Kapitel 31: Deku vs. Kacchan

Katsuki sits tapping his fingers against the bench as the teacher's repair the arena. It's impressive, really, the amount of damage they caused. Of course, Katsuki could (probably) do that much if he tried, but still. Impressive. Izuku's movements were coordinated and controlled. There's no doubt he's managed to get pretty far along in mastering his quirk. At this level, though, Katsuki fully believes he's capable of beating Izuku. For how long that will be true, he doesn't know.

After a mind numbingly long period of time, the arena is fixed, and it's Katsuki's turn to fight. Tokoyami is someone who has never stood out to him, but making it to this round of the tournament has to be some some testament to his strength. He vaguely remembers Tokyoami's quirk, and was it weak to bright light? The poor bird doesn't stand a chance.

When the match starts, Katsuki doesn't hesitate to rush ahead and take a swing at his opponent. The dark shadowy thing that is Tokoyami's quirk, rises to meet him, but flinches away from the explosion. Apparently, he is weak to light. Unfortunately for him, Katsuki's explosions are bright, and he's learned how to modulate the brightness to some extent. With only a few explosions, Tokoyami's defense crumbles. Katsuki pins him to the arena floor, and the fight is over.

Katsuki heads to the waiting room. They have a few minutes for a break before the final fight of the tournament and the conclusion of the Sport Festival. Above him, he hears the vague echoes of Present Mic getting the crowd hyped up for what's coming. His voice reverberates in the walls followed by the cheers of the crowd.

As Katsuki walks back to the arena, for the last time that day, he tries to clear his head. He pushes aside the worry and the nerves that have accumulated through the day. Both he and Izuku are here at the final round. They're both in one piece, and there are no villains here to worry about. He can focus on the fight ahead of him.

Izuku enters the arena at the same time. Katsuki sees one of the teachers pull him aside and tell him something, and he wonders what it is. But when Izuku mounts the steps to the arena's platform and Katsuki can see the blaze of determination in his eyes, he forgets about it. Izuku offers a small nod of recognition and a smile. Katsuki feels a fire run through his veins that feels different than it has before all the other fights today. It is Izuku facing him after all. What did he expect? Katsuki's gaze catches briefly on the bandages that wrap the better part of Izuku's right arm and his left hand. He beats back the worry that threatens his focus. There's no time for it now.

The match starts, and Izuku doesn't spare a second. Katsuki meets him in the middle of the arena, and the wind from the impact ruffling his hair. They jump back at the same time and land on opposite sides of the field. Katsuki clenches both fists by his sides. The painkillers from earlier are starting to wear off, and he can already feel his left hand beginning to throb. Katsuki initiates the next bout, aiming an explosion for his head. Izuku ducks and deflects the blow by grabbing his wrist and using his own momentum against him. Katsuki is just off-balance enough that Izuku manages to throw him.

The breath is knocked out of him, but Katsuki stands up quickly. He has to block Izuku again the moment he's on his feet, and then he goes on the offensive with explosions. Izuku gets in a rhythm deflecting or dodging until–he doesn't time his evasion correctly. He jumps back and some of the bandages fall from his arm, revealing skin that is healing but not completely healed. Katsuki suppresses the stab of guilt and lands a hit at the same moment that Izuku breaks through his guard with a punch that bruises his cheek.

For a moment, the fight pauses. Katsuki sees the burns and bruises across Izuku's skin and the tatters his gym uniform is becoming. Katsuki's palms are starting to burn and the explosions he has fired feel like they're settling in his bones. After Katsuki recovers for a moment, he rushes forwards again. Izuku ducks the attack and attempts to throw him again, but Katsuki resists. Izuku tries to use his strength to force Katsuki down, but the raw power he's accumulated through years of training helps him stand his ground. They spring apart again.

Izuku takes the initiative, and Katsuki is forced to block and block again. Izuku's movements are fast, and Katsuki has to rely more on his instincts than anything else to react in time. But as the fight progresses, he can tell that Izuku's movements are starting to slow. There are more gaps in Izuku's guard and more mistakes in the way he blocks and dodges, but the power in his attacks never fades. But Izuku isn't the only one who is tired after a long day of fighting, and Katsuki has struggles to keep his concentration at a hundred percent.

When Katsuki falters, Izuku pins him to the arena floor. The concrete is hard against his back. It's warm from the sunlight above, but unforgiving. Izuku's face is above his, and it's close–too close. Katsuki can see the flecks of aqua and teal in his green eyes and count the freckles that scatter over the bridge of his nose. For a moment, his brain slows to a halt, and all he can think about is how little space is left between their faces.

Katsuki shoves those softer thoughts away violently and throws Izuku away from him with an explosion. His mind is still reeling, and he doesn't control the force of the blast the way he usually does. The shock reverberates in his wrists and arms. The bones there have been fractured time and time again, growing stronger every time they heal, but he feels something in his left arm crack. It takes another second for him to blink away the smoke and ash and to realize the extent of the explosion.

Izuku. He searches through the rapidly-clearing smoke until he sees a silhouette. Izuku is hunched over, his less-damaged hand braced on his knee. The top of his gym uniform is all but burned away, and Katsuki tries not to see the extent of the damage–the damage he caused. Izuku straightens up slowly, painfully, but he levels Katsuki with a glare that sends a clear message: the fight isn't over. Izuku starts forward to attack again, and Katsuki reluctantly readies himself to fight. The muscles and bones in his arms are screaming, but if Izuku isn't backing down, there's no way he can either.

Before they reach each other, a wall of cement rises between them. Present Mic's voice booms through the stadium announcing that the fight was halted to prevent any permanent damage from taking place. Katsuki feels relief and resentment rush through him in equal parts. He enjoys fighting and the thrill of battle, but he doesn't enjoy beating up someone who's already injured–especially when that someone is his best friend and the one he's supposed to be protecting. The wall of cement disappears, and they're both still standing.

Midnight calls their attention. Since they are both still standing and technically capable of continuing, the fight is a tie. They still have to determine a winner.

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