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Chapter Text

Todoroki sits up and begins calling on his quirk before he was even fully conscious. The room cools significantly and ice creeps up his arm as he takes stock of his surroundings. He had been woken by a noise; a soft scuffle on the carpet. He scans the room and could just make out the outline of a dark figure standing out from the dim light coming through the windows. As the figure shifts, the room gets even colder as Todoroki readies for a fight.

“Sorry,” the figure says in a whisper.

Todoroki blinks. “I- Izuku?” he says, his voice rough with sleep.

“Hi Shouto.”

“I almost buried you in ice.”

“Thank you for not doing that.”

Todoroki makes no move to stand down. It could be some kind of trick. Izuku should be off touring Japan.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was cold.”

“You came from,” Todoroki pauses to remember where the Hero Deku Tour should be tonight, “Shizuoka because you were cold?”

The figure nods.

Todoroki considers for a moment but ultimately decides it must be Izuku. A villain would have a better cover story.

Todoroki releases the tension in his body while he slowly exhales, using his quirk to push hot air from his lungs. He also lets a small flame ignite on his shoulder. The light and shadows dance around the room and his boyfriend smiles at him. He watches as Izuku’s eyes rake over his body. Suddenly he is very glad he didn’t wear a shirt to bed.

“You could have just turned on a light,” Izuku says. Todoroki can see his eyes shining with mischief.

“You said you were cold,” Todoroki fires back.

Izuku crosses the room, kicking off his shoes as he goes, smile widening with each step. Todoroki cuts off his fire but continues to try to pump heat into the room. Izuku climbs onto the bed and crawls along until he is straddling Todoroki.

“I was cold,” he repeats, embracing Todoroki and planting a kiss in his hair.

“You are the one who agreed to go on a tour. What are they going to think when the star is missing in the morning?”

“I calculated it would take me about 45 minutes if I was using my quirk at around fifty percent. I can just jump back in the morning.”

“How long did it actually take you?”

Instead of answering, Izuku pulls back from their embrace long enough to look Todoroki in the eyes before bringing their lips together. Todoroki sighs into the kiss and turns up the heat once more. Izuku goes a little boneless.

Todoroki breaks the kiss after a moment, pulling back. “You can’t distract me so easily.” Izuku is looking down on him with a guilty smile. “How long did it actually take you?”

“Two hours. There were some… situations on the way.”

“You were cold and instead of taking a hot bath you travelled two hours, in the cold.” Todoroki says flatly. “Did you know there is snow in your hair? You’re going to get the bed wet.”

Izuku pushes him and Todoroki allows himself to fall back. Izuku spreads himself out like a starfish on top of him and nuzzles up to the left side of his neck before saying, “fine, I missed you. And I was cold which made me miss you more because you’re my beloved space heater.” He picks his head up to look Todoroki in the eyes. “So, can I stay?” he asks.
“Is that all I am? A convenient space heater?”

Izuku gives Todoroki a devilish grin before poking a finger into his ribs. “A very sexy space heater.”

Todoroki’s eyes flash dangerously. Izuku’s hands are still precariously close to his ribs. He tries to hold his boyfriend’s gaze with what he hopes is an intimidating look. He isn’t sure if it is, because Izuku just laughs before rolling off him to flop on the bed beside him. “I’m so tired,” he says.

“How many villains did you fight on the way here?”

“Hhhm. Four.”

“Of course you did. Get over here.” They adjust themselves for a moment until Izuku’s head is resting on Todoroki’s hot side with one arm wrapped around the shorter man.
“Goodnight Shouto,” Izuku says, his eyes already closed.

“Night,” Todoroki says, brushing his hand through his boyfriend’s hair. “I’m waking you up with cold feet in the morning, so you can get back to your tour.”

Izuku just lets out a small whine and snuggles closer to his chest.

Chapter Text

When Midoriya walks into the practice gym, Todoroki is doing his very best to freeze and shatter every training dummy in the room. He can feel Midoriya’s eyes on him as he goes through the motions. He flings an ice shard at a hanging disc, trying not to grimace visibly. He knows what’s coming. He thrusts out his right foot and ice blooms along the ground, spiking up to sharp points under a sandbag.

“I saw the interview,” Midoriya says after most of the room is covered in ice.

Of course he did and of course he can’t leave it alone.

Todoroki doesn’t answer, instead moving to get his water. His body is stiff with cold and frost kisses his lips as he breathes. He snatches up his water bottle before planting himself heavily on the bench pushed up against wall.

Midoriya comes to sit next to him, placing his hand over Todoroki’s. “He is new. He never met Endeavor. As far as he knows he gave you a personally tailored compliment. Even though it- it isn’t.”

“The media is stupid. Nothing new there,” Todoroki says. He leans his head back, resting it on the wall and looking up at the ceiling. “Generally, when they start asking me about my father I just zone out, but today… that kid was so excited. He kept talking and talking and I actually listened to what he was saying and- it’s just- he is right. I am like my old man.”

“Shouto.” Midoriya says, alarmed and squeezing his hand. “Shouto, look at me. Please?”

He turns his head to find Midoriya looking up at him. His brows are furrowed with concern and his eyes are searching Todoroki’s own.

“I know it’s hard having everyone think your dad was great a-“

“No.” Todoroki interrupts. “I don’t care. He is a bastard but he was also a hero. If people feel better about the world because of that flaming asshole, then whatever. But,” Todoroki lets out a sigh. “I am powerful, exacting, tough, bold, righteous, ambitious.” He counts off the points the reporter made.

“You and every other hero worth anything. Shouto, it is good you are all those things. Endeavor may also be all those things, but that doesn’t mean you are the same. You could say the same thing about half the villains in the league.”

Midoriya turns his body to look directly at Todoroki. “Look. Everyone has something that motivates them to become a hero. If you don’t have ambition, then you’d never make it. Endeavor wanted to be number one because he wanted to be the best there was, and he would do anything to get there. You want to be number one too… but that doesn’t make you like him. You want to be number one because it is a way to measure how much you help people. You would never hurt people to become the number one hero. You are NOT your father.”

Todoroki can’t help but smile at the determined look on Midoriya’s face. He fell in love with this little fireball because of expressions just like that. He was always ready to battle the demons of the world. Internal as well as external.

He reaches over and tousles Midoriya’s green hair. The hero gives him an indignant look. “I know. Sometimes I just need someone to remind me,” Todoroki says.

“Always.”

Chapter Text

Shouto’s hair whips across his face as he flies through the air. All he can hear is the wind in his ears and the blaring of the warning alarms. He just jumped of a building. Even as he is falling his heart beat remains steady. With the city in this much chaos his heart rate is by no means low, but there is a practiced ease in the way he aligns his body for what is coming.

He only gets a second’s warning in the form of something speeding past his head before strong arms wrap around him. One arm is around his legs, the other lines up along his spine with the hand cradling his head, bracing him for impact. The landing is harder than usual but Deku is taking most of the force of it in his knees.

How does this man have any ligaments left?

Deku throws him up and back. Shouto engages his core, twisting so he comes down on his feet standing just behind Deku. He solidifies his stance and creates a ring of ice around himself ready to cover Deku with long range attacks as he acts as point man. The figure ahead of them in the plaza, their target, notices them. She was hunched over, probably trying to hide herself, but now she stands upright.

Shit. I don’t recognize them.

She is tall and well-built, most notably a long scar runs down her neck disappearing into the collar of her bright jumpsuit. There aren’t any visible signs that hint at her quirk. When the call went out they only had minutes to review the potential villains that had escaped before being thrown into this chaos.

Six females. Which one?

“Hitosuro Mina. 26. Quirk: Bio Levitate. She can lift people and move them around as long as they are in her line of sight.”

Of course he knows.

Shouto freezes his feet to the ground. He had no desire to become a projectile.

“Hitosuro,” Deku calls. “Come with us. You aren’t going anywhere.”

While Deku talks, Shouto kicks out his foot sending out a blast of ice making a small wall in front of them. If she needed to see them for her quirk to work, then at least the wall could give his partner some cover if he needed it. Deku is still talking, animatedly. Shouto zones him out for the most part, focusing all his attention on the villain. He took his eyes off her only to scan the perimeter and make sure no one is sneaking up on them. The strategy was always the same. Deku tries to talk them down. If that doesn’t work, then it is a tag team take-out.

“Your sentence won’t be extended if you come with us n-“

The villain flings her arm out, a red glow emitting from the end of her fingers. Mid-sentence Deku is thrown, crashing into some patio furniture to their right. Then she flings him left. Shouto put more ice into the wall in front of them, blocking part of the trajectory. He can see where she loses her grasp on Deku but his momentum carries him through the window of a shop.

The villain begins to run. Shouto looks to the destroyed shop display as Deku jumps out. He wipes at the blood coming from a cut on his cheek with the back of his hand. “They never listen.”

Not everyone can be swayed by grand speeches.

They move to follow. Shouto leads with Deku at his 5 o’clock three paces back. Just knowing he is there makes Shouto calmer. Even as the city alarms blare around them, knowing Deku is by his side always calms Shouto in ways he never thought possible. He almost feels like he is sparing at times like these. The anticipation of a coming challenge keeping him alert, almost excited. There is no fear. Izuku is here.

When they make it to the street, Deku moves in front. They are closing in on the villain. She must know it too, because she spins suddenly and uses her quirk on Deku again. Deku slams to the ground, digging his fingers into the road. The concrete splits and even though Hitosuro is pulling, he is holding himself in place.

Shouto moves his arm ready to create another ice wall when he Deku winks at him. Shouto changes the trajectory of the ice concentrating on his own feet again, ready to see what Deku’s plan.

His partner starts grunting like he is having trouble holding on. Shouto can barely keep the smile off his lips.

Make sure she underestimates us.

After a moment, Deku lets go and the villain drags him past herself. Shouto is surprised that she would surround herself, but she must be attempting to keep Shouto from blocking she her line of sight.

“Hold it hero,” Hitosuro says. “Or I’ll brain your friend into the side walk.”

“Shouto! Just ice me!”

He does it without question, covering Deku’s torso and limbs with ice. It is nowhere near enough to contain his quirk but based on Hitosuro’s frustrated growl it is enough to prevent her from moving him.

She whirls on Shouto. “Now I guess it’s our turn to play.” He feels her quirk for the first time. His arms tingle for a moment right before they are tugged up with great force. He just lets her pull at him. This fight is over, she just doesn’t know it yet.

Get her, Deku.

He hears his ice shatter over the sound of the sirens wailing into the night. Their opponent, however, does not. Her tunnel vision is focused on Shouto who is making a good show of struggling by calling fire to his left side.

Deku is pinning her arms to her side before she knows what happened. She screams and the odd sensation of her quirk dissipates. She is screeching as they secure her in one of the devices they got from Hatsume.

Deku pins her location on his phone for the police to come collect her. He frowns as he looks at the updated alerts they have been sent. “They are all gathering north of Dagobah. Ready to go?”

Shouto nods. The night is far from over but he is still humming with energy. There is always a feeling of apprehension running into battle blind. Mostly though, in the dead of night and running into a fight with his partner, Shouto feels confident. Deku will always catch him if he falls.

Chapter Text

People were starting to pick up on Todoroki and Deku’s ‘thing.’ Todoroki wasn’t really sure how he had allowed it to escalate so quickly. It started when he had commented to Deku that during interviews he often said ‘WOW!’ in this really excited way. Todoroki teased him that people were going to start thinking that was his catch phrase. Deku’s response had been to double the occurrences of his long drawn out ‘wow’ while staring Todoroki right in the eye if they were being interviewed together.

Then, Deku caught Todoroki saying it. Deku sent him the video along with a shower of emojis. With a reaction like that how could Todoroki not continue? Soon they were keeping score of how many times they could say it. It continued like that for a few weeks before a reporter asked them about it. Deku turned bright red. Todoroki had to cover for them. With his patented poker face he steered the conversation away from that topic.

The game changed after that. If a reporter had picked up on it, then fans were probably creating whole forums dedicated to videos of them both saying “WOW” back and forth to each other. Deku came up with the new idea, of course. He texted Todoroki the kanji for ‘mix’ one day, demanding that in his next interview he say that word. That was ridiculous of course. Todoroki told him he wouldn’t do it unless Deku was recorded saying ‘puffy’ in his next interview.

The next day he received a video of Deku being interviewed out in the field. Clearly, he had just been in a fight, his uniform was singed in places, and there was soot on his face. His hair was an absolute mess. The clip was just a few seconds long, it didn’t even include the interviewer’s question. It was just Deku rubbing his head saying, “electricity can really make your hair puffy, you know,” while looking directly into the camera.

Two days later Todoroki sends Deku a video of an interview he had after his showdown with a bat villain where he talks about how his strategy was to ‘mix it up.’ Deku responds with a short gif someone made of Todoroki. He is wearing shutter shades and is animated to be manning a DJ booth. Todoroki sends him the word ‘mascara.’

That word was admittedly a bad idea because the only way Deku could think to bring it up was to compliment a reporter. This led to nonstop calls from make-up companies looking to get Deku to endorse their brand. The poor journalist was also bashed by some of Deku’s more avid fans. Deku felt bad about this and directed some of the make-up companies to call her, and now she is a spokeswoman for CoverGirl Japan. Hopefully she doesn’t feel too bad any longer.

Next Todoroki’s is sent, ‘spoon.’ He was stumped for a while. Three interviews go by and he is still unable to come up with anything. After some explaining, he asked Yaoyorozu for advice. She looked at him for a long time before sighing and grabbing a spoon from her arm. In his next TV appearance Todoroki is seen dropping something from his belt and in a deadpan voice saying, “Oh my spoon!” before picking it back up and walking away.

Deku spent five minutes discussing why giraffes are his favorite animal when he appeared on Present Mic’s show. Todoroki suddenly really likes mangos. Deku has a collection of kimono. Deku mentions the beautiful landscape of Algeria. One day Todoroki gets a text with the kanji for ‘muggy.’ It doesn’t seem too hard and he says it in his next interview then sends Deku his word. Deku objects, saying that Todoroki never said his word. Todoroki finds the video and sends it to him. Turns out Deku meant for the kanji to be interpreted as ‘attractive.’ Deku lets it slide and takes his word.

Really, Deku let Todoroki cheat at the game quite a lot. Todoroki wasn’t good at the game at all. He would often give up on trying to bring it up in conversation and just say a random word and continue on like he had not. That was probably why people were beginning to catch on. Todoroki used to wonder why Deku continued this game if Todoroki didn’t always follow the rules. He decided it was probably similar to the reason he himself tried to keep it going. It is a way to secretly tell each other, in front of all the world, I love you and I am thinking about you.

Chapter Text

Todoroki wakes up slowly. He feels odd, cold, but he doesn’t know why. He slides his eyes open as he tries to build up some heat in his body with his quirk. He is lying flat on his back in a room he does not recognize. Florescent bulbs line the ceiling. He is in a bed with a white sheet over him, and he is in a hospital gown. He turns his head to see Izuku sleeping awkwardly in a chair by his bed. Todoroki tries to remember what happened, but he can’t seem to reach the memory at the moment. He tries to mentally check his body. Nothing really hurts any more than it usually does after a night of crime fighting. Maybe they gave him pain killers.

“Izuku,” he says. His voice is rough and it barely squeaks out of him, but this boyfriend jolts awake.

“Shouto!” He gasps. “Are you ok? Let me get you some water!” He turns away, going to a table set up behind him with supplies. While he works, Todoroki tries to warm himself. When Izuku turns back to him he stops in his tracks, looking at a spot to the left of Todoroki’s head. He turns to see that he has accidently started a small fire on his shoulder.

“What do they have me on?” Todoroki wonders out loud. He releases his hold on his quirk, willing the flames to sink back below the surface. He frowns. The flame remains.

“Here, take this.” Izuku says. Todoroki looks up at him. He hasn’t moved from behind the chair the water glass still in his hand.

Is he afraid?

Todoroki smiles weakly at him before turning back to look at his shoulder. The flame is still there. If anything it has gotten bigger. He calls on his eyes hoping to cool his body. The flame persists. He chills his right hand and brings it across his chest to put out the fire.

“Shouto, what are you doing?”

Todoroki watches as the flame melts his ice and grows bigger. He pushes out more ice.

“Shouto, you need to stop. You were hit by a quirk.”

“What?” he asks quietly, as he attempts to cover his whole left arm with ice from his right. The fire only spreads. If he isn’t careful the bed will catch fire soon.

“They gave you something. It should have-” Izuku is cut off as the alarm on the heart rate monitor starts beeping loudly.

It startles Todoroki and suddenly the bed and the wall behind it are on fire. “What the hell did they give me? I can’t control my quirk!” He shoots ice at the wall but the fire seems impervious and continues to lick up to the ceiling.

I have to get out of here.

Todoroki looks to his boyfriend who is still standing a distance away from him. In the glow of the fire Todoroki can see the panic in Izuku’s eyes. He has to have a plan. He always has a plan. Izuku just throws the water at him. It evaporates before it even reaches him. The fire is so hot. It threatens to engulf him entirely.

Abandoning his attempt to quell the fire with his ice, he instead makes a wall of ice between him and Izuku.

“Shouto you need to-” Suddenly the door bursts open. It’s a nurse. She must have heard the heart rate monitor going off.

Izuku turns to her. “Get out of here! I’ll handle this!”

Handle this? I’m going to set the building on fire.

The woman nods and closes the door. Todoroki covers it with ice for good measure.

The heart rate monitor stops beeping. Todoroki turns to see it has been completely melted by flames.

“Shouto, you need to stop using your quirk.”

Good idea.

Maybe the drugs they gave him crossed the connection in his mind between his two halves. If he does nothing, maybe it will calm down. He tries to steady himself and release his hold on his power completely. He looks into Izuku’s eyes, trying to find the familiar comfort there. They stare at each other for a moment before he realizes it is getting hard to breathe.

“Izuku, you need to jump out the window. The fire is taking all the oxygen. I’ll follow.”

“The window? Shouto, what do you see?”

“I’m about to burn you!” he screams.

There is an explosion. Fire surrounds him completely now.

And he has hit Izuku.

He watches in horror as his partners hand lights up. Blisters bloom along his flesh and Izuku opens his mouth in a silent scream.

“GET OUT OF HERE!” Todoroki yells. He doesn’t want this. He doesn’t want to see this. He turns to the window.

I need to get out.

“Shouto! You need to calm down you are going to hurt yourself!”

“Myself?! Your hand!” Todoroki leaps of the bed ready to run for the window but Izuku moves like lighting and is immediately in front of him, grabbing at his hand. Todoroki shrieks and yanks it back. Izuku’s hair is on fire. His clothes are burning off. The skin of his arms is charred. Todoroki has seared him to the bone. There is nothing but flames. Todoroki realizes he is crying. He hasn’t cried in years. He can’t remember the last time he cried. He can’t breathe.

“Shouto.” Midoriya says smoothly. “I need you to calm down. They said it would last longer if your heart rate is up.”

“I’m killing you,” is all Todoroki can gasp out. He is falling then, but he is caught up in Izuku’s arms.

“Shhhh. No, I am fine. I promise.” Todoroki tries to struggle against him but he has no energy left. Finally, he gives up and clings to Izuku, shutting out the inferno around him.

“Shouto, keep your eyes closed. I need you to promise me.” Todoroki can’t manage more than a sob in response. He won’t open his eyes. He doesn’t want to see. Nothing makes sense.

“Do you remember going out tonight?” Izuku whispers to him, “We responded to a robbery in progress. We took them all down, but while we waited for police pick up, one of them blew powder into your face. He had a hallucination quirk. You hallucinate your worst fears. You screamed and shot ice everywhere until you passed out. I got you here and they gave you something they said would counteract the guys’ quirk. Clearly it’s not working super well, but at least you can hear me this time. So listen to me. I promise whatever you are seeing isn’t real.”

Todoroki just shudders as Izuku continues. “So you see fire, but you can hear what is going on. Do you feel fire? Can you smell it?”

While he took deep, shuddering breaths, Todoroki tried to calm himself enough to think. Mostly, he felt awful. All his muscles ached and his skin felt tight. Surprisingly, the body against him felt warmer than anything else. He focused on that warmth willing it to center him. Not fire. Not fire.

It also didn’t smell like fire. It smelled like cleaning chemicals and like the citrus spice of Izuku’s shampoo. He buried his face in his partner’s hair. It wasn’t burned off. It smells good.

Todoroki doesn’t know how long they sat there like that, with Izuku rubbing his back, but after a while his breathing becomes steadier and his heart isn’t pounding in his ears anymore. He tries to open his eyes, but jerks when he is greeted by orange flames again.

“Shouto. We should move,” Izuku says. “You don’t have to open your eyes. I will get you.” Suddenly he is being lifted, then he is back on the bed. He feels Izuku run his hand over his forehead. “I’m going to go open the door. I’ll be right back. Promise.” Then he is gone, but Todoroki can hear the shattering of ice.

With the door cleared, doctors and nurses come back in. They fasten a blindfold around his eyes before they move him to another room. As soon as he is laying down again and holding Izuku’s hand, a wave of total exhaustion hits him. He can’t stay conscious.

When he wakes, the blind fold off. Todoroki gasps and squeezes his eyes shut again.

“Shouto.”

“Izuku. Where-”

“It’s ok. The quirk wore off. It lasts for a maximum of ten hours. You have been sleeping for eighteen.”

Slowly Todoroki opens his eyes. Izuku is smiling down at him. His heart does something funny at the sight of his boyfriend.

He’s alright.

Todoroki reaches his hand up to Izuku’s face and he leans into it.

“I thought I hurt you.”

“I’m fine. You could never hurt me. I promise.”

Chapter Text

He thinks that the Jiro said Shouto. The screen says over the stage definitely says Shouto. Izuku is shaking him and grinning. He hadn’t been paying attention.

It had been years since he actually attended the Hero Ranking Gala. He didn’t enjoy the spectacle, even if it meant he did get to see Izuku in a suit. For the last few years, he just stayed home and waited for Izuku to return so he could take the suit off him. Starting two years after graduation, Deku had been number one every year. Shouto was generally in the top five, but he didn’t care much. He had only agreed to come this year because Jiro was hosting. He was glad to attend and support her. She had the best musical number they had put on in years, that was for sure, but he really couldn’t be expected be attentive through the boring, drawn-out, award ceremony.

Now, though, he was being pulled out of his seat by his husband and pushed toward the stage as red and white balloons fell from the ceiling. The only conclusion he could draw form this odd course of events is that he is now the number one hero.

He isn’t prepared, he realizes as he moves towards the front. He doesn’t have a speech. Not that he thinks he would have written a speech if he had known he would win. He makes his way up the stairs and across the stage to Jiro. She is beaming at him and moves to give him a big hug, which he awkwardly returns. Her sequined dress feels scratchy against his hands.

“Congratulations,” she whispers to him before letting go and guiding him to the microphone. Then, he is just standing there looking out over the sea of people in the audience. Heroes, tv personalities, and sponsors from every agency all stare back. He watches Kirishima climbing over someone to chase after Bakugo, who’s stomping out of the theater, his hands popping dangerously.

“Thank you everyone,” he finally begins. “This is a great honor, one that I strived towards for many years.” Again he pauses. “Now is also a great time to announce my retirement.” There is a collective gasp from the audience followed by silence. “Again, thank you all so much.”

He turns on his heels and begins to walk offstage. He doesn’t make it far before the room is filled with murmuring as everyone gets over the initial shock and begins to whisper to each other. He heads to the car to wait for Izuku.

When Izuku finally does arrive at the car about twenty minutes laterm, he climbs into the driver’s seat and stares at Shouto expectantly.

“Ready to go home,” Shouto says after a minute of silence.

“What? No! I want you to tell me what that was!” Izuku’s voice rises a bit and he runs both his hands through his hair before turning his whole body towards Shouto.

“I decided to retire.”

“When?”

“As I walked up to the stage.”

“Why?” Izuku says more quietly. “It- it wasn’t- you weren’t worried I would be upset or something?”

“No. You aren’t upset, are you?”

“Yes! I mean no! Well, not about that. I was so happy for you. You are- were – are number one! I’m just confused. We are partners and I love working with you! I just don’t understand why you want to give that up.”

“Well, I thought hard about it about it while I was walking.”

“Oh good to know you had a long time,” Izuku mumble under his breath. Shouto just gives him a withering look before continuing.

“I love working with you but being number one hasn’t mattered to me in a long time. Being my best will always matter but I don’t have to beat you, or anybody else. The competition, the need to be on top, that’s all my old man’s ideals. It’s nice to be recognized for what you do, but I don’t need a title. Then, I started thinking about how this is what he always wanted. He wanted it so bad, yet I didn’t want it anymore. I thought nothing would piss him off more than if I just quit.”

“So you said you were retiring just to spite your dad?”

Shouto can’t help but laugh at Izuku’s confused and desperate expression. “That’s a bonus, but it isn’t the reason I decided to go through with it. I started reflecting on how this used to be what I wanted. But now that I have achieved this status, I don’t feel very moved by it. I figured there must be something else I want instead. I came to the conclusion that I want to raise our kids.”

“You quit because you want to hang out with Shiro and All Meow?!!!”

“What?” Shouto giggles. “No. No, I know we call them our babies, but I mean actual kids. Human children.”

“Oh,” is all Izuku says. Suddenly his face is very red.

“I want to start a family with you… Is that something you think you want?”

Izuku launches himself over to Shouto’s side of the car, catching him up in an embrace. He holds him for a while before pulling back a bit to give him a wet kiss.

“Y-yess,” he blubbers when they part before wiping tears from his eyes. “I do want that. You’re going to make a great dad!” Then they are kissing again.

When they finally start driving home, Izuku talks non-stop. He is barely comprehensible and Shouto really isn’t trying to follow. He is focused on the warm feeling inside himself. He acted so impulsively. He never does that. But he feels good. It feels right.

Izuku says his name, bringing him back into the previously one-sided conversation. “Shouto, I don’t think you have to stop being a hero for us to have a family.”

“We can talk about it.”

“Ok.” He nods and then continues on with his stream of consciousness. “I should call Mom. She is going to freak out!”

Shouto watches him as he talks and drives. He is happy that his husband is so excited. Happy that they are starting a new stage in their life together and feeling the excitement that comes at the start of a new adventure.

Chapter Text

Todoroki Shouto was wondering how in the world he had gotten talked into this. Unfortunately, that is not an uncommon feeling when it comes to things Izuku convinces him to do. Currently, he is stumbling around with cameras following him as he tries to hold up a soda can in between his and Izuku’s cheeks. On the other side of Izuku’s face, Uraraka does the same. Their objective is to navigate a small obstacle course as fast as possible without letting the cans drop. Izuku’s arm is around Shouto’s back to help keep them at the same level and to pull them close together but it means Shouto has to stump awkwardly and kind of waddle sideways as he walks.

He hears the clank of can dropping and Uraraka squeak. He begins to slow, but Izuku keeps on going. Shouto tries his best to follow his lead and not worry about what kind of embarrassing sound effects they are going to play over this in post.

Eventually, when they go around the track enough times a loud buzzer goes off indicating the game is over. Shouto stands, allowing the can to drop to the ground. Izuku immediately tugs him back down to give Shouto and Uraraka a big group hug.

“Team Floating Icy Hot Broccoli WIIIIIINNNSSS!” Present Mic shouts into a microphone. The Voice Hero jogs over to them slowing only to scoop up a soda can from where it is lying on the ground. He stops in front of Izuku. “Deku! You’re really in this to win this! As you should be! This is your shindig!”

Shouto hears the hiss of the air, but it is too late. Present Mic opens the can of pop right in Shouto’s face. Izuku and Uraraka both double over in laughers. Shouto stands stock still.

“Oh Shouto! Don’t be so stiff! This is all for charity, remember?” Present Mic says, jabbing his elbow into Shouto’s ribs.

Shouto drags his hand across his face in an attempt to get the soda off. “Yes, please considered donating,” he says to the camera in front of them. He tries to flick the moisture on his hand at Izuku, who is still giggling at him.

“YEEEESSS listeners! Text the number on the bottom of your screen to donate to HERO DEKU’S EXTREME SUPREME CHARITY BIRTHDAY BASH!!!!!!! And don’t go away listeners, when we get back our contestants will be in the hot seat answering questions in the hopes they don’t get thrown out in the cold!”

When the red lights on the cameras go off Mic motions for them to follow him out of the room. As they go, Shouto hears Bakugou fuming, “Kirishima that was bullshit and you know it! Round face dropped the can and they kept going!! Now they are winning!”

“Chill man. It’s all in good fun. I don’t think the points even mean anything.”

“Remember it’s for charity, Bakugou,” Tsuyu says. Shouto reminds himself too.

Soon he finds himself sitting in a chair across from Kirishima. Each of them have a button in front of them and the seats are spring loaded to fling them into a pool of cold water. They are going to be asked a series of questions.

“Remember now! This is Wet Roulette! Just because you get and answer wrong doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gonna get DUNKED. You actually have a 1 in 6 chance to be flung out of you seat each time you get a question wrong or your opponent beats you to the punch. So if you don’t have the knowledge or the speed, you had better hope you got luck!” Present Mic explains. “Now. LET’S GET TO IT!!!!!”

It seems Deku was in charge of picking the topic, because it is all about pro heroes. Shouto beats Kirishima to the buzzer for the first four questions and gets each one correct. Disappointingly, Kirishima’s chair fails to launch him into the water each time, so the game continues. Next, there is a question on Crimson Riot. Kirishima’s hand finally slaps his buzzer before Shouto can get to his and the other man gets the question right. The quiet click is the only warning Shouto has before he is flung into the air. He has to consciously restrain himself from using his quirk to evade the water. He almost does it anyway, but he feels Izuku wouldn’t approve.

“Ohhhh tough break, Hero Shouto! Luck just wasn’t with you on that one. Another point for Red Frogsplosion!” Shouto pulls himself from the water. At least his face isn’t sticky now.

Shouto goes to wait on the sidelines, using his left side to try to dry himself off faster, while Izuku and Tsuyu face off. Izuku gets three questions right before Tsuyu is thrown into the water. She doesn’t look too broken up about it. Bakugou destroys his buzzer on the second question.

After Wet Roulette is finished they begin transitioning to whatever embarrassing activity is next. Present Mic walks over with a pile of clothes in his hands. “Put these on,” he says, handing out one to each of them. Shouto takes his.

“You can’t be serious,” Shouto deadpans once he gets a look at what he is expected to wear. Izuku is laughing. “This is going to look ridiculous.”

“Come now, Shouto. It’s good for everyone to see their favorite stars as human now and again. Besides, I am sure you will all look very cute,” Present Mic says, attempting to placate him.

Izuku is already kicking off his shoes off when Bakugou holds up his outfit and realizes what it is.

“FUCK NO. Are you shitting me? I don’t care if this is for charity.” He is marching out of the studio. Kirishima runs off after him, but for once Shouto almost agrees with Bakugou.

Present Mic and Kirishima are unable to convince Bakugou to come back, but it didn’t take much convince Shouto to go forward with this. He just had to see Izuku laughing. He looked over at him to find Izuku had already pulled on his outfit. An oversized onesie of his own hero costume. He’s practically drowning in it and the smile on his face as the green hood falls over his eyes tugs at something deep inside Shouto.

So, that is how Todoroki Shouto winds up on national television in a onesie version of his own costume, with a half white half red hood on it and everything.