My Hero Academia: Romanticise Like A Raven

FRIENDS - Part 2

Sleepover. The word did not bode well for me.

I'd never slept in a room with so many people, especially with people as loud as the many friends of Shoto Todoroki. Would they even sleep tonight? We had school tomorrow; gossip was fun but there were many things that were more important.

And I was finding that out now, as I sat within the confines of a little sleeping bag on Shoto's remodeled floor. Shoto's bed was on the left, meanwhile Iida was in his own sleeping bag on the right. Iida, as always, could not shut his mouth. His many words started to make me sink into the deep, cocoon-like pit.

Maybe then I'd be able to read my book.

Shoto popped his head out from over the bed, "May I ask what you're reading?"

I poked my face out of my bag a little. Shoto laughed a little, but glanced at his friends before sealing his face with a minute smile. His glee was boundless, and yet simultaneously showed restraint.

"Why are you laughing?" I smirked, slotting in a bookmark and laying the book to rest at the bottom of the bag. Maybe it would at least get some sleep tonight.

"So small and angry." Shoto commented, his face flushing a little. I squinted, trying to discern if he was being serious.

I rolled my eyes, but didn't stop smirking.

When I didn't respond, Shoto added quietly, "Can I read it too?"

I rolled my eyes once again. Retrieving my book, I slid out of the bag and into the cold before regaining warmth as I joined Shoto on his firey, warm right side. Goosebumps rose as I felt our hands brush.

"Not a lot has happened yet; you will be fine to just read from here." I notified him, snuggling in to get some flare. It may have been the warmest room of anyone on the test team, but it was still the deepest pit of Autumn. The cold burned like a roaring flame.

"Ok." Shoto nodded.

It was a simple moment. I allowed my eyes to flow through the words on the page, taking in the curve of every word. Taking in the subtext of every metaphor. I could almost visualise the world being formed in my mind, being painted by a delicate brush that only I could paint with, for only I-

Shoto turned the page.

"Did you just... flip my page, Shoto?" I glared at him, sighing roughly from my beak.

"Oh... um, yes. I must just read faster." Shoto cleared his throat, "You can turn back if you want. Sorry."

And so I did, trying to hide my disgruntlement. I didn't really care that much. Rather, I could pretend that I was pretending that I didn't care.

However...

I did start to actually care when he lifted the page to get a sneak peek at the next one.

"Stop doing that." I grumbled.

Shoto initially looked annoyed too, but a smile quickly flooded his face, "It's hard to be angry at you, you know. So angry. So adorable."

"I'm not adorable."

Shoto chuckled as I stared at him. Then, I rolled my eyes and joined in.

That was when we realised that something was missing. The talking. It had stopped. We turned to all of our friends as they started at us in confusion (Momo was an exception; she was laughing to herself). I felt myself blush, the horror filling my face as they all stared at me. At us!

"How are you being so friendly, Todoroki? Seeing you like that during an argument is quite... odd." Iida chuckled, trying to keep his cool, "Same for you, Tokoyami!"

We both got up. Shoto responded, "It's a good day, Iida. I've chosen to be tolerant of Tokoyami. He's very foolish."

Everyone giggled before going back to their conversation. Iida hesitated a moment more, just to check on us and the standing up which came from nowhere, and Momo did the same to catch our gazes, but they both returned to the conversation too.

Shoto looked at me endearingly, but also wearily. I sighed, and bumped him softly with my elbow. He let out a little chuckle, but nothing more.

There was a pause.

Shoto shook his head and added to me, "I can prove that Shoji will accept you no matter who you love."

I cocked my head. What was he going to say?

He turned back to his friends, "Hang on, everyone. There is something I must confess..."

"You lied? Crazy!" Midoriya giggled. He was the only boy who could say that without it sounding sarcastic.

"Midoriya..." Shoto blushed, looking his best friend deep in the mind, "All of you... I'm dating Tokoyami."

The teasing stopped, and everyone's smiles were replaced with gasps. Love. Love swelled up inside of me. It was almost as if my heart was physically growing in size... and it felt brilliant. Never had anything in my life gone so perfectly.

Uraraka's face almost split into two with a huge smile and an ear-splitting squeal, and Shoto responded with a huge hug. Iida then burst into tears and started to frantically ask Midoriya for tissues, who hunted for them in a rush. I smiled silently; it was clear that Midoriya needed them too.

"You don't seem all that suprised, Momo." Tsuyu pointed out through her own blaring smiles.

Momo admitted her secret, "Yeah, I've known for a while!"

Tsuyu gasped and I added, "It's true. I told her even before I told him."

"WHAT? Momo, how could you keep this from us?!" Uraraka gasped, flailing wildly.

I was physically pulled from the conversation by Iida, who picked me up in a hug. I did a flail of my own before Shoto told him, "Careful. He doesn't like being picked up."

"That's a misconception; you just have very uncomfortable hands, Shoto." I smirked. I hoped that Iida would take Shoto's obvious hint and put me down, but he didn't.

"You're... so... p- perfect for each other!" Iida sobbed, somehow pulling me in tighter.

Shoto put a hand in my aching shoulder, "See, Fumi? These guys don't care, so Shoji won't either."

Yaoyorozu suddenly stopped and turned to me, "What? You're worried about telling Shoji?"

Uraraka added, "If this is because he's said something to you, I'll beat him up! Don't test me."

"As will I!" Iida agreed furiously, "Wait, no! That's irresponsible!"

"We should hear him out first," Tsuyu stopped them, a method to be awarded a silent thanks from me, before adding, "We can go feral later."

"No, he didn't do anything. I've been pursuing Shoto, and now Shoji thinks that I don't like him." I admitted sternly, "And this whole groups thing has only made things worse..."

"I hope you realise that what he's doing is not ok! We need to help you fix things with you and him." Yaoyorozu tutted, folding her arms. Had she really known nothing?

"No, it's my problem. I can fix it." I told her.

"There has to be some way we can help!" Tsuyu frowned, her tongue sticking out fretfully.

I took this moment to think. All of this talking had really blocked out my head; what was it that I really wanted to do about this? I looked to Shoto, and then back to Tsuyu, who had spoken last. She was so considerate...

...And I wasn't going to let it go to waste.

"Shoji has showers around this time..." I thought aloud, "And, you know... I guess now is as good a time to tell him as ever."

To be continued...