The following days ran pretty much the same. Homeroom, morning classes, lunch, some consulting sessions, and then either joining for training or popping into the Support studio if he needed to tweak one of his gadgets. For his meetings, his primary focus was on those who had issues that needed to be addressed as soon as possible, costume or otherwise.
From 1-A that meant three of his classmates other than Kaminari and Momo who he already talked to. For Tenya, he discussed using a stronger but light metal alloy instead of whatever shitty material his original suit was made of. That as well as add protection for his exposed joints between sections. Izuku also brought up to his friend the idea of changing the design to be even more stream line than it was.
He understood that Tenya designed his suit to resemble his family's iconic style, but there were parts of it that were clunky and seemed unnecessary except for aesthetics. Like seriously, the named Ingenimuffler around his waist served no purpose except decoration! At least his Ingenifoot boots were practical with a cooling system and other mechanisms to help the performance of his engines thereby greatly extending his running distance. But again, like the muffler much of the 'armor', if you could call it that after Hosu, was mostly decorative and definitely did nothing to protect him.
How could it when knives cut through it like butter?
They also discussed his thoughts of possible improvements to his gear and fighting style. Tenya grimaced when the greenet brought up his 'match' against Mei though only for a second. She had apologized after all, but he did agree that some of her tech would help his maneuverability. He was also intrigued by the idea of adding some sort of free running to his training in combination with his Quirk. The engine user said he would consider his suggestions and left with plans to discuss the possible changes with his brother.
Ochako was another one he wanted to talk to about her costume. He brought up the same concerns he had mentioned to Aizawa about her wrist guards and boots. With potential added features for the latter like gyroscopes and air jets for maneuverability in the air when she uses her Quirk on herself. He also gave some suggestions for additions and other changes. For her personal comfort a suit that wasn't as tight and would allow easier movement. The others were more for her personal safety.
One, armored gloves. Her Quirk was touch based for activation with a brush of her fingers and deactivation with pressing the pads of her fingers together. Meaning that her fingers were essential to her Quirk and therefore very vulnerable. He hated the comparison but it was similar to Shigaraki's in a way needing five finger contact to work. Incapacitate just one of their fingers and their Quirk would most likely be rendered useless.
He also thought that she should have some sort of grappling device to help with mobility and also a utility belt full of objects and weapons she can use against an opponent. The gravity girl was ecstatic about his suggestions, giving him a big hug in thanks and acceptance before she left.
Eijirou was the other one he wanted to talk to though he wondered if his friend would be open to change. He knew the redhead modeled a lot of his Hero persona after Crimson Riot even down to his Hero name, but a homage wasn't worth one's own health and safety. Red Riot was going to be the immovable object against unstoppable forces and he had a great Quirk to accomplish that. But as they saw during his fight against Bakugou, he could only use his Quirk for so long before his stamina ran out.
"Hey, Izuku," Eijirou greeted as he entered with a toothy grin. "Knew it would be you. So, whatcha got for me?"
"I'd like to talk about your costume if that's alright," Izuku answered as the teen sat down.
"Sure, man," the redhead agreed with a nod. "Super manly, right? Just like Crimson Riot."
"I figured as much," he giggled in response as he pulled up a picture of the costume for reference. "I do have some questions about it."
"Shoot," Eijirou said, bumping his fists together confidently.
"What's the purpose of the shoulder guards?" the analyst asked, pointing at the feature. "Are they to show you're 'geared' up to fight?"
"Heh, I guess," the hardening teen answered with a shrug. "I dunno. I thought they looked cool."
"And the cloth around your waist?" Izuku pressed. "Or the fact that you're fighting half naked."
He was after all. Not in the same way as Momo but still.
"Well, I figure that whatever I wear is going to get destroyed anyway so why bother," Eijirou replied. "Like during my fight with Bakugou. Man, that fight was intense. My uniform got totally shredded by his blasts! Besides, I'm my own armor with my Quirk. As for the cloth, I see it as a badge of honor. Also, Crimson Riot fought without a shirt so…"
The redhead trailed off with another shrug, still sporting a smile though not so confident now. Izuku thought over what his friend said and it confirmed his guesses on his choices of design.
"I see. Eijirou-kun, can I be blunt with you," the Quirkless teen asked, getting a nod in answer. "While I can appreciate your homage to Crimson Riot and your dedication to manliness. But your costume, it's not…practical."
"What do you mean?" Eijirou inquired with a tilt of his head, smile gone and replaced with brows furrowed in confusion.
"Today Heroes are identified by their costumes," Izuku replied, though he didn't care much for the term costume but used it anyway. It was the common vernacular after all. "But there should be a balance between appearance and practicality. Preferably leaning more towards the latter for physical safety and Quirk efficiency."
"Alright. Well, what about mine?" Eijirou pressed, sitting up straighter.
"Your shoulder guards, while cool looking, are bulky and don't offer much protection," Izuku explained, pointing to the picture as he spoke. "Same for the fact that you're fighting topless. I know you can harden your skin as your own personal armor but you can only hold that for so long."
"I see," the redhead said with a nod, clearly open to his criticism. "What do you have in mind?"
"It would be better for you to have some form of protection," the greenet answered, smiling as he flipped through some design ideas he had. "Not necessarily all armored up like Tenya is which in my opinion is too much but I've already talked to him about it. Anyway, maybe some kind of body suit that's made out of a material that will work with your Quirk. Like something made of polyurethane possibly."
"What's that?" Eijirou asked, turning to his friend.
"It's a type of plastic material," Izuku replied, having grown familiar with the versatile substance since first being taught by Mei. "It can take various forms depending on how you treat it. It can be tailor made to be either rigid or flexible which would be perfect for your Quirk."
"That could work," the hardening teen conceded with a nod as he turned his attention back to the designs. "Oh! What's that one?"
A particular design caught his red eyes and he eagerly listened as Izuku talked him through it. It had a similar look to his original of shoulder guards, baggy pants for movement, and boots, but there were some changes. The 'gears' were replaced with guards that would lay flat on his shoulders with a protective collar around his neck and had layers that went down his upper arms. Across the chest were two straps to secure the guards making an 'X' inadvertently including Eijirou in the 'bastu boys' with him and Hitoshi.
To match were a set of gauntlets with padding for his knuckles and layered support panels for his wrists. His boots were also changed to match as well with the layered look and added ankle support. The jagged cape was gone which the redhead guessed he could live without. It also looked like Izuku designed an addition of pockets for his belt along with changing the single 'R' on the buckle to two. Then under all the gear was a dark material that appeared skin tight but was probably made with that plastic stuff the greenet mentioned.
"How'd you come up with that one?" Eijirou asked, his grin back again liking the design.
"Oh, um, well, you come off as a defender of the people," Izuku answered, blushing bashfully. "The shield that protects us. Running with that I sort of thought it was like you're a knight in shining armor but minus the shiny. So, I looked into historical armor and tried to give it a modern twist. Nothing super flashy but it'll give you more protection than you do now."
"Really? You see me as a knight?" the redhead asked, face brightening at the thought.
"It does match your whole chivalry thing," the greenet quipped in reply earning a chuckle.
"That it would," Eijirou said with an amused tone. "So, you really think I should ditch the cape?"
"Yeah, I do," Izuku confirmed with a somber nod. "If it's just for aesthetic, I'd recommend getting rid of it. I'm doing the same with the scarf I wore the other day. It does add something to my look, but…it serves no practical purpose."
The greenet let out a sad sigh after admitting that but he couldn't deny that Aizawa was right about it.
"Totally badass though," the hardening teen grinned, making his friend give a small smile at the praise. "But if the Hero who took down the Hero Killer says so, guess I'll get rid of it. Any other suggestions you got for me?"
An awkward blush brushed over his freckled cheeks at the slipped in praise but decided to press on without commenting on it.
"I was thinking some sort of head gear," Izuku replied, searching through his notes until he found what he was looking for. "Ah, there it is. I know your hair is a big part of your look, but you should still protect your head as best you can. I was considering something like wrestler headgear where it covers parts of your head, but with emphasis on your jaw, nose, ears, and back of your head while still leaving your hair visible. We'd have to figure a sturdy but light material to make it out of though."
"More of that plastic stuff?" Eijirou offered.
"Maybe, either that or a sort of metal," the analyst muttered, adding some notes to his sketches. "I'll have to ask Maijima-sensei what he thinks would work best. But what do you think? Do you like it?"
"I think it's freaking awesome, man!" the redhead cheered, pounding his fists together. "You thought up a design that was more practical but not super different from mine and you get my thing with Crimson Riot. I really appreciate this, Izuku. Thanks, man."
"I'm really glad you like it, Eijirou-kun," Izuku said, smiling warmly pleased the other took it so well. Not everyone was open to such criticism. "I'll let Maijima-sensei know and we'll get the changes submitted."
Eijirou shot him his signature shark-like smile as they exchanged a fist bump before the redhead left.
Now while Class 1-A had gotten first dibs in talking to Izuku, it wasn't out of biased. There were just more 'emergency' cases in his own class than 1-B. Not that the other class didn't have any but for the most part he didn't have much issue with their costumes. Except for one.
Shiozaki Ibara was modest and courteous, righteous and strong. Her Vine Quirk was good for offense, defense, and obstruction among many other uses. But her devotion to her highly religious inclinations has her wearing essentially a toga. No protection, no utility. Just a plain white robe with black boots. Not that going for a simplistic design was bad, just look at Eraserhead, but hers just didn't seem very practical.
Before starting his sessions with 1-B, Izuku had decided to once again don his Hiro disguise. He didn't know the students in the other class as well and hadn't really talked to any of them other than Monoma. So, he didn't know how they would react to him, his Quirklessness, or the fact that it would be their first time meeting him as Izuku, not Hiro. But Hiro they did know to an extent and he figured they might be more receptive to his advice than as Izuku. For now at least. Therefore, when the vine-haired girl entered the room, she was greeted to a familiar boy wearing a black beanie, goggles, and had soot on his cheeks.
"Oh, it's you," Shiozaki said upon entry and seeing the hidden fellow greenet. "We've never been formally introduced. My name is Shiozaki Ibara. It is a pleasure to meet you."
She bowed low as Izuku stood up to greet her properly. Well, sort of.
"It's nice to meet you officially as well, Shiozaki-san," he responded with his own bow. "Please, call me Hiro."
"I was told that we would be discussing certain matters with a Support analyst," Shiozaki said as they both took their seats. "It makes sense for it to be you. What is it that you wish to discuss, Hiro-kun?"
"I'll be meeting with everyone from Class 1-A and 1-B," Izuku answered. "But I put a priority on talking to those who have issues with their Quirks or costumes that I feel need to be address or resolved. For you, it's not your Quirk but rather your costume."
"My costume?" the vine wielder parroted back confused. "What is wrong with it?"
"I'm guessing it's supposed to be a sign of humility?" the Quirkless teen said with a questioning tone. She nodded in reply. "That I understand but I question the practicality of your design. Primarily in function and protection. The one strap shoulder design could fail and simple cloth won't do much to protect you even though you're primarily a distance fighter. So, I came up with this as a possible alternative."
He pulled up a design on his tablet and showed it to her. It was an outfit that was a mixture of the traditional outfits worn by shrine maidens as well as the ones worn for archery. The black boots he kept the same because they were practical as they were. The pants were long and pleated down the front from her waist to her ankles with plenty of room to move around.
The top was a combination of the traditional gi worn by both with the cross the body wrap. The sleeves were short to just above the elbows and more open to allow movement. The shoulders were even designed to detach if she needed more sunlight. He didn't know if she absorbed it through just her hair or her skin as well so decided to add the feature though it could always be changed as needed. Under it all was a sort of under armor similar to his own but he was between it being with or without sleeves. Again, because he didn't know if her skin played a factor in her Quirk.
"I was thinking we could go with the traditional red color or the dark blue," Izuku said as he referred to the design. "Or we could go all white like your current one. The material would be sturdy and durable. I also propose an under armor to wear underneath this for added protection. It's not visible in the sketch because I'm not sure how you absorb sunlight to fuel your Quirk."
"How did you know I need sunlight?" Shiozaki asked, more out of curiosity than taking offense.
"Well, your Quirk is plant based," he replied. "Plants need water, nutrients, and sunlight. It would make sense that Vines does as well. I wasn't sure if it was only through your vines or if you also absorb it through your skin. But then again…"
Izuku's brain made a sudden connection that he thought was ridiculous he hadn't thought of before. Plants absorbs sunlight through their leaves, having it interact with water and carbon dioxide within the chloroplasts to produce glucose and oxygen. So it would make sense that she did so through her vines otherwise her skin would be green as well.
A clearing of a throat broke him from his muttering, once again out loud.
Oops.
"You are quite correct, Hiro-kun," Shiozaki said with a hint of amusement and wonder. "My vines take in the sunlight needed for my Quirk. It is partially the reason I have my hair at this length besides personal aesthetic. It's very impressive for you to come to such a conclusion."
"Oh, well, um," Izuku sputtered out as his cheeks reddened at the praise. "Quirk analysis is sort of my thing. It was the reason why I was asked to observe all of you fight in the first place."
"I see," she replied with a dignified nod and smile. "It appears they chose the rightful person to assist us in our course to become righteous Heroes. I thank you for your input and will consider your suggestion."
She left with a bow leaving a happy Izuku behind pleased that his first meeting with 1-B had gone so well. All of his ideas were suggestions and it was up to them to decide to take his advice or not. He smiled to himself as he readied for his next guest by removing his disguise. Shiozaki was the first of 1-B and wouldn't be the last, but there was one more person in 1-A he wanted to address earlier rather than later.
And if it just so happened to be Shouto who next walked through the door, Izuku insisted there was no favoritism at play. He just really wanted to check on the element wielder's progress in his training. And…he really really wanted to finally help Shouto with his costume as he had promised to do before.
Shouto was not at all surprised to see Izuku and simply sat down next to him so they could begin. Closer than Momo had when she had moved to see his ideas better, but instead of making Izuku jump it made him blush. The greenet didn't move away though and instead shift to face his friend better, their knees knocking together in the process.
"Tell me about your progress with your Quirk, Shouto," Izuku inquired with a smile, tablet in hand ready to take notes.
They had been working on helping him improve his control of his Quirk since basically the start of school. Refining his use of his ice and building his skill and confidence with his fire. A work in progress still but progress none the less. Izuku smiled every time he opened the freezer at home and saw the little ice man Shouto had created during the sleep over.
Apparently, he had continued to practice forming new shapes whenever he had a spare moment. Even got into the habit of leaving the frozen creations near plants so they watered them as they melted. With practice and advice from his mother, the miniature ice sculptures were slowly getting more and more refined. And maybe once he was more comfortable with his left side, Shouto might be able to do the same with his fire. The young analyst wondered if he could potentially make a dragon out of his fire. Maybe not but it would be a cool looking move.
Izuku intended to help Shouto train with his Quirk more. Give suggestions as well as an opportunity for him to go up against such a strong Quirk again. Their fight during the festival had been difficult for more than one reason. Half Cold Half Hot was one of the strongest Quirks in their class and had been a challenge for the Quirkless teen to overcome. But there had also been the bi-color teen's refusal to use his full power out of spite.
Thankfully Izuku had snapped him out of that thought process, fighting a lack of fire with fire to inspire Shouto to use his own. Because fire itself wasn't necessarily bad. Yes, it could do a lot of damage if it got out of control, but fire was used for so many good things as well. Cooking for one was a tasty way to use fire. Being mindful of the cooking time and the amount of flame used to make a delicious meal. Like a perfectly cooked steak.
There were also trades that required high levels of heat. Metal working, glass blowing, ceramics. Fire was used to build. So, while fire can be destructive like a wild fire, it can also be used to create. For Shouto he could use his to create hope in those he saves. Thereby taking his fire as his own and becoming the kind of Hero he wants to be.
However, before they got to working on his Quirk, there was something else Izuku wanted to address. Specifically, on what the Support Company had dressed Shouto in. He got why they had designed the bi-color teen's suit to look similar to Endeavor but since he knew what the man was like, he didn't like the similarity one bit.
There was also the fact that his Support Item for Shouto was nowhere to be seen. Or so he had thought. Turned out that they had taken his idea for a device to help regulate his temperature and created the combat vest instead of the full body suit Izuku intended. Which was okay he guessed but wouldn't that only address the areas covered by the vest? That was why this time, now that he had dedicated time to do so, he was going to sit down with Shouto and design the Hero Costume he actually wanted.
Easier said than done because Shouto was similar to Aizawa in the fact that he didn't care what he looked like.
"But you should care, Shouto," Izuku pressed, coming out sounding closer to a whine. "A Hero's costume can be used to reflect the kind of Hero you are. Not always but still. I just…I don't like that they made you look like a mini Endeavor."
Grey and blue eyes widened as he hadn't thought of his costume like that. But now that Izuku pointed out he couldn't unsee how similar his suit was to his father's.
"No, you're right," the elemental wielder relented. "But I don't really have any ideas of how I would change it. Do you, Izuku?"
"Hmm…let's see what we can do," the young analyst said as he pulled up a fresh screen to sketch. "Do you have a favorite color?"
"Not really," Shouto replied. He didn't necessarily have a single color he favored over all. Though there was a certain color he was growing to like more than others.
"Hmm…maybe we could play around with your Quirk then," Izuku muttered while sketching out a plain suit base that he could manipulate as needed. "And I don't mean the ice-borg terminator look you had the first time."
Yeah, that first version of his Hero suit had been a travesty. Shouto let out an amused huff as Izuku shot him a challenging smirk.
"Blue or white could represent for your ice," the greenet offered, turning back to the sketch. "Then a shade of red for your fire. But how to distribute them evenly…"
The Quirkless teen played around with some designs while Shouto watched his friend silently. Honestly the dark blue did suit him and Izuku kind of wanted to keep it in, but not covering the whole costume. Perhaps half? Half Cold Half Hot was split right down the middle like his perfectly separated hair. His suit could reflect that but wouldn't that give away his Quirk too much? It would be better to keep some element of mystery when it came to his abilities.
What if they mixed it up? The suit colors split down the middle but then alternated opposite between the top and bottom. Like the harlequins of old. Then they could mislead which side produced what at least initially. Shouto mostly used his arms to send out his ice and fire so perhaps they could switch the assigned colors on top. A dark red on his icy right side and then a dark blue on his fiery left. Then for the bottom switch them to the opposite.
"I like that idea," Shouto said suddenly making the other jump having lost himself a little in his muttering. "Do you think we could add some white as well?"
"Sure," Izuku replied with a smile. "Any special reason why?"
"A reference to my mother," the taller teen answered with a small smile of his own. "She always supported me and told me that I could be the kind of Hero I want to be. That I didn't have to be like my father. Also, my Hero name shares a kanji character with her."
Izuku couldn't help the warm endearing beaming smile at his reasons. That was so gods dame cute! The greenet squealed at the cuteness and crushed his friend in a brief hug before letting go. He missed the subtle blush from the sudden embrace as he turned back to the design. He tried a few ideas before deciding on having the white on the top. His collar and shoulders would be white and then narrow down in a diagonal towards his upper chest. Then before the two sides would meet, there would be a tapering strip of white down to his belt. Showing the separate sides that eventually meet in the middle.
That meant his boots could stay the same as well. Some more white to represent his mother. Then he could be a momma's boy from top to bottom. Which Izuku tried to tease him about but sweet oblivious Shouto simply agreed with it. The greenet merely chuckled before explaining it. His friend simply shrugged and still thought it was accurate.
Izuku made a couple more changes. He added another hint of white by adding a line at the cuffs of his longer sleeves. Then there was the belt. The idea of carrying the makings of a first aid kit was awesome! The metal capsules that limited the amount of supplies he could carry not so much. Which was why he redesigned the belt to have actual pockets in addition to the capsules. They would still be useful to quickly give to those in need before moving on to where he was needed next.
"Does this look okay to you, Shouto?" Izuku asked, showing him the final design.
The element wielder hummed as he looked it over before grey and blue eyes connected with green.
"I like it," Shouto answered, staring intently into his eyes. Izuku knew he was talking about the costume but he couldn't help the blush that dusted his freckled cheeks. "Thank you, Izuku."
"O-of course, Shouto," Izuku said, bashfully casting his gaze to the sketch. "I-I'll let Maijima-sensei know about the change. Hopefully it can be done by the final exams. If not, it should be done by the next semester."
"I've waited this long. A little longer is fine," the bi-color teen replied, adjusting his posture while subtly moving closer to his friend. "Thank you for helping me with this, Izuku. I appreciate everything you do for me."
The greenet shot a beaming but blushing smile at him. He did his best not to balk noticing the how close his friend was. He really didn't mind but still became bashful when they entered each other's personal space.
"I'm happy to help," Izuku said, still smiling. "Are you ready to get to training now, Shouto?"
"Ready when you are," Shouto responded with a nod of his head and a small subtle smile.
"Then come on! Let's go!" Izuku chirped as he eagerly took Shouto's hand and dragged him willingly to go train, letting Maijima know of another confirmed change before they went along their way.
...
Shouto smiled softly as he was pulled along by his friend who made him feel so warm. That same warm feeling gave him somewhat of an idea of what his mother had meant the day they had reunited. That he may have 'feelings' for Izuku. Though as he had no previous experience with such feelings, he wasn't sure exactly. It was more of a concept than anything else.
What he did know was that he liked holding Izuku's hand. Liked hugging him, cuddling with him, and just being around him. Izuku brightened up his life more than any fire Endeavor shot his way. The Quirkless boy was so different than him and yet he was attracted to stay in his orbit. As if they were meant to stay close to each other.
This Shouto did not mind at all. He enjoyed their shared touches and looked forward to any opportunity to be connected. And, thanks to his mother's suggested research, he had gotten ideas for more. Hugs and cuddling were enjoyable though he preferred to keep those more private. Holding hands, or pinkies at times, was great and subtle enough for his comfort, but it would be nice to have other things to share in public.
Through his readings, there were certain friendly gestures that popped up again and again. He had his favorites and decided to implement a plan to add them to their shared collection. Not all at once but slowly to gage Izuku's reaction. To get closer to him.
Shouto wasn't really afraid that he would be rejected. Izuku had agreed to his request to hold hands all those weeks ago. And ever since he had accepted every new touch as they came and Shouto found himself craving them more. The way he had grown up had been so isolating and lacking of human contact other than his father's fists. The soft touches he shared with Izuku were precious to him, every single one.
From what the Quirkless teen told him, Shouto could guess he had a similar experience. Could understand being pushed around and told his path in life that was predetermined by something not in their control. Shouto didn't ask to be Endeavor's masterpiece and Izuku never asked to be Quirkless. They both thrived to be a Hero but on their own terms with their own strengths.
Shouto was still wrapping his head around using his left side. He had been repressing it so long that it was like an untrained muscle in his otherwise toned body. His control was crude compared to his ice so he would have to work hard to take hold of his fire properly. However, Izuku had been right, it wasn't Endeavor's Quirk, but his own.
It would take time to train with his left but he was sure the greenet would gladly help him. He may not have his own Quirk but Izuku had this natural ability to analyze others' Quirks quite thoroughly. A skill that had come in handy during the Sports Festival and definitely during their fight in Hosu.
How Izuku had figured out the Hero Killer's Quirk in such a stressful situation he didn't know, but it was very impressive. Because despite it turning out that they had known each other before Hosu, Shouto figured the Villain would have kept any information on his Quirk to himself. Meaning that his friend had picked his Quirk apart while in mid fight.
Very impressive indeed.
During that fight, Shouto had used his fire willingly against an opponent for the first time. The brief flare of fire during his match against Izuku had been in reaction to his words that helped him remember the ones his mother had told him when he was young. But Hosu, in order to protect his friends, he had unleashed his fire over and over in a way he had never before. And it felt...good.
Shouto had forgotten what it felt like to let his fire loose. It was strangely exhilarating feeling the heat in the air and the eb and flow of the equilibrium within. His two sides pushing back and forth in a battle of temperature dominance. But as Izuku said the first time he had analyzed his Quirk, his two sides were meant to balance each other out.
As he had said when presenting his name, as Reinen he wanted to bring that same balance to the world. He of all people knew that life was not all sunshine and rainbows. That there was a middle between devastation and paradise that they lived in. Unfortunately, some leaned towards one side or the other and an alarming amount towards the darker sides. Like Izuku growing up Quirkless and being judged for it or Shouto pushed past his limits to be something he didn't want. Still wanting to be a Hero but not giving two shits about his old man's stupid rivalry. It was entirely one-sided as far as he was aware.
All Might aimed to save people with his strength and never seemed to let his high ranking go to his head. Endeavor however was all about power and reaching for the top. Shouto had always admired All Might more than his father as a Hero. Their goals were different and it was clear to him which was what an actually Hero was driven by.
Izuku was the same wanting to be a Hero to help others. He was so selfless and strong. It wasn't a Quirked strength but rather a strength of character. One that the Quirkless teen channeled to fuel his training in building his other strengths. Physically, mentally, and materially. His success of winning the Sports Festival without a Quirk and instead with his developed skills and Support gear was proof that his hard work had paid off.
Not everyone believed that. Bakugou being a prime example. Shouto hadn't paid that much attention to his explosive classmate other than to note his brash behavior. It was explanation enough as to why Izuku had hidden from him before the festival. But after what Izuku told him had happened before the final match, it had been a window into the Quirkless teen's past and how people had treated him.
It made Shouto angry for his friend. Izuku didn't ask to be born Quirkless and despite what people like Endeavor and Bakugou believed, that didn't make him weak. If anything, growing up without a Quirk made him stronger. Always having to find a different way to reach his goals and finding new paths and methods that those with Quirks might not think to try. Shouto was proud of his friend and just knew that he would make an amazing Hero one day.
They had more Quirkless training today and so everyone was in their PE uniforms scattered around the room. Once the two arrived, Aizawa was changing the pairings and so the two friends parted ways to face their individual opponents. Shouto had to admit it was a challenge to fight without his Quirk. His father put a lot of focus on attacking with his ice and more preferably his fire. There was still some other fighting training to go along with that but it always involved the use of his Quirk.
It gave Shouto an insight of how Izuku had to approach a fight. Having no fantastical power to rely on and only his own trained skill and strength. Whenever the element wielder spied the Quirkless teen land another win, he could see the sense of humble pride coming from his friend. Proud of all his hard work paying off but not enough for it to cloud his mind and even bashfully accepting any praise sent his way.
Shouto would be more than happy to spend the rest of his life letting the embodiment of sunshine of a boy know how amazing he was. Bright and warm with a smile that could be blinding. But Shouto would never be able to make himself look away. Instead, he always wanted to bask in his special friend's light. Absorbing the kindness and affection from the other and allow himself to grow into the kind of person that Izuku saw in him and what he himself wanted to be.
Time flew as they sparred and before long it was time to call it a day. Shouto sighed internally as they headed for the locker rooms, knowing he would have to go home and most likely train some more. Nothing out of the ordinary when it came to his life but still exhausting none the less. However, there wasn't much he could do about it. Not now as he was. Endeavor was still way more powerful than him in Quirk and personality. He would have to endure until he could get himself out of that house.
Shouto quickly changed out of his sweaty clothes and back into his formal uniform. They only had the end of day meeting before they would all be sent home. Though for him it wasn't really a home anymore. Not since Touya disappeared and his mom was sent away. Natsuo avoided the place like the plague and Fuyumi only stayed for him. Beyond that it was just a house that he lived in. No longer filled with any sense of warmth and only overwhelming heat.
The bi-color teen forced himself to stop thinking about it too much. It was better for him to just go along with his father's whims for now. At least to an extent even though he still refused to completely cooperate with the bastard's demands. Shouto would use his fire but in the way he wanted to, not Endeavor.
After closing his locker, grey and blue eyes zeroed in on a curly mess of green. His friend was still finishing up changing as he chatted with Hitoshi. Just the sight of him filled Shouto with a warm feeling as well as a strange flutter in his gut. Not exactly sure what it was but in an odd way it made him feel happy so that meant it had to be a good feeling, right?
Shouto moved to stand near his friends as Izuku was working on his perpetual mess of a tie. The sight of it gave him an idea.
...
"And I told you it's my style," Izuku defended as Shouto approached them.
He was fighting with his tie same as always. It wasn't his fault that he never learned how to do it properly. His dad was overseas, his mom had never helped Hisashi with his, and Izuku hadn't really had to wear one until high school. What resemblance of a knot was the best that he could manage. Not that he would admit that to his brother.
"That's not a style. It's a mess," Hitoshi scoffed with a judging expression.
Izuku refused to meet his eye as he stubbornly replied, "Aesthetic."
"No, it isn't," the brainwasher retorted.
At that point Shouto joined them and asked, "What isn't what?"
"Izuku's mess of a tie," Hitoshi answered with a casual wave to said mess. "It's not an aesthetic."
Grey and blue eyes studied him for a few moments and Izuku did his best to will down the blush of being under the scrutiny of his crush. But his attempts failed with Shouto reached out and began to undo his tie with nimble fingers.
"Um, Shouto?" Izuku asked, very much resembling a strawberry. "W-what are you doing?"
"Fixing your tie," Shouto responded as he did as he said.
"Thanks, Shouto-kun…but, um, why?" the blushing mess of a greenet pressed.
"Because it's not tied properly," his crush replied as he deftly manipulated the material while being close to him.
"Thank you!" Hitoshi blurted out with a dramatic wave of his hand. "Please teach the toddler how to tie his own tie."
"I could…" Shouto said as he finished the knot before smoothing the tie down. "…or I could tie it for him."
Grey and blue eyes peaked down at him through a curtain of red and white. Izuku didn't know he could blush so deeply as he stared into a partitioned stormy sea. That was until Hitoshi wolf whistled next to him breaking their little moment. Izuku jumped back a little bit and bashfully rubbed the back of his head while muttering his gratitude to his special friend.
"You're welcome, Izuku," Shouto said, casually grabbing his hand to give a gentle squeeze. He then leaned down to whisper in the shorter teen's ear. "And I will help you with your tie any time you like. Or I could teach you if you prefer."
The element wielder pulled back to looked at his properly, a small warm smile on his face. Izuku was flustered about the whole situation but still found himself liking it. He simply nodded in answer as the other boys around them were already heading out the door. Hitoshi left first as the two lingered behind for a short moment until they were in the back of the group.
Izuku expected Shouto to let go of his hand as they too headed back to 1-A. He knew his friend preferred to keep their hand holding to themselves but apparently being on the tail end of Hero students was enough for him. The greenet gave a squeeze to get his attention and a questioning tilt of his head once the bi-color looked at him. Shouto gave him what had to be a muted form of a smirk as he reaffirmed his grip.
His new level of boldness and closeness in unexpected though not unwelcome. Izuku enjoyed it despite being a blushing mess. He gave his friend an accepting smile as if to say that if Shouto was fine with this then so was he. The taller boy's response was to intertwine their fingers before turning his gaze forward. Missing the shy smile Izuku turned away as he timidly walked a bit closer to his crush while his heart beat quickened in his chest.
He's going to be the death of me, Izuku thought with a fond internal huff.
...
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(A/N: There are a few posts on some of the costume changes that can be found on the tumblr. Specifically for Kirishima, Shiozaki, and Todoroki. They are also linked through the chapter notes post. Check 'em out if you like!)