Chapter Text
The Beginning
Shoto Todoroki didn’t know a lot about people. His father had kept him isolated from others for most of his life, insisting that having friends would slow him down and make him weaker. All that ever mattered to Endeavor was Todoroki’s training. So, when he walked into class on his first day at U.A., Shoto Todoroki was determined not to talk to anyone. He had gotten this far in life without anyone helping him, and he certainly didn’t need help now.
Entering the classroom fifteen minutes early, he chose the furthest desk back on the left side, and began to think. Staring at his hands on the desk, he wondered about the quirks his classmates would have. He was fairly certain no one would be able to compete with his, but there might be a few he would like to see in action. Part of him regretted that he had gotten in on recommendation, it meant he was at a disadvantage by not knowing anyone else’s quirk. He was sure he would know them soon enough though.
A pale hand placed on his desk brought Todoroki out of his thoughts and back to reality. He looked up into the brightest green eyes he had ever seen, though the boy the eyes belonged to wouldn’t quite look back at him.Todoroki observed him silently for a moment while he waited for the boy to speak. He had unruly green hair that perfectly matched his eyes, fluffed out in all directions, making it look like he hadn’t brushed it that morning. Todoroki took note of how he fidgeted with the cuff of his school blazer, seemingly nervous.
After a minute, the boy seemed to work up some confidence and very suddenly bowed at the waist.
“M- my name is Izuku Midoriya,” he stuttered as he rose from the bow. “W- would it be alright I- if I sat in front of you?”
Todoroki shrugged, and the boy appeared visibly relieved as he sat down, taking off his yellow backpack and placing it at his feet. He didn’t know why, but Todoroki was struck by the feeling that he should tell the boy his name as well. It would only be polite. Quietly, hoping the boy in front of him wouldn’t hear him, he mumbled his last name. The boy, Izuku Midoriya he had said, turned around with a slightly confused look on his face.
“What?”
“My name is Shoto Todoroki,” he said a bit louder.
“It’s nice to meet you Todoroki!” he replied, smiling brightly, causing Todoroki to wonder how he could have been so nervous jus a minute ago. This seemed more comfortable for Midoriya, like he was meant to smile. It made Todoroki want to smile too.
Stop that! You’re not here to make friends, he scolded himself, his father’s words burned into his mind. He’ll just get in your way.
Todoroki didn’t get a chance to disagree with the voice of the man he hated so much, because just at that moment, the classroom door opened and in walked a tall, thin man in dark clothes, who looked like he was half asleep.
“Quiet,” the man said obviously tired, but with a level of authority that caught the attention of all the students in the room who had been excitedly chattering to one another. “Take your seats. It’s time to begin.”
There was a few moments of shuffling as the students sat down and directed their attention to the man at the front of the classroom. Todoroki studied him as he gave rather bored-sounding opening remarks. He knew the man from somewhere, he was sure of it. He just had to figure out where. As the man continued to speak, Todoroki focused on trying to place his face, not really listening to what the man was saying. In the back of his mind somewhere, he heard the man tell them to address him as Mr. Aizawa, not that that helped Todoroki figure out how he knew this man. He was broken from his thoughts as Midoriya stood up in front of him to address their teacher, who seemed very done with the day already.
“What is it?” he sighed, his dark eyes shifting focus to the green-haired boy.
“Um, Mr. Aizawa, sir?” Midoriya stuttered. Todoroki, being behind him, was the only one who could see the boy’s slender fingers, fidgeting again with the hem of his jacket sleeve, clearly trying to keep his hands still.
“I- I couldn’t help but notice- well, I mean- you just, um…” He trailed off into an incoherent mumble for a little bit before finally raising his voice again. “Are you the Pro Hero Eraserhead?”
Eraserhead, Todoroki thought, mentally kicking himself. Of course. It was so obvious to him now that Midoriya had pointed it out.
A collective murmur of awe passed through the class as Aizawa confirmed Midoriya’s question, and Todoroki watched the boy in front of him sit down hastily, pulling a half-burnt notebook from his backpack. Curious, he leaned forward ever so slightly and watched over Midoriya’s shoulder as the boy scribbled furiously. He had labeled the top of the page with their teacher’s hero name, as well as his real one, and appeared to be jotting down every little detail about the dark, sleepy man.
Amused, Todoroki watched his hands for a while as he wrote, eventually trailing his eyes up to Midoriya’s face. His nose was scrunched up in concentration as he wrote, which Todoroki found oddly cute, and his green curls fell down over his eyes, causing Midoriya to shake it out every so often.
It looks so soft, he found himself thinking as he watched the boy in front of him quickly card his hand through his hair before continuing to write. I wonder if it feels as soft as it looks.
“Alright,” Aizawa’s voice cut through Todoroki’s train of thought, which he felt thankful for. He wasn’t sure where his mind had been going and that scared him. “Get your gym clothes on and get outside for your first test.”
As Todoroki stood, stretching his arms, he wondered why the heck he had been thinking those sort of things, and resolved to focus very intently on his school work for the rest of the day.