Midoriya woke up to one notification on his phone.
He was groggy, and had to reread the name several times, but his brain eventually registered that Todoroki was the name in his notifications, and Midoriya's face lit up.
Todoroki: Hi.
Midoriya's face broke out into a grin and he quickly typed out another message.
Midoriya: Feel free to message me whenever you want! I check my phone pretty often.
Before he knew what he was doing, Midoriya's thumb tapped the send button, and the message quickly went through. He reread his message. His grin faded as he realized that his message definitely made it sound like Midoriya really wanted Todoroki to message him. And while true on some level, though Midoriya would not consciously accept it, he did not want Todoroki to know that. Why couldn't the text have not gone through?
"Uuughhh."
Damn this school and it's stupidly good cell signal, Midoriya thought.
He quickly backed out of the conversation, finding himself cringing each time he saw the message, and instead opened the group chat.
Broccoli: i am an utter buffoon
Broccoli: i can never face him again
Urararararaka: what did you do?
The Flash: Is everything alright, Midoriya?
Broccoli: i def made myself seem waaay too eager to talk to him;;; hes gonna think im too excited and never text me again
Urararararaka: deku
Urararararaka: you utter buffoon
Urararararaka: hes not gonna care if you seem excited! i bet hes just happy someone wants to text him, he seems so lonely
The Flash: I do think you're worrying over nothing, he'll text you back.
Broccoli: uuuhgh i hope he does :(
Urararararaka: he will!
The Flash: Why don't we all go out together somewhere today, to get your mind off things, Midoriya?
Urararararaka: ooh, great idea! there's this ice cream place tsuyu told me about that we've been wanting to go to
Broccoli: i could go for some ice cream! you can invite tsuyu along too
Urararararaka: i will
The Flash: Then I'll see you guys shortly.
"Ohh my god. This is the best ice cream I've ever had."
"Same," Midoriya ate another spoonful before leaning over to look at Uraraka's bowl, "What flavor did you get? I got cookie dough."
"Mint chocolate chip!"
Tsuyu glanced over, "can I try that one, Ochako? You can try some of mine."
They happily switched bowls as Iida smiled, "I am happy you two are so close! Tsuyu, you are always welcome to come out with us on other days."
Midoriya nodded quickly, "Yeah! Especially if you show us more places like this!"
"Thank you, I'd like to."
(As Tsuyu smiled at the friends around her, Todoroki looked down at his phone, the blue light illuminating his features as he read a new message he'd received. His fingers floated over his keyboard as he mulled over what to respond with, before typing out a simple message.)
Midoriya opened his mouth to make another remark when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out to check and was met with a text message from Todoroki. He typed his password in and hesitated to open the conversation.
"Oooh, a text from Todoroki! I told you you were worrying too much!" Uraraka ruffled Midoriya's hair as Tsuyu and Iida looked on.
"Oh? What about Todoroki?" Tsuyu inquired.
Iida glanced at Midoriya before responding, "I don't believe it's my place to say…"
Midoriya smiled and waved a hand through the air, "I don't mind her knowing! Todoroki's my soulmate. I just don't know if he knows he is. And, uh, I'm a little too paranoid when it comes to talking to him. Or interacting with him. ...or being near him." He rubbed the nape of his neck sheepishly.
Tsuyu nodded, "Oh, I understand. Well, I agree with Ochako, you probably worry too much."
"Anyway! Deku! What'd he say?"
Midoriya opened the conversation, biting his lip.
Todoroki: Okay. Thank you.
"Oh." Uraraka puffed out her cheeks, "that's plain."
"Todoroki isn't one for speaking much though, is he?" Iida added.
"Yeah, but they're soulmates! You'd think Todoroki'd be a little more interested."
Midoriya's good mood was dimmed by Uraraka's words, as he realized she was right. If he was Todoroki's soulmate, Todoroki probably would be more inclined to talk, and maybe be more friendly than he was to the average person. He sighed as he turned off his phone's display and moved to put it back into his pocket, when his phone buzzed again.
He blinked, and turned the display back on.
Todoroki: I would enjoy conversing with you whenever you'd like.
"Oh." Midoriya's face heated up, and he put his phone down in front of him.
(Todoroki himself stared at the words he typed, wondering why his fingers typed against his will. He didn't want to be close to his soulmate. He couldn't be. But something in him wanted to be anyway.)
"You could start a conversation now, Midoriya," Tsuyu suggested.
Midoriya looked back and forth between his phone and his friends, "But what do I say? What would he want to talk about?"
"Perhaps ask him what he's doing right now?"
"But what if he thinks I'm nosy?"
Uraraka placed her hands on her hips, "Deku, it's a normal way to start a conversation! I'm sure even Todoroki knows that."
"Uuughh, I don't know why I'm getting so worked up," Midoriya slapped his hands harshly against his cheeks and stared intensely at his phone, only to see it be snatched away before his eyes.
Tsuyu typed quickly, sliding the phone back to him before he could even say anything.
Midoriya: Cool!
Midoriya: What are you up to?
"Ah fuck. I can't believe you've done this, Tsuyu."
"Smooth reference, Midoriya."
"Thank you, Urakaka. I am incredibly stressed right now."
"How about we go back to the dorms? I think we could better help Midoriya navigate this conversation there. Also, people are looking at us." Iida gestured to nearby tables where the people watching quickly averted their eyes.
"Yeah, okay."
Ochako bumped Midoriya's shoulder as soon as they both sat themselves on his bed, "Has he answered yet?"
He glanced at his phone and saw a notification marked two minutes ago, "Yes."
"Midoriya, you've got this." Tsuyu nodded encouragingly at him from Uraraka's other side.
Todoroki: I was practicing my fighting technique a moment ago. But nothing at this moment.
Todoroki: What about you?
"Should I tell him that I'm with you guys and you're helping me text him, or would that be weird? No, that would definitely be weird."
"Just calm down, Midoriya, act as if you're talking to one of us, not your soulmate."
He nodded at Iida and then looked back at his phone, "Yeah, okay. Good idea."
Midoriya: I just got back to my room, I was out getting ice cream with some friends
Midoriya: Any plans for the rest of todat?
Midoriya: today**
"I am an utter buffoon."
Uraraka rolled her eyes, "It's a typo, chill out."
(Todoroki barely registered the misspelling, if anything it seemed characteristic of Midoriya to have a typo. Not that he'd paid attention to him enough the past couple weeks that he'd know what was characteristic of him.)
Todoroki: None yet. Do you have any?
Midoriya: Idk yet, but I have plans to watch a movie tomorrow night lol
Todoroki: If you watch it in the common room, I'll join.
Midoriya grinned and typed out another message. Discreetly, Iida, Uraraka, and Tsuyu left the room as Midoriya was preoccupied. Midoriya typed out message after message, normal conversing coming naturally to him when he was able to forget about his entire problem with Todoroki.
Midoriya: Tododoki i have serious concerns about your lack of meme knowledge
Midoriya: Todoroki***
Midoriya was ready to die.
(The edge of Todoroki's mouth quirked up into a smile.)
Todoroki: Haha. Tododoki.
Midoriya: ajfdjds I'm sorry! Typo!
Todoroki: It's fine. I thought it was funny.
Broccoli: [img attached] im-
Urararararaka: already the cutest couple and you aren't even a couple yet
The Flash: I'm glad to see you two have warmed up to each other more!
Broccoli: im happy too! but i def cant interact with him in person yet
Broccoli: is it too forward to ask him who his soulmate is?
Kermit: I would wait on that
Broccoli: aa yeah you're right im rushing this
Urararararaka: i know its you anyway
Broccoli: maybe;;;;
Midoriya discreetly changed Todoroki's contact name to Tododoki, a small smile gracing his lips.
Midoriya: anyway i dont want to bother you any longer! lets talk again sometime
Todoroki: It was no bother. And yes, let's.
(Todoroki found himself to be disappointed that the conversation was over, and he almost felt his disappeared mark tingle. He shivered slightly at the feeling, then scowled. He knew texting Midoriya like this was dangerous, he could let it slip that he's his soulmate. Yet it was like there was an invisible force pulling him to and fro, ignoring his concerns and pushing him closer to Midoriya. And maybe he himself was the invisible force.)
Midoriya clutched his phone in his hands, allowing himself to bask in his contentment, instead of worry about soulmate nonsense. That could wait. He could wait. For now, he had made progress.