It was the day of the practical exam.

All nerves and anxious feelings aside, you'd managed to get through the written test without much of a problem. You knew you'd passed, and that you'd probably gotten a good grade too, thanks to Katsuki's tutoring. The only thing still standing in your way was the ever-so-ominous battle evaluation, which had you more on edge than ever before.

From what you'd heard, it wasn't supposed to much different from the U.A entrance exam—eliminating as many robots as possible in order to accrue points. If that was really the case, then you could relax a bit, but as you made your way over to the testing grounds and made note of the countless teachers all lined up, you somehow realized that things weren't going to be quite so simple.

"Sorry, all!" Nezu had popped up from within Aizawa's cloths, and proceeded to lower himself to the ground with a wry smile. "I know you were all expecting something different, but for various reasons, we've decided to change the layout of the exam, starting today!"

The students all gaped back at the furry, white animal; Kaminari and Ashido looked particularly shocked. They must've been in the middle of an early celebration, poor things.

You sighed wearily, casting your head down.

Please don't say we're fighting the teachers, please don't say we're fighting the teachers, please don't say we're fighting the—

"We've arranged for each of you to separate into teams of 2-3 people and go up against one of the pro heroes from this group!"

—I fucking knew it.

You nibbled on your bottom lip, casting a sideways glance towards Katsuki. He was positioned just beside you, looking relatively unfazed as to the new information. Well, seeing as he hardly ever got nervous, you weren't too surprised. He definitely didn't have to worry about passing, but you, on the other hand...

"We will now announce your matchups," Aizawa went on, ignoring the groans and wails of despair of his students. "A lot of decision-making went into this process, including your fight compatibility, differences and similarities, teamwork, and etcetera. First off will be Todoroki and Yaoyorozu—they'll be going up against me." He half-smirked, eyeing the two down with black irises.

"The following group consists of Bakugou," Midnight stepped up to continue; your ears perked up almost immediately, "and [Name]."

Yes...!

You snapped your neck back towards Katsuki, unable to hide the grin that had broken out across your lips. He flushed a bit, taking note of your excitement, and hurriedly nodded his head to second his enthusiasm. This was the best possible outcome, really. Sure, you were a little worried that you might hold him back, but at least if the two of you were together, then you could definitely cooperate and—

"Midoriya will also be a part of your team." Eh? "And as for who you'll be facing...."

"I'M HAPPY TO OBLIGE!!"

That voice alone spoke for itself, but still, you looked up, and found none other than All Might towering above you. The roof of your mouth dried out in an instant. You shot a glance towards Izuku, whose face had gone pale, then Katsuki, whose brow had begun twitching furiously.

His crimson eyes were burning, and so was your soulmate mark.

—

"Do you guys wanna sing a song, or something...?"

All Might chuckled wearily, glancing back at all three of you from the front of the bus. Since your destination was a bit further away, you had to drive up towards the test site. Suffice it to say, there was total and utter silence in the vehicle, and each boy was seated on nearly opposite ends.

Obviously, you'd chosen to sit by Katsuki's side, but he didn't seem too keen on conversing. His jaw was more rigid than ever, and his crimson eyes had clouded over. You inhaled sharply, shuffling closer to him so that you could place your hand atop his own.

"Katsuki-kun," you mumbled, "are you—?"

"I'm fine, [Name]." His reply was sharp, though you'd expected this much. "I know what you're getting at, but I don't want to even think about that shithead right now. At least for now, I wanna sit here in silence and pretend like his sorry ass isn't here."

You smiled sadly. "I understand. Just remember that I'm here for you, please."

"I know."

To your surprise, his fingers interlaced with your own before giving them a tight squeeze. You blushed in spite of yourself. Before, he would've just yelled at you to shut up, or ignored you altogether. Even though he was probably more upset than he could put into words right now, he was still trying, for you.

You let out a soft sigh, sinking into Katsuki's shoulder. Your eyes flickered towards the front of the bus, where Izuku was sitting close to All Might. He glanced back in your direction for just a moment; a bit fearfully, you might add. You'd been caught in the middle of all this, but you still couldn't imagine how your friend felt. If you were in this situation, forced to work together with someone who held such bitter feelings towards you, could you even follow through with it? Or would you be drowned out by your own fear?

I'm not as brave as them, you thought, furrowing your brows together. But I'm sure there's something I can do. There must be a reason...why the teachers made me a part of this team.

A few more minutes of heavy silence ensued, and then, it was finally time to disembark. You mentally thanked the heavens for putting an end to the most awkward situation of your entire life, and stepped out, only to have your eyes widen.

"This is where our exam is taking place...?"

"Correct," All Might smiled, standing before the three of you. He watched you study your surroundings, the likes of which consisted of dilapidated buildings and messy debris. It almost looked like some kind of ghost town. "This space will be perfect for our purposes," he went on, "since it allows us to run rampant without needing to worry about damaging our surroundings. Of course, it goes without saying that you can use your Quirks out here freely."

Izuku had taken to stepping forward, green eyes trembling. "Um, regarding this whole test...you can't possibly expect us to win against you, right...? I mean, no matter how many of us there are, there's just no way we could ever—"

"Stop, stop," All Might chuckled. He waved his hand dismissively at the curly-haired boy and reached behind him to pull something out. "For this particular stage, you'll be given a time limit of thirty minutes. Your objective is to either get these handcuffs on me, or for one of you to escape from the stage in the clearly marked "exit" that can be found by navigating around the field."

Ah...I see. It's either fight to win, or run to win, huh...?

"All of this only so that we consider fighting?" Katsuki snorted. "You're sure lookin' down on me."

All Might chuckled, strapping on some weights that would serve as a handicap. "You can interpret it however you wish, but one thing is for certain—this time around, your decision-making will be put to the test! Now, then!" he clapped, swiveling around on his heel. "I suppose it's only fair if I give you a bit of a head-start. Take the first few minutes to scatter out and get a feel for the terrain!"

Katsuki scowled, looking none too pleased. On your opposite side, you could hear the sound of Izuku's teeth chattering. All Might waved you off after that, disappearing in a flash and leaving the three of you to your own devices. You looked from the ash blonde, back to the freckled boy. Even now, they refused to so much as glance in the other's direction.

It was clear that things were about to get ugly.

[...]

"K-Kacchan...!" Izuku spluttered out, trailing behind Katsuki's frame. "Just l-listen to me, please!"

"Eat shit, you little asshole! And stop fucking following us!"

Surely enough, next to nothing had been accomplished in the few minute head-start you'd been given—other than an increase in tension, of course.

You swallowed thickly, keeping to Katsuki's side. He wasn't against you following him and contributing, but you knew that there was no way in hell his pride would allow him to work with Izuku. Though you couldn't personally relate, you'd spent more than enough time with him to understand that all that "condescension" and "arrogance" was really just a manifestation of his own insecurity. His ego wouldn't be able to handle it, not if Izuku lent his powers.

He's already lost to Izuku-kun once before, and I know full well how much that destroyed him inside.

"Y-you just don't understand!" Izuku exclaimed. "We're better off avoiding battle, no matter what!"

"How fucking stupid can you be?! Obviously beating him down's the best option, shit!" Katsuki threw his arm out, forcing Izuku back. He shot him a quick glare, then resumed storming ahead, as if he wasn't even there. "We're gonna lead him along by the nose until the very end. Then, when he's tired out, I'll fucking knock him out of commission, easy as that!"

You remained silent as you walked ahead, but it was clear that Izuku couldn't muster up your self-restraint. Actually, he'd already been holding himself back long enough, all these years. Not speaking up was no longer an option.

"J-just who do you think All Might is?" Izuku croaked out. "Even with that handicap, there's n-no way that you can beat him, Kacchan..."

The blonde spun around faster than you could even blink. You heard the loud crack as he slammed his gauntlet into Izuku's face; you saw the specks of blood as they hit the floor. Izuku was collapsed now, and your chest felt almost impossibly tight as you looked down at him.

"Not another fucking word," Katsuki spat, eyes burning with a hatred you couldn't even believe. "Don't you dare say anything else, or I swear I'll kill you."

Izuku stood up slowly, clutching his bloody lip. You felt guilty for not being by his side and helping him, but you knew that if you did so it would make Katsuki completely lose his mind. "P-please just listen to me," he rasped, wiping away a string of blood. "If you want to pass this test, then you need to listen to me, Kacchan...!"

"Why the fucking hell should I listen to you?!" he roared. "Do you seriously think I need you in order to pass?!!"

"You've gotta at least listen to me! And stop yelling! This is why we can never have a proper conversation...!"

"There you go again, running your fucking mouth. I warned you, didn't I?! I told you that if you didn't shut up, I'd make sure to—"

"Please stop, both of you."

The two, frantic voices died out, caught off-guard by the third. Katsuki and Izuku glanced back at you, eyes widened. Your shoulders were quivering, and your soulmate mark was burning more than ever—which is why you realized you needed to do this. Perhaps you weren't all that strong; certainly not as strong as Katsuki or Izuku. But even so, you still had a role to play here. Time and time again, your bond with Katsuki had been tested, and now finally, things were starting to look up. You weren't about to let it all slip through the cracks of your fingers.

"Katsuki-kun," you spoke, looking towards your boyfriend with sad eyes, "I really, really hate seeing you like this."

He stiffened. "What? I'm just—"

"You can't stand Izuku-kun, I know. But still. For you to risk defeat purely because of a personal grudge just makes me incredibly sad." You hurriedly wiped away at your misty eyes; you couldn't afford to break down into tears right now. "I care for you, a lot, and because of that, I promise to support you right now, no matter what you decide. If you tell me right here and now that you want to leave him behind, and go after All Might, then I'll help you do just that. But I want you to be sure that it's the right choice." You managed a small smile. "Whatever you choose, I promise to be there for you."

Katsuki's eyes didn't dare to blink. Izuku was staring at the two of you breathlessly, but even he didn't say a word. You knew you were playing a dangerous game, but even if this exam ended in failure, you would've still done your part. Your role made sense now.

Losing this might be upsetting even for me, but it won't possibly hurt anyone more than it will Katsuki-kun. I can't let this be the reason he breaks. He needs to know that relying on people isn't a sign of weakness, and if it's too scary with others, then he can at least rely on me.

Always.

"[Name]," Katsuki swallowed, "I'll—"

The next thing you knew, you'd been blown back onto the ground. You winced, eyes stinging and vision blurring. The landing had been less rough than you'd expected, and you heard someone let out a soft groan. When your eyes fully opened, you found yourself staring up at Katsuki. He'd jumped in to soften your fall, and his arms had secured you up against his chest.

Crimson eyes looked down at you, and Katsuki squinted in between shallow breaths. His face was smeared with dirt and grime, and a good portion of his body had gotten scraped up from the fall. Still, he gave your shoulders a tight squeeze, as if to ascertain that you were alright. You didn't even need to look back to know who'd just attacked you.

"You'd better prepare yourselves," All Might bellowed, "because you're all about to have a very bad time."