Work Text:
[ one ]
After knowing Shouta for nearly three years, Hizashi had learned that he wasn’t one to talk much.
It was rare for him to speak his feelings, and rather difficult to get him to open up. Hizashi had always tried to get him to talk about his personal life, but whenever the subject arose Shouta would shut himself down and quickly change the subject.
Hizashi didn’t really mind - hell, as long as he was friends with Shouta, he was happy. Having him over at his house for dinners and sleepovers was what he looked forward to at the end of every week, and going to the arcade on early August days where the air was sticky with heat beat going to any pool or beach. Hizashi loved spending time with him.
But lately Shouta had been acting… strange.
Shouta texted him something he’d never really thought he’d hear as he made his way home, legs tired from having to do extra cleaning after class.
[ from: shOUTAAA - 5:32 PM ] can you come over?
So of course, he couldn’t resist.
As Hizashi sat on one of the stools in Shouta’s kitchen, socked feet grazing the floor while he kicked them back and forth, he couldn’t help but be restless with excitement. ‘He’s in the shower,’ Shouta’s mother had said, laptop on her arms as she let Hizashi in through the front door. She waved off his formal greeting and bow before heading back to what he assumed was her work room. ‘No need for the formalities. We aren’t a traditional household. You can wait for him wherever.’
Hizashi had happily put his shoes by the door before taking his bag with him into the kitchen, looking around in awe. For saying they weren’t traditional, the house certainly looked like it.
He’d never been over to Shouta’s house before. Sure, he’d walked him home many times, but he’d never been invited inside - a dusty kotatsu sat in the living room while the hallway held the smell of burning incense.
Hizashi wondered why Shouta asked him to come over to suddenly. It wasn’t really like him… but then again, he totally wasn’t complaining, since he’d always wanted to come over and of course he got to spend time with Shouta -
“Oh. You made it.” Hizashi startled in his seat, turning to see Shouta pad into the room while toweling off his hair. He grinned.
“Of course I did!,” he laughed, watching as Shouta tied his hair back in a messy bun before making his way over to the fridge. “Why would I pass up a chance to hang out with you? It’s been a while since we’ve hung out after school!”
Shouta grunted, pulling a box of take out from the fridge and setting it on the counter. He fidgeted slightly where he stood, looking at the food before slowly turning to Hizashi. “Hey, Hizashi.” The blond smiled at him as he made his way over to stand before him.
“Can I… show you something?”
Hizashi blinked, eyebrows raised in curiosity. “Sure Shouta! What is it?” The excited grin on his face began to falter though, Shouta’s hand reaching out for his with trembling fingers. He looked nervous. More nervous than Hizashi was used to seeing him.
“Oh, uh - ” He took Shouta’s hand cautiously, telling his heart to slow the fuck down, they were just holding hands, now did not seem like the time to think about how much he -
Shouta tugged on his hand, and he slipped off the stool to follow him down the hallway. They paused at his mother’s work room, and Shouta knocked a couple times before speaking. “We’re going to Dad’s room,” he mumbled, hand tightening on Hizashi’s. A small ‘ok’ from inside set Shouta into motion again, leading Hizashi to the end of the hallway.
Hizashi had always known Shouta’s father wasn’t a part of his life. Shouta had told him early on that he didn’t have a father, and when he’d asked what happened Shouta had simply shrugged and murmured “he’s just not here.”
Shouta opened the door slowly before pulling Hizashi inside.
Oh.
The room was practically empty, dimly lit from both the curtains slightly parted at the window and the candles against the wall. Shouta still held onto Hizashi’s hand, nervously looking around the room. “It’s um…” He gestured to the shrine, incense burning lazily in front of a collage of pictures hanging on the wall. “It’s his birthday today so… I realized I never told you about him really.”
Hizashi squeezed his hand before letting go, moving up to the shrine and getting down onto his knees. Shouta watched in silence as Hizashi took a moment to pay his respects before joining him on the floor. “Happy Birthday Aizawa-san,” Hizashi murmured, looking up at the pictures with a small smile. “I’m glad to be friends with your son.”
Shouta shuffled a little closer to him, thigh pressing up against his as he took a deep breath. “He died when I was five.” The blond’s head turned to look at him, eyes wide. “I’ve never talked about him with anyone before.” As Shouta stared at the shrine, eyes glistening with unshed tears as he made that small confession, Hizashi could feel the protective shell around him start to crack.
“Thanks for telling me Shouta,” Hizashi said, voice low, and gladly stayed by Shouta’s side until the smell of reheated udon filled the house and Shouta’s mother called for dinner.
[ two ]
Shouta knew his feelings for Hizashi were strong, but he hadn’t truly realized the kind of part that he took in his life until he went away on a month long trip to America.
“You’re so lovesick,” Nemuri cooed, smirking over the rim of her cup as Shouta scowled. The café they were in was nearly empty, the lazy drone of cars on the street outside beginning to dwindle as the day settled into evening. A slice of half eaten chocolate cake sat in front of her, while Shouta’s untouched strawberry crepe sat off to the side.
“I’m not,” he grunted.
“You totally are.”
“Nemuri - ”
She laughed, loud and giggly, wiping fake tears from her eyes with a dramatic flick of her wrists. She was the only person Shouta had trusted enough with that secret. That he loved his best friend. Of course, she always took any opportunity she could to tease him about it, making him flustered in an instant.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he rushed to fish it out.
“Is it your loverboy?,” Nemuri asked, leaning over the table to try and look at his phone. Shouta rolled his eyes and shoved her face away, checking the notification screen before frowning.
“Tensei said he’s almost here. He had to bring Tenya since his parents went out.” Nemuri sighed in mock disappointment, head heavy in her hand as she smiled. Shouta growled at her, cutting into his strawberry crepe. Her eyes danced with amusement.
Shouta decided then that he hated his friends.
Tensei arrived not a minute later, his little brother toddling in with him, hand clutching onto his pant leg. The older of the two waved at Nemuri and Shouta before beginning to make his way over, Tenya shouting ‘Shou-nii!’, and darting up with a large grin.
Nemuri stared as Tenya climbed up to sit next to Shouta, bouncing a little in his seat. “Why doesn’t he ever get excited to see me?,” she groaned, punching Tensei’s arm as he moved to sit beside her. “What do you tell him about me!?” Shouta laughed softly, listening to their banter as a waitress came by and placed a sheet of paper and crayons in front of the toddler.
Watching him begin to draw, Shouta couldn’t help but smile. He grabbed his phone off the table and unlocked it, opening his and Hizashi’s chat. “Hey guys,” he muttered, holding it up. “Picture?” Tensei grinned and threw and arm around Nemuri, dragging her with him as he leaned forward.
Shouta opened the camera with a snort and turned it to face them. “Cheese cheese!,” Tenya sang, crayons in his hands as the group began to laugh. Shouta took the picture quickly, then sat back against his seat.
It… actually looked really nice. He saved it before sending it to Hizashi.
[ to: Hizashi - 5:52 PM] [IMG attached]
[to: Hizashi - 5:52 ] everyone says hi. hope I didnt wake you
[ from: Hizashi - 5:53 ] AH SHOUTA!!!! I just woke up! It’s 6 here so I gotta get ready (･_･｡)^
“Ooh - Shouta’s smiling!,” Tensei chirped, poking at his arm a couple times. “That must mean you’re texting ‘Zashi right? You always smile when you text him.”
Shouta froze, glancing up at him before flicking his gaze over to Nemui. Her shoulders were hunched up defensively, eyes showing surprise that Tensei would even imply such a thing. He waved it off and shrugged.
“So what?”
Tensei laughed.
[ from: Hizashi - 5:55 PM ] I love it here but I can’t wait to go home (●´ω ´●)
[ from: Hizashi - 5:55 PM ] I don’t know anyone here sighhh
[ to: Hizashi - 5:56 PM ] I cant wait
[ from: Hizashi - 5:56 PM ] ????????? for what????
[ to: Hizashi - 5:56 PM ] you to come home
[ to: Hizashi - 5:56 PM ] honestly its lonely here even with nemuri and tensei
[ to: Hizashi - 5:57 PM ] i miss you
Shouta stared at his screen, reading over the words he sent a couple times before his eyes grew wide. The phone dropped to the table with a clatter as his hands flew up to cover his mouth in shock. Tensei and Nemuri looked at him in concern, while Tenya drew little people in the corners of his paper.
“You okay bud?,” Tensei asked, voice cautious. “Your face is bright red.”
“It’s nothing!”
His voice came out in an uncharacteristic squeak, a hand flashing out to stuff the phone back into his pocket as it buzzed once, then twice. Nemuri paused before stifling a giggle with her hand, watching as Shouta busied himself with his crepe. “Obviously something happened,” she teased, pouting as Shouta turned towards Tenya instead of acknowledging her.
Tenya giggled away as Shouta silently grabbed a crayon. “Let’s add some color to this. Sound good little man?”
“Shouta! Don’t ignore me!”
[ from: Hizashi - 5:57 PM ] REALLY!?
[ from: Hizashi - 5:57 PM ] I miss you tons too!!!!
[ three ]
Hizashi hated the outdoors. Shouta knew that.
But on a day like this, where the sky was overcast and the air was pleasantly heavy with warmth, there would be no way that he’d be able to decline Shouta’s offer to go on a walk through the forest.
They went out for hours, Shouta climbing and sitting high in trees while Hizashi stayed on the ground. There was the occasional bug Shouta had to shoo away (then again, there were bugs everywhere) and the further they got into the forest to heavier the air got.
It wasn’t a surprise when it started to rain, but Hizashi insisted they continue hiking. Shouta looked like he was having fun, until they went to find cover to try and dry off. Shouta slipped in the mud, tried to regain his balance, but slipped again. He fell on his side with a heavy ‘oof’, his hair sticking to the ground as he laid there and frowned.
Hizashi laughed, splashing through the growing puddles as he made his way over to Shouta. “I didn’t know you loved nature that much,” he giggled, hand outstretched for Shouta to take with a smile.
“I’m covered in mud. How is this funny?”
“You just,” Hizashi snorted, his nose scrunching up as he began to hunch over. Shouta sat up and grabbed his hand, holding on tight. “You just fell. Out of nowhere. Like BAM, you were down! It was hilarious - ” He tugged on Shouta’s hand, trying to help him up, but yelped when Shouta suddenly yanked him down to the ground.
Hizashi collapsed in the mud, his whole front soaking through immediately as his glasses sat skewed on his face. “Shoutaaaaaaaaa”, he cried, his quirk coming through in his whine, rolling over to sit in the mud and looking down at his clothes sadly.
“This was a good shirt…
He turned to look at Shouta, a pout etched into his face, but it quickly eased up once he saw how Shouta was shaking from laughter, quiet but there. His cheeks were bright red, brows scrunched up as he smiled the widest Hizashi had ever seen, and the blond could have sworn he was starstruck.
It took a good minute for Shouta to relax, letting out a few small, wheezing breaths as he tried to stop giggling. “S - sorry,” he chuckled, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes and smudging some mud on his cheeks. “That was funny.”
Hizashi wanted to kiss him. Shouta wanted to do the same.
“Well,” he sighed, crossing his arms. “I hope you’re happy Shouta ~ Now we’re both covered in mud. Oh god, there better not be any bugs or else I’m leaving - ” He paused as Shouta gently grabbed his arm, the smile gone, but his eyes still bright.
“Wanna just sit here?,” he suggested, squinting out into the trees as rain pattered around them.
What the hell did they have to lose? Hizashi sighed, scooting a little closer to Shouta before crossing his legs together. He didn’t have a response, the gesture enough for Shouta to understand that yes, he did want to sit there, and everything went silent aside from the rain around them.
A minute passed by, then five, and soon Hizashi had forgotten that they were even in the forest, sitting in a sticky puddle of mud while completely drenched from head to toe. The air was musky, smelling like pine needles and fresh dirt, and Shouta was now pressed up against his side.
“I wanna tell you something.”
The silence was broken, Shouta’s low voice speaking up over the rain, and Hizashi hummed for him to continue. Shouta dragged his heel back and forth through the mud at his feet, eyes glancing at Hizashi and back. “You know how I wanted to be a hero so bad, I did everything I could to get into the hero course.”
Hizashi was taken aback, eyes wide behind his lenses. He nodded, leaning forward so he could see Shouta’s face. He looked… content almost. Maybe even a little shy. Kind of like the old, first year Shouta he had known.
“Well… I really hated being in the hero class when I got there,” Shouta admitted, eyes skimming over Hizashi’s face as he talked.
“Everyone was so much better than me. And they didn’t like me on top of it all. It made me worry whether or not I really wanted to put in all that effort into becoming someone as talented as them.” He shrugged, hands folding in his lap. “They were all so far ahead of me that I didn’t know where to start.”
It took a moment for Hizashi to register what he was saying, and he frowned. “Shouta - ”
Shouta held up his hand, wanting to continue.
“When you became my friend, and told me I’d be an amazing hero, it was the first time I really believed it.” Now he looked embarrassed, voice getting quieter and quieter as he finally realized what he was doing. “I really looked up to you for inspiration,” he murmured, looking away. “I still do. I think you’re going to be an amazing hero one day Hizashi.”
Hizashi paused, and Shouta could feel his ears burning. The blonde then broke into a smile, looping an arm around Shouta’s shoulder and leaning against him. “You’re the best Shouta!,” he beamed. “I still think you’re gonna be an amazing hero one day too!” Shouta felt his heart flutter and let a crooked smile flicker on his lips. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. They almost felt like nothing could get in their way.
The next day, Shouta sat in bed sniffling as he burned with fever while Hizashi went to school with a broken voice.
Worth it.
[ four ]
“Now class,” the teacher said, speaking up above the chatter with his hands folded behind his back. “Whether you’re going to go into hero work immediately or attend university, I need you all to have those forms filled out over the weekend.” The chatter continued on and he simply smiled wider, warmth and light filtering through his teeth as he chuckled.
“It’s worth one hundred points, so I expect that it will be complete.” Every student’s voice fell to a hush, and the teacher simply moved over to his desk and sipped at his tea. “You’re dismissed. Have a nice weekend everyone ~ ”
Shouta sighed. He had already filled out the paper, ready to turn it in, but he guessed he could keep it until Monday. He shoved the paper into his bag and got to his feet.
Out of the corner of his eye, there was a flash of blonde, and he turned to Hizashi excitedly bouncing on his feet. “Wanna spend the night?,” he blurted, asking the same question he did every Friday when school ended.
“You know the answer,” Shouta snorted, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
“I’ll tell mom to cook your favorite!”
Fridays were dedicated to staying over at Hizashi’s place. It had become such a regular thing for Shouta that his mom didn’t even need to ask where he was going to be for half the weekend. Hell, he had a packed bag at the Yamada household for every Friday. They’d usually spend the afternoon playing video games or napping in Hizashi’s room, watching movies from when the sun went down until they fell asleep.
Neither of them would really wake up until late in the morning, and would spend the day doing homework and going out to do things together.
It was a nice routine. Shouta liked spending time with Hizashi.
After making the long walk home, Hizashi chattering on and on about the new video games he got the week before, Shouta couldn’t help but feel relaxed at the sight of their front gates. He’d never confess it, but he always thought of Hizashi’s place as his second home.
They took their shoes off at the door and set them down, walking into the quiet house. Hizashi’s mother stood in the kitchen, stirring ingredients together in a bowl, and Shouta moved up until she noticed he was there. She smiled, setting the bowl down on the counter.
‘Good to see you Aizawa-kun,’ she signed, glancing over at her son. ‘I will tell you when dinner is ready. Go have fun.’ Shouta nodded and signed back a quick ‘thanks’ before leaving with Hizashi.
“Your dad at work?,” he asked, trailing into Hizashi’s room before collapsing on his bed with a huff.
“Yeah,” Hizashi nodded, setting up his game console and pulling out his new games. “He has a late shift today. He’ll be home after dinner.”
Shouta and Hizashi played until his mother came knocking on the door, their eyes already heavy and tired. He couldn’t thank Hizashi’s mother enough for the delicious food, talking to her at the dinner table about school and asking her how her art was coming along. Hizashi told the story about their latest training exercise loudly, hands animatedly signing as he told it to Shouta and his mother.
They took turns taking a shower, Shouta changing into his pajamas and practically collapsing on Hizashi, who took up most of the bed. The television wasn’t on yet, and Shouta frowned at how his hair stuck to his face. He was too lazy to dry it.
“Get off Shouta - you’re so heavy.” Shouta grunted, rolling off Hizashi and laying at the foot of his bed instead.
“So rude. Telling someone they’re heavy.”
“You know what I meant!”
The air was slightly chilly, as it always was in Hizashi’s room, and they could hear the crickets chirping through the window. Shouta assumed they weren’t watching a movie, by the way Hizashi was silent at the top of the bed. Shouta slowly crawled over and poked his shoulder. “Hizashi? Don’t tell me you’re falling asleep already.”
Hizashi chuckled, scooting over the give Shouta room next to him. “I’m not, I’m not,” he chirped, folding his hands on his stomach and smiling up at the ceiling. “I’m a little tired though.” Shouta rolled his eyes before crossing his arms.
“I need the futon y’know,” he grumbled.
“Go get it yourself Shoutaaaa - ”
Hizashi yelped as Shouta poked him hard in the stomach, and began laughing all over again. “I’m serious,” he snickered. “Just lay here with me or something. We’ve been doing it for years.” Shouta rolled his eyes and took the spot next to him, the left side, the side of the bed he liked.
The room was pleasantly quiet, but Shouta couldn’t help but turn on his side and face the blond. “Hey Hizashi,” he started, his friend turning on his side to face Shouta as well.
“Hm?”
“Do you ever think, ‘wow high school’s ending’? That people are just gonna move on with their lives?” Hizashi blinked, eyes wide without his glasses on, and took a moment to think.
“I mean, yeah,” he shrugged. “That’s normal isn’t it? We only have another month until exams.”
“Yeah…” The crickets began to chirp louder, the evening bleeding into night as the room got darker and darker. “I’ve decided on what I want to do and… I want to tell you.”
The underlying I would tell you everything was heavy in his words.
But this - he hadn’t really thought about telling Hizashi, did he?
“Um… I was thinking maybe… Tokyo?” From the shock on Hizashi’s face, that obviously wasn’t what he was expecting, and he almost looked hurt. “I mean,” Shouta continued, “It’s not final yet or anything, but there’s an internship I can take there to train on becoming a hero while going to university. My training would be so much better in a larger city - ”
Shouta trailed off as he saw how Hizashi’s face was screwed up, nose scrunching as though he had swallowed something bitter. He blinked, and the look disappeared as soon as it had come. Hizashi sighed. “Ah, that’s a little embarrassing,” he murmured. “I was going to stay here cause well… I thought you would, maybe.”
What? Shouta felt his face heat up, ears burning as he tried to keep a straight face. “I see.” It was almost a little endearing, that Hizashi wanted them to stay in their hometown together. He couldn’t find it in him to say anything else.
They laid there for a while, and before Shouta could get up to start a movie, Hizashi had trailed off into a light sleep. He sighed, closing his eyes and nestling into his pillow.
I’ll come back. I know I will. Nothing could keep him away.
Shouta woke up before Hizashi for once, grumbling under his breath at how Hizashi was draped over him, drooling on his chest and snoring away. Eh. It wasn’t even noon yet. He could sleep a little longer.
[ five ]
Furious yells echoed in the hallways and between the buildings. The chaos of fighting was all around; students and villains were clashing as the pro heroes were yet to arrive, a few from both sides unconscious on the ground or stumbling through the fray.
Hizashi was beginning to strain his voice as he screamed and screamed, high decibels and earsplitting volume practically forcing a group of villains to collapse to the ground. Itou-sensei had turned into a ball of light, shooting stinging hot beams at any perpetrator who tried to get close to the injured students by the entrance.
Tensei was in intense hand-to-hand combat with some mutant girl who looked like she had drowned, Nemuri nearby and heaving out breaths as she kept letting out her quirk in large batches.
They were winning, but barely.
“Where’s Shouta?,” Hizashi called, voice hoarse and beginning to crack. He stumbled over towards Nemuri, her quirk dissipating as another villain fell to the floor. “I haven’t seen him since that blade-arm dude chased after him.” They all knew Shouta was capable of fighting any villain, but without his capturing device - he was severely limited.
Not that he couldn’t handle himself or anything. Hizashi didn’t think that.
But he was severely worried.
“I don’t know - look out!” Nemuri leaped out of the way as a mutant landed in front of them, eyes wild and mouth foaming. Hizashi drew in a deep breath and let out a scream as loud as he could muster, but the mutant lashed its spiked tail out at Nemuri before crying out in pain and falling to the ground.
“Nemuri - get out of here! Go get cover, I got this - ” She nodded, leaving Hizashi back as the mutant writhed on the ground, blood trickling out of his ears.
She sprinted around the corner, coming to a stop in a shaded area and panting heavily. Blood dripped lazily from her fingertips to the ground as a few cuts oozed on her arm. “Fuck,” she cursed, leaning back against the wall and wiping the blood from her hand onto her skirt. “That stings.”
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a shadow flash by, and spat as she noticed it was a fleeing villain. “Stupid villains,” she scowled. “What was he even doing back here?” She scanned the area for someone, maybe a hero he had been fighting, and squinted as she honed in on a lump on the ground. “You okay?,” she called, taking a step towards it.
The lump on the ground didn’t appear to be moving, and Nemuri called out to it again. She moved closer, cautious, ready to release her quirk if need be. It seemed to be a student - the uniform jacket in tatters a few feet away as the student’s chest slowly rose and fell.
She froze, realizing who it was.
“Shouta!”
Nemuri ran up, skidding against the dirt and looking down at him in horror. He laid there in the dirt limply, eyes glazed over as he stared up at the sky. He trembled from the shock, vivid red blood staining his shirt and pooling on the ground beside him, the stain growing bigger and bigger as it continued to spread from his stomach.
She collapsed to her knees and gathered him up in her arms, breath hitched. “Holy shit Shouta - look at me.” Shouta blinked slowly, turning his gaze towards her. A shaky laugh bubbled from his lips, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.
“Ah. Nemuri,” he croaked, watching as she began to quiver, holding onto him tight. “I knew one of you would find me…” His breath rattled in his lungs, eyes holding gratitude. “The villain got away. I should’ve stopped him.”
“You’re going to be okay,” Nemuri whispered, using her nails to rip off a sleeve of her blouse and pressing it to his wound. She felt the sticky warmth of his blood as it quickly soaked through, tears slipping out as she struggled to stay calm. “Just stay with me.”
Shouta’s eyes widened as she pressed down on his wound, pain blossoming through him, panic flooding his veins.
It hurt.
He hadn’t realized how bad it hurt.
He let out a huff of breath as tears streaked through the dirt on his cheeks. “I - I’m scared,” he choked out, voice strained. Nemuri tensed up, hearing his panic and pressing harder. His vision grew hazy, the clouds in the sky a muddled grey blur. “It hurts - ” Shouta couldn’t help the whine that gathered low in his throat as he struggled to keep his eyes open. “I’m so scared Nemuri, it… ” Nemuri nodded, biting her lip.
“I know,” she murmured. She was scared too. Seeing Shouta like this… The Shouta she’d known throughout high school was never scared or panicked. She loathed how moments like this reminded her that he was human too.
Shouta’s eyes slid shut, his breathing feeble and weak, and Nemuri’s scream for help was so loud that it could probably be heard throughout the whole school.
Thankfully, the pro heroes got there soon after Shouta had lost consciousness, and the villains were defeated. Shouta’s life was saved.
The first thing he registered when he woke up was the warm pressure of something on his leg.
His stomach ached and throbbed, the quiet ‘beep beep beep’ of a heart monitor the only thing he heard in the room. He cracked his eyes open, blinking a few times to bring everything into focus, and looked sleepily at the small blond mess of hair in a halo on his knee.
Hizashi was hunched over in a plastic chair, clutching onto the blanket as he rested. Shouta stretched, holding his hands up to check that he was alive.
He was alive.
And Hizashi was there with him.
“‘Zashi,” he slurred, tongue heavy from exhaustion and medication. Hizashi startled, shooting up from where he laid to stare at Shouta in a daze. His hair was plastered to one side of his face, a small line of drool trailing from his lips to his chin, and his eyes were red and puffy from crying. He wasn’t pretty. He was just the person Shouta wanted to see.
He didn’t even have time to say another word before Hizashi practically launched himself at him, pulling him into a tight embrace. “Shit Shouta,” he rasped, voice hoarse. Shouta assumed it was from the fight. “I thought you were gonna die.”
His stomach throbbed, and Shouta winced a little at the pain, but he slowly wrapped his arms around Hizashi and rested his chin on his shoulder. “You can’t get rid of me that easily,” he mumbled, causing Hizashi to bark out a laugh.
“Was that a joke?”
“... shut up Hizashi.”
[ +1 ]
When Shouta had heard the tales of third years graduating in a flurry of tears and emotions, he knew he wasn’t going to be one of those people.
His friends cried and hugged each other in excitement, but he stood off to the side, holding his diploma proudly as he watched parents swarm around their children with flowers and cameras.
“Your father would be proud of you,” his mother murmured, startling him. He turned to face her, eyes wide.
“Mom - ” Shouta’s mother gathered him up in her arms, holding him tight, and for the first time Shouta realized how short his mother really was compared to him. He hadn’t hugged her in a while. “Thanks,” he said, leaning his head against hers, holding on until she let go.
A small smile was on her face, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek before moving away. “I’ll let you hang out with your friends Shouta,” she said. “I know you want to.” Shouta looked away, slightly embarrassed, but knew she was right.
“See you back at home?,” he asked, handing her his diploma before stuffing his hands in his pockets. She nodded, mentioning something about a special dinner when he got home, and he couldn’t help but smile to himself as she walked away.
“SHOUTA!”
In a blur, Hizashi practically launched himself at Shouta, making him stagger to stay upright. Nemuri and Tensei laughed as they walked up. “We did it!,” Hizashi beamed, smothering Shouta with his hug, breath warm on his neck as he laughed. “We’re heroes! And well… graduates!”
Shouta smiled a little, patting his head and squirming a little in his grip. “I think you need to let him go hun’,” Nemuri cooed, snickering as Hizashi let Shouta go.
It really was hard to believe. That they were graduating. Shouta would never admit it, but he loved his friends, and he loved the hero course. Getting sentimental wasn’t really his thing, but he couldn’t help but think about how Hizashi had practically wormed his way into his life, Nemuri and Tensei following soon after. They were like his second family.
He felt tears prickle in the corners of his eyes, but told himself he couldn’t cry. Not now.
Tensei tapped the blond on the shoulder, pointing over to his where his parents stood, waving. “I think your parents want to talk to you Hizashi.” Hizashi leaped back, running over to his parents and signing in what looked like complete gibberish as his parents pulled him into a hug.
Shouta felt his heart skip a beat, but waved the feeling off.
“And we want to talk to you,” Nemuri added, grabbing Shouta’s arm and pulling him a few feet away. “Right Tensei?”
“Yeah.” He stood with his arms crossed, looking over at Shouta with a frown. “Let’s get down to business here. Are you going to do it today or what?” Shouta blinked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.
“Do… what?”
Nemuri snorted in disbelief. “Confess you dolt. You know, that I’m hella gay for my best friend thing.” A moment of silence passed before Shouta’s face turned red, letting out a breathy chuckle as he shook his head.
That was definitely something he didn’t want to do.
“No way,” he said, looking between his friends’ faces in disbelief. “Not happening.” He knew that if things went south, his friendship with Hizashi could go down the drain with it. Shouta hated confessing anything, and while he had let his walls down more over the time they had been friends, that was something locked behind a steel wall. No way.
Tensei rolled his eyes and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Shouta. Buddy. If you don’t do it, Nemuri and I are literally going to do it for you.” Shouta tensed, swallowing hard. “Trust me,” Tensei sighed, looking over at Hizashi. He was practically bouncing around his parents, taking pictures with them and signing quickly, talking about how happy he was to finally achieve part of his dream. “Hizashi loves you. I know he does.”
Shouta huffed, pushing Tensei away and turning to the side. “You guys wouldn’t dare do something like that.”
Nemuri and Tensei shared a look, smirking to one another before Nemuri called over to Hizashi. “Hey ‘Zashi!,” she yelled, gesturing him over. “C’mere! We wanna - ” Shouta clapped a hand over her mouth, hair raising a little and eyes sparking red. Nemuri paused before licking his hand, making him recoil and his hair drop.
“You don’t need to be mad about it,” she teased, putting her hands her hips triumphantly. “Just do it Shouta. If you do, we’ll get out of your hair and go to that ramen shop downtown or something.” She batted her eyes and pursed her lips. “Pretty please?”
Shouta had lied earlier. He hated his friends.
“Fine,” he growled, turning to see Hizashi already on his way over, face bright and cheerful. “You guys are the worst.”
The second Hizashi came up to them, Nemuri and Tensei made their excuses to leave, and Shouta fiddled with the buttons on his uniform quietly. “So they wanted me to come over and then left?,” Hizashi whined. “What’s their deal?”
Welp. Here went nothing.
“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Shouta breathed, voice barely audible. Hizashi raised a brow in curiosity before letting a small smile curl on his lips.
“Sure. What is it?”
Shouta inhaled shakily, looking down at the ground as he continued to fiddle with his buttons. “Since we’re graduating and everything - I know we’re still going to see each other over the summer before I leave but…”
He looked back up at Hizashi. “You know I tell you everything.” The blond nodded, quiet, listening to him intensely. “For the past three years, I couldn’t have asked for anything else but the friendship and closeness you gave me.” He was well aware of how cheesy it was, but he plucked his second button off his jacket without a second thought. Hizashi’s breath caught in his throat, and now he knew, he knew what he was trying to say, and Shouta could feel his face beginning to turn red in embarrassment.
“For a while now I’ve… liked you.” He held the button out and looked away. “You don’t need to return my feelings or anything but, I really had to tell you - ”
Shouta trailed off, waiting for a response, refusing to look at Hizashi in case of disappointment or rejection on his face, in his eyes. Instead, he felt the button being taken softly from his hand, another button pressed down in place of it. What?
He slowly looked back, Hizashi’s face dusted in pink as he grinned. “I’m so glad you told me,” he said, voice wavering slightly, and Shouta blinked. He felt dazed. “Cause I’ve liked you for a while too. I always thought I never had a chance though.”
Hizashi ran his hand through his hair bashfully, tucking the button into his pocket. Shouta was a few steps behind, his body moving slowly as he tried to process, putting the button into his own pocket as he stared blankly.
Hizashi… liked him too?
“I know it’s really soon,” Hizashi continued, snapping Shouta out of his stupor. “But can I kiss you?”
Shouta felt the breath get knocked out of his lungs, and he nodded, breathless as Hizashi moved closer to him. Hizashi rested his hand on his cheek before gently leaning in, pressing his lips softly to Shouta’s and suddenly it was real. This was real. Shouta made a small, happy noise in the back of his throat before kissing back, taking it all in - how warm Hizashi’s lips were, how they were chapped because he always put off using chapstick, how they felt safe and like home, like Shouta belonged there.
He had never felt so happy.
A moment passed before Hizashi pulled away, resting his forehead on Shouta’s and chuckling. “So we’re dating now, right?,” he asked, his chuckle turning into a laugh as Shouta didn’t even hesitate to say yes.
They walked back to the clearing to find their friends, a smile on Hizashi’s face while Shouta simply looked content, their fingers grazing one another’s as they were still around too many people to hold hands.
The sun glowed orange as they and their two friends made their way to the ramen shop downtown, buttons sitting reassuringly in their pockets. The steel wall had fallen, and Shouta had never felt more alive.