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Through the wondrous powers of observation, Sero has noticed something that cannot be unseen. It starts with the black shirt Todoroki wears one evening drinking tea and then starts again with Bakugou wearing the very same article of clothing right before the culture festival.
Sure, okay. Maybe it’s a fluke. This could be a simple misunderstanding and a giant leap in the wrong direction.
But the thing is, Sero has eyes.
He doesn’t even have to strain to see the shift in Todoroki and Bakugou since their remedial licence classes. Or even before that, if he’s really going to flex and pull out the receipts.
Because just last week Bakugou told Todoroki to shut up twelve times and he didn’t falter for a second, because Todoroki had stared forlornly in the common room at Bakugou after his weird yet endearingly encouraging speech.
Because one time in training Todoroki snatched Bakugou’s water bottle from his hand - with his right one - then passed it back in enviable nonchalance.
That’s not even going into how sometimes, Todoroki walks beside Bakugou to classes that aren’t remedial, that Bakugou has wordlessly shoved delicious bentos into that ridiculously handsome face.
Yes, this could be the start of something.
Something new, something too interesting and compelling to ignore now it’s starting to creep out of the proverbial woodwork and into the limelight.
There might be something there that wasn’t there before…
And to further justify his findings, Sero isn’t the only person to have noticed.
“That shirt sure looks familiar,” Ojiro had remarked when Bakugou swept past them.
Just out of earshot to the resident gremlin, because he’s extremely smart.
“The threads of fate can seldom be avoided when they are tied together in the shadows…” Tokoyami had mused one evening on the couch whilst plucking a dark riff from the bass in his lap.
Sero isn’t sure what that means, even now.
But nonetheless, it is added to his evidence pile. Mostly because Tokoyami had been watching Bakugou and Todoroki like a hawk as they stepped into the elevator in seamless tandem.
“Oh! My! Their eyes were Really Twinkling,” Aoyama says after the movie night where Todoroki and Bakugou had exchanged glances for the seventh time in the span of an hour.
It’s abnormal because usually they kept their attention on the screen. Sero often did too. But he’s a mere mortal and lingering curiosity can be insatiable once coaxed into existence.
This progression, this thing budding slowly yet surely between the pair of them is almost so glaringly obvious that Sero can’t believe it’s just as unexpected.
What’s more, it’s really genuinely good.
Sero likes his manga, has a whole bunch that Todoroki even asks to borrow sometimes, and this is playing out much like a hidden bonus chapter in a much bigger story.
Glimpse close enough, revel in every panel, the beginnings are all there.
These two are a match.
Not just compatible on the field, they compliment each other in an astounding number of ways.
Todoroki keeps Bakugou on his toes, and that is really bizarre to witness. Fantastic in every way. He’s to the point and sometimes he can be petty beyond belief.
Their guy Bakugou is explosive and alarmingly perceptive. If anyone is going to call you out on your bullshit, it’s him. And he watches Todoroki, maybe more than he realises.
That’s just the start of it.
“Huh. That’s interesting…” Kaminari says from beside Sero, pulling him out of his head.
It’s clear, he isn’t talking about the books on the desk.
Neither of them are reading the pages. Instead, they’re reading the room. Needless to say, studying isn’t going that well.
And that is all Bakugou’s fault.
The moment Todoroki swept gracefully into the room, their only chance for victory left them to their own devices.
It’s been ten minutes.
Sero can’t remember Bakugou holding a conversation with a single person for this long without walking away. Yet alone devoid of yelling and disrupting the general peace.
Kaminari is right. It’s very interesting.
“Aww. Look at Kacchan being more normal than normal.”
“There’s hope for him yet,” Sero supplies, lips twitching.
“Our Kacchan,” Kaminari thumps his chest, falling dramatically onto Sero’s shoulder. “I’m so proud. I can’t believe this day has come.”
“He’s growing up.”
“Not blowing up.”
“He-”
Sero is rudely interrupted by the weirdest sound he has ever heard in his life. His eyes feel close to falling out of their sockets. Kaminari fares no better, almost careening off his chair.
They meet eyes and it’s at least reassuring to know the shock is mutual.
In unison, they dare to look across the room. Slowly. Very slowly.
Too much drastic movement might startle this feral creature into hiding.
Fortunately, they remain unnoticed.
Bakugou is grinning, wildly. Todoroki appears collected, cool. But there’s the traces of a smirk on his face, from the way those lips quirk up in the corners.
Not enough to be tangible, just enough to drive everybody into a state of existentialism. Which is fine. Okay. Alright.
They’ll unpack that devastating tidbit later.
What matters most here is that before all of this, Bakugou had made a noise. A noise people make when they find something funny.
The closest thing to a laugh Bakugou could probably ever make.
Kaminari gawks, and Sero knows his friend. He can see the grin starting to take form over his face and Sero agrees with it. He really does. But they can’t do this now. Not yet.
Tape flies out of his elbow, hitting Kaminari on the mouth. His friend slumps in his seat, peeling the tape off slowly.
Then, in a conspiratorial whisper, Kaminari leans across the table. There is a hint of hysteria etched into his voice, which is understandable.
“Did he just-?!”
“Yeah,” Sero breathes.
This is a lot to process.
“No way. Did Todoroki-?”
“Yeah.”
He did.
“Does this-”
“Absolutely.”
“Should we-?”
Sero pulls out his phone in response. Yes. Of course they need to make a new group chat sans Bakugou - who doesn’t bother to ever reply but that’s not the point.
Of course they need to bombard the others with this sacred intel.
It’s only fair.
Nobody deserves to suffer in silence and a problem shared is a problem halved.
Aizawa told them this once himself so in some respects they’re just revising course material, applying it into real life situations.
Maybe the study session isn’t a total flop.
In the cruellest plot twist of all time, nobody believes them. Granted they are known for theatrics, for outbursts and endless heckling towards their guy Bakugou.
But Sero really thought at least Kirishima would be supportive. One of them. The trio.
Instead, he admits it isn’t manly to joke about that. No matter how much they all desperately want to hear Bakugou lose his absolute shit in a laughter kind of way.
Unbelievable.
Now Sero is sat with the very being who caused this collapse in the whole of spacetime. Todoroki Shouto is an enigma. Even up close, Sero is at a tragic loss.
This is the person who made Bakugou splutter, dragged a harsh unmistakable laugh out of him that he wasn’t fast enough to stop.
So Sero is acutely aware that this proximity might be dangerous. Extremely dangerous. He’s sat perilously close to a surreal entity with extraordinary gifts which extend beyond his quirk.
Who knows what Todoroki is capable of making people do.
Sero should be on guard.
Cue Bakugou entering stage left, in the very black shirt that started Sero’s total descent into darkness.
Right. That does it.
End scene.
It’s been entertaining, but now this is his moment to direct. The tables are turning.
Grinning, Sero watches Bakugou march towards the kitchen.
“Hey, Bakugou. Isn’t that Todoroki’s shirt?”
Oh yeah, he’s got this in the bag. There’s nowhere left to run - even for the gremlin. It’s over. He’s the only one brave enough to speak any of this into existence.
Somebody has to.
Wearing someone else’s clothes is definitely suspect. All of the things he has witnessed are intangible and bordering supernatural.
“Don’t be an idiot you idiot,” Bakugou hisses from the kitchen. Wow, eloquent. “It’s mine.”
Honestly, that’s an unexpected development. But it’s fine - Sero can work with it. Maybe they both have the same shirt, maybe they went shopping together after remedial classes to buy said matching shirts, maybe-
“I wore it once,” Todoroki says out of nowhere completely unprompted. “You were on the right track, but it’s not mine.”
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
“What the fuck?” Bakugou manages, barely.
His voice is strangled, like it’s gotten stuck somewhere along the way. Probably caught up in all that infernal rage in his veins.
Now Sero is looking at Todoroki, it makes a whole lot of sense. It truly does. This guy has more of an affinity for turtlenecks and cardigans, the occasional jumper.
But the fact this is Bakugou’s shirt means-
“So what, Bakugou let you borrow it?”
This is so, so much better.
Oh yes, it’s glorious the way all of Bakugou freezes in place besides one twitching eye. Magnificent. This is the best thing Sero has seen today.
Possibly even in his life.
Todoroki sets down his tea, glancing over to the frozen monument that once was Bakugou Katsuki.
“Well, not exactly...”
Wait what.
“Shut the hell up!”
An outburst from the background, utterly ignored. Wonderful. Unfazed, Todoroki continues.
“Borrowing would imply I even asked, but I didn’t. Bakugou threw it in my face and said-“
“Oi! Don’t you fucking-”
“I looked good in black.”
Sero chokes on his tea, which is ironic because there’s an even bigger brew pouring out in front of his eyes.
He gives thanks to the universe for endorsing chaos, to Todoroki for being not just ethereal and powerful but an agent of anarchy.
What an icon.
“That ain’t true,” Bakugou spits, finally spurred into motion.
Here he comes, oh lord he’s coming. Round the mountain, out the volcano, over the hill from faraway.
“Yes it is.”
“No it’s - just what the hell are you on you bastard?!”
Eyes on Sero, which is both gratifying and a little terrifying to be honest, Todoroki elaborates.
“He basically said that in his own way.” Pause. “You know how Bakugou is.”
Oh my god.
Goodbye Stain, Todoroki is the real hero killer.
Nothing will ever be the same again. They can’t come back from this. There are moments in life that change everything and this is one of them.
Bakugou jumps onto the couch. He crawls on all fours like a ghastly demon from a horror movie towards Todoroki.
The guy doesn’t move an inch. Even when Bakugou has commandeered his entire peripheral.
“Wanna say that again?”
“Not really.”
Eyes flicking over to Bakugou, Todoroki hums. There’s something close to amusement on his face, Sero is certain of it.
“Black looks good on you too, by the way.”
By the way. By the way. Oh hi Bakugou by the way insert words nobody else would even try to conjure up in his presence because it is absurd.
Wow.
More absurd, Bakugou is reduced to a blank stare. Sero isn’t sure if he should be here anymore. But for the life of him he can’t move.
“Oi. Quit messing with me.”
Todoroki takes a sip of his tea.
“I’m not messing with you. I’d never do that.”
That’s the final straw. Sero can’t help it. Now he is beginning to get why Bakugou laughed.
Todoroki is a riot. Holy shit.
“Something funny tape elbows?” Bakugou asks in a low tone that is on the brink of collapse.
Oh no.
Sero smacks a hand on the table, hysterics only growing. God he can’t breathe. Between gasps of air, Sero takes a stand - but not against this development.
Because this, this is everything.
“Phew! Alright, that’s me done.”
He needs time out. At this point, he’s really earned it.
Sero makes it to the elevator before the tickle of laughter flutters in his chest once more. It dissolves into something softer when he looks back.
Bakugou has stolen his seat, feet propped on the table.
Maybe it’s the trick of the light, maybe Sero is losing his grip on reality - but Bakugou’s ears look flushed. Not from anger.
As the doors close, Sero whistles.
Well.
The wondrous powers of observation really served tonight.