47

Chapter 38

There were no congratulations.

Neither of us ran to each other screaming about how proud we were.

We just stood there. Staring.

Our eyes stayed interlocked, the only thing coming between us was the soundwaves rattling our bones from the stands. There was no smiling. Just, staring.

I'd thought my biggest competition would be Bakugo, so pride driven. Maybe Todoroki, who was so blind with victory that he would shove my face in the dirt until somebody pulled him off.

I had it. I had that race, that victory sitting in the palm of my hand. Izuku had always had a way of slipping through cracks, this appeared to just be one of those times. Every time I think I've got him figured out, he seems to continuously surprise me nonetheless.

His face softened, raising his hand as he went to make a move and I turned away to leave, stopping for one second. "Enjoy that win, Midoriya. I won't let you do it again."

I spared one glance upwards, finding All Might with a seemingly solemn, almost pitiful look. Had he made the bet with full expectations that I'd place first every time? Did he have the faith in me that I swore I'd seem to have lost in myself? Was this bet some sort of effort to throw me into overdrive? His own personal way of ensuring I won?

Though at times the two of us had butt heads, he knew me all too well. He knew what pushed me, what worked and what didn't. He knew every weakness, every strength- every trigger. He knew the way my muscles contracted for every punch and though he insisted I needed to derive my power from pectoral muscles rather than my triceps- he knew what would motivate me to follow his directions.

This bet had to be his own way of making sure I'd placed. Though I'm sure he didn't expect Izuku to beat me seeing as how he hadn't harnessed the power the way that I had, he had still fully expected me to pull out in first.

Regardless, I had agreed to his bet. He knew putting Izuku on the line would send me into some turbulent fight for first. He had expected me to win... would he let up if I lost?

All Might nodded, insinuating he wasn't disappointed but believed I could still pull out on top. I nodded back, feeling Izuku's lingering eyes as I made my way back to the stage.

"The first game for the first years is finally over. What a game it was! Now, let's take a quick look at the standings. Shall we?" Midnight caught our attention, gesturing to a flat-screen that now hovered in the middle of the arena, giving everyone the ability to see it clearly. Midoriya flashed onto the screen, his face and his name plastered across it next to a giant number one. My face flashed next, again with my name and the number two. Todoroki was next as Bakugo followed, and behind him was a girl from class 1-B named Ibara Shiozaki. It flashed the rest of the contenders as well, naming them off in order of how they'd placed in the race. "Only the top 42 will advance to the next round. But don't be too let down if you didn't make the cut. We've prepared other opportunities for you to shine."

As Midnight spoke, I turned to find Bakugo writhing in anger quite a ways away from us as he glared at his shoes. His hands were balled into fists, his body practically steaming. Todoroki watched me carefully, obviously rolling something over in his mind.

I couldn't find Izuku but as I felt a soft hand slip across my lower back and a presence practically on top of me to my left, I had to assume it could only be him. Turning, I was actually met by Shinso.

"So, her majesty falls from the throne," He snickered, interlocking his hands as he rolled on his heels, focusing on the stage ahead.

"Shinso, I don't have time for this." I griped.