Shouta Aizawa

After receiving reluctant confirmation from Todoroki and Bakugou, Aizawa asked the two to settle on a place to eat. Todoroki claimed that he didn't particularly mind any place, so Bakugou promptly requested a curry place. Aizawa didn't dislike curry, but although it wasn't in his top dishes, he nodded and escorted his students to the restaurant.

They've been silent this entire time, Aizawa thought to himself while the three settled down at a table. I didn't think they would sit together. I assumed Bakugou would sit alone, but Todoroki sat next to him. This says quite a bit about Todoroki, but I don't have any specific leads yet. Bakugou almost looks anxious, and I can't say why. These kids…

"What do you two think you'll be getting?" Aizawa asked through the hum of the background chatter.

After a moment of scouring the menu, Bakugou looked up at Aizawa. "Probably one of the vegetable curries."

Aizawa nodded. "Is that your favorite?" He began searching for the vegetable curries on the menu.

Bakugou shrugged. "I feel like eating healthier shit." He cracked his knuckles.

Out of the corner of his eye, Aizawa noticed how Todoroki's expression shifted as he glanced at Bakugou. "What about you, Todoroki?"

"Ah…" His grip on the menu tightened. "They don't have cold soba, but I guess I'll have the yakisoba." He laid his menu on the table.

I think our class knows his favorite food is cold soba, Aizawa thought while he and his students soon placed their orders. He's been glancing at Bakugou, but I can't read his expression. And Bakugou ordered the dish that has the least amount of calories from this menu. The answers will come eventually.

Once the three were served their dishes, they thanked their waitress and pried their chopsticks apart. Aizawa found himself reminiscing over his past as he brought his steaming ramen noodles to his lips. He then espied his students, and he unconsciously arched a brow at the realization that Todoroki was poking his yakisoba around.

Aizawa lowered his chopsticks. "Is everything all right?" he inquired while looking at Todoroki, but he had also gained Bakugou's attention.

Todoroki nodded. "Sorry. I got lost in thought." He expelled a hefty sigh and proceeded to slowly eat his yakisoba.

I don't think I believe that, Aizawa cerebrated while swiftly consuming his ramen; he considered himself to be quite efficient at eating noodle dishes. I don't think it's the complete truth, at the bare minimum. It's disheartening to know that they're both clearly struggling, but neither of them are letting themselves take the help I'm offering. 'I don't want to be a burden.' Getting help in an appropriate fashion doesn't make anyone a burden. That needs to be emphasized more. Seeing the male suicide rates… He shook his head. So few people get help…and so many lives are lost because of that. Aizawa's thoughts were torn asunder as Todoroki set his chopsticks down and stood up.

"I'll be back," Todoroki said while plodding towards the bathrooms.

Aizawa let out a sigh and descried Bakugou, who leaned back against the seat of the booth he sat at. "Are you finished? There's no rush if you're not."

Bakugou nodded, despite the fact that he still had a considerable amount of curry sitting before him. "Oi…" His voice was like the gravelly snap of an ember. "Just what the hell are you trying to do?" He didn't look Aizawa in the eyes, but he furrowed his brows.

"My job."

"Tch. If you're trying to help me or imply that I need it, yer dead wrong," Bakugou spat acrimoniously. "I'm not oblivious enough like the dumbass you paired me with to not notice how you've been observing us. What, is our shitty relationship that concerning or interesting to you? You started looking at us more and more ever since we started avoiding each other. Tch. If there's anyone that needs help, it's the sick bastard that had the fucking audacity to cheat on me and post about the person he'd been seeing behind my back.

"I was rational about it at first. Knew it wasn't like him. Figured there had to have been something I wasn't getting. But he didn't tell me anything. Nothing…" He curled his hands into fists. "He just had that resting bitch face like he always does. I hate him. But I'm better off without that double-crossing asshole. What a lying sack of shit. Don't be fooled by his 'good intentions.' Tch." Bakugou's lips trembled, and his face was singed with residual fury.

Bemused by Bakugou's brusque burst of thought, Aizawa was uncertain of how to respond. "You said he's kept quiet about his reason for doing this, correct?"

"Yeah. Probably too ashamed of himself to admit the truth to my face."

"Then why would he have posted about it at all?"

"To get rid of me without having to tell me we never fucking meant anything."

"How do you know your relationship meant nothing to him?"

"Because he fucking cheated on me. Tch. I don't wanna continue this conversation." Bakugou narrowed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. "Can't believe you bothered to listen to my shit."

Aizawa glanced at the bathroom, then at Bakugou. "If there's ever something you need to get off your chest, you can talk to me, Bakugou." He nodded, and after another few minutes of silence passed between them, he noted how Bakugou's countenance had been washed with consternation. "Is everything all right?"

Bakugou cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders a bit. "Fine." He paused for a moment as Todoroki hobbled back to the table. "About fucking time." He turned his nose up at Todoroki.

With a voice that was somewhat hoarse, Todoroki sighed, "I'm full. Thank you for the food, though."

A wroth lour rippled across Bakugou's face. "Only thing you're full of is shit."

"Bakugou," muttered Aizawa.

"It's fine," Todoroki commented. "I don't mind if he wastes his breath out of spite for me."

"Hah?!" The ash-blonde whipped his head around to face Todoroki. "And what's that supp—"

Aizawa stood up and firmly placed his palms on the table; his unwavering gaze of an intense, profound onyx silenced both Todoroki and Bakugou. "That's enough."