Something Like a Star (B. Katsuki)

Nine: Sports Festival Part 2

     "Did we actually get first place?" Nadoka held out her hand and helped Todoroki down from his perch, giggling slightly at the reverse 'prince and princess' roles they had taken on for a moment. He hopped to the floor and massaged his right wrist slowly, looking down at the headband that sat within his palm, clearly marked with ten million points.

     "Iida-kun, that Reciproburst move was amazing!" Yaoyorozu praised her navy-haired classmate, and he blushed slightly at the appraisal, bowing.

     "Thank you, Yaoyarozu-san. It was a specialty move I've been saving for quite some time," He explained, pushing his glasses up, "I was afraid I had made the wrong choice when I used it, seeing as we were stuck in a dangerous position when my engines stalled, but thanks to Todoroki-kun and Takahashi-san, we managed to keep our lead."

     Meanwhile, Nadoka stood next to Todoroki, placing her hand on his shoulder gently. "Congratulations, Shouto."

     He gave a soft smile and dipped her head to her. "To you as well, Nadoka. We would not have achieved such a victory if not for your powerful crystals."

     Nadoka felt her cheeks heat up and silently willed them to calm down. She gasped quietly when she noticed a deep-looking cut on Todoroki's cheek, her hand flying up to touch it only to hesitate halfway. "Shouto, your cheek! Are you alright?"

     Todoroki allowed Nadoka's fingers to lightly graze his cut, willing away the wince as he smiled at her tenderness. "I'm alright, Miss Takahashi. It could've been much worse."

     Nadoka wiped away some of the blood that dripped down his cheek with a featherlight touch that a certain red-eyed Pomeranian definitely did not miss. "You'd better get that looked at as soon as you can. It looks deep."

     Todoroki nodded his understanding and after a few more exchanged words walked away, leaving Nadoka to stand and stare at the blood on her fingertips, spacing out and not even realizing that Kirishima was steady shoving Bakugou in her direction, chattering something about an apology in his ear.

     Bakugou tried to push back against Kirishima, but the red-haired was having none of it, simply pushing Bakugou harder. "You need to go talk to her and quit staring at her."

     "We've got nothing to talk about, shittyhead. That idiot wants nothing to do with me." Bakugou protested.

     Kirishima laughed. "Nonsense, you just need to talk it out."

     Eventually Nadoka noticed that her friends were approaching, and Bakugou could no longer turn and walk away without looking like an ass, or at least an idiot. He paused a moment, before clearing his throat and heading the last couple steps to her, rubbing the back of his neck.

     "Listen—" He seemed to think about what he wanted to say for a minute before he huffed slightly, evidently giving up on whatever nice words might've danced on the tip of his tongue— "Look, I don't give a shit if you want to talk to that stupid half and half bastard. I don't like it but that's not your damn problem. So talk to him, and be friends with him, if you really want. But just— he's not— we're more important. We have to stay more important, you got that? Say we're more important." 

     Nadoka stared at him for a long moment, his cheeks tinting a deep red as he looked away, before she smiled adoringly. "Of course you guys are more important! I'm sorry, Katsuki, I didn't mean to make you feel like I was trying to replace you or put you aside. You two come first, always."

     The way she said his name, for once without the threat of tears behind it, had his breath catching in his throat, and the sheer affection that twinkled in her eyes as she looked between the two of them made him want to melt. It was like she carried her own chunk of the sun around with her, and it stayed lit all the time.