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It was cold.
But the satisfying crushing snow under his feet made up for the cold biting at his fingers. All he could hear in the early morning was the sound of their short breathes from the effort and the pounding in his head. The climb was proving to be arduous even with all the training they had done throughout the past year of Hero training. They had been trekking for a good ten minutes in the powdered snow and he was suddenly glad for choosing snow boots over any other type of shoe. He was somewhat surprised that such a steep hill was so close to the city centre.
Rather than seeing it, he heard her stop abruptly and gasp in recognition. Looking up from his feet, he scanned their surroundings to find himself at the bottom of wooden stairs that seemed to lead further up the small hill-mountain. Before he could admire the new décor with more attention, he felt her hand reach for his. His gaze fell onto her near figure. She wasn’t wearing a hat, maybe that was why her ears were so red.
“Come on, Todoroki-san! We’re almost there.” she said giddily grabbing his hand fully without hesitation. Before he could realise what was happening, she was already excitedly leading him up the dim-lit forest path. She walked with determination, marching forward without a second thought.
Was she really unfazed?
About how it was just the two of them. … Like an unofficial date of the sort. He, on the other hand, couldn’t stop thinking about it. He couldn’t help it. A rendezvous…? Or a friendly hangout… With another glance at her hurrying figure, he hoped it was the first one. Her eyes shone in the shadows in a way that somehow lifted his spirit.
He could feel his heart beating faster than it should’ve. Maybe it was her smile which seemed brighter to him than the lanterns lighting the road or the faint lightening of the sky. Maybe it was the warmth of her hand in his... Whichever, his palm was sweaty. But she didn’t seem to mind or even notice and kept his hand in hers, pulling him forward. She was too excited about reaching the top of the hill, to see the first sunrise with him.
It was cold, and even if he, with his quirk, did not feel it much, he had still decided to wear a warm coat. He thought that maybe she would forget hers and he would get the chance to act cool. Or so his brother had said - not that his opinion mattered.
He did it anyway.
She could just make one or buy one, and she wouldn’t forget it anyway because she was Yaoyorozu. And Yaoyorozu always had everything they needed, but he just hoped he could impress her somehow.
The morning light had already hidden the stars away from their wandering eyes, but the sun still hadn’t reached the sky yet. They needed to hurry, or they would miss it.
And yet, even if they did miss it, it wouldn’t matter, because all he wanted was spend time with her. He simply wanted to spend time with her, without all their classmates. Maybe then, he’d have a chance to do something.
She had decided to wear a classic long pea coat. It was white like his hair, white like snow. It fit today’s theme, she had thought. Her ears, nose and fingers were red from the wind -and only the wind she had tried to convince herself-, red like his hair too. She thought it was futile but she hoped that he would take notice of her, somehow.
She wanted to show him this scenery she held so dear. After all, it was at the top of her ‘best sight ever list’. After a smiling image of him, that is. He occupied her thoughts more than he should, more than she wanted to admit to herself, and she desperately wanted to share more than just the title of ‘recommendation student’ or ‘1-A student’ with him. Even the title of ‘Fellow Hero’ rebutted her. A first, really. ‘Friends’ also lead her heart to squeeze painfully.
Maybe she could activate the ‘suspension bridge effect’ and stand a chance.
It was cold. They were late. They were running uphill, climbing stairs, her black hair cold on her neck, her white coat leading the way followed by his coffee one, her hand warm in his. They treasured it hastily.
She had convinced him to come, unexpectedly. He hadn’t even asked her about the details of the outing, he had simply agreed. She had felt so trusted she ended up fawning over him to Jirou the moment he was out of earshot.
He had silently rejoiced under the quizzical gaze of Kaminari and Bakugou’s smirk. He didn’t even make note of it though, his thoughts lost in a frenzy; he had agreed but he had had no clue to what. He knew her enough to know she would make an appropriate choice. She was Momo Yaoyorozu after all.
He had been surprised to receive her message asking him to meet her early at the station. Very early. He was barely awake… but she was no better. Momo was a surprisingly heavy sleeper. She had barely made it on time. Her hair wasn’t in her usual ponytail and even stuck out slightly towards the bottom. He almost commented on it but didn’t. It was unusual for Momo, but it was cute. He would’ve probably been no better if he hadn’t checked his appearance several times in the windows of the closed shops lining the road to their meet-up place. He must’ve been more nervous than he thought.
Chatting the whole way, she had directly taken him out of the deserted train station and towards their mystery destination. He was happy not to have to talk much, still feeling a bit uncertain about how to act around her. He didn’t want to give himself away, he couldn’t help thinking he was being so obvious even Izuku would pick up on it.
But, not talking gave him an opportunity to look at her. And he was more than content with that.
The only problem was when he had to answer a question he hadn’t even heard, too lost in her bright eyes. He just nodded in supposed comprehension, and she resumed her enthusiast talking. When he did understand and follow her blabbering, he couldn’t help but admire her knowledge and observation skills. She would sometimes stop talking for no apparent reason, but he paid it no mind, too focused. Nonetheless, he did have to admit that -what she believed was- her common sense was a bit off. And he found that oddly likeable. A small smile easily graced his features. He was feeling warm and weird inside.
And it wasn’t his quirk.
She had felt the need to share everything that came to mind, probably due to her own nervousness. She really hadn’t planned for him to agree when she had followed Kyouka’s advice. She had been fully ready for a simple polite refusal. Once he had agreed, she had quickly fled back to her best friend in hopes of figuring out what exactly it was that she had asked him to join her on. Long reflexions and long hesitations had led to her asking him to join her early on the first day of the New Year. And here she was.
She ended up talking about nothing and everything. She would sometimes lose her own reasoning staring back in his eyes. And he would just look back at her, edging her with a nudge of the head to keep going. He probably had no clue the effect he had on her.
She was melting under his gaze. Was she this vulnerable to boys? Or was it just Shouto? The more she had thought about it, the more she had become certain it was only him. Her upbringing didn’t help her, but she didn’t overflow with ‘something’ when other boys looked at her. Except maybe Mineta but horror chills couldn’t be compared to this honey-like feeling.
She was glad it was him.
“We’re here!” She smiled brightly at him, finally stopping.
A small bead of sweat rolled on her forehead. It wasn’t snowing, but he felt like it did. The shine of her eyes resembled falling snowflakes in the sun. His ears felt warm. The cold seemed to be getting to him.
Her face was flushed. She was thankful for deciding to invite him early January morning and for the cold and darkness that came with it. The corner of his mouth was turned slightly upward, melting her heart, freezing her brain dead in its tracks; she didn’t even know that was possible. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could feel it through their still linked hands.
Under them, from over the balustrade, unveiled the city shining, as new as the new year. Light was barely pouring over the horizon and red flooded the white of the snow-covered buildings. It overwhelmed the grey of the nightly morning and meshed everything into a mesmerizing sight.
“Come on, I didn’t bring you all the way up here for nothing. It’s beautiful here.” She giggled pointing out toward the rising sun.
“I know it’s beau-” He stopped talking, his breath lost suddenly. The sunlight was barely hitting the snow on buildings and windows. It was so shiny. The glistening snow made his eyes hurt. But it was still beautiful. Somehow, it reminded him of her. Everything reminded him of her these days... It hurt a little, sometimes, but it was so beautiful.
The sunrise was proof of the new beginning of the year.
He was also going to be a new Shouto. He was going to change this year. Make more friends, annoy his father more openly, and maybe… Yes. Those were his new year's resolutions. He would merely take a little longer to appreciate the present moment.
While he looked out, admiring the growing morning and the upcoming year, all she could do was stare at the orange light reflecting in his wide heterochromatic eyes. She smiled. He was smiling. He seemed determined. Good. Then again, so was she.
“Todoroki.”
He turned to face her, eyes widening slightly as he met hers.
“It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to tell you this, so bear with me a little.” She smiled, her confidence a mere facade. She was terrified. Somehow, he knew. She took in a deep breath before continuing.
“I know it’s cliché, but at first I didn’t know what it was.” She closed her eyes. She knew that if she saw any sort of reaction from him, she would lose the confidence to finish what she had started. Another deep breath.
“Slowly, I began realizing what it was and I was, well, scared. My world was expanding in a new direction… This feeling wasn’t something that I was taught as a child after all… Not like dancing or piano, so different from mathematics or even politics…” Eyes still closed, her expression morphed into one akin to reflexion, to the one he saw every time he turned his head in class.
“Well, now I understand. Though I’m still unsure if I’m making the right decision.” She stated after a bit, opening her eyes tentatively.
“So this is my new year’s resolution.” Her legs were weak. Her hands were sweaty and her face was about to crack under the cold wind. Her ears were probably burning red. She breathed in. She was determined. She had calculated the odds, and the setting and timing were the best ones. Now all she could do is hope for the best.
“I’ve fallen in love with you.” His eyes widened further, his heart leaping out of his chest, rushing in a newfound frenzy toward her offered one. Words seemed to block in his throat, too numerous to escape the visceral grip of the flurry of his emotions. Without tearing his eyes away from hers, he scanned her eyes, like she scanned his, but unlike the unreadable explosion of feelings he himself was unable to decipher, her eyes gave away her feeling plainly.
So that was what Love looked like.
Love and vulnerability. She gave him so much power. It scared him a little. He knew she had the same power over him after all. But she was so beautiful, hair in the wind, face red from the cold and her own heart, eyes shining-
Realising he needed to speak, to give her an answer, the words he had kept, away from his stomach, closer to his heart finally managed to slip away.
“Yaoyorozu. Let’s go out together.”
It was picturesque really. A white, black and red sunrise. The light blending the city in an enchanting way; snow covered it all like powder sugar. A couple of students facing each other, heart out bare in the cold winter morning. The orange sky and white clouds. A couple kissing in the snow.
“Todoroki, would you mind if I held your hand again?”
“Oh. Sure.”
“…”
“What is it?”
“…The other hand?”
“…”
“I-I mean, it’s pretty cold, so it’s logical? But then again, I can’t ask you to do this just because we decided to start dating… Are we even dating? I didn’t answer you, did I?”
He let out a hearty chuckle.
“What… Stop laughing!”
“Here.”
“…”
“…”
“… Thank you.”
“…”
“…”
“Don’t pout. I’m happy.”
He smiled.
“I’m not pouting. I’m happy too.”
She smiled too.