Work Text:
Shibaman knew by the time he was five that he wasn't like other girls. He knew it not because he didn't like to play with dolls (he did) or disliked the colour pink (he thinks pink is nice).
He knew because of how he got whenever he overheard his mother's friends compliment him. They'd say "she's such a pretty girl" or "you have such beautiful daughters". Shiba didn't want to be a daughter. He wanted to be a son.
He told his sister first before even thinking about telling his mom. He wasn't scared to tell her, Kaede was smart, she would know what to do.
"Hah?!" The twelve year old looked at Shibaman like he was crazy. "You wanna be a boy?! Why?! They're annoying and snotty, you're cooler than they are anyway!"
"It's not the same! Girls are cool but I don't want to be one!" Shiba tried to explain himself, but at five, he wasn't the most articulate person. All he knew was that being a girl wasn't right. He was wrong. Kaede wouldn't understand, he didn't know how to explain the way he felt.
And so little Shibaman did what he always did when things were too much: he cried. It wasn't loud, but soft sniffles at he balled his hands into fists. He felt the tears run down his cheeks as he felt so much that he didn't understand at this age. He just wanted to wake up one day and be a boy already! Kaede should know how to fix that! She's twelve, she goes to the bigger school and has the harder homework, why can't she fix this?
Kaede pulled him in for a hug, she was tough, but had a weak spot for whenever her sister (brother. She knows now that that's her brother) is upset. "Maybe... maybe there is something I can do? But you have to stay still."
Their mother lost her mind when she saw Shibaman after work. His long black hair now chopped off, leaving only an uneven messy bush on his head. He lied and said he did his hair all by himself, knowing that Kaede would probably be in trouble if their mom found out it was her doing. He was dragged to the salon where they fixed the disaster that had laid itself upon his head. And just this little thing wasn't enough to solve everything, but it was enough to make him feel happy.
**
Tomboy. That is what Shibaman was called from then on. His hair was always short, he went into grade school wearing the boy's uniform, and confused the other students more often than not. Sometimes they would stop and look at him, confused on if he was a girl or not. Those were Shiba's favourite moments, because then he could happily say he was a boy. And sure, maybe some kids said that he was pretending, but Shibaman could always get in a fight to get them to shut up. But that didn’t always mean they started believing him.
But there was always somebody who believed in him. Tsuji, his friend since Shiba could walk, his former protector. He was a good friend, and Shibaman told him right away when he turned into a boy on the inside. Tsuji had just smiled and nodded. "You'll always be my best friend! And if you're a boy, that means we can hug now all the time!"
"We can't hug if I'm a girl?"
"Well... Momma always is like "Tsuji you have a girlfriend" when I play with you. But now that you're a boy, we can be best friends without her being annoying!" (Little do either of them know, Tsuji's mom was onto something.)
Shibaman always wanted to be with Tsuji, that was his best friend. Nobody knew him the way Tsuji did. The adults always poked fun at Shiba, and all of them thought that 'she' was just expressing 'herself' throughout the years.
But only when he was 10 did something happen. Shibaman was called into the classroom during recess, and walked into his classroom with he and Tsuji hand in hand. (Nobody ever brings this up, considering both of them can and will sock someone's teeth in. Neither of them realized yet that other students whispered because it was two boys, not that they were holding hands at this big age.) It wasn't his usual homeroom teacher in there, but Tsuji's. Mr. Kanagawa chuckled when he saw the two of them there. Looking back on it, Shiba considered the guy old, but he was probably only in his 20s. "Tsuji, didn't I call just for _____?"
"It's Shibaman when he's at school!"
"Ah I'm sorry," Mr. Kanagawa smiled softly, "but I do need to talk to him by himself. Is that okay, Tsuji?" The two of them nodded, and Shibaman watched Tsuji go back outside. "Shibaman, I want to discuss something with you."
"Sure, what's up?"
"I've heard from other students that you have always acted like this."
"Acted like wh- hey! Is this about me fighting Yasushi? He's annoying!"
Mr. Kanagawa chuckled again, but shook his head. "No, not that. Although, you need to stop getting into boughts with him. What I meant was that you have always been dressing like the boys?" Shibaman looked away from the teacher. He didn't want to have to keep pretending that he was a girl. Shibaman knew what a girl was and that wasn't him.
"Shibaman. Do you think that you might feel like a boy?"
Shiba stopped thinking for a second. That was not what he expected to be asked, mainly because he's never been asked that. In the last four years, he's learned that he can't just fight his way into everyone seeing the world the way he does, or agreeing with him. At least not on this topic, and definitely not when adults are involved. This was the first adult that... well that didn't laugh at him. Shibaman nodded slowly, and braced himself from whatever he might hear.
"Well then, should we let your teacher know that? So she can make sure people call you what you want to be called?"
Shibaman didn't look up at Mr. Kanagawa yet. "No. She'll just say I'm being stupid."
"No she wouldn't. You and I both know what type of person Mrs. Hino is." That was true. Shibaman's homeroom teacher was a good person, and if he told her, she would probably take it well. But there was a problem...
"She'll tell my mom."
"Is that a bad thing?" Shibaman didn't say anything, leaving the teacher to infer for himself. "Oh... I don't think your mother would-"
"How do you know?!" Shibaman said, a burst of nervousness that was let out as anger. Because how would he know? How would anyone know what his mother would think? That's his mother, his God-fearing, law-abiding mother. How would she react to finding out that her amazing youngest daughter... isn't a daughter at all?
"Shibaman. I've met your mother a handful of times when she picked up Tsuji for Ms. Takahide. She's always been kind to you and your friend. If you tell her, I'm sure everything will be alright."
But Shibaman just shook his head. He didn't want to tell her. His mother loves him, what happens if that changes? Shibaman would never ever say that he was afraid of anything... but the thought of how his mother would react terrified him.
"You don't have to, Shibaman." Mr. Kanagawa said calmly. "It was just something to think about. You can go back outside now." Shiba walked right back outside the moment he could, and ignored Tsuji's questions. If he was scared now, would he be scared forever? Would he ever really get to be himself?
Three months later, Shibaman found himself in his classroom after school, his mother and his teacher with him. Mrs. Hino had retold her what Shibaman had said. And by then, Shibaman had fallen silent. He didn't know what to say, or how to say it. His mother looked at him. "Is that true? Is that why you cut your hair years ago?" Shibaman nodded slowly, trying to force out the words without his voice cracking.
"Yeah. I wanted to be a boy."
It was just a little sentence, not a lot of words, but hearing it from her own son's mouth must have done something for his mother. She stood up then, and on instinct so did Shiba. She bowed to the teacher and thanked her before the two of them left. They walked back to the apartment complex quietly, and only when they were in front of the entrance did his mother look at him. Shibaman couldn't bring himself to look up at her.
"______."
No response.
"______, please."
Shibaman looked up at his mother when he heard her voice shake. There wasn't any hatred for him in her eyes, and not disappointment either. She bent down to his height, dirtying her new suit, but she paid it no mind. "You've felt like this since you were six?"
"... mhm."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I-I-" Shibaman didn't want to admit it, but he had to. "I was scared."
And then suddenly, he was pulled in for a hug. "Oh my baby, no I'd never- you don't need to be scared of me." She let go of him and looked at her son. "I don't really... understand this about you, but you're still my child. You're my son now, and I'll never not love you. You're the most beautiful boy in my world, nothing will change that." Shubaman sniffled, trying really hard not to cry right now. He didn't need to cry, everything's okay. His mom still loved him, so he doesn't need to cry. "Mrs. Hino said you have another name you like to be called at school? What is it?"
"Sh-Shibaman."
His mother chuckled, but didn't comment on the name. "Shibaman, what a fitting name for you." That was enough for Shibaman to give up on holding back and started crying. Everything was gonna be okay.
**
Puberty wasn't kind to Shibaman. Things were growing that he didn't want, and he began to hate himself. He didn't think he looked right anymore. His face looked fine, he had wider and larger features anyway. But by the time he was thirteen, everything felt wrong. He shot up to 5'10, but he was lanky and even though he had a binder, Shibaman didn't like that anything was growing at all. He put on a front when in front of his sister or mother, but around Tsuji he was more open. The problem was, he still didn't know how to articulate what he was feeling to even his closest friend. So he didn't, and Shibaman holed himself up in the gym by their apartments. He kept it inside, hoping the feelings would go away. But it was when Shibaman broke a mirror after not liking what he saw in it that he knew he needed to do something.
His therapist was nice (he had been meeting with the man since he was ten) when Shibaman began to tell him how he felt. His therapist wrote down a lot while Shibaman explained himself. He hated his body, he wanted to chop off his tits already. He mentioned the mirror breaking incident. His therapist then asked him something. Something that made Shibaman's ears perk up. They talked about it for the rest of the session, and Shiba rushed out excitedly.
"Testosterone? What'll that do?" Tsuji asked him when Shibaman came outside of the therapist's office.
"It'll make my boobs stop growing and make me more of like... a real guy."
"But you're already a real guy."
"Yeah but I don't want boobs, and it'll help with my voice."
"But I like your voice."
"Tsu, who is going to take this voice with this body seriously in a fight?"
Tsuji just grinned, "Anybody who sees you punch will take you seriously, Shiba." Shibaman laughed with him and shook his head. He didn't need to try and explain it to Tsuji, he wouldn't really understand. "But if you want it, you should get it!"
"That's the thing though, I gotta wait till I turn 14, and I gotta have mom sign the papers and be there every time I take it at home and everything."
"Why do you have to wait?!"
Shibaman laughed again at Tsuji getting upset for him. "Cause I'm too small right now, dude. In six months I should've convinced my mom by then." Tsuji tilted his head, confused. Shiba continued. "Mom's cool with the whole Trans thing but she's totally gonna be weird about the... drug thing."
"But they're like good drugs."
"Mom freaks out if we take three advil instead of two, you know how this'll go down."
"We need a plan then. Or someone smarter than us to convince her." Someone smarter... they stared at each other and smirked. They know exactly who they need to look for.
"Shiba isn't here right now." Naomi said, setting a plate of food down in front of the two boys. "Ichigo are all out doing who knows what."
"Your sister is so lucky," Tsuji said as he dug in, "she can just do whatever she wants. We need to join a gang!" Shibaman nodded in agreement, before Tsuji got hit with a toothpick. Before Shiba could say anything, he was flicked too. They both stood up and looked over angrily to see who was the culprit before they both sat immediately back down. Next to a chuckling Naomi was Cobra, looking unimpressed at the two of them. "What do you two need to join a gang for? You need to focus on your grades."
"You're in a gang! You're the leader of one!"
"That's because he's stupid, all he knows how to do is fight." Naomi said, bonking Cobra on the head. "You two, aren't dumb."
"He's dumb." Both Shiba and Tsuji said while pointing at each other.
Cobra flicked another toothpick at them. "If you kids keep saying you're dumb, then of course you're gonna be dumb. Anyway, if I find out you two joined a gang I'm going to beat the crap outta you two."
I'm gonna flip him off
My sister will kill us if she finds out you did
"What do you need Shibanee for anyway?" Naomi asked. "You'll see her when she gets home, huh?"
"It's really important now though. If my sister can't help me, than I'm toast." Shibaman said, slumping his head on the table as Tsuji keeps eating. Then, suddenly he got a genius idea. He slammed his hand on the table, startling Tsuji so badly he almost choked.
"What the hell?!"
"Naomi is smart!" Shibaman pointed at her. "You can help!"
"What am I helping with? If it's English homework, you're out of luck."
Shibaman shook his head before explaining. He watched his sister's friend's faces go from confused to understanding fairly quickly. To Shibaman, these are people he can trust, and he's known them for so long that them knowing this information can't do any harm.
Naomi nodded in understanding. "You're trying to convince her before your next appointment?"
"Yep."
"When's that?"
"Next Thursday."
"Damn."
"Yeah."
"I don't know if you want advice from someone who's stupid," Cobra cut in, eyeing Naomi, "but maybe it's easier to just tell her it'll make you feel happier?" Naomi widened her eyes and smacked him on the back of his head.
"Dumbass, that'll make it sound like he's trying to get high!"
"... my bad. It is for your health though, right? Technically?" Shibaman nodded. Technically this would be good for his health, but he doesn't know if his mother would get past the whole injecting himself with something. Cobra spoke again, "Then maybe you can tell her about how it will help? And then you know let you therapist or the doctors explain all of the sciencey stuff. Your mom is nice, just a bit paranoid. And even if she says no now, you have a few months 'till you're fourteen, so don't worry too much. She'll be bound to come around."
"Yeah..." Shibaman looked at Tsuji across from him. "Sure..."
"Shibi, I thought you liked how you look!" His mother took it surprisingly well by her standards once Shibaman spoke to her the next week. First after explaining what he wanted, his mother made him sit down with her as she researched Testosterone in quite possibly its entirety. "What happens if you take these... things and you get sick? Or worse? Look at all of these side effects." She turned the computer towards him, where she had already written out a list of side effects. Shibaman doesn't like reading (and he hasn't met the person that will make him like to read yet) which means this is much worse for him to look at with his eyes.
"Mom, most things can kill me. Even just going outside can kill me. Taking too much Advil can kill me too."
"And that is why I make sure both you and Kaede only take two when you need it."
"I'd be taking the right amount of Testosterone, too. I want to try it, and I want to start feeling better."
"Feeling better? You don't feel good?"
Fuck. Shibaman hadn't told his mother about his dysphoria (he learned this word recently) yet. But there was no better time than now. "I don't mean that I'm like... sick sick. But I feel sick when I look at myself. Working out helps but... not all the time. I feel so bad when I look at myself in the mirror. And if I look at you and Kaede I know I'm gonna-" Shibaman stuttered, but kept going. "I'm gonna end up with stuff I don't want. I want... I really want to try this. If it doesn't work, that's okay, but if I don't try it nothing will change."
There was silence in their house as Shibaman looked away. He could practically feel the gears turning in his mother's head. "I don't really understand this either, but if it will make you happy. And if it doesn't hurt you..." His mother sighed, "Then it wouldn't be right if I kept you from happiness, hm?"
Shibaman smiled. "Thank you!"
"But the moment it looks like it's doing more harm than good I'm taking you off!"
"Yes ma'am!" Shibaman gave a mock salute. He stood up and hugged her. "Love you."
"Love you too." His mother kissed his forehead as Shibaman threw on his shoes and dashed outside. Waiting for him were his sister and of course, Tsuji.
Both of them looked nervous. Kaede looked at him. "If you need me to talk to her to understand-"
"She said yes!"
Kaede stopped talking, her eyes widening. She broke into a grin but before she could congratulate her little brother, Tsuji grabbed Shiba and hugged him. "You're gonna get what you want, man! Just gotta wait a little bit!" Shibaman hugged him back while he caught his sister's eye. She looked proud of him, happy for him too. Just six months, just six months.
**
Who would've told Shibaman that the next six months would be crazy? He and Tsuji went to Oya High, he ended up growing out of his uniform, and didn't want to bother with a new one. Alongside Tsuji, they already started fucking up the full-timers and making them cower before them. The way people were scared of them made Shibaman laugh. He didn't really care about being at the top too much, but Tsuji was happy with this, and that's what matters more than anything. Besides, getting to fight Murayama one day would be a bonus. Or at least that's what they thought. Three days before his birthday, Shibaman got his ass handed to him by that damn Todoroki Yosuke, and he knew that fighting Murayama wouldn't be something that they could do. But if not the two of them, then maybe he could one day.
But right now, Shibaman had something else to tackle. Right now he was waiting in the hospital to take his first dose age of Testosterone. His mother wanted to be here, but Shiba and Kaede convinced her to let him go on his own. After all, when Shiba starts bringing the stuff home, she'll be watching him like a hawk. And now here he was, leg bouncing as he waited next to somebody who already got their shot. Shibaman couldn't help but glance down at his thigh every now and then. Shibaman had dozens of people talk to him about the process and what it would be like, so he wasn't really scared of it. But in the back of his mind there was that nagging feeling. Like being nervous to try something new even if you know it's a good thing.
"This your first time?"
Shibaman looked up. The guy he was looking at was now looking at him. His face seemed almost familiar, with slicked back light brown hair and eyes that looked way too trusting. "E-Eh?"
The guy pointed to his thigh, then to Shibaman, "Your first time for the shot?"
Oh. Shibaman nodded. "Yeah. Yours?"
"Nah, been on it since I was eighteen, but my insurance stopped covering it so I had to stop for like a year. Now I'm back, but they've got me up here again." He rolled his eyes. "It's not like I forgot how to give myself a shot."
"You do it yourself?"
"Well, after having to haul myself up here every week for two months, I kinda liked the option of just doing everything from home. Hey... you look pretty young for this actually. I thought you had to be sixteen to start T."
"It's fourteen now. My birthday was last week."
"Happy belated, kid. And don't be nervous, it hurts less than getting your blood drawn 'n stuff." Shibaman nodded, trying to not think too much about the needle. He'll get used to it. Hopefully.
"Alright.." A nurse came up to the man, "Everything seems to be well with you, Mr. Kataoka. Your body seems to be reacting normally, so you are free to go. Have you already scheduled your next appointment?"
Kataoka rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and stood up. "Thanks but, you don't need to call me that... everyone just calls me Chiharu." He let the nurse leave before looking back at Shibaman. "Sometimes the hardest thing is taking the first step." He gave the boy a thumbs up. "You got this." Before turning and walking towards the exit. Shibaman blinked as he watched the figure of Chiharu walk away. "You're corny."
"_____?" Shibaman flinched at the name. He hasn't been called that in a long time. Not since he was little. He looked up at the nurse who must've been reading his name from a legal document or something.
"U-Um, it's Shibaman," He said as he stood up, "but that's me."
The nurse smiled at him and nodded. "Shibaman. Follow me please." Alright. This was happening. This was the day that everything would start to change.
**
Shibaman wasn't... out to the students at Oya High. Those who were from Hope Hill and knew him before his transition were aware, but that's less than 1% of the population of this damn school. Murayama knew too, but that just happened by chance. Nobody else knew.
Todoroki didn't know either.
The Todoroki that Shibaman was currently laying on. Tsuji was on the floor next to them, he started sleeping about three minutes ago. They both had already began their unspoken thing, but neither of them had thought about inviting Todoroki into that. Not until the container fight. Before that, the two of them thought that Todoroki wouldn't care about them, about Oya. After his loss against Murayama, he seemed to care more about the two of them. But that wasn't enough for Shibaman. It was the container fight that changed his mind on their leader. Todoroki didn't have to tell the part-timers what Murayama was going to do, but he did anyway. He didn't have to fight, but he did anyway. That's what made Shibaman like him; Todoroki cared in his own way. Tsuji liked Todoroki too, but Shibaman didn't know how far that went. Shibaman thought that maybe Todoroki liked them too, since he let them be so close to him. Like, Shibaman's head was quite literally in his lap, it wasn't that hard to tell that there was something between the three of them. They all got really close really fast, but Shibaman likes it this way. It was this closeness that led to Todoroki nervously coming out to them, and the both of them let him know that he was accepted. And although he didn't cry, Shiba thinks that was the first time anyone had ever told Todoroki that.
"You have pretty eyes." Shibaman said softly. Todoroki had his eyes closed, maybe he was asleep- oh nope never mind his eyes opened.
He looked down at Shibaman, "They're boring. And tiny."
Shibaman shook his head. "Nope. They're nice. I like how they look when you smile." The way Todoroki's ears turned red was not lost on Shibaman (he's observant like that) as he leaned back. He chuckled softly before looking away from him. Shiba poked him. "Don't look away."
"Why?"
"I wanna see the peepers. Besides, I like your smile, too." Shibaman spoke before his brain could keep up with his mouth.
Todoroki whipped his head back down to Shibaman. Now both of them were red in the face. Their eyes were wide as they looked at one another. Shiba thinks his heart is about to stop.
"You like my smile?"
"Y-Yeah," Shiba ignored his voice cracking, "why wouldn't I?"
"It's crooked."
"I like crooked things." Shibaman smiled softly as Todoroki's own smile began to form. He liked him, crooked smile and all. And with that, Shibaman threw all reason or subtlety out the window. "Can I see it up close?" Shibaman doesn't know what he expected from Todoroki "has never backed down from a fight" Yosuke, but he leaned his face closer to Shibaman.
"Close enough?"
Shibaman turned even redder than Todoroki. He feels himself getting hotter under his clothes. Todoroki is right there, right in front of his face like this. He really did want to kiss him. Shiba wanted to kiss him really bad right now.
But he can't. He can't he can't. Todoroki doesn't know. Sure, Todoroki is gay but... what if Todoroki doesn't like him when he realizes that Shiba is different. Shiba can't risk that, can't risk destroying what they have. And Todoroki, the ever observant noticed right away. He leaned away, and Shibaman scrambled off of his lap, waking up Tsuji who was on the floor. Todoroki looked away. "Sorry I-"
"No no, it's my fault." Shibaman got out. "It's not- I wanted- I'm sorry." Shibaman panicked, and booked it out of the broadcast room.
**
"Tsuji told me you'd be here." Shibaman stopped mid pull-up. Todoroki was looking up at him from the entrance of the gym. Shibaman had been in the gym for half an hour at this point. He's almost always in here. This makes him happy, keeps him comfortable in his own skin even when he hates himself. Like he does right now.
"He did?" Shibaman questioned, continuing his set.
"He said you work out when you're pissed off or upset." Shibaman didn't respond, and Todoroki sighed. "Can you come down so we can talk?"
"Finishing my set." Shibaman said as if he wasn't stalling. But eventually he finished up, taking his water bottle and drinking it so he wouldn't have to talk first.
"So." Todoroki looked at him.
"So..." Shibaman looked away.
"What did I do that made you take off?"
"Nothing!" Shibaman quickly said, trying to avoid that confusion. "You didn't do anything."
"Then... then why did you? I thought we were..." Todoroki didn't finish, looking Shibaman in the eyes.
"Because I'm different." Shibaman responded, not elaborating. Not yet. He couldn't bring himself to do so.
"I like different."
He thinks so, but what if he doesn't like the different that Shibaman is? He shook his head. "No. I'm not like quirky or some shit. I'm different."
"How? I want to know the type of different that I'm liking."
Shibaman sighed, clenching and unclenching his hands before just fucking doing it. He threw up his shirt, revealing his blue binder. (always gotta represent that Oya High spirit, you know?) "I'm different like this." There was silence, Todoroki looking at his binder. It may have only been ten seconds, but to Shibaman that felt like three minutes. This was the most terrifying moment of his life.
"Your ribs have gotta hurt."
Shibaman looked up. "Huh?"
"That must be painful, right? Your binder while you're working out."
"It's a size up- you don't care?"
"That what, you're trans?" Todoroki tilted his head, "Shibaman, I'm gay."
"I know I just thought that you might not like-"
Todoroki cut him off by holding up a hand. Shibaman fell off into silence as he put his shirt back down. "I get why you would hide this and be worried about what other people think, but from me?" Todoroki must have realized how he sounded, so he stopped and started again. "I mean, you didn't have to tell me, so I'm glad that you did. But you shouldn't have had to be afraid of me. I like different, but most importantly, I like you, Shibaman. I like you and Tsuji and I like us because nobody has ever been my friend before even though that's kind of my fault. And I'm not the greatest at telling people how I feel but I'm trying my best now because I don't want you to feel like this is something I won't like you for. And-" He stopped when he saw Shiba's face.
Because for the first time in front of Todoroki, Shibaman was crying.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No I just-" Shibaman sniffled, "fuck man, I thought you'd kick me out."
"What?! Never! Shibaman- why would I do that? You're my friend!" Shibaman gave him a look, and Todoroki nodded. "Okay I get your point, but I'm not like those people. I don't care if you're trans, Shibaman. I don't care if you decided to stop binding tomorrow or stopped doing everything that you do now that makes you masculine. You would still be Shibaman to me. You'll always be my Shibaman, the same that you were five minutes ago."
"Yours?"
Todoroki went red again. "I didn't mean to say that part. Actually, just ignore it because what I'm trying to say is..." Todoroki lifted his hands and went to touch Shibaman's shoulders. He hesitated for a few beats before going through with it. "What I'm trying to say is that at the end of the day, I already don't want there to be a time where you and Tsuji aren't by my side. I don't know why, and I don't know what the hell you two did to me, but I can't really imagine myself without you anymore so... so don't hide things anymore. And if you make me worry about you like this again, I'll seriously kill you." Shibaman laughed softly before pulling Todoroki in for a hug. Todoroki grumbled. "You know I never let anyone hug me."
"I don't think you've gotten a really good hug yet. How's this one?"
"...Perfect."
Shibaman let him go eventually, ignoring that he cried a little more. He quickly wiped the last of his tears and smiled. "Thanks for liking me."
"Thanks for liking my crooked smile."
"I told you I like crooked things. And you can call me Shiba, you know. Tsuji does." Todoroki smiled again after Shibaman said that.
"Then... Shiba. Can we go back to the broadcast room?" Todoroki asked, looking away as he slightly extended his hand towards Shiba.
"Sure, Todoroki." He took Todoroki's hand as they walked back.
"Actually I lied," Todoroki sniffed the air, "go to the locker room and shower, you stink."
"You stink too now since you hugged me!" Shibaman said and poked him.
"Yeah, but I'm walking home in like... ten minutes."
"Don't go home."
"Huh?"
"I'll shower, and me 'n Tsuji will walk with you. Or we can head over and I can shower at your place."
Todoroki shoved his free hand in his pocket as he mumbled. "You don't have to."
"It's not like we'd be doing anything anyway. Besides, we've never been to your house!" Shibaman said as they walked back into the broadcast room where Tsuji was on the couch.
He noticed the two of them holding hands, and looked over at Todoroki, "Can I hold your hand too? Or is it only reserved for giants?"
"I- well yes you can hold my ha-"
"We're going to Todoroki's house!" Shibaman butted in.
Tsuji grinned. "Nice! We've never been!"
"Hey hold on I never said ye-"
"Can we eat there?" Tsuji asked, grabbing all of their bags and throwing them on his shoulder. He took Todoroki's other hand.
"We can order." Shibaman offered. "I don't think he's ever had your mom's food."
"Our mom. But yes we totally can."
"Have you two forgotten we're going to my house? Don't act like you live there." Todoroki said, but there was a clear lack of bite in his voice.
There was still a lot that Shibaman would have to go through in life, a lot he'd learn about himself, about fitting into his own skin. But at least there were people with him, and whoever he turns out to be in life will be someone who isn't alone. Crooked smiles, bright hair, and a bit different. But that's who they are, and Shibaman wouldn't want to change a thing. Not about them, and not about him.
Because today and hopefully for a long time, Shibaman felt good in his own skin.