Fates Entwined (A TodoBaku ff) ✔

XXXII

Everyone ate dinner ravenously, either joining them in the dining hall or heading out to the town to buy something from the many food stalls. There were probably countless foods that Shoto still had yet to try, but today he was more than content eating in the castle with everyone. Every tray and bowl and plate was piled high with food, and Shoto spoke thanks to the hard-working cooks in the kitchen for providing them with a delicious meal. He even heard Kirishima echo him with a grin before he eagerly tucked into his food; as usual, it was mostly an assortment of meats with vegetables that Mina added scattered on top.

The meal was loud, everyone talking together and the warriors greeting those whom they had yet to speak to. It was slightly overwhelming, but Shoto was learning to find his place amongst them, and from the corner of his eye he could see Bakugou looking over at him once or twice, maybe to make sure that he was alright and wouldn't cause a scene. After lunch there was a short break for relaxing before group training started, not wanting to cause injuries or sickness by training immediately after eating their meal.

For this part of the training, Shoto thankfully didn't have to say so much, content with walking between the different representatives' groups and making mental notes for improvements or adjusting stances and postures. His throat was a little dry from talking so much that morning, not used to doing so for several hours at a time, but a sore throat was nothing in face of the progress everyone was making. As he walked around it was intriguing to see how each of the representatives had taken Shoto's basic training and adapted it to fit into their own style; their array of techniques and preferences would certainly make it hard for his father to settle on one mode of attack. As time went on it was planned that he would have more individual time to train with each of the representatives, teaching them some of his more advanced knowledge.

Bakugou was absent for this part of the training; where he participated in the morning's training he was now back in his study doing what were most likely stressful, tedious, yet vitally important tasks. Shoto would join him later for their first official meeting, and the idea of meeting many more new people, who he had no idea if they were on the more accepting side towards him or not, made his chest tighten. But the training was intense, and time passed quickly as he focused on monitoring the warriors and making note of any particularly impressive skills or powers. 

Group training passed quickly, and soon the warriors were all heading off to their homes or to the baths to relax before their training with either Bakugou or Midoriya. Shoto, Kirishima, Sero, Mina, Denki, and Midoriya all made their way up to Bakugou's study, the man wanting to speak with them before they headed to the conference room. Shoto didn't know where that was located so he was thankful that he would have several guides. The journey felt rather short with how loud and excited everybody was, each expressing their thoughts about the training or praising Shoto for being an excellent instructor. It was reassuring to know that he was doing a decent job, for he had rather little knowledge of how to instruct properly. After all, he had only ever had Enji to learn from and that, he definitely knew, was not the way to do it.

Bakugou was in his study, and the desk seemed to be piled with more notes and books. Bakugou himself was standing by the window, looking down below and watching some of the warriors sprawl out of the castle. From this room he had an excellent view of the town and the constant flow of people; it must be a calming sight knowing that his people were safe and happy. Well... they were, before Shoto arrived. At the side table where plates of food or odd books lay was a pile of freshly baked tarts, a perfect golden colour with cream and a strawberry slice on top. They seemed to still be warm, with small wafts of steam rising up off them and evaporating into the air. Everyone helped themselves before gathering around the desk, and Shoto may or may not have snuck a second. 

"What's on the agenda Bakugou?" Sero asked, peering down at the papers littering Bakugou's desk.

"Is there stuff we need to know?" Kirishima added.