Why am I even here? Izuku thought to himself for about the thousandth time that night, fiddling with his bowtie as he stood near the gym wall. He didn't like formal occasions, especially school dances. He should be training, or studying, or literally anything else besides standing there feeling awkward. Uraraka caught his eyes from the dance floor, trying to get him to join him. He gave her a weak smile, waving her off as he sipped his punch. Oh yeah, Ochaco dragged me.

Izuku was never one to stand out in the crowd, and he never tried. He'd been quirkless up until about two years ago, and though even then he dreamed of being the number one hero, he never actually thought it would happen. But here he was, attending UA, mentoring under All Might, and on his way.

But why did he have to be at this school dance?

Izuku watched as Aoyama dazzled the room, quite literally in his sparkling suit that he no doubt bedazzled himself. Everyone there seemed to be having fun. Even Kacchan looked to not be hating it, arm draped around Kirishima as the redhead talked animatedly with Sero. He'd been glad to see his childhood friend find someone. If only Izuku could have the same kind of luck.

"Midoriya!"

The green-haired boy turned and gave a smile to Yaoyarozu as she walked over.

"Yao-Momo, you look amazing." He complimented.

"Thank you, so do you." She looked him over, stopping at his feet and letting out a laugh. "You're wearing your sneakers?"

"What?" he shuffled his feet. "They're comfortable, and they go with everything."

Yaoyarozu gave another laugh, smiling at the boy. "Never change, Midoriya."

"I'll try not to."

"Not dancing with anyone?" She asked, looking out at the rest of their class. Ashido was tearing it up on the dance floor while Jirou acted as DJ. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

"Oh, n-no." Izuku looked away.

"Don't know how? I could teach you a few steps." She quickly offered excitedly. Izuku quickly backtracked.

"No no, it's not that!" he answered a bit too loudly, waving his arms in a dramatic fashion. Once he composed himself, he let out a breath, knowing his classmate well enough to know she wasn't going to let up any time soon. "It's just, the only person I'd want to dance with… they're…"

"Ooooooooooh does Midoriya have a crush?" The vice class rep was suddenly bouncing on the soles of her feet, excited. She'd had her suspicions about the shorter hero and who he might like in the class, but to actually hear it from the horse's mouth was most too much to bear. "Come on, spill, who is it?"

"Yaoyarozu shhh," Midoriya tried to get her to quiet down, not wanting to attract attention with this. She quietly squealed to herself, quieting down but still anxious to know. "It's embarrassing, okay? There's no way they'd like me back."

"Oh shush, come on now. Anyone in the class would be lucky to have you. Now which one is it?" She scanned the crowd excitedly, trying to deduce who the young hero known as "Deku" had eyes for. Uraraka would be the obvious guess, but seeing as she was currently in a relationship with Asui it didn't seem likely. That took those two out. Hmm…

"Um, well, see it's-"

Just then, the door to the gymnasium opened, and Todoroki Shoto walked in.

Izuku felt his heart go boom instantly.

He'd been crushing on the half and half hero since their fight at the sports festival. The way he overcame his hate and fought against him. And the way his chest looked with his uniform was scorched… Midoriya felt his cheeks darken. Whenever they spoke it was impossible for him not to get lost in his heterochromatic eyes, suddenly feeling as though the sky was the limit. He had more than once gushed to himself in the privacy of his dorm room about how amazing Todoroki was.

Izuku Midoriya had it bad. He was drowning in it.

"That one." Midoriya finally answered, not being able to look away from the handsome boy as he walked in, clad in a red dress shirt and grey vest. Yaoyarozu followed his eyes. "That one is mine."

Midoriya had been surprised at his sudden bold declaration, but he couldn't help it. He knew someone like Todoroki could never like someone like him, but that didn't stop his heart from beating faster whenever they were in the same room together.

"Oh. I see," Yaoyarozu answered, suddenly flashing a rather mischievous smile. Before Midoriya could ask, she was gone, walking across the gym floor…

AND DIRECTLY TOWARD TODOROKI!

What is she doing? Midoriya shouted in his head, beginning to panic. What is she going to do? He could only stand there and watch. He practically cried when he saw her grab his arm. I'm done for, I'm through. I need to get out of here. He began walking, practically bolting for the door before the tears could start. The last thing he wanted was to start crying in front of Todoroki. Before he could take two steps, Todoroki looked up, directly at him.

And just like that, Izuku was suddenly helpless.

He couldn't move. He could barely breathe as he saw him get closer and closer. Midoriya tried to look away, but he was frozen.

I'm so into him. He thought, trying to catch his breath. I am so into you, Todoroki.

Izuku had it bad. He knew he was drowning in him, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Yaoyarozu, where are we going?"

"Somewhere special. You can thank me later." The creation hero assured, walking Todoroki across the gym, and directly towards a frozen-stiff Midoriya. At seeing his classmate, Todoroki's eyes widened.

"Midoriya? You're here, too?" he was surprised. "I figured you would be training instead."

"Oh, uh y-you know, U-Urar-raka dragged me." Izuku gave a sheepish grin. Oh god I'm actually talking to him. "Y-you look good, T-Todoroki."

Shoto looked him over, the tiniest of smiles playing at the corners of his lips. "So do you, Midoriya. I like the bow tie."

It was in that moment Izuku died and went to heaven he was sure.

"You two should talk. Midoriya isn't much of a dancer, either." Yaoyarozu added, taking a step back.

Todoroki looked back to Midoriya, who was shuffling his feet.

"Y-yeah. If you wanted to, you know, go over hero stuff, o-or homework or something…"

Shoto gave another small smile.

"Sure."

Izuku looked up then, seeming surprised by his answer before giving one of those thousand-watt smiles.

"O-okay! Yeah, let's, uh… let's go sit on the bleachers."

"I'll leave you to it." Yaoyarozu sent Midoriya a wink, turning to head back out to the dance floor. Midoriya and Todoroki spent the rest of the night talking, even after the dance was over and they went back to the dorms, staying up late into the night just talking with one another.

One week later.

Midoriya was in his dorm room on his phone. It was way past curfew, and he was texting Todoroki. The two of them hadn't stopped talking since the dance, and Izuku was close to squealing every time he was alone after a day with him. Never in a million years did he think this would be possible, the two of them… they weren't dating, but it was almost as good. Yaoyarozu teased him and often dangerously hinted whenever Todoroki was around, normally leading to Midoriya frantically trying to change the subject.

Two weeks later.

Midoriya was stressing. He'd been pacing for about a good hour in his room, listening to sappy love songs on his headphones trying to build up the courage.

You can do this you can do this you can do this. He chanted to himself, reading over the notecards he had prepared to help him remember what he was going to say. Just knock on his door, tell him how you feel, and then run and hide in your room forever because you won't be able to face the shame of refusal WAIT THAT'S NOT RIGHT!

Izuku was dying inside. What had gotten into him? Where had this shred of hope come from that maybe, just maybe, Todoroki might like him back? Logically, there was only one way to find out, but Izuku was not thinking logically right now. He couldn't do this. He couldn't! He would say no. He'd laugh at him, he'd call him homo or something mean and hurtful, then never speak to him again. Everyone else would find out and he'd be mocked and shamed… Izuku felt the tears pricking at his eyes again. He was doing everything he could to try not to cry.

Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.

"Midoriya?"

Izuku couldn't contain the squeal that escaped him as he ripped the headphones off his head, his eyes trained to his door. He'd know that voice anywhere. What is he doing here?!

"Midoriya, it's Todoroki, I need to talk to you." He knocked again, this time Izuku covering his mouth to hide the second squeal. He needed to talk to him? About what? Probably nothing, just a homework question or he needed a sparring partner or-

Knock knock knock.

"Midoriya, I know you're in there. I could hear you mumbling from down the hall."

Izuku's face couldn't get any redder. HE HEARD ME?!

After a few minutes of Midoriya attempting to regain control of himself, he let out a long breath, and opened the door. He forced a smiled on his face.

"Todoroki, what can I do for-"

"Stop fake smiling." He cut him off.

"Wh-what?" Izuku was tense, but didn't stop with his smile.

Todoroki walked in, going to lean against Izuku's desk with his arms crossed.

"Sit."

Izuku, still a bit shell-shocked, closed the door and went to do as he was told, sitting on the edge of his bed, playing with the hem on his shirt.

"S-so, what did you need to talk to me about?"

When he didn't get an answer, he cautiously looked up, seeing Todoroki staring right at him.

"I like you."

"…I'm sorry what?"

Todoroki sighed, his hand rubbing his face. This was one of the most difficult things he'd ever had to do, and now he needed to do it again. "I… I like you, Izuku, a lot, actually." He cursed the warmth rising on his cheeks.

Midoriya meanwhile appeared to have gone into shock.

"Y-you, what, I mean, huh? S-say again, T-Todoroki… like…" he wasn't making sense, nothing was making sense. Todoroki… just confessed? Shoto let him go on for a few minutes until he came back to reality, looking back at him. "You… you like me, Todoroki?"

Shoto gave him a small smile, nodding. "For a while now. I just didn't know how to go about handling it."

Izuku nodded, trying to show he understood when in reality he was doing everything to remain calm. Finally, he managed to form words again.

"I…" he looked down, blushing. "I like you, too… Todoroki-kun."

Todoroki made his way across the room to Midoriya, carefully sitting next to the green-haired boy who still had his head bent low. "Midoriya, look at me."

Slowly, he looked up at the gorgeous boy sitting next to him, his cheeks still warm.

"So… what now?" Izuku asked, breaking the silence. He was still scared, terrified even, that this would be the end of whatever was happening between them. Sure, Todoroki had said that he liked him, but… he couldn't help thinking they were through, before they even started.

"Well," Todoroki scratched the back of his head, seeming lost himself. "I'm not sure. This is… this is the first time I've ever-"

"Me too." In a moment of bravery, Izuku reached for his hand, lightly squeezing it. In turn, he squeezed back. Could this boy really be mine?

When he scooted a little closer, Izuku knew right then and there, that yes. Yes he could.

This boy is mine.

He rested squeezed his hand again, interlocking their fingers.

"Izuku," Todoroki faced him on the bed, locking eyes. Midoriya's heart was racing. He just called me by my first name! I think I'm going to die! "I don't… I don't have much to offer you. I mean sure my quirk is good but… My family isn't good, my father won't approve of this. He might try something, and I don't want to put you in danger. All I have to give you… is me, my heart, Izuku. If you'll have it."

Midoriya was touched at this sudden declaration. He could feel the damn tears working themselves up again.

"It's insane, I know." Todoroki squeezed his hand again, seeming to assure himself that he was actually there. "But, you bring out another part of me, one I didn't know I had. And… I don't want to be without you anymore. I've been on my own for so long, what with my father, and my mother… And I don't want to be alone anymore. So… please, Izuku, stay with me."

The tears were definitely flowing by that point, and the second he finished Midoriya launched himself at his now-boyfriend, pushing them down onto his bed as he pressed his lips against Todoroki's, trying with everything in him to make this wonderful, amazing, perfectly imperfect boy how much he loved him, how much he was loved, and that he would stay, for as long as he could.

"Shoto…" Izuku tested the name on his tongue, and smiled when he saw Todoroki blush. "I promise, I do. I do, I do, I do."

"Izuku," Shoto seemed overwhelmed, his arms wrapped around Izuku's waist and pulling him closer, turning to they were both on the bed.

"You won't ever be alone, again, Shoto. I promise." Midoriya snuggled into him, the two just content to lay there for hours on end.

Sometime later, Shoto woke up, seeing it was the middle of the night and that his boyfriend was still sound asleep in his arms. He gently ran his fingers through the mop of green hair on his head, smiling. He couldn't believe that this boy was his, that he'd felt the same way.

A foreign sound caught his ear, he finding the source behind Izuku tangled up in the blankets. It was a music player. Opening it to the current song, he found it was on a playlist marked "Lovesick", and was playing a song from something called "Hamilton". Shoto was curious, wanting to know what kind of music his boyfriend listened to, and put the headphones on as he listened to a girl sing in English. He found he related to the song quite a bit. When it finished, he looked at the name.

Helpless…

Shoto found himself smiling, turning back to the sleeping Midoriya.

Yeah, helpless… Shoto thought. What a perfect word for us, huh Izuku?