Green Phoenix (A Deku Fic)

25: Sparring

Midoriya wasn't joking when he said that Aizawa's lessons were hell.

Shinso found that out in the first half hour.

He wasn't joking in the slightest.

" Ahhhhhhh," he groaned as he lay on the floor, on his back, for what seemed like the 67th time.

Midoriya's head popped into view, his shit-eating grin blinding. Shinso squinted. " You good, Shinso?"

" Oh, shut it," he grumbled. " You have- no right to be this good at hand-to-hand combat. Like, what the hell?"

Midoriya chuckled. " I've had, like, at least nine months of practise. You'll get there!"

" You're not even sweating! And anyway, I don't have nine months; the Sports Festival is in under two weeks," Shinso replied.

Midoriya only laughed and offered him a hand, pulling Shinso up. " Then we'll fit it into two weeks! And anyway, I didn't have much knowledge on fighting before I started - you do though, you've been doing it pretty much your whole life. Sure, you said it was just from youtube videos, but you're still better than me when I started out already! I'm sure you'll be able to do it."

Shinso smirked. " Thanks, Midoriya. You keep on pulling pep talks out of your ass though, and I have no idea how."

Midoriya smiled back. " Just one of my many talents. Anyway! Let's get back to sparring!"

With a sigh, he nodded, and they both got into position.

Aizawa called from his spot, " Three... two... one... Start."

They studied each other for a moment, before Midoriya leapt at Shinso and the other side stepped away. The insomniac grabbed the other's arm and pushed their back, twisting then letting go of the arm. Midoriya stumbled, but managed to regain his footing.

" That was alright," he complemented, grinning as he twisted to face his opponent again. He swept his feet under Shinso's but the other leapt back in time.

" Thanks, your moves aren't bad either," Shinso smirked as they danced around each other, dodging and placing hits.

" 'Aren't bad'?" Midoriya said jokingly as he tried to punch Shinso in the stomach. " How dare you!"

Shinso laughed as he dodged, " You called mine, 'alright'! I think it was pretty fair."

He made a high kick to Midoriya's head.

Midoriya ducked and tried to sweep Shinso's feet from under him. " Meh, I was just stating the obvious, so no, it wasn't fair."

Shinso recovered quickly and jumped back. " Well, so was I, so yes, it was fair."

Midoriya huffed and pouted, both boys in a defensive position. " Wasn't."

" Was."

" Wasn't."

" Was!" Shinso grinned and leapt towards Midoriya before he had the time to react, tackling him to the ground.

Midoriya grunted with a crooked smile, " Damn, now that wasn't fair."

" Shouldn't've gotten distracted," Shinso smirked and stood up, offering Midoriya a hand.

Midoriya pouted and clasped Shinso's hand, pulling himself up. " Oh, wow , look at you, the teacher all of a sudden, so high and mighty--"

" Shut up," Shinso said with a smirk. " You aren't even the teacher; Aizawa is..."

One look at his mentor - sleeping on the floor in his sleeping bag - made him trail off.