Post Vitam

Chapter 135

The match between Todoroki and Sero was, in a word, massive. In terms of both disappointment and awe. Disappointment in how quickly it was over and awe at the sheer scale of Todoroki's power. Even if he was fueled by his declaration of his intent to win the festival, the excessive force made Izuku wonder if he saw something to upset him. Todoroki had started the match by sending a glacial wave of ice reaching toward the sky, freezing and shaking a large portion of the stadium itself too. Sero didn't even have a chance to react before he was encased in said glacier. Midnight had to confirm that Sero was unable to escape and then announced that Todoroki had won the match.

Todoroki at least had the decency to appear guilty as he was melting Sero free afterwards. Sero shook his hand once he was free but Izuku could spot a mask from a mile away. Something was bothering Sero and judging by the look he got from him when they left for the match it was more than just having lost the match.

Izuku and hopefully anyone else with a working set of eyes then saw why Todoroki had been upset. Endeavour was in the audience and now felt the need to make his presence known by melting the glacier with an over the top display of fire. Izuku suddenly tensed once he saw the flames, even being nowhere near them it was as if the heat from them reached his skin. Faded echoes of screams he usually only hears in his nightmares came from behind him threatening to get louder.

Movement next to him made him snap his head towards it and away from the screen where the inferno was melting the last of the ice turning it to water and steam. Momo and Tokoyami were heading to wait for their match. Izuku calmed himself partially by holding onto Bakugo and smiled as they went.

Once they were gone and everyone else was watching the screen Izuku pulled on his boyfriend's arm earning him a quizzical look. "You okay Izu?"

Izuku just smiled and leaned in for a kiss. He'd kissed him on national TV, no need to be shy around their classmates. It wasn't the best coping method but he needed to know he was safe. What can be safer than Kacchan's lips? The phantom weight on his leg lifted when soft lips met him.

There were sounds of protest and jealousy from everyone else in the room, they replaced the screaming so Izuku happily allowed them this. Izuku felt better and let go with a laugh. The smell of his own continuously burning flesh had left his nose. Content and resting his head on Bakugo's shoulder he turned his attention back to the monitor, currently displaying Momo and Tokoyami stepping up to the arena.

That match at least went on a decent length but it was obvious, well to Izuku at least, who had won once he saw how Momo had chosen to fight. Her quirk is no doubt useful but her tendency to create large things had cost her. Tokoyami had sent Dark Shadow to harass and push her as soon as the match had started. She barely had time to create a shield to block the constant blows. Seemingly just as she had thought of a way to fight back, Tokoyami had ceased his attacks. She readied herself to go on the offense but Midnight declared Tokoyami the winner. He had pushed her out of bounds without her even noticing. Both of them bowed to each other afterwards.

Izuku hoped this kind of sportsmanship would be held up by everyone else. Class A overall seemed to get closer after the USJ and he didn't want something stupid like winning a match to cause tension.

As Iida left to have his match against Hatsume from support Todoroki returned still looking a little ashamed he went so hard against Sero. Izuku waved Iida off as he motioned for Todoroki to come over to him. Avoiding eye contact with almost everyone else, he walked to Izuku and waited. Izuku tried to lift his spirits somewhat. "You know Sero will forgive you right, Todoroki?"

Todoroki nodded saying "He already did, i'm just embarrassed i let him do it again"

Everyone who was rudely listening in looked confused so Izuku shot a dark look past Todoroki and everyone snapped their heads back to the TV. "It takes time to fix your normal behavior, trust me" Izuku told him thinking back on how he only recently had learned some sort of control on his anger.