Growing together

Feelings are confusing

The next morning came quickly, as it always did. I woke up to the blaring sound of my alarm, the remnants of last night's conversation still lingering in my mind. The conversation with Deku wasn't the only thing that had changed. It was like a ripple had been set off, and now I was waiting to see how far it would spread.

I went through my usual morning routine-showering, dressing, and grabbing a quick breakfast before heading to class. The dorm was buzzing with the usual energy of students getting ready for the day. Deku was already in the common room, talking animatedly with Iida and Uraraka about something. I caught his eye as I walked in, and he gave me a small, bright smile.

"Morning, Kacchan," he called out, clearly more cheerful than usual.

I grunted in response, grabbing a coffee and sitting down at the table. "Morning. Don't you have class soon?"

Deku nodded, still smiling. "Yeah, I'm just trying to go over some notes before we start. How was your workout yesterday?"

"It was fine," I said, taking a sip of my coffee. "Nothing too different from usual."

Deku's eyes lit up, and he looked like he was about to say something, but Iida cut in with his usual punctuality. "Good morning, everyone! Let's make sure we're all prepared for today's classes. We have a lot to cover."

The conversation shifted to class schedules and assignments, and I found myself drifting into the background. It was a familiar feeling, one that I usually welcomed. But today, as I glanced over at Deku, I couldn't shake the sense that something had changed.

Classes passed in a blur, and as the day went on, I found myself more focused on the upcoming training session with Deku than on anything else. The idea of sparring with him again wasn't just about pushing my own limits; it was about figuring out this new dynamic between us. It was a chance to see if the changes we'd started to make were real.

When training time came, I headed to the gym early, as usual. The place was already set up for our session-training mats laid out, weights arranged in neat rows. I was working through some warm-up exercises when Deku walked in, looking determined and ready.

"Hey," he greeted, his energy palpable. "Ready for round two?"

I smirked, nodding. "Yeah. Let's see what you've got today."

We jumped into our routine, exchanging punches and kicks with a rhythm that had started to feel almost natural. Each move felt sharper, more refined. Deku was still as intense as ever, but there was a new edge to his attacks-a confidence that came from our recent talks and the way we'd pushed each other the night before.

We sparred for what felt like hours, each of us pushing our limits and finding new ways to challenge the other. The intensity was electric, the gym filled with the sounds of our movements and the occasional grunt of effort.

At one point, Deku landed a particularly well-placed kick that sent me stumbling back. I caught myself quickly, grinning as I wiped sweat from my forehead. "Not bad. You're really improving."

Deku's face flushed with both exertion and pride. "Thanks. You're pushing me to get better, too."

We took a brief break, both of us leaning against the wall, catching our breath. The gym was quiet except for our heavy breathing and the soft hum of the air conditioning.

"You know," Deku said, breaking the silence, "I've been thinking about what you said last night. About taking things one step at a time."

I glanced at him, curious. "Yeah?"

He nodded. "I think we're on the right path. It's not about being friends or rivals anymore. It's about being better-together."

I tilted my head, considering his words. It was a different way to look at it, but it made sense. We didn't have to define our relationship in strict terms. We could just... push each other to be stronger, and see where that took us.