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Shouto’s surprised he hasn’t heard about the news from his boyfriend yet.
Everyone browsing the internet has read an article about it, the group chat he shares with his former classmates has been sending notifications since he woke up next to a sleeping Katsuki, but no, his boyfriend of eleven months surprisingly hasn’t mentioned the news of Midoriya and Uraraka breaking off their long-term relationship.
The reason remains undisclosed, but the articles say it was an amicable break up. They simply didn’t work out, one post from a famous reporter explains. Neither Uravity nor Deku are to blame. Please continue supporting them, another article supplies.
And Shouto... holds his breath.
It isn’t a secret that his boyfriend is fond of the other pro hero. The scars scattered on his arms are proof of that devotion. The eight years he spent trying to make the latter’s dream come true is another testament. So is the rejected invitation to join his agency. The last bit almost makes him scoff, not for the first time since he heard about it. It may be a biased opinion, sure, but he can’t imagine anyone denying his Katsuki a thing.
He knows it’s ancient history at this point. It’s been two years since Midoriya started seeing Uraraka, one year since Shouto properly asked Katsuki on a date, and eleven months since the blond first kissed him on the mouth and called him his boyfriend. But he holds his breath and waits for Katsuki to bring it up anyway. He doesn’t know what he’s waiting for - only that there has to be something . Maybe a hopeful look that Katsuki will try to mask upon hearing the news because he’s too considerate for his own good. Or a quick call on Midoriya’s phone so he can check on him. Or worse, a realization that he doesn’t want Shouto anymore.
All morning, he’s filled with dread. So he does the most reasonable thing he can think of: He reads the comments from the articles about his two friends.
Anonymous left a note: i knew they’d both wake up in the middle of the night with their hands in their head LMAO
Someone replied: I TOLD YOU SOOOOOO
LOV deserved better left a note: TGCH STOCKS ARE UP!
Anonymous left a note: ik bakugous feeling vindicated somewhere
notdenki replied: he has a bf dude !!!
riotthatsred replied: a real man wouldn’t cheat. keep your bakugou headcanons to yourself. i’m so serious.
riotthatsred replied: i’m actually crashing out rn delete this buddy
“Shou?” His boyfriend’s voice brings him back to their shared apartment.
Looking up from his phone, where he’s been obsessively monitoring the publication of articles and comments, he sees Katsuki staring worriedly at him. His hair is wet from the shower and there’s a towel hanging over his shoulder. He’s beautiful, and Shouto can't understand why anyone would not want to see this view every day. Then he opens his mouth and he becomes more attractive for some reason, “The fuck are you looking at?”
Today he’s Shou. Not Half n Half bastard. Not Icy-Hot. That means his Katsuki is in a good mood. While the realization immediately fills him with overwhelming fondness and warmth, a traitorous voice hisses at the back of his head, unwelcome and loud that it makes him feel dizzy for a second. What if he’s happy because of the news? Did he check his social media while he was in the shower? Did Kirishima send him a message, hoping to gossip with his best ‘bro’?
No, Shouto internally scolds himself. How could he think that about his boyfriend? His loving Katsuki, who prepares their breakfast and makes him lunch. His sweet Katsuki, who has trouble sleeping during summer nights without Todoroki by his side to diligently keep the two of them cold. His loyal Katsuki, who spent eight years overworking himself to fulfill the dream of his childhood friend. Katsuki is not the type to discard him easily. He’s not. Really.
He’d never.
Instead of answering directly, Shouto asks, “Did you check the group chat?”
His boyfriend sits beside him on the couch with a confused look on his face, sinking against the soft fabric until their arms are touching. He’s still cold from the shower, but it isn’t the reason why Shouto finds himself shivering.
“Group chat?” Katsuki dries his hair up one last time with the towel on his shoulder before taking his phone out. It’s just on the small table beside the couch, Shouto doesn’t notice until now, which meant Katsuki didn’t take it with him in the shower. “You know I have that shit muted.”
He stares quietly as the blond scrolls through what imagines are hundreds of unread texts from their friends, mostly from Ashido and Denki, who were the first people to bring up the news. He’s both focused and confused as he reads, his furrowed eyebrows relaxing while his thumb moves down until it reaches the last message, the one from Todoroki himself.
Todoroki Shouto | 7:14 a.m.
Good morning, @Midoriya Izuku and @Uraraka Ochako. My boyfriend and I are sorry to hear about what happened. Do not hesitate to reach out to me in case you find yourself needing help in dealing with the press.
Shouto bites his inner cheek as he feels his face heat up, suddenly feeling embarrassed. ‘My boyfriend’, really, how obvious can he get? He watches every movement Katsuki makes - an eye twitch, a parting of lips, a scrunch of a nose - but he shows none. Instead he snorts and looks up with an amused look.
“What a possessive hero.” He puts his phone down and leans forward to meet Shouto’s lips briefly. Shouto can feel Katsuki’s smirk against his mouth; he’s so excited to be kissed that he finds himself chasing after Katsuki’s lips when he pulls away, earning himself another snort. The endeared expression that Katsuki sends his way is almost enough to melt away his insecurities. Almost.
When he gives him a small smile, Shouto waits. And waits. And waits some more. For... anything, really. But Katsuki doesn’t look solemn. He doesn’t look delighted either. He doesn’t look moved.
“You have time to gossip but not to at least prepare the ingredients for your personal chef?” There he is, teasing him again as if he didn’t hear the wildest dreams of his past self. Shouto swallows. This is... a good thing, isn’t it?
Of course, Katsuki is capable of moving on. For the past two years, the explosive hero has worked hard to get back on his feet and catch up with their peers’ rankings. The same rankings and dream he had to temporarily set aside while too busy pursuing another dream he thought he shared with his former love. Still, he has to know.
“Uraraka and Midoriya broke up.” He explains like it means something.
“I know.”
“And...?”
Katsuki raises his eyebrow. “And...? I’m still fucking starving.” He pauses and seriously considers, “Are they bringing us food? Is that why you’re acting weird? They’re paying us back for the last time we visited them? Fucking finally."
“What – No, Katsuki, they aren’t bringing us food.” His boyfriend can be dense sometimes.
“Then why do you look stupid first thing in the morning.”
“Because I...” Because I thought you’d be happy that they aren't together anymore? Because I thought you'd leave me over Midoriya being single again?
Katsuki’s eyes narrow, as if studying him, then his shoulder visibly deflates. Everything happens so quickly. Katsuki suddenly presses his lips into a thin line and the look on his face shuts off, and Shouto feels himself pale. He quickly reaches out to hold his boyfriend’s wrist because he knows that look. Katsuki’s hurt is the loudest when he’s trying to hide it under a mask. Everyone who loves him knows it. That’s why he knows.
“This is bullshit. You thought I’d leave you over– fucking Deku?!"
Shouto winces and tries to sound convincing, as if he hasn’t been waiting for Katsuki to drop a bomb on him all morning. “No...”
Katsuki pulls his hand away, and Shouto recognizes it when the other wants space, so he lets him create distance between them. “I can’t believe you. Bastard. This is why your fans named you conditioner! And here I thought you just wanted to show off our relationship on the chat!”
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes gently, feeling his heart constrict at the miserable look on his boyfriend’s face. Katsuki is right, he is being stupid. He wants to take it back. The dread, the waiting, the doubt . He wants to grovel and keep apologizing until Katsuki is happy again. Until he’s Shou again. “I didn’t mean to– I was just...”
“Just what?” Katsuki still isn’t looking at him and Shouto can’t take it.
He swallows the lump on his throat. “Can I touch you first? Please?”
He sees Katsuki’s shoulders tense, but he nods anyway, and another wave of fondness fills Shouto’s chest. He can’t help but kiss the corner of Katsuki’s frown.
“I was... scared.” He finally admits, keeping his tone low so his confession is only confined to their ears and the walls of their home. “You loved Midoriya. So much. That for a long time, you didn’t- couldn't - let anyone else in.”
He waits for Katsuki to deny it. He doesn’t. Shouto pretends it doesn’t sting when he continues his speech. “You’ve known him longer than you’ve known me. Your parents love him. His mother loves you–”
“My mom literally gave you the recipe to my favorite meal, what the fuck.”
“–and I don’t have that kind of family.” The words come out easier than he thought they would. Instantly, Katsuki closes his mouth, staring at him with wide eyes. “I know it broke you when he rejected you. You spent years funding his hero suit. You thought you’d be spending the rest of your life with him, and Midoriya just–”
Katsuki glares at him dangerously. “What the fuck is wrong with you.” Just like that, the moment is ruined and he pushes Shouto away, as if burned. As if it hurt to keep being held. He recognizes it when Katsuki has it guard up, and right now, his walls are high . “That was two years ago! Why does it matter?”
“Because–”
“No, I let you have your shitty speech, now I’ll have mine.” He hisses. “My ma loves you. So does my old man. And what happened to your family doesn’t determine your ability to love, Shouto. Look at you.”
“Katsuki…”
“I knew they broke up. But not because of the group chat, but because that shitty Deku told me himself. He told me before they broke up that he was thinking of ending it.” He ignores Shouto’s quiet whisper of ‘what? ’ and moves on. “He asked me for advice and I talked to him. That’s it. I never mentioned anything because it didn’t look like it mattered. That nerd’s love life isn’t exactly the type of conversation I want to have with my boyfriend over dinner!”
“You knew they broke up?” Shouto replies in disbelief. And you didn’t care? “And you didn’t care?”
“Why the fuck should I?!”
“Because you loved him.” Shouto repeats like a broken record.
“Yes. Loved. Did.” Katsuki emphasizes. “Did you fail grammar in UA? Do you know what tenses are? Should we invite the teachers the next time we go out for a drink with those clingy extras so they can give you remedial classes?”
“Baby, don’t call our friends extras. And this is serious.”
“Bab- ! Don’t baby me right now! It’s hard to take this shit seriously when my own boyfriend is acting like a dumbass,” Katsuki growls with an eye roll. He isn’t close to tearing up anymore, but still visibly upset.
Shouto attempts to soothe him by caressing his scarred arm and kissing his temple, murmuring ‘I was wrong’s and ‘I’m sorry’s. Against him, Katsuki melts, and for the nth time since they started dating, Shouto wonders how anyone can look at him and not want to be loved by him. Do they not know how easy it is to love Katsuki?
After the comfortable silence has passed between them, Katsuki admits, “I did love him.”
“I know,” Shouto sounds understanding, but the grip he has on Katsuki tightens. “Everyone knew.” It’s true. That’s just how Katsuki loves. He loves loudly.
“But he didn’t owe me anything before. Not reciprocation. Not being pro heroes together. Not an agency. And I love you now,” Katsuki answers sincerely. He’s looking at Shouto now with no anger. Instead there’s sadness and disappointment. Not directed at Shouto, but himself. Somehow, this is worse than Katsuki’s initial reaction. “Deku found a new dream after the war, Shou. Do you think I can’t do the same thing in two years? I know- I know I’m shit at saying it, but- I thought you knew…”
Fuck. He’s tearing up. Both of them are.
“I know. I do know. I’m sorry for upsetting you, baby.” Shouto tries to convince him. He’s desperate to mend the rift he created and cross the bridge Katsuki is setting. “I love you too. I was insecure and let it get the best of me. You tell me enough. You love me enough.”
At that Katsuki gasps softly, and when he exhales, it’s shaky. Neither of them comment about it. Before Shouto can apologize again, Katsuki’s lips are already moving against his, meeting him for a slow kiss.
“You’re really fucking stupid.” Katsuki murmurs with a pout. A pout!
Shouto is too giddy and apologetic to argue. “I know.”
“I don’t want to cook anymore.”
That’s easy. “We’ll eat breakfast outside.”
“I don’t want to go outside either.”
Oh, all right. Then, “I’ll cook for the two of us.”
“Yeah, no. Not happening.”
Shouto chuckles, amused. “We’ll get something delivered.”
“Better be your treat, you damn nepo baby.” His boyfriend mutters. “Stressed me out first thing in the morning! On a day off!”
“Of course, baby.”
He watches with a grin as Katsuki’s cheeks redden at the pet name. "Idiot."
“ Your idiot.” Shouto adds happily, his arms already moving to cuddle with his boyfriend.
“That’s right.” The smirk on Katsuki’s face is blinding. And Shouto falls some more. “All mine. Now stop being stupid and turn the tv on. I want to see Deku’s rank go down live.”