𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬||𝐈𝐙𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀

Mina

Izuku stood there dumbfounded and unable to move. For the strangest reason, his eyes started to water.

Midoriya lay in his bed that night, wondering if he had any regrets. About an hour ago, he would have said no. There was nothing sorrowful tugging on his heartstrings, nothing painful to think back on. He had a loving girlfriend, a quirk, and friends he could trust with his life.

Still, he concluded he had one regret. It was something that made him twist around in bed every so often, something that made Izuku get into a funk. He regretted leaving Mina.

Not trying to salvage the friendship he had, rushing into a relationship, allowing them to drift apart, he hated all of it. Studying wasn't the same, as walking to school, running in the hallways, awkward calls. It's all gone, and Midoriya's not sure how to get it back.

---

He wasn't too sure how to take the news at first. One of his best friends was pouring their undying love for him on the spot, and he felt nothing. He hated it, he hated seeing Mina cry, hated making her feel this way, hated knowing he unknowingly caused her pain for the past few weeks.

It was anger, anger at the way things turned out, and also a bitter resentment when he accepted that was the way things were going to be. Izuku didn't know that would be the last hug they would share. If he knew, he would do anything to change it.

He texted her Merry Christmas. He debated whether he should. He didn't exactly understand the concept of giving space when he thought about it. How much was too much for her? How much of him triggered her feelings for her? How long would this take? When would things go back to normal? She sent a Merry Christmas back, so he assumed things were good.

Break finished quickly. Before Izuku knew it, it was moving in a day. He stopped to talk with Ochaco when he saw Mina. There was a way about the way she carried herself that felt reassuring. She seemed more at ease, more relaxed. Things seemed to be going well for her. He smiled, and Mina smiled back.

Something about her grin triggered something within him. A calm panic, an epiphany, a realization. An unwarranted one, to be specific. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, so Izuku did the best thing.

He asked Ochaco out. He didn't mean to, at least not yet.

He liked Ochaco. More than he wanted to admit, he didn't mean to take things so quickly.

However, it eased the tightness in his chest, so he made peace with it. Ochaco gasped at the sudden confession and ended up running away. She texted him later to meet him at the cafe. It was a date.

He spent the first hour talking to himself in his room about how he would go about the date. Then he realized he didn't have much time left, so he hopped in the shower, washed his hair, and began to style it.

Miraculously, Mina showed up at his door. The tightness in his chest made itself present again. She was there to deliver the hoodie back. He'd almost forgotten about it, truthfully.

It might have been better for Mina to leave. He didn't want to accept it, though. He begged her to stay, he didn't expect it to work, but she did. She gave him tips on his hair, even giving up and helping him herself.

They laughed and joked a bit, and things were easy. The uneasy feeling in Izuku's chest was gone, replaced by a warm fuzzy one.

At the cafe, they both came clean. Ochaco admitted her feeling for Izuku first, and then Izuku. The night filled up with laughs, giggles, blushes, and more. He walked her to her dorm, bid her goodnight, and crashed in his. Perhaps, that's where the routine came originated.