To Stand by Your Side (DekuBaku)

Chapter 7: Well, If It Feels Good...

"Oh, Bakugou!"

Katsuki looked up from his book to see Yaoyorozu stumble into his room in a hurry, lip upturned and the hint of a frown on her face.

"Did you get the notes from last math class? Camie told me she'd be coming by to give them to you, but... oh, she's forgetful sometimes."

Katsuki huffed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, tell me about it. Yesterday she said she'd be bringing me dinner too, but guess who starved? Me."

Yaoyorozu sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Ah, sorry... well, I was helping her out with something, so you're free to put the blame on me for that. But- ugh, this was all I asked her to do today!"

"S'okay. I'll catch up fast enough." He paused, smirking. "I wouldn't wanna interrupt you two anyways. You gonna spend a few hours making out again tonight too?"

At that, Yaoyorozu turned beet red, a small scowl cresting over her lips. "We- for the last time, we're not together! She's a good friend. Who... needs more than a little help on her homework sometimes. And really, really likes asking for favors." She paused and crossed her arms. "How much longer are you going to be confined to your bed, though? It's already been a day and a half. I know you got hit fairly bad- well, you and Todoroki both- during the Sports Festival, but you had treatment administered fairly heavily afterwards, right?"

Katsuki groaned, staring up at his ceiling. "All I did was break a few ribs and get a few burns, but the nurse said I had to let this injury do part of the healing on its own cause it was 'my own fault' or some shit. I'm gettin' the rest of the treatment tonight, though. Should be out by tomorrow. Better be out by tomorrow."

"Huh." Yaoyorozu frowned. "Todoroki was in class this morning, you know. Did he get accelerated treatment?"

Katsuki's head fell back against his headboard with an annoyed thump. "Yeah, cause apparently I'm the only reason we got injured. S'not my fault he wasn't giving it his best effort for most of the round."

"Well, it is your fault that his right arm was dislocated." Yaoyorozu reminded him. "And that he started using his fire. And that most of the lower ground of the stadium was destroyed. So, I'd say Recovery Girl has a valid point."

He dropped his jaw in utter betrayal. "Damn you, you shit. I did my goddamn best. I was barely out of the ring, and fuckin' Todoroki was twenty feet past it. No reason that fight should've ended in a tie and you know it."

"Well, go and contest the results with Aizawa if you really want to. Not that I can see that going anywhere good for you." Yaoyorozu shook her head. "By the way, have you talked to Todoroki since that fight? I think he's been looking for you. I mean, you getting him to use his fire really was a big deal, even if it resulted in that outcome."

"Haven't talked to the idiot." He muttered. "If he really wants to talk, he needs to get his ass over here. Not like I can really stop him from coming in when I can't leave my goddamn bed."

That fight had been interesting, if nothing else. He'd watched Todoroki blast through each previous round of the competition with ease using only his ice, but against Katsuki, he'd never have won with that alone. Katsuki had known there was another side he had shoved away and if he'd dared to try and pull that same "I only use my ice" stunt on him, Todoroki would have found himself in the most humiliating loss he'd ever had. It had taken a bit of work to get him using it, but Katsuki wasn't about to let himself slide into an easy victory. In order to really prove himself, a legitimate, challenging win was the only one he'd accept. And if that took a little coercion, a little- oh, maybe a bit of a dislocated shoulder or so- on his part, who cared? It did the job. Maybe it wasn't a win in its entirety either, but he'd felt something change in Todoroki during that fight.