Work Text:
Toshinori gathers the last pieces of paperwork he needs to meticulously read through before he can finally get some rest after another day at UA. He doesn’t currently teach his own class, but rather steps in every now and then to encourage the students when he can. He’s not even sure what he could teach as most of the classes are hands on and experience based; after his last encounter with All For One he’s not in the best of shape to even attempt his All Might form, let alone stay in it for the hours required to train students. He sighs, pondering over his subject options and shuffling the documents into a workable order when he hears a knock at the break room door.
“Hey.” Aizawa greets Toshinori as he comes in and nods at the precarious pile of papers he’s sifting through. “Not leaving yet, huh? You need rest.”
Toshinori coughs through a laugh before replying, “I need to catch up. I’m too far behind to be teaching my own class right now and I need to know what I’m doing before I go any further.”
“Right,” Aizawa makes his way over to the desk Toshinori is sitting at and leans over his shoulder. Toshinori definitely notes the sudden lack of space between them. Has Aizawa always been comfortable with being this close? He thought the man valued his personal space a bit more...
Aizawa’s voice jolts him out of his own head, “These are all student reports and curriculum plans. You can read up on these as you teach.”
“I agree, but I’d rather know the students a little more before I think about teaching them… whatever I’ll be teaching them.” He looks back at the man looming over him and notes that he looks about as exhausted as Toshinori feels. Bags under his eyes and a more slouched than usual posture has always been a pretty good indication that Aizawa overworked himself yet again.
“Hm, understandable.” Aizawa pauses before backing away from Toshinori, allowing some space to grow between them.
“Still, you shouldn’t overdo it.”
“And neither should you, Aizawa!” Toshinori retorts, the beginnings of a smile on his face.
That earns him the barest of smiles from the other teacher and he can hardly say he isn’t proud of himself. He wants to continue working through these reports, but he’s struggling to keep down the stronger want to ask Aizawa if he was interested in getting something to eat. The students were all done for the day, neither of them were on call (of course Toshinori wasn’t), so all he needs to do is ask. The thought swims in his head, the many ways it could backfire making themselves immediately known to him. He’s about to return to his paper in defeat when Aizawa taps his shoulder.
“You hear me?” Aizawa’s face has a look of concern, albeit difficult to discern between the tiredness.
“Oh! Oh, I’m so sorry. I seem to have gotten distracted,” Great, he thinks. Now it’d be rude to ask to him out after completely blanking him like that! He chastises himself and settles for perhaps doing it another day.
“I asked if you wanted to get a drink or something. Do you?” Aizawa asks it so bluntly and yet it only takes a second for Toshinori’s heart to start racing.
“A drink? With me?” He repeats it as though it couldn’t have possibly been what Aizawa had actually asked. He must’ve been mistaken.
“Yeah. It doesn’t have to be alcoholic either. I know you have things you can’t eat or drink so we can just go somewhere casual and quiet if you’d like.”
Of course he wants to say yes. Him and Aizawa have been friends for a while now and maybe they had been getting closer over the past few months. He gives the papers one last glance before discarding them from his thoughts entirely.
“Of course I’d like that.” Toshinori stands and the pair leave the break room and head out of the main building.
The early evening air is cool as they leave the main building. It’s late enough that the street lights start to flicker, trying to decide whether or not the sun had set enough to let them illuminate the streets below. Toshinori had always enjoyed walking home with the sun setting behind the tall city buildings; he also enjoys the odd fan or two who ask him for a photo, even in his current form. He’s more than enjoying the company of Aizawa. They’re not walking too close together that it’d be claustrophobic on the sidewalk, but it’s nice to walk somewhere with somebody.
“You’re quiet, are you okay?” Aizawa looks over as they cross the sleepy road, a wrinkle furrowing his brows.
“Oh, yes, yes I’m perfectly alright.” He pauses, trying to think of a not totally sad thing to say. He fails completely and settles with admitting, “it’s just been a while since I was out with someone.”
“Like… a date?”
If Toshinori hadn’t been quick enough to cover his mouth he might have just coughed up blood all over Aizawa’s unsuspecting face. Luckily for both of them, a tissue hastily retrieved from his pocket catches all the fallout. He motions for them both to stop walking as he cleaned himself up.
“Well, anything really! Not that I assumed this was a date, of course!” His response is rapid and rushed once he was suitably clean of blood. He thinks to himself that his panic made it sound that he did indeed think this was a date and… who is he kidding? It’d be nice if it was, but he doesn’t want to push Aizawa if it’s simply a get together between two colleagues.
“If I’m being honest, me neither. Except work, I don’t really… socialize.” Aizawa shoves his hands in his pockets as if distancing himself from his own words. “I thought it’d be nice if we did though.”
“This is nice.” Toshinori smiles at Aizawa and they continue their walk, the sun low enough now that the streetlights brighten spots of sidewalk, lighting their way.
“I thought we could maybe go to a restaurant or something, if that’s okay with you? There’s one nearby, we’re getting close.”
“Yes, that would be perfect!”
They walk the rest of the way in a comfortable silence, side by side. A few people passing by whisper amongst themselves, asking if the men were really Eraserhead and All Might. While Aizawa keeps his attention straight ahead to their destination, Toshinori can’t help but smile and wave at the kids who stare at him from the other side of the road. He’d hate if, even in his retirement, he became a hero that people were afraid of approaching like one he knows of.
“This is it.” Aizawa announces as they come to a stop before a really nice looking restaurant. Not that Toshinori didn’t think it was going to be nice, he’s more just relieved it doesn’t look too busy.
Aizawa holds the door and they barely get in before Toshinori is noticed, wide eyed staff rushing the couple to an empty table. Aizawa raises his eyebrows as they settle in and reach for the menus, Toshinori laughing quietly at the staff who are now furtively whispering amongst themselves about their patron. He skims the menu, skipping all the meals that include his ‘absolutely not’ foods, eventually settling for a safe option.
The waiter returns and takes their orders, departing as fast as they appeared, leaving the two to themselves once more. Oh no, now he’d have to make small talk and conversation.
“You know… this could be a date if you’d like.” Aizawa stares dead on at Toshinori, stating something so bold with a remarkably blunt affect. Meanwhile, Toshinori feels short of breath again and slightly dizzy. He’s too old to be feeling butterflies and he’s too old to tiptoe around his feelings like this and yet, here he is.
“I-”
“Only if you want to.” Aizawa interrupts suddenly.
Toshinori laughs nervously, clears his throat and starts again. “I’d really like that… if that’s also what you want, Aizawa.”
There’s a pause that barely lasts a second before Aizawa smiles; it’s not the beaming grin typical of Toshinori, but a smile nonetheless. A smile that only makes Toshinori's grow even larger. They share easier-than-expected small talk while awaiting their food, only briefly pausing to thank the waiter as he delivers it.
The thought that this is a date, a real actual date, lingers in Toshinori’s mind as they eat. He truly can’t believe his luck. After his hero retirement and teacher employment, he’d resigned himself to the thought of just being something of a novelty to be around. The man who used to be All Might, but nothing much else in the eyes of his still hero friends. He remembers when he had to be saved during training one day; how his whole world shifted then and he truly realized that he isn’t what he was before.
But maybe that’s okay.
He’d never have been able to go on a date when he was All Might, number one hero. Now, as plain and simple Toshinori, he’s on a date with someone that he’s really become close to.
Aizawa finishes first and offers to handle the bill.
“No, no I can’t let you do that. Let’s split it.”
Aizawa obliges and they split it, the waiter wishing them a good evening as they leave.
The cold wind had picked up while they were inside the temperature regulated restaurant so they huddle a little closer on the way to.... whoever’s home they were walking to. Then Toshinori recognises the streets and realises Aizawa, the surprising gentleman, is walking him home.
“I had a really nice time, Yagi.” Aizawa says, his arm bumping companionably against Toshinori’s. The moonlight, having long since replaced the sun, shone on his face alongside the streetlights and Toshinori can’t help but take in by how handsome the man is. He always thought about it for a split second before realising they were at work and he’d quickly push the thought to the back of his mind, but now he can really appreciate it. He wonders (and hopes) that Aizawa thinks the same of him.
“Me too. I hope we can do this again.”
“Next time you have to pick the place.” Aizawa walks closer to Toshinori, their hands brushing together. They seem to consider walking hand in hand before Toshinori reluctantly slows down and stops in front of a house. His house. Damn it, why couldn’t he live just a few blocks further? He curses himself and thinks of the next time. The hopeful next date that he’s already looking forward to without even knowing where it’s going to be. No doubt that’ll be at the forefront of his thoughts over the next few days as he thinks of all the possible places that Aizawa would approve of.
“Thank you for a great evening, Aizawa.” Toshinori says softly as he rummages in his suit pockets for his keys. As the seconds tick by, he almost begins panicking with the heavy feeling of Aizawa’s eyes on him, but his fingers finally find around his keychain and he hurriedly unlocks his door, a vanilla cake themed charm clinking against the metal of the lock. Toshinori’s door is finally unlocked but he's not quite committed to pushing it open, and so they linger on the doorstep. Aizawa looks at him for a second before stepping up to join him.
“Uh, can I… kiss you?”
Toshinori damn well near passes out standing up. And to think he was worried just moments ago about holding the other man’s hand. He can’t think of a single thing to say so he nods, probably the least attractive thing to do to such a question but it’s all Aizawa needs to close the space between them.
The kiss starts awkward, both figuring out each other, both not really knowing where to put their hands or how to quite compensate with the foot and a half difference in height between them. Toshinori’s hand finds its way to the back of Aizawa’s neck, his fingers combing through the thick, shaggy black hair. Aizawa opts to hold the lapels of Toshinori’s suit jacket to pull him down and Toshinori can’t say he wishes to complain about it. A few seconds later and they part, a little breathless at the new change in their friendship to maybe possibly relationship in the future, but neither looking regretful. Aizawa lets go of Toshinori’s suit and steps down from the door.
“Remember, you’re picking the place next time.” He says with a smile before making his own way home.