Amethyst. (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)

PART 15 - A Name to Keep

The UA Sports Festival was over, but its effects still lingered in the air like a heavy fog. As we returned to our normal routines, the atmosphere in Class 1-A was subdued. The usual energy and chatter had been replaced with quiet reflection. It felt like everyone was processing what had happened, myself included.

I walked down the hall, my thoughts a jumbled mess. The fight with Bakugo, the power of the Ice Dragon, and everything else still reverberated in my mind. I could feel the stares—some filled with fear, others with awe—following me wherever I went. The shift in how people saw me was unsettling. I had felt this before, back when I was still Amethyst, but now it was sharper, more tangible.

Some students kept their distance, the fear on their faces barely concealed. Others, mostly younger kids, looked at me with wide eyes, fascinated. I heard whispers about dragons, their excitement almost tangible. But the admiration felt hollow, contrasting sharply with the cold detachment I'd become used to.

And then there was Shoto. Since the festival, he seemed to hate me even more. He wouldn't talk to me, whether at school or at home. I'd catch him glaring at me, but when I tried to approach him, he would turn away, colder than ever. Maybe nothing had changed at all—maybe the distance between us was always going to be there.

Mr. Aizawa's voice cut through the quiet murmur of the classroom, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Listen up. Today, we're deciding on your hero identities—your code names."

The announcement stirred a bit of excitement among my classmates, breaking the tension. I could see the spark of anticipation in their eyes. Picking a hero name was a big deal, a step closer to becoming the heroes we all aspired to be.

"For most students, this isn't something you need to worry about until your second or third year," Mr. Aizawa continued, "but our class is different. With the Pro-Hero draft picks coming up, you need to decide now. Especially the top five from the Sports Festival. You'll also be attending the Pro-Hero Ball this weekend. It's a rare opportunity to mingle with pros and start considering where you want to intern."

The mention of the ball made my heart skip a beat. It was a reminder of how high the stakes were now, how much attention was on us. I didn't have to ask to know who the top five were, but when Mr. Aizawa announced the numbers, it still felt surreal.

"Shoto Todoroki: 4,123 invitations. Katsuki Bakugo: 3,556. Fumikage Tokoyami: 2,367. Y/N Todoroki: 1,987. Tenya Iida: 300."

The words washed over me, and my mind spun. Nearly two thousand invitations... from pros who had seen what I could do—and still wanted me?

As Mr. Aizawa continued, the room buzzed with excitement. My classmates began brainstorming their hero names, eager to choose their identities. Ms. Midnight had to give final approval, so one by one, my classmates proudly shared their names. Bakugo, of course, insisted on "King Explosion Murder," despite the collective groans from the class.

But as the minutes passed, I just stared at my blank page. "Amethyst" lingered in my mind, but I couldn't bring myself to write it down. Amethyst was who I used to be—back when I was a pro-hero. But now? I didn't know. I wasn't sure who I was, or who I wanted to be.

Days passed, and while everyone else proudly sported their new hero names, I remained undecided. It was hard to explain, even to myself, why I struggled so much with this. Choosing a name felt like committing to an identity, to a future I wasn't sure I was ready to embrace.

Denki noticed. He always did. A few days after the name exercise, he approached me during a break.

"Hey, Y/N," he said, sliding up beside me with his usual grin. "Why haven't you picked a hero name yet?"