Author Note: If you are caught up with the anime only, this next chapter contains SPOILERS. From this point, I am following the manga events.

I was trying to watch only the anime and wait for that. But after finishing season 2, I liked the show so much, I needed to read ahead with the manga. At least that way I can keep writing this story...

Training camp. They called this training camp?

Each of Shoto's muscles individually screamed, despite that now he soaked them in hot water. That journey through the woods they'd had to do, tiring out their Quirks to reach the promise of food and rest... That wasn't normal training camp. Mr. Aizawa had just lied again.

Shoto stuck his head under the water of the hot spring bath, holding his breath for as long as he could. He wondered if he felt grouchy because he was exhausted and already hated camp, or if his mood came from his earlier frustration with himself.

On the bus, Shoto had wanted to sit somewhere near Midoriya. But he'd caught sight of Bakugo, who'd stuck up a middle finger, as if to warn Shoto not to interfere... and Midoriya was already positioned near his other friends, anyway.

Shoto had ended up way in the back. He had kept to himself and simply read a book. He supposed he should be glad, at least, that he'd managed to stick close to Midoriya during the mad dash through the woods. It had meant sharing Midoriya with Bakugo and Iida as well, but that couldn't be helped.

They were at camp. It was unlikely Shoto would have time alone again with Midoriya — like they'd had at Midoriya's house. He should get over it. Maybe training camp wouldn't be so bad.

He came up from the water and perched once more upon the warm stones. He let his feet and ankles soak, while water dripped out of his hair.

"It's just hard to believe it. My legs are still sore." Iida raised one calf out of the hot spring, apparently speaking to anyone who cared to listen. "We've been in here now for almost two hours. Do you suppose they chose a camp with a hot springs because they knew they'd be doing this to us?"

"Say, Leg-Engine," muttered Bakugo. Shoto watched Bakugo make bubbles with his mouth on the water's surface. "I always meant to ask — do you become entirely useless, if your Quirk parts are submerged in the water?" Bakugo laughed viciously. "Or what if you take a shower?"

"What about you?" Iida returned stiffly. "If you're in a hot spring, you might still sweat, but can you still make things explode if your sweat mixes with water?"

Bakugo raised a wet hand from the depths. He grinned crookedly. "You annoying extra. Do you wanna find out?"

Shoto shook droplets from his hair and looked toward the building, maintaining his cool. "I bet Midoriya would know, if he hadn't gone inside to help that kid."

There was a silence. It stretched long. Bakugo's face started to twitch.

Bakugo, Iida, and Shoto were the only three people left in the bath. Shoto wondered if Midoriya had brought a data notebook with him to camp. If he had to guess—

"Oy, Half-and-Half." Bakugo stood up from the water.

Shoto wasn't surprised his mention of Midoriya set Bakugo off. He had watched Bakugo a lot today too, not only Midoriya. Shoto couldn't erase All Might's words from his head about Bakugo struggling with something dark — and today he'd decided that darkness must revolve around Midoriya, rather than just cause Bakugo to take frustration out on Midoriya. Shoto had analyzed Bakugo blasting through obstacles all day long... and he'd seen desperation. Competitiveness. Obsession and preoccupation with whatever Midoriya was doing. Even though Shoto didn't necessarily want to understand Bakugo, or pity Bakugo, or care... the more Shoto watched, the more he started to piece Bakugo together, and note things he couldn't ignore.

Shoto's observations reaffirmed the idea that somehow, in some way, Bakugo did care for Midoriya. Or at least, Bakugo thought Midoriya mattered more than any other opponents. Bakugo would do anything to ensure he was better than Midoriya, and that Midoriya knew it. Bakugo seemed to worry about what Midoriya thought of him. Or least, Bakugo wanted to make sure Midoriya thought of him.

It meant that again, Shoto was forced to recognize the way both childhood friends drove each other in complex ways. Shoto had to admit again that no matter how much he wanted Midoriya for himself, he couldn't escape Bakugo's presence, Bakugo's involvement.

The two were a packaged deal.

To his own horror, Shoto thought he was actually beginning to get used to the idea. Bakugo came with Midoriya whether Shoto liked it or not. So finally, today, Shoto had thought, Maybe I can put up with him from a distance and live with it.

When Shoto glanced over as Bakugo stood, however, he lowered the hand he'd been resting his chin on. Bakugo's body startled him. Shoto hadn't planned to go putting up with this.

"Don't stand up without warning if your towel isn't still on."

Bakugo didn't seem to care that he was naked. He growled. "You're pissing me off, you know that?!"

Iida exclaimed, "Indecency! Towels must be warn in the bath!"

Bakugo snorted. He hadn't taken his eyes off Shoto. "You're LOOKING, Half-and-Half. Like it?!"

"Is that all you wanted to say to me?" Shoto turned back to look at the camp building, dismissive and, frankly... bored. His muscles really were sore, but he doubted the water would help them much more.

He should go inside. Was there any point in staying here with Bakugo?

"I'VE GOT MORE FOR YOU," Bakugo yelled. "And it's 'Why in the hell would you bring up Deku?!' That shitty nerd finally leaves and takes his insufferable attitude of kindness toward that asshole kid with him, and you go invoking him? What in the hell!"

Iida had a hand on his chin, and to Shoto's surprise, he was nodding. "I also don't understand Midoriya's behavior. That child Kouta struck him in the family jewels."

"AND," Bakugo said, dripping, still bare as the day he'd been born, "WHAT'S WITH YOU ON THIS TRIP, Todoroki?! If you think I haven't noticed that you're almost NICE to me..."

"I'm not nice or un-nice. I don't care about you either way."

"Say that to my face, you scar-eyed, second rate..."

But Bakugo wasn't exactly wrong. Shoto had resolved to keep slightly more aware of Bakugo's feelings and instability. Perhaps it came across as being 'nice,' versus being icy.

When Bakugo had flipped him off on the bus, Shoto had rolled his eyes — instead of ignoring the gesture and moving along in the way he usually would have. Did Bakugo think such acknowledgement was Shoto's form of approval? And was that 'nice?' Was Bakugo half-pleased at this development, half-galled?

Shoto didn't like their new situation. It wasn't easy to navigate. But for Midoriya's sake, and for the sake of keeping Bakugo from going down the wrong path and affecting Midoriya negatively, Shoto would indeed put up with it.

The door of the building opened.

Shoto looked up. "Midoriya."

Bakugo cut his ranting off. His mouth snapped shut. But he didn't bother to duck back into the water. Shoto snorted. No modesty.

Midoriya's eyes found Shoto first, however. Midoriya opened his mouth... but then only stammered. His gaze ran the length of Shoto's body — from the hand brushing back damp hair, down Shoto's bare torso, to where Shoto's feet soaked in the hot spring. Shoto could almost feel the touch of the stare.

He was glad the bath was already steaming.

Then, as if Midoriya realized what he did, he averted his eyes immediately. "Y-you three are still up?" he asked. "I heard that tomorrow we— K-Kacchan!"

Coincidentally, Midoriya's gaze had finally been pulled toward naked Bakugo.

"For the love of All Might, Kacchan! P-please cover yourself back up!" Midoriya's face flared bright red, as he shielded his eyes with both his hands.

Bakugo snorted and still didn't move. "I don't love All Might, nerd — only you do. And if you can't fucking look in my eyes like a man, then don't come back out here. JUST GO TO BED, HUH?!"

Iida whipped the nearest towel at Bakugo's face, hearing that. In the middle of the new verbal explosion it caused, Shoto checked that his own towel would hold. Then he casually stood up.

Midoriya was still whimpering, only half-watching Bakugo yell, writhe, and splash, when Shoto calmly brushed past him. "It's an early day tomorrow, right? That's what you were about to say. In that case, then I'm retiring to bed."

"Ah! T-Todoroki, wait."

Shoto, with his hand on the doorknob, stilled at Midoriya's command.

Midoriya followed him back to the door. "Do you think I could talk to you?"

"Like this?" Shoto kept his voice neutral.

The flush raged again on Midoriya's cheeks. "N-no! I mean, not unless you want to. I mean, not unless you wanted to stay in the bath here. It's just, I wanted to get you alone. I-I mean—"

"QUIT SOUNDING WANTON AGAIN, SHITTY NERD!" Bakugo's rage echoed to the rooftop. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU FLOUNDER ALL AROUND LIKE THAT? I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KILL YOU..."

"K-Kacchan." Midoriya tried to smile. An anxious drop of sweat daubed his temple.

Shoto turned for the door again, addressing Bakugo before he left. "Be quiet and let the rest of camp get some sleep tonight, Bakugo." To Midoriya, he said, "Meet me outside my room in ten minutes."

Bakugo splashed violently, but the water didn't reach Shoto. "YOU THINK YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO?! AND FUCKING STAY AWAY FROM DEKU! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO POUND THAT REPEAT ORDER INTO YOUR TWO-COLORED HEAD?!"

As Shoto opened the building door, he couldn't resist a parting shot. Putting up with this... it was too much. "I could boil you alive in that water like a lobster, but I haven't. Do as you're told... or I might change my mind before your bath is through."

To the sound of Bakugo's ear-piercing screams, Iida's admonishments, and Midoriya's nervous yelps, Shoto retreated for his room.

This wasn't a normal training camp trip at all.

Shoto was towel-drying his hair when Midoriya came to knock. Shoto opened the door, clad in his yukata... and when Midoriya looked at him, Midoriya froze.

"Your hair is still damp," Midoriya whispered.

"And this is the second time you've needed to point out when I'm wet." Shoto pretended not to notice Midoriya's meep of reaction, as he tossed the hand towel down onto his bed. "What did you need to talk about?" He wondered if Midoriya had more questions that would help them get to know each other.

"O-oh. Right. Do... do you think you could go outside with me?"

Midoriya didn't want anyone else to overhear them.

Shoto followed Midoriya outside and into the trees. They sat beside each other on a rock, a ways away from the building. The moon above them gazed down like a silver eye. Shoto didn't mind that the moon was watching. Bathing under its light felt peaceful, somehow.

The breeze helped to dry Shoto's hair.

"You've been a little bit different, lately."

Shoto breathed out audibly from his nose. "I've been different since my fight with you." Did Midoriya still really not know that?

Midoriya glanced at him, playing with the moss on their rock. "No, I mean since you came to my house. Or maybe mostly this past day, here at camp. You really gave it your all, fighting through the woods out there today."

"I always give my fights my all."

"Except when you don't, and you put your flames out during the moment you could win. Or you make me have to tell you to give it your all, after breaking my fingers on you first."

Shoto looked down at Midoriya, surprised. The tone had been aggressive enough to make Shoto realize how serious Midoriya was. But Midoriya's wry grin said he hadn't meant to sound like he scolded Shoto for the past.

"Recently, you've seemed hesitant to act around me whenever Kacchan is involved," Midoriya said. "And I could tell how Kacchan grated on you. But today, while we were all out there... you didn't let what either of us was doing hinder your own movements or tactics. You fought really brilliantly."

"I wanted lunch," Shoto stated.

Midoriya chuckled. Shoto loved the sound. But Shoto kept his face expressionless.

"In any case," Midoriya replied, "I guess I'm saying I've noticed that you're starting to accept Kacchan. You're not so fixated now on the relationship we have. It's even been a while since you've brought Kacchan up to me in conversation. I'm relieved."

Shoto kept quiet a long time. They hadn't had much conversation since the other day, at Midoriya's house. The wind moved branches in the trees. A cloud half-covered up the moon.

After a while, Shoto said, "You're wrong. I'm still a mess, Midoriya, when it comes to the two of you." He felt like he should tell the truth. He had never gained anything by neglecting to admit when there were things he debated with himself. "It's just that I've learned to hold back, for the sake of not upsetting you. And because it's the right thing to do in general. Bakugo is a mess as well... and it wouldn't be helpful for me to butt in and make it worse."

Midoriya flinched. His face fell. After a moment, he said, "I see. So that's it. So it does still bother you, about what Kacchan is to me. Why, Todoroki?"

Shoto waited for Midoriya to meet his gaze. "Do you really not know, by now?"

Midoriya swallowed and looked away. Shoto wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. Or maybe—

"I have to be honest about something." Midoriya looked at the woods. "Todoroki... at one time, I had feelings for Kacchan. Feelings of that kind. I... I wanted him."

Shoto raked back his hair. He looked at the moon. Then he closed his eyes and imagined its light was calming him. "I know. And you still have them, even now. Even though he's such a jerk to you... right?"

That Midoriya didn't answer immediately made Shoto feel cold. He knew already. He'd suspected. He knew. But—

"The truth is, I don't really know." Midoriya toyed with the rock moss some more, the answer he gave sounding sad. Shoto watched him, unwilling to feel hope. "I think Kacchan is really cool. He's only gotten more cool, and stronger, in all the years we weren't getting along. And when he stops hollering and taking swings, I... I can't help but find he's good-looking." Midoriya almost squeaked the last part.

"Disagree," Shoto muttered. "He has 'resting bitch face.' Bad case."

Midoriya scowled. "Did I ask you?"

"You didn't. But it's still true." Shoto looked innocently up at the moon.

"In any case," Midoriya said. "It never came to anything before, when I was feeling it. We were mostly still just kids. What I wanted to do with him was hug. Hold hands. Cuddle and just do... gentle things."

"Gentle's not Bakugo at all."

"I know that." Midoriya laughed wryly. This time the sound made Shoto want to pat him on his bushy hair. "And maybe it's never been, and I've been too dumb to see it. He always calls me useless, doesn't he? The point is, I was naive then, so the idea was easier to handle. But now, I can't deny that Kacchan's changed, and only gotten worse with age. He hates me. Or acts like he does. So even if I wanted to be with him, in a deeper sense, right here, right now..."

When Midoriya trailed off, Shoto felt compelled to say something. "You wouldn't. Or you're not sure, because you've cultivated more control and more basic self-respect than that." Please agree and tell me that's not wrong.

A moment passed. Then Midoriya said, "Yeah."

Shoto sighed, sagging in relief, hoping Midoriya didn't notice him do it.

"It's just too hard to try to get along. After a while of taking abuse from someone you only want affection from, it starts to break you down inside. I want to try. I really do. I don't want to lose Kacchan entirely. But now I'm worried, because what if it's me who starts hating him most, before all of this is through?" Midoriya looked at his hands.

Shoto straightened and spoke seriously. "No matter how frustrated he makes you, don't ever worry that your upset feelings aren't justified, or that you're not allowed to experience them. Go ahead and feel whatever you need to feel, Midoriya. Trust your heart over what people make you think about morality at this point." It was what All Might had advised him. Shoto paused. "Even if your heart decides you still want him."

"But then, if I start resenting Kacchan too much, and I eventually give up trying with him—"

"You aren't the type to give up, if you really do want something. And you'll never hurt Bakugo, or become the Villain yourself. Bakugo is too resilient to let you leave marks on him. And you are made of too much light to bring the darkness out in anyone." Midoriya was like the moon. Pure and lovely, and when weather was clear, incapable of making anybody feel lost or hopeless.

Shoto could not say the same about himself. He could absolutely not say the same about Bakugo.

Midoriya seemed to contemplate quietly. Shoto sat still, with his hands on his yukata, until at last Midoriya looked up at him. "Todoroki. Do you like me?"

Shoto wet his lips. Then he let out a breath. "Yeah."

"Y-you—! Like that, admitting it so easily?!" Midoriya slipped halfway off the rock in his haste to pull away, dissolving in his nervous laugh.

Shoto caught Midoriya by his sleeve, so he wouldn't fall all the way. He let go once Midoriya stabilized. "I'm sorry if it bothers you. I didn't intend to let you know it. But you asked... and I've previously said I would tell anything to you."

"I-I get it, but..." Midoriya couldn't meet Shoto's eyes. His gaze kept flickering to different parts of Shoto's body. Shoto's profile. Shoto's hands. The space of skin visible from where the yukata crossed loosely at his chest.

Shoto kept his own eyes forward, feeling the warmth of Midoriya's stare. If his body gave off steam out here, would Midoriya notice it? "I'm about to ask you a sensitive question."

Midoriya stammered. "Y-yes?"

"On a scale of one to ten, what was my rating in the bath, versus Bakugo's naked body?"

"Todoroki!" Midoriya screeched. Midoriya drew up his knees and immediately hid his face in them.

Shoto used the moment to smile, where Midoriya couldn't see. Then, while he had freedom without being looked at, he climbed up off the rock and moved around.

When Shoto spoke again, he was kneeling near Midoriya's legs, his yukata soaking up the chilly ground. "Midoriya, let me promise you something."

Midoriya looked up. He yelped to find Shoto facing him.

Shoto didn't waver at all. "This doesn't have to change anything. I don't expect you to return my feelings. And if you ever decide to... I'm never going to rush you into what you aren't ready to do. It's not just that I want to be the opposite of Bakugo. It's that, from the beginning, what I wanted most was to protect you." Then Shoto looked aside and wet his lips. "You've helped me more than you know. With my Quirk, my family relationships, everything. It's a debt I might never be able to repay. At the very least, however, I want to try. It comes even before romantic feelings. I don't want you to see me as a threat. So what I'll be most happy with is if you'll just consider us good friends."

Midoriya looked pink in the moonlight. His lips parted. He seemed to be breathing slightly fast. "Are— are you using your heat on me?"

"I'm not. I think you're just blushing. It's fine if I have that effect on you without my Quirk," Shoto told him.

"Stop joking so much!" Midoriya wailed.

Shoto stood up again. "If you really want it, I'll stop teasing you. I mean it, Midoriya. You are worth treating with every kindness... even if I have ulterior motives. I don't mind just burying them for now. Or forever, if I have to." I can hold back, if it's for you. Shoto enjoyed making Midoriya flustered, but he would stop if he had to.

He would rather do whatever was necessary to keep Midoriya within arm's reach.

"God. Why do you have to be so perfectly polite?" Midoriya finally groaned. "Uraraka would tell me you're perfect boyfriend material. Ah, girls always know these things! And they're so cool! They have a sense for situations like this, how to read the mood— and they hardly ever give the wrong advice! If I could be more like that... How did I end up getting mixed up with Kacchan?" Midoriya dropped into muttering the rest, as if Shoto's feelings were the end of the world.

Shoto had moved a step away, tucking his hands into his sleeves and staring once more at the moon. "Go to bed, Midoriya." Shoto hadn't wanted to cause such distress.

"How can I ever sleep again? Wh-wh-what will I tell All Might, next time he asks me how I'm getting along?! What if I start feeling guilty about you? I-if you like me, and I just so thoughtlessly go around you, normally, as if there's nothing—"

Shoto interrupted. "First of all, my feelings aren't your concern — more so if you don't return them. They don't exist so they can pressure you. Second of all, don't underestimate me. If I tell you it won't be a problem, it won't. We're friends first, aren't we?" Shoto's heart thudded when he asked. Midoriya still hadn't told Shoto whether he considered them friends.

"T-Todoroki... Yes. Yes, we are."

The relief washed him. Shoto felt two times lighter. "Go to bed," he said. "Tomorrow will be a long day."

Midoriya got up. "I just... All right. Okay. Sleep well?" His face still resembled a beet. "Thank you?"

Shoto grinned as they both parted. "I will. You too. And you're welcome."