The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as Reiko slowly opened her eyes, the soft beeping of medical monitors a steady rhythm beside her. She blinked, adjusting to the bright lights of the recovery room, and turned her head to see Deku sitting in a chair next to her bed, his arm wrapped in bandages but his eyes filled with relief.

"You're awake," he said softly, a gentle smile spreading across his face.

Reiko managed a weak smile in return. "Looks like we made it," she murmured, her voice hoarse.

Deku nodded, his expression turning serious. "You were amazing out there, Reiko. I don't know what I would've done without you."

A faint blush colored her cheeks as she looked away. "I just did what I had to. We all did."

He reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "Still, thank you. For everything."

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world outside the room faded away, leaving just the two of them and the unspoken connection that had grown between them.

Xxx

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the city as Kuri and Bakugo stood atop a high-rise building, the wind tousling their hair. The end of their internship with Best Jeanist had come, and the weight of their experiences hung between them.

Bakugo stared out at the cityscape, his usual fiery demeanor subdued. "We did good work," he muttered, more to himself than to Kuri.

Kuri nodded, her wings fluttering slightly. "Yeah, we did."

A comfortable silence settled over them, the bond forged through shared trials speaking louder than words. Finally, Bakugo turned to her, his eyes softer than she'd ever seen.

"Birdy," he began, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "I… I don't say this kind of stuff often, but… I'm glad you were with me. I couldn't have done it without you."

Kuri's heart swelled, and she stepped closer, her hand reaching out to gently touch his. "Katsuki," she said softly, using his first name, "I'm glad I was with you too. You've been my strength through all of this."

He looked down at their joined hands, a rare vulnerability in his gaze. "I don't want to lose you," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You won't," she promised, her wings wrapping around them both in a protective embrace. "We're in this together."

Bakugo's arms encircled her, pulling her close as he buried his face in her shoulder. "I… I love you, Birdy," he confessed, the words raw and honest.

Kuri's breath caught, tears of joy welling in her eyes. "I love you too, Katsuki," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

They stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the city lights below them a testament to the new beginning they faced together, their hearts healing and their bond stronger than ever.

Calmed in the Chaos

The common room of the dorms was a mess of textbooks, notebooks, and scattered pencils as Kuri, Reiko, Deku, and Bakugo huddled around the large table. The finals were looming, and despite the usual chaos of hero training, they all knew failing their exams wasn't an option.

Reiko tapped her pencil against her lips, staring at the page in front of her. "Okay, this is starting to make sense," she said thoughtfully, her green eyes flicking to Deku. "How did you figure out the trajectory for that physics problem again?"

Deku leaned over her notebook, his expression lighting up. "It's just like adjusting for wind resistance during a jump," he explained, sketching a quick diagram. "Think of it like aiming your body's center of gravity mid-air. The formula follows the same principles."

Reiko nodded slowly, her brow furrowing. "Got it. I think."

Across the table, Kuri groaned and rested her forehead on her notebook. "I don't got it," she mumbled, glaring at the numbers on her page. "Why is math so evil?"

"Because you're trying to solve it with your emotions instead of your brain," Bakugo grunted from beside her. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, but his gaze flicked to her page. "Look. You missed a step. That's why your answer's garbage."

Kuri sat up, frowning. "I missed a—oh." She blinked as realization dawned. "Oh, wait. That actually makes sense. I just need to—" Her pencil flew across the page as she adjusted the equation. A moment later, she sat back, beaming. "I got it! I finally got it!"

Deku clapped softly, his grin genuine. "Nice work, Kuri!"

Reiko smirked. "See? You're smarter than you think."

But Kuri wasn't paying attention to them anymore. Her wings fluttered with excitement as she turned to Bakugo, a radiant smile on her face. "You're amazing, Katsuki!" she said, leaning over and planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

Bakugo froze for half a second, the tips of his ears turning red. He didn't push her away, though—instead, he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her in, crushing his lips against hers in a kiss that was anything but quick or subtle.

Reiko's eyes widened, her pencil dropping to the table as she gawked. "Whoa."

Deku's face went bright red, his hands flying up to cover his eyes. "Uh—um—guys?!"

But Bakugo didn't care. His kiss deepened, rough and possessive, his hand tangling in Kuri's hair as his other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. When he finally pulled back, his crimson eyes blazed as he looked around the room.

"She's mine," he declared, his voice low and unwavering. "Got it?"

Reiko broke into a fit of giggles, clapping her hands together. "We got it, we got it. No one's going to argue with that, trust me."

Deku, still shielding his face, peeked out between his fingers, his voice a stammering mess. "W-we already knew that! You didn't have to… to… do that in front of us!"

Kuri, her face flushed and wings trembling, laughed softly as she looked up at Bakugo. "Katsuki, you're impossible."

He smirked, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "Yeah, well, you like it."

The rest of the study session was decidedly less focused, with Reiko teasing Bakugo mercilessly and Deku trying (and failing) to keep things on track. But despite the chaos, the warmth of the moment lingered.