"Christmas shopping"

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Todoroki shook his hair, contemplating the contours of the walls of his room. Lamenting for his ineptitude with Midoriya when they trained that time at the new facility, then argue bitterly with Bakugou, who kept approaching Midoriya, and every time he did better.

He was aware that if he would achieve nothing if he continued to observe the contours of the walls when he should be with Midoriya, at least doing homework together in one or the other's bedroom, or in the library, but he was truly tired.

He was really tired of dealing with Bakugou's attitude, which did not stop meddling in his plans, and conversing with him was annoying and when they finished and everyone left by his side, fatigue lashed out with his mood.

While in that unfortunate state, he received a text message. He did not want to check it the first time his cell phone vibrated, however, it rang again, meaning that he was sent another.

He checked it and his heart skipped a beat, for it was Midoriya.

He said:

Todoroki-kun, I hope I didn't bother you, I wanted to know if you would like to accompany me to do Christmas shopping. Of course if you can.

The second message read:

If you can't, I planned to tell Uraraka and Iida to accompany me. I don't want to bother you if you already have things to do. I wait for your answer.

Was Midoriya inviting him out? He didn't think twice, and as fast as his fingers could type an answer, he replied:

Of course I can accompany you, Midoriya.

When would we go to the mall?

Within seconds of replying, Midoriya answered the message, saying:

Great! I would go out of school tomorrow. Can you go tomorrow Or maybe another day this week?

Todoroki smiled sideways, excited, answering back:

Tomorrow I'm busy, do you think we could go on Friday?

The truth is that the next day he would visit his mother, so he couldn't see Midoriya, but in what he worked to make a space in his itinerary to see him, Midoriya had answered the message, saying:

Yes, Friday is fine.

Todoroki typed fast, saying:

Midoriya… would it be just the two of us?

He blushed as he wrote such barbarity, knowing that he wouldn't imagine other scenarios, such as holding hands, or hugging under the moon.

He shook his head, feeling his cell phone vibrate with another message from Midoriya, saying:

Yes, only the two of us, I want to buy gifts for Iida and Uraraka-san.

If there is any problem going both, I can tell them to come and another day I buy them their gifts.

Todoroki typed right away, as red as his face could ignite with emotion. He answered:

It doesn't bother me to go both, Midoriya.

He answered seconds later, he said:

Ok, we will have a lot of fun Todoroki-kun!

Thank you so much for helping me

Todoroki looked up from his cell phone, grinning from ear to ear, forgetting the bad mood a few moments ago.

It was curious to realize how easily some text messages by Midoriya could brighten the day.

Now, it only remained to wait until Friday to arrive.

Friday arrived, to Todoroki's relief, he was still on his way out with Midoriya that afternoon.

Of course, the temperature of the weather had gradually decreased since the previous week, and fortunately, they would not be touched by rain on their way out, so being forced to carry an umbrella was not a concern.

Midoriya was in the company of his friends, chatting and planning things to do at the Christmas meeting they would have with his mother, to which he decided to invite him, to which Todoroki had to refuse such an invitation, because for his misfortune, he should to attend the Christmas party that his father organized every year.

However, his good mood did not fade from his current state, because at the time of departure, he was accompanied by Midoriya. Neither Bakugou nor anyone could stop them when they left the school premises, since Todoroki was even smarter and took Midoriya out of that time, whose goal was not to bump into anyone in classroom 1A.

Leaving the school premises, they took public transport and went to the mall that was outdoors, implying that they would see other types of Christmas ornaments hung in the air and maybe, if they were lucky it would be their turn to see a snowfall of artificial snow .

"Wow!" Exclaimed Midoriya, delighted with the Christmas decorations hanging on the posts that held the stands. "Look, Todoroki-kun!" He took him by the arm and with the other hand pointed to a Christmas wreath four meters long and eight meters high hanging in a building. "Isn't it amazing?"

"Sure." He nodded, pleased to see Midoriya so happy.

"I don't know what to buy." He put both hands on his cheeks, afflicted. "I like everything!"

"We will find something that will be perfect for Iida and Uraraka-san" Todoroki said, sketching a small smile.

"Yes, you're right." Midoriya continued walking through the decorations stalls, some of Ugly Sweater type sweaters that are often used at Christmas, spheres, cakes of different sizes and colors and flavors, endless things to see in the mall. Todoroki looked sideways at Midoriya, of whom, he was rejoicing watching each stand, marveling at the food, clothes, smells, decorations, of the people who sang Christmas carols, everything.

It was good to have both went out, instead of leaving in the company of the others in his group, since Todoroki had the privilege of witnessing the sweetness of Midoriya's smile just for him, even if it was a little while of his day, but It meant a lot to be by his side like that.

"Look at this, Todoroki-kun." Midoriya put a Santa hat on his head. "How do I look?" He posed, putting his two index fingers at the corner of his lips, sketching a smile.

Todoroki was tempted to tell him that he looked cute, but he didn't, he resisted it, opting to just nod, telling him he looked good.

"I'll take one for me." He laughed mischievously.

Todoroki recalled that Midoriya would dress as Santa in the reunion they would have in the dormitories a day before Christmas Eve, with the intention of leaving with their families.

When he was waiting for Midoriya to buy the Santa's hat, he realized that he bought the entire Santa's outfit, adding that he bought some sweaters that they combined. It seemed odd that he did that.

After buying, Midoriya gave him the bag of sweaters shyly.

"Midoriya?" Todoroki looked at him in confusion, taking the bag in his grip.

"It's for you" He said embarrassed, putting a hand on his mouth.

"What?" He was breathless from the impression.

"They're sweaters that match," he explained, bumping his fingers into each other nervously. "We can use them, if you like…"

"I'd like to" He said gratefully. Midoriya looked at him in surprise, then simply smiled gently. "I'm sorry I can't go to the Christmas Eve reunion."

"It's okay" Midoriya deterred with his hand. "At Christmas I will have the reheat in my house." He cut himself, performing what he just said and gasped in amazement. "No-I don't force you to come to my house! Oh what did I say?" He covered his face with his forearms, his ears were painted red.

"Do you invite me to your house for Christmas?" Todoroki asked excitedly.

Midoriya nodded.

"Yes, I can go" He replied kindly.

Midorita looked up, lowering the forearms of his face, blinking slowly, full of disbelief.

"Really?"

"Of course, Midoriya" He said calmly. "That day I put on the sweater you bought"

"Yes!" He smiled gladly. "I'll wear mine too."

They walked through the rest of the stands, where they ate Takoyaki and then Midoriya found the gifts of Uraraka and Iida.

After acquiring the two gifts, Todoroki recalled the conversation he had with Midoriya in his room, where he cried and held him in his arms. Such lived experience shook him and as he let his mind ponder if the emptiness and sadness he described feeling persisted, and if it persisted, how to intervene to improve his mood.

How to help him?

"Midoriya" He decided to speak.

Midoriya nodded.

"What's up, Todoroki-kun?"

"How have you been?" He questioned intrigued, causing Midoriya to look at him in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" He frowned.

"I mean your mood" He clarified. "What you said when we went to your house, if you still feel that way or not"

Midoriya saw him stunned, blinking in leisurely action.

To which Todoroki, he wanted to fix, but he didn't think of any excuse to correct or relax Midoriya's expression.

"I want to help you" He offered, giving him a kind look. "Because I don't like knowing that you suffer, because you worry me a lot, Midoriya, since you have no idea"

A silence arose, one that he did not like, but it caused intrigue and that intrigue, just waiting for Midoriya to speak, or just keep quiet.

Midoriya's thoughts could be many, just like things that sometimes came from his mouth could get stuck in the tip of his tongue and lock.

The premises that Midoriya felt things for him, in his view, were scarce; adding the time they had to meet, which would hardly be a year, and the time that Bakugou had to meet him. It was indisputable to compare it.

"I appreciate you want to help me" He spoke suddenly, in a calm voice. "And my mood has not changed much these days, although I feel happy because it will be Christmas and I can be at home" He said. "You know, it makes me happy to be with you." He giggled nervously, coloring his face a little. "And also with my friends, and what we did the other day in training made me see that I can be a good hero."

"You are a great hero, Midoriya" He broke.

Midoriya locked.

"What?"

"You are a great hero, Midoriya" He repeated bluntly.

"Thank you" He blinked moved.

"I don't want to intrude" He admitted. 'But, in my opinion, you are an innate hero, our partners have their reasons why they have decided to be heroes, among them I have my reasons why I decided to want to be a hero, but you are special, Midoriya" He made a brief pause. "You saved me when nobody else did it, you realized something that nobody noticed that was in me, and you saved me from myself, and that is what makes the difference between our classmates and you." He pointed at him with respect. "You are my hero, Midoriya, since you saved me at the sports festival" Seeing him, Midoriya's eyes were tearing, but he didn't decide to stop saying what I thought of him. "You were born to be a hero, and for me you would still be a hero even if you were born without a Quirk" He smiled at him. "Because you act without thinking about yourself, because you want to save that person who is in danger without thinking about the consequences, that's why for me, you more than anyone in our or group you deserve to be a hero"

"Don't go on anymore" Midoriya sobbed.

"All I say is what I think of you, Midoriya" He clarified, knowing that his words had reached Midoriya, and resulted in crying. "Because I don't want you to doubt your abilities and everything you are valuable"

"I understand" He gestured, releasing a sob, putting his hand on his chest.

"You deserve to be a hero" He said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Never doubt it, Midoriya."

"T-thanks." He smiled with tears still coming out of his eyes. "Thank you Todoroki-kun"In that, there was an explosion at the other end of the mall, causing uproar and screams of fear, thus capturing the attention of the two young people, whose conversation would be forced to be postponed.

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P.S. What do you think of this chapter? It's from Todoroki, and the next one too.