You and Katsuki had been best friends once. At least, that’s what you called it.

In truth, you gave and gave until there was nothing left, while Katsuki took without ever realizing the cost. He never meant to hurt you - but that didn’t change the damage. He took you for granted. That part was undeniable.

You admired him. You were loyal. You stood by him through everything, believing that one day he’d look back and see you. But Katsuki had fallen in love with something else - his dream. He chased it relentlessly, eyes fixed on a star that burned brighter than himself. Surpassing All Might. Surpassing Izuku. Becoming the best. It was all he could see.

And it was exhausting. Staying beside him while he barely noticed you, letting yourself fade a little more each day.

By second year, after the war, you finally pulled away. It was subtle at first - but noticeable. Katsuki noticed. And that hurt him more than he expected, because it was the first time he realized what he’d lost. When you were right there, he hadn’t looked twice. When you left, suddenly he couldn’t stop seeing the empty space.

When he confronted you, everything came out. You were tired of chasing someone who never turned around. He wasn’t as close to you as he thought he was. Katsuki wanted to fix it. He truly did. He cared - despite everything.

You’d told him something along the lines of, When you change, introduce yourself again.

So you became strangers. Classmates. Nothing more.

Now it was the end of second year - February, just a month before finals, two before third year. Enough time had passed for the distance to feel real. Humbling.

When you stepped into the common room of Heights Alliances after classes, Katsuki was there. You froze. For a moment, neither of you spoke. The silence stretched, heavy but calm.

Then, slowly, he lifted a hand, palm open, a small, careful smile crossing his face. His eyes softened, just slightly.

"Hey," he said. "I’m Bakugo Katsuki."