Izuku yawned as he entered the classroom. Shoto dragged him towards the back of the room with worry.

"What's up?" he asked through a yawn.

"Katsuki. He went to your room yesterday right? Did he leave your room key and go back to his room?" Shoto asked quickly.

"Why does it matter...?" Izuku asked as everyone was looking at them.

"What if something happened in there? I knocked twice but you didn't answer, but I swear I heard something move in your room." said Shoto.

"Shoto, I'm not weak. I can handle things myself. I've lasted this long with him. And stop bullying him. He's human too." Izuku said as he pushed him away.

Shoto balled his hands into fists. Katsuki was winning. He needed to stop it and fast. Katsuki entered the room yawning as well. He spotted Izuku sitting in his proper seat then smirked. Shoto was failing. He took his seat in front of Izuku then felt someone tap him.

"Sorry about yesterday... I was already drained and crying pushed me over the edge." Izuku apologized as he remembered waking up and staring into his chest. His face flushed. "I'm really sorry."

"It's... fine. I wasn't really uncomfortable or anything..." Katsuki muttered as he tried to lessen his own embarrassment.

"Really? Well, you were pretty comfortable to sleep with... Not like that! I mean sleeping together in the same bed, haha..." Izuku said with bright red cheeks.

Katsuki laughed. Izuku stopped and stared. The entire school stopped and stared. All of Japan stopped and stared. The entire world stopped and stared. Katsuki had laughed. It was a first for the class, but years for Izuku. His laugh hadn't changed in the slightest. The tiniest snort he made was still present along with the gesture of him tilting his head back briefly.

"It's still the same... the laugh I've always loved..." Izuku whispered as his chest felt light and fuzzy.

"Huh? What did you say, you mouse?" Katsuki asked.

Izuku felt the trance break and was brought back to reality. He didn't say anything else as he was thoroughly shaken by what had just happened.

˗ˏˋ❀ˋˏ ˏˋ❀ˋˏ˗

Lunch time rolled around and Shoto had made a beeline towards Izuku's desk. Izuku sighed heavily as he couldn't get homeroom out of his mind.

"Yo, damn Deku! We're eatin' together!" Katsuki shouted.

"Hey, you've been out of it today. What's up?" Shoto asked, ignoring Katsuki shouting in the back.

"Don't ignore me!" Katsuki raged.

"It's nothing. I'm heading to lunch." Izuku said as he walked away.

Shoto grabbed his hand and held him back. His fears were coming to fruition. Izuku looked at Shoto who looked as if he'd collapse at the slightest touch.

"You have to stop being near Katsuki. My frail heart can't take it anymore. He's going to hurt you, I know it." Shoto acted hoping his message would get through before Katsuki came over. "He doesn't have room to change."

"Shoto, I think it's time you stopped. Be nicer to Katsuki. Maybe then he wouldn't be so hostile towards you." said Izuku before coolly walking away.

Shoto sighed as everything fell apart. He was left with one obvious choice. Get Izuku to fall for him so they couldn't get together. It was glaringly obvious to him how Katsuki felt about Izuku. He was just too dumb to realize it. Shoto cracked his neck and knuckles before sighing. His plan was now in motion.

Ochako waved Izuku over as she had saved him a seat. He soon frowned as Katsuki had taken it then yelled at the "extras" to move down. Izuku shook his head then sat down next to him. Something had to be done about his terrible attitude towards others if anyone was going to like him.

"So, is this going to be a daily thing...?" Tenya asked as he looked at Katsuki.

"You got a problem with that four eyes?" Katsuki glared.

"As long as you don't cause trouble for the rest of us..." replied Tenya.

Izuku looked around and spotted Shoto taking a seat on the other end of the table. He didn't seem to be looking scarily at Katsuki. He didn't see any ice on the table either. It was a start. Maybe he had gotten through to him. Katsuki looked at Izuku as he ate. He never really noticed how much of a charming point his freckles were. He curiously poked at his freckles, causing Izuku to look and swat his hands away.

"What's with those dots on your face? Abnormality?" Katsuki asked.

Everyone around them looked at Katsuki in disappointment. Just where exactly was his intellect at? Izuku bottled his slight anger and ignored him.

"I think his freckles are really cute. They really suit you." Shoto said from the other side.

Everyone at the table nodded in agreement. Izuku panicked and hid his face from sight. It worked. All he had to do was swoop in whenever Katsuki messed up. It was like stealing candy from a baby.

"Thanks, Shoto..." Izuku muttered, well aware he wouldn't hear him.

"Is that love I see in the air?" Hanta teased.

Others joined in the teasing, making Izuku a stuttering mess and Shoto pretending to be coy. Katsuki on the other hand wasn't thrilled in the slightest.

"Can we all just shut up and eat?" Katsuki shouted in an annoyed tone.

"Oh hush. You're just jealous because no one likes you that way." Ochako said with a huff.

"Assholes." Katsuki seethed then glared at Izuku. "Move. You're in my way."

Izuku frowned as he watched Katsuki leave. He'd get over it. Katsuki wasn't a wimp.

˗ˏˋ❀ˋˏ ˏˋ❀ˋˏ˗

Katsuki never came to afternoon classes. The others quietly talked about it, wondering if it was Ochako's fault. It wasn't like Katsuki to miss class, especially if he was aiming for the top. He looked at Shoto who happily had a conversation with others.

"Shoto, can we... can we talk?" Izuku asked.

The class "ohed" as they walked out of the classroom. Shoto laughed internally as it was going much smoother than he imagined. He glanced at Izuku who seemed bothered by something.

"What is it? And we should probably move since they're definitely listening in." Shoto said as he ushered him further down the hall.

"Kacchan... something must've happened. He wouldn't skip class..." Izuku explained as he hid his worry. "I was going to go and look since we have a while."

"I'll look for him. You stay." Shoto said with a smile.

"No, I'm going too. I don't completely trust you with him alone." Izuku said as he walked ahead.

Izuku decided to check outside first as there was plenty of ground to cover. Shoto knew exactly where Katsuki was, he just had to play dumb and make a good impression by "finding" him.

"How about we check over here?" he suggested.

"I don't see him... I'll try getting an aerial view." Izuku said then activated One for All.

"Wait!" Shoto said, sending up a barrier of fire, causing Izuku to stop. "I think I remember seeing him when I went to the restroom."

"Then why didn't you say so? Lead the way." said Izuku, pushing him.

Katsuki could faintly hear voices coming his way. Shoto had frozen his mouth over so he couldn't speak. He didn't know what the crazy guy was up to, but it obviously wasn't any good.

"Oh! There he is!" Shoto said then rushed over, blocking him from Izuku's sight.

"Kacchan, why'd you miss classes?" Izuku asked as Shoto revealed him.

Shoto glared at him, daring him to speak the truth.

"I was bored." lied Katsuki, feeling Shoto's hand move from the back of his neck after his reply.

"Even still, attend classes. You won't get to the top this way." Izuku said. "Thanks a lot, Shoto. I appreciate it."

"Anytime. Feel free to rely on me for most things, okay?" Shoto said with a smile.

Katsuki wanted to puke. It was a setup to make him look good and him look like a lazy deadbeat. He wasn't going to let him get away with it unscathed.

"Stop trying to monopolize his time and spend it actually trying to get better and surpassing your stupid old man." Katsuki said, hitting him where it hurt.

"Kacchan's right. Now come on, back to class." Izuku said cheerfully.

Katsuki shrugged Shoto off and followed. Shoto was going to make him pay dearly for that remark.