A Freeing Touch

Chapter Two

I should stop writing so late at night adshsfdj

Thank you for all the support so far! (On ao3 and ff.net for now lmao)

-

Midoriya wasn't quite sure what he planned to do with his sudden epiphany about Todoroki.

The moment of realization had came for only a moment, and it was somewhat of a shock, but not enough of one to stall him in his current activities. He continued to chat with Iida about the upcoming sports festival as his thoughts wandered around the idea of soulmates and Todoroki himself. He was fairly sure Todoroki had already met his soulmate, so the idea of him touching his skin and somehow being his soulmate was simply impossible. Even so, Midoriya felt a strange tug at the back of his mind, pulling his thoughts toward Todoroki, but to no idea he had not already thought of.

He glanced back, and saw as Todoroki trailed after them, alone as he headed back to the dorms; the same as Midoriya himself was doing. Midoriya thought for a moment, playing with the idea of stopping a moment until Todoroki caught up, in order to talk with him. The idea was quickly scrapped as he realized this was Todoroki he was talking about. Even so, he fought with the idea a moment more, as he was plain curious about, well, everything about him.

Midoriya figured he must have stopped walking, as Iida and Uraraka (who had just caught up with them) looked at him questioningly, and Todoroki looked closer than he had before. Along with the realization of his lack of movement came the realization that he had been staring at Todoroki, for the second time that day. He looked away, screaming at himself internally, and continued walking as if nothing had happened. Todoroki's look had gone cold again, and Midoriya wasn't sure staring at him was the best course of action if he wanted to befriend him.

He didn't look back again, afraid he'd be met with another unnerving stare, and lost himself in conversation with Uraraka and Iida.

(The stare he would've been met with wasn't an angry or cold one, but a questioning one, but there was no way for him to know that.)

The conversation came to a halt when they had gotten to the dorms, and gone their separate ways. Midoriya headed to his room, throwing himself onto his bed the moment he got into the doorway. His mind was flooded with too many thoughts for him to focus on one thing at once, and he proceeded to bury his face in his pillow. His thoughts darted from Todoroki, to soulmates, to the sports festival and wouldn't stay on one for long. He contemplated just going to sleep, but he knew it was far too early into the day to do so. He instead settled with grabbing a snack and chatting with anyone who he ran into. He sat up, before swinging his legs over the side of the bed, standing up and heading out the door.

(Simultaneously, Todoroki got up from where he was sat in his own room, intending to do the same thing Midoriya planned to do; excluding any talking to his classmates.)

He hummed to himself as he made his way to the living area, glancing around to see some of his classmates sprawled across the couch, a few waving to him. He cheerfully waved back, before turning toward the kitchen area of the place, catching a glance of someone else already there. He thought nothing of it, until he got to the point where he could see that the 'someone else' happened to be Todoroki. The other boy glanced up to look at him for only a moment, before looking away again as he prepared himself a wholesome meal of instant noodles.

Midoriya smiled at him awkwardly, even as he had already turned away, and slipped past him as he went to grab his own package of instant noodles. He would admit, instant noodles weren't the best diet for students like them, but he often settled for them when he only wanted a quick meal. Preparing them usually was quick and easy, taking only a few minutes, but things were different when someone else was doing the same thing he was. Particularly, when Todoroki was doing the same thing as him. He wasn't sure if he should speak at all, or just keep the already existing silence, and Todoroki's occasional glances at him did not help him decide.

Though, the glances were perfectly justified as Midoriya realized for the third time that day that he had been staring at Todoroki. A blush covered much of his face as he turned away again, stirring his noodles a little too quickly. Todoroki's glances had been the same as they'd been the last two times he'd seen them; cold and calculating.

(In reality they were less calculating glances, more curious ones, as Todoroki attempted to figure out why Midoriya had been staring at him; and for the third time that day.)

He stared at the noodles as he dug into them, attempting to eat them before they had cooled down, and scalded his tongue. He winced and glanced up to see Todoroki tilt his head slightly, likely hearing the hiss Midoriya had let out as the noodles hit his tongue. He moved his gaze back to his noodles, once again wondering whether or not he should say something, as he ran his burned tongue along his teeth.

Deciding to bite the bullet and just say something, he murmured "You think you'll do well in the sports festival?" just loud enough for Todoroki to hear.

In response, Midoriya received a shrug from the other, and he wondered if he should've said something else.

(Todoroki wondered if he should've responded differently.)

"I think I'll do alright!" He let out a laugh as he began speaking quickly, "I'll have to train a lot more, but that's a given. I'll just have to try my best in the end, you know?"

"Right."

Midoriya took the one word response as a silent 'I don't want to speak with you' and nodded back, grinning awkwardly as he finished his (now cooled down) noodles, and tossed out the container they had been in.

He made his way out of the kitchen area, glancing back at Todoroki for a moment, accidentally making eye contact. His eyes widened slightly, and he gave a panicked smile and quickly power walked out. Generally, Midoriya was alright with catching his classmates' glances, offering a smile or a wave, but anybody could tell that this case was rather different. Sighing, he ran his hands through his hair as he passed through the living area again, relieved when he heard Kirishima call out at him to join him and the others.

He looked over to see many of his classmates engaged in a movie put at an unnecessarily high volume, and smiled as he walked over to join them. He plopped down next to Kirishima on the couch, who grinned as he explained the events Midoriya had missed.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone leave the kitchen and pass them, pausing for only a moment before leaving.

-

Probs gonna go back and edit this a ton, wasn't too pleased with it, I dunno eeee