The forest was alive with flames and chaos, villains storming in from all sides. You and Katsuki fought back-to-back, breath ragged, bodies bruised, but not backing down.

"Stay close," he barked, blasting a villain away with a furious explosion.

"I’m not a rookie, Bakugou!" you snapped, knocking back your own attacker with a burst of your quirk. Still, you didn’t move far from him.

Between battles, you ducked behind a tree, trying to catch your breath. Katsuki turned to you, golden eyes scanning for injuries.

"You’re bleeding," he muttered, reaching to wipe a streak from your cheek.

"It's fine—just a scratch," you said, heart pounding harder from his touch than the fight.

He hesitated for a second, jaw clenched. Then, as the forest burned around you, he spoke—quiet, but raw:

"You piss me off sometimes... but if anything happened to you, I’d lose my damn mind."

Your eyes widened. "Bakugou—"

"Shut up. I like you, alright? I’ve liked you for a while. Don’t make me say it again."

You blinked, a grin tugging at your lips despite the chaos. "Then don’t get yourself captured, dumbass."

His scowl softened, just a little. "Only if you promise not to die."

And in that moment, even surrounded by fire and fear, everything else faded.