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It had been a while since they first came up with the idea of traveling together on their vacation. Unfortunately, while most of them managed to get the days off on the same month, an unforeseen event prevented Uraraka and Asui to accompany them. Instead of canceling their plans, the girls insisted that they went and had fun together.
“We can always do it next year,” said Uraraka.
They ended up agreeing, and, when the day got closer, they gathered at Midoriya’s house to decide the details. The main idea was for it to be like a road trip, so they didn’t have to rely too much on schedules and be more free to choose where to go and what to do.
“We still need to decide where we’re going to,” said Iida. “Does anyone have a suggestion?”
“Don’t they say the journey is more important than the destination?” asked Yoarashi.
“It doesn’t mean we should go out on a trip without making any plans!”
As free as Iida would allow, at least.
“Why don’t we go to an amusement park?” suggested Midoriya after some minutes of discussion. “It’s been a long time since we last visited one.”
“Couldn’t we just go to a closer one, then?” asked Todoroki.
“Yes, but that’s the idea!” proceeded Midoriya. “The park is only a goal, so we can enjoy the trip until we get to it. And when we get there, it’ll feel even more satisfying.”
“It doesn’t sound like a bad idea!” agreed Yoarashi.
Midoriya showed a proud smile. They looked at Iida, who also agreed with a nod.
“Sounds good.”
They dedicated the next three hours on choosing a park that was a good distance away, and with a few interesting spots they could visit along the way. At the end of the day, they already had the sketch of a plan and a list of the supplies they would need.
When the day came, everything was ready. They decided to go on Iida’s car, that was the bigger one, and left as soon as the sun appeared in the sky. Todoroki’s brain was barely functioning during the beginning of the trip, but soon the music, Yoarashi’s loud voice and Midoriya’s laugh made him feel more awake.
“Smile!” asked Midoriya, taking his phone for a photo.
“I must keep my eyes on the road!” said Iida.
Yoarashi and Todoroki approached their heads between Iida and Midoriya’s seats. There was a low “click” indicating that the photo had been taken. Midoriya looked at the screen, twisting his lips a little.
“Tenya didn’t smile, but… I guess it’s close enough,” he said.
“Let me see it!” asked Yoarashi.
Midoriya passed the phone to him, and Todoroki leaned in his direction so he could see it too. Midoriya and Yoarashi had wide, flashy smiles, while he gave a slightly awkward one. Iida, however, was in the middle of scolding them, with his mouth open and brow furrowed.
“How is that any close to smiling?” he asked.
“Don’t you want me to drive you safely through this trip?” said Iida.
“Yeah, that’s why we chose you to drive,” agreed Todoroki. “I wouldn’t trust these two to take us anywhere.”
Both Yoarashi and Midoriya buried him with complaints, but Iida agreed with a nod and a sympathetic smile.
“Just tell me when you get tired,” added Todoroki. “I can take your place.”
“Don’t worry, I can do it for a few more hours,” said Iida.
Yoarashi gave Midoriya’s cell phone back to him, who soon started typing something.
“I’ll send this to Ochako and Tsuyu,” he said.
“Good idea!” said Yoarashi. “It’ll make them wish they could’ve come with us, though.”
“Or maybe not…” said Todoroki. “I don’t think they’d have much fun being cramped in a car with four guys.”
“C’mon, Shouto,” Midoriya looked at him with disapproving eyes. “You know they would like it.”
“I have to agree with him, though,” said Iida. “We’re already at this vehicle’s maximum capacity as we are. Anyone else would make the trip dangerous and uncomfortable.”
“Not you too, Tenya!”
“Stop complaining, guys…” said Yoarashi with a contained laugh. “It’s being fun!”
“I’m glad at least you don’t act like a grumpy old man, Inasa…”
“You’re the oldest of us all, Izuku,” reminded Todoroki.
Midoriya looked at him, trying to come up with a retort, but ended up just pressing his lips together and crossing his arms.
“That doesn’t matter…” he said.
That friendly bickering was a big part of their ride. They made a stop during lunch time to eat and stretch their legs, then Todoroki took the wheel for a few hours, so Iida could rest. When it started to get dark, they decided to stop for the night. As combined, they would be camping every other day, both to save money and increase the sense of “adventure” of their trip — at least according to Midoriya and Yoarashi.
Yoarashi offered to cook while the others settled the tents. After eating and chatting for a bit, they decided to call it a night. Midoriya and Iida entered their tent, but Todoroki and Yoarashi stayed outside.
“Aren’t you sleepy?” asked Yoarashi.
“Just a little.”
“Me too, to be honest. Let’s stay here for a while longer.”
Yoarashi sat on the ground, and Todoroki in front of him, between his legs.
“The sky is so dark here!” said Yoarashi. “You can see all the stars!”
“That’s true,” he agreed. “It’s so pretty.”
Yoarashi smiled at him, hugging his waist, resting the chin on his head.
“This is nice, isn’t it?” he asked. “To be together outside, surrounded by nature, with no worries… I could get used to it!”
“Yes,” said Todoroki. “But I could live without the bugs.”
“You kind of ruined my moment, but I can’t disagree.”
They spent some time looking at the sky. The stars were so clear and bright that Todoroki was able to see two shooting stars almost in a row. It made him wonder if they were that common, and he just couldn’t see them because of the city lights…
“Shouto,” Yoarashi’s voice called his attention. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“About what?”
Todoroki looked back at him, his mind immediately flooded by a wave of panic. Yoarashi noticed it, and gently caressed his hair, calming him down.
“Don’t worry, nothing bad,” he assured.
Todoroki relaxed, letting out his breath.
“Ah, that’s good.”
Yoarashi was smiling, but it was possible to notice a hint of anxiety in his expression.
“You know…” he said. “We’ve been together for quite some time now, haven’t we?”
“Yes. But why are you asking this?”
“I don’t know if you think about this too, but sometimes I wonder where we’ll go from here. You once said you wanted a future with me in it, and… It kind of stuck with me. I feel the same way about you.”
Todoroki wasn’t sure to where that conversation was leading.
“Let’s stay together, then,” he said. “It shouldn’t be that hard, right?”
“Yeah…” Yoarashi averted his eyes for a moment, lowering his tone. “But it probably isn’t that easy either.”
Todoroki opened his mouth to say something, when his boyfriend’s voice interrupted him.
“I want us to live together.”
Todoroki just looked at him, surprised at the unexpected suggestion.
“I know this is sudden,” proceeded Yoarashi, “but it’s been on my mind for a while now, so I thought I should tell you.”
Todoroki meditated on those words. Of course he had thought about living with Yoarashi before, but it always seemed like something that would happen in the future. He just never realized that, maybe, he was already living in that future.
“Shouto?”
Yoarashi’s voice brought him back from his thoughts, and he realized he had been silent for a while.
“Sorry, I was thinking,” he said.
He took a few more seconds to find his answer.
“I’d like to try it too,” he said, “but this isn’t something I can decide so suddenly.”
“I know,” agreed Yoarashi. “I wasn’t expecting you to answer now. I just want you to think about it.”
“I will.”
Yoarashi squeezed his waist a little, giving him a kiss on the face. Todoroki smiled, getting comfortable against his chest.
“Maybe we could adopt a dog…” said Yoarashi after a while.
The suggestion made Todoroki laugh.
“Aren’t you a little forward in time?” he said.
“Just let me dream!”
“Alright… Can I name it, at least?”
“No, you’re terrible with names!”
Todoroki groaned in disappointment, and it made Yoarashi laugh. He rested his forehead on Todoroki’s shoulder, and when he spoke again, his voice was low and soft.
“I love you so much…”
They spent a few more minutes outside, before finally going to their tent.
The trip to the amusement park would’ve taken less than two days if they went straight to it, but not only did they take the longest route, they also stopped countless times to visit any place they came across, from foreign diners to plazas, and even a botanic garden. Once they made a stop at the beach, where they spent a whole afternoon — and then regretted it when they couldn’t take the sand out of their bodies, until they stopped at a hotel on the next day to take a shower. This way, the two days soon turned into a week and a half.
Not everything about it was easy and fun, though. Once they had to change a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere, and another time, a strong storm caught them by surprise during the night, and they had to dismantle their tents as fast as they could and run to the car. But, in a way, it was all part of the experience.
When they finally got to the amusement park, it felt like a huge victory. They celebrated together, seeming more excited than some of the kids around them. They went in every ride they could, visited the haunted mansion — Yoarashi had to drag a frightened Todoroki with him most of the time — and took countless pictures to send the girls. When the day ended, there was still a small party being held at the park, with music, people in costumes and fireworks, but they were already too exhausted to be part of it.
Maybe they were really getting old.
The group decided to spend the night in a nearby hotel, since it was already dark and they were all too tired to drive. To save some money, they got one room with a double bed and two singles. Todoroki and Midoriya, who were smaller, would share the bigger bed, while Iida and Yoarashi got one for each.
Before going to sleep, they went to the balcony — which barely fit the four of them side by side — to see the end of that fireworks display.
“This is a nice way to end it, if you ask me,” said Yoarashi.
“Don’t forget we still have to make the trip back,” reminded Todoroki.
“That’s right…” he laughed briefly. “It’s still not over.”
Midoriya looked at them, a small sigh leaving his lips.
“But it almost feels like a waste to go back, doesn’t it?” he asked.
“I can always take you to an amusement park on our next break,” said Iida in a playful tone.
“You know that’s not what I meant!”
Midoriya poked him on the ribs, but soon a hint of sadness took his expression.
“We used to spend so much time together…” he said. “But now it’s so difficult to find time to do the things that we used to.” He lowered his eyes. “Ochako and Tsuyu couldn’t come this time. What if next time not even the four of us manage to do it?”
They looked at Midoriya, unable to find the words to answer. That wasn’t something that had been on their minds, but now that he had said it, it was hard not to think about it.
“I don’t want us to grow apart,” he added.
“Me neither,” said Todoroki.
The other two also agreed. There was a long moment of silence between them.
“We won’t let that happen,” said Iida. “Even if it isn’t the same as before, we’re still friends. This is what keeps us together, no matter how much life changes.”
Midoriya looked at him, and a light smile appeared on his face.
“I guess that’s true…”
Iida placed his arm around Midoriya’s shoulders, and Yoarashi did the same to Todoroki. Midoriya and Todoroki exchanged brief smiles, placing their arms on each other’s backs.
“We’re getting pretty emotional here, aren’t we?” said Yoarashi.
“Yeah…” agreed Todoroki. “Travel hangover?”
“Might be,” said Iida.
They laughed briefly.
“I’m glad we came here together,” said Midoriya.
They all agreed silently, watching the fireworks until they faded from the sky.