Be Careful What You Wish For

End-of-Term

Midoriya Izuku would curse the gods, but he already knew the world hated him.

Kacchan glared at him, like he was wont to do, and Izuku couldn't help the exasperated "Really?" that left his mouth.

Kacchan's glare deepened.

"Yes, really," Aizawa affirmed with a deep suffering sigh. "For the practical exam, the two of you will be paired together as a team. And as for your opponent..."

"That would be me!" a loud voice boomed, and Izuku didn't even need to look to know who it belonged to. Because really, there was probably no person on earth (or at least Japan) who didn't recognize that voice. Again, he repeated, "Really?"

All Might laughed, but Izuku didn't find the situation very amusing. He glanced toward Kacchan, and he could already see the disaster coming a mile away. But arguing with his teachers would do him little good, so like with everything else, he just had to accept it. Besides, there were far more precious things he could spend his time and attention on.

"Whatever," the tired boy shrugged. "Let's just get this over with."

Kacchan knocked his shoulder into his. "That's my line, shitbag."

Right, Izuku thought. As if Kacchan would cooperate so easily.

---

Fight or flight. Run or stay. Those were the two choices left before them, and knowing Kacchan, he would most likely only leave Izuku with one viable option.

If they stayed, they would have to fight All Might. But even with the heavy weights the hero had strapped onto his form to give his students a smidgen of a chance, there was no way they could win, if only for the simple reason that Kacchan wouldn't let them. Because the first thing he would do once the test started would be to run off on his own, ignoring Izuku completely.

Because Kacchan doesn't need help. Because Kacchan can do everything by himself. Because only weaklings have to rely on other people.

How petulant.

Maybe together, with a well thought out plan and perfect execution, they could do it. They're both smart people, and certainly not weak by any means. Of course, the likelihood of Kacchan listening to a word he said was close to zero.

Which only left running. But, if Izuku is one thing, it's stubborn. He wouldn't give up without even trying.

"Kacc—"

"Shut it," Kacchan kept on walking, not even once looking in Izuku's direction, "and fuck off. I don't need you around to weigh me down."

"You think you can take on All Might by yourself?" Izuku raised an eyebrow, because honestly, even Kacchan must realize how ridiculous that sounds.

"I'll keep dodging his attacks until he gets tired," or not, "and then, I'll knock him the fuck out the second his guard is down."

Izuku blinked, because that was truly one of the stupidest things he had ever heard. Kacchan was smarter than this, Izuku knew he was. But it seemed like just the mere presence of Deku was enough to blind his bully to everything that wasn't showing off how much stronger and better he was compared to him.

"Kacchan," Izuku said. "Are you an idiot?"

He felt the fist coming before he saw it. The air shifted, and his back pitched backwards on its own, but he wasn't quite fast enough. He avoided the worst of the damage, but the tip of his chin still got clipped painfully, and he hissed on reflex.

Before he could lose his balance and fall on his ass, he spun on his heel while his other foot shot out and moved at blinding speed. It cut effortlessly through the air in an arc, only slowing when it impacted with something soft and human, but Izuku wasn't done yet. The momentum continued to carry him forwards, pulling the weight on the dorsum of his foot with him, all the way until it slammed down into the ground.

Kacchan's head bounced off the hard surface of the floor, and Izuku screamed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kacchan took a few seconds to recuperate, but Izuku wasn't going to give him a chance to retaliate. He put a foot to the blonde's chest and held him there, hard emerald eyes staring him down.

"Get the fuck off of me!" the blonde screamed, letting an explosion off against Izuku's ankle. It hurt, enough to make anyone flinch, but Izuku was too pissed to give Kacchan that kind of satisfaction. Instead, he just continued to stare, never letting his eyes leave his target.

"Is this it? Is this really how you plan to live out the rest of your life?" he spoke, as calm and chilly as ice. "You think you can just punch your way out of every problem, is that it? Of course you do. No one's ever showed you otherwise, have they?" Izuku leaned in, eyes aglow with an uncanny callousness. "But let me tell you a secret: out there, in the real world, if you continue the way you are right now... you'll be dead and dirt before you know it. Wanna know why?"

Kacchan didn't make a sound.

"Because you're never going to ask anyone for help. You'd rather die, and that's exactly what's going to happen," Izuku finally retrieved his foot, letting the explosive boy free. "But sure, if that's what you want, go ahead. Go die. After all, no one's gonna save you."

He didn't mean that. Izuku knew, that despite how much Kacchan hurt him, he'd still be there. Even if Kacchan screamed at him to leave and go away; even if Kacchan blew off his limbs one by one, he'd still be there. Because Midoriya Izuku didn't know how to stop caring, but God, he wished he could.

Caring only got you hurt, especially when the person you cared about couldn't give less of a shit about what happened to you. When that person tell you to kill yourself, and abuse you with words and fists until you wonder if maybe, he's right.

Izuku would die for Kacchan. But that didn't mean he didn't take sick satisfaction in the shocked expression directed at him, because God, it was just so perfect. The white of Kacchan's eyes on perfect display, shrunken pupils that couldn't look away, a mouth that had lost its permanent scowl in favor of the slight gape that showed off those perfect white teeth.

It filled Izuku with a sort of giddiness he hadn't felt in a long time, and it took his all to hide the grin that just begged to spring free. Serves him right, he thought, head alight with a heady intoxication of pure adrenaline. Let's see how you feel, to be on the receiving end for once.

Izuku cared. All too much, he cared. With all his soul and being—so so much that it was eating him alive, he cared.

But let Kacchan believe he didn't.

Kacchan's mouth moved. Quietly, almost like he was afraid, he spoke. "What's wrong with you?"

Then, his words were drowned out in a sea of noise and smoke. Izuku's feet lifted of the ground, and he and Kacchan flew through the air like lifeless dolls as wind carried them far and fast, slamming them down and into the ground as gravity did its work.

"Brace yourselves and pray," a deafeningly loud voice thundered across the battlefield, "for I am here."