“collision course”Todoroki Yosuke
a/n: to think that there was a time that I DESPISED Todoroki because of his attitude towards Murayama hahaha. and now look at me, writing fanfics about this man🥹 I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I loved writing this!
Synopsis: She thought she knew Todoroki Yosuke. Cold, blunt, and dangerously magnetic. But when a brutal fight between three rival schools leaves him missing, she’s forced to confront just how much he's gotten under her skin.
❕Warnings: slight swearing, Todoroki is sassy (as he should be), mention of blood. female pronouns used.
There are a lot of ways to ruin someone’s day. Spill their drink. Crack their phone. Hit them with a flying human body and Todoroki Yosuke managed to do all three in under five seconds.
She wasn’t even supposed to be near that alley. She was just grabbing a drink after school — minding her own business. But fate, or whatever kind of cosmic joke the universe was running that day, had other plans.
The first sign of trouble was the low thud of fists meeting flesh, like someone drumming on concrete. The second was the blur of a figure flying toward her, arms flailing, and next thing she knew, she had hit the ground hard, unable to get up because of the weight of an unconscious guy on top of her.
Her phone skid out of her pocket and across the pavement with a sickening crack, and as a cherry on top Her coffee exploded in her hand, splattering her jacket and the sidewalk. She stared at him for a beat, stunned. He was out cold. Bloody lip, bruised cheek, knocked halfway into next week. Hurriedly, she pulled herself together and pushed the unconscious guy off of her, her face red from fuming rage she now held against the person standing in front of her.
“What the hell!?” She snapped, glaring daggers into him. “Are you actually kidding me!? If you need to fight go do it somewhere else! Look at what you’ve done!“
“Move next time then.” Todoroki looked at her. Cold. Calm. Barely winded.
“Move!? You threw him at me you asshole!” She snapped back, marching towards him. However, Todoroki remained his unfazed demeanour. He blinked, and turned to walk away.
“Oi! Stop ignoring me you-“ Todoroki stopped in his tracks before she could finish her sentence, causing her nose to collide with his back. She rubbed her nose with her palm as Todoroki turned around, his tall frame now towering over her. He bent down just enough to close the distance between them and calmly said:
“You shouldn’t stand so close to a fight.”
That was it. That was the exact moment she decided that she hated Todoroki Yosuke.
She didn’t know his name at first. Just that he had this impossible calm in the middle of chaos. black uniform, blood on his collar, and that dead-cold stare that made it seem like the whole world could explode and he’d still be leaning against a wall, bored. She didn’t find out who he was until the next day. As she continued her rant in the stairwell to her friend, still mad about her spilled corfee with a now bruised hip, her friend suddenly stopped mid-chew on her gum.
“Wait. Tall guy, kinda scary-looking? Wears glasses? Didn’t say much?”
“That’s Todoroki Yosuke. From Oya High.”
“Yeah. You know that all-boys hell pit where all they do is fight? He’s one of their top guys.”
Her stomach dropped. Todoroki. Of course it was. She’d heard that name in passing, from rumors and warnings. The kind of guy people only talked about with half-lowered voices. Great. Now he had a name. And a reputation. And a permanent spot on her personal hit list.
It was later than she’d meant to stay out. The train had been delayed, and the shortcut she usually took home, past the backstreets near the station, felt suddenly different tonight. It felt quieter and darker than usual.
She heard footsteps behind her. Not close, but steady.
She didn’t want to panic, but something in her gut twisted. She ducked into the side alley near an old shuttered bookstore, hiding in the shadows. The footsteps passed... then stopped.
“You always walk around like this?” The voice made her flinch. Not because it was threatening—but because it was him. She turned sharply. Todoroki stood just beyond the alley entrance, hands in his pockets, and of course, with an unreadable gaze. Seeing him, she straightened her posture immediately.
“What? You’re following me now?”
Hearing this, Todoroki scoffed. “No.” He paused. “I saw you in the alley. You looked… unsettled.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t.”
She would’ve argued. But she chose not to. Because his presence, as annoying as he was, and as much as she hated to admit it, was comforting. She felt safe now that he was here.
Suddenly Todoroki turned around, taking steps towards the opposite direction. “Come on.” He said casually, confusing her even more. Why was he being so nice?
“Where?” she asked, her tone indicating a sense of caution, unsure of his intentions.
“I’ll walk you home. It’s dangerous.” He said, again, so casually that it was infuriating. However, she obliged. She jogged to catch up to him, and they both walked in silence. Not awkward. Not tense. But rather a comfortable one.
“I can go ahead on my own from here. Thanks.” Todoroki didn’t reply. He gave her a slight nod, and turned back around.
However, after a few steps, he turned his head ever so slightly and called from his shoulder, his back still facing her. “Next time, call someone so you’re not by yourself.” And with that, he had disappeared out of her sight.
Following that unusual incident, Todoroki would cross her mind more often than she would’ve liked. For reasons unknown to even her. Everytime the scene replayed in her head against her will she would pretend it was solely due to how infuriating Todoroki was. However, little did she know that at the exact moment where he walked her home that day, her heart fluttered, a feeling she had never felt before for someone.
Lost in deep thoughts, fighting with her own brain to stop thinking about him, her train of thought was interrupted by the words of one of her friends—
“By the way, did you hear? Oya High got jumped. Bad.” her head snapped towards her friend.
“Yeah, when I was coming to school this morning, I saw some Ebara high and Kamasaka High hooligans beating up two boys from Oya High, I’m pretty sure it was the two guys who follow Todoroki around everywhere.” Hearing the news made her heart drop. The breeze suddenly felt cold against her neck.
“Was Todoroki there too?” She asked, trying not to show her concern.
Her friend shrugged. “They got ambushed from what the word on the street says. I’m guessing all the factions got attacked separately. But no, I don’t think I saw Todoroki”
“Wait — did you say Ebara High?” She clarified. Her friend nodded, but she didn’t hear the rest. She was already moving.
By the time her feet reached the staircase, she was sprinting. It wasn’t a decision—it was instinct. She burst through the school doors and paused just long enough to catch her breath, heart pounding. She hadn’t meant to care. She still didn’t want to care. But she did.
Because she remembered something no one else knew: Her cousin, a loudmouth from Ebara himself, had let it slip once, bragging about how all the schools in the SWORD district were sick of Oya High’s dominance. Especially the part-time students. The ones who made Oya unstoppable. He'd talked about it like it was inevitable. That sooner or later, the other schools would rise up. That they wouldn’t keep letting Oya High walk all over them. He even told her where they'd meet to celebrate when they struck. A rusted old rooftop on a forgotten warehouse near a scrapyard.
She told herself now that this wasn't about Todoroki. That she just hated cowards. Hated sneak attacks. That it was about fairness or justice or something.
But deep down, her heart knew the truth.
It was him. It was the way his eyes had softened that night in the alley. The way he walked her to the bus stop without asking for anything in return. The way he made her feel like someone was looking out for her.
And suddenly, the idea of never seeing that again terrified her.
She didn’t grab her bag. She didn’t think about how insane this was. All she knew was that Todoroki might be bleeding out somewhere, and that not knowing was worse than anything else.
Halfway there, she heard sounds. Footsteps that indicated a group of people running. She hid behind a wall, watching as a group of boys with distinct blue uniforms and plaid trousers ran past her, too scared and too beat up to notice her. She waited until their footsteps faded, then slipped out, following the direction they’d come from. Broken glass crunched under her shoes. A streetlamp flickered overhead, throwing jittery shadows across the alley walls. She noticed a small trail of blood, illuminated by the street lamp. She decided to follow the trail in the hopes of finding Todoroki, praying with every step that the blood not be his. She turned one last corner, and there he was, sitting on a staircase, panting, but still radiating that impossible calm. A wave of relief went through her veins, as she felt herself getting weaker in the knees. She didn’t realise that she was running on pure adrenaline. Having sprinted about 5 blocks to reach Todoroki.
“Todoroki.” She said, breathing heavily.
His head lifted, slow, wary. Recognition flashed in his eyes. followed by confusion, then something softer.
That was all she needed. She reached into her pocket for the folded scrap of paper with the warehouse address, willing her voice not to shake. Walking towards him, she grabbed his hand, and placed the piece of paper in his palm. He stared at her, confused. “what is this?”
“Address. Where the leaders of Ebara High like to train. You’ll find them there.” She replied.
He finally stood, a little stiff. His shadow stretched long behind him in the fading light. He took the paper, eyes still locked on her.
“Why?” he asked. Not skeptical. Just quiet. Like he genuinely didn’t understand.
She took a deep breath, trying to even her breathing and her racing heart. “Maybe I hate ambushes. Or maybe I just hate Ebara High more than you. I don’t know.”
He folded the paper and tucked it into his jacket pocket, slow and deliberate. Then his voice softened.
“You okay?” The question caught her off guard.
She blinked. “I’m not the one who just took on half a school.”
“You looked like you were about to pass out.” He smirked. She let out a small laugh in return, and for a moment, the world went quiet. No sounds of footsteps, no screaming. It was just them with the breeze blowing past. Heat rushed to her to face as she cleared her throat.
“I didn’t do this for you okay.” She said suddenly.
He took another step towards her. The distance between the two now merely centimeters apart. Her heart skipped a beat. He looked at her differently. Not like she was in the way anymore. Not like some unlucky bystander. But something softer. She saw his lips curl ever so slightly to form a smile— or more correctly the beginning of one. “Go home. It’s dangerous out here, especially right now.” She hummed in response. Unsure of what to say.
“What about you?” She asked. Trying to hide the rosy hue of her cheeks.
“I’m going to clear some business with Ebara High.” With that, he turned towards the alley and looked over his shoulder. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the bus stop.”
He didn’t wait for a thank you. Just turned and started walking slowly. She jogged a few steps to catch up. Neither of them spoke—but the silence didn’t feel cold. It felt... grounded. Comforting. They walked side by side until the bus stop came into view. Just as they were about to reach it, Todoroki suddenly slowed, then stopped. Without facing her fully, he turned just enough to meet her eyes. Gone was the cocky smirk he always wore like armor. His expression was unreadable—still, calm—but his eyes held something else. Something quieter. Not soft, exactly. Just real.
“I owe you.” He said. Before she could say anything, the sharp sound of screeching tires broke the moment—the bus pulling up to the stop. She glanced at it, then back at him.
"Good luck," she called over her shoulder as she ran for the door. He didn’t respond. Just watched her go, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed—but not careless.
As the bus pulled away, she looked back one more time. He was still standing there. And suddenly, she hated the idea of not knowing what would happen to him next.
She didn’t know how she managed to survive through the next few days. The anxiety was killing her, and there was no news regarding Todoroki. All she could do was hope that he was okay.
She was starting to think maybe that night had been it. That she’d never see him again. That maybe the fight with Ebara had ended him in a way fists couldn’t.
Then she saw him, waiting by the school gate. Leaning against the wall like it was nothing. Bandages still fresh on his arm, a small cut near his eyebrow. His uniform jacket slung over one shoulder. His eyes found hers instantly.
He didn’t speak until she was a few steps away.
“Took you long enough.” He said with the faintest smirk. It appeared as if he’d been waiting for her for a while.
She stared at him, dumbfounded. Her voice cracked when she finally spoke:
“Are you okay? What happened to you?”
Todoroki looked at her, and slowly pushed himself off the fence. He stepped toward her, slow, like he didn’t want to scare her. Or maybe like he wasn’t sure if he should. She didn’t move.
“I came to thank you. If it wasn’t for you… we wouldn’t be able to defeat defeat the three school alliance.” He said. Hesitation was a first to come from someone so apparently collected like Todoroki. It was as if he was picking his words very carefully. This time, his lips curled into a full, genuine smile.
“I didn’t say it properly back then… I hoped to see you again, to say it properly, once things had calmed down. And also-“
He continued. “To say sorry. I shouldn’t have thrown that guy towards you.” The word “sorry” took her by surprise. Todoroki? the same guy who ignored her as if she was non existent was now apologising?
“You’re apologising?” she asked, half laughing.
“You, Todoroki Yosuke, can apologise to people?”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t make me say it twice.”
She crossed her arms, a playful spark returning to her voice. “And what about my coffee?” That pulled a low, surprised laugh from him. She swore the air around them shifted. It was less cold now, warmer somehow.
He stepped closer once again. This time, bending down to her eye level. Her breath hitched.
Her eyes widened slightly, heart now full-blown sprinting inside her chest. His face was just inches away, the soft curve of his mouth, the glint in his eyes. Her brain short-circuited with the very real possibility that he was about to kiss her. However, He dipped just a little lower and, with the same calm composure as always, reached past her and grabbed something.
“Relax,” he said, standing upright again with her bag slung effortlessly over his shoulder. “You dropped this.”
She blinked, trying to regain function of her limbs, her face now burning. “You—”
He didn’t give her time to finish.
“Let’s go,” he said casually, already turning toward the school gate.
She narrowed her eyes, still recovering. “Go where?”
He glanced over his shoulder, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “To your favorite coffee shop. I owe you a drink, don’t I?”
She stared, stunned. “Wait… are you asking me out?”
He slowed just enough to fall into step beside her. “Depends.”
He looked at her again, not teasing this time, but calm and steady. “On whether you say yes.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected — a cold dismissal, maybe a nod and goodbye. But this? Him offering to buy her coffee like it was nothing, like it was everything?
“I- Okay.” she said, finally.
His smirk deepened just a little, satisfied. They walked in silence again, steps falling into rhythm as the distance between them closed—not just physically, but in every way that mattered. The silence wasn’t awkward. It was full. Full of things unspoken, but felt. As they continued walking, her hand accidentally brushed against his. She stiffened slightly, but didn’t pull away.
A few steps later, it happened again. Slower this time. And then, as if neither of them wanted to say anything out loud, their hands lingered just a little longer the next time they touched. Not fully holding. Not quite letting go.
She didn’t look at him. He didn’t say anything. But the warmth of his skin against hers made something in her chest twist, and her heart race.
And that was the start of something she never saw coming.
