Work Text:
Shinsou stood there in shock, the gears in his head working overtime as he tried to process what Monoma just told him. The words were still fresh in his mind, replaying like a broken record. His eyes searched Monoma's facial expression and body language for any sign of smugness or sarcasm. There was none. Just raw, unfiltered sincerity that felt almost too real to believe. The statement was genuinely true. Shinsou thought of the best way to respond, but his brain felt like it was still stuck. Every response he considered felt inadequate, either too dismissive or too harsh. Each attempt to say something ended up getting stuck in his throat.
Till finally Shinsou spoke up, “you're serious.” The words were more an observation than a question. His eyes locked on Monoma’s, as if he was waiting him to reveal it was a joke, waiting for some cheesy punchline.
“Yes I'm serious.” Monoma told him, leaning against the threshold of his family's front door.
“You actually don't know how to ride a bike?” Shinsou asked him, “So, when I asked if you wanted to go on a bike ride to the park for a picnic date, you didn't think to mention that back then?”
It was now Monoma's turn to stand there in shock. Not because of what Shinsou just said, but from what Monoma hadn’t said— or more accurately, hadn’t thought through. The realization hit him like a slap in the face. He’d been so laser-focused on the date part of the question, that the bike ride part had barely registered. It had felt secondary, a trivial detail he could figure out later. But now as he stood there with Shinsou's gaze on him, Monoma realized how stupid his thought process was.
It wasn't like he didn't try to learn. There was a short lived attempt when he was younger, but it ended in a bruised ego, scraped knees and hands. After that his younger self vowed to never touch a bike again. He was too upset over the fact he didn't perfectly master the task after his first try. He even spent years avoiding situations where the suggestion was brought up. He'd brushed off his classmates' mentions of cycling trips, always with a dismissive wave and an overly dramatic excuse. Yet here he was, agreeing to a bike ride date, as though years of avoidance and stubborn pride didn't exist.
Maybe he'd thought he could wing it, learn on the fly? Somehow bullshit his way through the situation. After all, he was older now, so how hard could it be? Pedal, balance, steer— plenty of people managed to do it on a regular basis. It seemed doable in his head. Surely he, society's future Pro Hero, could figure it out. Which probably would have worked, he was always able to easily adapt to new environments and challenges. However, another small problem, Monoma didn't even own a bike. What was he supposed to do now? He glanced at Shinsou, who still seemed confused by the news. His mind spiraled into overdrive, his face turned a dark red color. His cheeks were hot from the unwanted embarrassment he felt.
“Well, I wanted to spend time with you. I kind of forgot.” Monoma said after what felt like a century of silence.
“Were you just planning on winging it?” Shinsou asked. Monoma's lack of response and the small pout on his face was a good enough answer for him. “Well, you could just sit on the back of mine.”
Monoma looked at him surprised, as if Shinsou just admitted to a heinous crime. Definitely not the reaction he was expecting.
“I mean you offered to supply the food. I really don't see a problem supplying the ride.” Shinsou said, and extended his hand out, “You coming or should we just cancel the date?”
“No!” Monoma said too quickly and too loudly. He grabbed the backpack of food he had set by the door earlier, putting it on before grabbing Shinsou's hand.
He had always loved the feeling of Shinsou's touch. Not just because of how warm it felt against his always cold body. Or how rough the other’s hand felt, showing how dedicated he was to learning how to use his binding cloth. How dedicated he was to becoming a pro hero. No, the real reason was that Shinsou allowed Monoma to touch him. Besides his classmates, Shinsou was the only other person not afraid of his touch. In fact his touch was encouraged, wanted. There was never any worry of Monoma copying the others' quirk, not like he would do that anyways. Not without getting permission first. The feeling was nice— nice not to feel like people assumed he used them just for their quirks. He never had and never will.
Monoma let out a small sigh, then walked out making sure to close the door behind him. He used his free hand to lock the door, checking it once to make sure it was actually locked. He followed Shinsou as he guided him to where he parked his bike on the sidewalk outside of the gate to his house. The two stopped in front of the bike, Shinsou removed his hand, causing the other to let out a small whine. He knew Shinsou couldn't ride the bike and hold his hand, he knew his want for Shinsou to keep their hands together, fingers intertwined was irrational. That still didn't stop him from complaining about it— internally at least.
Shinsou kicked the kickstand up, and got on his bike. “Sit on the bike rack and make sure to put your feet on the freehubs.”
Monoma looked at the bike, then to Shinou and back at the bike. He noticed 2 small pieces sticking out from the center of the rear wheels, which he safely assumed were the freehubs Shinsou was referring to. He mentally prepared himself to get on. To most it might have seemed stupid, but to Monoma it made sense. What if he tried to get on and ended up tripping, falling flat on his face? Or knock over Shinsou in the process? He felt like he already ruined part of their date, he didn't need to ruin it anymore.
Eventually Monoma got on to the bike rack. It was one of the most uncomfortable feeling he’d ever felt, the rack dug sharply inside him. However, the feeling didn't bother him one bit. As long as he got to be with Shinsou the discomfort was null. He grabbed onto the sides of Shinsou's shirt.
“Hold on tight,” Shinsou told him as he glanced back before reverting his eyes back in front of him.
Monoma let out a scoff, as he rolled his eyes. ‘Hold on tight.’ What was this, the Tour de France? It was a date, not some high speed chase to the park. The words felt obsolete, dismissive— until Shinsou actually started to move. The sudden jolt almost sent Monoma flying backwards off the bike rack, a startled gasp escaped his lips. Instinctively, his arms wrapped tightly around Shinsou's torso. His fingers gripped his forearms as if his life depended on it. His chest pressed firmly against Shinsou's back, the solid warmth of the other anchoring him against the momentum.
His heart hammered against his chest, each erratic beat betrayed his usually calm composure. Could Shinsou feel it? The thought made his face start to heat up again. It burned, though the rush of wind against his cheeks helped cool him down a little. The air was fresh and inviting as it threaded through his hair. Despite almost falling off he felt happy— free. For a moment, he allowed himself to get lost in the rhythm of the motion. The way the wind whistled in his ears and the closeness between them.
After a rough start to the ride and terrifying adventure down a rather steep hill. Monoma was certain he saw his life flash before his eyes from how fast they had gone down it. They made it to the park. The two got off and Shinsou parked his bike in one of the holders, making sure to lock it up. As Monoma's heart rate gradually returned back to normal, he looked around, taking in the quiet atmosphere of the park. It was a welcoming, calm contrast to the adrenaline pumping journey they had just endured getting there. Shinsou, who seemed far more composed, adjusted his shirt and glanced over at Monoma. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes.
“See? Survived just fine,” Shinsou teased lightly, a devious smirk painted across his face as he caught Monoma’s frazzled expression.
Monoma managed a weak glare. “Easy for you to say. You're used to that sort of… thrill.”
“Oh, come on, you should be used to the thrill as well. You know with hero training and all.” Shinsou said.
“Whatever,” Monoma muttered to himself. He grabbed Shinsou's hand.
Despite it being a Sunday afternoon it was as packed as they originally expected. Besides themselves there were only a handful of people; a few kids playing in a playground nearby, some people exercising and a elderly couple feeding the birds. Minus the faint sound of children’s laughter, the park was quiet, almost a serene feeling.
The two made their way over to a large Kobushi Magnolia tree near one of the few ponds. Although the flowers weren't in season and its branches were bare, the tree still held a certain beauty to it. The air around them carried the fresh, earthy scent of the pond and the faint perfume of other early blooms in the park. Monoma wondered how much more enchanting the aroma would be when the magnolia was in full bloom, its flowers adding their sweet fragrance to the mix.
Monoma let go of Shinsou's hand as he took off his backpack and set it down before he kneeled down to open it up. First he grabbed a red and white checkered blanket from it. Cliché for a picnic he knows, but when he saw it at the store the other day he knew it was perfect. Its pattern pulled him in as if the blanket was tempting him to purchase it. In the end the temptation won. 4,700 yen later Monoma was now the proud owner of a new blanket. He carefully unfolded it and placed it on the ground, smoothing out a few wrinkles.
“Why bother, we are just gonna wrinkle it again when we sit down.” Shinsou asked him as he let out a chuckle.
“I know, Hitoshi. It's the principle of it.” Monoma told him. “You wouldn't understand.”
Monoma continued to unpack his backpack pulling out an arrangement of foods and drinks from it. He carefully laid them out onto the blanket. Arranged before them was a variety of Onigiri: Tuna Mayo, Pickled Plum, Wakame and Egg Yoke. As well as a few seasonal fruits, such as strawberries, yuzu, and persimmons. There were a few cans of cold green tea and ginger ale. Lastly Monoma pulled out two decent sized slices of cake; a matcha with lemon custard for Monoma and a vanilla with ube custard for Shinsou.
Monoma sat down on the blanket and patted at the empty space next to him. “Are you gonna come join me or you just gonna continue to stand there.”
“I was making sure it was safe to wrinkle up the blanket again.” Shinsou said, his voice sarcastic. As Shinsou settled down beside him, their knees brushed up against each other. Shinsou swore he felt Monoma shift closer to him until their shoulders were touching as well.
Monoma leaned a bit closer and pressed a quick kiss against Shinsou's cheek, “You're lucky you're cute.”
Shinsou gave him a quick wink, “Thank you for the food. I'll be sure to pay you back later.”
“Don't worry about paying me back, it was my treat.” Monoma told him. However he could see the look of disapproval on the other's face. He never understood why Shinsou always insisted on paying him back for stuff, they were dating after all. That's what couples do, buy stuff for each other without expecting anything in return. “Fine. Next time we go out you can pay. Sounds like a fair deal?”
“Fair enough.” Shinsou said as he grabbed one of the Pickled Plum Onigiri. “Now back to earlier. Were you actually planning on just winging trying to riding a bike over here? With a bike which you don't even own.”
“Well now that you put it that way it does seem stupid.” Monoma said while picking at the fruit in front of them.
“You know, I can always teach you how to ride.”
Monoma thought about the offer for a second, his brows furrowed slightly as he weighed the pros and cons. Sure, it would be nice to learn how to ride a bike. Maybe now that he was older and more coordinated, it might be easier to pick up versus when he was younger and far more inpatient. But the reality of it lingered in the back of his mind: he really didn't have a need to.
Most things he wanted or needed were within walking distance, and for anything farther, he would just get the family chauffeur to take him there. The idea of riding through town with the wind against his face like earlier did seem almost quaint. It was something he could picture others doing for fun but never something he could see himself bothering with. Still, the offer did tempt him a little.
“No, I'd rather just ride on the back of yours. I enjoyed it… even when you tried to kill us going down that slope.” Monoma joked with him, “although I wonder if you could brainwash me into knowing how to ride a bike.”
“I don't think my quirk works like that.” Shinsou thought about the idea, and grabbed some of the fruit. “Yeah I don't think that would work how you think it would.”
The two continued to pick at the food in front of them. Their conversation was pleasant, weaving between different topics. Sometimes more serious, like hero training, and sometimes more mundane things, like embarrassing childhood stories. Laughter ensued between them, coming in soft waves. Yet, in the moments of silence, it was never awkward. It felt like an extension of their connection rather than a lack of it. A comfortable stillness around them, the kind that brought comfort and unspoken understanding.
The breeze danced across the pond carrying the faint scent of water in the air, cooling their skin off. The feeling made the warmth of the sun above even more inviting. The blanket shifted with the wind, the edges fluttered lightly. Near the water's edge they noticed a pair of ducks. They waddled onto the grass towards the elderly couple from earlier. They quacked intensified as if begging for more crumbs to be tossed their way.
During the ordeal there were moments of touch between the two. Their fingers brushed against each other as they reached for the last Persimmon. Monoma fully expected for a Tango of “No you can have the last one” to happen between them, both insisting for the other to have it. Yet, in reality Shinsou quickly grabbed it, shoving it into his mouth. His cheeks full, he looked like a Chipmunk as he gave Monoma a smug looking grin. It made Monoma burst out in laughter. Or when Monoma leaned fully against Shinsou, his head rested comfortably on the other's shoulder.
Shinsou shifted slightly to accommodate Monoma's weight, his posture relaxed and body acted like an anchor, keeping them steady. His gaze flicked down briefly to the golden mop of hair brushing against his shoulder and neck, the smell of honeysuckle filled his senses. Contentment settled over him, a small, almost unnoticeable smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Monoma’s usual theatrics gone, an uncharacteristic peaceful calm in its place. Their laughter from earlier now melted into a tranquil hum in his chest.
“You're pretty heavy.” Shinsou murmured, though his tone held no ill will— just a faint tease that luckily Monoma instantly picked up on.
“First of all, rude.” Monoma said, but he made no effort move, instead he leaned more onto Shinsou, a playful rebellion. “Second of all, you should be honored, really. Do you know how many people would kill to share a moment like this with me?”
“Oh, I'm sure the line stretches around the block.”
“It does.” Monoma said matter-of-factly, though there was a smile on his face that betrayed his attempts to act serious. He tilted his head up slightly to glance at Shinsou. “You're just lucky I'm feeling generous today.”
“Generous is certainly one word for it.” Shinsou muttered. His hand absent-mindedly moved to rest against Monoma's back, fingers rubbing against the fabric of his shirt.
Monoma felt a welcoming flutter in his chest from the gesture. “I can't stand you sometimes. You're impossible, you know that?”
“And yet,” Shinsou countered, his voice playful. “Here you are.”
Monoma didn't have a retort for that, so he let the silence stretch between them again, comfortable and easy. The world seemed to shrink around them in that moment, until it was just the two of them. Monoma slowly pulled himself away from Shinsou, and leaned forward to grab at his slice of cake. He looked back as if to silently ask if Shinsou wanted his slice as well. He was given a look that only meant one thing: Yes please. Monoma handed Shinsou's slice before he quickly ripped the package to his own, and began to pick away at it. Shinsou on the other hand carefully opened his packaging.
“It's a cake, not brain surgery.”
Shinsou waved him off as he began to eat the cake. Monoma shook his head, a playful huff escaped his lips as he focused on his own dessert. The cake was sweeter than he expected, but that didn't stop him from destroying it, almost inhaling it whole. Shinsou on the other hand ate at his in a more leisurely pace. Midway through, Monoma caught a slight dollop of Ube custard smeared on the side of Shinsou's cheek.
“Hitoshi,” Monoma started, and leaned closer to Shinsou again.
“Hmm?” Shinsou hummed, but didn't even glance over to Monoma, more focused on the next bite of his cake.
“You've got…” Monoma motioned vaguely at his own cheek, but the other expression stayed blank, completely oblivious to the situation. “Here.”
Before Shinsou could fully understand what Monoma was attempting to say, and clean his cheek himself, he felt a shift of the blanket. Monoma's hand reached out, thumb brushed against the spot with deliberate care. He swiped the custard off of Shinsou's cheek. He brought his thumb to his mouth, sucking the custard off of it. He hummed in approval at the taste.
“Um… thanks?” Shinsou blinked, startled but far from annoyed. “Although, you know you could have just told me to wipe it off myself.”
“Where's the fun in that?” Monoma asked.
“Fair enough,” Shinsou replied, and continued to finish the rest of his cake.
“This was nice.” Monoma said, which gained a questionable look from the other. “You know, being able to just relax and have fun. Plus your presence is always enjoyed, it always calms me… Sorry for not mentioning the fact I can't ride a bike earlier.”
“I understand what you mean.” Shinsou said. “I think you didn't mention it so you had an excuse to cling on to me while I rode us over here.”
Monoma rolled his eyes before his hand moved to grab at Shinsou's cheek. He pulled him closer till their lips met for a soft kiss. Shinsou at first was surprised by the others' boldness, but leaned in instinctively, his lips molded to Monoma's. The kiss was unhurried, gentle, like sunshine peeking through the clouds after a thunderstorm. Monoma titled his head slightly to deepen the connection so more, savoring the moment without overwhelming it. Shinsou's hands rested against Monoma's side, as he relaxed more into the kiss.
After a while the two pulled away from each other. The taste of their cakes lingered on their lips. “I had fun today. Thank you.”
“So did I.” Shinsou's replied, “and to think of you didn't stalk me back in our first year none of this would have happened.”
Monoma crossing his arms against his chest. “How many times do I have to say it wasn't stalking. It was simply me gathering intel on you, it was strategical.” He lied knowing full well what he did couldn't be classed as anything but stalking.
“Definitely stalking,” Shinsou said. “But if referring to it as that allows you to sleep at night, then whatever.”
Monoma opened his mouth to protest, but was taken aback when Shinsou silenced him with a quick kiss. The shock of Shinsou being the one to kiss first in a public setting effectively derailed whatever dramatic reply he was about to launch.
“Fine,” Monoma muttered, his cheeks warm. “But for the record, you're lucky I find you tolerable enough to overlook your slander.”
Shinsou chuckled, slipping his hand into Monoma's. “And you're lucky I find your theatrics oddly endearing.”
They continued to enjoy their time together, the sound of the world around them faded into the background. When Monoma was with Shinsou he didn't feel the need to overanalyze every word spoken. He didn't have to always orchestrate the next step. And for Shinsou, he never had to worry if Monoma feared being near him— worried if he would be brainwashed. Instead, Shinsou felt an unspoken trust between them, a rare gift he hadn’t known he craved. Monoma’s presence was loud but never suffocating.
And that feeling was more than enough for the both of them.