Shoto lowered the windows and reclined his seat. A warm breeze entered and circulated the car before finding its way out. Lulled by the sounds of the city, he rested his eyes but saw Izuku.
He rolled partly on his side, hand under his cheek, watching the spot where Izuku sat just hours earlier. C'mon Izuku, get back to me.
A few moments later, Izuku texted 'I'm downtown, heading home soon.'
Shoto sent him an address to meet at and started to walk there with a combination of nerves and anticipation.
Izuku followed the map on his phone. As his adrenaline died down, doubt crept in. He slowed his pace just to look up and find Eijiro tearing into a piece of meat. Whoa, he looks so happy. He couldn't help but acknowledge, he looks so.. Izuku clutched his chest. No. I'm not going to assume their interaction through a dammed double pane window.
He was just going to let his newfound guilt guide him straight 'til he found.. a kakigori shop? He looked up at the sign just three doors down. He was checking the address again when he heard Shoto's voice.
"I thought we could get something refreshing before calling it a night.." Shoto said as his eyes took in the ruffled up Izuku. "How.. was dinner? You didn't go home with your mom..?"
"Oh! She loved the flowers.. and she got a ride back with.. I mean, I had also invited a friend of hers and-" Shit, Shoto must've seen Mitsuki earlier.. why don't I just tell him she and Kacchan were there?
Shoto, noticing Izuku's discomfort, helped him out. He opened the shop door and gestured for Izuku to enter. "Well, that's good.." Shoto slipped the bag off his shoulder, "I guess your mom has mine but you can keep it, it just has something in it for you anyway.. I wasn't sure how to give it to you earlier."
"Thank you.. but uh, why?" Izuku asked while shrugging the bag on and scanning kakigori flavors.
"You seemed.. distracted? And I didn't feel like I could quite reach you.." Izuku picked a flavor then finally fully gave Shoto an appraising look.
I really have been quite a jerk.
Shoto put in his order. "Though I can understand since you were planning a surprise dinner and all." Shoto had this ability to both call you out and reassure you.
"I'm sorry," Izuku offered earnestly, "Thank you for understanding, and helping." Izuku dug in his pocket to pay but Shoto had beat him to it.
"You've been treating everyone all day, I think you can let me take care of you now."
It took a moment for the gesture to fully register before Izuku felt his cheeks warm up, Thank you.
Izuku sat and dug into his kakigori which had a strawberry syrup topping dripping down one side. He looked up from it to Shoto and laughed.
Shoto loved Izuku's tired yet infectious laughter and joined in when he saw what he saw: the half red and half white dessert not unlike his hair. Shoto laughed even more when his order came out.. green tea, which quieted Izuku.
They eventually relaxed and caught up more easily, on how their respective agencies operated and some of the cases they had been assigned to.
"Cases are handled completely differently there." Izuku absentmindedly opened his bag to see if he might've packed a phone charger. He wanted to show Shoto some pictures.. *Gasp* He identified two rounded objects.
Shoto kept his expression cool since he wasn't supposed to know about them, though Izuku seemed genuinely surprised.. "What's wrong?" Shoto managed to ask honestly.
"Just.. a bad joke. Don't worry about it."
The amusement Shoto had been hiding disappeared. He remained quiet to see if Izuku would elaborate on the source of this 'too intimate' joke.
"I lost you again," Shoto waved at a spaced-out Izuku.
"Sorry-" Izuku blinked and shook his head.
"It's been a long day for you, I can give you a ride home.. or you can crash with me. The view from my balcony is amazing this time of night.."
Mom's probably asleep but she'd wake up just to interrogate me without audience, Izuku shuddered. "I'd like that.." He gave in, wanting to make up for essentially using Shoto all day, yet keeping him at bay.
At least I'd get to sleep sooner.
***
