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It was an early autumn afternoon when Shouto came to the realization that he was deeply in love with Izuku Midoriya. Class had just ended for the day and they were on their way back to the dorms, chatting comfortably as they walked. Shouto didn’t think he’d even said anything that was particularly funny but Midoriya had laughed regardless. The lilting melody of it made a strange feeling bubble up in his stomach and when Shouto looked over his shoulder to where Midoriya was walking a few steps behind him, his breath caught in his throat. The light of the setting sun streamed through the large trees beside the path, casting delicate shadows across his smiling face. Shouto’s gaze wandered from Midoroya’s fluffy locks ringed with sunlight, to his cute button nose and freckled cheeks, tinted red with the warmth of late afternoon, and finally his plush lips, drawn into sharp contrast by the shadows on his face. I want to kiss him. The thought hit him like a revelation and he stopped in his tracks, turning to fully face Midoriya. Midoriya came to a stop in response, his smile faltering and his eyebrows furrowing slightly.
“Is something wrong Todoroki?” There was a tinge of worry in his voice so Shouto curled the corners of his mouth up in what he hoped was a reassuring smile. In an instant, all the strange thoughts and emotions he’d felt over the last few months became startlingly clear. He loved Midoriya… had for a while now. Shouto had always been the type to speak his mind, never one to mince words or shy away from the truth, so he shared his realization without any hesitation.
“I really like you, Midoriya. You’re the most important person in my life and I wanted you to know that.” It wasn’t until after the words had left his mouth and silence followed that he started to feel nervous. What if he shouldn’t have said that? He was bad at interacting with others and while Midoriya had always been more than patient with him, what if he’d gone too far? However, after just a beat, Midoriya broke out into another wide grin and Shoto felt his heart melt all over again. He definitely loved this boy.
“I really like you too, Todoroki.” Shouto released a breath and smiled again. “And you’re also really important to me. Aside from All Might and my mom, I think you're the person I value the most.” Shouto felt a little gasp escape him. That was high praise considering how he knew Midoriya felt about All Might (he was secretly his father after all) and although he’s never met Midoriya’s mom, the way he’d always talked about her meant she must be a wonderful woman. Shouto was so happy, he felt like he was floating.
“Well, then, going forward could you call me Shouto?” He felt the slight warmth of a blush spread on his cheeks as he voiced his request. He’d chosen Shouto as his hero name, so he heard it plenty, but somehow he knew hearing Midoriya say it in casual conversation would be entirely different.
“Alright, I can do that.” Midoriya was smiling widely and Shouto felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. He wasn’t sure how much of this he could take, but he was making progress so he needed to hold out a little longer.
“And, may I call you Izuku?” Shouto swallowed around the lump in his throat. He knew Midoriya was too nice to get mad, even if he felt the request was too much, but he was still nervous about upsetting him.
“Sure, if you want to.” Midori… Izuku’s smile hadn’t even faltered and Shouto felt a wave of relief wash over him, followed by one of pure excitement. Thirty minutes ago, he wasn’t even aware of how he truly felt about his best friend and now they were on a first name basis.
“Then…” This was it, this was his chance to take the next step and become even closer. “from now on, I’d like to continue to grow closer and improve our relationship as I get to know even more about you.” There, he said it. Izuku had already accepted his feelings, but now he was asking for more. He just hoped it wasn’t too much.
“Yeah, me too.” Shouto let out a deep breath and felt a wide smile spread on his face. He knew he was definitely blushing by now, but he couldn’t help it with how happy he felt.
“Then I will be in your care.” Shouto bowed deeply, a smile still plastered to his face. Things were going great, and it seemed Izuku was also ready to take the next steps together.
“Ah, yeah, me too.” Izuku sounded a little surprised but echoed his bow, although not quite as deep. Shouto stood, feeling immensely satisfied. To think that he’d end up dating his best friend right after confessing, he’s blown away.
Shouto couldn’t quell the warm feeling that had taken root in his chest for the rest of the walk back to the dorms. The air was filled mostly by Izuku’s happy chattering, Shouto too content to contribute much. Not that he would have said much anyway, he loved hearing Izuku talk.
From then on, things slowly but steadily progressed. They made a habit of walking to and from class together everyday, Shouto even began waking up early so he could wait outside of Izuku’s dorm for him. It was on one of those days, after Izuku emerged from his room and smiled at Shouto before turning to begin their walk, that Shouto reached out and took his hand for the first time. Izuku had only paused for a moment to glance at where their hands met before smiling and tightening his own grip, then continued the conversation as they resumed their steps down the hall.
They’d begun eating lunch with each other every day as well, their thighs pressed together and food occasionally shared. Shouto had nearly combusted the first time Izuku held out a bite of his food on the end of his chopsticks and told Shouto to open his mouth. He’d quietly eaten the food and mumbled his approval before tuning out most of the rest of lunch, mind racing from the indirect kiss. Despite that, they still hadn’t shared a real kiss, one on the lips. Although Shouto was very willing, he really wanted it to be special, and he’d just never found the right time. They did, however, get in the routine of hugging every night before they went their separate ways, Shouto doing his best to convey his emotions through the gentle press of his arms. Except, that is, for the day that they were in Izuku’s room working on a project late into the night and didn’t finish until well after one in the morning. Izuku had urged him to just stay there rather than risk waking others by trying to head back to his own room. After a brief argument where they each insisted the other get the bed, they both ended up on Izuku’s bed, laying side by side. Shouto didn’t get a wink of sleep that night, too overwhelmed by the warmth of Izuku’s body and the gentle rhythm of his slow breathing to calm down enough for sleep.
They also started spending more time in each other’s space while with their classmates, the distance between growing smaller and smaller until it was normal for them to be practically on top of one another. Most class movie or game nights saw them sitting pressed together, laying on one another, or otherwise invading the others’ space. So, none of their classmates batted an eye when on this random Thursday evening they were reclined on the couch, Izuku scrolling on his phone with his head resting in Shouto’s lap as he quietly read a book. Shouto was absently running his free hand through Izuku’s hair, curling his fingers occasionally to scratch at his scalp, and pausing only to turn the page then returning it immediately. The atmosphere was calm as the tv played at a low murmur and several of their classmates milled about the common area, holding conversations of their own.
Then, the elevator doors opened and Mina charged out with a flurry of noise. She had a knack for bringing a certain level of noise and energy anywhere she went, but this seemed extra, meaning she was likely excited about something. Her eyes scanned the room and when they landed on Shouto, she smiled wide and squealed with excitement.
“Todoroki!” He glanced over the edge of his book to meet her gaze, an eyebrow slightly raised. She made her way quickly toward him, skidding to a stop in front of the couch.
“Todoroki, when did you get a girlfriend?” His hand stalled in Izuku’s hair and his brows came together as he tried to make sense of what she was asking.
“Never. I don’t have a girlfriend.” He closed his book and set it on the couch next to him, glancing down briefly at Izuku, who was looking back up at him with bright eyes.
“Huh?” Shouto looked back up to find Mina’s face twisted in confusion. “But I heard that Takeda from general education asked you out on Monday and you turned her down cause you were already dating someone.” Shouto felt a flicker of understanding at that. He did get called out during lunch on Monday and confessed to by some girl he didn’t recognize. He’d wanted to get back to his seat next to Izuku as fast as possible and didn’t see the point in getting her hopes up. So, he’d told her the truth, that he was happily dating someone else and therefore could never be with her, but he’d never said girlfriend. He let out a deep breath and prepared to clear up the confusion.
“I see, she must have been confused. I don’t have a girlfriend, but I am dating someone.” A look of confusion flashed across Mina’s face as well as the faces of the other nearby classmates who were now listening in. “The person I’m dating is Izuku. So, not a girlfriend but rather a boyfriend.” Mina’s eyes went wide before shooting down to where Izuku was still laying in his lap. There was a moment of absolute silence as Shouto noticed all the eyes in the room move to his lap. Looking down, he was greeted by the sight of his boyfriend’s face staring back up at him, eyes blown wide and cheeks redder than he’d ever seen.
“What?” Izuku’s voice was barely a squeak, audible mostly because of the pervasive silence that had stretched on as everyone stared. Why did Izuku look so shocked? Was he just embarrassed by the presence of their classmates? Shouto’s brows drew together and he cocked his head in question. In a flash, Izuku turned his head to dart his eyes around the room, taking in the faces of their classmates. Then, without warning, he sat bolt upright with his back to Shouto. Shouto opened his mouth but before he could voice his questions, Izuku spoke instead, his voice small.
“Um, Shouto, could we speak in private for a moment?” Without waiting for an answer, he stood from the couch and took a step toward the elevator. Shouto shot to his feet and followed him, feeling like a scolded puppy. Whispered conversations broke out behind them but Shouto was focused on stepping into the elevator beside Izuku.
With Izuku’s room being on the second floor, the elevator ride was quick, albeit painfully quiet. Izuku wouldn’t make eye contact and Shouto was really beginning to panic. Had he screwed up massively? Should he have not said anything? Should he have not even told that girl he was dating someone? Was Izuku going to dump him now? The elevator doors opened and Shouto followed Izuku to his door, shuffling his feet as he followed him in. By the time the door clicked shut behind him, Shouto felt on the verge of tears and was struggling to hold it in. Izuku hadn’t turned to face him, instead standing at the edge of his bed and staring toward the open blinds of his window.
“Why did you say that?” His voice was little more than a whisper, Shouto straining to hear over the static still filling his brain. He still couldn’t see Izuku’s face but he watched as he shifted his weight from foot to foot, the sound of his feet scuffing on the floor filling the air between them. He looked at his own feet, feeling like he’d done something really wrong.
“I know, I’m sorry. I should have asked if you’d rather keep our relationship secret before I told our classmates that we’re dating.” It hurt Shouto to think Izuku wanted to hide their relationship but he would respect it if that’s what Izuku wanted. Shouto jumped when Izuku whipped around to face him, his face red and eyes wide with shock.
“That…” He vaguely pointed at Shouto. “Why’d you say that we’re…” Izuku’s voice dropped impossibly quieter as he finished his sentence, “d-dating.” Now, Shouto was more confused, was Izuku dumping him?
“Because we are?” He cocked his head in confusion, the feeling that he’d missed something growing stronger by the second.
“Since when!?” Izuku eyebrows shot up dramatically but he didn’t sound mad as much as confused. Shouto was almost certain now that he misunderstood something.
“Since I confessed to you two months ago and you said you felt the same?” Izuku’s brows furrowed and face twisted further in confusion before going suddenly slack, eyes still wide.
“Oh.” His gaze dropped to the floor and his hands began wringing in front of him. “I guess I didn’t realize that’s what you meant. I mean I guess it makes sense now, considering the ambiance and then how you were on the way home.” Izuku’s words were spilling from his mouth in the same rambling way they always had and while Shouto normally found it endearing, it just made him feel a bit nauseous now. “I’m so stupid, I just didn’t think that you liked me like that. Oh…” His eyes whipped up to meet Shouto’s for a moment, hand flailing in front of him. “not that I have a problem with it. Our friendship meant alot to me- still does, I like to spend time with you and…” Izuku’s gaze fell back to the ground and he brought his hands to head now. “Oh my god, no wonder you held my hand all the time…” Shouto was powerless to stop the sinking feeling that had been growing in his stomach as Izuku talked. He knew he was bad at reading social situations but this was a new low for him. “...and all the times you played with my hair… He should have known Izuku would never view him like that. He was the human embodiment of sunshine, he’d never date someone as gloomy as Shouto, he was just too nice to tell him he was overstepping his bounds. “I kept wondering why you seemed to be so close to me since you seemed to hate being touched…” Shouto felt a sharp pang in his heart at the realization of how badly he’d messed up. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice this whole time, I can’t…”
“It’s fine.” Shouto did his best to keep the panic out of his voice, hoping to save some semblance of his pride. “I understand.” Izuku’s gaze rose back up to meet his, blush still covering his face, and Shouto couldn’t help but think how cute he was, even now. Shouto turned away, reaching his hand for the doorknob to leave. “I’ll go back down and clear things up with the rest of the class.” His palm landed on the doorknob, but before he could turn it, he felt a tug at the hem of his shirt. He paused to look over his shoulder, finding Izuku now directly behind him and gripping the back of his shirt, eyes looking intently at the ground.
“We could try.” Shouto remained frozen with one hand still resting on the doorknob, watching the top of Izuku’s head, but unsure of how to respond.
“What?” It came out softer and more hoarse than he had meant. He knew what he hoped Izuku meant but he really wanted to be sure this time. Izuku’s grip on his shirt tightened and Shouto realized his hand was shaking a bit.
“Um… dating. We can try it…” Izuku’s eyes finally lifted to meet his and Shouto felt like the air was punched from his lungs at the sight. “If you want.” Oh god, Shouto had never wanted something more. He turned to face Izuku, both their hands falling back to their sides.
“I do… want it, I mean. I really like you but I don’t want you to feel obligated to do anything just because I have feelings for you. I…”
“Me too…I think.” Shouto was surprised by Izuku’s sudden interjection and his eyebrows twitched up in response, but then the meaning of Izuku’s words began to sink in and he froze. “I mean obviously you are a very important friend to me but also like… more than that. I mean for a while now I’ve…” Shouto’s body moved without his input, reaching to cup Izuku’s cheek and bending down as he pulled him forward to bring their lips together in a kiss. It was gentle and sweet, little more than a press of lips, but it still spent sparks flying through Shouto’s mind. As much as Shouto wanted to go on kissing Izuku, he knew they weren’t done talking. He pulled back just far enough to take in Izuku’s whole face, watching as his dark lashes fluttered open to reveal slightly glassy pools of green. He stroked his thumb along Izuku’s jaw where it rested and gave him a small, slightly unsure smile.
“This is the kind of ‘like’ I feel for you. I want to be absolutely clear this time, this is the kind of stuff I want to do with you so if you don’t think you can…” His words are cut off when Izuku reaches a hand between them to grip the collar of his shirt and yank him down to crash their lips together again. This time, Izuku’s lips were immediately moving against his own and Shouto reciprocated happily. Izuku tilted his head to allow their lips to slot together at a better angle and lifted his free hand to slide up to the back of Shouto’s neck, so Shouto lifted his own to rest on Izuku’s hip in response. Izuku’s tongue darted out to tentatively licked at Shouto’s lower lip and he readily parted his lips, shuddering at the warmth that invaded his mouth. They were both huffing through their noses in a desperate attempt to get enough air to continue their hungry exploration, but it eventually proved insufficient and they had to pull back gasping air. They remained firmly within each other’s space, refusing to break eye contact as they panted heavily. Shouto knew he must be a mess if Izuku’s appearance was anything to go by. His eyes were half-lidded and glassy and his lips were red, puffy, and shining with spit. Shouto felt the now familiar feeling of cautious excitement growing in his stomach as he scanned Izuku’s face.
“Are you sure?” Shouto felt a little silly asking after such an intense moment, but he really needed to feel sure this time. The knot that had been tying itself up in his gut unraveled in an instant when Izuku broke out into a broad, sunny smile, his eyes crinkling along with it.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Shouto couldn’t stop his own relieved smile that spread in return. This time there was no mistaking it, Izuku was his boyfriend now, and he couldn’t be happier. He leaned down and pressed another soft kiss to Izuku’s lips before pulling back with a grin.
“So, I guess I don’t need to clear things up with everyone after all.” Izuku gave him an amused look in response before breaking into a laugh, high and melodious. Shouto just snorted his own laugh in return.
“No, I don’t think that’s necessary.” Izuku finally released his grip on Shouto’s collar to instead bring his hand to join the other at the back of his head. “So, it looks like your schedule for the rest of the night is suddenly cleared.” Izuku’s fingers stroked through his hair, curling to scratch at his scalp softly and Shouto felt a deep blush rise to his cheeks. “Why don’t you stay here for the night and we can watch a movie on my laptop until we fall asleep.” Izuku smirked mischievously and Shouto felt a shiver go down his spine in response to this unexpectedly flirty side of Izuku. He was suddenly hit with flashes of every time Izuku had driven him to the brink of madness over the last two months, all before he apparently knew they were dating, and Shouto was instantly both worried and elated about what the future held.