7.

A C C I D E N T

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"KACCHAN! WATCH OUT-!"

FIVE MINUTES AGO

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THIRD PERSON POV

"I really can't believe I got lumped up with the likes of you. In an assessment, no less. Didn't we do something similar one year ago already?!" Katsuki groaned in distaste, running a hand through his ash-blond hair, messing it up more than it already was.

I bet he's gonna fuck everything up like he always does. If we both fail, it'll be because of him.

Well, I'll just do what I need to do and let that shitty excuse of a nerd do what he wants. It's not like he's gonna be any help to me.

"Well, Mr. Jerk 25/8, it's not like I wanted to be paired with you either. I'd much prefer working with Uraraka-san." Izuku muttered under his breath. It almost went unheard by Katsuki. 

Almost.

"Hah?! What was that, shitface?" Katsuki whipped around to face Izuku. In a different circumstance, small explosions would be going off in his hand, like tiny fireworks, but this scenario was different.
Katsuki didn't know what he expected, but was slightly surprised when his crimson orbs met a pair of flashing emerald eyes, glinting dangerously.

What's with that attitude?

"Bakugou-kun, for once, can you please shut up?! The villain is gonna hear us. This isn't like the pretend-play we were doing last year against All Might. If the bad guy hears us this time, we're as good as dead meat." Izuku hissed.

Taken aback by what Izuku just said, Katsuki gaped as Izuku brushed past him to peek from behind the walls of an alley they were in.

He's sure changed from two years ago, hasn't he...

Katsuki instantly felt a sliver of guilt, as he knew that he played a huge part in Izuku's development as a person.
Days of torment from middle school, terrified glances towards Katsuki, a charred notebook- things like these were never forgotten easily.
However, as Izuku spent more time with his other classmates, Izuku's nervous personality positively vanished. As Izuku's skin became tanner, his smile brighter, his eyes merrier, he also became more confident.

Happier.

When Izuku was around Katsuki, though, his smile and happy demeanour dissipated instantly. It was almost as if Izuku hated being in his presence. Something had changed with the way Izuku looked at Katsuki, as well. It was, at first, ever so subtle. No one paid much attention to it, but Katsuki had noticed. No longer did the green-haired male cower in fear under him, no longer did he look at Katsuki with absolute terror in his eyes, no longer did he stutter, flail and panic before him.

No longer did he call him 'Kacchan'.

Izuku'd done the deed. He'd severed all the connections that tied him and Katsuki together. This was for the best, he'd tried to convince himself. Izuku had even gone as far as to use his last name, with honorifics.

So why would he flinch subconsciously whenever he heard his last name used by him?

Reflecting, Perhaps this was the reason why Katsuki'd recently felt empty when trying to justify his actions towards Izuku, which, not more than a few years ago, would've stroked his ego and made it swell to the point of no return. 

That was what Katsuki despised the most about him.

"You're supposed to be behind me... so why... why am I always the one that ends up chasing after you?!"