Finding Me (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 72

Yes, some way or another, I had brought pain upon Shoto Todoroki, my best friend.

Summoning as much courage as I could muster, I squeezed Shoto's hand. The icy-hot boy blinked once, twice, before turning to look at me. I had to fix this.

"Shoto," I said, locking eyes with him. "What's wrong?"

A cool breeze blew by, sending subtle chills down my spine. I ignored them, keeping my eyes locked with Shoto's hunched form in the hopes he would feel my intense gaze and say something. Even turning my way would be better than nothing. Whether my intense staring worked or not, I didn't know, but he did turn back around, although I wished now that he hadn't.

He was crying, those unshed tears from before finally breaching the surface of his eyes. They trailed down his pale cheeks - the one on his left slightly outlining his scar - dribbling down to his chin before landing in his lap. An overwhelming sense of sadness hit me, but I couldn't tell if it was his sadness or my own I was feeling. Maybe both.

"I couldn't protect you," he said, staring off into the courtyard. "Not even before all this mess started. You were hurting, and I couldn't do anything to help you. What kind of friend does that make me? What right do I have to call myself a hero when not only Bakugou, but you, slipped through my fingers?! You were squirming on the ground last night, dying right before my eyes, Y/N! I know we got you both back, but that doesn't change the fact that we had no idea if you two would be okay. If... if I would see you again..."

Shoto's gazed finally returned to me, but instead of shining orbs staring back at me, I only saw dull remenants of the shining jewels they once were.

"Please... please just tell me why I couldn't save you."

Crack

My heart broke, snapping so loudly that I swear it was heard from across the country.

Shoto was in so much pain. Pain that I hadn't even realised I'd been giving him from the very beginning until now. How could I have been so blind to him, to his feelings? This friendship wasn't so one-sided, and I'd completely forgotten that amidst my own sadness. What a fool. Such a fool.

But now I had to make it right. I had to make it up to him.

"Oh, Shoto," I said, flinging myself upon my icy-hot friend. I couldn't stop my own tears from escaping me. "How can you even think you are at fault, here? I know that sounds very hypocritical, but it's true. You couldn't protect me from the villains because they were smarter, and they caught us off guard. We did the best we could. You did the best you could."

I reached out, grabbing his chin so that he faced me. "You... are the bestest best friend I could ask for, Shoto, and will make a great hero one day. You not protecting us makes you human. When All Might and the others came to save Bakugou and I at the bar, we slipped through their fingers then, too. It happened even to the Pros."

Shotos' eyes were blown wide, and his gaze almost caused me to look away in embarrassment. 'Damnit, I went overboard again.'

"You mean it?" he asked, sniffling.

Smiling, I nodded. "Always."

Kathump Kathump Kathump

My heart pounded, pressing hard against my ribcage to the point I couldn't breathe. 'I have to tell him,' I thought. I had to tell him, or I would just cause him more pain, and I couldn't do that to him. I refused to put him through anymore pain, including myself.

"...You must tell him, before something else happens."

'It's now or never.'