Chapter Text
Shouto groans as he looks down at the papers strewn across the table between him and his friend. “You know, I didn’t realize picking an agency and interning for one of the top thirty would be this hard.” He sighs, almost in defeat as he leans back against the chair. Mismatched eyes look up at the green-haired boy across from him, a small smile crossing his lips as his eyes meet the other’s bright green ones. Izuku beams a smile at Shouto, his heart slightly fluttering as he does. Shouto had had a crush on Izuku for a while now but didn’t know how to approach confessing it to the other. He didn’t really know how to express any of his emotions, let alone a confession of love to his best friend.
“All I know is that I want to avoid my father's agency if at all possible. You know how I feel about it. I know he’s trying to be better, but I still can’t forgive him. It doesn’t help that he’s texting me all the time either.” He reaches a hand up to run it through his hair, exasperated at trying to figure out which of the other agencies might even stand up to Endeavors. Not many of them did, now with Sir Nighteye gone and Best Jeanist still MIA, but one or two might. Izuku’s expression drops as he looks back at Shouto, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “I know, but who else are we going to intern under? Plus, it’s only for a week right?” He says as he looks back at the taller boy, head tilted a little. Shouto shrugs and makes a noise that seems akin to a ‘guess so.’ Izuku looks back at Shouto, inquisitively, as he idly twirls a pencil around his fingers. “We’ve got until Friday to pick an agency, that’s still two days. Why don’t we go get something to eat and then see if anyone else wants to watch a movie?”
The bi-colored boys face visibly softens when Izuku recommends taking a step back from the choices before them. He nods, gathering his phone and the papers on the table before putting them into his bag and standing. “Sure, but I’m not really sure how many people will wanna sit through another Disney movie with you after you muttering through the last three we all watched as a group.” Shouto teases at Izuku, the flush visibly rising beneath the freckled skin of the green-haired boy. He looks back at Shouto in mock shock. “Todoroki, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I would never. Nope, doesn’t sound like me at all. Not one bit.” He grins, rising to his feet after gathering the rest of his things and putting them away. Shouto shakes his head, smiling at the smaller boys' remark. He rolls his eyes, laughing quietly. “Midoriya, you know damn good and well you do. Everyone on this whole campus knows how you can go on and on about just about anything.”
Izuku’s blush darkens, embarrassed that he even does it to begin with. He stammers for a moment before looking down at his feet and pushing his index fingers together nervously. A flutter stirs in Shouto’s stomach as he watches Izuku looking down, a small smile on his face as he slings his bag over his shoulder. “Hey, come on. Let’s go get some food, I’ll message the others on the way there.” The green-haired boy looks up, meeting Shouto’s mismatched eyes with a wide grin. A light flush crawls up Shouto’s cheeks as he looked at him, gaze fixated on the smaller boy. Quietly humming Izuku turns after a moment and slings his bag over his shoulder, looking back at the taller boy. “I wonder what’s for dinner.” He asks curiously as he starts to walk away.
Shouto watched Izuku walk for a moment, eyes affixed and mesmerized by the way he walked. He notices the all too familiar prickle of frost creeping up his arm and quickly realizes he’s not in control of his quirk. I can’t let my emotions get the best of me. I’ve got to stay stoic, I don’t want to end up pushing Midoriya away like I have everyone else. A heavy heated sigh leaves Shouto’s lips as he regulates his body temperature and quickly makes his way to walk next to Izuku. He looks over with a small smile, emerald eyes bright and cheerful.
The two heroes in training walk closely as they head across the campus to the cafeteria to get something to eat. With the dorms being established their first year, Lunch Rush having decided to offer dinner as well in the cafeteria on weekdays, finding something to eat wasn’t exactly hard. Even on the weekends, Katsuki had been elected by the class to make everyone dinner once a week and begrudgingly he resigned to his fate. Shouto quietly glances over at Izuku as they walk, watching the green curls bounce as the smaller boy looks around the campus. He’s muttering something that Shouto can’t exactly make out but hears something about Mirko and Hawks so he chalks it up to him talking about which office to intern at. Shouto quietly turns his attention to what the other is saying.
“With Hawks being the number two hero and with a case close rate like he has we could get good experience working with him, but Tokoyami has expressed wanting to intern with him again. Edgeshot could be another who is a viable option. A quirk like his isn’t one you get to see up close often, and being able to learn more about his quirk up close and personal would be an opportunity in and of itself. Then there’s Mirko, I could definitely learn several things from her that could help with my shoot style. Hmm.” Izuku taps at his cheek with his fingers as he walked, lost in his own train of thought. Shouto didn’t mind like some of the others about the muttering. He found it endearing that he could go on about a subject for a period of time and there was something comforting about listening to him talk about, well anything really.
Shouto is so engrossed in listening he doesn’t notice Katsuki is stalking up the path behind them. As always, he pushes him aside with a gruff remark. “Move it, half and half.” The all too familiar feeling of flames lick at his wrist, though quickly quelled as he realizes he’d bumped into Izuku. He quickly turns to the other who is blushing fiercely. “I-I’m sorry.” The verdant haired boy stammers out.
Shouto shakes his head, more worried about if the other is hurt. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you by any chance, did I? I lost control of my left side.” Worry paints Shouto’s face quite vividly as he watched the other check. He quickly looks down at Izuku’s jacket, and softly grabs his wrist, pulling it up to look at it closer. “Your jacket is singed, my apologies Midoriya. I’ll replace your jacket since it was my fault that something happened to it.” He lets go of his wrist quickly, turning away in hopes of hiding the pink beginning to tint his cheeks.
Izuku looks at him confused and scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, his own cheeks darkening under freckles. “N-no. There’s no need for that. It’s not that big of a deal anyways. It’s one spot, I doubt anyone will notice it. Besides, there’s also the fact that I’m only allowed three suit jackets a year, and since I’ve already grown out of two.” He trails off, looking away from Shouto. The dual-wielder looks back Izuku and clears his throat. “We should, uh, get to the cafeteria.” The smaller boy nods and starts walking again, this time half a step away from the other.
The rest of the walk to the cafeteria is quiet. Shouto can’t help but think he’d done something wrong, or he’d actually hurt Izuku. He chews the inside of his cheek as he sets his bag down at their usual table and shoves his hands in his pockets. Izuku sets his bag down next to the other and looks at Shouto. A look of worry graces his face as he tries to read the other's face. “Todoroki?” He says, trying to get his attention. Shouto looks at him, lifting a brow slightly. “Hmm?”
“Are you okay?” He asks, sincere in his words. Izuku didn’t pity Shouto. He knew how to help, even when he didn’t talk. Just his presence made Shouto relax and let his guard down. The dual-wielder knew he didn’t have to pretend to be anyone for Izuku. He didn’t have to hide the years of pain and anguish caused by his father. He felt happy when he was with Izuku. Truly happy. No one before could even compare to how he made him feel, just by offering his presence alone. He was safe. Shouto didn’t have the be ‘Todoroki Shouto, son of Japan’s number 1 hero Endeavor.’ He just got to be Shouto. No prerequisites, no formalities, no bullshit.
If Shouto was completely honest with himself, he wasn’t okay. He wanted to be more than friends with Izuku. He was selfish in that way. He wanted to be able to know he’d be there for him, through anything. Izuku was already there for him, but he wanted a deeper connection with him. He wanted to know what real love meant. What true affection was. Shouto was never shown any of that growing up. His mother tried, but it ended badly for him. He didn’t want to hurt Izuku, he wanted to keep him safe. That’s why he didn’t want to risk trying to be more than friends with him. He was comfortable, and that was okay with him. He’d resigned himself to it a while ago, thinking if he did say something he’d push away the only true friend he had.
Shouto nods in response to Izuku’s question. “I’m fine.” He lies. He wasn’t fine. He was never fine, but it helped that Izuku was there for him. The green-haired boy knew not to press any further with it, frowning as he watched Shouto. “Okay.” A quiet sigh escapes Izuku’s lips as he turns to walk away and get food. Shouto wanted nothing more than to turn Izuku around and tell him he wasn’t fine. He wasn’t okay. That all he wanted was to kiss him, tell him how he truly felt. He was scared. The pit in the bi-colored boy's stomach grew as he watched Izuku walk away.
Chewing the inside of his cheek he follows Izuku to get in line and looks at what’s for dinner. Katsudon, Izuku’s favorite food. Shouto smiled to himself as he thought about how Izuku praised his mother's cooking, especially her katsudon. Over the time the two teens had been friends, Shouto had been over with Izuku to visit his mother a few times. Something he could always count on was a home-cooked meal and a loving environment. It was a stark contrast from what the dual-wielder was used to from living with Endeavor. The Todoroki house was large and daunting, the air thick with terrible memories. Without his mother, Touya, or even Natsuo the house was more like a prison. Fuyumi was there, but it didn’t help with his father's training sessions. Shouto knew Fuyumi would be there to help patch him up if he needed it or to say some kind words, but other than that his interaction with his sister was limited.
With the establishment of the dorms in their first year, Shouto finally found a place he could call home. Somewhere people actually cared for one another. Where they laughed, smiled, and joked around. Izuku knew some of what went on when Shouto was still living with Endeavor, but he still hadn’t told him everything. There were still secrets and repressed memories that even he didn’t know about. Endeavor wasn’t a nice man, he was a scumbag. Plain and simple.
Shouto shifts his weight awkwardly as he waits in line, mouth pressed in a hard line as he stares at the floor. His mind is wandering idly about school work and picking a place for the internship. The green-haired teen looks back at Shouto, cocking an eyebrow at his expression. “Hey, Todoroki, don’t think too hard about the internship. You’ll melt your brain. Just think about what movie we’re gonna watch tonight with everyone. Oh, speaking of, have you messed the class to see who’s up to watch a movie tonight yet?”
Snapping back to reality at Izuku’s voice, he shakes his head. The neat line that parted the white and red sides mussing slightly as he does. “Oh, no. I should probably do that shouldn’t I?” He pulls his phone from his pocket and unlocks it. A few taps and he’s sent the message to the class.
Todoroki (5:02pm): Anyone up for a movie night? Izuku and I need a break from trying to pick a hero office for the internship.
Kirishima (5:04pm): Hell yeah! I need to get my mind off of all of it as well. What are we watching?
Uraraka (5:04pm): sure, ive already got mine chosen.
Iida (5:05pm): Only as long as everyone has their classwork finished for the night
Ashido (5:05pm): dont be such a wet blanket iida, the whole reason todoroki wants to do a movie night is so that we can get our minds off of the internships.
Shouto pockets his phone as the line moves forward. He glances over at Izuku who looks up at him with a smile. The bi-colored boy's heart swells as he sees the other teens wide grin. A small smile finds its way to Shouto’s face as he watches the blush crawl up Izuku’s cheek when he makes eye contact with him. The dual wielder reaches out and ruffles the smaller teen's hair, grinning at him. “Looks like dinner is katsudon, that’s your favorite isn’t is?” Izuku blushes darker, grinning wider. He nods, Shouto’s hand still on his head. It’s almost like Izuku is nuzzling into his hand. The smile on the bi-colored boy's face widens as he watches the other lean into his touch. “Lines moving, let's get some food okay?” The other turns and walks through the line, grabbing his food as Shouto follows behind him doing the same. The two teens walk to find their usual spot in the cafeteria. Dinner in the cafeteria was usually not as crowded at lunch as most of the other students would either make dinner themselves or would go off campus to get something to eat. Lunch Rush usually only ever served a total of 200 students at dinner on any given night.
Shouto takes his seat near the middle of the table and Izuku takes the one next to him. He glances over at the forest green-haired boy and relaxes in his seat. The look on Izuku’s face as he started eating his Katsudon was quite adorable. Shouto knew exactly what the other's thoughts about Lunch Rush’s katsudon was. He’d been told it was quote “One of the best he’d ever had, but nowhere near his mothers.” Shouto didn’t really remember what his mother's cooking was like. Sure, Fuyumi cooked for him sometimes. Mostly he was left to fend for himself when he was even allowed to eat.
The phone in Shouto’s pocket buzzes incessantly, pulling him from his thoughts of how his father treated him. A welcome wake up call at this point. He wasn’t in the mood to spiral downward, not with Izuku next to him.
Iida (5:06 pm): Ashido, I’m not being a wet blanket. I’m only looking out for everyone else’s well being grade-wise.
Ashido (5:07pm): couldve fooled me sanic
Sero (5:07pm): mina, hun. no. we mustn’t resort to memes.
Kaminari (5:08pm): did someone say memes?
Shouto chuckles as he reads the chat. This was a bad idea, pulling everyone into a group chat like this. It always ended in unholy chaos once Kaminari joined, even if they had to figure out what movie he was going to pick for movie night. Shouto types out a reply quickly before it devolves any further into madness.
Todoroki (5:08pm): Kaminari, good you’re here. It’s your turn to pick the movie for movie night. Please remember, that your choice is a suggestion, and above all can be vetoed.
Kaminari (5:09pm): disappointment.jpg
Kaminari (5:09pm): ok ok ok, uh, what about the bee movie
Sero (5:10pm): one yes for bee movie
Todoroki (5:10pm): Executive Veto for Bee Movie. Sorry, Kaminari .
Kaminari (5:10pm): okay, r00d. What about Shrek? Is that one okay?
Todoroki (5:11pm): No, were not watching shrek. Keep your memes out of this good christian movie night.
Kaminari (5:12pm): jkahjieasjisehioa;konv
Kaminari (5:12pm): ur no fun todoroki. Fine, paul blart.
Todoroki (5:13pm): I s2g Kaminari Denki, one more meme movie and I’ll set your room on fire. Fucking watch me.
Kaminari (5:13pm): i came out to have a good time, and im honestly feeling so attacked rn. See if i ever charge your phone again.
Iida (5:13pm): Todoroki, language. As the son of the number one hero, I expected more out of you. Where are your manners?
Kaminari (5:14pm): blinking_meme.gif
Kaminari (5:14pm): Iida, youve met todoroki right? Boi passive-aggressively slurps his noodles
Ashido (5:15pm): Denki has a point…. Im js.
Todoroki (5:15pm): perish. Both of you.
Kaminari (5:16pm): well, if /someone/ is gonna be a wet blanket as well, I guess we can watch frozen. Haven’t watched that one yet as a group.
Todoroki (5:16pm): We haven’t. If everyone else is okay with Kaminari’s choice then that’s what we’ll watch.
Kaminari (5:16pm): Fuck Yeah. Didn’t even have to beg.
Iida (5:17pm): Kaminari, there is no need for such crass language.
Tokoyami (5:18pm): What a mad banquet of darkness and chaos that has been thrust upon us
Shouto can hear Izuku giggling next to him as he reads the messages off of his own phone. Heterochromatic eyes glance over at the boy next to him, the corners of his mouth lifting into a small smile. The sound of the green-haired boys laugh could sustain Shouto forever if he willed it. It made his heart flutter and stomach flip. Nothing made him happier than to see Izuku smile and to hear him laugh. His smile was infectious and his laugh just out right adorable. Shouto hums quietly to himself as he relaxes back into his seat as he began to eat, quietly watching the other teen out of the corner of his eye.
“You’ve created a monster by opening a new chat, you know this right?” Izuku says, looking over at Shouto. He nods, knowing exactly what he’s done. “I’m well aware. I knew that having Ashido, Kaminari, and Sero in a chat together would end in chaos, but I still needed to know who was going to be joining us tonight and what movie Kaminari would be choosing.” His shoulders lift slightly in a shrug and he turns back to look at his food. Izuku makes a noise before settling back into his chair to eat. Shouto had a point, they had tried making a class group chat before and it quickly devolved into chaos once Kaminari found out he had access to change everyone’s nicknames.
The chatter of the cafeteria quickly fills the silence between Izuku and Shouto as they finish eating their dinner, neither of them not sure what exactly to say to one another. Izuku finishes eating before Shouto does and just sits, looking around the cafeteria watching the other students before his gaze falls back onto the other boy at the table. A soft smile crosses his face as he watches the other finish eating. Shouto has his head bowed, red and white strands of hair falling into his eyes and a soft glow of the sun behind him. He looked ethereal to Izuku, exactly like an angel. He sighs quietly, resting his chin on his palm as he watches Shouto eat.
Shouto finishes his food and gathers his dishes onto the tray before standing. “Are you finished as well Midoriya?” Izuku nods, gathering his own dishes and standing as well. Shouto takes the tray from Izuku and heads to drop them off. Izuku watches curiously, not expecting the other to take the tray from him. “Okay.” He mumbles quietly before gathering their bags and waiting at the door for the other boy. Izuku bounces on the balls of his feet as he waits by the door, fiddling with the hem of his shirt idly. As Shouto walks back he smiles soft at the green haired boy waiting for him. He was quite adorable the way he bounced, green curls bouncing with him wildly. “Let’s go get everything ready for the movie, alright?” Izuku says as Shouto comes near. Shuto nods, humming in agreement as he takes his bag from the other boy. “Sure. May as well, Oh, I also don’t recommend checking your phone on the way back. Kaminari has been sending a bunch of pictures from what I can see. Not sure what they are, some weird goose or something.” He shrugs and starts to walk. Izuku snickers, knowing full well what Kaminari is sending to the group chat.