Izuku has his grip on the flag by the time Katsuki hits the ground, and when the horn sounds, he's already at his side, rolling him onto his back when he starts to stir.

"What the…" A flicker of confusion flashes across his features before he's batting Izuku away, trying to sit up.

"Hey - You might have a concussion!"

"Stop -"

Izuku brings his index finger in front of Katsuki's face and moves it back and forth. His eyes trace it for a moment before he snaps out of it.

"Stop fucking saving me, you idiot!"

Izuku retracts his hand and steps back. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, I -" It was so fast. He thought Katsuki would surely see him coming and counterattack in time. Or at least dodge the attack. When has Kacchan not been laser-focused into a fight? Izuku already had his second attack planned, and he only assumed he had as well.

Katsuki moves to stand and Izuku rushes to his side once more, arms outstretched, only recoiling when he catches the look of pure rage in his eyes. Here it comes. As sure as the sun rises each day, Katsuki is beyond furious every time he loses. Izuku hides behind his open hands as he anticipates the backlash.

But it doesn't come. He looks up to see Katsuki double over and puke out his breakfast and lunch. Before Izuku has a chance to move, Kirishima appears out of nowhere, hands at the ready.

"Shit! I'll get him to the nurse's station."

"I - Okay."

Kirishima hooks his arm under Katsuki's shoulder, and they hobble off the field together.

"Tell them to check for a concussion!"

Katsuki has to stop once more to hurl.

"Thanks, Midoriya!"

"So." Shinsou comes up beside him. "That was interesting."

Izuku doesn't respond, still trying to sort it out in his head as he watches Katsuki and Kirishima disappear inside a nearby brick building.

"Don't worry. He's fine." Shinsou pats him on the back. Does Izuku look guilty? He sure feels it.

"I didn't expect that" is all he can manage.

"Me neither."

Izuku studies the small red flag threaded between his fingers. What the hell happened?

Next up is Shoji and Tokage versus Mina and Shiozaki, and they start the match once Shinsou successfully corrals Izuku off the field.

"Nice job Midoriya, Shishida." Aizawa glances up as they pass.

Izuku jumps when he realizes Shishida is behind him. He'd forgotten they were partners for a moment.

Now back in his human form, Shishida throws an arm around Izuku's shoulders and shakes him before letting him free. "Nice one, partner!"

In a daze, Izuku walks back over to his friends on the bleachers.

"Hey. That was weird," Todoroki deadpans.

"Don't just say that, Shouto!" Uraraka turns to Izuku and grins. "You looked great out there, Deku!"

Izuku tries to put on a smile as he sits down. "Thanks."

"Yeah. I certainly won't be a sore loser about it." Shinsou takes a seat up behind him, a playful smile on their face. "Though I can't say the same for my esteemed partner. You think he's going to come for you immediately, or like, in the night when you least expect it?"
Izuku squeaks out a laugh. "I don't know if that's -"

"He can't really blame you, can he?" Todoroki tilts his head. "He's the one who let his guard down during the match."

"I can usually anticipate his fighting style pretty well, you know? But I've never seen him act like that. I don't know. I must've miscalculated the angle…" He sighs and shakes his head, but before he can start muttering about percentages and full-cowling, Todoroki reaches over Uraraka to touch him on the forearm.

"Do you think it has something to do with what happened at Momo's?"

"Whaaat?" Uraraka's brow jumps. "What happened at Momo's? You mean New Year's?"
Clamming up, Izuku waves his hands in front of him.

Todoroki shrugs. "He wouldn't tell me."

"Because nothing happened!"

"Sure. And everything has been normal since."

"It has been normal!"

"The look on Bakugou's face sure wasn't normal," Shinsou chimes in, their eyes half-lidded, smug as ever when Izuku turns to look at them.

"What?"

"When I tried to trick you. He was mad. Like, crazy-mad."

"Ohh, that's what happened!" Uraraka nods slowly. "I just saw him turn at the last second. I didn't hear what you said -"

"That's just Kacchan. It doesn't mean anything." Izuku is quick to cut in.

"During battle?" Shinsou scrunches their nose in disbelief.

"He's just - intense. He's always been intense."

They scoff. "More like obnoxious, but yeah. I have no clue how you deal with it."

Unsure of how to respond, Izuku laughs, then turns his attention to the field. His eyes glaze over as the figures of his classmates battle it out before him.

Shinsou has a point. It isn't always easy with Kacchan.

It is not often, but sometimes Izuku finds himself wishing things were like how they used to be when they were kids. It was easier before everything got so complicated; before Izuku received his quirk, before he was chosen to become the world's next symbol of peace, before he had to learn to lead others and make hard decisions that could mean life or death.

The crazy thing is Katsuki's always been good at that stuff. Or, at least, it seemed that way. Ever since they were little, he took on these responsibilities without knowing what it meant to do so. He was the leader, the protector, the next number one hero. And yeah, he was an asshole about it, too, and sometimes still is, but he's always charged full-speed into whatever lay in front of him without any fear or doubt, be that the forest behind their apartment complex or a villain's secret underground base, and that makes Izuku want to follow him anywhere.

The horn blares, and Izuku looks up to see the field covered in acid and vines. Guess that's the end of the match. They call for the next group, which includes Todoroki, and he wishes him luck.

Soon, Izuku spots Kirishima exiting the building he entered fifteen minutes prior, and he's on his feet, waving him over.

"Hey! Kirishima!"

"Oh hey!" Kirishima walks over and sits down next to him. Squinting out at the field, he asks Izuku, "Did I miss Mina? Who's next?"

"Uhh." He looks left and right. "Shouto and Aoyama, I think?"

"Cool. Cool."

They sit in silence for a moment as the match starts. Izuku can't take it any longer; he feels like he's about to explode.

"Is Kacchan okay?"
"Oh!" Kirishima sits up. "I totally forgot. Yeah, he's fine."

"Oh, okay. Did he say if…" Izuku stops short. He's not sure what he was even planning to ask.

Kirishima lets out a long breath. Then, he spots Mina at the end of the field and waves, a new smile on his face, gesturing to her as he stands.

"He's probably not up for hanging out or anything today, but -" He puts his hand on Izuku's shoulder, a strange look in his eyes. "He'll come around, I promise."

Izuku knows he's right, sometimes Kacchan just needs space, but it's all he can do not to run after him right now.

It's not as if there have never been issues between them. Their friendship has been tempestuous from the start.

When they were younger, Izuku would always stand up to Katsuki when he was wrong. But at the same time, he learned what it meant to stand with him, to trust him, to follow him through busy streets and thick forests, over bridges, and train tracks to wherever he wanted, always so sure of himself.

When they reached middle school, their relationship became much more complicated. Katsuki was even angrier, but there was no rhyme or reason to it. A wrong turn of phrase (or sometimes nothing at all) could leave him a fuming mess, but to all of Izuku's credit, he could never figure out why.

They were hardly friends when they started at UA - though, that's probably generous to say.

But now, after a couple of years of fighting countless villains, growing through their weakness and training with each other, they're friends again. Katsuki admitted it himself. Maybe he doesn't remember doing so, but Izuku wants to believe he does.

It's a few days before Katsuki comes around.

Izuku and Todoroki idle outside the classroom one morning, chatting to pass the time when Izuku hears a familiar voice say his name.

"Deku."

He looks down the hall to see Katsuki steadily make his way to him, and when their eyes lock, Izuku has to swallow a lump in his throat.

Maybe this is it? Is this the moment where Katsuki finally lets loose all his anger? They haven't fought each other in some time. Perhaps they're due for it.

Izuku's chest tightens as he approaches. He braces himself, his arms low at his sides, only for Katsuki to come to a halt just in front of him, his brow furrowed as his eyes flick from Izuku's shoes to his chest to the top of his head before meeting his gaze.

"Aizawa wants to meet with us in his office after class."

"Okay?" Izuku tries to sound confident, but it comes out as more of a question. Katsuki eyes him suspiciously, then tsks and heads into the classroom.

Todoroki puts his hand on his shoulder, making him jump slightly.

"All right?" He asks, his voice kind. Izuku knows what he's thinking; at least he's not rubbing it in his face.

"Mhm." Izuku sets his shoulders and walks into class. "Just fine."

Afterward, he makes his way to Aizawa's office, anxious to see what he wants to talk to them about. He hopes it isn't anything serious. It seems as if around every corner, there is a new threat, a secret unraveled, a revelation that puts Izuku's world on its head. Hopefully, it won't be one of those.

He opens the door to Aizawa's office, exhaling when he sees Kacchan hasn't arrived yet. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath.

"Midoriya. Thank you for coming. Bakugou should be here soon." Aizawa gestures to the chairs in front of his desk, and Izuku sits. He looks even worse than usual, his eyebags heavy, the low light of the office doing him no favors. "He recently ran into a villain he said you're familiar with."

"Wait, what? Who?"

At that moment, the door flies open, and Katsuki saunters in, hands in his pockets, a look of perpetual annoyance on his face.

"Sorry I'm late." He sits, bumping elbows with Izuku. They whisper a small exchange:

"Sorry."

"Watch it."

Aizawa frowns at them, then continues. "We were just talking about the villain."

"Two of 'em."

"The Grandmaster and…" Aizawa shuffles through the papers on his desk, trying to find the one with helpful information.

"The Grandmaster and the Dragon." Katsuki scoffs and shakes his head, and his leg bounces erratically for a moment. "More like a sun-dried lizard."

Aizawa blinks, then nods. "Yep. Okazaki Akio, or The Grandmaster, as he likes to call himself these days, has recently come out of the woodwork."

"Oh, I remember him! He uses light to create illusions and trick people."

"Correct. He successfully robbed the bank in Yamanashi Prefecture."

Izuku turns to Katsuki. "You let him rob a bank?"

"No! You really think I woulda let him get away with that?"

"That was a couple of weeks ago. Bakugou ran into him downtown yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"He's running with this guy called the Dragon. Small fry, but fast. Chased 'em off after I got my I.D. renewed." Katsuki flashes his teeth, a fake smile.

"Why didn't you tell me?"
He neglects to make eye contact with Izuku, shifting his jaw to the right.

"We don't have much information on the Dragon, but some of our intel indicates that the two of them may be part of a larger operation. Do you recall your run-in with Okazaki, Midoriya?"

"Yeah. About a year ago. Mirio and I -" Izuku thinks back on it. He has notes written down somewhere. Grabbing his backpack, he rifles through it until he finds an old worn notebook.

At this moment, Principal Nezu pops his head inside the office.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?" His face is carefully neutral as he looks to Aizawa, who nods and follows the small mammal into the hallway, leaving Izuku and Katsuki alone.

There's a long moment when neither of them speak, and the silence is so heavy it makes Izuku's stomach hurt.

"So… um, about the other day -"

"Dammit, Deku, do we really gotta do this?" Katsuki lets his head drop back. "I know you wanna go over every excruciating detail - I would much rather just leave it alone, for once."

He finally turns to look at Izuku, his lips in a thin line.

"Yeah, no, I was just gonna say that -"

Katsuki throws up his open hand to quiet him, then clenches it into a fist before slowly lowering it to his lap. "I don't wanna talk about it," he repeats, his other hand gripped tight around the arm of the chair between them.

"Okay."

More silence. Katsuki takes a long breath in and out and rolls his head to the side, stretching out his neck. Izuku tries to think of something else he can say, but his mind draws a blank.

Luckily, Aizawa reenters then, quickly shutting the door behind him. "Unfortunately, we'll have to cut this short. Uh -" He searches his desk for a stack of papers and straightens them before handing them to Izuku. "It's my understanding that you and Mirio requested that any cases involving Okazaki go to your agency. I trust you to give Bakugou a run-down on whatever information you have." He throws on his coat.

"What, you think I'm gonna work with those nerds? I thought I was getting the case, no strings attached."

Aizawa sighs and glances at the ceiling. "I don't have time to argue with you. Get out of my office."

Katsuki stands, looking Aizawa straight in the eye, but, unable to conjure a word, he storms out. Izuku slings his backpack over his shoulder and follows.

"Wait!" He only takes a few more steps before Katsuki whirls around, causing Izuku to lose his balance and run into him. He collects himself quickly, looking up at Katsuki.

"What?" He demands.

Izuku considers making a run for it, but, instead, wills himself to say words. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

Katsuki looks back and forth between Izuku's eyes. "Fine." He turns, continuing down the hallway in the direction of the gym. Once he's out of sight, Izuku takes a deep breath, trying to quell the fluttering feeling in his stomach.

In the end, however ornery or confusing Katsuki is, it doesn't matter to Izuku. What matters is that he's still here, learning and fighting by his side. It's all Izuku has ever wanted, and anything else would be… Well, he doesn't let himself think like that anymore.

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As you can see I've had a stroke of inspiration and changed the title from "Between Love & Hate" to "Waiting for You." Both song titles, if you're wondering. I have a thing for the Strokes and Alex G.

Thank you so much everyone