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The silver sheen is the same, but...as Ochako so helpfully put it, the kanji for Shouto's name isn't on the bracelet- Melissa's name is, and Shouto stares.
"/Fuck/." He says slowly, panic edging into him.
"/Fuck/." He says slowly, panic edging into him.
"This is an emergency!" Tenya finally screams, and Shouto holds his head in his hands, now actually distressed.
"Oh my god, if Izuku tells her I planned this date- she's going to think I sabotaged it on /purpose/." Shouto whispers out, eyes wide and terrified.
"Oh my god, if Izuku tells her I planned this date- she's going to think I sabotaged it on /purpose/." Shouto whispers out, eyes wide and terrified.
"And if that goes on Melissa's Twitter, people are gonna think you're a homewrecker, buddy!" Ochako says, sounding genuinely alarmed.
Tenya and Shouto stare at her.
"It's a valid concern! People call anybody and everybody a homewrecker these days!" Ochako says, raising her hands.
Tenya and Shouto stare at her.
"It's a valid concern! People call anybody and everybody a homewrecker these days!" Ochako says, raising her hands.
Tenya stares at Shouto. "While I wouldn't call you a....homewrecker-"
"Oh my fucking god."
"-this would look bad if the Internet gets to hear of it. We need to fix this." Tenya says, grimly.
"Oh my fucking god."
"-this would look bad if the Internet gets to hear of it. We need to fix this." Tenya says, grimly.
"This is a disaster." Ochako says, plainly.
"Yeah, no fucking kidding- god, how do I fix this?" Shouto asks, running a hand through his hair in distress.
Tenya holds up his phone. "I just sent looked into a request for tickets to Star Trek's latest movie-"
"Yeah, no fucking kidding- god, how do I fix this?" Shouto asks, running a hand through his hair in distress.
Tenya holds up his phone. "I just sent looked into a request for tickets to Star Trek's latest movie-"
Shouto looks up at Tenya, eyes wide.
"And I should receive them to send to Izuku any moment now. Ochako," Ochako looks up at Tenya, blinking. "Could you call Izuku and tell him to hold on and send his location, for just a minute?"
Ochako nods quickly. "All right!"
"And I should receive them to send to Izuku any moment now. Ochako," Ochako looks up at Tenya, blinking. "Could you call Izuku and tell him to hold on and send his location, for just a minute?"
Ochako nods quickly. "All right!"
"Shouto, hand over your bracelet- are any of your siblings free right now?"
Shouto nods slowly. "I'll ask Fuyumi if she can drive us for a bit. She's free."
"Good. We can apologize for the inconvenience la- I got the tickets!"
Shouto nods slowly. "I'll ask Fuyumi if she can drive us for a bit. She's free."
"Good. We can apologize for the inconvenience la- I got the tickets!"
"Oh my god, oh my god- send!" Ochako yells even as she's calling Izuku, as Tenya frantically presses away on his phone. Once he's done, he sends a thumbs up.
Shouto breathes in and out, calling Fuyumi.
Shouto breathes in and out, calling Fuyumi.
Now, if you asked Midoriya Izuku what would be the most bizarre experience of his life (apart from becoming a celebrity music artist), he'd probably have to say it was the time his phone suddenly received Star Trek tickets out of nowhere followed by Ochako yelling at him.
"Say...what?"
"Melissa doesn't like romantic movies! This is why you ask /us/ about date ideas and not Shouto!" Ochako yells, even as Shouto protests in the background.
"Oh." Izuku says, scratching his head.
"Stay there- Melissa doesn't know she's meeting up with you anyway!"
"Melissa doesn't like romantic movies! This is why you ask /us/ about date ideas and not Shouto!" Ochako yells, even as Shouto protests in the background.
"Oh." Izuku says, scratching his head.
"Stay there- Melissa doesn't know she's meeting up with you anyway!"
Izuku stares at his phone, before leaning against a wall in relief.
The /whole/ reason he had wanted to go out with Melissa, aside from her being nice-
The /whole/ reason he had wanted to go out with Melissa, aside from her being nice-
was because he wanted to move on from liking Shouto in the first place; there was only so long you could like a guy who didn't like you back like that anyway and Melissa had just...seemed so sweet.
If this date had gotten disastrous, Izuku really wouldn't have known what to do.
If this date had gotten disastrous, Izuku really wouldn't have known what to do.
'Deep breaths, Izuku, come on.' Izuku thinks, exhaling and inhaling rapidly, head swimming.
Well, Shouto at least had had a better idea than Izuku even did, and Izuku could appreciate that wholeheartedly.
But also, thank god for Ochako and Tenya.
Well, Shouto at least had had a better idea than Izuku even did, and Izuku could appreciate that wholeheartedly.
But also, thank god for Ochako and Tenya.
A car sped up on the lane ahead, slowing down near Izuku, and he grinned wryly, as Shouto all but ran out of it, a silver bracelet in his hand.
"Izuku, I'm so sorry." Shouto pants out, and Izuku only feels amused, because...god, he thinks with a grin as he shakes his head.
"Izuku, I'm so sorry." Shouto pants out, and Izuku only feels amused, because...god, he thinks with a grin as he shakes his head.
"Shouto, it's okay. It really is." Izuku says, receiving the bracelet with a grin and exchanging Shouto's own. Shouto looks away, pained. "But-"
"It's not your fault, Shou, promise. None of this is, and besides, weren't you the one who told me to enjoy this date?"
"It's not your fault, Shou, promise. None of this is, and besides, weren't you the one who told me to enjoy this date?"
"Yes, but-"
"It's not going to be a disaster. Trust me, it's not. And Melissa doesn't even know she's gonna meet up with me. Weren't you the one who told me to show her a romantic gesture?" Izuku says, gently.
Shouto squints down at the asphalt, ears red.
"It's not going to be a disaster. Trust me, it's not. And Melissa doesn't even know she's gonna meet up with me. Weren't you the one who told me to show her a romantic gesture?" Izuku says, gently.
Shouto squints down at the asphalt, ears red.
"Yes, but-"
"Quiet, Shou, come on. You /helped/, you made me feel less nervous about it. Thank you." Izuku says, smiling.
Shouto nods, smiling slightly. "All right. Good luck."
Well, it's not as if Izuku isn't just a bit hurt at that, but it's irrational anyway. "Thanks, Shou."
"Quiet, Shou, come on. You /helped/, you made me feel less nervous about it. Thank you." Izuku says, smiling.
Shouto nods, smiling slightly. "All right. Good luck."
Well, it's not as if Izuku isn't just a bit hurt at that, but it's irrational anyway. "Thanks, Shou."
Of course, it's not as if Shouto doesn't press his face to one of the cushions in Fuyumi's car and grunts into it in frustration when he gets back.
It's not as if Shouto grunts into a pillow out of frustration when Izuku calls that night later too.
Of course not.
It's not as if Shouto grunts into a pillow out of frustration when Izuku calls that night later too.
Of course not.
"So?" Shouto finally manages to say calmly after an eternity of punching the poor pillow into submission before having picked up that phone of his.
"Shouto- don't be so blunt!" Izuku whines, and Shouto snorts.
"It's what I am. You knew this when we became friends. So? What happened? Was the date a success?" Shouto asks, praying Izuku wraps up with it quickly- he can't hear Izuku going into raptures about his date, not now.
"It's what I am. You knew this when we became friends. So? What happened? Was the date a success?" Shouto asks, praying Izuku wraps up with it quickly- he can't hear Izuku going into raptures about his date, not now.
There's a silence, one that's faintly suffocating to Shouto, because he just...he just had to know-
"Melissa thinks we're better off as best friends."
The words should be regretful, not tinged with the faintest tones of humbled acceptance, and that's what makes Shouto pause.
"Melissa thinks we're better off as best friends."
The words should be regretful, not tinged with the faintest tones of humbled acceptance, and that's what makes Shouto pause.
He chooses his words carefully, hands shaking.
"What do you mean? Even after the date went okay?" Shouto asks, slowly.
Izuku chuckles. "She loved the date, yeah but..." Izuku's words are now a little wistful, and Shouto can imagine him rubbing the back of his buzzed neck.
"What do you mean? Even after the date went okay?" Shouto asks, slowly.
Izuku chuckles. "She loved the date, yeah but..." Izuku's words are now a little wistful, and Shouto can imagine him rubbing the back of his buzzed neck.
"But?" Shouto asks, almost desperately.
Izuku pauses again, and Shouto clears his throat, calmer. "But?" He says, quickly.
"But she found out I didn't really....want to date her." Izuku says, words almost whispered.
Izuku pauses again, and Shouto clears his throat, calmer. "But?" He says, quickly.
"But she found out I didn't really....want to date her." Izuku says, words almost whispered.
Shouto blinks.
"/What/?"
Izuku laughs nervously. "I'm sorry...but I just...I don't know, I thought dating her would be...good for me? That maybe I did like her, but...it's complicated. And she figured it out." Izuku says, softly.
"/What/?"
Izuku laughs nervously. "I'm sorry...but I just...I don't know, I thought dating her would be...good for me? That maybe I did like her, but...it's complicated. And she figured it out." Izuku says, softly.
Shouto blinks again, sagging back against the pillows, numb.
"What...what do you mean?" And even if it had been so, why didn't he confide to Shouto, at the very least?
Shouto bites his lip, trying to make sense of Izuku's hesitant, almost stuttered out words.
"What...what do you mean?" And even if it had been so, why didn't he confide to Shouto, at the very least?
Shouto bites his lip, trying to make sense of Izuku's hesitant, almost stuttered out words.
Izuku /thought/ he liked Melissa- he hadn't been sure of his own feelings...or at least that's what Shouto can understand.
"Izuku, if you weren't sure, why-"
"I wanted at least...something to come out of this night. And it really did. I promise I'm okay, Shou."
"Izuku, if you weren't sure, why-"
"I wanted at least...something to come out of this night. And it really did. I promise I'm okay, Shou."
Shouto worries his lip further. "If you're sure..."
"Positive." Izuku says, confidence and sincerity seeping into his tone.
"And hey, she's really cool, I think she's right- we'd definitely be better off as friends." Izuku adds, cheerful.
"Positive." Izuku says, confidence and sincerity seeping into his tone.
"And hey, she's really cool, I think she's right- we'd definitely be better off as friends." Izuku adds, cheerful.
Shouto honestly wasn't sure what to make of this. Was he supposed to be happy? But wasn't that seriously petty?
Shouto scratched the back of his neck, frowning. Izuku seemed so sure of it...and-
He exhales. "I'm glad you're taking it well." He says finally, voice soft.
Shouto scratched the back of his neck, frowning. Izuku seemed so sure of it...and-
He exhales. "I'm glad you're taking it well." He says finally, voice soft.
Izuku laughs, the sound sweet to Shouto's distressed mind, calming almost. "I'm glad too. See you tomorrow?"
Shouto nods, something that felt warm in a delicate sense almost, rushing through him. "Yeah. We didn't properly celebrate you getting that No. 1 Music Video, you know."
Shouto nods, something that felt warm in a delicate sense almost, rushing through him. "Yeah. We didn't properly celebrate you getting that No. 1 Music Video, you know."
Izuku chuckles sheepishly. "No, we really didn't. Pizza sound good?"
"The best." Shouto says, hugging his knees with one arm as he hears Izuku chuckle more warmly this time.
"Sounds great, really! Bye, Shou! Good night!" Izuku says, and Shouto echoes the sentiment, softer.
"The best." Shouto says, hugging his knees with one arm as he hears Izuku chuckle more warmly this time.
"Sounds great, really! Bye, Shou! Good night!" Izuku says, and Shouto echoes the sentiment, softer.
"So?! What happened?" Natsuo asks from the door so suddenly that Shouto nearly smacks his head against the headboard in surprise, trying to look at Natsuo and a sheepish Fuyumi behind him.
"What are you two doing here?" Shouto hisses, face red.
"What are you two doing here?" Shouto hisses, face red.
"Listening at the doorway obviously." Touya rasps, head popping up above Fuyumi's with a grin.
Shouto glares at them, but the three of them give him firm looks, and he sighs.
"He's not going out with Melissa, all right? Leave me alone." Shouto grumbles, even as the three grin.
Shouto glares at them, but the three of them give him firm looks, and he sighs.
"He's not going out with Melissa, all right? Leave me alone." Shouto grumbles, even as the three grin.
Shouto didn't really know if this was good news, or if he had a shot, but...for now?
He's fine knowing that at least Izuku and he are still best friends.
He's fine knowing that at least Izuku and he are still best friends.
end thread! (finally lol)
