Chapter Text
The sun dipped low behind the campus buildings, casting long shadows across the courtyard where the men’s and women’s soccer teams had just finished practice.
The air was crisp with the first hints of autumn, and the players, still in their practice uniforms, filed into the common room of their dorm building, a mix of chatter and laughter following them. It was a comfortable chaos—the kind that only comes when friends are completely at ease with each other.
The large room was filled with old couches and mismatched chairs, giving it a lived-in vibe.
The soccer players sprawled out, tired but still buzzing with energy after the game.
Kirishima, Kaminari, and Todoroki had claimed a couch near the center of the room.
Kirishima, in his usual energetic style, was mid-sentence, animatedly talking with Bakugo, who sat perched on the armrest beside him.
"Man, that goal you scored today, Kugo." Kirishima grinned, slapping Bakugo’s knee for emphasis. “That was insane! You had no angle, but you somehow made it work.”
Bakugo, his usual scowl replaced with a rare grin, leaned forward. “Well, yeah. You know me, dude. I don’t miss.” He rubbed his knuckles under his nose in a mock gesture of humility, though the glint in his eyes betrayed his pride.
"You’re both unstoppable," Kaminari chimed in from the other side of the couch, flashing them both a grin. He pushed back his blonde hair and stretched, basking in the post-practice camaraderie. "Maybe next time, don’t make it so easy for the rest of us to look bad."
"That’s your own damn fault, Dunce Face," Bakugo shot back, though his words lacked their usual bite. They all knew it was part of the banter that made their group so tight-knit.
Across from them, Midoriya sat wedged between Ashido and Ochako on another couch, his face a mix of exhaustion and concern.
Jiro sat on the floor, leaning her back against Ashido’s legs as she adjusted her headphones, catching snippets of the conversation while scrolling through her playlist.
“I’m really sorry about today,” Midoriya said, fidgeting with the hem of his jersey. “I thought you guys would win for sure.”
Ochako shook her head, a reassuring smile on her face as she patted Midoriya’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it! We love playing against you guys. Even if you’re, like, ridiculously talented, it’s great practice for us.”
“Yeah,” Ashido added, her pink eyes sparkling. “It’s always fun to get our butts kicked by the best.”
Jiro smirked from the floor. “Speak for yourself. I’d rather win at least one game this year.”
The group laughed, the tension from the day easing into playful teasing and friendly jabs.
It was the kind of environment they’d cultivated over years of friendship, and years of being on the same teams—close, supportive, and endlessly competitive in all the right ways.
Suddenly, Yaoyorozu stood up from where she’d been sitting with Iida at one of the tables near the back, her presence commanding the room’s attention as she raised her hand. “Alright, everyone! If I could have your attention, please?”
The chatter died down, and the group turned to look at her.
Yaoyorozu was holding up a small black hat, an excited smile on her face. “Alright guys, Iida and I finished putting all the names in the hat. Time to decide our fates."
"Oh!" Ashido bounced up from her spot on the couch, practically vibrating with excitement. “Can I go first? Please, please, please?” she begged, clasping her hands together dramatically.
Yaoyorozu chuckled, nodding. “Go ahead.”
With a squeal, Ashido rushed forward, her pink curls bouncing as she plucked a small piece of paper from the hat. Her eyes widened as she read the name, and she spun around to point dramatically at Kirishima. “Shima! This is great!"
Kirishima's head turned quickly to look at her. "Oh... Oh God, don't make me ugly, okay?"
"No way! I’m gonna get you something really hot to wear. You’ll be a total lady magnet at the party.”
Kirishima’s face immediately flushed, his usual confidence faltering as he stammered, “Oh, thanks? I mean, uh, I appreciate that.”
Beside him, Bakugo snorted, elbowing Kirishima in the ribs. “Oh, man, you’re screwed,” he teased, while Kaminari leaned forward, laughing so hard he had to wipe away a tear.
Kaminari and Bakugo had been friends with Kirishima long enough to know about the huge crush he had on Ashido. It was honestly cracking Kaminari up that Ashido was going to try to make Kirishima attractive to other girls, when the poor dude only wanted Ashido to notice him.
“Shut up!” Kirishima shot back, though he couldn’t help but laugh along, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to recover from his embarrassment.
Iida cleared his throat, stepping forward to take his turn. His posture was as rigid as ever, but there was a slight smile tugging at his lips as he reached into the hat and pulled out a name. “It looks like I’ll be choosing for Jiro,” he announced.
Jiro raised her arms in victory, still sitting on the floor. “Yes! No sexy costumes for me this year!” she declared, shooting Ashido a pointed look.
“Hey! Don't be mad at me, last year wasn't my fault!” Ashido grinned, unbothered. “You never know, Iida might surprise you.”
Iida, looking almost offended, pushed his glasses up his nose. “I assure you, I will select something tasteful and dignified.”
He and Yaoyorozu had been chosen to be team captains this year, and Iida took the role very seriously. He was very respectful of all the players on both teams, and he hoped to help Jiro have a good Halloween this year.
Yaoyorozu moved to take her turn next, the anticipation building as the remaining players leaned in.
She smiled as she unfolded the paper and read the name aloud. “Kaminari.”
Kaminari immediately jumped up, rushing over to kneel dramatically at her feet. “Momo! Please give me something cool, I don't wanna be Pikachu again. I can’t have Kirishima getting all the girls. Help a guy out!”
The group burst into laughter again, Ashido practically doubling over. “You’d need a miracle costume for that, dude!”
Kaminari ignored her, clasping his hands together as he looked up at Yaoyorozu, still begging for mercy. “I’m counting on you, Momo!”
Yaoyorozu giggled and gave him a playful smack on the arm. “Alright, alright. I’ll think of something.” She pushed him away gently. “Now go sit down.”
As Kaminari returned to his seat, Iida stepped forward once more. “Who’s next?”
Kirishima grinned, leaning over to nudge Bakugo again. “The man of the hour should go next! You scored the winning goal, after all.”
The group erupted into cheers for Bakugo, their support loud and unwavering.
Even Todoroki, usually reserved when it came to this particular player, clapped a few times in acknowledgment of Bakugo’s skill.
Bakugo, always one to soak up attention, stood up with a smirk, pointing directly at Todoroki as he moved toward the hat. “Yeah, that's right. Bow before me, bitches.”
Todoroki raised an eyebrow but said nothing, just giving a small nod of acknowledgment. Their rivalry was well-known, but moments like this were a strange mix of competition and unspoken respect.
Bakugo dug his hand into the hat, spinning the papers around dramatically before pulling one out. His grin widened as he read the name. “Oh Hell yeah. Deku."
The group laughed as Midoriya’s eyes widened in mock horror. “Just don’t make it too embarrassing, okay?”
“Can’t promise that, nerd,” Bakugo shot back, his smile sharp and teasing. He sat back down, clearly pleased with himself.
Midoriya just sighed, shaking his head but smiling all the same. It was hard to stay mad at Bakugo in moments like this.
Their friendship had always been complicated, but somewhere between high school and college, it had settled into something more... manageable.
Even if Bakugo still loved to push his buttons.
“Ochako, you’re next!” Bakugo pointed at her, his voice loud and authoritative. "For being a damn good goalkeeper."
Ochako stood up a little sheepishly, her hands fiddling with the sleeves of her sweatshirt as the others cheered for her. “Thanks, Bakugo,” she murmured before walking over to the hat.
She shuffled the papers around, pretending to deliberate before pulling one out. When she read the name, her face lit up.
“Ashido!” she announced, grinning at her friend.
Ashido jumped up from the couch, clapping for herself. “Yes! Ochako, you’re awesome. I’m getting the best costume this year!”
Ochako smiled back at her, warmth in her eyes. “I’ll do my best.”
As Ashido returned to her seat, Ochako turned to Jiro. “Jiro, you’re the only girl who hasn’t gone yet. You should pick next. Ladies first, obviously."
Jiro hopped up, brushing off her jeans as she walked over to the hat. With a grin, she pulled out a paper and read the name aloud. “Momo! Score.”
Momo sighed in relief, putting a hand to her chest. “Thank goodness. I was really hoping one of my girls would get me.”
Jiro gave her a fist bump as she sat back down, while the group turned to Kirishima, who was still grinning from ear to ear.
“Alright, Red Riot, she said ladies first.” Kaminari teased. “Your turn.”
Kirishima jumped up, high-fiving Kaminari and Bakugo as he jogged past them, like he was preparing for another match. "The crowd goes wild!" He joked.
Iida smiled at him, giving him a nod as Kirishima shuffled the last few papers around.
Kirishima grabbed a name from the hat and held it up triumphantly. “Iida! I’ve got you covered, man. I’m gonna find you the best damn costume at the whole party."
Iida looked a bit uneasy but smiled politely. “I trust your judgment.”
Kirishima jogged back to the couch, smacking Todoroki on the shoulder as he passed. “You’re up, Shoto!”
Todoroki stood up slowly, his expression as unreadable as ever. “I’m not sure about this,” he said, eyeing the hat warily as he reached in. When he pulled out a name, he visibly cringed.
He turned around slowly, locking eyes with Bakugo. “Bakugo.”
Bakugo’s smile dropped, and he started shaking his head dramatically. “No. No way.”
Todoroki nodded solemnly, confirming his worst fear. "Yeah... Unfortunate for both of us."
The group erupted in laughter as Kirishima clapped Bakugo on the back. “Looks like karma’s coming for you, man.”
Bakugo buried his face in his hands as Todoroki quietly sat back down, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Midoriya, ever the peacekeeper, leaned over and patted Bakugo on the shoulder. “Maybe now he can get back at you for all the insults.”
Bakugo shot him a glare from between his fingers. “Not helping.”
Midoriya raised his hands in surrender and stood up to take his turn. "Guess I should get my assignment too, huh?"
"Yeah, you better run." Bakugo muttered.
Midoriya reached into the hat, and when he pulled out the name, his face immediately reddened.
He turned slowly, making eye contact with Ochako. “Ochako,” he said, his voice soft.
The group let out a collective “Ooooh,” causing both Midoriya and Ochako to blush furiously. Everyone knew about Midoriya’s long-standing crush on her—everyone except Ochako, apparently. (Or so she claimed when Jiro had asked her about it.)
Ochako smiled at him, seemingly oblivious to the teasing atmosphere. “I trust you, Dori. I know you’ll pick something good.”
Before the moment could become too awkward, Iida stood up and cleared his throat, calling for order. “Kaminari, come on down.”
Kaminari hopped up with a grin and pulled the final name from the hat. He held it up proudly. “Shoto! I’m gonna find you something awesome.”
"Oh great." Todoroki responded flatly.
"Do you think you want something badass or something kinda sexy, or..? What vibe are we going for?"
Ashido spoke up first. "Do us ladies a favor, and go for something sexy, m'kay?"
Todoroki just sighed. “Please have mercy.”
Kaminari winked at him. “No promises, buddy. How can we deny the ladies what they want?"
The room was filled with laughter again, the atmosphere light and playful as the group teased each other.
Despite the constant banter, the closeness between them was clear. They were more than just teammates; they were family.
And as they settled back into their conversations, the excitement of the upcoming party hung in the air, promising an unforgettable night.
***