You knew it.
Shoto was just as much of a strategist as you were.
He knew Bakugo would strike first, but fortunately, underestimated the fiery boy's reflexes.
Managing to surprise Midoriya, Bakugo sent his explosion straight for him. It caused some of Midoriya's costume to become damaged around his face and arm.
"What's the matter Deku?" Bakugo asked with an evil glint in his eyes as he strode towards him. "Afraid to stand up and fight me?"
"I knew you'd come at me first." Deku said defiantly, standing in front of Uraraaka. "I figured you'd try to pull something like that."
"Oh yeah?" Bakugo cocked his head to the side with a smug expression. "Doesn't matter. I'm gonna hit you so bad they'll have to stop the fight!"
Deku's stance was one of someone who was ready to brawl. And though you'd never seen Bakugo in a head-to-head fight, based on his quirk there was no way Izuku could come out on top.
However.
You had your own opponent to worry about right now.
And that ice came a lot quicker than you'd expected.
Planting your feet in the concrete, you waited for Shoto to begin covering the ground, climbing the walls, encasing the building in a fortress of cold. But it never happened.
He could easily overpower you. Make it so the building froze all of your teammates in place.
So why wasn't he?
What are you planning Todo? You thought to yourself.
Pulling his arm back without a word, Shoto shot a single spurt of ice straight at your feet.
You managed to dodge it.
Because you'd learn to dodge him a decade ago. It was the easiest thing in the world for you by now to avoid that kind of measly attack.
And he knew it.
"What are you up to Todoroki?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he just kept shooting ice aimlessly and without conviction.
It dawned on you then.
He wasn't even trying to get to the weapon. He wasn't even trying to get past you or immobilize you at all.
He was trying to get you to fight.
Further down the hallway, Midoriya and Bakugo were still fighting one another. The distant sound of explosions made your quirk stir under your skin.
It wanted you to fight too. More accurately, it wanted you to stop holding back and just use it.
"Kacchan!" Deku yelled and you got distracted for a second, looking down the hall and seeing Bakugo and him facing each other like enemies.
Only, Bakugo looked like he had just gotten up from being thrown by Mydoria.
"You always start with a right hook to start a fight. I know because I've watched you for years!" Deku yelled, but Bakugo only seemed fueled by it all. "I analyzed every amazing hero. Even you! I wanted to learn everything I could about them. It was all in the notebook you burned and threw away! You can call me Deku. But I'm not the same helpless defenseless kid I was!"
This kid. You thought. How brave do you have to be to face someone so inherently determined to prove himself above you?
"You hear me?! I've changed!"
