The day was winding down at the skate park, and the sun was beginning to set. Izuku, Kaito, Ren, and Emi had spent most of the afternoon skating, smoking, and enjoying the freedom that came with being away from U.A. and their hero training. The cool breeze carried the sound of skateboard wheels grinding on concrete and laughter as they cracked jokes and reminisced about their old tricks.
"Yo, Deku," Kaito called out, pushing himself off a ramp and landing smoothly beside him. "We've been skating all day, but I remember you saying you used to box, right?"
Izuku, who was lazily leaning against a nearby ledge, gave a slow nod, his expression calm as usual. "Yeah, I do."
"How come I've never seen you throw hands, man?" Kaito grinned, tossing his board aside. "C'mon, let's spar. Friendly, just to see if you've still got it."
Ren, lounging nearby with a cigarette between his lips, perked up at the idea. "Yeah, I've been curious too. I've heard you've got some hands, but I've never seen you in action."
Emi, ever the supportive one, stood off to the side, pulling out her phone to record. "This is gonna be good."
Izuku didn't respond right away. He wasn't the type to show off, and he didn't care much about proving himself, especially to his friends. But he knew Kaito wasn't challenging him out of disrespect—it was just friendly competition. He sighed, pushing himself off the wall, his hands in his pockets.
"Fine," he said coolly. "But don't cry when you lose."
Kaito smirked, cracking his knuckles. "We'll see."
The others cleared some space in the park, making room for the impromptu fight. Ren flicked his cigarette away, stepping up to act as a referee. "Alright, boys, keep it clean. No hero quirks, just fists."
Izuku and Kaito squared up, both of them relaxed but focused. Kaito was taller and built more solidly, but Izuku had an air of experience around him that couldn't be ignored.
"Let's go," Kaito said, bouncing on his toes, ready for the first move.
Izuku's nonchalant demeanor didn't change as he kept his stance loose, eyes lazily scanning Kaito's movements. He wasn't here to show off—just to have fun. But a small part of him was curious how he'd stack up against Kaito.
Kaito moved first, sending a light jab toward Izuku's face, testing the waters. Izuku, quick as ever, sidestepped effortlessly, letting the punch glide past him. He didn't counter immediately, simply observing his friend's form.
"You're slow," Izuku said casually, as if he were commenting on the weather.
Kaito grinned, unfazed. "I'm just getting warmed up."
He pressed forward with a series of quick jabs and a hook, but Izuku danced around each punch, his movements smooth and calculated. It was clear he was holding back, not wanting to embarrass Kaito too quickly. But as Kaito's punches grew more aggressive, Izuku's instincts started to kick in.
He countered a wild swing with a sharp jab to Kaito's midsection, the impact making his friend stumble back slightly. It wasn't enough to hurt, but it was enough to let Kaito know Izuku wasn't playing around anymore.
"Alright, alright, I see you," Kaito said, rubbing his ribs with a chuckle. "But let's turn it up."
Kaito rushed forward again, throwing a barrage of punches that Izuku dodged with ease. But this time, instead of just avoiding, Izuku stepped in close, slipping past Kaito's guard, and landed a solid uppercut to his friend's jaw, stopping him in his tracks.
Kaito staggered back, blinking in surprise. He hadn't even seen the punch coming.
Ren whistled from the sidelines. "Damn, Deku's got some moves!"
Emi was still recording, her eyes wide as she captured the whole thing on her phone. "I knew he was good, but this is something else."
Kaito shook his head, laughing as he wiped his mouth. "Alright, alright. I admit it—you're the better boxer."
Izuku, as nonchalant as ever, shrugged, slipping his hands back into his pockets. "I told you not to cry."
Kaito laughed, extending a fist to bump Izuku's. "Nah, man, that was good. I needed that. Gotta work on my defense."
Ren walked over, patting Kaito on the back. "You got wrecked, bro."
Kaito grinned, not taking it personally. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get him next time."
Emi walked over, showing the video she had recorded. "This is going viral. You guys looked sick out there."
Izuku glanced at the video briefly before looking away. "Don't post it."
Emi blinked, surprised. "Why not? It's just us."
Izuku's expression didn't change. "I don't want people knowing."
The group went silent for a moment, respecting his decision. They knew Izuku liked to keep his personal life private, and despite their curiosity, they wouldn't push him on it.
"Alright, man," Emi said, pocketing her phone. "No post."
As the evening wore on, the group continued to hang out, the tension from the friendly fight fading as they joked around and skated some more. For Izuku, it was just another day—another moment where he could be himself, away from the expectations of being a hero-in-training.
But deep down, he knew that balancing both worlds—the hero world and his secret life—was only going to get harder. Especially if his classmates started to catch on.
