MHA Holdiay series

The air in dorm room 207 crackled with a tension thick enough to cut with a butter knife. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the quiet, a silence punctuated only by the rhythmic tapping of Tenya Iida's fingers on his desk. Across the room, Shoto Todoroki sat on his bed, staring intently at a textbook, the words blurring before his unfocused gaze.

It had been like this for weeks. Ever since the unspoken, undeniable something that had been simmering between them since UA had finally, irrevocably, boiled over. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment. Maybe it was the lingering touch during a study session, the shared laughter over a ridiculous meme, or the way Iida's face lit up when Shoto made him tea just the way he liked it. Whatever it was, it had become impossible to ignore.

And so, they avoided each other.

Shoto found himself spending more time training alone in the gym, pushing his quirk to its limits, anything to avoid the magnetic pull of Iida's presence. He saw Iida doing the same, burying himself in extracurricular activities, lecturing anyone within earshot about the importance of punctuality and proper study habits, his movements more rigid and precise than usual.

He stole glances, naturally. Stolen glances at Iida's strong jawline, the way his glasses perched on his nose, the genuine concern etched on his face whenever he was helping someone. He knew Iida was doing the same, catching him staring with a fleeting, almost wistful expression before quickly turning away.

Today, however, the silence was particularly oppressive. Shoto slammed his textbook shut, the sound echoing in the small room.

"Are you alright, Todoroki?" Iida's voice, sharp with concern, cut through the tension. He hadn't looked up from his own work, but Shoto knew he was listening.

"Fine," Shoto mumbled, picking at a loose thread on his comforter.

Iida finally looked up, adjusting his glasses. "You've been…different lately."

"You too," Shoto retorted, regretting the bluntness as soon as the words left his mouth.

A heavier silence descended. Iida stood up, his movements uncharacteristically hesitant. "Perhaps…perhaps it would be for the best if we discussed this."

Shoto's heart hammered against his ribs. Discuss this? Was he finally going to address the elephant that had taken up permanent residence in their dorm room?

"Discuss what?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Iida took a deep breath, his shoulders straightening. "This…estrangement. This…avoidance. It is impacting our ability to be effective roommates, and frankly, it is unsettling."

Shoto scoffed. "Unsettling? You mean inconvenient."

The sharpness in his voice made Iida flinch. "While I strive for efficiency, I would not characterize my concern as merely…inconvenient."

"Then what is it, Iida?" Shoto challenged, finally meeting his eyes.

The look in Iida's eyes was a mix of frustration, confusion, and something else…something that mirrored the turmoil in Shoto's own chest. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, his jaw working.

"It's…complicated," he finally managed.

"Yes," Shoto agreed, his voice barely a whisper. "It is."

He stood up, taking a step towards Iida. "What if…what if we stopped avoiding it? Stopped avoiding each other?"

Iida's eyes widened. "What are you suggesting?"

Shoto's throat was dry. This was it. He was about to lay himself bare, risk rejection, risk ruining the fragile friendship they had managed to maintain.

"I'm suggesting…I'm suggesting that maybe…that maybe I don't want to avoid you anymore, Iida." The words tumbled out, clumsy and vulnerable.

The air hung heavy with anticipation. Iida stared at him, his composure finally cracking, revealing the uncertainty that had been lurking beneath the surface.

"Todoroki…" he breathed, his voice laced with disbelief.

Shoto took another step closer. "I know this is…unexpected. And inappropriate. But I can't…I can't keep pretending I don't feel anything."

He reached out, his fingertips tentatively brushing against Iida's arm. A jolt of electricity, both terrifying and exhilarating, shot through him.

Iida flinched, but didn't pull away. He looked down at Shoto's hand, then back up at his face, his eyes searching. He seemed to be grappling with an internal battle of epic proportions. Duty versus desire. Logic versus emotion.

Finally, he spoke, his voice barely audible. "I…I feel it too, Todoroki. The…the pull. The…attraction."

Relief washed over Shoto in a wave so powerful it almost knocked him off his feet. He wasn't alone.

"But…" Iida continued, his voice regaining some of its usual firmness. "This is…unconventional. We are roommates. And heroes. Our priorities must be…centered."

Shoto's heart sank. Was this it? Was he going to back out now, clinging to his rigid sense of duty?

"I know," Shoto said softly. "I know. But…maybe we can…figure it out? Together?"

He let his fingers slide from Iida's arm to his hand, entwining their fingers. Iida didn't resist.

For a long moment, they just stood there, hand in hand, the unspoken words finally allowed to surface. The tension in the room, while still present, had shifted. It was no longer the tension of avoidance, but the tension of possibility.

Iida took a deep breath. "Together," he echoed, his voice laced with a newfound vulnerability. "Perhaps…perhaps that is the only way."

He looked at Shoto, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "We have much to discuss, Todoroki."

Shoto squeezed his hand. "We do indeed, Iida."

The sunlight still streamed through the window, but now, it felt warmer, brighter. The dust motes danced with a newfound energy. The silence was still there, but it was no longer oppressive. It was the silence of a beginning. The silence of two hearts, finally ready to speak. The future was uncertain, but for now, standing hand in hand in the middle of their messy dorm room, they were ready to face it, together. They had confessed, not in a grand declaration, but in a tentative touch, a shared admission, and the promise of a conversation yet to come. And sometimes, that was enough.