I'll Ask You out. Tomorrow. (Seroroki MHA)

3.

Shouto gulped a marshmallow, just to twist his face upon nauseating sweetness.

- You gave me food so I will tell you.

I ran away from home.

Sero started laughing at the joke, for a couple of seconds, until he realised...

OH. MY. GOSH.

Shouto Todoroki did not laugh. Didn't smile. 

His face was as neutral as always at school, despite now it was also a little bit damp with raindrops falling from his hair, and with pretty tired eyes decorated by dark bags under them.

- You are not kidding me. - Sero stated, feeling the need to sit down for a second. Screw an old man waiting to be served.

- Why should I be kidding? I told you the truth. I had... Ugh... Let's say: a discussion. With my father. Do you kn...

- I am very much aware of who your father is, Todoroki. - a sudden cold that appeared in Sero's voice made Shouto very self-conscious. Shit. Maybe what his old therapist - appointed to him after his mother was taken to the mental health institution - said about his problem with oversharing was right. - I'm just... When one runs away from home, they don't usually find themselves here. Not wet and unprepared, that is. Don't tell me you thought the school uniform would be enough? 

Shouto marvelled at another one's analytical skill. Why did he associate Sero's surname with an idiot? Is it because of his maths results or the sports festival? Bad Shouto, rushing to judge others. 

- How do you know, any personal experience?

- What can I say, I'm an expert in teen movie dramas.

Todoroki waited patiently for Sero to serve the old man who came to disturb their heart-to-heart. Stupid old man.

- Do you have anywhere to go? - Sero asked with worry written all over his face.

- No.

Todoroki Shouto, this guy...

Not that Hanta didn't like his classmate, it's just that they merely interacted, given that Todoroki held others at distance. He hung out with Midoriya during lunchtime, sometimes, when he wasn't focused on solving equations or memorising hero laws. He spoke with Iida and Tsuyu, mostly answering their questions with a yes/no. 

Hanta, instead, grew very fond of more easy-going class fellows, with Kaminari and Kirishima taking the lead. It just so happened that the two decided to befriend a fiery blonde who, on his side, totally utterly completely absolutely despised the presence of Midoriya, thus building an invisible bridge between his 'squad' (a bunch of losers that followed him for no reason) and Deku's 'squad'. Deku-squad. Dekusquad. Catchy name. 

Hanta exchanged with Todoroki a couple of words here and there but nothing too serious. Except for the post sports festival match which memory he already buried deep down in his brain. 

He did learn, though, that the bi-colour guy was shy, laid-back, self-conscious, stubborn, and prone to passion only during practical training when he would unleash his unlimited potential.

And now, he was awkwardly sitting in the bakery Sero worked part-time to cover for some necessities (such as cool clothes, cool gadgets and cool mangas) and casually saying that he ran away. From home. Todoroki Shouto. Run. Away. From. Todoroki home. Like. I mean.

He did call Hanta HERO, though, coming up with the best nickname ever. He cleverly mixed Hanta's surname and name, revealing his future career path, and making it easy to pronounce (not like Soy Sauce with way too many 'S' sounds) and lofty. What a genius, am I right?

Sero scratched his cheek, leaving some white flour marks, as he sat next to Todoroki.

- So, like... If you have nowhere to go... My mums are working today. That means, they'll be home Saturday morning.

- Your... mums? - Shouto repeated, wanting to check if he heard right. He should have not raised his tone, though, judging by the other one's look.

- That a probl...

- No, not at all, apologies! I just wasn't sure if I heard right. It's a little bit noisy here.

- Of course, it is, it's a train station. - Sero answered, relieved but wary.

- What do you mean that they'll be home on Saturday? Isn't it Tuesday today? Am I missing something?

- They're lorry drivers. They work in shifts, a couple of days long travels and then a week or two of a break.

Shouto nodded. His first instinct was to say 'how cool is that, you have your house all for yourself and such!' but as he screened Sero's expression, he noticed something unsettling. Sadness? Worry? Loneliness?

- Oh... - was all he could muster.

It took a couple of moments for Sero to open his mouth once again.

- So... I get that you probably can afford all the hotels in the city and such but I wouldn't... I mean, I wouldn't mind if you wanted to stay at my place for the night. Probably safer than wandering around, sightseeing at train stations, am I right?

- I guess... Also, you're wrong. How could I afford a stay at a hotel if I can't even afford a garlic bun? - Shouto sighed ceremoniously, taking out his golden debit card and throwing it into the nearest rubbish bin like it was a basketball game. He even did the fancy hand thingy, the smug fuck he is.

- The fuck, dude, what are you doing?! - Hanta jumped and fished out the card, noticing how perfectly designed and shiny it was. Some V.I.P. posh bank, something he would never know even exists. - Do you want someone to take it and use it for something stupid?!

- Why should I care? My father blocked it. And even if he unblocked it, someone found it and bought half of Japan, I'm sure daddy wouldn't notice anyway.

Having said that, Todoroki jumped out of the stool and headed towards the door.

- So, can we go to your place?

-...

-...

-... Yes, sure. In two hours, after I've finished my shift.