“Wow, your quirk’s amazing, Kacchan! When I get mine, I hope it’s just as cool!” Izuku beamed, excitement bubbling in his voice.
“Whatever, Deku. No matter what power you end up with, you’ll never be able to beat me.” Katsuki’s smirk was sharp, laced with familiar arrogance.
“Hey, don’t be so self-centered, Katsuki!” I exclaimed, a challenge in my tone. He turned his gaze on me, scoffing.
“Your elements don’t compare to my explosions, (Y/N)! I bet I could beat you in a fight!” He stated, slamming his hands together, a small burst of sparks igniting between them. It was my turn to scoff, a flicker of defiance in my eyes. “I’ll beat you before you make your first move.”
“Um, guys—” Izuku frowned, attempting to mediate.
“I’m way better than you!” Katsuki crossed his arms, stubbornly refusing to yield. I rolled my eyes, a wry smile playing on my lips. “One day we’ll fight, and I’ll show you that’s not true.”
As school ended, Izuku and I lingered behind, anticipating Katsuki’s arrival. As expected, the entire class had gathered, drawn by the promise of a spectacle.
“Man, this should be good!” Kaminari grinned, already buzzing with anticipation. Eijirou nodded, his grin wide and encouraging. “I’m rooting for (Y/N)!”
“You’re not nervous, (Y/N)?” Ochaco asked, her voice laced with concern. I shook my head, a determined set to my jaw. “No way! I know Katsuki. I’m not afraid.”
“Wow, you’re tough.” Sero raised his eyebrows, impressed.
“I wonder where Bakugou is.” Tsu put a finger to her chin, her gaze scanning the crowd.
“I’m right here, you morons.”
A collective gasp rippled through the group as Katsuki emerged from behind them. His eyes locked onto mine, burning with intensity.
“You guys might want to stand back.” I stretched my arms and legs, preparing for the confrontation. Katsuki mirrored the action. Everyone instinctively backed up, crowding against the school wall. I kept my gaze locked on Katsuki, and he on me. This was it—the first time we were actually fighting each other.
Katsuki didn’t hesitate, launching himself toward me in a furious rush. I reacted instantly, erecting a wall of rock from the ground to deflect his initial explosion. The sudden display surprised everyone; jaws dropped in astonishment.
“Holy crap!” Eijirou and Kaminari exclaimed simultaneously.
“She’s pretty scary, but hot.” Mineta trembled, his lewd comment earning him a sharp slap from Tsu’s tongue.
Katsuki recovered quickly, grunting with frustration. He came at me again, aiming for my left side. I waved my hand, summoning a crashing wave that slammed into him, sending him tumbling back. Of the four elements, water was my strongest. I drew moisture from the air, forming it into a powerful surge. Overuse could dehydrate me, but I was willing to risk it.
“Dammit!” He wiped his mouth, spitting out a fleck of blood.
“You haven’t put a single scratch on me, hell, you haven’t even touched me. Try harder, Katsuki!” I aimed my arm, unleashing a stream of fire. He blocked it with his forearm, but didn’t fall back. He seized the opportunity, leaping forward and landing a brutal hit.
“Finally.” He smirked, relishing his success. I grunted, bracing myself as a miniature tornado swirled around him, fueled by my control over wind. I stomped my foot, causing the ground to tremble, sending him crashing to the ground again, screaming in frustration.
“Time to finish this.” I raised my arms, summoning a massive spiral of water that engulfed him. He sputtered and coughed, choking on the deluge. I walked over to him, placing my shoe squarely on his chest.
“Fuck you. This isn’t over.” He spat, his voice raspy and laced with defiance. I gasped as he grabbed my leg, throwing me aside with brutal force. He quickly straddled my waist, his smirk returning with renewed ferocity, little explosions popping from his fingertips.
“I win.”
“Not exactly.” I twisted my arm, transforming it into solid rock, and punched him square in the jaw. He flew back, clutching his chin.
“You bi—”
“That’s enough, you two!” Mr. Aizawa’s voice cut through the chaos. He intervened with his capture weapon, separating us. His tired eyes glared at us with barely restrained irritation.
“I expected this from Bakugou, but (L/N), it’s your first day and you’re already making a bad impression.” He said, his gaze settling on me. I looked down at my feet, shame burning in my cheeks.
“Sorry—”
“It was my fault.” Katsuki cut me off, surprising everyone. I looked up at him to see him looking down at me.
“Is this true?” Mr. Aizawa asked, his tone skeptical. I quickly nodded, and he released his hold on us.
“Detention for both of you tomorrow.” He said before turning away. Katsuki and I stood awkwardly, the tension between us palpable.
“That fight was insane but awesome at the same time! (Y/N), you’re awesome!” Eijirou grabbed my shoulder, his enthusiasm infectious. I blushed, offering a grateful smile. Katsuki clicked his tongue, pointedly looking away.
“Sucks that you guys have detention tomorrow.” Mina said, her voice sympathetic.
“Oh well. I had a feeling we would get in trouble.” I responded, trying to sound nonchalant. Eijirou gasped. “So you knew you would get in trouble yet you still fought Bakugou? That’s so manly!” He closed his eyes and gripped his shirt, reveling in the moment.
“Um, thanks?” I chuckled.
—
Eventually, everyone dispersed, heading home for the evening. I decided to walk alone. Izuku asked if I wanted to walk with him, Ochaco, and Iida, but I refused. After the fight, I was drained.
“Hey! Idiot!”
I stopped, sighing. Katsuki ran up to me, his expression unreadable.
“Don’t think that you’re the victor here!” He yelled, his voice laced with frustration. I rolled my eyes. “I never said I was. You aren’t the victor either.”
“We’ll continue the fight another time.”
I noticed the scrape on his chin. Was that from my punch? I hadn’t meant to hit him so hard. Without thinking, I gently touched the wound.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?!” He blushed, taking a step back. I frowned, gripping my skirt. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Huh? I’m fine!” He looked down at me, his eyes softening. “No, I hurt you! I’m sorry, K—”
Before I could finish my sentence, he grabbed my hands, his gaze locking with mine.
“I told you, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”
I blushed, removing his grip. I started to walk away, but he quickly grabbed my shoulder. I gasped, turning my head. His hair obscured his eyes.
“I’ll walk you home.”