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Not even fifteen minutes ago, Hitoshi would have said this whole night was destined to be a huge waste of time. He honestly doesn’t want to be here, but Jirou, Uraraka, and Mina would not leave him alone about it, and inevitably, like always, he caved.
It’s all thanks to those stupid ‘girls nights’ he’s ended up an honorary member of. He assumed it was because he’s gay and that somehow gets him a pass because boobs equal boring, but really he suspects Mina just wants to force him to paint her nails every two weeks because he’s the only one nice enough to not say no.
Either way, he finds himself a part of a lot of conversations that he’d really rather opt out of but is trapped in. At this point, with graduation looming on the horizon, he’s really just running out the clock. Right up until he opens his dumb mouth one night when the girls are trading ideas for date nights. When eyes turn to him he just gives a vague shrug and mutters ‘wouldn’t know’ around the rim of his contraband beer.
Wrong answer.
All three of them descend on him like wolves.
“Wait, you’ve never been on a date?!”
“Toshi, you’re almost eighteen, oh my god, boo!”
“Dude, seriously?”
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Hitoshi says, shrugging with feigned casualness even though his cheeks are burning. “I came here to be a hero, not find a boyfriend.”
“It’s called multitasking, honey,” Mina states, finger extended to poke him in the nose and he catches her wrist at the last minute. He is not redoing them just because she has to scold him.
“I’m focused,” Hitoshi argues, “you know, on class, and homework, and training. I’m too busy.”
Jirou gives him a flat look, arms crossed. “Bakugou is focused on all that and he and Kirishima are still sneaking into each other’s rooms like every night.”
“I’m pretty sure we’re not supposed to know that,” Uraraka comments and Jirou just rolls her eyes.
“Then Kiri shouldn’t hum the James Bond theme music when he’s sneaking around.”
Hitoshi chokes on his drink as Mina cackles because he’s been trying very hard not to make that association and now every spy movie in existence has been forever ruined for him.
“You need to go on a date before you graduate,” Mina insists, redirecting the conversation back to Hitoshi and he slouches in Jirou’s bean bag with a scowl.
“No thank you.”
“Come on, there has to be someone you can ask out! Even just once,” she presses, planting her hands on the floor so she can lean into his space like the busybody she is.
“No. Thank. You.”
Behind her Uraraka and Jirou exchange a deeply unsettling look and he knows he’s in for it.
“What if—” Uraraka starts, and Jirou is already nodding, like she knows exactly what Uraraka’s going to say. “—we set it up for you?”
“What?” he says in confusion and winces when Mina screeches in delight.
“A blind date, yes!” she throws herself at the two other girls, knocking them all to the ground. “Brilliant! I love it.”
“I feel like I’m saying ‘no’ a lot and it’s just going over everyone’s heads,” Hitoshi drawls, taking a swig of his drink. Mina clambers off the two girls and plucks his beer out of his hand, dropping into his lap so she can squish his face between her hands.
“Hito, my love, my joy, my—”
“No.”
“—favorite man in the whole wide world. We are planning a beautiful first date for you and it will be wonderful and you will enjoy it and thank me profusely afterward for making it happen.”
“Thank us,” Jirou chimes in, and Mina hums agreeably, Hitoshi’s face still smushed in her grip as he glares at her.
“You’re not giving me a choice in this are you?” he grumbles and Mina gives his head a little shake before she releases him, pressing an exaggerated kiss to his cheek. He scrubs at what is sure to be a lipstick smear that he does not want to leave this room with.
“We’re really not.”
—
A week later he’s informed he has “plans” and told to show up at a tiny ramen shop at six in the evening. None of them will tell him who he’s meeting, just that they will be wearing purple which is a little on the nose in his opinion. But apparently, he’s here for the ride and not active participation so whatever. Worst case, he has some good ramen, because the reviews for this place are fantastic.
He plants himself in a booth with a view of the front door and realizes with a glance around that the color-coding probably isn’t even necessary because he’s one of very few people in here. He’s pretty sure that whoever his date is, they aren’t going to be confused if they’re meeting him or the two older businessmen sitting at the bar.
Then he glances back at the door and locks eyes with a surprised-looking Denki, wearing a lavender long-sleeved top that honestly should not look that good on him.
Oh fuck .
Right. God. Shit. Mina knows. Hitoshi had very stupidly mentioned his crush on Denki to her ages ago and of course, she would take this opportunity to yet again try to shove them together. Uraraka and Jirou probably know now too—if they didn’t already.
Hitoshi is going to die of humiliation.
Denki finally seems to recover from his shock and his face morphs into a bright grin as he comes over to Hitoshi’s table, smiling down at him as Hitoshi attempts to form any facial expression besides panicked horror.
“Hi,” Denki says and when Hitoshi doesn’t respond he raises an eyebrow and points at the other seat. “Can I sit?”
“Yeah, yes, of course!” Hitoshi says abruptly, sitting up in his seat so quickly he bashes a knee against the table leg, sending all the jars on the table rattling across the surface. He winces as Denki slides into the seat, seemingly unfazed by the total disaster Hitoshi is at the moment.
“Hey,” Denki repeats when he’s settled, propping his chin on a palm.
“Hey,” Hitoshi manages to choke out after way too long, and he resists the urge to smack himself in the face. Denki just plucks a menu out of the little stand and starts browsing it, humming quietly as he reads. It isn’t until their drinks are on the table — water for Hitoshi and melon soda for Denki — that Denki pins him once again in his electric gaze and Hitoshi momentarily forgets how to breathe.
“They didn’t tell me who I was meeting,” Denki says as he fusses with his straw before he gives Hitoshi a small smile. “Not that I’m upset about who it turned out to be.”
Hitoshi flushes and he stares at the table hard enough that he might burn holes in it. His heart double-times because Denki sounds… happy that his blind date is with him. He hears the ice in Denki’s drink rattle and a finger slides into his view, poking his hand where he has them clasped tightly on the table.
“I didn’t realize you’ve never been on a date before,” Denki adds, sounding surprised and curious. “I guess I always assumed you’d gone out on at least a few, I mean look at who we go to school with right? Hottie city.”
Oh.
Hitoshi goes cold. Like a bucket of ice water has been dumped on him and his face burns. Of course she told him. That’s why Denki’s here. Why he agreed to go on some random date that the girls probably cornered him about. Because Denki is kind like that.
“—you. Is that dumb?” Denki says, gaze averted, and Hitoshi blinks, tuning back in as Denki continues to talk, unaware of Hitoshi’s reaction. Denki fiddles with the sleeve of his shirt before he shoves them up to his elbows. “Though, I can’t believe you never told me. You were my friend first. I totally outrank Mina.” He adds with a pout, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.
Hitoshi would feel bad about that except that’s exactly why he never told Denki. Because Denki was one of his very first friends at UA. Because he wormed his way into ‘best friend’ faster than Hitoshi even realized was possible. And that friendship means a lot to him. There’s no way he’s going to tell him he’s never gone on a date with anyone for a very specific reason.
Because he wanted it to be with Denki.
And now the worst best thing has happened and he is on a date with Denki, for all the wrong reasons.
“I didn’t mean to tell her,” Hitoshi says defensively as he fiddles with his drink. “It kinda… slipped out? I told them I didn’t want to go on a date anyway, but they wouldn’t drop it so,” he gives a vague shrug with one shoulder, unable to bear looking at Denki and what is most likely a look of loving pity he’s giving him right now, “here we are.”
“Oh,” Denki says quietly and Hitoshi glances up at the tone but can’t read the emotion in Denki’s eyes. “Well, maybe we can have a good time anyway, right? I mean, we’re best friends, I think we can manage a wild date night out on the town!” He holds up his pinky and Hitoshi can’t help smiling at the gesture, linking his pinky with Denki’s.
“Sure.”
Denki seems to relax at the gesture, tension dropping from his shoulders, and Hitoshi can’t help feeling a little bad at how uncomfortable Denki must have felt showing up to what he thought was going to be a date, only to find his friend sitting at the table instead.
“Great! Then in that case,” Denki plants both his hands on the table, leaning across it with a challenging grin. “I dare you to order the Baku-dish.”
“Are you trying to kill me?” Hitoshi muses, leaning back in his seat to keep from caving in toward Denki. “I thought you were here to make this a fun first date for me.”
“Doing things you don’t normally do is part of the fun of a date,” Denki argues, jabbing a finger at Hitoshi but retreating back to his side of the table. “It makes it memorable.”
“Memorable,” Hitoshi says flatly. He’s pretty sure he and Denki could do literally nothing else tonight and he’d remember this night forever.
“Mmhmm,” Denki says primly and when Hitoshi continues to give him a disbelieving look, Denki gives him an exaggerated frown. “You don’t believe me?” He grabs Hitoshi’s hand in both of his and Hitoshi’s eyes widen as Denki tugs him forward across the table. “I’m gonna make this a great first date for you, so you’re just gonna have to trust me, okay?”
“Okay,” Hitoshi says a little breathlessly because Denki is holding his hand and somehow it’s different than every other time he’s grabbed Hitoshi’s hand. At least, Hitoshi would love for that to be true.
“Besides,” Denki continues, wiggling his eyebrows at him, “who’s the dating expert here, huh?”
Ouch.
Not that he didn’t know Denki dates—he’s heard about all of them. It just stings a little more to have that fact turned into a ‘help Hitoshi not be pathetic’ mission. He extracts his hand from Denki’s grasp with a smile, tamping down on the pain till it doesn’t show on his face.
“Fine, then you’re getting…” Hitoshi snags a menu and scans it quickly before pointing at an item. “This.”
Denki peers at the menu and wrinkles his nose. Adorable.
“I hate eel.”
“Do you actually or have you never tried it?” Hitoshi asks, arching an eyebrow at him and Denki’s cheeks turn pink at getting called out. “Because I’m pretty sure it’s ‘cause you refuse to even try it.”
“Stupid best friend insider info,” Denki grumbles but he throws up his hands in defeat. “Fine, but if I don’t like it, you have to finish it.”
“Deal,” Hitoshi says with a smug grin and Denki bites his lip in an attempt to not smile back, still intent on pouting his way through dinner.
In the end, it’s Hitoshi who taps out. Denki discovers that not only does he like eel, he’s a big fan of it. Hitoshi, on the other hand, mourns the permanent loss of all his taste buds.
“I can’t feel my face,” he complains as they step back out into the cool night air. He sticks his tongue out at Denki, “are there any taste buds left? Am I scarred for life?”
“You’ll live, you big baby,” Denki snickers and then he pushes himself up on his tiptoes to squeeze Hitoshi’s cheeks and Hitoshi nearly bites his own tongue off in surprise. “Can you feel that?” Denki asks, giving Hitoshi’s cheek a pinch.
“Y—yeah?”
Hitoshi doesn’t remember when, but at some point they stopped walking, pausing in the shadows between streetlights. Denki’s hands are hot on his cheeks, burning imprints he’s sure he’ll feel for the rest of his life. In the dark of evening Denki’s eyes have shifted from their normal honey bright to a darker golden brown and Hitoshi is captivated by them. He can’t seem to look away, even as Denki’s brows scrunch in confusion, gaze searching his face.
“Toshi?” Denki says gently, head tilting to the side as his expression shifts to concern, “you alright?”
“Mhm,” he says, placing his own hands over Denki’s on his face before he pulls them off with a gentle squeeze. “I’m perfect.” You’re perfect.
Denki arches a brow, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as he shoves his hands in his pockets, “and so modest.”
“Oh god,” Hitoshi groans, covering his face with his hands. “I’m so awkward.”
“Yeah, you are,” Denki says, tone laced with affection. A hand settles on Hitoshi’s elbow, guiding him back toward movement as he continues to hide. “But I’ve always loved that about you.”
Hitoshi’s heart leaps into his throat at that and he peeks through his fingers at Denki, who’s now bright red.
“I mean as a friend ,” Denki half yelps and smacks his own forehead before giving Hitoshi an accusing look. “Your awkwardness is contagious.”
“Sorry,” Hitoshi says, finally dropping his hands, but he really isn’t sorry at all. Denki is adorable when he blushes and he loves it.
“You don’t look very sorry,” Denki grumbles and Hitoshi gives him a Cheshire grin that has Denki puffing his cheeks out in annoyance. “Some friend you are, laughing at me, I’m going to remember this.”
“That’s what friends are for, to make sure every moment is memorable,” Hitoshi says with a smirk and Denki pouts. “I mean, you all certainly gave me some things I’ll never forget, only fair I pay it back.”
“Oh yeah?” Denki asks, peering curiously up at him. “Like what?”
“Hmmm,” Hitoshi feigns thinking about it, tapping a finger against his chin. “What about…” He does a couple of quick dance moves, humming the starting bars to ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ and Denki loses it, doubling over in laughter as he clutches his stomach.
“Oh god, Bakugou was so mad at Hanta for recording that,” Denki wheezes, wiping tears from his eyes. “You know he destroyed every phone that had a copy of that video, right?”
“Not every phone,” Hitoshi says with a sly look, and Denki’s jaw drops.
“No.”
“Oh yeah,” Hitoshi says, doing another couple of dance moves accompanied by jazz hands.
“Toshi!” Denki wraps himself around Hitoshi’s arm, giving him a pleading look. “You have to give me a copy of it!!”
“No can do,” Hitoshi says as Denki continues to hang on his arm as they walk. “If he even smells the possibility that the video still exists, my life is over.”
“Then I’m sneaking into your room every night just so I can watch it, I need that in my life.”
“Deal,” Hitoshi agrees and the look of pure delight on Denki’s face has him clearing his throat uncomfortably as he attempts to change the topic. “Hey,” he jabs his thumb at a shop nearby, “want a boba tea? My treat.”
“I thought you’d never ask!” Denki says, tangling their fingers together as he drags Hitoshi toward the shop. “But you have to pick for me again.”
“What, why?” Hitoshi asks, staring down at their joined hands till he nearly trips on the doorframe.
“It’s a test,” Denki says with a wink. “To see how your date training is going. So... “ he turns to peer up at the menu, still holding hands, “what am I getting?”
“Tsk, easy,” Hitoshi snorts, turning to the cashier. “One hot taro tea with boba.”
“How can you possibly know that?” Denki exclaims as the cashier types it into the register.
“Guess I just know you that well,” Hitoshi says with a shrug like he hasn’t spent the last three years paying too much attention to literally anything Denki has shown an interest in.
“Well geez,” Denki says, squinting up at the menu. “Alright, yeah, I’m not gonna be shown up.”
Denki studies the menu while the cashier gives them both a very bored look and it’s when Denki starts humming thoughtfully, chin cradled in a hand, swaying slightly that Hitoshi realizes he’s just making a show of it.
“Stop pretending like you can’t decide,” Hitoshi says with a chuckle, “you picked it like three minutes ago.”
“Of course I already know,” Denki says with a dismissive wave, “it’s a coffee milk tea with coconut jelly, but” he raises his voice as the cashier starts to enter it into the machine and they stop with a sigh. “Tonight is about new things and also not over-caffeinating so, we’ll take one mango jasmine tea with boba, please!”
Back out on the street, Denki takes a sip of his drink, making a happy sound as they wander down the sidewalk, arms brushing occasionally. “I’m so happy you knew, this is delicious. Do you like yours?”
“Hmmm,” Hitoshi takes another sip and he frowns, “needs more caffeine.”
“Haha, very funny,” Denki drones and Hitoshi grins at him around his straw as they turn toward campus. “You know, you’re pretty great at this.”
“Pretty great at what?” Hitoshi asks, keeping his eyes on the sidewalk as Denki turns to walk backward in front of him.
“At the whole date thing. You’ve been very charming and funny.” Denki takes another sip of his drink, eyes wandering across the dark buildings nearby as Hitoshi blinks at him in surprise.
“Thanks?”
“You’re welcome.” Denki gives him a tight smile before he spins on his heel so he can walk next to Hitoshi again, hair hiding his face as he stirs his drink. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. When you go on a real date, I mean. Whoever they are is gonna be super lucky.”
Hitoshi’s stomach churns and suddenly his boba tea doesn’t taste so great anymore. “Right. It’ll be...fine .”
“Just promise me one thing,” Denki says, peeking up at him through his bangs.
“Anything,” Hitoshi says immediately and Denki gives him a shy smile.
“Don’t forget about your best friend when people start lining up to date you. I’m not giving up my movie nights with you just ‘cause someone wants to eat noodles and make moony eyes at you.”
“Our movie nights are safe,” Hitoshi promises, heart aching in his chest. “Our friendship comes first over any stupid moony eyes.”
“Good,” Denki says with a nod, hooking their elbows together. “Best friends forever.”
“Yeah... friends forever.”