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This was a bad idea. A terrible idea. The broken ice-maker was probably the universe’s way of trying to drive that point home, but thankfully (or perhaps, unfortunately), you were resourceful.
Out of all the things you could have been doing at 6 AM on a Saturday morning, messing with Katsuki Bakugo was probably the absolute dumbest–it was also the most likely to lead to irreparable bodily harm. Only the truly stupid would even think to try it. But, as a great philosopher (that you’re at least 20 percent sure you didn’t make up) once said: Stupidity becomes bravery the moment you give it a cause. Bravery was something you were supposed to exhibit as a hero, so the way you saw it, what you were doing was another part of your training.
“How long do we have?” You’re careful to keep your voice low.
Todoroki doesn’t respond and you peer back over your shoulder at him, expecting to see some sort of solemn or annoyed expression painted across his face. That’s not the case. In fact, you’re convinced he hasn’t even heard you; He yawns, eyes drifting shut, and for a second, you’re afraid he’s about to fall asleep standing up. On a normal day, you might’ve found his drowsiness hilarious–a welcome change from his usual stoic demeanor–but today you needed him awake and alert.
“Earth to Todoroki!” You hiss, snapping your fingers in front of his face. He jerks his head back, eyes shooting open.
You ignore the glare he shoots your way and rephrase the question. “I asked how much longer you think it’ll be until he wakes up.”
Todoroki just grunts, rubbing at his face. “How am I supposed to know what time Bakugo wakes up?”
“Your room is right above his. Don’t you know his schedule or something?”
He blinks slowly, blankly–like your question was just ridiculous enough to render him speechless. Maybe the gesture wasn’t exactly intentional, but damn if it didn’t make you consider knocking your sleep-drunk classmate onto his behind.
“You seriously have no clue?”
“Well, it’s not like he shouts ‘good morning’ and ‘goodnight’ through the ceiling.” His voice has the same calm, collected quality to it as usual. Still, you feel the bite behind his words. “If you needed info, then maybe you should have gone to Kirishima instead.”
Okay, so he had a point. That didn’t mean he had to be a jerk about it, though. Besides, you were too far in to back out now.
“Kirishima can’t keep a secret. Can’t shoot ice from his fingertips either.”
“If all you needed was ice, then that means I’m done here.”
You glance at the door, then back at him. You’re prepared to begin your lecture on the difference between being “sassy” and being “assy,” but before you can, there’s a creak. Then a crash and a clatter. You smile triumphantly at Todoroki, whose shoulders tense up when he sees what’s behind you.
You turn, and it’s a beautiful sight you stumble upon. Bakugo is drenched from his head to his toes, looking absolutely stunned. He stares at your bucket, still dangling from the doorframe. Then he peers down at the chunks of ice scattered around him. Finally, his eyes find you. His face contorts, his teeth bared and his red eyes blazing. You take a wary step backward, throwing a hand up over your mouth to stifle your laughter.
“Come on Bakugo. Be cool.”
He springs toward you and you bolt, grabbing Todoroki’s wrist and dragging him along. Like it or not, he was an accessory to your antics now.
***
As you walk, the box in your arms jiggles. You have to readjust your grip to make sure you don’t drop it.
“He just moved in yesterday and you’re already bothering him?” Todoroki asks, carrying the other box, despite his protests. “Is this even a prank?”
You drop the package, tucking in each top-flap so that the contents don’t escape. “Shoto, anything can be a prank if you frame it correctly.” You press an ear to the door, listening for any movement inside the dorm room. You hear nothing, so you get to work on the lock. “Besides, we need Shinso to feel comfortable with class 1-A. He needs to be welcomed.”
“Welcomed.” He repeats with sarcasm, something that you would’ve never expected from him a couple months back.
Putting down his box, he sits with his back to the wall. He didn’t really have anything to do for the time being, seeing as you’d only needed him to act as an extra pair of hands. Little had he known that when he’d agreed to help you out with your “icy-escapade” (as you liked to call it), he’d unknowingly signed up to be your partner-in-crime for all future shenanigans.
Of course, he had a choice in the matter. He could just say no and slam the door whenever you came to his room with that look plastered across your face. Thankfully, he never did.
Idly, he reaches into the cardboard container. When his hand reemerges, he’s holding a grey kitten–a squeaky little thing that writhes in his grip. He cradles it in two hands that seem gigantic compared to the tiny creature, holding it in front of his face, scratching at its ear with his thumb.
“You convinced Koda to help?”
“I didn’t need to convince Koda to do anything. These are kittens, Shoto. Kittens.”
You twist your wrist and the lock clicks open. You listen for any signs that Shinso might have heard it, and when there’s no sound inside the room, you turn the knob and push the door in. Still dark. Perfect.
You signal over to Todoroki. He stands, one hand cradling the kitten to his chest. He uses his other to slide the box into Shinso’s room. You do the same, quirking up an eyebrow when he makes no move to put his new “friend” with all of its brothers and sisters. He just looks down at the kitten, then back up at you, unfazed.
The sound of sheets rustling on the bed is a sign that you only have a few minutes to do what you need to do.
“Keep your eyes on me.” You mouth, squatting down low. Todoroki does the same, keeping his gaze fixed on you, like you’d commanded.
Ever so slowly, you unlink the top of the box. Six tiny heads pop up, glistening eyes peering over the new environment with boundless curiosity. The five in Todoroki’s box do the same, but they’re more adventurous. They don’t hesitate to hop out and begin exploring.
“Shinso,” You call out, softly at first, “Shinso, wake up.”
There’s a groan, then some unintelligible mumbling coming from the corner of the room. He was awake enough–it was time to abandon subtlety.
You cup your hands around your mouth, and putting on your best Present Mic imitation, you shout. “WELCOME TO 1-A!” There’s a flurry of movement as Shinso flails about in bed, his form shooting upward at the sudden start. “HOPE YOU HAVE A PURR-FECT DAY!”
You don’t wait another second; You sprint out the door with Todoroki right behind you. It would’ve been nice to see your classmate’s reaction, but you figured it would be best for him to discover your “present” at his own leisure. Your work here was done.
Giggling, you slam the door shut. You turn to high-five your partner, but then you hear multiplemeows and see that Todoroki’s hands are…full. Of kittens. Three to be exact.
“Shoto.” You say, fighting the tears that threaten to poke out of the corners of your eyes. Oh, this was rich. “We were, um, supposed to leave those guys with Shinso.”
“Nine is enough.” He says. Calmly–like he’s not struggling to keep the littlest of the bunch–a tabby with the brightest blue eyes–from climbing up his shoulder.
“I guess it is.” You choke out your response and reach to grab the creature before it scales Todoroki’s head.
Gingerly, you detangle it’s paws from his hair, careful to keep it from scratching at his scalp. Despite your caution, the little one manages to snag a couple scarlet strands in its claws.
“Oh, sorry about that.” You shoot Todoroki an apologetic look, then hold the kitten in front of your face and click your tongue, admonishing it for being such a troublemaker. “I guess he just wanted something to remember you by, huh?”
“I guess.”
And he juggles with the two other balls of fur in his hands, all the while trying to hide the slight flush that’s creeping to his ears.
***
“Pleeaaase?” You lie on your back and let your head hang over the edge of the bed. The world is upside-down, but Todoroki’s expression hasn’t changed–it’s as unyielding as ever.
“No. Not this time.”
“Just imagine it–his face when he sees–”
“I said no. I will not help you glitter-bomb Aoyama’s apartment.”
“I don’t even need you to help this time; Just come along.”
He scoffs. “Weren’t you the one that said ‘glitter is forever plus ten years?’ How can you justify pouring tubs of the stuff all over our classmate’s home?”
You scramble for something–anything. “Redecorating? Really making the place sparkle?”
He continues towel-drying his hair, not even bothering to respond. You flip onto your stomach and pout.
“Shoto Todoroki, we are supposed to be partners. What happened to loyalty?”
He rolls his eyes as he turns away from you, walking into the bathroom. You crane your neck forward, watching until he disappears beyond the doorframe. Then, once he’s out of sight, you smile. It’s that mischievous, troublesome smile you always wore whenever a plan was playing out perfectly–whenever your target was perfectly unaware of your intentions. You push yourself up and off the bed, following Todoroki.
His eyes flick up to meet yours the moment you lean on the doorframe. They’re wary. Cautious. You try to make yourself seem as innocent as possible, sporting downturned lips and folded arms.
“Okay,” You begin after a moment of silence, “Maybe you’re right about the Aoyama thing. Glitter is a little too…permanent to be considered part of a harmless prank.” The suspicion isn’t completely erased from your companion’s face, but he seems more at ease. “I shouldn’t have played the ‘loyalty’ card. Sorry.”
He just nods and hangs his towel. When his back is turned to you, you inch forward, wrapping your arms around his waist. His body goes tense, but he relaxes once he realizes that there’s no trick hidden in your embrace.
“You’re not gonna say anything back?” You ask, teasing.
“What do you want me to say?” It’s not sarcastic or accusatory. Just soft. His hand drifts down to graze your arm.
“I might want you to say ‘I missed you.’” You prop your head on his shoulder, rubbing your nose against his jaw. “Then again, I might just want you to turn around and kiss me already.”
You loosen your grip just enough for him to turn and face you. He presses his forehead to yours, shutting his eyes.
“I missed you.”
Then, there’s the glorious moment when his lips meet yours–warm and inviting. Your arms unlink themselves from his waist, moving them upward to lock around his neck. You stand on your tiptoes, eager for more. Fingers tangle themselves in his hair and pull him in closer.
What began gentle quickly shifts into something rougher. Something more wanting. Noses bump. Lips crash into each other once, then twice, again and again. Teeth nibble and bite while tongues explore and wage their war for dominance. You’d done this hundreds of times before; It was all part of a familiar routine, albeit, a routine that never grew stale–never became a bore.
When your back hits the bed, you remember your original plan despite the desperate, hedonistic fog that threatens to consume you. You squeak, pressing your palms into Todoroki’s chest. He pulls back, lips parted and eyes heavy with desire. Before he has time to complain, you shift your weight, rolling to trap him beneath you. His eyebrow shoots up, and you grin wide, leaning back onto your legs.
“Shirt. Off now.” For emphasis, you snake a hand in beneath the hem, nails lightly dragging a trail up to his ribs.
He inhales sharply, pulling the tee up and over his head. Before he can finish getting the material up and over his arms, your hand darts out and grabs his wrists. The other traces the shape of his chest up to his neck, then moves back down again.
Your fingers graze one particular spot just beneath his arm, and he flinches–the muscles in abdomen taught. You pull back quickly, and he relaxes almost immediately. A wicked sort of satisfaction washes over you as you wonder if, just maybe, you’ve found what you’d been looking for. Slowly, deliberately, you reach for the same spot, watching him with renewed interest. The same tension shoots through his body, his eyes going wide.
“Don’t–”
He barely even finishes the word before you’re assaulting him full-force, fingers shoving their way in beneath his shoulders. You’re laughing and he’s grunting and squirming, trying in vain to wriggle free from your grasp. He might’ve been able to, had it not been for the shirt trapping his arms and your thighs locked on either side of him, pressing into his sides whenever it seemed like he was about to escape. Once you’re both sweating, panting messes, you finally stop, feeling all-too victorious.
“So it was your armpits. Classic tickle spot–I should have figured that out sooner.”
You’re expecting him to glare or grit his teeth or shove you off. He doesn’t. He just lets his head flop back onto the pillow, groaning.
“How did we become this? How did this become our thing?”
You smile, wiggling your fingers like you’re about to attack his armpit again. At the last second though, your hand changes its course, moving up to cradle his cheek.
“Sweetie, this didn’t become our thing. It’s been our thing ever since you opened the door for that rambunctious little troublemaker in your first year at U.A.”
Half of Todoroki’s mouth twists upward–only slightly, but it’s still impossible to miss. He pushes himself off the mattress, lifting his chest (and you) off the bed with ease. You help him pull the rest of his shirt up and off his wrists, silently marking your little scheme a massive success.
He moves his face in closer as his hands, now free to roam, slide down your sides. His next words are whispered against your lips.
“Best mistake of my life.”