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"Can anyone explain why this exercise is so important?" Aizawa asks, looking over the class, selecting one of the many who put their hands up. "Midoriya."
"Um, because as a hero, we'll need to be able to work with different heroes, both from our own agencies and others, for different missions. It's important for us to trust them despite any personal issues we might have with them."
"Exactly. Now, I'll be listing off your partners. You'll then have around thirty minutes to strategize with them before the exercise starts."
Katsuki huffs softly, keeping an ear out for his name but mostly zoning out. It doesn't matter what the other teams are, not in an exercise like this. If he actually had to fight the other teams, it'd be a different story. But not when they're going in pairs in a set order.
",…Bakugou and Todoroki,…"
Katsuki raises his eyebrows slightly. Wow. That's not who he would have expected them to pair him up with. It's a little weird for them to put two powerful students together.
His eyes narrow as a thought comes to mind. They better not be underestimating him, thinking him someone who needs the extra assistance. True, as heroes, they may have to pair up with other really powerful heroes, and this exercise is meant for relationship-strengthening, but he can't shake the idea that it's partly that.
As much as he brags that he's strong, there's a huge side of him that feels weak, especially since coming to UA and being surrounded by his classmates' powerful quirks. Compared to middle school where he was the strongest, that is.
"Now, use this time wisely. A few moments to strategize could be the deciding factor in a dangerous mission." Aizawa warns as he pulls out his sleeping bag, getting ready to nap while the students are busy.
"Bakugou," Todoroki says softly as he sits down in the desk in front of Katsuki's. " I have a few ideas on how we could work together if you'd like to hear them."
Katsuki huffs softly but gives a small nod, prompting Todoroki to start talking. The exercise is largely going to be a surprise, but Aizawa gave the brief summary that it'd be basically a glorified obstacle course that's randomized for each team. There could be any number of rescue opportunities or 'villains' to fight.
Todoroki starts by giving ideas for moves that they could execute together, ones that would require that the other trust that they'll respond in time. Katsuki's honestly impressed at the amount of forethought that went into these, but he doesn't show it. Instead, he responds half-heartedly to everything.
"So for the main plan, we should work together for the most part. But it'll depend on what the obstacle is. I think the main thing, unless it requires us to split up for whatever reason, is no running off on your own." Todoroki says.
It's not that bad of an idea. They'd be more powerful together than separated but the part of Katsuki that feels like they're underestimating him feels like that'd be playing right into their hands. So when he mutters, "Yeah, sure," it's more to get Todoroki to move onto the next thing than an actual agreement.
A few of the other pairs go first before it's their turn. Todoroki turns from where he's stretching while they're waiting for the buzzer to go off and points a hand at Katsuki. "No running off."
"Yeah, yeah," Katsuki mutters, frowning a bit when Todoroki just rolls his eyes and continues stretching. As much as his current grumpiness centers around Todoroki, he doesn't really want to upset the other too much.
The buzzer goes off and they run down the designated path, using their quirks to get to the first obstacle quickly. They share a look before Katsuki blasts off into the area, easily sailing over the terrain, which is set up much like the minefield from the Sports Festival had been. It may not be mines this time, but clearly, the goal is to clear it without setting any of the traps off.
Todoroki yells his name before quickly covering the ground in ice and racing after him. Todoroki glares at him when he arrives and Katsuki sighs. "No running off, I know. But come on, princess, there's no other move that we could've done there."
Todoroki's face turns a bit pink but he rolls his eyes. "And what if my ice had set off the traps, huh?"
Katsuki's face goes blank and Todoroki smirks, looking unfairly pretty. "Yeah, exactly. Now, come on."
The next area is set up to resemble a busy shopping area and before they have time to assess the situation, two robots carrying bags race by. "Bakugou, chase after them. I'll check the store to see if there are any others."
Katsuki nods, grinning maniacally at the fact he gets to chase the villains here, using his explosions to catch up to them. He makes easy work of the villains, wrapping them in the capture tape before pressing the buttons on the back that mark them as captured, returning to the store with the bags.
"Good work," Todoroki says quietly, another robot frozen near his feet. There's a soft chime as soon as Katsuki sets the bags down on the indicated area and they leave the building, heading down the course to the next obstacle.
As soon as he sees that it's just one larger robot, Katsuki rockets forward, ignoring Todoroki's cries for him to stick together. It's just one robot, this should be a cinch.
But as soon as he gets close, the robot's head turns to him, eyes glowing brightly as it shoots something resembling Aizawa's capture weapon at him. Katsuki barely has time to jump to the side when it's shooting more at him. He gives a manic grin as he raises his hands to blast the weapon to the side.
The next thing he knows he's surrounded by ice, explosions already crackling in his hands to blow it up to go finish the fight with the villain.
"Bakugou, stop." Todoroki grounds out. "You need to work with me here."
"Shut up, Icy-Hot," Katsuki growls, turning to glare at him, freezing a bit when he sees the look in the other's eyes.
"No, you shut up. You agreed to this plan, so you can't just go off on your own! I don't know what your problem with me is today, but ignore it - at least until the exercise is done."
Katsuki sighs, crossing his arms and looking away, guilt crawling down his spine. "Not with you." He mutters.
"What was that?" Todoroki asks and Katsuki winces a bit.
"My problem's not with you, Todoroki." Or at least not directly.
Todoroki's silent for a bit, long enough that Katsuki chances a look over at him, seeing an understanding expression on his face. "We can talk once this is done, but if you think they're underestimating you by pairing us together, know that they're not.
It's a good idea to get some of the powerhouses to work together as students so that they'll make even stronger duos against villains when they're pros. I think that's partially why they put us together today." Todoroki says softly.
He has a point. Katsuki sighs softly and gives a nod. "Alright. So, we'll do this together." Todoroki nods and holds his left hand out to melt the ice, the two of them moving as one to finish off the villain without doing any more harm to the surroundings.
Once they've 'captured' the villain, they run off to the next obstacle. Katsuki winces a bit when he reads the sign on the building. "Shit, my quirk's useless here."
"Maybe not completely," Todoroki says. "This is a rescue exercise, right? I can ice anything that you need to blow up so that the whole place won't go down."
Katsuki nods and they enter the building, going room by room and working together to rescue the trapped robots. Once they hear the chime that they've rescued everything in the building, they make their way out and head to the final obstacle.
"Together?" Todoroki asks, staring out at the group of robots, colored differently between the villains and the civilians.
"Together." Katsuki nods and they rush off. It's a little slow going since they have to be careful not to harm any of the civilians, but Todoroki creates a little shelter made out of ice to place them while Katsuki focuses on one of the villains.
"Todoroki." He says sharply when he notices one of the villains on a rooftop nearby. Sure, he could just use his explosions to get up there, but he can't just leave without alerting Todoroki.
"Go." Todoroki creates an ice ramp and Katsuki grins, using his explosions to propel him up the ramp to the roof of the building, taking down the villain easily.
The rest of the villains are easy once Todoroki's gotten all the civilians out of the way and when the chime goes off, they race for the finish line, grinning at each other when they hear the congratulations message.
They make their way back to the viewing area, going to sit up against one of the walls together. "Now, talk. What was your issue in there?" Todoroki asks, sounding more concerned now than angry.
Katsuki sighs and glares at the screen in front of him. "You got it right. I was pissed at the idea that they were underestimating me."
Todoroki snorts softly. "Did you think that they knew you don't get along with me that much and wanted to pair us for that as well?"
"It…might have crossed my mind," Katsuki says and Todoroki laughs softly, the sound entrancing Katsuki. He's never made Todoroki laugh like this before.
"So, you were being an asshole on purpose then? Sounds like you." Todoroki says and Katsuki would yell at him if he weren't grinning at Katsuki, clearly teasing him.
"Just so you know. This had nothing to do with you." Katsuki says softly. "I would've been angry with a number of our classmates being chosen… I didn't actually mind working with you."
"Mm, that's nice." Todoroki says, "Sounds almost like you like me, Bakugou."
Katsuki's face goes red but he doesn't deny it, figuring that Todoroki means it in a friend-way, though he wouldn't be wrong if he meant it the other way. Todoroki takes his hand and smiles at him, making Katsuki's heart pound heavily in his chest.
"Don't worry, I like you too, Bakugou."
Katsuki swallows hard at that but figures that this isn't the best place to discuss something like this, not when they should be watching the other pairs do their courses. So he settles for squeezing Todoroki's hand lightly, already planning on cornering him once they get back to the dorms.
Maybe something good will come from being partnered with him after all.