Shadowfire - OC x Shoto Todoroki

Chapter 10 - Scream

Kaida was aware that she was conscious, although she saw only the blackness contained behind her eyelids. She was aware that there was a pillow behind her head, a mattress under her body and blankets wrapped tightly around her form, but her brain felt like it was filled with syrup, each thought having to wade through the thick sludge to make itself heard.

She could barely open her eyes, not because of the lingering exhaustion that drifted around her mind, but because the second her eyelids parted even slightly, a searing white light overwhelmed her vision, making her head hurt every time her exhausted senses were abused by the intense brightness.

She groaned as she sat up, blinking profusely to adjust her eyes to the light.

"WILL FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PLACE WINNERS PLEASE MEET ON THE FIELD TO RECEIVE YOUR MEDALS!"

Present Mic's voice was annoyingly loud even in the medical bay, and Kaida reluctantly swung her legs over the side of the bed, trying to build up enough motivation to face the crowd, to face him.

Her soulmate.

She groaned, pressing her hands over her mouth as her stomach twisted into uncomfortable knots, swallowing down the nausea rising in her throat.

The door opened slowly, and the withered form of Recovery Girl walked into the room.

The old lady looked at the student sitting in front of her, hunched in on herself, wide eyes filled with distress and anxiety.

Kaida watched Recovery Girl's thin eyes drift to her hand, where this morning, her knuckles had been stained black. But now, the skin was as pale as the rest of her body.

A sympathetic smile crossed Recovery Girl's face, and she covered Kaida's hand with her own.

"A heart is a heavy burden." The old lady said quietly.

^^^

Kaida kept her eyes glued to the ground the entire walk to the podium. She didn't want to see Bakugou, but she also didn't want to have to deal with her curious classmates, no doubt wondering what had happened on the field. She didn't even know if the connection of their soulmarks had been captured on camera. It was a possibility the crowd had no idea what had caused the pause in the fighting.

She stopped as a body blocked her way and she tensed, but relaxed slightly when she noticed a pair of familiar toned arms, and looked relievedly into the heterochromatic eyes of Shoto Todoroki.

"Are you feeling alright?" A slight hint of concern adorned his face.

She nodded, trying to reassure Shoto with a weak smile.

He frowned. "Are you sure? You and Bakugou-"

"I really don't want to talk about it. Please, Shoto."

He nodded, and she smiled tiredly at him.

^^^

She stared at her shoes the entire time second and third place were receiving their medals. She had noticed Bakugou's presence long before he had climbed onto the second-place podium, not because she had seen him, but because she had felt him. A tugging, pulling sensation attempting to bring the two together. She had resisted against the invisible ropes, but the feeling persisted, goosebumps rising across her skin the closer he got. But it seemed he had the exact same mindset as her, and didn't make any attempts to approach his soulmate.

All Might stepped onto the first-place podium, a gold medal dangling from his huge hands.

Kaida lowered her head, but did not bow as the ribbon was draped around her neck. Her face was stony as the number one hero went to embrace his student, and she stepped backwards, squeezing her eyes shut.