A/N: I would like to thank everyone that added this story to their favourites and follows as well as everyone that reviewed the last chapter.

"What are you doing here?"

A single blond eyebrow was raised as Naruto took in the sight of Midoriya standing in front of her. The young teen rubbed the back of his neck, lips pressed into a nervous smile as he took a seat right beside her. The chair shuffled back and Naruto just stared at the boy that she saw as both a friend and a little boy that always needed to be protected.

"I guess I want to say good luck," Midoriya quirked a nervous smile. "But I guess you don't really need it since you and Kacchan are both quite strong."

She almost quirked her lips into a smile as the commentary of the third round echoed in the background, reminding her of what was on the line for her. Bakugou's red furious eyes stood out in the television as he fought against a smiling Tokage. The television soon switched to her own match, showcasing her blue eyes that stared at the world like they were out to get her.

'You are just an ugly fox that would be lucky if someone loves you.'

"So who are you going to cheer for: Bakugou or me?" She flashed him a fake smile and pushed back the memories of a childhood that constantly wanted to remind her of what she was.

Midoriya knitted his eyebrows and rubbed the back of his neck. "Can't I cheer for the both of you?"

"You still consider Bakugou as your friend." Surprised leaked out of Naruto's tone as she knitted her eyebrows at him and Midoriya sighed. He looked at the television screen, body leaning forward as a tiny, sad smile played on his lips. He darted his eyes from her to the television and then back to her as a sigh escaped from his lips.

"Kacchan can act like an ass and he is an ass," Naruto blinked and quirked her lips into a tiny smile as Midoriya took several deep breaths. "But he wasn't always an ass to me. There was a time when our friendship was strong but it just came crashing down because I tried to help him up from a fall."

Silence hung between them as Midoriya nibbled his bottom lip, hands running through his curly hair and Naruto looked up at the ceiling. There were no words that she could use to help him because Naruto doesn't actually know Bakugou. Sometimes there were hints of decency in him and other times, she thinks that he was scum.

"Until I offered him my hand, Kacchan wasn't the worst bully," Naruto swirled her head at him and Midoriya nodded. "He did keep reminding me about my lack of Quirk but we still played together…and that was better than what the other kindergarteners did to me."

Fondness leaked out of his voice and Naruto tilted her head. So many words were on the tip of her tongue but it felt like there was a lump in her throat stopping her from talking to him. I guess it is because I can't really talk about his foolishness of considering Bakugou as a friend. A pair of black eyes flashed before her and she knows that bonds weren't easy to be broken.

"You still admire him."

Midoriya scratched his neck and laughed. "He was the kid that could do everything right from the start and the kid that was always grabbing people's attention. It is kind of hard not to admire him, especially when I compare myself to him. He is amazing with his use of his Quirk, probably better than Todoroki-kun and he always had people praising him."

Naruto forced herself to smile at those words and squash down the swirl of ugly emotions swirling inside of her. You are not smart enough to make this score. Her throat itched as the cruel words echoed in her ear, reminding her again of the difference in the childhood that she had with Bakugou. No matter how hard she worked and studied, no one acknowledge it.

"Is it weird that I consider him as a friend?" Naruto blinked as Midoriya looked at her with head tilted to the side and eyebrows scrunched together. "Uraraka and Iida consider me strange to still think of him as a friend even though he humiliated me so many times."

'Uchiha Sasuke.'

Hours spent making a perfect sand castle flood through her eyes along with the childish smile of Sasuke and his bright pink cheeks. Naruto felt her throat burned and tears almost leaked out of her eyes because that was the one memory that always stood out to her when it came to Sasuke. Not the Valley Of The End or their fight in the hospital but that wonderful memory.

She gulped down the lump and forced herself to smile.

'The best way to find out if you trust someone is to trust them.'

Todoroki's words echoed in her mind as Midoriya hunched his shoulders at the prolonged silence between them. Trust was hard because he might betray her just like he did, but Midoriya had been there for her in the hospital. He was with Bakugou and Todoroki in her apartment, waiting for her to come back from the Yakuza.

It was probably for that reason that she made her decision.

"I can't judge you," Midoriya blinked and Naruto looked towards the television screen. "I had a friend that was probably as much of an ass as Bakugou, except he did pull through for me at times."

Midoriya blinked and raised his eyebrow. "Did he insult you every time?"

"Called me idiot when actually he is the idiot." She quirked her lips slightly and allowed her fondness to leak out into her voice as the childhood memories of before the Uchiha Massacre washed over her. I think that was when our relationship was at its best. She forced herself to smile when Midoriya blinked his eyes at her. "If it helps I called him bastard every single time."

Midoriya just gawked and he let out a nervous laugh while Naruto traced the faded mark on her chest. A constant reminder of my foolishness. Those had been the Kyuubi's words to her before she fell unconscious and Naruto wondered if the fox had been furious that he nearly died with her.

She shook her head and stared at Midoriya. Take a chance, Naru-chan. The words sounded almost like Mikoto as if telling her to stop hesitating, to stop being so mistrustful and just to take a leap of faith with this nervous green-haired boy. It had been her plan but was it a good idea? Could she truly be friends with him?

'The best way to find out if you trust someone is to trust them.'

Naruto took a deep breath and forced herself to spill out the words jammed up in her throat. ""Do you want to have ramen with me and Todoroki?"

Green eyes widened. "Ramen?"

"Well if I win Midoriya, I want to celebrate with my friends and I," she gulped down and pinched herself. "I want to be your friend and well if I lose…I want to rant to someone because Bakugou is just going to rub it in my face."

Midoriya smiled and Naruto wondered if maybe that she was making the first steps of becoming a better version of herself.

"It's the final rounds!" Present Mic declared and the crowds erupted with life at the reminder that this was going to be the final round of the Sports Festival. "This girl has been a hurricane, unbeatable and the girl that I am praying will redeem her defeated classmates and yearmates that will stop this bomb in his tracks: Uzumaki Naruto!"

This is it. Naruto inhaled and exhaled as blood rushed into her ears as the cheers from the crowds seemed to be muffled in her ears. The smiling faces of the crowds seemed to blur together as the wind picked up, stroking Naruto's hair and cheeks like a mother would stroke its own child. She looked up at the skies, closing her eyes as her heart clenched.

'You are just as smart and capable as my son.'

Naruto pushed down the memory back in her mind and stopped right in the center of the arena. Memories of a dead woman would not help her here. She wasn't your mother. She clenched and unclenched her hands as her eyes focused on the television.

"He has been an unstoppable force throughout this tournament." Present Mic paused and Naruto quirked her eyebrow as Bakugou took his own steps. "And even though he has a face that only a mother can love…"

There was a distinct smack that echoed throughout the stadium, which was followed by a cry from her English teacher. "Jeez, you can't take a joke Eraserhead. He's making a name for himself, it's class A: Bakugou Katsuki!"

The crowds roared, cheering and thundering as Bakugou stopped right in front of her. His lips were pulled into a scowl as irritation and determination flooded through his red eyes. "I'm going to beat you, Uzumaki."

Her lips almost quirked into a smile. "I would like to see you try, Bakugou."

'Uzumaki, don't you think you and Bakugou look similar? You even look a little bit like his mum.'

The words of their middle school classmates echoed in her ears as Bakugou grinded his teeth. No words erupted from his mouth and Naruto creased her eyebrows together, taken back by the lack of swear words coming out of him. He is never this calm. The chances of either of them winning would be based on how much hits that Bakugou could take from her.

"I came here to win, Uzumaki."

Naruto curled her lips into a smile. "Me too."

'Let the finals begin!"

Without a moment of hesitance, Bakugou lunged towards her. A ferocious expression coloured his features as explosions sizzled and crackled around his palm, reaching out towards her. His words rung like an alarm in her mind.

Bakugou is like an animal.

"Bakugou is already racing straight for Uzumaki! Apparently he has gotten an idea to stop Uzumaki before she could—"

Naruto grabbed his sizzling arms, wrapping her hands around his large arms and swinging him around like a frisbee out of the arena. He swung and swirled but unlike Todoroki, who had been distracted in the last minute, the boy placed his hands back and exploded straight back to her.

Red eyes flared with irritation and Bakugou screamed. "Are you underestimating me, Uzumaki!"

Blue eyes widened as Bakugou curled his hands into a fist, swinging it back like a swing and then releasing it on her. Naruto held her hand up, blocking his punch and winced when explosives erupted from his palms. Grinding her teeth together, she pulled him in and stretched her leg back before swinging it straight at him.

He wants to feel like I respect him as a fighter.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto channeled chakra into her stomach and closed her eyes. Tiger. Ox. Dog. Rabbit. Snake. She put her hands together, directed the chakra up to her mouth and breathed out a large, gust of wind that swirled and twirled straight at the smirking boy.

I respect your dreams and in another world…I think we might be the best of friends, because I respect assholes like you.

Wind swept throughout the crowds, pushing several of the heroes hair back and even sending a couple of sunglasses out of the arena. Bakugou was swept up in the air but with a smirk playing in his lips, he placed his hands back and explosives crackled and erupted from his hand.

"Bakugou is flying himself back into the arena! It seems not even a hurricane is enough to stop him."

She narrowed her eyes and ducked as Bakugou's palm raced towards her head. He won't be able to touch me. His lips curled into a smirk and he switched palms, smashing it against her gym outfit. Heat exploded before her and Naruto's body was tossed back from the force of explosion.

"If you think you can beat me Uzumaki then you must be dreaming."

Oh bastard, I'm going to prove you that you don't boast to me. Naruto flipped herself back into her feet, earning gasps and shouts from the crowds. I'm the girl that has been fighting her entire life.

Her seared gym jacket fell down to the ground, showing the whole world just the black shirt that clung to her whole body. Taking a deep breath, Naruto channeled her chakra into her legs. She curled her hands into a fist, knelt down and then lunged straight at the feral boy in front of her.

'I don't need you to talk.'

She curled her hand into a tightly wounded coil.

'I'm going to win the whole damn thing.'

This was fight was not just for her pride but a fight for her to show the whole damn world that Uzumaki Naruto was more than what they thought her to be.

"Yes!" Present Mic erupted in cheers as a resigned sigh came out of Aizawa-sensei's mouth. "Uzumaki landed a solid right hook against Bakugou's face! He is kneeling down from the impact!"

Bakugou clutched his stomach and red eyes narrowed at her, no emotions shining through his eyes. Naruto rubbed the back of her arm, blue eyes focused on her opponent's eyes as the crowds roared and jumped out of their seats at her actions.

She knelt down till they were at eye level. "Wanna quit? Because I'm not going to hold back on my punches! When I made that vow in front of the whole of Japan, I meant it."

Bakugou coughed out blood and he raised his trembling hands. Turning his lips into a scowl, her classmate rubbed his mouth and red eyes narrowed at her. "I ain't a quitter."

In that moment, he kneed her in the stomach and yanked her over his shoulder, smashing her to the ground. Pain erupted from all around her body as her vision blurred slightly. She looked up, lips curled into a snarl and Bakugou faltered slightly as shock clouded his features. Take whatever you can get. She grabbed his arm and swung him out of the arena.

'What an idiot.'

'Are you really going to act like a baby because Sasuke-kun did better than you.'

'You always give it your all in a match.'

''Thank you for believing in me.'

'You looked just so cute, Uzumaki.'

'You don't have to pretend that you are fine.'

Teuchi's furious eyes. Those bastards in the Academy that mocked her and even Sakura's hurtful words echoed in her ears. Midoriya's nervous smile. Todoroki's calming presence and his thoughtful words. All of those things clashed in her mind. Resentment. Gratitude. Kindness and most of all desire. All of those emotions collided like a tornado in her mind.

She fished out a kunai as Bakugou approached her and time seemed to slow down as she swung the kunai at him. White smoke appeared as the kunai revealed to be a clone and Bakugou smirked. His hands sizzled with life as it smashed through the clone, causing it to explode.

A smile erupted from her lips as a second kunai was soon revealed and Bakugou gawked. "H-How?"

"I was always taking you seriously from the very beginning." The kunai exploded to reveal her smiling clone and the clone smashed her fist against his face, sending him flying straight towards the stadium wall. He crashed straight against the wall, causing a slight crack to the stadium and Naruto slumped her shoulders, letting out a smile.

"It looks like Uzumaki did good in her oath! She won the whole thing!" Present Mic cried and Naruto blinked as the crowds chanted her name for the whole world to hear. Waves were being made as well as several people clapping their hands. There were erven a few people pumping their fist up in the air.

I did it.

Her throat dried up and a smile almost played on her lips.

"Uzumaki! Uzumaki!"

For the first time in her life, Naruto doesn't bother to wonder if they were really cheering for her and her victory. She doesn't question it because for the first time in a long time, she felt the same kind of warmth that Mikoto and Teuchi gave her. The same warmth that Sasuke and Itachi used to give her. The warmth Konohamaru and his parents gave her.

She thinks that this warmth must be happiness.

Bakugou growled and balled his hands into a tight fist, red eyes flaring with irritation at the sight of what could only be the infirmary room in the stadium. He lost. For the first time in his life, he actually lost to someone in a physical fight. Of all people that he had to lose, it had to be to the girl that must have been holding back on him.

If I hadn't hesitated in that one moment then I would have won.

When Uzumaki made that face, Bakugou saw his mother and despite his claims about his feelings towards his parents. He loves the Old Hag even if she was always a pain in his neck about his homework and his habits towards people. How could he think of actually hurting someone that resembled his mother slightly? He growled. It didn't even help that he still remembered Uzumaki's blood soaked clothes.

"Are you awake?" Recovery girl asked, opening the curtain and peaking through the slight opening. Her eyes shone with warmth and understanding like she knew what his problem was, but the old woman doesn't know.

He spent his entire life trying to be perfect in everything. If not for his sake and the way people constantly praised him then it was how his grandmother and the Old Hag compared him to his missing uncle.

"There is no shame for getting second place, young man."

Bakugou grinded his teeth at the reminder and felt his palm sizzle and crackle with explosives at the reminder that he lost. It didn't matter he lost to a girl because girls could be just as strong as boys. No, what bothered him was the fact he actually lost. Throughout this whole tournament, he never once reached first place.

This had been the closest that he had ever been to first place since coming to Yuuei. Am I weak? Is that why I'm not able to catch up with her? Fuck, even Deku seems to be catching up to me. His shoulders stiffened and he let out a groan. The world had to be ending for Deku to catch up to him.

Deku was always supposed to be weak.

Whiskers wasn't supposed to be that strong and yet she mocked him by not using that Quirk of hers. Why didn't she use that Quirk against him? Why did she use it only against the monster? Did she think that he was somekind of weakling? He clenched his hands into a fist.

The door slid opened and Bakugou growled at the sight of the girl that seemed to have been mocking him throughout their whole battle. Uzumaki leaned against the wall, lips curled into a thin line as her blue eyes looked at him with an emotion similar to sympathy and guilt.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Silence hung between them as blue eyes locked on his red eyes. She doesn't offer an explanation, only looking at the television screen that seemed intent on reminding him that he lost to her. Bakugou clenched and unclenched his hands into a fist as Uzumaki darted her eyes down to his hands.

Finally, Uzumaki said. "To make sure that you don't have any damage from my clone's punch."

She rubbed the back of her neck and a sheepish smile almost played on her lips. She looks like him. His stomach rolled as the picture of his missing uncle flashed through his eyes. The man would be around 40 by now if he was alive. He narrowed his eyes at his classmate, who shifted back and forth like she seemed to be nervous about something.

The thought almost made him want to snort.

"You think a weak little punch will be enough to cause damage to me."

Blue eyes flared with irritation. "That weak little punch also made you cough out blood."

"You caught me by surprise." He folded his arms against his chest and curled his lips into a sneer. His stomach grumbled and ached like it wanted him to just give in to his pride and tell her that she punched harder than any of those assholes he fought in school. Uzumaki quirked her lips into almost a smile, blue eyes almost twinkled with mirth and Bakugou frowned.

She really looked a little bit similar to his mother.

"You are a crappy liar, Explosive Head."

The words hung in the air, almost hinting that they could be friendly when they wanted to be. Bakugou stared at the blond-haired girl and pressed his lips into a scowl as his classmate shoved her hands against her pocket. Not once did he allow his eyes to waver from her, taking in the similarities that people kept saying they had between them.

'Our lips looks similar.'

He curled his lips into a frown.

'Our noses too.'

He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as this was the only similarities between them. Uzumaki had large, almond-shaped eyes while his eyes had always been smaller when compared to her. But her eye colour is similar to him. The thought nudged in his head and Bakugou doesn't know what possessed him to say these words.

"Uzumaki, who the hell is your father?"

His classmate stiffened at the mention of her father, lips curled into a fake smile and blue eyes seemed to almost water. She took a deep breath, clicked her heels and turned away from him. I'm not like Deku or even half-and-half bastard, I don't care how she feels. He shifted in his seat as Uzumaki rubbed her eyes.

She turned to him and forced a smile. "I don't know who the hell is my father. All I know is that he died on my birthday alongside my mother."

Bakugou stiffened and silence blanket over them as his mind shut down at the piece of information that Uzumaki presented him. There was a smile on her lips even though her hands seemed to balled into fist and her jaws seemed to be clenched so tightly together. All Bakugou could do was just stare at her as words jammed in his throat.

He swallowed down the words. "When is your birthday?"

His classmate locked her eyes on him and then she looked down to her hands. Her long blond-hair masked her whole face from him, not allowing him to see what emotions were going through her. She inhaled and exhaled, chest heaving rapidly as if she was dealing with something terrible and all Bakugou could do was just stare at her.

Finally, Uzumaki swallowed down a lump in her throat and choked out. "October 10th."

'She makes a clone on four dates: 29th of July, 15th of August, 11th of November and 10th of October.'

Now Bakugou understood the significance of one of the dates. If Uzumaki lost her family on her birthday then he doesn't want to imagine what happened on the other dates. If Uzumaki skipped school on anniversary of deaths then Bakugou doesn't know what to think. He swallowed down a lump, shifted side to side and locked his eyes on her.

He wasn't comforting and Bakugou doubt he would ever be comforting, but there was one thing he was good at.

"I'm going to beat you one day, Uzumaki and no sob story is going to change my mind."

Uzumaki quirked her lips into a smile. "I would like to see you try, Bakugou."

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think about this chapter, especially of the interactions between the characters.