Do You Want To Be A Hero? (8) | Delusion

"Izuku... what the hell is this all about?! Explain yourself!" Katsuki's voice echoed through the classroom, filled with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

As she pulled his face directly in front of hers, Katsuki's wrath was evident on her visage. Her eyes blazed with intensity, locking onto Izuku's bewildered expression. The usually cool and collected Izuku was now caught off guard, his eyes wide with confusion as he tried to process what was happening.

"Ka-Katsuki, hold on for a moment," Izuku stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm also confused here! There seems to be some—"

"Don't play dumb with me, Izuku!" Katsuki spat, her grip on his collar tightening. "What's this about you suddenly wanting to be a Pro Hero?!"

Sora-sensei, seeing the escalating tension, stepped forward, her wings spreading slightly as she attempted to mediate the situation. "Bakugo-san, please calm down! This isn't the way to handle—"

"Answer me, Izuku! Why the sudden interest!? Why now!?"

But Katsuki's shouting overpowered Sora-sensei's words, her frustration boiling over as she snatched his future aspiration paper from his hand and held it up to his face.

Sora-sensei flinched back at hearing Katsuki's sudden outbursts, hesitating as her expression showed a mix of concern and helplessness. She looked toward Izuku, hoping he would say something to defuse the situation.

Izuku was still grappling with the shock of seeing 'Pro Hero' listed as one of his aspirations and why Katsuki, of all people, was mad at him for it. However, he tried to calm himself and explain properly, "Katsuki, listen. There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding here. I swear, I have never written 'Pro Hero' as one of my aspirations, let alone trying to enter UA University of all places."

Katsuki's eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched in disbelief. "So what, you're saying this is some kind of mistake?" she said, thrusting the paper closer to his face. "You expect me to believe you didn't write this?!"

There was a pause between them as they locked eyes, trying to assess each other's intentions. Izuku then shook his head slowly, his expression serious as he addressed her doubt. "Yes, Katsuki... This paper was a mistake. I did not write my aspiration to be a Pro Hero, nor do I have any interest in getting into UA University."

Katsuki's eyes widened slightly, her anger faltering as she took in the seriousness of his tone. Her expression shifted rapidly, a mix of confusion, anger, and... sadness. All these emotions played across her visage.

She struggled to process his words, her grip on the paper loosening as her emotions swirled. His words left her momentarily stunned, caught between disbelief and unspoken concern. Katsuki hung her head low, her visage obscured by her spiky blonde hair.

"Why..." Katsuki finally muttered, her voice barely audible.

"Huh...?" Izuku was puzzled, unable to hear her clearly.

"Why not..." She continued to mutter, but her words remained too low for him to catch.

"Katsuki...?"

Finally, she lifted her head, revealing a frustrated and saddened expression. Izuku was taken aback by the disconcerting sight of Katsuki's emotional turmoil; it was a stark contrast to her usual fiery demeanor.

Her expression could only be seen by him and Sora-sensei as she had her back turned toward the rest of the class. Sora-sensei herself was visibly startled, her eyes widening in surprise at the unusual vulnerability Katsuki was displaying. It was an emotion she had never thought possible from Katsuki, who had always been standoffish and confrontational toward others.

"Why not, Izuku...? Why do you not want to be a hero...?" She asked him, her tone low enough for only him to hear.

"What...?" Izuku was confused, struggling to understand the question Katsuki had just asked. But she didn't repeat her question, only staring at Izuku as if she was waiting for an answer from him.

Without much he could do as she was still holding onto his gakuran's collar, Izuku had to think thoroughly about what Katsuki was asking him... and choose his words carefully.

"Katsuki..." he began, calling her name. Katsuki herself was still staring straight into his eyes, waiting for the answer she was seeking. Izuku's expression turned serious as he gazed back into Katsuki's eyes. "I'm not sure if you've already forgotten, but... I'm quirkless, you know?"

Izuku finally answered, his tone serious. When he mentioned the word 'quirkless,' Katsuki flinched slightly, as if the term had shaken her. Izuku noticed this... but chose to ignore it as he continued his explanation.

"I can't be a hero without a quirk. You know that full well, right?" He continued, his eyes unwavering. "Pro Hero is a dangerous occupation... and someone like me, who doesn't even have a quirk to defend myself against villains... would just be putting myself and others at risk."

Katsuki's face shifted as she processed Izuku's words, a mix of frustration and understanding crossing her features. Her grip on his collar remained firm, even though her expression softened slightly. It was clear she was still struggling to fully accept his explanation.

Despite recognizing the validity of his reasoning, a trace of frustration lingered in her eyes, as if she was grappling with the harsh truth Izuku had presented. She remained silent, her gaze locked onto Izuku, reluctant to release her hold or fully let go of their confrontation.

Seeing this, Izuku was honestly beginning to feel uneasy and concerned. Katsuki seemed unwilling to let go of the fact that he was quirkless and that he shouldn't even consider trying to be a Pro Hero... as if she believed it should have been the opposite.

With a sigh, Izuku decided... he needed to be firm with her. He reached out... and grasped her hand that was holding onto his collar, surprising her greatly.

"I-Izuku...?!" Katsuki's voice wavered in surprise as she could feel the strong grasp of his hand. She was forced to let go of his collar, but his hand was still holding hers...!

"Katsuki, listen to me," Izuku said, his tone resolute. "I'm not sure where you got the idea of me being a hero, but listen to me well..." He trailed off at the end, closing his eyes as if he was trying to muster the resolve for his words... before opening them with an intense gaze.

"I don't have any desire to become a hero... nor do I want to be forced into something I'm not meant for."

He stated firmly, looking directly into her widened eyes as she was taken aback by the sudden intensity of his. She slowly grew anxious by it... as this was the first time he had ever looked at her with such unyielding determination.

"Katsuki... you have a very powerful quirk... and I know for a fact that you will be a great hero one day. But..." He trailed off at the end as his gaze became even more intense. She wanted to avert her eyes... but she felt like she couldn't, as if a strange force was compelling her to look back at him.

"Don't force your ideals on me. I'm not the hero you want me to be... nor the hero that you think I was in your own delusion."

Katsuki's eyes widened in shock and hurt, her emotions swirling as she struggled with his words. She hung her head low as her visage darkened. She didn't say anything... nor did Izuku, as he just stared at her pained confusion.

But... she suddenly lifted her head and looked back at him... with tears welling up in her eyes...!

"Deku, you idiot!" she shouted, her voice breaking with frustration.

She pulled her hand away from his grip and stormed out of the classroom!

"Bakugou-san!" Sora-sensei called out to the already gone Katsuki, while the rest of the class started to clamor over the oddly dramatic scene between Izuku and Katsuki.

Meanwhile... Izuku only stood in his spot, his expression hardened. He was also feeling a complex mix of emotions... as he was left questioning whether his words towards Katsuki had been the right choice.

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Author Note (and shameless promotion as usual):

A bit cheesy, eh~? Well, why not, I like some soap drama too, you know?

As usual~

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