Forever and Always - SHOTOXOC (Eng Ver.)

Chapter Forty-One

"This is your last class before the vacations." All Might announces to us inside the gym.
A hand-to-hand fight without the use of quirks.
Some of our comrades complain given already the ordeal we had today.
Most of us are tired, including me.
"Go ahead and choose your opponent." Our professor tells us.
I turn to Mina to ask to partner with her but I feel touching my shoulder.

Denki gives me a huge smile before speaking.
"Would you like to be my opponent?" He asks me.
I return his smile until I feel a hand in front of my eyes and my back collide against a broad chest.

Shoto POV

I give Kaminari a icy look as I draw Mei in with my hand.
"She's with me." I tell him, looking him steadily in the eyes.
The girl moves my hand from in front of her eyes and apologizes to the blond as I continue to stare at him waiting for him to leave.
Kaminari seems to sense this and walks away leaving us alone.
Neither of us moves and I remain with both arms around her.
She rests her forehead against my arm and strokes it with her hands.

"We are here to fight not to flirt." Bakugo says as he walks past us.
I glare at him as Mei seems to come to her senses and quickly pulls away.
I let out a sigh as I watch her walk away.

"Takeda vs. Todoroki."
We head simultaneously to the center of the gym over the mattresses.
"Remember. The use of quirks is prohibited." All Might reminds us.
We get into position as the girl pulls up her fists ready to fight.
We have wrestled often, and I know well that the moment the go-ahead is given, she will immediately go on the attack.

She is not very strong but she is certainly fast and agile.
The go-ahead is given and, just as I imagined, Mei launches herself on the attack against me.
She charges her fist, which I easily dodge by ducking.
I move behind her and kick her in the back of the leg, which causes her to fall to her knees.
The girl extends her leg backward catching my feet so I fall on my back.

The mattress cushions the blow so with a bounce I pull myself up.
Mei looks at me carefully staying with her guard up.
"What's the matter Todoroki? Do you let a girl throw you down so easily?" She teases me.

I leave no way for her to let me fall into her trap.
I know she wants to piss me off by having me in her hands.
I wait for her to attack again, and indeed the blow doesn't take long to come.
With a leap, the girl lifts her leg ready to kick me.
As she approaches I grab her foot and knock her off her feet.
But she doesn't give up.
She does a backward somersault away from me before taking off again on the attack.

I follow her trajectory preparing for the belly shot.
But at the last she changes her aim taking my legs.
I fall to the ground and Mei straddles me to hold me down.
"We've gotten a lot worse in this time." She tells me by entwining her legs with mine preventing me from moving.

But she hasn't thought about her arms.
I grab her by the elbows and reverse the position.
Now it is me on top of her holding her still by her arms against the mattress.
"Give up Mei." I tell her through clenched teeth.
She is not fighting just for a workout.
I can tell now by the look on her face.
She is angry and lashing out at me.

All right.
We'll do that then.

Mei POV

Stupid!
I can't let him win.
With a kick I knock him off balance and manage to break free from his grip.
Anger keeps growing inside me and I don't even know why.
Fighting him has brought out all the feelings and resentment in me.
After all, he still hasn't apologized to me and seems to want to act as if nothing has happened.

"Why are you angry?" He asks me as we move back into position.
"So you're talking to me now?" I say trying to punch him against his stomach.
The boy pushes me away from him, avoiding my blow, which irritates me even more.
"I've been talking to you for a while now. You're the one avoiding me." He says, looking at me carefully.
"Me? No wonder you keep changing your mind! I can never tell if you want me to come closer or move away." I start toward him again and this time my fist hits the mark.