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The sky was dark. The remnants of a sunset just visible through a haze of smoke. The evidence of his power sat at his feet as Midoriya searched for those hopeful colors behind the haze. The cause for destruction had long since been taken away by the police, but Midoriya remained, searching, waiting.
He waited for the sky to clear, the fires to vanish, for his friends to get up, and for the civilians. He waited until there was no one there with tears that needed wiped away, until there was no one there for him to hold, until there was no one there left to break down.
And as always, no one was left but Midoriya and him. He watched Todoroki stand from a considerable distance away. They were always the last ones left. They stayed longer than the authorities, than those who had lost their homes in the fight, and even the dead, but they always stayed together. Maybe it was to stay humble or maybe it was just because they were comforted in each other's presence, Midoriya didn't know the reason and he didn't want to upset their system by questioning it.
Todoroki started towards him, but fell halfway. Midoriya went to him as quickly as he could.
"You're still here." Although it was meant to be a question, Midoriya wasn't surprised that Todoroki would stay despite being injured.
"It's just a sprain." Todoroki responded, looking at the same smoke filled sky that Midoriya was captivated by.
"You don't have to wait for me." Midoriya responded with a sigh.
"You looked like you could use the company." Todoroki responded with a shrug.
"We should go, that'll get worse unless you ice it." Midoriya said. Todoroki turned to look him in the eye as the ice appeared in his hand. Midoriya gave a short laugh and a hint of a smile appeared on Todoroki's face.
"That's fair and I deserved that." Midoriya said in defeat as he sat next to his friend, legs outstretched in front of him. Silence settled between them comfortably as more colors appeared from behind the smoke.
"Did you break anything?" Todoroki suddenly asked.
"I haven't in a while." Midoriya responded, confused.
"I know. You've come a long way." Todoroki said with another small smile.
"So have you." Midoriya responded quickly, gripping onto his friend's arm tightly. Todoroki laughed slightly as he met Midoriya's eyes once again.
"A lot of that is thanks to you. You'd never let me slack off and be depressed." Midoriya blushed as he removed the hand he had on Todoroki in order to cross his arms.
"You're too good to slack off. Besides, I might've helped, but don't undermine your own achievements." Midoriya said, ever the one to encourage growth. Todoroki smiled more at him.
"I won't." He promised.
"You better not, otherwise I'm just going to have to fight you all over again. Except this time I would win after giving you my inspiring speech." Midoriya said.
Todoroki raised an eyebrow at him, "You sure about that?"
"Absolutely. You'd never even hit me." Midoriya said confidently.
"Guess we'll have to try it out some day." Todoroki mused.
"Guess so." Midoriya said, feeling the smile appear on his face. He was starting to notice that they smiled at each other a lot.
"We should leave." Midoriya said, staring at Todoroki's ankle, but not making a move.
"I want to wait for the sky." Todoroki responded, shifting slightly closer to his companion.
"Me too." Midoriya responded. He waited a beat before reaching his hand out and gripping onto Todoroki's. He felt his friend turn to look at him, but Midoriya kept his gaze on the lingering smoke. He let out the breath he was holding once he felt Todoroki grip onto his hand as well. The silence that fell onto them after was not uncomfortable, but fragile. Midoriya tensed from it, wanting to break it, but not knowing how.
"We're friends right?" He finally asked. He heard Todoroki's every breath.
"I thought so. Did-do you not?" He asked nervously. Midoriya felt the heat come stronger from his friend's left side and could only assume the right had gone colder.
"We like each other, we make each other laugh and smile, we hang out. It's just like with my other friends." Midoriya said, his thumb running reassuring circles onto Todoroki's palm.
"So, why the question?" Todoroki asked, leveling his gaze at Midoriya.
"Because...you're...different."
"How?" Todoroki asked, expression unreadable.
"I can talk easier with you. We always stay together after battles like this and sometimes we don't even have to say anything. And, now this." Midoriya said looking to their hands, where he was still drawing circles.
"There are so many things we do, that I couldn't imagine doing with anyone else. There are parts of myself that you understand better than even I do and I don't know what it all means." Midoriya rushed out. He knew he was bordering upon muttering, but he also knew Todoroki would keep up with him, he always did.
"I know that it means we care for each other." Todoroki said after a sigh.
"I think we both know the question you really want the answer to." Todoroki stated. And Midoriya did, but he was afraid to ask. Their eyes danced around each other as they both tried to bring the question out.
"This could change everything." Midoriya whispered.
"Is that okay?" Todoroki asked.
"I don't know. We could ruin this." Midoriya said, gripping onto Todoroki like a lifeline.
"Only if we let it."
Midoriya stared at him. Before finally asking,
"Can we be more?"
"I think..." Todoroki started, moving his unoccupied hand to Midoriya's face, "that we can be anything."
Midoriya moved his hand over Todoroki's as they both moved closer. They met each other shortly, sweetly, and full of feeling and behind them, the sky was finally clear.