Hi, it's been a few years for me since I've written anything substantial. Please bear with me and any grammatical mistakes I may have made. As for the story itself, the writing in gets better after the first couple of chapters as I became more confident. The plot in this is very fast-paced for a reason. The reason being: This story is a two maybe three parter. This fanfic is just the introduction, hence why it's so short.

This story is also labeled as "Todoroki x Izuku" because that's where the story will be heading in the next part.

Fanfic Warnings: It's rated M for minor violence, filthy language, minor sexual assault, and implied underage drinking. Since the characters are technically underage (they're 17), nothing happens in this one. (But there will probably be lemon in the next part.)

Pairings: Kirishima x Bakugo, some minor Dabi x Midoriya. Todoroki x Midoriya will be much more prevalent in the second part.

Without further ado, enjoy the prologue sequence to Arulas.

He shuddered violently, the skin on his arms breaking out in goosebumps. He let out a shaky exhale, the air so cold that it was visible, not that he cared. It was the dead of winter, the snow flurrying lightly around him. It had been a few months since that incident. Bakugo was so close the death, that villain suffocating him. His hands balled into fists at the memory. He remembered everything, how he confronted his idol, only to be shot down. Another shaky inhale. How Kachaan was dying and all he could was watch from a distance, frozen. His knuckles were strained now, turning white under the pressure. He had just taken a step forward when Bakugo managed to free himself with his quirk. He lifted his shaking hands to grip his bare arms in a feeble attempt to keep himself warm. The media had swarmed him, giving him a sure-fire way of getting into U.A.

His childhood friend was succeeding, why couldn't he be happy for him? He looked up from the sidewalk he was walking aimlessly down. '...because he isn't my friend. He never was.' Izuku's eyes bore into the distance, and while he may not have liked his current thoughts, he knew they were true. Kachaan was a bully, taking advantage of him being quirkless. Another glance around made his breath hitch slightly. He had no idea where the hell he was. He had never been to this neighborhood before, the houses far larger than his and his mother's humble apartment. Most of the houses were dark, with the exception of one or two. 'I wonder how late it is…'

A loud commotion reached his ears, causing him to startle slightly. Yelling from the house across the street from where he stood, which was one of the few exceptions with their lights on this late. He turned and looked at the place just as a door opened and slammed shut, a dark shape shifting slightly in the dark before stepping into the porchlight. It was a boy, probably around his age, wearing a thick jacket. When the boy looked up Izuku startled again. The boy's hair was two entirely different colours, and even from here he could see the scar over the his left eye. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. If the other was at all surprised by Izuku's presence, he didn't show it. 'I wonder how I look right now…'

The reason he was wandering the streets in the middle of the night? He had been out, going to a new comic book shop that had opened across town when a man pulled him into a nearby alley. The man held a knife to his throat and demanded that he give him Izuku's jacket, phone, and wallet. He did so, but was punched in the face before the man fled. The trains were closed, not that it would have mattered since he lost his wallet. So here he was: cold, lost, and tired.

"What are you doing?" The boy finally broke the silence between them, his two-toned eyes bore into Izuku's, making him shudder involuntarily. Lost in thought, trying to come up with an appropriate answer, he didn't notice the boy approach him. He stood in front of him now, his held tilted slightly as Izuku looked up at him. Finally, he swallowed and forced his hoarse voice to answer.

"I don't know…" The other raised an eyebrow at this, and continued to stare as though the answer didn't satisfy his curiosity. Izuku felt the waterworks finally threatening to spill over as he mumbled out a further explanation. "I-I mean, I don't know where I am... I got lost a-and was robbed… a-and-" he choked on his own words, which he was almost grateful for as he swallowed a sob that was threatening to bubble from his throat. The boy nodded, gesturing to his face.

"You have a black eye." He replied bluntly, his voice somewhat monotone. The boy hesitated for a moment before bringing his hands up, tugging his jacket off before pulling on the hoodie underneath. Izuku froze in place, confused at the other's actions but his thoughts were still along the lines of 'how the fuck am I going to explain this to mom...' He only snapped out of his own head when he noticed a bundle of fabric being handed to him. He glanced up at the boy again, several questions flitted across his expression. The other simply shrugged. "I can control my body temperature. You need this more than I do."

Izuku felt his cheeks heat up as he stared at the hoodie and jacket. A part of him hesitated, wanted to thank the stranger but insist that he would be fine; the part of him that won the internal conflict, however, was the one that was freezing its ass off. He pulled the hoodie and jacket on, his skin shivering again at the temperature change. He looked up at the stranger and smiled gratefully. "Thank you…"

"Todoroki."

"Thank you, Todoroki."

His new acquaintance practically walked shoulder to shoulder with him, only sparking Izuku's nerves more. They hadn't uttered much in the past few minutes, only that Todoroki was walking him to the nearest 24 hour bus stop. He protested lightly, saying that he had done enough for him but it was fruitless in the end. 'It's like arguing with a brick wall.'

He smiled though, enjoying the other's silent company. There was something captivating about him. Reaching the corner of the sidewalk just as a bus pulled up, Todoroki held out his closed hand. Izuku looked at him, confused, but held his out reluctantly. A couple of coins clinked into it, and his green eyes widened up at the other. "Oh no- I'll be fine from here, you've done enough for me as is…" he was about to ramble but the other put his hand on his shoulder, ceasing the muttering.

"I want to be a hero one day." It was such a brief sentence but it said everything. Everything Izuku once thought, everything he dreamed. He nodded in an understanding manner, before emotion overtook him and he wrapped his arms around the stranger. When the other made no move to wrap his arms around him, he pulled away.

"I'm sure you'll be the best one yet." He choked out, blinking the tears away before they fell. The other looked down at him, wide-eyed but didn't say anything. The bus opened its doors, beckoning Izuku in. He turned and offered him a smile. "I'll return the jacket as soon as I can." Was all he offered when he turned and stepped onto the bus.

How wrong he was.

A/N: Please leave me feedback.