Keeping You (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 13

I tugged hard backwards, sending him stumbling back to me. And as his face came closer to my chest, my free fingertips lit up. It was small, but the blast was enough to have him rearing back and loosening his grip on me. The bindings fell at the loss of his touch, allowing me to rip them off and run.

A frustrated groan rang through the pipes and I knew then he was following me. Good. If I could just get back to my friends, we could finish this together.

Despite Field Gamma's monotonous and maze-like construction, I somehow recognised the area I ran through. I was near the open area I last saw Midoriya and Ochaco in. To double check, I pulled my energy scanner goggles back up and, through the mixture and muddle of pipes and buildings, the faintest cluster of energy signatures radiated.

The harsh sound of clanging metal thudded louder behind me like a wild heartbeat. Shinso was drawing nearer. The corridor broke out into the open area at last, offering low lying building tops and miscellaneous pipes that gave the place a jungle gym vibe. Two figures stood on the higher of two low-lying buildings, ones that had me slightly relaxing with relief. But Shinso's presence weighed upon me and so I leapt off the edge without a second thought.

I landed on the higher of the two building tops, rolling a little before springing back to my feet, breath haggard.

'Y/N!' Ochaco and Midoriya ran at me from where they stood, the former bending down to my crouched level. 'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine,' I managed between breaths. 'We need to take care of Shinso. He's more skilled than I initially gave him credit for.'

'Well, here's our chance,' Ochaco said, pointing up towards where I'd leapt off. 'Look!'

Shinso appeared on the ledge, his chest heaving as much as mine. Annoyance creased his brows, but his modulator was back on, and his hands were-

'Look out!' I called just as Shinso flung the binding cloth towards us. But before I could throw up a shield or dodge, Midoriya stepped in front, gloved hand catching the cloth with ease. Ochaco and I stared for a moment in wonder and awe, but not at Midoriya's quick actions.

The fear and anger he exuded before was gone. Just steady determination. But it was like his whole body had gone quiet. That his power had somehow been silenced and left him hollow and just... Midoriya.

Shinso tugged on the cloth, and Midoriya cried out as he was hauled off the edge down to the lower building top without so much as a fight. 'He was stronger than you?' Ochaco exclaimed, leaning over the edge. 'That makes no sense!'

Midoriya struggled to his knees, and called back over his shoulder, 'I won't risk using my quirk if I can't control it. It's not ideal, but I can't put everyone in danger again.'

'Then let's fall back. We'll make a new plan.'

'We can't,' I said, drawing my friend's skeptical attention. 'We will lose if we draw back now. The momentum is here with us. We can't just drop that and allow the opposition to regather.'

'L/N's right,' Midoriya agreed, pushing himself to his feet. He didn't turn back to us this time, though, his emerald eyes locked onto Shinso's imposing figure above. 'Shinso's standing right in front of me. This is our chance to win.'

Ochaco grabbed ahold of me, encasing us both in a pastel pink before throwing us off the edge of the building. Initially, my heart almost stopped from the sheer recklessness. But when my mind caught up with my body's sensations - that we were slowly falling towards Midoriya - I finally relaxed as we landed safely and ran for Midoriya.

'But, Deku,' Ochaco said, worry furrowing her brows together, 'does that mean you're going to fight quirkless? Against someone with his power?'

Midoriya shook his head, gaze still unfaltering. Then he spoke softly, 'Ururaka, I have a favour to ask. I need for you to make me weightless. Then I can sneak up and surprise Shinso.' Midoriya finally turned to face us, eyes flashing with something I couldn't quite name. 'I trust you both can handle Monoma on your own. After that, go help Mineta and Ashido. Don't worry about me.'