The Favor [Bakugou x Reader]

Chapter 15 - Luck

Recovery Girl tended to everyone's injuries as the second event was set up. Your burns were only minor and your coughing had subsided, so you were released from her tent quickly. On your way out you noticed a number of students covered in smoke connected to oxygen tanks. It made your heart drop and that peculiar sense of déjà vu tainted your thoughts again. You hadn't helped them. You hadn't been a hero.

Leaving the tent feeling a new sense of shame you made your way to the waiting area. A list of the 48 qualifiers filled a giant leader board at the center of the stadium. It was further broadcast on the screens around the arena.

There you were. 28th. Middling. You huffed an annoyed sigh then scanned the rest of the board, starting from the top.

#1 Iida Tenya - good for you Iida

#2 Todoroki Shouto

#3 Bakugou Katsuki

#4 Tokoyami Fumikage

#5 Asui Tsuyu

#6 Shiozaki Ibara

You continued to search the list for your classmates. Izuku was lower than you had expected at #13, but it made more sense when Ochako ranked #12.

Snipe's voice boomed across the stadium. "Guys and gals, it's time to get ready for the second event!" The crowd cheered. "Let's see what it'll be!" The roulette wheel spun around as it had before. You watched the digital ball hop over red, then black, then red...

"It's time for a Relay Race!" Your eyes widened. "You'll be needin' four members per team. Each member's gotta complete one lap 'round the main UA building, 'bout 1 kilometer. Don't y'all go expectin' the ground to be flat like a standard foot race. This is a UA relay." He held up a blue and white baton. "You gotta pass this on to your teammate." There was a shuffle around the space.

"Hold your horses! There's one more thing." Numbers flashed up next to the names on the leader board.

#1 - 94

#2 - 92

"Your teams will be taking off from different starting blocks depending on your ranks. 48th place will be at the true starting line, while first place will be 94 meters back. All rank distances will be summed. If first through fourth teamed up, they'd begin 364 meters behind the starting line. Get it? Y'all have fifteen minutes to pick your teams."

Anxious chatter filled the air. In a race where centimeters could mean the difference between winning and losing, starting behind anyone was terrifying. You started to strategize in your head. Whatever team you were on would already be placed 38 meters behind the starting line. The best mobility experts in your class were in the top 15, all pushing your starting place farther and farther back. You chewed on your lower lip.

"Who else are you thinking for a team?" Todoroki stood beside you. You nearly jumped out of your skin at his sudden presence.

"What do you mean who else?" you asked, still distracted by your own planning.

"It'll be us, and who else do you want?" he said matter-of-factly. Your eyebrows raised. "You agreed to be my partner during the Festival," he reminded you.

"Shouto, we really don't have to." You kicked the surrounding dirt.

"You run every day. I'm sure half of these people won't even be able to make it over whatever uneven terrain is out there. Who else do you want?" His tone was forceful and confident. He had made up his mind to be your partner. You had agreed. There was no backing out now.

"I want Izuku and Tsuyu," you said after a moment.

"That'll put us...282 meters behind. You okay with that?" Todoroki asked, scanning the leader board and tallying the values in his head.