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[Izuku's been working on this one manga for a good year now. The story of a middle school girl who's often bullied by the rest of her class for just generally not fitting in- everybody around her has powers and she, due to unfortunate genetics, does not. It's a reverse harem manga featuring tropes like the her childhood friend (tsun tsun archetype), her reliable best friend, an aloof rich boy, and her cute girlfriend- every single one of them vying for the main character's attention.
He'd like to put in some heroics, but no, his editor has always sat him down and made him redo those chapters because "it's marketed as pure harem romance."
Which is why he's currently up at 1 am a day before the deadline and redoing those panels. All his other assistants have gone home, the effects have been taken care of, but the screentones and inking need to happen.]
Todoroki-kun, thank you so much for staying so late.
He'd like to put in some heroics, but no, his editor has always sat him down and made him redo those chapters because "it's marketed as pure harem romance."
Which is why he's currently up at 1 am a day before the deadline and redoing those panels. All his other assistants have gone home, the effects have been taken care of, but the screentones and inking need to happen.]
Todoroki-kun, thank you so much for staying so late.
[ Most people would generally expect him to go for Shounen Jump, if he wanted to work in manga. He'd thought about it for a while, but then had decided that this was the series he wanted to work on, the author he wanted to help out. Even if he usually doesn't go for harem series, this one is... actually genuinely interesting, and doesn't subscribe to all of the usual tropes that they do.
Nevermind the mind behind it. He doesn't want to think about that too much.
Shouto simply slides another cup of coffee across to Izuku, before he takes the most recent page that requires inking and grabs his brush pen. ]
It's no problem. You need to finish the pages. Though I don't see why he won't let you keep them the way they are now. [ Because he likes the idea of breaking out of the typical harem trope with the heroics that Izuku wants to incorporate. ]
Nevermind the mind behind it. He doesn't want to think about that too much.
Shouto simply slides another cup of coffee across to Izuku, before he takes the most recent page that requires inking and grabs his brush pen. ]
It's no problem. You need to finish the pages. Though I don't see why he won't let you keep them the way they are now. [ Because he likes the idea of breaking out of the typical harem trope with the heroics that Izuku wants to incorporate. ]
[There was one and only one reason Midoriya Izuku got into the lawyer business, and his name is Todoroki Shouto. When they were young they briefly shared a class together and Shouto was the only person there who was willing to defend him when he was accused of stealing lunch money- and from that day forth Shouto was Izuku's favorite person.
They managed to stay together for a while before tragedy struck and Shouto moved away. Years down the line, Izuku caught a news program about prosecutor Todoroki Shouto having a 100% conviction record, and his entire day stopped right there. Something happened. Something had to have happened because Shouto always said he wanted to be a defense lawyer- that was the day he changed his major. That was the day he decided he was somehow going to save Todorki Shouto from himself.
He just wishes their first meeting in years wasn't over the trial of Uraraka Ochako. There's no way a girl like her would have killed Toshinori Yagi. He has all of his evidence in his briefcase and he's ready to do this.
Sort of.
Physically yes, he's as prepared as he'll ever be. Emotionally? There's no way he could be prepared to have his first run in with Shouto go like this. Which is why he's standing at the lobby benches and trying to keep his breathing even.]
They managed to stay together for a while before tragedy struck and Shouto moved away. Years down the line, Izuku caught a news program about prosecutor Todoroki Shouto having a 100% conviction record, and his entire day stopped right there. Something happened. Something had to have happened because Shouto always said he wanted to be a defense lawyer- that was the day he changed his major. That was the day he decided he was somehow going to save Todorki Shouto from himself.
He just wishes their first meeting in years wasn't over the trial of Uraraka Ochako. There's no way a girl like her would have killed Toshinori Yagi. He has all of his evidence in his briefcase and he's ready to do this.
Sort of.
Physically yes, he's as prepared as he'll ever be. Emotionally? There's no way he could be prepared to have his first run in with Shouto go like this. Which is why he's standing at the lobby benches and trying to keep his breathing even.]
[ When he was growing up, Shouto's mother was the kindest, most understanding defense lawyer of her era. How she'd managed to marry the hardest, harshest prosecutor is a mystery to many people except the Todoroki family themselves, but that was his family. And he'd been dreaming of following in his mother's footsteps, determined to held defend people, to be a hero. That's what he tried to be as a child, befriending Midoriya Izuku and defending him from a classroom that'd found a scapegoat to jump on.
But his mother had broken, and so had his dream.
That's why they're here, now, Shouto following in the footsteps of Todoroki Enji instead. He's embittered and harsh, honesty more brutal than simply blunt much of the time. And at first he'd thought he'd misread who the defense attorney was going to be. But now, he's standing in the lobby, and it's like they're in primary school all over again, a shock of unruly green hair standing out like a beacon.
He takes his own, even breath, and approaches. Izukkun. ] Midoriya.
But his mother had broken, and so had his dream.
That's why they're here, now, Shouto following in the footsteps of Todoroki Enji instead. He's embittered and harsh, honesty more brutal than simply blunt much of the time. And at first he'd thought he'd misread who the defense attorney was going to be. But now, he's standing in the lobby, and it's like they're in primary school all over again, a shock of unruly green hair standing out like a beacon.
He takes his own, even breath, and approaches. Izukkun. ] Midoriya.
[Izuku gets bullied. He's small and pretty weak in comparison to the people around him, and once the rest of the kids realized he was quirkless, well that just added another layer of why they'd bully him.
The only person he has to protect him is Shouto and he's always a little embarrassed about it, even if he does appreciate Shouto stepping in for him. He's not always there and Izuku has a tendency of stepping in where he doesn't need to, getting beaten up in place of another kid.
Which is how Shouto finds him in the park, sprawled out and beaten up, an eye opening as he registers Shouto coming over.]
Shoucchan...?
The only person he has to protect him is Shouto and he's always a little embarrassed about it, even if he does appreciate Shouto stepping in for him. He's not always there and Izuku has a tendency of stepping in where he doesn't need to, getting beaten up in place of another kid.
Which is how Shouto finds him in the park, sprawled out and beaten up, an eye opening as he registers Shouto coming over.]
Shoucchan...?
[Izuku didn't exactly want to go into villainy but by god he wants his doctorate, and it's not that hard for him to pick up his doctoral committee is made up of a bunch of villains. And if he needs to do this for the extra credit to pass, then fine. He'll do it. Gotta be a henchman until he gets his doctorate in applied physics.
He's mostly running on espresso, ramen and spite by half way into the year.
What he wasn't expecting was to continuously run into the hero Shouto.]
... Are you going to ask me about good again?
[It's turned into a strange kind of ritual. They meet, Shouto asks about this, Izuku attempts to keep him away from the villains halfheartedly.
He can't deny the guy's cute. If it wasn't for his whole henchman job, he might have asked him out. As it stands, that's a conflict of interests.]
He's mostly running on espresso, ramen and spite by half way into the year.
What he wasn't expecting was to continuously run into the hero Shouto.]
... Are you going to ask me about good again?
[It's turned into a strange kind of ritual. They meet, Shouto asks about this, Izuku attempts to keep him away from the villains halfheartedly.
He can't deny the guy's cute. If it wasn't for his whole henchman job, he might have asked him out. As it stands, that's a conflict of interests.]
[ Shouto's been trying to figure this guy out ever since they first met.
It's not so much that it's complicated to understand. He's not a villain, really, but he is doing villainous jobs, so. He falls into Shouto's wheelhouse, and he's sort of glad that it's him that's dealing with him and not someone else. (Not his father.) Anyone else, and they'd probably cuff him and throw him into a cell.
He's mostly just doing this out of habit, and the fact that they have a rapport. And he'll keep him out of some of his usual trouble at the same time.
This time, he's got his hands in his pockets, surveying what Izuku's up to now. ]
We've been over it enough times, I figure we could both recite the whole spiel by heart now.
It's not so much that it's complicated to understand. He's not a villain, really, but he is doing villainous jobs, so. He falls into Shouto's wheelhouse, and he's sort of glad that it's him that's dealing with him and not someone else. (Not his father.) Anyone else, and they'd probably cuff him and throw him into a cell.
He's mostly just doing this out of habit, and the fact that they have a rapport. And he'll keep him out of some of his usual trouble at the same time.
This time, he's got his hands in his pockets, surveying what Izuku's up to now. ]
We've been over it enough times, I figure we could both recite the whole spiel by heart now.
they grow with love
[ When Todoroki Shouto was growing up, his wings were soft and fluffy. They matched his hair - though that much is still true - and were full of love. But then everything changed, as his world tilted on its axis, and his wings became raggedy and worn when the one person that filled them up with all that love and adoration came to resent everything that he stood for. And ever since then, they were never full the way they were before, though they did grow with him because admiration sustained them, and his mother at her best has always loved him. Fuyumi, too.
But for the past year, he's started to notice that his feathers have started to regain their luster. It's a bizarre change that he doesn't understand at first, when he realizes it, because he's losing less feathers, too. So he tries to figure it out.
His progress with his mom is great, but it shouldn't be this drastic this quickly, should it? He guesses that he has more friends, real friends, that might be contributing to it too. But he really, seriously can't believe that it's those two things causing his wings to fluff back up again.
Shouto tries to ignore it, but that's pretty hard when he finds himself bumping them into things because he keeps forgetting that they're that little bit bigger, that they drag along the ground. So he leaves trails of feathers that are because he keeps catching them on things, instead of having them falling out. It's sort of annoying, to be honest, just as much as it is confusing, but. It is what it is, he supposes.
In his attempts to put it out of his mind, though... he winds up staring at Izuku's wings while they're hanging out, instead. They've bumped into each other before. He knows that they're fluffy and soft. But they seem to be moreso, now?
So, what does he do?
He reaches and brushes his fingers through the upper wing coverts, not really thinking about it. ]
[When Izuku was young, his wings were soft and fluffy, just as messy as his hair, but he didn't mind that. He didn't exactly have a lot of friends when he was little- not real ones, sure he admired Bakugou, but it's hard to call somebody a friend when they spend most of their time bullying you.
So he grew up, his mother the only real source of love he had in his life. His wings are still soft and fluffy, but they're small. Smaller than every one else's, and that on top of being quirkless- well, let's say his middle school years weren't easy.
And then he runs into All Might, and his wings grow, just a little, still healthy and shiny. Then he enters Yuuei and he makes friends for the first time in what feels like forever. They grow a little more. More recently though, they've been getting bigger, he's bumping against doorways and people and having to apologize over and over until he can get used to the new width of them. Izuku figures he can chalk it all up to friendship.
The moment Shouto's fingers touch his wings, he shivers, flush spreading over his face- but his wings spread out, eager for more touch, even as he turns to see Shouto's hand in his feathers. His crush. His crush is touching his feathers. His crush is touching his wings.]
T...Todoroki-kun?
So he grew up, his mother the only real source of love he had in his life. His wings are still soft and fluffy, but they're small. Smaller than every one else's, and that on top of being quirkless- well, let's say his middle school years weren't easy.
And then he runs into All Might, and his wings grow, just a little, still healthy and shiny. Then he enters Yuuei and he makes friends for the first time in what feels like forever. They grow a little more. More recently though, they've been getting bigger, he's bumping against doorways and people and having to apologize over and over until he can get used to the new width of them. Izuku figures he can chalk it all up to friendship.
The moment Shouto's fingers touch his wings, he shivers, flush spreading over his face- but his wings spread out, eager for more touch, even as he turns to see Shouto's hand in his feathers. His crush. His crush is touching his feathers. His crush is touching his wings.]
T...Todoroki-kun?
[ For the most part, Shouto doesn't get annoyed over much. He almost always run on an even keel, and tends to brush off minor annoyances that would irk most people. It's true that he does have something of a temper, but it takes a certain thing to set it off. His father, for one. Incompetent professors, when they happen.
And a lot of the people that he encounters while he's gaming.
Momo always listens to him sympathetically, regardless of what he needs to vent about, but in the past couple of months she hasn't had to listen quite so often when it comes to assholes on the internet, all because he's gotten a lot closer to the Mercy player that he met during a match. They'd joined the same team, and the rest of the players had just left him behind, only coming back to him when they needed his help but otherwise leaving him to fend for himself.
A little ironic that Shouto mains Genji, then, and got angry on his behalf.
They've been friends ever since. It's a little surprising.
Which takes some of his irritation out of his weekly coffee dates with Momo. He unsuspectingly places his order with the barista, following after her and returning to their conversation now that they're out of the line. ]
I still think you should probably tell him that he's unqualified to teach, considering he's building lesson plans based on incorrect information. Where is he even getting his sources?
And a lot of the people that he encounters while he's gaming.
Momo always listens to him sympathetically, regardless of what he needs to vent about, but in the past couple of months she hasn't had to listen quite so often when it comes to assholes on the internet, all because he's gotten a lot closer to the Mercy player that he met during a match. They'd joined the same team, and the rest of the players had just left him behind, only coming back to him when they needed his help but otherwise leaving him to fend for himself.
A little ironic that Shouto mains Genji, then, and got angry on his behalf.
They've been friends ever since. It's a little surprising.
Which takes some of his irritation out of his weekly coffee dates with Momo. He unsuspectingly places his order with the barista, following after her and returning to their conversation now that they're out of the line. ]
I still think you should probably tell him that he's unqualified to teach, considering he's building lesson plans based on incorrect information. Where is he even getting his sources?
[Izuku, for his part, has a fairly even personality. It takes a while before he gets frustrated with something, and he's got the diligence to work through most things on his own. But what is forever frustrating is people in Overwatch convinced that Mercy is their own personal health battery- which, no. Incorrect. He might enjoy healers but dear god, he's not there for them alone.
A month ago he met a friendly Genji who actually chewed out the rest of their party on his behalf and he friended the stranger immediately. These days Izuku tends to play with him more often than not.
Izuku's been waiting for his own coffee off to the side when he recognizes that voice and whips his head up. Is that really the same Genji player he's known for a month? He's been in the same town as him this whole time?]
Shouto? [Falls out of his mouth before he can stop himself. Because wow the Genji player he met is incredibly attractive, so ordinarily he'd just slink away.]
A month ago he met a friendly Genji who actually chewed out the rest of their party on his behalf and he friended the stranger immediately. These days Izuku tends to play with him more often than not.
Izuku's been waiting for his own coffee off to the side when he recognizes that voice and whips his head up. Is that really the same Genji player he's known for a month? He's been in the same town as him this whole time?]
Shouto? [Falls out of his mouth before he can stop himself. Because wow the Genji player he met is incredibly attractive, so ordinarily he'd just slink away.]
[At sixteen Izuku's considered a master waterbender in the city he lives. His kindness is endless, and his patience is near legend- according to the children he teaches, anyway. He laughs it off with a smile every time they say things like that to him. He fusses over the other benders, their form, their lives- if you place a person in front of Izuku he's going to care about them.
What he wasn't quite expecting was to be the one assigned to teach Avatar Shouto. And so he does as he's asked, spending a week with him, correcting his form, making sure his movements flow. But... there's still a certain something off about it. It's been two weeks now, and while he's not quite sure if Shouto regards him as a friend or simply a teacher, the same feeling of off remains.
Shouto told him his life's story and Izuku had to sit and think on it a while. It's a terrible thing, wanting to raise a child into a weapon. When he looks over at Shouto he sees a person more than the Avatar, more than a weapon, Shouto is a person. And that's what Izuku tells him, that he's the Avatar and a person and a hero. He delights in Shouto's huffed out laugh, takes him all around the city to help out the people in little ways. And at the end of the day, he's declared he's staying by Shouto's side and nothing could get rid of him.
It's their first day of traveling together, and Izuku wakes up first. He gets up and just watches Shouto completely at ease asleep and wishes Shouto could be at ease with himself, that circumstances weren't what they were.
When Shouto starts to wake up Izuku has to tear his eyes away and start to pack up his bedding, flush high on his cheeks. He really hopes Shouto didn't catch him staring.]
What he wasn't quite expecting was to be the one assigned to teach Avatar Shouto. And so he does as he's asked, spending a week with him, correcting his form, making sure his movements flow. But... there's still a certain something off about it. It's been two weeks now, and while he's not quite sure if Shouto regards him as a friend or simply a teacher, the same feeling of off remains.
Shouto told him his life's story and Izuku had to sit and think on it a while. It's a terrible thing, wanting to raise a child into a weapon. When he looks over at Shouto he sees a person more than the Avatar, more than a weapon, Shouto is a person. And that's what Izuku tells him, that he's the Avatar and a person and a hero. He delights in Shouto's huffed out laugh, takes him all around the city to help out the people in little ways. And at the end of the day, he's declared he's staying by Shouto's side and nothing could get rid of him.
It's their first day of traveling together, and Izuku wakes up first. He gets up and just watches Shouto completely at ease asleep and wishes Shouto could be at ease with himself, that circumstances weren't what they were.
When Shouto starts to wake up Izuku has to tear his eyes away and start to pack up his bedding, flush high on his cheeks. He really hopes Shouto didn't catch him staring.]
[ Some days, Shouto wishes that he wasn't born the Avatar. When he was young it had been exciting, because he wanted to be a hero like the Avatars before him, the ones that entered the world and changed it for the better. He told his mother as much, delight and pride at who he was in every line of his face when he smiled. And she looked proud of him, fond and caring. She taught him about using ice to protect himself and others, her specialty as a waterbender, and she did what she could to protect him, too.
But then his father stepped in to teach him firebending, a man who twisted the power of the element into something wrong. It was... it's marked him, in more ways than one, the most obvious sign of it the scar that mars his face now.
His waterbending and firebending are both powerful, but there's too much force in both of them. Shouto knows it, too. Knows that he's sharper instead of more fluid when it comes to bending water, rather than manipulating it into jagged spikes of ice and formidable walls. There's control in everything that he does still, because he'd had control literally beaten into him, but.
He's needed Izuku, to remember what it's like to be gentle and as calm as he appears to be on the outside. It's helped more than he can ever describe, and he's honestly grateful (and relieved) that he's decided to remain by his side as he learns his place in the world, and what his role as Avatar really means. From little gestures of help, to the big ones, Izuku has really helped to temper him and guide him in the right direction.
Which is, maybe, why it's so easy to remain at peace while he's asleep. Even if he's terribly groggy when waking up still - hilariously, even when he moves to sit upright, bedhead stark and eyes still closed. Izuku got off lucky, this morning. ] Mm.
But then his father stepped in to teach him firebending, a man who twisted the power of the element into something wrong. It was... it's marked him, in more ways than one, the most obvious sign of it the scar that mars his face now.
His waterbending and firebending are both powerful, but there's too much force in both of them. Shouto knows it, too. Knows that he's sharper instead of more fluid when it comes to bending water, rather than manipulating it into jagged spikes of ice and formidable walls. There's control in everything that he does still, because he'd had control literally beaten into him, but.
He's needed Izuku, to remember what it's like to be gentle and as calm as he appears to be on the outside. It's helped more than he can ever describe, and he's honestly grateful (and relieved) that he's decided to remain by his side as he learns his place in the world, and what his role as Avatar really means. From little gestures of help, to the big ones, Izuku has really helped to temper him and guide him in the right direction.
Which is, maybe, why it's so easy to remain at peace while he's asleep. Even if he's terribly groggy when waking up still - hilariously, even when he moves to sit upright, bedhead stark and eyes still closed. Izuku got off lucky, this morning. ] Mm.
[It's their sixth year and the Triwizard tournament is hosted at Hogwarts this time around. And so everyone who's old enough puts their name into the goblet, hoping that the cup will consider them worthy. Even some of the reckless younger children make an attempt- they don't get particularly far though.
It sounds absolutely batty, but after five years living and learning magic, Izuku's learned to roll with it. He's a muggleborn so all the things the wizards grew up with are much newer to him, but he's read about these tournaments. While he doesn't have an intense need to prove himself, he'd still like to be the champion. The honor would reflect well on his house, he thinks.
It's still a surprise when the goblet spits his name out, Izuku Midoriya, Hogwart's champion. He stands and walks up to the other two champions looking completely bewildered.
Once the ceremony is over he makes his way back to his houses's commonroom and sinks into the sofa and attempts to make sense of the day.]
I'm Hogwart's champion? [It still doesn't sound real.]
It sounds absolutely batty, but after five years living and learning magic, Izuku's learned to roll with it. He's a muggleborn so all the things the wizards grew up with are much newer to him, but he's read about these tournaments. While he doesn't have an intense need to prove himself, he'd still like to be the champion. The honor would reflect well on his house, he thinks.
It's still a surprise when the goblet spits his name out, Izuku Midoriya, Hogwart's champion. He stands and walks up to the other two champions looking completely bewildered.
Once the ceremony is over he makes his way back to his houses's commonroom and sinks into the sofa and attempts to make sense of the day.]
I'm Hogwart's champion? [It still doesn't sound real.]
[ It's one of the other Hufflepuffs that lets Shouto in, the red of his hair and his scarf a stark contrast to the black and gold of the house's colors. But it doesn't take much, just mismatched eyes staring down the second year until he lets the Gryffindor in, after a couple of minutes of hemming nad hawing.
The occasion is one that requires they bend the rules, anyways, considering Izuku is Hogwart's champion.
At least the ceremony's over now, and Izuku is in the safety of Hufflepuff's common room, far, far away from the explosive tantrum that Shouto knows is happening elsewhere. (Another reason why he's here, because he has no tolerance for Bakugou's tantrums.) It doesn't really take much to find Izuku, either, where he's settled into one of the cushy couches.
He makes no point in announcing himself, as per usual, and leans over the back of the sofa. ]
Are you still trying to make sense of it?
The occasion is one that requires they bend the rules, anyways, considering Izuku is Hogwart's champion.
At least the ceremony's over now, and Izuku is in the safety of Hufflepuff's common room, far, far away from the explosive tantrum that Shouto knows is happening elsewhere. (Another reason why he's here, because he has no tolerance for Bakugou's tantrums.) It doesn't really take much to find Izuku, either, where he's settled into one of the cushy couches.
He makes no point in announcing himself, as per usual, and leans over the back of the sofa. ]
Are you still trying to make sense of it?
[They've been pro heroes for a while now, injuries aren't anything new considering their field. Villain attacks are dangerous, no matter how prepared you think you are.
This time they had to split up and deal with the villains and the civilians. The villain was longer ranged than Izuku could manage safely, so it fell to Shouto do fight them while Izuku gathered up bystanders and made sure they were out of the line of fire.
He saw Shouto get put into an ambulance and felt his heart jump into this throat. It's nothing new, they've gone through this plenty of times. He just keeps telling himself that, even if his heart is pounding- he should've stayed, he should have been by Shouto's side, they're better as a team- all of that runs through Izuku's head.
He's already on the train to get to the hospital. He's seen that ambulance before, he knows where it goes. Hell, he's usually the one in the ambulance. He just can't help worrying. He's probably overdoing it- they've always come out of this fine. But still, he practically jumps when he hears Shouto's ringtone and fumbles to take it as quickly as possible.]
Shouto? Are you okay? I'm getting there as fast as I can. Is there anything you need? I can stop and get it for you?
This time they had to split up and deal with the villains and the civilians. The villain was longer ranged than Izuku could manage safely, so it fell to Shouto do fight them while Izuku gathered up bystanders and made sure they were out of the line of fire.
He saw Shouto get put into an ambulance and felt his heart jump into this throat. It's nothing new, they've gone through this plenty of times. He just keeps telling himself that, even if his heart is pounding- he should've stayed, he should have been by Shouto's side, they're better as a team- all of that runs through Izuku's head.
He's already on the train to get to the hospital. He's seen that ambulance before, he knows where it goes. Hell, he's usually the one in the ambulance. He just can't help worrying. He's probably overdoing it- they've always come out of this fine. But still, he practically jumps when he hears Shouto's ringtone and fumbles to take it as quickly as possible.]
Shouto? Are you okay? I'm getting there as fast as I can. Is there anything you need? I can stop and get it for you?
I need you to take a very deep breath. [ Are the first words out of Shouto, as he lets the medic poke and prod at him to make sure he doesn't have any other injuries besides the ones that had sent him to the hospital. ] In - hold it -
[ Which lets him take a moment to hold his own breath, to keep him from hissing when a particularly nasty looking bruise gets prodded at a little too much, tender where it's blossomed already. But he gets it, they have to check for broken or fractured ribs. ] And breathe out.
[ Because he doesn't want Izuku to hyperventilate while he's on the train, overthinking when it's just him, when he doesn't know the damage or what happened. This is part of the reason why he doesn't like splitting up, himself, but this time it had been necessary. Sometimes their skills are better used apart, despite how well they work together, and that's part of why they work so well together. They can cover more ground than a lot of other hero pairs, both separate and together.
But that doesn't change the fact that, apart, they get hurt a lot more than they do when they're working side-by-side. Usually it's Izuku, which has primed Shouto for this, but terrifies him pretty frequently like it does Izuku now. ]
I need stitches, but it's nothing permanently damaging, and they're checking for fractures now.
[ Which lets him take a moment to hold his own breath, to keep him from hissing when a particularly nasty looking bruise gets prodded at a little too much, tender where it's blossomed already. But he gets it, they have to check for broken or fractured ribs. ] And breathe out.
[ Because he doesn't want Izuku to hyperventilate while he's on the train, overthinking when it's just him, when he doesn't know the damage or what happened. This is part of the reason why he doesn't like splitting up, himself, but this time it had been necessary. Sometimes their skills are better used apart, despite how well they work together, and that's part of why they work so well together. They can cover more ground than a lot of other hero pairs, both separate and together.
But that doesn't change the fact that, apart, they get hurt a lot more than they do when they're working side-by-side. Usually it's Izuku, which has primed Shouto for this, but terrifies him pretty frequently like it does Izuku now. ]
I need stitches, but it's nothing permanently damaging, and they're checking for fractures now.
[When his mother met his father, they learned right away they were soulmates. His mother could levitate objects toward her, and his father could breathe fire. There was more they could do, but those were their specialties. The magic of love. It was the story that lulled him to sleep when he was little and he could repeat it perfectly even now at sixteen.
He always believed one day he'd meet his soulmate and they'd be able to share in their magic.
Except... except he's pretty sure he's fallen head over heels for a boy in his class who already met his soulmate. He watched Shouto's pen frost over with ice as they were taking notes. It's probably a new relationship if he hasn't figured out how to reign it in yet.
Shouto's already met his soulmate and Izuku hasn't felt a single spark of magic. No fire, no floating. Nothing. It doesn't stop him from asking Shouto to come over to his house to study though.
He might have his soulmate, but at the very least Izuku can spend time with him. Izuku could settle for being friends.
The table's set with a plate of cookies as he hears the knocking. He calls out an "I'll get it" to his mom before running over.]
Glad you could make it, Todoroki-kun! It's not super fancy, but we can definitely study.
He always believed one day he'd meet his soulmate and they'd be able to share in their magic.
Except... except he's pretty sure he's fallen head over heels for a boy in his class who already met his soulmate. He watched Shouto's pen frost over with ice as they were taking notes. It's probably a new relationship if he hasn't figured out how to reign it in yet.
Shouto's already met his soulmate and Izuku hasn't felt a single spark of magic. No fire, no floating. Nothing. It doesn't stop him from asking Shouto to come over to his house to study though.
He might have his soulmate, but at the very least Izuku can spend time with him. Izuku could settle for being friends.
The table's set with a plate of cookies as he hears the knocking. He calls out an "I'll get it" to his mom before running over.]
Glad you could make it, Todoroki-kun! It's not super fancy, but we can definitely study.
[ Growing up, Shouto went from believing in soulmates to thinking theyr were bullshit.
There's no other way to describe it. Sure, he knows there are happy people out in the world that have met their soulmates, he's seen evidence of it. But in his home, there was no way that his mother and father were soulmates. Not really. They were just people that the fates had decided to put together, somehow. Maybe they'd met their real soulmates but never got the chance to fall in love with them, when his father arranged a marriage with his mother. Maybe it was his father's involvement in the entire thing that soured what they were meant to be.
He doesn't know. The only thing he knows is that he's not gone out of his way to look for his, to even care whether he'd run into them or not.
But magic sprouts up, one day, and he has to learn how to control it. More than one article of clothing, and a lot of papers, have caught fire and been scorched. He's frozen over drinks into solid ice, frosted pens and pencils and chopsticks. It's pretty hard to get a reign of, but he does what he can, as he tries to figure out who it is.
In the meantime, he'll just - focus on spending time with the one person he's really gotten close to since starting high school. He ducks his head a little when Izuku opens the door, a small greeting. ]
It's a lot better than studying at my place, so. Thank you for having me.
There's no other way to describe it. Sure, he knows there are happy people out in the world that have met their soulmates, he's seen evidence of it. But in his home, there was no way that his mother and father were soulmates. Not really. They were just people that the fates had decided to put together, somehow. Maybe they'd met their real soulmates but never got the chance to fall in love with them, when his father arranged a marriage with his mother. Maybe it was his father's involvement in the entire thing that soured what they were meant to be.
He doesn't know. The only thing he knows is that he's not gone out of his way to look for his, to even care whether he'd run into them or not.
But magic sprouts up, one day, and he has to learn how to control it. More than one article of clothing, and a lot of papers, have caught fire and been scorched. He's frozen over drinks into solid ice, frosted pens and pencils and chopsticks. It's pretty hard to get a reign of, but he does what he can, as he tries to figure out who it is.
In the meantime, he'll just - focus on spending time with the one person he's really gotten close to since starting high school. He ducks his head a little when Izuku opens the door, a small greeting. ]
It's a lot better than studying at my place, so. Thank you for having me.
[Izuku was walking past the college campus after a villain attack. Said villain is now in cuffs and in the custody of the police and he has a whole bunch of paperwork to fill out now that it's done.
Being a big name hero pays very well, but being a starting hero that in another hero's company before making a name for themselves? That doesn't. It's part of the reason Izuku and Shouto moved into a small two bedroom apartment together. Never mind Izuku's more than friendly feelings towards his roommate and best friend.
He takes a shot of the research opportunity and sends it Shouto's way.
Even between the two of them and Shouto's stash of Endeavor related cash, they could use some cushioning. Though... considering the two of them, he's not sure how well they could manage to lie. But neither of them have dated anybody in the last... is it a year now? They've been living together since graduation. Techinically it wouldn't be hard to lie.
Except for either of them trying to lie.]
we could use the extra money. should we try?
Edited 2017-01-12 06:14 (UTC)
[ Shouto, in line for the printer - which is bullshit, in his honest opinion, why should anyone have to pay for printing when the college is already getting so much money from them? - pulls his phone out when it buzzes with Izuku's ringtone (a jingle from one of All Might's commercials during his prime). He reads the flyer once, twice, and then a third time as he tries to... rationalize it.
Having a crush on someone is very, very difficult when you don't know how to express those feelings after years and years of stunted emotional growth. But he thinks about it, thinks about how his bank account is fairly plush and growing as he slowly moves all of his funds over in preparation for his actual disavowal of his father, and their part time jobs that they squeeze in with their heroics and schoolwork, and...
Honestly, if they're going to start a company after they graduate, they're going to need this, aren't they? ]
I'm not a very good liar, but I think we could pull it off.
We've known each other long enough, and lived together for a while.
Having a crush on someone is very, very difficult when you don't know how to express those feelings after years and years of stunted emotional growth. But he thinks about it, thinks about how his bank account is fairly plush and growing as he slowly moves all of his funds over in preparation for his actual disavowal of his father, and their part time jobs that they squeeze in with their heroics and schoolwork, and...
Honestly, if they're going to start a company after they graduate, they're going to need this, aren't they? ]
I'm not a very good liar, but I think we could pull it off.
We've known each other long enough, and lived together for a while.
[This is not the first time Izuku's ended up in Shouto's dreams. Shouto is the good man that broke in hell. He's seen so many nightmares, torture in hell, and sometimes torture in his childhood home from his father.
It's too much. Shouto's hurting enough in his waking life.
Each time he steps in he shifts the scene. No fire, no father brutalizing his own son. Just Shouto and Izuku.
It's better. Hopefully Shouto thinks so as well.
This time it's a beach. White sand, and sunshine glinting off of the ocean's waves.
Even in Shouto's dreams though, he still stands far too close.]
How are you, Shouto?
It's too much. Shouto's hurting enough in his waking life.
Each time he steps in he shifts the scene. No fire, no father brutalizing his own son. Just Shouto and Izuku.
It's better. Hopefully Shouto thinks so as well.
This time it's a beach. White sand, and sunshine glinting off of the ocean's waves.
Even in Shouto's dreams though, he still stands far too close.]
How are you, Shouto?
[When Izuku moved to the town of Inaba, something... strange happened. He can't explain it, but living here for a few weeks now- it's not as quiet as it looks. Still, it's a vast improvement over the city and being Kacchan's punching bag.
It doesn't bother him too much, if he's being honest. He's made friends here, which is as baffling as it is thrilling. Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki... They're people he can rely on and he loves all of them.
They're in the middle of grinding in Todoroki's old dungeon, just him and Todoroki (everyone else had plans), when he feels a weird shiver up his spine.
And he turns to see... himself? Himself with a mocking smile and bright yellow eyes.]
Oh, man. I can't believe a loser like you actually managed to find people who would stick around with him. Everybody knows you're inferior.
[His double's gaze settles on Todoroki, now that Izuku's covering his ears.]
And you! Where do you think you get off looking so handsome, huh? He can barely concentrate on class when you're right there. With those pretty eyes of yours.
It doesn't bother him too much, if he's being honest. He's made friends here, which is as baffling as it is thrilling. Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki... They're people he can rely on and he loves all of them.
They're in the middle of grinding in Todoroki's old dungeon, just him and Todoroki (everyone else had plans), when he feels a weird shiver up his spine.
And he turns to see... himself? Himself with a mocking smile and bright yellow eyes.]
Oh, man. I can't believe a loser like you actually managed to find people who would stick around with him. Everybody knows you're inferior.
[His double's gaze settles on Todoroki, now that Izuku's covering his ears.]
And you! Where do you think you get off looking so handsome, huh? He can barely concentrate on class when you're right there. With those pretty eyes of yours.
[ Living in Inaba is a cage all of its own, sometimes, but it's gotten better recently. Facing yourself is... certainly something, that's for sure, but ever since then, Shouto has been feeling lighter and better about everything in general. He has friends now, instead of people that he just sees at school.
He has a good friend, in Midoriya Izuku, the new kid in town. He's had someone see the worst parts of him, and still want to be around. Even after the literal hell that he'd gone through, dealing with his Shadow after he'd rejected it.
There's no judgment in him when they encounter the others' Shadows, too. Not after what he'd been through, himself, but.
But this.
Shouto can only stare for a little bit, eyebrows raised. He finally finds his words again, brain kickstarting from the "why now? how?" to a different question: ]
Excuse me?
He has a good friend, in Midoriya Izuku, the new kid in town. He's had someone see the worst parts of him, and still want to be around. Even after the literal hell that he'd gone through, dealing with his Shadow after he'd rejected it.
There's no judgment in him when they encounter the others' Shadows, too. Not after what he'd been through, himself, but.
But this.
Shouto can only stare for a little bit, eyebrows raised. He finally finds his words again, brain kickstarting from the "why now? how?" to a different question: ]
Excuse me?
[They've been working together for a while now, Izuku sitting at the comfortable presence of the grand piano when they perform together. Shouto in front, making the violin sound like something ethereal. If he wasn't playing along at the piano, he might be crying.
Shouto's an amazing musician and he's stunning, how is that even fair? Aren't people usually supposed to pick one?
They're meeting up at a coffee shop to discuss their next performance. His bag is stuffed with notes and something he's been writing, an original for the two of them.
He gets there first- not too surprising, Shouto's not a morning person. He orders both of their usual drinks and retreats to a small table. Once Shouto arrives he waves him over.]
How are you, Todoroki-kun?
Shouto's an amazing musician and he's stunning, how is that even fair? Aren't people usually supposed to pick one?
They're meeting up at a coffee shop to discuss their next performance. His bag is stuffed with notes and something he's been writing, an original for the two of them.
He gets there first- not too surprising, Shouto's not a morning person. He orders both of their usual drinks and retreats to a small table. Once Shouto arrives he waves him over.]
How are you, Todoroki-kun?
[Izuku was 28 years old when he died. He's always been reckless, he's always been somebody who'd throw himself in the line of fire when he thought he could help. Ever since that fateful day he met All Might, Izuku's never really cared that much about his own wellbeing.
He should've.
He ran into a quickly collapsing building on fifty percent of One for All, he's found his successor. Maybe it's early, but he knows himself and he knows what kind of trouble he can get into. His arms have deteriorated after years of overdoing it. It was time.
He could've waited, but he was first on the scene. There were people inside and he's never been one to wait patiently. What if what if what if-- None of that matters now.
He did save the people in the building. A small comfort.
Maybe he should be keeping an eye out on his successor. A boisterous but kindhearted girl who sincerely declared she wanted to help people and backed it up with her every action. They weren't the same, exactly, but both their hearts were in the right place when he chose her. He's sorry to suddenly leave her without a proper mentor for One for All, but Shouto knows his secret too.
In the end, it's not his successor he's tied to. They would have been close if he had stayed alive. In the end, it's Shouto. Sweet, sincere, kind Shouto who he loved with his whole heart ever since their third year of high school. And he died on him yesterday. He doesn't know if Shouto's in shock or numb or- He doesn't know what to do to soothe Shouto the way he could while he was alive.
His hands pass through him, his words don't seem to reach him. If he still had a heart it would drop into the pit of his stomach.]
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Shouto. I never wanted to hurt you. Not like this.
He should've.
He ran into a quickly collapsing building on fifty percent of One for All, he's found his successor. Maybe it's early, but he knows himself and he knows what kind of trouble he can get into. His arms have deteriorated after years of overdoing it. It was time.
He could've waited, but he was first on the scene. There were people inside and he's never been one to wait patiently. What if what if what if-- None of that matters now.
He did save the people in the building. A small comfort.
Maybe he should be keeping an eye out on his successor. A boisterous but kindhearted girl who sincerely declared she wanted to help people and backed it up with her every action. They weren't the same, exactly, but both their hearts were in the right place when he chose her. He's sorry to suddenly leave her without a proper mentor for One for All, but Shouto knows his secret too.
In the end, it's not his successor he's tied to. They would have been close if he had stayed alive. In the end, it's Shouto. Sweet, sincere, kind Shouto who he loved with his whole heart ever since their third year of high school. And he died on him yesterday. He doesn't know if Shouto's in shock or numb or- He doesn't know what to do to soothe Shouto the way he could while he was alive.
His hands pass through him, his words don't seem to reach him. If he still had a heart it would drop into the pit of his stomach.]
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Shouto. I never wanted to hurt you. Not like this.
[Izuku was out with his uncle last evening, looking at the place his uncle worked. He didn't realize it at the time, because the spider bite didn't hurt- but he was bitten and the spider crawled off somewhere, infusing Izuku's blood with something special.
Unfortunately, it means when he put his hand on Shouto this morning, trying to get to their shared lab station. Instead of just awkwardly walking past, his hand sticks.
He's stuck.
Oh no.]
Wh-What happened?
Unfortunately, it means when he put his hand on Shouto this morning, trying to get to their shared lab station. Instead of just awkwardly walking past, his hand sticks.
He's stuck.
Oh no.]
Wh-What happened?
[ The awkwardness of his lab partner has mostly just - rolled off him like water off a duck, at this point. Shouto is used to Izuku's strangeness in the way that someone exposed to something for prolonged periods simply adapts to it and sees it as the norm now. Periodically, they speak to each other for more than five minutes. Sometimes, Izuku has to catch himself on Shouto's seat or his shoulder or arm when their rowdier classmates jostle around before class begins.
... usually, it's brief and over with.
He slowly looks at the hand still on his person.
And, slowly, he follows Izuku's arm up to look at him directly. ]
Are you stuck?
... usually, it's brief and over with.
He slowly looks at the hand still on his person.
And, slowly, he follows Izuku's arm up to look at him directly. ]
Are you stuck?
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