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Todoroki sat on the couch next to Ojirou and although he didn’t smile, Ochako noticed his face relax. His gaze slowly swept across the spread in front of them, a feast of entrees, appetizers, sides, an immense variety to be sure to cover even the pickiest of eaters.
Ochako watched Todoroki’s eyes go wide for a brief moment as he took it all in. He seldom was demonstrative, but that expression Ochako understood completely. Although she had openly gawked at the smorgasbord when she had sat down a couple of minutes before, exclaiming to Tsu she had never seen so much food at one time. But the subtle pleasure on Todoroki’s face Ochako had caught, no one else in the dorm seemed to notice his almost imperceptible revelry.
Ochako understood because food brought her comfort in a way she could only imagine was similar to Todoroki’s from what she had observed over the months of living in the dorms with him. Growing up, her family at times could barely afford the essentials to survive. So her parents, when they could, would buy Ochako gifts that consisted of candy or desserts she enjoyed. It was more affordable than toys and other items. And the food they ate on a daily basis wasn’t very fancy, their meals were simple and inexpensive, so to see such a lavish spread for Class 1-A’s holiday meal had filled Ochako with excitement. The opportunity to get to try so many different things at one meal was going to be delightful, she thought happily to herself.
And the dessert table was still being prepared in the dining area she reminded herself. Ochako wanted to make sure she saved room for the sweets! Her sweet tooth even had a reputation amongst her friends, Mina dubbing her the Mochi-Monster.
Their class, except for Bakugou, were all wearing Santa hats and other festive garb. Many of her friends were talking excitedly to one another, waiting to start the feast any minute.
Finally, Satou walked in from the kitchen with a huge roast turkey and Class 1-A started their holiday feast. Ochako glanced at times toward Todoroki, catching the subtle tells of happiness on his face and relaxation in his posture that he seldom showed.
Ochako tried a little of everything, trying to pace herself, and went back for seconds of her favorites which were the pickled vegetables and glazed honey salmon. She was ready for dessert but not before their gift exchange. She had, of course, purchased mochi candies, her favorite brand, as her gift to give.
Midoriya had ended up pulling her gift and Ochako coincidently had received an All Might keychain from Midoriya. Afterward, the class hung out and had dessert, Ochako definitely not having enough room to try all the confections, cakes, and baked goods that had been made by their classmates.
The souffle cheesecake had been delicious, but Ochako wasn’t surprised the warabi mochi was her absolute favorite. Sero had made it so she would definitely have to get the recipe from him.
As it got late, Ochako felt a heaviness at the center of her body and it surprisingly wasn’t her very full stomach. She had a gift to give someone and she was surprised she suddenly felt so nervous to give it.
As the crowd of her classmates began to thin downstairs she tried to summon the courage to approach Todoroki. They seldom talked outside of class, he really didn’t talk much to anyone except Midoriya.
She watched him rise from the couch, not saying anything to anyone, and head toward the stairs. Ochako quickly intercepted him before he made it through the stairway door.
“Todoroki, wait!”
He turned his head toward her, his face its usual passiveness.
“I…” Ochako couldn’t say anything else to save her life. Can someone die from embarrassment? She thought frantically to herself.
She stretched her arms out, the red tin she was holding almost hitting Todoroki in the chest. Her face heated up from mortification. Ochako didn’t think this would be the way she would die, but her face was practically on fire so she was pretty sure she was going to burst into flames.
“A gift. For me,” Todoroki said simply.
“Uh huh,” Ochako said, her face now feeling numb. It wasn’t an improvement from the burning.
Todoroki took the tin, opened the lid, and his emotionless face shifted into something else. He didn’t look joyous or excited or bashful. But there was something that had softened around his eyes. Familiarity and contentedness.
“Macarons,” he stated with no inflection but he didn’t need to. Ochako knew he was pleased.
“Yes, I made them. I remember when Aoyama brought some to the dorm and shared them with everyone a couple of weeks ago, you seemed to really like them so I learned how to make them and then I made them last night,” Ochako said in a stream of nerves and then she nervously chuckled.
“Yes. I ate too many. Especially the lemon ones.”
Ochako grinned. She had noticed. The tin was filled with ten lemon macarons.
Todoroki took one lemon macaron and popped it in his mouth. As he chewed, he took another out of the tin and handed it to Ochako.
She looked at him quizzically but took the offering.
Todoroki savored the bite, Ochako could tell from the tiny furrow in his brow. When he was done eating he added, “I remember you liked them, too.”
Ochako nodded and then didn’t hesitate to eat the macaron.
Todoroki gave her the smallest of smiles if you could call it that. The corner of his mouth ticked up the tiniest bit as he looked down at her. He then turned around and walked up the stairs.
Ochako swallowed her bite, not surprised by Todoroki’s curtness. She was just glad he liked the gift.
She stood there, watching him go up a few steps and before she turned to go back into the living area, Todoroki stopped and looked down at her. “Aren’t you coming?”
“Huh?” she asked.
“Joining me in my room. To help me eat these.” Todoroki gazed down at her, face now wooden.
“Oh. Okay,” Ochako said as she followed him up the stairs, a giddy feeling spreading throughout her chest.
A friendship was forged that night. After that, Ochako and Todoroki gifted each other treats, the other always joining the gifter in their room to share the treat and each other’s company. Todoroki never said much, but he didn’t have to. They were friends just the same.
Preparations for their second year Holiday Gift Exchange and Feast were underway and class 2A was busy cooking, cleaning, and decorating for the festivities later that day. Ochako was helping Momo decorate along with Mina and Aoyama.
They were hanging greenery with big red bows above the doorways. Momo was creating any additional decorations they thought of last minute as well as better hanging equipment since the plastic hooks with the sticky backing Mina got kept breaking.
“Ochako, let me know if it is even, c'est vous plait?”
“Sure,” Ochako said to Aoyama as she took a few steps back and ran into Shouto. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said as Shouto reflexively placed his hands on her shoulders so he didn’t bump her any further.
“Does it look magnifique?”
“Yes,” Shouto said and Ochako nodded at Aoyama.
“Oh! Look who’s standing under the mistletoe!” Mina’s voice rang a few feet away.
Ochako grinned and looked to where Mina had hung it earlier, wanting to see who the first victims were. She looked around but couldn’t find it, which was strange.
“Ochako.” Shouto’s deep, steady voice sounded right next to her.
She turned toward him and noticed Shouto was looking up at the ceiling. Right at the mistletoe above the both of them.
A burst of heat erupted at Ochako’s upper chest and spread up her neck, making her feel lightheaded so she looked down at the same time as Shouto.
“Oh… you don’t have to-” but before Ochako could finish her sentence, Shouto leaned toward her craning his neck down a bit, and kissed her right on the lips.
Before Ochako could process anything, could define how she felt about the press of Shouto’s soft pout against her mouth, the sweet, coolness of his breath that escaped his slightly parted lips as he retreated, Shouto was gone.
Ochako looked up at Aoyama and Momo who were several feet away up on their ladders. They both were smiling at Ochako even if their eyes were a bit wide with alarm from what had just happened.
Ochako immediately turned away, the fieriness of her cheeks still burning intensely. She saw the back of Shouto’s head in the kitchen. Ochako scampered away toward the living area where she saw Tenya rearranging the living room furniture.
“I’m gonna help Tenya..” she said to no one in particular.
“You can’t just run off after what just happened ‘Chako!” Mina’s voice called out behind her.
After she helped Tenya move the coffee tables to the center of the living area to make one large table she stood still for a moment in the hallway waiting for him to tell her what needed to be moved next.
As Tenya thought out loud about what the best configuration would be, Ochako absentmindedly brought her fingers to her bottom lip, thinking about the mistletoe kiss. It had all happened so fast, but Ochako couldn’t help but feel that the touch of Shouto’s lips had almost burned a bit. Igniting heat on one half of her pout, and a chill of ice on the other.
And for the rest of the night, Ochako did her best not to stare at Shouto’s lips. He sat next to her during the feast which wasn’t out of the ordinary, but his close proximity made Ochako’s heart race and that had never happened before.
Shouto made comments about the food and Ochako nodded enjoying his company like she always did. But it felt different now.
A black Toyota Century pulled up and the driver got out, but Shouto had already opened the door for Ochako before the driver reached them. She slid into the back seat, scooting over for Shouto who climbed in after her. A few moments later, the driver returned to the wheel and greeted Shouto and they were off to the Todoroki’s house.
“Mr. Shouto, your hair has gotten so long. I like it. Very youthful,” Ohara, the Todoroki’s main chauffeur, commented.
Ochako glanced over at Shouto and saw the tiniest of smirks animate his placid face. Apparently, his time around Kyoka and Bakugou were rubbing off on him.
She remembered Endeavor stopping by the dorm after their second year Sports Festival. Endeavor had talked with Shouto briefly and then Endeavor had mentioned how Shouto needed to get a haircut. Shouto had smirked then, too. He had not gotten a haircut since.
Ochako had never been to Shouto’s house before although Bakugou and Midoriya had due to the both of them interning at Endeavor’s Agency first year along with Shouto. But Shouto had not invited any other classmates over since then. Until the previous day when Shouto asked Ochako if she wanted to make some desserts at his house for their third year Holiday Gift Exchange and Feast.
Ochako told him, “Of course!” But now she felt super nervous. She didn’t know what to expect. Would she meet Endeavor? Would Shouto’s brother or sister be there? His mother? Shouto didn’t talk about his family and now Ochako felt it would be weird to ask who would be there.
They were close friends in many ways, yet there was still so much of Shouto’s life he kept to himself. When they arrived and headed into the house, Shouto still had not said anything so Ochako knew she would just have to roll with whatever was thrown at her.
The Todorokis' house was traditional and vast. Ochako couldn’t help but marvel at its beauty as they headed to the kitchen. Shouto’s sister, Fuyumi, was already there, a few cookbooks opened on the counter and some pans and cookie sheets already pulled out.
She warmly greeted them, introducing herself to Ochako since Shouto didn’t say anything. Fuyumi gave Ochako a knowing look afterward and Ochako already decided she liked her immensely.
The three of them baked and prepared candies through late afternoon and when it got dark, Shouto’s brother showed up with takeout.
Shouto didn’t say anything to his brother upon his arrival except, “Did you get cold soba?”
Natsuo said, “It’s good to see you, too, bro,” and rolled his eyes and then laughed. “And, yes, I got cold soba and it’s from your favorite place.”
Shouto nodded, a barely noticed hint of a smile on his lips.
“You must be Ochako. I’m Natsuo.”
A few minutes later, Fuyumi, Natsuo, Ochako, and Shouto all sat in the dining room and had dinner together. Fuyumi and Natsuo talked, asking Ochako polite questions, trying to make her feel at ease with the conversation. Shouto didn’t say much, but Ochako noticed he had hummed a few times as he ate, savoring his meal. Ochako knew cold soba was his absolute favorite food in the whole world. Probably his favorite thing in the whole world.
As they all finished their meal, Fuyumi got up and started picking up dishes. Ochako stood up to help, but Fuyumi immediately shot her down. “You stay, Natsuo and I will clean up. I know you guys still have a couple more desserts to make so you’ll be up late tonight. Rest up now for a bit.”
Natsuo groaned but gathered up some dishes and then it was just Ochako and Shouto in the dining area, Shouto finally finishing his third helping of cold soba.
He sighed contentedly as Ochako reached for a candy cane stick on the table. Natsuo had brought some with him to share, they were all different colors and Ochako tried to guess the flavors from their appearance. She didn’t want pina colada, it was the only flavor of candy she didn’t like.
She settled on a white stick with a bold dark blue line and thinner light blue lines. She peeled back the wrapping, Ochako feeling Shouto’s eyes on her. She brought the tip to her lips and mouthed it enough to get a good taste.
“Blue raspberry?” Shouto asked.
Ochako turned to him, nibbling off the edge. “I thought so, too, but I’m not sure actually.” Ochako brought the candy cane stick back to her mouth sucking on the end.
Shouto leaned toward her and Ochako immediately went rigid as his face came nearer and nearer toward her. A second later, Shouto’s lips were on the other end of the candy cane, tasting the confection, his cool, sweet breath wafting around Ochako’s face. His face was a hands-breadth away from hers and Ochako couldn’t help but gasp around her candy cane. Shouto’s mismatched eyes focused on her, crinkling at the edges with amusement.
The latch of his lips slipped further down the confection and their noses were almost touching. Ochako had not broken out in a heated flush around Shouto in some time, but this almost eager proximity of his set her skin alight.
He retreated and she watched an expression appear on his face she had never seen before. Smug satisfaction. He had definitely been spending too much time around Bakugou.
“Blueberry,” he said as he leaned back in his seat.
“What?”
“The flavor is blueberry.” His smile slowly faded and he reached for a pink candy cane.
“Oh.”
A minute or two passed, Ochako trying to decide if Shouto was flirting with her. Or was he just being silly and friendly? Shouto wasn’t often silly, but she had seen it a few times, especially recently. She finally returned back to an unflustered state having no idea how to read the interaction. She watched him suck on the end of his candy cane and now wondered what Shouto’s lips would taste like if she kissed him at that moment. Cotton candy? Strawberry? Of course, she wouldn’t dare.
They finished up their candies and Shouto broke the silence first. “I’m sorry I was so quiet over dinner. I’m still not used to eating with my siblings,” he said as he glanced at her.
Ochako giggled. “After your whole childhood, you’re still not used to them?”
“My father wouldn’t let me eat with them.”
Ochako held her breath for a second, trying to make sense of what Shouto was saying. “What do you mean?”
“He had me on a special diet, so I ate alone in the kitchen.” Shouto stared at the far wall but was unfocused like he was deep in thought. “Our house staff would make sure I ate what was prescribed, nothing more, nothing less. No sugar. No simple starches.”
“Shouto… I’m so sorry.”
Ochako saw his face break out into one of his seldom-given smiles, but he didn’t look at her, still gazing off into nothing. “Ever since I started attending UA though, things changed. I no longer live by his rules, even here I refused. So I eat what I want, with who I want.” Shouto turned toward Ochako and met her gaze. He smiled serenely at her, Ochako feeling like she was truly seeing a side of Shouto he rarely ever showed.
And now Ochako knew why Shouto loved food as much as she did. And what it meant when he shared food, shared a meal with others. Ochako’s heart raced and she took a deep, long breath to calm it down.
Ochako dared to ask him a personal question. “Does your mother or father ever have dinner with you here?”
The smile slowly disappeared from his face, but he still looked content. “My mother has her own home now and my siblings and I visit and share meals with her there. This is my father’s house, so Natsuo only comes to see Fuyumi and me on the nights our father is away doing stuff at his agency. He retired from Hero work, but he still runs his agency. Natsuo refuses to even look at my dad.”
“And…you?” Ochako asked.
Shouto shrugged. “I don’t mind seeing him. I really… don’t know how to feel about a lot of things with Endeavor.” The sudden formal use of his father’s name made Ochako feel sad for him.
Ochako reached out and placed her hand on top of Shouto’s left hand, making sure to lift her pinky. “Are you ready to make some treats?” she asked with a smile, hoping the deeper conversation hadn’t dampened Shouto’s mood.
He met her gaze and nodded. The two of them were up until the wee hours preparing the many desserts they would bring back to the dorm the next day for the holiday celebration. It had gotten so late that Shouto asked Ochako to spend the night in one of the many guest rooms.
As she fell asleep in one of the most luxurious beds she had ever lay in, her thoughts couldn’t help but go to Shouto. The way his hand felt when she touched him. The familiarity of standing by his heated left side, his chilly right side. The way they seemed to move comfortably around his kitchen. The way the silence between them no longer felt like a chasm but just a natural part of their communication because there were other ways than speaking that people showed they cared and were being attentive.
As Ochako drifted off to sleep she thought about how she had been in love with Shouto for some time. So in love with him, that their friendship, their polite affection, was enough for her.
The whole class was gathering at a restaurant in Tokyo to celebrate Shouto becoming the Number Two ranked hero on the Hero Billboard Chart. Eight years as a Pro and he, all of them really, had come so far.
Kirishima gave a very loud, enthusiastic toast to Shouto and everyone in the room raised their glasses, Ochako smiling wide.
“Sorry…for making you all gather here tonight,” Shouto said softly, his eyes twinkling with appreciation. His hair was so long, had been so long for years, he kept it in a low ponytail most of the time.
Denki and Hanta began to banter with Shouto but Ochako didn’t really process their conversation. She was too caught up in Shouto. He was so pleased that all their former classmates were there. A small smile was constantly on his lips. Over the years, he had finally learned how to not only enjoy things in life but how to express them. Ochako was so proud of him in so many ways.
Shouto sat down next to Ochako after the toast and it really didn’t surprise anyone. They had become close friends over the years. They saw each other a few times a month and had even gone on vacations together. Ochako yearned for more and sometimes she thought Shouto did, too. But she didn’t want to risk their friendship by pushing him for more.
As they began to eat dinner, talk around their table started to shift to the present state of heroes and what were everyone’s next big plans.
“I’ll be taking bowl and chopstick making classes in Ishikawa,” Shouto said and then took a bite from Ochako’s bowl. They always shared their meals.
But Shouto’s words had made everyone exclaim with surprise at the table. And they made Ochako’s heart sink. In the gift bag she had right next to her was a gift certificate to the very classes Shouto spoke of and already signed up for. He had mentioned his interest a couple of weeks ago so Ochako thought it would be a great “Congratulations for making #2 Hero Ranking” gift.
“I think soba would taste even better if I eat it using stuff I’ve made myself,” Shouto said between bites.
Ochako could only smile at him. After all this time, cold soba was still his favorite thing. And Shouto enjoyed food immensely. Making it, eating it, sharing it. It was as much a part of him as being a hero. As being a good friend. And he wanted to grow and celebrate that part of himself. Ochako was happy for him.
Dinner continued and it had been nice to catch up with their friends. As people started to leave, however, Ochako snuck out. She was embarrassed about her duplicate gift in the gift bag and she didn’t want Shouto to see it and then ask about it. She slipped through a back door and as she walked down an alley headed toward the street, his voice reached her.
“Ochako.”
She stilled in her tracks and sighed. When they were younger Shouto could be quite oblivious to pretty much everything. But now in their mid-twenties, it was hard to get things past him.
Ochako turned toward him and smiled sheepishly. Shouto took a few steps until he was standing right in front of her, towering over her. Ochako had stopped growing first year but Shouto didn’t stop until he was twenty-one. He was 6’3’’, almost as tall as his dad, but Shouto had kept his lean, muscular physique. He was definitely more broad-shouldered now than back at UA though. He was beautiful. Ochako really tried to not be caught staring at her best friend in an unwholesome manner.
Shouto’s gaze, his left eye piercing turquoise, his right eye soft brownish-grey, drifted to the gift bag she held at her side.
“Change your mind about the gift you brought me?” Anyone else the tone wouldn’t have sounded like teasing, but Shouto was definitely teasing her. A soft smile alighted on his lips, mischief dancing around his eyes. She knew his face as well as her own.
It was a few weeks until the Holidays so it was obvious the gift had been for him. Ochako sighed.
“I… well… no sense in hiding it now.” Ochako extended the gift to him and he took it.
Shouto pulled a red tin from the gift bag and smiled softly at Ochako. She took the empty bag from him and then he took the lid off the tin.
Then Shouto grinned. “Lemon macarons.”
Ochako nodded, not able to fight off the faint surge of heat that kissed her cheeks.
“First year Holidays. It was the first gift you ever gave me.”
He then picked up the envelope that lay behind the treats. Ochako took the tin so he could open it.
“A certificate for the bowl and chopsticks making class.” He grinned again and Ochako thought her heart would burst. Smiles were one thing, but Shouto was still getting used to the grinning. That flash of teeth signaled he was ecstatic. Anyone else would be jumping and shouting for joy.
“I really fumbled it. Of course you’d get the classes for yourself since you mentioned it before.”
His gaze flitted up to her face, his grin softening to a smile. “Do it with me.”
“Oh,” Ochako shook her head. “I could never. It’s your gift. Maybe they’ll let you put this toward an advanced class-”
“That would be the perfect gift really. It’d be so much sweeter if you did it with me.”
So much sweeter. How could she say ‘no’ to that?
She returned his soft smile. “Okay. I’ll do it with you.” That ache in her chest stirred, wanting more. Ochako wished it would go away. This was enough.
“Ochako…” Shouto stared at the ground in front of him, the lights in the alleyway revealed his expression, and Ochako held her breath as she saw his face go crimson. She had never seen Shouto blush before. In the eleven years they had known each other. Her heart galloped in her chest almost painfully at the sight.
He looked up at her face, his gaze boring into her, an intenseness he rarely showed outside of hero work. “I want you more than cold soba.”
And with his words, that ache deep inside Ochako was set free. She let go of that breath she felt she had been holding for years and she felt so light now, lighter than her quirk could ever make her feel.
Shouto scoffed out a laugh, his face still serious. “I know that’s probably the least romantic thing I can-”
Ochako lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his chest. Shouto embraced her, his arms, his presence so familiar yet Ochako realized they had never hugged before. She buried her face in the warmth of his left pec and couldn’t keep the sob in her throat as it pushed its way out. And then she couldn’t stop crying.
“I’m so sorry, Ochako,” Shouto said into her hair. She felt him plant a kiss on the top of her head and more of her tears flowed so he held her even tighter.
“I’ve felt things through the years but I… I didn’t think I was ready. I didn’t want to try and love you, then give you parts of myself that were broken.”
She finally calmed her tears and pulled away from him, his arms dropping away from her, his hands somehow finding their way to her hips.
“I think I’m ready now,” he said, a sad smile now cutting its way into his stoic expression. “That is…if you still want me.”
Ochako smiled at him through tear-filled eyes. “I still want you. I’ve wanted you for so long.”
Shouto gently squeezed her at her hips and it sent a surge of warmth through her body, calming her. He then brought a cool hand to her face and cupped her cheek and jaw gently.
“Thank you for being patient with me. So very patient.”
Shouto leaned down and their lips met. His lips were so soft, his movement slow, thoughtful, almost cautious at first. And then a whirlwind hit her insides, Shouto’s cool breath, his almost too-hot lips, his strong arms lifting her against his body. Her calm was shattered by the hunger of his kisses.
A delicious shudder heated up her body, the tips of her toes barely touching the ground as Shouto held her. He retreated from their kiss, their lips brushing against each other, still hungry for more.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered at her mouth. “I got a bit carried away.”
Ochako smiled up at him, her mind a haze of desire. “I don’t mind,” she breathed out as she kissed his bottom lip languidly, but then retreated so she could gaze at him.
He swallowed heavily, suddenly looking a bit nervous. Ochako had no idea Shouto could even do nervous. “I….have to catch up. I got a lot to learn.”
“I don’t mind teaching you,” Ochako said coyly, but she just gave him a peck on his cheek. She had had other relationships over the years, all short-lived, because she was only human after all. But she was eager to guide Shouto in any way he needed.
They heard noises behind them, probably some of their friends, so Shouto reluctantly let go of her, lowering her safely to the ground so her feet were planted firmly.
“I’d like that,” Shouto said as he looked down at her face, his gaze flitting around her features, marveling at her.
Ochako’s heart was so full. She took his hand and they headed toward the street. They would have a lot of explaining to do to their friends. One thought overtook her as she felt Shouto’s warm hand in hers.
Shouto was worth the wait.