Todoroki has been in far more dangerous situations, but none this precarious.
He watches and waits and wants. Todoroki has been trained to be cold, calculated and manipulative, but none of these traits suit him or his task at hand. He could honestly be considered a stalker at this point. It's pure luck that Kaminari and Sero haven't picked up on his new hobby.
Books spill over the library table in an unorganized fashion, much to Todoroki's chagrin. He and Midoriya have recently taken to studying together. Todoroki's neat piles on one end slowly morph into piles of half-filled notebooks, haphazardly strewn books, and a Ziploc bag full of apple slices. Although he can't say their academic habits are anywhere similar, there is an undeniable work ethic within Midoriya that Todoroki can't help but admire.
That, and the way he sticks his tongue out when he concentrates.
Studying with Midoriya has become more of a struggle than Todoroki could ever imagined. The library has never been his ideal study space, but once his distractions became palpable, there was no way he was going to let himself see Midoriya in as personal a setting as one of their rooms, no matter how much he craved it. It might drive him certifiably insane.
So he sits, sulking just a tiny bit, tapping his pencil absentmindedly against the heavy wooden table, his own mind wrapped up in all the things he was not supposed to be thinking about.
"Looks like you're picking up some of my habits, Todoroki." Todoroki startles out of his reverie. Midoriya has paused his concentrated pencil gnawing and is now staring over at him . He looks down at the Todoroki's reverberating pencil and smiles.
He can feel his cheeks warm as his classmate gazes at him, chin resting in hand as he awaits Todoroki's response. It could almost be considered adoring if he didn't know better. It's so incredibly frustrating that he should be studying English verb contractions when he could be counting Midoriya's freckles. He taps his chin.
"I suppose it was about time, considering how much time we've been spending around each other."Midoriya laughs, good-natured, as always. He was one of the easiest people Todoroki could just be around, with no ulterior motive. Midoriya was the only person, other than Yaoyorozu, that he didn't feel wanted something from him. Sure, being around him felt like holding your breath, but he didn't know that.
And who needs air, right?
Todoroki tilts his head in Midoriya's direction. "However, isn't it about time you picked up some of my studying habits?" Midoriya's shakes his head, his eyes crinkling as he smiles.
"I hate that you're right." He leans closer to Todoroki, who struggles not to pull back at the nearness. "Would you mind showing me how to conjugate this declension again?"
Todoroki tries his best to breathe through his nose. Maybe he did need some air- was it just him, or is it suddenly hot in here?
Todoroki sinks onto Yaoyorozu's bed, distress apparent. He struggles his way to a position where he hopefully won't slide off and onto the floor, wondering if he could hide all of his feelings in the mass of pillows that adorn the comforter.
Yaoyorozu eyes him with concern from the other side in the room. She shifts a teapot from hand to hand.
"It can't be that bad, Shouto."
"I do not like feelings," Todoroki deadpans, and leans back onto the bed. Yaoyorozu chuckles.
"Well, you do certainly look the part of a damsel in distress." She lifts a corner of the comforter and throws it over him. "Even better."
"I hate you."
"Do you?" Yaoyorozu shakes her head as the teapot whistles its own kind of laughter. "C'mon, Shouto, you wouldn't have come to me if you didn't want to talk about it."
"This isn't something I'm…familiar with." Todoroki closes his eyes in defeat.
She gently pours the tea into delicate porcelain cups. "Feelings?"
"Yes. Well, more specifically, the romantic kind."
"Sugar?"
"I'm not really comfortable with pet names, and I don't even know if he'd want to date me—"
Yaoyorozu bites her lip as she holds in her laughter. "Todoroki. Sugar. In your tea?" Todoroki peeks one eye open to look at her.
"Oh. Yes, please." Yaoyorozu mixes the tea and hands it to Todoroki, cradling her teacup in her own hands.
"I am very worried about you in any and all social situations."
Todoroki sniffs. "I would hit you, but you're holding tea."
"No, you wouldn't," she grins at him.
"I considered it," he replies coolly. Yaoyorozu raises an eyebrow. She turns her head, suddenly aloof.
"It seems someone has forgotten whose advice they are seeking," she says, matching his cool tone. Todoroki bites the inside of his cheek. He'd have to be on his best behavior if he wanted to get anywhere with her.
"Momo," he says, adopting an apologetic tone (but far be it he actually apologize). She looks at him over her shoulder, and he meets her gaze. "Please help," he continues begrudgingly. "I don't know what to do."
"So just a minute ago you didn't even know if he'd want to date you-" she began, turning around and returning to her usual, bubbly self- "and now you're wanting to do something about it?" He shoots her a dry look, and she raises a hand in defense. "I know, I know. I'm just saying, if you weren't so dense in the social department, you would notice how that boy looks at you."
"How he…looks at me?" Yaoyorozu merely scoffs by means of reply.
"Like you're the second coming of All Might, Shouto." She raps on his head with a closed fist. "Start paying attention."
Todoroki sits at a lunch table in the crowded Yuuei cafeteria populated by Midoriya and his friends, which, at this point, were probably Todoroki's friends too. He sits across from Uraraka- who tends to lean forward excitedly a little too close and a little too often for his liking- but he's regulated the patterns in his head so he doesn't flinch like he did the first time she sprang forward, sits next to her, intermittently nodding enthusiastically. The class rep doesn't seem to act much different in a casual setting, which is reassuring to Todoroki. To his right, Tsuyu.
Todoroki has to be honest- he hasn't been paying that much attention to that half of the table. The object of his attention sits to his right and happens to be brushing knees with him. Is this something close friends do? Todoroki thinks, his mind and heart racing. He had never been one for gestures of physical affection, and this certainly has to be unintentional. Still, he was struggling to regulate his body temperature. His own body, working against him. As long as no one notices his cheeks, he—
Just then, Kirishima and Kaminari tumble through the cafeteria, loud and boisterous. As they approach his table, Todoroki can feel dread like a rock in the pit of his stomach. Kirishima and Kaminari weren't mean by any standards, but Kaminari was both astute enough to notice Todoroki's romantic embarrassment and oblivious enough to mention it. This was a risk he was not willing to take. He quickly stands up, chair screeching in retaliation.
"I have to go," he blurts.
Midoriya looks the part of a startled deer, eyes wide in surprise. His eyebrows furrow in concern. "Todoroki?" he asks hesitantly, but Todoroki has already made considerable headway towards the large metal doors of the cafeteria. He pushes through, the doors swinging shut behind him with a satisfying clang. He leans against the door, aware of how cliché the moment is, and sighs.
He can hear Kirishima's muffled laughter from the hallway. Todoroki knows that Kirishima has the irritating ability to be universally well-liked. With Kirishima's sunny disposition and his own frigid physiognomy...he can't let himself be jealous of Kirishima. He can't.
Breathe in, breathe out, he reminds himself. He exhales, steam escaping his nostrils. Once he is done being dramatic, he notices Bakugou lingering in the hallway.
"Bakugou," he greets, unsure. "I-"
"Don't care, Icyhot," he says harshly, pushing past Todoroki and through the metal doors. The doors resound once again, and Todoroki, relieved, finally finds himself alone.
Midoriya sips at his smoothie, empty hand swinging by his side. A bit childish, but endearing, nevertheless. Todoroki attempts furtive glances from the corner of his eye, careful not to draw attention. A smart as Midoriya may be, he had a habit of being rather dense in the feelings department. Uraraka notoriously had a crush on him for a year and never once did the boy pick up on the telltale clumsy signs of love.
Lucky for Todoroki, he wasn't as obvious as Uraraka had been. Awkward, yes, but Yaoyorozu assured him that was merely part of his personality. That had stung a little, but he knew it was the truth. Somehow, it didn't deter Midoriya from being his friend. Somehow, the universe had lined up awkward with awkward and they seemed to cancel each other out.
Todoroki smiles to himself, slightly shaking his head. Midoriya looks up, tilting his head in confusion."What's so funny?"
"It's just unusual to hear your usual self-mutterings," Todoroki replies, raising a singular red eyebrow. "Does that mean you're thinking too hard or not at all?" Midoriya merely bites his lip in concentration.
"I know I mutter a lot, and it's not that I'm not thinking, but…" he sneaks a glance at his companion. "Don't feel weird, please, but sometimes I can just—exist around you? Without going into overdrive? It's calming, really."
It's reassuring to hear the exact sentiments he had been thinking about from Midoriya's mouth. Once again unable to find the correct words, he remains silent, and decides to let him continue.
At Todoroki's lack of verbal affirmation, Midoriya begins to backtrack.
"I know it sounds odd, but you're just one of those people I can talk to without feeling like you're judging me. Or like I don't have to talk at all, really. It's just... safe." He scratches the back of his neck with a nervous laugh.
"You know—" Todoroki pauses. "I feel the same way." Midoriya's relief is palpable.
"Really?"
A bit uncomfortable with attention focused on him and his emotions, Todoroki scrambles for a topic change."Although I never had the tendency to ramble," he nudges Midoriya with his shoulder. "But it's cute."
Todoroki catches his mistake a split second before Midoriya does. So much for shifting attention. He can feel his left side begin to heat up. No, no, no, no. Midoriya does a double take, mouth forming an O.
"Did you just say—"
"I'm sorry, that was inappropriate of me, I just—" Todoroki babbles, channeling his inner Midoriya.
"No, I get it!" Midoriya says hurriedly. He laughs, cheeks showcasing a hell of a lot of freckles and a tinge of pink. "Uraraka used to say that, too. Guess it just comes with the charm of being forever fifteen."
"You don't look fifteen," Todoroki states.
"No, but I'm eighteen!" Midoriya says, followed by a groan. "Training may have made my body like an adult—"
Todoroki can't forget that.
"—but I will always have the eternal baby face." Todoroki nods solemnly.
"It's all in the cheeks."
"You're the worst, Todoroki," he huffs. "At least you look legal."
"Oh?" Todoroki shifts his shoulder bag. "How's that?"
Midoriya provides an all-encompassing gesture at Todoroki. "Look at you! The son of a god."
"Endeavor is more like the devil," he mutters darkly. Midoriya nods his head earnestly. He lifts his smoothie to bump it with Todoroki's.
"I'll drink to that."
"If you're gonna keep coming to me for pity parties, I'm gonna have to get you a special hat."
Yaoyorozu raises an eyebrow at Todoroki. He narrows his eyes but she merely smirks and leans forward. "With a string under your chin. And a little pompom on top."
"Mhmm."
"With Endeavor's face on it." Todoroki sits up.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me." Yaoyorozu hovers her hand tauntingly above her stomach.
"Okay, okay," Todoroki concedes, swatting at her hand. He slumps forward, chin in hands.
"You really are a wreck, aren't you?" she muses. He grunts a noise of assent. She shakes her head.
"I'm gonna have to order way more tea if this is gonna be a regular thing," she says, her tone chiding as she runs a finger over the rim of her teacup. "Which I'm assuming it will be-" she turns to look at him pointedly-"Oh, Shouto, why can't you just tell him how you feel?"
"If he didn't like Uraraka, why would he like me? They would have been perfect together, both bubbly and outgoing and incredibly determined…" Yaoyorozu gives him a dry look.
"Maybe because he's into the dark and mysterious type?" Todoroki throws a pillow at her.
"Not funny."
"Besides," she continues. "Opposites attract. Two people who are the same don't want to date each other- that's boring. And you," she pokes his chest, "are also incredibly determined. Who cares if you aren't as outgoing? From what I hear, extroverts and introverts are the best match anyways."
"From what you hear? Or do you mean you and Jirou?"
"Hey! We're here to dissect your love life, or lack thereof, not mine."
"Maybe I just want you to leave me alone so I can die. Of heartache." Yaoyorozu rolls her eyes.
"If you wanted to be alone, you wouldn't have hauled your sorry ass to my room."
"Maybe I wanted to suffer."
"Maybe," she acquiesces with a smile, "you're trying to figure out if you feel strongly enough to do something about your feelings."
"Maybe."
"Considering you're here, talking to me about this for the ninth time this week, I would say you feel pretty strongly about it."
"…Possibly."
Yaoyorozu smiles her megawatt smile. "Then I think I might have an idea for you."
Once again, Todoroki found himself watching Midoriya. This time, his situation provides him a bit more cover, as Midoriya sits close to the front of the classroom. Happening to rest his eyes on a tuft of green hair wouldn't raise any suspicion, even from those chomping at the bit to stir up some drama. If Kaminari told him to "spill the tea" one more time, he would melt his headphones. A personal promise, for his own wellbeing. And the rest of Class 1A's.
As Todoroki watches Midoriya fidget in his seat, his thoughts drift to his and Momo's earlier conversation. She had asked him think about what he liked about Midoriya. Skeptically, he had tried to push her more, but Yaoyorozu, true to her reputation, would not budge.
He was currently making a small list at the bottom of his page of notes. Aizawa isn't the most attentive teacher, especially with in-class work. Not to mention he probably wouldn't give a shit if Todoroki tuned out for a bit, anyways.
Todoroki had never been good with words, which was, in fact, the opposite of Midoriya, actually. While both were intelligent and, occasionally eloquent, Midoriya used considerably too many words while Todoroki couldn't often find the right words to say.
That, too, was an aspect he enjoyed about Midoriya—how they seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. What Midoriya had said about being able to coexist in a comfortable manner was such a nail in the coffin for Todoroki. He was sold, hook, line, and sinker. And Todoroki didn't often change his mind.
With that, he began to compose a lengthy list.
"No," Todoroki argues. "No, no, no. This is a terrible idea. Yaoyorozu Momo, you crazy woman, you've gone too far." She shakes a manicured finger at him. They sit, crouched behind a trash can at the end of the dorm hallway. If Todoroki weren't so damn nervous, even he might have been able to see the comedic elements in his situation.
Yaoyorozu crouches forward, ready to spiel like a coach at halftime.
"You have the note, right?" Todoroki hands it over begrudgingly.
"When you had me make a list, I didn't realize I would be writing love letters. Who am I- Uraraka?"
She shushes him.
"Because that worked out so well for her, Momo. What are you thinking?" Yaoyorozu waves him off.
"You may not watch romcoms, Shouto, but I can guarantee you that Midoriya does."
"So?" Todoroki glares at him.
"Sooooo, that means he'll love this," she explained, gesturing to the would-be love letter "He's a hopeless romantic. I'm honestly surprised you didn't pick that up." Todoroki crosses his arms, looking down at a crouching Yaoyorozu.
"I'm not good with feelings."
"Clearly," she scoffs. "Come on, the coast is clear."
"The coast has been clear!"
Yaoyorozu quickly stands up, briskly walking down the hallway in laughably guilty manner. Todoroki sighs and follows, regret evident in every step. She glances over her shoulder and apparently, he wasn't moving fast enough for her taste. "Come on!" she stage whispers, beckoning him with her hand.
"I'm literally three steps behind you," he deadpans.
Todoroki finds a hand clamped over his mouth in response. At this point, he's known Yaoyorozu long enough that this doesn't surprise him, but he can't help but be both baffled and thankful for their friendship.
Yaoyorozu shoves the piece of notebook paper into his hand.
"Why did you take this from me if you were just going to hand it back?" he asks in an incredulous whisper. Yaoyorozu rolls her eyes.
"Just slide it under the door!"
"Okay, okay!" Todoroki quickly slides the folded paper under the crack of the door. "Let's go." She nods her head.
As they made their escape, Todoroki can't help but smirk. He looks over at Yaoyorozu in quiet awe.
"That was pretty theatrical," he remarks.
"For sure."
"And very... extra."
"Of course."
"…Thank you." Yaoyorozu merely smiles at him.
"What are friends for?"
Yaoyorozu was right. She was right about most things but, up until now, Todoroki had only taken her advice as a grain of salt due to her (severely lacking) relationship resumé. Clearly he had misjudged the effect of romantic comedies on those with underlying romantic tendencies.
This being said, Todoroki was feeling pretty good about his earlier shenanigans. Yaoyorozu had given him the perfect opportunity—a way to express his feelings in a semi-safe environment. The note had been anonymous, so no matter what Midoriya's feelings ended up being, Todoroki wouldn't end up in the crossfire. The note itself wasn't too shabby, either. Maybe not quite at the level of a love sonnet, but he had drawn a heart near the bottom, so he was sure that would earn him some brownie points.
The hardest part was the waiting. Constantly bombarding Yaoyorozu with texts drove her up the wall, and the distraction of irritating his best friend only provided so much relief. He didn't even really know what he was waiting for—Yaoyorozu hadn't had much of an outline for post letter drop, which meant Todoroki was going to have to roll with the punches.
He and Midoriya still do homework in the library every Thursday night, eat most of their meals together, and hang around the dormitory lounge in their spare time. But nothing was different—nothing felt different. Not like Todoroki assumed that it would, after Yaoyorozu's many detailed speeches regarding love and the "romcom."
Granted, Todoroki didn't think that Midoriya would magically know the note was from him. It would be better if he didn't, in case the feelings were unrequited. But after a week passes, he had begun to grow nervous.
The oddest thing to Todoroki is that Midoriya hasn't even mentioned the note. Not even one little slip. He would have thought they were close enough friends—what, with all the time they spent together—to ask him advice regarding the confession, or at least tell him about it. Unfortunately, Midoriya remains unperturbed, except from the rare Bakugou cameo.
Maybe he didn't get it? Todoroki thought on multiple occasions.Mulling the same issues over and over again proved to be the very opposite of cathartic, and were very, very close to driving himself insane.
So began a game of Todoroki's own making. He wants Midoriya to tell him about the note, to vocalize his thoughts, to express his opinions. He wishes Midoriya would just ask him about the note, but it seems as if he's going to have to take matters into his own hands.
They sit, side by side, on a concrete wall on the outskirts of campus. Midoriya munches loudly on apple slices, and Todoroki silently contemplates the orange in his hand. Midoriya's short legs kick childishly off the wall.
"Aizawa sure was tough today, huh?" he says. Crunch.
"I suppose that's to be expected, with all of the incidents occurring." Midoriya's legs still. "That, and he probably didn't get enough sleep."
"Do any of us get enough sleep?" Midoriya queries, a half smile quirked towards Todoroki. His looks corroborate his statement, bags beginning to form under bright green eyes. To Todoroki, it felt like someone was trying to dampen springtime.
"I suppose not," he assents. "We all have so many things going on." Midoriya raises an eyebrow.
"Things...?"
"You know…dorm things. Social things." Midoriya laughs. Forget what he said about Kirishima having a sunny disposition, this boy was literal sunshine.
"I guess it is hard, being away from home for the first time, isn't it? But I feel like everyone's adjusting well enough, especially because we've got good friends!" He nudges Todoroki.
This is enough to satisfy Todoroki, who once again lapses into a content silence. Midoriya continues to happily eat his apple slices, unbothered by the romantic turmoil that was currently overwhelming his friend. Despite this, Todoroki can't help but be happy—though Midoriya has successfully skirted around his main objective, he did call Todoroki his friend.
He would consider the day a win.
"Todoroki," she chides, watching as he absentmindedly freezes and unfreezes his tea. "It isn't that bad."
"Isn't it?" His words, like the tea, have no warmth in them.
"You're being dramatic. It's only been…"
"A week, Momo!" She rubs her arm.
"Well, I suppose that isn't ideal," she placates, "but there are a lot of variables I'm sure you haven't considered." Of course, she can't realize how wrong she is. There were infinite variables to account for, and Todoroki had considered them all. He just hadn't realized it would it would all add up to him feeling shitty regardless.
"Shouto!" she says curtly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Look, no matter what happened, he's been hanging out with you like normal, right?"
"Right..." he says uncertainly.
"And he's been seeking you out, Shouto. That means, at the very least, he knows it's you and it doesn't bother him. Or, as I'm sure you've considered, he doesn't know it's from you!" Todoroki rolls over and morosely faceplants into a pillow.
"But wouldn't he talk to me about it?" he manages, voice muffled by fabric. Yaoyorozu pokes him.
"You never talk about feelings. Why would he talk to you, out of the blue, about a topic you haven't even broached before?" she points out.
"Yes, but," Todoroki's voice is quiet as he processes his sudden realization. "I want him to feel like he can."
"Look, Shouto, moping about it isn't going to solve anything." She sighs and rubs his back. Both sit in heavy silence for a moment. Todoroki, still sulking, watches as Yaoyorozu begins to mutter to herself.
"Come on, we're going to fix this." Yaoyorozu, determined, sits up suddenly. He lifts his face from the pillow and squints at her.
"It's hopeless at this point, I-" Todoroki begins to whine before she shushes him and all but dives under her bed. Todoroki peers at her from over of silk comforter.
"Momo?" Yaoyorozu, ignoring him entirely, begins pulling things out from underneath her bed. Girls are a mystery...
Suddenly, she pops her head up, arms full of stationary and movies.
"We're gonna do this right this time," she all but squeals. "It will be all romantic!"
"I can't," he despairs. "It's too big of a risk. You're right, you're right. Midoriya hasn't treated me any different this past week, and honestly...I can't stand the thought of him not wanting to be around me because of some stupid feelings I can't deal with. It's better to have him in my life than not at all. I can't lose him like this, Momo." Yaoyorozu shakes her head at him.
"You won't lose him, I can guarantee you that. He likes you. I've told you to watch how he looks at you- do you not see that? How he intentionally seeks you out? You're so oblivious!" Her laugh is incredulous. "Listen. This is going to end up driving you insane, so here's my ultimatum. You tell him, or I will."
"What?" Todoroki says flatly. He can't have heard her right. Yaoyorozu crosses her arms with a huff.
"You heard me. Tell him, or I will."
"That's incredibly unfair!" he protests.
"Is it?" she asks, quirking an eyebrow. "This is obviously making you unhappy, so this is how I can be a good friend to you."
"Tough love," Todoki says sardonically.
"That's right! You damn well need it," she says matter-of-factly. "You wouldn't listen to me otherwise. In the midst of her excited frenzy, she must have noticed the panicked look on her friends face because she paused. She exhaled, placing a hand over Todoroki's own.
"Just…" she says, her voice now soft. "Trust me on this, Shouto. Please." He snatches the stationery from her hand.
"Fine," Todoroki relents, "But we're doing this my way. No more romcoms." Yaoyorozu dips her head. "Maybe that was...a little much."
"A little," he repeats, taunting. "About as little as Bakugou's temper."
"Alright, alright!" She plops down next to him. "How are you going to do it?"
Todoroki smiles at her. "No more flowery notes. I'm writing this with my words, and," he swats at her with the pencil, "You are not going to read it. This one is just for him." She clutches her heart, gasping dramatically.
"That's so romantic!"
It is, he supposes, but it's more than that. It's an expression of feelings that will let him let go, even if things don't go his way. He knows he owes it to Midoriya, and more importantly, himself, to write this note. Despite what the people might think, Todoroki Shouto is a True Romantic... who simply can't draw a goddamned heart.
Todoroki Shouto is a big coward, is what he is. He had written the note, tucked it in his front jacket pocket, and let it burn a hole there for over a week. He had so much hope when writing it, and his feelings hadn't changed, but his confidence is shaky (at best).
So there it sits, gathering metaphorical dust, as Todoroki torments himself following around Midoriya day after day.
Today's personal hell happens to be the dormitory lounge. He and Midoriya are the only two present, both to Todoroki's delight and dismay. Midoriya sits next to him on the dormitory grade sectional, upside down and legs splayed over the back. His cheeks are red from the increased blood flow (it would be comical if Todoroki weren't dying inside). Overall, they'd been having a fun time, playing Mario Kart and joking around.
Todoroki sits next to him, cross-legged, with a book in his lap and his head in his hand. The note sat in his pocket, per usual. He (quite literally) had to get something off of his chest, but he couldn't seem to make himself do it.
Calculating, he considers his alternatives. If he doesn't tell Midoriya, Momo will, and that's worse than whatever he could possibly say to embarrass himself. If he can't confess point blank, he can ask about the note. He can ask about the note, right? Midoriya probably told someone, so if he says he overheard something about a note, it can't be that far-fetched. Midoriya is easily trusting, and although he doesn't want to lie, per se, he has to know. He needs to know. He needs a buoy to cling onto in this hurricane of emotions he's currently sailing though, and if that buoy is crafted from false pretenses, so be it.
"So," he begins, hoping it's nonchalance he exudes, not desperation. "I heard something about a note last week?" Midoriya looks over at him.
"How did you hear about that?" Todoroki shrugs.
"Someone was talking about it in the hallway. Anyway... is everything okay?"
"Yeah! Yeah!" Midoriya's voice teeters on the edge of a boy in puberty. "It's just, ah," he laughs nervously. "I guess I, uh, got a love letter last week? Or something? It's nothing, really." Todoroki's heart sinks.
"I would think that would be a big deal?"
"Oh, ah, yes! Of course it is! I'm so glad Uraraka could express her feelings, but-"
Todoroki stops cold. Wait, Uraraka? No. No, no, no, no. Midoriya thinks the note came from Uraraka? He clears his throat.
"Uraraka?" he asks, hoping he had heard incorrectly.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," Midoriya avoids eye contact. "Kirishima told me she had it pretty bad for me last year, I guess? So she was the most likely explanation, I think."
"No, you're wrong."
"What?" Midoriya scrambles to sit up. "Do you know something?" Todoroki's mind goes on high alert, simultaneously panicking and trying to fix his faux pas. He falters, uncertain which path he should take.
"Momo...said," he gets out, somehow. Which isn't technically a lie, but it's not really the truth, either.
"Oh!" Midoriya's face brightens. "I should go ask Yaoyorozu! What a good idea, Todoroki!"
"No, don't. I..." Todoroki drifts off, unsure.
"What do you mean?" Midoriya asks, quieter than before. "Todoroki?"
Todoroki abandons the buoy and decides to risk it and swim for shore.
"I mean," Todoroki pulls the note out of his pocket. "I wrote it. And I wrote this, too." He shoves it into Midoriya's palm.
Midoriya looks dumbfounded. "You...wait, what?" Todoroki stands up quickly, fear quickly setting in once the courage and adrenaline begin to seep out of his system. He decides now, after he's risked one of his best friends, is the time to make his escape. He bows curtly towards a dissociating Midoriya and books it towards the door. If he can just make it out of the common area, he can-
"Wait!" Midoriya pleads from behind him, panting. "Wait, please."
Todoroki turns to find the object of his affection with his hands braced on his knees, overwhelmed by the sudden exertion of his quirk. He looks up at Todoroki, eyes wide.
"You didn't let me say anything!" Todoroki can't look at him. Instead, he scuffs at the floor with his foot.
"Look, Midoriya, you don't have to say anything. It was foolish of me to-"
"No!" Midoriya protests, eyes bright with something Todoroki can't quite comprehend. "Yes."
"No and yes?" Todoroki asks, genuinely confused. He can't bring himself to consider anything but a "no." Midoriya laughs breathlessly.
"Todoroki," he steps forward. "I like you. I have liked you. For a while now, actually."
"You...what?"
Midoriya nods vigorously. Todoroki is reminding himself to breathe in and out, afraid his internal regulatory processes are going to short circuit on him at any moment.
"I didn't want to tell you about the note because I didn't want you to think I liked Uraraka," Midoriya admits. "Although, I guess you were waiting on me to mention the letter, and because I didn't…"
"...I didn't think you were interested." Todoroki finishes, and Midoriya reaches out to take his hand into his own, rough, scarred one.
"Please tell me you don't think that anymore." His eyes search Todoroki's face. "Shouto, I like you. I do! Even if it took us this long, and we were both kind of dumb, we-"
And with Todoroki's last ounce of patience gone out the window approximately five minutes ago, he pulls Midoriya to him and kisses him like he's been wanting to kiss him for the past six months. And damn, was it worth the wait. Midoriya pulls back, lips parted, freckles lost in blush. His smile is dazzling, eyes half-lidded, and his gaze slowly climbs from Todoroki's mouth to his eyes. Todoroki could get lost in everything about Midoriya, really.
"I've been meaning to do that for a while," Todoroki admits.
"Well," Midoriya began, raising an eyebrow. "How long is it gonna take for you to do it again?" Todoroki looked down at him, incredulous. Where was the boy who had been too shy to even mention he had a received a love note? This seemed incredibly forward, but...that Midoriya is also this Midoriya, his Midoriya. And Todoroki has to admit, he doesn't mind it one bit.
And with that thought, Todoroki leans down and makes Midoriya's question a rhetorical one.