The U.A. High dormitory kitchen was a chaotic symphony of clattering dishes, half-hearted arguments over whose turn it was to clean the fridge, and the occasional explosion of laughter from the common room. At this late hour, though, the space was mostly deserted—save for one green-haired bundle of nervous energy frantically juggling notebooks, pens, and a precarious stack of energy drinks.
Izuku Midoriya, better known as Deku, muttered to himself under his breath, his brow furrowed as he flipped through a dog-eared notebook. “If I can just cross-reference All Might’s old training logs with the latest quirk analysis from class, I might—oh no, where’s my pen? Did I leave it in my room? No, no, focus, Izuku. Focus. You’ve got this. Just need a quick boost and—”
His hand, moving on autopilot, reached for the nearest bottle on the counter. It was a sleek, frosted glass container, unlabeled, sitting there with an air of casual mystery. Deku barely registered it as he popped the cap and took a long, desperate chug, his mind still spiraling through equations and hero strategies.
The taste hit him like a punch from One For All itself.
“Gah!” Deku sputtered, nearly dropping the bottle as he doubled over, coughing. It wasn’t the chalky, artificial sweetness of a protein shake or the bitter bite of an energy drink. No, this was... herbal? Spicy? Weirdly floral with an aftertaste that lingered like regret. “What the—?!”
The kitchen door swung open, and in strode Shoto Todoroki, fresh from a grueling training session. His dual-colored hair was slightly damp with sweat, his expression as unreadable as ever, though a faint sheen of exhaustion clung to him. He stopped short, taking in the sight of Deku clutching the mysterious bottle with a look of abject horror.
“Midoriya,” Todoroki said, his voice a low, even drawl that somehow managed to sound both curious and judgmental. “Why are you drinking my... concoction?”
Deku froze, the bottle still in his trembling hand. “Y-your what now?” he stammered, his face turning a shade of red that rivaled Kirishima’s hair. “I-I thought it was a protein shake! It was just sitting here, and I was in a rush, and—wait, what even is this?!”
Todoroki crossed his arms, leaning casually against the counter as a ghost of a smirk played at the corner of his lips. “It’s a herbal tonic. My family’s recipe. Meant to... balance energies. Among other things.” His mismatched eyes glinted with something dangerously close to amusement. “You didn’t just sip it. You chugged it. Bold move.”
“Balance energies?!” Deku squeaked, his voice climbing an octave as he frantically wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “What does that even mean? Am I going to—am I going to grow a second quirk or—or spontaneously combust?!”
Todoroki tilted his head, considering the question with mock seriousness. “Not combust. Probably. But you might feel... invigorated. In unexpected ways.” He paused, letting the words hang in the air like a challenge. “How much did you drink, exactly?”
Deku’s eyes widened to saucer-like proportions. “I-I don’t know! A lot? Too much? Oh no, oh no, Shoto, what did I just do?!”
Before Todoroki could deliver another deadpan jab, a sharp, confident voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Well, well, what do we have here? Two boys playing mad scientist in the kitchen at midnight?”
Both Deku and Todoroki turned to see Ochaco Uraraka leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and a wicked grin spreading across her face. Her brown eyes sparkled with mischief as she took in the scene—Deku’s flustered panic, Todoroki’s cool indifference, and the suspicious bottle still clutched in Deku’s hand. She stepped forward, her presence commanding the room as if she’d just floated in on a wave of zero gravity.
“U-Uraraka!” Deku yelped, instinctively hiding the bottle behind his back, which only made him look guiltier. “This isn’t what it looks like! I just—I made a mistake, and—”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s exactly what it looks like,” Uraraka interrupted, her tone dripping with playful scorn as she sauntered closer. She stopped just inches from Deku, her gaze pinning him in place. “You, Deku, are a walking disaster. And you—” She turned her sharp eyes on Todoroki, who didn’t so much as flinch. “You’re just standing there, looking all smug, like you didn’t just poison our resident hero-in-training with some weird family potion. Spill it, Icy-Hot. What’s in the bottle?”
Todoroki met her stare unflinchingly, though the faintest twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement. “It’s not poison. It’s a tonic. Traditional. Enhances focus. And... other things.” He let the last part hang with deliberate ambiguity, his gaze flickering to Deku, who looked like he wanted to melt into the floor.
Uraraka arched a brow, unimpressed. “Other things? Wow, real specific there, Shoto. You sound like a shady street vendor hawking miracle cures. ‘Buy my mystery juice! It enhances... things!’” She mimicked his stoic tone, then turned back to Deku, her grin sharpening. “And you, Mr. ‘I’ll Just Drink Anything,’ how are you feeling? Ready to confess your undying love to the nearest broomstick or what?”
Deku’s face somehow turned an even deeper shade of crimson. “N-no! I’m fine! Totally fine! Just... maybe a little warm? And tingly? But that’s probably nothing, right? Right?!” His voice cracked on the last word, and he shot a desperate look at Todoroki, who offered no help whatsoever.
Uraraka laughed, a bright, cutting sound that made both boys squirm in their own ways. “Oh, Deku, you’re adorable when you’re panicking. But let’s get one thing straight.” She stepped closer, her finger jabbing into his chest with just enough force to make him stumble back a step. “If you start sprouting weird side effects from Shoto’s witch brew, I’m not babysitting you. Got it? You’re on your own, hero boy.”
Todoroki finally spoke up, his tone as dry as ever. “If it helps, the effects are temporary. Probably. Though Midoriya might want to avoid intense physical activity for the next few hours. Just in case.”
Uraraka’s eyes narrowed, and she whipped around to face him. “Just in case of what, exactly? You’re loving this, aren’t you? Watching Deku freak out while you play cryptic ice prince. I swear, Shoto, if this tonic does anything weird to him, I’m floating you straight to the ceiling and leaving you there.”
Todoroki raised a brow, unfazed. “I’d like to see you try.”
“Oh, it’s a promise,” Uraraka shot back, her smile all teeth as she stepped into his space, her aura crackling with authority. “Don’t test me, Todoroki. I’m not in the mood for your games tonight.”
Deku, still clutching the bottle like a lifeline, finally found his voice, though it came out as more of a squeak. “C-can we all just... calm down? I’m sorry I drank it, okay? I didn’t mean to cause trouble! I’ll just... go lie down or something. Maybe drink some water. A lot of water. Like, a gallon. Or ten.”
Uraraka turned her gaze back to him, softening just a fraction, though the mischief never left her eyes. “Oh, Deku, you’re hopeless. Fine, go flush your system or whatever. But don’t think this is over. I’m keeping an eye on you.” She pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at him, her grin promising trouble. “Both of you.”
As Deku scurried toward the sink, his face still burning with embarrassment, Todoroki watched with that same unreadable expression, though his gaze lingered on Uraraka a moment longer than necessary. She caught it, of course, and smirked right back, a silent challenge passing between them.
The kitchen fell into a tense, charged silence, broken only by the sound of Deku chugging water like his life depended on it. Whatever was in that bottle, whatever “energies” it was meant to balance, one thing was clear: the night had just taken a turn none of them expected. And as Uraraka leaned against the counter, arms crossed and eyes glinting with wicked curiosity, it was obvious she wasn’t about to let either of them off the hook anytime soon.
To be continued...
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