Chapter 2 - Worried About Finals

The classroom had settled into a comfortable buzz as more students trickled in, sunlight spilling across the polished floors and the chatter of friends filling the air. The topic of finals had completely taken over the conversation now, as it always did around this time of year. Mina leaned across her desk, her pink curls bouncing as she gestured animatedly, while Ochaco perched beside her, nodding along. Midoriya had his notebook out, already filled with meticulous notes and little doodles of battle tactics and training drills, while Todoroki sat quietly, his calm presence grounding the group. Yuuki, nestled between them, listened quietly, her hands folded neatly on her desk as she let their words flow around her like soft music.

"So," Mina began, eyes wide with faux dramatics, "are we all in agreement that these finals are going to be absolutely awful?"

Midoriya laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "W-well, they're definitely going to be challenging. But Aizawa-sensei said this year's final exams are going to test both our written and combat abilities. If we all study together and prepare for the practicals, we'll be fine."

Ochaco nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, maybe we can all study together later this week! It'd be way more fun than trying to cram everything alone. I can bring snacks, and maybe we can take turns quizzing each other!"

Mina's eyes lit up instantly. "Ooh, that sounds fun! We should totally do it at your place, Midoriya! You've got that big notebook with all the training notes in it, right? That thing's like a hero student's holy text!"

Midoriya flushed bright red and waved his hands nervously. "W-wait, my place? A-ah, I mean, I don't mind, but it's not that big, and my mom might—uh—well, she'd probably just make way too much food—"

"That sounds nice," Todoroki interrupted simply, his expression unchanging. He looked up from his desk, voice calm as ever. "I wouldn't mind joining if it helps everyone focus. Studying together might make it less... tedious."

Mina gasped dramatically, turning toward him. "Wait, wait, wait—Todoroki actually wants to study with us? This is huge. Someone write it down, mark the date, it's history in the making!"

Ochaco laughed softly. "Come on, Mina, it's not that shocking. He's just quiet."

"I'm not that quiet," Todoroki said, which only made Mina snort in amusement.

Yuuki giggled softly behind her sleeve, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I think that sounds nice too... studying together, I mean. I'd like that."

Midoriya smiled warmly at her, setting his notebook down. "Then it's settled! We'll all study together this weekend. I'll text everyone the time later tonight."

The mood was cheerful and easy, a perfect rhythm of laughter and comfort, but that peace didn't last long. The sharp scrape of a chair echoed across the room, followed by a familiar gruff voice that instantly changed the energy.

"Tch. You extras really think sitting around studying is gonna help you win the finals?" Bakugo muttered from his desk near the back, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. His crimson eyes glinted with irritation—or maybe amusement—it was always hard to tell with him. The words weren't loud, but they carried, slicing through the cheerful chatter like sparks in dry air. "You're supposed to train, not have some cutesy group study session like you're in middle school."

Everyone fell quiet for a beat, the silence stretching between them. Mina blinked, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Geez, Bakugo, good morning to you too. Do you ever say anything that isn't aggressive?"

Bakugo shot her a glare. "Shut it, Pinky. You'll be crying in five minutes when the finals start, so maybe don't waste time joking around."

Mina gasped in mock offense. "Wow, okay, rude!"

Ochaco tried to intervene, smiling nervously. "Now, now, Bakugo, we're just talking about studying. It's not like we're avoiding training—"

Bakugo clicked his tongue again, cutting her off. "Studying doesn't matter if you can't handle a real fight. Half of you freeze the second something actually happens. You think villains are gonna wait for you to finish your flashcards before they attack?"

Yuuki, who had been sitting quietly the entire time, looked up from her desk at the sound of his voice. She didn't mean to stare, but something about Bakugo always drew her attention—his voice, his energy, the way it filled every space he was in like heat and static. Her hazel eyes widened slightly as she met his fiery red ones across the room. For a moment, everything else faded: the chatter, the laughter, even the sunlight pouring in through the window. It was just him, his gaze sharp and intense, locked onto hers.

Bakugo paused mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing slightly as he realized she was looking at him. The corner of his mouth twitched—not quite a smirk, but something close. "What're you starin' at, Yuuki?" he said, his tone low but teasing, that edge of gruffness making it sound like both a challenge and a taunt.

Yuuki's breath caught in her throat, her cheeks going pink as she quickly looked away. "I-I—um—I wasn't—I mean—" she stammered, her voice trembling as she fumbled for words. Her fingers twisted in her sleeves again, the soft fabric slipping through her shaking hands. "S-sorry, Bakugo, I didn't mean to—"

Bakugo snorted, the faintest flicker of amusement passing over his face. "Tch. You're jumpier than a damn rabbit." He turned away, resting his chin on his hand, but there was something unreadable in the way his eyes lingered on her for a second longer before flicking toward the window.

The others glanced at each other, the tension in the air melting into awkward laughter. Mina leaned over to whisper, "He's so mean sometimes, I swear," while Ochaco patted Yuuki's arm gently.

Yuuki gave a small, nervous laugh, her voice soft and airy as she stared down at her desk. "I-it's okay... I'm just... not used to him talking to me, that's all."

Midoriya smiled reassuringly from beside her. "Don't take it personally, Yuuki. That's just how Bakugo is—he doesn't really mean anything by it."

•••

Bakugo's head had turned, his eyes narrowing dangerously toward Midoriya. The faint pops and hisses from his palms grew louder, small bursts of orange and yellow light sparking between his fingers like angry fireflies. His expression darkened, and that raw, explosive energy that seemed to follow him everywhere began to pulse through the room like static.

"What the hell did you just say, Deku?" Bakugo's voice came out low and rough, the kind of tone that made everyone else instinctively tense. He stood up from his seat in one swift motion, his chair screeching loudly against the floor. The explosions at his hands flared brighter, little wisps of smoke curling upward from his palms.

Midoriya froze halfway through flipping a page in his notebook, his face going pale. "W-wait, Kacchan, I wasn't trying to—"

Bakugo cut him off sharply, stepping forward with that fierce, barely controlled energy that made it feel like the floor itself might crack under him. "You saying I don't mean anything I say? Huh? You think I just talk for fun? You got somethin' to say to me, then say it, nerd!"

Mina flinched, scooting back in her chair. "Oh, here we go again," she whispered, wide-eyed.

Ochaco looked between them nervously, clutching the edge of her desk. "Um, maybe just let it go—"

Yuuki's heart was pounding in her chest, each beat thudding faster than the last. The sound of Bakugo's explosions made her jump every time, and she could already feel the warmth of her Quirk stirring faintly beneath her skin in reaction to her fear. Her anxiety always had that effect—like her emotions were trembling so hard they might spill out in waves of light if she didn't calm down. She bit her lip, hands tightening around her sleeves, but when Bakugo took another step forward, she couldn't help it. A soft, frightened whimper escaped her, barely audible but enough for Todoroki, sitting beside her, to notice.

Without a word, Todoroki shifted slightly in his seat, subtly positioning himself between Yuuki and Bakugo. The gesture was quiet and unspoken, but it was enough. Yuuki quickly ducked behind him, clutching the edge of his uniform jacket, her head lowered as if she could make herself invisible. Her hazel eyes were wide, shimmering with worry as she peeked out from behind his shoulder.

Bakugo caught the movement instantly. "What, you hiding from me now?" he snapped, his tone more bark than bite, though the sparks from his hands told a different story. "I'm not gonna blow you up, for crying out loud. I'm talkin' to him!"

But Yuuki still flinched, shrinking back even more. "I-I'm s-sorry, I just—" she stuttered, her voice trembling as she tried to explain herself, but the words tangled hopelessly on her tongue.

Bakugo opened his mouth to retort, but before he could get another word out, the classroom door slid open with a loud clack.

"Everyone in your seats," came the dry, unimpressed voice of Shota Aizawa. His tired eyes swept across the room, instantly landing on Bakugo's smoking palms. The pro hero didn't even sigh—he just gave that long, drawn-out look of silent disapproval that somehow spoke louder than shouting ever could. "Bakugo. Hands down. Now."

Bakugo clenched his jaw, his explosions dying out reluctantly. The sound of faint crackling faded, replaced by the rustle of students scrambling to sit properly. He dropped back into his seat with a sharp exhale, muttering something under his breath that no one dared to respond to. Midoriya gave him a nervous glance but wisely stayed quiet.

Yuuki peeked up again from behind Todoroki, still clutching the fabric of his sleeve as she tried to slow her breathing. Her heart was still fluttering like a trapped bird in her chest, but the moment Aizawa entered, the tension in the air began to fade, like a storm breaking into drizzle. Todoroki glanced over at her briefly, his voice calm and even. "It's fine now," he murmured quietly. "He won't do anything."

Yuuki nodded quickly, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. "S-sorry," she whispered, finally letting go of his sleeve and retreating to her seat again. She kept her eyes on her desk, feeling small but relieved.

Aizawa sighed as he set down a stack of papers on his desk, his scarf draped loosely around his shoulders. "Every year around finals season, I think maybe—maybe—you all will stay calm for once," he said in that tired monotone that somehow managed to sound both exasperated and completely devoid of surprise. "And every year, I'm proven wrong."

A few chuckles rippled through the class, the tension dissolving completely now that their teacher had taken control. Aizawa ran a hand through his messy hair, looking around the room with half-lidded eyes. "Now, since you all seem so eager to talk about finals, let me make this clear—you'll need to focus on both your written exams and your practical training. The final combat tests will not be easy this year."

Yuuki straightened in her chair, listening carefully despite her racing heart. Around her, the room grew still again. Even Mina stopped fidgeting, her earlier playfulness replaced by curiosity—and maybe a touch of dread.

Aizawa continued, his tone flat but firm. "Your written exams will cover everything from hero law to combat theory, so I expect all of you to be studying diligently. As for the practicals, you'll find out more soon enough. But I'll say this—you'll be facing something tougher than what you've seen before. You're not just students anymore. You're hero trainees. Start acting like it."

The weight of his words settled over the class like a blanket—heavy, serious, but motivating. Even Bakugo looked interested now, the earlier irritation fading into a faint, dangerous smirk that said he was already looking forward to whatever challenge awaited them.

Yuuki swallowed hard, her fingers brushing the edge of her notebook as she whispered under her breath, "Tougher than before..." She wasn't sure if she was ready.