A/N: (this only applies to some readers btw) I need to do like a bunch of apologies for the couple hundred people who read this fanfic between 26/07/19 and 17/08/19. I published this story, then ignored all my fanfictions for 3 weeks as I was in France and then deleted this story. The reason I deleted is because I forgot to write some obvious plot holes like the quirk ban and the setting that they lived in. I needed to change the season as well for the sunset and darkness (it'll become clearer later) Also, there was a character I messed up and I'm pretty sure you guys know who I'm talking about. Anyway, if you read the first chapter between 26/07 and 17/08 then reread this chap as it's similar but has some obvious differences. It's still tododeku as well.

Ramble over

"Hey"

All it took was one word, and sixteen-year-old Izuku Midoriya was immediately distracted. He was sitting in a room dedicated for doing homework in and it was filled with students wearing thick jumpers instead of their usual summer blazars. A couple of them also kept knitted scarfs and hats on. Izuku too had an unfashionable beige, knitted jersey which was a bit long on the arms, so he had them folded over at the cuffs. In front of him was a desk with sheets of paper spread about him, as if his entire bag had combusted along with his pencil case and history notes. Before that hushed voice had called to him, he was mindlessly writing an essay for his history homework, jotting down whatever came to his mind without much consideration or effort. Desperate for something interesting, Izuku perked his bushy head upwards to look for the owner of the voice.

"Behind you" giggled the same voice.

He sharply turned to see a boy seated in front of a computer but was craning around to talk to Izuku instead of focusing on his homework, as all students in this Homework Club should be doing. This boy had crimson hair which protruded upwards in an alarming manner. His eye colour matched his alarming hair colour and Izuku watched him with wide eyes. The striking character grinned and Izuku noticed he had very pointy teeth.

"Hiya bro," the boy spoke in the same whisper, "This essay is really hard and I dunno what it's about, man! Can you help please?"

"Oh, uh. I don't know what to write either" mumbled Izuku, but just before the boy turned back round, he added "But I do know that it's on World War One. More specifically, the title is: what were the causes of World War One. It should be an easy essay, but our class isn't studying World War One, so the teacher must've set the wrong homework for us. I'm not really surprised because he's not a very good teacher"

The boy seemed rather taken aback, but then grinned ferociously and held out his hand "I'm Kirishima, my Quirk is hardening!"

His hand then turned jagged and thicker than what it originally was, it was probably hard but Izuku didn't want to touch. He gasped loudly,

"That's illegal!" Izuku hissed, "P-put it away"

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to show you" and with that, Kirishima's hand returned to normal. Izuku couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief, he really didn't want to be roped as a witness for illegal Quirk use. Even the mention of a Quirk could result in punishment, let alone using it.

"Anyway," Kirishima continued "Can you help me with this? You've seemed to have written a lot of words. How did you know what to write?"

"Um, I guess I can help?" He bit his bottom lip, thinking deeply. "I took an online course on this particular subject one day, so I can teach you"

Izuku gingerly extended his right hand and shook Kirishima's rather sweaty palm, unusual for the frosty November weather but Izuku didn't think twice about it.

"Awesome!"

Then, the redhead turned to another boy next to him. This boy had two different hair colours: white and red spilt evenly down the middle. He didn't really know why the boy would dye his hair this way, but he assumed it was an artsy fashion statement. On a closer inspection, Izuku also noticed he had two different eye colours, but he didn't want to stare too much otherwise he'd come off as weird.

"You're in our history class too, right?"

The bicoloured boy completely ignored Kirishima and continued writing a very similar essay to Izuku's. Kirishima picked up his pencil and poked the other boy with it.

"Hiya!" He then repeated his original question.

After this, the red- and white-haired boy rolled his eyes and said, "What do you want?" In a clipped tone.

"Do you get this history essay?" For some reason, Kirishima's puppy-like demeanour hadn't faltered one bit.

"No" snapped the boy, "Does it matter to you?"

"Nope!" Grinned Kirishima, "But, how 'bout you join me and my new friend with a World War One revision session?"

New friend? Okay then.

The frigid boy rolled his eyes "Fine. I don't really care but you clearly aren't going to allow me to pass, so I'll tag along"

"Good to know!" Kirishima slapped the other boy on the back and Izuku winced at the loud sound.

The boy's attention was then turned on Izuku, who fidgeted under the intense glare. Turns out the boy's eye colour was an icy blue and a dull grey. "So, you're the teacher, right? What compels you take extra history lessons? I'm guessing you're trying to achieve greater grades, but I'm not sure why when this subject isn't in our curriculum" icily said the boy.

"I-uh!" squeaked Izuku, like a small, green mouse caught in a trap. Kirishima looked on with a worried expression on his bright face.

"It doesn't matter" the boy said drily as he rolled his eyes at Izuku who was currently hyperventilating, which didn't seem to bother the frosty boy. Maybe he was simply used to random nerds panicking at his feet, although Izuku will never know.

"So" Kirishima cleared his throat, probably trying to lighten up the situation. "When do you guys wanna meet up for this lesson?"

"I don't know. Whenever"

"I-I'm free two evenings a w-week. That's Wednesdays and Thursdays as I have a part time job, but I choose to work extra. I'm not sure why but it's fun, working in a bookshop"

"Stop muttering. We're all obviously trying to concentrate on homework" monotonously said the bicoloured boy.

"Sorry!" Izuku cowered away from another bone-chilling glare.

"How about Thursday? That's tomorrow" Interrupted Kirishima.

"Um, I think I can make it. It depends on the time, I'm usually in the library at break times and lunch times. It's a nice, quiet place to stay and I prefer to be surrounded by books instead of people. N-not that I don't like being with you guys-"

"You do realise you're wasting your breath, might as well use it for something useful" sighed the other boy. He harshly turned around to glare (yet again) at Izuku "The muttering is seriously annoying. Just shut up for once"

Izuku's jaw dropped. What had he done to make this kid so angry?

"Boys! This is supposed to be a quiet working area for homework" called out a teacher with a frown on her face.

Relieved to be saved by the teacher (he was unsure how to answer the boy's complaints), Izuku picked up his pen and chewed the end of it, breathing and thinking deeply to try to bring his extra lessons that he took about a month ago to mind. However, a small slip of paper landed directly on Izuku's history book with a quiet, scratchy noise. With fumbling hands, he unfolded the paper and gulped deeply as his eyes travelled down the lined paper:

Tomorrow after school, meet us outside the library and bring your history book. Kirishima ( ^ω^)

Sweat dripped down the back of his neck and Izuku grinded his teeth together, staring at the black words and desperately hoping they'd slither off the page away from him. Nothing seemed more daunting than encountering the uncaring, sarcastic boy for a second time. Regardless of how much he'd been staring at the card, the words stayed very prominent on the page therefore he slowly picked up his pen and scrawled a reply in his untidy hand:

Ok. Bring your book, too.

He folded the paper then stuffed his history book back into his satchel and left the room in a childish huff, pausing only to bitterly place the reply on the Kirishima's desk.

When he had returned home around five, Izuku immediately flopped onto his bed and basked in the relief of being home once more. The feeling of bliss subsided, and the usual empty loneliness returned. His mum wasn't home, but he was used to that as she was a nurse and worked very awkward shifts which made her stay away at very late hours, resulting in him never really speaking or connecting to her. Dinner was left in the fridge, alongside a note from his mother telling him how long to heat it in the microwave. He ate alone, scrolling through his phone but placing it on the table after a minute as he'd never bothered with any form of social media. It would just be another vector for people to spite him with cruel comments.

After dinner, Izuku completed his history homework, exceeding the word limit as he wanted the highest grade. After his homework, Izuku curled into a corner of his futon, swaddled in blankets and surrounded by books, and read for hours to his heart's content. He fell asleep holding his book upright and his reading glasses still on.

The next day, Izuku woke up with the infuriating beeping of his alarm clock in his ear and he groaned, sliding his legs off the futon and stretching them in the early sunlight. As soon as he stood, he slipped on a book on and tumbled to the floor, groaning in pain and slumping down dramatically. Then, he revived and pattered, barefoot, downstairs to meet his mum making a cup of tea.

"Hey. How was work?" he asked politely.

His mother looked very alike to him, with the same wide eyes, short build and dark green hair.

"Tiring, as per usual" she stifled a yawn and patted the top of his head, feeling the mass of vert curls spring back into place. "How's school, honey?"

"Oh, yeah" he shrugged and turned away from her so she wouldn't see his deceiving eyes "It's great fun. I do well on tests and made a bunch of friends. We always... hang out"

"Lovely. I'm going to go back to bed, I must go to work from three pm to two am, sorry. Hopefully I can get a day off where we can catch up soon" she shuffled back to her room and quietly shut the door.

He didn't want to worry her. That was his only excuse for lying to her every day; she already had so much on her plate and didn't intend to add to her load of problems. All he wanted to do was get through secondary school, then pass his exams and leave for a college or university through a scholarship of some sort. No one seemed to bother to befriend him, only talking to him for homework or test answers. Like the two boys at the homework club.

Hopping on the tram for school, Izuku shrugged off his khaki, hooded coat but left the threadbare beige jumper on. His collar which was accompanied by a gaudy, red tie was tight and uncomfortable round his neck. The island city (well, it was more like a metropolitan area as it homes over two million citizens, but everyone resorts to calling it a city) that he lived in was called Gillervide and it was divided into four sectors: Akuchi, Vellir, Selci and Niikura. His school was in Selci but the small, two bedroomed Midoriya apartment was in the centre of Akuchi therefore he had to take a tram to his school every day. He found this okay as the ride was a chance to relax before the hectic school day began.

Izuku pulled out a worn book with a tatty, brown cover and opened it up to the page where a bookmark rested with strings hanging limply off it. He glanced at the page, but a short spurt of anxiety forced him to slam the small, rectangular book shut again and shove it deep in the safety of his pocket. Breathing heavily, he leaned his head against the headrest of the seat and allowed his thoughts to drift away whilst the tram rattled along its tracks.

"So, are we gonna do this or what?"

Currently, Izuku was standing in front of Kirishima who was grinning his usual wide smile and the other homework club boy who had a pointed expression on his perfect face and crossed arms. After a day of drifting from lesson to lesson, all Izuku wanted was to get home and sleep. On the other hand, he had made a promise therefor here he was, at the library.

"Yes. Have you got your book?" he tried being polite, but the bitter boy was really starting to irritate him, and his tolerance was excessively low this afternoon.

"Yup, let's go in, then" Kirishima literally bounded to the oak doors and flung them open, radiating energy.

They settled for a medium, wooden desk with a warm lamp in the middle of the round table, seated on plush, dark green chairs. Izuku then began talking the two boy's through what they needed to learn for that essay, using his background notes as leverage. Neither of them interrupted, only listening with keen expressions. After a while, his mood lifted, he didn't feel so pessimistic about this 'session' and concluded teaching this small group was good for revision. His 'students' both began writing the lengthy essay and Izuku watched Kirishima objectively write in a scratchy, sloppy hand. Realising that the boy's language was very concise and required more development, Izuku guided his temporary student through his essay, giving him grammar tips and possible word swaps.

"Thanks. So, what's your name?"

"I'm Izuku Midoriya"

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the cold boy listening to his and Kirishima's conversation but didn't interject once.

"Nice to meet you" Kirishima grinned for the umpteenth time and then stood up "Right, I have to leave. See ya, I won't forget how you helped me, man"

And with that, the boy with the spiky, crimson hair left the library, holding his history book under one arm. Izuku watched Kirishima leave, and then turned back to see the other boy quickly look down.

"So," Izuku cleared his throat awkwardly feeling the tension hang in the hair; it was almost tangible. "What do you call yourself?"

"Uh, Shoto Todoroki" the boy looked up with his heterochromatic eyes.

"Oh, I've heard your name a lot. You're new, right?"

"Yeah. I've been here almost a year, but I'm still treated as the 'new kid'" Todoroki looked down at his book once more.

"You'll make friends soon" Izuku said with a small, envious sigh. Luckily for Todoroki, he had a pretty face and an intelligent head: a desired mix for popularity.

"What makes you think I haven't already made friends?" The boy cocked an eyebrow and Izuku flinched at the accusation.

"I-uh... um... ah, it's... well"

"Spit it out"

"I may have seen you around school for the past year, looking pretty lonely" he felt heat rush to his face, and he avoided all eye contact.

"Ah" the boy sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, his gaze scrutinising Izuku "So you're a stalker"

"No!" Izuku waved his arms around, "It's not what it looks like! Y-You see, I'm lonely too and I'm a very observant person, I can't help it!"

"Whatever" sighed the boy as he continued writing with a shake of his head.

"I'm really sorry" whispered Izuku, ducking his head sheepishly.

Todoroki smiled faintly "I don't really care; I was just messing with you"

"You're mean!"

"'Y-You see, I'm lonely too and I'm a very observant person'" mimicked Todoroki in a bad and very high-pitched impersonation of Izuku's voice.

"Shut up" whined Izuku and he flopped onto the table, his face now a deep scarlet.

"Alright, I'm done" Todoroki dropped his pen and stretched his arms upwards, "How do you get home?"

"Tram" he clenched his teeth together.

"So, do I, let's walk to the stop together"

From the library to the tram stop was a ten-minute walk, that meant ten long minutes next to a sarcastic boy who now knows Izuku practically stalked him. He contemplated the pros and cons but didn't notice Todoroki scooping up Izuku's books alongside his own and leaving the library.

"Huh? Hey, my stuff!"

"Come on, the last tram is gonna leave soon" the taller boy said, striding out of the room with both of their bags.

"Unbelievable" sighed Izuku as he hurried to catch up.

Once more biting his lip, Izuku felt anxiety roll down his back like liquid as his heart raced. He cracked his knuckles, a habit he started absentmindedly doing in the last few weeks.

"You know, you shouldn't do that. Sounds gross and is probably bad for your joints" muttered Todoroki.

"Forgive the sound my knuckles make when I release gas from the synovial fluid amongst my joints" bit back Izuku.

Todoroki raised an eyebrow and Izuku gasped audibly "Oh my gosh, I didn't mean for that to come out!"

"It's fine" another small smile appeared at his lips "You're smart, aren't you?"

"I just read a lot. I think I've already said that I work in a bookshop"

"Oh, I remember you mentioning that"

It was 6pm, so when the two boys left the building, it was dark outside. Izuku breathed puffs of white cloud and buried his hands into his coat pockets.

"Stars are out" stated Todoroki quietly, and sure enough there were a couple dozen or so glittering specks in the ebony cloak of a sky.

"You know, I once read a book and it said we were in this giant dome like a glass snowball, and that the amazing white stars were really only holes in the black glass of the dome, and when you went to Heaven, the glass broke away and there was nothing but a whole sheet of star white, which is brighter than anything but doesn't hurt your eyes" he stopped and clapped a hand over his mouth. He hadn't intended to quote in front of a stranger.

Todoroki was staring at him with wide, glimmering eyes and a faint pink blush painted on his cheeks. His mouth opened, but he shut it again. Then, he reopened his mouth to ask in a hushed voice "Which book is that?"

"Just... one I picked up randomly" Izuku looked away, not wanting to reveal that the quote was from his all-time favourite book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

The pair continued walking with a respectable distance between them.

"Do you think it's going to snow this year?" asked Todoroki suddenly, the awe from earlier no more.

"Um, it snows almost every year" answered Izuku.

"It does? That's cool. I'm a foreigner, so I haven't seen a snowy Gillervide winter yet, because last year it didn't snow"

"Oh, yeah last year sucked. What sector do you live in?"

"Niikura"

"Ah" he wasn't surprised, Todoroki has nice clothing and his phone was very expensive looking.

"What sector do you live in?"

"I... I live in Akuchi"

"Oh"

That one syllable summed it up. Akuchi was the lower-class sector, where most of the criminal acts and poverty lingered. Vellir and Selci were more middle-class and were the two largest sectors and Niikura was the high-class sector, where all the rich people dwelled.

"Anyway, here's my stop. See ya"

"Bye, Midoriya

And with that, their paths never crossed again. Or, so he had thought.

"Do you ever think the Universe fights for souls to be together? Some things are too strange and strong to be coincidences"