Clouds of dust billowed every way, mixing with soil and debris. The entire terrain had become engulfed in a matter of seconds. You groaned weakly, pushing back against Katsuki's chest to look over in All Might's direction.

"You'd do well not to take this lightly," he said, expression darkened. "I am a villain, oh heroes. Which is why I couldn't care less about keeping this town intact, and why you'd better come at me with all your strength."

You squinted; it was still hard to see everything clearly. Katsuki muttered something from underneath you, and helped lift you up and prop you to your feet. All Might was hunching forward now, his knees dropping slightly.

"This is bad," Izuku croaked, "he's gonna come—!"

"Outta the way, [Name]!"

As abruptly as you'd stood up, you were forced off to the side by Katsuki's arm. You opened your lips in protest, but he'd already shot in front of you—obstructing All Might's path. He extended his palms outwards, unleashing an explosion from close range.

So that's his choice, huh? He seriously wants to fight All Might head-on...

You remembered the words you'd spoken to Katsuki earlier, about supporting him. If he truly refused to cooperate with Izuku, you didn't intend to force him, and although the idea of facing off against All Might was quite terrifying, you intended to stay true to your word.

If this is what it took to stay by his side, you'd gladly do it.

"[Name]-chan!" Izuku cried out, watching as you rushed forward to attack All Might from the opposite side. "Not you, too...!!"

You gritted your teeth, already anticipating the pain. You drew closer, eyes widening as you watched All Might grab Katsuki and manhandle him by his face. To you, it was apparent that he'd need to get away, but the blonde did nothing of the sort, instead opting to unleash a barrage of explosions at point-blank.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!" All Might grimaced. "I swear—wouldn't most people pull away after having their face grabbed??"

Still with his grip locked on Katsuki's jaw, he brutally slammed the boy to the ground. Katsuki coughed and wheezed, all the air having been knocked out of him. You saw All Might's fist descend upon him, eager to land another crippling blow, but thankfully you reacted in time. He faltered when a faint glow surrounded Katsuki's body, and when his punch was repelled by a scarcely-visible shield of light. His bright, blue pupils flickered back towards you.

"Oh-ho?" he challenged. "Trying to sneak up on me, were you?"

"[Name]!" Katsuki roared, "hurry and get back—!!"

He tried to warn you, but All Might was already surging forward. Your stomach did a flip as you saw his staggering figure rushing you with one fist poised. That intense, overwhelming aura—it was obvious you stood no chance. Out of fear, you activated your light-speed to rush out of the way.

Your eyes widened.

What am I—?! I was supposed to save it for trying to rush towards the gate, but without realizing it, I...!

"So fast," All Might appraised, missing your body by a mile. "But, you know—" In an instant, he was by your side again, "I can keep up this speed far more consistently than you."

You screamed internally, but it was already too late to evade. The punch connected with your left shoulder and sent you flailing across the terrain and crumpling onto your back. You hacked up on the ground, having to force your breaths out; it felt like your chest was on fire. Your fingers clutched at the throbbing area of your left arm. Any more force and you were certain it would have been dislocated, or broken.

"There's also you, Midoriya!"

All Might rushed the freckled boy next, but you were too busy writhing in agony to follow them with your eyes. You felt a sudden tug on your uninjured arm. Katsuki was staring down at you with his jaw clenched.

"Come on, get up!" he urged. "Lay there any longer and he'll come pummel you again!" He offered you a hand to lift you up again, but you shook him off, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. You couldn't have him keep saving you, over and over again. Even if you weren't anywhere near as strong as your other two allies, you had to contribute, in some way.

You lifted yourself up, letting out a soft groan. Katsuki paused to look you over again, eyes flickering with concern.

"You alright?" he asked, gesturing to your shoulder. "Is it bad?"

"I'm fine," you reassured. "I can always heal myself a bit, if it gets too unbearable. I'd rather tend to your injuries first, though."

"Don't worry about me, moron." For a moment you thought he was annoyed at your expressing concern and 'undermining' of him, but his eyes said otherwise. "Take care of yourself first," he muttered. "Always you first, okay?"

"O-okay."

All Might had just smashed Izuku into the ground, and Katsuki clicked his tongue in annoyance. Even now, you had to agree with Izuku—that facing someone like All Might head-on was reckless, at best. But if this was what Katsuki had chosen, you were determined to see it through. You didn't even really care if you passed or failed anymore. If winning against All Might would bring Katsuki joy, then...

We're gonna win no matter what.

"I'll shield you," you declared, earning a confused glance from Katsuki in response. "My offensive abilities are fairly weak," you explained, "so the most efficient use of my powers would be to heal and support you from the sidelines, and help deflect some of All Might's attacks every now and then. I know getting Izuku-kun's help is out of the question, but if I only help you a little in this way, it'll still be you who takes down All Might. We can do it, for sure."

You flashed him a lopsided grin, and he could only stare at you blankly. He hastily averted his gaze before a blush fell upon his cheeks.

"That's f-fine," he stammered, "as long as you're not planning on stealing my spotlight. "

"I would never."

"Good," he huffed. "Coz...I can beat him, you know?"

"I know, Katsuki-kun."

Katsuki pressed his lips together, nodding hurriedly. He didn't utter another word, but he didn't need to. Even if the odds of victory were slim, you refused to give up.

You stared at him, unblinking, channeling your energy into his body. Against All Might's brutal attacks, there was hardly anything you could do, but giving Katsuki some of your strength and amplifying his powers was better than nothing. Everything could make a difference—especially at an opportune moment.

"I'm going now," he declared.

You hastily stepped aside, allowing for Katsuki to propel himself forward. Izuku had just barely scrambled away from All Might; the blonde veered straight towards him right on cue. You watched as he hit the hero up close with an explosion, then used another one to back away.

All Might hardly flinched. "Still not coordinating with Young Midoriya, hm? As for Miss [Name]..." He spotted you sprinting around the parameters, but never straying too far away from Katsuki. You swallowed nervously. Katsuki was hitting him with another barrage before he could react.

"I'm the only one you should be paying attention to, All Might...!!"

"Whoa, there." All Might chuckled softly, and you looked up, eyes widening far too late. "That move isn't gonna work."

Katsuki lurched forward once more, but his timing was off. Izuku had jumped into the air, trying to place as much distance between him and the pro hero as possible. Both of them were converging at the same spot, and the momentum was too high—they were gonna crash.

"Fucking shit!" Katsuki cursed, falling to the ground after smashing into Izuku. The freckled boy winced, breathing raggedly, and moved to now distance himself from his supposed "ally." You rushed over towards the two of them as quickly as you could.

"Are you guys okay?" you asked. You moved to extend a helping hand out to Izuku first, but you caught the glare forming on Katsuki's expression and hurriedly pulled it back. The blonde stood up abruptly, making sure to shove Izuku out of the way.

"I-I don't get it," Izuku croaked. "Can't you see facing him isn't going to work? We need to find another—"

"Shut up." Katsuki strode straight forward, never tearing his hardened gaze away from All Might's frame. "I will win. Because that's just what a fucking hero does."

You swallowed. "Katsuki-kun, at least let me heal you a bit..."

"I'm fine."

"But—"

"I said I'm fine," he growled.

You winced, unknowingly taking a step back. You had no right to complain now. After all, you'd chosen to support him, even if you didn't fully believe in his reckless approach. He was hurting, and you'd chosen to help. His frustrations weren't directed towards you, that much you understood. You'd told yourself you could endure, and you would.

Lips moving wordlessly, you constructed another light shield around him. Katsuki didn't say anything before propelling himself back into the fight. You thought you heard All Might clicking his tongue.

"This selfish mindset of yours will get you nowhere," he said.

Katsuki roared above him, unleashing an explosion from overhead. All Might barely even flinched, and hurled his fist backwards before connecting it with Katsuki's forearm. The particles of light surrounding his body fluctuated and flitted every which way. You watched, horrified, as the hero's fist tore straight through your barrier and sent Katsuki flying against the side of a building.

I-it barely did anything this time...

"Miss [Name]'s trying to cover you from a distance, correct?" Your eyes widened; he'd materialized by your side in an instant. "Well, it has the inklings of teamwork," All Might drawled out, "but I'm afraid Young Bakugou is too selfish to fully commit to that."

You couldn't react on time. Even if you tried to activate your light-speed, you were already a goner. All Might grappled onto your by your costume, and flung you straight down into the ground. You stifled the urge to scream, biting down on your lip so hard you drew blood.

If your shoulder hadn't been dislocated earlier, it definitely was now.

"Right now, I am villain," All Might bellowed, staring down at you with dark sclera. "In a real fight, an enemy wouldn't even think twice before executing his foes. If the three of you were unwilling to work together, and had no concrete plan going forward, a true villain would take advantage of your hesitance and use it to end your life right then and there."

Your eyes began to pool tears. Even just the slightest movement sent a stabbing pain through your left shoulder. You glanced over towards the side. Your vision was blurry, but the clouds of dust had cleared from the bottom of the building. Katsuki was hurt, but he'd managed to stand up.

"Thank god..." you mumbled. All Might stepped away from you; he was staring pointedly in Izuku's direction now. It still hurt too much to move, but you allowed your body to become imbued with warm, healing waves of light. You couldn't afford to expend too much energy, just the bare minimum to endure the pain.

"At least Young Bakugou and Miss [Name] have been attempting to fight," All Might said to Izuku. "Young Midoriya...your hesitance will be your undoing. You cannot simply freeze up in fear whenever you encounter a strong enemy. As you can see, your teammates are suffering for your mistakes."

Izuku quivered, looking fearfully in your direction. All Might's back was turned, and you moved slowly, trying to get to your feet. Your head was forced back down to the ground almost immediately.

"No, no," All Might dismissed, keeping a tight hold on your skull. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to move. You're the most problematic of them all, you know?"

You wheezed. "W-what the hell...is that supposed to mean...?"

"Young Bakugou and Young Midoriya resent one another, which meant that cooperation was a lost cause for them, but you were placed in this team to be the so-called "glue" that would bind them together. The other teachers and I were fully aware of the fact that you are one of the very few, if not only, that Young Bakugou listens to. We thought that if it was you, you'd be able to pull this troubled duo together, but...well, it seems like that isn't the case."

All Might stared down at you, his signature smile nowhere to be found. He almost looked disappointed. In you. Had he really put that much faith in your relationship with Katsuki? What was he even expecting, really?

I thought this was good. I'm supporting Katsuki-kun, even if our tactics are messy. I don't care whether we win or lose. I just want him to be happy. Is even this not enough...?

"You too are allowing your personal feelings to get in the way of victory," he mumbled, releasing his hold on your head. "While I understand there are other emotions in play, right now, you should only be focusing on the trial before you."

All Might didn't wait for you to regain your bearings. He lurched forward, ready to pummel Izuku into the ground next. A hefty swing brought his fist down through the terrain; dust and debris sprayed everywhere.

He hummed, realizing he'd missed. "Miss [Name]'s doing, I presume." When he looked back over his shoulder, he saw you, still on the ground—your [e/c] orbs were glowing. You'd bent the light around Izuku's body so that he hit a mirage, not the real thing. It had given Izuku just enough time to get away.

"T-thank you!" he stammered out. "I'm sorry for being so useless right now, [Name]—"

"YOU BETTER NOT IGNORE ME, GODDAMMIT!!"

Katsuki came thundering back in, screaming out at the top of his lungs. The explosion he used was so massive that the sheer force blew even him back. You groaned weakly, having finally managed to pry yourself off the cold ground, though your shoulder was still on fire. Katsuki was standing in front of All Might, panting heavily. His arms had begun to seize up from overuse of his Quirk.

"Your attacks are weakening," All Might noted, "yet you still think you can keep this up all on your own?"

The ash blonde was met with a punch to the stomach before he could even respond. This blow was far unlike the rest. Even from where you were standing, you could feel the intensity; the sheer, killing intent. If up until now All Might had been using only 10% of his power, then this was more like 50.

Katsuki gagged, spewing up vomit and saliva as he was blasted across the terrain, body wrung like a ragdoll. You felt your heart stop. He was so littered with scrapes and dark bruises that for a second, you were scared he would never get up again.

"And now a present for the boy who wants to run...!"

All Might came hurtling down through the air, grasping a guard-rail with both his hands. Izuku's eyes widened, but it was too late—the cold metal was slammed against his back, entrapping him to the ground.

You couldn't remember how to breathe normally. It was so easy for him; handling the three of you was child's play. You knew you had to do something, anything, but really, what could you do?

Katsuki spluttered weakly, strings of drool dribbling down his chin. He was swaying uncontrollably and clutching at his injured stomach and throbbing organs. At this point, he was barely conscious. Your blood ran cold at the thought of what would happen with All Might's next attack.

You inhaled sharply, doing your utmost to ignore the throbbing pain in your shoulder.

I need...to help him. Even if he gets mad at me, even if he says he wants to handle it all on his own...I can't...let him get hurt anymore.

You clambered forward, limbs aching. All Might was hovering in front of Katsuki, but oddly enough, he wasn't poised to attack. Rather, his movements were slow and meticulous. He was trying to speak to him.

"I understand your frustrations," he began, "in regards to Young Midoriya's growth. Of course you'd be upset. But, you know...when he starts at level 1, and you're at level 50, then naturally you'll be growing at different rates. You get it, don't you? There's no reason for you to feel bitter, or throw all your efforts away. You've still got room to grow, my boy! It's not just about physical power, you also need to—"

"Zip it...All Might." Katsuki was trembling furiously, eyes heavy and lidded. He hacked out and groaned. "I-if you're saying I gotta rely on his help...then I'd rather...just...lose."

Your legs stopped moving.

What did he just say...?

All Might's expression darkened as he looked down at the battered boy in front of him. Katsuki drew in another shaky breath, and your knees buckled, making you collapse to the ground. His neck tilted slightly, finally taking notice of you. Tears spilled over onto your cheeks.

You'd wanted to support him. You'd been determined to support him, no matter what he chose, but not like this. To hear such words coming from his mouth...you didn't know what you'd been thinking in the first place.

"Why would you say something like that?" you whimpered. "How could you say something like that...Katsuki-kun...?"