.IX.

He hadn't realized that he'd been looking for her until he found her.

She sits upon a bench with her back straight and legs crossed. She's reading a book.

He calls out her name without realizing. "Yaoyorozu." And he almost regrets disturbing her.

She turns to look at him. A look of disdain, anger, frustration. A look he was used to but he never expected it from her.

He looks at her with pity, resentment, confusion. It's been weeks since her match against Tokoyami. He'd expected her to be her usual self. She isn't.

They are both gazing at one another, neither of them saying a word until Todoroki releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. "You're better than this." He found himself saying, not noticing how she flinched at those words, "I know you could overcome this 'cause that's the kind of person you are."

He doesn't want to admit that he wants her to say something. He doesn't want to admit how strange it feels to have her eyes on him. He doesn't want to admit how this behavior of hers is affecting him.

She's looking at him, and yet, she continues to stay silent.