Prologue

" Kousuke! "

Said man who is dressed in a fancy red cape with layers of toothed necklaces decorating his bare chest,

turns to the call of his name.

His scarlet eyes widen at the sight of the woman he adores running to him, her tear-stained face contorted in worry and glancing up at the balcony left of him.

He follows her gaze, curious as to what is frightening her so. But suddenly feels two hands shoving him off his balance. He falls, immediately standing right back up with his muscles flexing to fight, his lungs heavy with deep breaths, ready to scream at his assailant.

Except when he sees who attacked him, who pushed him, his heart sinks into the pits of his stomach like an anchor in the sea. Like how it does when he's falling from the sky with no safety on the ground.

The love of his life, an auburn haired woman has an arrow piercing her abdomen instead of his. Her white dress is now stained crimson.

She saved him from the path of a poisoned arrow meant for his heart.

She saved him.

" Ayane! "

He screams, so raw, so broken, he himself barely recognizes his own sound.

He scrambles to her side, gingerly picking up her torso and laying her on his lap. With shaky, frantic hands, he tears a part of his cape and wraps her stomach carefully, securing with a tight knot to try to stop the red pouring out of her. To stop her from loosing anymore of her lifeforce.

Her eyes are half-lidded, her cheeks are still flushed from sprinting to his side, her breath is still erratic.

"No," he panics, "no no no, no please. Aya, I beg you, look at me." The prideful king, now reduced to a desperate man, is lightly patting her cheek. He needs to keep her awake, he needs to keep her alive.

Her vision blurs from the tears pooling in her aquamarine eyes, but she recognizes the raspy voice of the man she loves. "Ko- Kousuke." Her voice cracks and splinters as she tries so hard to say his name as tenderly, as ardently as she can.

His left arm coils around from behind her shoulders, his other hand combing her hair away from her face.

"We have to get you to the old lady, just hold on. Okay." He says with rare rare tears pooling in his eyes, his words meant to convince her but are working more to convince himself. "You're going to be okay. You hear me, Aya."

I cannot, will not lose her. He thinks fiercely, passionately. Not like this.

But when he is about to call a soldier to get the healer, he feels a shaky hand squeezing his right one.

"Kou, st- stop." She stutters and coughs, because the pain is too much. Because she can feel herself slipping further and further away. Nonetheless, she continues. "Please stop. It's o- okay. It doesn't hurt." She lies, her lips curling up in a small smile.

His eyes widen, a sudden sharp terror of loosing her starts to pierces his chest, right through his heart. "No, you can't leave. No please." He begs, weeping with his entire body and soul. "I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry."

I'm sorry.

Her salty liquid cascade down her color-draining cheeks at his desperate words. Reaching out with right hand, she cups his jaw, her thumb wiping away his never-ending tears.

She shushes him. "K- Kou. Don't cry. Everything is well." Her smile is just as beautiful, even if it is laced with pain, and manages to make him melt and crumble all the same.

"No, nothing is well." He argues with urgency, with deep, bone-rooted regret. "I shouldn't have been so furious at you. It wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I didn't heed you. Just please don't- don't leave." He croaks, his voice breaking and cracking every other word from his emotional turmoil, from seeing her slip right through his fingers.

Please, don't leave.

"Let's go to the healer, okay. She'll fix you up so quickly you would not even feel the pain. And then everything will be well." His words are light with frenzy and heavy with fear. "Okay, Aya? Everything is going to be okay." He chokes between sobs, his chest heaving, clutching her frail body so close to his as he tries and tries to seep his warmth into her ice-cold frame.

Ayane's smile falters for a split second, only bringing it back bigger than before, crinkling the corners of her earthly looking eyes. "Kou, they're his arrows." She swallows the blood pooling in her mouth. "Lady Chiyo doesn't have the antidote. No- no one does except him."

Hearing her words, his heart of glass shatters so much he can feel it dust into nothing. "Aya." He coos, something he's only reserved for her ears. "We still have to go to your meadow."

Please, stay. He pleads with every fiber in his being. Please.

He lowers his head, kissing her lips so tenderly, so affectionately he's afraid he'll break her anymore. And

she kisses him back, tasting the salty liquid leaking from both of their eyes and the iron from her blood. He leans his forehead to touch hers, his tears dripping on her face, continuing to mix with hers.

"You still need to show me your favorite flower bed." He says, his hot breath fanning her tear-stained cheeks.

"It's okay," she splutters, and coughs, and red is now going down her chin. "You can go and see it for me." Her beam breaks him even further. "Hm?"

Kousuke whimpers much like a child. His crown, his status mean nothing when it comes to death. He finally understands that now. "I can't see it without you, my love, my suisen."

Please gods, he beseeches to the ones up in the heavens. Please don't take her away from me.

"Promise me-" A cough and a wince and she can feel him clutching her tighter, feel him shaking further, "-promise me you will."

And when he doesn't say anything, she lightly pushes his face away from hers so she could meet with his twin crimson flames that are so dull she felt immense guilt for leaving him.

"Kou." She says with her voice small and soft, pleading for compliance.

"You have my word." He whispers back, smelling her hair, trying to keep the scent of daffodils imprinted in his mind forever.

Please don't leave me.

She gives him another smile. This time oozing relief and contentment as she cups his cheek one last time. "Kousuke.... I love you...."

He sobs openly now, kissing her cheeks and her nose and her forehead and her lips, and finally whispers a promise on her frigid skin. "I love you more."

I love you. So, please stay.

She opens her eyes, showing the light in her aquamarine irises one last time, a single tear streaming down her face.

"I promise" she whispers in his ear as he holds her to him as though they are one. "I will be with you again... I promise my love...

my Kou...

I promise."

And with her last breath, a final promise is forged. A final vow ensured to be fulfilled.

When?

Only time can tell.

The First Encounter Katsuki

Bright auburn hair, freckled pale skin, big blue-green eyes that resemble small globes. A pure white dress stained with crimson blood... an arrow piercing her stomach.

Her hand on his cheek, her thumb softly caressing back and forth underneath his eye. Her small smile, bright and caring. Tears streaking down her flushed cheeks. "Kousuke.... I love you....

I promise I will be with you again... I promise my love...my Kou... ...I promise."

I wake up with a start, my shaky breaths echo in my bedroom.

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, I slowly calm down from the heart-wrenching nightmare.

I've seen the annoying dream only a few times. All since my fifteenth birthday, the carrot-head dying in my arms, calling out to me.

Calling me Kousuke.

I only met her in these nightmares and whenever I witness her death, my chest tightens in grief. It

frustrates the hell out of me.

My name isn't even Kousuke. Why the hell am I being affected by a fake extra's death?

A beautiful extra, though.

I shake my head, staring at the floor.

Shut it Katsuki.

I get out of bed angrily. It's only a few minutes before my alarm is supposed to ring; might as well get ready anyway.

Still groggy, I go through the normal motions of the morning and still get scolds from the old hag when I'm too loud while brushing my teeth and screaming 'die' to kill those shitty germs on my teeth and in my gums.

After finishing my quick yet thorough morning routine and having my daily dose of annoyance with the old hag, I stomp my way to school. The prestigious school that I dreamt of going to since I was a little brat; a dream I made a reality with my two hands. I shove my hands in my pockets, my thoughts returning to the scene of my dream.

One thing was obvious. If I were Kousuke, I would've been strong enough to protect what's mine.

Strong enough to stop a measly arrow. Strong enough to fight the killer. Strong enough to save that (pretty) extra's life.

As I get closer to UA's gates, I start to remember my failure from yesterday. I shouldn't think I am any better than Kousuke. After all, I lost against shitty Deku for crying out loud. I just hope whatever happens today will help me prove how I am better than the freckled nerd on any given day.

She had freckles, a voice reverberates in the back of my head.

I violently shake my head, trying to omit my thoughts of said woman. I really need to stop dwelling on

some extra made up in my head when I turned fifteen.

As I get nearer to the large and grand gates of UA, deep tangerine-colored hair distracts me from the corner of my eye. And when I pay just a little extra attention, I realize that loud colored hair is Ayumi Yamamoto's.

For some (very annoying and irritating) reason, since the first day at UA, I've been drawn to those orange waves that are more of a deep mandarin shade than tangerine.

It's pissing me off.

Cause I can't exactly put my finger on what is making me so distracted with her presence. We haven't even exchanged words or anything. But, her entire demeanor reminds me of someone.

Not that any of that matters. She's just another extra in the film about my life.

I keep looking at her. Not in the creepy kind of way like shitty Deku. More of just in an observing type of light, watching how she walks mindlessly to the school gates. She seems occupied, like her thoughts are muddling her perception of the world as she navigates it on autopilot.

Then she turns her head to the side, her eyes hidden under her fringe and then she flinches when she sees me. At least it looks like she sees me.

I click my tongue, annoyed because she's in too many of my thoughts. I need to focus on being number one damn it!

As we reach closer to the gates, I notice a huddled group at the entrance. After a few more stomps, I realize they are reporters with mics and cameras, asking questions to students who come at the entrance, left and right.

The moment a reporter recognized me, I am faced with a reminder of the sludge villain. That bastard ruined my reputation before I could even start my career.

I'm going to kill him the next time I ever see that slime freak.

As I am about to shove my way through the shark frenzy of reporters, I see Tangerine's (Ayumi's name in my head for now) frozen frame. She tries to get past the reporters, but they keep coming at her with a

swarm of idiotic questions about All Might. Within seconds, she's surrounded my microphones and strangers crowd her more, invading her personal space.

From how dazed and disoriented she seems, I think she is having an anxiety attack. A silent one at that. I hate those things, the way they creep up at the randomest times and make you feel like shit when you're just trying to live a normal life. Fuck that shit.

I sharply suck in a breath, impulsively grabbing her wrist and pulling her through the herd of people.

"Out of the freakin' way!" I snap, glaring at anyone who dares to stop me. No one does and soon we are in the safety of UA's campus.

As soon as I stop, I turn around, forcefully contorting my face into a scowl and not meeting her eyes.

"Oi, don't ever mention this." I say, gesturing to her wrist while harshly yanking her out of my grasp. "I was only doing you a favor, Tangerine. You looked pathetic, frozen against those nosey shit-heads."

"Tangerine! Really?!" She snaps.

I honestly wasn't expecting that. And when I see her expression I can't help but let a grin twitch.

Because she's capable of making a nasty face like that. Almost rivals my own raging mask.

This is the first time I speak with the extra and her sudden irritation is quite entertaining.

"Hah! You better get used to it, Tangerine." I declare while turning around, hunching my back over, and resume my stomping to class.

I hear her mutter some incomprehensible gibberish under her breath as she trails behind me, just a few steps between us. Something about how she wishes she can punch my perfect teeth and wipe that smug look off my face.

I so want to turn around and snap back at her, but the quiet anger of hers is one I can ignore for the time being. Today is too loud anyway. And it's only been the morning for crying out loud.

We reach the classroom before the bell rings, and she sits right in front of me; gotta see that orange hair all day damn it.

Sensei comes in a few minutes later, lightly reprimanding the nerd and me about what we need to improve. Then he tells the class to choose a class president. I raise my hand (obviously, cause I'm the best) and scream bloody murder to get the position. But Four Eyes suggests holding an election (not a bad idea honestly), which results in shitty Deku getting elected alongside Ponytail as deputy. I can be better than both of them combined, but it's okay I guess. I have more time to practice my combat skills to become the best hero. To become the number one hero.

Afterwards we zoom through our normal classes and it was finally lunch time. I notice Tangerine quietly meander her way to Lunch Rush into the line to grab the last bowl of spicy ramen.

Like hell I'd let her grab the last one, "Oi, what do you think you're doing Tangerine?" I scrutinize her and she just keeps her hand on the bowl, refusing to meet my eyes. Does she have an issue with eye contact? I saw her chill with the others and she didn't have an issue meeting her eyes with them. Maybe she's just intimidated by how great I am?

Then a dastard alarm rings through the halls.

"Warning Level 3 Security Breach." A loud feminine robotic voice announces.

She lets go of the bowl and I put it down while listening to the panicking third years next to me.

"Someone broke onto campus." One boy with scales for skin says.

"That never happened before." Says another with neon yellow hair like a highlighter.

"We should go to the hallway just as protocol states." A girl in glasses states. The resemblance the third year holds with Four Eyes is uncanny.

I glance to Tangerine's way, immediately noticing her frame freeze over again. So without a word, I snatch her wrist, dragging her behind me for a second time today. She fidgets when we cross the herd, and I turn around with an eye roll. I'm ready to scream at her for being a nuisance. But I get reminded of her fear again when I see her statue-like stiff, and decide against it. She looks the same way as she did this morning; when she was surrounded by those pesky reporters.

She must be afraid of crowds, I note, scanning through the cafeteria for some place I can stash her away so she can handle her nerves without an audience. When I find a door at the corner of the cafeteria, I continue to drag her away. Tangerine doesn't try to fight me again. Good thing at that. I would've snapped bloody murder if she did.

I open the door as soon as we get there, revealing a small cleaning closet, just enough space for two people. I quickly pull her in and shut the door. My attention was fully on the outside, using my shitty ears to hear and make sure everything is far away from here cause this shitty orange head doesn't know how to avoid her own fears. Not that I care. Yeah, I don't give a damn about her. Just being a good Samaritan for once, is all..

After a few seconds, she speaks, her voice a whisper and her breath awfully close. "Um, what are we doing here Bakugo?"

"Huh." I say. Unintelligent ass Katsuki. And when I turn my head to see the extra, I just notice how close we are. And it's too damned close. My heart starts pounding and I can feel my ears and cheeks go scalding hot. I hate this.

I then re-reel her question in my head. Why are we here? A beat of my obnoxiously loud heart. Right. We're here cause of her.

"You hate crowds," I bite as quietly as possible. "We don't need you to freeze up again and make you even more useless than shitty Deku." The last thing I need is someone thinking I am a coward hiding in a closet.

"Thank you." She says so softly, so sweetly that I can barely hear her. Not like I care how she sounds so sweetly. None of my business.

I give her 'humph' in response and go back to listening to the commotion outside. It better be enough to keep her satisfied.

We stay here, not moving a muscle. At a standstill. It was agony.

My heart pumping so fast, my breaths sounding so loud I tried to physically breathe slower so I don't sound so horrid compared to her quiet breaths. Not to mention her hand on my chest was burning through and making me feel even more self-conscious of how fast my heart is running.

Not that I care what she thinks. I just hate hearing my own breath, hate when my heart goes so fast. Unless I'm angry. Then both are fair game.

I sigh after a while, forcing myself to relax my muscles and not tense anymore than I am. I'm no coward who acts like shitty Deku when he's with girls.

It takes a few minutes for pin drop silence—finally—And then Four Eyes is screaming about the reporters breaking in and I tsked in annoyance.

"Nosey shit-heads," I sneer. "Went as far as breaking in like low-life criminals." Tangerine hums in agreement, her hand twitching and ruffling my shirt.

"We should go." I say, peeking at her head. "Unless you like staying frozen in the dark, Carrot-head." I smirk. She'll explode any second.

Oh and explode she does.

"Huhhh?! Was tangerine not enough?!" She exclaims and smacks my chest.

I can't help but snort at her underwhelming anger while opening the closet door, not bothering to turn around and meet her gaze. And when I hear her steps come out of the closet, I let the door go and stomp my way back to class.

"My hair isn't even that orange." She grumbles, following my trail once again.

I don't even bother to respond, those grumbles awfully entertaining even if they're insults (literally) behind my back.

And as I stomp my way with my hands stuffed in my pockets, I recount every nuisance of hers, every little twitch of how annoying yet surprisingly tolerable she is.

And it is when we sit down in class that I realize that I don't know the color of her eyes.

Kou & Aya Ayumi

I sincerely think my stars are misaligned.

Because how does one get on the literal human bomb's radar? Without even glancing at him?

From the first time I met him, I knew he was someone I needed to stay far, far away from. His unpredictable energy is one I can never tolerate, not with how quickly I get into my panic headspace when in crowds. He's one who can navigate through them well, even attracts them to an extent. The last thing I need is a crowd conjurer by my side.

Or so I thought.

This boy, whose physique is awfully like a man's, somehow figured out I have a fear of crowds, and proceeded to help me find a nice place of isolation whenever I was faced with one.

He never even spared me a glance before. So why on earth does he now?

The fact my heart nearly leapt out of my chest when we were in that cleaning closet, I thought I'd die from a panic attack or from a sudden burst of aggression on his side. But then, Bakago managed to keep a shockingly soft voice and a tender touch. It can leave anyone questioning the way the world works. I clearly do.

(And if you think I made a mistake by calling him Bakago, you are sorely mistaken. I know it's not his name but it is what he'll be called from now on; I don't care if it's unoriginal, he isn't the only one who can come up with distasteful nicknames.)

Even if this kid looking man does resemble the king in my dreams... I mean, it's just the hair, and the voice, and the way they both are literal balls of aggressive energy.

It's not like I find Bakago attractive... Definitely not. I definitely don't care if he notices little things about me after only knowing me for one week and only speaking to me today... Definitely not.

Anyway, after the cleaning closet escapade, we come back to the classroom, me behind him, grumbling in annoyance, only to witness Midoriya renounce his position as class president to the very capable Iida- kun. Then we settle in to attend our classes until five o'clock.

I don't know who thought it was a good idea to make school days as long as work days (we are children you know), but here we are.

When Aizawa Sensei informs us of the rescue exercise and explains to everyone to change into their choice of either their P.E. uniform or their hero costume, I feel the course of adrenaline rush through my veins.

I can't wait to show just how exceptional I am in the rescue department just as I am in the fighting one.

Iida-kun has everyone line-up and go in alphabetical order, only to be organized in an open layout bus, foiling his plan on being exemplary students. It was genuinely amusing to witness his antics. His stuck up attitude seems perfect for being class president, and for some reason the fact that the guy can even make Bakago listen makes me ecstatic.

At least the explosive boy listens to people of authority.

Now, as the bus heads to our rescue exercise in another U.A. campus, I enjoy my seat beside Todoroki- kun. Like Bakago, he is a powerhouse with emotions that seem more closed off and disconnected than the explosion boy. And I enjoy his silent company. As he naps, I admire my hero costume I can never get enough of.

Because above the simple black leggings, I have two shiny copper stripes running down each side on my legs, metal fabric that I can unweave from my costume in case of emergencies when all else fails. And with the leggings I am wearing a plain, tight, black tank top, the sides on torso also fashioned with those stripes of copper. Covering the tank top is a copper breastplate that was reminiscent of ancient Greek armor, a pitch black utility belt tucked right below it.

Arm bracelets of varying metals encase my limbs, four rings on each upper arm, three on each forearm, and three on the black combat boots. The best part is that each ring is composed of a different metal, each containing special properties that make forming strategies that much more exciting and fun.

My hair is tied back in a high ponytail with a metal chain made as a hair-tie for more use of ammunition and I decided to skip my matte black metal mask that usually covers half my face.

I find myself snapped out of my reverie as the class starts to elaborate on who'd be the most popular from our classmates. I honestly think Todoroki-kun or Yao-momo could be most popular, especially considering how well rounded the two of them are.

And when Tsu-chan mentions how Midoriya-kun's quirk was similar to All Might in terms of power, I can't help but nod in agreement. It truly seems similar, the pure powerhouse both share. Only difference is the fact Midoriya-kun's body can't seem to uphold the power of his own quirk. Like his own body is rejecting it to an extent.

I did notice the hidden conversations All Might and Midoriya-kun had, and I'm extremely curious as to what is the reason for their close relationship. If anything, I was expecting explosion boy and All Might to be close. Especially since the hero saved him from the sludge monster last year.

Soon, I start to doze off, the constant chatter in the bus lulling me to sleep like the person beside me. And right before my consciousness fades, I hear someone cursing out a frog.

***

Katsuki

"Oi Half and half bastard! Wake the hell up!" I scream, annoyed from seeing Tangerine lean her head on his shoulder.

Not that I care what she does. She can rot in hell; see if I care.

Speaking of Tangerine, she wakes up immediately after my shout, her head hitting the seat in front of her.

And I can't help but snicker as she sends a glare my way while rubbing her forehead. She puffs her cheeks then, her fists clenching in anger as she stands up, shoves my shoulder to walk past, and stomps all the way out of the bus.

The half and half bastard wakes up quietly enough that I didn't even notice until I glanced his way for a moment. And even though I know this blunt as hell kid could see my smirk, her microaggression is something I can't help but be smug at.

"Are these two secretly dating?" Half and half mutters under his breath, not quite asking me but more asking himself.

I ignore him. If I acknowledge his far-fetched theory, he'll think I'm tryna cover it up. Us together is far from the truth anyway.

"Sensei is waiting, you bastard," I say instead, stomping out the bus after Carrot-head.

A guy, or a gal, I don't know, talks from within an astronaut suit. From what I can recall in Deku's rambling sessions, they're a rescue hero with a black hole quirk. Pretty deadly if I can remember correctly.

All Might also can't make it for some reason. I just saw Sensei raise three fingers. Whatever that means.

It doesn't matter. All Might or no All Might, I'll beat everyone in this exercise. Show 'em all how amazing I can be by holding back to rescue civilians.

But, for the life of me, I can't focus as well because Tangerine is fidgeting beside me, keeps glancing to my side too.

That and a huge gut feeling was twisting in my stomach. An instinct that always drives me on my edge. Just like the sludge monster did.

Right on cue, a black portal swirls in front of the fountain after the electricity had conveniently shut down.

Sensei puts on his goggles and gets his shitty scarf ready. "Everyone stay back. They are villians." Damned villains.

Tangerine fidgets again, her body tensing and her shoulders shaking.

Impulsively, I grab her wrist.

(Don't "oooo" me. She looks scared, any sane person would've tried to comfort her, you damned shits.)

"Oi, you came to be a hero, right? Instead of fighting them a few years later, we're fighting them now. Suck it up." I command sharply. She clenches her fists, trying to stop the shaking, which clearly doesn't work. I can't help but tsk in annoyance, "You got fifth place from the whole class in the quirk assessment. You'll be fine." I remind her.

(I make it my business to know my competition, and she's gotten herself in the top five. She's someone I keep tabs on.)

Tangerine inhales a sharp breath and relaxes. A confidence I recognize, from the quirk assessment and during the villains vs. heroes exercise from yesterday, exudes from her. Metal braces snake around her, wrap protectively like a second skin as she turns around and tugs for me to follow.

With a smirk, I keep my grip tight on her wrist, both of us running to the entrance. I notice Shitty hair just behind us as we are so close to the front.

And then a swirl of black stops us in our tracks, something about his presence making a chill go down his spine.

Who the hell is he to hurt Aya- Wait what? Why am I thinking about her right now?

I glare at the inky pool, ignoring his claims of bodily harm. I glance at Shitty Hair and we have a silent understanding what to do next.

We attack the obsidian force, revealing a metal brace in the center of the villain.

"Oh that was close. You all are such golden eggs of becoming heroes." It speaks, entitled in such a way it pisses me off.

"Not good, you two get out of the way!" The astro-Sensei shouts worriedly at us. I wanna explode them to kingdom come if they don't stop acting cowardly.

"But I must scatter you, and you will all suffer horrific deaths." The villain continues gloomily.

"Bakugo you baka!" Tangerine shrieks as she (stubbornly) pulls me away from the warp.

If I wasn't so concentrated on seeing the villain's metal brace, I'd probably snap at her for being a prick.

Suddenly the black mist surrounds us. And my only instinct is to keep that annoying Tangerine close. So I clasp my hand on her wrist and grab her waist as the villain shifts us to somewhere else.

The sensation going through the black smoke feels like falling, and soon we land roughly on a pile of concrete.

And when I glance down, I notice Tangerine mumbling a quiet "ouch" while rubbing the back of her skull, her eyes pinched close.

But when she looks up, and I see her eyes... I'm brought back to my dreams.

She has the same green-blue lagoons for eyes as the girl in his dreams. She wears the same painful expression too. And when her eyes widen, I notice the speckled freckles that highlight her pale ivory skin.

And then it all flashes before me.

Ayane.

That's her name in my dream.

Her lips contorted in a grimace of brief pain until her features relax into one of pure adoration.

One of love.

(Whatever love is supposed to look like anyway.)

When I refocus on her face, I realize it's just Tangerine. And it's Tangerine's eyes. Not the extra in my dreams.

But they were the exact same ones.

Blues and greens meshed together, mirroring the way the earth looks from outer space. And then she whispers a namesake I've only been called in my dreams, in my imagination. "Kou?" She whispers, so scared, so cautious.

Obviously, my eyes widen.

In horror or in shock, even I don't know.

If I didn't know any better, I would've thought this annoying Carrot-head is the princess from my head; I assume so since Kousuke is a king.

Hell, even the freckles on her cheeks are scattered in the exact same places as hers. And the way she brings her palm close to my cheek as her thumb hovers above my skin... I can't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu.

Just-

I sigh.

Why the hell does she look exactly like her?

All at once, villains of different statures and various quirks start to surround us, circling and throwing taunts at how we're about to be dead meat.

As I shift her out of my grasp, I stand up, glaring at my prey. Tangerine follows suit, standing so we're back to back. I take note of Shitty Hair a few feet away from us.

I grin, unapologetic and smug.

These villains have no idea who they're messing with.

And when the first villain attacks, I scream bloody murder.

***

Ayumi

We finish fighting the villains within a handful of minutes. Bakago blasts some of them to make sure they stay down while I retrieve my metal remnants from the unconscious villains. From the corner of my eye I can see Kirishima-kun hold his breath, watching the two of us tensed and riled as we continued our silent clean up of the villains.

Bakago's grumbles broke that silence though. "They were too easy to fight. Tch, pathetic villains." I nod in agreement, dusting the dust off my shoulders as I refuse to meet his eyes.

"You're right, also they really had no idea what our quirks are. Sending me here was a big mistake." I say, eyeing the metal reinforcements in the tumbling, broken down building. "What should we do now?" I glare at the pair of them, my arms crossing over her chest in indignation. "Seeing as the reason we're all scattered cause of your guys' stupidity." I seethe.

Bakago turns around fast, his glare just as deadly. Not that it'll deter me in the slightest.

"Hah! You expected us to just sit back and do nothing!" He screeches like a banshee. "He would've done it either way!" His eye twitches in annoyance, his hot breath expelling from nose like a raging bull too.

I stomp up to him, my finger in his face before I start poking his chest, "Yes, you sit back and let the hero. Do. Their. Job." I hiss, my breath hot and making his nose wrinkle.

He clicks his tongue and looks away. Something about his expression frowning harder than before. If he's feeling guilty, I'm glad. At least something is going into his thick skull.

"If you didn't get in sensei's way she could've gotten the villain baka!" I finish, stepping back and throwing my hands up in the air in defeat.

His eyes widen, those red rubies glinting in anger. "Who you callin-!" He keeps his glare, simultaneously blasting an invisible villain who approaches from above. "-Baka, Carrot-head?!"

I'm in awe for a brief moment. Because how does one be so good at combat and yet be so bad at communicating?! What the heck!

And then I am whiplashed, my vision flickering to another scene with the same boy in front of me.

Except instead of Bakago ranting, it's Kousuke, his hands following the same motions. The only difference, the king has a sword in hand as well. I blink twice, and Bakago is back, his expression the same menacing scowl of disapproval.

I stay rooted at my spot, refusing to let the shock of seeing Kousuke in a daydream deter me.

This was getting bad. He's a fictional guy I made up in my head. Stop trying to look for him in people you know, Ayumi.

Kirishima-kun comes closer to us, his hands reaching out as a peace offering to the both of us. "Anyway, if everyone is scattered in USJ we should help the others. I'm worried for the ones without much power."

Bakago breaks his eye-contact from me, his eyes scanning the villains. Probably making sure everyone is staying down. "If the rest of the lowlifes are like this lot, they'll be fine. I'm going after the warp bastard." He declares.

I cross my arms again, closing my eyes to help me think better. This way, I won't imagine the dragon king in my real life. "I agree with Bakago. When you guys exploded and pounded his mist away I noticed a metal brace covering, what I assume, is his body." I reveal, peering up to gauge their reactions. Kirishima-kun seemed surprised. Bakago stays still, not showing any indication of the nickname I casually tossed in the conversation. "If we hold him down, then the villains lose one of their strongest."

The explosive boy nods his head side to side, mimicking my posture. Annoying Copycat. "Tch, not only that, Tangerine. He's their escape hatch. We catch him and they have nowhere to run." He explains as though I'm a child.

I'm not a child... but even I didn't catch on to that detail. Stupid smarty-pants.

"Wow, trusting in our comrades. That's so manly. I'll follow you." Kirishima-kun sas, bumping his fists together and flashing a toothy grin.

"Do what you want." Bakago dismisses, heading down the building.

"Also, since when are you so level headed Bakugo. I always thought you were a more loud and angry kind of guy." Kirishima-kun remarks, still confused at the calm classmate in front of him.

I can't help the scoff that I release. "Did you miss his outburst when I called him baka?" I mumble under my breath, kicking a few pebbles on the floor, playing with a few of her metal pellets.

"Hah! What do you mean?! I'm always level headed! Die!" he shouts at us, scowling as he glares at our bright colored hair.

Kirishima-kun lightly chuckles. "There he is."

Clicking his tongue, Bakago stomps his way down the hall finally reaching the stairs to get out of the building, only for it to be blocked by large metal beams.

Before he can blast his way through and squash us under the rubble, I hold his arm, giving him a knowing glare. He grumbles something under his breath but steps back while shoving off my grip. And as I sigh, I lift my arms, straining my muscles as I remold the metal beams into pillars above the stairs so the ceiling is secure.

When I finish, I step aside, dusting off my hands with two claps and sarcastically curtsy at him. "Lead the way, Your highness." I taunt.

And when I see his dazed and startled expression, I can't help but feel a little shiver go down my spine. Because his eyes are widened, his lips parting in shock before he whispers a nickname I recognize.

"Aya."

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Nerves Alight

Ayumi

My boots clank against the floating metal steps I create as I head forward. Bakago is beside me, the heat of his explosions that propel him forward, toast the metal, barely singe my skin too. And Kirishima-kun remains hot on our trail, just a few steps behind us as he runs as fast as he could.

Bakago and I had a silent agreement to ignore the whisper he let out minutes ago. "Aya." He'd said.

Honestly, when I heard that name, I felt like my entire universe was flipped upside down. That must've been how he'd felt when I called him Kou.

We finally reach the center of the USJ, all our eyes searching for the warp gate. The sight is horrific.

All Might is held tight in a death grip from the navy blue human-like creature. I don't even think it's remotely human with its claws digging into All Might's side, crimson blood seeping into his white dress shirt.

Then I see Midoriya-kun, screaming with tears streaming down his cheeks as he runs forward. The warp gate is there within a second,

"Look out!" I scream, sending out metal braces to pull him away.

And while that happens, Bakago screeches too, "Get out of the way, Deku!" Exploding the warp gate, he clenches onto the metal brace and slams the villain on the floor.

Simultaneously, I feel a cold chill creep up my spine. I turn around to see Todoroki-kun has also come to the debacle, freezing the brain-exposed creature with such precision that All Might can set himself free.

He pulls himself free from the non-human creature's clutches, and holds his side with a wince while increasing the distance between himself and the frozen villain.

Todoroki-kun walks up beside me, and I can't help but stare at his side.

These two. Bakago and Todoroki-kun, so effortlessly flipped the tables on the villains. Not only assisting in outnumbering them, but also keeping two at bay.

I really need to work harder.

Suddenly, Bakago snarls, his voice loud and commanding. "If you try anything funny, I'll blow you to hell." A vicious smile graces his lips as he hands the threat.

He's efficient, I'll give him that. But his vulgar vocabulary could use some work.

"That's not very heroic." Kirishima takes the words out of my mouth, chuckling at his new friend's threats.

I can't help but scoff, eyeing the hand covered man. "No, but it did the job to piss off the man-child." And on cue the man-child starts to itch his neck in frustration, "We're losing a game."

I raise a brow, eyes widening.

Losing a game! Is that what we are to him?!

"Well this is bad." He continues, distastefully so. "Kurogiri, you let the hero children get the better of you. Well it was expected of these hero children. Hmmmm.... Now we need to get our gate back." His scratching ceases at that vocal thought. He eyes at the creature unmoving in ice.

"Nomu."

His voice is angry and loud, chilly even as he calls it with a single command.

Like an interaction between a master and pet, the Nomu as the man-child called it, forcefully breaks free from its icy prison, losing its limbs in the process.

I'm numb when I see it happen. The sight of the inhuman thing moving, and then when it grows its right arm and leg from the bone to its muscle to its skin, I'm equally horrified and bewildered at its power. In moments, it's as good as new, standing tall next to its master, ready for its next command to be told.

"Go, Nomu." The villain says with a smile, his vision plastered on Bakago and the warp under his palm. Like I'm going to let that happen.

In a flash, the Nomu darts to him, and I get to stop it just a few inches shy from the explosion boy.

Stop it by metal beams that is. In the moment I just thought of metal creating a cage around the creature and with the direction of my hands I pull beams from the ceiling to construct it. Glass shatters from the metal reinforcements taken away.

The Nomu screeches in agony, trying to pry the metal that was starting to snake around its appendages and tighten as I clench my open palm into a fist.

"How?.... Who dares interfere?!" The man-child's voice bellows. His eyes frantically searching for the culprit. Which is me.

I'm crouched as I proceed with my control of the iron and steel, panting as I try to keep the cage as secure as possible. To keep it easier for me, I keep evolving the cage's structure as best as I can.

It isn't as easy as it looks ya know. Metal becomes an extension of my nervous system when I control it.

For temperature, metal reacts slightly differently. If metal is heated to a temperature that melted it to a liquid, my skin would sear painfully. If frozen to the point of expansion, I'd get extreme muscle cramps that last on days end.

However, that's only temperature altercations. If I am facing brute force, it would feel as though I'm receiving the hit on my own body. So any hit I'm receiving from the Nomu right now is sending spikes of pain up my arms, my non-existent muscles aching from the strain.

And then, a single punch has me so disoriented, a fall face first on the concrete floor. Kirishima-kun, bless his manly soul, helps steady me on my two feet. My vision blurs as I look ahead, try to figure out exactly what strength has made me so useless within a second.

My eyes widen when I realize who it was.

All Might. Probably with his classic Detroit smash. I didn't hear him say it so I can't be sure.

"You did good, Yamamoto-san." Kirishima-kun praises while still holding me up, hopefully not minding my weight on him. "You were so manly."

I give him a soft, tired smile, patting his bare chest in a way that conveys that I'm okay and he can let me go. "Thank you Kirishima-kun." I whisper as my limbs barely move on their own. "But I feel more sore than manly right now."

He chuckles for a moment, shaking his head and looking back at the, his smile falling the moment he realized the predicament his teacher and friend were in.

The Nomu punches All Might away, resuming its course to Bakago, an explosive idiot playing hero by remaining glued to the warp's side.

It zooms to him at full force, and I can't do anything but watch.

But before I can blink, he's chucked out of the way right to my side.

"Kacchan? You dodged that?" Midoriya-kun asked, jerking his head to Bakago sprawled on the floor. His expression was one of pure bafflement, maybe even admiration from how fast his childhood friend really is.

With no hesitation, Bakago snaps at the poor scrawny boy. "No shut up, die scum." He glared at the smoke from the hit, the only thought ringing in his head.

I didn't see anything. I glance at Kirishima-kun and Todoroki-kun to see if they know any better.

Kirishima-kun is in equal shock, his arms outstretched in front of him as though he wants to ask a question but fails to articulate any words.

Todoroki-kun gawks with wide eyes, trailing his vision back to where explosion boy originally was. "Then that was..."

From the dust and debris that clears after Nomu's devastating attack, All Might stands, hunched over in pain, his arm protecting his face while taking the blow.

I don't bother to continue listening to their conversation as pain starts to crawl up every muscle fiber in my system. My vision blurs once again (stupid vision) while I stagger from holding my own weight, trying to regain my footing. I do not expect an arm to coil around my waist and pull me closer to a warm body to rest my weight against. I peer over my shoulder and my eyes meet the worry glinting rubies.

"The hell is wrong with you, Carrot head?" He whispers in her ear, his breath tickling my skin.

I shift my weight on my other leg. "Drawback" She grunt, her muscles so numb I feel like I'm literal jello.

He clicks his tongue, something I realize he does often, and moves me to his side to make it easier for him to balance my weight on him.

"What are you doing?" I murmur drowsily, knowing full well what he is doing, and humming in content from his warmth soothing the ache of my muscles. I don't mind the extra assist from the human heater.

"Making sure you don't look weak so the villain can get you, dumbass."

"Hmph, I'm not weak."

He tightens his grip, his voice dripping with admiration and pride. "Didn't say you were." He whispers again. He sounds much nicer with the lower volume. Almost tolerable. Too similar to the Kou I know.

I can feel my cheeks heat from the thought. But as quickly as Kou invades my mind, the pain overtakes, making me wince again.

All might put the fight in the bag, his punches so violent and in constant repetition it brings out gusts of wind emanating from his punches.

The entire time Bakago holds me close, his body shielding mine. I don't know if he meant to or not, but there was enough space for me to hide my face in his shoulder. And pathetically, with each gust of wind, I wince, whimper, and stumble as though I had two left feet. The wretched wind is no help when it amplifies my dizzy headache even more.

I can't focus on anything, the sounds all muddling into incomprehensible gibberish. That is until one final smash sends the Nomu flying through the roof.

With wide eyes, I watch the man-child breakdown, Kirishima-kun's calls to let All Might to finish the job fading into the background.

Within a minute, the pair of villains surge forward to face All Might without their 'human punch bag'. Their intent: to kill the number one hero.

Then I see Midoriya-kun jump so quickly I can't help but panic for his safety.

Quickly I send one of my metal braces to catch Midoriya-kun before the warp gets near him, but this disrupts the balance between me and the boy keeping me up.

As I get ready to walk forward, Bakago holds me back, screaming like a mad man. "Idiot, what're ya doin'?!"

"Saving the broccoli!" I yell back. "What does it look like?!"

"Shitty Deku, I'm gonna kill him." He mutters in a deathly whisper which I barely heard.

At the same time as the copper coils around Midoriya-kun's torso, gunshots bang through the arena. The heroes.

They came.

Finally.

I go limp, falling into the darkness that comforts me from the pain.

~~~

The first thing I feel when I wake up is the soft cotton sheets beneath me. The first thing I see is the blurred ceiling.

I wince when I shift and sit up, throwing my legs over the side of the bed. My head thumps with my heart and my muscles are numb from the strain. I sigh deeply, trying to assuage the exhaustion that bleeds into me and makes my eyes feel so heavy.