Flamebound: Embrace the Heat ||BNHA||

.Chapter 8.

Chapter 8. Busy, Busy.

The cool air of Gym Gamma was still and quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the overhead lights casting pale shadows across the vast training grounds. Kaye stepped inside, the door closing softly behind her, and she let out a slow, steadying breath. She wasn't used to the silence. Usually, the gym was filled with the shouts and laughter of her classmates, the rhythmic clash of training dummies being struck, and the buzz of quirks igniting in powerful bursts. She could still smell the smoke as if her classmates just finished using the space.

But now, early in the morning, it was just her.

Kaye glanced around the empty space, her amber eyes flickering with determination as she made her way to the center of the room. Week three had crept up faster than she expected, and with the Sports Festival looming over her head like a storm cloud, she knew she couldn't afford to waste a single moment.

"Gotta make this work," she murmured, stretching out her arms, feeling the familiar heat of her quirk simmering just beneath her skin. Her wings fluttered softly behind her, glowing with a faint, warm light in the dimness of the gym. If I can get this move down, it'll be my ace in the hole. A secret weapon to surprise the audience—and her opponents. The thought sent a rush of excitement through her, but it was quickly dampened by a wave of doubt.

What if she couldn't do it? What if she made a fool of herself in front of everyone?

She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. There wasn't any room for doubt. Not now.

Drawing a deep breath, she took her stance, her feet planted firmly on the ground as she extended her arms forward. Slowly, she called forth the magma within her, feeling it bubble and churn through her veins like molten fire. Her palms glowed, tiny cracks of heat spidering across her skin as the magma pooled, forming twin orbs of smoldering red light.

"Focus," she whispered, her eyes narrowing. It's just like combining a Blazing Shot, but—

"Oi, you tryna blow this shit up?."

The sharp voice sliced through the silence like a blade, and Kaye yelped, the orbs in her hands sputtering out in a puff of smoke as she whipped around, eyes wide.

There, leaning casually against one of the support beams, arms crossed and red eyes glaring at her with a mix of annoyance and boredom, was none other than Bakugo.

"B-Bakugo?!" Kaye stammered, her heart leaping into her throat. "What—what are you doing here?"

Bakugo pushed off the beam, his gaze never leaving her. "Training," he grunted as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He jerked his chin towards the scorch marks and cracked tiles in the far corner of the gym. "Been here since five."

Kaye's mouth opened and closed, her wings fluttering nervously behind her. She glanced around, half-expecting to see someone else, but it really was just the two of them. That would explain the smokey smell, and... burnt candy? "I—I didn't know anyone else came this early."

Bakugo snorted, shoving his hands into his pockets as he strode towards her, his footsteps echoing softly in the empty gym. "You think you're the only one who needs to work on their shit, huh?"

Kaye flushed, looking away. "N-No, I just... thought it'd be empty."

"Yeah, well, it's not." He stopped a few feet away, his gaze hard and unrelenting. "If you're gonna train, then train. Quit messing around."

Kaye blinked, taken aback by the bluntness of his words. "I'm... I'm not messing around," she protested weakly.

"Yeah? Ha! Could've fooled me." Bakugo's lip curled in a sneer. "You're too soft. You hesitate. If you wanna be strong for the Sports Festival, you gotta get serious. Confident." He jabbed a thumb at his chest. "So fight me."