Chapter Text
The first thing Shouto noticed was the sunlight, the second thing she noticed was that her neck hurt.
A lot.
She opened one eye.
Immediately regretted it.
Bright morning light streamed through the garage windows, reflecting off polished concrete and metal surfaces. The storm had passed sometime during the night, leaving the track outside washed clean beneath a clear blue sky.
For several seconds she simply sat there, confused.
Then memory slowly returned.
Garage Three. Rain.
Conversation.
Three in the morning.
She had fallen asleep, brilliant.
Slowly, she sat up and stretched.
Every muscle in her back protested, apparently sleeping on a toolbox is not recommended.
Who could have guessed.
A quiet snort escaped her before she could stop it.
Across the garage, Bakugou was still asleep.
The sight stopped her completely, not because it was shocking.
Unexpected fit the description better.
Most people at the academy had probably seen Bakugou angry.
Competitive, annoyed.
Usually yelling, Threatening or working.
Nobody ever saw him asleep.
At least not like this.
His head rested against the workbench behind him, arms folded loosely across his chest. The usual tension seemed absent somehow.
He seemed younger.
That was the word.
Not softer.
Not gentler, just younger.
Like someone had temporarily removed all the walls he normally carried around.
For some reason, the thought made her smile.
A small one the kind nobody else would ever notice.
Then she caught herself.
Immediately.
Because that was ridiculous.
Completely ridiculous.
Still...
Her phone was sitting beside her.
And before she could overthink it-
click.
The camera shutter sounded.
Shouto froze.
Bakugou's eyes opened.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
"...Did you just take a picture."
Well. This was unfortunate.
She lowered the phone.
"No."
Bakugou stared "You absolutely did."
"I absolutely didn't." "You are holding the evidence." Shouto glanced down.
Unfortunately, he was correct.
She was.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Bakugou groaned and rubbed a hand across his face.
"Delete it." "No."
"What." "No."
The answer surprised both of them.
Bakugou blinked, Shouto blinked.
Neither seemed entirely sure where that had come from.
"You looked funny." "I was asleep."
"Exactly." "Delete it."
"No." "You're impossible."
"So I've heard."
The conversation ended there.
Mostly because neither wanted to examine it too closely.
----
An hour later they were walking across campus toward the nearest cafe searching for coffee.
The academy was unusually quiet.
Friday morning.
No classes, no training.
No schedules.
Most students still asleep.
----
The world felt slower somehow.
They each carried coffee.
Bakugou looked mildly irritated at being awake this early in the morning.
Shouto felt exactly the same.
For a while neither spoke.
The silence wasn't awkward, it never was.
That realization was becoming increasingly annoying.
Eventually Shouto took a sip of coffee "You're welcome."
"For what."
"I didn't post the picture."
Bakugou nearly choked "Todoroki."
"I'm being considerate."
"Delete it."
"No."
"Why?"
She considered the question.
The answer arrived immediately.
For once, she chose not to say it.
"You looked ridiculous."
"There it is."
"There what is."
"The lying."
----
While crossing a quiet pathway near the engineering building, Shouto caught the edge of a raised section of pavement.
Not enough to fall, just enough to stumble.
Before she could fully react, a hand closed around her arm.
Steadying.
Automatic.
Instant.
Neither of them even seemed to think about it.
For one second they continued walking exactly as before.
Until both realized.
Bakugou was still holding her elbow.
The world seemed to pause. Just briefly.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
Then Bakugou let go immediately.
Like nothing had happened, like he hadn't reacted without hesitation.
Like his first instinct had been anything other than making sure she didn't fall.
Shouto stared ahead.
Very focused on the path.
Beside her, Bakugou appeared equally fascinated by absolutely everything except looking in her direction.
The silence that followed felt different.
Not uncomfortable just aware.
Neither mentioned it.
Neither planned to.
----
Breakfast eventually turned into another hour of conversation.
Then another.
At some point they stopped pretending they had anywhere else to be.
The academy slowly woke around them, students emerged from dormitories. The campus filled with life.
Morning became afternoon.
Neither seemed particularly eager to leave.
Which was becoming a pattern.
One that everyone else had already noticed.
Unfortunately for the two.
As they rounded a corner near the dorm buildings, a familiar voice called out.
"Hey!"
Both froze, Kirishima stood several feet away holding a coffee cup, he looked between them.
Then toward the direction they'd come from. Then back again.
Slowly.
Very slowly, the smile spreading across his face was terrifying "...Good morning."
Neither answered, Kirishima's smile widened.
"Oh my God."
"No." Bakugou said immediately.
"I didn't even say anything."
"You were going to."
"I absolutely was."
Shouto covered her face, Kirishima looked delighted.
The investigation, had just received new material.