Hands, put your empty hands in mine

[inheritance]

[It's only been a month since he and Mei opened up their own business, a month since graduating, and yet, the orders are already starting to pile up. Izuku supposes, he shouldn't be so surprised, with the reputation Mei built up for herself while they were in UA. Even in a Support Course as rigorous as their high school's, Mei quickly proved herself to be one of the best and brightest.

And then there's him. While Izuku knows he's no slouch when it comes to analyzing a hero's weaknesses and strengths, he also knows that he'd gotten lucky when he found a business partner and friend in Mei. Shaking his head, Izuku throws himself into his work to dispel those thoughts. Things had turned out alright in the end; that's what actually matters.]

Hooooold on, I'll be right with you. [Izuku calls, distracted, when he hears the front door open. A few more strokes of his pencil and--done! Finished with another design sketch, Izuku sets his notebook aside and stands up, looking up at them for the first time. He pauses, not even managing to get a greeting out.] ...Todoroki-kun?

Comments

[inheritance]

I guess you have a point. [Izuku sighs, feeling a pang of disappointment despite himself.] There isn't much I can do when it's just me and Mei-san right now.

[He can't help but look at Todoroki with a mixture of disbelief and hope.] You really think they would? Even...even if they knew about me? [Izuku trusts Todoroki's judgment, but part of him can't let go of his wariness when he's been let down too many times before.]

[glaciers]

I'm still surprised there are only two of you. This business is in high demand.

[There's something heartbreaking about that. More people should be giving Midoriya a chance. Or maybe he's simply biased. Those big green eyes and those freckles, not to mention Midoriya's arms.]

They're not going to judge you for being quirkless. [And if they do he'll fight them.]

[inheritance]

Trust me, I've tried to convince Mei-san we need more people on staff, but. [He shrugs helplessly.] She doesn't think we need anyone else yet.

[Those are words that Izuku hardly ever hears, and for a second, he has trouble getting the words out.] Okay. [His voice wavers a little, but he's smiling.] I-I'd love to meet them sometime, then. [He'll trust Todoroki's judgment on this one.]</small<

[glaciers]

She must really believe in you two as a duo.

[He's going to protect Midoriya Izuku's smile with his life if it's the last thing he does.]

I think we all have a day off next Sunday. Are you available?

[inheritance]

I think that's part of it. But she's also really stubborn. [Izuku grins. He's learned not to argue with Mei at this point--as stubborn as he can be, she's even moreso.]

Next Sunday? [A tilt of his head as he recalls his schedule.] I usually help Mei-san test out her new tech in the morning, but after that, I should be free!

[glaciers]

That's... a way to put it.

[Poor Iida.]

Then would you like to meet for lunch? ... It's more like breakfast for me.

[inheritance]

[Izuku perks up, then nods all too eagerly.]

Yes! That would work perfectly with the work I'm doing in the morning--ah, are Iida-kun and Uraraka-san going to meet us there, too?

[glaciers]

Yeah. ... Knowing Iida he'll be there half an hour early.

[He ducks his head a bit, because this is going to make it sound an awful lot like a date.

Perhaps. Because Shouto would like it to be?

He's moving way too fast, what if he freaks Midoriya out--]

Do you want to meet up beforehand? I can pick you up from work.

[inheritance]

[It's like a whirlwind of emotion, with Izuku caught between delight at Todoroki's apparent shyness and his own fluster.]

That sounds like Iida-kun all right. [He manages to say without stuttering too badly.] A-are you sure that isn't out of the way for you, though, Todoroki-kun?

[glaciers]

[His face is going so pink.]

It wouldn't be. What time should I pick you up?

[inheritance]

[It's almost like a date, Izuku thinks, and immediately starts blushing in response. Of course it's not, he has to tell himself. They're meeting up with Iida and Uraraka, too, and Todoroki's just being kind. That's all.]

Um. [He ducks his head.] How about 11? That should give us plenty of time to get there.

[glaciers]

[It's a date! A small but genuine smile graces his features. Midoriya wants to spend time with him outside the office! He's meeting Shouto's friends too and maybe he'll make friends with them.]

I can be here by then. I have your number in case anything changes.

[inheritance]

[Todoroki's smiling. At him. Izuku can feel the heat from his cheeks spreading to the tips of his ears by now, and he ends up rambling nervously.] A-and I have yours! In case Mei-san goes a little overboard with her experiments and we have to spend a lot of time cleaning up again...

["Again" because it's happened way too many times to count already.]

[glaciers]

[Midoriya's blush is just too precious. Shouto just stares at him for a few seconds before catching himself.]

She does seem to enjoy her inventions. Even with how much destruction she tends to cause.

[inheritance]

[He coughs, blush slowly subsiding as he hides a laugh.]

A little too much. [A pause.] Actually, I kind of suspect she made the weirdest, most over-the-top projects to see how much Majima-sensei would let her get away with. He kept threatening to ban her from the Development Studios when we were still students, but he never did.

[glaciers]

She definitely seems like the type to push the limits. Though I don't think anybody would be willing to throw her talent away.

... I suppose I've only really talked to you. But you seem to like her.

[inheritance]

She's my best friend. [Izuku's smile is just a bit strained.] Mei-san was the only one who didn't really care that I didn't have a quirk.

I owe her a lot. [For one, he knows that the past three years would have been hell to get through without her friendship, even if she could get distracted at times.[

[glaciers]

I'm glad you met her. But Midoriya, you need to meet more people. There are plenty of people who don't care about something like that.

[Are there really so many people who would care so much about being quirkless? (Sometimes he wished he was, growing up.) There are so many quirks that aren't combat oriented, that don't serve any real purpose except making people look different.

There's not a single thing he'd want to change about Midoriya though.]

[inheritance]

There's you. [Izuku says, expression softening.]

I-I know I should meet more people, Todoroki-kun. I tried for a while, after I got into U.A.... [But there's only so many times he could get his hopes up, only to be turned away. Perhaps seeing that nothing had really changed, even after getting into his dream school, was what had finally made him give up in the end.

Izuku rubs at his neck, smiling weakly.] At least I know there's Iida-kun and Uraraka-san now, too. Maybe I should've tried to get to know you all earlier.

[glaciers]

[Two people isn't enough, he doesn't think. He slowly ended up making friends with all of 1-A.

He leans a bit forward ending up in Midoriya's space again.]

We can't change the past, but we can always make the future better.

[inheritance]

[Izuku gives him a wide-eyed look as he leans in again, and ends up holding himself cautiously, like he's afraid to move and disturb the air between them.]

Y-yeah. I mean--it's been getting better already! I didn't think I'd ever meet someone lik you, so... [Izuku trails off, resisting the urge to hide his face in his hands. Was that too cheesy? It sounded really cheesy to himself.]

[glaciers]

[Sometimes Shouto doesn't even realize he's hovering in Midoriya's space, but it just feels so comfortable to be close to him. Even if they aren't as close as they could be.]

You met me. And you'll meet my two best friends.

It's a start.

[inheritance]

A pretty good start, if you ask me.

[His smile wavers after a second, then drops completely as he exhales.] Thank you for looking out for me like this, Todoroki-kun.

[glaciers]

... You deserve good friends, Midoriya. I'll help you however I can.

[inheritance]

[To Izuku's horror, he can feel his eyes start to water.]

Oh. [He says quietly and then furiously scrubs at his eyes, turning his face away from Todoroki at the same time.]