Archive of Our Own

Shouto knows it shouldn't bother him. He should be happy for his friends and their new romantic adventures. It's difficult to do that when it makes the half-and-half student tap his pencil unrhythmically on his notebook, completely ignorant of the marks the metal tip of his pencil eraser was leaving on his notes. 

It started three days ago when Shouto was sitting in the common room, sipping on his afternoon tea while he sat and listened to Ochako, Yaoyorozu, Asui, and Tenya talk. He didn't mind that he wasn't really included in the conversation; he preferred listening, and with this specific topic, he didn't have much to offer. 

Shouto supposes it was inevitable before his classmates started venturing out to other classmates and childhood friends and developing feelings. He was even aware of some of the unspoken feelings between some of his classmates, or he could assume to be more precise. He can notice by the way their cheeks turn a bright shade of red or they fidget with the hem of their shirt when speaking to their crush. 

So, it was no surprise when Mina Ashido ran over to where they were sitting and wrapped her arms around Ochako's neck with an excited squeal and red cheeks. Ochako jumped at the sudden impact, laughing as she turned her head from where she was speaking to Iida about their upcoming text and patted Mina's forearm, "you scared me!" she exclaimed.

The pink-haired girl unwrapped her snaked arms and sat upright with her legs crossed, bouncing as if trying to contain herself and failing. The girl placed her hands on the table they were sitting around, now capturing the eyes of everyone else, despite her focus being only on the girls at the table. 

"Ejirou just kissed me" she whispered with a bright smile and covered her mouth to prevent another squeal of happiness. It didn't make a difference because, after a moment of the girls processing the information, they all sat up straighter and grabbed Mina's hands with cheery squeals and exclaims. 

"What, just now?!" Asui exclaimed, her half-eaten convenience store cocoa waffers long forgotten beside her. Yaoyorozu even smiled large and placed a hand on Mina's shoulder, "I'm very happy for you, how did it happen?" 

Mina bubbled with excitement and uncovered her mouth, "well I was in his room, we were watching a movie after studying for a bit" she started, earning a few nods to continue from the group, "and when it was almost over, he just turned over and asked if he could kiss me and I said yeah! Then we talked for a bit and now we're dating!" 

Ochako gripped her hand even tighter, "That's so exciting, congrats to you both!" 

Mina giggled and covered her face again, unsure what to do with this new profound excitement, "Thank you guys! I should get back actually, I don't him I had to run and tell you guys. I'm gonna get back...to my boyfriend" she said with a grin and jumped up, waving at them before jogging to the elevator. 

Todoroki waved back. He didn't get a chance to congratulate his friend before she left because of the chaos that was already happening. He sipped his tea and assumed the topic had been said and done with since discussions tend to lose themselves with his group. 

Ochako let out a happy sigh and turned to the group, "How great it that? I'm glad they're finally together."

Asui nodded in agreement, "me too" she said with a smile. After a few seconds though, she continued, "But it does remind me just how sad my love life is at the moment" 

Ochako groaned and leaned back against the couch where Shouto was sitting, "oh I know! Ugh, the excitement before that first kiss" she said as she looked off into the distance and shook her head, bringing herself back into reality. 

Yaoyorozu stifled a small laugh, "Unfortunately, my first kiss experience was very awkward" she admitted sheepishly, like she just admitted something scandalous. "We bonked heads" 

Ochako giggled, "Mine was in the gym in middle school. It wasn't anything special but it was sweet. Thankfully I have Izuku now, he is always so considerate of making sure everything is really sweet and perfect."

The conversation of first kisses went on for longer than Todoroki hoped. He dismissed himself after a few minutes, saying he wanted to study in his room because he couldn't focus. The group had grown larger since this topic of discussion, with Kaminari and Jirou, the other class couple, along with Hagakure and Sero joining the conversation. 

Shouto was brought back to the present when a pencil made contact with the side of his head. He looked down at the object and over at the blonde who was sitting at his desk. 

"For fucks sake Icyhot, I said your name like 5 times" the explosive teen declared with a scowl while he waited for Shouto to hand his pencil back. 

Shouto extended his hand and gave him the white pencil, "Oh, sorry. I must have spaced out. Won't happen again" He really shouldn't let it bother him that much. 

Bakugou just huffed in response and turned back to his work, "Whatever. Either do your work or get out" 

Shouto nodded, even though the blonde wouldn't be able to see him. Bakugou and him weren't necessarily the closest of friends but this had become somewhat normal now, studying in Bakugou's room. It started two years ago during the end of their first year when Shouto first asked Bakugou for help on exam prep and after much pestering on Shouto's end, it worked. Now, Shouto doesn't have to pester anymore, he knows the blonde will agree, even if he ignores Shouto the first time he asks. 

But, Bakugou was a friend. One of the few people he could trust. It just came easy with the easily-tempered male. It surprised even Shouto with how easy it was to just say what was on his mind and even though Bakugou would pretend to be uninterested or indifferent to the conversation but would give his advice or input at the end. Usually in the form of loud words and false attacks, Shoto got used to it and knew that Bakugou wasn't as malicious as he could come off as. 

He also knows, he's never been one to care or think about romantic or sexual desires. He supposes he never really had the time or really had any experience in that area to give it much thought. It wasn't like his parents were something to go off of as a good example of a relationship, and he never really had 'the talk' as people call it. The closest he got to that was last year when Natsuo sat him down and tried (and failed) to try to explain to Shouto the importance of practicing safe sex after he told them he might like guys. It was over before it barely started because Shouto informed him that he does not have to worry about that because he is too focused on his hero training to indulge in that. 

Now that he was older and had a better grasp on what he wanted and what his future looked like, he couldn't help but think about it. Way more than he should. He knows it's not a competition or race, but he feels like he had already missed out on so much during his childhood, he was beginning to wonder if exploring his preferences and desires was something he should do during his teenage years and live a somewhat, relatively, normal high school experience. 

There was the sound of a book closing forcibly, making Shouto look up from where he was seated on Bakugou's bed. The older boy turned his chair and crossed his arms, "I can't concentrate when you fucking do that" he stated, pointing at Shouto's hand that continued to tap away at the notebook, making him stop instantaneously. 

Before Todoroki could apologize, like Bakugou knew he was about to do, he spoke up again. "Shut up, what's got you thinking so hard anyways?" 

Shouto wasn't even sure how to answer that question because he wasn't sure how he was feeling about the situation. So instead, he decided to return Bakugou's question with one of his own. "Have you ever kissed anyone Bakugou?" 

The blonde froze and furrowed his brows pointedly, "What, that's what had you spaced out this whole time?" 

The dual-quirk user shook his head. "It's not that. I was wondering..." Todoroki closed his notebook and smoothed out the cover, trying to buy himself a bit of time while he formulated his next words. Unfortunately, Bakugou was not a patient man. 

"Well? Hurry up, I don't have all fucking day Icyh--"" 

"Can I kiss you?" he interrupted, looking up and finding ruby eyes staring back at his own. Bakugou immediately sputtered and the tips of his ears turned pink. It was endearing the way Bakugou let the words sink in before standing up, "What are you on about right now Half-n-Half?" 

Shouto put his things in his bag, assuming he won't be needing them anymore, and folded his hands on his lap. "I never really thought about it, but Ochako and the others were talking about their first kisses and I never had one. I want to know what it's like" he explained carefully. 

Bakugou looked around for a moment and crossed his arms, "Why me though, why not ask fucking Deku or Ponytail?" 

Izuku was admittedly his top choice when he first started pondering this. Midoriya was his closest friend and wouldn't make the situation weird and would probably agree, but since he was in a relationship, even with his limited knowledge, Shouto knew that would be strange to ask of his friend. 

So, the next person he could think of was Bakugou. 

"Because we're friends, and I trust you," he said simply. It was the truth after all. Bakugou stared at him, his red eyes piercing Todoroki's with contemplation. Bakugou sat down across from him, his hands on his thighs as he kept eye contact with Shouto. 

And after a moment, he nodded. 

Shouto scooted a bit closer until their knees were touching and almost stopped when Bakugou sucked in a breath but Bakugou gave him another assuring nod. Todoroki gently grabbed the sides of sides of his friend's face and after one more look at Bakugou, he finally closed the distance between them. 

Shouto wasn't sure what he expected, but soft was not one of them. Bakugou's lips were soft, and so was his skin. 

At first, it was just a press of lips, until Bakugou tilted his head and parted his lips slightly, letting Todoroki's own lips close around his bottom one. Then, it became a lot more real fast. It was messy, it was slow, but now Shouto was starting to see the appeal, why everyone does this so early on. 

After a few moments of the slow dance they were doing, Todoroki pulled away and left a few inches between their faces. Bakugou swallowed and licked his lips clean of Shouto's saliva. He would be lying if he said the sight didn't do something to him. 

"That felt...really good" Todoroki admitted, his eyes on the lips he departed from a few moments ago. 

Without looking up, Todoroki asked, "Can I do it again?" 

This time, Bakugou closed the distance with his hands on Shouto's black sweater. This kiss was much different since the initial nervousness was gone and they could experiment a bit more. It awakened a sort of hunger Todoroki wasn't sure he'd ever felt before. The hands that were once on the sides of Bakugou's face were now finding residence in Bakugou's hair, which is also, soft. Bakugou tugged the front of his sweater, closing even more space between the two. Shouto felt a lick at his bottom lip, which he opened up and Bakugou's tongue slipped into his mouth. 

The idea of another person's tongue in his mouth probably would've weirded him out at any other time but now he's relishing the taste of Bakugou in his mouth. Todoroki felt himself chasing, what? He wasn't sure. He let Bakugou explore every inch of his mouth and probably would let him do it forever right now if he asked. Todoroki lifted himself higher on his knees, pulling Bakugou's hair back to crane his neck while Todoroki properly straddled him. 

He felt drunk on Bakugou. Not that has ever been, but he assumes this is what it felt like. There was no other thought besides the beautiful noise that just exited the back of Bakugou's throat after the small tug on his hair, which Todoroki just swallowed up as he connected their lips again, now slightly above Bakugou. They were both panting and it was loud and still sloppy but they were now finding a rhythm that worked. 

Shouto gasped a cracked breath when Bakugou's teeth pulled at his bottom lip to create an opening for his tongue to return into his mouth. Bakugou swallowed up the noise and let out a small low groan. God, Todoroki could probably do this all day, and he would've if Bakugou didn't pull away after a few moments more. Todoroki tried to chase his lips but Bakugou placed a hand on his chest, a line of saliva following him "slow down Princess, breathe" oh he hasn't done that yet. 

Todoroki inhaled and pouted, licking his lips clean of Bakugou, tilting his head to ask for another but Bakugou just pushed him away, "It's late Icyhot, get out of my room" Even though Todoroki still felt, well kiss-drunk, he knew that Bakugou was right. That doesn't mean he wanted to stop anytime soon. He had just discovered something amazing and was not about to let it go. 

Todoroki pushed himself up and grabbed his bag, turning to ask Bakugou for one more but the blonde was already pointing to the door, "out" 

Shouto sighed and started making his way out of the door, "Goodnight Bakugou" 

The door slammed shut and Shouto rolled his eyes while walking toward his dorm. 

Like that, things started to change between the two boys. 

It's been four days since what Shouto calls 'the incident' in his brain. Not because he regrets it, no, he actually considers it one of the smarter decisions in his young life. But simply because he's not sure what to call it, there were no defining words. 

It was like a barrier broke, a wall of some sort that Shouto never realized was there before. It made sense, the initial awkwardness was gone, I mean, they have had each other's tongues down each other's throats 4 times now since the first two kissing that one night on Bakugou's bed. 

That's why, following class and waiting for dinner to be done, Shouto was able to sit down on the couch where he, Kirishima, Denki, and Sero were playing some sort of violent video game on the television. Bakugou didn't even turn to look at him, just continued to yell at the other three. 

Todoroki had nothing to do, and his phone didn't provide much entertainment so instead, he just leaned closer to Bakugou's ear, "how do you play?"

Bakugou jumped slightly at the close contact and voice, but just shot him a quick side glance, "you shoot them" he said flatly and returned to the game. 

Shouto nodded, "how do you win?"

Sero turned around after getting shot by Kirishima, "Hey Sho, if you want to play I can show you" 

Shouto turned to Bakugou who looked like he was too preoccupied with the game to care because his jaw was clenched in what Shouto would assume was a determination to get the most amount of kills. Shouto nodded and stood up to where Sero was sitting. What he missed, was Bakugou watching him walk over, hands clutching tighter to the controller and his distraction getting him killed by Kaminari. 

It took a few minutes for the youngest of the bunch to understand the basics of the game, how to shoot, crouch, jump, etc. The others were patient and didn't kill him too many times while he adjusted, besides the blonde behind him who was relentless and sought him out. Shouto didn't mind, he would be more surprised if Bakugou had spared him. 

When Shouto finally got his first kill against Kirishima, Sero patted his back and shook his shoulder with a celebratory laugh at Kirishima's expense. The redhead just groaned and gave Shouto a high five.  

They continued playing for about another half an hour when Yaoyorozu announced dinner would be done shortly. Kaminari sighed and exited the game, everyone else following suit after. "Man I'm hungry" the electric quirk user groaned while standing up to get ready. 

Todoroki connected the high five Sero held out and smiled, "I had fun, thank you for teaching me" 

Sero nodded and patted his shoulder, "anytime man, if you keep playing with us, I bet you'll be able to even get Bakugou" he said with a small laugh. Todoroki nodded and turned to look back where the blonde was when Sero got up. 

He was surprised to see him still sitting there, and already looking at him. There was something unreadable in his eyes. "Are you okay Katsuki?" oh yeah, that was a new development too. 

Shouto crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap while Bakugou wrote something down in his notebook, "can I call you Katsuki?" 

The blonde ignored him to finish writing, "why would you do that?" 

Shouto shrugged, "we're best friends right? I read somewhere that best friends do that, that's why I call Midoriya, Izuku now" he explained while Bakugou continued working. 

Bakugou rolled his eyes, "what difference does it make, if I say no your stubborn ass will do it anyways" 

Shouto smiled, "probably"

Bakugou stood up and started walking towards the bathroom to wash in hands in preparation to eat, "I'm fine. Go get ready Icyhot" he dismissed with a noticeable scowl. Todoroki nodded and left to put his phone on the charger and get ready since Bakugou told him recently that he needed to stop letting his phone die before charging it. 

Later that night, there was a knock on his door. Shouto, who was in the process of getting ready for bed, opened the door expecting Midoriya or someone of the sort. 

In front of him was Bakugou was pushed back into his room when the door opened. Bakugou closed the door behind him and Todoroki didn't need to be told what was about to happen next because within seconds, Bakugou's hands were on the back of his neck, into his freshly showered hair, and Shouto's hands taking place on Bakugou's hips. 

Shouto was promptly pushed back into his dresser, the sharp pinch in his hip making him gasp, which Bakugou took as an opening to slip his tongue in between his teeth. Shouto didn't mind though, he just repositioned himself to hold Bakugou's applied pressure. 

The hands in his hair, pulled his hair back while Bakugou moved his lips down to his jaw, neck, and finally just above his collarbones. Todoroki would be lying if said he didn't react to the teeth that sunk in the flesh a few inches above his right collarbone. Bakugou continued to keep his attention on Shouto's neck for a while, leaving red marks littered across the base of Shouto's neck and one a few inches short of his jaw. 

Shouto gasped and dug nails into Bakugou's hip, "Katsuki" he tried, knowing Midoriya was going to stop by before bed to grab the notebook he left for class tomorrow. 

And Bakugou had the nerve to growl out a "Shouto" against his neck, and Todoroki forgot everything he was trying to say as a pathetic noise emitted from the back of his throat. 

After many more moments, Shouto brought his head forward to capture Bakugou's lips again. It was much more aggressive and hungry than the last couple of times they'd done this, like something had awoken in Bakugou, that led him here, to initiate this make-out session and leave a handful of marks on Shouto's neck. 

"Katsuki, it's late" he tried again, tensing his grip on Bakugou's hips and pulling back from Bakugou. The blonde didn't chase after him for another one, just stared at Shouto for a second and down at his neck with a triumphant grin, "Night Icyhot" he said while turning to leave. 

Shouto grabbed his hand quickly and gave him a very quick kiss before he left and turned to the bathroom. He turned on the light and sighed at the marks on his body. Most of them would be out of sight, covered by his school uniform, except for the one Bakugou specifically left below his jaw. 

At the sound of a knock on his door, Todoroki jumped up and quickly grabbed the hoodie that was laid out on his bed and threw it on when the door opened,

"Hey Shouto, I just passed Kacchan in the hall, do you think he would help me with my math homework? Probably not. Anyways, oh, are you okay?"

Shouto, who was still fixing his arm into his sleeve nodded and pulled the hood off, and tightened the strings to cover up as much as possible. "Yes, let me grab your books" he assured while reaching into the drawers of his desk. 

Midoriya nodded and looked around the room, "oh Shouto, I think your alarm clock is broken" 

Shouto turned around and looked where he was gazing at the alarm clock that was on the floor next to his dresser. "I must have knocked it over," he said, internally replaying the events in his head and trying to not let it show on his face while he picked it up. "It's alright, I can set my alarm on my phone" 

Midoriya nodded and grabbed the notebooks from Shouto's hands, "Alright, I'll text you to make sure you're awake. Night Shouto" 

Todoroki smiled, "Night Izuku"

The next day, Shouto was a little more regretful of his decisions. There he was in front of the mirror, trying to apply his cold hand to make the mark on his neck fade away, to no avail, he grabbed the small makeup bottle he borrowed from Yaoyorozu. He asked her just ten minutes ago, having to make the excuse that he wanted to cover some of the bruises he got from training. "Of course you can Shouto, just make sure to take it easy sometimes," she said with a grin that was far too bright at the early hour of the day, but he knew she had already been awake for an hour. 

The makeup didn't completely diminish the hickey, a word he has now come to terms with, but it was blended enough that you could only see it if you were paying close enough attention. Shouto would just have to make sure no one was looking too hard at him. 

When homeroom had ended, Todoroki was in the middle of packing up his things when he started to get swarmed by his friends. 

"Hey Shouto, what are your plans for break?" Midoriya asked as he adjusted the straps on his bag, waiting for Shouto to finish zipping his own bag up. 

"I believe the plan is to go to Natsuo's if the baby doesn't come early" he explained. Those were his only plans actually. Fuyumi was out of town with her long-term boyfriend, spending time with his family for the holidays after checking three times if it was alright with Shouto. He didn't mind, he wasn't much of a holiday fanatic. 

Midoriya nodded, "we were all thinking of meeting up and going to the market before Christmas if you wanted to join." 

Shouto nodded, "that sounds great. We should get to class" There was a few minutes until the start of their next class. Midoriya nodded as they started walking with Ochako and Hagakure behind them. Midoriya paused and looked at him, making him turn in the hallway. 

"Is that from training?" Midoriya asked, pointing to his neck. 

Shouto slapped a hand over the hickey and nodded, "Yes, I was hit with something while I was distracted" he responded vaguely. Hit by what? If he asked, Shouto would not have an answer. 

Midoriya nodded and continued walking, "you know, you have to make sure you are paying attention, that can be dangerous Shouto..." Shouto zoned out while Midoriya continued his rant about the importance of keeping a sharp eye in training because it will help keep him on his toes in real battle. The gesture was appreciated but not what Todoroki needed. The bathroom door opened to their right, "fucking christ Deku, I can hear you in there"

Midoriya jumped, "then don't eavesdrop Kacchan" Midoriya grunted, crossing his arms as they moved forward to their classroom. 

The blonde rolled his eyes, "fucks so interesting you gotta talk Half-n-Half's ear off for anyway?" he asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 

The green-haired man sent him a quick glare, though everyone knew he wasn't actually bothered, "I was telling Shouto to keep a sharp eye in practice because he got hit by something the other day" Izuku explained, gesturing to him. 

Bakugou looked over at him and raised an eyebrow, "really, what was it?" he asked innocently, making Shouto bite the inside of his cheek and mentally curse Katsuki Bakugou. 

"It was nothing, now please move so I can get to class Katsuki" he replied, thanking whatever entity that they reached the door just in time. Bakugou opened the door and walked in, "don't tell me what to do Icyhot" 

Shouto was sitting in his room, actively avoiding his father in their large empty house. It wasn't long before he was supposed to meet with his class. After an awkward lunch with his father, with a conversation about training and school, Shouto was just about ready to leave as quickly as possible. 

After flipping through pages of the manga Sero gave him before the break to read, he grabbed his phone and opened a recently familiar contact. 

Hey Katsuki, are you going to the market too? 

After a few seconds, a ping from his phone made him drop the manga entirely. 

Katsuki: yeah, shitty hair is forcing me. 

A few seconds later

Katsuki: u still going? 

Yeah, I was going to head there a little bit early. 

Do you want to go with me? 

Several longer pauses of silence had Shouto send another text, 

You don't have to. I'll see you when you get there :) 

Katsuki: shut up. when are you going

In about ten minutes, so I'll be there around 30. 

Katsuki: ur paying. 

See you there Katsuki 

read. 

Shouto smiled slipped his phone in his pocket stood up to switch his plain white t-shirt for his black knit turtleneck and took a moment to split his hair back down the middle. After deeming himself presentable for society, he was ready to go. 

While he waited for the train to reach the station and start his short walk to the market, he sent Katsuki photos from his camera roll of a stray cat he had seen on the way to the station. Katsuki didn't respond, but he also didn't tell Shouto to shut up or stop sending them so he didn't. 

After a brisk walk from the train station, he was about to send a text to tell Bakugou which stand to meet at when he noticed the blonde up ahead, standing next to a hot stew booth with his phone in his hand and chin buried in a scarf to protect himself from the cold. 

Shouto walked over and waved at the blonde, "did you have to wait long?" 

Bakugou looked up, letting out a frosty breath that can be seen in the air, "no, but let's start walking before I fucking freeze" 

While Bakugou pushed himself off the side of the wooden booth, Shouto had an opportunity to look around the different stands and booths. He looked down at Bakugou's hands that were shoved in his pocket and held out his hand. Bakugou slapped his hand away, "I don't need your damn quirk, I'm fine" he insisted, though his red-tinted nose and noticeable shivers did not support his case. 

Todoroki just rolled his eyes and grabbed his hands and covered them with his own, letting out heat in his palms to warm the ones in between, "you're cold Bakugou" he replied flatly, ignoring Bakugou's huff. 

While he took a few more seconds to warm his friend's hands, he looked forward at a booth with a little elderly lady selling trinkets and ornaments. Todoroki immediately grabbed Bakugou's hand and pulled him forward towards the booth. 

Bakugou followed, mostly because he was being dragged, but didn't pull his hand back and stuck closer to Shouto while he let off some heat on his left side. The lady at the booth smiled at them, eyes crinkling at the side and a lopsided grin at the two boys, "if you see anything you like, just let me know" she said kindly. 

Bakugou looked down at the small ornaments and items for sale. Shoto picked up a small wooden carved fox, painted with orange and a black tail. "It's like you" he commented, holding it up for Bakugou to see. The blonde tried to reach for it when Shouto pulled his arm back and continued looking at the other small pieces. After nothing else seemed to call to him, he reached into his pocket where his wallet sat and handed the lady a few bills in his pocket, and gave her a kind smile as they continued walking. 

Shouto grabbed the small wooden fox from his pocket that was chipped slightly on the left ear and handed it over to Bakugou, "for you" 

The blonde grabbed the animal with his left hand, he stared at the animal for a few seconds longer and slipped it into his pocket, "fucking sap" 

Shouto just shook his head and intertwined their fingers and let off more heat when he noticed the blonde shivering as they passed through. 

They stopped and looked at a few more booths when Bakugou got a buzz from his phone. He withdrew his hand from Shouto's and pulled his phone out of his right pocket, "nerds are here"

Shouto nodded and looked around, texting Midoriya to tell him where they were. It didn't take long for the groups to find each other. Todoroki turned to tell Bakugou he was going to say hello to Midoriya when he noticed the blonde already walking away to where Kirishima and Jirou were standing. 

He walked over to Midoriya and Ochako who walked hand-in-hand. They both gave him a quick side hug with bright smiles, "Shouto, you didn't tell us you were coming earlier, we would've come with" 

Todoroki gave her a reassuring smile and shook his head, "Katsuki arrived around the same time as I did so I had company" 

Uraraka nodded, "that's goo--" she was cut off by a welp from Kaminari a few feet away where Bakugou glared him down with snow on the front of his hoodie where it looked like Denki threw a snowball. 

Yaoyorozu, Sero, and Mina arrived shortly after and the group started walking around together. They stopped and got hot drinks to warm their trembling fingers. Shouto made sure to keep his quirk activated and hover closer to the ones who seemed like they were struggling more with the cold weather. Yaoyorozu was basically attached to his arm as her teeth chattered when the wind picked up. Quickly, the group found a larger booth where some stew was being sold, and a table large enough to fit them was open. 

They ordered their separate choices and seated themselves at the wooden table. Shouto sat somewhere near the middle with Momo on his left and Denki on his right. "It's so coldddd" Sero complained as he sipped his drink. 

The others nodded, "it's nice though, I need to do some last-minute Christmas shopping so it's perfect" Uraraka stated, looking around her at the lit-up booths. Mina put her bowl down and nodded, "I'll go with you when I'm done, I need to find some things too." 

They sat at the table altogether for about 35 minutes until their food and beverages were successfully finished and drained. They talked about their breaks and what they had planned for Christmas. Most of them were staying in the area and spending time with families and significant others. Shouto managed to give his gifts to people a few days ago when they were let go for a break. He also received a good amount from his friends as well, deciding to open them on Christmas day because when he tried to open one in his room, Sero happened to be there and told him it was supposed to be opened on the specific day. He didn't see the difference but listened anyway. 

Shouto felt a buzz from his right pocket and pulled out his phone. 

Natsuo: Sho, so sorry but we're at the hospital right now. We can celebrate when we leave okay?

Shouto frowned and looked up at his friends who were still seated and back down at his phone. 

It's okay. Is everything okay with the baby?

Natsuo: Everything is fine. The doctors just want us here to monitor for a few days because it's so close to the due date. I'll make it up to you, promise. 

It's fine, really. Hope everything goes well. 

Keep me updated. 

Natsuo: I'll tell you the moment she's here. Be ready to be an uncle! 

Shouto was a little bummed he would have to spend Christmas with his old man in the quiet house, but he was more happy that Natsuo is going to be the dad he always wanted to be. He really was going to be a great one, Shouto just hoped he can be a good uncle for his niece. 

There was a nudge at his arm and he looked up to the group starting to throw their trash away and split off to do some shopping. Shouto stood up and followed them, lingering behind Izuku and Kirishima as their girlfriends went off to shop together. His hand lingered over his phone and he let out a small sigh before slipping it into his jeans pocket. 

Bakugou joined his side and flicked his head, "what's up with you?" he asked, giving him a side glance. 

Shouto slipped his hands in his pockets, "what do you mean?" 

Bakugou gestured to his face, "you were looking at your phone like a kicked puppy" he explained while facing forward, probably not wanting to show Shouto he was paying attention. 

It didn't help though because Shouto felt the corners of his mouth turn up slightly as he pushed Bakugou lightly with his shoulder, "It's nothing. What are you doing after this?" he asked, trying to maintain conversation. 

Bakugou shrugged, "Dunce's face wanted to play a new game" he explained vaguely. There was a sharp inhale before he continued, "you can come if you want. The old hag has been asking to have you over again anyways, it'd be nice to shut her up for a second" 

Shouto nodded and stepped an inch closer to Bakugou, "that would be nice, thank you Katsuki"

The blonde just 'tsked' as he pushed forward to say some form of insult to Kirishima in Midoriya who were still ahead of them talking animately. 

It's been about 6 months since the last time Shouto stepped foot in the Bakugou household. It was during the beginning of the year when Bakugou and Shouto's notebook had gotten switched so he went over there during the weekend to retrieve it. Mitsuki Bakugou had insisted he stay for dinner and that was about it. 

He followed Bakugou into the house, making sure to take off his shoes and put on the slippers Bakugou handed him. 

"Hey brat, why didn't you answer your ph--Shouto!" the blonde woman exclaimed when entering the doorway where they stood and engulfed him in a tight hug. "Long time no see, I hope my pain in the ass son hasn't been too much trouble" 

Shouto looked at Bakugou for assistance while his lungs were being crushed by the shorter woman. When he pulled away he just shook his head, "Katsuki has been great company, hope I'm not intruding" 

Mitsuki waved her hand in the air dismissively, "never, come in, you guys want some tea or anything?" 

Her son just rolled his eyes, "we just ate, stop trying to act like a good hostess just because Icyhot is here" 

Mitsuki glared at her son and placed her hands on her hips, "excuse my son's bad manners," she said pointedly to Shouto, "so, what are your plans for Christmas Shouto?"

Todoroki looked between the two Bakugou's. Katsuki was looking at him impatiently, telling him to answer already so they could leave, and Mitsuki was looking at him with a smile while she awaited his answer. 

"I was supposed to go to my brother's but he's at the hospital with his wife, they're having a baby soon so we'll be celebrating when they've settled in with the new baby" he explained, clearing his throat after, unsure of what to do with four ruby eyes locked in on him. 

Mitsuki shook her head, "absolutely not. No friend of my son's will be spending Christmas alone, you can stay here if you like."

Bakugou tensed up and shook his head, "Wha-"

The woman held a hand up, "shut it Katsuki, I wasn't talking to you" 

Ignoring her words, Bakugou groaned, "you can't just invite people over like that old hag!"

Shouto held up a hand and gave Mitsuki a reassuring smile, "it's okay, I wouldn't want to impose on your family festivities"

The blonde woman shook her head, he could see where Katsuki gets his stubbornness from, "nonsense, if you want to come over, you are more than welcome to"

Shouto opened his mouth and closed it, looking over at Katsuki to find out what he should do in this situation. He would rather not spend the day with his father, sitting around drinking tea, or in his room doing nothing. At the same time, he wasn't sure Katsuki would appreciate him infiltrating his home. "I would like that, if it's alright with you Katsuki" 

The blonde just huffed and looked away, "what-the-fuck ever, let's go now"

Mitsuki smiled, "great, it's settled. You boys go have fun now" 

Shouto smiled and gave her a quick bow, "thank you Mrs. Bakugou." 

Katsuki just grabbed his forearm and dragged him up the stairs, "fucks sake you move at a glacial pace" he mumbled as he pushed open the door to his bedroom. 

Shouto moved to the bed and sat criss-crossed on the corner while Bakugou set up the game on his console. Bakugou turned to where Shouto was as he put the black headphones over his head and turned back to the television. Shouto scooted closer to watch as Bakugou switched to a variety of different guns and accessories for these weapons that Shouto didn't understand the purpose of but thought it was interesting. 

Bakugou was mumbling into the mic of the headphones at Kirishima to 'hurry the fuck up' because he was taking too long to pick something. Shouto can hear them from the television since it played out loud and in Bakugou's headphones.

Bakugou's choices were some sort of semi-automatic gun with a scope and a knife as his alternative. Shouto pointed at the screen, "why are you using a knife instead of a gun, wouldn't it do more damage" he asked curiously. 

Bakugou gave him a side glance, "I'm better at close distance than they are so I have a knife because it gives me an advantage" he explained calmly. Shouto wasn't really listening to what the others were saying, keeping his focus on Bakugou as he explained a few other mechanics of the game. 

"Wait Bakubro, is Todoroki there?" a muffled voice from the television asked, making him turn to the television and back at Bakugou. 

Bakugou grunted, "Old hag kept pestering me about having him over" he stated simply, Shouto shook his head and gave Bakugou a look, in which the blonde pushed his face away. Kirishima laughed on the other end, "well hey Todoroki. Anyways guys, load up so we can start" 

Sero spoke next, "Shouto, watch me kick Bakugou's ass!" he heard him yell from the loading screen on the television. Kaminari laughed, "Todoroki, distract Bakubro for me every once in a while." 

Shouto didn't say anything to respond to them, instead just watched as Bakugou ran through some broken building and came in contact with an unprepared Kaminari who shrieked and sounds of loud gunfire emitted from Bakugou's television. 

Shouto grimaced at the loud sounds from both the players and the television and decided to retreat to the top of the bed and scroll through his phone. He sent a few texts to his group chat with Izuku, Ochako, Asui, Tenya, and Yaoyorozu since he hadn't responded to the group in several hours. 

He scrolled through the hero news and social media for a bit before he inevitably grew bored. It was around 8 at this point, which meant Bakugou would start getting ready for bed soon. Waiting patiently, he waited until the next round ended and Kirishima ultimately bid farewell to the group, and a string of goodbyes and 'see ya after the break' followed. 

Katsuki turned off the console and turned to Shouto. There was an awkward lingering in the air because this would be the time when Shouto should go home. 

Katsuki followed to where Shouto was sitting at the edge of the bed and laid down, a hand over his chest as he looked over at the half-and-half teen. Shouto looks down at him, "have fun?" 

Bakugou tilted his head and pretended he doesn't notice Shouto hovering over him now, "kicking their ass? Of course" 

Shouto nodded and looked down at his lips and back up at Bakugou's eyes, who now looked much more smug than he did a minute ago, "why Shortcake, want my attention that bad?" 

Todoroki nodded, "yeah..." he said quietly and leaned down, using his forearms to hold himself up, caging Baugou in as the blonde tilted his head back slightly, waiting until Todoroki connected their lips to bring his hands up to Shouto's hair, mixing red and white. 

Bakugou sighed, giving Shouto the opening to swipe his tongue into Bakugou's mouth. Ever since that night the blonde knocked on his door and kissed him crazy, Shouto hasn't been able to stop thinking about it. Especially since the marks on his neck took a solid 5 days to disappear completely. 

Bakugou sunk further into the bed, dragging Shouto to follow, and who can ever deny Katsuki Bakugou? It was indescribably hot, even to Shouto who was immune to heat. This was different, it wasn't the feeling you get when you sit too close to a fireplace or bake in the sun. This heat radiated through his body and threatened to escape if he didn't find a way to redirect it and the only solution seemed to be underneath him. 

Bakugou seemed to be getting a tad restless with the pace because he pulled Shouto down, bringing their bodies unbelievably closer, pulling a few strands of Shouto's hair as he did so. Shouto, unprepared for the sudden increased contact, let out a small groan against Bakugou's mouth who just smirked against his lips. 

Shouto started to plant kisses along Bakugou's jaw, relishing in the restrained pants he tried to suppress. As Shouto's mouth moved down to his neck, his body followed. This is where it happened, the delightful rubbing of fronts, causing a cracked draw of breath and arch of Bakugou's back, in turn, causing a guttural sound against Bakugou's neck as he left a small bite mark on the base of his neck. 

A stuttered "fuck" came out of Bakugou's mouth when Shouto moved atop of him again, rocking his hips down against Bakugou's. Bakugou pulled him back up and connected their lips as Shouto kept up with his slow, steady rhythm of rubbing their clothed bodies against each other. 

Bakugou broke apart for a moment, gasping for air as his head fell back against the pillow, Shouto, overcome with the sudden want for more, followed him down and swallowed the sweet little wrecked noises that came from Bakugou's lips. Shouto felt a hand on his chest and pushed him upward slightly. Shouto looked down at Bakugou whose face was just a few inches below him, he could just lean down and...

"Fuck Shouto, we have to stop, if we keep going I'm going to lose my mind," Bakugou said between breaths as he tried to calm down the rapid rising and falling of his chest. 

Shouto kissed his jaw, "okay" he said softly and moved from on top of him. Bakugou sat up and ran a hand through his hair, Shouto looking at his thoroughly kissed and swollen lips, along with the new mark that was starting to hurt red on his neck. 

Shouto looked up at the blonde who stared down at him, still a little too fazed to get up just yet. Plus, everything around him smelled like Bakugou and it infiltrated every single one of his senses, grounding him to that bed, unable to get up and leave.

"I'm going to shower" Bakugou finally announced after they stayed looking at each other for a good 30 seconds. Shouto nodded and rested his head back against the pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to think of anything besides the blonde and failed to do so. His best friend, his occasional lover, Katsuki Bakugou. 

Something hit his face and Shouto opened his eyes, unaware that he even fell asleep. Bakugou was standing at the foot of his bed in sweat pants and a white t-shirt. Shouto rubbed his eyes and sat up, "I didn't mean to fall asleep, I can go now" he muttered with a yawn. 

The blonde grumbled and moved to the other side of the bed while Shouto sat up. He turned away from Shouto as the taller of the two started to stand up from where he was on the bed, taking a moment to find his phone on the bed. "It's late. You can stay if you want" he heard from his right and turned to where Bakugou was lying, facing away from him. Shouto then looked to the dresser next to his bathroom door and saw a pair of folded clothes, "thank you" he said and grabbed the clothes from the dresser before quickly getting himself ready for bed. He looked at his phone and noticed an unopened message from his father. With a moment of hesitance, he opened the message and read, 

Old man: Where are you? 

With a quick swipe of his thumbs, he responded with a vague, 

It's late so I'm staying with a friend. 

Almost immediately, Shouto watched bubbles pop up on the screen. Shouto was worried he would be summoned home, but the bubbles disappeared and reappeared a few seconds later. 

Old man: Okay. 

Shouto turned off his phone and the light to the bathroom before going to the right side of the bed, using only the light from the moonlit sky shining between Bakugou's black curtains to guide himself. He turned and faced the ceiling. Though he was sleepy, he couldn't find it in himself to fall asleep just yet. 

"Katsuki, are you awake?" he asked in a hushed whisper. A few seconds passed and Shouto thought the blonde was asleep until there was shuffling beside him, "what do you want Icyhot" 

Shouto turned and saw the center of his thoughts facing the ceiling, mirroring his position. Shouto looked down to where Bakugou's hand sat atop the cover gently turned over his side and reached for Bakugou, testing the waters and just letting their pinkies touch. He felt Bakugou breathe in beside him and his hand twitch before he moved his hand closer to Shouto, giving him the okay to intertwine their fingers. 

"Thank you for letting me stay here, I know you said I can stay because your mom was there earlier. I don't have to, if you don't want me to" he assured quietly. The blonde just looked over, his features shadowed by the luminescent light from the outside. 

"Shut up Icyhot, if I had a problem with it I would've said something. Now to go bed before I kick you off" he said and threw his free arm over his face and facing the other way, letting Shouto keep his hold on his hand. 

Shouto felt himself smiling, feeling thankful that Bakugou wasn't watching him anymore, and closed his eyes, "goodnight Katsuki"

Bakugou didn't answer him, but Shouto felt a small squeeze from Bakugou. After that, Shouto fell asleep within minutes. 

Shouto woke up with the sun shining behind his eyelids. He groaned and buried himself into the pillow. "Icyhot get up, how the fuck do you sleep so long anyways." 

The half-and-half user slowly opened his eyes, letting them focus as he saw a figure adjusting the blinds on his window. So Bakugou was the reason he was blinded into wakefulness? 

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice still trying to wake up as well and coming out all strange and rough. Bakugou started walking to the door, "9. Now get up, my folks went to work and will be back late after dinner, you have to go home and get your shit because you're not stealing my clothes again" 

Shouto sat up and sighed, "yeah, okay" 

He looked over to his side to where his phone was charging and smiled. 

He didn't plug it in yesterday before falling asleep. 

It was the 24th and Shouto still had to grab his belongings and return back to the Bakugou household if he wanted to stay true to his agreement of spending Christmas day with them. He ate breakfast with Katsuki and went on a brick jog with Bakugou before leaving for his house. 

He opened the door to his house and slipped into his slippers, trying to quietly sneak through the house to his bedroom. He didn't make it far because the man was trying to avoid appearing from around the corner, rolling with a wheelchair with ease "Shouto, are you still going to Natsuo's?" 

Shouto turned to his father and noticed the man in a black sweater, looking more awkward than Shouto was used to seeing him. His face was scrunched strangely in a way that told Shouto he wanted to say something but was holding it back. 

A small part of him wondered what his old man would do during Christmas day, and he couldn't help but feel a conflict of thoughts within him. He was glad that he was going to be spending the day with the much more functional Bakugou family and not sitting at the dining table alone with his father but then felt a strange sense of guilt that he didn't feel guilty for leaving his old man alone for the day. "Yeah," he said simply, and after no one said anything for a few seconds, Shouto started to move forward to his room. 

"Well...Merry Christmas Shouto" he heard behind him in a strangled voice. Shouto stopped in his tracks and felt his fists ball at his side. "Merry Christmas," he said quietly and opened his door and quickly closed it, packing like his life depended on it. 

When he left, there wasn't any more conversation between the estranged father and son, but Shouto still felt in a hurry to leave. He decided to take a long way back to Bakugou's house, taking the longer routes and stopping multiple times to look at small shops along the way. He even managed to find a stray cat and stayed there with the feline for about half an hour when he finally decided to finish his journey back to Katsuki. 

He knocked on the door and after a few moments, it opened with force as Katsuki left him alone at the doorway to go back to doing whatever it was he was doing. Shouto closed the door and went to put his things upstairs in Bakugou's room. He made his way back downstairs where he heard Bakugou moving about. 

In the living room, Bakugou was putting up some type of green garland with a frustrated huff when he connected it to one hook and watched as it started to fall off the other. Shouto leaned against the wall and watched Bakugou let out a string of profanities when the garland inevitably fell from the hook again. 

"Need help Katsuki?" Bakugou tensed in surprise at the unexpected extra voice. 

"The fuck are you doing just staring at me for?" he asked after composing himself and wearing his usual scowl. 

Shouto looked at the box on the table in the living room and grabbed a small ceramic mold of trees and a mountain, "why are you putting up more decorations?" he asked, ignoring Bakugou's question and looking at the already decorated interior. 

The blonde finally got the garland to stay on the hook and took a step back, taking the ceramic mold from his hands and placing it on the table, "old hag texted that I needed to put up more decorations since we're having guests over."

Shouto nodded, "oh, you don't need to do all this for me. I appreciate just being here at all," he said with a hint of guilt. 

"It's fine Icyhot. Stop thinking so much, you'll hurt yourself" he grumbled out and closed the box, apparently deeming the work he did while Shouto grabbed his belongings good enough. The interior was well done and organized, though he was surprised since it was done by Bakugou-perfectionist-Katsuki. 

"What do you usually do the day before Christmas?" Todoroki asked, taking a seat on the couch while Bakugou took the box from the table and sat next to him.

"Nothing, I'm not 8 anymore. My parents just go for dinner and I usually train" he said simply. Shouto nodded, "my sister used to make cookies when we were younger. She used to sneak them to me right before midnight and Natsuo would come in. It was nice" 

Bakugou eyed him intensely and Shouto felt like he was being dissected under Bakugou's sharp gaze. "Do you want to do something?" Bakugou asked shockingly quietly. Shouto pursed his lips and thought of the things Izuku would tell him about his Christmas festivities. "Do you want to watch a movie?" 

Bakugou grabbed the remote for the television on the table and scrolled through holiday-themed movies as Shouto pointed out the ones he wanted to watch. They decided on an American film while Bakugou left to grab them water and snacks to munch on. 

The first movie went by quickly, it was a short film based around an animated dog and his friend who picks out a very pathetic-looking tree. Shouto tapped Bakugou's arm and pointed at a movie he recognized, "Ochako and Momo said that movie was very good" he said pointing at another American film called 'It's a Wonderful Life.'

Shouto must have been fooled because, from the beginning of this film, it is nowhere near a wonderful life. If anything, Shouto felt more distressed than festive watching the movie. Bakugou seemed incredibly uninterested with his arm leaning against his forearm as he scrolled on his phone. 

Shouto couldn't finish the rest of the movie, maybe 30 minutes left, it just didn't seem very joyful for the environment. He handed Bakugou the remote, "do you have any recommendations?" 

Katsuki turned off his phone and grabbed the remote, "used to watch this as a kid" he muttered while typing in 'Tokyo Godfathers' into the search bar and pressing play. 

"You know Izuku told me you two used to watch this as kids," he said with a hint of a smirk as he turned to the movie. Katsuki was about to turn the movie off when Shouto grabbed his hand and pulled it back, "I think it's sweet that you chose this movie" 

Bakugou glared at him and sulked into the couch, "you're fucking annoying you know that. Tell that damn nerd to stop talking about me" 

Shouto ignored him and leaned against Bakugou, the blonde adjusting so he was leaning against the armrest comfortably while still being able to hold Shouto's weight. 

They would never get to finish the movie because the two boys would end up falling asleep on the couch, their eyes growing heavy after watching hours of television, and would miss Mitsuki and Marasu coming home an hour later from dinner. 

Masaru held up a hand when seeing the two boys asleep on the couch and Mitsuki was about to ask what his deal was when she looked over and smiled. "Should we wake them up?" 

Masaru shook his head and grabbed a blanket to cover them with, "they'll probably wake up in a bit, you who Katsuki doesn't like to nap too long" 

Mitsuki nodded and looked around, "did the brat decorate?" she asked in a whisper while following her husband upstairs to their bedroom and giggling about their son. 

The two were right because Bakugou woke up 40 minutes later and shifted his gaze to the body resting against his shoulder. He ran a hand through the mismatched locks and gently woke the boy up, taking his time to imprint the image of the peaceful boy into his brain. Katsuki wishes that look would stay there forever. 

Shouto shifted beside him and looked up at Bakugou, "oh" was all he said, coming to the realization he fell asleep. He rubbed his eyes and sat up straighter, "are your parents home?" 

He watched Katsuki look over to where the kitchen was and saw an extra pair of keys sitting on a bowl in the middle, "yeah. Hungry?" 

Shouto nodded and looked down at the blanket covering them and pulled it off them, retracting his hand from Bakugou's while he did so. The rest of the night was spent with Bakugou yelling at Shouto to go sit somewhere else which he tried to watch Bakugou cook. Mitsuki must've heard them bickering because she came downstairs and greeted them, Masaru following shortly afterward. They asked Shouto questions, Mitsuki asking to make sure Katsuki has been a good host in playful manner, in which he pointed his wooden spoon at her and insisted he's been 'the best damn host Icyhot has ever seen' before finishing the curry he was making. Mitsuki and Masaru didn't eat with them since they had just gotten back from their meal but they stayed and told Shouto stories about younger Katsuki, many of them involving Izuku. 

Shouto was listening to something Masaru was telling him, completely oblivious to the smile Mitsuki sent her son who eyed her suspiciously, unsure of what she was trying to communicate through her condescending smile. 

The couple departed while Shouto and Bakugou finished up their curry and washed the dishes. "I'm really enjoying myself Katsuki. Thank you" 

Katsuki was drying his hands on the small towel and put it down to meet Shouto at the entrance of the kitchen, "stop thanking me, it's fucking weird Icyhot" he said while moving past him to get to the stairs to his bedroom. 

"I am though," he said stubbornly behind him while they made their way upstairs. Bakugou opened the door and grabbed clothes to change into. "I know Half-n-Half, now drop it." 

Shouto reached into his bag and grabbed out his sleeping clothes and toothbrush and got ready for bed. 

They didn't say anything else after that, just Shouto telling Bakugou good night and receiving no verbal response in return, just a firm hand joining his underneath the bed covers. 

The next morning started a little later than usual. When Shouto woke up, he already expected the blonde to be awake but was surprised to see the blonde sound asleep beside him. 

He looked so soft, so at peace, like there was nothing that could hurt him. Shouto smiled and lightly shook his shoulder, making sure to take a quick glance at the alarm clock beside his bed. "Katsuki, it's 9:30" 

The groggy boy beside him pushed his arm away as he yawned and sat up, much quicker and more alert to waking up than Shouto. They took turns in the bathroom getting ready. Shouto brought a white knit sweater and brown pants. 

Shouto went downstairs where Katsuki was in the kitchen cooking a simple breakfast for the two since they would be eating a lot more later. They ate in silence since Shouto's brain still hadn't awoken with the rest of his body yet. 

"Deku will probably be over later, damn nerd still comes over every year like clockwork" he informed with a huff. Shouto nodded, "okay"

And like he said, Izuku showed up two hours later, not even bothering to knock on the door. "Kacchan, your mom said you were out of strawberries so I went and grabbed some from the store for the cake" a familiar voice spoke from the entryway. 

The green-haired teen walked in and paused upon seeing Shouto sitting opposite Katsuki at the table. "Oh Shouto, what are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, I'm just surprised"

Shouto took a sip from his tea and smiled at his friend, "Bakugou's mom invited me since Natsuo is at the hospital" he explained, taking another sip from the tea. 

Izuku nodded and put the strawberries he bought in the refrigerator. "Oh, is the baby coming, that's so exciting, a Christmas birthday!" 

Shouto shook his head, "Not yet, they're monitoring her right now, she should be having the baby within the next few days." Midoriya nodded with a smile, "Well tell them both I said congrats. Now Kacchan, should we get started on the cake or are you just going to sit there?"

Katsuki stood up and pushed past Izuku in the kitchen, "Shut up Deku, I never asked you to come make the cake with me. You just butt in like the leech you are"

Midoriya narrowed his gaze and grabbed a bowl, "you could just say thank you Kacchan" he grumbled and Shouto smiled while watching them get to work. 

As Shouto expected, the next 3 hours of baking were full of silent teamwork between the two heroes-in-training, and constant bickering. There was no in between with them. Shouto would just hide a small laugh behind his hand, which would earn him a glare from Bakugou and a smile from Midoriya. 

Shouto didn't have a job, Katsuki said he has to stay away from the kitchen because he's a quote, 'as culinarily incompetent as a rock,' which he tried to defend himself but even Midoriya had to pat him on the shoulder and say, 'he's got a point Shouto.' So, he stayed out of the kitchen but would ask questions every now and then about the process and listen to Midoriya as he spoke while putting the cake in the oven. 

Katsuki remained mostly silent while putting the cream on the cake and cutting the strawberries in half and putting them on the cooling cake, making sure they were a perfect distance away from each other before putting it in the fridge. 

Izuku washed his hands off the cake residue and nodded his head, "Well, my job here is done. It was nice seeing you Sho. Later Kacchan, see you guys on New Year's?"

"Yes" 

"No" 

Shouto and Midoriya both gave Bakugou an unimpressed look and back at each other, both knowing Bakugou was gonna go with them to the fireworks after going to the shrines with their families. It had become a tradition in their class to watch the fireworks together. 

Midoriya gave them a wave, which only Shouto reciprocated. Shouto helped him finish cleaning up since it was the least he could do for being utterly useless in the process of actually making the dessert. 

Mitsuki and Masaru returned from work two hours later, explaining that they left the shop a little early to be with them. Shouto excused himself to grab the presents he brought from his bag and walked back downstairs where everyone was in the living room. 

Shouto watched Bakugou open the gifts his parents got him, and the ones he got them in return. It was fun, watching how Bakugou would look away when they opened their gifts with a bashful look on his face. After the conversation died down a bit between them, Shouto held up the two gift bags he got the older-Bakugous to them. "As a thank you, for letting me spend today with you guys," he said quietly. Bakugou turned to him, "you didn't need to do that" and he was immediately shushed by his mother. 

They opened their gifts and it was deafeningly silent. Mitsuki pulled out the blue shawl he had neatly folded out of it and smiled, "It's beautiful Shouto, thank you." 

Masaru pulled out the small ceramic tea set Shouto had bought after noticing the one in their kitchen had been chipped. He didn't have time to buy them more thoughtful presents since he had to find them before his return here yesterday when he was strolling through the shops on his way to the Bakugou household. 

Mitsuki and Masaru looked at each other and reached over the armchair of the couch where they had a blue gift bag, "we picked this up on our way home, we didn't want you to feel left out. We hope you like it" Mitsuki said with a smile. 

Shouto looked down at the bag and over at Katsuki who was looking around at the three of them with an unreadable look on his face. Shouto felt his hands get strangely tingely as he slowly reached into the bag and pulled out a cream-colored sweater and a cat keychain. "Katsuki mentioned you liked cats" 

Shouto looked over at Katsuki and down at the keychain. He couldn't help it when his mouth pulled up into a smile as he turned over to Mitsuki and Masaru, "thank you, these are great." 

They nodded and stood up, "we're going to put these away."

Shouto watched them walk away and turned to Bakugou, grabbing the last bag from behind him and handing it to him. "I know you said no gifts but Izuku said I should just do it anyway." 

Katsuki tentatively grabbed the bag and it was agonizing quiet as he pulled out the thin orange paper from the bag and set it aside. Inside the bag was a scarf that originally belonged to Shouto but for obvious reasons, he never used it. There was also an All Might mug. "The scarf was mine, Izuku said I should get you something thoughtful since I didn't know what to buy, so when you get cold you can use this when I'm not there." 

Bakugou held the scarf in his hands and gently placed the objects back into the bag walked over to the tree and grabbed the gifts underneath them and dropped them in front of Shouto, "fucking sap" he muttered with pink ears as he looked away from him. 

Shouto opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to say anything. He grabbed the first neatly wrapped present and opened it, it was an old Endeavor trading card, Bakugou watched his expression carefully, watching the way Shouto covered his mouth to cover the small laugh that threatened to leave. The second one he started to open when Katsuki reached forward, "open that last" 

Shouto placed the gift next to him and opened the third one to find a singular DVD with the movie 'Frozen' inside of it, which Shouto gave him a 'really?' look which Katsuki looked at him smugly in return. The third one, he looked up at Bakugou who was turned away from him. Inside the packaging was a piece of fabric, no, a small t-shirt with the words, 'Pro Hero Shoto's little helper' and a picture frame, with a photo from their second year -- Shouto was given the task of getting Katsuki in the New Year's spirit. The photo caught the moment Shouto put the 'Happy New Year's' headband on his head, hands still in the air with a triumphant look on his face and Izuku latched onto his back as support, laughing brightly while Bakugou looked off-gaurd since they snuck attacked him. 

Shouto was suddenly feeling very overwhelmed, like his chest was heavy while he looked up at the blonde a foot away from him. Red eyes were already on him, watching him carefully, making sure to soak up every reaction. Shouto looked down at the shirt, "for the baby?" 

Bakugou shrugged, "Deku wouldn't stop talking about how excited you were or whatever" 

Shouto held the items close to him for a second before moving closer to Bakugou and wrapping his arms around his neck. Bakugou froze under him and slowly put his hands on Shouto's back. Shouto took a deep breath, careful to not get too caught up in the moment, and felt immediately more composed with the smell of burnt sugar and pine filling his senses. "I love them," he said quietly into Bakugou's neck and pulled away. Shouto connected their lips, letting the heaviness in his chest be released. This feeling was new, and Shouto had no idea what it was, but it was getting louder and louder. 

Katsuki pulled away and breathed in, "Merry Christmas" he whispered, just for Shouto to hear. Shouto planted one more peck in his mouth, "Merry Christmas Katsuki" 

The rest of the day was full of eating KFC and enjoying the strawberry cake Katsuki and Izuku had made hours prior. Shouto shared a few stories of his siblings and told them of what they had been doing in class recently. When it was time for bed, Shouto carefully put his gifts in his bag and took his spot next to Bakugou who was looking at the ceiling, "you have no idea what you're doing to me Icyhot" he whispered, eyes glued to the ceiling. 

Shouto looked over, confused about what he could've done. "What do you mean?" he asked, volume quiet so as to not wake up Bakugou's parents down the hall. The blonde just shook his head, "just go to bed Icyhot" he said and turned his back to him. Shouto wanted to ask what he had done wrong but instead, just closed his eyes and trusted that Katsuki would tell him in time. 

The two weeks went by quickly. Shouto went home the day after Christmas and spent the next week training and talking on the phone with his siblings. His niece was born on the 28th. He occasionally called Katsuki and Izuku before New Year's. 

New Year's Day was spent with his sister who returned from her partner's and went to the shrines with him, then came home and had lunch with him and their father. Shouto left a few hours afterward and went to watch the fireworks. The night was spent sitting in the grass with his classmates. Everyone was too occupied with their conversations to notice Shouto linking his pinky with Bakugou's as the fireworks started. 

Shouto managed to get through the school day without seeming too out-of-the-ordinary. Izuku was first to clock his strange behavior and poked him during lunch, "What's bothering you Shouto?" 

There really wasn't anything he should be upset about, he was actually pretty excited. Today was the day people were allowed to come see the baby. "Oh, does it look like something is bothering me?" he asked, instinctively touching his face to see if it had changed. 

Izuku shook his head, "no, you just seemed out of it today" 

He wasn't wrong, he felt out of it. These past few months since Natsuo announced that he and his wife were having a baby, Shouto has felt this new profound sense of identity. He wasn't just the son of retired pro-hero Endeavor, brother of deceased super-villain Touya Todoroki, better known as Dabi, or rising pro-hero Shouto. For a moment, he could just see himself as an uncle. It didn't have to be a huge thing, and yet, it was another title for him, one he didn't have to feel too conflicting about. 

Shouto just put a hand on his shoulder and stood up, "I must be tired" he assured and put his lunch away in his bag, he wasn't going to eat it anyway. 

When school was over and he had changed out of his school uniform into more appropriate attire, he sighed and knocked on Katsuki's door. The blonde has actually been avoiding him for the past two days, why? Shouto wasn't sure. Well, actually, he wasn't entirely sure he was being ignored, Bakugou kept saying he was busy, and when he asked Midoriya, he would just reiterate the same thing. 

The blonde opened the door shortly after, "what do you want Icyhot?" 

Shouto looked inside to where Mina and Kaminari were sitting inside with their notebooks open. "Oh never mind, I can come back..." he said quietly. 

Bakugou followed him outside to the hallway and closed the door, "what's up, have something to do with why you were distracted all of homeroom?" 

He wasn't aware it was noticeable. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Todoroki looked around the empty hallway and slumped his shoulders, "babies are really small" was all he managed to spit out. 

Katsuki nodded and rolled his eyes, "no shit Icyhot. Is that what you're worried about, that you'll hurt the baby or something? You'll be fine idiot" 

Shouto shrugged, "I've never held one before, what if I do it wrong, I watched a video but what if my quirk activates or something?" 

The blonde crossed his arms and looked at Shouto like he had just expressed the stupidest words he'd ever heard, "you're overthinking. Look, it'll be fine. You have long gotten past being able to control your quirk. Now go and stop stalling" 

Shouto nodded, "okay, thank you Katsuki. I'm just nervous I suppose"

Bakugou opened his door, "No shit. If you're still feeling nervous or whatever later you can call me or whatever..." he said quietly, mumbling the last part and looking inside his dorm where Kaminari was now watching with a confused look on his face. 

Now feeling much more confident, still nervous, but confident enough, he nodded, "I'll keep that in mind. Bye Katsuki" 

Bakugou slammed the door shut instead of responding. 

Natsuo's house wasn't very far maybe 40-minute commute at most, though Shouto didn't mind the trek. It gave him time to do some reading he had for his English class and listen to the playlist Jirou had shown him last month. 

After leaving the station and walking the 11 minutes to Natsuo's house, he raised his hand and knocked on the wooden door. There was the sound of hurried footsteps as his brother opened the door. 

Natsuo had a smile on his face but it was hard to miss the circles around his eyes. Natsuo ushed him in and led him to the bedroom where his wife sat on the bed, with Fuyumi standing at her side. Shouto knocked quietly on the door before walking in, even though Natsuo told him to just walk in as he left to grab something. 

He gave his sister-in-law a quick hug and congratulated her. Fuyumi turned at his voice and in her arms was a very small baby girl. Shouto froze in his spot and turned to his sister-in-law who smiled at him and gestured her hand to the baby, "Shouto, meet Kiyomi." 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over at his brother who nodded his head, "want to hold her?" 

Shouto looked back down at the baby who was sleeping in Fuyumi's arms. Shouto took a moment to reply to every minute of the video he watched and nodded. Fuyumi gently and slowly moved her arms so Natsuo could transition Kiyomi from her hands to Shouto's. 

He made sure to support her head, that was the main thing he made sure to take note of, and sat down on the corner of the bed. Shouto looked down and used his right hand to gently touch her tiny hand that was smaller than any one of his fingers. "She's beautiful," he said quietly, an involuntary smile occupying his face. 

Natsuo patted his shoulder, "she is isn't she?" 

Fuyumi grabbed hold of Natsuo's arm and smiled, "you two did good little brother" 

Natsuo smiled and put his arm around his sister and looked down at Shouto whose eyes were glued to the baby, "her hair is white" he noted out loud, earning a small laugh from the adults around him. 

The noise must've stirred the little human in his arms because, within seconds, she was stirring and opening her eyes, only to start crying immediately. Shouto froze and looked between the adults, "sorry, did I scare her?" he asked quietly. His sister-in-law sat up and carefully pulled the baby to her, "she's probably just hungry Shouto" 

Natsuo nodded, "let's go have tea while she feeds her" 

The three siblings sat down at the table while Shouto used his quirk to quickly heat the water since they were all impatient. Shouto looked down at his cup and frowned, which didn't go unnoticed by his siblings. 

"She's just hungry Shouto, you didn't scare her" Natsuo assured, pouring their tea into separate mugs. Fuyumi nodded in agreement, "she did the same thing before you showed up when I was holding her, she's okay" 

Shouto nodded, "are you scared of having a baby, they're really small," he asked, looking over at his brother handed him a mug of hot tea. 

Natsuo sat down and nodded with a small chuckle, "of course, I've been scared since we found out we were having her. I mean, we didn't have a good example of how to be good parents but I really think I can do this" 

Shouto nodded and took a sip of his tea, "well you know what not to do" he said licking his lips of tea and watching as his brother started laughing and Fuyumi giggling behind her mug. He didn't get what was so funny. 

Natsuo just grinned and shook his head, "that's right Shouto, want to go see her for a bit more before you have to head back to school?" 

Shouto was sitting at his desk when someone started pounding on his door. The clock read 8 pm. He opened the door to see Katsuki standing there, looking like he was dressed for bed. 

"How'd it go?" he asked, pushing past Shouto into the dorm room. The heterochromatic boy shut the door and took his seat back at the desk, "it went really well, you were right" 

The blonde snorted, "Of course I was right. Anyway, I made extra dinner, it's in the fridge. I didn't know if you ate or not and didn't want you bothering me at midnight to cook for you" 

Shouto stood up and walked over to where Bakugou was standing in the middle of the small dorm space, "thank you. I'll eat it tomorrow. I'm pretty tired after today" 

Bakugou nodded, "right, alright later Icyhot"

Shouto grabbed his hand, "I had a really great time today, thank you for what you said earlier, it helped" 

The blonde looked down at their hands, "the idiots are gone" he said vaguely, but Shouto knew now that was his way of telling Shouto he could stay in his dorm if he wanted. 

Todoroki nodded, "I'll be up in a few minutes, I need to get ready for bed" 

Shouto may have said he was tired, but he ended up telling Bakugou about his entire evening until 10 pm when they both fell asleep. The next few days, he would go to Natsuo's every day after school when he had free time and the other time he had left over was dedicated to his school work. 

It was running a bit later than usual when he came back from Natsuo's, around 7 pm. His brother had offered to drive him back, with Fuyumi. It was a little strange since they'd never done that since the baby arrived, but he wasn't going to refuse. Shouto was about to say his goodbyes to his siblings when they started walking towards the front door. 

It felt a bit premature, walking him to his dorm, he was far too old for that. Even though it was a little later than usual, he expected to see the lights on at least, and people in the common room studying or playing cards. 

He heard his brother snicker beside him and suddenly the lights turned on, and his classmates jumped from various hiding spots, 

"Happy Birthday Shouto!" he heard from all around him. 

With everything that has been happening and his lack of observation, he didn't even realize it was the 11th already. Natsuo and Fuyumi hugged him, "it was so hard distracting you all week," Fuyumi said in his ear with a grin. 

The room was decorated in a way that screamed class 3A. There were streamers put up in a very disorganized manner and were all red and white. There was a cake on the table, with multiple different colors of frosting. It was perfect. 

Fuyumi and Natsuo took a step back so his classmates could come and swarm him. Izuku and Ochako hugged him first and congratulated him for joining them in adulthood. Everyone else either came and gave him a quick hug or pat on his back. They took turns giving him gifts, many were small trinkets or sweaters, some manga's from Sero. 

Shouto sat on the couch, surrounded by his friends and wrapping paper. Shouto looked up at Bakugou who was a good distance away, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching the scene. 

"Kacchan planned this you know," Izuku said in his ear, following his gaze. Shouto looked over at him, "what?"

Midoriya nodded and picked up some of the wrapping paper off of the ground, "we didn't know what to do for your birthday and he told us you were at your brother's the whole week, he texted them and let them know." 

Shouto stood up and let Sero put a golden paper crown on his head, "Happy birthday Shouto" he said with a grin. 

Shouto touched the crown on his head, "thank you Hanta" 

Sero patted his shoulder and walked over to where people were gathered around the older Todoroki siblings, letting them recall childhood stories of the birthday boy. Shouto stopped in front of Bakugou and kicked his foot with his own, "Izuku said this was your idea"

Katsuki turned, "I said you were gone, I didn't come up with the idea, Ponytail did" 

Shouto nodded, "who texted Natsuo and Fuyumi?"

Shouto watched as Katsuki's cheeks turned a shade darker, "only because your dumbass leaves your phone everywhere, put a damn password on your phone Icyhot" he said while walking past to go stand where everyone else was gathering around the cake, ushering Shouto to the middle. 

Fuyumi and Natsuo had to leave pretty early since his sister had work and well, Natsuo had a newborn at home. They said their goodbyes to his classmates. Shouto watched Natsuo pat Bakugou's shoulder and felt his lips quirk up. Shouto walked them to the door and they both hugged him, Natsuo smiled at him, "You have some good friends Shouto, they care about you a lot" 

Shouto smiled, "I know, I'll see you in a few days" 

They ended up singing a very loud and unsynchronized happy birthday to him and gathered around the table to eat cake. Even though it was disorderly and louder than Shouto is used to, it probably had to be one of, if not, the best birthdays he's ever had. It felt like everything was starting to come together. 

They talked and stayed in the common area until around 9 when they called it quits, mostly for the sake of the early-sleeping students, like the birthday boy. He brought his new gifts into his room, changed out of his afternoon attire, and made his way downstairs where he knew Katsuki is awake right now. 

The blonde must've been expecting him to come over because his door was cracked open. Shouto opened it and saw the blonde lying down on his bed, ignoring Shouto as he closed the door behind him. 

Shouto moved to sit next to him on the bed and Bakugou looked up from his phone and watched his movements. Shouto looked to the side where he lay next to Bakugou on the bed and poked his side, "kiss me" 

Katsuki turned off his phone, "you're needy" he said before looking back at the device. Shouto pouted and grabbed his phone, "it's my birthday"

Katsuki rolled his eyes, "yeah yeah, excuses..." he muttered sarcastically but leaned down to kiss Shouto anyways. "Happy birthday" he muttered quietly against his lips, moving his arms to either side of Shouto.

The birthday boy felt electric. His entire day, surrounded by the people he loves, gives him more love in one day than Shouto can say he has received in years. And here he was, with who was probably the most beautiful man Shouto had ever seen in his entire life. 

Every movement made his fingers tingle as they found their way to Katsuki's soft blonde locks and cupped his jaw. Bakugou pressed Shouto further into the bed, positioning himself so he was holding himself up properly above him. Shouto wanted more. 

His fingers dug into Bakugou's scalp, earning a small hiss from his lover and a quick bite to his lower lip, which Shouto smiled at. "Brat," Bakugou said, breaking them apart for a second, before moving down to his neck. 

Shouto doesn't know too much, and doesn't have much experience in a lot of things revolving sexual exploration and romantic situations, besides those he's been into with Katsuki, but he was alarmingly aware of the fact that he wanted more. 

He wanted Katsuki closer. Shouto moved his hands to the hem of Bakugou's shirt and let his fingers gingerly explore Bakugou's side, testing the waters. Bakugou sighed and pressed down a little more so Shouto could run his hands up Bakugou's front, tracing every line and crevice of the man's torso. 

He pulled at the white fabric and didn't even feel shame when a desperate noise came from the back of his throat. "Katsuki," he said teasing. The man above him used one of his hands to move Shouto's own away from his shirt, 

"Not today baby," he said softly, his voice sounding deeper than usual, the nickname earning a whine from Shouto. The birthday boy pulled back and looked up at the red eyes above him with his own heterochromatic ones. 

Katsuki traced his face with his fingers, tracing over Shouto's bottom lip with his thumb. Shouto opened his mouth slightly at the sudden touch. Bakugou sucked in a controlled breath, "fuck Shouto, you're so beautiful" 

Shouto grabbed onto Bakugou's shirt, "Katsuki, please" he said, properly begging this time. Katsuki leaned down and pressed a kiss to his temple. 

"Calm down Shouto, what do you want?" he asked patiently, giving Shouto space to breathe. 

Shouto let his head fall back against the pillow, "I just want you Katsuki" 

The blonde nodded and captured his lips again, "Okay, we won't be doing, that, today, but we can try something else...?" he asked, his voice much more cautious and nervous than before. 

Shouto looked up at Bakugou, who was carefully watching him, and nodded, "Okay." 

Bakugou raised a brow, "okay?" he repeated, and Shouto nodded more affirmably this time, "Yeah." 

Bakugou sat up, pulling Shouto's shirt over his head slowly, eyes tracking Shouto's every movement, making sure Shouto was with him every second of the way. Shouto didn't dare break contact as Bakugou moved back in closer and pressed his lips to Shouto's collarbone. 

"Let me know if it's too much, okay" Shouto nodded and gasped at the small bite Bakugou left on his shoulder, "say it, and you'll let me know"

Bakugou was looking at him now, waiting for him. Shouto nodded, "I'll tell you if it's too much" 

Bakugou gave him one more curt nod and sucked in a breath before pressing his lips back down onto Shouto's bare torso, hands rubbing comforting circles on his hipbone. 

If Shouto had to describe the rest of the experience, he would say it was the best birthday present he'd ever received. Tentative hands exploring new places, lips finding new sanctuaries. Shouto's moans were suppressed behind his knuckles, while Bakugou told him sweet nothings in his ears and swallowed up the noises he let out as his hand worked Shouto slowly into release. 

Afterward, they cleaned up and Shouto was lying, facing Bakugou. "Next time, can I try?" he asked Katsuki, who flicked his forehead, "also so eager. Go to bed birthday boy"

And he did, in what was probably the deepest and most rested he's felt. It was the perfect day. 

The next day though, Shouto was stuck covering new hickeys with the make-up given to him by Yaoyorozu all those weeks ago. He had covered most of them with the collar of his uniform and only had to apply make-up to the other two that snuck just past the collar. 

Shouto started his walk to class early, mostly because he wanted to catch Bakugou before class. Luckily, the blonde was grabbing something from the fridge when Shouto made it downstairs, "you know, when I leave marks, I at least make sure they won't show" he said in faux-complaint while Bakugou closed the fridge. 

Katsuki looked over at him lazily and put the bento in his bag from the meal he had prepared the night before, "not my fault you like it so much Icyhot" he said simply and closed his bag. Shouto felt his face heat up a bit, he was about to comment when Denki walked past the kitchen. 

"Bakubro, thanks for the study sesh, I'm pretty confident toda--oh hey Todobro, what are you doing?" he asked curiously, stopping in his tracks to look at the two. 

Shouto slipped his hands in his pockets, "what do you mean?" he asked, surely it wasn't strange for him to be in the communal kitchen area. 

The electric boy shrugged, "just wondering, you usually walk with Midoriya and them. Just surprised to see you this morning. Wanna walk with me?" 

Shouto looked over at Bakugou who shrugged and pushed past the both of them to the door, leaving them behind to walk to class. Shouto walked over to Kaminari and kept pace with him as they walked. 

Shouto didn't say much, mostly letting Kaminari control the conversation. "you two got closer" he said after a while. Shouto didn't have to guess to know who he was talking about. 

"I guess so," he said, pretending as if it weren't very noticeable to him. The boy beside him nodded, "It's true, he's warmed up to you I think. I'm glad." 

Shouto side-glanced him and tried to see what the intent of the conversation-change was. They were reaching the classrooms when Kaminari smiled at him, "You know, you can always talk to me if you want, if you're ever needing help with girl or guy problems, whatever." 

Shouto furrowed his brows, "Guy problems?" he asked curiously, he didn't think he had those. The blonde just shrugged again, "just saying, if you ever want someone to talk to about anything, you can come to me. I'm pretty observant ya know" he said proudly, though Shouto still didn't understand where he was coming from. 

They walked into the class together, Shouto took his seat in the back and looked down at his desk. Guy problems? Had Kaminari picked up on something he hadn't? What could have warranted the concern? It was all very confusing to him. 

Yaoyorozu caught him after classes ended, "hey, you okay Shouto?" 

Shouto who had just taken a shower after their training, nodded and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Actually, can I ask you a question?" 

Yaoyorozu nodded and sat down at the bench by the door, which Shouto followed. Everyone had just about cleared out and the ones who were straggling behind weren't paying them any attention. 

"How do you know if you like someone?" he asked. Yaoyorozu was smart, she also once told Shouto she had feelings for someone in another class a few months ago so she much knows more about this department than he does. 

Yaoyorozu smiled at him, "is this about whoever left you hickeys that one day?" she asked nudging his arm playfully. 

Shouto turned his head so quickly, that he almost worried he gave himself whiplash, "you knew?" he asked after a moment of composure. The girl beside him giggled and nodded, "You didn't expect me to believe that you had gotten that bruise from training when it wasn't there the day before, plus, if it were from training, you wouldn't care to cover it up." 

Shouto frowned and Momo put a hand on her arm, "Look, don't worry, I'm not going to get into your business, whoever this person is, is your business. But I guess it just depends on if you like spending time with them and what kind of feelings arise when you are together." 

Shouto let her words sink in for a few seconds, "How do I know if I don't just like them as a friend? I've gotten this wrong before" 

Yaoyorozu smiled and laughed, "don't remind me of that," she said, the memories of Shouto trying to decipher if he was in love with Midoriya or not the first year, and with Momo's help, realizing he just loved him as a friend, his best friend. "Well, how do you feel around them?" 

Shouto pondered his brain, "A lot, but I don't know what it all means" 

Yaoyorozu nodded, "Well why don't you try to see how you feel these next few days and we can try to figure it out, that sound okay?" 

Shouto nodded, "yes, thank you"

The raven-haired girl nodded and stood up, "alright, let's go back before they start wondering where we are" 

Three days have passed and Shouto has been on the watch. Every moment he spends with the explosive blonde has been solely for his research. Watching his every bodily movement, even when it's just them in the common room and Shouto asks him to help him with his homework, which he actually understands but Momo said it's important to see how he feels outside of just making out with him. 

It's safe to say that Shouto has learned nothing from these past few days, except what he knew before already; that he enjoys his company a lot, and he feels a strange thumping in his chest whenever they lock eyes. He already knew this though. 

Yaoyorozu has been a great help in the situation, but because of her lack of knowledge, she couldn't provide much input. That is how Shouto found himself in her dorm, after the weekend, with his minuscule findings. 

"It's Bakugou," he said while they sat in her room, watching some rom-com she put on to cheer him up. She immediately paused the movie and turned to him, "What?" 

"The guy I was talking about, it's Katsuki" he reiterated, watching how she let her initial shock vanish and nods, trying to be more of a listener and not let her excitement get the better of her. 

"Bakugou, okay...can I ask how this all started?" she said cautiously.

Shouto nodded and explained the story of Mina and Kirishima's role in the story of when they got together, to the first kisses, to Christmas break, he even tried to tell her about the night of his birthday but she immediately grabbed his hand and told him she didn't need details. Which he apologized for. 

Momo placed her hands in her lap and leaned back against her headboard, "yeah, he's tough to read" she agreed, letting her brain run. "Have you asked his friends, see what they had to say?" 

Shouto shook his head, "No, we haven't told anyone, except you. I'm not sure if he would be comfortable with that" he explained with a sigh. 

Yaoyorozu nodded again, "Well I would suggest not doing anything else, you know, until you're sure about how you feel. It wouldn't be right if you were acting on your feelings without him knowing, and if you discover that you still only have platonic feelings for him, you don't want to lead him on. I would just be careful Shouto, I know this is new to you, but you'll figure it out." 

Shouto nodded, "what do I do?" 

Momo bit her lip in thought, "Why not talk to Sero about it? You're pretty good friends with him and he probably knows a lot about Bakugou since their friends. It's just a suggestion" 

It wasn't a bad idea. Sero wouldn't tell anyone, and he was friends with both of them enough to know them pretty well. He knows a lot about Shouto anyway and spends a good amount of time with Bakugou and that group. "Yeah, I'll speak to him about it later."

Momo smiled and nodded, "Well, if it makes you feel better, you know that guy from the other class, Awase?" 

Shouto tried to put a face to the name but failed to do so, unfortunately, he wasn't that close with the other class, besides his brief conversations with Monomo who he's pretty sure is in a relationship with their classmate Shinsou. 

It took a few minutes of him rummaging through his brain before he vaguely remembered the guy, "the one with the welding quirk?" he asked after several minutes. 

He must've been right because Momo instantly turned a shade darker and nodded, "We've been talking a lot, and he took me to dinner over break. He's really nice" 

Momo talked to him for a few more minutes about her growing attraction to Awase, and how she was trying to decide her feelings for him as well. They both decided to finish the movie after a while. While Momo was talking, Shouto got a text from Bakugou. 

Katsuki: shitty hair wants to see if you wanna play uno in the common room.

Shouto showed Yaoyorozu the text and smiled, "You can go if you want, we can talk tomorrow. Shouto tapped his finger against the side of the device and shook his head, "It's okay, I need to think things over, I can see him later" 

I'm with Yaoyorozu right now. 

I can come over later. 

Katsuki: no its fine. im heading to bed after. 

Okay. See you tomorrow Katsuki. 

read. 

Weird. Shouto turned off his phone and sighed. "Is he the guy you were telling me about before?" Yaoyorozu turned to him and nodded, before looking back at the movie. 

The next day, Shouto tried to catch Katsuki before class but he was already gone by the time Shouto had left his dorm. He always did get ready quicker than Shouto so it wasn't really strange to not see him beforehand. 

Shouto took his seat, he was going to say good morning to Katsuki before class started but he was busy talking with Kirishima so he decided to let him be, plus, he looked more agitated than usual. 

The rest of the day ran smoothly, with Shouto being able to focus on class a little bit better now than he had been able to these past few days. Momo had stuck with him for a lot of it, to show him the new texts from her new crush and help him with a math equation when Bakugou left before he could ask. 

After classes had ended, Shouto found Sero sitting in the common room with Denki on the couch, talking about something he couldn't hear. With one goal in mind, he strode over and sat next to him, raising attention from Denki who smiled at him, "Hey Todobro, what's up?"

Shouto opened his mouth to say something and closed it, looking between the two of them. Kaminari read the situation and stood up, "I'll leave you two, see ya later Todobro" 

Shouto waved at him as he walked away. Sero turned to him and raised an eyebrow, "You good Shouto, need something?" 

Shouto looked around the room, everyone was too busy engaging in their own conversations and were too out of earshot to hear what Shouto was about to ask. "Has Katsuki mentioned anything about feelings with you?" 

Sero furrowed his brow and chuckled, "Katsuki, feelings? Shouto why are y---oh my god" Shouto looked away, unable to meet the grin on his face. 

"Why, do you have feelings for him?" he asked more smugly, arm now around Shouto's shoulder with a grin. Shouto shrugged his arm off, "I don't know. Momo said you might be able to help me figure out if I do" 

Sero smiled and patted his shoulder, "Well you came to the right guy. I don't know about feelings, but it's obvious to see that he tolerates you more than the average person. I mean, you guys spend a lot of time together and he doesn't push you away, you gotta be doing something right. Did something happen that changed?" 

Shouto had to go through the process of catching Sero up on the situation, much like he did with Yaoyorozu the night before. Sero gasped and jumped up, "no fucking way, I didn't even notice!" he said a little too loudly and sat back down. "All those study sessions?" 

Shouto nodded, "We did study though" he felt he had to add. Sero laughed in his seat, "Who would've thought, the Ice Prince and Explosive boy huh, guess it makes sense when you think about it." 

"Ice Prince?" Shouto asked, his face grimacing at the nickname. Sero nodded with a hand on his chin, "It's a thing in the class because you used to be all 'I'm not here to make friends' and whatever." 

"Anyways, I have so many questions," the boy beside him said with newly-found excitement that Shouto had never seen him possess. "Have you guys talked about feelings or anything like that?" 

Shouto shook his head, "no" 

Sero tapped his chin again, "makes sense, you two are both very emotionally challenged...Well, I need to do some studying but we will talk about this more."

Shouto helped him with some of his English since it was where he was struggling and he felt much better, having people who were in the loop now. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

Shouto looked up from his notebook at the Bakugou who was in the kitchen, bickering with Midoriya over something he couldn't decipher. Bakugou seemingly felt his gaze because he looked back at Shouto, who waved. Bakugou just looked at him for a second where he was sitting with Sero on the couch and turned back to his argument with the green-haired man. 

Shouto tilted his head, keeping his eyes on the blonde for a moment longer. 

How did he feel about him?

It had become vividly clear that Shouto was being ignored.

It had been well over a month since Shouto had started to question his feelings for the blonde and he had just become more and more confused as the day went on. During the first two weeks, they had continued studying together and Shouto would still seek him out, but he never let it escalate to anything more.

School was also becoming more and more demanding as graduation loomed closer, and they started to prepare for their hero work following graduation. Even though Shouto's schedule had become increasingly more packed with schoolwork and training and visiting his siblings and mother, he still tried to see Bakugou when he could, but the other couldn't be bothered.

One instance was two weeks ago when Shouto had returned from his brother's house and was on his way to tell him about the day he had with his niece. He knocked on the blonde's door and it took longer than usual for the latter to open his door. When he did, he looked far from amused and leaned against the doorframe, "What do you want Half-n-Half?"

Shouto pulled out his phone, to show him the photos he had taken since he hadn't responded to his messages, "Kiyomi, she grabbed my finger to--"

"Look Icyhot, I got shit to do, is this important?" he asked, his face unchanged from its bored state.

Shouto turned off his phone and slipped it into his pocket, "no, sorry, I'll leave you"

He wasn't sure what he did wrong, he figured it was because he had stopped kissing him and when Bakugou would try to initiate, Shouto would say he wasn't in the mood. After a while, Bakugou stopped trying altogether.

Maybe that's all it was, Bakugou just needed a new outlet, and kissing Shouto was that. Now that the kissing factor was gone, he didn't really have a reason to keep seeing Shouto how they used to. It also didn't help that Shouto had come to the painful realization that he did in fact have feelings for the explosive blonde, he just wasn't sure how strong they were.

When he tried to text him to hang out with him outside of school, he got turned down. He would try to catch Bakugou's gaze from across the room but he stopped looking his way. Shouto was officially confused.

He knew this was a stressful time for all of them as the impending clock ticked over their heads, letting them know their high school days were coming to an end. It just reminded Shouto more and more that after this, he wouldn't see any of them nearly as often as he does now and might even lose contact with a few. He hoped not.

Instead of dwelling on it, he tried to spend his time with his friends as much as he could. He even let Uraraka and Asui drag him shopping one day, which he despised, but he enjoyed their company so he deemed it worth it.

He did a lot of training with Sero and Midoriya, who caught on to his weird behavior but didn't question him, which he appreciated. Momo has been a good friend through all of this, since they seemed to be in similar boats here, both trying to figure out where they stood with their respective crushes.

It was weird though, just how fast Shouto and Bakugou's relationship had regressed to the position they were in a year ago. They were still friends, sure, but they didn't have long conversations anymore, Bakugou didn't respond to texts if he didn't have to, there was just nothing extra to be excited over.

And it was starting to hurt.

There was an incident the other day, during a training session. Shouto and Bakugou had been paired to train together. Shouto stood next to him and tried to start a conversation but Bakugou just walked away from him, "don't go easy on me Icyhot" was all he said before standing across from him.

They fought for longer than necessary, now having a circle around them as they went head-to-head. There was a fire inside of Shouto that burned with every memory of Bakugou pushing him away, not letting him come close. Bakugou wasn't holding back either, landing swift punches to his jaw which he would deflect by sending a wave of ice, which was quickly exploded by the other.

There was tension in the air, Shouto could feel it, hell, he was living it. He wanted Bakugou's attention and this was the most Katsuki had looked at him in 4 weeks. Shouto wasn't about to let it go.

They went back and forth, landing hits on each other and causing damage to the training room while their class yelled in support of either one. Shouto couldn't hear them, he was tunnel visioned on the blonde.

They were now close to each other, throwing punches and explosions at one another, equally dodging each attack. "Katsuki" he tried to say as he ducked his head at an explosion sent his way.

"Shut up Icyhot" the other spat while sending a quick kick to his stomach. The dual-quirk user coughed and got back to his stance, dodging a quick attack from Bakugou.

"Jesus Katsuki, talk to me" he tried again, freezing his arm when Bakugou sent a punch, coming in contact with the ice on his arm.

"I said shut up!" he said pushing him away.

"Bakugou!" he finally yelled, trying to get his attention while he threw a wave of ice at the latter.

At the mention of his surname, Bakugou stumbled and looked up, the ice coming in contact with his side, knocking him over. Shouto immediately stopped and ran over, "can we talk?" he asked as the blonde got back up to continue their spar.

"Leave me the fuck alone Icyhot, now stop standing around and fight me!"

Shouto clenched his fists, feeling the heat of flames emit from his hands and the left side of his face. For the first time in a long time, he saw a small smirk from Bakugou. Before they could run after each other, they were stopped by Aizawa, "Enough, I'm calling it."

Bakugou wiped the blood from his lip, "I'm fine, look he's fine. Let us be" Katsuki tried to argue.

Aizawa shook his head, "at this rate, both of you will get hurt. What's gotten into you two?"

Shouto let the flames die down and watched Bakugou's face twist in anger, "just gonna give up like that Icyhot"

Shouto wasn't sure what he was supposed to do if not listen to his teacher. "Katsuki" he started quietly, making sure their classmates who were watching the interaction couldn't hear.

Katsuki just huffed and shoved past him, "Just leave me alone."

Midoriya and Momo patched him up as he took a much-needed seat on one of the benches, his entire body aching.

"Jesus, you looked like you wanted to kill each other" Midoriya mumbled as he wrapped Shouto's arm from where Bakugou had managed to hit him and leave a cut he didn't even notice was there until now, the adrenaline wearing off.

Momo just gave him a sympathetic look and patted his hand after wiping the blood from his face and putting the bandaid wrappers in the trash. "Just go get some rest," his teacher said while he made his way over, "I just told Bakugou to do that same"

just leave me alone.

And since that day, he did exactly that. He couldn't pinpoint where everything went wrong. It seemed as if the moment he realized he had feelings for Bakugou, everything went downhill.

Maybe he knew, and that's why he was pushing him away. He didn't feel the same. Or he must've done something wrong. The questions were killing him and he didn't know what to do about it.

Everyone seemed to notice the shift. The way Bakugou was snappier than usual and Shouto was more quiet and quick to snap back. The tension between the two was hard to miss and Shouto wished to just be swallowed whole or told this was all just a strange alternate reality he found himself in.

He couldn't let himself dwell on it though. Well, he didn't want to, but it was hard to when he had to see the reason for his distress in every class and in the common room. And if he's honest, he didn't want to stop seeing him.

That was the worst part, he wanted Bakugou's eyes on him. He wanted to be near him. And he wasn't, it was eating at him.

He decided to ignore it, and focus on helping set up the common room with Momo and Uraraka who did their best to cheer him up. It helped to have a distraction. They were having a party for the class, to celebrate their upcoming graduation since they would start their final exams and preparations the next week.

The party was for tomorrow and everyone was assigned a different job. Shouto was going to bring snacks but decided to help with the decor instead since being on food duty would mean having to ask everyone what they would prefer, including Bakugou.

Once the streamers were hung up and the tables had colorful covers over them, Shouto deemed the job done. He was talking with the two girls when the door to the elevator opened to reveal Bakugou and Jirou on the other side. Shouto and Bakugou looked at each other for a split second before Bakugou just turned back to Jirou and continued whatever they were talking about and exited the elevator. Uraraka turned to him, "What happened between you two, I thought you two were friends?"

Shouto just pressed the button to his and Uraraka's floor, "I guess not" he said simply, having no energy to delve into that right now.

Shouto went to his room, changed into shorts and a t-shirt and storming back downstairs, headphones in his ear. Running would help.

He left the dormitory building and decided to do a few laps around until his chest started to tighten and his legs aching. He stopped at the side of the building and rested his palms on his knees, breathing out harshly. He dropped his head down and felt an overwhelming feeling of dread in his chest, almost threatening to pool out. Instead of letting that happen, he instead turned up the music in his ears and pushed forward to finish his run.

The run helped, clearing his head of any lingering thoughts that tried to interfere with his brain. While he finished his cool-down lap around the building, walking back to the front. The sun was starting to set and Shouto could feel the spring air sticking to his skin. It really was a beautiful day out today. Shouto pulled out his phone to take a photo and almost felt his hand instinctively send the photo to Bakugou.

"You realize we see the same sky every day Icyhot?" Bakugou once asked over the phone after Shouto sent 4 photos of the sunrise one winter day.

Shouto nodded as he walked back to his home with the groceries his father had to go get. "I am aware Katsuki, but I thought you would like them. It's very nice out"

If Shouto could see him, he would probably see Bakugou rolling his eyes, "doesn't mean you need to send me a picture every damn day, fuck, do you send this many to Deku too?"

Shouto stopped in his tracks, a few minutes from his house, balancing his phone between his ear and shoulder as he rearranged his grip on the grocery bags. "No, I only send them to you. Do you want me to stop?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, "It's fine, just don't send so many all the damn time."

After that, it had become routine for Shouto to send Bakugou photos of the sunset or sunrise when it was particularly pretty outside. Shouto looked at the photo once more and sent it to Bakugou anyways. He felt kind of pathetic doing so, but it was nice out today.

Before Shouto can turn his phone off, he can see text bubbles appear under the photo and Shouto had to stop to see what Bakugou was going to say.

Nothing. The bubbles vanished and a condescending, seen, replaced it.

Shouto couldn't help but smile and shake his head as he went back to the dorm buildings. He felt ridiculous, in both a horrible and alluring way. He never felt this way for anyone before and this childish back and forth between them just wasn't worth it anymore.

Shouto wanted Katsuki back. The one that held his hand when no one was looking, or plugged his phone in when he stayed over because Shouto never did. The one who always reassured him in his Katsuki-way that was indirect but Shouto always knew what he meant. The Bakugou who once told him he looked beautiful that one eventful night before everything went to shit.

The Katsuki he was in love with.

Oh.

It was love. He was in love with Katsuki Bakugou. He was so incredibly and indescribably in love with Katsuki Bakugou. His best friend, his lover, the man who wouldn't even look at him anymore, the future pro-hero who never strayed from his goals and knew what he wanted, the guy who can both comfort and insult you at the same time without ever really meaning it, he loved every single one of them.

He was in love with Katsuki Bakugou.

What does he do now?

Shouto pushed open the door to the dormitory building and looked around until his eyes fell upon Sero who was washing his dish in the sink, humming some song while he did so. Shotuo walked over and tried to catch his breath. He tapped Sero's shoulder and watched him yelp as he turned around, "Jesus Shouto, warm a man before you do that"

"I love him," he said between breaths.

Sero turned off the water, "you what?"

Shouto nodded, "I love him, that's what the feeling is"

Sero blinked a few times, trying to process the sudden news, "you're sure?" A nod, "are you going to tell him?"

Telling him, that sounded a lot harder than telling Sero. "Can I? He isn't exactly talking to me right now"

Sero leaned back against the sink, "well, you have to try. It would probably make you feel better if you tell him, or at least try to get him talking to you again first. No matter what happens, I'm sure it'll be okay"

Shouto nodded, "You might be right. I'll talk to him tomorrow"

Sero smiled and gave him a quick hug, "Good luck man, I believe in you"

It's safe to say that Shouto had trouble falling asleep. He couldn't help but play out where it could all go wrong, I mean, can you blame him? This was Katsuki Bakugou, he wasn't just anybody. He was probably just as hard to read and communicate with as Shouto was. And yet, he loved him. The word kept replaying in his head. Love. How long had it been there? If Shouto can trace it back, it could've been since the second year, at least the initial attraction and crush. Maybe it was always there, in the back of his head.

Maybe it's what gravitated him towards the blonde. Always wanting to seek his company, his attention, his praise, his friendship. It was like Bakugou was a magnet and Shouto was constantly pulled towards him. How had he not seen it sooner, would it have changed anything? Would he have done anything differently?

He didn't know.

He ended up falling asleep, replaying the last 8 months in his head. The faint memory of burnt sugar and pine eased him into a deep sleep.

The next morning was pretty normal, Shouto went and did a quick workout with Midoriya and finished up his paper, mostly just revising it since it was done and he didn't want to have anything to do after the party since he imagined he would be tired afterwards.

They had Friday off so no classes that day and following the party, most people would go home. Shouto took a quick shower after eating breakfast with Izuku, Tenya, Momo, Asui, and Ochako. He decided to put on a black button-up, one Bakugou told him he looked good in a few months ago with grey pants. It was just the class so he had no reason to get overly dressed. It was about six now, the time they agreed.

Shouto took the elevator, engaging in quick conversation with Satou who was carrying a few cake toppers to put on the cake.

When the elevator opened, most people were already in the common room talking and playing various games. Kirishima, Bakugou, Sero, and Kaminari took over the television to play their game while the others engaged in Uno and various other games and conversation at the couches.

As Shouto went to meet Midoriya at one of the couches, he noticed Sero give him a thumbs up from across the room. Shouto just sighed and sat next to Izuku on the couch. The green-haired man was holding his girlfriend's hand, admiring the paint job Mina had done a few hours before.

Mina grinned wide, "I'm a pro," she said triumphantly.

Yaoyorozu turned to her, "Can you do mine, I need a new color, mine is chipping"

Mina nodded and jumped up, "I can go grab my kit, just paint right?"

Momo nodded, "just paint, thank you"

Mina left for the elevator to grab her supplies while the girls started a conversation about their plans for the weekend. Midoriya turned to him, "you look nice Shouto, do you have plans for the weekend?"

Shouto nodded, "I'm going to spend it at my Natsuo's. I'm going over there after this" he explained. Midoriya smiled, "that's fun, how's she doing?"

Shouto proceeded to show him photos he'd accumulated over the past few weeks from his own camera and photos sent by Natsuo and his wife. Midoriya and Uraraka both gushed over her as he scrolled through the photos and Shouto told them about what he has learned about babies since this experience.

Some time had passed and Shouto was having a good time. He let Jirou and Ojiro try to explain some card game, which he ended up just being bad at anyway. He excused himself after a few rounds of being absolutely destroyed by Shinsou and Monoma who were dominating the table.

Shouto was more than certain that his suspicion of Shinsou and Monoma's relationship was true, given that he was here at their class party, and Monoma was playing with the hair on the nape of Shinsou's neck during the game. Shinsou sitting criss-crossed on the floor and Monoma is behind him in a hair.

Shouto spotted Bakugou in the kitchen, getting himself a cup of water and it seemed like the perfect time to try to get his attention. He walked over and stopped a few feet from Bakugou who turned at the sound of footsteps.

"Hey Katsuki"

Bakugou paused in his stead and furrowed his brows, "what do you want?"

Shouto took a tentative step forward and watched Bakugou falter, "can we talk?"

Bakugou didn't say anything, but his face was telling him that he was thinking about something. A yell broke him from his train of thought, from the common room,

"Bakubro, the round is about to start!" said the redhead sitting on the couch across the room.

The blonde seemed to be broken from whatever he might've been considering earlier because he just pushed past him, "'m busy"

Shouto grabbed his forearm before he could get to far and Bakugou turned to look at the hand on his forearm, "Icyhot, let go" he said, his voice tenfold softer.

"Katsuki, can I just ask what I di--"

"Rounds starting!"

Bakugou sighed and pulled his arm back, "I gotta go Icyhot." He looked almost guilty saying it as he walked back to his spot on the couch with Denki and Kirishima, with Sero on the floor, watching the whole interaction, and gave Shouto a small smile.

An hour later, Momo called everyone over for cake. Everyone paused what they were doing and crowded around the table as Satou cut the slices evenly. They all patiently waited their turn to grab a slice.

Shouto sat down in between Midoriya and Shoji who was on his left. He watched Bakugou from across the table, listening to something Kaminari and Shinsou were talking about. Bakugou looked over, eyes meeting in the middle. Shouto watched his hand clench and turn back to Kaminari. This was going to be harder than he imagined.

After the cake and the conversation dying down at the table, everyone started to get up to finish what they were doing or get ready for their weekend. Shouto read the clock, 8:22. Bakugou would start to get ready for bed soon if he was still down here.

Shouto walked over to him again, "Katsuki"

The blonde looked up from his seat on the couch. Kaminari and Kirishima looked up, eyes bouncing back and forth between them. "'m busy Icyhot"

You know what, fuck that. Shouto grabbed his arm and pulled him a few feet from the couch, the blonde having to quickly jump past Kirishima to not step on him. After Shouto stopped dragging him, the blonde ripped his arm back.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he asked, eye cutting through Shouto's heterochromatic ones.

"You're ignoring me," he said flatly, watching the way Katsuki huffed a laugh. "Yet you don't seem to get the hint, can I go now?"

Shouto straightened his shoulders and tried to find the right words to say. "I want to know what I did wrong, what happened?"

Bakugou threw his head back and looked around the room, "I'm not doing this right now" he said trying to sidestep him back to the group, where Sero was watching them.

Shouto grabbed his hand to stop him, "Katsuki just tell me what I did wron--"

Bakugou turned, demeanor completely changed. He lowered his gaze and laughed, "fuck are you that desperate for attention that the moment I don't entertain it you have to follow me around talking my fucking ear off and following me around like a kicked puppy" Shouto took a step back at the sudden increase in volume, "what? No, I just wanted--"

"No. What is so fucking important that you need to pull me into all of this fucking bullshit, if it's attention, anyone in this room will give it to you. Fuck, did you get tired of Ponytail and Tape Face clinging to you that you need me to now? Because I won't do it" the blonde stated harshly, taking a step forward with an accusatory finger pointed at him.

"So tell me, what is so important that you need me for huh, why have you spamming my fucking phone with annoying ass messages, showing up at my door every day, staring at me in class. What fucking need do you have that you need me to satisfy huh? What is it? What is so important? I'm listening now, might as well fucking spit it out so I can leave. Tell me Shortcake, what is so damn important--"

Shouto clenched his fists and felt his breathing start to pick up as he pushed Bakugou back, the sudden angry closeness starting to suffocate him, "I love you asshole" he said in quiet anger as he pushed past him. Watching the way Bakugou immediately stops.

Shouto started towards the door, he could grab his stuff later. He'll just go to his brothers, anywhere but here where everyone is watching them. Thankfully, he doesn't think anyone heard his sudden confession since he didn't say it loud enough. He saw a couple of his friends stand up to follow but he just put a hand up to tell them he was fine.

Before he could reach the door, there was a hand on his forearm, "what did you say?"

Shouto stopped but didn't turn around, "let go"

The hold on his arm loosened, "Shouto, what did you say?"

He couldn't do this anymore. Whatever the fuck Bakugou was playing, he was done. "Bakugou, I said let go"

Bakugou immediately let go and Shouto pushed the door open to the cool spring air. He let out a couple of deep breaths he was holding in and clenched his fists in his hands, forcing whatever tears that wanted to escape to stay inside. At least he knew was Bakugou thought now.

Shouto turned on his phone and texted his friends that he was going to his brother's a little bit early and to have a good night.

He ignored the phone calls from Sero and Uraraka, and just moved as quickly as he could to the train station. The time on the train gave him time to calm down, and now he just felt tired and worn. When he knocked on the door to Natsuo's he could tell by his brother's face that he didn't look his best.

His brother let him in and lent him some clothes that were too big for him and questioned him too much. Fuyumi was there, she's been there a lot to help with the baby during the first few months so the couple could breathe a bit. He got washed up and went to the kitchen where everyone was sitting around drinking tea.

Fuyumi smiled at him, "you can talk to us if you want Sho."

Natsuo nodded in agreement while placing a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder. Shouto just gave them a small reassuring smile, "I know. It's just been a long day"

Natsuo's wife was first to stand up, she smiled at him, "Well you should get some rest, you can see Kiyomi tomorrow, deal?"

Shouto nodded and turned to the guest room, "Goodnight"

The next morning, he woke up and immediately sighed, the event of yesterday night playing in his brain. There was breakfast on the table by the time he made it down the hall to the kitchen and sat down to eat. It was a good breakfast, and upped his spirits, but nothing less could be expected from Fuyumi's cooking. The real mood rising was when Natsuo's wife came out holding his niece. Shouto finished his food and moved to the couch in the living room. She gently set Kiyomi in his arms. She was awake but looked like she just ate by the way her eyes were blinking slowly.

Shouto poked at her gently with his pinky, watching as she grasped her small little hand around his pinky. He smiled down at her, promising whatever entity that he would try to help create a world she would be proud to be a part of.

Shouto was sitting on the couch with Natsuo who was explaining that they were trying to get her on a new sleeping schedule when the doorbell rang. Fuyumi called that she would get it. Shouto looked over at Natsuo who patted his shoulder and stood up.

There was conversation at the front door he couldn't hear but he did hear his sister say, "Yeah, come in, he's in the living room"

Shouto assumed it was for his brother and looked down at the baby, moving his hand around as the baby continued to keep her grip on his pinky. There were footsteps and Shouto looked up at the sound of his sister calling his name. He looked up and immediately froze.

In front of him was Katsuki Bakugou, dressed in black athletic pants and a grey hoodie. Fuyumi, unaware of the situation, smiled, "Bakugou here said he wanted to talk to you"

Natsuo leaned down and grabbed his daughter, "I told him he could come over" he explained. Shouto should've told them what happened yesterday to avoid this. The adults and infant left the room, giving them privacy as Shouto stood up.

Bakugou looked entirely out of his element, he kept looking around and his hands were shoved deep in his pockets. "Look, we gotta talk"

Shouto looked around, trying to find something to get him out of this but was failing to do so. Shouto walked towards the front door, sliding his shoes on, not waiting for Bakugou. "You can't just show up," he said, it was all he could find the words to say.

The door closed behind him and he was suddenly turned around forcibly by the blonde who was now glaring at him and jabbing a finger in his chest, "and you can't just say you love me and run away!"

Shouto stumbled back and swatted his hand away, "I was trying to tell you a different way but you didn't give me the time of day. What did you expect Bakugou"

"Katsuki" the blonde responded, hands returning to his side, eyes piercing Shouto's.

The taller of the two narrowed his eyes, "what?"

"Katsuki. You don't call me Bakugou" he said again.

Shouto crossed his arms, "Oh, I was under the impression that calling you Katsuki was asking for too much."

Bakugou sighed, "Can I explain?"

Shouto looked around at the empty neighborhood and sat down on the lawn, letting Bakugou sit a foot away from him. "I was mad"

Shouto looked over at him, "but why, what did I do?"

Katsuki looked down at his fingers and intertwined them, his knuckles turning white, "I got jealous. After your birthday, you blew me off for Ponytail and you were always with her and Tape Face. When we did hang out, you were silent and acting fucking weird. You also kept saying shit about us being best friends and I thought that's all it was to you. Then fucking Tape Face cornered me after you left and told me what you told him"

Shouto turned to face him, "you thought it didn't mean anything to me?"

Katsuki shrugged, "every time I thought you liked me, I would just see Ponytail clinging to you or you would be with Tape Face and I figured. That night at the market, you gave me this," he said, pulling out the small wooden fox from his pocket, "and it was different than how we were before, but then Ponytail was all over you afterward. I didn't know what to think"

Shouto poked his knee with his finger, "but she likes someone else"

Bakugou rolled his eyes, "I know that now idiot. I thought she had a thing for you before"

Shouto finally looked up to meet Katsuki's gaze, "I just needed to make sure I knew what I felt"

Katsuki nodded and rubbed his finger against the back of Shouto's hand that was resting in the grass. "Wait Katsuki, why are you telling me this?"

Bakugou dropped his hand and blinked at him a few times before falling back against the grass, "I forget how fucking dense you are Icyhot" he said covering his face with his hands.

Shouto looked down at him and grabbed his wrists to move his hands from his face, "are you saying you love me too?"

Bakugou groaned and tried to pull his wrists back but defeatedly let them drop in Shouto's grasp, "why do you have to say it like that?"

Shouto smiled and tilted his head, letting his hair fall forward as he looked down at the blonde who was now turning red, "say it"

Bakugou turned his head, "fuck no, you already know"

Shouto smiled wider and leaned down even closer, "I want to hear you say it Katsuki"

Bakugou didn't look at him for a few seconds. He sucked in one big breath and turned to face with, eyes furrowed in determination, and tilted his head up, as to challenge him. "I love you Shouto," he said quietly. Shouto let go of his wrists and connected their lips in a slow and soft kiss, so much slower than the ones before, and yet, this one was so much better. Bakugou reached up and brought his hand to the back of Shouto's head, sitting up to get a better angle that worked for the two of them.

Shouto pulled away and wrapped the hands around Bakugou's hips around his waist and buried his head in his neck. Bakugou sighed and wrapped his arms around his neck, "what I said yesterday.."

Shouto shook his head, "I know Katsuki" because he did. Shouto pulled back and smiled at him, "Want to come in?"

Bakugou turned to look at the house and back at Shouto, "it's not really my place"

Shouto stood up and held a hand out for him, "come on, you can meet Kiyomi"

Bakugou sighed and grabbed his hand, pulling himself up. "You're so needy Icyhot"

At the mention of the nickname, he lightly kicked his shin, "Shouto, call me Shouto. Also, you just admitted you love me, your insults don't mean anything"

Bakugou pushed him inside the house, "Shut up or I'm going home"

Katsuki Bakugou was many things. An honor student, a future pro hero, an almost graduate from the most prestigious hero school in the country. He knew all of these things about himself that he held dear to be true. One more thing he can add to his mental list of accomplishments is that he knew he was so disgustingly and terrifyingly in love with Shouto Todoroki.   

Even when the man proves time and time again that he actually is more dense than a piece of paper and has no respect for personal space or reading social cues. Katsuki still loved him. 

It took years of Bakugou having to suppress these feelings to focus on his one goal -- becoming the number one hero, until that fateful day when the man he tried to move on from, asks him to be his first kiss. What an asshole. 

And yet, even after what was the most stressful, hair-pulling, confusing, and frustrating 8 months of his life, he wouldn't change it for a thing. Not as he opened his eyes to see his boyfriend waking up, burying his face into Bakugou's pillow. 

It had been a month since Shouto confessed and Bakugou crashed his brother's house. Bakugou shook the man beside him, "Oi, sleeping beauty, time to get up." 

Shouto groaned and sat up, the blanket falling off his torso and landing in his lap. Bakugou smirked at the faint red marks on Shouto's back and tranced them with the same fingers that created them. He let out a small chuckle. 

Shouto just looked over at him, unimpressed, "wait until you have to cover those up" Shouto said, lazily pointing to his neck. Katsuki got up from the bed and moved to look in the mirror dipping his head to look over at his boyfriend who was grabbing a shirt from Bakugou's dresser. "If anyone sees these at the ceremony, I'll kill you before they hand you your diploma" 

Shouto rolled his eyes and pecked the side of his mouth while making his way to the door, probably to start getting ready for graduation, "better cover them up Katsuki" he said through a yawn. Asshole's fault they were up so late anyways the day before graduation. 

Katsuki mumbled some threats his boyfriend couldn't hear anymore and worked to apply the makeup to his neck, shaking his head. His door opened and Kirishima came in, looking far too excited to be awake this early. 

"Just saw Shouto, you two up late?" the redhead asked, wiggling his eyebrows and laughing at the noticeable marks on his neck he had not yet blended. 

Bakugou threw a tube of toothpaste at him, "the fuck are you doing in here anyways?" 

Kirishima dodged the projectile dental paste, "just came to see if you were ready for today?" 

Bakugou finished dabbing on the make-up blending it in as much as he could. He would apply some more later before his parents get here, "and get the fuck out of here and actually do hero work, hell yeah" 

Kirishima laughed, "I should've thought. Well, see ya in a few Bakubro, Midoriya is cooking breakfast," he said holding out a fist that Bakugou met in the middle with his own. "Yeah whatever" 

After his mother tried to comb his hair for the tenth time since stepping foot into his dorm, she finally gave up since the ceremony was starting soon. Bakugou mumbled a 'thank god' when a knock on the door distracted his parents from pampering him and fixing his uniform every five seconds. 

Bakugou opened the door and was face-to-face with Shouto who was already dressed in his uniform with his hair perfectly split down the middle, "you ready to go?" he asked, oblivious to the two people behind him. 

Mitsuki pushed past her son and opened the door a bit more, "Shouto, I thought I heard you, you look so neat, and put together" 

Shouto's eyes widened just a bit at the surprise. "Oh, thank you. I didn't realize, sorry for intruding" 

Katsuki rolled his eyes, "they're taking too damn long anyways, go find your seats before you miss the damn thing" he said turning to his parents who looked at each other knowingly. They've known since Christmas when they caught the two laying together on the couch all those months ago, Mitsuki didn't stop bothering him about it for two months afterward, asking when he was going to 'ask that nice boy out.' Little did she know. 

His parents finally left and Shouto visibly eased, "let's go find our seats" 

Katsuki nodded and closed the door, slipping his hand into the one that was already reached out waiting for him. Shouto looked over at him, "have you told them yet?" 

Bakugou shook his head, "I think they already know" 

Shouto nodded, "okay" 

Everything was going to be okay.