Archive of Our Own ^beta

Todoroki went about his week in a daze he had never quite felt himself be in before. Normally his friend group would be all over it, always ready to come to his aid. It’s something he usually appreciates, but for now he was glad the upcoming decision was so distracting.

Glad that no one was there to notice the red stain upon his cheeks with Bakugou’s nearness. Except for maybe Bakugou himself, however unlikely, considering that Todoroki was doing his best to (not run away, Todorokis don’t run his father would say) avoid him. They only had a month left together before graduation, so he thought he’d be able to do it. 

So when Bakugou had angrily stomped over to his desk right when the bell rang, Todoroki had sighed in defeat. He was going to exit as he had been doing the past seven days, but in terms of proximity to the door, Bakugou was closer and therefore blocked the aisle and Todoroki’s escape. 

Todoroki stood stone-faced even as Bakugou gripped his uniform in one hand, dragging him down and close. Todoroki willed his body to not react as Bakugou’s angry huffs billowed over his cheeks, feeling hot on one side and cold on the other. 

“You’re the fucker who asked me to train, half and half!” Bakugou raged, smoke beginning to cloud the air around them, Bakugou’s hands heating up in his anger. “So why was I the only one in the gym yesterday huh?”

Todoroki’s tongue ran along his lower lip, catching a bit of nervous perspiration on the way. “I forgot.”

Bakugou used the hand in his shirt to push Todoroki back. “Bullshit.” Bakugou clicked his tongue, nodding his head towards the door. “Well, doesn’t fucking matter now. Let’s go.”

Todoroki paused in straightening out his jacket, finally meeting the other’s eyes. “Go where?”

Bakugou rolled his eyes, already heading for the exit, “The gym dumbass, where else? You wanna waste my time, now I’m gonna get that time back. Especially because we only have a month left in this hellhole.” Bakugou looked back as he opened the door, head angled, eyes sharp, and Todoroki watched light shine off the sculpted jawline, probably spending too much time gaping, thinking about his hands reaching out to graze , just a graze-

“Hurry up cotton candy. I wanna beat your ass already.” And so Todoroki followed. 

Throughout the trip to the gym and locker room, it was routine, silent. Only the sound of their shoes on the ground and the rustle of their clothes ringing throughout their trek. When they fully placed their belongings in the designated buckets, Bakugou finally spoke, reaching behind him to tug off his hoodie. A gray tank top (and muscled biceps, Todoroki mentally added) came into view. “You fucker, asking me to train when you didn’t even bother to show up yesterday.” 

Todoroki looked away, praying there wasn’t a blush present on his face. A loud click of the tongue echoed throughout the empty gym. “You still haven’t explained yourself, two-bit color wheel.” 

“It’s, ah,” Todoroki cleared his throat, “it’s something of a private matter, Bakugou.” Something to ruminate on when alone, like the subject of why the degrading nicknames had a positive effect on Todoroki’s mood. Yes, Todoroki knew he wasn’t normal and probably had some issues stemming from his childhood.

“The fuck?” Bakugou scoffed but made his way over to the training mat anyway. “Doesn’t matter what the hell it’s about, you better still give me your all right now.” Bakugou looked over his shoulder at the frozen Todoroki who stood still ten feet from the close combat range. “You gonna get a move on, IcyHot?”

Todoroki took a deep breath, preparing to share the same space with his… crush . He had found the name of his strong feelings only a week prior, during a lunch with his older brother. As it was explained to him, he was able to put a label on why he felt different with Bakugou as opposed to other people. 

And it seemed as if knowing the name of these feelings simply heightened their presence, and therefore, Bakugou’s presence. The swift natural sway to Bakugou’s hips, his body’s muscles smooth in their movements, his back pressed against the tightness of the top: Todoroki watched. Wanted to feel the muscles move underneath his own, pressing tight the way Todoroki knew they could. To hold but also to be held. “Sorry, I was… lost in thought.” And with that, Todoroki moved to stand on the fighting mat, arms raised and knees bent in the proper form, waiting for Bakugou to spring into action the way only Bakugou could. 

Todoroki watched Bakugou explode . Instantaneous movement in limbs grown to withstand the pressure of nukes, he admired the sharp, sturdy edges of Bakugou’s body even as they dug into his gut. In fact, everything, really, of Bakugou’s fighting was something worth admiring. The combos unveiling the intelligence coupled with the confidence built on a foundation of actually being that good. The fierce grin as Bakugou fought with pleasure, eyes sharpened with intent, tongue grazing the outer edge of his lip, almost catching the drop of sweat making its way down Bakugou’s flawless skin-

Todoroki knew nothing made Bakugou burn brighter than a fight with an equal opponent who was giving as good as he got.

However, as Todoroki gasped, back harshly hitting the floor when Bakugou laid him out, he thought that maybe he wasn’t quite the equal opponent yet. He did his best to quickly recover even as Bakugou slammed his arm down with one hand and his face with the other. He wiggled, but it was more for appearances as Bakugou’s thighs trapped his ribs and prevented movement (he hated himself for leaning into the contact). 

He couldn’t help it though, the positioning bringing back flashbacks of their first sports festival. Moments of Bakugou provoking him, challenging him at every turn. He could remember with perfect clarity the hand that grasped his left arm, practically screaming a challenge to use his fire, to give Bakugou his all. 

He didn’t then. He wondered if he was now. 

“I yield,” Todoroki uttered through gritted teeth as Bakugou continued to hold his face against the mat. Bakugou sneered, not letting go and even pushing a little bit harder to squish his face even more. “I y-yield.” 

Bakugou shoved him as he rose and that part of him quieted down. “Okay, what the fuck is it?” 

Todoroki huffed, rubbing his red cheek. “Nothing, you won. No need to rub my face in it.”

“No,” Bakugou started, then groaned in annoyance, turning to sharply glare down at Todoroki. “That’s not what I fucking meant and you know it. You’re not even trying.”

Todoroki shook his head, less defensive than he normally would be with the accusation because it was true. Bakugou moved like he was dancing and to be this close to that without stuttering over a hit -as Bakugou dodged by doing the splits - is simply impossible. He gave up softly, a hint of a petulant whine in his tone. “I was doing my best.”

“What the fuck?” Bakugou growled. “I have seen you over and over again do your best, and that,” he gestured vaguely over Todoroki’s entire body, “was not it, half-n-half bastard. Fucking, go ask Deku if you wanna do this half in, half out shit.” He turned on his heel, slouching with his hands digging into his pockets, “I ain’t got time for that.”

Todoroki rushed to his feet, running to catch Bakugou by grabbing one of his wrists, yanking it out of the pocket and pulling it towards him. “No, wait!” Was what came spilling out of his mouth unwittingly. Todoroki dropped the mentioned hand as if it was on fire when Bakugou raised an eyebrow at their joined hands and his rushed words curiously. “I-I mean-” Todoroki gulped, willing himself to forget the feel of skin in his hand and to recollect himself. “What I mean is, you’re one of the best in hand-to-hand combat. I need you to help me if I don’t want that to be my weakness. To help me make it my strength.”

“One of your best fucking friends in that stupid geek squad excels at hand-to-hand.” Todoroki never seemed to get why he called them the geek squad when Bakugou’s nose is always in a book studying and goes to bed at nine every night. “Why didn’t you just ask Round Face?”

“I-”

“Or take a fucking hand to hand hero for the Residency. Or even Deku! Fuck knows he would be out here humping your leg if you just ask him to-”

“Stop.” Todoroki bit the inside of his cheek. “Bakugou, please.”

“Fine,” Bakugou drawled out, the only hint of an apology being Bakugou shifting his gaze away. “Then just tell me what’s wrong and we can continue.”

Todoroki chuckled nervously, cheeks quick to broadcast the fast rush of blood to his face. “It’s nothing, Bakugou. Let’s just train.”

Bakugou clicked his tongue (and Todoroki couldn’t help but watch the part of his lips as he did so). “Just fucking tell me so we can practice like normal. It can’t be that fucking bad. Or maybe…” A sinister smile stretched upon the blonde’s lips, back poised to lean in. “Is it embarrassing?” 

Todoroki’s face steamed and he did his best to lean away and tuck it against his shoulder. “Bakugou, I promise you don’t want to know.”

Bakugou laughed, face now full-blown teasing (and Todoroki still couldn’t help the way his mind cataloged his giggles, smiling even amidst the wish for Bakugou to leave the matter alone). “Get it off your fragile little chest, especially if it fucking has you pulling your stupid shots. Or really, this whole week of you running away from me.” In a rare moment, Bakugou quieted, smile soft in the aftermath of his mirth. “My old man always says some sappy shit like honesty is the best policy or some other motivating shit like that. So,” Bakugou raised a brow, “just fucking say it.”

And with Bakugou standing close to him, the warmth of him right there if Todoroki made the move to reach out, asking for honesty with the whispers of his laugh still on his tongue, brow cocked and eyes expectant, carmine eyes intensely focused on him and only him… Todoroki can’t be blamed for what came out of his mouth. 

“You’re captivating,” is what slipped out, fragility etched into the words to try and keep the mirth from leaving those red eyes, but it didn’t help. Shrap eyes widened in shock and red lips froze on a sharp inhale. 

It was when blonde eyebrows began to furrow that Todoroki hurried, voice rising in volume. His heart beat harshly in his ears and throat. “I couldn’t study with you on Tuesday because I found out what I felt for you on a Monday. It would’ve been hard to be in the same room, alone, knowing that I liked you. Every time you flipped a page or twirled the pen in between your fingers… I knew I would learn nothing and there hasn’t been enough time to get myself used to my… reactions to you.

“It’s why I can’t fight you at my best because the way you move, everything you do is so… enchanting. You jabbed me in the gut and all I could see was the way your eyes lit up in satisfaction, Bakugou, I-” Todoroki’s face probably looked as red as the fire in his hand, but he wouldn’t dare look away now. To lose the chance to meet his eyes and plead he believes the earnestness in his tone. “Bakugou, I knew it best not to tell you, partly due to my own cowardice but also because deep down I know you do not feel the same.”

“However, here you are in front of me asking why I haven’t been able to meet your gaze, study in the same room, stand side by side, pass you a pencil , is all because I knew if you had me in this situation, I would be helpless to tell you how you affect me. And I am Bakugou, I am helpless in the face of my affection for you.”

Bakugou’s eyes were comically wide and it seemed like he wasn’t breathing if Todoroki read his still chest correctly. Todoroki took a moment to dry his palms on his shirt before continuing.

“What I’m trying to say is I like you. I really,” and here Todoroki lost the blaze of confidence that had been driving his actions forward, his eyes cast downward in the wait of rejection and his voice fell to a whisper again, “ really like you and I want to get to know you, all of you.”

“Oh.” And Todoroki’s mind raced, eager to input this new expression on Bakugou’s face. Hesitant, shocked, frozen and confused, Todoroki was pleased to think this was his first confession and perhaps the first time Bakugou has been confessed to, alluded by the matching redness on his face. “I don’t…” know how to feel. Bakugou was, for the first time since Todoroki has known him, speechless.

And for a moment Todoroki was heartbroken to think that he didn’t convey his convictions well, that Bakugou was second-guessing his true feelings, but one look into Bakugou’s face had him calming, enough so that he smiled. “That’s okay.” Bakugou was cute, soft even, with red cheeks and wide eyes. It made him look innocent.

Bakugou huffed, turning away. “Are you making fun of me?” Lips pursed, flushed face, bitten lip, Bakugou was…

And well, Bakugou knew now, for better or worse. Todoroki did feel better being honest with Bakugou so why would he continue holding back? 

“You’re adorable.” Todoroki blurted out. “Where are you going for your Residency? I’ll follow you.”

Bakugou flailed, a move not so far removed from Izuku, something that had Todoroki chuckling into his fist. “Y-You can’t just fucking follow me you dipshit! Make your own choices! And I’d rather die than tell you.”

Todoroki hummed, a bit put off by the omission but with his cheeks hurting from smiling, he was still happy. “Okay. And I think you were right, Bakugou. I do feel better after being honest. I might just keep doing more of it.” 

Bakugou, swiping at his heated cheek roughly, scoffed and walked away towards his jacket, muttering a small “of course I’m right” as he put it on. “And what the fuck? Pulling this shit a month before graduation? Just keep your mouth shut from now on!”

Todoroki laughed, shoulders no longer heavy instead feeling quite light. He watched Bakugou grumble angrily, shoving his water bottle back into the bag and heading for the exit doors. “And don’t follow me!” 

Todoroki’s eyebrow arched as he proceeded to do just that. “But we’re in the same dorms?”

Todorki grunted as Bakugou slammed the door right in his face. Maybe he deserved that one.

___________________

A small cafe sat on Park Avenue, empty inside save for two customers. There was a thrum of awkward tension between them, ever-present with the weight of the past bearing down on their every interaction and conversation. It was the burden of every Todoroki family member, some more than others, but it’s Todoroki’s third year of change, of UA, so he’s just so drained of the words caught in his throat that he’s never been able to air. It’s why he reached out and contacted Natsuo for lunch without allowing time for doubt to creep in. 

Because Shouto was so exhausted . Tired of longing for familial connection, especially watching Izuku’s mother hold Izuku in his arms and breathes him in, pressing a delicate kiss to the locks of his hair, the way Izuku half-heartedly protests even as his fingers grip tight to the soft jacket lining his mother’s frame. Desperate to end the years that his mother was scared to hold onto him, too ashamed to catch his eye, wondering whether she was even allowed to touch him after what she did. 

He wanted the ability to receive and express affection from his family. To not just know the love of a sibling (because despite everything he knew Natsuo loves and was loved by him) but find it written in every gesture, every word. 

He never knew of it before UA: how could he know it was what he wanted if he never had it in the first place. He craved it. So here he was: in a small hole-in-the-wall across from his brother, who had his eyes glued to the menu.  

“I’m glad you asked for me,” Natsuo said, words clashing to hurriedly fill in the silence. “I wasn’t sure…” Todoroki was glad for the admittance. Neither of them were sure how this meeting would go, too much time spent in the lull the publication of their life on every media platform had produced. There was a stalemate, then, of knowing there was distance but confusion on how to bridge the gap. 

Shouto hummed, knowing one day they’d fully broach that burden put between them by their father. And maybe one day they could act freely with one another and not second guess every word that came out of their mouths. Today wasn’t going to be that day, he knew, but hopefully it was a start. 

Shouto responded, “I’m glad you accepted. I would like to do this more often if you’re amicable.”

Natsuo sent him a soft smile. “I am.”

Another silence, this time more natural as they poured over the menus, ordering their drinks and meals when the waiter came around. Shouto leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of water when Natsuo spoke again, “How have you been doing?”

Shouto smiled slightly around his straw, swallowing to answer. “I am doing well in all my classes, especially practical applications. I have always struggled with close combat but I’ve asked Bakugou to train me. He’s one of the best in class at it so I’m sure to get better.” 

Natsuo’s smile he held throughout listening wavered slightly into a grimace. Heroics were still a bit of a touchy subject. He covers it up by forcing a chuckle, teasing. “Now, Shouto, I didn’t ask for a mission report.”

“Ah,” Shouto shifted in his seat. “I apologize. How do I- how should I go about answering your question?” His head lowered without any conscious thought, hand fiddling with the straw in his strawberry drink. 

“I-” Natsuo coughed, as if that would get rid of the guilt sinking in his chest. “Well, you could tell me about specific exercises you do in training, what you’re learning in school right now, the friends you have made.” Natsuo paused as the waiter dropped off the food in front of them, Shouto and he offering their thanks in sync. After a moment he continued, “I… I am sorry. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.”

Shouto smiled softly, already having forgiven Natsuo for the unintentional harm of his words. “The decision for our chosen hero for the Residency is coming up so right now, most of the class is panicking due to the stress.” The class stressed with most things, but this time it was rightfully so. The Residency choosing was probably the pivotal point of their careers. 

Shouto’s smile unknowingly softens, “Midoriya’s already made his choice but he filled ten notebooks with his options, Ochako-chan looks ready to puke at any given moment, Iida has been running around…” Shouto covered his smile with his hand. “However, that is Iida’s default state. There is also…” Here Shouto hesitated, shoulders sagging softly as he frowned.

“Also?” Natsuo urged in a soft tone, face beckoning. Todoroki relaxed at the non-jeering sight, openly sighing.

“There is also Bakugou. When I ask him about his choice, or anything else for that matter, he gives me noncommittal answers.” Shouto explained. 

“This Bakugou,” Natsuo waves around his chopsticks full of gyoza to accentuate his point, “he’s a close friend?”

The answer came fast. Too many years full of too many emotions in the past and present to not say anything other than “to me, yes.” Shouto wavered for a moment, wondering if such a course of conversation was appropriate, but resolutely made up his mind when he saw no hint of mockery in his brother’s eyes. “I consider him a close friend, but I do not believe it is the same in reverse. This wouldn’t normally bother me, but it’s an ongoing problem insistent on being at the forefront of my mind at all times , even when… even when I’m trying my best to not think about him.”

Natsuo tilted his head, drawing in closer, “Shouto, do you perhaps… like him?”

Shouto frowned and repeated. “Yes. He is a close friend.”

“No, no,” Natsuo shook his head, “I mean, you know.” He rubbed the back of his head, a bit embarrassed to be broaching this subject with his brother. “Like, like . A crush.”

Shouto froze, “Oh. I… I’ve never..”

Natsuo nodded, sadly. Nobody needed to say that Shouto never had the chance or foundation to know what a healthy relationship would entail. “Well, what comes to mind when you think of him?” Natsuo leaned back, offering Shouto space to think. “Take your time.”

Shouto paused, his hand lowering the chopsticks down to the bowl. There was no shortage of memories Shouto could sort through, no limit on the interactions he’s had with Bakugou in the past three years.

A plethora of glances, stolen looks to catch Bakugou being confused, surprised, aloof, angry with teeth bared and eyes glaring, all of it , at him; Todoroki wanted to know, to have, and read his every emotion. 

A myriad of earned touches: the passing of a book, hard contact in training, receiving a bowl of dinner as their fingers grazed the other’s, all of which seemed like a lot but Todoroki yearned for more . As much as he liked to train with Bakugou — a tongue running over a feral grin, fireworks burning in his palm, the light of which warming up the sharp red of his eyes into molten lava — he wanted to touch him. Touches more like hand-holding warmth, the tightness of a hug, not the solid thickness of a roundhouse kick or the restraint of his limbs in a deft pin to the floor. 

He knew Bakugou was capable of it. He knew he was capable of anything he set his mind to. He just didn’t know if he would ever consider being capable of that with Todoroki specifically. 

The noodles all sunk down to the bottom, soup having gone cold and Natsuo waving the waitress over for a refill. Shouto cleared his throat, head tilting down as if he was continuing to eat in the hopes that his brother wouldn’t catch the red lining his cheeks. “I…” his hand twirled noodles in the bowl, “I want him to see me in the same way I see him.”

Natsuo hummed, pursing his lips before nodding violently and proclaiming loudly, “Yup, my little brother definitely has a crush.” 

Shouto would’ve thought his quirk was only fire with how his whole body burned. He quickly peered around to the rest of the customers, seeing if anyone had overheard before rubbing his face with his cold hand, doing his best to calm the redness of his cheeks. “Natsuo-san!”

Natsuo laughed loudly, slamming his fist down onto the table in mirth, guffawing until he sighed contentedly, hand rubbing his full belly. They both took a moment, Shouto willing down his blush and reveling in the want he was feeling, so much more intense as if Natsuo putting a label on his feelings made it that more real. 

And Natsuo took that time to take in Shouto. In the parted waves of his hair, the mismatched eyes, the hot and cold, the hate and love Natsuo has felt for him in the course of his life -ashamed to admit that at times he couldn’t differentiate between the two- yet at that moment, the setting sun shining through the window onto them both, he only felt peace. Peace in this knowledge of his brother - his brother - giving the both of them a second chance. “Please,” he took a deep breath, “don’t address me so formally.”

Shouto startled, noodles falling back into the bowl. “Ah,” he licked his suddenly dry lips and dropped his gaze to his soba. “Hai… onii-san…” 

Natsuo said nothing to comment on their matching misty eyes (both sharing the same gray, but the sunlight seemed to highlight the blue of Todoroki’s eye). He took Todoroki’s hand in his, the warmth of the quirk underneath it brimming in his palm. Natsuo rubbed the skin with care, before interlocking their fingers and squeezing. “Arigatou… otouto.”

They both slowed, as if trying to prolong the moment, but it wasn’t long before Natsuo pulled away, channeling a smile. “Hm, and for your crush, you should totally confess.”

“Confess?” 

“Tell him how you feel, otouto! If it’s coming from you, there’s no way you’ll be rejected!”

__________________

In the aftermath of his (Was it rejected? Ignored? Todoroki wasn’t sure) confession, Todoroki wasn’t put down by Bakugou’s reply. Maybe a little disheartened by the confusing nature of it but there wasn’t anything he could do about that. Confessing this time wasn’t really about reciprocation and even if Bakugou didn’t explicitly say yes or no, just the process of release, of no longer holding this secret down, was relieving. 

He could move freely now, if that made sense. For a while he had been biting his tongue to keep from speaking his thoughts into existence. Especially before knowing of the exact terms of his crush, he’d pause to himself and wonder if the thoughts plaguing him were friend on friend type thoughts. 

Now that he had time to think, he finally realized that he still wanted to ask Bakugou out, not having done so before. 

He had simply confessed, technically not having been rejected so the ability to ask for reciprocation was still there. He began to plan.

He knew Bakugou was an early riser, already out jogging by five-thirty and making breakfast by seven. He needed to catch him in the early hours so he’d be alone. Alone was a must, was what Todoroki reminded himself, sadly setting an alarm for four-fifty AM . 

“Bakugou?” He called out in the morning, bed head messy but forgiving himself for it. It would be a miracle that he had even woken up at all, yet his willpower to get up and catch Bakugou alone was too strong to do otherwise. 

He never stood in the dorm kitchen this early in the entirety of the three years they’ve spent here, frankly, so it looked strange in the stillness, though maybe that was due to Todoroki only being up during its most active hours. But here he stood, in this almost empty kitchen, at this ungodly hour because this was step one of his plan: get Bakugou alone to ask him on a date . 

It had to be this early because it just so happened that Bakugou, despite his avid protests in his first year, managed to form a friend group. They took up all his free time, crowding him even as he reacted negatively. So he was never alone, unless it was five in the morning and Todoroki needed him alone. He needed to ask him, one on one, mano a mano, just the two of them, to go on a… date , right. He wouldn’t have the courage to ask with other people watching and in the mix otherwise. 

Todoroki still needed to say something but the words caught in his throat as Bakugou turned to him. He was yawning, eyes tightly shut and his sharpened canines catching on his lip as they shut. The need to speak died down as his throat tightened, dry, too conscious of the demure way Bakugou raised his hand to rub at an eye. He looked tired, standing in the kitchen and waiting for the water in the kettle to fully boil. 

Todoroki’s gaze narrowed on the tear that left Bakugou’s drowsy eye. It ran down in a single rivet, gleaming, and, in the end, caught on the corner of Bakugou’s lips, red, plush. Katsuki’s lips parted on his slight exhale, the tear traveling down to follow the movement-

He couldn’t help it and later he’d blame it on the early morning. His hand reached out as if it had a mind of its own and before he knew it, his hand had connected with lips, brushing and sweeping gently at the soft skin, marveling at the difference his thumb could feel as it skimmed the soft pad of Bakugou’s lower lip to the beginnings of Bakugou’s creamy cheek. His hand slowly guided itself back down to his own side and Todoroki stepped back, finally releasing the breath that had been caught in his chest. They both watched as a bit of mist followed, the hot and cold sides of him reacting to the rise of adrenaline in his body, and it sailed through the sir, dispersing over the space Todoroki had made between them. 

Todoroki did his best to not look at Bakugou’s face; he held no doubts there’d be signs of adverse reactions to what he just did. Especially because it wasn’t part of the plan, he scolded himself, face burning. Was that the wrong thing to do? It might just break his heart if he were to look and see disgust written on his crush’s face. 

He could, though, hear Bakugou huff, shifting in place as he waited for words to follow and Todoroki looked up in time to catch a red ear before Bakugou fully faced the counter. 

The blonde’s back was tense when he asked, “What do you want, Bakaroki?” Pale hands moved through the cupboards and cabinets with habitual familiarity, grabbing the kettle when it whistled on the stove and poured water into two waiting cups and tea bags. Two?

Todoroki straightened, anxiety lessening as he realized Bakugou was willing to pretend that what he just did didn’t happen, even with the wetness on his thumb begging to differ. He gathered his courage to also move past it and asked, “Are you free after class today?” He tried to steady his voice and recite what had practiced on his own for an hour the day before. “And if you are, did you want to go to the mall with me?” He asked hurriedly. 

Bakugou glanced at him sideways, suspiciously, but Todoroki noted his ears were still red. He wheeled around fully, facing Todoroki as he leaned against the counter. Steam rose from his cup, rising to frame his face and Todoroki fought the urge to touch as he had done so earlier. “Is this a date or something?”

Todoroki swallowed the lump rising in his throat, gathering his courage to answer. “If you would like it to be…” He stood silent. Bakugou was looking him up and down in silent, but tense contemplation. 

Momo chose then to walk into the kitchen, humming a soft tune that also echoed from her headphones. She glided in, decked in a tracksuit and fitted fanny pack and Todoroki assumed she was on her way to her daily jog. 

She propped herself right next to Bakugou and as if they practiced it, Momo held out her hand, still humming. Bakugou put the second cup of tea into her waiting hand. Ah, so not for Todoroki then. He withered at his previous thought that Bakugou had made it for him. 

She gave her thanks and took a sip, sighing contentedly at the warmth the fresh tea provided. It seemed to fully wake her up then as she opened her eyes fully, taking in the addition of Todoroki in the kitchen at this early hour. “Oh Todoroki-kun!” She exclaimed, bowing in apology. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. You’re uh,” she then seemed to notice the tension between the other two in their silence as her next bit came out subdued, “not usually up this early. Not that I’m not happy to see you!”

Todoroki paled, knowing that if anybody could read him, it was going to be Momo. With her intelligence and close relationship to Todoroki himself, it would only be too easy. He tried his best to look nonchalant as he spoke. “Ah, yes, I was just,” he bit his lip, wracking his brain for the best explanation for her as to why he woken at this ungodly hour, “inviting Bakugou to the mall. There's a new merch out for the All Might line that… Izuku… thought he might like.” 

Todoroki cursed. He had spilled too much for a question Momo hadn’t even asked yet. His lips felt dry as she scruntized him, taking languid sips of her tea, hoping she didn’t catch him in his lie. It was him who spent the night drawing up the pros and cons of different first date locations, the All Might merch mall idea having come out on top. 

She smiled softly after a moment, moving on from Todoroki’s panic-filled reply. His shoulders dipped in relief as she let the topic go. “Ah, I see. Good morning to you as well Bakugou. Thank you again for the tea.”

Bakugou, who had been uncharatertically silent up to this point, replied. “Like I said, you don’t have to thank me every fucking morning.” Todorki’s head snapped up to meet Bakugou’s gaze. They do this every morning? “Besides, you’re the one who goes and buys this shit…” 

Bakugou shrugged as a way to finish his thought. Though, Todoroki thought that by making the tea was his way of showing his thanks, his care. 

That’s how Bakugou went about doing a lot of things, with actions rather than words. All of Class 3-A had learned this one way or another and it was so obvious of a fact that Todoroki cursed slightly to himself. He should have done something in addition to asking Bakugou out, perhaps asking Izuku for Bakugou’s favorite restaurant to then take him there as a surprise.

While Izuku would freely offer to name the restaurant in question, having been childhood friends with Bakugou and one of Todoroki’s best friends, Todoroki wanted to get to know Bakugou from Bakugou himself. There was a voice in his head saying that it was better to receive information from the source, to know that Bakugou was willing to offer pieces of himself out of his own accord. 

Momo beamed, registering Bakugou’s hidden thanks for what it was. She peered over to the tea bag container, noticing the almost empty container. “It seems like I’ll need to go out and get more. Oh! How about I join you guys to the mall today, then? I can stock up on the tea and I’ve been needing to buy new body wash anyway.”

Bakugou nodded, a hint of a teasing smirk on his lips ( that Todoroki had touched earlier, he was still reeling from that fact alone ) but otherwise he looked contemplative and waiting, like this was a test. “Yeah, Todoroki, why doesn’t Momo join us?” 

Todoroki groaned internally, sending Bakugou a pleading look that the other boy ignored with a grin. Hanging out with Momo had never been an issue, if anything she’s one of the people that he actively seeks out, but this was different. It was supposed to be a Bakugou and Todoroki date, not a Bakugou and Todoroki and Momo hangout . 

But Todoroki probably could never deny Momo these requests either. Too many memories of late movies, whispered secrets and confessions of insecurities when she would lay them before him.  One of the confessions was the fact that before UA, no one had wanted to be her friend, so she was so glad that she had met everyone here and could become such close friends with them. Especially you, Todoroki, she would whisper to him, I think you’re my best friend. I never had one of those before but I’m glad, through knowing you, I feel like I’m finally living. 

“Of course,” Todoroki agreed, warming up to the whole idea. Perhaps her being there would help any awkwardness that would most certainly be there if Todoroki and Bakugou had gone alone. “Is four o’clock in front of the dorms enough time?” He addressed the question openly to both of them.

Momo nodded, voice so giddy that Todoroki couldn’t help but smile. “Sounds good to me!” She finished off her cup, walking over to place it in the sink, and grabbing her water bottle to fill it up at the fridge. 

Bakugou finished off his tea as well. Reaching out, he grabbed a banana from the counter fruit basket. “It’s a date then.” He said cheekily, peeling the banana. He took a sharp bite, smirking as he chewed and Todoroki paled. 

Momo laughed, taking it as a rare joke from Bakugou. “Yeah, it is!” She hooked the water bottle to the fanny pack buckle, looking up as she did. “Actually, do you think anybody else in the class wants to go? I think Jirou told me she also wanted to go look at new records MCR has put out.”

Bakugou nodded, the smirk still sharp on his lips. “The little fuckers in this class are always itching to do something. No way anybody says no if you ask, Ponytail.” Even in his misery, Todoroki’s eyes tracked the bobble of Bakugou’s Adam's apple as he swallowed and finished off the rest of the banana in one bite. 

Momo unzipped her fanny pack as she began to walk out of the kitchen. After rummaging the contents for a second she raised and displayed her phone to them, waving it victoriously. “I’ll go ahead and let everyone know then!” She waved goodbye. “I’ll see you guys in class!”

Todoroki waved back, though albeit half-heartedly. “See you…” Todoroki stood, silent. The kitchen door swayed as it closed, bringing Bakugou and Todoroki once again to a standstill. Todoroki’s fingers fidgeted as Bakugou had begun to wash the two cups in silence, the run of water from the faucet being the only sound ringing throughout the space between them. 

Bakugou clicked his tongue, a habit Todoroki noticed he does when someone says or does something he disagrees with. “A trip to the mall with everybody in the class…” He rinsed off the suds, reaching out to turn off the faucet and place the cups on the drying rack. With that, he pivoted to fully face Todoroki and express his distaste. “Does that sound like any fucking fun to you?”

Todoroki shook his head, “Bakugou, we’ve all known each other for three years now.” He leaned onto the counter to also grab and eat a banana like the one Bakugou had. He paused momentarily, mentally noting how that brought him closer to Bakugou, and he peered through the strands of his hair to study Bakugou. “As much as you deny it, you like to hang out with everybody.”

Todoroki leaned back as Bakugou suddenly glared at him. It was piercing and Todoroki felt hurt settle in his chest. He didn’t think he had said anything that would cause Bakugou to feel insulted or angered. Bakugou’s fake denials of being friends with everybody in class was an issue they had resolved resolutely in their second year. He had thought his answer was normal. Obviously, he didn’t mean the comment to hurt. Shouto wondered if that in not knowing it would hurt made him the problem. 

Todoroki thought they had gotten to know each other well so why was Bakugou looking at him like he made a grave error? 

Why did Todoroki feel as if he had messed up and done something irreversible? 

Bakugou huffed, shaking his head. His hair shook with the movement. “Un- fucking -believable,” he uttered, more to himself than addressing Todoroki. Before Todoroki could question it, Bakugou’s eyes found Todoroki, burning him with the intensity of every shade of red they carried within them. “I’ll go to the fucking mall with everyone . I’m not going with just you . This is not a date.” 

Even if Bakugou rejected him once again, Todoroki could not help the rise of his lips as he smiled. “Not a date.”

Bakugou’s scowl deepened. “Not. A. Date.”

Todoroki nodded, brain going off to daydream what he could do with Bakugou at the mall. “Yes, that’s what I said.”

Bakugou’s voice grew in volume and his face climbed up to a bright shade of red. “Yeah, well, get that fucking grin off your face then! I guess it’s not not a date, so stop looking like a freak.” The blonde began to walk off towards the exit as he ripped out that last word. From what Todoroki could see, his ears had gained color once again. 

“What look?” Todoroki asked, in unison with Bakugou grabbing the door handle to make his escape. He asked though, because he did actually want to know. To just understand the way Bakugou viewed him and hoping that it was like the way Todoroki saw him: enchanting. 

In lieu of a response, (honestly, Todoroki still wasn’t sure if it was a date or not) Bakugou groaned and slammed the door shut. Todoroki wasn’t sure if that counted as a yes or no. 

___________

Bakugou cursed, reaching out to grab the sleeve of Todoroki’s costume, stopping him from leaving the building. They had just finished patrolling with Burning, off shift and worn out. Though, Bakugou still managed to be rough as he tugged Todoroki to him, sneering. “And where do you think you’re going?” 

Todoroki grabbed Bakugou’s clenched -warm- hand, forcing it to release its grip and handing it back to its owner with a deadpan face. “I’m going home.” 

“Did you already forget, idiot?” He bit. The blonde stuffed his hands into the deep pockets of his pants uniform. “Your dad invited us to dinner just this morning.” Bakugou gave Todoroki a certain look, one that Todoroki could read as ‘ you are the biggest idiot I have ever known and I don’t know how I got stuck with you’ or something along those lines. 

Todoroki blinked, “No, I didn’t forget.” He couldn’t help it, the deep scrutinizing look he received from the explosive boy had him stepping back, turning away from the sharp gaze. “I don’t want to go.”

“So,” Bakugou followed after him, closing the distance, “you’re going to leave me, alone, with your dad?” 

Todoroki wasn’t sure why, but this felt like a question he couldn’t get wrong. Especially when Bakugou watched him with expectant, waiting eyes as if Todoroki knew what he was asking in the first place. “Yes.” 

Bakugou’s face did that thing where he did his best to contort it into the most ugly, thug looking expression anybody’s ever seen. It was quite a sight. “Like hell you are! If I have to suffer, so do you.” His hands glowed as he popped off a couple of warning explosions. “You’re the fucker who followed me to this agency so deal with the dinner.”

“Why do I need to be there? And technically, you followed me.” It was their second year and Todoroki would like to think that his relationship with his father had gotten better, to the point where most of the family would hold a monthly dinner, sans Natsuo and his mother. He didn’t need, nor want, to spend more time with his father. He may have grown, reciprocating the attention Endeavour now showed him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to spend every waking moment with him. Even if his Dad’s PR team says otherwise.

Bakugou shrugged, looking a bit put on the spot. “I’m fucking having dinner with your father. And it’s not for work.” And Todoroki watched scarlet eyes drag to his own, intense in a way Todoroki has noticed happening more often than not. It made Todoroki feel naked like Bakugou was reading him from the inside out and he wondered if what he saw was to his liking. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to be there?”

Todoroki declined again and made his way home, walking along the curb of the busy street. He looked around, watching regular people holding the hands of a child, a partner. Something heavy settled in his chest. Maybe he was getting sick.

As the sun fully set, lanterns flicking along the sidewalk, he couldn’t help but wonder why Bakugou wanted him to go to that dinner so badly. 

_____________

It was the beginning day of the second year midterms. Class 2-A had left Calculus, moving on to History. In that class the midterm assignment was a presentation. The first day was to make and set up the presentation. The second day was to present them. The presentation theme they were given was to choose any period of time of Heroics, the only necessity is that they explain the significance of those years and why they were so important. 

Before Todoroki could speak, Bakugou glared his way. “We’re doing the 2060s to 2070s.” Even if Bakugou ranked third in terms of grades in the classroom, it wasn’t so much fun to work with him. Todoroki would have rather been Midoriya’s partner, but the teacher assigned the pairings so choice wasn’t in the cards.

“Ah,” Todoroki acquiesced, “is there a reason why?” 

Bakugou rolled his eyes, flipping open the textbook to find the timeframe. “No fucking shit there’s a reason why, it’s me, dumbass.” He found what he was looking for apparently because he spun the book on its edge until it faced Todoroki. The headline on the first page read: AFO, The World’s First Villain . 

Bakugou’s grin was fierce as he explained, “We’re going to be writing about the years with the biggest importance, so fucking obviously it’s going to be these. Because when it comes down to it, quirks are still relatively new especially in comparison to the length of time civilization was established. That means, quirks broke foundational societal rules, swerving expectations of stability, and causing the restructure of quite literally everything we thought we knew.” 

Todoroki wasn’t sure if Bakugou was aware of it, but during his spiel, he had begun to talk with his hands, sometimes pop sounding off when Bakugou really emphasized a word. The glow lit up his face when it went off, coloring the blonde in warm yellows and reds. 

Todoroki was sure he was staring.

“It was a miracle that somebody like All Might came up to the plate and fully beat AFO, as they thought he had then. Think about it, All for One was really this world’s first big villain, literally the beginning mark of evil that we see on the regular now. It meant something major to put a man like that out of commission, showing the world that we can win and save otherwise lost lives while doing so.” 

Bakugou shook his head, waving a wand in the air dismissively. “Now, knowing Deku, he’s going to write about All Might too, but the little fucker is going to focus on his little schoolboy crush, so let’s destroy him by going beyond that. We’re going to compare and contrast All for One and All Might and parallel it with all of society and villains.” 

Bakugou clicked his tongue, head swerving to face the direction of Momo and Iida, the two ranked highest for studies for some reason placed on the same team. He ignored the paired Mineta and Kaminari who were staring longing at Momo and Iida. “We also got to beat them. I’m not taking anything other than the highest grade,” now he turned back to Todoroki’s direction, looking more or less disinterested, “even when I’m paired with the likes of you , Icyhot.” 

And Todoroki blushed. Perhaps it was some form of reverse conditioning, but Bakugou’s insults after all this time now seemed like affection to his brain. Like it was a little term of endearment - Icyhot - and not the insult that Bakugou intended it to be. 

Maybe it was something in the way Bakugou says it, all rough and low, meant to be biting in its ferocity but it only served to ignite the heat in Todoroki’s gut and the need to know if the word rumbled in Bakugou’s throat the way he thought it might. His skin heated even further at the thought, wondering where it came from and why it affected him so. 

He summoned some frost to the tip of his finger, using it to cool the heat on his left side. Sighing at the cool touch, he finally felt composed enough to reply, “You’re not the only one who wants a good grade on this assignment, Bakugou.” 

Placing his hand back down to his lap, he bit back what he really wanted to say. That in the way Todoroki had used to view him -this angry, loud blonde who only seemed to bully and then bully some more, with absolutely no depth to him besides heat and childish delinquency- was wrong.

Bakugou was smart, also being able to read a situation and react accordingly. A plan in place and acted upon even before others could think of one. The perfect way to approach an assignment to get the best possible grade he could. 

He wanted to tell Bakugou how wrong he’d been. That he was so blinded by Bakugou’s anger that he could never see the hidden depths. Because he did have redeeming qualities, even in his most ugly: the gleam of light on sharp canines, the shine to his eyes as he observed the situation around him, the glow to his whole body in the face of excitement. 

In his jagged lean, expectant hands, and crooked tease of a wide smirk, Todoroki fell, wondering why his breath seemed to leave him in these moments. It was only class , Todoroki asked himself as he sipped from his water bottle, so why is my throat so tight? He swallowed, closing the bottle, no , maybe the AC is too high . 

“I’ll work hard.” He promised.

Bakugou eyed him, digesting his reply. “Good,” he finally said, and the tension that Todoroki didn’t even know he was holding in his chest faded with a deep sigh of relief. His shoulders sagged when Bakugou continued, “Don’t hold me back.” 

Todoroki had to force himself to look away from cutting red eyes, finally reaching out to hold the textbook. It was going to be a long two days.

_______________

“Ah, Todoroki-kun?” Midoriya cut into his daydream, dragging Todoroki from the pit of his mind and to the homework he was supposed to be focusing on. Todoroki sighed softly at his loose thoughts. It had been happening for a while now where his mind left whatever he was required to work on and to the blonde he had confessed to a week ago. 

Nothing had really changed between them, perhaps an awkward pause here and there where Todoroki could feel the words Bakugou had used to say in its place but now kept his mouth closed with a contemplative look sent Todoroki’s way. Like he was trying to figure out if times had changed or maybe they both had and that’s why he never noticed how Todoroki felt. 

Well, not even Todoroki had known the exact name of his feelings until about a week ago so perhaps the obscurity of his intentions wasn’t only Bakugou's obtuseness. 

Kirishima interrupted his thoughts this time, with a questioning lilt to his voice, “Todoroki, are you sure you’re okay?” Todoroki watched as both of the other boys put down their assignments. They shared a quick look of concern with each other before turning to look at Todoroki again. 

Kirishima continued, hand coming to rub the back of his head. “It’s just, you’ve been kinda spacey this whole night. Or actually, the past week.” He then sent Todoroki an apologetic look, “I saw how down you looked at the mall and I wondered if you were okay.” 

Midoriya nodded in agreement, “Yeah, we’re a little concerned.” After admitting it, he quickly shook his head rapidly, waving his hands in front of his face. “Not that you have to tell us! You don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to, but…” He regained a bit of confidence, lowering his hands and making direct eye contact with Todoroki. 

“We’ll always be here to help,” he said sincerely. 

Todoroki nodded. Throughout their years at UA, it seemed as if around every corner there was a threat that targeted their class, but they’ve conquered each roadblock put in their path. He thought fondly of the times he had gone in to rescue his classmates and when they had come through to rescue him. 

He knew they were there to help, they had done it before; it’s only that this matter was something close to his chest, his heart. To trust anybody with something of that level was a little daunting, but the shine to his friend’s eyes, the earnestness they held, the want to help him , Todoroki, their friend lessened the fear. 

He exhaled in defeat, leaning his head back and closing his eyes to their reaction to his next words, “I like Bakugou. I’ve liked Bakugou since our first year, I think.” And maybe this was for the better. Obviously Todoroki couldn’t come up with ways to confess on his own. Look at the way he blundered asking Bakugou out to the mall. No, he desperately needed help. 

Todoroki held his breath as Kirishima replied, “Uh, is that the secret? Todoroki, it’s okay. Somehow we all grew into liking the hellspawn that is Bakugou Katsuki. It’s a rite of passage in this school to somehow be awakened into liking his insults and attitude. Like Stockholm's syndrome. That’s how Kami describes it.”

Todoroki huffed, trying to suppress the slight laughter that bubbled up in his chest from that comment. He shook his head and clarified.  “No, Kirishima, I like Bakugou as in I want him to be my boyfriend.”

Deku choked then, hard rattles of the chest as he hurriedly covered his mouth with his elbow. Kirishima rushed over, leaning against the rail of the bed and rubbing Deku’s back with his hand. “Did you say boyfriend?”

Todoroki nodded while handing Izuku a water bottle, humming in reply to both Deku’s nod of thanks and Kirishima’s question. “I did.” 

Izuku and Kirishima shared a look again, however this time it was one Shouto couldn’t read. His heart sank a little. Maybe it didn’t matter too much in the bigger picture, but the approval from his friends about his choices, even romantic ones, was important to him. “Is that… a problem?”

They both rushed out negatives and Izuku went further to say, “Not a problem! I think we were just a little… caught off guard.” They settled down, moving to lounge on the bed facing Todoroki who was propped up against the leg post. 

Kirishima nodded in agreement, “Yeah dude, it was just a bit out of nowhere, that’s all.” He rolled over on the sheets, hand reaching out to clap Todoroki’s shoulder. Kirishima’s grin quickly turned playful as he then poked Todoroki’s cheek. “Quick question though; how’d he catch the school’s most wanted prince’s attention?” 

Izuku tapped his finger to his bottom lip in pensive thought, “Hm, it’s not like Kacchan doesn’t have good qualities of a boyfriend. He’s third ranked in the class, so he’d be good on study dates. There’s also the fact that Todoroki-kun and Kacchan are headed towards the same goal so no need to worry about a lack of shared topics or interests and, you know, I always thought their quirks go very well together, especially taking into account that Todoroki could cover up for Kacchan’s weakened state in winter. Plus, it’s not like he’s not a-a-attractive… not that I look at him like that-”

“All of which, I’m sure, Todoroki has thought about,” Kirishima interrupted, stopping Izuku’s from really going off. If he did, they’d be here all day with seven new notebooks filled to the brim on this topic. He looked over to Todoroki with confusion written on his face. “Did you want to confess to him? I could totally help with dragging him wherever you need him, if you want a specific location.”

Todoroki shook his head, looking away as he knew their next reaction was going to be loud. “I already confessed.” 

Kirishima screeched as Deku choked again, only this time spraying water all over Todoroki’s sheets. He raced over, tugging off his shirt to wipe up the mess, ignoring Izuku’s squeals of protests. “You already confessed?” Kirishima paused in cleaning, handing the shirt to Izuku fully so he could finish. “Wait, is that why Bakugou has been… weird this past week? What did he say to you?”

Todoroki ran a hand over his knuckles, fidgeting with his fingers in slight nervousness. “He hasn’t… given me a reply.” He licked his lips. “...You think he’s been weird ?”

Kirishima back-pedaled quickly. “Well, yes, but nothing bad though! Just out of the norm for Bakugou, too, especially with the whole lack of reply. I should beat him up for leaving you with unresolved feelings.” Kirshima promised, fist raised. 

His mock look of seriousness turned to a  nervous giggle as Todoroki rose from his seat, coming closer and practically begging for Kirishima to explain with his eyes alone. “I mean, he hasn’t told me anything, but I did see him staring at you more often than not. Though now that I think about it, it might’ve been his thinking face and not his I-Wanna-Kill-You face, so there’s that.”

Todoroki nodded slowly, thinking the response over. Before he could ask for further interpretation, Izuku chose then to recover from his near death and added, “Kacchan always did have that certain look on his face when he was learning something new that confused him. I’m eighty percent sure he’s just figuring things out, Todoroki-kun.”

Todoroki's shoulders slumped, as they seem to have been doing this whole week so far. “Figuring out how to reject me?” Izuku and Kirishima shared another look of concern. Any issues that had Todoroki trying to figure out the ins and outs of being a normal teenager was to be addressed with the seriousness the situation entailed. 

Izuku shook his head. “No, well, I can’t be sure whether it's to reject you or not, sorry Todoroki. I just know Kacchan and it wasn’t that hard to understand the way Katsuki reacts to things unknown. School, life, any idea or capability that Bakugou didn’t understand at first, he’d spend all his time on it until he did. If he’s going to do something, he’s all in.” 

Izuku shrugged his shoulders, tone admiring even as a part of him couldn’t help but be jealous as the things Bakugou didn’t understand at first came on a short list. “Like when he was learning English when we were younger, he forced it to be the only language he could speak until he could have full conversations with other people, fluently. I’m sure that’s what he is doing for you.”

Todoroki nodded slowly, understanding the general idea, but still not getting the specific point. “I’m not a language, though.” He argued. 

Kirishima laughed, shaking his head in mirth. “You are most definitely not. But isn’t love a language?” 

Todoroki blushed, ducking his head. Love? Who said anything about love?... Was this love?

Kirishima leaned in close to Todoroki, as if he was sharing the secret of the universe. “Bakugou, as much as I admire the dude, definitely wouldn’t know what love was unless it smacked him in the face. Give the man some time to figure it out, Todoroki, but you also need to lay out some clues for the dense guy to work with.”

“Clues?” Todoroki asked, body braced for the answer. 

Kirishima raised his fist and exclaimed, “Give it your all Todoroki! Flirt for your life!”

Now it was Todoroki’s turn to choke and splutter. “F-Flirt?” He accepted the offered bottle of water from Izuku gratefully, quick to take a sip. 

Izuku nodded in excitement, even as a deep flush, one similar to Todoroki’s own, appeared on his cheeks, most likely from hearing someone say the word flirt. “M-Maybe not… flirt , so to speak, but do things that’ll help Kacchan know you’re serious! Show him so he can understand how you really feel. It’ll definitely do better than just words, especially with a person like Kacchan!”

Kirishima sighed in agreement, closing his eyes as he plopped himself back onto the silky sheets of Todoroki’s bed. “Yeah Todoroki, you chose the hardest person to win over.” 

Todoroki looked down, a part of him knowing that but he couldn’t help how he felt. There was no way he could have avoided falling for the blonde. The way their lives were so tightly intertwined: Bakugou would’ve become someone important to him some way or another. 

He faltered in his thoughts when Kirishima suddenly laughed, meeting his gaze with the type of warm smiles reserved for revered friends. “Well, good thing you told the two people who probably know Bakugou best. If we can’t help you, no one can.”

Todoroki shook his head, “You guys don’t have to help me out of obligation-” 

Izuku beamed his way, freezing Todoroki in his tracks as if Izuku was the ice wielder and not Todoroki. “We want to help Todoroki-kun. If you’ll let us.”

Kirishima nodded in agreement, smiling just as wide. “Yeah, let us help! We’ll get Bakugou to open his heart to you if it’s the last thing we do! And we can plan right now especially since Bakugou is out this whole weekend at his parent’s house. It’s perfect timing!” Todoroki shook his head, but that didn’t stop the smile from growing on his face. It turned into a full blown laugh when Kirishima and Izuku both raised their fists, yelling out a proud “Plus Ultra!”

Todoroki’s heart was warm as he looked over his two friends. They smiled in encouragement as Todoroki fist rose in the air. “Plus Ultra,” he promised. Bakugou hadn’t said no, right? Perhaps he could still win the other boy over.

_______________________________________

Todoroki slumped in his seat, groaning into his hands. It was late, around one o’clock in the morning but he was still up. His failed attempt to court Bakugou himself hounded him. There was a reason he had avoided regaling Kirishima and Izuku with the story earlier that night, it was simply too embarrassing. 

Not to mention, during the whole trip to the mall, Bakugou had avoided Todoroki like the plague. Todoroki had done his best to circumvent his attempts and the rest of the bakusquad (and for some reason, Hatsume Mei) surrounding Bakugou, trying to spark up common conversation. All he could get out the whole day was “Are you having fun?” to which Bakugou gave him an unimpressed look and the middle finger. 

Or even when Todoroki had bought a whole pretzel, taking it to Bakugou and holding it out as an offer to share. An indirect kiss on the first date, according to Cosmopolitan, was a must and could be done by taking bites out of a shared snack. (Spaghetti wasn’t served at this mall, so he had to cancel the Lady and the Tramp plan and change the food to a pretzel.) 

Bakugou had shook his head, claiming he had already eaten in the food court and was no longer hungry. Todoroki wilted, acknowledging Kirishima’s look of pity with a mournful nod and trudged back to Izuku and the others. Perhaps the whole class on the trip wasn’t a good date , was what he remembered thinking the whole day. 

He sighed, regretting the pursement. He couldn’t understand where he went wrong, if he had even gone wrong. 

A buzz from his phone brought him out of his trance, phone vibrating on his bed where it’d been charging. Todoroki scooted his desk chair closer to his bed, extending a hand to flip his phone face up. Displayed on the screen read: New Message from Bakugou Katsuki .

Todoroki ran to his phone, pushing off his chair even as it fell over backwards. He quickly took his phone between both of his hands and unplugged it as he did so. Unlocking his phone, his gut felt tense, like he was going into a battle facing a fierce enemy when in reality they were only written words. Todoroki did his best to breathe as the conversation began, trying to remember all the tips Kirishima and Izuku gave him.

Bakugou Katsuki

(555) 867-5309

4/25/2104 

(15:06) Todoroki Shouto: picture of orange cat sitting in a cardboard box in a random living room, the caption reading: ‘I am cat’

4/28/2104

(00:14) Bakugou Katsuki: Today was a date, then?

(00:14) Todoroki Shouto: typing…

(00:14) Todoroki Shouto: Yes. We should do it again. 

(00:15) Bakugou Katsuki: no dumbass. that shit was terrible. it wasn’t a date

(00:15) Todoroki Shouto: Well, if you had taken a bite of the pretzel, it would’ve been a date…

(00:15) Bakugou Katsuki: typing…

(00:16) Bakugou Katsuki: fuck ur pretzel. 

(00:17) Bakugou Katsuki: it just so happened that there were twenty other people watching

(00:17) Todoroki Shouto: I don’t think that was in my control.

(00:20) Todoroki Shouto: Bakugou?

(00:21) Bakugou Katsuki: do I have to fucking spell it out for you?

(00:21) Todoroki Shouto: I don’t understand what I did. What was so wrong?

(00:21) Bakugou Katsuki: no, then let's talk about something else first.

(00:21) Bakugou Katsuki: answer this, fucker. where are you going for residency

(00:22) Todoroki Shouto: The Endevour Agency

(00:23) Bakugou Katsuki: of fucking course you are 

(00:23) Bakugou Katsuki: i don’t know why I expected anything different 

(00:24) Todoroki Shouto: What’s wrong with my choice? He’s the number one hero. 

(00:25) Bakugou Katsuki: ur first year internships, second year internship, summer program, chosen missions, and now residency

(00:25) Bakugou Katsuki: all of which you’ve taken one place

(00:26) Todoroki Shouto: How is that a bad thing? 

(00:26) Bakugou Katsuki: are you fucking serious?

(00:26) Todoroki Shouto: Yes.

(00:27) Bakugou Katsuki: shut up, don’t even fucking talk until im done 

(00:27) Bakugou Katsuki: you have so many fucking offers, but I bet you didn’t even try to look through any of them. Just scrolled until you found your own name and clicked that one

(00:28) Bakugou Katsuki: yeah, your fucking old man is the number one hero and of fucking course going to spend your residency with him would do more good than harm but you’ve been going to him. For years now.

(00:28) Bakugou Katsuki: there’s different types of heroes for a reason. your old man teaches u well, ur quirk usage is good. not better than mine tho

(00:29) Bakugou Katsuki: and yet, i kick ur ass every time we do hand to hand. u score fine on rescue tests, but fine isn’t going to cut it. mediocre gets u killed. do you not want to be the best hero YOU can be? bc rn when i look at you, i see more and more of you being a carbon copy of your father

(00:30) Bakugou Katsuki: i find it so fucking funny, really. weren’t you going to make it your own power? be your own fucking person? 

(00:30) Bakugou Katsuki: it’s like you go about your life letting other people dictate the course of it, like fucking Pocahontos on that stupid river letting the currents take charge

(00:31) Bakugou Katsuki: take charge halfie, I’m tired of waiting.

(00:32) Todoroki Shouto: I’m calling you. Please pick up.

Outgoing call to Bakugou Katsuki… Call failed (00:32)

Outgoing call to Bakugou Katsuki… Call failed (00:33)

Outgoing call to Bakugou Katsuki… Connected (00:34)

“I am not my father,” Todoroki stated, right when the call connected on the last ring. He needed to gain some of the control he lost when he read through Bakugou’s messages. He put the call on speaker, freeing his palms so he could wipe them on his pajama pants. 

Bakugou’s click of the tongue came through the phone call, clear as if he was in the room with Todoroki. “You telling me you ain’t, really?” His laugh was mocking and Todoroki could feel his breaths quickening. “So you haven’t followed daddy’s little footsteps to the tee, like he’s not gonna give the agency to you once he retires, like you don’t already have your whole life already mapped out to mirror his?”

Todoroki swallowed, tongue running along the back of his teeth. “That’s how you perceive it, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is my father. With his resources and connections readily available to me, so why wouldn’t I put them to good use?”

“Got it right on the money IcyHot.” Bakugou chided. There was the sound of a door sliding open, like the ones that led to their balcony. And perhaps Bakugou could hear how close Todoroki was to being on the precipice of a panic attack, gasps growing in volume and erraticness, because he himself quieted, calm. “Maybe this’ll make more sense face to face. Hurry up.”

Todoroki’s brain reeled, taking Bakugou off speaker. He placed him close to his ear. All of this back and forth, anger as Bakugou’s words, happiness that Bakugou was talking to him, confusion on where the harshness was coming from, and… sadness as the more Bakugou added, the more his heart beat out of his chest. 

“Hurry up where?” He asked, voice small.

“The fucking patio, where else? Curfew is still a thing and unlike the rest of the losers, I don’t want detention two weeks before graduation.” 

Todoroki mechanically made his way to his patio sliding door until the next thing he knew, he was looking down at Bakugou. His room had always been directly above Bakugou’s but this is the first time he has really taken heed of that, leaning over the edge to properly see Bakugou. 

He was leaning against the railing like he did every day. He was leaning on his elbows, oversized shirt hanging loosely, his collarbones being free to catch the small light available from the waning moon. The shirt went all the way down to the tops of his thighs, letting Todoroki have a peek at red boxer briefs. 

He tore his eyes away, face burning, even as he could hear a teasing chuckle come out of the phone line. Oh, right, they were still connected by phone, Todoroki realized, pulling the phone away from his ear and moving to end the call. 

“Don’t.” Bakugou’s voice was firm. “I don’t wanna be yelling just for you to hear me up there. That’s a fucking fast way to get caught and get detention, dumbass. Stay on the line?” 

He actually asked. Bakugou asked him to stay, looking unsure as he held Todoroki’s gaze, forehead visible with his head tilted so far back. And in the wake of Bakugou, eyes open, body vulnerable, waiting for his reply, illuminated fully with the weight of the moon beaming down on him, Todoroki felt helpless. 

“Yeah, I’ll stay.”

“Okay, good . That’s.” Bakugou’s head leaned off to the side, looking into his own room. “Good.” There was a hint of a faded blush on his face when he turned back to Todoroki. “Now we can talk face to face and you won’t have a fucking panic attack.”

Todoroki straightened. He still had his pride. “I wasn’t-”

“Shut the fuck up, you so were. Could hear you trying to suck in all the air in your room in one fucking breath.” And here Bakugou sighed, sounding apologetic. “But I mean, I guess it’s hard to hear someone else trash the entirety of your life.”

Todoroki shook his head in the negative. “You’re not just somebody, Bakugou.” Here he faltered but chose to continue, whispering into his phone, even as a wave of nervousness washed over him. “You’ve never been just somebody.” 

He was glad for it, and even gladder as he watched a flush grow over pale skin, traveling from his cheeks to his neck and then chest, disappearing behind the safety of a red shirt. Bakugou ran a hand over his face like he was trying to wipe off all the red. He pulled the phone away from his ear but Todoroki could still hear a small groan. 

Magnetic eyes peered through fingers, Bakugou’s hand rooted to his face. He returned the phone to  his ear, “I wasn’t saying all that shit for no reason, or making it out to be your fault or something. I,” Bakugou groaned, more audible than the last. His leg bounced. “I wanted it to be a date,” Todoroki couldn’t help his blush but continued to listen intently, “but you still don’t get the problem. You act like you made a choice but, in actuality, you don’t. It’s like you don’t fully understand that other choices are right fucking there.”

“I know that I have other offers,” is what Todoroki gave as an answer. 

“But do you?” Bakugou asked, hand retreating back to the railing, broadcasting the reflective look on his face. “Have you really thought about it?”

Todoroki huffed, shrinking into himself. “You keep saying that I am missing something, that I’m just like my father.” His eyes closed, a hand running along the cold metal of the guardrail, letting the contrast of temperature regulate his own. “Please just tell me. I don’t want this to be the way you see me.”

Bakugou’s smooth cadence sounded so close like this, Todoroki thought, eyes closed and phone nestled against his burning cheeks. He could almost imagine him standing next to him, warmth imagined but nevertheless real. “You’ve limited yourself to what you know. The same agency, the same friends from school, the same routine. You live your day to day typically, doing the same shit over and over and over. You let people push you to what they want, giving in to their demands like you owe them something. You live but do you really live ?”

“Live?”

“Live. Go out and experience the world through your own fucking eyes, not your fathers, not Momo’s, not Izuku’s, and definitely not mine. The world isn’t going to stop and wait for you to realize that there’s more than the life outlined for you. Put all of yourself into every waking moment, Shouto.” 

Bakugou looked a vision as Todoroki opened his eyes, body tensed, like he was challenging Todoroki to go ahead and try to go beyond the life he was destined for. He looked lethal, moonlit crimson eyes widened dangerously, a crooked smirk that grew as a tongue slid across the upper row of teeth. 

“I thought you had finally grown a pair, confessing and asking me on a date. But you couldn’t even stand your fucking ground with that. A date with twenty other people.” Bakugou huffed, mist leaving his lips. “And of fucking course, you decided to do all this two weeks from graduation where all of us are going off of our own. Who fucking does that?”

Todoroki thought back to when he had confessed, spurred on by the same glow Katsuki then that he was holding. He was right when he said nothing made Bakugou burn brighter than a fight with an equal opponent who was giving as good as he got. It didn’t matter if they were going their separate ways soon, destined to take other paths.

“I’ll get it right.” He promised, words soaked in sincerity and disappearing into the cloud of condensation they cast. He hoped Bakugou could see he meant it, even in this low light. 

Bakugou nodded slowly, tilting his phone so his mouth was closer to it. “Earlier you asked where I’m going for my residency. Well, I’m off to spend the next three years in America.” Bakugou confessed, pulling the phone off his ears and ending the call. 

Three years? Todoroki’s gut lurched, knowing that was the case but it was still hard to steady himself. He still had time, graduation was two weeks away, he could still make this right and figure out what he wanted. 

Todoroki’s heart raced when Katsuki yelled out, loud enough so Shouto could hear him on the higher floor. “I won’t wait forever.” He sent Todoroki one last searching look, then departed to his room. 

Out of sight, Todoroki finally gave in, melting with his back to the rails, sinking to his knees. He hugged them to his chest, crunching into his core and letting his phone fall into its depths. He willed his rapid chest and dashing heart to calm. He held little hope that he’d mellow, resigning himself to an all nighter. 

________________________

It was the day after Todoroki and Katsuki had their… discussion. He had gone to bed full of energy, ready to go out and understand where Bakugou was coming from. He doesn’t make his own choices? That he’s turning into his father? His life was full of his own decisions. Especially as ever since he accepted using his fire in their first year, he thought he’d broken free from the cage that came with the name Todoroki. 

Apparently Bakugou still thought him incapable of taking a stand. 

Groaning, Todoroki slumped until he was fully off the chair, face down into the cold wood of his dorm floor, wishing it would just swallow him whole. His eyes shut.

“Uh Todoroki? You do know I’m still here, right?” Izuku called out, voice thick with worry. They had been researching heroes together, contrasting their offers to see what would be their best choice. Izuku had long made up his mind, a surprise to the rest of the class. It was usually Izuku up the night before a deadline like this, notebook open and laptop bright. Yet, Todoroki surmised that Izuku had grown quite a bit in their third year, not to mention all three combined. He gave his acceptance letter to Aizawa with nary a speck of nervousness, hands still as he handed it in.

Todoroki lifted his head slightly, just until Izuku came into the peripherals of his vision. “Hm?”

Izuku gestured to his general area. “You need to choose an offer? By graduation? You asked me for help?” Todoroki sighed, sitting up, but stayed on the floor. Izuku was half up and half down in his bed, papers in his left and judgment in his other.  He looked a tad nervous, a wobble in his smile and he couldn’t meet Todoroki’s eyes.

“I'm going to go with my father.” Todoroki admitted. He watched as Izuku’s eyes widened, head snapping to him so fast it’s a wonder he didn’t get whiplash. He could practically see the question dripping off the green haired male so he explained. “It’ll be easier as they already know me and I know them. I worked with them before, them with me, and all of it has been done successfully, so why not go?”

Izuku nodded slowly, digesting the new information. “Hm, it sounds like you’ve already decided a while ago.” He leaned out over the bed, reaching out to hand the offers back to Todoroki. “Why call me here then?”

“I don’t know,” Todoroki lied, taking the papers. After a pause of consideration, he shook his head. “No, I know why. I called you here to see if you approve of my choice.” 

This was an important decision, if not the most important decision of their hero careers. It had the potential to dictate the rest of their career, so obviously everyone had gone crazy, spending months pouring into every hero offer and news. 

The decision was to pick a hero they’d spend the next 3 years under. This time was called a Residency, a period of time after graduation that served like a probation. It was the final testing period. In doing well, the hero would advance to become their own standing hero, gaining all the opportunities and perks of a full fledged hero. 

In failing, a hearing would take place in front of the Heroes Commision, who make a decision based on the level of offense. Most of the time those who failed were voted in the wrong and could no longer be a licensed hero, so yes. This decision was very, very important. 

“You don’t need me to approve it, Todoroki-kun,” Izuku finally said, hands reflexively clenching. This wasn’t going the way either of them hoped. 

“I do. You’re one of my best friends. It’d be nice to have that person’s approval, don’t you think?” Todoroki cast his gaze away firmly, knowing the way this conversation had gotten so heated the last time they'd discussed this. 

Izuku nodded slowly, laying out the papers in his lap and rubbing out the wrinkles he caused by gripping them so tight. “You’re also one of my best friends.” He sighed, feeling the beginnings of an argument they’ve been having for a while. Not quite an argument, but it was something that had Todoroki on the defensive if Izuku asked. He tried today, “You have a whole list of offers. What’s wrong with these other heroes?” 

“Nothing’s wrong with them.” Shouto stated. “There’s also nothing wrong with my father’s agency.” 

“I know that, but… it’s been every time. Internships, guidance sessions, meet-ups,” Izuku listed the ones off the top of his head, fingers numbering them off one by one, “all of which you have chosen Endeavour.” If Todoroki closed his eyes, the words could’ve been from Bakugou himself. 

“He’s the number one hero.” 

“He’s also your dad.”

“That doesn’t stop him from being the number one hero.” He could feel his temperature rising, remnants of the argument he had with Bakugou still fresh in his brain. “Have you been talking to Bakugou?”

“What? No, at least, not about this.” Izuku sighed, shifting his tone to a more gentler tone, knowing Todoroki wasn’t understanding. “And being number one hero also doesn’t stop him from being your father. Did you…” Izuku asked, donning a serious face, “talk to Bakugou about this, then?”

“Yes, we had a chat. Last night.” Todoroki sighed, brokenly. He still has not slept. 

“A chat?” His eyebrow rose, a hint of teasing in his growing expression. “At night?” His smile grew into giggles, rolling over on the bed to fully laugh on his back. The levity broke the growing tense atmosphere.

“Not like that!” Todoroki denied, rising to his knees to push Izuku off the bed, wincing apologetically as he flew off and hit the floor roughly. “ Sorry , but it was more of Bakugou saying my life is a waste of space and time.”

Izuku’s came into view as he rose, hand rubbing the back of his head where he’d hit it. “Is that really what he said?” 

Todoroki groaned, face planting into his sheets as he kneeled beside it. “No, he didn’t. He,” he turned his head away, hoping his next admittance would come out low enough and Izuku wouldn’t hear it, “told me I was making the wrong choice for my residency.”

Izuku now fully smiled, both happy and teasing. “Oh, did he?”

“Yes, now you can stop looking so smug. I also did think you guys had to be cousins or something with how you read each other’s mind.” Todoroki would forever deny the hint of envy in his tone. He was not jealous of them being childhood friends, he was not.

He was.

“What’s up with you and conspiracy theories?” Izuku spluttered. “And don’t think you can change the topic so easily.” Todoroki wilted. “I think you’ve never really gone past his agency, his town, his methods. It’s like you’ve constricted yourself into being his model son, especially after… Touya.”

“You remember how much that affected his agency. I couldn’t just not respond to the requests that I spend my time there.” Todoroki explained. And it was true.

Public opinion of his father fell drastically after the whole Dabi/Touya event, as everyone involved had known it would. His dad was in a rough patch after it. Numerous meetings with the Heroes Commission, press conferences done almost daily, even having Endevour tailed from and to his job and limiting the places he could visit in his revision period. 

Most would credit his rise back to the top to Todoroki himself. It was him who stood by his side in court, in the press conferences, posing for photos and being the perfect son. Especially when it was him who brought Dabi to justice, the other son who came out Good and not Bad. 

He had done it to save his family, his dad. Spent years of his education patching the rifts his family made in their wake and never stopped trying to fix their situation. 

Izuku nodded, understanding. “I know. And I’m sure Kacchan knows how much this meant to your family, but what we’re trying to say is: what about you?” Izuku moved from the other side of the room, closing the distance between them and sat next to Todoroki beside the bed. “You’ve done all you can for your family, and that’s amazing. You really love them. But it’s been years.”

Izuku faced the wide eyed boy who was sitting there still as a statue, waiting, wondering. It was tying together, the way Bakugou had been acting, asking from the dual wielder something he didn’t understand but was beginning to. Like pieces to a puzzle he didn’t have a reference picture for. 

“Isn’t it time you do something for you and not for anyone else?”

__________________

And all that brought him standing before Aizawa-sensei. It’d been about a week since everything had happened, the talk with Bakugou and then Izuku. He’d been pouring over his options and whittled them down, but he could still feel the caution in his gut. 

“Did you fill out everything on the form? Double-check and I’ll take it right now.” Aizawa said, lolling back in his sleeping bag. They were currently in the school as Aizawa offers work hours after class. Todoroki stood in front of his desk, no form in his hand.

“I haven’t made a decision yet, sensei.” Todoroki knew he looked odd, fidgeting in place in front of something he’d known for years. “I… had a question.”

Aizawa’s hand peeked out from the yellow cocoon. It motioned for Todoroki to get on with it and just say it. 

Todoroki planted his feet firmly, looking directly in what he hoped were Aizawa’s eyes in the sleeping bag. “I had been planning to take The Endevour Agency’s offer for Residency. I wanted to know your thoughts about me accepting it.”

Aizawa peeked out of the bag before taking out his upper half. Todoroki looked a lot more serious then he usually did. “Honestly, kid, that’s up to you. The Residency is an important decision.” Aizawa looked a bit sorry for not being able to answer the way he knew Todoroki was expecting. “You don’t want anyone making a choice you’ll later regret listening to.”

Todoroki sighed internally. It seemed it was once again up to him. “Yes, you’re right. Thank you sensei.” Time to go back to his room and anguish over his choices in another all nighter. 

“No problem.” Aizawa began to slither back into his sleeping bag at the same time Todoroki started to walk away, but stopped, voice calling Todoroki back. “Hold on.” He sat up in his sleeping bag, seriousness written on his face.

“Do you… like Bakugou?” Aizawa asked, eyes probing. 

Todoroki spluttered. How had Aizawa known he liked Bakugou? Did someone tell him? Was Todoroki too obvious in his emotions? “Um, I do, sensei.” He pivoted, standing at attention and confessed fully. “I want him to be my boyfriend.”

Aizawa deadpanned. “I mean if you like him as a friend.” He coughed, “Well, whatever. You like him. I need a favor.”

Todoroki was barely recovering, hand covering his now steaming face. At least Aizawa-sensei knew for sure he liked Bakugou and wasn’t lying about it, even at the cost of his own embarrassment. His voice was squeaky as he answered, “What favor sensei?”

“I need you to go say goodbye to Bakugou.” Todoroki’s hand dropped from his face as it began to lose the flush it held previously. 

Aizawa explained fully. “He had asked me not to let the other people in the class know, something about it not being a big deal and he was going to come back in three years anyway. I didn’t really care, but I thought you guys would want to know that his final day was today. He’s off to America tonight.”

Not a big deal? Three years ? America ? Todoroki could feel panic well up in his chest as the time he thought he had disappeared with every word Aizawa uttered. 

“Do you know where he is right now?” Todoroki asked, but also demanded, voice firm as he leaned over the desk for answers. 

Aizawa shrugged, nonchalant even in the face of Todoroki’s intensity. “Last thing I knew, he was at the dorms packing up-” He broke off there as Todoroki high-tailed it out of the room, not having waited for him to finish. 

Todoroki ran, forgetting his umbrella in his hurredness, and he got progressively more drenched the closer he got to the dorm. He curved the last corner, reaching their complex and practically sailed through the door. 

Those who had been lounging in the living room and kitchen peeked their heads out at the noise. Todoroki huffed, forcing himself to take deep breaths to relax. “Where’s Bakugou?”

There was a moment of universal confusion, none of them having ever seen Todoroki lose his composure quite like this. 

They’d just been in the midst of making dinner and watching the news. The self-proclaimed Bakusquad had situated themselves on the couch and it was Kaminari who spoke first. “Uh, no clue. But have you seen the news? There was this big ol’ fight downtown and the collateral damage was so bad that they closed the street for now.” Kaminari’s voice rose, dripping in arrogance as he trailed off with a villainesque laugh. “They should’ve sent me. I could’ve cleared it up with no damage.”

Mina scoffed, smiling mockingly as she pushed his shoulder. “Yeah you’re right. Instead of all the damage, you would’ve cleared out the whole city’s power grid.”

The class laughed as Kami whined, sinking in his chair. Todoroki shook his head, not being able to calm himself down. If nobody knew where Bakugou was… did that mean he was too late?

Momo appeared next to him, tugging a towel she made onto his wet shoulders. She grabbed one of his fists he didn’t realize was clenched and gently pried it open. “Is everything all right?”

Todoroki felt a little bit like crying. “No, Bakugou is leaving tonight.”

Almost as if he had yelled it out instead of the low whisper it was, the class turned to him again, faces now matching his own. Kirishima got up off the couch, “What did you say?”

Todoroki repeated all the information Aizawa had given him (omitting his crush of course), with every drop of seriousness he could muster. He watched as all their faces grew in alarm and like a match, everyone began to run about the room. 

“He left?”

“Kacchan! It makes sense though, American hero schools do graduate earlier than we do and their programs therefore start earlier-”

“Here’s a notebook, Deku-kun.”

“I didn’t get to say goodbye!”

“He’s so selfish! We could’ve had a party!”

“Hm, no Bakugou for three years? Not too sad about it.”

“Shut up Mineta! Who let you speak?”

Momo and Iida did their best to calm everyone, but the damage was done. The vibe had grown forlorn, many slumping into the couch or heading to their rooms. Todoroki himself still stood in the entranceway, not believing it to be over, not wanting it to be over. He told Bakugou to wait for him, that he’d take charge. 

Momo returned to his side. She asked him, quietly, “Todoroki, do you… like Bakugou?”

He nodded. “I do. I need-” His hand ran through his hair, water dropping onto the growing puddle on the floor. “I need to see him before he goes.”

She smiled sadly. She had this grieving look in her eye that Todoroki could barely recognize. It was like she was losing something that she thought was going to be hers, losing a race where she thought she’d been alone in. “I thought so. You look…” She stepped back from him, making some space. “Well, nevermind that. Here.”

In the hand she’d been holding she placed her phone. He stared down to what looked like a GPS pin, reading ‘Bakugou Katsuki’. She shrugged sheepishly at his scrutinizing look, explaining, “After the kidnapping the first year, I may have set GPS pins on everybody in the class.” 

Todoroki paled. Momo was a bit scary. “I only used it in emergencies, though! And you look like this is an emergency to you so…” If Todoroki really looked, he would’ve seen the tears in her eyes as she began to walk away. “It looks like he’s blockaded behind that villain attack, so you might make it. Good luck, Todoroki-kun.”

Todoroki turned and left, with a curt thanks leaving his lips. He could still do this.

________

Todoroki had never run so fast in his life. Drops of rain pelted his skin, unrelentingly. With the harsh slaps of his feet on pavement ringing through his skull, he made his way towards the intersection Bakugou’s GPS location said he was on, stuck as the city cleaned up the street from a sudden villain attack.

It was probably the first time he had ever done this, but he thanked the villain in his mind as they had given him time to get there and-

Do what? Todoroki hasn’t had enough time yet, no preparation in his speech like he had done for his confession and date request. There were too many things he could say, should say, it felt like Todoroki would be able to use the entirety of a dictionary and still not have said enough. 

He hurdled over a mail post, dodging in between bystanders carrying umbrellas with hurried apologies, every so often glancing down at his phone for directions. His legs couldn’t run fast enough and Todoroki cursed the way quirks couldn’t be used in public for things like catching up to a love interest. It seemed a disservice. 

Todoroki glanced down to his phone, skidding to a stop as he glanced at the names on his phones and then to the traffic light signs. Both were the same, he was in the right place. His head swiveled, craning to look at every car on the road, looking for a sleek, gold Chevy, license plate carrying this combination-

783GHG23

There it was. And Todoroki froze right there on the pavement as others passed him by. 

What was he going to say to him? He’d been told he was living a blueprint of life handed down to him by his father, that he’d never really made a choice on his own before, always influenced by those around him. So if he asked Bakugou to stay, he needed to know why he should stay. What was here that Bakugou found worth sticking around? Todoroki? He could almost laugh to himself if someone told him that was the case, but he stopped himself. 

It wasn’t quite fair to say that Bakugou didn’t also carry the same feelings for him. If he really thought about it, the intensity he carried had been with him from the start. Spit filled screams where he pleaded for a fair fight, a soft admittance under moonlight when he said he’d wait, Bakugou’s feelings were written in his actions. There was never any doubt in the foundational certainty of them.

Bakugou did feel something for Todoroki. The thought made Todoroki a little giddy. 

Todoroki raced to the car at the same time the passenger door popped open, Bakugou moving to stand fully on the street. He looked angry, leaning against the top of the car, mouth poised to perhaps yell or question Todoroki’s presence but he didn’t let him speak. 

“Wait, Katsuki!” He stopped right before the blonde, having swerved around the front of the vehicle. His hand reached up to drag his dripping bangs away from his eyes. The rain was still going strong. “Please wait.”

“The fuck?” Bakugou cried out, peering through the bombardment of water. “We have an umbrella in the truck-”

Todoroki walked in front of him, blocking the path he had been making to the back. He needed to say this now before he lost his nerve. He began to speak, almost yelling to be heard over the rain. “You told me I haven’t really been living, that… that choices have been made for me and I needed to fully become my own person, standing on my feet. You told me that.”

Bakugou nodded, face still disgruntled from getting more and more wet. “I did.”

“But you didn’t quite get it right, Bakugou.” A car behind them honked as they had been blocking the middle lane and causing traffic. It seemed like the streets were clear now. He’d make this clean then, Todoroki thought as apologized to the man who honked. He turned sharply back to Bakugou. “I’ve been thinking a lot about it, especially after you grilled it into me, and I decided. Being with you is my way of living.”

Bakugou shook his head. “What the fuck?” His hair was flat now, water having carried it down to brush the tips of his eyelashes, the droplets on them making the strands darker. “You’re speaking nonsense, Bakaroki.” 

“You, Bakugou, are full of life. It’s in everything you do.” Todoroki, full of adrenaline and determined not to waste it, ran forward and grabbed Bakugou’s hands in his own. He could feel rivers of water make their way between their intertwined fingers, tickling gently. 

“You never do anything half-heartedly, no, you pour your everything into it and it’s… it’s like looking at the first fireworks of the new year when you light up the way you do. Katsuki, you live your life to the fullest. Even though it’s so dangerous, you open yourself to hurt so easily because you can take the hits.” Bakugou stood before him, wet and bewildered, but no less beautiful to Shouto. The flush on his cheeks told him how he really felt.

This time it was Bakugou’s own car who honked at them. Todoroki huffed, letting go of Bakugou’s hands and bending down to peer through the window. It rolled down and Todoroki was met with Bakugou’s mother. Her smirk was wild, reminiscences of her sons (or maybe it was vice versa) along with the teasing glint in her eyes. “I know y’all are having a moment, but if we don’t move soon, I will get pulled over.”

Todoroki nodded, face apologetic as he bowed multiple times. “Please just give me one more moment, Bakugou-san.”

“Hm, he’s a polite one. And you like my son?” She leaned forward until she could also see Katsuki and then looked back at Todoroki. “Why?”

“Shut up, old hag!” Bakugou screamed, but it was for naught as his mom had already started to raise the window. “Don’t pay any attention to her.”

But that was his mother. The woman who raised Katsuki, helped shape him to be the person he is today. Todoroki thought back to his own mother and knew Katsuki meeting her would be important. 

Thinking back to Katsuki asking him to join the dinner, the one Bakugou and his dad had. Without him. Because Todoroki wasn’t fully in as Katsuki was, still holding back from giving in. 

Telling Momo that Izuku had thought of the All Might line so she wouldn’t find out about the failed attempt to ask Katsuki on a date. Half in, half out. 

“You awake in there, Half-n-Half ?” 

Todoroki’s eyes sharpened, “I think I’ve been a bit hesitant. No, I know I’ve been scared to give you my whole effort. My everything. I confessed and didn’t need an answer, I asked you on a date and I couldn’t put my foot down that I wanted time with you and only you, I take the easy path.” He laughed, a bit too carefree. “Staying here, in this bubble of my father, I’m safe .”

“I’m tired of being safe. I want to live a reckless life with you Bakugou because I,” Todoroki adjusted his shirt even as it stuck against his skin, “well, it’s because I’m dangerously in love with you.” 

Bakugou bit into his lower lip to stop a sob, staring up at Todoroki through his fallen bangs. The stream of water looked like tears so Todoroki stepped forward, cupping Bakugou’s face with two palms, swiping at the water below his eyes. He stayed there, grazing the skin the way he’s always wanted to, content in the freezing rain because he fulfilled a wish he never thought would happen. 

“You’re going to America for three years. I’m not sure if the offer that I end up choosing will be close to you, but I’m telling you with certainty that I will make the choice for me and me only. No one will ever stop me from finding my own way.” Todoroki promised, cheeks hurting from his smile. 

“So wait for me. Please continue waiting for me.”

Katsuki tilted his head, nestling delicately into the palms that held him. Todoroki watched half-lidded eyes fixated on his own, soft hands being brought up to hold Todoroki’s own. He couldn’t help but to admire the way their hands appeared together, one on top of the other with Bakugou’s face in its heart. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

He watched red lips part, tongue clicking. “You’re so stupid. Just fucking do it.”

And Todoroki couldn’t help but to follow the order, snaking a hand to Bakugou’s chin. He lifted it up, Bakugou watching with curious eyes, and leaned forward slightly, gliding their noses against one another. Their breaths intermingled. “As you wish.” And with that, he let himself fall, heart pounding in his chest like the harsh storm over their heads. But Bakugou was warm, so he inched closer, letting their lips connect. 

Todoroki shivered at the first contact, light as it was, it still sent more goosebumps to riddle his body. Bakugou’s lips felt soft, plushy, like he always thought they’d be. Todoroki nipped Bakugou’s lower lip, letting his teeth graze just so, and he could feel Bakugou shiver himself. He pressed closer, wanting to take more and more, hand reaching out to cup Bakugou’s waist, not wanting to stop-

They pushed away from each other as Mitsuki pressed hard on the horn, both panting and pointedly looking in opposite directions. She rolled down the window again, voice now commanding, “Alright! That’s enough kissing time! Get in the car before we get arrested!”

Bakugou and Todoroki startled, turning to look at each other with wide eyes. They looked a mess, clothes sopping wet, hair drenched. They both began to giggle at the same time, at the comicalness of it all, how uncharacteristic of them to be standing here in this situation. 

They quieted their laughs as they entered the car, Bakugou riding shotgun while Todoroki took the back seat. Mitski stepped on the pedal right when their doors shut, cursing and flipping off five different people as she made an escape. 

Todoroki stared down at the palm-up hands in his lap after he'd buckled in. He felt a little on air, as if his body was still trying to process what had happened, if it had even happened. His finger came up to graze his lip, remembering the way Bakugou’s lower lip quivered between his own. He thought that he could still feel its warmth. 

He looked up, catching Bakugou’s stare in the rearview mirror. His cheeks were still stained red, from being in rain or the kiss, Todoroki wasn’t sure and didn’t care. It looked nice on his skin, almost bright enough to match his eyes. He wanted to kiss him again, over and over for the rest of his life. 

Bakugou suddenly gave him the middle finger through the mirror, sticking his tongue out unnecessarily. Todoroki smiled at the sight, then didn’t hold back his chuckles as Mitski began to chastise her son for it, smacking his arm and yelling at him to apologize. 

Bakugou Katsuki, his boyfriend. (Probably, right? He hadn’t said they were dating, but they kissed and that meant something right? Todoroki shook his head. They were definitely together now.)

The thought made him vibrate, excited for the unknown. He was going to go into this all in, with all the effort he knew Bakugou would make as well and that thought made Todoroki's mind settle a little. Three years, residency, relationship, choices: they'd figure it all out, together. 

So, Todoroki thought to himself, now he had to practice for the perfect speech to give when he proposes…