and you say, stay
Chapter 17: There's nothing I can do, but...
The place is beautiful upon first glance: white and wide, with big windows, tasteful architecture, a giant manicured garden that features installments by famous local artists. From her vantage point far from the stage, she can count about 10 billionaires watching the stage jealously as Todoroki Enji, Todoroki Shouto, Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, Shishida Jurota, and Yoarashi Inasa line up to cut the ceremonial ribbons in front. Polite applause and photographic flashes flood afterwards.
All of it makes her sick.
She isn't a noisy person, but the offended grunt she makes catches the attention of the person next to her.
"You okay, Yui?"
"Mm."
Reiko tilts her head, glancing at her and then at the far distance where she's staring: Todoroki Shouto exiting the stage to meet with Ochako, who immediately adjusts his tie for him while directing him to the next location. "Right. You hate that guy with a passion. Of course you're not okay."
Yui blinks passively. She doesn't deny it, even though she's far from passionate.
Reiko sighs. "I get it. We're here to support Ochako because this is her last big project before she leaves Endeavor for good. I need to be here personally for Yaomomo too. But-"
"Am okay," Yui cuts off, arms crossed.
"Really." Full lips pout, unconvinced. "Because you look like you're about to yeet a table or something on stage."
If she could, she wouldn't think twice about it. They're all there: Todoroki Enji, Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, Todoroki Shouto. It would be so simple to make things right, right at this moment. It may be inelegant of her to think so, but she doesn't care.
Fact is though, she's just an engineer with no super powers. She doesn't even have regular powers, at least not enough to protect Ochako when she needed protecting.
"Not yeeting," she mumbles.
Reiko sighs. "You'd better not. At least, not until the LoV concert. Hold out a little more, please?"
This is a big event not only for Ochako, but for Reiko too. Ever since Ochako went to them excitedly brandishing backstage passes, this is all that her closest friend could talk about. She was so excited for it that she went through dinner without trash-talking Todoroki Shouto for once-a miracle and a travesty in all aspects.
It's hard not to appear dispassionate as the day goes on. Apart from being in Todoroki's territory, most of her day was spent waiting outside closed doors and along half-filled galleries while Reiko dressed Yaoyorozu Momo and fixed her garments multiple times during the day. She can manage as much-standing quietly in a corner is her specialty-but to interact with nameless people who seem to think that she should work as a model, if she wasn't already, well... it was not fun.
It's not new-she has been stopped on the street countless times before by scouts, all of them she refuses with a wordless glare. She hates going through it again for what is supposed to be an exclusive event, but she endures it. Reiko will only work for a little longer, and then they can go home to prepare for the LoV concert tomorrow. She can will herself to the shadows until it's over.
She can't even do that in peace. At the next nameless person giving her a card for their agency, someone decides to interfere.
"I'd stop that if I were you, buddy. She's obviously not interested."
The person looks over her shoulder to the person speaking. "Ah-Spiral. Is… is she one of yours?"
It's impressive how much the nameless guy pales as a dark-haired figure steps into her view. "Looks like the security in this place is that lame, huh? Why the hell did Todoroki allow trash like you here?"
Doesn't take much to know who this person was: Kaibara Sen, alias Spiral, a bigshot photographer known internationally. Ochako spoke about him a few times. He's one of Todoroki's favorite photographers and hosted a few stuck-up events like this one himself. Yui thought about thanking him before, if only because it was at his fundraiser where Ochako finally gained the courage to resign from her job.
As the nameless person scampers away, he stares at her boredly and effectively kills any trace of shallow gratitude she might have for him. "You should speak up next time," Kaibara drawls. "These guys will stop bothering you if you tell them no."
Does this guy know that things do not work that way for lesser people like her? She does not feel like explaining.
"Yui-chan! Kaibara-san!"
Ochako comes into view. By the distressed look on her face, she must have seen everything that had happened. She's a little out of breath when she makes it there and half-bows to Kaibara.
"I'm sorry for the trouble," Ochako gasps. "Yui is with me, so-"
Why should Ochako be the one bowing and apologizing for her? Frustration bubbles up inside Yui as she passively hears Kaibara say, "Nah, I'm the one causing her trouble. Don't worry about it."
"But-"
She hates it-hates how small Ochako is in this corporation, how it falls on her to sweep the background so that things remain clean and white and shiny for these rich boys. She could speak, maybe, lessen the load for her, as hard as it is.
I was just waiting for Reiko. I can leave. No trouble at all.
"Secretary Uraraka, what's going on?"
Yui snaps her mouth shut.
Strutting in like he owns the place, Todoroki Shouto enters the scene-all pretty and polished, no doubt from her cousin's efforts. There are two other men behind him, a Chinese man with a braid down his back and someone with big saucer-eyes. Yui can only pay them so much attention with the sudden deafening spike of anger between her ears.
"I said it's nothing," Kaibara insists, scratching the back of his head in annoyance. "Just some jerks with no boundaries. Todoroki, seriously, how did trash like that get here?"
"Noted," Todoroki says, staring at Yui. She fights to keep her face impassive. "I'm sorry, have we met?"
He doesn't remember me.
That adds a different sound in Yui's head. It's harder now to keep her face still as Ochako introduces her with a big smile. "This is my cousin, Kodai Yui. She's a materials engineer working for Hakamata Tsunagu-san."
The Chinese businessman makes an impressive noise. "I see, with Best Jeanist. That's a very respectable company."
"Really?! An engineer! I thought you were a celebrity too!" The other guy with wide eyes shamelessly looks at her up and down. "Not gonna lie, we ran here 'cause you and Sen were sparkling like crazy! I thought Yaomomo had a haircut when I saw her from afar! That's awesome!"
Yui thought she was polite enough not saying anything to offend these rich guys, but when she turns her head to return his gaze, the executive suddenly steps back with a little scared whimper.
"I'm Todoroki Shouto, your cousin's employer," Todoroki says, not letting the awkward air linger a moment longer. "This is Vice-Chairman Rin Hiryuu from Dragon Shroud corp, and his Japanese associate Tsuburaba Kosei. You and Kaibara Sen have met already."
"Mm."
"Vice-Chairman Rin flew in from Beijing just to support the art gallery opening," Ochako says. "We can't thank you enough for coming all this way..."
The practiced, empty words designed to stroke these rich men's egos pass through one ear and out another. Did they even know about Ochako, and how much she and Yui and her parents struggled because of people like them? She knows she's being unfair-maybe these guys are as kind as they appear and wouldn't think of her and her cousin any different if they knew how poor they are, but…
But, she knows that Todoroki Shouto has no such excuse. He… he knew Ochako from the very beginning -her upbringing, her fear of fire, everything. Still, he worked Ochako to the bone for so long, never caring about her circumstances until she's ready to leave him. Now he's tricking her into staying by his side, and Yui can feel that his deceit is working.
Ochako isn't saying anything, but Yui sees it. Beyond the necklace, the lack of complaints about Todoroki or Victoria-chan, and the steadily infrequent conversations, Ochako is changing. She sees it in the way she smiles and laughs and bites her lower lip when she uses the phone, in the lilt of her voice, in how she talks less and less about quitting and finding herself after all this is over.
It's obvious now. It's clear, because her eyes shine differently when she looks up at the Director. She's losing Ochako to him, and she doesn't know if she can do anything about it. As someone who sincerely cares for Ochako, isn't it her duty to hate this guy's guts for as long as she lives?
(Even though Yui is the one who failed her, all those years ago-)
She doesn't know how long she fights with her thoughts while ignoring the cautious looks from the men around her, but eventually she hears someone say we should get going. Music to her ears, really. Rin and Tsuburaba say their goodbyes, while Kaibara spares her a skeptical glance before leaving wordlessly. She almost lets out an audible sigh of relief.
But her exit can only be so peaceful. Of all the people in this group to have the gall to interact with her again-
"It was good to meet you," Todoroki tells her, a practiced smile on his face. And then, a little lower, he says, "Your cousin is an excellent secretary. You should be proud of her."
She looks up at him, stone-faced. "Mhm."
He probably doesn't pick up on the subtle tremor in her voice, but Ochako does. Brows furrowed in worry, she asks Yui, "Hey, are you okay?"
"... hm," she replies. Her hands twist in front of her, too pressured to be reassuring. She feels… she feels sick, but…
"Secretary Uraraka, bring her to the infirmary and accompany her for as long as you need. Utsushimi can assist me here for the meantime."
"Got it," Ochako says, taking out her phone to dial Reiko. "Yui-chan, you'll be okay. Let's go-"
"-home."
She can't stay here a moment longer.
"'M okay. Need to go home." Yui takes a deep breath, tries her best at a sincere look of remorse. "Sorry."
Ochako's mouth quivers worriedly. "Can I at least get you a ride home?"
Todoroki nods behind her, and she feels even sicker for it. "No. Uber."
Somehow, she's able to ignore the guilty feelings and peels herself away from her cousin. She walks past all the garish displays, the garish people, the garish entryways and streets. The noise of the city fills her head, abating the red in her vision.
She is being terrible to her, she knows. But at least, from this safe distance, she can drown in her own guilty memories in peace.
Ochako is left staring dumbfounded at the empty spot where Yui stood.
Reiko, entering the scene a few minutes too late, sighs in exasperation. "She's pretty messed up even during the opening ceremonies. I dunno what's going on with her, but you know how she is-she's not gonna tell us anything even when we ask. She'll be okay once we give her space."
Maybe that's true for other people, but Yui trusted the two of them enough to let them know what she's thinking even while using the bare minimum of words or noises. Ochako can tell that there's something turbulent bubbling underneath her careful, neutral expression.
"Well… you also know how she feels about this company. And…"
Reiko's eyes dart toward the direction of Director Todoroki, who wraps up a conversation in fluent Mandarin with Rin some ways behind them.
Right. Yui hated the Director more than anyone. She was the one most excited about her resignation and one of the biggest reasons why Ochako hasn't told her anything about the, er, recent developments in her life.
It's a big problem, but a problem for a different day. With some difficulty, Ochako decides to leave it to Reiko for now. "Can you please let me know if she tells you anything?"
"Yeah, I'll handle it," she says coolly, eyebrows raising as her gaze darts from one end of the room to another behind Ochako's head. "I think you have other things brewing on the horizon for you here."
There's a little smirk on Reiko's mouth that's meant to tease, but all Ochako can feel is a sense of foreboding. When she turns her head and sees what's about to go down, well, her instincts are spot on.
Director Todoroki's a few steps away. He's shaking Rin's hand, probably coming to an informal agreement between their companies. He briefly meets Ochako's gaze, something bright glinting in his heterochromatic eyes as they do…
… until they follow Ochako's eyes to the other side of the room, and darken significantly.
It's someone she hasn't seen in a while-spiky blonde hair in all directions, glaring red eyes, a dark suit without a tie. Even with the effortless style, his outfit suits him so well that everybody stops and stares. With some relief, Ochako sees that he definitely looks better than when she last saw him, tremulous and smelling of cigarette smoke, seemingly on the verge of paranoia.
He's got his hands in his pockets, glaring at everything in the room like they've personally offended him. But then he catches Ochako's eye, and suddenly his expression does a 180, and-
"I'll leave you to it," Reiko says, snapping Ochako out of her trance with a teasing nudge. "If your boss isn't too clingy, maybe you can spend some quality time with the guy, huh? And if you're lucky, he can give you a ride home, get some wine and sexy music going, and-"
Ochako nudges her back desperately as he makes his way to her. "Reiko, I'll pinch you in the armpits if you keep talking!"
"Sheesh, someone's cranky..." With a raise of her eyebrows and a sarcastic salute, Reiko makes her exit.
Bakugou Katsuki finally comes to a stop in front of her, looking Ochako up and down in the same way he did when they first met. "Damn, Angelface. You look too damn nice and round for this pretentious party, the fuck."
"Thanks… I think," Ochako replies, wondering why that devilish smirk on his mouth worked so well with his suit. "You look great too, Bakugou-kun. Like you're not about to destroy someone's career for once."
"You don't know that," he says, tone too natural for him to be teasing. Ochako makes a face at him, and he chuckles harshly. "You know it's what I do, Cheeks. But don't worry, I'm not gonna make it too hard on your shitty boss tonight."
"And who, pray tell, is this 'shitty boss' you speak of?"
Of course this was going to happen. Ochako tries not to look pained as a certain smooth, controlled baritone interrupts their conversation.
While she expected Bakugou to react violently, he's frighteningly cool when he glances at Todoroki Shouto, now standing in the space between them. He looks at the guy up and down with a challenging quirk of an eyebrow.
"Who else but you, half-and-half?" Bakugou answers, baring a sharp canine. "Then again, not for long. You excited to finally relinquish ownership of Roundface? Or maybe you or your old man are scheming to keep her here?"
Ochako gives him a withering look that he ignores. "Bakugou-kun-"
"The status of her employment is none of your business," the Director quips, voice chilly. "As for the way you address me or the Chairman, I advise that-"
They get a number of looks from all over the room as the tension between the two rises. Ochako's brain automatically goes to crisis mode, going through all the strategies she knew about getting the Director out of a potentially embarrassing public situation (which was more than she cared to admit).
Judging by the momentum in the Director's voice, the best course of action here is to physically drag him to the other side of the room and to tell him off severely for being so easily goaded into another fight. But before she can reach out for his sleeve, Todoroki glances at her and stops in his tracks.
Director...
One pleading look is apparently all it takes for the ice in his gaze to clear up. He pauses, takes a short, calming breath unnoticeable by most. "... you may address me by anything you like, Bakugou-san, as you are an esteemed guest. Although Todoroki is preferable to 'Uraraka's Shitty Boss,' if only because there are less syllables involved."
He delivers this so placidly that Ochako is momentarily stunned. Bakugou also looks thrown off for just a second, but he recovers faster than her. "Fucking Icyhot, pretending not to be the bastard who was ready to kill me in the street just because you're in some fancy suit at a fancy ball. You're exactly the type of two-faced corporate hotshot I hate."
"Two-faced," Todoroki repeats, tone flat. "Two-toned I hear often, but not two-faced. I have been told I don't have many facial expressions."
"Hah! Man's got jokes, huh?" Bakugou laughs, a harsh and sarcastic sound. "You wanna know something else you don't have, bastard? A fuckin' clue, that's what. If you don't want me to beat your ass to the ground, you're gonna do the smart thing and stay outta my way."
Ochako directs her pleading gaze to Bakugou, but again he ignores this, and to her disdain she knows exactly why. She doesn't exactly know his game plan, but this is his way of continuing his investigation of the Todorokis.
Not that she didn't expect this from the start. Still, she kind of wanted to slap Bakugou both for having poor timing and for being so mean to the Director. There has to be a better way than baiting him into a fight during one of the most prestigious events of the year!
"Oh my. What's this, Shouto?"
Out of nowhere, Yaoyorozu Momo appears in between the Director and Bakugou-one of two persons apart from Chief Midoriya who can, and will make this situation worse.
Now this is a problem precisely for three very urgent reasons. One is that Yaomomo isn't supposed to appear in this event under strict orders of the Yaoyorozu Group. All aplomb associated with her appearance should be reserved strictly for the Yaoyorozu Gallery opening and nothing else. Second, it isn't good for any of them to see her in the middle of this impending argument-to put it optimistically, Yaomomo might get involved in a scandal that she has no business being implicated in, while Bakugou might end up, er, silenced by the powers above.
Thirdly-
"Hey, is that… Yaomomo? With Director Todoroki and Bakushinchi?!"
"No way, when did they get back together?! And since when were they friends with Ground Zero?!"
Anywhere Yaomomo makes an appearance, cameras are sure to follow, and with that absurd stories that aren't always true. They would have kept this under control in the Yaoyorozu Gallery opening later in the evening, but in the less private Shishida event the situation is less reassuring.
"Yaoyorozu. I didn't know you were here. I thought you were with Uncle, and the Chairman," Todoroki says. The careful tone he uses makes it clear that even he is surprised by her appearance.
"It's fine, they were talking about corporate arrangements and what-not, things that a woman like me has no business knowing. It's not a problem for me, although I got so terribly bored of listening to so much technical drivel that I thought I might as well look at the lovely art, meet the artists, etcetera-that's the essence of art gallery openings, is it not?"
Now this is also strange. During the short-lived relationship between the Director and Yaomomo, she's never spoken like, well… not as erudite, and more contrived . Ochako and Todoroki share a weird look between them for exactly a beat.
She smiles so innocently in between, though, that she's got everybody else fooled. As more cameras flash to capture that queenly visage of hers, she adjusts the furs on her shoulders and tilts her head at Bakugou. "Pardon my manners, but aren't you Bakugou Katsuki, the journalist? I didn't know you and Shouto were acquainted."
She lies so smoothly that Ochako almost forgets that they've met before. Nevertheless, Ochako prays to all the gods she knew that Bakugou lies just as smoothly and minds his manners for once. In this sort of situation, a lot of Yaoyorozu Group staff members hide in plain sight, on standby until they need to maim anyone who so much as raises their voices at her.
Still, Bakugou Katsuki was not like most people. His temper wouldn't allow him to care about those kinds of threats. The way his eyes suddenly look deranged makes Ochako brace herself for the worst-she'd tackle this guy before a single insulting syllable made it out of his mouth, if it's the last thing she did-
Fortunately she didn't need to do any of that. To her surprise (and even the Director's, if the slight widening of his eyes is any indication), Bakugou mutters, "Sure we are."
"Really? You two are friends?" Yaomomo flutters her eyelashes in interest, obviously relishing the way Bakugou's jaw clenches in annoyance.
"We get along," Todoroki deadpans unconvincingly. Bakugou obviously suppresses a gag, looking so silly that Ochako has to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud.
"Isn't that nice! Any friend of Shouto's is a friend of mine." Magnanimously, she offers her hand to Bakugou, paying no mind to his scowl or the way he looks at her extended hand as if it were a stick of dynamite.
"Yeah. Whatever," he finally grumbles, shaking her hand.
"Lovely!" She claps her hands, bouncing so innocently that spots appear in Ochako's vision from how bright she is. "So, now that we're friends, I can invite you to the Yaoyorozu Gallery opening later!"
"Huh?!" Ochako sputters, just as Todoroki utters a stern, "Yaoyorozu, you can't just-" and Bakugou mumbles a soft, "The fuck?"
"Oh, I can," she tells the Director, the stern tone in her voice vastly incompatible with her bright facade. "Secretary Takami said explicitly that 'Ms. Yaoyorozu may do as she likes.' Do you not remember?"
"I don't think he meant-"
"-It would be good to have more people there that you get along with, Shouto. It'd be more interesting that way, no?" She makes a thoughtful noise and then looks at Ochako. "It should be alright as long as Bakugou-san is accompanied by Secretary Uraraka. No-one from Endeavor will ask too many questions as long as they're with her, right?"
Ochako makes a silly, surprised noise. "M-me? With Bakugou-kun? But I…"
She looks up at the Director in confusion, who returns it with obvious discomfort. She had expected him to protest, but Yaomomo has a sharpness to her gaze that tells them she won't take no for an answer.
Todoroki thinks about it for another suspicious moment before releasing a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. Secretary Uraraka, do as Yaoyorozu requests."
Ochako affirms weakly, trying not to look apprehensive as Yaomomo makes a sound of glee. "Perfect! I'll have a chance to get to know you better in an hour, Bakugou-san. For the meantime, may I steal the Director from you for a bit, Uraraka-san? Won't be long, I just want to meet Fukidashi- sensei! He's the author of one of my favorite mangas, you know!"
It's not like any of them can do anything. Without giving any of them a chance to breathe, Yaomomo drags the Director in the direction of Fukidashi Manga's display, leaving Ochako with Bakugou, who utters another flustered curse under his breath.
"What... just happened," Ochako stammers.
"... that damn ponytail," Bakugou mutters, but the palm he places over his face doesn't hide the amused grin on his mouth.
As he continues to chuckle, Ochako looks over to him suspiciously. "Hey… am I missing something? Why would Yaomomo do any of that for you? And why the fake introductions?"
"Fuck if I know," he quips, before nudging her with his arm. "Looks like you gotta be my date for tonight, Angelface. As per the orders of your shitty boss."
Ochako makes another face at him. "He didn't say date, you know."
He sticks out his tongue. "Ya gotta stick with me all the same."
Well… Director Todoroki did tell her to do as Yaoyorozu says, so she has to stay at Bakugou's side at all times. She doesn't know why, but somehow she thinks that it's to keep Bakugou out of trouble-which is likely, judging by the way he was trying to stir things with Director Todoroki…
Wait. Was that why she intervened in the first place?
Man, this is too weird, Ochako mutters to herself. She'll figure things out eventually, hopefully before any trouble starts.
"Poor you. In a room full of schmucks with dirty corporate money, you're stuck with the fucker who's out to drag them all to the ground." Another devilish smirk on that mouth of his, charming enough that Ochako would feel a little funny if she saw it on a different day.
She scoffs, following his casual gait around the gallery right by his side. "I don't care about dirty corporate money or your conspiracies, you know. What I care about is keeping you from starting another fist fight with one of these 'rich schmucks' you so love."
"Tch. I don't start fights, I only finish 'em. The fuck is that look for? I got the records to prove it-"
Ochako giggles, gives a mocking comment that Bakugou retorts with a light-hearted insult of his own. This goes on back and forth as they walk idly along the rooms, staring at the paintings of mantises and butterflies, striking photographs of ordinary people in the city, vintage frames from classic manga that shaped pop culture.
"I get it. This type of event isn't your cup of tea, but look. " Ochako gestures to one of her favorite pieces by Jack Mantis: a massive oil-on-canvas piece depicting a katana surrounded by monarch butterflies. "This is beautiful, right? Don't you think all the trouble of getting this piece to this place is worth it?"
Bakugou scoffs, making a show of being unimpressed. "No way. There are prettier things than this pretentious shit."
" Really. " She puffs her cheeks in annoyance. "You suck at art, Bakugou Katsuki!"
He laughs, pinches her cheeks just as her guard went down. "But… I get it. Some pretty things are worth the trouble."
She catches the sudden dip in his voice just as he looks away. She wonders if his words are meant for her, as soft as they fell in the space between them.
She isn't thinking about anything serious, really, but the funny thing about thoughts is that they stray in wild directions for no reason at all. Right now a particular thought enters her mind before she can do anything to stop it:
I'm being unfair, aren't I?
She doesn't know why she thinks it when Bakugou says something ridiculous for the third time that evening, and she marvels at how easy it is to talk to him without worrying about how stupid she might sound laughing at him. She thinks it again, when he nudges her gently with his shoulder to show her something that strikes him in a certain picture, and again when he leans in to whisper something about a terrible thing that some rich guy in the same room purportedly did, and again when he leans his head back laughing at something she said.
She's unfair because being with him is fun and easy and light, something she might have wanted if things remained the way they did for the past nine years she worked at Endeavor.
She's unfair because Bakugou told her that he's going to wait for her, whatever that means, and she didn't say anything to stop him.
She's unfair because even though she's enjoying herself, she knows that she might be wasting his time…
… because he isn't Todoroki Shouto.
She shakes her head at the thought, because who said anything about romance tonight anyway? This is just her doing her job, and this is just Bakugou-kun chasing a story, and this is just them killing time in between. There's no need to take the thing that's happening between them seriously, whatever it is. She doesn't have to make a decision right now-
"Oi, you're making that weird face again."
"What face?"
A sharp jab to her cheek makes her snap out of a trance with a yelp.
"That," Bakugou points out, sneering at her when she tries to bat his hand away in vain. "The fuck is that miserable look for? Am I boring you that much, Angelface?"
A few squish-squish-squishes later, Bakugou finally lets up on the prodding with a chortle. Ochako gives him the most offended glare she can, hard as it is with how much he's enjoying himself.
"Geez," she mumbles, rubbing her cheek irately. "I wasn't bored. I was enjoying myself right before you started mutilating my cheeks…"
"Then fucking look it," he says, although he's only a little mean about it. "Unless there's something you wanna tell me?"
Another tug in her conscience. She chews on her bottom lip, hoping that she doesn't look guilty when she looks up at him. "Bakugou-kun…"
What does she say? Thanks for all the good times and the efforts digging up the horrors of my past, but I can't return your feelings because I've got it bad for my boss whom you hate and is also probably involved in the thing that made my past traumatic? It's a ridiculous mouthful that she doesn't feel ready to say, but it feels more necessary the more the time passes between them.
Bakugou interrupts her thoughts with a click of the tongue. "Hey. It's fine."
Ochako blinks. "Um. What's fine?"
The uncharacteristic sound of his voice-low, contemplative, lacking of the usual strong emotion underneath it-throws her off. So does the way he trains his eyes on her, suddenly quiet and despondent.
He scratches the back of his head roughly. "Let's leave that shit for later. If I'm lucky and Ponytail's old man doesn't throw me into Tokyo Bay by the end of the night, we can talk. That okay, Cheeks?"
Ochako stares up at him, stunned into silence. "Okay."
He smirks, although she sees that not all of it reaches his eyes. Before she can say another word, the lights dim. At the far end of the gallery, there's applause and the gritty sound of Shishida Jurota thanking everyone for coming.
"Guess that's our cue." He's looking away from her now, reds glinting in the dim light. Another nudge, one where he offers his arm to her. "Time for you to sneak me into the upper crust of society, Secretary Uraraka."
She loops his arm around hers and does her best effort at a bright smile. "Sure, Bakushinchi. Remember, no fist-fights!"
Bakugou laughs harshly, and wordlessly lets her lead the way into the ostentatious gallery next door.
To say that Shouto was on edge is a severe understatement.
To think things were going smoothly. The events started on time, all the art pieces and people were in the correct place, the food was perfect, the drinks good. There was not a word of complaint from any of the artists or guests. If there were, his capable staff managed them well enough that any anomalies remained largely unnoticed.
He saw them going around and doing their jobs satisfactorily. Monoma, especially, seems to have established rapport with Shishida and the invited artists (they seem to have taken a liking to the way he laughs- psychotic but not without its charm, as Kaibara had described it). Shouto had secured a good number of possible collaborations just by going around and striking light conversation.
Things were going well, but of course in big events like this, eventually they won't. It probably started with their encounter with Uraraka's cousin. Her presence wasn't unexpected; Uraraka asked him in advance if she could attend the event. He accepted because she asked, and also he was curious about Uraraka's family. Maybe even hoped that he could make a good impression, as silly as it sounded.
Being impressive is his forte, objectively speaking, but it's apparent that he had fallen short with Kodai Yui. For some reason the woman disliked him from the very beginning, even before Shouto introduced himself, and nothing he did seemed to improve the situation.
As if that wasn't enough, Bakugou Katsuki happened. This one wasn't a surprise, since he really was part of the guest list for the Shishida event. The crass book he wrote somehow made him impressive enough to be invited. That said, he came in expecting the worst from this person, and had enough presence of mind to manage it well.
And he was... until Yaoyorozu happened.
"You're upset," she tells him calmly, as they take their designated seats near the stage.
Upset isn't the appropriate word. Perturbed, maybe. Inconvenienced. Mildly disoriented.
"You're upset," she repeats, the tone of her voice unapologetic. "Of course you are. Things didn't go as you planned, and people didn't act as predicted."
"You didn't act as predicted."
She hums. "I acted as necessary. You and your acquaintance seemed to be on the verge of something that could get out of control, had I not intervened."
"I had it handled." Then again, Shouto had only managed to keep civil because Secretary Uraraka was there. For her sake alone, he did not want a repeat of his unfortunate first meeting with Bakugou Katsuki.
"Really." A small, unconvinced raise of the eyebrows. "So had I not said anything, you and Bakugou-san would have kissed and made up, went around the gallery debating about the humanities, shared a bottle of whisky in your penthouse after all this is over?"
She smirks at the way he falters. Why did she have to inject those images in his head?
That's not the point, though. It's obvious that her interests went beyond averting a crisis. "You seemed eager to invite him here."
Yaoyorozu blinks innocently. "Eager? I was merely being courteous."
He narrows his eyes. "I hardly think that allowing an infamous anti-corporate investigative journalist access to a gathering with some of the top 1% of the country in wealth and prestige is merely a courtesy, Yaoyorozu."
"You exaggerate, Shouto, considering that you are a member of that group yourself. Why, it sounds suspiciously like you don't trust this friend of yours to behave."
"And it sounds suspiciously like you're disproportionately interested in him, for a reason I can't fathom." Shouto crosses his arms. "What are you up to?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she says, a careful neutral expression on her face that confirms all his suspicions. For an actress, she isn't even trying to pretend it was otherwise. "Oh look, Father and Uncle Enji are here. Unfortunately, we have to stop talking about this now."
On cue, the old man appears from behind them, a sharp-eyed Takami Keigo hot on his heels. Next to them is a man with dark hair, dark eyes, a dignified air about him and a smile that crinkles his eyes and makes him appear kind.
"Hello, Father." Yaoyorozu Momo embraces the man amidst a flurry of camera flashes around them.
"There you are, darling," Yaoyorozu Yoshinori says, returning the embrace. "Where were you? I was quite worried earlier when you just up and disappeared from my sight so expertly."
It's difficult to pick up for anyone not used to the executive, but Shouto notices the tension behind his words. 'A little worried' is probably an understatement in this case.
Yaoyorozu Momo must have picked up on it too. There's a half-second of actual fear in her eyes, before she laughs it off. "Sorry for worrying you! It's just that I couldn't bear another second waiting for Shouto to arrive. I took it upon myself to find him."
Another subtlety that Shouto picks up-the younger Yaoyorozu isn't completely honest here, despite the innocent flush to her cheeks.
Still, it's obvious that she said the right things. There's an instant look of approval over Yaoyorozu Yoshinori's face accompanying a surprised oho! "This is good news! Seems that there's hope for our wayward children, right Enji?"
"So it seems," Enji concurs, but the suspicious look he casts Shouto's way makes it clear he isn't convinced.
He returns the glare, mouth unmoving.
As if picking up on the tension between them, Yaoyorozu clears her throat to interrupt. "Father, Uncle Enji, isn't it about time we start? I'm quite excited doing the introductions for the two of you, and for Shouto as well!"
"Hmph. Fine," Enji says, finally looking away from Shouto. "Go ahead, Momo."
She smiles, sending a cautionary glance towards Shouto's way. Don't do anything stupid, she might as well have said out loud before she graciously makes her way onto the stage to begin the introductions. It doesn't take long, and a few meaningless words and bows and photographs later, the gallery is officially opened.
In the flurry of flashes that follow, Shouto glances over his shoulder to look at the persons in attendance. They only invited a handful of people here, most of them the senior executives and heads of corporations that Endeavor had collaborations with, carefully handpicked by Enji himself.
The guest list is so exclusive that the ones who aren't elderly scions in the audience can be counted in two hands-Yoarashi being one of them, grinning at Shouto from afar while Secretary Utsushimi entertained him with her phone. Honenuki Juzo, the award-winning director of The Goddess of Creation is another, and it's obvious that he is not pleased with their company's refusal to invite the rest of his crew to this event. He's speaking with Shishida Jurota, who is producing their next film. The Hollywood actress Tsunotori Pony is also there, obviously trying not to appear uncomfortable as some of the executives stick to her too closely for photo-ops.
Finally, Aoyama Yuuga, a fashion giant from Paris and an all-around eccentric person, makes himself known to Shouto.
" Bonsoir, Todoroki-kun!"
Shouto regards him flatly. Then, in French, "You made it. Thank you for joining us in our event."
"But of course, tis not a thing. Bonsoir, mademoiselle!" Aoyama leans in to give airkisses to Yaoyorozu, who returns them gracefully. "You are as lovely as the gown you are wearing! I am intrigued as to who the designer is, what a unique piece it is!"
" You are kind as always, Aoyama-san, " Yaoyorozu replies, also in fluent French. "To answer your question, my stylist Yanagi Reiko designed it for me."
"Amazing detail! You must introduce me to her. I am always looking for new talent, yes?" And then he turns to Shouto again, with the usual conspiratorial sparkle in his eyes. " And you, monsieur? Who is responsible for styling you this evening?"
Why does he always ask, if he already knows the answer? Shouto huffs. "Secretary Uraraka did, as always. "
" Ah~ the little secretary. Where is she? I must meet her again! You have instructed her to wear the gown I gifted for this evening, yes? "
Aoyama has met Uraraka a number of times before in meetings and social functions like this one. Shouto isn't sure why the designer had this idea that he and Uraraka had something he called ' les tension sexuelles' between them from the start, and why he's invested in seeing it blossom ' comme une fleur', but it seems that he isn't letting up on the idea yet.
As to his insistence-bordering-on-obsession to dress her in the way he likes, well, he gets it. Uraraka is objectively attractive no matter what she wears, but the frequency with which she repeats her outfits is… concerning. Even more so to a finicky fashion expert like Aoyama.
"Never mind, I have spotted her! But what's this?" Another smattering of sparkles assault Shouto's eyes as Aoyama gazes upon him, aghast. "She seems to be accompanying another gentleman tonight? Todoroki-kun, explain yourself!"
Why is he demanding an explanation like he's personally offended by this arrangement? As if Shouto wasn't the most offended by this. Why wouldn't he be, with the number of times Bakugou has leaned in unnecessarily close to Uraraka's ear?
Just as he's about to retort, Yaoyorozu beats him to it. "That's my fault, Aoyama-san. The gentleman is present upon my insistence alone."
"Oh. Bakugou Katsuki, eh?" Aoyama suddenly looks disproportionately excited about that. "I never imagined your tastes going that way, Yaomomo, but I suppose not even you are immune to the bad boy charm?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Yaoyorozu replies, unfazed.
Aoyama looks ready to comment again, until a commotion happens at the other end of the hall. "They're here! The League is here!"
Shouto winces as the group of rowdy voices break through the formal air of the gathering, shattering it into pieces. Even appropriately attired, the League of Villains stood out against the clean and crisp backdrop of the gallery with their lazy postures and twisted faces, their blatant disregard of the prestige of the majority of the crowd there.
It wasn't entirely bad. Shouto enjoys the instant look of distaste on Enji's face and the knowledge that he can do nothing about this. But besides that there's apprehension in the old man's eyes, something he instantly hides from Yaoyorozu Yoshinori.
"Oh my, they look magnificent, " Aoyama says, clapping his hands in excitement. "Oh my, this is the first time I've seen them without their masks… be still my heart! Shigaraki, c'est magnifique… and who-"
The room suddenly falls so silent that the simultaneous intakes of breath cut through his hearing like a knife. Without anyone saying a word, it's painfully obvious who they're staring at.
"Is that… Dabi?" Yaoyorozu asks beside him.
Shouto only manages to stop the strangled noise in his throat. She's right, the person that the rest of the room is staring at is none other than Dabi. The pale skin, the striking blue eyes, and the characteristic piercings over his ears and his nose say as much. But his hair-
"His hair, " Aoyama murmurs, voice as conflicted as everyone else's gaze in the room. "I did not think that silver would look, er… so distinct on him. I hardly recognize him."
In simple terms: he looks less like Dabi of the League of Villains, and more like Todoroki Touya.
"No, I must be imagining it." Yaoyorozu shakes her head, and Shouto only notices the slight pallor in her cheeks. "It's been years, and this is the last place he'd be… right?"
She looks just as uneasy as Enji. Shouto unfortunately can't give her the reassurance she's looking for.
Instead, he forces himself to do what is expected of him and quietly makes his way in front of the group, taking a deep breath as he does so. "Welcome," he says, voice strained. "It's an honor to have all of you here."
For his own sake, he ignores the amused leers of the other members of the group and focuses his attention to no-one else but Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri, the de facto leaders of the group. Shigaraki, not one to bother feigning interest, looks at Shouto's extended hand with obvious distaste.
"Big honor or whatever. Shame we missed the opening," he mutters, voice so scratchy that a group of attendants immediately scramble in the periphery with bottles of water. He stares at Shouto's hand for another moment before finally taking it for a handshake, only grasping the distal joints of his fingers with his thumb and forefinger.
"No, not at all. I know you are all preparing for the concert tomorrow," Shouto answers smoothly, trying not to think about how awkward their photos will look the next day.
"Nah, we had enough time, we just didn't wanna be here."
The group explodes in a fit of raucous laughter, one that resonates above the stunned crowd. Shouto tries to keep his face flat and polite, even though he badly wants to leave. Not due to Shigaraki's blatant dismissal, but because Touya's close by, unsmiling, hostility plain in his blue eyes.
It's strange but he can feel the spike of annoyance in his older brother's bloodstream. It tends to rise whenever Shouto is near. It's painful to be hated this much from this close, but he can manage this. If he closes the conversation now, he can step away, let Touya do as he likes, and...
"Is that true? Why, that will make me feel absolutely terrible…"
The laughter stops to be replaced by a piercing silence and the echoes of footsteps behind him. The shuffling of steps of what must be an army of personal guards come next, along with it a tautness to the air that is close to snapping.
Yaoyorozu Yoshinori comes to a halt right next to Shouto, with an amicable smile and a subdued yet dangerous aura around him. Eyeing Shigaraki and Kurogiri, he says, "I was the one who insisted on inviting the League here, after all! After your contribution to the success of my daughter's film, I thought it was the least I can do. I'd have to bow down to you in apology if anything is unsatisfactory in our humble little gathering…"
Unminding of how everyone in the entire room is suddenly tense, Shigaraki mumbles, "A humble gathering, he says." But after a warning look from Kurogiri he scratches his face-whether it's a gesture of rudeness or a nervous tic, Shouto couldn't tell. "It was a joke. Calm down."
"A joke!" The elder Yaoyorozu laughs, a jolly sound that his staff and eventually the rest of the room echoes with a nervous energy. "Well, I'm relieved that I've met the expectations of the greatest band in the world!"
Shouto can't find it in himself to laugh despite everyone else joining in, and neither does the younger Yaoyorozu, who only manages a polite noise.
"Now, I thought I knew each and everyone of you from the background checks that we've done for all of you, but I have to say, even with all the reports I got, this is surprising..."
A number of coughs, nervous gasps, and unsubtle what the fucks burst from all directions in the room as the unfazed Yaoyorozu patriarch makes a show of looking at each member of the League up and down, unflinching as they leer at him right back. He's relentless with his cool gaze, unafraid of the threat of violence that each member communicates through a number of rude gestures, not stopping until he reaches the one person down the line who got his attention.
"You, sir," he says, staring at Dabi right in the face. "You look very familiar. Have we met before?"
A wave of anxiety overcomes Shouto. Through the painful twisting of his stomach, he hardly registers Yaoyorozu Momo's voice, pleading "Father- ", immediately shut down with an authoritative finger pointed upwards.
From the corner of his eye, he feels Bakugou Katsuki watching them like one watches the shortening wick of a bomb. Secretary Uraraka meets Shouto's eyes for a moment, round eyes shining with worry.
Dabi, unfazed, stares right back at him. "Nope."
Yaoyorozu Yoshinori hums. "Haven't been to Japan much, then, despite being Japanese?"
"Nah. Thought you'd know that from your background checks. Or was that all a joke before?"
Some members of the League chuckle derisively, but again, this Yaoyorozu is unfazed; he even chuckles alongside them, fearlessly placing one heavy hand over his older brother's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I am being rude, aren't I? I'm just a little, how do you say… anxious if I don't know everything there is to know about anybody breathing the same air as me. The problem is entirely with me, not you." And then, looking over his shoulder, he says, "You know what I mean, Todoroki? It's weird, I feel like I should know this guy but I don't!"
Enji stares at Dabi, face carefully impassive. Dabi glares right back at him, eyes unreadable.
"No," the old man finally says, disinterested. "Never met him before."
A light scoff from Dabi. Yaoyorozu Yoshinori makes a sound of amusement, and then suddenly he's looking at Shouto with that cutting gaze.
"How about you, Shouto? This guy a friend of yours from way before?"
Shouto tries not to meet his brother's gaze as he answers quietly, "We met for the first time to arrange matters for this event."
"I see."
Things are spiraling further out of control, but Shouto's grip over himself is iron-clad. He won't give in to the wave of panic threatening to rise from within the depths of his stomach-not by this man, by his brother, by his father's burning gaze on him. Once this absurd conversation is over, he can regain control back. He can carry on like nothing is wrong.
He can-
"Well… if you can't, then surely Secretary Uraraka can shed some light upon this puzzle?"
Shouto feels his heart stunned into silence.
It's not just him-the surroundings erupt into a murmur of Secretary Uraraka? Who? And Why would Yaoyorozu-sama look for her?
Within the noise in the room, Shouto hears the cracks in Uraraka's voice loud and clear. "M-me?"
Yaoyorozu Yoshinori smiles amicably. "Yes, you. Who else better to ask than you, my dear? Come, come-"
Cornered, she can only come forward, keeping her posture upright, her gaze respectful, her breathing even despite a commanding rumble from Bakugou to stay right where she is. To most she appears the calm and collected secretary who's always at Shouto's side. But as she comes closer he can see the slight tremble in her hands, the tension over her short brows, the taut line over her mouth-small things he's picked up over the years of working with her that tells him loud and clear that she is afraid.
"You look surprised," the elder Yaoyorozu says as soon as she's close enough. "Did you expect me not to know who you were? I know everything about you, Uraraka-san, including the fact that you're leaving Endeavor soon. A shame, really, given all your skills..."
Uraraka quietly affirms this, wisely choosing not to add anything more.
"So you have been Shouto's secretary for… nine years now? Or have you two known each other for longer than that?"
Shouto clenches his fist at his side.
"I have worked for Director Todoroki for nine years," she answers, bowing. "I am surprised, but honored that you would remember so."
"Wonderful." The elder Yaoyorozu pats her at the back amicably. "As Shouto's secretary, you have the difficult task of assisting him in all his businesses, his affairs, knowing everything there is to know about him..."
A pause, and then he forces Uraraka to face Dabi, who finally, finally flinches underneath Yaoyorozu Yoshinori's gaze.
"So, same thing," the scion says as Uraraka stiffens in fear. The tension in Dabi's hands tell Shouto that something regrettable is going to happen, soon. "You're going to be very honest with me right? Have the two of you ever-"
"Enough. "
He speaks softly. His voice shouldn't have cut through the air the way it did, like a knife through flesh. Within the momentary confusion that follows and the haziness in Shouto's vision where his body moves entirely on his own, his senses come back to him too late.
When he comes to, he's holding someone's wrist, pulling them harshly to his back.
"Excuse me?"
Facing Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, he knows better than to do anything else but to keep his mouth shut, especially with Enji and Touya and Yaoyorozu Momo nearby. But this-Secretary Uraraka-
"Enough… Uncle ," he says, voice low. Something in his gaze makes the men behind him flinch. "Don't treat my secretary this way."
Yaoyorozu Yoshinori smiles calmly above the air of confusion. "This way, you say? I'm merely asking her a question."
"She does not need to answer that."
He shrugs. "So is it more prudent to ask her close friend Bakugou Katsuki instead?" He laughs. "It seems that he's been itching to say something for a while now. Strange for someone who's a surprise guest, himself."
"Damn right," Bakugou says, stepping into the mess. He looks like he has a lot of detrimental things to say, so before he can open his mouth, Shouto interrupts him.
"No, he doesn't. He has absolutely nothing to say about this." Fighting the numbness blooming from within him, Shouto bows in front of the scion. "Excuse me. I must speak with my secretary alone."
He doesn't wait for anyone to say anything more. Through the sudden white noise in his head, he makes his way past the murmuring crowd, the stunned staff, the rest of the faceless masses.
"Director Todoroki… I'm sorry if I didn't handle that well," Uraraka whispers beside him, voice unsteady.
"No… none of this is your fault," he says, squeezing her hand. As her hand continues to tremble in his, all he can think of is the need to protect her from all of them-that man, Enji, Hawks, Touya-
"Oi, you bastard, what the fuck? What are you planning to do to her?!"
-Bakugou Katsuki.
Shit, he thinks, coming to a halt as he hears the heavy, angry footsteps of the reporter behind him.
"Bakugou-kun," Uraraka says softly, hand stilling within Shouto's grasp. "I'm fine okay? The Director and I just need to talk…"
"Like fuck you do," Bakugou snarls. The guy is always angry as a rule, but now the violence within him surges like heat from an angry furnace directed only at Shouto. "Hey, idiot, what the hell was that shit you just pulled?!"
The shit he just pulled? Shouto feels something ugly rise from within him. He's trying to protect Secretary Uraraka, isn't he? What right does this guy have to tell him off for that?
"Protect her? Protect her?! Are you making me laugh?!" Bakugou does anyway, cold and sarcastic and fucking angry that it baffles Shouto how brazen he is. "Idiot! You were so defensive that you just made the head of the fucking Yaoyorozu Group suspicious of her!"
"Don't speak as if it is any of your business."
"Oh, you think this has nothing to do with me, rich boy?!" His teeth are bared so much that he looks like he has a psychotic smile on his face. "You think you're the only one here who can help her? Well let me tell you something, you half-and-half bastard-"
" Bakugou-kun, please stop, " Uraraka pleads, shrinking at Shouto's side. "I promise I'm okay. Please."
A crowd is beginning to form around them, far enough away that they can't hear the details of their conversation, but close enough that they see the twisted expression on Bakugou's face and the cold anger in Shouto's eyes. Behind them, a number of armed men in suits surround them at the edges of his vision, carefully assessing the situation.
"Uraraka." Bakugou's voice goes down an octave lower, a hundred decibels softer. A pause, and then, "You have to get the fuck out of here. You know that, right?"
Uraraka seems to ponder upon his words, as vague as they are to Shouto's ears. She shakes her head. "My job here isn't done yet."
A strange look descends upon Bakugou's face, something akin to defeat that takes Shouto aback. The beginnings of his voice rasping out another word gets cut off by camera flashes, stronger murmurs from the crowd.
Shit. In the haze of his anger and anxiety it was easy to forget where they were. It isn't ideal for anyone to see him arguing with Bakugou Katsuki for many reasons, but he could manage it. If Secretary Uraraka were further implicated in this mess though-
"Shouto, Uraraka-san, Bakugou-san-what on earth is happening?"
Shouto tries to keep his face flat as Yaoyorozu Momo steps into the fray, heels clacking. Cameras flash more furiously than ever, and Shouto decides that this situation cannot possibly get worse.
Bakugou clicks his tongue sharply. In a voice he's barely able to control, he snaps, "What the fuck does it look like, Ponytail?! This bastard-this genius of an ex-boyfriend of yours made shit happen, that's what-"
Ponytail?
"Whatever it is, Bakugou-san, I hardly think causing a scene like this is necessary," Yaoyorozu says, a subtle sharpness to her tone. "All this attention the two of you are gaining will not be… favorable."
"Favorable." Shouto faces Yaoyorozu, voice no less cutting than hers. "For whom, exactly? I thought something was odd earlier. Did you lie to me about not knowing Bakugou, Yaoyorozu?"
Yaoyorozu stares at him with a level gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about," she repeats.
"It ain't your fucking business Icyhot," Bakugou snarls, voice loud enough that the murmurs around them escalate. The crowd around them are not subtle about listening in, with about twenty phones recording their entire exchange, but Shouto suddenly does not give a fuck.
"Director, I'm sure that they didn't mean any harm," Uraraka whispers beside him. "Please calm down."
It's too late. Shouto's hold on his common sense is gone now, snapped past the point of no return by the feeling of betrayal. "You-do you think that your presence here is welcome? Do you think that all those corporations you took down, the reputation you've built around yourself-do you think all that shit is good for her?!"
He's saying too much. Already the reporters around them are looking at each other in alarm, mouthing " Who are they talking about? Who is 'her'? Why are they fighting?" The last thing they need is for this mess to appear in the gossip columns. If Uraraka is cast in the public eye, who knows what terrible things these vultures are going to dig out about her. Shouto will never forgive himself if it comes to that, yet he bites his tongue a touch too late.
"Shut the fuck up, you stupid-do you want these fucking extras to know-"
Bakugou's fist moves, aiming right at his face to stop him from speaking. He needs to do it, Shouto gets it. He doesn't plan to dodge from it, although his arm tenses at his side, hand forming into a fist and ready to retaliate.
Neither of them get a chance. A sharp pain hits Shouto in the face the next moment, from a hand that is definitely not Bakugou's.
Uraraka gasps next to him, hands covering her mouth as Shouto raises his hand to soothe the sting.
Yaoyorozu's eyes flare in front of him in a way he never thought was possible. She draws her hand back, somehow still regal as she does so, before she faces Bakugou.
"Ponytail, what the fuck do you think you're-"
Another slap, just as loud, cuts through the air and silences the hubbub around them. Bakugou swears under his breath, teeth bared at Yaoyorozu. He manages an offended sputter as he holds his stinging cheek.
Shouto stares at his friend in shock. She ignores his questioning gaze as well as Bakugou's as she shakes her hand subtly from the soreness of her palm. When she looks up, there's genuine remorse in her eyes, directed only at one person in this mess:
"Secretary Uraraka." Her voice is full of regret that Uraraka visibly flinches from it. "This is my mistake. I did not foresee things to happen like this. This is all I can do for you now."
"Yaoyorozu-san…" Uraraka sounds so lost beside him. "I don't understand."
She smiles briefly, different from all the shallow smiles expected of an actress like her. "It's alright now. I've got this handled." And then, a little louder, a little colder, she declares: "We should rethink things between us, Director Todoroki. I apologize for wasting your time."
Scandalized gasps surround her as she adjusts her furs around her shoulders and starts to walk away from them. Shouto is able to pick up a few phrases here and there-" Oh my god, is TodoMomo done for good?! Did Yaomomo just dump his ass because of his secretary? Or is it because of-"
"Katsuki," Yaoyorozu calls, a command disguised as a sweet sing-song. "Whatever are you standing around there for? "
Bakugou snaps out of a trance to glare at Yaoyorozu. "Who the fuck do you think you-"
"I am not going to say it twice, darling." An elegant toss of her hair over her shoulder, no doubt a move to steal the media's attention further away from Uraraka. "If you stay there any longer I shall have to take a raincheck on your proposition."
"Proposition?! Oh my god, Yaomomo and Bakugou Katsuki are-"
It takes a moment for the two bewildered men to make sense of her behavior, but when it does, Shouto and Bakugou utter a curse under their breaths simultaneously:
Fuck. She changed the narrative and turned the tables on us, just like that.
It's clear then, despite his wishes to do the opposite, Bakugou has no choice but to leave Shouto alone with Uraraka and to follow the woman out of there. Nevertheless, he spares another moment to glare at Shouto with ill intent.
"This isn't fucking over," he mutters under his breath, as he shoves his hands in his pockets and storms out of the hall.
The commotion is over before anyone knows it. The party around them picks up as if nothing happened, all while Shouto struggles to keep his head from spinning.
Nothing about this is good. This is all his fault-losing his cool, falling back into jealousy and the bitter self he swore to abandon. He's no good for her. He's not-
A gentle tug at his sleeve breaks the cycle of anxious thoughts, dragging him back to the present. Blinking, he takes sight of the empty hallway, brown eyes, pink cheeks.
"Director," Uraraka's soft voice rises beside him. "I think we need some fresh air."
The most important thing is to take Director Todoroki out of there.
Ochako knew just the place: a small balcony designed to be hidden, tucked at the other end of the gallery and accessible by a winding passageway. She doubted that anybody else knew about it, as she only learned about it by studying the blueprints before the event. Thanks to the commotion that Yaomomo instigated, nobody paid them enough attention to follow them out. It was perfect.
Here, under the open air and the silence of the night sky, Director Todoroki can take a deep breath and rearrange his thoughts.
For the past nine years, Ochako has watched him descend to that dangerous place rarely-whether it's an accidental view of a kettle or a troublesome encounter with the Chairman. It's hard to tell sometimes when he's going there. There's only this certain weight to his silence, a freezing to his heart that tells her that he's spinning out of control.
She felt that weight more frequently these past few weeks. Dabi, for one, and then the night where she found him staring into nothingness in front of her apartment. And now…
"Uraraka."
"Director," she replies, with a comforting smile. "Are you okay now?"
Director Todoroki looks over the city below, pale hands gripping the railing of the balcony. Ochako edges closer to him, eyes on his profile, on the careful flutter of his eyelashes as he fights the haziness in his vision.
"I should be asking you that," he mutters, frustration edging his voice. "All that can't have been easy for you."
She shakes her head. "I'm sorry… I think if I had answered Chairman Yaoyorozu better, none of that would have happened."
"You know that's not true," he murmurs, eyes distant. "I made a mess of things. Made you visible under everybody else's scrutiny, even though it's my burden to bear. Bakugou was right."
How terrible he must feel for him to say that Bakugou was right.
"I'm okay. I promise I am. Please don't worry about me."
He makes a soft noise. "You're always inclined to worry about me first, aren't you, Uraraka? You really have a talent in being my secretary, being the way you are. It's too bad…"
A lump forms at the pit of Ochako's stomach as the Director trails off into nothingness. "Too bad?" she asks, with uncertainty.
He gazes upon the distance for a moment more, eyes steadily clearing up. When he regards her again, finally meets her eyes, there's a wan smile on his mouth. It feels like he turns his thoughts over in his head once, twice, thrice before he finally speaks.
"Nine years," he says, voice thin. "Nine years that I've selfishly kept you at my side. Nine years that I made you worry about me. What is all that time for, if I've never learned to do a simple thing like keeping you safe?"
His voice sounds so… weak, so unlike him that the floor underneath her is suddenly unsteady and the welling in her stomach, unbearable. All she can do is stare at him, stunned, as he struggles with his thoughts again.
"You're still looking for the right person to marry," he says, after a long silence. "There are other things you want to do, too. I must have wasted your time thanks to my selfishness. But it's not too late, Uraraka. Bakugou-"
"-Director-"
"- Bakugou Katsuki, " he interrupts, fingers tightening on the ledge. "I dislike him, I probably always will, but even I can see that he has nothing but good intentions for you. He has known you for such a short time, but he's sure of you immediately."
"- Director- "
"He won't waste your time." Todoroki gazes upon her pleadingly. "Not like I have. Not like I will, because of… of the way I am."
His hand comes up to touch his scar, and Ochako can feel the loneliness surrounding him, a dark cloud upon his shoulders. She sort of wants to cry seeing him like this.
"Director," she says quietly. "That's not fair. You're convincing yourself of all these things to push me away, but you can't, okay? I won't let you."
She gathers a bit of her courage here, herself. Slowly she steps into his space, close enough so that she can reach up to his left hand covering his scar, so that he's looking into her eyes and nothing else.
"Why..." he whispers, baffled. "Why would you want to stay with someone like me?"
Why? There's only so much she can say about that. There's the nine years they spent together, understanding each other through thick and thin. The past few weeks where Ochako's world has turned upside down and inside out. The mess of feelings she never thought she'd feel-all the ups and downs and in-betweens when he proposed to her, took her out on a date, fought with her, fought for her, spoke with her, held her hand-
As confusing as the world is around them, Ochako is sure about one thing when it comes to Todoroki Shouto.
"I love you," she says, with all her heart. "I think I have, for a long time now."
His eyes widen under her gaze.
"I may not be sure about a lot of other things, but I'm sure of how I feel about you." She inhales, tries to get rid of the shakiness in her voice. "And I want to stay with you. So please…"
She trails off when she feels his hand pressing over hers, putting her palms in full contact over scarred skin. Todoroki's eyes are closed, as if relishing the warmth of her touch.
"Uraraka," he says, after a long and intimate silence. "Uraraka Ochako. You don't know how long I've wanted to say the same thing."
And then, as natural as breathing, he leans in closer to her. The space between them slowly, slowly disappears.
His hands come up to hold her face, and he finally kisses her.
And, oh, how long has she waited for this. The kiss is chaste, just his mouth gently touching hers, yet her skin feels like it's on fire.
It's not enough-she leans in closer, wrapping her arms around his neck so she can hold him a little closer, kiss him a little deeper. He obliges, lifts her in his arms to keep their faces level, making a soft noise that she feels against her mouth and makes her heart beat wildly in her chest, as if it knows that she has finally found who she's looking for.
She loves him, she loves Todoroki Shouto, she does. She feels it in the core of her bones, feels it in her elated soul threatening to fly her to the moon. She feels it when they finally break the kiss and breathe the same air and stare into each other's eyes, baffled and overjoyed at the same time.
"Uraraka," he whispers again, smiling against the skin of her neck. "I love you. Stay with me."
She smiles right back and kisses him again. "Okay... okay."
The air around them is cold, but she remains warm in his embrace. She holds onto him for as long as the night permits them.
AN: so,,,, 120k or so words later... they finally kiss :D I'M SO HAPPY WE REACHED THIS PART of the storYYYY, take that 16-chapter-curseeeeee How are you guys? I hope COVID isn't causing you too much trouble where you are. I'm in extreme lockdown conditions myself! But now I have time to write, hopefully I can update this story while the community quarantines are ongoing. I'm really very sleepy right now and will probably edit this note later but i just want to say thank you so much for your continued words of encouragement. They make me happy and make me want to work hard for this story despite my tendency to be anxious about my outputs. So there,,,, let me know if I did the scenes here any justice, or if there's things I need to improve on, etc etc See you in the next update!
