Bakugo Katsuki was angry by default. He was loud, sharp-edged, relentless-and completely uninterested in changing for anyone.

You, on the other hand, were irritatingly calm. Not soft. Not timid. Calm in a way that felt deliberate, like you chose not to react. Calm in a way that made Bakugo feel like he was punching fog.

The first time you talked back to him was on the second week of classes. "MOVE, DAMN IT," Bakugo barked during combat training when you didn't rush forward immediately.

You glanced over your shoulder. "Relax. It's a drill, not your autobiography."

The field went silent.

Bakugo turned slowly. "What did you say?" You shrugged. "You heard me. Or are the explosions affecting your hearing now too?"

From that day on, Bakugo noticed you. Not because you were weak-he despised weakness. Not because you were loud-you weren't. But because you never reacted the way people were supposed to. When he yelled, you raised an eyebrow. When he snapped, you smirked. When he insulted you, you corrected him.

You were paired together constantly - Aizawa's doing. Whether it was to teach Bakugo teamwork or to test your patience, no one knew. He said you balanced each other.

Working with Bakugo was exhausting. He charged ahead. You planned around him. He relied on raw power. You relied on timing.

You learned his patterns quickly-when he'd overextend, when he'd get reckless, when his anger tipped into tunnel vision. You adjusted without announcing it, covering angles, redirecting enemies, grounding him without ever touching him.

He noticed. And it pisses him off how you affect him so much. soon he slowly learned how to match your pace too. He started asking- not nicely, but still asking. Now you guys are on a mission together in nabu island. the villains were attacking the buildings as you guys stay hidden. he turned to you.

“Now or later?”