Work Text:
Midoriya ogled at the spectacle that was, Todoroki's well kept, japanese styled room. The space was immaculate, not a single speck of dust in sight. Izuku, trailed his fingers along the edge of a black desk, lost in thought, as Todoroki brought over a second chair, "Do you have the textbook?", the sound of Todoroki's voice released him from his trance, "O-oh, right!" Izuku Midoriya, took a seat beside the other boy & took the heavy purple English literature book out of his school bag to unintentionally slam onto the desk with a bang, he flipped through the pages till he neared the end and stopped on page 967. "Are you going to read the poem out loud or should I?" Izuku, pondered for a moment, "I'd much rather hear your voice. It's much more soothing than my own." Midoriya starred dreamily into Todoroki's heterochromatic eyes.
"Then, maybe you should read. I don't want to put you to sleep with my voice." Todoroki starred back blankly as, Midoriya sighed, but nodded in compliance.
" The evening sky was painted gray.
Blazen trees casted shadows
which loomed over once lively fields of wheat.
With fields of wheat, went the white doves.
A carcass lays above the Earth
An ember now decimated."
"Did I read that correctly?" Izuku scratched at the back of his head nervously.
"That was beautiful, Midoriya... Now we must analyze and interpret the piece into our own words." Todoroki gripped the pencil in his right hand, above the blank lined paper, waiting Midoriya's opinionated answer.
"Doves represent peace."
"Good & a carcass clearly means death."
After dissecting the entire poem, it was their turn to each create their own.
"I'm writing mine on my favorite hero."
Todoroki looked down at his paper, immersed in contemplation.
When they finished writing, Todoroki ripped out a sheet from his notebook to hand to Midoroya, as he did the same, his eyes scanned over the writing, his geen eyes widened immensely, a tinge of pink spreading across his ears and cheeks, Todoroki paid no mind and began scribbling red ink over Midoriya's rough draft.
"Remember to add commas." Todoroki looked up from the paper to see Midoriya was still in shock and hadn't began grading, "Mid-"
"Who's this about?" Izuku cut him off abruptly.
"You haven't even graded it yet. Do you still need time? " Midoriya shook his head for 'no', "How can I possibly grade this, Todoroki??" He held up the sheet of paper in front of Todoroki's face, "It's just an assignment."
"Y-you wrote:
His freckles are like constellations, when I connect each one, an image is formed, it's one brought from the future, one where I've made each freckle feel loved & I've unapologetically devoted my all into treasuring one glorious blessing, sent to me, in the form of a green-haired boy who's soul is the epitome of my salvation."
Todoroki scanned over the words in horror, "Shit... I gave you the wrong paper from my notebook." He opened his notebook to find the correct one ,the palm of his hands gently collided against his face, elbows propped on the desk, head full of shame and regret. "That wasn't meant for you to read."
Deku's head was in a whirl, did he or did he not want Todoroki to have feelings him?
Was he just going to drop the conversation and pretend like nothing happened?
Yes. If Todoroki really wanted to confess his feelings for someone, he'd do that when he was good and ready.
"Okay. No worries. Let me see your actual paper." Alright, truth be told, Izuku was a bit distraught. He had repressed feelings for the other, feelings which had been pent up since their first encounter.
Todoroki was no way too overwhelmed to concentrate, "A-Actually, I'm not feeling too well. Do you mind if we end the study session here?"
At the mention of Shoto falling ill, Izuku was now in full "I want to make you feel better" mode. He pushed strands of red & white hair then, held the back of his hand up to Todorokis forehead. Having Midoriya in such close proximity was the opposite of what Shoto was trying to achieve.
"Well, you don't have a fever."
"It's my stomach."
"I can make you a tea! That always helps!" Before Izuku could rush downstairs, to where the other Todoroki siblings were sat in the living room watching a movie, Shoto grabbed his wrist, "I think it's best if you leave..."
Midoriya looked down in surprise, at his wrist which was being squeezed tightly between the other boy's fingers, now uncurling to grant freedom.
"Oh..." Midoriya couldn't help, but feel he had done something wrong.
The entire walk back home he cursed himself under his breath, "Why did you read that poem? It was private & maybe it really wasn't about you. Why am I so full of myself? It's probably about some girl, and he meant to put "her" instead of "his". While I'm over here assuming he's-" just then, he caught a glimpse of Kirishima's red hair off in the distance; he was leaning against a park bench doing stretches.
"Hey, Kiri!" Deku beamed, waving to his fellow 1A classmate, Eijiro Kirishima.
"Midoriya! What's up, man??'" He walked over to fist bump the shorter male.
"Pretty sure I hurt my friend's feelings for accidentally reading something I wasn't supposed to."
"Hey, accidents happen. I'm sure he'll realize and come around again. Just give it time. "
"It was a love confession...& I think it might've been for me, but he's denying it."
"You think?"
Midoriya nodded.
"Was it addressed to you or not!?"
"No, but when you put two and two together-"
"Stop jumping to conclusions and give the guy his space. Don't worry everything will be okay." Kirishima slung an arm over Midoriya's shoulder, "You're right, Kiri. Thank you for calming my nerves."
"No problem. Wanna get some training done with me?"
"Sure."
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