"What's going on?" Y/n asked, appearing behind the rest of the class in their seats.

"Y/N" Kirishima exclaimed, standing up from his seat. This made the rest of the students near them turn around.

"YOU'RE OK" Mina shouted, running up to her and hugging her tightly. Y/n hissed at the pain in her arms and Mina immediately let go.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered, stepping away from her classmate, looking her up and down. Her bandages were still on to protect her damaged skin.
Y/n shook her head. She turned her gaze towards the stage down below, where Bakugo and Todoroki stood. Most of their surroundings were covered in ice.

"Bakugo is being very aggressive, more than usual" Kirishima explained, watching his friend attacking Todoroki non-stop.
Y/n's eyes softened as she thought back to half an hour ago, when he was still in the infermery with her.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN SHE MIGHT HAVE LOST HER QUIRK?" Bakugo shouted, his hands showing off small sparks as his face contorted in anger and confusion.

"Todoroki's flames traveled on her quirk to reach her body, that means he probably burnt most of what there was. But if the glands from which she produces them from are intact, they should grow back soon. Like hair" Recovery girl explained. Bakugo clenched his teeth.

"I am going to murder him" he said, storming out of the room and disappearing. Y/n lifted her eyes and looked at the short old woman at the foot of the bed.

"Do you think I still have my quirk?" she spoke, not wanting to believe that was even an option.

"We'll have you in tomorrow for a few tests and scans so we can figure this out. After the Sport Festival you'll have a few days off anyway so you can recover" she smiled, nodding her head.
Y/n turned to look at the window, seeing the big screen show Bakugo and Shoto's faces as they called them out.

"YOU USE YOUR LEFT SIDE ON DEKU AND SPIDEY BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT ON ME?" Bakugo shouted, his voice reaching everyone. His aggressive stance was made even more intimidating by the small explosions coming out of his hands.

Todoroki didn't reply, watching his adversary carefully.
The image of her collapsing to the floor, his red flames surrounding her was stuck at the front of his mind.
Why he had used his left side so up close instead of just immobilising her with his ice, he didn't know. He had forgotten in that moment that she was a friend, that this was a competition between students, his mind was clouded by the will to win at any cost. And his left side acted.

"You're proud of yourself aren't you?" Bakugo asked, taking a few steps forward, his back hunched.

"What?"

"You listened to her stupid speech. You used your left side in the worst possible moment with someone you know can't handle it. LOOK, LOOK UP AT HER" Bakugo shouted, pointing his finger up at the bleachers behind Shoto.
Everyone turned to look at Y/n, the bi-coloured boy following the crowd and searching for her with his gaze.
His eyes widened as he looked over her body, mostly covered in gauze.

"That's right, you didn't even go see her afterwards did you?" Bakugo taunted, catching Todoroki's attention once again. His left side activated as he scowled at the blonde standing on the opposite side.
Bakugo lifted himself in to the air with his explosions and started spinning towards the boy.

"YOU BASTARD, YOU MIGHT HAVE TAKEN AWAY HER DREAM" he shouted, getting closer to Todoroki.
Y/n's breath hitched as Izuku turned to look at her, his expression showing clear confusion.

Todoroki glanced at Y/n once again with the corner of his eye, meeting her gaze. He wasn't good with other people, but the expression of hurt and sadness in her eyes was very familiar to him.
His flames disappeared just as Bakugo reached him, sending him flying across the field.

"SHOTO" y/n shouted, grasping on to the railing.
As the smoke dissipated, everyone saw Shoto's body lying on a mass of ice behind him, unconscious.

--

"IT'S TIME FOR THE AWARD GIVING CEREMONY" Present Mic announced as All Might jumped in to the stadium.

"My my my. This has been quite the journey, we haven't seen such exciting fights in a long time" the number one pro hero said, his usual smile pretty much engraved in to his features. He stood proudly in front of the three students on the podium as the crowd went wild with clapping and shouting at his appearance.
Y/n stood in third position, a small smile on her face. She heard growling to her right and looked up at Bakugo, sweatdropping. He had been tied up due to his anger in winning first place with Todoroki not giving it his all.

"In third place we have: Y/n L/n" All Might announced, loud clapping coming from the audience as the pro hero made his way to the bandaged girl.
He looked her up and down before putting the bronze medal over her head and carefully placing it on her.

"You did amazing young L/n, you got very far. I am proud of the path you are taking" he grinned. He gave her a brief hug before moving on to Shoto.
Y/n looked down at the medal on her chest and softly took it in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the front of it. She had spaced out during the rest of the award ceremony.

If I can even continue on this path...

Once that was over, the rest of the class 1-A ran up to their classmates, congratulating them.
Kirishima walked over to Y/n with Izuku by his side, their faces read concerned all over them.

"Are you ok?" Kirishima asked worried. Izuku watched his best friend as she stood quietly in front of them. There definitely was something wrong.
She nodded her head to answer and walked past them. Kirishima looked down at Izuku and furrowed his eyebrows.

Shoto quietly watched from a distance, surrounded by most of the class as they congratulated him.
He gave the group a general thank you and mindlessly followed her.

"Y/n, wait" he said, reaching his hand out and grabbing her arm. They were in the waiting room the class had at the beginning of the day.
Y/n stopped walking and turned to Shoto, a small smile on her face.

"Hey" she whispered.

"What did he mean?" Shoto asked. His gaze searching hers for some kind of answer. Y/n looked down at the ground, unsure of what to say.

"What did Bakugo mean? When he said I may have taken your dream away" he asked again, his fingers digging slightly in to her arm.
Y/n lifted her left hand up slowly and pointed at him. She activated her quirk, but nothing happened. Nothing came out of her fingers.

"You burnt them" she whispered, taking a few steps back.
Todoroki's eyes were blank for a second, processing the information.
He let go of her arm and took a few steps back himself.

"No no no" he whispered to himself, his hand covering the left side of his face.

"Wait Shoto. It's not your fault. I spurred you on" she said.

It was true, she had told him she could handle it. She was the one, together with Izuku, who had pretty much annoyed him in to using his full potential.
She reached her arm out to take his hand away from his face. As her fingers brushed the back of his hand, he flinched, moving another step back.

"I'm just like him" he whispered to himself, his stare empty.
He could almost feel his legs buckle under him as he grabbed on to the table with his other hand.

I'm just like my father. I should have never listened to them. This was a mistake-

He was interrupted by Y/n, smacking his face. His eyes slowly turned up to look at her, his right cheek turning red.

"You did the right thing. You are supposed to use your quirk Shoto, you have great power that you wouldn't be scared of using if it weren't for your father" she said, taking a few steps forward. Her breathing slowly turned shaky, as tears veiled her eyes.

"If I have to deal with the consequences of making you understand that you have everything it takes to be the best hero, then I'll gladly do that" she smiled, the small tears now slowly trailing down her face. Shoto watched her inch closer, his hands falling back to his sides. His right hand made his way to her face, but she grabbed it and put it back down to his side.
She moved her gaze back to his left hand, then looked back up at him.
He gently shook his head.

"I don't want to hurt you" he whispered.

"You won't" she said, grabbing his left hand and placing it on her cheek.

"Plus, this hand is warmer" she giggled, making more tears spill out of her eyes.

She's not afraid. She's not afraid and she doesn't hate me

Shoto took control over his left hand and rubbed small circles in to her cheek with his thumb, a small smile making its way back to his face.

"I'm sorry" he whispered.

"There's one thing you can do to make it up to me" she smiled, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the feeling of his warmth on her face.

"What?"

"Come with me tomorrow, I'll be doing tests and scans and they'll tell me if I get my quirk back" she explained "I'll ask Izuku too".

--

"Miss L/n" Recovery girl smiled, walking in to the room. Y/n sat on the bed, her legs crossed, Shoto and Izuku sitting on the side of the bed. They could be mistaken for concerned parents.

"I have your test results back" she said, sitting on the chair in front of her computer and typing some things in.
Shoto looked down, feeling something on his hand. He noticed Y/n's pinky curl around his, shakily.
He looked back up at Recovery girl, his finger wrapping around hers, giving her the steady support she needed.
Y/n then moved her other hand to Izuku and he grabbed it firmly, his eyebrows furrowing. She smiled.

No matter what, I have them

It was weird to think about these past few months. She had once again found her best friend and right now, it felt like they had never lost those 6 six years before meeting again. Everything was so natural and familiar with him.
Shoto and Bakugo had started off by thinking she could never become a hero. But now, that didn't seem to be the case, they had grown closer in their own weird way. The whole class had.

"The glands that produce your quirk are pretty much intact, in fact, I believe that with a little intense recovery right now, your quirk should be good as new by the time you go back to school in two days time"

Y/n's eyes sparkled.

"I told you everything would be fine" Izuku smiled sweetly, squeezing her hand. Shoto breathed out, not realising he had been holding his breath until then. He looked over at the girl on his left and gave her a small smile.

"Alright boys, out, she'll be with you soon" Recovery girl shooed them out, then turning back to Y/n.

"I'll have you out there in no time"

"Thank you" Y/n smiled.

Izuku and Shoto quietly sat outside, waiting.
Izuku eyed the boy a few times, before finally opening his mouth to speak.

"What is she to you?"

"What?"

"Y/n, what is she to you? I'm sorry if I butt in to your relationship with her... it's just that, you're different with her"
Izuku breathed in "I saw you with her, a while back" he whispered.

Shoto knew he meant the time he was actually spying on him and used Y/n as a cover.

But he's right, about me being different with her

"I don't know" Shoto answered. His elbows rested on his knees as he faced down to look at his hands.

Izuku didn't push the conversation, a comfortable silence falling back between the two of them until the infermery door swung open.

"I'm back bitches" Y/n winked, finger gunning the two boys.
Izuku ran up to her and hugged her, pulling her tightly towards him.

"Never let me take this path alone" he whispered. She smiled, snuggling her face in to his shoulder. Shoto watched the pair of them, relief flooding his mind.

"Never" Y/n breathed.

A little emotional rollercoaster, but hey, WE'RE OK <3 ~Ali