Archive of Our Own ^beta

Number one: Laying a gentle kiss to the back of the other’s hand.

”Are you sure this is supposed to do something?” Todoroki asks, waving the bottle in his hands in the air. The liquid inside swooshes around, hitting the inner walls of the bottle. Half of the beer is already in his stomach, minimizing the risk of it spilling out on the carpet underneath them. 

Izuku scoffs. ”You’ve barely drunk anything. Togata says it takes at least an entire bottle before you can feel it. Beer is like, lightweight stuff.” He brings his own bottle to his mouth and drowns the rest of the content to prove his point. The urge to cough hits him hard, but Izuku swallows it down with a grimace that he hopes Todoroki doesn’t catch.

”Whatever.” Todoroki sips on the bottle more casually than Izuku, smacking his tongue around the strong flavors of the drink as if he’s dissecting the diverse aromas. When he’s not drinking the beer, he busies himself with reading the label and its serving facts. Izuku almost coos at him because who the hell is that interested in the contents of cheap beer? 

Todoroki grows silent when he finishes his bottle. He leans back against the couch cushion and props his head on it, letting his eyes flutter shut. A peaceful expression falls on his features as if he’s at home resting on his futon and not in a party full of loud teenagers. Izuku can’t say he’s all that surprised—Todoroki has always displayed the ability to remain calm in the most stressful moments ever since they first got to know each other. Izuku often feels relaxed just being around him. 

”It’s getting to me,” Todoroki mumbles, voice sounding slurred. When he eventually opens his eyes, they carry a misty, almost glossed-over look in them if Izuku were to describe it. The red of his hair covers most of his scar and blue eye since his head is crooked to the side, gazing at Izuku by his side. ”Do y’ feel it?” 

Izuku doesn’t, at least not yet. He shakes his head, smiles, and leans over to grab another bottle sitting on the coffee table in front of their couch. He smacks the head of it against the edges of the table, making the cap fly all the way to the floor by the TV. Hoping nobody will hurt themselves stepping on it, Izuku shrugs and leans back to nestle up next to Todoroki.

”It’s really warm in here.” Todoroki pulls the zipper to his jacket, revealing a soaked white v-neck. The edges of the shirt cling to his sweaty chest, revealing more skin than covering. Izuku has to divert his eyes before doing something stupid, like drool over his solid chest. ”Why is it so warm?”

”Dude,” Izuku’s voice comes out high pitched, so he coughs and tries again, ”just use your ice quirk to cool down.” 

Is the alcohol messing with Todoroki’s fire quirk? Alcohol is a fire hazard, so it makes sense for the alcohol in Todoroki’s system to trigger his quirk, but could it happen without his control? If so; how much alcohol does it take for Todoroki’s flames to light up? Izuku wishes he had his notebook on him so he can formulate his thoughts on paper because he doesn’t know how much he will remember when he sobers up. 

”Oh. Thanks.” Todoroki shoots him a small smile as frost paints the right side of his skin, contrasting with the red of his hair and scar. He leans over to grab another bottle as well, but Izuku has his hands on him before he gets far. 

”I don’t think you should drink anymore, the alcohol might be messing with your quirk.” 

Todoroki crooks his head to the side, a huh slips by his lips. The music almost drowns it, but thankfully, the party moved out to the patio hours ago, leaving just the two of them left in the common room of the dorm. ”My fire quirk? Hm, you’re very observant, Midoriya.” Todoroki looks at him with eyes that have his insides writhing and constricting themselves. 

Izuku tries to laugh and fails. All that escapes his mouth is a dry hah that has his throat feeling like a desert. He throws his head back and drowns his second bottle to busy himself, already feeling much lighter than he did when Kirishima announced that they would have a party to celebrate the end of finals earlier this morning. Izuku’s a very social person but after several events ruined by villains, he’s grown to dread these situations. 

”You know, I think you understand my fire quirk better than I do,” Todoroki sighs, not sounding disappointed. Instead, he sounds amazed. ”I mean, after all, you were the one that lit me up that day at the sports festival.” 

”Todoroki…” Izuku whispers, shock pulling at his heartstrings. Conversations like this one aren’t foreign between them, as they often seek each other out for reassurance or comfort, but Todoroki’s past stopped being a topic soon after the sports festival. Izuku didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, so he never brought it up again. This doesn’t feel like the time or place to have a conversation like this one, but he sits firm and awaits whatever Todoroki wants to spill. 

Todoroki is either unaware of his inner turmoil or is choosing to ignore it because he continues on speaking in the same slurred tone that has been coating his voice for the past thirty minutes. ”You’re a really good friend, you know that right?” Every nerve in Izuku’s body begs him to interrupt, but he doesn’t get the chance. ”You’ve taken care of me since the start and what have I done? Nothing.” 

Not a single moment passes in silence as Izuku rushes to answer as this is something he feels comfortable to acknowledge. Unknowingly, he places his hand in the juncture between Todoroki’s shoulder and throat. ”That’s not true. You’re a great friend, Todoroki. You’ve done so much for me.” 

Shuddering out a breath, Todoroki deliberately moves his eyes from Izuku’s to discern the scarred hand on him. For a moment, Izuku assumes that Todoroki’s going to pull the hand away from him and take off, which makes his stomach feel like a rock, but then he brings his own hand to it and lays it on top. ”You’re right. I scarred you. That’s what I’ve done. I’ve hurt you.” 

”You’re drunk, Todoroki. Stop saying nonsense, please,” Izuku begs, head and heart-pounding equally as hard. The feel of Todoroki’s warm hand on top of his and the dark blaze that’s residing in his eyes feels more intoxicating than the two beers Izuku has drunk. The logical thing would be to pull away, to save himself from the hangover that will surely follow when the shame will settle in tomorrow, but Izuku can’t find it in him to tear himself away. 

A loose smile tugs on Todoroki’s lips. His hand moves, taking Izuku’s with it. Their journey stops on his scarred cheek, making Izuku feel the uneven skin underneath his fingertips. The air between them shifts between temperatures; one moment feeling inferno hot and the very next feeling icy cold. ”I’m sorry,” Todoroki mutters, making a cloud of snow escape his lips. Then, he turns his head to the side and plants the softest flutter of lips on Izuku’s quivering hand. 

It’s over before Izuku can process the touch. He doesn’t get the chance to reach out, hold on, or even return the favor because Todoroki has his head smashed into the cushion, with his cheek squished and eyes screwed shut. 

Number two: Brushing a kiss along the shell of the other person’s ear.

Izuku realizes that their plan is falling apart as soon as they round the corner, only to spot three more robots searching for them. He thought they were doing a good job at destroying them, but they just keep on coming. Just how many did U.A. have? 

”We’re cornered,” Izuku hisses, plants his hand on Todoroki’s chest, and pushes so they can hide behind a wall without being spotted. Standing side by side, their breathing comes out as harsh and rigid. Izuku only drops his hand when the rise and fall of Todoroki’s chest make him snap out of it. ”Do you have a plan?” 

Todoroki peers out of the pillar beside him to count the robots. His expression tightens when he faces Izuku again, mouth drawn into a hard line. ”There are five of them now. I think some of them are more advanced. There are weapons on their bodies.”

Mechanical noises grow louder by the second, no doubt that the bots are creeping closer to their position. He doubts that U.A. has implemented advanced hearing on them but he knows that they have movement sensors, so he stays still while he’s racking his brain for a plan. The adrenaline in his body is urging him to go out there and finish this once and for all, that Todoroki can use his ice walls to pierce through their bodies, but his ice has long been used up. A plan where Todoroki has to strain himself is a plan Izuku won’t even consider. 

”Let’s go out there. I can use my ice wall,” Todoroki speaks as if he just entered Izuku’s brain. His fists are clenched by his side, showing the determination Izuku has come to associate with him. He takes a step forward, finalizing his idea, but Izuku draws him back. 

” No . You’ll get frostbite at this point.” Izuku shakes his head, raking a hand through his unruly hair. They’ve been at it for thirty minutes, not getting a moment’s rest until now. The strain must be lowering his ability to come up with a plan because he’s never felt this stuck before. Protectiveness is pulling him back as well, even though he doesn’t doubt Todoroki’s abilities a bit. 

Their issue is that the bots are spread out, meaning if Todoroki were to blast an ice wall, he’d only be able to get two or three of the bots. Izuku could hypothetically go after the others, but that would mean one robot would be free to target them before he has the chance to destroy it too. 

”Well, we need to do something, Midoriya,” Todoroki points out. They’ve been standing here letting time slip by for too long already. All might gave them an hour to finish the mission, leaving them with only twenty minutes to get the hell out of here.

Their heads whip around when the mechanical noise comes to an abrupt stop right behind them, pulling them out of their thoughts. Izuku lifts his head, and sure enough, a green-colored bot is hovering right above the faux candy store they’ve taken shelter at, gazing into the run-down buildings in front of them. He must’ve not spotted them yet, meaning they still have a shot at escaping. 

Suddenly, a flashbulb lights up inside of him. ”Todoroki, they’re movement sensitive. I’m going to run out there, get their attention, and gather them near the fountain, Then, I want you to use the water to freeze them.” 

Todoroki’s eyes light at the idea but dim down just as quickly. ”There’s not enough water in that fountain to defeat them.”

”True, but it’s enough to make them stuck if you mix it with whatever you can manage to create, right?” Izuku chews his lip, suddenly feeling nervous under his best friend’s gaze. ”Before they break free, I’m gonna smash one of them and create a domino effect. Instead of using our powers, they’ll just kill each other instead. What do you think?” Impressing Todoroki has always been something he’s craved, often seeking his approval before anyone else. Todoroki is smart, and incredibly powerful, albeit a bit too haste in his strategy, but that’s where Izuku comes to play who tends to overthink everything. 

Todoroki flashes him a grin. ”Alright. Come on.” 

The last robot falls down with a deafening thud, but Izuku hardly registers it between the sheer power bursting through his veins, buzzing in his surroundings, and the feeling of triumph threatening to knock him down. A loud buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the simulation. The walls in the area lift up, exposing the real world back to them. Going back there isn’t his priority. Finding Todoroki is. He snaps his head in the direction he last saw him and finds him facing him already from his position near the fountain. 

Not really sure who runs to whom first, their chests collide hard as they meet in the middle of the area. Joyful laughter fills the air as they embrace each other, undoubtedly coming from Izuku himself. ”Good job,” he breathes against Todoroki’s hair, not wanting to pull back just yet. The thought that their classmates and teachers are watching their embrace on the large screens doesn’t go unnoticed to him, but after Kirishima and Kacchan’s very public kiss after their own mission, chances are, this will fall between the cracks. 

”You too. Are you hurt?” Todoroki pulls back to study Izuku’s state, voice layered with concern.  

Outside the occasional small scratch and dirt splashes, Izuku feels unharmed. His quirk doesn’t mess things up for him as much anymore as his control over it has grown with the passing of time. He wiggles his glove covered fingers in front of Todoroki with a childish beam. ”Nope. Good as new. You?” 

Instead of answering, Todoroki brings his arms around Izuku again and buries his head in his neck. This hug is different from the one they shared just moments ago, as the adrenaline has flowed away from their bodies, leaving them leaning against each other more than standing upright. Izuku wraps his arms around Todoroki’s waist, shivering at the feel of his warm breath heating up the sweat on his neck. 

The other team must be on their way to the area. They’ve been standing here for too long but Izuku can’t help it, being in Todoroki’s arm calms him down immensely. He feels the fight wash out of him, spilling down on the uneven concrete before evaporating. Izuku dreams about working alongside Todoroki often, but that might be a bad idea if the simplest touch of him unravels his insides like a cotton ball.

”We should get going,” Todoroki mutters against his neck. Before pulling away from him fully, he lifts his head just far enough for his mouth to be near Izuku’s ear. Taking an audible breath, he leans down until his lips are grazing the shell of his ear. The pressure increases, resembling a kiss.

The kiss reintroduces the adrenaline in Izuku’s body, but instead of fighting, he wants to do something far more dangerous. A helpless sound escapes his mouth, coming from the tips of his throat as he tightens his hold on Todoroki. They’ve never been this close before. At least not like this. The only time Izuku can remember where they touched each other like this was at that party weeks ago, but Todoroki was shitfaced and Izuku wasn’t doing any better. Truthfully, he isn’t even sure if it’s a memory or his imagination as Todoroki never took it upon himself to mention the kiss. 

”Come on, guys. Give us some time to show off too!” Kaminari yells out from somewhere behind them, making Todoroki pull away in haste. Together, they turn around to wish Kaminari and Jirou good luck.

Immediately, Izuku feels a cold wash over him when Todoroki’s hands leave his body. It doesn’t disappear as he walks side by side with him back to the training ground where their teachers and classmates are waiting, and neither does it disappear late into the night when Izuku keeps replaying the scene over and over again in his head. 

Number three: A chaste kiss given to each other because they are in mixed company.

Surprisingly, the nights at the dorm can sometimes be boring. 

The days between study sessions, impromptu sparring, or move nights are usually devoid of any shared activities as they all focus on their individual goals. During those days, Izuku tends to hang out in the garden to perfect his attacks and counters. Sometimes, he’s joined by Iida or Todoroki but that only happens sporadically.

Tonight is one of those days. After the training simulation, Izuku made it his own personal mission to get stealthier. His powers are fine, but he needs stealth and stamina to perfect his surprise attacks. It takes too much build-up for him to get a good, hard kick on someone and time isn’t always something he can rely on. If he’s facing a villain with a speed quirk, he wants to be sure that he can obtain them in the most efficient way possible. 

He’s been out in the garden sweating for hours when Ashido interrupts his one-man sparring match by running towards him with her hands waving in the air. ”Midoriya!” 

Dropping his notebook on the ground, he waves back and smiles lazily. ”Hey, Ashido. What’s up?” 

”Some of us are going to play some games in the common room, want to join?” She doesn’t specify which games they will be playing, but judging by her mischievous smirk, Izuku has a feeling it won’t be very family-friendly. 

Still, he’s bored out of his mind and his bones ache from the excessive training, so he nods in confirmation without putting up a fight. ”Let me just change out of my clothes.” 

Walking into the common rooms with fresh clothes minutes later, Izuku finds everyone sitting on either the couches or the floor beside the couches. There are a handful of conversations going on all at once, jumping and twirling around the small area. Kaminari’s fighting with Iida about putting his feet up on the table, Mineta’s trying to squeeze in between Yaoyorozu and Jirou, and Kacchan’s threatening to blow up Uraraka’s round cheeks. Izuku tries to avoid it all by settling down next to Todoroki, who's currently flipping through his phone in abundant disinterest. His eyes flicker up to meet Izuku when he senses the movement, giving him a small smile before continuing to read the article on his phone. 

”Alright, everyone is here!” Ashido cheers loudly and plops down on the only vacant spot on the couch, the one Mineta was desperately fighting for seconds ago. ”Let’s start with truth or dare.”

”What are you, a child?” Kacchan scoffs, arms folded. He’d look threatening if he wasn’t currently wearing Kirishima’s sweater and some pink fluffy slippers Izuku had seen Ashido sporting just two days ago. 

”At least until July.” Ashido sticks her tongue out at Kacchan, never being the type to get affected by Kacchans recurring sour mood. She pulls out an empty bottle of something called toner and places it at the center of the table. Shooting each one of them a look between her long eyeshadows, she wiggles the bottle on the table. ”So, a green light on truth or dare?”

”Spin it already, mon cœur,” Aoyama says, voice sounding sultry. 

So, the game begins. The first round lands on Tsu, who gets dared to go knock on Aizawa’s door and ask him if she could take some time off because frog mating season is happening in two weeks. She goes through with it, and Aizawa simply shrugs and closes the door. The rest of the rounds go in the same fashion. The dares get crazier and the truths become more inquisitive as the rounds go from one person to another. 

The game heats up properly when Kaminari is dared to kiss the cutest girl in the room by Ashido. Iida objects, something about sexual harassment and leading by a good example, but the girls all shrug and say it’s a part of the game, making him blush in retaliation. Iida sits at the edge of the couch with his hands in the air, narrowly watching as Kaminari shuffles into the small space between the table and one of the couches. Halting in front of Jirou, he wastes no time to plant a peck on her cheek. 

”Oh,” Jirou gasps, cheeks growing into a deep pink. Her hand flies to the cheek Kaminari just kissed, holding the skin in disbelief. 

Kaminari scratches his neck, glowing equally as pink before returning back to his seat in front of Kirishima’s legs. Having taken an interest in some random spot on the floor, he doesn’t lift his head even when the game continues after the frenzy the other classmates experienced. 

From that point onwards, the game takes turns Izuku barely catches up with. Questions about crushes, kisses, embarrassing wet dreams, and so on fly around the room like there’s no tomorrow. Turns out, his friends are far more experienced than he could’ve ever pegged them for. The bottle has yet to land on him and he can’t tell if it’s a blessing or a curse. He wants to be a part of the fun, but if he has to suffer through Ashido’s cold, piercing eyes, he’d rather sit out. 

”Oi, Todoroki! It landed on you,” Kacchan says, in a running-out-of-patience kind of voice. The bottle landed on him a couple of rounds ago, and Kirishima of all people had dared him to sit on his lap for the rest of the game. There’s still a pink coating on his cheeks, absurdly. 

”Truth or dare?” Ashido hurries up to ask in clear excitement. She bounces on her seat, eyes glimmering in laughter, looking like she’s scheming something. 

”Uh.” That’s the first thing Todoroki has said all night. Voice passive, he shrugs and leans back against the cushion as if nothing Ashido could shoot at him bothers him. ”Dare?” 

Ashido smirks slyly, leaning closer and pulling the attentive audience along with her movements. See, this would be the perfect moment to see Todoroki do something out of character. The proper, prince-like Todoroki doing something humiliating for the sake of a game? Now, that’s a sight for the ages. Still, an uncomfortable feeling unfolds in Izuku’s stomach because instead of looking at Todoroki, her eyes are set solid on him.  

”I dare you to kiss Midoriya,” Ashido taps her cheek with her index finger, smirk stretching into a feral grin, ”on the cheek.” 

Look at that, his gut feeling was right. Ashido’s a menace. 

”I d-don’t think that’s necessary,” Izuku laughs, high pitched. He’s feeling too panicked to be ashamed over the way his voice cracks around the words. His cheeks feel like they’re on fire, making him wonder if this is how Todoroki feels at all times on his left side. 

Ashido crooks her left eyebrow and folds her arms in challenge. ”Why not? We all did our dares.” 

”Yeah, it’s unfair if you don’t do it.” Kaminari pipes up, acting as if he wasn’t in the same position some short moments ago. Not to mention, there’s still a flush on his face and he keeps on glancing at Jirou thinking nobody’s noticing. 

”Do you not want to?” Todoroki shifts his body so he’s facing Izuku, speaking gently as though they aren’t surrounded by all of their (right now, horrible) friends. 

Izuku pouts, knowing it doesn’t reach his telling eyes. He turns to Todoroki as well. Maybe not staring at their classmates would ease the nerves in his chest. After all, Todoroki has always been a comfortable presence for him. ”Do you?”

”It’s a dare, I don’t want to play unjust.” Izuku swears Todoroki’s eyes flicker down to his lips, considering them before looking up at his eyes again. Flames dance in them, hypnotizingly, urging Izuku to take action. Welcoming the feeling washing over him, clouding his mind, Izuku nods. 

Thus, Todoroki leans over to plant the softest kiss on Izuku’s freckle-spotted cheeks. For all Izuku knows, their classmate could be screaming out of their lungs right now and he wouldn’t have noticed as the world reduces to just himself and Todoroki’s lips on him. The kiss is chaste, barely lasting a second before Todoroki pulls away, disregarding Izuku with a small smile. 

”Was that so bad?” Ashido chuckles, looking like she just found out the numbers for tomorrow’s lottery. Without caring about their response, she leans over to the bottle and spins it. 

Izuku’s involvement with the game dies out after that. Instead, his mind takes a liking to revisit Todoroki’s eyes before he leaned over to kiss him. There was something there, Izuku’s sure of it. After tonight, Izuku can’t disregard the kisses Todoroki has given him the past three months anymore. At first, Izuku chose to not think about them as kisses to protect his sanity. Sure, the others were simple brushes against his hand or ear, but a kiss is still a kiss, and Todoroki seemed like he enjoyed giving them.

Did Izuku enjoy receiving them? Glancing at Todoroki, now with his head hung low and eyes closed, Izuku decides that yes, he did enjoy receiving them. He likes the warm feeling that explodes in his chest when Todoroki holds him, wants to bask in it forever if possible. It makes him feel special because Todoroki isn’t a particularly touchy person. Come to think of it, he has never seen him reach out to anyone physically—except for himself. What that means, Izuku has no clue. 

Number four: Butterfly kisses against the other’s cheeks.

”Are you nervous?” 

Izuku’s waiting on a bench for Togata to pick him up for their scheduled hero work, with Todoroki resting by his side. Today’s mission is unlike any others, as Sir Nighteye wants them to engage this time. Attack, not harm, and confiscate. Those were the only orders given to them. The villain they’re facing is new to the scene, meaning there isn’t much on them and their quirk. Izuku isn’t too worried, Sir Nighteye would never put them up against someone they would have no chance against. 

”Not really,” he answers Todoroki’s question in earnest. Nervousness stopped being an issue awhile back. After many nights spent crying in helplessness, All might taught him to fuel his anxiety into determination. ”This is good. We will help a lot of people.” 

”You’ll defeat him,” Todoroki nods, speaking as if he’s reciting facts and not assumptions. He pushes the bag of nuts in his hands toward Izuku, urging him to have a snack before the mission. 

Shooting a smile at him, Izuku accepts a handful of mix-trail nuts and chews on them. Silence engulfs them for a while, with Izuku in his full-on hero suit and Todoroki in lazy Sunday pajamas. The sun is nearing the horizon, dropping by the second, filling their world with hues of gold and blue. Not to get philosophical, but Izuku often feels so small—like a speckle in the air—when he watches the night take over, never knowing if tomorrow is promised or not. ”Do you ever think about how crazy it is that we go out there every day without knowing if it’s our final battle?” 

”Why do you ask that?” Todoroki asks, mouth pulled into a curious frown. He puts the bag in his hand on the bench in between them and turns to give Izuku his full attention. ”Is this something that’s on your mind a lot?” 

”Not like that,” Izuku waves his hands, his smile coming off as uneasy. ”I just think it’s important for us as pro heroes to consider this. I mean, nothing is promised in general but we really go out of our way to challenge those odds.” 

”You know, I used to think like that when I was a child watching my dad leave and not knowing if he would come back. So, I know what you mean. Then I realized, it’s all about the trust you have in yourself and also the trust people have in you. You have to believe that you will make it—for your own sake and for the people around you.” 

Izuku considers the words. It must’ve been scary, having your own father leave the house every day without having any clue whether he would come back or not. Granted, their relationship wasn’t the purest, but a father is still a father for an unassuming child. Knowing he could’ve been hurt at any second must’ve taken a toll on him. Izuku’s life goal is to be someone that doesn’t need anyone to worry about him but wouldn’t it be nice to have someone care that much for him? To want him to return? ”Imagine trusting someone so much—loving someone so deeply, that you just know that they’ll come back.” 

”Yeah,” Todoroki hums. His eyes have an odd hue to them. Despite being mismatched, they look equally as deep dark, nearly black right now. It would be intimidating if it was anyone other than Todoroki. ”Midoriya I-” 

Izuku’s phone buzzes in his pocket, interrupting Todoroki’s speech. He urges Izuku to pick it up, which he does when he sees that it’s Togata. ”Hi, Togata. Everything ok?” 

”Everything’s fine. I’m sorry, I know that you're waiting but my appointment took longer than I thought so I can't pick you up. If I come over to get you now we’ll be late for Sir. Nighteye’s debriefing.” 

Izuku shakes one hand in front of him, even if Togata can’t see him through the screen. ”No worries. I’ll make my way down there right now. Thank you for letting me know.” 

Togata shoots him one more sincere apology before hanging up. Izuku turns to Todoroki to explain the situation but finds him already on his feet, snacks in hand. ”Let’s go. I’ll walk with you there.” 

”Are you sure? Aren’t you busy with anything?” Izuku asks but stands up nonetheless.  

Todoroki nods. He turns around and starts walking toward the train station. ”I’m sure. I rather hang out with you than stay inside in this pleasant weather all by myself.” 

The way Todoroki says it so casually makes the nerves in Izuku’s body settle down. Despite all the confusion surrounding their… relationship, Todoroki will always be his best friend first and foremost. Although he sometimes finds his gaze lingering extra long on his lips, that doesn’t mean they can’t still be friends. Right?

Rushing up to Todoroki who is now several feet away, Izuku drops his hand on his shoulder and beams. ”I’m glad. We haven’t had time to hang out much these days.” 

”It’s because while I’m stuck here, you’re too busy making a difference.” Todoroki gazes down at Izuku’s hand on his shoulder and blinks at it. Then, he lifts his head and smiles at Izuku the same way he does when they train together and Izuku does something impressive or when he bites back at Kaachan instead of letting his jabs get to him. It’s a soft and secretive smile—Izuku’s obsessed with it. 

They walk to the train station in silence. The streets are mostly empty now as rush-hour just finished, but there are enough people there for it to feel somewhat crowded. It’s mostly students and couples looking for a good time out in the city after their hectic morning. Some of them look at Izuku’s costume with raised eyebrows, but most people just pass them by as if they were invisible. And maybe they are, only for the time being. Graduation will eventually roll around and they will all start working as pro heroes meaning anonymity won't be easily obtainable. 

In a moment of bravery, Izuku wraps his hand around Todoroki’s wrist to get his attention. ”Earlier, you said that I’m busy making a difference. But you also make a difference, you know that right?” 

Todoroki snorts. He doesn’t pull his hand away from Izuku’s, even if their train is rolling down the rail. ”If you call going to the Provisional License classes with Bakugou, Camie, and Yoarashi making a difference then sure. I guess I’m making a difference.” 

”Stop.” Izuku’s voice sounds serious, albeit too strict. He speaks up again when they take a seat on the train, shoulders leaning against each other in the crowd of people. It bothers Izuku, the way Todoroki looks down on himself. His accomplishments. He’s the strongest person he knows, not just quirk wise, and he deserves to know it. ”It’s just taking you a bit more time, that’s all. You're incredibly powerful. Sooner rather than later, you'll get your license. Look at me, I didn’t have a quirk until I was fourteen and now I’m doing all of this. You can’t rush being a hero. You just gotta… keep going.” 

”You’re right, Midoriya. Thank you,” Todoroki answers, looking pensive. His eyes are observing the shifting scenery outside the window, moving from the residential area where their dorm is located to the busy downtown area. He looks deep in thought, and Izuku refrains from disturbing him. Instead, he keeps tabs on the womanly mechanical voice that announces the upcoming stops to distract himself. He doesn’t know the area that well, as Togata was always the one leading him around, so the scenery can’t tell him much. 

When he hears the familiar stop, he nudges Todoroki’s shoulder, snapping him out of his trace. ”This is our stop.”

Sir. Nighteye’s agency is a short walk from the train station. Together, they walk through the city. Todoroki offers to carry Izuku’s bag, but he shuts him down immediately. The weight of it occupies him from the weird feeling in his chest. They round the corners and cross the streets wordlessly but it doesn’t mean that Izuku’s mind isn’t racing. 

The agency comes to view, stretching up in front of them. Even after weeks of coming here, Izuku still feels the tingles of excitement in his body. But it’s not the only emotion. He also feels disappointed because their alone time is coming to an end. No matter the tension between them, being around Todoroki is electrical no matter what. He still has to leave as the mission calls. The glass-windows show that Togata has already arrived, discussing something with Bubble girl near the vending machine. 

”I’ll see you when you come back,” Todoroki says. He stands still for a moment, seemingly reluctant to leave, before leaning down to press a kiss on Izuku’s cheek. He smiles a final smile before turning around to walk the distance back to the train station. 

Izuku can only think about one thing as his body heats up. In their earlier conversation, he had specifically said; ”Imagine trusting someone so much—loving someone so deeply, that you just know that they’ll come back.” Todoroki believed that he would come back, even if this mission has its dangers. He trusted Izuku enough to know that he would return back to him. He didn’t wish him good luck or to stay safe—just promised him that they would meet again. Not to mention, the unprompted kiss. This wasn’t Todoroki being drunk, under the ruse of adrenaline, or being dared to—this was Todoroki kissing him because he wanted to. Because Izuku would go back to him in the morning. 

”That’s it,” Izuku mumbles to himself, watching Todoroki’s figure blend in with the crowd. ”I’m talking to him tomorrow.”

Number five: An unexpected kiss that shocks the one receiving it.

Izuku doesn’t talk to Todoroki the next day or the day after. The villain Togata and he fought with turned out to be much more prepared for the attack than they originally thought. He slipped away from their fingers before the police could show up, meaning that their injuries were for nothing. Izuku’s too frustrated, and it only grows when Recovery Girl asks him to stay in the hospital to let his bones heal properly. He should be out there, fixing his mistake, but he isn’t able to because Sir. Nighteye pulled them out of the case for the time being. 

When Izuku gets the green light to return back to the dorms, he feels too humiliated to face his peers. He’s being unfair, he’s well aware, but looking his friends in the eyes and telling them that he failed a simple mission makes his insides curl up uncomfortably. So, he creeps through the common room, tips his way up the stairs instead of the elevator, and closes the door to his dorm room discreetly. He can only breathe out once he has locked the door. 

His room is as he left it, messy with clothes scattered all over the floor and his bed. He pays it no mind as he flops down on sheets with a loud sigh. The large All might poster above his head peers down at him in all of its glory, and he averts his eyes. Call him overdramatic, but he feels too weak to face All might right now. He has his power coursing through his veins so why is he not even half the man he is? 

Izuku’s lower lip starts to wobble. Defeatedly, he runs his hands through his hair in frustration. His one goal—the only goal—is to be dependable. To not make other people worried about him yet here he is; calls and text messages from everybody worrying about his well-being. He allows himself to sulk for a while before going down to face his friends and continue on with his training. Lord knows he needs it. 

Twenty minutes pass where Izuku has his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, moping silently. Izuku almost falls asleep in the position, before a knock cuts the atmosphere. He considers not opening, still feeling too down to face anyone, but another knock echoes against his walls so he sucks it up and drags himself to the door.

”Midoriya. You’re back.” 

Of course, it’s Todoroki. The last person he wants to see. And to think that Izuku considered confessing to him. He shifts in his stance, teeth worrying his bottom lip at the thought. Todoroki deserves much better than him. Simple as that. ”Yeah. Just got back minutes ago.”

”Can I come in?” Todoroki asks, hands gesturing awkwardly towards the room. His eyes are downcast, looking nervous for reasons Izuku can’t pin down. There are some sweat beads collected on his left eyebrow, weighing down against the hairs of his eyebrow. He has no reason to be nervous, considering Izuku’s the one that messed up a mission. 

”Sure.” Opening the door wider, Izuku motions for him to enter. He heads back to his bed with heavy steps and flops down unceremoniously. ”So, what’s up?”

”Just wanted to see how you’re holding up.” Todoroki eyes the empty spot next to Izuku, where his blue sheets crumble up in a lazy mess. He takes a step forward but halts near Izuku’s desk, frowning in thought. ”I saw you creeping around.”

”Ah,” Izuku snorts. His chin rests on his knees, resembling his earlier position. He ignores the first question Todoroki asked him and goes for the second thing he said instead. ”I guess I’m not made for being a sneaky ninja.”

At his dry attempt at a joke, Todoroki cracks up in a small smile. Giving up whatever resolve he had, he eases over to him until he’s standing right in front of Izuku’s bundled up body. Carefully, he places his palm on Izuku’s shoulder. ”You were. Being sneaky that is. The others didn’t notice you but I did. I was waiting, you know.” 

Izuku stares up at him. ”Why?” 

”Why wouldn’t I?” Todoroki crooks his head, confusion dancing in his mismatched eyes. 

”You, uhm, must’ve seen—heard—about what happened.” 

Todoroki is silent. He usually is, but this silence makes Izuku uncertain. Uncomfortable. He feels seen under Todoroki’s eyes as if he’s dissecting every inch of him carefully. It doesn’t appear like he’s disappointed in him, but there’s still something heavy in the way he’s towering over Izuku, staring at him with piercing eyes. ”And you thought I wouldn’t come over because of that?” 

The tremor in his hands surely doesn’t go unnoticed by Todoroki. He wraps them around his body tighter, protecting himself from the cruel, cold weight of his and others expectations. Picking apart his racing thoughts, he proceeds to nod as his voice doesn’t seem like it’s working right now. 

”Midoriya. Stand up, please,” Todoroki begs. He’s usually pretty intense on a normal day but having Todoroki’s undivided attention on him now, with nobody in sight, makes Izuku scramble up from his bed with his head hung low. ”You’re allowed to fail sometimes, you know that right?” He takes a deep breath. ”Before your mission, you said that it was alright not to rush things—that includes you too. You can’t expect to be perfect and to do perfectly all the time. Nobody expects that from you. Especially not me.” 

”I-I was so close.” The words leave Izuku like a punch. His voice sounds broken, angry, and hurt. He thinks about how he went from no powers to this burdening quirk in a heartbeat, of the sweat and tears he poured into adjusting into it and all the hours he’s spent training with All might. He wishes he could ask Todoroki why it’s taking his body so long to accept this quirk, but he’s not ready to spill that secret yet. Not today at least. 

Despite Izuku’s inner turmoil, Todoroki smiles. It’s warm and comforting, replacing the rocks in Izuku’s chest with fluttering butterflies. ”You’ll get him next time. I believe in you. You’re more capable than you know. Plus, now you know how he operates. It should be a much smoother fight.” 

Izuku thinks about the words Todoroki said at that party where he kissed his hand. At that time, Todoroki had doubted himself as a friend. Said he has done nothing for Izuku but hurt him. Right now, Izuku feels like he’s the only person capable of taking away the hurt. Just by his words, he’s patching up the insecurities that have destroyed Izuku’s motivation. He doesn't look at Izuku as if he's fragile, but with determination. Throwing all caution out the window, he steps forward and places his hand (the scarred one) on Todoroki’s upper arm. ”Remember that party Kirishima threw? This is exactly why I told you to shut up that time.” 

Confusion befalls Todoroki’s features. ”What do you mean?” 

”You said you were a bad friend and some stupid things like that. You really aren’t. You’re my best friend.” Rising on his toes, Izuku’s eyelashes flutter close as he leans up to finally get the kiss he’s been dreaming about. He’s had enough of dancing around each other. 

Todoroki’s mouth is slack against him, no wonder in shock. His lips are soft, a little bit chapped but incredibly addicting. Just like every part of him. It takes a lot for Izuku to lean back but he wants Todoroki's confirmation first, so, leaving the kiss as a peck, he leans back with a final sigh. 

”Do you kiss all your friends like this after declaring them your best friend?” Todoroki says, voice hoarse. The shock in his features is still prominent, even more now than before as Izuku has a clear view of his expression. His eyes lock onto Izuku's lips, before licking his own.

Taking a deep breath, Izuku reaches up with his other hand and swipes a fingertip against Todoroki’s lips. They are wet, plush, and parted, hitting Izuku’s fingertip with warm air as he exhales. The action makes Todoroki snap out of it, his own hands landing tentatively on each side of Izuku’s face. Sighing in content, Izuku beams. ”Only the ones that think they're being sneaky with the kisses they give me whenever they get the chance.”

They come together again when Todoroki bends a little to meet Izuku’s stretched body. This time around, Todoroki takes charge of the kiss. He presses their mouths together and changes the angle to make the slot of their mouths more comfortable. His tongue searches for Izuku's, pressing hot and persistent against Izuku's. From there, he kisses Izuku slowly and deeply. Like he means it. Like he’s wanted this just as much as Izuku has. And maybe he has. After all, he was the one that took the steps that lead them here. 

It’s as if the worries that harbored Izuku's mind earlier evaporate with the wind. A blanket of overwhelming happiness wraps around him, protecting him from all the troublesome thoughts that always rush through his mind. All he can think about is Todoroki, Todoroki’s lips, and Todoroki’s hands on him. Although he knows that the failure of his mission doesn’t suddenly disappear because he’s kissing Todoroki, it stops feeling as heavy. When they leave this room, they’ll continue being under the pressure of being future heroes, but they will do it together. Todoroki believes in him—drives him—like no one else. Maybe things won’t always be perfect, but there’s a beacon in imperfection; Todoroki's trust in him. 

Plus one: Tucking their hands beneath the other person’s shirt, just to watch them break the kiss and gasp in surprise at the sensation of cold/warm hands on their skin.

Todoroki gets his hero license on a Sunday morning in early December.

It’s a happy occasion with perfect timing as the villain Togata and Izuku were after has a water quirk that makes him sensitive to ice. After a lot of convincing, Sir. Nighteye agrees to let the three of them take on the case once again. Something, perhaps hypersensitivity, makes Izuku seek out Todoroki the night before their planned attack. Finding him is not a challenge, seeing as the time is well over midnight and every part of their dorm is soundless. 

Izuku knocks on his door after pacing outside it for ten minutes. The sound rings in his ear, loud and clear, breaking the stillness of the night. He holds his breath and counts the seconds he's facing the wooden unassuming door. When it finally opens up, it reveals a sleepy-looking Todoroki.

”Midoriya. Everything okay?” he asks, immediately looking more awake. 

Izuku rubs the sweaty skin of his neck, glancing down at Todoroki's cotton shirt sheepishly. ”Can I come in?” 

”Of course.” Todoroki directs them to his futon, urging Izuku to follow him as he pats on the empty spot next to him. He didn't bother with turning on the lights, so Izuku doesn't either. Instead, he blindly makes his way into the familiar room until he's sitting down beside his boyfriend. ”Not that I'm complaining but why are you here at this time of day?” 

”I'm thinking about tomorrow's mission,” Izuku honestly says. Lying to Todoroki has never been easy, especially now that they're together. ”I don't think I'm nervous per se,  but I'm worried about how'll go.” 

Sighing, Todoroki wraps his arms around Izuku's body, bringing him closer to his own. He shifts them around until they're sitting with their knees in front of each other. With slow and calculated motions, he massages at hidden knots in Izuku's shoulder, easing the stress away. ”Stop worrying about it so much. It will go great.” 

”How can you be so sure?” Izuku asks, eyes closed and mind focused on the feel of Todoroki's hands on him. 

”Because you're gonna be there. And I'm sure about you.” 

Words can describe what goes through Izuku's chest when Todoroki says things like that. Even though they've been dating for a month now—friends even longer—it still makes his heart feel so full of fondness. On most days, Izuku's sure that his heart might just burst out of his chest in an explosion full of love and it would all be because of Todoroki. As much as he wants to repay the affection somehow, the words feel stuck in his throat because they never seem like they're enough. Nothing feels like it's enough. 

Flinging his arms around Todoroki's neck as tight as he can, he brings him closer until their mouths collide against each other in an open-mouth kiss. Izuku doesn't waste a second as he pulls his lips apart, searching for Todoroki's tongue. When he finds it, he tangles it with his own and basks in the warm wetness he's grown to love. 

Todoroki gasps against him, producing an exhale that's equally cold as it is warm. He licks his way into Izuku's mouth, touching every part of the inside of his mouth before he breaks them apart. Before Izuku has a chance at complaining, he leans over to place a trail of kisses from the corner of his mouth down to the edge of his t-shirt. 

”Ah,” Izuku pants, hands twisting in Todoroki's shirt when he kisses a sensitive spot right below his ear. It's the same spot he kissed him on that day at the training center. Todoroki must know this as he presses down a couple more gentle kisses in the same area before moving on to the next. 

”Don't doubt yourself, okay?” Todoroki whispers against the juncture of his neck and shoulder between the butterfly kisses. 

”Come back,” Izuku demands with a broken moan and lifts Todoroki's face again so he can kiss him again. He pours all his emotions into the kiss, all the unspoken love declarations he wishes he had the balls to confess to. He knows that Todoroki's aware of how he feels, but he wishes, so desperately he could just... say it. 

Due to his internal ramblings, he misses the way Todoroki's hands sneak underneath his shirt. The touch doesn't register until the temperature of Izuku's torso gets divided in half; one side freezing cold, one side scorching hot. It's a sensation he's never felt before. He feels like he's melting like ice cream on a summer day. Izuku breaks the kiss with a gasp, feeling his toes curl up in pleasure. ”S-Shouto.” 

”I got you, alright?” Todoroki's eyes are lit up with warmth, depth, and fondness. 

Izuku smiles in his bliss. ”Yeah. You do.” 

Pleased with the answer, Todoroki grabs Izuku's scarred hand and kisses it. It's all so very romantic, making Izuku's brain feel like mush. It's just like the party, but this time, Izuku gets to return the favor by leaning over to kiss Todoroki right below his scar. 

With a smirk, Todoroki says; ”We'll rock tomorrow, okay?”

This time, Izuku believes him. ”Hell yeah, we will.”