Rising Tides (Izuku Midoriya x F!Reader)

Chapter 060

Chapter 60: Understanding One Another

You stood a distance away from the unfolding scene, your heart pounding as you watched Katsuki and Izuku square off in the familiar confines of Ground Beta. You had tried to intervene before, but Katsuki's fiery determination was unyielding, and now it seemed like the tension between them was at a boiling point. With the sun setting behind them, casting long shadows over the training ground, the atmosphere crackled with raw energy.

Katsuki wound up a right hook that Izuku anticipated to be a feint, but the sudden explosion caught him off guard. You winced as you watched the blast narrowly miss Izuku's face. A camera robot whirred overhead, broadcasting the fight to Shota, who was preparing to step in. Just as he began to rise, All Might interjected, asking to handle the situation himself.

"Please let me," he said, his voice steady yet filled with a deep understanding of their history.

Izuku, ever the peacemaker, continued trying to de-escalate the situation. "Kacchan, this isn’t going to solve anything!" he pleaded, but Katsuki was already charging at him, unleashing a barrage of explosions. You felt your stomach drop; this was getting out of hand.

As Katsuki fought, his thoughts began to drift back to their childhood, remembering all the times he had beaten Izuku only to find him right behind him, refusing to back down. It was a painful reminder of how their rivalry had always fueled them both, but this time, something deeper lay beneath the surface.

"Fight me, Deku!" Katsuki demanded, his voice strained with a mix of anger and emotion. "Why do you always hold back?!"

Izuku countered, knocking Katsuki to the ground. You winced at the impact but felt a glimmer of hope as Izuku reached out to help him up. Katsuki's rejection of his kindness stung. The tension was palpable, and you could sense the emotional weight behind Katsuki's words as he began to open up.

"Why does a small fry like you get acknowledged by All Might while I put myself at fault for his retirement?!" His voice broke, and the revelation shocked you as much as it did Izuku. You hadn’t realized that Katsuki had been carrying this guilt since Kamino.

Izuku’s expression shifted, his brows furrowing in realization. "Kacchan, I—"

"I don’t want to hear your excuses!" Katsuki yelled, but there was a vulnerability in his tone that you couldn't ignore.

Though Izuku believed the fight was meaningless, he knew he was the only one who could accept Katsuki's feelings. With determination burning in his eyes, he kicked Katsuki in the face, exclaiming that it was a perfect opportunity to test out his new Shoot Style moves. “If we’re going to fight, I won’t hold back!”

This was the first time in their long history that "Deku" and "Kacchan" had openly confronted their feelings for each other. You felt a pang of admiration for both of them; their rivalry was fierce, yet it was also rooted in a profound bond.

Katsuki charged again, and this time he got the upper hand. You could see the wheels turning in Izuku's mind as he realized that he was overthinking every move. As he focused, you noticed a shift in his posture; he was determined to prove how much he had grown. Katsuki's fierce declarations stung—he couldn’t stand how Izuku always seemed to be right behind him, as if looking down on him.

Izuku, however, reminded him, "I’ve always looked up to you! You’re amazing, Kacchan!" The passion in his voice ignited something in the air around you. “You were closer to All Might’s level, so I had to work harder to catch up!”

The intensity of their emotions surged, and you could see the glow of Izuku’s Quirk rising. He kicked through Katsuki’s guard, his voice ringing with confidence. “I’ve always been chasing after you because you’re incredible!”