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In the changing rooms after Hero Training, the boys chat idly while they change, as they usually do. Normally, this isn't a problem.
But when Shouto glances over at Midoriya in the middle of asking about his new special move, he freezes. Midoriya's normally smooth torso is wrapped in a thick layer of bandages, and Shouto stares on in horror for a few moments before remembering himself and staring back ahead. But his curiosity still lingers.
What on Earth has Midoriya been doing to cause that large an injury?
Shouto wants to press Midoriya for answers, but they've only been friends (if you could even call them that) for a few days, and Shouto doesn't want to ruin his first real friendship by asking too many questions, however tentative that friendship may be.
Shouto doesn't think Midoriya would be that petty, but he knows first-hand how quickly people you thought you could trust will turn on you.
So Shouto waits. And Shouto watches. And the bandages on Midoriya's torso don't go away. In fact, they stand out to Shouto now more than ever.
And after a week of the bandages remaining wrapped around Midoriya's chest? After a week of him coming to school every other day with new bruises marring his skin that weren't there the previous afternoon? Shouto can't take it anymore.
After class that afternoon, Shouto corners Iida.
"Good afternoon, Todoroki-kun," Iida greets formally. "Is there something I can help you wth?"
"Yes, actually," Shouto says. Iida blinks in shock, and Shouto waits for his astonishment to die down.
"Well, I can assure you that I'll try my best to be of assistance," Iida declares a few moments later.
Shouto tilts his head to the side slightly as he murmurs, "That's why I came to you, Iida." Iida flushes red at the subtle compliment. Shouto lets the silence linger for another moment before he calmly blurts, "I believe that Midoriya's father is abusing hm." Iida chokes on his spit.
Once Shouto has explained his reasoning to Iida, the other teen comes to the realization that Shouto is right. From there, the two teens come up with a plan of action, and their first step is to gather Class 1-A and explain the situation.
After school the next day, Shouto and Iida race ahead to the little cafe they rented so that they can set up. Class 1-A trickles in over the next half hour (some more reluctant than others).
Uraraka is one of those who rush in, and she is full of concern for Midoriya. She tries to convince Shouto to start the meeting early so she can find out what's going on, but Iida points out that not everyone is there yet, and she's forced to wait.
Bakugou, on the other hand? Shouto just hopes that the ornery teen doesn't bring down the cafe with his explosive temper. Kirishima quite literally has to drag the blonde into the little shop, and Bakugou is still pouting when Iida draws the class' attention with an authoritative shout.
"Silence, everyone! Yesterday Todoroki informed me of some shocking news that concerns Midoriya-kun, and we felt that it was our duty to inform you of the situation," Iida declares formally.
Bakugou loudly scoffs, "Get on with it, Four-Eyes! This dumbass meeting about shitty Deku is taking up too much of my time already."
Iida makes an affronted noise, and Shouto cooly steps in, "Very well. I have reason to believe that Midoriya's father is abusing him. He's been coming to class injured each day, and his torso is covered in bandages."
Most of Class 1-A reacts the same way: horrified shock, followed by a determined exclamation to beat up Midorya's father.
Bakugou, on the other hand, simply stops for a moment. Then, he begins to laugh.
Uraraka flies over the people in between her and Bakugou to land in front of him wth a loud thud!
"What is wrong with you?" Uraraka asks incredulously. "There is nothing even remotely funny about this situation. Deku's dad is abusing him!" Bakugou laughs harder at that, and Uraraka glares at him.
Eventually his laughter subsides, and he stands up to adress Shouto. "Look, IcyHot, I don't know where you got your information from, but you couldn't be more wrong if you tried."
Offended, Shouto crosses his arms. Defensively, he shoots back, "Like you know so much about Midoriya?"
Bakugou smugly says, "At least I know him well enough to know that Deku's dad has been in America since he was four."
Shouto stops breathing. "What?"
"Don't feel so smart now, huh?" Bakugou mocks.
"Dude," Kirishima places an arm on Bakugou's shoulder "This is a really bad time to start an argument, even if you’re right."
Bakugou shoves Kirishima off with a tch and walks out. Over his shoulder, Bakugou calls out, "Ask the nerd what's wrong yourself, cowards." With that, Bakugou leaves the store, and a little bit later the rest of Class 1-A exits as well, far more concerned than they'd been before the meeting.
Shouto, Uraraka, and Iida are the last ones to leave, and even then they're still heading in the same direction.
Uraraka is the one who breaks the awkward silence. "So... are you going to ask Midoriya about those injuries tomorrow?" The question is aimed towards Shouto, but when he fails to answer, Iida interjects with his own opinion.
"I think it would be beneficial for you to talk to him, Shouto. Since you're the one who originally misinterpreted things, I believe that you would be the best person to talk to Midoriya," Iida says reasonably.
Shouto nods numbly. The conversation doubtlessly continues, but Shouto doesn't remember any of it.
Before he knows it, its the next days' lunchtime, and he's pulling Midoriya into an empty side hallway.
"What's up, Todoroki-kun?" Midoriya asks nervously. He's slightly less anxious than he was during the Sports Festival, but not by much. Midoriya is always nervous though, so Shouto tries not to feel too put-off.
"There's something I wanted to ask you," Shouto starts. Midoriya looks even more apprehensive at that phrasing, but nods. "Who hurt you? No- who is hurting you?"
"W-what?" Midoriya yelps. "No one is hurting me, I swear!"
Shouto frowns, "Then why are you coming to school bruised every day? Why is your entire torso wrapped in bandages?"
Midoriya frowns in confusion, "Bandages? I'm not… oh!" Midoriya suddenly starts lifting up his shirt, and Shouto averts his eyes. Midoriya snaps his fingers to recapture Shouto's attention.
In Midoriya's outstretched hands, a thick pile of bandages rests. Shouto recoils and hisses, "Put your bandages back on! I don't want you to bleed everywhere just to prove a point!"
Midoriya sighs tiredly as if Shouto is the one being unreasonable. Midoriya drapes the bandages over his shoulders, and for a second Shouto thinks that Aizawa-sensei has appeared. The image dissapates after a moment, and Midoriya and Shouto are left staring at each other.
Shouto opens his mouth, but no words come out.
Midoriya, somehow predicting his question, says, "Sensei started teaching me how to use his capture weapon last week. I asked him to after what happened at the USJ."
"Why would you want more training?" Shouto asks incredulously.
"I want to be more than a one-trick pony," Midoriya answers. He brings a sheepish arm up to rub at his neck.
For a moment, Shouto is struck with a placeless sense of deja-vu. Then he remembers where he heard that phrase before.
"No good hero is a one-trick pony," Aizawa commandingly reassured. Then, he jumped into the writhing sea of villains.
"I'm surprised that Sensei agreed to teach you," Shouto says after a moment of thought.
Midoriya shrugs, "I wasn't sure he'd agree to teach me, but I know that Sensei just wants us to become better heroes."
"…Yeah," Shouto agrees, tucking Midoriya's throwaway comment into his mind to turn over later. Midoriya doesn't notice his slight hesitation, and the pair continues on to lunch.
Shouto walks, but Midoriya swings himself down the hall, his capture weapon neatly fitting into nearly invisible ceiling holes that Shouto bets were made for this exact purpose.
Shouto smiles softly at Midoriya's antics, and he full-on grins at everyone's reaction when Midoriya launches himself into the cafeteria not unlike how Aizawa-sensei would.