"Looks great, Uraraka!" Iida called.

Her round cheeks upturned, Ochaco Uraraka beamed graciously at 1A's Co-Class Representative of UA High School. She hovered about eight feet in the air: carefully stringing holly along the frame of the common room's doorway, pinning it lightly into the wall.

"Hope it stays up this time!" Ochaco giggled, lowering herself to the ground.

"Here," Hanta Sero insisted, handing Ochaco a roll of scotch tape, "It ain't as good as mine, but it'll have to do!"

"Haha! Thanks, Sero!" Uraraka gladly accepted the gesture, levitating and taping up a few loose ends to secure the festive framework.

"There! Whadda y'think, Iida?"

Tenya Iida nodded affirmatively, adjusting his glasses. He jolted at the sound of microphone feedback, clasping his hands over his ears.

"Gah!" Iida winced, "Jiro, what's happening over there?"

"My bad," Kyoka Jiro remarked coolly, "Just tryin' to get a good mix going here."

She placed her audio auxiliary ear-jack back into the disc jockey sound system. Fumbling skillfully, she twisted a few knobs and balanced out the feed to get the music pumping throughout the common area. A thumb's up confirmed that she accomplished her task.

"Wow!" Mina Ashido cooed as she walked by Jiro's stand, "Sounds great!"

"Yeah!" Toru Hagakure chimed in, "'Makes you wanna dance all night!"

Her invisible torso shimmied – with only her ugly Christmas sweater-dress alerting anybody to her presence. It wasn't until an annoyed Katsuki Bakugo shoulder-thudded her that she stopped abruptly.

"Hey!" Hagakure whined, her translucent legs stamping, "Watch where you're going, Bakugo!"

"Ah, shut the Hell up and quit being sucha ditz, Hagakure!" the angry hero-in-training growled back.

"Hey, Baku-bro!"

"Oh, crap…"

Bakugo's frown deepened as his classmate, Eijiro Kirishima, pulled him into a firm – yet friendly – embrace.

"Duuuude!" the red-headed young hero exclaimed, "Get in the spirit! 'Tis the season to be manly, right?"

"Hands off, shitty hair."

"Okay, okay," Kirishima eased off, hands raising, "'Don't gotta tell me twice!"

Chuckling a bit, the Red Riot moseyed over to the couch. Before he could take a seat next to Mezo Shoji and Mashirao Ojiro, Minoru Mineta popped up behind him with Denki Kaminari in tow.

"Kirishima, look!" the purple-clad menace exclaimed. In his pudgy fists, he clasped a fishing rod: hooked at the tip with a gaudy bow of mistletoe.

Kirishima quirked an eyebrow. "Uh… Mineta?"

"Isn't it full-proof?!" Mineta lisped, drool dripping from the creases of his mouth, "I'll get my Christmas kiss for sure now!"

"I'm tellin' ya," Kaminari said, "You're gonna get decked."

"Psh!" Mineta scoffed, "I can take 'em!"

Kaminari leaned over, coyly smirking.

"Not by the girls… By Iida."

"Ahem…"

Clearing his throat to alert them of his presence, Tenya Iida crossed his arms resolutely. Mineta gulped.

"Uh, uh, uhhhhh," the imp stammered, "Thi- er, this i-isn't what it looks like!"

"Of course, it's not," Iida replied sarcastically, grabbing the pole, "Because I'm sure you're already aware that you won't be needing this, as it would quite clearly be a violation of all appropriate protocol for common room co-habitation."

"Wait! Noooooo! Give it back!"

Turning his calf-rockets to low speed, Iida sprinted away with the device. Pitifully, Mineta chased after him to reclaim it. In his haste, he crashed right into Momo Yaoyorozu. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he looked up.

"Merry Christmas to me!" he howled, his gaze not quite meeting her eyes.

"Ew!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed, "Get outta here, Mineta!"

"Yeah," Tsuyu Asui added, "Go creep someone else out."

"If you insist, ladies!"

Haughtily, Mineta bowed. Just before scampering off, he turned back to the pair.

"But remember… distance only makes the heart grow fonder!"

Their faces paling, Yaoyorozu and Asui groaned. They waited for the purple blob of a boy to completely leave their path of vision before continuing their conversation.

"And you're sure you can't stay, Yaoyorozu?" Asui ribbited, "The party's just getting started!"

"My parents will flip if I'm not at the train station in time," the endowed girl smiled, "But will you please make sure my gifts get to everyone tonight? I want to make sure everybody has one from me by the time UA closes tomorrow."

"You can count on me, Momo! ~Ribbit~" Asui's tongue snuck out through her grin.

"You're the greatest!" Yaoyorozu sighed, embracing her friend. Her eyebrows crinkled as she felt a tight grip on her calf.

"…Room for one more?"

"Mineta!"

Again, the small hero chortled at his own amusement – scurrying away, nearly getting squashed by Izuku Midoriya in the process as he came in through the front door.

"Think fast, Deku!"

"W-wha? M-Mineta, watch out!" His freckled face peeled back, just barely dodging his precocious classmate. With his foot in the air, and arms brimmed with stocked grocery bags, Midoriya's balance was thrown completely off.

"W-woah!"

Shocked that he'd not hit the ground yet, the green-haired boy found the cast of a murky specter supporting his stance by his collar.

"Grrtchrr!" cried the friendly voice of Dark Shadow. His voice was somewhat muffled, still clasping the boy's collar in his beak.

"He said, 'Gotcha'," Tokoyami Fumikage clarified blandly.

"Hey!" Dark Shadow protested, releasing Midoriya's grip, "He heard me!"

"Uh, thanks," Midoriya commented, "Both of you!"

Before anything else happened, Izuku thought it best to place the groceries on the counter's secure surface.

"Nobody'd forgive me if I crushed the party snacks!"

"Ooh," Rikido Sato exclaimed, eyeing the bags, "Midoriya, did you get the—"

"Sugar?" Midoriya smiled, handing the substance to his classmate, "Pink label!"

"Great!" Sato cheered, "Thanks! This'll add just the right touch to the Christmas Punch!"

"H-how about the bird seed, Midoriya?" Koji Koda asked timidly.

Midoriya gently tossed the birdseed bag Koda's way, "All yours! It's Christmas for the birds, too, right?"

Blushing with gratitude, Koda nodded a nonverbal 'thank you' to his classmate.

"Ah," Yuga Aoyama cooed, "And moi, mon ami? 'Ave you acquired zee-"

"-Escargot bites," Midoriya added, pinching his nose, "As… requested."

"Ooh! C'est magnifique, mon frère! Merci!"

"Uuuuh-huh!" Midoriya grinned shakily. He would definitely not be partaking in that snack.

Carefully, the green-haired boy un-zipped his black coat and un-stocked the brown paper bags. He peeled out a bounty of purchases: chocolate cookies, corn chips, supple pastries, cheese-baked crackers, and other tokens of indulgent wealth for his fellow classmates. Hearing the rustle of sustenance, a group of 1A students approached the kitchen counter.

"Mmm," Kirishima's sharp teeth gnashed as he grabbed the bag of barbecue chips, "Sweet! Way to go, Midoriya!"

"Soooo cool of you!" Mina squealed, grabbing herself and Hagakure a cupcake.

"Yeah, seriously!" Hagakure cheered, outlining her invisible mouth with icing as she chomped.

Knowing how important nutrition was – and the fact that he would be having many indulgent snacks over the Christmas holiday – Tenya Iida bit down on a shiny, green apple.

"Looks like you really saved the party, Midoriya!"

"Ah, it was nothing," the freckled boy shrugged, "Just look at what you guys accomplished here!"

Taking in the sight of the room made Midoriya's insides feel warm and toasty. Heights Alliance never looked better. Every corner of the common room was trimmed with bounties of emerald strung up by way of a red ribbon or twinkly lights. Even their tree, though smallish, tied the whole room together: homemade ornaments by his fellow classmates dawning its prickly branches. However, what really completed the picture for Izuku was the added sounds of laughter. With Jiro's sound system just barely filling the room, his classmate's conversations, and comradery – excluding Bakugo, of course – threw in a dash of comfort and thrill to make the event cozy.

His green eyes traced the room. They stopped abruptly at an unlit fireplace.

"Hmm," Midoriya hummed, "It's not quite Christmas without a roaring fire, is it?"

"Why, you're right!" Iida replied, his flexed hand firmly motioning to the pyre, "We'll need some wood, kindling, and matches. Do we have the resources?"

"Can't Todoroki light it?" Kaminari chimed in, "Isn't he, like… our guy for that?"

Bakugo burned up at Denki's statement.

"I got fire skills too, asshole!"

"We know, Bakugo," Iida insisted, trying to keep things calm, "We just need some fire that's not quite as… explosive."

"'THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY, SPECS?!"

Sensing the tension, Ochaco Uraraka placed herself between Iida and a fired-up Katsuki.

"Everyone, relax," Uraraka stated, "I sent Todoroki to get firewood a while ago."

Midoriya quirked an eyebrow.

"And… he's not back yet?"

Ochaco pouted her lip a bit, thinking intently.

"Hmm… Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since."

"Well," Midoriya added, "He was gone before I went to the store, and that was hours ago."

"'Hours', y'say?" Iida pondered, scratching his chin, "It's not like Todoroki to doddle."

"Psh, frickin Icy-Hot," Bakugo muttered – though loudly enough for all to hear, "Little pain-in-the-ass attention freak…"

"Kacchan, not now," Midoriya insisted, his brow furrowing, "We're trying to think."

The cloaked hero-in-training stood forward, Dark Shadow sleeping behind him.

"We've ruled out the obvious, haven't we?" Tokoyami asked, "We're sure he's not here?"

Ojiro ran from the dormitories, calling to the group, "He's not in his room. Or any others! I checked."

"Wait," Shoji called firmly from the common room's window, "I see him."

"What?!" the whole class – minus Bakugo – yelled.

The stampede of heroes-in-training stormed over to the glass. Midoriya, Iida, Kirishima, and Uraraka were the first to arrive at Shoji's side.

"There," Shoji gestured, his eyes remaining fixed on the missing student, "On that bench."

"What's he doing?" Uraraka questioned.

"Just chillin', it looks like… No pun intended," Kirishima added, "Uraraka, y'sent him for firewood, right?"

"Yeah?"

"'Looks like he doesn't even have any with him."

Izuku squinted to get a clearer look as his comrades vocalized the situation. The heat of his breath fogged up the window's glass a bit. Using his forearm to clear it, he could make out his friend between the growing cluster of falling snowflakes. Midoriya had just been out in that weather – for a mere ten minutes. Yet, in that small amount of time, even he knew how frigid it was. He could not believe that Shoto Todoroki had been out in the thick of this pop-up blizzard for hours.

'He's not fighting it,' Midoriya observed, 'Just… taking it…'

The wind was not kind: squalls of large gusts whipping through leafless trees, taking with it swaths of wet, icy snow. Its unforgiving tempests coated Todoroki. Even the red half of his hair was looking whiter at this point… and his usual uncompromising frame appeared to wrack with shivers. Frowning, Midoriya turned away from the window as Iida scolded.

"He's going to freeze out there! Why is he—"

"Something's wrong," Midoriya choked out.

Midoriya looked to Iida and Uraraka. Both looked on with concern as he continued.

"I don't know what yet, b-but I-I can feel it."

The green-haired boy nodded, zipping up his black coat.

"I'm gonna go get him."

Midoriya took to his room, with Iida and Uraraka right behind him. The girl's expression hardened.

"You're not seriously going back out there, are you?!"

"I was barely in it," Midoriya replied, grabbing a hunter green scarf from his drawer, "While I was in a well-heated market, Todoroki was out in that."

Iida's palm rested firmly on Midoriya's shoulder.

"Yes, but… But these conditions are hardly fit for anyone! You… You'll catch a cold!"

Midoriya left his room, wrapping the scarf around his neck tightly.

"Todoroki could catch Hypothermia."

He stopped short. Kirishima was there to greet him in the common area, clearly overhearing their conversation.

"Yeah, but doesn't he, like, have the whole hot-and-cold quirk going for him, though? Can't he warm himself?"

"Well, this is just a theory, but—"

"Oh, great," Bakugo snarled, interjecting from the couch, "Another damn theory from Mister Wonderful himself."

Izuku's fists clenched reflexively.

"Kacchan, enough!"

That came out louder than Izuku had intended. The whole room picked up on Midoriya's frustrated tone. Bakugo was no exception. Of course, he would never let it show, so he simply slouched further into the sofa nonchalantly.

"Psh… Damn nerd."

His eyebrows still knitted, Midoriya turned to the gaggle next to him.

"Anyway, I have a theory. I don't really have time to explain the whole thing right now, but I know that his quirk's temperature regulation is a factor. And it could be compromised in this weather… Todoroki's got to get out of the cold. And soon."

Kirishima turned to Iida. Iida turned to Uraraka. Uraraka stared at the green-haired boy.

"Deku, what's gonna happen to him?"

Midoriya almost didn't want to look away from her pretty face. Still, he looked beyond her left shoulder and out the common room's window again.

"Let's hope we don't have to find out."

Ochaco sighed. Without warning, she grabbed Midoriya's scarf and tightened it around his neck. Midoriya could feel his cheeks and ears burning. His thoughts began to zip.

'Ooooooh myyyyy-'

"-Warm enough?"

Izuku was brought back to reality at Uraraka's voice. Still, his face reddened.

"H-huh?"

Chuckling, Ochaco repeated, "I said, 'Are you warm enough'?"

"Uuuuuhh-"

"Oh, I think he is," Kirishima nudged, winking to Iida.

As Uraraka let go, Sato walked over with a steaming mug.

"Here," the chef remarked, "For Todoroki. This hot Christmas punch oughta warm him up until he gets inside!"

"Great idea," Midoriya nodded, taking the concoction in his gloved hand.

Just behind Sato, Asui approached Deku with both hands behind her back.

"Take this, too," the frog-girl added, "She wanted me to wait, but I think now's a good time. It's from Yaoyorozu to Todoroki."

Beautifully wrapped, with opal wrapping paper and a burgundy bow, Midoriya carefully took the package under the crook of his arm.

"Thanks, Asui," Izuku smiled, "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

He turned to the main entrance of the common room. There, Iida was holding open the door for his friend.

"Not too long, alright?" the Class Representative warned, "We don't need two popsicles in 1A."

On his way out, Midoriya whispered, just loud enough for Tenya Iida to hear.

"Can you make sure we've got- "

"Plenty of blankets? Consider it done."

Midoriya snickered.

"I should've known you'd be on top of it."

Nodding to each other, Izuku continued out the door. Feeling it shut behind him was slightly unsettling. As he made his way to the stairs, his mind whirred.

'Why are you nervous? Todoroki's your friend. Just talk to him.'

Despite his affirmations, Midoriya knew something was off. The feeling nestled in the pit of his stomach. This was not like Todoroki… Or, at least, not the Todoroki he knew.

Could it be the request itself insulted him? Gathering firewood didn't seem particularly taxing. Could it be the way Ochaco asked him to do it? No, Izuku was sure Uraraka had asked Todoroki in a way that was nothing but kind. And Todoroki was nothing if not direct: meaning, if he didn't want to perform the task, he simply wouldn't do it. And he would phrase it in a kind way. No, Midoriya knew it – there was more to this. For sure.

He blazed down each set of stairs. Admittedly, he'd wished there were more. Not for Todoroki's sake, of course. For more time: time to think of what to say, time to plan out his questions for Todoroki, time to justify his friend's reasoning behind this.

There, his foot took the last step. He was at the main entrance to Heights Alliance.

Time was up.

Heavy doors swung open as Midoriya reached the courtyard. He briefly cocked an eyebrow.

'Wait… I came in through these doors after I went to the market… And when I came back… How did I not see Todoroki out here?'

His thoughts were whipped away with a thrashing gust of wind. Midoriya had wished his coat had a hood. This weather always burned his ears. Snow crunched beneath his boots as he jogged down the steps. Looking down, he noticed his footprints were paired alongside another's.

"Todoroki," Midoriya whispered breathlessly, the chill in the air stealing his voice for a moment.

Reddened cheeks masked his freckles – his green eyes tearing as he looked around the white, blanketed courtyard for his classmate.

"Todoroki!" He called as loudly as the wind would allow him. The snow, too, came down in buckets: suffocating any noise below a dull roar.

Midoriya tried imagining where he could be in correlation to his view from the common room's window. It was hard to visualize, even on a clear day – let alone, in this mess. The footprints, while evident, were fading quickly as more snow piled atop them. Izuku was a beggar, not a chooser, at this point. He followed the footprints as best he could.

"Todoroki!" His struggle was two-fold. If he looked down at the footprints, his calls to Todoroki would be deafened into the snowy ground. If he looked up to yell out to his friend, snow would cover the tracks, and he would lose the trail. Truly a lose/lose situation. Midoriya huffed, his breath warm and smoky.

"W-where—"

"hH'ut'Schih!"

Midoriya's chapped ear twitched at the noise. A cough? A sneeze? Either way, it was human, he knew that much. Facing the direction of the sound – and what little he saw etched in the snowy path – he came upon a bench. On a normal day, it was steel black and uninhabited. Today, it was blanketed in white – and holding a shivering Todoroki.

Midoriya stepped lightly. For a change, the roaring wind was actually serving in his favor. He made every effort to be remarkably quiet, as he was coming up from behind his comrade. Todoroki did not like to be startled: whether it was in combat, in jest, or anywhere in between. Someone either got frozen or burned, in any case. Izuku took his time, creeping over to the bench. Then, he noticed Todoroki's shoulders begin the buckle. Midoriya's heart skipped several beats.

'Crap! He knows someone's here.'

The red and white-haired boy reared back his head.

'Maybe, he'll notice me before he attacks.'

"Hh'haaah-"

'I've never used All-For-One in a blizzard before! Guess that's about to change.'

Todoroki's body snapped forward. Midoriya flinched. However, instead of flames or a sheet of ice flying out…

"Hhh'aaaah'schhuuu!"

Izuku stared. To his surprise, the mighty attack of Shoto Todoroki took the form of a pitiful sneeze. The green-haired boy tilted his head.

Above his sniffles, Todoroki could hear what sounded like someone clearing their throat. He jumped in his seat, his energy visibly lower than usual. Turning, his frame still wracked as he caught the goofy grin of –

"M-M-Mid-doriya?"

"Hehe," the teen chuckled, "B-bless you?"

Shock visibly on his face, Todoroki's heterochromic pupils dilated.

"W…wh-wha-"

"'This seat taken?" Midoriya asked, not waiting for a reply as cleared a mound of snow from the second half of the bench.

Midoriya plopped down beside his friend, the steamy drink and present still in hand. He could feel the worry on his face now melting away – where Todoroki's expression completely tensed up.

"M-Midoriya," he repeated, a slight rasp and congestion to his voice, "W-what are y'd-doing out here?"

Steadily, Midoriya looked Todoroki in the eye, noticing just how exhausted he looked.

"I'd like to ask you the same thing…"