So, I had this sudden urge to write Sero fluff and this is what it became. Not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing but it's definitely something.

Enjoy, I guess?

Developing a crush was fairly easy. Often times, it didn't take more than an act of kindness, a surprising dream or a conspiratorial wink.

Mine originated from a smile tinged with shyness that my classmate Sero bestowed upon my friend Ochaco.

It was a slow day with Toru out sick and Mina off to joke with Kirishima. Left to my own devices, I engaged in some people watching. My roaming eyes landed on the pair beside Ochaco's desk, caught up in a conversation that had the brunette gesticulating wildly. A pen was clasped in her fist, no doubt the reason Sero had approached her. Even though we all lived in the vicinity of the school, he still tended to forget his stuff. I used to think he was a bit of an airhead but maybe he was doing it on purpose.

When Ochaco was done with her story she handed him the pen, giggling self-consciously as she realized she'd gone off track. Sero shook his head and took the pen with a gentle smile. Warmth spread in my chest and I laid a hand over my shirt, surprised by my own reaction. A small, barely audible voice in the back of my mind whispered that it would be nice to have someone looking at me like that.

I watched Sero return to his seat when the bell rang and could barely keep my eyes off his back for the rest of the day.

That evening, as I made my way downstairs for a late night shower – I got caught up browsing hero news on my phone and didn't see the time pass –, I heard someone in the kitchen. Curious, I went to take a look and found Sero emptying the trash cans by himself. A quick glance in the common room informed me that he was indeed alone, which was odd as putting out the trash was a two-person job.

"Sero?" I asked, ignoring the tiny voice that wanted me to try calling him by his first name.

He started and whirled around, relaxing once he saw it was only me. "Oh, hi."

"Why are you alone? Where's your partner?"

I tried to remember who was on trash duty this week but couldn't seem to. Sero chuckled as he focused on his task again.

"I went to get Yaoyorozu but she didn't answer her door or pick up her phone," he said with a shrug. "I figured it would go faster to do it by myself than look for her in the dorm."

Yaomomo hadn't been with us when we were hanging out earlier so she must've fallen asleep studying again. Placing my toiletries on the counter, I closed the space between us.

"I'll help," I said, picking up two of the tied off trash bags.

Sero glanced at me from the corner of his eyes, "I got it, don't worry. Weren't you on your way to shower?"

"It can wait. But I'll keep my distance so you don't have to deal with the smell."

I was joking of course but then he slung a bag over his shoulder and picked up two more in his other hand, saying "You smell fine."

I was glad for the darkness outside for I was pretty sure my blush stretched from the tip of my roots to the top of my chest. It wasn't even a real compliment and the butterflies went crazy in my stomach. Sero dumped the bags into the large container at the back of the building then turned around to take the ones I carried. His fingers brushed mine and sent a jolt up my arm.

Who'd have thought taking out the trash could become such a pleasant experience?

The next morning found me going downstairs between Mina and Toru, who was back to her energetic self and talking our ears off. Half the class was already there, sleepily lounging in the common room as we waited for the ones on kitchen duty to prepare breakfast.

Plunking down on the couch, I listened to my friend's excited chatter, happy that she was feeling better. Two more people arrived and I raised my eyes enough to catch a glimpse of them. I went still at the sight of Sero and Satou, casually strolling in. It wasn't that they were still wearing their pajamas – we all were. No, what caught my attention was the arm slipped beneath his baggy shirt as Sero absentmindedly scratched his stomach all the while flashing us a sliver of pale skin.

I bit the inside of my cheek and averted my gaze, embarrassed by the small voice that demanded to see more. I heaved a sigh of relief when he finally removed his hand. Toru had gone silent beside me so I turned to look at where I believed her face was.

"Something wrong? Why did you stop?"

"Nope, nothing wrong," she chirped and my brows knit together at the unusual giddiness in her voice.

Toru continued with her story while the rest of our classmates filed into the common area, clamoring for breakfast.

I didn't mind crushes as long as I only got to experience the positive side of it. Unfortunately, that was unlikely to happen, which was why I stood brooding at the foot of a cliff during our rescue training class.

Sero had been paired with Ochaco which, as far as their Quirks were concerned, turned out to be a match made in heaven. Our task was to "save the baby" which meant that all of us were handed a bundled up doll and were expected to carry it to the top.

I watched as Sero shot his tape as high as it would go and pulled himself up to the outcropping. Meanwhile, Ochaco floated the baby all the way into his waiting arms before following. They repeated the motions twice more and were greeted with cheers upon their arrival.

I glanced at my own partner, reminding myself that kicking him across the training ground would be bad form. Mineta leered at me with an expression that promised indecency as soon as I let my guard down. Shifting the fake baby so I wouldn't smother it, I glanced up at the top of the cliff. I couldn't reach it in one go but having to rely on the diminutive pervert made my skin crawl.

In the end, I grabbed a fistful of Mineta's gym shirt and flung him skyward with a warning to catch himself. I activated my Quirk and there was a popping sound as he disappeared and reappeared much higher. Mineta only had an instant to pluck two balls of his head and stick them to the rocky surface to anchor himself. Once he was stable, I teleported myself within his reach and extended an arm to grab hold of him long enough to teleport again. He leered again as he made to grab me and I had a knee-jerk reaction where I snatched my hand back.

I woke up in the infirmary with my entire body aching and Recovery Girl chiding me for being reckless. Once she was done, she opened the sliding door and my worried classmates filed inside.

I sat up with a pained grunt that brought Toru to hover by my side. "I failed, didn't I?"

"Yes, though Mr Aizawa did give you a few points for protecting the baby in the fall," she said.

"Sorry, Mineta," I mumbled, hanging my head in shame.

"If you're really sorry then you could…"

I was spared from listening to the end of that sentence by Kirishima, who picked Mineta up and flung him out of the infirmary.

"Man, but that was a hardcore landing," the redhead said. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, wincing as pain shot through my spine from the small movement.

"You failed but Mr Aizawa said you can pass again at the next lesson." Ochaco said with a friendly smile. "You can also choose your partner. We're all willing to help."

Ochaco was a great friend and I had no doubt that she would become an extraordinary hero one day. So no matter how much I envied her for being the recipient of Sero's crush, I could never dislike her.

Recovery Girl said she would be willing to discharge me that afternoon if I promised to take it easy. Considering the dull ache in my spine, it wasn't a difficult request to agree to. All I wanted was to crawl into my own bed and stay there until I was feeling better.

Unfortunately, I overestimated myself and only made it to the common area before I needed to stop for a break. What was supposed to be a five-minute rest turned into a full-blown nap that I awoke from by dinner time. As I sat up, a blanket slipped off my shoulders and pooled in my lap. It was brown with white motifs and I immediately knew who its owner was.

I carefully folded it up and stood, noting that the pain had diminished somewhat. I trudged up all the way to the fifth floor and knocked on the door at the end of the hall. Sero was quick to answer, surprise etched across his features when he saw me there.

"Thanks," I said, returning the blanket.

His palms brushed the back of my hands as he retrieved it and I couldn't help but enjoy their warmth. The small voice insisted that I grab his hands and not let go.

"Sure, no problem," he said with an easy smile.

That right there was the reason I pulled my hands away. Sero's expression was open and friendly as he looked at me, nothing like the way he gazed at Ochaco. A minuscule part of me had hoped that maybe there might be a flicker of interest in him if he'd been willing to climb five floors just to get me a blanket but apparently I was wrong. He probably would've done that for any other classmate.

Putting on a happy face, I bid him goodnight and retreated to the safety of my room.