The Story Of Us (Todobaku)

Movie Night

~FIFTH GRADE~

"STRIKE ONE!"

Denki nudged Shouto's arm. "Shouto," he said before nudging him again. "Shouto, you're not even paying attention."

Shouto licked his lips as he shaded in the UFO he just drew. "Just let me finish this panel. I'm almost done."

"The game's almost done," Denki said. "You're gonna miss it!"

With a sigh, Shouto dropped his pencil onto the notepad in his lap and directed his attention to what was happening on the baseball diamond. According to the scoreboard, it was the last inning and the Musutafu Explosions were two strikes away from clinching the championship.

It wasn't a surprise. The Explosions had won every game this season so far, most of them blowouts. It was almost impossible for other teams to score against them when they had Katsuki Bakugou as their pitcher, by far the best player in the league.

Katsuki smiled on the pitcher's mound, that smug yet endearing smile Shouto was all too familiar with. Shouto softly clapped from the bleachers as Katsuki threw another strike. One more and it was over.

Denki cheered for Katsuki just as loudly as the parents did. Shouto was used to it. He and Denki had gone to most of the Explosions' games this season to support their friends. While Katsuki was their star player, Eijiro, Hanta, Tenya, and Izuku were on the team too. However, it was rare for Izuku to get any playing time. He spent almost all of this season on the bench, though that didn't stop Inko Midoriya from showing up to every game to take pictures of him in his uniform.

Katsuki's parents were there too, of course. While Shouto expected Mitsuki to be one of those tiger parents who yelled at their children from the bleachers if they messed up, she was mostly calm and quiet. She only screamed at Katsuki when he demonstrated bad sportsmanship, which, while rare, still got ugly when it happened.

Eijiro, decked head to toe in catcher's equipment, crouched behind home plate and held his glove out, offering a target for Katsuki to hit. Katsuki nodded, took a few deep breaths, and took position on the mound.

Shouto leaned on Denki as Katsuki began his next pitch. When the ball left his hand, Shouto's heart stopped beating. The crowd fell still, not wanting to celebrate too soon and jinx anything.

But when the ball skated past the batter, who timed his swing just a hair too late, and promptly landed in Eijiro's glove, all the Explosions fans on the bleachers went ballistic.

Shouto couldn't even hear the umpire call strike three over the crowd's cheers and applause. Eijiro ripped his catcher's mask off and, sporting that signature smile of his, charged for the pitcher's mound where he tackled Katsuki with a giant bear hug. It soon turned into a dogpile with all the Explosions players joining in on the action. Even little Izuku ran out from the dugout to join the celebrations.

Shouto and Denki smiled from where they sat, not wanting to interrupt until after the award ceremony finished. All the Explosions were presented with their trophies, and Katsuki received the MVP trophy as well. When the ceremony concluded, the players broke off to be with their friends and families. And once Katsuki was done being squeezed and smothered in kisses by Mitsuki and Masaru, he exchanged high fives with Shouto and Denki.

"Congratulations, Katsuki," Shouto said.

"Thanks, Halfie," Katsuki replied as he ruffled Shouto's hair. "Did you actually watch this time or were you drawing a new manga?"

"Both."

Denki smiled. "Something about aliens."

Shouto nodded. "Yeah, it's a story about aliens invading an elementary school trying to probe all the students. So a bunch of fifth graders challenge them to a food fight."