Izuku peeped out from the confines of his blanket, the silvery rays of the moon lit up his room full of All Might's figures and cast multiple heroically posed shadows across his wall. Stealthily as a nine-year-old could manage he crept out his red and blue blanket, the colours adorned by his most admired superhero, and felt under his bed. Pulling out a small backpack he had filled it with snacks, a blanket, some bandages (in case his Katsuki got too friendly with his quirk) and a water bottle. He was set.

Removing his pyjamas he donned a dark blue shirt and over it, a red sweater, a pair of black jeans, his socks with All Might's smile sewn into it and his red wellington boots he had bought especially because of All Might's face being on the side with a thumbs up and an infectious warm smile.

Wearing the same infectious smile as his hero he pulled on his green raincoat and grabbed his backpack only to walked solemnly towards his figurine collection.

"Mission to help Kac-chan catch the swamp monster and save the people has been accepted," Izuku whispered with a grave tone. But took in a deep breath and allowed a smile to flourish on his lips while now speaking in a deeper tone, "It's fine now. Why? Because I am here!" and he laughed lightly like his hero and saluted the figurine with pride and resolve. Then crumpled slightly.

"I'm going now All Might, even without a Quirk I will stand by Kac-chan's side!" Izuku fisted his hand and nodded to his hero and turned away promptly and tiptoed across his room into the hallway. It was way past midnight and his mother had already gone to bed but he didn't trust himself to just walk normally in case he woke his mother.

Sweating bullets and freezing over everytime the stairs creaked when he stepped on them, Izuku somehow managed to get downstairs. Unlocking the front door with the spare keys he saw his mother once hide under the flower vase in the kitchen he locked the door behind him and ran to the stairs of the building complex.

It was raining profoundly with the roads overflowing with water snaking into the drains along the edges of the road. Running as fast as his little legs could carry him he came across the hidden gap in the fence behind the thick brush of the plants. Slowly easing his way through the bushes and into the gap in the fence he started to sprint to the place he and his friends met regularly.

The wind was howling in his ears and whipped him mercilessly with water pellets while he tried to hide his head under the hood of his raincoat. The ground squelched as he ran through the muddy mess but he didn't stop to even catch his breath. Last time he was late Kac-chan had called him 'useless' and everyone had laughed and agreed without hesitating. 'The same won't happen today Kac-chan' promised Izuku in his head.

Coming upon the site of their meet-ups Izuku frowned when he found it soul-less and scouted around of his friends.

"I came Kac-chan!" He shouted over the thundering of the clouds hanging over him, "Where are you!" Izuku felt his throat become raw with the amount of shouting but he pressed on with determination. "You can stop hiding now! I know you are there and waiting to jump me!" Still, nothing happened. He heard the rustling of the forestry around him as branches of leaves were beaten around cruelly by the wind which seemed to blow in every direction.

"Please, Kac-chan I'm really scared! You told me you would be here don't mess with me." Izuku's voice broke as tears streamed down his wet face. His heart broke and ached more with every second with a deep grumbling shook him out his stupor.

The clouds above seemed to darken quickly as lightning flashed before Izuku's eyes. He was scared to the point his whole body was trembling violently as the chill of the night speared into him. Grasping at his coat he jumped as another menacing roar tore through him.

Not knowing what to do his legs seemed to have moved on there own when trying to escape the sounds. His vision now blurry from the raindrops and his lungs burning from the chilly air as his legs ran through the muddy undergrowth. He didn't know where he was going but his mind was only set on finding his friend.

'I'm sure Kac-chan was bored and went deeper into the forest to scare me! Kac-chan is counting on me!' Was all Izuku could believe in. He couldn't imagine his friend abandoning him or lying about coming out this dangerous night.

Without warning his legs slipped. The world tilted quickly as Izuku inhaled suddenly at the loss of ground. Tumbling perilously down a steep muddy cliff into the vigorously churning river below, Izuku felt him impending doom.

"Stop!" A voice screamed as Izuku's back crashed into something solid and frigid to the touch. With eyes screwed shut Izuku gasped as if to stop his head from spinning and mind to collect itself. 'Kac-chan?' Izuku wondered when he opened his eyes slowly and rubbed out the mud from his face.

"Are you okay!?" The voice shouted. It was more gentle and full of concern unlike Kac-chan's way of speaking. Izuku wondered who his saviour was until he looks down and noticed a large block of ice he seemed to have landed on, his back still sore from the uncontrollable plummet he had taken.

"I'm okay!" Izuku shouted back albeit more concerned with the drop underneath him. With the flash of lightning, the block of ice seemed to tilt as it was losing its hold on the muddy landslide the cliff edge had become. "It's falling! The ice is falling!" Izuku wailed, his tears now running fast as his impending doom approached once more.

"Hurry!" Izuku looked up and saw thick unevenly spaced out spikes of ice grow like a precarious staircase. Izuku stepped back slightly and felt the ice beneath him shake unsteadily. Running into a jump he felt the air from his lungs escape as the hardness of the ice hit him right in the stomach. Behind him, the previous platform of ice seemed to have given up and toppled into the turbulent river.

"Don't stop!" Feeling his current platform shake Izuku wasted no time in scrambling onto the thick frosty spike and repeating the run and jump. His stomach was most likely bruised from all the action and his arms and nails red from having to scramble onto the spike.

Reaching the near top of the cliff he saw an arm extend towards him. "Grab it quick!" Without hesitation, he reached out and felt a sharp tug as he was dragged out from his death.

Gasping for air Izuku collapsed onto the ground, his arm still linked with his saviour. His stomach hurt, his nails were bleeding, his arms raw from the cold of the ice and his body littered with varying degrees of cuts. It hurt all over, even when he was breathing harshly from the exertion.

"What were you thinking!" He heard a scream from next to him as he was pulled by his arm. "Jumping into the ravine like that? Are you trying to kill yourself!" Izuku felt tears burst from his eyes as his body shook as the situation set in.

"I could have died...I could have died!" Izuku repeated as his heart seemed to stop at the mere notion of death.

"Yes, you could have!" Izuku snapped up and blinked away the tears. The other boy was thin, clad in only a hospital gown and a pair of converse at his feet. His skin was ghostly pale while half his head was plastered with white hair while the other half was plastered with red hair. Opposing eyes bored into him, one steel grey seemed to burn him with the scathing gaze while the other a tundra blue froze his very core.

"Thank you." Izuku spoke softly but the close distance between them meant he was clearly heard, "I would have died. Thank you really." The other boy's eyebrows which were crumpled in fury seemed to untangle as his lips twitched upwards into a small delicate smile.

"Let's get away from this place." The other boy muttered and stood and held out his hand to Izuku. "I don't want you to run into any more ravines." Izuku nodded numbly and clasped onto his left hand. It was warm, no more than warm it was hot. Izuku tightened his grip as he pressed into the arm for the warm. When glancing at his companion Izuku immediately pulled away, though the boy did not allow their hands to separate.

"Sorry! You are just really warm and it is really cold an-" Izuku stuttered through his explanation when the other boy simply shook his head.

"I don't mind. Come closer." Izuku nodded numbly and edged his way closer to the taller boy unknowingly holding his hand as a hostage while absorbing as much warmth as he could. "Where do we go now?" The boy muttered.

"I know a place!" Izuku immediately responded enthusiastically.

"Shouldn't we try to get out this place?" Izuku shook his head, his soft curls spraying water everywhere.

"It is too dark and I can't see the way out with all the rain. I say we wait it out in a dry place." The other boy nodded and allowed Izuku to lead them to the safe place he was talking about.

"Do you come here a lot?" The boy questioned. The silence uncomfortable to them.

"Yeah, I come here with Kac-chan a the time after school," Izuku answered promptly. His voice light and airy all of a sudden even with the rain battering down on them.

"Kac-chan?"Izuku turned to the boy and smiled with pride.

"He is my best friend with the most amazing quirk. He can make an explosion with his hands and it looks like fireworks in his hands!" The other boy nodded but frowned.

"Why are you here now then?" Izuku swallowed nervously and trembled.

"Kac-chan said we were all going to meet here tonight and defeat the swamp monster in these woods. But I guess there was a change of plans because they weren't there." Izuku laughed nervously and the other boy could feel Izuku shake through the hand link.

"Did you think that this 'Kac-chan'," the other boy seemed to twist his face as if he ate something sour when he spoke the nickname, "was lying to you."

"Never!" Izuku responded without a second thought, "Sure Kac-chan is mean and says horrible things to me! But Kac-chan still keeps me around." The other boy had a sneaky suspicion that this 'Kac-chan' was not a very nice person if he led Izuku out on such a terrible night. But hearing Izuku's undying faith in this 'Kac-chan' could only mean two things. 'This boy is either very bad at knowing when he is made fun of or he is the most loyal person I have ever met' was all he was thinking.

"Oh no!" Izuku exclaimed while relinquishing his hold on the other boy and pulling away slightly to face him. "I don't even know your name and I'm taking you to my secret place!" Once again the other boy was stumped, this should not be their priority now but he went along with it just to get to that dry haven.

"Todoroki Shouto and you?" Shouto pointed asked pulling Izuku under the shelter of a large tree.

Izuku smiled and pointed to himself. "My name is Midoriya Izuku and I'm going to be a great hero like All Might!" Shouto blinked in confusion and let a delicate smile replace his previously stern face.

"All Might huh?" Shouto grabbed onto Izuku's hand and allowed himself to be led once more.

"Yep! He is the number one hero who saves everyone with a smile! I want to be just like him when I grow up." Shouto noticed how the other boy's moss green eyes seemed to shimmer like emeralds with dignity and determination. He had never met someone who openly wanted to be like the number one hero since most did not believe they could do it.

"Because he smiles?" Shouto couldn't help but ask. Izuku nodded ferociously in Shouto's direction as the shimmer in his eyes seemed to brighten even more.

"Because in the face of fear he wears a smile!" Izuku quoted an interviewer who seemed to compose All Might's strength into one sentence. His voice full of conviction as he did not waver over the howling of the wind whipping around them.

Shouto nodded, he too remembers how his mother and he used to watch all of All Might's ventures on the television. That was before his mother was sent to the hospital but he didn't like to think about that.

Suddenly Shouto noticed they were walking uphill and the inclination was getting steeper quickly. He hoped they were reaching their destination soon.

"Here we are!" Izuku pulled Shouto towards an ancient Sugi tree which towered over them all while protecting the two from the heavy rain. Shouto had to admit it was a great spot as the earth beneath them was dry and the air was still versus the spinning chaos it was outside.

"Come on! This way." Izuku pulled Shouto excitedly. They trekked around behind the tree and came across a refuge in the tree. It seemed to have been carved many years ago considering the moss which now had scaled into the cavity.

"This is amazing." Shouto found himself commenting with his mouth hanging open. Izuku seemed to be pleased with the wide mouth response and pulled Shouto closer to the bark near the edge of the cavity.

"Look here!" Izuku slowly turned Shouto around and seemed to hold his excitement in by biting his lip. Izuku watched carefully as Shouto's eyebrows lift and mouth open as he took in a deep breath. Behind the tree was a wide overview of the city below. Even in the rain and thundering weather streetlights and building lights dotted the ground in front of them. It was a breathtaking sight to see the little dots of light move like ants in traffic, the glittering light seemed to mesmerise Shouto immediately.

"It is better when there are stars but this is for saving me so thank you!" Izuku gripped onto Shouto's hand and squeezed it lightly.

"It is beautiful!" Shouto muttered. Izuku smiled and tugged the boy away from the view and pulled him into the cavity of the tree. The moss and dry leaves made a comfortable floor and with the boys huddled so close together they shared the warmth.

"You are wet." Shouto pointed out. Izuku blushed in embarrassment and quickly exited the hideout to remove his raincoat. Beating all the water droplets from his coat he decided to use it as a makeshift blanket over the moss and leaves.

"Can't have our clothes get even dirtier. I know my mom is going to be angry at what I did to my clothes." Izuku mumbled next to Shouto.

Both boys removed their shoes and placed them near the entrance of the hideout. Both sat in silence not knowing what to say or do.

"You know-" Izuku started but was interrupted by a deep rumbling. Shouto seemed to know where it came from since his cheeks immediately flushed red.

"Apologies I didn't eat dinner so I am hungry." Izuku smiled and waved off the apology and opened his backpack.

"It's okay! I have some snacks. Oh! And a blanket." Shouto raised a careful eyebrow as Izuku seemed to pull out multiple chip packets, rice crackers, chocolate flavoured with green tea mochi and more. Shouto looked at Izuku like he was God sent.

"Midoriya." Izuku looked up and panicked when he saw Shouto's eyes become watery rings.

"Huh! Todoroki-kun! Are you okay?! What happened?!" Shouto grabbed Izuku's hands and continued.

"Midoriya, you really didn't want to kill yourself did you?" Izuku froze and then pulled his hand away and pushed Shouto away lightly.

"Todoroki-kun! You meanie, I told you I was here to find Kac-chan and I didn't want to die." Shouto leaned across Izuku and grabbed the green tea flavoured Pocky.

"I believe you," Shouto mumbled as he munched on the pocky stick. "Midoriya." Izuku sighed and looked up from his backpack with a sigh and panicked once more when he saw Shouto's watery eyes.

"Todoroki-kun! What happened now!?" Shouto pressed his lips together and shuffled closer to Izuku. Izuku frowned not knowing how to handle the situation when he felt something heavy on his shoulder. Shouto had leant into Izuku and said nothing.

"Stop shaking." Izuku stilled and kept his back rigid as a rod as he felt Shouto lean in more. "I have never been close to another person...You are really warm Midoriya." Izuku was screaming in his mind unsure of what to do as a heavy blush had set in.

"Of course I'm warm! You are so close Todoroki-kun!" Izuku stuttered out.

"Next time don't ever go out on your own even if this 'Kac-chan' tells you to." Shouto firmly ordered.

"Why?" Izuku couldn't help but answer.

"I won't be there next time to save you." Shouto frowned when his voice became harsh.

Izuku stilled and something seemed to break as his back became relaxed. Hesitating slightly Izuku leant onto Shouto's head. Shouto's left side was so warm that Izuku could feel his clothes become dry.

"Ne, Todoroki-kun what quirk do you have? Does it was to do with your left side being really warm?" Shouto stiffened and Izuku frowned when the boy pulled away.

"My left side is disgusting." The other boy spat out.

"But why!?" Izuku gripped onto Shouto's left side but the boy pulled out his grasp.

"My mother hated it so much that she tried to get rid of it." Shouto pulled up the red side of his hair to reveal a scar. It was scorching red around his blue eye making Izuku wonder how he never saw it.

"Todoroki-kun! Does it hurt? We need to get you to the hospital!" Izuku was scrambling to get out the tree when Shouto pulled him back.

"I just came from the hospital," Shouto muttered. "It's all my father's fault! He never loved her but he kept her and hurt her." Izuku didn't understand what Shouto was saving but the aching in his heart showed it was not a good thing.

"Who is your father?" Izuku dared to ask.

"Endeavor ." Izuku gasped.

"The Endeavor !" Shouto nodded numbly.

"Where is your mother now?" Izuku wondered.

"He put her in the hospital. I won't be ever able to see her." Izuku shook his head at Shouto.

"I'm sure you can visit her." Shouto jerked up and his right arm clamped onto Izuku as he felt some ice form.

"I will never be able to see her! I have become just like him, something she hates." Izuku felt Shouto's hand squeeze harder and all Izuku could do was try and pry Shouto's hand off him.

"Please Todoroki-kun! It hurts." Izuku's voice laced with pain brought Shouto out his anger fueled action and Shouto released Izuku only to notice how frost had climbed up the curious boy's arm.

With his left hand, Shouto gently hovered it close to Izuku, not wanting to touch the boy who seemed to fear him. The heat from Shouto's hand melted the ice and warmed his clothes but Izuku still stayed away from him. Shouto watched as Izuku didn't stray close to him and felt the ache in his heart return.

"I'm sorry." Shouto somehow lets out. Izuku stared meaningfully as if contemplating if Shouto was meaning it but seemed to give in. Moving closer to his left side Izuku hesitantly leans in.

"I don't understand what happened Todoroki-kun. If it makes you feel any better I am quirkless." Shouto stiffened as the honesty. "When I was small everyone got there quirks sooner or later but I never got mine. When we went to the doctor and he said I should give up. That I could never become a hero." Izuku's tears were running free now and they fell off Shouto's gown but the boy was too absorbed by Izuku's life that he did not notice.

"I want to be a hero." Shouto heard Izuku mumble but it didn't hold the same conviction that he knew Izuku was capable of instead it seemed like a wail of desperation to the higher-ups.

"Ne, Todoroki-kun do you think I can do it?" Izuku pulled away and rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a notebook with the number 3 on it. Flipping through the pages Shouto recognised some of the heroes he had seen in news reports. All had been expertly drawn in full costume with their quirk's analysed to the tee with pros and cons. Shouto's mouth ran dry when he felt Izuku's eyes zero in on him.

Shouto sat there for a few moments not knowing what to say. "I don't know Midoriya. But we can make a promise." Shouto turned to fully face Izuku.

"We will both aim for UA and get into the same class." Izuku saw Shouto rise his hand and pull out his pinky finger but Izuku did not move.

"Am I doing it wrong?" Shouto asked, "I was sure I saw some girls from my class do it to make promises." Izuku shook his head and smiled lightly. Shouto could see the sparkle return to the eyes of his companion.

"It's just that no one ever said I could do it." Izuku held out his pinky and locked it with Shouto's

"With this, I promise to make it to UA!" With that Izuku and Shouto shared the blanket, food and stories.

Please do comment and tell me what you think!