When they came back from their internships, the students of class 1-A had yet another obstacle in their way: final exams. The written portion was easier to manage, for everyone had their own methods to study better. However, as they stood in their costumes outside for the practical portion, it was more tense.

"As you all know," Aizawa said, "this class consists of twenty one students. However, for the purpose of the practical exam, everyone will still be paired up evenly."

Principal Nezu popped out of Aizawa's scarf, exclaiming, "For various reasons, the exam will be different starting this time!" He continued to explain as he climbed off the homeroom teacher. "From now on, we want to focus on person-to-person combat and hero work, and stress teaching that is closer to actual fighting. So… We'll have you form teams of two to fight against one teacher!"

"In addition," Aizawa said, "the pairs and who each pair will be up against has already been decided. We've called in a student from class 1-C to fill the gap in numbers." Aizawa turned to his fellow group of teachers, all of the students watching as they stepped to the side to reveal who had been hidden from sight. Everyone in class 1-A's eyes widened, and Ai couldn't help but tense when the familiar but unacquainted face looked straight at her. "Hitoshi Shinso and Ai Shuzenji, you two will go against Vlad King."

"I don't think we've formally talked before," Ai said, "Shinso-kun." She held her hand out for him to shake, glancing up with a warm smile.

"No," Shinso said. "We haven't." There seemed to be a prominent scowl plastered on his face as the two separated from their grip.

"I'm glad we're not the first team up." Ai gave a small laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. "It gives us time to strategize! I was thinking-" She couldn't talk anymore. Her body was overwhelmed with a weight that made her completely motionless, and though it sent shivers down her spine when Shinso placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in, she couldn't escape. His breath was deathly cold against her ear.

"Aizawa-sensei approached me with this opportunity," he said, "and I'm not about to waste it on whatever half-hearted plan you're thinking of." Ai's fingers twitched at her sides, meaning to clench in fists. Half-hearted? As she listened, her stare was expressionless, but Shinso's words weighed heavier than his quirk. He leaned back, a hand in his pocket as he stared down at her. "At the sports festival, you kept letting your peers get ahead of you round after round. If you want to pass this exam, then just do as I say."

The terrain was the same as Iida and Ojiro's battle, though it had been restored from the potholes that were previously made. Perfect, Shinso thought. The two of them faced down with Vlad King, who was surprisingly quiet despite his roaring hero persona. Tsk. He knows about my quirk, huh?

The exam starts now.

Shinso sprinted with Ai not far behind. Vlad King laughed at their ambitious approach, running himself and calling his quirk forward. It was when the blood spewed from his hand did Shinso duck, and behind him came the force of jumbled vines. "Sensei," Shinso said, backing away as the brainwashed student and teacher held each other within their collision. "We're in the ideal environment for Ai's quirk – I don't think you'll win this one."

Despite how badly Vlad King wanted to counter Shinso's taunting, the hero didn't give in. Instead, more blood erupted from his back and caught hold of Shinso's torso, hoisting him up into the air as it hardened. His arms were trapped at his sides, and he grit his teeth in annoyance. His eyes narrowed at Ai, who moved automatically.

She immediately kneeled, punching her hand into the dirt, and rooting up a tree that rammed itself into Vlad King's grasp of Shinso. The boy landed safely on the ground. Ai's costume was currently under construction, for she had a different idea for its design now. However, that meant that she was limited to her power coming straight through her fingertips as the UA athletic uniform limited her range of touch.

"I see," Vlad King said, though his statement was directly at Ai. "So he's controlling you, eh?!" The blood retracted back to his body, hardening into a weapon at his right hand as he swung it down at the student in front of him. Ai could barely react from his swift movements as she stumbled backwards, keeping low to the ground, and bringing up a plethora of vines around her. However, it would only be a matter of time before Vlad King broke though.

Shinso clenched his hands at the scene before him, because he was in charge of Ai's maneuvers. His knowledge of combat techniques was limited, therefore placing both of them at a disadvantage because Ai couldn't fight for herself. "Don't ignore me!" Shinso's exclamation fell on deaf ears as Vlad King ripped his way through the vines, slamming his powered fist down on Ai's stomach. The force of the impact made Shinso's eyes widen, as did anyone else who was spectating. The girl coughed up blood, but the light had returned to her eyes.

However, she was still unmoving.

"To have been forced by your partner only to be knocked out and fail this exam," Vlad King grumbled, "pathetic." He stood up straight, bringing his fist back. The hero turned his head, eyes narrowed and determined.

"Am I your next victim?" Shinso's shoulders were tense as he took a step back, watching the teacher begin to sprint towards him. "What kind of hero does that much damage to a little girl?!" His provocations were getting desperate, and his volume heightened. "With that kind of quirk, you could really be a villain, couldn't you-" Vlad King was right in front of him, elbow raised.

Just as the punch came, so did the wall.

Ai dug her fingers into the ground, wheezing as she pushed herself up from the dome she had been bashed into. Her body faced the two as she slowly came up to her feet, kicking her shoes and socks off and wiping the blood from her mouth with her sleeve.

"Shinso-kun," Ai said through gritted teeth. "Run." Vlad King was fast to react, but Ai was one step ahead of him. She continued to uproot vines and branches around the hero, blocking his attacks from reaching her partner. However, that only redirected Vlad King's target. As soon as he was on her, Ai knew that she wouldn't be fast enough to dodge his punches, nor did she have the strength to keep summoning nature if she wanted to heal the wound within her abdomen. "Junior!"

The feather responded immediately. It latched onto Ai's jacket and pulled her back from all of Vlad King's attacks. It gave her just enough time to reach under her shirt and heal her stomach.

"Enough messing around," Vlad King exclaimed, more blood exiting the slots within the back of his costume as they wrapped around Ai's body, hovering her over the ground. She flailed against his grip, though to no avail, watching as he reached out with his other hand and shot his blood towards Shinso's distanced figure. He was close to the exit, but not close enough.

"Junior," Ai groaned, feeling the incessant tug against her jacket, but it couldn't get her out of Vlad King's grip. "Get Shinso out of here!" Ai winced at the speed in which the feather shot out of her clothes, flying neck-in-neck with Vlad King's quirk. They both grabbed at the same time. Vlad King gripped onto Shinso's shoe while Junior held the back of Shinso's shirt. He was suspended in the air, grazing the threshold of the exit by the wisps of his hair.

"This isn't something you can win," Vlad King said, his gaze shifting from the boy to the girl.

"No," Ai agreed, "but if I can still fight," she slammed her chin into the solidified blood, breaking down the red blood cells back into a liquified state. She was drenched as she landed. "Then we still have a chance." The two stared at each other, but the sound of a distant horn caught their attention. In the midst of their conversation, Shinso had kicked off his shoe and flew through the gate.

They passed the final exam.

"Wait," Ai exclaimed. Shinso was on his way back to the general studies department, but his stride was slow. It gave Ai enough time to catch up to him after her aunt had healed any leftover injuries from the practical. Her voice didn't sway his movement, but it was when she grabbed his arm did he stop to face her. "Please, just – hear me out." Shinso's gaze dropped to her hand, and he had half a mind to force her off, but Ai got the hint and let him go.

"What do you want?"

"Well…" Ai's hands clasped in front of her, thumbs fidgeting as she pieced her words together. "Thank you, for being my partner." His piercing stare made her subconsciously take a step back.

"Is this a joke," Shinso questioned. "Are you saying this because you pity me?" The look in his eyes… vaguely reminded her of someone. She saw how it overlapped with a certain hot-headed middle schooler from way back when. He approached as he continued speaking, but this time, Ai didn't retreat. "You got beat to a pulp and then tossed me around like a ragdoll with that stupid support item of yours. What the hell are you thanking me for?" Shinso was getting impatient. One word, that was all he needed to end this conversation.

"You have an amazing quirk, Shinso-kun." Ai's statement stopped his quirk short. "I just wish… You hadn't used it on me at the beginning." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "The exam probably would have went smoother if we actually worked together. But even when you took over, I could still hear you." Ai's hands dropped to her sides, a bright smile on her face. "We were at a disadvantage because the sensei knew your quirk, but you still tried your best to get him to talk, right? So, thank you – for not giving up!"

Shinso straightened up a bit, lips parted with an astonished expression. "You're… too nice."

"But I mean it!" Ai suddenly grabbed his hands, staring up intensely to express her sincerity. Shinso was taken aback by her actions, leaning away from her face because he didn't know what else to do within the moment. "You told Midoriya-kun you wanted to be a hero too, right? At the sports festival?" Her grip tightened. "Once you hone your ability and realize that it's okay to work with others, you're going to be a really great hero. At least… That's what I think." Ai's expression softened to one of slight curiosity when she saw a small grin make its way to Shinso's lips.

"I can see now how even that hot-headed first place grew feelings for you," Shinso said, referring to his observations from the cavalry battle.

"Huh?" However, Ai had no time to question this as she felt herself being pulled forward. A sudden peck made her face flush, and she was left holding her cheek as Shinso retracted his hands to put in his pockets and began walking away. "D-Did you just-"

"See you later," he said, glancing over his shoulder with a smug smile, "Shuzenji."

End of Story Arc Two

"Why is this place so damn crowded," Bakugo growled. The mall was the last place he wanted to be after final exams, yet here he was. "And what's with all these extras acting like they know us?!"

"Bakugo-kun," Ai stammered, walking next to him along with two others at their group's edge. "You were number one at the sports festival. They're all just admiring you."

Kirishima erupted in laughter as he wrapped an arm around Bakugo's shoulders. "If you thought this would be irritating, then why'd you come with us in the first place?" His embrace made Bakugo's face scrunch up with annoyance, and the boy was about to explode further until he felt something grab hold of his cheek. Bakugo turned his head to the source, about to bite the hand off until he saw the owner's smile.

"It's because he knows he has friends now," Ai teased, shaking his head left and right. "He couldn't miss this opportunity because he cares about us sooo much~"

"The hell did you say?!"

"Oy, Bakugo," Kirishima interrupted, pulling him away from Ai's touch. "Let's go to that store over there!" Ai didn't have time to protest as he practically carried Bakugo away. "I know exactly why you came here," Kirishima whispered, making veins pop up all over Bakugo's face. "You're so obvious."

"Shut up, shitty hair!"

"We were supposed to shop together," Ai grumbled, being left alone with the other member of their four person group. A small blush dusted her cheeks as she looked up at him, being simultaneously hit with a wave of guilt. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be here, Ice King?"

"Yeah," Todoroki said. "Since you invited me. My mom's visiting hours don't close until later in the evening, so once we're done getting what you need, I can take the next shuttle to the hospital."

"That's still a long trip though," Ai pouted. The two began making their way around the mall. "I feel bad for making you come here with everyone just to have to leave by yourself."

"Then…" Todoroki's steps came to a halt, forcing Ai to look up at him as they both stopped. A small gasp escaped her lips upon his next statement, and she could feel the heavy thumps against her chest. "Come with me."

"N-No, I couldn't possibly intrude!" Ai brought her palms up in front of her, shaking them violently. "You barely get to spend time with your mom as it is, s-so…" Todoroki grabbed one of her hands, tugging her along to their designated store.

"If you feel guilty," Todoroki said, "then take responsibility for your actions." Ai's grip tightened with her increased anxiety, and it brought a small, amused grin to Todoroki's face. "Plus, I think it'll make my mom happier to see that I have a friend."

Ai clutched her shirt with her other hand, hanging her head as she took a big breath. "A-Alright…"

Todoroki and Ai left earlier than the class had intended to stay, and the closer that they got from walking down the corridor of the hospital to the patient room, the more Ai could feel her heart almost beat out of her chest. Her fingers gripped the hem of her shirt just as they made it to the door.

"Ice King," Ai stammered. "I-I mean…" The thought of calling a mother's son such a nickname made her tense. "Todoroki-kun…" Ai's voice trailed off when Todoroki grabbed her hand again and gave it a squeeze.

"Didn't I tell you that it sounds weird when you call me that," he said. "Don't be so nervous." She winced when Todoroki brought his other hand up, pressing his index and middle finger against her forehead. "Just be yourself." Ai bit down on her bottom lip, watching as he used the same hand to grab the door handle. Todoroki waited for her to give him a nod, and the two entered.

Rei Todoroki was beautiful, albeit a bit tired from past experiences. She sat at her usual stool, staring out the window until she heard the door open. When she saw her son enter, she couldn't help but smile. However, her expression changed as she tilted her head to the side, watching a young girl follow shortly behind him.

"Shoto," Rei said, "is this your girlfriend?"

Ai's face went completely red. "N-No!"

"Then…" Rei's voice trailed as her eyes skimmed over the both of them. "Why are you holding hands?" Instinctively, Ai ripped her hand away from Todoroki. He didn't have a chance to say anything before Ai placed her arms to her sides, bringing her head down in a low bow.

"I-I'm sorry for the misunderstanding," she exclaimed. "My name is Ai Shuzenji, and I'm one of I-Ice King's friends…" When Ai stood back up, she willed herself to make eye contact with Rei, though the heat of her cheeks never left. "It's nice to meet you, Todoroki-san!"

There was a pause as Rei stared at the girl, but eventually, she brought her fingers up to her mouth, developing a small smile as a giggle escaped. The sound made Todoroki's ears perk up, and his lips parted in an excited gasp. "Ice King," Rei questioned, "what a strange nickname."

Ai rubbed the back of her head out of embarrassment. "It was the only thing I could think of since he and I didn't formally introduce ourselves at first," she explained, recalling their tense interaction at the UA entrance exam. "I didn't realize he could control fire too. He never really showed it at first, and honestly… It didn't seem like he needed it." Ai was in a daze as she spoke, remembering all of the times she had witnessed Todoroki within his natural element. Small snippets of him protecting and hugging her also crossed Ai's mind, and she couldn't help but smile. "Your son… is truly amazing, ma'am."

Rei's hand fully covered her lips as she gripped her cheeks with her thumb and fingers. The sight of the mother crying made Ai begin to freak out again, and Todoroki quickly went to her side, rubbing her back to sooth her. "Arigato, Ai." Rei's voice made both Ai and Todoroki sigh with relief. She removed her hand from her mouth and wiped her eyes. "I'm so happy."

"Mom?" Todoroki was both ecstatic and confused with the sight in front of him. Rei grabbed his free hand with both of hers. Her face was the brightest he had seen in a while.

"You have a good friend looking after you, Shoto," Rei said. She gave Todoroki's hand an extra squeeze. "Treat her well."

"Hai," Todoroki said. The edges of his lips curled up into an expression that made Ai's heart throb. She was overwhelmed with emotion, but when their eyes met, she couldn't look away from him. "I will."

The rest of the evening was spent with the three of them sitting down and the Todorokis doing most of the talking. However, Ai was content with just listening to the two being able to catch up and adding in her own opinion here and there. When it was time to leave, Todoroki waited outside in the hallway, for Rei wanted to speak with Ai alone.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion again," Ai said. "I'm not sure how often you get to talk to Ice King like this."

Rei smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm happy that you came today. You see, even as much as I loved how Shoto was able to approach me again not too long ago, I was still worried for him. He grew up in that house without knowing the warmth of a home. He had no support from friends, let alone that of his own parents." Rei's fist clenched upon this statement, but Ai kept quiet. "So, please…" Ai gasped when Rei took her hands, and through the reflection of Rei's eyes, Ai could see the result of years of guilt and pain. "I'm not asking you to do this in a romantic sense – that's a choice only for you two to make. But please, help Shoto realize that it's not too late for him to know love."

Ai reciprocated Rei's squeeze. "I will do my best, Todoroki-san."

"Ai," Rei said. A weight lifted off her chest, and the beautiful smile didn't leave the woman's face. "Call me Rei."

The walk home from the shuttle was a quiet yet unawkward journey. By the time Ai and Todoroki made it to the front of Ai's house, it was completely dark. The main thing that Ai could see was how the moonlight radiated against the white of Todoroki's hair, simultaneously sparkling his gray and blue irises to life.

"You didn't have to take me all the way here," Ai chuckled. She was attempting to relieve the stoic expression from Todoroki's face, but he still refused to speak. It seemed as if he was lost in thought ever since they had left the hospital. "Anyways, it's really late, so I should-" The sudden arms that wrapped around her frame and the head that buried itself into her shoulder made her volume lower. "Ice King…?" It wasn't loud, nor was it noticeable except for the slight shaking of his shoulders. Ai brought her arms up behind Todoroki, gripping the back of his shirt with one hand, and the back of his head with the other. Her voice was tender. "Why are you crying?"

They stayed in silence for a while, but Ai was patient. Though their position remained the same, Todoroki finally spoke. "I had forgotten that expression she made today," he said. "I didn't think I'd be able to see it again… so soon…"

Ai was the first to pull away, and she grasped his face with both hands. A giggle escaped her lips as she used her thumbs to wipe underneath his eyes. "Oh, how the tables have turned." Todoroki's hands came up and clasped hers, leaning his cheeks further into her caress. He sighed softly as he closed his eyes. "Ice… King…?" Once again, he went quiet, and Ai was plagued by an untouched question that replayed in her mind.

Now she had an answer.

Upon watching his disappearing figure, Ai overlapped her hands against her chest. Shoto Todoroki… Her heart would not stop its fast pace. However, instead of getting frustrated, she learned to accept this feeling.

She accepted the way it brought butterflies to her stomach.

She accepted the heat that rushed to her face.

She accepted his presence wholeheartedly, just as he did with her.

I like you.

Until Season Three

A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read and giving your opinion (: You can also find this story by searching its title on these other platforms, or going to my profiles:

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