Keeping You (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 4

He rolled his eyes again. He was getting really good at that lately. But a smile also adorned his face as he said, 'Fine. But you owe me.'

'I think you'll be owing me when you realise this is the right decision.'

We shared a long gaze with one another, all of our amusement and annoyance fading to adoration for one another. As if he were the ground and I were falling from the sky, I drew closer to him instinctively, and he to I. Our lips met briefly, but it was sensational and full of life and a love I couldn't get enough of. If only time could stop, or I could somehow shrink the moment into a snow-globe so that it remained eternal in my mind.

We broke apart a moment later but remained close, and I could feel a goofy smile tainting my lips.

'Are you sure you don't want to come with me?' Shoto mumbled, a dorky grin stretching his features more boyishly than ever before.

I chuckled softly, placing a hand on his chest and pushing us away from each other. 'As tempting as an offer that is, I really do have homework to do. And I am a glutton for Bakugou and Sato's food.'

He laughed at that, stepping away further and further until he was walking down the stairs and waving goodbye. 'Next time, then.'

'Next time,' I called back, waving lazily as he finally turned away and walked off the grounds. A black car already awaited him at the end of the drive - an offer from his dad, no doubt. I sometimes forgot he was actually rich.

My goofy grin remained as I closed the door, steadily making my way back to the kitchen, where I could already hear a hundred conversations at once. Some arguments, some idle chatter, but all of it was welcomed.

'Wow!' I exclaimed, taking my first bite of the chicken and feeling it melt in my mouth. 'Bakugou and Sato, you guys did a great job. The food is delicious!'

Sato gave me a grateful nod from the down the table, and Bakugo beside me simply grunted. I sighed and went back to my food. That was as close to a 'Thank you' I would get from the fiery hedgehog.

The rest of dinner was pleasant and enjoyable, but it wasn't until I was walking back towards the elevator that I noticed a certain green-haired classmate of mine hadn't been present. As if some higher being or invisible force heard my concerns, I looked out the windows lining the corridor and spotted none other than Midoriya himself going through moves, One For All powering slightly around him.

He looked exhausted, but kept going through the motions of kick, punch, duck, roll, slam, repeat.

He's working seriously hard to hone that quirk of his. It was admirable, really. How hard he trained. Whether it was to impress All Might or Bakugou, or simply for his own benefit, I was still proud of him.

He was proof that anyone could be a hero, even if their road seemed impossible to travel.

I travelled up the elevator with Momo and Tsu, making idle conversation about today's drill and exercises - wondering what our teachers had in store for us next.

'I really hope those Work Studies come back,' Momo said as we reached our floor. 'I'd love the chance to actually work with a Pro on a regular basis like you guys did.'

'Me too. I miss working with Ryukyu and Hado at their agency,' Tsu said, suddenly turning to me in contemplation. 'What do you think, Y/N?'

I let out a breath, mulling the question over in my head. Honestly, I hadn't given the matter much thought since we'd been put on a small break. After the battle with the Shie Hasaikai, I was just grateful my classmates and I had made it out alive. The memory that some of us hadn't still hung over me like a cloud of shame, threatening to rain at any point.