The day of the competition arrives, whether or not Ochaco Uraraka or Katsuki Bakugo is prepared for it.

Standing at the edge of the battle arena, the two are beside each other, each in their hero uniforms. Her helmet sits comfortably over her head, and she adjusts her sleeve, fidgeting a bit.

Having never been here, the arena is a lot different than what she knows. It's a huge, round area filled with tall trees, with the rubik's cube- er, the flag, being somewhere inside.

She's waiting for the signal to go, and Bakugo has been too quiet to make this easy.

Ochaco keeps stealing peeks at the man before her, the pain of being so close yet so far nearly crippling. It's not a good sign for what lies ahead. She's going to have to pull the entirety of her strength together for this one moment.

Survive this, and win. For Bakugo.

He hasn't hardly spoken a word to her since yesterday. He doesn't seem too different now, his muscular arms braced for battle, his hands flexing at his sides. His jaw is clenched, and she can almost see the gears whirring in his head, already planning out what strategy he wants to do.

They hadn't even discussed it as a team, despite how much time they've had. Now it just seems like it'll be like every other challenge in duos with Katsuki on them- he'll burrow ahead, leaving someone else behind, and then get pummeled and ultimately be the cause of the loss.

She was hoping that she could change that outcome. Now it just seems so… pointless.

"Hey, Cheeks. Yo. Are ya with me or not?"

Broken from her thoughts, her head swivels towards Bakugo, confused. "Er, what?"

"Were ya even listening?" He huffs at her, arms crossed. "I'm trying to explain somethin', and I don't like repeating myself."

"Sorry, I was… strategizing," she lies, easier than telling him the truth. "What is it?"

"I have a plan," he says, rolling his eyes. "If you're gonna pay attention this time, anyway."

She makes a face at him, and he takes that as a sign to continue.

"What we're gonna do, we're gonna focus on you being better at defense than me. I'm all the brawn, you're smarts," he lays out. "I know this map a little, and I can traverse it pretty well and seek out Deku and Four Eyes. I want you to go behind me and find the flag, and bring it back. I'll be keeping an eye out for ya, and them, to keep ya from crossin' paths. You're faster than me, and it's a better chance. Sound good?"

Ochaco is actually a bit surprised that he had come up with a plan like this. It's unlike him to think of her in such a way, or consider her useful. It's actually a bit nice to know he thinks she can do this. Not to mention it appeases her heart that he's trying to help- no, protect her. She'd be offended normally if someone would elect her just as 'defense', but wit him it's different. For this mission, she'll excel better the way he describes.

It doesn't mean anything in the way she wishes it did, but that's okay. This is more than enough.

Letting out a breath, she nods, feeling the way her cheeks warm up instantly. "Okay. I can do that."

"Good. I know ya can defend yourself, but try to just run. I'll be around if ya need some more force, so don't worry about anything but grabbing that flag." Bakugo looks out at the thick forest, knowing their rival team is waiting just beyond. "Let's do this."

As if it was waiting for his mark, an announcement booms through the arena, reverberating off the walls.

"Team Iida and Izuku, versus Bakugo and Uraraka, begin."

Their eyes meet, only briefly.

It takes no more than that for Bakugo to take off running, leaving her to stare at his disappearing back. She quickly shakes herself out of it, however, and joins him, giving him a few second head start before dipping into the large mass of trees.

Feet pounding against the ground, the air while in the shade feels much colder than it did, and low-hanging twigs brush her cheeks. Ochaco favors herself for being fast on her feet, with her powers giving her additional agility. She's able to hop from tree to tree, hidden in the brush and leaves, and always with an ear out for anyone around.

Nothing so far. Maybe he's already keeping them busy.

I can't let him down.

Sailing through the forest, she chases after her goal, her body lithely moving with a purpose. She can't sense anyone near her, but it would be easy for them to try and sneak up on her.

Where are they?

Pushing another hanging branch out of her field of vision, she enters what appears to be a little clearing filled with half dead grass and lush green foliage. The quiet resounds a little too deeply, disconcerting, and the stillness feels breakable as she takes a step forward.

There it is- the goal. At about knee height, there is a checkered orange and white flag, waving slightly in the non existent breeze. A mound of dirt around the base of the plain pole suggests it was planted there in the last few days.

I found it. I just gotta get it safely back to our starting point.

Katsuki is depending on me.

Like a woman possessed, she dashes for the flag, her hands closing around the thin base as tight as possible, her knuckles turning white with strength and determination. Yanking up, she pulls it swiftly from its place, noting the light weight.

Now all I have to do is-

"Uraraka!"

She freezes as a body emerges from the trees, their body blurring with speed as they hit the ground to her left. The green hero uniform and the spiky hair are a dead giveaway.

Deku.

He stands up, and she can see the irrevocable strength and power written on his freckled face. She knows how unstoppable he can be; with him up against her, there'll be nothing she can do.

"I'm sorry!" His voice rings in her ears, and he's already running up to her, fist pulled back for a strike. "I can't let you have that!"

"Ah!"

Her own strangled words catch in her throat, and she braces herself for impact, hoping she can slow him down for a minute and still be able to fight. With his fast reflexes and attacks, it's almost a chance of nil. Her long bangs blow into her eyes as she tilts her head down, arms wrapped around the flag as if life and death depends on it.

There's the sound of impact, but Uraraka feels nothing, followed by the sound of pain and grunting, and the unmistakable blast of an explosion in front of her, sending her to the ground. Still with the flag in hand, she opens her eyes and looks up at her savior.

Bakugo stands right in front of her, his chest heaving, with his hands tightly balled into fists. His blond spikes are in disarray, and there's a few chunks missing from his hero uniform. The large grenade-like collectors on his arms are stained with soot and dirt, and there's a smudge of something black across his right cheek.

His expression is fiery, and it takes her breath away.

Izuku has been thrown all the way back into the trees, lying in a pile of broken branches and earth. He struggles a bit to get up, rubbing a hand across his face and staring into Bakugo.

As Ochaco sits there, dumbfounded, the hero in front of her turns his head to look at her, his expression melting a bit.

"What are you waiting for, Cheeks?!" He yells. "Go! We're gonna win this!"

A sudden, beaming smile curves his mouth to reveal his perfect teeth, and she falls in love with him all over again just for that.

A face she's never seen, but one that fills her with so much emotion that she can't feel her pain.

It's as if, for just a moment, the hanahaki has left her, and she can fully feel the extent of how she feels towards him. It doesn't last long, but just long enough that she can return his smile with a nod, and then picks herself up to start running.

Uraraka's chest swelling with an intoxicating amount of happiness, she's quick, and it aids her to navigate back to the starting line. She can hear him behind her, the exchanges of blasts and Deku's punches leaving a cacophony of noise, alongside Iida's joining them. With the three at her back, all she can do is go forward, towards victory.

It's always been a risky plan, but because of Katsuki Bakugo, it's going to work.

She has no time to think, only to put as much force into her steps to propel herself. Both giddy and anxious, she bursts out of the trees and spots the entryway she and Bakugo had begun from. Without letting herself breathe, she moves before her brain can catch up, tossing herself over the threshold of victory.

Falling to the ground atop the finish, her cheek rests against the ground, as the loud voice of Present Mic roars overhead.

"That's a win for Katsuki Bakugo and Ochaco Uraraka, folks! Teamwork at its finest."

Finally she allows herself to exhale, and closes her eyes again, only seeing his face in the darkness behind her eyelids.

I did it, Bakugo.

No…

We did it. We won.

.x.X.x.

After the match and outside the arena, the students and faculty descend on the team.

"That was awesome, 'Chako!" Momo says, hugging the shorter woman in her arms, practically suffocating her. "I've never seen you move so quick before! I was on the edge of my seat. You guys made such a good team!"

"Thanks, Momo," she barely manages, the comforting embrace of her friend letting her relax a bit.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she can see Bakugo swallowed up by a crowd of people, with Kaminari and Kirishima heading the pack. The ruckus is so loud that it could probably be heard for miles. The high fives and laughter, amongst the praise, all seem to consume him, but he doesn't look like he minds.

Pulling away from Yaoyorozu, she watches him for a moment, a soft, dull smile on her face.

Seeing him being doted on, the love and adoration for him, she knows she doesn't belong as part of that. Basking in it with him is nice and all, but the real star of the show was him all along. Bakugo never needed her on his team for him to win, but for just a moment, she felt like she was perfect right alongside him.

Now, as he's congratulated by his friends and admirers, she can see the truth. An image like Dynamight is perfect alone. He deserves this much more than she does, and it actually kind of… hurts, to feel so close and yet so far.

Distance. It's time to put distance between them. The competition is over, and now he has no reason to train with her anymore, or obligation to spend time with her. As the school year moves on, so will he.

But she'll be stuck in this moment, left behind.

"Ochaco…?"

Momo's tone is worried, but the brunette simply nods, her high from the victory already worn away.

"I think I'm gonna go collect my stuff from the classroom. I forgot some things."

She doesn't recognize her own voice, and it shows on her friend's face how off she sounds.

"You want me to come with?" Momo, the ever gentle and caring mom friend, inquires. However, Ochaco shakes her head.

"No, I'm fine. I just… want to go."

Before another word can be said, she's turned on her heel and walked away, with the uncomfortable feeling of eyes on her back.

Shoulders slumped, she makes her way to the upper floor, the quiet of the school giving her a bit of peace. All the noise and praise are left behind, and it allows her to calm. The school hallways are filled with the beginnings of the pleasant oranges of sunset, but it doesn't make her feel better.

Even though it was a win, it feels like a loss.

Entering the room, she takes a seat atop her desk, fiddling with the bag she left sitting there. Bathed in the glow of the end of the day, she takes a moment to recoup, and the thorns inside her to cut through her.

After all the time they spent together, will it really end here? As friends, and nothing more?

Ochaco had a chance, and she squandered it. She looks outside, at the deep colors of the sky, and sighs. It feels like it's really over now.

I should stop pining after him. It's never going to happen, is it?

It hurts dearly, to acknowledge the end, but she tries to close her heart to it. This can't go on anymore.

"Cheeks."

Her blood freezes in her veins as her head whips to the doorway of the classroom.

Looming there, standing at his full height, Katsuki Bakugo stares her down. His chiseled arms are crossed tightly over his chest, his hair always a mess framing his defined jaw. His bright red eyes trap her in place, and there's a thin frown across his mouth.

A beat of silence passes between them, with her returning his look, and her heart pounding inside her chest. Her fingers grip the edge of the desk, unsure what to do when he's looking at her like that.

The thorns inside her are angry with her choice, crawling through her veins and setting her aflame with pain. She grits her teeth through it, trying not to let it be seen.

You've made your choice, Ochaco.

Lie in the bed you've made.

Forcing herself off her perch, she quickly grabs up her backpack, the strap loose in her palm. She can physically notice his dagger-like sights on her, ripping her to pieces and putting her back together again.

The agony of the love she can't have is much worse.

Meeting his eyes again, she proffers a smile, trying to make it seem genuine.

"Hey," she breathes weakly, the word catching in her throat. "You did great today."

His brows furrow, and she can see the glint of his shiny teeth through the quirk of his grimace.

She's never seen him look so contemplative. It's… almost a bit scary.

Why does he look so disturbed?

"Um…" Lost in the ensuing quiet, she begins her short walk past him, trying to get out of his way and out of his presence as quickly as possible. "Well, I, um… I'll see you."

Just as she reaches the doorframe, he blocks her path, his hulking figure easily eclipsing the exit. Ochaco can't help but look up at him, and it only further worsens her anxiety.

"What are you doing?"

"I know you've been hiding something from me."

Her lungs collapse in on themselves, her legs turning to stone beneath her.

His words pierce right through her, with Katsuki still unflinchingly looking into her terrified eyes. It's as if he's poked a hole into her resolve, just as simple as that.

"W-what do you mean?" she says, backing up from him as the thorns threaten to restrict her vocal cords. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He matches pace with her, however, closing in on her escape route. Uraraka hasn't realized how much they've moved until her body collides with the desk behind her. Using it to balance herself, he towers over her, something fiery alighting in his eyes.

"You've been trying to tell me something. You got somethin' to say? Well, say it to my face! Stop tiptoeing around it!"

He seems angry, and Ochaco can no longer handle the tumultuous nature of the situation. Her feelings threaten to make themselves known, yet choke her instead. She hadn't been expecting him to confront her like this. The hanahaki takes vengeance, as if to throw her off her feet. It hurts, it hurts, why is it so much worse right now?!

The world is falling apart, with her at the epicenter.

Bakugo's going to find out. He's already upset. Why her? Why? Why?!

The ashen taste of flowers fills her mouth, making her tongue grow several sizes too big for words to form, and she will melt if she has to look at him any longer.

She can't stay here. They vines and thorns are going to kill her. She's going to die.

Just like that, her heart explodes.

Maneuvering under his arm, she dodges past him and starts running. Her feet planted solidly against the tiled floor, it's like she's flying, never having moved so fast in her life.

Anything to get away. Anything.

She's dipped out of the classroom so fast that she's left her bag behind, but it's the least of her worries. Her lungs fight for air, the hanahaki filling her throat and her nostrils. The thorns are much sharper than before, and it takes all her strength to keep going. Adrenaline courses through her body, allowing her the gift of speed. It's as if when she stops moving, the flowers will break through her and finally end the suffering, yet it will come bittersweet.

If he didn't know before, he has to now. Ochaco's made it more than clear. If her fleeing was any sign, then that would mean he knows how she feels.

She can't bear it. It's the worst feeling in the world, the scariest, and it begs to drag her down.

Her mouth tastes like blood, and there's this cottony feeling crawling its way from her chest upwards. It's exacerbated when she hears Bakugo's shout from behind her, her name echoing through the building, a telling sign that he's giving chase. If he sees her like this, with the tendrils of the plants inside her starting to pour from her lips-

-she would rather die.

Can't look back!

Clasping her shaky hand to her mouth, she barrels down the hall, the sunset hues burning their way through the large glass windows on her left. She can see the end of it, and the stairs leading down where she can quickly get out of the building and disappear. His footsteps are foreboding, and growing nearer.

I won't ever be able to look at him again after this.

It's like her body moves on its own. As she nears the corner, she can't help herself before peeking behind her.

It all happens in a flash.

In the split second she falters, he's already caught up to her. The next thing she knows, he's got a hold of her arm, and the back of her head clatters against a wall. She is spun around so quickly that it knocks her equilibrium off its axis, leaving her gasping and frozen, a shriek of surprise involuntarily leaving her mouth.

Met with the unmoving sternness of Katsuki's ruby eyes, she is unable to draw in another breath, realizing that he is simply inches from her face. Her own cheeks flush bright red, her thoughts going a mile a minute.

He's managed to get both of her arms in his palms, pushing her up tightly so she can't move from her place on the wall. His vision is darkened by the shadows of the stray spikes of blond hair hanging over him.

Suddenly hit with what's happening, she is quick to yank herself out of his grip, but then he places his fingers to the wall on either side of her body, leaving her with no route to run again.

Her head swivels away from him, trying not to focus on how close he is or the scent of his cologne. The violent thorns rip her throat to shreds.

"Let me go." Her voice cracks twice in just that small sentence, trying to be steely but ending up hoarse and desperate.

"The hell I will." His annoyed retort makes her flinch.

"I said let me go. Please!"

The sound of her own words sickens her.

"I'm not doin' shit till you explain what's going on. Look at me!" He growls.

Blade-like vines climb upwards, and the panic that follows leaves her frustrated and afraid. He's going to see. He's going to know! No no no no-

She still can't breathe. Her body is fighting every fiber of her being to function. It serves only to rile him more.

"What do you want me to say, Cheeks?! Speak up!" His hand slaps against the wall, his own irritation showing bare.

She can't take this.

"Please, I- I don't-" The syllables are strangled, barely coherent, and he pushes.

"Tell me! Tell me what you want to say!"

"I can't!"

"Say it!"

"I-"

She gasps, the metallic flavor of blood filling her mouth from both biting her own tongue and the disgusting flavor of mealy petals. The vines and thorns have encroached further, now rendering her mute, and she coughs out the last word like it's poison.

Ochaco knows why. The confession almost came out. She almost said it.

The hanahaki won't let her say it, even now.

Clasping her hands over her mouth, tears she can't control flow down her cheeks, leaving glistening trails to her chin. Her voice won't work anymore, and the agony of her emotions only becomes stronger.

Say it. His words resound in her mind.

"I…"

She's desperate to push through the pain. Just for a moment. Let her die having been honest.

During her struggle, Katsuki's gaze is narrowed, peering into her deep brown irises to find an answer. He searches as if he can find the truth hidden there. His expression has morphed as he watches her, trying to piece it together, but also seemingly pained. If only he understood.

His hands find her elbows, cradling them with a bit less fervor. He doesn't let go when she tries to shake him off, only holding tighter to her. His touch is like fire against ice. He seems less upset now, calmer.

"What are you trying to say, Uraraka?"

Her name on his lips again. It's as if she's being stabbed in the heart, with the weapon twisted for good measure.

A wellspring of pent up emotion breaks through the dam at last, no longer able to be contained. She may as well welcome the pain as it crashes over her in waves.

"Why don't you understand?!" The coarse bristle in her words makes his eyes widen. She can't watch, head hanging, thankful her mouth is shielded behind the protection of her fingers. "I'm trying to tell you, I- Why can't you see it?! Why can't you see me, Katsuki!?"

It hits her only after it's been said.

With it, the click of recognition in his face means the end of the world for her.

Fear in her face, she grows quiet as the dawning of what she's been waiting for crowns over the boy's face, his cheeks suddenly tinting with the faintest of crimson. He's blurry through the crescendo of water down her face, but it's unmistakable now.

There's no doubt about it. As the confusion fades and horror sets in, the life is squeezed from her heart.

Katsuki Bakugo knows how she feels about him.

She futilely tries to escape, to run from the inevitable, but he doesn't move an inch. His fingers are unrelenting against her skin. His face grows closer, and it seems like he's willing himself to speak, now in her shoes.

This is where rejection finds her. It will be the final nail in the coffin of her shame. This is the only time she's wished the thorns and vines would swallow her whole.

It's always been unrequited. He's going to hate her. There's absolutely no way he would—

Her hands are removed in a swift movement, and then there is a soft pressure against her lips.

—love me?

Her mind goes completely blank in that moment, unable to comprehend the fact that Bakugo has leant forward and laid his mouth on hers. The unexpected and honestly out of the blue motion leaves her dumbfounded, but she can only reciprocate, her body untensing the longer they share the moment.

It's heaven. Pure and sweet, gentle and so unlike the gruff boy. This could be a whole other person for all she knows.

Yet, it's so very Katsuki.

She wishes it would go on forever, without them ever having to part again, but after a little bit longer he pulls away from her. He doesn't seem angry or anything anymore. Her skin still tingles from the feeling of the softness between them.

He frowns at her, observing her expression.

"...Is this what it was, Cheeks?" he asks, voice gravelly from his own untamed and uncertain emotions. She's never been so awed by him before.

She can only nod, and in doing so, Ochaco notices a very significant change in her body. As she takes in a deep breath, there is no pinching and twisting within her lungs and throat. The vines have disappeared, along with any pain they brought with them. She tests the inside of her mouth, and is surprised to find no lasting marks from the horrible illness. The relief is immeasurable.

It's gone, and there are no more reasons to hide how she really feels to the blond.

She parts her lips. She can finally say it.

"I love you."

He takes a second to breathe, taken off guard, but the smile that accompanies it after makes her feel light as air.

Then; "You're such a dumbass, Cheeks."

She scrunches her nose up at him, a kindled fondness for the man come to stay with her. She starts to protest, not sure how to react, but he sweeps her up into his arms, leaning in again with a smug look on his face.

"Love you, too."

.x.X.x.X.x

—Your love is so pretty and painful.

Leave my body and soul in pieces.