Secrets [Todoroki]

*Chapter Forty-Two*

Time both stopped and sped up for Miri. As she looked at Todoroki's shocked face, panicked thoughts raced through her head.

'Did he see my shadow ball? How long has he been here?! Why is he and Bakugo out here? What's going on? Why is Bakugo fighting Hibiki? Why is Hibiki here?' Her head pounded as fast as her heart did. She couldn't focus on Hibiki or Bakugo fighting. All she could do was stare at Todoroki.

His eyes were dancing at her hands, or rather what had been there originally. His mind raced too, trying to understand what he just saw. 'Miri had a shadow ball in her hand. Miri who did something similar to what Nightmare can do. Miri who looks like Nightmare. Miri who has a secret she hid from everyone, including me. What is this? Why hasn't Bakugo said anything to her? Why is the scaly freak from the festival here!?'

"Todoroki..." Miri whispered. "I...can explain!" She looked at the tree she had hit. "I-"

"Your secret." His harsh voice cut between them. "Does it have to do with Nightmare?"

"Todoroki-"

"Answer the question, Mirianne!" His fist curled.

"Yes!" She squeaked. Her body tingled. Her head pounded harder. A growing pit accompanied the butterflies within her stomach. "Now isn't the time for this-"

"Who is Nightmare to you?" His eyes finally met hers, but Miri saw no warmth in them.

He knew the answer to the question, but he didn't want to believe it. He didn't think he could believe it unless it came from her lips themselves.

"Please-"

"WHO IS NIGHTMARE TO YOU!?" He thundered, flames sparking on his left side.

"My mother!" Miri sobbed, a tear racing down her cheek. "She's my mother! I wanted to tell you, I really did! But how could I tell you of all people?"

"You've had so many chances. So many opportunities to do it. How could you keep something like this from me? I trusted you countless times, even when it blew up in my face. I cared about you, Mirianne. Why would you keep something like this from me?" The hurt was visible on his face.

Miri's heart ached. He was right. She had so many chances to tell him, so many times she could have made things right.

"I wanted to tell you!" She held her hand to her chest. "But how could I? This is Nightmare we're talking about."

"What are you? Some spy for the school?" He ran a hand through his hair angrily. "A spy to get stuff on my father!? Is that why you've been acting so weird towards me and nobody else!?"

"I never wanted to do it, Todoroki! Please-"

"Just stop!" He didn't like her saying please. It pulled on his heart, made this so much harder to deal with. "I don't want to hear it! You've lied too many times. I believed you because I wanted to think you cared as much as I did, but you don't! Are your friendships with the others even real? Do they even know who you really are?"

Bakugo slammed to the ground between them. He looked worse for wear, but had that all too familiar gleam of determination in his eyes. He pushed himself to his feet. "As much as I love hearing you two bicker like an old married couple," He muttered dryly. "It seems we have, oh I don't know, a snake trying to kill everyone! I'd appreciate it if you'd get the hell out of my way and go play 'Who's Your Mommy?' somewhere else." He flew back into the party, hands blazing.

Miri looked at Bakugo and then looked at Todoroki. She couldn't leave Bakugo to fight Hibiki alone, but she also couldn't leave things as they were between her and Todoroki.