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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[Adorable.

As always Shouto puts up no resistance, letting Izuku lead him around like a puppy.]

[Sometimes Izuku slows down to peer at something in a window with interest before moving on, but they manage to make it to the store in good time. And he doesn't let go of Todoroki's wrist the entire time.]

Here we go! [There's a decent number of people gathered in the store--and considering the sheer amount of figures and posters and other hero-themed trinkets on display, it couldn't be anything but the shop Izuku had been looking for.

He gasps as soon as they walk in.] Oh, they have new hoodies and shirts!

[Shouto's not about to hurry him along. Midoriya's pace is his pace.]

It's busy.

[That shouldn't be a surprise. But he'll make sure he sticks next to his friend in here.]

Are they... limited edition? [He knows what that means, of course, it's just not something he's experienced first hand.]

["Cute" isn't a word that Izuku would have used to describe Todoroki before, but he quietly revises his opinion now. Because Todoroki attempting to learn the language of Merch is undeniably cute to him.]

Not these ones. [Izuku looks around the store until his eyes land on a poster to their right.] That new poster of All Might standing in front of U.A. is, though. Huh, I wonder when they even had the time to take pictures?

[Especially when everyone's been so busy. Then again, when you're the Number One, you make time for promotional material like this, Izuku guesses.]

It's All Might and he's always at Yuuei.

[Shouto looks it over- All Might looks so much bigger in person, even though he has the school for a sense of scale.]

They probably had some time between classes or something.

... Do you like the poster?

Of course I do! It's All Might. [For someone like Izuku, that kind of answer explains everything. He tilts his head.]

There's something a little different about seeing him right next to the school like that, though. Usually they just have shots of him in action or there's a few of him with the other members of the top ten.

Are you going to buy it?

[He'll look it over with Izuku before his gaze wanders off to another poster of All Might. In this one he's in mid jump from building to building.]

Do you research this merch as much as you do quirks?

[A distressed sound escapes him.] I want to, but I'm running out of wall space in my room. And I wanted to look at those hoodies... [Being an ultra fanboy is hard.]

Sure I do, Todoroki. [Is this even a surprise at this point.] I like to know what kind of merch is being released, and it makes it easier to keep track of what I already have!

Do you have a closet? You could keep it rolled up until you move to a bigger place.

[He's not even sure why he asked. It was so obvious.]

Is there... an app for this sort of thing?

I...do. [Izuku looks away guiltily right after saying that, because he sure doesn't have space in his closet either.]

Yup, there's an app to keep track of what you have already. There's even a wishlist section for any merch that you don't have!

[Oh... So Midoriya's closest is full.]

I didn't know people were so dedicated.

Of course! You should see how hyped everyone gets at hero cons!

[He pauses, looking thoughtful.]

There's even fans way more into collecting merch than I am, actually. [Unless it comes to All Might merch. He's definitely in the top percentile when it comes to that.] And I've never really tried to cosplay either.

I've never been to one. But it sounds like you've had fun at them.

[Is there somebody out there with dozens of figures of his old man... that's a weird thought. He immediately drops it.]

Not even All Might?

They're really crowded, but it's easy to get caught up in everyone's excitement when you're in a place like that.

[Izuku blushes. He can't even be surprised that Todoroki asked specifically about All Might.] Not since I was a kid! B-besides, my face is pretty plain, my sewing skills aren't that great, and I'd rather meet heroes at the cons instead of dressing up like them.

[Shouto looks as quietly amused as he usually does around his friend.]

You keep saying you're plain. Your face is memorable, you know.

... And you can do both at the same time.

It is? [This is the first time he's hearing of this???]

Ah, you're right about that. I-I'll think about it!

[While a younger him would have taken Todoroki's advice and cosplayed All Might, to heck with everything, Izuku hesitates now. It feels too much like putting on shoes that he cannot fill, a connection between him and All Might that he doesn't feel right in making, just like when he'd thought back on all those All Might themed hero names he'd come up with as a kid.]

You're cute.

[Obviously? Has nobody else noticed?]

If you don't want to dress up like All Might, you could try dressing up like Eraserhead. Aizawa might scold you.

[Izuku almost chokes, his face turning red in record time. Did Todoroki just say what he think he did?]

Wait...what?

[He sure did, but he doesn't seem to think it was anything strange. He just looks back at Midoriya.]

What?

You just said… I was cute.

[The last few words taper off uncertainly, like he’s starting to believe he’d misheard afterall.]

That's because you are.

[He continues like he didn't say anything strange.]

[He thought he couldn't get any redder, but never mind! Apparently he can.]

I'm--I'm gonna go look at the hoodies! [He stutters out. Face extremely hot, Izuku decides on the wisest course of action: which is to flee, apparently.]

[He's just amazed Midoriya can get that color. Gosh. Look how red he is. It feels like a miracle that Izuku hasn't passed out or something.]

... I'll... be here?

[He really doesn't know what to do without Midoriya around. So he stays where he his for a few minutes, looking around. But he makes his way back to his friend's side.]

[There's still just the faintest trace of a blush on his face when Todoroki catches up to him, but he's just grateful he no longer resembles a tomato. He smiles at Todoroki tentatively, embarrassed by the way he'd run earlier.]

Hey. See anything you like?

[Shouto does a once over of the store, before his gaze lands back on Midoriya.]

I like you. Does that count?

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