The Realist(Shoto Todoroki x reader- Bakugo's twin sister)

Chapter 39

My eyes flew open, a sharp gasp tearing from my throat as I sucked in a lungful of air. My chest ached, burning like I had been drowning, like I had been holding my breath for too long.

The gym lights above me felt harsher than before, their burning glow cutting into my vision, making my head spin.

My body felt heavy, sluggish, like I had been yanked out of something far deeper than just unconsciousness.

I tried to sit up, but the moment I moved, a firm but steady pressure held me down.

"Easy," Aizawa's voice was the first thing I heard, low and even, but with something unfamiliar- something tense.

He was crouched beside me, his scarf still loose but ready, his dark eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine.

Midnight was kneeling just a little further away, her lips pressed into a firm line, concern on the crease of her brow.

Vlad King stood behind her, arms crossed, his usually confident expression shadowed with unease. Cementos watched from a distance, his usual calm unreadable face.

I was back.

Back in reality.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing, but my mind was still spinning. The sensation of the void, the weight of Ophelia's presence, the way her voice still echoed in the back of my head.

It all lingered, refusing to fade.

"You're awake," Aizawa stated, his tone firm, but his eyes searched mine, as if making sure I was really here. "Talk."

I opened my mouth, then closed it, suddenly unsure how to even explain what had just happened. My throat felt raw, my mind foggy, but I forced the words out anyway.

"...I saw her," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

Silence.

The air in the gym shifted, thickening with an unspoken tension.

Aizawa's fingers twitched against the fabric of his scarf, his grip tightening just slightly. "What did she say?"

I met his gaze, my stomach twisting as Ophelia's words settled heavily in my chest, replaying over and over like a warning.

"Once you figure it out, you will have your answer to everything."

The moment the words left my lips, I felt them resonate in a way they hadn't before. They weren't just vague or cryptic and there was something important in them, something waiting to be understood.

Aizawa studied me carefully, his expression unreadable, but I saw the flicker of thought behind his eyes.

Midnight exhaled slowly, arms folding across her chest as she glanced at Vlad King, who only hummed in thought.

"Figure what out?" Midnight asked finally, her voice softer now, more cautious.

I shook my head, frustration bubbling beneath my skin. "I don't know. She didn't explain- she just... knew something that I didn't. And then I woke up."

Aizawa exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples before shifting his gaze back to me. "Describe everything. From the beginning."

So I did.

I told them about the void, the way it wasn't just emptiness, but something more. I told them about Ophelia, how she looked, how she spoke. How she didn't seem hostile, but she wasn't exactly friendly either.

And then I told them about her words.

How she knew I would find the answer.

And how I had no idea what the hell that answer was supposed to be.