- .My Hero Academia: 180 degrees. -
22. Where Bakugo resembles Deku, Deku resembles Mirio, and Todoroki resembles Uraraka
The train carriages were quite full, and the humidity from the rain outside made things uncomfortable. The windows were fogged up, and people pushed each other as they passed, boarded, and exited.
From her position, Uraraka could spot a spiky blonde head of hair sticking out further ahead. She immediately thought of Bakugo, but then remembered that Kirishima also had a similar hairstyle. Maybe it was becoming a trend, she thought with a small, amused smile.
However, that little distraction didn't last long. She suddenly felt a strange sensation about the man standing behind her.
"Is he pressing up against me on purpose?" she wondered, trying to move away, but she was surrounded by people, making it difficult to change positions. She didn't want to make a scene over nothing, but she was starting to believe she wasn't imagining it. Her discomfort grew as she felt the unpleasant mix of coffee and cigarettes in the man's breath, accompanied by an insincere "sorry" as he allowed another person to pass.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened to her, and Uraraka always felt uncertain about speaking up. She couldn't help but think of her father and how she would never want him to be falsely accused of something inappropriate due to a misunderstanding like this. It must be awful for men to be accused unjustly, and she hated seeing people unhappy.
Suddenly, the train came to a sharp halt, and Uraraka had the almost certain feeling that the man behind her took advantage of the sudden stop to press closer.
"Dear passengers. We apologize for the abrupt stop. It was caused by Mount Lady confronting a villain, both of whom crossed the train tracks a moment ago, but the situation has been resolved. Thank you for your understanding."
The train resumed its journey, but the man behind her once again took advantage of the movement to get closer. Uraraka closed her eyes, suppressing the urge to give in to her frustration. "If Deku were here..." she thought briefly, imagining how he always showed up in tough situations. But then she opened her eyes. What was she thinking? She didn't need Deku to save her. She had trained hard to be able to defend herself, and if she didn't start acting with that confidence, how could she ever become a hero?
She braced herself to turn and confront the man. But before she could say anything, a familiar voice rose above the murmurs in the train.
—Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing, old man?! Move over! There's plenty of space over there!
The passengers around her began to turn towards the man with disapproving looks. Embarrassed and clearly uncomfortable, the man quickly moved to the next carriage, clutching his briefcase like a shield.
Uraraka, still a bit nervous but grateful, took the opportunity to move closer to Bakugo.
—Thank you so much— Uraraka bowed her head in front of him. —I was just about to say something, but I wasn't sure if I was imagining it.
Bakugo, with his usual indifferent attitude, looked away.
—It's just that I can't stand decrepit old men like that— he growled, then glared at her and added, irritated, —And you. Say something if something feels off! You don't get anything by staying quiet! And you think you can make it into the hero course like that? Don't make me laugh!
Uraraka laughed nervously, still feeling a mix of embarrassment and relief.
—You're right. I promise I won't overthink it next time.
Bakugo grunted, but before turning away, he threw out another comment, this time loud enough for everyone in the train car to hear.
—And for those of you who saw what happened and did nothing, you're a bunch of cowards.
Uraraka hurried to intervene, trying to ease the tension Bakugo's words had caused among the passengers.
—Oh no, I'm sure no one else noticed! You saw it because you know me!— Uraraka tried to excuse the others so no one would feel bad.
But Bakugo wasn't fazed. His final words were more serious, almost as if he was reflecting to himself.
—I can't stand people who call themselves good, but hesitate when it's time to act— he muttered before heading towards the door of the train car, then added, —What the hell? Am I starting to meddle like that idiot now?
Uraraka was slightly surprised to hear that coming from him, and understood that by "idiot" he meant Deku. Putting that aside for the moment, she found herself smiling as she watched Bakugo's back, and for a brief moment, it seemed like Deku's silhouette overlapped with his.
'In his own way, Bakugo was someone thoughtful.'
—Move out of the doorway if you're not getting off, old lady!— Bakugo snapped at an elderly woman ahead. —Or get off the train!
'Or maybe not,' Uraraka retracted.
—You should have a good breakfast in the morning, or you'll be in a bad mood all day— the elderly woman responded kindly, offering him a chocolate pastry, which he reluctantly accepted before trying to continue, only to get stuck between the doors and struggle to get out.
—See what you've done, old lady?! Is this what you wanted? Now get lost!— he yelled from the other side of the door.
—Enjoy it— the woman continued smiling, unbothered, as the train started moving.
Uraraka couldn't help but laugh. She hadn't realized Bakugo could be so funny.
Then his words echoed in her mind:
'And you. Say something if something feels off! You don't get anything by staying quiet!'
When Deku had run off in the rain, Bakugo had been watching them.
'Could it be… that he was also talking about… my situation with Deku?'
The city was now bathed in a light drizzle, the traffic lights reflected on the wet asphalt, shining like a canvas of fleeting colors. Izuku ran through the streets, his breathing steady, and the rhythmic sound of his sneakers on the pavement filled the air. Despite the weather, he had decided not to stop; training had to be constant, even if his mind wandered at times.
A while back, he thought he saw Mount Lady chasing a villain, but he already had enough notes about her from the day of her debut, and she didn't seem that interesting to him at the moment.
His mind drifted to a recent moment, when his hand had instinctively, almost reflexively, lifted toward Uraraka's shoulder. He had stopped just a few centimeters short of touching her.
'Maybe that would have been a good moment to…'
The fantasy of the kiss that could have been inevitably appeared, and Izuku allowed himself to get absorbed by it.
Meanwhile, a white limousine sped through the streets, its pace matching the rapid beat of Izuku's heart.
'Because of the lip gloss Uraraka usually wears, it would've tasted sweet, maybe like cherries. Her cheeks, always rosy and soft like mochi, would have flushed even more if he had dared. She was adorable in every way.' These thoughts made Izuku cover his mouth, his face burning with embarrassment. Still, his feet didn't stop; he kept running, his pace steady despite the daydream that consumed him.
The limousine continued, weaving between cars. It seemed to be in quite a hurry.
Izuku, still lost in thought, imagined another version of the same moment. What if, instead of just raising his hand, he had been bolder? Maybe, instead of going for her shoulder, he would have wrapped his arm around her waist, gently pulling her closer, feeling the warmth of her body through the rain-soaked clothes. The cold from the outside would have been overshadowed by her warmth, and maybe, just maybe, he would have found the courage to kiss her.
The car was getting closer, and the traffic light had changed.
'Maybe... that way I could show Kachan that he was wrong.'
'I hope the girl you confessed to is willing to be the man in the relationship because you sound like quite a lady.' he remembered, frowning slightly.
Suddenly, the sound of screeching tires and a car horn snapped him out of his thoughts.
Midoriya quickly looked around. It was true. He had crossed while the pedestrian light was red.
—Ahhh! I'm so sorry! I'm really sorry!
Frightened and thankful that he hadn't caused an accident, Izuku could only bow his head slightly in apology and run to the other side since he was already halfway across.
The limousine driver was forgiving and raised his hand toward the boy, but he grew a bit nervous when he heard the passenger window rolling down.
—What was that about?— Sir Nighteye asked seriously, watching the scene from the back seat —You know I don't tolerate surprises. Or did you see something truly amusing that justified it? Tell me.
—I'm sorry, sir. Nothing amusing. It was just a kid who suddenly crossed. But we're moving now.
The car resumed its journey.
Nighteye turned toward his tinted window and watched the young man. Even though he only saw him from behind, the yellow raincoat and his determined demeanor caught his attention.
He remained unbothered until he allowed himself a small smile.
'Mirio used to run even on rainy days too.'
The afternoon had passed, and the night sky was beginning to cloak the Todoroki household in darkness, illuminated only by the flickering lights in the distance. In the large training room, Izuku and Todoroki were in the midst of a well-coordinated sparring session. The sound of punches and kicks echoed through the space, accompanied by the sharp rhythm of their labored breaths. Both were sweating, and the marks of their efforts were visible on their faces.
Despite their fluid movements, Midoriya couldn't shake off the recent incident with the limousine. The scare of almost causing an accident had left him uneasy, and that sense of unease made him focus even harder on every strike, every movement. Shoto, on the other hand, seemed more distant, his thoughts wandering elsewhere, which caused him to drop his guard at a critical moment.
Almost without realizing it, Izuku landed a strong kick on Todoroki, who, unable to react in time, hit the ground with a dull thud.
—Ah! I-I'm sorry! —Midoriya quickly apologized, worried he had gone too far—. I think I overdid it... considering it's just practice.
He was about to offer his hand to help him up, but at the last second, he pulled it back, worried that Todoroki might see it as condescending. However, to his surprise, Todoroki extended his hand towards him.
—You've definitely improved a lot, Midoriya —Todoroki said as he accepted the help to get back on his feet—. But… don't you think you're overdoing it with the training? —he added, stretching—. Your routine is almost as intense as the ones my father used to force me to do, back when I ran away the first time we met.
Izuku looked at him seriously. He could sense the weight Todoroki carried, a shadow of his past that never fully faded.
—It's just that... I want to give it my best effort —Midoriya responded optimistically.
Todoroki repeated those words in his mind, "my best effort." He stood still, contemplating, his eyes fixed on the floor.
—By the way... how are things? —Izuku asked cautiously, noticing the tension in the air. But seeing that Todoroki didn't respond immediately, he quickly regretted bringing it up—. Ah, sorry. Maybe you don't want to talk about it. Don't feel obligated if you don't want to.
Shoto slowly looked up, a shadow of resignation in his eyes.
—No. It's fine. My sister says it's good for me to talk to someone. It's just... I don't want you to feel like my problems should be yours— Todoroki rubbed the back of his neck, still wearing his serious expression, and for a moment, Midoriya was reminded of Uraraka making a similar gesture when downplaying her own troubles.
'Even after everything he's been through, Todoroki still worries about not being a burden to others'
Shoto sighed deeply, his gaze lost somewhere far in the room.
—Earlier, I ran into my father... and I told him this:
Midoriya remained silent, listening intently as Todoroki relived the exchange with Endeavor.
"In the end, you couldn't do anything. I won't ask what you planned to do if the deadline passed and you couldn't find Dabi because there's no point. It doesn't make sense to think you could defeat All Might after all these years of giving up. I also believe you decided long ago that your work as a hero was far more important than your family.
"Shoto, you have to understand..."
"No. I get it now. If this family is ever happy, it'll be because we all stay far away from you. You know, I've been having this dream where we're all eating together like a normal family, but you're always missing." Shoto sighed. "I'll accept your previous offer and go live with my mother when she's a bit better. That way, you can devote all your time to what you decided was more important to you."
Midoriya looked at him, first with concern, then with sadness.
—I see. So... it's likely you'll never forgive your father.
—That's right, Midoriya. In that, I think I'll always agree with my brother —Todoroki sighed again—. I hope you don't think I'm a bad person because of it.
—No! Not at all! —Midoriya quickly responded, but then paused, reflecting—. Though... —he continued, more cautiously this time— I think, for someone who doesn't know your situation, it would be hard to separate the hero Endeavor from the decisions he made in his personal life.
Shoto nodded slowly.
—That's understandable. Even my sister, who's seen everything up close, hasn't decided to distance herself completely from him. Probably... she's much kinder than I'll ever be able to be.
Midoriya smiled, thinking of the times he'd seen Todoroki interact with his sister Fuyumi. The admiration in his eyes was undeniable.
—I don't think that's entirely true —Midoriya mused—. From the way you look at your sister when she smiles, I think deep down, you aspire to be a bit like her. Maybe you just need more time to see things from a different perspective.
Silence stretched for a moment as Todoroki seemed to ponder what Midoriya had just said.
—Midoriya —Todoroki looked at him directly this time—. Have you ever thought about that?
Izuku didn't understand what he meant.
—Have you ever thought about what's more important to you? Being a hero or the people in your personal life?
Midoriya thought he could answer right away, but to his surprise, the words seemed to get stuck in his throat.
He then thought about several events: All Might saving people in that old video he loved as a kid, his mom crying on multiple occasions, Uraraka, Mr. Yagi, Kacchan, Todoroki himself, Gran Torino, Shota Aizawa on TV. And in the end, two memories stood out above the rest. The first was when Uraraka had apologized to him for using her quirk on him after he saved her, and the second was when Mr. Toshinori had told him he could become a hero. Both times, he had been moved to tears.
Izuku felt a sharp pain in his chest again, and it seemed like he could only manage a hoarse, unintelligible sound that Todoroki tried to decipher.
—You don't have to answer if you don't want to —Todoroki continued in his usual reflective tone—, but I've always believed actions speak louder than words. And the fact that you're here, training with me, instead of being with the girl you like, says something about your priorities.
—But that's also because you're important to me, Todoroki! —Izuku exclaimed, his words full of sincerity—. I enjoy spending time with you, and... you're my best friend!
The surprise on Todoroki's face was subtle, but it was there—in the slight raise of his eyebrows. Midoriya always had this way of speaking his mind without hesitation, disarming even the coldest of people.
—On the other hand... —Midoriya continued—, now that I think about it, maybe I've made Uraraka feel a bit left out of my priorities because I've been so focused on training for the UA entrance exam. I haven't resented it as much because she's always been on my mind —he added with a slight blush, thinking to himself:
'In his thoughts, in his dreams. In nature and in the kind expressions of others. It was both wonderful and embarrassing to have someone always on your mind.'
—You could call her and let her know before there's a misunderstanding —Todoroki suggested pragmatically, but he watched as Midoriya shook his head immediately.
—The construction helpers said they were going to a party hosted by some guy named Aoyama. He made an open invitation to anyone who's applying for the UA entrance exam. He also mentioned there'd be a competition of amateur bands.
Then Midoriya had an idea.
—Maybe we could go for a while! —he suggested excitedly, but seeing Todoroki's calm expression, he quickly corrected himself—. Ah, but I guess that's too loud for someone as quiet as you, Todoroki.
To his surprise, Todoroki looked thoughtful, bringing a hand to his chin.
—Actually, I've always wanted to go to a concert or see a band live. So far, I've only been able to watch them in videos —Todoroki admitted seriously.
—Really!? I never would've guessed!
—You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Midoriya.
—You're right. Well, but... what about your mom?
—Fuyumi and Natsuo are keeping her company now.
At that moment, Fuyumi and Natsuo were laughing while watching a movie in the dark with the false Rei Todoroki in her bed, who covered her mouth to stifle her giggles.
Midoriya couldn't help but feel a little excited. It would be his first time going to a party with people his age. And he could see Uraraka again and clear things up if there had been any misunderstanding.
—So, do you want to go? —Midoriya asked again, a bit more excited.
—It could be fun —Todoroki admitted, looking at him with his usual calm demeanor.
Author's Notes.-
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