Energy (D.P./M.H.A.)

. 4 4 .

Danny laughed as Sam exclaimed victoriously when she joined him and the rest of the class outside of the bus. Tucker pouted but slung his arms around her while he laughed. "Yeah yeah, but I got faster." Sam exclaimed in protest and managed to wriggle her way out of his arms, trying to look intimidating as she pointed at him.

Iida started chopping at them to hurry up from his position at the door of the bus and Danny apologetically smiled as he passed him, Tucker and Sam squabbling as they followed.

The bus was already quite full, the only spots left being in the back. Tucker and Sam overtook Danny and sat on the back row, their conversation having gone back to their usual discussion about veganism and meat. Danny let them be and took the empty spot next to Todoroki. They hadn't really talked much since that day at the gates with Bakugou, but Danny was going to change that.

Jirou was in front of him, one of her earphone jacks plugged into her phone, and Bakugou was next to her at the window, looking bored out of his mind. Danny had a feeling this wasn't the case.

The bus started driving, and conversations started up again as they merged onto the road towards the USJ. Danny felt his nerves were starting to get to him as they drove, and took a deep breath as he toyed with the clasps on his gloves. 

"Why are you so nervous?"

The comment made Danny jump, and he turned to Todoroki, who still had his head laying on the headrest and his eyes closed. "Eeehh, I just...don't want to fail?" he shrugged. It sounded like a stupid excuse, but it was also the truth. They couldn't fail. Not after all the work they put in.

"Danny," Todoroki was looking at him now, gaze as intense as ever, "you're one of the strongest people in this class, and you won't fail. And even if you did, you have enough good grades and reputation to make up for it." He closed his eyes again and put his head back on the headrest. "One bad grade won't fail you." Strange words, coming from one of the top-performing students.

But yeah. This was totally about his grade. 

"I have a question," Danny blurted out. He cringed as Todoroki opened his eyes again. He just wanted to nap. "About your big-ass ice move."

Very nice.

Todoroki legitimately snorted with his whole body, cracked a smile, and held a hand in front of his mouth to cover it up, eyes blown wide. Danny blinked at the reaction and snorted as well.

"Anyway... The move you pulled during the bomb diffusing exercise. You froze like, half the room in an instant. How do you do that? Don't you like, freeze yourself? And does it cost a lot of energy? Because you didn't seem affected like, at all."

"I have been training for a long time," Todoroki answered, and Danny sensed the pain behind the statement. "Stamina is a big part of the move, as is conviction and dedication. You have to put your entire body and mind behind it, or it simply will not be as strong of a move. There will be no impact, no movement--" he smirked-- "no big-ass ice move."

Danny felt a wave of joy hit him. And then Bakugou started screaming at Tsu, Kaminari trash-talked Bakugou in a not-so-subtle way, and Uraraka seemed more like a badass than she already was.

Danny liked it.

The moment they came to stop in front of the building, Danny felt his heart jump in his chest. This was it. The students chattered happily as they stepped out of the bus, and Danny felt Sam and Tucker walk up to him from behind. They sent him reassuring glances and Sam patted his shoulder as they followed behind Mina, a little jump in their step. Probably nerves, but also excitement.

They lined up in front of Aizawa, Tucker on Danny's right and Mina on his left. She seemed to sense his nervousness and whispered a quick "You'll be fine!" before Aizawa sent her a murderous glance and she shut up. Bakugou snorted from beside Mina, which earned him an elbow to his side.