BNHA || white lie

09

You shove the wet plate to Todoroki a little too roughly, and the water splashes onto his apron. "Shoot, sorry."

"No, it's fine."

The two of you resume with washing the dishes. The awkward silence, which had lingered ever since the boy had joined you, returns just as strong.

CIHA was unique in that sense--all of their dorms are entirely maintained by the occupants, under the basis that it would teach its students discipline. Apparently the foreign exchange students are not exempt from this rule and therefore required to help with the daily tasks, however temporary. In the dining hall hung a large bulletin board with all the names of the building's residents with the jobs they were assigned to do and what day they should do it. Your partner had pointed out your name neatly printed under Tuesday, where his had been hastily scribbled underneath--Todoroki Shouto.

You did the dishes on Tuesdays, alone, and cooked breakfast with Kimiko the next morning. Those were the days and chores you chose to do and the friend you chose to do them with, so you never bothered to look at the schedule again. You mentally kicked yourself for your nonchalance and reminded yourself to check if there had been any additions to your cooking group tomorrow.

Todoroki finishes patting the plate dry and places it on the growing pile to his right, to be put away after. Quietly, he patiently watches as you scrub off food bits and remnants from the ceramic surface. His stare makes you grow uneasy, so you quickly rinse off the soap to hand the wet plate to him and sigh internally, relieved, when he takes it and focuses on that instead.

"That's the last one," you mutter. He gives you a nod in return.

You take the cups and silverware first, placing them in their respective cabinets. Todoroki does the same with the bowls and plates.

The two of you finish at the same time and end up standing together in the empty kitchen. The uncomfortable silence continues to persist.

Strangely, he is the one to break it. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, then."

"Yeah." You hesitate a bit.

". . .Thank you for your help, Todoroki."

He blinks, in mild surprise, and his eyes soften the slightest bit.

"You're welcome, [L/Name]."

.

.

.

"So, how was it?"

You scowl at Aki.

"You couldn't warn me? Tell me beforehand?"

"Hm," she hums. "But a little change make things a bit more fun," her cerulean eyes glint with mischief, "don't you think? Was there ever a moment when you thought it was boring?"

Scoffing, you reply instantly. "What? Of course--"

But you cut yourself off. Aki gifts you with a large, uncharacteristic grin.

She is right, you realize. You had been so focused on the tension in the room, always thinking about how to act, what to say. Thinking about UA. Never had you been bored--your mind abuzz, distracted with fleeting thoughts and spur-of-the-moment plans.

It was always like that when you were around UA.

A grin, just as wide and as rare as Aki's, spreads slowly across your face.

"Huh," you breathe.

---------

You forgot to check the bulletin board, you remember the next morning, when you pass by it on your way to the kitchen. Shrugging, you decide to listen to Aki, for once. Surprises are fun.