mixingbowl | Try to believe walking down the lonesome road

Try to believe walking down the lonesome road

[With the start of their internships fast approaching, it's no wonder a good portion of the students in 1-A are too excited to properly concentrate during class. Aizawa, picking up on their lack of focus, eventually ends the class a few minutes early with a tired, exasperated sigh. Izuku grins guiltily at their teacher's retreating back. He can't exactly blame his classmates for distracted like this--picking their hero names and their first internship is pretty exciting. And a big step toward being pros.

Fidgeting with the bandages on his hands, Izuku turns in his seat and just happens to catch Todoroki's eyes. There's the barest flicker of hesitation before Izuku offers up a cheerful smile.] Todoroki-kun, have you already decided where you're going for your internship?

[The classroom's already emptying out, but there's no real need to hurry out like everyone else is. Besides, Izuku hasn't really gotten a chance to talk to Todoroki since the festival. Remembering how subdued Todoroki was during the medal ceremony has made it difficult for him to shake away his concerns. So Izuku gathers up his books slowly and waits for an answer.]

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[He's... he's crying again. He's crying, but he's smiling and Shouto's left wondering if maybe he said something wrong? But no, Midoriya seems happy. Is he overwhelmed? He tried to make it as straightforward as it was for him, but clearly his approach doesn't work for everybody.

He puts his hand in his pocket and draws out a plain white handkerchief and gives it over to Midoriya.]

You cry easily. [It's more a statement of fact than anything else.]

I wanted to tell you. You risked... a lot, and you deserve to know.

[Izuku gives a soft, choked up sort of laugh.] I've been told that before. [Several times, actually. ~~It's something of a family trait.~~

He reaches for the handkerchief--people still carry these around??--but simply curls his fingers around it, letting it rest in his hand.]

It wouldn't have felt right to stand back and ignore what was going on.

It's good to get your emotions out. [ Shouto should probably take his own advice. But he won't judge Midoriya for being emotional.

Maybe most people don't, but Shouto grew up as very traditional. He definitely does carry these things around. ]

You're a very kind person. It didn't have anything to do with you and you still got involved.

I couldn't help it. [He fiddles with the handkerchief, turning slightly to stare out the window for a moment.] I just thought...you looked so sad when you were out there during your match with Sero-kun.

Besides...getting involved when you don't need to is what a hero does. [Izuku says quietly before swinging his gaze back to Todoroki.] That's what All Might told me before.

[Shouto's eyes are wide when Midoriya looks back at him. He didn't think he looked that sad when he was unfreezing Sero from his ice. But Midoriya always seems to pay more attention than others. Is he really that easy to read? Or is it just because Midoriya has good instincts? It's hard to tell one way or another.

He does his best to school his features back to their usual expression, but he still seems mildly bewildered.]

... I'm still grateful for it.

You really will make a great hero.

[Ah, maybe he shouldn't have said that? Izuku can't be sure--he's still committing his new friend's expressions to memory--but Todoroki seems confused about something.

He would have gone on worrying about this more, if it weren't for Todoroki's next words. The compliment, of course, makes him look away bashfully.] You really think so?

[Most of Shouto's expressions are very small, or difficult to notice. But there's something about Midoriya that makes him emote more. Or at least, that's what it's starting to feel like.]

Yes.

[It's soft, simple, and direct. He'd never say anything he didn't mean, especially when it's with somebody he's just starting to get to know.]

[His cheeks start to pink up before he even realizes it. Hearing it said so simply by Todoroki, who's undoubtedly somewhere at the top of their class, hits Izuku in a way he wouldn't have expected. After being told that his dream is impossible over and over again by his previous classmates, getting this kind of affirmation from the other students in the hero course is.. special, in a way.]

Thanks, Todoroki-kun. [It's said so softly, and completely heartfelt.]

[He watches Midoriya start to blush. While he wasn't paying very much attention to his classmates during the beginning of the year he feels like this is a pretty normal look for Midoriya. Maybe he's shy? He said he didn't really have friends, but at the same time, Midoriya seems pretty good at talking to people.]

I'm just saying what I think.

[It seems a strange thing to thank somebody for, but he'll tuck it away just in case.]

[Izuku’s quiet for a moment, struggling with whether he should tell Todoroki anything or not. As it is, he knows that some of his odd behaviour’s been noted.]

I’m just not used to hearing those words. [He says, finally.] Even if you don’t think it’s a big deal, it is to me.

[Shouto's not great at being open about his feelings. Or sometimes he's too direct about something. But nobody's ever opened up to him like this before. He wishes he had a little more experience, that he knew what he should say to make Midoriya feel better.

He doesn't.

It doesn't mean he won't try.

Somebody like Midoriya, who's kind and thoughtful and well-meaning- how is it possible nobody's ever said something like that before to him? Even if Midoriya's control over his quirk still needs a lot of work.]

... You deserved to hear it more.

[The blush slowly spreads to the tips of his ears. It’s a little surreal, the way Todoroki’s essentially soothing some of his oldest worries without even really realizing it.]

I-it’s just...quirks. [Izuku stammers, caught off guard by the turn this conversation has taken to think about what he’s saying.] Mine came in really late, so...

[A helpless sort of shrug as he trails off, not really succeeding at the casual tone he was going for. It’s a sad truth in their world—no matter what a person is like, they’re always judged by their quirk first.]

[There's a pause as he thinks back to Midoriya breaking bones over and over and over again. He takes a small sip from his tea before answering.]

... Maybe it's better that way.

[The thought of a tiny child Midoriya breaking his arms makes him want to panic. He doesn't even know what kids are usually supposed to be like, so he's not entirely sure how to take that last statement. But it doesn't sound positive. He knows that.]

I... don't know if we would have met if everything didn't happen the way it did.

[He just lets that hang for a minute, not sure what else to say. It's probably fate... no that's far too embarrassing for him to actually say.]

[It’s nerve wracking, waiting for Todoroki’s reaction after blurting those words out. He’d been so flustered by the compliments that all Izuku could think of at the time was as close to the truth as he could get without giving certain secrets away. He doesn’t know what he was expecting from Todoroki, but what he gets draws a smile from him, bright and pleased.]

Maybe you’re right. [There’s no telling how things would have turned out, but growing up quirkless had led to meeting All Might and meeting people like Todoroki...things have definitely turned out for the better.] No matter how things were before, I’m glad I got to meet you at least, Todoroki-kun.

[Shouto looks at him like he's seeing him for the first time and he has no idea what to make of him. And slowly a blush starts to creep up his features before he remembers he's in public and he has at least a little bit of an image to uphold. (Or maybe he's trying to cover for his pride, he doesn't know.)

He covers his face and glances away like that does anything to hid the red that's tinging his ears.]

... So am I.

[The words come out slowly, even though he means them. He's not used to being that open about anything, but Midoriya makes him want to be. Even if it's only with him.]

[Oh...wow. It's still a bit of a treat seeing Todoroki so visibly flustered, Izuku can't help but watch with fascination the way the color slowly spreads across his skin. And this is the Todoroki that had said he wasn't here to make friends... maybe it's cliche, but Izuku wonders just how much of himself Todoroki had allowed to freeze over metaphorically by rejecting the fire side of his quirk. Well, whatever had made Todoroki change his mind about making friends, Izuku's just glad for it.

He grins at Todoroki over his drink.]

Things can only get better from here. Let's all work hard and become stronger together!

[He's not used to feelings like this. Anything positive was locked behind a wall years and years ago. But Izuku broke those walls down with every finger he broke in the arena, with the words he screamed from the stands. This is the sort of thing Shouto has no idea how to deal with it- and the person who'd probably be easiest to talk to is the one who's flustering him right now.

Later he'll ask. Maybe.

At some point, he'll figure something out.

But working hard is something he can easily latch back onto.]

... Yeah. Do you want to schedule training sessions too?

[Stunned, Izuku can only blink at Todoroki in silence for a second.]

T-training sessions... you mean, practicing together? [He sits ramrod straight, looking cautious, like he has to double check before he can allow himself to get excited.]

[Shouto has no idea why Izuku looks like that. It seemed like something very reasonable to him.]

Yes.

... Isn't that what it's supposed to mean?

Y-yeah, of course! It just...surprised me. [Izuku laughs sheepishly, leaning back into his chair.] Since everyone's supposed to be rivals, and all of that. No one's really offered to train with me before.

[The warm smile returns to his face.] If you're sure about this, I'd love to practice together! I-I know we're all supposed to be competing and pushing each other that way, but there's teamwork involved in working as a hero, too! Besides, I think it's easier to improve when you have another pair of eyes to spot mistakes and we could come up with more ideas this way.

[Izuku doesn't hold it against anyone for wanting to reach the top. That's just the way things work in the hero business, and he's doing the same, isn't he? Maybe it's because he grew up wanting for friends, but Izuku simply thinks it's better to make that climb with people you care about beside you.]

We're rivals, but that doesn't mean we can't help each other. [Maybe it's just the selfish part of him that wants to spend more time with Midoriya. But if he's helping him, he can chalk it up to being reasonable. One day Midoriya will figure out how to use his quirk without tremendously screwing over his limbs- he doesn't really know if that's something he can help with, but he'd like to.]

If we end up working together, it would be good to know what the best tactics would be.

[Here's the thing about Shouto, he wants to be a hero. He doesn't want to be the top hero. It simply doesn't matter to him. If he's out there and doing what a hero is supposed to do, then he'll be satisfied. What matters is the top for him, not the top in relation to anybody else.]

[Having been convinced that Todoroki really does want to train with him, Izuku nods his head along, brimming with enthusiasm again.]

Exactly! Knowing the best way to work together can only help us in the long run. Even if we don't have any more group competitions like the festival's cavalry battle or group assignments the rest of this year, the knowledge should still come in handy some other time. [His smile slips slightly, and his hand cups his chin thoughtfully.] I...I don't want to jinx it, but most of us had to work together with others when we were attacked at USJ, too. If we're caught in a bad spot like that again...

[Izuku trails off with a sigh. It's not a bad thing, to want to be prepared in that case, is it? True, UA is one of the most closely guarded places he knows of, but if the villains have broken in once already, then there's a chance they can do it again.]

[If he is his own person, and his quirk is his own- then it only makes sense to him to train with the person who helped him realize that.

UA may be closely guarded, but they're also not going to be at school for about a week. Which leaves them at least a bit vulnerable to outside threats like villains. Even if they're with pro heroes, there's a good chance the villains will kick up some kind of ruckus.]

We're not going to be at school during our internships. Stay alert.

Tell me if you need help.

Eh? [Izuku tilts his head, smiling guilelessly.] Don't worry about me, Todoroki-kun, I'll be careful!

And...I will! [Happily, he taps at his phone so he can see his updated contacts list and Todoroki's name on it.] I don't know how things will be when you're interning with Endeavor, but you'll let me know if you need help, too, right?

[Just as blunt and straightforward as ever:]

You're a worrying kind of guy.

... Thanks. [It's still weird on his tongue.] I'll keep it in mind.

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