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College is fucking weird.
Like sure, it’s normal to hear people awake at certain hours in your dorm building, or even see them asleep in weird positions, but it’s a way of life that Rody Soul definitely isn’t used to. Instead of having to live day-to-day with a meager paycheck, and having to constantly look after his siblings, he can go to school and achieve the dreams he’s always wanted.
After his father reentered his life, and begged for forgiveness, Rody asked to go to college. It’d be his only way to touch the stars like he wanted to, especially with a pilot’s license.
His father agreed after vowing to watch his siblings while he was gone, and Rody was off to the races.
But now he’s actually here, and it’s a stark reminder that he hasn’t exactly grown up the way that everyone else has. There’s people reuniting after a few months, cheerful hugs and selfies being taken. Rody ducks out of his way and tries to get ready for his first week of classes. It’s going to be a long semester full of huge, expensive textbooks, and a lot of hard work that’s going to make him exhausted.
Luckily for him, he’s going to have absolutely zero distractions since he doesn’t have any friends, and he doesn’t even have to worry about going out—
“Excuse me! Oh, damn it, hold on, you forgot your—!”
Rody’s been scoping out the buildings where his classes are located, and there’s a steep stairwell in one of them that he’ll have to walk up for his Intro to Physics class. While Rody was trying to figure out where to go next, a girl had dropped her ID while going down the stairs. Some guy at the top of the stairs had realized what had happened, and was currently falling down the stairs in front of Rody.
There’s a blur of green, and a sharp yelp. Rody’s body moves before he thinks.
He catches the guy with a grunt, taking most of the hit as they both topple to the ground. The guy’s elbow hits his nose, and all the air in his lungs gets forcefully exhaled. “Holy shit,” Rody wheezes, making sure he doesn’t have a concussion. “I think you just fell for me, but we should’ve gotten dinner first.”
…In hindsight, not the smartest thing to say, but give him a break! It’s too early for this! The green-haired guy moves off Rody and immediately starts spluttering and apologizes to him. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think I’d fall—well, being clumsy really doesn’t help me here—but I didn’t think I’d fall on you! Are you okay? Do we need to go to the campus doctor? I swear I’ll pay for any X-rays or anything else you may need!”
“Nah,” Rody says, finally taking into account who fell on him. “Don’t worry about it—”
The words die in his mouth, since sitting before him is the prettiest guy he’s ever seen in his entire life. Bright green eyes stare back at him, and Rody’s pretty sure there’s actual constellations sitting on his cheeks.
Holy shit. Is he single? What’s his name?
“Are you okay, though?” Rody asks, trying not to gape like an idiot at him. “I’m all scrawny, so I’m sure landing on me wasn’t the best feeling in the world. I saw you go after that girl’s ID; that was pretty damn admirable of you, hero.”
The guy’s cheeks burn a lovely shade of red, and he looks back at the stairs. “Just doing what anyone else would do, honestly. But yes, I’m okay! I’ve taken harder hits than that!”
Before Rody can even begin to unpack all that, a blond dude shouts from the top of the stairs, “HEY, MORON! We’re gonna be late to that stupid welcome event! Get your ass over here!” He’s got his hands on his hips and he looks pissed, so Rody’s gonna leave him alone for now. Better to keep your head low and crack jokes whenever you can.
“Ah, yeah, you’re right Kacchan! I’ll see you around, stranger.” The guy double checks he’s okay and gets up to run off, snatching the ID off the floor and running after the girl with the blond dude following. Rody watches him run away and he leans back on the floor, letting out a quiet “oof”.
Rody thinks he just fell in love.
“Okay,” the insomniac says, picking his fourth cup of coffee up from the counter and immediately taking a sip. “So you want to be partners for the group project then, yeah? I’d like to warn you in advance that I don’t take lightly to people abandoning their work and making me do that shit.”
“I promise I’ll work hard,” Rody swears, still behind him in line as he goes to order his own food and drink. “I already did some research on our topic before I asked you to be my partner, if that’s okay.”
The purple-haired dude snorts and turns fully to face him. Rody quietly wonders how much sleep this guy gets, especially with the deep bags under his eyes. “Well, you’re already doing better than most of my group partners, so I’ll allow it. You’ll hopefully be the second person that’s been really helpful in stuff like this. The first guy was insane, he operated on my schedule and I honestly don’t know how he survived.”
Rody learns his name is Shinsou Hitoshi, and they shake on their partnership. He also gets his first technical friend in college from this. (In the future, he’ll have his number on speed dial whenever he wants to come over and hang out and pet his cat, but this won't be for another few months.)
Shinsou’s phone rings, playing a song that Rody doesn’t recognize. Shinsou effortlessly transfers his coffee over so he can answer his phone without any hesitation, snorting when he hears the person on the other line. “Speak of the devil, Midoriya. Whatcha need from me?”
Rody would usually tune them out, but his father unfortunately taught him that any information he could obtain could possibly be useful in life. Shinsou tips his head back and smirks at whatever the person on the other line says. “So, I figured that you haven’t eaten yet, and that’s why I was about to ask my classmate if you wanted to join us for lunch. You cool with that, Rody?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah! That’s fine with me. Bring whoever you want.” Rody waves it off, going to grab his order from the counter. He’s curious, though, especially since he hasn’t gotten any good opportunities to meet other people. He’s been entirely focused on his classwork and trying to pass by any means necessary.
“Yeah, you can come.” Shinsou says, grinning at the excited noises on the other end. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Besides, Bakugou can deal with not having competition for like, a few hours, can’t he?”
There’s a loud squawk on the other end. “Wow! I mean, you’re definitely right, but jeez! You don’t have to call him out like that! Kacchan’s doing his best and even if he deserves to get punched on a good day, I’m proud of him!”
“Yeah, yeah, we know y’all are childhood besties and you know his emotions by a single eyebrow twitch.” Shinsou rolls his eyes and doesn’t notice Rody freezing in his listening. He has flashes of green in his mind as he tries to remember where he’s heard that voice before.
Kacchan…
“You’re right Kacchan!”
“It’s the same guy,” Rody whispers under his breath. “Holy shit, what are the odds of that?”
The answer, in itself, is not very high. Rody decided to go to a huge public college that had several thousand undergraduates, and he knows approximately two of them; the cute green-haired guy and Shinsou, his classmate. The chances that he’d run into one of them? Astronomically low, and yet, here we are.
Shinsou’s hung up by the time he turns back to Rody. “Alrighty then. Let’s get a table and I can introduce you to my first friend in college when he gets here. He’s a weird guy but he’s a good friend to have. I swear, Midoriya’s the guy that falls down the stairs or something and gets up completely fine. He’s got plot armor, I’m telling you!”
“I think I might’ve met him before?” Rody confesses, deciding to lay all his cards on the table. “Some green-haired dude fell down the stairs and landed on me. I wanted to ask his name but his blond friend called for him and they had to run. I think he was called Kacchan, if I remember correctly.”
“Was he loud, angry, and looked like a dog fluffed up after a blow dryer?” Shinsou asks, deadly serious. “If he looked like a guy who would break a controller after losing in Smash, that’d be him, and then you definitely met Midoriya. What, did you think he was cute or something?”
Before Rody can open his mouth again, they both hear a breathless, “Hey guys! Sorry I’m late, Hatsume roped me in briefly to give a tour of the Engineering workshop, which is so weird since I don’t even go down there that often—”
Everyone stops for a moment. Rody, who has a sandwich in his hand, the gorgeous green-haired guy who has a dropped jaw and a huge thermos, and Shinsou, who has the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. “Well, well, well,” Shinsou practically purrs, looking between the two of them. “I heard you fell down the stairs and landed on my project partner, Mido! What’s all that about?”
Rody watches as Midoriya’s freckles immediately vanish under the brightest blush he’s ever seen in his entire life. It’s…incredibly endearing, honestly. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!” Midoriya blurts out, dropping the thermos to put his head in his hands. It seems to be a common occurrence since Shinsou already has a hand out waiting and catches the thermos with ease. “I know I apologized before, but I’m so sorry again! Are you still okay after that?”
“Oh absolutely,” Rody grins, propping his arm under his chin with ease and tilting his head. “Did you manage to give the ID back to that one girl?” Shinsou, still watching them, sniffs Midoriya’s thermos, makes a face, and then takes a large sip out of it. Midoriya glances at him and chooses not to say anything.
“I caught up to her,” Midoriya laughs. “She was really grateful since it costs about twenty-five dollars to replace them! I’m glad you’re okay though, I’ve been telling my friends that I might’ve given some hot guy a concussion—urk.”
Shinsou chokes on his second swig of Midoriya’s thermos. Rody’s grin gets even sharper, if possible. “Oh, I’m so glad to know that it’s mutual. I didn’t think my odds of running into the cutest guy I’ve ever seen would be that high after the first time, but I must’ve done something ethereal in my last life. Hypothetically, if I wanted to see you again after Shinsou and I finish this project, can I get your number?”
It looks like Midoriya almost passes out, but manages to regain composure and nods. “I’d really like that,” he says weakly, and sits down at the table, fluffy head of curls slamming into the surface. Shinsou pats him on the back and Rody huffs out a quiet laugh, finally focusing on their homework and lunch together.
(Even as suave as Rody Soul pretends to be, he still goes home that night to call his siblings like he promised. He tells Roro and Lala about the sweetheart he met, listens to their yells of excitement, and finds that he can’t fight the genuine smile that comes over his face.
He smashes his head into his pillow later, overcome with emotion, and shouts loudly.)
Relationships take time, and they take effort. Rody, after not seeing his father for so long and feeling incredibly disconnected from someone who’s supposed to be important in his life, definitely knows this. Friends aren’t common to him, much less romantic partners. He’s been taking care of his siblings for so long, he’s almost forgotten that his own life matters.
Finding his own group of people in college is something he’s not used to. He gets actual text messages from others wanting to hang out or grab a bite to eat. Through Shinsou and other classmate shenanigans, he now has friends he actively talks to on a near-daily basis.
The one name that makes him light up, though, is still Midoriya Izuku.
They’re growing closer day by day, with Rody figuring out that Midoriya loves talking about All Might, some superhero in a series that debuted a long while ago. He also loves going to cafés and inhaling his coffee at the speed of light. He spends some evenings locked away in the library, only leaving when one of his friends remembers to drag him out.
Rody does his best to stay involved in his life. Quality time, after all, is a very important love language. He’s taken to messaging him in the late evening to make sure his budding crush is doing alright. To his delight, his affection seems to become mutual, and Rody’s never bored or annoyed with their conversations.
Rody: You doin’ alright? Don’t get caught up in work again, you’ve got an exam tomorrow!
Is that too casual? Is it weird that he knows his schedule? They share a calendar together with their assignments written down since they’re both busy, but maybe it is weird to check. Who knows?
Midoriya: AHHHH SHIT NO SFDSJKFLSKLJF I COMPLETELY FORGOTTTT
Midoriya: pls don’t tell the squad they’re going to demolish me
And maybe it’s a bad idea, but Rody’s still awake enough to see if he can offer his help. It’s a good opportunity to get to talk to Midoriya again, and to try flirting like his siblings suggested.
Rody: Do you want me to bring you coffee? It’s a good excuse to see you lmao and I can make you sure you actually sleep in your bed tonight, idiot
He’s already up and putting shoes on when Midoriya texts back a few minutes later with a thumbs up and a heart emoji. Luckily for them, there’s a late night shop nearby where he orders a drink and makes his way to the library, making sure he got the right order after writing it down in his notes a few weeks ago.
Maybe this is affection; writing down their order so you could remember it, or even taking the time out of your day to ensure that your partner is doing alright. Rody’s…not used to this. He likes the effort, don’t get him wrong, but how does he even come across bringing it up? Does Midoriya even like him back?
After a few minutes of searching, there’s Midoriya, sitting at a table surrounded by empty chip bags and an empty water bottle. He’s furiously typing on his laptop, eyebrows furrowed in a way that Rody likes, and he places the coffee down, jolting Midoriya out of his focused state. “Hey, shortstack,” Rody teases, grinning when Midoriya gives him a look. “What? Next time, don’t stay out too late; I don’t need your roommate barging into our lunches yelling about how he couldn’t find you in the morning again.”
“That was only…” Midoriya trails off, scrunching up his face. Rody has the urge to run a finger over his freckles and has to fight to refrain from doing so. Damn. Maybe next time. “Okay, maybe that was a couple of times, but I always make it home, I swear!”
“You could stay with me for a night or two,” Rody partially jokes. “I’ll make sure you get to bed on time! And then I can take you on a date, and I can listen to you talk about—”
“Hey, Rody?” Midoriya asks, quieter than usual. “I don’t know if this is your idea of a joke, but please don’t make fun of me. I know you’ve been making jokes and teasing remarks about taking me out, but if you’re not being serious about it, I’d really appreciate it if you could stop.”
Rody smiles, brain not functioning enough to understand for a second. “What?”
“Y’know,” Midoriya flaps his hand in the air, holding his composure together. Rody only knows he’s trembling due to the shakiness in his hands. “All the stuff you say! Like you’re gonna date me or whatever!”
Hm. Okay. An adversary Rody wasn’t expecting in his quest for a date. He squints at Midoriya, leaning against the table with a smile. “Mido, if someone asks someone else on a date, what can you guess about it?”
“That one person is interested in the other person,” Midoriya says slowly, like he’s wrapping his head around it. “The intent to date and talk and do romantic things as a couple together.”
“Cool,” Rody says nonchalantly. Midoriya’s eyes never leave his face. “So if I’m telling you all of that ‘date stuff’, why are you assuming it’s a joke? You said it yourself! The intent to date and do romantic shit together. I wanna do that with you.”
Midoriya blinks. Rody raises his eyebrows. It takes a few moments, but then Midoriya slams his hands on the table. “HUH?? ME?? Are you sure?? I mean, you could literally talk to anyone else! You’re really charming and charismatic and cool! You have so many cool stories and deep down you’re a softy that cares about others, and I really admire that about you…”
“Of course I’m sure,” Rody huffs. “You’re sweet but you could absolutely kick my ass any day of the week. I know what I’m about; I chose you and I really want to be with you, Midoriya. Will you go on a date with me?”
Midoriya smiles, eyes shining and a gorgeous grin on his face, and Rody feels his heart skip a beat.
“Is it weird?” Izuku asks a few weeks later, interlocking their fingers together. They’re sitting in Rody’s dorm together, curled up on the bed watching a movie. “You feel so familiar to me, but I know you’re new and that’s exciting to me. Being with you feels like home. I want to do mundane things like go grocery shopping together and I want to watch you achieve your dreams and cheer you on. I don’t know if that's normal or whatever, but that’s what I feel.”
“That’s how I feel too,” Rody laughs quietly, leaning his head against Izuku’s shoulder. “I wanted to invite you to Otheon since my siblings want to meet you. I’m sure they have a bunch of embarrassing stories about me that they’ve been dying to tell you ever since I started talking about you.”
“You talk about me?” Izuku asks, pleased. “They sound really sweet! I’d love to meet them, if you don’t mind! My mom also wants to meet you, ha. She heard me gushing about you the other night about our ramen date!”
“And how you almost spit out noodles when I kissed your cheek because you looked like a chipmunk?” Rody asks, and cackles when Izuku swipes at him. “Wow! I see how it is! Listen, just because I want to spend our future together doesn’t mean I’m going to let up on the teasing.”
Izuku stops and looks at him, really looks at him, and then presses a sweet kiss to Rody’s cheek. “You better not break my heart, ass.” He mildly threatens, and wipes his eyes with a smile. “But you’re mine as long as we live. We can travel the world together after we graduate and we’ll go on so many adventures together!”
Rody takes a second to think about their lives, how intertwined they are due to an unconventional meeting. He’s been by himself for so long that he can barely believe he’s got someone that wants to stay by his side. A part of his family, for the rest of time. What did he do in a past life to deserve Midoriya Izuku? He’s getting the chance to start something new with someone else who wants to be there with him.
(And somewhere in the back of his mind, maybe he can see flashes of green wrap around Izuku’s body, and maybe there’s a flash of blood on his hands as he lays in Izuku’s lap with a pink bird on his head, both laughing in relief at the second chance they’ll eventually get.)
“It’s a promise,” he says, and kisses Izuku’s scarred knuckles, at peace.