Chapter 27 - Todoroki VS Deku

Todoroki looked down at them, then up toward the open training field beyond the windows. "We should probably get going," he said evenly, his voice calm as always but edged with focus. "Our match is next. Midoriya, we don't want to keep the others waiting."

Midoriya straightened immediately, his nervous energy switching to determination. "You're right, Todoroki." He turned to Yuuki, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Wish us luck?"

Yuuki's soft smile lit up her whole expression. "You don't need it," she said, her voice sweet but confident. "You and Todoroki will both do amazing. I know you will." Her tone was genuine—pure belief shining through her gentle words.

Midoriya scratched the back of his neck, blushing slightly. "Th-thanks, Yuuki. That really means a lot." Todoroki gave a small nod of appreciation before leading the way back toward the training grounds.

Yuuki followed beside Midoriya as they walked, the bright afternoon light washing over the path. Her oversized sleeves swayed lightly as she kept pace with him, and she listened intently while he talked about strategies and how he wanted to test out some new moves. Though she didn't understand all the technical hero terms he was rambling about, she smiled at how passionate he was.

Behind them, Uraraka and Mina trailed along with Bakugo, who had his hands shoved deep into his pockets and an ever-present scowl plastered on his face. The two girls exchanged glances, both grinning mischievously.

Mina leaned closer to Bakugo and whispered, "Sooo... are you just gonna let Midoriya walk with her like that?"

Bakugo didn't even turn his head. "What the hell are you talking about, Pinky?" he muttered, his voice low and irritated.

Uraraka smirked knowingly. "Oh come on, Bakugo. Don't act like you're not watching them. You've been glaring holes in the back of Midoriya's head for the last five minutes."

Bakugo's red eyes flicked toward her, his expression tightening. "I ain't glaring. I just don't trust that damn nerd not to trip over his own feet and drag her down with him."

Mina giggled, elbowing him playfully. "Mhm, suuure. Totally just worried about her safety. Not because you're jealous or anything."

"I'm not jealous!" Bakugo snapped, his voice sharp enough to make a few students walking nearby turn their heads. He noticed and quickly lowered his tone, though his jaw was tight. "Why the hell would I be jealous? It's Deku, for crying out loud."

Uraraka tried—and failed—to hold in her laughter. "You're so obvious, Bakugo. You should just tell Yuuki how you feel already."

Bakugo stopped in his tracks, glaring daggers at her. "What did you just say?"

Mina put her hands up, trying not to burst out laughing. "Relax! We're just saying you should make a move before someone else does. You can't keep scaring off anyone who talks to her forever."

Bakugo scoffed, crossing his arms. "Make a move? What the hell does that even mean? This isn't some damn romance movie. I don't 'make moves.'"

Uraraka rolled her eyes, smiling. "Maybe not, but you could try being nice to her once in a while. Compliment her or something."

Bakugo muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "I'm not doing that crap," but his ears were slightly pink.

Up ahead, Yuuki turned her head slightly, smiling at the group behind them. "Are you guys coming?" she called, her voice soft and gentle.

Bakugo's head snapped up, his scowl softening just a little at the sight of her. "Yeah, yeah, we're coming, damn it," he muttered, quickening his pace before Mina or Uraraka could tease him again.

As they reached the edge of Ground Beta, the students gathered around the big screen, where the next match was listed in bold white letters. Midoriya and Todoroki's names flashed brightly, signaling their turn. The two boys stepped forward, ready and focused.

Yuuki watched them with her hands clasped together, her expression full of admiration and nervous excitement. She wanted to cheer them on, but something in her chest fluttered as she felt Bakugo step up beside her. She could feel the faint warmth radiating from him even without looking.

Bakugo stood with his arms crossed, pretending to be uninterested. "Those two better not screw this up," he muttered, though his tone lacked its usual sharpness.

Yuuki smiled softly. "They won't," she said quietly. "I believe in them."

For a brief second, Bakugo glanced at her, his expression unreadable. Then he looked away again, jaw tight. "Tch. You believe in everyone, don't you?"

Yuuki tilted her head slightly, a small smile curving her lips. "Maybe. But... I think that's a good thing."

He didn't respond, but for the first time that day, Bakugo didn't argue either.

•••

Todoroki and Midoriya took their positions on opposite ends of the training field, the late morning sun casting sharp beams of light across the cracked concrete. The air buzzed with quiet excitement from the rest of Class 1-A, everyone gathered along the sidelines and staring at the massive screen that displayed their names in bold white letters. Todoroki stood calm and composed, his mismatched eyes locked on his opponent, his breath steady as a faint wisp of cold air drifted from his right side. Midoriya, on the other hand, bounced on his heels with anticipation, already muttering to himself about attack patterns, counter strategies, and mobility spacing.

"This reminds me of the Sports Festival," Todoroki said suddenly, his voice quiet but filled with a nostalgic edge as he adjusted his gloves. "Back when we fought. You've gotten stronger since then, Midoriya."

Midoriya smiled, his expression determined but friendly. "You've gotten stronger too, Todoroki. Guess we'll see who's improved more, huh?" He clenched his fists, green lightning starting to crackle faintly around him.

Everyone watching fell silent as Aizawa gave the signal to begin. The ground erupted almost immediately as Todoroki sent a jagged wave of ice rushing toward Midoriya, who dodged with a burst of One For All power, the air whistling from the speed of his movement. When his foot hit the ground again, he countered with a powerful flick of his finger, releasing a shockwave that shattered the ice midair. The impact sent shards flying everywhere, glittering like glass in the light.

On the sidelines, Yuuki stood clutching her hands together just below her chin. Her bright eyes followed every motion on the field, filled with awe and a bit of worry. "Go, Deku! Go, Todoroki!" she called out, her voice soft and sweet, barely rising over the sound of explosions from the fight. It was more of a gentle cheer than a loud one—sincere, tender, and so full of warmth that it made everyone nearby glance her way.

Mina leaned forward with her hands on her knees, grinning ear to ear. "Oh my gosh," she whispered dramatically to Uraraka, "even her cheering is adorable! I can't stand it."

Uraraka giggled behind her hand, her eyes shining with amusement. "Right? She's literally the softest person alive. Look at her—she's like a little bunny in a hero costume."

Kirishima chuckled from where he was standing next to them. "Yeah, she's way too pure for this class. How does she even handle Bakugo without running away every day?"

Bakugo, who stood just a few feet away with his arms crossed, immediately whipped his head toward them. "What the hell are you idiots whispering about?" he barked, his tone rougher than usual.

Mina only grinned wider. "Nothing, nothing~ Just talking about how cute Yuuki is when she cheers!"

Yuuki blinked in surprise when she heard her name and looked over, cheeks already turning pink. "Wh–what? No, I wasn't being cute," she stammered quickly, flailing her hands a little. "I was just cheering for them, that's all!"

Mina clasped her hands dramatically. "Even the way you deny it is cute! It's honestly unfair."

That only made Yuuki's blush deepen, and she fidgeted with the edge of her oversized sleeve, eyes darting down to the ground. "P-please don't say things like that," she mumbled shyly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's embarrassing..."

Uraraka leaned in closer to Mina and whispered, "Okay, but seriously—how does Bakugo not melt every time she talks like that?"

Bakugo's eyebrow twitched violently, and he growled, glaring at both of them. "Shut up before I blow you two into next week," he hissed, but his red eyes flickered briefly toward Yuuki. She was still watching the fight, her cheeks warm, her eyes full of quiet excitement as Midoriya and Todoroki exchanged another round of powerful blows.

Despite himself, Bakugo felt something unfamiliar tighten in his chest. Seeing her like that—so full of light, cheering for others, genuinely happy—it did something strange to him. He quickly looked away, pretending to focus back on the match, though his clenched fists and faintly flushed ears gave him away.

On the field, Midoriya and Todoroki were both panting now, ice covering half the arena while cracks spiderwebbed across the ground from the force of their attacks. Todoroki exhaled deeply, steam rising from his left side as fire flickered to life across his arm.

"This is fun," Todoroki admitted, his rare smile breaking through his usual calm expression.

Midoriya grinned, his green lightning crackling brighter in response. "Yeah. Let's go all out!"

As the two heroes clashed again with a burst of light and energy, Yuuki gasped softly, her hands pressing to her chest. Her heart raced—not from fear, but from admiration.

"They're amazing," she whispered, her voice full of awe.

Mina, still smiling, leaned her head on her hand. "They are... but you're still the cutest part of this scene, Yuuki," she said teasingly.

Yuuki squeaked quietly and turned away, her face bright red. "Minaaa, stoppp..."