Shoto Todoroki X Reader

Chapter 23 : Cracks in the Cover

The days continued in the same tense rhythm. You and Todoroki were careful—excruciatingly so. Every look, every touch was planned, calculated, and hidden beneath layers of normalcy. But Mina's eyes were always there, watching, waiting for the moment the truth would slip. You could feel her suspicion growing, but thankfully, she hadn't confronted you again.

Until that night.

It had started innocently enough, another evening in the dorm common room. Kaminari had suggested a movie night, and everyone had gathered around, sprawled on couches and bean bags with snacks in hand. You and Todoroki had deliberately chosen seats on opposite sides of the room, careful to keep up the charade. Mina sat next to you, and from the way she glanced over at Todoroki every so often, you could tell she was still on the hunt for answers.

Halfway through the movie, when the energy in the room began to lull, Kirishima grinned and nudged Kaminari. "How about we make things more interesting? A little Truth or Dare to spice up the night."

The room buzzed with excitement, and suddenly everyone was on board. Even Bakugo, though grumbling, didn't outright leave, clearly content to sit back and watch the chaos unfold.

You felt a pang of nervousness. The last Truth or Dare session had nearly blown your cover, and with Mina in the room, the stakes felt higher than ever.

The game began with harmless dares: Kirishima had to do twenty push-ups with Sero on his back, Kaminari had to sing an embarrassing pop song, and even Bakugo, under pressure, had to tell a joke (which, unsurprisingly, ended in him shouting). The light-hearted dares had you almost relaxed, and for a moment, you let your guard down.

That's when Mina's turn came around.

She spun the bottle in the center of the group, her eyes gleaming with mischief. As it slowed, you held your breath, silently praying it wouldn't land on you.

It did.

You swallowed hard, trying to keep a calm facade as Mina's grin widened. "Truth or dare, Y/N?"

You hesitated for a moment, knowing full well that whichever you chose, Mina was bound to use it to her advantage. After a brief internal debate, you decided to take the safer route—at least with truth, there were no wild dares to blow your cover.

"Truth," you said, trying to sound confident.

Mina's grin grew even wider, and you knew you'd just walked right into her trap.

"Do you have a crush on anyone right now?" she asked, her tone playful but her eyes sharp.

Your heart stopped. It was such a simple question, but the weight of it felt enormous. Everyone in the room turned to look at you, some chuckling, some leaning forward in interest.

You glanced around, careful not to let your eyes drift to Todoroki, who, to his credit, was keeping his face as neutral as ever, though his fingers tightened slightly around the book in his lap.