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

[inheritance]

Interesting, but not for me. [Izuku tilts his head.]

You said your mom might like something to do, right? Like knitting?

[glaciers]

I don't know if she's knitted before.

... But it has to be boring in a hospital room all day.

[inheritance]

We can get her a knitting book for beginners to go with the yarn and needles. And other books, too!

Why don't you ask her if she'd like to learn how to knit, when you're giving her the socks next time?

[glaciers]

Alright.

I'll see her this weekend and we can meet up after school sometime to get more stuff for her.

[inheritance]

[More time with Todoroki--as if he'd be against that.]

Sounds like a plan to me. [The smell of food reaches them as they retrace their steps from earlier, and Izuku can't help but breathe it in with a smile.]

[glaciers]

[Shouto is just very fond of any time he gets to be around Midoriya. So he's definitely looking forward to anything involving him.]

Now... pretzels, right?

[His stomach might growl just a little bit.]

[inheritance]

Pretzels! [Izuku says brightly, grinning when he hears that growl.]

Oh, I think I see it over there. [They've reached the food court now, and it takes a second for Izuku to spy the cart Todoroki had spotted earlier.] Is that it?

[glaciers]

[They all look so deliciously soft and chewy...]

Yes, unless there's another shop.

[inheritance]

Mmmm... [Just because he can, Izuku scans the food court again.]

Nope, looks like that's the only one. [This time he only hesitates for a split second before taking Todoroki's hand in his.] Let's go!

[glaciers]

[He'll let Midoriya take his hand and shift it just a little so their fingers are properly interlaced.]

Are the cinnamon looking ones good?

[inheritance]

[They come to a stop before the pretzel stand, Izuku peering at the selection.]

I haven't had them in a long time, but I remember liking them. Is that the kind you want?

[glaciers]

I don't know what any of them taste like.

Tell me your favorite.

[inheritance]

Nuh uh. [Izuku squeezes his hand, eyebrows raised.]

You're the one who's trying them for the first time. That means you should try the flavor you think you'd like the most.

[glaciers]

You're going to be stubborn about this too, aren't you?

... A normal pretzel. Maybe with some of the cheese?

[inheritance]

[Does he even need to reply? Todoroki already knows the answer to that one, going by the grin on Izuku's face.]

One, please! [Izuku holds up a finger as he turns to the employee who'd been watching the exchange with some amusement.]

[glaciers]

[Shouto will take this pretzel in his hands and wait until Midoriya orders his own.]

[inheritance]

[Izuku dithers a bit before ordering a cinnamon one for himself, because now he's thinking about it, and it would feel wrong to get another flavor.

As soon as he has it in his hands, Izuku happily inhales the sweet scent before looking at Todoroki.] Should we find a table?

[glaciers]

We should.

[Shouto looks around for a moment before spotting one and walking towards it.]

Is this one good?

[They're in the middle of the foot court.]

[inheritance]

Yup. [Izuku's already pulling a chair out and plopping into it.]

This went by a lot more quickly than I thought it would. Sometimes I get a little too distracted in the stores and end up staying there way longer than I planned to. [He smiles at Todoroki from across the table.] It was fun, though. Coming here with you.

[glaciers]

[He takes the chair across from him and then stares at his own pretzel. Should he tear it apart or just take a bite...]

I liked shopping with you. ... I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime.

[inheritance]

[It takes all of Izuku's willpower not to just jump up in excitement. It's surreal, knowing that he has someone willing to spend this much time with him at the cafe and the shopping center that he'd always frequented alone before this.]

Good. [He settles back down, tearing off little chunks of the pretzel to pop into his mouth.] The next time we come back, we'll have even more ideas for your mom.

[glaciers]

[It looks like tearing the pretzel apart is his best bet. So he'll go ahead and do that.]

We can get her some plants next. ... I don't really know anything about them though.

[inheritance]

I don't either, but that's what books and the internet are for!

[At this rate, Todoroki's mom won't have to worry about her hospital room looking too bare.

Meanwhile, Izuku nibbles on another piece of pretzel as he watches Todoroki sample his own. ]

[glaciers]

We'll have to research that too. I should be able to help that that.

[At least it can look a little bit like a home instead of a hospital room.]

[inheritance]

[There's an amused tilt to his lips now.] We shouuuuld ask your mom if she has any preferences, too.

[How mortifying would it be if she hated what they picked out? Giving her something she'd rather not have in her room is the last thing Izuku wants to do.]