You Again.

Dark Shadow

"You're totally insane,"Shoji said bluntly, after Izuku had explained his plan.

"But if it works, we can take out two birds with one stone" Izuku argued

"If by that you mean we're both going to die for this plan..."

"We aren't going to die. We have your quirk and I trust that will be the key to this plan working" Izuku explained, trying to remain calm but really crushing down his own panic. They had to do this, and fast.

"Look. We can't waste anymore time. your classmates are depending on us"

At that Shoji's resolve seemed to solidify, and he gave a slight nod. Izuku nodded back, and just like that, they were off, sprinting through the trees.

Dark Shadows roared, alerted by their movements. Shoji quickly activated his quirk, growing two long tentacles with extra mouths on either side of them.

"Over here!"

"Come and get me!"

"Catch me if you can!"

He yelled. Dark Shadow stalled momentarily, confused by the contradictory directions of the sounds it was hearing.

Then it started chasing them again, smashing through the trees, chasing the sound.

Izuku and shoji sprinted as fast as they could. Izuku's body aches all over but he could think about that. The clearing was coming up fast . All of a sudden, shoji cried out in pain, stumbling with the shock. He knocked into Izuku, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Blood ran from Shoji's served tentacle and Dark Shadow approached them.

'Dammit,' Izuku thought 'we really are going to die'

Suddenly the sky above them filled with a burst of fire.

Izuku let out a huge breath of relief.

They just might have hope after all.

...

Tonight was really, really starting to piss Katsuki off.

Katsuki leapt to the side, dodging a sharp steely blade as it stabbed into the ground beside him and seized Todoroki by the back of his shirt and yanked him along, diving into the trees.

"What the hell!?! We have to help them! With my fire and your explosions, Dark Shadow-"

"Fuckin idiot. This is all part of a bigger plan you shortsighted candy cane. Now use your ice to get those stupid fuckers out of the way."

Todoroki let out an exasperated huff, but complied with Katsuki's order, using a block of ice to unceremoniously shove Izuku and Shoji off the path and into the trees, out of Dark Shadow's path. Dark Shadow roared, smashing through the remains of Todoroki's ice blast. It thrashed around aimlessly for a moment before locking its focus on the villain that Todoroki and Katsuki had been tangling with moments before. Dark Shadow enveloped the villain, unaffected by his blades. Katsuki made a mental note to never trap Tokoyami in a dark supply closet. Not that he had been planning to. Definitely not.

Dark Shadow pummeled the villain ruthlessly, breaking steel and bone.

"Now!" Katsuki roared, leaping out of his cover, hands blazing. Thankfully,

Todoroki followed, flames licking at his right side. Together they used their bright quirks to subdue Dark Shadow. It roared and struggled and tried to swat its assailants away but the two heroes in training dodged away and continued their assault.

With one last fiery blast, the shadowy being diapered in a wisp of darkness, and Tokoyami was revealed, huddled in a ball on the ground.

Katsuki didn't even wait to see if his bird headed classmate was alive, leaving that task to Todoroki, and marched straight over to where Izuku and shoji were just emerging from the trees where Todoroki had pushed them.

"Do you have a fucking death wish?!" Katsuki growled, closing in on Izuku, all the awkwardness from earlier that night burning up under the heat of Katsuki's anger.

" What were you thinking? You could have gotten everyone killed!" Katsuki gripped Izuku on either arm.

"But I didn't," Izuku retorted, wincing at the touch. Then Katsuki noticed the extreme bruising on Izuku's arm and the clawed look of his hands. He immediately released his grip

"Shit, I didn't-"

"It's fine, I barely feel it." Izuku said, sounding completely different than Katsuki had ever heard before. He was in pro hero mode, Katsuki realized.

"You need to explain to me what the fuck is going on."

"You're in danger"

"Yeah, no shit Sherlock. You think I've just been strolling around all nice and cozy with fucking icy-hot over here?"

"I-fuck-we don't have time for this. They're targeting you specifically Katsuki. You need to-"

"Hold up, so that crazy brain message was true?" Katsuki and Todoroki had been so confused at the abrupt message and is preoccupied with trying not to fucking die that Katsuki had decided to ignore it. But now it was back, unavoidable and glaring in his face.

"Yes. I had Mandalay send the message so that you would know to avoid any confrontations with villains. Which, obviously..." Izuku huffed, gesturing to the scene and the limp, now toothless body of the villain.

"Well what the fuck else was I supposed to do? Hide in a bush and let some thug find me? Bulshi-"

"I was just trying to keep you alive! But of course. You're Katsuki fucking Bakugou and you don't need help, or saving or friends so any of that" Izuku snapped. Katsuki fell suddenly silent. Izuku's words stung. From anyone else he could have ignored it, but Izuku?

"Shit, Kat, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's fine,I get it," Katsuki growled "let's just get back to camp already"

"I-yeah." Izuku said. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment until Izuku turned away to walk over to the others. Katsuki's heart sank.

Katsuki started to follow, but suddenly a cold hand clamped around the back of his neck and he froze. A sinister, smiling voice whispered in his ear.

"Gotcha~"