Midoriya's eyebrow curled anxiously, as the subject regarding Bakugou's whereabouts continued at bay. 'Telling them would make me seem like a bad person, and I don't want that. And besides..'

He glanced up to look at you, who was seen awkwardly laughing. 'That'll be exposing me and [Y/N]'s secret...' Midoriya then laid his head down against the desk, eyes closed while a flustered, yet confused heat rose to his cheeks. 'Hopefully Kacchan's alright... But he needs to know that I'll need to have dominance once in a while...' The thought of facing Bakugou head-on made his skin crawl, however he realized that he had been both his rival, and obstacle.

Which means, fighting for you was inevitable.

"Midoriya, are you alright? You seem like you're thinking about something." Todoroki inquired, approaching his desk alongside of a few others. It wasn't until Kaminari slammed a hand against the surface, immediately forcing the boy to jolt up, expression in a panic. "Come on, you gotta know something about Bakugou. Spill the beans!"

Midoriya shook his head frantically, beads of sweat shaking from his skin. "N-Not really! Kacchan's probably hung up.. over..." His expression lifted as he gazed at you. "...Over..."

Gradually growing quiet as his sentence trailed off, his lips suppressed into a grim line, eyebrows twitching even more. 'I should be a little bit honest with my classmates. They at least deserve to know a bit of the story..'

Snapping him from his thoughts would have been Kaminari. He held up a raised brow, obviously curious to his anticipated sentence. "Over what?" The others stared at him as well; as if demanding to know.

Midoriya quickly rubbed his head. "Probably hung up over the fact that I argued with him! Yeah!!" He then looked back down at his desk, regressing back into his calm demeanor. "Kacchan didn't like the fact that I talked back to him. Only... it was different this time. He needed to know that I'm not the same Deku as before, and that I can break past his intimidation."

Uraraka and Kirishima's hues flared up with what looked to be inspiration. Kirishima proved his excitement by slapping Midoriya's back roughly, causing him to lean forward, a look of insightful pain on his expression. "You're growin' up! That's great to hear!"

"M-My back! My back!!"

"Take Deku to recovery girl!! Hurry!"

Yesterday...
>[11:08 PM]<

"That leg training really hit me hard... I wonder how Iida does it..." The male with green eyes mumbled, eyelids lowered skeptically. He walked the hallways as he stroked his left thigh, but had slowed his pace as he noticed someone sitting against the couch, lifting up a mug of tea with his fingertips holding onto the rims rather than the handle itself.

He recognized him in an instant. "What's Kacchan doing up so late?.." Midoriya murmured, gradually growing more stiff while he continued to advance. 'I'll just pretend like I don't see him! Things should be fine!'

The task didn't sound that bad at all. Bakugou ignored his presence most of the time anyway, which is why he didn't fret too much.

He made his way into the common area, going to enter the kitchen, however before he could step foot into the smooth territory, the male was halted by a single voice inflicted with such anger that it made him jump.

"Hey, you."

Slowly and gradually, Midoriya turned his head, blue lines emitting underneath his eyes, while he tried to maintain his nervous, yet collapsing smile. "O-Oh.. Kacchan..! I... I didn't see you there!"

Bakugou scoffed. "Don't lie to me." He sat the glass against the coffee table, and without a moment's hesitation, he stood up with his hands into the pockets of his pants, waking up to his rival at ease. "I wanna talk to you about.. [Y/N]. Again."

Already, the future was set into stone. Midoriya flinched, glanced away, and then averted his attention. "Oh.. go on..?"

A chilling feeling brushed down his spine while Bakugou grumbled quietly. It looked as if he had a difficult time speaking, what could've possibly have him in such turmoil? "I've been thinkin' about the things you told me during lunch earlier. About not giving up on [Y/N]."

Midoriya perked up. "What ab-"

"Drop it already. It's pointless."

Things grew cold, as well as silent. Completely at a loss for words, the male with green hair composed himself for a second, and clenched his fists as things occurred to him. "...You... didn't take.. what I said seriously?.. "

It was surely misleading. He went through such lengths to give Bakugou a hearty response, and he just wants to shut him down?

"I told you, Kacchan. [Y/N] is someone I won't give up on." He clenched his shirt. " ..I have.. my heart set on her, and only her. Which is why I won't obey you so easily! You don't control me!" Midoriya, now satisfied, walked by the other who remained still. But before he could step foot into the kitchen area, the atmosphere spiked completely.

In an instant, his green pupils widened the more the presence became suffocating. A look of absolute terror engrossed him, it nearly made him want to fall to his knees.

'This... Is just like what I felt with the hero killer!'

He didn't turn around. He couldn't. With his heart thumping out of his chest, the sound of footprints grew near, and the more closer Bakugou drew, the more he felt that intense, hostile pressure, which swallowed him whole.

This was the first time Bakugou made him fear for his very life so desperately.

".. It's so hard to hold back on you, Deku." Bakugou, now beside Midoriya, gazed at him from the corner of his eye, staring at his fixation toward the floor. His hand hovered right behind his rival's neck, prepared to take action. 

Bakugou was unable to realize what he planned to do, his body moved on it's own, and so did his lips. "..Your stupid promise is only an excuse to have her. Do you really think [Y/N] likes you? That's so pathetic."

Midoriya on the other hand, trembled vigorously. He couldn't speak, and this violent intent was the reason as to why he didn't realize the hand nearing his neck. It was as if he snapped out of trauma, however, and jerked forward only to turn around to meet eye-to-eye with Bakugou.

"You're not going to manipulate me..." Midoriya exhaled, dispensing some tension from his system. "We'll see about that a few more weeks. Her birthday is approaching fast.." He then reminisced on the extended time he granted you. This forced him into a firm resolve.

"And [Y/N]... she told me that she'd think about our promise a little more. If I try hard enough, I think I can get her to like me in return." There was a sudden hopeful gleam in his eyes, and it ticked only Bakugou off.

His red eyes sharpened, just as his head tilted slowly. "So back then.. when I asked her about why you seemed so happy... she told me that it was nothing..."

Midoriya didn't recall. After all, he entered the classroom before he could hear their conversation. Despite this, everything was as clear as day. "S.. She didn't tell you. Maybe.. because she felt like there wasn't a need to.."

Midoriya wasn't in the right place to reassure him, he knew that entirely. It was just... it felt like he needed to build an excuse for Bakugou's sake.

"..."

There was nothing.

Not even an utter from him.

The male with blond hair twisted his body into the direction of his bedroom, and started walking, leaving the other alone to shudder with relief.

And by the time he returned to his room, the door clicked closed behind him, as he stood there idly. Bakugou's ash blond locks shielded his eyes. There was an undenying pit in his stomach, everything seemed grey.

He gradually shifted down and against the floor, back against the door behind him.

This was an familiar scene.

Clenching his hair tightly, the male started to sob angrily, trying his best to prevent any more tears from shedding from his sockets. "Damn it! Damn.. Damn it..."

He lowered his head while slamming a fist against the floor. "Why am I always wrong?!" Bakugou didn't feel even a drop of any other emotion aside from hate. Constant faces within his mind only made him suffer more.

Sending another brute punch onto the floor again, he'd try to create a clear mind, but couldn't. All of this frustration he felt was pinned onto you. Not Kirishima or Midoriya, but you.

It was because you lied to him.

Deliberately.

[Chapter END]