Izuku couldn't breathe.
Eyes wide, lungs cramping from exertion and heart a battering ram against his ribs, he ran through the dark.
He was in a forest, one that looked devastatingly familiar. Black trees surrounded him on all sides against a sky filled with acrid smoke, closing in, closing in until the air was heavy with it. Izuku was running away from something terrifying. He was running towards something even more so.
No, no, no, he chanted, but his lungs were too tight to say it aloud, though he dearly wished he could scream his denial into the hazy sky above just to hear something other than the racing of his own desperate heart.
It's too late, a voice answered back, and it sounded despairingly like Kacchan. And then he was there, right in front of Izuku, but he couldn't reach him, couldn't reach him as he was yanked into the arms of Shigaraki, the amorphous villain pulling Kacchan against his body covetously, tauntingly, before fading to darkness, pulling a wide-eyed Kacchan with him. You're not enough. You're never enough. Did you think you could–
–save me, another voice continued, young and pleading. Save me, please! It was Kota, hat gone, eyes wide and teary and scrapes all over his pale skin. Over him stood a horrifying shadow, the silhouette of muscles beyond any sane reasoning, massive hands coming up to smother the small boy. Muscular looked up with a manic grin and squeezed.
Kota screamed.
"Kota–" Izuku choked, lifting his arm too slow, too slow. But he was slammed into the ground and he could feel himself breaking apart like a dry clump of clay, bones disintegrating in familiar agony. Above him, a slim man laughed, the lower half of his face obscured by a mask. Overhaul's cruel eyes narrowed with glee as his fist around Izuku's neck grew tighter.
Poor, pathetic boy. This is your fault. All these people hurt because of you. Do you like watching them suffer?
Vision blackening with suffocation and tears, Izuku just barely saw Eri-chan peeking around her father's back, a cold, dead look in her eyes and he realized with a shock that she wasn't with him. He couldn't win without her, he couldn't save her without her power because he wasn't enough. He reached for her with his mangled arm, but she stepped away, young, beautiful face crumpling in disgust. Now you want to save me? It's too late.
Chiaki laughed, and then he was changing, becoming paler, his hair longer, until Shigaraki was the one with his hand around Izuku's throat, one finger teasingly waving in the air the only thing saving Izuku from death. He smiled, cracked skin flaking and gleeful. Then he was Stain, manic fever in his eyes, then All for One's destroyed face, the terrifying emptiness of a Nomu–
Kacchan and Todoroki, but this time they weren't smiling, weren't looking at him with gentleness as they squeezed the life out of him. In Kacchan's eyes was the same anger he'd shown in middle school, in Todoroki's the same cornered look he'd worn when Izuku talked with him for the first time.
As one, they whispered as the world went black, Why are you doing this to us?
Izuku woke with a gasp, blinded by the rushing of his panic and unable to breathe past the lump in his throat. A dream, it was a dream. Kota was fine. Kacchan was fine. Eri was safe in the hospital. He hadn't failed, he hadn't failed, he hadn't–It was just a nightmare. He was safe.
"Shhh," someone whispered, and Izuku fought to come out of his panic, to see his surroundings. A soft touch drifted through his hair and he flinched, only able to see a fist coming for his face, a flash of crimson and fire. "It was just a dream," Bakugou whispered gruffly, and at the sound of his voice Izuku calmed, pulse evening out.
"K-Kacchan?" His vision cleared well enough to see by the glow of his All Might lamp. It was dark outside. Izuku didn't remember falling asleep. He looked up to find Bakugou sitting beside him on his bed, a notebook propped open on his knee. He didn't pull his hand away when Izuku flinched and continued to brush through his hair absently, eyes glued to his work. Izuku blinked, trying to clear the tears and grit from his eyes. That soft touch must have been what woke him.
"Shush, you'll wake candy cane."
"Hmn?" Todoroki mumbled, and Izuku tensed as he felt a shift against his chest. He looked down to find the other boy nuzzling into his side with their legs tangled together, pulling Izuku closer and rubbing his chest clumsily. Izuku relaxed, warmth blossoming behind his sternum as some knot of tension in him began to unravel. Todoroki made a pleased noise before snuggling closer.
When did they come in? Or better yet, why were they here after what Izuku did to them earlier? Somehow, he couldn't find it in himself to think on it too deeply, not when he was so comfortable. It was a welcome reprieve from the fear on the edge of his dreams, a fear he could feel receding with Todoroki's every steady breath and the sweep of Bakugou's fingers.
"Go back to sleep," Bakugou said, the scritch of pen on paper a quiet lullaby. Izuku couldn't tell which one of them he was talking to. Probably both. With a huff, Bakugou swept his hand over Izuku's face, closing his eyes and blocking his disoriented stare. An overwhelming feeling of safety engulfed Izuku and when Bakugou pulled his hand away he found that his eyes remained closed. Sleep beckoned and Izuku didn't resist its call, letting himself drift away beneath Todoroki's warm weight.
He didn't dream again that night.
"Plus Ultra!" All Might's voice blared through the room and Izuku groaned, "Seize the day, young hero! Go beyond! Plus Ultra!"
Clumsily, Izuku waved his arm around until he could slap the button on his alarm clock, silencing his morning pep-talk. Usually, the thought of another day at UA would make him smile, but he could barely bring himself to move.
Ugh. It was a school day. He...had to get up…
"Plus Ultra!" his second alarm clock blared on the other side of the room, and Izuku forced his eyes open this time, knowing that if he didn't make himself get out of bed to shut it off, he was going to end up late. Muzzily, he pushed himself upright from his sprawl on his stomach, wiping the drool from his face and getting clumsily from the bed. Tottering to the other side of the room–tripping over loose papers on the way–he pushed All Might's plastic head down with an affectionate pat before turning around to stare blankly at his empty room.
Wait.
Had last night been a dream?
Izuku felt a little more awake as his stomach tangled into knots when he remembered how he'd acted. But neither boy was even here, so maybe he'd just imagined it? He bit his lip. Just the thought of them being here had banished his nightmares, so he was grateful either way, even if it didn't quell his guilt all that much.
A soft knock at his door had Izuku jolting out of his daze. "Midoriya?" Todoroki's quiet voice came through the wood, hesitant.
"Y-yes?" he said nervously, looking around himself at the wreck that was his bedroom, that he was. Even his hair was in more of a rioting mess than usual. A flash of calloused fingers gently working through his tangles had him coughing into his fist.
"It's seven-thirty...we're going to be late."
"R-right," Izuku said loudly, scrambling to get himself together. He threw on his clothes, rubbing the grit from his eyes as he gathered his school stuff. Man, he'd really made a mess in here. As an afterthought, he snatched his notebook from the floor, shoving it into his backpack in case he had another revelation at some point in the day.
First thing's first, he needed to chat with Aizawa.
Todoroki blinked muzzily at him as he opened the door and Izuku just gaped for a second. Then Todoroki smiled slightly, eyes sharpening, and Izuku had to force his gaze away. "A-ha. Good morning Todoroki. Where's Kacchan?"
Todoroki looked at him for a moment longer before adjusting his shirt sleeve and walking slowly down the hall. "He's in the kitchen, finishing up breakfast."
"Huh...he really cooks a lot, doesn't he?" Izuku said, pushing his awkwardness aside for now and falling into step beside the other boy. Izuku didn't really remember Bakugou cooking quite this much, though he could occasionally be found doing so, if one were looking for it. He always got so defensive and shoved everyone out of the kitchen when that happened.
"Hm, yeah. He's usually more secretive about it, though," Todoroki said thoughtfully.
A small flash of guilt hit Izuku at that. Was Bakugou doing this because of the love quirk? But that didn't make sense…Izuku hadn't particularly wanted him to cook, or anything.
"Don't do that," Todoroki said, pausing in his stride. They were at the top of the stairs now, and Izuku could hear voices in the common area, too soft to make out. Izuku paused as well, wondering what he meant. Todoroki looked at him from beneath his lashes, gaze piercing and Izuku was abruptly reminded of another time Todoroki looked at him like that. Right before... Izuku's eyes fluttered down to Todoroki's lips and startled when the other boy licked them, gaze darkening. "And it's Shoto."
He made his way down the stairs, leaving Izuku choking on air. There was no way he could call him that, no way. By the time Izuku made it down the stairs, the common room was nearly empty save for Todoroki, Uraraka and Tsuyu. Uraraka stood by the door with the other girl, looking conflicted, but the second she saw Izuku she brightened, waving with a happy smile.
Oh. She looked a lot better. Izuku was glad.
"Deku!" she called sweetly, jogging to meet him at the couches, Tsuyu waiting patiently for her at the door. "You're late, sleepy head! Homeroom starts in ten minutes!" she paused as she reached him, concern dimming her smile when she caught sight of the dark shadows beneath his eyes. "Did you sleep at all?"
"Ah, I did, I'm fine," Izuku lied. Well, it wasn't technically a lie. He had slept, but only after waking from that awful nightmare at who knew what time in the morning. But that was a daily occurrence for him at this point. He avoided her eyes with an awkward smile when he remembered just how he woke up. Unless that had been a dream as well.
"Well, come on! We'll be late!" Uraraka urged, grabbing onto Izuku's arm and tugging him playfully.
"Hey, hands off," Bakugou called, walking through the door from the kitchen, a container in hand. Todoroki trailed after him, munching on a bun of some sort.
Uraraka pouted and made a rude face. "Don't tell me what to do! Deku's my best friend!"
"Yeah, well, he's my—" Bakugou scowled, cutting himself off as Izuku's heart skipped an unsteady beat. "Just get out of here, round cheeks. He's gotta eat first."
"But what about class?" Uraraka said uncertainly, giving Izuku a critical look as if she wasn't really disagreeing.
"Worry about yourself first," Aizawa said drolly as he strolled around the corner. Uraraka jumped, not having noticed the man come in, spinning Izuku around with her to face him. Aizawa looked as unimpressed as ever. "Besides, I have something to chat about with these three. Off you go."
Uraraka's pout was back with force, glancing between the three boys in discontent. "Fine," she complained, releasing Izuku's arm and making her way back to Tsuyu, casting concerned looks over her shoulder that clearly said 'we'll talk about this later'. Izuku smiled uncertainly, not sure exactly what he was going to say. Tsuyu said something to the morose girl that made her smile as they left, the door shutting softly behind them, cutting off their laughter.
Izuku looked to Aizawa with determination when they were alone, but Bakugou's irritated cheh distracted him from speaking. Bakugou pushed him onto the couch roughly and shoved the container he carried into his hands, revealing a small stack of sweet buns. "Eat," Bakugou grumbled before leaning against the side of the couch to watch expectantly. On his other side, Todoroki munched his own bun, a savory smell coming from it rather than sweet, settling down on the cushion to knock Izuku's leg absently.
"So, I see the quirk hasn't lessened at all," Aizawa said with a raised brow. "I was a little worried, but I think I actually prefer the three of you getting along."
"Don't say that, sensei," Izuku sighed, not entirely sure he was joking. Obediently, he took a bite when Bakugou started tapping his fingers impatiently. It was absolutely delicious. Izuku was starting to sense a theme. Swallowing, he said, "I actually wanted to talk to you about the quirk before class today. Is it possible to contact the one who did it?"
Aizawa didn't answer for a moment, watching the three of them critically. "That might be difficult. The one responsible is Shino Katy, a student of the Quirk Special Needs course at Haiba Elementary. It might take a while to arrange a meeting as her parents will have to be present, as well as her teacher. Is there a specific problem that can't be solved amongst you?"
Izuku frowned. He was hoping for something as soon as today, but that didn't sound like it was possible.
"Why all the trouble? You had no problem letting the lot of those brats loose on us at training," Bakugou said with a scowl.
"There were several pro heroes as well as teachers present, and each child had to have signed permission to participate from a parent or guardian," Aizawa drawled, unaffected. "Now I ask again, is there a specific problem that you cannot solve on your own?"
"...No," Izuku said slowly, thinking of everything that had happened so far. He believed that as long as he kept himself in check, he should be able to handle this. "But I would still like to have a comprehensive list of symptoms for the quirk so that I know better what to expect."
Aizawa's eyes sharpened, the first inkling of alarm making it through his calm demeanor, arms falling out of their lackadaisical cross. "Symptoms? What kind of symptoms?"
"Oy, you can stop talking about us like we aren't even here," Bakugou snapped, interrupting the conversation handily.
Ignoring Bakugou as easily as he always did, Aizawa said succinctly, "According to the official profile, the only effect of Shino-san's quirk should be a temporary increase in affectionate behavior toward the last person in the subject's mind before activation. There is a slight sensitivity of the object of affection's emotions, but no other effects. It lasts seven days, give or take."
Izuku frowned, thinking that over. That might explain why they fixated on him, although it was a little weird that they were thinking about him at the same time. If that was all there was to the quirk, then it was no wonder why Aizawa hadn't seemed particularly concerned. The only problem with that was... "That's–"
"Slight?" Bakugou said incredulously. "If Deku's mood swings were any louder, I'd be deaf."
"I don't think," Todoroki added with a small wrinkle between his brows, "that that's all there is to it."
"Oh? Explain," Aizawa said with a little more severity.
Todoroki looked at a loss, working his jaw as he thought through what he was trying to say. Bakugou similarly looked constipated.
Izuku's brows drew together. "They can feel my emotions, true. But they also seem compelled to follow my whims. L-like–"
"Deku can influence us," Bakugou said, unexpectedly flat. "Though it's got limits."
Todoroki hummed in agreement, sounding unbothered for all Izuku's stomach dropped right through the floor.
"You seem to be taking this rather well," Aizawa pointed out, narrowing his bloodshot eyes at Bakugou. "Also, I don't think I've ever seen you this cooperative."
Bakugou shrugged. "Until this quirk is gone, Deku won't believe me when I tell him I love him. So it's gotta go."
Izuku made a small, dismayed noise, but Aizawa just nodded thoughtfully.
"What else?"
It was Todoroki who answered this time. "I've been experiencing memory gaps. Specifically from my childhood." He raised a hand to his scar, worrying the edge. When Aizawa looked at Bakugou he confirmed with a terse nod, defensive grimace firmly in place.
"Understood," Aizawa said, straightening and turning toward the door. "I will get in contact with Miss Shino and her family and confirm a few things. In the meantime, the three of you are forbidden from sparring. If you need further accommodation for the time being, please inform Recovery Girl. Also...I apologize." He looked at Izuku, nodding solemnly. "I should not have taken the child's quirk profile at face value. Her abilities are still developing and there is a very real possibility that the information is out of date." He scanned the three of them one more time before walking to the door. "Get to class. I'll have more information for you this evening if we're lucky."
The silence was thick the moment the door closed behind him and Izuku gulped, thinking hard.
"Tch," Bakugou scoffed. "There's no way this happened just because we had a stray thought about Deku when we were in the middle of a fight."
"It seems unlikely," Todoroki agreed.
"Wh-what were you thinking about?" Izuku asked cautiously.
Todoroki's brows drew together. "I think it was something like...how would Midoriya reach these kids?"
That...actually made a lot of sense. Izuku thought constantly how other heroes–with different quirks he'd observed and methods he admired–would handle each situation. He had dozens and dozens of notebooks dedicated to it.
But Bakugou? The prideful explosion hero who did things his own way no matter what? What had he been thinking about? Izuku looked at Bakugou expectantly, only to receive a little shock to find the boy blushing. "Kacchan?"
Bakugou muttered something under his breath, crossing his arms petulantly across his chest.
Izuku stared intently. He didn't actually know what he wanted Bakugou to say, but he knew that he did want an answer.
Bakugou glared right back before planting a palm in Izuku's face, forcing it away. "Cut it out, I got it already. I was...thinking something similar. About how you were good with kids."
Izuku perked up, grabbing Bakugou's hand and giving him a brilliant smile. "You were thinking nice thoughts about me before the quirk?"
Bakugou stuttered, eyes widening in defensive anger. "I think nice thoughts about you all the time!"
A chin plopped down on Izuku's shoulder, a curious Todoroki peering up at the flustered blond. "He does. Even if it comes out as complaining on the outside."
Izuku blinked rapidly, face hot and feeling a bit pinned between them. Until he realized that he was the one holding Bakugou's hand and the boy had made no move to take it back, despite the look on his face suggesting he'd rather be anywhere else.
"Ah-haha," Izuku said, dropping the hand and turning so Todoroki had to sit up. "S-so you guys are fully aware of what's going on now?"
Bakugou stared at his hand for a moment before grumbling, "We aren't idiots. Why the hell else would we suddenly overcome our bullshit and ask you out?"
"You didn't seem to think so yesterday," Izuku pointed out, privately doubting that they were fully aware, even though they seemed to think so. 'Getting over their bullshit' made it sound like they actually liked him like that, and he highly doubted that was the case.
Bakugou rolled his eyes. "I stand by what I said yesterday. No quirk can make me do something I don't want to– stop looking at me like that shitty Deku, I'm serious!"
"Right," Izuku agreed, if only to calm him down. It wasn't entirely successful, Bakugou audibly grinding his teeth in frustration, but he needed to move on. "You said something about memory loss," Izuku turned to address Todoroki.
Todoroki nodded. "There was always something holding me back from getting close to others, but I can't remember what it was. Also…" he lightly touched his scar. "I think it has something to do with this? I don't know how I got it."
"You don't...remember something so important?" Izuku said, utterly shocked. He turned abruptly on Bakugou, who looked equally disturbed. "What about you? What don't you remember?"
Bakugou looked at him like he was nuts. "How am I supposed to know? I don't have any physical marks I don't remember getting, idiot."
Ignoring the insult, Izuku placed a hand over his mouth, thinking hard. "So not only are inhibitions lifted, but inhibitions driven by specific memories that may have been traumatic. Is that why there is such a stark difference in patterns of behavior? The memories could be holding them back from doing more than the one thing that the quirk compels, thus freeing them to do things they would have otherwise done had the events never happened…like Bakugou's cooking or Todoroki's physical affection. I wonder…" he muttered, sinking further into the couch.
Bakugou sighed loudly. "Ugh, I hate it when he does this," he grumbled, grabbing the container off Izuku's fidgeting knee that was about to tip his breakfast onto the floor.
"I think it's cute," Todoroki said without shame, and Bakugou shot him a look.
"It's not cute when it distracts him from taking care of himself. I've seen this idiot go off on tangents for hours." Bakugou glared at the clock before taking one of the buns and shoving it into a distracted Izuku's face. Without pausing, Izuku began munching on it, eyes still distant and muttering muffled. "Come on, Einstein, we have to get to class." He tugged the boy to his feet. There was an overwhelming urge to leave Izuku to his thoughts and not distract him, but Bakugou shook it off with a huff of annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. But now isn't the time to check out, nerd."
Todoroki wavered where he stood. "Maybe we should leave him…"
"Ignore it, candy cane. Class. Now."
"But…" Todoroki hesitated.
Bakugou growled. "Look, giving into his selfish whims isn't what he needs. Tell me which feeling is worse: ignoring his stupid desires of the moment or having him feel all guilty later when he realizes?"
"...Good point," Todoroki nodded after some consideration. Sidling around Izuku–ignoring his emotions really was uncomfortable, so he would try to be as least distracting as possible–he walked to Bakugou's other side to fulfill one of his own urges. He grabbed Bakugou's hand and leaned into his shoulder, absorbing his warmth.
Bakugou blinked at him, surprised, but didn't pull away as he tugged both boys out the door. Seriously, when did it start feeling like he was taking care of two baby chicks?
Still, he couldn't deny the small smile that twitched the corner of his lips, and he did nothing to hide it all the way to the school building.
The day dragged on and on to Shoto, who couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the droning of their math teacher. There was once a time when he thought it was cool to be taught something as mundane as algebra by a pro hero, but it quickly lost its luster when he realized that math was still math, no matter who taught it.
And Shoto hated math.
He really wanted to rest his head on the desk and maybe catch a nap, and he couldn't seem to stop fidgeting. This wasn't like him. Usually he would at least pretend to listen. But he couldn't remember why, especially when he was so much more advanced in studies than his peers because of all the tutoring he had as a kid.
Even if those memories were a bit fuzzy now, he could still do every problem the teacher presented with ease. He looked out the window into the sky, the breeze swaying the trees every once in a while. When he grew bored of that, he glanced over at Midoriya, smiling in amusement when he saw the boy intently scribbling into his notebook, as into the lessons as ever. A well of warmth engulfed Shoto and his smile widened, eyes softening. This was something he was familiar with, although lately the warmth was so much more intense. He could feel how invested Midoriya was with what the teacher was saying and he couldn't help but find it mesmerizing...
An itch started beneath his skin and he shifted, hugging himself, eyes drifting to the ceiling. Lately, he just couldn't seem to get enough contact. Touching others, touching himself. Not...in any inappropriate way, though he got the feeling that any touch had been inappropriate to him before all this. Why was a mystery, but he found the itch incredibly distracting now. He rubbed his arms, rubbed the back of his neck, but nothing seemed to work. It just made him feel lonely.
Loneliness was an old, tired companion of his, one he wished more than anything to be rid of. Especially now that he knew what it was like to be free of it, if only for a little while.
He tried to push the insistent feeling down, but it was difficult. Throughout this entire ordeal, he'd either been with Bakugou or Midoriya, so it wasn't so bad. He hadn't even really noticed it, because there was always someone with him that he could touch. But in the classroom, with the desks in rows and the other students so far away from each other–since when had he thought a few feet was 'far' anyway?–he couldn't get what he craved.
"Todoroki-san, are you quite alright?" Ectoplasm enquired from his place by the blackboard. Shoto jolted, realizing that all eyes in the class were on him. He stilled his hands, which had been rubbing over his chest without his notice, a slight, bewildered flush making its way up his neck.
"Um. I don't know," he said honestly. He glanced uncertainly at Bakugou to find the blond boy watching him intently, eyes narrowed. A surge of worry roiled heavily in Shoto's gut and he found his eyes pulled inexorably to Midoriya, who was watching him just as intently. It made his skin itch worse, but he had no idea what to do about it.
"If you are feeling unwell? I understand that you've been affected by a quirk. If you need to leave to see Recovery Girl, you may do so," Ectoplasm said kindly.
Shoto shivered. "I think I will. Thank you sir."
He was out the door and down the hall before he quite knew what he was doing. He breathed a little easier when he couldn't feel the others' eyes on him any longer. But he felt alarmed and worried beneath all the confusion. He gasped as the feeling grew worse, an almost overwhelming urge to go back and soothe it warring with his desire to escape. He swayed and fell against the wall, conflicted, and realized slowly that he must be feeling Midoriya again.
He wanted to go back and press as much of himself onto Midoriya as he could, to soothe the itch in his own skin, to soothe Midoriya's fretting. He also wanted to run away as far as his legs could take him, to huddle into himself and hide. His head split with a sudden headache as he fought with himself. He felt nauseous. The walls swayed–
Todoroki gasped as his hand was grabbed abruptly and he was tugged into a firm chest, Bakugou's scent enveloping him with familiar safety. Shoto immediately melted into his embrace, holding him back just as fiercely and feeling some of his discomfort recede. "Bakugou…?"
"C'mon, we need to get out of here," Bakugou said with a strained voice, letting go of Shoto only to drag him down the hall as fast as he could pull the stumbling boy. Bakugou cursed under his breath repeatedly while Shoto watched his tense shoulders, bemused.
Bakugou kicked the door open viciously and suddenly they were outside. He didn't stop there, dragging Shoto to the treeline surrounding the training area. With every step they took, Shoto could feel the tight anxiety in his chest loosening, the crowding in his lungs fading away the further they got from the school building.
The further they got from Midoriya.
"Bakugou, wait," Shoto gasped, out of breath, but Bakugou didn't slow, not until they reached the perimeter of the grounds.
"Get us over this wall."
Shoto drew his brows together, but complied, lifting them from the ground with a column of ice and creating a staircase down the backside. Bakugou was moving again, tugging him deeper into the forest. Shoto stumbled, but a second later stopped resisting, falling into step at Bakugou's side, their hands held tightly between them. He watched the other boy curiously, how his brow relaxed further with every step they took, and just took comfort in the clasp of their hands.
Eventually, Bakugou stopped, taking a deep breath of the clean air and letting his shoulders relax. "Fuck," Bakugou breathed. "That sucked. You going to tell me what the hell that was all about in class?" He peered at Shoto with one crimson eye, expectant.
He wanted to know what Shoto's deal was? After he pulled him all the way out here like a crazy person? "You first."
Bakugou scowled. "It was hard to concentrate with Deku's stupid mood swings. Besides, you needed me more."
Shoto paused. "I...did?"
Bakugou peered at him, incredulous. "Are you really that thick? You looked like you were about to pass the fuck out!" he shouted, hackles raising.
"I…" Shoto thought back, trying to figure out what he had been feeling. What he was still feeling.
Suddenly he knew exactly what he wanted. Grasping Bakugou's hand tightly, he sat down with his back against a tree, tugging Bakugou into his lap and holding him close.
Bakugou squirmed, looking down at Shoto like he'd lost his mind. "What the fuck? What are you doing?"
"Hugging you," Shoto said bluntly, nuzzling into Bakugou's neck. He sighed as his feverish skin was soothed, an ache he didn't know he was carrying falling away.
With a grumble, Bakugou relaxed, patting Shoto's shoulder as he would a needy pet. "What, are you horny or something?" he said with the barest hint of humor.
Hmm. Was he? Shoto couldn't really tell if that was the problem. He hadn't ever felt anything like arousal or desire before Bakugou kissed him the first time, and it didn't really feel like that. He really just...wanted to be held.
Why? Shoto thought, frowning into Bakugou's skin. Why had he never done this before? It felt so nice. But he was no closer to an answer than he'd been the day before.
"What the hell. You're a lot clingier than usual," Bakugou commented, plopping his chin on top of Shoto's bowed head, letting his arms hang loose over his shoulders.
"And you're a lot more docile than usual," Shoto replied dryly.
"Shut up," Bakugou muttered, but it was without heat.
They sat like that for a long while, just relaxing beneath the shadow of the trees as Shoto allowed himself to calm and his thoughts to wander.
I'm harsh with you because you are bett–
Ignore them, son. They are beneath–
My dad says your dad says I'm not supposed to play with yo–
Disgusting, you look like him–
Shoto jumped slightly, eyes he hadn't known he'd closed snapping open. Then he relaxed, mind muddled as the sense of alarm faded away.
At his movement, Bakugou huffed, squirming slightly in his seat. Shoto blinked. Was that…
"Now who's the horny one?" Shoto said with some surprise, pulling Bakugou flush and feeling the distinct pressure of his arousal against his belly.
Bakugou twitched before pulling back abruptly, snatching Shoto's hair and yanking until they were eye to eye, glaring fiercely. "I thought I told you to shut up," Bakugou husked before pressing his lips to Shoto's with more bite than tenderness. He pulled back before Shoto could properly respond, scowling. "What do you expect, rubbing all up against me like that, idiot?"
Was Bakugou being...bashful? Shoto's lips twitched and Bakugou growled.
"Stop laughing at me, dammit!"
"I'm not." Shoto held back the mirth he could feel at the back of his throat. He cleared it, looking away. "Midoriya's probably worried still. Shouldn't we get back?" he said, teasing.
"Hmph. Deku's always worried. Let him stew," Bakugou growled, dragging his fingers up Shoto's back and into his hair. Shoto shivered, mouth falling open slightly. Taking immediate advantage, Bakugou pressed their lips together again, this time more gently, insistently. He slipped his tongue inside and Shoto twitched, feeling himself respond with little jolts of electricity down his sides. Bakugou pressed down into him and Shoto sighed, clutching him closer and rolling his hips.
It was Bakugou's turn to laugh. "Needy," he husked, and Shoto couldn't disagree. He felt needy. Like he couldn't quite get close enough, like he wanted to crawl into the other boy's skin. But since that was impossible, he rolled his hips again, swallowing Bakugou's growl.
Abruptly, Bakugou pulled away, shuffling out of Shoto's grip and leaning back. Dismayed, Shoto reached for him again, but Bakugou grinned, dodging him. "Hold still, half n' half," he said lowly, grin sharp and dangerous. Shoto did as he was told, watching numbly as Bakugou went for his fly, tugging and manipulating until Shoto's lower half was exposed to the warm air, his need bobbing free to rest against his hip. He allowed himself to be dragged down until he was in a half recline, holding the tree behind him for stability.
He didn't feel an ounce of discomfort as Bakugou perused him with covetous eyes, meeting the ever present challenge in his gaze as if they stood on the opposite ends of a training field. It always felt a bit like that; just as exciting, just as fun. Even Shoto thought it was odd that he felt this way, especially since the first time it happened he'd been so angry.
But, well, it was hard to hold onto anger when your rival was going down on you.
Bakugou glanced at his focused expression with amusement before laying down on his stomach, wrapping his arms around Shoto's hips and pulling him closer. Shoto threw his head back with a loud gasp as he licked a blistering stripe from his balls all the way to the tip of his flushed cock, shivering as Bakugou's warm breath engulfed him. Shoto reached down with shaking hands to touch as much as the other boy as he could reach, running his fingers through his hair, stroking his jaw, his neck, as Bakugou took him slowly inside, humming around his length while Shoto fought to keep himself still.
Shoto's lashes fluttered as Bakugou pressed deeper, bobbing his head, sucking lightly before swirling his tongue around Shoto's sensitive crown, all of that incredible, singular focus on the task at hand, on Shoto. Shoto burned in more ways than one, arousal, greed, some breathless emotion he couldn't quite name–all things that he'd never felt so fiercely before meeting this intense boy, when all he'd ever seemed to feel was empty.
Before he'd met Midoriya.
Shoto gasped, eyes widening as he nearly came, remembering with a hot flash of arousal how it had felt to kiss Midoriya, to hold him in his arms and hear the other boy call his name. He covered his mouth, holding back a whimper.
"Hm?" Bakugou said, pulling off, a thin string of precome and saliva connecting him to Shoto's cock. He licked his lips, breaking it and giving Shoto a salacious grin, and Shoto felt another molten jolt. "What did you just think about?"
Shoto stared blankly, scanning the flush along Bakugou's tanned cheeks and the wet gleam of his lips. "I, um. Midoriya...when I kissed him."
Bakugou's pupils widened, his grin sharpening. "Fuck yeah, that was hot," he said without hesitation. He crawled up Shoto's body to straddle his hips, one hand planted against the tree above Shoto's head. Shoto shivered, staring up into Bakugou's smug, crimson eyes. "How did he taste?" Bakuguou whispered.
"Uh...like...mouth?" Shoto said, confused. What kind of question was that? When Bakugou's smile dissolved, Shoto elaborated. "Um. Kind of sweet?" Because he'd been eating pancakes. But Shoto wasn't sure why that would be relevant.
To Shoto's bewilderment, Bakugou slumped into his shoulder with a pained groan. What? What had he said?
"Why do I even bother?" Bakugou disparaged, and now Shoto was offended.
"You're not making sense," he muttered, looking away.
"Ah, fuck it," Bakugou said abruptly, sitting back and pulling down his own fly. "Just sit there and look pretty, clueless idiot."
Shoto scowled, bucking his hips and flipping them over, a surprised Bakugou pinned beneath him. Just how many times was he going to be called an idiot today? "Who would?"
He slapped Bakugou's hands away and pulled the heavy length of him out himself, pressing his hips down aggressively and wrapping his fingers around them both. Bakugou hissed, amusement dancing in his eyes even as he arched. "Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it?" he taunted, folding his hands behind his head, unimpressed.
Shoto grit his teeth, determined to wipe that smile right off his arrogant face. He heated up his hand ever so slightly and was gratified to see Bakugou's eyes widen in genuine shock.
"Oh, fu–"
Shoto bit at his lips, heated his hand up further until it was almost unbearable, and began to move, gasping into Bakugou's mouth. "Just lay back and look pretty," he threw back, grinding his hips down with a loopy grin he just couldn't help. Bakugou's expression hazed over as he grasped tightly to Shoto's shoulders, arching beneath him, aborted curses spilling from his slack lips. Satisfaction licked Shoto's insides to watch him come apart, heat unrelated to his quirk building and building inside until it was almost too much. He rarely saw this side of Bakugou, and it tickled him with pride to see it each and every time, because he was the cause. Bakugou liked it when he showed his strength. It was part of why Shoto had thought that was the only reason Bakugou liked him, because Shoto was one of the very few people who could.
...Probably because Bakugou let him. In hindsight, maybe he really was an idiot.
"I bet Midoriya could hold you down like this," Shoto gasped into Bakugou's ear, and Bakugou bucked, groaning beautifully. But his own words had an even greater effect on Shoto than he'd anticipated as the fantasy flashed brightly in his mind–Midoriya holding Bakugou down just like Shoto was now, his face twisted in shy pleasure while Bakugou writhed beneath him, teeth bared like a wild animal, all contained power behind the veneer of submission–
Shoto came with a low groan, shaking apart above Bakugou as he coated them both with white, his hand slowing as he came down.
"Fucker–don't you dare–"
Bakugou pushed his soiled hand out of the way and replaced it with his own, speeding back up. Shoto cringed, gasping with oversensitivity. His arms felt like jello as he collapsed, face pressing into Bakugou's working shoulder helplessly. He wanted to get closer, he wanted to get away .
"Unh," Bakugou growled, his whole body jerking. Suddenly, he grasped Shoto's hair harshly and pushed him into his shoulder. "Bite," he demanded, and Shoto did without question, sinking his teeth into the meat of Bakugou's shoulder until he tasted iron.
Bakugou seized and came with a shouted curse, his voice breaking off the trees. He wrapped his legs around Shoto's hips and held him down as he twitched through the aftershocks, both boys panting as if they'd gone several rounds in the ring. Finally, he relaxed, Shoto releasing his jaw to place a kiss over the bruise already forming on Bakugou's skin. Bakugou twitched and huffed a laugh.
When the air became too suffocating between them to tolerate any longer, Shoto managed to push himself up, staring down dazedly. He eyed the complete mess that was Bakugou, all flushed skin and satisfied smirks. Then he caught sight of the mark on his shoulder, already turning purple in the speckled light, little flecks of blood already drying where he'd broken skin ever so slightly.
"Uh. Sorry," Shoto trailed off, a little pang of regret dampening his mood. He hadn't meant to hurt him…
Bakugou scowled, rolling his eyes. With his clean hand, he pushed Shoto off of him unceremoniously, getting to his feet. "I asked for it, didn't I? So don't apologize." Tucking himself away and straightening his grass stained clothes, he looked over his shoulder at a stunned Shoto and gave him a onceover, smugness rolling off of him in waves. "You feeling better now?"
Shoto nodded slowly. He did feel better, though he wasn't sure if it was because of the hug or the sex that had somehow become so casual an experience between them. He decided it was probably both, the discomfort that had been bothering him faded into a dull buzz in the background. "Yeah." He got to his feet as well, straightening himself, and the two of them made their way back to the school. Shoto eyed Bakugou from the corner of his eye, noting that the bite mark was barely visible beneath his collar. They'd never done something like that before. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but decided to put it aside for now. It wasn't like he knew anything about sex that Bakugou hadn't taught him himself. Maybe that was a normal thing to do?
...He would look it up later. That was something Bakugou had been insisting he do lately anyway, even if he still felt vaguely that he wasn't supposed to.
"Ugh, I feel disgusting. Let's skip and hit the showers."
Shoto hummed in agreement. He did feel sticky. "Class?"
"You heard sleeping beauty, we have permission to fuck off if we need to."
Shoto made a face, fairly certain that Aizawa didn't mean it quite like this. But he shrugged a second later, deciding he didn't really care.
By the time they'd cleaned up and hung around for a while, classes were already over. Shoto drifted in and out of a light snooze, a languid Bakugou his reluctant pillow, the latter propped up with the arm of the couch and reading a book over Shoto's head. It was remarkably peaceful considering Bakugou would usually have pushed him off a long time ago.
Only for a dash of anxiety to ruin his tranquility. He frowned, burying his face into Bakugou's chest, but the feeling only grew worse.
A moment later showed why.
"For fuck's sake," Bakugou sighed, snapping his book closed just as Midoriya burst through the door, looking around frantically. He spotted them immediately, rushing over to the couch in alarm, the others probably heading to the cafeteria for dinner or just walking at a more sedate pace.
Before the distraught boy could say anything, Bakugou cut him off. "About time." He sat up, lifting a groggy Shoto with him. Shimmying out from beneath Shoto, he dragged a startled Midoriya to the couch in his place. "Hold this touch starved cat, would you? I'm hungry."
"Wh-wh-wha–" Midoriya stuttered, flushed and confused, but he didn't get a chance to finish his question before Bakugou planted a kiss on his forehead and sauntered off to the kitchen with a dismissive wave.
Feeling agitated, Shoto flopped onto a gobsmacked Midoriya's lap, the boy startling from his dazed stare. "Ah. Um. T-Todoroki, are you alright? You left class so suddenly."
"I'm okay," Shoto said. "I just wanted to cuddle."
"You...wait. That was why you left?" Midoriya was relaxing, finally, and Shoto settled more comfortably.
"Yeah. I was feeling kind of anxious since you guys weren't touching me," he said frankly.
"...Touch starved." Midoriya's voice was quiet, thoughtful, and he started stroking Shoto's hair, much to his delight.
Shoto felt a flash of anger and he flinched, lurching up abruptly. But Midoriya scrambled, immediately apologetic. "S-sorry, I didn't mean. Uh, you can lay back down. I was just a little sad thinking about why you must feel this way."
"Why…?" Shoto trailed off. He was curious himself. "I don't remember." He looked into Midoriya's darkening expression. "You're angry."
"Not at you," Midoriya mumbled, coaxing Shoto lightly until he was prone again and rubbing his back soothingly.
"Okay," Shoto said, closing his eyes and breathing in Midoriya's scent. He didn't really get it, but he wasn't going to complain as long as it wasn't directed towards him.
The chatter of voices intruded on the quiet, some of the others returning. Midoriya didn't pull away, so Shoto didn't move either.
"Hey, Todoroki! Are you feeling better?" Kirishima called with a friendly smile. He sat on the opposite couch, Kaminari sitting at his side, the energetic blond practically bouncing in place.
"Yeah! You just up and left! Did you get a rash or something?"
"No?" Shoto said, raising a brow. "I just–"
"He was feeling lonely, obviously," Mina interrupted, mussing Kaminari's hair roughly.
"Gah, hey! Not the hair!"
"That's what you get for being nosy."
"You're one to talk," Kirishima said mildly, and got a pout in return. To Shoto and Midoriya, he said, "I'm glad you guys are feeling better! Maybe you should sit a little closer to each other in class for now, at least until this wears off."
"Ah, um, I dunno…" Midoriya said, and Shoto could practically hear the blush rising on his face along with a heady dose of embarrassment. This time Shoto didn't defend him, though. He was getting a little better at resisting the discomfort now that he knew what it was.
"Yeah…" Shoto said, liking the idea. For some reason, Mina squealed and Kaminari burst out into laughter, only to be shushed by a longsuffering Kirishima.
"What is that smell?" Mina said, instantly distracted. "It's amazing!"
"I think Kacchan is cooking something again," Midoriya said, relieved to not be the center of attention. And that was all it took for Bakugou's friends to exchange excited glances and head for the kitchen. Moments later Bakugou's irate yelling could be heard, and Midoriya huffed a laugh, his amusement making Shoto smile. "Those guys never change."
"Hm, yeah. Bakugou is lucky to have them."
Leaning over until he could look Shoto in the eye, Midoriya said seriously, "Todoroki. They're your friends too."
...Were they? Shoto didn't know about that. But the look in Midoriya's eyes begged him to agree, so he did with a non-committal nod, even if he didn't really believe it. "When are you going to call me Shoto?" he said instead of answering seriously. "Please? I've wanted to ask you to for a long time...before any of this."
It took awhile for Midoriya to answer, and even with his new sensitivity, Shoto couldn't really tell what he was feeling. Normally he wouldn't push, but. It was just. He felt left out, he supposed. Bakugou and Midoriya had their pet names for each other. Well, Bakugou called everyone by another name, usually an insult of some sort. But He called Midoriya 'Izuku' that one time, though, so he must be special.
It made Shoto a little jealous, if he was being honest. He'd never had anyone outside of his family call him Shoto, and he didn't even get to see them that often.
"Do you promise?" Midoriya said seriously, and Shoto shifted, unsure what he meant.
"Promise what?"
"That you wanted me to call you Shoto before the quirk?"
Oh. "Yeah," he said with a small shiver, liking the sound of his name on Midoriya's lips, because he had wanted it for a long time. He'd never had a friend quite like Midoriya...though friendship wasn't exactly what he wanted anymore.
"Really? You won't feel differently later?"
"I promise," Shoto said easily, unable to imagine a world where he didn't want to be close to Midoriya. What a silly thought.
Midoriya's face cleared with a kind smile, though Shoto couldn't really tell if he felt reassured or not. "Okay, then. Shoto. And you can call me Izuku if you want."
Shoto lifted himself onto his knees so he could look Midor–Izuku properly in the face. "Izuku," he said softly, leaning closer.
Izuku's eyes widened, but he didn't stop Shoto as he lifted a hand to caress his cheek, leaning in–
"PDA! PDA!" someone called teasingly, and the two jerked apart, startled. They'd been too wrapped up in their conversation to notice the others return, though most of them weren't paying them any attention, already used to their behavior. "Get a room if you're going to make out!"
"Leave them alone, Sero," Uraraka called brightly, strolling through the door with Tsuyu and Iida at her heels.
Iida didn't look as pleased. "Do not get a room if you're going to engage in such inappropriate behavior. I'd much rather have you in a public area where you can be supervised!"
Izuku groaned, clearly mortified. "Iidaaaa! We aren't doing anything."
Iida raised both brows, gesturing wildly between them as if to say 'I'll believe it when I see it'. "In any case, you shouldn't have run off like that, Midoriya! Aizawa-sensei was looking for you!"
"Really?" Izuku jumped to his feet as if he was going to run after the teacher this very second, but Uraraka stopped him with a bubbly laugh.
"It's too late now, silly. He's already left campus. Which you'd know if you hadn't run from class like a bat out of hell." She settled down on the couch opposite them, Tsuyu sitting at her side.
"He told us to tell you that he was visiting someone and that he'd be back in the morning, kero," Tsuyu said in that peculiarly calm way of hers.
"Oh," Izuku said, disappointed. "Alright then."
"We'll be fine," Shoto reassured, slumping into his side, and was gratified that Izuku eased at his words, if only a little.
Iida looked like he was going to protest again, but Uraraka waved him off, much to Shoto's relief. It wasn't like he was going to listen if he told them to keep a 'proper three foot distance' from each other, but his nagging was starting to wear on Shoto anyway.
"Well, I heard you guys are forbidden from sparring, so let's play a game instead! I asked my mom to send us some games and they just arrived today," Uraraka said cheerfully.
After that, the evening went relatively normally. Only, today was special, Shoto could feel it. It was like he'd made a breakthrough of some sort, though he wasn't entirely sure what it was, just that he felt...more connected with everyone, he guessed. It wasn't even that he was doing anything particularly differently, aside from leaning against Izuku, but it was like this—invisible wall that had always been between him and everyone else had been knocked down. He even started to think that maybe Izuku had been onto something. Maybe everyone was already Shoto's friend, but he just hadn't noticed.
When Bakugou emerged from the kitchen carrying way too many baked goods for everyone to share–complaining all the while that he didn't want their praise, dammit, he'd just made too much!–and Shoto found himself laughing easily while everyone either watched or destroyed each other at Uno, he felt a peace growing in him he'd never known before. He realized after a while longer that he felt...happy. Genuinely, freely happy.
He hoped this peace could last forever.
"I'm sorry to say this, Mr. Eraserhead," Mrs. Shino fretted, nervously patting her young daughter's braids, though the child looked rather bored with the proceedings. "But Katy's quirk doesn't work like that. It's as her records say, and there hasn't been much change since they manifested when she was four. I'm not sure about these other symptoms, but they aren't Katy's doing, I assure you."
"That's what I said," Katy complained, stomping her foot. "Stupid adults never listen."
"Katy," her mother scolded, but the child slipped from under her hand, racing out the door with a rebellious hmph. Mrs. Shino sighed. "I'm sorry about her. She's actually a lot better since her session with your students. Will there be more of those in the future?" she asked hopefully.
"Perhaps," Aizawa mumbled, distracted. This was just great. If Katy hadn't been responsible for his students' predicament, then who had?
Aizawa said his goodbyes and made his way slowly to the bus stop. He had a bad feeling. He just hoped he was wrong. With a put upon sigh and already regretting this rash decision, he pulled out his cell and dialed a number he'd promised himself he would never use. "Hey, it's me," he drawled, and winced as a shriek and loud chatter assaulted his ear. "No, I'm not calling to ask you on a date. Listen, have your students been behaving strangely since Saturday's remedial session?"
AN:
Welp, wonder what that's all about. Uh, so a lot happened in this chapter. I'll let you decide how you guys feel about all that.
Everyone needs therapy!
Thanks for the feedback, I'll see you crazy peeps next chapter! If you liked this, give me some sugar! Or salt, rather, because my partner thought that stocking up for quarantine meant buying all the sweets in the grocery store...eugh