"I don't think you need to be too nervous." Ochaco said, sitting across from you in the prep room.

You had managed to get away from Midoriya and Todoroki to have some time to think. You were exhausted, even more so after Recovery Girl used her quirk on you. You were also terrified of facing Bakugou. He was just so powerful.

And incredibly determined.

All that time you spent training with Midoriya felt useless now.

"Why?" You slumped yourself over on the table.

She didn't laugh like you expected her to. Your classmates usually laughed at your 'laziness' or how childish you could get. She was taking you seriously and you appreciated it more than she could ever know.

"You beat Todoroki. That's huge."

You looked up at her with wary eyes. "Todoroki could have beaten me." She looked surprised as you sat up once more. "He had two issues, he didn't use his quirk fully and he allowed whatever issues he has going on to stand in his way."

Ochaco nodded.

"Bakugou on the other hand, he won't let anything come in his way of winning this tournament."

You knew this was going to be his most vicious fight yet.

"I think you should take up martial arts Ochaco-San."

"You do?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

You nodded. "I was just sitting here wishing I had your quirk. I will probably be able to get close to him, I'm good at that. If I could just make him float that would be everything."

She smiled at the way your eyes sparkled when you talked about winning. "Have you ever tried floating a person?"

You laughed. "Not successfully."

She tilted her head again, silently asking you to elaborate.

"I can float smaller objects but I have to be pointing at it which is a pain in the ass."

"Do you think this is something you could work on in class?" She offered.

You thought for a moment. "Maybe." Your lips twisted into a wicked grin. "I'll make Midoriya my test subject."

She let out a laugh but you noticed how she cut it short. "I'm sure he would be willing."

"What's wrong?" You asked.

Her eyes met yours for a moment but she shook her head and looked down at her hands that were crossed together on the table. "It's nothing—"

"Ochaco."

She stiffened.

"Please, you can tell me." You smiled gently.

She sighed before laughing softly again. "I admire  Deku. He's really strong and tries really hard at everything he does." She shook her head. "I want to be like that too."

She wished she could tell you how she was developing a small crush on the boy, even though she decided to chalk it up to admiration.

But, how could she tell you?

She saw the way the two of you looked at each other and the way you interacted.

Even just then as she spoke his nickname, your eyes lit up.

He was important to you, she couldn't stand in the way of that.

"I agree he's a pretty cool guy." You smiled almost shyly.

"I think you two are really great together."

Your head shot up. "What do you mean?"

She giggled at your reaction. "You know what I mean Y/n-San. You bring out something special in each other. You've only known each other for a few weeks and you've grown so close."

"Ew how could you say that? Now I'll have to maintain at least an eight feet distance from him at all times." You placed your hand up as if you were blocking her face and looked away in disgust.

You took every word she said to heart, which is probably why it was beating uncontrollably.

You couldn't think like this, not now.

It was ridiculous anyways.

He was just your classmate. You had no idea where she got this notion that it was anything more than that.

"I understand wanting to hide from it." She spoke anyways, even though you were clearly done entertaining this idea. "The two of you are both so dedicated, so I'm glad you found a way to be able to do it together."

You blushed angrily.

"You don't always have to be dating to do that." She hummed.

"Isn't my fight starting soon?" You wheezed out.

She sighed, deciding it was probably best to stop teasing you so close to your match. "Yeah. Do your best, okay?"

You nodded firmly. "Always."

**
You didn't expect to see him again before your match.

You also weren't sure how he managed to sneak into the tunnel you entered through.

"You simp."

"Excuse me!?"

You laughed. "Here to wish me luck before I embarrass myself in front of everyone?" You asked grimly.

He silently stepped forward.

You eyed him warily, not understanding why he felt the need to get closer.

The two of you were perfectly capable of having a conversation from the eight foot distance-

His hand was laced around your wrist as he yanked you towards him.

Your head bounced as it hit his chest.

He wrapped his arms firmly around you and you sat there wondering how he could have possibly known that this was exactly what you needed.

"You idiot." You whispered as you gripped his shirt.

"Kick ass out there."

You looked up at him and gasped dramatically. "Did you just curse?" You pretended to faint and he held you up in his arms as he laughed quietly.

The only way you could tell was from the vibrations in his chest.

That realization caused a wave of heat to spread across your cheeks.

"I will." You nodded firmly. "I'll avenge you." You grinned and he shook his head.

"Fight this fight for you Aizawa-San." He smiled brightly. "No one else."

You took those words with you as you stepped out into the light, hearing your name escape the announcer's lips.

His face was twisted as disgustingly as it always was.

Though, you noticed a greater seriousness in his eyes.

This was it.

It was down to the two most skilled students in the hero course—that was clear to the two of you now.

It was time to decided who would take the top.

You were both determined to be the winner.

"I've been waiting for this eye bags." You noticed the way his tongue ran across the front of his teeth. "I'm glad I can fight you now that you're yourself again."

You thrived off this energy he was putting out.

The two of you got along well in that sense, both loving to boost your own egos.

"Just don't be crying to hard once it's all over, Kay?" Your sarcastic tone was paired with a big and bright closed eye smile.

"I won't be the one crying, Y/n."

Midoriya dashed back towards the stairs, clumsily running into the walls as he went.

"Midoriya?" His classmates gasped as the boy basically fell into their section.

"Did they start yet?" He panted, motioning towards the arena.

"They're still doing this weird standoff." Kaminari piped up. "I thought ol' Kacchan would try and blast her into the ground by now."

"Don't say things like that, you shit head!" Jirou smacked him upside the head.

You weren't sure why the two of you were still standing there.

You could feel the fear radiating off him.

You knew he wasn't afraid of you, only of the small feeling he had that you might win this after all.

The day had been incredibly long.

He was growing tired. With every move he made he could feel the way his muscles contracted, sending a hissing pain up his arms.

He couldn't back down, he knew you were tired too.

He could see it in the way you stood.

You usually held yourself taller when you were ready to fight, but he noticed how one foot seem to drag behind.

He could take advantage of that, your exhaustion.

But you could easily do the same to him if you were smart enough.

Which he knew you were. You were incredibly smart which is something he admired about you, even if there was no way in hell he would ever admit that.

That's why this fight was so frightening to him. He saw more in you than you ever had in yourself. That whole time you were at the USJ you doubted every move you made, but he found that he trusted you whole heartedly.

That's something he didn't think would ever change.

He knew he needed to stop thinking like this. He needed to adjust his focus. You were his target here, he needed to pass this final obstacle to claim his glory.

But he found that he wasn't that determined to surpass you like he thought he would be. You seemed so determined to win this, he wondered if your reason was greater than his.

That thought alone amazed him because he never thought he would even considering prioritizing someone over himself.

But when he looked at you standing there before him now, he remembered the way you looked at that damned nerd.

That memory relight the fire he was searching for.

"What're you still standing there for eye bags?" His grin was absolutely wicked. "Don't tell me you're scared to get your hands a little dirty."

You shrugged hard. "I have no problem waiting for you to grow a pair." You waved your hand dismissively at him. "Come at me when you're ready."

If you were being honest with yourself, you didn't have a plan.

You couldn't float rocks to distract the two of you like Uraraka had done.

You couldn't float him like she could either.

With every advantage you thought you might have over him, you're reminded of why he really has that advantage over you.

You would simply have to do your best, that's all that was left for you to do.

He was tired of waiting.

With a cold expression he lifted his hand and directed a powerful explosion at you.

"There you have it folks! We have been sitting here waiting, rather awkwardly I'll add, for about three minutes and Bakugou fires the first shot!" Mic announced to the crowd. "What do you think about this Aizawa? Are you proud to see your girl in the final round?"

"Of course I am. I just wish she wouldn't stall so much. She has a flare for the dramatics as you can see." He chuckled with a slight shake of his head.

"Always with the brutal honesty, Aizawa."

You jumped to the side immediately, surprised with the range of his explosion.

"Fancy stuff you have there Bakubro." You grinned as you did a back-handspring to easily get closer to him.

"Don't call me that you dipshit." He sent off another explosion and you held your body close to the ground.

"I thought my name was eye bags." You spun your small form and swept his legs out from under him. He fell back with a yelp and you laughed because you had no idea he was even capable of making the noise he did.

"Hop back up Bakugou I don't want to be a bitch and hit you while your down." You held up your fists and jumped back and forth on the soles of your shoes.

"She is quite the tease!" Mic yelled as he laughed into the microphone he most definitely didn't need.

Aizawa yanked the microphone back. "Yes, she is like that. I just hope she proves that she can back it up."

The two of you fought quite sloppily.

Your muscles were weary and your movements were slower than they were in your previous fights.

His were too, but neither of you would ever admit that.

Especially not to each other.

One of his punches landed square in your jaw and sent you flying back.

You groaned as your body hit the ground.

"Get up eye bags. I don't wanna be a bitch and hit you while you're down." Bakugou mocked and you couldn't help but grin.

"That one was brutal." You pushed yourself off the ground and floated up.

You dodged his blasts still airborne. Once you were floating above his head you raised your leg and channeled the odd part of your quirk.

You released Float and slammed your leg down onto his head.

The impact threw the two of you back and you felt an immeasurable amount of pain soaring through your leg.

Bakugou coughed out blood and somehow managed to still be conscious after such a harsh blow to the head.

"I'll..." he coughed. "Kill you." He stood once more and wiped away the blood that was looking at the corner of his mouth.

You tried to stand but something felt wrong.

You gripped your leg and the pain that soared through it was excruciating. You glared your at Bakugou who was storming towards you. "Do you have a fucking iron head!?" You screamed. "I think it broke my leg."

He looked mortified.

You pulled yourself up off the ground and channeled float into your injured leg to take the pressure off.

You noticed Midnight standing oddly close to the arena, she must've believed you were knocked out or something was seriously wrong.

You made your way towards Bakugou and swung your fist at him.

The two of you knew right then and there that there would be no way that you would allow each other to blow the other out of the ring.

So you two hot heads did what hot heads did best.

"Are they just...fist fighting now?" Ochaco asked with a slight squeak to her voice as she watched the aggression unfold.

Midoriya was a bit stunned besides her. "It looks like a bit of kicking and a little bit of quirk usage too?"

Kirishima let out a hearty laugh. "Those two man! They're something else! Especially together." He laughed.

Midoriya stared at the eagerly happy boy with furrowed brows. He knew that Kirishima had spent a lot of time alone with you and Bakugou, so wondered what he meant by you two were something else when you were together.

How often were you even together anyways?

He was spiraling.

He needed to stop this.

"I'm glad they finally acknowledged each other's strength!" He laughed. "Even if it was silently. This might be my favorite fight so far."

And you two really did go at it.

Bakugou would occasionally send a smaller than normal blast at your head, and some of your punches channeled excess strength.

You truly kept going until the other was KOed.

And you smiled until the end, when you were the one to fall backwards and lose.

Because even if you didn't win the tournament and the rights to the secrets kept about you just yet, you had a new understanding for the boy who irritated you like no other.

An understanding that would only make the two of you stronger.

No medal could be greater than the fun you had and the mutual understanding you had obtained.