Cherry blossoms fell around Izuku. As they landed on the ground, they made a musical sound. The sound of a piano, or an organ. Like he heard on TV sometimes.

His feet crunched in the blossoms. He followed his path, although he didn't know the end.

The blossoms led him to a throng of people, dressed in black. As he made his way to the empty front seats, the people turned to glare at him. He didn't know why, he hadn't done anything, hadn't killed whoever they were mourning- -

The coffin tipped over- -

an emaciated, blonde, unsmiling man fell from it.

Izuku screamed and fell backwards. The body twitched slightly, it's face contorting into a horrible rictus grin.

"Smile, young Midoriya."

Izuku scrambled away, trying to summon One for All- -nothing, nothing happened- -

"Smile…to hide the fear inside."

"but she wouldn't even check it!" Iida exclaimed, jabbing a chopstick at Uraraka. "Can you believe it?"

"I'll believe anything as long as it gets you to shut up, Tenya." Uraraka teased, sipping her tea. Iida humphed and returned to his meal. "I'm just saying, it is highly unfair of her to- -"

Uraraka rolled her eyes at Izuku, who barely suppressed a giggle. Laughing at Iida's expense only made him ramble more aggressively. His phone buzzed.

Light Imagay

11:49 AM

Hey

Izuku sighed and tucked it back into his pocket, before disinterestedly returning to his meal.

"Light again?" Uraraka asked kindly.

"Yeah. I just- -" Izuku groaned and bit his lip, "I just don't know why he's so, so mad about me having friends here. And he's impossible to talk to."

Uraraka shrugged. "I dunno, Deku. Just give him some time to get used to it? Ooh!" her eyes lit up suddenly, and Izuku was very afraid. "Maybe we could all hang out! You and me and Tenya and Light and oh, that's sad."

Izuku followed her gaze over to another table, where Todoroki Shouto was sitting. Alone. Just staring into the middle distance.

"You two are friends, right Deku?"

"Huh?" Izuku snapped out of…whatever he'd been in…and faced Uraraka.

"You and Todoroki. Friends?"

"Well…y-yeah, I guess so." Izuku mumbled.

Uraraka waved a hand at Todoroki. "So, yunno, ask him to sit with us. He's making me sad."

Izuku's face suddenly felt very warm. "I, uh, well, y-you see, w-w-w-we, uhm, I, that is, uhm- -"

Uraraka tilted her head as Izuku struggled to get out more than one syllable at a time. When he trailed off, withered under her amused gaze, she said "Oh my god."

"W-what?"

Uraraka stifled a giggle. "That was adorable."

"Wuh? I, I- -"

She laughed, smacking her palm against the table. "Just go ask if he wants to sit with us, okay? Please? I'd do it, but," her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "he kinda scares me."

"Oh, uh, okay. Y-yeah."

Izuku stood up, legs shaking like a jelly factory in an earthquake, although the factory itself wouldn't be shaking, and was jelly even made in factories, he was walking over to Todoroki, or was the building made from jelly, he was nearly there, but that was stupid, "Wudjaliketersihwihdus?!"

Todoroki furrowed his brow and shot Izuku a glance. "What?"

"I, uh, I, we, uhm, Uraraka, you see, table, we,"

Todoroki raised his eyebrow at Izuku. "Do you need a moment?"

Izuku nodded ferociously. He took several deep breaths, calmed down, and spoke again. "Would-would you like, to, uhm, s-sit with us? A-at our table?" He pointed behind him. "There. By, uh, the windows…so, yunno…s-sunlight."

Todoroki picked up his tray and stood. "Okay."

"A-awesome!" Come on Izuku you were just talking to him earlier, why are you a wreck now?! "It's, uhm, here." Izuku sort-of led Todoroki over to the table and gestured at the empty spot next to Iida. "T-there ya go?"

"Thanks," Todoroki said blankly as he slid into the seat. He shared a nod with Iida and resumed munching on his food. Uraraka smiled at him.

Nothing.

The smile faltered. "Uh. How's life, Todoroki-kun?"

Todoroki shrugged and silently slurped a noodle down. "Living." A pause, then, "H-how're you…" Izuku got the sense he was searching for her name "…Uraraka?"

She beamed. "I'm great! My mom- -"

As Uraraka talked and Todoroki listened perfunctorialy, Izuku took the opportunity to examine him. Really examine him, like he hadn't done since they'd met. Surface details weren't enough for him- -he wanted to know more. A survival mechanism.

Todoroki only made eye contact for a moment, before his eyes darted away. He kept his arms and legs tucked in as much as possible. He ate quickly and viciously. He was always scanning the room.

It was, Izuku realized, a familiar behavior pattern.

Todoroki was expecting an attack. He was making sure he was prepared- -not to resist, necessarily. But to weather it. It was familiar, because it was Izuku.

Izuku's eyes widened. A little suspicion niggled it's way into the back of his head.

Todoroki acts like me in middle school . Todoroki has some issue with his father.

I have to find out what's going on.

Oh Izuku, you adorable cinnamon roll. Oh Shouto, you badass Woobie. Oh Endeavor, you abusive shitbag.

I need a song for this fic. Please suggest something, so I can stop listening to "God's Gonna Cut You Down" and writing scenes where Endeavor gets the flamin' shit kicked outta him.