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

9.

He just couldn't do it, okay????!!!

Not that Todoroki is a bad guest or something.

Not that Todoroki is unfriendly and difficult to read.

But there was something - something - about the way Todoroki looked at Hanta that his insides like kinda trembled but actually not.

It was unsettling, the fact that Todoroki would glimpse in Hanta's direction more often than he would do with others (no, he is not as discreet as he believes to be).

What was more unsettling was that any time it happened, it left Hanta feeling very self-aware, on edge even.

'Is my hair right? Do I have green stuff in my teeth? Did I say something stupid? What will he think of me? Why do I care? What if he'll think I'm an idiot? Didn't he like my house? Is he judging me because I'm broke? Do I smell bad or something?' and a thousand similar thoughts would cross poor Hanta's mind at least twice a day for a whole week. It was such Sero-unlike, more like Todoroki-like, damn! Did he get infected by the Todorokiness all of a sudden?!

And yet, a warm memory of having no one else but Todoroki around, chilling with him and being so free to do and say whatever Hanta wanted, without feeling judged or interrupted, prevailed.

Just is if Hanta would benefit from a little Todoroki sprinkle in his laid-back life, a little push to work harder, to look further.

- Yeah, sure. I'm working this afternoon but I'm free tomorrow. We could go to the library and...

- No libraries. We're studying at your place.

- Ooo.. 'kay... ... ... My mums are home, though. Wouldn't they be disturbing us?

- They better not. See you tomorrow.

And, just like that, Shouto left Sero behind with his jaw dropped to the floor and his heart pumping more adrenaline than before the sports festival.

Is it odd if Hanta found the other one's determination... hot as hell? Like a Plus Ultra Mental Kink or... he better stop thinking now.

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- I'm going to my classmate's place tomorrow. Help him with maths.

Enji Todoroki glimpsed at his son suspiciously.

Why the heck would the boy care about other losers' grades? He shouldn't be losing his time, he should be training instead!

But, Enji also noticed how the school year started over three months ago, the friendship groups naturally formed and strengthened after the villains decided to pay the class 1A a surprise visit. Some kids bonded after the sports festival. And yet, Shouto has never mentioned anyone. Any classmate, any friend.

When Enji confiscated his son's phone, he sadly discovered that it is basically empty.

He didn't want to find any obscenities, any secrets, anything like that - but he also didn't want to discover his son is an anti-social loner.

Would Enji Todoroki start noticing his past mistakes, observing their gruesome effect in the form of his depressed, disheartened, anxious son who categorically rejected all his support and - at this point - all his paternal care?

Enji needs therapy, and he needs it fast.

If that would help to push Shouto towards Number One, by fixing himself first, Endeavour would do his best. He made a mental note to call that therapist he heard about in the heroes' canteen. What's her acronym? PZK?

- I'm sure you'll do a good job. - he said, a little bit theatrically, not used to saying things like that. But he's trying, okay?! He will, he promised!

Just to be ignored by Shouto but hey, that was predictable.

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As he was lying in his bed, Shouto couldn't fall asleep.

He was counting the minutes to the moment he would finish classes and take the bus to Sero's home, together. How badly did he want to spend time one-to-one with the taping hero, to listen to his voice, to laugh at his jokes! Will Sero's mothers be happy to see Todoroki over? Will they scold him for being a bratty teen who ran away last week? Did Sero even mention that little mishap? Will Miss Erina prepare something yummy? What will the lounge room/kitchenette smell like? Will the books and the clothes and the ukulele be covered by a strong scent of katsu curry? What if Shouto overstays and all buses went to sleep (do buses travel at night too? He wasn't sure)?

On the other side of the city, Hanta was staring at his ceiling as well, trying to rationalise what the fuck happened earlier.


For starters, Todoroki Shouto finally addressed him, after a week of creepily staring at his back. Hanta still has no idea what it was, did he say or do something stupid during their last encounter? Was he not supposed to help Todoroki at all?

Then, not only did he finally speak to Hanta, he offended him for getting a bad grade.

Yeah, yeah, it's not Cellophane's fault that maths has no sense. Like, why do you mess up letters with numbers?! How is he supposed to know that Y is 7.5 and X is -4/7?! Y is Y for fuck's sake!!! Just leave it like that!!! (yes, Hanta, we all agree with you, honey)

And if that wasn't enough, the dual quirk boy low-key invited himself to Hanta's house! He just stated that he'd come by, like a KING he is.

But... why? Why would Todoroki pick an interest in someone so plain, so average like Hanta? Would hanging around make him feel superior? Could he be so cruel? Did he lose a bet? Is he doing social research on poor citizens and their daily habits?

Why would Hanta condition himself to think about Todoroki during every single moment of his days (yes, including these moments, you dirty-minded Readers), why did he get - slowly but indispensably - fixated with the hotter, the stronger, the smarter hero in training?!

Oh well.

Whatever.

- Fucking walking restaurant... does he even know what he does to people... I swear, I'm gonna become the nerdiest nerd in 1A and beat everyone, Bakugou included, as long as My Prince promises to keep tutoring me. Maybe I could teach him something too...

The teenager checked the time (only 00:13) and got up, instantly motivated to solve a couple of extra equations.

He was not going to ridicule himself in front of his new (hot. super hot. and cold. in one. how cool is that.) tutor.

No fucking way.