Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One— Izuku

"No, no… please. Not today. Not today!"

Out of any day for my car to give me trouble, today had to be the day. I'd managed to secure an interview for a position as an assistant to Shoto Todoroki, CEO of the largest and most known publishing company in Japan. It was a huge deal, more than, I was lucky to even have this interview and yet here I was, punching my steering wheel and begging my hunk of junk to cooperate.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially for a guy like me. For the past two years I'd been waiting tables at a high end restaurant, and it was enough with me working every free second that I had for me to squeeze by. However, my student loans were hanging over my head, threatening to crush me at any given second and now I finally had a chance to get a second job—a great job and I was going to be late!

When I realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere with my car, I got back out of it and ran as fast as I could to the nearest bus stop. It didn't do me much good considering I had to wait five minutes before the bus arrived—five minutes that I didn't have. This day couldn't possibly get any worse.

My anxiety prevented me from standing still as I waited for the bus, I was jogging in place as if it would get me there any faster and once the bus finally pulled up, I wanted to be the first one on. Unfortunately, there was a group of elderly people waiting together, one that kept dropping her walking stick and I did my best to help them get on the bus, taking another ten minutes.

The bus could only take me so far, leaving me two blocks away from Todoroki Publishing. I was already late, only by five minutes but that was a lot considering I should have been fifteen minutes early to make a good first impression. I left the bus in such a hurry, that I didn't look where I was going and ran straight into someone, crushing the cup of hot coffee they were holding between us.

"Hot!" I screeched, green eyes widening as I gaped at my white button down shirt now with a large brown stain that was hot and wet. "No, no, no!"

This was it. There was no getting worse than this.

"I'm sorry! So sorry!" I yelled frantically as I ran off, ignoring the woman who was cursing me for everything I was worth.

When I finally ran into the building, I was fifteen minutes late, heaving for each breath and looking worse than I probably ever had in my life. The coffee had yet to dry and I was covered in sweat, still hurrying to the nearest desk where two receptionists were looking at me with disgust.

"Um, hello." I panted. "I'm Izuku Midoriya… I'm here for an interview…"

Both of the ladies blinked at me in disbelief before one of them cleared her throat and picked up the phone. I waited as patiently as I could, my anxiety rising more and more by the second. She spoke to someone, giving my name and then she laid the phone back on the hook and smiled at me.

"Mr. Todoroki will see you in his office. Take the elevator to the twenty-third floor, his office is the only one on that floor."

I nodded and made a beeline for the elevator, my heart pounding. Mr. Todoroki. Nobody told me he would be interviewing me himself! My true panic didn't set in until I was in the elevator. As soon as he got one look at me he was going to send me on my way. I wasn't prepared. I should have tried to reschedule. I should have never even attempted to try for this job. It was all too much and by the time the elevator came to a stop on the twenty third floor, I had made up my mind to go right back down and not even attempt to humiliate myself any further.

However, when the doors slid open, the CEO himself was just opening the door to his office that was directly ahead of the elevator, a cup of coffee in his free hand. I gulped, face going red in shame. He was dressed impeccably in a light grey suit and black tie, his hair combed and tamed, a striking contrast of red on one side and white on the other. His handsome face had a dark scar over his right side, but it did nothing to take away from his sublime flawlessness. Our eyes met and I was struck with another set of mismatched colors, one blue eye and one grey. He simply blinked at me and raised both his eyebrows as he was seemingly frozen in place.

I stepped off of the elevator nervously, trying my best to cover the stain on my shirt, which was impossible and completely foolish to even attempt but hey, I was trying! Trying really hard not to cry that is.

"M-mr. Todoroki… I um… I'm really sorry. I'm late and a mess and I'm sorry… b-but I can explain everything." I tried my best to apologize and savor this opportunity, voice trembling with every word. If I cried now I was going to crawl under a rock and die.

"Mr. Midoriya?" He asked for confirmation and I nodded. "You may come in." He told me and then went inside his office, leaving the door open behind him.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm myself, I followed him into the office, hesitating by the door, unsure if I should leave it open or close it. Mr. Todoroki gestured for me to close the door as he rounded his desk, so I did and then took a seat across from him when I was prompted to do so. I kept quiet, waiting for him to settle himself and begin, because I didn't know what to say or do. I already knew the position was out of my reach—even more so now that I'd showed up like this. It was official, I was going to cry.

"It seems you've had an eventful morning." He mused and took a sip of his coffee before placing it down on his desk. "I was running a little late myself." He confessed, reaching into his suit jacket to retrieve a handkerchief that he offered to me.

I stared at the handkerchief, noting it was embroidered with his initials and looking as if it cost more than my car. Should I take it, maybe he would think me rude for refusing it. But if I did, would I really wipe my sweaty face with it? Then what? Hand it back to him? Have it laundered? Panic was consuming me once more.

"Go on." He encouraged. "I'm taking a leap of faith. If you get the job, you can return it to me later and if you don't get the job, I'll never see my handkerchief again. Make sure you do your best, it's one of my favorites."

"Thank you, sir." I smiled despite everything and accepted the handkerchief, dabbing the silky smooth cotton material against my face until it was free of sweat and then I held tight to it, resting my hands in my lap. "And yes… eventful morning. Um, my car wouldn't start and I had to take the bus but I was running so late so there was a lot of rushing and a coffee incident and it was awful… I promise I don't usually look like this."

"Hm." Mr. Todoroki nodded in understanding and took another sip of his coffee. "I won't hold it against you. Now then, shall we begin the interview?"

"Thank you very much. Yes, sir." I smiled, feeling relieved that he was still giving me a chance to prove my worth.

He reached for a file that had already been laying on his desk and opened it, eyes on its contents as he spoke. "I've gone through your application a few times, but I would like to hear some things explained in person. What attracted you to this position?"

Oh. An easy question to start off.

"I'm still a student right now, but my dream is to become a publishing agent and editor so I'm eager to learn more about the industry. Currently, I have another job at a restaurant, but it's not enough to support me fully and it isn't helping me gain any experience in the publishing field. I really, really want that. I want to put myself into a position that lets me show how much potential and drive I have when it comes to this sort of work. So, this position seemed perfect for what I want. So I can learn and grow and have some experience when I finally get my degree and go out into the publishing world."

He hummed and waited a few moments before he asked him a couple more questions. "How confident are you in your current skill level? Are you comfortable and familiar with computers, printers and all that entails?"

"Oh, yes sir! I'm very techy and also a quick learner. I'm confident that I would be a great person for the position. I'm a really hard worker…" I didn't just want the job, I needed it and I would do everything I could to prove myself worthy.

Mr. Todoroki nodded again and then closed the file he had been looking at, gaze raising to me. "And what would you say your strengths and weaknesses are?"

"My strengths are definitely my intellect and ability to multitask. I have a strong work ethic that I have been praised for and I encourage you to speak to my other boss to ask for yourself. My weaknesses… sometimes I do get nervous and I overthink things, but I'm not afraid to ask for help if I need it."

"I see. Last question, Mr. Midoriya." He said and folded his hands on top of his desk. "What is your opinion on Zaru Soba?"

It was a strange question for an interview, but I wasn't going to let that mess me up. Thankfully, it was something I knew of. "It's one of my favorite dishes, especially in the summer. Did you know there are many health benefits, it's very high in protein and really tasty too." I laughed lightly, feeling a lot more comfortable than I had when I arrived. "Overall, my opinion on Zaru Soba is that it's great and… now I kind of want some."

Mr. Todoroki's eyes light up for a second before he reached for his coffee again, finishing off the cup. "That's all I needed to know. We have your contact information and will get back to you tomorrow afternoon to let you whether you got the position or not."

His words made it impossible for me to know how great or slim my chances were, but I was effectively dismissed and all I could do was hope for the best. I stood up slowly and smiled kindly at him. "Thank you for your consideration." I said and held up my hand holding the handkerchief. "I will launder this and return it to you… even if I don't get the position." I promised and then slid it into my pocket, proud of myself for making it through this.

"Then I shall see you again regardless. Safe travels, Mr. Midoriya." He said, the hint of a smirk on his face.

"H-have a good day, Mr. Todoroki." I managed, tone a lot higher than necessary.

Forcing myself not to run, I let myself out slowly and closed the door behind me. It was only when I was alone outside of the office that my heart pounded and my breathing faltered. That was the strangest and most intense thing that I had done in a long time. It was nothing like I expected—he was nothing like I expected and oh my he actually went through the interview with me… he still gave me a chance and even if I didn't get the position, I was grateful for that.

The rest of my day was much better, and I was in a great mood. Even though I was still a mess, I was all smiles on my way home, deciding to slow things down and walk. My hands were in my pockets, my right fiddling with the handkerchief until I arrived at the local laundromat and walked inside. I approached the counter, loving how fresh and clean the place smelled.

I wanted to be mindful of the seemingly delicate material, so I thought I would pay for it to be cleaned professionally. The wait for the handkerchief was only twenty minutes and when I received it back, I really wanted to keep it forever. It was so soft and elegant and rich looking—so soft and silky. I wondered if it was his only one, or if he had many. Maybe he had all different colors, but after seeing him in that sharp grey suit, I wondered if he was a colorful person. Maybe he only liked neutral colors and cool tones, then again, maybe he liked to switch things up sometimes.

That night, I had a shift at the restaurant and had a few good tippers which brightened my mood even more. Time didn't seem to sit still for me like it did so often and even when I got home to finish up the essay I had due the following morning, I still couldn't shake the smile from my face—nor could I quit playing with Mr. Todoroki's handkerchief.

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My two classes the following morning were simple, boring really. I spent most of my time making notes and comparing theories over some discourse in my creative writing class. It was one of my favorite classes, because it was open and fun and a true learning experience for me. I also spent a fair amount of my morning wondering if I would get a phone call possibly telling me I had the job at Todoroki Publishing. It would be one step closer to me reaching my goals, but I couldn't let myself get my hopes up. After all, I had showed up like a homeless person.

Sadly, my car was still giving me trouble, so I had no choice but to work around it. At least it wasn't so bad as long as I was prepared for it. Punctuation was important and I prided myself in always being early to everything—some friends even calling me an overachiever. That was funny considering I was nobody and had next to nothing. I hadn't achieved anything, but I knew one day I would. To never give up, that was my motto. I had to face everything that came my way, both good and bad, and work through it all.

It was on my way home that afternoon that my phone rang and my heart stopped beating. I stopped where I was, digging my phone out of my pocket and staring at the unprogrammed number in disbelief. No way. Wait, I couldn't get excited. It could be a scam caller, or worse, it could be someone calling me to tell me I was a failure and hadn't gotten the position.

Regardless, I swallowed hard and answered. "Hello?"

"Mr. Midoriya."

Holy crap, it's the man himself. "Mr. Todoroki?" I squeaked and quickly cleared my throat, mentally chiding myself for getting flustered. My cheeks shouldn't have been so red.

"Good afternoon." He said in greeting and got straight to business. "I called to congratulate you on getting the position, we'll need to schedule a follow up meeting in order to get you settled in."

"Called to… settle a follow up… WAIT WHAT?!" I screamed, completely in a daze. Nothing was making sense. His words rang through my head repeatedly in a jumbled mess as I tried to make sense of it all. No way he just called to tell me I got the position, yet that was exactly what he said. "Oh wow, I'm going to cry. This is the best thing that's ever happened… and after I showed up looking so trashy. Maybe I seemed as desperate as I am, but did he really pity me or actually see that I do have potential? Probably both, I mean that would make sense, yeah I can totally see it. Holy cow, I can't believe this. I have a position—Mr. Todoroki is a really nice guy apparently, I should—"

"Izuku."

I gasped. Mr. Todoroki was still on the phone and he called me by my first name. "... I was thinking out loud, wasn't I?" It was one of my worst habits, one I just couldn't seem to shake.

"It's alright, I know you're just excited to have received the internship." He told me. "I can fit you in tomorrow morning at eight or later that night, a little after nine. Do either of those times work for you?"

I tried not to scream, managing to keep it down to a quiet squeal. "When do you prefer to have me sir? Anytime is fine for me, I'll have my schedule clear no matter what!"

"Nine would be the most ideal."

"Tomorrow night?" I asked, heart speeding up a bit at the late hour. Would anyone else even be in the office at that time?

"Yes, I have more free time then." He explained.

More free time? Maybe it would take a while and he didn't want to have to rush our discussions. Of course. "Very well. I'll be there by nine."

"Until then, Mr. Midoriya."

"Oh, um, sir!" I called before he could hang up and smiled when he waited to hear what I had to say. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said and then added, "I look forward to working with you."

"Me too!" I grinned, feeling beyond excited. "See you tomorrow, sir."

I hung up the phone and stared at it, being completely still and quiet for all of three seconds before I screamed. Nobody could understand my elation at receiving that phone call and actually securing the position. I couldn't wait to give this my all and show Mr. Todoroki that he made the right choice with me.

I had to return his handkerchief too!

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Since I didn't have to meet Mr. Todoroki until nine, I didn't have to miss any classes, or my shift at the restaurant. It was a sucky day at work, but my excitement to see my new boss again and learn more about my position prevented my mood from souring.

My shift ended at eight and since my car was still out of commission and I didn't want to risk being late, I took the next bus as far as I could and then walked my way to Todoroki Publishing. It was already dark out and I was thankful for my uniform consisting of black slacks and a white long sleeve button down, so at least I looked presentable.

And I didn't have to run.

I arrived with fifteen minutes to spare, perfect for me. As I wandered in, I fussed with my curly hair, knowing there was no taming it, but still trying anyway. Just as I expected, the receptionists from the day before were not behind the desk and other than a couple security guards by the entrance, I didn't see anyone else as I made my way to the elevator and up to the twenty third floor.

I was early… and he did say a little after nine, so that had me hesitating outside of his office. I didn't want to impose or interrupt him if he was in the middle of anything, but I also didn't want him waiting on me if he was expecting me to show up earlier. In the end, I decided to announce my arrival, if he wanted me to wait, I would. I walked over to the door and knocked three times, waiting patiently while moving my ear closer to the door so I could hear if he acknowledged me.

"Shit." I heard Mr. Todoroki curse quietly before he called out much louder, "Come in."

It sounded like he wasn't quite ready for me, but since I was called in, I opened the door. "Good evening, sir." I greeted him with a smile, finding him seated at his desk, his suit jacket hanging over the back of his chair, a couple empty cups on his desk along with an intimidating stack of papers. Maybe he wasn't as free as he thought he'd be.

"Good evening." He said as he made a mark on a piece of paper with a pen. Then he set it down, giving me his full attention. "I apologize for making you wait, I thought I would be finished before you got here. The time completely escaped my notice."

"Oh, it's fine. I'm not in any rush… anything I can help with?" I walked over to stand in front of his desk, wondering if he'd already finished the big stack, or if the smaller stack was what he had completed.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to take up your time." He declined. "We have a few things to sort out before I can put you to work."

Feeling dejected, I plopped down in the chair across from him. "But my time is yours and if I help we can sort things out sooner. Don't you think?"

Mr. Todoroki raised a brow at me. "Are you . . . pouting, Mr. Midoriya?"

Oh crap. I straightened my face quickly. "N-no way."

"Mmhm." He mused, a small smirk appearing, but he soon schooled his features. "If you're that eager then I supposed there isn't any harm in letting you lend a hand."

"Yes!" I grinned and scooted my chair closer, eager to help him anyway I could. "Just tell me what you need and I'll take care of it."

"There was a miscommunication earlier today between me and one of the editors." He informed, taking out a pencil from his desk. "One of our authors started her vacation this afternoon, but we needed a hard copy of her latest novel before she traveled out of the country. I told him to have her prepare the final draft and then go pick it up at four, an hour before her flight. At six thirty I get a call from him saying that she never showed up to deliver the novel. He couldn't get a hold of her by cell phone, so I had to intervene and pull some strings.

"I spoke to her through the airline phone on the plane to find out that he was the one that never showed up and she left, not wanting to miss her flight. I called the editor back, relay the story she told me, asking for an explanation. Apparently he heard me say six instead of four and completely messed up the time. Luckily, the author took a risk and left her work sitting outside of her apartment door. The editor retrieved it and brought it to my office a little after eight. I examined the novel and realized it was not the final draft and demanded he show me the message he sent the author. What I have in front of me, Mr. Midoriya, is the first draft of her novel that he was going to pick up at six."

"There were no major changes after the first draft?" I asked for clarification. With such a short amount of time, pulling a full edit on the first draft of a novel wouldn't be so simple. "Do you have the digital copy?"

Mr. Todoroki sighed. "Some writers are extremely sensitive and only give out hard copies. She, unfortunately, was one of them. The editor told me there were no major changes from what he and her discussed a few weeks ago, but at this point I don't trust his word or his hearing skills. All I can do is edit the novel and then type it up to email it to the author. Hopefully she responds and makes whatever changes are needed before the deadline."

"And the deadline is when exactly?" I asked, noticing that the bigger stack had already been gone through by him. He was quick.

"The day after tomorrow." He answered and handed me the pencil. "Would you finish editing the hard copy while I start typing it up?"

I stared at the pencil, stomach fluttering. Little old me, editing a real novel… "pinch me." I had to be dreaming. "Editing… me… this has never happened before. I really wasn't expecting this—I mean coffee runs and making copies and reading emails, sure, but EDITING? Oh wow, it's not even my first day, like my real first day, but here I am—taking this pencil and starting my first edit." I took the pencil and slid the small stack over to me. "It's going to be weird coming in at the end, but that won't stop me. I've got this!"

"Admirable enthusiasm." He complimented, hands going to his keyboard. "Show me what you can do, Izuku."

My heart beat a little faster at the praise and encouragement and I giggled excitedly as I got to work. The novel was an extremely well written mystery that pulled me in, even missing the first three quarters of it and I found only minor things that needed editing as I went through. Mainly formatting things, but it was well polished—as any novel should be before being sent in to an agent.

Mr. Todoroki's quick typing was the only sound in the room as the two of us worked and for once, I didn't start rambling aloud. I was way too focused on the task given to me, one that so important I couldn't even believe it was given to me. I concentrated hard, putting my all into editing the remainder of the draft and then read over it again before getting up to add it to the rest of the papers he had yet to finish typing up. He was working so quickly, I was blown away. While the boss was completely engrossed in his work, I looked around his office.

It was spacious, his desk in the center right in front of the back wall which was all glass, overlooking the city which looked really beautiful from behind so high and at this hour with all the lights shining brightly. My eyes went wide at the sight of it, I hadn't even noticed before.

"Oh wow… so pretty." I whispered, hands and face against the glass as I peered out in awe. Oh, but I had things to do!

The far left of the office had a black leather couch and even a kitchenette. I found a coffee pot there and decided to start a brew—we were going to be here for a while. The small refrigerator was stocked with water and fruit. Mr. Todoroki was apparently a healthy man. Not that I was surprised, he looked so fit and clean and handsome.

On the far right, the entire wall was lined with books which I skimmed over as I waited for the coffee to brew and listened to the steady sound of Mr. Todoroki's typing. His office was as clean as he was… and it smelled like him. I liked it. When the coffee finished, I poured him a cup and carried it over. He didn't seem like a cream and sugar guy, though there was cream and sugar available. I didn't add any to his, deciding to risk it. His mix matched eyes were locked on the screen intently, not even glancing away as I set the coffee on his desk for him. I left him to it, returning to the coffee pot to pour myself a cup—having extra cream and sugar.

The first sip had me humming in delight. It was warm and perfectly sweetened. I wished I could do more, but I couldn't type up the novel for him and I didn't want to overstep either. Deciding to keep quiet and not distract him from his work, I returned to my seat across from him, wishing it was beside him instead so I could see what he was typing—though watching him certainly wasn't bad. He looked even better when he was so focused, still calm and cool, but with such concentration. For some reason I wondered what kind of faces he'd make in all sorts of situations. No matter what, I was sure he'd always be hot.

Wait… what?

My last thought had my face flushing scarlet and I tore my gaze away from him. That didn't last long though. Mere seconds and I was looking back at him, gripping my cup a little tighter when he picked up his own and had a sip.

He paused, staring intensely at his computer before taking a second sip. "Thank you." He hummed and shifted his gaze towards me. "How did you know I like it black?"

"Just a hunch." I smiled warmly at him, definitely not blushing. Who am I kidding—my face was hotter than my coffee.

Mr. Todoroki continued to watch me and soon a small smile appeared on his face. "A leap of faith. You have good instincts."

"I like to think so." I shifted in my seat slightly and crossed my legs, trying to hide behind my cup but I wasn't so sure it was working out.

"Modest, too. It's a shame you said I was a really nice guy."

A shame? I blinked at his words, tilting my head slightly in confusion. "What do you mean? You are really—OH! That reminds me," I set my cup on his desk and reached in my pocket to pull out the handkerchief folded in there and held it out to him with a big smile. "I had it cleaned for you. Thank you so much."

He glanced down at the cloth and then back at me. "That isn't mine."

"W-what?" I asked, stunned. How could he even think that? Did he forget that he gave it to me? We had a whole conversation about it though… more than once. "S-sir, it is. Yesterday… remember you—and I… it's yours."

"I've never seen it before." He said, his small break over as he went back to typing.

Never seen it before… "B-but sir… you loaned it to me and… and…" it has your initials on it!

"If I had ever given my lucky handkerchief to a complete stranger who had a rough day, I wouldn't want to take it back. It seemed they needed it more than I did." He said and gave me another small smile. "Not that there is such a person because I most certainly didn't loan it to anyone."

His lucky handkerchief.

Clutching the cloth in my hand, I pulled it back to me and held it against my chest. He wanted me to keep it, didn't he? That's what this was. A gift…

"I will treasure this." I murmured, feeling touched from the bottom of my heart. They do say it's the little things that feel the biggest.

"I don't doubt it."

I really could have burst into tears, never expecting to meet someone so kind. He'd given me a wonderful opportunity and only proved to me more that he really was nice and thoughtful. I stared at the handkerchief in my hand, toying with the end between my thumb and index finger while Mr. Todoroki worked.

Even with his incredible speed, it still took another three hours for him to finish typing up the novel. By then, we'd finished the pot of coffee and I'd busied myself moving the pages for him as he went. When he finally finished, I straightened the papers and placed them in the large envelope they belonged to. It was almost one in the morning, but after all the coffee and excitement, I wasn't tired. I was raring to go and eager to learn more about my position—and hear his thoughts on my editing, since he had yet to say anything.

"You're so fast, sir. I can't believe you finished it tonight." I smiled sweetly at him. "Would you like me to file this or do you need it out?"

"You may file it." He said and leaned back in his chair, eyes on me. "You're certainly on a roll tonight, Mr. Midoriya."

There was something really intimidating about him when he was all eyes on me—something that made my face turn red and my gaze avert. I quickly took the envelope and walked over to the filing cabinets, looking through until I found the correct place to put it. Everything was alphabetized so it made it simple to figure out.

"I haven't done anything…" I mumbled, not sure how to feel about him thinking highly of me. Was he thinking highly of me? Was this praise… I liked whatever it was, for sure, but I didn't know what was happening.

"And there's that modesty again. I already knew you had the makings of a great editor, but I didn't expect you to be so attentive." He said and then added, "But now that I think about it . . . I shouldn't have been surprised at all."

"Shouldn't have been surprised… makings of a great editor… w-what do you mean?" He was being too nice now. Any more and I may overheat.

Mr. Todoroki shrugged in response, but his eyes were gleaming. "Let's just say I'm very observant. You'll do well here."

There was something more going through his head, I was certain of it. Still, I had no way of knowing what thoughts he was having and no matter how badly I tried to figure it out, I came up with nothing.

"I will do my best, sir." I promised him while moving to take my seat once more.

"Good." He said, sitting up straight. "Now let's have that discussion I owe you. As you know, the internship is being my personal assistant. You'll be expected to accompany me throughout the day and act as my liaison in order to help prevent miscommunications like today. I can't spend all my time repeating myself or hounding employees to do what they should already be doing. Aside from that, your focus should be on learning and gaining as much experience as you can."

It seemed that I would be even more important than I thought. Truthfully, I expected to be running around and catering to Mr. Todoroki's needs. Coffee. Food. Other things. But he was keeping me to really lighten his load and that was gratifying. I would get to be hands on and really learn some things. This was so much better than I expected.

"I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity and I promise I won't let you down. As this is very important to my growth as an aspiring editor, I would like to work full time here and just take shifts at the restaurant when I'm not needed here. With my classes, some I'm taking online and some are on campus. My campus classes are Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, but I could try and switch to evening classes if you need me to. I'm sure you may need me in the mornings—or all day. I will have to discuss things with my professors, maybe they have a suggestion or two.

"I could possibly even do more online so I don't have to go in as often. Or, if you don't really need me on the weekends, I could do school and my other job then… but wait, I'm not sure. Weekend classes on campus are unlikely due to my courses. I suppose I could still ask, that wouldn't hurt. Maybe the evening classes would be best after all, or I could even try to have one longer day and then have more time to be with you. That wouldn't do at all though, that could take up an entire day when you would—"

"Izuku." He interrupted. "You don't have to worry, we'll work around your school schedule. My work weeks are Monday through Saturday, but it's up to you whether you want the weekends off to take shifts at your other job. As long as I can contact you during the week when you aren't able to be here, and you work hard and keep up on your duties, I won't have any complaints."

"So on the days I have classes, I'll just come in once I finish? And I want to work here, not there! I'll be here anytime you want me. Saturday too. I can work at the restaurant on Sundays. And… and I'm serious, I'll be so dedicated to being your assistant, I'm going to blow your mind."

Whoa. What am I saying? Whose confidence was this? Now I was blushing again, great. How embarrassing.

He raised his hands up in surrender, chuckling at me. "Easy, I believe you. I arrive at the office at seven every morning and you can come by when you can on the days you have classes."

"Got it. I'll be here by seven every other day and after classes I should arrive a little after lunch time." I would just focus on my online classes after work at night. Easy.

"It's decided." He stood up from his chair and slipped his suit jacket back on. "Well, I've taken too much of your time already and we both need some rest. I'll drive you home."

Drive me home? "W-what? No, sir. That's okay." I shook my head quickly, not wanting to be a burden to him. My home was probably way out of his way. "Oh, but there aren't any buses at this hour and… that is a far walk. It would take at least an hour—probably two. It's also dark and scary out there. I would hate to have to walk all the way home, but cabs are running! Yeah. I'll call a cab."

Mr. Todoroki walked over towards the door, pulling it open. "Come along, Mr. Midoriya. We'll pick up some food on the way. I'm starving."

"Ooh! Food, you say?" I beamed, hurrying behind him. My stomach was rumbling just at the thought.

I hadn't eaten since lunch and even that was a small portion. My excitement dimmed when I remembered that I was under strict orders from myself not to eat out. The power bill was due in just a few days and money was tight. I couldn't be careless, my mother was depending on me. When I thought it safe, I pulled out my wallet for a peek and realized take out was out of the question for me.

As we stepped into the elevator, I tucked my wallet back in my pocket. Hopefully with my new position, I wouldn't have issues like this in the future, but for now, this is how things were. It wasn't a big deal, I would find something at home, I just didn't want to embarrass myself by having no spare money—or by him seeing the small apartment building I lived in. Regardless, I was thankful for his kindness and happy to tag along with him on any stop he needed to make on the way.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two— Shoto

The car was silent as I drove along the empty streets to the small diner I liked to visit. It was really late and I didn't want to keep Midoriya for much longer, but I wanted to make sure he ate at least. He had saved me some time by assisting me and helped ease my headache from dealing with incompetence all day. There were a handful of employees that lacked common sense and attention to detail, but for the most part the company was run by capable and hard working staff members.

It was a trying and long journey to straighten out the mess my father had given me, but now the publishing company had a respectable reputation both behind and in front of closed doors. I had made the place my own and built strong relationships with writers and editors all over the world. It had become my passion and my escape, my safe place that sometimes drove me up the wall. I enjoyed it all the same though and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Things had gotten a lot more stressful than usual with my previous assistant and I knew what the cause was. She wasn't as discrete or as subtle as she thought she was and very few people had the ability to pull one over me. There was no other choice but to get rid of her, although the woman's snide comment about Zaru Soba was the final nail in the coffin. The suggestion to take on an intern was more than welcomed by one of my top editors, Momo Yaoyorozu.

It saved me the trouble of having to search for someone and it was a fresh way to bring striving editors into the mix. Of course I wouldn't have taken just any intern, but I agreed with the idea of training and educating the next generation. They may well be working for me in the future as long as they possessed the drive and required skill set. I certainly thought that was the case for Midoriya and had high hopes for him. His resume was admittingly and pleasantly impressive, easily standing out above the others that had applied for the position.

Meeting him in person really sealed the deal, I was quite taken with his personality. Shy and awkward, but genuine and dedicated. It wasn't hard for me to judge his character and I thought we would get along well. Then there was an uncanny charm about him that I was sure he was completely ignorant of. Wild virescent curls that complemented greens orbs, an endearing smile that lit up his whole face. I didn't have a type per say, but I did have a secret thing for freckles. Midoriya was cute and oh so naive.

I wouldn't deny or fight the attraction that overcame me, but from what little I had seen, the young intern barely had any defenses. It wasn't in my nature to take advantage and I had never been interested in anyone I worked with. However, outside of the office and off the clock I couldn't be bothered with rules and regulations. My mind was made up, I was simply a man with a desire to seduce Izuku regardless of the consequences.

My gaze flickered over to Midoriya after I parked in front of the diner and cut the engine. "Have you ever been here before?"

He looked at the diner ahead of us, green eyes wide and excited. "No, sir. Never. It looks really nice and wholesome… like probably a place families can come but couples too and friends I mean… or… or colleagues like us…"

I nodded in agreement, unbucking my seatbelt. "Or people on dates." I mused and got out of the car.

Midoriya didn't move from his spot in the car, but I could see that brain of his working hard, his lips mulling together every few seconds. I came around to the passenger side and opened the door for him.

"Shall we?"

"Y-you didn't have to open my door." He stammered, cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as he scrambled to exit the car, meekly peeking up at me before averting his eyes and blushing harder. "S-sorry."

His behavior was both endearing and adorable, but I refrained from teasing him too much for now. "Don't worry about it." I told him and shut the door.

After locking the vehicle and activating the alarm, I led the way inside the blue and white building. There was only one other person seated inside which left us with plenty of space to choose from. I settled on a booth and passed one of the menus over to Midoriya once he sat across from me.

"Order whatever you like." I said as I took off my suit jacket and proceeded to roll up the sleeve of my shirt.

Midoriya flipped through the menu with furrowed brows and lips settled in a flat line. His thinking face was back but his expression softened when he reached the back of the menu where the drinks were listed. He held the menu up close to his face, peeking over it at me with a shy smile.

"They have tea…"

"Hm." I hummed thoughtfully and studied him. Knowing he wasn't the type to take from others, I had my suspicions of what was going on in that head of his. "It might be small, but they have a wide variety of things here."

I caught sight of his lower lip jutting out before his face disappeared behind the menu. "Y-yeah, I see… I'm just not very hungry or anything and the tea looks really good on the menu… I've never had this kind of tea before so I want to try it and it's not overly expensive or anything so I think it will be okay to try it. The black tea looks okay too, but this green tea is almost fancy and I'm content having only the tea—it's not a bad choice in my personal opinion but—"

"Izuku." I interrupted, amused. His ranting was truly telling. "Like I said before, order what you please. It's my treat."

He dropped the menu flat on the table, revealing his bright red, freckled cheeks. "I couldn't possibly… that would be like—what you said before—and I never intended to… I mean, not that I would mind it or—ah no, no, that's not what I meant to say at all. I just, I'm okay. I'm fine. I'm good. Tea is good."

"Relax, it's my way of repaying you for helping me and keeping you up at this time of night." I assured him, but didn't let the idea of a date go completely. "When it is like that, I won't be sitting across from you. Booths are better shared side by side, don't you think?"

"Like that?" He squeaked under his breath, blush darkening until he was candy apple red all over. His hands raised to his cheeks, holding them as he gawked at me. "I wasn't… I didn't mean to come off like… I mean I've never even done something like that. That's… with you… oh no…"

Oh yes. "If I didn't know any better, I would consider that an invitation, Izuku." I smirked, unable to help myself.

"Ah…" He covered his eyes, dropping his head. "I'm sorry… it was an accident… I—I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I wasn't trying anything f-funny."

I took it easy on him and let up. He was so fun to tease, but I didn't want to push him too far. "I'm not uncomfortable. It's quite the opposite in fact, but forgive me. I got a little carried away." I said and gently nudged his foot with my own in an attempt to get him to look at me. "Still in the mood for tea?"

Midoriya spread his fingers to glance up at me and nodded slowly. "Y-yes sir."

A waitress came over to take our orders and collect the menus, but I was quick to speak for the both of us. Midoriya was worrying about the price and trying to pay for himself, but I wasn't going to give him the chance. I asked for water, some Zaru Soba, triangle cut sandwiches, a bagel and a cup of green tea. I could tell the intern wanted to protest, but the words seemed to die on his lips as I gave him a small smile. I wanted to show my gratitude and respect for a job well done.

It didn't take long for our food to be prepared and I was admittingly pretty hungry. There was no hesitation as I dug into my Zaru Soba after the waitress had delivered our meals, my stomach growling at the sight of it. Midoriya began eating as well and picked up one of the sandwiches. I was glad he wasn't resisting anymore, not that I would have let him. I could be exceedingly stubborn when it came down to it.

We settled into a comfortable silence even though I could tell his mind was still racing. He was the type to get stuck in his own head a lot which I considered to be a double edge sword. I could be the same way sometimes, overthinking things, but it never resulted in one of those cute and nervous rants he did. He really wore his heart one his sleeve and was so easy to read. It was refreshing having someone like him around and I felt like I could relax, even if it was just a little.

Halfway through the meal I got him to open up about his studies and asked about the classes he was taking. Of course I knew a good number of things from his resume, but I wanted to hear about it from him personally, watch his enthusiasm run away with him. I ended up keeping him longer after all and hoped he would be able to get some sleep before he had to get up. Once I paid for our food, I opened the passenger door for him to get into the car.

"Mr. Todoroki… y-you're really such a gentleman and you've been so kind to me." Midoriya stared up at me, eyes sparkling in delight. "You're really too nice and I'm so happy. I had a great time and I know I owe you a lot, but I'll pay you back and… and I'll work really hard to make it up to you. I'm really thankful and I just—"

This time, he cut himself off and flung his arms around me, hugging me tight while burying his face against my chest. I froze for a second in surprise and then slowly ran my fingers through his thick and soft hair.

"I'm flattered you think so, although if you insist on paying me back then I would rather you did it through hard work instead of money. I have enough of that." I said and then added in a warmer tone, "What I need is more people like you." Honest, dedicated . . . bright.

He squeezed me tighter and nodded against me. "I'll do my best." He mumbled, words muffled as he spoke into my shirt and continued to cling to me.

He was too sweet and I was trying really hard right now not to give him more than he could handle. "I'm sure you will." I said, hoping clinging to me would become another habit of his. I could definitely make it happen one way or another.

"Mmhmm." He sounded out happily, nuzzling my chest for a moment before he stilled and pulled away from me as if he'd been scalded, coming to the realization of what he was doing. "I—I'm sorry!" He screeched, bolting into the car and slamming the door shut.

It amused me to no end how quickly he could freak out and I tried my best not to chuckle at him as I rounded the car to get in. Once I did, I noticed Midoriya twiddling his thumbs in his lap and staring down, shy as ever.

"S-sometimes I get excited and… I know I was out of line but… you're just so sweet and really handsome—I mean, not handsome. No, I mean you are but I didn't mean to say that! Ahh!" He covered his face in shame and groaned. "Just kill me now."

"It's alright." I said and leaned over into his personal space, reaching my arm across to cage him in. "More than alright."

His hands fell from his face and his green eyes were blown wide as he looked at me. "W-whoa, sir… you… you're over here…"

"Mhm." I hummed, staring down at his flushed cheeks. Red was such a good color on him.

"Hm? Mhm?" He blinked rapidly, squirming in his seat. "But… b-but… you're over here."

I didn't think I could resist after all, he made it so easy. "And what are you going to do about it, Izuku?"

"M-m-me?!" Midoriya stammered, hands moving between his legs before they pressed together and he averted his eyes. "Wait… I… What's happening?"

"I'm helping you with your seatbelt of course." I said as my fingers grasped it and I pulled it over him before buckling him in. "Safety first."

"Oh… oh. Yeah, right. Of course. Of course that's all… that's what happened." He let out a nervous giggle and began whispering to himself. "Wow my head is r-really in the gutter… what's wrong with me… stupid."

Honestly, how had he survived until now? It was a mystery, but I would be more than willing to protect and educate him. I decided to give him a break before I started in on him again and typed his address into my GPS once he gave it to me. He lived on the outskirts of the city, about a twenty minute drive from the area the company was in. I pulled up in front of his apartment building and let the engine run as I stepped out. For the third time that night I came around to hold the door for him, but this time I pressed him against the car when he got out.

I raised one hand to his face and gently ran the backs of my knuckles against his cheek. "If it's alright with you, I'm going to kiss you goodnight."

"Me?" He whispered. "Goodnight kiss?"

"Well . . ." I trailed, lowering my head and brushing our lips together. "If you insist."

Midoriya sucked in a shaky breath, leaning back on the car and staring at me in awe. "S-sir," his voice trembled slightly, but instead of pulling away from me, his hands came to my arms and fisted my sleeves.

I pressed my mouth against his and kissed him chastely, admiring the soft feel of his lips until I couldn't help but dart my tongue out to lick them. They parted beautifully in a gasp and I did it again, trapping the bottom one between my teeth to give it a little nip. His grip on my sleeves tightened and a tiny whimper escaped his throat that had me swallowing a growl. It was rare that I got like this, that I was interested enough to pursue someone. It was out of my control with Izuku and I didn't try to resist the temptation.

This was far from a sweet goodnight kiss, but I didn't feel guilty about it. I deepened the kiss and turned it into something more hungry, more passionate. My tongue danced around his own and my body pressed him harder against the vehicle. He let me do as I pleased and could only moan quietly in response to my ministrations. I wanted to hear more of that voice and see how high I could make it go, but I wouldn't push my luck tonight. I continued to thoroughly ravish him for a few more moments before breaking for air.

By then, Midoriya's hold on me had weakened and his knees were trembling. When his eyes fluttered open, they were half lidded and glazed over in the more lustful of ways. He was completely breathless, stunned but still not trying to get away. "Kiss…" was the only thing he managed to say, completely at a loss for words it would seem.

"You want more?" I asked and let my hands fall to his hips. Maybe I would push my luck a little.

He chewed on his bottom lip as if considering it. "It's okay?" He asked under his breath, watching me carefully.

I answered with a peck to the tip of his nose. "More than."

"O-oh… Thank you…" He smiled shyly.

Shit. I really, really wanted to keep him. I dipped down and captured his lips in another kiss, smiling slightly when Midoriya wrapped his arms around my neck. I took it a little slower and massaged his waist as I caressed and sucked his tongue. He kissed me back but was hesitant and nervous in the way he went about it at first. As the seconds ticked by, he became more comfortable and gave a little more until his trembling knees buckled and he let out a shaky little moan that broke the kiss.

"Are you alright?" I inquired, admittingly smug about his current state. I supported his weight between my body and the car while my thumbs continued to rub his hips.

"Don't know," Midoriya breathed, green eyes flicking between my own and my lips. "Hot… really hot." His face was redder than ever and he shifted on his feet slightly, causing his groin to rub against my leg and he gasped.

I inhaled a sharp breath at the feel of his growing erection and barely stopped myself from pressing my thigh firmly between his legs. "You should head inside to cool down." I said and brought my mouth to his ear, whispering deeply, "But make sure you dream about me tonight."

He shuddered, a quiet whimper escaping him. "Y-yes sir…"

I didn't want to dive into how I felt about him calling me sir, especially in this situation, but fuck if his obedience didn't get to me. I wanted him. "Good boy." I praised before I stepped away.

"Ah, um… sorry again and t-thank you. GOOD NIGHT!" Midoriya shouted, skin blood red before he ran away and headed into the apartment building, disappearing from my sight.

I sighed at having to let him go and stared at his building for a few seconds before I got back inside my car. I wanted to take things further, but I would do things properly. I had a plan after all and needed to handle Midoriya with care. The ride home was filled with thoughts of my new assistant and the effect he had on me. It was admittingly surprising how taken I was with him already, but I had no trouble owning it. No one had ever interested me this much.

.

.

.

I was walking into my office at six fifty three a.m. with a large cup of coffee to compensate for the small amount of sleep I had gotten. Almost at the same moment I sat behind my desk, the door opened and Midoryia came in with his own coffee. He was also carrying a stack of papers in his arm that he proceeded to lay in front of me. I glanced over the first page and noted it was the contract I had planned to go over with a new author we wanted to publish.

I had sent him most of the information he would need before I went to bed, phone numbers, access codes and my monthly planner. If he already had this printed out, he must have arrived here before me and sorted out his ID with Ochako so he could link his devices with our network. It was good to see him ready and eager to get to work. I took a sip out of my cup to help energize myself and then set it down to grab a pen.

I immediately started reading the document over, making corrections here and there. Midoriya busied himself around the office for a little while before his phone went off and he silenced it. I could see him working on it out of the corner of my eye, leading me to believe he was already acting as the middleman between the staff and myself. He was certainly efficient and a hard worker like he promised. I gave him free reign and looked forward to observing his impact on the company.

I was finished with the contract in under twenty minutes, taking my time to make sure the wording was to my liking. When it came to matters such as this I prefered to handle it myself rather than have a lawyer take care of it.

"Type this up and have it recopied." I instructed when I was finished.

Midoriya slid his phone in his pocket and hurried over to me, taking the papers. "Yes, sir. I got it." He said, tone soft and green eyes looking pointedly anywhere except at me. As soon as he had the papers, he made a beeline for the couch and sat down, setting the contract draft next to him to pick up his laptop instead.

His behavior wasn't unexpected given his shy nature and the way his cheeks heated up as I continued to watch him was cute. I wouldn't distract him from his work however, and I had my own to see to. I turned on my computer and set my focus to my tasks and emails. A great deal of things needed my approval and while it meant I had to work quickly given the size of the company, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

The next few hours were spent in silence, the updated contract being set on my desk before Midoriya was moving about again. He exited and entered my office multiple times and made me another cup of coffee when I had run out. I came to a stop at ten am on the dot, the meeting with the new author at ten thirty. My assistant sensed the pause in my momentum and came to stand at my desk as I was closing out of some documents.

"Is the meeting room ready?" I asked and looked up at him.

"Yes, sir." Midoriya nodded quickly, facing me though his eyes were cut to the side. "Everything is ready to go. Would you… um… need a fresh cup of coffee or anything?"

"No, thank you." I declined, trying to hide my amusement. "Mr. Midoriya."

"S-sir?" His face flushed and his eyes briefly glanced in my direction before lowering to the floor.

"Breathe. You're doing very well." I told him, hoping to ease his nerves a little.

Somehow, his cheeks colored even darker and he shifted his weight on his feet. "I'm breathing… I'm fine. Everything is okay. Maybe one more cup of coffee…" He quickly turned on his heel and walked over to the coffee pot to pour himself another cup.

It was obvious his mind was racing again, occupied by other things. I decided I had made him wait long enough and addressed our previous encounter. "Were you able to get some sleep last night after you followed my directions?"

Midoriya's breath hitched and he fumbled with getting the lid on his tumbler, keeping his back to me. "I—N-no…"

"You didn't get much sleep? Or you didn't follow my directions?" I teased as I folded my hands on my desk.

He hesitated, feet shifting again where he stood, refusing to turn around. "No sleep. I couldn't…"

"Hm." I wasn't too guilty over the fact.

"W-well…" He stammered, tapping his tumbler with his fingertips while swaying side to side a bit. "A lot happened and I was just so excited and everything—I mean after that you know. That's what I meant, not that kind of excited but… well I was, just… I had to do something about it and—and I did but I was thinking so much and couldn't settle down so I made coffee. It was time to leave before I knew it so it just couldn't be helped but I did try, I promise I did… doesn't matter I'm not even tired anyway and all these thoughts—I just—"

I had gotten up from my chair during his rant and rested my hands against the counter on either side of him. "Izuku."

Sucking in a sharp breath, Midoriya stiffened completely and then gulped. "Sir…"

"If you turn around, I'm going to kiss you again."

"K-kiss?" He whispered, setting his tumbler on the counter with shaky hands. "Y-you mean… you want to?"

If he wanted to hear me say it then I would. "I do. Very much so."

"Oh my… I'm—you're…" He breathed shakily and slowly turned around to face me. For the first time, his big green eyes raised to gaze into mine while he chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "R-really? You want to?"

I pecked his freckled nose. "I want to." I said, not waiting any longer to graze my mouth against his. "And I'm going to."

He let out the shakiest of exhales through parted lips and raised his hands to cling onto my sleeves, knees beginning to tremble. When I finally kissed him, it was soft and subtle, but more than enough to make him melt into me. A soft and wanton moan sounded in his throat as he returned the kiss tenderly, being even slower and cautious too.

My arms went around his waist to pull him closer to me, but I kept the kiss sweet and gentle. I slowly explored his mouth and encouraged more sounds with teasing sucks. He fit so perfectly in my embrace and tasted heavenly. I was intent on making those lips blossom a pretty shade of red, not letting up for several minutes as we breathed through our noses.

I had to give him a break before he passed out though and switched to kissing the area right below his ear as he panted. "You smell like honey." I murmured against his skin.

"Mm… S-sir I—"

He cut himself off and didn't continue. "Feel good?" I supplied, taking his earlobe into my mouth.

Midoriya panted out a quiet moan, holding tighter to my arms, fingers digging into my skin. "Hot… so hot."

It was the same situation as last night and we had roughly twenty minutes before the meeting started. "That just won't do, Izuku. You can't accompany me to the meeting like this." I mused, nudging his legs apart.

Leaning back further on the bar to support himself, Midoriya breathed even heavier and looked at me with hazy eyes. "W-what are you going to do? I'm… I didn't mean… it's an accident… don't be mad."

"I'm not angry." I assured him. "But I can't have a potential client see you all hot and bothered. How would that make me look?" I asked, doing what I wanted to the last time and pressing my thigh to his groin.

"Ah! Oh…" He moaned, head lolling back. Holding onto me, his hips girated forward so he could grind himself on my leg. "S-sir, that—that's…"

I licked my lips at the sight of him and my mix-matched eyes dilated with desire. "There you go, just like that." I said and raised my leg higher. "You have to take care of it before they get here. Time is running out."

"Mmph… n-no… my clothes… I—"

The mental image turned me on more than I thought it would. "They'll get all dirty."

He moaned again and this time it was louder, not holding back and his hips moved more, his erection rubbing even more firmly against my leg. "L-like this? But…" He paused to try and steady his breathing. It only grew more erratic though. "But sir,"

I really needed to talk to him about calling me that under these circumstances, it made my heart beat faster. "I won't make you do anything you don't want to." I told him, being serious for a moment despite my arousal. "I'll stand perfectly still and let you decide."

"No… no." Midoriya whined. "I can't… I can't…" He said that and yet his hips were rolling steadily, eyes closed and mouth hanging open all the while.

I removed one arm from around him and brushed my fingers over his fly. "Do you want me to open this for you?"

"Oh no… yes. Yes, please. Hurry." He whimpered between his panting, his hands shaking as they still held onto my sleeves.

Of course I wouldn't really make him walk around with a cum stain on his pants, but I couldn't resist teasing him about it. It was easy to tell he was close, however, I needed to act quickly. I popped the button open and unzipped his pants before pulling the handkerchief from my breast pocket. Then I slipped it inside his underwear, cupping his cock and ready to catch his release.

"You're almost there." I said as I watched him fall apart. He was beautiful. "Such a good boy, ready to finish for me."

His head fell to my shoulder and he choked on a moan while he rocked into my touch. It was only towards the end of his orgasm when his voice finally came out properly, so soft and filled with bliss. Midoriya was shaken all over, knees giving out completely as he held onto me and soaked up the pleasure he'd just experienced. I cradled him against my chest and carefully removed my hand from his pants. Crumbling up the thankfully thick cloth, I put it in my jacket pocket.

He was so warm now, having heated up considerably and I did feel a little guilty about him coming when he was running on no sleep. I started rubbing his back soothingly and hoped I didn't push him too hard. He was so adorable that it was hard to hold back and not break him. I would continue to ease him into this, getting more and more obvious about my seduction. Nothing that we did in this regard would affect his internship although I was eager to see the attraction between us grow.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly after a few minutes and continued to rub his back.

"Mmhmm… sleepy." He murmured, his head still resting on my shoulder.

Scratch that, I felt very guilty. "Maybe a nap is in order." I said, glancing over at the couch. If I gave him a little bit of special treatment, no one would know. Besides, it was my fault he was up all night.

"But… the meeting…" He breathed, tone so quiet it was as if he was already drifting off.

"I can handle it."

"Mmhmm." Midoriya hummed, breathing evening out as he lost himself to exhaustion.

I waited a couple moments until I was sure he was sleeping soundly. Then I picked him up and carried him over to the couch, gently laying him down on the cushions. He looked so peaceful as he slept and I didn't want to leave him. Even still I had to and checked the time on my watch to make sure I wasn't running late. Three minutes before the meeting was scheduled to start, that was enough time for me to grab the contract and head down to the floor below this one.

It was honestly a bit strange for me to be this focused on something other than work and I blamed Midoriya's smile as well as his freckles for capturing my attention. I wanted to learn more about him and his life, his likes and dislikes and . . . and all those things I hadn't wondered about before when it came to anyone else. His time was limited between the internship, college and his second job. I couldn't and wouldn't distract him from working either, I wanted him to learn as much as he could from this company.

I wanted him to succeed and evolve his editing skills. There was of course a fine line given our positions, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of my plan and intentions. It was time for me to share my life and myself with someone . . . and I felt like I had finally found the right person to try with.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three— Izuku

Beginning my new job had been far more eventful than I could ever expect and it hadn't even been an entire week yet. Currently it was Monday morning and I was sitting in my second and last class, left leg bouncing and pen tapping against my chin anxiously. It wouldn't be long now before I would be heading to work—to Mr. Todoroki and I was so excited to see him.

For the first time in my life, I had a really, really big crush on someone—and that someone just so happened to be my boss who looked way too good to be true. He was so princely, in every way a man could be, but he was surprisingly sly and flirtatious. I hadn't expected that at all. My own attraction to him was immediate, even though I felt like I shouldn't be attracted to him at all. I didn't want to come off as awkward, but I was constantly doing the most embarrassing things that I would undoubtedly never forget.

It couldn't be helped. I was totally infatuated with him—anybody would be. Mr. Todoroki was perfect and so kind. It didn't make any sense but somehow… he liked me too. He touched me once, made me come in his office, but since then he'd done nothing more than steal a few kisses. Okay maybe a little more than a few, but still not nearly enough and I was so angry because I was just too shy to go for it myself.

No matter how many kisses he gave me, I was still too hesitant and always overthinking everything. That was a habit I'd never be able to shake. Even though I knew he liked kissing me, I didn't feel like it was okay for me to go for it, so I just left it up to him. Because this left those instances less than what they could be, I often dreaded it. It would be nice to be able to take the initiative, but it didn't seem like that would be happening anytime soon for me.

We were always working when we were together, but we spent a lot of time together doing so. Sometimes Mr. Todoroki would ask questions about me and he always listened intently as if he really cared to know more. I was happy to tell him and sometimes I got brave enough to ask him questions too.

So far I had managed to ask two questions. The first was a major fail that I would never get over. We were talking about lunch and I asked what his favorite food was. I should have known that Zaru Soba was his favorite. The interview question made so much sense to me now. I shouldn't have been so stupid not to already know it and I had wasted an entire good question on that.

The second question wasn't as bad, but it still wasn't good. It was a follow up question to one he'd asked me, about my friends and I told him about Kacchan. Kacchan liked to say we weren't friends but I knew that wasn't true. We had been friends since we were kids and he was a great guy. Loud and a little cocky, but still a great guy. So I talked about him and then instead of asking about his friends, I slipped and asked about relationships that were a little bit… closer.

He didn't even get a chance to answer me because the word vomit had me too embarrassed. I got so hot that it only took seconds for me to jump up and leave his office. I never wanted him to answer that. I didn't want to know. I was just going to pretend nothing like that was going on or ever had.

When class finally ended, I hurried on my way, my laptop bag around my shoulders. It was just lunchtime so I decided to pick something up before heading in. I got Mr. Todoroki his favorite and myself a special house bento from the restaurant he had taken me to that night.

It truly was like a date, one I would never forget. I was burning up half the time, but it was so worth it and that night, I had gotten my first kiss. That kiss was everything I could hope for and more. He was amazing, he literally made me weak in the knees and breathless. I loved it. It made me so happy, so thrilled. I wanted more kisses, but I still couldn't ask.

Those perfect lips were on my mind as I walked into his office. He was on the phone, talking about something to do with his schedule, but he was quick to end the call when I came in. With a shy smile, I walked over to his desk and placed the bag holding our food on it.

"Mr. Todoroki." I greeted him, knowing there was no use in fighting the blush that touched my cheeks. "Sorry I'm late."

"Mr. Midoriya." He greeted back with a small smile. "How were your classes?" He asked, curiously looking at the bag for a moment before his gaze was back on me.

"Boring!" I huffed as I reached into the bag and pulled his dish out slowly. After setting it down for him, I laid a set of chopsticks over it and then grabbed my own food, taking my seat across from him. "Basically consisted of a bunch of stuff I already know, which frustrates me. I want to learn new things and when they're not teaching me new things, my mind just wanders and wanders, next thing I know, I'm thinking up all kinds of things I shouldn't be—" oh no, the word vomit. "I—I mean, nothing too far out there or anything. It's… just you know, clean stuff."

Mr. Todoroki paused in digging into his noodles, a smirk slowly forming on his lips. "You don't say."

I shouldn't say anything! "That's… that's it. Boring day. Nothing special. But now I'm here, so I'm happy." That was probably oversharing a bit, but it wasn't anything unusual. I had a bad habit of doing that, it was common knowledge for anyone who knew me. I opened my lunch and separated my chopsticks to begin eating, staring at my food instead of him.

"It explains a lot." He mused almost to himself as he resumed eating his meal.

What could it possibly explain? His words didn't make any sense. Nothing was explaining anything at all! Or maybe… maybe he was seeing right through me and knew exactly what I almost gave away, even though I tried so hard to cover it up. Blood rushed to my cheeks and I shoved one of my sushi rolls into my mouth to keep myself from saying anything else ridiculous. It was eating at me though, even more than I was eating my food and I was chewing the sushi quickly.

"What are you trying to say?" I demanded, but my voice was not only small, but muffled as I still had a mouthful of sushi.

That was the end. I was ready to die. I couldn't take another second of this humiliation.

Mr. Todoroki chuckled at me before leaning forwards to wipe something from the corner of my mouth. "Don't worry about it, I'm simply observing some things about you. Thank you for lunch, by the way. I'll pay you back."

He was too much for me, definitely trying to give me a heart attack. It wasn't fair for him to touch me so gently or look at me like that… it made me crazy. It made me so hot. "N-never." I argued right away, somehow. The word just tumbled out of my mouth, but I was happy it did.

"Are you banning me from paying you back for things?" He asked, amusement clear in his voice.

"Maybe." I shrugged, trying to fight a smile as I took another bite of sushi.

"Hm. You've certainly put me in a hard spot here." He said, eyes lighting up. "I think it's only fair if I ban you from doing the same."

I gasped at that, almost choking on the food in my mouth but instead I swallowed it down, and that wasn't easy. I coughed after it was down and got my bottle of water out of the bag to have a few sips.

"Easy." Mr. Todoroki frowned, brow furrowed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm—fine." I said between coughs, but finally began to get myself together. "I'm okay… but… no."

He looked me over as if to confirm it for himself before he responded. "I'm afraid it's too late, I already banned you."

"No!" I scoffed, screwing the cap on my bottle and holding it against my hot cheek. Oh it felt good. "That's not happening."

"Well I can't revoke it. You know the rules." He said, taking a bite of his food in between. "No take backs."

"Heyyyyy," I whined, grabbing another bottle of water for him and setting it over close to him. "That's not fair… I don't need anything… ever…"

He shook his head. "Everyone needs something, but I will concede that money can't buy everything. Don't pout, Izuku." Mr. Todoroki said softly. "I'll kiss you after we're finished eating."

No he didn't. "What? W-well…" I certainly wasn't going to turn any kisses down, but he didn't have to just say it with such confidence. I liked it way too much. Pouting was inevitable whenever he did this to me. Teasing me so much. I wanted to tease him, but I didn't have the nerve. "Stop it."

"As you wish." He said seamlessly, another small smile on his face.

I didn't say another word, too busy eating my fill of my lunch. After almost finishing everything, I closed the bento box and placed it back in the bag before grabbing my water, refusing to look at Mr. Todoroki because I just couldn't handle it. All I could think about was the kiss he promised me. I knew he wouldn't take it back. A few moments later he was sipping his water as well, done with his own meal and I could feel his eyes on me.

It didn't surprise me that I was squirming in my seat, but I just couldn't take it. I had to look at him, feeling a little dejected that he was making me wait. The second our eyes met he patted his thigh, head tilting in question as his red and white bangs swayed with the movement. As if it was actually possible, I got even hotter and I was worried I may combust any moment, but my body moved on it's own. The desire for his kiss was too great to fight, so I rounded his desk and moved to stand next to him, heart pounding.

He stared at me expectantly and simply waited, although his hand reached for mine and threaded our fingers together. I swallowed hard, giving his hand a nervous squeeze. He wanted me to lean down here? Was I supposed to go for it this time? Or no, he obviously wanted me on his lap. I'd never sat there before and trying it seemed like a good idea, so since he was offering, I decided it best not to pass up the opportunity.

Steeling myself, I turned my body and carefully sat down on his lap, feeling all the blood rushing to my cheeks. I didn't care though, I wanted to be here. He continued to hold my hand as the other fastened itself around my waist. His grip was firm and his gaze was steady while he eased his head closer. Our lips met tenderly and he alternated between sweet pecks and lingering smooches.

It felt so good, not only did my lips tingle from every touch, but my whole body did as well. I missed it too much, having been thinking about it so long that I just had to kiss him a little more firmly, my free hand raising to cradle his cheek. He smelled so good and comforting, made it so easy to enjoy being so close and personal with him. The more we kissed, the more I got into it, not having time to feel timid anymore. Little hums that gave away my pleasure kept escaping me and eventually my hand slid back and into his hair, taking a hold of it while I pulled my other hand free to wind that arm around his neck. I needed to be closer.

Mr. Todoroki started to get more serious at my reaction and kissed me harder. The tongue that was quickly becoming familiar parted my lips and eagerly caressed my own. Fingers carded through my curly hair, soon coming to rest at the back of my neck when I received a teasing nip. The feeling of his teeth on my bottom lip was enough to have a moan rumbling in my throat. The rest of my body was beginning to react, or at least one part of me that I had hoped would remain hidden. I didn't want to embarrass myself again or be unable to do my job, but he just tasted and felt so good. It was too hard to pull away.

A haze of longing was overwhelming me—something he managed to make happen far too easily. I lost control, my body moving on its own to take what it wanted, scrambling around until I was straddling his lap instead. My lips molded against his again, this time taking the initiative and sucking on it. Then I gave it a little nip just like he had done to mine. A low growl vibrated in his chest and I heard him push some things aside before my back was suddenly flush with the top of his desk. He loomed over me, body resting between my legs, his mix-matched eyes burning. One hand was splayed on the hard wood at my side while the other cupped my member through my pants.

"Ah," I gasped, writhing on the desk, head falling to the side at the feel of his hand on me. I was so much harder than I thought and so sensitive. I'd never expected to have him touching me today—not like this. "S-sir, I'm…" I couldn't finish my sentence, both from embarrassment and from him suddenly giving my erection a firm rub, making me moan.

"My mind wanders too when I'm not careful." He spoke. "Although my thoughts tend to be a lot dirtier than the clean stuff you imagine. Right now, you're in the perfect position to bring one of my day dreams to life."

"W-what?" I panted, back arching off the desk when he gave me another rub. "Mm… that's… feels good."

He bent down, kissing the tip of my nose. "Izuku."

Oh, when he used my first name like that it really did things to me, making my skin tingle and my member throb. "Sir…"

"I'm going to make you come with my mouth, if you'll let me." Mr. Todoroki stated, fingers playing with the button on my pants.

What does that mean?! "J-just… from kissing?" I blinked at him, amazed at the idea of it. Not that it seemed impossible but I wasn't sure if I could handle it.

"Not this time. Try again." He said and moved further down my body until his head was right above my groin. His eyes flickered down to my erection and then back up to my face, smirking all the while.

Holy cow. Never in my life had I witnessed something more erotic and now a million thoughts were bombarding me all at once. "You mean… k-kiss there?" He couldn't be serious. My head rested back on the desk and I laid my arm over my eyes, panting with need and yet not knowing how to feel about kisses below the belt.

"I can do more than just kiss, you know." He pointed out and I could feel him tracing the outline of my member with his finger. "All I need is for you to give me permission."

Already I was a whimpering, quaking mess on his desk, but I wanted it. I wanted whatever he was willing to give me. Even wanting it though, I couldn't just tell him that! My face was already as red and hot as it could possibly be and my heart was pounding. Mr. Todoroki's finger continued to tease me, making my hips flex, trying to get him to give me more.

He was waiting though, determined to get his permission, so I bit my lip before murmuring, "Yes, sir."

Once the words were out, he quickly and easily freed me from my pants, grazing his lips against my cock. "So hard for me."

So hard. Really hard. His lips were so warm and soft and I was so sensitive. "Mm...Mmhmm." I breathed, gasping when he gave a little lick to my tip.

An almost inaudible groan sounded from his throat before he suddenly swallowed me whole. I almost screamed. The only thing that saved me from undoubtedly crying out loud enough to be heard outside of the office was because I moved my arm over my mouth and bit down hard on it, drool soaking my sleeve. I'd never felt anything close to this. Having him take me in like that—mouth so wet and hot. It was way too much, making my body spasm and eyes roll back.

His hands held my hips as he started sucking, not bothering to move his head. Then that skilled tongue curled and licked in a way that had to be illegal. My body wanted to move, but his hold on me was limiting and I couldn't take it. I could handle the feeling of his mouth on my cock like this—it was so much more intense than I was prepared for.

I wasn't prepared at all.

"S-sir," I whined, breathless and trying to find something to hold on to, but there was nothing within reach besides his hair and my own. I was too afraid to try and touch him, too blissed out to be in control and I didn't want to hurt him.

Mr. Todoroki slowly sucked his way up and left the tip of my member resting against his bottom lip as he spoke. "Patience, Izuku. I promise to take care of you. Make sure you keep that pretty voice quiet unless you want someone to walk in on us, seeing you all spread out on my desk."

In a desperate attempt to keep down my next moan, I bit my arm again, managing to muffle it slightly. He was way too much and my member was now pulsing steadily. If he kept this up… "Sir, I—" I whimpered against my arm, unable to say any more, unable to warn him that I was already so close.

One of his hands left my hip, traveling up until his fingers were at my mouth. "Suck."

I gasped, squirming my hips as I did as I was told, closing my mouth around his middle and index fingers and sucking on them. It made me even hotter and kept my mouth busy without me biting my arm.

"Good boy." He hummed before he was swallowing my cock again.

He took his time bobbing his head, sucking on his way up and licking on his way down. Oh. It felt so good—I couldn't hold out anymore and I couldn't warn him. My teeth closed around his fingers as my body thrashed on the desk, my orgasm ripping through me like an electric volt, hitting every nerve I possessed. My throaty moans were still relatively loud, but I was unaware. Just as I was that I was biting his fingers, at least until his mouth was off of me and the euphoria I was feeling finally began to wane.

"Ah!" I opened my mouth right away, cradling his hand to my hot cheek. "S-Sorry, sir… I-it was an accident!"

Mr.Todoroki was staring at me with glazed over eyes, lips slightly parted before he swallowed hard. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. My heart did a little flip at him calling me that, totally not expecting it. He said not to worry about it, but I was worried. There were little indents from my teeth in his fingers and rubbing them against my cheek wasn't helping at all. I didn't know what to think about that look on his face either, but I really liked it. A lot.

"I wasn't thinking…" I pouted, unable to help but feel concerned. I was doing everything wrong and it was embarrassing.

"You were perfect." He assured before tucking me back into my pants. Then I was pulled down off the desk and back into his lap, his chin hooking over my shoulder as he held me close. "Izuku . . . I want to ask you something."

Oh no. "Please don't fire me. I swear I didn't mean it. I was just… it was a lot and I've never felt like that before. Honest, I couldn't help it. I-it won't happen again, so don't be mad please." My mind was turning frantic with thoughts and I didn't know what to say to make it better.

"Shhh." He hushed softly and buried his face in my neck. "I would never fire you for something like that. What we're doing, it's separate from work. I know I haven't talked to you about it directly which is why I wanted to ask . . . Sunday . . . may I take you out on a proper date?"

Date?! I leaned back so I could gape at him, brows raising when I got a look at his face and noticed his cheeks had tinted red. Was he… Mr. Todoroki was blushing. He really was and it was quite possibly the best thing I've ever seen in my life.

He cleared his throat, glancing to the side. "You work on Sundays at your other job, but perhaps I could pick you up afterwards? If you want."

"You really… you mean that?! You want to go on a real date with me? Like… like when we ate together? I—I mean, I know that wasn't a date, but—"

"I'd like to consider that our first date." He interrupted me, gaze returning to my face. "Let me say this clearly . . ." He trailed off and brought his hand up to my chin, gently holding it between his thumb and forefinger. "I'm pursuing you, Izuku. And I won't stop until I have you."

My mouth fell open at the same time all the blood in my body seemed to collect in my face. He was intense. I wasn't ready. "Well… um… I mean I think I like dates. Yeah—I like them. I want to. Can we?"

"How did this turn into you asking me?" He asked with an amused smile. "Sunday then. I would love to go out with you and on more dates in the future."

Oh… Mr. Todoroki's smile was absolutely dazzling. I could feel my heart hammering against my ribcage and found that I couldn't look away. "Sunday!" I nodded excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. "My shift ends at four… and… and we can do anything you want! I can't wait, Mr. Todoroki. I'll do my best to be a great date for you."

When had I ever been this happy about something? Truly and honestly happy? It had been far too long… I could have cried, I was so happy, but instead I just winded my arms around his neck and laid my head on his shoulder. It didn't even seem fair to feel such happiness, but I couldn't help but soak it all up.

I had my first kiss. Apparently had my first date and was getting my second… and other things had happened too. So many firsts. It was amazing. I was so thankful for it all—so glad that I met him because he was the nicest man and so handsome. So sincere and thoughtful. Whatever happened, I didn't want to mess things up with him.

Mr. Todoroki rubbed my back, letting me sit and relax right on his lap for a long time while we spoke about what we might like to do on our second date and though I didn't know how, I managed to survive the discussion without overheating. Though I supposed if I could handle what happened on his desk, I could handle anything. Even if I was nervous and shy about everything when it came to him, I was determined to give him my all—both when it came to work and when it came to him… to us.

I just wanted to make him half as happy as he made me.

.

.

.

"Here you go, Izuku."

"Oh, thanks, Ochako. You're really fast." I smiled at Mr. Todoroki's secretary who was holding out a notepad with a list of author's I needed to contact back.

It really amazed me how many authors he worked with directly. He was so impressive and did so much, even with me doing all that I could to help him. I'd just finished speaking with Momo, the editor and was on my way back to Mr. Todoroki's office when she stopped me. It seemed I had a lot of phone calls to make, but the messages Ochako had taken were thorough in details for what the author's needed to discuss. She did her job well, as did everyone else I met and they made me even happier to be part of the team.

Ochako giggled and waved me off. "It's nothing, just better to get your messages to you as soon as possible."

"Right, thank you again." I smiled, giving her a nod as I left with the notebook.

Not wanting to disturb Mr. Todoroki as I knew he was currently engrossed in going through a barrage of queries from current and new authors, I made the calls outside of the office. He seemed more focused than ever, so the small lounge at the end of the hallway appeared to be a better option for me to complete my task.

I sat in one of the wide chairs by the window, taking my time speaking with each of the authors and making my own notes along the way. Most of them were just calling with updates on their current works and one was worried about meeting their deadline. It took a while to calm that one down, but I did. At least if they had a level head they'd be able to work more properly.

There were dozens of emails I needed to get to and my laptop was a necessity, so once I finished the calls, I made my way back into the office and found Mr. Todoroki in the same position he was in when I left. His eyes were glued to the monitor, his reading face impossibly hot. Yeah… I couldn't deny it even to myself. He was really hot and he made me hot. I wasn't sure how much more heat I could handle… yet I wanted more.

Closing the door behind me quietly, I walked over to the couch and sat down with my laptop, getting right to work. While he went through more and more of the queries, I went through all my emails from him of the ones he was interested in receiving samples of to reach back out to the authors myself… but so far he had only sent me two.

After taking care of those, I received a response from the first author, including their detailed summary and the first three chapters of their novel. I wanted to look into it myself, but didn't get distracted. I just forwarded the email to Mr. Todoroki and moved on to my next email. When he replied, I was surprised, but opened the email right away, putting the other on hold.

Mr. Midoriya,

Read the attachment and let me know what you think.

-Shoto Todoroki

Brows creasing, I read over his email four times before glancing over at him. Mr. Todoroki wanted me to read this summary and the first three chapters of this novel? And why was he communicating through email when he could just tell me? My eyes raised from my laptop to glance over at him, finding his gaze still locked on the monitor. I didn't know how I should feel about this, but I was excited to be given such an important task.

Deciding it best to keep my mouth shut and do as I was told, I opened the attachments and started reading the summary right away. The author's details were pitching the story perfectly and I was quickly excited about starting the story, even though it had been a while since I read any romance novels. It certainly sounded promising and it didn't disappoint me, only three pages in and I was hooked.

The story started out so soft and wholesome, in no time at all I was cooing and swooning over the story, also feeling giddy at how beautifully written it was. Once I got started, I couldn't stop. Even when I got the urge for a snack, I carried my laptop with me over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water and some grapes. The first chapter went by so quickly, I was amazed. I was eager for more, getting right into chapter two while I ate the grapes I had in a bowl next to me on the couch.

Chapter two seemed even better, the story transitioning and going through a time skip that was wonderfully executed. Then I reached the third chapter and a couple pages in, came upon something I wasn't expecting. It was my fault for getting over-excited as always. When I read the summary, I didn't mind little details like the fact that there were some rather explicit moments written out in the story. It wasn't even something I thought about until the first scene was at my disposal.

I felt naughty. It was wrong of me to be reading such lewd content in the same room as Mr. Todoroki, yet I couldn't not read it. This author missed nothing, explaining the situation so thoroughly I couldn't go on. I couldn't stop either. The scene itself should have been fine—I could take it. Only it wasn't fine! It wasn't fine at all. There was… dirty talk. It was good. It was really good, but it made me hot in every way imaginable. As embarrassing as it was, reading it was making me feel all these things, making my body react and I had been chewing my lip so much it was beginning to ache.

"Making progress, Mr. Midoriya?"

"S-sir!" I shrieked, the grape between my fingers flinging across the office as I jerked in surprise. He found me out. I couldn't tell him what was happening and I hoped with all I was worth that he couldn't tell how hot my face was. I couldn't even look at him.

There was a pause, followed by that amused tone of his. "Now you've got me curious."

"Curious… about… about what? N-nothing to see here!" I said, tone way higher than necessary. Groaning, I made myself as small as possible and tried to hide behind my laptop.

"Hm."

That's it? Sighing in relief, I grabbed my water bottle and held it against my cheek to hopefully cool me down as I returned to reading. This scene seemed to be going on forever, or maybe I was just reading slower than I normally would. Taking in these details slowly to process them properly was a must. Anybody would… right? If they didn't that was their own fault. This was gold.

Each sentence came off more enticing than the previous and I couldn't believe that even after what happened on Mr. Todoroki's desk the day before—I was getting aroused. At work. With my boss just a few feet away. I wanted to look at him, really bad… but I wouldn't make it if I did and I knew it. Time was just ticking by and yet here I was, still reading this scene.

I hadn't started it over… had I?

"Ride my face like a brand new sports car?" Mr. Todoroki quoted. "Never heard that one before."

No he didn't. The bottle of water I was holding fell from my grasp, breath hitching. That line was from this very story that I was reading, one spoken amidst a lot of action. Why was he reading it too? He was supposed to be going through queries. With a quiet whimper, I shrunk down even more, unable to comment on the phrase. I didn't want him to know what I was reading yet.

Unfortunately for me, he had already figured it out. "I didn't expect this to be the kind of novel the author wanted to begin with. Although this hadn't been an attempt to tease you, seeing your flustered expressions are a bonus."

"I-I'm not f-flustered!" I stammered, hiding my face behind my hands. I was definitely flustered.

"You most definitely are." He mused, smirk clear in his voice. "However . . . should I be jealous that someone else caused it?"

"Jealous?" I breathed. As if Mr. Todoroki would get jealous. Ever. "Don't be silly… there's nothing going on over here… you just—go back to work." Holy cow what did I just say?!

He hummed thoughtfully before responding. "As you wish." He said and then added, "But I'm quite certain this feeling is jealousy, even if it's just a little."

He was determined to tease me. I would hate to know what he'd think or say… or do if he found out about the erection my laptop was hiding. I got even hotter just thinking about it. Wiggling in my seat, I tried to go back to reading, but my arousal was only intensifying and I couldn't go on… No way I could go on like this. I wanted to be closer to Mr. Todoroki, I wanted him to make me feel good again—like these characters. There was no way I could tell him that though.

It was getting harder to breathe and impossibly hot in the office. Before long, I was opening the top couple buttons of my shirt, needing some air. I needed a lot of air. "So stupid… it's not fair. I hate this so much. Why am I like this?" I ranted my thoughts aloud without thinking, pouting as I stared at the naughty words on the screen. They were making me naughty. Having all these dirty thoughts.

Taking a chance, I peeked over at Mr. Todoroki and found him focused on his computer again. He wasn't looking, so I thought to move my hand to my erection and try to conceal it more, or get rid of it, but even my own touch made me whimper. What was happening to me? This wasn't like me at all.

"Not now… you c-can't do this." I whispered, whining the words as I was both disappointed and taken aback by my body's betrayal. My hand refused to pull away from my crotch, instead pushing down again and making me choke on a gasp. I was going to have to make a run for the bathroom or something.

A loud sigh interrupted my turmoil, but it lacked any real annoyance. "You tell me to work and then proceed to distract me. You're not being a good boy right now, Izuku."

Why would he say something like that of all things in the world? I frowned, staring at my laptop so I didn't make the mistake of looking at him, but I didn't want him to be upset with me. I knew I was wrong. "No… I'm really sorry, sir. I am a good boy." But I wasn't a good boy at all… he was right. Here I was, hiding my hand on my very hard situation.

"Then tell me, are you going to stop squirming and properly finish reading? Or are you going to come over here and let me handle you while I finish it myself?"

"Oh wow." He was only making me squirm more and there wasn't a chance of me being able to get up from the couch. I had a job to do anyway. "I-I'm fine. Really. I'll read it properly no matter what. You gave me this job and I won't… I won't fail." I couldn't give up, no matter how erotic things were.

"Hm."

Great, now he's mad. I just couldn't do anything right, but I would read this story even if I died trying. It was difficult because I'd never read anything like this before. Not with this amount of explicit detail. And definitely not around a man I was so crazy about. There was nothing I could do besides ignore my unyielding and ridiculous desires while pushing forward. With a newfound determination, I got through the scene and finished the third chapter, but my problem hadn't gone away. I couldn't move my laptop and it was hard to concentrate, but I took my time typing up my thoughts on the story as a whole, even chapter three which was way too much for me and then I sent it to him.

Maybe if he was busy enough reading that, I could make a break for it. Mr. Todoroki responded to my email just as quickly as he had before.

Mr. Midoriya,

I'll look it over, thank you for taking the time to review it.

-Shoto Todoroki

Way too fast! I grimaced and pulled my hand away from my crotch with great difficulty, forcing myself to think about anything that might make it go down. It wasn't working easily, but I was determined not to get caught. I had nothing else to say, too humiliated over the whole thing. But I had done my job and in the end, that was the only thing that mattered.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four— Shoto

I was a little disappointed Midoriya didn't take me up on my offer to help him take care of his situation, but it couldn't be helped. If he didn't want to then he didn't want to and it was as simple as that. I supposed he took my teasing seriously or he honestly wasn't interested and wanted to get his work done. I had really needed to get my tasks finished as well, but I wouldn't have minded making time for him.

It was easy to tell he was struggling with the erotic novel, but he powered through it and emailed the work to me when he was finished. The second he received my confirmation email, he fled from my office to undoubtedly take care of himself on his own. Again this caused a frown to appear on my face although I told myself not to take it personally. It wasn't up to me when or if I was allowed to touch him and I wanted to maintain that.

He could say no and resist me as much as he pleased, I didn't want him to feel obligated or pressured. My objective was to seduce him, not take advantage of him. It wasn't that big a deal anyway and I was perfectly fine with it. I respected his decision and didn't say another word about it when he returned. Instead I focused on my work and went over his review. I finished up around four, went to a meeting at five fifteen and was ready to leave a little after six thirty.

Midoriya was packing up as I stared out over the city through the solitary glass wall. I was going to drive him home once he was ready, mind drifting towards our date on Sunday. I already had an idea of what I wanted to do and had been admittingly nervous when I asked him out. It wasn't something I could explain, but asking him directly had brought heat to my cheeks and butterflies to my stomach. That was a first for me.

I couldn't say with complete confidence that I knew what I was doing either, but I desperately wanted to do well. Truth be told a lot of people found me boring and Midoriya might change his mind after he discovers more and more of me. Of course I hoped he didn't, but unfortunately that was out of my control. Only time would tell and I would enjoy the time we had now. My thoughts were interrupted when the phone started ringing and I went up to my desk to answer it.

"Mr. Todoroki, your father is on line one. Will you take it or should I take a message?" Ochako, my receptionist, spoke softly—always sounding a bit hesitant when she had to call in regards to my father.

If he was calling at this hour there was a chance it could be important, though I did love making him leave a message. He had no choice but to call the office since I refused to give him my cell phone number. It wasn't as if he called me for anything else other than business related things anyhow.

"I'll take it, go ahead and put him through."

"Very well. One second." She cleared her throat and the line went silent until line one started blinking red, telling me the call was waiting.

I pressed the corresponding key and almost immediately my father's voice carried through. "-ar utterly ridiculous. Are you there, Shoto?"

He already sounded irritated and I took joy from it. "Yes, father. What is it you wish to discuss? I don't have a lot of time, I was just on my way out."

He snorted, clearly unamused and I wondered when it had gotten so easy to rile him up. "I'm not in the mood for your impertinent mouth. I scheduled a board meeting for all the company heads next Saturday morning. I expect to see you here at eight a.m. sharp, surely you can manage that much at least."

"No, I don't have any plans that day. Thank you so much for asking." I stated dryly. When would he learn that I wasn't at his beck and call? "I'll be there." I sighed, knowing better than to leave him to his own devices, but if it turned out to be a waste of my time then I would simply walk out.

I hung up without waiting for his response and looked up to find Midoriya sitting on the couch. He was watching me, done packing his things and ready to leave. "Shall we go?" I asked and rounded my desk.

"Yes sir." He nodded, standing up and placing his bag over his shoulder as he walked to the door.

I followed him out of the office and we took the elevator down to the first floor. It was impossible not to think about what my father could be up to, his meetings having quite the track record. I couldn't really afford to miss them given the information I would miss. Even still, I tried not to ponder it too much. The walk to my car was silent and I turned to Midoriya once we were inside. He seemed to be in his head again, probably thinking about what happened earlier with that new author's novel.

"Izuku." I called softly.

"Sir?" He voiced quietly, peeking at me before looking down at his hands in his lap.

I reached over and cupped his cheek, kissing his nose before suggesting, "How about we stop by that diner again for dinner?"

Midoriya blushed and blinked at me, big green eyes turning wide. "Dinner? Not a date? I think that's okay… I mean, if you want to."

"A dinner date." I clarified as my thumb stroked his cheek. "A bonus date before Sunday. What do you think?"

"Mmhmm. I like dinner and dates." He told me, voice trembling slightly from nervousness.

Cute. I gave him a small smile, hoping it was reassuring and would help settle him. Then I pulled away to start the car and backed out of my parking space. Once we got out to the road, I kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other threaded my fingers together with Midoriya's.

His free hand rested next to ours, fingers tracing over my knuckles slowly. "I'm sorry I was so unprofessional today… I don't want to be that way. Really, I'm just not used to things like that, but I know over time I could be. Even though I was a little… flustered, I hope you found my review appropriate and detailed enough to help you make a decision moving forward with the novel. I'm going to do better for you, no matter how hard it is. I'm still growing as a person and learning new things—a lot of new things since we met. I'm really happy about it, really happy. But I can't help how I react sometimes and I'm bad. I'm so bad. All these thoughts all the time—I just can't shut them off and I don't know what to do about it but I'm not going to give up or give in. Even if—"

"Izuku." I interrupted. I suspected there might be a misunderstanding, but I was glad he told me how he was feeling. "I have absolutely no problem with what happened or your performance. I was only teasing you and offering an invitation to help you out. I'm sorry I made you feel like you weren't doing a good job, sweetheart. The review you wrote was well done and objective when it came to editing. It has made my decision about the author and their novel a lot easier." I told him, stroking the back of his hand with my thumb. "And I adore your reactions, you know. I strive to get them any chance I get. Honestly, I'm the bad one."

"N-no you're not. You're so sweet and nice… I think you're perfect. I'm the one who got—well—you know, j-just from reading…"

I still felt a little jealous over that. "Hm. It's a good thing you're on the shy and timid side, otherwise you could make me like that without lifting a finger." I confessed, trying not to think about it too much. "And I'm far from perfect, but thank you for saying so."

Midoriya began picking at my fingertips with his own, shifting in his seat slightly. "You mean… sometimes you get shy too?" He asked carefully, continuing to play with my fingers.

I had only gotten shy once, but who's to say what the future would bring. "Shy and aroused." I said unabashedly.

"A-aroused?" He whispered after a gasp, fingers halting their movements. "So then… there's nothing wrong with it? It's okay that it happens…"

"More than okay." I assured and glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "You don't ever have to worry about that."

The look on his face said he would still worry, brows furrowed and lips mulling together. "Not at work though… that's bad. I shouldn't be so… I don't know."

"Shouldn't be so what?" I asked curiously, able to look at him now that we were at a red light.

"...bad." He mumbled, turning his head to face the window next to him.

Realizing what he meant and why he kept using that word, I mentally kicked myself for not noticing it sooner. "Shit. I didn't mean that you were really bad, I was trying to say you were naughty. But in a good way. You're still my good boy, Izuku."

Breath hitching, Midoriya squeezed my hand and turned his head back to face me. "You mean it?"

"I mean it." I said and leaned over to place a soft kiss on his lips.

When I pulled my lips back a bit, his parted further and he breathed in shakily. He moved in, just a bit as if to kiss me again, but then stopped and pulled away to straighten himself in his seat. I chuckled as he tried to fight off a pout and looked back to the road as the light turned green. Another glance confirmed the obvious, his expression the one he tended to wear when he wanted me to kiss him. Not a sweet one, a real kiss that would leave his knees weak.

"After dinner I'll give you your dessert." I promised him.

"Oh?" He squeezed my hand again. "Umm… we had such a big lunch though. I don't think I'll be able to handle dessert too."

I couldn't help but smile at his response. "By dessert, I mean me."

"Oh… whoa." He started wiggling around again, raising his hand to play with his hair. "Umm…" he breathed slowly as if trying to calm himself and then spoke again, "do you… you mean like… you want me to do what you did to me?"

I certainly didn't expect that to come out of his mouth and I almost swerved in my shock. "Holy shit." I cursed. "No, I . . . well, that's . . ." I cleared my throat. "You're free to do as you wish, but I was referring to making out."

"Oh… oh no. See what I mean?!" Midoriya whined, palming his face. "I think—I'm a pervert."

If I wasn't still in shock from his words, I would have laughed at that. "What's wrong with that? I'm quite the pervert myself when it comes to you."

He didn't say anything in response, too flustered and embarrassed to do anything but cover his eyes with his hand. The other still held on to mine and I could hear the subtle shift in his breathing. It was apparent he was having another one of his thoughtful moments, mind racing again. I left it at that for the rest of the car ride and gave us both a break before we overheated. Soon we reached the diner and it was a lot busier than last time, only a few parking spaces open. A hum of indistinct chatter filled our ears once we were inside.

I asked for a booth like last time, pleased to find that they had one free. We were seated in the back of the diner and I sat beside Midoriya instead of across from him. He looked surprised that I'd chosen to sit next to him and slid closer to the wall as if I needed more space.

"I didn't know you wanted this side, sir." He said as he fiddled with his thumbs in his lap, cheeks red as ever. "Do you… do you want me to move over there?"

"No, this is perfect." I said as I picked up the menu, thinking about going with something else other than my favorite tonight. "Hm. Tantanmen? I don't remember this being on the menu before, it must be new." I wasn't familiar with the dish either.

"Oh, I've had that before." Midoriya smiled at me, scooting back closer to peer at my menu instead of opening his own. "I think I'll have the Katsudon though. It's my favorite."

I quickly filed that information away for later. "It is really good." Not as good as Zaru Soba of course, but still delicious.

I waved over a waitress and we ordered, both of us getting water to drink. I asked him about how he was settling into the company, what he thought so far of the staff and things like that. His green eyes lit up as he started rambling on about work and how much he was learning. He was excited and grateful for any chance to edit, handling the editors themselves with a persistent but not overbearing attitude. He was absolutely adorable when he got like this and I silently listened to his experiences thus far. The conversation paused when our food arrived however, smelling fantastic.

Midoriya didn't wait to stuff his cheeks and I was momentarily distracted by the image he made, happily chewing with content little hums. If I had been paying more attention to my own meal, I would have realized that the Tantanmen wasn't at all what I thought. All it took was one bite and my tongue was on fire. At first I was frozen, helplessly clenching my hands as my eyes began to water before I reached for my drink. I downed half the glass to cool my burning mouth and a curse fell from my lips.

"Mr. Todoroki," Midoriya called, his face suddenly right next to mine. He was blinking at me, green eyes big as always, but filled with concern. "What's the matter—your face is all red." He frowned and brought his hand up to cup my cheek. "Oh no… are you—you're having an allergic reaction, aren't you?" He gasped, beginning to panic.

"No, no." I assured and leaned into his touch. "It's just spicy . . . I can't do spicy food." It had been a long time since someone fawned over me like that.

"Oh no… I should have told you it was a spicy dish. I'm sorry." He rubbed my cheek softly while pouting. "Do you need anything?"

Well, if he was offering. "Kiss it and make it better?"

His complexion turned even redder than mine and he bit his bottom lip as if thinking it over. He looked conflicted and even a little worried, but after a moment he leaned closer and pressed a light, soft kiss to my cheek. Then he backed away, pulling his hand back to himself as I sat there in surprise. I didn't think he would actually do anything.

"S-Sorry… I know that didn't help. Um… w-we can share mine. It's not spicy or anything. I wasn't too hungry anyway, so I'd never finish it all. You can have as much as you want." He slid the bowl between us, staring out the window with his face turned completely away from me. "The rice—have some rice. It should help. I'm sorry I didn't think of that sooner."

A smile started spreading across my face, but I cleared my throat and schooled my features. "It would be wasteful not to finish it. Perhaps I could manage . . . the bowl isn't too big."

"O-oh… no. Here!" He slid his bowl further over to me and then took mine for himself. "We can switch."

I felt guilty taking his favorite food away from him, but was grateful for his solution. "Thank you, Izuku. I'll make it up to you."

"There's nothing to make up, sir. This is fine. I-I'm happy if you are."

He was so sweet. Still, I would do something for him in return. The rest of the meal went well and I insisted on paying again, telling him that the day he took me out on a date to eat, he could pay for the two of us. Next I drove him home to his apartment and kept him outside as I gave him his promised dessert. Needless to say his lips were beautifully swollen by the time I let him go inside, feeling extra greedy tonight. I simply couldn't get enough of him.

Work went on as per usual, although I toned down my teasing and tried to leave it for after hours. I doubted I could resist everyday and would be tempted whenever we were alone, but I would do my best not to make things hard for him. Literally. It helped that I was a little preoccupied with the details of our date and making sure nothing got in the way of it. When Sunday finally came, I drove over to Midoriya's second job dressed in black jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. I parked at the back of the upper class restaurant and debated on whether I should go in or not.

He still had another ten minutes and I could send him a text instead, but I wanted to see another side of him that I hadn't witnessed yet. Ultimately I decided to head inside and went through the unlocked back door. It led to a break room littered with lockers on the wall and a table in the center. The place was very clean, almost brand new looking, but my focus quickly shifted to the open doorway. Lots of voices were calling out to each other along with the sound of flames and clattering dishes.

I entered the doorway and leaned against the frame, staying out of the kitchen as I watched masters at work. There were plenty of people moving around and I kept my eyes peeled for Midoriya.

"Deku! Get your ass over here!"

My gaze cut to the spiky haired blond that had yelled. Soon a familiar mop of curly hair was standing in front of him, his waiter uniform making my mix-matched eyes travel lower. Who knew it would suit Midoriya so well? The waist apron certainly made a difference.

"What is it, Kacchan?" Midoriya asked, looking up to the man who had what appeared to be a permanent scowl on his face. I recognized the nickname of his childhood friend, but was confused as to why the blond referred to him as Deku. As far as nicknames went, that wasn't very friendly.

"You forgot the side sauce. Take it." He handed over a small saucer with a bowl on it.

"Oh, sorry about that. No problem." Midoriya smiled and quickly left to complete his task.

He was hard at work here as well and I could tell he gave everything he did one hundred percent. Glancing down at my watch to check the time, I figured this spot was as good as any to wait and I wanted to see more of waiter Midoriya. Although a few minutes later my presence was noticed.

"Uh, hey there." A young man with attire similar to Midoriya's moved to stand before me. He had red, spiky hair and a toothy grin. "Are you the health inspector?"

I huffed at the question, amusement clear in my tone. "No, I'm not. I'm here to pick up Izuku." I explained briefly and wondered if the two were friends.

His brows raised in surprise. "What for?" He asked, sounding worried and suspicious.

"A date."

"Date?" He repeated, looking even more surprised, but after a few seconds he started laughing. "That's funny, Bro. Midoriya doesn't date."

I hummed naturally and crossed my arms over my chest, still leaning against the doorframe. "Midoriya didn't date, but now things have changed. Progress is good, isn't it?"

The redhead continued to laugh until he snorted and then finally began to settle down. "Stop fucking with me. You're funny. But I'm watching you, Bro." He gave me a look and then walked away, going over to that gruff 'friend' of Midoriya's.

"Kacchan," Midoriya came back, still smiling brightly. "They have everything now. Sorry again. I'll be leaving now, if everything is okay."

"Everything is not okay, Deku." He turned on Midoriya, holding a pair of tongs toward his face. "The hell is shitty hair talking about—you and a 'date'."

"Ah." Midoriya flinched, taking a nervous step back. "What are you talking about? Who said anything about a date?" He started playing with the stings of his apron behind his back.

"Shitty hair. Didn't I just get that out of my mouth?" The blond scoffed. "Not that I believe it."

"H-how did Kirishima know… I never said anything. Unless… maybe it slipped. Oh no—I was thinking out loud again! Ah…" Midoriya released his strings to bring his hands up to his now red face and cover it.

The taller man smacked Midoriya on the top of his head with the tongs, making him blanch. "Deku," he ground out and Midoriya shook his head back and forth.

"Stop it! You're embarrassing me!" He went as far as stomping his foot, pouting before he turned on his heel and started walking away.

Midoriya was headed straight towards me, eyes locked on the floor though. He didn't actually see me until he almost walked right into me. Then he looked up, eyes going wide and face flaming.

"M-M-Mr. T-Todoroki." He stuttered, taking a shaky breath. "You're here—in here."

"The plan was for me to pick you up." I replied and looked at my watch one more time before uncrossing my arms. "Your shift is officially over, that means you're mine for the rest of the day." I smirked and kissed the tip of his nose.

I didn't care that the others were watching, I was more than willing to shove the reality of the situation in their faces. Izuku was more than capable of securing a date.

"Ah—holy cow." He whispered, putting his hands on my chest and pushing me back into the break room away from prying eyes. "S-sir, you can't just kill me like that."

The action had taken me off guard, turning my smirk into a smile. "What's this? Are you intending to have your wicked way with me in here?"

"Sir." He gasped, squeezing his eyes shut and smacking me on my chest. "You stop it. Right now."

I laughed, harder than I had in a long time, and hugged him in apology. "As you wish."

Relaxing into my embrace, Midoriya sighed and slowly wound his arms around my middle. He rested his head on my chest and breathed in deeply. "Hey. You smell nice."

"I'm glad you think so." I said and began rubbing his back. "How was work? Did you have a good day?"

"Yes, sir." He nodded and then tipped his head back to grin at me. "But it's a lot better now."

Cute. "That's quite the coincidence, I feel the same way." I told him and stole a proper kiss. "Let's get out of here so I can take you to the bo-" I cut myself off with a cough, almost ruining the surprise. "Our destination."

"Okay!" He giggled, pulling away from me and bouncing over to one of the lockers while untying his apron. "I'm really excited. I've been so distracted all day thinking about our date." Midoriya put away his apron and then pulled out a small bag and closed the locker. "I'll just get changed really quick."

"In here?" I asked, another teasing smirk spreading across my face. I would have to close the other door of course, but I wouldn't mind keeping him company as he got dressed.

"Wha—no!" He squeaked, gawking at me on his way over to the bathroom door. "S-somebody might see. There's a restroom just right here."

Shame. "You know I wouldn't dream of letting anyone else see you like that." I pointed out, just to be clear. "Go ahead. I'll stand guard outside the door."

"That's really sweet, sir. Thank you, but I won't forget to lock it this time. So, don't worry." He smiled and then went into the bathroom, the soft sound of the lock clicking a second later.

I stood outside of it anyway and leaned back against the wall as I waited. It only took him a minute to change and he came out wearing faded jeans and a green t-shirt. "You look nice."

"Really?" He looked up at me, seeming surprised but pleased by the compliment as he went back to his locker and retrieved his phone. "I mean… it's not like I actually do or anything. But I'm happy you would say it."

Well, I wasn't having that. "Why would you think so? If something suits you then it suits you, it's as simple as that. And I find those clothes attractive on you."

Midoriya closed his locker and smiled shyly at me as he walked over. "It's probably because green looks good on me… I mean—I think so. Maybe not…"

"I think green looks great on you, sweetheart." I said and threaded our fingers together, gently pulling him with me towards the backdoor.

He came along, squeezing my hand. Once we were outside, he walked a little closer to me. "Um… I have something for you. But… I don't know if I'm going to really give it to you or not."

I chuckled, expression fond as I looked at him. At least he was honest about it. "I'll treasure anything you give me, whenever you give it to me."

"Oh wow, stop it. You make my face hot and hurt all the time." He whined and yet he was still grinning, rubbing his cheek with his free hand. "I don't know though. It's nothing special like your handkerchief. And I'm embarrassed. I don't want you feeling obligated or anything. Ugh. I shouldn't have even said anything. Stupid. I'm always thinking but never think things through properly. I don't know what my problem is. I'm sorry."

We reached my car and I was holding the passenger door open for him, but paused at his words. "You won't know until you do it and while I enjoy making your brain turn to mush, I happen to think you're very intelligent. Try it out and see, Izuku, you know I'll tell you the truth. I'm not so scary, right?" At least I hoped not.

"No, sir. Of course not!" He shook his head quickly. "I just know you're so nice and you probably wouldn't want to hurt my feelings or anything. So I just—I just need to think about it."

His statement wasn't entirely untrue. "Of course I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I'm not going to lie to you. A relationship built on lies never lasts and big or small I'm not willing to test it."

"Relationship?" He breathed, swooning a bit before plopping himself in the car. "Oh… I was just taking things the wrong way when I heard that word. We've always had a relationship. Maybe it's not always professional, but I know that's what you meant. I would never lie to you, Mr. Todoroki. I'll always do my best for you. I promise. I'm glad you want to be honest with me too so I know that I'm really doing okay."

The word had simply slipped out and now he was misunderstanding me again. "No, I didn't mean our work relationship at all. Not that I would lie to you in that instance either . . ." I trailed and cleared my throat, face growing warm. "I was referring to . . . well, you know . . . further down the line my intentions . . . and of course I would ask you first, but . . . I would like to hope we would become boyfriends and . . . shit, I'm fucking this up." I said and closed the passenger door before I could embarrass myself further with my little rant.

Even through the closed door though, I could hear Midoriya scream, "boyfriends?!" And he was in the middle of one of his own rants by the time I got in behind the wheel.

"—expected this to happen in a million years. He didn't mean it like that. No way. I know better. B-boyfriends… nothing like this has happened before." He fussed with his hair and flopped his head back against the headrest. "I would be the worst. How could this happen to me?"

I apparently set off a bomb inside his head and was not prepared to deal with it. "Izuku." I called and reached for his hand after I started the car. "One thing at a time. Today, let's just focus on our date."

He stilled, even holding his breath as he hesitantly looked over at me. "So then… you didn't—never mind."

"I'm not in the habit of saying things I don't mean, but don't worry about that now. Instead I have a challenge for you." I said and put the car in motion, driving out of the parking lot behind the restaurant. "If you can figure out where we're going before we get there then I'll give you a prize. Saying the answer after you see our destination doesn't count, you have to guess before then."

"Ooh, Ooh! How many guesses do I get?" He asked excitedly, forgetting all about the whole relationship slip.

I thought about it, not wanting to make it too easy for him. "Two hints, eleven guesses, eleven questions and your time is up when we get there."

"Oh, wow. That's a lot! See you're so sweet, sir. Okay, okay. Give me one hint." He was bouncing in his seat now, all eyes on me.

Wanting a hint right away, he wasn't messing around. "It's related to sports."

"Sports?" He hummed and looked ahead at the road while thinking it over. "That doesn't sound very vague, but it is. Even trying to narrow it down is difficult. I think I'll need both hints."

That was interesting and unexpected. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes." He said quickly.

I decided to be a little more generous with this one. "We'll need particular shoes."

"Shoes… hmm…" His thumb tapped my knuckles as he thought it over. "Well that crosses out the idea of going to any games because shoes wouldn't matter. Now to play certain sports, we could need different shoes. You've never mentioned any certain sports that you're fond of or anything, but I definitely think this means we're going to be actively participating in the sport. Something fun, that we can play together without it being too difficult. You didn't say to dress any certain way and jeans are fine, so I don't think we'll be playing anything that involves running. That narrows it down a lot. Somewhere we could still be close and relax and have fun, because you would think about things like that. Aha! I think I know."

Maybe I did make it too easy, maybe Midoriya was just that smart, but I figured it as a mix of both. Guessing correctly on the first try, however, I was eager to see if he would succeed. "Alright, guess number one. Where are we going?"

"Oh no. Not yet. I don't want to use my first guess and I'm not going to waste my questions—that will take all the fun out of the game." He giggled and looked over at me again. "Is it inside?"

That was a good one. "Yes."

"Is it something that we will be competing at?"

"Yes."

"Is it something you like?"

A change in tactic? "Yes." I answered, wondering how much that would help him or if he just wanted to know.

"Are balls involved?"

Clever boy, he might be on to me. "Yes."

"Is this something we can do again sometime?"

"Yes." As long as I didn't scare him away with my . . . style. "Six questions left."

"Do you have to pay to play?"

"Yes."

"Will other people be playing there too?"

"Yes."

"Will we get to sit down together sometimes and take our time?"

As much as he wanted to. "Yes."

"Afterwards, can we go for ice cream?"

That threw me off a bit, but I supposed it was valid. "Yes. Two questions left." Once he asked them he would have no other choice but to start guessing. Not only that, his time was running out.

"Are the first two letters B and O?"

Shit. He had been paying attention then. "Yes. Although I should have taken that bit of information out of your number of hints."

Midoriya hummed and smiled at me. "Is it bowling?"

"Maybe." I answered, loving how smart he was.

"Hey!" He laughed, reaching over and giving my shoulder a light shove. "Don't do that. It is, isn't it? We're going bowling!"

"Hm, we're going bowling. Well done." I said and gave his hand a squeeze. We were less than a couple blocks away now.

"And I get a prize?" Midoriya was all smiles now, even lifting my hand up to hold it to his cheek.

I pinched it teasingly, but started rubbing the soft skin after with my thumb. "You get a prize. One request, and I'll fulfill it no matter what. Choose carefully and make sure it's something you really want."

"R-request?" He faltered at that, pulling my hand back down to his lap. "B-but that's—I'm not… that's not fair."

"Are you saying you'd rather have something else?" I asked him as I made the last turn.

"Something else? Ah… n-no. But… well, you know…"

I knew, but I wanted to hear him say it. "You can save it until you're ready, but just like anything else, if you want it you have to ask for it." Except for kisses.

"But sir. I'm shy." He whined, starting to pick at my fingertips. "I don't think I can make a request."

"I believe in you, Izuku. If it's something you really want then you'll work towards it. That's the kind of person you are."

Midoriya groaned quietly. "Yeah… that's true and I do… I really want it." His leg was bouncing anxiously now.

I waited until I parked the car before I responded. "Don't worry, I'm not going to change my mind and take it from you. There's no expiration date so take your time."

"But—but… I want it now though…" He pouted, cheeks puffing out as he peeked over at me.

Adorable. "I'm listening." I said and refrained from moving closer, it would only scare him off and I wanted to hear what he would request.

Releasing my hand, he raised his to cover his face and hide from me as best as he could. Then he mumbled something I couldn't hear.

"A little louder, Izuku. I can't do it if I don't know what it is." I encouraged.

"You're gonna make me say it again?!" He cried, words still muffled by his hands, though I was able to make it out.

"Well make sure I can hear you, sweetheart."

Lowering his hands back down to his lap, he pulled in a deep, slow breath and then released it. "Promise you won't change your mind… or—or laugh?"

"I promise." I said and brushed a stray hair out of his face.

"Okay, I… I just want—um… If it's okay… just a kiss."

I would have laughed at the irony of his request, but I promised not to. Of all the things, he asked for something I gave so freely. It was so endearing and I didn't have the heart to break it to him. He might have wasted his prize, but then again maybe not. It was the first time he asked me verbally instead of casting a longing expression my way. Hearing his voice utter the words, I was overjoyed.

"As you wish." I grinned, closing the distance between us and capturing his lips in a heated kiss.

They were as soft as always and I licked his bottom lip messily before sucking it into my mouth. Midoriya let out a soft, shaky moan and brought his hands up to my shoulders. He clung to my t-shirt, kissing me back tentatively as he leaned more into me. His touch was hesitant and unsure, but his hands soon loosened their hold on my shirt to instead slide up my neck. So soft and slow—careful. He was so careful as his hands cradled my face and he continued to kiss me.

His tenderness made me smile and I cupped the back of his head with my hand, the other braced the passenger door to support me as I surged forwards. Unfortunately I couldn't return his gentleness at the moment, I was too riled up and eager to please. Midoriya had curled back against the door, but his hands slid back, going into my hair and gripping tight as if to keep me in place. His lips parted for mine though he managed to keep up with my kisses and even went as far as timidly dipping his tongue out and brushing it across mine.

I groaned and dove my tongue into his mouth before snaking my arm around his waist. For once I let myself get carried away, bringing as much heat and passion as I could. I ravished his mouth with a wildness I usually kept contained and had him quivering against me. We made out for a solid five minutes before we broke for air, my body practically in his seat. I couldn't resist teasingly nibbling on his lips as we panted and I wanted to leave them a rosy red. It quickly led to more kissing however and I was on him again whether he was ready or not.

His taste was maddeningly addicting and he was so fucking kissable, how could I not reward his request with anything other than mindblowing? Midoriya was so responsive to each kiss, letting out soft little pleasured hums and purrs as he continued to hold onto my hair. I swirled my tongue around his at the same time I removed my hand from the door, sliding it down to the lever on the side of his seat. Then I pulled it up and fully settled myself over him as the seat went all the way back. The maneuver and motion wasn't as smooth as I would have liked, but I was able to keep our lips locked.

This new angle made it easier to situate myself and make the kiss even deeper. I wasn't cutting him any slack and gladly had my fill of him. When we parted for air once more, he looked absolutely appetizing with his flushed face and hooded, dilated eyes. He was perfect and oh so tempting. I wanted more.

"Was that satisfactory?" I asked, unfortunately needing to rein myself in before I got way too handsy. We were on a date after all and I at least wanted to make it inside the bowling alley before my hormones got the better of me.

"Mm. Mmhmm." He nodded, his whimpered response making his already flushed cheeks darken. "A lot…"

"Good." I said with one last lingering kiss. "Only the best for you, sweetheart."

"I-it was a… um… maybe too good?" He blinked at me, looking embarrassed.

A smirk appeared on my face, but I refrained from rolling my hips and teasing him. "There's no such thing."

"But sir," He groaned and turned his face away from me as if he could hide. "I didn't know… I wasn't expecting—I mean I just… and now I'm—oh no…"

He really had a way of making me reconsider, perhaps getting a little handsy would be alright as long as it was fast. "Do you want me to take care of you?"

"Ah," He squeaked, face blood red as he shook his head. "N-no, I'm sorry! I'm fine, really. Promise!"

"Hm. If you're sure." I said and sat up, adjusting myself so I could bring his seat back up.

Once I returned to my own seat, I decided to tell about the last time I had gone bowling as our bodies calmed. I knew the experience would be much more enjoyable with Midoriya though and hoped it became a memory he was fond of. I wanted to make him smile nonstop today, make him have fun without worrying about anything else. Today it was going to be just us.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five-  Izuku

Today was the day. Date day with Mr. Todoroki. It wasn't technically our first date, or even our second. But it was the first time it felt like a real, true date. Not that I didn't enjoy those dinner dates, because I did. I loved them. In fact, I loved any time I was able to spend with him and was always hoping for more. That's why today was perfect. Even though I had to work first and deal with a busy Sunday rush, I had been giddy all day thinking about it—about him.

It had been years since I'd been bowling. The sport was fun and I wouldn't mind playing more often, but up until now it had been just one of those things I couldn't afford to waste money on. Even before I started working, I never wanted to burden my mother when I was aware of her financial struggles. Raising me on her own after my dad's death wasn't easy and I respected her so much. That's why I would work my hardest. Not only for myself, but for her.

As Mr. Todoroki and I got signed in and rented our shoes, I looked around the very open bowling alley, the sound of people giggling and chatting mingling with soft pop music. The sound of pins being hit and scattering was the most prominent of all. Lighting was dim inside, but there were colorful fluorescent lights that gave the place an even more thrilling feel to it. The place even had an arcade in the back corner where I spotted many kids and some parents in there playing.

"Ooh." I cooed, grinning excitedly at the sight. I quickly toned it down and mentally scolded myself.

We were here to bowl, not to play around in the arcade and I didn't want Mr. Todoroki to think I was needy or anything. I wasn't like that… was I?

Once my shoes were given to me, I beamed at my handsome date and followed him to our designated lane. It was near impossible to contain my excitement as I set my rented shoes by our table and then turned to eye the variety of balls at our disposal. Peeking over at Mr. Todoroki, I smiled brightly at finding him looking too and grabbed his finger to pull him along with me.

"I hope I pick a good one!" I laughed, forcing myself to release his finger once we were close enough to test the balls. They looked big and heavy, but I was sure I could handle it. "Ooh!" There was a single green one among the bunch and I went for it right away, but was quickly feeling dejected at the weight of it. "Oh no…"

As quickly as I'd lifted the ball off the rack, I placed it back with a sulk. It was the prettiest one of all, but had to be the heaviest too. Way too much for me to play comfortably.

"Too heavy?" Mr. Todoroki asked and tried the ball himself.

"Yeah," I sighed, trying and yet failing miserably not to pout. "It can't be helped." There were lots of other colors, but none were as nice as that green one. "Maybe this red one…" I went for it next and found it to be a lot better, still having some weight to it without it being too much. It felt perfect when I slid my fingers into place. "Oooh! I think this one is okay."

"Alright, let's go get set." He said and tucked the green ball under his arm, apparently deciding on it.

It made me happy that since I couldn't use it, Mr. Todoroki could. I smiled and nodded as we went up to place our balls on the return so we could get our names added into the monitor. I liked seeing his first name up there and wasn't surprised that he put me in to go first. Since it had been so long, I knew I was going to be pretty bad, but that wouldn't take away from the fun of it at all. When everything was settled, we both changed our shoes.

"Guess I should get it started." I said as I stood up from the seat we were sharing. At minimum, I hoped I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of Mr. Todoroki—even if that had already happened multiple times.

After retrieving my red ball, I walked up to the lane and prepared to roll the ball. I didn't have an eye for bowling or anything, really I just had to hope for the best. My first try was laughable and I only managed to knock down a few pins, but I got a few more on my second try. The ball didn't go in the gutter, so I was thankful for that. Even if the first try didn't go so well, I couldn't shake the smile on my face as I walked back over to sit beside him.

"Your turn." I said, feeling excited to see him go for it. Mr. Todoroki would do well, he was the type to be good at everything.

He pecked the tip of my nose as he passed me and then picked up his bowling ball. I took a seat and watched him walk up close to the bowling lane, holding the ball with both hands. I was confused as to why he didn't use the finger holes and even more so when he bent over. Swinging his arms under himself, he rolled the ball forwards into the gutter halfway up the lane.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I hadn't been expecting this at all, but I had never witnessed anything so absolutely adorable in all of my life. I clutched at my heart, smiling wide as I watched him. He was so perfect.

"Good job, sir. The next one will hit for sure." I cheered him on, clapping quietly.

"I just need to get into my rhythm." He explained as his ball came back around. "And you know, since we're on a date and all, I would prefer it if you called me Shoto." He said with a lopsided smile.

I almost fell out of my seat. My heart was suddenly pounding, face turning hot. He really just said that. "I—I couldn't." I whispered, amazed that he had even suggested it. I really loved his first name, but it didn't seem right. He was my boss. He was older. Even if I tried, I would probably die every time and stutter more than ever.

"You most certainly can." He spoke with confidence before taking the green ball and repeating his unique bowling style. It went further this time, but still strayed and ended up in the gutter once more. "Damn. You're up, Izuku."

Definitely not, but I wasn't going to say anything else about it. He wouldn't understand that I would just die trying to call him that.

We got into our game and while I seemed to get worse after every try, Mr. Todoroki seemed to get better. The way he bowled really made me smile and think that he was cute, but once he warmed up he started doing amazing. The first strike had me clamping my hands over my mouth after yelling praises for him. Yet another time that I embarrassed myself around him.

I still did my best, but it seemed when he started with that first strike, he continued to get them—or at least a spare. His score was exceeding mine by a long shot. I wasn't surprised or dejected by the fact, I was just happy and I was having a lot of fun. Most of our conversation revolved around the game and him teasing me. It was never easy to handle his teasing, but that didn't mean I didn't like it.

On the contrary, I loved it a lot.

The further the game went, the higher his score stretched, leaving me in the dust before long and I had fun calling myself out while he kept telling me how great I was doing. We both enjoyed praising each other and it made for a very light and warm atmosphere. Bowling was fun, especially with Mr. Todoroki and I really hoped we could come again soon.

Once our game was completed, I showered Mr. Todoroki in compliments while he took my hand and pulled me along with him. I thought we were going to the car, but instead we hit the sidewalk and I looked up at him at my side.

"Where are we going now?" I asked curiously, though I was excited no matter where he took me or what we would do.

"There's a little ice cream shop down the road." He said and gave my hand a squeeze. "I'm taking you to get some."

I had forgotten about the ice cream, but the reminder had my whole face lighting up and I didn't hesitate to throw my free arm around him, bouncing in place and hugging him at the same time. "Oh, I'm so excited. I haven't had ice cream in a long time! Are we almost there?"

He chuckled at me and secured his arms around my waist. "Almost. You can see it from here."

"Where, where?" I asked, looking around without pulling away from him. He pointed out the small and retro-looking ice cream shop not far from where we were. "Oh my… this is—is this like another date? Or no… it's the same day so that means it's the same date. But really, if we're doing different things it doesn't seem like a single date. Maybe it doesn't matter but… but…"

He chuckled again, mix-matched eyes looking over at me fondly. "Our ice cream date. Two in one day sounds good to me, like a two for one deal at the supermarket."

"Two whole dates in one day." I breathed, amazed that the first one had happened, so two was really blowing my mind. Maybe I was a little greedy though, because I wanted a third. I didn't want it to end after the ice cream date. "Is two… a lot, you think?" I asked quietly, ears heating up.

"No." He answered simply. "I don't think it's possible for us to have too many."

Mr. Todoroki was the nicest guy I ever met, but I knew I was being too overzealous. It would be late, we couldn't really have a whole other date after the second one—we had to be responsible and think about other things. Like school for me the following morning and work for him. But if it was up to me, I may have never left his side at all.

"Thank you." I told him earnestly, touched that he would be willing to have another date with me. I knew that was doing too much though and I could be patient if I really tried. Surely we could have more dates on other days. I gave him one more squeeze before pulling back and starting to walk again.

Just a few moments later, the two of us were inside the shop and I was swooning at the seemingly endless options. So many flavors, it was going to be hard to choose just one. Mr. Todoroki was looking too, completely calm and cool while I couldn't keep myself still. It was just so thrilling.

"Sir," I tugged on his sleeve, finally tearing my eyes away from the menu to him. "I can't make a decision. Will you? You pick for me."

"Of course, sweetheart." He said and pulled out his wallet. "How does cookies and cream sound?"

"Ah, one of my favorites!" I beamed, but was quick to push his hand and wallet down. "Let me. Please?" I wanted to contribute, especially since he paid for our last date.

He hesitated, thinking it over before he gave in. "It's getting hard to say no to you." He confessed, reluctantly putting his wallet away and then capturing me in a back hug. "I'll have a rocky road."

I giggled, feeling victorious as I waited for him to let me go so I could step up to the counter and order. But he didn't. "Um… sir… I need to order." I blushed, not wanting to come off as rude.

"Go ahead, I'm ready."

"B-b-but," didn't he realize he was holding me? I tapped his arm, face flaming. "You're um… I mean, I—this is…" Now I was just beyond flustered and didn't know what to say. "Sir," I began again, whining. "I'll never be able to… I can't do it if y-you're holding me like this."

He hummed neutrally and then brushed his lips against my ear. "I'll let you go, but when you're finished I want you back here stat."

My knees buckled, but I managed to keep myself straight by bracing my back against him. I couldn't have felt any hotter and my heart was pounding hard, making it hard to hear anything else. Wiggling free before I died on the spot, I bolted for the counter and stammered out our order. After I paid for it, I stared at my feet, chewing on my lower lip as I waited. Of course my face was still ten shades of red, so I couldn't bring myself to look at my date. It would only get worse if I did. Our ice creams were ready in no time though and I made sure not to look at him directly on my way back over to him.

"Here you go," I managed shakily, even my hand trembling as I held his cone out for him.

"Thank you." He said as he took it from me. Next he opened his arms, leaving a space for me and patiently waiting.

The movement had my eyes taking him in and I closed the distance between us. "Maybe we should sit down." I suggested for my own sake because I feared my legs would fail me soon.

"Will you let me hold you after we eat?" He bargained.

I nodded, not needing to think about it at all. I really liked it when he held me. "Maybe… maybe in the car?"

"Hm." He agreed, appearing satisfied as he sat down at one of the small tables.

There was only one chair on each side of the table, making us sit across from each other, but I wasn't disappointed. Getting to look at him directly was really nice, even if I wasn't sure I felt the same about him looking at me. It never failed to make me squirm, but I loved it. I really loved it when those mix-matched eyes looked at me like they never wanted to look away. But just because I loved it didn't mean I could actually handle it.

Mr. Todoroki looked so calm and composed, so unbelievably handsome as he sampled his ice cream and let out a quiet sound of satisfaction. I was too caught up watching him to taste my own, way too distracted by the way his tongue licked at the sweet treat. I knew things about that tongue. Naughty things. And it wasn't good to be thinking about them now.

Soon his tongue began swirling in a familiar and way too indecent fashion. Slow and purposeful, licking up his ice cream and chasing after melted drips that went along the edge of the cone. All the while his gaze was on my face and the corner of his lips were turned up in smirk.

So hot. I couldn't help wondering if he realized how… erotic he looked licking his ice cream like that. It was honestly mesmerizing to watch, though problematic at the same time. I was left feeling self conscious even if I doubted I would look the same eating my own. Still, I had yet to taste it, way too caught up in him. My face was feeling hot all the time when I was with him, but that was the least of my concerns at the moment. I couldn't even say anything, just kept staring like I was in some kind of perverted trance.

Mr. Todoroki caught me off guard when he reached over and swiped his thumb over the side of my cone, catching the liquefied sweet before it could get on my hand. "You're melting." He spoke lowly and brought his thumb to his mouth for a taste.

"Mmhmm." I agreed, the breathy hum coming out shakily. I was melting, but the ice cream wasn't on my mind anymore. Not mine anyway.

The way he sucked the ice cream off of his thumb was really doing it for me. This was horrible, absolutely unacceptable. It was sick of me to be on our innocent date, feeling all… hot. Mr. Todoroki just didn't understand how alluring he made everything look. He didn't understand the effect he had on me and now I was feeling painfully embarrassed and red.

"You… you're—" I swallowed hard, wanting desperately to look away and salvage what was left of my dignity, but I just couldn't. Those seductive little licks were so enticing it was as if I could feel them on me instead of his treat. If I didn't escape, somebody was going to find out about my problem and it would more than likely be him. "S-sir, I—"

I almost asked if we could leave, take our ice cream to go instead, but I hated myself for even thinking about having to cut our date short just because I was such a despicable pervert. It was so humiliating and I didn't want him to find out because I didn't want him to think I was some kind of… hormonal teen.

"Sorry." I whispered, raising my free hand to shield my face as I dropped my head downward. I had to bite my lip to keep my thoughts locked inside my head. It wasn't even warm, but I was fearing an oncoming sweat.

"Don't worry about it." He told me, chuckling a little. "After we finish up here, would you like to head to my place?"

"Oh." I choked, feeling faint. Of course since he said that I would take it all the wrong way.

Before I met him, I wasn't like this at all. I really didn't mean to turn everything from innocent to indecent, but it just kept happening. If I went with him, I would probably just end up being worse than I already was. How could I really decline though when I just wanted to be with him?

"I want to make you dinner later tonight." He explained and grabbed my free hand to entwine my fingers with his own. "I hope you won't feel pressured by this, remember that you can always say no. I'll understand if I'm moving too fast or making you uncomfortable. I can't really promise that if you come over I'll keep my hands to myself either . . ." He trailed with a sheepish smile. "But if you're alright with it, I would love to have you over."

His words had me reeling, unsure if I really was taking everything the wrong way or if… maybe he was being naughty too. Dinner wasn't moving too quickly at all, so we would just be at his home instead of a restaurant. No big deal. Thinking of him not keeping his hands to himself had my breathing shifting a bit, but I was sure I was just having my annoying perverted thoughts and he was innocent. He just wanted to spend time with me and instead of being normal and enjoying the thought of that—I was thinking about his hands wandering all over me… and his tongue too.

"I want to." I whined, squeezing his fingers. "But… but I'm…"

"Izuku." He called softly. "That magnificent mind of yours is overthinking again, it's written all over your face. Instead of stressing yourself out, why not voice your troubles to me? I won't judge you, sweetheart, and I enjoy hearing your thoughts. I'm certain we can figure it out together."

I couldn't hide from him and I felt guilty for trying to, but it was hard to just admit that my mind had lost all of its purity. "I-it's not your fault but… sometimes—most of the time… I don't mean to, I promise. It just happens and it makes me so upset but… but it's worst of all that I l-like it. Don't be mad, I know it's wrong, but I just keep going there. You said it was okay, but it's not. I keep telling myself to t-take care of things… but when I'm not with you, I don't feel like this. That sounds horrible, I know, but I just—I really… really… oh gosh." It couldn't get any worse than this.

Mr. Todoroki was silent for a moment while he took in my words. Then he let go of my hand to move his chair closer, sitting it down right beside me. "What if I told you it was completely normal?" He asked and took hold of my hand once more. "It just means that you're attracted to me. It is okay and it's not wrong, Izuku. I know my teasing isn't helping you come to terms with all of this, but I can't really control myself either. I might not express it that well or show it clearly enough, but it's time I made you notice. You and I are the same."

He pulled my hand down to his crotch, pressing it against the prominent erection in his pants. I let out a surprised squeak and squeezed my hand, not the one currently feeling him though—the one holding the melting ice cream. I crushed it, making most of it flop on the table while the rest was a mess in my clenched fist. Right now, I was touching Mr. Todoroki… and he was so hard.

"Your expression as you watched me eat did this to me. I told you before, one look is all it takes. Can you really claim to be more perverted than I am?" He asked.

My situation didn't get any better hearing that. I was so flustered that I couldn't even breathe properly, or even care about the mess that was my ice cream. Never even tasted and amazingly I didn't even care. For a moment, I just stared at him unseeingly, and then finally cleared my throat and pulled my hand away from him.

"We're leaving." I mumbled, grabbing several napkins out of the despenser and cleaning my hand as best as I could while I stood up.

"As you wish." He stood up as well and tossed the rest of his cone into the trash without a moment's hesitation.

Even though my hand was sticky, I didn't bother going to wash it properly, too desperate to get away from the ice cream shop and safely out of the public's eye. His car seemed so much further now, even though my steps were much quicker going back to it. I couldn't even talk on the walk over and I got in the car before he could even walk around to my side. A strange sense of calm had washed over me, probably because my brain had short circuited after all the heat it was subjected to. After I closed the door, I slowly fastened my seatbelt while he got in the driver's side.

"My place?" He asked for clarification and consent.

"Yes." I answered softly, unsure if I was doing the right thing or not… but it didn't feel wrong. I wanted to touch him again.

With a single nod, he buckled himself in before starting the car. As we got on the road, I found my mind wasn't in disarray. I was just so aroused, thinking about how he felt and knowing that as much as I was attracted to him, he was to me as well. It wasn't until we were pulling up at his two story, grey stone house that the nerves really set in.

Would I even be able to touch him? I wasn't so sure I had the nerve to go through with it, even though I wanted it. If I couldn't even kiss him, how could I go beyond that? Even with my doubts, I was hopeful. I wanted to help him too, just like he helped me. However, I was unfortunately lacking the confidence that he possessed.

With a softly trembling hand, I opened the door and stepped out just as he made it around the car to me. Then I made the mistake of looking at him and he was so perfectly handsome that I nearly melted on the spot. This was what my problem was. He was just way too much for me and it was hard to believe that someone like him could want me when nobody else ever had.

"Come here." He said and held out a hand to me.

Taking his hand, I cleared my throat and struggled to settle myself. "Um… thank you sir, f-for letting me come. To your house I mean." Smooth.

"You're very welcome." He replied, tugging me to him with one quick motion. He kissed my cheek and then the tip of my nose before he took me inside. I didn't get a chance to look around, pulled into the living room and onto the couch. There, I was cradled in his arms as he ran his fingers through my hair and rubbed his hand along my back. "Relax. You call the shots, alright? Nothing has to happen unless you want it to. However, I'm taking this hug you owe me."

It was easy to feel relaxed when I was able to snuggle up to him, but at the same time my heart was pounding. "I like this." I murmured, breathing in slowly as I closed my eyes, resting my head at the crook of his neck. "I think I want things… but I'm afraid and I can't do anything. And I—I don't want to take advantage."

"I want you to be greedy, sweetheart. Be as greedy as me so I won't feel guilty." Mr. Todoroki told me. "You understand, don't you? I'm like the big bad wolf waiting to devour his little lamb."

Somehow that didn't scare me, it intrigued me instead. I knew he was more than capable, while I had no experience to go on. "Well," I began, clutching his shirt at his chest. "I am greedy. I want… I want…" no matter how badly I wanted it, I just couldn't say the words. It was so hard.

"You want?" He encouraged, cupping the back of my head. When I didn't respond he tried a different approach. "If you can't tell me, will you show me?"

Show? That was even harder. I lifted my head to look at him properly, green eyes shifting from his to his lips. "Really?" I asked quietly. "You won't mind?"

"I'd be delighted." He smiled fondly at me.

Mr. Todoroki wanted me to go for it and so did I. Though I hesitated from my nervousness, I slowly released my hold on his shirt to slide my hand up over his neck and to his cheek. He was warm and comforting even if he made me feel so many things I still wasn't used to. I was afraid of messing up, but I still inched closer to him.

My goal was to kiss him just like he kissed me, when it was so perfect and made me weak, but I was too frazzled and ended up kissing him just next to his mouth. I froze upon realizing my mistake and pulled back, feeling as if I was blushing all over. I tried and still didn't get it right, always making mistakes. I just couldn't do things correctly like he could.

"That wasn't—" My voice broke and I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling disheartened. After ruining my chance, there was no way I could try again and now he was probably getting sick of me. "I'm sorry."

Instead of words, I got an answering kiss on the corner of my mouth to mirror the one I had given. "Again." He whispered, running the back of his knuckles down my cheek.

I shuddered and peeked up at him. My stomach was fluttering and my heart was still going crazy, but with his permission, I wanted to try again. Maybe if I just worked myself up to it, it wouldn't be so bad. My movements were timid and careful as I leaned back into him, this time kissing his cheek and following with another longer one on his jaw. My kisses paled in comparison to his, but practice always made perfect. Being a firm believer in that was what urged me to try again, and again.

When I kissed his throat and felt him swallow, I slipped my hand back from the side of his face and into his hair. He smelled so good, just like he always did. An addicting scent that a little cologne and a lot of him. It was just so thrilling, being so close to him, getting to kiss him and soon the nerves faded, my body taking over to trail more soft kisses back up his neck. His hands slid to my hips and held on as he let me do as I pleased. His eyes were closed, head tilted back while he soaked up my affection.

It was a lot easier knowing he wasn't watching me. It gave me the strength to try for more, make the kisses longer and harder. I didn't think it would make me feel so good to be the one kissing him, but it did. Feeling dazed and ridiculously aroused, I breathed heavily against his neck through parted lips, trying to collect myself. It wasn't enough though, not even close and not knowing when I'd ever have another opportunity such as this one had me scrambling to move my leg over him. As I seated myself in his lap, I closed my lips on his neck and gave it an experimental suck.

I could feel his breath stutter and a soft and quiet hiss left his lips. Those sounds were empowering and I quickly moved my left hand into his hair as well. It was so soft and smooth, neat unlike mine. I was fisting it a little firmer than I meant, so caught up in the moment that I didn't even think before I let my tongue swipe up his neck. Just like he'd been doing to that ice cream. Once again his hands moved from their perch, drifting down to my thighs with a firm squeeze that prompted me into rocking my hips on him and sucking on his neck again—harder.

Mr. Todoroki moaned and squeezed my thighs once more with more strength than before. Those two things had me shivering in delight and repeating the process. Rocking my hips and sucking a little closer to his throat. He was hard under me and I loved the feel of it, so I grinded my bottom down with purpose and finally released his neck to kiss his lips. This time I connected perfectly, kissing him hard and pulling his hair.

He surged up into the kiss, but didn't try to over power me. He followed my lead and thrusted his hips up in time with mine. The unexpected move had my lips breaking away from his so I could let out a surprised gasp. He looked so good and I was starting to hurt from being so hard, having no choice but to rut against him and try to gain a little friction.

"Sir, I want—touch me. Please." I didn't think I could take another moment without it. I wanted to do more, but I was at a loss and filled with longing.

He turned his body and laid me down on the couch cushion, hovering over me with bright and burning eyes. His face was flushed as he grinded his hips against me much harder than I had. "Call me Shoto."

A strangled moan escaped me and I spread my legs further apart, hands still firmly locked in his hair. "Shoto," his name freely came from my mouth. I was too hot and bothered to think about it and wanted to give him anything he wanted. "Th—mm… S-Shoto, touch me more."

"Fuck, Izuku." He groaned in answer and smashed our lips together. My mouth was quickly invaded by his tongue and a hand was efficiently unfastening my jeans. It wasn't long before I felt it sliding into my underwear and grasping my cock.

He'd only just touched me, but it was enough to have me unable to respond to his kiss, too busy panting and whimpering as I writhed beneath him, needing to seek out more. I wanted more.

"Tight." I breathed into his mouth. "Too tight, t-take them off."

"Hm." He grunted, breaking away to get enough space between us.

He tugged off my jeans and then let them fall to the floor. Eyes were roaming over my body, but he was back on me almost instantly. My shirt was pushed up so he could mouth at my nipples and his hand went back inside my underwear to cup my balls. It was too much all at once, the pleasure of it all shocking me until I couldn't breathe. I could only wiggle my hips under him. I didn't expect him to touch me so much.

"Sir, if… if you do that—ah…" I wasn't going to last like this. He was way too good.

"And now it's sir again, huh?" He hummed against my chest, but he sounded amused. "Are you close?" He asked as his fingers trailed up my length. "Are you going to come for me, Izuku?" He fondled the tip of my member between his fingers, taking a hard nub into his mouth and sucking.

That was more than enough to make me fall apart. I came while trying to correct myself, nearly screaming out his name in a broken cry. The intensity of my orgasm whited my vision and left me completely dazed for a moment, body trembling beneath him. I never knew reaching a climax would be so easy until he showed me, but I wasn't sure if it was always like that or if he was just that good.

His head came up and he gently nudged my cheek with his nose. "You come so beautifully." He praised, fingers still working my tip and sending shivers up my spine. "Good boy."

Mr. Todoroki was apparently set on putting an end to me. "Mm. T-too much." I whimpered, head shaking back and forth at how sensitive I'd become and his words were so kind. "I'm sorry I—too soon." I wanted it to last so much longer and yet once again, I lasted no time.

"Nonsense." He brushed off and pulled his hand out of my underwear. "From what I've seen, you have good stamina. It doesn't matter how long you last when I can make you come more than once." He smirked, raising coated fingers to his lips. His tongue dipped out for a taste as he stared down at me. "Sweet."

"Oh… oh. Y-you are naughty." I gaped at him, still trying to catch my breath. "Is it—really?" I swallowed nervously, wondering what his would taste like. "Is… is yours sweet too?"

His eyes widened and his cheeks glowed red. "Shit. D-don't say things like that. . . putting images in my head."

"I'm sorry!" I frowned, looking up at him apologetically. "I didn't mean to upset you, sir. I won't do it again."

"No, no. It's alright." He backtracked with a sigh and averted his gaze. "I'm not upset. Just exceedingly horny."

I stared at him, face softening as I pieced together what he was trying to say. "So then… you liked it? You tell me not to say those things, when actually… you want me to?"

"Way to call me out." He smiled, leaning back down to tuck his face in my neck. "But yes. It has crossed my mind."

"Me saying those things? Or… or… doing things?" I asked carefully, wanting to know.

"Both."

He spoke quickly enough for me to know he meant that. "I've been bad to you." I sighed, ignoring the mess in my underwear as I pushed myself up. "You're always thinking of me and… but I haven't done anything for you. I—I can learn though. I want to learn."

"You know it's not something I would ever demand of you and there isn't any rush." He told me and wrapped his arm around my waist, bringing me into a warm embrace. "But if you're ready and willing, I'll teach you everything you want to know."

"I want to make you feel good too." I admitted shyly, resting my head on his chest. "It's not fair if I get to have all of the um… fun."

He chuckled at my delicacy. "We'll start small and then work our way up. How does that sound?"

"Small like… just kisses?" I wasn't sure if that would be enough. He probably wasn't as sensitive as me.

"Small as in like touches." He said and brushed his lips against my ear. "Can you handle me, Izuku?"

I shuddered, his warm breath and seductive voice working me back up again. "I can!" I nodded eagerly. "I can—wait… you don't… you don't want me to kiss it?" I was a little stunned and slightly offended. Just because I wasn't practiced didn't mean I would be horrible.

His breath hitched and I would have missed it if he wasn't right at my ear. "You can do whatever you want to it, sweetheart."

Scoffing, I turned my nose up and didn't look at him. "No. You don't want it so I'm not doing it." Whoa, where was this attitude coming from?

"Don't be mad, I do want it. Honest." He said, kissing my cheek in an attempt to appease me. "I'll beg you for it if you want me to."

"Beg me?" I whispered, eyes widening as I moved my hands to his chest. "Then you mean it… you really want it?" It was so exciting. A little nerve wracking too, but mostly exciting.

"I do." He answered and started mouthing at my jaw. "Very much so."

And I wanted to do it just as much. Maybe more. "Then let me." I told him quietly, trailing my hand down over his taut abdominals on my way to his jeans. "And… I want to see you."

"As you wish." Mr. Todoroki stripped out of his shirt, taking a moment to wipe his hand on it before tossing it on the floor. Then he leaned back until he was flat on the cushions, letting me hover over him from between his legs. "I'm all yours."

"All mine." I breathed out, heart warming at the thought. He was so beautiful, making it so my eyes couldn't decide where to look, so I just took in all of him while rubbing my hands up and down his newly exposed torso. I'd never seen such perfection. "You mean it?"

I glanced up to meet his gaze as I reached the hem of his jeans, trailing my finger across his lower abdomen just above it. Once again, I was achingly hard—but so was he.

"I mean it." He said a little breathily, gaze focused on nothing but me.

"Promise?" I asked breathily as I unbuttoned his jeans and then rubbed my palm over his hardness before sliding down the zipper.

He grunted at the teasing touch and nodded his head. "Promise."

Never before had I been in such a position of power, but now, knowing that I was hopefully going to make him feel good like he made me feel was filling me with pride and a determination to do my best. The way he was staring at me was so intense it threatened to make me shy away. My face was scorching, but my will was strong. I was going to see this through, but wasn't sure if I could do it with those gorgeous eyes on me.

"D-don't look." I sulked, grabbing a pillow and putting it over his face.

"You're forbidding it?" He chuckled and moved the pillow away, but his eyes were closed.

"Yes. No peeking!" I huffed, moving the pillow back over his face even if I would have loved to see his expressions when he felt good.

"Hm."

Now that the pressure of being watched had diminished, I went ahead and pulled his jeans and briefs down. It was bigger than I expected. Big enough to intimidate me, having my eyes going wide and my mouth hanging open. Somehow, it was even kind of pretty, though it was colored red, a slow but steady pulse making it twitch.

As I wrapped my hand loosely around him, I thought over the things he did to me. Of course I knew that it felt really good to have it stroked, licked, kissed and everything. Feeling at ease knowing that I was the one getting to make him feel good, I tightened my grip just so I was holding him more firmly in place and then leaned down.

First, I slid the very tip of my tongue across his slit, following with a more purposeful lick around the head. His member was hot, heavy and had already awarded me with a taste of his essence. It was smooth, almost sweet and salty at the same time. A very unique taste that had me hungry for more.

Giving him a few languid pumps, I started peppering chaste, open-mouthed kisses all around his tip. With every other one, I gave him a little suckle and every time more precum beaded from his slit, I was quick to lick it up.

I had no idea how he was able to do this, giving so much without taking anything in return. Just having my mouth on him was driving me crazy. It was hot, I was hard and Mr. Todoroki was shifting slightly. He wasn't making any lewd noises like I did, which I wasn't pleased with. I wanted to make him feel that good, make him moan and tremble just like he made me.

Maybe I was just turning myself on more than I was doing anything for him, but I wanted to do more. I wasn't going to give up, not until I made him come. Even if I had to go down on him all night, I would.

My hand continued to stroke him slowly as I trailed my lips downward, sucking the underside of his length all the way down to my hand and back up. It felt strange putting my mouth to use like this, but somehow it was hot. It made me so hot. He was so hot.

I would probably overheat soon, but ridiculously enough, I welcomed it.

When I sucked at his tip, I was awarded a little more of his precum. I heard him pull in a broken breath at the same time I swallowed, hearing it had me moaning around him and slowly taking more in.

"Oh fuck." He gasped and shifted his hips a little. "Just like that."

His words were unexpected and made my stomach coil with a tight, now familiar heat and I had to part my lips and pull back a bit to breathe. I wasn't the one who was meant to be feeling good right now, but my body had a mind of its own and everything about Mr. Todoroki was just so good. Anyone else would probably feel the same way.

Trying to ignore how much pleasure I was feeling, I closed my mouth around him again, going down and sucking my way back up. When he did it, he really took me in and it felt so good, but I wanted to focus on the most sensitive parts of him. It wouldn't do to go too far and end with me embarrassing myself, as if I didn't do that enough.

It didn't take long for me to really become engrossed in the act, mind clearing completely as I sucked on him, swiping and swirling my tongue whenever I was up at his tip. My hand worked constantly, having a slow but purposely motion to it. Every time he made a little breathy sound, it jolted straight to my groin, making me harder until I was rutting against the couch, breathing heavily through my nose and moaning around him continuously.

"Izuku." He moaned on a particularly hard suck and a hand ran through my hair. "Feels so good, sweetheart."

I couldn't help but moan too, eyes rolling back when I felt my body tensing up. My fingertips dug into his hips as I took more of him in than I had yet, surprised when he pushed into my throat and I didn't gag. Not that I could focus on that when I was coming. Shameful as it was, I couldn't help but fall apart. The pleasure was absolutely euphoric, making my hips stutter as I swallowed around him.

My sudden deep throating had quickly brought him to the edge and that last swallow pushed him over. "Shit, shit, shit." He cursed as he came, hand returning to fist my curls.

It was impossible to breathe anymore, I could only swallow and swallow until he had nothing left to give me and then I slowly sucked my way off of him. Amazingly, I was unbothered by the drool coating my chin and just stared at his softening member in a heated daze. I felt weak and tired as I desperately tried to catch my breath. My green eyes gradually trailed up his torso and to his face, the pillow nowhere in sight. His face was wonderfully flushed, perfect lips parted as he breathed, his eyes locked on me.

"Sir!" I croaked, throat aching a bit. How long had he been watching?

"I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really not." He smiled up at me, expression both pleased and satisfied.

It surprised me, but seeing him smile like that made it to where I couldn't be upset. I just sat back on the couch and then it hit me. I'd made a mess. I was a mess. The couch was a mess. Noticing it had all the blood draining from my face and mild panic working me up, threatening to end the tiredness I was feeling.

"O-oh no… I'm… I'm sorry, I—" This was an awful mistake. It wasn't my turn to come anyway and now his couch was ruined and it would take me ages to ever save up enough money to replace it.

The tone of my voice made sit up and reach out for me. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's ruined." I nervously took his hand, wanting to crawl over to him but fearing doing so. "Don't be mad, please… I swear, I'll… I mean, it may take some time but I'll r-replace it, sir. I promise." It wasn't intentional, but I couldn't help feeling concerned and disheartened. My eyes were burning, even if I was trying too hard not to break down and cry.

"The couch?" He questioned and then drew me into his arms. "No, no, it's alright." He said and held me tighter when I sniffled. "Oh, baby, don't be upset. If I wasn't prepared for it to get dirty then I would have taken you to my bedroom. You don't owe me anything."

Burying my face in the crook of his neck, I sniffled again and felt the tears pooling. "I did it… I have to fix it." Mr. Todoroki was as kind as always but it wasn't right for me to ruin something and expect him to take care of it.

"There's nothing to fix." He insisted and started rubbing my back. "I don't care about this couch, I'd much rather put a smile on that face. But if it will make you feel better then I'll take my payment in morning coffees and kisses."

Even feeling emotional and guilty, I somehow managed to laugh as my arms went around him to hug him. He was too kind and amazing. Mr. Todoroki had become such an important person in my life in a really short amount of time, but even if he wanted to take things easy on me because he was so considerate, I wasn't going to give in so easily.

If I wasn't able to get the couch good as new, I would replace it.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six— Shoto

Progress. Izuku and I were making great progress and I couldn’t have been happier. Not only did he take some initiative, but he had proved he was more than capable of making a mess of me. A part of me was worried, his confidence could lead to my destruction, but a large part was excited.

Never in my life had anyone been able to make me weak like that. No one had ever brought me that much pleasure. Was it because of my feelings for him or did Izuku just have that effect on me? Perhaps it was a mix of both, but it was painfully clear that I was so taken with him. He held a power over me that grew stronger everyday.

After I had cleaned us up, I dressed him in some of my clothes and tucked him in my bed. Seeing him sleeping soundly really tugged at my heart and I wanted to cuddle, but I had a dinner to make. Once I was in the kitchen I got straight to work. The meal I planned to prepare had simple ingredients and wouldn’t take me too long.

As I cooked, my mind reflected on our date, hoping I had done alright. Izuku has seemed happy and smiled a lot, but my brain was admiringly obsessed with wanting things to be perfect. For once I was the one overthinking things. He hadn’t been put off by my bowling style nor my rather assertive advances at the ice cream shop. 

There wasn’t really anything I needed to worry about, I had done a decent job. Dinner would be the highlight of the evening though and I was looking forward to it. It took me about twenty minutes to get everything ready and set up in the dining room. I headed back to my room to wake him up to eat, but flipped over the couch cushion as I went through the living room. It was fifty fifty on whether that would deter his desire to buy me a new one. 

The blankets were tangled around him when I reached the bed and I figured he was an active sleeper. Adorable. “Izuku.” I called, brushing the back of my knuckles against a freckled cheek.

“Mm.” He turned his head as if to lean into my touch, pulling the covers up past his chin and breathing out a sigh. 

I sat on the edge of the bed and lowered my face to his ear. “Sweetheart, wake up. Dinners ready.” I spoke softly and pressed a kiss under his ear.

Midoriya squeaked quietly, shuddering as his eyes flew open. “Ah, s-sir… that tickles.” He craned his neck to get his ear away from me. 

“Are you ticklish, Midoriya?” I smirked and snaked my hand under the blanket. Within seconds I found his side, not hesitating to start tickling him.

His whole body jerked and thrashed, a fit of giggles escaping him while he pushed at my shoulders. “Oh no, oh no, please! I-it’s—“ he was cut off by his increasing laughter, tossing his head from side to side and trying to wiggle away from me. “Please, no!”

Damn, he was so cute I couldn’t stand it. I really wanted to keep going, but he was begging me to stop. I figured I would cut him some slack this time. “Alright, alright.” I chuckled and halted my attack. “Even though the sound of your laugh is addicting.”

Midoriya’s giggles began to fade, though still lingered at his breath in relief. He was wide awake now and smiling at me, green eyes lit up to the point of nearly sparkling as they stared up at me. “That was so mean.” He tried to pout, but his grin won out and he laughed again. 

“Hm, but I don’t regret it for a second.” I smiled and ran a hand through his curly locks. Those freckled cheeks puffed up in a grin would be the end of me. “Hungry?”

He nodded, still smiling wide. “I’m hungry.” He agreed while raising a hand to rub his eye. “Did I sleep too long? I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.”

“Not at all.” I assured him and got off the bed, holding out a hand. 

His hand left his eye to take mine and he sat up slowly. “But I fell asleep on our date.” He frowned as he scooted off the bed and plopped down to his feet. “I wanted to be awake forever.” His lower lip poked out and then he pulled his hand away, pressing himself into me while his arms snaked around my waist. 

I returned the embrace and rubbed his back. “Don’t worry about it. We have plenty of time, both now and in the future.” I said and then added, “Although, I won’t protest if you want to make it up to me by spending the night.”

Midoriya stiffened slightly, squeezing me tighter. “But I… I mean… I was hoping—I thought that we were… Ugh I’m always assuming things without meaning to. And I’m… I shouldn’t, I know I don’t know much and maybe I cross a lot of boundaries. It’s just… tonight I—I don’t want to leave. You’ll let me stay?”

“Definitely.” I told him, wanting to soothe his concerns. “As for crossing boundaries, you can count on me for that.” Not that I would do anything he didn’t want, but I was certainly going to put him through the ringer. 

“B-but you never, ever, ever cross any boundaries.” He said, words muffled as he buried his face in my chest. “It’s always me. You don’t have to be so nice. I should go home. If I overstay my welcome you might not like me anymore… and I want to be with you… like… like a boyfriend.”

My heart started hammering in my chest and I futilely hoped he couldn’t hear it. Any doubts I might have had vanished, we were on the same page here. “I’m never going to let you take that back, Izuku.” I said with a wide grin. “It’s settled, you’re staying the night.”

His head tipped back enough for him to peek up at me through his dark lashes, cheeks burning red. “Are you sure? Please don’t force yourself. I’m being greedy and it’s bad. I’m bad.”

“I told you before, I want you to be greedy.” I reminded him and then lowered my grip, picking him up off the floor. “And no one calls my good boy bad. Not even you.” I would make sure not to do it either. Naughty was more accurate anyway.

“S-sir! You don’t need to carry me.” He yelled in a whisper, but the way he fisted my shirt and laid his head on me, relaxing completely, told me he wanted it. “I don’t want to trouble you so much.”

“No trouble at all.” I said as I carried him out of the bedroom. One day he would be more confident and ask for what he wanted, admit what he wanted without guilt. Until then it was up to me to show him how to be selfish. 

For a moment, he was quiet, hold loosening on my shirt so he could draw little circles on my chest with his index finger instead. When he did speak again, he only whispered, “thank you.”

I kissed his temple and then brought him into the dinner room. I was tempted to keep him close and sit down, having the green eyed beauty sit in my lap. That however would distract him from the meal itself so I let him go and we sat beside each other instead. 

“Holy cow!” He screeched, gaping at the food prepared for him before his wide eyes moved to me. “Mr.Todoroki… you… you made Katsudon—my—my favorite?”

“Is it?” I mused, feigning innocence, but a smile was tugging at my lips. “I promised you at the diner when you switched meals with me. This was the perfect opportunity and you can’t turn down a man that cooked your favorite food, right?” 

“But I would never turn you down!” He gasped, looking absolutely touched, his lower lip poking out and even beginning to tremble. “Oh no… too nice, I—I might cry.”

His words were quickly followed by a sniff and I reached for his hand. “Aww, baby. Don’t cry.” I said and brought his fingers to my lips, kissing them. 

Midoriya let out a whimper. “Why? Why are you so kind to me? It… it feels so good that it hurts. I don’t understand…” he blinked and the tears brimming in his eyes spilled down his cheeks. His other arm quickly worked to wipe them away. 

“Because I like you.” I said and held his hand tighter. “And you like me. It’s one of the best feelings in the world.”

He nodded sloppily, sniffling louder. “Nobody is nice like you. Y-you’re so special. I’m so grateful and happy to know people can be like you. I didn’t think… anyone would ever like me like—like a boyfriend.”

Shit, he made me want to ask him out right now. “Well you have someone, sweetheart, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Then…” he sniffled once more. “Then we can be boyfriends now?”

I was stunned silent for a moment purely because he had done what I usually do and put me in quite the spot. “Damn, you’re a fast learner.” To think he would end up being the one to ask first . . . it made my face heat up. “Yes. We can be boyfriends now.”

Midoriya blushed and picked up his chopsticks, looking down at his bowl. “Um… and I can… you won’t mind if—sometimes, I mean, if we’re alone—I can k-kiss you?”

Oh, he was all about progress today. “You’d better.” I chuckled, eyes lighting up as I looked at him. Here I was in an actual relationship and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

“Yes sir.” He smiled shyly and took the first bite of his food, his freckled cheeks flushing even more in delight. “Oh wow! Mr. Todoroki, this is—it’s… it’s amazing!”

“I’m glad you like it.” 

“I love it!” Midoriya beamed, looking at me with hearts in his eyes. “It’s the best I’ve ever had… you’re the best. Thank you so much.”

It was official now, the date was a complete success. This was the happiest I’d ever seen him and it filled me with a pride I had never experienced before. “You’re very welcome, sweetheart. I’ll make it for you anytime you want me to.”

“Thank you, sir.” He grinned and then turned his attention to his meal, eating as if he was starved. 

I watched him for a couple more moments before digging into my own serving. It was really nice having him over, he seemed to add a warmness to the place that was normally absent. His smile never faded, but the more he ate, the more his eyes began to droop and once he finished, he covered his mouth as he yawned. 

“Excuse me,” he whispered, rubbing his eyes with both hands. “It was so good, sir. I ate so much.” He laughed quietly, his tiredness obvious not only in his face but in his voice as well. 

I quickly finished the last few bites on my plate and then stacked his on top of it, standing up from the table. “I’ll wrap up the leftovers in the kitchen so you can take them home tomorrow. You can head to bed now if you want and I’ll be in there soon.”

“No… but… first, I will clean this for you.” He got up slowly, giving me a sleepy smile as he reached for the plates. 

I moved them away from his hands and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Go keep the bed warm for me instead. I can handle this.” It was obvious he was tired and I didn’t mind taking care of the dishes, he was my guest after all . . . . and my boyfriend.

“But sir,” he frowned, pouting at me. “All I did was sleep and you cooked everything and worked so hard. I have to help. If we do it together, it will be fast. And then… then we can go to bed… together.”

It was unfair to use that cuteness against me. How was I supposed to argue? “Alright, alright. You can help me.” I said with a small smile and led the way to the kitchen.

“Thank you!” Midoriya beamed, hurrying behind me closely. He helped himself to the sink as if he was excited to wash the dishes. “Mr. Todoroki?” He looked to me as I placed the dishes in the water that was still filling. 

“Hm?” I hummed and met his gaze.

His face turned red in an instant and he averted his eyes, looking awfully nervous all of a sudden. “Um… I just...I wanted to…” he swallowed hard and took a deep breath as if to calm himself and then he hugged me. He buried his face in my chest and started talking again, but his words were so muffled I couldn’t make anything out. 

“What was that?” I chuckled and returned his embrace. “I’m afraid I missed it. It’s hard to understand you from down there, Izuku.”

Midoriya turned his head so that his cheek was pressed against me instead and he sighed. “I said… I know that I messed up a lot today… but for me, it was the greatest day ever and… I’m just really grateful.”

“I don’t think you messed up.” I said and rested my head on top of his. “Today was perfect, sweetheart. And I’m grateful that you put up with me.”

“Put up with—but you… you’re the best ever.” He huffed, squeezing me tighter. “You’re too nice, sir. I promise though… I’ll get better. I’ll be great one day too and you’ll be proud of me.”

He was so adorable, truly. I was the luckiest man alive. “Izuku.”

“Holy cow the water!” He shrieked, pulling away from me in a hurry to stop the tap from running. “Whew. That was close.” He laughed nervously and grabbed the sponge, getting to work right away. 

“Nice save.” I said and decided to leave what I wanted to tell him for later. 

He washed and I dried before putting the dishes away in the cabinets, wrapping up the leftovers afterwards to put in the refrigerator. Then we both headed to my bedroom together and he was the first to dive under the covers. I crawled in after him, cradling him against my chest and straightening the blankets.

“Comfy?” I asked as I ran my fingers through his curly hair.

“I’ve… never been more comfy.” He whispered. “And warm. It’s safe here… and smells good.”

“With praise like that, I might never let you leave.” I teased, but my heart beat a little faster thinking about moving in together one day. It was only the start of our official relationship, but it was still nice to think about. Having Izuku around all the time . . . it wouldn’t feel nearly as lonely.

“I don’t want to leave… I like being with you. I-I’m sorry I know that was… that was bad.”

I poked his cheek in mild scolding. “What did I say about calling yourself bad?” I chided and then tilted his chin up so I could look at him properly. “I enjoy our time together just as much as you do even if I don’t show it that well. I really like you, you know . . . and for me, you’re my first too. You’re my first real relationship. I’ve never met anyone like you before and I’m so glad that I did.” I confessed, touching our foreheads together.

“R-really? You mean that?” He breathed, sounding amazed. “But you’re so handsome and kind. It’s hard to believe that you haven’t had… well, a lot of special boyfriends or girlfriends.”

I knew that a lot of people thought that about me, that I had a lot of broken hearts in my wake. While it was true I had one night stands to satisfy my physical desires, there was no one special to speak of. There was no one that had captured my attention as quickly as he had. I was never overcome with feelings and a need to protect, I was never greedy for more and yet so careful not to fuck things up. I grew more and more comfortable with him every day and was able to just be myself. He was accepting every part of me that I opened up and showed him. 

“No one has ever been special to me.” I told him honestly, quietly. “Not until you came along.”

“Well that… that makes me feel really special.” He whispered, tucking his arm around me and trying to snuggle even closer. “I want to do my best for you, always.” He tipped his head back a bit, giving me a big smile and then quickly pressed a kiss to my chin before hiding his face against my neck. 

I blinked dumbly for a moment, trying to remember how to breathe. “I’ll do my best too.” I eventually responded and held tight to him, never wanting to let go. “Goodnight, Izuku.”

“Goodnight, sir.”

.

.

.

I was used to waking up early in the mornings for work and most of the time was awake before my alarm went off. Sometimes I would hit the snooze button and on rare occasions I would run a little late. Not once, however, had I woken up at five forty five in the morning from a blow to the gut. It knocked the wind right out of me and I sat up gasping for air. Once I got a hold on myself, I peeled the blanket back to find my attacker. Midoriya had kicked me . . . and completely flipped his position in the night. 

His feet were at the top of the bed and his head was poking out of the covers from below, his expression nothing but peaceful. “How on earth did you manage . . .?”

He was a much roudier sleeper than I thought and it was honestly a little funny aside from the slight pain in my stomach. Those leg muscles of his were no joke. With a fond shake of my head, I gently maneuvered him back into the right position before settling down beside him. I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep but at least I could lie in bed with him for a while longer. My fingers caressed his freckled cheek, barely resisting the urge to kiss it in case it woke him up.

“Don’t go.” He suddenly whispered, clutching onto my shirt. 

The peaceful expression was gone now and I wanted nothing more than to bring it back. “I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.” I told him softly and continued to stroke his cheek.

Izuku relaxed, breathing out deeply. “Warm. Hold me.” He went on, surprising me by throwing his leg around my waist. 

Bossy. I liked it. “Like this?” I asked and trailed my arm up his leg before wrapping it around him.

“Mm. Yes. That’s sexy of you.”

He was definitely sleep talking, otherwise something like that would never leave his mouth. “Hm. What else do you think is sexy about me?” I asked with a smirk. There was no way I wasn’t going to take advantage of this. 

“S’good.” He grumbled, rocking his hips and pulling on my shirt. “Hard.”

Damn, even in his sleep he avoided my questions. “You’re hard?” I mused and lowered my hand to his backside.

Midoriya let out a quiet whine and rolled his hips. “Hot.”

I didn’t miss how fluid his motions were and it really made me wonder what else he was capable of. “Yes, you’re very hot.” I said and tugged him closer, peppering kisses along his face and neck.

“Oh,” he purred, then made a little breathy moan. “I’m good… promise.”

“You’re my good boy?” I asked and sucked his earlobe into my mouth as I began fondling his ass.

A quiet moan fell from his lips and his hips rolled again. “That’s… naughty.”

I held back a chuckle, was he scolding me? “Of course it is.” I murmured into his ear. “And you like it, don’t you?” 

Izuku shuddered and gripped my shirt tighter. “S-Shoto.”

“Baby.” I groaned and pushed him flat on his back, grinding down against him. “Say it again.”

He gasped, green eyes flying open. “W-what? Ah—sir… what?”

“I would say you came onto me first, but I egged you on.” I told the now fully awake boyfriend that had gotten me worked up. “Care to finish what we started?” I asked and thrusted my hips.

“Ah—um,” he gasped again, now clutching at my shirt with both hands. “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to… w-what did I do?”

“You seduced me.” I smiled and cupped his face with my hands. “And I liked it. Feel free to do it any time you please.”

His cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink as he stared up at me unblinking. “Y-you—you’re going to… we’re gonna… I’ve never… I mean… if it’s you, then I want it. I-it’s just so sudden…”

Was he saying what I thought he was saying? “Izuku . . .” I trailed thoughtfully. Full blowen sex was something I resfused to do until he was ready for that step, until he asked me for it. Had that time really come? “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. You have classes today and no matter how careful I am, you’re going to be sore after your first time.”

“O-oh.” He blushed deeply and turned his head to look away from me, moving his arm to hide his face. 

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. We can save it for another time whenever you’re ready. All you have to do is ask.” I said and slowly moved my left hand down his body. “Until then, how about I take care of you?”

“You don’t need to, uh, trouble yourself.” He whispered shakily, still covering his face. “Ugh… stupid.”

That sounded like the opposite of progress and I got off of him to sit up straight on the bed. “Are you upset?” I asked, rubbing his arm in hopes that he would remove it. Was he frustrated, angry maybe, that I said no?

Izuku dropped his arm to the bed, peeking at me with a pout. “I’m… embarrassed.” He admitted quietly. 

“I see.” I said in relief. I had just read him wrong, his wording had me worrying there for a second and I hadn’t been able to look at his face. I moved towards the edge of the mattress and glanced at the clock before patting my lap. “Come here, Izuku.”

He hesitated only for a few seconds before he sat up, pushing the covers away and crawling over to me to settle himself on my lap. “Are you upset?” He asked in a whisper, resting his head in the crook of my neck. 

“No.” I assured him, smiling gently. “But I am going to tease you a little. My cure for embarrassment is shock therapy.” I said and secured my arms around him before I stood, carrying him towards the bathroom.

“W-whoa. Where are we going?” He asked in surprise. “What? Shock therapy? N-no, I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m not embarrassed anymore.”

He certainly changed his tune quick, but I wasn’t falling for it. “No? And here I thought we could do some boyfriend things together.”

“Oh? What boyfriend things?” He was curious now, even sounding excited. “I want to. I mean… if you want to.”

“Then it’s decided.” I said and removed one hand to open the door. After I turned on the light, I shut the door behind us and set him down on the sink. “We’ll take a shower together and I’ll have my wicked way with you.”

“S-s-shower? Together? You? Naked? With me? Together?” Midoriya turned even redder and cupped his cheeks in his hands. “Boyfriends do that? I—but, sir—I don’t know… I might… and your—” his gaze flicked below my waist only to turn quickly to the wall. “Oh my… no way… I’ll die. I’ll die.” 

I couldn’t help laughing at his words, he was something else and I was fucking whipped. “Now, now. We both have places to be and need to start getting ready. I want to eat breakfast together as well so this will save us some time. Besides, you already agreed. Do you want to strip me or should I do it on my own?”

“Oh god.” He gasped. “I can’t.” He shook his head vigorously, hands shoving between his thighs which he pressed tightly together. 

“You can.” I encouraged, but gave him another option to choose anyway. “Tell you what, I’ll turn around and let you get undressed so you can hop in before me.” I said as I went to the shower, reaching behind the curtain to turn on the water.

“O-okay.” He whispered shakily, carefully sliding his way off of the sink to his feet. 

Once the water was warm enough, I moved out of the way and turned my back towards him. I would be on my own until his classes were over and I wasn’t allowed to tease him at work anymore. Teasing him now would help me get it out of my system and hopefully prevent the temptation later on, but I couldn’t say for certain how long my ‘good behavior’ would last. I waited until I heard him step into the shower before I got rid of my own clothing. After I placed both of ours in the dirty clothes hamper, I pulled back the curtain and stepped inside.

Izuku was backed into the corner, red all over, his hands covering his crotch. His eyes were downcast, making sure not to look in my direction. I knew he was shy but everything he was doing right now made me want to tease him more. My gaze slowly traveled up his body, admiring the freckled and flushed skin. It dawned on me that all of that was mine now that we were together. A cold chill ran down my spine in anticipation and I licked my lips. On second thought, we might run a little late this morning. 

“Come here, baby.” I called in a much deeper tone than I intended. 

He let out a soft whimper, but began inching closer to me, keeping his back against the wall and his hands over his crotch. “This is… S-Sorry, I’m shy. W-we’re naked in here.”

“Hm, that’s the best part about it.” I said and patiently waited until he was right beside me. Then I rested my hands on the wall on either side of his head, softly nudging his cheek with my nose. “Are you having naughty thoughts, Midoriya?”

“Don’t be mad.” He whined, visibly trembling. “I can’t help it… when you’re right here—like this. I’ll b-be good though.”

So cute. “That’s the point, sweetheart. I want your head to be filled with thoughts about me.” I said and placed a feather light kiss to his shoulder. “If you’re good, I can be naughty enough for the both of us.”

“I’m always thinking about you.” He admitted breathily. “But… w-we don’t have time. You said… um… work and school. Y-your teasing me. I can’t be like this at school all morning. Somebody might notice and then… then I really will die. Especially if it was Kacchan. Oh no, he’d never let me live it down.”

“I have every intention to take care of you, don’t fret.” I promised and moved my hands to his arms, fingers lightly brushing down to his sides and resting on his hips. “I always have time for that.”

“What are you going to do, sir?” He finally glanced up at me, moving his hands to hesitantly raise them to my chest. “You don’t have to… I’m sure I’m okay. It’s fine.”

I silenced him with a kiss and stepped forwards so we were flush against one another. Despite his words, he was already hard and eager for me. The kiss was slow and sensual, my tongue seeking out his own to caress and worship. I focused on his mouth for a while to ease his nerves and lull him into a more relaxed state. When the slight tension in his body was gone, I hooked my hands under his thighs and hoisted him up higher against the wall. His legs wrapped around my waist and his breath hitched as I thrusted my hips, rubbing our erections together.

I continued to abuse his lips and work him up for a bit before I reached for the liquid soap. Squirting some on my fingers, I brought my hand under his thigh and between his cheeks.

“ Ah, wha—” Izuku gasped, fingertips digging into my shoulders. “There? But… but…”

“Hm.” I licked and sucked his neck instead and looked forward to the sultry sounds he would be making soon. My grinding got a little rougher as I sped up and I pressed my pointer finger against his entrance, coaxing it open.

His heavy breaths had quickly turned into full blown panting and though his mobility was limited, he rocked his hips slightly against me, head falling back. “That… strange, I… mm.”

“Just relax.” I told him and carefully eased my finger inside. I still wasn’t going to go all the way, but if he was thinking about sex then I was more than happy to prepare him for it.

Izuku choked on a moan, body tensing. “M-Mr. Todo—ah… y-your finger.”

“I’ve got you, sweetheart. Deep breaths for me.” I said and slowly eased my finger out only to press it back in again.

“Mmf it’s a lot.” He whimpered, body still rigid from the intrusion, but my slow coaxing had him relaxing gradually. “Ohh. I—it’s really inside.”

“It is.” I hummed and kept repeating the action to get him used to it. “You’re doing so well.”

“But I thought… I thought we can’t?” Izuku panted, trying to get a better hold on me. 

I kissed his jaw and then clarified, “We can’t, but that doesn’t mean I can’t give you a little something. A reward for being so brave this morning.” I knew how difficult it was for him to get in here with me and he had still approached me despite his shyness. 

“Mm. Th-thank you.” He breathed out, having relaxed completely now and began trying to rock his hips back for more. 

I placed another kiss to his cheek and then his temple, our cocks still rutting against each other. “No pain?” I asked, knowing there shouldn’t be but wanting to check anyway.

“N-no… just weird.” He said through his heavy breaths, moving his lips to mouth at my ear. 

Now he was really starting to enjoy it and nothing else could please me more. I worked my finger in and out at a steady pace, keeping it at one so he wouldn’t feel even the slightest bit of soreness later. The water’s temperature was the same as when we first got in, but the air around us was hotter. His body heat only intensified my own and I slipped my other hand between us to grasp both of our members. The rocking felt good, but it wasn’t enough. I began stroking our lengths together and my arousal flared at the sweet moans Izuku let out into my ear.

It wasn’t long before I changed the angle of my finger, searching for that spot that would drive him crazy. Soon the tip of my finger brushed across the small nub and I pushed in deeper to press against it.

“F-fuck.” Izuku keened, curling in on me. “Oh god—Shoto…” he moaned freely, head falling back against the tiled wall. “I’m… I’m gonna—“

“Shit.” I cursed and stroked us faster, eyes zeroed in on his face as I pressed more firmly against his prostate to make him come. “Come for me, baby.”

My words helped push him over the edge and he wailed, body spasming and hole clenching tight around my finger as he came. I watched his face overflow with bliss and groaned at the beautiful sight he made. A couple more strokes and I was falling over the edge as well, adding to the mess coating our stomachs. My body sang as pleasure washed over me and I basked in the feeling of my orgasm as Izuku melted in front of me. He was wrong earlier when he had called me sexy, he was the sexy one and I would never tire of seeing him fall apart. 

I continued to support his weight as we came down from our highs and removed my finger from inside of him. After a moment I captured his lips in a lazy kiss and then buried my head in his neck. The sound of the water echoed in my ears and a realization came over me while I returned my grip to his thighs. There was no doubt Izuku had enjoyed what just happened, but I had gotten carried away and fucked up. It was a big rule of mine to ask for permission in one way or another. I always made sure to do so because it was important to me, it ensured that I wasn’t taking advantage.

I hadn’t asked Midoriya if I could take things further and penetrate him like that. It was so unlike me and yet it slipped my mind, I didn’t even think to ask. A lump of guilt formed in my throat and I couldn’t bring myself to raise my head. “Izuku . . .”

“That… so good.” He said, still trying to catch his breath. His cheek nuzzled my head. “I want to do that again… but now I’m tired.”

He was as cute as ever, but I need him to focus on what I was trying to tell him. “Izuku . . . I’m sorry. I should have gotten your permission first before I fingered you.” I told him, feeling like such an asshole. “I promise I won’t forget to ask again.”

“What? What’s wrong? You didn’t want to?” 

“Of course I wanted to . . . but I should have made sure you wanted to.” Day two of being his boyfriend and I had the nerve to take liberties. What was wrong with me?

“But I wanted it! I even—I even wanted more but… but you said we can’t now, so I was happy we could do this. If you act so down… I’ll be sad.” He said, soothingly rubbing my head.

He was letting me off easy and I adored him for it, but I wouldn’t forget to ask again. “. . . . You’re too nice.” I said, using the words he usually reserved for me. 

“Not as nice as you.” Izuku cooed, still petting my hair while placing soft kisses to the top of my head. 

“Honestly, you’re the nice one.” I insisted as I felt a blush spread across my skin. 

“Maybe we’re both nice.” He giggled, hugging my head to his chest. “Do you think I’ll be bad if I don’t go to school?”

That certainly caught my attention. “Are you saying we should play hookie, Midoriya?”

“We?” He repeated. “N-no! I really don’t want to get you in any trouble. And I don’t want to be fired. School is different. Right? It’s not bad if I miss one class… right? I’m just a little tired and for once I want to be lazy…”

“Then we should definitely play hookie.” I said and lowered him down onto his feet, pulling my head back to look at him with excitement. I had never skipped school or work in my entire life. 

“But… work…” he frowned. 

I gently tapped his forehead with my knuckle, chuckling. “Did you forget? I am the boss.”

Face flaming once again, he looked away from me. “I—I didn’t forget. Just… as your assistant, I know how busy you are.”

“Well, if my assistant wants me to then I suppose I can forgo the whole idea.” I said and grabbed the liquid soap again so we could wash properly. “But if my boyfriend wants to spend the day lazing around, I’ll gladly take the day off.”

“Oh,” he nearly swooned, looking up at me excitedly. But then his face fell. “Um… it sounds so wonderful, sir… but maybe we just go into work late? Like when I would normally arrive?”

That was as good as it was going to get and I took the compromise. “Deal.” I nodded and lathered the soap in my hands before setting the bottle back down. Then I got further under the spray, urging him to follow. “Now come here so I can pamper you.”

“Okay.” He smiled, coming over slowly. “Can I pamper you too, though?”

I was surprised by his request, but noted that it was something I should get used to. While I focused on him and his needs, he would focus on me . . . it was something I wasn’t sure I would ever have again. “Of course, sweetheart.” I smiled softly and began washing his back. 

“You spoil me so much… I want to do that for you too… Shoto.”

My eyes widened at the use of my first name, ecstatic that he was using it more often, but it never failed to make my heart pound. “Say it again?”

“Oh… um… S-Shoto.”

I grinned and paused my ministrations to hug him from behind, holding him snuggly. “Again?”

“But siiiiiir!” He whined, shaking his head from side to side. 

“There’s nothing like hearing my name fall from your lips.” I said and pecked his cheek.

“W-well I can’t say it when you’re teasing me.” He huffed, puffing out his cheeks. “Be nice.”

“As you wish.” I chuckled and let go to start washing him again.

Things were going so well between us that I didn’t worry about the future. I should have remembered that no matter how perfect something seemed, it wouldn’t stay that way forever. There were still things that we needed to learn about one another. Old scars that would reopen and new ones that would try to form. Maybe I had gotten too comfortable and maybe he had gotten too careless. We both had problems we had to overcome, but perhaps we could get through them together. That’s what it meant to be in a relationship, right?

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven— Izuku  

I messed up. 

Not that it was unusual—I was always messing up, but this time I was really disappointed in myself. Not only because I skipped my classes for the day, but also because of my date with Mr. Todoroki. I ruined his couch and instead of doing what I could to fix it, I was lazily lying in bed with him. It felt so nice though. He smelled so good, felt so warm and strong. I never wanted to leave his embrace. 

Whenever I realized that he had fallen asleep though, I forced myself to get up. 

For several minutes, I just gawked at the couch whenever I came to stand before it. There was nothing on the cushion. At first I assumed Mr. Todoroki had somehow managed to clean it, but then I decided to inspect further and found a nasty stain on the bottom of the cushion. To think he would have done something so ridiculous, it made me laugh. Yet again, he was showing how kind he was to me. Well, just in general of course, not just to me, but I was touched regardless. 

So much had happened, so fast, but I was always looking forward to more. Right now though, I needed to do whatever I could to get that cushion cleaned. After a few minutes of searching, I was able to find some suitable cleaning supplies and get straight to work. The lemon scent was almost soothing, but it wasn’t long before my arm had grown tired of scrubbing. The stain did fade slightly, but it didn’t disappear.

“Why would you do this?” I groaned to myself—scolding myself as I stopped scrubbing and breathed in deeply. 

“That’s what I should be asking.” Mr. Todoroki spoke from the other side of the couch, standing behind it. “Sweetheart, I told you it was alright. Really.”

Too nice! Way too nice! “It’s not!” I sulked, quickly going back to scrubbing even faster and harder than I had yet. “It was an accident. Couch… not safe.” I was really getting a workout.

“It’s fine.” He insisted as he walked around to kneel beside me. “And you’ll just be coming on it again at a later date anyway. I plan to make you come on a number of surfaces in my house.”

“That’s n-naughty.” I whispered, blushing hard as my arm gave up on me and I let it rest. “I think… maybe only the shower is safe.”

He chuckled and brushed the back of his knuckles against my hot cheek. “Izuku, nowhere is safe for you. You can’t hide from me, baby.”

Mr. Todoroki really had a way with words—really knew how to make me swoon over him and he was actually, somehow, my boyfriend. Remembering this was enough to have me launching at him, winding my arms around his neck and hiding my face against his chest. 

“Much better.” He praised and hugged me close. “If I could hold you all day, I would.”

I held on a little tighter, but turned my head aside so that my voice wouldn’t be muffled when I spoke. “You said… since we’re boyfriends now, I can hug you anytime… and… and… and you know, other things…”

“That’s right.” He hummed and rubbed my back. “Whatever you desire, I’ll make it happen.”

He made it sound so easy. But it was oh so hard. I wanted to kiss him like crazy, and after a few moments, I’d worked up the courage to go for it. All I managed was a single soft peck just below his lips, missing completely. Another fail, if only I could get paid for those, I’d be doing well. 

A smile spread across his face and his eyes lit up before he dove down and gave me a real kiss. His hand went to my hair, cupping the back of my head as he slowly worked his lips against mine. Any breath I had was stolen away while he attacked me with one kiss after another. 

“Sir—sir!” I moaned in between kisses, trying not to melt but it was too easy to do so. 

“Hm?” He got out, only pausing to lick my bottom lip.

“T-the couch,” I breathed, but surprised myself when I was the next one to take things deeper, sliding my tongue into his mouth as I held onto him even tighter. 

Mr. Todoroki groaned and gladly welcomed me inside, sucking gently. He’d apparently just brushed his teeth before coming down, tasting minty and delicious. Addictive. I wanted a lot more of it, but there was a small part of me that remembered I shouldn’t be getting carried away. So, I was the one to break away, pouting at him while rubbing his chest in hopes of getting across that I didn’t want to stop, but we had to. 

“Sorry, sir.”

“No, I’m sorry. You just make me so crazy that I can’t resist.” He confessed and then kissed my forehead. “Let’s get some food in that belly before work, okay? Our first breakfast together.”

“Oh! Is this a date?” I asked, unable to tone down my excitement which wasn’t anything unusual. “I like breakfast. And you. And breakfast dates with you.”

He chuckled again and got to his feet, taking me with him. “You bet it’s a date, sweetheart. Do you want to make breakfast together?”

That was the best idea I’d ever heard. “Please! Please, can we?” I smiled, bouncing on my feet excitedly. That sounded like so much fun and I really wanted to try it. 

“Of course.” He nodded, a fond expression on his face. “I’d love nothing more.”

A date cooking breakfast and eating with Mr. Todoroki was a wonderful way to get our day started. It involved a lot of hugs and kisses too and I was just so happy. Sure I had been bad and skipped my classes for the day, but I got to be with my boyfriend and then go to work with him. It was a great day. 

Our work day was much the same as usual. We had a long meeting during our first two hours that ended with Mr. Todoroki getting stuck there and me having to leave him to it so I could handle some other phone calls. Neither of us planned for that meeting to run so long, but it happened and I couldn’t neglect all of his clients when I could do more by helping them with their questions and concerns. 

After finishing my fourth call, I was surprised to receive

a text from Kacchan. Kacchan never texted me, so I was worried and quickly pulled up the message to find out what was wrong. It seemed he was worried about me too—reaching out to ask why I’d missed school. I didn’t take into consideration that my friends would be concerned. 

‘What the fuck, Deku?’

It was possible that he thought I was sick or hurt. I should have at least reported to someone, but I hadn’t so I quickly called Kacchan so I could reassure him. He answered on the first ring and I could picture his face all scrunched up in displeasure. 

“Kacchan, hi.” I smiled. “I’m fine, you don’t need to worry, okay?”

“Again, what the fuck, Deku?” He asked, voice gruff as ever and I sighed. 

“I was tired this morning is all.” I explained because that was a majority of the reason why I didn’t go to my classes. 

Kacchan huffed and puffed, growling something out under his breath that I couldn’t make out before he snapped, “because of this supposed date you had?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks and I didn’t have a chance to bite down the squeak that just tumbled from my lips. “W-wha— N-no… I mean, a little but not exactly or anything. It was just, well, the date was nice and I had a lot of fun and okay maybe that was the reason but don’t tell on me, Kacchan. Please! I don’t want anyone to think lowly of me just because I didn’t come to classes for a day.” I forced myself to stop talking but when he didn’t say anything, I sucked in a breath and went on, “I-it won’t happen again. Probably. I just.. it was a one—“

“You’re damn right it won’t happen again, Deku.”

“There’s no reason to be angry.” I pouted, worrying with the hem of my shirt. 

“No reason to be—“ 

“Ow.” I quickly pulled the phone from my ear as he began shouting loudly enough to have my ear ringing. 

A second later the phone was suddenly taken from me and Mr. Todoroki put it up to his ear. “I’m afraid Mr. Midoriya is on my time now, Mr. Bakugo. I would appreciate it if you resolved this at another time.”

Message delivered, he hung up the phone before retiring it to me. I suddenly felt cold, as if all the blood in my body had drained out and all I could do was hold the phone loosely in my lap, hands trembling. My heart was pounding as well and my chest felt tight. I hadn’t noticed him walk in, but it didn’t matter. I was the one who’d answered the call. 

“I’m sorry sir, I—” I swallowed hard, gripping my phone tighter to prevent myself from reaching for him. I knew he was disappointed and apologizing wasn’t going to fix the situation. “I’m always messing up, I know. I know, I promise it won’t happen again. I’ll never take another personal call at work, sir. So please… don’t fire me. I just… if you just give me another chance—”

“Izuku.” He called softly and cupped my cheek with his hand. “It’s alright, I’m not upset. I just didn’t like the way he was talking to you. I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

“O-oh, but… I thought… when you said your time you meant work. Because I’m supposed to be working. Kacchan is just like that, sir. He’s loud and angry sounding all the time but he’s really nice.” I smiled though I was still looking down, afraid of seeing any form of disappointment on his face. 

He raised my face and kissed the tip of my nose. “It doesn’t matter who it is, no one yells at my boyfriend like that.”

That comment had my blood pumping once again. I knew my face went tomato red so I leaned into him, hugging him and hiding my face against his waist. I should’ve known… Mr. Todoroki wasn’t only my boss, he was my boyfriend too. So of course he wasn’t going to fire me right away. Of course he would be upset if somebody was yelling at me—even if it was Kacchan. 

“Thank you, sir.” I mumbled against him, a small smile tugging at my lips. 

“Anytime, sweetheart. I’m your knight in shining armor, all you have to do is say the word and I’ll come rescue you.” He chuckled and moved his hand to my hair, running his fingers through it.

“ Sir!” I groaned, feeling unbearably embarrassed. “Stop teasing me.” Though I complained, I wasn’t serious. I believed him—teasing or not. I believed in him with all of my heart. But still, I asked, “you mean it?” 

Right now I just couldn’t let go of him. It had almost been twenty-four hours without us having been truly separated but soon our work day would end and I would have to go home. As crazy as it seemed, somehow I already missed him. 

“I mean it.” He told me as his other hand started rubbing my back. “Honestly, you get cuter everyday. How am I supposed to behave myself?”

“Well… you’re the boss. So… so you can do anything you want.” I stated, trying not to sound so nervous as I spoke, but the words still came out a bit timidly. 

He hummed and I could hear the smirk in his voice. “I’m taking that as permission.”

“P-permission for what?”

“Hm. That’s for me to know and you to find out.”  He said, refusing to tell me.

I couldn’t help the pout that formed on my lips. “How can I find out if you won’t tell me?” He was just being silly now, teasing me even more. 

Mr. Todoroki leaned down to kiss the pout from my lips. “You’ll see, Izuku.” He smiled before pulling me up to my feet. “Come along now, we have some things to take care of around the office.”

“Y-yes sir.” I nodded, feeling flushed and warm, but determined to get my work done so he would be proud of me. 

.

.

.

“Sorry I stayed away without letting you know, mom.” I said to my mother after we’d finished dinner. She was washing dishes while I was on my laptop at the table, paying the utility bills online. I hadn’t wanted to bring it up at all, but I knew she had a right to know. 

Mr. Todoroki was my boyfriend now… one day soon I hoped for her to meet him. Surely he would be okay with something like that. He was the nicest man I knew after all. 

“That’s alright, Izuku.” She said, smiling back at me over her shoulder. “I’m not surprised that Katsuki kept you after work.”

“W-what?!” I gawked at her, pausing my bill paying as I was left shocked by the insinuation. “Mom— no! I wasn’t with Kacchan.” My words came off as defensive, but I couldn’t help it. My date was strictly Mr. Todoroki. 

“Oh?” Mom turned from the sink to face me, drying her hands on her apron before settling them on her hips. “Then who?”

I knew I didn’t have many friends, but that didn’t mean she could just go assuming . “Mr. Todoroki!” I huffed and when she raised her brows high, my face went blood red. 

“ Mister ?” She questioned, walking over to me. 

Turning my head to try and avoid her gaze, I mentally chided myself for calling his name so formally. “S-Shoto. I just… I just want to be polite.”

“Isn’t that… but Shoto Todoroki… isn’t he your boss?”

“He’s my boyfriend!” I nearly shouted and then felt so hot with embarrassment I grew faint and propped my elbows on the table, burying my face in my hands and groaning. That was not the way I wanted to tell her about Mr. Todoroki. 

Mom laid her hand on my shoulder but I refused to remove my hands or move at all. “Izuku… how can he be your boyfriend when you can’t even call him by his first name?” She sighed, patting the top of my shoulder reassuringly while I sat stock-still, mortified. “He’s your boss— you don’t want to lose such a great position just because of your silly fantasies, do you?”

“No,” I breathed, finally dropping my hands and turning my face to look at her. “I-I mean it, mom. M-Mis—uh, Shoto really cares about me. He really is my boyfriend, honest!”

Clicking her tongue, Mom shook her head at me and rubbed my head. “Yeah? Well if he’s really your boyfriend, bring him over for dinner. Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I gasped, chest aching. “But that’s so soon… maybe he will have other plans, I don’t want to just ask him so suddenly like—”

“Ah, so he doesn’t care about you. As I figured…”

“No—mom! Really, he does! I promise. He will come, I know he’ll come.”

“Good. I’ll need some money to do grocery shopping.” She smiled and I nodded, pulling my wallet out of my pocket to retrieve some money. “I’ll need some for essentials too.”

“Right.” I nodded, handing over the majority of the cash I had. The rest I had to tuck away—the start of my savings for Mr. Todoroki’s couch. I had the bill money in the bank and got back to paying them once I closed my wallet. Lately, I had been distracted and neglecting my mother which made me feel so awful. At least Mr. Todoroki was so nice and perfect, being able to meet him would definitely cheer her up. 

Having him around always did the trick for me. Even just pulling his handkerchief out of my pocket and holding it to my cheek was enough to soothe me. No matter what, he would make things easy for me. I knew I didn’t need to worry, but I was still feeling shy and nervous to have him meeting my mom… and coming to our small, poor little apartment. 

The following morning I was able to catch an earlier bus, making it to work before Mr. Todoroki. After getting the coffee pot started, I went through some files, trying not to feel so nervous about asking him over to dinner. I’d dressed in dark grey slacks, black loafers and a new, silky green button down. I wanted to look nice if we would be having another date—a dinner date where I would be introducing my first boyfriend to my mom. 

I’d fussed with my hair so much it was in more disarray than usual. I’d also finished two cups of coffee by the time he walked into the office, and I couldn’t sit or even stand still. He was beautiful as ever, wearing a crisp, light grey suit, white button down and a black tie. Oh, he was just gorgeous, his hair perfectly settled, tamed and silky, a smooth, warm smile on his face. I melted just at the sight of him.

“Good morning, sir.” I smiled, turning to hurry over to the coffee pot and prepare a cup for him. When I turned around to carry it over, I squeaked in surprise at finding him standing right behind me. “Oh! Hi…” my face heated up, something I was used to by now, but still, he didn’t have to sneak up on me. “Good morning,” I repeated, blinking up at him bashfully. 

“Good morning,” He smiled, taking the coffee with one hand and pulling me against him with the other. “Thank you for the coffee, sweetheart.”

Though I was surprised by the sudden closeness, I melted into his warmth instantly, arms winding around his waist and face pressing into his chest. He smelled so good, so calming, so familiar now. Crisp, cool, and delicious. Like shampoo, rich cologne and Mr. Todoroki. 

“Thank you for the hug.” I whispered back, smiling softly and not wanting to let go. “I missed you…”

“I missed you more.” He claimed and tucked his nose in my neck. “My sheets don’t smell like your honey scent anymore, you’ll have to come over soon and fix that.”

“O-oh… yes. Yeah, I want to…” I nodded, holding him tighter. Ever since I’d slept next to him, it was constantly on my mind. “Oh! But… um… I have a tiny favor to ask of you, if it’s okay. I know it’s short notice and maybe you’re not into this kind of thing b-but… well you really are my boyfriend, right? You meant that… you did mean it, didn’t you?”

He set his coffee down to hold me properly and raised his head, pecking the tip of my nose. “You don’t have to be so unsure. I’m not going anywhere, Izuku, and I mean everything I say to you. I’m your boyfriend and I’ll gladly do any favor you ask of me.”

I sighed in relief and hugged him a little tighter. Of course. Just as I thought, he was perfect. “My mom wants you to come over for dinner… tonight.” I admitted quietly, feeling shy to have to mention it to him on such short notice, but I was sure he wouldn’t really mind. 

“Your mom?” He said, sounding surprised. “I certainly can’t turn down an invitation from her, now can I? I’ll have to make a good impression and be on my best behavior. Does she like flowers?”

“Please don’t trouble yourself!” I said quickly, shaking my head. “It’s bad enough to ask you on the day of, she will be happy that you came at all… she thinks—she thinks I’m lying and just pretending you’re my boyfriend. But that’s not true… you said so. You said you’re my boyfriend…”

He seemed taken aback by my reaction, observing me carefully before he spoke again. “Well we’ll just have to prove her wrong, won’t we?”

As always, so perfect. He made my stomach flutter in excitement and my face broke out in a grin. “Yeah! Thank you so much. Um… our home is small and minimal, but mom is a good cook and I’m really happy that you’ll come over.”

“I’m sure it’s wonderful.” He said with a soft smile. 

The work day passed by more quickly than any other before it. I was anxious about dinner, but I was also excited. Showing Mr. Todoroki off to my mom was going to be amazing and I couldn’t wait for her to see that I wasn’t lying at all. He really was my boyfriend and the sweetest, bestest boyfriend there ever was. 

After we finished our work for the day, Mr. Todoroki drove us to my apartment and it was only once we were parked outside that the nerves truly started to get to me. Maybe mom still wouldn’t believe us… but no, no way. He was way too genuine for her to even suspect that. And if he wasn’t my boyfriend, he wouldn’t go out of his way to come to dinner and pretend to be. 

I’d been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed him exit the car until my door was opened for me. His hand was there in offering and I accepted it thankfully, heart pounding at how princely he was. Mr. Todoroki really was like a man straight out of a story book and I never knew I could like someone so much. I thanked him again and he kissed my forehead before the two of us walked inside the apartment building together. 

Mom was still cooking when we walked in, the sound of her bare feet pattering around on the tile and utensils clanking against pots going on. Whatever she was making smelled delicious and I was sure Mr. Todoroki was as ready to eat as I was. We both took our shoes off by the door and I meekly grasped his hand m, my own trembling slightly. I only glanced up at him for an instant before leading him towards the kitchen. Maybe I was more nervous than he was. 

“Mom?” I called when we stepped into the kitchen. She was wearing an off white, casual dress, her favorite apron worn over it. She turned around, eyes locking on Mr. Todoroki right away. “Um, this is S-Shoto… Shoto, this is my mom, Inko.”

Mr. Todoroki slightly bowed in a polite greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Inko.”

Oh wow, he was such a gentleman. For a moment, I completely forgot about mom and just held my cheek with my free hand, marveling at how perfect he was. 

“Charmed,” She replied to him and I worried about her tight smile until she turned her attention to me. “Izuku, go get changed out of those nice clothes so you can help me with dinner.”

My face fell, sure Mr. Todoroki had witnessed me at my absolute worst, but I had wanted to be dressed nicely for him. I knew mom wouldn’t relent though, so I released his hand and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” I said before peeking up at him. “I-I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here.” He said, making sure my mom wasn’t looking before he winked at me.

So handsome. I sighed, trying not to swoon and had to force myself to leave the kitchen. I changed in my bedroom, dressing in a white T-shirt and a pair of my lounging shorts. Stuff I only wore at home. On my way back to the kitchen, I dropped my clothes off in the laundry room and returned to find Mr. Todoroki seated at the table while mom stirred something in her largest pot. 

I blushed when my eyes met those mix-matched ones I loved so much and forced myself to move, hurrying over to mom’s side. “Well, you don’t want to go staining your clothes. You only have so much. Get your apron on.”

“Ah, yes ma’am.” I sulked on my way over to the small pantry, opening the door to collect it off the hook inside. I didn’t mind wearing my apron, I was always careful with my clothes. But I knew I looked ridiculous now and was thankful Mr. Todoroki was so kind, knowing he wouldn’t make fun of me at least. 

“Get those vegetables washed and ready.” She explained and I was quick to do so, feeling bad to have Mr. Todoroki waiting alone. I just hoped he wasn’t offended. 

It didn’t take long for me to finish the vegetables and add them to the frying pan where she was planning to make a beer stir fry, along with Miso soup and rice. She stood to the side, instructing me to handle the stir fry, so I did. Every so often, I looked back to find Mr. Todoroki watching me and those eyes never failed to make me blush. 

Eventually, I was able to remove my apron and the three of us were finally seated at the table together for dinner. We all voiced our thanks before beginning to eat and I was so nervous all I could do was look between mom and my boyfriend who was at my home for the first time. He was eating slowly, but seemed to be enjoying the meal so far. My nerves had affected my appetite, so I was playing with my food more than eating it. 

I stiffened in surprise when his foot suddenly tapped mine, blood rushing to my cheeks as I looked over at him, chewing on my lip. He was just eating his food, it must have been an accident. He was too far for my liking and I wanted to be closer, but I knew my mom would disapprove so I wouldn’t make any moves to close the distance between our chairs. 

“So, Shoto, what made you decide to take an interest in my little Izuku?” Mom asked after a few moments of silent eating and somehow, I grew even hotter in embarrassment. 

My foot was nudged again, but this time it was more of a caress and he didn’t retract it. “He stood out to me from the very beginning which was part of the reason I gave him the job in the first place. I admired his eagerness to work and prove himself, but the more time we spent together the faster I fell. I thought he was so cute and sweet and decided to pursue him . . . but I never expected to be so taken with him.”

“Goodness, that’s quite the speech you have there.” Mom mused and I frowned. She didn’t believe him. 

“Mom,” I whispered, looking to her pleadingly, but she refused to look at me. 

“Boyfriend, huh? Is that just a casual title you throw around for anyone to become taken with?”

Mr. Todoroki paused, setting down his chopsticks to give my mom his full attention. “As a matter of fact, Izuku is the first person I’ve had the honor of calling my boyfriend. No one else has been capable of sparking a connection with me. I’m actually more of a closed off person than people realize, you see, but I’m used to groundless assumptions and foolish misconceptions.”

“The first, you say? Goodness. I suppose that makes my boy very lucky, doesn’t it?” Mom laughed and I set my chopsticks down too. 

He rubbed his foot against mine once more, humming at her words. “No, it’s the other way around. I’m the lucky one.”

“Of course you are.” 

“Mom.” I called her chidingly, offended by her tone and hurt to know that Mr. Todoroki was probably feeling extremely uncomfortable. 

If he was, he didn’t show it however, giong as far as to assure me it was fine. “It’s alright, your mother has every right to be skeptical. I don’t mind and honestly expected it.”

“Why don’t we finish our meal in peace, hm?” Mom said with a smile, but what little appetite I had was long gone. I could do nothing more than sit still and quiet, feeling miserable. 

At least Mr. Todoroki was able to finish his meal and I managed not to cry or anything. As soon as mom finished, she excused herself and carried her dishes to the sink. 

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Shoto. Izuku, be sure to clean up before bed. You really should be getting to sleep soon.” 

I watched mom walk out of the kitchen, feeling disheartened. I never expected things to go so horribly wrong, but of course it was just my luck. Once she was gone, I turned to him. 

“I’m so sorry.” I whispered, desperate to reach out to him but forcing myself not to. “I’m sorry. I wish… I shouldn’t have… ugh, so stupid. I’m sorry.”

He had no problems with reaching over, taking my hand in his and bringing it to his lips. “Don’t apologize, sweetheart. I got to watch you cook in an apron and eat the delicious food you made. As far as I’m concerned, it was a good night.”

Yet again he proved how sweet and kind he was, making my heart beat faster. I couldn’t stop myself from throwing my arms around his neck and hiding my face against him. It wasn’t easy, but somehow I willed myself not to cry. “Thank you. You really make me happy… I’m so thankful for you.” I whispered, hands fisting the back of his shirt. 

“You better get used to it, I’m going to be making you happy for a long time.” He said teasingly. “You’re welcome, Izuku.”

I just held onto him for a moment longer before slowly pulling away from him. “I promise… I’ll make this up to you. Okay? Just leave it to me.”

He smiled at me, gaze curious. “There’s nothing to make up, but I’m not going to turn you down. I’m interested to see what you come up with.”

With a quiet laugh, I leaned in and shyly pressed a kiss to his jaw. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Trying to get rid of me already?” He chuckled. “Let me help you clean up before I go.”

“I couldn’t!” I shook my head quickly. “You worked so hard today, I know you must be tired… and then you had to put up with me and my mom. I’ll take care of this.” 

He looked like he didn’t want to give in, but had an idea. “As you wish, but you’ll owe me one.” He warned. “I really wanted to help.”

This time, I would have to willingly disappoint him and have yet another thing to make up to him. I didn’t want to risk mom having anything negative to say about me letting him help clean my own mess. “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Wait a minute, what happened to Shoto?” He smirked and thumbed my bottom lip. “And you were doing so well too.”

“I-I can do that. Shoto…” I whispered, getting distracted by his touch and that gorgeous face. 

“Ooo, look at that. I’m so proud of you, baby.” He said and reluctantly pulled away with a sigh. “I regret giving you my word I would behave.” He confessed. “You’d better send me on my way.”

Having to look out for my own well-being and also knowing that I had a bad habit of misbehaving myself, I didn’t waste any time getting to my feet and leading him to the living room. Once we had our shoes on, we walked hand in hand to his car and when we stopped by the driver’s door, I held onto his hand a little tighter. It hurt to have him leaving me. I didn’t want him to go. 

“I… I’m going to miss you.” I told him bashfully, gaze dropping to the ground. Tomorrow I had school before work so I wouldn’t see him until after lunchtime. To some people, that may not have seemed like a long time, but to me it felt like forever. 

“Me too, I’m trying really hard not to kidnap you.” He confessed and pulled me closer to him. He brought his finger under my chin to raise my head, looking down at me softly. “Come over tomorrow and spend the night with me. I think I’ll go ahead and use that as the favor you owe me, I want to spend some more time with you.”

Oh, that sounded amazing. “That seems more in my favor than yours.” I murmured, eyes falling to his lips unconsciously. They were so close now, I just needed to go for it. 

They spread into a fond smile right before my eyes and he touched our foreheads together. “I’ve kept you waiting long enough, haven’t I?” He said quietly before closing the distance and kissing me.

I’d been waiting on the kiss for so long, finally having it had my knees threatening to buckle under my weight. It wasn’t fair for him to make me so crazy, but he did so with ease. The kiss was lingering, but on the softer, sweeter side and all too soon, it was over and he was getting into his car. 

As I stood there and watched him drive away, I realized for the first time just how affected I was by Mr. Todoroki. 

I was totally in love with him. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight— Shoto

Standing in the elevator on my way up to the board meeting room was not how I wanted to spend my Saturday morning. Truthfully I had kept the meeting in the back of my mind, preferring to focus on work and my precious boyfriend instead. I was finally at a point in my life where I could say I was honestly and completely happy. Being in my father’s presence however, practically guaranteed that I was going to end up in a foul mood. 

I avoided him whenever I could help it along with his shady business partners. Always up to something, always plotting, always obsessed with coming out on top. It was clear he would never learn his lesson and frankly I was done cleaning up his mess, giving him an out when there wasn’t one. He didn’t deserve it and he certainly didn’t appreciate it. His only saving grace was the fact that we shared the same last name. If he soiled it then my reputation would be affected as well, it was unavoidable.

I had to babysit him and his lackeys who were doing their best to cause trouble. I didn’t have any other choice but to come to the meeting despite him thinking he could summon me at the drop of a hat. Even after everything, he thought he could control me. I enjoyed rubbing it in his face that he couldn’t. In the end I tolerated him at best and only for a few hours at a time. Taking Izuku to the meeting wasn’t part of the plan, I didn’t want to have to expose him to my sham of a father. I wanted to go alone and deal with the matter myself. 

However, all it took was a ‘but sir’ and I couldn’t argue. His freckled cheeks puffed out and his green eyes went all wide. It was getting harder and harder to say no to him and he was quickly learning how to play me like a fiddle. Now here he was, looking quite pleased with himself as he stood by my side. I was still unsure about bringing him along although there was nothing I could do about it. He made it very clear that as my assistant he needed to be a part of the meeting. While what he said was true and valid, I didn’t like it. I wanted to keep him away but I also didn’t want to hide anything from him.

He was my boyfriend, my partner and lover. I had made the decision to show him all of me in hopes of acceptance and love. He had done the same for me by introducing me to his mother. She was an odd one and I had seen some things I didn’t like, some things that felt off. Given my own experience it wasn’t hard to notice from her and Izuku’s behavior. I wouldn’t bud my nose in just yet though, not unless he needed me to. I didn’t know exactly what was going on either despite my suspicions. All I could do was wait and see, but no matter what I would take care of him. 

The elevator dinged as we reached our destination and I stepped off first with Izuku trailing behind me. It was seven forty in the morning, twenty minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin. I led the way down the long hallway and could only hope this whole thing would be over quickly. Part of me was nervous and I came to a stop when we were a few paces away from the door. I turned to Izuku and took a deep breath, cupping his cheek with my hand. 

“Listen, sweetheart. My father’s an asshole and a lot of rubbish is going to come out of his mouth. But I don’t want you to listen to him, okay?”

Izuku smiled softly and wound his arm around my waist to hug me. “He’s your father, he can’t be that bad.” 

It was sweet of him to say so, but my father was nothing like me. “I’m afraid he is.” I said and hugged him back. “I wanted to warn you before we go in there.”

“Don’t worry about me, sir. I only care about what you think anyway… nothing he says is going to hurt me.”

“That’s my good boy.” I praised and kissed the tip of his nose. I was glad he felt that way, but if my father talked shit about him I wouldn’t hesitate to put him in his place. 

Izuku was quick to hide his flaming face against my chest, squeezing me tighter. “Y-yeah. That’s me.” He spoke against me, words muffled though I was able to hear him clearly. 

Cute. “We’ll be revisiting that later.” I promised, planning to have him spend the night. 

“O-okay. Yes sir.” He nodded, bashfully pulling back while slowly loosening his hold on me. When he tilted his head back and peeked up at me, his green eyes flicked aside almost instantly. “Umm… do you mind?” He whispered, looking around sheepishly. 

Before I could say anything, he got on the tips of his toes and kissed my lips. It was so fleeting, a kiss that had barely even happened as he was separating himself from me so quickly—turning away from me completely. His hands were hiding his face and he was quietly muttering something to himself, on another one of his rants no doubt. I smiled and fought the urge to pull him back and kiss him senseless. He was so adorable and I wanted to cuddle right this instant. More than ever I wanted to ditch the meeting and spend some time with Izuku, but the faster we got this over with the faster I could spoil him at my house. 

I placed my hand at the small of his back and steered him inside. The large oval-shaped mahogany was bare aside from the projector and all the seats were empty. Knowing where everyone tended to sit, I brought Izuku towards the end of the table and pulled out a chair for him. I sat down as well once he was seated and crossed my arms over my chest. It wouldn’t be long before the other board members started filing in and I wasn’t surprised when the first was my father. His gaze flickered over in our direction before he and his assistant sat down at the other end of the table. 

“Shoto.” He said flatly as his assistant quietly set up her laptop. 

“Father.” I replied in greeting, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“I see you managed to show up on time. I trust you’re in a better mood than the last time we spoke?” He asked but didn’t wait for me to answer. “I’ve looked over your recent progress and noticed room for improvement regarding your editors. You need to assign more writers to your editors lest they become lazy. This will allow more writers to come into the publishing company and produce more money, raising the overall productivity you’ve let drop.”

He certainly didn’t waste any time telling me what to do and what I was doing wrong. “I assure you nothing has dropped and I’m not going to overwork my employees. Let me remind you that that publishing company is no longer yours, it belongs to me. I will run it as I see fit.”

His gaze narrowed and he set his hands on the table, fingers entwined. “Need I remind you that I started that company and everything else under the Todoroki name. You’ve been messing around long enough, it’s time to get serious. I’ll send you a list of authors I want managed and published.”

“Father.” I sighed, wishing he would just let it go. “Do shut up.”

The look on his face improved my mood a great deal and he opened his mouth, ready to let me have it, when the door opened and cut him off. He never would show anything other than calm and collected in front of other people. I was sure he would corner me after the meeting to address my remark, but the red tint to his skin and the gobsmacked expression he had moments before was well worth it. I glanced over at Izuku to find him already looking at me. He appeared confused, concerned and a little curious about the interaction. 

I gave him a reassuring smile and felt more relaxed when he smiled back. 

“With all due respect,” Izuku began after clearing his throat. “We believe in quality over quantity and working closely with our authors to see to their needs and comfortability so that they can keep meeting deadlines without so much stress. While we do hope to continue accepting new authors, we shouldn’t do so blindly or rashly. We have been accepting new authors lately and at a safe pace, only if their work is suited to our liking. We don’t want to overwhelm our editors but they certainly aren’t lazy… I-I mean… I’ve been working closely with everyone and they’ve been working hard to get some big sellers published soon.”

I was both shocked and impressed that he spoke up in my and the company’s defense. The incoming board members looked scandalized at the outburst, though they had heard me say much bolder statements. My father narrowed his eyes while the other men and women took their seats and I prepared myself. There was no doubt he was going to retaliate to protect his precious image, he wouldn’t allow any form of challenge to his position. Getting it from me was as much as he could handle despite his efforts to control me.

“And you are?” My father inquired snidely, but carried on. “If this is an example of the type of staff you are employing then you and the company are in need of some discipline, Shoto. Your assistant should wisely refrain from addressing me in such a manner. Children are better seen not heard.”

I examined my fingernails and hummed dismissively. “If that was the case then you would never be able to speak at all.”

“I apologize if I came off as rude, but I don’t believe I addressed you in any manner that should have displeased you.” Midoriya frowned. “I was only politely explaining how things are currently working for us, because, as Mr. Todoroki’s assistant, that is my job and I do take my job seriously, sir.”

My father's frown deepened and there were murmurs around the table. “Apparently not seriously enough if you want to keep it. I should have expected as much, the younger generations are completely uncivilized and impertinent.”

I sighed, feeling one of his long lecturers rants coming on. “Father, stop picking on my assistant because you can’t have your way. My company and my staff are none of your concern . . . and there's nothing you can do about it.” That last bit was added coldly, borderline threatening.

“I’ll see you in my office after the meeting.” He told me and I rolled my eyes. He would never learn and frankly I was growing weary of trying to teach him, I needed to settle things one way or another.

The meeting finally began and consisted of some reports and adjustments by the other companies the members were in charge of. My father went through a number of changes he wanted to implement, but nothing stood out as suspicious thus far. The little slide show his secretary prepared went through our budgets and profit rates before overviewing Todoroki industries as a whole. It was all routine and basic information that our meetings normally consisted of, but it was too normal considering it was unscheduled and weeks ahead of one we had already predetermined.

There was something that my father wanted to discuss, something that couldn’t wait until then. I got my answer when the last item on the agenda was revealed and a stranger was let into the room. It was a young woman by the name of Himiko Toga, an overseas investor that would be taking a more hands on approach as a business partner. I didn’t like the air about her nor the way her gaze zeroed in on Izuku. 

The meeting officially ended with that, no other explanation given as he got to his feet with a pointed look in my direction. I stood up as well, Izuku following suit, and possessively kept my hand at the small of his back as we followed my father out. I would have to do some investigating and networking to find out more about our mysterious business partner. Everything about this situation was rubbing me the wrong way. His secretary walked behind us while we all silently made our way to his office, the tension growing. 

I could feel my father’s rage steadily increasing the closer we got and I was growing irritated in response, it was practically conditioned at this point. I was better at controlling my temper than when I was younger but sometimes I didn’t have the patience to brush him off. Sometimes he knew just what to say to piss me off, fan the flames that I usually kept dormant. Truthfully I didn’t like who I was when I was around him and suspecting that he was going to go after Izuku, the calm dismissal I normally regarded him with was gone. 

The door was closed behind us and the secretary waited outside once we entered his office. My father quickly rounded his desk just to lean over it, glaring at me with an expression I knew too well. Too bad for him it stopped affecting me a long time ago.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself, hm?” He began gruffly. “I didn’t raise you to behave in this manner and I certainly won’t be tolerating it any longer. Things are going to be changing around here whether you want them to or not. I’m taking back control, I’m finished watching you run amuck. I have been more than lenient these past few years, but not anymore, Shoto.”

“Tolerant? Lenient? Is that what you’re calling it?” I asked flatly and crossed my arms. “It seems you’ve forgotten the position you’re in. Who was it, father, that prevented the publishing company from crumbling? Who cleaned up the mess you made? Just because things have settled down doesn’t mean you can act like the dictator you so desperately want to be.” He might have had more leverage in the family business as a whole, but I had far more support than he ever would. “Let me clarify it for you: you don’t own me. I don’t answer to you. Accept it.”

His face hardened further and he lowered his voice. “If this is how things are going to be, so be it. I’m not fighting about this with you anymore. What happens from here on out is your doing, remember that.”

I was relieved he had redirected his anger at me instead of Izuku, but I didn’t take kindly to his threat. “We’re done here.”

I escorted Izuku out and we let his office. As we went back down the hallway and towards the elevator, the door to the meeting room opened and that woman came out. Himiko smiled fakely at me as we passed her and winked at Izuku. My instincts were telling me she played a large part in my father’s sudden plans. He had been cautious ever since he almost lost everything, never going as far as to challenging me on this level before. He had a reason for making his move now and from henceforth I needed to be on my guard. 

Once the elevator doors closed, I hit the button for the first floor as my mind raced.

Izuku shifted closer to me, fidgeting slightly with his hands together in front of him. He cleared his throat after a few seconds and then closed the distance between us completely, reaching over to wrap his fingers around my pinky. “Mr. Todoroki I’m really, really sorry. I was way out of line in there and I swear I never meant to do anything like that-- or to upset your father. I realize that I caused you a lot of trouble and I deserve to be punished, it must have been unbearably embarrassing for you. I’m always promising to do better and then… then I go and do things like this. I know you’re tired of it. You should just do it already.”

“Slow down there, sweetheart. You were great today.” I assured him and put all other thoughts away for the moment. “My father and I have never gotten along and I highly doubt we ever will. Any animosity between us has nothing to do with you, he’s always looking for something to complain about. I don’t care if he is upset or not. You stood up for me and my life’s work, how could I consider that embarrassing? I’m proud of you.”

His green eyes went wide, freckled cheeks tinting pink. “P-proud… of me?” He whispered incredulously. “Oh, you’re too sweet. I didn’t… I didn’t do anything. It came out of nowhere. I um… I seriously don’t know what came over me.” 

I smiled at him and threaded our fingers together. “Well whatever it was, I approve.”

“You say that and yet I think I got myself fired.” Izuku laughed. “Well, I know you’re my boss and not him… but I really don’t want to cause problems for you. Y-you heard what he said when I lashed out. I disrespected you by doing that. Even if you claim otherwise, it’s true.”

“He started it.” I huffed. “You know what they say, if you can’t take it then don’t dish it out. Say what you will, but I don’t feel disrespected and you were quite classy about it.”

“W-well, you know… you’re my boyfriend too and so—like—I couldn’t just let him do that to you. You don’t deserve that. He’s a big meanie. I’m sorry—I’m sorry, I don’t mean that… yes. Yes I do. Ugh! I’m just saying that he wasn’t very nice to you and it made me upset. It hurt my feelings and I honestly wanted to say a lot more.”

My smile widened at his words and his pout, wanting to hear more. “Hm. What did you want to say?”

Izuku leaned his head against the side of my arm and answered, “I wanted to tell him so much that you’re the most amazing guy on the planet. I honestly wanted to tell him to shut up. I was so upset. I’m sorry. I will be more careful…”

“If I’m the most amazing then you’re the sweetest guy on the planet. It’s nice having someone come to my defense for once, I’ve always had to fight my own battles.” I said softly. “But now I’ve got you to fight with me, don’t I?”

He squeezed my hand and hummed quietly. “Yes sir, you’ve got me. Always. I know that you would do the same for me, but I just want to make you happy and prove my feelings to you… I don’t want to hold back if you don’t want me to.”

“Never hold back.” I told him because I certainly wasn’t going to. “How about we stop somewhere after work, before we head over to my place? There’s something I want to do.”

“Where?” He asked, seeming excited. “What do you want to do?”

I hummed and shook my head. ‘’It’s a secret.”

“Hey,” Izuku whined as the elevator came to a slow halt. “No secrets. That’s not fair. I want to know too.”

“You’ll know soon enough.” I promised as I led the way out of the elevator, holding tight to his hand. “It’s a date.”

He gasped and leaned into me once again. “A real date? You mean it?”

I looked at him fondly and kissed the tip of his nose. “You know I do.”

We went back to the publishing company and thankfully experienced a much calmer day. I was able to focus on work and we got a lot done before it was time to go. Izuku tried to squeeze some hints out of me but I knew better, he would figure out just like he had before. This time I really wanted to surprise him. I drove us to our destination and parked in front of the building, watching my boyfriend's expression as he took it in. I paid more attention to him than he thought and hadn’t missed the longing gaze he had when we went bowling. He hadn’t spoken up about it, but that was alright, I would still ensure he had everything he desired.

“Is this…” Izuku trailed off, staring at the building ahead in awe before turning his gaze to me. “The arcade?” He finished, suddenly beaming at me. “Is this where we’re having our date?”

“That’s right. I’m completely hopeless at video games though so you’ll have to show me the ropes.” I smiled as I took off my seatbelt.

Giggling excitedly, he hurried to take off his own seatbelt and then threw himself at me over the console, arms going around my neck. “This is great, Shoto. I’m so happy. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” I said and peppered his cheek with kisses, heart warming at hearing my first name.

“We will have so much fun here.” Izuku grinned, nuzzling my neck with his nose. “It’s not all video games though, silly. It’s different. Have you never been?”

As perceptive as always. “I haven’t.” I said and quickly stole a kiss from his lips before reluctantly parting. Getting out of the car, I went around and opened the door for him, raising an amused brow at his red face. “How’s it going in there?”

“S-so fast, I—I wasn’t… I just… one again?”

Feeling smug and a little cheeky, I chuckled as I grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the car and to his feet. “As you wish.” I said and dipped down to connect our lips once more.

Izuku melted instantly, weakly clinging to my shirt while returning the kiss. When we parted, he pulled in a slow, shaky breath and stared at my lips dazedly. “Perfect.”

“Yes, you are.” I said quietly and took hold of his hand, giving it a squeeze.

“N-no.” He blushed and shyly lowered his gaze, dropping his head as well. “Don’t say things like that so s-suddenly.”

“How can I not when you react so beautifully?” I mused and rubbed his hip with my other hand before tugging him along. 

When we stepped inside, Izuku cradled my hand in both of his, holding it with the utmost delicacy. His cheeks still had a pretty pink hue to them and his eyes were moving around so fleetingly, looking everywhere except directly at me. But they were bright, his expression so soft and happy. As if he was content and peaceful, all thanks to this simple date. 

“Um, Mr. Todoroki…” He began in a whisper, fingertips toying with mine. “You’re really sweet to me… thank you for that.”

He made it so difficult for me, I just wanted to hide him away and hold him in my arms. “You know why that is, don’t you?”

His hands stopped moving and just held onto mine instead. “N-no sir…” Izuku answered quietly. 

“Because I like you.” I smiled gently and touched our foreheads together. “You really have no idea.”

“Mr. Todoroki,” He whined. “People will stare…”

I chuckled and pulled him closer. “Let them stare.”

“Holy cow.” He mumbled, hesitating for only an instant before he leaned into me, head resting against my chest. After a moment, he said, “W-we should get some tokens,” and pulled back to retrieve his wallet from his pants. “You have to trade money for tokens in order to play the games. Follow me!”

Before I could respond, Izuku skipped over to a token machine and fed it some money. He was grinning from ear to ear as he accepted the tokens in exchange and placed them all in a small cup that was offered next to the machine. 

“Can we play skee-ball first? It’s a fun game. One of my favorites and we can win tickets from there… but we can play anything you want first, it doesn’t really matter. I think we should give everything a try at least. I mean—I have tried all the games at some point or another, but this is your first time. What am I saying, of course you should pick our first game! Forget what I said, sir.” He waved his free hand around frantically. “L-lets just take a look around and see what catches your eye. Does that sound okay?”

I enjoyed seeing him so animated and I knew whatever we played, it would be fun. “Skee-ball sounds interesting. I’d like to start with that and then look around.” I said as I shedded my suit jacket and placed it over my arm.

“A-are you sure?” He asked, sounding uncertain but once I reassured him, he grabbed my hand and led me over to the skee-ball games. There were several of the same machines lined up together, but Izuku chose to bring us to two of them at the end. “It’s simple really, you just get the balls and roll them, trying to get them in the holes. The higher you score, the more tickets you win.”

As he explained, he set the cup down and released my hand to collect the four tokens it would take for both of us. He even added them to each game and got them started, unlocking the several balls given to play with. Once he grabbed his first ball to give me an example, he turned slightly shy again, but his accuracy was impressive. 

“See, pretty easy…” 

I hummed, eyes lighting up as I smiled at him. “Alright. I’ll give it a shot.”

I picked up some balls and began rolling them as he had done. The only difference was that I kept missing . . . a lot. The game itself was simple and Izuku had made it look so easy. In the end my score was closer to zero than I would like to admit, but I didn’t really mind.

“Hm. I don’t have the talent for this one, I’m out classed.”

“You were great!” Izuku was quick to praise me with a smile. “It’s not about talent or anything… just having fun. Unless… you didn’t like it?”

“We can give it another go.” I said and ruffled his hair. “Maybe I just need some practice.”

His smile turned bashful and he collected our tickets and the coin cup before looking back up to me. “There are so many games, we should try everything before coming back to this one.”

Taking my hand again, Izuku led me around, stopping at each different game to give them a shot. We played everything from air hockey to basketball and did accumulate plenty of tickets over time. He was happy to carry the around, proud of our earnings. I’d exchanged more money for tokens after a while, wanting our date to continue longer. It was over an hour later before we ever made it to the second floor of the arcade where Izuku explained there was a laser tag game.

A new addition to the arcade that he had never gotten to experience before. 

“Ooh, photo booth!” Izuku exclaimed, bouncing on his feet once he spotted it. “Let’s take some, Shoto, please?” He tugged on my shirt, staring at me with hearts in his vivid green eyes. 

Honestly, I didn’t stand a chance. No was no longer in my vocabulary. “Of course, sweetheart.” I grinned and brought him inside the booth. I sat down and pulled him in my lap, resting my chin over his shoulder as my arms wrapped around his waist. “Ready.”

For a moment, he just sat stock still, holding onto my arms. One glance at him and I smiled at seeing how red his face had become. I could only imagine the thoughts running through his mind, but I waited until he shook it off himself and then proceeded to prepare for the photos. 

We took four in all, the first with Izuku struggling to compose himself. The second he had gotten it together and plastered a big smile on his face. The third one I tickled him and peppered him with kisses. And the fourth, he turned to me at the last second and pressed a kiss to my cheek. 

All the photos turned out beautifully. We had two copies made, one for him and one for me. As we stood outside of the photo booth, he couldn’t take his eyes off of the prints. He was adorable, in complete awe over them. 

“Look at you, so handsome, gosh,” he cooed, swaying back and forth as he admired each photo. “Ah, I look ridiculous but it doesn’t even matter since you’re with me. I love this so much. Thank you, Shoto.”

“Shoto is it?” A familiar, gruff voice spat from behind us. 

“Kacchan?” Izuku whirled around, appearing shocked at the sight of the blond boy. 

“The hell are you doing here, Deku? Thought you didn’t have time to play anymore.” He looked as bitter as ever, though his red headed friend was the opposite, nothing but smiles as he waved at us. 

“Oh… well normally yes… but this time I’m on a date with Shoto, so it’s different.”

“Fucking date… my ass.” Bakugou scoffed and Kirishima patted his shoulder, laughing to try and lighten the mood. 

“It is a date, Kacchan!” Izuku huffed, leaving me just long enough to jump at his friend and swat him on his chest. Then he ducked behind me and gripped the back of my shirt, peeking around me to glare at Bakugou. “We’re having a lot of fun too.”

His actions hadn’t phased the other boy, but his words had him grinding his teeth and tensing his jaw. 

“Hello.” I greeted and offered him my hand. “I’m Shoto Todoroki, Izuku’s boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” He laughed humorously, gripping my hand firmly and meeting my gaze with a hard stare. “Mhm… I know all about your ass.”

“Careful, Katsuki.” Kirishima said warningly, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

 “Is that so?” I mused and let him squeeze all he wanted. Whether he was jealous or just protective, it didn’t matter to me. 

I had looked into Katsuki Bakugou before I ever saw him in person. He was a cook at the restaurant Izuku worked at part time and had a reputation as a hot head. I hadn’t heard much about him from Izuku, but I knew they were long time friends and went to the same college. My opinion about the man was neutral apart from his yelling. It didn’t matter if Izuku was used to it or not, I wouldn’t let it slide.

“Yeah. I don’t appreciate you ending my call with Deku so suddenly. Are you always such a rude ass fucker?”

“We had matters to attend to and you were busting his eardrums.” I said simply, wondering when he would let go of my hand. “But you're entitled to your opinion.”

“Kacchan be nice.” Izuku stepped around to my side, still clutching my shirt. “I was at work… I was gonna call you back but I forgot.”

The blond snorted and pulled his hand away from mine, looking from me to Izuku. “We have plans coming up too. Don’t tell me you forgot?”

“Plans?” Izuku questioned, raising a brow as he pondered over it.

“The Plus Ultra concert, Midoriya.” Kirishima reminded him. “Katsuki bought our tickets months ago, remember?”

“Oh…” He had completely forgotten about it, that was plainly written all over his face. “When?”

“It’s this weekend and your ass is going, Deku.” Bakugou snapped, pointing a finger in Izuku’s face. “No fucking work for you this weekend.”

I moved Izuku over to my other side so he wasn’t being pointed at before asking with a surprised smile, “You’re a big fan of All Might?”

He blanched and went beet red, averting his eyes. “Oh well… um… y-yes, a little bit. I mean, he’s the coolest ever. I wanted to see him in concert but it’s expensive and back then, I was only working at the restaurant. Kacchan bought me a ticket and surprised me. I guess it did slip my mind though… with everything going on recently.”

“Cute.” I cooed, storing the information away for later. Some merch would be nice.

“The center is three hours away, Deku. Don’t fucking forget that we’re leaving Friday afternoon. You ass better be ready by six. I’m picking you up. I already booked our room for the weekend.” As he spoke that last sentence, his eyes flicked to me with a pointed stare.

“By six… I have to work Friday… I’m sure I can take off Saturday but this is so sudden and I don’t want to jeopardize my job-”

“Six o’clock, Deku.” Bakugou growled. “Have your ass ready.”

I watched them interact closely and wondered if the blond was always ordering Izuku around. “Do you want to go, Izuku?” I asked him and rubbed his back.

He looked at me, conflicted and pouting. “W-well yeah. I mean Kacchan bought our tickets and everything a long time ago. I feel bad that I let myself forget and I have never been to see All Might in person before. It’s rare that he comes this close to us so I don’t want to miss out.”

I hummed in understanding. “Then go. I won’t mind, you should hang out with your friends and have fun.” I encouraged. “I don’t want you to miss out on seeing All Might either.” Truthfully I wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable about him sharing a room with the others, but he was an adult. He could handle things without me there and if something did happen then I wouldn’t hesitate to step in. 

“Really?” His pout quickly morphed into a look of elation and he hugged me tight around my waist, leaning into me as much as possible. “Thank you so much. I’m so excited.”

“Fucking bullshit.” Bakugo muttered. “Let’s go, shitty hair. See you tomorrow, Deku.”

“Bye Kacchan! Bye Kirishima!” Izuku waved excitedly to the two as they walked away, his other arm still wrapped around me. “I can’t believe this is happening! All Might… in the flesh!”

“Make sure you get lots of pictures, sweetheart.” I said and rested my head on top of his. 

“I will! And I’ll bring you something special back too.” He giggled. “But gosh… that long without you—how will I survive it?”

The question left me with an odd feeling in my chest, a tightening that almost hurt. “You’ll have to text me the whole time.” I said, half joking and half serious. What was I going to do while he was gone?

“Texting!” He grinned and nodded enthusiastically. “I love texting you… and calling too. We can do FaceTime?”

The tightening lessened after hearing his idea. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’ll be great to hear all about it and see you so excited before saying goodnight. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too! But… do you think—maybe—I can stay with you more this week?” The question took him an entire moment to speak and even then each word was quiet and anxious. “O-only if you want… or not… I don’t know, just forget it.”

I grinned and moved my head to look at him, his face flushed and hopeful. “I’ve been waiting to kidnap you for awhile. Thank you for the permission.”

“You mean it?”

“You know I do.” I answered just like I had before and hugged him more firmly. “We’ll go by your place after our date so you can pack. Then you’re forbidden from leaving my side, I want you in my arms at all times.”

He let out a relieved sigh and nodded contentedly. “I want that too, Shoto.”

He was getting more and more at ease with me, enough so that my first name had fallen from his lips more than ever. That called for a reward, one that I would give him later tonight. “Then you’ll have it, baby.”

“Oh wow…” Izuku breathed, fisting my shirt at my back. “Y-you… too much.”

I laughed and cut him some slack for now. We had a date to finish and I wasn’t going to back out on playing laser tag. We weren’t exactly dressed for the occasion, but it didn’t matter. Once the game began, we didn’t have a care in the world. Izuku got to show off his more athletic side and I was just absorbing the experience. I didn’t play games like this as a child, I didn’t hang out with friends or stay up late watching movies with my family. My life had been different from everyone elses and I missed out on so much. I was sure there were things I wasn’t even aware I was missing out on, but I hadn’t given up completely. 

I wanted to break down the walls I had built around myself and be with other people. I wanted to be myself, relax and make bonds with people. Izuku was the first person to get close to the real me. Every day he was melting the cold icey world I found myself in, he was showing me how to live. Despite everything I had worked for and created, despite the respect I had gained and the business associates, none of it went home with me. At the end of the day I was alone. I had nothing other than the company. Now I had Izuku . . . and I didn’t feel like I was missing out anymore. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine—Izuku

Every date with Mr. Todoroki was always amazing. It was so easy to have a good time with him. He made me smile so effortlessly and much more than that. I was genuinely happy so long as he was by my side—even if he was making me flustered by teasing me, I was thankful for it. Always thankful to be with him. 

In less than a week though, I would be leaving his side in order to attend an All Might concert—a man who I had admired for as long as I could remember. Ever since I was a young boy. It had been something I was looking forward to for a long time, but Kacchan bought the tickets so early—in order to be sure we didn’t miss the opportunity to get tickets—it had been easy for me to let the whole thing slip my mind. 

Ever since I started working for Shoto, things were a bit hectic. My days were filled with him and my nights were spent with him on my mind or in my dreams. There was no escape and strangely enough, I didn’t want there to be. I just wanted to be by his side, always. Leaving him for the weekend wasn’t going to be easy at all, but we still had time and I was going to make the most of it. 

Our date at the arcade was wonderful. I had more fun than I’d had in a really long time and had soon realized that I was becoming more and more at ease with him. Sometimes I was purely shameless in my attempts to be closer to him—even going as far as inviting myself to stay with him. Sure, he did say he wanted to kidnap me and keep me, but I still felt as if I’d taken things too far. 

I wasn’t going to stress it though. As we arrived at my apartment, I was too excited to get my things so I could get back to his place with him and not have anything else to worry about. There was still work, including my work at the restaurant, but I decided that for tonight, I wasn't going to worry about it. I just wanted to focus on him and his perfection as a whole. 

Mom didn’t seem happy at all though. She barely greeted me and didn’t so much as acknowledge Shoto as I worked to pack some essentials. I didn’t argue with her, but I did give her the cold shoulder and I wasn’t going to regret it either. I deserved to be happy too. Why people were so determined to butt in was beyond me, but she wasn’t going to change the way I felt about Shoto. 

Her or nobody else. 

I left her all the cash I had on me and promised to make sure the utility bill was paid. It was due in only a few days, but I intended to stay with Shoto for the entire week unless he just got tired of me and decided to send me back home. I would surely be on my best behavior though. I wanted him to want me and I knew I was a mess for him most of the time. 

We stopped for food on the way to his home—another date at the diner we liked that was just as wonderful, even if it was quicker and simpler. I was too excited about making it to his home though, excusing myself to carry my bag to his room for a bath. I was ready to get changed into something more comfortable and have nothing more to do than sit with Shoto and hopefully cuddle. 

I didn’t take my time in the bath, too eager to get back to him. When I finished, I brushed my teeth and then dressed in my pajamas—a pale green t-shirt and thin grey pajama pants with green pinstripes. I also put on a pair of socks so my feet wouldn’t get cold and then finally went in search of him. 

Shoto was in the living room, sitting on the couch with his feet propped up. He’d changed too, now wearing a pair of dark blue joggers and a white t-shirt. I padded over to him quietly, mindful since he was on the phone. He never ceased to amaze me, to be able to look so amazing when he was dressed in his full suit and tie, and yet like this, so casual, hair askew, and still the most beautiful person I’d ever laid eyes on. 

When I sat down, I didn’t bother leaving any space between us. I didn’t want to disturb his call, but I wanted to cuddle and I was sure he wouldn’t push me away. His arm came around my shoulders as soon as I sat down and I leaned into him, smiling softly to myself as I rested my cheek against his chest. He smelled so good and comforting, like he always did. 

“Yes, we’ll be able to move forward with that much at least.” He was saying to the other person on the line. “Right. It was important, so I understand. Have a good night.”

“Work this late?” I asked once he ended the call, knowing I shouldn’t have been sulking over it. It just wasn’t fair that he had to work so hard all the time. 

“Hm. Mr. Tatami had worked himself up into a full blown panic over his comic, even Ms. Yaoyorosu wasn’t able to calm him down.” He sighed and rested more comfortably against me, thumb rubbing my shoulder. “His deadline is in three days and he was unsatisfied with his progress. Sometimes it takes my personal assurance to appease our authors, but I won’t be taking anymore calls tonight.”

“Well, if you need any help, I’m here. Don’t forget me.” I said so that he would know he didn’t have to work alone. It was my job as his assistant to help him after all. 

“I could never forget about you, sweetheart.” He said and reached over with his free hand to hold mine, his mix-matched eyes falling closed. “Really . . . this honey scent of yours is the best.”

“H-honey scent?” I blushed at hearing that, but only curled up to him more. My legs moved to rest over his as well and I wound my arm around him. He smelled much better, but if he liked the way I smelled too, then I was happy. 

“As sweet as can be.” He hummed. “I’m so lucky.”

It was me who was the lucky one and I told him as much but in the end we just laughed and stayed as we were, snuggling on the couch. This was going to be the best week of my life—I could just feel it. Moments like these, with Shoto, I craved them. I wanted to be just like this as long as we had free time. But I also wanted more. 

I wanted him to kiss me. Touch me. Keep me as close as possible. 

As if he’d read my mind, his hand slowly began rubbing up and down my thigh, making me shudder and chew on my lower lip. It was strange, how affected I was by him. How easily he could work me up and make me feel all these things. It was ridiculous, but I loved it. I loved every second of it and I wanted more of him. 

“Shoto,” I whispered, shifting around slightly as his hand continued to roam. 

“There it is again.” He whispered back, voice low and sultry. “You’ve been doing so well, baby. I need to reward you.”

“W-what did I do?” I asked, feeling my face turn hot. The shift in his voice had my lower abdomen coiling wantonly and I didn’t know how to feel. “Reward? Like… like what kind?”

He got up from the couch, taking me with him as he carried me away. “The naughty kind.”

My already red face became so hot so suddenly that I feared I’d combust. “N-n-naughty? What naughty?” I asked in disbelief. 

“So fucking adorable.” He groaned as we reached his room. He pushed the door open, not bothering to close it before he crossed the room and laid me down on his mattress. “Izuku . . .” He trailed and hovered over me, thumb caressing my bottom lip. “Can I devour you tonight?”

My breath hitched as I stared up at the lustful look in his eyes, that tightening in my stomach suddenly back and stronger than ever. Even worse, I felt my member stirring to life. Just from that look and his words. I couldn’t help but blush deeply, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to look away from him. 

“Me? You want… um…” It was becoming hard to breathe. All I knew was that I didn’t want to deny him. “W-whatever you want. Anything.”

He gave me a small and warm smile, leaning down to kiss my nose. “I’ll need a little more than that, sweetheart. Do you trust me? Do you want what I want to give you?”

I shuddered, swallowing hard at the implication alone. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought that maybe he meant we would be doing more. Would we finally go all the way? I wanted it. I wanted it so badly. 

“I do.” I breathed, clutching the covers at my sides. “I trust you. I want everything. All of you.”

He groaned again and brushed his lips against mine. “Good boy.”

I gasped at the praise and the deep, seductive tone of his voice. My hands released the covers to raise up and slip into his hair, lips molding to his in a lingering, heartfelt kiss that I hoped portrayed to him exactly what I was feeling. I didn’t have words—but he made me feel so much. So, so much. He accepted it gladly and let me pour it all out until he returned it tenfold. Taking control of the kiss, he assaulted my mouth without mercy and dragged his tongue over every inch. Never had he been so rough before and his teeth nipped and bit at my lips. 

Embarrassingly, I had lost myself to the kiss completely and was thoroughly enjoying every little thing he was doing. Even having the rougher treatment. In no time at all, I was fully erect and so breathless I couldn’t keep up with his wonderful kisses. I could only whimper and cling to him weakly, wondering how I was going to handle any more than this. After a few more moments he let me breathe and sucked on my neck a few times before turning me on my side. He laid down behind me, mouth going to my ear as his hand slipped under my shirt. 

“It isn’t enough, Izuku. I haven’t tasted all of you yet.” He said and snaked his other arm under me, fingers traveling down my stomach and into my pants and underwear. “Here.” He touched the tip of my cock with his index finger, just barely dipping into the slit.

The touch had a strangled moan falling from my lips. I felt extra sensitive all over and he had me in a complete daze, seeing nothing, just feeling and craving more. 

“And here.” He went on, the hand in my shirt having gone up all the way to poke out at the top, his fingers caressing my lips. “But I still have one more place to get my mouth on . . . have you figured out what your reward is?”

I didn’t have a clue, but everything was feeling like a reward to me. I just wanted him to keep touching me and talking to me. His perfect hands were deserving of a reward, not me. I hadn’t even done anything. Dazed with lust, I couldn’t even bring myself to feel shame when I began kissing the tips of his fingers. Formulating a response otherwise wasn’t happening for me, I was too at a loss, but I just needed to do something. 

“Aw, baby, am I coming on too strong?” He asked, but I could feel the pleased smirk against my ear. The teasing touch to my member was gone when his hand went around to fondle my backside. “Absolutely stunning.”

It did feel like too much and yet, at the same time, it felt like not nearly enough. My body was acting on autopilot, hips shifting and rear pressing back into his touch while I parted my lips to take in the tip of his index finger and give it a little suck. Whatever happened, I just didn’t want him to stop. 

“Shit.” He cursed. “You really make me want to have you come like this. Maybe another time.” Shoto hummed and then pulled his hands away. I was moved to lay flat on my belly, pants and underwear quickly stripped from me before kisses were pressed to my lower back. “You make me impatient, but I won’t fail to pleasure you.”

He was already succeeding in doing so, leaving me a writhing, panting mess. All for him. This… it could only be the Todoroki effect and it was truly intense. His lips on my lower back had even more heat pooling below my waist and when his tongue dipped out to slide along little circles of my skin, I moaned freely. 

“S-Shoto… please I’m—” I didn’t know what I was feeling exactly, where this was going or what I should do to please him, but I was just so hot and bothered. All thanks to him. 

Had he even done anything to make me feel this way?

So little had happened and yet it was all so much. 

“Please more.” I needed more. So much more. 

He let out a heavy breath against my skin, hands trailing up my thighs before parting my cheeks. “As you wish.” 

A wet tongue licked up from my balls all the way to my rim, beginning to trace it over and over. The initial touch of his tongue there had me losing what was left of my breath and losing what little strength I had in my arms. The last thing I expected was this—to have his tongue on such a place that before him, was completely untouched. 

I could remember easily how amazing his fingers were, but his tongue was far too much. I wasn’t prepared. Just having him lap at my entrance was enough to have me moaning and whimpering constantly. My hips were rocking back against him. So wet and warm, his tongue was far too good. I could feel my length throbbing and leaking, but what I was concentrating on most was his tongue on me. 

When it began prodding instead of the continuous lapping, my body stiffened and I got up slightly on my knees. “Ah… Shoto. Mm.” This really was too much and yet I never wanted it to end. 

He hummed and buried his face deeper, flattening his tongue for a moment to suck. My hands fisted the pillows and I whined as I pressed back. Then he slowly slipped his tongue inside of me and swirled it around as he greedily tasted me. I choked on my next moan, focusing solely on how his tongue felt. It was unlike anything else I had ever experienced before. My back arched further and my erection was now painfully hard and pulsating. 

“Sho— oh god.” This sweet torture was too much for me. I was too needy for more, tears pricking at my eyes, voice desperate to come out properly and beg him for more, but I couldn’t get past all the breathless moaning he was making me do to get it out. 

I didn’t think it could get anymore intense, but he wasn’t done with me. Not even close. His tongue started thrusting in and out as he shamelessly ate me out. I had never thought something like this even happened in real life and to imagine it being Mr. Todoroki… it was just unbelievable. 

He’d turned me into a wanton mess. I couldn’t get myself together, being completely unaware of how loud I was praising him with my cries or the fact that I was drooling all over his bed. Not to mention leaking precum and making a mess as well. The pleasure I felt was dizzying. I was hot all over, feeling so beside myself thanks to his ministrations that I knew I was either going to come untouched or pass out.

After a few moments he pulled back, panting as he gave me a break. “So fucking perfect, sweetheart. Who's my good boy?”

Finding relief was impossible when he was speaking to me in such a way and my erection was driving me insane. “Please,” I sobbed, pulling my knees up to get in a more presentable position. “I’ll be good… so please…”

“I’ve got you, baby.”  He said and then dove back in, doubling his efforts and eating me out as if he were starved. His hand wrapped around my cock and he fondled it slowly with a firm grip.

My stomach coiled, member throbbing in his hold. He was too skilled, stroking me with amazing precision while his tongue licked at my entrance and pressed into it. Every time he pulled his tongue back, my hole clenched in rebellion. My balls had tightened almost painfully and barely a moment after he began working my length, my body seized up.

“Oh god, oh fuck, Shoto. Shoto .” I couldn’t hold it together. “It’s… I-I’m-”

He hummed in encouragement and didn’t let up, moving his hand faster over my dick and sucking harshly at my rim. It was more than enough to have me reaching my climax. I felt the unyielding pleasure coursing through every inch of my body, a heat that was near unbearable spreading throughout me. The scream that I needed to let out was completely silent, my breath being stolen completely by the intensity of my orgasm.

Shoto stroked me until I had nothing left to give, his tongue leaving me as he panted against me instead. When I became too sensitive, I wiggled my hips in a feeble attempt to get away.

“N-no more… so much…” I babbled incoherently, struggling to keep myself up on my knees.

He left one last lingering kiss to my lower back and then removed his hand, gently easing me onto my back. His body covered mine and he pressed soothing kisses against my neck, right over my rapidly beating pulse. I wrapped my arms around him, though I didn’t have an ounce of strength to even consider hugging him to me. 

“Kiss.”

He smiled against my skin and trailed his lips up to my own. The kiss was slow, tender and sweet. “I’m completely taken with you, you know. I’m bewitched and entranced . . . all I see is you.”

Shoto made my heart swell and flutter so easily. I was the one taken with him, completely mesmerized by this perfect man. I still had no idea how he’d become my boyfriend, how I was lucky enough to get to hold his hand, kiss him and cuddle with him. 

And even more…

“You… You’re so perfect. Mine.” I stared up at him in awe, bringing my hand around to brush the tips of my fingers over his parted lips.

“That’s right, baby, all yours.” He smiled widely before kissing the pads of my figures. It only took a few seconds for his gaze to go from soft to heated and his next words almost came out as a growl, “And you’re mine.”

“Yes,” I breathed, nodding eagerly in response. “Wanna be yours.”

He groaned and kissed me again, unable to get enough. “It’s a sin how sexy you are and you don’t even realize it.”

Sexy wasn’t a word I would ever associate with myself, but I felt like he was being genuine when he said it. Shoto really saw me like that sometimes and knowing that really made me happy. Not that I would agree, but I still liked hearing him say things like that to me.

“Does that mean I don’t get to be good anymore?” I asked, unbelievably without dying. 

He grunted and let his head rest in the curve of my neck. “Damn. And then you go adorable on me, how am I supposed to stand a chance?” He chuckled. “You’ll always be good for me, won't you?”

“Always.” I promised quickly, moving my arms to cradle his head. “Are you…” My nerves had me trailing off, but I swallowed my anxiousness and forced the words out. “Are you going to make love to me now?”

He grunted again and fisted my shirt at the sides. “You have work in the morning.”

“B-but…” I frowned, wanting to argue. I had work every day. If that was going to give him reason for us to not be able to go all the way, I wasn’t sure when it would ever happen… or if it would at all. Still, I didn’t want to push my luck, so I decided to let it go. “Okay…”

Shoto was silent for a while before he raised his head to look at me, a smirk slowly forming on his face. “I have an idea.”

My brows arched at his words and I stared at him curiously. “What idea?”

“When you get back from All Might’s concert, let’s go on a little vacation, just the two of us.” He suggested. “No work, no responsibilities. We can take a breather from everything and I can make love to you as many times as you want.”

“We can do that?” I asked in disbelief, but quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn’t a good idea for me. “I don’t know… I will already be missing two work days and I can’t really afford it. My mom is depending on me and I still have the couch to worry about…”

“Izuku.” He chided, referring to the couch, but he watched my expression thoughtfully. “If money is the only issue then I’m more than happy to cover the costs for you. Not as your boss, but as your boyfriend. I really want to spend more time with you . . . I want to cherish you like you deserve. Will you let me?”

“You already do.” He should have realized by now. I smiled softly and caressed his cheek. “You’re really amazing. Sweetest person I’ve ever known. But I don’t want you thinking that I need your money. That’s not why I like you so much. I like making and spending my own money… If I do, then nobody can say mean things.”

“No one should ever say mean things to you unless they want my foot up their ass.” He huffed under his breath before saying, “So then your answer is no?”

“W-well… let me see how my shift goes tomorrow. If I have a good day, then maybe we can make it happen. I’ll try my best for you.”

He buried his face in my neck again and for a split second I could have sworn he was pouting. “I’m no match for you when you’re so determined and stubborn. Alright, sweetheart, I’ll let you handle it.”

“Thank you,” I smiled and kissed his cheek chastely. A slight shift and I was reminded that I was the only one who’d been given relief—my thigh brushing across his erection. The action had my face burning hot again. “Oh—um… you want me to… you know… take care of it?”

“Hm.” He grinned and nibbled at my ear. “What are you going to do to me, Izuku?”

“O-oh… well…” Putting it into words wasn’t easy, but I supposed he wanted me to be specific. “Whatever you like, but I can—you know—suck it.”

He hummed in response, kissing my jaw as his hold on my shirt tightened. “Only if you want to, sweetheart. Have your wicked way with me . . .” he trailed, smirking again, “because I’m yours.”

Mine. 

I loved the sound of that. Loved the thought of being able to pleasure him just as he pleasured me. I wanted Shoto to feel just that good. He deserved all of that and more. He was always so perfect for me. It made me want to try and be as perfect for him as I could. 

Since I had taken the time to calm down and regained my strength, I heeded the opportunity and rolled us over so I was on top of him. He blinked at me, looking surprised by the move and I couldn’t help but giggle at his expression. 

“My turn,” I reminded him, dragging my thumb across his lips before leaning down to capture them in a kiss. 

His hands rested on my thighs and he followed my lead until our mouths parted. “You’re so bold tonight, I like it. If I didn’t know any better then I would say I’m the one getting rewarded.”

Having him call me out had me want to shy away and I was once again reduced to a blushing mess, but I wouldn’t let it stop me. “Shh.” I pressed my index finger to his lips, unwilling to deal with him killing me if I was going to see this through. “No talking.”

An excited and somewhat cheeky grin came across his face and he kept quiet. I licked my lips in preparation, pulling my hand back to push his T-shirt up while maneuvering myself down his body. Shoto was so beautiful, all of him. It was something I would never get over. I would always love to admire him. His abs were so perfectly defined, deserving attention—at least in my opinion. 

Taking my time working my way down his torso, I made sure to explore his heated skin, leaving light suckles at every spot I passed. Yet again, my body was reacting to being able to have something so intimate with him, but I refused to let what happened on the couch that night happen again on his bed. The haze of lust still swept over me, fogging my brain by the time I reached his lower abdomen. 

So perfect. Every last inch of him. Being able to taste and worship his body had my breathing escalating and turning shaky. I paused momentarily, pulling the waistband of his pajama pants down just a bit before trailing my tongue over the right side of his V-line. I heard him take a steadying breath as his hips shifted slightly. His gaze was heavy on me, adding to the anticipation and high I was feeling. He was so focused on my every move.

He was so hard—for me—it was unbelievable. I loved it. “Your pajamas are so soft,” I cooed, purposely laying my cheek over his erection and nuzzling it. 

“Fuck.” He cursed quietly and couldn’t resist threading his fingers in my hair. “You’re already driving me crazy.”

“You like your pajamas too, huh?” I smiled, rubbing my cheek more firmly against him while letting my hands massage his hips. 

He groaned and met my gaze, mix-matched eyes amused and clouded at the same time. “I’m more worked up than you think, sweetheart. Don’t expect my brain and my dick to function at the same time.”

Though I laughed, I took his words as a hint to stop teasing and move along, so I slowly peeled his bottoms and briefs down far enough to release his length. I needed a good, long moment just to ogle it. Even though it was also beautiful and it did fascinate me, I was also eager to please him, so I leaned in and licked across his slit. A small bead of precum had formed, giving me a taste of what was to come. 

After letting out an approving hum, I opened my mouth to take in the tip of his member, giving it a thorough suckle as my hand wrapped around the base. It seemed a lot easier this time. I felt more confident, having no reluctance in taking more of him in or having my hand working in tandem with my mouth. Shoto moaned and lightly scratched his nails down my scalp as his hips shifted again. 

He was so hot and thick, his deep voice making those pleasured sounds only spurring me forward, making me let out a moan of my own with his cock still in my mouth. He was making me drool like crazy, but it only helped me stroke him easier while I did my best to swallow as much of him as I could. 

“Oh, baby, that’s-” He cut himself off with another moan and I could feel his muscles flex.

I knew that it was working—he was enjoying the pleasure I was bringing him, but some devious part of me still had me sucking my way off of him. “What is it?” I rasped, panting against the head of his cock while licking at it teasingly. 

His breath hitched, pink dusting his cheeks. “God, just look at you.”

“You like this?” I asked, trying not to let my nerves get to me. He did, I knew he did… he wasn’t even focused enough to answer my question. I kept my eyes locked on his while sucking at the underside of his cock, waiting. 

His grip in my hair tightened as he hissed, “Izuku, you teasing minx.” It took a moment for him to finally process my question and he answered with a satisfied smile. “I like everything about this.”

“I like it too,” I breathed, sliding my tongue around his tip before taking him back in and going down on him even further than before, pumping his length a little faster, with a steady rhythm. 

“W-wait, slow do-” The partial warning came too late and Shoto’s body tensed as his orgasm hit him. Low moans and curses escaped him as he filled my mouth, pushing himself further down my throat. 

My gag reflex came to life, but I fought it, relaxing my throat and taking him in, having no choice but to swallow his release as it was given to me. The feeling of him throbbing throughout his climax had my eyes rolling back in my head and my fingertips dug into his hips, though without trying to push him away. The way he thrusted you into my mouth only made me more determined to take it. He was pulling me off of his cock sooner than I would have liked, forcing me to breathe as he stared up at the ceiling, panting. 

I was just as breathless, staring at him in a daze. His flushed cheeks made him appear more softer than normal, but just as alluring. Maybe even more-so. “Tastes good,” I commented, voice quiet and broken. One glance back down at his softening cock showed me that he’d pulled me off too suddenly—I hadn’t gotten it all. I hummed at the sight of the dribble of cum bearing at his tip and dipped down to suck it off of him. 

“Mercy.” He groaned, oversensitive and shierved at the stimulation. He pulled me back up before I could do anything else and was quick to tuck his face in my neck as he held me, his new favorite hiding place it seemed. 

“Was it okay?” I asked breathlessly. “Did I—Did I mess up?”

“On the contrary, you messed me up.” He said and then confessed. “I . . . I tried to hold out, but . . . it was too much. An embarrassingly short and very erotic experience.”

I didn’t know if I should smile or pout. “Well I can do it again, if you want.”

“S-shit.” He stuttered. “Later. Definitely later. Now, however,” he paused and trailed his hand down to my groin. “I’d like to take care of that stamina of yours and suck you.”

“W-whoa what?” I wheezed, eyes widening and looking into his searchingly. “B-but I’m fine. Really.”

“You’re hard.” He observed and rolled me onto my back once more. “And I want to taste how sweet you are again.”

“ Oh, oh my…” I wasn’t expecting this, but I certainly wasn’t going to complain. As long as he wanted to spoil me, I would accept it, so long as I could spoil him in return. 

.

.

.

Even the smallest things felt so nice to me. I was still elated to be staying with Shoto, but waking up in his arms was just the beginning of a very wonderful morning with him. I was so happy to be attached to his hip, getting to soak in the bath with him, cook and eat breakfast with him and hold onto his hand as he drove me to work. It was so much better than being at my

apartment with mom, especially since I got to take the time to work my way up for a kiss before going in. 

I shouldn’t have been so shy with him at times, but it was still a lot to take in and honestly hard to believe we were really boyfriends. He had come to know me well, even when I was struggling and too shy to go for it or ask him—he knew what I wanted and he gave it to me gladly. It was only after his lips touched mine that my nervousness flew out the window and I clung to him, opening my mouth for him, eagerly slipping my tongue past his lips in hopes of a much deeper kiss. 

He gave in for the briefest of moments before pulling back with a playful bite to my bottom lip. “Don’t tempt me. Any more than this and you won’t be going to work today.”

“Wha—I have to! I need lots of good tips today if we’re going to try and go on a small vacation. Remember?” I giggled, making sure to pull back so he didn’t keep me from work. 

“I know, so stop seducing me.” He chuckled and stroked my cheek with the backs of his knuckles. “Have a good day at work, sweetheart. I’ll see you later when I pick you up.”

“Okay,” I smiled, feeling slightly bashful as I raised my hand to hold his at my cheek. “Thank you for the ride.”

“You’re welcome, Izuku.” He smiled back softly before leaning over and quickly stealing another kiss. “Now get going before you’re late and I start seducing you.”

“Okay, okay!” I blushed and scrambled out of the car, clearing my throat. It was a little scratchy after last night’s escapades, but it was only a reminder of how I’d pleasured my boyfriend and I took pride in that. 

When I walked inside, I went to my locker and got out my apron. I was right on time for my shift and already eager to get it over with so I could return to Shoto. Kirishima was the first person I bumped into as he was carrying a container filled with freshly rolled silverware. 

“Aw, I would’ve helped do that.” I told him with a small smile and he waved me off. 

“No biggie, we handled most stocking last night so there’s not much prep this morning.” He said reassuringly and I nodded in understanding. 

“Got it. I’ll check behind you just to be safe and see if Kacchan needs any help before we open.”

Sunday mornings were always our busiest time of the week. It was a good day for me to still have to work because tips were normally good anyway. Today, I was more determined to work hard and be a perfect server so I could receive the best tips possible. As I expected, we were as busy as always and time was flying by. It was a tiring shift from how busy things were, but after the rush and a quick cleanup, I was finally able to breathe. Everything had to be restocked for the next shift, but stocking wasn’t so bad. The worst was over and now I could take it easy for the most part. 

“You better not be getting sick, Deku.” Kacchan suddenly scolded me while I was telling him about a birthday party group that had come in during the rush. The cutest little girl had just turned five and she was so excited just to come for dinner. It was adorable. 

I cleared my throat, knowing exactly what he was talking about. “I’m not sick.” I told him, though I understood why he would be worried about my hoarse tone. “Throat is just a little um… scratchy. I’ll have some honey tea later…”

“Just a little scratchy?” He snorted, settling the knife in his hand down on the cutting board. 

I felt my cheeks heat up, but only shrugged my shoulders while stealing the cutting board so I could slice some lemons. 

“Hmph. You’re obviously coming down with something… or else.” He grumbled. “But you better fucking get over it before the weekend.”

“I’m fine.” I huffed and checked the time, seeing I had less than half an hour left. “Don’t worry about me, Kacchan.”

“Yeah well, somebody needs to.” He ground out and I wanted to tell him that Shoto would, but I didn’t think he would be happy to hear it so I kept my thoughts to myself. 

When my last ten minutes came, I was just handing off a stack of cleaned menus to Kirishima when I spotted Shoto standing at the doorway, watching me. 

“Shoto!” I beamed, forgetting Kirishima to run over to him. He had a black thermos in his hand which he offered to me and I accepted it without argument. “What’s this? You’re early… hi.”

“Hi, baby.” He smiled fondly before answering my question. “It’s tea with some added honey. I meant to give it to you this morning, but, well . . . I was distracted.” He winked.

“Ooh! I was just thinking of honey tea a bit earlier.” I mused, opening the lid to have a sip. It was soothing and delicious. “So good. Thank you. Did you have a good day?”

“Yes, it was very productive. What about you? How was your day, sweetheart?” 

“Really busy! So, I suppose it was also productive—wait, you worked?!” I frowned, smacking his chest with the back of my hand. “It’s your day off, you know?”

He tried to stop smiling, but couldn’t. “I know, it was just a little bit though. It only took me a couple hours to finish.”

“No.” I shook my head, brows furrowed. “You shouldn’t have. It could’ve waited. At least until I got home… I’m sure I could’ve taken care of it.”

He hummed and reached for my free hand, holding it gently. “I can always count on you. Don’t be too upset with me, I did some other things too. I worked out, cooked and even watched a movie. How’s that for resting?”

“Worked out?” I asked quietly, lips parting as my eyes roamed over him. “Y-you worked out?”

“I try to make time to work out every Sunday at least.” He said and tightened his grip a little, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Maybe I’ll wait until you get home next time.”

Of course he made time to work out. You didn’t get a body like his from just sitting at a desk all the time. It was surely an act I would love to observe. “Maybe… but… no more work. I’ll confiscate your phone if I have to.”

What am I saying?! The audacity of me, speaking to him in such a way. 

“I-I mean… I’m sorry, I wouldn’t actually—but ugh, I totally would.”

He laughed and shook his head, eyes dancing in amusement. “I don’t doubt it. Consider me warned, I’ll be on my best behavior. No working on Sundays.”

“Good.” I mumbled and had another sip of the tea before realizing I was just killing time doing nothing at the last of my shift. “Well, I should be good to go after I collect my tips. I’ll be right back,” I smiled and handed back the thermos.

It didn’t take me long to gather my tips and say goodbye to everyone. Kacchan looked more annoyed than usual, but he wouldn’t tell me what happened. I took a moment to try and soothe him, but he was in one of his fouler moods and wouldn’t have any of it. In the end, I only sighed and patted his back, promising him it would be fine if he just took a few deep breaths and settled himself down. 

Shoto was still waiting for me at the door and I was happy to rejoin him. “I’ll bring my apron home for a wash if it’s okay.” I told him as I took the thermos back and led the way into the lounge. 

“Sure, I have a load of laundry ready to go. You can add it in with that.” He said as he pulled out his car keys from his pocket. 

“Thank you.” I smiled and moved to his other side so I could hold his free hand. “It was pretty crazy today. I can’t wait to shower and cuddle.”

“How about a nice foot massage to go along with that?” He asked, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. “I can tell you worked really hard today.”

“A massage? Really?” That sounded like a dream. “Yes… I mean—that sounds nice… if you wanted to or something…”

He gave me a knowing look, seeing right through me. “I’ll take good care of you. Was it really busy?”

“Thank you,” I whispered meekly while we left the restaurant and made our way through the parking lot. “It was… but it was a good thing! I made even better than I hoped, so I’m sure we can make a short vacation happen. If you still want to.”

“I’ve had my fingers crossed all day, wishing you luck.” He smiled and bumped our shoulders together. “I knew you could do it. Whenever you set your mind to something, you never disappoint. It’s one of the things I treasure about you.”

“Stop it.” I whined, lifting the thermos to hide my face from him. Sometimes he was a little too sweet. 

Even if it flustered me though, I loved it. 

I loved every second I had with him. 

Little moments like these were so undeniably perfect to me. So precious. I adored him and how good he was to me. How happy he made me. 

Ever since Shoto had come into my life, everything was different. Everything was easy and light—joyous. I had him to thank for a lot of things—but most of all, I was just thankful for his kindness. His thoughtfulness. He really made me feel special when he spoke so highly of me or looked at me with such adoration in his eyes. 

I could only hope to make him half as happy as he made me. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten—Shoto 

Izuku never failed to surprise me. While a lot of people underestimated him, I could see beyond the surface and was lucky enough to get to know him more and more everyday. Having him with me filled me with such content and joy. I was smiling and laughing more than I had in my entire life, I was looking forward to other things besides work and I could finally say it wasn’t my main focus anymore. It was still important to me of course. However, Izuku always came first. I would stop and drop everything if he seemed troubled and made it my personal mission to keep that beautiful smile on his face. 

I honestly felt like I was a whole other person around him, that I was finally myself. Being with him that entire week before his trip was everything I wanted in life. No matter what we were doing, I was enjoying myself. My home felt like a home with him in it. We would cuddle on the couch I had professionally cleaned so he would stop stressing over it. We would do chores and cook together, eat and watch movies together. Simple things that had a special place in my heart. I loved how he curled up against me in bed, sound asleep as I read a book. I loved when he was reading a book and laughing at whatever was happening in the story. 

We were so different, but we had so much in common. Things at the company ran smoothly and even when they didn’t, he was there to help me straighten things out. He had come so far in the amount of time he had been working there and I was so proud of him. He was going to be a great editor, one I wanted to hire for an editing position as soon as he was finished with school. My employees had all been won over by him and they often sought out his advice. While it was true the company was educating him, he was also educating the company. There was no one more thorough or prepared than he was and I found it quite attractive. 

In hindsight, things between Izuku and I were on a fast but steady road. We clicked together so quickly and learned a lot about one another but there was still so much to learn. Truthfully I was excited to know more things about him and show him more parts of myself. Being this connected to someone, it was affecting me in the best possible ways. He always thanked me and called me perfect. It was both sweet and endearing, but he just didn’t know. His presence and words held such weight with me. He was helping me way more than he knew, more than he could imagine. 

Now matter how corny it sounded, I had come to think of him as the light of my life. But the brighter the light was, the darker it got in its absence. The blissful week filled with dates and beautiful memories passed all too quickly and Friday afternoon, Izuku was leaving. I had driven us home after work and we had a light dinner together before he was double checking his things. Katsuki would be arriving any moment now to pick him up and the tightening in my chest was back as I looked at my boyfriend’s packed bags. I could have gone with him if I really wanted to, it would have been an easy thing to arrange. 

It wasn’t what I wanted though. It was his time to be with his friends, something I didn’t want to intrude on or micromanage. We were both adults and could handle the situation as such. It was good for Izuku to get out there, make his wish come true and meet All Might. It was important for him to spread his wings and have fun without worrying about money and his mother. Of course there would be times I would be a part of that, but now wasn’t one of them. The only thing I was struggling with was the tightening in my chest. 

“Everything accounted for?” I asked, interrupting his rant as he went over his checklist for a third time. He was so adorable. 

“It seems so,” he sighed, looking over at me and poking out his lower lip. “But I feel like I’m missing something.”

I came closer and hugged him from behind, gaze roaming over his bags as I rested my chin on his shoulder. “It looks like it’s all here to me. Why the pout, sweetheart? Are you nervous?”

“I think… it’s you. That’s what this feeling is—this emptiness. I haven’t even left yet… but I already miss you.”

“Aw, baby.” I said softly and kissed his cheek. It was obvious what the tightening was, though I had yet to address it. Hearing him admitting it out loud gave me the courage to do so as well. “I miss you too, Izuku. But it'll be alright, I’ll be waiting right here for you when you return.” It was only for the weekend after all . . .

“Can I stay again?” He asked in a whisper. “I mean when I come home… I wanna come home here… to you.”

My eyes widened as I took in his words, reading between the lines. He was talking about a more permanent basis. He was talking about moving in. “You really want that?” I asked and held him more firmly against me.

“Yes… I don’t want to be away from you. At least… maybe I can stay occasionally, but just more than I have been? I don’t know, I just… I’m happy here with you.”

I decided to press for a cleaner answer because this was an important decision and step in our relationship. “Are you asking to move in, sweetheart?”

“W… i-is it an option?”

“If you want to then yes.” I smiled, heart pounding. 

“W-well… I would want you to want it too.” He mumbled. “I must seem horrible inviting myself like that. I’m not trying to rush things, I promise. I just… you mean so much to me and I think I make you happy too-- like you make me. It’s still early but I feel as if it wouldn’t be a bad move. This week was so amazing. We get along so well and even now, I feel so sad to be leaving you. Like, comparing you to All Might… I honestly don’t even care about going that much. If I didn’t have a ticket I wouldn’t even go without you. I love being here.”

I had listened to him rant about All Might for hours during this week, hearing more about his passion and idolization for the man. Now having him say he preferred me instead, it showed just how serious he was about the matter. “Izuku . . .” I trailed, unable to prevent the blush that came over me. “You certainly have a way with words, I’m speechless.”

“Stop, I’ll get shy.” He huffed, his pout evident in his voice. “I really mean it… I want to be with you, Shoto.”

The brightest of smiles spread across my face and I nuzzled his cheek. “Say it again.”

“W-which part?”

“You know.” He was one of the most intelligent people I knew even if he could be extremely dense. 

Izuku breathed in slowly and then turned around in my arms to face me, embracing me while peeking up into my eyes. “I said I want to be with you, Shoto.”

“I want to be with you too, Izuku.” I said and touched our foreheads together. “Waking up every morning next to you, it doesn’t get any better than that. Move in with me.” I said, pausing to kiss the tip of his nose. “Cook breakfast with me, make coffee and wake me up before my alarm with a kick to the gut.” I chuckled fondly. “What do you say?”

“I still want dates… and cooking dinner too. And lots and lots of cuddles and you know… other things… like.. Like naughty things.”

“Especially the naughty things?” I teased. “You can have it all and more, sweetheart. Just say the word.”

“I want all of you. Always.” He whispered, burying his face in the crook of my neck. “Everything.”

I held him close, rubbing his back as I took in the honey scent I loved so much. “As you wish.”

“Are you going to think about our vacation while I’m gone?” He asked, lips brushing against my neck with every word. 

We had talked about it here and there, but were ultimately too preoccupied with each other to solidify any plans. “Of course. I’ll have it all arranged by the time you get back. We can talk about it over the phone as well, don’t forget. Texts and calls. I want to hear every detail.”

“Of course,” he giggled, hugging me tighter. “I’m really looking forward to it.” The sound of a car’s horn going off disrupted the moment and he pressed his cheek to my chest, holding on for dear life. “That must be Kacchan.”

“Hm.” I still didn’t like the idea of them sharing a room, but I had to give Katsuki some credit. He would look after Izuku regardless of his motives. One day I hoped to get to know him better, but for now he was my boyfriend’s friend that despised me. On the small chance of something happening in that hotel room, he would be known as my boyfriend’s friend who lost an important piece of his anatomy. “We should head out before he comes charging in.”

“Right,” he sighed and reluctantly pulled back, moving to his bags and picking them up. “I’m taking too much, but better safe than sorry, you know?”

“I know.” I smiled and reached for the bags, wanting to walk him out. “Let me help you with those.”

“If you insist,” he told me with a slight blush, passing me the bags. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, baby.” We walked out front and up to Katsuki’s car, Karishima already seated in the back. I put Izuku’s bags in the truck before waving politely to the red head and then pulled my boyfriend towards me. “I think we did forget something after all.”

His brows raised at that, lips worrying together as he thought it over. “What is it?”

“Our goodbye kiss.” I whispered, leaning down and hovering my mouth above his. 

“O-oh,” he sucked in a breath, gaze lowering to my lips and arms winding around my neck. “How could we forget that?”

I grinned before capturing his lips, hands holding his hips as I slowly devoured his mouth. Nothing tasted sweeter than he did and I was a sugar addict. He welcomed my tongue and used his own to shyly follow my lead, hungry and yet so submissive. It always made me want more. I deepened the kiss further, refusing to leave any part untouched and lavished his tongue with the most attention. Soon I was giving gentle sucks that were followed by a playful and teasing nip. 

“Shoto,” he whined, pouting as we parted. “See… now I really don’t wanna go.”

“I’m sorry.” I chuckled and pressed a chaste kiss to his jutting lower lip. “Just more to look forward to when you get back, baby. I want you to have fun, okay? Promise me you will.”

“Promise you’ll text me back.” He shot back, still pouting. 

He was being bossy again and I couldn’t say I didn’t love it. “You have my word.” I assured him, squeezing his hips. “Now give me yours too.”

“I plan to text you as soon as I’m in the car.” He laughed, taking the initiative and stealing another kiss. “I miss you.”

“I miss you.” I said, chest tightening once more. If he didn’t leave soon I wouldn’t let him go. “Seatbelt on before you text me, sweetheart, and I’ll be counting the seconds. Run along now. If Katsuki keeps trying to burst my head into flames with his glare he’s going to hurt himself.”

Izuku giggled and hugged me tight before backing up and grinning up at me. “I’ll think about you every second.” He promised before getting on the tips of his toes and kissing me briefly. “Bye!” He turned quickly and waved on his way to the front passenger door, soon getting in and closing the door behind himself. He waved to me once more, but Katsuki was quick to put the car in reverse. 

I rolled my eyes and waved goodbye. As soon as the car was on the road my phone went off and I didn’t need to look to know who it was. I smiled as I pulled it out, reading the text message. 

‘Hi.’  

He was so fucking cute. ‘Hi, sweetheart.’

I looked back up after I sent the message, just in time to watch the car turn down another street and out of sight. 

‘You’re so cute when you wave. I miss you. :(‘

He was making it harder than it already was saying things like that. I took a picture of my waving, sending it along with my response. ‘Pretend it’s hello instead of goodbye.’

‘My heart. Stop it.’ He replied, having added several crying emojis as well. 

It was actually pretty nice texting him. We didn’t get the chance to given we were together all the time and I didn’t know he was this animated, I really liked it. ‘You can’t make me from over there. I’ll send you as many pictures as I want.’

‘Okay… you’re really beautiful so you can send lots of pictures. Maybe then I will miss you less.’

My cheeks heated up at the compliment. ‘How about a trade? I want pictures of you too.’  

His reply was just as quick, only this time it was a picture of him with a bright smile on his face, eyes crinkled at the sides and almost closed from how huge his grin was. 

‘Fair. This is fun. No naughty pics though.’

I smirked, heading up to the porch and deciding to take a seat on the swinging bench. ‘So you want naughty pictures then. Alright.’

He started typing a reply right away, having it sent in a matter of seconds. 

‘You wouldn’t…’

‘I suppose we’ll wait and see.’

‘Wow… I’m not sure I could handle it.’

I was sure he would find a way. ‘Only time will tell.’ But I wasn’t giving in a straight answer. 

‘Stop teasing me. You know I’m fragile.’

I chuckled and shook my head. Sensitive, yes. Kind hearted for sure, but never weak or fragile. ‘I know you like it.’  

His first response was nothing more than a variety of emojis, mostly consisting of shocked expressions. Then he replied with, ‘Maybe a little… what are you doing?’

‘Texting my boyfriend, what are you doing?”

‘Texting and missing my boyfriend. A lot.’

My expression softened at his words and I put aside my teasing for now. ‘It’ll be okay, baby. I’m still here.’

‘You never called me that over text before…’ 

‘True. We never really text, do we?’ I liked it, but it was nothing compared to having him with me in person.

‘No, but it’s nice since we can’t be together right now.’ His response included another picture, this time of him smiling more softly. 

I wanted to kiss that freckled nose so badly. ‘There’s that smile that I love.’ I said and sent him a photo in return, one of me winking.

‘Wow, perfection. It’s really not fair tbh. You love my smile?’

‘I do.’ I answered before sending a message right after it. ‘And I don’t hold it against you, you were just born perfect.’

‘What?’ I could almost hear his shriek. ‘Don’t be silly. Far from it. But you… yes, definitely yes.’

He always shied away, but I wouldn’t let him deny it. ‘You’re perfect in my eyes, sweetheart.’

‘So sweet. But you’re the perfect one.’

The two of us texted for a while longer before I went back inside the house, immediately noticing how quiet it was now. There was still a good amount of time left before I needed to head to bed, having work in the morning. I decided to be productive and take advantage of Izuku’s absence. I went to fetch my laptop and settled on my bed, thoughts focusing on a pressing matter I had ignored. Himiko Toga. I didn’t want to worry Izuku about her or my father so I hadn’t begun my investigation yet. Now though, I was determined to gain some insight to what was going on and hopefully prevent my father from completing whatever scheme he had planned.

It turned out that she was head of the Toga foundation, a large company rooted overseas. Their main focus was scouting out talent for prospering agencies around the world. I was both surprised and suspicious at the astounding reputation they possessed. It seemed too good to be true and no one my father worked with was good, corruption only attracted more corruption. I wanted to dig deeper and peel back the glossy image the Toga foundation created. However, time had flown by and I needed to call it a night. I took a quick shower and texted Izuku goodnight before settling down under the covers. It was strange not having him there . . . unable to hold him and let the comfort of his warmth soothe me to sleep. 

Was it weird to be missing him this much? Was it normal to be so attached? My mind was able to drift off with thoughts of him, but it wasn’t the same. The next morning I headed to work and one again noticed the loud silence. It shouldn’t have been as jarring considering this was how my life was before I met him. Not even twenty four hours in and the tightness in my chest had grown significantly. I needed to pull it together, surely I was stronger than this. I didn’t want Izuku to worry about me either. His mind should be on the concert and All Might. On my way to my office I was stopped by Ms. Ochako with a deep frown on her usually bright face. 

She told me my father had marched in and made himself at home in my office, wanting to warn me of the sudden ambush. I thanked her and sent her on her way despite her worried expression. It had been less than two week since that board meeting and I didn’t expect him to make a move so quickly. Was there something I had missed? Or was he here to set his plan in motion? There was only one way to find out and I didn’t keep him waiting, entering the room with a carefully blank expression. 

My eyes swept over my office to make sure nothing was diturbed before I made my way to my desk and took a seat. “Father. What brings you here?” Having him show up in person was a bad enough sign, but the fact that he sat in one of the guest chairs was even more telling. He was cocky about something and didn’t feel the need to assert dominance. In his mind, he already won.

“Shoto. This past week has been a busy one for us both, don't you agree?” He asked, ignoring my question and sounding bored, but his eyes were aflame. 

“Not particularly.” I answered and waited for him to stop beating around the bush. 

“Oh, but it has been. You and that disgraceful assistant have been quite busy. So much in fact that he has taken residence in your home.” He drawled and my blood ran cold. 

He hired someone to follow me again and this time I hadn’t noticed, too smitten to have kept my guard up. Now he knew where I lived and the extent of my relationship with Izuku. “You finally notice then. Are you satisfied that you have now thoroughly stalked your son?”

“Hardly. I did some digging on that assistant of yours, but the nature of your interactions came as quite the surprise. I’m here out of concern.” He said and I wanted to throw up. Him? Concerned about me? Now I knew he had gone mad in his old age. “Your . . . infatuation has to be dealt with, it’s for the boy’s own good. You’re not a healthy match for him.”

I expected him to threaten Izuku, or perhaps come here with some planted evidence to ruin the company, but he was up to something else. “I don’t believe I asked for your concern or your opinion. If that’s what you came here to discuss, kindly show yourself out.”

“I struck a nerve, didn’t I?” He grinned ruthlessly. “You don’t even realize the damage you're causing to the poor ill mannered runt. Your behavior is so unbecoming, Shoto. So overbearing, so clingy and dependent. You won’t fill that hole inside of you with that boy. You’ll only end up hurting him.”

I had heard enough and wouldn’t let him insult my boyfriend anymore, didn’t want to think about the words coming out of his mouth. “Father, call him another name and I’ll show you unbecoming behavior. Get out of my building.”

He got to his feet, grin gone and expression hardening. His hands rested on top of my desk as he leaned over, tone turning heartless and cold. “Silence. Your pitiful search for affection will smother that boy and drive him to hate you. Haven’t you realized what you’re doing?”

“I’ve realized what you’re doing.” I stated, mouth going dry. He was doing what he had always done when I was a child. He was exposing my weakness until my armour broke and I was wounded, using what I cared about as a weapon to twist and turn until the wound festered. “I-”

“You’re using him.” He continued, cutting me off. “That’s all it is. All you want is a replacement for-”

I stood up quickly and halted his rant with my glare. “Get. Out.”

He seemed very pleased with himself for making me raise my voice, counting my anger as a victory. Anger, fear, pain . . . he manipulated me and my siblings to use us as his soldiers. Some of us broke, some of us shattered and crumbled . . . and others ended it all with one final defiant act. I was the only one who didn’t listen to him and he was desperate to bring me back under his control. I had been wrong to think he wanted to attack the company or even Izuku . . . he wanted to attack me. 

“I’ll leave you to your work.” He relented and straightened before he added, “And your thoughts. If you don’t want him to end up like her then you’ll end this farce.”

I didn’t respond as he made his exit and only when the door closed did I sit back down. Running my fingers through my hair, I cursed under my breath and wondered what the hell just happened. Of all the things to say, why did he . . . he was as cruel as ever and succeeded in his goal. Now my mind was racing and analyzing the situation even though I knew that was what he wanted. He wanted me to doubt myself, he wanted me to believe everything he had said. Why had I let him get to me?

There wasn’t any time to brood over it as my cell phone started ringing. It was one thing after another, but I relaxed once I saw who it was. Izuku was calling to facetime. I took a deep breath to collect myself before I answered and was greeted by my boyfriend staring intently at his phone. He smiled once he saw me, appearing to be sitting outside.

“Good morning.” I said and hoped nothing was off about my voice. 

“Shoto,” He cooed, smile turning into a full blown grin. “Good morning. I miss you so much. I even dreamed about you last night.”

“I’m surprised you’re up this early, it must have been a long drive.” I smiled back. “I was thinking about you last night too. Maybe I did come over to your dream and just don’t remember it.”

Izuku laughed heartily, keeping his eyes on me. “I couldn’t sleep anymore. I needed to see your face. The drive was just over three hours, but it took over four to get here with our stops along the way. Sleeping was an unfortunate task.”

I sat back in my chair, shaking my head at him. “Unfortunate, you say. Isn’t it better to sleep and start the day faster rather than staying up and waiting for it?”

“I was good. Slept as early as I could, but it was hard. Way too soft without you. Nothing smells like you here.” He was quickly beginning to pout. “In my dream, you were… you know… with these um… kisses. It was very nice.” He turned more red the more he spoke, soon avoiding direct eye contact with me. 

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I said, wishing I could touch him. He was so cute. 

“It was perfect!” He exclaimed immediately. “B-but… except that it wasn’t real. I miss you. I’m counting the seconds until I come home.”

We were both terrible at this, but it couldn’t be helped. “I’ll make it real for you when you get back, sweetheart. You can have as many kisses as you want.” I promised. “I miss you too.”

“And vacation? And… other things?” His face flamed, but he still asked without losing his nerve. 

“And vacation and other things.” I assured, smiling fondly at him. “I won’t forget, don’t worry.”

“Thank you,” He sighed in relief. “How is everything? Kacchan and Kirishima will probably sleep for another hour or so, so if you need me to help with anything, I can.”

He was as diligent as ever. “I just came in and haven’t started yet, but you’re not supposed to be working on your trip.” I chided gently. 

“But I like working with you.” His lower lip jutted out and he gave me his best puppy dog eyes. “Unless… well I don’t want to cause you any trouble.”

He was playing me and we both knew it, but we both knew I was going to let him get away with it too. “You're never any trouble.” I said although I gave him a knowing look. “If I need help, I’ll call you and we can work on it together. Sound fair?”

“O-okay… I’m here. Did you sleep okay?”

“Well enough, but I didn’t like not having my baby to hold onto.” I confessed knowing it would make him happy. 

“That’s me.” He whispered, green eyes sparkling. “I wish I was there.” He giggled. “But I hope time will fly by. I’m excited to come home to you.”

Izuku was admittingly too much for me on occasion and I had to turn the phone away, hiding my flustered face. He was making me blush a lot recently. 

“Shoto~” Izuku called in an amused tone. “Look at me… I miss you.”

“I’m still here.” I said and kept it turned away from me. I loved that he was growing more confident, but it was a double edged sword. I was way too weak for him. 

“I can’t see your handsome face.” He whined. “Don’t be a meanie.”

Absolutely ridiculous. “Alright, alright.” I said and turned the phone back around so he could see me. 

He sighed wistfully then, a goofy smile returning to his face. “Beautiful.”

“Yes, you are.” I replied like I often did and would continue to do so. 

“Stop it.” He laughed. “Did you have your coffee yet? I hope you grabbed something for breakfast.” 

“I finished my coffee in the car, the traffic was bad this morning.” I said and then added, “I did eat breakfast even though I would have rather had your cooking. Have you eaten yet?”

“I can’t wait to cook for you again.” He hummed, pleased by my response. “I haven’t yet. I’m going to wait on Kacchan and Kirishima. I know those two will wake up starving and make me eat with them.”

“Good. What do you all have planned today? The concert is tonight, right?” I asked as I propped my phone up on my desk. I logged onto my computer, needing to check my emails, but I didn’t want to hang up. 

“Hmm… well, after breakfast I think we will go to the mall here. Not for me, but for Kacchan. He was talking about these shoes he wanted that are only available at this one particular store. I’m sure they’ll drag me around until lunch. After that, I’m not really sure. Whatever they want to do before the concert.”

I paused and gave him my full attention as I asked, “And you? Anything you want to do today, sweetheart?”

Another bright smile showed on his face. “I want to talk to you.”

“Izuku.” I chuckled and gave him a wide grin. “That’s cute, baby, but I meant other than that.”

“Nothing else.” He shrugged. “I’m happy with this and tagging along with those two. I get to see All Might tonight, so there’s that. But this is the best all day.”

Seriously, there wasn’t a sweeter human being on earth. “Then how about we stay on the phone until those two come to drag you away?” I had no other choice but to spoil him. 

“Yes!” He giggled. “I want to. Thank you! I’ll help with work, I promise.”

There he went again, trying to wiggle his way into working with me. “Okay. You win, sweetheart, I’ll let you help. But not with anything that will get you too invested.” 

“Well, I’m invested in everything I do with you, but whatever you say, sir.” He grinned, leaning back on the lounge chair he was in. 

I knew he was right and couldn’t resist smirking at the way he called me sir. Someone was a little feisty this morning and it certainly put my day back on track. I went through my emails and chatted with him for a bit, asking his opinion on things as I replied to them. It took us longer than necessary to hang up when he was being called for breakfast but we managed to say goodbye. Talking to him had helped calm my mind and I was able to focus on work. The day went by slowly, but I left on time and took care of some important business calls.

Things were going so well for the company. This year in particular was turning out to be our best, everyone was working hard and we were publishing a great deal of content. Sales were steadily climbing and a few influential names were reaching out to contact me. It was a critical time of growth, the worst possible time for my father to pull another stunt. I had just finished my degrees when he called me in a panic, not that he would ever admit being in such a state.

A few of his dirty partners turned against him and threatened to expose everything they had been involved in. Years of crooked employees, black market deals and blackmail. For once my father didn’t have the power to get out of the problem, not when some of his most reliable partners betrayed him. Alone they weren’t as much of a concern, but together they had the means to actually pull it off. He was backed into a corner and too stubborn to meet their greedy demands.

I assured all parties involved that I had no trouble exposing each and every one of them. They would all be incriminated along with my father, I would have been more than happy to finally clean my family's name. I had the means and knowledge to do so given he was determined to have me become his successor. His partners backed down, finding that I could be very persuasive, but I didn’t do it to save my father. I had my own reasons for agreeing to get involved and one of which was the publishing company. There had been a number of innocent people employed there and I didn’t want them or the place itself to go to ruin. 

So I made some conditions, forced my father to sign over the company to me and I purged it and it’s associates. I wanted to build it up and set it straight so the rest of our families' businesses couldn’t touch it. I was almost there now, I had almost reached my goal and who was to say I wouldn’t still expose my father and his partners? Maybe I would ruin the entire cooperation or slowly reclaim it piece by piece? That was far into the future and I hadn’t decided just yet. These last five years the company has been my entire life . . . but it wasn’t like that now, not when I had Izuku.

No matter how hard I tried not to think about it, my father’s words from this morning still resurfaced. I didn't let him get to me anymore, but in this case . . . I was too insecure. I realized that. Everything was going so well with Izuku and I was so happy. However there was that slight hesitance, that uncertainty that I keep hidden from him. I don’t want to lie or keep secrets. I wanted him to know me better than anyone else in this world, but I worried about how things will be once he sees how imperfect I really am. That imperfection made me question myself and analyze my father’s words. Overbearing, clingy, dependent. Using Izuku as a replacement to fill the hole inside of me . . . how much of it could I deny?

When I took a good look at myself and my motives, what could I say without a doubt untrue? I didn’t want to believe any of it. I loved being around him and wanted him around all the time, but I gave him his own space, didn’t I? I didn’t try to control him or anything of the sort. He wasn’t a replacement because I had never met anyone like him in the first place. The whole thing was utterly ridiculous and yet . . . and yet . . . why was I so unsettled by it? It wasn’t as if my father truly knew what my relationship with Izuku was like. It certainly wasn’t like his and never would be, not as long as I had any say in the matter. His insinuations and my own insecurity pissed me off. I was nothing like that. I was nothing like him. 

That was the root of my problem, a never ending battle I had with myself. It was my biggest fear. I didn’t want to be anything like my father and the idea of turning into him horrified me. It disgusted me, made me distance myself to a certain extent. I was intelligent enough to be aware of all of this and yet I couldn’t overcome it. It was so frustrating and I wished I could be more logical, but feelings weren’t always logical. Emotions could often be illogical. But I had to stop doubting, I had to stop looking for truth in my father’s words. I would never hurt Izuku and he was happy, there was nothing more important to me than his happiness. What my father said might have wounded me, but the seeds he planted in my mind wouldn’t take root.  

I was a lot stronger than I used to be . . . wasn’t I?

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven—Izuku

All Might in concert was one of the best experiences of my short life. All day long, I had been distracted by my missing Shoto, but I was still able to fully engross myself in the concert and have a great time. I made sure to take videos to show Shoto when I got back home and bought him a keychain souvenir after the concert ended. I wanted to go crazy buying merchandise but knew I couldn’t afford it. Just being able to come to the concert has been special and really made me happy. It was enough. More than. 

I couldn’t thank Kacchan enough. 

“Man, I’m starved.” Kirishima commented once we were in the car after the event. 

I was all smiles as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, eager to text Shoto and tell him all about the concert. 

“There’s a nice looking bar and grill down from the hotel. We can go there, have some drinks too.” 

The suggestion had me pausing mid-text to look over at Kacchan, while Kirishima was in complete agreement. It had been a while, but I knew how those two were with alcohol in their systems and I couldn’t handle them. Not in public, in an unfamiliar place. 

“Why don’t we eat out and then have drinks at the hotel?” I suggested, trying not to be obvious.

Kacchan missed nothing though, scowling at me right away. “What the hell, Deku? This is our vacation. Don’t you wanna go out and have fun?”

“W-well… you know I’m not much of a drinker.” I said, trying to play it off and blame myself. “What if I get carried away or something?” 

“Tch. You know I’ll take care of you.” He scoffed, finally putting the car in drive. Traffic was unreal with everyone leaving the center, but at least we weren’t in any rush. 

“No worries, Midoriya. Me and Katsuki won’t let anything happen to you.” Kirishima agreed. 

I only sunk down in my seat and pouted. It wasn’t me that I was worried about at all. Those two were loud and rowdy and more than willing to get into a confrontation if someone so much as looked at them in a way they didn’t like. 

Especially Kacchan. 

“Nobody told your ass to wake up so early either. You better be ready to hang out. We’ll have burgers and beer and afterwards,” he smirked. “We’ll move to a club. I’m sure there are plenty of good spots around here.”

Not good. Not good at all. “Um… I think I’ll just go back to the hotel after we eat. You two can go and have your fun. I’ll just be boring and in the w—“

“Deku.” Kacchan sighed, giving me a pointed look that had me clamping my mouth shut. “You’re going.”

“O-okay… if you really want me to.” I told him, swallowing hard. 

I didn’t have a good feeling about it at all, but I didn't want to seem rude either by not wanting to hang out with them when we never did anything together anymore. 

Once we made it back to the hotel, the three of us walked down to the bar and grill Kacchan had suggested. It wasn’t until we settled at the bar and placed our orders that I realized I never finished my text to Shoto, which made me frown and pull out my phone. 

“A beer for each of us,” Kacchan told the bartender and I looked up, sulking when I saw he was including me in the whole ‘each of us’ nonsense. 

“I shouldn’t really drink, probably.” I mumbled, setting my phone down to gawk at the huge mug of beer the bartender set in front of me. “Holy cow.”

“Ah? That’s premium beer, Deku. On me. Cheers.”

I gulped, peeking over at Kacchan while wrapping my hands around the mug. It was so big even both of my hands couldn’t close around it. “Th-thanks.” 

After that beer, I came to the conclusion that there was no avoiding the situation and instead, I needed to intervene. I didn’t finish all of my burger, the beer making me too full to handle it. However, I did like the drink and felt that it wouldn’t be too bad to make myself drink a little more if it prevented those two from getting too crazy. 

In what felt like no time, the three of us had wandered into a nightclub just up the street. It was before midnight, but the club was packed and lively. The pop music was enjoyable, Kacchan told me he would take care of all my drinks and while I didn’t want to take advantage, after a few I just didn’t care. 

The more I had, the better it tasted and I quite liked the feeling of intoxication. It was different from anything else I had ever experienced. I’d never been a drinker, but I could understand and respect the fascination. It made me happy. It made me loose and not nearly as self conscious as I normally was. 

And my plan was working. 

“Shit, Deku, you’re wasted.” Kacchan sighed in exasperation, trying to take away my current beer but I was quick to turn away from him and move it out of his reach. 

“Nu uh. Don’t think so mister.” I laughed, lifting the cold glass bottle to my hot cheek and humming at the feel of it. “All mine.”

“You’ve had enough. You’ll be sick if you keep it up.”

“Nu uh.” I huffed, happily having another few sips. “It’s good. Feel great!”

I really did, but Kacchan was more irritated. He wasn’t drinking because he was worried about me and I wasn’t going to complain about it. 

“Oh! This song~” The music was great and added with the alcohol I just couldn’t help but want to move. While I drank and danced around, Kacchan hovered close and watched my every move. 

It wasn’t too long after that though that I forgot about my mission entirely and instead focused only on drinking more and having a good time. I’d never danced so much in my life. I was making new friends, for a few minutes at least before Kacchan ran them off. I whined about it a few times but was easily distracted by another drink or a new person. 

On one trip to the bathroom, my phone started ringing and I dug it out of my pocket while waiting for a stall to open up. 

“Hello?” I answered, laughing at how I dragged the word out. 

“Deku where the hell did you go?” Kacchan growled into the phone and I rolled my eyes. 

“I have to pee! I’ll be back soon. Just… take a drink or something.” I ended the call and huffed at seeing all the stalls were still occupied. 

While waiting, I glanced back at my phone and noticed an unopened text. 

It was from Shoto. 

“I never texted you! Ugh, love of my life.” I sulked, making a quick edit to his contact name, changing it to Love of my Life with a grin and then I finally opened the text. 

‘Don’t forget to send me pictures of the concert, sweetheart. I hope you’re having a great time.’

Shamefully, I had to read the message a few times before fully grasping it and felt so bad that I hadn’t texted him or sent any pictures. And now he was asleep and I missed him. 

‘So many. I have you good love of life. Forever thanks’

I sent him a quick text in response, a big smile on my face. I was sad though. So sad. I missed him and he was sleeping because it was so late. My feet shifted as I cast a glance towards the still occupied stalls and groaned in discomfort. Then I looked back to my phone and felt guilty for texting Shoto so late. He was so sweet and loveable. 

‘Sorry so late. You sleep. So cute lots of cuddle.’ 

Finally after I sent a follow up text a stall was emptied so I could relieve my aching bladder. Once I finished, I washed my hands and then my phone went off. 

“Kacchan leave me alone,” I huffed, only to gasp in surprise when I found it to be a text from Shoto. 

‘Izuku, are you alright? Or is this how you sleep text?’

“He’s awake!” I beamed, looking to my right to see another man looking at me with raised brows. I giggled and waved my phone in explanation, repeating, “he’s awake.”

‘I am so good remember haha in bathroom miss you here.’ I sent back, still grinning from ear to ear. 

“Text back please.” I whispered to my phone, heart jumping when I saw those three little dots start moving. 

‘I miss you too, sweetheart, but you don’t sound like yourself. Are you sure you’re alright?’

“Worry so much.” I laughed, typing a quick reply in my excitement. 

‘This is me! You forgot???’ 

“He better remember or else.” My cheeks puffed out but I was struggling to contain my giggles. 

‘I’m calling you.’

When I opened that one, my eyes went wide and my lips opened, forming a surprised ‘o’. “He’s calling me.” I told no one in particular and felt my heart beat much faster when his picture showed up and the call came through. All I had to do was answer the phone and hear his deep, smooth, perfectly beautiful voice and all would be well. 

“Shoto-kun~” I sang as I answered the call, leaning against the wall with a smile so wide it made my cheeks hurt. “Hi.”

“ Hi, baby.” He said slowly. “Where are you right now? Still in the bathroom?”

A giggle escaped me even though my heart was fluttering wildly at finally hearing him speak. It had been far too long. 

“Mhmmm. Yessiree. Finished but still… here.” I said, laughing and waving at a man who passed me by. “So much traffic! Where’re you, hm?”

“I’m at home.” He answered and then asked, “You’re still at the concert? How was it, what have you been up to?”

“Home,” I breathed. “I like home. Wanna be there… with you. Oh! The concert, aww was so so so good! Great. Lots of good times and everything. Left there long time ago or something. Was having drinks. I mean am. Am having. Are. ‘Cept in bathroom right now. Hi.”

“Ah, that explains everything.” He sighed in relief and then chuckled. “You’re drunk. I was wondering what was going on.”

“What?” I huffed, pouting at being called drunk. “I’m not drunk. Who said? Kacchan? Do you have drinking? Tastes a lotta good and fun I think… miss you.”

“I miss you too.” He said, a smile evident in his voice. “It’s a shame I don’t get to see you let loose, I've never seen you even touch alcohol. It made you more adorable.”

“No, you.” I giggled, shifting my feet again. “Wait—but I’m adorable always… right? You think? We can drink tomorrow for sure. Today? I mean today. What time is it?”

“We can drink together whenever you want, sweetheart. And you are always adorable, yes. Never doubt it.”

“Sooo sweet. So perfect. Loveofmylife. I—”

“Deku, what the fuck?” Kacchan suddenly burst into the bathroom, radiating tension and looking quite scary apparently. Everyone nearby quickly scattered while I waved at him. 

“Hi Kacchan~” I giggled, not phased at all as he stalked over to me. “Look, it’s Shoto-kun—say hello.”

“Don’t you go running off. I have to watch your drunk ass.”

I rolled my eyes at that and waved him off, turning away from him to continue my conversation. 

“He won’t let me have fun.” I complained to Shoto and glanced over my shoulder at hearing Kacchan click his tongue. 

“He’d be fucking worried too if he could see your ass right now. Shit. Come on, Deku. I’m not staying in the bathroom all night.”

“We just got here!” I yelled, stomping my foot. “I’m on the phone—with Shoto-kun.” I whined, unaware of how slurred my words were. 

“You can stay on the phone with me if you want, sweetheart.” Shoto told me, not minding at all. He was always so kind like that. “But maybe you should call it a night and get some rest. You were up early this morning and who knows what time you’ll be up tomorrow.”

“It’s not late.” I frowned, wanting to keep having fun. “Not tired.”

“You’re a fucking brat when you’re drunk.” Kacchan muttered, taking hold of my free wrist and pulling me behind him. 

“Hey!” I yelled, trying to pull my arm back but his grip was impressive. “I said I’m on the phone here!”

“And I said I’m not staying in the damn bathroom, Deku. Get over it.”

“It’s loud! Too loud! Can’t hear in there.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“Shoto-kuuuun,” I groaned into the phone as Kacchan slung the bathroom door open and pulled me out. The music was so loud I wasn’t sure if he would even hear me, so I made sure to speak as loud as I could. “Can you hear me out here? Too loud I’m sorry!”

“We’re gonna head out now anyway.” Kacchan said in a tone that said he wouldn’t be argued with, but I wasn’t in the mood to listen. “It’s late and you’re drunk. I’m over it.”

“It is not late and I am not drunk. Thank you. I’m staying here. You go.”

He snorted and Kirishima came out of nowhere, slapping Kacchan on his back and grinning at me. 

“Tell him Kirishimaaaa!” I sulked. “We wanna drink and have fun!”

“Deku. You don’t want me to drag your ass out of this club. Because I will.”

In the end, after a fair amount of arguing, I ended up being carried out of the club by Kacchan. Even though I fought him tooth and nail the entire time. I didn’t settle down until he made me get into a cab and I realized Shoto had been waiting on the phone the whole time. 

“Shoto-kun?” I whispered when I raised the phone back to my ear, wondering if he had fallen asleep. “Are you… are you sleeping?”

“Definitely not.” He chuckled. “I wish I could see this side of you in person.”

“You can see me. Promise always. Anytime. Anyway.”

“I’m gonna throw the fuck up.” Kacchan grumbled beside me and I reached over to pat his leg. 

“Did you drink too much?” I asked with a concerned look, quickly becoming distracted by the joyous sound of Shoto laughing. 

“Asshole I barely drank cuz of you.” He replied and I gasped. 

“Don’t call me that! Take it back! Take it back right now.” 

He met my glare with one of his own before rolling his eyes and sighing in frustration. “Fine. I take it back but you’re still making me fucking sick.” 

“Don’t talk to me!” I snapped, smacking his leg and leaning against the door as far away from him as possible. “Shoto-kun… hello?”

“I’m still here.” He assured. 

“Miss you…” I sighed softly, closing my eyes when all of a sudden the car began spinning. “Whoa… whoa. What…”

“What’s wrong?” He asked quickly.

“Sp—spin… mm don’t like.”

“You’re gonna be sick as fuck all night. Great.” Kacchan said in annoyance but I wasn’t paying much attention to him, distracted by the sudden feeling of coldness washing over me. 

Shoto hummed on the other end of the line. “My baby is car sick, poor thing.”

“Cold. I—I don’t… don’t feel good.” I couldn’t open my eyes and was not only feeling cold all of a sudden but also nauseous. “I-I think—”

“Fuck, pull over man.”

.

.

.

“You’re a fucking handful when you’re drunk, Deku. But hungover, you’re even worse.”

Kacchan’s irritated grumbles only made the migraine I was currently experiencing all the more unbearable. Even after taking something for it, my head hurt terribly. I was nauseous. My whole body was screaming in rebellion from all the dancing I had done the night before and I was so miserable I just couldn’t take it. 

Being on the road home wasn’t helping any. The motion made me feel sicker. I couldn’t bring myself to eat or drink anything for breakfast, barely having enough water to swallow down the pills I’d taken for the pain. Since getting in the car, I’d been curled up, this time taking the backseat so I could lie down. All I could do was groan in agony and will myself to fall asleep to escape. 

But sleep never came. 

“Drunk Midoriya is lit though.” Kirishima laughed but Kacchan didn’t agree if his scoff was anything to go by. 

“A damn handful is all he is.” He growled. “I couldn’t even drink because I had to watch his ass.”

And that was my plan. My plan worked. My plan was the worst plan ever devised. It worked, yes. Was it worth it? Not even a little. I never knew such discomfort existed until now and I wasn’t even sure at times if I was going to survive. Kacchan was frustrated and Kirishima was laughing about everything. 

I just wanted to go home and sleep. 

The three hour ride felt like days of suffering. I hadn’t so much as dozed off for even a second the whole way. It had gotten worse after Kacchan made a comment about taking me home—to my shared apartment with my mom and I jolted to attention, ignoring the pain long enough to argue him down. 

He didn’t want to take me back to Shoto’s for some reason, but I wasn’t having it. I wanted to go home to Shoto. Not to the apartment. I missed him so much and even though I felt awful, I knew that somehow he would make it better. Eventually, Kacchan begrudgingly agreed and I settled down, but my headache had become far worse after raising my voice to reason with him. 

I couldn’t have gotten out of the car fast enough. 

“You want me to help?” Kacchan asked as I got out of the car but I shook my head, closing the door and moving to the trunk to grab my bags. 

“Sorry I yelled.” I sighed, barely able to open my eyes—the light making my head hurt worse. “I had fun and I’m really happy you took me.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He sighed. “Go eat and sleep that shit off, Deku.”

I nodded and waved to him and Kirishima before heading up the walkway. I was so close. So close. He was just inside, warm. Reassuring. Home. When I reached the front door, I rang the bell and groaned at hearing it. The sound was faint but even it was too much for the pain in my head. 

Shoto soon answered the door dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, smiling softly at me. “Come here, sweetheart.” He said and opened his arms. 

Dropping my bags right there on the porch, I leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my face to his chest to breathe him in. His presence alone was soothing, but even that couldn’t take the discomfort away completely. 

“You’re having a rough day, aren’t you?” He said as he rubbed my back, his other hand going to my head to massage my scalp. 

The feeling was so good I couldn’t even form words in response, only quiet unintelligible mumbling as I soaked up the feel of his magic hands. He lingered for a few moments before letting go to pick up my bags. He dropped them by the door once we were inside, locking up and then pulling me towards him. 

“Let’s get you taken care of, okay?” He said and steadily picked me up to hold me in his arms. 

“I’m heavy.” I told him quietly, but didn’t have the energy to actually argue and I really liked him carrying me anyway. “Thank you… I’m sorry.” I never meant to cause him any trouble, but of course I was always doing the opposite of what I wanted. 

He walked to the bedroom as he responded and kissed my temple. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You got to see All Might, have fun and came back to me in one piece. What more could I ask for?”

“Came back a mess.” I sulked, still keeping my voice low and my eyes closed. “Always trouble.”

“Even if that was true, you’re my troubled mess and I like you the way you are.” He told me. “Plenty of people get drunk and Katsuki had your back. It’s alright.”

Shoto laid me down on the bed and pulled away from me, leaving me pouting even as he began removing my shoes. “I never did before.” I admitted. “This was the first time and I don’t like it.”

“You don’t like drinking?” He clarified before asking, “Then why did you drink, baby?”

“W-well… it’s not that. Drinking is okay. I just don’t drink like that. Or at least, never to that extent. Nobody told me I would feel like death today. I don’t even remember getting back to the hotel. Don’t remember the ride there and Kacchan said I got sick on the ride there. I think I caused trouble for everyone.”

“Hm, you’re paying the price for being a little party animal.” He smiled, squeezing my leg before moving over to his closet. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure your friends aren’t going to hold it against you. I’m sure you weren’t actually causing trouble.”

“I didn’t call you…” I complained. “Didn’t tell you about the concert. I’m sorry.”

“You told me a little.” He said as he pulled out a heating pad. “I called you after receiving a very cute and very drunk text.”

“Shut up.” I gasped, sitting up with a start and groaning when it caused my head to ache even worse. “Ugh. This is the worst.” 

Shoto came back over and gently pushed me back down. He plugged in the heating pad, situating it under me afterwards. “Stay.”

“Mkay.” I agreed easily, already feeling the tension on my muscles fading thanks to the heating pad. “Hold me?”

“I planned to.” He grinned cheekily before getting in the bed. He laid down beside me and tucked his arm under my head, massaging my scalp again while his other arm wrapped around my waist. “I wanted to do this the moment I heard you were carsick last night. Long distance sucks, let’s never do it again.”

“Never.” I shook my head quickly. “Don’t let me go ever again.”

He rested his head above mine, tucking my under his chin as he held me closer. “I’d never cage you . . . but if you want to be tied to me forever, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.”

“I wanted you with me the whole time—or me with you.” I admitted in a whisper, clutching his shirt. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.” He whispered back. “But I’ve got you now, baby. You’re home.”

“Finally.” I managed a small smile as I cling to him, humming gratefully as he continued to massage my head. “Feels good. Thank you…”

He started slowly rubbing my back as well, more than willing to spoil me. “Anything for you. And only you.”

“Too good to me.” I breathed, snuggling closer to him. “I think I can actually sleep now.” He soothed and relaxed me so easily, sleep was looming over me and as much as I missed Shoto, I wanted to give in. 

Just a nap. That’s all I needed. 

“Go ahead, I’ll be here when you wake up.” He spoke softly.

Shoto lulled me to sleep so easily. My sleep this time was deep and refreshing. I didn’t wake up feeling good as new or anything, but I felt much better than I did when I woke up the first time today. It was even better since I woke up and wasn’t alone in bed. He was still with me. Still holding me, fingers tangled in my hair and arms embracing me. When I lifted my head to gaze at him, I smiled at finding him to be sleeping soundly. 

He was beautiful. He looked so peaceful—as if he was resting so well. The last thing I wanted to do was disturb him, so I laid my head back down on his chest and closed my eyes once more. I was content where I was, even if I wouldn’t be falling asleep again. Being cuddled by Shoto and getting to feel him and smell him and just be with him was everything I wanted. 

“Thank you… for being with me.” I whispered softly, making sure my voice was low enough not to wake him. 

I did have friends. I did have my mom. But Shoto was the first person who ever made me feel important. He made me feel special. Like I really mattered to him. Me. The person I was. He never yelled at me. Never demanded me. Never treated me as if I was a lesser man than him, even if in my eyes I was. He looked at me as an equal—proved to me repeatedly that he wanted me and helped me open up to him and come to accept that he wasn’t like everyone else. 

No matter what anyone else thought, I knew that he was perfect. He was sincere. He did want me.

He was mine. 

And…

“I love you.” I whispered, knowing he was still sleeping easily and wouldn’t hear me. It had just hit me, making me emotional enough to have tears prick at my eyes, but I didn’t think I had the nerve to tell him directly when he was awake. 

Maybe not… but I would do my best to show him. To always be whatever he needed me to be. He was special. Precious. 

Without a doubt, the love of my life. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve—Shoto

My fingers flew across the keyboard as I finished editing the last few documents I needed to complete today. It was Friday afternoon, a week after Izuku went to All Might’s concert. We both decided it would be better to wait until the weekend to go on our trip so he wouldn’t miss any of his classes. I had planned everything out as promised and was glad he was excited about it, a trip to the lake would be fun and not horribly expensive. It took us a few days to agree on how to split the costs. I would cover the cabin itself and he would buy all the food.

He didn’t think it was completely fair, but enough so that I was able to talk him into it. This week had been amusing to say the least, and that was mainly due to the ‘office gossip’ as of late. No one was as subtle as they thought they were and some didn’t understand what whispering was. It seemed my employees enjoyed telling Izuku how ‘down and mopey’ I was while he was gone. Ms. Yaoyorozu and Ms. Ochako were certainly having fun commenting on it directly. They were relaxed around me but never his bold, I suspect Izuku had something to do with that.

“Mr. Todoroki.” I glanced up as Ms. Yaoyorozu walked into my office, Izuku trailing behind her. “I know you were getting ready to leave, but I have a few more things that need your signature.”

“Alright, bring them here.”

She came up to my desk and handed them over, speaking again once I started reading them. “I must say it’s been nice having you in such high spirits again.”

“Mr. Todoroki should always be in high spirits…” Izuku cooed, stepping closer to me and laying his hand atop my head. “So handsome when you smile… and always.”

I didn’t appreciate them tag-teaming me even if I liked how confident Izuku was. “No comment.”

Ms. Yaoyorozu laughed and folded her arms. “It was such a rare sight, forgive me for indulging.”

Izuku hummed a quiet laugh, running his fingers through my hair. He smiled at me, green eyes full of affection. “Surely Mr. Todoroki is always smiling.”

“Only when I have reason to.” I smiled softly.

“Hehe.” He smiled wider, hand sliding down to rub my cheek. “We need more reasons to be graced by such beauty.”

“You two are so precious.” Ms. Yaoyorozu sighed. “Single life isn’t as cracked up as it’s made to be.”

“We are?” Izuku breathed, suddenly wrapping his arms around my head and hugging me to his chest. 

“Absolutely.” She grinned.

I did my best to finish reading from my captured position and let him continue to cuddle me. Izuku seemed content doing so, fingers playing with my hair while he held me. When I was done I signed the papers and handed them back to Ms. Yaoyorozu. She wished us a happy trip on her way out and I logged off of my computer before giving Izuku my full attention. We were already packed, all that was left was to go home and change. Then we would load the car and be on our way. 

“Are you ready to go, sweetheart?”

“Mhm!” He nodded with the utmost enthusiasm, embracing me around my neck and pulling me over until our noses were touching. “I’m so ready, Shoto. Just me and you.”

I smiled and gave his nose a kiss. “Just me and you.”

“Just the nose?” He asked, pouting. “That’s not enough, sir.”

My smile turned into a smirk and I scooted my chair back, patting my lap. “Come here, baby.”

Izuku didn’t show any hesitance before he settled himself on my lap, arms remaining loose around my neck. His pout morphed into a sweet smile, cheeks turning pink as his eyes dropped from mine to my lips. His tongue darted across his own instinctively. 

“Kiss me.”

Bossy. “As you wish.”

Instead of waiting for me to do as he wanted, Izuku took it up one himself to close the distance between our lips, his own capturing mine in a gradual, slow kiss. I wrapped my arm around his waist and fisted my free hand in his hair. Pulling his head back, I deepened the kiss and turned it hungry and sinful. I wasn’t going to be soft at the moment and quickly swept him up in my heated pace. He tasted as sweet as ever and I greedily had my fill.

Each time our lips separated, Izuku sucked in a shaky gasp but he was eager to dive right back in. His blunt nails dragged over my shoulders to my chest, his tongue not hesitant as it once was. He slid his tongue along mine, around and around, alternating between needy licks and more subtle, teasing touches. Then he gripped onto my tie and suckled my tongue, soft lips closing around it while his tongue kept swirling beneath mine. 

I groaned and tightened my grip in his hair, my other hand sliding down to grope his ass. There was nothing hotter than Izuku joining me, being as greedy as he wanted. His smaller body arched against mine and I began mischievously nipping at his playful tongue. Arousal was softly running through me and only grew the more wanton he became. 

He shifted on my lap, grinding down on me and letting out a quiet whimper into the kiss, suddenly unable to keep up. “S-Shoto,” 

“I know,” I said as I trailed my lips down his neck. “Do you want to wait until we get home or can I have you now?”

“W-wha… but—but… ah.” Izuku panted momentarily, distracted by my mouth on his neck. “V-vacation…”

“I’m not saying we go all the way.” I clarified with a chuckle, continuing to slowly mouth at his throat. “But I could take care of you.”

“O-Oh.” He breathed, head lolling aside to give me more room to work with. “What if… You want… you want me to?” 

Izuku swallowed hard, still breathing heavily as he pulled back from me. He slid off of my lap, getting on his knees and stroking my thighs—eyes locked on my crotch. 

“I wanna.” He admitted breathily, peeking up until his eyes met mine and he brazenly rubbed his right hand over my half-hard cock. “Can I suck it?”

That wasn’t at all what I meant, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was correcting him. He was quite the image, expression pleading as he stared up at me from under my desk. “Go ahead, baby. Have your fill.” I said in a deeper timber and ran the back of my knuckles along his cheek. 

His green eyes stared up at me wantonly, his pink tongue sliding along his lips to dampen them before he hurried to free my cock, going for it as if he was starved. I sat back comfortably and spread my legs further apart, welcoming him to do as he pleased. It was apparent during this week that I would have to be on my toes. I wasn’t the only one prone to attack at a moment’s notice, Izuku was working his way there, and quickly, he was finally ready to claim me as his own and take what he wanted. It was a beautiful sight.

There was nothing shy about the way he eagerly and shamelessly had his fill. He had me dusting his hair and emptying inside his mouth in under ten minutes, not wasting any time to bring me over the edge. I made sure to take care of him as well before we left the office hand in hand. I could feel Izuku’s excitement while we walked, he had been looking forward to this trip so much, but honestly, he couldn’t hold a candle to me. I might not have displayed it as clearly as he did, but I was beyond ecstatic to have him all to myself.

I could wine and dine him to my heart's content without anything getting in the way. The drive to my house was shorter than usual, but if Izuku noticed my speeding he didn’t say anything about it. Once we were inside I left him to shower and change first while I went ahead and began loading the car with our luggage. I was a few bags shy of finishing when he shooed me away, insisting on getting the rest and for me to go shower and change. It didn’t take me long at all to get ready and yet I was still being rushed out of the house by my jumping boyfriend. I loved seeing him animated and cheerful, unable to stay still as I locked the door.

I laughed fondly at him as he dashed to the car and got inside, calling me over, his freckled cheeks puffed up by his wide grin. I jogged up to the car and got behind the wheel, telling him to put on his seatbelt as I fastened my own. We were both full of energy once we were on the road and on our way. Izuku started listing off the things he wanted to do, waving his hands in the air in between holding one of mine hostage. Making him this happy was more than I could ever hope for and our vacation had only just begun.

He was so adorable as he rambled on about everything we could do together and listening to him made time fly. It took us a little over an hour to reach the closest town to the cabin, the large and dense forest visible from almost every angle. The plan was to stop at a grocery store and buy everything we would need before heading up there. Luckily we found one pretty quickly and were able to get out of the car and stretch out our legs. The parking lot was fairly empty, but I wasn’t surprised considering the town was on the small side. Izuku looped our arms together as we walked inside and I insisted on pushing the cart, letting him pick things out considering he was getting the bill this time.

“What should we get first?” I asked and looked down at him for direction.

“You want to make your favorite tonight? Let’s go get some noodles.”

He was always thinking of others before himself, but it felt special when he did it for me. “I have the best boyfriend in the universe,” I told him and pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

“No way,” Izuku laughed bashfully, blushing lightly. “You’re the best.”

We headed towards the noodle aisle and I shook my head in disagreement. “Hm, second-best perhaps, but you’re always number one.”

“Stop it!” He chided me in a hushed tone, brows furrowed and hands raising to hold his pink cheeks. “You’re too much.”

I smirked at him before winking and then brought the cart to a halt. “Pick out whichever ones you like best, sweetheart.”

“Right, well, we should get the best kind. It’s your favorite after all.” He smiled at me, walking over to grab a pack of noodles. After dropping them in the cart he placed his hand on my arm and urged me forward.

We got a few more things before I stopped at the meat section and asked what he wanted to get. Pork chops, hamburger meat, and a couple of steaks were what he budgeted for and I went about inspecting them. Izuku went to a nearby aisle to grab some spices while I decided on which ones were in the best condition. Next were dairy products followed by fruits and vegetables, my gaze was captured by some fresh apples on sale.

“Do you like apple pie?” I asked and picked one up, turning it around to get a proper look.

“I uh…” He looked from the apple to me, pondering it before admitting, “I’ve never had it before.”

That was all I needed to hear. I grabbed a clear bag and put some apples inside of it, setting it inside the cart afterward. “Well, we’re having it for dessert.”

“Alright,” Izuku agreed, smiling once more. “I’m sure it must be great if you like it.”

“It is, but not just any apple pie will do. You’ve got to have the right recipe.” It has been a while since I made it, but I was confident I could make one he would enjoy. “I know the perfect one . . . my mother taught it to me a long time ago.”

“Your… mother?” Izuku’s green eyes widened slightly as they locked on my own searchingly. “Sorry, you just… you never mentioned her to me.”

I never mentioned her to anyone, but Izuku wasn’t just anyone. I wanted to open up to him completely, let him see the good and the bad, every single thing about me even if the thought was scary. Even if there was a chance it could screw everything up. I wanted to prove my father wrong. What we had was real, what we had was truly precious. I was safe with him.

I had thought it over and made up my mind, I wouldn’t hide things from him. “Yeah . . . I rarely talk about her at all and it isn’t really easy to,” I confessed, “but I feel comfortable telling you.”

His eyes softened along with his smile. “Thank you. I want to hear everything about you. When we settle in?”

Putting everything out there in the open all at once was a bit intimidating, especially tonight, but I was willing to work towards it. “I’ll tell you some stories if you tell me some too.” I bargained. By the end of this trip, we would undoubtedly be closer in more ways than one.

“I’d love that… I want to tell you everything too.”

“Then we have ourselves a deal,” I said and wrapped my arm around his waist. “Sharing stories over a fire, possibly roasting marshmallows. We should get some marshmallows.”

“We can make those s’mores that kids have. I mean… we’re not kids but I want to do it too.” Izuku was excited again, bouncing where he stood.

His wording had me staring at him curiously, but I didn’t state what I was thinking. He’d never had s’mores before. “You’re never too old to have s’mores. Let’s go pick out some chocolate, baby.”

“Awesome. I think I already know which chocolate we should get. I watched this commercial not too long ago, it looked really good so I think it will be a safe option.”

I followed his lead and watched his face light up as he went about choosing the chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers. Our vacation wasn’t long, but it would be filled with plenty of firsts for him. I made sure to get some roasting sticks as well before we moved on to drinks and the rest of Izuku's mental checklist. Once we were finished and had everything we needed, I pushed the cart over to the self-checkout area. Our total didn’t end up being terribly expensive and I didn’t expect it to be. The prices were decent and my boyfriend was good with money, though sometimes he tried to blow it on meaningless things. Like my couch for example.

It didn’t really matter however, I loved that about him. I loved all of his little quirks and habits I had learned ever since I met him. Letting him learn more about me and my past was still scary, but I wasn’t going to lose my nerve. I had a future with Izuku and it was up to me to protect and nurture it. If I didn’t fight for what I wanted, if I didn’t work for it then nothing would ever change. I needed to move forward and maybe . . . just maybe I could finally come to terms with everything I had gone through. Izuku could help me heal with his smile and his tender touch. He wouldn’t reject me or turn me away, no matter what I had to keep believing that. 

After we loaded the grocery bags into the car, I drove us out of the small town and through the forest to where the cabin was waiting. It took us about twenty minutes to reach it and the vegetation and trees seemed to get denser and denser until finally, we reached the clearing where our destination was tucked away. The wooden building was just as beautiful and cozy as the pictures. Izuku’s emerald eyes shined with amazement and glee while I parked in front and he was out of his seatbelt in seconds, bolting from the car. He was so adorable as he darted around to get a good look from every angle. 

I watched him with a smile as I got out of the car as well, listening to him speak praises about the log cabin and grinning widely. There were two stories and an outside hot tub underneath the overhang on the right side of the building. The porch had a swing as well as some rocking chairs, a proper set of chairs, and a table on the deck located on the left side. I let him gush over it for a little bit before ushering him back to the car so we could carry everything inside. The same thing ended up happening again, as soon as we walked in with the first set of bags he was looking around with uncontainable excitement. He was so eager to explore. 

I told him to go ahead and look around while I finished bringing the groceries and our luggage inside. The fact that he didn’t so much as argue spoke volumes, dashing around and exclaiming in glee at almost everything he saw. By the time I brought everything inside, he had seen both floors and told me over and over how happy and excited he was to stay here with me. Honestly, he was too precious and I couldn’t help interrupting his little rant with a kiss. I was glad he liked it so much, but even more-so, I loved how open he was with his feelings. 

Despite being easy to read, I knew that Izuku often held himself back and didn’t voice his desires. Every day he was getting better at it and let himself enjoy the special treatment I desperately wanted to give him. I wanted to spoil him as much as possible and take care of him for as long as I could. He deserved the world and I wanted to give it to him, make him smile, and support his dreams. It was the first time I had wanted so much for someone, wanted to be so much for someone. To feel so strongly about another person was both euphoric and terrifying. I would do whatever it took to keep him happy and stay by my side.

We put away the food together and then Izuku started on dinner while I went upstairs to put our luggage away. Getting settled in wasn’t my only goal though, I had a bedroom to prepare.  I wanted everything to be perfect for him and ensure that tonight would be one of his happiest memories. The mattress itself was nice and soft and I arranged the canopy to my liking after removing the comforter. Next, I fluffed the pillows, pulling them forward a little, and then smoothed out the blanket when I was done. I had brought some candles in my suitcase that I littered about the room and lit them with a box of matches.

The only thing I wasn’t able to bring were rose pedals although the atmosphere was still romantic. Finally, I unpacked the lube and condoms before placing them underneath the far right pillow for easy access. Satisfied, I quickly put away our luggage before Izuku grew suspicious, doing one last once over of the room before going back downstairs. It warmed my heart to find my boyfriend softly humming at the stove as he boiled the noodles. 

I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my chin on his shoulder. “Hm.” I hummed as I breathed in his sweet honey scent. He meant so much to me.

“Hi,” Izuku giggled, arms wrapping around mine as if to hug me. “The noodles are almost ready. I already prepared the dipping sauce… I hope it’s okay.”

“It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful.” I told him with a small smile.

“You’re very sweet,” Izuku responded quietly, ears turning red. “Is everything okay… did you need me to help?”

“No, I already finished. Do you need some help or should I go ahead and get the fireplace going?” I asked and pressed a soft kiss to his neck.

He patted and rubbed my hands and giggled as if the kiss tickled him. “I’ve got this, just leave it to me. You can work on the fireplace.”

“Alright, but I want to stay like this for a little while longer,” I said and held him tighter, closing my eyes as I enjoyed the moment. This was what happiness felt like.

“Okay.” Izuku hugged my arms tighter and let out a content sigh. “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s really great. I mean, I know we just got here and everything, but I think we should do something like this again someday. If you want, that is. Maybe even here again? Or another place? There are so many great places out there I suppose. As long as we’re together I don’t care where we go, but I do want to be together… with you… and me. What do you think?”

I think I Iove you. Taken off guard by my own thoughts, my eyes blinked open and my lips parted in silent awe. Why hadn’t I realized it earlier? I loved Izuku, I loved him more than anything else in the world. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my days and hold in my arms every chance I got. This beautiful, caring and selfless man had my heart . . . my very soul. I had never experienced anything like this. Unable to contain my giddiness, I turned him around with a wide grin and wondered if he could tell what I was feeling from just my expression.

His cheeks heated and he averted his eyes bashfully. “You look happy… so does that mean you want it too?”

“I want to,” I said and lifted his chin, coaxing his eyes back on me. “If I wasn’t so hell-bent on making tonight perfect, I’d take you right here and right now.”

“Take me where?” He blinked at me in confusion. 

I chuckled and stole a chaste kiss, eyes glinting mischievously. “What I mean, sweetheart, is that I would fuck you.”

“Oh—whoa,” he squeaked, turning beet red. “I thought… I mean we were… about the vacations and different places… but you were? I didn’t know that… you wouldn’t possibly…”

“I would most definitely,” I smirked and began rubbing his hips. “I can’t resist when it comes to you.”

“Stop it,” he huffed, still blushing deeply as he raised his hands to push at my chest. “The noodles…”

I really wanted to tell him how I felt, but I knew it would be better to proclaim my love as I made love to him tonight. “You can’t escape me, Izuku, I’ll have my way with you yet,” I promised before letting him go with a wink.

“Y-you’re bad.” His face was still bright red as he turned around sharply and turned the burner off, getting ready to finish the noodles. 

“As if you didn’t already know.” I teased on my way out the kitchen and into the lounging room.

There was a neatly stacked pile of wood in the corner beside the fireplace, making it fast and easy for me to load it up. I used my matches to light the fire and then placed the iron screen back in front of it. It didn’t take long for the flames to get bigger and the temperature in the room to increase. Listening to it crackle made me change my mind about dessert, wanting to have marshmallows tonight and apple pie tomorrow. I wondered what stories he would tell me and contemplated which ones to tell him. 

Thinking about it now, I didn’t have many happy stories to tell him, especially not from my childhood. It was the opposite in fact and I found myself frowning as I sat on the floor. Unconsciously my hand reached up to touch the scar that expanded around my left eye. It was the one thing people never asked about, their reasons varying from person to person. For me, it was a mark of my mother’s love and her hatred. My family was so damaged and broken . . . it was a wonder how I managed to turn out decent, enough so that someone like Izuku could want me.

Then here I was saying that I loved someone, something I hadn’t done since I was little. It was almost as if I was turning back the clock and picking up the pieces of myself that I had lost. Although it didn’t matter how far back I went because it was impossible to overwrite the past. Weirdly enough I took a long hard look at myself, thinking about who I was, what I could offer, and what I was working towards. I truly was far from perfect. Without the company, what could I claim as my identity? What was it that made up Shoto Todoroki? All I had were things from my father. My memories, my intellect, even the company despite my reformation of it. 

I was forced into elite schools and modeled into a phantom heir to my family name. It had taken a long time for me to break free, but I couldn’t sever all my ties completely. I couldn’t find myself and clung to my passion for my line of work. With nowhere to turn, no place where I was normal, where I fit in, I created my own and protected it with everything I had. I never cared about what others thought of me. With Izuku, however, it was different. What did he see when he looked at me? 

“Hey… the noodles are ready, we should eat.” Izuku gently rubbed my back, coming out of nowhere. “Did you forget about me?”

“Never. Sorry, sweetheart, I was lost in thought.” I said and offered him a smile, but I wasn’t sure if it reached my eyes. How long had I been sitting there?

“Are you okay?” He frowned and raised his right hand to my cheek, rubbing it gently. “What’s the matter?”

The concern in his angelic green eyes made my heart ache. “I’m alright,” I assured him and kissed his freckled cheek, followed by the tip of his nose. 

“Hey,” he murmured, both hands cradling my face, thumbs brushing over my cheeks and wiping away tears I hadn’t realized were falling. “What happened?” He pouted, brows creased in concern. “Did you get hurt?” He then began examining me fearfully, face paling. 

I didn’t understand it myself. I wasn’t hurt, I wasn’t sad enough to be brought to tears . . . was I? “I’m not—it’s—” I was suddenly choked up, unable to get my words out properly. What was going on with me?  

Izuku’s hands left my face, arms wrapping tightly around my shoulders instead. He embraced me strongly, burying his face in my neck. “It’s okay. I’m here. Just take your time… you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

There shouldn’t have been anything to talk about, I was being ridiculous. And yet I clung to him and clenched my eyes shut, silently sobbing against him as my body trembled. What was wrong with me? I hadn’t cried or broken down like this in years. I was desperate for his warmth and terrified by the way my heart was squeezing in my chest. It wasn’t like me to get so emotional about the pain I had gone through, it wasn’t like me to pity myself. Why wasn’t I angry about it like I usually was? It was always easier to deal with when I was mad or feigning indifference. Perhaps I had reached my limit and I couldn’t take it anymore . . . I couldn’t shut myself down in front of Izuku. It was impossible to hide my emotions. 

“It’s okay… it’s okay…” he continued to reassure me with soft-spoken words and a gentle touch. “I’m here for you always. I’m right here.”

“Izuku.” I cried and hoped I wasn’t hurting him with how tightly I was holding on. “Izuku.”

“It’s going to be okay, Shoto.” He whimpered and brushed his fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry.”

We stayed like that for a good while, huddled together on the floor. I let myself be comforted for once and continued to bask in his warmth as I calmed down. He had shed tears for me as well and I felt awful for scaring him. Even so, I was glad he was here, I was glad he had chosen me. 

“I’m so thankful for you,” I whispered and finally loosened my grip to rub my hands up and down his back.

“No, I’m the one who is thankful for you.” He sniffled and held onto me even tighter. “I’m sorry you’re hurting. I wish I could take it all away… I just… you’re… I really… I love you.” 

I pulled back just enough to look at him, mismatched eyes going wide. “You . . . you what?”

His eyes were a bit puffy and he sniffed again. “I said I love you… I’m sorry it slipped…”

“You should be . . . because I wanted to say it first.” I laughed in disbelief and ran my fingers through his curly hair, bringing him forward until our foreheads were touching. This was it, this was definitely the happiest moment of my life. “Shit.” I cursed with a shaky breath and couldn’t contain my smile. “Izuku . . . baby . . . I love you.”

“Really?” He asked under his breath. “You mean it?”

“As much as humanly possible. So, so, so, so much. I’m completely and utterly smitten.”

“Holy cow. With me?” He gaped at me as if I’d grown another head. 

I hummed and kissed his nose again, unable to resist. “Yes, you. It never could have been anyone else.”

“But I… are you sure? I’m not good.” He worried his lip and let his arms fall away from me. 

He honestly had no idea what he meant to me, what I saw when I looked at him. “Why would you think that?” I asked and stroked his cheek with my thumb. “I’ve never met anyone as good as you, especially compared to me. Even after I embarrassingly balled my eyes out so suddenly, you’re still here, ignorant to the reason but wanting to soothe me anyway. Wanting to love me despite . . . . . there’s so much about you that I adore.” 

“And you really mean it… don’t you? I told Mom that you really cared about me. And everyone. They didn’t believe me…”

I paused a moment before I answered, not wanting to get worked up at the implications of his words. “Just because they don’t believe doesn't make it any less true. I’ll show them over and over, yell it in their faces if I have to. They won’t have any other choice but to believe you.”

His lips poked out and trembled, fresh tears welling up in his eyes. “I don’t care what they think… I know you mean it.”

I kissed his tears as they fell and wrapped my arms around his waist to pull him into my lap. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. A lot. A lot, a lot.” He embraced me once again and tentatively pressed a kiss to my jaw. 

Once more we sat together without care of how much time passed, simply enjoying each other and taking comfort in the fact that we weren’t alone. We had that precious someone that people spent their lives trying to find. I certainly never thought I could even if I hoped so. 

“Let’s have s’mores instead of apple pie tonight,” I said softly, feeling at peace, and oddly determined. “I’ll tell you everything then.”

“Okay.” He nodded and smiled at me. “But the noodles! Oh my god, the noodles!”

I chuckled as I rearranged my grip, preparing to carry him back into the kitchen. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. They’re supposed to be cold.”

“They’re supposed to be served immediately!” He huffed and scrambled to his feet, tugging my hands until I was up and following him. “I want it to be perfect.”

“I’m sure it still will be,” I told him, a little dejected that he didn’t let me sweep him off his feet. Oh well, the night was still young. 

“I hope so!” He flashed a big grin at me and gave my hand a squeeze. 

There was no way I couldn’t be moved by his cuteness and ended up grinning in return. I no longer felt that cloud of doubt hanging over me, Izuku had chased those fears away. It would be alright once I laid myself bare and exposed my imperfections. I could tell him about my past and know he would still be here when it was all over. It would be alright because it’s Izuku, my boyfriend, and lover who treasured me as much as I treasure him. Whatever he saw when he looked at me was what led him to love me. Knowing that, I didn’t have to be afraid anymore, I had someone who loved me no matter what. That was true happiness.

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen— Izuku  

Just like that, I had blabbered my feelings for Shoto as if there was nothing to it. It just came right out but I supposed I had been holding it in for quite a while. How soon had I really fallen for him? Since the very beginning? Since I first laid eyes on him when I stumbled into his office for my interview looking worse than I ever had in my life. Looking back, I still couldn’t believe that it had all started like that.

How could a man as perfect as him come to have feelings for someone like me? It didn’t make sense, but I was so thankful for it. I really did love him. I loved how kind and sweet he was to me—how he could make me smile so easily. He always had such a strong effect on me, and I didn’t want to lose the feelings he gave me. Ever.

I didn’t expect he loved me too. I knew he cared about me, regardless of what my mom or anyone else said. He was sincere and too kind to lie to me. But to say he loved me? It was almost too much for me to handle.

And yet it made me so unbelievably happy.

When we sat down across from each other for dinner, I kept peeking at him nervously, worrying that I hadn’t prepared his favorite meal to his liking. It was delicious to me, and even if I was worried, whenever I peeked at him, I saw his mismatched eyes looking back at me with a warmth that nearly melted me. He was smiling so beautifully, and eating his noodles as if they were the best meal he’d ever had. 

Again, he had my heart beating faster in between skipping beats. He had me blushing and shyly looking away from him every few seconds only for me to look back again. He said he loved me… and I confessed… we were on vacation, alone… with no work to worry about—and tonight, he was finally going to take me. That’s what he said. He said that and I—despite the many erotic novels I’d read in my life—had been so oblivious. It was only worse when he told me what he really meant.

To think that he could possibly mean that—that… if he hadn’t had whatever plans he had, that he might’ve taken me in the kitchen, right there at the stove. I couldn’t get the thoughts out of my head, my whole head felt hot from thinking of these things and I worried I may not be good enough for him. I always worried about such things but it wasn’t my fault. 

My mom had been breathing down my neck ever since the beginning of my relationship with him, telling me that it wasn’t real. Shoto wasn’t the only reason, it wasn’t just because he was perfect in every sense of the word and I knew that; even though that didn’t likely help. Mom had always mentioned similar things throughout my life.

I did have a feeling of guilt that often overwhelmed me. I was supposed to be taking care of her and being there for her no matter what. I was all she had in the world and she depended on me. I wanted to be the best son I could be for her, she had raised me all alone after all and deserved only the utmost respect from me.

But didn’t I deserve respect too? I loved Shoto and he loved me, so that meant she needed to love and accept him too. It was only fair. Shoto deserved all the love in the world and it was heartbreaking to know that anyone or anything had ever made him feel less than happiness. He was so strong and amazing, seeing him break down and cry nearly destroyed me. I couldn’t help but cry with him, cling to him just as strongly as he held onto me, and whisper as many reassurances as I could.

I didn’t know what haunted him, and I would never pressure him to tell me. If he wanted me to know, he would confide in me when the time was right. In the meantime, as his boyfriend, it was my job to love and support him with all of my heart, and that’s just what I intended to do. The soba was good, the dipping sauce nearly perfected through trial and error. It had taken me a while to get it to where I wanted it, and even if I was worried, I was sure by the way he was slurping up the noodles that he liked it as well.

“Is it okay?” I asked carefully while using my chopsticks to dip another bit of noodles into the small bowl filled with the sauce. “Is the taste strong enough? Or… is it too strong?” Cooking for him was exciting but nerve-wracking at the same time.

“It’s delicious,” Shoto assured with a warm smile.

After eating for another moment and peering at him every few seconds, I lowered my chopsticks and wiped my mouth. He was attentive to me even when he was quiet, a beautiful soul that only deserved the utmost affection. I really did love him beyond words, yet I still had moments of bashfulness—when I was left a flustered, stammering mess. It was only because he was so important to me; not to mention perfect. I wanted to grow though, and be the best boyfriend possible for him. I didn’t want to shy away or come off as anything less than completely invested.

“Shoto-kun, I…” Speaking my thoughts or feelings were, at times, too easy. The words could just fly out unfiltered. However, there were times when those words refused to form properly. Tonight though… I wanted tonight to be perfect. “When you said… earlier… tonight? Are you really going to—it’s finally going to happen?” 

His eyes sparkled as he looked at me and sat back in his chair. “After our marshmallow storytime, I’m going to carry you up to the bedroom and claim every inch of your body.”

I wasn’t sure which part of that sentence captured my attention more. Marshmallow story or the promise of what was to come after it. Only a few seconds passed before I realized it was the latter. “But…” I averted my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up regardless of my determination to speak my mind. “What if I don’t want to wait?”

“Hm.” Shoto stood from his seat and came over to me, gently taking my chin in his hand. “Do you want me now, Izuku?”

The answer to that was simple. Flustered or not, I’d been wanting him for as long as I could remember. So, with a shaky breath, I said, “Yes. I want you.” My appetite for food was long gone, replaced with a burning hunger for him and nothing more. Staring up into his mismatched eyes, I reached up to hold onto his forearm, willing him with a lick of my lips to come closer. “Please.”

“As you wish, sweetheart.” He grinned, but only gave me a short and chaste kiss before picking me up out of my chair without warning.

“Oh my,” I squeaked, hurriedly wrapping my arms around his neck. “Y-you don’t need to carry me! I’m heavy.”

“Heavy? Not at all.” He chuckled and started carrying me out of the kitchen. 

He only said that because he was strong , carrying me with an ease that I couldn’t fathom. I wanted to argue, to tell him that I could walk again but instead, I decided to just enjoy the moment. He smelled good, comforting, and warm as always. I closed my eyes as I breathed in his scent and basked in his presence. It was only when he walked into the bedroom with me that I opened my eyes, heart picking up speed upon seeing the many unscented candles in the room, small flames dancing subtly but steadily.

“You did all this?” I asked in amazement. “Shoto… you’re really a romantic, aren’t you?”

His cheeks heated up and he cleared his throat in an attempt to shake off his embarrassment. “I have my moments . . . do you like it?”

“I love it!” I hugged him tighter around his neck and laughed excitedly. “It’s beautiful. I don’t deserve all this… I don’t deserve you.”

Shoto was always spoiling me, proving that he did care about me in ways nobody else ever had. I really did love and cherish him deeply, and I knew that nobody else could ever make me feel the way he did. 

“Are you kidding? As corny as it sounds, you deserve the world and everything it has to offer. I truly believe that.” He told me softly while he carried me over to the bed. “One day you’ll realize that it had to be you . . . that you’re the only one I could have fallen for.”

He was always so smooth in everything he did and said, it didn’t feel corny at all. Not even a little. I felt as if I was dealing with Prince Shoto, not Mr. Todoroki who’d given a nobody like me the chance to gain some much-needed experience in the world. He’d captured my heart wholly and I never wanted to let go of him. Even as he laid me down, I kept my arms wrapped tightly around his neck, keeping him close. 

“Kiss me. Give me everything. Please.”

He stroked my cheek softly with the back of his knuckles as he leaned down to press our lips together. The kiss was unhurried, his mouth moving against mine in a slow and sensual way. I sighed happily through my nose and was rewarded with his tongue licking my bottom lip before I parted them, eagerly letting him in. His tongue moved almost lazily as it licked and suckled my own so knowingly. It was so easy for him to make my heart beat faster and run arousal through my body.

His hand began massaging my hip while the other went to my hair, gently pulling my head back against the pillow so he could reach even deeper, stealing my breath away and making my mind go fuzzy with pleasure. The way he so slowly coaxed me into a sense of bliss, just from his kiss and the promise of what was to come, was mind-blowing. I didn’t know what I should do but I was content just meeting all of his kisses wholeheartedly while holding onto him. I wanted him as close as possible. 

After a few more moments of sweet and sensual kisses, his mouth moved to my neck and his hand expertly began taking off my clothes. “Doing okay?” He asked in between teasing licks and gentle sucks.

“Y-yeah,” I breathed, trying not to be too over-eager. “Perfect. Feels good. Are you… are you okay too?” I was so unsure of what I should do, basically doing nothing, but I didn’t want to disappoint him. 

“I’m more than okay.” Shoto assured and then added, “help me undress, Izuku?” He asked before latching his mouth to where my neck met my shoulder.

He’d gotten me naked so smoothly, and even if I was dazed by how good he was making me feel, I still roamed my hands up under his shirt, shuddered at the feel of the heat on his back. I worked the shirt up and over his head when his lips broke away from my skin. He was so hot, but I wanted his heat engulfing me, always. I couldn’t get to his pants, but I rocked my hips up as if that would somehow get them off of him faster. He grinded down on me a few times before he sat back on his heels, his lustful gaze admiring my body as he unfastened his pants.

“So beautiful.” He whispered and then his expression turned more devious, a smirk on his face as he leaned back over me. “And you’re all mine for the taking.”

“All yours. I love you.” I kissed the side of his head and raised my feet to push on his pants at his hips. “You’re all mine too.” 

“You’re really too cute for my heart.” He told me and kissed the tip of my nose. “I love you too, baby.”

“Pants! You said undress,” I whined as I continued to push at them. “I don’t want to wait anymore. I want everything you said you’d give me, Shoto-kun.”

He laughed lightly at my impatience and was quick to help get his pants and boxers off. “Yes sir, sorry for the delay.”

I wanted his body on mine, pulled him over me, held him with all the love and need in my body, cheek nuzzling his before I kissed along his jaw. “I feel so happy… I’m so thankful to have you… to be here with you right now.”

“I hope to keep you that way for as long as you’ll let me.” He smiled as he ran his hands up and down my sides, soon letting one drift all the way to my thigh.

“You always make me feel this way. It’s one of the reasons I love you so much.” Admitting so did make me blush slightly, but I didn’t turn my eyes away from him. 

I didn’t look away for even a second, keeping my gaze locked on him, taking in his beautiful face, those perfect, mismatched eyes, finding even that scar beautiful. Everything about him. It didn’t even seem possible to love a person as much as I loved him, but then again, it was the most real thing I knew. 

“Come here,” I whispered, hesitantly reaching out for him. “Kiss me.”

His lips were on mine in an instant, this time more urgent than before, and he slowly started rocking his body against mine. The slightest bit of friction was more than enough to have me keening, fingers sliding into his silky hair, taking purchase in it as I kissed him back deeply. Shoto groaned softly and teasingly caressed my tongue with his own with light and sensual movements. Then he grabbed the lube and held it for a moment while our groins aligned. He was just as hard as me if not harder, his cock hot and heavy on top of mine. 

It truly felt as if I’d been waiting my entire life for this moment. Even though we’d done so much before, knowing this was the real deal, that we were actually going to make love… I couldn’t stop squirming. I wanted all of him, I wanted to feel what only he could give me. I never wanted anyone else like I wanted him. In my eagerness, I spread my legs wider and grinded on the bed, seeking more friction for him while wanting to be filled at the same time. 

“Are you… you gonna put it in?”

“Not yet, but soon.” He promised and popped the lid open, squirting lube onto his fingers. Next he lowered his hand and brushed his fingers against my entrance, the substance warm since he had been holding the bottle. “I have to prep you first. We’ve done this part before, remember, sweetheart?”

“Well… yes, I remember.” But I pouted about it, not wanting to wait any longer. My pout didn’t last for long with his fingers teasing me. I bit my lip instead and held tighter to his hair. “Hurry.”

He chuckled again as he slipped one digit inside of me. “I wanted to take my time tonight, but I have a feeling you won’t let me.”

I gasped at the stretch, even if only a single finger, it was a lot and I hated that. I wanted to be ready for him already. “I-I’m sorry… I just… I want you now.”

“I know, baby.” Shoto cooed, expression smug but his eyes were kind.

Even if I was impatient and wanting his cock instead of his fingers, I could admit that his fingers were greatly skilled. Having them working in to me while he distracted me from any possible pain with tender kisses and sweet words made it an even better experience. The slide of his slicked fingers was amazing, but so much of a stretch it kept stealing my breath. What I liked the most was when he twisted and curled them, finding all the best spots inside of me to make me feel the best. His fingers and lips had me so worked up that I didn’t have time to feel as if I was lacking what I desired most.

I was so lost in everything he was making me feel that I was unaware of all the lewd and rather loud moaning I was doing. I kept pulling on his hair too, not meaning to. I just wanted him. I wanted his body on mine, his lips kissing me, those fingers giving me even more. I felt the stretch of each added finger, knew when he had worked three into me, and could tell when the stretch lessened. He was determined to make sure I was as prepared as possible, but when I knew I was ready, I wasn’t willing to wait around any more.

“Please, now,” I whined in a whisper, rocking my hips up to take his fingers deeper. They weren’t satisfying me, they weren’t giving me what I needed. “I’m not waiting anymore.”

Shoto’s breath hitched before he slid his fingers out and lubed up his member. Then he lined himself up, stealing a quick but tender kiss, and supported his weight on his arm that laid beside my head. Finally, he was pushing in and his head fell to my shoulder as more and more of him impaled me. His fingers couldn’t possibly compare. He was so big, I choked on a groan, unable to believe how far I was being stretched. I had to remember to keep my body relaxed, to breathe and accept him. He was slow and careful, and the burning pain of the stretch slowly began to fade once he was fully seated inside of me.

“Oh my… fuck… that’s a lot.” I thought if he moved I might die, or I might die if he didn’t move. I had no idea, but I needed something to happen. “Help.”

“Shit, Izuku.” Shoto cursed, breathing heavily as he raised his head to look at me. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?” He asked and began placing soft kisses against my cheeks.

“Y-no.” I shook my head. “Just… it’s really big.” Honestly, how did it even fit? I had no idea, but it was really in there. 

He didn’t respond to my words, but I felt him twitch inside of me and a dark blush overcame his face. It was so hot and the pain had slowly ebbed away, leaving me with a burning need for friction. He wasn’t moving though and it was killing me, so I moved instead, grinding my hips down and the feel of his thick, pulsing cock instead of me rubbing at my walls had me squealing in surprise. I didn’t think it would move so much.

“Ah, oh my god, whoa-shit. Are you okay?” My hands were shaking as I patted at his shoulders, panting and trying to make sure I hadn’t hurt him.

“Izuku.” He called again, but this time it was in a warning growl. “I’m doing my best here, don’t tease me.” He said as he began moving his hips in long, slow thrusts.

“Oh! Oh! That’s… how—” There were no words that could express what I was feeling or what I wanted to say. I didn’t mean to tease him or do anything wrong, but my body was moving on its own, hips jerking after a few seconds and causing him to move in faster, hitting me deep and I wailed in surprise. “Oh my god.” Nobody told me it was like this.

“Even after I said—you’re still—” Shoto moaned, but he was smiling as he held onto my hip and fisted his other hand in my hair. “I know you can't help it.” He said before sucking hard on my neck just under my jaw while he picked up his pace. 

“S-Sor...Shoto… I’m sorry,” I gasped and clawed at his shoulders. It was overwhelming, hard to breathe, too hot to stand, and god he was so big. 

“I don’t forgive you.” He spoke teasingly against my skin and then was sucking another spot of my neck, determined to make a mark there as well as he glided in and out of me.

“W-wait! Why?!” I cried out, struggling between gasping for a full breath and trying to keep myself together. “Please, please.” I didn’t even know what I did anymore, but I couldn’t stand it if he was upset with me.

After a few seconds, his mouth went up to my ear, nibbling at the lobe as he whispered, “I’m just teasing you, baby.”

How embarrassing. Not that I had time to worry about that when he was splitting me open. “Mean,” I breathed weakly, blunt nails digging into his shoulders again. “Don’t do that.”

He chuckled softly in my ear before asking, “is it good, sweetheart? Want more?”

Oh, it was good. Better than good. “M-More?” There was no way that was possible. “Won’t fit…”

“No, it’s all in, don’t worry.” He assured, groaning on a particular thrust and then added, “what I meant was . . . do you want more ?” The question was punctuated with a hard rock of his hips that nailed my prostate dead on.

It was so sudden and so intense that all I could do was scream. It was shocking, jolting my entire body beneath him, a string of words incomprehensible even to me grumbling out of my mouth between my cries. I couldn’t see. Nothing else even existed besides what he was making me feel. I wanted it, all of that. Everything, but I could find the words to tell him.

“Hm, that’s a yes.” Shoto tightened his hold on my hip as he kept up his hard and quick thrusts, fingers releasing my hair to grab one of my hands instead, holding it down against the pillow.

His movements were so unbelievably precise, blinding me, stealing my breath, and driving me crazy. The pain was long gone, replaced by nothing but sheer bliss. Somehow, like this, I felt closer to him than I ever had before. It was the intimacy of the act itself, the closeness that we reached together, not only physically, but emotionally as well. The pleasure was really teetering on the edge of being too much to handle, but I’d never wanted anything like I wanted this. Like I wanted him. I was so stricken with all the sensations assaulting me that I had no idea I was getting close to orgasm until it hit me. I didn’t have a chance to warn him, to hold off, to prepare myself, I was just coming.

“Oh fuck!” Shoto hissed as I clenched around him, feeling him twitch again while he released inside of me, unable to hold himself back either. 

It was even hotter, but I loved it. I moaned, trying to tone it down but it was impossible. I wanted to kiss him too, but I ended up only mouthing at his jawline and whispering, “I love you,” over and over again. I was so lost in him and the aftermath of my orgasm, that I didn’t realize the tears were coming until they were streaming down my cheeks. I was far from sad, just overwhelmed with my love for him, and how amazing it was to become one with him finally. Shoto held my hand tightly while he shivered and panted, kissing my tears before bringing his mouth to mine in a sweet kiss. He was slow and gentle again like he had been in the beginning. His words failed him, but I could tell with every press of his lips that he was saying he loved me too.

.

.

.

I woke to the feel of familiar fingers combing through my hair, which I knew was undoubtedly a mess that would not soon—or ever—be tamed. I felt like I’d been sleeping forever, but I still didn’t want to wake up, at least until I peeled open one eye and saw my boyfriend smiling at me like I was the best thing he’d ever seen before. I smiled back and rolled from my stomach to my side. 

“Good morning, Shoto-kun.”

“Good morning, sweetheart.” He grinned happily and stole a quick kiss only to decide that it wasn’t enough, taking a few more a second later.

“Did I sleep late?” I asked when he seemed satisfied, and rubbed my eyes before moving to sit up.

Shoto’s grin grew wider as he propped his head up on his hand. “Actually, I have no idea what time it is for once. It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

“Wow… that is amazing.” I grinned back and lifted my hand to cradle his cheek, rubbing it affectionately. “You’re so beautiful… look so happy.”

“If you think I look good, you should see yourself.” He said, cheeks dusting pink as he turned his head to kiss my hand and then turned it back. “Guess what?”

I giggled at his words and shook my head slightly, knowing it wasn’t possible. “What?”

“I had the most amazing night with my boyfriend.” He winked, expression a mix of fondness and mischief. 

“Stop it!” I weakly pushed at his chest, blushing like crazy. “Oh my god, we had the sex!”

Shoto laughed cheerfully, eyes sparkling with the free and beautiful sound. “We sure did, Izuku.”

“Why are you laughing?!” I squeaked and pressed both hands to his cheeks, squishing them. God, he was cute. “I would be offended if you weren’t so pretty.”

“No reason, you’re just adorable.” He said, still chuckling. “Guess what?”

“You think I’m adorable, really?” I cooed, blushing again and pressing and pulling his cheeks. “So sweet. I love you.”

Shoto grunted at his face being played with like playdoh, but let me do as I pleased. “I do. And you didn’t guess.”

“Guess what?” I asked, distracted.

“What?”

“Wha—oh well… umm… I love you.”

He hummed and closed his eyes, smile still present. “I love you too.”

“I can’t believe you really mean that.” It was just too good to be true and yet I knew it was real. “Thank you, Shoto-kun. I promise I will do my best to make you happy with me.”

He rolled over and pushed me down on my back, eyes opening again while he kissed the tip of my nose. “You’re welcome, baby. I’ll do my best too. You’ll be the most spoiled human being on the planet.”

“I can’t handle that!” I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I already feel really spoiled.”

He pinched my cheeks in revenge and smirked. “Oh, I can do better. Anything to see you smiling. Or hot and bothered.”

“You can’t say things like that!” I chided him with a deep blush and tugged on the lobe of his ear. “I think I’ll die an early death, the cause is a heart attack, the reason is Mr. Todoroki!”

Shoto’s face turned serious although I could see the corners of his mouth tugging into a smile he wouldn’t let form. “In that case, I’ll follow soon after, the cause a broken heart.”

“Never!” I laughed and used every ounce of my strength to roll us over, straddling his lap. I hadn’t thought it through though and didn’t realize my bottom was so sore until now. “Oww. I’m okay!”

He sat up and moved his hands to my waist, massaging me as his lips brushed against my shoulder. “I think a hot bath is in order and then we’ll have some breakfast.”

“Bath together?” I asked while groaning at how he was digging into my sore muscles.

“As you wish, sweetheart.” He said and repositioned his grip, holding my backside as he lifted me up and got to his feet, carrying me towards the bathroom.

I wanted to argue but I knew it wouldn’t do any good. He would do whatever he wanted to do, and I actually liked it when he carried me anyway. He was so attentive, so overly sweet. I really loved him and never wanted to let him go—I never would let go. 

We got in the bath together once it was prepared and spent a long while just soaking in there, washing each other, and being lazy. There was no need to rush, we had another night together before we would have to return home and back to reality. Even then though, we would be together, and there was nothing holding us back anymore. We’d have every part of each other, and it was amazing, but I still wanted more.

After our bath, we cooked breakfast together, dressed in nothing but a couple of robes. We were both smiling constantly, and it meant a lot to me to know that he was as happy as I was. I felt much better after the bath, but Shoto, of course, was still intent on spoiling me. After breakfast, we laid in bed watching a movie and he massaged my back, butt, and legs the entire time as if it actually pleasured him to keep his hands on me, making me feel good.

He’d really done so much for me and I was determined to do the same for him, to pay him back and make sure that he knew how much it meant to him. I was his boyfriend, he was mine. It was up to me to make sure he knew how special he was, how special he was to me. A part of me wished that we could stay on vacation together forever, but when it really came down to it, I actually didn’t care that we had to return home. I knew that I would still be with him every day, and that’s all I needed.