SOULMATES [My Hero Academia]

Stop and Go - Hanta Sero

-

"Man, this sucks."

Hanta Sero sipped his beer and chuckled at his best friend, Denki Kaminari's words. "You're not wrong, buddy," Sero sighed, leaning against the bar. "But I guess it c-"

"If you say 'it could be worse', I will hit you," Katsuki Bakugo hissed, sidling up to them in a black suit and orange tie. He stole Kaminari's nearly-full beer - ignoring Kaminari's aghast stare - and downed the whole thing in one swig. "There's no goddamn way this could be worse." Bakugo raised a hand for two more beers and frowned at the crowd around them.

It was their first Hero Awards, hosted at the Hero Museum of Japan. The boys were dressed to the nines, clad in designer suits and shoes, trying and failing to fit in among their older, more experienced peers. A band played from a raised stage across the ballroom, and the dance floor was full of laughter, dancing couples spinning each other in dizzying circles. A chandelier twice the size of Sero's car hung over the ballroom, sunset colors bouncing off of the dripping crystals. Some couples wandered off into the exhibits to look at the memorabilia... and stuff.

Sero shrugged and clutched his beer tighter in his hands, lest Bakugo steal his too. He didn't want to get his hopes up. Their class had only been saving people for a year... it wasn't likely that any of them were going to win any awards already. But it was nice to have a night off. Plus there was plenty of free food and alcohol.

So Sero wasn't complaining.

He just had to survive another couple of hours of fanciness... then he could go home and sleep.

-

I was running late. As usual.

Sometimes I hated being such a good friend, because I was constantly running from one promise to the next, always helping someone move or cat-sitting or throwing a baby shower or proofreading someone's resume. And tonight was no different. I'd gotten roped into playing at some awards ceremony when the usual pianist called out sick, despite having hardly any classical training.

Peri is lucky she's so nice.

And the pay would cover my rent for two months, so that was easily the best part.

"I will have someone come out and tune your piano, on me," she promised over the phone as I jogged up the block toward the venue, "And brunch is my treat next weekend, I promise."

The desperation in her voice made me sigh involuntarily. "Peri, calm down. I'll be there in five minutes. Take a deep breath and worry about something else, okay? Just have Tenya meet me outside so I know where to go," I grumbled, shoving my head down beneath my collar, bracing myself against the icy winter wind.

Her tinkling laugh rang back. "Sure, sure. He'll be right out front. Can't miss him: navy suit, new glasses, cute butt..."

"Peri, please," I chuckled into my scarf, "Tenya's butt is the last thing I want to think about right now."

"It's the only thing I want to think about right now."

"Ew!"

She giggled and sighed into the phone. "I'll see you in a bit. Thank you again."

"Yeah, yeah," I smiled. "See you later, Peri."

"Bye."

We hung up, and I turned a corner, narrowly avoiding a frantic shopper, arms piled high with holiday gifts. Down the block, the museum shone brightly through the dark, lights illuminating the snowy air.