Finding Me (Todoroki x Reader)

Heroes Rising - Chapter 2

Every limb of my body hurt, internally creaking and groaning with each step I took heading back to the agency. Just for our sake, the UA Hero Agency was stationed on top of the highest and steepest hill on Nabu Island so as to oversee the whole island - stationed centrally to reach all incidents easily. I understood that factor, but who in All Might's right mind would place it on the steepest hill on the damn island?

Despite our struggles, we all made it back in relatively one piece. The sun was setting, and my stomach was curling in on itself with each passing second. It had to be close to dinner time, surely. However, I wasn't the only one feeling the weight of today's work falling on them as we all - after showering and changing clothes - sat down at our desks, heaving one, big, collective sigh.

"I'm exhausted," Sato moaned, letting his head loll back over his seat.

Kaminari nodded with closed eyes from his own seat, hand laying gently over his stomach. "We've gone plus ultra past what is allowed by the Labour Standards Act," he said, eliciting a few chuckles.

Suddenly raising his hand, "Sero said, "Hey, how about fewer small jobs?"

Looking over to our two leaders, it seemed as though they weren't exhausted at all - they were still working on the laptops and writing things down as if they were nothing. From his position on the small couch, Iida shook his head. "No can do," he answered, tone affirmative as ever. "All jobs are equally as vital."

"Easy for you to say," I mumbled under my breath, lying my head down in my arms, "when you're sipping on ice cold juice." My stomach knotted again, a low rumbling escaping it. I needed food. Fast.

A soft smile adorned my other Class Rep's face, standing up and facing us. "It may be true that we came here as heroes," she said, "but, remember, we're still just students. We have to work hard and prove ourselves to earn the islanders' trust."

Mineta suddenly raised his hand. "Hey, uh, does that go for all of us?" he asked, eyes slitting close together as his gaze switched across the room. "Because I know someone who hasn't done anything since we got here."

Everyone followed the grape gremlin's pointed finger over to where the resident knucklehead and hedgehog were lazing about over a table. Seeing how everyone was looking at him now, Bakugou let out a disgruntled huff. "Well, someone's gotta stay behind and watch the office, moron," he argued, a snarl forming on his lips. "What are you going to do if a villain shows up while all you geniuses are all out doing stupid crap, huh?"

"Oh, come on," Kirishima said, looking up at the fiery ash-blond boy with one eye as he laid all over the table, "there aren't any villains on the island."

Even as he said that, my gut immediately began curdling again. But not out of hunger, this time. Something in the air had suddenly changed - an unknown force that was haunting and felt dangerous. But what was there to worry about, exactly? Mr. Aizawa had explained to us that Nabu Island would be perfect for us because it had a very low crime-rate, only having the odd act here and there. But fully-fledged villains?

I clenched my fists together under my head. No, I could't think like that. I couldn't let doubt seep into every situation I was in. I was just paranoid, that was all. But, seriously, for all our sake's, I just hoped Kirishima hadn't jinxed us or something.

The sound of a door sliding open caught everyone's attention, along with the sound of a matured man's voice. "Sorry for barging in," a tall man with glasses and brown hair with grey roots said, giving us all a gentle wave in greeting. But he wasn't the only one at the door. In fact, half the neighbourhood adults seemed yo be standing behind him, platters and bowls filled with delicious sweet and savoury foods in their arms. The sight had me both ogling in disbelief and salivating with hunger.