"So, you want us to beat up a bunch of first-years?" Izuku asked Aizawa as they came to a stop outside of classroom 1-A.

"It's tradition," Todoroki explained.

Aizawa nodded in agreement. "It's important that these students see how much work they still need to do before they graduate. You're also here to talk to them about the internship program." He narrowed his eyes at Izuku, some mischief playing in his dark gaze. "They're future Heroes, it would be a disservice to go easy on them. Use everything you've got."

Bakugo clapped his hands together. "I've been waiting for this."

"So, why am I here?" Izuku asked, taking a half step away from Bakugo and his evil grin.

"I thought this would be a good way to ease you back into using the full range of your quirk," Aizawa explained. "Plus, before the summer you were ranking among the top five." He looked up as the door slid open. "Don't cause too much trouble."

Izuku sucked in a deep breath before they entered the classroom. He smiled and waved to the wide- eyed students. The teacher looked at them expectantly, so Izuku stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Izuku Midoriya."

"Shoto Todoroki."

"Katsuki Bakugo."

The students glanced at each other.

"Aren't you Deku? I saw you on the news," a girl said, hand raised in the air as she looked at Izuku.

Izuku swallowed. "Yeah, that's me."

"Do you brats have questions about internships or not?"

A few hands shot up. Izuku pointed to the same girl

"You were hurt pretty bad during your internship, right?"

Izuku forced himself to not shrink back. "Hero work is dangerous," he said, looking the girl in the eye. "I was hurt but the little girl I rescued is safe."

"Yeah, but your quirk is mind-reading."

Izuku looked over at a boy on the other side of the room. "Where did you hear that?" Izuku asked, careful to keep his tone level and vaguely curious.

The boy quirked a brow like it was obvious. "The news. They also said you only joined the Hero Course this year."

"That's true," Izuku said, lacing his fingers behind his back.

"So, you're on the same level as us." He sat forward, looking Izuku up and down. "Why should we listen to you?"

Izuku saw how Bakugo tensed from the corner of his eye. "You think we're on the same level?" Izuku narrowed his eyes as the boy nodded. "Wanna test that theory?"

"How about it, teach?" Bakugo asked, inclining his head to the teacher. "A little demonstration."

"I think that's a great idea." He turned back to his class. "Change into your costumes and go to gym gamma."

Izuku watched the students file out of the room, the tension in his shoulders easing. "I was not expecting to be the center of attention," he grumbled as the door slid shut.

"Little shits." Bakugo hooked an arm around Izuku. "Let's kick their asses." Izuku twisted out of his grasp. "You can't hurt them, Kacchan."

"Bullshit. Mirio wiped the floor with us."

Behind him, Todoroki nodded. "It's true."

"Whatever," Izuku said, pushing open the door. He held it open for the other two. The group of students were gathering at the front of the gym. "Ready?"

"Hell yeah." Bakugo grinned as he cracked his knuckles.

The students looked up as they entered the gym.

Izuku stepped up to them first. "Ready when you are," he said to them with an encouraging smile.

"Not all three of you?" a girl asked, eyes darting between Izuku, Bakugo, and Todoroki.

Bakugo smirked. "This is gonna be entertaining as hell. We'll join in a minute, I wanna see this."

Izuku shot him a glare. "So much for easing back into it," Izuku grumbled under his breath. "Well?" Izuku taunted, extending his staff. "We don't have all day."

"Don't worry, guys, I've got this," the first guy said as he stepped to the front of his classmates.

Izuku watched as spider-like legs extended from his back. With his quirk, Izuku pressed up against the student's mind and let the thoughts flood in. He stepped out of the way of the first attack, a leg burying into the concrete. Izuku smirked as the student scowled. He blocked a second attack with his staff.

Given the student's range with his quirk, Izuku had a feeling he preferred to keep opponents at a distance. Izuku wove through the legs with sharp twists and turns till he was close enough to land a kick to the student's chest.

He landed hard on the ground. "How the hell are you so fast?"

Izuku ducked under the attack from another student. "I can read minds," he said with a grin. "Remember?" Izuku drove his elbow into another student's side, leaving them wheezing for breath. "Come on, you guys have your provisional hero license, right? Show me what you've got."

Two students glanced at each other before sharing a nod. They were twins by the looks of it. Izuku backed up as he watched them sprint towards him, trying to make sense of their thoughts. Strength and. . .speed. Something about touching.

Izuku couldn't help but gasp in amazement as the twins touched hands and one shot off in a blur and the other physically grew larger.

"That's a really cool quirk!" he said, focusing his quirk on reading the thoughts of the fast one as he dodged punches. "So, is it activated by skin contact?" Izuku jumped out of the way of a whip of water. "Hey, I designed your suit!"

The water retracted back into the hip flask. "S-Seriously?" the boy stammered, looking away. Izuku flipped out of the way of another counterattack. "Yeah, it was my final last year." "Akio! Don't get distracted!"

Akio jumped. "Sorry!" he called back before sending the water whips out again.

Izuku leaned out of the way of the spider legs and glared at his classmates lounging by the wall. "Are you two going to help or just stand there the whole time?"

Todoroki tilted his head. "You're the one holding back, Midoriya."

"Yeah, stop going easy on them, nerd," Bakugo said, eyes locked on his phone as he texted.

Izuku growled in frustration and drove his staff backwards, catching the ankle of the fast twin. He tossed a capture net bomb at them and another at the student with the extra legs. A horde of quill shot at him burying in the concrete. Izuku whipped his head around to look at the student, a boy with porcupine quills for hair.

Izuku took a step back and sized up the class. Two were still tangled up in the nets and the others who had been hanging back were starting to come forward.

"I was in the Support Course for two years," Izuku told them as he pressed into their minds with an order to listen. He sent another glare to Todoroki and Bakugo as he caught his breath. "I was more or less forced to transfer." Izuku caught the confusion of their teacher as he watched his students come to a standstill.

"For mind reading?" one of the kids asked with heavy skepticism.

Izuku smiled, letting his quirk flow out of him. "When you assume you know everything about a person's quirk, you open yourself up to attacks."

"Then what else. . ." the student trailed off as Izuku disappeared, their vision shifting everywhere but in front of them. "Where'd he go?" They fell back with a screech as Izuku appeared less than a foot away. "What the hell?"

Izuku shifted their thoughts away again, landing hits and throwing net bombs as fast as he could. "That's more like it!" he heard Bakugo call.

With half the class down, Izuku dropped Stealth. The remaining students gaped at their classmates.

"Alright," Bakugo said as he came to stand by Izuku, "can't let you have all the fun with these extra's."

"This won't be much of a fight," Todoroki said as he sized up the remaining students.

"Hey man, that's mean," a boy yelled, his skin shifting a green color. Izuku looked over his suit or lack thereof. Probably had something to do with skin contact.

Todoroki shrugged. "It's just the truth. It would be rude to lie."

Izuku leaned away from the blast Bakugo let off that shot him toward the students. "He's enjoying this way too much," Izuku muttered as Bakugo cackled.

"Seems like normal Bakugo to me."

Izuku waved away the cloud of desk that wafted over from an explosion. "You handle that half and I'll help Kacchan."

Todoroki gave a nod before splitting off to the right. Izuku swung around his staff as he pressed into the minds of the six students attacking Bakugo and ordered them to stop. They stared blankly as Izuku wove thoughts in their heads.

"Let them go, Deku, I was just getting started!" Bakugo shouted, his hands crackling.

"I don't want to miss lunch," Izuku argued, gesturing to the clock. "That's what you get for making me do all the hard work."

"What's wrong with them?" a girl asked as she waved a hand in front of the other student's face.

Izuku dropped the control. "Just a simple command. They're fine."

He waited with Bakugo and Todoroki as the students got themselves out of the nets and ice.

"Do you guys have any questions before we go?" Izuku asked as the students trudged over to them. He elbowed Bakugo as he snickered.

"You learned all that from your internships?"

"I gained a lot of practical experience from my internship," Izuku said. "But these two have a lot more experience with internships so you should really ask them."

Izuku tore open his bento with a content sigh. "That took longer than expected." Hatsume glanced up from her tinkering. "Spill."

"Huh?" Izuku waited for her to elaborate but she muttered to herself as something malfunctioned. "What do you mean?"

She looked up with a huff. "I've been too busy since the gala." She pointed an accusing screwdriver at him. "You're hiding something. You were all flustered the night of the gala with your thinking face." Her eyes narrowed. "And you look suspiciously well-rested."

"Shouldn't that be a good thing?" Izuku asked, shrinking back as her eyes darted over him.

"Absolutely," Hatsume said, flipping her goggles down, "if that weren't out of the usual for you." She whipped out a portable soldering iron from her tool belt. "So, spill. What did you change?"

Izuku pursed his lips into a pout. "Kacchan," he muttered with a slouch. "It's weird, but. . .I like

it?" He shoved a hand on his hair and stared down at his bento hoping the world would suddenly make sense when he looked up.

Hatsume pushed her goggles up, mouth hanging open slightly. "What do you mean, Izuku?"

"Remember when I used to come to your room to sleep?" he asked quietly. Hatsume nodded, setting the soldering iron down. "I started doing that with Kacchan."

She tilted her head in thought. "I see. You feel safe around him?"

"Yeah." Izuku relaxed with a deep breath. "It's nice having another person nearby. A lot of the dreams involve him, too, so it's comforting to wake up and see him there. Safe."

Hatsume took in a slow breath through her nose. "How long?"

"The last few nights." Izuku picked through his bento as he got his thoughts in order. "Something's different," he said, thinking about how much had changed between them.

"It's quite common for traumatic experiences to bring people closer together."

Izuku leaned away as sparks started flying. "I. . ." He swallowed hard. Pretty. "I think it might be more than that."

Hatsume stopped cutting to look up at him. "What do you think, then?"

"Kacchan's. . .pretty, right?" Izuku felt a blush burn across his cheeks, but his heart began to race when Hatsume blinked at him speechless.

"I mean, sure," she finally said, "Bakugo could be considered nice looking when he's not pulling those ugly faces." She looked Izuku up and down a few times. "You think he's pretty?"

"W-Well," Izuku stammered, ducking his head, "it's just that the night of the gala I'm pretty sure he was blushing, and I just thought i-it looked. . .cute."

Hatsume leaned forward on the table. "I think most people look cute when they blush. You do." She shrugged. "It's a cute thing. Even Bakugo would look pretty with a blush."

Izuku relaxed a bit, but the heat in his cheeks still lingered.

"So that's what was bothering you at the gala?" she asked, picking back up the little saw.

"Yeah." Izuku stuffed his mouth with food. "I've been spending a lot of time with him." He looked at the other students milling about in the courtyard, lounging under trees as they ate their lunches. "I can tell he's still nervous about me being on my own."

"After the fire and the other weekend, I'm not surprised," she said gently, meeting Izuku's eyes. "He cares a lot about you, Izuku."

"I know that," Izuku said, snapping the lip on the empty bento. "He's told me he dreams of me dying." He heard Hatsume take in a sharp breath, but his eyes were focused on the ground. "So, I've been trying to stick close to him. Makes Aizawa relax, too."

Hatsume nodded, the gears in her head obviously turning. "You don't sound upset about it."

Izuku smiled. "He helps me with my homework." He stuffed the bento back into his backpack. "I don't mind it," he admitted slowly, "I actually like it a lot."

"Why?" Hatsume prodded, resting her cheek in her hand as she waited for an answer.

"He's different when we're alone," Izuku said, mind drifting back to the early morning runs and homework-filled afternoons and late-night conversations. "He hides so much of himself."

Her eyes sparkled. "I bet he has lots of secrets."

Izuku remembered the romance books and laughed. "Maybe a few," he said. "I got him to play the guitar for me."

She gasped, hand slapping on the table. "Seriously?"

"Took some convincing." Izuku slid his hand forward across the table to a spot of light peeking through the tree. It warmed his skin. "It's kinda funny," Izuku said with a small laugh, "he hates being cold, so he has all these blankets. They're just everywhere." Izuku's gaze softened at the spot of light hitting his skin. "He's really warm, too. "

Hatsume's eyes widened. "He's a cuddler?"

Izuku felt the blush return as he thought back to the last few mornings when he'd woken up pulled closer to Bakugo. "He's full of surprises."

Her eyes narrow with a hum of thought. She returned to her tinkering. "So, are you guys like friends now?"

Izuku opened his mouth to answer but the words fall short.

I don't want to be your friend.

He plopped his chin in hand, trying to ignore the bitterness coating his mouth. The truth was he still wasn't sure. Those few words rang in his head with an echo, an implication that friendship wasn't on the table. Izuku had settled on not bring it up so that whatever had formed between them couldn't be denied by Bakugo.

Izuku was sure they were friends. They had to be. After all that time spent together, friends was the only word Izuku could think of.

He slouched as his mind reminded him that his heart didn't beat like that around Hatsume or Mina or Shinsou. His heart had always gone a little off rhythm when looking at Bakugo. Izuku had never considered that it meant something more than that he cared about Bakugo.

As a friend. Because he wanted to be Bakugo's friend. Had since they'd met in first grade.

Even as Izuku told himself that, he didn't want what he had with Hatsume to be what he had with Bakugo. Which only confused him more because he knew definitively that he was friends with Hatsume.

He knew that friendship varied depending on the person. He could tell Hatsume anything and she'd listen, but Mina and Shinsou were more likely to understand his problems and fears.

Izuku considered that Bakugo was just being stubborn and falling back on old habits, but every time he thought back to that moment Bakugo accepted his hand Izuku knew that wasn't the case. Bakugo had meant what he said then for whatever reason and Izuku was too afraid to know if he still had the same answer.

Izuku brushed his fingers against his cheek, remembering the feeling of Bakugo's warm hands on his skin.

"I think so," Izuku finally said. "But don't tell him I told you that." He checked the time before packing up his things. "I've got Hero class, so I'll see you later."

Hatsume lifted up her baby to inspect the alterations. "Bye! Have fun."

Izuku continued to let his mind drift as he walked to the training ground figuring that he'd be able to work off the stress it built.

The last few days could've been a lifetime. So much had changed in so little time. Even though it started off as Bakugo keeping an eye on him it'd turned into willing joining Izuku on his morning run around the campus and begrudgingly admitting that it wasn't terrible. Then there was how much Izuku had learned about Bakugo, all the little things he kept hidden away. Izuku figured Kiri was the only other person privy to that side of Bakugo.

Friends shared secrets, didn't they?

It felt like Bakugo had put his on display. Izuku wasn't sure what to make of that besides being grateful and honored that Bakugo trusted him.

As he turned the corner of a building, Izuku saw Bakugo walking with Kirishima and Mina. His footsteps slowed till he stopped.

Did friends also want to be near each other?

Izuku's stomach twisted at the question, remembering the feeling of Bakugo's skin under his hands. Fleeting touches that a part of him wanted to last longer.

Friends, Izuku thought with a shaky breath as he got his feet moving again. His eyes focused on Bakugo's back, feeling a spark of determination that he fanned till the uncertain feelings were burned out.

Izuku stood alongside his classmates, watching as Cementoss created a battlefield for them. He drew his hands into fists. The suit was still new, but it was starting to break in.

"For today's exercise," Aizawa said, coming to stand in front of them, "you'll be split into teams. Each team will battle each other."

His classmates began to split off as Aizawa called out names. Izuku went to stand with his teammates while the rest of the class sorted themselves out.

"We've got a pretty strong team," Tsu said, a finger pressed to her chin as she looked Izuku, Mina, and Tokoyami over.

Mina hooked an arm around Izuku. "Heck yeah, we've got Izuku. We're like, unstoppable."

"I wouldn't say that," Izuku said, gently unwrapping her arm. "The other teams will probably focus their attacks on me. We should be prepared for a hard fight with each team we face."

Mina made a stressful hum. "Crap. You're right. We need a plan."

Izuku watched curiously as Dark Shadow curled out of Tokoyami's cape. "I can use simple commands to make them easier targets," Izuku said, tilting his head in time with Dark Shadow.

"He's got his own consciousness," Izuku muttered, finding scraps of a mind.

"Dark Shadow is an extension of myself," Tokoyami said, drawing his shadow beast back, "but he tends to have a mind of his own. It can be troublesome."

"Rude," the shadow muttered, its yellow eyes narrowing to a scowl.

Izuku stiffened when Aizawa announced that they only had five minutes left to finalize their strategies.

"We shouldn't give them the chance to attack," Mina said, slamming her fist into her hand. "Attack first, ask questions later."

"If we wait for the other team to attack first, we'll be able to figure out who to focus our defense on." Tsu cast a look at their classmates huddled together in groups. "We're not the strongest team here in raw power."

Izuku followed her gaze to Bakugo and his team. "I can use my quirk to let us communicate. That always confuses opponents," Izuku said, forcing his eyes back to his teammates. "If we get overpowered, I'll throw my smoke bombs. It'll decrease our visibility, but it'll give me the chance to get the upper hand."

"Tokoyami and I can keep them separated while you and Tsu take out those left," Mina offered, looking up at Izuku for confirmation.

Tsu nodded, tongue sticking out a bit. "That's a great idea, Ashido." She turned her wide eyes to Izuku. "You're ready to use your quirk, Midoriya?"

Izuku nodded, feeling that spark of determination again. "I got a taste this afternoon," he said and drew his hands into fists. "I'm ready for more."

"That's what I'm talking about," Mina cheered, wrapping her arms around Izuku again. "Now let's kick ass."

Aizawa cleared his throat to get their attention. "Team 1 and Team 4 will be first."

Izuku looked over at the other team as they made their way into the sparring area, sizing up the competition.

"Midoribro!" Kirishima called, waving a hand. "Hope you're ready." This is gonna be great, Mina said, shooting him a grin.

Izuku nodded in agreement, raising his fist. I'll handle Kirishima, he told them, Tsu, can you take out Yaoyorozu?

She nodded in response.

Leave the purple menace to me, Tokoyami said, Dark Shadow growing larger.

Mina cracked her knuckles. I've got Jirou.

Izuku shifted his weight from foot to foot in an attempt to loosen up. He pushed out with his quirk, feeling the weight of their thoughts press in around him.

"Begin," Aizawa said before blowing a whistle.

Izuku extended his staff and charged towards Kirishima. Just like he expected, Kirishima punched first, fast and a little sloppy. Izuku evaded the punches, noting that Kirishima's skin was completely hardened as he backed up, leading Kiri away from his teammates with quick adjustments to his thought pattern.

"No mind tricks?" Kiri asked, aiming a punch at Izuku's cheek.

Izuku leaned out of the way of it, feeling the rush of air skim his face. "What makes you think that?"

Kiri blinked, paling slightly as he glanced around. He bared an irritated smile that fell off as Izuku pressed into his mind, ignoring the chill that followed.

You won. You can stop fighting now.

Izuku stepped back and pulled out a capture net, throwing it at Kiri's chest as he stood still and slightly dazed with confusion. He saw Jirou's gaze turn to him, her heartbeat amplifiers lining up for an attack. He slowed her thoughts, shifting them back to Mina.

Go left, he told Mina and reached into his belt for another net bomb. She slid to the side on acid, leaving a clear shot for Izuku. Jirou's eyes widened slightly, but Izuku kept a tight hold on her thoughts till she was wrapped up on the ground.

Izuku grabbed Mina and yanked her out of the path of one of Mineta's balls. Mina used the momentum to swing around Izuku and throw up a shield of acid that melted the others.

Let's end this. Izuku pushed a net bomb into her hands and moved to help Tokoyami and Tsu with Yaoyorozu. He was always impressed by her battle strategy. She managed to keep Dark Shadow and Tsu back with the weapons she'd pulled from her body.

He saw a flash of worry cross her face, skin sparkling as she moved to pull something out, but her movements stalled as Izuku wove through her mind. He tossed the net, watching as it tangled around the spikes protruding from her body that kept Tsu at bay.

The whistle blew again. "Team 1 wins," Aizawa said.

Izuku let the control drop with a heavy breath. "You guys were awesome," he said, a tad breathless. He was regretting pushing himself with the first years.

Mina grinned. "Hell yeah, we were!"

They rejoined their classmates at the front of the gym and watched the next teams line up to fight. Mina rested her head on Izuku's shoulder as she chugged her water. She sat up and gave Izuku a curious look.

You're hanging out with Bakugo too much. You're starting to smell like him.

Izuku choked on his water. "Really?" he asked, hoping the blush on his face wasn't too noticeable.

Mina nodded, eyes shifting away. "It's not bad," she muttered too low for the classmates to hear. "Not like he stinks. The opposite really."

He couldn't help but look over at where Bakugo was sitting with his team.

"What are you gonna do if we face them?" Mina asked, bumping her shoulder against his. Izuku looked back at her. "Give you and Kiri the fight I promised."

Her face split into a grin. "You're in a good mood today."

Aizawa blew the whistle and the fighting between the next teams began.

"It feels good to be using my quirk again," Izuku said, watching as his classmates clashed. "So, you're not still nervous about it?"

Izuku slouched against the wall. "A part of me is," he admitted, "but I can't let fear control me. I need. . .to move on."

Mina nodded, her dark eyes shifting back to their classmates. She shivered as the temperature dropped. "My money's on Team 3."

"I agree." Izuku watched Sero wrap up two of the other team members as they slipped on Todoroki's ice. "They're working well together."

"Team 2 will fight whoever wins," Aizawa said, looking at Bakugo and his group.

"Not cool dude," Kirishima said as he plopped down next to Izuku. "Super unmanly."

Mina leaned around Izuku to grin at him. "I thought you lost gracefully."

His lip jutted out in a pout. "I want to spar with you," Kiri said, poking Izuku in the chest, "so I can beat you."

"Wait," Mina said, "what if instead Izuku punches Bakugo? Like really hard." Kiri narrowed his eyes as he considered that. "That might suffice."

"You guys are ridiculous," Izuku muttered as Team 2 got up to fight Team 3 who'd won. "Why do you want me to punch Kacchan so bad?"

"Because it'd be funny," Kiri said with a toothy smile. "It'd be nice if you actually gave him something to complain about."

Izuku felt his stomach drop. "He complains? About me?"

"That came out wrong," Kiri said after a moment, his voice tense and reserved. "He doesn't complain about you. It's Bakugo, he complains about everything under the sun."

Izuku relaxed and looked back to the fight. Bakugo barked out a laugh as he knocked back Todoroki with a blast. "Come on, Icy-Hot, I know you can do better than that," he said, explosions crackling around him.

"Team 1 will battle whoever wins," Aizawa said, flipping a paper up on his clipboard. Izuku waved Tokoyami and Tsu over.

"Who do you think will win?" Tsu asked, looking over her shoulder curiously as the fight wound down.

While Ojiro and Hagakure were floating, Sero taped Kaminari and Uraraka up leaving them tied for the moment.

"I guess it will depend on if Sato's sugar rush wears off soon," Izuku mused, watching as his classmate broke through more of Todoroki's ice and made a grab for Sero.

"DIE!"

Izuku leaned away from the rush of air following the impact and the bits of concrete that rained down.

"You know," Mina said with a wince, "you'd think after three years, facing Bakugo would be less terrifying."

The corner of Izuku's mouth tipped up. "Leave Kacchan to me."

"You sound confident," Tsu said, looking at Izuku with wide, curious eyes. "You're sure you can handle Bakugo on your own?"

Izuku heard the whistle blow and Team 2 be declared the winners. "I'll keep him distracted so you guys can take out the others." He looked away from Tsu to the dust settling. "I've been fighting Kacchan for a while. I can handle him."

"As long as your sure," she said with a slight nod. "We'll stick to the same strategy from our first fight."

"Team 1, you can enter the ring," Cementoss said from the edge of the newly repaired course.

Izuku took a deep breath as he stepped into the ring with his teammates. They fanned out, taking up their positions. Bakugo smirked as Izuku stopped in front of him.

Ready?

He looked over at Mina with a curt nod. She grinned wide, clearly excited about this match.

Izuku shifted his feet, a chill racing up his spine when he realized the room had fallen silent. Everyone was watching with belated breath, waiting for the whistle to blow and chaos to erupt.

"You ready, Deku?" Bakugo asked, his voice cutting through the air.

Izuku extended his staff as he locked eyes with Bakugo. "Nervous, Kacchan?"

Bakugo's feral grin shifted to a snarl and Izuku swore he heard a quiet "Oh shit" from one of his classmates.

Then the whistle blew.

Izuku saw the flash of explosions and took a breath, pressing in around Bakugo's mind. He shifted his foot back on the exhale. Bakugo flew past him, a counter explosion sending him back around. Izuku blocked the incoming kick with his staff and twisted in closer.

Even as Bakugo gritted his teeth and backed up in an attempt to put distance between them, Izuku knew this was part of their plan. Separate him from the rest of the fight. But he was torn on how much of his quirk to use. His teammates were putting up a fight from the sounds of it.

"Stop," Izuku ordered, bring Bakugo to a brief halt. He took that moment to drop the same order

into their opponents. He barely dodged the punch Bakugo threw as the command lost control. Izuku pressed into his mind further, digging into his thoughts.

He evaded Bakugo punches and blasts while driving his thoughts away from his teammates. You want to fight me.

Izuku leaned out of the way of a punch, the heat of Bakugo's hands brushing across his cheek.

Getting Bakugo to do what he wanted was easier than trying to get him to do something else. He and Iida really got into their fights and Izuku found that commands were less likely to work. Tugging Bakugo along by his own sting worked better and was far more entertaining.

"You damn nerd," Bakugo cursed as his blast went right. His eyes shifted as Uraraka yelled, brows drawing together.

Izuku backed up and took a breather, knowing that Bakugo was making sense of the situation. He spared a glance to his teammates. Tokoyami had Uraraka wrapped up in Dark Shadow. Tsu and Mina seemed to be doing fine for the moment. He turned back to Bakugo.

He backed up further, getting close to his teammates as Bakugo's hands crackled.

Come at me. Catch me off guard.

Izuku smirked as Bakugo blasted forward. Too easy. He widened his stance and let Bakugo's thoughts flow into him. He was planning to fake left. Izuku narrowed his eyes. No. That wasn't right.

Izuku didn't shift right like Bakugo expected him to. Instead, Izuku stood his ground, hearing a started shout from one of his classmates as Bakugo reached him. He twisted a hand into Bakugo's shirt, catching the slightly panicked look that passed his face before throwing him to the ground. Izuku drove the end of his staff into Bakugo's stomach making him wheeze. He tossed a net bomb and crouch down beside him.

Bakugo blinked up in a daze as commands swirled in his head. His eyes slowly focused on Izuku. He cursed when he realized he was wrapped up in a net.

"I win," Izuku whispered and stood to help his teammates.

"Hey man," Kaminari said with a nervous chuckle as Izuku approached him. Sparks danced around his body, shooting out further as he prepared for an attack.

"Hey, Kami," Izuku said, looking over his shoulder as Bakugo tried to blast the net off and muttered curses. He looked back at Kaminari. "No need to be nervous."

Kaminari's eyes dropped to the net bombs Izuku pulled from his belt with a gulp. "Don't make me hurt you, bro. Because I will! Don't test me."

Beside Izuku, Mina snickered. Quit toying with him.

But it's fun, Izuku sent back. He glanced up when Kaminari's thoughts shifted, and the air became charged with electricity. He swiftly wove a command to withhold the attack, letting Kaminari's confusion stew as he was tied up.

Kaminari blinked as Izuku dropped the control and tugged at the restrains. "Aw, man! We're

supposed to be bros!" He looked at Izuku with betrayal.

Izuku paused as he considered that. He supposed that since he and Shinsou were basically brothers that would make Kaminari some sort of bro adjacent. Kaminari seemed to be on the same wavelength as he glanced over at Shinsou standing on the sidelines and offered, bro in-laws?

Izuku shrugged, not quite sure what the technicalities were.

"Sato and Uraraka are secured," Tokoyami said, Dark Shadow holding the other two in either hand.

"Team 1 wins," Aizawa declared with a sharp whistle blow.

Izuku peeled off his suit was a content sigh. He let it hang around his waist as he packed up his support items.

"Midoribro!"

Izuku braced for the incoming smack to the back, but it didn't help much. He still lurched forward as Kiri hooked an arm around him. "Hey, Kiri," he greeted, trying not to grimace at the smell coming off him. "You need a shower."

Kiri grinned, his grip on Izuku tightening. Izuku fought against him, gaging as he was pulled against Kiri's sweaty chest.

"How are you so sweaty? You barely did any fighting." Izuku tried to push him off again, but Kiri hardened his skin.

He leaned closer to Izuku's ear, talking in a whisper. "We can't all smell as sweet as you," he teased, grip loosening slightly.

Izuku gulped and looked at Kiri from the corner of his eye. He followed as Kiri pointedly looked at Bakugo headed to the showers with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Sweet," Kiri said, eyes shifting back to Izuku with a knowing smile. "Kinda familiar, huh?" "I don't know what you're talking about," Izuku said slowly, searching Kiri's face.

Kiri's smile grew wider and tightened his arm around Izuku, tugging him closer. "He's my best friend," Kiri said, "you think I don't know?"

Izuku felt his heart hammer and prayed Kiri couldn't feel it. "It's—" He didn't know what to say. He swallowed hard, forcing down the knot that lodged in his throat. "What are you talking about?" he settled on.

Kiri raised a brow like he was curious if there was more to know. He glanced at their classmates milling about as they undressed and headed to the showers.

That you two are sleeping together. He shrugged. And spending a lot of time together in general.

Izuku froze as the thoughts entered his mind. He wasn't sure what to do. Apart of him wanted to panic and deny, but he didn't know why. Another part wanted to push Kiri off and act like the conversation never happened.

"H-How?"

Kiri's grin tugged down at the corners as his expression shifted to suspicion. "I was up one night and heard you two talking." He looked Izuku up and down. "Figured it out."

"Uh," Izuku breathed, still caught between reactions that ultimately resulted in doing nothing as Kiri's suspicion and confusion brushed against him. "Nightmares," Izuku muttered, looking away, his embarrassment showing on his cheeks. "Helps with the nightmares."

"Nightmares," Kiri repeated like he'd misheard. Izuku nodded, stepping away from Kiri as he let go.

He threw up a smile. "Nightmare. Yeah. Right, of course," Kiri said, rubbing the back of his neck. "That makes sense."

"What the hell are you two still doing out here?"

They looked over at Bakugo donned in a pair of sweats and a towel hanging around his neck.

Izuku's heart stammered as water dripped off Bakugo's hair and ran down his chest.

I want to touch him. Why do I—?

"Just congratulating Midoriya on kicking your ass," Kiri said, recapturing Izuku and tugging him closer.

Izuku grimaced at the feeling of Kiri's sweaty skin against his and shoved the intrusive thought away. "Ugh, you're so gross!"

Kiri's grin grew wider. He wrapped Izuku up in a bear hug, lifting him off the ground. "Hugs are manly, bro!" He pressed a cheek to Izuku's shoulder. "I might steal him from you, Bakugo. He's just so cuddly," he teased, nuzzling against Izuku. "I bet he makes a great pillow."

"L-Let me go, Kiri!" Izuku stammered, face blistering. He pointedly did not look at Bakugo. He'd woken up a few times to a blond head on his chest, but he'd never mentioned it. "I'd make a terrible pillow," he spat, glaring back at Kiri. "Put me down."

Kiri huffed. "Fine. Be free."

Izuku ripped the towel out of his locker and shucked the rest of his suit. "Thanks for the help," he said to Bakugo as he folded up this suit and put it back in the case.

"You had it handled," Bakugo said, amusement in his voice.

Izuku looked over at him, immediately meeting red eyes. "Are you packed yet?"

"Not yet," Bakugo said, tugging on a clean shirt. "I was planning to after dinner." He shut his locker and picked up his backpack. "If you're late, you'll be in deep shit."

Izuku grinned at his back. "Not gonna kick my ass?" He laughed at the middle finger response.