Try to believe walking down the lonesome road

[inheritance]

[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.]

Comments

[glaciers]

Then we'll both have to live with it.

Come on, let's go find some nice socks.

[inheritance]

But--[It feels wrong to just leave it like this. Izuku stares for a second longer before finally relenting with something like a pout.]

Fine. Let's go look at the socks. [He's definitely going to bring it up again later--he's not giving up.]</small

[glaciers]

[Later Izuku might be able to change his mind.

Maybe.

It'll be a struggle.]

What do you think about a cat pattern? Like a calico.

[inheritance]

[It's a struggle, jumping back to this lighthearted topic after what they were just talking about, but Izuku musters up a smile all the same.]

That could be nice. Did you see one like that?

[glaciers]

[Shouto can let it drop for now.]

I saw some black socks with a cat face on it.

That seems reasonably close.

[inheritance]

Let's check that one out first! I bet there's some other cat themed socks around the same area.

[Squeezing Todoroki's hand again for reassurance.] Where was it?

[glaciers]

It was towards the left.

[He'll start tugging Midoriya in that direction.]

[inheritance]

[He allows himself to be pulled along, eyes lingering on some of the other socks that they pass along the way.]

Oh, are those the ones you were talking about? [Izuku points at the display table right ahead, and hey, aside from the one Todoroki had already noticed, there's a few more designs that Izuku thinks would be good choices, too.]

[glaciers]

Yeah, those are the ones. They're pretty cute, right?

[He sounds unsure, but he's never had to buy his mother anything before. Let alone something as universally useful as socks. He lets his gaze drift back to Midoriya. Is he right? Are these cute?]

[inheritance]

They are! [Izuku plucks a pair from the table.] That's one!

Um, how many cat socks do you think she needs? There's another one that I think she might like right here...

[glaciers]

Mm... I think three would be good.

[She doesn't really get to leave her hospital room that often.]

[inheritance]

[With a grin, Izuku reaches over and grabs something from further down the display.]

What about this one? [He holds up another pair for Todoroki's approval.] There's a bunch of different colors, too.

[glaciers]

[gentle gasp!! In his heart!

They're adorable.]

Mom would like the blue ones.

The green ones fit you very well too.

[inheritance]

You think? [This time he examines the socks in his hands with a tilt of his head. It's cuter than what he normally wears, but they are cute.]

It's too bad they don't have red and white ones--there's pink, though. [Pink is what you get when you mix red and white soooooo.]

[glaciers]

[They can wear them when they don't have training to get to. Indulgently cute socks.]

... Think pink would look good on me?

[inheritance]

[In the middle of holding up the pink and white pairs and comparing them, Izuku answers without thinking.]

I think any color would look good on you. [He's a little biased, though.]

[glaciers]

[He stares at Midoriya. Did he not hear what came out of his mouth? That's like him.]

Then I'll take the pink ones, you'll take the green ones. We'll match.

[inheritance]

[Still distracted by their many sock options, Izuku continues on, blissfully unaware of what he'd just said. He does look over happily when Todoroki makes his decision, though.]

Really? That means we'll have two pairs that match when we're done with all this.

[glaciers]

I'd be happy with that.

[Because Midoriya is great and matching with Midoriya is better.]

[inheritance]

[Izuku flashes him another pleased smile before shuffling some of the socks back into a neater pile, now that they'd picked out the ones they want.

Then, he gathers the four pairs they've decided on into his arms. Or tries to. One of them escapes the pile, flopping sadly onto the ground.] Oops. Maybe we should grab a basket?

[glaciers]

[He bites down a laugh and nods.]

Stay right here, I'll go get one.

[He'll come back after a few minutes with a basket.]

[inheritance]

[By the time Todoroki returns with the basket, Izuku's already picked up the runaway socks, scarred hand fiddling with one of the cotton cat ears. There's a fond look on his face when he spots Todoroki.]

That's two. [He says cheerfully when he drops the socks into the basket.]

[glaciers]

[Now that Izuku has a free hand again, Shouto goes right back to holding it. A faint smile crosses over his features.]

Just one more. Did you see a cat print somewhere?

[inheritance]

Mmm actually! I think I saw something when we were walking this way. Back where the fuzzy socks are.

[Now it's Izuku's turn to tug Todoroki along until they reach the wall where rows and rows of socks are hanging from little hooks.]

Where was it? I know it was around here... [His eyes scan the display quickly as he tries to locate whatever had caught his eye before. As far as his mumbling habits go, this bout is fairly mild.]

[glaciers]

[He lets himself indulge in listening to Midoriya's mumbling. It's very endearing, though he doesn't think Midoriya is ever aware he's talking to himself like that.

Shouto won't stop him.

Instead he's scanning for the calico patterned socks.]