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Todoroki is, by all accounts, stunning. It’s no secret that, at the mere age of twenty, Todoroki Shouto has captured the heart of the nation with his bicolored eyes, perfectly parted red and white locks, and cool, calm demeanor, that even the most violent of villains cannot breakthrough. People see him as a hero with a soft exterior, but a hard interior.
To Bakugou’s chagrin, his scar is always fucking softened in the photos to look less scary. So it looks more like a birthmark, instead of a scar.
That’s beside the point, everyone can admit that Todoroki Shouto is beautiful.
On top of that, he’s an incredible hero. He may have started a little lower on the hero ranking than he should of (and Bakugou stills gets furious at the thought of it. At that bastard Endeavor who’s tarnished reputation reflected on his son) but he’s steadily climbed the ranks, and done well to rise in the three years since he started to practice as a pro-hero to the number 11 spot.
The fact that he and Bakugou have started their own agency together in recent months has also helped.
They had just celebrated the six-month anniversary, and the pictures from their celebratory dinner had been posted online, much to the simping of everyone. God if Bakugou had to see another long string of heart-eye emojis or comments thirsting over how Todoroki looked in that dress shirt when it was rolled up to his eyebrows. The dark navy blue highlighting his strong, pale forearms, and delicate collarbones and neck. His handsome face had an uncharacteristic smile on it all evening…
This is probably a good time for Bakugou to admit he’s sorta in love with Todoroki Shouto.
Maybe it’s too soon, but after eight months of working with the guy to set up, and then run their agency, it’s hard not to be.
They hadn’t seen each other frequently after high school. Only at big parties and celebrations. They’d hesitantly call one another friends in interviews, but they were more acquaintances who saw each other only due to other mutual friends. It had been one of these friends, Deku actually, who had suggested that they start an agency together. It had been a weird move, as all they had was the fact they both wanted to start one, but it had worked out in the long run.
However, it did mean Bakugou’s time with the other hero was increased tenfold.
With that came Todoroki taking him out to restaurants to meet and discuss their plans, and hanging out at Bakugou’s apartment so they could sort out some financial crap that had come up. A random movie night for them to relax together, and then Bakugou found himself at Todoroki’s apartment more often than not to cook dinner for that idiot because otherwise, he’d just eat takeout, or fucking soba every night of the week because he knew no moderation.
And with all of that, Bakugou came to see him not as pro-hero Shouto, or son of Endeavour, or some type of fictional character, like most of the magazines and modeling, shoots he did portrayed him to be, but as Todoroki Shouto, living, breathing, flawed human.
Like the fact he couldn’t take care of himself because he’d never learned how. That he was prone to anxiety attacks over minor things. That he was kind of a slob, evident by his extraordinary messy apartment. He was also still pretty naive about the world, and far, far too blunt.
Yet with the discovery of all those bad qualities, came the reveal of the equally good ones. Todoroki was funny, and he was also kind and gentle with people, he was always the one to go to the wounded and terrified and coach them out with a calm voice and reassuring demeanor.
He was so easy to get along with once Bakugou let himself.
They were kind of opposites, Bakugou being a clean freak and taking it upon himself to be hyper-independent since he was thirteen, and regularly scaring, rather than comforting victims unintentionally. it felt like he made up for all of Bakugou’s weaknesses just by being himself.
It’s all so perfect at the moment.
Which is how he knows that Todoroki didn’t feel the same way.
Because this perfection isn’t missing a single thing. There’s no underlying tension between them. Nothing of the sort.
And make no mistake, that was fine as well, because as much as Bakugou wished he and Todoroki could go out to dinner as boyfriends and not just friends. Or show up to interviews and introduce themselves as partners in a more romantic sense of the term, or hell, simply sleep in the same bed, instead of sending the other off to the guest bedroom, it’s ok that they don’t.
Todoroki’s had a shitty life, and Bakugou doesn’t need to make it worse by putting the man he loves between a rock and a hard place with his feelings that’ll probably dissipate within a few months.
He’ll move on. This shit happened with Kirishima back in high school, and look, that guy is still his best friend even now.
So Bakugou has decided to just keep celebrating and sharing moments with this beautiful, gorgeous man he’s lucky enough to see every day.
Like today, when Todoroki burst into their office, tearing Bakugou away from whatever paperwork he’d been doing.
Todoroki had still been dressed in his hero attire, hair a fucking mess, and scar looking a little redder where he had been rubbing it anxiously, phone in hand as he waved it around wildly before asking “Have you checked the hero ranking?” Shoving his own phone under Bakugou’s nose.
Once his eyes had been able to tear his eyes off the elated expression on Todoroki’s face. Bakugou’s eyes jumped to his own name first. He was still number 4, pretty good. Deku was in his static position as number 1, and the ranking’s under h-
Fucking finally.
Todoroki Shouto, Rank number 9.
“Fuck yeah!” Bakugou had screamed, standing from his desk suddenly. Shouto had smiled that precious smile, and Bakugou badly wanted to reach for him. Kiss him, hug him.
He settled on a hug. Fiercely pulling Todoroki in, despite the awkward distance between them due to the desk.
“Are you gonna cook soba for me tonight then?” Todoroki asks teasingly when they pull back. Both his and Todoroki’s hands lingering on the other’s arms and shoulders. Bakugou scoffs.
“Yeah, yeah of course.”
This is how they ended up at Todoroki’s apartment. Todoroki sitting at his small kitchen island, watching Bakugou boiling water in a pot while they talk casually about their day, and the hero rankings.
“My mum’s getting married soon,” Todoroki announces during a slight lull in the conversation. Bakugou hums in acknowledgment. It’s about time to put the noddles in, and he sets up the timer on his phone.
“Congratulations for her then,” Bakugou replies, grabbing for the noodle packet and tearing it open easily.
There's silence for a moment as he does this. Yet a slight tension is apparent. Todoroki is building up the courage to ask him something. Bakugou can tell because the sound of Todoroki tucking his hair behind his ear increases to a slightly irritating level.
The noodles slide into the pot just as Todoroki speaks up again, “Would you like to come with me?” his voice is a little softer than usual.
Bakugou considers this “what?”
“As my partner.” ugh, Todoroki’s so fucking weird sometimes, partner? Not friend? Taking your business partner with you to your mum’s wedding.
It’s a very Todoroki thing to do about him.
Bakugou clears his throat to prevent a chuckle from escaping, and then asks “Why do you want me to come to your mum’s wedding?” there’s a stunned silence for a second, and Bakugou can’t help but feel as though he’s said something wrong. It takes a second before the other man scoffs, recovering from his surprise.
“Because we’re dating?” Todoroki asks rhetorically, the question filled with confusion. “Sorry, I haven’t really done this before as you know, but, I want my family to meet you I mean-” Todoroki looks at him. “We’re practically living together, and I think- I think it’s the next step”
Ah.
Oh no.
Oh no.
Oh no.
Bakugou is a fucking idiot. A big, large, massive idiot.
The timer goes off and Bakugou swallows hard as he turns off the stove. Todoroki’s eyes bore into the back of his head.
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” Todoroki apologises, sincere and void of any idea of the real reason behind Bakugou’s reaction. He just stares at the pot of noodles before him. “I know it’s only been a few months…” the other man’s speech trails off. Unsure of what to say.
Bakugou is genuinely speechless
“We’re dating?!” he yells, it’s the only sentence that comes to mind, short as it is. Bakugou can feel Todoroki freeze up behind him.
Neither of them speaks for a moment. Bakugou turns around to see Todoroki looking practically mortified and the expression would be funny had this not been Bakugou’s life and, apparently, Bakugou’s boyfriend.
Todoroki takes another moment before he can actually mask that true hurt and then he speaks with anger in his voice “I didn’t realise you didn’t feel the same way.”
Is he fucking joking? Of course, Bakugou feels the same way.
Dating.
Shit.
He cleaned up Todoroki’s apartment two nights ago. That dinner they had last week was totally a date. They hang out so much, more than Bakugou has ever hung out with anyone. They’d cuddled on the couch with one another. Cuddled.
Bakugou turns around, ignoring the food, and looks at Todoroki. There’s genuine hurt and confusion on his face when their eyes meet, even as he attempts to smother. When the other man breaks eye contact, Bakugou keeps watching him. Waiting for him to say anything else.
“I think I need to go.” ahh, and now Todoroki’s on the edge of an anxiety attack. Shit. Bakugou watches him stand, and yep, there’s the slight wobble and a long exhale.
“No, sit down,” Bakugou tells him, voice rougher than he wants it to be.
Todoroki does.
“How long do you- have we been together?” it’s the only thing he can ask. To help him contextualise this relationship.
“Remember when our agency officially got an office?” Todoroki asks
“That dinner?” Bakugou chokes out. He remembers that they cooked together he’d tried to teach Todoroki how-to at least. Bakugou doesn’t think he’s ever laughed more than he had that night.
“You told me that you consider it something more after a month and we’d been seeing each other over a month, I had thought you were trying to be subtle.” Bakugou doesn’t remember saying that. It sounds like something he would say.
That means for at least six months…
Holy shit.
“The six-month dinner anniversary. It wasn’t for the office?”
“No.”
“Shit.”
He’s an idiot.
They sit in silence for a moment, the air tense. Todoroki finally breaks the atmosphere “If it makes you uncomfortable-”
“It doesn’t.” Bakugou interrupts. Because it really doesn’t. It makes him feel happy, for months he thought that Todoroki was uninterested in him.
“It doesn’t?” Todoroki’s voice is hesitant and hopeful.
“No, I-” I’m in love with you? That sounds fucking ridiculous. He just- Bakugou likes him so much, he-
“We never kiss.” Bakugou states
“We’re not very physically affectionate people.” which, yeah Todoroki has a point. While Bakugou displays his feelings through actions, it’s not through touching or any of that stuff. His sweat has always made people wary of touching him as it makes his skin slimy and slightly wet. Todoroki too has always said as much as he needs to, but he’s never been one for a lot of touching.
“Or have sex.” Bakugou blurts out feeling slightly embarrassed. Todoroki blushes at that
“We’re busy and tired most days.”
Also true, Bakugou honestly is too tired most nights, it’s the reason they just kind of watch tv when they hang out, or eat, and talk until they decide to go to bed.
“You’ve never called me your boyfriend.”
Todoroki grimaces “the word is somewhat juvenile I call y-”
The interview pops into Bakugou’s head. All the interviews they’ve done since they started their agency together. “Your partner.” Bakugou laughs helplessly.
Todoroki and him, once again sit there in silence. Bakugou suddenly remembers their food sitting in the likely now cold water on the stove beside him.
“So you thought we were dating this whole time?” Bakugou asks just to hear it aloud. Plain and clear.
“Yes,” Todoroki says.
Bakugou chuckles again and admits to the other man “I thought you weren’t interested in me.” which gets Todoroki to look up at him.
“Why?”
“I-” what reason? Other than he just thought that Todoroki didn’t like him because he wasn’t obvious about it? “I have no idea.” Bakugou replies
“But you’ve wanted to date me?” there’s hope in his tone
“Yeah.”
“Oh.” Todoroki says “So if we continued as we were too, and you thought we were dating too, nothing would change.”
“Except we’d now both know we were dating.” Bakugou states.
“Than everything is fine,” Todoroki concludes, breathing a slightly relieved sigh. “Dinner’s ready, correct?” the sudden shift in topic gives Bakugou whiplash
“You’re just gonna move on!” he barks out, pushing off the kitchen counter he’s been leaning on to stand fully.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Todoroki asks.
“I don’t know, shouldn’t there be some sort of big fucking moment now?” his voice grows quieter at the end, as he realises that his words are a little stupid.
Todoroki looks at him though, with his beautiful heterochromatic eyes that pierce into Bakugou. He stands and comes around to stand next to Bakugou, who now feels unsure of what the other man- his boyfriend - is about to do.
“What-” but before he can get the sentence out Todoroki’s hands are on his face, one hot and one cold. Bakugou barely registers this odd sensation before Todoroki presses forward and kisses him.
Well shit.
Bakugou kisses back almost instinctively, mouth opening slightly, encouraging Todoroki to press closer to him. Bakugou grabs onto the other’s hips, and a hand slips to his boyfriend’s ass. Todorki himself slips his arms around his neck, pulls him closer.
“Fuck.” Bakugou bites out as they pull back a little for air.
“Happy?’ Todoroki asks, a hint of mischief in his adorable eyes.
“Very.” Bakugou replies gruffly, giving Todoroki a quick kiss, not letting go of his boyfriend “now do you fucking want your dinner or not?” the laugh he gives Bakugou is full and happy.
That night, when Bakugou stays over, he and Todoroki sleep in the same bed.