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As soon as Camie, Deku and Uraraka disappear behind the closing door, the couple turn and look at each other with tired, yet bashful smiles. It had been a long day of sorting boxes and heavy lifting up and down three flights of stairs.
Despite this, it’s a happy day for them. Important too.
"So this is it, we officially live together now," Shouto states. They both take a moment to look around their roomy - albeit bare - apartment. Shouto sighs and leans forward to rest his forehead against Inasa's chest; the tension leaving his body as he exhales. "I'm exhausted."
Inasa is quick to wrap his arms around the other, "How about we take a bath and roll out the futons?" It was still early in the evening, but the thought of sleep was rather enticing.
Shouto hums, clearly thinking the same thing, "That sounds really nice."
The half-hot-half-cold quirk user lets himself be picked up as Inasa shuffles to the bathroom, letting himself listen to the calm rhythm of Inasa’s heartbeat. He’s set down, however, when the taller man moved to fiddle with the taps and fill the tub. Shouto reaches out to drag his box of bathroom supplies toward him, knowing that he had tossed a bubble bath solution in there somewhere.
He pulls it out with half-hearted triumph before pouring it into the water, watching it begin to foam up.
When they’ve stripped down and settled into the tub, Inasa immediately grabs the shampoo and starts to lather it into Shouto’s locks. He sighs contentedly, eyes blinking closed.
They bathe in silence, simply enjoying this moment together. It’s not long until the water gets cold, the bubbles disappear, and their fingers and toes begin to become like prunes. So, lethargically, they pull themselves out of the tub and dry off.
Working together, they quickly search for and dust out the futon over their balcony before laying it out over the tatami mats.
“So, which side of the bed would you prefer?”
“You know well enough I don’t really sleep on ‘a side’,” Shouto deadpans. In fact, he simply just curled upon Inasa, burrowing into a familiar and protective warmth each night they’d spent together in the past.
The taller man chuckles. “Right,” he slips under the covers, “C’mere, then.”
The corner of Shouto’s lips quirk upward and he too, crawls into the futon. He arms snake around Inasa’s body and a leg is thrown over the other as they settle into a comfortable position.
"Let’s go furniture shopping tomorrow," he suggests, “Just us.”
Inasa shifts beneath him, “I like the sound of that.” And it was true; it was going to be their first adventure together in their next step of their relationship. Living together was not going to be a breeze, but Inasa was determined to keep Shouto as happy as he could for every moment he spent with him from now on.
They yawn in unison, the haze of sleep beginning to pull them under.
“G’night,” Shouto slurs. Inasa only pulls him into a tighter grip.
IKEA is a labyrinth, to put it lightly. Inasa is sure he’s infiltrated an underground operating base with more ease than this. To be fair, however, he’s only ever been called twice for such types of missions considering his large build and quirk were not quite suited to stealth.
The couple have spent the better half of the day perusing through bed frames and sofas; slowly making their way to the house accessories sections. While Shouto isn’t having too much trouble blending in with his beanie and grasses to take away from his scar, Inasa is once again coming to terms with the fact that his stature is quite the vice. He stands out like a sore thumb and - while he likes the attention of his many fans - he just wants a quiet day with his boyfriend.
As Inasa is stopped for the nth time in an hour, it takes all his willpower to not scream out in frustration. Instead, he pulls out a wide smile, despite this being a day for him and Shouto, he still appreciated and loved all of his fans.
“Fellow friends,” he bellows, “fancy meeting you all here!” He can see Shouto veering off to the side, quickly disappearing around a corner.
“Gale Force!” A fan exclaims, “I can not believe I caught you here! At an IKEA of all places!” Their eyes are shining with admiration.
“Well, I am still a human just like everybody else!” he spreads his arms. Unfortunately, his inherent outdoor-voice seems to attract the attention of other shoppers, and suddenly a dozen more people are making their way toward him.
There’s a tug on his sleeve to draw the attention to the stranger, “Could I get a photo, please?”
“Of course, anything for my spirited friends!” he bends down a little to fit in the frame of the tiny phone. He pats the fan’s shoulder once they’re satisfied, “Thank you for the photo!”
“No, no! Thank you !” They gasp, “You’re such a great hero! It’s only right to be supporting someone like you!”
His grin widens, “Such passion! I like that!” The fan blushes slightly, but his attention is quickly diverted as another person steps forward, gently shoving their way through the gathering crowd.
“Excuse me,” they walk up to Inasa, a decorative bowl in each hand, “Honey, do you prefer the white bowl or the red one?”
A gasp emitted from the small crowd, hushed chatter spreading like wildfire.
Inasa grin softens into something more affectionate as he gazes at the beanie-covered head of his boyfriend - his saviour. His words are more casual than his usual polite tones. “Hm, the white one’s better!”
Shouto gives a small, but decisive nod. “Good,” he puts it into their bag that Inasa was shouldering.
Suddenly, a few staff members come pushing through; looking much more frazzled than Shouto. “We’re extremely sorry, Gale Force,” one speaks while the others try to break up the herd of people, “We deeply respect the well-being of all our customers, and apologise for on behalf of the public for the disruption to your day. Our staff have been warned to ensure your time here with your partner is left undisturbed.”
Relief washes over him at the staff’s outburst, but he responds, “Please! There’s no need to apologise,” he waves his hands animatedly with a sheepish smile, hoping to settle the matter. “It is I who is at fault for causing such a disturbance to other shoppers!”
Even so, they all take a moment to bow apologetically before dispersing the rest of the fans with polite, but blunt words.
They’re finally left alone, and it’s almost quiet except for the cheery pop music playing from the speakers around the giant store. The wind-user lets out a large exhale, his smile dropping from his face.
Heterochromatic eyes stare at him for a moment, searching. Soon after, Shouto begins walking around, perusing the tableware with an air of indifference. Inasa trails behind, silently holding open the bag whenever Shouto found something he liked.
“I’m sorry,” Shouto eventually speaks up, “If you wanted to keep talking to your fans…”
Inasa blinks, the puzzle pieces slotting together as he turns to his boyfriend, “ You called them?”
“You seemed uncomfortable with everyone approaching, so I called some staff members.” He scrunches his nose a little, speaking his next words in a quiet tone - almost mumbling under his breath, “And… well, I was getting annoyed that I had to share you when this day was just for us.”
A hand threads into his, gripping with a familiarity that has the tension fading from his body. Shouto walks even closer alongside him. His body pressed up against his arm, and Inasa looks down upon his boyfriend fondly at the not-so-subtle act of possessiveness. Sometimes Shouto got a little bit jealous, and Inasa wouldn’t deny that he loved seeing such a side to his lover.
He squeezes the hand in reassurance, “Thank you, Shouto. Like you said, this day is just for us. I’m sorry that I kept getting pulled away from you.”
Shouto doesn’t respond, but it’s clear he’s happier knowing Inasa isn’t mad at him.
The pair wander around a little longer, feeling much more relaxed now that people were keeping their distance. They have a bag full of knick-knacks, and a list of codes for the materials they would need to build the furniture.
They have almost reached the materials warehouse when he sees it; in amongst all the shelving and sales buckets. It really stands out alongside the rest of the plain linen sets.
They're dark blue with a gaudy rubber duck print. He can see from the corner of his eye how Shouto notices it too. The shorter hero’s back straightens as he lets go of Inasa’s hand and beelines towards it. Scooping it up, he turns back and practically shoves the linen set into Inasa’s face. His expression is as serious as ever, though his eyes shine with a hint of childish mirth that only Inasa has ever had privy seeing once or twice in his lifetime. Shouto’s next words form slowly, as if to exacerbate how important this is to him, "I want the ducks."
Inasa almost wants to grimace, because he just knows those ducks are going to be a mood killer. Except, Shouto's expression is just too adorable; open and vulnerable in a way that has Inasa proud of how far they’d come together.
It’s an easy decision, considering that it's very clear that Shouto wants those ducks. So to hell with it; they were going to get the damn duck set.
Shouto's smile is worth every cent.
Two and a half weeks living in their new apartment, and the couple were only slightly ashamed that they’d yet to really use their kitchen. They had mostly ordered take out since moving in, due to how busy things had suddenly gotten.
It was clear that their expenses were on the rise, however, and the pair had finally sat down and made a deal that they should set some time aside to learn how to cook together.
They started small; attempting the basics when they had the time. When they were feeling somewhat competent, they did their best to whip up a half decent meal at breakfast. Safe to say, a rice cooker had been a very beneficial investment.
Except, after a particularly disastrous moment in the kitchen when attempting to make paella.... They decided that perhaps it would be best to seek some help from outside of the internet.
Shouto went to Midoriya for advice, which then lead to asking Bakugou since apparently, 'Kacchan is the best cook!', and well… Shouto couldn't really deny that - he'd seen the explosive blond work the kitchen like nobody's business during his UA days enough times.
This resulted in multiple essay-length texts bombarding his phone, full of Bakugou’s signature profanities, with a side of actually useful tips. At the end of it all, he’d included a link to a Katsudon recipe because according to him: ‘It’s easy as fuck to make’.
Shouto is pretty sure that it’s only a result of having to make it a thousand times for Midoriya to please him. Even so, he’d like to give Bakugou the benefit of the doubt just once and prints out all the messages and the recipe. He sticks the 11 pages to the fridge to look at later in the week when he and Inasa planned to try cooking once more.
Thursday night comes along, and they’re both in the kitchen - aprons tied, and cooking utensils laid out across the bench. A pan of oil is slowly heating on the stove. Now, the pair stand closely next to each other as a tray of pork cutlets sit innocently on the chopping board.
Shouto’s eyes narrow in on the recipe, a crease forming between his brows as he concentrates on decoding the next step. Pound the meat? Until tender?
He blinks once. Twice. "What does it mean, 'pound the meat until tender'?" he sees Inasa's eyebrows wriggle suggestively from the corner of his eye. He sighs, throwing the papers down in exasperation, "Maybe we should try a different recipe?"
Inasa's expression changes as he raises his hand to stop Shouto, "No wait! I think I've seen people do this before!" He swiftly turns and gives a few hefty punches to the pork cutlets. The cooking utensils on the bench jump wildly at the impact, moving a few inches from their previous resting spots. Inasa clears his throat at gestures at the flattened meat, "Something like that, at least."
Shouto nods in agreement, laying a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder, "I see, that makes a lot of sense now." He picks up the recipe again for the nth time that night scanning the next step. "So, next we have to season the meat with salt and pepper and then…” heterochromatic eyes blink rapidly at the page, rereading the next step over and over again as his expression seems to fill with something akin to horror, "We have to crack open 4 eggs."
The wind-user freezes at the words. Eggs were definitely a big hurdle. They both struggled to crack them open without getting some of the shell into the bowl. And fishing out the tiny pieces out with their fingers… well it was quite the frustrating experience.
Inasa turns to him in a serious manner, the air suddenly becoming tense. “Well,” his voice booms in the otherwise silent apartment, as he holds out his fist, “this can only come down to one thing!” Despite the confidence in his tone, Shouto can detect the waver in his voice. He too, holds up his fist.
“Yes, there is only one thing this can resort to,” he agrees solemnly.
Their eyes meet in a competitive stare, “Jan… Ken… Pon!” Inasa calls out as they both throw out their hands.
Both immediately look to see Inasa’s still closed fist and Shouto’s outstretched palm.
Inasa immediately pulls back and covers his face with his hands in devastation, “NO!!!!” he yells dramatically, leaning against the counter for support as his knees buckled. Shouto huffs triumphantly and turns around to pull out a bowl and plucks out the 4 eggs from the carton.
It takes Inasa another few minutes to pull himself together, his gaze full of despair as he faces the eggs. Breathing in deeply, he holds it in as he gingerly picks one of them up.
Shouto shuffles through the papers as he scans the list of tips from Bakugou. “It looks like if you crack the egg on a flat surface there’s less chance of you getting shell into the mixture,” he advises before looking back up, “It’s okay Inasa. I believe you can do this.”
The taller man nods, still holding his breath. As lightly as he can, he taps the egg against the counter top. Considering the man barely knows his own strength, the shell cracks slightly open and Shouto gasps.
He taps it once more against the counter before bringing it to the bowl peeling the shell open with his thumbs. The egg plops out into the bowl - the yolk sitting perfectly pretty and unbroken. The kitchen is silent.
Then, there’s a loud exhale as Inasa puffs out his chest, fists pumping in the air. “SHOUTO! I DID IT! THE MIGHTY INASA HAS SUCCESSFULLY PROGRESSED IN THE ART OF COOKING BASICS!!”
Shouto feels the corners of his lips tugging upwards, “I’m proud of you, Inasa,” he praises.
“YES!!” Arms grip the shorter hero around the waist as he’s lifted up, “THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME!”
Shouto leans forward, his own arms winding around Inasa’s shoulders to hold himself up. “I always believe in you,” he says sincerely, “You’re amazing.”
There’s a glimmer of adoration as Inasa looks at him now, “You too Shouto. You are also a very wonderful person.”
They’re both leaning quite close now, heads tilting slightly as their lips meet. It’s a very soft kiss - the kind that they share when words fail them. The kind of kiss that leaves them warm inside; like a comforting hug. A kiss that’s full of I love you’s and the stirring of emotions that Shouto wants to cling onto for the rest of his life.
They pull away from each other eventually; breathing uneven. Shouto blinks as something else catches his attention, “I - Is it abnormally hot in here or is it just me?” he whispers.
“It’s you,” Inasa responds with a goofy smile.
“What?” Shouto pushes away, face flushing, “Wait, no. I mean it is actually quite ho- the oil!” He pulls himself from Inasa’s grasp and rushes over to turn off the stove, where the oil was beginning to trail wisps of smoke. He sighs in relief, grateful to avoid another disaster.
He turns back to Inasa and firmly pokes him in the chest, “No more distractions,” he chastises, and Inasa had the decency to look sheepish. Shouto quickly discards of the burnt oil and sets another pan on the stove before moving to pat his boyfriend on the shoulder supportively, “Come on, Inasa. You still have 3 more eggs.”
The man perks up with a grin, stepping forward and pushing up his sleeves. “Leave it to me!”
It’s a kitchen win in the Todoroki-Yoarashi household that night.
Shouto had been on a mission for almost a month, leaving Inasa in an empty apartment. Before Shouto, he’d been rooming with Seiji and Camie. It was lonely - living alone. The bed was made for two, he kept making too much food, and he had called out Shouto’s name countless times, only to be met with silence. He had become so used to having Shouto’s calm presence there, that he felt restless without him.
So when Shouto walks through the door in the early evening, Inasa is instantly all over him. He wraps his arms around Shouto’s frame and squeezes tight; beaming with joy when his boyfriend leans into the touch, breathing deeply.
“I HAVE MISSED YOU GREATLY!” he announces, pressing a kiss upon the top of Shouto’s head. His voice echoes through the apartment, but for the first time in what felt like forever, it gains a response.
“I’ve missed you too, Inasa,” Shouto finally raises his arms to curl around Inasa’s waist, “I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you.”
Inasa shakes his head, “IT IS FINE! You were on a very important mission after all.”
“Mmm, we got the information we needed and caught everyone involved. It will likely be in the late night news and the papers tomorrow morning,” his nose scrunches as he pauses to think, “I’m going to take a shower.”
Shouto pulls away from their embrace and begins to shed off his hero uniform. He moves around the apartment, placing away all of his gear and putting things into the laundry pile.
Inasa dutifully trails after him, watching in silence as he relishes at the sight of having Shouto here. Having him home.
“So, after you bathe, would you like to watch some movies together?” He asks when Shouto takes a fresh towel from the pile that had been folded, but yet to put away. Inasa itches to cuddle with Shouto on their couch to make up for lost time.
Heterochromatic orbs focus on him, "Mm, I'd like to go to bed and take a quick nap. I’m quite tired..." he punctuates his sentence with a yawn and Inasa can feel his shoulders drooping.
“Are you sure? You can even pick what to watch.” He asks again for good measure.
Shouto shakes his head, “Maybe tomorrow?”
"... One movie?"
"I don't think I'd even get through 10 minutes of it." Shouto says, eyebrows furrowing slightly.
Inasa sucks in a breath, "But -"
"Inasa, please. I'm tired." The shorter hero cuts in, making to move past him.
Why was he brushing off his advances? Inasa frowns and grabs Shouto's shoulder. "I just would like to spend time with you! You've been gone so long and we have not talked for the past month!" His voice comes out louder than intended and Shouto's eyes widen, stumbling over his next words.
"Inasa… I - why are you yelling at me?"
"I apologise," he immediately amends. Inasa's heart squeezes with guilt, “I did not intend to… how about I join you for your nap?” He tries.
"No,” Shouto's expression turns neutral, but his voice betrays him - wobbling slightly at the end of his sentence, “I just… I think I need some time alone."
Inasa can see it. He sees the guarded stance Shouto has taken as his walls are thrown up in defence. He hasn’t seen this from Shouto since they had started to date. He had promised himself he would never make Shouto feel this way - to corner him like this - and he’d gone and ruined that. He takes a deep breath and consciously lowers his voice.
“Alright,” he has to restrain himself from reaching out to the smaller man and instead backs up a little - almost around the corner of the hallway. He hesitates before fully disappearing, and leaning against the wall, "Call me when you're hungry then?"
Inasa is met with silence, and a few minutes later, the sound of the shower running drifts into the hallway. He lifts his hands and slaps at his cheeks - the sting not enough of a punishment to make up for yelling at his lover.
How could he have been so stupid?
No matter how much he had missed Shouto, it was no excuse for what he’d just done.
This marked the first time they had argued since moving in together. Perhaps even before they’d moved in.
He sighs, digging his palms into his eyes, “Ah shit. This is bad.” He tells himself. He replays the conversation in his mind, on loop, cringing over and over when he thinks about what he said. How he said it. How overbearing he’d been.
Shouto was right. He’d yelled. Ignored what Shouto was trying to say. He didn’t try to understand what Shouto was feeling.
Inasa was the worst boyfriend.
The man pulls his hands away from his face, exhaling shakily once more. He blinks the spots away from his eyes and stands. He drags his feet to the kitchen and beings to pull out pots and utensils on autopilot.
He’d promised Shouto food, after all.
It’s a miracle he doesn’t end up slicing off all his fingers as he prepares the food in a daze.
He’s almost finished, stirring the pot and turning the heat to low when he picks up on the shuffling of feet upon tiled floors. He stands stiffly, refusing to turn away from the benchtop. “The food will be ready in ten minutes. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”
It takes a while for Shouto to respond, but eventually, “You don’t need to go.”
Shouto steps closer and wraps his arms from behind Inasa. The man can’t help but think that he feels so small pressed up against him in this moment. The guilt comes rushing back and he clenches his fists.
"I am extremely sorry, Shouto. I should not have yelled at you,” he sniffs.
There’s a pause, “Are you crying Inasa?” Shouto whispers.
Roughly, the taller man wipes away the tears with his sleeve, “I have wronged you. I am angry at myself.”
Arms squeeze even tighter around him, a silent gesture of forgiveness. “You just missed me a lot, that’s all,” he replies, “I did, too. I remember why I was so happy to come home now. If I were not so tired, I would love to have stayed up and watched movies with you. And when I said I wanted to be left alone, I regretted it.. When I got into bed… I just wanted you there with me. I - I can’t seem to sleep without you. Not when I know you’re out here, most likely blaming yourself.”
“But it was my fault!” Inasa is quick to express.
“It’s mine too,” Shouto is just as quick to reply.
Inasa finally feels confident enough to turn around and face his boyfriend, “What about -”
The other silences him with a sharp look, “Inasa, I’m not angry, or hurt. At least, not anymore. You meant well, and I know that.”
Grey irises stare back into heterochromatic orbs, the tension melting from his body, “Okay.”
Shouto smiles a small smile. He reaches over and flicks off the gas, the fire dying out. “Good,” and then, he burrows himself into the warmth of Inasa, breathing deep.
They stay that way for a good while, Inasa rubbing Shouto’s back as the other leans against him. Eventually, Inasa’s back aches from awkwardly balancing his weight and Shouto’s on the kitchen bench. “Shouto?” he asks, wanting to move.
He waits a few seconds for a response, before looking down and realising that the other had fallen asleep, looking all-too comfortable against Inasa’s chest.
Stifling a laugh and shaking his head fondly, he carefully moves to life his man into his arms, silently carrying him to the bedroom and kissing him upon the cheek. “Sweet dreams, my Shouto.”
It’s a Saturday morning, and despite it being their shared weekend off, Shouto’s body automatically rouses him at six-thirty on the dot. Inasa’s still fast asleep, limbs sprawled out aside from his left arm curled around Shouto’s waist.
He feels a soft smile slip onto his lips as he gazes at the sleeping man. His mouth is slightly propped open; a small amount of drool beginning to dry on his chin. Shouto’s eyes drift across familiar features, huffing in laughter when Inasa’s nose twitches. He feels a little foolish - watching his boyfriend sleep so soundly like he’s in a cheesy romance movie, but at the same time, he feels absolutely giddy inside that he gets to wake up next to this man.
Moving in with Inasa had been one of the best decisions of his life. The past six months have made him the happiest he’s ever been.
He stays in bed, awake for another ten minutes before he starts to feel particularly fidgety, and escapes the comforting warmth of Inasa’s arms to use the bathroom.
His next stop is the kitchen. He immediately sets about to steep some tea - neither of them were the biggest fans of coffee.
With a mug in each hand, he makes his way back to the bedroom, where Inasa is still sprawled across the mattress. He sets the drinks down on the bedside table. He contemplates the sleeping figure for a moment. Then, he warms his left hand and cools his right, before reaching out to grab the man's cheeks and effectively shocking him awake.
Piercing eyes snap open just as Shouto swoops in and plants a big fat smooch on Inasa's lips. "Good morning, Mr. Handsome," he greets.
Then, the two gaze at each other in silence as Shouto watches a red flush creep up Inasa’s neck and all the way up to his cheeks. Shouto’s eyebrows rise as he breaks the silence with a muffled laugh, “Was that too much?” he asks, a small smile on his lips.
“SHOUTO!” Inasa is grinning whilst simultaneously trying to cover his face with his hands in embarrassment, “YOU CANNOT BE SO ADORABLE AND YET SO TEMPTING AT THE SAME TIME! It is… IT IS SIMPLY NOT GOOD FOR MY HEART!”
Shouto merely chuckles again, picking up the mugs, “I made tea.” He holds one out to Inasa, who now looks close to tears.
“Thank you.”
“It’s no problem,” Shouto sips at his drink, eyeing the other man. Had he buttered him up enough yet? Probably. He clears his throat, “So, we need to clean the apartment today.”
Inasa looks at him, somewhat betrayed, before glancing back at his tea and sighing in defeat. “Of course.”
At that, Shouto hums with appreciation and leaves the room. Inasa would follow in due time.
For the time being, he starts a load of washing, carefully measuring out the detergent and softener. The first ever time they’d done the laundry had been a disaster after they’d failed to correctly measure out the detergent, and Shouto certainly did not want a repeat.
By the time he went back out into the hall, Inasa was in the kitchen finishing up making breakfast. He, being the certified egg-cracker in the house, had made omelettes - the smell wafting in the air as Shouto made his way toward him.
“Thank you for cooking,” he says, taking the two plates as Inasa grabs some utensils.
They settle down at the table, with Inasa immediately launching into the dream he’d had before Shouto woke him up. Shouto listens intently, watching as Inasa threw his hands about. He describes a world without quirks; how he’d miraculously saved Shouto from a house fire, donning a yellow uniform and hard hat. He retells everything vividly; being the dramatic storyteller he is.
Shouto his content just listening, hand shifting slightly to help reheat the tea that had definitely become cold.
The two of them only leave the dining table when a telltale beeping sounds from the laundry room. “I’ll wash up, and you can put the laundry in the dryer?” he suggests, standing and collecting the plates.
“You got it!” Inasa grins, washing his hands before disappearing down the hall.
Shouto makes quick work of scrubbing the dishes and rinsing them, setting them on a drying rack.
Though he didn't take long, Inasa is clearly in a hurry to get the cleaning over and done with, as he’s already started on the dusting.
Using the duster, Inasa makes his way around the apartment, using his height to reach the top of shelves and other furniture. He’s doing fairly well, wiping surfaces clean and spotless. He’s about halfway done when he first feels it. The itch.
He sniffles, waving a hand in front of his face to get rid of gathering dust particles. Shouto’s head pops up to look at him with alarm.
Another sniffle, and the itch builds up in his nose. Shouto takes one step toward him. “Inasa,” he attempts to warn, “Cover your-”
“ACHOOOOOO!!” he sneezes loudly; the sound echoing through the apartment. The curtains go flying, windows rattling dangerously and papers on the coffee table take flight at the gust of wind that circulates suddenly throughout the small space.
Inasa stands shock still, sheepish, as he watches the stack of papers slowly drift back to the floor. The exact pile of work that he’d spent hours ordering and straightening up last night. He groans and looks at Shouto with a pout.
Shouto’s hair is askew from the impromptu blow-dry as he regards Inasa with a dry look, “Perhaps I should take over the dusting?”
“No need! You can start on the vacuuming!” He waves Shouto off.
His sentence seems to remind Shouto of something, as the shorter man’s eyes light up, “Ah, actually, I need your help with something.” He waves Inasa over, urging him to follow as he leaves the living room and heads over to their storage closet.
Inasa tilts his head in confusion, but obediently follows, “What is it?”
“I bought something, but I need your help setting it up.” Shouto says, pulling the closet door open and dragging out a large box, “I thought it would be helpful to have in the apartment.”
The wind-user sweeps his gaze over the box, reading the labels. “You… bought a robotic vacuum?”
Shouto nods, “As much as I like watching you when you help to lift the couch so I can vacuum under it… I thought it would be nicer to save some time on cleaning with this.” He looks up, and finds his boyfriend staring at him with the most endearing expression that has his heart skipping a beat. “Do you like it?”
Inasa regards him was a wide grin, “Like it? Of course I do!” He reaches over and pulls the flaps of the box open, “This is what I call a worthy purchase! A robot dedicated to its job!”
“That doesn’t make much sense, but I agree nonetheless.” Shouto says as Inasa begins to take bits and pieces out of the box.
Forty minutes later, the vacuum is whirring quietly in the background as it maps out their apartment, and the pair trail after it; laughing softly as it continuously bumps into obstacle after obstacle.
“So, this was definitely worth ¥75,600,” Shouto comments.
“Definitely!” Inasa turns to pick Shouto up by the waist, “Because it's movie time now!” He grins, enthusiastically showering the other with small kisses.
Shouto laughs, trying to push Inasa’s face away, “Wait, stop!” he says breathlessly, “We still need to go grocery shopping!”
Inasa pulls away with the expression of a kicked puppy, “Do we really?” he complains.
A stern nod, “Yes. Now put me down.”
Inasa leans forward once more, capturing him off guard with a kiss to his collarbone, trailing up his shoulder until his lips meet Shouto’s ear, “But I need some time to show you my appreciation.” He squeezes his waist.
The half-hot-half-cold hero can feel his cheeks warm as Inasa grins up at him. He can feel his resolve weakening as he meets Inasa’s stare. “I guess…” he gulps, “I guess we could still go tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow sounds good!” Inasa exclaims as he turns and whisks him away to their room.
The vacuum carries on for another half hour - determining its job done when it reaches the end of the hall and knocks into a closed door.
Shouto turns to look over the back of the couch as he hears Inasa stumble from the bedroom. His gaze flickers to the clock and he chuckles softly, noting that Inasa is - once again - running late. The wind-user had been a little flighty in the past week. He’d almost threatened bedrest, wielding a thermometer - but Inasa was adamant that he was okay.
Had he not been swamped with a bunch of patrol shifts from the agency, Shouto definitely would’ve forced the man to stay in bed despite Inasa’s assurances. He internally sighs at how stubborn his man can be.
When Inasa appears around the corner - hopping around to pull on some socks - he tilts his head and asks, “Do you want me to drive you to the office?”
The other looks like a deer-caught-in-headlights for a moment, before shaking his head and exhaling. “No need. It’s your day off! You should… relax.”
“Hm, alright,” Shouto decides it’s not worth pushing and settles back into the couch cushions, “Take care at work, then.”
Inasa presses a quick kiss upon the top of head. "Of course, Shouto - oh and, here!" He tosses a small box over his shoulder before rushing down the hall. He calls over his shoulder, "I will be back straight after patrol!"
The front door clicks shut and Shouto is left in an eerie silence, staring at the white leather box in his hands. His breath hitches. Could it be?
Of course, he’s hoping it is - even if it’s rather unromantic of Inasa to do it this way. Even so... he thinks, with a smile, how flustered Inasa must have looked in the jewelry shop surrounded by tiny, fragile accessories.
With little hesitation, he flips the top open to find… nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just the velvet padding, but no ring. He frowns, apprehension bubbling in his gut. He doesn’t understand what the empty box is supposed to mean.
Inasa tended to convey things in a confusing, or complicated nature at times. He didn’t mind spending time decoding Inasa’s intentions sometimes, but the only conclusion he thinks of when it comes to an empty ring box… well, it has his heart sinking.
Was Inasa sick of him? Perhaps this was why they had been spending less time together lately.
He looks around, reminiscing upon the day they’d first moved in. How empty it had been, like a fresh page. Now, it was overflowing with memories they’d shared. The little succulents, the curtains, the duck print sheets drying out on the balcony - even just the scent filling the apartment. It all reminds him of Inasa, and it hurts.
He sits and stares blankly at the wall, hands gripping the smooth cover of the box like a lifeline. He doesn’t even know how much time passes; the ticking of the clock matching his hollow heartbeat, threatening to shatter in his chest.
Heavy footsteps coming up the stairs from outside break him from his trance, and he quickly wipes a stray tear from his cheek as a key is pushed into the lock of the door and twisted with a resounding click .
Shouto slips off the couch and heads directly toward Inasa, who has barely even stepped through the doorway. He brandishes the box with a chilling stiffness, "Is this a joke to you?"
“Huh?” he looks from the empty box to Shouto’s distraught expression, “No - Shouto - I thought…?”
The shorter man shoves the box into Inasa’s open palm, “Is this your way of telling me you want to break up?”
“WHAT? NO!” he shakes his head wildly, “It’s the opposite! I want to marry you! I thought that was clear?”
“But,” Shouto stops with a sniffle, “But… the box is empty .”
The following silence is stifling as Inasa stares at him, dumbfounded. “Empty?” he eventually gasps out, “It can’t be empty!” His fingers fumbled as he struggles to open the box. There’s another gasp when he finally manages to look inside, “It is empty! Shouto!” He looks mortified now, hands raising to grip at his head, “WHY IS IT EMPTY?!”
The other man struggles to come up with the words, “Well, you tell me? You’re the one who bought it?”
“No, no. There should be a ring!” He points, “In here! They told me so!”
Shouto looks less than amused; his hours of turmoil now reduced to exasperation, “And you never thought to make sure?”
"I was so scared of opening the box in case the ring flew out, so I never checked!" Inasa's already pulling out his phone to dial the jewelry store as he frantically explains.
The heterochromatic-eyed man now shakes his head fondly, unsurprised by the admission. Inasa sports a sheepish expression as he turns his back to him and begins whispering frantically into the phone. The other waits patiently, arms crossed, until Inasa ends the call and turns back to face him.
“Well?”
Inasa gives him a pained look, "They uh… they forgot to put the ring in the box."
Shouto can’t help it. He lets out the most undignified snort, arms moving to clutch at his waist as he slowly breaks down into a fit of laughter. The situation is completely ridiculous and yet Shouto cannot help but think this is exactly what he should’ve expected from Inasa.
The taller man seems stumped, shoulders slumped and unsure of what to do. He bites at his lip in worry, that Shouto was only laughing because he was actually still mad at him.
A hand reaches out to grasp at his; palm cold, but it has a familiar warmth spreading up his arm nonetheless. Shouto’s now wiping a tear from the corner of his eye with his other hand, finally calming down. Only his wide grin and mirth in his eyes remain as he tugs at their connected hands to pull Inasa closer.
He looks up at him - and Inasa might daresay - adoringly. “Inasa, I know I don’t say this enough… but I truly love you. So much,” the smaller hero blinks, the mirth gone and replaced with something vulnerable.
“When I opened the box I was scared I was going to lose you. You’re an extremely passionate person, and I’m afraid I can’t quite live up to that. I thought maybe you had finally gotten sick of me,” Shouto takes another deep breath, “Inasa… I - yes.”
“Yes?” He’s too afraid to say anything else.
Shouto nods in confirmation. “I’m so glad that the empty box was just a mistake. My heart hurt when I thought you were leaving me. So, if you really mean it, then yes . You’re part of my future and I’d like us to get married. To call you my husband, if you’ll have me.”
The grip he has on Inasa’s hand is tight, and he squeezes back. “But Shouto, I don’t even have the ring to give you right now!”
The fire-and-ice user huffs out a laugh, “You think that matters right now?”
Inasa opens his mouth once more, but Shouto pushes to his tip-toes and leans forward to cut him off. Chapped lips cover Inasa’s in a hard but sweet kiss; sending shivers down his spine. Inasa lets go of Shouto’s hand in favour of pulling him closer, sinking into the all-encompassing heat of Shouto’s feverish kisses and returning them with just as much vigour.
They’re falling apart; melting. Yet, they’re falling together; breathing in sync.
Shouto had lost thought of any coherent words at this point, except for one thing.
Life is so much better together.