mixingbowl | Try to believe walking down the lonesome road

Are you sure about this? [Some part of Izuku is still wondering if Todoroki had made a mistake, unable to think of any reason for Todoroki to choose him out of everyone else he could ask.

But realizing that his replies might look like reluctance on his end, Izuku quickly types out another text.]

It's not that I don't want to help, Todoroki-kun, I do! I just don't know if I'm the best option for this.

I'm sure you are. Why aren't you sure?

I'm around you all the time. You're my best friend. We trust each other. I'm very comfortable with you.

[Oh...Todoroki's words touch him unexpectedly, and Izuku has to take a moment to compose himself and blink away the tears already welling up in his eyes.]

I'm not exactly great dating material. I'm worried it might not be convincing enough if it's me you're with.

[There's an overall air of matter-of-factness in his text that implies he believes this completely.]

[ And on the other end, Shouto looks utterly bewildered. Midoriya is a very kind boy and Shouto cares about him a lot. He's sure anybody would be lucky to date him. ]

Then hold my hand when we do our usual stuff. That's pretty date like. I think we can make it convincing.

[H-h-holding hands??? Inexplicably, Izuku feels his face heat up at the thought alone. While he's certainly grabbed some of his classmates by hand to get them out of danger before, it would be a completely different feeling with Todoroki from this point on.]

If you really think so, then I'll help you out! It's only for a little while, until she gives up, right?

[Izuku sighs shakily and drops his phone once the text is sent. He's nervous--it didn't take very long for Izuku to realize that being convincing enough for the mystery girl means being convincing enough for everyone else, too. Everyone will know they're "dating"... well, the people around them, at least.

It's not something Izuku would have volunteered himself for normally, but Todoroki's asking him specifically for help. He'd be a terrible friend if he let Todoroki down now.]

Thank you.

[A wave of relief rushes over him. He can definitely work with that. And she didn't seem that persistent.

Though he realizes he doesn't know her as well as any of his classmates.]

It shouldn't take too long.

[Shouldn't take too long, huh. It doesn't sound too bad, now that he thinks about it. After all, Todoroki's right about them already spending a lot of time together.]

Any time, Todoroki-kun! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Were you staying up so late because you were worried about how to handle this?

Yes.

[ Another pause as he considers something else: ]

Should I wait for you by the school gates?

[Everything’s moving so fast!! Then again, it makes sense that Todoroki would want to deal with the situation as quickly and soon as possible.]

That works for me. I’ll see you outside the school tomorrow?

[It’s starting to sink in now, just what he agreed to. Izuku only hopes it works!]

I'll see you then. Good night, Midoriya.

[And with that he falls asleep.

In the morning Shouto's right outside of the gates and watching people as they pass by. Unfortunately, that girl found him and Shouto just looks incredibly uncomfortable about it. When is Midoriya going to be back...]

[When Izuku spots him at the gates the next morning, he’s about to call out a greeting....at least, until he spots the girl leaning in towards his friend. Ah. This must be the one who confessed. She’s pretty, Izuku notes, and seems friendly enough. Too friendly, maybe, judging by the way Todoroki’s tensed up.

Izuku breathes in deeply for a moment, gathering up the necessary courage. It’s one thing to face down a villain...it’s another to face down a girl. (More terrifying in its own way, in Izuku’s opinion.) ]

Todoroki-kun! [Izuku waves as he approaches them, ready to rescue Todoroki from some unwanted attention.]

[Shouto perks up the instant he hears Midoriya's voice and gently steps around the girl to get to his friend. There's a bit of hesitation, but it's easy to take his hand into his own to steady himself.

His gaze turns to Midoriya's and he looks incredibly relieved to have him here.]

Midoriya.

[The girl, however, looks a little bit sulky. "Todoroki-kun, you can talk to your friend and to me, can't you?"

Please. Save him, Midoriya.]

Edited 2018-01-20 00:15 (UTC)

[For a second, Izuku stares at their joined hands, swallowing nervously while his face pinks up. Yup...definitely different. And somehow, Izuku can't help but feel flustered even though he'd known what to expect.

Having Todoroki stare at him with such obvious relief helps ease his nerves, though. He made a promise to a friend, and he's not going to let them down now! Izuku's back straightens with resolve, but he keeps his voice kind when he addresses the hopeful girl.]

Sorry. Todoroki-kun and I...[Izuku wavers uncertainly. Great. He's set himself up to break the news to her, but what should he say now?? Internally panicking, Izuku blurts out the first thing he can think of.] We...we wanted to spend some time together before class started!!

[Nailed it.]

[Shouto takes a step closer to Midoriya so he's basically arm-to-arm with him. It's very silly, and he knows it, but he does feel safer with Midoriya this close. He's the perfect social buffer- that is to say, he's better at talking to people than Shouto is.

The girl hums... "But you don't mind not being alone, right?" She's either very pushy or deliberately ignoring the way that Shouto's trying to signal he's uninterested in her.

He's driven to some drastic measures. Like say, bluntly blurting this out:]

Midoriya is my boyfriend.

[W-wow, this girl must really like Todoroki...Izuku thinks he can understand. She's admittedly being too insistent, though, and before Izuku can scramble for a proper reply, Todoroki's already speaking up. Izuku barely manages not to whip his head around to stare at Todoroki in shock, but it's a near thing. He said it!! And so easily, too.]

Y-yeah, we're dating. [Willing himself not to blush doesn't seem to be working; he can still feel the heat creeping into his cheeks.

"Ehhh? No way, I haven't heard anything about this!" Izuku steels himself against the girl's obvious shock and disbelief. How can a confrontation like this be so nerve-wracking when he's faced down villains before??] We were trying to keep it quiet! [Even without the stammer, Izuku knows there's a thread of uncertainty running through his words. He's never really been the best at making up excuses on the fly like this.] We, um, didn't want it to interfere with our...classwork...e-especially with finals coming up!

[Shouto's definitely blushing, but he's not moving from Midoriya's side. He can't really step any closer. If he could, he'd certainly be doing it.

At least they're trained to deal with villains. Shouto's never gone through what he's supposed to do when he's against a very enthusiastic girl who wants to date him.

Unfortunately for the both of them, the girl seems to pick up on Midoriya's uncertainty. "I don't believe it!" But she does huffily walk off, as the bell is getting closer and closer to ringing.

Shouto squeezes Midoriya's hand and starts tugging him into the school.]

Thank you.

[Unfortunately...]

I think she'll be back.

[Izuku squeezes back reassuringly, even though the prolonged contact is keeping a healthy blush on his face. Thankfully, it's early enough that they aren't running into too many people on the way to their classroom. Todoroki's prediction makes Izuku glance at him in surprise.]

You think so? She left us alone after we explained, though.

[The thought of having to fend her off again is, admittedly, a daunting one. Why are girls so difficult to talk to about these things? At least the girls in his class have been markedly easy to approach, though Izuku suspects it's because he's only spoken to them about classwork and training so far. Romance is something that he's just never thought about seriously before, since all the girls he knew before UA either avoided him like the plague or joined in on the meanspirited teasing.]

[ Holding hands is much more pleasant than he was expecting. It's not as embarrassing as it seems to be for his friend, but he really doesn't want to let go. So he doesn't.

Shouto doesn't know very many girls outside of his sister and Momo. Both of them seem much more reasonable in comparison.]

I'm not sure she really believed it. And if we look like we aren't dating she'll try again. She's... Stubborn.

... Could you call me without the honorific?

[Izuku's grip tightens around Todoroki's hand slightly, and he looks done at the ground, suddenly downcast.] Sorry...I guess I wasn't convincing enough in the end. I-I'll try to be better at this if she talks to us again.

Without honorifics? [He echoes, blinking, before understanding dawns.] Oh! You mean...just "Todoroki". I can do that. [Though it would probably take a little getting used to.]

You're doing the best you can. It's okay. ... I think she knows more about romance than the two of us.

That will help. I already call everybody without them, so I can really use that. But you're usually polite. It'll sound like we're closer.

We could always check with Yaoyorozu-san if we need another opinion about her later on. [He looks back toward the gate, as if expecting the girl to still be watching them.] I...I mean, it might take a little longer than we thought to convince her, but she has to give up eventually.

[...right?]

I guess you're right. I use honorifics with everyone else, it'll stand out if I don't use one for you. Todoroki... [Izuku lets the name roll off his tongue experimentally, almost tacking on the "kun" at the end again, simply out of habit.]

[He gives a little nod. The girl isn't watching them right now, but she does glance back and frowns a bit. She doesn't believe they're dating, but she's going to have to find out why.]

I hope so.

... Sorry, is it uncomfortable?[Midoriya's a very polite person. He's not so sure he should be pushing for this.]

It's not! [The words come out practically jumbled together, with the way Izuku had rushed to reassure him.]

I'm just not used to...this. [Everything. Friends.] Kacchan's the only one I've ever called anything different... [Izuku trails off with an uncomfortable shrug. By this point, everyone in their class probably knows that there's tension between them.]

[He looks a bit puzzled at the rush of words. It takes him a bit to decode it but he gives a little nod.

Shouto's not used to this sort of thing either. But he's very thankful to have Midoriya in his life. He's not sure where he'd be without him.]

Just let me know if it ever gets too uncomfortable.

I will. [Some of the tension finally bleeds out of Izuku's shoulders as he turns to smile at Todoroki. His friend can be a bit hard to read at times, but Izuku's been gradually seeing more of those flashes of kindness from him, now that he knows what to look for.]

I don't think I'll have to, though. You're being so careful with me as it is.

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