she needs to die just so you can get to the top?" The fucker had the balls to grin that way before settling back over Bakugou's form.

"Well?"

A painful memory came blasting back into Bakugou's mind against his own will. That day, he had said something terrible to Izuka, something he had instantly regretted as the words left his mouth. He still remembered her still form, the silent tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as she looked away. The words still hurt his chest to this day.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot Deku."

The look in her eyes should have stopped him, but back then, he had still been the bully and she was still the same, stupid, useless, gay-boy Midoriya Izuku.

"There is one method that can be really effective if you want to become a hero so much."

He should have stopped, the way that she had frozen up at the next words spilling from his mouth.

"I suggest making a swan dive off the roof of this school. Maybe taking that leap of faith and believing with all of your heart that you'll be born with a quirk in your next life is just what you need!"

She had looked like she had wanted to say something, but that look of terror will always hold his heart in chains. One wrong move, one more wrong word would cause that heart to break, like he had broken hers so many times before.

He had sworn to himself, since that day her secret was revealed that he wouldn't dare say another word like that again.

Bakugou was so lost in his thoughts he didn't register the push at his shoulders, causing him to step back.

Maybe this is what he deserved right? After all the shit he put her through?

The pushes got harder, his mind all jumbled as he squeezed his eyes shut from the memories.

He shouldn't be allowed to call himself a hero after everything he said and did to her. Not after all that.

"DON'T JUST GIVE UP!"

A particularly loud yell brought him out of his memories, his eyes bloodshot from the tears he was holding at bay.

"KACCHAN!"

His eyes widened as he gripped the arms that had pushed him towards the edge of the arena platform. He dug his feet into the pavement and growled out as he stopped the path that Shinsou was pushing him in, barely avoiding the last push to get him out of the arena.

His eyes glared at Shinsou, the other's grip slacking at the menacing look Bakugou was giving him. His fingers tightened on the purple haired male's arms, a hiss leaving his lips as Bakugou pushed back, his feet charging forward as the other tried to get his footing back under himself.

"Shit! I was so close too!"

Bakugou pushed harder, his eyes seering as he reeled back an arm and swung forward, his fist connecting with that fucker's face. Damn, it felt good to let that out.

Shinsou stumbled backwards, his hand going up to tenderly touch his cheek as he glared at Bakugou.

"You bastard… Were you just fooling around right there!? Staring into nothing just to get me to let my guard down!? Build up the hope that maybe I had a chance!?" Shinsou spat as he stood up and glared at Bakugou. "It must be so nice to be blessed like you, huh, Bakugou Katsuki!?"

"You have had everything handed to you in your life, just like that! To be born with such a heroic quirk like yours - you were given this path by default! It makes me sick to think that people with your type of attitude are given a chance over people like me, like us in the General Education Department!"

Bakugou let out a growl, his teeth clamping onto the tape covering the lower half of his face as his glare settled over Shinsou's form.

"That someone with the likes of you will ever understand. You and everyone in the Heroics Department! Especially people like that girl who have had it their entire lives! You all look down on us just so you can -" A punch to his gut sent Shinsou flying across the arena as Bakugou seethed, the tape falling from his face as his bloodied mouth was revealed.

Izuka's eyes widened in the stands, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. "Oh my kami… Kacchan…"

"He was so determined not to speak he bit his own tongue and lips raw… Holy shit Bakubro…"

A punch flew to Shinsou's face as Bakugou landed on top of him, his hand covering the other's mouth as he sneered down at him, rage filling his eyes. "Don't you fucking dare say anything about her like that!" Bakugou growled out as he landed another punch to Shinsou's face, effectively keeping him quiet. "She is nothing like me - like any of us!"

Another punch had Midnight rattled as she looked to Cementoss to gage his reaction in trying to stop the fight or not.

"She is what you would expect a hero to be! I may not deserve the praise a hero should get, but she does! She fucking does for all the shit I put her through! You have no fucking right- no right at all to be- SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Bakugou blasted Shinsou away from him, his quirk finally igniting as the other rolled on the ground before slowly getting up. His battered face looked just as bloody as Bakugou's did now, and Shinsou charged at Bakugou, tackling him to the ground and causing a scuffle.

"Bow down to me Bakugou Katsuki! Even with a quirk like mine, I still have dreams!"

"So do all of us you fuckin-" Bakugou froze as his body suddenly gave way to the power of Shinsou's quirk. Izuka gasped as she got up from her seat, gripping the one in front of her as a quiet, 'no' left her lips.

"Got you…" Shinsou grinned as he fell off of Bakugou's body, the other slowly getting up as well, turning towards the edge of the arena. "That's right Bakugou, you lost this round. Better luck next year. Hopefully you get your anger under better control by then." Shinsou smirked as Bakugou kept walking, away from the other boy and towards the entrance he had come from.

Fuck! Fuck! No this wasn't! I couldn't keep my damn mouth shut!

"No! No Kacchan! Don't come this way!"

Izuka's voice broke through the fog in his mind, and Bakugou's body instinctively moved his head towards the source of her voice. "Keep fighting Kacchan! If anyone can break through his mind control - you can!"

No Izuka, I think if anyone could break out of this guy's hold, it wouldn't be me…

"Kacchan! Please!"

It would have been you.

"Kacchan!"

It was always you…

"Don't you dare tell me you forgot about another promise to me, you baka!"

Katsuki's heart pounded as his quirk suddenly erupted from his palms, the blast being large as the sweat had accumulated to a large puddle.

Shinsou's eyes widened from his spot on the ground as the blast nearly knocked him back off his unsteady feet again. "What the…!?"

Shinsou's glared at Bakugou, his forehead sweaty as he started moving towards Bakugou in a fast run. "How!? You shouldn't be able to move! What did you do!?"

Bakugou's arms shook, the amount of force that was exerted just then being a too large amount. He grit his teeth to keep from hissing in pain before he quickly turned around, hearing that Shinsou was only a few steps away from him.

"Say something! Why don't you!?"

Bakugou jumped out of the way, the pain in his forearms nearly unbearable as he stood his ground against the panting Shinsou.

"You literally have that much power in the palms of your hands huh!? Count me jealous!" He charged again, his steps clumsy as he pushed at Bakugou's shoulders, the blonde grunting in pain before forcing his quirk to his palms once again.

"There was never any chance for success for something like me, huh!? Not with this quirk! Not someone as blessed as you would ever understand!" Bakugou shot his hand out, hitting Shinsou in his chest and sending him backwards before following up on his next hits, taking Shinsou down each time he tried to get up.

"No! I won't just give up now! People like you who were born with the perfect quirks would never understand!" Shinsou sent out a punch of his own, hitting Bakugou square in the cheek as the blonde pushed him backwards. He grit his teeth, his mind filtering back to the green haired wonder he could call his only friend… Is this how she felt…?

"Spit something out damn it!" Shinsou landed another punch, and swung his fist back once more before Bakugou grabbed the arm, his eyes glinting as he swung Shinsou around with the force of the movement of the punch, swinging him over his shoulder and sending him flying outside of the arena platform.

Izuka's eyes widened at the use of her own move she had used on Bakugou during the two v two battles they had done earlier in the semester. Her smile grew as Bakugou slowly let out a breath and sat down on the platform ground, letting out a groan as Midnight's voice boomed all around them.

"Shinsou's out! Bakugou! You advance to round two!"

Chapter End.