Visions of Hope

Reasons Given

Izuku lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Bakugo was gone - he had failed to protect his friend. He had confessed to Todoroki and lost any chance there too. He had nearly failed in protecting Kota from the villain, which left him weakened and severely injured. Now he lay in the hospital, feeling sick to his stomach and lonely as he waited for Recovery Girl to arrive and finish his healing so he could leave. He had agreed to go with Kirishima and Todoroki to save Bakugo, despite other protests...but for the moment he was left alone with his thoughts.

When the door creaked open, Izuku sighed. "I know what you're going to say, but I don't regret it."

"I'm glad."

Izuku jumped at the voice, looking over. Todoroki stood there, silent and almost hopeful-looking. Izuku blinked, confused. "Todoroki?"

The other boy nodded, studying Izuku. "May I speak with you?" When Izuku nodded, he walked over and hesitated at the side of the bed. "I wish to apologize for my reaction to what you said yesterday."

Izuku watched the other boy, not interrupting him. It took a moment for him to remember the hurtful words. Izuku looked away, not wanting to cry. "It's okay. I get it. Who would want someone like me?"

"That isn't what I meant," Todoroki said quickly. "I...I didn't mean to imply that...just that I've never had a soulmate vision in my entire life. I figured that meant I didn't have one. My father assured me that it was normal for people to not have a soulmate and I would be better without one."

Izuku looked at Todoroki, seeing a hidden pain there. He watched the other young hero, brain processing what he'd heard. He tried to figure out what to say next when Todoroki started to speak again.

"I always believed I didn't deserve a soulmate because I couldn't live up to my father's expectations...and then I decided I would be better than him and would find someone to care about even without a soulmate," Todoroki said softly.

Izuku tipped his head, frowning. "Todoroki...I..."

Todoroki held his hand up. He looked down. "I don't know how to feel now...but I also know that I do not want to lose someone who is important to me."

Izuku fought not to blush and smiled. "You don't know what that means to me. I thought I had lost someone I consider a really good friend."

Todoroki looked up, eyes hopeful. "So...you still want to be my friend?"

"Of course!" Izuku said quickly. "And who knows, maybe I am misunderstanding the vision and it's supposed to be someone else. I'm totally fine with just being friends with you."

Todoroki looked relieved and moved towards the bed. He carefully perched on the edge of the bed, quickly starting to ask Izuku about what it felt like to have the visions.

Izuku happily shared what the visions were like and what they meant to him. He left out some of the darker times and how warm and safe Todoroki made him feel. It just felt good to bond with his friend - even if that was all they were becoming.

**to make it work a bit more, I am deviating from the canon timeline