Amethyst. (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)

PART 4 - Ice and Explosions

The more time I spent with Class 1-A, the more I realized how different they were. Not because they were strong—though most of them were. Not because they were quirky—though that went without saying. But because they cared about each other. Genuinely. Freely. I wasn't used to it.

They'd all introduced themselves, offered smiles, small talk, inside jokes. It was overwhelming—like being dropped into the middle of a movie that had been playing for years.

I tried to keep up. I really did. But the truth was, I had no real experience being around people my own age. And it showed.

The only one who didn't try was Shoto. And that felt more familiar than I wanted to admit.

Which was exactly why—for a brief, dangerous moment—I considered throwing the Sports Festival.

After my first day, Endeavor made it clear what he expected: Either Shoto or me. At the top.

I saw the look on my brother's face when he said it—cold, disgusted, bitter. And something in me twisted. If I lost on purpose... maybe Shoto would finally stop seeing me as just another weapon our father forged.

But the Festival was still two weeks away. And either way, training had already started.

_________

I pulled the suit out before the second day of drills.

It had been shoved to the back of my closet, sealed in a dust bag I hadn't touched since I quit. Black and silver, tight and tactical. Reinforced plating at the chest and spine, lavender trim along the seams. Twin utility pockets sat on my belt. My gloves are fire- and ice-resistant, my boots crystal armored.

I hadn't worn it since my last mission as a Pro. And standing in front of the mirror, I couldn't tell if putting it back on was brave... or pathetic.

It didn't feel like mine anymore. It felt like hers. The version of me that didn't flinch. That didn't hesitate. That didn't doubt.

But I wore it anyway. Because I didn't know who I was without it.

Mina noticed first.

Not the suit—though her eyes widened a little when she saw it. But me. The way I kept my distance. The way I didn't join the others after training.

She tried. More than once. "Hey, you doing anything after drills?" "Denki found this arcade near the station—wanna come?" "We're grabbing food tonight, you should totally join."

I turned her down every time. Politely. Quietly. Always with a smile that didn't quite reach.

She stopped asking after the third day.

Didn't mean she stopped watching.

_________

A few days later, we were training outside. Basic drills. Nothing too intense—yet.

But Katsuki Bakugo never did basic. He launched himself forward, a shockwave of smoke and heat trailing behind him as debris shattered into the air.

"Damn, dude!" Eijiro called out from a few meters away. "You're gonna level the whole field before we even get started!"

Katsuki didn't answer. Just wiped a bead of sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and reset his stance. His palms still sizzled.

I stood on the edge of the zone, watching. Everyone else had spread out. Focused. Adapted. I hadn't moved yet.

Truth was, I didn't know where to put myself.

"Need help figuring out what to do?" a voice asked behind me. I turned.