January 2, 2022

The Yamada-Aizawa Household

Early morning

Shinsou's eyes fluttered open to see the shining sun and a man lying next to him, just as radiant.

Mashirao Ojiro.

His black endless eyes stared back at him with a warm smile. He gently stroked the side of Shinsou's face, as if admiring an art piece he was fond of.

It was hard to believe they'd only been going out for two months. But Shinsou couldn't imagine his life without Ojiro. Lucky for him, it didn't look like he had to. Shinsou could tell by the way Ojiro held him that he had no intention of leaving it.

For a moment, he'd forgotten about yesterday's events. But then his fathers' conversation resurfaced in his mind. No. I don't want to think about that anymore. He grabbed Ojiro's hand and placed it over his racing heart.

That was all it took to convey how he wanted to spend their morning. Ojiro slipped out of his boxers and reached for the hem of Shinsou's T-shirt.

Shinsou whined and squirmed underneath him. Don't bother. I need you.

Ojiro gazed down at him with half-lidded eyes. By the heady look in them, Shinsou could tell he got the message. He reached for a bottle of oil under the pillows.

Shinsou fervently shook his head, bucking his hips against Ojiro's abdomen. "N-no," he whined.

Ojiro's eyes widened. "Hito-kun, I don't want to hurt - "

" - I'm still…um…" Ojiro trailed off, blushing madly. "From…last night."

He flushed. "Oh."

Shinsou hid his red face behind his hair. "Please…just…put it in."

Ojiro chuckled and nuzzled his neck. "What's the hurry?"

He tilted his head back, tensing up. "Please?"

Ojiro bit his lip. "So impatient this morning," he murmured huskily. "That makes two of us." He bent his head down and locked lips.

Shinsou returned the kiss greedily, groping his boyfriend's hard muscles with a moan.

At a snail's pace, Ojiro thrust inside him.

Shinsou threw his head back with a gasp. "AH!"

Ojiro gritted his teeth, moaning against Shinsou's neck. "Sugoi."

"Ah! M-Mashirao!"

"Ngh! Mmm…Are you sure you're n-not s-sore from - "

" - Don't stop." Shinsou pressed his face into Ojiro's shoulder, clinging to him for dear life.

Fuck! You feel so good

Please….crush me underneath you

Until I am dust

His legs barely went all the way around his torso, but every hard edge they touched spiked his libido. The feeling of Ojiro's abs against his stomach made him dizzy with desire. He effortlessly propped himself up with one arm while encircling Shinsou's waist with the other. He hadn't even broken a sweat.

His partner in comparison was flushed and trembling. Shinsou's body already felt weak from clinging to him so tightly. He panted as he felt his face get hot. So much…it's…aaah…so much!

Ojiro moaned against his ear, just as enraptured as him. But it still felt like he was holding back.

Shinsou couldn't keep still. It's not enough. He clawed at his shoulders, urging him to go faster. Please, Mashirao! Please!

He needed something. Desperately. Like a drowning man needed air. But he couldn't put a finger on what it was. All he knew was that Ojiro was the only person on earth who could give it to him.

Ojiro kissed Shinsou's cheek, nuzzling into his face. "What do you need, watashi no ai?"

He shuddered with need. "T-touch me."

Ojiro ran his hands all over his body. His thighs. His backside. His arms. Chest. But only when he moved his hands higher did Shinsou's blood quicken. Ojiro cupped the back of his neck and rested his thumb against his throat.

Aaah! Shinsou's pupils dilated as his breaths came shorter. Before he could stop himself, he placed both of his hands on top of Ojiro's and pushed down.

Ojiro gasped, his eyes flooding with alarm. "Hito-kun, what - "

" - I n-need it," he whimpered. "Please."

Ojiro couldn't wipe the bewilderment from his face. But experimentally, he tightened his grip by the smallest fraction of an inch.

Shinsou's eyes rolled into the back of his head. His entire hand wraps around my neck. It was warm and calloused. The contact sent shivers through him, making his cock throb. He's so big. So strong. So much stronger than me…Aaah! Fuck! He clenched his eyes shut as his body tightened. It's so hot. He makes me so hot. Fuck I'm gonna -

"Doesn't this hurt?" Ojiro asked.

"More!" Shinsou begged. He locked eyes with his lover. I'm right there. I'm right there! Please!

Ojiro swallowed nervously. "But won't I - "

"It'll make me cum!"

"Hito-kun - "

"I n-need to c-cum," he whined. Three months ago, he never would've had the courage to say something so lewd. But his lust was so great it was eating him alive.

"What if I hurt you?"

"P-please!"

~.~

Ojiro wasn't used to his precious Hito-kun being so bold. But the desperate look in his eyes stalled his reservations. He switched gears.

I can't jostle him too much. If Ojiro accidentally pulled out, Shinsou would take exception to it. The easiest technique that gave him the most control was the nami-juji-jime. Ojiro straddled Shinsou's waist and balanced on his knees. Then he crossed his wrists and gripped the sides of Shinsou's neck. Once in position, he carefully drew his hands together and applied pressure, cutting off blood flow to the brain.

~.~

Shinsou's entire body convulsed with pleasure. YES! AH! OH MY GOD! He'd dreamed about it for so long. So long. He'd been desperate to feel Ojiro's big strong hands crushing his windpipe. Finally! Oh god, finally! YES! If he wanted to, Ojiro could easily snap his neck. A small, forbidden part of Shinsou wanted him to try. He whined, writhing desperately. It's not fair. I'm so close! Ojiro had stopped thrusting. Shinsou took in the sight before him. The sexy, muscular blonde adonis that had him pinned and helpless. He's so sexy. God! He ached for Ojiro to move. He opened his mouth to beg. But he had no air to speak. He gasped, trying to get some.

When he realized he couldn't, he came harder than he ever had in his life. Shinsou whimpered, squirming and shaking as he finally achieved release.

~.~

Ojiro watched in astonishment as his dearest love writhed with ecstasy underneath him. Shinsou's release shot carelessly in all directions, coating the sheets. Just when Ojiro thought he might be finished, Shinsou shot more. One stream shot so far it managed to land on Ojiro's chest, making him flinch with surprise. Shinsou breathed sharply, due to the pressure on his neck. But he didn't struggle against him.

It was clear his Hito-kun was enjoying the Nani-juji-jime. But if Ojiro waited any longer, Shinsou would lose consciousness. He lifted the pressure off of his neck.

Shinsou gasped, finally able to breathe.

Ojiro's body was taut with stress. He watched his lover, looking for signs of pain or discomfort. He waited for the other shoe to drop. The moment when Shinsou burst into tears and broke down.

The moment didn't come.

Instead of shoving his hands away, Shinsou rubbed his cheek against Ojiro's knuckles while he caught his breath. His body was limp and relaxed beneath him, completely at ease. With a wide smile, he hugged Ojiro's arm and nuzzled his palm. Ojiro couldn't help thinking he looked like a contented cat rubbing against its favorite scratching post. There was a glossy look in Shinsou's eyes as he unconsciously started kneading his heels into the back of Ojiro's legs.

Ojiro wouldn't have been surprised if he'd started purring.

He was happy to be the cause of Shinsou's euphoria, but his pride didn't quell his concern. He brushed over his throat gently with his thumb. I hope this doesn't bruise.

Shinsou flushed. "Careful. You'll make me hard again."

Ojiro's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "I will?"

Finally, Shinsou seemed to remember himself. He blushed redder and averted his gaze. "Yeah."

I don't understand. "Didn't that hurt?"

Shinsou's voice became microscopic. "No."

Ojiro waited for him to elaborate.

He didn't.

"You… liked that?"

Shinsou hid his eyes behind Ojiro's hand. "Yes."

Ojiro waited for him to elaborate.

He didn't.

He paled. Doesn't he realize that…with enough force…I could've - "That was very dangerous."

In response, his lover shrugged.

He glared. "Don't be so nonchalant! If I didn't let go - "

" -You did," Shinsou mumbled.

He pulled Shinsou upright by the neck of his shirt. "Hitoshi, I could've killed you!"

Shinsou shyly looked down. "I knew you wouldn't hurt me."

"Not on purpose! But if I were anyone else - "

" - But you're not."

How can he not see how stupid that was?! "I've known the proper way to choke an opponent since I was a child. That's the only reason I knew when to stop."

"I know." Shinsou covered his face with his hands. "That's why…you're the only one who can…can…"

Ojiro gaped at him in horror. "Why on earth would you want me to choke you?!"

Shinsou's face was now as red as a summer tomato. "You're gonna make me say it?"

"Yes!"

With an embarrassed groan, Shinsou grabbed a nearby pillow and placed it over his face. "It…it turns me on."

Ojiro cocked his head to the side, staring down at him in utter bafflement. "How?"

Shinsou exhaled, shrinking in on himself the more he spoke. "You're so big. So much stronger than me."

"Yes," Ojiro snapped. "I am. Which means I'm dangerous."

"Yes," he admitted shyly. "And hot."

Ojiro scrunched up his face as he tried to wrap his head around this new concept. "You're saying the fact I'm able to kill you is… attractive?"

"It always was," he admitted in a muffled voice. "Ever since we met, I've…I've wanted you to choke me. Badly."

Ojiro stayed propped up on his knees, frozen and silent.

"Your hands…your muscles…your body…" he pressed his face deeper into the pillow. "It's all so sexy. But you're too gentle. It's not fair."

Ojiro blinked. "Not… fair?"

He tried to hide under the collar of his shirt. "You never use your strength on me. You treat me like I'm delicate."

His heart stopped. "Hito-kun - "

" - I like that too," he admitted quietly. "But in bed…I…I…" He covered his ears with his hands. "I like it rough."

He looked down at him. At his handsome, adorable, perfect boyfriend. His purple hair was fluffy and unkempt from sleep. His pale skin glowed under the sun's rays like snow. He continued to hide his face in a pillow, self-conscious and ashamed.

This clearly means a lot to him. But…what do I say?

"Please say something," Shinsou said in a small voice.

Ojiro's gaze softened. It took a lot for him to tell me this. I have to reserve my judgment. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Shinsou curled up in a ball. "Cuz it's weird," he grumbled.

Oh, Hito-kun… Ojiro scooped him up and held him close. "It's...different …but if it enhances your pleasure, I need you to tell me. Please don't keep things like this to yourself."

Shinsou buried his face into Ojiro's shoulder. "Okay."

Ojiro comfortingly nuzzled him. "You don't actually want me to kill you, right?"

"No."

He sighed with relief. "You just…like that I could."

"Yes."

He blinked. "That's…confusing."

Shinsou snuggled closer. "I know."

He brushed back his hair. "I'll try to understand."

Shinsou circled the swell of Ojiro's bicep with his fingertip. "Do you think…we could do it again?"

Ojiro looked down at him curiously. "You like it that much?"

"Yes."

"How did it feel? When I - "

" - Mind-blowing."

Against his will, Ojiro's chest filled with pride. I definitely prefer mind-blowing over good. Besides, there was something sexy about seeing Shinsou so subdued. He didn't mind the clinginess afterward, either.

Shinsou made himself comfortable in Ojiro's lap, snuggling against him.

Ojiro fought a smile. He's so cute.

"I want to keep going."

"Maybe we should rest."

"You didn't finish," Shinsou complained.

"That's okay."

"Why did you stop?"

Ojiro blinked. "I was focused on the chokehold."

"That doesn't mean you had to stop," he mumbled.

"Well, I…I can't think about sex when I'm choking you."

"Why not?"

"Because choking isn't - "

" - It would've felt so good if you'd kept moving while you…um…"

Ojiro's neurons struggled to keep up with Shinsou's words. "I only perform chokeholds in Judo."

"Then pretend you're in the dojo training."

"When I'm training, the last thing on my mind is - "

" - Then don't focus so hard."

"I have to. If I'm not concentrating, I could render you unconscious!"

Shinsou flushed redder. "You do that anyway."

Ojiro recalled the moments when he'd made Shinsou cum so hard he passed out. I suppose…that's a good point. But even so… "In Judo, I must focus on my attack and the attack my opponent will counter with."

"You don't have to worry about that with me," Shinsou said with a chuckle. "Even if I knew how to counter you, I wouldn't do it."

Ojiro winced. "That makes it worse. You're not like one of my students. You don't have the self-defense knowledge required to fight me off."

"That's the part that's…sexy to me.

He winced. "I can't lose myself in you if I'm worried about your welfare."

"Then don't."

"I have to!"

"I'm not as fragile as you think," Shinsou muttered.

I'd feel better about this if he received training. Maybe if I… "Hito-kun - "

" - You don't have to hold back. I can take it."

Just like that, Ojiro's mind was back on sex. Four little words were all it took to send his libido into overdrive.

I. Can. Take. It.

"Can we please…try again?"

Ojiro exhaled, nuzzling Shinsou's hair. If this really means that much to him… "I'll think about it."

Shinsou's entire face lit up. "Really?! When? Before coffee?"

Ojiro froze up again. "Well…um - "

" - You're right, we should have coffee first."

Sugoi, he's adorable. "That's not quite what I - "

" - We should definitely hold off on breakfast though. In case I - "

" - Hito-kun - "

" - Please?"

Shinsou alone had the ability to render him speechless. He'd done so more times than he could count, whether it was with his words or captivating purple eyes. All Ojiro knew was as Shinsou looked up at him, so full of excitement, he was powerless to say no.

He smiled. I did promise him that I'd become a man who didn't have to deny him anything. This isn't exactly what I had in mind…but…if it's for…my Hito-kun…"Hai."

~.~

Clackamas Highway

Bakugo started his morning off right. After waking up next to Izuku, he proceeded to rail the ever-living fuck out of him and enjoy his afterglow in a steaming, bourbon-scented shower. Today, Izuku was sporting an oversized green shirt and faded skinny jeans. He hadn't dyed his hair in months. Instead of its usual viridian hue, his ebony roots were coming in. But despite his mundane appearance, Bakugo didn't think he was any less beautiful. He felt mellow and relaxed when they got in the Benz.

Until Izuku's phone went off.

His eyes lit up as he answered it. "Hi, Uwabami! How are you? Oh, I - Maybe, but - I don't know yet. I'll have to look at my schedule. Classes are starting up again soon."

Bakugo bristled.

"A few weeks. Oh, sure! Just shoot me a text. Bye-bye!" He hung up. Without skipping a beat, he belted his usual order from the passenger seat. "I'LL HAVE THE SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE MCGRIDDLE MEAL WITH A COFFEE!"

Bakugo growled under his breath. He better eat that fast. There's only so many red lights between here and -

Izuku's phone rang again. He winced when he saw the caller's I.D. "Good afternoon, Mr. - "

The caller yelled so loudly that Bakugo could hear it from the driver's seat.

"Midoriya! Why haven't you sent me your speech for review?!"

He flushed awkwardly. "Uhh…good morning, Mr. Kan. I just haven't had the time to - "

" - Well send it over immediately! You have my email, don't you?!"

Izuku paled. "I…of course, sir. But I can't send it to you."

"WHY THE HELL NOT?!"

"Because I…haven't…written it yet."

There was a pause. "Oh. Well…you better get on that, then."

"Yes, sir."

"I expect it within the hour."

"What?!"

"A little commencement speech shouldn't be too difficult for our valedictorian. I'm sure you can whip one up in no time."

Izuku pasted on a smile. "Of course. I'll…I'll have it to you this afternoon."

"I'll be watching my Inbox, Midoriya!" Mr. Kan hung up.

Izuku rubbed the sides of his forehead. "I don't go back until the eighteenth. But I've already got so much to do."

Bakugo's jaw tightened. He'd hoped after clearing the air with Shindo that he'd finally be free to spend time with his bunny. But already he faced a new, far more fearsome enemy.

Graduation.

Izuku's phone rang a third time.

Bakugo glared murderously at the small mobile device as he tossed Izuku his food. "You're pretty popular, huh?"

Izuku smiled sheepishly. "Well, uh - "

Bakugo shoved his hand in the MckyD's bag and fished out the Mcgriddle, shoving it at Izuku's mouth. "Stop yapping and eat your damn breakfast."

Izuku maneuvered around Bakugo's assault to look down at his phone. "It's…It's All Might!"

Rage blossomed in his chest.

Izuku answered with a smile. "Good morning, All Might! I'm great, how about you? Oh, sure, I'll ask him! What time?"

Bakugo snatched the phone and tossed it out the window.

Izuku cried out, aimlessly stretching his arm out the car window. "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!"

"Are you stupid?! There's only three stop lights between here and the mall. You haven't even touched your breakfast yet." That means less time for Hibachi.

Izuku crossed his arms and pouted. "You owe me a phone, then. Dabi's gonna be pissed when he finds out that you - "

" - I don't give a flying fuck what Himura's gonna - "

"RED LIGHT!"

Bakugo slammed on the brakes, just barely stopping before he blew past it. Damn. Stupid nerd has me so distracted that I -

"I can't go all day without my phone!"

Bakugo ground his teeth. "It's not gonna kill you."

"How am I supposed to talk to anyone?!"

"I'm your manager, your boyfriend, and your roommate. The only person you need to talk to on a regular basis is me."

"That's not fair, Kacchan!"

"I DON'T CARE!"

"If I suck you off, will you go back for my phone?"

All the tension in Bakugo's body suddenly rushed to the same place. "What?" He asked quietly.

"I'll suck you off if you go back for my phone."

Bakugo's gaze fell on Izuku's mouth. "Where?"

"You know where," Izuku murmured huskily.

He shuddered. "Like…in the car?"

"Yeah."

"Now?"

"Yeah."

His gaze moved between Izuku's mouth and his crotch, which was hardening by the second. Without another word, he pushed his window button and rolled it up.

Izuku delicately placed his Mcdonald's bag next to his feet and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Ready when you are, manager."

Bakugo sighed and leaned his hips forward. He squirmed while Izuku fiddled with the zipper on his jeans. Once the button popped open, Izuku slipped his fingertips down Bakugo's waistband and -

Vroom vroom.

Both boys flinched and pulled away from each other.

Bakugo looked to his left. "The hell?"

A motorcycle rider with turquoise blue hair made the "hang tight" symbol at them and stuck her tongue out.

Bakugo rolled his window back down. "Why aren't you in school?!"

"Some of us work for a living, howaitotaigā."

"Yeah, right."

Izuku smiled and waved. "Hi, Hibichan!"

"Whaddup, Izuchan?! You still hangin' around this washed-up loser?"

Bakugo grinned. "You're one to talk!"

The ground vibrated to their right as another vehicle got closer and closer. It turned out to be Shindo on a black and green street bike.

Izuku rolled down his window and stuck his hand out to wave. "Hi, Shindo!"

"Aye, man!" Shindo's gaze went past Izuku and Bakugo to see the biker two lanes over. His eyes narrowed. "The hell are you doin'?"

Hibiki cupped her hands around her mouth. "YOUR MOM!"

"Ugh." Bakugo shook his head. Morons.

"You motherfucker!"

"That's what I just said, dumbass!"

"YOU WANNA GO?!"

"FUCK YEAH, I DO!"

Bakugo opened his sunroof and stuck his head out. "BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"

"Bakugo! Tell your sister she's gonna eat concrete!"

"Onii-chan! Tell Grand Theft Asshole I'm full from eating his mom's - "

" - SHUT UP!"

Asuga glared at Shindo while revving her engine.

Shindo glared back, revving even louder.

Bakugo gritted his teeth. "Both of you cut the crap! It's too early for this shit!"

"You ready to lose, Cherry Bomb?!"

"I go by Asuga now!"

"Swift like the wind!" Izuku translated.

"My ass!" Shindo retorted.

Asuga smirked. "You wanna bet?" vroom vroom.

"Go home, moron!" Bakugo snapped.

"Don't get to swing if you ain't in the ring, onii-chan!" Asuga retorted.

Shindo revved his engine again. "You ready to eat my dust, little girl?!"

"Stop encouraging her!" Bakugo snapped.

"She started it!" Shindo countered.

"No, I didn't!" Asuga exclaimed. "But I'll finish it!"

"You won't finish shit!"

Izuku placed his palm on Bakugo's knee and pressed down. The engine revved in the Benz.

Bakugo gawked at him in horror. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Izuku grinned. "Giving them a common enemy."

Bakugo looked to his left. Sure enough, Asuga's gaze shifted from Shindo to him.

Her jaw dropped. "You serious?"

Shindo snickered. "Hell, yeah." He faced forward, eager to take off. "Let's do this."

Bakugo shook his head and faced forward. "What about your phone?"

Izuku's hand moved from Bakugo's knee to his inner thigh. "We'll come back for it. Right after you win."

Bakugo's cock throbbed as he gazed at Izuku with half-lidded eyes. "What's the prize if I win?"

Izuku leaned forward until he was practically in Bakugo's lap. Then he pressed his mouth against his ear. "What do you think it is, Kacchan?"

When the light turned green, Bakugo's vehicle took off like a bullet.

~.~

Loav & Sechz Mall

Hot Topic's Backroom

The moment Jiro woke up that morning, it was obvious that things between her and Kami had changed. She was hyper-aware of him now. His soft exhales. The rustling of fabric as he shrugged out of his leather jacket. The fact he chewed his lip when he was deep in thought or concentrating very hard. Most of all, she couldn't ignore the electric energy that shimmered in the air when he looked at her.

Jiro's fingers, which had been taught to play everything from acoustics to the xylophone were clumsy as she replaced Hot Topic's printer ink. Clumsier still when the door opened and Kami stepped through it. She flushed pink as she took in the details of his body. The way his golden hair fell in his eyes and down his neck. The lightning bolt tattoo on his cheek. The choker band that strained against his Adam's apple. The way his black T-shirt hugged his shoulder blades.

When her gaze fell on his multi-talented fingers, she blushed redder and looked away.

For years, he'd felt so familiar. Like a guitar pick she'd plucked beyond recognition. But now, everything felt so new. Kami wasn't the sweet, smiling boy who swallowed her sorrows with marshmallow time anymore. He was a man full of passion and desire. A man with a touch that set her ablaze.

And she couldn't wait for him to do it again.

Kami looked her up and down. "Do you think…um…"

"Yes?" Jiro whirled around to face him.

There was a hungry look in his eyes she wasn't used to seeing. "Bakugo and Midoriya do it all the time, right?" He asked in a low voice.

Suddenly Jiro felt overheated. Her palms began to sweat. She wanted to rip off all three layers of her clothes, bra included.

He took her silence as hesitation. Kami took a step backward. "Sorry," he said with a laugh. "There's…something about closets that…" He flushed and turned away.

His amaretto kiss flashed in her mind. She closed the distance between them and cupped his face in her hands. "Denki, you're my boyfriend. Don't apologize for wanting sex with me."

His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Huh?"

She blinked. "That's what you meant, right?"

His mouth fell open. "We…we can have…we can do that?"

Jiro cleared her throat. "Y-yeah. Of c-course we c-can. Do you w-want to?"

He straightened his shoulders. "Y-yeah! Sure." he laughed nervously. "Um…we might make ourselves late, though."

Jiro stepped away from him and brushed herself off. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe uh…some other time."

"Yeah." Kami swallowed. "Uh…when were you thinking?"

Jiro's heart raced. I wasn't. "Uh…I…I mean…whenever we w-want."

"Yeah, but like…when do we want to?" Kami stared at the ground. "Like…this weekend, or…?"

What had been left of Jiro's confidence evaporated into thin air. "Oh! Um…I mean…sure! Why not?"

Kami looked more flabbergasted than her. "So…we're gonna do it."

"Yeah."

"This weekend."

"Mhm."

Kaminari stood so still he could've been mistaken for a mannequin. "Sweet!" He briskly walked out onto the sales door and let the door close behind him.

Jiro lost all feeling in her legs. Did I just…?

~.~

Hot Topic Salesfloor

Kaminari sprinted to a dressing room and screamed into a rack of hoodies. For months he'd wanted nothing more than to ravage his sexy rockstar girlfriend. But now that he was actually getting the chance, he felt completely and utterly unprepared. Sweet?! SWEET?! WHY THE HELL DID I SAY THAT?! He flinched upon hearing a knock on the dressing room door.

"It's too early in the morning for breakdowns," Tokoyami scolded.

"I…Kyoka…she wants to - "

"I…heard." Tokoyami shivered.

"I'm such an idiot!"

"Indeed."

"Kyoka wants…and I…but we…." He banged his head against the wall. "I'm screwed."

"Not yet, apparently."

"I mean I'm toast! I'm gonna bomb this harder than my eleventh-grade French exam!"

"Your reaction is not what I expected. I thought you'd be thrilled."

"I mean, I am. But…I've never…I can't…I DON'T KNOW HOW! What if I'm bad at it?"

Tokoyami sighed on the other side of the door. "You didn't know how to man a register. But you learned, correct?"

"Well… yeah, but that's only because she taught me!"

"What else has she taught you?"

Kami blinked. "Um…how to play guitar…how to drive…"

"Before she passed on these skills, the thought of doing them made you apprehensive, did they not?"

"Apprehensive?"

"Scared."

"Yeah."

"Are you still scared?"

"No."

"Precisely. She'll guide you through this too."

Kami swallowed nervously. "What if…she doesn't know how to either?"

"Then you can learn together."

He tried to imagine it. He'd had no problem doing so before, but now he couldn't think about it without trembling. This weekend…Kyoka and I…we're gonna….we'll… "What the hell do I do?" Kami asked, his voice cracking.

Tokoyami unlocked the stall and bonked him on the head with his clipboard. "Your job."

~.~

Juice It Up

Sero blinked multiple times as if doing so might make the mirage in front of him disappear. But it didn't. Slowly but surely, Neito Monoma approached in the Juice It Up uniform reeking of Code by Armani.

He made a show of coughing and wheezing. "Who you tryna impress with that stench?"

Monoma smirked. "Better than vomit, isn't it?"

Sero grinned. Kyoka Jiro is my friend and Neito Monoma is my underling. It's official. Hell has frozen over. "Welcome to the jungle, baby. You're gonna die."

Monoma sighed as he made his way behind the counter. "I'm surprised you didn't say something like you're gonna go bananas."

He clasped his hands together and rubbed them excitedly. "It's still early."

Monoma rolled his eyes. "How shall we start… Sir?"

Sero beamed. "Depends. What do you know about the food service industry?"

He thought for a moment. "It provides two billion dollars worth of food annually around the world."

Sero pinched his nose. "I meant…like…what do you know about serving people?"

Monoma blinked. "It's important to tip them."

Is he for real?! "Not serving people. Being of service to customers!"

He perked up. "It's our job to keep them informed. Particularly on current deals, approaching sales, and new products coming in."

Sero relaxed. That's…actually not a bad start. "Yes, that's definitely one of our responsibilities."

Monoma pulled out a notepad and a pen. "What else?"

At least he's taking this seriously. "Providing service with a smile to every customer, no matter their background."

"Background?"

"You know…social class, age, gender, sexuality, race - "

" - NEITO!"

Monoma flinched, instantly flushing with embarrassment. "Mother?"

Sero looked out to the food court. A woman in a form-fitting dress and a man in a business suit approached them with glowers and disdain.

Sero smirked. "Remember, service with a smile, no matter who - "

" - Something tells me my parents aren't here for a smoothie," Monoma grumbled. He straightened out his shoulders and brushed back his hair. "Mother. Father. You're a bit far from home. Are you lost?"

Mr. Monoma crossed his arms. "Neito, show us the respect we deserve."

Monoma narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't appreciate that."

Sero's brows went up. He discreetly pulled out his phone and shot Yumi a text. OMG. You're never gonna believe who showed up at the food court.

"I don't want to waste time," his mother snapped.

"You should've spared yourself the drive, then," Monoma retorted.

Instead of responding, she slammed down a stack of papers onto the counter. "Explain these withdrawals."

Monoma paled.

Sero regarded his reaction curiously. Someone's buuusteeeed. He went back to his messages with Yumi. Gorgeous. Get over here. The shit show is about to start.

Ichiro Monoma pointed to a line of words at the bottom of the page. "Last month, you withdrew almost seventy thousand dollars in total. We need to know where that money went."

Monoma flushed bright red. "That's…n-not your concern."

Sero grinned. "Oh. I can tell you where it went."

Monoma rolled his eyes. "Stay out of this, imbecile."

"That's manager to you, underling."

"I'm never going to call you that."

"Really? Cuz last time I checked, you were a bottom."

"I'm starting from the bottom. That's not the same as being a - "

Sero cleared his throat. " - You see, Ma'am, your son paid someone to dig up information about me and my friends. It may come as a shock to you, but I swear it's the truth. He tried to blackmail us into - "

" - We already know about that."

Sero paled. "You…you do?"

Monoma scoffed. "Who do you think gave me the idea to blackmail you in the first place?"

Mr. Monoma looked Sero up and down. The look on his face gave off the impression that he did not find him dazzling. "Not that it's any of your business, but we have a cache set aside for that very purpose. But this," he said, gesturing to the bank statement, "Is a record of withdrawals made from our travel account."

Mrs. Monoma glared at her son. "Last I checked, you didn't run off to Europe. Or anywhere else for that matter. So what exactly - "

" - I am a legal adult, a college graduate, and a full-time employee at this establishment."

"We…actually never discussed what your hours would be when you - "

" - I have no obligation to report my spending habits to you. If that is all - "

" - One moment." Mrs. Monoma pulled her cell phone out when it began ringing in her purse. She answered and held it up to her ear. "What?" After a moment of listening, her eyes widened.

Sero took a peek at Monoma from the corner of his eye.

He'd frozen solid.

"I see. Good work." She hung up and shot Monoma a knowing look. "It seems our son has been staying at the Benson Hotel."

Monoma swallowed nervously. "What did you expect? I lost my chance to snag the High Rise penthouse apartment."

Mrs. Monoma raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you tell us you needed a place to stay?"

Monoma straightened his shoulders. "You invested a great deal into my venture, which ended in failure. How could I ask for more when I wasted so much of it already?"

Mr. Monoma sighed, the look in his eyes softening. "Everyone loses, son. But there is no shame in defeat if taken with dignity. We could've helped you find an apartment once we - "

" - He's lying."

Monoma stiffened.

"If that were the case, he would've been reluctant to withdraw more of our money," Mrs. Monoma pointed out. "But he took it anyway. From an account he knew would go unchecked for several months. No. This isn't about pride. This was about discretion. The kind that can't be had if there's a paper trail."

Sero narrowed his brows in thought. What would he have to hide, if not the illegally obtained documents? What could be more incriminating than -

" - My P.I. just called the room you've been staying in," Mrs. Monoma said smugly. "When the phone rang, a boy answered."

Monoma's hand clenched into a fist at his side.

Sero's jaw dropped. Oh…shit.

"I find that interesting since you're here and the room happens to be a King Suite. So who was it that answered, Neito? A paid floozy or that friend of yours? Not that there's a difference."

Monoma's jaw tightened.

DAMN! Sero fervently sent another text. Gorgeous, there is drama with a capital T. You need to get here ASAP!

He hadn't received a response yet.

Sero glanced down at his screen again. This was as spicy as gossip could get, and she hadn't even looked at the messages. Why isn't she answering?

~.~

The Penthouse

Yumi paced back and forth in her pajamas, holding her cell phone to her ear. She called her doctor's office right when they opened, and she still managed to get put on hold. After ten minutes of listening to shitty hold music, she put it on speaker and began getting ready. Her hands shook as she brushed back her hair.

I can't believe this. We could actually be having a…a…How am I gonna tell Hanta?

She had a hair tie in her mouth when they finally picked up again.

"Are you still there, Miss Mizuno?"

"Yeah. Surprised, aren't you?" She snapped.

"I thank you for your patience."

Bold of you to assume I have any. "Whatever. When can you get me in?"

"You're in luck! It looks like we have an opening in two months."

Yumi's jaw dropped. The hair tie fell out. "Two months?!"

"Yes! It seems we've had a patient reschedule."

"Is this some kind of joke?!"

"You're very fortunate to get in so soon. Our waitlist is - "

" - I can't wait two months to see a doctor!" Yumi's stomach flip-flopped. A doctor's appointment in March would be completely pointless. I'll definitely know if I'm pregnant by then. I'll be ⅔ of the way through my first trimester, for fuck's sake!

"Perhaps you can be seen by Urgent Care or a hospital. Do you have a medical emergency?"

Yumi's phone kept pinging with notifications but all she could think about was this infuriating conversation. She hissed through her teeth. "Define emergency."

"Do you have a fever?"

"No."

"Are you vomiting up blood?"

"No."

"Have you broken any bones?"

"No."

"Have you had any suicidal or homicidal thoughts?"

After being put on hold for fifteen minutes? You bet your ass. "No."

Her phone pinged again.

"Have you fainted, had difficulty breathing, or experienced abdominal pain?"

"No! I just need to know if I'm pregnant!"

"When was your last menstrual cycle?"

She flushed pink. "I…I don't remember. I just know I was supposed to have it by now. But I never got it."

"I'm sorry, but that doesn't warrant a visit to the ER. I can bump up your appointment if we have a cancellation. But I'm afraid March is the soonest we can get you in right now."

"Fantastic," she grumbled.

"If you need immediate results, you could always go to your local drug store and buy a pregnancy test."

Yumi tried to envision herself walking into a Walgreens and buying one over the counter. Then she pictured someone she knew catching her in the act. She shivered. "Um…is there a way I can have one prescribed to me?" At least then it would be more discreet.

"You'd need to consult with your doctor first."

She rolled her eyes. Of course. "How accurate are over-the-counter tests?"

"As accurate as the one you'd be given in the doctor's office."

"Do I need to show I.D. to buy one?"

"No."

Yumi took a deep breath. I don't have a choice. I can't spend two months not knowing. "Cancel the appointment. I'll test myself."

"Are you sure? If we - "

She hung up. Not long after ending the call, her phone vibrated with another text. Ugh! Who the hell keeps texting me?! Whatever. I'll look once I get an Uber.

Under normal circumstances, she liked primping and preening before she went out. But this was not a day she wanted to draw attention to herself. She felt flustered as she grabbed her purse and keys. Where should I go? Would they have that sort of thing at a gas station? No, I should probably go to Walgreens. She slipped into a gray hoodie that was baggy and plain. Maybe I can call ahead and have them hold it for me at the register. She opened the door. That way I don't have to -

" - Yumi?"

Yumi flushed and looked up.

Keigo stood in front of her with his hand held up to knock. "Did I mix up the days?"

Yumi frowned. Dammit. I forgot. We were supposed to go out for breakfast. "Um…no. It's just - something came up."

Keigo pouted as his stomach growled.

Loudly.

"Uuuuuuhhhh…" She looked over her shoulder. We can't go out now. If he knows where I'm going… "How about we do breakfast here?!"

Keigo perked up. "Okay. What are we having?"

"Um…whatever you want." Yumi stepped around him and skipped out into the hallway. "Help yourself!"

Keigo's bottom lip trembled. "Wait! Where are you going?!"

"Just running a quick errand. I'll be back in a jiffy, okay?"

"But - "

" - Make yourself comfortable!" She practically jumped into the elevator and closed the doors before he could protest.

As it began to descend, she tried opening her messages, but she had no reception. Dammit. Her data kicked back on once she reached the ground floor. She flushed with irritation when she looked outside. Shit. I haven't ordered an Uber yet. Ugh. She poked the app and typed in her address.

Your driver's name is Pedro.

Pedro is on his way.

Message banners kept appearing on the top of her screen.

She scrolled up to push them out of the way as she typed in the address of Walgreens.

From Mon Amour.

Hanta?! Why is he spamming me with messages? She went to text him back.

But a car pulled up with the same plate number as her driver. She tucked her phone back into her hoodie and slid into the back seat. "Walgreens, please."

"Are you sure?" The guy asked. "It's not open yet."

She flushed red. "What?! But it's 7:30!"

"They don't open until eight."

Yumi exhaled and sunk into the car seat. "Fine. Just…pull me around to the pharmacy and - "

" - They don't open until ten."

Yumi ground her teeth. You've. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me. "Then take me to the nearest open pharmacy."

"But…that isn't what your destination is in my - "

" - GUN IT, PEDRO!"

~.~

The Penthouse

Keigo pulled open Yumi's fridge doors and stared inside with a forlorn expression. There were tons of ingredients. Chopped vegetables, fresh fruit, delectable cheeses, filets of fish, cold cuts, and all the ingredients necessary for the perfect bibimbap.

The pantry wasn't much better. There were rice noodles. Egg noodles. Ramen noodles. Udon noodles. But nothing was cooked and everything required some level of prep. His stomach growled so loudly it echoed throughout the apartment.

But he had no idea how to cook any of it. "How do I eat you?!" He whined.

First, he tried with his mouth. A box labeled "pancakes & waffles" caught his eye. He failed to see the word "mix," but ripped open the box anyway.

His heart fell when he stuck his hand in only to feel a soft powder. "The hell? Where are the pancakes?!" He licked some powder from his finger and made a face. "Ugh!"

Next, he grabbed fridge items that he recognized and placed them on the counter. He wrinkled his nose. Strawberries. Watermelon. Pickles. Carrots. Eggs. I know what these are, but I don't wanna eat carrots and pickles for breakfast. Keigo bit unenthusiastically into a strawberry and pouted. She better not take long.

~.~

Juice It Up

When they'd first met, Monoma had been the kind of person who had no problem lording his status over others. He talked people down to bring himself up. He'd seen his peers as nothing more than pawns on a chess board. No one had been irreplaceable, least of all his enemies. Sero could've ended up on the street and Monoma wouldn't have given him so much as a second glance.

But in front of his parents, Monoma stared down at his feet. He'd shrunk in on himself like an apple core in the summer sun. He was utterly defenseless. Defeated before even stepping foot onto the battlefield. The moment they mentioned a boy in his hotel room, he fell silent as the grave.

It became painful to watch.

"We agreed you didn't have to work for the company straight out of school," Mr. Monoma agreed. "But we expect you to join us eventually."

"All those years in business school. What a waste."

"I admit, it was important for you to get managing experience firsthand, but you're not even doing that anymore! You're working a minimum wage job!"

"It was never about management," Mrs. Monoma snapped. "He just wanted more time with that Tsuburaba boy. That's all he cares about."

Sero's jaw dropped. We…we made jokes…but I didn't think…they actually -

"I refuse to humor your little fixation any longer," Mrs. Monoma said. "It's gone too far. You've tapped into your own family's reserves behind our backs. And for what? So you could bed a commoner? "

Sero ground his teeth. I shouldn't give a damn. He didn't give a damn about us. So why am I counting the seconds, waiting for his folks to shut the hell up?

He flinched as memories began to surface.

Hanta, why didn't you tell me about the scholarship?!

Hanta Sero, you will accept that scholarship! I don't ever want to hear you talk about not going to college! Just wait until I talk to your father later.

You have no ambitions in life, Hanta! All you seem to care about is going out with girls and hanging out with Eijiro and Denki.

Everything is just a joke to you.

Dammit, Hanta! For once will you take this seriously?!

What do you expect to do after you graduate?

You think you'll be able to work in the mall forever?

"You want to play at being ordinary?" Mrs. Monoma snapped. "Because that's what you're doing. Playing make-believe. But you're not, ordinary, Neito. You are a legacy."

Monoma mumbled something under his breath.

"Excuse me?"

He cleared his throat. "Maybe I don't want to be."

~.~

Target

Yumi stared up at the Target marquee. She'd tucked her blue hair under her hoodie, but she still couldn't help feeling that all eyes were on her. But in the end, she'd had no choice. The fact was, she couldn't twiddle her thumbs for hours waiting to access the pharmacy at Walgreens. Not when Keigo was sitting in her apartment sticking his nose into god knows what.

I can do this. It'll be easy. She walked passed the registers, trying to look casual. All I gotta do is grab the test, buy it at self-checkout, and -

A buzzing from her pocket startled her out of her thoughts. She rolled her eyes. My phone's been going off all day! Who the hell keeps texting me?! She whipped out her phone and scrolled through her notifications. Every single one of them was from Sero.

Sorry, mon amour. I'm a little busy at the moment. She clutched her stomach, realizing there was a very real possibility that she was carrying his child. I gotta get that test!

Yumi kept her head down and brushed past anyone she saw in a red shirt. The only thing worse than Sero catching her here was someone else telling him. Whether I'm pregnant or not…the news needs to come from me. I can't risk being seen here.

The pharmacy wasn't that far from the entrance. But the aisles were packed with people. She glared at them as they fumbled for pill bottles. Why the hell are there so many people getting…?

When she looked closer, she realized the pills they were reaching for treated nausea and pain.

Jeez. New Year's Eve was two days ago, and you guys were still getting turnt?! There was a chance these patrons were too out of it to take notice of her. But she couldn't risk being seen. The idea of grabbing the test with people around turned her stomach. Yumi stood there, pretending to look for something else as she waited for them to leave.

Please go away. Please go away!

~.~

The Penthouse

Keigo had tried to be patient, out of respect for his friend. But patience was not a virtue in his repertoire. After eating Yumi's last strawberry, he sat cross-legged on top of the dining table and filled out an order to Doordash. He poked food items on his phone. A sandwich-and-tenders meal from KFC. Pad Thai from Taste of Bangkok. Four slices of cheesecake from the factory, and three cokes from MckyD's to wash it all down.

"Just appetizers," he mumbled to himself. He placed the order and frowned when he saw the food wouldn't get to him for another forty-seven minutes. Dammit. What's taking her so long?

His suspicion grew the longer he waited.

Come to think of it…Yumi has never left me in the apartment for this long. Especially not by myself. For as long as he could remember, she'd always made a point to keep a close eye on him.

What are you hiding in there?

Nothing.

How come I can't go in there?

Because it's Hanta's bedroom.

There's no harm in just a tiny little…

No.

Come on! I just want like…three seconds!

Damn, Yumi. Don't you trust anyone? So paranoid.

What's so wrong with me wanting to know a little more about my friend?

I'll only take a peek.

He narrowed his eyes. She left me behind to run an errand. But we shop together all the time. What could she be doing that she can't do with me? He racked his brain while pacing and chewing. My birthday already passed. Christmas is over with, and Dabs' birthday isn't for two weeks. I doubt she's buying a present. And even if she was, she wouldn't dip out on breakfast to do it. All she'd have to do is buy it while I'm at work. So what could she be doing that's so important?

~.~

Target

Keigo's caller I.D. popped up.

She pressed the green button. "I'm at the store, Kegs. I'll be back in like ten minutes - "

" - I Doordashed."

Yumi blinked. "Oh. Okay. What'd you get me?"

Keigo cleared his throat. "Oh! Well…um…I got…I got…uh…"

She narrowed her eyes. "You didn't get anything for me, did you?"

"I forgot."

"You forgot?"

"It was hard to think over the sound of my stomach caving in on itself."

She rolled her eyes. "Typical."

"Hey! I wouldn't have had to Doordash at all if you'd never abandoned me!"

"The apartment is filled with food."

"Nothing that's cooked!"

Shit. I forgot this is Keigo we're talking about. "We'll go out when I get back. Okay?"

"Why can't we meet up and go together?"

Yumi flushed. "B-because…I'm running an errand, remember?"

"You're hiding something."

"W-what? No, I'm n-not."

"We run errands together all the time," Keigo retorted. "You've never had a problem with meeting up before. So what's going on?"

Yumi froze. Shit.

Keigo gasped. "Is there tea?"

"No!" She said a little too quickly.

"THERE'S TEA!"

"NO!"

"Spill it!"

"No!"

"SPILL!"

"NO!"

"Yumz, come on!"

She exhaled. "The truth is there might not be tea at all."

"How can you not know if there's tea?"

"I'll know if there's tea after I finish this errand. Okay?"

"Ugghh. Why can't you just tell me what you're doing?"

"Because I can't! Okay? But the second I can, I will."

He sighed. "Okay. But I'm gonna snoop in your stuff until you get back."

She blushed red. "What?! Why?!"

"Cuz I'm bored."

Yumi groaned, exasperated. "If you're gonna snoop anyway, could you snoop in the top kitchen cabinet?"

"Maybe. Why?"

~.~

New Year's

The Aizawa-Yamada Residence

Yumi pressed her back against the wall, straining to listen to the conversation going on outside. She recognized Dabi's voice.

" - Make no mistake. If it weren't for that little box you have on the top shelf of your kitchen cupboard, we'd be having a very different conversation."

What's he talking about? Unfortunately, she didn't have much time to ponder. She already heard approaching footsteps. Before anyone could see her, Yumi dashed back down the basement stairs and launched herself onto the couch, feigning sleep.

~.~

Now…

Yumi cleared her throat. "No reason."

"I can't scale your counters for no reason. I need to conserve energy since you haven't fed me."

Yumi rolled her eyes. "Fine. Here's a reason. There's pocky up there."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah. My secret stash. Have at it."

"OH MY GOD YES I LOVE YOU BYYYEEE!" He hung up.

She exhaled. There. That oughta keep him busy. Now to get what I came here for.

As soon as she had that thought. Yumi's phone began vibrating.

Again?! She looked down.

It lit up with another text from Sero.

Are you kidding me?! The one time I need to be left alone!

~.~

Clackamas Highway

Izuku hugged his seat as if it were a piece of driftwood and he was lost at sea. Bakugo had accelerated to the point that Izuku could barely see the road at all. So instead, fixed his eyes on his boyfriend.

"Kacchan, you're going way too fast!"

"How else am I supposed to win, nerd?!" Bakugo didn't look stressed at all. If anything, Izuku's pleas just made him more determined to beat his opponents.

Izuku gasped when, to his right, he saw Asuga slowly catching up to them. Shindo wasn't too far behind, either. He'd gotten ahead for a moment by darting in between the other vehicles.

Izuku clenched his eyes shut. I'm gonna die here!

~.~

Juice It Up

Mrs. Monoma reached over the counter and swatted Monoma's face. "What were you thinking?! Tax season is around the corner. How are we going to explain this to our accountant?!"

A red mark began to appear on his cheek. But he didn't cry out or tear up.

Sero narrowed his eyes. I guess they have a right to be pissed. But still…do they really need to do this in front of his manager? "Uh…ma'am - "

" - Answer your mother this instant!" Mr. Monoma exclaimed.

Monoma's mouth formed a hard line. "We had an agreement," he said in a dark voice.

"Neito - "

" - You get a bachelor's degree and I get agency over my life."

"You haven't produced an heir or found a bride. As it stands, you're the future of Monoma Press & Publishing. The only future. Unless you come to your senses and stop bedding a boy."

Sero swallowed. Shit. They're being so harsh. It's like they're trying to embarrass him. I would've blown my top by now.

"I haven't bedded anyone," Neito muttered. "Not that my bedroom activities are your concern."

"They are when they compromise the integrity of our company," Mrs. Monoma snapped.

"If I'm such a liability then perhaps you should cut your losses," Monoma retorted.

Mr. Monoma raised an eyebrow. "You want out of the family? That can be arranged. Quite easily in fact."

"Then do it," Neito snapped.

"Careful, boy," Mrs. Monoma warned. "Disownment can't be taken back."

"If revoking my name means I"m finally free of you people, then so be it," Monoma snapped.

Mrs. Monoma snickered. "You wouldn't last one week living as a commoner."

The color drained from his face. "Why would I - "

" - You think we would allow a stranger access to the family finances?" Mrs. Monoma pointed out. "If you rescind the Monoma name, you forfeit any right to the privileges that come with it."

Sero glared at them. Oh, fuck you.

Monoma looked as though he was one wrong look away from jumping the counter. "You'd toss your own son into the throes of poverty?"

"Never," Mrs. Monoma said. "But if your fantastical whimsy came to pass…you would no longer be our son."

Sero gasped.

Listen to me, Hanta. If you don't accept that scholarship by the end of the week, we will kick you out. You will no longer be -

I've had enough. "Ma'am, if you're not a paying customer, I need you to step aside."

She gawked at Sero in horror. "How dare you speak to me that way?!"

Sero dug out a walkie-talkie from under the register. "If you don't do move, I'll have no choice but to call security."

"This is outrageous!"

"I completely agree," Sero snapped.

"You can't make us - "

" - You wanna settle your family drama bullshit at home? Be my guest. But don't bring the dumpster fire you call your family dynamic to my workplace."

"He's our son!"

"And my employee! While he's clocked in, his ass is not yours to order around. It's mine. SO SCRAM!"

Monoma flushed red. "Could you have…worded that a litter better than - "

"- SECURITYYY!"

Monomas' parents shot them both death glares before turning around and strutting off.

"God. What assholes."

Monoma's shoulders sunk. "I learned from the best."

Sero looked him up and down. "You're not that bad."

He perked up. "Really?"

"In comparison to them? No way."

Monoma smiled sadly. "I have my Kos - my friend to thank for that."

Sero looked him up and down. "So…you and…the binder guy?"

Monoma sighed and rubbed his temples. "It's complicated."

"Isn't he going out with whats-her-name?"

He winced. "Hence…the complication."

Sero watched the Monomas walk away, carrying their air of entitlement with them. "What are you gonna do?"

"About?"

"Uh…everything, I guess."

Monoma exhaled deeply. "Honestly…I have no fucking idea."

Sero shivered. "Whoa. I don't think I've ever heard you say "fuck" before."

Monoma blinked. "Why does everyone say that? I say fuck all the time."

"Whoa. You just did it again! Weird."

He narrowed his eyes. "We're getting off topic."

"Sorry."

Monoma pinched the bridge of his nose. "They've got a point. There isn't much I can do with so little resources."

"Can you get money from your parents?"

Monoma scoffed. "Didn't you hear a word they just said? If I refuse to submit to their demands, they'll cut me off."

"Then quit."

"I don't want to quit. I've barely just begun."

"You only applied here because this was your last resort."

"That hasn't changed."

"That's not true. Your parents - "

" - I'm not resorting to that."

Sero shrugged. "It's not like you don't have any money. How much you got in savings?"

He wilted. "Nothing that wasn't put there by my mother and father."

Well, damn. "What about the money you earned at Target?"

"I spent it to acquire the documentation on you and your colleagues."

Shit. "So you're…completely broke."

He flushed. "Yes."

"And financially dependent on your parents."

"Unfortunately. My plan was to make my own way and lease out an apartment. You know how that went."

Sero's eyes widened. That's why he pulled all that blackmail shit. He wasn't out to get us. He was desperate. "I mean…High Rise didn't work out, but that doesn't mean you can't rent somewhere else."

Monoma scowled. "Not anywhere that's less than an hour away."

"You could commute back and forth."

He shot Sero a pointed look. "There was a time that would've worked. But that was back when I had a car."

Sero smiled sheepishly. Oh. Right. "Damn. We seriously screwed you, didn't we?"

Monoma flushed. "You really need to learn to word things better."

~.~

Clackamas Highway

Bakugo screeched to a halt when he hit the last red light between him and the mall. Even while staring straight ahead, he could hear Asuga and Shindo's taunts coming from both sides.

"Just give up, onii-chan!"

"You're not gonna outride me Bakugo!"

"Maybe he won't, but I will!"

"In your dreams, little girl. I was conceived on a Yamaha."

"Your mom's in my dreams, Shin-dumbass."

"FUCK YOU!"

Bakugo tried to zone them out. There was only one thing that could distract him from literally anything else. He glanced over at Izuku.

It was a mistake.

Izuku had his stomach flush against his seat, his back facing the windshield. Perched on his knees like that meant his perfect ass was sticking out and within arm's reach. It didn't help that his skinny jeans hugged it so tightly it functioned as a second skin. His perfect thighs were clenched together, tight and firm. Just like when they -

Bakugo gritted his teeth, suddenly hard as a rock. I have to win this fucking race.

~.~

Juice It Up

"So let me get this straight…in a manner of speaking."

Monoma's eye twitched.

"Moving back home is out of the question. You can't get an apartment, and you can't afford to stay at a hotel anymore."

"Correct."

Sero leaned against the counter, thinking it over. This is a bad idea. I shouldn't even be considering this. He put us through hell.

"What?"

Sero groaned, rubbing his eyes. Don't do it don't do it don't do it don't - "You…you wanna…crash at my place?"

Monoma blinked. "Crash?"

HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD MEANS! THAT'S YOUR OUT! TAKE THE FUCKING OUT! "Like live with us. Until you get on your feet." SON OF A BITCH!

Monoma glared. "Do you realize how degrading that would be?! Staying as a guest in the apartment I wanted to own?!"

Sero rolled his eyes. "What's more humiliating? Crawling back to your parents or shacking up with your manager?"

He flushed. "Seeking refuge with my enemies - "

" - We're not enemies anymore."

"Even so - "

" - Don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled with the idea. It's the last thing I want. But the fact is, I need you. If putting a roof over your head means you'll keep working here, I don't got much of a choice."

"You were managing just fine without me. You said so yourself."

"I haven't been managing shit. Keeping this place afloat, maybe."

"You were promoted, weren't you?"

"I only accepted the promotion to give us a leg up in the bet. But I'm running this place single-handedly and running it by myself is running me down." He sunk down on a stool. "I was really looking forward to having the extra hands around here."

Monoma crossed his arms. "No need for hysterics. It doesn't look like I have much of a choice either."

"Unless… Alexei?"

"Kosei."

"Kosei has a place, doesn't he?"

Monoma flinched. "Yes."

"Why don't you stay with him?"

"Because his roommate is Sen."

They both stared at each other in silence.

Monoma clenched his eyes shut and held out his arm like he was getting a tetanus shot. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

Sero scoffed. "Me neither." He pulled his keys out of his back pocket.

Monoma took a deep breath. "I…accept your offer."

Sero pulled the spare off of his keychain and placed it into Monoma's hand.

Monoma pulled his arm back and stared at it. "When I finally received the key to the penthouse…I didn't think I would be getting it like this." He tucked it into his pocket. "I suppose you'll want to talk this over with the waitr - your girlfriend."

"Oh!" Sero whipped out his phone and called Yumi. "I'll tell her right now."

~.~

Target

Yumi ignored the call and grabbed a pregnancy test off the rack. She'd barely had time to hide it against her chest when her phone rang again. She picked up. "WHAT?!"

"Oh…uh…sorry, gorgeous. Is this a bad time?"

"YES!"

Yumi flushed red when her outburst caused every Target patron in the aisle to look in her direction. She cleared her throat.

"Oh. S-sorry. I didn't realize you were so busy."

"I'm not," she insisted.

"Aren't you out with Takami?"

"I will be. I'm just grabbing something at the store first."

"Don't worry about it, gorgeous. I can grab it on my break. What do you need?"

Shit! Suddenly she was racing down the aisle, pushing past other shoppers to get to the registers. He can't find me here! "Nothing! I already got it."

"Are you sure? I can just run over to Target and - "

" - NO! DO NOT COME TO TARGET!"

Sero laughed. "It doesn't matter if we buy stuff there anymore, gorgeous. Remember? The bet's over."

"That's not it! It's because - "

" - Gimme just a sec. I'll - "

Yumi hung up on him, her heart racing. Shit shit shit shit shit! She stuffed her phone into her pocket. Suddenly the blue box in her hand felt like a shining beacon alerting everyone of her location. An immense wave of uneasiness washed over her. Calm down. You've pretty much already bought it. She kept her head down and waited for her turn in self-checkout. All I need to do is pay, hurry home and take the test. Then I can know once and for all that I'm not -

"Next!"

Yumi nearly dropped the box, startled back into reality. It was at that moment, that she realized that instead of getting into the self-checkout line, she'd gotten into a line with a human cashier. What was worse, the human cashier wasn't just any human. It was Awase.

"Oh! Hey, Yumi," he said with a smile.

"H-hi," she said nervously. "Look, um…I got in the wrong line. Can you direct me to self-checkout?"

Awase chuckled. "It's okay. I can check you out here!"

"N-no, thank you. I'd rather - "

Without hesitation, Awase leaned over the counter and took the box from her hand. He scanned it and plopped it down in a plastic bag.

"Are you enrolled in our loyalty program?"

"Uh - "

" - It's called Target Circle Rewards."

"Um - "

" - If you're not, I'd be happy to help you sign up."

"That's very kind of you, but - "

"All I need is your phone number and email."

"Not today, Awase. I'm in a hurry."

"Okie Dokie. Then your total will be - " His smile disappeared when he looked at the item list on his screen. It was then he finally processed what it was he'd scanned. His eyes slowly drifted to the bag, confirming the bright words in front of him. "Um…"

Yumi's face burned brightly as she dug her wallet out of her purse. It could be worse. Awase doesn't seem like the kind of guy to blab other people's business. Once I finish paying, I can -

"You okay, Yosetsu?"

Yumi squeaked. NO!

Fukidashi had walked over. He placed an arm shyly around Awase's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Take a five, okay? I can take over from here." He hit some buttons on the register.

Yumi lowered her head as the total flashed on the keypad.

"Your total is nine ninety-five. Will that be cash or - "

"- Card," Yumi said as she jammed her card into the reader. As soon as the transaction went through, she grabbed her card and the bag before rushing out.

The receipt printed out. "Wait!" Fukidashi grabbed it and held it to his face. "You forgot your - " He froze as he saw the item that was listed on it.

First Response Pregnancy Test

He slowly turned to Awase. "That was Yumi, right?"

"Yeah."

"And she bought a - "

"- Yeah."

The two stared at each other, unsure what to do with this information.

Kuroiro glanced at the receipt over Fukidashi's shoulder. "Pity," he said with a wide smile. "We had a coupon she could've used."

~.~

Fukidashi gasped, flinching away from Kuroiro. This wasn't the first time he'd managed to get the drop on him. How does he do that?! "Uh - it's - this isn't - "

" - What do we do?" Awase asked in a quiet voice. He looked as pale as Kuroiro's hair was white.

Fukidashi swallowed. It was bad enough that his cuter-than-hell coworker distracted him on a daily basis. But now all he could think about was getting the terrified expression off of Awase's face. "Hey…it's okay," he murmured gently. "We just need to take a breath - "

" - Your arm's still around him you know," Kurourio pointed out.

Fukidashi blushed and stretched, very quickly lifting his arm off. "Whoopsie daisies!" Blast! Did he notice?

His concerns were unwarranted. Awase was still in shock. It was a miracle he'd managed to stay upright. "Should we tell Sero?"

How the hell would we do that?! "He probably already knows."

Kuroiro snickered. "If he knows, then why waste so much effort being tacitern?"

"What do you mean?"

Kuroiro chuckled. "Surely you noticed Mizuno skulking around under a hood like she murdered King Duncan."

"Who?" Awase asked.

Fukidashi blushed. He's right. It's suspicious AF. Zonk! What should we do?!

Awase took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Let's agree not to say anything, okay? At least not until we know for sure."

Good idea. "The next time we see Sero, we'll feel him out. If he doesn't know, we won't say anything. If he does, it would be pointless to tell him something he already knows, right?"

"So either way we don't have to tell him," Awase concurred.

"Exactly! And…just in case he doesn't…let's agree to keep this between us, okay?"

Kuroiro grinned. "But of course. I wouldn't dream of betraying the confidence of my colleagues."

~.~

Spencers

Asuga scowled, leaning on the cash wrap as she spun a shot glass on her finger. Damn, onii-chan. What's the point in winning if I don't get to gloat in his face? Whatever. I'll pop by Hooters and talk smack to Grand instead.

The sound of rushing footsteps startled her into dropping the shot glass. It clattered to the ground with a clink before breaking in half. Shit.

A boy with a red choker necklace and midnight black hair burst into Spencers and marched toward the counter. "Is your brother here yet?!"

Asuga shrugged. "I dunno. Why?"

"I must speak with him. Immediately. There's been a development."

"Your balls drop or something?"

Tokoyami grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "This is no time for juvenile jests! I've just received intel concerning my employer!"

Asuga shoved him off. "Cut that out! You don't have to yell, I'm right here."

Tokoyami gasped. "Good god. What if…this was…" He swayed on his feet. "It must be. What Hitoshi couldn't disclose to me."

She rolled her eyes. "You cracked the code. Good job. Can I go back to work now?"

Tokoyami flushed red. "If Himura finds out…" He looked back up. "Where is Bakugo?"

~.~

Loav & Sechz Parking Lot

Bakugo snarled under his breath. Son of a bitch. I can't believe I lost. To my fucking sister! His raging hard-on was a frustrating reminder of his defeat. Especially since it was steadily losing a turf war with his jeans.

Izuku beamed. "You did really well, Kacchan."

"How do you figure that?! I got second place!"

Izuku bit his lip in thought.

Bakugo exhaled sharply, squirming as the gesture made his erection throb.

"Asuga had an unfair advantage. On average, motorcycles are faster than cars due to their compact size and high power-to-weight ratio. Their shape is more aerodynamic, which results in less wind resistance and a low drag coefficient. They're also lightweight. This means they have less momentum, even when traveling at the same speed as a car. That makes acceleration much easier. Taking all of that into account - "

" - Hibachi," Bakugo growled. "Now."

Izuku flushed. "B-but…you lost. Besides, won't we be late if - "

"I said now."

"What about my phone? You said - "

" - I don't give a fuck about your phone."

"B-but - "

" - Shut the hell up and suck my cock. Slut."

Izuku shuddered as his lips parted involuntarily. A line of drool dripped down the side of his mouth before he could stop it. His gaze fell on Bakugo's crotch, glossy with hunger.

Bakugo practically burst the zipper of his jeans to get his pants off. His heart pounded hard in his chest. The thought of finally having Izuku's soft, wet mouth tightly sucking his erection sent his lust through the roof. Please, bunny. I can't take it anymore. Please.

He unbuckled and lowered his head toward Bakugo's crotch.

Bakugo wove his fingers deep into the back of Izuku's hair. His unbearably soft, fluffy hair, and guided his head down. He sighed and leaned his head back against the seat, already feeling more relaxed, knowing what was in store.

Then he heard a knock on his window.

~.~

Spencers

Asuga squinted at the master of macabre trembling with nerves. "Why are you looking for Katsuki?"

Tokoyami tightened his hands into fists. "BECAUSE MY WORLD IS ABOUT TO IMPLODE!"

Asuga pressed her palms to Tokoyami's back and began shoving him out of the store. "Have your meltdown somewhere else. I just mopped."

Tokoyami brushed himself off and regarded her with a stern expression. "You must inform me of his arrival. Immediately."

She shook her head. "Wouldn't you know before I do? You work with him."

"When he arrives and when he shows up to work are two different things," Tokoyami snapped.

Asuga crossed her arms. "Don't get your panties in a twist. If I see him, I'll tell you. Happy?"

He bristled. "You are far too much like your brother." Those were his last words before walking with purpose back into Hot Topic.

Asuga exhaled heavily, leaning against the wall. Jeez. These people treat petty drama like it's life or death. Don't they know there are worse things than -

"Good afternoon."

Asuga looked up, startled out of her thoughts.

A man with brown hair and yellow eyes casually stood in the entrance. He had an air about him that reeked of vanity and entitlement. It went very well with his black dress shirt and white gloves.

But Asuga didn't like vanity, nor did she understand it. "It's morning," she corrected.

The man smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes. "Sorry. I'm still getting used to the time difference."

She narrowed her eyes at him. He's an outsider. That explains his weird get-up. "You a customer?"

He laughed to himself as if enjoying some private joke. "Sure. Do you work at this… charming little boutique?"

"Against my will, yes."

"Then maybe you can help me."

Asuga shrugged. "Depends. What are you looking for?"

He leaned against the archway with a quiet confidence, as if he owned the place. "To be honest…I'm not here to buy anything."

She raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you want?"

The man's gaze darkened as a sinister smile tugged at his lips. "I'd very much like to speak to your manager."

~.~

The Loav & Sechz parking lot

Bakugo stared out his window in horror. You've gotta be kidding me.

A tall blonde man in a bright yellow suit knocked again with a smile. "Young Midoriya! Are you in there? Young Bakugo?!"

Izuku's face lit up. "All Might!"

It was then that Bakugo knew he wasn't getting hibachi.

~.~

Penthouse

The growls of Keigo's stomach were growing louder as if to taunt him. He whined. "Dammit, I can't think like this!"

He looked up at the tallest shelf. She's gotta be lying. How the hell would a pipsqueak like her even get up there? No. She must've hidden her snacks somewhere else. Come on. If I was a tiny, vertically-challenged pixie who hoards snacks like a squirrel, where would I hide my stockpile?

He looked up at the cupboards. Or…maybe she is telling the truth. After all, that top shelf is the last place I'd expect to look. She could've gotten her freakishly tall boyfriend to hide them up there. Fine. I'll check there first. He opened the cabinet and reached. He felt around, unable to actually see what was on the shelf. While feeling about, his hand touched something he perceived to be a box of pocky. Except it felt… fuzzy.

He blinked as he pulled it down. Only then did his mind compute what he was holding. And it wasn't a pocky box. It was a small black one covered in velvet.

Sero was the only one tall enough to reach the top shelf. It was a place Yumi couldn't get to, and there were only so many objects that could fit into a small, velvet box. Keigo could only think of one thing Sero would want to hide from his girlfriend. The only sort of thing that could fit into such a tiny box.

He quickly tossed it back on the shelf and slammed the cabinet shut. He leaned against the counter, taking several deep breaths. But it was no use. He was gonna be sick.

Knowing he couldn't stay there, Keigo rushed out of the penthouse.

He'd gotten a notification that his dasher was on their way. But he didn't care. He'd completely lost his appetite. He struggled to breathe as he made his way shakily down the stairs. One thought played on loop like a hellish mantra.

When the hell did he get a damn ring?!

~.~

Two weeks ago…

He'd called both of his best friends. But at almost two in the morning, only one person had been up for grabbing a drink. When Sero arrived at Bottom's Up, Dabi was already there, halfway through his third whisky.

Sero took the seat next to him. "Thanks for coming."

"You look like shit."

Yeah. That happens when your girlfriend, aka the best thing that ever happened to you, goes missing. Again. "I can't sleep."

"Then you came to the right place." Dabi snapped his fingers at the bartender. "Get him a Tokyo Mule."

Sero squinted at him. "A what?"

"Trust me."

The bartender cleared his throat. "Last call is - "

" - When I say it is," Dabi snapped.

He flushed indignantly, but mixed up Sero's drink and slid it towards him.

Sero took a sip, then guzzled half of it down. It tasted like ginger, lime, and vodka. Refreshing and flavorful. That's really good. "Thanks."

"Two more of those, and you'll be sleeping like a baby," Dabi promised.

I doubt it. "I didn't come here to get wasted."

"I did."

"Well, don't," Sero snapped. "I need to talk."

"You can't talk to anyone else?"

"You're the only person who's still awake."

Dabi finished off the rest of his drink. "Denki's up."

"He didn't answer his phone."

"Well, duh. He's playing Overwatch."

What?! "How do you know?"

Dabi smirked. "We live like...two doors apart."

Oh. Right. "Maybe this is for the best," he mumbled quietly. "Kami's my boi...but...I can't risk this getting back to Jiro."

Dabi raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"If one of the girls caught wind of this, they'd go straight to - "

" - This sounds more like Yumi's department."

"I can't talk to her about this."

"Why not?"

Sero flushed pink. "Cuz...it's...about her."

His eyes widened. "Oh, shit."

I barely said anything, but it seems like he figured it out. Sero waited for Dabi to say something.

But he just continued to stare at him, dumbfounded.

"I'm...crazy, right? Tell me I'm crazy."

"You're crazy."

Sero scowled. "Thanks," he grumbled sarcastically.

Dabi shrugged. "What? I just did what you asked."

"Do you actually think I'm crazy?"

"I think asking a crazy person if you're crazy is crazy."

"I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you."

"I am not."

"I can tell."

Dabi stared up at the ceiling and sighed. "What brought this on?"

Sero winced. "When Yumi went missing...it scared the hell out of me. I thought she'd been kidnapped again."

Dabi's grip on his glass tightened. "I can't believe that fucker's still breathing."

"Barely. Mineta got sent to his cell in a body cast."

Dabi's jaw tensed. "I would've sent him to the morgue."

Sero stared down into his drink. "This whole mess really put things into perspective for me."

"Hate to break it to you, but people with wedding rings still get kidnapped."

"That's not the point," Sero snapped. "What if something else happens to her? Something horrible?"

"That's always a possibility," Dabi retorted. "But you can't live in fear of that. You might as well not live at all."

Sero banged his head on the table. I know that…but I also can't afford to waste the time we have together. I need her to know how much she means to me.

"Are you gonna go through with it?"

"I…I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

"We haven't even had a conversation about this. About the future, or marriage, or anything."

"Then have the conversation."

He lifted his head up with a panicked expression. "But we're so young! I haven't figured out what I want to do with my life, and I doubt she wants to be a waitress forever. " Sero stood up, anxiously shifting his weight from foot to foot. "I should wait. Maybe another year or two. I dunno. What if I'm just scared of losing her? Is that a good reason to marry someone?" He rubbed his temples. "Fuck. There's no way she'd go for it. She's so smart and I'm..." Sero scowled. "Are you gonna say anything?"

Dabi placed his empty glass down and stood up. "Do you love her?"

Sero froze, gaping at him with wide eyes. "Of course I do. More than I've ever loved anything."

Dabi pulled out his wallet and laid out two twenties on the counter. As he passed Sero, he shoulder-checked him. "Then quit dicking around."

~.~

Spencers

Asuga didn't understand why. But every word out of this stranger's mouth rose goosebumps on her arms. Everything about him did. Especially his eyes. They shone gold like his watch but there was no life in them. They were flat and dead. Like a shark's.

Despite her racing heart, she feigned an aura of calm. "My manager's not here. He took the day off."

"Oh. I see. That's disappointing." He absently picked at the hem of a T-shirt. "I hope he isn't unwell."

She kept a straight face, betraying nothing. "He's fine."

He slowly turned to look at her, locking his eyes on her face. "Do you know where he's spending his day off?"

Asuga's shoulders unconsciously tightened up. This guy gives me the creeps. What the hell is his deal? "No. Just that he's out with his boyfriend."

The man accidentally tugged too hard on the shirt he'd been fidgeting with. A long piece of red thread rested between his fingers. Finally, a curtain was lifted. The confidence he'd worn like a feather boa disappeared. All that remained now was a silent fury.

Asuga stopped breathing.

"His… what?"

~.~

High Rise

Apartment 812

Dabi fidgeted with his hair in front of the bathroom mirror. For once, he didn't have to rearrange the features of his face. Today, he couldn't stop smiling. A glow radiated off of him. He felt jittery with excitement. He couldn't wait for Keigo to come home. He didn't even recognize himself as he stared at his lovestruck reflection.

He'd painstakingly planned out the itinerary. Made reservations at all of Keigo's favorite restaurants. Booked their favorite hotel room. Worn slim fit jeans and a white T under his trenchcoat. An outfit he knew Keigo would love. He'd even prepared a special surprise. Last but not least, he dug into his coat pocket to make sure yet again that Momo's contribution was actually there.

He smiled as he felt it between his fingers. He thought about the person he was about to give it to. The man who'd shown him peace. The man who made him smile and laugh. The one who showed him what it felt like to be loved. Most of all, he thought about how happy they were going to be.

For the first time in his life, he was prepared. For the first time ever, everything would go according to plan.

~.~

Keigo burst into the apartment with a tear-stained face and difficulty breathing. He slammed the door closed behind him, trembling from head to toe. It's not fair. A new sob got caught in his throat. It's not fair! He clenched his eyes shut. IT'S NOT FAIR!

"Baby? Is that you?"

He gasped, hugging himself. I know he loves me. I know he does. B-but…b-but…it's just not fair! Sero planned to give Yumi what Keigo could only dream about. And when he did, it was always a nightmare.

Dabi's appearance added insult to injury. He walked out into the living room freshly shaven, showered, and wearing the kind of clothes Keigo loved to rip off of him.

He held his breath so he wouldn't cry.

Dabi's eyes widened with alarm. "Baby, what's wrong?"

The perfect man would never be his. Not really. They'd live together and sleep together and maybe hold hands in public if he was lucky. But he'd never be his the way Sero would be Yumi's. Even worse; he'd never belong to Dabi, either.

It's not fair.

Dabi rushed over and took him into his arms. "I'm here, baby. I'm here. Talk to me. What is it?"

He felt so warm in his arms. So safe. So at home. It made his despair so much worse. Keigo pulled away from him with a whimper.

The color drained from Dabi's face.

"What the fuck is he thinking?!" Keigo cried.

"Who?"

"Sero!"

Dabi swallowed nervously. "Keigo, what happened?"

"They've known each other for like…f-five minutes! And they're getting engaged?!"

Dabi cleared his throat. "They…they are?"

"Yes! Isn't that insane?!"

Dabi looked visibly crestfallen. "I don't know, baby. Isn't that what people do when they love each other?"

For a moment, Keigo forgot how to breathe.

"Maybe they just - "

" - No! They barely know each other at all! They might as well be strangers! Other p-people know each other for y-years and they n-never - " He cut himself off with a hiccup.

Dabi shook his head, in disbelief. " - What are you saying? That you…you don't believe in marriage?"

"I HATE IT!" Keigo sobbed. "It n-never w-works and - "

" - You don't wanna get married someday?"

His words cut through Keigo like a knife. He said that like…he's not the one I'd be…

Dabi's jaw tightened. "Are you sure?"

Keigo nodded vigorously, clenching his eyes shut. "Yes. Marriage ruins everything."

Keigo's words seemed to knock the wind out of Dabi's sails. His shoulders slumped. Despair settled on his face like dust on a picture frame. He felt absently around in his coat pocket, contemplating. After a moment, he took a deep breath and made his way to the door.

"W-where are you g-going?" Keigo asked.

Dabi glanced at him over his shoulder. "You said you don't wanna get married, right?" He reached deeper into his pocket.

Keigo's heart stopped.

"I guess that means…" he pulled out his hand.

Keigo's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

Dabi turned around with an infectious smile on his face and a little black box in his hand. "I'll have to return this ring I bought."