Izuku hunched over his desk, scribbling out his math homework as fast as possible. He didn't have anywhere to be, really, but he got a certain satisfaction from completing his work in the time it took for Aizawa-sensei to extricate himself from his sleeping-bag. However, his right arm was still a wreck from the urban combat exercise-not broken, just sore-forcing him to make do with his left. His writing looped and smeared-

snap!

-and his pencil broke. The lead shot across the classroom and vanished into Yaoyorozu's ponytail. Izuku stared, slightly agape, not knowing what to do.

Should I just ignore it? Should I say something? Should I grab it surreptitiously? Should I throw another in there so it doesn't get lonely? Should I set her hair on fire and blame Kacchan?

"You're muttering again."

Izuku jolted when Todoroki-consistently 3rd to class-spoke. He'd been too engaged in his rambling train of thought to hear him approach, as was their routine: Izuku would be working, or reading, or texting Light (the only person he knew who was up earlier than him). Todoroki would come into class, Izuku would hear him and extend his fist for a bump, they wouldn't speak to one another unless necessary. Of course, none of this had been officially established, but after a couple weeks it seemed rote to them both.

Izuku held out his fist. Todoroki awkwardly tapped it and sat down, gingerly. Izuku noted this with detached interest, just as he always noted how Todoroki moved-like a burned tiger; cautious and delicate, but still confident and dangerous. And how he always made sure his sleeves and pant legs were fully…enlengthened? Long? Covering?

Izuku noticed everything. Especially how, if he looked out of the corner of his eye at just the right time, he could catch a glimpse of Todoroki bending over to stow his bag beneath his desk. Fortunately, he'd figured out what was the right time fairly easily.

Uraraka and Iida entered together and took their seats next to Izuku. "Hey Deku-kun!"

"H-hey, Uraraka. Hey Iida."

Iida inclined his head at Izuku and sat stiffly. Iida was always stiff. Nothing he ever did was fluid, or even relaxed. Although, stiff probably was his relaxed. Meanwhile, Uraraka was always fluid, always in motion. Her hands flapped like butterflies whenever she got excited, which was often, and she would often slap Izuku or Iida on the shoulder to emphasize a point.

"How is your arm, Midoriya-kun?" Iida asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. Izuku smiled at him and shook his arm a bit. "It's not broken, at least. J-just sore as hell."

"I still can't believe you pulled that off," said Asui as she took her seat by Uraraka-Izuku saw Iida and Todoroki simultaneously try to hide scowls-and fixed her unblinking gaze on Izuku, "I was sure you were gonna die."

"It was quite reckless, Midoriya," Iida said, while Uraraka nodded in agreement. Izuku felt his face flushing-he had been afraid of this, being confronted about his tactics during the practice the previous week. He opened his mouth to respond-

"He knows."

-but was interrupted by Todoroki. At once, every head in the classroom swiveled to face him. Todoroki sighed and stared straight ahead as he spoke. "It was incredibly dangerous and reckless, but it won, technically. And it's not like it broke any of your arms."

"T-thanks, Todoroki-kun."

"Don't thank me," Todoroki said, "I still think it was incredibly stupid."

"Oh, well…thanks anyway."

Todoroki sighed, sounding exhausted.

The classroom was uncomfortably still and silent for a moment, as everyone searched for something to say. Fortunately, they were all relieved of the social burden when Aizawa-sensei unzipped his sleeping-bag, rolled under his desk, and started shouting at the silent classroom to shut up.

Izuku glanced at Todoroki, who determinedly looked straight ahead.

Three hours later, the lunch bell rang. Izuku hurried out of the classroom, nearly stepping on Present Mic's blue suede shoes. "Hey!"

"Sorry!" Izuku shouted over his shoulder, scoping out the hallway for-there he was. Todoroki was walking to lunch, and he continued staring straight ahead as Izuku walked up to him and tried to catch his eye. They made it all the way to the lunchroom doors before Todoroki sighed and stepped out of the flow of people to talk to Izuku. "What?"

Izuku took a deep breath, trying to regain the oxygen lost keeping up with Todoroki's strides. "I-I-we…need to talk. Can we?"

Todoroki just stared at Izuku for an uncomfortable moment, then sighed and turned to the courtyard doors. "Fine. Quickly."

Izuku smiled at his back, and they walked out to the courtyard, a small space filled with concrete benches, cherry trees, and a small koi pond. If it weren't for the couples tasting each other's teeth on every bench but one, it would be extremely peaceful.

They walked to the unoccupied bench and sat down-Izuku straight-backed and energetic, Todoroki slouching, legs crossed. He turned his burnt side to face Izuku. "So?"

Izuku took another deep breath before he spoke. "I-"

"Wait. If this is about earlier, I-"

"It's not!" Izuku said, waving his hands about frantically. "It's not!"

Todoroki grunted and crossed his legs a bit tighter. Izuku pressed on. "I just…I have a question."

Todoroki inclined his head.

"Are-" Izuku sighed, "are we…friends?"

Todoroki narrowed his eyes slightly. "Friends? I-"

"B-because," Izuku stammered, releasing every word in his mouth all once, "I mean, we sit by each other and we talk sometimes and we-"

"-'ve never," Todoroki sighed, "had…friends before. I don't know if we are."

"Oh." For a moment, Izuku felt profoundly sad for Todoroki. Never had friends? Then, he mentally wiped away those thoughts and smiled at his friend. "Well…I say we are. Okay?"

Silence. Several long, unblinking, unbroken moments of utter stillness. Then, "Okay."

Izuku grinned at Todoroki.

Todoroki…attempted to smile back.

It was, honestly, a little cute and a little scary.

Much like our Todo-baby, amirite? Anyway, I am an eldritch monstrosity that solely consumes fanfic reviews. Feed me, and I shall allow your world to survive a bit longer.