#they may not be youngsters like Class 1-A but gosh darn it they deserves all the love

[drawsby-mandi]

I AM BACK HOME AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A THOUGHT I HAD INSPIRED BY THIS POST, IF I MAY:

It's Toshinori who asks Inko on a date, as he's unaware that Inko is still a married woman despite her husband being absent for so many years. She rejects him at first because she's been deprived of romance and partnership for so long that she doesn't know if she's able to put herself out there again (and she's also still married, and she doesn't know if it'll be wrong of her to throw away such that lifelong promise she made so long ago).

((Also how would Izuku react?? Would this offend him in some ways??? Would he be upset?? Embarrassed??? What if he doesn't want to eat Katsudon with her anymore??¿))

Toshinori isn't aware of the marriage until Izuku brings it up one day during lunch (he pulled him away from Uraraka and Iida just for this specific problem). Toshi then asks the boy if it would be wrong of him to push such romantic affections onto his mother; he's never been in a romantic relationship (maybe a few romantic nights with different women in his younger years), but he knows that Inko makes him feel so warm and happy and normal that he can't stop that aching feeling of wanting to be with her. Is it selfish of himself to want a married woman? Is it wrong that it happens to be his successor's mother? Does this make him uncomfortable? Izuku, it's okay if you tell me it's wrong and makes you uncomfortable, I'll back off and--

Toshinori has to stop his rambling because Izuku is crying, and he was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed it. Immediately he believes it's because 'yes, this is wrong how dare you try and intrude into my family like this' and that makes Toshi feel like the crappiest mentor in the world (Gran Torino would laugh in his face and make fun of him if he just saw what was happening), but Izuku, through his hiccups and sobs, quickly erases that thought.

No, he's not crying because he hates the situation. He's crying because it's been so long since he's ever heard someone speak so lovingly about his mother and he's happy that someone actually wants to stay by her side. He tells the hero how his father's long term absent has left his mother alone and heartbroken all these years, and it's been hard on Izuku watching his mom separate herself from the world because she's afraid of facing that heartbreak yet again.

That is why Inko was quick to reject Toshinori's offer, but Izuku can see how she lights up when Toshinori comes for visits and checks up on them. He can see how long their conversations last without either of them growing bored, how she remembers his favorite tea and how he remembers her favorite type of flower. Izuku knows that his mom did not reject his mentor because she wasn't interested, because she definitely is.

"Please, it would make me so happy if you were to ask her out on a date. It would make her the happiest woman in the world to know that someone out there is willing to care for her instead of the other way around."

Toshinori is so touched by the words he's hearing that he has no words to respond with at all.

But, he does know that after this conversation, his feelings for Inko have grown more intense, and he's more determined to try for that date.

(Izuku gives him a few ideas, and the boy is so darn clever that he doesn't see why he doesn't try these date ideas on his own with his crush)

((Cue broccoli boy blushing a deep red and furiously denying having such romantic feelings))

__________

I'm going to stop here, because this post would be super long, but @upperstories has the cutest Toshinko ideas! I hope you don't mind me adding this quick little idea here. ;u;

Thinking up More Cute Toshinko Things

Toshinori can’t handle large meals because of his surgeries, so Inko packs lots of high calorie snacks—like peanut butter crackers, almond butter/hazelnut butter packets, and protein shakes—to keep him from collapsing throughout the day. The minute she starts to notice him crashing, or his hands start shaking, she breaks out the snack bag.

Toshinori has to force himself to take small steps so Inko can keep up with him on outings, a difficult feat with his bamboo legs. They come in handy though. If she needs help traversing a wide gap or a puddle, he’ll gladly show off being able to lift her over it.

Inko drags Toshinori through the market district because he comes in handy with haggling. She might be a law-abiding citizen, but she’s not above guilting skeevy stall owners into giving her a discount on otherwise overpriced radishes in order to “serve Japan’s No. 1 Hero”.

Despite getting along, they argue over the smallest things. When to go to bed. What to have for breakfast. What they thought of a recent baseball game. They never fight, but they banter (like an old married couple). Don’t call them out on it though, or else they get self conscious about their banter, wrongfully worrying that they offended each other.

Inko learns that Toshinori has a slight affection towards rabbits, and surprises him with a day trip to Ōkunoshima (Rabbit Island). He spends most of the day lying on his back in the grass, swarmed by hundreds of puffballs and trying to retain whatever shred of dignity he feels he has left (eventually succumbing to crying over how cute all the bunnies are). He “gets revenge” by taking Inko to a Kitty Cafe. They both have hundreds of smartphone photos of the other holding kitties and rabbits (respectfully) and crying.