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Shouto is aware he's not very knowledgeable on a lot of things, for all that he studies hard and often. Effort doesn't always equate to success, after all, more so when one lacks the supposedly basic experiences that make the foundation for further knowledge.
Like making friends, for example. That's not really something he could have much experience with even as a child. He's just been lucky enough to have such understanding friends now; friends who don't mind his ignorance on certain things, and are more than happy to help out when he doesn't understand seemingly common knowledge.
Asking someone out on a date is another one of those things he's clueless about. He knows his own feelings, knows how much he likes Bakugou, knows that he'd be happy spending the rest of his days by his side, but that doesn't mean he knows how to go about expressing that properly.
Leading to now:
"...you think making Bakugou jealous is a good way to get him to notice me," he says slowly, trying to understand how that makes any sense. That doesn't sound very logical, even to him.
"Yes, exactly!" Ashido cheers with a clap of her hands, not seeming to understand his confusion. They're all huddled in a circle while seated in the common room sofas, making Shouto feel less like he's asking for dating advice and more like they're planning for some kind of big event. (Maybe dating is that big a thing, usually? He just wanted to let Bakugou know about his feelings, though…)
"He's a lot calmer with you recently, and you've gotten closer as friends—now you need to make him realize what he's missing by flirting a little with someone else!" Ashido adds.
"Someone who's in on the plan, at least," Sero points out. "It's gonna be hard if the person you flirt with thinks you're serious."
"I can volunteer!" Hagakure says, raising a gloved hand. "You can try flirting with me, Todoroki-kun!"
Shouto hums, putting his hand to his chin as he thinks. They all seem to agree, and even Kirishima looks pumped up about it. Kirishima is Bakugou's closest friend out of all of them, minus Midoriya, so maybe it's supposed to make sense? And he just doesn't get it, because he's never had experience with things like these.
Still.
It's better to ask to be sure, right?
"The hell are you bastards looking like that for?"
Ah. Did his thoughts manage to summon Bakugou's presence? That would be really nice, if that were the case.
Bakugou walks over to them, not like how he'd usually avoid a gathering in the years before. He's dressed down into a simple black tee and some sweatpants, and there's something impatient to the expression on his face—like he wants to say something, maybe? But he's not sure how to word it?
Shouto thinks he wants to smooth down the crease between his brows with a kiss.
In fact, he'd like to kiss him in general.
"Why, wanna join?"
He blinks back to attention when Kaminari speaks. Oh right.
Kaminari's grinning when Shouto looks over to him, his head resting back against the sofa as he looks at Bakugou upside down. He adds, "We're talking about what we'll do for Todoroki's birthday." This is a blatant lie, and he's sure Bakugou knows that. He's oddly good at picking up on these things. "You can cook something up, right?"
Bakugou scowls. "Do I look like some kinda personal chef to y—"
"Bakugou, wouldn't you hate it if someone tried to make you jealous so you'd notice that you like them?" he interrupts, the thought so insistent in his head that he can't help from blurting it out.
He blinks when he glances over and sees everyone else immediately shoot him a look like he'd just committed a heinous crime. It's the same look he's seen them make whenever they hear some kind of terrible news on the TV, or on social media. It's not that bad to ask, is it? "What?"
"What kinda question is that?" Bakugou says, getting his attention again. He's frowning, brows knit even deeper downwards, looking more confused than he's ever seen him be out of the field. Shouto still wants to kiss him. "Of course that shit'd piss me off. Why're you even asking?"
Shouto feels happy to know that he has enough of a good read on Bakugou to get this one right. Of course he wouldn't like that kind of convoluted plan; it reeks of dishonesty, and Bakugou is anything but a liar.
He says, "I was trying to plan how to ask you out—"
He shuts his mouth when he hears the insistent shushing sounds from the others.
Oh. Right.
Damn . He probably shouldn't have said that to Bakugou.
"—never mind," he says, shaking his head. "Please forget what I just said."
" You," Bakugou says, expression strangely unreadable as he stares him down, "are an idiot."
Shouto blinks when Bakugou stomps right over, slippers slapping on solid ground, before stopping right in front of him. He turns an alarmed gaze to the others, who all just look a variety of...embarrassed, maybe? They definitely don't look too pleased. "Um," he says, unsure as he peers up at Bakugou. "I don't think I am."
"No, you're definitely an idiot," Bakugou insists again, hands resting on his hips as he glares down at him. "Because no genius would out themselves like that to the person they're trying to ask out before they can properly ask them out."
Shouto mulls it over.
Then, he nods, frowning. He's right . "That's...true. My bad."
"” My bad ”?" Bakugou parrots, seeming dissatisfied with his squinting eyes, his obvious frown. "For what?"
"For not being able to ask you out properly first," he says, looking up at sharp, cat-like eyes. Shouto wants to kiss him, and he feels bad thinking of how he might never get the chance because of this one mistake. If only he could control his mouth better...
"So?"
Shouto blinks once, then twice when he notices Bakugou impatiently tapping a foot on the floor. "So..?"
"Ask me out properly," Bakugou declares.
Ashido squeals, up until someone ( Kirishima ?) puts a hand to her mouth to stop her.
Shouto doesn't really notice much of that, though, because Bakugou just…
Didn't he just ask Shouto to ask him out? That's what just happened, right?
Doesn't that mean he has a chance?
"Please go out with me, Bakugou," Shouto says, meeting his gaze head-on. He hopes his feelings can be conveyed properly, even if he's not very good at expressing things with his face like other people are. He'd been so intent on asking the others for help, thinking they'd be able to find a way for him to express his feelings better, but maybe his honesty can be enough? He hopes it is. "I really, really like you, so...it'd make me happy if you accept my feelings."
Bakugou raises an eyebrow. "Just that?"
"Bakugou-kun, c'mon!" Hagakure crows from the back. "Don't be mean!"
Shouto shakes his head. That wasn't Bakugou being mean; it was him trying to be clear on Shouto's intentions. He can tell as much, having liked him for so long. He says, "I want you to like me too, but I can wait for that to happen. I don't want to rush you."
Bakugou huffs out an exhale with a roll of his eyes. Under his breath, he mutters, "Too late for that."
"...what?"
"I'll go out with you," Bakugou says a little louder, ignoring the screaming as it ensues from around him, "on one condition."
Shouto nods, utterly serious as he leans forward at attention. "Anything."
Bakugou bows forward, leaning towards him, just enough that they're only a breath away from each other. Shouto wonders if he's going to kiss him, wonders why his heart feels like it's beating right in his ears, wonders if he should lean forward even more, until—
"Don't ever ask those idiots for advice on how to do shit with me ever again."
Shouto frowns when Bakugou immediately pulls away after saying so. He says, perhaps just a bit sulky, "I thought we were going to kiss."
Bakugou barks out a laugh, and shakes his head. He walks away even with the sad look Shouto gives him and says over his shoulder, "I ain't doing that shit before an actual date. Come up with something good or I'll do everything myself, Shouto."
Oh .
That's new.
His name is already his hero name, and he's used to other people using it, but Bakugou's never used it before. Especially not with such an amused tone like that.
He likes it a lot.
"And get over here," Katsuki says, raising a hand to wave him over. "Your birthday present is cold soba, you soba freak. I came over to tell you before your brain crapped out and suddenly asked me out."
Shouto swiftly stands up at that, and follows after him. He doesn't mind the laughter, the yelling, or the teasing from the others, doesn't mind the amused look on Katsuki's face that's blatantly making fun of him.
He's happy.
He reaches out to hold Katsuki's hand with those exact thoughts in mind and says, as honest as he's always been and will always be, "I like you a lot, Katsuki."
Katsuki doesn't swat his hand away. He just squeezes Shouto's hand in his own, making Shouto's heart race even more, and smirks—but not the usual condescending smirk that says he's poking fun at him. Not the smirk that says he's pleased to have one-upped someone.
It's a smirk that's soft around the edges, that looks...maybe, just maybe, a little fond of him.
He smiles back, not knowing what else to do with himself.
"I know, dummy," Katsuki tells him, letting go of his hand (unfortunately) to wave with a flourish at the setup he's done on the dining table with his supposed birthday soba. "You've already said it."
"You make me happy," he says in turn, taking a seat.
Katsuki's face does something funny then, contorting like he's not sure how to react. Does he want to frown? Scowl? Glare at him? Then Shouto notices the hint of pink at the tips of his ears, and thinks, Oh.
That's cute.
"Just eat your damn food, bastard!" Katsuki snaps.
He smiles to himself, pressing his hands together as he holds onto his chopsticks. "Okay," he says, then closes his eyes. "And thank you very much for the meal."
This might just be his best birthday yet.
(But then, Katsuki might prove him wrong on that one too, eventually.)