Deep Red

42

It had taken me a few days to recover from the small cold I had gotten due to our 3 am adventures after the last day of school. Thankfully I could just stay at home with the cats and relax. I hadn't taken any patrols for those days yet, so I was good to just stay home and do nothing.

Shouta had felt really bad about it after the alcohol had worn off and he was being reasonable again. I hadn't even realized that he was pretty drunk, he just seemed so calm and collected and capable the entire time, it hadn't even crossed my mind. But apparently, according to Hizashi and Nemuri at least, that was just the way he was when he got drunk. The only way to tell was, if he completely lost his filter and was easily convinced to do dumb shit.

Anyway, to make up for it, Shouta had promised to take me out tonight, properly, without anyone else. I honestly wasn't sure whether this was a date or not, but I just assumed we were going out as friends, since nothing else had been said. It was obvious that he was splurging on this, since everywhere we went was really fancy. I was glad to have listened to my instincts telling me to dress up for this.

Right now, we were in the fanciest bar I had ever seen in my entire life and I was just finishing up a drink with some exotic name. This was some really high class stuff and I felt bad about Shouta paying for all of it. I mean, all I did for him was getting the groceries. I didn't even pay rent in his apartment.

"I just... how did you plan all this?" I asked him, putting my fancy drink down on the counter. Shouta looked at me with the tiniest smile and it made my knees weak. He was in suit pants and a dress shirt and had his hair tied up in a bun. I had no idea how this man managed to be so handsome all the time.

"I had some help." he just answered and shrugged.

"And this is all just because you felt bad about giving me a cold? It wasn't even that bad of a cold, Shouta." I said.

"Still. It was such a dumb way to catch a cold. And I remembered how upset you were not to be able to go to that stupid party on I-Island. It made sense to take you out, especially since you're going to have to sacrifice some of your summer for the camp, too." he told me. I giggled, feeling a little light-headed. Never in my life would I have thought that Shouta had such a romantic streak.

"So you figured it was time for a roommate date?" I wanted to know. I could have killed myself right there at that moment. Why had I just said that? That sounded like I was friendzoning him and I absolutely did not want to do that. That was the last thing I wanted. All I could hope for now was that it went over his head.

"Yeah. I mean, it wasn't really my idea, I already said I had some help." he answered. I laughed.

"So are you going to dance with me, too?" I joked, not really expecting him to go quite that far.

"If you want to." was all he said. I looked at him open-mouthed. Wait, did he actually mean that? Was he actually going to dance with me?

"Wait, really? Who are you and what did you do with Shouta?" I replied, laughing. Shouta only responded by grabbing my hand and pulling me close to him, as we started to dance slowly.

"Wow. I guess I really am that good of a roommate, huh?" I said quietly. I couldn't believe this was actually happening. Honestly, I wasn't even jealous of anyone going to I-Island anymore, if I could have this.

"At least you don't put pineapple on pizza, like Hizashi does." Shouta answered. I grimaced when I heard that.

"Ew. What a monster. Are you sure he's not secretly a villain?"
"If it was anyone but him, I would be suspicious." Shouta replied. We were both quiet for a good while, while I focussed completely on the sensation of being held by him. His entire aura was much more confident since we had been dancing at my graduation all those years back.

He also smelt really good. It was a mix of fresh soap, linen, coffee and after shave. I could have drowned myself in that smell, it just felt so comforting. Maybe that was because I was so used to it by now. He smelt like home. Or rather like the best home I had had in years at this point.

"Maybe it's best I'll tell you where we're going for the summer camp now." Shouta then said, pulling me a little closer.

"We're going to the Beast's Forest in Nagano." he whispered in my ear. Beast's Forest? That sounded like fun.

"You mean the one that belongs to the Wild, Wild Pussycats?" I asked. He nodded. I had gone on a mission with them once and I liked them. They were nice. But I didn't know much about the forest.

"That sounds cool. What do they have there? Just a lot of forest? Do we actually camp or is there a proper house?"

"They have a house with rooms and all, don't worry. They even have hot springs there. But that's most of it. There will be training every day for the students. And the ones who failed their exams will have to take night classes." he explained.

"Night classes and training? That's pretty harsh. I bet they wished they had never gone on this trip. Anyway, how much actual work do we have to do?" I wanted to know. From what I remembered of our training camps back in high school, the teachers didn't do that much, except watching the students.

"The night classes will be most of the work, with the training we just watch out for all the kids. I'm already tired thinking about it."

"Same."

"So, do you want to bring the beer or should I?" he asked, a smirk on his face. I started laughing.

"I'll bring the beer if you bring a bottle of wine or two. Would you miss our late night talks on the roof that much?" I replied.

"I would, honestly."

"Yeah, me too. I didn't think I'd ever get so attached to talking to someone." I mumbled. Late night talks with Shouta had quickly become my favourite thing and I wasn't even trying to make a secret out of it. There was just something about him being such an introvert, but such a good listener that made it easy to talk to him. Once I had gotten through a few layers of grumpiness, he was a surprisingly considerate and nice person.

The Shouta Aizawa I had met on my first day at U.A. was constantly tired, grumpy, didn't like talking to people, was blunt and just a generally disagreeable person. But now that I knew him better, he was just so different. I never thought I could be this wrong about a person, but apparently it was possible.

And I was glad I was wrong about him.