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Chapter 1: Sparks FlyIzuku Midoriya stood in the corner of the workshop, his eyes glued to the monitor in front of him. The hum of machines and the clatter of metal parts scattered across the floor filled the air, a familiar sound that made Midoriya feel at peace. This was where he thrived, surrounded by blueprints and half-finished inventions. His partner, Hatsume Mei, was as energetic as ever, zipping around and tinkering with new gadgets.“Midoriya! Is this supposed to explode on its own?!”Midoriya glanced up from his work, his hands still moving expertly on his latest project. “No, Hatsume, it’s supposed to stabilize once the circuit connects properly,” he replied, his voice calm and assured.Hatsume grinned widely, clearly impressed. “Ah, of course! You’re a genius, Midoriya!”Midoriya flushed slightly at her praise but smiled in return. “It’s nothing, really,” he mumbled, his focus back on his work. But even as he concentrated, a thought kept tugging at the back of his mind.“Kacchan.”Hatsume, noticing his distracted expression, raised an eyebrow. “Bakugo? You’ve been thinking about him a lot lately, huh?”Midoriya stiffened at the mention of Bakugo’s name but quickly shook his head. “I—I’m not thinking about him!” His words came out too quickly, and he immediately regretted them. But it wasn’t the way she meant. Lately, it had been impossible not to think about Bakugo. He didn’t know when it started, but there was a softness to their interactions now, a change he wasn’t used to but welcomed.Hatsume only smirked knowingly. “Sure, sure, Midoriya. Whatever you say.”The training field was a flurry of activity as the students of Class 1-A carried out their drills. Today’s exercise combined combat training with teamwork, and Bakugo was, as usual, putting everything into it. Midoriya stood off to the side with Hatsume, watching intently as the explosions erupted around the field.“Watch out!” Kirishima shouted, his voice filled with concern as Bakugo surged forward, sending a wave of explosions in all directions.Midoriya’s breath caught as Bakugo collided with a training dummy, his body slamming hard into the ground. The sound of impact echoed in the air, and Midoriya’s heart raced with worry. He could see Bakugo struggling to get back up, his movements slow and strained.“Kacchan!” Midoriya called out, his voice filled with urgency as he sprinted across the field, disregarding the fact that the training session was far from over. His mind raced with worry, every step bringing him closer to the person he had been thinking about for far too long.The rest of Class 1-A paused, watching in confusion as Midoriya rushed toward Bakugo. They’d all seen the rivalry between the two, but this? This was different.Bakugo was still on the ground, grimacing as he tried to push himself up. “What do you want, nerd?” he snapped, but his words didn’t have the usual fire behind them. His usual anger was softened, replaced by something Midoriya couldn’t quite place.Midoriya crouched beside him, his eyes full of concern. “Kacchan, are you okay? You’re hurt!” His hand hovered over Bakugo’s shoulder, unsure whether to touch him, but the concern in his voice was undeniable. He wasn’t trying to provoke Bakugo—he genuinely wanted to help.Bakugo’s glare softened, though he still managed a rough grunt. “I’m fine, damn it. Quit treating me like I’m fragile.”Midoriya was having none of it. “You’re not fine. You need to go to the infirmary. Let me help you up.”The rest of the class watched in stunned silence as Midoriya gently helped Bakugo sit up. No one had ever seen him like this—not with Bakugo, not with anyone. Midoriya, the kind, selfless kid, was speaking to Bakugo with a tenderness that was entirely new to everyone.“Come on, Kacchan. You know you don’t have to be tough all the time,” Midoriya said softly, his voice reassuring.Bakugo stared at him for a moment, then huffed, his pride still intact but now tempered by something else. “I’m not going to the infirmary,” he muttered. “I don’t need anyone fussing over me.”Midoriya smiled softly, his eyes warm. “I’m not fussing. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”For the first time in a long while, Bakugo didn’t argue. Instead, he let Midoriya help him to his feet. “Fine, nerd,” he grumbled, but there was no venom in his words. “You win.”Class 1-A exchanged surprised glances as Midoriya gently led Bakugo off the field, ignoring the rest of the exercise completely. The tension between them was gone, replaced by something quieter, more supportive. It was a new side of their relationship, one that neither of them had anticipated. Chapter 2: Quiet MomentsThe infirmary door clicked shut softly behind them as Bakugo sat down on the bed. His muscles were sore, but it wasn’t the physical pain that had him still in a daze—it was the strange comfort of being cared for, something he wasn’t used to.Midoriya moved around him with ease, adjusting the straps of his gear and checking for any injuries. Bakugo watched him in silence, taking in the way Midoriya’s brow furrowed in concentration, the softness of his touch. It was… different. There was no need to be rough with him, no need to push him away. For once, Bakugo didn’t mind the help.“You’re lucky,” Midoriya said, his voice gentle but firm. “You could have hurt yourself worse.”Bakugo rolled his eyes, but it didn’t feel the same as usual. His usual irritation was gone, replaced by something softer. “I told you, I’m fine,” he muttered, but it didn’t sound convincing even to him.Midoriya paused, glancing up with a small, knowing smile. “You’re stubborn, Kacchan. But even you can’t deny you’re not invincible.”Bakugo chuckled quietly under his breath. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” His words were still harsh, but the edge had dulled.For a long moment, there was silence between them, the soft rustle of Midoriya’s movements the only sound in the room. Bakugo didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with insults, didn’t feel the need to argue. Instead, he let Midoriya do his thing, a quiet acceptance in the air between them.“Alright, all done,” Midoriya said, standing up and stepping back. “You’re all patched up. You should be fine after a little rest.”Bakugo glanced at him, his gaze more thoughtful than usual. “You really don’t have to do this, you know,” he said, his voice quieter. “I’m not some helpless idiot.”Midoriya smiled, his eyes soft with affection. “I know, Kacchan. I just… want to make sure you’re okay. That’s all.”Bakugo met his gaze, his lips twitching into a half-smile. “You really are annoying, you know that?”Midoriya chuckled. “Yeah, I know. But you still like me anyway.”For a moment, Bakugo didn’t answer. Instead, he just looked at him, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he said, “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don’t make it weird.”Midoriya grinned. “I won’t make it weird.”And as Bakugo relaxed back onto the bed, his usual fire simmering down, Midoriya felt something he hadn’t quite expected. A sense of peace. Maybe things with Kacchan wouldn’t be perfect, but they didn’t need to be. Not when they had moments like this.