Between Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo as romantic.
The blaring sirens of U.A. High School cut through the calm of the afternoon, sending students and faculty into a rushed frenzy. Amidst the chaos, two figures stood still, eyes locked onto each other with an intensity that seemed out of place considering the urgency around them.
Izuku Midoriya, his green eyes focused and alert, could hear the pounding of his own heart. The alarm was no drill; he knew that much. Katsuki Bakugo, scowling as he always did, seemed irritated by something other than the disruption — something that caused the familiar furrow in his brow to deepen. Without a word, they both understood the unwritten message in the air: this was their fight as much as anyone else’s.
"Deku," Bakugo finally spat out, the nickname laced with the usual contempt, yet it lacked its typical bite. Before Midoriya could respond, Bakugo was already moving, unmistakable determination in his gait. Not towards the crowd that scrambled for safety, but in the direction of the threat.
The voice of All Might, their former teacher and the symbol of peace, echoed in Izuku's mind: "When faced with a crisis, true heroes don't hesitate." His legs moved before he had time to process the thought, following Bakugo's lead.
They wound their way through the labyrinth of corridors, the distant sounds of their classmates' quirks in use serving as a reminder of the severity of the situation. They arrived at the epicenter of the alarm, the school's main training arena, which now lay in ruin. Together, yet apart, they assessed the scene.
At the center was a figure cloaked in shadows, an ambiguous smirk playing across his face. "I was wondering when you two would show up." The voice was chilling, composed, and it resonated with a sinister kind of calm. He called himself Soundwave, a villain capable of manipulating emotions with his voice, a quirk designed for psychological warfare.
Bakugo was the first to react, his trademark explosive blasts illuminating the dim space. But Soundwave was ready, deflecting the attack with a flick of his wrist, a low hum emanating from his throat. The resulting pulse of energy sent Bakugo reeling.
Midoriya moved without hesitation. One For All surged within his veins, a supportive power lending him the speed to catch Bakugo before he hit the ground. The two locked eyes again, a silent conversation passing between them. Acknowledgment. Trust. Perhaps more.
"Can't have you taking yourself out of the fight that easily, Kacchan," Midoriya said with a gravity that matched the gravity of their predicament. His use of the childhood moniker felt different this time, more intimate, less provocative. Bakugo's usual snarl softened ever so slightly, a change that went unspoken but not unnoticed.
Soundwave watched them with growing interest. "There's more between you two than just a simple rivalry, isn't there?" he taunted, his power vibrating through the air, sinking into their very bones. It was designed to amplify doubt, fear, to turn comrade against comrade.
But an unexpected thing happened. Instead of driving them apart, the villain's insidious whispers seemed to draw them closer, a sense of unity building in the place of division. In that moment, both Bakugo and Midoriya realized they had a choice: succumb to the emotional turmoil, or use it as fuel.
As Bakugo stood, brushing off Midoriya's helping hand, they turned to each other with a newfound determination, an unexplained resolve forming a bond that neither of them fully comprehended. Together, they faced Soundwave, ready to face their own echoed fears—and if they were lucky, they would come out the other side understanding a little more about the true nature of strength.