Chapter Text
Shouta forgets about that quiet day between a string of weeks and weeks of nothing but movement and action, barely contained rage and horror, pain and god dammit not again, problem child.
He wouldn’t call it a mistake. Too much has happened in too short an amount of time, and it’s not the weirdest thing he’s seen from his students, not the most important thing on his mind to, well, be mindful of. Buying industrial strength fire resistant bedding makes about the top of the list at the moment, delivering it while Bakugou is who knows where except his dormroom presently in action.
That’s the only reason he’s passing by the dorm kitchen, hoping to slip back out and succumb to a much needed nap without being seen.
“I feel like my father would yell at me if I drank this,” comes a voice as he’s passing, and Shouta falters at the words, worried for all of a heartbeat. Ill-mannered as usual, Todoroki, but. “Is it good?”
“Todoroki-kun, Yaoyorozu-kun wouldn’t offer it to us if she didn’t believe so!” Iida scolds to a giggle. There’s a pause. “Though, I will admit to being curious. I, too, have never had instant coffee.”
Shouta almost wants to make a face. Of course, none of them have ever had instant coffee before. It all makes a stunning wealth of sense now. He just hopes none of them drink too much caffeine. The slightest gift of independence can send anyone into a spiral of rash and bad decisions.
“It’s no problem, I just thought that you two might not have and would’ve liked to try it,” Yaoyorozu says, and Shouta feels too invested in this as he leans just beside the door frame. “I will admit it’s somewhat of a trial and error when it comes to taste, but one hundred grams for three hundred yen isn’t bad.”
There’s a hum. “That is pretty inexpensive. A lot less than what my sister usually pays…”
“Actually, I think my brother drinks instant! It was a while ago now, but I remember one instance of hearing him complain about having to grind up coffee one morning.” Iida pauses again. “I thought nothing of it really, but saving time that could be put to better use is a commendable idea.”
Shouta almost admires the faith Iida has in Tensei. Almost. Because he knows exactly how often Tensei oversleeps.
And then, somehow, Yaoyorozu is lead into explaining each brand she has, the sound of a cabinet opening. The amount of names she lists off is, frankly, a little worrying; He may have to get Yagi to stage an intervention. Todoroki and Iida make the appropriate comments as is required, asking after flavor, color, and grain texture of all things, but.
The coffee must be lukewarm by now because clearly neither boy has tried it, and the longer Shouta stands here, the more he feels like he’s owed a cup just for the mental exhaustion their stalling is giving him.
“Oh! Listen to me go on and on, please,” Yaoyorozu says, a thread of self-consciousness rearing its ugly head, “drink your coffee, I’ll stop talking now...”
The ensuing silence would have seen Hizashi busting a gut and every ear drum within one hundred yards. As it is, Shouta drops his face into a hand, fingers pushing through his hair.
“... Iida, you go first.”
“O-Oh, well! If you insist, Todoroki-kun… I will drink this coffee!”
A long moment passes.
One.
Two—
“Oh. This is actually very good!”
“So, you doubted Yaoyorozu.”
Iida sputters. “I—of course not! I was merely unsure as to whether I, personally, would enjoy it. And I do! Thank you, Yaoyorozu-kun!”
“You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoy it, Iida-kun,” she laughs, and.
Once more, they taper off into silence, expectant. Shouta shifts, lips twisting with amusement even as he pinches the bridge of his nose.
“... Todoroki-kun.”
“Ah. Right…”
Another moment.
“Hm.”
“Does that mean you like it? No? I don’t know your tastes well, but Blendy is pretty well-bodied. I just thought Hescafe would be a good start since it was my first brand too…”
“It’s fine. I’ve had fresh ground coffee that tasted much worse.”
“O-Oh… well, I have plenty you can try if you want! Hescafe is about on the end of the spectrum in taste, so if you ever want to try others, please don’t be shy.”
Footsteps. The shutting of a door, and familiar snarling. Ah. Time to go, then. Shouta picks himself up, affects his usual stoop, and walks into the kitchen to avoid one of his biggest worries' impending tantrum. All three students startle at his entrance, variably boggled by his sudden appearance. They watch him in near silence as he picks a bright orange mug from the cabinet before approaching their kettle and jar of coffee.
The mug has a chihuahua on it.
“Don’t mind me,” he says, spooning out some coffee, “carry on.”
They don’t, as if he walked in on something terribly scandalous and uncouth, like they’re are too afraid to do so for fear of word getting out. Well, perhaps not Todoroki. Shouta’s sure the boy would slowly drink a whole mug right in front of Endeavour given half a chance to piss the man off.
Damn rich people and their children, he thinks, reaching for the kettle.