Hey, y'all! I just figured out author's notes, so I figured I'd introduce myself and this fic.
This is my first fic, and I absolutely love the story! I hope y'all love it as much as I do too.
Now that I know how to do this, I'll probably go back and add a note to the first two chapters as well, but they will in no way be integral to the story.
Anyway, thank you for reading and supporting me as I figure out this platform. I'm always open to constructive criticism, and will read, comments? reviews?, whatever they're called. I'm pretty sure I've figured those out.
Freshly showered and dressed, Midoriya heads down to the commons for some tea and snacks. As he steps off the elevator, cheering explodes from the living room where at least half the class is watching as Bakugou and Jirou start a final lap neck and neck. Sides have obviously been chosen and trash talk is flying.
As he walks into the kitchen Uraraka shouts, "Jirou gets more girls than you Bakugou, you ain't shit!" from where she was pouring lukewarm water into a mug.
From the living room Bakugou shouts back, "Jokes on you round face, I don't want anyway!" followed by another round of yelling and ooh-ing.
"He's got you there." chuckles Sero walking in behind Midoriya. "How'd it go?" he asks.
"Aizawa said they'd investigate. I'm just relieved they're taking it seriously."
"Wait, you had a meeting with Aizawa?" gapes Uraraka "You had a meeting with Aizawa that resulted in them starting an investigation? What on Earth did you do, Deku? you said you were talking with Hatsume!"
"I did that too!" cried Midoriya as Uraraka stares him down.
"We're worried about Todoroki," says Sero, stepping in to prevent Midoriya's impending doom.
Uraraka's shoulders don't relax, but she does stop glaring at Midoriya, "Did something happen?"
"Maybe, that's why they're investigating."
"Speaking of…" mumbles Midoriya sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck, "Could I convince you two to, um, help me with something?"
"Aizawa told you to stay out of it, right?" smirks Sero crossing his arms.
"Well, yes, but."
"Oh, so you're definitely getting involved," interjects Uraraka.
"I'm worried!" screeches Midoriya, face reddening, "I just want to try and check on him again."
"Like a good boyfriend." nods Uraraka sagely.
"Uraraka!" Gasps Midoriya as Sero starts cackling so hard he collapses against the fridge for support.
"Yeah, sure. I got you dude." he wheezes, slapping Midoriya on the shoulder. Midoriya turns to Uraraka who is already chugging her cocoa.
"Let's go! But you gotta fill me in on the way. Also, I just burned off all my tastebuds."
"Deal"
"Oooh, you guys sneaking out?" comes a mischievous cry from behind them, whipping around to see Mina behind them lounging against the door frame.
"Nope" deadpans Sero staring Mina directly in the eyes.
"The price of my silence is a bag of chips and some chocolate." Sero nods curtly, and Mina turns and struts away.
"So Todoroki's dad will not just let us see him, especially this late, do you have a plan?" Sighs Sero glaring after Mina.
"Not a good one."
"This is your plan!" gapes Uraraka.
"Yes, but we're going around back," explains Midoriya as the three of them crouch against the base of Todoroki's house. Endeavor's car is in the driveway, and while that doesn't mean the pro is home, it makes the possibility of getting caught much more daunting.
As he creeps around the corner he can hear Uraraka and Sero shuffling along behind him, Uraraka might be cursing under her breath, until he comes to a stop under Todoroki's window.
Once settled, they check to make sure there's no one's around before Sero quickly reaches up and taps on the window. When no answer comes he does it again, when nothing happens again all three of them straighten up to look through the glass.
"It's empty." notes Uraraka "Look, the bed's made. It doesn't look like anyone's even been here."
"Then where is he?" asks Midoriya, mostly to himself, before a terrible thought worms its way through his brain and out his mouth before he can catch it, "What if he's in the hospital?"
Uraraka's gaze whips to him, but Sero just sighs, "That would definitely be reported to the school. Let's not go for worst-case scenarios yet."
"Hey look!" whispers Uraraka pointing into the room, "There's the bag he took home for break."
Looking towards where she's pointing, Midoriya can see the small duffle Todoroki was carrying when they got on the train leaned up against the bedside table.
Looking past the bag, he can see a photo propped up lovingly on the table. He remembers fondly the many times he's come over to study while Endeavor was out. He also recalls how every time they'd walk in, Todoroki would silently flip the photo face-down before he could see it.
Squinting slightly to see the photo he can see four people, one he knows is Todoroki, two look like the other siblings, and the last one is a red-haired boy he doesn't recognize.
Looking back to Sero and Uraraka he says, "So he got home, but hasn't gone to the hospital or to school. There's not many other places he goes." they nod.
Sero glances around nervously, "We should head back now though. We can't help anyone if we get locked up for trespassing."
Shuffling back around to the front of the house, they stay below the windows. A dog across the street starts barking as they slip away from the house startling them into dashing down the street panicked.
On their way back to the dorms, they stop at the first gas station with its lights on. As Sero picks out a bag of chips and Midoriya grabs an assortment of chocolates for Mina, Uraraka pulls out her phone.
After they check out Uraraka clears her throat, eyes pinned a little way in front of her, "I've called a class meeting over breakfast. We're getting everyone filled in." there's not much to say to that, so they just head straight back to UA.
The next morning, before breakfast, Midoriya paces back and forth from his bed to the door, planning what he'll say. He knows though that no matter how much planning he does, he will mess up. Having been up and dressed for hours by now, his anxiety sparks through him, leaving a sour feeling under his skin.
A knock at his door startles him out of his monologue, his legs feel stiff as he walks to open it. On the other side Uraraka and Sero are waiting, both have solemn looks on their faces despite sleep still clouding their eyes. Determination burns hot from Uraraka as she slips her arm around his and uses it to lead him downstairs.
"Everyone's waiting downstairs already, Bakugou made pancakes," explains Sero. They take the elevator and the ride is silent, but Uraraka's arm is warm and comforting.
As they reach the dining room, the entire class is tiredly passing dishes of sausage and fruit. A huge yawn grips Kaminari as he droops against Mina's shoulder.
When they sit down, Kirishima places plates of steaming pancakes before each of them. Their classmates pass them dishes of food to fill their plates until the quiet chatter dies down, people's gazes coming to rest on the three of them.
"Uraraka you called a class meeting," interrupts Iida
"Yes, but actually Deku and Sero are going to explain. They know more," she says, and Midoriya can feel Sero's awkward gaze slip to him.
He clears his throat and stammers over a mangled version of what he'd planned to say for a few hours.
"Oi, dumbass, you aren't making sense," groans Bakugou "Wanna fucking start over before I hit you?"
Midoriya takes a deep breath and rolls his shoulders and lifts his gaze from where it's glued to his pancakes. He unclenches his hands and starts from the beginning, not the beginning two days ago but the real beginning.
As all his fears and feelings rise in his chest he can't stop the flood of words.
Once he starts talking he doesn't register most of his words as they slip past his lips, but he can feel his shoulders shake and face burn. He can see his classmates' eyes widen and a few glance at each other. Even Bakugou is quiet and still.
Once he's done, he looks around the table at his classmates, his friends.
After a long beat of silence, Jirou is the first to speak up, "The teachers asked us all individually if we'd heard anything from Todoroki, we thought they were just worried about whatever cold he had, but damn that's big."
"Yes, now," states Momo with an official grace. "as is class meeting policy, a problem has been posed, the information presented, and now, what action should we take,"
"Contact the fuck out of him and harass his family," proposes Bakugou, hands sparking.
"The teachers do seem to be working on this, and we shouldn't get in their way or mess them up." Notes Kirishima taking Bakugou's fork from him before it melts.
"Yeah dumbass that's why I didn't say fight a bitch."
"I second that, but we will have another meeting in a few days, say Monday, to make sure there's nothing else we can do," dictates Momo looking around the table.
A chorus of agreements makes its way around the table before people cut into their breakfast. Breathing a sigh of relief Midoriya reaches for the syrup the person next to him elbows him turning to look at Kaminari.
"So we've all known for, like, a while but I just want to make sure you aren't in denial or something." Everyone's looking at him again "You like Todoroki right? As in cuddles, making out all that gross stuff." Some people have paused, forks halfway to their mouths.
"Yes. Yes, I have since first year," confesses Midoriya fidgeting in his seat. The class seems to decompress.
A few laugh as Mina yells, "Oooh! Get it, broccoli boy!" causing Midoriya to flush bright red and return to his breakfast aggressively.
"Thank God." sighs Kaminari "Everyone could tell it was almost painful!"
"Wait, everyone!" squeaks Midoriya.
"Well maybe not Todoroki, that boy's always been denser than his own ice," says Hagakure, smirk audible in her voice.
"Dammit, this means I owe Sero lunch."