Finding Me (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 106

We'd been forbidden from talking about the conference that had occurred.

In the days after the big meeting, my friends and I went back to school as normal; but had been strictly told not tell a soul of what we had learned. It was hard, I had to admit. I didn't like keeping secrets from the others, especially from Shoto. He was always my outlet for any emotions or thoughts I had on my mind. But I couldn't tell him, otherwise the mission would be put into jeopardy.

So, I threw myself into my school work and training, pushing myself further and harder both as a distraction and in preparation. Everyone present at that meeting would be going to rescue Eri; which meant I had to be ready. So, here I was now climbing a rock wall erected by Cementoss with Kirishima, Midoriya, Ochaco and Tsu surrounding me as we neared the top.

I grunted as I reached for another ledge, hauling myself up another inch. I had to be stronger. I had to push myself farther. Or else how was I going to help save that innocent girl?

"Hey! What have you guys been learning?! Tell me!"

I paused mid-climb to look over my shoulder and see Bakugou pointing up at us from the floor of Gym Gamma. He looked just as pissed off as usual, with his eyes squinted and his lips curled up in a snarl.

"Sorry, we can't," Kirishima called back, continuing his climb.

The pained expression on his face mirrored the guilt I harboured inside my heart. Being silent about it all killed him just as much as it was killing me, Midoriya, Ochaco and Tsu. I could only imagine what the Big Three were feeling, unable to tell their own classmates what was going on.

"Are you just gonna hang there or are you gonna keep climbing?"

The sudden voice almost had me loosing my grip, but I quickly caught myself again, turning to face who'd spoken. "Sho! You scared me."

"Sorry."

I shook my head, letting my forehead press against the hard rock as I let out a deep sigh. "No. It's okay. I was just lost in space. Come on, we better keep climbing."

Reaching above me, my fingers brushed the next ledge when I felt calloused finger circle my wrist.

"Hey..." Shoto murmured, his heterochromatic eyes locking with mine and eyebrows furrowing together. "Everything okay?"

I nodded, tugging at my arm to make him let go. "Y-Yeah. I'm all good. Why wouldn't I be?"

Without waiting for an answer, I started climbing again, only catching a glance at Shoto's hurt expression as I hauled myself as fast as I could to the top. My arms ached and my core clenched as I heaved myself onto the top ledge, heavy breaths escaping me. Midoriya, Tsu, Ochaco and Kirishima didnt look any better, all of them bent over with exhaustion. It seemed as though they'd been overexerting themselves, too.

That's right. I wasn't the only one who needed to be stronger for this mission.

{Hero Conference Day}

"Don't get too worked up about this," Mr. Aizawa said as we all congregated in the foyer of Sir Nighteye's agency. "The Big Three are one thing; they're strong enough to hold their own out there with the Pros. But the rest of you will be minimally involved. Asui, Uraraka, Kirishima and L/N. You didn't volunteer for this, and you're not obligated to participate. It's your call."

My call? Not obligated? After all that had been said today, there was only one choice we had in the matter.

"Mr- I mean, Erasurehead," Ochaco said. "After everything that we just heard, I can't imagine not helping out, sir."