"Sho-chan?"
Todoroki looked up. His expression softened a bit when his eyes landed on me.
"(y/n)", he acknowledged me.
"Are you okay?", I asked as I hesitantly walked closer to him. "With using your fire and all."
"Yes, I'm fine", Todoroki answered. "Thank you for asking."
"Before the cavalry battle you said you'd never use it in a fight", I carefully said. "What made you change your mind?"
"Something Midoriya said", Todoroki mumbled and his heterochromic eyes landed on me again. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I was wondering about it", I mumbled as I turned my head to look at the stadium. "I care about you, and when I asked you why you didn't use your left side in battle earlier your answer was pretty serious. Can't a girl be worried about her friend?"
I looked back up with a weak smile when I said the last part. Todoroki's eyes widened for a second. Then he showed me a small smile.
"Thanks for your concern, (y/n)", he said. "But you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. I'll tell you when I'm not."
"Okay", I softly said, content with his answer.
In the time I'd spent with Todoroki, I noticed that he didn't show his emotions very often. Small moments like these made me smile. When he smiled or said something kind. For some reason, those small moments replayed in my head many times.
"Next up are Shoto Todoroki and (y/n) (l/n)!", Present Mic announced.
"I can actually hear him shouting", I muttered as I glanced at the room the hero was in.
"Yeah, me too", Todoroki said.
I chuckled and we started making our way down to the field together. When we reached the stage we halted, and I grabbed Todoroki's hand.
"I'll do my best", I said. "Don't you dare go easy on me. I don't care if you use your fire. Just... Don't hold back."
"I won't", Todoroki answered. "And I expect the same from you."
I nodded once and squeezed his hand before letting go. Then we parted, making our way to the edges of the stage. I walked up, trying to ignore the crowds cheering.
I'll keep my word. I won't hold back.
The start signal sounded and I took a deep breath as I watched Todoroki.
I'll try to finish this quickly, the half and half boy thought to himself.
I didn't have much time to react as Todoroki sent a huge ice pillar towards me, the same one he used to trap Sero. Soon enough I was stuck in the same way. Todoroki slowly walked up to me with an emotionless expression on his face.
I'm not getting hypothermia this time.
"Sho-chan", I started with a taunting undertone. "Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?"
I smirked as I teleported right behind him, getting into his personal space.
Damn it, Todoroki thought. I forgot about that. I guess I'll have to do what she said in her first round.
"You'll have to knock me unconscious to win", I whispered in his ear.
He quickly turned around, sending ice pillars in my direction. I jumped backwards, using darkness to steady myself. Then I launched forwards, turning and twisting to avoid Todoroki's ice.
I got into his personal space again, making sure to stay on his left side. Although I said I didn't care if he would use his fire, I didn't think he would. And even if he did, I was ready to counter.
I jumped sideways with a spin to avoid another pillar of ice. I jumped up during the turn, spin-kicking Todoroki in the face as I did so. I landed low to the ground a few feet away.
I looked at Todoroki to see him narrow his eyes at me as he held his jaw. I winked before jumping to avoid more ice pillars. My eyes widened when Todoroki suddenly came towards me, surfing on his ice.
I narrowed my eyes, a bit jealous. I couldn't use my darkness like that. It could come in many forms, but nothing that resembled ice.
I dodged more ice pillars as Todoroki started to circle around me, creating a small ice arena around us. It was similar to the one he created in the cavalry battle to trap Midoriya's team, but smaller this time.
He's not doing anything without ice, I realized.
I absorbed some darkness and used it to boost myself towards Todoroki.
"You rely on your quirk too much", I commented as I punched him square in the face.
I teleported away when more ice was sent my way. I vaguely registered Present Mic and Aizawa commenting on the battle as I looked around. I'd teleported outside of Todoroki's pretty ice arena, and now I didn't know from which side he would advance.
"Focus", Toyoda's voice went through my head.
Yes, Onii-chan. I will.
I closed my eyes, focusing more on sound and atmosphere than on sight. It was the same as I did back when I still trained with my big brother.
I jumped up when I noticed an ice pillar moving in my way. However, Todoroki had been hiding in the ice arena and jumped out of it. I was hit by a big wave of ice and slammed against the side of the ice arena with my back.
Damn, that was harder than I thought.
I slumped to the ground and grinned as I looked up at Todoroki, who was observing me from a few feet away. I coughed up some blood and got up.
This damn ice dome is in the way.
I teleported inside and quickly absorbed darkness before Todoroki could follow. Then I emitted it out of my palms at full power, splintering Todoroki's icey arena from the inside.
The half and half boy covered his face against the ice splinters, looking at me through his lashes. I looked at him when I was done with the ice arena and narrowed my eyes.
"Kill him."
My eyes widened when those two words went through my head. Merely a whisper, but still there.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. Then I absorbed more darkness and aimed at Todoroki. I sent a blast his way, like a laser canon. He created an ice pillar in front of him as defense. The ice shattered, but I couldn't reach Todoroki. He came surfing towards me, but I quickly jumped to the side of the stage, making sure to stay within the bounds.
"Kill him."
I absorbed more darkness and looked around. I'd observed Todoroki plenty of times, and he had a habit that I could perfectly use to my advantage.
I fired darkness at the composed boy continuously. It didn't reach him because of the ice he used to counter it, but that wasn't my intention anyway. I just wanted to push him back. I smirked when I saw what I wanted to see; a small wall of ice, made by Todoroki to prevent him from being pushed back further.
"Kill him."
Shut up. Leave me alone.
I kept firing at Todoroki until I was satisfied with his disorientation. Then I teleported diagonally above him. I turned and spin-kicked him in the face before he could respond.
I landed pretty close by. Todoroki shakily got up, which irritated me in a way.
Stay down, goddammit.
Todoroki tried to shoot ice pillars at me, but I turned to dodge and reached him. Before I could stop myself I'd put my hand on the side of Todoroki's head. I let out a frustrated growl as I slammed his head into the ice wall behind him, making it crack.
"(l/n), stop!", Midnight said with a crack of her whip.
I immediately snapped out of my violent daze and took a step back as Todoroki fell to the ground. I was still breathing heavily, but at least my head was clear.
I gasped when I looked at the place where I'd slammed Todoroki into the ice wall. There was blood on it.
"S-Sho-chan?", I stammered as I knelt down beside him. "Shoto!"
He was laying on his side, so I carefully turned him around. He was unconscious and there was blood on his head. One thought went through my head as I wrapped my arms around Todoroki and held him close.
That was too hard. I'm a monster.
"(y/n) (l/n) wins and advances to the finale!", Midnight announced.
"Ah, such an... emotional victory, for (y/n) (l/n)!", Present Mic's voice sounded through the speakers.
I ignored it, and everything else, as I looked at the suddenly fragile boy in my arms. I felt tears roll down my cheek and angrily wiped them away.
I didn't stray from Todoroki's side as he was lifted onto a stretcher and carried into Recovery Girl's temporary office.
"(y/n)", she said when she saw me walk in. "Back again?"
Then she saw my tear-stained face and looked at Todoroki, who was carefully placed in one of the beds. Recovery Girl quickly understood that I wasn't leaving and told me to sit down on a chair so she could treat Todoroki.
I was expecting Endeavor to show up. First of all to check on his son, second of all to scold me for hurting him. But he never did.
Eventually I stopped waiting for the no. 2 hero and focused my attention on Recovery Girl, who was examining Todoroki. After a few moments of checking his injuries she turned to me.
"He has a light concussion", she said. "I'll heal him, but he'll need lots of rest either way."
I gulped and nodded.
A concussion. I really am a monster.
When Recovery Girl was done healing him I moved my chair closer to the bed and gently squeezed Todoroki's hand. I wanted to stay until he woke up, but eventually I was called out for the finale against Bakugo, who'd beaten Tokoyami in the semi-final.
"Go on, dear", Recovery Girl cooed. "I'll stay with him."
I hesitated, glancing at Todoroki, who still hadn't woken up. Recovery Girl walked up to me and put her hands on the side of my face. She wiped away some tears I didn't even know were falling.
"He's just asleep", she softly said. "He's not unconscious anymore. Just asleep. You can go and come back right after your battle. I'll stay with him."
I nodded and looked at Todoroki one more time before getting up. I wiped away the remaining tears and purposefully strode down to the field.
I walked onto the stage with pride under loud cheering. I looked at Bakugo, who was standing on the other side of the stage.
"Don't you fucking hold back now, (l/n)!", he yelled.
I didn't respond, but closed my eyes as the start signal sounded. I could hear everything Bakugo did as he used his explosions to launch himself at me.
I opened my eyes and dodged a right hook aimed at my head. I flinched when Bakugo fired one of his explosions right next to my head. My right ear felt deaf as I absorbed darkness.
I managed to dodge another explosion by a hair's length and fired a blast of darkness at Bakugo. He just maniacally laughed and countered it with a powerful explosion. I blinked.
I tried to focus, but my head clearly wasn't in the match. On top of that I was afraid of getting too carried away again.
It took me a few seconds to register Bakugo hovering over me, pinning me to the ground with his body weight.
"Get up!", Bakugo yelled. "Do something! Fucking fight!"
Can I really risk getting too carried away again? Can I risk hurting another boy I care about?
"I can't", I whispered, more to myself than to Bakugo.
"Yes you fucking can!", he immediately answered. "Teleport or something! Fight me!"
I closed my eyes.
"I won't", I whispered.
I felt Bakugo move his hands from my arms to my shirt. He was about to start shaking me when I opened my eyes filled with resolve.
"I give up", I stated, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"(y/n) (l/n) gives up!", Midnight said with a lash of her whip. "Kastuki Bakugo wins the first year's Sports Festival!"
"No!", Bakugo yelled and he started to shake me.
In a split second I flipped him over so I was straddling him with my hands on his shoulders. He only got angrier
"Stop", I demanded. "I can't risk it."
"What the fuck are you-"
"I won't risk it", I muttered before getting up.
Bakugo immediately jumped up and started closing up on me. I could tell he was quite angry. I wasn't in the mood to deal with him and teleported into the exit tunnel.
"No!", I heard him yell from the field. "Come back here and fight me, you bitch!"
I could still hear Bakugo raging for a few seconds as I went back to Recovery Girl and Todoroki. Then he suddenly fell silent.
The healing heroine smiled when I entered her temporary office.
"He's still asleep", she said and she gestured towards Todoroki.
My throat got dry when I looked at him. There were bandages wrapped around his head and a smaller bandage on his face. Other than that he seemed to be peacefully sleeping. I sat down on the chair by the side of his bed and ruefully looked at him.
I'm sorry, Sho-chan.
I sighed and tore my eyes away from him.
"Will he really be okay?", I asked Recovery Girl.
"Yes, dear", she answered with a small smile. "He should wake up soon."
"Okay", I mumbled. "Thanks."
I wanted to stay longer, but of course I had to leave again. Only for a short time though. It was time for the award ceremony.
I got onto the stage like a zombie, not really hearing anything anyone said. I snapped out of my daze when Midnight mentioned Todoroki.
"Shoto Todoroki is also in third place, but he's not here because he's still unconscious."
I cringed and looked down at the floor.
I did that to him.
I flinched when All Might suddenly put a hand on my shoulder.
"You did well, (l/n)-shoujo", he said. "Although you should try to proportion your attacks more."
I nodded with a small smile as he awarded me the silver medal. I had to stop myself from snorting when I noticed Bakugo, completely restrained. I glanced at Tokoyami, who was in third place. He nodded at me, and I waved with a small smile. Then I looked at Bakugo again and couldn't stop myself from laughing, which only seemed to enrage him more.
"Calm down, Katsu-chan", I chuckled.
I knew he probably had a bruised ego because I gave up when I could've continued he match, but I didn't expect him to be restrained so much.
A few moments later a picture was taken. I managed to smile, although my mind kept wandering to Todoroki. When I looked back at the picture later it made me laugh. I was just standing there with a smile, Tokoyami looked dark and broody like he usually did, and then there was Bakugo, who looked like a rabid caged dog. It was especially funny because Bakugo had the medal in his mouth.
After all the commotion I went back to Todoroki, who was still asleep. I sighed and sat down in the chair by the bed. I didn't notice my exhaustion until later. Without realizing it I dozed off, resting my head on my arms on the side of Todoroki's bed.