Notes: I'm gonna try to remember the post the last two chapters in the next week so I can at least say I have one finished fic on here. Well, two, but still. This has been done for a while. I just keep forgetting to post.

"And when we grow up, we can go to school and become heroes for real!" Izuku exclaimed as he ran around with his Silver Age All Might action figurine. He zoomed around the living room, making swishing noises as he held the figurine up and pretended it was flying. All Might couldn't actually fly, but he could jump really high. They didn't always follow the rules when they played heroes. It was fun to make up things and play with quirks since they didn't have theirs yet. "We can even be a hero team!"

"I'm not gonna be on a team with you."

Izuku skidded to a halt. "Why not?" He frowned and looked around, holding the hero figurine against his chest, but found himself alone in the living room. "Kacchan?"

"Because I'm gonna be number one!" Katsuki declared before jumping off the back of the couch and landing partially on Izuku. He half cried out in fear and half squealed in excitement when Katsuki crashed into him with his Endeavor figurine, sending the two of them sprawling onto the ground. It was kind of rough and hurt more than he thought it would, but he still laughed from his spot on top of Izuku.

"Katsuki!" his mom screamed from the kitchen. "You better not be jumping off the couch!"

"I'm not!" Katsuki yelled back.

"I swear, if I catch you jumping on it after I told you multiple times–"

"I'm not, okay!" Katsuki pushed himself off of Deku, who was starting to squirm to get out from under him. Muttering under his breath, Katsuki added, "She's so mean."

"And you better not be muttering shit about me!"

Katsuki huffed dramatically as he plopped on his butt. She always had something smart to say, like she knew everything. He eyed Izuku, who was rubbing his head where he hit the ground. For good measure, he smashed the Endeavor figurine against Izuku's All Might hard enough to knock it out of his hands. Yeah, he liked All Might more since he was stronger and the Number One Hero, but they couldn't both be All Might, and his mom had threatened to take away his toys if he didn't let Izuku be him for once.

"I win," Katsuki said decisively.

Izuku anxiously picked up his figurine and checked to see if there was any damage. "Why'd you hit it so hard? You could break it!"

"Your mom can buy you a new one," Katsuki told him. That was what his parents did whenever he broke one of his toys. His mom might complain and scold him for being too rough with his toys, but then they would go to the store to get him a new one or his dad would come home from work with something better. Izuku's mom was much nicer than his, so she'd definitely buy him one if he cried about it, and he cried all the time.

"Nuh uh, she can't," Izuku mumbled, setting the figurine carefully on its feet.

"Why not?" Katsuki questioned. "Are you poor?"

Izuku's face flushed red. "No!"

Katsuki grinned and pointed. "You're poor!"

"No we're not! Stop saying that!" Tears threatened to spill out of Izuku's eyes, like always, but he held them at bay when Katsuki didn't push it. As much fun as it was to joke around like that sometimes, he knew his mom would storm into the room and yell at him if he made Izuku cry. He didn't want to get in trouble. "Is that why you don't want to be a hero team with me?"

"No, it's because I'm gonna be the Number One Hero like All Might, and there can't be two number ones, duh ," Katsuki told him. Izuku said dumb things sometimes, but he was really nice and liked to play heroes more than the other kids at school. They could watch hero videos for hours together and talk about different fights and villains. No one got as excited about stuff like that as much as them. Plus, they were learning to read, and it was fun to look online at hero forums.

(Katsuki would never admit that Izuku could read better than him. He picked it up so fast while he was still struggling. When their parents let them scroll online, Izuku was the one who read stuff more often than not. He didn't tell anyone that though. If his parents asked him, he said that he read while Izuku listened with wide, impressed eyes.)

"But we can still work together, right?" Izuku asked.

"You can't cry," Katsuki warned him. "I won't work with crybabies."

"I'm not a crybaby!" Izuku exclaimed.

"Are too."

"Am not! And I'm gonna be a hero!" Izuku clenched his hands into fists, looking very serious for a freshly turned four-year-old. Katsuki might've made fun of him if he didn't think the same thing. He would be okay with Izuku becoming a hero, as long as he didn't get in his way. Not that he would. Katsuki was obviously going to be a stronger hero. "When we get our quirks, we can practice using them together. It'll be fun!"

Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Your quirk won't be as strong as mine."

Izuku blinked and then looked down at his hands, which he unfolded in his lap. "You're gonna have a really awesome quirk. I hope I do too." He smiled, but for some reason, Katsuki thought it looked weird. Even though he cried a lot, Izuku smiled a lot too. He was kind of jittery and easy to spook, but he didn't give up either when Katsuki pushed him. It was why the two of them hung out. He wouldn't hang out with someone he thought was too weak. "We're gonna save people, just like All Might!"

"I'm gonna save more people than you," Katsuki said, pointing a thumb at himself. "You'll see!"

Instead of getting upset or angry, Izuku nodded. "I bet you will! You're really strong already."

Of course he was. Izuku better not forget that either. Katsuki was going to be the best hero ever. It helped to think that when so many people told him that, Izuku included. Saving people was important too since that was what All Might did, but really, he couldn't wait to show everyone how strong and cool he was. He'd have hero merch too, just like his favorites, and kids would play with toys made to look like him.

He almost always won when they played games, especially heroes, and if he didn't, well… Katsuki made sure Izuku didn't leave without knowing he was better. If he didn't, he spent the entire night nervous about whether or not he was going to be number one. No, he would be. He had to be. That was what everyone told him. He'd be the top hero. He'd save the day. It was what he was meant to do. Even if his quirk hadn't appeared yet, he knew it.

The moment Deku had grinned, Bakugou had known he made a grave mistake. He'd let go of him, but before he could use his quirk to change his course, Deku had snatched him by the front of his shirt and pulled him through one of Kurogiri's portals, and he knew he was utterly fucked. The last thing he heard was Uraraka scream, "Bakugou!" and then there was nothing.

He had only gone through it once back when he was sixteen during the League's attack on the USJ, but for a brief second, as they fell through the dark, ice-cold terror flooded Bakugou's veins. Where would they end up? Where were they taking him? Back to the hideout? To be mentally fucked up and turned into the monster Deku believed he was? To be tortured slowly until he either craved to be changed or killed?

Imagine his surprise when the portal opened seconds later and tipped them out into the USJ.

For a moment, Bakugou couldn't even comprehend that they were falling toward the plaza. It was like his brain refused to register where they were now. Out of all the places Kurogiri could've sent him, he dropped them here. Had that been the plan all along? Why? To simply separate Bakugou from the others so he could taken out easier?

It was a second Bakugou couldn't afford to waste, which gave Deku the advantage. He had always been good at finding those weak spots in an enemy and using them to his benefit.

He kicked them around so that he was the one on top and, still holding onto Bakugou's shirt, threw a hand back and let off one One for All-powered flick just like the old days. The burst of power shot them toward the ground like a rocket. Bakugou let off an explosion in an attempt to counter it, but instead, it sent them careening sideways and spinning uncontrollably in the air. He used the spinning to his advantage, shooting off more explosions until both of them were sucked in the fiery vortex of his Howitzer attack.

"You're gonna blow us both up!" Deku shouted.

"That's the point!" Bakugou yelled back right before he threw his hand out and let off one more powerful explosion before they could collide into a dome of glass.

The resulting explosion blew them apart and into the flames. He'd learned early on when he was a kid that his body wasn't entirely immune to his own explosions, just his hands for the most part, and he was reminded of that now. The fire from the explosion seared his skin, catching his shirt and pants on fire, but it had at least shattered half the glass so he didn't break through it. His arms burning from his skin to his muscles from the overuse of his quirk, he couldn't correct himself or stop his fall and crashed hard into a thick pile of snow.

Bakugou laid there, his entire body aching from the fight and crash, and thanked the cold for once. It soothed his skin and killed any flames from his explosion. The Blizzard Zone had been installed two years ago, so he'd never had to deal with it until now. Just his luck. He always hated the way the cold weather took away the strength of his quirk, especially snow and ice, but right now, he was more than happy to bury himself in it. Smoke sizzled around him from his palms and his clothes as he panted in an attempt to catch his breath, sweat chilling on his skin and his sweat-soaked shirt clinging to him as it threatened to freeze.

However, he couldn't stay here forever, no matter how soothing the snow felt right now. Eventually, he'd be at a complete disadvantage again when he couldn't work up enough sweat to fight. Plus, he had no fucking clue where Deku had gone. That last explosion could've thrown him anywhere. Hell, it might've been powerful to launch him out of the USJ if he'd been angled right - or he could be stalking him in this man-made blizzard. Light from the plaza shined through the massive hole in the dome, allowing him to see better, but visibility still sucked, and he didn't want to be caught off guard again.

He had to move, and he had to move fast.

His arms protested more than his legs when he pulled his body out of the snow and dragged himself to his feet. The snow nearly went up to his knees, the chill of the wind cutting through his thin clothes. It was summer, for fuck's sake. He wasn't built or dressed for this shit. As much as he wanted to let off a few explosions in order to build up a minor amount of sweat and heat up his body, he was also concerned that the sound and light would alert Deku to his presence. He couldn't create strong enough explosions to launch himself through the hole in the ceiling either.

In the end, Bakugou had to risk the explosions. It wasn't like he could do much with them, but by using what little sweat he had left on his palms, he was able to keep his body warm and a steady amount of sweat to use just in case. The hole at least gave him much better visibility so he could see what looked like the exit. He lifted an arm over his eyes, squinting through the snow, and grit his teeth. The snow weighed him down, making it difficult to walk, but he had to keep moving. He had to get out of here.

He had to escape. Shit, he hated thinking that way so much.

A glimmer of green light caught Bakugou's attention from the corners of his eyes. He doused his explosions and ducked low to the ground, hoping the snow would cover him somehow. When the light faded, Deku was there, but his back was to him.

"I know you're in here, Kacchan!" Deku called out. "This isn't a good position for you!"

No shit, it wasn't. The snow and cold had helped his muscles that he could use his quirk more, but it also inhibited his sweat. He trudged slowly through the snow toward the door. If he couldn't make it through there, he'd have to make an exit of his own. He could do this. There was a sliver of hope that other heroes could arrive to help out if he bought them enough time, but that was only if they knew where that Kurogiri bastard had sent them. Uraraka and Todoroki were smart. They'd figure it out. He had to believe in them because he couldn't do this alone.

For the longest time, Bakugou had thought that was the only way he would become the Number One Hero. Taking someone else with him didn't make sense. Partnering up with others would only hold him back. There was only room for one at the top of the pack. Why waste his time working with others when his only goal was to be the best?

It was funny how failing and almost dying taught him that he couldn't go alone. No hero could. Even if they seemed like it, they had the support of others to help lift them to the top. Out of everyone in his life, he knew Deku had been the source of some of his greatest support and even inspiration. The two of them had pushed each other to always be better and give it their all.

To be honest, it wasn't much different now.

A thunderous rumbling of the snow made Bakugou freeze. He jerked his head around in an attempt to find the source when a hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. It wasn't a red-gloved hand like he expected but someone else. Another villain. It wasn't just Deku in the USJ with him. He'd come prepared with backup. Bakugou responded by shoving his hand in the snow and letting off an explosion. It wasn't nearly as strong as it could've been, but it was enough to stun the villain and cause them to let go of him, and he stumbled back on his ass in the snow.

"There you are!"

"Shit!"

Bakugou scrambled clumsily to his feet, the snow holding him back. After only two steps, Deku's solid form crashed into him, and they flew tumbling down the hill like a pair of kids whose sledding went very wrong. It gave him enough momentum to pop upright and run, even if his vision swam and his head spun. Instead of one of his normal explosions, he held a circle against his right palm with his thumb and pointer finger and created an AP shot that shattered the glass of the dome. He leaped through the hole, but slid on the shattered glass and fell on the concrete of the open plaza.

Now out of the blizzard scenario area, heat from the sun filtering in through the ceiling swept over Bakugou's skin. He dragged himself up and used a few small shots to launch himself away from the dome and toward a disaster area that would suit him much better. Fire - what he needed was fire and a lot of it. The constant build-up of sweat would keep him from falling short of ammunition and give him some sort of edge over not having his gauntlets. The Conflagration Zone would have more than enough fire around to help him.

When a wall of concrete flew up in front of him, Bakugou halted his explosions. He threw his legs forward so that his boots hit the wall with a thud and kicked off to flip over and land on his feet. He could've blown right through it normally, but he didn't want to use his quirk anymore than he had to in order to save it for offense. However, when two more walls concrete walls began to erupt around him, he was forced to use them to slip through a hole before being boxed in entirely.

He dropped down on top of the concrete right when they crashed together. The villain jumped upright in surprise, having thought he caught him. Bakugou sneered. It was the same damn ground villain from outside of Kaminari's apartment the night that Uraraka and Todoroki had been taken. He looked so damn plain, completely boring and devoid of any defining features, that it pissed him off more.

"Too slow, asshole!" Bakugou snapped. He jumped off the ledge with his hand outstretched, and the villain threw up another wall to protect himself. Big mistake. It also took Bakugou completely out of his field of vision, who had learned to use that weakness to his advantage during fights against Todoroki with his huge walls of ice. Instead of one big explosion, he used another concentrated form of his AP shot, burning a hole clean through the concrete wall and striking the villain. He screamed out and dropped the concrete in shock, which enabled Bakugou to land a solid punch in the face and knock him clean out.

His knees buckled slightly when he landed, but at least he didn't fall. He lifted his head up, panting heavily, and spotted the Conflagration Zone not too far ahead of him. If he could get inside, he might be able to do something. If he could just buy more time or maybe talk to Deku more or something, anything, if he could simply–

Todoroki's left side flared with fire, and Kurogiri's mist flickered back in an attempt to escape him. With his hand pressing down hard on the metal neck brace and heating up every second, however, the villain was unable to escape Todoroki's wrath. Uraraka wasn't sure if the fire would have much of an effect on him or if his portals could simply swallow them. It was hard to say how much feeling he had, but judging by the adverse way he reacted, maybe he didn't want to find out either.

Uraraka grimaced and glanced away. She'd been the recipient of those flames a few times when they'd fought against each other as part of their training to become heroes at UA. He had always apologized after, especially the one time that forced an emergency trip to Recovery Girl, still learning to come to terms with his fire power.

"Take us there," Todoroki growled.

"Why should I?" Kurogiri questioned.

"Because you want to live?" Todoroki retorted. Flames cascaded down his arm and stopped short of his hand. Kurogiri's yellow eyes dropped to them. Even if he was hard to read, she could spot the wariness in that look, especially because of his silence.

Dabi coughed and said, "I wouldn't push him if I were you." His voice rough, like he'd smoked a pack of cigarettes. "Our dad didn't teach us to show mercy to villains. He had one of the highest kill rates for heroes. You'd think that might deter people, but the public ate that shit up."

His words were more unsettling than Uraraka anticipated. Endeavor was dead. Todoroki had killed him, and Dabi had fought for it for so long. It was strange to hear Dabi talk about a man he'd loathed so much that he became a villain in such a hollow tone. Not even Todoroki blinked. She knew he deeply regretted what he had done and felt an extreme amount of guilt and grief, but besides his flames growing even stronger, he didn't move.

Even more discomforting was the fact that Dabi was right. Killing villains wasn't the preferred route to stopping them, but it happened a lot more than people liked to admit. Quirks that were meant to save could just as easily kill. How many times had Dabi almost been killed by a hero? The public knew Endeavor and other heroes killed villains, but the public didn't care. They were praised for it more often than not, like they were taking out the trash.

"I tried my best not to kill when I was a hero," Todoroki said coldly. "I now have the luxury not to care as much." He glanced down at the quirk inhibitor braces. They were built to withstand his flames. If the heroes thought he was going overboard, they could kill his quirk, but nothing indicated that they were about to be turned on. The hero commission was quite fine with a few villains' deaths. "You've been a problem long enough. It'd probably make things easier to kill you now."

Uraraka bit her lip. "Shouto…"

"I've nothing to lose," Todoroki said, his gaze intensely focused ahead instead of looking back at her.

Kurogiri narrowed his eyes. "You have Deku and Ground Zero to lose."

Todoroki clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth, and prepared to explode. "Bastard–"

"Stop it!" Uraraka exclaimed, grabbing him by his shoulder. He started, jerked out of his fog of anger, and glanced back at her. A myriad of emotions glimmered in his grey eye: rage, devastation, fear. She took a deep breath and squeezed him. "Stop. This isn't you."

"It's me," Todoroki said flatly, keeping the emotions in his eyes out of his voice. "It's not the quirk."

"I know it's not the quirk," Uraraka told him, "but this isn't you either."

While Shouto furrowed his brow in confusion, Dabi drawled, "They're just using you too. That's what everyone does. You're a tool and useful until you're not."

Uraraka didn't want to say it out loud, but she knew Dabi was right about that as well. There was no doubt in her mind that the hero commission had banked on Todoroki's desperation to do good and be a hero one last time. It was a risky move, but should he prove completely out of the quirk's control, he'd go all out to help save the day. He would cross lines that other heroes wouldn't. He would push himself far past his limit. He'd even sacrifice himself if it meant protecting people or saving Deku.

Honestly, it would make things a lot less complicated if Todoroki died while acting as hero. The public would see his death as a means to be redeemed. It wasn't right. That wasn't how people were redeemed. Dying would solve nothing except simplify the issue over what to do with him and how he should serve his punishment.

Todoroki dropped his head. "Is it the same thing all over again?"

"We'll find another way," Uraraka swore. "Besides, even if he did warp us, we can't guarantee that he would take us there." She shook her head. They couldn't trust him to hold up his end. Kurogiri could warp them anywhere, and they wouldn't be able to do a thing about it. "And if you kill him, he's useless to us, and we're still screwed."

Letting out a breath, Todoroki's flames slowly died until they were completely extinguished, and he dropped his hand from Kurogiri's brace. A second later though, ice shot up from the ground and coated the brace, keeping him in place. Just because he wasn't going to kill him did not mean Todoroki was going to let him go either. Dabi shrugged carelessly as if to say he wasn't going to help him, but truth be told, Kurogiri didn't fight it much. This has gone on for a long time for them as well.

"What the hell are we going to do?" Todoroki asked, although she didn't think he was talking to her. His gaze was on the ground, hollow yet pained. "Just sit on our asses and hope for the best?"

Dabi gestured around them. "Well, you can always deal with this trash, but I don't see them lasting much longer. Most will scatter here soon."

Todoroki shot him a look. "Would you shut up?"

"Alright, alright," Dabi replied, limply holding up his hands. "Just trying to be helpful to make up for all the other shit I've pulled."

"Yeah? Well, it's not helping at all–"

While Todoroki and Dabi snapped at one another, most likely out of stress, Uraraka settled Kurogiri with a careful look, one he returned silently. Maybe they could convince him without threatening him or maybe they should just try to make it on their own. If she took away her and Todoroki's gravity, she could combine the propulsion of her remaining working rocket with Todoroki's fire. It would be clumsy and hard as hell to navigate, but it would be fast. Maybe…

"You really gonna roll over belly up like that, Kurogiri? I'm disappointed. Maybe I should've killed you."

Uraraka's heart shot into her throat. She spun around as Kurogiri exclaimed in shock, "Midoriya, how–?" but before she could say anything, someone that was decidedly not Deku dropped to the ground.

Shinsou pulled himself and Aizawa up. Blood spattered both of their faces and bodies where their hero costumes were torn, and only Aizawa had his capture scarf, but they were alive. Shinsou pulled down his mask, which had changed his voice to sound like Deku, and walked over to them. "Sorry it took me so long. I got caught up in something and then had to save this old man."

"Where's Bakugou and Deku?" Aizawa demanded, ignoring the jab. He looked almost as bad as Dabi, who had taken to sitting on a chunk of Todoroki's ice and looking like he might pass out. Aizawa ignored him as well, focused completely on Uraraka and Todoroki.

"The USJ," Uraraka answered. "Deku tricked him, and Kurogiri warped them there."

"Well, that was rude." Shinsou brushed past them and stepped in front of Kurogiri, who had gone silent upon getting struck by the brainwashing quirk. Kyomu's quirk might not have worked on him, but Shinsou's did. "Guess we need to hitch a ride." Back when they were first years, he might not have been able to force someone to do something so complex, but they were pros now, and they were ready. "Create a portal to the USJ." A second later, a dark portal spiraled open, large enough for them to step through. Kurogiri didn't blink, argue, or protest. Shinsou smirked and gestured toward the portal. "After you."

Uraraka didn't hesitate: she jumped through the portal and entered the last fight for her life.

Even at a distance, the shockwave from Deku's kick was enough to blow Bakugou off his feet. Right before he could rip open the door to the Conflagration Zone, he was struck and thrown at least five meters away, hitting the ground and skidding another meter. He rolled out of the way just a second before Deku landed, his fist cracking the concrete where he'd been laying before. Using the momentum from the roll, he popped onto his feet and fell back onto his hands to avoid a swinging kick. He struck out with a forward kick of his own, his foot landing a solid hit in Deku's chest and forcing him back with a grunt.

Bakugou pushed off with his hands and jumped so that he was upright again, panting heavily. "Can you stop...for one fucking second?"

"Like you did?" Deku was bent over with his eyes closed, a hand resting against his chest as he breathed in and out harshly. The kick hadn't been that hard, but it must've hit him where he'd been injured by his, Uraraka, and Todoroki's combined attacks earlier. If he focused his attacks there, he could potentially bring Deku down. After all, he might've had an insane amount of power thanks to One for All, but his body was still human. It could still break along with the mind.

Before, Bakugou might've been pleased to think of such a weakness, but it only made him feel even sicker to his stomach. He didn't want to fight Deku. He didn't want to break him, not like he'd tried to do so many times before. Deku was right. Back in the day, Bakugou hadn't stopped for one second trying to break him down into pieces.

"I really made your life hell, huh?"

Deku's eyes flicked up to his. "You think?"

"But no matter what I did, you kept following me around," Bakugou continued, forcing himself to stand straight. It hurt like hell, a mirror image of Deku when he moved to do the same. "It was fucking annoying. I didn't understand why you wouldn't go away. All I could think was that you weren't afraid of me or thought I was weak." He snorted in derision. "I don't think I've ever been more confused than when you said you wouldn't leave because you thought I was amazing. I was in the middle of trying to beat the shit out of you – a fight that I started because of my own fragile ego – and you said that I was amazing."

Confusion flitted through Deku's eyes. Did he not remember that night? There were a lot of moments that Bakugou considered turning points – moments when he knew his life was going to change. His quirk manifesting, Deku not having a quirk, All Might saving him from the Sludge villain, being kidnapped by the League, and so many, many more. It took him a while, maybe up until that fateful night last year, for him to realize how so many of those life-changing moments involved Deku, and that was certainly one of them. It was the first time he'd ever allowed himself to be open with his emotions and himself, all because of him.

Bakugou let out a breath, something akin to sadness and pain welling up inside of him instead of the usual anger and indignation. "You don't remember our fight the night after our first Provisional License Exam, do you?"

"I…" Deku furrowed his brow. "I think…"

"That bastard fucked with your mind so much," Bakugou said furiously. It shouldn't have been Deku. Hell, Todoroki shouldn't have been forced to go under that quirk, but the fact that Deku had as well infuriated him. He was so much better than all of them. "Can't you see that now?"

"I said you were amazing ?" Deku asked, sounding utterly confused.

"Yeah, and it pissed me off," Bakugou snapped. "The last thing you should've thought of me was that – I was an absolute bastard to you, even when we were little kids – but no, you kept on following me because you knew I would do great things." Looking away from Deku was a vital mistake, but he dropped his gaze to his hands anyway. They ached and burned. His palms hadn't hurt like that from overuse of his quirk in years. "I wasn't... I wasn't worthy of that, and yet you insisted that I inspired you to try to be great too."

Deku swallowed. "I wouldn't... Why would I think that?"

"To hell if know," Bakugou admitted in a pained voice. "I don't have a fucking clue to this day. I never even apologized for how I treated you, but it was like you didn't think one was necessary." He clenched his hands into fists. "Not like it matters. I could've lied to you and said that I did since Kyomu would've erased the memory anyways."

"You…" Deku's chest rose and fell haphazardly as he struggled to breathe. "You wouldn't have apologized. You didn't care enough. My death was convenient for you, wasn't it? One less person to stop on to make it to the top and Ochako–" He wiped his eyes, which had started to tear up. "It was better that I died–"

"It would've been better if it was me," Bakugou cut in.

Deku's eyes shot up to his, the air seemingly stolen from his lungs. "You don't mean–"

"Yeah, I do. I really fucking do." Bakugou took a deep breath despite the pain in his side. Shit, it felt like he'd broken another rib. How many times was he going to do that before not even Recovery Girl could help him? "You were the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace, and an inspiration for the entire world. You had so many close friends, your mom, All Might. You were – are…" His throat constricted, but he pushed through it. "You were so in love with Uraraka. Everyone saw it. We all knew it. You were gonna propose any day, and it would've been perfect. You had your entire life in front of you and the whole world waiting for you."

"Jealous?" Deku sneered, but there wasn't as much heat in it as before. If anything, he looked...tired.

Bakugou didn't look away from him. "Yeah, I was. You had everything I wanted right in your grasp, and I…" He shrugged helplessly. Feeling that way stung. "I couldn't reach that height no matter how much I wanted it. I wasn't the hero you were, so yeah, I was jealous, but that's exactly why it should've been me that died and not you. I didn't have anywhere near as much to lose. Everyone would've been fine if I was gone, but your death fucking broke us down."

The sneer on Deku's face had faltered and transformed into a blank expression, like he didn't know what to feel anymore. "Even you?"

A sharp bark of laughter escaped Bakugou. "Especially me! Fuck, Deku, I couldn't function straight for at least two months. I was a wreck. I probably would've trashed my reputation entirely if it wasn't for the others." He had been prepared to do so – ready to break down at a second's notice – but no, like Uraraka had said, Deku wouldn't want that. He had to push on. He had to move forward. He had to be better. And he was. He fucking was. "I didn't want anyone else to be forced to carry me because I was too weak. I had to be strong like you thought I was when we were kids. I had to meet your expectations."

"My expectations." Deku blinked slowly, as if his brain was unable to process the words. Did that quirk also affect the way he was able to think for himself?

"You think I'd be the hero I am today without you?" Bakugou demanded, placing a hand against his chest. His heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, I did a lot of it on my own and I'm proud of that, but I probably would've ended up like Todoroki's asshole dad if I hadn't learned my lessons. You helped me with that. Despite everything I did, you continued to help me grow and supported me." He dropped his hand to his side, opening himself up, allowing himself to be vulnerable in the face of someone who had a right to want him dead. "I had to prove that you hadn't wasted your time – that you were right – or I would've never forgiven myself."

Deku pulled his hand away from his chest. "And you did? You forgave yourself?"

Bakugou felt the thin ice that he was suddenly standing upon. He knew one wrong step would send him plummeting into the depths. He had to be careful, but he'd never been precarious in his life. He'd only ever known how to explode and make a mess of things. It was why they were in this position now and partly why Deku had been so vulnerable to Kyomu's quirk. But he also deserved the truth.

"Some days," Bakugou admitted. "It was easier to forget about how much of a shit I was once you were gone, but it was also a lot more painful when I remembered that I never really apologized."

"You were never one for apologies," Deku said. "It wouldn't have meant anything if you had."

"Wouldn't the gesture have counted for something?"

Deku bit his lip. "I don't know."

"Then what do you want from me?" Bakugou demanded.

For once, Deku didn't answer right away. Unlike before, when his immediate call was for Bakugou's death, he didn't say anything. He simply stared at him like it was the first time he'd ever been asked the question, and he had no idea. However, right when Deku looked at him again, a familiar sound sliced through the air behind him. His eyes lit up in awareness, and he jumped to the left, just barely avoiding the ice that would've froze him in place.

Bakugou dodged out of the way to keep from getting hit as well, loudly cursing, "You idiot! I was right fucking there!"

"Of course!" Deku landed, skidding back on his feet and a hand on the ground. "It was all a lie!"

"No, I–" Bakugou grit his teeth. He had been right fucking there – or at least he thought he had – but now it probably looked like he'd been biding his time until reinforcements arrived. Deku wasn't entirely wrong about that, but he had meant every word he said.

Todoroki was crouched down, his ice having erupted from his palm on the ground. There was no way they could've gotten here on their own. Had they convinced Kurogiri to send them here somehow? Why would he do that? And if he was here, then maybe–

Deku took a step forward, but nothing happened. He blinked in surprise, caught off guard by his quirk's lack of response, only to growl in frustration. "Making sure I don't hurt myself or others again, Aizawa?" he called out, looking around to find the source of his quirk's erasure. "I don't need your help anymore! Besides, this is just a result of faulty teaching on your end! You knew Kacchan's issues – you saw his terrible behavior – and you did nothing to correct it! What kind of heroics teacher lets a monster like him become a hero?"

Without his quirk, Deku was at an extreme disadvantage, but Bakugou could tell he was near his limit too, if not already there, and even Todoroki's ice had been slow enough for Deku to dodge. Aizawa had wisely chosen to hide instead of jumping into the fight, making it harder for Deku to quickly escape his sight. Still, Deku was as clever as they got, and he knew he would need to take Aizawa down if he wanted to fight them.

"He's not alone!" Bakugou shouted in warning. "There are other villains around!"

The ground rumbled underneath them. Bakugou swung his eyes back to where he'd knocked out that villain with the ground quirk, but he was still unconscious, trapped by a block of ice to ensure that he wouldn't be able to use his quirk or escape. A second later, a thick plant of some sort burst out from the concrete like some sort of monster. Bakugou and Todoroki reacted immediately, jumping back and shooting off an explosion and fire respectively. It reminded him of Ibara's vines, but instead of multiple vines, it was one big one that swung around widely upon being hit by the two attacks.

"Where the hell is that thing coming from?" Todoroki demanded as he jumped out of the way of being hit. The fire burned the hell out of it, but it also seemed to piss it off even more as its movements grew frantic and uncontrollable, destroying everything it hit.

Bakugou barely managed to avoid being hit, using his quirk to propel himself up and then land back on the ground. "Who cares? Where's Deku?"

Todoroki used a wall of ice to encase the massive vine, but it wasn't nearly as thick as his ice before, and the thing broke through the ice in a matter of seconds. He swore viciously, shattered pieces of ice raining over them. More than a few pelted Bakugou, one or two slicing through his clothes and skin, but he didn't have time to do more than hiss as he struggled to find Deku. The little shit had run off. He knew that he had to either get out of Aizawa's sight or find him and take him down.

"I don't have time for this!" Bakugou aimed for a massive explosion that would take the vine out at the base when something jerked him off his feet. "Shit!"

While he was distracted, a smaller vine had broken through the ground at his feet and wrapped itself around his ankle. Before Bakugou knew it, he was swinging upside in the air like a pendulum. He caught a brief glimpse of frustration on Todoroki's face as he laid waste to the vines trying to wrap themselves around him with his flames and then something black and green. Deku? He threw a hand out to blast the vine holding onto him when it flung him as hard as it could.

Wildly out of control and his quirk growing weaker by the second, Bakugou could do little more than let it take its course. He tried to create a few smaller explosions to slow him down and change his course, but the muscles of his arms throbbed and his palms burned, warning him that he was close. It managed to keep him from landing in the water of the Flood Zone; instead, he crashed on the large ship and rolled across the dock until he came to a stop against the wall.

Grabbing the edge of a window, Bakugou pulled himself to his feet. His muscles were so tense. He could maybe manage one or two more large explosions, but without his grenade braces, he wouldn't be able to do more than that. Fighting Deku alone had exhausted his quirk no matter how much sweat beaded his skin and soaked his burned and torn shirt.

Green and red lightning glittered in the sky above him, and he dove to the side to avoid being struck by Deku's landing kick. Instead, the insane amount of power pierced a hole through the ship, cracking it in half and launching Bakugou back into the air upside down. He moved to let off an explosion that would propel him away from the water, but then his muscles seized and he grunted in pain. However, before he could drop into the water, someone grabbed him by his wrist.

And instead of falling, he was floating.

"I've got you!" Uraraka exclaimed. "Hold on!"

Bakugou didn't question her, reaching up with his other hand to grasp the part of her costume around her waist. It was a good thing too since they were abruptly jerked into the air. Without their gravity, it was nothing to haul them up and away from the ship. His sweaty grip slipped from his hold on her, but she snatched his shirt with her other hand and held onto him tight as a white cloth around her waist pulled them onto the top of the massive waterfall structure that kept the zone flooded.

As soon as they were over the structure, Uraraka let go of him, pressed her fingers, and huffed out, "Release." They dropped into the shallow water. He eyed her boots, thinking of the rockets in them, but she shook her head. No use. The white cloth pulled itself away from Uraraka and returned to its owner, Shinsou, who was standing on the edge in an attempt to stay out of the water.

"I'm sorry," Uraraka breathed out, bent over with her hands on her knees. "We would've gotten to you sooner, but then I had to keep Aizawa hidden and other villains showed up–"

"Keep your apologies," Bakugou cut him, leaning over the edge to peer down at the water. Had Deku fallen into the water when he destroyed the ship? He watched as the bow of the ship went under, bubbles rippling along the water as it sank. Damn, how deep was this place? He'd been here before during his time at UA, but he couldn't remember.

So many little things that would've come in handy, and he just chucked them out before they didn't seem important. There were so many things he could've done differently and they wouldn't be here, but he only cared about himself for so long. There was only room for one at the top, but it took so many other people in order to get there.

"Do you think he'll respond to you again?" Shinsou asked.

Bakugou massaged his arm, trying to work out the tension. "I think so." Shinsou raised an eyebrow, needing more than that. "Before Todoroki showed up, I felt like I was getting through to him. I don't know. I tried to do the same thing I did outside of Endeavor's agency and at UA."

"Well, if not, I'm pretty sure he's gonna kill me for trying to trick him again," Shinsou sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He anxiously fingered the material of the scarf between two fingers. It looked more worn than his usual capturing scarf. "Maybe he would respond to Uraraka better."

"I'd think fast if I were you because– Fuck!"

Something exploded from below, and the waterfall structure swayed underneath them. Bakugou fell on his side in the water and caught the edge to keep from falling over. Shinsou did tumble off, but managed to use the capture scarf to catch himself. Water splashed on him as the structure tipped over, making his grip slick as it continued to tip sideways. Deku must've destroyed the base. Why come up when he could simply bring them down?

Uraraka's feet slipped out from underneath her, and she cried out as she fell over the edge. She caught it with one hand, and everything glowed pink around them as she activated her quirk. The weight of the structure tugged on her body, her face going pale. It wasn't as heavy as the top of Endeavor's agency, but after extended use of her quirk, it had to be past her limit.

"Damnit, Deku, stop it!" Bakugou roared. "I'm here! Just kill me and be done with it if that's what you want, but you're going to kill her too!"

"Bakugou–" Uraraka grimaced, her eyes closed so she could focus. "Don't…"

The structure shook, and there was a solid thud from someone landing on top with them. It swung back to the left, teetering but still standing from the combined efforts of Uraraka's quirk and the two legs of the base remaining. Bakugou lifted his head and found Deku staring back at him. He looked so fucking sad and tired that it made Bakugou's stomach turn. Did he even want to do this anymore or did he just want this done?

"Kacchan…"

"I'm tired of fighting," Bakugou said. A weak laugh tumbled from him, angry but not bitter, tears actually leaking from his eyes. Oh, hey, was this what acceptance felt like? What forgiveness felt like? "I never thought I'd say that, but I am. I don't want to fight you anymore. I didn't even realize it until you were gone." He let go of the edge and stood up shakily, the ground underneath him too unstable to keep his balance, and held up his hands. "We could never have been a hero team, you know."

"Why?" Deku asked. "Because I was too weak?"

"Nah, because I was too insecure," Bakugou admitted shamefully, "and you were too strong."

Deku stared silently. Slowly, his fists at his side opened up, his fingers twitching against his legs. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Light flickered in his green eyes, there one second and gone the next. Bakugou let out a breath and dropped his hands. He was so done, and maybe he was even ready. It was an unfair trade, but if it meant ending this, he would do it. He'd give it everything he had, including himself.

A crack resounded in the air, startling everyone on the structure, even Deku. He flinched back, raising his fists to fight, but it was Uraraka's panicked scream that caught both his and Bakugou's attention. She let go of the edge, floating away slightly, and Deku shouted, "Ochako!"

But Bakugou was closer. He reached out to snatch her when he something glinted in the sunlight through the broken dome. The only reason the structure hadn't collapsed was because of her. If a villain took her out, they'd come crashing down. He didn't even think about what he had to do. He grabbed her wrist and jerked her back over the edge and behind him right when another crack exploded and something struck him in the gut.

Pain exploded throughout his body. He'd been hit, kicked, punched, and smacked by Deku, but this was something he'd not experienced yet. Bakugou staggered back, pressing a hand against the wound. When he managed to catch his footing, he pulled a hand away, over to find it covered in blood as more spilled out and mixed with the water sliding past his feet.

"Kacch–" Deku stepped forward, but then hesitated.

Another laugh threatened to slip out of Bakugou, but it hurt too much. The one sure-fire thing Aizawa couldn't stop with his quirk: a gun. Goddamn villains were getting smarter every day. He stumbled again, his vision swimming. Uraraka held one hand over her mouth and tried to grab his leg with the other, her fingers trembling, but he fell too far from her to touch.

Gritting his teeth, Bakugou managed to ground out, "It wasn't you…" before he slipped over the edge and fell down to the water.

The last thing he thought he heard was someone screaming, "Kacchan!"

Deku?

But no, it couldn't be. Maybe he was furious that he hadn't gotten the kill shot. Maybe he was upset that his revenge was stolen from him. Did it really matter who killed him in the end as long as he was gone? This was for the best. At least it wasn't him. The guilt wouldn't eat away at him so hard. Yeah, this was for the best.

Green lightning lit up behind Bakugou's eyes before he hit the water, and the world went dark.