Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya had always liked the chill of an arena before a game. There was something in the air—some sort of calm before the crazy adrenaline of hockey. He could feel the familiar weight of the skates on his feet and the uniform on his back and felt the urge to cry. It was Izuku's first official game in what had been four years. He didn't realize how much he missed it until the nerves of an awaiting game hit. The feeling was much more apparent now that he was back in the Musutafu Arena, warming up just like he used to.
He looked around, taking in the stadium. Izuku never imagined he would be back here, never less playing for the opposing team. It was a lot more full than it was back when he played for Aldera. It made sense that there were more people—UA was one of the top high schools in the nation, with one of the best hockey teams. Izuku wondered if he would have made it on the team if he stayed. He assumed he would have, given that Shiketsu was UA's biggest rival. Their teams were practically matched in skill level. There was the factor that UA tended to have a bigger number of applicants, making the competition fierce.
"Midoriya? Are you alright? You are mumbling again." Izuku looked up to see Yoarashi waving his arm in from of his face.
Izuku gave him a bright smile. "Of course. It's just a little strange being back here after all these years."
"Ah yes, you grew up in Musutafu right?" Yoarashi said.
"Yes, I haven't been back since I moved."
"Quite the place to make your debut."
Izuku laughed half-heartedly. "Don't I know it."
Now the team had to switch up from their laps around the rink to the more intensive warmups, leaving no room for talking. Izuku was practicing his shots when he heard the general din of the arena get louder. He paused and looked around to see the blue and white uniforms of UA.
He searched the team, his eyes scanning for Kacchan's jersey. He had heard Kacchan got on the team at UA and appointed team captain almost immediately. Izuku was not surprised—of course Kacchan was number one. Much to Izuku's disappointment and gratitude, he couldn't see him in the crowd of UA's players.
He still didn't know how to feel about Kacchan. The way they left things was messy, unhealthy, and another myriad of messed up. But there will still always be a part of Izuku that will always admire him, no matter what has happened between the two.
Izuku shook himself out of the thought and focused harder on the warmups. Now was not the time to get distracted. This was Izuku's first game since his injury. He had to proudly exclaim to the world that he was here—that he was no longer the kid that got injured while playing all those years ago.
Both teams finished their warmups, skating back to their perspective pre-game spots before they would be announced. It was only minutes before it was game time. He waited anxiously as he heard his teammates names called and the resounding cheers and boos that followed.
"Number nine, left forward, Izuku Midoriya!"
Izuku skated onto court to where his team was waiting. Surprisingly, the UA fans kept silent or cheered when his name was called, unlike the boos his other teammates got.
Musutafu remembered Izuku Midoriya.
Izuku pumped his fist towards the crowd and both sides went wild.
Holy whoa. Izuku had no idea that he could have such an effect. He hadn't even played an actual game since he was fourteen. All eyes were on him. It was overwhelming, if Izuku was being honest. He shivered slightly and made his way to his teammates, cheering loudly when the rest of their names were called.
Izuku blinked in confusion when the lights went out and loud music began blasting from the speakers. Blue and white lights began to flash around the arena as the crowd grew steadily louder.
"Introducing our UA Heroes! Number five, team captain and right wing, Katsuki Bakugou!"
Izuku froze and turned his way to where the entrance of the rink was. There he was.
Kacchan.
He looked taller than the last time Izuku saw him. Besides that, it was still his same Kacchan—so effortlessly himself.
Green eyes met red ones as Kacchan skated by Shiketsu. Izuku no longer heard the screams of the crowd and the music around him. All that was there was Kacchan and Izuku. Izuku couldn't tell what expression was on his face, but he felt the pressure under his gaze. Izuku stared back unblinking.
Izuku felt a hand on his shoulder and he broke eye contact.
Just like that it was over.
"You know him?" Yoarashi asked.
Izuku blinked. "Hm? What?" He shook himself out of the feeling as he registered what Yoarashi said. "A long time ago. We used to play hockey together. We were friends…." Izuku trailed off.
"It sounds like there's a story there."
Izuku laughed awkwardly, waving his hands about. "Nothing too interesting. I left hockey and he got mean. We drifted apart." He shrugged.
Yoarashi narrowed his eyes. "He sounds like a real jerk. My apologies, Midoriya."
Izuku sighed. "It's fine. He's amazing…. He can be a real pain, sure. But his strength, and confidence, and his ambition…. Not to mention his skills with hockey. They're all so much greater than mine. But that means that I have to do better. I refuse to lose today!"
Yoarashi clapped his shoulder. "That's the passion we need, Midoriya! Puck drop is soon. We got to get on the ice."
Izuku nodded and flexed his fist, following his team onto the rink. He skated to his position at center ice and waited for the puck to drop, signaling the start of the game. Energy thrumming through his body, Izuku bent forward, gaze locked in on Yoarashi poised at the center face off dot. A deep breath in, out, and then the puck rocketed towards him, Yoarashi having won the face off.
Izuku moved before he even realized it, taking off down the ice, puck in his possession. He fired a pass to Yoarashi as they crossed the blue line and glanced back just in time to dodge a barreling Kacchan headed right towards him.
Heart pounding at the near miss, Izuku skated behind the net to chase down the loose puck, just barely beating a UA player to it, and sent it flying back around the boards to Shiketsu's left wing. Their left wing passed it to their defender, Nagamasa Mora, who found Izuku again, stick up and ready for the one timer. Izuku connected on the shot, zipping it towards the net, but the UA goalie deflected and then the puck was corralled by Kacchan, headed the other direction.
Izuku tore after him, watching as Kacchan tried to go one on three and very nearly succeeded, only not getting the shot off because of a nifty, last second poke check by Mora. After a couple battles along the boards, Mora finally retained possession and held it behind their net, waiting for the forwards to get off the ice.
As both sides skated off for the shift change, Izuku can't wipe the grin off his face. They may not have scored on his chance, but being back is exhilarating. For the next few minutes, he watched his team go back and forth, vibrating on the bench as he waited for his next shift.
He hopped over the boards when it came, and the first period started to pass by in a blur, Izuku settling into the rhythm of the game. He was having fun, save for what was starting to feel like near constant collision attempts by Kacchan. Izuku can't say he wasn't expecting it, but the aggression in Kacchan's actions still had him feeling a little unsettled.
It's been a scoreless first, neither team creating much beyond Izuku's first shot right at the beginning and then when a careless decision not to pass by Kacchan resulted in a turnover in the neutral zone.
Izuku zeroed in on the puck, scooping it towards him and glancing over to find Yoarashi keeping stride on his left, Kacchan's roar of frustration echoing in his ears. It was a two on one and he and Yoarashi passed it back and forth as they approached the net. Yoarashi passed it back one last time after feinting the shot, leaving the net wide open for Izuku to slam it home.
The horn sounded and Izuku yelled in triumph, throwing his hands in the air. He was in the process of skating to his teammates to celebrate when hairs pricked up on the back of his neck. Izuku only had a second to brace himself before a weight slammed into him from behind.
Izuku hit the wall and he turned to see Kacchan's fiery gaze staring at him. Izuku flinched but then met his gaze head on. "Kacchan," Izuku said, the first words they had exchanged in three years.
Kacchan narrowed his eyes further and shoved him back to the wall. Izuku could hear the crowd go absolutely wild, cheering on the fight. "What's the matter Deku? Afraid to stand up and fight me? You were always too soft for this game."
Kacchan raised his fist, going for a right hook, but before he could get close—Izuku dodged and ducked his way out Kacchan's grasp. He raised his fists in a fighting stance. "I knew you'd come at me, Kacchan. But the thing is-" Izuku shoved him on the wall, a stance similar to the one they were in earlier, but this time Kacchan was against the wall. "I belong on the ice as much as you do."
Before Kacchan could retaliate, Izuku felt himself being pulled back. A shrill whistle sounded and he looked around to see his teammates and UA gathered around them. Izuku's eyes widened as he saw Kacchan trying to fight his teammates off. He eventually relented and went to the penalty box with a slam of the door.
Izuku shivered and gripped onto his stick tighter. He knew he should have been expecting Kacchan to still be the same angry bully from before, but a part of him was disappointed that he had not seemed to change.
Izuku shook himself off and went back into position, ready for the face-off. The puck dropped and the game was back on. Izuku tried his best to focus on the game around him, but his thoughts were stuck on Kacchan.
The game passed by with a blur, Izuku moving mechanically through the next period. Izuku's teammates managed to score two more points, while UA only scored one. The buzzer sounded, and just like that the game was over.
Izuku stood on the ice as his teammates rushed past and began to celebrate together. He looked back at to where UA was, seeing Kacchan arguing with the goalie. He saw him throw down his stick and skate off.
Before Izuku could dwell on what was happening, he felt a hand on his shoulder and felt himself be pushed towards the throng of his teammates. Izuku felt overwhelmed as his teammates moved to congratulate him, clapping his shoulders and bringing him into the group. He felt a few tears fall from his eyes, as he grinned brightly—his heart lighter than it had been in years.
He was finally back home.
"Midoriya? Are you okay?" Izuku heard Yoarashi ask.
Izuku shot him a full-faced grin. "I've never been better."
Yoarashi clapped his shoulder and squeezed it. He flashed a grin at Izuku. "I'm glad to hear that. You deserve this win as much as anyone else."
Izuku bowed his head gratefully. "Thank you, captain."
Soon enough, the team concluded their celebrations, and they began to line up for handshakes with UA.
"Good game," Izuku said distractedly as he shook the other's teams hands.
He gulped as his gaze met Kacchan's. He was next in the line. Izuku held out his hand for Kacchan to take. "Good game," Izuku said after a moment.
Kacchan yanked his arm, bringing him closer. "Meet me outside after you change, shitty nerd. You know where."
Izuku knew that this was probably a bad idea. They weren't on good terms by any means, and it would be best for him to move on and never speak to Katsuki again. He should let him fade to a childhood memory; become someone he only faced occasionally in hockey games. He should say no.
"Okay." Izuku said.