Chapter Text
The day grew weary and all I wanted to do was go home. The air felt thick like I could suffocate if I wasn't careful. I stumbled to my locker grabbing my shoes, and avoided any unnecessary conversations. At the moment I didn't notice the pairs of eyes watching me, I didn't realize how they tracked my every movement.
’Grab your shoes and run, they can't catch me if I run’
Over and over I told myself. It played in my head until I reached to open my locker. I heard a snicker somewhere behind me, not uncommon but it pulled me out of my thoughts. That's when I first realized it, almost everyone in the hall had stopped to watch me, as if they were waiting to strike, to kill.
‘Get out’
My head screamed. My hands scrambled with the handle of the cubby as a cool breeze from the open doors messed with my curls, tangling them even more than they already were. The sun was just low enough to peek through the doors and shine brightly down the hall. Finally I got the door open, but right as I was about to reach for my shoes pastel pink heart shaped letters poured out. I stumble back a few steps out of sheer surprise. I was almost about to smile when I heard the snickering pick back up again. Anybody who hadn't been looking at me, was now. All the laughs, sneers, or comments in the background faded into white noise. I stood there paralysized, eyes locked on the pile of pastel notes in front of me. I held in the choked cry in the back of my throat.
I was the last one out that day
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February 1, UA campus, Midoriya
It was the end of class and I was about to change my shoes before heading to the dorms. It was a nice day, not super stressful and heroics were focusing on anatomy and emergency medicine. I was about to open my locker when someone called my name.
“Hey Midoriya!”
I turned and saw Kirishima jogging up to me.
“Oh hey Kiri, whats up?”
“I was wondering if you got the last few notes on the medic unit, I'm a slow writer and missed that part, plus you always organize your notes really nicely.”
“Yeah it's no problem just give them back later tonight” I said, pulling my back bag off of my shoulders and reaching in grabbing the blue notebook.
“Of course man,” Kirishima said.
“ I owe you one” he tagged on after taking the notebook from me..
“ No no, it's fine, page 15”
“Thank you” he nodded.
I went to grab my shoes from the locker, again, when Denki threw his arm over Kirishima’s shoulder.
“Dude I have no idea how I'm going to pass this unit, I just can’t focus on the material and it seems like it's going through one ear and out the other you know?” Denki wined.
Kirishima gave him an understanding look.
“I get you man, I didn't even get all the notes for today.”
At this I perked up, turning back to them.
”If you guys need it, I can help you study. I have a pretty good understanding of this and it wouldn’t be much trouble.”
“Wait seriously! That would be amazing Midoriya.” Denki chirped.
“Yeah we can study after dinner in the common room” I offered.
“You're a literal angel, Midoriya!” Kirishima said with a look of relief.
“ I wouldn’t say tha-” I was cut off by a small folded piece of paper falling out of my locker as I opened it.
Both of them watched it fall, studying it for a second, before Kaminari bent down to examine it.
“OOOOHHH, What's that?” Denki said in a curious voice.
Both of their focus stayed on the letter as I picked it off the ground. It was white and folded into thirds with a pink heart sticker holding the ends together. At the top in neat handwriting read ‘To Midoriya’ . This had also drawn the attention of a few other of our classmates by the doors. Jirou, Hagakure, and Ojiro stood to the right of us and a few paces back from Kirishima and Denki were Iida and Todoroki, who all now just decided to pay attention. God I don't want to have to deal with all of them staring at me. The school was lit by the sun lowering in the sky as it peeked out at the top of the door. A small breeze came in and pushed at my back and chilled my body, leaving an oh to familiar feeling in my bones. Slipping one of my shoes on I slid the letter in my other hand, leaning against the lockers, hoping to just leave the situation at where it was, but no that's not how the world works.
“Do my eyes deceive me or does the angel Midoriya have a secret admirer~”Cooed Denki.
“Aww that's sweet, I wonder who it's from,” Kirishima asked as I pulled my other shoe on.
“Maybe the pink haired girl from Support. Oh or maybe the blue chick from-” Denki didn’t finish his sentence but instead watched me throw the letter out without a second glance.
He went dead silent, they all did. I could feel their eyes burn into my back as I walked out the doors towards the dorm. Sure I might get a few weird glances now but I had no interest in some false love letter. Can't feel broken if you never get your hopes up.
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Todoroki
I had been standing a few feet behind Kirishima, Kaminari, and Midoriya talking to Iida when something fell out of Midoriya’s locker. I tried to ignore it at first but was drawn in by Kaminari teases.
“OOOOHHH, What's that”
This also seemed to catch Iida’s attention, as he turned to watch them. Midoriya made no attempt to explain it like he usually would. He didn't even seem to blush; If anything the color drained a little from his face. His eyes went flat, losing their usual shine, as he picked up the paper. Moving it in his hand as he leaned against the lockers, a sad atmosphere settled around him that I didn't think anyone else noticed. The wind pushed his hair forward so his green, messy curls covered his eyes. He continued to put his shoes on as Kaminari and Kirishima babble about the letter. But before the topic could really take off, Midoriya threw the letter out. Just like that, not even reading it first, he just tossed it out and left. A silence fell over me and the remainder of my classmates that was only filled by soft footsteps and the wind. Kaminari spoke up once we could barely see Midoriya in the distance.
“What the fuck just happened”
“I think Midoriya just threw out a love letter without any hesitation” Jirou answered, now looking at Kaminari instead of out the door.
“Like I said, What. The. Fuck!”
Despite the curse, Kaminari was right; this was severely out of character for Midoriya. He's usually super nice and easily flustered. Even I’ve accidentally done things here or there that would make Midoriya blush and mumble a mix of apologies and over-explaining. Usually my lip would quirk up and I’d try hiding a smile as I’d wait for him to finish so I could tell him that it was ok. But this is more along the lines of something Bakugou or even I would do, not Midoriya. After a moment the rest of us began to filter out and head back to the dorms. I made a mental note to ask Midoriya about it later.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kirishima reach in the garbage and grab the letter. He handed it to Kaminari for him to examine, further. After a moment he shrugged and pocketed it.
That...probably wasn't good.
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UA dorms, common room, Midoriya
Dinner had been nice. We decided to all eat together today. Light hearted chatter and recent school work discussions filled the air. Nothing about the letter from earlier. Despite that fact, there was still a weight sitting in my stomach. I was sitting in the common room explaining how to stop bleeding from a wound and how to properly find someone's pulse to Denki, Kirishima, and Mina (she had joined once she heard what we were doing). There were others there too, Todoroki was on the couch reading behind Denki who was sitting on the floor, Sato and Momo were in the kitchen packing up the leftovers and Iida and Uraraka were also talking somewhere behind me.
“Oh my god that makes sooo much more sense.” Mina cheered.
“Good, I get that Aizawa doesn't always explain it the best for everyone but I'm glad I could help. Oh and I heard that Recovery Girl might be coming to class tomorrow to help explain rescue saves and stuff so that might help.” I said.
I looked over the three sitting in front of me and smiled.
“Well that was all that we covered today, do you guys have any other questions.”
I scanned over them to see if any of them had a problem but instead watched Denki shoot Kirishima a look that made the weight in my stomach a little bit more heavy. With an exhale Kirishima spoke up.
“Hey Midoriya is there any reason why you..” he stopped to consider his words
“Why didn't you read that letter and just.. Threw it out”
Mina turned and looked at Kirishima with wide eyes.
“What letter?”
I tried to intervene as quickly as I could, to try and shut this down right now.
“It's not a big-”
“A love letter” Denki said, cutting me off.
“A LOVE LETTER” Mina yelled.
For the second time today I could feel everyone's eye on me. I shoot a glare at Denki. He sank back into the couch a little next to Todoroki’s legs. That was also when I finally realized Todoroki was the only one not looking at me, he just kept his nose in his book and for that I was grateful.
“Look, we don't even know if it was a love letter or not, I didn't read it” I protested.
Kirishima and Denki again gave me a sorry look that, again, made me feel worse.
“Actually…” Denki said in a bit of a hushed voice.
“We do''
He continued as he pulled the same letter out of his back pocket and placed it on the table. Mina went to grab it, but before she could I snatched it, crumbled it up and threw it out. Mina gave me an angry look but I really didn’t have the patiences to care.
“Look, the letter was for ME, right? So I can do whatever I want with it. It’s really not that big a deal!” I yelled and looked around the room
“I was just curious, geeze.” Mina said slumping back against the couch; she had also been on the floor.
“We didn’t mean to upset you but you really shouldn’t just through the letter out ya know” argued Denki.
But at the moment I wasn’t having it and I just needed to get out of that room. I was suffocating again and I wasn’t sure how much air I had left. So I rolled my eyes and stormed upstairs to my room. I swung my door open and slammed it behind me.
‘God dam it don’t fucking cry’ I said to myself as I sank down the door. Sitting there for a moment I wondered if I should go back down and apologize. I decided against it and instead got up just to collapse on my bed. I wasn't in the mode of explaining my twisted views on love to people who wouldn’t understand.
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Todoroki
“Shit. I didn’t mean to set him off like that.” Kaminari heaved, throwing his head on the couch.
“What did the letter say?” Asido asked.
“Genuinely nothing bad. It was from The blue girl Mizu, in the business class. It was the basic ’I think you’re really cool and handsome this is my number if you want to go out‘ thing” Kirishima said
“And Deku what? Just threw it out, didn’t even look at it? I don’t know, maybe you miss interpreted it.” Uraraka stated.
“No no they’re right. Todoroki and I were right there when it happened. Right Todoroki?” Iida said as he pushed his glasses up.
I had closed my book and was looking towards the stair. Something felt off, like this whole ordeal had triggered something and honestly I didn't think Midoriya should just suck it up and deal with it.
‘Maybe I should make sure he's okay '
I Sighed and looked back at them.
“Yeah he’s right...I’m, I’m going to check on Midoriya”
“Don’t you think we should give him some space. He seemed pretty upset.” Uraraka argued.
“Maybe…” turning my head back towards the stairs
”If he doesn't want me there I’ll leave.” I said getting up and already heading towards the stairs.
I could hear Uraraka's huff in protest but no one tried to stop me.
Once I got to Midoriya’s room I lightly knocked and hoped he’d let me in.
“Who is it” I heard in a slightly muffled, angry tone.
“Todoroki”
“If- if you're here to question me or tell me to apologize it’s not happening.”
“No, just making sure you're ok.”
There was a pause after that and then a muffled voice.
“The doors unlocked...you can come in if you want.”
I slowly opened the door and stepped in. Midoriya was lying face down on his bed and the lights were off, only the moon illuminating the room because the blinds to the balcony were open. I closed the door and walked over sitting at the end off his bed. His room was a little messy, especially his desk with notes scattered all over it. He had his All Might posters up but I think there might have been a little less merch than from when we first moved in, which was surprising.
I heard him sigh and then roll onto his back, staring at the ceiling for a moment before he looked at me. I quirked up my lip a little to try and comfort him the best I could. He gave me a small, sad smile back and sat up to face me better. In the dark room it was easy to miss, but there was a bit of redness around his glassy eyes, had he been crying? His green curls looked unruly, but still beautiful with the moon lighting the back and side of his face with his head slightly tilted to the right with that same sad smile.
“Do you want to talk about it” I asked
“No, not really,” he said, dropping the smile straightening his head to look at his desk.
“Do-”
He bit his lip and looked back at me.
“Do you want to watch a movie”
The question caught me off guard but maybe it was the way his curls shaped his face or the shyness in his voice or even the still slightly visible tear paths on his cheeks, but I knew I couldn’t have said no even if I wanted to.
“Sure,” I answered in a tone just above a whisper.
His face brightened ever so slightly, just enough that I knew the smile he wore was genuine.
“Okay, any recommendations” he said, getting off the bed and grabbing his computer from under the piles of paper on his desk.
“As if, you know I’ve barely seen any movies” I joked..kind of.
He rolled his eyes and plopped back on the bed with a smirk.
“Well I don’t know, maybe there was a movie you heard of and wanted to watch.”
“Nope. Not a single one”
He giggled and smiled.
“Thank you”
“For what” I asked, confused.
He turned away from his computer and looked me in the eye.
“For being here. For making me laugh. For not asking. For not staring at me when everyone else did. Little things that just…help, you know?”
“...Yeah, yeah I do”
I smile to myself letting my hair fall in front of my eyes and cheeks heat up. I wonder why they did that?
“Okay movie time!”
Midoriya cleared his throat and turned back to the device in his lap with a determined smile. We watched a few movies before I headed back to my dorm for the night after Midoriya had fallen asleep. Still wonder why I felt it so necessary to check on him. I'm glad I did, but why?
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