Shielding (Todoroki x reader)

53- I should've...

(Y/n's P.O.V)

I climbed up to a window and slipped through, then ran to the front of the building to listen through another window but stay hidden. I was shocked by what was being said, but the more and more Bakugo talked, the more it made sense. The timeline fit, and Midoriya's power is very similar to All Might's, and they seem to have a closer relationship than All Might does with any other student. Once Bakugo finished, Midoriya was staring intensely at the ground, looking conflicted. He remained silent for a bit, and Bakugo pushed "You're not trying to deny anything. Which means I must be right. So say it." There was another pause in the conversation, then Midoriya looked up and said "Okay. What if it's true?" I sat and contemplated this, zoning out from the conversation for a bit. "So, Midoriya got his power from All Might somehow. That's crazy. Makes sense though. But why pick him of all kids? He's got the determination, for sure, but... Midoriya? And doesn't that mean he'll be the new Symbol of Peace? But he's still a kid, we all are..."and then I paused "And it's my fault he's being forced towards that sooner... It's my fault the Symbol of Peace was taken down when it was. All Might could've had more time, Midoriya could've had more time... Everyone could've had more time if I hadn't been so weak and useless back then.." I was shaken from my thoughts at a loud explosion, and I shrieked in surprise, then threw my hands up to cover my mouth, hoping they didn't hear. I peeked through the window again, everything was hidden by a thick cloud of smoke. Suddenly more explosions went off, impact enough to shatter all of the windows, sending glass into my face. I quickly shut my eyes and covered my face as best I could, but got grazed by a few shards, and felt one be embedded into my eyebrow. I grimaced slightly, then backed away from the windows, another explosion shaking the building making me trip onto more glass, cutting my knees and palms. I quickly hoisted myself up and ran out of the building, knowing it wasn't safe with all of the explosions. I hide in a gap between buildings and carefully picked out the large shards from my hands, then took out the bandages from the kit and tore it and wrapped my hands. 

I listened to their shouts and I understood Bakugo more than Midoriya. To have someone always improving and you have to constantly struggle to be the best, but you just can't seem to surpass them. And I'm sure he also has some guilt about All Might's retirement. We were both there, we were both the reason he had to fight his last battle when he did. But my quirk, if I had just not been such an idiot... My quirk could've easily saved everyone. As the fighting came to a pause, I heard Bakugo's shouts become more pained and desperate, and then he said something that made me stop breathing for a second. "You got so much better, and I destroyed All Might. I admired him so much. But it's because of me that he ended up losing his power!" Bakugo screamed. I felt my heart in my throat, and wanted to cry knowing he felt like this, but then he continued. "If i had only been stronger... If I hadn't been kidnapped by villains... Then it never would've happened. All Might knows it was my fault, but hasn't said anything. Everyone has to know, though. I can't get it out of my head. It's like it's constantly playing on loop. So what the hell am I supposed to do?!" He cried, and finally I began to cry as well. I felt anger welling up deep inside me. That same rage, the need to hurt someone, but towards myself. I turned toward the wall, and started hitting my head against the cold concrete. "It's my fault he feels like this. He couldn't have done anything, his quirk wasn't suited to help in that situation. But mine was! Mine was and I was an idiot. It's all my fault it's all my fault how could I let this happen?! He didn't do anything to deserve to feel that way. He feels like that because I couldn't just be stronger, be smarter. Be less useless." I quietly muttered to myself, each slam getting harder until I slammed it so hard my vision flashed white and blood ran down my forehead. I crumpled onto the ground and sobbed, trying not to get noticed but unable to control it. 

(Midoriya's P.O.V)

"No. He's been carrying this guilt with him the whole time? Even more than me. He's been blaming himself. Obsessing over it. What about (Y/n)? Does she feel the same?" I thought, taken aback by Kacchan's sudden outburst of emotion. I understood that I wasn't getting out of this, and that it was a good opportunity to test my Shoot Style against him. "I refuse to be your punching bag, Kacchan. Let's go!" We started fighting, and immediately Kacchan got the upper hand, and I was flung into one of the side rails, denting it. I saw Kacchan hurtling towards me, but I was suddenly yanked backward and over the railing, and I choked on my shirt collar. I was thrown backward, and saw someone fling themselves forward, punching Kacchan square in the cheek. He was caught by surprise and fell backward, and the figure stood up straight, panting slightly, face smeared with blood. "What are you morons doing?!" they shrieked, and the slightly bird-call like quality of the scream made me recognize who it was. "(Y/n)?! What are you doing here?!" I asked, startled. She slowly spread her charred wings, a few feathers had grown in, but not many. She reached down and hoisted up Kacchan, and began shouting at him.

(Y/n's P.O.V)

"Are you kidding me?! Shut up with that talk about you being the downfall of the symbol of peace! Shut up shut up shut up! It wasn't your fault! And you, Midoriya, it's wasn't your fault either cause I know you think it was. It wasn't either of you. Midoriya, you were hurt and couldn't save us. Bakugo, your quirk wasn't suited for the situation and you can't change that so GET OVER YOURSELF. I'm the one with the quirk that could've saved our entire class if I tried, but I was stupid and got hurt. I had to watch everything happen knowing I had a strong enough quirk to prevent it, but I was too fucking stupid to! Think about that! I know you're both at least smart enough to know the capabilities of your quirk. You knew that you couldn't logically do anything, so stop feeling shitty about it." "(Y/n), I-" "SHUT UP, DEKU. Bakugo, that thing you said about how you felt about it's your fault he lost his power? I know how that feels, it fucking sucks! I get that. But... it's my fault. I could've literally just killed off all of the villains if I felt like it, feather to a main artery and they would've been gone. I could've saved everyone, but instead I had to get kidnapped, kill innocent people, and then watch the world's Symbol of Peace get destroyed because I couldn't just be better. I couldn't just stop being useless! And now that I know about Midoriya's quirk, I know that I also took valuable training and time away from the next Symbol of Peace! I- Just- fucking hell!" I screamed finishing angrily. They both looked stunned, and I stood there breathing heavily. Suddenly Bakugo leapt up and lunged towards me, and I started fighting him the best I could without my quirk. My rage and grief blinded me from the pain from my hands and arms and back, just everything, and I fought tooth and nail with him, and then got sent flying by Midoriya. We continued for a long time, and I managed to fight pretty efficiently with the few feathers I had left, using them as small platforms to jump into the air on and my hand to hand combat training. Eventually we all were left in a pile, Bakugo pinning down Midoriya, and I had a fistful of Bakugo's hair and my shoe pressed against Midoriya's cheek. "How could you lose? With All Might's power? Why?" Bakugo pressed, breathlessly, and let out a soft whine and let go of Bakugo and fell onto the pavement, muttering "This is all my fault. I should've stopped you from fighting too... why can't I do anything.." and I covered my face with my bloody, bandaged hands.