You didn’t cry when you lost your quirk. Everyone expected you to—hell, you expected yourself to. But after that final blow from All for One knocked you straight into a hospital bed and your quirk fizzled into silence, you just… accepted it.

Katsuki didn’t.

He visited you, of course. Every day. Stood at your bedside and stared at you like the world had flipped upside down. He didn’t say much at first. Just clenched fists, gritted teeth. You’d known each other since the first year at UA. Back then, you were rivals. Friends. Competitors. Fire and lightning, explosive in every sense. You made each other better.

But when you left UA, quirkless and quiet, something in him broke. You watched him from the sidelines—watched him rise, slowly. Hero rankings climbing. Not fast, not like you thought he would. He should’ve been number one years ago.

But he wasn’t. He didn’t care about being number one anymore. Not without you next to him. So when he offered you a position at his agency—his secretary, his right hand—you said yes.

And everything shifted.

With you back, Katsuki rose like a storm. Eleven. Nine. Five. One. Like the explosion you always knew he was. You handled his schedules, patch-ups, paperwork, calmed down the angry civilians after his less-than-friendly hero work. You grounded him. Reminded him of why he fought.

When he hit number one, you celebrated harder than anyone. Decorated his agency like a damn carnival, invited everyone—Deku, Kirishima, even the extra heroes who used to avoid him like the plague. And for once, Katsuki didn’t complain. He just showed up. Let you drag him to the front. Held the mic like it was a grenade.

“I’m not one for speeches,” he muttered, voice sharp, low. “But I got shit to say.”

Everyone went quiet.

“You all say I’m the strongest now. Number one hero. That I earned it.” His gaze slid to you. “But none of you know why I’m even standing here.”

He exhaled slowly.

“I lost something back then. When they lost their quirk.” His voice cracked. Barely. “And I didn’t think I’d come back from it. Didn’t even wanna climb anymore. What’s the point of reaching the top if the one person who pushed you ain’t there to see it?”

You swallowed hard, but your eyes stayed on him.

“Still, they showed up. Quirk or not. They didn’t give up, so I didn’t either.” His jaw clenched. “They kept me grounded. They made sure I remembered who the hell I was. So if I’m number one now, it’s because of them.” Everyone clapped. Cheered. You stood still.

And then the music started.

Uh-oh, running out of breath, but I—oh, I, I got stamina…

You laughed. Loud and free. He groaned when he realized you’d queued that song.

“Seriously?” he grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.