Every Rose Has Its Thorn || ShojiNeta

1||It hurts....

Welp, this ended up being more popular than I thought. I know, I know, it only got, like, 10 reads and 2 votes, but that's 10 reads and 2 votes more than I thought it was going to get, lmao. So yeah. I'm continuing this. Enjoy!

After yet another long day of training, Mineta wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He sighed in relief as he fiddled with his locker. Finally, it creaked open. Mineta reached into the locker for his school uniform, only to see a piece of paper fall out. Confused, Mineta picked it up and unfolded it.

Mineta,

Meet me by the cherry blossom trees by the UA gates after the last bell. There's something I want to talk to you about.

- Shoji

Mineta's eyes widened. His brain started to whirl.

What does Shoji want to talk to me about?

Is he going to- no. No way. We're just friends.

But I sure as hell wish we were more....

Mineta cast a glance over to the six-armed boy, who was quietly talking to Tokoyami.

He must have been staring too long, because the next thing he knew, Shoji looked over at him.

Mineta immediately panicked and looked the other way. That was embarrassing!

The day continued to drag. Shoji's note continued to plague Mineta's thoughts. It made it harder for him to focus on the rest of his classes.

Finally - after what felt like an eternity - the last bell rang. Class 1-A immediately stood up and went to the dorms.

Except Mineta.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the UA gates.

Soon, the pink petals of the cherry blossom trees were in sight. Shoji was sitting under one of them, admiring a flower carefully gripped in between his pointer finger and his thumb.

Mineta paused a moment to take a deep breath and slowly exhale. This is it. Here we go. He willed his body to move forward and approached the boy he had been crushing on for the past few months. "Hey, Shoji."

Upon hearing Mineta's voice, Shoji looked over. He set the flower aside and moved over a bit. "Mineta! Come, sit."

Mineta nodded and slid his bag off his shoulders. He set it on the ground and sat on the grass.

The two of them sat in silence for a bit, watching the petals flutter from the trees and scatter across the pathway to the front doors.

Finally, Shoji broke the silence.

"You're ... uh ... probably wondering what I want to talk to you about."

Mineta nodded in return.

"Well ... the fact is ...I-" Shoji stammered, fumbling his words, his face turning red.

"It's okay. Take your time. You can tell me when you're ready," Mineta assured.

"Thank you." Shoji took a deep breath to calm himself. "I like you. As in, I wish we could be more than friends."

Mineta's eyes widened at this and his cheeks heated up. "Y-You like me?" he asked. His heart was doing cartwheels and his mind was filled with cheering.

"Yeah," Shoji said, averting his eyes, blushing deeply. "If you don't like me back, that is okay. I-It's just something I've been wanting to get off my chest for a long time and-"

"Shoji," Mineta butted in, cutting off the taller boy's rambling. A smile crept onto his face. "Mezo," he said, a little more softly.

Shoji's face turned redder at the sound of his first name.

"I-I like you, too. I have for a long time," Mineta admitted.

Shoji may have been wearing a mask, but Mineta could tell he was smiling. "Really?"

"Really."

Shoji lifted a hand and hooked a finger in the top of his mask. He slowly slid it down, revealing his full face.

Mineta was surprised to see that it looked completely normal. But then he refocused on the moment when Shoji leaned down, his lips slightly parted.

Mineta's heart started pounding with realization. It quickened more when he felt Shoji's hand cup his cheek, their faces inching closer and closer. Mineta placed a hand on Shoji's wrist. In sync, their eyes slowly closed, their heads tilting to one side, just centimeters apart-

"MINETA!"

Mineta immediately snapped out of the daydream and looked around the classroom. All eyes were on him.

Mineta mentally cursed his imagination for causing him to zone out ... again. "Y-Yes, sensei?"

"Were you paying attention?" Aizawa's cold voice asked.

Mineta sighed to himself and hung his head. "No, sir. Can you repeat the question?"

"I didn't ask a question. I just noticed you didn't look like you were with us."

"S-Sorry, Mr. Aizawa. Please continue. I-I'll try to pay better attention," Mineta said, still staring at his desk.

With that, Aizawa went back to the lecture.

Mineta tried to focus, but he couldn't.

That was so embarrassing! Everyone looking at me like that! he thought, irritably. He looked over at Shoji, who was focused on Aizawa's lesson. Especially him .... I wonder what he thinks of me now? Whatever it is, it probably isn't good.

Damn these feelings. Why is it so complicated? Why is so hard to just love someone and be happy?

Why is it so hard to be gay?

I doubt he likes me back. He probably doesn't like boys. Because that's just the norm.

It hurts so bad....

Before long, it was time for lunch. Everyone got into their friend groups and sat down.

Mineta debated trying to snag a seat next to Shoji, like he does on occasion, but after what had happened, he decided not to.

So he decided to sit down with Kaminari and the rest of the BakuSquad.

It didn't take long for Bakugou, Sero, Mina, and Kirishima to get into a heated debate about whether or not ketchup was a smoothie.

"So, Mineta, why were you zoned out?" Kaminari murmured to Mineta, taking their argument as an opportunity to check in with his friend.

"Oh, uh ... nothing," Minet replied, hastily.

"C'mon, bro! That red face obviously says otherwise! Who is it?" Kaminari chuckled.

"Nobody!"

"Bull!"

"Please, just ... just DROP it, okay?! I can't explain it!!" Mineta snapped.

He immediately regretted it the moment he saw the hurt in Kaminari's eyes. It also had gotten the rest of the BakuSquad's attention.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap-"

"No," Kaminari interrupted. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed. Just remember ... you can tell me anything. We're bros, afterall."

Mineta nodded in understanding.

The rest of the lunch period was calmer.

Or chaotic, more like.

After Kaminari and Mineta relaxed, the six of them got into an argument about whether or not fish get thirsty.

But Kaminari's words still lingered in Mineta's head.

"You can tell me anything."

Is he safe? Can I come out to him?

I would never let a ship sail as early as THIS in a fic! XD No. We're waiting a little longer on that.