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Becoming a Pro Hero was certainly the dream Tenya always wanted ever since he was young. He was already showered with what being a Pro Hero is like thanks to his family and he gets to follow in the footsteps of his father and older brother. With the guidance of U.A. High School and his other fellow classmates, Tenya has taken the lessons and experience to heart in order to shape himself to be the hero he wishes everyone could feel inspired to. It was always his ambition to be like his brother: a hero who will always put others first and protect them at all costs.
Everything was great. He is currently the new leader of Team Idaten, he’s able to work side by side with other fellow Pro Heroes and his former classmates, and gets to have time for himself whenever there is no work to be done. Life of a Pro Hero was splendid…well…
“Sir Ingenium, the fans are wondering if the rumours are true and if there is someone special in your life,” the interviewer asked with a grin, “There have been recent photos posted across social media platforms and in latest articles where you are seen with someone in stores and shops. May we know more about who this may be referring to? Perhaps a lover?”
You see, Pro Heroes often get interviews almost everyday, whether that may be on the scene during or after a fight, or on a scheduled day in a talk show such as this with a live audience. There is nothing wrong with interviews for Tenya, he understands that the public are highly interested in who their Pro Heroes are and what they’re like, however, it is these kinds of interviews with questions like that that slightly annoys Tenya.
It is none of the business of anyone to be asking any personal questions like that solely based on rumours and without any clarification from the individual. Tenya may be a Pro Hero, but Ingenium is also a celebrity with how famous and recognized he is in the Pro Hero scene.
Tenya sighed quietly before answering with a tight smile, “While I appreciate the interest that many people have for me, I unfortunately will have to deny that these rumours are false and that this is simply a friend who I haven’t seen in a while. Please note that if I am in a more private and intimate setting, some respect for the privacy of my personal life and future relationships will and should be highly appreciated and implemented. Thank you for having me.”
He stood up before the host could say anything and left the studio. It wasn’t the first time he’s received this question and is not the first time he’s gotten rumours about being in a romantic relationship, but it is simply the fact that he has gone through this more than once irritates him the most.
Thankfully, that interview was the last of his schedules for the day, so he could finally head home and rest before heading to work tomorrow.
•••••••
“I’m home!,” Tenya exclaimed as he put his coat on the rack and locked the door behind him.
“Welcome home,” Shoto smiled at him before he continued to watch the television.
Tenya sat beside Shoto on the couch, “So what are you watching this time?”
“It’s called Avatar: The Last Airbender. Mina-san recommended it to me ever since I started my recovery since I might get bored at home,” Shoto said, “There’s also this character named Zuko? She said I look and act like him for some reason but I don’t think that’s true.”
Tenya looked at the screen and saw a character with a scar on the left side of his face with shaggy black hair manifesting fire beams out of his hands. He chuckled and replied, “He actually does. You two literally have scars on the same side of your face.”
Shoto pouted, in which Tenya mentally cooed ‘Cute’.
“Anyways, I saw your interview a while ago.”
Tenya looked at him with wide eyes and slightly nodded, “Yeah, I was asked to be interviewed. What did you thi-.”
“You did it again.”
“H-Huh?”
“You denied rumours again about us going on dates.”
Oh. “Oh.”
Ever since they moved up to becoming juniors, Tenya has had conflicting feelings over the ice and fire quirked classmate. While there were no negative feelings at all, he suddenly found himself feeling more nervous around him but also excited when he got close to Shoto. His heart would rapidly beat the moment they started to refer to each other by their first names and would have a fluttery feeling in his stomach when they’re together alone.
He consoled his feelings with his older brother, asking for assistance and what were his feelings about, only to be greeted with a response of ‘Oh, don’t worry about it! You just have a crush on your friend’. Tenya never realized it at first, but after observing deeper on what he felt, he knew that his brother was right, and that he liked Shoto romantically.
Of course he didn’t immediately confess his feelings towards his friend because truthfully, he wasn’t even sure if Shoto felt the same way. He kept his feelings buried for as long as he could before he built up the courage on one summer evening, alone in one of the parks at campus for a nice evening walk. Tenya decided to ask Shoto ‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’ and to the class president’s surprise, Shoto immediately understood and replied with ‘I like you too’.
Eventually, Tenya took Shoto on a few dates before they became official boyfriends. They announced this news to the whole class, to which they’re extremely happy with, and the rest is history. In the future, they would meet each other’s families, graduate together, and move in together in their shared apartment.
Tenya is extremely aware how famous Shoto is in the public as he’s recognized to be the No. 2 Hero. He has had interviews all the time as well and is always fawned over by the public due to his skills, strength, and visuals. But even so, what he and Shoto have is not something that the whole world needs to know.
There are so many risks when it comes to revealing their relationship outside of their close friends and family, but Shoto, however, wants to take those risks.
“What’s wrong with telling people that we’re together? It’s not like it’s the end of the world or anything,” Shoto furrowed his eyebrows slightly in confusion.
“I know but…we have to understand that as Pro Heroes who are role models and influential people, the reaction of what others may have on relationships can vary. Some reactions not always turning out good, leading to lack of support and trust to us,” Tenya replied with his head hung low.
Shoto softly looked at his boyfriend and hooked his index finger underneath his chin, making Tenya lift his head up and looking at him. “I understand, but I’ve thought about it for a long time and I realized that if people won’t support us, if people won’t trust us simply because of the relationships we are happy to be in, then it’s on them for filling their minds with fantasies of other strangers that won’t ever come true.”
Tenya stuttered, “B-But…Japan. The country is still conservative over the community and-”
“Japan is continuously progressing to the stage of coming to respect our identities,” Shoto softly smiled. “It has some baby steps but it’s getting there. You said it yourself, we’re role models and influential people, so let’s use our influence and show that even Pro Heroes are like everyone else.”
Tenya had no idea what to say. He never thought Shoto would think so much about their relationship, and would be extremely open into making their relationship be known and seen by everyone around them. Even back in high school, Shoto wouldn’t make a big deal out of their relationship in front of other people, so to see his boyfriend slowly growing to be a more open person warms his heart even more.
“Shoto…”
“I know you’re still scared, and I kinda am as well, but I want this. I want people to see who I love and who I want to be spending the rest of my life with. If anything happens, we have each other, right? That’s all that matters to me,” Shoto cupped his cheeks with a warm smile.
Tenya couldn’t help but cup his boyfriend’s cheeks as well and pulled him to close the gap. The sudden kiss surprised Shoto, but immediately returned it and melted into the kiss. Tenya broke the kiss after a few seconds but rested his forehead against Shoto’s.
“If that’s what you want, then I’ll be all for it.”
Shoto couldn’t help but grin and continued to kiss his boyfriend even more with glee and passion.
•••••••
It was the annual Hero Billboard Chart, the event where Pro Heroes across the country come together to see who will move or retain from their positions in the rankings amongst the hundreds of Pro Heroes. Cameras continued to flash with screams of requests for the various Pro Heroes to turn and pose for the paparazzi.
“Creati, over here!”
“Look here, Real Steel!”
“Can you give us a turn, Uravity?”
“Stunning as always, Phantom Thief!”
Just like any other award show, the guests are allowed to bring dates or plus ones. In the past, Tenya and Shoto often went together as ‘friends’ but this time around, they came with a plan. A plan that only Tenya does not know about.
As Tenya and Shoto walk up to the red carpet, taking pictures for both individual and paired, Tenya was about to usher Shoto out of the carpet to give the next guests a moment to have their pictures taken, only to be greeted with a sudden pull for him to stay in place where he’s standing beside Shoto very closely.
“S-Shoto-kun, what are you- mphf!”
The hot and cold hero pulled in Ingenium for a kiss, causing the whole paparazzi and other guests to be in shock, with a mix of excited screams from fans and some of their friends and audible gasps from everyone else.
“HELL YEAH!,” Chargebolt, or Denki, shouted in the distance, with Cellophane, Sero, doing a “Woop woop!”.
Shoto broke the kiss and smirked at his boyfriend, “You did say you were going to be all for it.”
Tenya sputtered as his face was crimson red from the stunt his partner pulled, “N-Not like that! I thought we w-would do a simple announcement through a p-post!”
His boyfriend shrugged, “Eh, this one’s way more interesting.” He grabbed hold of Tenya’s hand and smiled cheekily, “Let’s go, my love.”
Until now, Tenya is still a blushing mess as their friends start crowding around the couple over the impromptu kiss that happened right in front of the public eye.
Oh well, that’s one of the things on what being a Pro Hero is.