Haunting

Chapter Nineteen: Sports Festival (4)

Kaminari watched as Todoroki finally managed to find his seat. Sero came in shortly after, shoulders low, but the giggles that followed and the shiver that visibly made its way through Sero's body seemed to cheer his defeated friend up a bit. He made his way over and sat by Mina - you did so great! he heard her cheer - and Kaminari stood to make his way down to the arena, Izuku announcing he was joining him with chills and a soft pat to his shoulder.

Kaminari took the stairs down in silence. Izuku was a hovering presence over his shoulder, and the image of his small body seemed to stick itself to the forefront and stay there. He tried to focus on the match ahead of him. The name 'Reiko' had been on his slip of paper, a vague face in his memory all he could conjure even though he knew for sure he'd properly met her somewhere. He wished he knew what type of Quirk she had to prepare for it. Kaminari only hoped it wouldn't bite him in the ass later. He wanted proud Izuku pats after the match - hell he wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't half the class' motivation at this point.

Izuku.

Kaminari let out a gusty sigh, and Izuku murmured to him, words unrecognizable. His heart squeezed.

He had to say something, especially after what he saw.

Hey buddy, he said, hoping he sounded as chipper as he was aiming for. If you ever need anything or wanna chat, I'm always free, okay?

Izuku murmured again, and he felt the kid bat at his hair, almost fond. His chest loosened, stomach rising from when it had dropped into his feet earlier. Feeling rejuvenated, he squared his shoulders and focused.

The arena was right in front of him. He stepped out of the safety of the stadium and into the open air, but Izuku didn't leave, staying by his side. They reached the platform together.

A girl with white hair stood across from him, looking determined, and with a jolt he realized who it was. That Reiko, the girl who brought them cookies. Kaminari sent her a friendly wave, and she responded. Hesitant, but it was better than nothing at all.

The match was started, and he felt Izuku's presence vanish as Reiko jumped upwards and soared, eyes sharp.

Kaminari watched her rise, feeling his electricity spark in his fingertips.

One minute Izuku was hovering peacefully next to Kaminari, about to turn around and float back up to the stands, and the next minute he was yanked backwards, heart pounding as his hands moved on their own to grab the collar of Reiko's shirt and pull her up. His hands buzzed painfully, a non corporeal entity interacting with a world not meant for his touch, broken wrist straining with the weight of her, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut against the pain. His breath rattled in his chest, and he felt as if he was choking on his breath.

He didn't know she was the one Kaminari had been fighting. Reiko's name hadn't been familiar, he hadn't been paying attention to her introduction, he didn't know, he didn't know.

The couple of ghosts surrounding her looked at him with their flat gazes, bewilderment breaching the emptiness in their eyes, the same reaction he had gotten in the classroom. Izuku cringed from the attention, their stares doing nothing for his frantic breathing. An unnatural, forced anxiety was being burned into his skin, racing his heart, setting fire to his hands.

She was so high up now, the second he let go was the second she could plummet to her death. The thought had him shaking, memories hazy, body fuzzing and losing its shape.

Wait, if he let go of her...?

Izuku took in a deep, shaky, and rattling breath, used the pain in his hands to ground him as he actually looked at what he was doing. He tried to breathe around his closing throat.