[Human Cavalry Battle]

—Currently, that was what was being displayed on the holographic screen as your next stage. The 42 qualifiers from the first round were to move on and participate in a team battle, built around the number of points each person had amassed based on which position they'd finished in. It was all fairly standard, but you couldn't help but feel for Izuku.

He'd ended up with a bounty of ten million points on his head.

"W-what am I going to do??" he spluttered, frantically bringing a palm up against his forehead. "Everyone's gonna be chasing me; there's no way I'll be able to find anyone who's willing to be on my team...!"

You flashed him an apologetic smile, to which his eyes widened just slightly. A shaky, somewhat-imploring grin made its way onto his lips.

"I-I don't suppose you would want to team up with me, would you, [Name]-chan...?"

If you were being honest, you felt bad for the poor kid. The fact that everyone would be targeting him meant that pretty much no one wanted to be on the same team. Actually, you personally didn't care much for that; given the choice, you'd much rather just team up with your friends and support them, but your mind was drifting elsewhere right now.

...Namely, the ash blonde who was surrounded by a cluster of students hoping to join his team.

You sighed.

Well, I guess it makes sense. He's got such a powerful Quirk that pretty much anybody would be jumping at the opportunity to team up with him. He can pick the cream from the crop, so to speak. In that case, I doubt he'd want to be with someone like me...

Izuku must've noticed your gaze wandering, and soon let out a sigh of his own.

"I kind of already figured..." he murmured, "But you...wanna be with Kacchan, right?"

"Eh? No, I'm—"

"I can tell," he smiled. "There's nothing wrong with it, though. I don't know much about this whole "soulmate" thing, since I don't have a mark of my own, but I'm sure it's a very special, important bond. So it's okay for you to join his team; I can figure things out here."

You forced a smile, feeling a bit guilty about letting your friend down. "Well, I'm sure Uraraka-chan will want to pair up with you. Ah—here she comes right now. And then there's Iida-kun, as well..."

"I know," Izuku nodded. "Don't worry. I'll manage to work something out. Go talk to Kacchan, okay?"

"...Yeah," you breathed. "I'll...go do that now."

With a spring in your step, you made your way across the arena, waving to Uraraka in passing. She looked a bit confused as to why you were headed in the opposite direction from Izuku—hell, she'd probably assumed the four of you would all be on the same team—but then her gaze softened when she where you were headed. Even if it might've been a bit unfair, a small part of her felt a tad bit jealous that she was losing her best friend to a hot-headed blonde.

She decided that she wouldn't mind if someone elbowed him in the face "accidentally" during the battle. Yep, that would do just fine. Smiling ruefully, she turned on her heel to rejoin with the curly-haired male who was on the brink of hyperventilation.

Meanwhile, you were finding it a bit difficult to force your way in between Katsuki's personal crowd.

"Oi, Bakugou—join my team!" a student called out.

"Ehh?! You're gonna be on my team, aren't you, Bakugou??"

Every way you looked, there seemed to be somebody who was desperate to make buddy-buddy with the angry blonde, purely for the sake of winning the Cavalry Battle. He was in high demand, that was for sure, but the stiff expression on Katsuki's face pretty much said it all:

"The fuck are your shitty Quirks again?!"

Well, you couldn't exactly say that you were surprised. He'd expressed little to no interest in others; hell, you'd be surprised if he even remembered what your powers were. But that was all secondary. With your timid frame hanging near the back of the crowd, you didn't think you had much of a shot at getting yourself noticed. He definitely had better options to choose from; students with more offensive powers would probably be a better fit for his team. Maybe you just call it a day and—

"[Name]."

You swallowed hard at the sound of Katsuki's voice. When you peered from in between the shoulders of students blocking your way, you could see his bright, gleaming crimson orbs staring back at you. He took a step forward, brushing the others aside.

"You just gonna stand around, or are you here to join my team?" he asked, although you were sure he already knew the answer. A shaky smile rose to your lips.

"Um, yes. If you'll have to me, then yeah...I would love to."

"Hmph," he scoffed. "You're not lookin' too sure of yourself. I'll tell you right now, I don't want any weaklings to slow me down, so you better be ready to put in the effort if you're gonna be with me. I'll ask you again—are you here to join my team?"

Katsuki's eyes never shifted from your own, and you could feel yourself stiffen under his gaze. He was serious about this; he wanted to win, and it was clear that a half-assed answer just wasn't gonna cut it.

"Y-yes!" you stammered back, furrowing your brows. "I want to join your team, and I promise to do my best!"

The others were all staring back at the two of you, dumbfounded by the apparent hazing that was taking place. You didn't mind much. If there was one thing you'd learned about Katsuki, it's that he wasn't the type of person to do things half-way. The frailty you'd seen from him earlier on, when Izuku had overtaken him with first place...he was now determined to make amends to himself and emerge victorious. And even if you would be competing against your closest friends, you wanted to help him do so.

"...Fine," Katsuki murmured, seemingly convinced by your stand of resolution. "You're in, so there's no backing out now."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Not even if shit gets tough."

You smiled, repeating his words back. "Not even if shit gets tough."

"Ehh??"

"Bakugou, you're seriously not gonna let me join??"

"No fair!"

The students had all taken to protesting loudly, but it was all in vain—Katsuki had already begun dragging you by the sleeve of your uniform, away from the buzz and noise. It was at this time that the friendly redhead, Kirishima, came bouncing up with another dark-haired male at his side; Sero. Of all the class, Kirishima had arguably the best rapport with the blonde, and was probably the closest thing to a "friend" that he had. It was thus easy enough to convince Katsuki to allow them to join, and thus, your four-man team was completed.

"Oh, sick!" Kirishima grinned. "We've got [Name]-chan on our team! You guys workin' together because you're soulmates?"

You flushed at the word, vaguely remembering that he'd found out back at USJ. It was news to Sero, though, and Katsuki didn't look too happy with the reveal.

"Eh? You guys are soulmates?" Sero prodded. "Seriously? Wow. I was thinking you were pretty close, but I had no idea..."

"It's none of your fucking business," Katsuki snapped. You didn't miss the way he turned to flash a murderous glare in Kirishima's direction, as if to say "you're dead, asshole".

"N-nevermind that," you cut in, hoping to spare Kirishima. "We should go over the basics of our strategy, right?"

The redhead nodded in agreement, shrinking behind your back. If it wasn't for the fact that the Cavalry Battle was about to begin, you were sure that there might've been a few punches thrown (from Katsuki, of course).

Katsuki scoffed, eyeing his teammates down. "Fine, shitheads, but I'm only gonna go over this once, so you better listen the hell up."

I guess he's sort of imposed himself as our "leader". Well, can't say I'm surprised there.

Still, you couldn't deny the fact that you were happy to have been a part of this, listening with a placid smile and attentive eyes as Katsuki went over the brunt of his plan. He, of course, would be acting as the "rider". Kirishima could harden himself with the use of his Quirk, so he would be positioned in the front; both to take on the others' attacks, and also because he was the most resilient to Katsuki's explosive potential. Sero could use his cellophane tape to pull Katsuki back if he decided to torpedo off (which was pretty much a given), and then...there was you.

What's my role here, again?

"Yo, [Name]," Katsuki addressed, flicking his chin in your direction. "I didn't actually think about how you'd fit into all of this, so you better have something to bring to the table. Your Quirk is that light stuff, isn't it? The one that can heal?"

You stiffened up at the mention of your name, hurriedly nodding your head. "Ah, well, yes. But healing is just one component to it, and my healing isn't particularly strong, either."

"So?" he asked impatiently. "Hurry up and tell us what you can do, then."

Kirishima and Sero had shifted their eyes towards your frame, looking back at you in earnest. You smiled shyly, clearing your throat.

"Well...I can basically bend and manipulate light," you began. "It's not as if I actually create it myself; rather, I'm able to focus the rays on specific points on my body, absorb it, and then manifest it at will. The more light there is available, the stronger my powers are. So, if we were doing this Cavalry Battle at night, in the pitch-black dark, my powers would be next to useless. I can absorb a set amount and store it in my cells as needed, but it's definitely more intense when there's more available for me to use—luckily, today's pretty sunny out, so there shouldn't be any problems there."

You heard Kirishima mumble out a breathless "cool", but Katsuki still looked just as irritated and impatient as earlier, if not more.

"I don't need the whole goddamn backstory," he snapped. "I'm asking what kind of shit you can do for us now. If we get attacked by those assholes, are you gonna be able to do something about it? Do you have any defense? Offense?"

You opened your mouth to respond, but stopped yourself. By the way he was acting, there really was next to nothing that he knew about your powers, other than the fact you'd healed him that one time. But if that was the case, then why did he let you join his team in the first place, without even knowing if you would be helpful or not?

Did he let me...just because I'm his soulmate? Would he have still wanted me on his team, regardless of whether or not I would be able to synchronize with his plan...?

You hastily shook your head. No, that couldn't be right. Katsuki was only ever focused on one thing, and that was victory—if there was any chance that you would hinder his ability to reach the top, you were sure he would've cast you aside without even thinking.

At least, you thought he would.

He would, wouldn't he?

Or was there maybe a chance that he wanted to be with you, just like how you wanted to be with him...?

"...[Name]. I said [Name]!" Katsuki barked, jolting you to attention. You blinked back at him, having been lost in your thoughts, and utterly unaware of the fact your cheeks were burning a bright red.

"S-sorry," you apologized. "I zoned out for a bit." He glared at you, and was probably ready with another biting remark, but you stood up straight and composed yourself. "I don't have the greatest offensive ability," you admitted, "But there are other things I can do. For one, if enemies are coming in at a specific angle, I can bend the light around us and make them see projections of our forms; an illusion, so to speak. That should buy us time and make them miss us with a particular attack, or veer them in the wrong direction if they get too close. I can also make myself move at an incredibly high speed, for a very short interval of time, although," you frowned, "I'm not entirely sure if I can do it with all of us. But if we're all in close contact, I might be able to, and I'm sure it'll come in handy for escaping if we're ever backed into a corner. As for defense, I may also be able to offer some help in the form of a shield; I can't ensure its effectiveness, though."

Kirishima and Sero both let out a whistle in unison. "Damn," the redhead appraised. "I sort of already knew that your Quirk was awesome, but there's tons of ways you can use it, huh? That's sick, [Name]!"

He chuckled happily, placing his hand on your shoulder. It was a friendly gesture, and nothing more, but the giddy manner in which he was praising you was enough to make your cheeks flush.

"Thanks," you smiled. "I appreciate you saying—"

"Stop touching her, for fuck's sake."

In an instant, the hand lying on your shoulder had been swatted away. Kirishima let out a small whine, cradling the back of his wrist where Katsuki had slapped it. His glare had deepened, and unlike the hint of irritation from before, he actually looked mad now.

Kirishima paled. "Ah...sorry, dude. I forget you two were...well, y'know—"

"Shut up."

"But I was just—"

"SHUT. UP."

He knew better than to say anything more, if the glower on Katsuki's face was anything to go off. You felt a bit bad for Kirishima, but moments like these were hard to come by, and they made you smile. It almost gave you the urge to give the redhead a big hug, just to see how Katsuki would react. Best to leave that for another time, though.

"...Whatever," Katsuki muttered. "Get into position, shitheads. We don't have all day."

The three boys began to make their way around the ring, with you following closely behind. You knew your role, and were fully aware of what your responsibilities would entail. Katsuki wanted to win, and were determined to help him.

"Hey...Katsuki-kun?"

The blonde stopped to glance back over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"It's nothing really," you mumbled. "I'm just happy that you let me be a part of your team. So...thank you for that."

Katsuki stared at you in silence, as if he was unsure how to respond. Maybe it was silly to thank him with such a serious expression, but you really were grateful. But still...would it hurt him to say something? The longer he stood there gaping back at you, the more self-conscious you felt.

"Ah, sorry..." you chuckled, forcing a weary smile. "I guess I'm just wasting time. It wasn't anything important, now that I think about it. Let's just get into position before we—"

"When are you gonna stop doing that?"

You blinked. "Stop doing what...?"

"That," he glared, baring his teeth at you. "Looking at me with that fake-ass smile all the time, and apologizing for no fucking reason. I just don't get it. Are you trying to piss me off?"

"Fake smile...?" you mumbled. "But I'm not—"

"Yeah, you are. I'm not a fucking moron, you know; I can see the way you walk around eggshells on me. What is it?" he sneered. "Don't tell me you're scared of me? After you gave me that whole spiel about wanting to 'get to know each other better' and all that shit, what a load."

You didn't really know what to say. You were more than just confused. Where was this all coming from?

Katsuki scowled. "And now you're looking at me as if I'm some fuckin' weirdo. I don't get what's so fucking hard to understand. Do you need me to spell it out for you?"

"Um...kinda?"

You were tempted to chuckle, but Katsuki had already pulled you in by the collar of your uniform and was quite literally breathing down your neck. His piercing crimson eyes were even more so from up close. You felt your breath hitch in your throat; out of excitement or fear, you didn't know which.

Katsuki took a sharp, ragged breath.

"Listen here, [Name]—when you're around me, I don't want any of that nice, pretending shit you give the other assholes. If you ever want this to work out between us, you better fucking be honest and tell me what the hell you want. I'm not here to play games."

You flushed; admittedly, there was little to no distance between the two of you, and it was making your head feel fuzzy. You still weren't clear on exactly what he wanted, but it sounded like—

"You want me to speak my mind more?"

"No shit," he glared. "If I'm your soulmate, why should I get the same treatment as everyone else? I see you putting on airs and actin' like you're not pissed off—even when you should be. Even back when you were trying to join my team; if I hadn't made the effort of calling out to you myself, you probably would've just given up and walked away. And why? What's the point in having a fucking mouth if you can't say what you want whenever you want?"

Has he really been paying that much attention to me...?

"I-I don't know," you admitted. "I guess I'm just the type of person who would rather keep things to myself, rather than confront someone about it. And even if someone's upset me a little, it doesn't feel worth it to make myself heard; it just doesn't merit the trouble. It's better to keep to yourself instead of picking a fight over nothing, right?"

Ah, but—

You realized that you'd basically just described yourself as his polar opposite. You'd been aware of your differences from the start, but they were steadily becoming more apparent. You definitely hadn't expected him to confront you about your voice—or rather, lack thereof.

"...The Cavalry Battle's about to start," Katsuki declared, glancing back to see that many teams had already assumed their positions. He looked back at you. "So that means that we don't have much time. Right here, right now, you're gonna tell me what you want. The first thought running through your head—come out and say it. No forced smiles, no nervous laughs; just honestly tell me what you're thinking."

"Tell you what I'm honestly thinking right now...?"

"Yeah. And you better spit it out quick."

You swallowed hard, slightly distressed by having been put on the spot. Tell him what you were thinking? Hell, your mind was reeling so fast right now that you hardly even knew what was going through your head, let alone did you have the ability to put it into words. But he was close. Very close. His breath was hitting your skin, and you could see every wrinkle in his brows as he furrowed them together. You could smell him, too—a scent fresh like pine, with the undertones of spice. It was a nice smell, you decided, and suddenly your mind didn't seem quite so overwhelmed with thoughts.

There was just one now.

"I-I want to hug you..."