Icy? Or hot? ~TodoBaku~

Chapter 21: my empty arms were open

Shoto Todoroki

After the uncomfortable events of yesterday, I was grateful to experience a relatively quiet Wednesday, with class going by just as expected, then the queue for soba, and a seat in the corner. Today I was mostly speaking to Shoji, as he was asking about Bakugo. It seems word of my interests in him had spread around the group, no doubt thanks to Shinso. Shoji was, as usual, respectful of my privacy, and only asked base-level questions, before seeming satisfied enough and moving on. I then spent a little time talking to Tokoyami, finally asking him about the pendant he normally wears.

"Oh, this? It's not a pendant, it's a warning."

Yup, should've known. Moving swiftly away from that can of worms, I chatted a little with Ojiro about his long talks with his own crush, and questioned why on earth he thought it was a good idea to tell Shinso about Kiri having a nickname for him.

"Awwwww, does it embarrass you, Ojiiii~?"

"I will *genuinely* hurt you if you don't stop, Shinso"

"Alright Shinso, come on, that's enough, we need to get to class"

"But I'm having fun with Oji..." he said, before putting on the most silly looking fake pout ever. I was not swayed, and proceeded to walk off, and he quickly followed, laughing as he did. Ojiro sent me a thankful look, clearly regretting his stupid choice.

Class droned on for another half our before I made my way out with Shinso, both heading to the café. Id invited him after I got a message from both Kaminari and Bakugo earlier that said Kaminari would be covering Hagakure's shift today whilst she gets her hand checked out, and to tell Shinso. Of course, I didn't, wanting to surprise him once he got to the café.

ding!

As usual, the puffy haired blond looked up, and he smirked widely when he saw us both enter. "Hey you two. Pikachu is in the back, by the way. He'll be out in a minute, he just got here." he said while looking at Shinso, and the purple haired boy looked surprised.

Bakugo's gave me a confused look, before I couldn't keep a straight face and gave myself away to both of them.

"You didn't..." Bakugo started, before Shinso cut him off, saying "did you know...YOU FUCKER!"

"Hey, at least I invited you, right? I coulda just come on my own, like usual, but you only came cause you wanted to stop me and Bakugo flirting, right? Well now you can get to that on your own, can't you?"

Shinso didn't have a response to that, instead going over to a confused looking Kaminari, who had emerged from the back.

"You should've told him you know, he's probably panicking right now"

"And? He's spent the last three or four days teasing me non-stop about you, I'm allowed a little payback"

"And what exactly has he been teasing you about~?"

"Oh? Wouldn't you like to know~?"

"I'm just thinking it'll make my date a little better~"

"In that case forget it, sardine boy~"

"Just you wa-"

He was cut off from his sentence by the sound of Kaminari and Shinso making fake vomiting noises near us. Bakugo proceeded to flip them off, and then sighed and put his head down on the countertop.

I heard a groan of annoyance from the boy, and was confused at what he wanted, before he looked up slightly and said "well?"

"Well what?"