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Normally, Izuku resides in the dorms on campus, the start to his days spent prepared and ready to filter straight into classes with the rest of the students. But he’s been granted permission by Aizawa to visit his mother on the weekend, to catch up and spend time with her, so on the Monday he’s supposed to return back to the dorms, he takes it upon himself to walk.
Which is not a bad thing, considering that revisiting the area’s around his apartment have become nostalgic to him.
Another bonus being that Tomura’s apartment isn’t too far from the subway once he gets off at his stop.
Once Tomura got a new phone after a plan had been set-up for his rehabilitation and induction into society, he hadn’t hesitated to share his number with Izuku. A bit of a surprise, Izuku thinks, but not unwelcome at all. They swapped numbers as soon as, and every since then they’d been texting.
As part of the plan Tomura had agreed to, he’s been going to therapy every Monday. He doesn’t share a lot of details about how it’s going, a simple “Fine” or “Good” being the only indicator to show that he’s not actively fighting the urge to destroy the very building itself.
So Izuku takes his word for it that Tomura is at least okay with everything that’s been happening.
It just so happens that Izuku’s schedule coincides with Tomura’s, and so Izuku has taken it upon himself to insist he walk Tomura to therapy.
Waiting outside the apartment doesn’t take long. For a second, he worries that he might be late to school, until not a few minutes later, Tomura exits through the door. Honestly, what he’s been wearing hasn’t changed much since they were enemies; a long coat and signature red shoes being so familiar it almost makes Izuku laugh, if not for the added blue backpack slung over one of Tomura’s shoulders.
“Hi.” Izuku smiles.
“Hey.” Tomura nods. He doesn’t smile back, but there is a sort of fondness in his eyes that Izuku knows means he’s happy to see him too.
They begin to walk. It’s not a super long journey, just through a park and down the block, but it’s on the way to UA, so walking him to therapy is an opportunity that can’t be missed. It’s been a while since they talked face-to-face, what with school getting busier and Tomura’s rehabilitation being a necessary but agonising process (especially due to pushbacks by the court and government, it’s an ongoing fight between All Might, Aizawa and the governing bodies), so it’s nice to see the other again.
“Your hair looks longer.” Izuku comments.
“So does yours.” Tomura replies with a grin, reaching over to twist a long curl atop Izuku’s head. Izuku bats his hand away with a laugh that Tomura joins when he retracts his hand.
“Yeah, well, I’ve been too busy to think about what to do with it. I might grow it out.”
“Won’t that get in the way of Hero-ing?”
“Hair ties exist, Shigaraki.” Izuku smiles, amused.
“I know, brat, Toga won’t stop insisting I should use them.” He pushes a hand through his locks, “I don't want to deal with it anymore.”
“Cut it then.”
“Maybe I will. It's getting harder to brush anyway,” He sighs, “I miss when I just didn’t take care of myself.”
“Shigaraki.” Izuku warns, eyebrows furrowing in worry and exasperation.
“What? It was easier.”
“It’s not healthy.”
Tomura rolls his eyes, “You’re one to talk about the dangers of not taking care of yourself.”
“Oh don’t throw that in my face.”
“Don’t be a hypocrite then. I’ll call Bakugou, you know.” He waves his phone like a cocky threat.
“You have Kacchan’s number?”
“No. But I do know it and I will call him.”
“Okay, okay, fine. You win, I’m a hypocrite.” Izuku sighs, “But that still doesn’t mean I won’t care about you.”
“Hm. Same to you, then.”
They enter through the park, the place only a little busy with families. It’s still pretty early, so there is still a lingering peaceful silence left over from dawn.
The sunlight casts rays across the pond they pass, the aftermath dew of rain glistening on the plant life around them. It’s the kind of after-shower that brings with it a smell of fresh air, wiping away the normal-until-you’re-out-of-it stale pollution everybody is so used to, even if just for the morning.
Tomura stops suddenly and Izuku joins him on instinct. In front of them is a big puddle, stretching out halfway along the pathway.
Glancing in the corner of his eye to the man, he looks as if he's assessing it, eyes darting across what he sees.
Then his eyes stop and he jumps forward towards a part in the puddle that has less water. Standing on his tiptoes, as if that will stop the water from seeping in through his shoes, he continues to skip across, only ever landing on the parts of the pathway with no or less water than the rest.
Arms stretched out to keep balance, he stumbles through the puddle, even as he accidentally misteps into deeper water.
Izuku watches him with rapt attention before smiling and joining him. He giggles as he does the same as Tomura, arms outstretched and landing in deeper water enough to be thankful he's actually wearing boots, unlike the other.
Of course, Tomura makes it to the end before him, turning around to wait. Izuku's only concentrating on his steps, too busy thinking about where to go next, when he hears him speak.
""Be not defeated by the rain.""
He stops halfway through the path and looks up to Tomura smiling back.
"That's what they say, right?"
Izuku finds himself reciprocating and takes a breath as he continues his journey.
"It's a poem, actually."
"It is?"
He makes it to the end and meets his eyes.
"Be not defeated by the rain, nor let the wind prove you are better. Succumb not to the snows of winter, nor be bested by the heat of summer."
"That's it?"
"There's more, but I never learnt it off by heart."
"Figures."
It’s quiet between them as they continue walking, oddly comfortable considering the last time they were alone like this was in the mall; next to each other, talking normally like nothing was happening.
Though, see, that’s the difference now - things have changed enough for their meet-ups to actually seem normal. No spontaneous tricks with the threat of death, no words spat in quiet or loud anger.
It’s enough for them to think maybe they could put the past behind them. Or at least, not dwell on it too much.
They exit the park and make their way down the street, the destination not too far now.
“We’re here.” Tomura says as he stops at the sight of the building just across the road.
Izuku nods and turns to him, “When do you get out?”
“Sessions only last an hour.” He informs the kid, “So it’ll still be morning when I’m done.”
“Oh.”
“Why?” Tomura lifts an eyebrow down at him.
“Oh, um, nothing. It’s just…” Izuku averts his gaze towards the paved tile that transitions from normal grey cement to crimson red as it gets closer to the building, “I saw that store. You saw it too, right?”
Tomura blinks at him, “Which one?”
“When we got out of the park, we passed a bakery. The pastries looked good, the ones in the window.”
The older thinks for a second before nodding.
“I saw them. They did look good.”
“Do you want to get some? After I’m done with school?” Izuku asks, finally making eye contact with him when he says, “Only if you want to though.”
Tomura is silent. It’s as if, like the puddle before, he’s assessing his behaviour and the question before him.
“O-Or we can do it another day, it doesn’t have to be today.”
“I want to.” Tomura answers, hand wrapped tight around the strap on his shoulder, “And we can do it today. I haven’t got anything else planned.”
Izuku can’t help the ease of tension and relief when he beams at him.
“Okay! I’ll meet you at your apartment?”
“No, I’ll meet you halfway at the convenience store, it’ll be easier.”
“I’ll see you then?”
“Yeah. See you later.”
Izuku takes off down the street with a smile and waves at him. Tomura watches him go and then turns towards the building, making his way in. He almost forgets to wipe his shoes at the door, the wet soles a distant and unimportant feeling at that moment.