Work Text:
You're on the phone with your girlfriend
She's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do
I'm in my room It's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do...
Todoroki Shouto laid back onto his best friend’s bed and sighed. Izuku and he had been making posters for their school’s pep rally when Izuku’s girlfriend, Uraraka, had called to complain about a joke Izuku had made earlier.
Honestly, it was a hilarious joke and Shouto had laughed so hard his sides hurt, but Uraraka wasn’t amused. She had shot a glance at Shouto and flounced off to cheer practice before he walked Izuku to football practice.
Izuku was the star quarterback of Yueii High School’s football team and even though Shouto wasn't really into sports, he’d do anything to spend time with him. Shouto closed his eyes and let the melody of the lo-fi beats relax him. Izuku was the star of everything, if he was being honest. Everyone loved him, he was sweet, kind, smart, nice and absolutely adorable.
Shouto and Izuku became friends their freshman year. Shouto and his father had gotten into a particularly bad argument over his grades. Even though it was only a little past the first month of school, Shouto’s father was already pressuring him to make straight A’s so that he could eventually get into a prestigious law school and when he had scored an 86 on his first algebra quiz, Enji’s hellfire came down hard. Since Shouto’s mom left, Enji had become even more...physical with his punishments and he was feeling the repercussions the next day.
The smiling, bubbly, green-haired boy that sat next to him in class somehow managed to notice something was off and had pulled him aside after class to inquire about what was wrong and for some reason, Shouto found information he had never shared before tumbling over his lips to the boy who had introduced himself as Midoriya Izuku. Instead of running away at a practical stranger sharing their trauma, he saw compassion, not pity, reflecting in Izuku’s green eyes. “I think that it’s your power to decide what to do with your life, Todoroki-kun. You shouldn’t have to be someone you don’t want to be.” Izuku had said and with those words had began their whirlwind friendship. After that, whether walking to class together or spending their time outside of school studying and hanging out, they were never far apart from each other.
Izuku comforting Shouto after a fight with Enji.
More nights than less, Shouto ended up staying at the Midoriya’s and he was fully welcomed, especially after Izuku’s mother, Inko, had found out a little about Shouto’s father. Izuku’s house felt more like home than his own, but as he listened to Izuku reassure Uraraka how much he loved her, Shouto felt more alone than he had in a long time.
She wears short skirts
I wear T-shirts
She's cheer captain
And I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up
And find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time…
The cold metal pressed against Shouto’s back as he leaned against the chain link of the bleachers. It was Izuku’s last practice before Homecoming and was running a little later than usual. Crossing his legs under him, he looked down at the field where Izuku was in a yelling match with their “friend” Bakugou. Izuku had grown up with the rowdy boy and even though the were rubber and glue, he maintained that they were still friends. Honestly, Shouto thought that he deserved so much more than harsh, angry words but it wasn’t his place to say.
Walkin' the streets with you and your worn-out jeans,
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be.
Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself,
Hey isn't this easy?
And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town.
I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down.
You say your fine,
I know you better than that.
Hey what you doing with a girl like that?
After practice, Izuku and Shouto’s walk home was pleasant, filled with jokes and chatter that came so easy it was like breathing. Being together was effortless, why couldn’t they be more? Shouto’s thoughts were interrupted when Izuku grabbed his hand, dragging him to the local neighborhood park and headed directly towards the swings. As they swung, Izuku’s laughs filled his heart with joy. They had so much fun together and it never got old, no matter what.
Izuku didn’t have fun with Uraraka like he did with Shouto, in fact lately he hadn’t been having fun at all. It seemed that no matter what Izuku did, he couldn’t please her. She wanted gifts, he’d buy them. She wanted more of his time, he’d make the effort to spend as much as possible with her. It just wasn’t enough.
Shouto hated the way that his friend seemed so down. Izuku’s smile was the sun, his freckles were the stars and Shouto’s cold, frozen heart needed the warmth like he needed the air to breathe. He needed his friends soft laughs over silly jokes, he needed the curly haired boy’s excitement over the latest All-Might comic update. Izuku deserved happiness and love, what was he doing with someone who didn’t give him either?
Oh, I remember you drivin' to my house in the middle of the night.
I'm the one who makes you laugh
When you know you're about to cry.
And I know your favorite songs,
And you tell me about your dreams
I think I know where you belong.
I think I know it's with me.
It was the night of Homecoming that everything changed. Shouto had stayed in, still preferring his home to the crowds, noise and depression that was homecoming. The last thing he wanted to see was Izuku and Uraraka all cuddled up, he’d bear his father any day over the pain that wracked his heart over the sight.
Shouto receiving Izuku’s call.
He was propped up on his bed, book in hand when he received the call from Izuku. He could barely understand his friend, but from what he got, Uraraka had cheated on him and he was headed over to Shouto’s house. Shouto felt his body ignite with anger, Izuku deserved so much more!
Shouto was the one who Izuku told his problems. He was the one who Izuku spent hours, talking about their dreams. Izuku never failed to laugh at his jokes, no matter how corny or how close to tears his friend was.
He was the one Izuku belonged with.
Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see
You belong with me
Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time
How could you not know
Baby you belong with me
You belong with me
Izuku’s familiar knock came at his door and with no hesitation, he opened the door to his tear stained friend outside. Without warning, The shorter boy threw himself into Shouto’s arms, taking Shouto by surprise. He looked down to his friend as he slowly wrapped his arms around him to find sparkling emeralds staring back at him.
“Shouto, I feel so stupid! She’s been pulling this crap for so long and I didn’t even realize it-“ his friend hiccuped as Shouto wipes away his tears with his thumb.
“Izuku, you’re not stupid, you’re anything but stupid. She’s the stupid one. Cheating on you is the dumbest thing that anyone could do. You’re so... amazing , Izuku. Don’t let her make you think otherwise.” Shouto’s face heated as he finished his declaration, but he didn’t look away from his wide-eyed friend. “You deserve so much better. So much more than she’s ever given you. Hurting you the way she did-“
Izuku shook his head and squeezed his eyes together as he interrupted the dual haired boy and tightened his arms around Shouto’s neck.
“But Shou, that’s the thing- I’m not upset that I broke up with her. Sure, I’m hurt that she cheated on me after all I’ve done for her but I’m not...sad that we’re not together anymore. Is that wrong? It must be, but... I just don’t care anymore, Shou. We never connected...we never talked… I think I was searching so hard for love that I never realized I already had it.”
Tears welled in Izuku’s eyes as they searched Shouto’s face. “Shou, I feel like I’m drowning in it and I don’t know if you feel the same way but-“
Shouto didn’t hesitate as he ran his hands up to Izuku’s flushed cheeks and guided his lips to his. Warmth surged through his body as tears threatened his eyes and he pulled back to whisper against his love’s lips.
“You belong with me.”