Work Text:
Shouto’s PowerPoint opens with a slide titled, in bold, capital letters: ‘ THE SECRET ROMANCE OF GANG ORCA AND INGENIUM’ He pauses, giving Hitoshi and Izuku a dramatic look, as if waiting for the suspense to set in.
Izuku and Hitoshi exchange skeptical glances. “Shouto, we’ve been over this,” Hitoshi groans, resting his head in his hands. “Just because they talk sometimes doesn’t mean they’re dating.”
But Shouto has prepared for every ounce of their doubt.
“Slide one,” he says, and the screen changes to a photo from a recent hero charity gala. Gang Orca is standing next to Ingenium, who is smiling up at him in a way that could almost be… soft. “Look at this,” Shouto says, circling Ingenium’s expression with a laser pointer. “And this…” He circles Gang Orca’s hand on Ingenium’s shoulder. “Now tell me, why would he need to do that? It’s a hero charity dinner. There’s no reason for… prolonged physical contact.”
Izuku’s brow furrows, but he’s still dubious. “Maybe they’re just… friends, ” he offers, a grin creeping onto his face as he tries not to laugh.
Shouto narrows his eyes. “Friends? Really?” He clicks to the next slide: a montage of photos, each one showing Gang Orca and Ingenium in similarly close proximity. There are images from different events and training sessions.
“Why are they together everywhere?” Shouto says, arms crossed, voice dead serious. “They don’t have the same agency, so why are they spending so much time together? The answer is clear: they’re in a relationship.”
Hitoshi finally lets out a disbelieving laugh. “Or maybe Ingenium just likes working out, and Orca just… happened to also be working out at the same gym?”
But Shouto doesn’t even flinch. “I don’t think you’re taking this seriously enough.” He flicks to the next slide, and the PowerPoint shows a blurry image where Gang Orca’s gloved hand seems to rest almost gently on Ingenium’s back as they’re leaving an event. Ingenium’s expression is soft, looking up at Orca as if he’s the only person in the room.
Izuku bites his lip, his disbelief cracking. “I… kind of see what you mean,” he admits, eyes wide. “There’s definitely a… vibe?”
Hitoshi looks like he’s on the verge of tearing his hair out. “Izuku! Don’t encourage him!” He glances back at Shouto, who’s smiling with a rare, self-satisfied gleam. “Shouto, you’re just picking out random photos and making up a conspiracy theory.”
“Then explain this,” Shouto says, voice calm as he advances to the final slide. It’s a clip from a recent interview where Gang Orca stumbles on Ingenium’s name, his normally stoic tone softening for just a moment. And then… another clip, where Ingenium blushes when asked about his friendships in the hero world.
“He’s blushing,” Shouto says in triumph, zooming in to Ingenium’s reddened cheeks, circled with bold red. “In all his interviews, he’s never blushed about anyone else. This is it—the ultimate proof.”
Izuku’s eyes are wide, his mouth covered as he tries to process everything. “Okay… Shouto, you might actually have a point.”
“See?” Shouto’s tone is coolly victorious. He knew his evidence would hold up.
Hitoshi stares at the screen, finally too dumbfounded to speak. “…I have no words. You’re actually insane.” He glances at Izuku, betrayed. “And you’re agreeing with him?!”
But Izuku’s too busy squinting at the last image, deep in thought. “Well, when you put it all together, it really does look like…”
“Don’t.” Hitoshi holds up a hand, glaring at both of them. “If I hear one more word about this secret ‘relationship,’ I’m sending both of you on mandatory vacations. Somewhere without Wi-Fi.”
Shouto arches an eyebrow. “You can’t handle the truth, Hitoshi,” he says, crossing his arms with a smirk. “Deep down, you know I’m right.”
Izuku leans back, still staring at the screen with a thoughtful look on his face. “Honestly… it kind of makes sense.” He looks over at Hitoshi, who’s trying to pinch away a growing headache. “Think about it, Hitoshi. The shared appearances, the close proximity, the looks, the gym meet up, the blushing … Shouto actually has a point.”
Hitoshi lets out an exasperated sigh. “I can’t believe both of you are buying into this conspiracy. You’re both completely nuts.”
“Oh, we’re nuts?” Shouto says, smirking. “Maybe. But tell me, Hitoshi—why are you so defensive about this? It’s almost like you have a problem with them dating.”
Hitoshi splutters, caught off guard. “I— what? I don’t care who Gang Orca dates! I just don’t want my friends turning into obsessive conspiracy theorists.”
“Admit it, Hitoshi,” Izuku teases, grinning. “You’re kind of invested now, aren’t you?”
Hitoshi grumbles, folding his arms. “The only thing I’m invested in is not letting Shouto drag you into whatever weird detective fantasy he’s living out.”
Shouto clicks to an empty, black slide, letting it linger for dramatic effect. “This is real, Hitoshi. And when they finally make it public, I want you to remember this PowerPoint and my undeniable dedication to uncovering the truth. ”
Izuku’s shoulders shake with barely contained laughter. “You should’ve gone into investigation, Shouto,” he says. “This is—well, it’s pretty amazing.”
Shouto, satisfied with their reactions, gives a small smile. “I rest my case,” he says, shutting his laptop with a quiet sense of victory. He looks over at Hitoshi. “When they announce it, I expect a detailed apology,” he says, expression placid but with just a hint of a smile.
Hitoshi rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. “Sure. I’ll write a full essay about how wrong I was, with proper citations and MLA formatting.”
Izuku chuckles, leaning forward on the table, eyes alight with curiosity. “But, Shouto, what got you onto this in the first place? Did you… see something suspicious?”
Shouto nods, his expression serious. “It started small,” he says, voice taking on the tone of a seasoned detective. “A few patterns I couldn’t ignore. For example, Gang Orca began taking his breaks at the café near the agency—a café he’d never gone to before.”
Hitoshi snorts. “Maybe he just likes coffee?”
Shouto gives him a look. “Perhaps, if the café hadn’t coincidentally been one street away from Ingenium’s usual route. A pattern emerged, and then—” He pulls a photo from his bag, setting it on the table. It’s blurry, but unmistakable. Gang Orca and Ingenium are sitting across from each other, heads close together, looking entirely too engaged.
Izuku’s eyes widen, glancing between the photo and Shoto. “When did you even get this?”
“Last Thursday.” Shouto says it with such calm confidence that Izuku and Hitoshi can’t help but be a little impressed. “They didn’t notice me at all.”
“Of course they didn’t,” Hitoshi mutters. “They didn’t expect anyone to be stalking them on a Thursday morning.”
“I was investigating,” Shouto corrects, unbothered by Hitoshi’s disbelief. “And just to confirm, I ran into Ingenium later that day and asked him how his lunch was.”
Hitoshi leans forward. “And what did he say?”
“He went red and said he had lunch with a friend.” Shouto crosses his arms, a hint of triumph in his eyes. “When I asked if he’d gone to the café nearby, he got quiet and mumbled something about ‘just passing through.’”
Izuku gasps a little, eyes wide. “That’s… kind of suspicious, honestly.”
“Yes, exactly,” Shouto says with satisfaction. “There’s more.” He flips open his laptop again, pulling up a graph he’d made charting their meeting frequency over the last three months.
Izuku leans in, fascinated. “Oh, wow, you tracked all this?”
“Yes.” Shouto’s voice is calm, as if he does this sort of thing every day. “Every Wednesday and Thursday, like clockwork. I’ve even calculated the probability of these occurrences being random. It’s below 5%.”
Hitoshi looks thoroughly exasperated but, despite himself, can’t help studying the graph with interest. “How did you get their schedules?”
Shouto raises an eyebrow. “It wasn’t difficult. Ingenium’s route is public information, and I calculated Gang Orca’s based on patrol reports.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Together, they had an overlap on thirty-two separate days. ”
Izuku’s hand flies to his mouth. “This is… a little convincing.”
“ A little? ” Shouto echoes, almost offended. “Izuku, I have evidence. ”
Hitoshi, finally breaking, lets out a strangled laugh. “I can’t believe I’m actually considering this might be real. ”
Shouto nods, triumphant. “It is. And when it’s officially confirmed, you both owe me a favour of my choosing.”
Hitoshi’s shoulders slump in defeat, but there’s a grin tugging at his mouth. “Fine, if this ends up being true, I’ll admit I was wrong in the most dramatic way possible. How’s that?”
“Acceptable,” Shouto says, finally cracking a small smile of his own.
Izuku looks between them, a spark of amusement in his eyes. “Can I be there when you do?”
“Definitely,” Shouto replies, deadpan. “I want witnesses.”
With that, Shouto closes his laptop and packs up, leaving a stunned Izuku and a thoroughly defeated Hitoshi. As he walks away, Hitoshi slouches in his seat, muttering, “Next time, remind me not to question his theories. ”
Izuku chuckles, shaking his head. “I have a feeling this is only the beginning.”
Shouto’s PowerPoint Presentation:
Slide 1: TITLE SLIDE
THE SECRET ROMANCE OF GANG ORCA AND INGENIUM
(Includes a background image of a hero gala where both are present)
Slide 2: EVIDENCE FROM THE CHARITY GALA
Photo: Gang Orca and Ingenium at the hero charity gala.
Highlight: Ingenium looking up at Gang Orca with a soft expression.
Analysis:
Why is there prolonged physical contact at a charity event?
Circle: Ingenium’s smile and Gang Orca’s hand on his shoulder.
Slide 3: MONTAGE OF MOMENTS
Photos: Various instances of Gang Orca and Ingenium together.
Events: Training sessions, coffee meetups, and shared appearances.
Observation:
Why are they always together? Different agencies, yet they meet frequently.
Slide 4: PATROL ROUTE ANALYSIS
Map: Overlay of patrol routes showing red lines for shared paths.
Highlight: Frequency of their patrol overlap.
Statement:
Twice a week, like clockwork. Why?
Slide 5: THE BLURRY EVIDENCE
Image: A blurry photo of Gang Orca’s hand on Ingenium’s back.
Analysis:
Look at the softness of the moment. This is not just friendly contact.
Slide 6: INTERVIEW CLIPS
Video Clips:
1.Gang Orca stumbles over Ingenium’s name, his tone softening.
2.Ingenium blushes when asked about friendships in the hero community.
Conclusion:
This is the ultimate proof of their relationship.
Slide 7: SUSPICIOUS LUNCHES
Photo: Gang Orca and Ingenium at a café, looking engaged.
Background Info:
I caught them having lunch together and asked Ingenium how it was.
Quote: “He got quiet and mumbled about just passing through.”
Slide 8: DATA ANALYSIS
Graph: Frequency of encounters over the past three months.
Key Finding: Overlap on thirty-two days.
Conclusion:
The probability of this being random is below 5%. They are together often.
Slide 9: FINAL THOUGHTS
Image: A dramatic backdrop of a sunset with the caption, “THE TRUTH WILL BE REVEALED!”
Slide 10: CLOSING REMARKS
Text:
- Thank you for your attention.
- Since you doubted me, you owe me a favour.
- I expect an apology, Hitoshi.
Image: A selfie Shouto took looking smug.
Shouto sat in front of his computer, his brow furrowed in concentration as he pieced together the ultimate PowerPoint presentation. His fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard, navigating through various news articles that had just dropped that morning. Ingenium and Gang Orca were officially dating, and Shouto had decided that this news warranted a thorough investigation, complete with memes and clever puns that would catch his friends’ attention.
As he clicked through the articles, Shouto couldn’t help but feel a swell of satisfaction. This will show them to never doubt me. He carefully selected headlines that captured the essence of the announcement. ‘ Speed Meets Strength: Ingenium and Gang Orca Confirm Relationship!’ flashed across the screen, accompanied by colorful images of the heroes together. Shouto added a few humorous captions, including one that read, ‘ Who said opposites don’t attract?’
Once he had compiled everything, he took a moment to ensure each slide was polished, arranging the memes alongside screenshots of the heroes’ relationship posts. The slide showcasing Ingenium’s post was particularly amusing: “Happy to announce that I’m not just fast on my feet but also in love! ❤️ ” Shouto even created a slide with a comparison chart titled, ‘ Reasons Why Ingenium and Gang Orca Make Sense as a Couple ’. The chart included categories like ‘Speed vs. Strength’ and ‘Heroes vs. Legendary Status’, all while featuring cartoonish drawings of the two.
After a final glance at the presentation, he shut his laptop and made his way to the common area, where Izuku and Hitoshi were hanging out, casually discussing their recent work.
“Hey,” Shouto said, leaning against the doorframe with an air of nonchalance, hiding his excitement under a mask of casual confidence. “I have something you both need to see.”
Izuku looked up, intrigued, while Hitoshi raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “What is it?” Izuku asked, leaning forward in his seat.
Shouto set his laptop on the coffee table and opened the presentation, casually clicking to the first slide. The title read, ‘ Love at First Fight: Ingenium & Gang Orca – The Ultimate Power Couple’. The drawing of the two heroes was lighthearted, with little hearts floating around them.
“Seriously?” Hitoshi muttered, a hint of skepticism in his voice.
“Just wait,” Shouto replied, his tone calm as he advanced to the next slide filled with headlines. “Look at this.”
Izuku’s eyes widened as he scanned the articles detailing the couple’s recent announcement. “ No way, they actually confirmed it? ”
“Yep,” Shouto said, clicking to a slide that showcased a meme of Gang Orca diving into a heart-shaped pool captioned ‘ Ingenium’s New Catch: Not Just a Fast Runner, But a Fast Lover! ’
Hitoshi snorted, trying to suppress a laugh. “That’s…actually kind of clever.”
Shouto moved to the next slide, displaying Ingenium’s post: “Happy to announce that I’m not just fast on my feet but also in love! ❤️ ”
Izuku shook his head in disbelief, a smile creeping onto his face. “I can’t believe it. This is unreal.”
“I know, right?” Shouto continued, his tone steady as he advanced to another meme featuring Gang Orca saying, “I always wanted to catch a speedster!” The caption read: Looks like he finally did!
Hitoshi leaned back in his chair, laughing despite himself. “This is too ridiculous. I can’t believe you put all this together.”
Shouto shrugged slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his expression. “I figured it was worth documenting. You both didn’t believe me, so here we are.”
Izuku exchanged a glance with Hitoshi, both of them processing the sheer absurdity of the situation. “So, what now?” Izuku asked, still chuckling.
Shouto clicked to the last slide, which read: Since you doubted me, you owe me a favour.
Hitoshi sighed dramatically, crossing his arms. “Okay, I’ll admit I thought this was another one of your crazy theories.”
“Right?” Shouto replied, his expression more composed now. “You owe me a detailed apology.”
Izuku smirked at Hitoshi. “Let’s hear it, then. How are you going to make this sound sincere?”
“Don’t worry,” Hitoshi said, rolling his eyes but unable to suppress a grin. “I’ll make it very detailed, with bullet points.”
As he pulled out his phone to draft the message, Izuku leaned back, enjoying the moment. “You know, it’s kind of nice to see the heroes we look up to having a normal life outside of their work.”
“Yeah,” Shouto said, his voice thoughtful. “And if they can find happiness together, maybe it’ll inspire others.”
Hitoshi, now fully engrossed in his writing, nodded absently. “I’ll include how much I underestimated your skills in finding this out. That should cover it.”
Shouto let a small smile slip, satisfied. “Just don’t forget to mention that I was right.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Hitoshi replied, tapping away at his phone, already planning how to make the apology both humorous and sincere.
A Sincere Apology to Shouto Todoroki
Dear Shouto,
I hope this letter finds you well. As I sit here, reflecting on our recent conversation regarding the revelation of Ingenium and Gang Orca’s relationship, I realise that I owe you a sincere apology for my previous skepticism and my tendency to dismiss your claims as mere conspiracy theories.
First and foremost, I must acknowledge your uncanny ability to uncover truths that many overlook. It’s become increasingly clear to me that you have an exceptional talent for staying informed about the happenings in our world, particularly in the realm of pro heroes. You have proven that time and again, and this time is no exception. Your foresight in predicting Ingenium and Gang Orca’s relationship is just another testament to your keen observational skills.
I recognise that my initial reaction was not only dismissive but also disrespectful of your knowledge. I should have approached the topic with an open mind rather than resorting to my usual skepticism. For this, I am truly sorry. It’s essential to acknowledge that our discussions are enriched by your insights, and I should have been more supportive rather than making light of your findings.
Furthermore, I want to express my appreciation for the effort you put into your PowerPoint presentation. It wasn’t just a collection of memes and articles; it was a well-crafted document that showcased your creativity and humor. You have a unique ability to take information and present it in a way that makes it engaging and entertaining. I regret underestimating your talent, and I recognize that I should celebrate your accomplishments instead of casting doubt.
In light of this, I promise to work on my reactions in the future. I will strive to be more open-minded and supportive, especially when it comes to the topics you are passionate about. You deserve that respect, and I hope to foster an environment where our discussions can thrive without skepticism.
To make amends, I would also like to offer my assistance in any future presentations you create. Whether it’s providing feedback or contributing ideas, I want to support you in showcasing your exceptional talents.
In conclusion, I sincerely apologize for my earlier dismissiveness and express my gratitude for your unwavering friendship. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I appreciate you and look forward to our continued discussions about your conspiracy theories.
Warmest regards,
Hitoshi Shinso