Chapter Five:

Shouto had been waiting for Izuku under the designated streetlight for twenty minutes, which was entirely his own fault, because he'd arrived half an hour early. Shouto wore a buttoned-up white shirt with a blue-grey sweater vest and a ballcap to cover his face. Even so, he'd noticed a couple pedestrians staring at him. Two girls carried out a whispered conversation about if they recognized his abs. Shouto flushed. He'd definitely arrived too early.

What if he was the only one getting excited and thinking that this was a date? That gloomy thought made Shouto hang his head.

A finger poked his back. Izuku asked, "Shouto? Did you wait long?"

"No, I just arrived," Shouto lied, turning around. His heart nearly stopped at the sight that awaited him.

Izuku wore a light green vest over a collared white shirt. Black boots peeked out of grey slacks. The black leather gloves with silver buckles were, um…whoa. Shouto had never realized he was a hand person before, but now he couldn't help imagining those gloves manhandling him. In contrast to the black leather, Izuku's hair had been pulled back into a small, very cute high ponytail. His bangs escaped to fall over wide, innocent green eyes.

"Hi," Izuku said timidly, with a small wave.

Shouto tried to speak, but only sputtering noises came out. He wanted to tell Izuku how fabulous he looked but his lungs were not working. After clearing his throat a few times, Shouto said, "We, uh…we match." He waved between the white shirts with collars that they both wore.

With a nervous chuckle, Izuku twirled his bangs around his finger. "Ah, maybe I took a bit too long to get ready. I planned to arrive early but you still got here first."

"No, no, I was too fast." Shouto swallowed and summoned all his courage. "You look great."

Izuku's entire face turned red. "Y-you, too." He held out a small bag. "Here, for you."

Shouto pulled out a plaid handkerchief. "Oh, you didn't have to."

"I did," Izuku insisted. "I lost your handkerchief, so I brought the most similar one I could find."

"Thank you." Shouto tucked away his new handkerchief. The air around him was heating up. He didn't dare look directly at Izuku, or he might completely lose control and burst into flames. "Do you like katsudon?"

Izuku smiled. "I love katsudon."

Shouto knew that, because he'd stalked Izuku's social media for clues about where to go for dinner. "I've got a great restaurant in mind."

Izuku's heart hammered as he followed Shouto down the street. Somehow, he'd successfully handed over the handkerchief without stuttering. Walking side-by-side in similar outfits, did they look like they were on a date? Izuku was so very grateful to his mother for producing the accidental couple look. Inko had also suggested the leather gloves, saying that a touch of bad boy would go along tantalizingly with the innocent sweater vest appearance.

Although it was a crisp fall day, Izuku didn't feel at all chilly. He'd been feeling strangely warm lately, ever since his latest fight with Dabi. But he'd checked his temperature that morning and he didn't have a fever.

Shouto had found a food truck that sold piping hot katsudon. They sat on a park bench and ate together. Shouto was kind enough to let Izuku ramble about his physics and chemistry classes. Occasionally he asked questions as if he truly was interested. Shouto was majoring in criminal justice but he didn't sound as enthusiastic about it. He said his father expected it of him.

Next, they headed to the movie theater. The latest movie was a horror film with a poster showing a vampire menacing a woman.

Shouto shrugged. "If it looks scary, should we pick another one?"

"No, let's watch it!" Izuku said eagerly. Weren't horror movies a great chance to act scared and cuddle?

However, when the movie started playing, Izuku found it boring. The special effects were cheesy. His parents' old work stories had scarier plots than this.

Glancing sideways, Izuku saw that Shouto's face had paled and he was trembling. Daring to touch Shouto's arm, Izuku whispered, "Are you all right?"

"It's horrifying," Shouto muttered. "So many people are dead and no one has called the police! What are the heroes doing? Shouldn't they arrive faster to help?"

At that point, Izuku realized that rather than being scared by the movie, Shouto was terrified by the incompetence of the fictional authorities.

Thrilling music played as the movie reached its climax. In a stunning twist, the male lead turned out to be a vampire all along. The heroine rejected him and staked him through the heart.

Izuku's eyes went wide and filled with tears. Imagine being hated like that by your loved one! If Izuku ever got exposed as Black Rabbit then that could be his fate…

Shouto dabbed at Izuku's tears with his handkerchief. Izuku couldn't even be happy. He felt too afraid of the future.

After they left the darkened theater, Izuku groped around for any excuse to make the date last longer. "That was a fun movie. It wasn't particularly scary, but it was entertaining to watch."

"Moderately entertaining." Shouto shook his head. "The police procedure was highly inaccurate."

Izuku chuckled. "My parents always complain about villains in movies making stupid moves. Dad says that no pro ever leaves a hero in a death trap, then just walks away."

Shouto asked, "What do your parents do for a living?"

Of course Izuku had no intention of saying that they were retired villains with enough money they never needed to work again. Fortunately, all of them had taken up hobbies/secondary professions. "My mom has a cooking blog. My dad writes fictional stories. My papa is a lawyer who specializes in discrimination against people with powers. Uh, I have three parents and they're all together." Izuku glanced sideways, nervous for any sign of disapproval.

Shouto only smiled. "No wonder your father dislikes movies with plot holes, then. It must offend any talented author. You know about my father, he's famous. My mother used to be a housewife, but after I entered high school, she went back to college and got a degree in social work. Now she works parttime as a social worker. Mom spending more time outside the home was good for their marriage. My parents had some rough times after my oldest brother died, but now they're doing well."

"Gosh, I'm sorry for your loss," Izuku said. Of course he knew from the papers that Touya Todoroki had died young, but it was another thing to be confronted with the tragedy up close and personal.

"I never really knew my big brother. I was too young when he died. But his loss left a huge hole in my family." Shouto sighed. "My parents fought a lot. My mom fell into a depression. Then I had an accident during training and set the house on fire. A giant blond man with huge hair tufts rushed in to save me. That's when I got my scar." He touched his face. "After that, my father eased up on his training and my mother tried harder to be present around me." Shouto glanced over. "I've never told anyone this story, because I didn't want to cause trouble for the vigilante who saved me. My dad thinks I escaped the fire using my own power. But I've always wanted to thank that man."

"I'm sure he appreciated your silence, and he's happy that you're living your best life." Izuku had a strong suspicion about who that man might be. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

Shouto said, "That incident was the first time I felt like becoming a hero, because the man who saved me looked so cool."

A little surprised, Izuku said, "I thought becoming a hero was your dream, especially since you got special permission to start in high school."

"It was my father's dream for me. I guess it's a good thing I found some inspiration, because I never had a choice." Shouto didn't sound very enthusiastic.

"Do you not want to be a hero?" Izuku might be sticking his nose into someone else's business, but he couldn't help it. "You shouldn't have to do it if you don't want to. You're smart and talented. I bet you could be a success at anything you want."

"I don't know." Shouto looked at the ground. "There are parts of my job I like. I enjoy helping people. Sometimes I feel burned-out. If I told my father that, he'd probably think I was weak. He's been a hero for far longer than me and he works himself to the ground. He has high expectations of me."

"That's rough." Izuku sighed. "Parents are a pain."

"Do your parents have expectations of you, too?"

"They've always supported whatever I want to do, but they can be…too much. Very clingy and overprotective. To make matters worse, they all decided to move into my apartment building just to watch me! Like I'm a toddler!"

Shouto made sympathetic noises. "Hey, if your parents get to be too much, you're welcome to come hang out at my place. I've got a giant penthouse apartment with loads of room. There's even a spare bedroom if you want to stay the night."

Was Shouto offering because he didn't see Izuku as a romantic prospect or because he did? Izuku couldn't tell. But his fanboy heart squealed at the notion of seeing his idol's home. "That's very generous, thank you."

"You'd be helping me out. I bet it would reassure my father to know that I'm not all alone. He keeps pressuring me to move back home, but I absolutely refuse." Shouto shuddered. "He's worried about Black Rabbit killing me."

Those words cast a bucket of ice water over Izuku's happy evening. "I guess Black Rabbit has been stressing you out a lot."

"There's no need to fear! I'll definitely capture Black Rabbit." Shouto raised his chin.

"Yeah…" Izuku mumbled, wondering if he should reveal his identity. Now that they'd become closer, would Shouto hear out his story and believe him about the assassin? Or would it ruin everything?

"Oh, look!" Shouto pointed at a food truck. "They're selling hot chocolate. Let's get some." Shouto grabbed Izuku's hand and pulled him over.

Izuku flushed. Surely it would be okay to put off telling the truth a bit longer.

Dabi sat in a motorized wheelchair with casts over two broken arms and two broken legs. His pitiful condition was all the fault of Black Rabbit and Shouto Todoroki! Mostly it was Black Rabbit's fault, but Dabi preferred to blame his little brother.

Most people would have given up on assassination after so many brushes with death, but Dabi took pride in his cockroach-like survival ability. For some reason, Dabi hadn't been able to use his flames ever since his last encounter with Black Rabbit. Dabi blamed his injuries for weakening his body so much that he couldn't use his quirk.

Even in his current pitiful condition, Dabi had a plan. First, he'd waited for the perfect moment. Shouto currently appeared to be out on a date with some insignificant civilian. The two of them were carelessly walking down the street and drinking hot chocolate from Styrofoam cups. If Dabi took the boy hostage, then of course a gullible hero like Shouto would surrender. It was the perfect plan!

Dabi pressed a button on his wheelchair, and a grappling hook shot out. The hook would grab the green-haired boy and drag him over.

The green-haired boy slapped away the hook. The metal shot backward and struck Dabi in the side. There was a crack as the impact broke several ribs. He had a brief moment to wonder how the hell an ordinary civilian could be so strong. Then Dabi's wheelchair slammed into a wall and dumped him out. He landed on his good side, breaking two more ribs.

Izuku looked at his own hand. "Huh, did I just squash a mosquito?"

The sound of an ambulance made both of their heads turn. Izuku and Shouto watched as an indeterminate figure was loaded into the ambulance. "I wonder what happened," Shouto said. "Do you think we can do anything to help?" He shook his head. "No, neither of us have any medical training. My head is too stuck on my job."

Izuku tossed his empty hot chocolate cup into a trash can. "You take your job as a hero very seriously." He smiled. "That's your charming point."

"I'm glad you think so," Shouto muttered. "I feel like I've mostly shown my weak side around you."

"No! I think you're a very cool hero!" Izuku clenched his fists for emphasis.

"Thanks." Shouto smiled. "Have you thought about my offer to become a hero and catch Black Rabbit together?"

Izuku wilted. "Do you have to catch Black Rabbit no matter what? Even if he has a reason?"

Shouto's brow furrowed. "What does his reason matter? He's still a criminal."

"What would you do if you caught him?" Izuku asked.

"Mmm, that's tricky because Black Rabbit can teleport. And All Smite destroyed Tartarus, so it's very hard to contain criminals with special abilities. With some villains that the government doesn't believe they can imprison, such as All for One, Empress Inko, and All Smite, the government issued special orders to execute them on sight."

"E-execute?" All of Izuku's happiness drained away. He stared at Shouto with watery eyes. He'd anticipated a bad reaction if he revealed his true identity, but not execution!

The mood of the date had soured. Shouto could tell, but he wasn't sure why. When Shouto had offered to let Izuku join the heroes, he'd been hoping that working together closely would blossom into love. But clearly the offer hadn't gone over well, judging from Izuku shaking like a leaf next to him. Maybe Izuku was too kind-hearted to think about executing anyone, even a vile villain like Black Rabbit. Or maybe Izuku didn't want to become a hero but was afraid to admit it.

Shouto cleared his throat. "You don't have to become a hero. I know what it's like to feel forced down that path because you've got a strong ability. It won't affect my opinion of you."

Izuku was still staring off into the distance with swirly eyes.

It was very important to Shouto to make it clear that he didn't hold the same political opinions as his father. "I don't agree with the government treating criminals more harshly because they have powers. Especially in the case of All Smite—it's outrageous to put out an execution order on him when he's never even killed anyone. But realistically, it was just a bluff and an attempt to save face. The government never stood a chance against the Disaster Trio. We're just lucky they disappeared on their own."

Izuku didn't look reassured. He mumbled, "Black Rabbit could be executed even though he's never tried to kill anyone…"

"He keeps trying to kill me," Shouto pointed out. "This was all purely hypothetical. I don't know what would happen if we caught Black Rabbit."

"Uncertainty has never been so preferrable," Izuku muttered.

Trying to salvage the mood, Shouto asked, "Do you want to take a picture together? To celebrate our first da—dinner."

Izuku's eyes lit up. "A picture with Shouto! Of course!"

Taking off his cap, Shouto held up his phone to take a selfie. "Smile!"

The phone flashed. Someone in the crowd shouted, "Shouto Todoroki is taking pictures with fans!"

Shouto put on his cap again, but too late. They were mobbed by shouting fans.

Ducking down, Shouto grabbed Izuku's hand. He grinned. "I can't use my powers off-duty, but you can. Use your super-speed to help us escape!"

Izuku grabbed Shouto's arm. The crowd converged, but they were disappointed to only find a single hat lying on the ground.

Izuku teleported on reflex, taking them to a narrow space between two brick buildings. Their bodies pressed uncomfortably close, Shouto half-falling on top of Izuku.

Swallowing, Izuku said, "Sorry, I was in a hurry to find a place without people."

He could have teleported them much further, all the way back home, but that would have made it obvious that he didn't have superspeed. Instead, they were only a little ways from the street. In the distance, a fan could be heard shouting, "Which way did Shouto Todoroki go?"

"No, no, this is great." Shouto tried to scramble off Izuku, but the space was too narrow. They only ended up smooshed together. As the clamoring voices of their pursuers approached, Shouto went still and silent.

Izuku's heartbeat sounded so loudly he feared it would give them away. He had a brief, mad thought: So this is what the infamous abs feel like. Shouto definitely worked out.

Someone nearby said, "He's gone. I should have at least gotten a picture of him."

Another voice complained, "What's Shouto Todoroki doing here instead of capturing Black Rabbit? What a slacker." The footsteps moved on.

Izuku frowned. "That was rude."

Shouto said, "People have a lot of expectations of me. My father, the fans…everyone."

"You're popular."

"Yeah, but they like Shouto the hero, not Shouto the person." Shouto's face, pressed close, was slightly flushed. His eyes were wide. "But I feel like you see me for who I am. That's why I've let down my guard around you and shown you my vulnerable side. But honestly, since it's my first time making a proper…friend…I'm a little scared. Can I trust you?"

Izuku froze. He remembered the news proclaiming Black Rabbit to be the top villain in Japan. He thought, I can never let him find out. It would break his heart. "Yes, you can trust me."

Shouto's face was unreadable. Then he smiled. "It's gotten quiet out there. I think everyone is gone. I'll take you home."

Shouto carefully did not think as he walked Izuku back to his apartment. They waved goodbye at the front door. Shouto had his usual hero smile on his face. But it faded as soon as the door closed.

Because Izuku's power wasn't superspeed.

Shouto had tried to convince himself that some people might be able to move so quickly that an ordinary person would perceive it as teleportation. But his police training did not let him miss small details. They'd somehow gotten through the crowd without bumping into anyone. The trash bin blocking off the alleyway had been undisturbed until they'd needed to move it over to leave. In other words, they'd transported straight through solid objects.

Even more tellingly, Shouto had experienced this power before, with Black Rabbit.

Izuku had teleportation.

The next day, Izuku attended school in a mildly dazed state. Had that been a date? It had definitely been a date, right? They'd gone to dinner, they'd seen a movie together, they'd even held hands. Most of those activities could be done with friends but the hand-holding clearly felt date-like. Also, Shouto had complimented his clothing and smiled in a way much softer than his usual hero smile. Just remembering made Izuku's heart beat faster.

Sitting on a bench, Izuku googled on his phone, "Do friends walk friends home?" and "Do friends hold hands?" Then he picked the answers that told him what he wanted to hear. It had been a date!

In his excitement, Izuku squeezed his coffee cup too hard and sprayed himself. "Oh, no…"

"Hey are you all right?" Hitoshi walked over. "Let's go to the bathroom."

"Thanks," Izuku said after repairing the damage to his shirt the best he could. It would definitely leave a stain.

Hitoshi rolled his eyes. "You've got to get your strength under control."

"I know!"

"Were you thinking about Shouto again?"

Izuku flushed. "Is it that obvious? Yesterday we went on a d-date. Or at least I think it was a date." Izuku described the events, including the hand-holding. "Does that sound like a date to you?"

"Shouto Todoroki, you sly dog." Hitoshi shook his head. "Yup, that was a date."

"Really?" Izuku clasped his hands to his face and blushed.

Hitoshi said, "Yeah, he'd have to be a bad boy playing with your feelings if he doesn't like you."

Izuku knew that Shouto was a good boy, therefore it had been a date. "Yes!" Izuku pumped his fist in the air.

Hitoshi laughed. "You worked hard, congratulations on your success with your crush."

Two members of the Todoroki fanclub walked past. Recognizing two people who had chased them around the shopping area, both Izuku and Hitoshi turned their faces away.

But the fans weren't paying any attention. Instead, they seemed to be crying and comforting each other. The first girl sniffled, "I can't believe that Shouto is off the market! And it turns out he's gay, so there's no chance even if he breaks up with his boyfriend."

Hitoshi muttered, "Whoa, word spreads fast."

Izuku felt uneasy. This didn't quite add up. He'd teleported them away too fast to cause any rumors last night.

The second girl said, "Shouto could be bi, but I don't want them to break up." She sniffled. "They make a cute couple, and Shouto found someone in his league. I'll support them."

Izuku felt even more uneasy. No way was he in Shouto's league.

The first girl burst into noisy tears. "I know, mere fans like us can't compete with Katsuki Bakugo!"

The girls walked away, leaving Izuku in stunned silence. "Is it a fake rumor?" Izuku muttered. "That can't be true."

Frowning, Hitoshi typed into his phone. "It's all over the news. Check this out." He held up a headline declaring Shouto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugo: Secretly Dating! Underneath, there was a picture of Katsuki taking Shouto's shirt off.

Izuku's entire world collapsed.

OMAKE TIME!

Omake: Can I Trust You?

Shouto: I'm developing suspicions so I'll give you a chance to tell me the truth.

Izuku: To spare Shouto's feelings, I must lie with all my power!

Author's Note: FYI, I'm holding a poll on tumblr about which of my fics I should write a sequel for. Delete the spaces to get the link:
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aimportantdragoncollector/709355994604601344/test-test-2-test-3