Archive of Our Own

Hitoshi has been in class 2-A for two weeks and still can’t understand why Izuku Midoriya wants to be his friend.

So far he has been invited to sit with Midoriya and his friends at lunch, study sessions, and group hangouts after school. Hitoshi said he had no intention of making friends in his first year, and he intends to keep his word by burning every olive branch extended to him by his over-friendly classmate.

It wasn’t until his third week there that he started to evaluate his perspective on refusing friendship or whatever.

“This is so cute Izuku! Did you make this?” Ururaka asked Midoriya while skipping over to his desk holding something that appeared to be a friendship bracelet. 

“I did! I figured I could make something to show how strong our class’ bond is after everything we’ve been through!” Midoriya explained to Ururaka with a sheepish grin on his face.

“That’s so thoughtful Izuku! I can’t wait to match with everyone when you make the rest!” Ururaka beamed while tying the bracelet around her wrist and then dramatically pumping her fist into the air.

Hitoshi mentally checked out after he heard Ururaka say everyone , knowing he probably wasn’t included in it, plus he felt himself forming a migraine after watching that interaction between his two classmates.

Because Hitoshis seat is behind Midoriya, he could see him fidgeting with different colored embroidery thread throughout the lecture they were suffering through. He assumed that the colors were most likely based on a classmate, if he had to guess he would say it was for Iida.

It wasn’t until his name was called to answer a question that he realized he had hyper-focused on Midoroyas hands and the bracelet he was making. Today was going to be a long day.

The next day the class president walked in sporting a brand-new friendship bracelet, walking with a grinning Ururaka at his side complimenting his bracelet and playfully asking him where he got it from. Iida, apparently not catching the playful tone Ururaka had, announced “Our dear friend and classmate Izuku made them, don’t you remember asking him yesterday?”

Midoriya paused his bracelet-making as if he was caught with his hand in a cookie jar after he realized he and his bracelets were the topic at hand. Midoriya then flushed a small shade of pink when Iida complimented his bracelet-making skills while Ururaka egged Iida on, essentially torturing Midoriya with praise.

After 40 minutes of class passed, Hitoshi found himself looking around the room for anything to cure himself from the boredom that was starting to overtake him. Once again he found himself being drawn to the classmate in front of him and the new bracelet he was working on, this one seemed to match up with Todoroki.

Hitoshi watched as Midoriya continued to make forward knots on multiple strands of string, making a spiral pattern on the bracelet. He wondered how long it took Midoriya to learn how to make different kinds of bracelets since Iida had a V-like pattern and Ururaka had one he recognized as a candy stripe pattern.

This had slowly become a daily occurrence. He would become bored and his eyes would just be drawn to the most alluring option, Midoriyas hands bracelet-making skills, and he would guess which classmate it was based on. Guessing was always easy since they were based on either physical attributes like hair or their hero costumes.

During the last class, which was thankfully a free period, he was confused when he found himself tapping on Midoriyas shoulder and actually asking about why he picked bracelets of all things to gift classmates. He was even more confused when Midoriya seemed excited that he had asked, even though all Hitoshi had done so far was ignore him.

“I thought they could represent some sort of protection if that makes any sense? The bracelets I’m making for everyone aren’t wrap bracelets, but I wanted them to represent those since they were used to protect the wrist a long time ago. I thought it would be nice, especially after everything that happened in our first year.” Midoriya looked like he wanted to say more until he shut his mouth and looked away from Hitoshis eyes with a bashful expression.

He didn’t realize the bell had rung until he found himself leaving class, making his way to his dorm room, and opening his laptop. He wasn’t sure why he was looking up embroidery thread and he definitely wasn’t sure why he had purchased a small bundle off the internet that was set for overnight delivery.

Hitoshi wasn’t a morning person by any means, but he woke up early by his standards to get some stupid string he impulsively bought last night. He seriously doesn’t know why he bought it. What was he going to do, walk up to Midoriya and go ‘Teach me how to make friendship bracelets like you do even though I’ve been nothing but cold to you.’

It may work. Maybe not that entire thought and only the first half, plus it was only his second time reaching out to Midoriya since joining his class.

With fake confidence and limited determination, Hitoshi found himself making his way to Midoriya's room after he dropped off his package of thread in his room, and before he could remember how poor his social skills were and how if he makes an enemy out of one of the nicest kids in class then he is totally screwed.

Hitoshi failed to remember that he was still in his pj’s and hadn’t had breakfast yet but he was already knocking on Midoriya’s door so hey, a little too late to regret that now.

Midoriya opened his door and the first thing that Hitoshi noticed was that his hair was even more disheveled than usual and he was also still in his pj’s which made him feel a lot better since he now wasn’t alone in that department.

“Hey, Shinso! What are you doing here so early? Can I help you with anything? Is something on fire again?” Midoriya starts making his way out of his doorframe while shaking his head around frantically, looking for whatever outside source made the one person who never talks to him, knock on his door to talk to him.

Hitoshi should’ve thought this through more. “Nothing is on fire, I just had a question to ask you.” Midoriya looked at Hitoshi and tilted his head slightly as if Hitoshi just spoke a different language.

“I was wondering if you could teach me how to make the friendship bracelets you make.” Hitoshi watched as Midoriya’s confused expression melted away and was replaced with glee. He almost felt shivers run down his spine after having that look aimed at him for once, rather than at another classmate.  

“Of course,” Midoriya piped, just one pitch below being loud enough to wake any still-sleeping neighbors, “I think we should get breakfast first, then we can come back to my room where I can show you how to make them!” Midoriya reached for his forearm to drag him down to the kitchen.

Hitoshi was shocked. He was so shocked that when Midoriya grabbed his arm and dragged him, he let himself be swept away by Midoriya and his rambling about how fun making bracelets is. He was still in shock when Midoriya decided to sit right next to him, still talking about bracelets before he realized he should probably respond.

“Don’t forget why we came down here, you were the one that said we should eat before any bracelet stuff.” He said while getting up in search of two bowls and spoons, and he felt the presence of Midoriya behind him getting two boxes of cereal, one that Hitoshi favored and the other one being something too sweet for him but something he knew Midoriya liked.

After he set the bowls and spoons down in front of where they were sitting, he realized that Midoriya knew what cereal he liked. Oh god did he feel like an asshole, his classmate has been nothing but nice to him and Hitoshi just started even entertaining the idea of friendship with him.

Hitoshi finished his breakfast quicker than he ever had, he was oddly eager to get back to Midoriya’s dorm to make friendship bracelets. He noticed that Midoriya had eaten even faster than he had, and his leg was now twitching while not so subtly watching him put his bowl in the sink.

The walk back to Midoriyas room had his stomach in knots, maybe it was because he scarfed down his cereal, or maybe because Hitoshis head was swarming just thinking about how kind his classmate has been to him and how he was about to learn how to make friendship bracelets from him.

While Midoriya opened the door to his room and ushered Hitoshi inside, he turned to Hitoshi and said “Shinso you have no idea how excited I am to make bracelets with you! Even though everyone so far has been excited to get their bracelets, nobody has asked how to make them yet.” While looking at the other boys' giddy expressions and hearing those words he felt a grin tugging at his lips, and for once he didn’t fight it. 

When he was staring at the All Might-filled room he was now in, he didn’t even process the fact that he was sitting on Midoriyas bed until he felt the other side of the bed sink. “So I was thinking we could do the Chevron bracelet first, personally I find that the easiest one and it also looks the best in my professional opinion,” Midoriya said while putting a variety of strings in front of Hitoshi. “For the time being colors don’t matter since this is just practice.” Ignoring what Midoriya said about colors not mattering, he knew immediately he wanted the dark spring green and emerald from Midoriyas collection of string.

Hitoshi watched as his classmate pulled up a video on his laptop and scooted next to him so he could place the laptop in front of them both. He knew that a video was playing and that he should be focusing on that and the string that Midoriya had put in front of him, already cut and tied together, but he could only focus on the warmth of their thighs touching and how Midoriya was already working on his bracelet with practiced ease, his hands moving between the strands of string while he made knots to create whatever pattern he felt like at the time.

Midoriya accidentally elbowed him, finally pulling out of his trance. He moved his eyes to the video in front of him, only to realize he missed half of the process. Refusing to go back and seem like an idiot, he decided to just do the second step and ignore the first step since it could’ve been unimportant.

It wasn’t unimportant. The video ended and so did his motivation to even consider the thought of making a bracelet ever again. Midoriya was fighting back a chuckle until he saw the look on Hitoshis face which only made him break. “Listen it’s really not that bad if you look past the,” Midoriya paused and motioned his hand to the entire bracelet before letting out more dorkish giggles.

A grin found its way on his face after he realized Izuku Midoriya, the nicest kid in 2-A, was being snarky. “It’s only my first time Mr. Pro Bracelet Maker. I bet your first attempt sucked even worse than mine.” Hitoshi said with his usual drawl. “My first attempt was at least better than whatever tangled mess you are currently holding.” Midoriya said while walking to his desk and opening a drawer.

Hitoshi looked over to Midoriya while trying to hide an amused look. He assumed Midoriya found what he was looking for based on the grin his face held. “This masterpiece right here,” Midoriya says while holding up a messy purple and dark blue-gray bracelet, “is my very first attempt at a friendship bracelet!” Midoriya says proudly, puffing out his chest.

His eyes move to the bracelet in Midoriyas hand and can’t believe it was only his first attempt, it wasn’t as good as any of the current bracelets Midoriya has made for his classmates, but it wasn’t as bad as Hitoshis bracelet. “No way. You have to be lying, how come mine turned into a big knot? You said it was the video you watched.” Hitoshi said while holding up his green lump and comparing it to the bracelet in front of him.

Midoriya chuckles and sits back down next to Hitoshi, “Did you actually watch the video that I put on?” Damn. Midoriya got him there. “Okay, maybe I missed the first step.” Hitoshi said while looking anywhere but Midoriyas smug face. “Want to try again after actually watching the video or are you ready to head back to your room?” Midoriya asks him while already resetting the video, knowing Hitoshis answer, “I’m not leaving here until I manage to at least make a bracelet that looks like your first attempt.”

Three hours later and Hitoshi manages to get a normal-looking bracelet. Did he really need all three hours? No. Did he keep missing steps because he was mesmerized by how the boy sitting next to him looked so focused while doing something he loved? Maybe. His also not wanting to leave might’ve played a part in it.

During that time Midoriya made four more bracelets, if his guesses are right then that means they’re for Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido, and Tokoyami. He watched as Midoriya always managed to pick the best colors that were either spot on or as close as he could get based on the person the bracelet was for. He wondered if Midoriya would ever make him a bracelet, but it was probably just wishful thinking.

At some point, Hitoshi remembered that Midoriya never finished what he wanted to say the other day when he had asked about why he chose bracelets. When Hitoshi tapped Midoriya on the shoulder he realized at some point the teen had fallen asleep against him. Being the nice person that he is, he decides to wake him up so his sleep schedule isn’t ruined. It’s definitely not because his heart can’t handle Midoriya sleeping against him.  

“Hey, Midoriya,” Hitoshi flicks the other teen's forehead lightly, “Wake up. I don’t want your sleep schedule to forever be ruined. Plus I have a question.” Hitoshi flicks him once more. Midoriya stirs a little, “What’s your question Shinso?” Midoriya slurs his speech slightly with the post-sleep grogginess.

“Yesterday I asked you why you chose bracelets remember?” Midoriya nods slightly, head still leaning against Hitoshis side, “You cut yourself off before saying something else about it, what was it?” Hitoshi questions while nudging Midoriya slightly. “Oh, that? You were my first reason for making the bracelets.”

.

.

.

What?

Hitoshi stiffens while Midoriya acts as if he didn’t just drop what Hitoshi considers to be the equivalent of a bomb on him. It isn’t until he realizes it’s because he fell back asleep, “Midoriya.” Hitoshi says as he shakes the other a little bit, “Midoriya,” another nudge, “Yeah Shinso?” Okay, Midoriya has to be fucking with him. “Izuku.” Midoriya freezes. “Oh my god, I just told you why I started making the bracelets,” Midoriya murmurs against his hands, Hitoshi feels his face turn pink and most definitely not a light shade of it by how warm he feels, he wasn’t just saying random stuff he actually started making bracelets because of him. But why?

“Why?” Hitoshi asks him while trying to move his hands away from his face, which he sees is also a deep shade of pink. “Well you- you see I tried to befriend you by inviting you out and stuff,” Midoriya says while slowly maneuvering himself to where he’s sitting in front of Hitoshi, knees touching. “But it just never took to you, y’know? So I, don’t laugh at me when I say this, but I looked up common things to do to make friends and,” it starts slowly clicking into place the more Midoriya talks, and he doesn’t want to interrupt but all he wants to do is ask more questions.

“One of the things was friendship bracelets.” Midoriya looks at Hitoshi waiting for some kind of sign, he’s not sure what the other’s waiting for so he just gives a nod. “So I decided to make you a bracelet. It was my first ever one,” Midoriya pauses as he reaches for the purple bracelet he was showing earlier, “And I realized I should probably practice more so I could give you a good bracelet, one that I thought you deserved.” Hitoshi really hoped the dopey grin he was wearing in his head wasn’t actually on his real face. “So I practiced some and then I wanted to put them to use, so I made them for our classmates as more practice before I felt that I could give you a bracelet without making a complete fool of myself.”

Hitoshi was floating, he didn’t understand why but he understood it was connected to Izuku Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya who wanted to give him a friendship bracelet. Izuku Midoriya who oh no looked like he was gonna cry. Before Hitoshi realized what he was saying, the words had already come out. “Y’know, that green lump of string I made three hours ago was gonna be a bracelet for you.” Hitoshi mumbled while reaching for Midoriyas wrist, turning it over in his own hand as if to inspect it. “I realized you hadn’t gotten around to making yourself a bracelet yet and I wanted to be the first one to do it.”

“You know, I'd happily wear that green lump if you’ll wear the bracelet I made.” Midoriya sniffles before chuckling, as he reaches over for Hitoshi’s first-ever bracelet and holds it out to him. “Your hand is pretty comfortable but I can’t wear it forever.” Midoriya stares at him with a glint in his eye that he doesn’t think he ever noticed before. Hitoshi takes his hand away from Midoriyas wrist as he puts the bracelet on for him, “I think you have a better chance of my hand being around yours than you do for this bracelet to last two weeks” Hitoshi grumbles, before tying it after everything is in place.

Midoriya takes Hitoshis wrist in his hand as he puts the bracelet he made for him on it, “If it ever breaks can I replace it with your hand?” Midoriya asks Hitoshi with an impish grin. Hitoshi somehow feels the blush he has been fighting come back full force at his friends' words. “Only if you let me return the favor” Hitoshi drawls.

That day Hitoshi realized two things. One, he had a friend. Two, he wanted to be more than that.