Fire Within -Tododeku

Kindness

So things went on as normal. Knowing that he wasn't the only one who had a sort of allegiance with villains was strange, though. Bakugo struck him as a guy who would have ties to the league in some way, in any case. His loyalty to whoever was the leader of the league was yet to be proven. Todoroki assumed he didn't keep in contact with him if he wasn't aware of Todoroki's way of escaping.

He was sure Bakugo's aggressiveness couldn't be faked. He truly hated Midoriya for some reason, and Shouto was convinced Bakugo was not in any way coerced to be an asshole, but was born naturally to perform that role.

What a strange situation.

He chose to ignore it as soon as he had made his conclusions, because after everything, there wasn't anything he should be concerned about, besides Bakugo's abusive behavior towards Midoriya.

He could take care of that.

*

Class 1A had decided to go shopping together in order to further celebrate their escape from their kidnappers. Shouto had initially turned down the offer, because he didn't really feel like spending time with his classmates. Sure enough, they seemed to be really welcoming and open to accept him, which reminded him that was what he had wanted during his school, he had ached for friends, after all. But Shouto had changed.

That was what he thought until Midoriya convinced him to go.

"Please, please, please, please?" He kept repeating, staring at Todoroki with hope shining in his eyes. "Look, I swear it can be fun. You deserve a break from school, after all we went through! The league of villains and their attack on USJ... the, you know, the kidnapping."

"I just don't really know them..." Shouto said, reluctantly, admitting that was one of the main reasons why he didn't really want to go.

"But you can get to know them by going with them! Uraraka is also going." Midoriya said.

He knew he couldn't argue back to him.

*

They were sitting at a table outside Mcdonalds. In the table there was a large number of 1A students, but not the full class. Not everyone had come.

Bakugo wasn't invited. No one had forgotten about the way he had ruthlessly hit his own teammate in a simple exercise.

Todoroki, sitting beside Midoriya, seemed to be in deep thought. He clearly wasn't listening to the lively chatter around him.

"Midoriya, I have been thinking". Todoroki suddenly spoke.

"Yes?" Midoriya answered, eager to listen to anything Todoroki might have to say.

"I really... like your shoes." He blurted out.

Midoriya had expected something deep, from the look on his face. He was clearly surprised, his eyebrows raised, and his lips were curving, a smile forming in them.

Todoroki always seemed up to something, he thought. There was always something on his mind. He was about to thank him, but Todoroki kept talking.

"They remind me of my own quirk due to their red color. I have never liked red. It reminds me too much of my so called father, Endeavor. When I was a kid I always wanted to dye my hair fully white. I have never allowed myself to like it, yet, when I see you in these shoes, it just reminds me that not everything has to do with him, that in fact, life doesn't have to be what torments me. There is so much more to it. When I see you in red, Midoriya, I just simply cannot bring myself to hate the color."

Midoriya felt himself redden completely. He panics in his mind, worrying if he looks like a flustered tomato. When has anyone ever given him such a heartfelt compliment? It was simple, yet it wasn't. Like Todoroki said, there was so much behind the simple red color.

Todoroki didn't know this, but in high school, kids simply walked away from him, believing the rumors Bakugo had spread about him: a conceited, arrogant kid who thought way too highly of himself due to his fire quirk. No one would ever compliment him in order to not contribute to his "arrogant attitude".

And yet, here was Todoroki, opening up to him about his past and giving him a compliment at the same time, completely different from all these kids.

Todoroki was way too kind.

""Thank you, Todoroki" Midoriya began, his voice filled with sincerity. "This means so much to me... there is a lot of kindness behind your compliment. I have always known you were good hearted, ever since the moment I met you and you worried about me training with Endeavor, despite being a simple stranger to you. Things like this only reaffirm my belief, my belief, which at this point is simply an accurate observation."

It was Todoroki's turn to blush, although Midoriya didn't notice. He was too busy wondering when the rapid rhythm of his heart would calm down.

"I would like to do a toast!" Iida loudly announced, gathering everyone's attention on the table and interrupting everyone's conversations. "My dear classmates," Iida began, his voice steady and filled with determination. "Today, we gather not only to celebrate our survival but also to honor the strength and resilience that each one of us has shown in the face of adversity. We have shown our opponents how resilient we are, from surviving the USJ attack to the harrowing experience of being kidnapped. We have stood together, united in our resolve to protect each other and emerge stronger than before. Not even villains can break our bond! Let's celebrate for ourselves!" He said enthusiastically, holding his cup of coca cola in the air.

Everyone cheered.

*

After hugging Uraraka and Midoriya goodbye, Todoroki walked to his home, and he slowed down when he felt his phone buzz.

"I need you to pay us a visit" Todoroki read the message in his iPhone. Of course, it was from Dabi.

"Will do." Shouto replied quickly.