Visions of Hope

US Sports Festival

Author note: There is going to be a few time skips to keep this chapter reasonable.

Weeks had passed and the famed sports festival was upon the class. While Izuku felt stronger and he was getting better at controlling his quirk, he wasn't sure how well he would do. He still had to greatly limit what he did with his power, which would be something he knew he couldn't totally avoid during this competition. He fretted as he waited with his classmates for the official start to the entire competition. Part of him wished he could watch everyone this year and not compete - but that didn't seem to bean option. He heard footsteps approach and looked up to find Todoroki Shoto standing before him. He felt the rush of warmth that had been happening more frequently as he was around Todoroki. He sat up straighter, looking him in the eyes.

"A word, Midoriya?" the duel haired boy asked softly. Izuku nodded and followed him from the room, curious. Before long they were tucked into a hallway and Izuku was listening to Todoroki's sad story. He was silent, just offering an ear to listen.

The warmth was growing as he stood with the other boy and Izuku began to wonder - could this be his soulmate?

He felt so warm and safe with the stoic, quiet boy. He listened and responded as needed, but he was more focused on why he was feeling the way he was. It made him feel so safe and so at ease - unlike with anyone else in class. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that this was his soulmate. He frowned, though, when Todoroki gave no indications that their proximity was affecting him. Izuku was jerked from his thoughts with one sentence -"I must know. Are you All Might's secret love child or something?"

Izuku's green eyes widened as he stared at Todoroki. The next couple of moments were spent with him trying to reassure Todoroki that it was just a coincidence that his power was so similar to All Might's and that there was nothing going on. After a few uncomfortable moments, Todoroki conceded - for now - and walked away. Izuku took a deep breath and decided to shake it off for the current time. He had to focus on the games, and maybe ask around to others he knew had found their soulmates. Perhaps they could help him figure out what he was feeling.

~Time Skip~

Izuku fretted as he looked around at the crowd of students. He had somehow managed to come in first place during round one and now had a literal target on his head. He had to find a team as soon as possible, but it seemed like everyone was against him. Without a team he was surely going to lose. He nearly wept when Uraraka asked to be on a team with him. He thanked her and soon, after some speed bumps, they had their team formed. He stood, muttering out some last minute details to himself when a separate thought struck him.

"Hey, Uraraka," he muttered, catching her attention.

"Yeah, Deku?" she asked, turning to him.

Izuku scratched the back of his neck. "How'd you figure out your soulmate?"

The bubbly girl considered it, eyes drifting to Tsuyu who stood off with another team. "Well...the visions were pretty obvious for mine, especially once we met," she answered, "but there is something more."

"Yeah?" Izuku leaned closer as if it was the secret of the universe.

Uraraka blushed, hand on her chest. "She makes me feel all warm and floaty and safe," she finished, her cheeks red. "Like nothing could go wrong." Izuku nodded, filing that information away in his mind for later.

"So why aren't you on a team with her?" Tokoyami wondered as he had been close enough to hear. Uraraka blushed deeper.

"We didn't want anyone to use that against us," she answered. "So we agreed that if there was a team event we'd be on different teams. We want things to be fair and it'll be a good test of our skills without each other."