A Dragon's Heart // Shoto Todoroki x Reader

Chapter 27: Adjusting is Hard

"Amara!" A chorus of voices greeted me as I was swarmed by a sea of excited teenagers. Warm arms wrapped around me from all directions, and I couldn't even tell who was hugging me anymore.

"I can't believe you're finally back!" Uraraka squealed, taking my hands in hers. Her soft, warm brown eyes bore into mine, giving me a determined smile.

"The hottest girl in class is back," I heard Mineta and Kaminari say in unison from somewhere within the crowd.

"Amara Aizawa is back and reporting for duty!" Kirishima's coarse voice boomed before he playfully nudged me with his elbow. I gave him a friendly smile, but my attention was quickly drawn to Iida, who stood before me in a sobbing mess.

"We never doubted you, Amara!" he embellished, tears streaming down his face. He picked me up and spun me around, muttering a string of incoherent words.

"Yeah, I missed you guys too," I confessed as Iida finally set me down. My boots softly touched the grass beneath me as the world seemed to spin slightly. I raised a hand to my forehead, trying to steady myself. I felt familiar warm hands on my back and turned to see Shoto. His eyes were hardened as he stared off into the distance, and I soon realized why.

Shouta Aizawa, my bastard father.

I couldn't hear the words coming out of his mouth; they fell on deaf ears. But judging by the faces of those around me, he was lecturing them about something. Soon enough, the class began moving into the dormitory with their suitcases. I picked up the handle of my small black suitcase.

"You didn't bring very much," Shoto observed, stating the obvious. I couldn't tell him that I wasn't planning on staying long.

"It'll be enough," I shrugged him off, quickening my pace into the building. I eventually found a door with my nameplate on it and entered. Noodle, my black-and-white feline friend, greeted me. He must've been moved in by Shouta.

He's still a bastard.

I threw my suitcase onto the plain bed and unzipped it. The dark colors of my clothes meshed with my school uniform. I hardly saw the point in unpacking and hanging up all these clothes. A forced sigh escaped my lips as my fingers traced circles around the dark cotton material. No, if I was going to maintain appearances, I needed to make it look like I was staying. Everything's normal.

My dark eyes glanced at Noodle, who scurried around the room skittishly. "I'm sorry, Noodle. This is your new home now. For a while, at least." Noodle didn't seem to pay attention to my confession. My attention was stolen by Bakugo, who leaned confidently against my open door frame.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I replied, unsure why he was here.

"Ever since you got back, everyone's been comparing you to me, and it's really been pissing me off. We need to settle this," his voice boomed.

"Settle what?" I asked nonchalantly, unfolding a school skirt.

"Settle who's better, you dumb lizard."

"You haven't called me that in a while," I replied. "But you already beat me in the sports festival."

"That didn't count for shit! You came close to defeating All Might himself. You were holding back on me, and we both know it," he spat. "Now fight me for real."

"No," I spat, pulling out the rest of my clothes. Bakugo shifted in the corner of my vision, his arm aimed at Noodle. I smelled the smoke before I saw the glint of light in his palm. Instinctively, I zapped in front of my cat, and without thinking, my fist met Bakugo's stomach. He grunted and slumped against the wall, panting. "What were you gonna do?" I asked angrily.