Cold Like Death: Shoto Todoroki x Reader

Chapter 10: The Trials

6100 words. Hope you enjoy!
I got one reference in here, props if you find it.

Bottom, that's all the terrified group of heroes wanted as they fell endlessly to their doom. The room was dark as night and wind violently whipped beneath their bodies. The end to their fall was nowhere in sight and the light at the bottom didn't grow any closer. Jiro took a quick glance at the watch on her wrist after great time has passed. Five minutes were shaved off the hour time limit as it took no more than two minutes to figure out the hidden tile in room one. Are they supposed to figure out a way to bring this fall to an earlier stop? Can they even do anything?

The black was everlasting, or so they thought. Kirishima was embracing Jiro, all to protect the girl yet neither of them could see beneath. Shoto could, and the light was beginning to overtake the darkness. "Guys!" Shoto choked and embraced your limp body ever tighter. "The Bottom!"

"Huh?" Kirishima peered over his shoulder and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He activated his quirk, protecting Jiro from a potential rocky landing as all the boy saw was more tiles just like room one, signifying that nothing would break their falls. Except, Kirishima felt absolute nothing except for to be welcomed in by a comfortable hug reminiscent of the times his mentor, Fatgum, would give welcoming embraces from time to time. The floor was plush, like a pillow. The second Shoto and yourself came crashing down, Kirishima and Jiro was sent flying right back into the air. "N-Not again!" Jiro screamed as she flew forwards within the air as Kirishima thought the falling was over and had let her go.

When the students fell back down, they stuck to the floor, but Shoto and yourself were in the air again. "Get me down!!!" You cried. Apparently the small break from falling had brought you back to reality. The bouncing came to an end once the kinetic energy wore off and everyone was safe and sound. The floor hardened into an actual floor once again to this achievement and everyone was picking themselves up and to shaky feet as if their legs were replaced with sea.

Your legs however weren't the only parts of the body shaking, rather it was your entire frame. "(Y/n)..." Shoto kept by your side to aid in your lack of ability to stand. "Are you okay?"

"You're shaking pretty bad," Jiro didn't even need to be near you to know you were visually shaking.

"Just give me," you struggled to keep your footing despite Shoto's help. "I know we don't have the time... But I just... Just need a minute..."

"Go for it," Jiro nods. What harm is one minute gonna do?

"Thanks..." You feel so humiliated right now. Never have you ever reacted like a total coward in front of anyone. No hero should be acting like a crybaby, passing out, become frozen in fear when they're trying to show the public that there's nothing to be worried about. "Something about that fall reminded me of drowning..." When ready, you began to open up about your final moments thirty years back before you froze in the lake. The final moment actually... "It was so cold and dark...Like they ate me whole. I had no control... I'm so sorry you guys had to see me like that-"

"It happens to everybody," Kirishima beamed with radiance. "Even the most brave heroes are afraid of something. I remember All Might saying that." Strangely enough, you also recall that skeletal blonde saying something of similarity not too long ago.

"But would they react like that?" You couldn't look anyone in the face. "I passed out, cried and screamed... I'm so ashamed in myself."

"Again, it happens to everyone," Shoto rubbed your arm reassuringly until your shaking began to ease up until nothing remained. He's now sure if you're suffering from some post traumatic stress due to your past but of course right now isn't the time to work on that with the group exercise and all. "We can talk more about this later. Redeem yourself here and now. We don't have much time to lose in here."