Bloodthirst | BNHA x Vampire!Reader

35. hollow hunger

You were still reeling from what you'd just witnessed. Shouto was just so angry all of a sudden, and while you couldn't be entirely sure what had caused it, you had a suspicious feeling it had something to do with his family.

A tap on your shoulder snapped you out of your thoughts.

"I'm up next," Kaminari grinned cheekily. "Make sure to root for me, okay? Since a cute girl like you will be watching, I definitely don't plan on losing."

You hastened a smile, and even lightly shook your pompoms. "Of course. I'm a cheerleader now, remember? I'll be cheering you on the whole time."

"Hehe, thanks!"

Kaminari kept on grinning, and his cheeks had noticeably darkened several shades. He waved you off one last time, then left the spectator stands and went to go take up his place in the arena. His opponent was a girl from Class 1-B, who had vines instead of hair. You suspected she could control them to some extent and use them to fight.

You didn't want to dwell on Shouto's match any longer. It sucked that he was so clearly upset, but it was his business, not yours. You had your own fish to fry. Right now, you were going to focus on Kaminari's battle, and nothing else.

As it turned out, the whole thing was over in less than a minute. Much like Sero, Kaminari found himself completely and utterly overwhelmed. He'd even short-circuited from using too much electricity.

Your shoulders drooped. "Aw. I was really hoping he would advance to the next round..."

"Kaminari's Quirk is definitely powerful," Izuku acknowledged from beside you. "But it seems like Shiozaki placed high on the entrance exam for good reason. Those vines of hers... her strength seems to lie in binding and restraint, perfect for incapacitating her opponent. If she aims to bind you right from the very start, then there isn't much that you can do, and-"

As expected, he was rambling nonstop, while scribbling onto a notebook. You honestly weren't sure where he'd even pulled it out from.

You chuckled softly. It looked like some things never changed. He wasn't just taking notes on everyone because they were his rivals for this tournament, but also because of his fanboy instinct; his natural intrigue when it came to heroes and Quirks.

Still. Whether or not he allowed it to show, Izuku was probably nervous, especially considering who his next opponent would be.

Shiozaki had defeated Kaminari, and since you were next, that meant that if you won your first battle, you would be facing her in the second round. Those thorny vines of hers did seem like they would be a bit tedious to deal with, especially since she'd countered Kaminari so easily, but you weren't about to get discouraged.

"My turn," you said, standing up with a determined huff. "I guess I should probably have changed out of this cheerleading uniform earlier. Oopsie. Wish me luck, Izuku!"

"Y-You'll do great!" he encouraged. A slightly guilty expression spread across his face. "Um... sorry. I wasn't trying to make it sound like Shiozaki was all that incredible. I didn't even stop to realize that you'll be facing her in the next round. I hope it didn't make you nervous or uncomfortable."

"Of course not," you beamed. "Have you ever seen me look nervous?"

He stopped to ponder your words. "Well... no. I don't think I have."

You chuckled and ruffled his hair. Thanks to the fact that you were always so happy-go-lucky around him, he must have thought that you were fearless and impossible to discourage. As far as he knew, USJ was the most dangerous situation any of you had endured, and he wasn't even around to see the full extent of your interaction with Shigaraki.