The U.A. High School dormitory was cloaked in the stillness of midnight, the only sounds being the faint hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the building settling. Izuku Midoriya, better known as Deku, stumbled into the communal kitchen, his green hair a tousled mess, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. His muscles ached from a grueling late-night training session, and his throat felt like sandpaper. All he could think about was hydration—something, anything to soothe the burn in his chest.
The kitchen was dimly lit, the glow of the overhead light casting long shadows across the countertops. Deku’s bleary gaze landed on a tall glass sitting unattended near the sink. It was filled with a creamy, off-white liquid that looked suspiciously like one of those protein shakes everyone seemed to be chugging lately. Without a second thought, he grabbed it, the cool glass a relief against his sweaty palm, and tilted it back. He gulped it down in one go, desperate for relief.
The taste hit him halfway through. It wasn’t the usual chalky sweetness of a protein shake. No, this was... different. Salty, with an odd, musky undertone that made his tongue curl in confusion. He froze, the empty glass still pressed to his lips, as his brain scrambled to process what he’d just consumed. His emerald eyes widened in horror, a flush creeping up his freckled cheeks.
“What... what was that?” he muttered to himself, setting the glass down with a shaky clink.
As if on cue, the kitchen door swung open, and Shoto Todoroki stepped in, his dual-colored hair catching the faint light. He was dressed in a simple black tank top and sweatpants, looking as effortlessly composed as ever, despite the late hour. His heterochromatic eyes flicked from Deku to the empty glass on the counter, and a slow, almost sinister smirk curled his lips.
“Oh, Midoriya,” Todoroki drawled, his voice a cool, teasing lilt. “You didn’t just drink that, did you?”
Deku’s heart plummeted to his stomach. “W-what do you mean? It was just... just a protein shake, right? I mean, it was sitting here, and I was so thirsty, and—oh no, oh no, what did I drink?!” His words tumbled out in a frantic rush, his hands flailing as his face turned a deeper shade of red.
Todoroki crossed his arms, leaning casually against the doorframe, his smirk widening. “A protein shake? Is that what you’re telling yourself? Because I’m pretty sure that wasn’t anything you’d find in a blender, my friend.”
Deku’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, his mind racing. “T-Todoroki, what are you saying? Whose was it? What was it? Tell me right now!”
Todoroki tilted his head, his icy blue eye glinting with mischief while the gray one seemed to smolder with something darker. “Let’s just say... it was personal. Very personal. And definitely not meant for public consumption.”
Deku’s knees nearly buckled as the implication sank in. He slapped a hand over his mouth, gagging slightly, though whether it was from disgust or sheer mortification, he couldn’t tell. “You’re joking. You have to be joking. There’s no way I just—oh my god, I’m gonna be sick.”
Todoroki pushed off the doorframe, stepping closer with a predatory grace that made Deku instinctively take a step back, only to bump into the counter. “Relax, Midoriya,” Todoroki said, his voice low and smooth, like velvet over steel. “You don’t look like you’re about to keel over. In fact...” He paused, his gaze raking over Deku’s flushed face with an intensity that made the smaller boy squirm. “You look kind of... intrigued.”
Deku sputtered, his hands shooting up defensively. “W-what?! No! I’m not intrigued! I’m horrified! Mortified! I can’t believe I—ugh, why didn’t you label it or something? Who leaves something like that just sitting out?!”
Todoroki chuckled, a rare, genuine sound that sent an unexpected shiver down Deku’s spine. “Label it? And ruin the surprise? Come on, Midoriya, where’s your sense of adventure? Besides, I didn’t expect anyone to be desperate enough to chug a random glass in the middle of the night. That’s on you.”
Deku groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “This is the worst. I’m never gonna live this down, am I? You’re gonna tell everyone, and then I’ll have to transfer schools, or move to another country, or—”
“Calm down,” Todoroki interrupted, his tone firm but laced with amusement. He stepped even closer, until Deku could feel the faint heat radiating from his left side, a stark contrast to the coolness of his right. “I’m not gonna tell a soul. This stays between us. But I have to ask...” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Did you hate it as much as you’re pretending to?”
Deku froze, his breath catching in his throat. The question hung in the air like a challenge, and he could feel Todoroki’s piercing gaze boring into him, waiting for an answer. His mind screamed at him to deny it, to insist he was disgusted, but there was a tiny, traitorous part of him that couldn’t lie. Not entirely.
“I... I mean, it wasn’t... good,” he stammered, avoiding Todoroki’s eyes as his fingers fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. “But it wasn’t... the worst thing I’ve ever tasted? I guess? I don’t know! Stop looking at me like that!”
Todoroki’s smirk returned, sharper now, with a dangerous edge that made Deku’s stomach flip in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. “Not the worst, huh? That’s... interesting. Very interesting.”
Deku’s face burned hotter than ever, and he turned away, busying himself with rinsing the glass in the sink just to have something to do with his hands. “Shut up, Todoroki. Just... shut up. This never happened, okay? We’re never speaking of this again.”
Todoroki watched him, his expression unreadable for a moment before he straightened, the smirk still lingering like a promise. “Oh, Midoriya,” he said softly, his voice carrying a hint of something dark and playful. “I think we both know this is only the beginning.”
Deku’s hands stilled under the running water, his heart pounding in his chest as Todoroki’s words echoed in his mind. He didn’t dare turn around, didn’t dare meet that gaze again—not yet. But deep down, beneath the embarrassment and the shock, a tiny spark of curiosity flickered to life.
And Todoroki, standing just behind him, knew it too.
Want to know how it ends?
This is just the opening chapter. Continue the saga — or write a steamy tale starring you.