(A/N: Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! And best wishes to any other holidays you're celebrating! We've got a Christmas update for a present for you, dear readers! I still live. ;)
Got some nice fluffiest of fluff this chapter. Along with some teasing scenes. Let's see. From ["He's already taken..."] to about ["Oops!"]. Then ["We could even..."] to ["Here, allow me,"] and then [Not bad looking...] to ["Let's do it!"] but that's a pretty big section and it isn't mean or anything. So not too bad.)
...
The next morning Izuku awoke once more to the pleasant sight of Shouto sleeping soundly beside him. It wasn't the first and certainly not the last. Though he would have to start sleeping in his own room now that everyone else had moved in, but for now, he would enjoy this time together. Just simply laying there with his…
…boyfriend.
The thought of the very word made him blush but also feel very very happy. Izuku had a boyfriend and it was Shouto of all people. Though to Histohi's point they had practically been like that for a while and just weren't official until now. It was still so fresh and didn't feel real quite yet, but here he was lying beside his boyfriend. Izuku found himself blushing more as a sudden surge of memories of kissing Shouto and becoming so much closer than before. Again, still very new and very welcome.
Shouto let out a soft sigh in his sleep as he shifted causing some of his hair to fall in his face. Izuku smiled softly at the adorable sight. He carefully lifted his hand to gently brush the smooth strands away. His hair was just so soft and pretty. Izuku still had no idea how he managed to keep it so perfectly separated. Well, not right now as the two colors had mixed together in his sleep.
Either way, his hair was beautiful. It made Izuku wonder what it would look like styled. There were so many cool things he could do like braids and ponytails. Though there were limits because of the length of his hair. If it were longer then he could do so much more. A kind of blank canvas in itself.
I wonder how it would look grown out.
"I could do that," a sleep roughened voice muttered, spooking him.
Izuku blinked before he stuttered out, "W-what?"
"My hair," Shouto answered as he shifted to see his boyfriend better. "You said you wondered how it would look grown out."
He gently grabbed the hand still outstretched towards him and intertwined their fingers as he brought them down between them. Izuku stared at him for a moment with cheeks flushed in embarrassment for his mumbling. Definitely definitely needed to do something about that, but it also made him happy in this moment to hear that Shouto wasn't against his idea.
"I did," Izuku admitted with a small nod. "It's just a thought. You don't have to."
"But now I'm curious," Shouto said, giving his boyfriend a smile. "You have so many amazing ideas. Who am I not to try this one out?"
The greenet blushed from the praise.
"It's just an idea," he replied dismissively. "Nothing special about it."
"It is when it's coming from you," Shouto insisted, bringing their hands up to give his a kiss. "I like hearing your ideas."
That just made the blush darker but also brought a shy smile to the shorter boy's face. Taking compliments was still tough for him after the childhood he had. Though Izuku was finding himself liking it especially coming from Shouto.
"If you want," Izuku shrugged.
Whether he did or didn't was up to him. Izuku still liked him no matter what he chose.
"Have you ever considered growing out yours?" Shouto asked suddenly, his eyes curiously looking at his green curls.
"Me? Oh no," Izuku chuckled giving a shake of his head. "It's difficult enough working with this mess as it is. Actually, I was thinking of maybe getting it cut."
"Cut?" Shouto asked, a flash of concern in his eyes.
He liked Izuku's hair. The green color was calming to him and the bouncing curls matched his personality well. Honestly, he would miss it if Izuku ever cut them all away.
"Not entirely," Izuku explained which relieved the other. "I don't actually know what I would do yet, but I've noticed that it could possibly be a weak point in a fight. An opponent could grab my hair and use it against me. In fact, I've even been considering developing some sort of helmet design for my Hero outfit. That and a lot of other things…"
The greenet trailed off on his own little tangent of listing of possible changes he wanted to make and all the other things he would need. Though because of Mei's thoughtfulness and Momo's help, there were fewer Support Items he had to remake. He'd still have to tweak them though with what he's learned. Maybe he could even shoot Melissa a text asking for her own ideas. What else are Support focused friends for?
Shouto watched fondly letting him work it all out as Izuku cutely held his chin in open thought. He found listening to Izuku speak his mind soothing letting the words wash over him. A calming salve to his very soul. And to hear that he wasn't thinking of cutting all of his hair off was a relief. It was one of the many parts of him that he loved. His curly green hair, adorable clusters of freckles, and bright green eyes. Not to mention his warm personality and brilliant mind paired with such strong desires to grow and always seek to help others. Izuku was good and Shouto found himself inspired as he marveled at his amazing boyfriend.
"Izuku," Shouto called out gently to break him from his mutterings. "Do you remember when you asked me what my favorite color was?"
Izuku blinked for a moment and then answered, "Yeah, you said you didn't really have one."
"Well, I'd like to change my answer," Shouto said, giving their hands a squeeze before letting go. "Because there's a color I have come to like very much."
"Really? What is it?" Izuku asked, curiously.
Shouto didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached up and ran his fingers through those beloved green curls. Izuku sighed enjoying the gentle touch. It was always one that had worked to relax him and not even All For One could ruin that. Perhaps with the villainous monster himself, but not with others. His mom, his friends, his mentors. Shouto. Their touches were good and Izuku allowed the calming sensation it brought to wash over him.
Seeing him so serene pulled Shouto in closer. They were like magnets drawn to each other since they met and the pull only grew stronger. Fitting together nicely like puzzle pieces. They were a breath away from each other with him looking at the other lovingly. Finally, Shouto answered his question.
"…green," he breathed before kissing him.
Izuku's cheeks were burning hot but he didn't care. He was too wrapped in, well, in Shouto who's arms were holding him close. Who apparently now chose green as a favorite color. Was it because of him? The thought alone scorched his face in a heated blush and made him hold onto Shouto stronger. They kissed for a while more only parting when they both needed to breath.
"Did you know my favorite color is red?" Izuku asked, glancing up at the left side of Shouto's hair.
"Mmm, you have good taste then," the bi-color teen replied. "It isn't to mine but if you like it, I don't mind."
Not surprising with the issues he's had with accepting his left side but Izuku liked all sides of Shouto. The good and the bad. The warm and the cool. He accepted both sides of the coin that made Shouto.
"You could say we complement each other?" Izuku joked, thinking of the color wheel, but only got a confused look in return. "You know? Red and green? Complementary colors?"
Shouto's face scrunched a little in thought before an enlightened look replaced it with a quiet gasp of, "Oh, you're right. I like that."
"Me too," Izuku giggled.
He gave his boyfriend one last kiss before moving to get up for the day. They readied themselves in their own rooms same as the day before and then met in the hallway. There were two more weeks before school started again. Aizawa was going to start their training up again starting tomorrow to work on what they would have at the training camp. For today though, they had a free day to get acclimated to the dorms.
Downstairs there were a number of their classmates bustling about. Breakfast being made and passed along. There were some stumbles and getting in each other's ways but that would pass in time. All part of growing up and learning to live in cohabitation with others. While the reasons behind making the dorms mandatory was dark, it would help them grow closer and become stronger together.
Hitoshi was the first to spot them joining the rest hand in hand as always.
"Hey, all good in paradise?" he quipped, greeting the new couple.
"Mhmm!" Izuku answered with a smile as Shouto simply nodded.
Life wasn't perfect but in this moment things were good. They were all together and despite everything else, Izuku found himself happy.
"Good morning, love birds~!" Ashido trilled out in a teasing tone all in good fun.
Not everyone was downstairs yet but a majority of them were. Izuku and Shouto joined the others at the table. They were all eating and chatting on what they had planned for the day. Then at some point, Shouto brought up the idea of growing his hair out.
"Do it, do it!" Hagakure said, wiggling excitedly. "It would look so good on you!"
"Oui," Aoyama agreed, nodding. "You would be magnifique."
Many others agreed though Kaminari complained it would make the pretty boy even prettier.
"He's already taken so why should that affect you?" Hitoshi asked, testing out his new kindling friendship as he smirked. "Unless you're into pretty boys?"
The question made the electric teen blush as the others snickered at him. Hitoshi worried for a second that maybe he had managed to go too far so soon. Curse his need to tease. But then the blonde stuck his tongue out at him before shooting out his hand towards the brainwasher and giving him a brief shock to the arm.
"Ow!" Hitoshi exclaimed, smacking him away.
"Oops!" Kaminari said, though he clearly didn't mean it as he said it with a goofy smirk of his own.
The purple haired teen glared playfully at the other boy who winked at him. Hitoshi rolled his eyes and went back to his food.
"Anyway, back to hair," Ashido spoke up, bring the attention back to Shouto. "What brought this on so suddenly? Trying to look good for your man?"
"Yes," Shouto answered bluntly, making Izuku blush. "It was Izuku's idea and I'm curious to try."
Teasing 'ooh's came from the class flustering him even more.
"And what about you, Todoroki?" Ashido pressed, wanting some juicy gossip. "How do you like your man? Hmm?"
"I like him just the way he is," Shouto replied, tucking a curl behind his blushing boyfriend's ear. "But he is considering getting it cut in some way."
Now the 'ooh's were in thought as the girls started throwing around ideas. Of course they were going to help with a proposed makeover. Izuku and the others could only watch as they swapped suggestions of different possibilities of haircuts. A lot of which he had never heard of because he had always kept his hair the same amount of bushiness. His mom loved it on his as a child and it was just what he was used to. Now though, the world of hairstyles was wide open and honestly Izuku was starting to feel overwhelmed.
"What about an undercut?" Jirou suggested making everyone pause in thought. The sudden attention made her shrink a little but she pressed on. "It, uh, it would lessen the sides but you could still keep some curls up top."
Oh, that sounded nice. It would even work with his helmet idea. Aside from safety reasons, Izuku had wondered if his fluffy hair would be too much for it, but to cut the sides down short would help with that.
"I like that idea," Izuku replied, giving her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Jirou-san."
"It was nothing," she brushed off shyly.
"I could help you cut it," Ochako volunteered eagerly. "I've been cutting my own hair for ages. I'll have to look up a tutorial for hair like yours, but we could make it work."
"Really? Thanks, Ochako!" Izuku beamed brightly.
"No problemo, Mido!" she chirped back with a thumbs up.
"We could even do this today!" Ashido said much to the surprise of them both. "Think of it as a bonding moment, but first…"
Izuku didn't know how it happened but suddenly the pinkette was a bustle of activity. For reasons unknown, she had the girls wrangled together following cryptic orders much to his and all the other boys' confusion. Seriously what the hell was going on?!
He found himself being herded away from Shouto who gave a protesting grunt. Izuku was made to sit on a chair as the girls in class surrounded him. Ashido and Hagakure with thrilled eagerness while Ochako, Momo, Jirou, and Tsuyu gave him apologetic smiles. Okay, what is happening right now? Izuku was just utterly confused.
He couldn't see but they had started doing things to his hair. Brushing out parts and moving his curls around. He could also feel them adding things to his hair but he couldn't see what exactly. Nothing hurt or felt heavy. He was just keenly away that there were things in his hair as they finally gave him some space.
"There," Ashido declared after they had spent some time messing with him.
"Uh, what?" Izuku questioned though he was so confused he didn't know what else to ask.
"Oh my gosh, he's so cute!" Hagakure squealed, wiggling in delight. "It was just like you thought, Mina."
"Thought what?" Izuku pressed, tilting his head in confusion.
"Careful!" Ashido exclaimed, delicately righting his head. "They'll fall out."
"What will fall out?" the greenet asked, green eyes searching between the girls for answers.
"Maybe, but considering his curly hair, maybe not," Tsuyu assessed with a thoughtful finger on her chin. "It is cute though, kero."
"Could someone please tell me what is going on?" Izuku asked, now looking beyond the girls to the boys watching them. "Guys?"
"Damn, Izuku," Hitoshi replied, his eyes wide in shock. "I didn't know you had a forest fairy vibe."
"What are you talking about?" Izuku retorted, again still very confused.
"Here, allow me," Momo said, finally taking pity and created a mirror from her arm before offering it to him.
Izuku carefully took the mirror a little scared to see what they had done to him. A prank? Was there gum or something gross in his hair? But that didn't align with what Hitoshi had said. Forest fairy? What does that mean? With a gulp, he hesitantly lifted the mirror and looked.
Flowers?
That was not what he had been expecting but that was what he saw. The girls had decorated his bushy green hair with dozens of small flowers making it now look like an actual bush. Huh.
Well, that's…different.
Not bad looking though. In fact, he had to agree it did look kinda cute. Not his usual style but nice.
Click.
What?
Izuku blinked as he looked up to see Ashido holding her phone having snapped a picture. She gave him a playful wink as she took another and then gestured with her head over towards Shouto. His boyfriend was staring at him and it suddenly made him nervous. Did Shouto not like it?
"Shouto?" Izuku asked quietly.
His answer was for his boyfriend to walk over and gently grasp his chin turning his face up and kissing him. Izuku blushed but forgot for a moment they were with the others and leaned into the kiss. He let out a satisfied sigh as they parted.
"Beautiful," Shouto whispered, his eyes sparkling with his honesty as the others gave wolf whistles.
Then a voice barked out, "Ugh, get a fucking room!"
The sudden cursed comment made everyone except Shouto jump. They slowly turned to see Bakugou had finally joined the group with Kirishima not far behind. The redhead gave an apologetic smile for the blonde who glared at the scene before him. An uneasy feeling muddled the carefree air from a moment ago.
Since move in, this was the first time they were all together with Bakugou included. He had kept to himself while they were unpacking and stayed locked in his room for the contest. They didn't know how he would act after being rescued or how he would interact with Izuku. Things had settled before the training camp to a certain degree but new circumstances bring new unknowns. Not that Katsuki would do anything really after all they had been through but only he and Izuku, along with Eijirou, knew that.
"I have one, thanks," Shouto said simply, not breaking eye contact with his blushing boyfriend. "Izuku too."
"Then fucking use it," the blonde growled, really not wanting to see the two make goo-goo eyes at each other.
"Katsuki," Eijirou calmly chided making his friend roll his eyes but relented.
"What even is this?" Katsuki asked, gesturing towards Izuku. "He looks like a bush."
"Yes, but a very cute bush," Hitoshi pointed out with a smirk. "Wouldn't you agree, Shouto?"
"Yes," was his answer as he snuck in one more kiss before actually pulling away and turning to Ashido. "Send me a copy of those."
"You got it, boss!" she replied, giving him an affirmative thumbs up.
Izuku squeaked and tried to hide his flushed face at the implications of his boyfriend wanting a picture of him like this. Proof that he liked him and his messy hair turned into a flower garden. In front of everyone no less! So embarrassing.
"Haircut?" Izuku asked, peeking out from behind his hands at Ochako hoping for some kind of out.
"Let's do it!" the brunette cheered pumping a fist into the air before taking him by the arm. "We'll be back!"
She led him off with the other girls trailing behind to help her in any way they could. Shouto didn't know what to do just watching them take his boyfriend away. The other boys mostly shrugged putting it all up to girl antics and went back to their own things. Katsuki watched a moment more before heading off to get his breakfast with Eijirou following behind to join him. Shouto however still stood there even when Izuku was no longer in sight.
Hitoshi saw this and approached his friend placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as he said, "Don't worry. He'll be back."
"…I know," Shouto replied after a moment.
He looked a few seconds more before closing his eyes and turning away.
"Come on," Hitoshi said, steering him back to the tables. "Let's finish eating."
The bicolor teen only nodded and went over to sit back down. He did glance at where Izuku had disappeared and let out a sad sigh. It wasn't that he didn't like Izuku doing things with his other friends. It was more it made him feel uncomfortable to be away from him. The kidnapping was still too fresh for him not to worry.
Hitoshi noticed this from his own seat and decided to keep an eye on their stoic friend. Shouto was very similar to himself keeping a straight face while emotions simmered under the surface. He was sure Shouto was just shaken up by the whole kidnapping situation if not more. Hitoshi had almost lost his chosen brother but Shouto had almost lost his chosen partner. One wasn't necessarily worth more sympathy than the other but they still had both been hurt and strongly affected by Izuku being taken away from them.
Now that he was back within reach, they would do all they could to never let him go again.
After a short while, Shouto finished his meal before the others and excused himself to put his dirty dishes away. Hitoshi wondered if he would come back only to see him head upstairs. Not for long as he came back down with a book. He did not return to the tables however and instead situated himself on one of the couches. Shouto wanted to stay close to the others but chose to attempt to distract himself with reading.
"So Midoriya and Todoroki, huh?" Kaminari spoke up suddenly from his seat beside Hitoshi. "Wasn't expecting that when we moved into the dorms."
It was just the two of them left at their table as the others had finished too. Hitoshi didn't have much left himself but was enjoying nibbling on his toast.
"More like finally," Hitoshi commented back between bites. "Those two pining idiots have been dancing around each other ever since they first met. Not that surprising. Why? You interested in either of them?"
Or both?
For some reason the question made the blonde blush. He waved it off as he said, "Oh no. Nothing like that."
"Then what?" Hitoshi asked, now curious.
"Well, Midoriya's cute and all," Kaminari answered, still blushing and smiling bashfully. "And Todoroki has that ice prince vibe. They'll be good together and I wouldn't want to butt in on them. Besides I…um, never mind."
Again, his actions were strange and Hitoshi wasn't sure what to make of it. Kaminari kept acting differently around him. The random gifted drink with a confident smile. The solid but soft comfort of the hug in the hospital. The teasing traded back and forth yesterday. Now this awkward talk about two of his friends and a cryptic fade off. Hmm. Strange. It made Hitoshi want to learn more and see if he could figure his new friend out.
"So, do you like video games?" Hitoshi asked before taking another bite.
Kaminari seemed to light up at the change of topic and started animatedly going into his favorites. They traded stories of epic wins and epic fails through the rest of the meal. One pair of many spending time together and chatting. It was simple and nice. Hitoshi really found himself grateful for UA in that moment.
The Freakateers were a blessing. A close group of friends he had never had before. Now he was able to branch out more and make new friends. It made him smile softly as they talked. Kaminari in turn smiled as bright as Izuku and it did something to him. A sort of warmth growing within at the sight. Odd and strange and foreign but good in a weird way. Hitoshi didn't know what it was but he found he liked it. Hmm, perhaps this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Kaminari is kinda cute too, his brain offered suddenly.
The random thought made him pause mid bite for only a second before Hitoshi managed to school himself. Purple eyes then studied the blonde curiously. Huh, yeah, he guessed he was cute. Not the same as Izuku was all soft and squishy with fluffy hair. Kaminari was more of a cute in a goofy puppy sort of way. A spark of a personality that was cheerful and charged with energy. And it seemed as if Hitoshi had been struck by him as if by lightning.
Or had it been the spark from his Quirk.
Regardless, Hitoshi couldn't pin point what it was exactly but he was feeling some sort of pull towards the blonde. No idea what it was though. The brainwasher barely had any experience with friends let alone whatever this was. Guess he would keep an eye on that too.
He's got a nice butt too, his brain noted as Kaminari had gotten up to put his dishes away and purple eyes were drawn to his retreating figure.
Hitoshi blinked in surprise at that before he quickly flicked his eyes elsewhere. Seriously what was happening? He didn't know Kaminari super well and he was already having these weird reactions towards him. Why couldn't he make a friend like a normal person? Hitoshi blamed his antisocial tendency though a lot of that had not been on his part until Izuku. His best friend had helped a lot with that since they had met. But whatever this was, it was different.
Whatever.
For now, he decided he was going to ignore that strange feelings and actually make an attempt at this budding friendship. Hitoshi could do this. He could not be a creepy weirdo and socialize.
"Hey, Shinsou," Kaminari called out having returned from the kitchen. "You wanna hang out and play some video games with me?"
His smile was bright and hopefully and all Hitoshi could do was stare. Kaminari wanted to hang out with him? Really? He found himself slightly distracted by the blonde who stood there patiently waiting for an answer. The brainwasher blinked again before actually processing the question.
"Uh, sure," he answered, rubbing a nervous hand on his neck. "Let me, uh, clean up first."
"Cool!" Kaminari said back, still smiling. "I'll wait for you here. It's going to be fun!"
His cheerfulness was almost overwhelming. Hitoshi was thankful to have a moment to collect himself as he went to the kitchen. He cleaned his dishes and dried them off before putting them away. Hitoshi breathed in and slowly let it out. He could do this. Mentally bracing himself, the brainwasher walked out to have his first hang out with his new friend.
"Ready?" Kaminari asked as he approached and Hitoshi nodded. "Let's go!"
The blonde then suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Purple eyes were wide in surprise as he was dragged toward the elevator. This was different from the comforting touches from the hospital. It was excited and held no fear of him. He would say eager to hurry along and spend some time together. Hitoshi shouldn't be too shocked after spending so much time with Izuku and the others, but still, this was new.
I can do this, right?
He would have to wait and see.
...
Tumblr blog name: ja0-s-blank-canvas-fic
Notes extension: ja0-s-blank-canvas-fic/770884013097353216/part-4-chapter-4-building-bridges?source=share