"Izuku…?" Suzuka Midorya spoke quietly, rapping her knuckles against her brother's bedroom door. She could hear shuffling behind it, papers scattering and the distinct sound of feet hopping across the floor.

"J-just a sec!" Izuku stammered. "Stupid books." She heard him scowl. Suzuka rolled her eyes.

Typical Izuku. Suzuka thought returning to the living room quietly. With one last look in the mirror, she adjusted her necktie, turning to where her mother stood, cleaning breakfast in the kitchen. "Mom, let me help you." Suzuka sighed, crossing to the table. Her mother, Inko Midorya, held her hand up firmly.

"No Suzuka, you'll be late for school." Inko told her. Suzuka frowned, looking back at the hallway that led to the bedrooms. Izuku burst from his bedroom door skidding down the hallway in his white socks. From across the room, Suzuka levitated the boys backpack, tossing it to him.

"Thanks, Suzu!" Izuku grinned, catching it and throwing it over his shoulder. Suzuka gave him a warm smile, turning back to her mother. Inko raised an expectant eyebrow to her.

"Go, Suzuka, I can handle some dishes. You two don't need to have a tardy on your UA resume." Inko shooed her with her hands.

"Okay, but I'll do the dishes for dinner." Suzuka grinned, jogging to the front door. Reaching a hand for her backpack, it flew to her casually, and she caught it while sliding into her shoes. "Ready Izuku?" She smiled at her brother. Izuku smiled back, nodding as he opened the door for his twin. "Don't forget your shoes." Suzuka told him over her shoulder. Izuku blushed, taking a second to slide them on before following her down the hallway.

"Suzuka," Izuku started. Suzuka gave Izuku a look from the corner of her eyes, yes? They said. "Do you think we could skip Kacchan today?"

"Izuku, you can't just let him bully you all the time." Suzuka told him quietly as they exited their apartment. Izuku sighed from beside her, his heart sinking as he followed her into the back alley.

"Right." Izuku sighed, seeing Katsuki Bakugou several hundred feet down the alley from them. He was leaned casually against the fence to his backyard, his face sour like always. His scowl deepened as Izuku and Suzuka met him.

"You're late, losers." Katsuki growled. Suzuka rolled her eyes at him, taking her usual place between the two boys.

"Don't want to be tardy?" She asked him airily. Katsuki glared at her, kicking a rock down the alleyway from them. It bounced off a fence with a loud bang. The irony was not lost on Suzuka that loud was how Katsuki tended to live his life.

"Do I ever?" He sneered. Suzuka contemplated his words. Despite his projections, Katsuki actually cared about his academic career, even if it was only because he wanted to get into UA.

"Sorry, Kacchan. I dropped my books on the way out." Izuku apologized.

"Should've known it was useless Deku." Katsuki told him cooly. Suzuka glared at Katsuki, earning a heated one in return.

"Sorry-"

"Don't apologize to him. We aren't late." Suzuka interrupted Izuku briskly, throwing Kacchan a pointed look. Katsuki groaned, irritated.

"Here we go, we're starting early today." Katsuki whined, throwing his hands behind his head, bored. Katsuki was used to this routine. He didn't like Deku, actually he loathed him, but Suzuka? That was a different story. He put up with her, except on days where she didn't let the wimp stick up for himself. "Let the trash take itself out for once Suzu-"

"I'm not trash!" Izuku shouted, catching both Suzuka and Katsuki off guard. Katsuki glared at the boy, his eyebrow twitching.

"Don't yell at me, you damn nerd." Katsuki sneered. His hands began to crackle with energy and Suzuka used her ability to place kinetic bubbles around them. They fizzled at the lack of oxygen, making Katsuki more angry. He screamed in rage. "Why do you do that?!" Suzuka quirked her brow at Katsuki and he screamed again. "Why do you protect his useless ass? Let him save himself for once!"

"He's quirkless, Katsuki. What kind of fight would you expect from him against what you can do?" Suzuka returned. Katsuki was quiet for a second, barely missing a beat as spoke again:

"Then maybe I'll end his pathetic life and save us both from his canc-"

A loud slap rang out through the alleyway. It echoed off the the fences around them. Suzuka balled her fist, her hand stung, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to let Kacchan talk about her brother like that. It took Katsuki a second to recover, but once he did his face was distorted by his rage. Izuku watched them from behind his hands, shaking nearly out of his shoes.

Oh shit. He thought as the pair stared at each other. After a few seconds, Katsuki squared his shoulders at Suzuka.

"You're going to regret that one day, Suzuka. But if you want to defend his weak ass, go right ahead." Katsuki growled, shoving past Suzuka. He glared in Izuku's direction. "You're holding her back, Deku." Katsuki continued, striding past them. Suzuka watched him go, her expression unreadable. From beside her, Izuku sighed.

"You should stop antagonizing him, Suzu, especially for me." He watched sadly as Suzuka rubbed her hands together before tossing her long hair out of her face.

"He can't treat you like that, Izuku." Suzuka reasoned with her brother as she started walking again. Her eyes were focused on Katsuki's back. Once again she found herself wondering how Kacchan had become so cold to her brother. It was nearly an overnight change. As soon as his quirk developed, he began to bully Izuku. Suzuka hated it.

"But it's hurting your relationship." Izuku frowned.

"Why would I want to be friends with someone who is so cruel to you?" Suzuka turned, asking her brother. Izuku shifted nervously, looking at the ground.

"Suzuka…" Izuku smiled at his sister putting a hand on her head. He could tell she was lying, putting a brave face on for him. Suzuka frowned at him, as he ruffled her hair.

"If you don't start walking we really are going to be late."

Suzuka had the unfortunate draw of being placed in the class opposite of her brother. Their wasn't very large, but it was big enough to field two third year classes. While Suzuka didn't so much mind being in a class without her brother, she would have liked it better if he didn't share a class with Kacchan. On days like these, Suzuka found it hard to concentrate, because she was afraid of the hell that Kacchan was going to put him through while she was gone.

You're holding her back, Deku. Katsuki's voice rang in her head. Suzuka frowned, growing even more angry with the ash blonde. Their fight today was bad even by their standards. She hadn't hit him in a very long time, because the pair had come to an agreement of sorts: Katsuki would take it easier on Izuku and Suzuka would be the buffer. Today, that agreement was broken because of her. That is why today, when Suzuka found her brother jilted, sitting by the Koi pond, did she feel eternally guilty.

"Oh Izuku…" Suzuka sighed. With a deep breath, she crossed the quad to join her brother. He spared her a single glance, before dropping his head again.

"Hey, Suzu…" Izuku muttered. Suzuka frowned, staring down at the notebook that he held in his hands. Quietly, Suzuka held out her hand, gesturing for the notebook. Izuku handed it to her. "I guess Kacchan was really mad about this morning…" Suzuka frowned, clutching the notebook tightly to her chest before sighing.

It was her fault that Izuku's notebook had been trashed, and for that she felt terrible. She had let her brother down in ways that she couldn't even fathom. She was angry with herself for being unable to control her temper. For a second, she dared to compare herself to Katsuki-

"Suzuka." Izuku said firmly, smiling at his sister. He tugged at her arm, and when she loosened the grip on his notebook, he snaked it from her. "It's not your fault." Izuku told her happily. He placed a hand on her head, his usual gesture of affection, before ruffling her hair. Suzuka forced a smile.

"I don't believe you, but I'll stop brooding about it…" Suzuka told him quietly. Izuku grinned at his sister depositing his notebook in his bag.

"Don't you have Judo Club to get to?" Izuku asked his sister. Suzuka made a face, one that she was certain was not happy. Despite her foul expression, Izuku laughed.

"I don't really want to go." Suzuka told him honestly. Suzuka loved judo club, and she joined it at the beginning of middle school, hoping that adding Judo to her repertoire of skills would make her quirk more versatile. Unfortunately, Katsuki thought the same, and now they shared the same class.

"You can't avoid Kacchan. He still likes you." Izuku informed her. Suzuka shot him a look.

"He tolerates me." She corrected him, though today she wasn't so sure, especially not after this morning. Izuku practically read her mind.

"He wouldn't talk to you if he didn't. He'd treat you like he treats me." Suzuka frowned at her brother. He tried to cover up his pain with a smile, but it was easy for Suzuka to see through his facade. The siblings remained quiet for several seconds more before Izuku gave his sister a playful shove. "Go on, before he leaves without you. You know Mom hates when you take the train alone." Suzuka rolled her eyes at her brother, scoffing as she did.

"She acts like I'm helpless." Suzuka complained.

"Go! Now! Get out of my sight." Izuku teased her, waving her off. Suzuka pursed her lips, raising her hands in surrender before heading off towards the schools front gate. Like always, Izuku waited for her to get there before heading the opposite direction.

Suzuka stopped as she cleared the school gate, her eyes falling to the lonely ash blonde leaning against the fence wall. In all honestly, she hadn't expected him to be waiting for her after she slapped him today. Suzuka cleared her throat, catching Katsuki's attention, before crossing her arms and cocking her hips at him. Katsuki raised a bored eyebrow at her, tch-ing her attitude. With a growl, he pushed himself off the wall, returning her glare and crossed arms.

"You better be ready with an apology or you can walk yourself to Judo." He hissed venomously, still sore about this morning. Suzuka only narrowed her eyes more. Katsuki waited for what felt like years for a response, only to be disappointed. He didn't mind that she was quiet, actually it was refreshing since everyone else around him seemed to be always talking. It was only when she was angry with him did it bother him. Katsuki was always ready for a fight, and she was never one to give him it. Just when Katsuki thought he was going to absolutely lose his mind from her ignoring him, Suzuka spoke:

"You're a jerk." She said finally. Katsuki's eyes widened at her and he struggled to keep his mouth from falling agape.

"What." He growled in warning. Suzuka shook her head at him, like she was scolding him. The gesture made Katsuki feel like a child. It enraged him.

"If you're trying to make me choose, it's Izuku every time!" Suzuka raised her voice. Katsuki's eyes grew as round as saucers before his usual bad attitude returned. Her words only enraged him more.

"Why?!" Katsuki growled at her, clenching his fists. "Why, Dori, do you pick the quirkless scrub every time!" Suzuka looked at him, incredulous. She ignored the use of her childhood nickname, as it reminded her of better days when he referred to her as a pretty doll.

"He's my brother, Kacchan!" Suzuka hissed, taking her pointer finger and jabbing him hard in the chest. "That's why!" To her surprise, Katsuki remained silent, grabbing her finger tightly in his giant hand.

He watched her with confused eyes, eyes that searched her face for something, anything, what exactly he didn't know. Suzuka returned his stare, stone faced. He couldn't fault her in her loyalty to her brother, in fact it was endearing. But why did her brother have to be him.

As long as he'd known this girl, he knew that they we're going to be together forever, feelings that we're reciprocated, until Deku became Deku. Things changed then, the warmth that had been between them slowly dwindled until all that was left was burnt charcoal. He hated it, and in turn, he hated Deku even more.

With a fling of his wrist, Katsuki tossed Suzuka's finger to the side. The girl didn't even flinch, which only made Katsuki's temper flare under his skin. Unlike everyone else, Suzuka wasn't afraid of him. Why would she be? He'd never hurt her a day in her life, nor would he. But she didn't know that.

"Keep your finger to yourself." He hissed, snatching from her hands her school bag. He glared at her as he slung it over his shoulder with his own bag, before walking quietly down the street. After a few seconds, he heard Suzuka trailing after him, and he dared a glance over his shoulder. She was glaring at him, clearly she wasn't finished with their conversation. Too bad for her he was.

Suzuka frowned at Katsuki's back, trying her best to make sure he could feel her boring holes into him. The same thought plagued her today as it did most days. Why was Katsuki so cruel to Izuku? Why couldn't he grow up? If not for her then for himself? It wasn't healthy to keep those feelings tied so deep, but no matter how hard she'd tried to reach them, he just fought back. She blamed herself for it, really. She could've helped him if she'd tried harder, couldn't she have?

They had been so close as children, but now things were different. They didn't laugh together anymore. They didn't smile. By middle school, they barely saw eye to eye, but the feelings from their childhood still lingered. Why couldn't the two most important men in her life get along?

The sound of Katsuki's feet shuffling in front of her caught Suzuka's attention, and she stopped just shy of knocking him over.

"Watch where you're walking, clumsy ass!" He growled at her. He didn't know why he said it, but he was certain the frown on her face had something to do with it. She glared up at him defiant, much better. "The old hag wants you to come for dinner tonight. She says you haven't been over in a while and she's afraid you aren't eating." Katsuki smirked at Suzuka. "I told her you were eating just fine."

"Katsuki." Suzuka muttered earning a frown from him. She wasn't fat, both of them knew her weight was fine just another dig at her to make up for the ground he lost this morning. Katsuki looked away, and if Suzuka hadn't known better she'd say he was ashamed. She could tell he was sorry, in his own way, so she wasn't going to make him say it. Suzuka sighed. "I promised mom I'd do the dishes tonight, but if we walk home together, I'll stop in and say hello." Suzuka forced a smile. Despite them being the same person, she genuinely liked Mitsuki.

"Fine, but I'll let you give her that lame excuse." Katsuki groaned, continuing on his way.

Not sure why the page breaks aren't working, but here is my new story. I'm not gonna promise anything by way of updating, but I will try to be reasonable. I have a health amount of chapters already written sooooo. anyways, ya'll know the drill, reviews are always appreciated!