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The cafe bells jingle as Izuku slides the door open. He scans the inside, a nervous lump in his throat, and adjusts the collar of his sweater.
His eyes land on where the other boy is sitting in one of the booths. “Hey, Shouto!” he calls out.
The two-toned boy lightens up when he spots him. “Izuku!”
This was it. Their first date was really happening, and Izuku hadn’t been stood up or pranked, despite his worries. Todoroki wasn’t the type to be cruel hearted, but the fear clung to his mind anyway, along with many hurtful middle school memories from his past.
Izuku slips past waitresses and couples love-gazing each other and slides into the seat across from Todoroki. “How’s it going?”
“Good, but it’s even better now.”
Izuku grins cheekily upon hearing that. “Have you decided what to order yet?” He picks up a menu. “They’ve really got everything. Look at this! Heart-shaped pancakes with whipped cream.”
“It is Valentine themed.” Todoroki points out.
“It is.” Izuku agrees.
Their waiter comes around later to take their order. As she scribbles on her notebook, she casually mentions that after working at the cafe she’s developed a heightened sense for romantic tension. As she departs, she winks knowingly at them and offers a jaunty wave.
Half an hour later steaming hot pancakes arrive on their table. Izuku fits some into his mouth and chews. The dough is warm, and fluffy, and he mentions so before Todoroki reaches forward to wipe whipped cream off his chin.
Izuku sighs and rests his chin on his hands. He watches, gaze following lazily as Todoroki takes bites of strawberry. He realizes something as he thinks. Strong, kind, and understanding. Everything he knows about Todoroki points to those traits.
The fork clatters to the plate. Todoroki’s looking at him now. His eyebrow furrows. “Is everything okay?”
“Mm.” Izuku says. He taps his side, gesturing. “How’s the injury?”
Todoroki is silent. His teeth grit, frustrated with the look of a man who has tried everything but failed still. “It’s not looking good. But I’ll be okay.”
“Yeah?” Izuku asks. “How long are you going to be off duty?”
“Six months.”
Izuku jumps up, hands splayed on the table. “Six months? Even with the healing quirks?”
“Six months at best.” Todoroki clarifies. He looks down at his hands, balled into fists. “I know, I’m frustrated too.”
“Todoroki, I’m sorry,” Izuku tells him, his mouth pressed into a firm line. He bows his head, bangs falling over his face. “It’s all my fault. I was the one who got hit by Raven’s claws in the first place. I put everyone else in danger by getting injured, and you had to rescue me.”
A hand grips his shoulder. Todoroki’s staring fiercely at him now. Izuku can feel the fingers brushing him tremble with something. “I don’t regret it.” Todoroki says. “Getting injured was unavoidable, and I don’t regret it. I’ll take the hit for you again in a heartbeat.”
“Yeah?” Izuku says. Guilt still pools in his stomach, but there’s a warmth there that wasn’t there before.
“Yeah.”
Izuku leans forward and cups his hands around Todoroki’s face, fingers making warm and soft indents around his cheeks. His thumb brushes the jawbone, sliding along it. There’s something he wants to do, if only he could work up the courage for it. “Hold on,” he murmurs.
Todoroki looks a little confused, but leans in slightly to the touch. “What are you doing?”
“There’s something on your face.” Without warning, Izuku presses his lips to Todoroki’s. A hot warmth blossoms in his chest as he takes in the soft touch. Todoroki sucks in a breath, eyes wide. After a moment, Izuku withdraws and smiles at him. “It was me.”
“Ah,” Todoroki looks away, face heated in several shades of red. “I wasn’t prepared.”
“It’s okay,” Izuku says, pressing his hands up against his own face. There was a similar heat on his cheeks.
“No, wait,” Todoroki says. He tugs at his sleeve, hesitating. Then he seems to make up his mind and starts unzipping his backpack. “Will you play a game with me?”
“Sure… what is it?” Izuku asks. Then he sees what Todoroki pulled out, and nearly jumps halfway through the roof. A small, cutely designed box with strawberry flavored sticks in it is laid out on the table. “Aaah, you mean the pocky game?!”
A small smile gracing his lips, Todoroki says, “Are you backing out?”
“Mmm…” Izuku bites his nail with his thumb. He’s never seen Todoroki look as at ease as he does right now. He stares for a second at the other’s lips, and vividly remembers how soft it felt against his own. “...I can’t say no. Your smile’s too irresistible.” He decides.
Todoroki pulls a pocky out of the wrapper. Turns it until the frosting-covered half is facing Izuku. “Ready?” he asks.
The roaring in the background has dimmed to a dull hum. All Izuku can see is Todoroki’s flushed face, his plushy cheeks and how he holds himself so strong, like a single birch tree standing firm in a storm. Foregoing words, he leans forward and bites down on the end, nibbling.
Sugar melts onto his tongue. The taste lingers, sweet as honey. Todoroki’s biting on the other end now, pocky balancing precariously between their teeth. Four inches between them.
Izuku inches forward, trying to ignore how close the other boy’s face is. Three inches. Warm breaths puff against his cheek, inviting him to take the leap. Two inches.
One. They pause, lips barely brushing.
Todoroki closes his eyes, and makes the final bound.
He kisses Izuku, with all the passion of a star-crossed lover. A hand moves up behind Izuku’s head. Fingers card through curly hair and pull him closer.
Izuku sinks into the embrace, eyes drooping shut. When he braces against Todoroki’s body, a warmth heats up his palm. A heartbeat thrums underneath it, steady, separated by only thin cloth. He wants to stay here forever, in this fantastical moment, and never let go.
An eternity passes. Izuku finally steals away, Todoroki’s fingers sliding across his cheek and teasing his lip as he does.
Cerulean and hazel eyes gaze at him like he holds the world in his hands. Izuku doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve a gaze that fond. Discounting his mother, no one has ever looked at him like that before.
Somehow, it makes him want to savor the moment even longer. He doesn’t resist when Todoroki pulls him in for another kiss. The world could go round and round, but he could care less as long as he has him.