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

[glaciers]

So she does just barge into your apartment.

[He was right the first time around.]

[inheritance]

Yeah, sometimes. [Izuku just grins at him.]

I don't mind. Mei-san might stop by at weird hours, but she's never actually forced me to go if I wasn't feeling up to it. [Though Izuku's rarely in such horrible shape that he'd actually turn down a chance to help.]

[glaciers]

I'm glad she listens to you.

[Even if she doesn't seem to have a sense of privacy.

Ah. Wait.

This has nothing to do with making friends, but if he wants to go farther than that he has to know now.]

Are you two dating?

[inheritance]

[Izuku turns a bewildered look on him, then turns red.]

M-m-mei-san?? And me? [He shakes his head no so quickly, he almost gives himself whiplash.] We're just really good friends, that's all! I...guess it would be an easy mistake to make if we're in and out of each other's apartments all the time.

[glaciers]

[Ah, so they aren't dating.

... What's it like to have friends who can just barge in on each other like that? It's incomprehensible to him.]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.

[inheritance]

It's okay! [Izuku doesn't look bothered by it, at least, and his cheeks are even returning to their normal color by now.]

Asking questions like that is just part of getting to know a new friend. [...he thinks, anyway.]

[glaciers]

Uraraka does check if we're dating anybody or if we've got anybody knew in our lives. ... It's been a while since I've made a new friend though.

[Busy schedule and he's usually asleep for most of the day.]

[inheritance]

I met Mei-san during our first year, so it's been a while for me, too. At least we're in the same boat!

Okay, my turn to ask something. [Apparently this is what they're doing now.] Mmm, why did you choose your first name as your hero name? Unless you're just using it as a placeholder for now...?

[glaciers]

I was forcibly dragged into friendship half way through the year.

It's just a good name. It has the characters for freezing and burning in it already. ... And icyhot is copyrighted. It's also easier to remember one name.

[inheritance]

[Forcibly dragged...] Well, it seems like you all get along now!

[Whatever else he was going to say is lost in the choking sound he makes when he hears the other hero name option.] Icyhot. It's too bad you can't use that one, Todoroki-kun. I mean... Icyhot. [He's grinning, clearly amused.]

[glaciers]

They're very stubborn.

[He was being serious here??] I mean I'm going by freezing burning. So... it's not that far off.

[inheritance]

[Izuku actually giggles, though he might deny it.]

That's true. I can still call you Icyhot if you want, though. It seems like such a shame not to use it now that I know you were thinking about picking it as your hero name.

[glaciers]

[He was definitely being serious there!]

If you're willing to do that, please call me Shouto.

[inheritance]

[It shouldn't be any different, except it is. It's Todoroki's given name, too, and Izuku just clams up nervously at the thought.]

That's... a little more difficult!

[glaciers]

[He tilts his head to the side in muted confusion.]

It's my hero name.

[inheritance]

It's also your first name.

[From the way his lips are pursed in a slight pout, that was apparently the problem all along.]

[glaciers]

So we're not close enough friends for that.

... I can accept it.

[inheritance]

A-ah, that's not... really it! I mean...it took me three years to call Mei-san by her first name. [And yet the extremely polite honorific is still tacked on even after all that time.]

I'm just not used to it. [Nervous and flustered, Izuku gives into the urge to babble, as he usually does.] But like you said it's your hero name, too. If you really want me to call you by your given name, I mean, hero name instead, I can try my best...

[glaciers]

[Midoriya, you're just an exceptionally polite boy, aren't you?]

I don't want to make you uncomfortable. Todoroki or Icyhot is fine until it feels okay.

[inheritance]

[Izuku reaches up and touches his cheeks--yup, still warm. But at least he manages to crack a smile again.]

You're willing to let me call you Icyhot?

[glaciers]

Only because we're friends.

[inheritance]

[He gets an absolutely beaming smile for that response.]

I was... just teasing earlier. Todoroki-kun works for me.

[Even if Icyhot is pretty amusing to him, Izuku doesn't want to call him by anything he isn't completely okay with.]

[glaciers]

[ There is the barest hint of a blush over Shouto's cheeks. That smile could fell armies.]

I haven't been teased like that before.

[inheritance]

Really? You should brace yourself for it, since you're planning to stop by the workshop more often. Mei-san can be pretty merciless.

[And there's him, too, of course.] Who do you think I learned it from?

[glaciers]

I thought it might have come from your family.

[He's heard people can pick things up like that from siblings and parents.]