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The second person Izuku shows the badge to is his hero club kouhai, Mayumi.
The first one was his mom, of course. She was excited for him because he was excited, not because she really understood what the big deal was. Mayumi, though—she gets it.
She screams into her hands when he pulls the badge out of the mail envelope. They're sitting in the grass of one of the campus parks, and the badge gleams in the sun. It's bright red, blue, and yellow—not All Might's colors by coincidence, and a little chibi version of him beams his famous grin from the front of the badge. After all, he is the mascot of the Pro Expo, the biggest annual hero convention in Japan.
"C-can I…" Mayumi asks, reaching out to touch the badge before snatching her hand back, as if afraid she might sully it.
"Go ahead!" Izuku encourages.
She takes it from him reverently, turning it over in her hands. "V… I… P…"
Securing VIP badges for PX is almost impossible. It grants access to all areas of the convention, including the hero-only backstage areas that even the press isn't allowed to access. Typically, only top level pro heroes and their staff are able to register for these ultra exclusive badges.
This year, Izuku will be going along as part of Todoroki's agency. He still has to stop from pinching himself every time he thinks about it.
"So the official reason is…" Mayumi hands the badge back to him, eyebrows raised.
"I'm going as support staff," Izuku says. "Sort of a test run for, you know, if I apply for an internship position this year…"
"Uh huh," Mayumi nods. "But the real reason is…"
Izuku covers his reddening face with the badge. "T-Todoroki-san thought it might be fun for me to go…"
"As his boyf—"
"Shhhh!" Izuku lunges forward to clap his hand over her mouth. "That's not—we're not—"
"Officially dating, I know, I know," Mayumi sighs. "To the public."
They have been dating for a little over a month, now. But only a few people are aware—Izuku's mom, Mayumi, All Might, and, Izuku is fairly certain, the entirety of Todoroki's graduating class. But they have said nothing publicly yet, despite the stories swirling. The rumors are not far off from the truth, but until something is confirmed, they remain just that. Rumors.
"It would just—" Izuku shakes his head. "It's just easier this way."
Mayumi stares off into the distance, eyes narrowed. "I just think it would be better if people knew that hot-and-cold ass was on lockdown."
"Mayu-chan!" Izuku splutters. "It's—it's not on lockdown, I'm not trying to—"
"Please, senpai, I've seen you two together," she says. "Shouto has basically tossed away the key. Into, like, a live volcano."
"You're getting carried away," Izuku says. "It doesn't need to be announced, anyway. Todoroki-san doesn't gain anything from it. I definitely don't gain anything from it. It would just make things a million times more complicated."
"Maybe," Mayumi sighs. "But don't you also think it'd be nice? Shouto doesn't seem to be trying very hard to hide it, at any rate."
Izuku smiles. "Maybe," he says. "By the way, you got a premiere badge, right? So I should see you at the convention?"
This distracts her—she starts talking about her planned schedule for the convention dates, and Izuku steers the conversation toward events and panels and merchandise.
He doesn't mention that he thinks he'd like to hide from the eyes of the rest of Japan; keep everything a secret, for as long as he can get away with.
*
Izuku has attended PX plenty of times in the past, of course. But this year, he's provided with a lot of perks he never had before.
"Sorry to bother you," he says, "but could I possibly get your signature on this?"
Feeling the tug on his hero costume sleeve, Todoroki turns, sees Izuku, and lets out a snort of surprised laughter. Izuku grins up at him, and holds out a new Shouto poster he just got his hands on from one of the official merchandise vendors. It's limited edition for PX! The VIP badge allowed him to get into the con and showrooms several hours earlier than regular attendees, and he's taking full advantage.
"Did you buy this?" Todoroki asks, shaking his head. "Just tell me what you want, don't waste your money."
Izuku gasps. "It's not wasted! I'm supporting you!"
The exasperated look Todoroki gives him is as priceless as the sparkly VIP badge hanging around his neck. Todoroki takes the poster from him, amusement evident.
"Thank you for your support, citizen."
"Thank you for all your hard work!" Izuku says cheerfully, watching as he signs it. "Oh, can you have it say 'To Izuku' please?"
"Your staring is making me nervous," Todoroki tells him, dutifully doing as he asks. "Is there anything else you want me to say?"
"Hmmm…" Izuku mulls it over. "How about, 'Thanks for being my biggest fan'?"
"I think that goes without saying," Todoroki says. He adds it to his signature anyway. "There."
Izuku beams as he takes the poster back. It is exceedingly hard to get into autograph panels at PX. Given how popular they are and how large the crowds get, the extremely limited spots are only available through a lottery.
"You know, this is the first autograph of yours I've gotten," Izuku says. "I always had bad luck with the lotteries…"
"You know what," Todoroki says suddenly. "I just thought of a way you can support me—besides buying my merchandise that, as we've discussed, I can get you for free."
Izuku huffs indignantly. "It's the principle of the matter! But I'm listening."
Todoroki takes Izuku's face in his hands, palms cupped against his cheeks. He bends down and presses his lips to Izuku's, in a kiss that's soft, barely there, and leaves Izuku's knees wobbling like jelly nonetheless.
"I prefer this," Todoroki murmurs.
"Fwuuuhhh…" Izuku exhales stupidly.
"Glad your luck's gotten better, though," Todoroki says, and then has the gall to wink at him—electric blue eye flashing shut for one brief second.
Izuku thinks he might die. He smashes his signed poster to his burning face to block the high-pitched whine that inadvertently escapes him. "That's—not allowed!"
"What's not allowed?"
"You… b-being like that!" Izuku says, waving his hands vaguely. "And anyways, we're in public, so you're not supposed to k-kiss me."
There's nobody actually in the break room, but still, someone could walk in! Izuku peeks over the top of his poster. Todoroki doesn't look convinced.
"I don't remember that being a rule," he says mildly.
Izuku recalls Mayumi's words to him: Shouto doesn't seem to be trying very hard to hide it. Izuku… can't deny this. Todoroki has been the one responsible for nearly every close call discovery or media leak of their relationship. From spontaneously showing up at Izuku's dorm when he gets off duty, to whisking Izuku off on dinner dates both casual and upscale, to personally taking Izuku's mom on a massive shopping spree, he has hardly bothered to be subtle in the slightest. There's only so much that can be handwaved away as gratitude to Izuku for saving his life. It's Izuku who's always scrambling, avoiding the press with the help of Todoroki's PR people and his manager, Aiko. Because, if people find out…
What would they say about Todoroki?
Izuku shakes his head and smiles at him. "It's not a rule. It's just common sense."
Todoroki sighs. "Izuku…"
The door to the break room opens and Izuku jumps away from him. But it's only Aiko, come to check on them.
"They're about ready to start," she says. Todoroki has an agency panel and autograph session booked for the next two hours. He had tried to convince Izuku to join part of the panel with him and some of the other staff. Izuku had firmly told him that was crazy.
"Be right there," Todoroki says.
"Aiko-san," Izuku calls to her, "do you need any help with anything?"
"I told you to just worry about enjoying yourself," Todoroki reminds him.
"I'm here as staff, Todoroki-san," Izuku says, proudly patting his badge.
Aiko smiles at them both. "Actually, Izuku—we were able to let in more people than we anticipated, so I'm a bit worried about the poster stock. Would you mind just grabbing an extra box for me? After that you can join the audience."
"I'm on it!" he says. He turns to Todoroki. "I'll see you in there!"
He resists the urge to lean up and kiss Todoroki on the cheek. He can do that later! Instead he waves goodbye before scurrying off to one of the big storage rooms, flashing his badge to get in. It doesn't take long to locate where the Shouto merchandise is kept—he also spies an awesome Ground Zero and Uravity collaboration poster he makes a mental note to get later, and a new Red Riot figurine holy crap—
Okay, he needs to focus. He grabs the hefty box of posters and scoots back through the door, almost bumping into someone as he exits.
"Oh, sorry!" he says, trying to bow while holding a huge box in his hands. He's already turned to make his way down the hall when the person calls out to him.
"Hey! Um…"
He stops and turns around. "Me?"
It's another boy around his age, maybe a little younger. He's staring at Izuku with a look of dawning recognition, and Izuku resists the urge to flee.
"You're that Midoriya guy, aren't you?" the boy asks him.
"Oh… y-yeah, I'm him," Izuku says. "Uh, I mean, he's me. That's—me."
The boy nods, and his eyes fall to the badge Izuku is wearing. "They got you a VIP badge?"
"Th-they?" Izuku asks.
"Todoroki's agency."
There's no reason to hide it, Izuku thinks. "Yeah," he says. "They were nice enough to register me!"
"Lucky," the boy says. "So you get to go to all the events and stuff?"
"I do, yeah."
"Do you think you could get me in?"
Izuku blinks. "In…? What do you mean?"
"The panel," the boy clarifies. "I didn't get one of the lottery spots, but then they let in a few more people who lined up just now. Still didn't make it."
"Oh, I, um…" Izuku shifts awkwardly from foot to foot. "I'm really sorry, I don't know if I can…"
He wants to, honestly—but Todoroki and Aiko already showed a lot of faith in him by getting him one of these badges in the first place. He doesn't want to go behind their backs, and he knows the hall is already full to capacity. Maybe he can ask Aiko once he brings the posters back… but would that be fair to the other people who didn't get in?
"Forget it," the boy says. He looks at the box in Izuku's hands. "Can I have one of those posters?"
Izuku would have to open up the whole box here, in the hallway—and besides that, they aren't free. And one poster might not be a big deal, but there are other people who are paying for them. To support the agency.
"Um, sorry," he says again, "but they take inventory stock… and I really have to get these over to the panel now. If you want, I can ask if they have room for one more person, though…"
The boy shrugs. "Nah, whatever."
"Okay," Izuku says. "Sorry…" He doesn't know what else to say. He does feel bad, but he's been in the same position every year before now.
"Izuku-kun?" someone says. He turns and, to his relief, sees Aiko gesturing at him to hurry from a doorway. He turns to say bye to the boy, and maybe apologize again. A bright flash of light catches him off guard.
The boy looks down at his phone, where a picture of Izuku now resides. "Just wanted proof that I met you!" he says. "I'm a big fan of yours."
"Oh, r-really?" Izuku asks, stunned. "Th-thank you! I'm sorry, I have to go but—good luck with the other lotteries!"
Before anything else weird can happen, he turns and rushes back to Aiko, slipping through the door.
"S-sorry for taking so long," he tells her. "Where should I put this?"
"Who was that?" she asks, ignoring his other question. "Do you know him?"
"No…" he says. "He's just here for the convention but he, um, he didn't manage to get into the panel—"
"Did you tell him it was okay to take a picture of you?" Aiko asks.
"Not exactly," Izuku says, staring at the box in his hands. "He said he was a fan. Sorry, I didn't know he was going to…"
"I'm not upset with you," Aiko says. He looks up to see she's watching him closely. "Go put this box with the others, please? Then you can go sit down—they only just started."
He nods and does as asked, sneaking glances back at her. She had seemed sort of upset—maybe she just didn't want to say anything? She doesn't notice him looking; she's pulled out her phone and seems to be checking something on it. He decides to talk to her later, just to make sure he didn't do anything wrong. The last thing he wants is for Aiko to think he's flaunting his privileges or not taking things seriously.
The rest of the panel goes smoothly, and holds Izuku's rapt attention the entire time. It's part industry discussion, part pro hero fanservice, as Todoroki and his team of executive officers talk about life in the business as one of the top agencies in Japan. Izuku wishes he'd brought a notepad—it's all he can do to keep mental notes on everything. All of this will really help him when the time comes to put in his application for an internship at Todoroki's agency.
After the first hour of the panel, there's an hour for autographs. Izuku already has his signed poster, so he volunteers to help with keeping the flow of the line moving. A lot of people recognize him, but to his relief, there's none of the awkwardness that had been present in his conversation with the boy from earlier.
Someone even asks him to autograph the limited edition poster—despite all his flustered stammering that he couldn't possibly sign it before Todoroki.
"Thanks, Midoriya-san," the girl says. "I think you're really awesome! We're all cheering for you, so please don't listen to what anyone online says!"
"Okay, I won't!" he says, glowing with warmth. Then, "Wait, what?"
But she's already moved on in the line. Izuku stares after her. Why would she have said that? He turns to motion the next person forward and notices them staring at him, then their phone, then back at him. He glances at the crowd. Other people are looking at him, whispering, sharing their screens with their friends. Pointing—some people are pointing… What's going on?
Panic mounting, he pulls his phone from his pocket, turning away from the crowd for a second. It doesn't take long for him to figure out what happened.
A picture is circulating on Twitter—one that was just taken, in fact. It's of him, standing in the convention hallway and awkwardly holding that huge box of posters, eyes wide and skittish. The caption reads:
YutoSavesTHEWorld @world_gemini
imagine being stupid enough to believe this guy is literally dating shouto 😂😂😂
#PX #ProExpo
The account it was posted from is unfamiliar, but with the convention hashtags being used, it's been seen by a lot of people already. Izuku stares dully at the growing numbers beside the like and retweet icons. Then there are the replies.
Bexx @ PX B13!!! @bexxdraws
TFW you think you're shouto's bf but you're actually just the hired help
GZ said Quirkless Rights @redriotsss
replying to @bexxdraws
hadshfashdf i think the staff has a better shot
Bexx @ PX B13!!! @bexxdraws
replying to @redriotsss
lolllllll ur so right
Mrs Shouto❄️🔥 @1cy_h0t_freak
ok who ACTUALLY believes Todoroki would date a loser of this caliber though like has he ever even brushed his hair……
YutoSavesTHEWorld @world_gemini
replying to @1cy_h0t_freak
also i can't believe he gets a vip badge basically for free???? those are so expensive
Mrs Shouto❄️🔥 @1cy_h0t_freak
replying to @world_gemini
i feel bad for whoever's spot he took in todoroki's agency 😒
Izuku closes the app. Slowly, he puts his phone back in his pocket. His hands shake—he doesn't want to turn around to face the crowd again. He doesn't want to think about anybody looking at him.
The photo is burned into his brain. His stupid, confused expression, hunched posture from trying to lift even a simple box of posters, hair a frazzled mess even though he combed it this morning to try and look put together, he did. He wanted to represent the agency well.
This is what he's been afraid of. He knows what he looks like, and he knows Todoroki doesn't care. But he's all too aware that other people will, and that sooner or later, their criticisms will fall on Todoroki and his agency. Izuku isn't stupid, he knows what jealousy looks like, but the end result will be the same. This is why he has to apply for the internship—he has to get in on his own merit, he has to prove that he can stand on his own two feet, or people will accuse Todoroki of stupidity, or worse, favoritism.
And even if he knows a lot of the unwarranted comments are due to bitterness, it doesn't mean they don't hurt. Doesn't mean they don't hit him right where all his insecurities lie. The thing he's been scared of since the start.
What if he's not good enough for Todoroki?
He looks up, trying to square his shoulders, and realizes Aiko is leaning over Todoroki at the autograph table. They're both staring down at her phone. Then Todoroki looks up.
Their eyes meet, and something acrid and sad wells up in Izuku's throat, sharp enough to choke him. The last thing he wanted was for Todoroki to see it, too.
He shakes his head, turns, and speedwalks back to the break room as fast as he can.
He has some time to calm down and figure out what to say before Todoroki finishes with the autograph line. Or at least, he thinks he will—it's barely five minutes past the hour when the door opens again and Todoroki storms in. His expression is so furious that Izuku thinks about hiding for a second, but as soon as Todoroki's eyes land on him they soften.
"I'm sorry," Izuku says quickly, "I shouldn't have left the line, I hope it didn't cause problems. I didn't mean to—"
"Will you come with me to Artist's Alley?" Todoroki interrupts.
This is so far from what Izuku was expecting him to say that for several seconds he has no idea how to respond. When he finally processes the question, he still doesn't know how to respond.
"…Huh?"
"I want to go check it out," Todoroki tells him. "And you like to look at fan merch, right?"
"Right now?" Izuku asks. "But it's your break… and what about—"
"This is what I want to do on my break," Todoroki says firmly.
He's so adamant about it that in no time at all, Izuku is following him into the big exhibition hall where the convention's fan artists and creators have set up hundreds of booths in rows. Izuku regrets it at first—there's tons of people here, surely they'll all have seen the embarrassing messages about him. Is anybody looking? Is everybody looking?
As it turns out… nobody is looking. The hall is so packed with people, all of whom are single-mindedly scouring the rows for charms and prints and other things to buy, that no one even notices him and Todoroki (lost among a sea of other Todoroki cosplays). Faced with the prospect of so much merchandise, even Izuku forgets the churning pit in his stomach, in favor of losing his mind over an adorable set of Uravity and Froppy themed pins. The artist has a quirk that lets them infuse anything they make with any scent they can think of. Uraraka's pin smells like flowers and bubblegum and the lightest hint of comforting perfume. Tsuyu's smells like rain on a lake and green lily pads.
"Excuse me—" he says, to try and get the artist's attention, when Todoroki intercepts.
"Hi," he says, as the artist's eyes travel the long way up from his stomach, to his chest, to his face. "Can I get these? The pins?"
Izuku, and the artist, both stare at him. She recovers first.
"S-sure!" she says.
"T-Todoroki," Izuku splutters, "are those for—"
"You liked them, right?" Todoroki asks mildly. "Thanks, they're very pretty," he tells the artist, as she passes them to him in a little bag.
"No problem…" she says, still gawking after him as they walk away.
"You—" Izuku hisses, "what are you doing? I saved up for this, so—"
"I'm your boyfriend, so isn't it fine?" Todoroki responds, unnecessarily loudly.
"Eeeyaaaah," Izuku screams softly. "Todoroki-san, you don't have to—"
"I do," Todoroki says. "I asked you to come to the convention with me so that we could enjoy it together. I didn't bring you as staff."
The way he spits the last word makes Izuku swallow uncomfortably. His eyes dart left and right of their own accord, but nobody is paying them much attention yet.
"You don't need to… worry about what people are saying," he says. "I'm fine."
"Are you?" Todoroki sighs. "I'm trying to tell you, you're the one who keeps worrying too much about what people might say."
Izuku wilts. "They're already saying it."
"Then does it matter what we do?" Todoroki counters. Izuku blinks at him. "If people are going to talk no matter what, then can you just let me prove I don't give a damn?"
Izuku opens his mouth to argue, and then Todoroki's words sledgehammer into his brain, and he stops. He has never thought of it that way before. But now he is… and he can't say it's surprising. It's one of the reasons he's always liked Todoroki. He does what he feels is right, without bothering about appearances or even professionalism, when it comes right down to it.
It's almost too much to bear, to think that he feels that way about Izuku now—that Izuku is the right choice, no matter the cost of public opinion.
"Hey," Todoroki says, softly. "You know I don't, right?"
Izuku nods slowly. He can feel his mouth threatening to wobble, but he suppresses it—mostly because Todoroki looks like he's gearing up to do something ridiculous, like kiss him in the middle of the hallway if he starts crying. That would probably be too much for Izuku's heart.
But a slightly smaller step might be okay.
"I do know. And I guess…" Izuku hesitates. "I guess we could try. But that really doesn't mean you have to buy me things."
Todoroki smiles down at him.
Then he proceeds to absolutely not listen at all, and buys Izuku roughly half of the entire Artist's Alley over the course of a single afternoon. And Izuku, after the first few rounds of panic over it… actually starts to have fun.
The thing is, it's pocket change to Todoroki, but the excitement of every single person who encounters him at their booth is worth all their charms in solid gold. Even Todoroki starts to open up more as they go—he was upset over the tweets before, Izuku knows that, but it's so much fun interacting with fans and seeing how happy they are when Todoroki takes an interest in their art that it's impossible not to be back in a good mood after a while. Izuku knows Todoroki just wanted to distract him, but it's just as nice to watch him slip into Pro Hero Shouto mode in the midst of so many excited people. In the end, it's far from just Izuku's day that winds up brightened.
And people are… really nice to Izuku, too. Maybe some of them have seen the tweets. Maybe people are just more likely to be kind than they are to be mean. But in the end, they're all fans, and Izuku is the biggest fanboy out of anyone—it's easy for him to talk to other people who get that.
The biggest surprise of all comes unexpectedly, when he rejoins Todoroki at booth B14, after they'd split up in one of the rows. Todoroki isn't sticking quite as close to him anymore; Izuku suspects he's actually just getting things for himself now, after spying him purchase a sticker set consisting entirely of tiny, angry Ground Zero-s, and an Endeavor badge that reads "My son likes All Might more than me!"
"Finding anything else you like?" he asks.
"Oh, god," says the girl manning the booth. Izuku looks at her curiously, and sees her face is bright red. He looks at Todoroki next, and notices he is wearing his well practiced Blank Shouto expression, which can only mean trouble. Smiling as serenely as he can manage, Izuku looks at the booth merch.
Oh. Oh, she's a doujin artist. And the book Shouto is currently trying to buy…
The cover is a very pleasant mint green. On it is depicted a very dashing version of Todoroki—in the suit he wore to the Hero's Gala they'd both attended a few months ago. And, slung over one of Todoroki's sexily broad shoulders, looking waifish and unattainably pretty and blushing an alarming shade of pink, is…
Izuku himself.
Unofficial TodoIzu Fanbook, the cover reads. The title: The Night of the Gala. And in the bottom corner, a very telling blocky R18 content warning, all too familiar to Izuku thanks to his own formidable collection.
He catches the artist's eye and in that second, he swears they connect telepathically via their shared hysteria. Both of them slam their hands down onto the doujin to conceal it from view.
"I have a ton of other stuff, actually, that you'd probably like more—" the girl says breathlessly.
"I want this one, though," Todoroki says.
"Todoroki-san, it's a whole book, y-you probably won't even have time to read that," Izuku laughs nervously. "Oh, what about these cute charms—"
"I'll get those, too," Todoroki says, without looking at the charms. He starts trying to tug at the book. "And one of these, please."
The girl tries to tug it back. "I just—I don't think—"
"Shouto!" Izuku hisses, aware of people starting to really stare. "That's—this kind of book is—"
He doesn't even know how to explain. Not just what it is, but that people… people want him to be with Todoroki? That's maybe even more unbelievable. Who would care about that?
Then Todoroki says, "Do you really think I don't know?"
Izuku's mouth falls open. No sound comes out. He'd really just assumed that Todoroki would have no reason to know. He's, like, a normal, famous person—Izuku is the obsessive fanboy.
"Uh…"
"I want the doujin, please," Todoroki tells the artist again. "And that Ingenium charm. And the Creati one, too."
"I have a set with all three of you…" she says, voice faint.
"Oh, perfect."
Purchases in hand, Todoroki thanks the girl and checks his watch. Izuku starts, realizing the time.
"It's almost time for your next panel!" he says. They've been in Artist's Alley nearly three hours, even though it felt like no time at all.
"Let's go put everything in the break room," Todoroki suggests. He grabs Izuku's hand. "Also, you're not going to handle the lines this time. You're just going to sit and watch me."
Izuku bites his lip, but doesn't try to pull away. "Okay."
Todoroki's expression barely changes, but somehow, Izuku can tell he's pleased. "By the way," he adds, ducking his head lower to murmur, "I was planning on making time to read that doujin. Later tonight. With you."
Izuku trips over literally nothing and nearly falls flat on his face, but fortunately, Todoroki is there to keep him standing.
By the end of the day, a couple new tweets have overtaken the other one in popularity by several orders of magnitude.
One of them is an image set of Todoroki at booth B14, a close up shot of what he actually purchased at booth B14, and a blurry, zoomed in picture of Todoroki holding Izuku's hand as they leave the hall, with the simple caption: "TODOIZU STANS RISE."
Another is a quote retweet of the original mean comment:
Ground Zero💥 @groundzero
Pretty fucking sure they're dating. Wanna call me stupid too?
The original tweet has since been deleted.