"honesty and grace" (Mezo Shoji X Reader)

Chapter 40

chapter illustration ©:  -GROUNDZERO
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You sit there for a moment, absolutely stunned. Yes, it was great that Kirishima found someone who he loves, but the fact that it was Katsuki Bakugou surprised you. The silence of your surprise seemed to make Kirishima nervous. “Say something, would you.” He sits straight up, rubbing his forearm bashfully.

“How long have you liked him for?” Was the first question that came to your mind. It was a simple question that didn’t pry too much on why he likes Bakugou more than anyone else.

The question made him ponder, tapping his index finger against his bottom lip slowly. “Probably since a few months ago. At first, I ignored it and tried to think it was nothing. But when we started getting closer to the end of the year, I was dreading the dorm room rearrangement. My room was right next to Bakugou’s, but now we’re not even on the same floor.” His words cease for a moment as he looks into your eyes. “I didn’t want to believe I liked him. Bakugou isn’t like me.”

You swallow hard. “What do you mean, ‘like you’?”

Kirishima grabs the sheets hard with white knuckles, almost looking as though he was going to cry. “Bakugou isn’t gay. He doesn’t like guys.” He looked defeated, as if it honestly pained him to admit his love for his friend.

“Well,” You start in an attempt to raise hope in his heart, “do you know that for sure?”

Your eyes search his desperately, trying to think of other things to say as he conjures up an answer. “I don’t know, I’ve never asked him about his sexuality.” He states almost rudely. Though, when he finishes his sentence, he looks at you with apologetic eyes. “Sorry, I don’t mean to snap at you. My emotions are just all over the place because this is all new to me.” He smiles sadly.

“No need to apologize, I understand exactly how you feel. I mean, I was never in your scenario, but I get the foreign feeling of love.” When you stop, your eyes wander over to Kirishima. His eyebrow raised in a questioning matter. “It’s true. When I started to develop feelings for Shoji, I would lash out at him. I liked to blame it on how I felt about what happened to my mom, but that was such an obvious lie. I loved him to a point where I hated being around him, if that makes any sense. I just wanted so badly to let him know how I felt, but my emotions were running too high for me to really know for sure.” You avert your eyes away from him, looking over at the closed door.

The red-haired boy took a moment to process all of what you had said. “Do you think you could maybe talk to Bakugou sometime? You don’t have to, I was just thinking it wouldn’t be as awkward for you to do it.”

A smile comes to your face as you nod. “Sure, of course. I’ll probably text him sometime tonight, anyways, so I’ll do it then.” Kirishima smiles wide as you can hear your front door open. “Oh, I think that’s our cue to get the rest of this junk out.” You smile, looking around the room. In the span of just a few hours, you wanted this room clean and empty. Whether you keep some things, or get rid of everything, the entire apartment was to be cleared out by the end of the day.

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Your face lights up as you see the 2A dorm building. The only light around the building was the faint pathway lights that were stationed about ten feet off the ground. They looked like miniature street lamps, almost. Lights from the dorm building itself illuminated trees around it as they blow in the faint breeze that chills the outskirts of the big city.

Shoji looks down at you, now paying no attention to Kirishima and Ojiro. The teenager’s ink-hued eyes travel over you for a moment, a small smile growing on his face. You hadn’t been wearing anything special; you had on DCs, along with paint-stained covered sweatpants with an American school name on them. Your sweater was thick, the black clothing item being two sizes too big for you.