Yaoyorozu proceeded into her classroom, only being greeted by what it looked like every day; Tenya Iida and Ochaco Uraraka hanging around Izuku Midoriya; Katsuki Bakugo with his usual irritated ‘I’m-silently-plotting-your-death’ expression as the group of students around his desk chat it up; and of course Shoto Todoroki sitting alone in the back corner with his usual stern, emotionless eyes. She walked in his direction, taking the seat to his left on the end and placing her bag on her desk.
The bell hadn’t rung yet, so Mr. Aizawa was not in class. Might as well try to make conversation, she thought. Maybe I could even get him to talk to me.
Todoroki had avoided interacting with her ever since he had burnt her that day in the alley. She tried multiple times to get ahold of him, to see how he was doing and how he was managing his presently unstable quirk. He never answered. She even told him her hospital room number, hoping he might stop by so they could talk. He never came. She didn’t want to seem desperate or clingy, but she wanted him to know she was okay. Maybe this could be her chance to tell him. After all, it was her first day back at school since it happened.
"Good morning," Yaoyorozu greeted casually.
"Morning," was his only reply, his deadpan expression not changing. That went well... he obviously doesn't want to conversate; I guess I'll leave him be. She turned to look back to the front of the room, gazing at each face as her classmates chatted about what they had been doing or what was going on in their lives. She noticed Todoroki glance in her direction, but she paid him no attention, acting as if she had not noticed him openly staring at her bandaged neck.
“How have you been handling your quirk?” She asked curiously, wanting to break the awkward and unwavering silence between them. They made eye contact for the first time in weeks, Todoroki turning to face her.
“It’s fine. It hasn’t done anything too jurassic again,” he answered, raising his right hand and peering down at it. His eyes darted back to her neck, and he pursed his lips. “How’s your neck?”
She raised a hand and tenderly traced where the bandage and her skin met, running her fingers along where the burn was hidden. “It’s fine. They just emitted me to the hospital because it was third degree, and it’s size. That and it’s location. I just have to keep it bandaged for a while.” His concerned expression didn’t flicker at her attempt to reassure him, and her gaze softened. “Really. I’m fine. It’s okay. I don’t blame you for this, you know that...right?”
He grunted, straightening in his seat. “But I still did it. That mark will always be there because of me. You said it yourself; it’s going to scar. I don’t care if you blame me or not, it’s still my fault and that’ll be apart of you forever now.”
“Then you’ll be apart of me, too.” His eyes swung up to meet hers as she said it, a confused look crossing his face. Yaoyorozu smiled. She reached out a hand and, surprised but glad, he took it. “Now you won’t be the only one in this class with a burn scar.”
“That’s different. My mother did this because of what my father did to her. He forced her through mental instability and caused her to throw boiling water at my face; my left side, because it represented him. I didn’t mean to do this to you.”
"Exactly. You didn’t mean to.” She squeezed his hand as he moved to let go. “But it means something to me. It’s a constant reminder that I did something for you.” He opened his mouth to respond when he was abruptly cut off.
“Yaomomo!” A voice chirped. They both turned to see Ochaco Uraraka, Kyoka Jiro, Toru Hagakure, Tsuyu Asui, and Mina Ashido approach. Yaoyorozu put on her best smile as all the girls circled her desk, releasing Todoroki’s hand.
