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Mirio Togata smiled a lot. This was not news. Everyone knew that. Heroes knew it. Civilians knew it. Children especially knew it.
Lemillion smiled. Big. Bright. Ridiculous.
The kind of smile that somehow convinced you everything was going to be okay.
Even when it wasn't.
Especially when it wasn't.
"Over here!"
Mirio waved.
"Keep moving!"
A woman stumbled towards him.
Smoke filled the street behind her.
Mirio caught her.
"You're doing great!"
She coughed.
"My daughter-"
"We've got her."
"Promise."
Mirio smiled.
The woman stared at him.
Then nodded.
Trusted him.
That was what the smile did.
Twenty metres away...
Izuku tore through the remains of a collapsed wall.
"Anyone inside?!"
Nothing.
Blackwhip moved.
Concrete shifted..Dust. Smoke. Then, crying.
Izuku froze.
"There!"
He moved. One slab. Another. A pocket beneath the debris.
Two children. One adult. Alive.
Izuku's heart jumped.
"I found them!"
The rescue lasted another forty-three minutes.
No villains. No fight. Just… A building. Old infrastructure. Gas explosion. Structural collapse. Wrong place. Wrong time. The sort of disaster heroes couldn't punch.
Izuku carried the last survivor out. Paramedics rushed forward. He lowered the man onto the stretcher.
"Possible crush injury to the left leg."
"Conscious the whole time."
"Breathing stable."
The paramedic nodded.
"We've got him."
Izuku stepped back. His arms shook. Adrenaline. Exhaustion. Both. Someone touched his shoulder.
"Hey."
Izuku turned.
Mirio. Dirty. Hair full of dust. Cape torn. Smiling.
"You good?"
Izuku nodded.
"Yeah."
Mirio's smile widened.
"Nice work in there."
"You too."
"Obviously."
Izuku laughed. There. That one. Real.
A little boy ran towards them.
"Lemillion!"
Mirio immediately crouched.
"Whoa!"
The boy stopped in front of him.
His face was streaked with tears and soot.
"You saved my mum."
Mirio smiled.
"Your mum did most of the work."
The boy frowned.
"No."
"She did."
"She stayed calm."
"Listened to everything I said."
"That's teamwork."
The boy threw his arms around him.
Mirio blinked. Then hugged him back.
"Thank you."
Mirio's smile softened.
"Anytime."
Real. Definitely real. The boy looked at Izuku.
"Deku!"
Izuku smiled.
"Hey."
Another hug.
Izuku crouched and returned it.
The boy's mother called.
He ran back.
Mirio stood.
"Popular."
Izuku laughed.
"You're one to talk."
Emergency crews took over. Heroes began leaving. Police tape. Statements. Reports. The usual aftermath.
Except… Not everyone had made it out.
Three fatalities.
Izuku knew before anyone told him.
He'd seen the covered stretchers.
Mirio had too.
Neither mentioned them. Not yet.
Their agency transport was delayed.
Road closures. So they walked. Not home. Just away. Somewhere quieter.
Mirio bought two drinks from a vending machine. Tossed one. Izuku caught it.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
They sat on a low wall overlooking the river.
Night had settled over the city.
Sirens remained audible behind them. Distant now. Mirio opened his drink.
"Could've been worse."
Izuku looked at him.
Mirio smiled.
"Twenty-seven rescued."
Izuku nodded.
"Yeah."
"That's good."
"It is."
"Really good."
"Yeah."
Silence. Mirio drank. Izuku watched him. Smile. Still there. Small. Easy. Normal. Except...
No.
Izuku looked at the river.
"Three."
Mirio stopped.
A second.
"Yeah."
Smile remained.
Izuku's fingers tightened around his bottle.
One of them had been a teenager. Sixteen. Maybe seventeen. Izuku had helped recover him. He hadn't been able to tell at first. Dust did that.
Made everyone look grey. Mirio looked at him.
"You did everything you could."
Izuku laughed quietly.
Not because it was funny.
"That's usually my line."
"I stole it."
"Give it back."
"Nope."
Mirio smiled. That one was almost real.
Almost. Izuku looked down.
"Did you know one of them?"
Mirio went still. Tiny. Most people wouldn't notice. Izuku did.
"...No."
Too quick. Izuku looked at him. Mirio stared at the river. Then sighed.
"Not really."
"Mirio."
"I didn't."
He smiled. There. That one. Izuku hated that one.
Mirio rubbed the back of his neck.
"I met him before."
"The kid?"
Izuku's voice softened. Mirio nodded.
"Couple months ago."
"School visit."
"He asked me about internships."
Izuku said nothing. Mirio laughed quietly.
"He wanted to be a hero."
His smile remained.
"Good kid."
Izuku swallowed.
"I'm sorry."
Mirio shrugged.
"Part of the job."
That smile again.
Izuku stared.
Mirio noticed.
"What?"
Izuku didn't answer.
"What?"
Mirio laughed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Izuku looked back towards the river.
"You know you don't have to do that with me."
Mirio blinked.
"Do what?"
"Smile."
Silence.
Mirio stared at him. Then laughed.
"I'm always smiling."
"I know."
Izuku looked at him.
"That's why I noticed."
Mirio's smile didn't disappear. Not immediately. But it changed. Smaller. Uncertain.
Izuku continued.
"Most of them are real."
Mirio raised an eyebrow.
"Most?"
"Yeah."
"The one with that little boy."
"Real."
"When you called me popular."
"Real."
"When you threw the drink at me."
"Definitely real."
Mirio stared.
Izuku looked down.
"But this one..."
He swallowed.
"...Isn't."
For several seconds… Nothing.
Then Mirio's smile finally disappeared.
Izuku had seen Mirio angry. Scared. Exhausted. In pain. He'd watched him lose his Quirk. Watched him grieve Sir Nighteye. Watched him fight without powers. Mirio wasn't incapable of sadness. Far from it. But he'd become very good at deciding when other people were allowed to see it.
Mirio looked at his drink.
"Was it that obvious?"
"No."
"Great."
"That's not what I meant."
Mirio laughed once.
No smile.
"You're terrifying sometimes, Midoriya."
"I've been told."
Silence..The river moved below them.
Mirio rubbed his thumb along the bottle.
"I remembered his name."
Izuku waited.
"Keita."
A pause.
"He was sixteen."
Izuku's chest tightened..Mirio continued.
"Wanted to do rescue work."
"Asked me if being scared meant he wasn't suited for it."
Izuku knew exactly what Mirio had probably said.
"What did you tell him?"
"That being scared means you're paying attention."
Izuku smiled faintly.
"Sounds like you."
"Yeah."
Mirio's voice became quieter.
"He had good questions."
"He'd researched agencies."
"Already knew what schools he wanted to apply to."
"His mum was with him."
"She kept apologising because he wouldn't stop talking."
Mirio looked down.
"And today..."
He stopped.
Izuku waited.
Mirio swallowed.
"I recognised him."
No smile now. None.
"I was helping clear the east side."
"One of the firefighters called me over."
"I saw him and..."
Mirio's jaw tightened.
"I knew him."
Izuku said nothing. No reassurance. Not yet. Mirio breathed out.
"Twenty-seven people."
"Twenty-seven."
"That's..."
He shook his head.
"That's good."
"It is."
Izuku said.
Mirio looked at him.
"But three still died."
"Yeah."
Izuku didn't tell him not to think about them. Didn't tell him to focus on the twenty-seven. Didn't tell him heroes couldn't save everyone.
Mirio already knew all of that. So did Izuku. Knowing didn't make it hurt less.
Mirio stared at the river.
"I hate this part."
Izuku nodded.
"Me too."
"You start doing the maths."
"Yeah."
"If I'd been ten seconds faster."
"Yeah."
"If I'd checked the other side first."
"Yeah."
"If I'd-"
"Mirio."
He stopped.
Izuku looked at him.
"You know what you're doing."
Mirio gave him a tired look.
"Do I?"
"Yeah."
Izuku tapped his own temple.
"The list."
Mirio looked away.
"If I'd been faster."
"If I'd gone left."
"If I'd noticed sooner."
"If I'd done something differently."
Izuku swallowed.
"I know that list."
Mirio's expression softened.
"Yeah."
"I figured you might."
They sat. Closer than before. Neither spoke. Then Mirio's shoulder touched Izuku's. Accident. Probably. Neither moved. A minute passed.
"Thanks."
Izuku looked over.
"For what?"
Mirio smiled faintly. Real. Sad, but real.
"For noticing."
Izuku's chest warmed.
"Anytime."
Mirio looked at him.
"Seriously, though."
"What?"
"How do you know my smiles?"
Izuku froze.
Mirio's eyebrow rose.
"I don't know."
"Apparently you have a catalogue."
"I notice things."
"That's creepy."
"It's not creepy!"
Mirio laughed. Real. Izuku immediately pointed.
"That one."
Mirio stopped.
"What?"
"Real."
Mirio stared. Then laughed harder. Izuku grinned.
"Definitely real."
"You're ridiculous."
"So are you."
The laughter faded. But the smile stayed. Smaller now. Tired. Real.
Their transport eventually arrived. They stood. Mirio stretched.
"Food?"
Izuku blinked.
"It's nearly midnight."
"So?"
Izuku smiled.
"Yeah." "Food."
They found a place still open. Tiny. Almost empty. Mirio ordered enough for three people. Izuku ordered enough for two. Neither commented. Heroes were hungry. They sat opposite each other.
Mirio stole one of Izuku's chips.
Izuku stared.
"You have chips."
"Yours looked better."
"They're the same."
"Can't prove that."
"You ordered them from the same kitchen!"
Mirio smiled. Real. Izuku noticed. Again.
They talked. Not about Keita. Not anymore. Mirio told a story about Nejire accidentally terrifying an entire group of interns. Izuku told him about Bakugo nearly destroying an agency coffee machine.
Mirio laughed. Izuku laughed.
Midnight became twelve-thirty. Then one. Eventually… Mirio looked at him.
"You tired?"
"A little."
"Want to go?"
Izuku thought.
Then shook his head.
"Not yet."
Mirio smiled.
"Me neither."
They ordered dessert. Because apparently they were doing that.
At one-thirty… They finally left. The city was quiet. Izuku shoved his hands into his pockets. Mirio walked beside him.
They reached a corner where they'd split.
Mirio stopped.
"Midoriya."
"Yeah?"
A pause.
"I meant it."
Izuku waited.
"Thanks."
Izuku smiled.
"You don't have to thank me."
"I know."
Mirio looked at him.
"Still am."
Izuku nodded.
"Okay."
Mirio started walking away.
Then Izuku called:
"Mirio!"
He turned.
Izuku hesitated.
"Next time..."
Mirio waited.
"You don't have to wait for me to notice."
Mirio stared.
Izuku's face warmed slightly.
"You can just tell me."
For some reason… That felt bigger. Mirio seemed to feel it too. His expression softened. Then he smiled. Not huge. Not Lemillion. Just Mirio.
"Okay."
Izuku watched him leave. Something strange sat in his chest. Warm and quiet. He didn't examine it. Which, for Izuku Midoriya, was practically a miracle.
Three days later… Izuku was having a bad day. Not terrible. Nothing catastrophic.
Just… Bad. A rescue had gone wrong.
Nobody died. Everyone was safe. But a child had been injured. Izuku had spent six hours doing paperwork.cThen another two speaking to investigators.
His shoulder hurt. He hadn't eaten since breakfast. He was tired. Very tired.
Mirio found him outside the agency.
"Hey!"
Izuku looked up.
Mirio smiled. Real.
"Hey."
Izuku smiled back.
Mirio stopped.
Looked at him.
Izuku kept smiling.
"What?"
Mirio stared.
"That one isn't real."
Izuku froze. His smile vanished. Mirio's grin widened.
"Got you."
Izuku stared.
"You can't use my thing against me."
"Apparently I can."
"That's not fair."
"Come on."
Mirio put an arm around his shoulders. Izuku blinked.
"Where?"
"Food."
"I have reports."
"Nope."
"Mirio-"
"You haven't eaten."
Izuku looked at him.
"How do you know?"
Mirio smiled.
"I notice things."
Izuku stared. Then he laughed. Real.
Mirio pointed.
"That one."
Izuku groaned.
"Oh, you're going to be unbearable."
"Absolutely."
They walked.
Mirio's arm stayed around his shoulders.
Izuku didn't ask him to move it.
And neither of them noticed… Or perhaps neither of them wanted to notice… That somewhere between recognising false smiles and late-night chips… Something had shifted. Not much. Not enough to name. Not yet. But enough that when Izuku had a bad day… Mirio was becoming the person he wanted to see. And when Mirio couldn't smile… Izuku was becoming the person he didn't have to pretend with
The rule developed accidentally. Neither of them officially created it. There was no discussion. No agreement. No handshake.
It simply… Happened.
"I'm fine."
Mirio stared. Izuku smiled. Mirio continued staring. Izuku's smile weakened.
"...What?"
"That one isn't real."
Izuku's shoulders dropped.
"Come on."
"Rule."
"We don't have a rule."
"We absolutely have a rule."
"When did we make a rule?"
"Right now."
"You can't retroactively create rules."
"I just did."
"That's not how rules work."
Mirio grinned.
"Food?"
Izuku sighed.
"...Food."
Three days later...
"Long patrol?"
Mirio smiled.
"Easy."
Izuku stared.
Mirio continued smiling.
Izuku raised an eyebrow.
Mirio sighed.
"Damn it."
"That one isn't real."
"I hate this game."
"Rule."
"You made the rule!"
"You agreed to it!"
"I absolutely did not."
Izuku smiled.
"Food?"
Mirio groaned.
"...Food."
And so… It became a thing. Sometimes food. Sometimes coffee. Sometimes sitting on a rooftop after patrol. Sometimes walking nowhere in particular. No fixing. No dramatic speeches.
Just… Space. And eventually… They started meeting when nothing was wrong.
Mirio: You working?
Izuku looked at his phone.
Izuku: Finished an hour ago.
Three dots.
Mirio: Food?
Izuku smiled.
Izuku: Bad day?
Mirio: Nope.
Izuku stared.
Izuku: Real nope or fake nope?
A pause.
Mirio: rude
Mirio: real nope
Mirio: just hungry
Izuku's smile widened.
Izuku: Food.
That became normal too.
One evening… Izuku sat opposite Mirio.
Ramen between them. Mirio was telling him about Tamaki.
"...So then he says he doesn't want to do the interview."
Izuku laughed.
"That sounds like Tamaki."
"No."
"You don't understand."
"He'd already done the interview."
Izuku blinked.
"What?"
"He got through the whole thing."
"Twenty minutes."
"Answered every question."
"Then when they finished, he looked at me and said, 'I don't think I can do this.'"
Izuku laughed harder.
Mirio grinned.
"I had to explain that he'd already done it."
"What did he say?"
Mirio lowered his voice.
Perfect Tamaki impression.
"'Can they delete it?'"
Izuku nearly choked. Mirio laughed. Izuku looked at him. Real. Obviously.
Then something occurred to him.
He'd started doing that automatically.
Checking. Not deliberately.
He just… Knew. Mirio noticed him staring.
"What?"
Izuku blinked.
"Nothing."
Mirio narrowed his eyes.
"Suspicious."
"I'm allowed to look at you."
Mirio's eyebrows rose.
Izuku froze.
"...That sounded weird."
Mirio grinned.
"Little bit."
"I meant-"
"I know what you meant."
Izuku's face warmed.
He looked down at his ramen.
Mirio kept smiling.
Another week passed.
Eri noticed on a Sunday.
Because Eri noticed everything.
She was twelve now.
Still small.
Still bright-eyed.
Still capable of asking questions with the devastating precision of someone who had absolutely no idea why adults made everything complicated.
Aizawa had invited Izuku over.
Not unusual.
Eri wanted help with homework. Also not unusual. Izuku arrived. Shoes off. Bag down.
"Hi!"
Eri ran from the living room.
"Deku!"
She hugged him.
Izuku smiled.
"Hey."
Then-
"HELLO!"
Eri's head snapped around.
Mirio appeared behind Izuku.
Her eyes widened.
"Lemillion!"
Mirio immediately opened his arms.
Eri ran straight into them.
He lifted her.
Spun once.
"Look at you!"
"You're taller!"
Eri laughed.
"You always say that."
"Because you keep getting taller!"
"You haven't seen me for two weeks."
"Two weeks of growth!"
Aizawa appeared.
Saw Mirio.
Stopped.
"...Why are there two of you?"
Mirio grinned.
"Great to see you too."
Izuku laughed.
"We were getting lunch."
"Eri asked me to come over."
"So Mirio came too."
Aizawa stared.
"You were getting lunch together."
"Yeah."
"On Sunday."
"Yeah."
"Neither of you was working."
"Yeah."
Aizawa's eyes moved between them.
Izuku frowned.
"What?"
"Nothing."
He walked away.
Izuku stared after him.
"...That was weird."
Mirio shrugged.
"He's Aizawa."
"True."
Homework happened. Eventually. Mirio was terrible at helping. Not academically. He understood the questions.
The problem was… He kept distracting Eri.
"Okay."
Izuku pointed at the worksheet.
"If a train leaves Tokyo at-"
Mirio gasped.
"WITHOUT US?"
Eri giggled.
Izuku closed his eyes.
"Mirio."
"What?"
"The train."
"Terrible betrayal."
"Please."
Eri laughed harder.
Izuku pointed.
"You're banned from maths."
Mirio looked horrified.
"You can't ban me."
"I just did."
"From an entire subject?"
"Yes."
"Authoritarian."
Eri was nearly crying with laughter.
Aizawa watched from the kitchen.
Coffee in hand. He looked at Izuku. Then Mirio. Then Eri. His eyes narrowed. Interesting. Eventually...
Homework was finished.
Eri received her reward.
Movie.
She picked.
Naturally.
Eri sat in the middle.
Izuku on one side.
Mirio on the other.
Aizawa occupied the armchair.
Twenty minutes into the film...
Eri whispered:
"Deku."
Izuku looked down.
"What?"
"Are you and Lemillion dating?"
Izuku inhaled popcorn.
Violently.
Mirio turned.
"What?!"
Aizawa's coffee stopped halfway to his mouth.
Izuku coughed.
Eri patted his back.
"You okay?"
"Yes!"
He coughed again.
"Why would you ask that?!"
Eri frowned.
"You go out together a lot."
Mirio blinked.
"Not that I know of."
Eri looked at him.
Then at Izuku.
"Why not?"
"ERI!"
She jumped.
"What?"
Aizawa slowly put his coffee down.
His mouth twitched. Eri frowned.
"You like each other."
Izuku's face was bright red.
"Yes, but-"
"You spend loads of time together."
"Friends do that."
"You text all the time."
Mirio stared.
"How do you know that?"
"Deku smiles at his phone."
Izuku froze.
Aizawa looked at him.
Mirio slowly turned.
Izuku wished One For All included invisibility.
Eri continued.
"And Lemillion came with you today."
Mirio rubbed the back of his neck.
"We were already together."
"Exactly."
Izuku covered his face.
Aizawa was enjoying this far too much.
Eri looked between them.
"So..."
"Are you dating?"
"No."
Izuku answered.
Mirio answered simultaneously.
"Nope."
Eri frowned.
"Okay."
She returned to the movie.
Silence. Very uncomfortable silence.
Then she asked
"Why not?"
Izuku groaned.
"Eri."
"I'm watching the film."
"YOU ASKED ANOTHER QUESTION."
"I know."
Aizawa finally spoke.
"Eri."
She looked over.
"Leave them alone."
"Okay."
Aizawa looked at Izuku.
Then Mirio.
"They're clearly struggling enough already."
Izuku stared.
"AIZAWA-SENSEI!"
Mirio burst out laughing.
The movie continued.
Eri forgot about it.
Mostly.
Izuku did not.
Neither did Mirio.
Later… They left. Night air. Quiet street.
Izuku shoved his hands into his pockets. Mirio walked beside him.
For once… Neither immediately spoke.
Finally the silence was broken
"Kids, huh?"
Mirio laughed.
"Yeah."
"Just say anything."
"Absolutely anything."
"Zero filter."
"Terrifying."
"Yep."
Silence again. They reached a crossing. Waited. Mirio looked ahead.
"Would it be weird?"
Izuku's heart jumped.
"What?"
Mirio looked at him.
"If we were."
Izuku forgot how pedestrian crossings worked.
"...Dating?"
Mirio's face reddened. Just slightly. Izuku noticed. Of course he did.
"Yeah."
The light changed. Neither moved.
Someone behind them walked around.
Mirio laughed awkwardly.
"We're blocking the crossing."
"Oh!"
They hurried across.
On the other side. They stopped again.
Izuku's brain was moving at approximately nine million kilometres per hour. Would it be weird? Dating Mirio. Going to dinner. Which they already did. Messaging every day. Already did. Seeing each other on days off. Already did. Talking after bad patrols. Already did. Sitting together. Laughing. Mirio's arm around his shoulders.
That stupid warmth whenever he got a message-
Oh.
Mirio looked at him.
"Midoriya?"
Izuku blinked.
"Sorry."
"Analysis?"
Izuku's face warmed.
"...Maybe."
Mirio smiled. Real. Nervous. But real.
"So?"
Izuku swallowed.
"No."
Mirio blinked.
"No?"
"It wouldn't be weird."
"Oh."
Izuku's heart pounded.
"Would it be weird for you?"
Mirio looked at him.
Then smiled.
"No."
Neither said anything else. Because apparently… That was as brave as either of them could manage tonight.
They reached Izuku's station.
"See you tomorrow?"
Mirio asked.
Izuku nodded.
"Yeah."
"Patrol?"
"Until six."
"Food?"
Izuku smiled.
"Food."
Mirio grinned.
"Night."
"Night."
Izuku boarded the train. Found a seat. Sat. Then stared straight ahead. Eri's voice replayed.
“Why not?”
Izuku's face warmed. He pulled out his phone. Opened Mirio's messages. Looked at the ridiculous number of conversations. Meals. Memes. Hero news. Checking in. Random observations. Pictures. Mirio had sent him a photograph of a dog wearing sunglasses yesterday.
No context.
Izuku had saved it. Why? Because it made him laugh. Because Mirio had sent it.
His phone buzzed.
Mirio: You realise Eri is going to ask again.
Izuku smiled.
Izuku: Definitely.
Mirio: We should probably have an answer ready.
Izuku stared.
Heart pounding.
He typed. Deleted. Typed again.
Izuku: What answer?
Coward. Complete coward.
Three dots. Stopped. Returned.
Mirio: don't know yet
Izuku breathed.
Then smiled.
Izuku: Me neither.
Across the city...
Mirio stared at that message. Smiled.
Then covered his face. Because he knew exactly what answer he wanted.
He just wasn't sure he was ready to say it. The next afternoon…
Izuku had a brilliant day. Perfect rescue. Nobody injured. A little girl he'd helped months ago visited the agency with a thank-you card. His paperwork was finished early.
Bakugo had called him an idiot only twice. Excellent day. At six-ten...
Izuku stepped outside. Mirio waited across the street.
Hands in pockets. He spotted Izuku. Smiled. Huge. Bright. Real.
Izuku's chest jumped. He crossed. Mirio raised an eyebrow.
"Good day?"
"Really good."
"Excellent."
"Yours?"
"Pretty good."
Real.
Izuku smiled.
"So."
Mirio smiled.
"Food?"
Izuku looked at him. And suddenly understood something. He didn't need Mirio tonight. Nothing had gone wrong. There was nothing to talk through..No false smile. No bad rescue. No grief. No reason. He just… Wanted to see him.
That felt important. Maybe more important than everything else.
"Actually..."
Mirio looked at him.
Izuku swallowed.
"Can we do something else?"
Mirio blinked.
"Sure."
"What?"
Izuku's courage almost abandoned him.
Almost.
"There's a night festival."
"Not far."
"I thought..."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"...We could go."
Mirio stared.
Izuku immediately began rambling.
"Not necessarily as anything specific, obviously, because we haven't really talked about what Eri said and there's no reason we need to define anything immediately and friends can obviously go to night festivals together, although I suppose given the context it could potentially-"
"Midoriya."
Izuku stopped.
Mirio smiled.
"Yes."
Izuku blinked.
"Yes?"
"I'd like to go."
"Oh."
Izuku smiled.
"Okay."
They walked towards the festival.
Shoulders close. Not touching. Yet. Mirio glanced at him. Izuku glanced
back. Both smiled. Real. And somewhere along the way… The rule changed. It had started as:
You don't have to smile with me.
Then became:
You don't have to pretend with me.
But now… Quietly… Neither of them saying it… It was becoming something else. You don't need a bad day to come find me. And perhaps that was the one that mattered most.
The night market was busy. Very busy.
Izuku hadn't considered that. Which was unusual. Izuku considered everything..Normally.
But when he'd seen the advert earlier that week, he'd thought: Mirio would like that.
That had apparently been the beginning and end of his planning process.
Lanterns hung above the street.
Food stalls lined both sides.
Music drifted through the crowd.
Children ran between parents.
Couples walked together.
Friends laughed.
Heroes- Actually… Quite a few people were staring at them. Izuku lowered his head. Mirio laughed.
"What?"
"We've been recognised."
"Really?"
Izuku looked at him.
"You're six-foot-something with bright blond hair."
Mirio gasped.
"And you're green."
"I'm not green!"
"Your hair is."
"That doesn't make me green."
"Debatable."
A little girl approached.
Very carefully.
"Deku?"
Izuku immediately smiled.
"Hi."
"Can I have a picture?"
"Of course."
Her father apologised.
Izuku waved it away.
"No problem."
Mirio offered to take the phone.
Then the girl noticed him.
Her eyes widened.
"Lemillion!"
Mirio grinned.
"That's me!"
Now she wanted both.
Naturally.
They crouched.
Picture. Another.
The girl hugged both of them.
Then ran back to her parents.
Izuku waved.
Mirio waved too. They continued walking.
Mirio smiled.
"You're good with kids."
Izuku blinked.
"So are you."
"I know."
Izuku laughed.
"Very humble."
"One of my best qualities."
They reached the first food stall.
Mirio stopped.
"Oh."
Izuku followed his gaze. Takoyaki.
Mirio looked at Izuku. Izuku looked at Mirio. Neither spoke.
"Food?"
Mirio asked. Izuku smiled.
"Food."
They shared a tray.
Not because they had to. Mirio had enough money. Izuku had enough money. They could have bought two.
Neither suggested it. Mirio stabbed one. Blew on it. Ate. Immediately regretted everything. His eyes widened. Izuku stared.
"Hot?"
Mirio shook his head. Tears appeared.
Izuku burst out laughing. Mirio tried swallowing. Failed.
"Perfect temperature."
Izuku laughed harder.
"You're crying."
"Emotion."
"Your mouth is burning."
Mirio grabbed his drink. Izuku was still laughing. Mirio stared at him. Something shifted. Tiny. Quiet.
Izuku wasn't thinking about work.
Wasn't carrying anything.
Wasn't exhausted.
Wasn't forcing a smile.
He was just… Laughing.
Because Mirio had been an idiot.
Mirio smiled.
Izuku noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"Apparently I'm allowed."
Izuku froze. Mirio grinned. Izuku remembered. I'm allowed to look at you.
His cheeks warmed.
"You're never letting that go."
"Absolutely not."
They moved on. Game stalls. Food. Music. Mirio won a cheap plastic whistle from a ring toss. Izuku immediately hated it.
PEEEEEEP.
"Mirio."
"What?"
"Please stop."
PEEEEEEP.
"Mirio."
"I'm expressing myself."
"You're expressing yourself at
approximately ninety decibels."
PEEEEEEP.
Izuku grabbed for it.
Mirio raised his arm.
Izuku stared.
"You cannot use your height against
me."
Mirio grinned.
"Sounds like a skill issue."
Izuku's eyes narrowed.
Blackwhip flickered.
Mirio's eyes widened.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Five seconds later...
Izuku had the whistle.
Mirio stared.
"You used One For All to steal my prize."
"I saved the public."
"Villain."
"Hero."
"Thief."
"Public servant."
Izuku put the whistle into his pocket.
Mirio pointed.
"I want that back."
"No."
"I won it."
"You abused it."
"I used it three times."
"Three too many."
Mirio laughed.
They walked.
Closer now.
The crowd thickened.
Someone bumped Izuku.
He stumbled sideways.
Mirio caught his arm.
"Got you."
Izuku looked up.
Mirio's hand remained around his forearm.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Neither moved.
Then the crowd shifted again.
Mirio's hand slid down.
Found Izuku's.
Their fingers brushed.
Both froze.
They could let go. Easy. Natural. Nobody would think anything of it.
Instead… Mirio's fingers curled slightly.
Izuku looked down.
Then up.
Mirio looked suddenly less like Lemillion.
Less impossibly confident.
Just… Mirio. Nervous. Izuku slowly turned his hand. Their palms met. Mirio swallowed.
"Okay?"
Izuku nodded.
"Yeah."
Their fingers intertwined.
Neither spoke for approximately thirty seconds.
Which might have been a record.
Then Mirio said.
"So."
Izuku looked at him.
"So."
"Are we..."
Mirio stopped.
Izuku waited.
"...Holding hands?"
Izuku looked down.
Then back up.
"I think so."
"Right."
Silence.
Mirio nodded.
"Good."
Izuku's smile appeared.
"Good?"
"Very good."
Izuku's face warmed. Mirio grinned. They continued walking. Holding hands.
Publicly. At a night festival. After Izuku had specifically asked Mirio to come.
This was becoming increasingly difficult to classify as a normal outing between friends. Neither seemed interested in trying. They found somewhere quieter near the edge of the festival.
A row of benches overlooked a small illuminated pond. Izuku sat. Mirio sat beside him. Their hands separated. Izuku immediately missed it.
That was… Information.
Mirio stretched his legs.
"This was a good idea."
Izuku smiled.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
A pause.
"Why did you ask me?"
Izuku looked at him.
"What?"
"Tonight."
Mirio gestured towards the market.
"You could've gone home."
"Seen your mum."
"Called Uraraka or Iida."
"Dragged Bakugo here against his will."
Izuku laughed.
"He'd hate this."
"Exactly."
Mirio smiled.
"But you asked me."
Izuku looked towards the water.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
He knew.
That was the problem.
He knew exactly why.
Because he'd seen the advert and thought of Mirio.
Because he'd finished a good day and wanted Mirio.
Because food wasn't enough.
Because he wanted something that felt… Special.
Izuku's cheeks warmed.
"I wanted to spend time with you."
Mirio's expression softened.
"We spend loads of time together."
"I know."
Izuku swallowed.
"This felt different."
There.
Mirio looked at him.
"Different good?"
Izuku laughed nervously.
"Yeah."
"Different good."
Mirio smiled.
Real.
Very real.
"Me too."
Silence. Comfortable. But charged now. Mirio leaned back.
"Eri's going to be unbearable."
Izuku groaned.
"Don't remind me."
"She's twelve and somehow has more emotional intelligence than both of us."
"That's not difficult."
"Speak for yourself."
"You asked me whether we were holding hands while we were visibly holding hands."
Mirio stared.
"That was clarification."
Izuku laughed. Mirio smiled. Then became quiet.vIzuku noticed.vNot sad. Not false. Thinking.
"What?"
Mirio looked at him.
"Can I ask you something?"
Izuku smiled.
"Apparently that's our thing."
"Apparently."
Mirio rubbed his palms against his jeans.
Nervous.
Izuku had almost never seen him nervous like this.
"That message."
"What message?"
"After Eri asked."
Izuku knew immediately.
We should probably have an answer ready.
"Oh."
Mirio continued.
"You asked what answer."
"Yeah."
"I said I didn't know."
Izuku's heart began pounding.
Mirio looked down.
"I lied."
Izuku stared.
"That one wasn't real?"
Mirio laughed softly.
"No smile involved."
"Still counts."
"Does it?"
"I've expanded the rule."
"Convenient."
Mirio looked at him again.
"I knew what answer I wanted."
Izuku's mouth went dry.
"What answer?"
Mirio smiled. Nervous. Real.
"Yes."
Izuku stared. Mirio continued before courage abandoned him.
"I like this."
"Us."
"The food."
"The messages."
"You showing up when I'm having a bad day."
"Me showing up when you're having one."
He paused.
"And..."
His smile softened.
"I like the days when neither of us
needs anything."
Izuku's chest tightened.
There it was. The same thing he'd realised. Mirio looked towards the festival.
"I've spent years trying to be somebody people can rely on."
Izuku listened.
"I like that."
"It's not fake."
"Lemillion isn't some character I put on."
"I know."
Mirio smiled.
"I really do want to make people smile."
"I really do believe things can get better."
"But..."
He looked at Izuku.
"Sometimes it's nice being around somebody who doesn't need me to prove it."
Izuku swallowed.
"You don't have to prove anything to me."
"I know."
Mirio's expression softened.
"That's the point."
Something inside Izuku's chest ached.
Good ache. Terrifying ache. He moved slightly closer. Their shoulders touched.
"Mirio."
"Yeah?"
"I think my answer is yes too."
Mirio stared.
Izuku laughed nervously.
"Whatever exactly we're answering."
Mirio laughed.
"Dating?"
Izuku's face went red.
"That's..."
He swallowed.
"...Probably the question."
"Probably."
"Then..."
Izuku looked at him.
"Yes."
Mirio smiled.
Huge.
Bright.
Izuku's heart jumped.
He pointed.
Mirio blinked.
"What?"
"That one."
"What one?"
"Real."
Mirio laughed.
"Seriously?"
"Very."
Izuku smiled.
"That might be the realest one yet."
Mirio stared at him.
Then his smile softened.
Neither looked away.
That was new.
Usually one of them did.
Not now.
Mirio's eyes dropped.
Just briefly.
Izuku noticed.
His heart went absolutely insane.
Oh.
Mirio looked back at his eyes.
"Can I..."
He stopped.
Izuku waited.
Mirio laughed nervously.
"This is ridiculous."
"What?"
"I've fought villains who could kill me."
"Same."
"This is scarier."
Izuku's face warmed.
"Same."
They both laughed.
Tension broke.
Then returned immediately.
Mirio looked at him.
"Can I kiss you?"
There it was.
Izuku's brain stopped. Completely. No analysis. No muttering. Nothing.
Mirio waited. No grin. No joke. Just waiting. Izuku nodded.
"Yeah."
Then realised.
"Yes."
Mirio smiled. Small.
He leaned closer. The kiss was gentle. Almost cautious. Which somehow surprised Izuku.
Mirio was usually so big in everything he did. Big smile. Big laugh. Big personality.
But this… Soft. Brief. Warm.
Izuku's eyes closed.
His hand found Mirio's sleeve.
Then… It was over.
Mirio pulled back. They stared at each other.
Two seconds. Maybe three. Then...
That enormous Lemillion grin appeared.
Izuku's chest burst with warmth.
He immediately pointed.
"That one's real."
Mirio laughed.
"Yeah."
He leaned his forehead lightly against Izuku's.
"That one's real."
Izuku laughed too.
Then Mirio's eyes dropped again.
"Can I-"
Izuku kissed him.
Mirio froze.
Just for a second.
Then smiled against his lips.
Which was incredibly distracting.
Second kiss. Less cautious. Still soft.
Izuku's hand moved from Mirio's sleeve to his wrist.
Mirio's fingers curled gently around Izuku's hand.
They separated.
Izuku's face was bright red. Mirio looked delighted.
"Okay."
Izuku laughed.
"Okay?"
"Very different good."
Izuku covered his face.
"You cannot say that after kissing me."
"I just did."
"Mirio."
He laughed.
They sat for another hour.
Hands together again. Talking.
Nothing changed. Everything changed.
Eventually… Izuku checked the time.
"We should go."
Mirio sighed.
"Probably."
Neither stood.
Five minutes passed.
Izuku looked at him.
"We're really good at leaving."
"Exceptional."
Another five minutes.
Still there. Finally… They got up.
Walked back through the market.
Holding hands again.
This time there was no uncertainty about what it meant.
At the station...
Mirio looked at Izuku.
"So."
Izuku smiled.
"So."
"Boyfriends?"
Izuku's face warmed.
"Is that what we're doing?"
"I hope so."
Izuku looked at him.
That nervousness again. Real.
He squeezed Mirio's hand.
"Yeah."
"Boyfriends."
Mirio smiled.
"Good."
Train arrived..Izuku stepped towards the door..Then turned.
"Mirio."
"Yeah?"
Izuku hesitated.
Then leaned forward.
Quick kiss.
Mirio's eyes widened.
Izuku immediately stepped onto the train.
Doors closed..Mirio stared through the window. Izuku's face was burning. Mirio slowly grinned.
Izuku pointed through the glass.
Mirio laughed.
The train moved.
Izuku sat down.
His phone buzzed before they'd even left the platform.
Mirio: that was unfair
Izuku smiled.
Izuku: What was?
Mirio: you know exactly what
Izuku laughed.
Mirio: goodnight boyfriend
Izuku stared at the word.
His stomach flipped.
He typed:
Izuku: Goodnight boyfriend.
Another message arrived.
Mirio: food tomorrow?
Izuku laughed.
Of course.
Izuku: Food.
Two days later...
Aizawa opened his apartment door.
Izuku stood there.
Mirio beside him.
Eri appeared behind Aizawa.
"Deku!"
She ran over.
Then saw Mirio.
"Lemillion!"
Mirio grinned.
"Hey!"
Eri hugged both.
Then stopped.
Looked at Izuku.
Looked at Mirio.
Their shoulders were touching.
Her eyes narrowed.
Izuku recognised danger immediately.
"Eri..."
She smiled.
"Are you dating now?"
Silence.
Izuku looked at Mirio.
Mirio looked at Izuku.
Aizawa watched all three. Last time...
Panic. Denial. Red faces. Not that I know of. This time… Izuku smiled.
"Yeah."
Mirio smiled too.
"We are."
Eri stared.
Then threw both hands up.
"FINALLY!"
Izuku's jaw dropped.
Mirio burst out laughing.
"Finally?!"
Eri looked at them like they were idiots.
"You took ages."
"We only-"
"You were already going on dates."
"They weren't dates!"
Mirio looked at Izuku.
"They were a little bit dates."
Izuku turned.
"You said they weren't!"
"I've reconsidered."
"Mirio!"
Eri grinned.
"Did you kiss?"
Izuku stopped functioning.
Mirio choked.
Aizawa closed his eyes.
"Eri."
"What?"
"You don't need to ask them that."
"Why?"
"Because Midoriya is about to explode."
Izuku's face was approximately the colour of a tomato.
Mirio was laughing too hard to help.
Eri looked between them.
Then smiled.
"I'm happy."
That stopped everything.
Izuku looked at her.
Mirio's laughter softened.
"Yeah?"
She nodded.
"You both smile loads."
Mirio glanced at Izuku.
Izuku glanced back.
Eri continued.
"So you'll make each other happy."
Something about the simplicity of it hit both of them. Mirio smiled. Real. Izuku did too.
"That's the plan."
Aizawa stepped aside.
"Are you coming in or conducting your relationship announcement in my doorway?"
Izuku laughed.
"Coming in."
Mirio saluted.
"Yes, sir."
"Don't call me sir."
"Absolutely, sir."
Aizawa stared.
Izuku whispered:
"That smile's real."
Mirio whispered back:
"Very."
Aizawa looked between them.
"...I already regret this."
Eri laughed.
And the rule remained. It always would. Bad patrol. Bad day. Bad memory. False smile. One of them noticed. One of them stayed.
But now there were other rules too.
Food after work. Messages for no reason. Dates that were actually called dates. Holding hands. Kisses goodbye.
Finding each other on the good days.
Especially the good days. Because Mirio had spent so long wanting to become a hero who could save a million people.
Izuku had spent so long carrying the weight of being the person everyone believed would keep moving forward.
Neither stopped being those people.
Neither wanted to. But somewhere between the rescues and smiles and late-night meals… They'd found one person they didn't have to be a symbol for.
Just Izuku.
Just Mirio.
And whenever one of them looked at the other and smiled… Neither needed to ask anymore. They already knew. That one was real.
Dating Mirio Togata was… Surprisingly similar to not dating Mirio Togata.
There was still food.
A lot of food.
There were still messages. A lot of messages.
There were still patrols. Training. Hero work. Bad jokes. Very bad jokes.
And… Apparently… There were now kisses. Izuku liked that part. Quite a lot.
Mirio: Food?
Izuku looked at the message.
Smiled.
Izuku: We're literally having dinner tonight.
Three dots.
Mirio: yes
Izuku: It's 11am.
Mirio: lunch exists midoriya
Izuku laughed.
Izuku: Fine.
Mirio: excellent
Mirio: lunch date
Izuku's face warmed.
Even now. Ridiculous.
Izuku: Lunch date.
At twelve-thirty… Mirio appeared outside Izuku's agency.
He was carrying two takeaway bags.
Izuku stared.
"You already bought food?"
"Yep."
"Then why did you ask me?"
Mirio grinned.
"Because it would be weird if I showed up and demanded you eat with me."
"You basically did."
"But consensually."
Izuku laughed.
They sat outside.
Mirio stole one of Izuku's chips.
Izuku slapped his hand.
"You have your own."
"Yours taste better."
"You always say that."
"Because it's always true."
"It's the same order!"
"Love improves flavour."
Izuku froze. Mirio froze. Silence. Izuku slowly looked at him. Mirio's face turned red. Actually red.
Izuku's eyes widened.
"Did you just-"
"No."
"You did."
"I said lunch."
"You absolutely did not."
"Must've misheard me."
"Mirio."
Mirio shoved three chips into his mouth.
Conversation over.
Izuku stared. Then started laughing.
Mirio glared while chewing.
They hadn't said that yet. Love.
It was early. Neither needed to.
But apparently Mirio's subconscious had decided to start filing paperwork.
Izuku smiled. Didn't push.
The relationship became public accidentally. Not publicly public.
Not media announcement public.
Just… U.A. public.
Which was arguably worse.
They visited for a reunion
Izuku met him near the gates.
"Hey."
"Hey."
Quick kiss.
Completely normal.
"OH MY GOD."
Izuku froze.
Mirio froze.
They turned.
Nejire stood approximately fifteen metres away.
Hands over her mouth.
Eyes enormous.
Tamaki stood beside her.
He closed his eyes.
"...Run."
Mirio sighed.
"Too late."
Nejire sprinted.
"YOU'RE DATING?!"
Izuku stepped backwards.
Mirio laughed.
"Hi, Nejire."
"YOU'RE DATING MIDORIYA?!"
"Yes."
"WHEN?"
"Recently."
"HOW?"
Mirio blinked.
"...The usual way?"
"WHO ASKED WHO?"
Izuku's face reddened.
"Well-"
"WHO KISSED WHO?"
"Nejire!"
"HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIKED EACH OTHER?"
Tamaki walked past.
"I'm leaving."
Nejire grabbed his sleeve without looking.
"No."
Tamaki sighed.
Within twenty minutes...
Everyone knew.
Everyone.
Kaminari stared.
"Seriously?"
Izuku frowned.
"What?"
"You and Lemillion?"
Mirio waved.
"Hi."
Kaminari looked between them.
Then nodded.
"Actually..."
"Yeah."
"I see it."
Izuku blinked.
"You do?"
"Golden retriever."
He pointed at Mirio.
"Green golden retriever."
He pointed at Izuku..Silence. Bakugo snorted.
Izuku turned.
"Kacchan!"
"What?"
"Don't encourage him!"
Bakugo looked at Mirio.
Then Izuku.
"He's right."
"NOT YOU TOO."
Mirio leaned towards Izuku.
"Green golden retriever."
"Don't."
"It's cute."
"Don't."
"Can I put it in my contacts?"
"No."
Mirio immediately took out his phone.
"MIRIO."
That evening...
Izuku received a screenshot.
Contact: Green Golden Retriever
Izuku stared.
Then changed Mirio's contact.
Human Sunshine
Screenshot.
Sent.
Three dots.
Mirio: awww
Then:
Mirio: wait are we cringe
Izuku laughed.
Izuku: Extremely.
Mirio: excellent
Good days were easy.
That was what Izuku discovered.
Good days were food. Movies. Training.
Holding hands under tables.
Mirio kissing his cheek specifically because it still made him blush.
Izuku occasionally initiating a kiss just to watch Mirio become surprisingly flustered.
They were learning each other. Slowly. Happily.
Bad days… Those were different.
Izuku's came three weeks later.
A villain attack. Nothing unusual. Nothing they hadn't handled before.
But… There had been a collapse. Again. Different building. Different street. Different people.
Same sound. Concrete. Metal. Screaming. Izuku moved before thinking.
Blackwhip.Fa Jin.Gearshift. Everything.
People came out. One. Three. Seven.
Twelve.
Then he heard:
"Deku!"
A firefighter pointed.
"Child!"
Izuku moved.
Small body.
Eight years old.
Pinned.
Alive.
Izuku dropped beside him.
"Hey!"
The boy cried.
"My leg!"
"I know."
"I know."
Izuku smiled.
"I'm going to get you out."
It took eleven minutes.
It felt like eleven hours.
The structure shifted twice.
Izuku held part of the ceiling with
Blackwhip while firefighters worked.
The boy screamed.
Izuku kept smiling.
"You're doing great."
"I'm scared!"
"I know."
"That's okay."
"You're doing great."
Eventually… Free.
Izuku carried him out.
Paramedics took over. Alive. Injured. But alive. Everyone survived. Every single person. Successful rescue. Perfect result.
Izuku should have felt good. He did. Mostly.
"Nice work, Deku!"
Izuku smiled.
"Thanks!"
Real.
"Kid's stable."
Smile. Real. Relief.
"Everyone accounted for."
Smile. Real. Then someone dropped a metal barrier.
CLANG.
Izuku flinched. Concrete. Screaming. Dust.
His smile appeared automatically.
"I'm fine."
Nobody had asked. That evening...
Mirio found him at the agency.
Izuku was completing reports.
"Hey."
Izuku looked up.
"Hey!"
Smile.
Mirio stopped.
There.
Izuku looked back down.
"Give me ten minutes."
"We can get dinner after."
"I'm starving."
Mirio didn't move.
Izuku typed.
"Actually, maybe twenty."
"There's loads of paperwork."
Silence.
Izuku looked up.
"What?"
Mirio stared.
Izuku knew immediately.
"No."
Mirio raised an eyebrow.
"Don't."
"I haven't said anything."
"I know that face."
"Funny."
Mirio stepped closer.
"Because I know that smile."
Izuku looked away.
"I'm fine."
"That one isn't real."
Izuku's jaw tightened.
"I'm okay."
"Different sentence."
"Same answer."
"Mirio."
"Izuku."
That stopped him.
Mirio didn't use his first name often.
Not like that.
Mirio crouched beside his chair.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Izuku."
"Everyone survived."
Mirio waited.
"The kid's okay."
Waited.
"The rescue went well."
Still waited.
Izuku stared at his report.
"I heard the building come down."
Mirio's expression softened.
Izuku swallowed.
"And I knew he was inside."
"I couldn't see him."
"Couldn't reach him."
"For a second..."
His fingers tightened.
"I thought..."
He stopped.
Mirio said nothing.
Izuku shook his head.
"But he's fine."
"He'll recover."
"Everyone's okay."
"So..."
Smile..Weak. False.
"I'm fine."
Mirio reached up.
Very gently… Touched his cheek.
Izuku's smile disappeared.
"You don't have to be."
Simple. That was all.
Izuku closed his eyes..Mirio's hand stayed there.
"I'm tired."
"I know."
"I hate that sound."
"I know."
"I keep hearing it."
"I know."
Izuku opened his eyes. Mirio was there..No huge grin. No inspirational speech. No promise that tomorrow would fix everything.
Just….There.
Mirio stood.
"Come on."
Izuku looked at the computer.
"I need to finish."
"Tomorrow."
"I've got-"
"Izuku."
He stopped.
Mirio held out his hand.
"Come home."
Izuku looked at it.
Then took it.
They didn't get food.
For once.
They went to Izuku's apartment.
Shoes off.
Lights low.
Izuku sat on the sofa.
Mirio disappeared into the kitchen.
Returned with water.
Sat beside him.
Ten minutes passed.
Nothing.
Izuku leaned back.
Mirio's shoulder touched his.
Another ten.
Izuku's eyes closed.
"Mirio?"
"Yeah?"
Izuku opened his eyes.
"You can go if you want."
Mirio looked at him.
"I know."
"I'll be okay."
"I know."
"You've got work tomorrow."
"I know."
Izuku frowned.
"You're just going to keep saying that?"
"Probably."
Izuku looked down.
The old instinct appeared.
Tell him you're okay.
Tell him he doesn't need to worry.
Let him leave.
Deal with it. Sleep. Work tomorrow. Move on. Smile. Mirio waited.
He wasn't trapping him.
Wasn't insisting.
If Izuku asked him to leave...
He would.
That somehow made it harder.
Izuku swallowed.
"Could you..."
He stopped.
Mirio looked over.
"Yeah?"
Izuku's voice became quieter.
"...Stay?"
Mirio's expression softened instantly.
"Yeah."
No hesitation.
"Of course."
Something inside Izuku loosened.
"Thanks."
Mirio smiled.
Real.
"Anytime."
They watched television..Sort of.
Neither paid much attention. Izuku gradually shifted closer. Eventually his head rested against Mirio's shoulder.
Mirio's arm went around him..Izuku woke at some point. Didn't know when. Television still playing. Mirio asleep beside him.
Head tilted back. Mouth slightly open.
Izuku stared. Then smiled. Mirio had stayed. Because Izuku asked. That felt important.
He reached for the remote.
Turned off the television.
Mirio stirred.
"Hm?"
"Nothing."
"You okay?"
Izuku thought.
"Better."
Mirio opened one eye. Smile. Sleepy. Real.
"Good."
His eye closed again.
Izuku settled against him.
For once… Didn't analyse it.
Morning.
Mirio woke first. His neck hurt. His arm was numb. Izuku was practically lying on him. Mirio looked down. Green curls everywhere. He smiled.
"I can't feel my hand."
Izuku's eyes opened.
"...What?"
"My hand."
Izuku sat up.
Mirio immediately grabbed his arm.
"Pins and needles!"
Izuku started laughing.
"This isn't funny!"
"You slept like that!"
"You slept on me!"
"You could've moved!"
"You asked me to stay!"
"THAT DIDN'T MEAN DON'T MOVE."
Mirio shook his hand violently.
Izuku laughed harder.
Mirio stared.
Then smiled.
Izuku noticed.
"That one's real."
Mirio rolled his eyes.
"Obviously."
Breakfast.
Mirio cooked.
Badly.
Izuku rescued the eggs.
Mirio claimed he'd deliberately created a challenge.
Izuku called him a liar. Eventually… Mirio had to leave..They stood at the door. Mirio pulled on his shoes.
"Work."
"Yeah."
"You?"
"Later."
"Good."
Mirio stood.
Looked at him.
"You okay?"
Izuku considered the question properly.
Not automatic.
Not fine.
"Yeah."
He smiled.
"Tired."
"Still a little shaken."
"But..."
He looked at Mirio.
"Yeah."
"I'm okay."
Mirio studied him.
Then smiled.
"That one's real."
Izuku laughed.
"Yeah."
Mirio leaned down.
Kissed him. Slow. Soft.
Familiar already.
Izuku's hand caught the front of his shirt. Mirio smiled against his lips.
Izuku pulled back.
"You're doing it again."
"What?"
"Smiling while kissing me."
"I like kissing you."
Izuku's cheeks warmed.
Mirio grinned.
"Still works."
"Shut up."
Another quick kiss.
Then Mirio opened the door.
"See you tonight?"
Izuku nodded.
"Food?"
Mirio smiled.
"Food."
He started down the hall. Izuku watched.
"Mirio!"
Mirio turned.
"Yeah?"
Izuku smiled.
"Love you."
Silence.
Izuku froze. Mirio froze.
Oh.
Oh.
He'd just-
"I..."
Izuku's face exploded red.
"I didn't mean-"
Wrong.
"I mean, I did mean it!"
Worse.
"But I didn't mean to say it right now!"
Mirio stared.
Izuku's hands started moving.
"Not that there's a wrong time necessarily, although obviously we've only been together for a relatively short period and there's potentially an argument that saying something like that this early could create unnecessary emotional pressure, and I don't expect you to say anything back because that wasn't why I said it and-"
Mirio walked back.
"Izuku."
“-Obviously affection develops at different rates and-"
Mirio kissed him.
Izuku stopped.
Mirio pulled back.
Izuku stared.
Mirio's eyes were bright.
Smile enormous.
Izuku swallowed.
"...That one's real."
Mirio laughed.
"Very."
"I love you too."
Izuku's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"No, I sprinted back to kiss you because I hated hearing it."
Izuku frowned.
"You didn't sprint."
"I permeated emotionally."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"It does to me."
Izuku laughed.
Mirio kissed his forehead.
"I love you."
Izuku smiled.
"I love you too."
"Great."
"Great."
Silence.
Then Mirio's eyes widened.
"I'm late."
Izuku laughed.
"Go!"
Mirio ran.
"FOOD TONIGHT!"
"YES!"
"LOVE YOU!"
Izuku's face warmed.
"LOVE YOU TOO!"
A neighbour opened their door.
Looked at Izuku..Izuku looked at them.
"...Morning."
The neighbour slowly went back inside.
Izuku closed his door.
Leaned against it.
Smiled. Real.
Months later...
The rule still existed.
It always would. Sometimes:
"That one isn't real."
Sometimes:
"Talk to me."
Sometimes:
"Food?"
Sometimes nothing at all.
Just sitting together.
But there was one part Izuku remembered most..Not the first kiss. Not the first date. Not even the first I love you. It was one word. A tiny word.
Something Izuku Midoriya had always been strangely bad at saying.
Stay.
Because saving people came naturally to him.
Helping came naturally.
Giving came naturally.
Carrying came naturally.
Asking someone else to carry something with him?
That had taken longer.
Mirio never forced him.
He just made sure Izuku knew the offer existed.
And Mirio had his own version. I'm not okay..Four words from someone who genuinely loved smiling.
Someone who wanted people to believe tomorrow could be brighter..Izuku never asked him to stop being that person.
He loved that person. He just gave Mirio somewhere he didn't have to be him every second.
One evening… Long patrol. Good patrol. Nothing terrible.
They sat together on a rooftop. Mirio leaned against Izuku. Izuku held his hand.
City lights below.
Mirio smiled.
Izuku looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"I'm allowed."
Mirio laughed.
"Fair."
Izuku studied his smile.
Mirio raised an eyebrow.
"Well?"
Izuku smiled.
"Real."
"Obviously."
"Just checking."
Mirio squeezed his hand.
A few seconds passed.
"Izuku?"
"Yeah?"
"Stay?"
Izuku looked at him.
Mirio wasn't sad.
Wasn't hurting.
Didn't need saving.
He simply wasn't ready for the evening to end..Izuku smiled.
"Yeah."
He rested his head against Mirio's.
"I'll stay."
Mirio smiled.
Real.
Always real.
And Izuku stayed.