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The last bell of the week sounds at three o'clock on the dot that friday. Excited chatter fills the classroom as soon as it does. Some of his classmates getting up immediately, having already put their things on their bags at least ten minutes before.
Todoroki puts his own away with no rush. He’s one of the last ones out of the classroom, he leaves just in time to see Aizawa disappear below his desk. On the walk to the lockers, he notices the vicious way the sun burns that afternoon, he tugs a little at his collar, the heat bothering him more than he would like.
He only leaves behind the notebooks from topics he doesn’t have homework due and heads to exit the schools grounds, suddenly aware of the date and time. He suppresses a small sigh and clenches his jaw. It’s only two days.
His resigned slow paced walk towards the train station is cut abruptly by two voices calling his name from behind.
Confused he turns. Iida and Midoriya wave when he catches their gaze and gesture with bandaged arms at him to hold on. Todoroki comes to a hesitant halt, curiosity holding him in place.
It’s been barely a week since since Midoriya got cleared out of the hospital after Hosu, although the immediate return to classes and routine make it seem impossible that it happened so little ago. This is the first weekend after the incident.
Either Todoroki is drawn to them or they are drawn to him. The first day back at school was the first time he had seen them without hospital lights shining tired shadows on their faces. Unconsciously he found himself walking towards them that first morning. Both of them still had dark circles under their eyes but seemed better, if a little quieter.
The entire week he’s been by their sides so he’s not that caught off guard when they catch up to him that evening, both of them a little breathless from the heat.
Iida greets him like he had not been sharing a classroom with him less than ten minutes ago.
“Are you going to the station?” Midoriya asks more casually.
Todoroki nods in confirmation. “Are you?” He asks back, shifting his gaze between the two.
“No,” Iida replies in Midoriyas place. “We’re going to the park actually.”
“In this heat?” Todoroki wonders, the sun burns at the dark side of his hair, reflecting of the other.
“It’s not that bad,” Midoriya says wiping the top of his head with his sleeve.
Todoroki raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything.
“Would you like to come with us?” Iida continues.
Todoroki blinks at that.
“On fridays they sell more ice cream flavors,” Midoriya explains.
“You want me to come with?” Todoroki asks.
“If you are not occupied, yes.” Iida gestures at the path that leads away from the train station.
Todoroki focuses his eyes on him, biting back the ‘why?’ that comes up his throat. He shrugs instead, he rather do anything else than what he’s supposed to.
Iida and Midoriya break out in smiles at the same and the three resume their walking. The other two speak of nothing and everything, going from their last class of the day to their favorite flavors of ice cream. Iidas is lemon and Midoriya settles between strawberry and blueberry. When the question turn on him Todoroki agrees with blueberry. They stay clear from talking about the news, still filled with the incident.
Todoroki notices the way their route takes small detours to sides. Iida guiding them under the weak shadows the trees managed to cast on the sides of the paved road, it doesn’t help a lot.
The park is apparently a little far from the school grounds. After twenty minutes, they’ve stopped to buy three bottles of lukewarm water. Todoroki makes a face when it touches his lips, he switches it to his right hand and cools it slowly as to not completely freeze it.
When he looks down he catches Midoriyas curious eyes, he watching him with intensity and a hint of amusement. Once he feels Todorokis eyes on him, he sharply looks away mumbling a blushing apology.
Todoroki doesn’t really know what to make of that so he holds his right hand out to him. It takes Midoriya a second to hand him his own bottle, as soon as he does Todoroki repeats the process of cooling it down. He does the same with Iidas.
They continue walking but this time the conversation is mostly praises at him, Todoroki looks towards the path instead of at them so they can’t see the flusteredness on his face.
Their arrival is almost at four o’clock. He’s slightly surprised by the amount of time that has passed, he feels it’s only been few minutes since they left the school. He got lost in time listening to Midoriyas rambling and Iidas comments.
At the outskirts of the park it’s clear they’re not the only ones making the most of the sun. As they walk deeper the trees smother the light and turn the heat into a more tolerable warmth. All the benches next to the ice cream shop are taken Midoriya suggests taking the swings instead , then he leaves to collect their ice cream.
Iida is too tall to sit comfortably on the swings but he tries anyways. Todoroki fits but just barely. After Midoriya returns he has no issue with them.
Todoroki and Iida let Midoriya choose their flavors since he’s the one that suggested and knows the place. He’s pleasantly surprised at the taste.
“It’s the friday specials,” Midoriya explains. “Chocolate chip.” He points at Iidas cup. “Coconut and vanilla.” He gestures at Todoroki cone. “And mine is double chocolate.”
Todoroki doesn’t really understand how can it be double. Midoriya hands him his cone as explanation. He hesitates a second to see if it’s really okay and takes a bite out of it. Both of them wince.
“What?” Todoroki asks.
“How can you bite it like that?” Midoriya blurts out.
“Doesn’t it hurt?” Iida asks.
“No?” Todoroki replies slowly, it sounds a little like a question. Midoriya and Iida exchange glances and laugh a little.
Todoroki rolls his eyes at them, mostly with fondness.
Midoriya pushes himself restlessly back and forth on the swing as they eat and talk between mouthfuls. When he’s really fired up about the topic he sways a bit faster. Todoroki catches himself watching him with a little concern since he’s not grabbing onto the chains. He notices Iida doing the same.
In the end their apprehensiveness pays of as Midoriya pushes back too far. They both reach out at the same time, steading him with a soft shove forwards, Todorokis hand above Iidas. Midoriya blushes to the point of covering the lower part of his face with one arm, he thanks them anyway.
Iida swings too in an effort to save Midoriya from embarrassment, it sort of works.
Once they finish their ice cream they continue to walk around the park since the evening significantly cools down. A soft breeze comes and the three of them sigh in relief. The wind ruffles Iidas hair since he was facing that way, making the left side of his undercut stand up.
Midoriya laughs and leans towards him on the tips of his toes to push it back down carefully. Iida bows a little so he can reach more easily, his face a little red.
After that Todoroki notices more the casual touches between the two, the way they walk close enough for their hands to brush or the way Midoriya grabs hold of Iidas arm to point something in their path, how his hands linger on Iidas sweater. The trust they have on each other makes Todoroki smile to himself.
They end up going an entire circle of the park, ending up on the same path that brought them there from the station. When they notice they decide to call it a day. Heading back the same way is somehow better, since the sun is going down. It’s fight against the horizon colors the sky a pretty orange. The light makes the world seem warmer.
“What?” he asks when he catches Iida staring.
“Sorry,” he says looking away, “It’s just… you hair.”
Todoroki tugs at his red strands in confusion. At the mention Midoriya looks over. His eyes widen it a bit.
“Your right side looks orange, Todoroki.” Midoriya explains.
“It looks nice,” Iida reassures him, still not looking at him. His glasses reflecting the light as well.
They arrive at the top of the hill just in time for the last bits of sunlight to fade. The sky now dark purple and blue, Todoroki observes the change now that his aware of it. Iidas blue hair under this sky looks a deeper shade but more noticeably blue. Midoriyas looks pitch black.
The city lights up around them, the light posts first and then the advertisements. This is what finally makes Todoroki realize the time.
The train station is full as it’s a friday night. Thankfully Iida is tall enough to make a path for the both of them. Inevitably, Todoroki ends up cornered against the windows and against Midoriya. The closeness makes Todoroki unconsciously heat up, stopping just in time before he could start smoking.
Midoriya doesn’t look much better, looking everywhere but at Todorokis eyes.
It takes two stops for the train to empty out a little. Todoroki lets out an exhale he didn’t know he was holding when Midoriya steps away.
Iidas stop is first, The three of them get off the wagon to give him a proper send off instead of a hurried one through the closing doors.
He says a usual goodbye to Midoriya but when he turns to Todoroki,”Thank you.”
“For what?” Todoroki asks after a pause.
“For coming with us, of course.” Iida gestures. “We really wanted you to join us.”
Todoroki can’t really reply to that so he thanks them back for inviting although his chest feels somewhat tight when he does.
Iida waves them goodbye, walking backwards until he reaches the corner.
Todoroki catches the way Midoriya watches him go, his eyes softer and his smile unconscious.
This time there’s enough seats for them but just barely. Midoriya is close enough that their shoulders lean against each other, Todoroki is thankful he’s leaning on his right side.
“We really are happy you came,” he mutters so quietly that if Todoroki hadn’t sen his lips move he would've thought he imagined it.
“I’m happy I went,” Todoroki whispers back.
“We didn’t mean to make it so last minute,” Midoriya continues.”But I noticed the way you stared at the clock all day and I remembered what you said on Wednesday.” He shrugs sheepishly. “We thought maybe you’d want a distraction.”
On Wednesday Todorokis sister texted him to inform him of his fathers arrival that Friday, the first time he’d be back after dealing with Hosu. Todoroki made an annoyed comment about it during lunch. The fact that Midoriya and Iida remembered was enough for him to lower the temperature on the train afew degrees.
Todoroki looks down, then at Midoriya, without thinking he leans close enough so that only he can hear the soft “Thanks.”
He pulls back just as suddenly, Midoriya replies that it wasn’t a problem after a pause.
The second stop is his. This time Midoriya does stay inside the train as Todoroki steps off, the doors shut after a couple of seconds and they wave each other goodbye as the engine picks up speed.
Knowing he won’t see them again until monday almost ruins his good mood.
The walk to his house from the station is shorter that Todoroki wishes it could be. The black car in the driveway just makes him sigh.
He’s not even halfway up the stair when an annoying voice comes from the living room. “Where were you?”
“Out,” Todoroki barks and continues heading upstairs without stopping.
“Don’t makes this a habit,” his father commands like Todoroki cares.
“I will,” Todoroki replies just before heading into his room.
At least, he hopes this with Iida and Midoriya does become a frequent habit.
When he plugs in his phone he finds a short message from Iida. ‘We’re going out tomorrow too, you’re more than invited.’
Todoroki gives his phone a rare smile.