-1- Do you think I'm weird?

Todoroki feels a little uncomfortable; It's a while that Midoriya keeps peeking at him.

He wants to know why.

Not he already doesn't know well what anyone would linger on when looking at him.

It wouldn't bother him as much if it wasn't from Midoriya. It's not because the stares from other people on his scarred face did not matter, but because he feels that Midoriya is important to him.

He first met Midoriya a few months before, the first day of school.

He was heading to his classroom, on the second floor.

Crossing the hallway leading to the stairs, he saw a kid who was awkwardly making his way up the staircase.

The kid was having a hard time. Apparently he couldn't control the movements of his legs that were jerking oddly in the attempt to overcome the steps.

He was uncertain about what to do.

Sure, he could have lent the kid a hand but he wasn't sure it would be welcomed.

Then the boy on the stairs tripped, falling forward hitting hard on the steps.

"Ouch!" Muttered the boy, managing go get up.

The kid had already gotten again on his feet when he reached him, halfway the stairs.

"Do you need a help?" He said.

The kid stared at him, hesitating.

"Yes, Thanks." He said after a while.

"If it doesn't bother you!" He rushed to add.

"I'm Midoriya Izuku. First year section A"

Said the kid looking at him with his bright green eyes.

"Todoroki Shouto, we are in the same class."

"What can I do?"

"Well, um... May I lean on you?"

Was the timid reply.

Even with his help, it was actually quite hard for his new classmate getting up all these stairs.

He noticed that the boy was using just his left leg to awkwardly push himself up.

The other one just followed, floppily dragging the foot.

It was very difficult for him. He was having a hard time trying to raise his feet enough to overcome the steps.

Midoriya was very tired when they finally reached their destination.

"Thanks, Todoroki-kun."

Said midoriya with a sorry face, panting.

"I didn't want to bother you"

"You didn't." Was the quiet reply.

Obviously Midoriya misunderstood his tone.

Everyone does, after all...

"Todoroki-kun." Said Midoriya hesitantly.

"Um.. I know I'm the disabled kid, but please, don't feel uneasy around me..."

"I am not." he replies quietly.

"We all have our own challenges, Midoriya."

He said, staring at his classmate.

"Yours is just a little more noticeable."

"See you in class, Midoriya." He said, turning a corner and walking away.

"Oi, disabled kid!" He called, after a while.

"There's an elevator around the corner, you know?"

He somehow felt they were going to be friends.

Todoroki is happy to have befriended Midoriya back then.

The boy is always cheering and caring with him, he always made him feel at ease so now he is quite concerned.

Midoriya keeps staring at him and this definitely makes him worry.

He is looking at his face, at his scar.

Was it curiosity? Sympathy?

He has to know.

The day they were the only ones left in the classroom, Todoroki resolved himself.

"Midoriya..."

The boy in question straightens in his seat, turning to him, smiling.

"Yes, Todoroki-kun? What is it?"

"Why are you... Um..."

He almost backs out, worried what the answer might be.

He hesitates a moment then lifts a hand, pointing his finger around the area of his left eye.

"My scar... Why you... Um... Is it that bad?"

The same moment he speaks he wonders if asking was really a good idea.

Midoriya looks at him with a mix of emotions.

"No! It's not that!" He replied, urgently.

"So... What is it?"

"Um... You're going to think I'm weird, Todoroki-kun."

"Try me."

"I'd like to..." Midoriya says, blushing.

"I'd like to touch your scar. Does it hurt?"

"Oh..." Todoroki mutters. "Um..."

"It's fine if it's not okay! I know, it's an odd thing to ask!"

Midoriya quickly adds, blushing.

"I, well..." Todoroki says, quite confused.

But it's Midoriya... He doesn't want to let him feel awkward.

"Don't worry, It doesn't hurt. Go for it." Then said.

He sure didn't expect the open smile he got in response.

He was a little uneasy but, looking at that wide smile, his concerns instantly melt away.

Nevertheless, he regrets it all as soon as Midoriya awkwardly gets up and walks toward him on his spastic legs, clumsily dragging his feet.

Todoroki feels his heart throbbing and his face getting warmer as Midoriya gets closer.

Without even realizing, Todoroki raises his hand to touch his scar, as to hide it.

He is worried about what Midoriya would think, even if he knows his classmate would never hurt his feelings.

Midoriya manages to sit again, next to him, his hand hesitantly getting closer to his face.

The moment Midoriya's fingers touch his cheek, Todoroki involuntarily let out a sharp sigh.

An unexpected stream of feeling erupted from that simple touch.

He wasn't touched often, and to have Midoriya doing it so suddenly is quite shocking.

Midoriya's fingers are warm... He can feel them, even on the numbed skin of his scar.

"It's soft..." Says Midoriya, lightly sweeping his fingers on the scarred skin, lightly, gently.

Todoroki feels like some sort of soothing energy radiates from Midoriya's hand.

"I... uh..." He stutters, attempting a smile.

That half smile is nothing compared to the wide grin Midoriya is giving him in return, before blushing and retracting his hand.

"...I'm sorry, that was weird, wasn't it?"

He says, fidgeting.

"It's fine... If it's you..."

Says Todoroki, trying not looking as confused as he actually is.

"I'm sorry..." Midoriya mutters.

His face is getting red and his legs start to lightly twitch.

His legs always jerk when he got excited, it's something he can't control.

Suddenly, with an unvolountary spasm, Midoriya's foot hits Todoroki's leg.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm Sorry, I didn't mean it! Really!"

Urgently Apologizes Midoriya covering his mouth with his hands.

"I... I can't control my legs too well sometimes..."

"It's ok, it's ok." Todoroki says, looking at his classmate, gently smiling.

"You bareley touched me."

Midoriya shyly smiles in return, relieved.

He remembers the day he met Todoroki for the first time.

He had already tripped a couple of time and fallen once crossing the school courtyard, just to make clear to all the students around he was disabled, as it wouldn't be already obvious.

So, on the first day, he got in his new school with a bruised hand and dusty clothes.

He wobbled to the wall where the school's map was hung, looking for his classroom.

Great... He thought, sighing.

Second floor...

He clumsily reached the staircase.

Quite high steps. No rails. It's getting better and better...

Ok. Let's go... He sighed.

Leaning on the wall, he raised his foot in order to set it on the first step.

After a couple of failed attempts he manages to do it.

A whole lot more to go...

He kept moving on, his whole body shaking in strain.

Halfway the staircase his foot slipped and he fell forward on the steps.

While he was struggling to get on his feet again, he heard some steps quickly getting closer to him.

"Do you need a help?"

Said a quiet voice behind him.

He managed to stand and turned toward the voice.

A kid was staring at him with an inscrutable look on his face.

The kid was more or less his age and quite strange looking. His eyes were mismatched, light brown the right one, bright blue the other one.

His hair was also quite weird, candid white on the right, reddish brown on the left.

That was already quite unusual but the most noticeable feature was a large burn scar on the left side of the kid's face, around the eye.

The kid was offering him help.

Of course he was.

The crippled kid fell! Poor thing, let's help him!

He would usually decline but now he is really in trouble.

Without help he would never be able to reach the second floor in time for the start of the lessons.

"Yes, Thanks..." Said then, resigned.

"If it doesn't bother you!" Quickly added.

He felt uneasy, as usual.

He introduced himself, to break the ice.

"I'm Midoriya Izuku. First year section A"

"Todoroki Shouto, we are in the same class."

"What Should I do?"

Oh... Quite direct, he thought.

Surely better than the pitying attitude people usually grants him on these occasions.

"Well, um... May... May I lean on you?"

They began to climb the stairs.

He was hanging on Todoroki's shoulder while leaning on the wall with his other hand.

They climbed very slowly but Todoroki didn't seem annoyed.

He patiently waited for him to overcome the steps. One by one.

He was getting tired. He can't feel his legs anymore.

They were almost done when his leg stubbornly refuses to raise the foot high enough to overcome the step.

His foot kept bumping and rubbing on the step without making any progress.

He was still trying hard when, out of the blue, Todoroki grabbed his leg and pulled it up, allowing the foot to reach the next step.

The kid did it casually, without saying a word, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do.

Who is this guy...

He was very tired when they finally reached the second floor.

"Thanks, Todoroki-kun."

He said panting, his legs shaking.

"I didn't want to bother you"

"You didn't." Was the quiet reply.

That was exactly the answer he expected.

Everyone would have said that.

The typical -Don't hurt the crippled kid's feelings- attitude.

He felt he needed to make it clear with this strange kid that, unexpectedly, made him feel somehow comfortable also in that awkward situation.

"Todoroki-kun." He said.

"Um.. I know I'm the disabled kid but, please, don't feel uneasy around me..."

"I am not." replies Todoroki in his quiet tone.

"We all have our own challenges, Midoriya."

"Yours is just a little more noticeable."

"See you in class, Midoriya"

Then said, turning a corner and walking away.

After a while he heard him call.

"Oi, disabled kid!"

"There's an elevator around the corner, you know?"

He chuckled and felt they were going to be friends.

Now Todoroki is staring at him, in the empty classroom.

"Midoriya, Um... May I also ask you something?"

"Oh, sure!" Says Midoriya.

"What is it?"

"Well... Now you are going to think I'm weird, Midoriya."

"Try me!" Says the kid, quoting his classmate former line, smiling openly.

"Well..." Says Todoroki, a little hesitantly. "May... May I touch your feet?"

"My... feet?... Oh..."

Midoriya feels a little uneasy.

The last thing he could imagine is that someone would be interested in his flat feet.

Well... It is weird, actually.... He thought.

But it's Todoroki...

Midoriya has always been comfortable with him, since the first time they met. He knows he can trust him.

Nevertheless, a strange feeling is now making him uneasy.

Embarrassement?

Is he ashamed to show Todoroki his weaker spots?

He isn't sure...

Could it be... Could it be...

Could it be... Anticipation?

Anticipation to be touched by him?...

His thoughts are interrupted by Todoroki's quiet voice.

"Sorry... I did't mean to let you feel uncomfortable."

Says Todoroki, sensing the uneasiness of his classmate.

"Forget it. It's ok. Sorry... I shouldn't have asked you that."

"Todoroki-kun, you trusted me. I'm going to trust you."

Replies Midoriya.

"Midoriya, really, you don't have to. I'm not demanding for a payback..."

"Please, go on!" Says Midoriya clumsily dragging his right foot towards Todoroki.

"Ok, then..." Says Todoroki gently smiling, cheered by Midoriya's confidence.

He then pulls apart his chair and sits crosslegged on the floor, reaching for the foot Midoriya is offering him.

"May I take off your shoes?"

He asks, looking at him.

Midoriya nodded, blushing.

The boy shivers when Todoroki's hand gently grabs his thin ankle and begins to unnlace the shoe.

Midoriya is wearing regular white sneakers, just very worn and badly warped.

The inner sides of the shoes are deformed and pushed out by his severely flat feet and some spots on the tips are scratched away for being dragged on the ground at each single step.

Todoroki looses the lace and gently pulls off the shoe.

Midoriya's foot slides out floppily.

A thick white sock covers the boy's foot, sticking on the wide flat sole.

Todoroki carefully places back Midoriya's foot on the floor and reaches for the other one.

Taken off the other shoe, Todoroki begins to gently sweep his fingers under Midoriya's foot.

Midoriya gasps.

He didn't expect such an intense feeling.

Something is flowing from the bottom of his foot all the way up his entire body.

He shivers.

"You got nice flat feet, you know?"

Says Todoroki quietely.

"I... Um... Y-yes, My feet are... Um... very flat... I know..."

Stutters Midoriya, blushing.

Todoroki keeps staring at the socked foot he's gently rubbing.

"They are cute..."

He can feel the warm foot slightly twitching while he keeps sliding his fingers under the smooth flat sole.

When Todoroki lightly presses his thumb where the arch should have been, Midoriya's leg has a sharp spasm and the foot slips from Todoroki's hands thumping on the floor.

"Oh!" Says Midoriya, embarrassed by the involuntary jerk of his leg.

"Midoriya... You want me to stop?"

Quietly asks Todoroki, staring at him.

"No, no... Don't."

Says Midoriya, hoping Todoroki doesn't think he did it on purpose.

"Sorry for that, I didn't mean it."

"Please... Go on..."

"I mean... If... If you want..." Quickly adds, blushing.

Todoroki smiles and gently grabs again Midoriya's foot.

Holding it with both hands, he begins to press his thumbs, moving them in small circles, on every spot of the large sole of his classmate's foot.

Midoriya moaned softly.

"Does it hurt?" asks Todoroki easing his grip.

"No..." replied the boy with a sigh.

"Go on..."

Todoroki's hands are warm and gentle.

He can feel Todoroki's fingers following the shape of his foot, gently pressing here and there.

Midoriya closes his eyes.

Todoroki-kun is touching me... It feels so good...

Todoroki sweeps his fingers back and forth on the sole, lingering once more on the spot where the arch should have been.

The moment Todoroki pushed his fingers a little deeper, Midoriya's leg got a new strong jolt.

The foot slips off again from Todoroki's hands slapping loudly on the floor.

"Ow!" yelped Midoriya.

"Sorry! It slipped from my hands!" Apologizes Todoroki. "Does it hurt?" He asks, urgently.

"No... No, it's ok."

Says Midoriya, fearing that Todoroki would get annoyed by the continuous jerks of his legs.

He is beginning to feel helpless.

He's usually coping well with his disability but now he is fearing what Todoroki would think of him.

Todoroki can see the uneasiness of his friend.

Midoriya is staring at his feet, fidgeting.

Has he gone too far?

"Midoriya..."

"Am I... Um... making you feel uncomfortable?"

"If I am, please forgive me! I didn't mean it."

"Sorry Todoroki-kun. You see... It's that, sometimes, I feel uneasy with myself."

"We really should stop..." Says Todoroki staring at his classmate.

"No, no. It was my fault!" Says Midoriya, staring back at him.

"Please, Todoroki-kun, carry on! I... well... I..."

Stutters the boy, lowering his eyes.

"I... Um... I... I like it..."

He finally mutters.

Looking at his classmate blushing face, Todoroki smiles reaching out his left hand, palm up, getting it close to Midoriya's right foot, silently encouraging the boy to put it on his hand.

Midoriya shyly smiles back and tries to raise his right foot toward Todoroki's hand.

He manages to raise his foot, just a few inches, his leg randomly jerking in the effort.

The foot bumps Todoroki's hand a couple of time before falling floppily on the floor with a soft thud.

Realizing that his classmate wouldn't be able to do it unaided, Todoroki lightly grabs Midoriya's ankle with his other hand and put his palm under the foot, supporting it.

The ankle Todoroki grabbed is even thinner than the other one, this side clearly weaker.

Midoriya quivers, Todoroki's warm hand is gently sliding under his foot. From the heel to the toes. Again and again.

Todoroki couldn't help noticing that when his hand is not supporting it, Midoriya's foot flops down, dangling.

So weak... Can Midoriya feel it?

Todoroki wonders if it would be rude to ask about it but, at the end, he does.

"Midoriya."

"Yes, Todoroki-kun."

"Um... May ask you something?"

"Yes! Sure, no need to ask!"

"This foot... Is, um... Can you feel it?"

"Oh...Um... Well, yes. I feel it, it's just I can't move it too well."

Says Midoriya looking down at his weaker foot.

"Um... Would you try to move it?"

Todoroki says, regretting it the same moment he asks.

"Ah... It's ok if you don't want to."

Todoroki quickly adds.

"Would it hurt?"

"No." Says Midoriya, slightly amused by Todoroki's uneasy tone. So unlike of him.

"It doesn't hurt. It's just not that easy..."

"Ok. I'm trying."

Biting his lips, Midoriya manages to shakingly twist his foot a few times before it floppily drops down again.

"I'm afraid that's all I can do..." Says Midoriya, a little uneasy.

Todoroki wrapped Midoriya's foot with both hands, protectively.

The boy shivered at that touch and the leg jolted again but Todoroki was prepared and the foot didn't slip out his hands.

He gently places back Midoria's foot on the floor.

Then stares at his cassmate.

"Midoriya... Um... Izuku..."

Says, a little hesitantly.

"May ask you a last thing?"

Midoriya is surprised and utterly pleased by the change of address.

"Of course!" He says smiling.

"Would you walk along the classroom?"

"Sure!" Midoriya says without hesitation.

"... Shouto-kun..." he adds, shyly.

Todoroki smiled.

A very few people call him Shouto.

Midoriya doing so, makes him happier than he thought.

Midoriya awkwardly gets up in front of Todoroki who is still sitting on the floor.

Todoroki stares at Midoriya's legs and feet.

The knees silghtly bent. The toes pointing inward.

The flat soles tightly pressed on the floor, slightly bulging out.

Midoriya reaches the corridor between the desks, ready for the walk Shouto-kun asked for.

Slightly leaning forward, Midoriya awkwardly starts to walk along the classrom.

He walks severely intoed, rubbing his knees and crossing his legs, awkwardly dragging and slapping his feet on the floor.

The silent classroom resonate of the unsteady noises of Midoriya's gait.

At times, without meaning it, Midoriya lets out muffled whimpers, especially when his weaker foot gets in the way forcing him to compensate his gait.

Making his way back to Todoroki, his right foot suddenly bumps against the other one, making him trip.

Midoriya tries to keep balance with a few clumsy steps but his legs stiffen even more and his feet kept bumping on each other.

The boy is prepared to fall when Todoroki leaps forward catching him before he fall.

Todoroki was looking at him, concerned.

"Are you ok?"

"Did you twist an ankle or something?"

Midoriya feels the urgent concern of Todoroki's voice.

"No, no... Sorry Shouto-kun, I... I just tripped... "

"Sorry... I'm not good at walking..."

Todoroki stares at Midoriya who is clumsily hanging on him.

He smells of soap.

Midoriya raises his head and couldn't help to stare again at the wrinkled skin of Todoroki scar... It should have been so painful...

Without even realizing, he raises his hand towards Todoroki's face and again lightly touches his cheek, sweeping gently his thumb below the turquoise eye.

Todoroki's eyes close.

Midoriya is flooded by an unknown sensation.

It takes a while for him to finally realize that Shouto-kun is hugging him.

Midoriya slowly lays his head on Todoroki's shoulder, sinking in the warmth of that hug, hoping this moment to last forever.

When the hug was fading away -much to his regret-, Midoriya gets aware of an odd feeling, like there would be something under his foot.

The kid looked down and realized that, when he was trying to regain balance after tripping, he stomped on Todoroki's foot and now his right foot is still trampling Todoroki's left one.

Midoriya stepped back wobbling. "Sorry Shouto-kun! I didn't realize I stomped on your foot..."

He said, his face going red.

"Don't worry, Izuku" Said Todoroki giggling.

"You can stomp on my feet any time you want! Just remember to take off your shoes."

Midoriya shyly smiled back.

He is really happy about what happened but something is still making him uneasy.

He has to know. He breathes, then resolved himself to ask.

"Shouto-kun... I have to know... Why... Um... Why you wanted to touch my feet and made me walk down the classroom?..."

"You... You are not mocking me because of my flat feet and for the way I walk, right?"

"Right?..."

A mix of anxiety and expectation shaded Midoriya's face while anxiously looking into Todoroki's weird eyes.

"It's for the same reason you asked to touch my scar, I suppose..."

"Well... Actually, I hope it is..."

Said Todoroki, clearly blushing for the first time, staring back at Midoriya's green eyes.

"I like your flat feet, Izuku. I like the way you walk..."

"That's simply because all this is part of you. Like your eyes, your hands, your positive attitude, your gentle, caring self..."

"It's because... I... Um... I... I like you, Izuku."

"The whole of you..."

Midoriya's eyes widen, his heart pounding, his legs shaking.

The few moments of silence that follow seem an eternity to Todoroki.

"I like you too, Shouto-kun." Finally says Midoriya staring at Todoroki, with one of his wide beaming smile.

"Besides" adds Todoroki, openly smiling back.

"If you wouldn't trip so often, I would never had been the chance to hug you..."