Perfect-Todobaku

Shoto

All energy is focused on the two boys about to beat the crap out of each other

Katsuki's Perspective

        My eyes widen at the sight of the two boys. One of them looks only about thirteen or fourteen, and absolutely terrified. His whole body shakes and his hazel eyes are wide with fear. He backs up away from the other, who appears maybe nineteen or twenty. So around my age. The older of the two clenches his fists, and spits onto the ground
"Well?" He says, looking at the people who watch "aren't you gonna do something!? I'm gonna beat this punk up! Are you really gonna let that happen, huh?!" He punches the kid in the jaw, causing him to fly backwards. The boy cries out in pain as he hits the ground, landing funny on his wrist.

       I gasp aloud in surprise. He just punched that kid! Doesn't he fear the consequences? This could be worth a Shameful! Or even a Mistake, considering how young the boy he was attacking is. And... what did he mean when he was asking us if we were going to do something? Of course we won't. This is something for an Android to handle... a person couldn't deal with this. I look around, desperately searching for an Android. But there are none. Just dozens and dozens of people. All of us watching helplessly. Well... most of us.

A boy about my age, with half red half white hair, grabs the elder of the two who were fighting's shirt
"Careful there" his voice is dull, nearly monotone, as he tells him off "you're gonna get a Shameful for this... but, judging by your records, you really don't seem to care. Do you think you're cool by rebelling against the system? An anarchist? Do you think you're making some kind of amazing display by beating up an innocent child?" He shakes his head and clicks his tongue "run along now, before your mommy misses you" beneath the monotone, his voice has a taunting quality. Like he knows that nobody can hurt him. The man he was telling off crawls away from him
"H-how did you know about my records?! How did you access them?!" He asks, but doesn't wait for an answer. He just scrambles away.

The crowd is left in stunned silence. Did this boy really just break up a fight? He's not an Android, that's for sure. So why did he stop them? What does he get out of it? It's so much easier to just let someone else deal with it... but he didn't. And I can't help but smile at that. Grabbing my hat and apron, I walk over to him
"Thanks for dealing with that little fight... can I offer you a free coffee?" My shift starts in twenty minutes anyways. What's a little extra work, if it means giving this guy the payment he deserves? The payment nobody else is gonna give him.

Shoto's Perspective

I have no idea why I stepped in on that. My father will be absolutely furious
"Keep your head down, Shoto" he always tells me. What I did was the opposite of keeping my head down. And, not only that, but I'm getting some kind of thanks for it? It's just a free coffee, but still. I can't decline, because then I would seem rude. I can't accept, because then he would remember me. I eventually decide on what seems to be the best option
"Unfortunately, I don't really like coffee. But thank you so much for the offer" that's a lie. I absolutely love coffee

The other man hesitates for a moment, so I take the time to study his appearance. He's not tall, but not short either. Maybe five or six centimeters shorter than me. He has spiky blonde hair sticking out every which way and crimson eyes. There's a certain... subdued look to him. Like he's sick of everyone's bullshit, but too tired to do anything about it. When he speaks, his voice has a gravelly tone to it.

"Well, what would you like? We have hot chocolate or tea. And pastries. We have those to" he says. I frown. He's clearly desperate to give me some sort of payment... might as well give the man what he wants
"A small rose tea, I suppose... but allow me to at least pay for half of it" I make it very clear with my tone that I am not taking no for an answer. He seems to agree, and charges me half of what was owed for a small tea.

I sit at a table and wait patiently for the tea. I feel a little bad about only paying half of what is owed for it. If my father were here, he'd be furious. He isn't here, though. And he won't find out. Hopefully. For all I know, he could be watching me... that's unlikely, though. Probably. Hopefully

The other man suddenly sits down next to me at the table. He still looks... exhausted. I didn't notice that when I first saw him. His eyes have dark circles beneath them, but isn't that. They look dull. Glazed over. He looks like he's tired of thinking. He looks like he's tired of living. It's a refreshing change from most people's far too peppy looks.

He soon speaks, bringing me from my thoughts
"why did you do that?" He pushes my cup over to me. It's a large. I ordered a small "why did you stop them? If you had just waited a minute, an Android would've showed up. They would've stopped it and you wouldn't have risked getting a Mess-up". So he's a bit of a goody-two-shoes. Weird. He doesn't seem like the type. And what do I tell him to answer his question? There's not really an answer that works. So I ignore it. Instead, I ask my favorite conversation starter question.

"What would you do, if there was suddenly this crazy glitch and every Android in the entire world suddenly stopped working? How would you function? How would we function? There would be crimes, and fights on the streets" I take a slow sip of my tea, emphasizing what I'm saying. I wait for him to be shocked in silence. Everyone is. Nobody thinks about this. Why would they bother? It's never going to happen, is it? So what's the point worrying. But
he surprises me with his answer.

"We would have to take charge, I suppose. Humans would pick up the slack. And we'd do a pretty shitty job. So, what I'm confused about, is why you're trying to change that?" I am overwhelmed by the bitterness in his voice. This isn't the voice of someone who's curious.

This is the voice of someone who has been hurt. This is the voice of someone who knows he will be hurt again.

My eyebrows raise
"I'm trying to change that because it's my-" I cut myself off before I can say purpose "-um, habit. It's a habit". He scoffs
"you're no better than those people. You think you're some kind of anarchist for rebelling against the system in they tiniest ways" he suddenly grins "names Katsuki Bakugo. You can call me Kat". The bitterness is gone. But there's something about him

The tentative way he holds out his hand, like he's afraid it might be slapped instead of shaken. His smile is fake. And it's shaking. He looks like his act could break at any second.

But he doesn't. He doesn't break. I hesitantly reach out and shake his hand
"Shoto Todoroki. You can call me... Shoto". He chuckles at that
"How old are you? Where do you go to school?"he asks me
"Nineteen. I go to Yueei University. Or, I will. In the fall. I took a gap year" he nods
"same. Maybe I'll see you at Yueei, Shoto". Before I can say any more, somebody calls out
"Katsuki! It's your shift!" And he gets up and runs to the backroom of the cafe. My eyes follow his puffy blonde hair, till he disappears behind a door.

(Word count: 1363) I am not proud of this chapter... but I hope y'all like it! The boys have met! Now kiss. See y'all in the next chapter!