All Might x Student!Reader (Boku no Hero Academia)

Chapter 34 - A Glass of Water

The next morning, you woke up with the sun filtering through the curtains, casting a soft glow around the room. For once, it wasn't raining. The gray, overcast skies that had become almost a permanent fixture lately had given way to something lighter, and it was almost as if the weather was reflecting your mood. Despite the dull ache in your throat—so sore that swallowing felt like a battle—you couldn't help but feel a little... happy.

You shifted under the duvet, feeling your body respond more fluidly today. The fever had finally broken, leaving only a lingering exhaustion in its wake. But emotionally? Things were different. Yesterday's conversation with Toshinori had been... unexpected. Yet, it had left you feeling closer to him in a way you couldn't quite explain. Maybe everything wasn't perfect, but it was going well between you two. The idea that you were "important" to him had stuck with you, replaying in your mind like a song on repeat.

Smiling faintly, you pushed yourself up in bed and glanced out the window. The clear sky made you feel lighter. No clouds, no rain—just a serene, blue expanse stretching endlessly. Somehow, it reflected how things had been lately between you and him. There were fewer barriers, fewer formalities, and it felt... good.

A soft knock interrupted your thoughts, and you turned just in time to see the door creak open. Toshinori peeked in, smiling gently before stepping inside.

"Good morning, (Y/N)," he said, his voice steady and calm.

Your heart skipped a beat. He had dropped the formality again—using your first name so naturally. You blinked, suddenly feeling more awake as you straightened yourself in bed. It wasn't like he hadn't called you by your name before, but there was something different about it today. Casual, yet significant.

"Good morning," you responded softly, your voice raspy from the sore throat. As you cleared it, you asked, trying to sound nonchalant, "Uhh... can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

You hesitated, feeling a bit awkward before finally blurting out, "Why did you stop calling me '(L/N)-san?'"

Toshinori seemed to pause, the question catching him off guard. He scratched the back of his head and furrowed his brow, as if thinking deeply about something that hadn't even occurred to him before. Finally, with a shrug and a small smile, he answered, "I'm not sure. It just... happened. I didn't even notice when or how."

His casual demeanor made the whole situation feel strangely intimate. You bit the inside of your cheek, trying not to overthink it, but then he added, almost too casually, "You know, you can call me by my name too... if you feel like it. Toshinori's fine. I wouldn't mind."

You stared at him, surprised by how easygoing he was about it. It felt like crossing a line, one that had been firmly in place ever since you first met him. And yet, here he was, offering to erase it entirely. You weren't sure how to respond, so you just nodded, feeling a little flustered at the prospect.

"I'll... try," you said, the words coming out more uncertain than you intended. You had gotten so used to addressing him formally that it felt odd to change it now. Still, the fact that he wanted you to felt like a step forward in the relationship—whatever that relationship was. "''Um... does that mean that... we are friends?"

Toshinori smiled at you, that familiar warmth in his eyes. "Aren't we already friends, (Y/N)?"

His words hit you differently than you expected. Friends? You hadn't thought about it in those terms before, but hearing him say it made you realize just how much you valued that connection.

"I... I guess so," you murmured, lowering your gaze. "Maybe."

He chuckled lightly, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood by your bed. You couldn't help but smile back. It wasn't exactly what you wanted, but it was a start. The best relationships often started with friendship, didn't they? For now, it was enough.