I can't believe this is happening, but here I am with a new bonus chapter! Well, the latest chapters of the manga inspired me to write again, it was a little short, but that's what I imagine Shoto and Shinso would do before... Well, you'll know when you read it. Thank you for all this support, I know I said I would make a complete MHA fanfic, but now I don't feel any of this happening, anyway, thanks for being here.

[I'm also on AO3 - same username]

[MHA characters' belongs to Kōhei Horikoshi]


Bonus Chapter 3

The faint smile

The Class 1-A students made uproar when I entered the room.

And I hated it.

Basically because the world was falling apart and they still managed to smile.

What were these people made of?

Was this how the protagonists felt? How uncomfortable.

So I needed to brainwash Aoyama and his family, all as part of the plan for the world not to end.

Got it.

When the meeting ended and the professional heroes and the police left us alone, Kaminari was still playing with my costume.

- Watch out with that - I said every time he touched the Binding Cloth. I was still getting used to this weapon; I trained every day as soon as the sun came up, and so I didn't like others to use it as a toy.

- That's really cool - Kaminari said. He was too close to my face - I always knew you could be a hero, Shinso.

His smile got bigger as I looked at him, and I think I ended up blushing because of his words, so I hid part of my face with the cloth around my neck. How could he be so obvious all the time? I mean, I also made it clear when I liked someone, but not in front of everyone. Crowds made me uncomfortable, and he knew it.

Just behind the crowd that was still looking at me, even after the meeting with the heroes was over, Shoto was in the corner of the room, pretending he wasn't paying attention.

Had he seen my reaction to Kaminari?

Now, if I wanted to, I could get him to say he loved me again.

What an idiotic thought.

- You should have mentioned you'd be joining us the last time we had lunch together - Kaminari said, in his enviable innocence.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air after that, but Kaminari didn't seem to notice. Yes, we were going out together, but not going out together in a romantic way, we just had lunch a few times, shared headphones in the meantime. Oh, and Kaminari loved to make some inappropriate and suggestive jokes about my cloth while we ate. We had a normal, platonic friendship like any other.

I mean, I could have new friends, couldn't I? Since most of my old friends from the General Department had all left I felt kinda lonely, and Kaminari was right here with open arms and an easy smile. He was quite different from Shoto and his whole evil older brother story, and "I need to get this sorted out before we can stay together".

This was tiring and boring, very vintage comic book story.

- Well, now that I left everyone uncomfortable it's time to leave - I said, sure of my decision on the outside, but really embarrassed on the inside.

Nobody stopped me from leaving, perhaps because they were in a dilemma about which side to take in this situation. As much as Class 1-A apparently liked me, they were with Shoto from day one, so of course they would choose him, and I didn't want to create any trouble, especially now that we were all going to face deadly battles and maybe Shoto wouldn't make it out alive.

I had to stop thinking and lean against the wall before I had an anxiety attack.

- Hey, Shinso, wait! - I heard Kaminari's voice, he ran to catch me outside.

- What? - I asked, acting like I wasn't about to hyperventilate literally ten seconds ago.

- I wanted to apologize for them; nobody wanted you to leave, we just...

- It's strange, I know - I replied - but don't worry, I'll fulfill the mission they gave me.

- I know that - he held my hand, I was wearing gloves, but I still felt the heat on his skin - we know that you are as heroic as anyone in that room.

- You don't have to be so nice to me all the time, Kaminari - I said - just because I don't have any more friends and my mother left the country for safety I...

- I don't feel sorry for you - said Kaminari, the wind ended up ruffling his blond hair, and I helped him fix it. He smiled every time I did it, like a happy golden retriever - you chose your path and you're brave for it, I respect you.

He managed to make me smile, and this time I didn't want to hide it from anyone. Kaminari's triangular golden eyes were very attractive, he had a magical way of making me comfortable anywhere and I didn't know why, but the lightning bolt-shaped streak of black in his blond hair also made me happy every time I looked at it. It acted like an energy boost.

I knew things were getting too serious when I realized I was staring at his lips, so I pulled my hand back.

- You better get back now - I said - I need to call my mother, you know.

That wasn't a lie, I needed to call my mom every day after practice to let her know I was alive and well. Our parting wasn't very friendly so I owed her that.

- Yes - Kaminari nodded, I think he also felt what was about to happen and seemed disappointed that I had given up halfway. Great, someone else to put on my list - see you later then.

I didn't have time to think when I felt his lips on mine, it was actually really nice not having my head full of thoughts for a few seconds and just worrying about where Kaminari's hands were touching me and if it was appropriate for us doing this where anyone could see.

- See you tomorrow, purple guy - Kaminari said as he let me go. I was out of breath, so I didn't respond, but Kaminari seemed to find this cute somehow, as he smiled again and gave me another quick kiss before heading back inside the building.

- Bye - I waved back, but he was too far away to hear or see me now.

I patted my face to make myself regain control of my body. I still didn't know if I was ready to let go of Shoto, but I wasn't ready to let go of Kaminari either, not now that he made me feel like I was normal again.

"I'll think about it later, now I need to call my mom."

- That was a hell out of a kiss - Shoto freaking Todoroki said. I bumped into him just as I took the phone out of my pocket.

Shoto was casually waiting for me at the corner of the building.

- Why were you so scared? - He said - Come on, I'll accompany you back to your dorm.

The half-and-half boy looked quite comfortable back in my room. Of course, he wasn't coming here to just leaving me at the door like any normal person.

- It's all different - he said.

- Yeah - I said - it's been pretty empty since the students were dismissed, most of them left the country... And my room isn't in the best days either.

I took some dirty clothes out of Shoto's hands before he started talking too much, leaving the bed free for him to sit on.

I removed the cloth and the heaviest parts of my clothes, staying only with my pants, so I put on a lighter, sleeveless white shirt.

Shoto settled back on the pillows as I started to call my mother, the phone rang for awhile until the call was disconnected. A little feeling of desperation hit me until she texted me that she was in a meeting and would call me back in an hour.

I responded right away, with my heart a little lighter. I still hadn't gotten used to the fact that our communication was limited and that she was working twice as hard now to be able to support herself financially abroad.

- This is all shit - I said, resting my head on the pillow beside Shoto.

- Kaminari's kiss? - He said - I didn't see anything special either on that.

- Okay, okay - I sighed with my eyes closed, I wouldn't make the mistake of looking at Shoto Todoroki again - just say what you want and leave.

- I just came to see how you are.

- Great, living a dream, you can leave now.

I heard him chuckle and decided to ignore the fact that my heart started to pound.

- Won't you even look at me?

- And why should I?! - I asked more rudely than I should for someone who shouldn't have any emotions. Anger and hurt always came from feelings that were too strong in the beginning.

Shoto was silent, and for a second I thought he was going to get up and walk away, but he didn't give up so easily.

- Because we are both about to fight in this war, you will also be in danger, even if you are not on the front lines, so I wanted to look at you before I go, because I don't know if I'll come back this time.

I took a deep breath, unable to ignore the tightness that formed in my throat, then opened my eyes and looked at Shoto. He had moved closer to me, leaving his face inches from mine, reminding me why it was almost impossible not to fall in love with Shoto Todoroki as soon as I saw him, either because of his determined personality or the shy and innocent way he behaved. I liked him, I loved this idiot, I loved his small nose and the white and red roots of his hair. I loved how he sometimes asked me to cover his scar with kisses to forget that it was the fear and trauma that had left that mark on his face.

- That's always been my favorite - I said.

- What?

- Your right eye - I pointed to the dark gray iris that was staring back at me - I always liked that color better.

- Me too - Shoto said, and the faint smile came back to his face, the one I used to dream with, but I wouldn't tell him that, not today.

- I heard that your family is together again; it is a pity that all this is happening.

- Oh - he looked surprised, his dark gray iris blending in with the turquoise on the left - how do you know what's going on with my family?

- Kaminari keeps me updated - I said, picking up a granola bar I'd forgotten at the bedside table. If he was going to be here distracting me then I needed to eat something first.

- Really? - His eyes opened wide this time, it was almost funny how attractive he was even with small and silly gestures - Doesn't he think it's weird?

- No, maybe we are the strangers here.

I broke the granola bar in half and gave the other half to Shoto.

- I'll win you back - he said with his mouth full of granola - that's still my plan.

I didn't answer, because I had no more hopes for that, so I just stared at the fan on top of the ceiling, enjoying how peaceful that day had been, with no attacks from outside. Why couldn't the days be like this again? With Shoto lying beside me, with no worries about villains and the destruction of the world?

We didn't talk about what happened on our last meeting at the hospital, or Kaminari, or the battle he was about to face against his brother. In fact, I just wanted to look at Shoto's faint smile as long as I could right now.

Because I didn't know how much time we had anymore.