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Beautiful.
That was the only way Izuku could describe the sight before him.
A line of blooming sakura trees trails along the path. Its soft petals slowly descended in the evening light, mixing into lovely shades of pinks, oranges and reds as it slowly drifted.
Yet, for as beautiful as it was, it was nothing more than an addition to another, a mere backdrop that only enhanced the true masterpiece before him.
Laughter flitted through the air, soft and lively and oh so intoxicating. Slippers clattered against the stone walkway as they twirled and spun, dragging the falling petals along with her into a vortex that danced like faires as they glowed almost unnaturally, further emphasising the scene.
Perhaps it was a trick of the light; it appeared like that, he wouldn't be surprised if it was. It wouldn’t be the first time she did something like this.
She looked towards him then, pools of teal that enclosed a sunny centre, gazing at him with such joy that it made his chest tighten with indescribably complex emotions that all bubbled up in his stomach and got caught in his throat, dancing just at the tip of his tongue, wanting to do something - anything!
But he didn’t. He choked back those feelings, an instinctual part that feared the unknown, wrestling it into submission, choosing to smile and wave to her if only because he suddenly felt restless, felt his body coiling and becoming wound up like a loaded spring.
She smiled then, and it was as if he’d been allowed to gaze upon nirvana itself.
Perfect and ethereal and without flaw. The likes that would make even the old gods of beauty green with envy, an appearance some could only ever dream of, wish for.
That is to say, entirely too good for someone like him.
“Midoriya!”
She called for him, loud and excited.
Ordinarily, he would have been flustered, his eyes ghosting over his shoulders to see if anyone had heard and recognised him.
His name was the talk of many news outlets, and his face was plastered upon signs far and wide, both for good and ill.
Yet, here and now, in this singular instance, he did not care.
Why should he hide himself from the world to do as he wished? Why should he limit himself to being selfish in private?
No, none of that. He wouldn’t allow it.
Today was about them, him and her and no one else.
Two who would hold the very heavens and move the mountains of the earth for each other.
He knew that for a fact.
An image popped into her head, one that was as traumatising as it was awe-inspiring.
She’d thrown herself in front of that attack for him, turned a fatal attack into no more than a minor inconvenience.
Yet, he had seen the sweat that beaded at her forehead, seen the fear and uncertainty in her gaze, heard the slightest waver in her voice that tried to appear strong for him.
She tried to hide it, but he knew, saw.
She didn't know if she could redirect that attack, didn't even attempt to for a split second, and that was all that he needed to see to know.
She had been ready to die for him.
Against an attack she did not know, she moved faster than anyone on that battlefield, faster than he himself could even react, let alone counter, and had thrown herself into the jaws of death for him.
Something in his heart simultaneously tightened and released all at once, strange and indescribable.
He moved to her, his steps light, and she giggled, arms intertwining with each other’s as they embraced.
Their faces flushed, eyes staring at the other, taking all that they could see as they allowed themselves to be caught in a strange atmosphere.
He felt her body shake with every little sound of joy, every shift of her weight from one side to another, the rise and fall of the temperature of her smooth skin, the fluffy softness of her messy hair..
His eyes flickered to her lips for a second, soft and plump, then to her eyes, shining and mesmerising, watching him with such reverence and joy and-
For a second,d they didn't speak, didn't blink, only breathed, caught in emotions and feelings that both weren’t and were.
Existant yet not.
His body inched towards hers, and hers moved to him as well. Slowly, hesitantly, carefully, as if both were scared of any sudden motion that could startle.
His mind went blank for a second when it registered the feeling of her breath brushing against his lips, separated by only a few centimetres at best.
All he would need to do was move an inch, a centimetre, lesser than that. To tilt his head just a tad more, to lean his body to hers ever so slightly and-
“I'm guessing you like our hangout spot?” He asked, retracting ever so slightly from the embrace and her presence for a second, forcing the words from his mouth as it cut through the air.
He tried to ignore the disappointed sound that passed her lips, the lingering of her hands on his and his on her that lasted for a second longer than it should have.
Toru’s eyes flickered from his for the nearest of moments, and Izuku felt disappointment overwhelm him..
Don’t look away.
His mind said, but his mouth remained shut and thinned, unwilling to voice.
“I do,” her words of affirmation killed that disappointment, however, alongside any lingering doubt or fear.
She spoke with sincerity that couldn’t be faked, appreciation which spoke more than words could.
“Ah, I-I’m glad, I was worried you wouldn’t…” He let his nervousness leak; he didn’t want to ruin her day, not at all.
She gave him a playful look, as if asking him if he seriously thought she wouldn’t like it.
A part of him felt silly at ever entertaining the thought. Toru was the kind of person to find her own fun in any situation, regardless of how boring or embarrassing it was.
He was sure that even if he brought her to a hero convention, she would still find a way to have a more enjoyable time than him, that was just the kind of person she was.
“Yeah, that’s my bad…” he answered back sheepishly, earning another laugh that made his heart do all sorts of things in his chest.
“Good, now let's get this picnic daa- trip started!” she announced, stumbling over a word that made heat rise in his cheeks and travel down his neck.
Toru didn't seem to be in any better a position either, the tips of her ears a lovely shade of red as she tried to avoid his face.
However, just before either of them could move to start their -not date- picnic trip, Toru’s body flickered, going transparent before ultimately vanishing, leaving only the sundress she had on floating in mid-air.
“Damn it! I couldn’t hold on any longer.” The invisible woman said, sounding disappointed.
“!0 minutes, is a major improvement though, you’re getting a lot better with your quirk control.” Izuku tried to cheer her up. ‘Don’t push yourself.” He advised.
“But I want you to see me…”
She said that as a whisper, yet his keen ears picked up on it nonetheless.
Several emotions hit him at once in that instant, both those he’d felt throughout the day and several more he had yet to experience.
His mouth moved before he could think.
“I did, and you’re beautiful.”
For a second, Toru stopped moving, stumped. Then she laughed.
“Oh, is that what you think of me? Didn’t take you for a charmer, Midoriya. You should be more careful with how you give out compliments.” She said, trying to sound amused.
To Izuku, she just sounded embarrassed.
Cute.
A smile graced his lips again as he let Toru ramble herself into changing the subject to avoid the embarrassment, silently walking alongside her as they moved to their destination.
They talked, laughed, argued and more on their way. Going from one topic to another until it looped right back around to the one thing which bound them together.
“Are you sure you’re ok with giving up hero work?” she asked him. It was no secret after all, since he announced it himself, that he was giving up on pursuing hero work following the loss of his quirk.
He took a moment to answer before, “I won’t lie and say I’m completely alright with it, I did all I could when I had One for All, and well, if I can’t be a hero myself, then helping others fill in that role isn’t so bad.” He expressed, not happily but contentedly, as if he’d made up his mind.
Being a hero was secondary after all. The one and only thing which defined Izuku Midoriya’s existence was the desire to help others with a smile.
“Well, the rest of us aren’t so!” She turned to him and declared, face shimmering into view for a second, “The rest of us will pick up the slack for you and become the greatest heroes ever!”
It was a bold declaration, damn near impossible by many others' standards, especially in this time of peace.
Yet her smile and determined eyes that he could see for only a few precious seconds told an entirely different story.
Not that he needed to be convinced. After all, in his eyes, they were already some of the greatest heroes he’d ever known.
”I'm sure you all will.”
And so he agreed, beneath a shower of cherry blossom petals, the two of them in their own little world apart from others. An oath already fulfilled is being made by two who once upon a time only spoke in passing.
And Izuku thought that was just fine.
After all, if it meant seeing a Toru smile like this, all was fine, all was well, because a sight like this was for his eyes and his eyes only.