Archive of Our Own ^beta

Todoroki was never one to say what he really wanted, granted he was blunt as hell. But there were still emotions he was unfamiliar with, one of them being a sense of want or need. Growing up with his father he was never able to speak up for things he wanted. When he did he was met with a firm assurance of who was in charge, most times his father made sure to give him the exact opposite of his wishes. A clear statement saying that his feelings didn’t matter, so going forward Todoroki kept his wants to himself.

Being in a friend group that contains class 2A’s most considerate people, leaping out of this habit was starting to blossom.

One thing he knew his heart wanted was a certain someone named Sero. Lately he’s been giving more and more into this temptation.

“So what are you guys planning for this weekend? Anybody going home?” Uraraka stated before placing a dumpling in her mouth.

“I was hoping to head home to visit my mom, but this english topic is kicking my tush. I think I'm just gonna study all weekend before the test.” Izuku replied

“Well if you have any problems, I’m happy to help Midoriya.” Iida offered with a smile. Meanwhile the rest of his friends turned to him, quirking an eyebrow expecting him to respond.

The more Todoroki thought about it, if his friends weren’t doing anything and if he didn’t have plans to visit his mom. He would just end up staying in his dorm. Once every blue moon students would catch him blowing off steam if his dad had decided to call him that day.

Other than that though, Todoroki often stayed in his room, but he wasn’t doing anything. Most nights, yeah he’ll admit that he’s alone doing nothing, but some nights he has a book in hand. If he’s lucky he’ll even have a companion.

Recently he had run into Sero at a bookstore after visiting his mother. Usually he’d stay in the non-fiction section but Midoriya had lent him an interesting manga that piqued his interest. Thus opening a new gate for him to explore. Sero had seen him and offered to help him navigate his way. This eventually led to Sero offering recommendations, and from there led to a little book club of two. Sitting in Todoroki’s quiet room, the two sat there enjoying the other's company while reading their manga. Other times they would make the trip together, maybe a coffee or two was involved. It was sweet, but Todoroki wanted more.

“I don’t think I’m doing anything, we’ll see if anything pops up.” He started before plopping soba into his mouth. From the corner of his eye he could see the quirk of an eyebrow on Midoriya’s face. Sure enough, he knew nothing would get past his friend.

Meanwhile Iida nodded, simply agreeing he doesn’t have much planned this weekend.

“Oh well if you two get super bored or whatever, I’m always open to hanging out. Some of the girls were thinking of heading into town to shop if you want to join! I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

The boys simply nodded, Midoriya’s eyes still on him.

As the conversations carried on without him, his mind wandered back to Sero.

If Todoroki wanted one wish to come true, it would be to spend more time with the boy. The time they spent together was something special he had, something he didn't want to share nor let go of. If there was a way to get closer to the boy, Todoroki was sure that he would take it. He may not know how considering doing the urge to do what his heart wanted came once every blue moon.

Todoroki knew he could be a little bit more on the awkward side when it came to social interactions, meaning he didn’t want that to ruin his chances with the boy.

What if that’s the reason Sero didn’t talk as much during their reading nights? Was he so awkward that Sero couldn't stand him? Did Sero even like him? Was it a pity hangout, like the little father-son hangouts he humors his dad with?

~

That Thursday night Todoroki sat in his room in front of a piece of paper. He had already finished his homework for the night , the list in front of him was something special. Next to him was his closest friend. Midoriya.

At the top written out was, ‘How to get closer to Sero’. He knew interaction wasn’t his strong suit, thanks to his friends pointing it out, so his solution was to write out all his options in order to pick the least embarrassing one.

“Sooo, you want to get closer to him, correct?” The freckled boy asked. He nodded. “And this list has ways you can do that?”

“I think? I don’t know. I’ve never done this before, that’s why I'm asking you.”

“WAH? What makes you think I've done this before?” His words may be innocent but Midoriya looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“ I see you, Bakugou and Kirishima trade looks all the time. Not to mention Bakugou’s dorm is below mine… My poor innocent ears.”

“TODOROKI!!” His friend shoves his arm playfully, then covers his face. Hiding the blush dusting his cheeks.

To be completely honest, he wasn’t sure if the three were dating or not. He just guessed.

“So will you help?”

Midoriya nodded, “For sure, I don’t know how much help I’ll be. Kiri, Kacchan and I just sort of just happened, I’ll try my best though!” he turns to flash Todoroki his famous smile.

There was lots of information that he knew about the other, information that came right from the source. Although they spent their time together with books, from time to time their conversations would drift ; One reason why Todoroki loved being around the boy. Everything just came naturally to him when in the company of Sero, like everything made sense. Besides this fact, their paths don’t cross much outside of that. Sero tended to hang around the louder students in class 2-A, meanwhile Todoroki kept to his four much quieter friends.

“The first thing you have written is game night? What’s that?”

“Every Saturday, their group gets together in Sero’s room to play video games. He told me because one day I asked why we couldn't go to his room. He said it was dirty from the night before.” He looks at Midoriya dead on, face almost too serious.

“But are you sure you want to jump into hanging out with all of them? They’re a bit….much.”

Not to mention that the ‘leader’ of the other’s group doesn’t like him very much. Todoroki had no idea what the blond had against him, as much as Bakugou was loud and disruptive, he didn’t hate the blond. He in fact thought that he was quite funny at times.

But hanging out with his friends meant that he would have to deal with all his friends, meaning answer loads of questions. He knows the other’s can’t help it, they’re just a curious lot. He knows from experience that Denki and Mina could last hours by asking question after question. That’s a no-go.

He looks down at the paper and crosses out the top option.

“Well that answers that I guess.”

The next idea he had scribbled down was, ‘studying date?’

As much as people gossip about the ‘bakusquad’ being, not the smartest. The group was actually on a strict study regiment, courtesy of Bakugou. With Sero sitting just two seats in front of him, he could sometimes sneak a glimpse of his grades. He knew it was wrong, but he was curious sue him. More often than not, Sero would be handed back an assignment with an A. The only time that faltered was in Ectoplasms class, math.

Todoroki was shit at math. There was no way he’d be able to help his crush with that.

“He’s bad at math.” He states.

“Oh, see you could do like a study date then and you could he-”

“I’m worse at math than he is.”

He scratched it off the list.

“Okayyyyy, next option. Make him dinner? That could be sweet? Do you know what he likes?”

Todoroki looks away, “I can’t cook.”

“Then why did you write it down?!” Midoriya shakes his head, putting his head in his hand.

“What do you and Sero usually do? I didn’t even know you two talked?” He asks, fully turning his body. Now sitting criss-cross.

“We hang out in my room, we don’t talk much unless it’s about the books.”

Midoriya piques up at this, “You guys read books!?” Todoroki looks at him oddly, do people not regularly read books? “Uh yeah, I sit at my desk and he lays in my bed. We read manga, like the one you showed me.” Midoriya then starts to bounce up and down on the bed.

“HE LAYS IN YOUR BED?!”

“Shhh Midoriya, I do share a wall with him, you know.”

“Sorry… but you guys could totally do a cute book date?! Maybe get coffee after? I’ve seen him drink coffee! He’ll definitely say yes.”

Todoroki looked back down at the list, “We already do that?”

“WAH!”

Todoroki looks at the freckled boy sitting next to him, his jaw comically ‘on the floor’.

“What?”

“Have you really been going on dates without realizing it?” He sounded exhausted at this point.

“He never said they were dates.”

“Okay, Did he pay for your books? Or coffee?”

He glances at his bookshelf where his growing collection lies, “It started that way, he wouldn’t let me pay. Even when I said it was Endeavors card, not mine. That usually works on people.” Midoriya chuckled, “Okaayy, Is he super close to you? Like bumping into you or sitting really close? Making a lot of eye contact?”

Todoroki squints at Midoriya, “Like how you and Kirishima, and Bakugou always look at eachother? Like that?”

“Something like that.” he mumbles while one again hiding his face behind his forearm.

His face suddenly feels hot, not in the way his quirk would cause, but something entirely different, “I don’t know, I try not to look at him when he’s close. I get abnormally hot, even for me, is that weird?”

Midoryia grabs Todoroki’s hand and holds it in his lap, “Shoto, it’s not weird at all, from the sounds of it. It seems like you’ve been going on little dates with Sero for a while now, and you totally like it! You should uh-be the one to take it to the next level, or maybe ask him just to be sure?”

“Next level?”

“A dinner date!”...”I thought we established that I couldn't cook.”

He throws his head back in laughter, “No, to a restaurant. Like an official date, that the both of you are aware of.”

Todoroki smiles, “So, I've been going on dates with Sero?” Midoriya squeezes his hand, “If i'm reading the situation correctly, I’d say yes.”

The two-toned teen looks over at his book collection, the one that Sero has been helping him grow. Unknowingly, he smiles at it.

I’ve been dating Sero.

Midoriya left not long after that, leaving Todoroki feeling starstruck after this new ‘realization’.

~

The next morning before class starts, he walks up to Midoriya’s desk, “Thank you for last night Midoriya. It really meant alot to me. You’re a good friend. I had no idea about all this dating stuff. I’ll be sure to go to you for more help.”

Bakugou turns his head to look at the interaction taking place, and a grunt is offered. Apparently he was too tired for real interaction but is still nosey as ever. “Good morning Bakugou.”

He turns to glare daggers at Todoroki, as if saying, “I wasn’t talking to you.”

Midoriya is sat down, pulling out his notebooks, “Ah! Ignore Kacchan, he’s upset because I cancelled last night. Anyway, I’m glad I could help you, that’s what friends are for! So… have you decided what you’re going to do? ” Todoroki nodded, “ I believe so.”

“That’s good! If you need help planning anything, don't be shy to ask!” Midoriya says as he opens his books. After this he glances at the desk next to his, and the occupant who just sat down in it.

“Hey Roki, hey Midoriya.” Sero says with a wave of a hand. Although he had addressed both boys, his eyes stayed fixed on the two toned teen. His eyes roam the boy, finally landing on the mismatched eyes, “You have any plans this weekend?” He shines his pearly whites.

“No, I don’t have any plans for this weekend Sero, not yet anyway.”

“Cool.”

“I’ll text you later?” Todoroki offers.

Sero nods enthusiastically, “Even cooler.”

Then Todoroki did the unthinkable and leaned in, kissing Sero on the cheek.

Not everyone had finished filing into the room, but for the ones who were there, their breaths stopped. All eyes on the two boys. Then acting as if he didn't drop a bomb in front of the class, Todoroki walks back to his desk. Sero, meanwhile, is too shocked to move, his face now pink and blushing.

Todoroki begins to go through his normal routine, bringing out his books and pencil case from his bag. No one in class dared to move yet. Todoroki was unaware of his classmates' odd behavior, too happy living high off his courage to kiss Sero.

Then in a matter of seconds Sero is out of his seat grabbing Todoroki’s wrist and leading them outside the class.

Once outside, Sero pushes the taller of the two against the wall, his wrist still in his grip.

“What the heck was that Todoroki?!”

“A kiss?”

“I know /what/ it was Roki, /why/ did you do it?” The look on Sero’s face was something he had never seen before. It made the other’s stomach churn. Very rarely could he not recognize the emotions Sero has shown him. Was he mad at him?

Todoroki was taken aback, not knowing what to say, he stared into the black orbs a little while longer. Sero finally understands.

“If you think I'm mad, you're wrong. Gosh, what happened to you being our smartest student Roki?” This statement just made him more confused, cocking his head sideways to show that.

“Ugh, Okay. I didn’t hate that you kissed me. Just.. Why did you kiss me?” The other could definitely answer this.

“Because that's what couples do?” When the words finish drifting off his tongue Sero steps back in shock.

“COUPLE?!”

“We’re dating right? Or.. Are we not?” The last part was spoken with a hint of disappointment, something Sero noticed immediately. Before he can speak up Todoroki seeps out more information.

“Midoriya explained to me that we were dating without my knowledge..” As if on cue, Midoriya’s voice is heard from inside the classroom, “I NEVER SAID /THAT/!”

Sero peaks his head into the classroom, the class is gathered by the door. Slightly out of sight so they wouldn’t get caught. “Seriously guys, disappointed in all of you.”

With this he shuts the classroom door, hoping to at least get some privacy, even though he knew his peers would still stay by the door eavesdropping.

He then turns back to the situation at hand, Todoroki.

“So, let me get this straight? Midoriya told you, that me n’ you were dating?”

Todoroki just nods.

“Um? Can you like-? Explain how this conversation went because I'm still lost?” With this he notices that Todoroki begins to flush pink. Explaining the conversation would mean that he would have to tell Sero his plans to get closer to him.

“I explained how we would go to the book store and get coffee all the time, he then told me that they’ve been dates even though i didn’t realize they were and well, we do that all the time. Hence we go on dates all the time. Meaning that we’re dating? Or am I reading this all wrong?”

Sero watches the porcelain face like a hawk while he’s explaining this, watching every smile and eye crinkle like his life depended on it. He decides to lightly grab onto Todorokis’s fingers.

“You’re not /entirely/ wrong-”

“But I’m still wrong aren’t I?” Todoroki looks down at their touching fingers.

“Wrong isn’t the right word, more like...Special. You’re looking at it in a special way. If you want those dates to mean what I think you’re saying then, I’d really like that Shoto.”

“SAY IT LIKE A MAN!”

Bakugou.

“I'M GETTING THERE!” He yells back at the door, then turns back to Todoroki. “If..Um shit I didn’t think this was gonna happen today. “ He begins to chuckle. “If being a couple is what you /want/ the-”

“It’s what I want. I don’t usually get to do what I want, not in my life. But this, this is something I’ve never been more certain of. I want this.” Todoroki decides to take it further by intertwining their hands. Sero, with his free arm, covers his face with his forearm, reminiscent of a certain freckled boy, in order to cover his blushing face.

“Gosh Roki when did you become such a sap?”

“Since I started dating you.” Sero’s face heated up hotter than his counterparts' quirk.

“Who are you and what did you do with the normal Todoroki?!” he points a playful accusatory finger at the other.

Sero giggles while Todoroki watches in amusement, once it died down the two stare at each other. The words spoken just moments ago finally settled in.

“Are we doing this for real?” Sero asks. Todoroki whispers back, “If you want to”.

“Welp, here goes nothing. Todoroki, do you want to go out with me? Officially! As boyfriends?”

A muffled, “Who knew Mr.Stoner could be so formal!” was heard from inside the room.

Mina

“Who is Mr.Stoner?”

“Roki just answer the question!”

Todoroki decided to answer the question not with words, but with the same way he caused this whole situation. He plopped a sweet little kiss on the side of Sero’s cheek.

“Does that answer your question?”

“Plenty.” Both boys blush.

“Let’s head back in?” Todoroki nods. Once the doors open the class rushes to their seats, a few tripping as a result. A few being Mina and Denki. Everyone was silent, not wanting to look at the two as they made their way back to their seats. As if on perfect timing, Aizawa walks through the room just seconds after them.

While back in his seat, Sero writes a small note and passes it to Midoriya, it reading.

/Um thanks for that? Weird way to help out but hey I’m not complaining.../

He sneaks a peak when the freckled boy reads it, his jaw dropping a little. He rushes to write something back on the little note. Then a paper note is thrown at his head, “What the hell Mido?!” He whispers/yells. The greenette glares at him while he reads it.

/TO BE COMPLETELY FAIR I NEVER SAID YOU GUYS WERE DATING I JUST SAID IT SEEMED LIKE YOU GUYS WERE GOING ON DATES!!/

He chuckled to himself. He writes back, /ahahaha I’m not upset or anything Mido, actually think it's kinda cute that he thought we were dating lol./ He passes it back and that’s the end of their conversation. They go through the rest of the school day as if nothing strange had happened this morning.

~

On their way back to the dorms, the two walk hand in hand, per Todoroki’s request. It was a comfortable silence between them, something that isn’t uncommon between the two. But Sero decides to break the ice.

“Hey Roki?”

“Mhhm?”

“You do know that just because people go on dates, doesn’t mean they are dating right? People go on dates before they start dating too.”

Todoroki stops in their tracks, his hand still connected to Sero’s holding him back also.

“Is that what we were doing? The before dating dates?”

Sero smiles, “Now there’s my smart Roki.”

But before they begin moving again Todoroki asks one more question, “You think we could go on one of those officially a couple dates?”

“I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my weekend.” Both boys smile.