Feeling Hot And Cold With A Hint Of Floating(Completed)

13| Advice from a friend

This was it.

Shoto exhaled deeply as he sat outside, his eyes closed as the wind swept through his hair lightly.

It was hard to deny how he felt anymore.

The feeling used to be so overwhelming that he couldn't think straight, but it was starting to recede into something he was very familiar with.

Disappointment.

Regret.

Sorrow.

He still felt so lost.

He just wanted the feeling to go away. The ache in his heart to just disappear.

"Umm...Todoroki?"

A pitter patter of steps was heard from behind him, and Todoroki turned his head to meet Midoriya's concerned gaze.

Shoto didn't reply, turning back to observe the trees and bushes rustling in the cool air.

A kind, knowing smile formed on Midoriya's face. "It's hard, isn't it?" he reassured gently, head tilted up at the night sky. "Figuring out how you feel."

Shoto stared hard at his hands. "I still don't know how I feel" he muttered.

The greenette pursed his lips in a mildly dissatisfied manner, shaking his head at Shoto's dishonesty "I think you already do" he replied, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder tenderly.

The wind rippled between them, the whooshing sound accompanying the distant hum of music floating from the dance.

"It doesn't make you weak, you know," Izuku continued, tipping his chin up as the breeze brushed his face lightly. "Admitting how you feel"

Todoroki inhaled sharply and clenched his fists. It did make him feel weak. He didn't want to admit how he felt, not even to himself, because once he did, it became real.

There was no going back.

But wasn't that the point? There was no use hiding from himself and his feelings. Hadn't he learned that from Midoriya? Todoroki sent his friend a sideways look, slightly amused.

Of course his friend was right. He always was.

When had Shoto known himself to cower at the first sign of trouble, anyway? He could challenge multiple dangerous villains without even flinching, but he was scared of confronting matters of his heart?

No, he was no longer afraid.

Gathering his courage, Shoto took a deep, steady breath.

"I think I like Ochako"

There was a strangely liberating feeling spreading through his body at his confession. He lifted his gaze to meet Izuku's, the other boy's face sporting a victory grin in response. Delighted mirth danced in the greenette's green eyes, and something about his expression told Todoroki that he'd known all along.

"Are you going to tell her?" Izuku asked innocently.

"I don't know" There was obvious hesitation in Todoroki's answer. "I think it's unrequited" he explained slowly, and he hoped he didn't look as dejected as he felt.

There was a flash of something(was it bewilderment?)across Midoriya's face and his lips curled into a wry smile. "You don't know until you try" Midoriya encouraged, folding his arms across the crisp fold of his burgundy suit. "Besides, you still haven't apologized to her yet, maybe it would be better to explain how you feel, then she'll understand"

"He's right, It was unfair to keep her in the dark" Shoto thought

His lack of control over his emotions was the cause of her suffering in the first place. He thought he owed her an explanation, at the very least.

Her smile, bright and vivid, flickered through his mind.

It would be alright.

At the baseline, they were the best of friends. He knew Ochako was kind and forgiving, and she would never let his unrequited feelings ruin the precious friendship they'd spent the last few years building.

"Yeah," He agreed. The other boy gave him two thumbs up with a large, cheesy grin on his face and he looked so silly that Shoto couldn't help but crack a small smile.

"And I think you should take your own advice too"

"Huh?" Izuku blinked.

"Tell Bakugou how you feel instead of ogling him from afar... Twice I heard him mutter that he felt like he was being watched" he teased

Izuku blushed red. "O-oh dear.. I didn't mean to creep out Kaccha--I mean I don't have a chance anyway, he's straight!" He chuckled nervously. "How would you know unless you try your shot?" Shoto raised a brow. Izuku turned even redder "H-he likes Uraraka and.... I've never seen him express interest in the same gender"

"Maybe he's waiting"

"For what?"

Shoto shrugged. "The right cue maybe?"

They spent the rest of the night talking about nothing and absolutely everything, about their unrequited loves, what they think they had fallen for in their chosen love interest, and laughing so hard their sides hurt

Izuku revealed he's admired Katsuki for years, expressing his amazement and just the way he spoke of the blonde Shoto could see he was whipped.  "He's just so amazing"

"Uraraka's amazing too" Shoto says

Hours later, when they retired for the night, Shoto knew that it was all going to be okay. Tomorrow, he'll ask to speak with Ochako