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It started with a fight. One big fight that led to a chance encounter between two boys. Todoroki wasn’t sure after that fight that he’d ever see Odajima Yuken again. If you asked him then, he wouldn’t have said he cared either way.
And really, for a while he didn’t. The few times they ran into each other while out fishing had been entirely coincidental. It wasn’t like they had any business with each other anymore. But eventually, it felt weirder to ignore the frequent occurrence. Nods of acknowledgement turned to short hellos which eventually grew into brief conversations and over time Todoroki slipped further and further from his indifference.
Now their strange companionship had progressed and they’d exchanged numbers (something that was strictly for business which was not so strictly enforced), but their interactions were relatively surface level. At least, that’s what Todoroki thought until he found himself beside the other boy one cool spring afternoon.
“What do you say to some 21 questions?” Odajima asked.
“I’d say that sitting in silence has worked quite well for us in the past so there’s no reason to mix it up now.” Todoroki’s eyes didn’t lift from the rocks along the riverbank. Odajima rolled his eyes and shrugged but didn’t speak.
The pair continued to sit there with their lines cast, only the sounds of the slow rolling river ahead of them and the cicadas chirping above them. Their fishing trips were usually rather unexciting and occasionally they’d split for the day with neither of them having managed to catch anything. Even so, for a couple hours they’d sit together and pass the time along the bank. While they’d exchanged pleasantries (and the jury was out on whether Todoroki preferred that to punches), their conversations were far from extensive. It never bothered Todoroki.
Well, it didn’t until now.
“Your first question?” he asked, seeing Odajima perk up out of the corner of his eye.
“Ok ok. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?” Odajima asked. At Todoroki’s silence, he couldn’t help but let out a little laugh. “C’mon. How long does it take you?”
Todoroki shook his head slightly, but answered anyway.
“Like half of an hour?” Todoroki looked at the other boy who looked a bit surprised. A small pang of annoyance arose inside of Todoroki. “What?”
“I don’t know. You’re certainly always well put together when I see you, but your look is… simple?”
“Gee, thanks,” Todoroki said, exaggerating a smile. Odajima’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“I just mean- ok, maybe simple isn’t the right word. You’re consistent. I know what I’m gonna get with you. Even you have to admit you always kinda look the same.” Odajima gestured broadly at Todoroki.
It wasn’t entirely a lie. If you were to see Todoroki walking down the street at any given moment, you’d surely assume he was wearing his school uniform whether he really was or not. Nearly everything in his wardrobe was in the same color palette and when he found a shirt that he liked the fit of, he’d buy a couple at a time. And his hair? Rarely out of place unless he just got out of a fight.
“Yeah, but I still have to get ready. You know, wash my face and stuff.” Todoroki looked back to the water. Odajima hummed but didn’t respond for a few moments.
“Now you have to ask me a question,” Odajima finally said, giving Todoroki a light nudge to the ribs. Todoroki shot him a glare, but the grin he was fighting made it clear there was no real malice behind it. When Odajima nudged him again, he sighed.
“Ok ok. Why do you follow Sachio?” Todoroki reeled in his line and set the pole beside him. Odajima followed, reeling in his own line as he processed the question.
“What do you mean?” Odajima asked.
“Is that your next question?”
“Is that yours?”
Todoroki rolled his eyes once more.
“Why do you follow Sachio? The four of you guys follow him, but I’ve seen you fight. I mean, we’ve fought. I won’t say you didn’t get at least one good hit on me. But at the end of the day, you follow his lead. Why so? You don’t ever think about being the one on top?”
“Oh, I’m on top,” Odajima said with a wink. At Todoroki’s scoff, he continued. “Sachio knows what he’s doing. He trusts me enough to be his right hand man and I’ll gladly serve as such. We’ve got a lot of good guys that listen to us. Listen to me. It’s not like I never get to call any shots. Plus, he can be pretty fucking scary. Got punched by him once and oh my god. I’m good.”
Todorki nodded, thinking back on his limited interactions with Sachio. While it was true that the energy he exuded while fighting was intimidating, Todoroki had experienced Odajima’s abilities himself. Perhaps his opinion would be swayed if he ever fell victim to Sachio’s punches, but Odajima certainly could hold his own and Todoroki was sure he could have everyone under his thumb if he truly wanted. The thought was pushed away when Odajima spoke again.
“What’s the story behind this?” Odajima asked, reaching to take the smooth silver hoop in the other boy’s ear between his thumb and index finger before giving it the slightest tug. Todoroki waved him off and shook his head.
“No story. Just some kid in middle school who bet me that I wouldn’t do it myself in the school bathroom.” Todoroki said,
“That, Yosuke, is a story.” Odajima said, turning back to the river in front of them. He just missed the pale pink creeping its way across the other boy’s cheeks. Todoroki cleared his throat.
“Are we that familiar with each other now?” He asked
“Ah, c’mon, Yosuke. We’ve only seen each other nearly every weekend together for a few months now. And even you’ve admitted it before. We’re friends now,” Odajima said with a grin. Todoroki shifted in place, trying desperately to ignore the fluttering feeling in his ribcage.
It wasn’t a lie. Todoroki had needed some reason to justify his closeness to the other when Tsukasa asked. Really, it was just easier to say “friend” instead of “guy who I sometimes go fishing with.” And yeah, he tried that, but Tsukasa didn’t believe Todoroki had all of his fishing buddies’ phone numbers (or any other fishing buddies for that matter). Even so, Tsukasa was the only one to know the full extent of their relationship. Tsuji and Shibaman had noticed the shift in Todoroki’s attention recently, but at least they had the decency to not ask about it… yet.
“I did it with a safety pin.” Todoroki couldn’t fight the smile that appeared as the other boy’s head snapped to him.
“No way.”
“It’s true. A safety pin in a bathroom. Not exactly set up for success.” Todoroki laughed at the look of shock on Odajima’s face. “Don’t believe me?”
“No, no. I do. It’s just so…” Odajima reached over and felt the hoop again, running his thumb along the curve of it. “You really got it in the perfect spot.”
“What? Was I supposed to walk around with a crooked piercing? I’d hope you’d expect better of me, Yuken.”
“Ah, so we’re that familiar with each other now?” Odajima teased, flicking the other boy’s ear before scooting a little closer. “Hey, if we’re that close, maybe you can do mine next.”
Todoroki cringed but found himself moving closer as well, shrinking the gap between them just a little more. Odajima leaned in, bumping their shoulders together.
“C’mon, it’ll be fun! I don’t have a safety pin, but maybe a fish hook will work?” At Todoroki’s look of horror, Odajima laughed. Todoroki felt a small spark of electricity shoot up his spine at the sound. He felt another when Odajima knocked a shoe against his own. “Your turn.”
“What do you want to do after high school?” Todoroki asked, bumping his knee against Odajima’s.
“Ah, I’m not worried about that right now,” Odajima said. “I know a time will come where I need to think about all that, but I’m just trying to live life now. Why worry about all the little things now?”
“I wouldn’t exactly say that’s a little thing. That feels like a very big thing.”
“Maybe so, but I’m happy now. I’ll figure it all out when the time comes.” Odajima looked down at his feet and gave a little shrug. Todoroki hummed and toed at the rocks again, unsure of what to say next. He didn’t have to worry though, as Odajima was quick to move on. “Anyways, who was your first crush?”
“I’m noticing a marked difference in the questions we’re asking each other.”
“You’re the one choosing to ask the boring questions,” Odajima teased. Todoroki exhaled defeatedly and shook his head. “Now about your first crush. Spill, spill.”
Todoroki only shook his head more, but the blood rushing to his cheeks again betrayed him.
“Ah, so there certainly was someone. What? A pretty girl who lived down the street from you growing up? No, knowing you I bet she was the student council president or something.”
“Not exactly…” Todoroki trailed off, cursing his face from betraying him. “It was uh… Murayama.” He turned away from the other boy completely and squeezed his eyes shut tight. It dawned on him then that it was his first time ever saying it out loud. Just what the hell was Odajima doing to him?
“Murayama? No way. You’re messing with me.” Odajima teased, repeatedly poking him in his side. Todoroki turned back to him and swatted his hand away. He tried to remain calm, but his flaming cheeks gave away his embarrassment.
“Whatever. Just ask your next question.” He said, desperate to turn to anything else.
“Actually it’s your turn, Yosuke.”