Phoenix (mha x oc)

Chapter 32: An Explanation and a Work Study

Tanaka's POV

I woke with a start due to yet another nightmare. I sighed and left my room to get a glass of water when I noticed Aizawa and All Might standing outside from the window. I opened the door to the dorm and asked, "Aizawa? All Might? What's going on?"

Aizawa and All Might's eyes landed on me. "What are you doing up? It's past curfew," Aizawa growled.

"I had a nightmare and was getting a glass of water when I noticed you outside," I explained.

Aizawa's eyes softened as he cursed to himself and All Might said, "Two of your classmates are fighting at Ground Beta. Midoriya and Bakugo."

My eyes widened, "Wait what?"

"You know, she might be able to stop Young Bakugo. He has seemed to be significantly calmer around her lately," All Might reasoned.

Aizawa grumbled before he sighed, "Fine..."

I walked out of the building and walked alongside All Might silently until we heard loud explosions. We stayed in the shadows and listened to their conversation, "Alright chosen one! I'm not going to lose to you!"

'Chosen one?' I questioned, about to go out there when All Might stopped me. "This might be their only way for them to work out their animosity toward one another..."

"We both looked up to him! Was I not enough?!" Katsuki yelled, "Why did he choose a quirkless nobody?! You got so much better while I ended All Might!"

"Kacchan..." Midoriya started.

"If I'd have been stronger and not kidnapped by villains... then it wouldn't have happened... And if I was stronger, Fuka wouldn't have gotten hurt! I can't get her screams out of my head, it's like it's constantly playing on loop! The more I try to ignore it, the louder it gets! So what the hell am I supposed to do!?" Katsuki screamed.

The area was silent for a few moments, and without even realizing it, for the first time in weeks, tears willingly flowed down my cheeks. I couldn't even hear anything as Midoriya and Katsuki continued to fight, all I could think about was the pain in his voice. 'I didn't even think about the fact that he was able to listen to all of my screams... hearing my pain... and being powerless to stop it,' I thought to myself, watching as Katsuki and Midoriya blasted to the ground. "Even after gaining his power and making it your own... I still beat you..." Katsuki muttered.

"Alright, that's enough," All Might said, walking out into the light. 

I slowly followed him, unable to stop the flow of tears down my cheeks. Katsuki's eyes landed on All Might and he looked away, "How much did you hear?"

"Everything," All Might stated.

All Might then talked about how he recognized Katsuki's strength, and that he thought that Midoriya deserved a shot to do the same. "So Midoriya does have your power..." I muttered.

Their eyes landed on me and Midoriya stiffened, thinking about what Katsuki said. I took a deep breath and said, "Katsu... I know hearing what happened must have been hard on you... but there was nothing you could do... You were kidnapped too..."

Katsu's eyes wandered to my arm, "That scar... it was because I was struggling..."

I looked down and saw the burn that surrounded the heart, the memory coming to mind...

"Keep struggling, and she gets it."

"Like you'd actually be stupid enough to kill her!"

"Katsu..." I started.

"It wasn't your fault, Young Bakugo," All Might said, "We should have been fast enough to save you. But there isn't anything we can do about it now. I didn't even think about the toll that it would've had on the two of you. It's easy to forget that you're just first years in high school..."