Perfectly Imperfect (Shoto Todoroki x Reader)

chapter eighteen

Midoriya was fine. Recovery Girl was a miracle worker. 

We walked back to our seats in relative silence, Izuku having the mercy to not ask about my stony expression. I didn't have words. I didn't even have anything to think. All I could hear was Shoto's conversation looping over and over and over and over in my head.

"Your fire is your own, you know that, don't you?"

"You're wrong, Y/n."

I sat down in my seat, watching Shoto and his opponent, Sero, walk out onto the field.

"NOW, welcome to the ring, our next players!" President Mic shouted, "He's got skills, but at the expense of some really creepy-looking elbows. From the hero course, it's Hanta Sero!"

Ochaco looked at me, concerned, when I didn't offer a reaction to Mic's jab. She knew that kind of humor was right up my alley.

"Versus, an early frontrunner in the competition who's WAY too strong for his own good! Someone who rightfully got into the hero course based on recommendations! It's Shoto Todoroki!"

Shoto stood still, staring at the ground. What he was thinking, I couldn't guess.

"Ready? BEGIN!"

Sero's tape whipped out within a moment, wrapping around Shoto and starting to swing him towards the boundary line.

The class was on the edge of their seats, watching with baited breath. I didn't blame them. If Shoto lost this, the class hierarchy would be pretty much overthrown.

In the blink of an eye, however, ice crystals erupted from Shoto's right side, covering the floor of the arena and flying outward, covering Sero and cementing him in place. It didn't cover much more than that. The ice shards and spikes were large and impressive, sure, but they were controlled. It wasn't hard to tell- this was calculated.

"Sero, be honest. Can you move at all?" Midnight called from her stand on the sidelines. Sero shivered.

"N-no, are you kidding?"

Midnight nodded and raised her arm in the air, announcing, "Sero is immobilized! Todoroki advances to the next round!"

I stood up as Shoto, down on the field, stepped forward to release Sero from his ice prison.

"I'll be back, Ochaco.

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"Hey. Good show out there."

"Hello, Y/n. Thank you."

There was an awkward silence as Shoto and I watched each other, his expression deadpan, my stomach fluttering and mind reeling.

I smiled. "Um. Wanna watch the matches in the waiting room? There's two matches until mine and I feel like I'm gonna explode from nerves. We don't have to talk, if you don't want to. I just need to plan with someone, if that's okay."

There was a moment of silence, before Shoto inclined his head. "Sure. That sounds fine."

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"Shiozaki, huh? Look at her hair. God, I would kill for her hair thickness."

"Her... her hair is made of vines, Y/n."

"Yeah, but look at how well-layered it is!"

"I'll bet the vines are detachable, or grow at her will. This will be a tough fight for Kaminari, since plants are poor conductors."