Beyond The Blast (Bkdk)

Beyond Rivalry

The weight of Izuku's words hung heavy in the air, thick enough to choke the tension already crackling between them. Bakugou stared at him, a flicker of something akin to vulnerability battling with his usual defiance. "Bottled up?" Bakugou finally scoffed, but the bite was missing. "What are you talking about, Deku?"
Izuku took a deep breath, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. "My feelings, Kacchan," he blurted out, the words tumbling over each other.

"The way I've felt about you ever since we were kids. The admiration, the... well, it's more than that now." He flushed a deep crimson, the color mimicking the anger simmering just beneath the surface of Bakugou's scowl. Bakugou crossed his arms even tighter, a defensive posture that couldn't quite hide the turmoil in his crimson eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Deku. We're rivals. That's all this ever was, all it ever will be."

Despite the harsh words, Izuku sensed a flicker of something else in Bakugou's gaze, a spark of something familiar that sent a jolt through him. "Maybe that's what we thought," Izuku countered, his voice firm despite the tremor in his heart. "But things have changed, haven't they? The kiss... it brought back our memories, but it also... it awakened something else."

A tense silence descended upon them once more, broken only by the distant sounds of the bustling school. Neither of them dared to look away, locked in a silent battle of wills and unspoken emotions. Finally, Bakugou broke the silence, his voice a low growl. "What do you want me to say, Deku? That the kiss messed with me too? That seeing you all vulnerable... it sparked something unexpected?" Izuku felt a surge of hope battling with the lingering doubt. This was a confession, albeit a grudging one, and it was a start.

"Maybe," Izuku said, his voice gaining strength. "Or maybe it's more than that. Maybe it's a chance for us to explore something new, something beyond the rivalry." Bakugou scoffed, but it lacked its usual conviction. "This is a bad idea, Deku. A hero and his rival... getting tangled up like this? It's a recipe for disaster." "Maybe," Izuku conceded, taking a step closer. "But maybe it's also a chance for something incredible. A chance to see each other in a new light, to build something stronger than competition."

Bakugou remained silent, his gaze flickering between Izuku and some unseen point in the distance. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, a mixture of fear, uncertainty, and a spark of hesitant hope. "I... I don't know, Deku," Bakugou finally admitted, his voice rough. "This is all... new. It's... confusing."
"I know," Izuku said softly, understanding the turmoil Bakugou must be experiencing. "But we don't have to figure it all out at once. Let's just... start with a conversation. See where it takes us."

He met Bakugou's gaze, a silent plea for understanding. The crimson eyes that met his held a mix of emotions - apprehension, defiance, and a glimmer of something akin to curiosity.After a long, tense moment, Bakugou let out a huff of exasperation. "Fine," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "But don't expect this to be some lovey-dovey thing, Deku. We're still rivals, got it?" A smile broke out on Izuku's face, a genuine one filled with both relief and a hint of amusement.

"Of course, Kacchan," he agreed. "But maybe... just maybe, there's room for something more on the side." The tension started to ease, replaced by a cautious understanding. They weren't lovers yet, not by a long shot. But the kiss had irrevocably changed the dynamic between them, shattering the walls they'd built for so long. Now, they stood at a crossroads, a chance to explore uncharted territory and see where their feelings might take them.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Izuku glanced at Bakugou. A silent pact seemed to have formed between them, a promise to navigate this new path together, one conversation at a time. The threat of the memory manipulator loomed, but for now, they had a different battle to face - the battle of their own hearts. To see where this battle was going to take them.