Work Text:
Todoroki fished his phone out from his pocket when he felt it vibrating. He didn’t usually get calls this late unless it was from his father, so he was surprised to see it was you who was calling him. Was something wrong? You had never called him before.
Excusing himself from the table, he stepped a few feet away, ignoring the questions and stares from his friends. Surely you had to be calling for a reason. He hasn’t known you for very long, but you didn’t seem like the type of person to call for no reason.
He pressed the green answer button.
“Hello?”
“Ah Todoroki? It’s y/n. Are you busy right now? I have a question for you”. You sounded fine. Nothing sounded out of the ordinary, although you did sound a bit rushed. Whatever it was must have been important. He wondered if there was something urgent you needed him for, like a patrol call that went wrong.
During your work-study together, you always took things head-on. Any challenge Endeavor threw your way, you embraced, even if you didn’t succeed the first time. It was something he found admirable. So this strange change in behavior worried him.
“No, I’m not busy. Is something wrong?” He asked.
“Oh, no!” You paused for a moment, “well, I was just wondering if you wanted to come…do something with me on one of your days off. That is if you aren’t busy.”
Do something? You must mean for all of you at the Endeavor agency to “do something”. You, him, Bakugo, and Midoriya almost always stayed late after Endeavor had finished with work for the day. Usually, it resulted in a late-night convenience store run or stretching together, but you all had fun. You could be found laughing and talking together while on patrol or doing exercises. It was nice to have another friend.
“I'm not doing anything but I would have to ask Bakugo and Midoriya their schedules. I can give you their numbers if you want or I can ask them for you.” Shoto responded.
“No, that’s it’s okay. I really meant you and me. You know, like a date…let’s go on a date.” You said. There was no hesitation in your voice. It sent a shock to his system. He was under the impression that there would be some shyness, like what he had seen when watching movies with his classmates. Yet, there was no embarrassment at being left to explain your feelings so plainly because he couldn’t figure it out.
Shoto could feel his face heating, the one cheek more so than the other, but each side was warm nonetheless.
oh…Oh!….
By “do something” you had meant do something with him- just him!
“Ummm…I- umm….” Why couldn’t he say anything! All he had to do was give you an answer and yet it felt like he had both too many thoughts in his head and none at all. He took the phone and shifted it to his other ear, trying to buy himself just a few more moments. “I will have to make sure I have nothing else going on.” Shoto wasn’t sure what he was saying. It felt like his mouth was moving all on its own.
Why did he feel like this? Why did he feel so…he couldn’t even put a word to it. Being at such a loss for words, made him nervous.
He looked over his shoulder at his friends. For what reason, he wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like any of them could help. None of them knew what was going on, but maybe it would jog some sort of coherent thought. Or maybe one of them would notice and come help him think of what to say so he wouldn’t have to stand here lost in thought.
Suddenly, Shoto snapped his head forward when he heard you sigh. Even over the phone, he could sense your bittersweet tone. Honestly, he couldn’t tell if you were upset or not.
“I can text you what time I’m free.” He blurted out. The thought of you being disappointed in his previous response stirred something in him. He didn’t even mean to say that.
You hummed in response. “Just let me know I suppose. I’m free all day tomorrow so you can just text or call me when you wake up.”
Shoto nodded, then told you he would make sure to let you know when he realized you couldn’t see him.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Have a Goodnight.”
“Yes. You as well” As he pressed the ‘end call’ button, he felt a rush of emotions hit him.
He had never thought someone could be interested in him, but now he has a date.
Originally, the whole point of coming to U.A, of interning with his own father, was just to become strong enough to be number one. There was no need for friends or love interests. But suddenly that all changed, with just one phone call! It was so overwhelming to the point where it felt like he had visible heat coming off his cheek.
As Shoto went back to his seat, he decided he would need to give the whole situation some serious thought. His internal monologue was interrupted though.
“So who called you? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.” Midoriya asked between bites of food, smiling the whole time.
“It was y/n.”
“Oh? It’s not like her to call. What did she want to talk to you about?” Midoriya finished with his food, putting the utensils across his bowl.
“Probably her shitty anime again. She’s been on about it for weeks” Bakugo scoffed, eyeing his teammates from across the table. “I don’t understand how you two listen to her yammer on about that crap! It’s not even that good” he whips his head around to Kirishima as the boy to his left scolds him for an ‘unmanly’ attitude.
“Lighten up dude, isn’t she your friend? Deku says you guys hang out after your work-study all the time. I’m kinda jealous. I wish I had a hottie at my work-study, all I get is useless Mineta…” Kaminari’s attitude suddenly sours at the thought of working with dumb stupid Mineta. “Seriously, he totally sucks. Anyways, back to the real conversation, we should be having, what’s a girl calling Todoroki for?” Kaminari points his finger at Shoto, grinning from ear to ear.
They all look towards him. He can feel his mind drawing a blank again. This feels so embarrassing but he can’t exactly explain why. Maybe he’s imagining it. Or maybe it’s because he isn’t really sure why you called. It was to ask him on a date, but he doesn’t understand why you would want to go on a date in the first place.
“She asked me on a date.” Shoto tries to respond with an even tone. He doesn’t want to let on just how unsure he really is. Not yet at least.
There’s a heavy silence between the five of them for a few moments.
There’s too many “a date?” “Who wants to go on a shitty date with you” “Dude how?” “What? You mean- how” for him to process how to respond. So he settles for, “She just asked to do something. Why is that so shocking?”
It’s Kaminari that takes the lead in interrogating him. “She just called and asked you?”
Todoroki nodded.
“Just straight up Said “hey Todoroki let’s go on a date.’ On a Friday night. No confession after patrol. No weird love note. Nothing.”
“Yes. That’s basically what happened”
Kaminari sat there for a few moments, staring dumbfounded. “…that’s so hot.”
“Dude! Don’t say stuff like that! It’s weird when we don’t even know her.” Kirishima shoved Kamimari’s shoulder as he spoke. However, they could all see the flush on his cheeks.
A woman who was so willing to put her heart on the line, willing to be blunt yet vulnerable, it was so manly but in a feminine way. It nearly drove Kirishima to tears.
“Oh so I can’t call her hot but Kirishima can say all this weird Shakespeare stuff-“
“Would you two shut up?! You both sound stupid!” Bakugo barked at them. He huffed and pushed his plate away from himself. “It’s not like she confessed her undying love or something. She just asked him out on a date. Y/ns has always been pretty blunt. “
“Kacchan’s right” Midoriya spoke up [shoto can hear a faint ‘don’t fucking call me that’ somewhere in the background]. “She really is blunt. Not in a mean way though!” He was quick to qualify his statement, not wanting to sound offensive or mischaracterize her. “I mean- it’s a nice change of pace sometimes. She’s pretty open when you ask her about how she thinks or feels, so I’m not really surprised. Did you not know how she felt Todoroki?” Midoriya moved in his chair as he spoke, almost fully facing him now. He was just so excited for his friend.
“It’s kinda fitting isn’t it?”
“What do you mean, Midoriya?” Shoto asked curiosity peaked by the dreamy look on his face.
“Well, the both of you are similar in some aspects. It’s funny, isn’t it? You’ve already got similar quirks, so it makes sense you would work well together. But then you’ve got similar personality traits also. You’re both straightforward- Todoroki more than y/n- hardworking, kind, although y/n tends to be more extroverted than you maybe that would only enhance your personalities more-“
“God damn Deku, you wanna be more creepy or what?” Bakugo sneers. “You’re gross when you do that kind of shit.”
Shoto smiled to himself, laughing a little as Midoriya’s face went bright, from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. Bakugo had a way of calling him out. Even if it wasn’t always nice, it was funny to watch sometimes.
“I’m just saying! We should all be happy for our friend! Y/n is a nice girl and they could be a really good couple” Midoriya looked to all of them, silently pleading that they would be supportive and not weird. A few of them slowly nod in agreement.
“Yeah” Kaminari leans in towards the middle of their group, reaching over Kirishima so everyone could hear him despite his hushed tone, “plus she’s hot. I saw that photo spread she did with Miruko over summer break. Damn what a bo-“
He freezes mid-thought as the four of them send him dirty looks.
“You never stop do you?”
“You’re being as bad as Mineta right now”
“Come on Kaminari have some tact”
Shoto sighs. He appreciated his friends trying to help but he still felt strange about the whole situation.
“What should I tell her? I said I would let her know if I was busy.” He interrupts their commotion, asking for their advice on what to do.
“So you didn’t say yes?” Kirishima raises an eyebrow at him. “Do you want to go?”
The question catches Shoto off guard. How was he supposed to know if he wanted to go on a date or not?
“I’m not sure.”
“We’ll do you like her?” Bakugo interjects.
“Yes.”
“Do you like her enough to go do stupid shit with her? Like see a movie or, I don’t know what’s something gross girls like…go to dinner?”
[“Bakugo, everyone goes to dinner” “fuck off it’s different when girls want you to go. You have to like…try”]
Shoto looks down at his hands in his laps. He does like you. You’re very kind to him. You’re very supportive of his training and always encourage him to be better. But you don’t just praise him because he’s the son of Endeavor or a top student from U.A., there’s a genuine connection that comes from your time working together. And you both have some things you can talk about, like hobbies and interests. Unlike Bakugo, he doesn’t mind listening to you talk about shows or books you like. It’s fun to watch you be passionate. So…maybe going to a movie wouldn’t be so bad.
“Yes. I think so. I suppose…I’ll give her a callback tomorrow then.”